Chapter 10: The Ancestral Residence of the Chu Family
Chu Yitong lowered her eyelids, her fingers lightly tapping the seat beside her. She had chosen to awaken herself by falling down the stairs because, in her confused state, she was unable to seek the truth.
The nightmares she endured were too coincidental, too vivid. If she could not find the cause, she feared she might lose herself again in her dreams. A glimmer flashed in her eyes as she whispered, “Uncle Hai, my illness—” but she did not continue.
“Miss, do you think—?” Uncle Hai stopped the car by the roadside and turned to look at her. She had been intelligent and perceptive as a child, but overnight had become muddled and dull. Now, suddenly mentioning her illness, could there be some hidden truth?
“I’m not sure!” After waking, strange feelings surfaced from time to time. Yesterday, when she saw that man, she felt he was filthy because a dark aura surrounded him, even emitting a foul stench. Uncle Hai, however, was enveloped in a gray haze—dim and unclear—and she could neither see nor confirm.
Uncle Hai, a man of considerable stature, quickly discerned the meaning behind her hesitant and unclear words. His slightly aged eyes flashed sharply before softening as he comforted her gently, “Miss, Uncle Hai is here.”
She believed the truth would eventually emerge, and everything would return to its proper course. Thinking this, she smiled—a smile untouched by worldly dust, pure as a snow lotus. It worried him, and with a soft sigh, he earnestly reminded, “Miss, never smile at strangers again.”
The smile lingered at the corners of her lips as she obediently nodded, her clear eyes shining as she looked at him. A warmth surged in her heart. Fifteen years had passed, yet he never forgot, cleansing away the bloodshed for this very moment.
The car moved steadily. The Chu family ancestral residence was located in Linghai City, not far from Anping City—about a thirty-minute drive. Judging by the time, they were nearly there.
Sure enough, Uncle Hai’s voice came through, “Miss, we’re almost at the ancestral home.”
“Uncle Hai, what kind of person is Grandfather?” In a month, she had learned much, but this head of the family was someone she was meeting for the first time. She felt uncertain deep inside.
“Miss, don’t worry. The old master dotes on you. He’ll be overjoyed to see you!” Uncle Hai said cheerfully.
“Mm.” She replied softly, remaining silent afterward. The gates of the villa slowly opened, and through the car window, the entire courtyard lay before her. She knew the Chu family was wealthy, but had no idea of such opulence.
Uncle Hai stopped the car and opened the door. “Miss, please come down. The old master doesn’t like noise. There are few servants at home. Someone will come to escort you to meet him.”
She said nothing, her gaze discreetly sweeping over the nearby waiting servant. In a low voice, she asked, “Uncle Hai, won’t you come with me?”
“Uncle Hai won’t enter; he’ll wait outside.” He was not allowed to go in.
Watching Uncle Hai’s car disappear from sight, she lifted her eyes to the courtyard. The main house stood squarely in the center, facing south, surrounded by five or six smaller buildings clustered around it. Each building was exquisitely crafted to perfection.
To reach the main house required a walk through the estate, with pavilions, towers, and winding corridors crisscrossing like stepping into a time tunnel, transporting one back a thousand years.
Guided by the servant, she passed through the corridors. The crisp chimes of wind bells, accompanied by rhythmic footsteps, composed a unique melody through the passageways. Under a small bridge connected to the corridor, clear water flowed from an unknown source. The stream babbled over smooth stones, crystal clear to the bottom, with green lotus leaves floating and fish playfully darting about, creating a scene of serene tranquility.