Chapter 6

"Xu Yi, try on this suit and see if it fits. If it doesn’t, I’ll go and get a different one."

Wan Quan opened the car door and handed the suit and a shirt to the back seat. He didn’t ask Xu Yi to go with him to the specialty store because he was afraid that Xu Yi’s Taoist robe would draw attention. This was the capital, not Liaoh River Province, and every move could potentially cause a stir in the circles.

Although Xu Yi had left home at a young age to become a disciple of an old Taoist, many people in the capital still knew about this. No matter how others viewed Xu Yi, the Xu family couldn’t let him parade around in a Taoist robe.

Wan Quan’s cautious thinking was indeed commendable, and this was precisely what Xu Zhengchun appreciated about him.

"Thank you, Brother Wan."

Xu Yi chuckled, quickly took off his Taoist robe, and put on the suit. His entire demeanor changed instantly. The small Taoist with a black robe and long hair was gone, replaced by a handsome and suave young man.

"Xu Yi, your figure is really great. You’re a natural model."

Wan Quan sighed, glanced at the cloth shoes on Xu Yi’s feet, and frowned. "Right, what size shoes do you wear? I’ll go get a pair for you."

"No need, Brother Wan. I’ll go with you."

Xu Yi smiled and shook his head. Wan Quan was his father’s secretary, not his. Although he had decided to act like a small playboy this time, he couldn’t be too ostentatious in front of his own people.

Wan Quan was taken aback, then slowly nodded. "Alright, let’s go together."

Xu Yi and Wan Quan quickly returned to the car. Xu Yi was now completely transformed, his long, flowing hair making him look like an artist.

"Let’s go. It’s already too late to get a haircut. We’ll do that later."

Xu Zhengchun waved his hand, and the large Audi quickly started, merging into the neon lights.

In the center of the capital, at the military committee compound.

Two stern soldiers stood guard at the gate.

The compound was vast, filled with trees that looked lush and green under the neon lights. Two-story buildings stood among the greenery, and elderly men in old military uniforms often walked with their children on the shaded paths, creating a warm and homely scene.

Grandpa Xu, whose full name was Xu Haoyang, was a former member of the military committee. After retiring, he lived in a villa in the military committee compound.

The Xu family had a large number of descendants. Grandpa Xu had one daughter and two sons. The eldest, Xu Zhenglian, was a professor at the Military Medical University. Her husband, He Chengzhang, was a professor at a famous university in the capital. They had one son and one daughter. The daughter, He Huan, had gone to study in the United States and stayed there, while the son, He Cheng, was studying at a university in the capital.

The second son, Xu Zhengchun, was the deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission. His wife, Yuan Fangfei, was a director at the Environmental Protection Bureau. Their eldest daughter, Xu Lin, was a deputy director at the Propaganda Department. The second son, however, was said to have fallen seriously ill at the age of two, and was taken away by an old Taoist, disappearing without a trace.

The third son, Xu Zhengdong, was the deputy chief of staff of the Yangcheng Military Region. His wife, Ma Su, was the deputy branch manager of the Construction Bank in the capital. They had only one son, Xu Zhiyuan.

Tonight, except for Xu Zhenglian’s daughter and son-in-law who were abroad, all other members of the Xu family were present, solemnly, because the second son of the Xu family, Xu Zhengchun, whose son had been away for twenty years, had returned!

At this moment, the atmosphere in the hall was lively, with laughter and joy. The family hadn’t seen each other for a long time, and after dinner, they naturally had a lot to talk about.

Xu Yi was chatting with He Cheng and Xu Zhiyuan, telling them about life on Changbai Mountain, his master, the Taoist priest Chisongzi, and the colorful bird. These two guys were both under twenty and were very interested in martial arts and other mysterious things. If they weren’t at Grandpa’s house, they would have dragged Xu Yi out to see it for themselves.

"Xiao Yi, your grandfather is calling you to his study."

The three brothers were chatting happily when Xu Zhengchun walked over. He had just been called by Grandpa for a talk, and his expression seemed a bit off.

"Xiao Cheng, Zhiyuan, I’ll be right back. You two keep playing."

Xu Yi greeted the two younger brothers, got up, and walked to Grandpa’s study. Xu Zhengchun and Yuan Fangfei followed him into the study.

"Grandpa, you called me?"

Xu Yi smiled at Grandpa.

"Old Two, Fangfei, you two go out. Let us have a good chat, just the two of us." Grandpa chuckled and waved Xu Zhengchun away.

