(For Chapter 1-163, go to (https://chrysanthemumgarden.com/novel-tl/awbtv/))
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This was, in truth, a piece of news that greatly surprised Chu Yunsheng.
How did Father and Mother Chu know he had returned to Haicheng—and how did they know he was here?
Because of the secret he carried, ever since coming back to Haicheng, aside from meeting a few outsiders at the Yu residence during the Lantern Festival, he had lived in near seclusion. He hardly met anyone unfamiliar. Even at the hospital, he always wore a mask and was tightly wrapped up; apart from patients in the penicillin clinical trials, he rarely came into contact with other patients.
If people could still recognize him under such circumstances, that would truly be absurd.
As for his name—no one had called him by it since his return. With Yu Jingzhi's intentional misdirection, nine out of ten people around Yu Jingzhi believed that his real name was Chu Tonggu, never even imagining the three characters Chu Yunsheng.
And as for that name "Tonggu," few knew of it beyond some close friends from middle school and a handful of fellow overseas students.
Under such circumstances, something was clearly not right.
Countless thoughts flashed through Chu Yunsheng's mind, though in reality, only a few seconds had passed.
The nurse who had come upstairs to deliver the message looked puzzled and said, "Dr. Chu, are they really your parents? Aren't you going to go down and take a look?"
Chu Yunsheng didn't answer directly but instead asked, "What do they look like?"
The nurse was taken aback, then recalled, "Their appearance? Well, quite ordinary-looking, but you could tell right away they're from a well-off family… The gentleman had a faint medicinal scent about him, but he didn't seem like someone bedridden with illness. The lady, on the other hand, looked healthy—just uneasy, as if she was afraid of something."
After a pause, the nurse glanced at Chu Yunsheng's expression, a trace of suspicion crossing her face. "Dr. Chu, could it be that you don't know them? Maybe someone's pretending to be your parents?"
Chu Yunsheng said, "I'll handle this. You may go back to your duties."
"Ah, all right." The nurse, knowing she shouldn't ask too much, smiled and replied, then pushed open the door and left the office.
For Chu Yunsheng to avoid seeing his parents after they had come all the way to the hospital—that would be the worst possible choice.
After a brief moment of thought, he called Liu Er in and instructed him to go downstairs to bring Father and Mother Chu up. At the same time, he sent someone to inform Yu Jingzhi of the situation.
Liu Er was gone for less than five minutes before returning with the couple.
They were indeed Chu Yunsheng's parents.
The two looked much like any ordinary middle-aged couple—both around fifty, a little plump, with a few gray strands at their temples. They wore silk garments that still carried a hint of the late Qing style.
When they entered the room, both appeared somewhat tense for reasons unknown. But the moment they lifted their eyes and saw Chu Yunsheng, their expressions changed at once—shock and delight mixing together.
Mother Chu hurried forward in a few quick steps, grabbed hold of Chu Yunsheng's arm, and scolded him with both anger and relief, "You ungrateful child! You've come back and didn't even think to come home—were you waiting for your father and me to come invite you?"
After the brief outburst, her tone softened with motherly concern. "How have you gotten so thin? You must not be eating well in Beiping…"
"I told you long ago, times are hard now. Living away from home means you'll suffer. Even if you're capable, running a factory isn't as easy as it sounds. If it were, would your father and I still be guarding just two small pharmacies after all these years?"
Father Chu, impatient with her nagging, cut in, "That's enough. Our son's back, safe and sound—that's what matters. He's been out in the world, gained some experience, and grown more mature. That's not a bad thing."
"I'm only worried about him…" Mother Chu said tearfully. "He came back to the country, barely stayed home for a few days before running off to Beiping, and now it's been almost a year. How could I not miss him?"
Father Chu sighed. "You make it sound as if I don't care about my son…"
Surrounded by the two of them—his parents—one on each side, holding his arm affectionately and patting his shoulder, Chu Yunsheng felt, for the first time, a strange and inexplicable sense of awkwardness and discomfort.
Although he had become the original body, he was not truly their son.
And in his own memories, there had never been such a thing as parents. He didn't know how children were supposed to interact with their parents—what familial affection was supposed to look like, or how it ought to be expressed. He had no real experience of it.
Of course, he could easily learn from the original body's memories how Chu Yunsheng had behaved with Father and Mother Chu—he could imitate it perfectly, perform the role of a dutiful son without a flaw. Such acting would be nothing difficult for him.
