The cold wind sliced through the air like a knife, and snow whirled violently around them.
When Lu Sheng opened his eyes, he found himself sitting inside a yellow-gray carriage. It rocked gently with each bump in the road. Beside him, a young girl was speaking in a soft voice.
Outside, the world buzzed with life—vendors hawking their goods, people shouting, cheering, children laughing without a care.
Lu Sheng let out a deep sigh.
He knew he could never go back. Just five days ago, he had been an aging man living out his days in quiet leisure at a state-owned enterprise. Then he drank himself into oblivion—only to wake up here, in this unfamiliar world.
He sniffed the air. The scent of wine, warm pancakes, and fried fruits mingled on the breeze.
"Oh, the white osmanthus wine in Guihuafang is getting more and more fragrant," said Xiaoqiao, his personal maid, in a childish, singsong tone.
Xiaoqiao was only twelve years old. With her baby face and petite frame, she looked no older than ten. Her cheeks were plump and rosy against her fair skin, and she wore a green cotton skirt that matched her youthful appearance. In her small hands, she was gently rubbing a hair tie—preparing it for Lu Sheng to use once he got out of the carriage.
The tie was made from an expensive type of bark that gave off a natural, delicate fragrance. Its only flaw was that it stiffened in the cold and had to be warmed in the hands to become pliable again.
Lu Sheng smiled but said nothing.
Soon, the carriage came to a halt.
He lifted the curtain and stepped outside. The street stretched before him in shades of gray and white, paved with large bluestone bricks—each about the size of a washbasin.
Carts rolled by in both directions. People walked their horses, leading them carefully through the bustling street.
The vendors called out merrily, and the girls and women strolling the streets were unreserved—faces bare, laughter bright and open.
Lu Sheng lifted his gaze to the wine shop ahead. A white rectangular plaque hung above the door, bold and showy, with three flamboyantly written characters at its center: Osmanthus Shop.
"Mr. Lu is here! Please come in! Room A has been reserved for you!" A smiling servant hurried over to greet him.
Lu Sheng gave a slight nod, adopting the air of a refined young master. With practiced ease, he accepted a silver-rimmed white paper fan from the small hand beside him. He flicked it open with a soft snap. The fan revealed an elegant painting—misty mountains and winding rivers, the brushwork rich in contrast, peaks fading into clouds, light and shadow dancing together. A graceful inscription adorned the side, evoking the air of a cultured gentleman.
With that, he followed the servant into the wine shop.
The building had two floors, and the first-floor hall was already bustling with noise and cheer. Patrons filled the space, chatting and drinking as a performance unfolded at the center.
A young girl in green stood poised in the open area, her voice soft and sweet as she sang. Beside her sat a middle-aged woman gently strumming a pipa. They were performing Sanhui Chuan, a sorrowful tale of a general who marched off to war and the fox maiden who waited for him in the mountains.
It was a haunting melody—but most of the drinkers were coarse folk, more interested in wine than art. A few scholars listened quietly, but the rest barely paid attention. Applause was sparse, and few coins fell their way.
Lu Sheng paused, watching the scene with mild interest. Since the atmosphere on the first floor was lively, he decided not to retreat to the private room. Instead, he found an empty table near the side and sat down.
"Who ordered the Sanhui Chuan?" he asked the passing waiter casually.
Lu Sheng’s status in Guihuafang was anything but ordinary. If Guihuafang could be compared to a high-end entertainment club on Earth, then he was nothing less than a supreme VIP.
He spent hundreds of thousands here every year—an amount that easily placed him among the top patrons in a smaller northern city like Jiulian City.
"It's Mr. Zhou. Mr. Zhou Que," the waiter whispered in reply.
Lu Sheng didn’t press further. He simply waved the man off, letting him go.
Pulling Xiaoqiao down to sit beside him, he swept his gaze across the bustling hall. It didn’t take long to spot a pale, slender young man in a white robe, gently fanning himself with an ostentatious golden lotus-leaf folding fan.
"I guess he’s smitten with the singing girl again," Lu Sheng murmured, shaking his head.
"The eldest son already warned him last time. This guy’s just awful!" Xiaoqiao pouted, clearly annoyed.
Lu Sheng smiled but said nothing more.
He leaned back in his chair and began to listen quietly to the music.
Before long, a full table of wine and dishes was laid out on the dark red wooden surface. Lu Sheng picked up a piece of lettuce wrapped around slivers of fried pork and placed it in his mouth.
He followed with a sip of white osmanthus wine. Light and fragrant, it barely tasted like alcohol—the subtle floral sweetness was closer to juice than wine.
"Splendid clothes, delicious food, no worries... and a pretty little maid to warm the bed. This life is almost too indulgent," he muttered to himself with a wry smile.
Sometimes, Lu Sheng genuinely wondered if he should just live out his days like this. After all, this idle, pampered existence was exactly what he had always longed for in his past life.
He took another bite of food and sipped his wine.
Then he opened his mouth, letting Xiaoqiao gently place a peeled salted ice shrimp onto his tongue.
