Chapter 37

Zhang Heng is well-known at the National Medical University, although his reputation is not a good one. Despite not doing anything wrong, this reputation has followed him for twenty years, and it seems it will continue to do so.

Hao Qi didn’t spend much effort to find Zhang Heng. He was sitting in a pavilion, holding a food item that looked like a steamed bun and a thick book. Outside the pavilion, students passing by occasionally pointed at him, but Zhang Heng seemed to be used to it and was not disturbed by their pointing, continuing to read his book.

Hao Qi smiled slightly and walked directly into the pavilion, then patted Zhang Heng on the shoulder and said, "Hey, reading a book?"

Zhang Heng was startled at first. When he turned around and saw it was Hao Qi, he was completely stunned. After a long pause, he hurriedly said, "Brother Hao, why are you here? I’m just reading..."

Hao Qi smiled and sat down on a nearby chair, looking at the thick biology book in Zhang Heng’s hand and said, "You really do like biology, no wonder you’re so bad at medicine."

Zhang Heng’s face turned red, and he mumbled, "But medicine is always about promoting blood circulation, nourishing yin, and tonifying yang... Is Brother Hao here to visit the medical university?"

Hao Qi shook his head and said directly, "Calling me Brother Hao is too formal. If you don’t mind, just call me by my name, Hao Qi. I’ll call you Zhang Heng. How about that?"

Zhang Heng immediately stood up and clasped his hands, hesitating, "Brother Hao, I... This is too impolite, and I..."

"That would be too distant," Hao Qi said seriously. "I consider you a friend. Though one can know a person’s face but not their heart, from our interactions these past few days, I trust you. That’s enough. If you keep being so distant, it means you don’t consider me a friend. In that case, I have nothing more to say and will leave now. What do you think?"

Zhang Heng’s face turned red again. He hesitated, even looking at Hao Qi with some suspicion. After a long pause, he finally said, "Hao... Hao Qi, just call me Zhang Heng."

Hao Qi laughed heartily, patted Zhang Heng on the shoulder, and then said without hesitation, "I didn’t come here to visit. I can visit anytime. I came specifically to see you... for you and your father’s sake."

Zhang Heng’s face turned red again. His hand holding the book trembled, and his head gradually lowered. Hao Qi said directly, "Look up. You’re running away before even hearing the result? Your father, your ancestor, they don’t need you to be ashamed of them!"

Zhang Heng’s face gradually turned from red to pale. He smiled bitterly and clasped his hands, saying to Hao Qi, "Brother Hao... Hao Qi, you probably already know about my father’s situation, right? The biggest scandal since the founding of Bai Cao Kingdom. A hunter stole the research of a medical university scholar and claimed it as his own. This is recorded in history and has become the biggest laughingstock of Bai Cao Kingdom. I am his son, and this is the fact. There’s nothing to debate. I will never marry, and no girl will likely marry me. This way, the bloodline that has become a laughingstock will end, and my children won’t suffer what I have suffered. Brother Hao... Hao Qi, I must take my leave."

Hao Qi sat quietly, watching Zhang Heng, who looked lost and wanted to leave. He said calmly, "Do you really think that? But I believe your father was wronged."

The word "wronged" made Zhang Heng stop. His whole body trembled, and his fingers, gripping the book, turned white. He turned around and stared at Hao Qi, saying, "Hao Qi, do you have any evidence to prove that my father was wronged? No, right?"

Hao Qi laughed heartily. After laughing, he said seriously to Zhang Heng, "That’s funny. You ask me for evidence to prove your father was wronged? I want to ask you, what evidence do you have to prove your father was a criminal? That he stole the scholar’s research? That he lied? An ordinary person stealing the research of a Neili Jing scholar, and not running away after stealing, but staying and loudly proclaiming to everyone that he stole it—this is something I’ve never heard of. Or do you think your father was mentally unstable? Or that he was driven by greed, not caring about his life? The incident happened twenty years ago, and by then, you should have been old enough to remember, right?"

Zhang Heng was silent, his head lowered. After a long time, he smiled bitterly and shook his head, saying, "It’s impossible. Regardless of what happened back then, even if my father was wronged, it’s already recorded in history, and my father is dead. The only remaining party involved is Scholar Xide, who identified my father as the thief. There’s no way he will admit to wronging my father. This has become a settled matter, and... it’s impossible to change."

Hao Qi didn’t care and continued, "I have a theory. Your father was a hunter, right? He must have roamed the mountains and forests, chasing prey, even into dangerous places. Is it possible that he accidentally discovered some treasure, or as you mentioned a few days ago, the wondrous scenes where rare treasures are born, and found a similar place, discovering the cultivation method for the crimson blue grass? Is it possible?"

Zhang Heng thought for a moment, nodded, then shook his head, still saying bitterly, "Even if that’s true, my father’s case is already settled, and..."

"Already given up?" Hao Qi stood up, shook his head, and said as he walked out of the pavilion, "On the way to Bai Cao Kingdom, I heard about your aspirations, your desire to find the origins of all the rare treasures in the world, the wondrous scenes that defy nature. Honestly, I was truly impressed. But now it seems... it was just empty words, right? Forget it, it was my own sentimentality. I couldn’t stand the injustice, but since you’ve already resigned yourself, why should I waste my effort? Heaven helps those who help themselves. Forget it."

Zhang Heng stood there, his head lowered, his hands gripping the book tightly. When the wooden cover of the book started to crack, he suddenly shouted loudly, "No, Hao Qi! My aspirations, no, my dreams, I want to find the origins of all the rare treasures in the world, to see the wondrous scenes that defy nature. This is real! I didn’t lie to you!"

"Is that so?" Hao Qi turned around and looked at Zhang Heng, saying, "Then prove it to me. Prove that your aspirations and dreams are genuine, that you really intend to do this in your lifetime, not just empty words or boasting."

"How can I prove it?" Zhang Heng’s eyes were bloodshot, and he stared at Hao Qi without backing down.

At that moment, five or six young men and women passed by the pavilion. One of the girls pointed at Zhang Heng, and the others immediately laughed, mocking him. One of them was talking incessantly, with exaggerated expressions and gestures. At that moment, Hao Qi grabbed the stone railing of the pavilion with one hand, breaking off a small corner. He then threw it without looking back, and instantly, the young man with the exaggerated gestures had a mouthful of blood, his front teeth almost completely shattered and his tongue injured, though the injuries were not severe. Apart from his front teeth and tongue, there were no other wounds on his mouth.

"Shut up!" Hao Qi’s lips moved, but Zhang Heng didn’t hear a word. However, the group of young men and women heard a loud noise, making them, who were originally angry and ready to fight, stand there trembling, not daring to move.

Hao Qi glanced at them, ignored them, and continued to Zhang Heng, "Prove it to me. Show me that you want to find the origins of all the rare treasures, the wondrous scenes that defy nature. It’s simple. Find the place where your father might have discovered the cultivation method for the crimson blue grass. If you find it, I’ll believe you!"

Zhang Heng stared at Hao Qi intently for a long time, then gritted his teeth and said almost through his teeth, "Alright, I’ll prove it to you... If my father didn’t lie, if he really found such a place, if... I will definitely find it and show it to you!"

"I will definitely prove it to you!"