Ch104 - Snow Pear Flavored Dead Gong (3)

Translated by Hua Li ^_~

“Excuse me, are you Mr. Meng Qining?”

Mei Ling entered Qizang Pavilion and saw the young man behind the cash register immersed in embroidery. When she asked, her voice trembled.

The young man lifted his head, revealing a pair of red eyes as if he had cried. His voice also carried a heavy nasal tone. With a delicate face, he exuded a pitiable fragility that made Mei Ling want to comfort him in her arms.

—Whose adorable shou is this? How can he be so cute!

“I am. Welcome, may I help you with something?”

Gou Liang put down the handkerchief he was embroidering for Bi Xia, stood up, and looked at Mei Ling with some confusion. Earlier, Mei Ling had been suppressing her laughter, and now she was pinching her handbag, her fiery gaze fixed on him. Gou Liang instinctively tightened the embroidery needle in his hand.

Mei Ling, maintaining her composed appearance, pushed her glasses and smiled at Gou Liang. “Mr. Meng, nice to meet you. My surname is Mei. I need a venue for shooting wedding photos, and Sun Zhuozhuo recommended this place.”

“Azhuo?”

“Yes, he said that mentioning his name would prove I’m not a bad person.”

“…Sounds like the exact words of that idiot.”

While speaking, Gou Liang sneezed loudly. “Sorry, Miss Mei, I have a bit of a cold. Shall we go upstairs now to see the venue?”

“Please wait, my husband is coming—”

“Qining, I’m here!”

“Azhuo? You guys?”

Gou Liang was surprised. Mei Ling’s expression changed, and she walked quickly toward the man behind Sun Zhuozhuo, afraid that Gou Liang would waste his imagination on her and Sun’s relationship.

Sun Zhuozhuo, completely oblivious to this detail, held Gou Liang’s shoulders and said, “Have you guys met? This is my cousin Mei Ling, and this is my cousin-in-law Quan Zijie. They want to use your place for a vintage wedding photo shoot. Isn’t it considerate of your brother to think of taking care of your business first?”

Gou Liang, ungrateful, gave him a glare. This was an antique shop, not a vintage photo shoot location. Thanks!

Pushing away Sun Zhuozhuo’s hand, Gou Liang turned to Mei Ling, the couple with a smile. “Please follow me upstairs.”

Following behind, Sun Zhuozhuo said, “Cousin, let me tell you, my taste is impeccable. Have you seen the photos on my Weibo? All recent vintage photos were taken here. Last time, didn’t you say the folding screen inside is exceptionally beautiful? It’s the flagship treasure of Qining’s store. Photos taken here feel particularly good—hey, why isn’t anyone moving?”

Sun Zhuozhuo followed everyone’s gaze and suddenly swore.

“Guests?”

Bi Xia stopped writing and looked at Gou Liang.

Gou Liang sneezed again, covering his nose. “Well, Bi Xia, please help the guests with tea. Miss Mei, Mr. Quan, please come this way.”

Gou Liang led them to the reception room. Mei Ling watched Bi Xia with a fiery gaze— the tall and handsome man wore a white wide-sleeved robe, adorned with prominent black decorative patterns on the cuffs, collar, and belt. His posture while writing with a brush was already beautiful, and now his demeanor while pouring tea, a perfect gentleman, was even more extraordinary!

Quan Zijie pinched Mei Ling’s hand—your husband is here!!!

Sun Zhuozhuo exaggeratedly took a breath and lowered his voice to Gou Liang’s ear. “Damn, Qining, you actually have a hidden beauty in your treasure trove! Where did he come from? This is too cool!”

Gou Liang was about to retort when he heard Mei Ling excitedly say to her husband, “So handsome, he’s simply too handsome that I can’t close my legs!”

Gou Liang: …

Pouring tea, Bi Xia looked over, giving a faint smile. “Qining, why not invite the guests over?”

Mei Ling, feeling awkward, tightly held Quan Zijie’s hand and walked over.

Gou Liang sat down and took a sip of tea. He didn’t bother with too many pleasantries and went straight to the point. “There are a total of three rooms. The two rooms in front, on the second floor, are open for viewing, and you can take photos. However, please try not to touch the items.”

