Chapter Sixty-Seven: The "Mystery Box" of the Four Treasures Studio

“Shouldn’t you first show some sincerity if you’re asking me to give you a chance to make things right? You can’t just plead for someone to take you out while demanding a chance to redeem yourself—do you expect to have it both ways?”

With no one else around, Wei Ruo felt no need to watch her image and rolled her eyes bluntly.

“But…”

“No ‘but’s. Put away your schemes. If you need company, go find your dear friends. Didn’t Miss Qian invite you? If not, just go over yourself. Don’t come to me—I have no time.”

With that, Wei Ruo stepped around Wei Qingwan, wasting not a moment, and strode swiftly toward the door, leaving behind a decisive and unruffled silhouette.

Wei Ruo arrived at the agreed meeting place with Xie Ying: the familiar Sibao Studio she often frequented.

Xie Ying had chosen the place. Typically, ladies met at cosmetics or jewelry shops, but Xie Ying had a different idea.

“Are you here to buy something?” Wei Ruo asked.

“Yes, I want to buy some paper. My brother is coming back soon. The capital is full of fine things, but even there you can’t find this paper. I’ll buy some for him—let him see what he’s been missing!”

With that, Xie Ying strode boldly into Sibao Studio.

“Shopkeeper, I’d like to buy a hundred sheets,” she declared, pulling out a silver ingot and placing it confidently on the counter.

Shopkeeper Jia apologized with some embarrassment, “I’m sorry, miss. As you can see from the notice at our door, each customer may buy only fifty sheets per day. If you wish to purchase more, you can only buy our gift sets. The sets also contain paper, but there’s no limit on those.”

“What kind of rule is that? I have money, why can’t I just buy your paper?” Xie Ying asked.

“Please don’t be upset, miss. Our paper output is very limited each day. If we don’t set a cap, someone could buy it all up, leaving nothing for other customers,” the shopkeeper explained patiently.

Xie Ying could grudgingly accept the explanation, though she was still a bit unhappy.

“How can I give my brother a present with just this little bit? It feels so stingy.”

“Shopkeeper, I’ll buy fifty sheets as well,” Wei Ruo said, stepping forward.

The shopkeeper immediately rolled up fifty sheets for Wei Ruo.

Wei Ruo handed the paper directly to Xie Ying.

“For me?” Xie Ying asked.

“Yes.”

“Then I won’t stand on ceremony. I’ll give you the silver later,” Xie Ying said, accepting the paper without hesitation.

“No need for courtesy. Let this be my Qiqiao Festival gift to you.”

“All right, then,” Xie Ying replied, not making a fuss.

She then looked around the shop, planning to buy some brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones as a set for her brother.

Noticing identical wooden boxes tied neatly with silk ribbons on a shelf, Xie Ying asked, “Shopkeeper, what’s inside those boxes?”

“Those are our shop’s mystery boxes. They might contain paper, an inkstone, or a combination of items. Some are of higher quality, some more ordinary,” the shopkeeper explained.

“Each one is different?” Xie Ying asked in surprise.

“Yes, each is unique, but they all sell for the same price—five taels of silver per box,” the shopkeeper said.

“Can I open one to take a look?” Xie Ying asked.

“I’m afraid not, miss. You only find out what’s inside after you’ve purchased it.”

“So you’re selling different things at the same price? Doesn’t that mean some people lose out while others profit?” Xie Ying pressed.

“That’s right. Whether you gain or lose is entirely up to luck. One of the boxes even contains a calligraphy piece by Master Canglin. Whoever finds it only pays five taels of silver, just like the rest,” the shopkeeper added.

“Master Canglin again? I heard you gave away a piece of his calligraphy on your opening day. How do you have so many of his works? My mother says Master Canglin rarely gives his paintings to anyone.”

“Rest assured, miss, all the Canglin works in our shop are authentic. Our proprietor, Mr. He You, is a close and longstanding friend of Master Canglin, which is how we obtained so many of his pieces,” the shopkeeper replied.

Only recently had Shopkeeper Jia learned that his boss was actually someone named He You, not the honest farmer living in the back courtyard. It all made more sense now; otherwise, he would have doubted his own judgment of people.

“What if I want to buy Master Canglin’s calligraphy directly? Name your price,” Xie Ying proposed.

Her brother loved calligraphy and paintings; if she managed to send him a genuine piece by Master Canglin, he would surely be delighted.

“That’s not possible, miss. The calligraphy can only be obtained by chance,” the shopkeeper explained. “Moreover, every customer who buys one of our mystery boxes will be registered. Our proprietor, Mr. He You, will randomly select one lucky customer and write a recommendation letter to Master Canglin on their behalf.”

The recommendation letter held little appeal for Xie Ying, since her brother was already studying at an academy in the capital and had no need to seek a new mentor. Still, she knew that in Xing Shan County, many students would covet such a letter, especially if, as the shopkeeper claimed, the proprietor and Master Canglin were so close.

“In that case, I’ll buy all the boxes on that shelf!” Xie Ying declared grandly, living up to her reputation for generosity.

The shopkeeper smiled apologetically, “I’m sorry, miss, but each customer may only purchase two mystery boxes.”

“Why? I’m willing to pay for them—why not let me buy them all?” Xie Ying asked.

“If someone bought every box, they’d be guaranteed to get both the calligraphy and the recommendation letter from Mr. He You. That would undermine the fairness of the game, turning it into a matter of who comes first or who has the most money, rather than luck,” the shopkeeper explained—something he’d had to say to several people in recent days.

Xie Ying considered this and nodded. “You have a point. It really wouldn’t be as much fun otherwise.”

“Thank you for your understanding, miss.”

“In that case, I’ll buy two,” Xie Ying said.

“Very well, you may choose any from the shelf,” the shopkeeper replied.

Xie Ying walked to the shelf, weighing one box and then another.

She wasn’t particularly interested in Master Canglin’s work, but the “mystery box” game sparked her competitiveness. If she managed to pick the box with Master Canglin’s calligraphy out of only two, she could certainly boast about it to her brother!

After surveying the selection, Xie Ying asked, “Are these all you have? Is there anything else? I want to see them all.”

“That’s all we have left, miss. We started this activity at the beginning of the month, and these are the last few boxes,” the shopkeeper replied.