The waiter gestured for us to enter with a bow, his posture very respectful, but his expression was serious, showing no hint of flattery. After that, we had no time to discuss or think; we had to get up and go immediately.

The胖子 and I exchanged glances, thinking, “Damn, we’ve been watching the entrance all this time and didn’t see any old lady come in. It seems she has been waiting for us upstairs, timing our arrival. Maybe she’s been observing our every move.”

I recalled hearing somewhere that this was a kind of trick used in the underworld, aimed at dampening our spirits. I couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable. Although I was just a small-time boss from a wealthy family, I was the eldest grandson in my family and a little master in my uncle’s shop. People had always treated me with great respect, and no one dared to act like this towards me. Thinking of this made me straighten my back, feeling a bit indignant.

The胖子 was naturally also feeling displeased. He shook his face and gave a look to the muted oil bottle: “Bro, let’s get in formation and show our swagger to our naive comrade.” The three of us stood up, held our heads high, and followed the waiter to the staircase.

Compared to the first floor, the second floor had some Western decorations, which is a characteristic of old Beijing— a blend of Chinese and Western styles. The upper floor was filled with private rooms separated by screens, one side facing the central stage for performances, and the other side facing the street was filled with automatic mahjong machines.

We walked around the circular corridor and arrived at the entrance of a huge private room. The entrance was a carved folding screen door, larger than the hotel’s main door. Standing at the entrance were two young men in casual clothes, standing straight like soldiers. Above the door was a carved plaque made of elm wood, reading “Cai He Tang.”

“Lianjing time wraps around the bracelet, the oar touches the water or smudges the makeup. Not refusing the wet red sleeves, only pitying the fragrance of the green leaves. This room’s name is taken from Liu Xiaochuo’s ‘Seeing the Beautiful Woman Picking Lotus from Afar.’”

The waiter recited the poem almost like a tongue twister, and after finishing, without pausing, he said, “Gentlemen, this is the place. Please come in.” He then left immediately.

I thought to myself that this waiter was extremely meticulous. Earlier, he had invited us over with great respect, making it hard to refuse, because he needed to force us to rise and attend the meeting immediately. If he delayed or failed to bring us, he wouldn’t have had a good explanation. He brought us here and left right away, not wanting to witness or hear what would happen next, avoiding any potential gossip.

This was a characteristic of someone who had been through complex situations and had become habitual. It seemed that the people in this place would be very complicated.

While I was pondering, the two men at the door had already opened it. Inside were three or four layers of coral bead curtains. As we pushed through, we immediately smelled a fragrant scent of Tibetan incense. Tibetan incense is used in Buddhism and also has health benefits. It seemed the owner had very refined tastes.

Inside was a large space with a high ceiling adorned with a crystal chandelier and an old brass ceiling fan. The surrounding columns were decorated with green bronze lotus carvings. At the center was a large round table where seven or eight people were dining. In front of the stage, there was currently a screen set up, temporarily blocking the view.

As soon as we entered, the seven or eight people who were eating stopped and looked at us. We saw two middle-aged women, three children, and a few other middle-aged men. Naturally, my attention was drawn to the two women, but at a glance, I realized they weren’t Old Lady Huo, as they were too young to be considered middle-aged.

I exchanged glances with the Fatty and the Silent Oil Bottle, both of us unsure of what was happening. Were they trying to intimidate us further, or was this just a show? It seemed a bit over the top. Or perhaps they had undergone some sort of cosmetic procedure, much like Madonna.

Thinking that they might be the old lady, I decided to be polite and asked, “Excuse me, is Granny Huo here?”

After I asked, I heard a voice from behind a screen say, “This way.” The voice sounded delicate, and I was momentarily taken aback. I glanced at Fatty, who nudged me and whispered, “Keep it cool, don’t keep looking at me; I’m your sidekick now.”

I realized he was getting into character, so I mentally repeated to myself, “I’m part of the underworld, I’m part of the underworld, I walk with confidence.” This mental preparation actually helped; I felt a surge of confidence and boldly stepped toward the screen.

To be honest, I was still a bit nervous, but this nervousness felt different from what I experienced in the ancient tomb. It was hard to say whether it was “nervousness” or simply feeling ungrounded, as I wasn’t someone who typically navigated such situations. I could only rely on my inner sense of “arrogance” to cope.

A few steps later, I saw the people behind the screen. The space behind was quite large, and I noticed a small root-carved table with tea sets on it. There were three people seated, and I immediately spotted an elderly woman with silver hair drinking tea. She was wearing a purple Tang suit, and her complexion was exceptionally pale.

This kind of whiteness wasn’t sickly; if it were on a young girl, it would be strikingly beautiful. The word “snow-like” came to mind, but on an old lady, it was different. There were no age spots at all, just pure white skin with white wrinkles and silver hair. My first reaction was to break into a cold sweat; she looked as if she were carved from jade.

The only contrast was her black pupils, which stood out sharply. When she looked at us, I couldn’t help but look back into her eyes. For a moment, I almost felt as if I were staring into the gaze of a ghost.

Next to her were two others: a young girl and a middle-aged woman. They didn’t even glance at us, engrossed in their quiet conversation, making it hard to see their features. Both were very fair-skinned, but there was a comfortable ease about them. The young girl, when she turned her profile toward me, had an exquisitely delicate and pure face, with a jade-like aura, yet there was a hint of allure that was quite pleasant.

I was momentarily taken aback by the scene, and Fatty nudged me again from behind, snapping me back to reality. I quickly smiled and said, “Granny Huo, I’m Wu Xie. Hello, I hope I’m not disturbing your rest.” As I spoke, I instinctively reached out to shake her hand.

This was my usual business habit, but as soon as I extended my hand, I realized it was inappropriate and too commercial. I quickly retracted my hand and casually ruffled my hair instead.

The action must have looked very silly; I cursed inwardly but pretended to be calm. The old lady sized me up and took a sip of tea, then said indifferently, “Indeed, you bear some resemblance to that old dog Wu. I didn’t believe it when others told me, but it turns out this stinky dog really hasn’t died out.”

I forced a bitter smile, thinking that there was a hint of jealousy in her words. Could it be that she really had a past with my grandfather? I didn’t know how to respond, so I just kept smiling foolishly.

The old lady continued to look at me. Seeing that I didn’t respond and only smiled, she sighed and said, “You look even more like him when you smile. It seems you’re not a good thing either.” After taking another sip of tea, she didn’t invite me to sit down and asked, “So, is that thing of yours for sale or not? Have you made up your mind? Such a simple matter, why did you have to see me? Could it be that your grandmother sent you to meet me and see how this old friend has turned out?”

Oh dear, I thought, the jealousy in her words was bubbling up. Who would have thought that my grandfather, despite looking so rustic, actually had a bit of a “past” when he was young?