228: Chapter 228 It Seems Like an Old Friend Has Arrived

Chapter 228: An Old Friend Returns

This man dressed in a grey trench coat seemed to walk out of the mist, making him inscrutable.

His hair looked somewhat graying, but his posture was exceptionally straight and tall.

He had been silent since entering the shop, quietly observing his surroundings with a gaze hidden behind round-rimmed glasses.

Aside from asking a single question earlier that sounded like an assassin, the entire person was like a silent shadow, blending into the background with zero presence.

At this moment, he finally broke the silence, yet it made the interior of the shop even quieter.

The wall clock ticked "tick, tick" on the wall.

Master Lin stared for a long while, some emotion seemingly churning deep within his eyes.

Then, he slowly adjusted his reading glasses, turned to look at Fang Cheng and the others, and said,

"You guys go off work first."

His ordinary words carried an unquestionable tone.

Fang Cheng frowned slightly.

Although he was unclear about the man's intentions, he could clearly sense the fluctuations in Master Lin's emotions.

Wen Huiyi revealed a hesitant expression, her gaze sweeping toward the two remaining customers in the shop as she stammered,

"But..."

She also vaguely sensed a somewhat unusual atmosphere and did not want to leave the boss alone to face potential trouble.

As if seeing through their thoughts, Master Lin waved his hand, his tone becoming a bit gentler:

"I am enough by myself. I still need to handle some private matters later, so you can rest assured and go back."

Wen Huiyi nodded helplessly, silently tidying up the counter, and then took Wen Xin by the hand.

Wen Xin looked bewildered, but obediently followed her mother out of the clinic.

Fang Cheng understood that Master Lin should have his own considerations.

Then he took off his work clothes, performed Cleaning on his hands, and only then prepared to go off work and home.

When passing by the doorway, he brushed shoulders with the man in the grey trench coat.

The faint smell of tobacco on the man drifted into his nasal cavity, causing Fang Cheng to instinctively glance sideways.

Yet he found that the other person's gaze seemed very different, as deep as an endless black hole, as if it could pierce through a person's Soul.

Seeing Fang Cheng staring at him, the man then revealed a slight smile and nodded in acknowledgment.

Fang Cheng withdrew his gaze, immediately took large strides, and soon walked out of the shop door as well.

Half an hour later.

The night grew even deeper, as if tightly wrapping the entire street.

Inside Lin Fushengs Orthopedic Clinic, a wisp of light still leaked out.

In the inner room, an incandescent lamp hung overhead.

The warm-toned halo illuminated the room, yet could not dispel the heavy atmosphere filling the space.

The man in the grey trench coat and Master Lin sat facing each other, with a wooden table between them.

At this moment, both of them took off the glasses that obstructed their vision, placed them on the table, and calmly looked at each other without reservation.

The light outlined interlaced profiles of light and shadow on each other's faces, also reflecting the hidden dark glints deep within the bottoms of their eyes.

Lin Fusheng broke the silence first and said,

"Did you get plastic surgery?"

His gaze carefully sized up the man's face, attempting to find traces of the past from the unfamiliar contours.

"That's right."

The man in the grey trench coat tilted his head up slightly, the light reflecting off his profile, making him look unremarkable yet possessing an inexplicable temperament.

"With those hounds biting so closely, if I didn't change my face and start over, how could I possibly stand safely before you now?"

His eyes were very calm, like a deep pool of water, deeply concealing those tumultuous past events within.

"You know, for this new face, I lay in a sunless underground clinic for a full three months."

"Every surgery was like walking past the gates of hell. The excruciating pain of the blade slicing open skin and flesh, the torture after the anesthetic wore off—I forcibly endured them all, simply not wanting to expose my whereabouts like others and be arrested and imprisoned."

"During those three months, I felt as if I had been forgotten by the world, accompanied only by endless darkness and pain by my side, not knowing if there was still a future. Perhaps it was precisely the experience of this period that allowed me to complete a transformation."

Spoken from his mouth, these many memories of suffering were as bland as water, as if he were simply recounting someone else's story.

Hearing this, Lin Fusheng fell silent for a long time, the expression on his face grave and complex.

The man in the grey trench coat straightened his collar with a calm demeanor:

"Allow me to introduce myself. My nickname now is Professor."

The corners of his mouth turned up, pulling out an elusive smile.

It was as if he was declaring a brand-new identity while bidding farewell to his past self.

Afterwards, his gaze swept across the old-fashioned yet orderly medicine cabinet in the room, and the faded traditional calendar and photos on the wall.

