Chapter 376: Huo, Huo, Huo, Huo

The attendant said this and made a gesture of invitation, bowing his body, his posture very respectful but his expression extremely proper, without a trace of flattery. After that, we had no time to deliberate or think; we had to get up and go over immediately.

Fatty and I exchanged a glance, thinking, damn, we’d been watching the entrance the whole time and hadn’t seen any old lady come in. It looked like this old lady had been upstairs on the second floor all along, timing it so that she’d wait for us to come up. Maybe she’d been watching every move we made.

I’d heard somewhere that this was a kind of江湖 trick meant to sap our morale, and I felt a bit uncomfortable. Even though I was just a second-generation little boss, I was still the eldest grandson in my family and Third Uncle’s “Little Third Master” in his shop. People had always treated me with utmost respect—no one dared to treat me like this. Thinking this, I straightened my back a little, feeling a sense of defiance.

Fatty was naturally annoyed too, his face twitching. He gave Poker-face a wink: “Little brother, line up. Let’s give Comrade Innocent a good show.” The three of us stood up, raised our heads, and followed the attendant toward the stairway entrance.

Compared to the first floor, the second floor had some Western decorations. This was also a feature of old Beijing—a mix of Chinese and Western elements. The whole area was divided into private rooms, with one side facing the central stage, where people ate and watched performances, and the other side facing the street, full of automatic mahjong machines.

We followed the circular corridor halfway around and arrived at the entrance of a huge private room. The room had carved screen doors, larger than the hotel’s main entrance. On either side stood two young men in casual clothes, standing straight as soldiers. Above the lintel was an elm-wood carved plaque that read “Hall of Lotus Gathering.”

“Lotus stems sometimes loop around bracelets, rowing water may stain the makeup. Not minding the red sleeves getting wet, only pitying the green leaves’ fragrance. The name of this room comes from Liu Xiaochuo’s ‘Gazing Afar at a Beauty Gathering Lotuses.’”

The waiter recited the poem like a tongue twister, and as soon as he finished, barely pausing, he said, “Three gentlemen, here it is. Please go in,” and immediately left.

I thought to myself: this waiter was extremely meticulous. Earlier, when he invited us over with such respect that it was hard to refuse, it was because he had to force us to get up and come immediately—he’d be in trouble if we delayed or didn’t come. He left right away because he didn’t know what would happen next, and by leaving as fast as possible, he wouldn’t see or hear anything, avoiding a lot of trouble.

This was characteristic of someone who’d worked in complicated environments; it had become a habit. It seemed the people in this place would be very mixed.

While I was thinking, the two men at the door opened it. Inside there were three or four layers of coral-bead curtains. We pushed them aside and went in, immediately smelling Tibetan incense. Tibetan incense is used in Buddhism and also has health benefits. It seemed the host had very refined taste.

Inside was a large space with a high ceiling, a crystal chandelier, an antique bronze ceiling fan, and pillars around the room carved with copper-green lotuses. Below was a big round table where seven or eight people were eating. At the spot facing the stage, a screen was currently set up, blocking the view.

As soon as we entered, the seven or eight people eating all stopped and looked at us. I saw two middle-aged women, three young children, and a few middle-aged men. My attention naturally fell on the two women, but at a glance, I knew they weren’t Old Mrs. Huo—although they were middle-aged, they were too young.

I exchanged glances with Fatty and Poker-face, both of us wondering what this was about. Had she gone upstairs, or was she deliberately trying to humble us again? If so, she was putting on quite an act. Or maybe, like Madonna, she’d had a facelift.

Thinking that our counterpart was an old lady, I held back my annoyance and said to them, “Excuse me, is Grandmother Huo here?”

After I asked, I heard someone speak from behind the screen: “Over here.”

The voice sounded very delicate. I paused, about to look at Fatty again, but Fatty pushed me and whispered, “Keep it together. Stop staring at me. I’m your sidekick now.”

I thought, right—Fatty was getting into character. I mentally chanted a few times: “I’m a gangster, I’m a gangster, I walk with authority, I walk with authority.” This was psychological grooming, and it actually worked. My feet felt warm, and I really did feel my confidence rise. I strode proudly behind the screen.

To be honest, I was still a bit nervous, but this kind of nervousness was different from being in a tomb. It was hard to call it “nervousness” or “lack of confidence,” because, after all, I wasn’t someone who handled such situations. I had no idea how I should act, so I could only rely on whatever “arrogance” I could muster.

