Chapter 7, An Enticing Business (1)

By now, she finally understands that the main event at this dock was arranged by Cheng Mu Yang

She is situated at the southern border, having never had any concept of the icy, snow-covered northern lands

What kind of enticing business could warrant such seriousness?

Cheng Mu Yang merely smiled, placed his hand on that person's shoulder, and gently patted it.

The meaning is quite clear, young lady, you are indeed too slow

It also added some unreal halos to these twenty-some kneeling individuals

According to his arrangement, only half an hour was left for her to tidy up. When Nanbei returned to the bedroom, he saw an ivory-colored box placed on the bed

Indeed. Cheng Mu Yang smiled innocently like a harmless animal

The rain stopped in the evening without any warning, and the water tank in front of the hall was filled to the brim.

"There are even more interesting people in Harbin," Cheng Mu Yang seemed to intentionally pique her interest, "During the Guangxu era, the Russians built a train station in a certain place, which later came to be known as Harbin. Thus, like old Shanghai, there is a group of highly Russified Chinese people there"

Unfortunately, I cannot tolerate extremely cold places; otherwise, I would definitely meet those people you mentioned

There are three or two middle-aged women, as well as young girls with bright eyes and charming looks, and two small children

Judging by the handwriting and patterns, it appears to be a color woodblock print watermark. It is truly thoughtful, specifically made for invitations, and deliberately crafted using woodblock printing techniques

Cheng Mu Yang noticed her reluctance to part with the scenery and rolled down the car window: "This time, the schedule is very tight. Next time, I will have Auntie take you for a leisurely visit. There are many ancient tombs here, as well as numerous relics from the Spring and Autumn period to the Jin dynasty"

Not only was she watching, but the guests on the surrounding yachts also seemed unwilling to miss such a scene. Some were whispering and discussing, while others were even laughing. Meanwhile, Cheng Mu Yang remained standing by the car; under the lights of the night, his fair skin was even more pronounced. He seemed to sense the attention from the north and south, looking over here, and then gestured to her to come in.

During dinner, the two of them had some appetizers in the courtyard. Cheng Mu Yang insisted that she try the local aged wine. At first, she hesitated, but after tasting it, she gladly filled her own glass. Indeed, the quality of the water is different, worthy of careful consideration.

Then I heard Cheng Mu Yang's voice saying: "You will have to go one day."

At the end of the main corridor, there were surprisingly more than twenty people blindfolded, kneeling on either side of the passage, all facing the water's surface. Beside each person stood an armed individual. She had seen such a scene before, but she did not know who could do this, and why it had to be done today.

Upon entering the private dock area, Cheng Mu Yang finally informed her that they were still within the borders of Zhejiang. They would take a yacht from the dock, and after entering the sea, they would board the cruise ship.

"You and Xiaofeng go ahead and board my yacht first," Cheng Mu Yang said, lowering his head to speak in her ear, his warm breath brushing past softly. "I will come shortly after." For some reason, he seemed to intentionally stay very close to her.

She responded with a sound, indicating her agreement: "If only your grandfather were here, I would have the opportunity to meet the old elite of the Bund in Shanghai." Over the past two days, she had heard two elderly ladies speak a lot about Cheng Mu Yang's grandfather, a banker from old Shanghai, who also opened the first authentic Western restaurant in the city out of interest. And then? In his old age, he still remembered to surprise his young girlfriend with unexpected gifts, giving her a romantic surprise.

On the nearby yachts, or along the paths, many people were watching. They all seemed to have a completely detached expression. She noticed a middle-aged man in an old-fashioned robe on the yacht to her right, who was also watching with great interest. The man's temples were snow-white, while the rest of his hair was black and free of any impurities, making him particularly striking.

As the car gradually came to a stop, someone opened the door for Cheng Mu Yang

The uneven main path made it difficult for her to walk quickly. The young man first walked briskly for a dozen steps, then stopped to wait for her. After repeating this twice, he turned around in frustration and extended his hand to her

In her memory, even the faces of her parents were blurred, so when Cheng Mu Yang spoke about his childhood stories with his grandfather, she listened with particular attentiveness

Zhou Sheng, Shen, Cheng, Nan

Later, I made a special visit to present a gift to the 'little girlfriend' he mentioned, only to find that she was also a woman of seventy years of age

Cheng Mu Yang smiled and glanced at her back, which was partially exposed, the sunburn still quite noticeable

The members of the Nan family do not have long lifespans

Listening to her brother's tone, he did not seem to intend to participate in this matter. But why was there a mention of the Nan family on the invitation? She held the invitation, lightly fanning herself with it, unable to fathom how deep the waters might be this time. However, since Lord Shen had instructed her to accompany Cheng Mu Yang onto the ship, there should not be any major mistakes.

Only three or four people remain kneeling on either side of the main road; the rest must have been directly sunk into the river.

