Chapter 149: I Really Want to Meet My Senior Sister

A bicycle rode on the stone-paved road in the shanty area, and snow could still be seen piled up at the corners of the walls on both sides.

This layer of snow could last until next spring; that's how cold and gloomy the shanty area is.

The wind poured in from the alley, wailing.

"Master, your best disciple has come to see you again."

Before the person arrived, the voice had already reached the courtyard.

Xu Erye was splashing cool water on his face, getting ready to cook.

Hearing Lu Cheng's voice, he wiped his hands with a towel while saying, "You call yourself the best disciple? Bullshit."

Xu Erye isn't just putting down Lu Cheng; his disciples are spread all over the country, serving in important posts in the military district and administrative units.

Compared to them, Lu Cheng is indeed the one who has nothing to show for.

Lu Cheng didn't mind his master's jab at all, carrying his things inside: "Even if I'm not the most outstanding, I'm at least the most filial."

Xu Erye glanced over, saw Lu Cheng carrying big and small packages, hung the towel on a rope, and said, "From now on spend less money buying things; I lack nothing. Just come visit me more often, and that will be filial enough."

Xu Erye had no children, so he treated every disciple as his own biological child.

When people grow old, their material needs dwindle; they just want their disciples to come by often, to talk and chat about everyday life.

Sensing his master's mood, Lu Cheng carried his things toward the house while speaking.

"Master, you're too lonely living alone; in my opinion, you should move to our Da Za Yuan, where someone will always be there to keep you company and play chess."

"You love listening to model operas, don't you? We even have a TV to watch now…"

Lu Cheng entered the room and suddenly stopped speaking.

He saw many gifts piled up in the room, and quite a few of them were high-end items.

Xu Erye followed him in: "Later you can take everything away; I don't like eating stuff like ginseng and antler—relying on these to strengthen the body is no match for my own exercise."

"Ginseng and antler? You can't just buy this with money and coupons; you also need connections."

Lu Cheng immediately guessed who had sent them.

"Master, these were sent by your disciples, right?"

"Yeah, the New Year's coming soon; those who live nearby want to come see me, and even though I told them not to, they insist."

Lu Cheng laughed: "Look, your words contradict themselves—just now you said you hoped everyone would come see you, and now you turn around and won't let them come."

Xu Erye glared: "I mean you should come visit more often; your senior brothers are all busy people, just like you."

"Alright, Master, go ahead and keep putting me down; better yet, move to Da Za Yuan and nag me every day."

As soon as Xu Erye saw Lu Cheng bring it up again, he waved his hand: "No, no, I'm used to living here; don't bring it up again."

What a stubborn old man.

Lu Cheng resignedly said: "Fine, fine, fine—when you can't move anymore, I'll get you a few female caregivers to look after you."

Xu Erye snapped: "I'm an old man; what do I need female caregivers for? That would be a laughingstock."

"You just don't understand—women's hands are warm, men's hands are cold."

Xu Erye shook his head slightly; this little disciple has all kinds of twisted logic.

Lu Cheng opened what he'd brought: "Master, other disciples have sent you gifts; I can't fall behind—take a look at these, have you seen them before?"

The foreign-produced liquor and cigarettes, though not as precious as ginseng and antler, are valuable for being rare.

Who would have thought Xu Erye just glanced at them, showed little interest, and instead started complaining.

"You just buy things randomly—how much do these foreign trinkets cost? I can't stomach eating or drinking them; by the time you take them away, you'll have taken these too, and they'll still be in the way."

"Look at you, old man—you haven't spent a cent, yet I brought you something with good intentions, and you still scold me. Besides, you should treat everyone equally; you accepted the senior brothers' gifts but not mine—how hurtful is that?"

"Alright, alright, quit talking—with that money you could buy me plenty of jugs of liquor."

Lu Cheng stood up and walked out; Xu Erye thought the disciple had been angered by his words, which shouldn't have happened.

This little disciple has a cheek as thick as a city wall.

Not long after, Lu Cheng returned, shaking the wolf skin tied to the rear seat of his bicycle loose in front of Xu Erye.

"If you don't like those things, forget it—take a look at this one, how is it?"

In Xu Erye's slightly cloudy old eyes, a spark finally lit up.

He stepped forward two paces, took it in his hands: "Such a big wolf skin—where did you get it?"

Lu Cheng then briefly recounted how he had been surrounded by a wolf pack—everything true, no boasting in front of his master.

"How about it, Master? At the time the Supply and Marketing Cooperative wanted to buy it at a high price, I couldn't bear to sell it—doesn't that show my filial devotion?"

Xu Erye indeed liked it very much, nodding satisfied: "This skin is smooth and fine—no wonder it's from an alpha wolf; not bad, indeed not bad!"

"But you're lucky you weren't hurt; if you couldn't even take down an alpha wolf, you'd better not go around claiming to be my disciple."

As long as the master is happy, that's enough. Lu Cheng took it over, intending to spread it on the bed—having this wolf skin, even without lighting the stove, he wouldn't feel the chill.

"Hey, you can't just lay it down directly; you have to untie it, stretch it onto a board, and air-dry it for a while."

"Alright then, you figure it out yourself—I don't know how. Master, you must be hungry; I'll go make you something to eat."

Xu Erye grabbed him: "You're finally here—don't waste my food; with your cooking skills, even a dog wouldn't eat it, so just wait here."

Reluctantly putting down the wolf skin, Xu Erye picked up the white flour and headed to the kitchen to prepare hand-pulled noodles.

This bit of white flour had been saved for the New Year, but since the little disciple came, we might as well eat it early.

Despite the master's advanced age, he's still able to cook for him, and Lu Cheng feels nothing but happiness.

Leaning against the doorframe, Lu Cheng casually struck up a conversation.

"Master, when the senior brothers come to see you, why don't you call me? I could help you entertain them."

"No need—they're busy anyway, just exchange a few words, and besides, I don't provide meals here."

Lu Cheng laughed: "If you're going to say that, you favor me most—then I don't understand; even if I don't eat, you could let me meet the senior brothers."

Up to now, Lu Cheng has only heard rumors about them, but has never actually seen one.

Whenever this topic comes up, Xu Erye never brings it up.

"We'll talk about it later if there's a chance."

It's not that he won't let Lu Cheng see him; it's that this young disciple loves to cause trouble and stand out.

He worries that Lu Cheng, because of those rascally friends, will go ask the Senior Brothers for help again.

They're all high officials; that would just be adding trouble for them.

The problem is that there's this trouble‑making junior brother, which also makes it easy for those Senior Brothers to mock him.

But lately, he can clearly feel that this young disciple is not the same as before.

"Master, every time I want to meet those Senior Brothers, you never let me; it's fine if I don't see the Senior Brothers, but I have a Senior Sister above me—could you introduce me to her?"

Xu Erye stopped kneading the dough, turned his head and asked, "What do you want to do?"

"You see, if you don't want to introduce, then don't. Don't question my character; she's my Senior Sister, what could I do?"

Xu Erye turned his head again and kept kneading the dough: "Hmph, even if you have ideas, they're useless; I'm not belittling you, but you might not be able to defeat your Senior Sister."

Whoa, so powerful? Lu Cheng became even more interested; the point is the Master refuses to introduce.

Looks like I need to think of a scheme.

Lu Cheng quickly had a flash of inspiration and came up with a cunning idea.