Mortal Dawn and Dusk, My Eternal Life - Chapter 6

The rain in Wushui Town had been falling for two continuous days, showing no sign of stopping. The fine drizzle, like an endless net, enveloped the entire small town in a hazy dampness.

The stone slab road was slick and shiny from the rain, with sparse pedestrians. Only an occasional oil-paper umbrella hurried past, adding to the desolate atmosphere.

The entrance of the Yuelai Inn, however, stood in stark contrast to this bleak street scene.

Several black lacquered carriages were parked on the muddy roadside, the horses restlessly snorting, their hooves making fine, scattered sounds on the slippery ground.

Huang Baiwan, accompanied by his butler Huang Zhong, his son Huang Mingyuan, and several sturdy household guards, arrived here through the rain.

Huang Baiwan held a large black umbrella, his expression solemn, the worry between his brows like the ceaseless gloomy rain, impossible to dispel.

The hem of his fine Hangzhou silk gown was already soaked with rain, but he seemed unaware.

“Master, this is it.”

Huang Zhong pointed to the somewhat faded sign of the inn, his voice tinged with caution.

Huang Baiwan looked up at the slightly shabby inn, his brow unconsciously furrowing.

He found it hard to believe that the “expert” who could cure his daughter’s strange illness would condescend to stay in such a place.

“This… is where that ‘Daoist Buyu’ is staying?” Huang Baiwan’s voice held a hint of barely concealed doubt.

This place was far from the secluded abode he had imagined for an ethereal, immortal-like expert.

“Indeed, Master,” Huang Zhong bowed, “Everyone in town says so. It’s just… I heard this Daoist has a peculiar temper and doesn’t easily see outsiders.”

Huang Baiwan took a deep breath, suppressing the doubts in his heart. At this point, no matter how divine the person, he had to try.

“Let’s go, let’s go inside and see,” he said in a deep voice.

The group entered the inn. The light inside was dim, filled with a damp, moldy smell.

The plump auntie was dozing behind the counter. Hearing the commotion, she jolted awake, rubbing her sleepy eyes.

“Oh my, esteemed guests, are you looking for a meal or a room?” she asked habitually. Upon seeing that it was Huang Baiwan and his group, the smile on her face immediately became respectful.

“Oh, it’s Old Master Huang himself! Please come in, please come in!”

She knew Huang Baiwan was the town’s wealthy magnate and would not normally frequent her small inn.

“Innkeeper, we are here to visit a Daoist Su… who is staying here.”

Huang Baiwan tried to make his tone as polite as possible. He had only just learned from his butler that the “Daoist Buyu” seemed to be surnamed Su.

“Daoist Su?” The plump auntie paused, then realized, “Oh, you mean the young lady staying upstairs? She is indeed surnamed Su.”

“Exactly,” Huang Baiwan nodded, “May I trouble the innkeeper to please convey a message, just say that Huang Baiwan of Wushui Town, accompanied by his humble son, has specially come to call, with an urgent matter to request.”

The plump auntie looked troubled: “Old Master Huang, it’s truly inconvenient. Miss Su has been in seclusion in her room these past few days and has instructed me not to see any outside guests. As you know, there were simply too many people coming to find her the past two days, and she found it bothersome, so…”

Huang Baiwan’s heart sank upon hearing this. Was it true, as the butler said, that this Daoist had a peculiar temper?

“Seclusion?”

Huang Mingyuan, standing behind Huang Baiwan, couldn’t help but let out a scoff. His voice wasn’t loud, but it was full of disdain.

He had just turned twenty today and studied Western literature and science at a missionary school in the provincial capital. He considered himself an enlightened youth of the new era and had always scorned these supernatural things.

In his view, so-called “Daoists” and “living immortals” were nothing more than charlatans who played tricks and swindled money.

He had come with his father today with a thousand objections, and now hearing that the other party was putting on airs, he felt even more contempt.

Huang Baiwan glared at his son, signaling him not to speak further.

Then, he took out a heavy brocade pouch from his embrace and handed it to the plump auntie, forcing a smile onto his face: “Innkeeper, this is a small token of my appreciation. I hope you will be so kind as to convey my message, no matter what. It concerns my daughter’s life, and I, Huang, will be eternally grateful.”

The brocade pouch felt heavy in her hand. The plump auntie’s eyes lit up, knowing it contained a considerable amount of silver dollars. Although she had received instructions from Su Mingyue, facing Huang Baiwan’s generous sum and earnest plea, she couldn’t be too firm.

“This… alright, Old Master Huang, please wait a moment. I’ll go up and ask for you. However… I can’t guarantee whether Miss Su will see you.”

The plump auntie accepted the brocade pouch, a smile plastered on her face, and then hurried upstairs.

Downstairs, Huang Baiwan waited anxiously, constantly rubbing his hands.

Huang Mingyuan, meanwhile, looked impatient. He surveyed the shabby inn, the moldy smell in the air making him frown.

“Father, I think we should just go back,” he whispered to Huang Baiwan.

“What kind of master could be in a place like this? I think that Daoist Su is most likely a swindler, deliberately playing hard to get to extort more money. Little sister’s illness still needs Western medicine; those foreign doctors are the ones with real ability.”

“Shut up!” Huang Baiwan hissed in a low voice.

“What do you know! As long as there’s a sliver of hope, we cannot give up! Look at your sister’s condition; how can you still be saying such sarcastic remarks!”

Rebuked by his father, Huang Mingyuan pouted and stopped speaking, but the disdain on his face grew even stronger.

He secretly made up his mind that when the so-called “Daoist Su” came down, he would question her thoroughly and expose her true colors.

After a while, the plump auntie came down from upstairs, her face showing a mix of apology and helplessness.

“Old Master Huang, I’m truly sorry. Miss Su said that it is indeed inconvenient for her to see guests these past few days and that you… you should seek help from another skilled person.”

“What?!” Huang Baiwan was struck as if by lightning, his face instantly turning pale. He hadn’t expected that after personally coming to call and even offering a generous gift, the other party wouldn’t even agree to meet him!

“Innkeeper, this… what can be done?” Huang Baiwan’s voice even trembled slightly. “Please, innkeeper, help me say a good word again. As long as Daoist Su is willing to help my daughter, I, Huang, will reward her handsomely!”

The plump auntie waved her hands repeatedly: “Old Master Huang, it’s not that I don’t want to help, it’s just that Miss Su… her temper is just like that. If she says no, then it’s really no. You should… you should just go back.”

Just as Huang Baiwan’s heart sank in despair and he was about to leave, a clear, cold female voice came from the stairs, like cracking ice, carrying a hint of undeniable indifference:

“Old Master Huang, is that right? Your daughter’s illness is no small matter; it involves many things. If I act, it might attract unnecessary trouble. This matter requires the right time to mature before it can be attempted. Now, it is not yet time.”

The voice wasn’t loud, but it clearly reached everyone’s ears.

Huang Baiwan suddenly looked up, only to see a young woman standing on the stairs at some point.

The woman wore a faded blue cloth dress, her hair simply tied back with a wooden hairpin, her face unadorned with makeup, yet still unable to hide her exquisitely beautiful features.

She looked no older than seventeen or eighteen, but there was a calmness and detachment in her brows that belied her age, as if she had seen through the world’s vicissitudes.

This, then, was the legendary “Daoist Buyu,” Su Mingyue?

Huang Baiwan was stunned.