Chapter 122: Don't Force Me

Around five or six in the afternoon, Lu Jin received a reply from Chen Jianguo. They agreed to meet at Century New Garden at seven o'clock the next evening.

"Go notify Gao Jian in a bit. I need him in the audience for my grand play." Lu Jin slipped a red cord woven from talismans off his wrist and pulled a small bottle of pink pills from his coat. "The Red Cord of Marriage and the Jade Maiden Joyous Deity Pill. With this two-pronged approach, I'll make him see the side hiding beneath Tie Ningxiang's pure and flawless exterior."

Smug laughter rang out in the room. Zhong Jiu and Wei Ling exchanged a glance, both seeing the helplessness and worry in the other's eyes.

...

I stayed at the Municipal Sub-bureau until late. Director Li's disappearance served as a wake-up call; anyone connected to the Two-Faced Buddha could meet with an accident. I had to be extra careful.

Right now, my biggest threat might not come from the Underworld Live Show's broadcast missions, but from the people around me.

"One day, I will uncover the truth and avenge those wrongfully killed spirits."

Instead of returning to Ting Tang Road, I called Ganding Pharmaceuticals' Secretary Zhang, hoping he could take me to see Huang Boyuan's second daughter.

My request was quickly answered. Secretary Zhang personally drove me to the Jingying Sanatorium in Jiangbei.

Situated right next to the river, the property was surrounded by parklands and greenery. It was originally called Yixin Garden before Ganding Pharmaceuticals bought it and converted it into a Rehabilitation Center. Because so many cherry trees had been transplanted onto the grounds, it was also known as Jingying Manor.

Tall cherry trees lined both sides of the road. It wasn't blossom season; otherwise, the falling petals would have created a sea of flowers, transforming the place into a fairyland on earth.

"Why do you want to see the Second Miss, Mr. Gao? Is she also connected to Huang Guanxing's death?" Secretary Zhang asked casually as he drove.

"I can't be sure if there's a connection yet, but your Second Miss is in a very dangerous situation. The group that killed Huang Guanxing will likely target her next," I replied. Secretary Zhang had definitely received Huang Boyuan's approval before coming to pick me up. That old fox probably wanted to know my reasons for seeking out his second daughter too.

"Is that all?"

"It's about taking precautions. If we wait until something happens, it'll be too late for regrets."

The car drove deep into Jingying Manor. This place was like a Utopian Haven—quiet and peaceful. The river breeze blowing against my face felt incredibly comfortable.

"I'll wait for you outside," Secretary Zhang said, pointing to a detached courtyard. "Director Huang's daughter is convalescing inside. When you see her, please control your facial expressions. She's rather timid and shy around strangers."

I nodded and pushed open the courtyard gate. Inside was a Chinese-style garden with a flat lawn, a pebble-strewn path, and several artificial fountains.

Winding paths lead to a secluded place. Following the meandering trail all the way in, I finally saw the person I was looking for.

I had never seen her before, but it only took one glance to know she was the one.

A woman sat in a wheelchair beside a pond. She was about my age and held a copy of Dream of the Red Chamber. She wore a simple, unadorned long white dress. She seemed to have caught a chill, as a thin blanket was draped over her shoulders.

It was a very ordinary outfit, yet she wore it with a unique and captivating elegance.

"Throughout the ages, unparalleled beauty is rare, yet a pleasing face marks a true beauty. With looks that could topple a city, she stuns the world." I found myself walking toward her, my footsteps slowing unconsciously. It was as if she were a fairy bird descended to the mortal realm; I feared that drawing even slightly closer would startle her away.

The woman noticed me as well, but she didn't seem interested. She merely cast a fleeting glance before returning her gaze to the fish swimming happily in the pond.

Stopping beside the woman, I recalled Secretary Zhang's instructions. 'No wonder he told me to manage my expressions. This woman is truly stunning.'

She had a rather thin figure, neither voluptuous nor tall. But just sitting there quietly, she possessed a breathtaking beauty. This beauty wasn't merely on the surface; it was an innate, magnetic allure to the opposite sex.

"Her smoky brows seemed to frown yet did not, her dew-laden eyes seemed to weep yet shed no tears. A subtle sorrow rested upon her cheeks, and a delicate illness clung to her frame. In stillness, she was like a graceful flower reflected in the water; in motion, she was like a fragile willow swaying in the wind. Her heart possessed one more chamber than Bi Gan's, and her illness made her three parts more beautiful than Xizi."

Hearing my voice, the woman tilted her head to look at me. She forced a faint smile. "Can you speak normally?"