Then he sighed with emotion:

"Among our batch of people back then, you should be the luckiest one."

"Lucky?"

Lin Fusheng sighed softly, his gaze somewhat distant:

"Perhaps. Guarding this clinic for so many years, although I haven't experienced great storms, I have also seen all the warmth and coldness of human relationships."

After a pause, his gaze condensed, tightly locking onto the old friend opposite him:

"Your sudden visit tonight couldn't just be to reminisce, right?"

"Of course not."

Hearing this, the Professor's expression turned solemn, and he immediately replied:

"You should be very clear about my purpose in returning to Dongdu."

"All these years I have drifted away, on one hand evading pursuit and on the other accumulating strength, all for the sake of returning to my homeland one day, reassembling our companions, and continuing the unfinished business of the past. Even with all sorts of twists and turns, I have never given up."

Speaking to this point, he leaned his upper body forward and gazed intently at Lin Fusheng:

"Tonight I specifically sought you out just to ask you, do you still have the grand ambitions of back then?"

In his words, his hitherto calm expression finally had ripples.

The light in his eyes suddenly became burning hot, as if it wanted to ignite the heavy air inside the room.

Lin Fusheng could not help lowering his head slightly, avoiding that burning gaze.

After a moment of silence, a bitter smile surfaced on his face, and he slowly spoke:

"My life now is very stable. Although the clinic is not large, it has poured half a lifetime of my efforts into it. Every day receiving patients, making medicine, busy and bustling, after a long time, those lofty ambitions are like edges worn flat by ordinary days, losing their sharpness."

"Therefore, I am afraid it will be very hard for me to resume my old profession..."

The Professor's gaze was burning, seemingly wanting to pierce through Lin Fusheng's eyes and probe for the answer deep within his heart.

After a while, he sighed slightly and said softly:

"I understand. I've disturbed you tonight."

Lin Fusheng immediately raised his head in surprise and looked at the Professor.

He had originally thought the other person would continue to persuade him, or even show a disappointed or angry expression, but didn't expect him to behave so calmly.

"Everyone has their own ambitions; how can one force it?"

The Professor smiled indifferently:

"What I hate most in my life are those lackeys who wantonly deprive others of freedom, and I would never do that myself. However, if you change your mind in the future, you can come find me at any time."

Lin Fusheng's heart was full of guilt, so he quickly got up, brewed tea to treat his guest, and sincerely thanked him for his understanding.

The atmosphere in the room eased a bit, and the topic between the two also became relaxed.

The Professor picked up the tea on the table, took a light sip, and said seemingly nonchalantly:

"The young person who was working in the shop just now, I look at him and he seems very familiar."

Lin Fusheng was just putting the hot water kettle back to its original place. Hearing these words, the action in his hands paused, and a trace of hard-to-detect vigilance flashed extremely quickly through his eyes.

"He is Fang Shijie's son, right?"

The Professor followed up and added another sentence.

Hearing the other person say this name, Lin Fusheng's fingers trembled slightly, he abruptly turned his head, and his gaze appeared somewhat sharp.

Looking at Lin Fusheng's reaction, the Professor already understood a few points in his heart.

"Don't be nervous. I have no malicious intent; I'm just feeling a bit emotional seeing an old friend's child."

He unhurriedly put down the teacup, a faint smile hanging on his face, yet his eyes were so deep that people couldn't figure him out:

"I didn't expect that the little baby from back then has grown up so much. The moment I saw him, I even thought Fang Shijie had come back to life and was standing in front of me again."

Saying this, the Professor narrowed his eyes slightly, seemingly recalling something, and asked casually:

"You opening a shop here—couldn't it be to protect him in secret?"

Lin Fusheng neither denied nor admitted it, only tightly pursing his lips and remaining silent.

Seeing this, the Professor then continued to ask:

"You and Fang Shijie had a life-and-death friendship; could it be that you've never told his son the truth about that matter back then?"

His gaze fell straight onto this former companion's face, his tone carrying a bit of probing intent.

"What's the use of telling him?"

Hearing this, Lin Fusheng furrowed his brow tightly, a helpless look appearing on his face, and finally opened his mouth to respond:

"More than a dozen years have already passed. Everyone finally managed to break away from official surveillance and live peacefully."

"Why drag him into those dangers and rights and wrongs? I hope he can live safely, marry and have children, and live on as an ordinary person—that is enough."

Saying this, his eyes suddenly turned cold, and his tone became tough:

"I'm warning you, you'd better not go disturb his life, otherwise..."

His words and actions lost their previous polite courtesy, exuding an Aura of unangered majesty, just like a fierce beast protecting its young.

