Snail Senior Brother

Chapter 137 Metaphysics

There was no train from my hometown to Tai'an, so I flew to Beijing and then took a train from Beijing to Tai'an.

On the second day of the Lunar New Year, a heavy snow fell. The station was filled with the festive atmosphere of the holiday. I walked onto the platform, the snowflakes gently falling around me. Among the crowds of people returning to their maternal homes, I felt solitary. On the platform, two trains, east and west, arrived. Those entering the station split into two groups, each heading their separate ways.

Just then, I heard a familiar laugh. Could it be Brother Chang? What a coincidence. There were so few acquaintances in Beijing, and to run into someone at the train station. I turned around, intending to greet them, but quickly turned back.

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It was Brother Chang, Fatty, Da Huang, and Lin Han.

Two years had passed since I last saw Lin Han. She had matured considerably, becoming even more refined and beautiful. Da Huang had gotten married before the New Year. Knowing Lin Han would attend his wedding, I didn't go, but sent my congratulations. I heard Da Huang married a woman from out of town. Unexpectedly, on the second day of the Lunar New Year, he was also accompanying his wife back to her parents' home for the holiday.

Brother Chang, Fatty, Da Huang, and Lin Han spent every New Year in Beijing. They were a loving family. I didn't want any further interaction with Lin Han, only glancing at them briefly. Da Huang's wife wasn't strikingly beautiful, but she was petite, clearly from the south. She walked down the steps, arm-in-arm with Da Huang. Lin Han, finding it inconvenient to wear high heels, held Fatty's left hand and Brother Chang's right.

I smiled to myself, put on my hat, and went to the other platform.

The train whistled and pulled into the station. People were in a hurry, pushing forward. I stood with my suitcase; I had plenty of time to get on the train, so why the rush? Finally, it was my turn. The train attendant looked somewhat displeased and asked, "Seeing someone off?"

"No, going to Tai'an."

"Then hurry up! This train only stops for three minutes."

I quickly boarded the train. As I stepped onto the footboard, I couldn't resist turning my head to look back. Perhaps I was lingering on the scene of siblings bidding farewell, or perhaps I simply wanted to catch a glimpse of Lin Han.

That one glance caused trouble!

I realized Lin Han had seen me. Our eyes met.

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She stood amidst the falling snow, her makeup exquisite. The scene was beautiful, and she was even more so. I could clearly see the crystalline tears in her eyes. My heart ached, and I offered a slight nod in greeting.

It was Da Huang's first time returning to his in-laws' home after getting married. Brother Chang was like a father, earnestly advising Da Huang on countless matters. At this moment, Fatty nudged Brother Chang. Brother Chang turned back, looking puzzled. Fatty pointed.

"Tang Nan?" Brother Chang had also seen me.

Da Huang and his new wife also turned their attention.

"Where is he going?" Brother Chang asked.

"Don't know. The train is about to leave."

Brother Chang glanced, then shouted, "Sister, what are you waiting for? Hurry and chase him!"

Fatty, who was closer to Lin Han, pushed her: "Go, sister!"

Lin Han ran over. The platform was quite long horizontally. She stumbled and lost a shoe. I watched her as the train door began to close slowly! I turned away, my heart filled with sorrow. I knew from Brother Chang that Lin Han had achieved great success in her career, becoming a true queen of the underworld. She hadn't changed; her personality was still as forceful, with none of the gentleness of a demure young lady.

...

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The door closed. I found my seat and sat down, feeling a sense of loneliness.

This was a situation I had never imagined. Old Ghost had gone completely silent, which must mean something significant had happened. Logically, now that he knew the "Mentor's" identity, he should have set a trap and captured "Mentor." But he hadn't contacted me. There were only two possibilities: first, he was in trouble. Second, Old Ghost had been defeated. I didn't believe such a thing could happen, but the events of the world didn't always follow my will.

...

Lost in thought, someone nudged me. I looked up and saw Lin Han, her eyes teary and her expression angry.

"Give me your seat," Lin Han said to the person next to me.

"Why should I?" the passenger grumbled.

"I'll give you 1000 yuan."

The passenger fell silent, looking at Lin Han. Lin Han glared at me: "Pay up."

Helplessly, I took a thousand yuan from my wallet and handed it to the passenger. The passenger, beaming, gave me his ticket and went to find a seat in car number ten. I looked at Lin Han. She had lost her shoe, likely falling when she ran. In her anger, she had thrown it away. Her socks weren't thick. I felt a pang of concern: "Are you cold?"

Lin Han sat down and rested her feet on my lap. I reached out and held her icy feet. Her gaze was filled with unspoken resentment: "Where have you been for the past two years?"

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"University."

"Why didn't you call me?"

"I have a girlfriend."

"Break up with her."

I sighed with frustration: "Can we not have this domineering CEO attitude?"

"I am the domineering CEO. I have hundreds of millions." https:/

"I do too!"

"You do too?"

Lin Han stared at me. I felt a chill and gave a forced smile: "Just kidding. I'm just a poor student."

"My assets are in the hundreds of millions due to generations of accumulation. If you have hundreds of millions, you definitely didn't just go to school. Who did you scam? What happened in the past two years?"

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"I..."

"Forget it, I won't ask. Where are you going?"

"Tai'an!"

"What for?"

"I'm going to Mount Tai to pray for blessings."

"I'm going too!"

"You can't go."

"Is Mount Tai your family's?"

...

We arrived at Tai'an. I wanted to find a pair of shoes for Lin Han to wear. Lin Han shook her head: "I won't wear them. What if you have athlete's foot?"

"It's winter. Even if you don't get athlete's foot, you'll get frostbite."

