Chapter 26

A meal was truly conducted with the principle of 'no talking during meals,' but the atmosphere didn't feel oppressive at all. On the contrary, a subtle warmth, a sense of a true home, had quietly begun to sprout.

Even if it was just a sprout, not yet grown, once it started, what else mattered? The fear was not having a start at all!

"I'm so full!" Chen Jiaxin found there was nothing left to clear on the table and reluctantly put down her chopsticks.

"Let's go for a walk to digest!" Gu Fan tapped the table. "Sister Chen will be back, and if the agreement is broken, it won't count. Be more aware."

"Urge, urge, all you do is urge!" Chen Jiaxin unwillingly began to clear the table.

"Xin Xin, wait a moment, I'll take care of this." Chen Wanqing widened her eyes and quickly said.

She didn't want Chen Jiaxin to really wash the dishes; she felt sorry for her! But she was truly surprised by Chen Jiaxin's change, not knowing what to say.

"Thank you!" Chen Jiaxin sat down again, looking at Gu Fan provocatively.

This time, Gu Fan didn't insist that Chen Jiaxin must do so.

In fact, from Chen Jiaxin's "thank you," Gu Fan could already see her transformation.

Perhaps the time of accumulation was too long, and change couldn't happen instantly. The most critical point was that Chen Jiaxin still had a significant knot in her heart. As long as this knot existed, Chen Jiaxin couldn't truly change.

It seemed that the truth buried in history really needed to be revealed. No matter what the reality was, Chen Jiaxin could resolve her heart's knot. In fact, Chen Jiaxin wanted to know the truth less than the fact that the truth had become her obsession.

She wouldn't stop until she achieved her goal!

Chen Jiaxin didn't wait for Chen Wanqing to finish clearing the table and went upstairs alone.

She was afraid of having more contact with Chen Wanqing.

Gu Fan was helpless about this. To change Chen Jiaxin, one couldn't be in a hurry.

"Sister Chen, I'll take my leave then. I'll come back early tomorrow!" Gu Fan remembered his "date" with the old Tai Chi master from Donghai University. Gu Fan was a man of his word; if he promised, he wouldn't break it.

"Gu Fan, wait a moment!" Chen Wanqing quickly called out to Gu Fan.

"Sit down, let's chat!" Chen Wanqing smoothed her hair and gestured for Gu Fan to sit on the sofa.

Gu Fan sat down as instructed. In fact, he could predict that Chen Wanqing would talk to him.

If Chen Jiaxin's change didn't affect Chen Wanqing, that would be strange.

"Gu Fan, I never expected you to bring such a big change to Xin Xin. I really didn't expect it." Chen Wanqing was very moved, her beautiful eyes filled with gratitude for Gu Fan.

"Sister Chen, this is just part of my job!" Gu Fan smiled and said, "It's all within my duties!"

"How can this be part of your duties? Your role is just a tutor!" Chen Wanqing said.

"Is Sister Chen not blaming me for overstepping?" Gu Fan asked.

"How could I!" Chen Wanqing took out a bag and said, "Here are two thousand yuan. I know it might be less compared to your work today, but this is just temporary. If I see more changes, you'll get more."

"Also, please allow me to be direct and a bit vulgar. Because besides this, I really have no other way to express my feelings." Chen Wanqing added, as if afraid Gu Fan would misunderstand.

"Sister Chen, you're overthinking it. I'm happy to do it! Honestly, I really need the money!" Gu Fan took the two thousand yuan very frankly and put it in his pocket without hesitation.

Seeing Gu Fan's straightforwardness and sincerity, Chen Wanqing's eyes flashed with appreciation.

"Sister Chen, what I want to say is, aren't you afraid I might lead Xin Xin in a different direction? Or that you're not worried about something happening between me and Xin Xin? Or other things... Even I, as the party involved, am a bit hesitant and puzzled by your boldness and trust!" Chen Jiaxin's work needed to be done, and Chen Wanqing's side also needed to be approached. If answers could be obtained from Chen Wanqing, everything would become easier.

"I don't care how you changed Xin Xin. I see the concrete facts, and that's enough. As for the rest, let it be. As long as I'm sure you're not a danger to Xin Xin, I'll let you handle it. What's the problem with that?" Chen Wanqing said frankly.

She was basically at a loss with Chen Jiaxin.

Moreover, Chen Wanqing knew that at Chen Jiaxin's age, it was the only stage where changes could be made. Once Chen Jiaxin went to university and entered society, it would be almost impossible to change the accumulated habits of over a decade.

So, facing everything Gu Fan brought, Chen Wanqing had no other thoughts besides encouragement and support.

Even if Gu Fan stole her daughter's heart! As long as it could change their mother-daughter relationship, Chen Wanqing wouldn't care about anything else.

