The door Si Chen had crushed was repaired by the next morning.
The workmanship was excellent. The timber was new, its color exactly the same as before, and even the creaking of the hinges had been adjusted to sound much as it had before.
But everyone knew that some things could not be repaired.
For instance, that gray-robed boat official never appeared again.
The rest of the voyage was extraordinarily quiet, with no more "accidents."
"Gray Gray, have a bite. Just one."
Xie Changsheng crouched before the gray donkey, holding a handful of tender green spirit grass in an almost ingratiating manner.
But the gray donkey turned its head away and snorted through its nostrils.
For some unknown reason, it was sulking at Xie Changsheng again.
Xie Changsheng held the grass a little closer. "Look, I specially asked the kitchen for this this morning. It's the freshest they had."
The gray donkey glanced at it and twitched its ears, but still refused to open its mouth.
"How about..."
Xie Changsheng ventured, "Once we reach the Imperial Capital, I'll take you to eat the most expensive spirit beans?"
The gray donkey flicked its tail lightly.
"And a jar of aged fruit wine?"
The gray donkey turned its head and looked at him.
Xie Changsheng hastily added, "Two jars!"
Only then did the gray donkey abandon its "hunger strike," which had lasted an incense stick's worth of time, and lower its head to chew at a leisurely pace.
Xie Changsheng breathed a sigh of relief and wiped away his sweat.
Meanwhile, Zhou Yan was circling around Red Bean.
He pulled one thing after another from his Storage Ring: translucent Jade Marrow Fruit and candied fruit gleaming with golden light, all rare spiritual treasures.
"Red Bean, look at this. Do you like