Chapter 59

The Ultimate Internet Cafe has closed; the photo that should have shown lights on at night was now dark.

After the owner lady rented the entire building, the first and second floors became the internet cafe, while the third floor originally had three small rooms, used by her and her brother as their living space.

At this moment, in the room at the far end of the third-floor corridor, the owner lady sat at the table, carefully scrolling through her phone’s contact list, her eyes filled with anxiety and despair.

A takeout bento box sat before her—one meat dish, two vegetables—but she’d only eaten two bites; it had gone cold. A layer of greasy white oil floated on top of the food.

The room had no air conditioning, but the owner lady felt a flush of heat due to her agitated emotions.

The ashtray on the table held several crushed cigarette butts.

Although the owner lady smoked, she wasn’t a heavy smoker; she rarely lit up normally. But because of her brother’s troubles, these past two days she’d smoked so much her throat had gone hoarse.

She’d made countless calls today—relying on connections, seeking favors—trying to find someone who could reach the owner of Luoyunzhai.

But in truth, though she was a businesswoman, she was merely a small-time internet cafe owner. How big could her business get? Her acquaintances were mostly fellow shop owners, computer vendors, or suppliers of peripherals; even the ones she knew best were just local restaurant owners—all small-time merchants.

After a full day of pleading favors, she still couldn’t find a single person who could connect her to Luoyunzhai.

No good news came, but she did hear some bad rumors: it was said the owner of Luoyunzhai knew many powerful people and associated frequently with wealthy and influential figures.

This only deepened the owner lady’s dread.

As she sat staring blankly at her phone, she heard two soft knocks on the door.

The owner lady startled, looked up, and instinctively asked, “Who is it?”

“Miss Boss, it’s Xiao Gu.”

Hearing that familiar, soft, high-pitched voice, the owner lady exhaled in relief, walked over, and opened the door—there stood Gu Xiaoniang, holding a plastic bag with a bento box inside.

“Xiao Gu! It really is you! You left without saying goodbye a few days ago and never came back—I thought… I thought you’d found the person you were looking for, or maybe you’d gone back home.”

The owner lady, surprised and moved, pulled Gu Xiaoniang inside.

She took a quick look at the girl, then sighed in relief: “Good—you look clean and unharmed. You haven’t suffered out there.”

“Yes, I’m fine, Miss Boss,” Gu Xiaoniang nodded, took the bento box from the bag, placed it on the table, then turned to the owner lady: “This is for you.”

The owner lady blinked, glanced at the box, then forced a smile: “Xiao Gu… you’re too thoughtful. When you suddenly disappeared a few days ago, I was worried and wanted to look for you—but then I got caught up in some things and just couldn’t spare the time…”

Gu Xiaoniang nodded, pulled the owner lady to sit down, then opened the bento box herself and pushed the chestnut-braised pork toward her: “Miss Boss, eat this. I remember you said you liked it.”

“Mm,” the owner lady grabbed Gu Xiaoniang’s hand, then touched her forehead, smoothing her hair: “Have you found the person you were looking for?”

“Yes. Found them.”

“Then…”

“I’ve finished everything here. Don’t worry,” Gu Xiaoniang pushed the bento box again: “Eat a couple of bites. It’ll taste bad if it gets colder.”

On the way here, Gu Xiaoniang had used her Qi to keep the bento warm.

The owner lady forced a smile, picked up her chopsticks, ate one chestnut, then put them down, holding Gu Xiaoniang’s hand: “So… are you going back home soon? Do you have enough money?”

“…”, Gu Xiaoniang stared at the owner lady’s face, then her elegant eyebrows twitched slightly: “Miss Boss… you’ve been crying. Has someone hurt you?”

“No one hurt me. It’s just some troubles at the shop lately.”

“No,” Gu Xiaoniang shook her head seriously: “You look wronged.”

“…”, the owner lady forced a smile: “I’m really fine. Just… some shop problems. It wouldn’t help you to hear them—you’re just a girl, don’t ask so much.”

“That’s not right,” Gu Xiaoniang frowned, looking at the owner lady. “Your three brothers aren’t here, and the shop is closed.”

The owner lady froze—suddenly a thought struck her: Wait—my downstairs door is locked. How did Xiao Gu get up here?

“Tell me who hurt you,” Gu Xiaoniang stood up.

“I…”

Seeing the owner lady still hesitating, Gu Xiaoniang sighed softly, placed her hand on the owner lady’s shoulder: “Miss Boss, I’m sorry.”

“Hm?”

The owner lady blinked—and saw Xiao Gu gently blowing toward her. Her vision blurred, and she lost consciousness.

·

A few minutes later, Gu Xiaoniang leapt straight down from the rooftop, her body floating lightly to land in the alley behind the internet cafe building.