"These are the lines used to describe Lin Daiyu in Dream of the Red Chamber. I always thought Cao Xueqin was exaggerating. What's so pretty about a sickly Daiyu? Curvy figures and long legs in black stockings are what fit most modern people's aesthetic standards."

I paused briefly and retracted my gaze. "But after seeing you, I've changed my mind. The ancients truly didn't lie!"

"It's not as exaggerated as you make it out to be. I'm not fit to be compared to Lin Daiyu." She set down her book. "Are you a new doctor here?"

"My identity is quite complicated, so it's not convenient to tell you. I was commissioned by your father. You can consider me to be..."

"A psychologist?"

"No, a male bestie."

The woman chuckled softly. No matter what she did, her movements were very slight. "You must have my father's approval to enter this place, which is why I'm talking to you. As for being a male bestie, I'll have to think about that."

As she watched the koi playing happily in the pond, her mood improved slightly.

"Could you tell me your lovely name, Miss?"

"Could you stop trying to sound like an ancient person? It feels really weird." The woman rested both hands on her lap, looking extremely demure. "My name is Huang Xue. My father chose it. He is well-versed in traditional Chinese medicine, and Huang Xue is also a type of herbal prescription used to suppress medicinal toxins, calm the mind, and stop severe fever. It primarily treats epidemic miasma. My father gave me this name in the hope that my illness would heal sooner."

At the mention of her illness, Huang Xue's voice lowered, and her eyes dimmed a little.

"Have you been staying here all these years?" I asked.

"Yes. I suffer from a congenital heart condition and need quiet rest. If the surroundings are too noisy, my heart rate spikes and triggers an attack." She looked at the swimming koi with an envious gaze. "I'm like a flower raised in a greenhouse. Even the slightest exposure to wind and sun will cause me to wither."

"Then..."

I was just about to say something when a nurse walked out from the other side of the courtyard. "Little Xue, it's time to go back inside. You've already been out here for half an hour."

"Okay, I'll head back now."

The nurse pushed the wheelchair, casting a few wary glances at me as they moved a few meters away.

"Wait." Huang Xue waved a hand at the nurse, then turned her head and beamed a smile. "You, the guy who wants to be my bestie, I still don't know your name."

"I'm Gao Jian." Watching Huang Xue leave, I rubbed my chin. Only after seeing her in person did I realize that some questions were simply impossible to ask.

The life-and-death choice from twenty years ago had to be the memory she was least willing to bring up. If I asked about it rashly, there was no guarantee her fragile body could withstand the pain.

The answers to my questions were likely hidden with her, but drawing them out would require both tact and time.

After leaving the Jingying Sanatorium, I returned to Ting Tang Road, only to find a burly man in a suit standing outside my door.

"Zhong Jiu? What are you doing here? Did the wound on your neck fully heal?" I opened the shop door. Bai Qi ran out, baring his teeth, and scared Zhong Jiu into taking several steps back.

"I'm here to deliver a message. Daoist Priest Lu wants to reconcile with you. He's inviting you to meet at Century New Garden at seven thirty tomorrow evening. We can have a good chat over dinner and write off all our past grievances."

"Someone like him, who thinks he's invincible, would actually swallow his pride to reconcile with me? If you ask me, you guys have set up a treacherous banquet." I held down Bai Qi's head to keep him from acting rashly. "Tell Lu Jin I don't have time to play with him right now."

Zhong Jiu didn't give up. He stood three or four meters away from Bai Qi. "That's not very nice. Daoist Priest Lu is inviting you sincerely. Please do him the honor."

"Does Lu Jin even have any honor left to demand? Don't bother me again. He might know immortal Daoist spells, but I'm no pushover either."

Seeing that I remained unmoved, Zhong Jiu had no choice but to say with a bitter expression, "I'd advise you to go take a look. Daoist Priest Lu also invited an acquaintance of yours."

I was just about to enter the shop to organize my files, but I stopped in my tracks. "Who?"

"Tie Ningxiang."

I stood rooted to the spot for a moment, my mind racing through various thoughts as I factored in Lu Jin's personality and all my recent bizarre encounters.

"Go back and tell Lu Jin I'll be there on time. I'm very interested in his invitation."

"Alright, I'll tell Daoist Priest Lu right away." Zhong Jiu acted as if he had been granted a pardon, clutching his neck and hurrying away.

"Lu Jin invited Tie Ningxiang. What on earth is he planning?" Leaning against the door, my brows knitted tightly together. Then, I took out the Underworld Live Show Phone.

"Check available points," I said.

"The Streamer has sixteen points remaining."

"Use points. Exchange for one Random High-Tier Talisman!"

"Points deducted. Exchange successful!"