Chapter 113 Great, Of Course (1/2)

While it is hard to tell how a person's heart is, generally people would be pursuing self-interest in this generation when there are not many people whom one could trust and when not many people are loyal. How much trust and loyalty are built on selfish benefits?

They become hypocritical, filthy. They have no base limits, they resort to unscrupulous means to gain what they want. This is so that they can live a better life, be deemed successful. On the other hand, the down-to-earth people are seen as dim-witted while the truly loyal people get hurt; the religious people are mocked and the principled ridiculed.

What should society be like? Should it be what the others described it to be? Qin Sheng felt a little lost, but he was determined to hang on to his principle of being grateful. He believed that by holding on to this principle, he would succeed.

Qin Sheng found Zhao Quan's reasoning and Zhao Song's loyal a little too funny, but there was nothing he could do. They were destined to come to this when they chose to tread on this crooked path. Qin Sheng would let them go as instructed by Jiang Xianbang, since the matter which had been troubling him had come to an end.

After Qin Sheng left the building, he took out his mobile phone and searched up a contact number which he had not used for a long time and sent a message saying that the Song family's ancient jade heirloom was in Kumbum Monastery in Xining and the person they should look for there was the living Buddha, Kela. He even ended off the message with, ”No need to thank me, this is Lei Feng.”

This contact number belonged to the foxy fiance, Miss Song. After a moment, she replied asking who he was.

Qin Sheng ignored the message but after a while, she sent another message asking if he was Qin Sheng. Again, Qin Sheng ignored the message. What followed immediately was a phone call, but Qin Sheng rejected the call straight away.

At least for now, he did not wish to be entangled with the things of the past once again. He wanted to start his life anew.

Qin Sheng returned to the hotel to pack up, gave some instructions to the hospital, then bought the earliest speed train tickets back to Shanghai. He did not try to read a book on the train ride, instead, he managed to catch a much-needed sleep.

As for the Ancient Bronze Sword from the period of the warring states, it had been sent back to Jiang Xiangbang in Shanghai and Qin Sheng had nothing to do with it anymore.

When Qin Sheng reached Shilin Huayuan, it was already afternoon. Qin Sheng had almost forgotten that he was suspended from Shangshan Ruohui for a week, so much so that he almost went to Shangshan Ruoshui for work. He wanted to laugh at himself for this. He decided that he should enjoy the rest of his leave and did not even contact JiangXianbang.

After taking a shower, he changed into something clean and comfortable. This trip to Hangzhou had caused him frustration. Luckily he managed to bring the entire situation under control and did not kill anyone during this time. With a light heart, Qin Sheng took a stroll along the busy streets and went to the market to buy some ingredients to cook dinner for Chang Baji, Hao Lei and Hanbing.

The market place was crowded and happening. Qin Sheng could hear wives, mothers and aunties haggling prices. In reality, life is mostly made up of these normal trivialities instead of many earth-shaking events.

On the way home after he bought everything he needed, he passed by the bookshop which he frequented. Thinking that he had not been to the bookshop for a while, he decided to go in to have a look, so he entered the bookshop smiling.

”Hi Qin Sheng, haven't seen you for many days!” Brother Liu, the cashier greeted him with a warm smile.

Qin Sheng put down his groceries and said, ”I've been busy lately.”

”You've knocked off from work early today, Qin Sheng, and I can see you've bought quite a bit of groceries,” said Sister Tang, the other shopkeeper, as she approached.

”I was just back from a business trip, and am taking two days off.”

”Come out Le, come and see who's here!” cried Brother Liu on purpose.

Le, who was doing some housekeeping at the back rushed out, looking flushed, and said, ”What is it, Brother Liu?”

Both Brother Liu and Sister Tang did not respond to her but proceeded to busy themselves with their respective duties.

”Oh you're here,” Le greeted Qin Sheng as she lowered her head.

Qin Sheng fixed his eyes on Le and said jokingly, ”What's happened? I see that you've cut your hair short. I still think you look better wearing long hair, but your short fringe looks nice.”

”Slippery,” said Le, staring back at Qin Sheng.

Qin Sheng walked in and casually asked, ”Are there any recent books to recommend? Oh yes, how is it going with my request to you? Is that customer still bringing books to the bookshop?”

”No. After sending that stack of books here, he never came again. However, I've gotten ready the book you asked me to look for. It's over there!” said Le. She did not know Qin Sheng's intention of asking her to consolidate all the books that said customer had brought to the bookshop. She only knew that Qin Sheng wanted to buy over all of them. She had been busy with this task Qin Sheng entrusted her and finally managed to complete it a few days ago, except there was no way of contacting Qin Sheng.

Upon hearing the news, a well-pleased Qin Sheng said, ”Thank you! I will bring these books with me. If that said customer comes again, please help me get his contact. I also want to buy all the books he brings here.”

”Wow, I didn't know you know how to say thank you!” teased Le. She immediately took note of what Qin Sheng's favor. Qin Sheng could be deemed the most loyal customer to this bookshop and Le found men who loved to read especially attractive. She could sense the scholarly charm about them. However, her boss, who barely visited the bookshop had commented that those people who loved books were heartless.

Qin Sheng knocked Le's head with her knuckle, which made Le blushed, then proceeded to have a look at the books in the aisles.

After spending half an hour in the bookshop, Qin Sheng found two history books, namely ”The political resurgence between the two dynasties” and ”Emperor of the Ming Dynasty record”. He would bring back something each time he visited the bookshop, although it may appear to be a small bookshop, it had a good collection of books.

Altogether Qin Sheng spent less than 400 yuan on all the books contributed by that said customer together with the two books he picked up from the shelves. He was glad he managed to reap a good deal, and after bidding goodbye to Le and the others, he took up his bags of groceries and headed home.

Once he reached home, he called Han Bing and Chang Baji to inform them that he had returned from Hangzhou and that he would be cooking dinner for them. The kitchen and the appliances in it had been underutilized since they moved into Shilin Huayuan.

At six-thirty in the evening, just when Qin Sheng was about to serve all his dishes on the table, Han Bing, together with Hao Lei and Chang Baji entered through the door one another. Han Bing put down her bag, removed her coat and changed into slippers before she rushed into the kitchen exclaiming, ”Smells so good, did you cook all these?”

”Needless to say, who else could it be?” Qin Sheng said smugly, pouting his lips.

”Did you order takeaway?” Han Bing teased when she saw how the complacent look on Qin Sheng's face. Before Qin Sheng could rebut, Han Bing pointed at him and said, ”That's how you talked about me the other time.”

Ignoring Han Bing, Qin Sheng continue to fry the vegetables in the wok, while Han Bing tied her hair into a ponytail, pulled back her long sleeves and asked, ”Do you need help in anything?”