After a long while, he finally snapped out of it, looked at Xu Ruizhi, and asked, "So you came this time to look for family?"
"Mm." Xu Ruizhi nodded emphatically and said, "My parents just returned to China last night. They only know the general situation, so I wanted to learn more about my cousin."
Hearing this, the man thought for a long time, then nodded and said, "Alright! Since you want to know, I'll tell you. But first, tell me—how do your parents plan to take care of your cousin?"
Xu Ruizhi quickly replied, "My dad said we'll take my cousin to Meiguo to live with us, and see if we can treat her condition. He also said that even if she's… not all there, we have to make sure she's taken care of. After all, she's my aunt's only daughter. They can't bear to see her living all alone in this world."
"Don't worry, that girl isn't… like that. She just has some issues with her mental development," the man told Xu Ruizhi. "I won't hide it from you—I've seen her wash bedsheets and stuff. Her hand-scrubbing is even better than my wife's. She used to come eat my tofu pudding every morning, but recently, since my mother passed away, I bought her some food to last before I went back home. I don't know if she's finished it yet."
So that's how it was. Hearing this, Xu Ruizhi secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Xiao Meng had food before—that made sense. Without something to sustain her, she would've starved long ago.
"Then how did my aunt pass away?" Xu Ruizhi asked, frowning.
After hearing this, the man packed the steaming tofu pudding into two plastic bags and handed them to Xu Ruizhi, saying:
"I'm not entirely clear on the specifics, but many people say your aunt died from a difficult childbirth."
"Difficult childbirth?" Xu Ruizhi's expression changed upon hearing this. "When she gave birth to... my cousin?"
"Yes! I heard the hospital conditions weren't great back then. Your aunt suffered a massive hemorrhage and was in critical care for nearly two hours, but in the end..." The man scratched his head sheepishly. "I'm just repeating what others said, but I think it's true. Hospital conditions were indeed poor at that time. Your cousin suffered severe brain damage due to oxygen deprivation during birth."
"What about my uncle?" Xu Ruizhi pressed on.
"Your uncle..." The man hesitated for a moment before continuing, "Your uncle... it seems he drowned in a river about twenty years ago after drinking too much at a business dinner..."
"Drowned?" Xu Ruizhi frowned.
"Yes. After that, your cousin's grandmother raised her alone until she passed away a year ago, leaving your cousin to live alone in that unfinished building." The man spoke slowly, his gaze drifting toward the distant abandoned structure, his eyes flickering as if lost in memories.
"Boss, one bowl of tofu pudding and one fried dough stick!" a sudden shout interrupted.
"Coming right up!" the man replied, then placed the fried dough stick into a plastic bag and handed it to Xu Ruizhi. "Take this. Your cousin is in that unfinished building. I've packed an extra portion for you to bring to her. If I weren't tied up here, I'd go with you."
Xu Ruizhi chuckled as he pulled out money to pay. "No need, Uncle. You're busy. I can go by myself."
"Ah, keep your money. Consider it my treat. Your cousin has a hard life here," the man insisted, trying to refuse.
"Really, it's not necessary," Xu Ruizhi insisted, stuffing the money into the man's arms before grabbing the tofu pudding and fried dough stick and heading toward the unfinished building.
...
The unfinished building was located in the northern suburbs of Nanyang City, about 300 meters from the city center. Upon arriving, Xu Ruizhi took out a key, unlocked the rusty door, and stepped inside with the tofu pudding and fried dough stick.
Once inside, he fetched an iron basin from the kitchen, placed it on the dining table, and poured the tofu pudding into it.
A soft rustling sound filled the air as the tofu pudding flowed into the basin, releasing a rich, savory aroma that wafted throughout the room.
Xu Ruizhi sniffed lightly and nodded in satisfaction. He then glanced at the clock on the wall and noticed it was already six o'clock. He wondered how his mother was doing.
The more he thought about it, the more restless he felt. His mother must be worried sick by now!
"Phew—" Xu Ruizhi exhaled a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down before walking toward the bedroom.
"Creak!" He pushed open the bedroom door to find Fang Hanmeng still sound asleep on the bed. The summer quilt had been kicked into disarray, revealing her fair, slender legs. Her full chest rose and fell gently, the two enticing peaks standing proudly, causing Xu Ruizhi's resolve to waver once again.
Xu Ruizhi steadied his mind, walked to the bedside, and leaned over to gaze at Fang Hanmeng's stunningly beautiful face. At that moment, Fang Hanmeng was sleeping soundly, her long eyelashes fluttering faintly, and the corners of her mouth slightly upturned as if she were having a sweet dream.
"Xiao Meng, Xiao Meng, time to get up and eat!" Xu Ruizhi gently shook Fang Hanmeng a few times and called out softly.
