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. 159
The good work never goes in vain.
Dharan worked and stayed with a merchant named Chep. He lived tbere happily. Now, many Chinese travellers used to come to see this merchant, Chep.
One day he got the news that the ship of Suvadan had landed. Dharan reached near the ship. He was pleased to see both Suvadan and Lakshmi.
Lakshmi pretended to be happy by the reunion, but internally she thought, "What a bad thing is that this thorn has again come up ? The more I try to remove it, the more it pinches me. He follows me at every place. He is after me like a ghost.'
Suvadan and Dharan gossiped until dark. When Dharan became ready to go, Lakshmi insisted on their staying there for some days.
