Chapter 132

Chapter 132

◎Who's Not Healthy?!◎

The master and apprentice chatted casually for over ten minutes. Seeing that Meng Qi was finally less downcast, Li Qingjiang returned to his desk, picked up the book, and continued reading. However, before he started, he jokingly told Meng Qi, "Your master is going into seclusion to cultivate. My good disciple, go about your business and don't bother me unless it's important."

It was a subtle hint for Meng Qi to do whatever he wanted, pretending Li Qingjiang wasn't there, and not to feel awkward.

Meng Qi took the hint, quickly turned over to face the lime-washed wall, lay down, and replied seriously, "Perfect timing—I was planning to go into seclusion too."

Then came a long stretch of silence.

So quiet that the sound of Li Qingjiang flipping pages was as jarring as thunderclaps, making him agitated and distracted. His right hand, clutching Ren Suiyi's letter, gripped tighter and tighter, and the paper grew warmer and warmer.

The book's protagonists were Ren Suiyi and Jiang Baixi. In the story, "Meng Qi" was just a cannon-fodder male supporting character. Perhaps because of their childhood bond, "Meng Qi" had once shone briefly in the lives of Ren Suiyi and Jiang Baixi, but in the end, his fate was death—an unchangeable fact.

Now that he had finally escaped, should he re-enter the game?

So, this letter—read it or not?

After scratching his head and thinking for a long time, Meng Qi abruptly sat up and unfolded the letter in two swift motions. His master had said the choice was always his. No one could force him to do anything he didn't want to do. So read it, why not? Who's afraid of who?! If Ren Suiyi gave him trouble and insisted he return to the capital, he'd just refuse outright! If they pushed too hard, he'd find another chance to run!

"Meng Qi, I'm sorry."

That was the first sentence. Meng Qi pursed his lips, thinking, You don't really owe me an apology—this is a waste of ink.

"I'm sick. Don't drive me away."

That was the second sentence. Meng Qi rolled his eyes. Playing the pity card this hard? Even the über-boss persona falls flat—isn't this out of character?! Besides, I didn't drive you away later. I even had my master examine you and brew medicine for you... Ungrateful, thinking we're so malicious! Meng Qi fumed silently.

"Honestly, before I came here, I imagined countless ways to tie you up and take you back. I even thought about what thickness of rope to use, whether to break your legs first before tying you up. But don't be scared—those were just frantic, wild thoughts. I wouldn't actually do it. I'm telling you this now so you know how anxious I was when I couldn't find you."

No matter how anxious, you don't resort to physical harm, Meng Qi pursed his lips.

"But the moment I heard your laughter from behind that high wall, I completely let go of his resentment. I understood, and I clearly knew why you chose to stay here."

You think the reason is what it is, but it's not, Meng Qi kept pursing his lips.

"Meng Qi, if you're happier here, stay—until you're willing to leave. Brother Yiyi respects your choice."

After reading word by word, Meng Qi tilted his head and thought, Did I laugh during the meal? I don't remember laughing. Did Ren Suiyi mishear someone else's laughter as mine?

Mistake or not, the result was good. It seemed his "own" laughter had saved him. He shuddered to think what would have happened if no one had laughed—would Ren Suiyi have gone straight for the sticks and ropes in the corner?

Though he didn't recall laughing or why, he was immensely grateful that he had. Uncle Gu was right: laughter can save lives in critical moments, so smile often.

Then he happily thought on: Ren Suiyi had agreed to let him stay as long as he wanted, saying he respected his choice. That meant, until that day came, he could probably stay hidden, giving the people who wanted to harm him no chance to strike! With that calculation, his chances of survival increased by fifty percent! The remaining fifty percent depended on whether his master, Li Qingjiang, could snatch him from the King of Hell's grasp...

He believed his master could do it!

Both worries eased at once. Lighthearted and carefree, Meng Qi fell asleep curled up in the beanbag chair before he even made it to bed.

The next morning, he woke up in Li Qingjiang's bed. Li Qingjiang had already gone out—he had a habit of jogging and usually rose no later than six.

So the big bed was left with only Meng Qi. He turned his head to look at the large window covered only by a white gauze curtain. Suddenly, the sunlight outside seemed so beautiful, the distant mountains, blurred into a haze, were also beautiful, and the chirping of insects and birds carried by the wind were beautiful. Wang Boyuan and Ren Suiwu's arguing...

Huh? Why were they arguing so early in the morning?

Meng Qi hurriedly got out of bed, shuffled into his sneakers, and ran into the yard.

"I won't take it, won't take it, I said no! Take that away, it's annoying just looking at it." Wang Boyuan spun around to dodge Ren Suiwu, his arms waving backward to keep Ren Suiwu away.

Ren Suiwu ignored Wang Boyuan's disdain, persistently shoving a strip of brown pills under his nose. "The doctor said you need to keep taking them for another six months. You can ignore me, but you can't ignore the doctor, now can you?"

