People who sold things had numerous fantastical ways of calling their customers. Things like "Beautiful" and "Handsome" were the normal type, "Dear" and "Darling" were the corny type, "Your Majesty" and "Little Master" were the weird type, "Bankroller" and "Daddy" were the… shameless type.

The speaker usually put no meaning in these terms and the listener also typically did not take any meaning from them. When the deal was sealed and money and goods exchanged, everyone would conscientiously cut off all father-and-child ties of their own volition.

However, not only did Yu Lanchuan look like he did not want to buy anything, he also did not seem to want to follow the unspoken rules between buyer and seller. His expression was extremely complicated, making Gan Qing feel as though she had taken liberties with her words. She had no choice but to explain, "It's just a normal-"

Yu Lanchuan did not wait for her to finish speaking and interrupted her quickly. "Of course I know. You're overthinking it."

Gan Qing finished, "...second person pronoun."

The second half of her sentence overlapped with his words. For some reason, it became even more awkward. Gan Qing spread her hands. "I'm not thinking anything."

It is obviously you who are thinking too much.

"Isn't it just a slip of the tongue? Stop going on about it!" Yu Lanchuan wanted to quickly get this topic over with and in his haste, made it even more conspicuous. "It's not the first day you're being frivolous anyway."

"Oh, okay." Gan Qing gave him a solemn look and said mournfully like she was reciting an eulogy, "In that case, Mr. Yu Lanchuan, may I ask what you require of me?"

Yu Lanchuan's gaze drifted around the shop. "Yesterday, you posted the crystal bracelet for relationship luck in the new year, and also that scissors…"

"Scissors?" Gan Qing had a puzzled look on her face. "I don't sell scissors here. Why don't you try asking at the sundry shop next door?"

Yu Lanchuan asked, "It's the kind of scissors specially for looking for lost items. Didn't you post an article about it in your WeChat Moments?"

"That's called the 'Upside-Down Scissors Ritual.' Yesterday, I couldn't think of what to update the official account with so I looked up some of the more commonly known feudalistic superstitions online," Gan Qing said. "Which one of your colleagues asked for it, didn't they read the article properly? You can use normal scissors for that, you don't need one that has been blessed… That's strange, I thought that the people who liked to follow these little superstitions have all heard of this. Why, does even the arcane arts have older-than-average newbies who are also willing to spend money?"

The "older-than-average newbie" Yu Lanchuan, "..."

In actual fact, none of his colleagues had asked him to help them buy anything. It was the Lunar New Year, everyone was at home dealing with their extended relatives. It was just that he had wandered into Mudpool Backlane without realising it and had somehow come to the shop. He himself didn't know why he was there and when she cornered him with her questions, he came up with an excuse in a hurry.

In an entire year, it was only during the Spring Festival holiday that Yu Lanchuan could properly rest.

He had few relatives. This year, his parents were abroad, his granduncle had departed from the mortal realm, and the whereabouts of his own father was unclear, so he had even fewer relatives to visit. At first, he had already planned it out—he would spare half a day to take the gremlin child Liu Zhongqi out to play and the rest of the time would be for quality time at home.

He needed to review the previous year and list out his personal plans for the coming year. He needed to catch up on the classic films and books. He needed to pick one or two online classes to break into a new field and give himself a few more qualifications to add to his resume. This was how he had spent his holiday every year, busy and fulfilling.

But this year, for some reason, his heart felt restless and irritable sitting at home. He kept wanting to find a reason to come out and wander around.

"As for the pink crystals for relationship luck, you can pick it yourself." Gan Qing took out a few large cardboard boxes. Perhaps she had just gotten more stock and hadn't yet had the time to wrap them up. She spread them out on the counter and they looked just like the beaded curtains sold at roadside stalls in the previous century—extremely unpleasant to the eye.

Yu Lanchuan reached out and picked through them in distaste. "When the things you're selling are such rubbish, how on earth do you convince people that they're effective?"

"If you believe in it, it will work," Gan Qing said nonchalantly. "Those who are willing to spend money to buy these things have a pressing desire to find a partner. The streets are full of people anyway. Something like a partner, if you look for one sincerely you'll definitely bump into a few. Doesn't that make it effective? As for those who do not take action themselves and expect their dream partner to fall from the sky, wearing this can bring them some self-consolation."

"What self-consolation?"