The Professor gently shook his head, a bitter smile appearing on his face:

"You, you're just like those worried parents. It seems like you're doing it for the child's good, but you don't necessarily know what the child is thinking inside. Perhaps deep down in his heart, he has always yearned to know the truth and seek justice for his father."

Lin Fusheng frowned and retorted:

"He is still young and simply doesn't know the level of complexity behind those matters. I cannot let him easily take risks and ruin his future..."

The two looked at each other, and a trace of subtle tension permeated the air again.

Only this time, both sides had a bit more helplessness.

"Alright."

After a moment of silence, the Professor gave up persuasion and sighed softly:

"I understand your concerns. Everyone has a life they want to protect, but no matter what, we are companions and should watch out for and help each other."

"I hope you can always live securely and peacefully in this clinic. If you encounter danger, you can contact me at any time."

Saying this, he pulled out a business card and handed it to Lin Fusheng, then stood up and tidied his grey trench coat.

"I'm leaving. I'll come find you to chat again when I have time in the future."

The Professor's voice carried a bit of unconstraint, but Lin Fusheng still heard the hidden desolation within it.

It was as if the slightly heavy conversation just now had already carved a shallow or deep mark in both of their hearts.

Lin Fusheng silently got up and saw him out the door.

Watching the Professor step out of the doorway and his figure gradually walking further away, his lips moved, stopping himself from speaking.

In the end, he couldn't help saying softly:

"Zhiren, although I cannot participate in the things you planned, there will always be a place for you to settle down here!"

"Thanks, good brother."

The Professor did not look back, only raising his right hand and waving it. His voice came over with a bit of warmth, appearing exceptionally precious in this chilly night.

Lin Fusheng was slightly startled, a complex mix of emotions surging in his heart.

And at the other end of the street, the Professor continued walking forward. His steps seemed steady, yet unconsciously slowed down a bit.

The chilly evening breeze brushed past, stirring the hem of his grey trench coat, and also blowing the slight melancholy in his heart.

He cast his gaze toward the distance. The night was deep, and the city lights twinkled in the distance, unable to illuminate his somewhat bewildered inner heart at this moment.

Scenes of the past involuntarily floated before his eyes, and familiar, vivid faces flashed past one after another.

Once upon a time, these companions jointly harbored ideals, fought side by side, and strived hard for the grand goals in their hearts.

But now, times have changed; past companions died those who died, retired those who retired. Everyone has walked different paths, and there are no longer any days of gathering together.

Only he was left alone in this cold night, bearing his ideals and walking solitarily forward.

Lin Fusheng's refusal, although within expectations, still inevitably made him feel a thick sense of loss.

The Professor raised his hand to adjust his collar, attempting to block that bit of chill.

As his gaze shifted, he saw a nine-story high Tubular Building by the roadside with dwindling lights.

That dim and sparse light leaked out from a few windows, like a marker guiding one home in the dark night.

He could not help stopping to linger, raising his head to look over.

"Caw—caw—"

A crow perched on a utility pole, its head turning slightly, its pitch-black eyes curiously sizing up the man standing still in the cold night.

Under the illumination of the street lamp, its feathers emitted a faint gloss, forming a sharp contrast with the surrounding night.

Attracted by the call, the Professor moved his gaze away from the Tubular Building and looked at the bird that was staring back at him.

The moment their gazes intersected, a dim light flashed deep within his eyes.

An invisible strand of Mental Energy quietly released, following the gaze, seeping bit by bit into the target's consciousness.

That crow's originally agile black eyes seemed shrouded by mist, like a marionette whose consciousness had been drained, leaving only its shell controlled.

Then, driven by the Professor's will, the crow spread its wings wide, let out a sharp cry that pierced the silent night sky, and flew swiftly toward the Tubular Building.

It circled around the building body once, as if confirming the target, and then precisely landed on the windowsill of a certain room on the ninth floor where the lights were not turned on.

The room was pitch black..

The crow's pitch-black pupils flickered slightly, seemingly probing for something.

Soon, a bizarre scene came into view.

Only to see a robust-figured young man sitting cross-legged on the bed.

In this late night where the temperature was close to zero degrees, he was only wearing a pair of shorts, his muscles bare all over his body, without a single trace of shivering.

It was as if a warm internal Qi was circulating across the surface of his body, resisting the invasion of the external severe cold.

His face was handsome yet radiated an indescribable masculine temperament, his eyes tightly closed, the center of his brow glowing slightly.

He seemed immersed within his own deep and boundless mental world, as if completely unaware of the movements outside.