1314: A Thousand Peonies Bloom
The Shopkeeper

The bell above the door rang, a sign that a buyer had entered the store.

Upon entering the store, Shuwan was greeted by a man of a rather tall stature, pure white skin, brown hair, and a friendly face.

“There can I help?” ask the man.

Not yet answered, Shuwan again asked the man a question, “Are you the keeper of this store?”

“True. I, Liem, am the shopkeeper. If you need any help please just call me.”

“Good. I'm actually looking for a history book with a tragic or sad ending. Can you help me find him?”

“Ah. Sure oes. I have a book recommendation you're looking for.”

Liem then took a book out of the drawer under the table. It shows a red-coated book, with no title. Liem handed over the book, and Shuwan looked through the book that Liem had given him.

The look of the book is already a bit shabby, but still quite good content. The inscription contained in it is ancient mandarin writing. Fortunately Shuwan has the expertise to understand various ancient languages, so the language problem is not a problem for him.

Since the store was not too crowded, Shuwan chose to sit on the chair in the corner of the store and took out his goose jade.

Once brought closer together, the goose jade emitted a blue-colored light that was brighter than before.

After seeing the jade react, Shuwan finally decided to buy the red book.

“How much is this book worth?” shuwan asked Liem the shopkeeper.

“You don't have to pay for this book. Just keeping and caring for it is enough for me,” said Liem who refused to be paid for his book.

“Really? But I feel bad if I don't pay for it.”

Before Liem turned his attention to serving other store visitors, he convinced Shuwan by saying, “You are enough to do what I said before. That I will consider as the payment you give.In addition, hopefully you can finish what is in it.”

How could he guess what I would do with this book? Inner Shuwan.

After seeing Liem busy serving other visitors, Shuwan decided to immediately return home with various questions regarding Liem's statement just now.

***

“Sister, it's me. Please open the door" Shuwan said half-screaming at the door.

There was a voice of a man saying from inside the house. “Yes, wait a minute."

The door opened and featured a tall young man, white skin, black eyes and a soothing face. Yes, that person was Lin Jianying, Shuwan's older brother.

“Hmm.. You're home late again?” jianying asked kindly.

“Hehe.. Yes, Brother. Sorry, I stopped by the bookstore first. It's too late to go home" Shuwan replied, scratching his head.

“Yes already, now go in and wash your hands. We had dinner first, grandpa was waiting at the dinner table.”

“Good, Brother," said Shuwan as he entered the house.

Shuwan and his brother are 4 years old. It's just that when he was 1 year old his father and mother went to face the Almighty due to an accident, making Shuwan and his brother orphaned.

Farewell to a loved one is certainly very painful, especially Shuwan's age and also his brother is still very young when both parents died.

Finally, ever since the tragedy, Grandpa has nurtured the two of them to this day.

“Kek,” greet Shuwan while kissing grandfather's hand.

“You're late again, Shuwan?” reproof grandpa.

“Ah, Yes, Cake. I bought the book first, so it's late.”

“You running the mission again?”

“Iya, Cake.”

“If it wasn't for the curse, you wouldn't.” said grandfather disconnected with a sad face.

“Already, Cake. This is all fate, so I have to keep going despite the weight. Anyway, this is the last mission I'm going to run.”

Grandpa was surprised and threw a question as if in disbelief, “Is that the last bud?”

“Iya, Cake. If this mission is successful, then the last bud will bloom. And I'll be free."

“May you succeed. I'm sure you can."

“Iya, Cake.”

“Ya, already. Jianying, Shuwan, let's eat before it gets late," invite grandfather to eat immediately.

The three of them had dinner together.

“Hufft..”

Shuwan let out a long sigh while resting his body on the bed. He began to look at the book he had bought.

Shuwan also. Why could that man say that? Can he read my mind? Should I ask him directly?

“Hah.. Never mind.. My head hurts thinking about it, I better sleep now and think about it again tomorrow!”

Shuwan felt a little upset and started to fall asleep slowly.

The night was so calm, the sky was bright that even the moonlight could shine in the sky. Until the next morning, the morning arrived.

The chirping of birds became a marker that the morning had come. Shuwan began to open his eyes slowly and stretch his muscles.

“Huahh..” Shuwan yawns in a position still lying on the bed.

The clock shows almost seven o'clock, fortunately the day is a holiday, so Shuwan can be more relaxed at home. Suddenly...

“Shuwan.. Shuwan.” Jianying called out to him while knocking on Shuwan's room door.

Shuwan got up and opened the door. “What's up, Brother?” said.

“Are you still not moving? It's almost noon, let's take a shower and have breakfast or grandpa's gonna be mad."

“Hmm.. Yes, yes, basic baubles,” said Shuwan slightly underestimated.

“Then cep-“

Undone Jianying spoke, Shuwan instantly closed the door of his room. Jianying was just surprised as she muttered.

“Aihh.. This kid I really can't understand.”

After the shower, Shuwan goes to the dinner table and finds his brother and grandfather waiting for him to eat breakfast.

Shuwan pulled up a chair and sat down to eat together, and grandfather asked him a question.

“How are your mission preparations?”

“Nothing special, same as usual.”

“Then, what is your agenda today?”

“Go to bookstore.”

“Again?” jianying asked in astonishment.

“I went there to meet someone, not buy a book.”

“Ooo.. I see, alright.”

After the conversation they continued breakfast, and prepared with each other's busyness.

Shuwan prepares to head to the store where he bought the book yesterday to meet Liem, the shopkeeper who had made him curious.

Arriving there..

Sorry, the store is closed for a while and will reopen soon.

Such is the sound of writing on the front door of the store.

“Aiyaa.. Why close now! How can I meet that guy? Hah.” grumbled Shuwan a little annoyed.

As the destination store closed, Shuwan decided to go home. Arriving home, Jianying greeted Shuwan with questions.

“Aihh.. Why did you come home? Wouldn't you meet?”

“The shop suddenly closed, so I decided to go straight home."

Jianying simply nodded in understanding.

“Yes already, then I go to the room first, there are things I have to do,” Shuwan continued.

“Are you going on a mission?”

“Not yet for now. When I leave later I will tell you,” Shuwan said as he left Jianying downstairs and headed to his room on the second floor.

In the room, Shuwan sat at the study table. Because he did not manage to meet the mysterious Liem, he kept thinking.

After pondering for himself he finally thought of starting to read the red book.