Chapter 21 of Volume 1: Being a Happy Person

  The music ended, and everyone applauded and cheered. I swayed back and forth, starting to feel a bit drunk, and the faint annoyance that had been lurking earlier also disappeared with the slight sweat brought on by the alcohol.

  Lao Lao Fuzi sat back at the desk, shaking his head and saying: "Our 'Gui Wu Yuan' hasn't been so happy in a long time. Although there are many strange people here, only a few of you can have a good conversation, what a blessing, what a blessing."

  I muttered in a low voice to Hong Gu: "So everyone living here is an eccentric?"

  Hong Gu smiled and said: "Don't you know, sister? The people living in 'Gui Wu Yuan' all have a special skill."

  I hastily said, "Sister has not been in the fortress for long, and indeed has not heard of it." But in my heart, I was thinking, so this garden actually has a name, and I don't know what Ling Yi is gathering so many strange people with extraordinary abilities for. Could it be that he really has some unmentionable purpose?

  Before I could think clearly, the fatty suddenly laughed and said: "How did Little Ning Xi enter the fortress? Looking at your clothes, you don't seem like a maid or servant in this fortress. Quickly tell the truth."

  "Ah, yeah, I almost forgot about this. How should I put it... This isn't something that can be easily glossed over. Moreover, I really don't want to deceive them, but my identity can't be revealed to them either. With a sudden movement in my heart, I smiled and said: 'Alright then, let me perform some magic for everyone.'"

  "Magic?" The fat man's face was full of surprise. I smiled and looked at everyone else at the table, who all had curious expressions.

  Fei Qingyun said with a curious tone: "I've never heard of this name before, 'magic', is it some kind of spell?"

  I smiled along with Fei Qingyun and said: "Right, magic is a small trick from my hometown, many people can do it, Ning Xi has already made a fool of himself here."

  I remember when I was a kid, in order to deal with my spoiled cousin, I learned some simple magic tricks. Fooling little kids is no problem, but here, it's not that easy. No preparation, no props, what can I possibly conjure up for them?

  Everyone looked at me with an expectant face. Hong Jie smiled softly beside me, "I didn't think you'd know magic too, little sister. I'm very curious. But your magic doesn't require choosing a auspicious day, setting up an altar, putting up flags, burning incense or fetching water, does it?"

  I shook my head and smiled: "No need. As long as there's money, it's fine."

  "Are you still going to charge for this?" Fatso Qigong exclaimed in surprise.

  "Not really." I chuckled. "This spell of mine makes an object disappear out of thin air. So, I need something from you." I wasn't sure if there were copper coins in this space-time. All I could do was some minor magic tricks with transferred coins. If not... it would be quite troublesome.

  "This is easy." The fatty immediately pulled out a silver ingot from his bosom and handed it to me.

  I frowned: "This... is too big. It's very expensive." Sweat appeared on my forehead. It turned out that the currency in this space-time was the same as in my ancient world. "Is there such a thing as copper coins?" I hesitated to ask.

  "It turned out to be this." Fei Qingyun smiled and handed me a copper coin.

  It's really Brother Kong Fang, I took a closer look and found that this copper coin with a circular outer edge and a square inner hole is exactly the same as the ancient coins I've seen before. The only difference is that both sides are printed with the words "Chao Qian Tong Bao".

  "That's it." I smiled and put my left elbow on the table, with the copper coins spread out in my palm, letting everyone see clearly: "It's started."

  I smiled mysteriously, and everyone's attention focused on the copper coin in my left hand, their faces filled with curiosity and concern. I nodded in satisfaction, deliberately paused for a few seconds, then suddenly raised my right hand, and clasped it tightly with my left hand, rubbing them vigorously together, my expression intent, as if trying to rub the copper coin away. It wasn't until after a good while that I stopped, but my hands remained tightly clasped.

  The scene was so quiet that a pin dropping to the ground could be heard, five people with ten pairs of eyes staring tightly at my hands, not even daring to breathe out. I was very satisfied with this atmosphere, and deliberately pretended to be very laborious, slowly opening my two hands, the copper coins in my hand had disappeared.

  "Ah!" Everyone exclaimed, their eyes cast on me with surprise, admiration, and doubt...

  I deliberately turned my hands over and showed them to him, smiling mysteriously: "Sorry, Mr. Fei, your copper coins are gone."

  "What's going on? The copper coins have vanished into thin air!" Hong Gu exclaimed.

  I smiled but didn't speak, how could the copper coin possibly disappear out of thin air? If it were in modern times, with all sorts of magic shows flooding the screens, everyone would know that this is just a sleight of hand, relying on quick hands. Of course, those are just basic magic tricks, and I wouldn't be able to do advanced ones either. But in this time and space, without the concept of magic, they would think that I really made the copper coin disappear. In fact, the coin was safely hidden in my left sleeve, and these ancient loose-fitting robes with large sleeves were indeed convenient for this little trick.

  As I saw the astonished and admiring glances of everyone at the table, I was thinking to myself that I just wanted to shift everyone's attention away from my identity for now. Let them uncover the mystery later; I certainly didn't want them to really take me as a Taoist priest.

  Fei Qingyun sincerely raised his glass and said: "I didn't expect Miss Fang to be a real person who doesn't show her true self, I really admire you."

  Fatso finally came back to his senses and also picked up the wine glass, shouting: "It's great to meet Ning Xi tonight, come on, let's all raise our glasses to toast Ning Xi."

  I hastily raised my cup in response and said with a flushed face: "A minor skill, a minor skill." I really wasn't being modest.

  Everyone happily drank the wine in their cups. I just felt a bit dizzy, and if I continued drinking like this, I estimated that soon I would only be able to let Jin Niang carry me back. But I had already forgotten about my appointment with Jin Niang an hour ago, and I just felt very happy. Even if they couldn't help me in the future, getting to know them was still a very happy thing for me.

