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墨書 Inktalez
Many people, whether intentionally or unintentionally, found themselves drawn into the hype after seeing the new list in Ming Pao. The daily sales of Ming Pao skyrocketed, jumping from a regular 150,000 copies to an additional 20,000. Dong Qiao instructed the factory to work overtime to print more copies, and one person sat in the office with a smile as bright as a flower, marveling at their foresight in recognizing Yue Junzhe as a treasure. Meanwhile, the female editor who had rejected Yue Junzhe was filled with regret; she had personally pushed away such a lucrative opportunity! If only she had accepted it, she could have been on her way to a promotion and a raise, reaching the pinnacle of her career.
Yue Junzhe felt very confident but still breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing so many people buying Ming Pao and following the story. Soon after, university classes began…
Hanno wrote three chapters with a determined focus, listening to her parents turn off the television. Glancing at the clock, she saw it was 9:50 PM and decided to write one more chapter before going to bed. That night, Hanno slept deeply but woke up feeling heavy and tired, as if she had done a lot of strenuous activities while sleeping. However, her appetite was excellent; she devoured an entire steamer of buns and drank two bowls of plain congee, which made Mom Han worry that her daughter might overindulge.
Hanno received a call from the renovation company informing her that the hot pot restaurant was finished. She took a stroll around the shop and happily paid the final payment, deciding that the restaurant would open in half a month.
There were many tasks during this period: hiring chefs, finding helpers and waitstaff… After half a month of busy preparations, the hot pot restaurant finally opened, and Hanno felt relieved. On opening day, Yang Yun came to celebrate. The two friends chose a table by the window where they could chat while enjoying their hot pot.
"This place looks great," Yang Yun said while gently swaying in her hanging chair. "The atmosphere is nice too. It’s not noisy like other hot pot restaurants."
Hanno replied, "I’m aiming for a relaxed vibe here rather than just another hot pot place."
Yang Yun nodded; most of the customers were young couples rather than large groups like in other restaurants. Couples tended to be quieter and more focused on each other, especially with soothing music playing in the background that kept noise levels down.
Yang Yun leaned over to grab a piece of slightly cooled beef tripe and said, "I have some time off coming up and was thinking about traveling abroad. Want to join me?"
Unlike Yang Yun, who took breaks between bites, Hanno continued eating at the table as if there were an endless pit in her stomach. Yang Yun envied her; how could she eat so much without gaining weight?
"I'm not going. All the money I've saved over these past few years has gone into this hot pot restaurant. I don’t have any spare cash for traveling abroad right now. Maybe once this place starts making money, I can go with you."
Yang Yun responded, "By the time you have money, I might not have time anymore. Forget it; I’ll just go alone. It’s not like I’ve never traveled far by myself before. Just wait for me to come back with gifts for you."
"Sure thing! I’ll be waiting for your gifts," Hanno replied as she dumped an entire plate of lamb into her pot.
"Hey! Save some for me!" Yang Yun exclaimed as she leaned forward in her chair to snatch some food but ended up grabbing only an empty plate.
"You can just go get another plate," Hanno said with a smile.
Yang Yun also smiled, "No need, I'll just eat from your pot."
In a flash, she snatched several pieces of lamb from Hanno's plate. Hanno quickly joined the fray to prevent Yang Yun from taking all the lamb. Just as they were competing for the food, Yang Yun suddenly stopped and gestured to Hanno, "Look at the entrance."
Hanno turned her head and saw a tall figure just entering, "Liu Zhaoren?"
Yang Yun said, "Are you saying we slapped his wife, and he's come to take revenge?"
Hanno replied, "That's very possible. Should we avoid him?"
Yang Yun asked, "Should we leave?"
Before they could act, Liu Zhaoren had already walked over to their table.
"Mind if I share your table?" he asked.
Yang Yun huffed, "If we minded, would you leave?"
"Of course not," Liu Zhaoren said with a hearty laugh as he sat down next to Hanno. A waiter approached to take their order, and Liu Zhaoren requested a spicy hot pot base while both ladies stared at him.
"What are you staring at me for?" he asked.
"Are you here to take revenge on us?" Hanno raised an eyebrow.
Liu Zhaoren chuckled, "What conflict do we have? Why would I seek revenge on you?"
Hanno replied, "Your wife—"
Liu Zhaoren sighed, "I was just about to tell you, I've gotten a divorce."
Hanno and Yang Yun exclaimed, "What?"
"I came back this time to finalize the divorce," Liu Zhaoren replied.
Hanno felt a twinge of guilt. "Is it because of my situation?"
Liu Zhaoren shook his head. "Don't think that way; it has nothing to do with you. Marrying her was a mistake from the start."
Hanno, always straightforward with familiar friends, asked, "Was there some hidden reason behind your marriage? I found it strange when you two suddenly became a couple."
Understanding her personality, Liu Zhaoren wasn't offended by her bluntness. He forced a bitter smile and said, "We were young and reckless back then; we drank too much and ended up in a mess."
