Feng Shui - Chapter 23
"Hey, as long as the heart is there, the dream is there, and there is still true love in the world. Look at success and failure, life is heroic, it's just starting over again. Think positively," the feng shui man said, using lyrics to comfort the woman.
"Um... thank you for saving me. Thank you... I will remember your words and will not be so foolish again. Thank you..." The young woman stood up with red eyes and thanked Feng Shui repeatedly.
Without saying anything more, the young woman didn't even ask for the name of the feng shui site before turning around and running away.
"Sigh... there's just no way to deal with young people these days..." Feng Shui said helplessly, watching the woman's retreating figure. Suddenly, he felt a chill and realized that his clothes were completely soaked.
"Be a good person! Be a good person!" Feng Shui looked at his wet clothes and said to himself helplessly.
Standing up, Feng Shui shivered and walked towards the city's neon lights with his arms crossed. At this moment, he was completely awake.
After Feng Shui walked ten meters away, a head emerged from the river, coldly staring at Feng Shui's back. It was none other than the young girl from before.
2004-12-08 14:34:00
Part Two: Cultivation Array
Chapter One: Snow City
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A loud 40-chord ringtone pulled Yu Duotian out of her warm bed. She glanced at the clock; it was just 5:30 in the morning. Still half-asleep, Yu Duotian answered the phone with an extremely annoyed expression.
"Hey! Who is it! In the middle of the night!" Yu Duotian shouted loudly, extremely annoyed.
"Aduo, it's almost six o'clock in the morning, get up and go for your morning exercise!" It was Feng Shui's voice on the other end of the phone.
"Feng shui? You bastard, you've been gone for almost a month, why are you calling now! You don't want to borrow money again, do you!" Yu Duotian said, even more annoyed.
"Disappeared for almost a month? No way, didn't we just have drinks last night?" Feng Shui asked curiously on the other end of the phone.
"Damn it! Are you out of your mind? It's already July!" Yu Duotian said angrily.
"Really? Looks like I'm jet-lagged, and my head is definitely a bit waterlogged, since I just finished swimming, hehe." Feng Shui said helplessly, looking at his wet clothes.
"Where have you been for the past month? Why did you suddenly decide to call me now?" Yu Duotian was somewhat sober. After all, he was her good friend, and she was too embarrassed to talk too much about feng shui. Besides, it had been more than a month since she had heard anything from feng shui. Receiving a call from feng shui at this moment was a comfort to Yu Duotian.
"I'm in Snow City right now, but my head's a bit of a mess. I can't seem to remember anything from before, except for what happened before we had drinks on Valentine's Day last time. I think I've forgotten everything else," Feng Shui said helplessly, tapping his head on the other end of the phone.
"How did you end up in Snow City? Did you lose your memory?" Yu Duotian pulled the blanket tighter around herself and asked curiously.
As Yu Duotian pulled the blanket over herself, she revealed a naked young Dong girl lying next to her, who was very beautiful.
"Who called?" the young girl asked groggily.
"Go to sleep, don't worry about it," Yu Duotian said softly as she turned around and covered the young girl with the blanket.
The young girl fell asleep again.
"Huh? Ado, is there a woman with you?" Feng Shui asked with ill intent after hearing the voice on the other end of the phone.
"Damn! Looks like you really have amnesia. Isn't this my new girlfriend from April? You've met her before!" Yu Duotian said unhappily.
"...It seems I really have amnesia. I don't remember anything since we drank together in February." Feng Shui felt a headache coming on again and said after a moment of silence.
"Come back quickly, let's have a good talk. Are you sick or something? Why did you come all this way?" Yu Duotian said on the other end of the phone.
"Aduo, I want to go back too, but I'm in a pretty bad situation right now. I only had one yuan left, and I used it to call you. Could you come pick me up? It's a quick flight, only a few hours away," Feng Shui said awkwardly.
"You're really unlucky. Wait for me. I'm taking the first flight this morning, and I'll arrive around noon. Pick me up at the airport. Don't wander off. I think you've lost your phone too, and if I can't find you, I won't be responsible for you." Yu Duotian hung up the phone after saying that.
Looking at her watch again, it was almost six o'clock. There was a 7:30 flight to Syracuse. Yu Duotian got out of bed, dressed, and felt that this was the most depressing morning she had ever had.
"Where are you going?" The young girl lying on the bed woke up again and asked Yu Duotian, who was getting dressed, with curiosity.
"Xiao Liu, you go to sleep first. I won't stay with you today. I'm going to pick up Feng Shui. He's in Xuecheng right now and he's penniless. I'm going to bring him back," Yu Duotian said gently.
