Chapter Eleven: See You in Court

I glanced at him and continued watching the goldfish. “Sorry, I don’t know you.”

He patiently reminded me, “Miss Yi, you really are someone who forgets easily. Yesterday at the airport, you ruined my young master’s cake…”

I suddenly pointed at him. “You mean that pervert?”

His expression changed. I waved my hand impatiently. “Didn’t I already pay for it? What more do you want?”

His face shifted. “Miss, perhaps you’ve forgotten—yesterday you injured my young master. I’m here today to discuss compensation for medical expenses.”

Oh no, could Xia Qi have been right? I couldn’t help but laugh. “What, did your perverted young master suffer impotence from my kick, or did it break off altogether?”

Unfiltered words slipped from my lips. He took a document from his briefcase and placed it before me. “It seems Miss Yi is determined not to resolve this matter. This is a document drafted by our lawyer. I’ll see you in court.”

With that, he turned to leave. I quickly glanced at the document and was startled.

I hurried to block the doorway. “You’re Assistant Zhu, right? Let’s talk—there’s no need to make such a fuss over something so trivial, is there?”

He looked at me. “What do you mean, Miss Yi?”

I stretched lazily. “Well, you’ve forced me into a corner. I have no choice but to go meet your young master.”

Once the car left the dazzling city lights, I grew uneasy. Was Zhu Bang planning to kill me and dispose of my body somewhere remote? An unlit wilderness, a headless female corpse, chest cracked open, kidneys missing…

Oh dear, just imagining it sent chills down my spine.

As I texted Qilin, I asked Zhu Bang where we were headed. He glanced discreetly at my phone. “Miss Yi, please rest assured—I’m a law-abiding citizen. I don’t do murder or organ trafficking. Don’t be nervous, I’m simply taking you to see my young master.”

I put away my phone and snorted twice. “Who said I was nervous? I’ve seen it all. If your perverted young master tries anything, I’ll castrate him myself.”

Before we arrived, I caught the faint scent of lotus in the breeze. The closer we got, the cooler the air became. Under the deserted streetlights, all I could see were endless green lotus leaves.

The wind must have carried the moisture from the lake, making it so refreshing.

Looking out, clouds drifted and water stretched far and wide—a vast lake, filled with lotus blossoms swaying gracefully under the moonlight.

Across the surface, scattered points of light shimmered like fishing lanterns, gently flickering.

Behind me, several large buildings loomed—they looked like hotels.

On the opposite shore, a cluster of low villas and a giant windmill came into view.

This was Worry-Free Island, the most famous resort in Kangcheng, and the lake before me was the legendary Mirror Lake. It was said to be home to the world’s only twin-lotus, and if you were lucky, you could see fireflies at midnight.

The wind picked up, and I huddled beside the car as Zhu Bang asked, “Miss Yi, do you get seasick?”

I gazed at the largest light in the middle of the lake and shook my head uncertainly. “I’ve never been on a boat, but I don’t think so.”

He led me aboard—not a yacht, but a traditional black-awning boat common in the southern water towns, with a boatman at the bow rocking gently, humming a wordless tune.

Eventually, I recognized the song: “Ask the lotus root, how many threads? For whom does the lotus heart ache? Twin blossoms gaze tenderly at each other, merely children of old families. Heaven permits, yet does not allow, lovebirds to share life and death. The sunset is silent. The smoke among guests, the riverbank of Xiang, is not yet the place of heartbreak…”

The black-awning boat glided steadily. In the distance, a lighthouse stood tall. I watched the lake filled with twin-lotus blossoms, marveling at the rarity.

Mirror Lake was immense, the lotus flowers abundant. The intoxicating fragrance made me dizzy, unsure where we were. Dazed by the overwhelming scent, I stumbled off the boat as he guided me through a long corridor.

We entered a cluster of ancient gray houses, typical of southern water towns. They looked no different from ordinary homes, like those trendy private kitchens hidden in plain sight, but to be built at the heart of Mirror Lake was extraordinary.

The night wind blew cool and gentle. Moonlight draped the lake like an exquisite robe.