292 Who Should Be The One to Leave? (2/2)

Sangsang pressed her back against the door. With her head lowered she said softly, ”These notes are mine.”

Chen Pipi clutched his forehead and said, ”I admit that they are yours.”

Sangsang lifted her head and asked curiously, ”Then why do you want me to come out?”

Chen Pipi said angrily, ”The notes are yours, but you cheated in the previous round. We have to compete again!”

Sangsang lifted the bed boards and hid the box of notes beneath it. She looked at the door and yelled, ”Young master Chen, it is late. You'd better return to the Academy.”

Chen Pipi paused for a second and looked at the sky. He yelled angrily, ”It's not even lunchtime! What are you talking about!”

Sangsang came to the door and said humbly, ”Young master Chen, I admit that I am not as smart as you and do not have a memory as good as yours.”

This made him even angrier. Shaking his head, he shouted, ”Pfft, you're willing to admit anything now that you've won a hundred taels of silver.”

Sangsang replied, ”Young master said that fame and fortune were like drifting clouds, so there's no need to fight for it.”

Chen Pipi was speechless from the anger. She should not have mentioned fortune in her statement. He hammered at the wooden door angrily and howled, ”Since you are not afraid to lose, why don't we compete again?”

Sangsang knew that this was true. Furthermore, she had won a hundred taels of silver from him and should let him have his way. She pushed the door open and said solemnly to Chen Pipi, ”Let's not gamble with taels of silver this time. Gambling is bad.”

How could she be so shameless, just so she didn't have to return the taels of silver? Chen Pipi was speechless as he looked at the little handmaiden's tanned face. He wondered what Ning Que had been teaching her.

He said in a low voice, ”Let's play chess.”

She answered simply, ”I don't know how.”

Chen Pipi did not believe her. The girl before him had looked at the notes every day and could memorize the serial numbers of thirty odd notes. This was no ordinary talent. He said, ”We have to.”

Sangsang's answer was even more simple. She nodded her head and murmured in assent.

...

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They borrowed a chessboard from the neighbor, Mr. Wu. It looked old but since Mr. Wu. operated an imitation antique shop, it was a fake. But when the chess pieces landed on it, it did feel rather formal.

Chen Pipi did not feel as if he was playing with an opponent, neither did he feel prideful about being a superior chess player. He pointed dazedly at where the black chess piece landed and asked Sangsang, ”Why there?”

Sangsang looked at him with wide eyes. Confused, she asked, ”Why not?”

Chen Pipi carefully explained the problem behind her move and then asked puzzledly, ”You are a very intelligent person and your memory is impressive. Once you understand the rules you'd only have to use your brain a little and you'd know where the issue lies. Why are you unwilling to think a little more?”

Sangsang answered seriously, ”It's hard work thinking. So I don't usually bother.”

Chen Pipi was stunned. He could not bring himself to release the chess piece in his hand.

At this moment, a voice rang from the door of the Old Brush Pen Shop. ”You're playing chess.”

Sangsang looked at the door in surprise, ”You're back so early?”

The old man crossed the threshold and nodded. He retrieved the taels of silver from his waist and handed them over to her, ”I didn't have tea.”

Sangsang rose and gestured for the old man to take her place. She said, ”I'm going to check the smoked meat. Aunt Wu said that oil can drip easily from fresh meat in the beginning. I'm worried that the pine branches will catch fire. Take my place and I'll bring you tea a little later.”

The old man grunted in assent and sat down. He looked at Chen Pipi and asked, ”Who's move?”

Chen Pipi looked at the wrinkled old face and his pure eyes. He could see the holy light emanating from the old man's eyes. He thought of the incident that had shocked Chang'an lately and was stunned. His fingers that had been fiddling with the chess piece trembled. He did not know if he should place it on the chessboard or back into the chess urn.

The old man looked at the situation on the chessboard and asked again, ”Who's move?”

Chen Pipi answered honestly, ”Mine.”

With this, he stood up and prepared to leave the Old Brush Pen Shop.

The old man looked up at him in confusion. ”I was asking whose move it is on the chess board.”

Chen Pipi looked at him for a long time before sitting back down on the chair.

The black chess piece in his fingers landed softly.

The old man stuck his hand in the chess urn and took out a white piece. He did not place it down for a long time, as he was thinking about how to counter his opponent.

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