"Feng Shui? How did he end up in Snow City? I want to go with you." The young girl, known as Xiao Liu, suddenly perked up and said excitedly.
"Okay, then get up quickly. The flight is at 7:30. I'll call the ticket center to book two tickets first," Yu Duotian said helplessly.
Xiao Liu quickly got up, dressed, and ran into the bathroom, looking very happy. No wonder, this was the first time Yu Duotian had taken her to another city; whether it was to pick someone up or to have fun, Xiao Liu felt very excited.
Xiao Liu's real name is Zhou Feiliu, but her nickname is "Guizi Liu" (meaning "Devil Six"). This is because she was very clever and mischievous as a child, so her family called her "Guizi Liu." This nickname isn't very suitable for a girl, but her family is used to it and can't change it.
When Yu Duotian visited Zhou Feiliu's family last time, she heard her family call her by that nickname, so she tried calling her by that nickname as well, but she felt it didn't sound very nice, so she started calling her Xiao Liu.
Xiao Liu and Yu Duotian met about four months after their relationship began, introduced by Fan Dao'ai's cousin. Originally, Fan Dao'ai's cousin intended to introduce Xiao Liu to him, but Fan Dao'ai, out of pride, didn't want to pursue a girlfriend through his cousin's classmate. So, Xiao Liu was "snatched" away by Yu Duotian. Fan Dao'ai still regrets it now, but what's done is done, and there's nothing he can do about it. Therefore, Fan Dao'ai could only accept it with resentment.
As the saying goes, "He who strikes first wins, he who strikes last suffers." It's better to kill a thousand innocent people than let one guilty person go free. When it comes to choosing a girlfriend, you can't be soft-hearted, because opportunities are fleeting.
From the moment Xiao Liu and Yu Duotian met until now, their relationship has progressed at breakneck speed. They were already living together a month ago. However, due to Yu Duotian's busy work schedule, they haven't had the chance to take Xiao Liu on trips to other cities, only enjoying romantic moments at a few major attractions within their city. This time, with the opportunity to go to Snow City, although it's not far, it's still a trip just the two of them, and Xiao Liu is incredibly excited.
2004-12-08 14:35:00
Snow City is located in the southeast of the city where Feng Shui and Yu Duotian live, and the city where they live is called "Ice City".
Located at the forefront of the opening-up along the border, Harbin is situated on the "axis" of the fan-shaped opening-up ports of several border cities in the province. It is a regional central city on the major trade route from Harbin to several foreign countries.
Syracuse is predominantly mountainous and hilly, accounting for 76.2% of the city's total area. The average altitude is 200-230 meters, and it is commonly known as "nine parts mountains and one part farmland".
This area is rich in resources and has dense forests. Tens of thousands of acres of forest cover a vast area, with a forest coverage rate of 68.1%, earning it the nickname "Sea of Forests." Furthermore, the city is rich in mineral resources, possessing nearly a hundred types of mineral deposits with abundant reserves.
The area is also exceptionally rich in water resources, with three major river systems within its borders.
Syracuse's beautiful scenery and pleasant climate fully showcase its unique charm, with lakes, forest parks, and underground forests of volcanoes dotting the landscape. In addition, there are many famous ski resorts in the province surrounding Syracuse. Syracuse's lake tours, snow and ice tours, and forest tours, which feature lakes, forests, and snow, attract more than a million domestic and foreign tourists every year.
At 11:35 a.m. local time, Yu Duotian, arm in arm with her girlfriend Xiao Liu, who was dressed to the nines, appeared at the exit of Syracuse Airport. From afar, Yu Duotian saw Feng Shui, dressed in rags, with disheveled hair and a dirty face, holding a large piece of yellowed cardboard box with the words "Yu Duotian" written on it, waiting for them there.
Yu Duotian's face darkened. She never expected that Feng Shui would do such a foolish thing, actually writing his name on a broken cardboard box. It was truly shameful.
"Aduo, look, the feng shui is over there." Xiao Liu had met the feng shui once before and saw it in the distance. He happily said to Duo Tian.
"That bastard, he must have lost his mind, doing something so stupid," Yu Duotian said unhappily.
"Hehe, I don't think so. It's very unconventional and creative," Xiao Liu said, offering a different perspective on aesthetics.
“It would be more creative if you wrote your name on the cardboard box,” Yu Duotian said unhappily.
"Hehe, just kidding." Xiao Liu nestled against Yu Duotian's shoulder gently and said.
