Chapter 5: Overjoyed to meet Old friends
After serving the drinks, Xiao Liu waited aside.
Chen Changsheng took a bite and, upon careful savoring, found something different.
This wine is indeed brewed under the autumn moon, but its flavor is somewhat lacking.
He asked, "Isn't this wine brewed by your shopkeeper?"
Xiao Liu stepped forward and replied, "Mr. Hui's words were dictated by the shopkeeper."
"Is that what you brewed?"
"Well, I guess."
After hearing this, Chen Changsheng said, "Are you an apprentice that Old Zhang took on?"
Xiao Liu shook his head and said, "The shopkeeper didn't take me as an apprentice. I was picked up by the shopkeeper. I usually do odd jobs in the tavern. The shopkeeper gives me a meal."
Chen Changsheng understood in his heart. It turned out that this old man was quite shrewd.
So that's it.
It's no wonder Old Man Zhang has such a trick up his sleeve.
Xiao Liu asked, "From what you said, Sir, it seems that you are an old acquaintance with our shopkeeper?"
Chen Changsheng took a sip of wine and said, "Sort of. I used to come here for a drink frequently."
Xiao Liu nodded and then said, "Sir, you can't be from Qiu Yue Fang, can you?"
Is it obvious?
It's not obvious. I've been in the Qiuyue Workshop since I was born. I've seen people of all sizes, from the county magistrate to street beggars. But I've never seen someone with such extraordinary demeanor as you, Sir. That's why I say you're not from the Qiuyue Workshop.
Chen Changsheng smiled self-mockingly and said, "Temperament?" At most, he would have a bad temper.
Xiao Liu blinked and said, "But Sir Is really quite different."
Chen Changsheng raised his hand and was about to speak.
But an old voice came from outside.
"Xiao Liu!" Come and serve the oil!
"Here it comes!"
Xiao Liu responded and said to Chen Changsheng, "Sir, please wait for a moment."
Chen Changsheng nodded and said no more.
He turned his head and saw an old man with white hair walking in at the entrance of the tavern. He was limping and seemed to have injured his right foot.
"Shopkeeper, I'll do it."
Xiao Liu took the oil jar from the shopkeeper's hand and was about to carry it in.
Old Zhang handed over the oil jar, but when he looked up, he saw a familiar gourd placed on the counter of the tavern.
He was slightly stunned and his figure trembled along with it.
Xiao Liu said, "By the way, shopkeeper, a gentleman said he was an old acquaintance of yours."
Hearing this, Old Man Zhang felt even more uneasy. He shifted his gaze and saw Chen Changsheng sitting in a tavern drinking.
Old Zhang immediately felt his legs go weak and he couldn't walk anymore. Stars also appeared in his eyes.
Chen Changsheng looked at Old Man Zhang at the door and said, "Why is his leg still lame?"
Old Man Zhang opened his mouth and took a step forward.
Xiao Liu didn't know what was going on. He quickly placed the oil jar on the platform and went forward to support the shopkeeper.
"Shopkeeper, be careful."
Old Zhang, supported by Xiao Liu, came up to Chen Changsheng.
"... Mr. Chen.
"Sit down first." Chen Changsheng said.
Old Zhang looked at Chen Changsheng in front of him, hesitated for a moment, and then sat down.
After Old Zhang sat down, he didn't feel so scared anymore. There was even a rare trace of joy in his eyes when looking at Chen Changsheng.
He replied, "It snowed heavily the year before last. This leg caught a cold and couldn't be cured. It became lame."
Chen Changsheng looked down and said, "You must be getting old."
Old Zhang nodded and said, "I'm just an ordinary person. I'm definitely not as good as you, Sir."
That's not what I meant.
Chen Changsheng smiled and glanced at the wine on the table, saying, "Last time I left, I asked you to bring some wine. Did you forget?"
Old Man Zhang said, "I haven't forgotten. I specially kept it for you, Sir."
Saying that, he called out to Xiao Liu beside him and said, "Xiao Liu, go and take out that jar of Autumn Moon wine from the cellar."
Xiao Liu paused for a moment and said, "Shopkeeper, didn't you say..."
Old Man Zhang said, "This gentleman is the person I mentioned."
Xiao Liu glanced at the gentleman and couldn't help feeling a bit dazed.
Does the shopkeeper have such an old friend?
What are you standing there for? Old Man Zhang said.
I'll go right now.
Xiao Liu came to his senses and then turned around to get the wine.
Chen Changsheng watched Xiao Liu's departing figure and said, "You have quite good eyesight."
Old Zhang grinned and said, "By accident."
Chen Changsheng said, "How long has he been with you?"
It's been more than two years at most.
It's been such a long time.
"Well, I've learned more or less."
Chen Changsheng gave him a glance and said with a smile, "Did he learn it almost completely, or did you deliberately hold it back?"
Old Zhang didn't hide it either and admitted, "I can't deceive you, Sir."
After all, it's not one's own son, so it's only natural to hold back.
Old Zhang, however, was somewhat surprised and said, "I thought, Sir, you said I was wrong."
What's wrong?
Chen Changsheng said, "If I were you, I would also hold back. It's not easy to live to this age. If something happens like a disciple starving his master to death, he would be so angry that he died before he even starved to death."
After hearing this, Old Man Zhang felt much more relieved. In fact, to be honest, he had always been holding a grudge about this matter. He thought it was because he was getting old and had become more stingy. But in reality, this was just human nature. He just couldn't figure it out.
Xiao Liu brought out the jar of wine that had been gathering dust for a long time.
"Shopkeeper."
"First, scoop a pot and serve it on the table."
Old Man Zhang said, "Remember to fill your gourds, Sir."
Xiao Liu nodded in agreement and then began to unseal the wine jar to make wine.
Soon, a pot of Autumn Moon wine was served on the table.
Chen Changsheng took a sip and said contentedly, "This is exactly to my taste."
Xiao Liu said, "The shopkeeper brews a jar by himself every year and keeps it there. When the time comes, he sells it and then brews a new one."
"Talk nonsense!"
Old Zhang gave him a cold look and said, "Beat your wine!"
Xiao Liu shuddered and hurried off to get some drinks.
Chen Changsheng said, "There's nothing that can't be said."
Old Zhang smacked his lips and said, "I'm afraid that if you find out, you won't come to drink anymore in the future."
Chen Changsheng smiled and said, "I could have chosen not to come, but as soon as you said that, I had no choice but to come."
Old Man Zhang grinned and said, "I'd love to have a drink, Sir."
Chen Changsheng took a sip of wine, put down the wine pot, and looked up at Old Man Zhang, saying, "You're really not afraid of me at all now."
Old Zhang said straightforwardly, "When I first saw Mr. Chen when I entered the door just now, I was a little scared. I guess I got used to being scared in the past few years. But after sitting down, I felt there was nothing to be afraid of anymore."
The older one gets, the braver one becomes. That's true.
Actually, that's not the case.
Old Zhang took a deep breath and said, "I'm seventy this year. In today's world, living over sixty is considered a long life. But for someone, once they live too long, it becomes meaningless because all those old friends from the past have passed away before them. Now, only you, Mr. Chen, remain."
In the past, it looked terrifying, but now looking at it, there's a sense of joy as if meeting an old friend.
Chen Changsheng felt rather uncomfortable when he heard this.
When a sense of loneliness fills a person's heart, all the timidity and fear of the past are released at this moment.
Just consider it as meeting old friends...
Overjoyed.
(End of this chapter)