Love Me in Another Universe

Chapter 57. A Strange Experience (Part 1)

August 9, 1997, Saturday.

Gao Xinglang was at the entrance of the residential quarter. When he saw Guan Xuchen walking towards him carrying two bundles of books, he asked in surprise, "Soupy, aren't we going to Xinhua Bookstore? Why are you carrying so many books? You're not planning to finish reading all of them on the way, are you?"

"Lang, it's not like that..." Guan Xuchen replied, looking a bit embarrassed. "I heard that Ancient Bookstore next to Xinhua Bookstore buys used books. So I'm planning to take some books there to sell..."

"Ah, why do you want to sell the books?" Gao Xinglang blurted out.

"There's no particular reason. There are just too many books at home, and there's not enough space for them..." Guan Xuchen's face turned red, and his voice gradually faded as he spoke.

Seeing this, Gao Xinglang didn't press the matter further. He took one bundle of books from Guan Xuchen's hands and smiled, saying, "These books must be quite heavy. Let me help you carry one, Soupy."

The two of them took a bus and arrived at Ancient Bookstore on Beijing Road. After walking in, they felt that this place was quite different from the Xinhua Bookstore outlets they usually went to. Everywhere they looked were thread-bound books, traditional stationery such as writing brushes and ink slabs, as well as some calligraphy and Chinese painting works, as if they had stepped into a world full of antique charm.

After asking the store clerk for directions, they carried the books and went to a corner on the third floor. There, a long table was set up, with an old man sitting behind it. This was where they bought used books. Perhaps the bookstore had just opened for business, or perhaps there weren't many people coming to sell their used books. In any case, the old man was enjoying a leisurely moment. Wearing a pair of reading glasses, he was holding an old thread-bound book, nodding his head and reading it with great relish.

Gao Xinglang walked up and placed the bundle of used books in his hand on the table. He said to the old man in a straightforward manner, "Sir, we want to sell these used books. Please take a look."

The old man was disturbed from his pleasant reading and felt a bit annoyed. He raised his head and looked at Gao Xinglang over the top of his reading glasses, then looked at Guan Xuchen. After that, he said indifferently, "You two are together, right? Put the books down."

Guan Xuchen then also placed the bundle of books on the table and said politely, "Sir, please give us a good price for these books."

"Let me first see what kind of books you have. The prices are fixed; it's not up to me." As the old man spoke, he took a pair of scissors from the drawer and cut the nylon ropes holding the two bundles of books. He picked up the book on the top, glanced at the cover, flipped through it casually, and then set it aside. Finally, he divided the two bundles of books into three stacks. Pointing at the three stacks, he said to Gao Xinglang and Guan Xuchen in a calm tone, "These books will be sold at a 20% discount of their original price, and these at a 30% discount. And these can only be bought as waste paper at 80 cents per kilo."

"Ah, they're so cheapt?" Guan Xuchen could hardly believe his ears. He had originally thought that the used books could at least be sold at half of their original prices.

"So, do you want to sell them? If yes, I'll write out a ticket and calculate the payment," The old man urged them.

Guan Xuchen said to the old man in an earnest tone, "Sir, we're both students. We want to sell these old books to get some money and buy new ones. Could you please offer us a better price?"