"Grandpa Ma Zhide, please don't say things like that. I'm still hoping to tell you about everything I saw on my journey once I finish traveling." Heath glanced around. No customers were coming over for now. His barbecue stall was newly set up, so it had relatively few customers. Most people chose to eat at the familiar barbecue stalls nearby. Heath didn't mind. If anything, this was better. At least he could spend some proper time with old Mr. Ma Zhide.
"Heath, I'm old. There's nothing much left for me to worry about in this life. If you really do come back from your travels someday and I'm still alive, I'll listen to your stories. If I'm dead, you can tell me in front of my gravestone instead." Old Mr. Ma Zhide seemed entirely unconcerned about his own life and death, speaking as though he were joking, but Heath couldn't help sighing.
This was nothing like the old Mr. Ma Zhide Heath remembered. But Heath also knew that ever since A-Pen passed away, the old man's health had collapsed. Sometimes, a person's state of mind really was incredibly important in old age. An elderly person might still take their bird out for a walk and play with their grandchildren every day while their spouse was around, only to decline rapidly once their spouse passed away and die within a year or two.
A person's state of mind had a profound effect on their health. Sometimes, even modern medicine couldn't explain it. A patient's will to live could also affect whether an operation succeeded or failed.
"Is that your Charmeleon?" Old Mr. Ma Zhide spotted Charmeleon exercising and couldn't help asking.
"Yes, Grandpa Ma Zhide. This is the Charmeleon I caught. He's traveling with me now." Heath nodded with a smile.