Chapter 7: I Want to Be a Spoiled Brat

  "Son, how is your father?"

  Yuan Fangfei pushed open the door and walked in, holding two cups in her hand. Her eyes fell on Xu Zhengchun lying on the sofa, and she couldn't help but pause for a moment, "Why is your dad sleeping here?"

  "Mom, Dad is okay now. I just gave him two injections and released the cold and damp air from his body. He's been too tired lately, let him rest for a while."

  Xu smiled and took the water cup from his mother's hand, drinking it all in one gulp. He was very confident in his acupuncture skills, and the small animals on top of Changbai Mountain were almost all afraid of him. Later on, he only used that colorful bird to practice, and the grudge between him and the bird started from when he began practicing his needle technique.

  "You've exhausted yourself."

  Yuan Fangfei gently wiped the sweat from Xu Yi's forehead, "Son, you also take a rest. Your aunt asked me to go over and discuss something with her. When your father wakes up, let him go over too."

  She raised her head and took a glance at Old Man Xu, "Dad, you chat with your grandson for a bit, I'll go see Big Sis."

  "Go ahead, we've got your back."

  Mr. Xu waved his hand solemnly with a serious expression.

  "Xiao Yi, be honest with me, what's going on with your father's illness? It's so strange that even the hospital can't figure it out?" Mr. Xu picked up a cigarette from the tea table, lit one and took a puff, his sharp eyes fixed on Xiao Yi's face. "Don't beat around the bush, I want to hear the truth."

  "Grandpa, you just saw it too, I just got an injection. The expression on Xu's face turned gloomy, "It's just that this is only a superficial solution."

  "I had a family member's photo before, and my master often asked me to deduce their fate with it to test my divination skills." Xu Yi's voice dropped, as an official's son, talking about fortune-telling and deducing fates made him feel somewhat anxious.

  Especially when he came back this afternoon, his father Xu Zhengchun's words made him understand his situation. A monk who has never been to school for a day, how can he give face to the old Xu family?

  Maybe being a good boy and following the rules is the best choice.

  "Continue to speak." Mr. Xu waved his hand and let out a soft sigh, "Child, you don't have to be ashamed either. You becoming a monk was also unavoidable. If you hadn't followed your master to Changbai Mountain back then, your life would have been in danger. Moreover, your master didn't forbid you from getting married, unlike other Taoist priests."

  "But from now on, try not to talk about fortune-telling, divination, or Feng Shui in front of people."

  "Grandpa, I understand. I won't say these things in front of others again." Xu nodded slightly, feeling a bit downhearted. After studying the orthodox Taoist arts of the Xuanmen for twenty years, he hadn't even had the chance to show off once.

  "My dad's fate was pretty good before, but this time when he came back, I found that his facial features had undergone some subtle changes, which ordinary people can't see..."

  Xu Yijian briefly and concisely stated the situation, and finally concluded, "It's very likely that someone is plotting against my dad. As for what exactly, we need to investigate further."

  It's about Father's fate, Xu Yiming knew that the old man didn't like these feudal superstitions, and could only show his hand in front of him, maybe he could even make the old man feel a sense of identity with these ancient cultural heritage.

  "Alright, you can stay here then, it's quiet and no one will disturb you."

  Mr. Xu nodded, leaned his head back on the sofa, and waved his hand wearily, "I just want the result."

  Nodded slightly, sat cross-legged on the ground stall, calmed down a bit, and slowly closed his eyes.

  Mr. Xu suddenly opened his eyes, staring at Xu Yi who was deep in thought, and silently sighed in his heart, all of this is fate, such a clever child

  If it weren't for his serious illness that year, this child would have graduated from university and started a career by now. Perhaps the hope of bringing honor to the old Lai family lies with this child.

  Lao Er Xuzhengchun is just so-so, lacking in agility. Lao San's performance in the army was also average. The reason they have achieved what they have today is largely due to those old guys taking care of their own face.

  What will this child be in the future?

  Mr. Xu fell into deep thought.

  "Grandpa, I know."

  He suddenly opened his eyes, and the sweat on his forehead burst out like a spring, apparently, calculating this divination had cost him a lot of energy.

  "Wipe your sweat first." Mr. Xu handed a few paper towels to Xu Yi, "What's going on?"

  "Grandpa, this thing is someone behind the scenes making trouble, it should be related to my dad's job transfer." Xu Yi wiped the sweat from his forehead and threw away the wet tissue in his hand. "According to the divination, the person who made a move from behind should be located in the northwest..."

  Xu Zhengchun was taken aback, his eyes lit up, and the hand holding the cup trembled slightly. Only a few people knew about the matter that Lao Er had manipulated, and he believed that Lao Er would never mention such things to his grandson. Could it be that this Taoist divination technique was really so amazing?

