Ming Zhi Tian followed the bun boss's directions and found a long queue outside Shui Ling Pavilion. He joined the line.
After waiting for half the day, it was finally his turn. He saw a man wearing a cat mask sitting beneath a red cloth counter.
The well-informed man with the cat mask looked at Ming Zhi Tian. "What do you want to ask? A small question is ten thousand yuan coins, a big question is fifty thousand yuan coins."
Ming Zhi Tian asked, "I want to know, where is the Ao family?"
The well-informed man froze…
This was a question anyone on the street could answer, yet he was willing to spend ten thousand yuan coins to ask such a trivial matter?
The well-informed man frowned. "Are you sure you're not here to cause trouble?"
Ming Zhi Tian shrugged. "Of course not. Aren't you known as the well-informed one? Surely you wouldn't not know?"
The well-informed man's temper flared. "Pay ten thousand yuan coins first, no refunds."
"No problem," Ming Zhi Tian paid the money.
The well-informed man glanced at the fifty thousand yuan coins, then at Ming Zhi Tian, confirming he wasn't crazy. He then told him:
"Go eighty li outside the south city, and you'll be there."
Ming Zhi Tian scratched his head. "Is it that simple?"
The well-informed man nodded. "It's that simple."
He rented a carriage and, following the well-informed man's instructions, arrived at the destination. However, the prosperous Ao manor he imagined was nowhere to be seen. Instead, it was dilapidated and sparsely populated.
Getting off the carriage, Ming Zhi Tian walked to the weathered wooden door and knocked. "Anyone home? Anyone home?"
After a moment, he heard footsteps. "Who is it?"
Ming Zhi Tian replied, "I am a friend of Ao Zi Hua."
Finally, a single sentence could not contain the excitement. The footsteps quickened, and the wooden door was flung open.
A young woman in a yellow dress, about twenty-four years old, opened the door and looked around. "Has my brother not returned? You are..."
Ming Zhi Tian bowed to her. "My name is Bai Ming Tian. Is there a young lady named Ao Xin Wen here?"
The woman's spirits lifted. "That's me."
Ming Zhi Tian took out a letter from his懷. "Here is a letter that Zi Hua asked me to deliver to you."
Ao Xin Wen quickly took it. "Please come in."
Ming Zhi Tian nodded and followed her into the Ao manor.
The furniture was extremely worn. Although it was cleaned regularly, the cracks in the courtyard told the story of their difficult lives.
Ao Xin Wen brought over a chair and wiped away the dust with her sleeve. "My home is simple and crude, please do not mind."
Ming Zhi Tian sat down and waved his hand. "It's fine."
Ao Xin Wen also brought a chair, but as soon as she sat down, the old chair instantly broke. Ming Zhi Tian flashed forward and supported her, otherwise, she would have fallen on her backside.
Ming Zhi Tian helped her up. "Are you alright?"
Ao Xin Wen said shyly, "Thank you, I'm fine. You must have seen my embarrassment."
Seeing Ao Xin Wen's awkwardness and how she clutched the letter, Ming Zhi Tian said, "It's alright. If you want to open it now, please do."
Ao Xin Wen nodded, then opened the envelope and began to read the letter...
She started to cry, her tears falling and soaking the letter. Ming Zhi Tian wanted to comfort her but didn't know how.
Ming Zhi Tian did not tell Ao Xin Wen that Ao Zi Hua was killed by a mad old man, fearing she would become reckless and seek revenge, which would be suicidal. He only told her that Ao Zi Hua died accidentally.
Ming Zhi Tian could only say, "Zi Hua was a good friend of mine, and I am also very sad. Please take care of yourself."
Ao Xin Wen carefully put away the letter. "In this chaotic world, death is a common occurrence. I won't do anything rash. Since the day my parents passed away, my uncles and aunts were eager to divide the family property. Only my brother and I were left in the Ao manor, relying on each other. But he was unwilling to accept his fate and wanted to venture out into the world. Before he left, he said he would return when the peach blossoms filled the summer and bloomed. Who knew fate would be so cruel, my brother... alas, we can only leave it to fate."