Although the neighborhood here was old, the surroundings were quite prosperous.
Moreover, the street they had just come from was designed with ancient buildings, which was very distinctive.
All along the way, there were vendors selling goods by the roadside, and the houses on both sides of the street were various shops.
It was as if they had traveled back to an ancient bustling market.
The old city had not been overdeveloped, and many ancient buildings had been preserved.
Therefore, this area was mostly dominated by old wooden houses with carved and hollowed-out designs, which were very elegant.
Old Madam Ling noticed her gaze and smiled, "After we finish consulting the fortune teller, Grandma will take you around."
"Okay," Xia Wantang gently nodded and withdrew her gaze.
Just as they were about to enter the neighborhood, someone called out to them from behind.
"Grandma Ling, Wantang, why are you here too?"
This voice was so familiar...
Xia Wantang turned her head and saw Situ Jing.
Old Madam Situ also stood beside her.
Old Madam Ling frowned, but quickly relaxed her expression, hiding her doubts. She said faintly, "I didn't expect to run into you here."
"Yes," Old Madam Situ, still with a sour face, said as she walked, "I'm here to have my granddaughter's fortune told and her marriage prospects calculated. This child has a bitter fate..."
How could those words sound so unpleasant!
Xia Wantang really wanted to roll her eyes. She thought to herself: Born into wealth, showered with love, no worries about food or clothing, and this is a bitter fate??
Old Madam Ling pursed her lips and remained silent.
Situ Jing immediately looked embarrassed and said, "I don't believe in this stuff. My grandmother insisted on bringing me here..."
"Come, let's go in first," Old Madam Situ pulled Situ Jing inside.
Situ Jing still looked very unwilling and said, "I don't think I should go..."
"We've come this far, how can we not go in?" Old Madam Situ, without further ado, dragged her inside.
Xia Wantang and Old Madam Ling exchanged a glance and followed behind the two at a leisurely pace.
The fortune teller lived in a garage on the first floor.
Although the space seemed small, it was unusually crowded, with people standing both inside and outside the door.
It seemed they wouldn't be able to get in for some time.
Among the people queuing, there were those in luxurious attire, ordinary people, and exquisitely dressed individuals, all sorts of people. No matter who you were, you had to follow the rules here.
Situ Jing seemed very reluctant, her brow furrowed as she tried to retreat, but Old Madam Situ held her wrist tightly.
Old Madam Ling, worried that Xia Wantang would get tired standing, went into the crowd to ask for a chair for her to sit and wait.
Xia Wantang immediately refused, "Grandma, I don't need it, you sit."
"No, you can't be tired, sit down quickly."
Xia Wantang couldn't refuse and looked helpless.
Old Madam Situ seemed unable to stand it any longer. She said sarcastically, "Why is she so precious? I know you dote on your granddaughter-in-law, but can't she stand for a while without getting exhausted?"
Old Madam Ling ignored her, her eyes filled with disdain.
Her precious granddaughter-in-law was indeed precious, and even more so now that she was pregnant.
No need to argue with a fool.
Xia Wantang had intended to sit down and rest for a while before letting Old Madam Ling sit.
However, Old Madam Situ's voice was not quiet, attracting everyone's attention.
This made her feel awkward, unsure whether to sit or not.
Her mind raced, her eyes flickered, and she leaned closer to Old Madam Ling, saying, "Grandma, I feel a bit uncomfortable with the scent of burning incense from inside the room. I'll go out for a walk by myself. Call me when you're done."
Old Madam Ling did smell a rather strong sandalwood aroma and was afraid it might harm her.
So she quickly said, "Go, go. I'll have Old Wang take a few people to follow you."
Old Wang was their driver for the day, and there were several bodyguards behind him.
"Then Grandma, you sit."
Xia Wantang helped Old Madam Ling to sit down, then turned and left.
Situ Jing stood beside Old Madam Situ. She watched Xia Wantang's receding figure, a cold light flashing in her eyes, her gaze exceptionally sharp.
Outside the neighborhood, Xia Wantang had no interest in wandering around. She returned to the car, reclined the seat, and browsed her phone for a while.
In these troubled times, it was better to be quiet.
Besides, she was pregnant, and it wouldn't be good to bump or get hurt in such a crowded place.
However, as she scrolled through videos, she started to feel a bit nauseous.
They were all about Xia Wanfu.
She had inadvertently stumbled upon a video about her, stopped for a moment, and now seven out of ten videos were about her.
But she was indeed quite popular recently, even topping the trending searches. It seemed her career was going well!
No matter how good it was, it was achieved by trading her body.
Xia Wantang's heart remained unmoved, even feeling a touch of pity.
To live in this world, unable to be oneself, only to be a shadow of others, how humble that was.
However, seeing that she seemed to be enjoying it, she wished her never to wake up, and to live in her dreams was also quite good.
The videos were boring, and Xia Wantang felt waves of sleepiness coming on.
She turned off her phone, preparing to take a nap.
Just then, someone tapped on her car window. She looked up and saw Situ Jing smiling at her outside the window.
Xia Wantang rolled down the window and asked politely, "Miss Situ, is there something you need?"
Situ Jing smiled faintly, "I was bored staying inside, so I came out for a walk. There's a theater ahead, would you like to go sit there and pass the time?"
Xia Wantang instinctively wanted to refuse. How could she sit with a woman who liked her husband and talk?
Wouldn't that be awkward?
Situ Jing seemed to guess her thoughts. She leaned in a bit closer, lowering her voice.
"Perhaps, I know where Aunt Ling is."
Xia Wantang frowned, her gaze sharp as she looked at her.
What did she mean by that?
Looking at her confident demeanor, it didn't seem like she was lying.
Xia Wantang didn't hesitate for long. She smiled and said, "If you know where my mother is, why don't you call Yu Chen? I'm sure Yu Chen would be very grateful to you."
Situ Jing chuckled softly, gently tucking her hair behind her ear, elegant and composed.
"I'll only tell you. Whether you come or not is up to you."
After saying that, she took a few steps back, her expression very calm.
Xia Wantang looked at her deeply, feeling that she had ill intentions.
This seemed like a trap, but she felt she had no choice but to take the bait.
She was guessing wildly in her heart, perhaps she really knew where her mother was.
She had been thinking about it for the past few days.
How could her mother have gone missing for no reason?
Grandma said her mother went to the manor every year. This was likely something only those who were close would know.
If her mother didn't get lost or wander off, then it was likely a crime committed by someone familiar.
Only the other three major families were close to the Ling family. Only they had the ability to make someone disappear into thin air.
The Situ family's relationship with the Ling family had become estranged recently.
Although the four major families appeared peaceful, their competition never ceased.