Chapter 4 – Meeting the Person You’re Meant to Protect

In the backyard, Jian Mei watched his grandfather sun-drying medicinal herbs.

In the midst of the scorching summer, the old man still loved wearing a white Tang suit. Although his temples had turned white, his hair was neatly combed, and he appeared spirited. A gentle breeze blew, carrying the fragrance of the herbs in the backyard.

Jian Mei walked over with small steps and said softly, “Grandfather.”

“Oh, Jian Mei is here.” The old man turned his face and smiled when he saw him. “After I finish sorting these herbs, we’ll go have dinner.”

Jian Mei approached his grandfather and spoke softly, “Let me help, Grandfather.”

Perhaps due to spending long hours with medicinal herbs year-round, the old man carried a scent of herbs on him. He had always held his own convictions and remained unwavering despite the temptations of the outside world. He continued to live his life in this mountain and with these herbs.

“Then let Grandfather test Jian Mei.” The old man picked up a dried and stir-fried green leaf. “What is this?”

“Mulberry leaf.”

“What is its medicinal effect?”

“It treats trachoma and eye discomfort.”

The old man nodded and asked again, “Which other herbs are good for the eyes?”

Jian Mei stood beside his grandfather, his voice crisp. “Desert needlegrass, glossy privet fruit, Chinese wolfberry, honeysuckle.”

The old man chuckled and praised, “You answered correctly. Jian Mei, your memory is still excellent. I guess you’ll become a great doctor in the future.”

Jian Mei’s movements paused. As he carefully handled the herbs, his actions were gentle. But after a brief pause, he gently put them down and looked up, whispering, “But Grandfather, I don’t want to be a doctor.”

The old man’s smile froze, and he asked, “Why?”

Jian Mei’s eyes were moist, and his round face looked serious. He seemed hesitant for a moment, then lowered his head and softly said, “Because I don’t want to go to the hospital.”

…

The air fell into a momentary silence.

The old man gazed at the child who barely reached his waist. If it were any other child saying they didn’t want to go to the hospital, it would likely be considered a dislike for injections or IVs. But when Jian Mei said it, the old man’s emotions became complicated.

Acute leukemia.

This terrifying and tormenting disease fell upon a child who had just turned eight years old. Dialysis, chemotherapy, bedridden for years, enduring unimaginable pain and suffering. While other children played mischievously, Jian Mei spent his time surrounded by endless medications. No one could bear this pain for him, just as no one could blame him for his decision.

After a while…

“Alright,” the old man responded, a slightly tender and indulgent smile appearing on his face. He raised his hand and gently ruffled Jian Mei’s head. “Then we won’t become doctors.”

Jian Mei hesitated and asked, “Will you be angry if I don’t become a doctor?”

The old man countered, “Why would I be angry?”

“Because…” Jian Mei whispered, “Dad and my older brother are studying medicine. Grandma said before that we shouldn’t discard the things passed down by our ancestors.”

The willow tree by the pond swayed gently in the breeze of the afternoon. The wind softly brushed against their clothes, and the chirping of summer cicadas filled the air. The old man and the young boy stood quietly facing each other in front of the medicine shelf.

After listening, the old man paused, pondered for a moment, and softly laughed, “Jian Mei, maybe Grandma didn’t tell you everything. There can be many reasons for studying medicine, inheritance being one of them, but there’s also another reason.”

“What is it?” Jian Mei asked.

“Guardianship,” the old man murmured softly. “For example, your great-grandfather studied medicine to support his family, to guard the family. Your father inherited the legacy because he loves medicine, to guard his ideals. They both chose this path because they had something they wanted to protect.”

Jian Mei seemed to understand but not fully. He looked at the old man and asked, “Did you study medicine to protect the village?”

After all, over these years, it wasn’t a secret that the old man provided free medical consultations and treated many elderly and orphaned people in the village.

The old man paused and playfully scolded him with a smile, “You clever little rascal.”

But at the same time, the old man was also gratified. He tidied up the medicinal herbs and then spoke sincerely to the child, “So even if you don’t become a doctor, I won’t be angry with you, Jian Mei. Everyone will have something they want to strive for and protect. And you will have that too in the future.”

“Guard… ” Jian Mei lowered his head in confusion and asked, “But will I have the ability to protect others too?”

“Of course,” the old man held his hand and walked towards the front hall, answering leisurely as they walked, “Once you make up your mind, you will naturally have the strength. Life is still long, and when the time comes, you will know.”

“How long do I have to wait?”

“It’s uncertain.”

“Will it take a long time?”

“It may also be very near.”

…

The next day.

The end of summer vacation was approaching, and the quiet little village was not greatly affected. The old tabby cat in the courtyard lazily lay on a stone, basking in the sun, while a child sat at the small table under the willow tree, working on a problem.

Jian Mei bit the pen cap and stared at the problem for five minutes already.

“Why is my calculation not matching the answer given in the paper?” Jian Mei picked up the test paper. “Where did I go wrong?”

After pondering for a while without understanding, everyone in the family had gone out.

Jian Mei’s peripheral vision caught sight of a nearby mobile phone. His flickering eyes blinked, and after hesitating for only a second, he took the phone and skillfully sent a message: “Are you there?”

Waited for a while but received no response.

But that was normal since Lu Xingwang rarely bothered with him.

Ever since that day when a strange pop-up window appeared, he found that in order to download software, he had to complete the daily tasks given by that pop-up window, and all these tasks seemed to be related to this blank account.

