Chapter 1, Gu Qing

Those who come here to buy characters are mostly uneducated individuals who wish to present themselves as more cultured

The wood shed where the laborers live is certainly much better than the dilapidated temple; at least the wood shed at Master Zhou's house does not let the wind through. For the former A Qing, a house that does not let the wind through is probably the best living condition he can imagine

Xiao Hong said: "You are truly a strange person, but I am very happy. However, I have something to attend to right now. Will you be setting up your stall for a while? I will come find you after I finish my business"

Gu Qingdao: "This piece of calligraphy of mine is worth more than eight wen."

In recent years, the place that has sheltered A Qing from the wind and rain is a dilapidated temple in Zhouzhuang. Even though it is drafty all around, A Qing has to share it with several idle men from the village

Gu Qing had not made friends for a long time; he felt that he did not need friends

Gu Qing explained: "My words are very valuable, but your intentions cannot be measured by money. The note is also my intention, and now I can accept your money with peace of mind"

The only flaw is that the new garment has a scratch, which was caused by another idler in the village who has a close relationship with A Qing

Having thought that this life bore no difference from past experiences, Gu Qing intended to calmly accept the arrival of death, allowing the person Ah Qing to be buried deep within his memories, just as in many of his previous lives, without the desire to revisit.

She insisted on inviting him and could not help but glance at Gu Qing once more

Initially, he made numerous attempts to identify the cause of his deteriorating health, acquiring a wealth of knowledge and skills. He also experienced several lifetimes, where the original owner of his body was either immensely wealthy or held significant power. However, none of this proved to be of assistance to him

He does not wear a blue robe, and clearly does not possess any official titles; passersby naturally do not even glance at him

Xiao Hong said: "I... I don't know, but I think this line of poetry sounds beautiful, and the characters look very pleasing. Perhaps someone who understands and appreciates it would be willing to pay a high price for it. Am I right in saying this?"

Gu Qing also did not find it particularly sad that A Qing had spent seventeen or eighteen years here without making any friends

Gu Qing has a secret that he has never mentioned to anyone. He has experienced many different lives, which is not a pleasant thing, because each time he embarks on a new life journey, his bodily organs rapidly deteriorate within less than six months, his health declines, and he ultimately waits helplessly for death to arrive, only to begin a new life again.

Gu Qing

Gu Qing was not annoyed either

Gu Qing has the ability to achieve most of the things that ordinary people envy, provided he is given time, but what Gu Qing lacked the most in the past was time

And now, she intends to find the young lady

He saved a small amount of copper coins; the accommodation was insufficient, but he could drink some wine and order a plate of fennel beans, barely managing to make do for dinner

"The sunset over the river is white, and the tide brings a blue sky to the world," this is the origin of the character 'Qing' in Gu Qing's name

He arrived a bit late, and there was no longer any extra space on the street for him to set up a stall

The young girl, her face flushed, said: "I invite you to take this and buy something to eat; I do not want your writing, as I have no place to put it when I take it back."

A Qing's foundation was originally quite good. After being cleaned and tidied up, he often attracted the attention of the young women in the village. The old lady also took a liking to him and even considered having Gu Qing work as a long-term laborer in her household. Long-term laborers receive much better treatment than short-term ones, and they also have their meals and accommodation provided by the host family

Gu Qingdao: "I do not require charity"

A Qing was orphaned, growing up in Zhouzhuang. Since the passing of his grandmother, who had supported him, A Qing has been making a living through odd jobs. He has no home, as his grandmother's house did not belong to him and had long been reclaimed by her relatives.

Dressed in freshly washed new clothes, Gu Qing planned to go to the city

Moreover, in stark contrast to the visibly deteriorating health conditions of the past, Gu Qing distinctly felt that his body was improving, his strength was increasing, and he was working faster. A couple of days ago, while working at Old Master Zhou's house, the elderly lady was very pleased with him and even gifted him a new garment that her scholarly grandson had rejected.

