A few months later, at a forest villa in Lishan. Lin Han returned quite late today, having just washed off the smell of smoke and alcohol. She changed into a sexy, form-fitting silk nightgown, holding a wine glass, and poured some red wine from the wine cabinet.
I sat by the big bed, leaning back, supporting myself with my elbows, and watched Lin Han.
Lin Han brought the wine glass to the bedside, kicked off her slippers, and sat on me. I opened my mouth, and Lin Han smiled, pouring wine into it.
“Tomorrow I’m going to Beijing. Someone has offered a national treasure, and there's an appraisal process before it enters the national treasury.”
Hearing this, I was a little displeased: “What about those old guys who call themselves experts?”
“Experts are unwilling to come forward at this time.”
“Alright, go ahead. I’m going to have a party these few days. Then we’ll meet in Beijing.”
Recently, I had a sudden urge to throw a “Fairy” party, and I had prepared some things for it. Lin Han knew about this. She didn’t intend to pry into my affairs, listening absentmindedly. Seeing that one of my pajamas buttons was undone, she helped me unfasten another one.
“What are you doing?”
“Mom called me, saying the grandson next door is particularly cute.”
Hearing Lin Han say this, I couldn’t help but laugh. Amidst my laughter, Lin Han poured red wine into my undone pajamas. I stared at Lin Han, dumbfounded. Lin Han’s cheeks flushed: “I still really like the taste of you and red wine.”
Seeing her fiery eyes, I sat up and hugged her tightly…
Lin Han went to Beijing and also had to meet up with Brother Chang and the others. She would be back in three days. My “Fairy” party proceeded as scheduled. Once the concept of The Schemer spreads among intelligent people, it spreads like a “plague.”
In just a few months, whether anyone has become a “Fairy”-level Schemer is something I’ve always wanted to know.
Therefore, I arranged a party. I didn’t tell anyone about this party, nor did I send invitations. I would send invitations to the “Fairies” after the banquet. But I didn’t know who the “Fairies” were? I would probably send them online.
Those who received the invitation, no matter what, participated in yesterday’s party. But could the “Fairies” do so? Because they had foresight, they knew I was organizing this party?
For this banquet, I booked Qin Shi Resort. The resort prepared the banquet. The owner of the resort laid out the food on an ancient long table, probably still firmly believing I was mentally ill.
I booked a resort, an expensive dinner, and fine wine, and yet, not a single person had arrived so far.
I looked at the exquisite food and wine on the long table, feeling a bit lonely. Sending invitations after holding the banquet was indeed too demanding. Now, Schemers might be everywhere, but becoming a “Fairy” like existence should not be that easy.
Thinking of this, I poured myself a glass of wine and downed it, preparing to leave. Just then, I saw someone riding an electric scooter arrive and push open the door. Since I had instructed the staff not to stop anyone, even if they were surprised, they could only watch this person wearing a safety helmet, who looked like a migrant worker, walk in.
“What’s your name?” I asked enthusiastically.
“Wu Sheng!”
After speaking, he handed me an invitation. The invitation was a regular one, with his name on it. The invitation stated the purpose: he was to attend today’s grand event, written by him tomorrow. Besides that, the inviter’s name was mine, and the handwriting was also mine.
I smiled: “Such a luxurious feast from me? Are you sure I used this kind of invitation?”
“I know you didn’t prepare invitations, so I bought some for you.”
After speaking, Wu Sheng handed me a stack of blank invitations. I glanced at the invitation he gave me again, and for a moment, I was a little bewildered, as if he had really received the invitation tomorrow and then came to attend today’s grand event.
Just then, a taxi arrived at the resort. An old man, in his sixties, stepped out. He adjusted his ill-fitting suit and walked in with his chest held high.
“What’s your name?” I asked eagerly.
“Master Designer.”
“Fashion design?” Wu Sheng asked impolitely.
“This suit is from my son. I am responsible for designing props for film crews. Since I became a Schemer, I’ve started designing death games.”
I didn’t care what profession this Master Designer had. I smiled and asked him: “Where is your invitation?”
The Master Designer took out an invitation from his pocket and gave it to me. It said Master Designer, and there was my signature at the inviter’s section.
“Your invitation is quite peculiar.”
The Master Designer looked at the invitation on the table and smiled, saying: “I don’t like using ordinary things, so this invitation of mine is homemade. I’ll give you one. When you invite me tomorrow, you must use this invitation.”
After speaking, the Master Designer handed me a matching invitation. I smiled and accepted it, thinking, what is this called? The Eight Immortals crossing the sea, each revealing their divine prowess?
I didn’t say much. The invitation didn’t matter. I wanted to slowly observe what was unique about these people.
This was not the end. After a while, a nice private car stopped at the entrance. The door opened, and I saw Zhang Ying Ai step out from inside. She was wearing a proper bank uniform.