  Xu Yi still had some things he hadn't mentioned to Lao Yezi, and if this matter wasn't handled properly, perhaps his father's future would be stuck at the deputy minister level forever.

  Moreover, the means by which the person behind him had acted was even more unbearable to mention. The old master originally didn't like these superstitious Taoist arts and techniques; if he were to find out about something like a Feng Shui formation, who knows, it might enrage him and render today's efforts for naught.

  The flash of shock in Lao Ye's eyes just now was seen by Xu Yi, which means that Father being plotted against was indeed due to his work adjustment.

  For what he learned in Changbai Mountain, Xu Yi never had any doubts, whether it was acupuncture or divination and astrology.

  "Dad, if it's northwest, then it must be that person. Looks like someone doesn't want me to live a good life. And this is just the calm before the storm. Could it be that he still remembers that little thing from when I was young?" Xu Zhengchun slowly sat up from the sofa, and the clothes covering him fell down. The spot where he had been stitched earlier started bleeding again, but the color of the blood wasn't bright red.

  "Lao Er, you're wrong, this shouldn't just be a personal vendetta." Old Master Xu shook his head, lit a cigarette and took a puff, glancing at Xu Zhengchun. "You've been getting close to the people from Dongnan recently, and your transfer was also proposed by someone from Dongnan's side. Although it's only a deputy department-level position, you're still part of the team."

  "It's very likely that it was a struggle between those two parties, and you just happened to be caught in the crossfire."

  The old man's voice paused, and he waved his hand. "Alright, let's talk about these things later. Now that you're awake, it's just the right time for us to discuss Yu Jiang's future arrangements."

  "Dad, you make the decision, we'll all listen to you."

  Xu Zhengchun took a few paper towels to wipe the blood stains on his body clean, sniffed his nose, and the bloody smell was gone. He secretly let out a sigh of relief in his heart. Since he already knew his son's thoughts, anyway, he didn't want to go to school, so it would be better for Old Master to advise him.

  "You, you little scoundrel, have learned this trick from your old man!" Mr. Xu was taken aback, glared at Xu Zhengchun fiercely, put the cigarette in his mouth and took a puff, then turned to Xu Yi, "Child, you've been on Changbai Mountain for twenty years, although you can read and write, but after all, you haven't had systematic education."

  Xu Yige lowered his head and didn't speak. This afternoon, his father told him to go to school but he didn't respond. Now that Grandpa has brought it up again, he can't just stay silent.

  "Grandpa, I'm already 23 years old. At this age, others have already graduated from university. Besides, it's not necessarily true that only education can lead to a successful path."

  "Oh, what do you want to do?"

  Mr. Xu furrowed his brow and his face sank, "The knowledge you learned on the mountain is too simple, in today's world without culture it won't do, otherwise you can go be a soldier, at least that's one way out, plus you've been following Chi Songzi to practice martial arts, just right for you to join the army and make use of your specialty."

  "Grandpa, I just said that I'm already 23 years old. Do you think there are 23-year-old soldiers in the army?" Xu's face showed a hint of bitter smile, "This suggestion is not even as good as going to school, besides, it's not necessarily true that one must go to school to have a future."

  "Son, you don't want to join the army and you don't want to study, what exactly do you want to do?"

  Mr. Xu furrowed his brow, wanting to scold Xu Yi a few words, but when he saw the long hair on his head, he suddenly remembered the difficult days he had spent in Changbai Mountain for 20 years, and his heart felt slightly sour.

  "Grandpa, Dad, it's not that I don't want to make progress, but the conditions just won't allow it. You're asking me, a twenty-something-year-old, to go to school with a bunch of kids? Even if others don't say anything, I myself would feel embarrassed. And at this point in time, if I were to go back to school, wouldn't that be humiliating?"

  "If it were just me being looked down upon, that would be fine. They will definitely gossip behind our backs and say all sorts of bad things about the Xu family. Why bother? If I don't go to school, they'll at most say I'm a useless young master."

  Xu's face revealed a hint of bitter smile, "Besides, my master once said that if he hadn't taken me to Changbai Mountain back then, I might have kicked the bucket twenty years ago. Since I managed to escape with my life from the King of Hell, I should make the most of it and enjoy life."

  His voice paused, and the expression on his face also became solemn. "Grandfather, I don't want to go to school or join the army, I want to enjoy life, I want to live a new life, I want to make up for the twenty years I lost!"

  "I just want to be a little spoiled!"

  Mr. Xu was stunned, his mouth agape in shock, and he couldn't believe his ears. Xu Zhengchun was also dumbfounded, staring blankly at Xu Yi, unable to utter a single word.