But facing the earnest, expectant gazes of these two people—eyes filled with the affection only parents could have—he found himself unwilling to perform.
"Father, Mother," Chu Yunsheng said, pulling out chairs for them to sit, speaking with the natural courtesy one would use toward respected elders, "how did you know I was here?"
Mother Chu, noticing nothing amiss, replied, "It was your classmate, Tan Yongsi. His family's cloth shop moved to the same street as our pharmacy. He came by yesterday to pay a visit, and while chatting, he mentioned that he'd heard about a hospital here in the concession—and thought he might've heard your name. Then someone else told him…"
"Oh, enough of that."
Father Chu suddenly interrupted her, subtly shooting her a warning glance. Then he turned to Chu Yunsheng and said, "Since you're already back in Haicheng, you should come home. What are you doing loitering about outside? Are you afraid your old man will try to discipline you?"
"Your father's getting old, You're our only son—sooner or later, you'll have to take over the pharmacy. Lately, a lot of so-called miracle Chinese patent medicines have appeared on the market. The pharmacy's business hasn't really suffered, but it's been affected somewhat. Your father can't manage things the way he used to…"
Chu Yunsheng glanced at his parents and said, "Liu Er, would you please bring a pot of hot water and make some tea for my father and mother?"
Liu Er knew there were others hidden in the adjoining office quietly watching over Chu Yunsheng, so his absence wouldn't be an issue. Without objection, he picked up the empty thermos from beside the table and left the office to fetch the water.
The moment Liu Er left, Father and Mother Chu's expressions visibly relaxed—but their eyes grew all the more complicated.
"Son…"
Mother Chu began to speak, but Chu Yunsheng cut in first. "Father, Mother, I won't be going home with you just yet."
At his words, both their faces froze—but neither of them looked particularly surprised.
Mother Chu's face crumpled with worry she could no longer hide; she covered her face with her hands and lowered her head.
Beside her, Father Chu's brows drew tight. He glanced toward the office door, then lowered his voice and asked, "Yunsheng, tell me honestly—this Renhe Hospital you're working in… is it run by that Mr. Yu?"
It seemed Yu Jingzhi's frequent visits to the hospital over the past few weeks had not been in vain; in people's minds, Renhe Hospital was now firmly linked with his name.
As soon as those words were spoken, Chu Yunsheng more or less guessed the reason behind his parents' sudden visit.
"This hospital, was established jointly by Mr. Yu and me."
Mother Chu couldn't help exclaiming, "Didn't you say you wanted to start a factory? How did it turn into opening a hospital? Son, do you even know what kind of person Yu Jingzhi is—"
"You fool!"
Father Chu ground his teeth, so furious he nearly raised a hand to strike him. "Do you know who you are, and who that Mr. Yu is? Haven't you read the newspapers these past few days? How many lives do you think you have, daring to open a hospital with him!?"
"Son, didn't you go to Beiping before? How did you even come to know Mr. Yu?"
Mother Chu's eyes were full of panic as she lowered her voice and asked, "Tell your mother the truth—did you go to him of your own will, or did that Yu Jingzhi threaten you into working for him…?"
"What difference does it make," Father Chu cut in, "whether he volunteered or was forced? Once you've stepped into that man's world, you think you can walk away just because you want to? If we try to reason with people like that, it's like a mantis trying to stop a carriage—pure foolishness!"
"Old Chu! He's our only son!" Mother Chu cried, clutching her husband's arm as tears fell from her eyes.
Father Chu's face was grim. After a long moment, he said quietly, "I know he's our only son. If it comes to it… we'll give up the family business."
Watching the couple before him, Chu Yunsheng was silent for a while. Then he slowly reached out and held both their hands, his voice low and steady.
"Father, Mother—please don't worry. I don't know what rumors you've heard, but I've known Mr. Yu for quite some time. He's not the cold-blooded, cruel, unreasonable man people say he is."
"When I was in Beiping, I was deceived and betrayed by a fellow townsman from Haicheng. It was thanks to Mr. Yu's help that I survived and made it back here—to see you both again. If anything, he could even be considered my benefactor."
"I went into partnership with him to open this hospital entirely of my own will, I wanted to do something to help people, to save lives—but that's difficult to accomplish on my own. He appreciated my skills and ideals and was willing to collaborate with me. There was no coercion or manipulation involved—just a meeting of like minds."
