Chapter 103: A New Pair of Plastic Flower Sisters
Chapter 103: A New Pair of Plastic Flower Sisters
Du Zhishan wrote the divination reading he had once performed for Du Linlin.
A twelve-foot-long pit, six feet wide, Mu Tu carved on a wordless stone tablet, filial sons and daughters mourn sadly, white couplets pasted in front of the old house.
Nobody knew why Du Zhishan wrote this, as it was an unlucky divination reading. However, for someone who had walked through the Gate of the Underworld, having some strange life insights or thoughts was considered normal.
Li Zian just glanced at it and didn’t ask why. He cut off a piece with a knife.
Du Linlin said, “Sister Yu, let’s go out for a cup of tea. We can have a good chat.”
Yu Meilin nodded and followed Du Linlin out. When leaving, she glanced back at Li Zian. For some reason, she used to have no feelings when looking at Li Zian before, but now, the more she looked, the more pleasing he seemed.
Chu Ba did not leave. He stood motionless at the bathroom door, watching the bathtub fill with water.
He gave off the feeling of a robot without emotions, his face always wearing a cold expression.
Li Zian ignored him. They were both men; if Du Zhishan didn’t mind being seen naked, why should he care so much?
“Chu Ba is a child I adopted. I picked him up from a garbage dump on the eighth day of the first lunar month, so I gave him this name. I wanted him to remember his origins and motivate himself,” Du Zhishan said.
Li Zian said, “Uncle Du, you truly are a kind-hearted person.”
Du Zhishan smiled bitterly and shook his head, “Zian, you don’t need to be so polite with me. Among businesspeople, how many are truly kind-hearted? I made too much money with a guilty conscience and suffered this retribution. If you hadn’t stepped in to save me, I might have been buried back in my hometown in Zhejiang Region. Having been through life and death, I now understand things that I couldn’t see clearly before.”
Li Zian said, “From now on, I’ll brew some medicinal soup for you to drink. I guarantee it will adjust your body to be even better than before you fell ill.”
Du Zhishan said with a smile, “I’ll take you at your word. I’ll come to you for soup in the future.”
Then Chu Ba said, “Master, the bathwater is ready.”
Du Zhishan said indifferently, “You should go out too. Don’t stay here and get in the way.”
“Yes.” Chu Ba had no extra words and immediately opened the door and left.
Du Zhishan said, “Chu Ba has practiced martial arts since he was a child. I can’t fight anymore, but this kid’s skills are excellent. I’ll have a word with him later—from now on, your words are as good as mine. You can ask him to do anything for you.”
“Thank you, Uncle Du.” Li Zian felt it was almost impossible that he would ever need Chu Ba to do anything, but he still said something polite.
Continuously giving favors without asking for anything in return was actually wrong—you had to give others a chance to do something too; otherwise, how could they feel at ease? Tang Qing was an example: he helped Tang Qing, and he also let Tang Qing help look after his child and the Old Matriarch, do cooking, and so on. That way, others would feel comfortable.
In the bathroom, Li Zian placed the cut piece of Detox Ointment into the bathtub. The clear hot water quickly turned milky white, but the scent it gave off wasn’t like milk; instead, it was a faint licorice fragrance.
With Li Zian’s support, Du Zhishan lay down in the bathtub. Then, following Li Zian’s instructions, he submerged his head in the medicinal soup and held his breath.
After holding his breath a few times, thin black toxins seeped out from Du Zhishan’s pores, drifting in the milky medicinal soup like black leeches.
Du Zhishan said in surprise, “Zian, what are these black things?”
Li Zian said, “These black things are the toxins in your body. The older a person gets, the more toxins accumulate in the body, and those who take medicine frequently also have a lot of toxins. As the name suggests, the Detox Ointment can pull the toxins out of your body and purify you.”
“Wouldn’t it be even more beneficial to soak often?”
Li Zian nodded, “Yes, once you’ve used up the ointment I gave you, let me know, and I’ll prepare more for you. It’s just a small effort.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful.”
Du Zhishan took another deep breath and submerged his head in the medicinal soup, holding his breath.
A faint smile appeared at the corner of Li Zian’s mouth.
Only if Du Zhishan asked him for things first could Yu Meilin then ask Du Zhishan for what she wanted.
That’s just how relationships between people are.
To be honest, what he was doing now was actually for Yu Meilin. But if he weren’t a Master, forget about helping Yu Meilin build connections—someone like Du Zhishan probably wouldn’t even give him a second glance.
Pure friendship?
That only existed in novels.
Du Zhishan soaked for about twenty minutes. The tub of milky white medicinal soup turned dark black, with oily patches floating on the surface, emitting a sour and foul odor that was very unpleasant.
Du Zhishan exclaimed in shock, “My goodness, Zian, are all these dirty things pulled out from inside my body?”
Li Zian said, “Yes, it’s normal to have this much the first time. Later, the amount will decrease. If one day you soak in this medicinal soup and the color doesn’t change, that means your body is free of toxins and is very healthy. Alright, Uncle Du, please get up now. Rinse off, and then I’ll give you a bone massage to relax your muscles and improve circulation. The effect will be even better.”
“Mhmm.” Du Zhishan pushed himself up with his hands, climbed out of the bathtub, and then said in amazement, “Oh my, I feel so much lighter! Before, I felt tired after just a few steps, and even moving my fingers was stiff. Now, it’s like I’ve taken a load off my shoulders, and my joints feel like they’ve been oiled—light and flexible.”
