Yan Aohan’s lips curled into a wicked smile. "Ani gave me a pill. She said to place it in the secret room and seal it shut. As long as the door stays closed, nothing happens. But once opened, it releases a faint toxic smoke. It will make everyone in the Zhu family in Zhu City look like they have a disease. Ani said open schemes work best. Only then can she come to the Zhu family openly to settle scores."
"Fine, go set it up," Taishu Yuanxiang shrugged. He admired his sister-in-law’s calculation. If the whole village fell ill, the Little Divine Doctor would naturally come. It was a true open scheme, and no one knew yet. "Anyway, you two are people who never forget a slight."
Yan Aohan glanced at Taishu Yuanxiang. "As if you are very kind."
Knowing the secret room’s layout, Yan Aohan jumped down. He placed a pill, colored like the soil, in a hidden spot. Then he leaped out, pressed the earth brick, and sealed the room.
"Let’s go," Yan Aohan said directly. "The plane waits outside the city. We fly to Beijing. I’ll call Ani on the way to tell her to wait at the Beijing Hospital."
"I’ll carry him," Zhu Shun Yao said from the side. "Dad, let me carry you."
Zhu Shun Yao’s heart was heavy. He couldn’t believe his own father had been harmed so badly—tongue cut out, eyes gouged, locked in a dark room for forty years. Though his education was low, he knew it took immense willpower to stay sane in confinement for decades.
Zhu Shen Fu nodded, his expression excited. He thought he’d never see his son again. Yet, forty years later, they met. Though blind, he could feel the air around him. That was enough. He still had family.
She hadn’t hoped her wife would find the granddaughter. She felt her time was short. But giving her a goal was good. So she agreed. Unexpectedly, within ten days, she returned with family. She could finally reunite with her wife, son, and grandchildren.
Excitement made his body tremble. He leaned on Zhu Shun Yao’s back, feeling safety for the first time. He patted his son’s shoulder and took a deep breath.
"Grandpa, don’t get too excited. We’ll talk when we’re home," Yan Aohan said.
Zhu Shen Fu shook his head and made a gesture. Yan Aohan understood. "You want to retrieve something?"
Zhu Shen Fu nodded and traced a shape in the air.
"You mean it’s under the three-hundred-year-old camphor tree at the east village entrance?" Yan Aohan asked.
Zhu Shen Fu nodded again.
"Brother-in-law, take Dad and the grandparents to the car first. I’ll go to the camphor tree," Yan Aohan said.
"Be careful," Taishu Yuanxiang agreed. It was the safest plan.
Zhu Shen Fu also accepted this, so he didn’t refuse going to the car first.
Yan Aohan followed the directions to the village entrance. There were many trees at the east entrance, but the ancient camphor tree was obvious.
Standing before it, Yan Aohan said, "Bring out what Zhu Shen Fu buried here over forty years ago."
A strange scene unfolded. A sandalwood box slowly rose from the earth.
Yan Aohan took the box and left the tree. Back in the car, he handed it to Zhu Shen Fu. "Grandpa, is this it?"
Zhu Shen Fu touched it and nodded.
"Since it’s done, let’s leave," Yan Aohan told Ma Guang. "Ma Guang, after dropping us at the plane, return to South City. Don’t come to East City for days. Wash the car thoroughly. Remove any traces of us or soil from here."
"Master Yan, rest assured. After dropping you, I’ll go to a secret Ma family base here. I’ll swap in an identical car and just change the license plate."
The Ma family had its resources. Such a small matter was easy.
"Good," Yan Aohan nodded. He left no loose ends. He wondered how Zhu Yong Fu would react when he discovered Zhu Shen Fu was gone.
Zhu Yanyi received Yan Aohan’s call. She told Xie Xinlian, "Aohan has successfully rescued Grandpa. I’m going to the hospital. Their plane will land there directly. Mom, give me the clothes bought for Grandpa. You can come tomorrow morning."
"Okay," Xie Xinlian nodded. "Be careful going out alone. I’ll bring breakfast tomorrow morning."
"Brother Pei is with me. It’s fine," Zhu Yanyi smiled lightly and left. Pei Tiandu was already waiting in the car.
Zhu Yanyi didn’t disturb anyone, heading to Beijing Hospital. Well, she did call Gu Jingtian, so she rushed over too.
Zhu Yanyi’s matters were always important. Hearing it was about her biological grandfather, Gu Jingtian knew ordinary doctors couldn’t handle it. So she didn’t mind acting as her assistant.
"When did you get a grandfather?" Gu Jingtian asked upon seeing her.
Zhu Yanyi glanced at her. "My dad isn’t Sun Wukong, born from a stone. If I have a dad, I have a grandpa. I have both grandpa and grandma. They are alive and coming tonight."
"Isn’t your grandfather said to be in Xiangshui?" Gu Jingtian knew some Zhu family history.
Zhu Yanyi glanced at her again. "The one in Xiangshui is probably just a namesake. Not my real grandpa."
A namesake? What a coincidence. Same birthplace, even a son with the same name. But seeing Zhu Yanyi wouldn’t say more, Gu Jingtian didn’t press. She was sharp. If there were no secrets, she wouldn’t believe it.