Chapter 446: A Chance Encounter
Tang Xiu then received a phone call from Zhang Xinya. The phone call was ten minutes long. Appointing the time and place to encounter, they soon met on the concrete road near the grove inside the campus.
âHey, idol!â Zhang Xinya called out and looked at Tang Xiu with a smile hanging on her mouth, her eye sparkling.
âAre you joking me? How did I become your idol?â Tang Xiu couldnât help laughing.
âWell, your zither play and song are certainly unprecedented until now. Itâs simply unmatched.â Zhang Xinya said with a smile, âThough I had some idols before, the feelings I have toward them are not as strong as my admiration for you. Anyways, can you teach me how to play the zither if you have some spare time later?â
âWell, we can discuss it later.â Tang Xiu said, âSo, where are we going now?â
âI have booked a place in the Purple Aromatic Garden. Letâs have supper there and then go shopping. How about it?â Zhang Xinya said.
At this time, Tang Xiu felt somewhat vexed inside. He actually had no opinion after hearing Zhang Xinyaâs suggestion. Maybe his mood would turn for the better after having a bite, shopping and strolling around.
Because Zhang Xinya didnât drove her car, she was wearing a mask and a pair of black-rimmed glasses to disguise herself. Then, she asked, âDo you have a car?â
While pointing at the Land Rover, Tang Xiu forced a smile and said, âMy carâs keys were taken by my classmate. Letâs just walk for a while and then call a taxi!â
After hesitating for a moment, Zhang Xinya then nodded and said, âOkay! But the place I picked is a bit far from here. You might not be able to come back here tonight.â
âItâs all right. I still have a house off-campus.â Tang Xiu said.
âShouldnât you be a freshman this year?â Zhang Xinya was surprised. âYou donât have a problem living inside the campus, do you?â
âItâs nothing, really.â Tang Xiu said. âI usually live inside the campus. But I stay outside if I have something to do, either Saturday or Sunday.â
Nobody recognized Zhang Xinya as the duo walked under the dim street lights. Quickly, the duo caught a taxi and rushed toward the Purple Aromatic Garden.
The Purple Aromatic Garden was located in Shanghaiâs outskirts. The place encompassed a very large area. There was a great surging river running through the Purple Aromatic Garden going straight to the vast sea. When the taxi drove over the bridge and came to the classical style building in the sea of lights, Zhang Xinya then hurriedly paid the fare, as they both got off and walked to one of the classic pavilions.
âThis place is really nice.â Tang Xiu glanced around and praised.
âWell, the Purple Aromatic Garden is considered as an outdoor restaurant. If you have to rank it, it can definitely enter the top three. However, they only accept members here, so thereâs no way one can come to patron this place without becoming a member first.â Zhang Xinya said with a smile.
âIf so, youâre a member here, yes?â Tang Xiu chuckled.
âYup, when the Purple Aromatic Garden first opened for business I was invited to cut the ribbon.â Zhang Xinya laughed and said, âThus, itâs only natural that they gave me a Diamond Card. In fact, for one to dine here, itâs actually divided into various grades and ranks. Each membership card has different grades, and its holder is treated differently. There are also great disparities and differences in the menu list.â
âWhat are the grades, exactly?â Tang Xiu was amazed.
âThe membership card is divided into four different types. The lowest one being the Silver Card, you can apply for it after spending 100-thousand-yuan deposit for the card,â Zhang Xinya said with a smile. âThen, from low to high are: the Golden Card, the Diamond Card and the Kaiser Card. According to the owner, the patron who wants the Golden Card must spend 1-million-yuan in accumulation; 10-million-yuan accumulation for the Diamond Card; and at least 100-million-yuan accumulation for the Kaiser Card. Hence, only the riches and powerful can have a Golden Card. Yet, it is said that a holder of the Kaiser Card have not appeared yet.â
âSo, in order to dine here one must become a member first, and the first time one must spend here is up to 100 thousand yuan.â Tang Xiu said with a smile, âThis is way too difficult, I think. No wonder no one has ever gotten a Kaiser Card so far. Actually, I myself think that paying a deposit of 10 million yuan is a bit unrealistic in itself.â
âYouâre mistaken, Tang Xiu.â Zhang Xinya shook her head. âAs far as I know, the number of patrons who hold Diamond Cards have exceeded 100.â
âMore than 100? Are you kidding me?â Tang Xiu was amazed. âCould it be that they donât take money seriously? How many times do they have to spend and dine here until they are able to spend 10 million yuan?â
âWell, youâre thinking in the wrong way.â Zhang Xinya smiled tenderly. âThere are many listed companies holding annual events every year, and they pick this place to hold their events. Thus, one event would result in hundreds of thousands and even millions of yuan. Sometimes, itâs even possible for one event to reach millions of yuan in consumptions.â
Tang Xiu suddenly understood, âNo matter what, itâs not worth dining here with such high-level membership card if you ask me. Nevertheless, different people have different outlooks and philosophies toward life, to begin with. To me, itâs not worth it, but perhaps to them, it is quite valuable! Anyways, letâs go. Iâm kind of profiting from you, and I also want to have a glimpse of what level of high-class treatment a Diamond Card holder has.â
âAh, it seems like you want to make me bleed tonight!â Zhang Xinya smiled.
