The Godfather sighed. "I have always wondered how the Silver Fox hid people. I smelled your food and came looking. Indeed, without that scent, I would not have found this place. But since you wanted me here, you must have planned to attract me."
"It is normal. We were meeting tomorrow anyway, so meeting early is good," Zhu Yanyi said with a smile. She had intended to be disturbed by the Godfather while making soup.
"So you made this soup on purpose?" the Godfather asked.
Zhu Yanyi nodded. "You and Grandpa Yao needed to say goodbye. We are all adults. Being too close is not good."
This statement was strange. The Godfather and Old Yao could never be close. But because Zhu Yanyi said it, neither Yan Aohan nor the Silver Fox argued. They felt she had a reason.
The Godfather looked at Zhu Yanyi. "I just did not want to leave a knot in my heart."
"A good idea. But now that you see us, is the knot gone?" A faint, wicked smile touched Zhu Yanyi’s lips. "I fear the knot is heavier now."
The Godfather smiled bitterly. She had to admit she was right. She never expected to meet such a calm Zhu Yanyi. She had imagined many reunion scenes, but not this calmness.
Zhu Yanyi still smiled. The Godfather would never understand her. She had been sad once, but she let go. Her natural indifference meant her actions had already drained any emotion. So, seeing her again was peaceful.
The Godfather looked at her. "Three years ago, in Tibet, you suspected me then, right?"
"Yes. I suspected you when I went to the Tibetan Palace," Zhu Yanyi said with a faint smile. "But I wanted to give you a chance, so I did not expose you. Sadly, the chance brought news of Grandpa Zhihui’s death. Then I knew you did not need the chance. Since you did not need it, I would not force you. So now, seeing you again, I feel no emotion."
"Time is a good thing," the Godfather sighed.
"Time is indeed good," Zhu Yanyi agreed. "Because of this, I know your appearance here is not simple. You have made an agreement with Aohan. Now, tell us your true purpose."
"You think I have a true purpose?" the Godfather asked.
Zhu Yanyi nodded firmly. "You are not one to do useless work."
A forced smile appeared on the Godfather’s kind face. "It seems you know me well."
"Not really. But guessing your personality is not hard." Zhu Yanyi faced her calmly. She had thought she might be angry, but time was good. That anger never came.
The Godfather looked at her in surprise, not understanding her meaning.
Zhu Yanyi spoke softly. "I am a doctor, a traditional Chinese medicine doctor. The basics are observation, listening, inquiry, and pulse-taking. Observation is the most important. It means looking at a person’s face. To read faces, one must understand bone growth. So, when learning to read faces, one can also see a person’s future. This is called physiognomy."
"Because I know this, I can see your thoughts. It is a skill of observation. If a TCM doctor cannot read expressions, they learn nothing."
She continued, "Do not worry. Everyone has different environments and experiences. I do not agree with your methods, but you made many choices after careful thought. I accept that. Since I accept it, there is no need to complain. It is better to rest well and fight you properly tomorrow. Facing reality is what we must do now."
The Godfather was stunned. she did not expect her to say this. she looked at her deeply for a long time before speaking. "I thought wrong. You are right. We can only face reality. Rest well tonight. I will not disturb you. Let us meet on the mountain tomorrow."
"Fine. Then go well. See you tomorrow," Zhu Yanyi waved, seeing her off.
The Godfather left the cave and stood on the cliff. He looked down, a trace of melancholy on his face. But he quickly discarded it. At this point, no one could retreat. He could not retreat. He would build his own goal. With this chance, he would not think of backing down.
After a moment, the Godfather left decisively. Tomorrow might bring many things, but he knew tonight was his last day in this world.
Except for Old Yao, who lay sleeping, the other three sat cross-legged, regulating their breath until dawn.
At their level, sleeping for days or staying awake for days was easy. And indeed, it was so.
When dawn broke, Zhu Yanyi walked to the cave entrance. The mountain fog was still thick. Looking down, the fog varied in density, making everything look like smoke and mist, hazy and beautiful.
"I feel like I am in the sky. Looking down, the scenery is enchanting," Zhu Yanyi smiled at Yan Aohan, who came out behind her.
Yan Aohan saw the view too. "This place is indeed beautiful, but the temperature is low."
"I will not catch a cold," Zhu Yanyi glared at her, then laughed. "Enough talk. I will make breakfast."
"What for breakfast?" Yan Aohan asked.
Zhu Yanyi chuckled. "I have hidden many animals here, especially snakes. There are many. I will make snake meat porridge for breakfast. I will say you found them. Once cooked, no one knows the source. I will also bake some naan bread. I am not hungry, but Grandpa Yao needs to eat."
Yan Aohan understood. "You are not hungry because your body absorbs spiritual energy from the air to nourish itself. It is normal that you are not hungry."