Chapter 523: The Blind Elderly
The idea to form a group of trusted confidants did cross Tang Xiu’s mind since he wanted to make his business bigger later. He thought that telling Hu Qingsong about it felt too early. Nevertheless, as the conversation came to this point, hiding it any longer wouldn’t make sense. After a moment of contemplation, he finally made up his mind and said, “The Magnificent Tang Corporation.”
Hu Qingsong knitted his brows, trying to recall the name. He suddenly got up from his chair with a drastically changed expression. Placing his hands on the table, he leaned forward and stared fixedly at Tang Xiu, “You said that you are the Big Boss of the Magnificent Tang Corporation? The same Magnificent Tang Corporation that produces Gods Nectar?”
“Yeah,” said Tang Xiu with a nod.
The shock news that struck Hu Qingsong today were extreme to the point that he became numb. Therefore, he quickly snapped back to his senses ang gave him a thumbs up, praising, “This little brother of yours is willing to do his best for you, Big Bro Tang! I’ll always follow you around like the saddle follows the horse. You’re simply a deity in my eyes!”
“Hahaha, don’t overstate it so ridiculously like you’re gonna die, will you?” Tang Xiu couldn’t help laughing. “Anyways, cut the crap and grab your meal, we still have afternoon classes.”
Hu Qingsong hastily nodded, “Okay, let’s eat. Teacher Han has just given you a warning before, so we must not be late this afternoon. Anyhow, you’re really wonderful, Big Bro Tang. A marvel. You are literally a super moneybag that millions of students are nearly impossible to catch up to in their lifetime, whereas I am just like a baby boy who must attend school and learn to read. This Old Hu really admires you.”
Tang Xiu, who was worried that their relationship would be affected if he told him the truth, thus he finally felt that his worry was unnecessary upon seeing Hu Qingsong now. With a good mood, he smiled and said, “Learning many things while young will result in good things, after all.”
“I got that,” said Hu Qingsong with a nod.
At this moment, Ouyang Lulu carefully observed Hu Qingsong. She then suddenly took out the Paradise Manor’s VIP card and put it in front of Hu Qingsong, saying, “This is for you. I welcome you to dine at my Paradise Manor later.”
“Paradise Manor?” Hu Qingsong curiously asked. “What is this?”
“It’s a comprehensive culinary and entertainment hill resort. With the ID number on this membership card you’re exempted from all the expenses there as long as you continue studying at Shanghai University,” said Lulu faintly.
“Then, you are the owner of this Paradise Manor?” Asked Hu Qingsong with a strange expression.
“Yeah!” Answered Lulu with a nod.
In a flash, it was like something siphoned away the strength from Hu Qingsong’s body. His eyes gazed at Tang Xiu and Ouyang Lulu, as he said in a downcast manner, “I suddenly realize that my two decades of life have been a failure. We are of the same age, yet you two have actually made enterprises and started out your career, while the ignorant me has accomplished virtually nothing.”
With a tender smile, Lulu replied, “I’ll turn 24 soon, so I’m a few years older than you. So, don’t worry about that and study hard. You’ll enter society in a few years, and if you work hard, you’ll have good achievements as well in time to come.”
Hu Qingsong clenched his fists and said with all seriousness, “I’ll reflect on it well. Today truly gave me a huge shock. I realize that even if I were to follow Big Brother Tang in the future, things still won’t go well without me having social experience. So, I decided to go out and have a job during my time in university to gain some social experience first.”
“That would be great!” Ouyang Lulu raised her thumbs up and smilingly cheered.
The trio then continued their meal. Although Lulu couldn’t get to stay alone with Tang Xiu, Hu Qingsong’s stunned and shocked expression amused her. Additionally, his forthright personality was also to her liking.
However, at the moment when the trio was about to finish their lunch, a series of beating and scolding sounds were heard from the outside of the Everlasting Feast Hall. The noise made the guests in the outermost tables get up and avoid it.
“Continue with your meal, I’ll take a look!” Tang Xiu creased his brows as he put his chopsticks down and walked outside.
In front of the counter, the four security guards of the Everlasting Feast Hall had already contained several men and women who were causing trouble. There was also a disheveled blind old woman with a walking stick who was sighing unceasingly. It was evident from her forehead that she had been hit by a blunt object, creating an opening wound with blood flowing down to her eyebrows.
“What happened here?” Tang Xiu walked over as he asked Chi Nan.
While pointing to the blind old woman, Chi Nan forced a smile and replied, “This elderly’s mouth was too… put shortly, what she spoke was quite unpleasant to hear. Everyone thought that she was going to dine here when she arrived. But she then straightly went upstairs and circled every private box. After these guests came down, she cursed at several of them, saying that today is their time of death and that they must immediately contact their family members to tell them what to do after their deaths.”
An obese middle-aged man looked furious as he was restrained by the security. He struggled all he could as he raised his head and yelled, “That’s right! This wretched old bastard said that! If it was once or twice, it’s still bearable, yet she kept repeating the same thing, ceaselessly cursing us to death. We had asked her to leave but she adamantly refused to go, and even spit on the dishes we ordered…”
Tang Xiu forced a smile inwardly. He casually grabbed the box of napkin from a nearby table and squatted in front of the blind old woman, saying, “Old Lady, it’s very wrong of you to curse at people and spit on their meals! Stay still now. Your forehead is bleeding, so I’ll wipe it off for you first. I’ll take you to the nearby clinic to bandage it later.”
