Chapter 127: Chapter 127: Laughing Somewhat Embarrassed Chapter 127: Chapter 127: Laughing Somewhat Embarrassed However, just now, he had asked for bamboo paper, which is a few grades higher in quality.
“Boss, I need two knives worth of raw rice paper, and one knife of tough yellow paper. Ask my brother for the rest.” Lin Caisang spoke up confidently as she looked at the shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper looked at her as if he did not understand what she was saying, his eyes wide with surprise.
Raw rice paper is generally used for painting. What would she be using it for? Besides, rice paper is expensive. This young lady wanted two knives’ worth all at once. As far as he knew, Lin Changfeng’s family was not wealthy, was it?
This was enough to scare the soul out of him.
“Young lady, this raw rice paper isn’t suitable for writing. Bamboo paper would serve you better. That…”
“I’m using it for drawing. Also, Boss, do you have graphite here?” Lin Caisang interrupted him and asked.
The shopkeeper was taken aback by her question and looked blankly at Lin Changfeng. His look seemed to ask: Changfeng, is your sister… a simpleton?
This is a bookstore; how could it possibly have a grindstone?
“Sangsang, we already have a grindstone at home, why buy another one?” Lin Changfeng asked in a hushed voice, leaning in close to Lin Caisang’s ear.
Lin Caisang frowned, thinking through every inch of their home, she couldn’t recall seeing a grindstone anywhere. Her frown deepened.
“We don’t, otherwise wouldn’t I know? You’ve always used ink stick, not graphite.”
She knew graphite could be used to create some painting colors. Could it be that they didn’t have any here? Could they not even know what graphite is?
Graphite and grindstone sound very similar, they had all mistaken it for a grindstone used to grind grain.
“Do you mean ink stone, miss?”
“Ink stone? It should be ink stone then. Boss, what I need is a kind of stone-like substance that can leave black marks on stone. Do you have it?”
Lin Caisang nodded, adding further explanation.
“I have it, but it’s not ink stone, it’s ink powder. Ink stone is rarely bought by anyone.” As he spoke, the shopkeeper walked to a corner, took out a package wrapped in wax paper, and handed it to Lin Caisang.
She thought there would be a lot, but it turns out the packaging is not even as big as her palm. How was she supposed to use it?
“I…never mind, I’ll figure it out by myself.”
She would ask Yu Jing another day, where she could get graphite when taking on tasks. She needed a large amount, not a huge quantity, but enough to make a bunch of pencils, so she could occasionally satiate her itching hands.
Unfortunately, besides medicine, she had another hobby: sketching. She got itchy hands when she didn’t draw.
“Miss, is it because it’s too little? The shopkeeper guessed from her expression.
“Yes, I need a large quantity.”
Lin Caisang didn’t deny and spoke straightforwardly.
“Brother Changfeng, let’s get these papers first. And ink, which kind of ink do you want? Boss, do you have Hui ink here? The best kind.” She asked Lin Changfeng, then turned back to the shopkeeper and asked.
“Miss, this is just a small bookstore. We don’t have the best ink.” The shopkeeper looked at her and laughed somewhat helplessly.
Aren’t they saying Hui ink is worth one or two gold? How could his shop possibly afford such good ink? Even if he had it, there would hardly be anyone who could afford it. Having stock would just be an unnecessary expense and space occupation.
“In that case, Brother Changfeng, you choose yourself.” Lin Caisang shrugged and said.