Wanjin Lady

Chapter 70 Seeking the Voice of Friends
Wen Wan glanced at the full cup of wine on the table, then at the old man with a sage-like demeanor, unsure of his purpose. "It's absolutely true. If you want to buy some wine, come into the shop and talk. We're selling aged wine, and if you buy any, you'll have a chance to get cash in return."

"Gold-grade aged wine is priced at 400 wen. The winning prize is either 200 or 100 wen, and four out of every ten jars of wine will win."

"Platinum-grade aged wine sells for one ounce and five cents. The winning prizes are either five hundred or three hundred cents. Three out of every ten jars of wine will win a prize."

"Platinum-grade aged wine is sold for four taels, and the winning prize is one tael of silver. Two out of every ten wine jars win the prize."

Wenwan sat properly, waiting for the old man to continue.

The old man chuckled, "Girl, I'm very curious... How do you ensure that the winery can make a profit?"

Wen Wan suddenly remembered the day when Cheng Yunzhang, the top student in Tianyuan style, asked her questions in detail.

OK. Here comes another old academic master.

Seeing her embarrassment, the old scholar made an offer she couldn't refuse, "Shopkeeper Wen, if you are willing to teach me, I will buy all the aged wine in your shop and pay an additional fee to help you out of your current predicament."

Yeah. I get it. He's also a wealthy, academic genius.

"This..." Wen Wan hesitated.

It's not that she doesn't want to teach, but that she doesn't understand.

She was not sure about Dachen's mathematical level, and if she revealed too much, it would always arouse suspicion.

"Shopkeeper Wen, what are your concerns? Feel free to speak frankly..." Yao Shizhen saw Wen Wan's hesitant expression and immediately assured her, "Shopkeeper Wen, don't worry. Today's events are only known between you and me. I won't ask about your master."

Wen Wan smiled and asked, "Old man, are you interested in mathematics?"

"I am interested in all things beautiful."

"beautiful?"

The old man pointed to the sky, and Wen Wan couldn't help but look at the intricate rain outside.

"Music inspires and soothes the soul, painting delights the eye, poetry and song move the heart. The vastness of the universe, the minuteness of a speck of dust, the ingenuity of craftsmanship, the shifting dynamics of yin and yang, the complexity of daily life—all are contained within the myriad forms of mathematics. Mathematics is harmonious and unified, simple and elegant, possessing both a cold and rational beauty."

"For example..." He picked up two chopsticks and placed them on the table to demonstrate. His old face seemed to instantly become lively and bright. "One is one, two is two, one plus one equals two. No matter how history changes, dynasties come and go, or the sun and the moon change, only mathematics is the eternal truth. Isn't it romantic, Shopkeeper Wen?"

this moment.

It seemed as if the sound of rain was even louder.

Pedestrians all avoided her, and on the long, cold street, between heaven and earth, only she and the old man in front of her were left.

romantic.

The ultimate romance.

In this different time and space, she thought she would never feel the romance again in her life.

For some reason, her nose felt a little sore and she even wanted to cry.

The Book of Songs, Xiaoya, says: "The chirping birds are seeking the voice of their friends. Those birds are still seeking the voice of their friends; how much more so is that person, who does not seek a friend. The gods hear them, and ultimately there is harmony and peace."

It means that a bird comes out of a deep valley and flies to a tall tree, and its chirping sound is intended to seek like-minded companions.

And now, she seems to have found a confidant who shares the same feelings.

The young lady smiled gently, suddenly stood up and walked quickly into the tavern. When she sat down again, she had a reed pen in her hand.

"I have a wandering master. He has the solution to the Four Symbols Convergence Problem in his Advanced Mathematics. However... this must never be made known to outsiders, as it could bring disaster upon my master. Seeing your sincerity today, I'm disobeying my master's orders and sharing the solution with you. Please keep it a secret for my master."

Wenwan wrote down the answer.

The old man lowered his hand solemnly to her, "Don't worry, boss. I swear on my honor and my life... I will never tell anyone about this."