The distressed and grimacing expression on the blind old woman’s face changed in an instant. She grabbed Tang Xiu’s wrist and pinched it several times. After releasing it, she suddenly clapped and smilingly said, “They can go on living! Their whole family can go on living at last!”
The obese middle-aged man angrily shouted, “Hey, you wretched old woman, you’re still saying…”
Tang Xiu raised his hand to interrupt him. He frowned and asked, “Old Lady, I don’t’ understand what you’re saying. Would you mind explaining it to us?”
The blind old woman pointed to Tang Xiu and said, “You know more about the Heavenly Secrets than I do. Although you can’t see it now, you definitely understand it. I, this blind old woman, still want to live for a few years more. I’m still reluctant to leave this mortal and mundane world, so the mysteries of heaven must not be revealed. The lives of their whole families are set, and they must never leave the entrance of this restaurant for even half a step. The red candles, dog’s blood, and sounds of thousands of cannons will spread out to greet them when their family leave the entrance of this restaurant tomorrow.”
Heavenly Secrets?
Tang Xiu’s complexion changed, as he quickly grasped the blind old woman’s wrist. In just several seconds, the color on his face receded and changed as he could clearly feel an intense special wave of energy that was fluctuating inside the blind old woman’s body. The strong energy was circulating through the entirety of her body as though there was a stream of water flowing inside.
“You are…” Asked Tang Xiu in a whisper.
The blind old woman smiled, “I’m too old and I have forgotten my own name. You can call me… just call me a blind old woman. In this lifetime I comprehended what life and fate are; of what life divination, stealing fate, robbing fate, and losing lives are. Little did I expect that I would find a very interesting fate in the last few years of my life. Little guy, your fate is very interesting!”
Tang Xiu raised his head to Chi Nan and said, “Bring this whole family to the back. Serve them delicious dishes and drinks, and provide them everything they need as far as possible. Do remember, you must never let them leave even a half step before tomorrow morning.”
“Copy that!” Chi Nan immediately nodded.
The plump middle-aged man shouted, “What the hell are you doing? It’s the 21st century now, and society is governed by law! If you dare to illegally detain us, I will surely file a lawsuit against you!”
“That’s right! You’re detaining us illegally. What you’re doing is just superstitious stuff. We are guests here, not your prisoners!” Another middle-aged woman loudly yelled.
At this time, there was also a young man among the onlookers who also back them up, “This place is a restaurant, and these people are guests. This act of restricting their freedom, you mustn’t do that, right? Besides, this blind old woman is just a liar; a swindler. What she said is simply a ploy! Or, are you, the Everlasting Feast Hall’s people, in cahoots with her?”
Chi Nan simply ignored them and instructed four security guards to take the family away. Whereas Tang Xiu propped up the blind old woman and brought her to his table. He then asked with a smile, “Old Lady, you really are very amazing, a master in the divinatory arts. You said you cannot leak out the Heavenly Secrets, yet you’re actually doing it. Moreover, you did that despite the predicament of it siphoning your lifespan just to give a chance for that family to go on living.”
The blind old woman grinned, “This blind old woman indeed leaked the Heavenly Secrets. But then, I’m one who achieves the Dao and yet must be punished by the Heavenly Dao. That’s what makes it interesting and fun. Do you know why I dared to do so?”
“Yeah, why?” Asked Tang Xiu, puzzled.
“It was because of you!” Answered the blind old woman.
“Because of me?” Tang Xiu was confused.
The old blind lady heavily nodded, “Yes, because of you. I found quite an interesting thing, that as long as I involve you in the causality of this incident, the penalty of the Heavenly Dao seems to be unable to target me even in the slightest.”
“Can you gain insights into my fate with your divination art?” Asked Tang Xiu.
The blind old woman hastily waved her hand, “No, no, don’t! Don’t bring a calamity for me. I may not be afraid to see through the lives and fates of all people in the world, but yours is not one I dare to see! Otherwise, I’m afraid that I’ll lose my life at once.”
“But why?” Asked Tang Xiu again.
“I don’t know, either. Your fate is just too strange. I just can’t figure it out even though I’ve been immersing myself into the Heavenly Dao for over a century. Anyhow, let’s forget about that, shall we? How about talking about other things?”
“What?” Asked Tang Xiu.
“I’ve been kind of bored staying in the country, how about you send me overseas? I always liked the ocean, and this old woman would feel great if you send me somewhere amid the ocean. It’s just that I can’t see where it is. That place is like another world, another space or realm, or something like that. So I can’t go there on my own.”
Tang Xiu was startled. It was evident to him that this blind old woman had already divined the situation in the Nine Dragons Island. And what she said was not mistaken at all. Although the Nine Dragons Island was indeed in this planet, once the reconstruction was completed and he laid out a huge-sized array there, that place would definitely be akin to a new space, a new world.