"What's done is done; if the sky falls, I'll use it as a blanket." Lin Yao was optimistic. His life had only become better after Xiao Cao came into his life. Everything he had now was given to him by Xiao Cao, and he should completely trust it. Otherwise, they wouldn't get along well in the future. At the moment, he didn't even know if Xiao Cao could sense his likes and dislikes, so thinking too much was pointless.
Having figured all this out, Lin Yao's thoughts returned to reality. Suddenly remembering the treatment tomorrow, he immediately continued his investigation and discovered that the outer kernel of the grass seed was covered with countless tiny beads. These beads were even smaller, and most of them were black or grayish in color, with only a few showing pale yellow and reddish-green hues. He knew that these were probably beneficial medicinal gases that the grass had deliberately left behind, while the rest had been absorbed by the grass. He guessed that the gray and black beads were probably poisonous gases.
Now, things are much better. The beads even have color, making it easy to tell which ones are beneficial and which are poisonous. Thinking of this, Lin Yao felt relieved. A wave of exhaustion washed over him, and he no longer cared about the stench all over his body. He collapsed to the ground and fell into a deep sleep.
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Chapter Seventy-Seven Lieutenant General
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When Lin Yao woke up, it was past dinner time, but his family was waiting for him. Even the two little ones insisted on not eating, which made him feel embarrassed but also warm and cozy. He immediately went to the bathroom to wash off the grease and stench before starting his meal.
"Daddy, Lili was the best behaved today, he didn't misbehave at all." Little Guli immediately clung to Lin Yao, snuggled into his arms, stuffed vegetables into his mouth and asked for praise, he seemed to be really hungry.
"My good son, Dad loves you the most." Lin Yao lowered his head and gave the little guy a big kiss, feeling a little sorry for him. "Next time Dad has something to do, you and your sister Nannan should eat first, okay? Don't let yourselves get sick from hunger, especially since your sister Nannan is still sick. As her younger brother, you need to learn to take care of her."
"Okay, Lili will definitely let her older sister eat first next time, so she won't go hungry." Little Guli nodded her head, her mouth full of food, and answered in a muffled voice.
"Uncle Yao, it's okay, I want to eat with you." Nannan held a half-eaten chicken leg in one hand and objected to Lin Yao's suggestion. Although she was young, she knew who was truly good to her. She had never experienced such a life where she could eat whatever she wanted and play to her heart's content. In her young heart, she already regarded Uncle Yao as her closest relative.
Ruan Lingling didn't speak, but occasionally glanced at Lin Yao while picking up food. Her heart was racing. She hadn't seen Lin Yao's true face yet, and she felt quite regretful.
A monthly salary of three thousand yuan, including room and board, plus medical treatment, was an immense favor. However, her family's situation made it impossible for Ruan Lingling to refuse. At that moment, her gratitude towards Lin Yao was indescribable, and she could only wholeheartedly take good care of the child. She had heard the story of Ge Yong's family and Xiao Guli, and knew that everyone around the table had received great kindness from Lin Yao. In her heart, Lin Yao's image became even more admirable.
“Brother, Situ Hao delivered cordyceps this afternoon. I only asked him to deliver it nearby, and then I went to pick it up myself. Luckily, nothing happened to you. The stench coming from under the door this afternoon scared me, so I didn’t dare to disturb you.” Ge Yong put down his chopsticks, his eyes shining. This young man was too mysterious. He suspected that the reason for the stench coming from Lin Yao was the kind of bone marrow cleansing that martial arts family scions usually boasted about in casual conversations in the army.
“I trust my brother to handle things, but Situ Hao is also a trustworthy person; he has helped me a lot,” Lin Yao replied with a smile.
"Oh, and one more thing." Ge Yong suddenly remembered something and hurriedly said, "A girl named Ruonan and a man named Long Yihun called your cell phone. The girl didn't say what it was about, but the man surnamed Long said he was going back to Chengdu tomorrow and asked you to contact him."
"Understood, thank you, brother." Lin Yao thought Ling Ruonan must be bored being alone, and also anxious about helping Xiaolian with her illness. It was good that Long Yihun was coming back; he had many ideas to discuss with him, as these concerned future development plans.
