After paying his electricity bill and leaving the service center, Lin Zhishui turned the corner and headed straight for his calligraphy and painting shop.
The power company's service center was fairly close to his shop. A walk of just over ten minutes brought him to the entrance of the alley leading there.
The place was so out of the way that he barely saw any passersby. It certainly lived up to its cheap rent.
Now that I have a little money, should I move somewhere else?
Lin Zhishui walked along the roadside, quietly considering the question.
This lousy location had practically no foot traffic. Sometimes even delivery riders couldn't find his shop, and he had to come out to collect his orders himself.
Still, he was beginning to develop a regular clientele now. He even seemed to have... broken into some mysterious circle?
After all, every single one of his customers loved traditional aesthetics. They adored traditional culture, admired a master calligrapher like him, and could even find his little shop deep in this secluded alley...
With that many coincidences, even an idiot could tell there had to be something behind it!
Fortunately, Lin Zhishui had always been good at deduction. A little thought was enough for him to figure it out-
These customers... must have come from the same circle!
That circle might have been a forum, a chat group, some major influencer's Weibo page, or a local hobby club...
In short, it brought together people who loved traditional aesthetics and culture.
And some lovely customer must have promoted his shop within that circle!
-He had reached this conclusion because, when he mentioned the customer surnamed Lu who had given him the brush-washing basin earlier today, Han Suxin had said she'd heard of him.
The man wasn't some celebrity, so they probably belonged to the same circle.
If he cultivated these customer relationships, established his reputation as a master calligrapher within their circle, tapped into more potential customers, and cornered that market, perhaps he might even get rich.
Thinking of it that way, Lin Zhishui realized he didn't need to move at all.
Most of his customers probably came because of his reputation anyway. Having his shop deep in a secluded alley actually gave it a certain atmosphere. It let customers imagine him as a master calligrapher and reclusive sage who had withdrawn here because he was tired of worldly struggles over money and power.
It lent him an air of mystery and detachment from the mundane.
That was a selling point too-a form of packaging.
-Besides, lovers of traditional aesthetics ate that sort of thing up.
His shop might have been remote and hard to find, but that was fine. Making customers expend a little effort to reach it would make the experience feel all the more precious. Perhaps they'd even be reluctant to leave empty-handed.
That was what people called the sunk-cost effect.
Maybe I should find myself a more traditional-looking outfit later? That would make me look a little more like a sage...
As Lin Zhishui pondered his little shop's future business prospects and plans, he silently made up his mind. In a few more years, Little Snake should be marrying me. I'd better start earning enough to support a family.
With money-making plans running through his head, he soon wound his way into the alley.
Just then, a delivery rider approached from the opposite direction, carrying a plastic bag.
Lin Zhishui glanced at him and said, "Pray, halt... ahem, is that breakfast for the He Mingxuan calligraphy and painting shop at number 71?"
That was a little embarrassing. After speaking in such an old-fashioned way with those customers over the past two days, he'd almost forgotten to correct himself.
"Yes." The delivery rider nodded.
"Oh, I ordered that breakfast. Couldn't you find the place?" Lin Zhishui asked.
"It's yours?"
The rider looked startled and hurriedly said, "No, I accidentally dropped your order just now. Look, the soup and soy milk spilled everywhere. I was going to get you a replacement. I've already told your two friends in the shop."
"Two?" Lin Zhishui asked in confusion. "There's someone else in my shop besides the female customer?"
"Yes, a man and a woman."
The rider nodded, then lowered his voice to warn him, "But the man in your shop looked pretty grim, like he was in a bad mood. He looked like he'd come to collect a debt. You might want to hurry back and take a look."
Lin Zhishui nodded slightly. "Thanks."
"Just please don't give me a bad review," the rider hurriedly added.
"All right." Lin Zhishui smiled and nodded. No wonder the rider had told him so much. He'd been worried about getting a bad review.
But another customer had actually come to the shop?
In a bad mood?
Looking like a debt collector?
If the customer had come because of his reputation, he shouldn't have been wearing that sort of expression... which meant he'd come with a specific purpose. Perhaps he really was there to make trouble?
As for anyone who might have reason to come and make trouble lately...
Could it be a family member of that high school customer from the day before yesterday... Cheng Qiyue?
Lin Zhishui immediately thought of the most likely customer.
After all, Cheng Qiyue was only a high school student. Even if her family was well off, spending over a hundred thousand yuan on a piece of calligraphy was still rather extravagant.
