Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Huang Jue's introduction was so fantastical that it left him feeling uneasy, as if something wasn't quite right.

"I... I think I'll pass. I have that book at home, and I've kept it since graduation." He finally managed to decline with difficulty. After a moment's thought, he added embarrassedly, "Besides, your sect's VIP membership is too expensive. I just bought a house, and I really can't afford a million right now."

Upon hearing the first half of Huang Jue's words, Wei Xi's alarm bells rang loudly in his mind. By the time he heard the second half, he became even more worried. This was clearly a potential customer interested in getting a card, and they couldn't let him slip away easily. Unity Yi had emphasized that customer loyalty was crucial for the success of their enterprise.

He looked at Unity Yi, who seemed equally anxious. After a moment's contemplation, Unity Yi suggested, "How about you start with a regular membership card?"

Huang Jue made an 'ah' sound and glanced at Ruan Shihang. "It doesn't cost a million?"

Unity Yi replied, "No, yours would be a regular card, while his is a gold one."

Huang Jue appeared slightly perplexed. "What's the difference?"

Unity Yi pondered for a while before answering hesitantly, "Well, with a regular card, I guess we wouldn't give you 'An Introduction to the Basic Principles of Marxism' anymore, right?"

After all, he had to sell them in bulk for twenty-five yuan each.

Huang Jue: "…."

Ruan Shihang: "…."

*****

Thus, Huang Jue still received a membership card, which was casually made at a nearby print shop by Unity and Loyalty.

Wei Xi solemnly addressed his disciples, "Did you hear him? I think our welcome gift isn't appealing enough."

Unity and Loyalty grew concerned and promptly suggested taking Wei Xi to a bookstore sometime to pick out books beyond college study guides. Shuo Zong, on the other hand, remained silent, his gaze wandering until it landed on Shu Wanrong, who was busy in the garden.

With an unwilling expression, Shu Wanrong was sprinkling something into the soil – the earth that Wei Xi had brought in the red cloth bundle. The soil didn't appear extraordinary; it was dark and it was unclear what use Wei Xi could have for it. Fortunately, the soil didn't dirty her hands, nor did it have an unpleasant smell; instead, it had a refreshing scent. However, due to its density, the small package was unexpectedly heavy, causing her arms to ache from holding it.

She felt like she was losing her mind, doing such tasks in such a refined manner. Wei Xi seemed determined not to leave, so the pressing matter was to find an opportunity to persuade her prideful husband to move out with their son.

Letting out a long sigh, she regretted her previous dissatisfaction. Although her stepson's behavior had made her wary of future property rights within the company, he was generally passive and eager to please her husband. Apart from their superficial harmony, they had never had a direct conflict. In front of him, she had been the influential matriarch of the family. But why had things changed after her trip? Holding the heavy cloth bundle, she couldn't help but feel how naive she had been to secretly rejoice when her stepson's scandal had angered her husband, leading to his departure.

Shu Wanrong couldn't imagine how her wealthy socialite friends would react if they knew about her current situation. As she continued to sprinkle the soil, her movements became increasingly melancholic.

A flicker of light caught her eye, and she suddenly noticed someone approaching. Looking up, she realized it was her stepson's exceptionally handsome new disciple that he had brought home.

Shu Wanrong felt slightly flustered under the gaze of that striking face. "What is it?"

To her surprise, the person paid no attention to her. Instead, their eyes were fixated on the black soil in her hand, their sharp gaze conveying a myriad of emotions as they reached out to pinch a small amount, holding it close for a closer inspection.

When Shuo Zong caught the scent earlier, it had seemed familiar. Now, seeing it in person, he found it hard to believe. He studied the loose soil between his fingers carefully—it was indeed Spirit Soil!

Heaven's Dao had collapsed! Countless treasures and spirit springs had been obliterated at that moment. So how could there still be Spirit Soil here? !

He looked at Wei Xi, his expression filled with surprise and uncertainty.

Meeting his gaze, Wei Xi waved nonchalantly. "Come on, you don't need to get involved in planting. Wanrong, finish your duties before you go play!"

Shu Wanrong: "..."

*****

Shu Wanrong was furious. After scattering that bit of soil, she was exhausted as if she had done three hours of yoga. Finally finished, she hurriedly grabbed her platinum bag and rushed to meet up with her friends.

