Chapter 69: He Xiao

  I tried asking him a few questions, but he brushed them all off. His reason was that it had nothing to do with me. After thinking about it carefully, I realized that the whole thing didn't have much to do with me anyway.

  The things under Maoer Mountain Reservoir have nothing to do with me, the things in Zhangjiajie have nothing to do with me, my starting point now is just my curiosity.

  I'm getting impatient 'What does it have to do with me'

  He didn't look at me, but instead tapped the tabletop with his index finger. Before long, someone came in from the doorway, carrying two cups of tea, and set them down on the table with a bow, then retreated.

  He picked up one of them, blew it gently and drank slowly. I looked at the teacup in front of me, hesitating whether to drink or not.

  "My name is He Xuan." He put down his teacup on the table and said this out of nowhere.

  What does he mean? Suddenly introducing himself, is he trying to get close to me?

  I subconsciously said a sentence 'My name is Sun Yi' after finishing, I realized that I might have said another stupid thing. He even knows what the store of Marx's family is called, how could he not know my name?

  "Your friend's phone, the blind man's note, and the switched stone slab at the institute were all my doing. The purpose was to get you to come to Hangzhou." It turns out that the stone slab wasn't brought from the tomb, but rather he had tampered with it.

  I won't beat around the bush, I'll just ask directly 'Why go to so much trouble to get me to come to Hangzhou?'

  "Because your current situation is very dangerous, from today on, you must stay here."

  This is totally the tone of a domineering president.

  "You say I'm in danger and I'll be in danger? Do you think anyone with a normal mind, who can think independently, would obediently listen to you and stay here?"

  "You'd better believe what I'm saying"

  I rolled my eyes 'At least say something that can make me believe you, now except your name you haven't said anything'

  "Do you know where Uncle Cheng went?" he said, staring into my eyes.

  He knows Uncle Cheng! What does he mean by this? I seem to have suddenly thought of something.

  "Is that you in the photo?"

  "Cheng Shu is dead." He didn't answer my question and continued to say slowly, "Do you know how he died?"

  I didn't say a word, but I guessed what he meant. He killed Uncle Cheng. I felt a chill down my spine, and even his gaze at me seemed cold as ice, devoid of any emotional color. Suddenly, I began to worry about my own life safety.

  Why do this?

  I just wanted you to know that I've been protecting you all along.

  "Why are you doing this?" I raised my voice. I wasn't asking him why he killed Cheng Shu, I just wanted to know why he was investigating me, why he was following me, and why he brought me here. What's the connection between him and me?

  "What you did on Maoer Mountain was a great help to me. However, because of that matter, you've been targeted by a group of people who want your life. I can't let anything bad happen to you for helping me."

  "It's not because of you, it's for my grandfather. If it were because of this matter, you didn't have to. What I don't understand is what does Mao Er Shan have to do with him? Why did I end up helping him?"

  "It was I who made you do that thing," he said, looking at me as if hinting at something.

  "It's because of my grandfather's... damn it, no way?!"

  "Was it you who wrote that note?" I slammed the table and stood up.

  He nodded.

  I suddenly felt a wave of weakness wash over me, and I leaned back against the chair, no longer caring if there was poison in the tea or not. I picked it up and gulped down several mouthfuls, drinking until I saw the bottom of the cup before finally putting it back down.

  "No, I recognize my grandfather's handwriting. When I was in college, he even sent me a letter with the same font and strokes as this note."

  Imitating someone's handwriting is not difficult

  "So you wrote these notes too?"

  He nodded in agreement.

  No wonder that letter sent me to Mao Er Shan, but there was nothing useful written in the notes, which left me completely in the dark.

  "So now you're still pretending to care about protecting me? If I get killed one day, it's all because of you!"

  "You won't die," he said with a firm gaze.

  "It's precisely because I helped you, you want to repay me?"