After a few steps, I saw the people behind the screen. The space there was actually large as well. I saw a small root-carved table with tea sets, and three people were seated. I immediately noticed an elderly woman with silver hair drinking tea. She wore a purple Tang-style suit, and her face was snow-white.

This whiteness wasn’t unhealthy. If it were on a young girl, it would be strikingly beautiful. The word that came to mind was “rivaling snow.” But on an old lady, without a single age spot, completely white, white wrinkles, silver hair, my first reaction was a cold sweat. It felt as if the old lady was carved from jade.

Only her eyes were black, making them very conspicuous. When she looked at us, I involuntarily met her gaze. For a moment, I almost thought I was looking at a jinpo.

Beside her were two others—a young girl and a middle-aged woman. They didn’t even look at us, chatting softly among themselves, their faces unclear. Both were also very pale, but their whiteness was very comfortable to look at. Especially the young girl, who turned her side face toward us. Her complexion and features were delicate and pure, with a jade-like temperament, yet there was a hint of allure that was very pleasant.

I was stunned by the scene and couldn’t react. Fatty poked me again from behind, snapping me back. I immediately smiled and said, “Grandmother Huo, I’m Wu Xie. How do you do? I hope I’m not disturbing your rest.” I reached out my hand to shake hers.

This was my habit from business dealings. As soon as I extended my hand, I realized it was wrong—this greeting was too mercenary. I quickly withdrew my hand and, to cover it, ran my hand through my hair.

The move must have looked really stupid. I cursed inwardly but pretended to be calm. The old lady looked me up and down, sipped her tea, and said indifferently, “You really do look a bit like Wu Laogou. People told me, but I didn’t believe it. So that old dog really didn’t die out.”

I gave a wry smile. There was a sourness in her words. Had she really had something with my grandfather? I didn’t know how to respond, so I just offered a silly grin.

The old lady continued to look at me. Seeing that I only smiled and didn’t answer, she sighed and said, “You look even more like him when you smile. Doesn’t seem like a good person, either.” She drank some tea and didn’t ask me to sit. “So, are you selling that thing of yours or not? Have you made up your mind? Such a simple matter, why did you have to see me? What, did your grandmother send you to meet me and see how old and decrepit your old friend has become?”

Oh my god, I thought. That sourness was strong enough to bubble over. Grandfather, I never imagined that you, who seemed so rustic, had some “past” in your youth.

At the same time, I felt something was off. This didn’t seem like the tone for a friendly chat. She hadn’t asked me to sit. Did she want me to say my piece and leave? That clearly meant she didn’t see me as a guest. And with that question, how the hell was I supposed to answer? This was a love rivalry across time, sour vinegar half a century old. I had no idea what had happened between my grandparents and her. But this Old Immortal Aunt Huo really held a grudge; how could she still be hung up on it at this age?

I scratched my head, thought hard, and then said, “Please don’t misunderstand. I’m here purely for our business. As for my grandmother, honestly, I haven’t seen her in a long time. After my grandfather passed away, she stayed at our old home and never went out.” “That’s because she had poor taste, marrying a short-lived man,” the old lady snorted. “You say you want to talk business. Are you ready to deliver the goods? Or do you want to haggle again?”

I thought about how to say it: should I be direct, or should I make small talk? Then I reconsidered. If the old lady really wanted to make things difficult for me, dragging it out would only invite trouble. Once the mood spoiled, it would be hard to turn back. Better to cut straight to the chase and show I’m efficient.

So I immediately said, “Actually, that thing doesn’t mean much to me. I just want to know why you’re willing to pay such a high price for it. Because I’m investigating something, and it might be related. If you tell me, I’ll give you the thing for fre—”

Before I could finish, Fatty poked me from behind and muttered very softly, “A pig’s head three—who turns down money?”

I paused. That made sense. It wasn’t a small amount. I’d been going underground for a while, only making production gains, and hadn’t gotten anything. This was a windfall that could solve a lot of problems—at least the utility bills for my shop. I quickly changed course: “—I’ll bring it to you clean and whole.”

The old lady glanced at Fatty. I don’t know if she heard him, but she said nothing. She only asked, “You want to know what the house drawn in that Yangshi Lei is all about?”

I nodded. “Right, it’s a simple thing.”

The old lady sank back into her chair, thought for a moment, and said, “Fine, I can tell you. But you can’t be the one to ask. Have your grandmother come and ask me.”

I was stunned. What the hell? I immediately said, “Grandmother, let’s not joke. There’s no need to trouble my grandmother with this.”

