Chapter 369: Highbrow

Qin Ying glanced into the main hall. It wasn’t mealtime yet, so only a few customers were sitting and drinking tea. She nodded and walked in ahead of Gu Fei.

The two walked to a table in the corner and sat down. Qin Ying gave Gu Fei a reserved smile. "Miss Gu, you should know who I am, shouldn’t you?"

Gu Fei raised an eyebrow. "I actually don’t know you, Miss. If I hadn’t recognized the maid with you who delivered the invitation yesterday, I wouldn’t even know your surname."

Qin Ying’s face flushed slightly. "Then I was being presumptuous."

"My grandfather is the Mountain Master of Qinglian Academy, and my father is the Imperial College Sacrificial Officer."

"My name is Qin Ying."

Gu Fei looked at her for two seconds before saying slowly, "My grandfather was a farmer. My father is a farmer."

"I run a small business to support my family. My name is Gu Fei."

Qin Ying’s mouth fell slightly open. She never would have expected Gu Fei to say something like that. After a moment’s hesitation, she said, "I came today to invite Miss Gu to join our poetry society."

’A poetry society?’

’What does that have to do with me?’

Gu Fei waved her hand dismissively. "I’m honored that you think so highly of me, Miss Qin, but I won’t be joining any poetry society."

Qin Ying hadn’t expected such a direct refusal and her brow furrowed slightly. "Miss Gu, our poetry society is composed of young ladies from prestigious families. We gather once a month to critique everyone’s new poems, or we might just enjoy a day together and casually compose a few verses. It’s such a delightful pastime."

Gu Fei said helplessly, "Miss Qin, you can see for yourself that I have to run my business every day. I simply don’t have time to write poetry."

Qin Ying looked at Gu Fei and said earnestly, "Miss Gu, since you possess such outstanding literary talent, you should dedicate your time to the path of poetry and literature. How can you waste your gift like this?"

Gu Fei chuckled softly. ’Sigh, these high-born ladies who know nothing of worldly suffering are really something else.’

"Miss Qin, perhaps you don’t understand. You and I are not the same. If you are what they call ’high art,’ then I am the very definition of ’low-brow folk.’"

"I have neither the time nor the energy to write poetry. I have to struggle just to get three meals a day on the table."

"All that poetry business is just a way for high-born ladies like you to pass the time. It’s a world away from my life."

Qin Ying shook her head in disagreement. "Miss Gu, I originally thought that someone who could compose such poetry must be an extraordinary person. Who knew you would be so... dense!"

"Do you have any idea how many people agonize over their own mediocre abilities? And yet, the world has people like you—blessed with outstanding talent, only to squander it. It makes one—"

Before she could finish her sentence, Xiao Lu ran over. "Shopkeeper, Butcher Zhao from the meat shop is here to settle this month’s bill."

Gu Fei looked over and saw Butcher Zhao standing there, his shirt half-open, revealing his belly. She quickly stood up. "Miss Qin, please wait a moment. I’ll be right back."

Qin Ying followed her gaze and took one look, but when she saw Butcher Zhao’s protruding belly, her face turned bright red, and she hastily averted her eyes.

Gu Fei walked over to the counter, opened the ledger, and her fingers flew across the abacus. After calculating the total, she paid the silver to Butcher Zhao, then returned to the corner and sat down opposite Qin Ying again.

Qin Ying’s lips were pressed into a tight line, her face a mask of displeasure.

Gu Fei didn’t have time to waste on pleasantries. "Miss Qin, thank you for thinking so highly of me, but as you’ve seen for yourself, this shop keeps me very busy. I really don’t have the time to be writing poems and couplets."

"Besides, you and I walk different paths. If there’s nothing else, I won’t keep you company any longer."