He had made an agreement with Cheng Qiyue at the time and told her to keep it secret.
But how tight-lipped could a high school student be?
-Ahem, adults were generally even worse, of course.
Worse still, she might even have spilled the beans about Old Master Cheng buying calligraphy here...
That would be a double disaster.
At the thought of someone chasing him down for money, Lin Zhishui felt the urge to turn around and flee.
Yesterday, he'd fitted his Little Snake with new hearing aids and bought her new clothes. He'd already spent a fair amount of that money and couldn't repay the full sum even if he wanted to.
"Calm down. Calm down."
Lin Zhishui took a deep breath, repeating to himself, I'm a master calligrapher. I have genuine skill. It's not like I cheated anyone out of their money. Han Suxin happens to be here too. She admires me so much that she should speak up for me. At worst, I can sell the calligraphy to her instead. She should be willing to pay... right?
Feeling rather apprehensive, he tried to maintain his composure as he made his way back to his shop.
The moment he reached the entrance, he saw Han Suxin leave her spot beside the desk and approach with a smile. Her pleased expression held a touch of reverence as she said, "Mr. Lin, you're back."
Lin Zhishui glanced around the shop but saw no sign of the male customer the rider had mentioned.
Nor did Han Suxin look at all uncomfortable. On the contrary, she seemed... even more admiring??
What the hell?
"That customer just now... did he leave?" Lin Zhishui asked, feigning indifference.
Han Suxin's eyes immediately brightened. With a hint of reverence, she marveled, "You really did foresee his visit... though of course you would. Before coming here, he knew nothing about you, much less that your calligraphy was worth far more than the little price he'd paid. It's only natural that he misunderstood."
Her words immediately confirmed Lin Zhishui's suspicions.
Just as I thought!
It really had been someone from Cheng Qiyue's family. They must have discovered yesterday that she'd spent over a hundred thousand yuan on a piece of calligraphy, so they'd come first thing in the morning.
After all, he couldn't expect everyone to love traditional culture and admire master calligraphers. Nor could he expect everyone to recognize the excellence of his calligraphy the way Han Suxin and his other customers did.
Still, since the man had already left, everything should be fine now, right?
"He gave up just like that?" Lin Zhishui asked, pretending to be relaxed.
Han Suxin smiled slightly and nodded. "Naturally. I told him a little about your remarkable abilities, and after seeing your treasures, he understood how unfathomable and great you truly are. He realized quite clearly that he was wrong. Not only did he abandon his mistaken intentions, he also said he'd come tomorrow to apologize."
Told him a little about my remarkable abilities?
Saw my treasures?
That sounded a little odd to Lin Zhishui. Could it be... that Han Suxin had taken Cheng Qiyue's relative behind the screen to admire his calligraphy and paintings?
It certainly couldn't have been that simple. Han Suxin must have done quite a bit of talking too.
Still, why was Han Suxin starting to sound more and more like one of those devoted fans who endlessly praised their idol? She even seemed to be heading toward full-blown fanatic territory...
Just listen to her. Unfathomable? Greatness? Good heavens, is that how normal people talk?
Does she have to lay it on so thick?
A mindless fan like Han Suxin, who understood nothing but bragged about her idol, worshipped him blindly, and even tried to brainwash other people into becoming fans too...
Love it. Absolutely love it.
Feeling rather gratified, Lin Zhishui reached out and patted her shoulder. He said modestly, "I'm merely the owner of a little calligraphy and painting shop, not so different from anyone else in this mortal world. I don't ask that everyone understand me. A few kindred spirits brought together by fate are enough."
Hearing that, Han Suxin couldn't help admiring the senior before her even more.
What an extraordinary outlook!
Someone like Senior Lin had clearly transcended the mortal world and ought to have stood high above the clouds. Yet he lived contentedly in obscurity among mortals, treating all beings as equals while still understanding worldly affairs and human feelings.
Such humility, such integrity-surely this was true transcendence, the pinnacle of a spirit that embraced heaven and earth.
What an honor it would be to be considered a kindred spirit by such a sage!
Han Suxin couldn't help nodding in agreement. "You're right. Such is the way of the world. Why try to force it?"
Lin Zhishui smiled and nodded, while privately muttering to himself.
I can't force things with customers who aren't a good fit. Otherwise, what if something like today happens again and they come knocking?
Ah, if I had a whole bunch of mindless fans like Han Suxin, how could my grand enterprise possibly fail?
Before you continue