Chapter 48

Chenghuang Temple.

Mu Gesheng slept straight through from the afternoon until midnight. When he woke, his head was heavy and foggy. He groggily sat up in bed, instinctively wondering: Who am I? Where am I?

He saw the red lanterns hanging outside the room. His first thought was that the study was lit up, and he blurted out, "Second brother, what’s for dinner tonight?"

No one answered.

Only then did he realize that this was the City God Temple. Although the furnishings in the room perfectly replicated his old study, the courtyard outside no longer had the ginkgo trees.

No ginkgo trees were fine too. He yawned, glad to be spared the daily chore of sweeping the endless fallen leaves.

Mu Gesheng put on his coat and went downstairs, stepping into the courtyard where a faint scent of plum blossoms lingered in the air.

The ox had finished work and gone home; the ticket booth was deserted. He took down a lantern and hung it under the eaves at the temple entrance. The long street was sparsely populated, a few flickering lights swaying gently like graceful red flowers.

Mu Gesheng hadn’t fully woken up yet, dozing half-asleep while leaning against the door, thinking to himself how old he was getting—dealing with a crowd all day had completely drained him.

Isn’t it all just bluffing? Fortune-telling has always been three parts skill and seven parts showmanship and deception. Back in the day, he could fool the entire study room along with the teacher, then get into a fight with Lao Er, and after that stay up all night listening to Guanshan Yue’s tunes—still full of energy the next day. Not like now, where a few rounds of mahjong would leave him utterly exhausted.

Sleeping uncomfortably against the temple gate, he glanced up at the beams and wondered if he should lie down on the roof for a while. Then he saw two headlights flicker on in the distance, approaching slowly, accompanied by a faint, barely audible “Happy Birthday” song.

Isn’t that his daughter’s electric tricycle? What kind of teenage rebellion is this unlucky kid up to now, patrolling the streets with the city management in the dead of night?

The urban management vehicle stopped at the entrance of the City God Temple, and only then did Mu Gesheng recognize the driver. He immediately burst out laughing: "No way, Sanjiutian, since when did you hijack my daughter's car?"

Then he noticed the back of the vehicle piled high with large and small bags, all filled with fruits and vegetables, wrapped in colorful plastic bags. "Are you heading to the countryside market? My goodness, these radishes still have dirt on them, just pulled straight from the ground?"

“Mm.” Chai Suxin got off the car and responded, “Went out to the suburbs. Just after the New Year, there’s a big market today.”

Mu Gesheng was just speaking casually, but unexpectedly, this person really went to the market. He clicked his tongue in surprise and said, “One of the esteemed scholars, skipping the Seven Families’ gathering to go buy vegetables in the countryside. If Elder Zhu heard this, he’d be so mad his beard would curl up to the sky.”

“Not just buying vegetables,” Chai Suxin said. “There’s a free clinic at the market. Some rare and difficult ailments show up; I’m helping to take a look.”

“You’ve really gotten hooked on being a barefoot doctor, haven’t you? Aren’t you afraid someone will sue you for practicing medicine without a license?” Mu Gesheng laughed. “Alright then, your hard work is appreciated.”

Chai Suxin carried various ingredients into the kitchen. "Haven't you eaten yet? What do you want to eat?"

"Meat." Mu Gesheng answered promptly, then noticed that Chai Suxin had even bought a few live chickens. He immediately grabbed one, holding it by the neck, and said, "This one looks like Lao Wu. Quickly kill it and put it in the pot."

"You didn’t eat during the day; it’s not good to have heavy food for a late-night snack." Chai Suxin rescued the struggling chicken from Mu Gesheng’s hands, picked a few items from the stove, washed them, and began chopping vegetables. "How did the meeting go today?"

"Pretty smoothly. I estimate the Yao Group will send news tomorrow agreeing to the competition." Mu Gesheng took a washed tomato from the cutting board, bit into it, then sorted through various ingredients. "No ginger, no radish, no goji berries, no ginseng... In this bitter cold, be honest—are you brewing medicine or making a midnight snack?"

"Medicinal cuisine." Chai Shuxin ignored Mu Gesheng's movements, putting all the ingredients he had picked out into the clay pot, adding a handful of glutinous rice, and began to cook the porridge.

