Chapter 8: A Regretful Affair

The Western Regions said: "It is not for the sake of obtaining this bottle, but for the sake of retrieving the past"

We looked at each other in silence

On that June morning, the sunlight was splendid, and she was still asleep in bed, like a child

I am not in a good mood: "No matter how strange it may be, it is impossible to turn back time"

In the Western Regions, he was astonished, "You actually do not know what a bottle is used for?" His expression was truly one of great surprise, and it was certainly not intended to mock us.

This fish seems to have become a classic myth in the fishing community, as there is no record of anyone else having caught it apart from Sir George Hastings, who reportedly caught one. Sir George Hastings was a 17th-century English gentleman who loved fishing and hunting, and he was an exceptionally skilled angler according to the records. In stark contrast to the meager records of this magical fish being hooked, there are numerous descriptions of it, some of which are quite exaggerated, claiming that this fish bites the bait not out of hunger, but merely out of playfulness. Sir George Hastings was a 17th-century English gentleman who loved fishing and hunting, and he was an exceptionally skilled angler according to the records. In stark contrast to the meager records of this magical fish being hooked, there are numerous descriptions of it, some of which are quite exaggerated, claiming that this fish bites the bait not out of hunger, but merely out of playfulness

At last, the prey surfaced, not large in size, resembling a trout shaped like a salmon.

The woman, with her keen eyes, also noticed and exclaimed, "Isn't that 'Fudizhi'?"

To him, it seems that there is only the present, with neither the past nor the future.

Kangwen pressed my shoulder: "Everyone, please remain calm," which was actually a request for me to stay composed. "It seems we have fallen into a trap, but the truth remains to be uncovered. Please, Xiyu, explain why you believe this claim."

Pale purple notepaper, elegant handwriting

His words are baffling, and none of us can understand them

She likes black clothing, and her satin-like black hair accentuates her fair complexion

I sighed: "When I saw your note, I knew who she was. Back then, she also liked to say goodbye to us with these two words."

However, during the investigation, he discovered that she was, to him, incredibly enigmatic. He knew her little quirks, such as her habit of hugging her hands while sleeping and her preference for coffee with nothing added except salt, yet he did not know her full name, nationality, occupation, or contact information. At the time they were together, he believed he loved her as a person, rather than any additional attributes, and thus did not pay much attention to these details. However, when she suddenly left, he felt a sense of incompleteness in his heart.

He walked along the riverbank, and when he reached the roots of a large tree, it seemed to disturb the spirits beneath the water. He heard the sound of trout leaping out of the surface, and he immediately resolved to fish there.

The woman was angered upon seeing the appearance of the Western Region, as if she was about to say something. The fishing rod in the hands of the Western Region reacted, and he shushed softly, carefully reeling in the line

The Western Region sighed: "After wandering for a year, I am disheartened. I have always prided myself on my exceptional ability to find and evade people, yet I find myself utterly at a loss regarding someone who was once so close to me. I cannot help but wonder if everything is merely a figment of my imagination, or if my suspicions are unfounded, or perhaps she never loved me at all"

The woman, growing impatient, lifted her hat and said: "You are quite rude; a lady is speaking to you, and you show no courtesy whatsoever"

Thus, the Western Regions began to recognize the most important woman in his life

Ha, the thief shouts to catch the thief. The Western Regions, not to be outdone, also want to retort. Upon raising her head, she caught sight of the woman and was momentarily stunned.

But how do we explain its magnetism and preservation properties

The Western Region decided to take a walk by the lake, picking fresh flowers adorned with morning dew to present to her

The expression in the Western Regions is somewhat bewildered, as if repeating the look before telling a story: "I don't know why I would believe it. By the way, when I received the email, I didn't believe it; I just thought, if it were true, that would be nice. Then, a man in black found me..."

The woman raised her eyebrows, a bit impatiently, and said: "Sir, I was here first. We are too close now, making fishing inconvenient. Please move to another spot"

Western Region in astonishment: "Who is so powerful? I came here specifically because of your detective agency's reputation"

Thus, when I began to despair, someone told me that there is a magical bottle, and by making a wish to it, you can return to the past you long for the most. So, I believed it. I wished to return to that dusk, where I wanted to clarify whether her feelings were the same as mine, or to return to that June morning, when I would do everything in my power to ensure she would not leave.

The Western Regions nod slightly

I shook my head: "In fact, we are all in the dark, not knowing why you are all willing to pay such a high price to obtain it"

His figure is about to disappear behind the door

Kangwen said: "Then please repeat what Mr. Daniel said at that time"

Kangbai said: "The Western Regions, we have long regarded you as friends..." and placed a hand on his shoulder

He clenched his fist tightly, his voice lowering: "I have exhausted all methods for a year, yet I still cannot find her. Not to mention her in person, I cannot even find a single clue about her. It is as if she never existed, as if she has evaporated. Apart from this note, it seems she has never been in this world."

