Chapter 123: Meeting an Old Acquaintance
When they reached the ferry dock, a small boat was already waiting.
A man wearing a water-resistant suit (Note 1) and a bamboo hat stood at the bow. He held neither oar nor pole and did not speak. Seeing the four of them arrive, he looked up, glanced at them, and pointed at Li Yunxin, as if asking, "Why is there one more person?"
This man's complexion seemed very poor, his face was bluish as if he had a serious illness. His face was long and thin, with sharp angles, giving him a somewhat familiar look.
Manager Ding smiled and cupped his hands towards him, saying, "On the road, we happened to meet a fascinating person with some strange stories. We wanted to introduce him to your Taoist Priest."
The man asked no more questions and moved aside from the bow.
The three men boarded the boat with practiced ease, causing the small boat to sink slightly and create a ripple on the water's surface.
Li Yunxin looked at the small boat, then at the vast Dongting Lake, hesitated for a moment, and then boarded as well.
Then, with a splash, the man jumped into the water. He submerged himself completely, his body arching and his legs kicking rapidly—he was actually swimming in the water, pushing the boat forward.
Manager Ding laughed, "This young fellow has a strange temper and isn't very talkative... Uh, what should we call our esteemed guest?"