Teacher Wang Ren wanted me to stay for dinner, but I declined, my mind a jumble thinking about Wang Ze Yi. Wang Ze Yi and I shared an unbreakable bond. From the moment I met him in Ruili, I saw him as a hero with an iron will. Even if he had an affair, I could forgive him in my heart; no one is perfect. But if he were the leader of "Zheng Qi," how could I forgive him?
I walked the streets in a daze, my phone rang. Looking at the number, I fell into thought. This number had once been my lifeline. Whenever I encountered trouble, I always thought of dialing it for the most crucial help.
But, I don't know when it started, I no longer trusted Old Ghost, and I even doubted if he still kept this number?
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What did he want now? Hesitantly, I pressed the answer button.
"Hello~"
"Where are you?"
"Beijing!"
"I know you're in Beijing, and I'm here too. There's a Beijing copper hot pot place near Tianqiao, a century-old shop, hand-sliced lamb. Haven't had it in a while. Come eat with me."
"Alright!"
When I arrived, Old Ghost was already there. The dishes were ordered: beef and lamb, tripe, frozen tofu... The characteristic of Beijing hot pot, whether northern style or spicy southern, was the paper-thin lamb slices, and they were hand-sliced.
"Is there any alcohol?"
"Boss, a bottle of Erguotou."
The wine arrived. The pungent white spirit was poured into cups, and I eyed Old Ghost. It had been a long time. I noticed white hairs at his temples. Thinking about it, Old Ghost was almost fifty. But his temperament hadn't changed. Faced with delicious food, his eyes crinkled into crescent moons.
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"What are you doing in Beijing?"
"Bringing my son to mourn his mother. His mother's ashes are in Beijing. He's over twenty now, it's time we met."
I was dumbfounded, "You have a son?"
"You probably know about what happened back then. There's no need for me to hide it from you. Gao Xiao Juan's son, he took his mother's surname, Gao Zi Ming. He's Old Gao's grandson, but because he has the Gao surname, he's also one of the heirs, so he's very well protected."
"Gao Xiao Juan has a son?"
"Before she came to Beijing, when she was at school, she was indiscreet and had a child with someone else. Old Gao used his personal prestige to suppress the matter and issued a strict order that Gao Xiao Juan was forbidden to see the child. Later, Old Gao felt Gao Xiao Juan lacked moral discipline and sent her to Beijing. Although Gao Xiao Juan is Chinese, she grew up in England and had no concept of chastity. She didn't think much of having a child. She was straightforward, pure, and kind. Later, she fell in love with Li Jiu, and because of moral constraints domestically, she wished she were dead. Old Gao learned of Gao Xiao Juan's suffering and intentionally brought the child back to China. When we saw the child back then, we were completely flustered."
"So that's why Li Jiu was dragged into trouble by Zhu Guang?"
"Mm, let's not dwell on the past. When Gao Xiao Juan was dying, I promised to protect her child. That's why, after my master passed away, I refused to become the fifty-fifth generation Schemer and went to Hong Kong to become the child's godfather. Really, enough about that. Tell me about yourself, how have you been lately?"
I sighed, clinked glasses with Old Ghost, and took a large gulp of baijiu before saying, "Recently, I discovered an organization called 'Zheng Qi.' I set a trap and got myself caught."
"Qian Qian is in Hong Kong. Are there still people in Beijing you can't deal with?"
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"The world is vast and full of wonders, Old Ghost. Do you know? The last battle between me and my senior sister was written into case files. And 'Zheng Qi' has access to this document. They are already clever, and they are all imitating it. Now, Schemers are everywhere."
Old Ghost dropped the lamb slices into the simmering clear broth and chuckled, "That's a good thing, a blessing to the sect. If Schemers can branch out, Old Man Wen De would probably boast about it for a while in the netherworld."
"Enough said, eat your meat."
"Alright, eat your meat!"
Watching Old Ghost eat always made one's appetite surge. Seeing him eat meat and drink heartily, his expression relaxed and joyful, I felt uneasy again. "Are you really not going to ask? You appeared at a critical moment, you must have something to say."
"Is this a critical moment?"
"Otherwise? Aren't you always playing the role of a savior at critical moments?"
