169: A tender moment in the universe and a first encounter at the Yihong Courtyard

Xie Hui was awakened by the scent of Peach Blossom Crispy Cakes wafting to his nose.

Opening his eyes, the five-meter-high vaulted ceiling of the living room came into view. The crystal chandelier reflected the sunlight from outside, casting light onto the leather sofa nearby. Su Mingyu was frowning at a tablet, her fingers sliding quickly across the screen. Glancing toward the kitchen, Huang Rong was wearing an apron printed with 'Michelin Chef' (Xie Hui had brought it from the real world; Huang Rong said the material was even more comfortable than the silk from Peach Blossom Island). She was tossing a wok, and the stir-fried shrimp inside was sizzling, the fragrance filling the entire house through the open kitchen door.

"Don't just lie there playing dead now that you're awake," Su Mingyu said without looking up. "I just finished planning that open space in the small universe. The east side is designated as farmland for Rong'er to plant some crops from Peach Blossom Island, and the west side is reserved for a helipad to make it easier to bring things from the real world in the future. By the way, Zhu Li and Wu Fei went upstairs to tidy up the guest rooms, saying that if our family from the real world ever wants to visit, they'll have a place to stay."

Xie Hui stretched and sat up from the sofa, rubbing his stomach. "My Rong'er's cooking is still the best. After eating Western food for two months in the hello mr. billionaire world, my mouth was getting so bland it was practically growing feathers."

Huang Rong walked out carrying a plate of Peach Blossom Crispy Cakes and gave him a sidelong glance, though her eyes were filled with a smile. "You and your sweet talk. These cakes have honey from Peach Blossom Island added to them; eating them can replenish Qi and blood. You spent so much time in Xihong City before, you need to nourish yourself properly."

As they were speaking, Zhu Li and Wu Fei came down the stairs. Zhu Li was holding a throw pillow. "Brother Hui, the bedding in the upstairs guest rooms has been changed. It's the best cotton from the real world, so it'll definitely be comfortable to sleep on. Oh, and my mom called me yesterday saying she wanted to see you. How about we go back and visit next time we return to the real world?"

Wu Fei nodded in agreement. "My husband was asking too; he said you helped him solve his job issues and wants to treat you to dinner."

Xie Hui had just stuffed a piece of crispy cake into his mouth and said indistinctly, "Sure, after we get back from this Transmigration, we'll all go back to the hometown together. By the way, where's Xia Zhu? I don't see her."

"She's in the study," Su Mingyu pointed toward the study. "She's calculating the assets you brought back from hello mr. billionaire, saying she wants to do some financial planning so you don't spend all the money with your extravagant ways."

Xie Hui chuckled twice and got up to walk toward the study. Pushing open the door, he saw Xia Zhu leaning over the desk with a stack of documents spread out before her, pressing the calculator rapidly. The sunlight fell on her hair, making the tips glow with a pale gold. Xie Hui walked over and gently hugged her from behind. "What are you calculating so seriously?"

Xia Zhu was startled, but relaxed when she turned and saw it was him. "Calculating your assets in the real world. The gold and silver you brought back from the legend of the condor heroes converted into cash, plus that sum from hello mr. billionaire, now adds up to over a billion. I've bought some steady funds for you and two commercial shops in downtown Magic City. Even if we don't go through Transmigration in the future, we won't have to worry about food or clothing."

Xie Hui lowered his head and kissed her forehead. "My Xia Zhu really knows how to manage a household. Alright, stop calculating. We've been in the small universe for three days; it's time to head back to reality and prepare for the next Transmigration world."

Xia Zhu nodded and put away the documents. "Have you thought about which world to go to next?"

"Not yet," Xie Hui said, pulling her hand as they walked out. "Let's go back and see if anything's happening in reality, then I'll think about it."

When he returned to the real world, Xie Hui woke up lying in his luxury flat of over three hundred square meters. He had bought this place after returning from hello mr. billionaire; it was located in Lujiazui, Magic City, with a view of the Huangpu River from the balcony.

