The Vast Sea Is Difficult to Be Water (Three Updates Delivered! Requesting Rewards!)

The next day, at the hospital.

Qiao Sheng sat by the hospital bed with his junior disciples, looking at Qiao Xiang, who lay there with a gaunt face.

The junior male disciple frowned:

"Senior brother, didn't we agree to take Master's keys? If he doesn't have the keys, how did he get into the teahouse?"

"I'm wondering too. My dad's physical condition shouldn't allow him to climb over walls. How did he get in? And with the lights on! If I hadn't insisted on looking for him at the teahouse, I might not have found him at all!"

Qiao Sheng also looked troubled and said, puzzled.

The junior female disciple beside them quickly said:

"It's my fault. Last night, the child's school called, saying he was vomiting and fussy and insisted I go to the school immediately. Just as I was about to close the teahouse and go see my child, Master happened to arrive. He said he'd watch it for a while and would close up if I didn't return in time. I was in such a rush, I didn't even have time to call you. I just let Master, at his age, watch the teahouse. I never expected him to go on stage and perform!"

"Sigh, it's a good thing I found him quickly, otherwise, I don't know what might have happened!"

Upon hearing this, Qiao Sheng sighed.

The junior female disciple fell into deep self-blame, tears streaming down her face:

"It's all my fault!"

"Senior sister, don't blame yourself. It's already very difficult for you to raise your child alone and manage the teahouse. No one wanted this to happen!"

The junior male disciple quickly comforted her.

Usually, the senior sister managed the teahouse. Her child worked elsewhere, leaving behind a grandson who was still in school, whom she had to take care of. She was already very busy and working hard.

Qiao Sheng could understand.

At this moment, Qiao Xiang, who had been lying in bed, opened his eyes and looked around the room with some confusion:

"How did I get to the hospital?"

"Master is awake!"

"You fainted last night, and Senior Brother brought you to the hospital!"

"Dad, are you feeling any better?"

The three of them rushed forward, asking with concern.

A moment later, Qiao Xiang finally reacted and nodded with difficulty:

"I'm, I'm fine!"

"Don't bother coming to see me, you're all busy. I'm fine!"

As he spoke, tears began to flow from Qiao Xiang's eyes.

Seeing Qiao Xiang suddenly burst into tears, the three of them were at a loss. Qiao Sheng quickly wiped his tears:

"Dad, why are you crying?"

"Back in the day, our teahouse was a lively and bustling place. Whether it was opera or storytelling, the teahouse was always packed with people! So many people begged to become our apprentices, but there was no way. I was lucky to follow Master. Our disciples numbered over a hundred, and we spent over a decade in the backyard of the teahouse, desperately practicing our basic skills. We were beaten until our skin was torn and bloody, and we shivered from the cold. In winter, we'd stand on the roadside, shouting with all our might, our mouths full of blood, but we didn't dare stop. All for that moment when we could finally perform on stage, for the sight of a thousand people waiting when we became famous, for the sake of passing down the art of storytelling and opera. Look at today. If I go down, how can I face Master! How can I face the ancestors who passed down this national treasure!?"

Qiao Xiang's tears flowed uncontrollably. Times had changed so much, but it was hard to find solace.

The glory of the past, passed down to his generation, was now destined to fade?

Hearing this, the three of them also fell silent.

They were helpless in the face of this situation. Fewer and fewer people entered the teahouse nowadays. Even though it was located on a busy commercial street with high foot traffic, it remained deserted.

The glory of yesteryear could only remain in the past.

"Master, are you alright?"

Just then, a middle-aged man, stout and with a protruding belly, walked in.

He had an oily, slicked-back hairstyle and carried a black briefcase under his arm.

He had the air of a wealthy businessman.

This was their eldest senior brother, Mei Liangxin.

He looked anxious and walked quickly to the bedside, asking with apparent concern.

Facing his eldest disciple's greeting, Qiao Xiang looked at him coldly:

"What are you doing here? Get out!"

"You say that, but I'm just concerned about you. Besides, the matter of the teahouse demolition, shouldn't we discuss it properly?"

Mei Liangxin, unfazed by Qiao Xiang's attitude, said with a smile.

He glanced at the three people around:

"Junior brothers and sisters are all here!"

Qiao Sheng stared at him coldly, saying nothing.

The junior male and female disciples responded with a nod.

The eldest senior brother had left the teahouse a long time ago. Recently, for some reason, he had gone into business. It was rumored that he had found an investor who wanted to tear down the teahouse and build a large shopping mall. This would bring them a lot of money, but the teahouse would also disappear. Master would certainly not agree, and they had been on bad terms because of this.

"Demolition!?"

Qiao Xiang glared at him, gritting his teeth as he lay on the hospital bed and said:

"Mei Liangxin, do you even know what the national essence is? After more than ten years of learning your craft in the teahouse, is this how I taught you? You can forget about it. Unless I die here, I will absolutely not let you tear down the teahouse!"

"Master, since we've gotten to this point, I won't hold back anymore. I also want to ask you, everyone has been working desperately for over a decade, but what has that gotten us now? You always used opera roles to pressure me, to motivate me, making me train like a madman, even taking away my dignity!

I will never forget: back then, you publicly pulled down my pants and beat me senseless just for singing one wrong word!

It made me too ashamed to face anyone for a whole month! My junior brothers and sisters mocked me, people on the street looked down on me, and you were very pleased with yourself!

Even now, can't the decline of the teahouse explain everything? Storytelling and opera aren't the only options. People can't even afford to eat, and you want them to hang themselves on this one tree? Look at the cinema next door, isn't that also art? It's profitable and popular. If you walk down the street now and ask people, who doesn't know DC or Marvel? If you don't let me demolish it or acquire it, other companies will come sooner or later. And their terms won't be as good as mine!"

Mei Liangxin was also angry and said directly.

Listening to his words, Qiao Xiang became completely enraged, looking at him with uncontrollable fury:

"Get out! Get out!!"

"Heh, fine! Take care of yourself, Master. I'm leaving. I won't tear down this teahouse. I want to see how long you can keep it open!"

Mei Liangxin sneered, his voice laced with mockery, anger, and jealousy!

He couldn't understand his master's passion and persistence in storytelling and opera, and at the same time, he was somewhat jealous that his master had dedicated his entire life to this endeavor.

Back then, he had loved it just as much.

But now, that was gone forever!

Mei Liangxin left.

The old man was quite upset, and the three of them offered some comfort.

At this moment, the doctor's diagnosis results were out, and Qiao Sheng was called.

I can't hold on any longer. Here's the third update.

My head is splitting.