They planned to stay near the station, but there were no guesthouses nearby, and the shopkeepers were unwilling to give them rooms, so they had to search along the side roads.
Far away, they saw a man around thirty sitting in the yard. Wei Xian went over to ask if there were any rooms for rent, but the man gave them a cold glance, tossed aside the wood carving he was holding, and turned to enter the house.
The group exchanged glances. Just then, a young girl with big braids came out of the kitchen next to them. She apologized, "My brother has a bad temper; don't take it to heart. Looking for a place to rent? We're not taking in guests these days. Try asking up ahead, or maybe at the hotel at the end of the road."
After speaking, she also went into the house and locked the door.
This was the response they got from several households, either closed up and unresponsive or hurriedly closing doors in their faces without a word.
