Zheng Qing stood before Sanyou Bookstore, looking lost.
Since he had begun practicing calligraphy with his teacher at the age of eight, Zheng Qing had spent his childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood in Sanyou Bookstore. Ten years could make people forget many things, but it could also make them remember many things.
Such as the bookstore's name, its layout, and its scent.
The Sanyou Bookstore before him was identical to the one run by his teacher, from its name to its layout. Only the smell was slightly different.
Because this bookstore had closed down, carrying an added air of abandonment.
The bookstore's doors were tightly shut. A thick layer of dust covered the eaves and window frames. Judging by the state of it, no one had come by in a long time.
Zheng Qing leaned closer and peered through the dim glass into the bookstore. It was pitch-black inside.
He could vaguely make out one or two green points of light.
He was not sure whether his eyes were playing tricks on him.
"The textbooks need to be bought at Sanwei Bookstore!" Thomas called from not far away. "Over here!"
Zheng Qing patted the dust from his hands and reluctantly left the window.
Inside the shop, a Yellow Flower Cat blinked, sneezed, and sent dust swirling across the floor.
Separated by a stationery shop, the two bookstores were worlds apart.
Sanwei Bookstore had many customers, and most of those coming and going were young people.
According to Thomas, this shop, like Yunxiangyi, was a partner business of First University. Many of the school's purchasing requirements followed their standards.
"First University. Freshman required textbooks. Scholarship student." Thomas spoke concisely to the clerk behind the counter.
"Please wait a moment." The clerk put on a professional standard smile, swiftly scribbled a few words, crumpled the paper, and tossed it away.
The paper ball floated into the air, transformed into a flying crane, and fluttered down the aisle toward the back of the shop.
"Why is the bookstore next door closed?" Zheng Qing watched the paper crane enviously and asked casually, "Those two bookstores have such similar names. Do they have the same owner?"
His intuition told him that the shuttered Sanyou Bookstore next door was the same Sanyou Bookstore run by his teacher.
But why had his teacher left this place and gone into seclusion in that ordinary neighborhood back home? That was worth considering.
Countless plots of conspiracy, love, hatred, and revenge from martial arts stories churned through Zheng Qing's mind.
He could only probe cautiously and indirectly, afraid of bringing trouble to his teacher.
The Sanwei Bookstore clerk's stiff smile did not change in the slightest. He stared straight ahead and showed no reaction at all to Zheng Qing's question.
Thomas merely glanced at him and replied slowly, "Nothing more than the owner having something to do. There are so many closed shops in the market. Instead of worrying about that, you should check whether there's anything else on the list that we haven't bought. I still need to travel several thousand li tonight and fill out a report."
Zheng Qing felt there was some deeper meaning in his gaze and promptly gave up on asking further.
"Your things. Please take them." The paper crane flew back to the counter carrying a paper box. The clerk smiled mechanically as he opened the wooden box and pushed it toward Thomas.
"Hm." Thomas swept his eyes over it, then pulled Zheng Qing over to the box. "Check it against the list."
Zheng Qing pulled out the list filled with book titles and began counting them one by one.
"Yao Xiaomi's Standard Incantations, Emma's Astronomy, Zhang-Sima's Basic Talismans, Li Qihuang's Potions, Yi Jiazi's Divination, Great History, Carl's Magic Philosophy... What is this?" At the very end, Zheng Qing lifted a simply bound book and asked, "This isn't on the book list. Was it given to us by mistake?"
"This is the school's guide for new students. Every year, freshmen get lost on campus or accidentally injure the kappa in Linzhong Lake. So the senior students in the Student Union compiled this book to help you take fewer detours around the school." Thomas sighed. "Although this book is poorly bound, what's inside is worth reading."
Zheng Qing nodded and stuffed Entering First University into the paper box.
"Give the book list to the clerk," Thomas instructed.
Zheng Qing handed the yellowed book list to the stiff-faced clerk.
The clerk raised the sheet before his eyes and opened them wide. His eyeballs creaked as they bulged outward, shooting out two beams of golden light that scanned the list several times.
When the list returned to his hands, Zheng Qing discovered that the strings of book titles had vanished. Those missing titles were now sitting safely in the boxes beside him.
"You don't have any Space Equipment?" Thomas watched Zheng Qing prepare to shoulder the boxes and could not help asking curiously.
"Oh, that? I do." Zheng Qing could not help glancing around, his face flushing slightly. "My teacher never let me use it casually outside before."
As he spoke, he reached into his clothes and pulled out a palm-sized gray cloth bag embroidered with Golden Runes. He shook its opening toward the stacked boxes.
The boxes immediately transformed into streaks of light and flew into the bag.
"Very beautiful bag," the stiff-faced clerk suddenly praised from beside him, startling Zheng Qing.
He had always assumed these clerks could only mechanically carry out routine tasks.
Before leaving the bookstore, Zheng Qing looked back once more at Sanyou Bookstore next door.
Its deserted entrance looked especially distinctive amid the bustling Four Seasons Market.
He decided that once he returned home, he would find his teacher and get a clear answer as soon as possible.
Thomas walked slowly ahead with a furrowed brow, seemingly deep in thought.
For a time, the two fell into a strange silence.
It was not until they passed several pet shops that the chattering cries of small animals in the cages outside broke the silence between them.
A slender falcon stood on the eaves, radiating majesty as it proudly looked down upon all living things.
In mud nests beneath the eaves, several swallows poked out their heads and looked around. A few dozing black bats hung from a mortise-and-tenon rack nearby.
Two lizards crept along the wall on their slender claws, wandering about at a leisurely pace. From time to time, they flicked out bright red tongues to threaten the buzzing flies.
In the open space before the shop, three kittens were pinning down a fat Big Rat and giving it a savage beating. Beside them, a rabbit held up its carrot and watched with great interest.
"These little things are so interesting!" Zheng Qing muttered through gritted teeth as he watched the poor Big Rat.
"Yes!" Thomas came back to himself, a satisfied smile appearing on his face. "The greatest difference between us wizards and ordinary people is our reverence and love for nature, as well as our friendship with these companions of nature. As a wizard, you might not like magic, but you would never dislike these little animals."
"Then can I buy one?" Zheng Qing perked up at once, raising his head with a flicker of longing in his eyes.
"No." Thomas shook his head decisively. "You're a scholarship student. Your scholarship is only enough to prepare your study supplies. You'll even have to figure out your own living expenses, let alone afford a pet."
Before you continue