“Joking? Ask around. I, Immortal Aunt Huo, never joke when doing business. Your grandmother and I grew up together, and in decades she hasn’t come to see me even once. Holed up in that lousy place in Hangzhou. I ask her to come see me, and that’s a joke?” She said sternly. “That’s it. Go back and talk to your grandmother. If she’s not willing to show her face, then I doubt this matter of yours is any proper business anyway. You’d better give up. Leave. If your grandmother doesn’t come, you don’t need to see me again. As for your thing, I do like it, but an old woman like me doesn’t lack such a possession.”

I had no idea what to do when I heard that, felt a bit frustrated, but couldn't get angry. I could only resent my grandfather for his wandering ways or whatever, landing me in such a mess. I knew very well that this old lady was no pushover; she had planned this long ago to put me in my place. Maybe she agreed to see me precisely for this reason.

The old lady's teasing nature was all about throwing her weight around as an elder to pressure me. She must have been quite a spitfire in her day—definitely my grandfather's type.

I thought it over and had no idea how to handle this situation. When an old lady acts petulant in front of you, what can you do? I was so anxious I started sweating, and my eyes instinctively turned to Fatty. But Fatty gave me a wink, as if to say not to fall for her act, and whispered, "If she plays dirty, you play dirty too. Sit down first and then talk."

I figured he was right. Mustering my courage and tossing all face aside, I sat down on the stool in front of the old lady.

The old lady frowned. My heart tightened, but I didn't back down verbally. "Granny, this matter is very important to me. You can't toy with me like this. If you do, I'll stick to you like glue. The three of us will follow you wherever you go—home or anywhere else."

As I spoke, I looked up to see her reaction, but something was off. Her expression suddenly turned sour. She ignored my words entirely and immediately demanded, "Who told you to sit down? Get up!"

I froze, at a loss for words. I hadn't expected her to flip out like that. But since I'd decided to be stubborn, I wasn't about to give up midway. I shook my head firmly: "If you don't agree, I won't stand!"

"A Xue, go get Xiao Zhang and Xiao Li. Have them throw these hooligans out." The old lady flared up instantly.

I thought her anger was completely out of nowhere. But as soon as she said that, the middle-aged woman and the little girl both looked at us. The little girl glanced at the old lady and stood up, clearly about to fetch someone. Fatty immediately remembered his role, stepped forward, and said, "What’s the deal? Is my young master not allowed to sit on your crummy stools? Is there something special about them? Does sitting on them make your farts smell sweet? Granny, we're in the 21st century. The law doesn't punish stubborn people. If you have someone kick us out, that would be in poor taste. My young master respects the elderly, but I'm a real scoundrel. If things get rough and we trash this place, it won't look good for your reputation. If you get hurt, that's even worse. Don't you agree?"

The little girl sneered. "You guys don't know a thing. This isn't a seat just anyone can take. If you sit there, you'll—"

The old lady suddenly raised her hand to stop the little girl from finishing. I watched as her expression gradually softened, replaced by an indescribable look. She said coldly, "Let them sit. If they want to sit, let them."

Seeing her expression, I felt a sudden sense of foreboding. Could there be a spring under this stool that would catapult me out? Then I thought, no, this is going off track before we've even talked. I'm here for serious business. I should hold back a little longer. Trying to ease the mood, I said, "Granny, I mean what I say. Please don't mess with me. What grudges do you have with my grandmother? I have no idea. If my grandfather did something to wrong you, then slap me a few times if you want."

The old lady didn't look at me. She just checked her watch and said to me, "Alright, I'm scared of you too, Master Wu. But don't ask anything now. I won't say a word if you ask me anything right now. Just sit there until four-thirty. If you can manage to sit through it, I won't make things hard for you."

"Sit here?"

"Yes, just sit right there. Don't worry, I guarantee you won't get bored." The old lady said, glancing downstairs. Suddenly, we heard the sound of a bell ringing from below.

I felt an even stronger sense of unease. The old lady didn't look at me, but turned her face toward the stage downstairs. Then, one by one, the curtains in the room were drawn shut, plunging everything into darkness. The huge central chandelier lit up, casting a brilliant, shifting light. The old furnishings, carpets, and curtains all took on a warm, yellowed, splendid glow under that light.

Then the people downstairs began to stir. The little girl beside me let out a delighted cry and asked the old lady, "Is it starting?"

The old lady nodded. "It's starting. Watch closely. We're in for a good show today."