Gan Qing lifted her eyes, revealing irises that appeared grey due to her contact lenses. "Someone likes me in secret."

Yu Lanchuan's steady heartbeat missed a beat.

"But that person is too shy and I'm too slow, so I don't know about it." Gan Qing picked up a pink crystal bracelet. She wiped off the dust on it and started to put it in a gift box. "The season where the weather turns warm and the flowers blossom is right around the corner, it's nice to have this kind of delusion then. After all, this shop's main business is in selling dreams and all things beautiful."

Yu Lanchuan was struck speechless. It was only after a long while—after Gan Qing had wrapped up all the pink crystals nicely, humming a tune the whole time—that he suddenly said out of the blue, "It might not be a delusion."

Gan Qing stared blankly. "What?"

"Nothing. I was being literal." Yu Lanchuan leaned over and pretended to be unconcerned, his gaze sweeping aimlessly across her counter. "Sometimes, you feel that someone likes you in secret. Who knows, it might be true."

"Firstly, there is no blood feud between any parties; secondly, there are no complicated rules governing everyone's behaviour. No matter how shrewd a person is, what they hide is their bad intentions. Who would be so free to hide their good intentions so deeply?" Gan Qing snorted a laugh. "In that case, how bad must the person be at reading other people to be so slow that they have no clue at all? This kind of idiot is pretty rare."

Yu Lanchuan paused, then twisted his head around. He sensed the meaning hidden in Gan Qing's words.

Gan Qing didn't look up. "Nothing. I was being literal."

The world of adults was like being in a combat match on an elevated stage. Just a shallow demonstration was enough, not every single thing—major or minor—had to be explained in great detail.

I am aware of your affections but I do not wish to reciprocate.

Yu Lanchuan's gaze fell on the pink glass beads. "...I see."

His heart that had missed a beat fell onto the hard cement floor with a thunk, nearly shattering into pieces.

Gan Qing beamed at him and said, "There's a New Year's promotion on the pink crystals, buy five and I'll give you the 'Overnight Millionaire' sign for free. Your rich lady is waiting for you not far away."

Yu Lanchuan went through the selection and picked out four bracelets. He tossed them at her. "I'll get these."

In winter, the next door Tianyi Crayfish mainly sold hotpot and soup noodles. Boss Meng was guiding his student on stir-frying a wok of ingredients and saw Yu Lanchuan through the smoke and grease-stained window. "Little Master Yu, drop by here if you have the time. I have-"

Yu Lanchuan gave him a quick nod and left without a word.

"...freshly-cooked spicy sauce." Meng Tianyi looked at this retreating back and muttered something. "Why did he leave so quickly? I wanted to give him a jar to try."

"What spicy sauce?" Gan Qing came in. "Uncle Meng, I want it."

"You only know how to eat." Meng Tianyi glanced at her crossly. "Hotpot?"

"I'm hungry already, don't make something so troublesome. Just cook a few slices of beef and add them to a bowl of noodles." Gan Qing took a peek and used chopsticks to gouge a bit of the spicy sauce. She tasted it. "Oh! This is good, use this to mix the noodles!"

Meng Tianyi teased her. "You've barely opened shop for two days after Lunar New Year and Little Master Yu has come by quite a few times, hasn't he?"

Gan Qing washed her hands and took over the cleaver from the little student. She sliced the beef at a very fast speed. "Good friends are friends who take care of your business."

Meng Tianyi shot her a glance. "Don't give me that. Can there be purely platonic friendship between a man and a woman? You think I've never been young?"

Gan Qing smiled. "Yes, yes. You are the famous idol of Mudpool Backlane, Pan An^[1] Crayfish! Who doesn't know your name?"

The cleaver in her hand rose and fell. In just a short time, she had finished the little student's task for most of the day. The inexperienced little student who had not seen much of the world watched her with wide eyes and an opened mouth.

"It's true that it isn't easy for there to be a purely platonic friendship between a man and a woman." Gan Qing stabbed the cleaver on the chopping board and said nonchalantly. "However, a ram and a doe having a civilised friendship while grazing isn't something rare."

Meng Tianyi understood what she had left unspoken and was stunned.

Gan Qing lifted her chin at him. "Uncle Meng, make sure the noodles don't become soft. Don't overcook it for me."