Ladies of high society, accustomed to shopping, mahjong, and spa sessions, were already assembled at the club when they noticed her tardiness, teasing her with laughter. Shu Wanrong sat down and apologized with a smile, explaining that she had been delayed by a family matter.

None of them probed further, instead continuing their mutual flattery. They praised one of the ladies for her new hairstyle. However, the lady in question did not seem pleased by the compliment. Instead, she sighed, running her fingers through her hair, "I only got this style because my hair is thinning. As we age, hair loss worsens, and I need something voluminous to conceal it. Sigh, time waits for no one."

The women in this circle were indeed no spring chickens, and they all resonated with her words. One promptly replied, "Oh, you still look young. Just look at me; perhaps it's my menopause causing my skin to sag more and more. Expensive skincare products and even ultherapy treatments don't seem to help anymore."

"Yes, indeed," another lady lamented, stroking her drooping lips. "I was recommended to get a hyaluronic acid injection, but it didn't make my pores much smaller. My skin is dry, and my makeup doesn't sit well lately. I'm also sleeping less; I guess I'm really aging."

Shu Wanrong, preoccupied with recent family troubles, found it challenging to engage in their conversation. She listened absentmindedly while fiddling with her fingers. Perhaps it was just her imagination, but she felt as if the hand that had performed the earth manipulation technique remained unusually smooth.

Suddenly, a gasp filled the air as the ladies' chatter ceased. The previous speaker leaned closer, grabbed Shu Wanrong's fidgeting hand, and exclaimed, "Wanrong, what's happened to your hand?"

Startled, Shu Wanrong regained her focus. "What? What's wrong with my hand?"

Her friends seemed to have discovered a treasure, their eyes sparkling with intrigue. "Have you recently started using a new hand mask? Or perhaps undergone some cosmetic procedure? Why has your skin suddenly become so delicate?"

Shu Wanrong was taken aback. Following their gaze, she too froze, staring at the hand that her friend held up. It was indeed smooth, fair, and radiant.

She murmured in surprise, "No, I haven't done anything special. Just applied regular hand cream."

Other ladies gathered around, marveling and expressing disbelief at her explanation. At that moment, the first lady noticed something else, and with a suspicious look, she grabbed Shu Wanrong's other hand, "Why is your left hand so dry?"

Upon closer inspection, it was evident that Shu Wanrong's left hand was indeed much darker in complexion than her right.

In truth, her left hand was merely the appearance of an ordinary, well-maintained woman of her age. But when compared to her exceptionally moisturized right hand, it seemed as if it had experienced the hardships of the world. The group fell silent, looking at her quizzically, "What's going on with you? Where did you go? Who only takes care of one hand for beauty maintenance?"

Staring blankly at her hands, Shu Wanrong struggled to recall what she had done. Suddenly, a memory flashed through her mind – she remembered.

Didn't she use that fair right hand to scatter soil just now? As for her plain left hand, it had only been holding the cloth bag. Avoiding direct contact with the black soil due to its dirtiness, she had been cautious not to touch it.

The allure of beauty maintenance techniques surpassed even the art of preventing husbands from cheating in the minds of these noblewomen. They immediately surrounded Shu Wanrong, demanding to know the magical cosmetic procedure she had undergone - was it ultrasonic sculpting, protein threads, or botox? Frazzled by their inquiries, unable to find a proper explanation, she blurted out, "…Really, no! It's really nothing! How could I have had time for any beauty treatments recently? It must be because of digging that soil at home…."

Realizing she had unintentionally let slip, she quickly tried to stop herself, but how could she hide this from such a keen-eyed group of women? They all froze, puzzled, "Digging soil? What soil? Why would you be digging soil at home?"

For farming work?

Shu Wanrong: "…"

What should she do! She panicked, realizing she couldn't keep hidden the fact that she had been doing chores under her stepson's instruction! Didn't she have any pride?

But once words were spoken, there was no taking them back. Thus, facing a sea of questioning gazes, she could only desperately try to save face and clumsily clarify, "Uh, well, actually... Mmm... It's just that my family is planning to replace some landscaping recently, so I thought I'd personally take care of the arrangements..."