"Oh~~~" Hanno and Yang Yun exchanged knowing glances.
Liu Zhaoren's bronze face turned a shade darker. "Can we skip the 'oh' part?"
"Sure," Hanno replied, realizing that bringing up his past wasn't helpful.
"When did you get back? How long will you stay at home?"
Seeing Hanno change the subject, Liu Zhaoren relaxed. "I returned on the seventh. I have ten days off in total, and I'll leave after that."
Yang Yun complained, "You came back early and didn't even contact us?"
Liu Zhaoren smiled. "I needed to sort things out at home first."
Hanno and Yang Yun understood that he was referring to Ma Yanli and chuckled lightly. "When are you leaving? Do you want us to see you off?"
"Liu Zhaoren said, 'Of course! I have a flight at five-thirty this afternoon, and Zeng Yuan is driving me to the airport. Do you want to come along?'
Hanno replied, 'Sure, I don't have anything else to do.'
Yang Yun declined, 'I have to work, so I won't go. Consider this meal as a send-off for you.'
Hanno raised an eyebrow, 'Wait, am I treating for this meal?'
Yang Yun shot her a glare, 'Are you really keeping track of that?'
Liu Zhaoren laughed, 'Seeing you two like this reminds me of our high school days.'
Hanno said, 'Don't act like an old person reminiscing about youth; I'm still young!'
Yang Yun added, 'Exactly! We are still unmarried young ladies, unlike you with your history of a failed marriage.'
Liu Zhaoren interjected, '...Yang Yun, I think my birthday is actually before yours.'
Yang Yun pulled out her compact and pointed at the mirror. 'Look at yourself; with that rough appearance, how are you younger than me?'
Liu Zhaoren swatted her hand away from the mirror. 'External looks don't mean anything. If we compare our internal health, my youthful vitality is ten times better than your suboptimal condition.'
Yang Yun blurted out, 'A healthy body has lasting endurance.'
Hanno suddenly burst out laughing. 'Are you suggesting you want to try it out?'
Liu Zhaoren joined in the laughter. 'Please don't!'
Yang Yun snapped back angrily, 'Please, I wouldn't even look at you as second-hand goods!'"
Yang Yun had to go to work in the afternoon, so after having lunch, she left. Hanno and Liu Zhaoren each held a cup of chrysanthemum tea, chatting casually. They had been classmates for six years in middle school and desk mates for three, maintaining a good relationship. Although they had not seen each other for years and had grown somewhat distant due to Ma Yanli, the awkwardness faded after a while, and they returned to the easy laughter of their high school days.
"I owe you an apology for what Ma Yanli did," Liu Zhaoren said.
Hanno waved her hand dismissively. "She is who she is, and you are who you are."
Liu Zhaoren tentatively added, "She might think that way because she suspects our relationship, believing that I have feelings for you."
Hanno burst into laughter at his words. "We do have feelings! Classmate feelings, good friendship—aren't we full of camaraderie?"
Liu Zhaoren chuckled as well, letting the topic drop.
After chatting for a while longer, Liu Zhaoren took his leave. The moment he stepped out of the shop, his expression fell. He glanced back longingly before striding away. Little did he know that after he left, Hanno let out a deep sigh. She was no longer the naive girl from high school who couldn't perceive Liu Zhaoren's unspoken affection; she simply understood that some things were missed opportunities. Now, her heart belonged to someone deeply loved, and she would not accept feelings from another man. It was best to act as if she knew nothing; after all, she and Liu Zhaoren were still good friends who could talk easily.
………………
After more than ten days of snow and wind, the weather grew colder. Many villagers had run out of food and began visiting Li Zhoule to borrow grain. The Li family's food reserves were dwindling as well. With warm cotton clothes on their backs—unlike others who would freeze if they ventured out too far—Li Zhoule decided to head to town to buy more grain to distribute among everyone. In modern times, such an act might be mocked as overly altruistic, but in ancient times, villagers were simple-hearted. In a village where many families shared the same ancestry or were closely related, it was normal to help one another when able. Moreover, the grain provided by the Li family was not free; it needed to be repaid by the villagers. The villagers were honest people who would surely remember the kindness shown to them and would not default on their debts.
The Wen Family Three Brothers naturally followed the Li siblings in their efforts. They had received so much help from the Li family that they wanted to repay them as best they could. Even though the firewood from the Li family burned continuously throughout winter, it would still last until spring's end. However, the Wen brothers did not stop gathering firewood in the woods; they brought back wood not only for the Li family but also for themselves and shared some with other villagers—since it was too cold outside, most villagers stayed indoors huddled together under thin blankets, relying on body heat to stay warm. Occasionally, the three would find frozen snakes or wild chickens and rabbits while gathering wood and would bring them back to the Li family to improve their meals—after all, their cooking skills were lacking. Although Wen Zixia could cook rice well enough to make it edible, taste was something the Wen brothers never expected much from.
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