Chapter 27: A Happy Family of 3
Ever since discovering the boxed lunch stall outside the construction site gate, Ding Nan had been extremely satisfied with his daily meals.
The first thing he did after getting off work at noon was rush to the construction site gate to buy a boxed lunch. Back at the office, he would divide it in two—one half for lunch, the other for dinner.
His food expenses were only ten yuan a day, covering breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It included meat, vegetables, and even soup—better than the food at school!
’I hope this stall stays here for a long, long time—forever!’
At twelve o’clock, Ding Nan clocked out right on time and walked out of his company’s entrance, heading for the construction site gate across the street.
He discovered that the previously chaotic cluster of small stalls at the construction site gate was neat and orderly today.
In the past, he had to walk past several stalls from the street corner to reach the boxed lunch stand. Today, it was the very first stall he saw coming from the road, making it extremely conspicuous.
First, he glanced at today’s menu on the whiteboard.
Spicy and delicious green pepper chicken;
Tender and sweet steamed egg custard;
The perfect rice-companion, spicy and sour chicken gizzards;
Cooling and refreshing green bean sweet soup.
’Today’s menu is making my mouth water just from the names. This owner is the real deal, coming up with new dishes every day and never holding back!’
He pulled out eight yuan, bought a boxed lunch, and carried it back to his desk at the company with a cheerful, jaunty stride.
His colleague Cao Min, who sat next to him, had been watching him for several days. Starting four days ago, his lunch had been exceptionally lavish every day!
Not only did it smell incredibly fragrant, but judging by the way Ding Nan wolfed it down, the food was clearly delicious.
Luo Min quietly peeked over to observe Ding Nan’s boxed lunch today.
Green pepper chicken, steamed egg custard, spicy and sour chicken gizzards, and green bean sweet soup!
Coincidentally, the boxed lunch Luo Min ordered from a vendor downstairs today also had green pepper chicken.
Luo Min looked at Ding Nan’s large container full of green pepper chicken, then at the pitiful portion in her own lunchbox, which barely took up a third of a compartment. A wave of sadness washed over her.
She had thought her boxed lunch was pretty good today, but compared to Ding Nan’s, her green pepper chicken looked more like green pepper diced chicken.
She couldn’t take it anymore!
She could no longer tolerate this disparity in treatment!
She decided she had to be brave and take the first step!
Her right hand trembled as she reached out to Ding Nan, gently tapping his shoulder. In a shy and timid tone, she asked, "Ding Nan, where have you been buying your boxed lunches these past few days~"
The last syllable was drawn out for an extremely long time, evoking the image of a cute, playful young girl.
But Ding Nan was completely engrossed in his food. Hearing her question, he just gave a cold reply: "A small stall at the construction site across the street."
’The construction site... a small stall?’
She understood each word individually, but when put together, Luo Min couldn’t comprehend it.
’Damn it, has my foolproof voice-seduction technique failed? I really want to know which shop makes such high-quality boxed lunches!’
Under Luo Min’s resentful gaze, Ding Nan belatedly realized what had happened.
’Did someone just ask me a question? What did I even say? I have no memory of it at all!’
Under Luo Min’s relentless assault, Ding Nan beat his chest and promised he would definitely take her with him when he went to buy his boxed lunch tomorrow.
Luo Min returned to her desk and sighed at the sight of her green pepper diced chicken. She picked up a tiny piece of diced chicken with her chopsticks and bit down hard.
AH!
I hit a bone!
It hurts so much!
Inside the Bright Moon Private Room on the second floor of the Hai City Tide-Watching Tavern, three people were seated.
Across from the aunt and her husband sat a hale and hearty old man who, by his own account, was already seventy years old.
But his hair and beard were completely black. A pin held his long, flowing hair in place at the back of his head. He had a meticulously groomed, lustrous goatee, and he wore a water-blue long robe. His face was full and ruddy, making him look no older than his forties.
Every gesture exuded the air of a master, giving him the appearance of an immortal sage.
From the moment the couple saw this Divine Old Physician, they were filled with a sense of trust. One look at him and you could tell he was an enlightened master.
After the Divine Old Physician entered the private room, he merely greeted the two of them before sitting down to slowly savor his tea.
The couple was extremely anxious, but they were also afraid of offending the Divine Physician with their behavior. They could only smile along beside him, worrying themselves sick on the inside.
