When Zhang Xiaohua saw his second brother's signal, he did not dismount. The two turned their horses back onto the road and galloped for another stick of incense's time before Zhang Xiaohua finally slowed a little and asked curiously, "Second Brother, what was that about just now?"
Zhang Xiaohu said, "Nothing much. That little shack was probably suspicious—perhaps it was a black inn, perhaps it was nothing. But when traveling away from home, caution comes first. Better not go in."
Hearing this, Zhang Xiaohua's curiosity surged. "Second Brother, how could you tell?"
Zhang Xiaohu smiled. "It was only a feeling. First, a little shack like that does not earn much money. Usually, the people who run them are older folk who can no longer do other physical work, so they keep a shack for an easy living. But that waiter was a young man. Anything he did would earn more than running that shack. Second, didn't you hear what he said? 'Stopping for a meal or eating?' What could there possibly be in that little shack to eat? Drinking some water and sitting for a while would be more like it. Those words were clearly copied straight from some restaurant. Oh, and those horses at the entrance—they were so old. Who would ride horses like that out on the road?"
Zhang Xiaohua said in confusion, "And just because of that, you decided there was something wrong with the shack?"
"Isn't that enough? In truth, forget all those points—even one of them would be enough reason not to enter lightly. Better to fear the possibility than regret it later."
"But, Second Brother, with your and my skills, are we really afraid of whatever tricks might be inside that shack?"
"Our skills?" Zhang Xiaohu shook his head. "Xiaohua, never mind whether us