We stood on the deck, gazing at the dark sea not far away. I began asking her all sorts of questions, and she answered everything truthfully.
From her, I learned that her method of regaining memories was "treasure hunting."
She could retrieve her memories from antiques. She couldn't explain the method, only that if she found an antique that sparked a memory, she could gradually find some of her past memories from it.
I didn't know exactly how she did it, nor could I comprehend the way she searched for memories.
However, from this moment on, I truly believed she was immortal.
This was because she had told me herself.
Logically, such a thing would be unbelievable without witnessing it firsthand, yet somehow, when she said it, I believed her.
"What happens after you find those memories?" I asked. "Will you remember me then?"
Zheng Shuxuan smiled and said, "Probably. But I don't think it's necessary now, is it?"
I touched my nose and gave a foolish smile.
"Once I find those memories, I should be able to figure out what exactly happened to me," Zheng Shuxuan said. "There must be a reason why I've become like this; it can't have happened for no reason."
I said, "Yes... immortality, that's a power even Qin Shi Huang dreamed of."
A hint of helplessness flickered in her eyes. "Sometimes I often wonder, why me? Why was I given this ability, and not someone else?"
"Perhaps it's all arranged by fate," I said.
"If it is indeed arranged by fate, why would it be arranged like this?" Zheng Shuxuan asked.
For a moment, I didn't know how to answer her. After thinking for a bit, I said, "There must be a reason..."
She gave a wry smile, her eyes complex, and slowly said, "Perhaps."
Zheng Shuxuan hadn't recovered much of her memory. Many of the questions I had prepared in the car remained unasked.
Because if I asked, she probably wouldn't be able to answer.
It was strange. When I was with "Ying Jie," I always felt cared for, protected. But now, with "Zheng Shuxuan," it was replaced by a feeling that she needed my care.
This difference felt peculiar, like white sugar was still white sugar, but when I tasted it, it no longer had sweetness, but a sour flavor.
Standing on the deck, we chatted for a long time. From an initial feeling of "familiar yet strange," we eventually came to understand each other.
I told her a lot about myself, wanting her to know me again, including stories about my father that I had never told Ying Jie.
When I disembarked from the fishing boat, the Water Moon Guanyin statue had been handed over to Zheng Shuxuan.
Yang Hanxue offered me a cigarette and said he would drive me back.
After we got into the car, he told me, "We'll be leaving Guangbei in a few days. The Water Moon Guanyin statue will be returned to you then, and I'll have to trouble you to return it to its rightful owner."
"Return it to its rightful owner?" I was stunned.
He nodded. "That's the young lady's decision."
"Didn't she need the Guanyin statue to recover her memories?" I asked.
Yang Hanxue gave a wry smile. "I don't know the specifics. You should know her situation well; ordinary people can't understand it."
Hearing him say that, I couldn't help but chuckle wryly.
It was true. Her situation, let alone for us, probably couldn't be understood by experts.
"Where are you going next?"
"Back to the Zheng family in Qinnan," Yang Hanxue said. "As for where we're going after that, I'm not sure yet."
I thought for a moment and said, "If there's anything I can help with..."
Before I could finish, he smiled and interrupted me. "Brother Xiang, don't worry. I think we'll see each other again soon."
"Oh?"
"The young lady is currently in need of someone like you, so we'll likely need to trouble you again."
"Someone like me?"
"A treasure appraiser."
Speaking of treasure appraisers, I suddenly thought of that old Chinese doctor and asked him what was going on.
Yang Hanxue told me that the old Chinese doctor was also a treasure appraiser before and had deep ties with the Zheng family, though he didn't know the specifics.
To avoid unnecessary trouble, I got out of the car once we entered the city and then took a taxi back to where I was staying.
As soon as I entered the residential compound, I saw the car that Fatty had borrowed from Liu Jiangmin parked downstairs.
After going upstairs, Fatty and Song Bing were both there.
"Master Xiang, you're finally back! Fatty and I were just planning to come find you!" Fatty said.
I asked him what had happened in the woods earlier. Fatty told me that after he finished his business and couldn't find me, he tried to call me, but my phone was off. So, he called Song Bing.
After that, they met up, and it was at that time that people from the farm discovered them, so they had to retreat.
"Master Xiang, you're not blaming me, are you?" Fatty gave a sheepish smile. "I didn't want to at the time... it's just that nature calls..."
I waved my hand and said unhappily, "Alright, from now on, can you go to the bathroom beforehand when we're out on business? Fatty?"
"This situation will absolutely not happen again next time, Master Xiang, you can rest assured!" Fatty said resolutely.
...
The next morning, I called Liu Zai Xi to ask about her situation.
She told me that she had been studying the map at home for the past two days and had made some progress. She asked for a few more days, and she would inform me immediately if she had any news.
The treasure appraisal convention was delayed, and with nothing else to do in Guangbei, I was idle.
I had thought about visiting Yan Hongguang, but the moment I thought about the affairs of their Guanggu Association, I dismissed the idea.
As a newcomer, it was better to avoid trouble.
Zhao Wei, upon hearing about the delay of the treasure appraisal convention, called me several times, essentially probing my thoughts. I naturally dodged his questions.
I told him that the Yan family needed my help with something in the coming days and that although the convention was delayed, it would resume soon, so he should remain patient.
As expected, after I brought up the Yan family as a shield, Zhao Wei had no choice but to invite me to dinner when I had time.
Coincidentally, just as I used the Yan family as a shield, they actually contacted me.
Yan Yuhe called me, saying that her father, Yan Hongguang, wanted to see me and needed my help with something.
Less than half an hour after the call ended, she drove downstairs. I couldn't refuse, thinking I should go see what the situation was.
I felt I couldn't help Yan Hongguang much. If it was about treasure appraisal, he himself was an expert, and his Yan family had considerable influence locally. What could I possibly help with?