The trip to Kaifeng, though somewhat unexpected, concluded with a result that left everyone highly satisfied.

Even though a few minor issues remained unresolved—such as the accomplices who aided Meng Jian in his deception—these were peripheral matters that would naturally be dealt with by others; they were none of Wang Guan’s concern.

However, with that business concluded, Wang Guan did not rest upon returning to the capital; instead, he became incredibly busy.

If you asked what Wang Guan was busy with, he couldn’t really say—he was just busy doing nothing important.

Of course, after ten days or half a month of this whirlwind of activity, the elusive Wang Guan finally showed up at the foot of Banshan Temple, following the insistent invitation of Beiye.

There was no helping it: on the eve of New Year's Day, the resort center was finally completed successfully and a grand ribbon-cutting ceremony was held.

As one of the principal owners, Wang Guan simply could not miss the event.

After half a year of preparation, even before officially opening, the resort center had already gained considerable renown.

Furthermore, thanks to the prestige of the Tang family, the ribbon-cutting ceremony was naturally packed with esteemed guests.

There is no need to elaborate on the lively atmosphere; suffice it to say the business was booming and exceedingly prosperous.

The daytime featured continuous banquets, while the evening was dedicated to song and dance galas.

Much like the New Year’s Eve specials on major television networks, the resort center had heavily invested in inviting numerous celebrities to perform, naturally drawing a huge crowd eager for entertainment.

The lineup was not limited to stars from the mainland, Hong Kong, and Taiwan; it also included popular singers from Southeast Asian nations, such as the famous "Wash-Cut-Blow" trio… However, the most popular acts were the cute moe girls from Japan and the K-Pop girl groups from Korea.

Watching these energetic song and dance routines performed by dazzling beauties, the assembled group of otaku could no longer contain their surging excitement, resulting in a chorus of wails and cheers.

“Hey, where are you looking?” At the same moment.

Beiye was clearly displeased and couldn't resist pinching Wang Guan’s arm.

“I wasn’t looking anywhere,” Wang Guan replied, his expression serious and composed.

Yet, his peripheral vision betrayed a lingering reluctance, darting back for another glance at the slender legs of the youthful, vibrant girls on stage… It was rare to see them wearing only thin silk stockings in such cold weather; they truly had remarkable fortitude against the chill.

“Hmph.”

Beiye noticed Wang Guan’s minor infraction. Her eyes flashed with annoyance, and she stood up abruptly, heading toward the exit.

“Where are you going? Wait for me!”

Wang Guan wasn't dense.

He naturally knew he had to follow.

Anyone who stayed behind to watch the rest of the performance in that situation was destined to be alone for life.

Of course, aside from the indoor performances, there was also a fireworks display outside.

Wang Guan followed Beiye out just as plumes of meteors shot into the sky, exploding high above to form brilliant showers of silver and gold flowers.

It was incredibly dazzling and spectacular.

At that exact moment, from the serene mountain forest, the clear and ethereal sound of a bell suddenly resonated.

One chime followed another, the sound rippling like waves, continuous and unbroken, tolling exactly one hundred and eight times.

Accompanied by the bells, amidst the joy and laughter both indoors and out, everyone celebrated the arrival of the New Year.

“Happy New Year!” Wang Guan’s face was alight with a smile. “Are you still angry? Here, take a gift. This is my apology.”

As he spoke, Wang Guan casually plucked a rose from a nearby flower basket and offered it to her. “Borrowing a flower to offer to the Buddha—smile for me.”

“That’s too perfunctory; there’s no sincerity at all.”

Beiye shook her head, biting her soft lip, a hint of disappointment in her eyes, but she still reached out and accepted the rose.

However, as her fingers closed around the stem, Beiye was astonished to feel a cool, hard object suddenly appear in her hand.

She was naturally surprised. Following her instinct, she opened her delicate palm to look, and a soft, shimmering, rosy light flashed within it—it was a crystal-clear diamond ring resting in her palm.

At first glance, Beiye was startled, then her expression brightened with joy, her pretty face flushing slightly. “What is the meaning of this?”

“Exactly what you’re thinking,” Wang Guan smiled faintly, smoothly drawing Beiye into his arms. He leaned in close to her ear and whispered softly, “Marry me.”

Beiye did not speak, but her gentle, yielding movement against him was the best possible answer.

The reason she remained silent was mainly because she was afraid she would burst out laughing.

“Congratulations, congratulations!” At that instant, streaks of fire crisscrossed above their heads from every direction, bursting into a rain of brilliant sparks.

Immediately after, Yu Feibai and the others rushed over, their faces beaming with congratulatory smiles.

“May you grow old together and be united forever…” Following her initial shock and joy, Wang Guan and Beiye graciously accepted the blessings of their friends and family.

The very next morning, they flew directly back to Cidu to discuss the arrangements for the wedding with their families.

Upon arriving in Cidu, Beiye discovered that not only were Wang Guan’s relatives present at the villa, but her own family was there as well.

Moreover, most of the preparatory work had already been taken care of; they had simply kept it secret from her alone.

Naturally, Beiye was overjoyed by this, though she offered a few token complaints on the surface.

In any case, everything proceeded in an orderly fashion, and under the guidance of the elders, their wedding took place as scheduled.

As for the wedding ceremony itself, it was neither particularly low-key nor excessively extravagant.

Given Wang Guan’s current wealth, spending tens of millions on a lavish wedding would have been trivial, but he simply saw no necessity for it.