During the Spring Festival holiday, Star Dreams closed early. Before dinnertime, Gan Qing had already closed the shop and bought her groceries, ready to return home. When she was nearing No. 110 Courtyard, her footsteps suddenly paused. She twisted her head around and stared at a small alley at the intersection—an indistinct shadow had flashed past that spot!

Without hesitation, Gan Qing gave chase.

This was the maze of alleys where she had followed Xiang Xiaoman back then and also where she had tricked Liu Zhongqi into buying her tea. The area was tangled and complicated. At this time, there were few tourists and the streets were empty. Gan Qing stood at the intersection for a few seconds, paying rapt attention to her surroundings. A small blade swiftly flew out from between her fingers, slicing through the northwest wind and heading towards the bicycle rack in the dark.

The blade flew in an arc and there was a sound of ripping cloth, almost inaudibly soft. It had cut open someone's clothes! Right after that, a small and thin figure leaped out from the bicycle rack.

Gan Qing called out, "Wait a minute, this friend over there."

That person did not pay her any heed. Like a monkey, they leaped out from among the rusty bars and scampered away. They seemed to be very familiar with the area, leaping and darting right and left in the narrow alley. Gan Qing chased them through two streets and unexpectedly lost them!

Night fell early in winter. Twilight was already creeping up all four sides at this hour. The wind squeezed through the alleys of differing width and howled at different pitches; the sound faintly revealing the situation in every alley to a person who knew how to listen. Within it was the sound of very quick, very light footsteps.

Gan Qing turned in the direction of the sound. But before she could give chase, there was a sudden, vicious gust of air coming from behind her—a metal rod was swinging right at the back of her head. She seemed to have seen it coming; with one hand holding her shopping bag, she spun half a circle on one leg, raised her left arm and steadily caught the oncoming metal rod.

The person who sneak-attacked her was well-equipped. A face mask covered their face securely, revealing only a pair of small and dangerous-looking eyes.

She narrowed her eyes. In her left hand, a few small blades glinted under the dim streetlights. "Coming for me? This is new."

The sneak attacker suddenly lowered their wrist, breaking free from her grasp. The metal rod swept towards her waist. Gan Qing retreated swiftly. A cold light flickered between her fingers and slipped under the metal rod, piercing unerringly into the wrist of the sneak attacker who was holding the metal rod. At the same time, she happened to have her back to the entrance of another small alley when dodging backwards and before she could stand firm, a man suddenly rushed out from that alley. He was holding a watermelon knife in his hand, lunging right at her back!

Gan Qing's heel did not land on the ground. She bent her knee slightly and flipped up from the ground with unimaginable grace, her body arching as she bent backwards into a bridge, just barely missing the knife. The knife-wielder made a sound and turned his wrist. The knife switched from a stabbing to a horizontal slicing motion but before he could put his full force into it, there was a sudden pain in his wrist. A large potato had smashed right into it!

The blade of the knife tilted downwards. The next second, someone grabbed his wrist. Gan Qing used the momentum from her backflip to twist his wrist almost 180 degrees. There was a terrifying crack from his wrist bones and he let out a blood curdling scream.

Right at that moment, a brick flew over from somewhere. At the same time, the blinding headlights from a vehicle swept over to shine directly into Gan Qing's eyes.

Her vision blurred and she couldn't see anything clearly. The person whose wrist she had broken took the chance to give her a shove. Gan Qing could only use her intuition and her hearing ability to twist her head away as much as possible. The brick scraped past her shoulder and fell to the ground.

There was the rumbling sound of a motorbike being started up. By the time she regained her ability to see, the few people who had sneak attacked her just now had already taken advantage of the chaos to run away, leaving only a watermelon knife and a few drops of blood on the ground.

These people seemed to be only testing the waters, leaving as soon as they made contact.

Gan Qing stretched her shoulder that the brick had scraped against just now. She picked up the fallen potato. Slowly, her brows furrowed. If her eyes had not been mistaken, the person who had lured her into the alley was dressed in rags, just like… a beggar.

Not long after she left, the light in a house at the end of the alley turned on. A man dressed as a beggar peeked out fearfully, still unsettled from his shock. He kept his voice low as he spoke to the other person in the room, "She's gone. Now, do you believe me? When she fought with those people from the Xu clan, I was right there. I knew right away!"

T/N:

[1] Pan An is one of the famous male beauties of ancient China.