CHAPTER 319: CHAPTER 319: SI MINGJING: MANY CHILDREN, MANY BLESSINGS, NO MORE OFFSPRING! 2

Si Mingjing looked at him with disdain. "Master, your integrity has shattered all over the ground and can’t be picked up."

Master Huixian, with his sagely and transcendent air, was entirely unconcerned. "Everyone knows that hard work pays off. Without a little money, how can people be motivated to create a beautiful world? Young Benefactor, don’t blame this old monk for obtaining rightful compensation just because you’re reluctant to spend."

"Master, you win."

Si Mingjing, thoroughly impressed, sat on the stone bench, looked at the Go board, and said, "Master, what’s the fun in playing Go by yourself? How about I play a game with you? If I win, you’ll allow me a free consultation. If I lose, I’ll pay double the consultation fee."

Master Huixian’s interest was piqued. "Young Benefactor, you have quite the nerve. Alright, let’s continue with this game."

Si Mingjing took a black stone from the jar and said, "Then it’s settled. I’ll play black."

Si Mingjing knew how to play Go, and she played quite well.

While on Prison Star, there was a prisoner who was very good at Go and often played alone because no one else knew how. To relieve his boredom, he taught her to play.

Once she learned, he had cultivated a fellow Go player for himself.

Si Mingjing played Go without arrogance or impatience. Her mind was calm, her composure steady, and as she sat across the board, she discussed tactics with ease.

The old master and the young woman played for nearly an hour and a half.

In the end, Si Mingjing smiled. "Master, I’ve won. You have to keep your word."

Stroking his salt-and-pepper beard, Master Huixian, unwilling to concede, waved his hand. "Again."

"You’re so old, Master. How can you go back on your word? Can’t you afford to lose?"

Si Mingjing saw the sun was about to set. She figured it would be dark by the time another game finished.

But there was nothing she could do; Master Huixian hadn’t had his fill of playing yet.

Since Si Mingjing was the one asking for a favor, she had no choice but to continue playing with him.

Another hour passed in the blink of an eye. The sun had set, and Si Mingjing smiled again. "Master, I’ve won again. You have to keep your word this time, surely?"

Master Huixian sighed repeatedly. "A worthy opponent! Truly, a worthy opponent! Young Benefactor, why don’t we play until dawn?"

"Absolutely not. I need to get back for my beauty sleep. You may not bother with your health at your age, Master, but I need to take good care of myself. I’m not even married yet!"

Master Huixian rambled on, suddenly grabbing her hand and feeling her bones as he spoke, "...A prolific lineage, blessed with many children and much fortune. With such blessings, why would you even need to marry?"

Is he telling my fortune now? Si Mingjing wondered. Last time he said my fate couldn’t be read, but now he can?

Curious, Si Mingjing asked, "Master, how many children will I have then?"

Perhaps because she had been around many children recently, she suddenly found herself quite interested in the topic.

Master Huixian shook his head. "No more children."

Si Mingjing’s expression darkened. "You just said I’d be blessed with many children, and now you’re saying I’ll have no more? Are you drunk, Master?"

Master Huixian released her hand and stroked his white beard. "The secrets of heaven must not be divulged. Otherwise, this old monk would face divine retribution."

"Oh, come on. Is it because I haven’t paid enough? Where’s your QR code? I’ll send you the money. Just say something auspicious, don’t curse me."

But Master Huixian rose to leave. As he walked away, he said, "Young Benefactor, it’s getting late. This old monk must go for his evening meal. I cannot detain you further."

Si Mingjing was left speechless.

Is he just ditching me after getting what he wanted? she fumed. Did he trick me into being his Go partner for hours?

Si Mingjing felt a surge of annoyance and was about to chase after him when she noticed that the white stones on the Go board had, at some point, been arranged to form two characters.

Those two characters were: Mengcheng.

Si Mingjing stared blankly at the two characters formed by the white stones.

Could Master Huixian have already figured out what I wanted to ask and given me the answer?

Si Mingjing looked up, intending to ask Master Huixian, but he had already vanished without a trace.

Si Mingjing sat for a moment, then twirled her ring-shaped phone and called Mo Yinhe. "Is there a place in this world called Mengcheng?"

"Yes."

Due to the time difference, Mo Yinhe was still at work.

He was in a high-level meeting in the conference room, discussing important state matters with several influential officials.

Just then, a cellphone’s ringtone suddenly echoed through the meeting room.

All the influential officials froze, silent as cicadas in winter. Mo Yinhe detested it when people failed to silence their phones during meetings.

He always led by example, meticulously putting his own phone on silent.

An official whose phone had rung during a meeting was once summarily dismissed by Mo Yinhe.

Who was this daredevil who had forgotten to silence their phone before the meeting? they wondered. They were in for serious trouble!

To everyone’s utter astonishment, Mo Yinhe, his expression stern, suddenly made a gesture and said, "Silence."

Then, he answered the call as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

The influential officials exchanged bewildered glances. "..."

Was that His Excellency’s own phone ringing?

Everyone collectively breathed a sigh of relief, feeling as though they had narrowly escaped disaster. Yet, they were also surprised. Didn’t His Excellency always make it a habit to silence his phone before meetings?

Mo Yinhe’s phone was indeed set to silent mode. However, he had made a special exception: his phone would not be silent for calls from one person—Si Mingjing.

So, while calls from anyone else would be silenced, a call from Si Mingjing was a different matter entirely.

After Mo Yinhe answered, his voice softened. "Why the sudden question about Mengcheng?"

Si Mingjing replied, "I went to see Academician Zhou today to discuss late-stage diabetes. Academician Zhou told me that a medicinal ingredient called Dragon Algae is essential for treating it. This ingredient was given to Academician Zhou by Master Huixian. I went to ask Master Huixian about it, and he gave me two words: Mengcheng."

Mo Yinhe had never heard of a medicinal ingredient called Dragon Algae.

But Mengcheng...

Mo Yinhe said, "Mengcheng is an undersea city."

Si Mingjing understood immediately. "Dragon Algae must be a type of seaweed then. If Mengcheng is an undersea city, that explains it. This trip wasn’t a waste after all."

"Have you eaten?"

Mo Yinhe mentally calculated the time; it should be dinnertime in A Country.

"Not yet. I spent almost three hours playing Go with Master Huixian."

"You know how to play Go?"

"What, are you underestimating me?"

Mo Yinhe had simply discovered another of her hidden talents. The Si Mingjing of the past had been clueless about Go. No matter how he tried to teach her, she just didn’t seem to have the aptitude for it.

She was incredibly clever, capable of deceiving people without so much as blinking, yet she just wasn’t good at Go. Mo Yinhe had never understood why; it wasn’t *that* difficult, was it?

Now that she said she could, Mo Yinhe was genuinely happy for her.

Si Mingjing’s phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, her tone playfully arrogant. "There’s a lot more I can do. You can take your time discovering it all. I have to go; I need to get back. I’m starving."

Si Mingjing hung up and left Daying Temple.

Mo Yinhe called the Ye Family mansion and ordered several of her favorite dishes, telling the kitchen to start preparing them immediately so she wouldn’t have to wait when she got home.

He couldn’t bear the thought of her being hungry and wished he could cook for her himself.

Unfortunately, they were too far apart.

On the car ride back, Si Mingjing’s mind was consumed by Master Huixian’s words: Her lineage would be strong, blessed with many children and great fortune, yet... she would have no more children!

That old money-grubber, what kind of riddle was this? Could it be...