The oar room was quiet and peaceful, beams of moonlight slanting through the oar holes in the walls, illuminating the swirling dust in the air.
Chen Ji looked at the little old man crouching on the stairs: "Change the terms."
The little old man stroked his grizzled beard thoughtfully: "But I see nothing valuable on you that can be pawned..."
Chen Ji interrupted: "Fifteen hundred taels. Once I gather enough silver, I'll give it to you. Take it or leave it."
The little old man raised an eyebrow: "It's just a cat."
Chen Ji calmly replied: "It's different."
With that, his breathing gradually slowed, yet every muscle in his body tensed. In the oar room, the swirling dust in the beams of light suddenly halted, as if the air in the cabin had solidified.
At the tense moment, footsteps suddenly came from the stairs, breaking the heavy atmosphere.
