Translator: Dj22031
Editor: Dj22031
Advance chapters available for patrons on Patreon. And a chapter can be sponsored by buying me a ko-fi.
Although Wan Ding went home for the Chinese New Year, he called Qiao Huaize every morning, noon and night, fearing that he might die unexpectedly at home.
By the third day after the New Year, Qiao Huaize was much better. Although he lacked internal energy cultivation, his physique, honed through years of martial arts training, far surpassed that of ordinary people. While his fever had come on suddenly, he recovered faster than most.
Wan Ding simply refused to believe that Qiao Huaize was almost better. He felt that Qiao Huaize was too indifferent to him and had developed a masochistic tendency.
Qiao Huaize wouldn’t let him come over, so he could only keep giving instructions like a nagging old woman.
“Did you take your medicine on time?”
Qiao Huaize glanced at the medicine box that hadn’t been touched since Wan Ding left, and calmly replied, “Hmm.”
“It’s been cold these past few days, so you should just stay home. There’s food in the fridge. I think you can just get a microwave and heat things up yourself. It’s better than…” Wan Ding was speaking when he heard the breathing on the other end of the line become a little heavier.
This is when he started to find him annoying.
Wan Ding was helpless. He could only keep quiet and say, “Promise me you’ll stay home and lie down, and do nothing.”
“Okay,” Qiao Huaize said. “Goodbye.”
Then he hung up the phone.
Wan Ding scratched his head in frustration. Usually, highly skilled martial arts masters like him were extremely individualistic, but Qiao Huaize had such an aloof personality that he was too difficult to get along with.
However, he felt a strange sense of responsibility towards Qiao Huaize. The reason was simple: Qiao Huaize’s swordsmanship was exceptional, and he knew a vast amount of knowledge; even after all these years, Wan Ding still hadn’t fully grasped his abilities.
In Wan Ding’s mind, a martial arts fanatic, Qiao Huaize should be protected as a national treasure and a precious work of art. He even felt that Qiao Huaize might be the most outstanding sword master of this era.
However, this national treasure-level artwork didn’t take himself seriously. He drank every day, didn’t eat on time, and even found him annoying. Wan Ding was really worried to death.
The Wan family was packing up their things; the whole family was going to the temple to pray for good fortune and a smooth year ahead.
As soon as Wan Ding hung up the phone, his new wife looked over and said sourly, “Anyone who didn’t know better would think you were having an affair. You’ve never told me this before.”
“I’m with you every day taking care of you, so I don’t need to tell you anything. I just do everything.” Wan Ding coaxed his wife, then sighed, “You won’t be angry if you see him.”
With Qiao Huaize’s looks, he doubted any woman wouldn’t like him.
The young couple were talking when the old man came over.
“Wan Ding, how is Mr. Qiao? Is he feeling any better?”
“Much better, much better.” Wan Ding greeted him with a smile. “Martial arts practitioners are physically stronger than ordinary people. He just said he’s almost recovered.”
“Okay.” Old Master Wan nodded. “Go see him again tomorrow and bring him the wine we brewed in our hometown.”
“Grandpa, he can’t drink anymore, or his health will suffer,” Wan Ding said with a wry smile.
There’s no reason to just drink without eating, sigh. And with this extra alcohol, Qiao Huaize is even less likely to eat anything.
“Nonsense!” Old Master Wan glared. “Look at me, I’ve been drinking for so many years, and I’m still in excellent health!”
“Alright, alright, I’ll bring the wine to see him,” Wan Ding coaxed. “Come on, Grandpa, put this scarf on.”
“Let me tell you, geniuses and masters all have strange tempers. Be respectful to them and you’ll keep them here, understand? Hey— I’m not wearing a hat!”
“Put it on, Grandpa, it’s cold outside.”
After finally getting things done for the old man, Wan Ding turned around and saw his wife standing to the side, looking a little unhappy. He then went over to put a scarf on her.
“Is this how all martial arts families are?” his wife said. “Just because that person has good swordsmanship, I think your family is practically worshipping him.”
Wan Ding sighed.