Just as he picked up his mobile phone, he heard a 'ding-dong'—it was a message from his classmate group. Xie Hui clicked it open to see a message from the old class monitor, Li Da, accompanied by a photo of him with a Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The caption read: 'Just picked up this car for the company, made a small profit of a few million. If you brothers have any renovation needs in the future, just find me, I'll give you a twenty percent discount!'

A group of classmates chimed in below: 'Brother Da is awesome!' 'President Li is getting richer and richer!' 'When are you going to treat us to dinner?'

Li Da even @-ed Xie Hui: '@Xie Hui, I heard you're still working as a Corporate Slave in Magic City? Why not quit and come be a manager at my company? I'll give you a monthly salary of eight thousand, which is enough for your rent and food in Magic City.'

Xie Hui arched an eyebrow. This Li Da loved to compete with him back in school, and it seemed he was still the same. He didn't reply in the group and exited the chat directly. Just as he put down the mobile phone, a private message from Li Da came through: 'Xie Hui, there's a classmate reunion this weekend at the Splendid Jiangnan Hotel. You must come; I'll introduce you to a few clients, maybe I can help you earn a living.'

Xie Hui looked at the message, smiled, and replied: 'Sure, I'll be there this weekend.'

On the day of the weekend, Xie Hui got up early and drove a Maybach out of the garage. This car was a gift from Wang Duoyu in the hello mr. billionaire world; all the paperwork was done, and it was registered with Magic City license plates.

Arriving at the entrance of the Splendid Jiangnan Hotel, Xie Hui had just parked the car when he saw Li Da and a few classmates standing at the door smoking. When Li Da saw Xie Hui's car, his eyes went wide. He walked over and knocked on the window. "Xie Hui, you rented this car, didn't you? You're quite a poser, specifically renting a luxury car to show off because you knew there was a classmate reunion today?"

The classmates nearby also joined in the heckling. "Exactly, Xie Hui, renting this car for a day must cost a lot, right?" "There's no need to try to look rich when you're not."

Xie Hui didn't bother arguing with them. He pushed the car door open and stepped out, holding the car keys. "Rented? Why would I waste time renting this car? It's my own car, I drive it for fun."

Li Da took the car keys and looked at them; the Maybach logo was shining. His expression turned a bit sour, but he remained stubborn. "Even if it's your own car, you probably bought it on a loan. Paying the car loan every month must be exhausting for you."

Xie Hui didn't feel like explaining and took the lead into the hotel. Entering the private room, many classmates were already seated. Seeing Xie Hui enter, they all stopped chatting, their gazes falling on him.

Li Da followed him in and cleared his throat. "Everyone, quiet down. Let me introduce you. This is Xie Hui. His grades were okay back in our class, but now he's working as a Corporate Slave in Magic City. He specifically rented a Maybach to come here today; it wasn't easy for him."

As soon as these words were spoken, the classmates in the room burst into laughter, their eyes filled with mockery. Xie Hui found an empty seat and sat down, flipping through the menu without saying a word.

After the dishes were served, Li Da began bragging about his company. "My renovation company can make several million a year now. Last month, I even took a big order to renovate a villa for the boss of a listed company. The design fee alone was two hundred thousand. If any of you have relatives or friends who need renovations in the future, just find me. I guarantee you the lowest discount."

As he spoke, he looked at Xie Hui. "Xie Hui, how much do you earn a month now? If it's not enough to spend, just tell me. I'll find you a job at my company. Although it's a bit tiring, at least you'll be able to earn a living."

Xie Hui took a sip of tea and said leisurely, "Me? I'm unemployed. I usually live off financial management. It's not much, the monthly interest is only about eight hundred thousand to a million."

The room fell silent instantly. Li Da froze for a moment, then laughed. "Xie Hui, you're bragging without even blinking. A monthly interest of a million? How much principal do you have? Tens of millions? If you had that kind of money, would you still be unemployed?"

