Chapter 79 Part 1
“Help! I’m filthy!” The little white snake couldn’t help but cry out in grief and indignation. A snake, especially a water snake, was a creature of utmost cleanliness. And now, it was covered in the saliva of its natural enemy, that damned fox! “Don’t lick Xi Xi! I’ve never even licked her! Yuck—”
In the blink of an eye, both snakes were drenched in fox saliva, a truly miserable sight.
“Heh heh heh, hahaha!” Su Da Yi, having thoroughly enjoyed herself, watched the stunned snakes, then rolled around on the floor again, laughing maniacally.
The little white snake, furious, threatened, “You damned fox, just you wait, I’ll swallow you whole when I’m a giant python!”
Its threat was ineffective. Su Da Yi continued laughing. Xi Xi, shaking off the saliva, comforted Da Bai. ‘Big Brother, we don’t want to be giant pythons. They’re fat.’
Su Da Yi’s laughter abruptly ceased.
It might have missed the snakes’ vital points, but it definitely hit the fox’s sore spot.
“Oh my god! What happened here?!” You Jin rushed out of the pharmacy, fetched two buckets of water from the backyard, and, his pinky raised delicately, placed the two soaked snakes inside, swirling them around.
“Wash yourselves properly. What would the patients think if they saw you like this? Such a disgrace for the clinic,” he then brought two bottles of shower gel and squirted some into the buckets, creating a mountain of bubbles.
Wu Heng silently watched. Ever since the clinic’s newfound fame, You Jin had become increasingly concerned about their image, the clinic spotless, even the pet snakes.
“Done fighting?” Chen Zhao asked happily, looking at the pile of fox fur on the yellow paper.
If this happened every day, he’d be rich!
Su Da Yi flopped onto the floor dramatically, “Wu Heng, I’m a guest, and your snakes attacked me.”
Wu Heng retorted, “You stole their beds. Did I not prepare a place for you? You know what happens to invaders in the animal kingdom.”
A makeshift bed of scraps wasn’t as comfortable as a proper dog bed, was it?
Su Da Yi sat up, its sapphire eyes gleaming, and said matter-of-factly, “Possession is nine-tenths of the law! If they can’t defend their territory, then it’s mine! Same in the mountains, if other animals steal my things, I steal theirs back! Fair game.”
It hadn’t left the mountains often, but that was the law of the jungle, survival of the fittest, might makes right.
It had been bullied and robbed by larger animals when it was a small fox, following the natural order, what was wrong with that?
Wu Heng said, “This is the human world. Da Bai and Xi Xi are the clinic’s resident snakes. Xi Xi is my goddaughter, you’re not allowed to take their beds.”
Xi Xi hissed happily, she knew her godfather was on her side.
Da Bai, its head covered in bubbles, swam around in the bucket, looking at Wu Heng approvingly.
Su Da Yi, seizing the opportunity, “Wu Heng, what did you just call it?”
A dog bed, for dogs.
It argued, “Foxes are canines! A perfect fit. Why are snakes sleeping in dog beds?”
They all looked at the fox, then at the small dog bed, puzzled.
Da Bai and Xi Xi didn’t care about the logic, those were their beds, bought by You Jin.
Wu Heng said firmly, “My clinic, my rules! Don’t steal their things! I’ll buy you a new one. If you do it again, you’re going back to the mountains to lose weight.”
Su Da Yi, pouting, then nudging Wu Heng’s leg with its paw, whined, “Then buy me a new one!”
Wu Heng, looking at his phone, chuckled, “No need, it’s already here.”
Just then, a three-wheeled delivery cart stopped outside, and the courier entered with a large package. “Doctor Wu, please sign for this.”
Wu Heng, seeing the size of it, had Chen Zhao unpack it while he turned to look at the friendly young man. “You’re not from around here, are you?”
The courier looked surprised. “Yes, I married a local girl, and since my wife said this area is developing its tourism industry, I moved here with my father-in-law. Why, Doctor Wu?”
Knowing Wu Heng’s reputation, the courier’s expression immediately changed, “Doctor Wu, do I have some serious illness? Do I need a checkup at a tertiary hospital or something?”
Wu Heng waved his hand dismissively, went to the pharmacy, retrieved some herbs, roasted them over the alcohol lamp, ground them into a fine powder, wrapped it in yellow paper, folding it into a triangle, and handed it to him. “Take this if you’re feeling unwell.”
The courier, slightly apprehensive, accepted it gratefully.
