Chapter 287: It’s An Old Turtle!
On the way, Qin Hengzhi turned his head to look at Lu Qiaoge, his gaze containing a smile as he said: “This time we were able to salvage the national treasure, and you are the greatest contributor. The authorities have decided to give you a bonus of three thousand yuan and a certificate issued by the Beidu Museum. This time I’m escorting the national treasure, and when I return, I’ll bring the money and certificate back to you together.”
Lu Qiaoge immediately beamed with joy.
Three thousand yuan, truly a huge sum of money.
Her somewhat deflated wallet would be plump again.
The distance was short, and they soon arrived at the hospital.
They also saw Sun Ziliang, who had just settled in and gone to the mail room to familiarize himself with the work environment.
The vice president and Qin Hengzhi were talking outside. After all, this was someone from the military representative office; arranging for one person to come to the hospital was no problem, and moreover, he had been transferred with worker status.
Qin Hengzhi didn’t know what Lu Qiaoge wanted to do with this dubious so-called doctor, but since she was so certain, she must have her reasons.
Now it was probably time for her to say something to Sun Ziliang.
Qin Hengzhi didn’t ask Lu Qiaoge, but he had already guessed about seventy or eighty percent in his heart.
Sure enough, Lu Qiaoge said to him: “Someone asked me to inquire about something with Grandpa Sun.”
Qin Hengzhi said: “Good, we’ll wait for you outside the door.”
Sun Ziliang looked Lu Qiaoge up and down, feeling very puzzled in his heart, but having worker status was good too. He was old, had no ambition left, so he’d just get by, but without money, what was the point of getting by.
He hadn’t expected the Jiangcheng military factory to send someone to find him and give him a worker target. The young soldier who picked him up didn’t say anything else, just kindly helped him pack his things, handle the procedures, and then it was train, stuffy boxcar, big truck, and just like that, he came to Jiangcheng.
When the train passed through Beidu, he looked at the station; it seemed unchanged, but there were still changes.
When he arrived in Jiangcheng, handled the procedures, got the dormitory and luggage, and had the work permit, he finally felt settled.
He knew someone would come to find her. He thought it was the young soldier’s superior leader, but unexpectedly, Representative Qin and the vice president didn’t come in; instead, a little girl entered the mail room.
Earlier on the road, Lu Qiaoge had asked Qin Hengzhi how he had managed to bring the person over.
Qin Hengzhi said lightly that he had followed procedure.
This following procedure must have been full of difficulties.
Lu Qiaoge was a bit puzzled; wasn’t Qin Hengzhi too trusting of her? He didn’t even ask the reason?
All these thoughts passed in a flash, and Lu Qiaoge smiled and said: “Hello Grandpa Sun, I’m Lu Qiaoge from the Xiangyang Neighborhood Committee. A friend asked me to inquire with you about two people.”
Friend—not necessarily a person, could also be an animal.
But this Sun Ziliang just didn’t understand.
Sun Ziliang was weathered by wind and frost; the old turtle said he was sixty-five this year, and though he looked over seventy, his body was actually still okay.
He frowned: “If it’s inquiring about people, that young soldier could have just asked me directly. Why go to the trouble of bringing me all the way to Jiangcheng?”
Lu Qiaoge smiled: “Is Jiangcheng not good? Is the military factory not good? They’ve even given you seniority. Work here for one year and you can retire.”
Sun Ziliang was at a loss for words.
He narrowed his eyes to look at Lu Qiaoge, thought carefully, and since he was already here, what was the point of saying those pretentious words, so he asked straightforwardly: “Who do you want to inquire about?”
“I know your master Grandpa Sun was surnamed Jiang, and I know that forty years ago you once followed your master to Jiangcheng to visit a daoist priest named Ling Xuzi. What I want to ask is, do you know Ling Xuzi’s whereabouts? Or do you still have contact with your master?”
Sun Ziliang had long been stunned, looking at the little girl in front of him with an incredulous glance. How could she possibly know his master was surnamed Jiang? Back then when he followed his master, even the family was kept in the dark, let alone that he and his master came to Jiangcheng to see Ling Xuzi.
Ah, master, Ling Xuzi…
Sun Ziliang’s expression changed instantly. He glanced at the door; the mail room door was ajar, and he knew Representative Qin and the vice president were in the corridor outside, but not in the vicinity. Still, he lowered his voice: “You… who is that friend of yours?”
Lu Qiaoge: “It must be someone who knows these two, right? I just want to know their whereabouts, but if it’s inconvenient, then forget it.”
Lu Qiaoge didn’t insist; as long as he knew, she would find out sooner or later too.
The mail room was silent for a moment before Sun Ziliang said: “They’re both still alive!”
Lu Qiaoge breathed a sigh of relief; alive was good.
This way she could also give the old turtle an explanation.
But in his heart, Sun Ziliang was silently saying to himself.
Ling Xuzi had entered the secular world and joined the ranks. After the founding of the country, for some reasons, he didn’t return to Jiangcheng but stayed in Beidu, choosing to be an ordinary worker. His master, because of that incident, also chose to be an ordinary worker.
Actually, there was nothing wrong with that, but somehow this relationship was discovered, and they forced him to confess. Naturally, he wouldn’t expose Ling Xuzi’s identity nor treat his master that way.
So he cut ties with his family. Although there was no evidence, he knew the biggest suspect was his younger brother and that vicious woman.
All that was in the past; he rarely thought about it anymore. Anyway, as long as they were alive, it was fine.
He hadn’t expected someone to inquire about both of them at once today.
He hadn’t seen him for many years, but they had contact last month. The old daoist was old but very optimistic. He didn’t know why, after liberation, Ling Xuzi didn’t choose to return to the daoist temple.
But actually, returning to the daoist temple might not necessarily be better than now.
The old daoist could still farm now and had a retirement salary, which was pretty good.
His master had no family, but he had saved many people. Now he was in an elderly care home in the northwest; his health wasn’t great, also due to old age. Now there were fewer people missing these two, and he had lived a few peaceful years.
But unexpectedly, there were still people missing them.
Sun Ziliang couldn’t help but ask: “Comrade Lu, can you tell me who your friend is? Like this, just say if that person is male or female, old or young.”
Lu Qiaoge really wanted to say: It’s an old turtle!
The key was, would you believe it, sir?
If the person in front of her was Ling Xuzi, maybe he could believe it.
Lu Qiaoge smiled and said: “Maybe you’ll know in the future, but what I want to know now is, do you still have your craftsmanship? If you do, I happen to have a few prescriptions on hand, and I have three patients under me: two paralyzed and one demented. Shall we give it a try?”
Old Man Sun had originally been sitting on the chair, sat down again in surprise just now, but now stood up again. If not for seeing so much over these years, he might have lost composure at this moment.
But it wasn’t much better either!
What do you mean two paralyzed and one demented? Even if I were an immortal, I might not have that ability.
Besides, even if I have the craftsmanship, I wouldn’t dare say it would work.
Lu Qiaoge felt that if she followed along, it might succeed.
First try it on Fourth Aunt, or test it on Old Gu from the research institute first?
Sun Ziliang stammered: “You… you girl, what else do you know exactly?”
Lu Qiaoge just smiled radiantly and said: “How about this: I’ll first write you a prescription and acupuncture method for treating paralyzed patients—of course, ones with high hope of recovery. You take a look first, then we’ll talk.”
