Chapter 1390: Fantasy Antique Shop Part-Time Work Log 24

Late autumn rain is most likely to cause a wind-cold cold.

Jin Chen busily lit the stove and boiled hot tea, then had Luo Qiu close the door to block the wind, and the four of them sat around the stove.

Jin Chen took a towel, stood up to help Ying Wu Shu wipe his neck and the still-dripping hair, his movements gentle as if afraid of hurting him.

Ying Wu Shu lifted his head to look at him, not knowing whether it was because of what just happened or because he felt too much pity for the ancient book, an inexplicable surge of grievance rose up.

In his raised, moonlit eyes reddened, his whole person drenched, he looked inexplicably pitiful.

Jin Chen furrowed his brows, somewhat puzzled: "How can you be sad to this extent?"

Ying Wu Shu turned his head away, his voice hoarse: "The books are all soaked and ruined."

He never used to be like this; aside from his grandfather's death, Ying Wu Shu couldn't remember how many years it had been since he last shed Tears, but... in front of this person he just couldn't hold back.

Jin Chen picked up a volume to examine; the ancient books were written with good ink, which allowed them to survive for several hundred years, but the paper itself was fragile, and after being soaked by rain it became all wrinkled and crumpled.

Ying Wu Shu had his own method of caring for books; though he was grieving, his maintenance motions didn't stop at all.

"Alright, I'll help you."

Jin Chen spoke softly, rubbing Ying Wu Shu's head, sat down beside him to help dry the paper, but saw his mouth turned down; the usual aloof elegance he usually showed was hidden away, replaced by grievance.

"Don't cry," Jin Chen coaxed him, "In a few days I'll go back and bring you some ancient books and secret manuals from the Jin Sect."

Anyway, the Old Man has plenty; taking a few won't be noticed.

Jin Chen comforted him sincerely, and Ying Wu Shu finally couldn't help but laugh, saying, "Who does that, giving away Jin Sect secret manuals to others?"

"Not giving it to others, you're not."

Jin Chen gently stroked Ying Wu Shu's forehead hair, his low voice murmuring near his ear, "If you want it, I'll go back and get it."

A faint sandalwood scent lingered around Ying Wu Shu's nostrils, pleasant-smelling; from the day Jin Chen first arrived, Ying Wu Shu had noticed it, as if it were an innate, unique fragrance on this person's body.

The vague, indescribable worry in Ying Wu Shu's heart suddenly eased; he lowered his eyes and continued drying the paper, then suddenly said, "I don't want to see the Jin Sect secret manuals; you said you'd teach me."

If there were secret manuals, wouldn't he then have to study alone from books just like before?

"Alright, I'll teach you." Jin Chen lowered his gaze to look at him, "Not sad anymore?"

Ying Wu Shu felt a bit embarrassed, his ears thinly red like scarlet jade.

"Not sad, sit properly."

Only then did Jin Chen relax his breath; thank goodness, thank goodness, his wife didn't cry.

At the other side of the tea table, Gu Cun and Luo Qiu: "......"

Gu Cun quietly whispered to Luo Qiu: "We two seem to have a low presence."

Luo Qiu's ear felt a bit itchy; he pushed him away, "Ouch, don't talk near my ear."

"The tea's ready, Ying Wu Shu."

Luo Qiu finally realized what the atmosphere between those two signified.

But he pretended not to have noticed anything, after all his good friend appeared completely lacking in Opening Apertures.

Um... to be precise, before Jin Chen appeared, Luo Qiu never thought Ying Wu Shu would be moved by a human.

But upon closer look, it seems... rather, they actually suit each other quite well.

Luo Qiu sighed, truly the authorities are confused.

The bystanders are clear! Ling Gun Gun also shook his head in sigh.

The great Pixiu deity has already seen through the tricks of the two little couples!

The hot tea went down his belly, dispelling the chill all over his body.