Li Zian smiled, “That’s why I didn’t even reach out to help you.”
“Zian, you really are a genuine Master. Your skills are extraordinary, much better than those who only seek fame.” Du Zhishan couldn’t help but praise him.
Li Zian accepted the praise without any qualms. In fact, even if Du Zhishan knelt before him, he could accept it calmly. But for Yu Meilin’s sake, he deliberately remained humble on the surface, “Uncle Du, do you need me to help you rinse off?”
“Oh, Zian, you saying that makes me feel unworthy. I was presuming on my age to treat you like a nephew, but in my heart, you are still a Master, a living Divine Immortal. Please don’t humble yourself like that in front of me. I’ll rinse off myself; just wait for me a moment.” Du Zhishan was very polite.
Li Zian smiled faintly and turned to leave the bathroom.
At the open-air tea area outside the Banquet Hall, Du Linlin and Yu Meilin sat opposite each other, each drinking a cup of coffee.
In the short time Li Zian was giving Du Zhishan his bath, the two women talked about many things: clothing brands and cosmetics, mutual acquaintances and hobbies, business matters, and so on. Initially strangers, as the conversation deepened, they felt more and more familiar.
“Sister Yu, you truly have an eye for talent.”
“Huh? How do I have an eye for talent?” Yu Meilin seemed very curious.
Du Linlin said with a smile, “Brother Zian is handsome and dashing; his looks and figure are more than enough for a Paris fashion show runway. And on top of that, he’s a Master with incredible skills. I’m very curious, Sister Yu, how did you and Brother Zian get together? I imagine he must have pursued you, right?”
What she actually thought was that it was more likely Yu Meilin had pursued Li Zian.
Speaking required skill; only mediocre people spoke bluntly and honestly.
“Neither of us pursued the other. My grandma took a liking to him and then acted as a matchmaker for me. I’m a filial person and couldn’t bear to go against my grandma’s wishes, so I agreed to meet him. After meeting your Brother Zian, I thought he was very handsome and okay, so after a bit of dating, we got married.”
In reality, there was no dating at all, nor was it her filial piety that made her agree—she simply had to find someone to marry.
It was unclear whether Du Linlin believed this or not, but the words that came out of her mouth were very pleasant to hear: “That’s called a heaven-made match. I really envy you, Sister Yu. You married such an ideal husband. I haven’t had such good luck. Now that our two families have become one, we’ve become sisters too. I believe I can catch some of the good fortune from you and find an ideal husband.”
“With your qualities, sister, you’re sure to find an ideal husband.” Yu Meilin’s smile was sweet and beautiful, “If I were a man, I’d definitely chase you desperately.”
“Sister, you’re joking. By the way…” Du Linlin seemed to want to say something, but the words died on her lips.
“What did you want to say, sister?”
Du Linlin had just thought of Mu Chuntao. That day when Li Zian brought Mu Chuntao to her house, she, being a woman, could sense that Mu Chuntao’s relationship with Li Zian wasn’t just that of an ordinary assistant—especially the phrase ‘our Master’ left a deep impression on her. What she had wanted to say just now was about Mu Chuntao, but then she suddenly remembered Li Zian and hit the brakes.
Li Zian was her father’s savior. If she mentioned Mu Chuntao to Yu Meilin and said things she shouldn’t, how would Li Zian handle things when he got back? This Yu Meilin clearly wasn’t a simple woman—wouldn’t she cause trouble for Li Zian?
She couldn’t do anything that would harm the Master.
Thinking this, Du Linlin’s face immediately showed an awkward, somewhat ingratiating smile: “There’s something I want to talk to you about, sister, but I’m embarrassed to say it.”
Yu Meilin had no idea what had just gone through Du Linlin’s mind. She pretended to be displeased, “Look, we’re sisters—who are we to each other? If you have something to say, just say it. If it’s something I can do, I’ll definitely do it for you. Even if I can’t, I’ll do my best.”
Du Linlin leaned in closer and lowered her voice, “I noticed your chest is so big and firm. I’ve practiced martial arts since I was young, so my body fat percentage is low, and I ended up making those two things smaller. Could you help me ask Brother Zian if he has any medicine or something to help with enlargement? I want them to be a bit bigger. I’m too embarrassed to bring it up myself, so it’s better if you ask, sister.”
“Okay, no problem. I’ll ask your Brother Zian when I get back.” Yu Meilin agreed immediately.
Du Linlin smiled at Yu Meilin, looking very happy.
Yu Meilin also smiled at Du Linlin—a sweet and sincere smile, as if from the heart.
And so, a new pair of plastic flower sisters was born.
Just then, a woman approached the tea area. She glanced at Du Linlin, then at Yu Meilin, and said bluntly, “Meilin, your father wants you to come over. He has something to say to you.”
This person was Gao Shengmei.
She didn’t know Du Linlin.
Du Linlin frowned slightly but didn’t say anything.
Yu Meilin said, “Sister, I’m sorry. My father is looking for me, so I’ll go over for a bit.”
“Mhmm, I was just thinking of going back to check on my father too. See you later.” Du Linlin got up and left.
Yu Meilin also stood up and left the tea area, heading toward the Banquet Hall, without saying a single word to Gao Shengmei.
“Hmph!” Gao Shengmei snorted coldly, her gaze toward Yu Meilin venomous.
The stepmother and the daughter from the ex-wife—even in ordinary families, it’s hard to have a good relationship, let alone in wealthy families fighting for power.