"Thinking of going back?" Old Ghost asked me.
"Yeah, I don't plan on spending the Second Day of the Second Lunar Month here with you."
"What are we going to do? This pig's head was bought for you. On the Second Day of the Second Lunar Month, the dragon raises its head, and you must shine that day."
I frowned, listening. Was he hinting at something, hiding a deeper meaning? The Second Day of the Second Lunar Month was still three or four days away. Would I really not be able to leave?
"I can't leave yet?"
I couldn't figure it out, especially since it was Old Ghost speaking to me. If I didn't understand, it was better to ask directly.
"I don't think you can leave."
"Why?"
"Qianqian hasn't made her move yet?"
Identifying the scheme, setting the scheme, breaking the scheme – this was Gao Lao's scheme, but it was also a scheme within a scheme. I understood Gao Lao's philosophy. When I was little, we lived in a house with a courtyard and dogs for security. I heard that the most formidable dogs were raised by being confined in a cellar from birth, left to fight amongst themselves. The last one standing was the fiercest. Gao Lao likely had a similar idea, not caring about the lives of his descendants.
However, this wasn't a dead-end scheme. From the current situation, Gao Lao had his own attachments. Gao Xiaoqing was his obsession, his demon. He had killed the woman he loved most, but he kept this son to continue his emotional legacy. I think Gao Lao's greatest wish was to draw Gao Ziming into this, then watch these people tear each other apart. Ultimately, the Second Madam would die, and Gao Xiaoqing would be exiled.
These were all possibilities if Gao Lao was lucid. But things had spiraled beyond his control. Someone had made a move against Gao Lao, and he had trapped himself, completely losing control of the situation.
Gao Xiaoqing died at the start of it all…
Gao Ziyan was also caught up in it. The Second Madam became a nun, Gao Zihui gave up his inheritance and traveled the world, and the First Madam divorced Gao Xiaozhi. Without the support of the First Madam's family, Gao Xiaozhi was isolated and powerless. In the end, he might even have to face public pressure and marry Cao Qian.
Now, the fastest way was for Gao Ziyan to quickly acquire the Jiulong Auction House that Gao Lao had bestowed upon Old Ghost. I told Old Ghost all of this. He chuckled, then began to roast, scrub, and clean the pig's head with a wire brush for a long time before finally soaking it in clear water. As he washed his hands, he said, "Selling Jiulong Auction House to Gao Ziyan is no problem, but you have to agree to one condition."
"Why should I agree to your condition? You're selling it, not giving it away."
"Actually, I had evaluated Gao Xiaoqing. Based on current market prices, the assets Gao Xiaoqing established abroad, without Gao Lao's knowledge, could only buy 10% of the Gao family's equity. In terms of earning potential, Gao Xiaoqing was already impressive. But Gao Lao wanted more than just earning money; he wanted ambition. So, while Gao Lao verbally said he would pass the position to Gao Xiaoqing, he never intended for Gao Xiaoqing to inherit the Gao family. Of course, I claimed I would support Gao Ziming, but I never intended to drag Ziming into this mess. Therefore, I secretly maintained contact with Gao Xiaoqing, telling him that if his father executed this plan, I would sell him the equity and help him obtain the inheritance."
"Does this have anything to do with the current situation?"
"Gao Xiaoqing is dead. Gao Ziyan used her father's assets to purchase 5% of the equity from the Gao family's holding company at a price slightly below market value. So, the business acumen of this girl is quite remarkable."
"If that's the case, why not sell it?"
After I finished speaking, I was stunned. I had figured it out. With Gao Ziyan's current funds, she could at most buy another 6%. This would bring her total equity to 36%. If Senior Sister then sided with Gao Ziming, it would at best be a stalemate. Therefore, the last 1% in Old Ghost's hands could only be purchased by Senior Sister.
Seeing my astonished expression, Old Ghost smiled even more brightly. "Qianqian told me to use this 6% to do you a favor, and then she would buy my 1% at a price of 2%. I'd be free then, taking this large sum of money and retiring."
This made things difficult. I pondered, then tentatively asked, "Old Ghost, how about you sell that 1% of equity to me?"
"Sure!"
"I probably can't afford twice the price."
"It's okay, I'll sell it to you at the original price. What kind of relationship do we have?"
The more casually Old Ghost said it, the more I felt something was off. I asked seriously, "How much is 1% of equity?"