Wang Boyuan was so disgusted he didn't even want to open his eyes. He squinted and kept dodging. "The doctor's words aren't a royal decree. What if I don't listen? I just won't take them."

"Hey, you..."

Seeing Wang Boyuan adamantly refusing, Ren Suiwu used a trick he'd learned in the military. He wrapped one arm around Wang Boyuan from behind, pinning him tightly, while using his other hand to pinch Wang Boyuan's chin, forcing his mouth open. Then, quick as a flash, he popped a pill into Wang Boyuan's wide-open mouth, pushed his jaw up, and closed it.

Worried Wang Boyuan might spit it out, Ren Suiwu didn't let go. He kept his hand pressed against Wang Boyuan's chin, making it impossible for him to speak, let alone spit out the pill.

Meng Qi: …

Who forces someone to take medicine like that? Do it a few more times, and the brain might be fine, but the jaw will definitely dislocate...

Wang Boyuan's face turned red with frustration. He struggled, stomping on Ren Suiwu's feet and using all his strength to pry Ren Suiwu's hand away. Meng Qi watched nervously, afraid Wang Boyuan would be suffocated or that Ren Suiwu would lose his temper.

"Brother Wu, I, Brother Boyuan, don't think you should force Qi Yun like this. If he doesn't want to take it, let him be. Look how lively he is—he doesn't seem like someone who needs medicine at all." Meng Qi stood a foot away, arguing against Ren Suiwu.

Beside Meng Qi, Qu Liang and Zhao Zheyuan had also come over after hearing the commotion.

Li Qingjiang, an early riser, had been watching from the side for a while.

Everyone looked tense and a bit puzzled, not understanding why Ren Suiwu was so insistent on Wang Boyuan taking the medicine.

Despite being surrounded by onlookers, Ren Suiwu's strong mental fortitude kept him calm. He even smiled slightly when looking at Meng Qi. "Qi Yun was injured while helping me on a mission. I'm responsible for him, and I'll see it through to the end. If I don't supervise his medication now, and there are negative consequences from stopping, it will only cause me more trouble later."

The phrase "negative consequences" was heavy, and it instantly convinced Meng Qi. He turned back to Wang Boyuan and tried to persuade him, "Bro, why not just treat it like a candy? They said it's for nourishing the brain nerves—it shouldn't have side effects."

Wang Boyuan let out a few muffled sounds, and seeing that Ren Suiwu still wouldn't let go, he took advantage of the moment when Ren Suiwu was distracted talking to Meng Qi. He suddenly yanked Ren Suiwu's hand downward, stomped hard on his foot, ducked low, and escaped his hold. Then, standing half a meter away, he glared at Ren Suiwu with a wary expression and snapped, "What negative consequences? You're just imagining things. I know my own body. I don't need you to boss me around, and I don't need you to take responsibility!"

He then turned away and spat twice on the ground, spitting out the undissolved pill fragments.

Ren Suiwu frowned in displeasure. "You already had it in your mouth—why did you spit it out? That little pill costs more than ten yuan."

"Even if it cost a thousand, I still wouldn't take it!" Wang Boyuan was extremely agitated, his eyes practically shooting sparks.

"Alright, alright, forget it. If you won't take it, then don't. Don't get angry, either of you. Remember, we have a medical whiz here—let him have a look." Meng Qi first pulled Wang Boyuan to the well to rinse his mouth, then brought him back to Li Qingjiang and asked for his help. "Master, please take my brother's pulse and see if he really needs to take that medicine."

Wang Boyuan pulled his arm back forcefully. "Why bother with that? No need to take the pulse, and no need to take the medicine either."

Meng Qi gave him a suspicious look.

At first, he thought Wang Boyuan just didn't like taking medicine, as before, and wanted to side with him. But seeing him resist so strongly—even more than before—a bad thought suddenly flooded Meng Qi's mind, making his heart race and his breath catch.

He asked Wang Boyuan nervously, "Brother, why won't you let him take your pulse or take the medicine? You don't actually have a terminal illness, do you?"

Wang Boyuan was stunned for a moment, then sighed heavily. He stretched out his arm to Li Qingjiang with an air of heroic martyrdom. "Fine, fine. Take the pulse. See if I really have a terminal illness."

Seeing that Wang Boyuan's nonchalant attitude didn't seem fake, Meng Qi relaxed. But he still insisted that Li Qingjiang give him a thorough check, even suggesting using the scanner in the room to take a brain EEG.

Li Qingjiang didn't respond to Meng Qi's comment. He placed two fingers on Wang Boyuan's wrist, concentrated for a while, and after three minutes, said very firmly to Meng Qi, "Nothing wrong at all. He's much healthier than you."

Meng Qi was completely relieved. Brother Boyuan really just doesn't like taking medicine—he wasn't hiding anything from him.

That was good.

But just as Meng Qi relaxed, Ren Suiyi, who was standing under the eaves, spoke up. "You said he's healthier than Meng Qi. Does that mean Meng Qi isn't healthy?"

Meng Qi: …

Wish me well, my ancestor!