After dinner, I spoke with Ling Ruonan and Long Yihun on the phone. Ling Ruonan sounded hesitant on the phone, as if she had something to say. When she heard that Lin Yao was busy recently, she quickly hung up. Long Yihun was excited that there was a way to solve Xiaolian's problem. He asked the organizing committee to arrange another person to go to Yunnan to take charge of the work, and he rushed back to Chengdu.
After playing with the two little ones for a while, I went with Ge Yong to practice grappling in the private garden. By this time, all the flowers and plants in the garden had been cleared away, turning it into a veritable small training ground. The community park with excellent greenery was right outside the house, so it didn't cause any dissatisfaction from the two little ones.
After being modified by Xiaocao, Lin Yao's physical abilities became outstanding. His slender frame, speed, explosiveness, and excellent endurance amazed Ge Yong, who then devoted himself to teaching him grappling techniques and even some combat skills. Lin Yao progressed rapidly and could generally protect himself without any problems.
Ruan Lingling also lives here now. The four-bedroom, two-living-room suite is very convenient for her. Living together allows her to better integrate into Xiao Guli's daily life, making it easier for her to cooperate with Xiao Guli's treatment, and also giving Lin Yao more private time. For now, Xiao Guli and Ruan Lingling's relationship hasn't reached another level, and Lin Yao still takes care of Xiao Guli to sleep. Fortunately, the little guy is very sensible; he can fall asleep as long as Lin Yao is next to him and never disturbs Lin Yao's meditation practice.
...
The elderly man sat upright in the hotel's reception room, his straight back and military uniform exuding a dignified military aura that made one forget his age. This elderly man in his lieutenant general's uniform was none other than Xia Chengwu, whom I had met yesterday.
Xia Chengwu was born into a family of martial artists. Their tradition of loyalty and patriotism made them a revolutionary family, with many members sacrificing their youth and even their lives for the great revolutionary cause. Xia Chengwu, of course, missed the eight-year War of Resistance against Japan and the Korean War, as he was still young at the time. However, he participated in the subsequent Sino-Indian border conflict, the Vietnam War, the Sino-Soviet border conflict at Zhenbao Island, the Sino-Vietnamese border conflict in the Paracel Islands, and the Sino-Vietnamese border self-defense counterattack. His outstanding military achievements led him from a lowly soldier to the position of Commander of the Beijing Military Region. Even after retirement, he cherished his lieutenant general's uniform, carrying it with him everywhere. His fervent love for the army remained undiminished even in his old age.
This time, being extorted by a little bastard left General Xia feeling extremely aggrieved. Years of military service had instilled in him a domineering style, and he couldn't understand who had given this brat the audacity to blackmail a lieutenant general. Yes, blackmail—taking advantage of his serious illness, blatantly demanding exorbitant medical fees. Thinking of that brat's arrogant and smug face yesterday, General Xia felt an urge to shoot him dead. Yesterday's display of force seemed insufficient, so today General Xia Chengwu specially donned his beloved military uniform, waiting for that little bastard to appear.
"Bang, bang, bang." The sound of knocking came from the door. The general knew it was that little bastard. He immediately straightened his face, sat up straight in his chair, and gestured for Major Cheng to open the door.
Lin Yao and Situ Hao were both taken aback when they entered the room. There were two men in military uniforms. Upon closer inspection, Lin Yao's pupils contracted sharply—the old man was a general! His shoulder insignia and the dense array of medals on his chest indicated his extremely high rank.
"Damn it! We've managed to extort money from a lieutenant general." Lin Yao inwardly groaned, and couldn't help but grumble at Situ Hao beside him, "With so many rich people in our country, why did you introduce a general? Do you think it's so easy to extort money from a general?"
In an instant, Lin Yao's refined psychological and behavioral science came into play, allowing him to immediately assess the other party's situation. He secretly rejoiced that he had made the other party owe him a favor on a whim yesterday. At worst, he could ask the other party to forgive and forget about it. He figured that a general's word was law and he wouldn't make things difficult for a commoner like himself.
I have to change my style. Yesterday's expert's style didn't work. The general has seen too many experts; this image isn't effective. It's better to act young so the general won't get angry. At least I'm just a kid in his eyes; he won't hold a grudge against a junior like that. I regretted my misstep in pretending again; I shouldn't have tried to appear so mature.
Situ Hao, who was following behind Lin Yao, was truly terrified. He knew how to read military ranks, but it was precisely because he knew how that he was even more frightened. He never expected that the other party was actually a general, and that Cheng De hadn't revealed a single detail. This was it; Situ Hao's face turned deathly pale.