Tang Xiu showed a faint smile in response. Just as he was about to stride inside, his mobile phone rang. After he took it out and saw the caller, his brows slightly furrowed.
âWhoâs calling? Are you not going to answer it?â
Zhang Xinya, standing next to Tang Xiu, was able to see his frowning and hesitant expression and quickly asked.
âPlease wait for a while. Iâll pick up this call first.â Tang Xiu shook his head and answered.
Having said that, he turned around and walked outside. After walking outside, he then pressed the answer button and said, âIs there something you need?â
From the cell phone, Han Qingwuâs weary voice came out, âTang Xiu, you⊠you played well.â
âI know!â Tang Xiu said lightly.
Han Qingwu was silent for a moment before speaking, âTang Xiu, the âFairy Dreamâ you played and sang ⊠I feel like itâs very familiar. But Iâm sure that Iâve never heard it before. Also, after listening to your play and singing, I⊠I fell into a certain state.â
âWhat state?â Tang Xiu frowned.
âThere are some fuzzy, strange pictures in my mind.â Han Qingwu said, âThey are like the scenes from Xianxia movies. People able to control and fly with swords; some others able to produce clouds and rain and change it to another with the flip of their hands; and some engaging in combat and fighting at close quarters. But in short⊠ I seem to know those people, yet I donât know them either. I seem to be familiar with those scenes, yet they also feel bizarre to me. Tell me, whatâs going on with me?â
Tang Xiuâs body shook, as a light burst in his eyes. He then said in a deep and heavy voice, âApart from those, is there anything else? For example, is there someone you feel important in those pictures, or is there anything in those pictures that are important to you?â
Han Qingwu hesitated for a moment before she replied, âYes. But I canât see what the person looks like. The person was like a shadow amidst the flashes of lightning and the rumbling thunders. A-and⊠the woman there, she looks very much like me. Yet she looks like she was in deep pain, despairing and hopeless. She wasnât willing to do it, but she still forced to do something. That was, to assault the person amidst the flashes of lightning and rumbling thunder.â
Through Han Qingwuâs description, Tang Xiu understood that he had triggered her past incarnationâs memory by playing âFairy Dreamâ. Moreover, what she said about the person who she couldnât see clearly, that very person amidst the flashing lightning and thunder, who might be himself.
âWhat do you think of when you recall it?â
âI canât seem to recall any of it.â Han Qingwu said, âThe more I think about it, the more I feel like my head is going to crack. I donât know whatâs going on. It seems⊠there is a voice in my heart thatâs telling me not to recall it.â
Sighing inside, Tang Xiu lightly said, âI know. I hope you can think about it clearly. When youâve fully remembered it, we should be able to solve some things as well.â
"What?" Han Qingwu was confused.
His complexion turning cold, Tang Xiu indifferently said, âItâs nothing. If thereâs nothing else, Iâll hang up first.â
Having said that, he pressed the end-call button and put the mobile phone away. There was a complex look on his face. He felt somewhat guilty regarding the state Han Qingwu was in. After all, for a past incarnationâs memories to appear again in this lifetime, it was a probability that was very difficult to happen in one of hundreds of billions of people. Even the immortals in the Immortal World, regardless of being strong or weak, one couldnât see their previous incarnationâs memories so clearly.
Unless! That person had reached Godhood!
But then again, that probability was one in a billion.
Tang Xiu took a deep breath as he drove away those distracting thoughts. Although he did care about whether Han Qingwu could restore all the memories of her past incarnation, since she only got fragments, it proved that it was not yet the time to solve the problems with her.
Since the time had not yet arrived, he didnât want to worry about the troubles of his own thoughts untimely.
âIs it done? Anyhow, I made a lot of jokes and finally made you feel better. But how did your mood turn like it was like falling deep into the valley after you got the call? Tell me, who has made you unhappy? Iâll go smack her.â Seeing Tang Xiu come back with a cold and detached expression, Zhang Xinya immediately commented with a forced smile.
âIâm sorry about that. But Iâm fine now.â Tang Xiu smiled faintly. âSince Iâve agreed to come out with you, I should put the other problems away then. Besides, I have a beautiful belle treating me tonight, so I gotta make sure to make her bleed as well.â
âWell, if you eat so much that you make me destitute, it will be your turn to support me in the future.â Zhang Xinya smiled.
Tang Xiu revealed a faint smile in response. Just as he was about to enter the front door, he heard some familiar voices.
âOld Jin, I told you that you donât need to impress the others anymore. Iâve really found a good project now. If we can handle this IP network well, we can definitely earn a lot of money. Besides, my companyâs technical team has already built the best applications in China. In due course, weâll focus our resources on promoting the platform, and weâll definitely be bursting with popularity.â
âBrother Gu, I also know that the popular IP is very flourishing now. But the key point is that I know nothing about it. You canât abruptly tell me to invest in something Iâm unsure of, no? Besides, I have a big project that is about to launch. While it goes without saying that I donât have ample funds, Iâm also afraid of a situation occurring where Iâve to invest more funds.â
âOld Jin, an opportunity seldom knocks twice. If you donât take this chance, then I⊠Iâll have to find someone else to cooperate with.â
âLet me consider it again, Brother Gu.â