Chapter 655

Zhuo Tie didn't rush to answer Gu Liangong's question, but instead retorted, "Uncle Gu, over the years you haven't done a shortage of good deeds, have you?"

"That's natural!"

Gu Liangong didn't quite understand why Zhuo Tie hadn't answered his question but asked him this instead, and he instinctively opened his mouth to reply:

"It used to be that the elders often said, 'When a person lives in this world, if they don't do good deeds and only do bad deeds, they'll be reborn as a beast in the next life.' I certainly don't want to be a beast in the next life, so naturally I must do good deeds!"

As soon as the words were spoken, a flash of insight flickered and vanished in Gu Liangong's mind. He looked up at Zhuo Tie, seeming to grasp the meaning of Zhuo Tie's words, yet still not fully convinced, his expression complex, and said:

"What do you mean by that?"

"Uncle Gu, since you understand this principle!"

At this point, Zhuo Tie paused, gazing deeply at Gu Liangong, his face and eyes filled with unmistakable admiration, and said solemnly:

"All these years you've done plenty of good deeds, your hidden virtue accumulated beyond count, so why are you still worried that you won't be reborn into a wealthy family in the next life?"

Gu Liangong does good deeds with selfish motives, and both he and the other townsfolk of Liangshui Town know it; they know his good deeds are aimed at securing a good rebirth. Apart from some truly hopeless things, many have taken advantage of Gu Liangong through this matter.

The others still quite admire Gu Liangong.

In these times, even during the peaceful era, despite knowing that doing good deeds will lead to rebirth in a wealthy family, few people actually do good deeds...

No.

To be precise, among the townsfolk of Liangshui Town there are indeed people who do good deeds, but they only do what is within their ability. Someone like Gu Liangong, who does good deeds day after day, year after year, is virtually nonexistent.

For a person like Gu Liangong, being reborn into a wealthy family in the next life is something that both he and the other townsfolk of Liangshui Town would gladly welcome.

When a wealthy family's young master does good deeds, who knows how many people he can help; conversely, if he does evil, who knows how many common folk he can harm.

Zhu Xing, that brute, is a living example.

Whether it's him or the other townsfolk of Liangshui Town, they naturally hope that in a wealthy family like the Zhu Clan, their young master would not be a brute like Zhu Xing, but rather someone like Gu Liangong who does good deeds day after day, year after year.

"Zhuo Tie, how could I possibly not understand what you said?"

Gu Liangong seemed to recall something, let out a slight sigh, and said with a bitter smile:

"It's just that the old saying goes, 'Not fearing ten thousand, only fearing the one in ten thousand.' No one knows whether an accident will occur, and although I do good deeds day after day, year after year, they're only ordinary tasks within my ability.

It's unlikely to accrue much Merit; even if I do a lot, it may still not be enough to ensure I reborn into a wealthy family in the next life!"

"Uncle Gu, don't belittle yourself. With all the good deeds you've done over the years, as long as the judges of the Underworld have a bit of insight, they'll certainly let you be reborn into a wealthy family!"

Upon hearing this, Zhuo Tie was suddenly flustered, not knowing how to reply, when Zhao Derun stepped forward and said, "Actually, the matter of Guimen Guan for you, Uncle Gu, is merely a embellishment; you don't need to neglect your own children over this and rush to report to Yama King!"

"Derun..."

Gu Liangong hadn't expected Zhao Derun to step forward to advise him—perhaps out of a healer's compassion. He was about to speak, trying to persuade Zhao Derun and Zhuo Tie, when he realized he couldn't convince them. Before he could finish, an elderly, hoarse voice said, "Gu Liangong, aren't you in fine health? How did you suddenly end up at my clinic? You didn't just stumble in, did you?"

A white-haired, ethereal-looking old man stepped out from inside, with Zhao Huai following beside him.

"Father!"

Zhao Derun quickly called out, rose from his seat, yielded the spot, and after the elder—his father, Zhao Kangtai—sat down, he spoke, "Xiao Huai, I asked you to bring your grandfather over; didn't you tell your grandfather about your Gu grandfather's matter?"

Zhao Huai shook his head.

"You kid..."

Seeing this, Zhao Derun was instantly angry, about to scold, but before he could finish, Zhao Kangtai impatiently cut him off:

"Enough, I heard you summon me to treat that old fool Gu Liangong, so I knew the matter was serious; I have no time for idle chatter with Xiao Huai, I rushed here without hesitation!"

After speaking, Zhao Kangtai was too lazy to give Zhao Derun another glance, knowing that this fellow liked to pick fights with Zhao Huai whether there was a reason or not—not that he disliked Zhao Huai, but because their family relied solely on Zhao Huai's line to continue the lineage.

Don't be fooled by Zhao Derun's harsh scolding; in fact, he likes Zhao Huai more than anyone else.

This novel you to

He treats Zhao Huai this way for two reasons: first, to train Zhao Huai's stress tolerance—any doctor, no matter how bizarre the patient, must handle it; if his tolerance fails, he'll die of frustration; second, to use this incident to make Zhao Huai understand a principle: no matter what happens, one must remain calm and not neglect the past or the future.

"Your illness..."

Zhao Kangtai gestured for Gu Liangong to extend his hand, felt his pulse, his expression turning extremely serious, but before he could finish speaking, Gu Liangong laughed and interrupted:

"Zhao Kangtai, is my illness that severe that I have only a few days left to live?"

"You old fool, you really have figured it out; now you're not even afraid of death, so what's left for you to laugh at me here!"

Zhao Kangtai hummed, somewhat surprised; Gu Liangong's demeanor was carefree, as if he didn't care about death at all. Yet thinking about it, he could understand—most of Gu Liangong's peers had already passed away, and after seeing so many deaths of his age, it's hard not to care about death. He was too lazy to dwell on it, and changed the subject:

"Your condition is indeed serious; otherwise Derun wouldn't have shed his dignity to ask me to take a look. However, what concerns me is this whole array of ailments you have—how can you have lived so long? If it were anyone else, even just one or two of these diseases would have been reported to Yama King!"

"Perhaps Yama King still doesn't want to claim me, but even if he refuses, I still have to report to Yama King; I can't delay, because in my next life I want to be a wealthy family's young master!"

Gu Liangong chuckled, seeing Zhao Kangtai about to speak and wanting to say something, but before he could finish, he jumped in, "Regarding my illness, are you confident you can diagnose and treat it?"

Zhang Kangtai shook his head.

Gu Liangong instantly rejoiced, saying, "I knew it—Derun, that kid, learned his skills from you since childhood, surpassing his master, yet even he lacks the ability to diagnose; how could you possibly have the skill to treat?"

(End of Chapter)