“Martial arts are almost extinct, my wife. Fewer and fewer people are practicing them now. What those martial arts schools teach is just superficial skills, not real ones at all,” he said. “It would be a blessing to meet a real master. Mr. Qiao’s skills are genuine. If he teaches more students, this art can be passed down again. That would be a great thing.”
Although his wife was a little unhappy— anyone would be a little upset if their husband wasn’t home for the Spring Festival during their first year of marriage, especially since it was for an outsider— after hearing what he said, she softened and gave him a gentle push.
“Come on, I’m not angry anymore.”
Meanwhile, Qiao Huaize was putting on his coat in his 30th-floor apartment. He was usually a tough guy who wore trench coats even in winter, but this illness had taught him a lesson, and he wore a black fleece-lined leather jacket instead. Before leaving, he thought for a moment and reached for his scarf.
This was the most tightly Qiao Huaize had ever covered himself up.
It was impossible for him to stay in bed for seven days. Qiao Huaize finished packing and left the house.
There was a large park on the west side of the city, built around a mountain and a temple inside. During festivals, many people went there to worship the gods and Buddhas and offer incense for good luck.
Because of his own experiences, Qiao Huaize had mixed feelings about this. He couldn’t possibly go to the temple to worship and burn incense, but he liked to visit during festivals. This modern world was so different from his own, and the relationships between people had changed. Only in the bustling temples could he feel the atmosphere of his past life.
Qiao Huaize had excellent hearing, and he liked to stand to the side and quietly listen to people’s wishes. All aspects of human life were captured here.
Qiao Huaize took a taxi to the park in the west of the city. Since the shopping malls were all closed, many families had brought their children for a walk in the park, and it was quite crowded. He walked deeper into the park, closer to the foot of the mountain, where the steps gradually increased, but the number of people didn’t decrease. Most of the people here were there to offer incense.
As before, Qiao Huaize stood outside the temple gate, watching the endless stream of people, listening to their quiet murmurs as they prayed.
Some people prayed for academic progress, a raise at work, and good health. Others hoped to have children soon or for their elderly relatives to be healthy. Some elderly people even came hoping their children would find partners this year— they had all sorts of wishes.
Qiao Huaize stood quietly to the side. Behind the temple, a young monk was sweeping the floor, and the two men’s eyes met.
“You’ve been standing here for a long time, aren’t you going to offer incense?” the young monk asked.
Qiao Huaize shook his head.
There’s nothing to ask for.
He had no relatives, no children, no desires, and no hatred. He had nothing he wanted.
The monk thought for a moment, then took something out of his robes and handed it to Qiao Huaize.
“Here you are, destined for you,” the monk said. “In this life, we will always have some attachments.”
Qiao Huaize looked down and saw a jade pendant. The long, deep red tassels were faded, indicating it was quite old. Qiao Huaize was shocked— this jade pendant was clearly his mother Jiang Shining’s personal ornament from his previous life. How could it possibly appear in this era?
“You…” Qiao Huaize looked up again, but there was no one in front of him.
Qiao Huaize frowned, completely baffled. He then lowered his head to examine the jade pendant closely, and it really did look like Jiang Shining’s piece.
How could that be?
Qiao Huaize was filled with emotion when he heard a familiar voice.
“Mr. Qiao?!”
Qiao Huaize turned his head and saw Wan Ding standing with his entire family; it seemed the whole Wan family had come to worship Buddha. Qiao Huaize resumed his indifferent and aloof demeanor and nodded to them.
When Wan Ding walked over, he was almost going crazy.
“Didn’t you promise me you’d rest at home? Why are you out again?”
“I’ve changed my mind,” Qiao Huaize said calmly.
“Mr. Qiao, you’re Mr. Qiao?” Qiao Huaize looked up when he heard the voice and saw an old man walking towards him. The old man excitedly shook his hand. “Mr. Qiao, I’ve seen your videos. You’re truly a rare genius! I’m so glad to finally meet you in person today…”
Qiao Huaize nodded politely in greeting, but Wan Ding knew he didn’t like being too close to others, let alone having his hand shaken, so he quickly came to his rescue. Old Master Wan was still very excited.
