Chapter 51 Part 2
The principal, looking at the crowd that refused to leave, announced, “Thank you for your concern for Professor Zhao, but I have an important announcement.”
Upon hearing this, some of those present started tearing up.
“I don’t want to hear bad news! Why did that hypocritical philanthropist, Zhao Qingyun, live to be ninety, while this unsung hero, Professor Zhao, only lived to sixty-seven?”
“I can’t accept that people will only remember today as the death anniversary of a hypocrite!”
“…”
The principal cleared his throat and said, “Professor Zhao Qingyun’s condition has stabilized, and after his recovery, he will continue his work. He asked me to convey his gratitude to everyone, and please take care of your health.”
The crying students outside: “…?”
The reporters, who had already mentally drafted their obituaries, fighting back tears: “…?”
Huh?
What?
“Stabilized,” “recovery,” “continue his work,” such unfamiliar words.
These reporters had received confirmed information that Professor Zhao, the unsung hero who dedicated his life to his country, was dying. Even if he didn’t pass away tonight, it would be within the next few days at most.
He had terminal lung cancer, how could his condition suddenly stabilize, and he could even continue working?
If it weren’t for the principal himself saying this, they would have thought it was fake news.
So, should they cry or not? Offer flowers or not?
Everyone looked at their expressions. The joy on the principal and the teachers’ faces wasn’t fake, and there was no reason for them to lie to the media.
“Wu Heng, is it because of Wu Heng?” a student, also following the news online, suddenly shouted, staring at the young man in the center.
Wu Heng had just left the apartment, then the drone lanterns were lit at Zhao Qingyun’s house, and the name on the lanterns in the photos online was “Zhao Qingyun” (with three dots), the handwriting recognized by Wu Heng’s fans.
And now he was being escorted by the principal.
The university wouldn’t confirm it officially, but there were no fools among the netizens, they instantly connected the dots.
Camera flashes went off, like a celebrity walking the red carpet.
The students were also quick to update social media, taking photos and posting.
[So, not a blunder, but a sky lantern ritual for a different professor?]
[Although I don’t know who this professor is, he must be a hundred times better than that beast Zhao Qingyun. Otherwise, Doctor Wu wouldn’t have helped.]
[Zhao Qingyun must be crying in the toilet now! If he had known Wu Heng could perform the Sky Lantern Ritual, he wouldn’t have needed to buy lifespan. He could have just asked Wu Heng to light the lanterns!]
[Isn’t this terrifying? Lighting a lantern to extend someone’s life? So he can control how long people live? Just have rich people throw money at him, right? But still better than buying lifespan, what a messed up world.]
Many students from Beijing University of Science and Technology were outraged, [Do your research before saying that! Professor Zhao is absolutely worthy! You can sit there and type on your keyboard because of him!]
Many Taoist priests online supported Wu Heng, saying only those with great merit could receive such favor from Heaven.
This sparked curiosity online. Who was this Professor Zhao Qingyun? The topic trended.
A reporter, throwing caution to the wind, ignoring the superstition aspect, rushed forward with a microphone and excitedly asked Wu Heng, “Doctor Wu, did you light the sky lanterns?”
Wu Heng’s handsome face turned serious, “Reporter, that was just a drone light show. Please don’t spread superstitions. We should believe in science.”
The reporter: “…Okay.”
The shaman doctor who specialized in strange illnesses and metaphysics just told him, a materialist, to believe in science.
Wu Heng, wanting to escape the attention, decided to leave, he had been in Beijing long enough.
They avoided the reporters and students, heading towards the parking lot.
Fan Xuan and Han Ye, being students at the medical university, could cycle back to their dorms in ten minutes. As they parted ways with Wu Heng’s group and were about to unlock shared bicycles, a tall figure stopped before them.
“Senior Su, what are you doing here?” Han Ye, recognizing him, greeted him immediately.
This was the school heartthrob who gave up his bed in the dorm, a nice guy.
The school heartthrob, wiping the sweat from his forehead after cycling, gestured towards the crowd gathered at the faculty apartments, “I saw online that Professor Zhao Qingyun was dying, so I bought some flowers.”
“No need for flowers, Professor Zhao will be fine soon. Let’s go back to school,” Fan Xuan said with a smile, clapping him on the shoulder.
Wu Heng, sitting in the car, felt a gust of wind carrying the scent of sweat through the open window, and he asked, “Do you guys smell fish?”
What?
Wang Dong stuck his head out the window, sniffing like a dog, “Fishy smell? No.”
“I get it, Doctor Wu wants to eat fish, let’s get some grilled fish tonight?”
The two snakes also poked their heads out, sniffing, ‘No, we don’t smell anything.’
Wu Heng didn’t mention it again, only saying to Shi Xuan, “Be careful driving tonight, go slow.”
Shi Xuan’s Yin qi was stronger at night. Usually, at this hour, according to his father’s rules, he wasn’t allowed to leave the house, but Mr. Shi was in Southeast Asia, so Steward Wu was in charge now.
Driving at night was already tricky, and with his heavy Yin qi attracting spirits, it could be dangerous.
Wu Heng said, “I’ll drive after I turn eighteen and get my license.”
Shi Xuan, glancing at Wu Heng through the rearview mirror, nodded, “Okay, you drive, I’ll be the passenger.”
