I served as Li Bai's page.

On the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, I entered Li Bai's room. Li Bai was sitting at the table reading. I knelt on one knee, clasped my hands in a fist and said, "Young Master, I wish you good luck and many good things in the New Year. Your servant greets you."

After saying that, I extended my hand to Li Bai: "Young Master, do you understand?"

Li Bai pushed my hand away, clasped his hands together, and said, "This humble student greets the pageboy for a New Year's greeting; please give me a red envelope."

I clutched my pocket and ran towards the door. Just as I stepped out of the room, I heard Sister Qinglan calling me to eat.

I turned around and said, "Young Master, breakfast is ready."

After breakfast, Li Bai and I took Xiao Mumu for a stroll on the South Gate Outer Street. Since it was the first day of the new year, many shops on the street were not open, only small stalls and vendors were everywhere. The three of us ate non-stop from the moment we entered the street.

We came to a stall selling Yangzhou spring rolls, and Mumu, drooling, said, "These are delicious! Last time I saw them, Mom wouldn't buy me any."

Li Bai stepped forward and said to the shopkeeper, "Boss, three, please."

We had just finished eating spring rolls when we saw a stall selling xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), so we sat down and ate a basket of them.

After we finished shopping and returned to the hostel, no one wanted to eat. After handing Mu Mu over to Sister Qinglan, Li Bai and I went straight back to our room.

During dinner, Li Bai said, "This is the first day of the new year, let's all have a drink."

I stood up, went to the kitchen wine cabinet, took out a jar of wine, and poured a bowl for each of us.

Li Bai raised his wine bowl to Brother Chao and his family, saying, "We've stayed here for several months now, thank you for taking care of us. After the New Year, we will leave Yangzhou, but if we come back someday, we will definitely visit you."

I understood from Li Bai's words that he was leaving, so I raised my wine bowl and thanked Sister Qinglan and her family.

The New Year passed quickly, and people returned to their busy daily routines.

That day, as Li Bai and I were discussing how to leave in our room, Sister Qinglan called from downstairs, "Young Master Li, someone is looking for you."

I went out of the room and saw a young man downstairs looking up at the building as Sister Qinglan called out. He was not tall and was dressed as a Taoist priest.

"Young master, I don't know this person. He's looking for you."

Li Bai came out, looked downstairs, and exclaimed happily, "Master Cen, it's so good to see you!"

"Li Bai, it really is you! My trip was worthwhile."

One went up, the other down, and the two embraced on the stairs. Li Bai took Cen Xun's hand and led him back to his room. I took a cup, made a cup of tea, and brought it in.

"Yuehua, come here, let me introduce you. This is Cen Xun, my good friend from Rencheng."

"Master Cen, this is my page, Yuehua."

"Greetings, Young Master Cen. The young master often mentions you," I said.

"If you're going to talk bad about me, he's the most mischievous one, not me," Cen Xun said to me in a serious tone.

"Master Cen, you can't do that! You're speaking ill of me in front of my page. How am I supposed to discipline people after this?"

Cen Xun and Li Bai immediately started teasing each other upon meeting; only the best of friends could do that.

I watched them bickering, trying to hold back my laughter, but they noticed and said in unison, "Yuehua, you be the judge."

I waved my hand and said, "Even an upright official can't settle family disputes; I don't have that ability." After saying that, I picked up a teacup and went to make tea.

Cen Xun's arrival led Li Bai to spend his days drinking with friends. I, on the other hand, was left with plenty of free time, watching them go out and come back every day. This temporary happiness seemed to make Li Bai forget his promise to Meng Shaofu, and he certainly didn't think about his empty pockets.

One night, close to midnight, Li Bai and Cen Xun returned, seemingly drunk. I prepared hot water for them to wash up, and then said to Cen Xun, "Young Master Cen, you should go back to your room first. My master and I have a few words to say."

"Just say what you have to say. My brother isn't an outsider," Li Bai said.

"Young Master, you're the one who told me to say this. Don't blame me after you've said it."

Li Bai glanced at me helplessly: "Let's not talk about it anymore, I don't want to go."

Cen Xun said, "Yuehua, where do you want to go? I want to go too."

"Young Master Cen, could you please persuade my young master to go on a blind date in Anlu? The marriage arranged for him by Young Master Meng is too good, but he doesn't want to go," I said.

"Yuehua, tell me about it." Cen Xun pulled me to his side, and I recounted in detail how Old Madam Meng had arranged a marriage for Li Bai.

"Such a good thing and you still won't agree? Is your young master a fool? Yuehua, get ready, we're going to Yunmengze for a trip soon," Cen Xun said excitedly.

Li Bai stared at me wide-eyed and said, "We don't have the letter of introduction anymore, how are we supposed to go?"

"Young Master, I've kept it, don't worry." I took the letter written by Meng Shaofu out of my pocket and waved it in front of Li Bai: "Just in case, I put it in my pocket a while ago."

"What did I tear up that day? How dare you switch it out! You're punished by copying the Book of Songs one hundred times. Finish copying it tonight before you go to sleep," Li Bai said angrily.

Cen Xun patted my shoulder and said, "You must listen to the young master. Go and copy it; I'll check it tomorrow."

I glanced at Li Bai and sensed that he was indeed angry, so I carefully withdrew and returned to my room.

After all that fuss, I was wide awake, so I took out the Book of Songs and began to copy it carefully. When I came across a moving passage, I would write down my thoughts and comments.

As a sliver of dawn appeared on the horizon, I stood up and walked to the window, gazing at the distant sky. The blurry shadows on the horizon gradually became clear, just as my determination grew stronger. I was determined to get Li Bai to Anlu.

Lost in my imagination, I hadn't quite come to my senses when Li Bai's knocking came: "Yuehua, open the door."

I walked to the door and opened it. Li Bai walked in and said, "From now on, you're not allowed to lock the door when you sleep. It'll be inconvenient if I need to find something."

Li Bai went straight to the desk, picked up the copy of the *Classic of Poetry* I had made, and began to read it carefully. He said, "Your reflections are quite profound, and your comments are just right. You've been following me for so long, no wonder. But you haven't copied enough; you should keep copying."

I was speechless for a moment, staring wide-eyed at what was behind him.

"Stop looking, Master Cen hasn't woken up yet, he can't save you," Li Bai said gloatingly.

"Young Master, how about this? One of my book reviews counts as one. You can count them again."

"Can you bargain for knowledge? No."

I shouted, "Master Cen, you're a liar!"

Cen Xun, still half-asleep, came out and said, "You two, master and servant, stop fooling around. That's enough. It's so early in the morning, can't you let people get some sleep?"

Just then, Mu Mu came up and said, "Uncle Yuehua, you're up! Mommy's calling you down for dinner. After dinner, will you take me to the Yangtze River to collect seashells?"

"Alright, let's go play by the Yangtze River after dinner. Yuehua, you continue copying tonight." Li Bai finished speaking and went downstairs without looking back.

Cen Xun spread his hands at me, shrugged, and followed me downstairs, which made me so angry that I stomped my feet.