Upon entering the grand gate, I felt like Liu Grandma visiting the Grand View Garden, as if even a pair of extra eyes wouldn't be enough to take it all in.
The rockeries made of white jade, the ancient dragon trees adorned with red coral, and the pebbles by the lake decorated with agate, all gave me the feeling that "even the immortal realm is nothing more than this."
Walking across the corridor bridge, a pavilion constructed entirely of crystal appeared before me. On the eight-immortal table inside, several unfamiliar fruits were laid out, along with a pot of fragrant tea.
"How fragrant!"
I instinctively twitched my nose and licked my lips, eager to taste whatever it was.
The woman chuckled softly, "Young master, please don't be reserved. You may enjoy them freely."
She then made a welcoming gesture.
I gave an awkward smile, "I just finished eating. I'm not hungry right now."
The woman before me didn't seem to harbor any ill intentions, but who knew what her true purpose was?
Moreover, although these things looked real, I knew they were all fake. Having been dragged into a small alley in Jiangnan by Sui Wan'er before, I was now on high alert, with my guard up twelvefold.
Last time, a jade pendant given by my master saved my life, allowing me to escape the trap set by Sui Wan'er. Now, I had nothing on me, and could only pray that Zhang Dabiao would quickly notice my unusual situation.
Seeing that I neither ate nor drank, the woman didn't seem bothered. She simply sat opposite me, her long, narrow phoenix eyes scrutinizing me.
Her gaze made me extremely uncomfortable, as if her eyes could see through my very being.
Perhaps sensing my unease, the woman withdrew her gaze.
"Young master, have you come to fulfill the ten-year pact?"
Her words startled me, and I blurted out instinctively, "Ten-year pact? What ten-year pact?"
The woman frowned, a hint of displeasure in her expression. "Since you are here, you must be here to fulfill the pact. Do you intend to break it?"
Her words left me feeling utterly bewildered.
I had planned to have a good sleep, but instead, I was dragged here. If I had my master's abilities, I would have sprayed her face with floral water.
However, I clearly lacked my master's skills, and my life was now in her hands. This thought could only be suppressed in my heart.
"Excuse me, beautiful lady, but aren't you mistaken? I don't even know you. How can I fulfill a pact with you?"
As soon as I finished speaking, I saw surprise flicker in the woman's eyes. Her eyebrows then knitted together tightly, and she looked at me with suspicion.
"I ask you, is your surname Song?"
I was taken aback. How did she know my surname? Was she a mind reader?
Seeing my prolonged silence, the woman asked again.
"That's right. How did you know?"
The woman didn't answer my question but continued, "Your name is Qingyun."
"Yes."
"You are eighteen years old this year."
"That's correct."
"Then it's right. I have been waiting here for ten years, and you have finally arrived."
Her words completely stunned me, leaving me speechless.
Seeing my prolonged silence and my blank stare, she looked at me with a hint of shyness in her eyes.
"Did your father not tell you about the ten-year pact?"
Hearing her mention my father, my heart churned like a stormy sea.
I had come here to earn money to treat my father's illness. Once I earned the money, I intended to leave, but I was stopped by Sun Chuang, who claimed there were clues about my father's coma here. I hadn't expected to find a clue so soon.
However, I was now in a predicament, unsure how to respond.
What exactly had my father promised her ten years ago?
Ten years ago, my father was carried home by people arranged by my master. He remained in a coma until now. I had no knowledge of the pact she mentioned.
Perhaps my master would know something, but he hadn't told me anything.
It was only when my master sent my father home ten years ago that I vaguely recall him saying, "Ten years is not long, nor is it short." Could the ten years my master spoke of be the same ten-year pact this woman mentioned?
But it shouldn't be.
When I came here, my master hadn't told me anything about it. He hadn't mentioned anything about a ten-year pact.
Apart from giving me a jade pendant for protection, he gave me nothing else, simply kicking me out the door and telling me to hurry and earn money to save my father. Even the travel expenses were covered by Sun Chuang.
I felt conflicted. I wanted to say I was here to fulfill the pact, but I didn't know how to start.
Because I had no idea what the pact was.
She didn't seem to have any ill intentions towards me, but if I lied and she found out, wouldn't that be incredibly awkward?
"I don't know what pact you are talking about, because my father fell into a coma ten years ago and has not yet woken up."
After saying this, I immediately regretted it.
How could I be so foolish?
My father's coma had always been a pain in my heart. My purpose in coming here was to cure him and find out what had happened ten years ago.
Since this woman had a ten-year pact with my father, she clearly knew what my father was doing here ten years ago.
However, it was too late for regrets, as the words had already been spoken.
"Ah!"
Hearing my words, the woman was first stunned, a flicker of hope in her eyes. "Then did your father say anything to you before he fell into a coma?"
"He was carried home, and he only had half his life left when he arrived. What could he possibly tell me?"
As I explained my father's condition, I subtly observed her expression.
Since she had a ten-year pact with my father, something must have happened ten years ago, and she might even know why my father became this way.
But after I finished speaking, there was a clear look of disappointment in her eyes.
I didn't know what the ten-year pact entailed, but in order to find out the reason for my father's coma ten years ago, I gritted my teeth and made a decision.
"I don't know what pact my father made with you ten years ago, but if you tell me what my father was doing here ten years ago, perhaps I can fulfill this pact on his behalf."
The woman's eyes widened, and then she burst into laughter.
Her laughter baffled me, and I asked with a hint of displeasure, "What's so funny? Since ancient times, there's the saying 'a son pays off his father's debts.' What's wrong with me fulfilling my father's pact?"
The woman's voice held a playful tone, "You don't even know what the pact is. How can you fulfill it on your father's behalf?"
"This..."
She had stumped me.
Yes.
How could I have forgotten that?
I was still in a precarious situation, unsure when Wang Jun and the others would come looking for me. My desire to fulfill the pact was merely to learn about my father's activities here ten years ago from her.
Seeing my continued silence, the woman stopped laughing, a look of disappointment in her eyes. "Since you don't know the pact, then this ten-year pact is void. You may leave."