Tianjin, starting with unorthodox methods to achieve immortality

As they were talking, a square gate appeared ahead, with a wooden sign nailed to the gate frame that read "East Third Courtyard".

The courtyard gate was open, and voices and footsteps could be heard coming from inside.

The four of them went inside, and the courtyard looked more spacious than the outside.

The ground was paved with blue bricks, and in the middle was a well. A person was squatting by the well platform washing clothes, and several wet clothes were already hanging on the clothesline next to it, dripping water.

The courtyard is surrounded by rows of gray brick houses, all with their doors facing the courtyard and numbered signs nailed to the doors.

"Number 'B'... Number 'B'..." Li Jinrong looked at them one by one, "Number 7, Number 7... Hey, here it is!"

In the middle of the row on the east side, two half-worn wooden doors were ajar, with a wooden sign hanging on the door frame that read "No. 7, Class B".

Shen Bao stepped forward and pushed open the door. The room was darker than the outside, and the window faced north, so the sun could only shine in during the afternoon.

Five bunk beds were arranged against the two side walls, two on the left and three on the right, with an aisle in the middle.

At the far end was a long table with an enamel tea tray on it, on which were several rough porcelain bowls upside down.

Some people have already arrived.

The lower bunk of the bed near the door was occupied; the bedding was neatly rolled up, but the person was not there.

A man in his early twenties, wearing a gray cotton short jacket, was sitting on the lower bunk opposite me. He was looking down and flipping through a thin booklet.

The title isn't very clear; I can only vaguely make out that it's about twin sisters or something like that.

Hearing the door open, he looked up, glanced at the group, and grinned, "Four more people have arrived."

Shen Baochong nodded to him: "Brother, you're here early."

"It's not that early." The man closed the booklet and stood up. "My name is He Songling, from Xuanping Prefecture. Where are you from?"

"I'm from Qing County," Shen Bao said first, as he was the most talkative.

He Songling's gaze lingered on Li Jinrong for a moment, noticing his silk robe and the folding fan in his hand, and a hint of something else appeared in his smile: "Is this also from Qinghe?"

Li Jinrong quickly waved his hand: "No, no, I'm a local. I'm an old acquaintance of Brother Chen."

He pointed at Chen Mo.

He Songling looked at Chen Mo, who simply nodded without saying a word.

There was an empty lower bunk in the room, near the door.

Chen Mo walked over, put his luggage on the shelf, and considered it his spot.

Shen Bao chose the lower bunk next to him.

Fang Cheng threw his things onto Chen Mo's upper bunk and climbed up after him.

Li Jinrong stood in the middle of the aisle, carrying his belongings, looking around with a troubled expression: "Is the top bunk all that's left?"

"Isn't there still a lower bunk?" Shen Bao pointed to the empty lower bunk by the window.

Li Jinrong looked over and saw that although there was no one on the bed, there was a worn-out mattress on it, and a bundle with a gray cloth and patches was placed next to the pillow.

"There's someone here," He Songling said. "A tall, thin guy came by earlier and went out to fetch water."

Li Jinrong sighed, looked up at the remaining two upper bunks, chose the one opposite Chen Mo, threw his things on it, but didn't rush up. "It's so hot, I'm exhausted."

He took out a handkerchief to wipe his sweat, his eyes still scanning the room: "A ten-person room... I've never stayed in a ten-person room before in my life."

"Then you're in for a rough time," Shen Bao said with a smile.

The door was pushed open again, and a tall, thin young man came in carrying a basin of water. He was the same man who had been standing next to me in line earlier.

He changed into a clean short-sleeved shirt, with the cuffs rolled up, revealing his lean forearms.

Seeing that there were a few more people in the room, he was stunned for a moment, nodded to everyone, and carried the basin to the lower bunk by the window, putting the basin under the bed.

"My name is Zhou Fengchun," he said softly, "from Beihe."

He Songling enthusiastically replied, "Beihe? I know that place. It produces dates. Your dates are sweet."

Zhou Fengchun twitched the corners of his mouth, which was considered a smile, and then stopped talking. He sat down on the edge of the bed, took out a piece of dry food from his bundle, and slowly chewed it.

Chen Mo didn't reply. He folded the uniform he received and stuffed it into the wooden box under the bed.

The wooden crates were provided, one under each bed, painted dark gray, with a number plate painted white on the lid.

Just as I finished tidying up, the door was pushed open again, and two people came in.

A man dressed in a gray cloth long gown and wearing round-framed glasses entered the room without looking at anyone. He walked directly to another empty upper bunk by the window, put his book next to his pillow, and began to unpack his luggage.

The other one was dressed in shorts, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, with a dark red face, looking like someone who did manual labor.

He stood at the doorway, scanned the area, and asked in a gruff voice, "Which stall is empty?"

Shen Bao pointed to the upper bunk opposite Li Jinrong: "That one up there."

The burly, dark-skinned man nodded, picked up his luggage, walked over, threw his things onto the upper bunk, and climbed up himself.

The bespectacled scholar tidied up the bed, picked up a book, and began to read, muttering to himself, but it was impossible to understand what he was saying.

The room was suddenly more than half full.

He Songling looked at this one, then at that one, and said with a smile, "Now we're all here, just one more person is missing."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the door was pushed open again, and a young man in his early twenties, dressed in a silk shirt, entered, looking fair-skinned and carrying an exquisite leather suitcase.

He stood at the door, frowned as he looked around the room, then his gaze swept over the empty bunks, finding only the other upper bunk near the door.

He didn't rush over, but put down the suitcase in his hand, took out a snow-white handkerchief and covered his nose, as if he was enduring some unpleasant smell.

Li Jinrong glanced at the new young man and muttered to Chen Mo, "This guy seems even more sophisticated than me."

The room fell silent immediately.

He Songling looked at him, then at the others, and smiled as he tried to smooth things over: "Brother, come in and sit down, don't stand at the door."

The young man didn't move, but his eyes began to scan each lower bunk.

In the seat by the window, Zhou Fengchun was sitting and chewing dry rations.

He hesitated for a moment before finally speaking, "Which brother would like to switch bunks? I'll offer twenty silver dollars in cash."

No one answered.

He added, "Thirty yuan."

Shen Bao looked up at him, then at her lower bunk, and remained silent.

Zhou Fengchun paused in his chewing of dry rations, his gaze lingering on the young man for a moment before he continued eating his own food.

He Songling waved his hand with a smile: "Brother, it's not about the money. These stalls are first come, first served..."

"Forty yuan." The young man interrupted him, his gaze falling on Zhou Fengchun.

He could tell that among all the people in the room, Zhou Fengchun's bed was the most shabby. The mattress was so thin that you could see the bed board, the pillow was an old rolled-up garment, and the bundle was patched.

Zhou Fengchun slowly finished chewing the dry food in his mouth, raised his head, and said expressionlessly, "It's a bit too little."

"Fifty dollars," the young man said. "I'll pay you now."

Zhou Fengchun didn't say anything, but stood up, bent down, rolled up the bed, and moved aside.

The young man smiled slightly, took out a money pouch from his pocket, and counted out five ten-yuan silver notes.

Zhou Fengchun took the silver note and put it in his pocket, then picked up his bedding and walked towards the empty upper bunk.

The young man placed his suitcase on the newly vacated lower bunk, then took out a handkerchief from his pocket and carefully wiped the bed board before sitting down.

Li Jinrong stared wide-eyed, muttering, "This works?"

He looked at his upper bunk, then at the lower bunk next to Chen Mo's, where Shen Bao was lying with his eyes closed as if asleep.