In that year, the Western Regions indeed exhausted all methods of searching for her, including erecting large missing person posters in prominent places in major cities around the world, publishing missing person advertisements in newspapers in various languages, and even producing advertisements to be broadcast on major television stations. He made full use of media resources while also utilizing his private communication network to search for all information related to her

She enjoys eating fish, and when she sees the Sea Dragon King soup, her eyes emit a joyful glow, more dazzling than all the diamonds in the world

We all became tense, and I asked, "Are you saying that bottle can take us back to the past? Back to the beginning when everything had not yet happened?"

Turning a blind eye to the Western Regions, pretending to be deaf

The Western Regions were also drawn by this legend

However, during the investigation, he discovered that she was, to him, incredibly enigmatic. He knew her little quirks, such as her habit of hugging her hands while sleeping and her preference for coffee with nothing added except salt, yet he did not know her full name, nationality, occupation, or contact information. At the time they were together, he believed he loved her as a person, rather than any additional attributes, so he did not pay much attention to these details. However, when she suddenly left, he felt a sense of incompleteness in his heart.

Though the words are polite, the intention to dismiss is quite evident

I sighed: "We do not know where she is now."

I faced him: "We were her friends in the past, we share her history, but now she has left us, and I cannot tell you about her future." I looked at his expression and sighed: "This is also the reason I didn't want to say it earlier; in your current state, let's talk again once you've calmed down."

I suddenly realized why the attitude of the Western Regions was friendly when they first appeared; it was because of a mutual appreciation. That smile during our meeting was perhaps a vote of trust cast in our favor. At the same time, a sense of unease arose within me, as I felt that we had already been placed on the stage, stepping into a trap.

Thus, I narrate, Su Mei supplements, and we recount our past

I feel a bit ashamed: "I apologize, Mr. Xiyu, we were too hasty"

The woman is not only stunningly beautiful, but her charm in conversation also deeply captivates the Western Regions. At the same time, the legendary experiences of the Western Regions unfold before her like a book, turning page by page, leaving her spellbound and utterly fascinated

I covered my forehead with my hand and murmured, "A deception, a deception"

The eyes of the Western Regions gazed directly at Kangbai: "Originally, I had regarded you as friends, but your attitude towards friends has not been very good"

The muscles on the face of the person from the Western Regions trembled gently, and an expression of immense joy appeared in their eyes: "Do you know her name? Do you truly know her? Do you know where she is?"

The person from the Western Regions stared at me intently, yet slowly shook their head: "You are deceiving me, aren't you? Her identity is so mysterious; how could you possibly know her"

Although he was talking about something completely unrelated to the bottle, none of us actually interrupted him or the discussion.

His remarks convinced me that the bottle has a special function

The voice from the Western Regions was deep, and a strand of meticulously tied long hair that was originally secured at the back of the head somehow fell down. On the handsome face, there was both a sense of obsession and sorrow

His demeanor is so affectionate, and the love stories he narrates are quite beautiful, featuring an extraordinary beginning. However, for some reason, he employs the past tense, which gives the impression of a love story filled with regrets

The Western Region remained silent, feeling somewhat unconvinced, only thinking: your pole is not as quick as mine, and women are so authoritarian, lacking any tenderness.

Indeed, the Western Regions said: "When I wished for her to be my bride in June, I lost her"

At that moment, Su Mei gave me a look of sudden realization. I recalled the psychological doubts we had during the auction; could this be the answer? Those tycoons, unable to confirm the function of the precious vase yet tempted by the allure of time reversal, all displayed expressions of skepticism on their faces

The figure from the Western Regions sprang up, his appearance exceedingly ferocious, as if he were a wolf ready to pounce at any moment

It is truly unpleasant to be toyed with at someone else's whim; I am exhausted, sitting aside, unable to refute.

Su Mei snatched it away: "You really are foolish for saying that. She is currently of mysterious identity, but what about her past? Everyone has a past, and A Wu cannot be an exception."

The woman, seeing that he did not respond, raised her voice: "Can't you hear? I said, you."

I am anxious: "In the Western Regions, I believe your words; the person you love is my friend"

He left for no more than thirty minutes, but by the time he returned, she was already gone, leaving behind a light purple note on the neatly folded bedding that read, "So Long"

The woman rolled her eyes and suddenly said, "I was the first to come to this place, so your gains should count as half mine."

Thus, the existence of this mysterious fish has become a puzzle, continuously attracting fishing enthusiasts to this small town for centuries. Most of these anglers set their sights on catching this fish, as landing it is considered the highest honor imaginable for any fishing expert

On that dusk, he arrived at the legendary site known as "Fudi Zhi." By the riverbank, there were already several anglers quietly fishing, surrounded by the incessant chirping of cicadas. Apart from this, the area was enveloped in the kind of oppressive silence characteristic of a hot summer day.

We exchanged a glance, and at this point, everything connected; Daniel is a key figure

Kang Wen asked: "May I ask how you obtained this information"

This fish is named after a small town where anglers often catch trout. It is said that during the season of entry, when it is cut open, it reveals a mass of white flesh, glistening like snow

Tensions are rising in the Western Regions: "How strange?"