Li Hao, in the backseat, was about to suggest hiring a driver, people like them didn’t drive themselves, but he paused, his gaze fixed on the brightly lit faculty apartments in the distance.
Technically, they and Zhao Qingyun were in the same social circle.
Regardless of right or wrong, if their families wanted to, they could also easily buy lifespan.
Two hundred thousand yuan could be a life-saving sum scraped together by a poor family or the price of a handbag for their families. Even a professor’s salary wasn’t that high.
Was it because they weren’t hardworking enough? No.
A strange feeling welled up within him, and Li Hao blurted out, “I want to join the Party and dedicate my life to the communist cause.”
Wu Heng turned to look at him, surprised by this sudden realization from the young man who had tried to prank Shi Xuan with a snake. Whatever his future might be, at least, at this moment, he was sincere.
“Call me Comrade from now on!”
Wang Dong hesitated, then said, “Then Brother Hao needs to study hard for the civil service exam, oh, Comrade Li.”
He didn’t dare say it, but with Li Hao’s grades, passing the exam was a long shot.
The little white snake poked its head out, asking curiously what a civil service exam was, and after getting an explanation, it said to He Yunxiao as they got out of the car, “Uncle He, I forgot to tell you, I also have an official position!”
Although it was an internship, it was still an official position.
He Yunxiao, looking at the little white snake, his eyes flickering with interest for the first time, asked, “You have an official position? Not a contract worker?”
Having an official position was different.
It was an emotional rollercoaster of a day for Li Juan. She placed the flowers with the others outside the professor’s apartment building, wiping her tears as she returned to her dorm.
Zhao Qingyun was dead. Professor Zhao Qingyun was safe, and those scammed families had their lifespans returned.
A happy ending for everyone.
Except for her.
After washing up, Li Juan went to bed early. Her roommates didn’t dare disturb her.
Drawing the curtains around her bed, she cried silently, tears streaming down her face.
Although she had temporarily borrowed five hundred thousand yuan from Mr. Zhou to repay Zhao Qingyun’s charity, her parents wouldn’t have that opportunity.
The dead couldn’t return.
She could only envy those who had their lifespans restored.
Li Juan cried herself to sleep. She then entered a dream-like state.
A blurry male figure appeared before her, scratching his head awkwardly. ‘I filmed some videos, want to see them? If so, burn some joss paper and books for me later.’
Li Juan: ‘…’
Wrong number, wrong dream, some random ghost.
She remembered her father’s warning not to talk to strangers in dreams, it would bring bad luck.
Li Juan ignored the ghost but couldn’t help but be drawn to the images on the phone he was holding.
It was Zhao Qingyun!
Bound in chains, he stood trembling in the court of Yama, surrounded by angry spirits.
The underworld also had trials now, like in the human world, some high-profile cases open to the public, and spirits waiting for reincarnation could attend.
And to avoid unrest among the spirits, trials in the underworld were swift.
Li Juan, staring at Zhao Qingyun, her eyes burning with hatred, said, ‘I want to see them! I’ll burn joss paper and books for you later!’
‘Deal!’
The videos weren’t long, and the filming was rough, clearly not professionally done, but the five-minute clip was informative.
Li Juan couldn’t stop laughing. ‘That damned Zhao Qingyun is finally getting what he deserves, the Mountain of Knives, the sea of fire, the boiling oil…’ She wished she could see it in person.
As the video ended, a solemn voice came from the obscured figure presiding over the court, ‘Your mortal bodies have been destroyed, returning to the human world is no longer possible. After your reincarnation, your borrowed years can be added to your next lives. Do you agree?’
The shaky camera then panned to a couple, and as Li Juan gasped, the screen went black.
‘What happened? What about the rest? I want to see more! Please, Uncle, I beg you. I’ll burn money, I promise! Just let me see the rest!’
Li Juan’s voice rose with desperation, almost kneeling before the faceless ghost.
‘Okay, an exclusive preview, just remember to burn offerings for me, my name is Yang Xing.’
This dream-sending method was taught by Wu Heng. It wouldn’t harm the living.
But the idea of “exclusive previews” was from Chen Zhao, eager to earn underworld money. It seemed quite effective.
Li Juan’s eyes widened, she finally recognized him. The university student from the class of ’94 whose acceptance letter the principal burnt, technically her senior!
Since they were from the same university, there was no need for formalities.
As Yang Xing played the second video, Li Juan snatched the phone, her eyes glued to the screen. Seeing the couple, she wanted to cry, but perhaps because she was in a dream, she couldn’t.
‘Mom, Dad, I borrowed money from Mr. Zhou to repay that bastard Zhao. I’ll study hard and repay him after I graduate. Please live long and healthy lives in your next lives.’
Her parents were unlucky, dying in their early forties.
If they truly only had fifty years, with the borrowed time returned, they could live to sixty in their next lives.
Sixty wasn’t considered a long life in modern society, but still better than their current one.
Suffering in this life, hopefully happiness in the next.
Li Dahai and Huang Jiaofeng, exchanging glances, bowed deeply towards the judge and asked hesitantly, ‘Master, since we can’t return and use our restored lifespan, can we leave it as an inheritance for our daughter?’
