"Brother Han... are you really not joking with me?"
Du Santong was in disbelief.
"Haha, I’m not that bored."
"Go home and discuss it with your parents first. Give me your answer tomorrow."
Han Bai said with a smile.
"No need, I can agree right now!" Du Santong said immediately.
’If my parents found out about these terms, they’d be grinning from ear to ear.’
"Alright then. Come by tomorrow." Han Bai nodded.
And just like that, the Drunken Immortal Inn had a new, hardworking waiter.
In the blink of an eye, more than a year passed.
The Drunken Immortal Inn’s reputation grew throughout the town, and many people came each day, drawn by its fame.
There were even a few high-ranking officials and nobles among them.
Han Bai had no plans to expand the business, closing up shop as soon as the daily supply of wine was sold out.
On this day,
heavy snow was falling.
Han Bai had Du Santong go home early while he stayed behind to tidy up the shop.
"Shopkeeper Han, is there any wine left?"
Huang Shan walked into the inn, looking utterly dejected.
His gaze was vacant, filled with despair.
He was covered in traces of wind and snow.
When Han Bai saw this, he knew the man must have failed the county examination.
But he didn’t ask, simply smiling. "Yes... Let me warm some wine for you first."
A short while later, Han Bai brought over the warmed wine.
At that moment, Huang Shan had none of the bearing of a scholar. He grabbed the wine and began to gulp it down.
Han Bai simply went about calculating accounts at the counter, paying Huang Shan no mind.
About an hour or so later, Huang Shan was drunk.
"Why... why... I’ve already worked so hard..."
"Why did I still not pass... Am I really worse than everyone else?"
Huang Shan mumbled to himself, slumped over the table.
Han Bai glanced at him, then looked away and continued with his accounts.
ZZZZZ...
A moment later, Han Bai heard a snoring sound.
He turned his head and saw that Huang Shan had fallen asleep, slumped over the table.
’This guy...’
Han Bai shook his head helplessly and found a piece of clothing to drape over him.
.....
「The next day.」
Huang Shan woke up from his drunken stupor with a splitting headache.
"Brother Huang, you’re finally awake."
Du Santong asked with concern.
"Santong... I..." Huang Shan had blacked out and couldn’t remember what happened last night.
"The Shopkeeper said you got drunk last night and slept here."
Du Santong said.
"I think so..." Huang Shan’s mind started to recall a few things.
"You should go home and rest," Du Santong suggested.
He could also tell that Huang Shan wasn’t in a good mood.
"Mm... I’ll head back then."
"Oh, right... How much was the wine last night?"
Huang Shan remembered he hadn’t paid for his drinks and quickly asked.
"No need. The Shopkeeper said last night was on him," Du Santong said with a smile.
"Then please thank Shopkeeper Han for me," Huang Shan nodded.
....
More than half a year passed.
Another inn opened in Ancient River Town.
This inn was called the Shengxian Inn, and the wine it sold was identical to that of the Drunken Immortal Inn.
Only, the shopkeeper wasn’t Han Bai, but Du Santong’s parents.
That’s right. Du Santong had stolen Han Bai’s techniques and opened his own shop. The prices were even a little cheaper than the Drunken Immortal Inn’s, and there were no purchase limits.
In an instant, business at the Drunken Immortal Inn plummeted.
But when Han Bai found out, he just smiled and said nothing, continuing to do things his own way.
"Brother Han!"
"That Du Family is truly despicable!"
"They clearly stole your techniques, and then had the gall to name their place the Shengxian Inn!"
"It’s nothing short of being a fraud and stealing your fame!"
Huang Shan said indignantly from inside the inn.
"Haha."
"Brother Huang, no need to be angry... This is fine too."
"I’ll have a lot more free time."
As the wronged party, Han Bai’s mood was nevertheless very calm.
It seemed as though having his business stolen was actually a good thing for him.
"Brother Han, your state of mind is truly rare."
Zhou Yuxuan was also there, and he couldn’t help but marvel upon hearing this.
He had been coming to the inn often these days. Over time, and due to his own personality, he had also become friends with Han Bai.
"Such is life... No one knows what the future will hold."
"Don’t get too hung up on things... Living happily is the most important thing."
Han Bai said.
"That’s easier said than done... So far, the only person I’ve met who can actually do it is Brother Han."
Zhou Yuxuan shook his head.
"No, I still have to go find that Du Family and have a word with them!"
Huang Shan had a righteous personality and couldn’t swallow this injustice. He still wanted to fight for Han Bai and go cause trouble for the Shengxian Inn!
"No, no."
"Brother Huang, I appreciate the sentiment."
"Let’s just leave this matter as it is for now."
"Let’s drink first."
Han Bai quickly grabbed Huang Shan, truly afraid he would do something rash in a fit of impulse.
Zhou Yuxuan also chimed in with a few words of persuasion.
Only then did Huang Shan gradually calm down.
In the days that followed, things returned to a state of calm.
Business at the Shengxian Inn got better and better, even expanding into the city.
Meanwhile, business at the Drunken Immortal Inn plummeted, and the place became deserted.
「Three years later.」
The Du Family had already moved out of Ancient River Town and relocated to the County Town.
Han Bai still remained at his inn in the remote alley, year after year, day after day.
After several more setbacks, Huang Shan finally passed the examinations and earned an official post, heading to the County Town to serve as an official. He would occasionally send a letter back.
Zhou Yuxuan had also gotten married not long ago and had a child of his own.
Han Bai was like a spectator watching it all, observing the world’s joys and sorrows, the myriad states of all living things.
「Fifteen years passed in the blink of an eye.」
Han Bai had become a middle-aged man, and his aura had grown weary with the vicissitudes of time.
The inn’s business was still slow.
"I really don’t know why you insist on staying put in this inn."
Zhou Yuxuan had also matured a great deal.
After so many years, he was the only one who still came by regularly to support Han Bai’s business.