"Hmm..." Fang Hanmeng drowsily opened her eyes, rubbed her sleepy face, and upon seeing Xu Ruizhi standing before her, asked in confusion, "Big brother, you're back?"
Xu Ruizhi nodded and said, "I bought you some tofu pudding. Hurry up and get up to eat! How about I take you to KFC for lunch?"
"Okay!" Fang Hanmeng obediently nodded, then yawned and mumbled indistinctly, "But I'm really so sleepy. Can I sleep a little longer?"
Seeing Fang Hanmeng's tired and listless appearance, Xu Ruizhi thought for a moment. Indeed, she had slept far too late yesterday, and they had been up half the night, not to mention it was her first time. She probably couldn't even walk steadily now and truly needed some rest.
"Alright, I'll wake you up when I come back later. You can go back to sleep now," Xu Ruizhi said with concern.
"Mmm, I know," Fang Hanmeng nodded, her words slightly slurred as she closed her eyes again...
"Huh?" Fang Hanmeng suddenly opened her eyes, as if realizing something, and quickly asked Xu Ruizhi:
"Big brother, what did you just say? Are you leaving Mengmeng?"
"Uh..." Xu Ruizhi was momentarily stunned. Looking into Fang Hanmeng's bright, clear eyes fixed on him, he gave a bitter smile and said, "I'm not leaving you. I haven't been home all night, and my mother must be worried sick, so I have to hurry back. Can you understand?"
"When will big brother come back?" Fang Hanmeng blinked her big eyes, looking at Xu Ruizhi expectantly, as if her eyes would instantly redden if he said he wasn't coming back.
"Soon, I promise I'll be back to keep you company before noon, okay?" Xu Ruizhi replied softly, though he couldn't help thinking that he felt a bit like a scumbag who takes advantage and then leaves without a second thought.
Xu Ruizhi quickly shook his head, dismissing the strange thought. He wasn't a scumbag, and besides, he couldn't bear to leave a girl like Xiao Meng... no, a woman like her.
"Alright then!" Fang Hanmeng pouted, sounding a bit sulky.
"Okay, I'm off now," Xu Ruizhi patted Fang Hanmeng's plump, smooth buttocks, causing ripples to sway.
Feeling the soft elasticity in his palm, he gave it another squeeze, glaring fiercely at her round, perky bottom. "Wait until I come back, and I'll show you just how capable big brother is!"
Seeing Fang Hanmeng's dazed and innocent expression, Xu Ruizhi couldn't resist leaning in for a kiss.
"Mmm... uh..."
Xu Ruizhi kissed Fang Hanmeng deeply, his tongue slipping into her mouth as he greedily savored the sweet nectar within.
A minute later, Xu Ruizhi reluctantly pulled away from Fang Hanmeng's lips. She gasped for breath, her face flushed as she glared at him and scolded, "Big brother... you're so bad..."
"Hehe!" Xu Ruizhi chuckled triumphantly before turning and leaving the bedroom.
After finishing breakfast in just a few bites, Xu Ruizhi stepped out of the room. Standing outside the door, he closed his eyes and began flipping through the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon in his mind, searching for a suitable movement technique.
A flood of information poured into his mind, causing Xu Ruizhi's frown to deepen.
"Wind-Riding Steps, Thunderbolt Shadow Kick, Soaring Cloud Nine Heavens Step, Star-Chasing Step... all of these are Wuji-level. Are there any movement techniques suitable for the Qi Refining stage?"
Clearly, among the memories Xu Ruizhi had acquired, movement techniques for the Qi Refining stage were scarce. It couldn't be helped—movement techniques were inherently rare, especially those tailored for the Qi Refining stage.
Cultivation techniques were ranked from highest to lowest as Wuji, Dao, Guizhen, Huanxu, Heaven, Earth, Mystic, and Yellow—eight major realms. Each realm was further divided into four minor levels: low-grade, mid-grade, high-grade, and supreme-grade.
At most, he could currently learn Mystic-grade supreme-level techniques, and even that was only possible with the help of the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon. Otherwise, with his mid-stage Qi Refining cultivation, he would struggle to master even a mid-grade Yellow-level technique.
"What is this?" Suddenly, Xu Ruizhi discovered that amidst a vast, mist-like expanse of memories, a cultivation technique emerged. After carefully examining it, his eyes lit up with delight.
"Shadow Dance Swift Wind Step—this is actually a high-grade Profound-tier movement technique! It can create illusions through dance-like movements, confusing the enemy's vision and judgment. Not only can it evade attacks, but it also allows for swift travel at incredible speed!" Xu Ruizhi murmured excitedly to himself.
Eagerly, Xu Ruizhi committed the technique to memory and began circulating the spiritual energy within his body according to the pathways outlined in his mind. Soon, layers of afterimages flickered in his consciousness, persisting for about five seconds before fading away.