In Father and Mother Chu's eyes, the original Chu Yunsheng had always been good at keeping up appearances. Hearing him now claim that Yu Jingzhi admired his talent, they found nothing suspicious about it.
"But if you came back to Haicheng of your own accord," Mother Chu asked again, "why didn't you come home?"
Chu Yunsheng had already prepared an answer for this. Smiling slightly, he replied, "Mother, you saw for yourself—this hospital has only just gotten on the right track, and there are already many patients. We're short on staff, so I really can't leave. It's not just me—everyone here lives and eats at the hospital. None of us have been home for a long time."
"Besides, the same townsman who set me up back in Beiping has also returned to Haicheng. I've heard he has ties to the Tianming Society, and I feared that contacting you might bring trouble upon the family. I've already told Mr. Yu about it—he's willing to help, but said we should wait until I finish up here at the hospital before taking any action."
As Chu Yunsheng patiently explained, blending truth with fabrication, his parents' expressions gradually softened. They still seemed somewhat doubtful, but their initial alarm and panic had clearly subsided.
"The Tianming Society…"
Father Chu frowned, deep in thought. "What's the name of that fellow townsman you mentioned?"
"He called himself Zhang Peng, courtesy name Luzhai," Chu Yunsheng replied evenly. "Claimed to be a classmate from my private school days, though I barely remember him. When he sought me out, I suspect it was deliberate—so that I'd end up catching the attention of the Tianming Society."
Father Chu fell silent for a long time before sighing. "Once you get caught up in matters like these, it's nearly impossible to stay untouched. You say Mr. Yu wants to help you, but I fear he might just be using you to deal with the Tianming Society in some way. Still, though his reputation isn't good, I do know some customers who've told me that many of Haicheng's orphanages are supported by him. Some rural charity hospitals too—all bearing the Yu name. But then again, doing good deeds doesn't necessarily make one a good man."
"If, as you say, Mr. Yu truly has some measure of kindness and genuinely values you, then staying here may not be a bad thing. It's likely safer than being at home, at least for now."
"But as your father, I have to tell you this—whatever you do, be careful. Don't trust others too easily. And if something ever happens—if you ever feel you can't handle it—then come home. Your mother and I are old; what do we have to fear from any society or secret group? They wouldn't dare take my son's life."
The hands Chu Yunsheng held were rough and calloused. He unconsciously tightened his grip, lowering his eyes. Words caught in his throat—unspoken, unable to come out—and what remained was a faint, aching bitterness.
"You…"
Father Chu looked at him, started to speak, then stopped. At last, he only let out a deep sigh.
With that, there was little more to say. Father and Mother Chu no longer felt like chatting about trivial family matters. Mother Chu only clasped his hand again, asking with concern about his life at the hospital, and then said nothing more.
Chu Yunsheng escorted the couple to the hospital's rear entrance and watched as they climbed into a rickshaw and left. Hidden in the shadows, Yu Jingzhi's men were already following—partly to keep watch, partly to protect them.
The encounter left a faint trace in Chu Yunsheng's heart, but since he had already informed Yu Jingzhi, he didn't dwell on it much. Still, he couldn't help thinking that arrangements for his parents' safety would have to be made soon.
After a long, busy day, the hospital's affairs finally came to an end.
Before leaving work, Chu Yunsheng changed into a clean white coat and went up to the isolation ward on the third floor to check on the second group of patients receiving penicillin treatment.
The clinical trials of penicillin couldn't be entrusted to anyone else—all of it was handled personally by Chu Yunsheng, which took considerable time. By the time he finished inspecting the last ward, the hands of his pocket watch had already made two full turns. Night had fallen deeply, and even the cicadas' cries outside the window had grown faint.
Lowering his gaze to the clinical notes, Chu Yunsheng pushed open the ward door. Before he could even approach the patient's bed, a cool hand reached out and took the medical case from him.
A faint, lingering fragrance—cool and restrained—carried with it the dampness of a southern summer night.
Chu Yunsheng lifted his eyes slightly.
The light of the kerosene lamp was dim and hazy, outlining the young man's fine, striking features with a soft glow—so exquisite it was as if he had stepped out of an ancient painting.
That handsome, clean face turned slightly toward him, drawing closer. In the dark pupils reflected the cool, distant outline of Chu Yunsheng's eyes and brows, like a quiet and beautiful landscape captured within.
"Rest for a while. I'll take over," Yu Jingzhi said softly.