Other classmates also chimed in. "Exactly, Xie Hui, stop bragging, it's boring." "We're all old classmates, there's no need to pretend."

Xie Hui didn't argue. He picked up his mobile phone and saw that the bank manager happened to be calling. He answered the phone and turned on the speakerphone. "Hello, Manager Wang."

Manager Wang's respectful voice came through the phone: "Hello, Mr. Xie. Your fifty million wealth management product matured today. The interest is one point two million, and it has been transferred to your current account. Would you like to reinvest it?"

The room went completely silent. Everyone looked at Xie Hui, their eyes filled with shock. Li Da's face turned red instantly; he opened his mouth but couldn't say a word.

Xie Hui said into the phone, "No need, just leave it in the current account for now. I might need the money soon."

After hanging up, Xie Hui looked at Li Da. "President Li, you said you just took an order with a two hundred thousand design fee? That's quite impressive."

Li Da smiled awkwardly. "It's just average, just a small order."

At that moment, a classmate suddenly said, "By the way, Brother Da, didn't you mention that villa renovation order for the listed company boss? I heard that boss is extremely picky. Several renovation companies couldn't handle him. Can you really do it?"

Li Da's expression changed, and he sighed. "Don't even mention it. That boss is indeed picky. The design plan has been changed several times and he's still not satisfied. If I can't get it done, this deal is going to fall through."

Hearing this, Xie Hui took out his phone and called Su Mingyu. "Mingyu, do you know that President Zhang who works in the internet industry? He's been renovating a villa lately, and the renovation plan hasn't been finalized."

Su Mingyu's voice came through the phone: "I know him. He's a client of our company. Why?"

"Nothing much. A classmate of mine took his renovation order, and there's a problem with the plan. Help me put in a word for him, ask him to be more patient and not too picky."

"Alright, I'll call him right now."

After hanging up, Xie Hui looked at Li Da. "Alright, I've had my friend put in a word with President Zhang. Your deal should be fine now."

Li Da looked at Xie Hui, his eyes filled with gratitude and awe. "Xie Hui, thank you. I was wrong before; I shouldn't have mocked you."

Xie Hui smiled. "We're all old classmates, don't say that. Let's eat, the food is getting cold."

Throughout the meal, the classmates' attitude toward Xie Hui did a complete 180-degree turn. They crowded around him to offer toasts, asking if he could lead them in the future. Xie Hui humored them with a few words and left the hotel after finishing the meal.

Returning home, Xie Hui lay on the sofa, pondering the next Transmigration world. He flipped through the movies and novels in his mind and suddenly thought of the deer and the cauldron. That kid Wei Xiaobao was both slick and lucky, surrounded by so many beauties. Crucially, there were powerful techniques like the Bone-Dissolving Soft Palm and Divine Dragon Cult martial arts, as well as treasures like the forty-two chapter sutra. Going to that world would definitely be interesting.

Thinking of this, Xie Hui no longer hesitated and activated the Multiverse Origin skill. He closed his eyes and silently chanted: 'Transmigrate to the deer and the cauldron, time point: when Wei Xiaobao is bragging in Yihong Courtyard about killing Oboi and saving the Total Leader of Heaven and Earth Society.'

In the next second, Xie Hui felt his vision go dark, and his body felt as if it were being pulled by a powerful force. When he opened his eyes again, he was already in a noisy place.

In front of him was an antique-style hall filled with the smell of alcohol and rouge. It was packed with patrons and courtesans in ancient costumes, all arm in arm, talking and laughing. At a table in the center stood a young man in a cyan robe, about seventeen or eighteen years old. He wasn't tall, his skin was a bit dark, and his eyes darted around—he looked very clever at a glance.

This young man held a wine pot and was speaking animatedly: "You didn't see it, but that Oboi was eight feet tall and eight feet wide, just like a iron tower! He held two Tiger Head Sabers, and with one strike, he could split a table in half! But who am I, Wei Xiaobao? I went up and, in no time at all, I laid him out flat!"

