Chapter 149
When Lü Jiu was about seven or eight years old, he saw Luofu Temple for the first time.
His sallow and emaciated appearance caught the eye of Luo Futu, who then inquired about his birth mother from his father. His father stammered and vaguely uttered a few place names, which ultimately took root in Lü Jiu's young and trembling heart.
So later he fled the town, not going anywhere else, but disguising himself as a tourist child, taking advantage of the crowds to sneak into the cargo hold of the passenger ship, and traveled at sea, hoping to find his mother's relatives.
It was only upon arriving in Haidu that I realized how vast and dazzling the city was. Tall, majestic buildings stood side by side, vehicles flowed by, and merchants and vendors came and went in an endless stream.
If his mother was indeed abducted in Haidu, at least a decade or more has passed since then, and finding her again would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Lü Jiu never gave up the search. To avoid being discovered by Luo Fu Tu, he always carried it out secretly.
After eight long years, when he had given up hope, Luo Futu suddenly invited him to a high-society banquet.
Previously, Luofutu had invited him to many banquets, which he could attend or not. But this time, Luofutu strictly ordered and threatened him that he must not be absent.
Lu Jiu frowned, realizing something was wrong. He then learned from the waiter that the banquet was intended to welcome a certain big shot, and immediately became extremely cautious.
Just then, the man in the Zhongshan suit, who was being fawned over, inadvertently caught sight of his face. He froze, rushed over, stared at him, and asked in a trembling voice, "What...what is your mother's name?"
Lu Jiu was stunned, as if the road had suddenly turned around and a bright future had appeared, making him realize something, and his pupils dilated slightly.
That man was his maternal uncle, surnamed Cen, a renowned and wealthy merchant in the Xingzhou area, whose family was even more formidable. It was said to be a century-old family with a deep-rooted foundation. More than twenty years ago, they were recruited into the state-owned enterprise and were responsible for nearly 60% of the wine and grain industry in Haidu. Even in the highest circles of Haidu, they enjoyed a great deal of influence.
The allies that Lü Jiu had previously selected were already quite remarkable, but compared to the power of his mother's family, they were simply not enough.
His self-perception was still stuck in that poor, remote village covered in mud and dung. He had assumed his mother might come from a wealthy and scholarly family, but he never imagined her background was so impressive.
To others, this would undoubtedly be a fantastic thing.
However, when Lü Jiu met the expectant gaze of Cen's uncle, she felt an indescribable sense of fear and unease.
Lu Jiu suddenly became alert and turned to look at Luofutu.
The latter leisurely stroked his mustache, a slight smile playing on his lips, seemingly unsurprised.
A chill ran down Lü Jiu's spine.
If it weren't for Luofutu's initiative to make the connection, he would have had little chance of attending such a high-class banquet given his status—the other party clearly intended to arrange for him to meet his uncle!
But why? Why would the Buddha of Luofu kindly help him find his relatives?
His maternal family was no ordinary people. Wasn't Luo Futu afraid that if he explained the situation and asked the Cen family to intervene, they would turn around and tear him to pieces?
Cen's uncle was unaware of the undercurrents between the two. He was completely anxious, wanting to know if Lü Jiu was his sister's biological son, otherwise how could they look so alike?
Faced with the concern and care from Cen's uncle, the usually eloquent Lü Jiu was speechless for the first time, unsure how to respond.
When asked how his mother had been all these years, when she got married, and why she hadn't sent any messages home, he could only move his lips, unable to utter a single word for a long time.
The warmth of Cen's uncle seemed genuine.
Given the vast difference in their social standing, and the fact that he had nothing of value to gain from her, the other party had no reason to feign affection for him.
Lu Jiu could believe that the other party was genuinely anxious and concerned about his mother, but he couldn't figure out why Luo Futu was so fearless. He felt apprehensive and couldn't help but feel wary and distant towards this suddenly appearing uncle.
Seeing the awkward atmosphere between the two, Luo Futu pretended to be kind and stepped forward to smooth things over: "Brother Cen, alas. Countless people died and were injured in that shipwreck. Several families searched for five months but found nothing. Your sister-in-law was fortunate enough to survive the disaster and be rescued by kind people."
“I have already asked Brother Lü. His parents originally planned to go to Xingzhou to find their relatives, but unfortunately, it was a year of famine and many bandits burned, killed, and looted, causing the family of three to be displaced and the parents to die on the way. How could they come to find you?”