"Grandpa, wait a moment, I have something to say." Xu Yi turned around, carefully examining Xu Zhengchun’s face. His brows furrowed. Indeed, someone had tampered with his father’s appearance. If this continued, his father’s original fortune would change, leading to a significant shift in his fate.

"Son, why are you staring at your father like that?"

Yuan Fangfei was puzzled by Xu Yi’s actions but didn’t want to scold him. After all, he had been away for twenty years, and just thinking about it made her heartache.

"Mom, don’t worry, sit down and listen to me."

Xu Yi’s expression became solemn as he looked into Xu Zhengchun’s eyes. "Dad, have you felt very tired lately, always feeling irritable, and sometimes losing control of your temper, wanting to scold your subordinates even when you don’t want to?"

Xu Zhengchun was taken aback, his mouth opening in shock, a look of horror on his face.

"Dad, and your fourth rib on the left side of your chest has been aching slightly." Xu Yi’s expression grew more serious. "It started a few days ago, initially lasting only a minute, but the duration has gradually increased."

"Zhengchun, is what your son said true? How come I didn’t know you were sick?" Yuan Fangfei was startled, quickly standing up and rushing to Xu Zhengchun’s side, gripping his arm anxiously.

"Xiao Fei, don’t worry, I’m fine." Xu Zhengchun patted Yuan Fangfei’s hand, comforting her softly. "Go get me a glass of water, I’m a bit thirsty."

"Mom, get me a glass of water too."

Xu Yi chuckled, understanding that his father didn’t want his mother to worry and was deliberately sending her away. Moreover, from his father’s expression, he could tell that he believed him.

"Alright, you two just bully me."

Yuan Fangfei chuckled, got up, and left the room.

"Xiao Yi, do you have a way to treat it?" Xu Zhengchun looked into Xu Yi’s eyes. "I went to the hospital yesterday, but they found nothing abnormal. However, the pain is real, and each episode lasts a bit longer than the last."

A bitter smile slowly spread across his face. "Calculating the time, it should be about to happen."

Before he finished speaking, Xu Zhengchun’s smile suddenly froze. His right hand instinctively rose to his left chest, and he let out a soft groan. Large beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

"Xiao Yi, quickly, what’s wrong with your father?"

Grandpa Xu was startled, hurriedly standing up, his face tense as he looked at Xu Zhengchun.

"Grandpa, don’t worry, I’m here." Xu Yi quickly stood up, opened his bag, and took out a black wooden box. "Grandpa, I’ll give Dad two acupuncture points."

As he spoke, Xu Yi opened the box, and a strong fragrance filled the room.

"Dad, lie down and take off your shirt."

Xu Yi opened the box, revealing many silver needles, some over a foot long, others less than an inch. Grandpa Xu was surprised but didn’t dare to speak, fearing he might disturb Xu Yi.

Xu Yi’s fingers moved swiftly, tapping over a dozen points on Xu Zhengchun’s body. Xu Zhengchun felt a chill as the needles pierced his skin, but strangely, a warm current followed. This warmth quickly spread throughout his body, and the intense pain gradually disappeared. He looked at the wall, relieved. If his son hadn’t acted, he would have been in excruciating pain.

"Old Two, how do you feel?"

Grandpa Xu felt relieved, looking at Xu Yi approvingly.

"Dad, I’m fine, just a bit of pain for half a minute." Xu Zhengchun was also relieved, realizing that his son had indeed learned acupuncture from the old Taoist, and the past twenty years hadn’t been wasted.

"Dad, your joints are a bit stiff. You need to move more and exercise."

Xu Yi stood with his feet in a wide stance, his mind focusing on the true energy in his dantian, which rapidly circulated through his body. His palms struck swiftly, and with each strike, Xu Zhengchun felt a warm current vibrating inside him, a slight pain mixed with comfort.

Then, he felt a warm, comfortable sensation, followed by a wave of drowsiness. Xu Zhengchun’s head drooped, and he fell into a deep sleep.

Xu Yi sighed in relief, striking twenty-two times, then quickly removed the silver needles. He saw a black, ink-like liquid, slightly foul-smelling, on the needles.

Grandpa Xu was startled, watching this miraculous scene, his expression gradually relaxing as he looked at Xu Yi. "Xiao Yi, is your father okay?"

"Grandpa, Dad is fine. He’s just very tired. Let him rest for a while."

Xu Yi took a tissue, wiped his hands, and covered his father with a blanket. He took a deep breath, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and stared intently at his father’s face. The light blackness on his forehead was gradually fading, but his official fortune palace was slightly sunken.

Clearly, this was a carefully planned conspiracy.