Cheng Mu Yang discerned the implication in her words and gave her a half-smile as he remarked: "Perhaps one should not do anything at all; maybe it is simply about finding someone to talk to, passing the time with some music, and reminiscing about the old days in Shanghai"

"People die for wealth, birds die for food." He deliberately left a suspense, which is indeed very enticing

The most important thing is this last southern part

"It was delivered this morning," he said lightly, "I estimate it is a rumor leaked from Mr. Shen's side. Recently, someone has temporarily remade a set, deliberately adding the Nan family."

She became increasingly curious from what he said, gently tapping his leg with the slender heel of her high-heeled shoe: "I warn you, do not involve me any further. I didn't know who you were before, so I didn't find anything suspicious, but now, recalling the gunfight in Belgium, perhaps I was implicated because of you"

As she held his hand, she deliberately tightened her grip and said, "Thank you"

Given his current appearance, even if something is amiss, it is impossible to ascertain the reason. Nanbei simply gave up and continued to play with the cat. She has very unique tattoos on her middle and ring fingers, which the cat did not understand; it merely stared curiously for a while before extending its tiny pink tongue to gently lick a few times.

He shifted his gaze away from Nanbei, finally leaving the side of the car, and walked behind the person closest to him, slightly crouching down: "Where is Cheng Mu Yun? Hmm?" The person remained silent, motionless in their silence.

Really? She always feels that something is amiss

Only after putting down the chopsticks did Cheng Mu Yang suddenly say that they would embark on the journey tonight

It is truly fascinating

Suddenly, there was the sound of something falling into the water. Then, there were continuous sounds of heavy objects dropping into the water

"Seventy years old?" She pondered for a moment, "For your grandfather, that is still quite young. However, at such an old age, what can they do while dating?"

The middle-aged man was followed by women, all of whom were family members.

Reading line by line, some are familiar while others have never been heard before. However, it is evident that among the four largest surnames, those families that jointly control China's extensive border are included here. Perhaps those that have not been heard of are the rising stars from the inland provinces

Throughout the afternoon, two idle individuals engaged in a multitude of conversations. Were it not for the conspicuous gunshot wound on her body, she might even doubt whether she had truly known this man. This mixed-race man, who leaned back in the high-backed wooden chair while speaking, had eyes that were sometimes piercingly clear and at other times profoundly deep

She watched the incessant rain falling from the old-fashioned eaves, too lazy to respond to his words

Inside the box, an invitation card lies quietly.

She furrowed her brows and remained silent

Her itch was unbearable from the licking, and when she withdrew her hand, she couldn't help but laugh

She thought Cheng Mu Yang would get out of the car at the entrance of the long embankment, but unexpectedly, the 40 Mercedes S600s drove straight in, entering the long embankment from the riverside. Through the car window, she could see more than forty berths in the distance, all occupied by yachts

I had just returned from Belgium, and my grandfather was still alive, though he was already ninety-four years old. He smiled, finding it amusing himself, and one night, he secretly took my hand and asked me to choose a gift for his little girlfriend.

The North and South scoffed: "What happened next?"

Her legs ached from squatting, and as she stood up to stretch her body, she went to look at the curtain of rain in front of the hall

North and South pursed their lips, and in the corner of her eye, she saw Shen Jiaming on the farthest yacht, seemingly smiling at her and waving. Before she could react, the sound of a yacht starting up echoed, and Shen Jiaming's yacht unexpectedly departed from the shore like that

After Cheng Mu Yang got out of the car, he deliberately walked to her side and opened the door for her. She looked up from the car and saw the smile in his eyes, suddenly feeling as if she had returned to her youthful days in Belgium. Every time they took a taxi, he always had the good habit of taking care of every girl.

North and South both murmured softly: "That invitation, have you prepared it for me long ago?"

The unrelenting light shone down on the few remaining individuals, prompting her to think of a term: Judgment Day

The lights on both sides shine brilliantly like stars

"It is my father's family," he corrected her

Upon opening it, I found that the title page was filled entirely with surnames

It is truly ... ...

The lights in the night cast a layer of shimmering glow over the yachts that are quietly anchored.

However, upon hearing Cheng Mu Yang's words, she recalled his family, the Cheng family, which has existed for over a century: "So, has your family existed since then, back when Russia was still called 'Rus'?"

Nanbei just boarded the yacht and did not have time to enter the cabin, yet could not help but look back

Just as she was leaving with the young breeze, the middle-aged man was also speaking to the women behind him. Soon, two women picked up the child and, along with the others, turned and entered the cabin.

The floating dock paved with wooden planks is not very suitable for walking in high heels, so actions like Cheng Mu Yang's provide her with considerable assistance. Once she steadies herself, her field of vision instantly broadens, but she simultaneously notices a strange scene.

She had a faint premonition that this should be related to the 'Shen Family Trip' mentioned by her brother

She picked it up and then realized that this invitation was special

As we departed from Qiandao Lake, it was still dusk, and a thick layer of dense fog floated over the azure waves for hundreds of miles.