Luo Futu spoke with deep emotion and sighed: "He was still young then. He was captured by human traffickers and suffered beatings and cold stares. He barely managed to escape. He couldn't even remember what his parents looked like anymore. He could only vaguely remember their names, which is why he was able to answer what you just said."
Upon hearing this, Cen's uncle burst into tears: "To die so young? How could this be..."
He looked at Lü Jiu, feeling genuinely heartbroken: "Child, you've suffered so much!"
Lu Jiu stared intently at Luofutu's hypocritical face, like someone who had been bitten by a snake, not daring to relax his vigilance for a moment, frantically trying to sort out his thoughts.
The next second, Cen's uncle, with tears in his eyes, suddenly hugged him.
The elder's warm and reliable aura wafted over him, as if he were a lost treasure that had been found again. He hugged him extremely tightly, and Lü Jiu even suspected that his arm would be crushed by this man.
Lu Jiu was startled, his whole body tensing up: "...Mr. Cen?"
Uncle Cen exhaled a burning breath, stared deeply at him as if searching for the shadow of his deceased friend in the contours of his face, and said with red eyes, "It's alright, Uncle is just too sad and too happy."
They met at the banquet, and to avoid attracting attention and causing a stir, Cen's uncle received him privately. At that moment, only Luo Futu and a few servants were in the elegant room.
Lu Jiu was usually thick-skinned, but at this moment, he became flustered and at a loss under the curious and probing gazes of several servants.
Looking at his uncle Cen's tearful face, he felt for the first time the real sense of being cared for by his family. In that daze, he gradually forgot that he didn't like to interact with people, and forgot his vigilance and struggle.
Then comes the identity verification and ancestral recognition.
Lu Jiu smuggled himself into Haidu eight years ago, and there is no record of his whereabouts. He has changed drastically since then, and people who knew him would have difficulty recognizing him. He is just a kid from a remote mountain village, and hardly anyone outside knows him, so there is no way to verify his origins.
Cen's uncle went to collect the bodies according to the approximate location given by Luofutu. For some unknown reason, he actually dug up the remains of Lü Jiu's mother, as well as the remains of a man whose flesh had rotted away and only bones remained.
The only person the Cen family truly cared about was Lü Jiu's mother. She didn't have any particular affection for this "cheap son-in-law." Out of gratitude for saving her daughter, she gave him a grand funeral and erected a memorial tablet for him.
The Cen family resides in Xingzhou, a place with a spring-like climate year-round. They hold a vast amount of land deeds, and the thousands of acres of fertile land are no longer just an exaggeration on paper. However, the family is not conservative and strongly encourages its members to study abroad or travel to different parts of the country to gain experience, receive different cultural traditions, cultivate their character, enrich their inner world, and give back to the family.
At that time, the car industry was just starting out in big cities, and only wealthy families could afford to buy one. However, there were countless luxury cars parked outside the Cen family's courtyard. Just one of them could support the daily expenses of an ordinary person in a small town for half a year.
My hometown wasn't a single household; it was a large courtyard housed together by dozens of families. Everywhere you looked, there were Ming and Qing dynasty artifacts. When we went out, we were served by a large group of servants. All the children under my name had considerable assets. Even the most direct descendants owned a luxury villa worth millions in Haidu.
How impressive was the size and influence of the Cen family? Let's put it this way: after meeting his elderly grandfather, paying respects to his ailing grandmother, and then visiting relatives for five days straight, Lü Jiu still hadn't even finished recognizing half of the close relatives in the family genealogy.
He even saw his superiors, whom he could only watch from afar when he joined the army. There were also portraits of other people hanging on the mansion's wall of honor, exuding an imposing and awe-inspiring presence, yet all of them showed him friendly and considerate smiles when they met him.
The experience of the past ten days felt like a dream, no, even more unbelievable than a dream.
Lü Jiu truly experienced what it means to rise from the bottom to the top.
He once racked his brains to develop his private influence and planned far ahead for clean sources of funding.
But nowadays, large sums of money are appearing in the bank's accounts from time to time, sometimes even changing every day, and rising in different ways.
He received so many offers of gold, silver, jewelry, luxury cars, mansions, and real estate that it made his scalp tingle. He never accepted any of them, but he made drastic changes and made wildly repeated refusals.
In his daily life, he didn't have any particular hobbies, but he couldn't help glancing at anything new or interesting. And after just one glance, that thing would inevitably appear before him the next day.