In this snowy northern city, ice shrimp was a true local delicacy. Fishermen would cut holes into the thick ice and scoop out nets filled with translucent shrimp, glittering like crystals under the light.
These were known as ice shrimp—half the size of regular shrimp, but unmatched in taste. The tender meat melted on the tongue, rich and flavorful. Naturally, the price matched their rarity. For most common folk, enjoying them even once a month was a luxury. But Lu Sheng? He dined on them at nearly every meal.
As he savored the exquisite food, sipped fine wine, and listened to the distant melodies, his thoughts drifted elsewhere.
He had now lived in this strange, ancient China-like world for several days. Yet, the more he observed, the more inconsistencies he noticed. At first, he assumed he had traveled back to some historical era—but soon, he realized that wasn't quite right. The customs, festivals, and even the climate were unlike any dynasty or region he knew of.
Just as he was deep in thought, the doors of the wine shop creaked open once more.
A group of burly men strode in, dressed in short, fitted garments. They filed over to a corner table and sat down noisily. From their attire and demeanor, it was clear they weren’t locals. Their style was more refined, reminiscent of travelers from the Central Plains—not as rugged as the northern folk.
The man leading them stood out: bald, broad-shouldered, with copper earrings and a face full of flesh. Despite his intimidating look, he let out a heavy sigh.
"Alas."
"This life is unbearable," he muttered, rubbing his forehead.
"Brother, what’s weighing on you?" asked one of the men beside him, frowning. "If we can't get through Lijia Village, we’ll just take the second route around Zhang Village instead."
"What do you know? I passed through Zhang Village on my way here—same situation as Lijia Village. A lot of people died."33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVbyhip5veq
The bald man's face twitched, his fleshy cheeks trembling with unease. His expression grew darker with worry.
"What happened, Brother? Tell us the details so we can learn something too!" one of the men urged, leaning in.
The bald man let out another heavy sigh.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRoXLKcC5AI
"I don’t know everything. Just that several fishing villages near Suiyang Lake have run into trouble. Folks say... there are water ghosts."
"Water ghosts!? Seriously?" another man blurted out, eyes widening in disbelief.
Lu Sheng's table wasn’t far from theirs, and their loud, unfiltered conversation reached him easily.
At first, he’d been listening out of idle curiosity. But he hadn’t expected the topic to turn toward the supernatural.
In this life, the Lu family he was born into ranked among the wealthiest in North Ice City—perhaps not a towering clan, but certainly a force to be reckoned with. If measured by Earth’s standards, their assets would be worth at least hundreds of millions.
Over the past few days, as he wandered through taverns and tea houses, Lu Sheng had heard all kinds of tales—stories of monsters, deities, and ghosts. But most were just folklore, told for fun over drinks.
This, however, was different. These men weren’t sharing hearsay—they were speaking from firsthand experience.
Lu Sheng’s interest sharpened. He leaned back slightly and listened more intently.
Fortunately, the men made no attempt to keep their voices down.
"I saw the water ghost with my own eyes," one of them said, shivering at the memory. "It was over ten feet tall, with a green face, long fangs, and seaweed all over its body. Heaven help me—if your big brother hadn’t run fast enough, you’d be burning incense for me right now."
The bald man still looked shaken, as if the memory lingered just beneath the surface.
"Brother… are you serious? You really believe in water ghosts?"33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS3PBuiDLVg
One of the men frowned, skeptical.
"Come on, admit it—you made that story up, didn’t you?"33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi2ZtiMshyY
Another burst into laughter, clearly not buying it.
Lu Sheng couldn't help but smile to himself. He figured it was just another tall tale from a hot-blooded brute trying to impress his friends. He’d encountered plenty of boastful types like this over the past few days.
After finishing his meal and wine, Lu Sheng motioned for a servant and asked for the song list from the performing girl. He flipped through it absentmindedly. Though Three Meetings had been a fine piece, its somber tone didn’t suit the bustling mood of the hall. He thought a lighter, more cheerful tune would be better.
Pah!33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuMZ18WVYwb
Suddenly, the bald man slammed his palm on the table, face flushed with indignation.
"You all really think I, Boss Hu, am just full of hot air? Take a look at this! Know what this is? A bone dropped by that water ghost! I picked it up myself, after it fled!"
With a theatrical flourish, he pulled a strange green object from his robe—something like a jade stone—and placed it on the table with a firm thud.
"Hah! That’s just a chunk of common jade!"33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzD27ZBThdt
One of the men scoffed, laughing aloud.
"Common jade? Are you blind?! You think this is miscellaneous jade? Nonsense!"33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhYJtmxY0e2
Boss Hu’s face turned red as his voice rose in defense.
"Brother, may I take a look at that?"33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ89qaRaSUM
A calm, refined voice suddenly drifted in from the side.
Lu Sheng stood beside the table, a gentle smile on his face as his gaze settled on the green stone sitting before them.
"You dare to touch this thing? That was dropped by a water ghost!"33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ95WziLdN21
The bald man stared at him in surprise. He had only brought it out to show off, fully intending to throw it away later. After all, it wasn’t something left by a human—who knew if keeping it might invite trouble?