"Hey! Hey! Aduo, Aduo, over here, over here." Feng Shui had already spotted Yu Duotian and greeted her enthusiastically.
The people waiting to pick up Feng Shui all covered their noses and stepped aside upon seeing his current state. Yu Duotian, however, pretended not to see Feng Shui and hurried towards the exit of the airport terminal. But Xiao Liu waved enthusiastically to Feng Shui, her expression quite bright. Feng Shui was somewhat helpless, because he knew why Yu Duotian ignored him—it was because of the rather unseemly sign he was holding that read "Yu Duotian." But there was nothing he could do; he had picked up the large cardboard from a trash can that morning and written those words on a discarded carbon rod.
He was worried that with so many people at the airport, Yu Duotian might not be able to see him and could get lost. The city is so big, finding someone would be a huge hassle. So, Feng Shui had no choice but to resort to this less-than-ideal solution.
With his head drooping, Feng Shui walked towards Yu Duotian and Xiao Liu, who were already outside the airport terminal. As soon as he stepped out of the terminal, Yu Duotian playfully kicked Feng Shui in the butt.
"You idiot, now the whole world knows me!" Yu Duotian said angrily.
"I didn't want to either, but I was afraid you wouldn't see me and I'd get lost!" Feng Shui said, feeling wronged.
"I give up. How did you manage to make such a mess of things? You're lucky the airport security didn't kick you out." Yu Duotian, after all, was one of Feng Shui's best friends, and wasn't really angry. She patted Feng Shui on the shoulder and asked calmly.
"What luck? I've been kicked out so many times, and I always sneak back in when they're not looking. Anyway, let's not talk about this now. Let's find a place to take a shower and have some food, and then I'll tell you all about it," Feng Shui said helplessly.
"You're lucky, kid!" Yu Duotian patted Feng Shui on the shoulder and said with a helpless bitter smile.
Wangxue Hotel, a suite in a three-star hotel in Snow City.
Feng Shui had already washed up, and it turned out that his hair had grown quite a bit during this time, reaching just over his shoulders. However, Feng Shui tied the hair at the back of his head with a hair tie, leaving the hair on his forehead and the sides of his ears to fall naturally, giving him a unique look.
Wearing a white bathrobe, Feng Shui was eating the lunch that Yu Duotian had ordered for him with gusto.
Yu Duotian sat opposite the feng shui master, carefully examining the feng shui, while Xiao Liu watched TV on the side.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Am I dressed too revealingly?" Feng Shui asked Yu Duotian, who was staring at him, while eating.
“Even if you were naked, I wouldn’t be interested in you! I just haven’t seen you for over a month and I’ve noticed you’ve changed a lot lately. You’re much stronger and more handsome than before,” Yu Duotian said slowly, lighting a cigarette.
"Really? I am indeed much stronger than before. Look here, look here, look here." Feng Shui, with a chicken leg in his mouth, took off his bathrobe and began to show off his well-developed chest, abs, and biceps.
"Forget it, didn't you see there are girls here? Hurry up and get dressed. We're not here to do an ad for Mite Stop!" Yu Duotian flicked her cigarette ash and continued, "Where have you been for the past month? What about your girlfriend who's a doctor? Why isn't she with you? What happened to you?"
“I can’t remember anything right now. I suddenly found myself here last night, and my head was throbbing and all jumbled up. I felt like I’d been drinking too much and hadn’t slept well. Then I rescued an ungrateful young girl by the river. Later, I realized my phone, wallet, and ID were all gone, and I only had one yuan left, so I called you,” Feng Shui said while eating.
"That's outrageous! Are you possessed by a ghost? And you've lost your memory? I'm speechless." Yu Duotian said in disbelief.
"He's not possessed by a ghost. He was probably dumped by his girlfriend and couldn't handle the blow, so he's temporarily forcing himself to forget this painful memory. In psychology, this is called 'temporary self-consciousness closure syndrome,' or 'apathy syndrome,' but his symptoms are just more severe!" Xiao Liu interjected from the side.
"No way, even if you're heartbroken, you don't have to be this miserable, right? And it's impossible for it to happen in this city, is it?" Yu Duotian asked in surprise.
2004-12-08 14:36:00
"Maybe Feng Shui and his ex-girlfriend came to this city for fun, just like us. Later, for some reason, they had a fight, and Feng Shui got dumped. He couldn't take the blow and wanted to commit suicide by jumping into the river. But he ended up saving a girl who was also trying to commit suicide. Instead of being grateful, the girl stole his money, phone, and other items. Doesn't that make sense?" Xiao Liu analyzed in detail from the side.