  "Not because I like you, but because you're still useful"

  He said that, and I felt much more at ease. I'm not afraid of being taken advantage of by others. What I fear most is that one day I won't even have any value to be exploited. At that time, even if I were to die on the streets, I'm afraid no one would bother to watch. Whoever finds me useful will protect me until my usefulness is exhausted.

  So now I need to figure out where my value lies.

  "Okay, I'll ask you one last question, what is my value after all?"

  He only said this one word: "you".

  "What? What does it mean?" This nonsensical word is like saying nothing at all.

  "One last question," he reminded me slowly.

  I was choked with a mouthful of blood. Don't look at this paralyzed face, lift the pole and stumble.

  "I'll tell you everything you want to know, but not now. Stay in Hangzhou for the next few days and don't go anywhere, wait for my message."

  I hate it when people speak to me in a suppressive tone, probably a leftover from my prolonged adolescence and the rebellious psychology that still lingers. His commanding tone makes me very uncomfortable.

  "What if I leave?"

  He turned around and stood up, walking towards the door 'will die'

  I walked out of the door in a daze and gave Ma Si Zhe a call. The phone rang just next door, and soon I saw Ma Si Zhe walking out from inside. It seemed like there were quite a few people inside, judging by the sounds they should be surrounding some treasure. I guessed that Ma Si Zhe was bored stiff and went to join in on the fun.

  "What did you say?" Ma Si Zhe asked me.

  "He's called He Xiao," I replied blankly. Just now it seemed like I had received too much stimulation, and for a while I couldn't react.

  Then what?

  "It's gone......" After it came out, I realized that apart from saying a name with some information content, he didn't say anything else. I have a feeling of buying fake goods.

  "Is it over? Then what's next, are you going back to Hunan?"

  I was encouraged by these words and hastily shook my head 'No way, can't go back, will die'

  At night, Ma Si Zhe took me to a local bar with a lot of character, decorated in an ancient style. The boss used an abacus for calculations, and the food and wine were served in large bowls, giving off a nostalgic feel. Inside the house, the shouting of the waiters was heard one after another, creating a lively atmosphere.

  I told you you'd enjoy it, where did you find this place?

  "Come here and I guarantee you'll have a blast!"

  As soon as we two entered the door, a shopkeeper-like person came over.

  A towel on the shoulder, a flick 'Two guests please go upstairs' I was influenced by this environment, feeling like an ancient literary and martial artist, brewing wine to discuss swordsmanship, reciting poetry and composing couplets.

  At this moment, two girls should come and support me, one on each side, how beautiful. Marx's words brought me back to reality. Indeed, reality is still so muddy and unbearable.

  "Is there a menu?" I asked the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper pointed at the wall and said, "You can see for yourself, sir."

  I followed his pointing direction and looked over, only to see a row of small wooden plaques the size of palms hanging on the wall. On it were written different wine names, all very poetic.

  "As usual, just order some wine and dishes casually," Ma Si Zhe said to him.

  "I don't eat leeks," I said hastily.

  Ma Si Zhe rubbed his forehead, indicating that Xiao Er could leave first.

  Before long, the man came back with several more dishes. The plates were exquisite and smaller than those in my home.

  Ma Si Zhe poured me a glass of wine and threw a peanut into his mouth, "Tell me about it, what did that person say today?"

  He said his name was He Xuan

  "You told me this, and then what?"

  I put down the bowl. 'He said that the notes and letters I saw at my grandfather's house were all written by him, with the purpose of making me go to Ma'ershan.' It's embarrassing to say, but Ma Si Zhe and I were designed to turn around in circles, thinking we were saviors.

  "How is everyone in your village? What's their relationship with him?"

  "I don't know, he didn't say." Although I haven't been in contact with He Xuan for long, I also know that if it's something he doesn't want to talk about, no matter how you ask him, it's useless.

  I repeated everything He Xuan told me to Ma Si Zhe verbatim, and since there weren't many words to begin with, it was easy to recount.

  Ma Si Zhe's reaction was basically the same as mine, stunned and bewildered upon hearing it.