"Carry me."

I became the center of attention. The train was already crowded, and here I was, carrying my suitcase and a beautiful girl with no shoes.

...

My purpose for coming to Tai'an was to find Zhang Si. Old Ghost rarely contacted Wang Ren. I suspected that with such a major event, he might have casually mentioned it while eating Zhang Si's tofu meatballs and braised pork rice, as Zhang Si was the eldest disciple brother.

Zhang Si owned a Shandong cuisine restaurant in Tai'an. Wang Ren had mentioned that the eldest disciple brother, now seventy years old, had long retired. His Shandong restaurant had few customers, the food was slow to prepare, but the taste was acceptable. Aside from the slow-cooked Shandong dishes, the restaurant's ambiance was top-notch, with tea and calligraphy.

Of course, the local people didn't patronize it for another reason: it was expensive.

Zhang Si's dishes were costly!

The Shandong restaurant was easy to find, located at the foot of Mount Tai, a quaint establishment named Zhang Si Shandong Cuisine.

Lin Han and I went to a department store first and bought a pair of suitable shoes. Then, we looked up the address online and headed to Zhang Si Shandong Cuisine. The restaurant was empty. As we opened the door, a wave of heat greeted us.

A seemingly sparse-haired grandpa, wearing a greasy apron, was writing: "If there were no books in the world, so be it. If there are, one must read them. If there were no wine in the world, so be it. If there is, one must drink it..."

"Beautiful calligraphy!"

Lin Han exclaimed. Zhang Si looked up and smiled: "Outsiders, here for a meal?"

I pulled Lin Han aside and bowed respectfully to Zhang Si: "Tang Nan pays his respects to Senior Martial Uncle, and wishes you a happy New Year."

Zhang Si looked at me, puzzled: "Whose disciple are you?"

"Li Jiu."

"I haven't heard of him. Even if I had, what right does he have to take disciples for the Ghost Gate?"

"The long-tongued ghost... ah, no, before Master passed away, he wrote a letter of appointment. Under his instruction, I was permitted to join the Ghost Gate and am the designated successor for the fifty-sixth generation of The Schemer."

Zhang Si held his brush, a hint of sadness in his eyes: "Old Jiu is gone?"

"Yes!"

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Hearing my confirmation, Zhang Si let out a heavy sigh. His sorrowful face slowly shifted into a smile as he adjusted himself: "Child, what would you like to eat?"

"Is there a menu?" Lin Han asked.

I quickly pulled Lin Han's arm and said with a smile, "I'll eat whatever you make."

...

The old man entered the kitchen. He was astonishingly slow; we hadn't seen him for over an hour. During this time, Lin Han curiously asked me, "What is the Ghost Gate? Why did you take a master? Who is Li Jiu? Is he very powerful to be able to take you as a disciple?"

"Let's wait until we eat."

After more than an hour, there were only three dishes. No, only one dish: cabbage and meatballs, braised pork rice, and stir-fried noodles. Lin Han was hungry and ate with gusto. I ate without tasting, and asked Zhang Si, "Senior Martial Uncle, Cao Shi dealt with the organization 'Logical Paradox' that Master belonged to last year, and then vanished. Do you know where he is?"

"No, I don't. Little Shi is cunning and resourceful. Most people can't do anything to him."

"The opponent was a master called 'Mentor.' Have you heard of him?"

Zhang Si shook his head: "No, I haven't."

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This old man, with his smiling indifference, knew nothing? Was I overthinking things? Greedy Ghost came here twice a year just for the tofu meatballs and braised pork rice? If I consider Old Ghost's personality, it would be understandable for him to travel to Tai'an just for a meal. But Long-Tongued Ghost Li Jiu had no such reason; he also came for a bowl of stir-fried noodles. I refuse to believe this old man knows nothing!

"Grandpa, this noodle soup is really comforting, so warm. Can I have another bowl?"

"He calls you Senior Martial Uncle, so you can't call him Grandpa. You two appear as a couple and have matching fates, so the generations shouldn't be confused."

Lin Han's face flushed red. She changed her address, saying affectionately, "Senior Martial Uncle, you can also read faces."

"I know a little. I am quite proficient in the eight characters of birth."

"Then, Martial Uncle, please calculate mine."

Lin Han provided her birth characters, and then, pulling me along, I gave my birthday too. Senior Martial Uncle meticulously deduced, frowning, "There is a trial in your fate, a disaster star is approaching."

Hearing this, Lin Han's eyes filled with resentment: "My grandfather once said the same thing about me."

Zhang Si smiled: "Child, it's not your calamity, it's the calamity of our family's children."

"Me?" I asked in surprise.

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"Him?" Lin Han was also shocked.

Zhang Si nodded.

"Is there a way to break it?" Lin Han asked anxiously.

"Marry early and stay away from trouble."

Upon hearing Zhang Si's words, Lin Han suddenly stood up and grabbed me: "Let's go, we'll go back to Xi'an and get married."

"Stop fooling around, stop fooling around. Let me say a few words."

I calmed Lin Han and looked at Zhang Si: "Senior Martial Uncle, we are all schemers. We rely on wit, manipulation of human nature, and scientific methods. I have experienced all of that. Let's not talk nonsense. Fortune-telling is not a skill of a schemer."

"Yes!"

"How is that possible?"

"Teacher Wende's skill encompasses metaphysics, national arts, wisdom, strategy, and psychological insight. Among our five senior and junior siblings, only he and I studied metaphysics."

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"Alright, alright. Then tell me, what is this trial in my fate?"

"You will die!"

Zhang Si's words were shocking, and his pronouncement absolute!