Chapter 174: Flexible

Modern times.

As time passed and the one-month deadline drew nearer, Zheng Fa could feel Bai Lao Tou's anxiety more acutely.

But the old man seemed afraid of affecting Zheng Fa, offering not a single word of urging.

This month, Bai Lao Tou spent less time at the nursing home and more days at Tian Laoshi's house.

This weekend, Bai Lao Tou was not at the nursing home.

"Grandpa Bai is worried that Wu Laolao can't handle everything alone, so he goes to help every day," Tang Lingwu whispered to Zheng Fa.

Zheng Fa nodded lightly, took out his phone, and sent a text message to Bai Lao Tou: "I have a way to cure Tian Laoshi."

Less than three seconds later, his phone shook violently.

"Really?"

As soon as the call connected, Bai Lao Tou asked, his tone trembling slightly.

"Mm, I have condensed the Taiyi Talisman; it should work."

The Taiyi Talisman is considered the most famous medical spiritual talisman in the Xuanwei Realm—this talisman is quite complex, and even a mystic-grade talisman artist usually finds it difficult to draw.

Even Zheng Fa failed once before successfully condensing this talisman in his dantian.

But the Taiyi Talisman also has the best effect—saying it can cure a hundred diseases is no exaggeration.

Therefore, such talismans sell for a high price in the market.

Bai Lao Tou on the other end fell silent, as if suppressing some emotion.

"Teacher Bai, shall Tang Lingwu and I come to Tian Laoshi's house to find you?"

"Good," Bai Lao Tou said softly.

Zheng Fa and Tang Lingwu took a ride-hailing car and arrived at Tian Laoshi's house half an hour later.

Upon entering, the two knew why Bai Lao Tou's emotions were somewhat abnormal.

Tian Laoshi could no longer get out of bed.

She lay in bed, her eyes still clear, but her face already showed signs of withering.

She looked much worse than she had a month ago.

Seeing the two of them enter, Tian Laoshi smiled, her eyes holding some inexplicable meaning.

It seemed like unease, yet also like doubt.

Zheng Fa was stunned and looked at Bai Lao Tou beside him.

Bai Lao Tou nodded at him, Shen Shi Yi to go outside and speak.

"Did you tell her everything?" Before Zheng Fa could speak, Tang Lingwu asked as they stepped out.

This girl was also sharp.

"I told her..." Bai Lao Tou answered somewhat dejectedly: "She wouldn't believe anything no matter what I said, so I had no choice but to tell her everything."

"..."

Zheng Fa didn't mind much; after all, by this time, he had gained some ability to protect himself—it was just that Bai Lao Tou was a bit too unreliable.

Even Tang Lingwu could hide things from her own mother.

"I thought... if I couldn't cure her, she would only think it was a joke, which wouldn't matter much... and after she... after she passed, there would be no problem at all."

Bai Lao Tou explained his own idea.

Zheng Fa nodded.

"If I cure her, she will be my wife, and she will have to know everything in the future... whether I tell her or not makes no difference."

Zheng Fa shook his head.

That was a bit of sophistry.

Bai Lao Tou grew anxious: "If you don't believe me, use the Great Dream Talisman to test her!"

"... Will Tian Laoshi agree to that?" Zheng Fa was somewhat speechless: "I originally wanted to cure Tian Laoshi directly; whether she joins the nursing home can be discussed later..."

To be honest, the Great Dream Talisman is meant to prevent villains.

It is not used on those close to you.

This seems like an intrusion of privacy.

"But if you don't explain clearly, she won't let you treat her!" Bai Lao Tou was also helpless: "I've seen this attitude among researchers many times; they must understand everything. They can die, but they cannot live without knowing the truth."

"..."

After exchanging a few words, the group walked back into the room.

Tian Laoshi seemed to know what they were talking about; her voice was weak, yet she still spoke with a smile: "Don't blame Old Bai; I was the one who asked."

"I don't blame Teacher Bai," Zheng Fa said quite sincerely; he glanced at Bai Lao Tou, who looked embarrassed, then turned to ask Tian Laoshi: "Do you believe it now?"

"I believe it."

"Ah?"

"Didn't you feel something was missing in the courtyard when you entered?"

Zheng Fa turned around and found that the stone table that used to be in the courtyard was gone.

Not gone, but shattered into pieces, pitifully piled up in a corner of the courtyard.

Zheng Fa and Tang Lingwu exchanged a glance, both thinking of one possibility...

"You guessed right; Old Bai did it," Tian Laoshi said with a headache: "He smashed the table to pieces with one punch; luckily my mother went out to buy groceries..."

"..."

"I haven't thought of how to explain this to my mother yet."

Hearing this, Bai Lao Tou beside her also felt aggrieved: "You didn't believe me, so I had to prove I wasn't... at that time, the table's position was just too good!"

No, you are the oldest person in this courtyard right now...

Why are you so cowardly?

Zheng Fa thought for a moment; if that was the case, it was no longer just a matter of healing.

"Then… Tian Laoshi, would you be willing to join our nursing home?" he asked.

"Willing."

Tian Laoshi agreed with startling decisiveness.

"Huh?"

Zheng Fa hadn't expected her to agree so quickly.

"I can live!" Tian Laoshi laughed. "I heard from Old Bai that the herb before was modified by spiritual energy? I'm a bit curious myself."

"Besides… isn't there a saying: marry a rooster, follow the rooster; marry a dog, follow the dog."

"Huh?"

Zheng Fa and Tang Lingwu both exclaimed in surprise—they hadn't expected to be suddenly hit with a pile of dog food.