His nasal tone was heavy, and Bi Xia, who was about to return to practicing calligraphy, turned to him. He tried feeling his temperature by putting his hand on Gou Liang’s forehead and expressed concern. “Still running a fever. Should I call a doctor… or a pulse reader?” Gou Liang took his other hand and wiped his entire face

Nestling into the palm of his hand, Gou Liang sighed honestly: “It feels so comfortable…”

Sun Zhuozhuo and the other two shuddered at the same time.

Bi Xia knelt down, took back the hand on his forehead, held his shoulders and said, “If you hide the disease and avoid medical treatment, how long will it take to get better?”

Gou Liang said, “It’s just a common cold. I have a special medicine; I’ll take it, and it’ll be fine.”

Bi Xia said, “Then take it quickly.”

Gou Liang said, “Alright, I’ll take the medicine and sleep a bit. Can you entertain the guests for me?”

Bi Xia said, “Sure.”

Gou Liang stood up, swayed a bit, and Bi Xia quickly supported him.

Gou Liang looked at him pitifully. “Feeling a bit dizzy.”

Bi Xia helped him up and carried him back to the third room.

Yesterday, after learning the truth, Gou Liang cried himself to sleep in Bi Xia’s arms. Even in his dreams, he held onto Bi Xia tightly and cried uncontrollably. Once Bi Xia retreated into the jade pendant, Gou Liang began to cry anxiously. Bi Xia had no choice but to throw himself into the trap and become his pillow. After a night like this, Gou Liang successfully caught a cold from Bi Xia’s demonic aura, and Bi Xia had gotten used to such an “intimate” level of “skinship.”

“…Oh my, I actually saw a living shou!”

As Bi Xia walked out, he heard this sentence and his steps paused. He collected the characters on the table and said to them, “Please feel free to look around.”

Mei Ling, who was covering her mouth, was dragged away by Quan Zijie to check the shooting location.

The Qizang Pavilion had two floors, each covering an area of two hundred square meters. The second floor had three rooms, and two of them, separated by intricately carved wooden doors, showcased various antique items in wall-mounted display cabinets. The ancient and charming carved railings and jade pavements quickly captured Mei Ling’s attention.

Sun Zhuozhuo approached Bi Xia, “Brother, what’s your surname?”

Bi Xia recognized Sun Zhuozhuo and knew he was not only Gou Liang’s friend but also a frequent customer of this quiet little shop. So, he didn’t ignore him and replied, “My last name is Bi.”

Sun Zhuozhuo, with a face frozen in surprise, said, “…”

“Brother Bi, right?” However, Sun Zhuozhuo was not easily deterred. He winked and said, “When did you and Qining get together? I didn’t expect him to have such potential. How did you manage to win him over? It’s impressive, bro!”

Bi Xia didn’t fully understand his words but considered for a moment before saying, “We met about half a month ago.”

Sun Zhuozhuo was shocked.

So, the next day, after the shoot, Gou Liang was confronted by Sun Zhuozhuo, “I didn’t expect you to be the boss, Meng, like this.” After a silent second, Gou Liang said, “Azhuo, I need your help with something.”

Gou Liang inquired about the origin of the bronze sword.

Sun Zhuozhuo had already blacklisted the shady dealer and intermediary unilaterally, but finding them was not difficult. However, as Gou Liang suspected, the antique dealer who deceived Sun Zhuozhuo knew little about the sword’s origin and could only provide the information of the seller. Gou Liang followed the leads, eventually tracing it to the black market.

However, it happened over a century ago, and the original tomb raiders and the first-hand antique dealers were long gone.

Gou Liang hoped to gather some information from their descendants but obtained nothing. Despite his efforts, he could only trace the tomb raiders’ hometown and, on a hasty journey, discovered that tomb raiding was not a lucrative business in terms of karma. The tomb raiders had died outside, leaving no descendants or relatives. Some elderly people remembered them, knew their trade, but were clueless about the bronze sword.

Gou Liang returned disappointed.

Concerning the target, the system’s data was limited, the people involved couldn’t remember, and finding information was as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack.

