Part 1: Reaction of Qiàn Lì
The evening at the Bái Yuán Shēng Hù Zhě Shāngdiàn was unusually quiet. The grand hall, which often buzzed with the footsteps of customers and the chatter of merchants, was now tranquil. Qiàn Lì, the branch manager, sat at her desk under the dim glow of an ornate lamp. Her mind lingered on the store's bustling day, the endless transactions, and the peculiar boy she overheard being discussed repeatedly—a boy with an unusual talent.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a faint knock on the door. She frowned; visitors at this hour were rare. Rising cautiously, she opened the door to find a man clad entirely in black, his face partially concealed except for sharp, observant eyes.
"Madam Qiàn Lì," he said, his voice deep and calm, but with an edge of authority.
Qiàn Lì stiffened instinctively. "Who are you?" she asked, keeping her tone steady despite the unease rising in her chest.
The man stepped inside without waiting for an invitation, placing a sealed letter on her desk. "I bring a message from Grandmaster Hóng Zǔjūn," he announced.
The name struck like a gong in her mind. Qiàn Lì's breath hitched, and she hesitated before speaking. "The Grandmaster? Father?" she repeated. "But why... why would Father contact me?"
Hóng Liáng, the man in black, took a step closer. "This concerns our newly discovered young master, Hóng Hǎiyáng, your first sister's lost son."
The name was a shock to her system. "Hóng Hǎiyáng?" she murmured, her eyes narrowing as she searched her memory. "Are you certain? That name doesn't sound... familiar."
Hóng Liáng's eyes softened slightly, as if understanding her confusion. "He was once known as Xiǎo Hǎiyáng," he explained, "after his father's family. However, after being cast out, he chose to adopt his late mother's name—Hóng."
The words left Qiàn Lì reeling. Memories surfaced of the boy students often gossiped about, a boy who seemed to have an unusual SSS beast. "Could it really be him?" she whispered, more to herself than anyone else.
Her elder, Hóng Wēnshì, entered the room as Qiàn Lì processed the revelation. His presence, as always, was steady and commanding. "What is it?" he asked, his eyes flicking between Qiàn Lì and the man in black.
"Hóng Hǎiyáng," Qiàn Lì said, her voice quivering with disbelief. "Elder, do you remember hearing that name?"
Hóng Liáng's eyes softened slightly, as if understanding her confusion. "He was once known as Xiǎo Hǎiyáng," he explained, "after his father's family. However, after being cast out, he chose to adopt his late mother's name—Hóng."
The words left Qiàn Lì reeling. Memories surfaced of the boy students often gossiped about, a boy who seemed to have an unusual SSS beast. "Could it really be him?" she whispered, more to herself than anyone else.
Her elder, Hóng Wēnshì, entered the room as Qiàn Lì processed the revelation. His presence, as always, was steady and commanding. "What is it?" he asked, his eyes flicking between Qiàn Lì and the man in black.
"Hóng Hǎiyáng," Qiàn Lì said, her voice quivering with disbelief. "Elder, do you remember hearing that name?"
"Agreed," Hóng Wēnshì replied, his voice steady. "But we must tread carefully. If he truly is one of us, the implications are vast."
The Encounter at the Store
The next morning, Qiàn Lì prepared herself for the meeting with Hóng Hǎiyáng. She instructed her staff to handle the store in her absence and was about to leave when Měilì, the receptionist, approached her.
"Madam Qiàn Lì," Měilì began nervously. "There's a boy here—he's been here before. You might want to see him."
Qiàn Lì paused, a flicker of curiosity crossing her face. "What boy?"
"The one who can talk to beasts," Měilì replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
The words sent a jolt through Qiàn Lì. "Where is he now?" she demanded.
Měilì gestured toward the store's main hall, but Qiàn Lì hesitated. Her priority was to meet Hóng Hǎiyáng at his residence, and she didn't have time for distractions.
"Zhào Gang," she called to the head of security. "Handle this matter. Service that boy very well. Make a good impression to him."
Zhào Gang nodded, his expression serious, and strode off to provide the best smile he has.
Meanwhile,
Qiàn Lì departed for Hóng Hǎiyáng's residence with a sense of urgency weighing heavily on her chest. Her thoughts raced as she envisioned the moment she would meet this boy who had stirred such a whirlwind of revelations. The streets of Snow Water City buzzed with the chatter of merchants closing their shops for the day, but Qiàn Lì barely noticed the lively surroundings. Her mind was fixed entirely on the task at hand.
As she approached the modest two-story home, her pulse quickened. The light filtering through the windows hinted at activity within, but as she knocked and waited, there was no response.
She circled the house, calling out Hóng Hǎiyáng's name, but all she was met with was the faint rustling of leaves and the distant hum of the evening breeze. The house, though well-kept, seemed lifeless.
She peered through one of the ground-floor windows and spotted a neatly arranged set of medical supplies—evidence of the boy's dedication to his work at the hospital. Yet, there was no sign of its owner. A pang of disappointment settled in her chest. After all the revelations of the previous night, the thought of meeting the young master face-to-face had ignited a spark of determination within her. To find the house empty was a setback she had not anticipated.
Her frustration gnawed at her as she made her way back to the store. Each step felt heavier than the last, her mind clouded with questions. Where could he have gone? Was he avoiding us deliberately? Does he even know about his connection to the Hóng family? The swirling uncertainty made her sigh audibly, drawing curious glances from passersby. By the time she reached the Bái Yuán Shēng Hù Zhě Shāngdiàn, the sun had dipped below the horizon, casting the city in a dim, ethereal glow.
As the store closed for the day, Qiàn Lì called a meeting with her staff, including Měilì and Zhào Gang.
"Well?" she asked Zhào Gang impatiently. "Did you confirm whether the boy can talk to beasts?"
Zhào Gang shifted uncomfortably. "No, Madam. I wasn't instructed to verify that specifically."
Qiàn Lì's temper flared. "You incompetent fool!" she snapped, slamming her hand on the desk.
Měilì, sensing the tension, timidly stepped forward. "Madam Qiàn Lì," she stammered, "I had him fill out the guest form and provided a copy of his ID."
Qiàn Lì snatched the documents from Měilì's trembling hands. As her eyes scanned the information, her expression shifted from irritation to shock, then to uncontrollable laughter.
"What is it?" Hóng Wēnshì asked, stepping closer.
Qiàn Lì held up the papers, her laughter echoing through the room. "Uncle," she said between breaths, "you won't believe this. The boy we're looking for—the young master, my nephew,—is the same boy who came to the store today! The same boy we were looking for many times"
Hóng Wēnshì took the documents, his face paling as he read the name: Hóng Hǎiyáng.
"The boy who can talk to beasts?" he murmured, his voice barely audible.
Qiàn Lì nodded, her laughter subsiding into a wide grin. "It's him, Uncle. My nephew, my older sister' lost son, has been right under our noses all along.". Her tears suddenly drop into her beautiful cheek. Finally, she rest assure. The main task assigned to her by their father, the grandmaster, is already completed. "Sister, you rest assure out there. I will take care my nephew very well!"
The weight of the revelation silenced the room. Hóng Wēnshì finally spoke, his old voice trembling with awe. "This changes everything," he said. "The boy who can talk to beasts... is also the heir to the Hóng legacy. The once lost treasure now has returned"
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