Even though a thunderstorm had just passed in the sultry summer, it still didn't provide any feeling of coolness. The rolling heat waved on the ground, making people feel as if they were in a steaming furnace.
As one of the busiest places, the train station would not have less traffic even on sweltering days; there were always a significant number of people who had to travel.
"Yanjing, I've finally arrived."
Zhang Xian squeezed out of the train station, exhaled the stifling breath that had been in his chest, and headed out.
"Kid, where are you going? Need a taxi?"
"Sir, over here. A motorbike taxi is cheaper and saves time."
Outside of the scorching train station, many cab drivers braved the high sun, cheerfully reaching out to newcomers and offering them rides.
"Driver, take me to Jinxiu Garden."
Zhang Xian headed towards the taxi stand, climbed into the passenger seat of a taxi, and said, "Try to get there as fast as possible, I'm in a hurry."
"No problem!" the driver responded, stepped on the gas, and the taxi sped off.
Zhang Xian leaned back in his seat, gazing out of the window, watching the scenery flit by. A smile traced the corners of his lips and lingered, hinting at a myriad of unspoken thoughts.
The last time he came to Yanjing was about ten years ago, when he was just thirteen years old. In this beautiful city, under the guidance of his teacher, he waved goodbye to his bachelorhood and gained a wife.
That year, his wife was about fifteen, a cute little lass. After ten years had passed, he had no idea what the young princess had grown up to look like.
He was somewhat expectant and also somewhat worried, a sudden concern arose without reason.
Before heading down the mountain, his teacher patted his shoulder thoughtfully, "Little Xian Xian, you grew up in the deep mountains with little contact to the outside world. I'm afraid you might get taken advantage of. I heard your wife is referred to as the first beauty in Yanjing and is a very dominant woman. You have to tread lightly and act accordingly. If you can't handle it, don't tell anyone you're my student."
Thinking of these words, the smile on Zhang Xian's face gradually faded away, revealing a rarely seen shyness, just like a young bride on her wedding day.
His wife was actually the number one beauty of Yanjing, and a dominant woman on top of that, the pressure was as massive as a basketball!
"Sir, this is Jinxiu Garden." Soon, the taxi stopped in front of the gate of a high-end residential complex.
Zhang Xian paid the fare, mumbled his thanks, got out of the cab, then proceeded to examine the neighborhood, which was of artistic style, modern, but still showed tinges of antiquity.
The combination of modern architectural style with classical decoration was unique. This neighborhood perfectly fused the aesthetics of both the modern and the classical.
At the entrance, four security guards stood on a raised platform, straight like javelins, displaying the professional demeanor expected of security of such a high-class residential complex.
In the security booth, several security guards were chatting leisurely while their glances swept over Zhang Xian, who was looking around curiously. Their instinct told them that this man might be trouble.
There was no going around it, in the current metropolis, Zhang Xian's outfit could not be described simply as unconventional or ragged. He wore a faded white shirt, old-fashioned black pants that were shorter than standard length, and athletic shoes with mud stains on them. Attire like this had long gone extinct in the city, even in rural areas it would be considered outdated. How could the security guards not be suspicious?
Zhang Xian was oblivious to the security guards labeling him a person of interest. He drew up a smile and began to walk into the complex.
"Uh, what are you doing?" A security guard stopped Zhang Xian.
"I'm here to find someone, my wife," Zhang Xian said with a smile.
"Looking for your wife?" The guard sized Zhang Xian up and down, finding it hard to believe that the man in front of him was speaking the truth. Would a man like this have a wife living in Jinxiu Garden?
There are certainly plenty of high-end residential neighborhoods in Yanjing, but Jinxiu Garden was undoubtedly one of the best. People who inhabit such places were either wealthy or of high rank.
A wife who lives in a high-end neighborhood but a husband who dresses like a beggar, such a plot doesn't even appear in drama films. Could this man be lost, losing sight of his own direction?
He did not make things difficult for Zhang Xian. Instead, demonstrating the basic professionalism of being a security guard, he politely asked, "Sir, are you sure your wife resides here in Jinxiu Garden?"
"Yes, her name is Mo Shaoyun. Does that ring a bell?" Zhang Xian nodded confidently.
"Cough, cough... Oh, my goodness!" The security guard's eyes almost popped out, and he choked on his breath so hard he had to cover his mouth and cough violently.
Who was Mo Shaoyun? How many people in Yanjing didn't know who Mo Shaoyun was? This shabbily dressed man in front of him, whose only redeeming quality appeared to be his good looks, was claiming to be the husband of Yanjing's first beauty, Mo Shaoyun?
"I need to go in." Zhang Xian said, looking at the guard.
"I'm sorry, sir, our neighborhood is quite special. Ordinary people are not permitted to enter unless they're granted permission by the property owner, or can show proof of their identity." The security guard looked Zhang Xian up and down again, his eyes twinkling as he asked, "By the way, do you have a cellphone? If not, I can make a call for you. Just give me Mo Shaoyun's number."
"I don't have her cellphone number," Zhang Xian said, furrowing his brows and shaking his head.
Before he left his mountain home, his teacher had only given him an address and instructed him to look for Mo Shaoyun directly here. Zhang Xian was not certain if this was a test or whether the old man did not have Mo Shaoyun's number either.
"Hmm..." The security guard, disappointed, shook his head and said, "I'm sorry but under these circumstances, I cannot let you in."
"How can you not let me in? I am here to find someone. How can you keep me waiting outside?" Zhang Xian complained, "If you're not reassured, you can follow me. After you have confirmation, you can then leave."
"That's against the rules." The security guard shook his head, "You keep saying you're looking for someone, but you can't provide any proof of your relationship. If you truly know someone here, you should at least have their contact information, right?"
"But I don't have it," Zhang Xian said, frustrated.
"Then isn't it reasonable to suspect that you don't actually know Mo Shaoyun at all?" The security guard frowned, "You should know, Mo Shaoyun is quite famous here in Yanjing. Few people don't know her."
"Is my wife really that famous?" Zhang Xian's heart fluttered anxiously.
"Cough, cough..." The security guard struggled to look at Zhang Xian, feeling an urge to run his head into a wall.
He had always suspected that Zhang Xian's presence was suspicious. He also didn't believe that Mo Shaoyun could possibly be married to someone like Zhang Xian. Now that he knew Zhang Xian didn't even know much about his so-called wife, he didn't know what to say.
It seemed Zhang Xian's knowledge about Mo Shaoyun was even more limited than that of a security guard. Could someone like this truly be Mo Shaoyun's husband?
"Hey! Everyone's waiting for you lot! What's all this chit-chat? You, dork." Another security guard walked out and looked at Zhang Xian with disdain, "You dare to impersonate as Mo Shaoyun's husband? Do you even know who Mo Shaoyun is? Do you know what she represents in Yanjing? You think a goddess-like existence like Mo Shaoyun is someone you can just frivolously claim to be married to? If you know what's good for you, then scram as far as you can."