"Wow! Grandpa Xia, you're a general? That's amazing! I admire generals so much!" Lin Yao's childlike innocence, combined with his exaggerated and naive tone and his rigid and mature appearance, made him seem inexplicably absurd and strange.
At this moment, Lin Yao was thinking to himself, "I admit defeat today and will endure it. I will never contact these intimidating officers again. It is said that a scholar cannot reason with a soldier. My uncle is only a senior colonel, but he already makes Lin Yao feel very powerful. I don't know what this general will do, but I think he will not have a good outcome. Just by looking at the fact that he deliberately wore a lieutenant general's uniform today, I know that he is not friendly and must be warning me."
The others in the room were stunned by Lin Yao's words and remained silent. All eyes were on him, making him feel even more pressured. Lin Yao decided to persist in his charade. He still vividly remembered the pain of being spanked by his uncle for minor mistakes as a child. Offending a general was no good; if he were taken to the army, he'd be at their mercy. Although he earned his money through genuine skill, he couldn't control what others thought, especially given the terrible atmosphere yesterday.
"Grandpa Xia, which military region are you a general in? I recognize this uniform, but I've never seen a real one before. May I touch it?" Lin Yao simply had Xiao Cao remove the medication from her throat, restoring her youthful voice.
A chill ran down the spines of the people in the room.
Seeing the little rascal start joking around as soon as he entered, General Liu Chengwu was stunned. He almost couldn't help but laugh out loud. Did this little rascal not know the meaning of death? This little rascal was quite something; he could still hold his own against his imposing manner. That outfit was probably a disguise, and his name was probably fake too. He was determined to teach him a lesson later. He had never been played like this before in decades. He coughed, suppressing his impending laughter, and stared seriously at Lin Yao without saying a word.
Major Cheng thought this angel named Gu Nan was a monster, not only in appearance but also in his mental state, still not knowing how to restrain himself at a time like this. Situ Hao was even more shocked than before, never expecting that Brother Lin had this side to him, possessing such disgusting abilities.
"Please have a seat." Major Cheng ushered Lin Yao and Situ Hao in and went to pour tea.
Lin Yao muttered under his breath, his voice just soft enough for General Xia to hear, "We're rich now, a general owes us a favor." His feigned joy was a subtle way of reminding the general not to settle scores with him later, since he still owed him a favor.
"Grandpa Xia, I was busy all night after I got home yesterday, and I didn't finish preparing the medicine until this morning. Look at my eyes, they're all bloodshot." Lin Yao stepped forward to curry favor, pointing to the non-existent bloodshot. "Your illness will probably be cured in two or three treatments, and then you can live another hundred years."
At this point, Lin Yao felt a bit disgusted. He wasn't good at flattering others; he'd only learned the methods and language online. Now, having to put it into practice felt like being forced into a corner. He had no choice. He'd heard about the military's style from his parents' casual conversations and his uncle's comments, and he was genuinely worried about offending someone in the military, especially someone of such high rank. Currently, he wasn't strong enough to fight back, and he couldn't help but regret his assertive attitude yesterday. He also inwardly condemned Situ Hao beside him.
"Oh? Is that so? Then I'll make trouble for you if I don't live to be 170." General Xia Chengwu spoke decisively, startling Lin Yao. "You want to be my personal doctor?"
"Of course not. My knowledge is shallow, and I'm preparing to retire from the mountains to study. There's no end to learning, and I won't be able to treat people until I've mastered it." Lin Yao wanted to slap himself, but he didn't expect the other party to take his flattery seriously. "Recently, you've made a mistake in your cultivation, and you may not be able to treat people casually for a long time."
General Xia Chengwu completely ignored Lin Yao's words. This little bastard was a talent, naturally thick-skinned and exceptionally quick-witted. He didn't care about eight million; with a daughter-in-law who was good at making money, he didn't need to worry about such a small amount. What angered him the most was that no one had ever dared to threaten him before. He had to make him pay the price, repay the favor later, or at least give him a good beating to vent his anger.
"Grandpa Xia, let's begin now, otherwise the precious medicine will lose its effectiveness." Lin Yao immediately shifted everyone's attention to the treatment, using this as a good excuse to change the subject, as it was the thing the other party cared about most.