The essence of a wedding, when boiled down, is a ritual—a ceremony for receiving the blessings of relatives and friends.

If one has the means, hosting a fine celebration is naturally acceptable.

But anything done in excess loses its original meaning; being too extravagant was unacceptable.

Ultimately, Wang Guan and Beiye’s wedding was held at the villa. Guests ranged from high-ranking officials and powerful figures to ordinary common folk.

Without exception, every attendee was someone Wang Guan and Beiye knew, and under their witnessing and blessing, the couple completed this major milestone in life.

What followed was a honeymoon trip lasting three months.

Beginning in late winter, the couple traveled the world, returning to China only when spring bloomed. They took the opportunity to visit Suzhou, appreciating the drizzling rain and immersing themselves in the primordial atmosphere of Jiangnan’s quaint bridges, flowing water, and mist-shrouded lanes.

“Don’t you find such a long honeymoon tiresome?” While Wang Guan was lost in the charm of the Jiangnan water towns, Yu Feibai sent a discreet text message: “It’s time to get down to serious business.”

“What serious business?” Wang Guan felt a flicker of confusion.

“Damn it, I knew it. You’ve forgotten your brother now that you have a wife.”

Yu Feibai complained, then simply called directly, roaring into the phone: “Didn’t I tell you? It’s about Hotan, the Hotan jade mine bid…”

“Oh.” Upon hearing this, Wang Guan suddenly remembered. He laughed. “Didn’t you say you were fully confident? And you know that Jade King, and the Jade King has several hundred tons of top-grade jade in stock—why bid when you can just buy the materials?”

“Don’t even mention it. I was a step too late. The Jade King’s stock has already been snatched up by someone else.”

Yu Feibai sighed. “The person who bought it is also someone you know—Su Wenyi. And I have to admit, compared to him, I’m still inexperienced.”

“Oh? It’s rare to see you admit defeat.” Wang Guan sounded surprised.

“I have no choice but to concede,” Yu Feibai lamented with a wry smile. “He investigated the Jade King’s preferences and spent over a year catering to them. It’s no wonder he managed to secure the goods smoothly.”

“How so?” Wang Guan mused.

“The Jade King’s lifelong passion is for Mao-era porcelain; he wishes to collect a complete set as a family heirloom. But you know, fake Mao porcelain vastly outnumbers the genuine articles on the market. Having money isn’t enough to buy a full set. So, Su Wenyi took an unorthodox approach: he commissioned Uncle De to replicate a batch and presented them all to the Jade King…” As he spoke, Yu Feibai expressed both admiration and helplessness. “With such a grand gesture, even knowing they were replicas, the Jade King was deeply moved. Under this sentimental pressure, the deal naturally went to Su Wenyi.”

“Ah!” At this moment.

Wang Guan finally understood why Su Wenyi had reproduced the porcelain. He too felt a surge of awe. To be as shrewd in business as Su Wenyi was, it was no wonder his fortune was rolling in and thriving.

“I won’t say any more; my heart is filled with tears!”

Just then, Yu Feibai cried out again: “Hurry over here! It’s not just me; Elder Qian is here too.”

“What? Elder Qian is here too?” Wang Guan was momentarily stunned.

“Yes,” Yu Feibai confirmed definitively, then lowered his voice conspiratorially. “Moreover, Elder Zhou, Elder Hou, Elder Zhang, and the others are here too. It feels like some major event is unfolding. You had better come over, lest you miss out and blame me for not warning you.”

“Alright, I’ll head over immediately.”

Upon hearing this, Wang Guan naturally couldn’t sit still. He immediately took Beiye by plane.

After a series of transfers, he finally rendezvoused with Yu Feibai and the others.

However, their destination was not Hotan, as Yu Feibai had mentioned, but the foot of a small town in the Kunlun Mountains range.

The town was quite remote; if not for specific guidance, Wang Guan would never have found the place.

Upon arrival, he saw that Elder Qian and the others were indeed all gathered there.

Startled, Wang Guan quickly stepped forward to offer his greetings.

“It’s good that you’ve arrived,” Elder Qian said with a gentle smile. “Let’s go take a look.”

“Where are we going?” Wang Guan remained somewhat perplexed. The elders offered no explanation, merely walking forward with smiling faces. Seeing this, he naturally looked toward Yu Feibai, but Yu Feibai seemed equally uninformed, merely shrugging and gesturing for Wang Guan to follow along.

“Let’s go too,” Wang Guan murmured. He seemed to sense something, a smile beginning to touch his lips. He immediately took Beiye’s delicate hand and lightly followed Elder Qian and the others out of the small town, walking slowly up the mountain path.

Although the Kunlun Mountains were nearby, this particular section was not particularly mystical or remote, merely sufficiently tall. The vegetation on the mountainside was utterly ordinary, offering nothing special.

Yet, as they ventured deeper into the mountains, a narrow gorge vista suddenly appeared before them—a sight where two enormous cliff walls leaned toward each other, their peaks nearly touching, leaving only a tiny gap at the bottom for passage.

Upon reaching this spot, Elder Qian and the others hesitated for only a moment before slipping into the fissure, moving with practiced ease toward the interior.

Wang Guan paused briefly, then followed closely in their footsteps.

The passage through the gap was somewhat dim, but after a few steps, pinpricks of light began to shimmer ahead, gradually revealing a world bizarre and magnificent… (To be continued…)〖Book Network ∷Fast Updates∷No Pop-ups∷Pure Text∷www.〗