Arriving at the tea stall, Hang Baiqiu found an empty table and sat down, with Chai Yan following closely behind and sitting next to her.
After the stall owner brought two bowls of hot tea, the two of them chatted wordlessly while looking at the scene on the pier.
There are people coming and going on the pier, there are ships entering and berthing at the pier, there are also ships setting sail and leaving, there are people loading cargo onto the ship, there are also people unloading the cargo on the pier, there is noisy and busy everywhere.
While we were chatting, suddenly a young scholar passed by the tea stall with a little book boy. The scholar lost his temper as he walked: "That boatman is really vulgar to the extreme. I will remember his face, and he will be in the future."
I will never take his boat across the river again, it’s really annoying!”
"What the young master said is that I will never take his family's boat again." The little book boy behind him immediately agreed and followed closely behind the scholar with his baggage in hand.
Soon, the scholar and book boy passed in front of Chai Yan and Hang Baiqiu, and gradually walked away.
Hang Baiqiu didn't know what happened between the scholar and the boatman he talked about, so he didn't care about it. When people go far, they go far away.
But then, when Hang Baiqiu turned around, he found that Chai Yan was looking at the scholar's back happily, and asked curiously: "Why are you laughing? Do you know that person?"
Chai Yan smiled and shook his head: "I don't know..."
"Then what are you laughing at?" Hang Baiqiu asked doubtfully.
Chai Yan explained: "I laughed because after listening to what the scholar said, I remembered a story about the 'scholar and the boatman', haha..."
"Story?" Hang Baiqiu became interested as soon as he heard it: "What story? Tell it and listen!"
Chai Yan thought that he was idle, so he nodded and said: "Once upon a time, there was a scholar who was going to take an exam. Along the way, he walked to the river to prepare to cross the river, so he hired a boatman and prepared to take the boatman.
The boat was crossing the river, but when the boat almost reached the middle of the river
When the poem was about to be placed, the scholar suddenly became inspired by poetry and began to recite poems and make poems. However, after reciting a few poems, the scholar felt bored because there was no one around to discuss or praise, so the scholar asked the boatman, "Boatman, what are you doing?"
Do you understand the beauty of poetry?”
Hang Baiqiu interjected seriously: "How can the boatman understand the beauty of poetry? This scholar must have asked the wrong person!"
"Isn't that right..." Chai Yan patted his thigh lightly and continued: "The boatman said that I can only row boats in my life, how can I know any poetry? Who knew that the scholar shook his head and laughed?
The boatman finally declared in a high-profile manner that those who do not know how to appreciate the beauty of poetry will lose at least 30% of their lives!"
Hang Baiqiu became angry immediately and said disdainfully: "This scholar is too much. He is just a boatman and not a scholar. Why do he say such vicious words!"
Chai Yan said hurriedly: "Sir Hang, don't worry, the story is not over yet..."
Only then did Hang Baiqiu hold back his words and asked Chai Yan to speak quickly.
Chai Yan said: "The boat continued to sail slowly. When it reached the center of the river, the scholar suddenly took out a flute, sat on the boat and played the flute. He was soon intoxicated by the music. A song
At the end, the scholar asked again: Boatman, since you don’t know how to appreciate poetry,
After all, you should know how to appreciate the beauty of music, right? The boatman shook his head again and said: I have only been able to row a boat in my life, so how can I understand music? After hearing this, the scholar laughed at the boatman again, and said, "Everyone who doesn't understand
Those who appreciate music will lose another 30% of their lives!"
"That's too much!" Hang Baiqiu was even more angry than before.
Chai Yan signaled Hang Baiqiu not to interrupt him, and immediately continued: "The boat went on for a while, and suddenly the sky was covered with dark clouds, and then it started to rain heavily, and the river suddenly swelled and rolled, and we were about to get on the boat before we could see it.
It was overturned! At this time, the boatman asked the scholar: Scholar, can you swim? The scholar shook his head and said: I have read poems and appreciate music all my life, how can I swim?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Chai Yan asked Hang Baiqiu: "What do you think the boatman said after listening to the scholar's words?"
Hang Baiqiu thought for a moment, then shook his head and asked, "What did you say?"
Chai Yan imitated the tone of the boatman and said: "I'm sorry, scholar, although I don't understand poetry and music, at least I still have 40% of my life left, and your life is about to come to an end!"
"Hahaha, you're right, you're right! Hahaha..."
Hang Baiqiu immediately clapped his hands and laughed, which immediately attracted the attention of some people around him.
Chai Yan looked at Hang Baiqiu in astonishment and said in confusion: "Sir Hang, this is just a little story that makes sense, not a joke. Is it so funny?"
Hang Baiqiu said: "I was laughing at that book about life. I thought I would be great if I read a few books. But when the critical moment comes, I can't save my life!"
Chai Yan nodded slowly, took a sip of tea and asked Hang Baiqiu: "Then do you know what this story tells us?"
Hang Baiqiu said forcefully and definitely: "I know!"
"Oh? Then tell us, what did you tell us?" Chai Yan suddenly became interested and wanted to know what Hang Baiqiu could say.
Hang Baiqiu also took a sip of tea to moisten his throat and said seriously: "This story tells us that everyone has his or her own strengths. You can't laugh at others just because you know something that others don't. That is very wrong!"
Chai Yan was immediately amused by Hang Baiqiu, and said with suppressed laughter: "Sir Hang, do you know? The way you acted just now was like a primary school student answering the teacher's questions in class!"
Although it was the first time for Hang Baiqiu to hear the term "elementary school student", he immediately understood the meaning and immediately glared and said: "Fuck you!"
Later, Hang Baiqiu asked: "Is what I said wrong?"
Chai Yan put away his smile, shook his head with a sullen face and said, "That's not right!"
"Wrong? Why is it wrong?" Hang Baiqiu asked anxiously.
Chai Yan looked serious and said: "This story tells us that to be a human being, you must learn to swim! Hahahaha..."
After saying that, Chai Yan burst into laughter.
Hang Baiqiu was immediately speechless. He glanced at Chai Yan from the corner of his eye for a long time before saying in a contemptuous tone: "Boring..."
After saying these words, Hang Baiqiu put a few copper coins on the table, then got up and walked to the boat without looking back.
Chai Yan's laughter stopped as Hang Baiqiu left, and then he stood up, curling his lips and saying boringly: "There is no sense of humor at all..."
Just as he was about to leave the tea stall, the stall owner's voice came from behind Chai Yan: "Sir, what you said is absolutely right. It's really impossible if you don't learn to swim!"