Bi Xia, within the Spirit Nurturing Jade, advised him, “Let things go with the flow. Even if you can’t find it, it’s okay.”

Gou Liang silently held the Spirit Nurturing Jade, thinking, ‘Enough talk. I’ll show you my tears, and we’ll see then if you believe it or not’

Gou Liang said, “The clues haven’t ended yet. You still remember He Ye and Lin Kingdom. Although there’s no relevant historical data, things that existed will leave traces. I believe that with effort, we can find it.”

Bi Xia said, “…Thanks, Aning.”

Back home, Sun Zhuozhuo caught him off guard, “Qining, Trouble!”

“Thank you, I’m fine.” Gou Liang looked at him and said, “What’s so urgent that made you so anxious? You sound serious.”

Sun Zhuozhuo sighed and said, “It’s urgent! You see, my brother-in-law, the one you met, Quan Zijie, is seriously ill!”

“Just the day after taking wedding photos here, he fell ill for no apparent reason. Initially, he had dizziness and fever, but later, he fell into a coma. My sister cried her eyes out. His parents thought he caught something dirty at your place. They came looking for you several times, and you…you disappeared for a whole month, not answering any calls. If I hadn’t pacified them, you would have a record at the police station by now, you know?”

Gou Liang was shocked, “How could this happen?”

He had seen Quan Zijie’s fortune, and although it didn’t predict great wealth, it promised a long life. Such an incident shouldn’t have occurred.

When he saw Quan Zijie through the door of the sickroom, Gou Liang immediately frowned. Quan Zijie’s destiny had indeed changed; his forehead was dark, and his whole body was covered in a black mist. This strong Yin energy should have taken Quan Zijie’s life immediately, yet somehow he was still alive. Gou Liang was about to investigate when a sinister laughter echoed in his ears.

“This person won’t live long.”

The speaker seemed pleased. Gou Liang turned his head and saw a ghost from a car accident, bleeding from seven orifices, with half of its head hanging by a thread.

“Ah!” Gou Liang exclaimed.

Bi Xia from the Spirit Nurturing Jade appeared, and the ghost, sensing the aura of a thousand-year-old fierce ghost, fled through the wall in fear.

“Aning, are you okay?”

“Why are you shouting, Qining? Your face looks terrible. What happened?”

Gou Liang rubbed his chest, pale, and said, “Nothing.”

Bi Xia teased him, “You’re supposed to be a successor of a demon-slaying Taoist, why are you scared of such things?”

Gou Liang whispered, “Ugly.”

Thinking of Bi Xia’s own appearance, Bi Xia said, “…”

Sun Zhuozhuo pulled him, “What are you muttering? Let’s go in; you can hide behind me. Auntie is not in a rational state now, and I’m afraid she might hit someone.”

Upon entering, they found not only Quan Zijie’s parents in the deluxe room but also Sun Zhuozhuo’s father and Master Zhang.

Master Zhang, seeing Gou Liang, was somewhat surprised. “Mr. Quan actually invited the talented nephew. Since I’m not very confident about the son’s situation, why not let my talented nephew Meng take a look.”

Gou Liang greeted him and shook his head, “Uncle Zhang, you’ve misunderstood. I heard that Mr. Quan fell ill after leaving my shop, so I came to check.”

Sun Zhuozhuo quickly introduced Gou Liang to Mrs. Quan, who, contrary to Sun Zhuozhuo’s description, appeared more refined. Though her face was somewhat gloomy, she didn’t resort to violence and just asked, not very kindly, “Why did you bring him here?”

Master Zhang, noticing the situation, hurriedly said, “Mrs. Quan, there might be a misunderstanding. The Qizang Pavilion is considered one of the safest places in Beijing, second to none. If dirty things could happen there, who would be safe anywhere? Although this situation is strange, it’s definitely not related to nephew Meng.”

Mrs. Quan was momentarily stunned, apologized to Gou Liang, and anxiously asked Master Zhang, “Master Zhang, can my son still be saved?”

“In my view, your son’s misfortune is caused by some evil force affecting his fate. The only solution is to find the source and eliminate it, which might save his life. However, even if successful, what was taken from him might be irretrievable. Even if he survives, he might have to endure chronic illness for the rest of his life…”

Gou Liang looked at Quan Zijie, confirming his suspicions. Quan Zijie’s condition was dire.