"Impressive! I can't even figure this out myself, yet you've explained it so clearly. May I ask your name, beautiful lady?" Feng Shui was impressed by Xiao Liu's analytical theory.
"No, no, I'm a third-year biopsychology student at the medical university. My name is Zhou Feiliu, but everyone calls me 'Guizi Liu'. You can call me Xiao Liu, just like A Duo does," Xiao Liu introduced herself.
"So it's Miss 'Guizi Liu', no wonder, no wonder, impressive, impressive." Feng Shui said, whether unintentionally or intentionally, to provoke Xiao Liu.
Xiao Liu rolled her eyes at Feng Shui and ignored him, watching TV by herself. Yu Duotian covered her mouth and laughed, because Xiao Liu's nickname "Guizi Liu" was only for her parents and relatives, but Feng Shui called her that, and it was very sarcastic.
"Alright, Feng Shui just broke up with his girlfriend and is still in pain. Xiao Liu, don't upset him anymore. It's not easy for him to come to Snow City, so let's go to some of the famous attractions here later to relax and have some fun. Come on, Xiao Liu, don't be angry anymore, let your brother give you a hug," Yu Duotian said, trying to smooth things over.
Xiao Liu made a face at the feng shui, stuck out his tongue, stood up, and happily jumped into Yu Duotian's arms.
"So cheesy!" Feng Shui muttered dismissively.
※ ※ ※
Within the borders of Snow City lies a lake that shines like a dazzling pearl on the verdant landscape. The lake covers nearly 100 square kilometers, with an average depth of 40 meters and a maximum depth of over 70 meters. It stretches 45 kilometers in length and reaches a maximum width of 9 kilometers. The lake is a tapestry of mountains and water, with winding paths leading to secluded spots. The mountains are verdant in the water, and the water is azure in the mountains; the mountains rise from the water, and the water is born from the mountains. The mountains and water are intertwined, creating a picturesque scene. The eight scenic spots within the lake, in particular, are breathtakingly beautiful and enchanting, captivating visitors and bringing them joy and tranquility.
"A lake on the mountain, water on the mountain; the scenery of the North surpasses that of the South."
"Wow! I didn't expect this place to be so beautiful. I should have brought Xiao Liu here to play a long time ago. Feng Shui is so romantic, actually bringing his girlfriend here, but he got dumped, hehe." Yu Duotian held Xiao Liu's hand, looking at the beautiful lake in front of her, feeling refreshed and relaxed, but she still couldn't forget to "avenge" her girlfriend, teasing Feng Shui a few times.
Feng Shui could only accept it helplessly, because the clothes he was wearing were bought with money from Yu Duotian, and he depended on Yu Duotian for food, lodging, and transportation. As the saying goes, "He who eats another's food is bound to do his bidding." So, Feng Shui could only accept it and pretend not to hear them no matter how they provoked him.
"Aduo, look at that mountain in the lake, it's so tall and beautiful! Let's take a boat there and have a look!" Xiao Liu pointed to a verdant mountain in the depths of the lake and excitedly pulled Yu Duotian's hand.
"OK, TAXI!" Yu Duotian waved to the boats on the lake.
"What a show-off. This isn't even in the city, yet they're calling a taxi," Feng Shui muttered to himself.
"Hmph...!" Xiao Liu rolled her eyes at Feng Shui and gave a stingy snort.
Yu Duotian, Xiao Liu, and Feng Shui boarded a small motorboat. Xiao Liu asked the boatman not to go too fast because she wanted to play in the water. Xiao Liu was very excited because it was her first time visiting Snow City. Although she had traveled to coastal cities before, this was her first time visiting an inland lake.
Looking at the quiet mountains by the lake, the emerald green water, and the small villas nestled among the lush greenery, it was so peaceful and elegant. The calm water, like a mirror, shimmered with light. The verdant islands dotting the lake reflected the "Lake Villas" on the shore, creating a picturesque scene of green mountains and water, like a fairyland.
Xiao Liu lay on the bow of the boat, excitedly splashing in the emerald green lake water like a child. Yu Duotian sat beside Xiao Liu, holding her waist to prevent her from falling in. She looked tenderly at her innocent and adorable girlfriend, her heart filled with happiness. Feng Shui, however, was not so preoccupied. He sat silently in the middle of the boat, lost in thought, pretending to be deep in thought.
Suddenly, Yu Duotian felt Xiao Liu's body sink in her hands. Before she could even call out, Xiao Liu had fallen into the lake and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
"Little Six...!" Yu Duotian exclaimed in surprise.