Chapter 1171: The End of Auspiciousness

"Is this the place..."

Shen Nan held a transparent umbrella and slowly stopped in front of a hotel.

He looked up at the hotel sign. It was an old-fashioned light board from over a decade ago, with mottled neon lights forming the large characters "Huixian Hotel." Combined with the clouds and mist in the mountains, it seemed as if it were truly covered in a mysterious veil.

The hotel’s triumphal arch seemed to be broken, with only a glass side door open. Shen Nan’s expression was a bit strange. He confirmed the address one more time before entering the hotel through the side door.

Under the dim light, the reception hall was decorated decently enough. Next to it were the red leather sofas typical of old-fashioned guesthouses, and on the wall behind hung a scrolling screen—the most high-tech item in the entire reception hall. Conspicuous red characters scrolled silently across it:

——Warmly welcome all guests to the Wushan Conference.

Shen Nan’s mouth twitched slightly. "The 749 Bureau’s budget really gets tighter every year..."

"Young friend Shen Nan."

A voice came from the side.

Shen Nan turned back to see an elderly man with white hair, leaning on a cane and walking slowly with the help of a young man.

"Elder Xiao?!" Shen Nan’s eyes lit up when he saw Xiao Chunping, and he immediately walked up.

"Elder Xiao, it's been many years. How have you been lately?"

"Hahaha, I'm old now, my walking isn't steady anymore." Xiao Chunping chuckled, gently patting the young man’s shoulder beside him. "Fortunately, the children have grown up, and we don't need to worry about them..."

"Yao Qing? You've grown so tall." Shen Nan looked closely at the handsome young man and teased, "In my memory, you were still a little squirt..."

"...You're the little squirt." Yao Qing pouted.

Xiao Chunping turned to look at Yao Qing.

"Good grandson, greet him."

Although Yao Qing was a bit reluctant, he still spoke obediently, "...Big Brother Shen."

"Young friend Shen Nan, did you just arrive?" Xiao Chunping asked.

"Yes."

"Haha, the accommodation this time isn't as good as our year... I don't mind, but you young people probably won't be used to it."

"...It's understandable. After all, the conditions in Wushan are limited, so it's good enough to have a place to stay." Shen Nan paused for a moment. "However, I still don't understand why it was scheduled here this time... Is there something special about Wushan?"

Xiao Chunping nodded slightly. "I'm not too sure about that either... But I think the organizers must have their own purpose."

"That's true..."

"By the way, didn't young friend Chen Ling come with you?"

Hearing the name Chen Ling, Shen Nan was startled. He smiled helplessly, "No... we parted ways two days ago, and since he's currently wanted by the 749 Bureau, he can't come to an occasion like this."

"Big Brother Shen, then have you seen Sister Zhiwei?" Yao Qing couldn't help but ask. "How is she lately??"

Shen Nan raised an eyebrow and spoke teasingly, "What? Worried about your Sister Zhiwei?"

"You... just tell me!"

"Don't worry, she's doing fine." Shen Nan patted Yao Qing’s shoulder and checked the time. "Elder Xiao, you two go ahead and look around, I'm going to drop off my luggage."

"Alright, let's talk later."

Shen Nan dragged his suitcase to the front desk to check in, and after finishing the process, he walked toward his room.

As soon as he pushed the door open, a smell entered his nostrils. It seemed the room had been sealed for too long, and the scent of the old hotel permeated the small space, making him frown subconsciously...

Shen Nan closed the door and walked straight to the balcony to open the window.

Shen Nan’s room was on the fifth floor. Although it wasn't high, because the hotel was on higher ground, he could overlook Wushan Town... Just as he was breathing in the fresh air, a faint sound of firecrackers and gongs and drums came from another corner of the town.

Shen Nan looked in that direction and muttered to himself,

"Is this... a lion dance?"

……

Crackling!!

The loud sound of firecrackers moved along the streets of the town. The boys, who had been squatting on the floor of the car just a moment ago, now stood tall like roosters. They had tied strings of firecrackers to sticks they’d picked up from somewhere and were setting them off right in front of them.

The explosions of the firecrackers right in front of them made it impossible to hear anything. The splashing sparks burned small holes into their neat suits, and the pungent white smoke rolled into their nostrils with the wind, making them cough repeatedly. Yet, they still wore smiles, charging forward like warriors...

Amidst the rolling smoke and fire, a nimble, bright red lion figure leaped out!

The lively sound of drums and gongs mixed together, coming from the car’s speakers. Accompanied by the boisterous rhythm, the lion danced as if it had no weight, leaping across windowsills, shaking its head and blinking its eyes, roaring with its mouth open, and shaking its realistic fur, drawing laughter from the children watching on the roadside.

Most people in Wushan Town had never seen a lion dance before. Hearing the noise from outside, they curiously looked over...

"Wow, there's actually a lion dance??"

"These days, you don't see such a lively wedding procession often... Whose daughter is getting married?"

"I don't know, I haven't heard of anyone in our town whose daughter is getting married..."

“……”

Firecrackers roared, the lion dance cleared the way;

In the misty smoke and fire, a black Audi with its hazard lights on moved slowly forward, as if riding the clouds.

There was no line of luxury cars, no red carpet to clear the way. Right in the midst of this rolling smoke and fire, the dancing red lion was like a nimble spirit traveling through the mortal world. Every move attracted the attention of most people, drawing cheers and applause, as the procession tore through the thorns and marched toward the destination of happiness and auspiciousness.

"Big Brother, aren't you going to dance?" Amidst the roaring firecrackers, a boy holding a string of firecrackers saw Chen Ling still walking beside them and couldn't help but ask.

"...I don't know how to dance the lion dance." Chen Ling said truthfully.

"What?!!" The boy’s ears were filled with the sound of firecrackers; he couldn't hear what Chen Ling said at all.

"I said, I don't know how to dance the lion dance!"

"Huh? Oh... I thought you were with that big brother..."

“……”

Chen Ling didn't explain further, just followed the crowd in his bright red opera robe.

The procession moved slowly forward. Under the gaze of many, it finally arrived at a relatively wide road. The lion dancing in front seemed a bit unsure of the direction and could only turn and perform in a small area.

Seeing this, Chen Ling turned and asked at the right moment:

"Where is the bride's house?"

The boy was stunned. "Big Brother, we aren't going to the bride's house."

"Aren't you picking up the bride? How can you pick up the bride without going to her house?" Chen Ling’s tone was full of confusion.

"We are picking up the bride, but not at her house. The bride isn't there..."

"Then where is she?"

"There."

The boy raised his hand and pointed to a building at the end of the road... It was the only modern-looking high-rise in the town. But seeing the bold characters on the building, Chen Ling suddenly froze in place.

Wushan First People's Hospital.