And Lin Xi said that if the old man could see the briefing about me inside Shabiya, it meant this person’s rank was not low, very likely a consultant for Shabiya, just like that Mr. Sun, a big shot! Speaking of big shots, I got a little nervous. I wasn't afraid of big shots in the underworld, after all, they were all ancient people, long dead. It was the big shots in the mortal world who were truly living in the present.
“Go on, brother,” Bing Bing egged me on, “It's bound to happen sooner or later.”
Of course, she was qualified to say that. I had met her father before, we even called each other brothers and went hunting and drinking together.
“Then… shall we go take a look?”
“Oh, stop dawdling, let’s go, let’s go.” Lin Chi directly dragged me away.
For something like this, it wasn't appropriate for Bing Bing, Bao Bao, or Xiao Nu to follow. I told Bing Bing to take care of the two of them and get some rest, as they had to travel again tomorrow morning.
I followed the Lin sisters to the underground parking lot. I thought they’d have their own car, but it seemed not. Near the elevator entrance was a storage locker filled with various car keys. Lin Xi casually picked up a key with a four-ring emblem and pressed it. In the dim parking lot, a car flashed, but it was too far away. Lin Xi threw the Audi key aside and picked up a BMW key, pressed it, and a white sedan about five meters away lit up.
“This one will do,” Lin Chi said.
A self-service car supermarket?
You didn’t need a card to use the elevator. Anyone staying at the guesthouse could go down to the parking lot and drive away with a car?
This system was excellent, worthy of promotion!
Midnight Beijing, especially in the core urban areas, wasn’t that boisterous; it was quite tranquil instead. There were many cars on the street, but few pedestrians. Not many shops were open. It felt like the entire Beijing metropolitan area was like a basin, with tall buildings on the outside and a lower center. The surroundings were bustling, while the center was serene.
I had originally intended to buy a gift for the old man, but I couldn’t find a suitable shop.
Lin Xi was knowledgeable about etiquette. Seeing that I hadn’t brought up the matter of gifts, she said to Lin Chi, “Sister, that string of beads you received from Jiangnan Province last time, are you still wearing it?”
“It’s here.” Lin Xi opened the collar of her shirt and took off a necklace of beads, not too thick or thin, then turned and handed it to me.
“Why give it to me?” I fiddled with the beads, they were smooth and translucent, appearing to be made of agate. However, agate beads themselves weren’t particularly valuable. Since they were offered from the underworld, they certainly wouldn’t be ordinary items. I activated my Qi-sensing ability, and indeed, the string of beads showed a blue aura. It was likely an artifact from the early Ming or Qing dynasties, and it had been worn by someone with a high energy field, which accounted for its color.
“This is a good item,” I said.
“You’re quite knowledgeable,” Lin Xi smiled. “My father loves antiques, so just consider this a gift for him.”
“Borrowing flowers to offer to Buddha?” I chuckled.
“I don’t like it anyway,” Lin Chi scratched her neck. “One of my senior brothers gave it to me. If I don’t wear it, it feels wrong, and if I do wear it, it feels uncomfortable. You can have it.”
I shook my head and handed the bead necklace back. “This item was worn by a woman before. It wouldn’t be suitable for the old man to wear. I suggest you wear it; it will be very beneficial for enhancing your true energy.”
The sisters both looked back at me. As the saying goes, after three days, one should look at others with new eyes. When I met them at Jiuxian Cave last time, I was a complete novice who knew nothing. Now, I seemed to have become an antique expert.
“Then… you can’t go empty-handed, can you?” Lin Chi asked with an awkward smile. “It’s not that my dad is greedy, I just feel… it’s not quite appropriate. In the circles of the elite in the capital, this is quite important.”
I waved my hand. “I have my own strategy.”
After I said this, they couldn’t insist further. Lin Chi, half-believing, put the bead necklace back on and muttered, “Is this thing really useful?”
To be honest, I didn’t know either; I was just talking nonsense. Anyway, the qi of these beads was very good, without malevolence. The previous owner was likely the mistress of a devout high-ranking family, or at least a concubine.
The car finally stopped in front of a courtyard house.
“You live here?” I asked in surprise. “You mentioned eighty square meters before, I thought it was a regular apartment building.”
“Yes, my dad doesn’t like living in apartment buildings. If you live upstairs, you’re not grounded. If you live on the first floor, too many people are walking above you, which is bad feng shui,” Lin Chi said.
That made sense. Ideally, who would want people above them? A single-story house would be the most comfortable. However, given the circumstances of Yanxia, with its vast population, it was impossible to achieve the freedom of land ownership like in rural areas or developed countries.