The items in the stationery shop were dazzling, but Henry Clark didn’t have much money on him. After circling around a few times, he simply picked out a small stack of xuan paper, then took out three copper coins and laid them flat on the counter.

“Shopkeeper, please, this is the money for the paper.”

Henry Clark didn’t have much money, so he didn’t dare buy too much at once.

“Heh heh, young man, this isn’t enough.”

Old Shopkeeper chuckled, his face full of wrinkles, and reached out a calloused finger to tap the counter twice, actually pushing the three coins back:

“Three copper coins was the price a few days ago. Now, xuan paper costs more than that.”

“What?”

Henry Clark was startled. Although he didn’t usually buy xuan paper, he still knew the price.

“Heh heh, don’t think I’m trying to cheat you. In these ten days before the end of the year, everything is going up in price.”

Old Shopkeeper squinted his eyes, glanced at the box on Henry Clark’s back, and said with a smile, “Also, judging by your appearance, you’re planning to buy this xuan paper to go to the market and write couplets for people, right? But I advise you to give up on that idea.”

“Why?”

Henry Clark looked up in surprise. This was not what he had expected.

Old Shopkeeper straightened up a bit and said with a laugh, “Normally, a businessman would never turn away business. But I’ve always done business with a clear conscience. You’re young, and it’s clever of you to come up with this idea. But to tell you the truth, this isn’t an easy way to make a living.”

“These days, quite a few people have come to my shop to buy xuan paper, all planning to make some money by writing couplets for others. The shop has sold a lot of xuan paper, so naturally the price has gone up. If you’d come a few days earlier, when there were fewer people selling couplets, you might have gotten a share. But now—well, it’s not so easy.”

“Writing couplets for others isn’t just about being able to read and write a little. It’s about standing out from the best, being chosen from among those who already write well, and only then can you make money. Many old scholars who have studied poetry and books for decades can’t make a living this way, let alone a young kid like you. If it were that easy to earn, the streets would be packed with people.”

Old Shopkeeper said kindly, “So, take my advice—think it through before you decide.”

“This Old Shopkeeper really does mean well.”

After his initial surprise, Henry Clark gradually calmed down, gratitude showing in his eyes.

Ginger gets spicier as it gets older; Old Shopkeeper’s experience was undeniable, and Henry Clark had to admit he made sense.

“Unfortunately, I have no other choice. Winter is coming, and if I can’t earn enough money in these ten days, when the mountains are sealed by snow and the cold sets in, the old steward and I will have no way out. — Even though this line of work isn’t easy, I’m confident in my calligraphy. No matter what, I have to give it a try.”

With this thought, Henry Clark quickly made up his mind.

“Shopkeeper, thank you. But please, could you still help me wrap these up?”

Henry Clark said firmly. After paying one more copper coin, he tucked the stack of xuan paper under his arm and walked out under the shopkeeper’s astonished gaze.

“This young man… really is something else.”

Old Shopkeeper watched Henry Clark’s departing figure, his eyes full of amazement…

……

The market was in the northwest part of town, and with the end of the year approaching, it was the busiest time.

Although he had expected this trip wouldn’t be easy, when Henry Clark arrived, he couldn’t help but feel a sinking in his heart.

Even though the stationery shop’s Old Shopkeeper had warned him, there were still far more gentlemen at the market than he had expected. Amidst the surging crowd, more than a dozen scholarly old men had set up stalls, scattered along both sides of the street like stars, wielding their brushes and ink, writing New Year couplets for people.

All of them had excellent calligraphy—like waterfalls, like clouds, like strange peaks, like perilous rivers. Even in Henry Clark’s eyes, he had to admit these men had immersed themselves in calligraphy for many years, far beyond what an ordinary teenager could compare to.

“This is going to be a bit tricky.”

Henry Clark’s brow twitched twice, and he felt a headache coming on.

In the crowd, he even spotted a few private tutors from prominent families. These people had studied the classics and calligraphy for decades, with remarkable skill and reputation.

“I was already late to join in, and now there are so many old gentlemen and tutors. With so many people and so little business, making money by writing is looking pretty tough.”

At this moment, Henry Clark deeply felt that knowing was easier than doing; supporting a family was no easy task.

Henry Clark considered his calligraphy above average, unmatched among his peers. But compared to these old gentlemen, it was another matter. Still, Henry Clark was not one to give up easily. Instead, the situation stirred up the pride of youth in his heart.

Carrying his brush box, Henry Clark wandered through the crowd, looking around and making comparisons.

“I’ve practiced calligraphy for over eight years, never slacking off. Although I can’t match those old tutors, I should be better than most people here. As long as I work hard, before the end of the year, I just might be able to earn enough money.”

With that, Henry Clark felt his confidence return.