During Jiang Shiqin's trip to the Distant Lands, an incident happened.
As he had been traveling with the Autumn Pavillion for protection and convenience's sake, Jiang Shiqin had spent the entire trip in their temporary residences, which numbered in the hundreds across the continent, or first-class inns that were no different that a noble's lounging. It was also natural that his food and accommodation expenses were covered by the generous Master Wu, and that there wasn't a single copper coin on his body.
Which was why here he stood, staring at the restaurant owner's outstretched hands, devoid of a single glimpse of hope.
"Brother," Jiang Shiqin donned a smile that was as elegant as a moonlight rhapsody. "I have been travelling the lands for years, and did not notice my dwindling funds. Would you be so kind as to let me pay you back with another form of payment?"
The restaurant was merely a tiny establishment in a poor town, and the owner's rough bearing showed his familiarity with hard labour. "What kind of payment?" The owner asked, a scowl on his wrinkled face.
Jiang Shiqin kept his refined smile, and the elegance seeping from him was akin to an immortal's grace. "Brother, this one is untalented and cannot do much. Seeing as your lovely restaurant lacked a poem to highlight its splendidness, how about I gift a poem to you?"
The owner's scowl deepened. "Why'd I need some random poem? This is not your cultured establishments in the capital, boy. We don't care about those pretty but useless things here." He scoffed in disdain.
"How about this," he continued. "My son's preparing for the national examinations. If you're good enough to compose a poem, teach him for one afternoon and I won't mention this matter anymore."
Jiang Shiqin's eyes lit up. If the owner had insisted on taking money, he would have been forced to ask for help from the Autumn Pavillion, and his reputation as a polished scholarly young man would have gone to smoke.
As a matter of fact, he also wanted to experience new things once in a while, just like how he had insisted on coming to this town alone because of his curiosity. Might he happen to be incredibly suited to tutoring? Perhaps he could earn extra income if he suddenly had to run away and went into seclusion? That was very much a possibility - he had no way to ensure that he wouldn't be targeted one day.
Jiang Shiqin spoke in agreement, and the owner led him to a shabby room behind the restaurant. There was a boy around ten years old carefully reading a yellowed and frayed book. He had delicate features, a far cry to the owner's course ones, and his eyes were glimmering like a pair of jet black pearls.
"Ah Qiu, this' a tutor I found for you."
The boy named Ah Qiu looked up, and his exquisite small face, sure to become an outstanding beauty in the future, made Jiang Shiqin a little worried about his safety.
"Dad, it's alright that you bought this book and some others for me. I can slowly learn them, no need to spend money to invite a tutor for me."
The owner laughed, and ruffled the boy's hair with fondness.
"This is somebody who ate at our restaurant. He did not bring money, and so asked to pay in another way. Seeing as he was fluent in words and had a cultured bearing, I wanted to try out a bit, and convinced him to become your teacher for half a day."
Ah Qiu, looking more relieved than before, nodded and gave his father a blooming smile.
"Thanks, dad. Ah Qiu will learn well."
The owner left, not forgetting to gave Jiang Shiqin a warning look. Jiang Shiqin simply smiled in response and brought a stool in front of the worn table where the boy was sitting.
"Ah Qiu, is it? Is there any place you don't understand or something you would like to learn more about?"
The boy fell into a deep trance. After a minute, he shook his head.
Was this boy a genius? Or - more likely, he didn't know what he didn't know.
Jiang Shiqin raised his eyebrows. "Are you sure about that? You truly have no question?"
Ah Qiu's face was honest and lacked any hint of arrogance when he replied.
"Yes, Mister."
Seeing Jiang Shiqin's strange expression, Ah Qiu hastiliy added. "Actually, there's something I really need help with. The Spring and Autumn Annals that Dad bought me is missing a section. Can I trouble Mister to fill it for me?"
Jiang Shiqin wanted to bash his head against the wall. As a person from modern times, he had never felt the need to memorize the Four Books and the Five Classics mechanically, especially when his family background in this ancient era didn't require that he studied too hard. This was one of the rare few times in his life that he was feeling flustered.
He managed to squeeze out a few words without changing his expression. "Ah Qiu, you can always ask your father to buy you the missing information. It's quite rare that you met somebody like me here. How about asking a more advanced question?"
The boy seemed to be muttering under his breath, but nodded obediently anyway.
"Ah... Then can you help me copy down some famous poems in this era? All that I have right now is the classics, but I would really like to broaden my horizons and read my contemporaries' work - I mean, read the work of contemporary great masters."
Looking at that bright pair of eyes with a hint of expectation, Jiang Shiqin could not do anything but agree to his request.
Thus, he spent his first day as a tutor as a free copying machine, writing down poems after poems while Ah Qiu continued reading his book. The atmosphere was peaceful and harmonious.
When the rosy light of an imminent sunset shone through gaps of the roof, Jiang Shiqin finally stopped and handed the work he had written with care on bamboo sticks to Ah Qiu.
He had at the very least been useful, right? Right? Even if he didn't do anything a tutor should have done - he had not been a worthless burden, right?
When the boy saw the stack of poems, which had burned half of his reserve of bamboo sticks, his face twitched a little. However, the ignorant Jiang Shiqin decided to attribute it to awe of his magnificent calligraphy.
"This master," said Ah Qiu sweetly. His face had resumed his adorable look. "Ah Qiu don't know how to thank you for your grace anymore. Might I know your distinguished name? In the future, if there's a chance, I will surely repay you for your kindness today."
Somehow, he had twisted Jiang Shiqin's image from a swindler who didn't pay for his meal into a noble character. Flattering rich and powerful-looking people who could step on you like an ant was a skill necessary for survival. Jiang Shiqin was a perfect image of a young master from an aristocratic family on a stroll - elegant and refined, and had no idea about the need for money. Ah Qiu mentally praised himself.
The supposed young master replied with a smile. "I am called Jiang Shiqin. May we meet again in the future."
At these words, Ah Qiu seemed surprised, but quickly regained his composure and bid goodbye. Thus did Jiang Shiqin's one and only attempt of becoming a tutor ended without a splash.
-0-0-
Ah Qiu looked at the retreating figure. His mind was a mess.
"System, is that really him? That Jiang Shiqin? The protagonist of the story?"
The system replied in affirmation. "There's no doubt about that. Everything about this person matches the info in the database."
Ah Qiu frowned. "Then why exactly is he here at this dirt-poor town? Shouldn't he be at the capital seducing people and building that famed harem of his that spares neither men nor women?"
The system seemed troubled at this plot deviation as well. At last, it suggested. "Since you transmigated here, it probably means that this world is open to external influences. It wouldn't be strange if something went haywire in the capital."
The boy was dumbfounded. "Doesn't that mean... My knowledge about the book's plot can't be used anymore? One of my golden fingers has disappeared?"
The system hastily replied. "Host, it's not the end of the world! You still have your knowledge as a modern entity from the twenty-first century, still have your super memory, and most of all, still have the heaven-defying bio intelligence that is the superb me..."
A hundred meters away, Jiang Shiqin seemed to have heard someone's heartwrenching cry. He shrugged and continued walking, not knowing that his presence here had completely disrupted the majestic plans of a young boy, or that, unknowingly, he had indirectly thrown the world many years later into chaos.