Unable to resist, Xu Ruizhi took a few steps, gradually picking up speed until his movements became light and ethereal, almost ghost-like. At times, his figure even seemed to warp and distort faintly.
"Still not quite proficient enough!"
Xu Ruizhi shook his head inwardly. Although he had grasped the basics of the technique, having just come into contact with it, his execution remained somewhat clumsy.
No matter—a few more tries and he'd get the hang of it.
With that thought, Xu Ruizhi activated the movement technique, his body transforming into a gust of wind as he sped toward the hospital. In the blink of an eye, he vanished without a trace.
"Hello? Didn't you see him? Oh, okay, okay..." In a high-end hospital room, two women in their early thirties were anxiously waiting for something.
One of them held a phone, dressed in a white knit sweater paired with denim shorts that revealed her fair, slender, and straight calves. Her glossy black hair cascaded loosely, framing a delicate oval face adorned with bright, expressive eyes. Her skin was so smooth it seemed almost translucent, and her striking figure—especially her prominent bust—was impossible to ignore, even through her clothes. She exuded the mature charm of a devoted wife and mother.
"That kid still hasn't come home. Who knows where he's gone? It's so worrying," she said, hanging up the phone and pacing restlessly while muttering complaints.
"Stop pacing—you're making me dizzy. Sit down and rest for a bit," the other woman said, seated on the hospital bed. Her face, equally mature and lovely, had an oval shape with delicate willow-leaf eyebrows, radiating a sense of competence and elegant intellect. A thin blanket covered her curvaceous figure, leaving her snow-white neck exposed to the air and her fair arms bare, tempting one to lift the covers for a closer look.
These two were, of course, Yang Zhurou and Song Lianwei.
"He's not your son, so of course you're not worried," Yang Zhurou remarked, glancing sideways at Song Lianwei with a slight curl of her lip.
For some reason, ever since learning about Xu Ruizhi's relationship with Song Lianwei, Yang Zhurou had felt an inexplicable resentment and jealousy toward her.
Hearing this, Song Lianwei looked at Yang Zhurou in surprise. What was with the sudden hostility? She found it baffling at first, but then, as if realizing something, her expression shifted to one of understanding. She replied with a sarcastic tone, "Right, you're his mother. Getting angry that he ran away from home—only a real mother would do something like that!"
Song Lianwei finished speaking, paused for a moment, and then continued, "But how does that old saying go again?"
Yang Zhurou didn't say a word. She simply sat on the chair beside her, poised and elegant like an otherworldly fairy untouched by mortal affairs, yet a trace of annoyance flickered across her face.
"As the saying goes, 'A son takes a wife and forgets his mother.' Though I'm not his mother, I've taken care of every little thing for him since he was a child—eating, drinking, sleeping, you name it. A few years ago, I even bathed with him. Last night, he told me himself that I was his first love..." Song Lianwei boasted triumphantly, feeling she had the upper hand both psychologically and materially.
She glanced at Yang Zhurou again and continued, "I've heard that a man never forgets his first love. And he gave me his innocence too. Even though you're his biological mother, do you believe that from now on, he'll confide all his secrets to me..."
Yang Zhurou's expression remained unchanged. She simply sat quietly beside them, not uttering a word, but a wave of intense jealousy surged within her heart, even causing a pang of pain.
Seeing Yang Zhurou fall silent, Song Lianwei knew she was on the verge of breaking down. Feeling a twinge of guilt, she sighed and comforted her, "Alright, everything I just said was nonsense. You're his biological mother—no one can take that away from you. Besides, we're like family. Don't worry, that kid won't get far. We'll definitely find him. Let's get dressed and look for him together. He must be somewhere near the hospital, maybe crying in a corner."
Hearing this, Yang Zhurou's expression softened slightly. She nodded, stood up, and said, "Let's go!"
Just then, a knock came from the hospital room door. Yang Zhurou and Song Lianwei exchanged glances. As if guessing something, Yang Zhurou hurriedly opened the door. Sure enough, Xu Ruizhi was outside, panting heavily. He had used the Shadow Dance Swift Wind Step all the way here, his face pale, his spiritual energy nearly depleted. But the gains were substantial—his understanding of the Shadow Dance Swift Wind Step had deepened, making it all worthwhile.
"Mom, I'm sorry!" Xu Ruizhi immediately surrendered and apologized upon seeing Yang Zhurou.
Seeing his state, Yang Zhurou's heart softened. Tears instantly welled up in her eyes as she pulled Xu Ruizhi into a tight embrace, sobbing, "It's Mom's fault. I shouldn't have scolded you. Will you forgive me? I was really afraid of losing you!"
Yang Zhurou cried uncontrollably, and Xu Ruizhi held her tightly, patting her back gently as he whispered comforting words. The two of them held each other for a long time, unwilling to let go.
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