About half an hour passed. The Divine Old Physician, feeling he had put on enough of an act, set down his teacup, let out a long sigh, and fixed his sharp gaze upon the couple.
"The two of you have quite an affinity with me. Although fate has decreed you will have no children, it’s not impossible to change that fate," the Divine Old Physician said cryptically. This single sentence sent the couple’s emotions from the depths of sorrow to the heights of joy.
The Divine Old Physician said he could change their fate, that they could have a child!
"Divine Physician, please, what must we do to change our fate?" the aunt asked cautiously and with restraint.
The Divine Old Physician glanced at the aunt before quickly retracting his gaze. Staring at the teacup before him, he said slowly, "This is a secret method passed down through my ancestors. Each use consumes a great deal of my vital energy. I’m not young anymore and can’t withstand such a drain. I can only perform it once every half a month. It’s up to you whether you can wait or not."
The couple had already inquired about the Divine Physician’s deeds from multiple sources and believed in him from the bottom of their hearts. Although it felt like a long time to wait, they agreed without a second thought.
"There is one more thing you need to know. I can only help you conceive a child; I cannot guarantee whether it will be a boy or a girl. If you can accept that, come to my clinic on the fifteenth for the first treatment."
The husband’s smile froze for a moment before he replied unnaturally, "Just having a child of our own would be wonderful enough. Whether it’s a boy or a girl, we’ll leave it up to heaven’s will. Ha, haha, ha."
The Divine Old Physician nodded, and so the matter was settled.
By the end of the meal, aside from the husband’s slightly dampened mood, it could generally be considered a pleasant time for both hosts and guest.
After the meal, the three of them left the private room together to leave. As they were walking past the door of the adjacent room, it suddenly opened. A middle-aged man in a sharp suit emerged, holding the door with one hand and a phone to his ear with the other, seemingly on a call.
The man was stunned for a moment upon seeing the three of them, then became ecstatic. He hung up the phone immediately, took two steps forward, and grasped the Divine Old Physician’s hands, saying excitedly, "Divine Physician! I’ve finally found you!"
The Divine Old Physician remembered this man. He was the first patient he had received after opening his clinic.
"I tried to find you many times after that, but you always turned me away, so I never had the chance to thank you." The man patted his large belly, which looked like he was eight months pregnant, and said, somewhat boastfully, "Divine Old Physician, ever since I had my child, my life has been smooth sailing. I used to make a little money here and there with my business, but at the start of this year, I opened a company. It’s doing well. Even in a slow month, I can make a million."
Hearing "a million a month," the couple’s eyes went wide. Their combined salaries were only five thousand a month. They would have to save every penny for seventeen years, without eating or drinking, to save that much money.
Fueled by the power of his wealth, what the couple had initially seen as the man’s gaudy suit now transformed into the symbol of a successful person.
The Divine Physician was truly worthy of his title. Upon hearing about the million-a-month income, only a faint, gratified smile appeared on his face as he nodded slightly. His entire demeanor was one of utter calm and indifference.
The man still held the Divine Physician’s hand tightly, as if afraid he would run away. He then took a step forward, leaned close to the physician’s ear, and whispered, "Divine Physician, I want another child, one that looks a bit more like me. Do you think there’s a way? As long as you can do it, money is no object."
The Divine Physician shook his head and patted the man’s tightly gripping hand. "I told you from the beginning. This secret method of mine can only be used once on each person in their lifetime."
Hearing this, the man instantly grew anxious, his voice rising slightly.
"Divine Physician, what if it’s for a different person? Could it be used again?"
The Divine Physician still shook his head.
"You were originally fated to be childless. To have one child was already forcing fate. To ask for another would damage your destiny. That could mean your wealth, your life, or even the lives of those around you."
"Haha, ha, I was just asking, just asking." Compared to having a child who looked like him, he cherished his own life and his burgeoning business more.
It was already eight o’clock at night when the man returned home. His wife and son were sitting on the sofa, watching TV together.
When his son saw him return, he stopped watching TV and ran over with his arms outstretched, wanting to be held.
Looking at his son’s lively and adorable appearance, the man suddenly felt that it wasn’t so bad that the child resembled his wife.
The man slipped his right hand under his son’s chest and, with a heave, lifted him into the air.
"Woo-hoo, we’re taking off! Faster, Daddy, faster! Fly to Mommy~"
Seeing the father and son playing around, the wife couldn’t help but break into a warm smile.
The family of three was a picture of harmony and happiness.