Old Ghost burst into laughter, "A fledgling eagle spreads its wings. You're almost thirty, and you still expect me to protect you? I don't have the time. Qian Qian running off to Hong Kong has me utterly exasperated. I have to admit, the younger generation surpasses the older. When Qian Qian was learning from me, she was a smart child, but not yet a threat to me. Later, because of you, she merged Li Jiu's and my abilities, and from then on, she was unstoppable. Moreover, Qian Qian is different from you; she is ambitious. She has already started infiltrating the Gao family. She wants to be like Old Gao, a leader in Hong Kong's economy." https:/
"You have times of worry too?"
"Every family has its own troubles. Today, let's just enjoy the hot pot. After this hot pot, I'm flying back to Hong Kong tonight. On New Year's Day, I met with my senior sister and learned you were in Beijing. I missed you, wanted to chat, have a hot pot, nothing more."
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I smiled and raised my glass to Old Ghost. After a drink, the alcohol started to take effect. I looked at Old Ghost; his tolerance for alcohol was high, and he showed no signs of intoxication. His appetite was as voracious as ever, he hadn't stopped eating from beginning to end. The two of us ate enough for six people, and he ate for five.
"Old Ghost, I have a question for you. If, hypothetically, I were to discover that this world is dark, what should I do? Go with the flow, or break through that barrier?"
Old Ghost smiled!
"What are you laughing at?" I was a little displeased.
"Do you remember what I told you? In the great sea, swimming against the current isn't necessarily brave; drifting with the current can get you ashore faster."
I remembered that sentence. Old Ghost had told me that on the train when I left Xi'an. But after so many years, I had almost forgotten it. Now that he brought it up again, I couldn't help but fall into deep thought.
That time, I had experienced the dark world thoroughly. To be honest, it didn't feel bad. It's not that if you traverse darkness, you'll necessarily feel like a bloodthirsty demon.
The world we inhabit isn't clearly black and white. In everyone's eyes, there are right and wrong. But if you elevate that right and wrong to a global scale, is right truly right? Is wrong truly wrong?
...
I raised my glass to Old Ghost, said nothing, and downed the remaining wine.
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"Another bottle."
Old Ghost smiled and shook his head, "No more, I have a flight tonight."
"That's a bit of a pity, but it's okay, there'll be more opportunities."
Perhaps it was because Old Tie had told me that I had been too suspicious lately, trusting no one and losing my true self. Or maybe, I truly didn't want to be enemies with Old Ghost, so I let down my guard.
"Old Ghost, to be honest, you are still that Mr. Critical, the most formidable Schemer in my heart."
Old Ghost smiled and returned the old model phone he had taken from the train back to me. He slid it towards me and said gravely, "Although I took Qian Qian as a disciple, it was mostly in jest. From the moment I met you in Ruili, I truly began to consider taking a disciple, but I wasn't sure if I could pass down this legacy. It wasn't until Li Jiu took you as his disciple that I had some regrets. You should have been my disciple. But the facts proved that Old Man Wen De was right. Neither Li Jiu nor I are truly worthy of being Schemers. Only by combining us can we barely maintain the name of Schemer. However, starting today, I am putting down this burden. As the fifty-fifth generation Schemer, I hand over this legacy to you, Tang Nan. I hope you will carry on and develop the Schemers in the future."
I looked at Old Ghost's serious face, "Are you serious?"
"Mm!"
"You... you're not, forget it. Even if you admit I'm a Schemer, there's no need to return the phone to me. We won't be in touch anymore."
"Although we are both inheritors of the Schemers, we are not master and disciple. I don't need you to support me in my old age, so why would we stay in touch?"
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I looked at him in silence.
Old Ghost chuckled awkwardly, "To be honest, I'm afraid that one day I might be unable to resist calling you and disturb your peaceful life."
...
Old Ghost suddenly appeared and then left.
There was no scheme...
He ultimately dumped the burden of being a Schemer successor onto my shoulders, just as Teacher Wang Ren had said, if I received the acknowledgment of Li Jiu and Cao Shi, I would be a true Schemer.
I could seal a scheme, but I couldn't write the character for "seal" as if it were just a game.
All things in the world are not owned, all things in the world are used by me! (Cao Shi)
Everything is inescapable from the underlying logic. (Li Jiu)
There is Dao first, then Fa. Everything follows the heart. (Wang Ren)
Koukou Wu Liu San Qi Si San Liu Qi Wu
Above fairness, only victory and defeat matter. (Zhu Guang)
In this world, they stood at the pinnacle, each a unique Schemer. What virtue do I possess to carry on their brilliance?