Gu Fan understood Chen Wanqing's attitude.

He hesitated but didn't continue the deep conversation.

In fact, except for the issue of Chen Jiaxin's father, Chen Wanqing had already done everything a mother could do.

Find other opportunities to probe again.

---

"A bit late, I wonder if he's still there!" After getting out of the taxi and entering the Donghai University campus, Gu Fan quickly walked towards the playground.

Unconsciously, it was already ten o'clock at night. The campus was sparsely populated, and the playground was even more so.

However, at the place where Gu Fan practiced Tai Chi in the morning, Liu Qingyuan was still waiting.

At first, he practiced Tai Chi, but after a long time, he could only sit and rest.

"Old man, it's time to go home!" An old woman slowly walked over.

"Old lady, I'll wait a bit longer. He promised me, he won't break his word. He must have been delayed. He might be on his way!" Liu Qingyuan stood up and supported the old woman, saying, "You're not well, I told you to rest early, why didn't you listen?"

"Old man, speaking of which, how long has it been since we've been together like this?" The old woman suddenly said.

"Very, very long! We're both old!" Liu Qingyuan sighed.

"We're really old!" The old woman also sighed.

The two old people fell silent, but the way they supported and leaned on each other needed no words. Silence spoke louder than words. Perhaps only by seeing these two old people could one truly understand what "sunset red" means.

Gu Fan didn't want to disrupt this beautiful atmosphere.

But thinking about the late hour, even though the temperature was still high, the two old people couldn't withstand the night breeze.

So Gu Fan had to come out and be the disruptor.

"Young man!" When Liu Qingyuan saw Gu Fan, his face lit up, and he playfully winked at his wife, as if saying, "See, I told you he's a man of his word!"

"Sorry, I was delayed by something. I didn't expect you to wait until now." Gu Fan scratched his head and smiled shyly.

"No problem, no problem. What's your name? Let me introduce myself, I'm Liu Qingyuan, and this is my wife, Qu Zhenshu." Liu Qingyuan's expression was serious.

"Old Mr. Liu, Old Mrs. Liu, I'm Gu Fan. I'm actually a prospective student at Donghai University. Old Mr. Liu, your Tai Chi has a familiar taste. Where did you learn it?" Gu Fan asked seriously.

"When I was young, I met an unusual person. He taught me Tai Chi and some other things. Unfortunately, he only taught me for half a year, then left, saying we didn't have the right master-disciple relationship. I was only a nominal disciple! That half a year changed my life. Although he didn't acknowledge me as his disciple, I consider him my master... my only master!" Liu Qingyuan seemed to be lost in distant memories.

Looking at Liu Qingyuan's age, he must be over eighty. In his youth, this time span must have exceeded sixty years.

Gu Fan's heart stirred, and it increasingly matched his suspicions.

"I've been searching, searching, but after decades, I found no information about my master. I had given up completely. But seeing your Tai Chi, I feel like I see my master's shadow. My master said our lineage of Tai Chi is different from others." Liu Qingyuan looked at Gu Fan with shining eyes.

"Old Mr. Liu, did the unusual person you met ever tell you his name?" Gu Fan asked.

"Xunzhen!" Liu Qingyuan said.

Gu Fan smiled.

The master had told Gu Fan that when he was 'young' and traveled outside, he used the name Xunzhen.

It seemed that this Liu Qingyuan was a seed planted by his master in the past, and because he was not qualified to be the successor of the Immortal Doctor Sect, he was given the status of a nominal disciple.

But in reality, the status of a nominal disciple was just a way to conclude the brief master-disciple relationship.

Otherwise, why would there be no contact for decades?

"Senior Brother!" Gu Fan clasped his hands and greeted with a smile.

Liu Qingyuan's breathing quickened.

Just as Gu Fan had many thoughts, so did Liu Qingyuan. But when Gu Fan confirmed it, he was still a bit agitated.

"Master used the name Xunzhen when he traveled in his early years. I am Master's last disciple, and you could say, the successor he sought for so long." Gu Fan explained, "And the Tai Chi and internal strength you practice, if I'm not mistaken, should be our sect's unique Dragon Elephant Profound Skill."

"Master, Master... Sect Leader, disciple Liu Qingyuan pays respects!" Suddenly, Liu Qingyuan knelt down, his expression solemn.

"Twenty-fifth generation disciple of the Immortal Doctor Sect, current sect leader, Gu Fan." Gu Fan did not help Liu Qingyuan up but endured the bow.

Then, he hurriedly helped Liu Qingyuan up and said, "Senior Brother, rules are rules, but look at the age difference between us. This is a bit inappropriate. Besides, we are senior and junior brothers. In the future, we must not perform such formalities!"

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