The disappearance of the Shuiyue Guanyin statue quickly became known throughout the entire courtyard.
Everyone began discussing it, and some even shouted about leaving.
The atmosphere at the scene became somewhat agitated, while Fatty and I squatted by the wall, smoking.
"Fatty, your coordination just now was impressive," I said in a low voice.
Fatty replied smugly, "Brother Xiang, you forget what I used to do. One look from you, and I understood immediately!"
The loss of the Shuiyue Guanyin statue, coupled with the large fire at the treasure appraisal convention, caused considerable unrest among the four major families. Even Yan Hongguang's face was grim when I saw him.
After the security personnel had checked everyone, Fatty and I left the farm. Yan Yuhe drove us back to rest.
In the car, she said, "The treasure appraisal convention may be delayed for some time..."
"Ah?" I exclaimed, surprised. "How long will it be delayed?"
"It's unclear yet, but they need to find the Shuiyue Guanyin first," Yan Yuhe said. "This incident has become too big; it will likely be headline news in Guangbei tomorrow..."
As she said this, a hint of bitterness appeared on her face.
"What about the election then..."
Yan Yuhe glanced at me, hesitant to speak further. "After an incident like this, the previous agreement is definitely void. It looks like things will proceed according to the old rules now."
"What rules?"
"Voting and elections..."
Hearing this, I had a general understanding. Judging by Yan Yuhe's expression, voting and elections might not be favorable for her father, Yan Hongguang.
However, this was not something I needed to worry about. The inability to hold the treasure appraisal convention caused me no loss at all.
As for the grievances between the four major families and the Guanggu Association, I had no intention of getting involved.
At the same time, I also knew that the Yan family would likely no longer help me deal with Zhao Wei.
As for the geographical map, with Liu Zaixi helping me crack it, it didn't matter whether the Yan family intervened or not.
Now, all I needed to do was find a way to stall Zhao Wei until Liu Zaixi cracked the map. After that, I could simply leave and return to Guangling.
With my plan settled, I couldn't help but think of Sister Ying. Yang Hanxue had said that Sister Ying would meet me privately after the treasure appraisal convention.
The thought of this made me feel inexplicably anxious.
Upon returning to our accommodation, I called Wu Tingxiu, deciding to tell her about the geographical map.
Upon learning the situation, Wu Tingxiu, like me earlier, was both surprised and troubled.
"So there are still six more geographical maps out there?" Wu Tingxiu asked.
I nodded. "Supposedly."
"Sigh..." she sighed deeply. "I spent over two years searching for this map, only to find out in the end..."
In fact, my sense of loss was no less than hers. I had thought that finding the Suihou Pearl would shed some light on my father's affairs, but it turned out that finding the Suihou Pearl was a long and arduous journey, and I had only just begun.
"You've worked hard this time," Wu Tingxiu said on the phone after composing herself.
"It's no trouble, but I've encountered some issues here... When will Brother Song arrive?" I asked.
Wu Tingxiu replied, "He should arrive in Guangbei tonight. I asked him to handle something for me beforehand."
"Okay, I understand."
"What kind of trouble have you run into?" Wu Tingxiu asked with concern.
I explained Zhao Wei's situation. After listening, she said, "I'll have someone inquire about this person. You should avoid any conflict with him for now, as you are in Guangbei."
"I understand."
"I'll call Song Bing later and brief him. If any unforeseen circumstances arise, just return to Guangling first," Wu Tingxiu said.
"Alright."
After hanging up, Fatty and I ordered some fast food from the restaurant downstairs. After eating our fill, Fatty asked me, "Brother Xiang, when are we going to get the goods?"
I checked the time and said, "It's still early. We should wait until midnight at least."
Fatty asked, "The farm is so far away. How will we get there later?"
"That's a problem," I mused, tapping my chin. "Taking a taxi definitely won't work..."
I suddenly thought of someone. "Doesn't Liu Jiangmin have a car? Go find him and borrow it."
Fatty grinned. "Okay..."
As he spoke, Fatty rubbed his hands together. "Brother Xiang, can you tell me in detail how you managed to steal that Shuiyue Guanyin statue today?"
Fatty and I were now in the same boat, so I had nothing to hide from him and recounted the entire incident.
After listening, Fatty said, "So, all of this was arranged by Yang Hanxue?"
I nodded. "It should be."
"This guy is quite something..." Fatty said with a smile. "Brother Xiang, what percentage did you get?"
"What percentage did I get?"
"The Shuiyue Guanyin statue! You helped him out so much; he should at least give you a share, shouldn't he?"
I shot Fatty a dismissive look. "You, you only think about money all day."
Fatty blinked. "You mean he didn't intend to give you anything?"
"It's hard to explain. This is a complicated matter, and it also involves someone else..."
"Sister Ying?"
I was surprised. "How do you know about her?"
Fatty sighed, crossed his arms, and leaned against the sofa. "Brother Xiang, for several nights recently, when I woke up to use the restroom, I heard you calling out 'Sister Ying, Sister Ying...' in your sleep..."
"Did I?" I asked, taken aback.
"Who exactly is this Sister Ying?" Fatty asked. "I've been wondering. President Wu is beautiful and wealthy, yet you're indifferent to her. And that girl Bai, the way she looks at you, it's like she wants to devour you, and she's not bad-looking either... It turns out you already have someone in your heart."
As he spoke, Fatty leaned closer. "Tell me, who is this Sister Ying? Do you have any photos? Let me take a look? What does she do? Is she rich?"
Listening to Fatty's string of questions, my thoughts drifted back to when I first arrived in Guangling.
Back then, I was poor and had nothing. The first time I met Sister Ying, the time we spent together was the happiest period for me.
Every day, Sister Ying would come to the shop. We would drink tea and chat, and she taught me how to establish myself in society, advising me on how to handle many situations.
In essence, I learned a great deal from her.
However, the subsequent turn of events caught me off guard, and it still seems incredible when I think about it now.
Can Sister Ying truly achieve immortality?
Or is this just a conspiracy?
I truly don't know, and I'm very conflicted. Although so many people have told me about it with such conviction, I still find it hard to accept.
Similarly, if this is true, how should I face Sister Ying?
She can achieve immortality, but I cannot. This means, no matter what, I can never have a future with her...
The more I thought about it, the more confused my mind became...