himself, "Even if you hadn’t told me not to come, I wouldn't have dared."Af ter Jin Xianglin left, Xiao Yu used the key that Jin Xianglin had given him to unlock the front door of the villa.Standing i...Chapter 43: Returning Home

Noon. Uncle Zhong's chef, who was a special-class chef renowned for preparing state banquets, cooked some ordinary dishes that tasted exceptionally good. They drank Maotai liquor; Xiao Yu had been coerced into drinking over two catties by the Zhongs and now looked half-drunk. However, Xiao Yu wasn't without his own accomplishments—he managed to get three others equally drunk at the table.

Why do Chinese people prefer to discuss business over drinks Now that he knew this, Xiao Yu understood that drinking could deepen friendships between men. After one round of alcohol consumption, both the collateral and main branches of the Zhong family had a good impression of him. A person's character can also be judged by their behavior when drunk—this was evident as Xiao Yu developed respect for these young drinkers after seeing how they conducted themselves during the drinking session.

During the banquet, both Mr. and Mrs. Zhongguo and the Zishan family offered toasts to Xiao Yu; especially Mr. Zhongguo, who now was the head of the household since Uncle Zhong retired. He treated Xiao Yu very politely and respectfully in his speech. The entire Zhong family found it bewildering how arrogant Mr. Zhongguo usually was but yet showed such respect to a much younger person.

Mingyu’s miraculous abilities, reviving someone on the brink of death within minutes, had exceeded medical capabilities and could be described as divine. Furthermore, knowing Xiao Yu meant having an additional layer of protection for one's life; therefore, despite being a powerful provincial official, Mr. Zhongguo didn't put up any airs when dealing with him.

Xiao Yu and Zhong Tao had become acquainted through their sparring. Through their interactions over the last few days, Xiao Yu realized that at his core, Zhong Tao wasn’t a bad person; it was just that growing up in such an environment he had picked up some of the habits characteristic of a wealthy, spoiled youth.

After lunch, due to Old Grandpa Zhuo’s advanced age, the army colonel who came to pick him up escorted him home. As both families lived relatively close by, Old Grandpa Zhuo declined an offer for a car ride and strolled back home slowly.

The elderly couple from the Zhong family also enjoyed their drinks after lunch and went to rest in their room.

Xiao Yu remained seated in the living room chatting with Mr. Zhongguo and Zishan's families when suddenly, his phone rang. He didn't look at it but pressed the接聽鍵and said into the receiver: "Who is it"

"Little brother, it's me, your sister. Mom is ill; you must come back quickly!" A young woman's voice came through the phone.

"What Mom is sick" Xiao Yu's heart tightened as he urgently asked: "Sis, what kind of illness does mom have! Is it serious"

Xiao Yu hadn't been home for over half a year. Even during the previous Mid-Autumn Festival, he had accompanied Wei Jun on a trip to Central South Province and didn't return home. Although his family was poor, they were very harmonious; Mom, sister, and that little nephew. Though Xiao Yu had gone deep into the sea when the nephew was only four months old, it did not lessen his affection for him.

Upon hearing of his mother's illness, he felt extremely anxious. He forgot that he himself was a doctor capable of bringing people back from death. In his memory, Mom’s health had always been good; moreover, she inherited most of her father-in-law’s medical skills and opened a clinic in their small county town. Due to the excellence of her medical skills, she had an excellent reputation. Logically speaking, if Mom had any illness, she should be able to handle it well herself.

"Could it be….." Xiao Yu didn't dare to think further.

At this moment, his sister’s voice came over the phone: "Don’t ask anymore. If you have filial piety, come back quickly; don’t regret later."

"Hello hello, sis……"

Xiao Yu called out anxiously several times, but on the other end of the line, his sister had already hung up. Xiao Yu's heart trembled; was it really as he suspected Instantly, images of Mom running around tirelessly for him and his sister these past years filled his mind.