What's going on with these two?

Beside them, Old Bai grinned proudly. He spoke up: "I got a certificate two days ago."

"Tian Laoshi, you're really swift!" Tang Lingwu's eyes sparkled, clearly eager for gossip: "Wasn't the deal that you'd agree only after being cured?"

"He comes every day, every day," Tian Laoshi sighed. "Even my mother was moved. Besides, how can a dying person wait?"

She looked at Old Bai.

Old Bai smiled too.

Zheng Fa heard Tian Laoshi whisper: "Fortunately, I didn't know you were cultivators before. I didn't want Old Bai to think I married him because he cured me."

Old Bai's eyes shone brightly.

"..."

Zheng Fa glanced at the old couple and felt a touch of emotion.

After saying that, Tian Laoshi seemed a bit embarrassed and added: "I heard from Old Bai that you have some kind of test to join the nursing home? You're cultivators, right?"

Zheng Fa nodded. "Let's treat you first."

"Rules can't be broken," Tian Laoshi insisted firmly. "I already know too much in advance—it's improper. The test must still be done."

Zheng Fa glanced at Old Bai, who gave a slight nod and whispered: "That's just her nature."

Zheng Fa sighed and shot a Great Dream Talisman from his hand, embedding it into Tian Laoshi's forehead.

Tian Laoshi fell into a deep sleep.

Above her, the black vapor slowly formed a vortex.

Zheng Fa didn't want to leave Tian Laoshi with a bad impression—he looked for her deepest wish.

Inside the vortex appeared a laboratory.

Tian Laoshi stood in a white lab coat before a device Zheng Fa didn't recognize, surrounded by several younger men and women.

Like her students.

The words they spoke were half-understandable to Zheng Fa.

He'd only studied high school biology and had little interest in the field; understanding what Tian Laoshi was doing was difficult—but Zheng Fa could see her face was filled with focus and excitement.

She operated the device before her, never stopping, chattering away to the students beside her.

"This… is Tian Laoshi's deepest wish?"

Tang Lingwu didn't understand either.

She asked, slightly bewildered.

"Heh…" Old Bai shook his head. "This guy's been obsessed with labs since he was young. Said it felt comfortable. He wouldn't have delayed marriage otherwise."

Zheng Fa nodded slightly, gaining a deeper understanding of Tian Laoshi.

"She's purer than me."

Yes, Old Bai at least had a wish for awards and showing off—but Tian Laoshi dreamed of being in a lab.

Just as they thought this was the full extent of Tian Laoshi's wish,

suddenly, someone knocked on the laboratory door: "Tian Laoshi, your spouse is here to pick you up after work!"

Spouse?

Zheng Fa and the others froze—wasn't Tian Laoshi unmarried?

But the dream version of Tian Laoshi muttered softly: "Is Old Bai here?"

Hearing this, Old Bai's proud smile returned.

"Look! Look! This is what it means to have me in your heart!" Old Bai told Zheng Fa and Tang Lingwu. "Even in her dreams, it's me coming to pick her up after work!"

Tang Lingwu thought for a moment, then said: "To spend a lifetime doing what you love, with a spouse waiting to pick you up after work—that's wonderful."

Her tone was full of envy.

The group watched Tian Laoshi leave the lab, change clothes, and go downstairs.

Someone was waiting there…

"Grandpa Bai…" Tang Lingwu stared at the man waiting for Tian Laoshi, stunned: "Who is this? He looks familiar…"

The man waiting for Tian Laoshi had Old Bai's height, Old Bai's clothing, even Old Bai's curly hair and Old Bai's expression—

Except, he didn't have Old Bai's face.

It was a face Zheng Fa also found familiar, but one he hadn't recognized at first because it was attached to Old Bai.

"... Your namesake."

"Ah?" Tang Lingwu recognized him: "Isn't this…"

"Yes, once you see the feather fan, you'll know," Old Bai said with a touch of nostalgia. "Decades ago, he was famous—a real pretty boy."

In the scene, Tian Laoshi smiled and stepped forward, saying, "Bai Lao, didn't I tell you not to come pick me up?"

"..."

The three outside the scene fell silent.

Zheng Fa and Tang Lingwu exchanged a glance, both cautiously glancing at Bai Lao's expression.

This dream... was a bit hurtful.

Bai Lao frowned, thinking of something, seeming a bit angry as well.

"... Zheng Fa."

He suddenly spoke.

"Hmm?"

"Tell me, is there any spell to change one's appearance?"

"Ah?"

"Let me practice it."

"..." Zheng Fa was silent for a moment, then said, "You're not angry?"

"Why be angry? You haven't figured it out... who doesn't want to date a handsome man?" Bai Lao waved his hand and said, "Does she not like me? She does, but she doesn't like this face of mine... I'll just change it, won't I?"

Zheng Fa couldn't help but feel a bit of admiration.

No wonder it's Bai Lao; his emotions are so stable, and he can even grasp the main contradiction.

"Besides, she can practice it later too."

"Ah?"

Bai Lao glanced at him, his eyes somewhat disdainful: "I chased stars when I was young too, you know."

Zheng Fa admired him even more.

He plays quite wildly!

Tian Laoshi woke up slowly from the bed, seeming a bit dazed.

She looked around, her gaze falling on Bai Lao's face, as if remembering something: "Bai Lao, did I dream of you?"

"Yes, we saw it too."

"It's just that something seems a bit off..."

"Nothing is off; that was me." Bai Lao stated firmly.