Chapter 15: Uncle's Invitation for Help

Xiao Changgui, however, seemed entirely unconcerned by Bai Qingyao’s anger. He turned away and made his way to the door of Zeng Xiaofan’s room.

At that moment, Zeng Xiaofan had just finished practicing the “Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiend Great Dao Formula” and was preparing to examine the Heavenly Dao Gourd left to him by the Ancestor of Heavenly Medicine.

With a thought, a gourd of vibrant green appeared in his hand. It was tiny, no larger than a thumb, yet its shape was perfectly symmetrical. The surface gleamed with a crystal clarity, unmistakably marking it as a top-tier treasure.

He hadn’t had the chance to study it closely before Xiao Changgui’s knock resounded once more.

“Xiaofan, open the door. Uncle wants to discuss something with you.”

Previously, Zeng Xiaofan had been so absorbed in his practice that he’d heard nothing, and thus hadn’t answered. Now, hearing Xiao Changgui’s voice, he immediately rose and opened the door.

The moment the door swung open, Xiao Changgui instinctively retreated two steps, vigorously fanning his nose.

“Cough, cough… What is that smell?”

“So fishy…”

“What on earth have you been doing in here…?”

Xiao Changgui stared at Zeng Xiaofan, clearly puzzled, inwardly muttering: Could it be that this boy just saw Qingyao’s underwear and couldn’t restrain himself in the room…?

Only then did Zeng Xiaofan notice that, due to his cultivation, his body had expelled much impurity, and he hadn’t yet cleaned up.

“Nothing… nothing at all…” he replied quickly. “I was just practicing, worked up quite a sweat, maybe it got a bit stuffy…”

“Practicing?” Xiao Changgui was clearly skeptical, a half-smile on his lips. “What were you practicing?”

“Left hand or right hand?”

“Cough… both hands… just messing around… working out, you know~”

Zeng Xiaofan scratched his head sheepishly, then asked, “Uncle Changgui, didn’t you want to talk to me about something?”

“What is it?”

Xiao Changgui gave Zeng Xiaofan a meaningful look. “You heard everything I said to your Aunt Qingyao just now, didn’t you?”

Zeng Xiaofan frowned slightly. “No… I was too engrossed in my practice, truly didn’t hear a thing…”

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Zeng Xiaofan spoke honestly, but Xiao Changgui remained unconvinced.

“Your Aunt Qingyao was shouting so loudly just now, and you didn’t hear any of it?”

“Oh, oh… I was wearing headphones, so I genuinely didn’t hear anything!” Zeng Xiaofan thought to himself, I certainly can’t tell him I was so focused on cultivating immortality that I didn’t notice, so he simply offered a casual excuse.

Xiao Changgui didn’t press further, but slowly sat down in a chair, letting out a deep sigh.

“Well, whether you heard or not doesn’t matter. I need to make things clear with you anyway…”

“Uncle Changgui needs your help…”

“No, to be precise, both your Aunt Qingyao and I need your help.”

“Can you promise me first?”

Zeng Xiaofan smiled. “Uncle, you don’t have to stand on ceremony with me!”

“All these years, I’ve survived thanks to the two of you lending me support!”

“Help or not, whatever it is, just tell me. If I can do it, I’ll give it my all!”

“You certainly can, and it’ll be easy for you~”

“And… I think you’ll really enjoy it as well…”

“Please, uncle, don’t keep me in suspense. Just tell me what it is~”

“No, you must promise first!”

Seeing Xiao Changgui’s solemnity, Zeng Xiaofan felt a bit uneasy. But then he thought, as long as Aunt Qingyao and Uncle Changgui need his help, what does it matter if he has to cross blades or walk through fire?

Even if it’s a dragon’s lair or a tiger’s den, he’s willing to brave it!

With that thought, Zeng Xiaofan thumped his chest. “Alright, uncle! I promise you. Whatever you need, I’ll help you accomplish it!”

“Good, good, good!” Xiao Changgui patted Zeng Xiaofan’s shoulder with satisfaction.

“Xiaofan, you’re truly remarkable, worthy of the care your uncle and aunt have given you all these years.”

“Remember, you’ve promised me now. You mustn’t go back on your word!”

“Don’t worry! A man’s word is his bond. I, Zeng Xiaofan, will never break it!”

“Excellent! Now I can rest easy…” Xiao Changgui sighed deeply and said quietly, “Xiaofan, did you know your Aunt Qingyao is not actually from the countryside?”

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“Uh… I wasn’t really clear about that…”

Xiao Changgui lifted his gaze to the window, his thoughts drifting back many years as he spoke with a sigh.

“Many years ago, your Aunt Qingyao was still a young maiden. She came from the city…”

“She came to our rural area for a spring outing, carrying her drawing board to paint landscapes, but accidentally fell into the river!”

“It was flood season, the water was fierce, and she was on the verge of being swept away by the currents!”

“I happened to be passing by and jumped in to save her, but the current was far too swift.”

“There were sharp rocks and hidden reefs in the river. As I pulled Qingyao, we were dragged by the water and slammed into them!”

“And so, right then and there, all of my… all of my manhood was cut clean away…”

“I rescued your Aunt Qingyao, but from that day on, I was no longer a man…”

“Afterwards, I sought medical help everywhere to no avail, and spent my days in sorrow, never daring to court any girl. After all, no woman would accept a completely useless man…”

As he spoke, Xiao Changgui’s expression darkened, the pain of that incident still evident even now.

“At the time, I thought I’d spend my life alone. I didn’t dare let anyone know, but your Aunt Qingyao learned the truth from the doctor.”

“She then resolutely chose to marry me! Even when I refused, she threatened to end her life if I didn’t agree!”

“In the end, we got married…”

“But from then on, your Aunt Qingyao never mentioned her family again. Clearly, a city lady marrying a country bumpkin like me was a complete break with her family…”

“What!” Zeng Xiaofan was utterly stunned, unable to find words.

“So… so what about Lulu…?”

“That’s right. Lulu was adopted by the two of us years ago when we were working out of town,” Xiao Changgui said with a bitter smile.

Zeng Xiaofan frowned, “Why didn’t you ever tell me all this before?”

“With today’s medical technology, maybe there’s still hope for you…”

Xiao Changgui shook his head. “It’s nothing to be proud of, what’s the point in talking about it…”

“Besides, if the villagers learn I’m not a man, they’ll just mock me. It won’t help at all.”

“In fact, if people knew, they’d harass your Aunt Qingyao even more. She’s already bothered constantly…”

“As for treatment, it’s out of the question. The doctors said if it were injured, crooked, broken, or diseased, there might be hope!”

“But mine is simply gone! Swept away by the flood, replaced only by a large scar… there’s not a shred of hope for recovery…”

At this, Xiao Changgui’s face became utterly desolate, his expression one of total despair.

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