Asking about the price, and relieved to hear it was less than a hundred yuan, he paid and quickly left.
“Wow, such a beautiful dog bed!” Su Da Yi, having been observing Chen Zhao unpacking the box, exclaimed.
The winter dog bed was designed for warmth and protection from the wind, almost like a small house.
Wu Heng explained, “It’s from Zhang Da Yong.”
Zhang Da Yong hadn’t forgotten Su Da Yi. As soon as the fox left, he ordered it online, the delivery address: Chengde Medical Clinic, recipient: Wu Heng.
Su Da Yi, wagging its tail, circled the bed. It was truly exquisite, even better than the two snakes’, only… rather large, couldn’t fit under the table, had to be placed next to it.
It jumped in, a perfect fit!
The chubby fox snuggled inside, purring, “Not bad, not bad, I can manage for a few days.”
Then it rolled around happily, its paws kneading the soft bedding.
Da Bai was depressed, even the fox had moved in! So chubby despite the harsh conditions in the mountains. When would it even lose weight?
“Beautiful Fox Immortal,” Chen Zhao slid to his knees beside the dog bed, offering the fox fur like a loyal servant, “Do you still need this?”
Su Da Yi, nestled inside, glanced at it. “No. But it’s not as potent unless plucked directly.”
Chen Zhao didn’t mind, lower potency just meant a lower price, and every little bit helped, “Not even a little bit?”
Su Da Yi, glancing at the two snakes, then at Wu Heng, “Wu Heng, Wu Heng, do you need any? You can pluck a couple.”
Da Bai was furious, hissing at Xi Xi, “I did that first! I even gave him my scales!”
Wu Heng thought for a moment, “Perhaps I do need a couple.”
Su Da Yi had plenty of fur, a few strands wouldn’t make a difference.
As Chen Zhao, still searching for stray fur under the guise of cleaning, continued, the clinic’s phone rang.
You Jin, dropping his broom, looked at the caller ID and exclaimed, jumping up and down, “Xiao Heng, Xiao Heng! Uncle Wu is calling! Come quickly!”
Uncle Wu Su hadn’t been back in years, not even for Lunar New Year. You Jin often saw Wu Heng waiting for his father at the clinic entrance.
Wu Heng rushed to the counter, “Dad.”
Wu Su almost burst into tears upon hearing his voice. The previous visits were just his son’s soul, not his real self.
Hearing the gongs and drums in the background, Wu Heng asked with a smile, “You’re holding a funeral?”
Wu Su nodded, looking at the lavishly decorated funeral hall, scoffing, glory after death was meaningless.
“As soon as Young Master’s funeral is over, I’m resigning. I finally managed to buy a ticket home,” this was the main purpose of his call.
Wu Heng asked, “What if he doesn’t let you go?”
Wu Su looked surprised. “Why wouldn’t he? His son is dead! Is he going to kidnap me? I’ll report…” He then thought better of it, “Never mind, I’ll find a way back.”
The last time he called the police from the Shi residence, it somehow connected to the underworld, causing panic on both sides.
Mr. Shi was cunning, knowing about his close relationship with Shi Xuan, practically watching him grow up, so he didn’t attend Shi Xuan’s “funeral.”
And Shi Xuan hadn’t mentioned his current whereabouts, he definitely wouldn’t dare use the Shi family’s credit card. Was he suffering? He must not be eating or sleeping well.
Wu Heng thought his father was too naive, that old man Shi was capable of anything.
The original novel vaguely mentioned his father being fired after learning the Shi family’s secrets, dying impoverished. He was probably murdered, the “impoverished” part a ploy by Mr. Shi.
Wu Heng thought for a moment, “Okay, I’ll clean your room. Come home for the new year, Shi Xuan’s funeral banquet, I’ll ask a few friends to attend, take care of him, okay?”
Wu Su understood. Reluctant to hang up, he asked about Wu Heng’s life, the weather back home…
Wu Heng said everything was fine. “It’s getting really cold. I’m even considering wearing a coat.”
Just as Wu Su was about to tell him to keep warm, he looked out the window, “Xiao Heng, it’s snowing heavily in Beijing.”
Children in Nan Nuo had never seen snow, and Wu Heng’s travels rarely brought him to such climates.
Wu Heng suddenly wanted to visit Jiaming High School, to see the snow…
As they continued chatting, he heard Taoist priests calling for Wu Su’s help and reluctantly hung up.
Looking around his esports-themed room, this was the only thing he would miss about the Shi residence, hopefully, he could still play his games after going back.
