Man'en 1 (Year 7 of Ansei, 1860), March 19——
Edo, Mukiura Town, a certain fabric shop——
The shop owner sitting cross-legged behind the counter——a middle-aged man already bald on top, was calculating with an abacus in his left hand and scribbling in the account book with his right.
A moment later, he sighed deeply, closed the account book with a tired expression, and pressed his thumb hard against his tightly furrowed brow.
"Father." The shop owner's young daughter walked over with a cup of hot tea, "The tea is ready."
"Oh oh..." The shop owner tried to squeeze out a smile at his daughter, "Thank you."
The shop owner took the hot tea his daughter offered, gently blew on it, and then sipped it lightly.
Seeing the lingering worry on her father's face, the daughter hesitated and asked:
"Father... Has the shop been doing any better lately?"