On her face was a complex, thoughtful expression.

Hmm… Luoyunzhai? Luo Qing? Letter of Forgiveness?

·

Night had fully fallen—though it was only eight-something in the evening. In other commercial districts, the streets would still be crowded.

But this commercial street where Luoyunzhai stood was different—it dealt in incense and folk magic, relying mostly on foot traffic from the nearby grand temple.

On such streets, by nightfall, the sidewalks grew empty, almost no one to be seen.

Only a vegetarian restaurant near the main road remained open.

All the shops selling blessed talismans, fortune-telling, and face-reading had long closed.

The teahouse across from Luoyunzhai was naturally shut too—but on its rooftop terrace, a small figure crouched at the edge, eyes fixed on Luoyunzhai below and the three courtyards behind it.

Gu Xiaoniang’s alluring eyes flashed with coldness; she took a slow breath.

Turning around, the girl sat cross-legged on the terrace floor, then gently tapped her finger—three tiny objects appeared in the air before her.

If any northerner were here, they’d instantly recognize them: three gála hā—dice made from sheep’s hind leg joints.

As Gu Xiaoniang pointed, the three gála hā slowly emitted faint golden light.

Gu Xiaoniang immediately formed a hand seal and spoke slowly:

“Ancestors above, disciple Gu Qingyi, seventeenth-generation direct daughter of the Gu clan, beseeches you—grant me your words!”

Seconds passed. The gála hā showed no reaction.

“…”

Gu Xiaoniang narrowed her eyes, took a deep breath, re-formed the hand seal, spoke more seriously, raising her voice slightly:

“Ancestors above! Disciple Gu Qingyi, seventeenth-generation direct daughter of the Gu clan, beseeches you—grant me your words!”

Another few seconds passed. Still no response.

A flicker of irritation crossed Gu Xiaoniang’s eyes. She bit her lip hard, then sighed helplessly, lowering her head, her voice weak and listless:

“Ancestors above, disciple Gu clan seventeenth-generation direct daughter Gu… beseeches you—grant me your words…”

This time, she replaced “Gu Qingyi” with her childhood name—but spoke it so vaguely, the last two syllables rushed out like they burned her tongue, barely audible.

Yet—no sooner had she finished than the three gála hā suddenly began spinning rapidly in place!

A response?

Gu Xiaoniang rolled her eyes, then quickly composed herself and spoke clearly and loudly to the whirling gála hā:

“Ancestors, disciple has wandered the outside world, penniless, eating outdoors and sleeping under the open sky—until a kind soul gave me food, clothing, and shelter, sparing me from hardship.

As the saying goes: a meal’s kindness must be repaid; a drop of kindness must be returned.

The Gu clan’s cultivation has its own law: [Kindness must be repaid; enmity must be avenged]. As a direct daughter of the Gu clan, I must uphold our law! I have received kindness for many days, and now my benefactor is in peril—I must break this calamity for her.

Someone has wronged my benefactor. I intend to act—please grant me permission!”

As she finished, the three gála hā stopped spinning, settling quietly on the ground, their golden light pulsing in a rhythmic pattern.

Gu Xiaoniang whispered in her high-pitched voice: “Ancestors, may I simply destroy that man who wronged my benefactor?”

“…………” The three gála hā lay still, glowing gently.

Gu Xiaoniang raised an eyebrow, carefully rephrased: “Then… may I leave him whole, and just bury him?”

The gála hā remained motionless.

Gu Xiaoniang puffed out her cheeks—no killing allowed.

Her eyes darted, and she continued:

“May I spare his life, but break all four limbs?”

“May I break only his two legs?”

“…One leg?”

“Then… cut off a few fingers?”

“May I pull out his tongue?”

She asked several more variations—each time, the gála hā remained silent.

Gu Xiaoniang sighed, cupped her chin, and pleaded: “Then… I’ll just beat him badly, make him lose some money, and give him some bruises—is that allowed?”

Finally, as she finished, the three gála hā instantly dissolved into golden dust—and vanished.

In Gu Xiaoniang’s ears, she seemed to hear a faint, windborne voice.

“…Good.”

Hearing this, Gu Xiaoniang’s face lit up with joy, her eyes satisfied at last. She leapt to her feet.

The Ancestors’ approval meant her actions aligned with Gu clan law!

Gu Xiaoniang’s spirit surged. She stepped forward into the air—her figure like a swallow darting across the street, soaring directly into the courtyard behind Luoyunzhai!

The courtyard had three sections; Gu Xiaoniang leapt effortlessly, landing lightly in the third courtyard.

A few steps to the left stood a cassia tree, thick as a thigh.

Gu Xiaoniang glanced at it, then walked slowly over, wrapping one arm around its trunk…

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