The next morning, Zhao Lin clocked in for duty and headed to the fish and bird market near the East City docks.
Sparrows were the most common birds by the river, and catching them would be a hassle. It was easier to just buy some here.
"Sir, why have you started selling birds instead of turtles?"
Zhao Lin wandered over to a bird stall and was surprised to find that the owner was the same old man who had sold him the turtle.
The old man exclaimed, "Well, look who it is! A regular customer."
"You still remember me?"
"Heh, this old man's memory isn't what it used to be, but it's hard to forget an officer's uniform like yours."
'That makes sense,' Zhao Lin thought. He asked, "Why the switch to selling birds?"
The old man sighed. "It's getting cold, isn't it? The turtles are hibernating and not very active, so I went to the outskirts of the county to get some birds to sell."
Zhao Lin glanced at the stall, where a dozen or so birdcages were arranged at various heights.
