The gauze curtains parted in the middle, and the mysterious Old Madam Xu finally appeared before Hu Xiaotian. When he saw her face, his mouth fell wide open in astonishment and stayed that way for a long while. How was this an old woman? She was a pale, frail young girl who looked no more than fifteen or sixteen, except that her long hair was white as snow. "Crane-white hair and a child's face" could not have suited her better.
Judging by her face alone, no one could have imagined that she was an old woman nearing seventy. But a closer look at her eyes revealed an unfathomable depth, as though she had witnessed all the vicissitudes of the world. Those eyes could never have belonged to someone young. Hu Xiaotian couldn't help thinking of Qiqi. Despite all her deep scheming, her gaze remained pure and clear, without any trace of the sediment left by passing years.
Old Madam Xu studied Hu Xiaotian. Only after a long while did she nod and say, "You truly are no creature destined to remain in a pond."
"You, madam, have certainly surprised me," Hu Xiaotian said softly.
Old Madam Xu laughed. To Hu Xiaotian, the combination of a young girl's face and an aged voice was profoundly eerie.
Old Madam Xu said, "When Fengyi gave birth to you, you were deaf, mute, and an idiot. You became the greatest regret in her heart."
Hu Xiaotian's answer was unexpected. "Was that my fault?"
His response brought a smile to Old Madam Xu's face, as serene as a young girl's. Yet even while she smiled, there was not the slightest hint of amusement in her eyes. Her gaze remained cold and calm, like an ancient well without a ripple.
Hu Xiaotian knew he was facing