The people around him applauded one after another: "Lord Wei is awesome!" "Lord Wei is truly a hero!"

Xie Hui took a look—wasn't this Wei Xiaobao? He hadn't expected the Transmigration to be so precise, arriving right when he was bragging.

He cleared his throat and took a step forward. This step seemed ordinary, but it carried a bit of the Nine Yin Manual's Lightness Skill. He landed silently, instantly attracting everyone's attention.

The hall fell silent instantly, and everyone looked at Xie Hui. Wei Xiaobao also stopped his bragging and looked at him with a frown. "Who are you? Where did you pop out from? How dare you come to Yihong Courtyard to cause trouble?"

Xie Hui smiled and lightly tapped his foot. His body floated slightly, about half a foot off the ground, causing the people around him to cry out in alarm. Wei Xiaobao's eyes also widened, his mouth hanging open wide enough to fit an egg.

"Trouble?" Xie Hui's voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly. "I am a Flying Immortal from Beyond the Heavens, come from the Immortal Realm. Passing through this place, I heard someone bragging and came specifically to take a look."

Wei Xiaobao froze for a few seconds, then burst out laughing. "Stop playing tricks! A Flying Immortal from Beyond the Heavens? I think you're just a Jianghu swindler! You want to scam some money, right? Let me tell you, I, Wei Xiaobao, am not so easily fooled!"

Xie Hui wasn't angry and said leisurely, "You say I'm a swindler? Then let me ask you: when you killed Oboi, Oboi held a Tiger Head Saber in his left hand and wore a Black Iron Heart-Protecting Mirror on his right. You circled around from his right and used a three-inch dagger to strike the Acupoints on his waist, right? Also, when you saved the Total Leader of Heaven and Earth Society, he was surrounded by three of Feng Xifan's subordinates on the second floor of the Yuelai Inn. You disguised yourself as a little eunuch delivering water and, while they weren't paying attention, you used lime powder to blind them before saving the Total Leader of Heaven and Earth Society, right?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Wei Xiaobao's expression changed instantly. These details were his own secrets; aside from himself, no one knew! How could this person in front of him know so clearly?

Wei Xiaobao jumped down from the table, ran to Xie Hui in a few steps, scrutinized him carefully, and then suddenly flopped down on his knees. "Immortal Master! You truly are an Immortal Master! Just now I had eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai. You are a great person with a large heart, please don't hold it against me! I beg the Immortal Master to give me some guidance!"

The people around were also terrified and knelt down one after another, shouting, "Immortal Master, spare our lives!"

Xie Hui quickly helped Wei Xiaobao up. "Get up, don't just go kneeling all the time. Since I could come here, it means we share a destiny. From now on, you call me Brother Hui. If anything happens, tell me, and I'll help you plan."

Hearing this, Wei Xiaobao nodded quickly. "Thank you, Brother Hui! Thank you, Brother Hui! From now on, if Brother Hui says east, I'll never go west! If Brother Hui tells me to hit a dog, I won't even scold a chicken!"

Xie Hui looked at his clever appearance and couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, stop being so cheeky. You just said you killed Oboi and saved the Total Leader of Heaven and Earth Society. I take it your life hasn't been very peaceful?"

Wei Xiaobao sighed. "Isn't that the truth, Brother Hui? You don't know, Oboi's remnants are looking for me everywhere to kill me for revenge, and the people from the Heaven and Earth Society are also looking for me to ask for the forty-two chapter sutra. I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place right now."

Xie Hui patted his shoulder. "Don't worry, with me here, I guarantee you'll be fine. By the way, tell me, how many copies of the forty-two chapter sutra do you have now?"

Wei Xiaobao's eyes lit up. "Brother Hui, you even know about the forty-two chapter sutra? I have three copies now: the Bordered Yellow Banner, the Plain White Banner, and the Plain Red Banner."

Xie Hui nodded, calculating in his mind. Next, he should first help Wei Xiaobao settle the matters with the Heaven and Earth Society, and then find a way to win over Shuanger.