Chapter 6 — The Mistress of Moon-Gazing Pavilion

The father of Huo could not withstand the sudden collapse of his world, suffering a cerebral infarction that landed him in the intensive care unit. To cover the mounting debts and legal deficits, the mother of Huo was forced to sell off the family’s jewelry and real estate, scurrying from one shadowed corner to another to evade the relentless pursuit of creditors. A fortnight later, those students who had played minor roles in the incident were granted bail while awaiting trial. Driven by desperation, their parents forced them to gather before the main entrance of the Moon Gazing Pavilion, where they unfurled a banner that read: "We beg the proprietor of this club to show mercy and grant our children a path to survival."

They harbored the naive delusion that if they could only track down the elusive owner and kneel in public supplication, they could coerce a withdrawal of the charges. However, a public prosecution is not a private matter that can be settled with a plea. The floor manager stepped out, barking orders for the security staff to erect barricades to maintain order. Ignoring the shivering students kneeling on the pavement, he commanded the staff to unroll a crimson carpet that stretched from the grand lobby to the very edge of the street. Two rows of attendants stood at rigid attention.

"Mind your posture! The true owner is arriving. If any of you causes the slightest mishap, you are dismissed immediately," the manager scolded, his voice booming with authority. This orchestrated display ignited a spark of hope among those gathered outside. The students and their parents craned their necks, preparing to prostrate themselves and beg for forgiveness the moment the owner stepped from the car. By midday, a sleek black sedan pulled up to the entrance, and the scene fell into a deafening silence. Every intruder held their breath, eyes locked on the vehicle. Four bodyguards in sharp, charcoal-gray suits emerged from the escort car, opening the rear door and bowing in wait. A moment later, I stepped out, dressed in pristine, elegant white. I stood calmly, surveying them. The entire square was frozen. Those who had prepared to grovel stared at me with widened eyes. After days of being held pending trial, Huo Yunting looked gaunt and withered. He rubbed his eyes, staring at me as if I were a hallucination. The manager led the entire staff in a ninety-degree bow, their voices resonating in perfect unison across the square: "We welcome the Young Mistress back to inspect the property."

The uniformity of their voices paralyzed the group of students. The mother of Huo, her hair disheveled and wild, lunged forward from the crowd, pointing a trembling finger at me while letting out a shrill scream. "It is impossible! This is completely impossible! She is nothing but an orphan who could not even afford a bottle of mineral water!" she shrieked. "You are all colluding to deceive us, aren't you? You hired some impoverished girl to play this part just to humiliate us!"

She was utterly incapable of accepting the reality before her. The opposite door of the sedan opened, and my father stepped out, his expression stern and cold. He strode toward the mother of Huo and delivered a sharp backhand slap. She staggered, her vision blurring as blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. My father looked at them with icy disdain. "My biological daughter has been lost for eighteen years. Since I have only just found her, she wished to experience life as an ordinary person," he stated. "I transferred the ownership of the Moon Gazing Pavilion to her simply so she could find some joy. Who are you people to lead an entire class to conspire against my daughter’s assets, and even attempt to make her wash dishes? I tell you this: even if you kneel here until your skulls crack, I will ensure every single one of you rots in prison."

These words shattered their final illusions. Bai Weiwei collapsed to the ground, grabbing at her hair and sobbing. She finally grasped that for the sake of a bracelet worth a few thousand, she had offended the true master of the Moon Gazing Pavilion—someone entirely untouchable. The legs of Huo Yunting turned to jelly, and he fell to his knees, crawling toward me, desperate to clasp my feet and beg for mercy. Before he could touch me, a bodyguard kicked him squarely in the chest, sending him sprawling several meters away. He writhed on the ground in agony, unable to rise. Seeing them in such a state, I felt no need for further words.

"All evidence has been turned over to the prosecutor. We shall see each other in court," I said, taking my father’s arm and turning toward the steps to enter the club. Behind us, a chorus of wailing broke out, but it was a fate they had brought entirely upon themselves. Three months later, the court convened for the trial regarding the organized fraud. Given the staggering sums involved, the court denied all motions for settlement. The presiding judge struck his gavel, and the verdict held no surprises. Huo Yunting, as the mastermind behind the scheme involving vast illicit gains and a total lack of remorse, was sentenced to five years in prison, with his personal assets seized to compensate for the club's losses. The mentor he once served under was sentenced to ten years for a litany of crimes, including bribery and obstruction of justice. Though Bai Weiwei had surrendered a recording at the eleventh hour, her deep involvement in the massive financial fraud led to her conviction as an accomplice. She received a three-year sentence suspended for four years, during which she was mandated to undergo rigorous community reform. With a criminal record now permanently etched against her name, she was barred from government service or any position of prestige, condemned to a life of limited opportunity.