When it rains, there aren't many visitors; those who can come to the street's end are even fewer, the wind chimes haven't sounded for several days, so in the afternoon they simply closed the shop and didn't open the door.

Luo Qiu hugged his tea cup while playing with his phone, then suddenly sat up, "Ying Wu Shu! Quickly check the group message!"

Ying Wu Shu: "Which group?"

"The university class group, saying they want to arrange some teacher appreciation feast and a classmates' separation gathering."

Ying Wu Shu couldn't understand: "It's been almost half a year since graduation, this gathering is coming rather late."

Luo Qiu gave a chuckle, "Look who started it; what kind of separation gathering is this? Surely that guy is just showing off."

Gu Cun curiously asked: "What's the matter, can I listen?"

Luo Qiu spoke enthusiastically: "Let me show you, the initiator is Wang Qiang; our class… no, our major is also famous for being a comparative guy, every day upon opening his eyes he compares himself with others in all sorts of ways."

"It's said that after graduation he went to work at some big corporation, suddenly initiating this gathering; who knows how he'll want to compare with us."

Gu Cun: "Oh... then Xiao Qiu, you can't lose! Tomorrow I'll find someone to back you up!"

Luo Qiu laughed a few times, "I'm not going; even if I went, I'd just be watching monkeys."

Jin Chen suddenly asked: "Which university are you from?"

Ying Wu Shu flipped through his phone and casually replied: "Xingjing University."

He glanced sideways at Jin Chen, "Why suddenly ask this?"

Jin Chen raised his brows, "Quite a coincidence; tomorrow I have to go to that school."

"The principal contacted the Jin Sect for help; ostensibly it's to examine feng shui, but in the past half month three teachers have gone missing in succession, all from the same college, which is suspicious."

Ying Wu Shu thought for a moment, "Which college?"

"The College of Literature."

Ying Wu Shu: "Hiss..."

Indeed quite a coincidence; he too is from the College of Literature.

Luo Qiu: "Then we... go together?"

Ying Wu Shu nodded, "Go."

Gu Cun sighed dejectedly, "Tomorrow I can't go; I have to pick someone up in the morning, but! After picking them up I'll rush to your school!"

Ling Gun Gun crouched by the window watching the rain grow heavier, then suddenly perked up.

"Waaah!"

【Host! Someone's coming～】

Jin Chen gazed at the tightly shut Main Gate; a few seconds later, a rather urgent knocking sounded, accompanied by a child's crying.

"Is anyone there… Is anyone there? Could you let us shelter from the rain? The child is crying badly."

The woman's voice sounded very anxious; Ying Wu Shu rose to open the door, and the instant it opened, she hurriedly thanked: "Thank you…… thank you!"

She was soaked quite a bit, and in her hand she held a boy about four or five years old, crying so hard his snot and Tears smeared together.

Ying Wu Shu glanced outside, smiled faintly, and welcomed her in.

But just as the woman stepped over the threshold with the child, the wind chime hanging in the middle suddenly swayed.

Ying Wu Shu closed the door without changing expression, his fingers sliding over the door latch, and the wind chime's sound gradually ceased.

As he turned, he had already returned to his cool, faint smile.

"Xiaoqiu, go fetch two dry towels."

"Eh, okay."

Luo Qiu also heard the wind chime's sound; as he rose, he exchanged a puzzled glance with Ying Wu Shu, the latter slightly shaking his head to signal him not to make a fuss.

Ying Wu Shu returned to sit beside Jin Chen, poured him a cup of tea, and said, "It's pouring outside; why did you come all the way to the street's end to shelter from the rain?"

The woman sighed, her makeup smudged but she didn't bother to fix it, grabbed a dry towel and wiped the child.

"I was just out strolling with the kid when it suddenly started raining; nearby shops all closed up, and I really had no choice."

The boy gulped down a large cup of hot tea, only then stopping his crying, his eyes looking around curiously.

"Mother! I want that!"

He pointed to the bodhi lotus lamp in the center display case, green leaves setting off pink lotuses, very pretty.