In the hospital corridor, Qiao Sheng rubbed the corners of his eyes and composed himself before walking back into the ward.
When he returned, his expression seemed unchanged.
When his junior brother and junior sister asked, he said that as long as Qiao Xiang rested for a while, he would make a full recovery and be discharged.
Only then did the two of them breathe a sigh of relief.
The appearance of their eldest senior brother, Mei Liangxin, had made Qiao Xiang tremble with fury, his eyes turning red.
The three of them comforted him for a long time before finally calming him down.
After he gradually settled down, his junior brother and junior sister prepared to leave. Using the excuse of seeing them off, Qiao Sheng got up and left the ward with them.
When the three reached the elevator after leaving the ward, the junior brother finally asked,
"Senior Brother, has Master's condition really not improved at all?"
"Ah, my dad's illness is an old problem, and he's getting old too."
Qiao Sheng let out a deep sigh and spoke helplessly.
Then, looking at his junior sister beside him, who also wore a troubled expression, he said,
"If you've been busy lately, close the teahouse for a while. Anyway... there aren't many customers."
"No! Master's life's work is in that teahouse. None of you can get away, so let me look after it! At the very least, the teahouse can't close before Master leaves!"
The junior brother said with reddened eyes.
Seeing this, Qiao Sheng exchanged a glance with his junior sister and could only agree.
Inside the ward.
Qiao Xiang lay in bed, looking somewhat dejected.
The anger from earlier seemed to have turned into loneliness and unwillingness. He let out a deep sigh. Reality was as cruel as Mei Liangxin had said.
Back in the day, the highly skilled performers of the opera world would gather together. They only needed to strike a pose, flick their flowing sleeves twice, and raise their round, resonant voices in song, and audiences would line up for several streets behind them!
Storytellers were even more extraordinary. Ever since their craft had gradually evolved from begging into an art worthy of the halls, the masters leading the field would always draw full houses whenever they appeared. The moment they began speaking, everyone would listen in rapt attention—tears streaming down their faces at moving moments, unable to stop laughing at humorous ones. Even after a performance ended, the listeners would linger for a long time. If they could not buy tickets for the next show, they would hide behind the teahouse and secretly listen along with those freeloaders.
If there was also a sanxian held in someone's arms, the atmosphere would become even livelier!
The glorious era of the Four Great Dan and Four Great Sheng performers who once shocked the Capital City had long since vanished~
Who still remembered them today?
Foreign culture had eroded everything, and Peking Opera had gradually declined. It seemed to have begun with his generation.
Having been fortunate enough to witness its peak, how could he bear to watch it fade into obscurity?
Whenever he closed his eyes, his mind filled with those bustling scenes from the past. With one sweep of a water sleeve, audiences filled ten miles of streets~
Qiao Xiang sighed and picked up his phone.
At that moment, a text message suddenly popped up.
He tapped it open instinctively, and an advertisement appeared before his eyes.
After glancing at it, Qiao Xiang had wanted to close it, but the final line of the advertisement made him frown.
Helping fulfill final wishes?
He knew he did not have much time left. His children had been hiding his condition from him and refusing to tell him.
But he understood. Illnesses people hid were usually the kind that could not be cured.
Now, as he looked at the words "fulfill final wishes," every word seemed to possess a kind of magic, deeply tugging at his heart. After hesitating for a moment, Qiao Xiang still followed the number in the advertisement and made the call.
Su's Funeral Company.
The third funeral assignment had been completed. It had been another perfect-level funeral, granting him another chance to draw from the Perfect Wheel.
Su Chen chose to draw immediately!
The Perfect Wheel spun wildly, its needle sweeping over reward after reward before finally landing on a mysterious prize!
Ding! Congratulations, you have obtained Reverse Rebirth Talisman x10! Reverse Rebirth Talisman: Effect: Using this talisman can return a life to the condition and appearance it had at a certain point in the past for one hour! Quantity: 10 Duration: one hour
Looking at the talismans that had appeared in the system inventory, Su Chen scratched his head. He had not expected something like this to exist.
Perhaps it would come in handy someday.
There were so many treasures on the Perfect Wheel, each more mysterious than the last. He would just keep drawing slowly. One day, he would get something he liked.
The system inventory was basically a portable storage space. It was extremely convenient—he could take out a talisman anytime he needed one.
For now, he would leave them inside.
Su Chen looked at himself in the mirror. Dressed so plainly, how did he look like a boss worth millions?
Since he rarely had free time, he needed to buy himself a proper outfit.
The company's storefront also needed some renovations. It looked far too shabby~
Now that there was money in his bank account, Su Chen found himself having more ideas.
When he had been poor, he had not dared to think about such things.
Before he could continue considering what else needed changing, a phone call came in.
It was another call to the company.
"Is this Su's Funeral Company?"
A somewhat weathered voice came from the other end of the line. It sounded like an old man's voice, yet it was still full and resonant~
Listening to it, Su Chen found its precise, rounded diction inexplicably pleasant.
He replied,
"Yes, this is Su's Funeral Company!"
"I received your funeral advertisement. Is it true that you can fulfill final wishes, as your advertisement says? About how much would it cost?"
Qiao Xiang asked uneasily. Thinking of his wish, he still felt that it was somewhat impossible.
Hearing the old man's words, Su Chen quickly understood. The service for fulfilling final wishes had only just been unlocked, so it seemed the advertisements sent by the system were synchronized in real time.
He hurriedly replied,
"Yes, but you need to tell me your wish first so that I can give you a corresponding price!"
"My body is too weak. I no longer have the strength to stand. But before I die, I still want to stand onstage and sing one more piece! Even if it isn't Peking Opera, even if it is only a single tune, that would do! Can this wish be fulfilled?"
Qiao Xiang spoke slowly, sounding pale and weak.
Name: Qiao Xiang Identity: Storyteller, Peking Opera master Remaining Lifespan: 43 hours Entrusted wish: To return to the teahouse stage and sing one more piece in his aged, sickly body! Mission cost: Reverse Rebirth Talisman! Recommended price: 9,999 yuan
At that moment, the client's information appeared in his mind.
Su Chen was somewhat surprised that this artist remained so devoted to performing. He had not expected the Reverse Rebirth Talisman he had just obtained to come in handy so quickly.
One talisman could be exchanged for 9,999 yuan, then amplified a hundredfold!
Hiss~
Thinking of this, Su Chen hurriedly replied,
"I can help fulfill this wish! The price is: 9,999 yuan!"
"Good!"
Qiao Xiang's excited voice came through the phone.
The two chatted for a little longer.
Qiao Xiang transferred the money over.
Su Chen learned that the place where Qiao Xiang wanted to perform was a teahouse he had opened himself.
He had the client's information and knew what he wanted.
Next, it was time to head to Jinshi City, where Qiao Xiang was, and fulfill his wish.
Before you continue