However, someone powerful managed to snatch his life back from the hands of Yama, the King of Hell. Although it couldn’t be retained for long, it was still remarkable. This wasn’t the work of Master Zhang, as the saying goes, one trouble is enough for two masters, and it seemed Master Zhang wasn’t aware that someone had intervened before him.

Deep in thought, Bi Xia swiftly moved to Quan Zijie’s side, grabbed a black mist, and said, “This malicious aura is similar to the bronze sword, indicating a connection between the two.”

Gou Liang widened his eyes, realizing the truth of the saying that sometimes solutions come when least expected.

After hearing Master Zhang’s words, Mrs. Quan was tearful, and Mr. Quan mournfully said, “Is there really no other way? My son is not even thirty yet; how can he live like this?”

Sun Zhuozhuo was also anxious, “Yeah, Uncle Zhang, please think of a solution.”

What would happen to his cousin if Quan Zijie turned out like this?

Father Sun signaled Sun Zhuozhuo not to intervene, and Master Zhang said, “If there’s another way, how could I not try my best? But my knowledge is limited. If you two need assistance, I can introduce you to some seniors as intermediaries…”

During the conversation, Mei Ling and her mother entered.

They had come back from the temple, praying for Quan Zijie’s safety. Mei Ling didn’t look well, and with her mother’s support, they sat down. Father Sun introduced them to Master Zhang, and Mrs. Mei’s eyes lit up, “That means there’s a solution—”

Father Sun shook his head, and the hopeful expressions of Mrs. Mei and Mei Ling dimmed.

Mei Ling, taking out a peace charm from her bag, said, “Auntie, this is a peace charm we obtained, blessed by Master Zhang. Quickly put it on Zijie.”

Seeing their tearful appearance, Father Sun felt sorry, “Master Zhang, if those masters you mentioned can be invited, that would be excellent. We’ll do whatever is needed to cooperate. We won’t hesitate.”

Master Zhang said, “Don’t worry, Xiao Sun. Saving a life is of utmost importance. I can do my part, and it’s a virtuous deed.”

“Perhaps, not necessarily.”

Gou Liang spoke, interrupting him.

Master Zhang turned back and asked, “What do you mean, nephew?”

“Uncle Zhang, Mr. Quan has extraordinary abilities and has already planned a way out for his son. We don’t need to worry.”

Others didn’t understand, but Master Zhang, catching the hidden meaning, changed his expression.

“Mr.Meng, why are you talking like this? We misunderstood you earlier, and we apologize, but don’t make jokes about my son’s life!”

Mr. Quan was furious.

Gou Liang smiled and said, “Mr. Quan, no need to be in such a hurry. I had a brief encounter with your son before. I’ve seen his fortune, and he had a severe illness at the age of two and a car accident at twelve. Am I right?”

Mrs. Quan, adjusting the peace charm for her son, turned to him, “Yes, you’re right! Master, do you have the ability to save my son?”

She was too anxious to notice anything wrong with her husband.

“After going through these two calamities, Quan Zijie should have had a smooth and long life. Unfortunately, he encountered something unclean. Originally, he should have lost his life on the spot, but luckily, he had a talisman on him that blocked the disaster.” Gou Liang looked at Mei Ling, “Miss Mei should have given your husband a jade Guanyin, right?”

“Yes, but he said he lost it not long ago.”

Mei Ling looked at Gou Liang in surprise.

Gou Liang nodded and said, “Miss Mei’s sincere intentions saved his life. However, unexpectedly, someone not only doesn’t appreciate it but also wants to exchange the daughter-in-law and her unborn child’s life for his son’s.”

Mei Ling asked, “What does that mean?”

Mrs. Mei exclaimed, “What are you saying? What happened to my daughter?”

“Ask Mr. Quan about that.”

Gou Liang looked at Quan Zijie’s father with a cold gaze, “I don’t know which expert guided Mr. Quan to use such a method, willing to exchange his daughter-in-law and her unborn child’s lives for his son’s.”