Borrowing a Brain

Looking at the milk tea in front of him, Zheng Fa looked at Tang Lingwu doubtfully, "I've known for a long time that Old Man Bai is afraid of death, but you're still so young..."

"I can turn white."

Tang Lingwu said softly.

Zheng Fa stared at her small face for a long time, not quite understanding, "Does your skin have this need?"

In his opinion, Tang Lingwu's face was even fairer and more delicate than his own at the moment.

Tang Lingwu's eyes held a hint of eagerness, and she nodded earnestly, indicating that she really needed it.

Zheng Fa shook his head in confusion and turned to look at Old Man Bai beside him.

Old Man Bai also felt that Zheng Fa didn't understand him and retorted in a low voice, "That's not me being afraid of death, that's me being full of attachment to this world!"

He sighed as he spoke, "Those young people online, complaining every day about wanting to die. When you reach my age, you'll know what it means to cherish life and how beautiful it is. This life flashes by in an instant, and you'll understand the value of your own life."

Looking at Old Man Bai's pale hair and wrinkled face, and listening to his sigh filled with life's insights, Zheng Fa couldn't help but be moved.

Tang Lingwu said with admiration, "Grandpa Bai, I rarely see someone who loves life as much as you do."

"You don't understand!" Old Man Bai waved his hand. "When I was young, my doctoral dissertation was like a pile of dog shit, and I was afraid I wouldn't graduate. After I started working, my boss treated me like dirt. I wanted to be a great mathematician and be remembered for eternity, but I didn't have the brains for it. I wanted to be an academic slacker and just eat and wait for death, but I didn't have the guts for that either."

"Back then, I wished the world would end the moment I woke up. I thought about hanging myself from that crooked-neck tree outside the academy office every day, just to spite that idiot of a boss."

"It's different now! My retirement salary is tens of thousands a month. I have a house in the capital, I don't have to work, and I don't have to look after grandchildren. Every morning, I go for a walk in the park to exercise. My body is strong and healthy, and I don't even need young people to give up their seats on the bus."

"At night, I go out to watch the square dancing. The middle-aged women on the square, who are more than ten years younger than me, want to have a twilight romance with me when they hear about my situation."

Old Man Bai looked at them and sighed, "I've paid social security for decades, and I've finally reached this day. If it were you, would you want to die?"

Tang Lingwu's eyes widened, "So you're saying that when we reach your age, we'll understand..."

"That's right, you'll understand when you retire."

Old Man Bai said as a matter of course.

"It is said that techniques are not easily passed down, let alone the supreme techniques of my Sect. Your desire to learn martial arts is truly not sincere."

Although the old man's words were reasonable and convincing, Zheng Fa did not agree easily.

"Master, look, can you give me another chance? I promise I'll study hard!" Old Man Bai looked at Zheng Fa pleadingly.

"Do you really want to learn?"

"I want to learn!"

Zheng Fa nodded, "I'll say this upfront: your Aptitude isn't very good. If you really want to learn, you must never give up halfway again."

"Never!" Old Man Bai patted his chest, making a thumping sound against his ribs.

"Wait! Let's see your sincerity first!"

Zheng Fa turned and took out several thick stacks of draft paper from the backpack on the chair.

On them were the Talisman Diagrams he had recorded from memory from the Complete Explanation of Talisman Diagrams, only the first few volumes. He had spent a lot of effort.

To his pleasant surprise, it seemed that after practicing the Crane Body Technique, his physical functions had improved, and his memory had become even stronger than before.

Old Man Bai looked at the thick stacks of draft paper and twitched his lips, having a bad premonition, "How many volumes of this sincerity... are there?"

Zheng Fa slowly raised one finger and said with a smile, "A room full."

Even without practicing the Crane Body Technique, Old Man Bai's face was now whiter than Zheng Fa's.

Zheng Fa hadn't actually given too many Talisman Diagrams to Old Man Bai for analysis recently; he had spent more time learning topology from him.

After all, he preferred to master this knowledge himself.

But he had to admit that his talent in this field was indeed meager.

He looked at Old Man Bai's head of curly hair.

You curse me all day for not having a good brain, but your brain looks quite capable. Lend me yours.

Previously, Old Man Bai was too lazy and not the type to be a tool.

But now... wasn't this Old Man Bai asking for trouble himself?

It was precisely when the other party was feeling guilty that Zheng Fa naturally seized the opportunity.

"This... I'll continue to teach you topology, right? This knowledge is safest kept in one's own mind." Old Man Bai touched his head, seemingly feeling a bit cold. Clearly, he was still reluctant to be a tool and was struggling, saying, "I didn't say I wouldn't learn. Isn't it just that I'm learning slowly?" Zheng Fa said with a smile.

Top-notch private tutoring, he wanted it.

A tool's brain, he wanted that too.

"Actually... I suddenly realized that you are also a raw gem in topology." Old Man Bai said sincerely.

Zheng Fa sighed softly, "Then your desire to learn martial arts, I don't think is very sincere either."

Seeing that he wouldn't back down, Old Man Bai glanced towards his hand, mainly at the milk tea beside Zheng Fa.

A flash of inspiration struck him. He remembered he still had a teammate and twitched his eyes, signaling Tang Lingwu:

"We're on the same side, don't you want to learn too? Please put in a good word for me!"

Tang Lingwu nodded, as if she understood perfectly. She walked to the table, picked up a cup, and personally inserted a straw into it.

A smile appeared on Old Man Bai's face. "Lingwu understands! You need to have a service mindset when asking for favors!"

The next moment, he watched with his own eyes as Tang Lingwu put her mouth on the straw.

"Feed me with your mouth?" Old Man Bai quickly reached out. "This service is a bit much!"

Tang Lingwu swallowed the milk tea in her mouth and looked at his anxious expression in confusion, as if she didn't understand what he was saying.

Old Man Bai stared at her blankly. "You drank it yourself?"

"Mhm!" Tang Lingwu nodded.

"This isn't your disciple-accepting gift?" Old Man Bai pressed.

"I don't want to learn," Tang Lingwu lowered her head.

"It can make you fair-skinned!"

"I'm naturally beautiful."

"It can make you even more beautiful!" Old Man Bai was getting anxious.

"It'll attract trouble."

Old Man Bai hadn't expected Tang Lingwu to change her mind so quickly.

Recalling the enthusiasm in Tang Lingwu's eyes when she talked about becoming fair-skinned earlier, he couldn't help but shake his head and look at Zheng Fa with even greater displeasure.

Zheng Fa also looked deeply at Tang Lingwu, understanding her thoughts. She probably just didn't want to make things difficult for him.

After all, to hire a tool like a Beijing University professor would likely cost more in milk tea than he could afford in a lifetime.

As if sensing both of them were looking at her, Tang Lingwu's gaze flickered to the side, and she mumbled, "I'm just a little afraid of pain and tiredness, and I don't really want to practice martial arts."

Old Man Bai looked at her and couldn't help but pat his forehead. This ally was worse than no ally!

He looked at the draft notebook Zheng Fa had placed in front of him with a conflicted expression. After thinking for a long time with a frown, he still sighed softly and pushed it away.

This action was somewhat unexpected for Zheng Fa.

Old Man Bai had been very persistent about living a few more years before.

"What do you mean?"

"I really don't have time. I still have to write my book."

Zheng Fa was stunned. "Are you really writing a book, old man?"

"...So you thought I was lying to you?"

Zheng Fa nodded.

Old Man Bai looked at Tang Lingwu, who was also nodding.

"Between the three of us, there isn't a shred of trust!"