Facing the challenge of choosing a suitable gift, Shen Shanwu was truly at a loss. After much contemplation, he visited the mutant apartment again the next afternoon.
In the time span of that night, with the help of other mutants, Tao Yi took a shower, got his hair trimmed neatly, changed into fresh new clothes, and transformed from a dirty little beggar into a clean-cut middle school student. If it weren’t for the still healing wounds on his face, Shen Shanwu might not have recognized him.
However, due to the rapid healing abilities of mutants, the wounds on Tao Yi’s face and limbs had already scabbed over, and in just two days, they would be completely healed. Not only would there be no trace left, but his skin would also be even better than before.
“Top Student, you’ve come at the right time. Our new companion is grappling with the issue of what to be called,” the Prophet signaled to Shen Shanwu and Wolf Dog. “We all think ‘Middle Schooler’ suits him well, but he himself doesn’t like it.”
“It sounds a bit adolescent,” the Executioner added.
Tao Yi’s face turned red as he muttered, “It does sound quite adolescent, and didn’t they say they wouldn’t provide name change cards? Am I going to be called ‘Middle Schooler’ even ten years from now?”
“How nice, forever youthful. It’s something many people wish for,” Milk Tea said, styling her hair as she spoke. “I just hope that no matter the age, everyone will call me an innocent and pure 18-year-old girl.”
“Being a beauty is possible, but innocence is impossible,” the Manager quipped sardonically. “I can’t forget that one time I visited your house, no, I mean your collection room. The walls were covered with pornographic publications of all ages, orientations, and races…”
“What’s going on? We’re all adults here, let’s speak openly, and be a bit more explicit in our actions.”
“Now we have a minor among us!” Wolf Dog reminded, “Watch your language, you thirty-two-year-old lewd beauty.”
“Ah ah ah, I’ve been teased by you!”
Avoiding these three most unreliable siblings, Shen Shanwu approached the CEO, wanting to ask him about “the matter of what kind of gift to bring when visiting the other party’s grandparents for the first time, with the possibility of becoming a future partner, in order to appear mature, excellent, responsible, and polite.”
“Busy,” the CEO replied, with a dictionary and a book of Tang and Song poems spread out in front of him. He was jotting down names on a piece of scrap paper, his entire demeanor as if he was naming his unborn son.
Shen Shanwu was utterly speechless as he looked at the remaining three people. The Executioner was immersed in a game, the Tibetan guy seemed completely out of touch, and as for Hugo… well, not getting a response like “Give him a knife” was already considered decent. Or maybe a more refined expression like: “Present the esteemed elder with a priceless painting,” and then proceed with the dagger imagery!
Being a bit extravagant, he could indeed gift a painting. After all, he could easily pick up some invaluable treasures from a museum nowadays – as long as they hadn’t been chewed up by zombies. However, these collectibles lacked practical value, and Shen Shanwu felt they wouldn’t satisfy the strict and disciplined Jiang Duotang.
“How about calling him Houyi?” the Prophet suggested, and Milk Tea immediately chimed in, “And his future girlfriend could be named Chang’e?”
“That’s too awkward, way too awkward,” Tao Yi shook his head repeatedly.
Shen Shanwu picked up a meteor fruit from the coffee table, not bothering to peel it, and took a bite. “Then let’s call him ‘Ri’, like the sun that Houyi shot.”
“Are you sure you’re not insulting anyone, Top Student?”
“You see, there’s the character ‘Ri’ in both Tao Han and Tao Yi’s names, and their names also carry sun-related allusions. Isn’t that exactly what the elders expect? They want them to rise like the sun, slowly and steadily,” Shen Shanwu explained seriously. “If a single character name is a bit awkward, then ‘Ri Ri,’ ‘Xiao Ri,’ or ‘A Ri’?”
“Alright, I’ll go with ‘Middle Schooler’, this name is fantastic and makes me seem youthful,” under the repeated and earnest ‘Ri’ sounds, Tao Yi surrendered with a touch of pain in his voice.
Satisfied with his compliance, Shen Shanwu redirected the conversation to the topic of the gift he should bring when he visits the Marshal’s home tomorrow.
The CEO is an expert in gift-giving, he didn’t even need to think before suggesting, “Moutai liquor and Chinese cigars, a Maserati wellness session.”
“Say something that requires using your brain.”
Wolf Dog rushed to offer an idea: “Gift him a beautiful young lady.”
“His wife is still alive!”
“This is easy.” Wolf Dog made a gesture of “taking care of it,” and in the next moment, he almost got taken care of by Shen Shanwu on the spot.
The Manager pointed to the window, “About thirty-something miles away, I encountered a mutant tiger a few days ago. How about we go hunt it down, skin it, and send the tiger skin as a gift to the Marshal? If we lay the tiger skin in the living room, it would look quite majestic.”
