Chapter 48: The Mountain Villa

I stood there dazed, my mind in complete turmoil, until Bai Xiaoli, who had dozed off leaning against the wooden door, stirred slightly, opened her eyes, and upon seeing me, stood up with delight. “Yang Xi, you’re finally back! I’ve been waiting here for you for seven or eight hours!”

It was only then that I came to my senses and noticed several takeout boxes placed where Bai Xiaoli had just been sitting. She must have eaten lunch here. A pang of guilt struck me, and I asked her when she had arrived.

Bai Xiaoli told me she had come at eight in the morning. She had tried calling me but couldn’t get through, so she could only wait at the door, eventually falling asleep, and only now did she see me return.

I hurried to unlock the shop door. Bai Xiaoli immediately hooked her arm through mine and followed me inside, chattering cheerfully as we walked, “Yang Xi, I have good news! Our wedding date has been set. Master Chen Yetian, the renowned feng shui master, chose the date for us. It’s on the night of the full moon, fifteen days from now—a most auspicious day.”

The first thing I did upon entering was glance at the dining table. It was completely bare, not a single dish in sight. This only deepened my confusion. Yesterday, someone had mysteriously cooked for me, but today, that person was nowhere to be found.

“What are you thinking about, Yang Xi?” Bai Xiaoli tugged at my arm, a hint of annoyance in her voice when I said nothing.

It was then that I recalled Bai Xiaoli mentioning the date set by Chen Yetian. My heart skipped a beat—this old fox was cunning and treacherous. Would he really pick a lucky day for me?

I didn’t trust him, so I pulled out an almanac and checked for myself. Thirteen days from now, the night of the full moon, symbolizing a perfect union—it truly was an auspicious day.

Still, I couldn't bring myself to believe Chen Yetian would be so kind as to choose a lucky date for me, yet I couldn’t see what could be wrong with it either.

Noticing my furrowed brow, Bai Xiaoli continued, “Yang Xi, I know what you’re thinking. You still resent Master Chen and his grandson, don’t you? But Master Chen has always been good to me, always looking out for me. He didn’t want me to marry you because he was afraid I’d suffer. But I’ve already told him I wouldn’t marry anyone but you. He’s agreed, and said he’ll bless us both—he won’t stand in our way anymore.”

Bai Xiaoli was pure and steadfast—once she set her mind to something, no one could persuade her otherwise. So I let go of any criticism about Chen Yetian. I then remembered the red silken shadow I’d seen at the “Dragonhead Canal” and asked her, “Xiaoli, did you really wait here all day? You didn’t go anywhere else, or perhaps dream you were somewhere else?”

Bai Xiaoli gave me a strange look. “I didn’t go anywhere, nor did I have any dreams. Why do you ask?”

So I told her honestly about seeing someone at the Dragonhead Canal who looked just like her—I even thought it was her.

Who would have thought Bai Xiaoli would burst into laughter and tease me, saying I was dreaming about things I thought of during the day. Her remark jolted me—perhaps that was all it was. If someone truly didn’t want me to marry Bai Xiaoli, she would have come knocking at my door, just like Xu Yingying, rather than sending cryptic warnings.

The rest of that day, Bai Xiaoli drove me around River Crossing City, which was undergoing rapid development. She told me that ever since the “Dragonhead Canal” and “Green Dragon Mountain” were built, the city seemed completely renewed. To quote a popular song: “Towering buildings rise from the ground, glory can only be won by oneself.”

In this city, the Yellow River’s dragon vein seemed to show signs of reawakening.

What impressed me most during my day with Bai Xiaoli was a place in the city center called “Yellow River Manor.” The manor was vast, far larger than the “Liu Laogen Theater.” Yellow lanterns hung everywhere, lending an ancient charm, and at first glance, the long rows of lanterns resembled the winding curves of the Yellow River.

Bai Xiaoli told me the manor was funded by an out-of-town investor. Inside, there were services ranging from massage and singing to tea-drinking and opera, all under one roof. On the surface, it was a service business, but rumor had it that shady dealings abounded. The owner was a woman under thirty, not much older than us, and her name was said to be Yin Shushu.

“Under thirty and running such a grand manor?” My curiosity was piqued, and I couldn’t help but take a closer look. It was only five or six in the evening and already the entrance was packed with luxury cars.

Bai Xiaoli shrugged. “Exactly. Yin Shushu’s background is cloaked in mystery. Even my father, the richest man in River Crossing City, has no idea where she came from. People say my dad’s the city’s wealthiest, but that’s just on the surface. The real kingpin here is Yin Shushu. Even a master like Chen Yetian doesn’t faze her in the slightest.”

Such a mysterious figure, such a vast estate, such an audacious woman—River Crossing City truly harbored hidden dragons and crouching tigers. I told myself I’d best steer clear of people like her. As I was thinking this, I saw a peculiar figure enter the manor, and my heart skipped a beat. The man had a horse-like face and heavy bags under his eyes—his name was Pi Baoguo, and ten years ago he had boarded the sand-dredging boat in our village.