Standing opposite Xiao Yu, Zhong Jianguo noticed that Xiao Yu’s previously composed demeanor had vanished, replaced by anxiety. He hurriedly asked: "Brother Xiao, what's wrong"

"My mom is sick, sorry, wait until Old Zhong wakes up and tell him I'm apologizing, I need to leave first!" Xiao Yu's expression was anxious as he stood up and said this to Zhong Jianguo before quickly rushing out.

“Brother Xiao, where are you going Let Zhong Tao drive you there!” When Zhong Jianguo saw that Xiao Yu wanted to leave, he hurriedly said.

Xiao Yu's figure paused slightly as he responded: "Alright then, I'll trouble Brother Lu Tao! Please take me to the station!"

Luo Tao immediately rushed off to get the car while Xiao Yu was anxiously pacing back and forth at the house entrance!

Seeing how anxious Xiao Yu looked, Zhong Jianguo thought for a moment before comforting him: "Little Brother Xiao, don’t worry. With your medical skills, no matter what illness your mother has, you should be able to handle it!"

Xiao Yu, who was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, immediately stopped and slapped his forehead upon hearing Zhong Jianguo’s words; he had forgotten about this. Xiao Yu then ceased pacing back and forth, and the look of panic on his face gradually faded.

Zhong Tao drove Xiao Yu for one hour but managed to reach Beijing West Station in just half an hour, parking directly at the station platform. It turned out that Zhong Tao was driving Old Zhong’s personal vehicle, which is why they were able to travel smoothly without any obstacles.

At the platform, a railway employee was anxiously waiting; on the other side, Zhu Simiao had already arrived and brought Xiao Yu's backpack over. Seeing Zhong Tao get out of the car and glancing at his license plate, the employee’s posture straightened significantly: "Young Master Zhong, hurry up! The train has already been delayed by two minutes!" It turned out that on the way, Zhong Tao learned about Xiao Yu going to Beijing West Station and called the station manager.

Two hours passed; although Xiao Yu had complete confidence in his medical skills, he still felt like days were passing as years. Finally, when the train arrived at Ancient City Station, Xiao Yu rushed out of the station as soon as it stopped. Since he only had a bag with him and nothing else, he was much faster than others. Outside the station, taxis lined up in rows stretching far into the distance.

Xiao Yu got into the first taxi in line and asked, "How much is it to Tongshe City"

The driver was taken aback: "Tongshe City... That's over 60 kilometers away! It wouldn't be cost-effective to use the meter; I'd have to charge at least two hundred and thirty yuan for a round trip."

"Okay, how about three hundred if you go fast" Xiao Yu quickly said.

The driver hesitated before agreeing. He threw away his cigarette butt and said, "Alright then, let's go!"

Once outside the city limits, the taxi driver was quite talkative, willing to chat about any topic for hours on end, but Xiao Yu responded sporadically at best, leaving the driver uninterested. As such, he focused solely on driving.

The car sped along for an hour before finally arriving in Tongshe City. Seeing this city where he had lived for over twenty years, a place that felt strange after just half a year's absence, Xiao Yu felt his usually steady mind become disordered.

Xiao Yu directed the taxi to stop at his front door. His house was a two-story building constructed on his old homestead; the first floor housed his mother’s clinic while the second floor was where they lived as a family.

After giving the driver three hundred yuan and thanking him, Xiao Yu got out of the car. Normally, their home's main door would be closed, with entry made through the clinic entrance instead. Xiao Yu quickly walked to the front of his house, hearing voices coming from within the clinic. He pushed aside the curtain and hurried inside.

No one was present in the main room; however, as he continued on, he saw a woman around fifty sitting on a chaise lounge playing with an infant about a year old. The conversation originated from the kitchen nearby; occasionally, the woman would respond to it.d ingredients like Fracture-Intestine Grass in the large pot dish he taught him. If it were only for taste, several other herbs could achieve similar results, but Grandpa insisted on using Fracture-In...