“Why not just make a tiger-skin skirt for the Marshal and have him cosplay as the Monkey King?”
“Too many demands, huh?” The Manager whispered.
The Prophet stepped forward to mediate, “Smart one, you can think in reverse. Instead of thinking about what to give, think about what Marshal Jiang wants.”
“What does Marshal Jiang want…”
“What else could he want?” Miss Milk Tea, who’s well-read, answered promptly, “He definitely wants his grandson’s happiness, right? Smart one, why don’t you do this: go to the Marshal with empty hands, give him a bad impression at first, then suddenly have the Executioner appear, ready to kill Jiang Huan, the vixen who tempted us mutants. And right at that moment, you step forward, risking your life to protect Jiang Huan. Marshal Jiang will surely be moved to tears and immediately declare you his half-brother from a different mother.”
Shen Shanwu: “…”
Faced with Milk Tea’s nonsense, he left with a final remark, “Get lost with your eggs,” then dragged the convenient mode of transportation — Wolf Dog — and left in utter exasperation.
*
The next afternoon, before setting off to Marshal’s house, Jiang Huan finally managed to catch up with Shen Shanwu, who had disappeared for a whole day and night. Shen Shanwu was taking advantage of the fact that Jiang Huan would cover for him, becoming more and more unruly, often playing this vanishing act.
“I thought you were gone for good,” Jiang Huan teased, a mischievous look on his face, as he casually touched his waist, hinting quite obviously.
“I was getting a welcoming gift ready. I didn’t know what to bring, so it took a bit of time,” Shen Shanwu had resumed his adult demeanor, wearing sunglasses and looking rather unapproachable.
“What’s good to bring as a gift?” Jiang Huan glanced at the large bag in Shen Shanwu’s hand, “Grandfather doesn’t really appreciate these formalities.”
“True,” Shen Shanwu agreed, then quickly turned his attention to Jiang Huan’s injury, “Is the wound still hurting?”
“Yes, it’s been hurting. I came to find you several times, but you were nowhere to be found,” Jiang Huan said as he helped Shen Shanwu put on a hood and led him downstairs. Most of the team members were still training outside at this time, so there were hardly any people in the administrative building. They walked unhindered until they reached the main entrance, where they encountered Lu Jingzhi, who had been waiting by the car for a while.
As soon as Lu Jingzhi saw the man beside Jiang Huan all wrapped up, his eyes widened in disbelief, “You guys, how did you come out from inside? I’ve been standing here, when did Brother Shen go in?”
“You must be blind,” Jiang Huan retorted.
Lu Jingzhi: “…”
“Jingzhi,” Shen Shanwu greeted him gently, “Thanks again for your help last time.”
“No problem, it’s the least I could do!” Lu Jingzhi nodded repeatedly, “The Marshal invited me today as well, asked me to join.”
“Grandfather is probably afraid that if no one talks or if they start arguing right away, it would be too awkward. So, he wants someone to liven up the atmosphere,” Jiang Huan didn’t spare any face for Lu Jingzhi and directly exposed his role as a tool, causing Lu Jingzhi to flip him off in response.
Jiang Huan opened the trunk and was about to turn back to help Shen Shanwu with the big bag he was carrying, but Shen Shanwu quickly opened the car door for him, inviting him in with a respectful gesture. “Rest up, young master. I’m here, and I’ll handle these tasks.”
Lu Jingzhi watched it all from the rearview mirror. After Shen Shanwu went around to the trunk with the luggage, he couldn’t resist whistling at Jiang Huan, “Young master~”
Jiang Huan’s lips curled into a smile, a hint of pride shining in his eyes. It had been a long time since Lu Jingzhi had seen Jiang Huan so lively and animated. He looked like a pampered rich young master who had never known hardship, nurtured by sweetness, exuding confidence, optimism, and extroversion.
In that moment, Lu Jingzhi was immensely grateful for Shen Shanwu’s presence, for Shen Shanwu’s survival, for Shen Shanwu’s affection for Jiang Huan. He was grateful that his best friend hadn’t been worn down by fate and had spent his remaining days in regret.
Upon learning that Marshal Jiang had invited Shen Shanwu to his home and that Shen Shanwu had readily accepted the invitation, Gong Wei was so worried that she couldn’t sleep for two days. She didn’t know what dishes to prepare to entertain Shen Shanwu, who she hadn’t seen in a long time.
The fact that both Jiang Huan and Shen Shanwu had lost four years of their lives due to her negligence and carelessness weighed heavily on Gong Wei’s conscience.
She thought she was already nervous enough, but one night when she couldn’t sleep and went outside, she found that even the old lady had been suffering from insomnia for days. The old lady was sitting on the balcony, feeling the cold breeze while gazing at the stars and the moon. Gong Wei quickly fetched a thick coat to drape over the old lady and brought her a cup of hot water to warm her up.
