Chapter 265: Father and Son Reunited

The second ward building of Yuezhou's Three Hospitals stood empty; all patients had been transferred elsewhere, leaving only He Jiaqing and Xiao Zhenggong inside, with no medical staff remaining—if He Jiaqing showed any anomaly, no one would be there to rescue him.

Xiao Zhenggong stood before He Jiaqing's bed, frowning in silence.

He wasn't sure whether the man lying there was He Jiaqing or Zhou Changhong.

If it truly were Zhou Changhong, he'd wake up the moment he heard me come in.

Is this really He Jiaqing?

If He Jiaqing has returned, why didn't Zhou Changhong notify me? Does he truly not want to live?

He Haiqin is arriving today—if this is an imposter, things are going to get lively.

Let it get lively; I'm just here to watch.

He Haiqin arrived in Yuezhou today; Xiao Zhenggong was assigned to monitor He Jiaqing in the hospital, while Chen Zhangrui was tasked with meeting He Haiqin at the station.

As Xiao Zhenggong observed He Jiaqing, a sudden wave of pressure slammed down.

Xiao Zhenggong turned toward the ward door.

He Haiqin entered with He Haisheng and eight attendants, sizing up Xiao Zhenggong from head to toe.

He had met Xiao Zhenggong before; he knew Xiao was the boss of the Jiangxiang Gang, and Xiao had even introduced Cui Tik to treat him—technically, Xiao owed He Haiqin a favor.

But He Haiqin later paid Cui Tik a reward and handed over part of his business to Xiao Zhenggong; since then, they were even, and to He Haiqin, the Jiangxiang Gang remained nothing but trash.

He waved at Xiao Zhenggong: "Get out."

Xiao Zhenggong frowned, fury flaring.

He Haisheng urged: "Big brother, he's the deputy team leader of the Dark Star Bureau."

"I told you to get out!" He Haiqin repeated the command to Xiao Zhenggong, completely ignoring He Haisheng's warning.

Xiao Zhenggong gritted his teeth and walked out of the ward.

He Haisheng said: "Big brother, we're in Waizhou now; we can't offend the Dark Star Bureau."

"Bullshit!" He Haiqin sneered. "They're just cops. I'd be doing him a favor just to speak to him!"

He Haisheng sighed: "Big brother, didn't we agree before coming? Waizhou has its own rules."

"I can't remember all those rules!"

"Fine," He Haisheng said, not pressing further. "Let's check on Jiaqing first."

He Haiqin stared at He Jiaqing's bed for over ten minutes.

He Haisheng was tense; he couldn't see any difference between He Jiaqing now and before, but whether he was real or fake ultimately depended on He Haiqin's judgment.

In another ward building, Wan Jinxian, who had just been admitted yesterday, was even more nervous than He Haisheng.

He was a cultivation practitioner; making himself appear ill was easy, and no one could spot the deception.

But He Jiaqing had just returned from Puluozhou, and his left hand was newly regrown—if He Haiqin noticed anything wrong, he couldn't help He Jiaqing; this had to be handled by He Jiaqing alone.

"What happened?" He Haiqin muttered to himself.

He Haisheng's heart tightened.

He Jiaqing's heart tightened too.

"How did this happen?" He Haiqin's voice trembled. "How has my son come to this?!"

He recognized his own son—he wouldn't mistake him. The man on the bed was his son.

He Haisheng exhaled: "Big brother, didn't I already tell you about Jiaqing's condition?"

"Is this what you meant? He doesn't even look human anymore!" He Haiqin's tears fell.

He knew He Jiaqing's condition—he'd been told right after He Jiaqing was admitted, and photos had even been sent to him.

But seeing the real man, He Haiqin's heart ached.

"They've been treating him for a year already! Are these Waizhou bastards ignoring us because we're outsiders? Are they deliberately botching his treatment? I'll fucking—"

He Haiqin roared in rage, and the entire ward building shook violently.

The hospital director stood below, trembling, and called Chen Zhangrui: "Team Leader Chen, you've got to do something—can't let these people run wild here!"

Chen Zhangrui replied calmly: "Don't panic; we'll handle it."

"Handle it?" Xiao Zhenggong said beside him. "Do you even have the guts?"

Chen Zhangrui looked at Xiao Zhenggong with calm composure: "Deputy Xiao, you understand their side's rules—go in and reason with He Haiqin."

Xiao Zhenggong sneered: "Why should I? What's this got to do with me?"

"How can you say it's unrelated? It's the Bureau's assigned mission."

"What mission did the Bureau assign? Am I supposed to arrest him? Kill him?"

"The Bureau told us to prioritize the bigger picture—our task is to maintain…"

Xiao Zhenggong cut him off: "What's the point of all this empty talk? Plainly put, they just want us to watch."

…

He Haiqin gradually calmed down and said to He Haisheng: "Third brother, get our people ready—we're taking Jiaqing home. He shouldn't suffer here."

"Big brother, the doctors said Jiaqing can't be moved—if he leaves the hospital, he could die."

"Which doctor said that? These Western hospitals? Do they even know how to heal? These Western doctors just waste time!"

"By the way, where's that dead foreigner—Cui what's-his-name? He cured me, so he can cure Jiaqing too!"

"Big brother, your case was healing illness; Jiaqing's is healing injury—two different things."

"What difference? Do you even understand medicine?"

After much persuasion, He Haisheng finally calmed He Haiqin down.

He Haiqin sat by the bed, gripping He Jiaqing's left hand, sighing repeatedly: "You fool, why did you insist on coming to Waizhou to study? Don't we have enough knowledge back home?