Lu Jiu braved mountains of knives and seas of fire without batting an eye, and laughed off the condemnation of thousands. But it was this tender affection that made him toss and turn every night, unable to sleep.
After several days of suffering that left him with panda eyes, Lü Jiu finally couldn't resist finding Luo Futu and demanding to know what kind of poison he was up to.
At that time, Luofutu was playing golf.
This sport was very popular in Haidu at the time, but just like today, it was a game for the wealthy, since renting a golf course was expensive, and the craftsmanship and maintenance of the golf equipment were also costly.
But when Lü Jiu arrived, the huge stadium was only occupied by Luo Futu and his henchmen; he had essentially monopolized the entire area by himself.
"Look at this place, isn't it big?"
Luo Futu looked at Lü Jiu with a cheerful smile, completely ignoring the sharp, cold look on his face. He waved his hand and proudly showed off.
"This place! Including the horse farm in the south of the city, it's all a reward from the Cen family! You have no idea, they were overjoyed to find their long-lost young lady and grandson, and they insisted on treating me as an honored guest."
"...You knew all along." Lü Jiu's eyes were dark and fiery, her voice venomous as she exposed him, each word sharp and deliberate. "You recognized my mother the moment you saw me. You moved her body out and buried it with some random skeleton. You had planned my reunion with my uncle all along!"
So when he first returned, he couldn't find his mother's remains. The old man even lied and said that she had been carried off by wolves!
Whether he'd gotten carried away or not, Luo Futu had long since stopped wearing his Tang suit and was now dressed in a Western suit. He looked up and mouthed to him, "Smart."
Luo Futu grinned maliciously: "Why are you so angry, Xiao Jiu'er? Your mother wanted to escape your father's control and the village she hated until her death. Isn't what I did just fulfill her wish? Besides, her remains were able to return to her hometown and be buried in the Cen family's ancestral grave many years later. Isn't that all thanks to me?"
Lu Jiu stared at him without saying a word, the atmosphere tense and on the verge of conflict.
Suddenly, the corners of his mouth turned up, forming a wide grin.
The group, including Luo Futu, were terrified by his murderous gaze. The former's brow twitched violently, and he had a bad feeling.
But they were ultimately a step too late.
After suppressing his anger for eight long years, Lü Jiu made his move for the first time, so fast it was as if he had practiced it countless times in his mind, leaving no room for error.
A gunshot rang out, and blood gushed from Luo Futu's thigh. He let out a heart-wrenching scream, stumbled and fell, quickly looking towards Lü Jiu.
The latter ignored everything and pulled the trigger again.
He was careful not to kill Luo Futu directly, but instead used a surprise attack to trick him into revealing his trump card.
Feeling the real pain and murderous intent, Luo Futu panicked and cried out in a shrill voice, "Stop! Do you want the Cen family to know that your father is a despicable and lowly kidnapper?!"
"Don't be fooled by how much the Cen family spoils you and treats you like royalty. If Old Master Cen finds out that your mother was humiliated and died with resentment, do you think you, the bastard born of a kidnapper, will even have a proper burial?"
Threats exploded in Lü Jiu's ears like thunder, but he did not panic or fear. Instead, he suddenly realized after thinking it through: "So that's how it is—so you wanted to use this as leverage to threaten me. I knew you wouldn't be so kind."
However, Lü Jiu's reaction did not seem like he was being threatened, and Luo Futu, who had been so confident, immediately became suspicious.
Several of his men were shocked and raised their guns, but none of them dared to fire the first shot because of Lü Jiu's aura and frenzied state.
Despite being pointed directly at by several dark gun barrels, Lü Jiu showed not a trace of fear.
He just laughed, holding a gun to the Luofu Pagoda in one hand, his laughter unrestrained and arrogant. Several tears welled up in the corners of his eyes, as if he had just heard the funniest joke in the world.
Finally, he casually wiped away his tears with one hand, let out a breath, and said with a sense of relief, "Thank you for telling me. I've been having such a comfortable time these past few days that I almost forgot who I am."
When he spoke the last few words, his voice was extremely soft, like the wind gently fading away.
Luo Futu heard his tone, as if he had severed the last vestige of attachment to this world, and his heart suddenly skipped a beat.
He knew Lü Jiu well, and knew that although Lü Jiu valued his life, he was definitely not lacking in ruthless decisiveness and a willingness to burn his bridges. In his haste, he added another bargaining chip to save his life: "Think carefully, what will happen to the Gu family after you die?"
