This thing not glowing was already challenging Wu Tianzhen's mental state, let alone it glowing now?
"Xiao Ge!" He reached out almost roughly, wanting to snatch the damned thing from Zhang Qiling's hand. At this moment, he was incredibly grateful that Zhang Qiling had lost his memory, yet also extremely fearful that the bronze door was a destiny that couldn't be forgotten even with amnesia.
"The shopkeeper put this here. It's not good for us to move it privately. Please put it down, okay?"
Wu Tianzhen forced a smile. He didn't want to stay in this courtyard for another second. "...I think the shopkeeper still needs to think for a while. How about we go back first?"
"Yes, yes, yes, let's go back quickly. Fatty feels like if we don't go back soon, Mao Tuan will wreck everything at home!" Fatty quickly played along, reaching out to pull Zhang Qiling away.
But just then, a voice laced with a hint of slyness came from the inner room.
Fatty's extremely loud "If Xiao Ge likes it, we'll buy it" had clearly been heard by the shopkeeper. He now pushed the door open silently, having already seen the persistently glowing Guixi.
The Guixi was covered in dust, clearly not highly valued by the shopkeeper. Although the material of the Guixi was special and not a common expensive material, the shopkeeper's attitude towards such fine craftsmanship was somewhat strange.
This thought flashed through Wu Tianzhen's mind, but soon, he watched with his own eyes as the shopkeeper suddenly revealed a look of greed.
"Esteemed guest, please put down the treasure of our Charity Residence!" He trotted over, his face beaming, and took the Guixi into his embrace, even carefully wiping it with his sleeve. "This is something I specifically placed here to absorb spiritual energy through the essence of the sun and moon. I didn't expect it to be discovered by a few guests at first glance. You truly have discerning eyes!"
"You all seem to like it very much? How about staying to discuss the price? It's just—" He held up a few fingers, "This much!"
"Are you fucking asking for the moon?" Fatty, estimating the number, almost splashed the pot of bitter tea onto the shopkeeper. "A hundred million can buy out this entire shabby shop of yours, and you dare to open your mouth like that?!"
The shopkeeper, however, was still smiling. The mole on his face seemed particularly attention-grabbing at this moment, trembling with the spit flying from his mouth as he spoke.
"Whether it's worth the price, I think you guests should know better than me!"
The Guixi was still emitting a faint glow, and it did look like a remarkable item. But forbidden lands were prevalent in this world, and there were occasionally many rare glowing items. It shouldn't be priced this high.
Wu Tianzhen knew that their excitement upon seeing the Guixi had given the shopkeeper leverage, but his mind was in turmoil, and he had no intention of arguing with the shopkeeper.
"...Not buying. Give me the snake horn." He snatched the snake horn from the shopkeeper's hand and, pulling Zhang Qiling's arm, prepared to leave.
Wu Tianzhen and Fatty's expressions of rejection were too strong. Zhang Qiling glanced at the Guixi, pursed his lips, and ultimately said nothing, obediently preparing to follow them out.
But just then, the shopkeeper leisurely followed them with a sentence from behind.
"...It's a pity. These things will all be sold to foreigners tomorrow, and then they'll all be gone!"
Wu Tianzhen's footsteps suddenly stopped.
"...How can I believe you."
"Oh dear!" The shopkeeper burst into laughter. A half-rotten tooth was visible in his grinning mouth, and the black gaps between his teeth exuded an eerie aura. "That's a major patron, an old gentleman surnamed Piao. If you don't believe me, just come and see tomorrow~"
"However, that old gentleman only said he wanted things from the backyard of my small shop and didn't specify names. It's perfectly fine to leave one for you guys~"
... surnamed Piao.
Wu Tianzhen's mind worked quickly. He immediately recalled that when Zhang Qiling entered the bronze door, it was an old man surnamed Piao who controlled him and Fatty, wanting to know specific information about the bronze door.
This old man Piao had been coveting the secrets of the bronze door, hiding himself like a venomous snake in the dark. After that, when Wu Tianzhen searched online, he found no trace of this person's origin, only knowing of a famous Piao Group.
The shopkeeper mentioning old man Piao meant there was a high probability he wasn't lying. Wu Tianzhen had a vague premonition that the old geezer was after the Guixi.
His hand holding Zhang Qiling's was trembling slightly.
Zhang Qiling showed no reaction to the shopkeeper's words. He seemed to be genuinely ready to give up the Guixi. Sensing Wu Tianzhen's struggle, he tilted his head in confusion.
His gaze was so serene, like the falling snow of Changbai Mountain.
"...I don't want it anymore." Zhang Qiling seemed to realize the source of Wu Tianzhen's breakdown. He lowered his eyes, thought for a moment, and said very plainly, his tone earnest.
Then he looked up, at Wu Tianzhen and Fatty before him:
"Let's go home."
The words "go home" were often spoken with deep emotion in various programs, but when spoken by Zhang Qiling, they were almost comically plain.
Wu Tianzhen tugged at the corner of his mouth, unable to smile. He let go of Zhang Qiling and looked at Fatty.
Fatty had also stopped in his tracks, his expression heavy as he stared intently at the shopkeeper. Clearly, their thoughts were aligned.
... Xiao Ge has amnesia now, so to spare their feelings, he's holding back even though he really wants it.
But both Wu Tianzhen and Fatty had personally witnessed the look in Zhang Qiling's eyes when he first saw the Guixi.
That reverence, that determination, that desperate resolve to reach the bronze door no matter what, were all buried in the swirling snow of Changbai Mountain.
The Changbai snow had not ceased, and the shock from that time was etched in their hearts.
... If this Guixi were to fall into the hands of that old man Piao, given the old man's obsession with the bronze door, it would likely never be retrieved.
... Then what if Xiao Ge recovered his memory? Would he, who remembered everything, be able to accept letting go of his past obsessions and stay peacefully at Wu Shan Ju? Would he truly accept the decision they made without their consent?
At this moment, Fatty desperately wanted to slap himself a few times, blaming himself for being blind and choosing such an ill-fated place.
But no matter how much he regretted it, it had already happened.
The Guixi, which would be sailing overseas the next day, covered in dust and silently waiting in a corner, had inexplicably crossed their path, making one suspect it was all fate.
"...We'll buy it." After a long silence, Wu Tianzhen finally squeezed this simple sentence out of his throat. At that moment, his vision almost went black.
The decision was difficult, but for some reason, Fatty, who was in charge of shopping, had remained silent.
"Hiss hiss—" Fatty winked at Wu Tianzhen, signaling, "Tianzhen—we can't afford it—"
Wu Tianzhen: ???
"No, didn't Xiao Hua just give us some money—"
"Damn it, do you think I bought all that stuff for free? It's almost all spent!"
"Don't you think about it, with this money in Fatty's hands, how could it possibly see the light of day the next day? It would have been squandered that very night!"
The voices of the two grew louder, while Zhang Qiling, standing behind them, thought for a moment and slowly tapped on a contact on his smart device.