Chu Yunsheng looked at his moving lips, remained silent for a moment, then made no objection. He turned and sat down on a nearby chair.
Yu Jingzhi smiled faintly, took off Chu Yunsheng's mask and put it on himself. Then he drew open the curtain around the bed, woke the sleeping patient gently, and began asking questions in a low voice.
It wasn't Yu Jingzhi's first time coming to help. In fact, there was even a bed for him in the small lounge room adjoining Chu Yunsheng's office—sometimes, when work ran late, he would simply stay the night there. But this was perhaps the first time Chu Yunsheng could sit still, unoccupied, simply watching Yu Jingzhi at work—watching him take on the calm, meticulous bearing of a physician as he spoke with a patient.
Tonight, Yu Jingzhi wore a long white robe embroidered with cloud patterns. It lent him an air of scholarly grace—so cultured and refined that it was impossible to connect him with the man who had once led a massacre against the Tianming Society.
And perhaps it was precisely this contrast that stunned so many who met Yu Jingzhi for the first time. Those who had only heard his name were always momentarily dazed when they finally saw him. Of course, if that first meeting happened to be when he was in uniform, gun in hand, the impression would be entirely different.
These thoughts drifted idly through Chu Yunsheng's mind until Yu Jingzhi finished giving the injection and came over to him, drawing his gaze back into focus.
"Have you had dinner?" Yu Jingzhi asked.
The two of them left the ward, passing several of Yu Jingzhi's men stationed outside, and made their way toward the lounge.
"I've eaten," Chu Yunsheng said as he locked his things in the office drawer, took off his white coat, and opened the door to the lounge, switching on the light. "My parents came by this morning."
Yu Jingzhi nodded. "Don't worry too much—I'll make the necessary arrangements. Go take a bath first; I've already washed up before coming."
The words might have sounded a little odd, but Chu Yunsheng didn't think much of it. He picked up a basin and a towel and went into the small bathroom.
His lack of suspicion wasn't due to naivety or a pure mind. Rather, ever since the Lantern Festival months ago, Yu Jingzhi had kept a clear boundary between them—never once crossing the line.
Chu Yunsheng understood the reason behind this restraint. Whether it stemmed from a lack of full trust or from Yu Jingzhi's wish to treat him with the respect one would show a gentleman, it was, in any case, a reasonable reaction. He didn't expect more than that; given enough time, some things would become clear on their own.
Besides, after what had happened that night by the Suzhou River, Chu Yunsheng felt that their relationship had already taken a quiet step forward—there was no need to rush.
At this time, taking a hot shower was difficult. Some of the mansions in the foreign concession had wall-mounted copper shower fixtures, but even then, regular access to hot water was a luxury. Chu Yunsheng's lounge room had no such installation; he could only pour water over himself to wash.
After bathing, he put on a pair of shorts he had tailored himself and threw on a short shirt before stepping out.
The light in the rest room was already off—Yu Jingzhi must have gone to sleep.
In the faint moonlight seeping through the window, Chu Yunsheng moved quietly, putting his things away and towel-drying his hair as he walked toward his bed.
But just as he reached it, he suddenly realized—someone was already lying there.
Yu Jingzhi was leaning against the pillow, eyes open, watching Chu Yunsheng.
He had taken off his own clothes but was now wearing a white doctor's coat—every button undone—its folds loose and open, revealing long legs pale enough to gleam even in the dim light.
Chu Yunsheng sat down at the edge of the bed, reached out, and touched his head without saying anything.
"At first, I didn't care much," Yu Jingzhi said softly. "I was doubtful. Then I grew curious—found you interesting. Later still, I wanted to get closer to respect you, to protect you."
As he spoke, he took Chu Yunsheng's hand, guiding his fingers to brush against the space between his brows, then slowly down the bridge of his nose. "But if I set all that aside and simply look at you, I only regret one thing—"
"That I came too late that I couldn't have met you sooner…"
When Chu Yunsheng's fingertips reached his lips, Yu Jingzhi parted them slightly and pressed a damp, tender kiss against the pads of his fingers.
Then, amid the kiss, a sharp tooth nipped lightly at the skin—a faint sting.
Yu Jingzhi chuckled. "Ah, I'm terrible at saying things like this. I haven't read many of those sentimental, romantic books, so I don't know how to make it sound pretty. But this—what I'm saying now—is the truth. If you still aren't satisfied then I'll just have to take you by force."