Lu Jiu paused, then said sternly, "Isn't it because you coveted the Gu family's wealth and wanted to deal with them? The root of everything is you. Killing you will eliminate any future troubles!"
"What a joke!" Luo Futu retorted loudly, his face pale. "I may want to embezzle the Gu family's money, but I also want to embezzle the Zhang, Wang, Li, Zhao families, and all those other wealthy and powerful families! Why does it have to be the Gu family that gets into trouble?"
Seeing that Lü Jiu's expression changed slightly, he let out a sinister laugh: "Let me tell you, Xingzhou and Haidu are far apart. It will take at least three days to travel by water. If you go back now, you still have a chance to save the Gu family. If you go back too late, you will have nothing left!"
"You can kill me now, but even if you do, don't expect to leave this place unscathed. Once I die, your true identity will reach the ears of the Cen family patriarch, and then the entire Gu family will be buried with you!"
.
In the same illusory scene at the same point in time, Lü Jiu and Xie Xubai are on a luxury cruise ship, drifting on the dock where the sea breeze is howling.
As the sun gradually sets, it paints the horizon with a vibrant orange-red twilight hue.
The waves crashed against the shore beneath the ship, sending up white spray. The steam engine emitted a noisy hum, which eventually faded away to the romantic, lingering music playing on the deck.
“When I first arrived in Haidu, the day before I met you, I saw a luxury cruise ship at the dock, about the same size as this one. A banquet was being held on board, brightly lit and magnificent. The gentlemen and ladies were drinking red wine, and the spare change they casually gave me was enough to feed me for several months.”
"At the time, I thought, when will I be able to board a ship like them and see the scenery? I never expected that I would become such a rich person in the blink of an eye, and actually board a ship, drinking red wine and indulging in a life of luxury."
Lu Jiu swirled the wine in his glass, leaned against the railing, looked at the surging waves, and murmured softly, "...like a dream."
But dreams always end.
Xie Xubai looked at him and said gently, "I heard that you've become related to the Cen family, and both Old Master Cen and Madam Cen like you very much. Why don't you stay in Xingzhou a few more days and keep them company?"
For Lü Jiu, that must have been the family affection he had always longed for.
Lü Jiu turned over and looked back at Xie Xubai: "...They are too enthusiastic, I don't want to stay."
Xie Xubai smiled and said, "Isn't being warm enough? If I were to have a cold face and not welcome you, my grandson, at all, you would be unhappy."
"I can't explain it." Lü Jiu unconsciously propped himself up, then leaned back, swaying back and forth as he held the wine, looking quite conflicted. After a long while, he finally managed to say, "...If I told you that I'm a little afraid of them, would you laugh at me?"
He shut his mouth after he finished speaking, his mind a complete mess.
Xie Xubai smiled and said, "Perhaps it's not fear, but rather a feeling of trepidation as one approaches home."
Lu Jiu's expression shifted as he looked at Xie Xubai's calm, smiling eyes.
The news of him being recognized by the Cen family has caused a great stir in the city these past two days, with reports covering the entire city.
Those who hated him or were indifferent to him all thought he had gotten incredibly lucky and secretly envied and resented him.
If he showed even the slightest discomfort, he would be perceived as someone who had gotten a good deal but was pretending to be innocent and showing off.
But Gu Nan always understood his anxiety and unease, without a trace of mockery.
For a moment, Lü Jiu seemed to be comforted.
But he knew in his heart that he wasn't feeling timid because he was nearing home; he was feeling ashamed of his own appearance.
He had a gut feeling that Luofutu wouldn't help him out of kindness, and that they must have set a trap for him somewhere. The better the Cen family treated him, the more afraid he became, like looking at a reflection of the moon in water or a flower in a mirror, with a sharp guillotine hanging over his head. He didn't know when the guillotine would suddenly fall, revealing his true form and sending his head to the ground.
Suddenly, Lü Jiu felt a sharp pain on his forehead as Xie Xubai flicked his finger and knocked him on the head.
He winced in pain and was surprised. He hadn't expected that "Gu Nan" would have the guts to hit him. He covered his forehead and looked over.
The young man smiled slightly and raised an eyebrow at him: "You, the one who's hosting, aren't paying enough attention. Why are you thinking about those worries? Do you think they're going to jump out and eat you?"
"We agreed to go see whales, but where are the whales?"
Before he could retaliate, Lü Jiu reluctantly lowered his hand, feeling a little guilty.
