Chapter 44: Naive?

Su Qing had no intention of leaving.

As the eldest daughter of the Su family, she was quite well-traveled and knowledgeable, but this bizarre spectacle was a first in her life.

She wanted to understand more about this infant who could walk on the ceiling.

"Can I choose not to leave? After all, this hotel belongs to my family."

Her words left Tang Xuan amused and exasperated.

"Eldest Miss, the hotel may belong to your family, but this room was booked by me."

"Just because it's your family's hotel doesn't mean you can squat in a guest's room and refuse to leave."

"Besides, the two of us are complete strangers."

A sharp gleam flashed across Su Qing's eyes.

"If we become friends, I suppose I'll be allowed to stay."

Tang Xuan felt that the eldest daughter of the Su family was rather naive.

He had merely offered a casual prompt, never expecting her to actually play along.

Becoming friends with Su Qing would certainly be advantageous for Tang Xuan.

After all, the Su family controlled numerous auction houses, and certain auctions were not open to the general public.

If she could grant him some special privileges, it would save Tang Xuan a great deal of trouble.

"This..."

Tang Xuan put on a troubled expression.

"Since it's inconvenient for you, I'll take my leave."

With that, Su Qing turned and walked out of the room.

Tang Xuan was left standing in place, dumbfounded.

Did he overact?

How could she not give him even the slightest opening!

Upon leaving the room, Su Qing made three consecutive phone calls.

In less than half an hour, word came back from Jiangcheng.

The facts matched exactly what Tang Xuan had said.

This made Su Qing find it all the more incredible.

A two-month-old infant who could walk, jump, and even traverse the ceiling!

"He wants to become friends with me; he must have a use for me."

Su Qing had seemed naive, following right along with Tang Xuan's words.

In reality, she had done it deliberately.

The timing of her departure from the room had also been chosen to perfection.

In Su Qing's view, she held the upper hand.

If Tang Xuan had a favor to ask of her, he would inevitably come looking for her again.

Soon, another call came from Kyoto.

Jiang Shi had appeared in his room, and Su Qing was naturally not going to let such information slip away.

"Miss Su, according to my investigation, this Tang Xuan, formerly known as Tang Shiliu, is the eldest young master of the Kyoto Tang family."

Su Qing was somewhat startled.

He turned out to be the eldest young master of the Kyoto Tang family?

"Twelve years ago, because Tang Shiliu was born with a withered pulse, he was abandoned by the Tang family."

"For the past twelve years, he has lived in Jiangcheng."

"Not long ago, the Tang family's younger master, Tang Tian, became a vegetative state. To prevent the lineage from dying out without an heir, Huang Fei made a trip to Jiangcheng."

"For reasons unknown, however, Huang Fei failed to bring him back from Jiangcheng."

A withered pulse.

A vegetative state.

From these two crucial pieces of information, Su Qing quickly pieced together the whole story.

A good-for-nothing abandoned by his family had suddenly regained his utility value due to certain circumstances.

Jiang Shi had been making a scene in his room earlier most likely because he had refused to return to the Tang family.

Yet, mere wretch that he was with his defective pulse, on what grounds could he refuse?

Even if he were to become a pawn of the Tang family once more, he could still enjoy the wealth and glory bestowed by the family, living a life far superior to his current one.

Why on earth would he refuse?

Su Qing's curiosity toward Tang Xuan was piqued to the utmost.

Meanwhile, Tang Xuan had left the hotel and arrived at the Su family's auction firm.

The preview exhibition featured many lot items, but none of them interested Tang Xuan.

Registering, paying the security deposit—once this series of tasks was complete, Tang Xuan simply needed to wait for the official commencement of the auction.

Just as he stepped out of the company's front doors, Su Qing walked up to meet him.

"What a coincidence, we meet again."

Tang Xuan said, "Since it's a coincidence, I'll be on my way."

Su Qing had deliberately manufactured this encounter, hoping to have a chat with Tang Xuan.

To her surprise, he saw right through it instantly and refused to give her any opening at all.

"Eldest Young Master of the Tang family, do you believe that with a single word from me, I can revoke your qualification to participate in the auction?"

"Eldest Miss Su, I haven't eaten yet. How about you treat me to a meal?"

The two of them graciously offered each other a way out.

Tang Xuan climbed into Su Qing's luxury car.

"Cars like this can hardly be novel to you; there's no need to deliberately put on an expression of someone who has never seen the world."

Tang Xuan looked around, seemingly examining the luxurious interior of the vehicle.

Tang Xuan said calmly, "Since Eldest Miss Su has already investigated me, you should know that twelve years ago I ceased to be the eldest young master of the Tang family."

"For the past twelve years, I've been nothing more than an ordinary person. When would I ever have ridden in a luxury car like this?"

With Tang Xuan putting it that way, Su Qing truly had no retort.

"Yet you have the opportunity to return to the Tang family, the opportunity to reclaim a life of wealth and luxury—why refuse?"

Tang Xuan smiled. "A true man standing between heaven and earth, how could he ever stoop to eating food bestowed out of pity."

Su Qing curled her lips in a slight sneer.

"Someone born with a withered pulse practically has no chance of altering their destiny. Do you actually delusional enough to dream that miracles happen to you?"

Tang Xuan straightened his expression.

"That just shows you still don't understand me well enough."

Although Su Qing possessed certain connections, the behind-the-scenes secrets that occurred in Jiangcheng were known to almost no outsiders, save for the parties directly involved.

"Eldest Miss Su, we've exchanged enough idle chatter; let's cut to the chase. What is it you're really looking for me for?"

Su Qing asked, "What brings you to Junyang City? When you participate in the auction, which lot item are you interested in?"

These questions were entirely redundant.

Tang Xuan had no idea what she was really aiming at.

"So long as it's precious medicinal herbs, I'm interested in all of them."

Su Qing let out a soft laugh.

"What are you laughing at?"

Su Qing shook her head and explained, "You surely have no idea about the market prices for precious medicinal herbs, do you?"

"A single stalk of prized ginseng can easily cost over a hundred million, and some can even reach hundreds of billions. Do you have that kind of money?"

Tang Xuan was startled. "They're that expensive?"

"Naturally. Among all auction categories nowadays, medicinal herbs command the highest prices; antiques and gemstones are merely embellishments to the herbs."

This was something Tang Xuan had never anticipated.

The money currently in his possession was what Huang Long had given him back then.

While he had thought it was a considerable sum, according to Su Qing, he might not even be able to secure a single lot item.

He needed to make money.

"Eldest Miss Su, do you know of any ways to make money?"

Su Qing replied, "You are the eldest young master of the Tang family. As long as you are willing to return to the Tang family, could you ever possibly lack money?"

Tang Xuan frowned.

Could she have reached some kind of power pact with Jiang Shi and come here to persuade him?

"I can tell you with certainty that even if you manage to obtain these precious herbs, it is utterly impossible to change the fact that you have a withered pulse."

"There is only one way for someone with a withered pulse to transform into a martial cultivator."

"Do you know what it is?"

Watching Su Qing raise an eyebrow inquiringly, Tang Xuan smiled faintly.

"Only the Heavenly Gan Realm can allow someone with a withered pulse to become a martial cultivator."

At the mention of the three words "Heavenly Gan Realm," a flash of wistful longing crossed Su Qing's eyes.

Only a powerhouse of the Heavenly Gan Realm could save her grandfather.

"Are you so certain that I am still someone with a withered pulse?"