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墨書 Inktalez
The first ray of morning sunlight had not yet pierced through the thick clouds, but the man had already begun his daily struggle. He carefully placed the meticulously crafted pottery, one by one, onto the cart, ensuring that each piece was securely arranged to avoid damage during the bumpy journey. Inside the house, his wife was still immersed in sweet dreams, and the child in her belly filled the home with anticipation and hope.
The man glanced at his still-sleeping wife, filled with love and a sense of responsibility. He knew that his burden was not just to sustain this small household, but also to provide a stable and happy future for the unborn child. He picked up a hardened piece of bread from the table and stuffed it into his pocket - this would be his breakfast for the day.
The door closed gently, and the man pushed the cart filled with pottery into the cool morning breeze. The village roads were still quiet, with only the distant crowing of roosters and occasional barking of dogs breaking the silence. He set out on the road to the market, filled with anticipation and hope for the day ahead. This path was both familiar and challenging for him, as every journey was a struggle for the future of his family.
In the breaking dawn, the man walked with other early merchants towards Abalar City, each dragging their carts loaded with goods, leaving a trail of wheel imprints on the dewy cobblestone road. The man was eager to overtake them, hoping to secure a prime spot in the early market. Just yesterday, he had discovered a prime location at the corner of the market, where the crowds surged, making it an ideal spot to sell pottery.
As he hurried forward, the man's heart was unusually excited. He had planned to occupy that spot early today, hoping to sell more pottery and bring in more income for his family. However, what was unsettling was the appearance of an unusual dark green lightning in the sky, with chaotic flashes dancing in the clouds, adding a sense of mystery and unease to the otherwise calm morning.
The man involuntarily looked up at the sky. He had never seen dark green lightning in his life, which made him feel a sense of inexplicable worry. However, for an ordinary pottery merchant, the pressure of making a living left him no time to ponder the mysteries of these natural phenomena. He could only pray and hope that today's weather would not affect the early market business. He quickened his pace, silently hoping to safely get through this unusual day, while also hoping that his pottery would be loved by the customers.
When a man is about to approach the City gate of Alaba City, as usual, the entrance is crowded with merchants and farmers eager to enter the city. They either pull carts loaded with goods or carry heavy burdens, with a mix of anticipation and anxiety on their faces. Here, the gatekeeper of City gate plays an indispensable role - not only as the guardian of the city's security, but also as the manager of the threshold for entry and exit.
The man knows full well that the gatekeepers' inspection of goods is actually a form of hidden extortion. Each time he passes through, in order to ensure the smooth entry of his goods into the city, many merchants choose to pay a so-called "fast clearance" fee - fifteen yuan. Although this fee is not small for many people, for the man, if it can secure a prime selling position in the early market, this expense is undoubtedly worth it.
As the convoy slowly advanced, the man couldn't help but calculate in his mind whether he should, as usual, hand over a small sum of money to the gatekeeper in exchange for an earlier entry into the city. In a fiercely competitive market, every minute could mean success or failure in business. The man knew that only by securing a good location could his diligently crafted pottery stand out in the crowd and attract more customers. With a clear decision in mind, the man was ready to embrace another busy and hopeful day.
Silently, the man parked his truck at the end of the queue and then made his way to the side to pay the "Express lane fee" to expedite his entry into the city. As he stood in front of the gatekeeper, the guard, recognizing the familiar figure, greeted him with a familiar smile and a playful remark.
"Oh... Little Tom, how's the wife?" The guard's voice carried a hint of playfulness, as if there was an unspoken understanding between them beyond the guard and vendor relationship.
The man forced a faint smile, but there was an indescribable sense of helplessness and bitterness in his heart. "All is well, sir. It would be even better if I could sell a few more pottery pieces today." His words were filled with hope and struggle for life as he reached into his pocket, trembling, and handed fifteen yuan to the guard.
For him, the fifteen yuan was not just a financial payment, but also a reluctant compromise for the sake of his family and livelihood. As the first rays of sunlight illuminated the walls of Alaba City on this clear morning, the burden in the man's heart did not lighten. He knew that as long as he could enter the city, there was hope of selling pottery and the possibility of providing a better life for his family.
The guard accepted the fifteen yuan, and his smile seemed to brighten even more as he casually wished, "Wishing you prosperity in your business!" The man nodded reluctantly, but he felt grateful for the guard's blessing. He knew that in these times, every hard-earned income was worth cherishing.
The man tightened his grip on the handle of the cart and prepared to head towards the market in the city. Seeing his frail figure struggling to pull the cart loaded with pottery, the guard couldn't help but step forward and lend a hand from behind to push the heavy cart. As they moved forward, they chatted casually. Suddenly, the guard looked up at the sky, where the clouds were occasionally flashing a dark green light, and couldn't help but exclaim, "Ha, but the weather today is really strange. Are you sure we can make money like this?"
The man stopped in his tracks, looked up at the unusual sky, feeling somewhat worried. But he firmly replied, "Even if the weather is strange, people's lives must go on, and there will always be people in need of these pottery." With that, he quickened his pace, and seeing this, the guard also increased the effort of pushing the cart.
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