It had been over half a month since I returned to Guangling.
During this time, Wu Tingxiu and I met every few days, mostly discussing the expedition team.
It was clear that Guan Zhenwan’s plan to organize an expedition team had been in the works for a long time.
My appointment as the captain of this team was likely a result of careful consideration.
She probably felt that I had learned more about the Sui Hou Pearl from my father.
At this point, it was impossible for me to refuse to join this expedition.
When An Ying returned to Anyuantang, Uncle Hong and Hong Yunpeng were startled. It was only after I explained An Ying’s amnesia that they grudgingly accepted her back.
During her time at Anyuantang, An Ying became a complete member, learning about antiques daily from Hong Yunpeng and managing the shop’s affairs.
When I had free time, I also helped out at the shop.
Honestly, this gave me a feeling of returning to the days when I first arrived in Guangling.
However, this period of normalcy didn't last long, as the arrival of one person changed everything.
I couldn't recall the last time I had seen Feng Shu. This woman, who had always been by An Ying's side, gave me an impression of being more than just ordinary, though I didn't know her background.
As she walked into Anyuantang, she removed her sunglasses. Seeing An Ying and me behind the counter, she walked over expressionlessly. "Mr. Xiang, can we talk?"
Her appearance surprised me, and then something clicked.
I nodded and followed her to the reception room.
We sat facing each other, and for several minutes, neither of us spoke.
"I know everything," Feng Shu said, looking at me. "Yang Hanxue has returned to Bianhai."
I was taken aback. "He's not dead?"
Feng Shu nodded. "While he's not dead, he sustained severe injuries and is currently recuperating in Bianhai."
"What is the purpose of your visit today?" I couldn't help but ask.
She hesitated. Before she could speak, I asked again, "Are you here to take the young lady away?"
She shook her head. "Judging by the young lady's demeanor, she seems to have... lost her memory?"
I nodded.
She wasn't surprised. Instead, she said, "My purpose for coming today is merely to deliver some items... As for whether the young lady leaves or where she goes, that is entirely up to her."
"What items?" I asked.
"I apologize, you are not a Suozhe, so I cannot tell you," she replied firmly.
I took a deep breath, feeling a knot in my stomach.
To be honest, during my time with An Ying, although I knew she wasn't "Sister Ying" or Zheng Shuxuan, I enjoyed the feeling of being with her.
It was as if I were with a family member.
In this world, I was alone. While I had close friends like Fatty and Hong Yunpeng, I still felt something was missing.
Only when I was with An Ying did I feel less lonely.
But I also knew that she was no ordinary person, and I couldn't keep her by my side forever.
"Will she leave?" I asked Feng Shu.
She gave a wry smile. "As I just said, whatever she decides to do is her own choice..."
I took a deep breath. "I understand."
After leaving the reception room, I called An Ying over. She looked at me with a hint of confusion. "What is it?"
Looking at An Ying, who had changed so much, I felt an indescribable emotion. "She came to find you. She has something to tell you."
I pointed towards the reception room.
An Ying frowned. "Looking for me?"
"You'll know when you go in," I said.
An Ying hesitated, then nodded and walked into the reception room.
Watching the reception room door close, I stood in the inner courtyard of Anyuantang, looking at the sprouting greenery, and let out a sigh.
An Ying's situation was beyond my control. I knew that it was unrealistic to keep her by my side.
Instead of forcing it, it was better to let things take their natural course.
The day after Feng Shu met with An Ying, An Ying bid me farewell and left Guangling. As I watched her go, I had so much I wanted to say, but in the end, I found myself speechless.
I had expected her to say something to me, but she didn't...
An Ying's departure left me feeling a sudden emptiness, but it also allowed me to focus all my energy on the Sui Hou Pearl.
I went through the notes left by my father again, extracting all the useful information.
Although I didn't fully understand the meaning of some of the information in the notes, I believed it would be useful this time when searching for the Sui Hou Pearl.
Time flew by, and a month passed in the blink of an eye.
When I next received a call from Guan Zhenwan, she had returned to Yanjing from abroad.
She asked me to meet her in Yanjing, indicating that preparations for departure should be underway.
Fatty and I booked flights that same day and headed directly to Yanjing. I met Guan Zhenwan at a five-star hotel.
As soon as we met, she handed me a thick file. I opened it and saw it was filled with photos and personal information.
There were both men and women, with information on a total of five people.
Guan Zhenwan told me that these five individuals were my companions for this expedition, those who had paid to join the team.
In addition to them, Guan Zhenwan had also arranged for someone else, one of her own people.
This person was named Li Chuang. He wasn't tall and had an ordinary appearance, the type who wouldn't attract attention in a crowd.
Guan Zhenwan explained that Li Chuang was assigned to me as an assistant and would handle all expenses and necessary arrangements for the trip.
Li Chuang was a man of few words, seemingly uninterested in anything.
As we were talking, he sat aside, drinking tea.
"What about the treasure map?" I asked Guan Zhenwan.
She smiled, then brought over a square black box. When she opened the box, I realized it was a laptop.
Hong Yunpeng had commissioned someone to buy one a while ago, and it was still at Anyuantang. The device was incredibly expensive, costing over forty thousand yuan.
I had used it a few times; it was convenient for playing discs, but I was completely clueless about operating it.
Guan Zhenwan opened the laptop, typed a few commands on the keyboard, and then turned the screen towards me.
On the screen was a photograph of a map, a very high-definition one at that.
"This is the treasure map. There are four in total, all stored on the computer," Guan Zhenwan said.
"What about the originals?" I asked.
She smiled. "Mr. Xiang, you understand the value of the originals, so I cannot give them to you. Besides the images on the computer, I have also prepared a high-definition photograph for you."
With that, she handed me a file folder filled with photographs of the map.