Chapter 46: Borrowing a Brain

(Non-text: The previous chapter was overwritten by new plot. Please, experts who read the previous chapter before 2 AM last night, scroll back a bit to avoid losing the plot connection.)

Looking at the milk tea before him, Zheng Fa looked at Tang Lingwu in confusion: "I knew old man Bai feared death long ago, but you are still so young..."

"It can make me white."

Tang Lingwu said in a small voice.

Zheng Fa stared at her small face for a long time, not quite understanding: "Does your skin have this need?"

In his view, Tang Lingwu's face was whiter, cleaner, and more delicate than his own right now.

A fervor appeared in Tang Lingwu's eyes; she nodded seriously, indicating she really needed it.

Zheng Fa shook his head in confusion and turned to look at old man Bai nearby.

Old man Bai also felt Zheng Fa didn't understand him and explained in a small voice: "That isn't called fearing death; that is called being full of attachment to this world!"

Speaking, he sighed: "Those young people online complain every day about wanting to die. When you reach my age, you will know what a beautiful life is, how precious life is; this whole life flashes by in a blink, and then you will understand how to cherish this life."

Looking at old man Bai's pale hair and wrinkled face, hearing his sigh tinged with some life realization, Zheng Fa was also somewhat moved.

Tang Lingwu spoke with an expression of admiration: "Grandpa Bai, I rarely see someone who loves life as much as you."

"You don't understand!" Old man Bai waved his hand: "When I was young, my doctoral thesis was written like a pile of dog shit; I was terrified I wouldn't graduate, and when I started working, the leaders didn't treat me like a human. They said to become a great mathematician and be remembered for eternity, but I didn't have that brain; they said to become an academic slacker to eat, drink, and wait for death, but I didn't have that father."

"Back then, as soon as I woke up, I wished the world would end; every day I wanted to hang myself under that crooked-necked tree at the entrance of the college office to make that idiot leader look good."

"Now it's different! My pension is tens of thousands a month; I have a house in Jingcheng, no need to go to work, no need to raise grandchildren; every morning I get up, stroll through the park, and exercise; my body is strong, no disasters, no illnesses; I take the bus and don't even need young people to give up their seats."

"At night I go out to watch square dancing; those little old ladies on the square, ten years younger than me, hearing my conditions, want to start a twilight romance with me every day."

Old man Bai looked at the two and sighed: "I paid social security for decades, finally waiting for this day; if it were you, would you want to die?"

Tang Lingwu widened her eyes: "So you said when we reach this age we will understand..."

"Yes, you will understand once you retire."

Old man Bai said naturally.

"The so-called law is not lightly transmitted; moreover, this is my sect's supreme art. Your heart for learning martial arts is truly not sincere."

Although the old man spoke with reason and evidence that was convincing, Zheng Fa did not easily agree to him.

"Master, look, can you give me another chance? I will definitely study hard!" Old man Bai looked at Zheng Fa with pleading eyes.

"Really want to learn?"

"Want to learn!"

Zheng Fa nodded and said: "I'll say it in advance: your aptitude isn't good; if you really want to learn, there must never be giving up halfway again."

"Absolutely not!" Old man Bai patted the few ribs on his chest until they made a bang-bang sound.

"Slow! First, let's see your sincerity!"

Zheng Fa turned and took several thick sheets of draft paper from the backpack on the chair.

On them were the diagrams from the "Complete Explanation of Talisman Diagrams" that he had recorded from memory; only the first few volumes, and he had spent a lot of effort.

A bit of unexpected joy was that, after seemingly mastering the "Spirit Crane Body," due to the improvement in bodily functions, his memory was stronger than before.

Old man Bai held a thick stack of draft books, shook his lips, and had a bad feeling: "This sincerity... how many books?"

Zheng Fa slowly extended one finger, smiling brightly: "A whole room."

Without even needing to master the "Spirit Crane Body," old man Bai was now whiter than Zheng Fa.

Zheng Fa actually hadn't given old man Bai too many talisman diagrams to analyze recently; he was mostly learning topology from old man Bai.

After all, he was still more willing to master this discipline himself.

But he had to admit that the talent he showed in this discipline was truly meager.

He looked at old man Bai's head topped with curly hair.

You scold me every day that my brain isn't very capable, yet your brain looks very useful; lend it to me.

Before, old man Bai was truly lazy and not the type of personality willing to be a tool person.

Now... isn't this old man Bai making trouble for himself?

Just when the other party was feeling guilty, Zheng Fa naturally took the opportunity to bring it up.

"This, I should continue teaching you topology, right? This knowledge is safest when kept in one's own brain." Old man Bai touched his own head, seeming to feel a bit cold; obviously still not quite willing to be a tool person, he still struggled and said.

"I didn't say I wouldn't learn; isn't it just that I learn slowly?" Zheng Fa said with a smile.

Top-tier private tutoring, he wanted.

A tool person's brain, he also wanted.

"Actually... I suddenly discovered you are also a piece of jade in topology." Old man Bai said sincerely.

Zheng Fa sighed lightly: "Then your heart for learning martial arts, I see, is not very sincere either."

Old man Bai, seeing he wouldn't loosen his grip, looked toward his hand, mainly looking at the milk tea by Zheng Fa's hand.

He was struck by inspiration, remembered he still had a teammate, and twitched his eyes to signal Tang Lingwu:

We are on the same side; don't you want to learn too? Help me beg for mercy!

Tang Lingwu nodded, appearing to understand, walked to the table, picked up the cup, and personally inserted the straw.

A smile appeared on old man Bai's face; Lingwu understands well; when begging, one must have a service mindset!

The next moment, he watched helplessly as Tang Lingwu put her mouth on the straw.

"Feed with the mouth?" Old man Bai hurriedly reached out: "This service is a bit too much!"

Tang Lingwu swallowed the milk tea in her mouth, looked at his eager appearance in confusion, seeming not to understand what he was saying.

Old man Bai stared blankly at her: "You drank it yourself?"

"Mm!" Tang Lingwu nodded.

"Isn't this your disciple-acceptance gift?" Old man Bai pressed.

"I won't learn." Tang Lingwu lowered her head.

"It can make you white!"

"I am naturally beautiful."

"It can make you more beautiful!" Bai Lao grew anxious.

"It attracts bees and butterflies."

Bai Lao did not expect Tang Lingwu to change so quickly.

Recalling the enthusiasm in Tang Lingwu's eyes when she spoke of becoming white, he could not help but shake his head, his gaze toward Zheng Fa becoming even more unfriendly.

Zheng Fa also looked deeply at Tang Lingwu, understanding the other party's thoughts: she simply did not want to put him in a difficult position.

After all, to hire a tool person at the level of a Jingcheng university professor, a lifetime of milk tea would probably not be enough.

Seemingly discovering that both were looking at her, Tang Lingwu's eyes darted to the side, and she muttered, "I'm just a bit afraid of pain and tiredness; I don't really want to practice martial arts."

Bai Lao looked at her and could not help but slap his forehead; this ally was worse than having none at all!

He looked hesitantly at the draft book Zheng Fa had placed before him, frowned and thought for a long time, then finally sighed lightly and pushed it away.

This action was somewhat unexpected to Zheng Fa.

Bai Lao had previously been very obsessed with living a few more years.

"What is this?"

"I really have no time; I still have to write a book."

Zheng Fa was stunned: "You really are writing a book?"

"... So you thought I was lying to you?"

Zheng Fa nodded.

Bai Lao looked at Tang Lingwu beside him, and Tang Lingwu was also nodding.

"There is not a shred of trust to be found among the three of us!"