“Mr. Qiao, would you like to come to my house for a small gathering?” the old man said. “I have some fine homemade wine, as well as several rare and excellent swords.”
Well, both of these sentences hit Qiao Huaize right in the heart. Wan Ding thought expressionlessly. Sure enough, Qiao Huaize nodded in agreement.
“Dad, you can’t drink alcohol anymore. The doctor said so when we went to see him before…” The rest of the family chimed in with their own advice.
Amidst the chaos, Wan Ding felt his wife gently touch him.
“He…he’s that Mr. Qiao?” his wife asked softly. Qiao Huaize was too handsome, and his demeanor was somewhat aloof; she was too embarrassed to look him directly in the eye.
Wan Ding nodded and put his arm around his wife. “Mr. Qiao, this is my wife.”
Qiao Huaize looked over and nodded. Then, thinking that Wan Ding was a nice person and shouldn’t be so cold, he slightly curled the corners of his mouth.
“Hello.”
What a sight it was when the iceberg revealed a smile! Wan Ding’s wife was so shocked by Qiao Huaize’s charm that her face turned red.
“Hello, Mr. Qiao…” she said shyly, “I heard you’ve been sick lately? I made some really delicious chicken soup, I’ll have Lao Wan bring some over for you tomorrow, it’s very nourishing!”
Qiao Huaize suddenly felt like he was being stared at by two Wan Ding.
The pressure was immense.
“I’m leaving now,” he said to Wan Ding.
“Where are you going again?”
“Going home.”
Wan Ding scratched his head and said, “Then when are you going to come to my house to drink with the old man? We have to wait until you’re better first. How about next week?”
Qiao Huaize nodded when he saw that the decision had been made readily by the man himself.
Before leaving, he exchanged a few more pleasantries with Grandpa Wan, and then departed amidst the old man’s reluctant gaze.
In truth, Qiao Huaize was no longer in the mood for anything else. He just wanted to find a quiet place to study the jade pendant and sort out his thoughts. He couldn’t understand why the jade pendant had appeared here.
If that jade pendant was genuine, what did it represent?
Finally getting into a taxi, Qiao Huaize sat in the back seat and took out the jade pendant again to examine it carefully.
As he looked at it, his fingers paused.
He noticed a small scratch on the side of the jade pendant.
Years ago, when he was a child, he was playful and dropped his mother’s jade pendant on the ground, leaving a scratch, but fortunately it wasn’t broken.
Qiao Huaize closed his eyes and breathed softly.
This jade pendant was genuine.
Qiao Huaize returned home, lay on his bed, and stared blankly at the jade pendant. He truly couldn’t understand it all.
Just then, he heard what sounded like rustling outside the door.
Qiao Huaize had already opened the door before Wan Ding knocked. Wan Ding was covered in sweat, with two large rectangular cardboard boxes standing behind him.
“What is this?” Qiao Huaize frowned.
“Your year-end bonus,” Wan Ding said with a smile. “I got you a TV and a computer, especially this big TV, an 82-inch one!”
“I don’t want to.”
“You have to,” Wan Ding said. “Are you going to live like an eighty-year-old when you’re not even thirty? You have to keep up with fashion trends and connect with the lives of young people. My wife especially loves watching talent shows…”
Qiao Huaize looked up, staring at the ceiling, and took a deep breath.
Amidst the buzzing of Wan Ding, he felt a sharp pain in his head.
The author has something to say:
System: What’s wrong with this kid? Is he autistic? He’ll never see Jiang Shining in his entire life like this!
Robot: If he doesn’t show up soon, will Jiang Shining smash our things?
System robot: (sighs) Give him a hint!!!
Guys, ads are my only source of revenue, so please do not turn on the AdBlock when you are accessing this website…. Thank you, this would be a great help…
You can buy me a ko-fi and sponsor a chapter on: https://ko-fi.com/midnightrambles
Or become a Patron or access advance chapters on: https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=45665005
If you support me, I would be able to provide more chapters….
Previous • Table of Contents • Next