Mu Gesheng was stunned by his actions, staring blankly for a long moment before speaking: "Can we negotiate? Can we eat something else?"

"Your constitution is special. If you don't take medicine, you have to eat this." Chai Shuxin watched the fire, "You didn't take your medicine today."

"No, how do you know I didn't take my medicine?"

“If you had taken the medicine, your reaction wouldn’t be this slow,” Chai Suxin said. “You should have choked me out the moment I mentioned brewing the medicinal stew.”

Mu Gesheng: "......"

Sometimes he truly felt that people just couldn’t be compared. Both of them were stubbornly clinging to life, but while he was aging backward, Chai Suxin was almost becoming a spirit.

Mu Gesheng briefly recounted the events of the day. After listening, Chai Suxin said nothing, holding up a soup spoon thoughtfully. After a moment, he said, “I have a question.”

Mu Gesheng bit into a tomato, juice dripping from his mouth, and mumbled indistinctly, “Ask.”

"That child named An Ping, why did you let him taste your blood?" Chai Suxin asked calmly. "If it was just a desperate move to save someone, with your abilities there are many ways to do it. But once he’s tasted your blood, it will be hard for him to sever ties with the Seven Families from then on."

Mu Gesheng hadn’t expected that question and pondered for a moment. "Because his family is wealthy?" He then went on to describe the An family’s business. "It’s like taking a sheep for free—why not slaughter the fat one handed to you? In a few days, his family will be doing business with Chai Putai, which could be quite helpful."

Chai Suxin glanced at him, clearly unconvinced.

"...I really am getting old if I can’t even fool you anymore." Mu Gesheng wiped his mouth and sighed. "An Ping’s fate chart is unusual. Keeping him close is a kind of hope."

"Longing?"

"You'll know when the time comes. It's not the moment to say it yet; words can change things." Mu Gesheng tossed the tomato stem into the trash bin and washed his hands as he said, "When will the meal be ready?"

"Soon."

After the medicinal porridge was done, Mu Gesheng carried the bowl out of the kitchen, found the few chickens sleeping in the yard, tapped the rim of the bowl to wake the flock, then offered some rice porridge. The chickens turned their heads away, avoiding it.

Mu Gesheng said to Chai Shuxin, who was walking over, "See, I told you that cooking porridge with herbs during the coldest days of winter wouldn’t taste good. Even the chicken won’t touch it. Tianjin has 'Dogs Don’t Care' buns, but what you’ve made is 'Chicken Doesn’t Care' medicinal cuisine."

Chai Shuxin: "..."

Mu Gesheng shook his head and sighed, "People are no better than chickens."

The next morning, An Ping got up early. Since Auntie was still on holiday, he specially prepared breakfast. An’s father had arranged to meet an old friend for morning tea, so he just ate a few bites before heading out. Only then did An’s mother get up. Seeing the soft-boiled eggs on the table, her eyes lit up: "Did you make breakfast today, son?"

An Ping nodded, "Mom, good morning."

Mother An liked to sprinkle a few white sesame seeds on the soft-boiled eggs. The housekeeper didn’t know about this habit, only An Ping always remembered her mother’s preference.

Mother An had put on makeup today, dressed in a black skirt suit, looking every bit the professional. “Mom, are you going out for business today?”

“No choice, they’re pressing me. I’ll go to the company this morning, and have a meeting in the afternoon.” Mother An sighed, chewing on a fried dough stick and mumbling indistinctly, “I’ve transferred your New Year’s money to your card. If you have time, go out with your classmates and have some fun. Don’t just stay cooped up at home all the time.”

An Ping thought for a moment, then cautiously asked, “Why are you planning to do business with the Yao Group?”

“I’ve carefully chosen; this is currently the best partner, and your father has no objections.” An’s mother sensed something and looked at An Ping. “What, do you have some brilliant idea?”

“No, no.” An Ping quickly waved his hand. “I don’t understand business matters, I was just asking.”

“Feel free to speak your mind with Mom.” An’s mother said, “If you think there’s something wrong with the Yao Group, you can say it, but it has to be reasonable and well-founded.”

An Ping didn’t expect his mother to take it seriously. He hadn’t really handled the family business before; as a high school student struggling even with math and science, how could he possibly understand so much?