Ah... Personally arranging the landscaping at home...

Although everyone still found it hard to believe, they reluctantly accepted this explanation and continued with their curious inquiries, "So what kind of soil did you dig up? Volcanic ash?"

"..." Shu Wanrong fell into a long silence. "I don't think so. I have no idea what kind of soil it is. It was just brought back by Old Wei's eldest son..."

As her words echoed, the intense stares around her nearly scorched her.

Shu Wanrong was restless. "W-What's the matter?"

The curly-haired woman threw her bag aside and stood up. "Then what are we waiting for? Hurry up and take us home to dig with you!"

Shu Wanrong was speechless.

She tried to resist. "Didn't we agree on getting a spa treatment? I've already chosen my package..."

As soon as she finished speaking, her girlfriends around her shot her determined glances. "What spa treatment at a time like this! Are you crazy?"

******

With the eldest son out of the way, Wei Tianyi, having vented his frustration, felt that he could at least have a moment's respite and began working upstairs.

But while in the middle of a teleconference, he was suddenly assaulted by an irritating commotion in the yard, as if someone had suddenly released five thousand wild ducks onto their property.

He paused the call and shouted irritably, "Old Zhou! Old Zhou! What's going on at home? Why is it so noisy all of a sudden!"

After a moment, Zhou, the butler, appeared, wiping his brow and looking hesitant to speak. "Sir... It's Madam. She's back."

Wei Tianyi: "What does her return have to do with the noise outside!"

Zhou the butler: "...Madam, she also brought her friends home with her."

???

Confused, Wei Tianyi asked, "So what? What are they doing? Having a party?"

The butler fell silent for a moment before looking wistfully out the window.

Wei Tianyi suppressed his anger, inwardly thinking that Butler Zhou was becoming more and more outrageous. What was there not to say? He paced to the window and immediately exclaimed, "… …………………"

Through the window, he saw in their courtyard a group of jewel-encrusted ladies, barefoot amidst the dug-up and disheveled mud. They seemed completely unfazed by the dirt, cheerfully twirling around in the mire. Some held shovels, others flower hoes, all diligently digging into the ground. Occasionally, they would pause to mold the clay they had excavated, as if they wished to bury their faces in the soil.

"One of the curly-haired ladies called out, "Wanrong! Why aren't you joining us? I've already dug two holes! Come and see if they're deep enough?"

Amidst the joyful calls of her friends, the lady of the house, Shu Wanrong, stood silently on the garden path, her dazed expression reflecting confusion: Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing?

Wei Tianyi: "…"

Butler Zhou: "Sir…"

Wei Tianyi raised his hand. "…Don't speak to me. I'm about to lose my temper."

******

As Wei Xi walked, he suddenly arched an eyebrow and smiled.

Huang Jue, who was leading the way, couldn't help wiping his brow. Looking up at their surroundings, he wondered, Is there something funny here?

At that moment, a passerby caught his gaze. Just as he was about to greet them, the neighbor's expression changed upon recognizing him and they quickly hurried away.

Ruan Shihang frowned. "What's with your neighbor? Aren't they being awfully impolite?"

Huang Jue replied, "Who knows? People in this neighborhood are quite cold. When I first moved in and greeted those upstairs and downstairs, they asked for my apartment number and then seemed disinterested in further conversation."

Ruan Shihang observed closely and found it to be true. It was an old residential area where elderly neighbors often engaged in casual chats outdoors. However, none of the residents they encountered bothered to greet Huang Jue. Some groups of elders playing chess would huddle together and whisper, casting curious glances at Huang Jue.

Huang Jue seemed accustomed to it. "Ah, don't dwell on it. They probably look down on me for being an outsider."

His home was on the seventh floor, unit 702, of a three-story building. The dimly lit elevator crawled upwards, and upon reaching his door, he said apologetically, "The place is a bit small, and the renovation is quite simple. Don't mind it."

Housing prices in Beijing were terrifying, especially in this prime location within the second ring road, known for its good schools. Even if sold at a discount by relatives, the average price per square meter would exceed 80,000 yuan. For a hundred-square-meter apartment, the total cost was substantial.