  A bright moon rises, its light spilling onto the lake outside the window, shimmering with ripples. Fei Qingyun gets up to pour wine for everyone and smiles: "Tonight is a beautiful night, we've also met the wonderful Ning Xi, let's make sure everyone has a great time tonight, how about we play a drinking game?"

  "Excellent, excellent!" Old Master Lu nodded his head in agreement, as if everything that came to him turned into "excellent".

  I was admiring the moonlight outside the window, my eyes a bit blurry as I gazed at the silver glow on the lake. But when I heard this, my mind went blank and all I could think of were black lines. This is too elegant for me, I'm not good at this kind of thing. I can only do the most basic "drawing small bees". If we're going to follow their way, it seems like we'll have to recite poems and compose verses. Why don't they just give me all the wine to drink by myself? Thinking back to my high school days, I had a firm belief in "studying math and science well, and being fearless wherever you go", so I chose to major in science. During my four years of university, most of my thoughts were on diligent work and frugal study. When did I have time to indulge in reading poetry? Thinking about those other people who crossed over, reciting Tang poems and Song lyrics with ease, how carefree they must be! But put me in their shoes, isn't it just going to be a struggle to survive?

  I raised both hands in protest, muttering: "Opposed, opposed. They say that a woman without talent is virtuous, I am the most virtuous and respected one, if you want to play drinking games, don't count me in."

  Hong Gu "heh" laughed: "Sister can't make poetry, then we'll change to another game, what does sister like?" Others also nodded in agreement.

  What's usually played in a bar? I rolled my eyes and smiled smugly: "Do you have dice here?"

  Fatso exclaimed: "We do have dice, but does Ning Xi want to play a game of drinking based on the numbers rolled?"

  I gave him a white eye and shook my head, saying: "That's not interesting at all. Let's play dice instead." At this time, if there are dice, then there should be a dice cup too.

  I spoke with a drunken slur, and carefully explained the rules of the dice game, at which everyone's face lit up with interest.

  Hong Gu smiled and said: "Fat boy, hurry up and bring your treasure here."

  Fatso laughed heartily: "This game is quite novel, everyone can participate, I'll go get the dice cup." After finishing speaking, his figure flashed and disappeared.

  I stared with wide eyes, thinking I was seeing things, that such a huge body had quietly disappeared. Before I could even react, the fatty reappeared, holding six dice cups in his hands and smiling as he handed one to each of us.

  At first, I won several times in a row. Fei Qingyun, who was sitting on my right, had drunk quite a bit of wine. Hong Jie shouted that she wanted to switch seats, and everyone exchanged positions to continue playing. I gradually stopped winning, but instead, the fat guy sitting on my left kept uncovering my cup. After several cups of wine, people began to have double visions, swaying back and forth while leaning against the edge of the table.

  "My sister is drunk." Hong Gu took away the wine I had just poured.

  "Not drunk, not drunk." I went to grab the wine from her hand, it's been a long time since I've had so much fun, this is my drunken clear mind.

  "No way, have another drink. Sister will have a headache tomorrow, where should we send you to?" Hong Jie said with a slight rebuke, and in one gulp, she drank the wine from my cup.

  "Sister." I sniffled, this long-awaited concern warming my heart, leaving me speechless for a moment.

  Fei Qingyun smiled lightly across from him and said, "Yes, Ning Xi can't drink anymore."

  My chest feels a bit stuffy, my nose is sour, and I'm dizzy. I couldn't see their expressions clearly, but in my heart, I knew. Rubbing my nose, I said pitifully: "If you gamble and lose, then you should drink wine."

  Lao Lao Fuzi shook his head and said: "Those who gamble must admit defeat, these words are not wrong."

  He stunned me even more. I thought he still wanted me to drink, but unexpectedly he stroked his beard for half a day and said: "Then let Xiao Ningye recite poetry for us."

  Sweat began to break out on my forehead again. This punishment was really not light. I looked around at others for help, but they were all nodding in agreement.

  My face turned pale, it seems I couldn't escape this time. I closed my eyes and desperately searched through my memories, how difficult! I certainly can't recite "Quiet Night Thoughts" to them.

  Suddenly, I had a urge to recite a poem. Any poem would do, as long as it was one I liked. Opening my eyes, I gave them a faint smile and said: "This poem of mine is a bit long, listen carefully." Clearing my throat, I began to recite:

  From tomorrow on, be a happy person.

  Feed the horse, chop firewood, travel around the world

  From tomorrow on, care about food and vegetables.

  I have a house facing the sea, warm in spring and blooming with flowers.

  From tomorrow on, communicate with every relative.

  Tell them of my happiness

  That happy lightning told me,

  I will tell everyone

  Give each river and each mountain a warm name.

  Stranger, I wish you happiness too.

  Wish you a bright future ahead!

  Wishing you and your loved one will be together forever.

  Wishing you happiness in this mundane world.

  I only wish to face the sea, with blooming flowers in warm spring.

  The soft sound echoes in this quiet space, with the wind gently brushing past, rolling up the edges of my ears. I close my eyes, and my nose is a little sour, my chest is filled with an inexplicable mix of emotions. I've always wanted to be a happy person, have a family, loved ones, love, living a simple yet peaceful life. This is my most humble wish.

  It's so quiet, why isn't anyone speaking, didn't they understand? I opened my blurry drunken eyes to look at them, why did they all stand up? Why are they all so serious? Their gazes aren't on me, but on... something behind me.

  Woo-hoo! Today is weekend, wish everyone a happy weekend, and there's still one more update tonight!

  Everyone makes Blue happy too, votes, collections, more is better, wow!