He had also tried to reach out to Lu Xingwang a few times, but apart from the initial few times, Lu Xingwang generally ignored him. Even if he did respond, it would be with a few curt sentences, but Jian Mei was not discouraged. Although Lu Xingwang was not a qualified chat friend with his silent nature, he was an excellent listener. Most of the time, Jian Mei entertained himself alone and gradually became accustomed to this way of companionship.

On the other side,

Stan Star – Imperial Palace.

The crystal chandelier shone brightly, illuminating the countless materials and books piled up on the floor next to the desk. Lu Xingwang, the young man sitting at the desk, had a straight back, and his slender and fair hand held the documents. The light spilled down, casting a handsome profile like a painting, while the other side seemed terrifying and ghostly, a sight that sent shivers down one’s spine.

A maid entered from outside, holding medicine in her hand. “Your Highness, the high priest has sent new medicine.”

Lu Xingwang disregarded her, not even lifting his head. “Hmm.”

“Your Highness, please rest. Even if you need to study the materials, you shouldn’t neglect your health. Besides, your physical condition doesn’t allow for it…” The maid’s words abruptly stopped as Lu Xingwang raised his eyelids and looked over, his gaze deep and profound like the sea. There were few words, but his imposing presence was enough to silence others involuntarily.

Lu Xingwang lowered his gaze, no longer looking at her, his voice deep and low. “Is this all the information we have on the Specter Interstellar Pirates?”

When mentioning this, a coldness appeared on Lu Xingwang’s face. “Bring the case files of the planetary teams that have clashed with them.”

The maid replied softly but still expressed her concern. “You’ve been reading for two days. You should take some rest. The high priest said you shouldn’t overexert yourself. Even going out to relax or engaging in other recreational activities would be beneficial for your mind and body.”

“Leave,” Lu Xingwang’s expression remained indifferent as he continued to look down at the case files. “I know my limits.”

The maid looked at the person buried in the documents, feeling helpless and worried from the bottom of her heart. Since that day, Lu Xingwang had started organizing and reviewing these materials and case files. The interstellar pirates had taken the life of Lady Lan and planted a thorn in Lu Xingwang’s heart.

During these days and nights, hatred seemed to become Lu Xingwang’s pillar. The maid didn’t know if this was good or bad. Perhaps only this way could Lu Xingwang find the will to live. But she wasn’t entirely sure if someone who relied on hatred to survive would end up more miserable.

After paying her respects, the maid retreated, and the room regained its tranquility.

Suddenly, a special notification sound, “Ding,” rang out. Lu Xingwang, who was flipping through the case files, paused for a moment and opened the message:

“Are you there?”

“Good morning!”

After finishing reading, Lu Xingwang skillfully closed the message. Since he found out that he couldn’t block them, he had learned to ignore these messages. Normally, if he didn’t reply, the other person wouldn’t send any more messages. But today, just a moment later, another message came:

“Can I ask you something?”

Lu Xingwang casually glanced over, initially not intending to pay any attention. After flipping through a few pages of the book, he eventually looked up and replied, “What?”

Has the fox finally shown its tail that couldn’t be restrained any longer?

Lu Xingwang rarely put down his book. His deep gaze fell upon the information panel, awaiting the other person’s response.

After a while, a weak inquiry finally appeared on the panel, “Are your academic grades good?”

…

Lu Xingwang furrowed his eyebrows: [Why are you asking about that?]

“Just curious, that’s all.”

The golden information panel floated in front of him. The person who had been engrossed in reading case files finally set them aside momentarily due to this small interruption. Lu Xingwang didn’t understand their purpose and chose a compromise in his response: [Average.]

For the strong, such vocabulary was their way of modesty. But for a student who was academically challenged and straightforward, “average” meant being on the same level as themselves.

It seemed that one shouldn’t ask Lu Xingwang about academic matters. Not long ago, when he asked Lu Xingwang what he was doing, the response was always reading a book, and it was the same answer every time. Seeing someone who held a book every day like that, he believed they must either be an academic genius or a mediocre student. He never expected that someone who worked so hard would still be considered average. They must feel uncomfortable deep down, right?

Jian mei lowered his head and typed earnestly, “Oh, I’m sorry for bothering you.”

?

Did he just realize that he was being a bother?

Lu Xingwang lightly tapped his fingertips on the desk, unusually asking one more question: [Why are you asking?]

Just with a casual question, it was as if he had opened a microphone. Jian mei, as if he hadn’t spoken in eight hundred years, took the opportunity to start rambling. The questions were about how difficult the assignments were, how many papers were left at home, how many times he had watched online classes without understanding, and how the results he obtained differed from the answers.

Finally, as if sighing deeply, he said, “It’s so tough!”

Even through the screen, Lu Xingwang felt like he could see a frustrated little fool burying his head in his hands at the edge of the desk.

Unfortunately, he didn’t have the habit of being helpful. He neither had the time nor the necessity to teach others. Retrieving the information about the interstellar thief from his desk, Lu Xingwang casually replied to the long string of messages: [Don’t you have any friends? You should discuss these things with your fellow students at school.]

Surprisingly, the person who was usually quick to respond fell into an inexplicable silence after he finished speaking. Time passed, and it became prolonged, to the point where a circle of fine lines appeared on the desk, timed by the leaf spirit beside it.

After a while,

The golden information frame finally floated faintly once again.

Lu Xingwang looked up, and a new sentence appeared on the page. It was short, seemingly effortless, yet carried a touch of awkward seriousness. He saw Jian Mei’s reply:

“I don’t have any.”