Chapter 108: Encounter with an Old Acquaintance

  The dock is bustling with people coming and going, the sound of hawkers calling out to sell their wares, and the sound of trackers pulling boats, all blending together in a cacophony of human voices.

  Zhen and the four of them held on to each other tightly, afraid of getting separated, but even so, the people coming and going with baskets and carts would still squeeze them apart from time to time.

  Ye Lu Yuan and the others thought this wasn't going to work, so they squeezed under an eave during a lull, watching as people came and went. All four of them were puzzled - what could be seen in such a crowded dock?

  Zhen'er saw that the entrance was a bamboo basket shop, and people coming and going would all go in to buy two. The business was very good, so he pulled the young man who was arranging the bamboo baskets at the entrance and asked: "Young brother, is this dock always so lively every day? Can't even find a place to set foot."

  The young man chuckled and said, "Little girl hasn't been to the dock before, right?" Zhen'er nodded shyly, "It's my first time here. I heard there are new things at the dock, so I followed my brother and sister to join in the fun."

  "Little girl, you're late!" It's said that they came to join in the fun. The young man saw that Zhen'er and the others didn't understand, so he explained, "Right now, they're unloading goods from the ship. You've all seen it, but with this many people crowded together, what can you see? Besides, those novel things are either sent to big shops to be sold or they're rushed out as soon as they get off the boat and start selling them right away. What's being moved now is all goods that have been ordered by various shops. If you want to take a look, it's better to wait until later and go to the shop to see them, it'll be much better than this."

  Ye Luyuan and Ye Baiji were both very disappointed, but Zhen'er saw that they were depressed and comforted them: "Forget it, we came to this dock to join in the excitement. Next time we'll know the way, and if there's a chance, we can come again."

  Yelu knew they could only do this now, today they couldn't go anywhere else.

  It's crowded now, they can't squeeze out. Zhen'er asked the young man in the bamboo basket shop, and he was quite talkative. He let them wait at the door until the crowd dispersed before leaving. He even kindly moved a stool out for them to sit on.

  A wooden bench sat four people, squeezed but no problem. Zhen and the others chatted idly. The young man was also a talkative one. Listening to them speak occasionally inserted two sentences, Zhen looked for half a day, seeing that most of the dock were short-sleeved stevedores, very few passenger ships, so she asked.

  "This is just a cargo dock." The boatman said, "The dock in Qiangyang County is too small. Not far ahead is the large dock of Chuzhou Prefecture, and not far behind is the prosperous city of Nanyang Prefecture. Passenger ships usually go directly from Chuzhou Prefecture to Nanyang Prefecture, and occasionally only those small passenger ships stop here for a short while."

  "Isn't there a passenger ship here?" Ye Baiji asked.

  "There are boats, but they only travel short distances, like from here to Chu Prefecture, you can come and go in a day. If you want to go further, you'll have to change boats at Chu Prefecture." said the boatman.

  Zhen'er nodded knowingly, she had already finished reading the two travelogues she bought, and still had some understanding of Liangguo's land.

  Jiayang County is very close to the prefectural city of Chuzhou Prefecture, and it takes more than half a day by horse-drawn carriage, but by boat because it's downstream, less than half a day is enough, which is very convenient. However, the pier in Jiayang County is indeed small, she carefully recalled two travelogues, seemingly neither of them mentioned it.

  A few people chatted and laughed. Soon there were fewer people on the road, and the workman told them that the goods on the boat had been unloaded and they could leave.

  Ye Luoyan and Ye Baiji still had some reluctance, but looking at the chaotic dock, they gave up their curiosity and reluctantly headed back.

  Zhen'er pulled Hu Zi and walked slowly, looking at the fish vendors on the side of the road and stopping to take a glance.

  She paused for a moment, turned around and didn't see the figures of Ye Lufang and Ye Baiji. She busily looked around everywhere, staring at a stall selling spices run by a foreigner.

  Zhen'er was just about to shout at them when she raised her head and saw the person behind them, and she was stunned.

  After unloading the goods, Cao Wei finally had a chance to catch his breath. He sat down and grabbed a clay pot to drink water, gulping down half of it in one go to quench his thirst. Putting down the pot, he wiped his mouth with his sleeve. As he looked up, he saw a little girl with braided hair staring at him from across the street. He took a closer look and confirmed that she was a stranger. Leaning back against the wall, he closed his eyes and pretended to doze off.

  Zhen'er looked again and again, although she had only seen him once before, sitting in the same carriage for a whole journey. But she was very sure that the thin, dark boy opposite her was indeed that awkward boy Cao Wei.

  Cao Wei was still in a daze, feeling someone nudging him. He opened his eyes slightly and looked at the person beside him who was smiling with ill intentions. That person gestured to the opposite side and smiled ambiguously at him. "Young man, that little girl has been staring at you for half a day."

  Cao Wei glanced over at the opposite side, that little girl was still staring straight at him. You're so young, shouldn't you know to avoid suspicion? However, he didn't pay much attention to it, as he didn't recognize her. He turned over and continued to pretend to sleep.

  The person who just woke up Cao Wei was still feeling emotional, "I didn't expect it, you little kid, you're so young and already know how to attract bees and butterflies, is this girl a bit too young for you? Are you into that sort of thing?"

  That expression matched those words, the more lewd the better, Zhen Er had already come back to her senses from shock and also noticed that Cao Wei did not recognize her, while the person next to him didn't look like a decent person at all, his gaze made people feel disgusted.

  Zhen'er called out to Ye Baiji and Ye Luyuan, preparing to head back quickly.

  Until she walked out of the dock, Zhen'er was still thinking that Cao Wei had run here, no wonder the villagers couldn't find him?

  But what else can a young man like him do except sell his labor?

  Although some people did not see the legendary wonders, they also gained something.

  "That exotic merchant's spices are really good, the aroma is rich and there are many choices, don't believe me ask, can still smell it now." Ye Baiju stretched out her hand in front of Zhen'er, letting her smell, Zhen'er asked casually and nodded in praise: "Indeed not bad."

  "He said the fragrance can last for half a year, and it's perfect for summer, also repels insects. But then I thought of you and didn't buy it, I was very restrained."

  "Baizhi jie is awesome!" Zhen'er praised sincerely.

  "That foreigner's stuff is really weird, he said he'd sell me a sheep head, that sheep is very rare, the sheep head looks good, hanging it at home also looks good," Ye Luyuan also said: "You say I hang a sheep head at home what for, I don't plan to sell dog meat."

  Several people burst out laughing upon hearing this.

  Zhen'er raised her head, narrowed her eyes, what day was it today, and how could she always see familiar people?

  Zhen'er tugged at Ye Baiju's sleeve and pointed into the distance: "Baiju sister, isn't that Second Uncle?"

  "Where is it?" Ye Baiji asked, looking in the direction that Zhen'er was pointing, and suddenly her eyes widened.