"During the economic crisis, the bailout was 15 billion US dollars. Gao Lao's wealth also shrunk around that time, to about 20 billion or so."
"Dollars?"
"Yeah."
I thought I was quite wealthy, but even with Lin Han's and my combined assets, we couldn't afford 1% of the Gao family's holdings. I finally understood why the First Madam's family was so anxious after buying just 3%.
Thinking back, it was extraordinary that Gao Xiaoqing could earn 10% on his own!
"Never mind then, I can't afford it. I'm poor."
"It's not your fault. Qianqian has the economic support of 'The Enchanted Forest,' so she can only buy 8% of the equity."
...
There's an old saying, "A penny can stifle a hero." This isn't about a penny anymore. I pondered for a while, then sighed and asked Old Ghost, "What is your condition then?"
Old Ghost extended his plump hand, still glistening with water. "Sect Leader, if you write the character '封' (Feng, meaning seal/close) on my hand, I will sell 7% of the shares to Gao Ziyan at the price of 6%."
"Don't joke. You were a Sect Leader yourself, why don't you write it?"
"Wasn't I unqualified? Besides, I didn't accept it back then."
I gave a helpless wry smile. "Do you think I'm qualified? I'm far behind you."
"You're not even thirty, what are you comparing yourself to a fifty-year-old me for? At your age, I was still stealing cucumbers from our neighbor's vegetable garden with Li Jiu."
The more casually Old Ghost spoke, the heavier my heart became. I looked at him, and he looked at me.
"Why seal the scheme?"
"I've done everything I needed to do, so I'm not going to scheme anymore. I don't have the skills of Old Man Wen De, so I'll just follow his example, seal the scheme, and then leave this place of trouble."
Old Ghost said these words sincerely. I looked at him, speechless for a long time.
Old Ghost extended his hand, waiting. Finally, I reluctantly raised my hand and wrote the character '封' on his palm.
Time seemed to stand still. Old Ghost looked down at the invisible character on his hand, his heart exceptionally heavy. Tears welled up in his cloudy eyes and finally spilled over.
"Li Jiu, do you see? I am finally free."
I didn't know what this matter had to do with Li Jiu, or if there had been some past agreement. But seeing Old Ghost, who was always calm and composed, laughing and talking, actually crying, my heart ached as well.
A person who loved to eat had completely abandoned his life, immersed himself in the world of powerful families, engaging in schemes and machinations. At only fifty years old, his temples were already streaked with white. This life of worry and effort had finally brought him release, and he cried. I could understand and feel Old Ghost's emotions at that moment.
"He really shed tears. Which scheme is this?"
"If the scheme is sealed, where are the schemes?"
"Do you want to have a drink tonight?"
"Okay!"
"I'll make a few more dishes."
"No rush. You go call Gao Ziyan and discuss the handover."
...
That night, Old Ghost and I drank a lot and talked about the past. I watched Old Ghost pass out on the table and went to help him to the bedroom. He mumbled, "I'm sorry, Tang Nan, you still can't leave Hong Kong."
"Old Ghost, what… what did you say?" My tongue was also slurring.
"Mm, ah, did I say something? I'm drunk, I need to go to sleep."
Old Ghost tried to stand up, and his stool tipped over. I wanted to help him to bed, but he was too fat to move. There was no choice. I stumbled back to get a blanket and let Old Ghost sleep on the floor.
Seeing that he was alright, I also wanted to go back to sleep, but my stomach was churning fiercely. I stumbled into the bathroom and held onto the toilet, retching.
...
When I woke up the next morning, I smelled congee. I went to the table and, with heavy eyelids, saw the hangover tea on the table. After drinking a bowl, I felt much better. Old Ghost was making lean pork congee in the kitchen, seemingly over his ailment. What a constitution he had, considering he drank twice as much as I did yesterday, I thought, looking at the two empty wine bottles next to the trash can.
"After we finish the congee, we'll go sell the equity and retire."
"I'm not going with you. I want to mail my jade necklace back to my wife. I haven't spent the entire first lunar month with her. I'll send the gift back first to ease her anxiety."
Old Ghost frowned. "Did I say anything after drinking too much yesterday?"
"No, I just feel like Cao Qian hasn't made her move yet, and this isn't over. By the way, how do I mail a jade necklace?"
"Such an expensive item, how can you mail it? Go to Jiulong Auction House and find Qin Sisi. She'll arrange for someone to deliver it for you. Did I really not say anything?"
"No, no. We'll go our separate ways."