The sea is not the destination for whales' migration; they only pass through. Now that the season has passed, it will take more than ten days by ship to see whales.
But he had just received news that Grandpa Cen and Grandma Cen were worried about their grandson and didn't want him to go too far away so soon after returning home. Thinking of their two kind, tearful faces, he had no choice but to give up.
His impression of the two old people... wasn't bad, quite good, very kind. If Luo Futu had designs on the Cen family, hoping to use him to control them...
Lu Jiu's eyes turned cold. Even if it cost him his life, he would not let Luo Futu succeed.
Since there were no whales to see, they could only settle for whale-shaped pastries. Xie Xubai smiled, picked one up, took a bite, and praised it as delicious.
Lu Jiu snapped out of her daze and, seeing that he had stopped complaining, felt increasingly guilty for breaking his promise.
Just then, the music troupe specially invited by the host of the banquet took to the stage to perform. Xie Xubai secretly released his spiritual power to soothe Lü Jiu's tense nerves.
Golden light spilled out, and the countless people on the ship felt as if bathed in a gentle breeze, instantly relaxing. They wouldn't doubt anything, only attributing it to the ensemble's superb skills and their ability to soothe their minds.
Xie Xubai also closed his eyes to listen, his brows relaxed, feeling the pleasant sea breeze brushing against his face.
The performance ended quickly, with a rather long pause in the middle. When it started again, it was a melodious and graceful violin tune.
Lu Jiu remained silent for several minutes, which was unusual for him. Xie Xubai opened his eyes as if sensing something, only to find that no one was beside him.
He looked around and met the eyes of the young executioner playing the violin on the brightly lit stage at the bow of the ship.
Someone in the crowd spoke up in surprise.
"Wow, that's great!"
"I felt like my soul was touched."
"Is this violinist new? I've never seen him before... Damn, isn't that the great demon Lü Jiu?"
"Keep your voice down! Don't let him hear!"
Exclamations of praise rose and fell, and gasps of astonishment were even louder.
Lu Jiu ignored all the noise, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, and he curled his lips at Xie Xubai.
Those bright, affectionate eyes were slightly upturned, revealing a faint crimson hue, subtly conveying their hidden emotions.
It's as if the past and the future have overlapped, and the illusory body and the real body have merged together, possessing the exuberance and unrestrainedness of the present age, as well as the focused profundity of the later years after experiencing vicissitudes.
"Waaah—"
A clear and long hiss suddenly came from the sea, as if it came from ancient times.
Everyone present couldn't help but look over at the sound. The calm sea surface continued to surge, and a massive, astonishingly large body suddenly broke through the water, riding the waves into the vast twilight.
Not everyone had the chance to understand what it was; most people just felt they had seen a monster. Many were terrified, turning pale and screaming.
But the whale ignored them, continuing on its way. Its massive, fan-like pectoral fins flapped, it sank to the surface, then leaped again, roaring loudly with each surging wave. Columns of white water sprayed out like a torrential downpour—
Even before the whale appeared, Xie Xubai noticed a thin layer of red mist clinging to its body. He recognized the whale as the embodiment of the illusionist's desires, or its true form after being transformed.
Needless to say, it must have been the red mist that possessed Lü Jiu.
The sea breeze gently patted Xie Xubai's back, prompting him to take a few more steps forward and get closer.
The violin piece then reaches its climax, with the melody rising sharply like surging waves, soaring and undulating, penetrating the eardrums and reaching straight into the heart.
The young prison officer was naturally blessed with striking good looks, thanks in large part to his mother. His exceptional talent and quick learning ability were also attributed to the genes from his maternal side.
But setting aside these innate advantages, his perseverance, patience, indomitable spirit, and diligence are the true foundation and source of his enduring success.
Regardless of his circumstances, he was undoubtedly a chosen one.
The sun sank below the horizon, and the full moon rose. Pale moonlight spilled onto the sea, illuminating the young executioner's hair, shoulder blades, and deep-set eyes, while behind him, a gigantic creature frolicked with its long fins.
Lu Jiu lifted his eyelids, his coat billowing, and amidst the whale's joyful cry, his gaze met Xie Xubai's.
As if satisfied and having achieved his goal, he raised his chin proudly and smiled smugly.
See, just like I said before.
You have no idea how happy the whale is; it's willing to wait as long as you come.
Author's Note:
Happy Chinese New Year! [Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers] Let's do a giveaway!
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