Anping pondered for a moment and said, "Their chairman is better looking than you."

An's mother choked on a mouthful of porridge, coughing for a long time before calming down. Surprisingly, she didn't scold Anping; instead, she followed her son's train of thought. "Better looking than me?" She thought for a moment and asked, "Have you seen the chairman of the Yao Group? Is she young?"

Anping sensed something was wrong. "Mom, what do you mean?"

"If she's not too old, maybe she could be my daughter-in-law."

Blood is thicker than water, and this time it was An Ping who caused an earth-shattering commotion.

Wu Bi had gone to the City God Temple in the morning to pick up his bike and happened to run into Zhu Yinxiao. "Cooking a late-night meal? Didn’t you go back with Elder Zhu?"

"The real show is just beginning; why would I go back now?" Zhu Yinxiao had just arrived too, stepping off his motorcycle, holding his helmet in one hand. "I got a message from my brother early this morning—the reply from Chai Puti has arrived."

Wu Bi was momentarily stunned, then scoffed, "The Yao Group sure moves fast."

“After all, it’s not easy to get a chance to compete for a Ling Shuzi; I figured they wouldn’t just let it go.” Zhu Yinxiao glanced at Wubi twice, then suddenly smiled and said, “I’m guessing you’re on the same side as Fengdu now. Does that make you a mole here with us?”

Wubi kicked out, “Fuck you.”

Zhu Yinxiao easily blocked the kick, then casually pulled him into a hug and ruffled his hair. “Hey, when do you think your bratty adolescent phase will end? There’s no such thing as overnight grudges between a father and daughter.” He clicked his tongue thoughtfully, “You’re not Nezha, are you? Planning to carve your bones to repay your father?”

Wubi exploded, “Zhu Yinxiao, don’t think I’m afraid to beat you up!”

Zhu Yinxiao said casually, "Grow ten centimeters taller first, then we'll talk."

"What’s all the noise so early in the morning? Such a ruckus." Mu Gesheng opened the temple door, holding a letter in his hand. "Old Five, did you get the news?"

"Got it." Zhu Yinxiao nodded, looking at the letter in Mu Gesheng’s hand. "So that’s the reply from the Yao Group? What does it say?"

"They sent an invitation." Mu Gesheng seemed to have just woken up, yawning. "They’re asking San Jiutian to come to the city hospital."

“Inviting my brother to the city hospital?” Zhu Yinxiao was puzzled. “What kind of trick are they up to?”

“It seems there’s a surgery for a critically ill patient scheduled during the coldest days of winter,” Mu Gesheng said, glancing at the invitation. “Let me see, the wording is quite flowery... It basically says that since the next Ling Shu heir will be decided during these cold days, he himself must first prove worthy as a judge. They’re inviting him to perform a surgery—if he succeeds, it validates his medical skills.”

He laughed to himself as he spoke. “This is hilarious. I have to keep this letter as a memento.”

Zhu Yinxiao was at a loss for words for a moment, then finally said, “They really do come up with some ideas.”

Even Wubi found it unbelievable, doubting Chai Suxin’s medical skills? He must be out of his mind.

“But there’s one thing I need to ask you, Fifth Brother,” Mu Gesheng shifted his tone and looked at Zhu Yinxiao. “Back when San Jiutian went abroad to study, what exactly did he learn?”

Zhu Yinxiao was taken aback. “You ask me that all of a sudden, and I can’t quite recall... He studied a bit of everything, it seemed like something in the science and engineering fields.”

“This invitation from the Yao Group was also painstakingly crafted,” Mu Gesheng said. “San Jiutian hasn’t officially practiced medicine for years; no one knows what level he’s at now. Besides, I remember the Yao family’s traditional knowledge was all in Chinese medicine—how could Chinese medicine perform surgery?”

Only then did Zhu Yinxiao realize, hesitating a little, "…My brother did study Western medicine when he went abroad, but there are many branches of Western medicine. I really don’t know if he can perform surgery."

Wubi asked, "Then what do we do?"

"Meet force with force, counter water with earth." Mu Gesheng shrugged, "I asked, and Sanjiutian said he’s fine."

"But what if…"

"Kids who overthink won't grow tall," Muge Sheng said, patting Ubi on the head.

"Relax, everything will be fine as long as your old man is here."