Chu Yunsheng let him bite as he pleased. The cool restraint in his features melted away, and a gentle, almost tender smile softened his expression.
A moment later, Chu Yunsheng bent down, pressing his fingers against Yu Jingzhi's lips and tongue. He lifted that pale chin and lowered his head to bite down.
…
Across the city, on the same night, the Chu household had just seen off an unexpected visitor.
Tan Yongsi, who had been politely escorted out by the butler, wore a pleasant smile on his face. But the instant he turned away, his expression darkened—his brows drew together, and his eyes were clouded with doubt.
He walked along the empty street, the dim glow of the streetlamps stretching his shadow long behind him. At a crossroads, he suddenly changed direction, heading away from the Tan family's cloth shop.
Before long, he arrived at the back door of a newspaper office and knocked.
After a short while, a young newsboy came to open the door. The boy looked him over curiously and asked, "Sir, who are you looking for?"
"I'm looking for the deputy editor, Mr. Liwen," Tan Yongsi said. "My surname is Tan."
The newsboy shut the door and went inside. After a moment—apparently having confirmed something—he came back out, opened the door again, and led Tan Yongsi in.
Inside, the newspaper's office was crowded with desks and chairs. Books were piled on the floor, and papers, letters, and pens were scattered across the tables in a kind of organized chaos.
When Tan Yongsi entered, there were only two people in the room—one was the head of the local news vendors, the other a young man in a long gown, wearing glasses.
As soon as they saw Tan Yongsi, the two stopped talking. The news vendor nodded in greeting, then stood and left. The young man came forward to meet Tan Yongsi.
"It's so late, What brings you here at this hour, Yongsi?"
"I went to the Chu residence again tonight, just as you told me," Tan Yongsi began directly. "The Chu couple did go to Renhe Hospital earlier today and found Chu Yunsheng. But judging from their reaction, they didn't seem opposed to him working there. Their attitude was completely different from the last time I mentioned it."
The young man replied, "There's something strange about this."
"Then should we drop the matter?" Tan Yongsi asked.
The young man shook his head. "No, we can't. It still has to be done—but neither of us needs to take action directly. Mr. Adams will make arrangements. At present, the Tianming Society has already been half destroyed by Yu Jingzhi. Du Tianming and Du Qi are like stray dogs now, relying on Pitt's people. They won't be stirring up trouble again anytime soon. Meanwhile, Yu Jingzhi's power has only grown stronger—he doesn't even bother to hide it anymore. Gao Lan will lose patience sooner or later and come to Haicheng."
"Before Mr. Adams and Gao Lan reach an agreement, we don't need to move against Yu Jingzhi yet. But we must make preparations in advance. Mr. Adams's desire to eliminate Yu Jingzhi is very strong. He knows well that, in these past two years, Yu Jingzhi no longer needs his support."
Tan Yongsi asked, "So Mr. Adams believes Yu Jingzhi is our greatest enemy?"
"Of course, Mr. Adams received some intelligence earlier this year that made him suspicious, though he couldn't find concrete proof. Even so, it's clear Yu Jingzhi is a major obstacle to Mr. Adams's plans for Haicheng. As for that Englishman—he's not much of a threat. He thinks he's clever, but after Yu Jingzhi's recent massacre that wiped out half of Haicheng's underworld, he's convinced Yu only craves power and profit, nothing else. He even withdrew many of the men he'd stationed to monitor him."
The young man said.
"Perhaps that's all a ruse—to mislead us?" Tan Yongsi suggested.
"It's possible," the young man said, frowning. "But regardless, we can't afford to relax where Yu Jingzhi is concerned. The Yu residence is impenetrable—there's no easy point of entry. Those who follow him, aside from the Jiuliu Society, are also difficult to sway. The only potential opening lies with this Chu Yunsheng."
"But if we're to make a move through him, we must be extremely careful. When I first picked him in Beiping, I only meant to choose an insignificant wastrel. Yet the way things unfolded completely deviated from the plan. I still don't know how he escaped that trap in Beiping. It seems he's far from as simple as he appears."
"By the way, I have a letter to write. I can't act openly in Haicheng, so I'll trouble you to deliver it for me."
As he spoke, he pulled a sheet of stationery from the drawer, spread it across the desk, and began writing swiftly.
Standing beside him, Tan Yongsi noticed that the name the young man used to sign the letter was not his usual pen name, Liwen—but the two characters: Lu Zhai.