Su Xingyu suddenly opened her eyes.

The ceiling was gray, with a crack in the corner of the wall, and insects were chirping outside the window.

She lay on the bed, her heart pounding and her breathing rapid.

It was already daylight, and morning light seeped through the gaps in the curtains, painting a golden line on the floor.

She sat up and touched her face.

It was cool.

Yet every detail of the dream was crystal clear—the grandfather’s face, his voice, the chipped enamel cup in his hand.

And the words he had spoken.

“This is your destined marriage. Go.”

She sat on the bed for a long time.

Then she picked up her phone and unblocked that number she had previously blocked.

The screen showed three unread messages, all from the same number.

The first read: “Ms. Su, I’m truly sorry to bother you. Mr. Fu is not well and may not have much time left. He sincerely wishes to meet you, so please consider it.”

The second said: “We’re not scammers. If you’re not sure, you can look up Fu Group headquarters online. Mr. Fu’s full name is Fu Zhengyuan, and he’s seventy-six this year. You could also ask elderly locals in Xiangxi who knew your grandfather—Mr. Fu did come to Xiangxi when he was young.”

The third message concluded: “Whether you’re willing to come or not, please give us a reply. Sorry for the inconvenience.”

Su Xingyu stared at the screen for a long while.

Then she opened her browser and searched for “Fu Group” and “Fu Zhengyuan.”

The moment the search results appeared, her eyebrows shot up.

Fu Group—a top ten private enterprise in the provincial capital, with businesses spanning real estate, commerce, hotels, healthcare… The encyclopedia entry ran for several thousand words, accompanied by a photo of an elderly man with graying hair but a vigorous demeanor, smiling politely at the ribbon-cutting ceremony of a certain building.

Fu Zhengyuan.

She then searched for “Fu Zhengyuan Xiangxi,” but found no relevant information.

However, the encyclopedia did mention: Fu Zhengyuan had done business across the country in his youth before returning to the provincial capital to found Fu Group.

She put down her phone and walked to the window, pushing it open.

The morning breeze rushed in, carrying the unique scent of grass and trees from the mountains. In the distance, the mountains were shrouded in mist, their dark green silhouettes barely visible—like a giant beast lying asleep.

She leaned against the window frame and thought for a while.

She didn’t dare to disbelieve her grandfather’s words.

From childhood to adulthood, everything her grandfather said had always come true. Not vague prophecies, but concrete, precise predictions that made her skin prickle.

When she was eight, her grandfather said the chickens at Aunt Wang’s house next door would be snatched away by a Siberian weasel. Aunt Wang didn’t believe it, and sure enough, the next morning three chickens were missing from the coop.

When she was twelve, her grandfather warned Uncle Li at the eastern end of the village that he would face a blood disaster that year and should be extra careful when going out. Uncle Li dismissed it, but that autumn he broke his leg in a motorcycle accident.

When she entered university, her grandfather said she would meet a benefactor there—a chubby girl who wore glasses. Sure enough, on the very first day of freshman year, her roommate Zhang Xiaoman turned out to be just such a girl, helping her grab seats, get meals, and highlight key points for all four years.

She didn’t believe in fate, but she believed in her grandfather.

If he said it was her destined marriage, then it must be.

“Alright,” she murmured toward the distant mountains, though she wasn’t sure who she was talking to.

Then she went back inside, picked up her phone, and dialed that number again.

The call connected after just one ring, as if the other party had been waiting by the phone all along.

“Ms. Su?”

“It’s me.”

“Y-you’re willing to come?”

Su Xingyu leaned against the window, gazing at the misty mountains in the distance, her tone calm: “Will you cover my food and lodging?”

“Of course! Everything’s covered!”

“Fine. Then I’ll go take a look.”

End of Chapter 4: Leaving Home