Chapter 286

The rain finally stopped. Along with it came another piece of good news: Old Zhai's fever had broken.

"Professor, it's cool outside. Please put on another layer."

"Zheng Hua, you've all worked hard."

Old Zhai felt a pang of guilt. These were his people, and if something went wrong, he should bear the responsibility. Yet, he had fallen ill at the most crucial moment. Fortunately, he recovered quickly this time.

Standing on the second-floor balcony, the mountain air of the early morning, cleansed by days of heavy rain, felt cool and refreshing when inhaled, clearing his mind.

"Professor, no matter what, you mustn't collapse. We... are all counting on you."

"I'm old, and you're no longer children. It's I who have held you back. I can't compare to Engineer Luo."

Luo Tingrui was much younger than Old Zhai, a rising star. Yet, his side was developing better, especially with more students capable of working independently.

"They work incredibly hard over there; it's almost inhuman. You're just worried about us, Professor."

"A gem cannot be polished without friction. Ultimately, I haven't done enough; I haven't given you sufficient opportunities to grow."

"That still requires talent. Only you, Professor, wouldn't despise a clumsy stone like me."

The traditional bond between mentor and apprentice far surpassed that of father and son. With just the two of them speaking here, there was no need for formalities; their words were truly heartfelt.

Supported by Zheng Hua, Old Zhai went downstairs.

The two bodies had been brought back. Long benches were joined to form a makeshift bed, covered with a straw mat and a white cloth. Old Zhai reached out and held the homeowner's hand, apologizing:

"I'm so sorry, truly sorry for causing you trouble."

"What are you talking about? No one wants such things to happen. Besides, we lend for the dead, not for the living; we must offer this convenience."

"Thank you, thank you."

Old Zhai walked to the straw mat, lifted the white cloth, and looked at the faces of his two deceased disciples. He then replaced the cloth, closed his eyes, and a tear welled up at the corner of his eye.

"Professor, Qian Ying and Wu Lan..."

"Can we keep them in town?"

"In town..."

At this moment, Zhao Yi walked out and interjected, "The town is too small; there's only one clinic. Only the county hospital has a mortuary."

Old Zhai smiled and nodded at Zhao Yi, then told Zheng Hua, "Then let's take them to the county hospital for now. We'll invite their parents over in a while for a final farewell... I'll need to be there too, to personally apologize to their parents."

In the summer, long-distance transportation of bodies was very inconvenient, and current conditions lacked such facilities. Furthermore, it was generally not advisable for public institutions to transport bodies back to their hometowns; typically, ashes were brought back for burial after cremation.

"Alright, Professor. Once the road is clear, I'll arrange a vehicle immediately."

Zhao Yi spoke again, "I just came back from the provincial road. I saw vehicles already moving up there; I expect traffic to resume by noon. No need to find another vehicle; my truck is available, isn't it? I'll take them to the county hospital at noon."

Old Zhai: "That's really a lot of trouble for you."

Zhao Yi: "It's nothing, really."

Old Zhai: "Zheng Hua, go with him and make all the arrangements."

Zheng Hua: "Don't worry, Professor."

Old Zhai sat down nearby, holding a teacup, with the bodies of his two deceased disciples beside him.

Zhao Yi approached again and said, "Sir, I woke up early yesterday morning and brewed some medicine using an old family recipe. Would you like a bowl?"

"Medicine?"

"It's just common tonic for qi and blood. My unlucky younger brother was sickly as a child and hard to raise, so I often brew some medicine for him to drink, and it's quite effective."

"No need, that's too much..."

"Anyway, I brewed a lot, and he can't drink it all. If you trust me, please have a bowl. Don't worry, the medicine is mild, not a strong tonic. Besides, we can't afford expensive herbs."

"Little Zhao, you're being too modest."

These days, truck drivers earned a decent income. Old Zhai could tell that Zhao Yi wasn't struggling financially at all.