A note was taken out from the Western Regions and unfolded for us to see at hetushucom.com

In the midst of various searches that seemed as futile as throwing a stone into the sea, failing to stir even a single ripple, he finally began to doubt whether their encounter ever existed, much like questioning the existence of that mysterious fish known as "Fudi Zhi".

Never has a woman been able to touch the depths of my soul in such a way; none have done so in the past, and none will do so in the future

The story of the Western Regions began in May of last year

To him, it seems that there is only the present, with neither the past nor the future.

When the Western Regions suffer a severe emotional blow, it is somewhat understandable that they would not let go of any hope. However, those wealthy and powerful tycoons, are they not participating in this auction for entirely different reasons

"No" said Xiyu as he found a chair, sat down, and appeared very tired and in need of rest: "Please tell me about Awu's past now; perhaps I can find a trace of her."

Compaq suddenly said: "But that bottle is indeed strange"

I exchanged a glance with Su Mei and noticed that both of our expressions had changed slightly

I spoke calmly and without revealing my emotions: "The email was not sent by us; it was orchestrated by the owners of the bottle. We are merely responsible for the security of the venue"

A shadow flickered before me, and the Western Regions reappeared in my sight. It truly appeared; his movements were as swift as the wind, and his eyes radiated a light of incredulous desire, fixed upon my face: "Gu Qingcheng, I hope you are not deceiving me"

***

When the grasshopper returned, the golden position in his heart had been taken by someone else. Looking at the figure, it seemed to be a woman.

Men in black? We are invigorated.

If such unreasonable words were spoken on a regular day, the people of the Western Regions would surely be outraged. However, in front of this woman in black, for some reason, his temper became exceptionally good. He thought for a moment and said: "We can make it together to the restaurant to share this fish."

The young woman has a pair of enchanting large eyes, a slightly slender face, delicate features, and a slender figure, resembling a little deer, which enhances her beauty

It is still the same meaning, the attitude has become even worse, yet the woman from the Western Regions suddenly no longer feels disgusted. She merely thinks, how can this woman also enjoy fishing? One can see that the neck emerging from the black collar of the woman is as graceful and fair as that of a swan.

The shoulders of the Western Regions sank cleverly, avoiding Kang Bai's hand: "Forget it, I do not want you to feign sympathy while secretly mocking me as a madman. Since you do not believe a single word I say, why should I stay here?"

Someone sent an email to my laptop. Originally, my email address was quite secret, known to only a few people. However, when I saw that the organizer was the Qingcheng Detective Agency, I was not surprised. But, don't you know?

Although in the restaurant he and the others confirmed that the fish was not the legendary one, but rather an unusually shaped trout, their feelings were not bound by time, rapidly developing within the brief span of a meal

I exchanged nods with Su Mei

Su Mei said, "Someone must be using our name to commit fraud"

I may have been a bit presumptuous in my words, and the Western Regions might be somewhat irritated: "I have undergone special training in psychological suggestion. While I am not an expert in hypnosis, I have conducted some research and possess a certain level of resistance. No, I do not believe I was subjected to hypnosis or any form of psychological suggestion at that time"

Su Mei suddenly asked timidly: "May I ask, what is your relationship with her and the bottle?"

The man from the Western Regions did not wish to argue with the woman; despite feeling somewhat reluctant, he still sat down beside her. He placed the grasshopper on the hook, cast the line two yards away, and shook the small bait up and down to attract the trout.

He asked the question that makes us feel the most guilty

Trout, in different countries, exhibits significant variations in size and shape. Experienced anglers are aware that a type known as "Fukudizhi" trout is only produced in Kent, near Canterbury, and is highly regarded as the finest among fish.

Western Region shook his head: "If you have any secrets that you do not wish for me to know, I can walk away, as long as you deliver on time, we can restore the relationship with the merchants". He truly turned and left.

She unexpectedly left me without a word, leaving only a note, with no explanation and no extra words; she simply said goodbye to me like this

The Western Regions suddenly became modest: "I don't know either, because it's just a legendary fish"

I asked: "Are you sure you have not been hypnotized?"

Even her appearance gradually became blurred due to his overwhelming longing, the contours forgotten, leaving only a vague aura. It was at this moment that he realized the significance of a photograph.

The season for trout is in the bright month of May; after this, much like venison, the rivers decline.

I couldn't help but touch my own face, and I couldn't help but wonder if I now also appeared to be somewhat skeptical

Su Mei has already jumped up: "This has nothing to do with us, we are completely unaware."

Yes, he calls himself Daniel and has a large, prominent hooked nose

Be cautious when placing it into the fish bag, yet he caught a glimpse of the fish's belly, which was as white as snow. His heart raced; could it be that he was so fortunate as to catch the legendary fish?

The people of the Western Regions did not notice our expressions, but continued to indulge themselves: "I am convinced that she is the only one for me in this life. I have decided that no matter where she is, I will find her and make her understand my feelings, but..."

He had not yet settled down completely when the woman beside him suddenly said, "Sir, it is not advisable to fish so close; could you please change your position?"