The old man kept his promise and began to take out his silver to buy wine, but Wenwan stopped him with a gentle smile, saying, "To have found a true friend in Ping County, despite our age difference, is enough for me. Old man, don't insult me ​​with these filthy things." Yao Shizhen clapped his hands and laughed, "That's great! That's great!"

Wen Wan called out to Feng Shuigen, "Send the old man a pot of aged platinum wine."

The old man laughed, "It would be disrespectful to refuse."

Wen Wan handed the solution to the old man, who tucked it away in his sleeve as if it were a treasure. "This heavenly gift, paired with the shopkeeper's wine... we can drink and make a pilgrimage without delay. Wonderful!"

As for that little guy Cheng Yunzhang... I'm so sorry.

First come, first served.

Who made him wait in the tavern for two days and be the first to meet the wonderful manager Wen?
The old man patted Wenwan's shoulder, his eyes full of satisfaction and appreciation, as if he was looking at the most promising young man in his family. "Girl, I will accept your kindness today. If you encounter difficulties in the future, please come to me. There is a thatched cottage at the foot of Lingshan Mountain, seven or eight miles upstream along the Huaxi River. That is where I live."

Wenwan silently recited it in her heart.

After the old man left, Wen Wan returned to the tavern holding an umbrella. Feng Shuigen asked, "Boss, who was that man? I saw him sitting here a few days ago, and students from Qingshan Academy kept coming to talk to him. They seemed to respect him."

Wen Wan looked at the old man's back as he walked away gracefully in the rain and said with a smile, "Maybe he is a teacher from Qingshan Academy."

It was raining and it was the last few days of the clearance sale, so the store was not as busy as the previous two days.

Wen Wan saw that there was not much wine left in the store and was secretly calculating the possible profits of the other wine shops when she saw Cheng Yunzhang in white clothes walking towards her in the rain with a plain oil-paper umbrella.

"Shopkeeper Wen."

His voice was a little hoarse, like the snow in early winter falling gently on the eaves, but without the harsh coldness.

The slender hands folded the fan and placed it on the side of the shop. It was just afternoon when Cheng Yunzhang arrived at the tavern. The autumn rain fell on his shoulders, soaking the clothes on his right shoulder.

"I heard that an old man was here just now." Cheng Yunzhang cut to the chase. "Did he ask you for the solution to the Four Symbols Convergence?"

Wenwan handed over a cup of hot tea.

At the end of July, just before the beginning of autumn, a rain caused the temperature to drop sharply.

"Ah. Master Cheng is here for this too?" Wen Wan's eyes rolled as a plan came to mind. "Since the old gentleman sincerely requested a solution, I will share the solution with him."

Cheng Yunzhang stared at Wen Wan's face and laughed heartily, "Then, Shopkeeper Wen, do you know the identity of that old gentleman?"

"It doesn't matter what my identity is." Wen Wan shook her head. "I'm just someone who loves mathematics."

Cheng Yunzhang's expression froze, as if he had not expected Wen Wan's answer.

After a while, he bowed solemnly and said, "Manager Wen... could you please enlighten me on the solution?"

Wen Wan leaned on the counter with one hand, supporting her cheek, with a half-smile on her face, and refused bluntly.

"No."

"Why?"

Wen Wan suppressed her sneer, a natural arrogance between her brows. "Your cousin bought out all the grain in Ping County and forced my Wen family into a desperate situation. I am already being magnanimous by allowing Master Cheng to marry into our family. Are you still pushing it further and asking me to tell you the secrets of my master?"

Cheng Yunzhang's face froze.

His mother never allowed him to get involved in the Cheng family winery business, so when he came to Ping County this time, he vaguely felt that Yuan Jing had a mission, but he was not very clear about the details.

"Shopkeeper Wen, I never interfere with the family business." Cheng Yunzhang smiled, "But with Shopkeeper Wen's intelligence, I'm sure my cousin is no match for you."

Wen Wan sneered, ignored him, turned around and was about to leave, but was stopped by him.

The young man was tall and graceful, with a temperament as gentle as jade, yet also showing a hint of tyranny.

(End of this chapter)