"It’s fine. I just want to examine it."33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlN9MQfwXIM
Lu Sheng’s tone was light, clearly unconcerned. He didn’t believe in water ghosts, but something about the jade piqued his interest. It didn’t look like ordinary scrap jade—too polished, too pristine.
Common jade of that kind was easy to find in markets and stalls—cheap, made from leftover fragments, and often carelessly polished. But this one felt... different. Something about it didn’t sit right.
Boss Hu glanced at Lu Sheng more carefully. The man’s refined air was unmistakable. He wore a green fox-fur coat, a jade-inlaid hat, and boots embroidered with silver-threaded cloud patterns. Everything he wore screamed elegance and wealth.
That outfit alone could fund several months of luxury in Guihuafang—or sustain an ordinary family for over a year.
Boss Hu hesitated, then made a decision.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXNgjq75E6w
"If you really want it... I guess I could part with it. One tael of silver, how about that?"
"Deal."33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5onZy47Gtn
Lu Sheng nodded slightly. He gestured to Xiaoqiao, who promptly took out a tael of silver and placed it on the table.
"This is yours."33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkH9LEhGViJ
The bald man handed the jade to Lu Sheng and gave him a quick nod. Without another word, he and his companions exchanged glances, stood up, and left the tavern.
Lu Sheng remained silent, watching them go. He turned the jade over in his hand, examining it with narrowed eyes.
"One tael of silver... if I converted that to Earth’s currency, it’d be about a thousand yuan.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLWLNx1lV6
I really am living a different kind of life now."
He chuckled to himself. A single tael of silver was nothing to him. According to the memories inherited from this body, his monthly expenses easily exceeded a hundred taels. On some occasions, it could even reach into the thousands.
That was millions of yuan in spending. Unimaginable luxury.
He sighed inwardly, amused at his own extravagance.
Clutching the jade, he ignored the curious stares from the guests who had been watching the scene unfold. With light steps, he exited the wine shop, heading toward the carriage waiting outside.
But he hadn’t walked far when he suddenly stopped. A cold shiver ran down his spine.
He looked down at the jade in his right palm—and froze.
The jade was melting.
The solid, gleaming green stone was breaking down before his eyes, transforming into a ball of dark green mucus. Within seconds, it had lost all shape. Then, faintly—just barely audible—he heard it.
A scream.
High-pitched and eerie, it echoed from within the goo.
Puff!
The mucus exploded in his hand, releasing a cloud of green smoke that twisted in the air before slowly dissipating into nothingness.
He stood rooted to the spot, stunned.
When he looked again, the jade was still there in his hand—but its vibrant green hue had vanished, as if it had never existed.
"What... what just happened?"
He stood there in a daze, replaying the bizarre moment over and over in his mind.
"Young Master? Young Master?"
Xiaoqiao’s anxious voice broke through his thoughts as she tugged lightly at his sleeve.
Lu Sheng snapped back to reality and looked down at the object in his palm. It was no longer jade—just an ordinary, rough pebble. Not even worth a glance at a street stall.
A chill ran through him, but at the same time, something deep inside stirred with realization.
"Let’s go back to the mansion!" he said firmly.
Xiaoqiao blinked in surprise, a beat behind.
"Oh... alright."
The two climbed into the carriage. The driver gave a few sharp cracks of the whip in the air, and the sleek black horses began to pull them forward at a steady pace.
Inside the carriage, Lu Sheng said nothing. He just stared silently at the pebble in his hand, lost in thought.
Xiaoqiao noticed the change in his demeanor—and the strange stone.
"Fooled again..." she muttered inwardly, glancing away. But she kept her thoughts to herself. She’d seen worse. The last time the young master was tricked, it was over a so-called antique wine pot. He had spent thousands of taels of silver on it, nearly giving the master of the household a heart attack.
This time, it was only a single tael. That was less than what Lu Sheng sometimes spent on a single dish.
The carriage rolled smoothly through the snowy streets. As they neared the city gates, voices drifted in from outside.
"…I heard the water ghost was eliminated! Some wandering Taoist priest saved the whole fishing village!"
"Did anyone from the court show up?"
"They did—long ago. I heard even Lord Ouyang, the head of the city prefecture, got caught up in it. Nearly lost his life! Luckily, that Taoist happened to be passing through."
"What happened? How did he do it?"
"When the Taoist made his move, there was a flash of golden light. The water ghost screamed, melted into green slime, and exploded into thick smoke before vanishing!"
"Wait… it wasn’t the officials who handled it?"
"Of course not!"
Lu Sheng realized the voices were coming from a group of city gate guards casually chatting.
He leaned slightly toward the window, listening more intently now, the pebble still clutched tightly in his hand.
He often made a point to pass by this city gate. The officers and soldiers stationed here were well-informed and loved to gossip, always exchanging rumors about strange happenings from all corners of the land.
"What a coincidence..." Lu Sheng murmured, his face calm, though his mind was anything but.
The memory of the jade stone flickered in his thoughts like a warning, and a heaviness settled in his chest.
The carriage rolled forward steadily, heading toward the city’s most prosperous street—Kurong Street—where lanterns glowed and the scent of spices floated through the late winter air.
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