The two scholars nearby did not dare to mock him; firstly, they were afraid, and secondly, they recognized that Gu Qing's calligraphy was good. However, they could not articulate what made it good, especially considering that the passersby had a low level of education.

Fortunately, there were two scholars who understood the principle of his fist, so each of them made a little room, enough for Gu Qing to set down a piece of calligraphy

She thought that Gu Qing must be very poor, and if only she were a young lady, she could buy his calligraphy, arrange a job for Gu Qing, and even see him every day

Of course, this is related to Gu Qing keeping herself tidy and presentable, which is very pleasing to the old lady.

Gu Qing caught a whiff of the aroma of pancreas, and a young girl dressed as a maid appeared before him. With her somewhat rough little hands, she took out 8 wen and gently placed it in front of Gu Qing

He is no longer enthusiastic about causing trouble and has accepted the whims of fate that befall him

Setting out before dawn, at the break of day, Gu Qing arrived in the city, which is called Jiangcheng. Zhouzhuang is twenty li away from the city, and Gu Qing has been there several times. He used all his money to buy brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, wrote a piece of calligraphy, and then walked to the streets where impoverished scholars sell their writings.

For the first time in many generations, he used this name again, as this body originally did not have an official name. The only coincidence is that others called him "A Qing".

Gu Qing replied calmly: "You are right, but I probably won't meet such a person here. I am not very hungry right now, so I can wait a little longer. If I get too hungry, I might sell it for about one or two silver coins, one hundred wen, or even several dozen wen."

Her face has turned so red that it feels hot

Gu Qing did not like to get entangled in such matters. He nodded, tore off a piece of paper, and asked, "What is your name"

Gu Qingdao: "How much do you think it is worth"

Girl's Path: "You always have to eat, so take it."

Xiao Hong said: "How much do you plan to sell it for?"

Gu Qingdao said: "If I sell this piece of calligraphy, I will no longer set up a stall"

There is no insincere farewell, just a poor country boy. Even if he tidies himself up, looking far better than other idlers, it will at most only provoke a few casual remarks from the villagers.

The world today is very different from the past, everything is fresh, just like his current body. Gu Qing has never possessed such a strong body; he is very happy

He wanted this piece of clothing, but Gu Qing did not give it to him

This world is not any history or dynasty he is familiar with; in the past, he would always roll back and forth within the five thousand years of glorious civilization, to be precise, he resembled more of an observer or a passerby.

In Gu Qing's heart, each new life appears fresh, yet is in fact mundane, as the outcome has long been predetermined. However, this time is evidently different; it has already been the seventh month, and in the past similar cycles, he has not experienced a single life that has lasted longer than the present one

Xiao Hong said: "I don't quite understand, and I also don't have much money. I think there should be someone who understands. Don't leave, wait for me to come back."

The girl said: "My name is Xiao Hong, what about you?"

A person who has lived many lifetimes finds that what he lacks the most is time, which is evidently a ridiculous situation, yet it is a fact. Fortunately, this time is different; Gu Qing feels that he can finally lead a normal and complete life

Amidst the bickering and insults, this scratch appeared, and of course, he was also beaten up by Gu Qing. This idle man was initially very angry, but now he is quite happy, because Gu Qing is leaving, and the place that originally belonged to Gu Qing is naturally his now, which is worth as much as a piece of clothing

Xiao Hong caught it and looked at the words on the note. She felt somewhat happy, yet also puzzled by Gu Qing's intentions

Seven months ago, the original A Qing was replaced by Gu Qing

After Xiao Hong finished speaking, she hurriedly left. The two impoverished scholars were quite envious, as they could tell that this maidservant was not ordinary; this poor fellow was about to latch onto a powerful patron.

Gu Qingwan declined. He would live in a better house, but it would certainly not be the woodshed of the Zhou family.

The end of life is not altered by one's status and abilities

He wrote the eight characters "Wishing Xiao Hong a long life of a hundred years" on a blank sheet of paper, with neat handwriting, not a trace of carelessness, and not a single drop of ink scattered. Gu Qing handed the note to Xiao Hong