“Just got off work, excuse me!”
After speaking, Zhang Ying Ai unceremoniously poured herself a glass of wine. Wu Sheng and the Master Designer looked at her.
“Bank Sister, all this wine is national liquor. One bottle can equal your monthly salary. You should at least have an invitation.”
Zhang Ying Ai glanced at the two distinctly different invitations on the table: “Still proud of your inferior methods?” After speaking, Zhang Ying Ai made a gesture of handing me something.
“Tang Nan, take the invitation.”
“Where is the invitation?”
I asked in surprise.
“The invitation you sent me from the future. Of course, only I can see it. If everyone could see it, would this room be able to fit so many people?”
I looked at Wu Sheng and the Master Designer. Neither of them spoke. This trick is called “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” Everyone knows it’s fake, but no one is willing to expose the secret. Moreover, there isn’t the frank child from Andersen’s fairy tale here to expose this lie.
I was quite satisfied that three people could come. Just as we were about to have a drink and chat, a stretched limousine drove into the resort. The driver got out and opened the door. What fell into our eyes was not a leg, but a prosthetic leg like that of a blade warrior. Seeing the prosthetic leg, I suddenly thought of something.
As expected, after that person came out, my tears were already in my eyes.
After many years without seeing each other, Lao Tie finally reappeared.
At this moment, Lao Tie had changed again. He was no longer the struggling small vendor in Beijing, nor the down-and-out cleaner in Hohhot. Now, Lao Tie looked like someone with a special aura. He leaned on a strange crutch and limped towards me.
“Brother, are you welcoming me?”
“Welcome!”
I said, and hugged Lao Tie: “Tiezi, it’s so good to see you.”
Before I had a chance to chat with Lao Tie, Zhang Ying Ai said sarcastically: “Is it possible to get into such a banquet through the back door? The invitation is sent tomorrow, and the people attending the banquet today should all be chosen ones, shouldn’t they?”
I frowned and said nothing. Zhang Ying Ai was right. I wasn’t sure if Lao Tie had suddenly returned to find me or if he had come to attend this banquet. I glanced at Lao Tie. Lao Tie’s expression was relaxed and calm. He looked at Zhang Ying Ai and said, “Little sister, have you heard of the grandmother paradox?”
The paradox is as follows: If you go back in time and kill your grandparents before your father was born, this action would create a contradiction: you go back in time and kill your young grandmother. Your grandmother dies, so there is no father, and without a father, there would be no you. Then who killed your grandmother? Or consider it this way: your existence indicates that your grandmother did not die because of you, so how could you have killed your grandmother?
“Why are you asking this?”
“I want to prove this point. I destroyed the invitation and came here. I will tell Tang Nan, as his childhood friend, that he doesn’t need to write me an invitation. If I hadn’t received an invitation, I wouldn’t be here saying this. Am I right, little sister!”
The paradox is an unsolvable problem? So, did I not write the invitation? Or did Lao Tie destroy it? If I didn’t write the invitation, how did Lao Tie get here? If I wrote it, and Lao Tie was invited, why doesn’t he have an invitation?
A paradox is a problem that you can never solve.
Zhang Ying Ai smiled: “Iron Leg Brother, you’ve got some substance.”
After sitting down, Lao Tie poured himself a glass of wine and sighed, saying: “In the past, when we brothers drank, we would buy a bottle of pure grain liquor, add some hard peanuts, and during the New Year, we could get a piece of braised meat from home. On weekdays, if we wanted to add dishes, we could only buy a piece of tofu downstairs and a few scallions. It’s truly different now. This bottle of wine is enough for us to drink for a year. The money we spent on drinking for twenty years is less than this banquet.”
Zhang Ying Ai ate quietly. Wu Sheng gave Lao Tie a thumbs-up: “I, Wu Sheng, only admire capable people in my life. You brothers are awesome!”
The Master Designer also sighed with emotion: “Ah, I’ve never drunk such good wine in my life. I worked hard to support my family, and after finally putting my son through college, I used my savings to buy him a wedding house. My wife passed away, and my son had children. There was no one at home to watch them. My daughter-in-law disliked that I, an old man, didn’t know how to take care of children and looked at me coldly. My son didn’t say much; he was smart and knew I still had a pension.”
Wu Sheng took over the conversation: “My brother isn’t doing well either. I practiced martial arts since I was young, and later I could only make a living by working hard…”
Zhang Ying Ai finally spoke: “Is today a gathering of Schemers, or a convention of hardships? Tang Nan, what exactly do you want us to come here for?”
I rubbed my hands hard and smiled, saying: “Yesterday, my wife went to Beijing. Someone anonymously offered a set of national treasures to the country. I like this antique!”