Chapter 56: The Old Master

Thinking of this, I couldn't help but let out a self-deprecating, bitter chuckle, mocking myself for still holding onto a ridiculous illusion in my heart after all this time.

Jiang Jian, Oh Jiang Jian, you really are gluttonous for punishment to your very core. Haven't you faced reality even now, after all these days of living under the same roof?

Sitting blankly in the kitchen until the traditional Chinese medicine was fully brewed, I strained out the dregs, pouring out a bowl of pitch-black, bitter decoction.

There is no greater grief than a dead heart, and no sorrow louder than silence. The medicinal broth that I had previously found utterly repulsive suddenly didn't feel so hard to accept as it touched my lips.

Yet after finishing it, the lingering bitterness in my mouth still made me feel nauseous. I took a piece of tangerine peel candy from my pocket, tore open the package, and popped it into my mouth. The sour and sweet flavors finally suppressed that awful sensation.

Looking at the candy wrapper in the palm of my hand, I remembered that I had dug this large bag of tangerine peel candy out of the clay pot earlier this afternoon—candy that Ji Leqing had hidden inside.

It wasn't expensive candy. In today's era of soaring prices, you could buy a pound of it for just a few yuan.

When I was little, I only had the chance to eat such things once a year during the New Year, or perhaps when someone's older sister married into a good family in the county town. Then, the village children could share a piece of wedding candy to catch a glimpse of good fortune.

Most of them were assorted fruit candies wrapped in cheap cellophane, mixed with a few pieces of milk candy or tangerine peel candy. Whichever child managed to grab one could show it off all day long.

Back then, each of us could at most get a single piece of candy, meaning we could only taste one flavor, and it would melt away after sucking on it for a little while.

I don't know whose idea it was, but everyone brought their candy together, wrapped it in paper, smashed it into a packet of fragments with broken bricks, and poured it into a thermos filled with boiling water to dissolve into a large pot of sugary water.

Finally, it was poured into the tin mugs or glass bottles everyone brought, and we sipped it through hollowed-out blades of fine grass as straws, which would last us most of the day.

Now I possess wealth I once wouldn't even dare to imagine, and I can afford any high-end candy available, but that kind of joy can never be found again.

I tossed the candy wrapper into the trash can, cleaned the clay pot and medicinal bowl, and put them away in the cupboard.

I just hope this medicine actually works.

The next morning, I woke up just as the sky was turning pale. It had been a restless night, and upon waking, my whole body was permeated with an indescribable discomfort.

I picked up my phone from the bedside table and saw that it was just past four o'clock. There was nothing urgent today, so I lay back down to see if I could catch a bit more sleep.

However, after tossing and turning for a long time without managing to fall back asleep, I simply got up, washed up, changed into sportswear, and went out for a morning run.

Near the villa complex was a large ecological park. Previously, as a corporate slave turned boss, I never had the time to go to the park to enjoy the sunshine and nature.

There weren't many people in the park, which was entirely normal—grandpa and grandma residents living in this villa complex wouldn't think of coming out to exercise a little after four in the morning.

After jogging slowly in the park for a while, I stopped. The moisture in the air was too heavy, which wasn't good for breathing. Better to just stroll slowly.

Sigh, I was never suited for wellness routines. The one time I finally decided to exercise, I picked the wrong time entirely.

Walking along the path amidst the woods, I looked around at the soothing sea of green, and faintly heard the sound of music drifting from afar. Following the sound, I discovered an open space where an elderly man with white hair and a white beard, dressed in dark cyan Tai Chi robes, was practicing Tai Chi.

Feeling that it might be impolite to disturb the old man, I thought about walking away quietly, but heard the old man call out to me.

"Young man, out exercising so early?"

I had no choice but to retract the foot I had already stepped out, turned around, and walked toward the old man, saying awkwardly, "Hehe, woke up and couldn't sleep, thought I'd take a walk in the park. Can't really call it exercising..."

Seeing how honest I was, the old man laughed heartily, "How is a walk not a form of exercise? Young man, do you know how to do Tai Chi? Care to practice with an old man for a bit?"

I hurriedly waved my hands, "I learned it in a physical education class back in university, but I've forgotten it long ago."

I had only signed up for Tai Chi because I missed out on grabbing other classes, and I had barely passed the exam by a hair. By now, I could only remember the opening posture.

This old man clearly looked like he had practiced for many years; how could I dare to show off my clumsy skills in front of an expert?

Faced with my refusal, the old man wasn't annoyed at all. A kind and affectionate smile remained on his face, "Never mind, just treat it as keeping an old man company to chat. Sometimes it's not good when things are too quiet around you."

Since the old man put it that way, if I refused again, it would mean I lacked manners.

Anyone who could appear in this park at this hour was bound to be a hidden dragon or crouching tiger—definitely someone I couldn't afford to offend.

Dressed in my sportswear, I stood next to the old man and mimicked his movements form by form, looking utterly ridiculous.

"Young man, look—aren't you doing quite well? Young people shouldn't always belittle themselves."

"You're too kind. Compared to you, I'm still falling far short."

The old man chuckled twice, "You shouldn't think that way, young man. Don't compare a newly sprouted bud to a giant tree; things accumulated purely through time have no meaning in comparison."

"Between a single second and a single minute, the only thing that can be compared is length. Aside from that, what use is there?"

"I only started practicing Tai Chi at the age of seventy, and it took me over a dozen years to get to where I am now. If the exact same amount of time were invested in you, you would definitely do better than me. The influence of time isn't all that significant."

Hearing the old man say this, I suddenly felt a flash of enlightenment. I had always been thinking about how to use the shortest and fastest time to catch up to what others had spent many years accumulating.

I had constantly worried over gains and losses because of this, and even doubted myself. Now that I think about it, that was simply a shackle I had imposed upon myself.

"Hearing your words is better than reading books for ten years. Today, this junior has truly been enlightened."

The old man finished his form, looked at me, and shook his head, "What are you being so polite for? What I said aren't some profound sage's principles; it's best if it could offer you some inspiration."

"I feel we share a certain affinity. How about you join me in practicing Tai Chi from now on? That way, this old man will have some company."

"It is my honor to practice Tai Chi with you."

"Young man, what's your name?"

"My name is Jiang Jian."

After hearing my name, the old man muttered it to himself a couple of times, then smiled at me, "So it's you. You're the husband of that girl from the Xu family."

Hearing the old man refer to Xu Zhixia as "that girl from the Xu family," a bad feeling arose in my heart. It seemed the old man must have a deep connection with the Xu family. My humble background had been completely stripped bare, and I supposed I would likely be looked down upon again.

However, to my surprise, the old man did not change his attitude toward me because of my background. Instead, he said, "You're a capable kid. My judgment wasn't wrong."

With that, the old man packed up his things, pulled his sound system box toward the park exit, and waved at me, "Little Jiang, let's practice Tai Chi here again tomorrow. Don't be late!"

After instinctively responding in assent, I suddenly remembered that I still didn't know the old man's name.

"Oh, right—umm, sir, I don't know your honorable name?!"