You came to study, so you should come back in good health—but no, you had to bring back some 'treasure.' Now look: you didn't bring anything back, and you've become this."

He Haisheng glanced toward the corridor, where Dark Star Bureau agents still waited outside: "Big brother, as long as Jiaqing's safe, I'll stay here—you should go back. Waizhou is deeply suspicious of us."

"Afraid of what? I dare them to touch me!"

"Big brother, this isn't our home, and our home isn't peaceful either—the Lu family is still stirring up trouble daily!"

"That damn Lu family! My son's lying in a hospital bed, and they're still spreading rumors! Lu Maoxian, that old bastard, is begging for death—I'll send him straight to the grave when I get back!"

The ward building still shook intermittently; Chen Zhangrui and Xiao Zhenggong remained calm, several veteran agents pretended calmness, new recruits couldn't even fake it, the rookie was so scared he needed to pee but dared not go, the lightbulbs were oily, ready to flee at any moment.

The newcomer Qin Minghui looked grim.

He was afraid, but mostly ashamed—this situation clearly betrayed his original purpose for joining the Dark Star Bureau.

Qin Minghui turned to Chen Zhangrui: "Team Leader, this is a hospital—they can't be allowed to cause chaos."

Chen Zhangrui said nothing. Xiao Zhenggong chuckled beside him: "Go ahead, then—stop him."

Qin Minghui actually walked toward the ward—Da Tou grabbed him: "Don't act on your own."

Xiao Zhenggong looked at Qin Minghui and asked: "Who are you? Bold kid."

Qin Minghui said: "I'm new, Deputy Xiao—you've seen me. My codename is Zhong Er."

"Zhong Er," Xiao Zhenggong couldn't recall anyone by that name; he studied Qin Minghui closely. "Good codename—you've made an impression on me now."

…

News of He Haiqin's arrival in Yuezhou quickly reached Puluozhou; the Ling family broke the story first: "Father and Son Reunited—He Family Heir Still Unconscious; Rumors Disprove Themselves."

The Lu family wasn't outdone; their headline followed immediately: "Deep Filial Bonds—After One Year, Father and Son Finally Meet, Yet Suspicion Lingers—Why the Mutual Distrust?"

This news muddied the waters further.

He Jiaqing had lain in bed for a year before He Haiqin came to see him—was there something wrong here?

Moreover, He Haiqin came to verify He Jiaqing's identity, proving he never truly believed He Jiaqing was real.

The news included a special commentary: "Rumor or Truth? Everything Begins at the Source."

That cut deeper—where was the source?

At Lu Maoxian's doorstep.

Monkey Qiu watched with the two Lu sons; whether rumor or truth, it didn't concern them—but Lu Maoxian was thrust into the storm.

Lu Maoxian grew anxious and went alone to Shengxian Peak, to the Sage's residence.

Beneath layers of corridors, Lu Maoxian waited over two hours; the breathing and cries inside the room gradually subsided.

The Sage spoke: "What is it?"

Lu Maoxian knelt respectfully: "Master, my situation is dire—He Haiqin, head of the He family, may be coming for me."

The Sage paused, then said: "You've done well. Here are three Jin Yuandan."

A white-robed youth brought three Jin Yuandan and handed them to Lu Maoxian.

These pills were priceless—but they couldn't change Lu Maoxian's predicament.

The Sage continued: "I'll handle He Haiqin myself, but as long as He Jiaqing lives, you must remain vigilant.

He is my greatest threat—never underestimate him. If He Jiaqing sets foot in Puluozhou, inform me immediately."

Lu Maoxian felt slightly reassured and nodded repeatedly: "I shall give my utmost."

The Sage added: "One more matter—I've heard shadow plays have become wildly popular in Puluozhou, and some contain treasonous acts. This corrupt trend must be crushed. You will handle it—no excuses."

Lu Maoxian agreed, then crawled backward on his knees out of the Sage's residence.

On the descent down the mountain, Lu Maoxian pondered the Sage's command.

Shadow plays contained treasonous acts.

He didn't need to think—Ma Wu's "Blood Spear Detective" was the one.

His films trampled the word "morality" underfoot, grinding it into dust.

But how to suppress it?

He'd received rumors that Ma Wu's films were backed by Lu Yuan Shan and Lu Yuan Hai.

The two brothers had never mentioned the movie in public, surely fearing it would damage the Lu family's reputation.

They still care about their reputation—this makes things easier.

Start with Black Stone Slope; it's Lu Mao's territory, and giving Ma Wu a harsh beating won't be hard.

If Lu Yuan Shan and Lu Yuan Hai dare to cause trouble and expose the matter publicly, let the family see exactly what kind of men they are.

Once these two are silenced and Ma Wu loses his patron, dealing with him will be as easy as turning over one's hand.

Lu Mao looked at the three Jin Yuandan pills in his hand; their quality was excellent, the poison within tolerable, enough to gain nearly a year's cultivation.

After dealing with Ma Wu, I'll earn another reward—my cultivation will surely reach the eighth layer.

I'm old, over eighty; some things can't be delayed.

On his way down the mountain, Lu Mao walked faster and faster.

……

He Haiqin left.

He Jiaqing lay on his sickbed, with He Haisheng seated beside him.

He wasn't just watched by He Haisheng—many others were watching too; returning to Puluozhou would no longer be easy.

How did things come to this…

While He Haisheng wasn't looking, He Jiaqing raised his eyebrows slightly, revealing a faint bitter smile.

PS: Jiaqing can still smile—he seems to still have a plan.

(End of Chapter)