Long live Grandpa!

Apart from Liu Bei, the imperial uncle of the ancient Three Kingdoms era, few people ever planted mulberry trees at home.

Whether because the Chinese word for mulberry sounded like the word for mourning or because of some feng shui master's fabricated claims, people had more than enough reason to consider them unlucky.

Yet the owner had planted a mulberry tree behind this house, and from the look of it, it had been there for far more than a year or two.

Clearly, something strange was going on.

Not to mention the yin energy surrounding the tree.

Zhang Hongxing did not immediately announce what he had discovered. For one thing, he did not want to spoil his family's good mood. For another, with him around, such a minor matter was no cause for concern.

Now that they had a house, the family began choosing rooms, moving in, and buying household necessities.

None of them were particularly frugal, so they bought things mainly for their practical value. While everyone was busy, Zhang Hongxing went alone to the Great Mulberry Tree in the backyard, summoned his true qi, and struck its trunk with his palm.

Thud!

The trunk shook violently, sending clusters of ripe mulberries tumbling down.

Before long, the ground was stained a dark purplish black.

"Little fellow, do you still not understand the situation?"

Zhang Hongxing gave a soft shout at the Great Mulberry Tree and struck it again, sending the force of his palm straight into its roots.

Boom!

The entire Great Mulberry Tree shook violently, its leaves drifting down like snowflakes. Within moments, the once-lush tree had been stripped bare.

Just then, the previously motionless mulberry tree suddenly bowed in an incredibly human gesture, bending its entire trunk to a ninety-degree angle.

"Good. Now you know to be afraid."

Zhang Hongxing smiled faintly and began drawing a talisman on the Great Mulberry Tree, similar to the Immortal Talisman he had used on the potted orchid earlier. This time, the process took a full three hours.

The moment the talisman was complete, the yin energy surrounding the mulberry tree instantly transformed into spiritual energy.

Zhang Hongxing then laid formations in the four corners of the yard, allowing the surrounding spiritual energy to enter but not escape.

With these arrangements, this little patch of land was bound to become a blessed sanctuary.

For anyone who lived here long enough, extending their lifespan would no longer be wishful thinking.

"Jun, have you noticed how much fresher the air suddenly smells?"

Yan Mei, who was cleaning inside the house, sniffed deeply.

"Now that you mention it, it really does."

Zhang Jun sniffed as well and immediately noticed the change.

"Do you think Dad's done something again?"

"How would I know? Why don't you ask him?"

Zhang Hongxing knew nothing of the conversation inside. He had already gone to the front yard, found a small iron trowel, dug up a peony, and casually planted it in an old clay pot.

Then he placed the potted peony on a stone platform.

He intended to tend it carefully for a few days. Once it reached the state he needed, he would use it as the main ingredient to refine a pill for Zhuang Huaide.

Twenty million in exchange for a Longevity Pill.

Had Old Zhuang known about this beforehand, he might well have offered up two-thirds of his estate.

As four in the afternoon approached, Yan Mei tidied herself up and prepared to pick her son up from kindergarten. Passing Zhang Hongxing, she naturally stopped to let him know.

"Dad, I'm going to pick up Lele. Do you need anything? I can get it for you on the way back."

"Oh, I don't need anything. Go ahead."

Zhang Hongxing looked up to answer, but changed his mind as soon as he turned away. "Wait a moment. I'll go with you."

"What is it, Dad?"

"Nothing. It just occurred to me that you and Jun both have to work every day. From now on, leave taking Lele to school and picking him up to me."

"It's all right, Dad. When we're at work, there's still Mom..."

As she spoke, Yan Mei suddenly remembered something and quickly changed tack. "All right, Dad. We'll leave taking Lele to school and picking him up to you from now on. Sorry for the trouble."

"No trouble at all."

Zhang Hongxing answered with a cheerful smile.

Fifteen thousand years of cultivation. Fifteen thousand years of solitude.

Apart from Li Xiuying, the people Zhang Hongxing had missed most were his three children. Now all three were grown, completely different from the images he had held in his heart.

And so he had redirected that love toward his grandson.

The first time Zhang Le had leaped into his arms and called him Grandpa, he had fallen deeply in love with this grandson of his.

"Grandpa, Grandpa! How come you came to pick me up?"

At the kindergarten gate, Zhang Le abandoned his mother outright and leaped into Zhang Hongxing's arms.

"Oh, my sweet Lele! Grandpa missed you so much."

While Zhang Hongxing and Lele hugged, Yan Mei stepped forward to introduce him to the kindergarten teacher.

"Hello, Teacher Yang. This is Lele's grandfather. He'll be picking Lele up most of the time from now on."

"He's Lele's grandfather?"

Teacher Yang stared at Zhang Hongxing, her eyes wide. This man looked a few years younger than Lele's father, yet he was Lele's grandfather. How was she supposed to believe that?

"My father-in-law just came back from abroad. He takes very good care of himself."

Yan Mei told a little lie.

"Dad, this is Teacher Yang. She's been taking good care of Lele."

"Hello, Teacher Yang."

"Hello."

Zhang Hongxing and Teacher Yang shook hands.

"Teacher Yang, my grandpa's really amazing! He knows kung fu!"

Lele suddenly piped up beside them, eager to show off.

"Oh, really? I had no idea your grandpa was so impressive."

"That's nothing."

Zhang Hongxing replied offhandedly, then lifted Lele onto his shoulders.

"Come on, Lele. Let's go home."

"Okay, Grandpa! Goodbye, Teacher Yang!"

"Goodbye."

It would be fair to say that Teacher Yang's first impression of Zhang Hongxing was not a good one.

Neither his unsafe decision to let Lele sit on his shoulders nor his ready acceptance of her polite compliment had endeared him to her.

But whether she liked him or not had no effect whatsoever on Zhang Hongxing's mood.

He carried Lele along on his shoulders, smiling all the way.

"Grandpa, Grandpa, where are we going?"

"Home, of course."

"Grandpa, aren't we staying at a hotel? This doesn't look like the right way. Did you take a wrong turn?"

"Clever boy, Lele. This isn't the way to the hotel. We've bought a new house."

"Grandpa, aren't we out of money? Where did we get the money to buy a house?"

"Lele, who told you we don't have money? Grandpa has money. Grandpa has lots of money."

"But Daddy and Mommy never want to spend money on things, and they don't take me to the Amusement Park. The other kids' mommies and daddies take them there to play, and they drive big cars to bring them to school."

"Are you jealous of them, Lele?"

"No. When I grow up and earn my own money, I'll take Daddy and Mommy to the Amusement Park. Grandma and Grandpa can come too."

Walking beside them, Yan Mei hurriedly covered her mouth, tears spilling uncontrollably from her eyes. At that moment, she felt she had failed her thoughtful son terribly.

"What a good boy you are, Lele. Now that Grandpa's back, you won't have to wait until you're grown up to go to the Amusement Park. When you have a day off school, Grandpa will take you. How does that sound?"

"Really?"

"Of course."

"Yay! Long live Grandpa!"