What?
The old guy wouldn’t live much longer?
Ye Qiu was shocked and hurriedly asked, “Is it because of the injuries on the old man…?”
Bai Bing nodded, “I heard it’s because Elder Longmei used the Five Thunder Orthodox Technique and suffered a backlash. It’s pretty serious.”
“Is he in the hospital?” Ye Qiu asked.
“Elder Longmei stayed in the hospital for a day and was discharged yesterday,” Bai Bing replied.
“I’m going to see him.” Ye Qiu started to get out of bed, but Bai Bing pressed him back down.
“Your injuries haven’t healed yet. Wait until you’re discharged to visit Elder Longmei… Ye Qiu, what are you doing? Why are you unwrapping the bandages?”
As Ye Qiu unwound the bandages around his abdomen, he said, “The old man’s in this state because of me. If it weren’t for me, he wouldn’t have come to the capital, wouldn’t have used the Five Thunder Technique multiple times and suffered this backlash. I need to see him.”
Bai Bing was so anxious she nearly cried, pleading, “Can you please not be reckless? I’ll rebandage your wound, and later I’ll take you to see Elder Longmei, okay?”
“Ice Sis, this little injury is nothing to me. It’ll heal in no time.”
Ye Qiu’s strength had fully returned by now. As he spoke, he discreetly traced a few talismans.
“This is a gunshot wound! If it gets infected, it’ll be a big problem. Please listen to me, I’m begging you…”
Before Bai Bing could finish, she saw the wound on Ye Qiu’s abdomen vanish at a visible pace.
In the blink of an eye, it was gone, not even a scar remained.
Bai Bing’s face was full of shock. “This…”
“Ice Sis, I told you, this injury’s nothing to me. Trust your man.”
“Hmph, you’re not my man.”
“What, you slept with me and now you won’t take responsibility?” Ye Qiu teased.
Bai Bing’s cheeks flushed slightly, still worried. “Are you sure your injury’s healed?”
“Absolutely.”
“You better not be lying.”
“When have I ever lied to you? Last time I said I could go seven rounds in a night, didn’t I deliver?”
“You jerk~” Bai Bing shot him a glare, her face reddening as she recalled his stamina from that night in Jiangzhou.
“Where’s the old man at?” Ye Qiu asked.
Bai Bing said, “Elder Longmei went to the Underworld Hall’s base after discharge. Ask Tang Fei, he should know.”
“Got it.” Ye Qiu added, “Ice Sis, help me with the discharge paperwork. I’m off to find the old guy.”
“Sure! I’ve got a place in the capital. I’ll send you the address later—you can head there after you’re done.”
Ye Qiu nodded.
Bai Bing pulled car keys from her bag and handed them to him. “The car’s in the basement.”
“If I take the car, how’ll you get back?” Ye Qiu asked.
“I’ll take a cab.” She suddenly stood on tiptoe, kissed his cheek, and said, “Stay safe.”
“OK!”
Leaving the hospital, Ye Qiu called Tang Fei, who told him Elder Longmei had gone to Shuimu University.
Shuimu University was the nation’s top institution, famed for producing countless political giants and business tycoons, renowned worldwide.
“What’s the old man doing at a university?”
Ye Qiu couldn’t figure it out.
Twenty minutes later.
Ye Qiu parked at Shuimu University’s entrance. Before getting out, he spotted Elder Longmei.
Dressed in a Taoist robe, a cloth cap on his head, and holding a whisk, the old man sat at the gate like a sage with an immortal air.
Ye Qiu watched from the car for a bit. Every now and then, young students approached Elder Longmei for photos.
The old guy wasn’t shy—if it was a girl, his hands got restless, either around her waist or shoulders.
Yet, with his saintly demeanor, no one seemed to mind.
“This old fraud, when will he drop his conman act?”
Ye Qiu fumed inwardly, parked the car, and strode over.
Seeing Ye Qiu, Elder Longmei’s eyes lit up. He waved, shouting, “Little brat, get over here!”
“What are you doing here?” Ye Qiu asked, his face stern.
“Heh, this spot’s a feng shui treasure.” Elder Longmei sat on the ground, pointing to the space beside him. “Sit.”
“For what?” Ye Qiu was puzzled.
“Just sit, and you’ll see,” Elder Longmei said mysteriously.
Ye Qiu sat beside him, full of questions, eager to see what the old man was up to.
Elder Longmei glanced around, saying, “Little brat, your injury’s fine now, right?”
“Yeah, it’s fine.”
“Good to hear.”
“How about yours?” From the moment Ye Qiu saw him, he’d noticed Elder Longmei’s ashen face and poor condition.
“Me… Oh, look, here they come!” Elder Longmei suddenly perked up, pointing ahead. “Little brat, check it out!”
Ye Qiu looked up and saw a dozen or so youthful female students approaching.
They were vibrant and stunning, dressed in shirts and short skirts, their slender legs gleaming white in the sunlight.
“Little brat, seeing them, how do you feel?” Elder Longmei asked earnestly.
Ye Qiu said, “Four words: youth is great.”
“Vulgar!” Elder Longmei scolded, lowering his voice. “Little brat, know how I feel seeing them?”
“How?”
“Hard.”
Ye Qiu’s face darkened instantly.
“You shameless old coot, disgusting!” He smacked Elder Longmei’s head.
The cloth cap flew off, revealing a head of snow-white hair.
“Old man, your hair…” Ye Qiu’s heart clenched, words catching in his throat.
“I’m old, hair turns white,” Elder Longmei said with a faint smile, feigning nonchalance.
Ye Qiu knew it was the backlash from the Five Thunder Technique. Otherwise, his hair wouldn’t have turned snow-white in just two days.
He suddenly grabbed Elder Longmei’s wrist.
Startled, the old man struggled, “What’re you doing? Men and women don’t touch, let alone two guys! Let go, little brat! If someone sees, they’ll think we’re gay! Don’t ruin my reputation!”
Ye Qiu didn’t let go, instead pressing his fingers to Elder Longmei’s pulse to check it.
Soon, his expression grew grave.
Elder Longmei’s life force was nearly spent, a lamp flickering out.
As Bai Bing had said, he wouldn’t live long. From Ye Qiu’s diagnosis, Elder Longmei had less than—
Six months!