The corners of the old lady’s eyes, which were full of wrinkles, were misted by the hot water. She had been wanting to confide in someone, and it didn’t take long before she couldn’t hold back and began to speak, “In my lifetime, I’ve done many regrettable things. When I was young, I was convinced there was no such thing as a regret medicine in this world. I believed that once a decision was made, there was only one path to follow, no matter where it led. But now that I’m old… and don’t have much to do, I spend my days lost in thoughts.”
“…I regret not being more involved in Jiang Huan’s mother’s life. She was my only daughter, and I allowed her to make her own choices, and she ended up marrying a worthless man and staying a thousand kilometers away from home. She hasn’t been able to come home for years. Even the rare phone call is snatched from her busy schedule. I don’t know if she’s cold or hungry, if she’s happy or not.”
“I also regret not being more involved in Jiang Huan’s life. If I had known that that worthless man would treat his own son in such a manner, when Jiang Yi gave birth to Jiang Huan, I should have gone with Duotang to the northwest and taken Jiang Huan away overnight. Then Jiang Huan wouldn’t have suffered so much… Perhaps he wouldn’t have encountered that man either.”
Gong Wei quickly interjected, “Brother Shen is a very good person.”
“But he’s not human after all. Will Jiang Huan be happy with him? That kind of creature with black eyes and sharp teeth, capable of crushing a person’s skull with ease, fearless of radiation and cold. What if one day they have an argument and he walks away if Jiang Huan upsets him? What if he becomes violent?… Jiang Huan would always be at a disadvantage in front of him.”
“Well…” Gong Wei hadn’t considered so much before. She was young and in love, and her regrets had always been about missed opportunities with her beloved, not being able to be together.
“In the past, I used to think that children should make their own decisions in matters of love. I never interfered with Jiang Yi’s choices, and as a result, she married the wrong person, almost causing Jiang Huan’s death. Later on, I thought I must carefully oversee Jiang Huan. I wanted to be strict about his choice of wife, to prevent him from following Jiang Yi’s path and making wrong choices… But the result…”
The old lady smiled bitterly, “As it turns out, this mother and son are both quite stubborn. Once they set their minds on something, not even nine oxen could pull them back.”
…
At exactly four o’clock in the afternoon, Lu Jingzhi parked the car in the garage beside Marshal Jiang’s house. He had thought that security personnel or Gong Wei would come to greet them, but to his surprise, when he got out of the car, Marshal Jiang himself was waiting in the front garden, dressed in sportswear and holding a large black dog on a leash.
Lu Jingzhi immediately reflexively snapped to attention and saluted in a standard military manner, “Marshal, good day!”
At home, Marshal Jiang didn’t like his grandson using the military protocol, so Jiang Huan greeted with a bow and said, “Grandfather, good day.” Shen Shanwu naturally followed Jiang Huan’s way of greeting, bowing to the Marshal.
Marshal Jiang nodded in a composed manner, “Mr. Shen, you can take off your gear. We’re among family here, no need to dress like an assassin.”
This metaphor left Shen Shanwu both amused and exasperated. He couldn’t believe the old man still held a grudge about him deceiving his grandson into taking risks and getting injured for his sake. He quickly removed his cap, sunglasses, and mask, smiled warmly, revealing a row of shark-like teeth that even scared the military dog in the Marshal’s hands, causing it to whimper and hide.
“Marshal, this is a small token of my appreciation,” Shen Shanwu retrieved a bulging bag from his side. On Marshal Jiang’s side, there were people every day trying to give him gifts of all kinds, with various intentions like building relationships or seeking his assistance. The threshold had almost been worn down, and the old man cared the least about, and even found most annoying, were gifts. He waved his hand dismissively, saying, “You’re here just to have a chat, no need to bring anything. Take it back with you.”
“This is Wujie Bamboo.” Unexpectedly, Shen Shanwu brought out something that no one had ever seen before. Not only did it capture Marshal Jiang’s attention, but also drew curious looks from Jiang Huan and Lu Jingzhi. “This piece has grown for about seven to eight years. Its root is highly toxic, so I had already removed it before coming here. The bamboo body can absorb radiation, and even a small piece of it has a strong effect.”
“…” In order to maintain his image, Jiang Duotang snorted, “We have filters.”
Lu Jingzhi quickly nudged Jiang Huan with his elbow, indicating to ask for another piece when they return.
The author has something to say:
35: Just wait, I have many more treasures here.
Marshal: If you keep teasing like this, I might actually get mad at you.
Huan: …
Marshal: …
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![The Rebirth of the Last Days and Return to [Fang] Hao](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/image_2021-09-11_143139.png "The Rebirth of the Last Days and Return to [Fang] Hao")
