Ch. 61 - Buying Incense and a Burner

It didn’t take long before the shop lady returned.

“Little freshman, I don’t even know your name yet! It’s fate that you were sent here. I’m Gongxi Huanxin. Happy to help you out,” she said, her voice as enchanting as ever.

“Uh… I’m Yang Yuehan. Just call me Yuehan,” I said, a bit shy.

“Yang Yuehan, huh? Yuehan, it is. You can call me Huanxin or Senior Huanxin, whatever works,” she replied with a warm smile.

“Got it, Senior Huanxin. You mentioned the incense is pricey—how much are we talking? I need to brace myself,” I asked, hoping to gauge the damage. If it was too much, I’d just grab a small batch and call it a splurge.

“Pricey compared to regular incense,” Huanxin clarified, opening a box she’d brought. Inside were several delicately packaged smaller boxes. She picked one up and handed it to me. “This is one serving. Normal incense like this might cost a few bucks, but this? Over two hundred.”

“Two… hundred?” My eyes widened at the tiny box in her hand. If I opened it, there’d probably be even less than I imagined. Two hundred bucks for that? A whole day’s work, gone.

“Yup. Meditation incense burns fast. This’ll last about half an hour, with effects lingering for an hour if you don’t air out the room. Best used in a sealed space or a meditation room,” she explained, opening the box to reveal a clear bag of fine powder. She dangled it in front of me. “So, still want to try a batch? No credit here, by the way—small business.”

“Uh… yeah, I’ll take one,” I said, glancing at my phone’s dwindling balance. Might as well. I was already here—leaving empty-handed would feel lame.

“This one okay, or should I grab a fresh one?” she asked, closing the box.

“This one’s fine. I’m not picky,” I said, taking the box carefully. Two hundred bucks in my hands—ouch.

Today was a wash, money-wise.

As I pulled out my phone to pay, Huanxin stopped me.

“First time buying incense, Yuehan? You’re not just gonna light it on the floor, right? That’s a waste. Meditation incense needs a special burner, not regular fire.”

“Huh?” I stared, a sinking feeling hitting me. Was this a scam? A bundled sale? Was the incense just the start?

“You need a burner,” she said, her smile almost predatory. “Without one, you’re flushing your two hundred bucks. You don’t want that, do you?”

“How… much is the burner?” I asked warily. I’d already bought the incense—might as well go all in, or it’d be for nothing.

“Depends on what you want—a small personal burner or a big one for groups. For you, a small one’s perfect,” Huanxin said.

“Yeah, small’s fine. Just for me,” I replied quickly.

“Don’t sweat it. The basic one’s only a few bucks. Unless you want fancy features, it won’t break the bank. But cheap ones have their downsides,” she added, reading my worry.

She grabbed a plain, palm-sized burner from a shelf—simple, meant for solo use, just enough for one batch.

“This is my cheapest. Holds exactly one serving, so you’ll swap often. It can mess with your meditation flow,” she explained.

“That works. I’m just testing it out. Future stuff can wait. I’ll take this—thanks,” I decided. It was for me alone; no need for extras. My wallet couldn’t handle more anyway.

“Deal. I’ll knock off the change—260 total for a newbie,” Huanxin said straightforwardly, no judgment for my small purchase. She prided herself on good service.

“Thanks!” I said, taking the burner and paying fast.

Time to bolt. Staying longer might make me dizzy—she was too captivating, especially in that outfit. Pure temptation! But my empty pockets and self-awareness kept me in check.

“Yuehan, leaving already? Bolting without asking questions is a recipe for trouble. Do you know how to set up the incense? Light it? I mentioned it needs special ignition, right?” she called.

“Oh… yeah,” I froze mid-step. She had a point—I was clueless.

“That’s better. Let me show you,” Huanxin said, heels clicking as she approached. She leaned in, hand on my shoulder, pulling me toward a chair like luring me into a trap. My heart skipped.

I sat, trapped, while she took the seat across.

“Hand over the burner,” she said softly, taking it and popping the lid.

“The base is ash. Regular incense uses charcoal buried in it, then adds material. But meditation incense is alchemical—pre-made powder that needs a special spark to release its compounds for focus.”

“We smooth the ash gently, tap to settle, then place this shaper for the powder…”

I watched Huanxin’s every move, each step so graceful it mesmerized me. Only when I snapped out of it did a major issue hit me.

“Wait—hold on! That’s not my incense, is it?” I stared at the powder she’d placed in the burner, panic rising. Was she pulling a fast one, forcing me to buy more?

“Just a demo sample,” she said with a reassuring smile. “It’s on me. Barely enough for a few minutes, but you can get a feel for the scent. If you buy elsewhere, do make sure it’s the real deal. Don’t get scammed with cheap stuff.”

“Oh… uh, thanks!” I stammered, caught off guard by her kindness. I’d misjudged her—her talent had me wary, but she was genuinely nice.

“No problem, it’s my job,” Huanxin said, her smile warm as she stood. “Take it once it burns out. Careful, it’s hot. And grab these special matches—they’re free with the burner.”

“Thank you, Senior Huanxin!” I said quickly. She headed to the back, probably to handle her own work.

A soothing fragrance wafted from my little burner, calming my mind with a pure, serene vibe. No wonder this stuff was perfect for meditation.

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