"Uncle Hu, please bring her in," I said.
He answered promptly and soon ushered Zhang Yun Yao inside.
Seeing her again was still a pleasant surprise—after all, she was the school beauty.
Today, she was clearly dressed with care: a floral dress, her hair casually draped over her shoulders. Even from the doorway, a faint fragrance reached me; I had no idea what brand of perfume it was.
"Young Master Wu, we meet again." She stepped closer, and I wasn't sure if it was my imagination, but it seemed her face turned slightly red.
The sight of her brought back memories of that moment in her family's ancestral graveyard, when we had clung to each other. Warmth and a sense of familiarity rose in my chest.
We locked eyes for a moment, and I found myself at a loss for words.
Uncle Hu coughed. "Young Master, you two chat. I'll go cook."
He even winked at me before disappearing in a flash, shutting the door behind him. Sometimes I really didn't understand what went on in that old man's head—still so mischievous at his age.
"Please, Zhang, sit down. I'm afraid I don't have much to offer you," I said with an awkward smile.
She sat opposite me, glanced at the thread-bound ancient book beside me, and chuckled. "I didn't expect Young Master Wu to be so studious. It's a pity you didn't go to university."
At that, I could only inwardly groan. Studying was never for me; if the old man hadn't forced me to finish high school, I wouldn't have set foot in a classroom at all.
Rather than dwell on it, I changed the subject. "Zhang, did you come here for something in particular?"
"Can't I come just to see you?" Her beautiful eyes fixed on me.
"Of course you can. My door is always open for you."
"Young Master Wu, we're friends, aren't we? You don't have to be so formal—call me Yun Yao, or Yao Yao, like my friends do."
"We've been through tough times together; of course we're friends. Yao Yao it is, then."
"That's better," she said with a smile, before taking a delicate box from her bag and handing it to me. "As a friend, I want to give you this. It's the latest model phone, and I've already saved my number in it—it'll make staying in touch easier."
It was indeed the newest model—worth at least ten thousand yuan.
While I didn't lack money now, for someone who'd grown up poor, such a gift still felt extravagant. Uncle Hu had gotten me a battered old phone for under a thousand—probably second-hand.
But as the saying goes: When someone gives without reason, beware their motives. This phone was not just a gift.
I looked at her. "Yun Yao, you're here about your brother, aren't you?"
She froze for a moment, her expression turning uneasy before she nodded. "Not entirely. I also came for something else."
"Then let's hear that other thing first. As for your brother, don't bring it up again," I said bluntly.
Her eyes welled up instantly. "Young Master Wu, I know my brother has done many wrong things and offended many people, but he's still my only brother. Since that day, my father has tried everything—found many experts—but no one could help him. Now he's completely broken, muttering to himself, crying and screaming, and has been admitted to a mental hospital. If this goes on, he won't survive."
She gripped my arm, tears shimmering in her eyes.
The curse on Zhang Yun Liang had been cast by a descendant of Lu Ban, at the cost of at least ten years of his own life. Breaking it would be nearly impossible for anyone.
Even I might not be able to undo it—my knowledge of Lu Ban's sorcery was incomplete. My master, however, probably could.
But I was not the kind to be swayed by tears. Zhang Yun Liang had seduced a young woman, gotten her pregnant, then abandoned her—leading to two deaths. Helping him would be aiding evil.
And it likely wasn't his first offense.
"Yun Yao, it's not that I don't want to help, but your brother's actions make him unworthy of my aid," I said firmly.
"What if we make amends for what he's done? Would that change anything?" she pleaded.
I shook my head. "It's too late. The damage is done. Whether he lives now depends on fate. And not everything in this world can be solved with money."
I was speaking the truth. The old carpenter had lost his entire family, and he himself was dying from the backlash of his own curse. No amount of money could change that.
Her tears fell like broken beads. "So my brother really can't be saved?"
"He can be, but not by me. You'll have to find someone else."
"Why?" she asked.
"Because I promised someone I wouldn't interfere. I keep my promises," I replied.
She nodded slowly. "I understand."
Wiping away her tears, she added, "I actually came to introduce you to a friend. Her family is having some trouble and could use your help."
"That's no problem. If she comes to me through you, I'll help," I said.
Yun Yao stood up. "I'll go get her."
With that, she opened the door and ran outside.
The moment she left, Uncle Hu slipped back in. "Young Master, you've got quite a way with women—made the poor girl cry, though."
Do you want me to keep translating the next part of the scene immediately so it stays continuous?