True to his words, the apartment hadn't been meticulously decorated, still bearing signs of the previous tenants. It was clearly designed as a wedding suite, with a large "Double Happiness" symbol pasted on the wall. Its bright red hue stood out prominently in the slightly dim interior.

Seeing everyone's attention drawn to the symbol, Huang Jue felt embarrassed. He peeled it off and called out loudly inside, "Mom, Dad, why did you put this back up? Miaomiao and I have already broken up!"

A plump elderly couple emerged from a room, looking bewildered as they glanced at what he held in his hand. "We didn't put that up," they protested.

The moment Huang Jue entered his house, he seemed agitated and dismissed their explanations. Raking his fingers through his hair, he said to Wei Xi, "Sorry, Master, they're always like this. I've torn this red double happiness symbol off countless times, but I have no idea why they keep putting it back up whenever I'm not looking."

As his words faded, Wei Xi took the red symbol from him and exchanged a silent glance with his second disciple.

Huang Jue asked, puzzled, "Wh-what? What do you mean?"

Shuo Zong spoke slowly, "It might not be them who put it up."

Confused, Huang Jue didn't understand at first. When his parents inquired about the visitors, he briefly explained their situation.

After listening, his parents appeared surprised. The old lady tugged at her son's sleeve and asked, "What's going on? Didn't you say you were under too much stress and had neurasthenia? Why do you believe in this now? Besides, aren't these people a bit too young? If you want a ritual, you should find a master at a temple or Taoist monastery, or else you might get scammed."

To their astonishment, their son, who had never shown interest in religious practices before, nervously interjected, "Mom, don't disrespect the master."

"..." Exchanging an incredulous look, Huang Jue's mother and father grew more convinced that their son had been duped. At that moment, the young man who had spoken turned to them and asked, "Was this double happiness symbol already posted when you arrived?"

The old lady replied, "Yes, we agreed to get married. When my husband and I came, Huang Jue had already put it up himself."

Huang Jue was taken aback by her words. "How could that be? By the time you came, I had already broken up with Miao Miao. Why would I bother posting this? Weren't you and Dad the ones who kept putting it back up out of reluctance?"

Recently, due to Huang Jue's poor rest and short temper, communication within the family had been strained. Finally, they cleared up their misunderstandings, but instead of a sense of relief, an eerie silence settled over them.

The Huang parents swallowed hard, their expressions shifting. They glanced around the room in disbelief and asked their son, "N-No, no way, right?"

Huang Jue was devastated. He had been arguing with his parents about the "double happiness" character every day, never imagining that he had misunderstood them. The bizarre truth left him so startled that his hairs stood on end. "It wasn't you, it wasn't me, then who, who, who put this up!"

Unity Yi displayed a face of delight, akin to a greedy doctor envisioning a wealthy patient, "Are you stupid? It must be a ghost!"

The Huang family immediately clung together, wailing, "Aaaahhh!"

Shuo Zong: "...."

Looking at his nominal senior with mixed feelings, Shuo Zong recalled that this person could pick locks. He silently pulled Wei Xi away, hoping he wouldn't learn such habits.

Ruan Shihang was also embarrassed, "Wait, how couldn't you notice such obvious signs? Aside from sleep deprivation, didn't you feel any other issues?"

The elderly couple now recalled a detail, "Sometimes when flushing the toilet, we noticed the water was red. Does that count?"

Ruan Shihang replied, "Definitely!" with a sigh.

"Wuwuwu—" The elderly lady sobbed on her son's shoulder, "I thought I had hemorrhoids, oh no... my bowel movements have been so dry lately. At my age, I didn't dare to mention it, so I resorted to eating vegetables in all sorts of ways every day. Turns out it wasn't hemorrhoids – that's such a relief!"

Ruan Shihang fell silent for a moment, thinking that the issue at hand was not this: "Third Brother, there must be something wrong with the house you bought."

Huang Jue's father looked incredulous, "How is that possible? We bought it from Huang Jue's uncle, and it was a third cheaper than the market price!"

Ruan Shihang: "...Did it ever cross your mind why he would give you a discount of hundreds of thousands for nothing?"

The man replied weakly, "I thought it was because we had a good relationship..."

Wow.

Ruan Shihang marveled, unable to resist clapping his hands—What an insightful point! How could I not think of such a brilliant reason?