"Hehe, I borrowed money to buy the truck, paying it off as I drive. The debts my parents incurred when they were sick and passed away haven't been fully cleared. Besides, my brother is still in school, and after he graduates, who knows where he'll work? Settling down and getting married will be significant expenses, so I need to save in advance."

"What about you?"

"Oh right, and me! I'm not getting any younger; it's time for me to start a family too, and save money. Who knows, maybe I'll marry more than one!"

Hahahaha.

Old Zhai and Zheng Hua, who was beside him, both laughed, temporarily easing their grief.

Zhao Yi brought two bowls of medicine from the host's kitchen, one for Old Zhai and one for Zheng Hua. He wasn't lying; he had genuinely brewed it specifically beforehand.

Old Zhai leaned in, sniffed the herbal soup, then put it to his lips and drank. Zheng Hua wanted to dissuade him, but seeing his professor like that, he no longer hesitated and drank a bowl too. It wasn't bitter at all; it was subtly sweet and left a refreshing feeling after drinking.

"Thank you so much, Little Zhao."

"Don't mention it, truly. When you're out making a living, you rely on helping each other. Besides, I don't know why, but from the first moment I saw you, I felt a connection. Perhaps it's destiny."

Initially, when he heard Li talk about his strange feelings regarding Old Zhai, Zhao Yi was just speculating. That night, when he performed acupuncture on the old man and heard his delirious ramblings, Zhao Yi's head buzzed. Although it was incredible and even more bizarre, it had come to this. Regardless of the final outcome, flattering him in advance certainly wouldn't hurt.

Old Zhai: "Yes, destiny, indeed."

Zhao Yi, seeing the timing was right, deliberately said, "You see, my brother and I lost our parents early, and we've had no one to rely on our entire lives. Sometimes at night, when I think of our deceased parents, their faces seem blurred..."

Old Zhai: "Well then, how about I become a sworn elder to you and your brother?"

Zhao Yi: "..."

Damn it, *I* want to be sworn to you! What does that Li guy have to do with it? He can't drive a truck to transport bodies, nor does he get up at dawn to brew medicine. These past few days, I've been secretly coming every night to treat and regulate your body. That Li guy only showed up the first night; the rest of the time, he's been sleeping soundly in his room!

Seeing Zhao Yi silent, Old Zhai said, "I'm old; I'll retire in a few years. But your younger brother, he's truly cut out for studying. Driving trucks with you is very hard on him. He needs proper nurturing, otherwise, it would be a shame."

Besides parents and elders who have a biased view of their own children, outsiders, especially those who have been teachers, possess extremely keen observation skills regarding a child's intelligence. Especially since Old Zhai had personally played chess with the boy and experienced his mental arithmetic abilities firsthand.

Zhao Yi: "You're right, Professor. We'll do as you say. Ultimately, we're the ones who are benefiting from this connection."

Sigh, why do all good things happen to that Li guy? What was most irritating was that Zhao Yi knew that Li was genuinely too lazy to become a sworn relative or a student of this old man. In fact, Li was already the actual successor to that person. The one who truly urgently needed this special relationship was Zhao Yi. He had to rely on this newly established bond to counteract those two lazy good-for-nothings.

Zhao Yi spent the entire morning accompanying him, wanting to chat more. His insight into human nature far surpassed Tan Wenbin's; his flaw was that he saw things too accurately, thus lacking Tan Wenbin's empathy. Unfortunately, Old Zhai didn't feel like talking much; he just sat there, lost in thought.

Near noon, Zhao Yi, Zheng Hua, and others helped load the bodies onto the truck, then drove back towards the nearest county.

Li Zhuiyuan came downstairs at this moment. He had deliberately given Zhao Yi an opportunity. Besides, he didn't truly want to interact too much with Old Zhai. If the old man were to ask about his elementary school exam scores, there would be no way to explain it. However, the special care and favoritism were genuine. Even though the young man tried his best to avoid the elder, he couldn't stop the elder from actively seeking him out.

"Xiao Yuan, come here, come to Grandpa."

Li Z