Chapter 288: Peach Blossom (2/2)

“We’re finished. Finished! Fang Mu’s father is the former #1 Bully in the county! Now he’s a constable, so he can kill people without blinking an eye…!” The two kids’ faces were as pale as death as they fled.

After the three of them vanished, the middle-aged man stood in the courtyard, both angry and amused. The idea of a son making a move on his father was both infuriating and hilarious.

“That little bastard never studies and has no skills whatsoever. Sending him to study in boarding school is definitely the right decision!”

Late that night, Meng Hao ambled through the streets, heaving continuous sighs. When he finally reached the main gate of his house, he looked at the lights shining from within and gave a deep frown.

“Why did it have to be dad…? Oh, mother, you left too early. If you hadn’t gone, things wouldn’t be like this. I’m going to go have a few words with him for you!” He had just pushed open the gate leading into the courtyard, when suddenly he began to cry.

“Mother, I miss you! Mother, you visited me in my dreams last night and told me to go visit Peach Blossom…. Mother….”

“Shut up!” bellowed an angry voice from within the house. The door opened to reveal Meng Hao’s father, the middle-aged man from before. His brow was furrowed, and he looked haplessly at Meng Hao. “Quit your faking! Why aren’t you in bed yet? I’m taking you to the boarding school early in the morning to meet your new teacher.”

“I’m not going!” cried Meng Hao, taking a step back. “I want to go to regular school! All the people in the city are going to laugh at me!”

“You little bastard. Still up to the same old tricks at your age….” The man frowned, then suddenly rushed forward and grabbed Meng Hao, who was just getting ready to run away. He lifted him into the air and spanked him on the bottom a few times.

The slapping sounds rang out clearly, but there was no pain. Things had been like this for Meng Hao since he was young. He and his father had only each other to depend on. Every time they had some sort of disagreement, his father would put on the appearance of being very strict, but couldn’t actually bear to hit him hard.

“What good is regular school?” his father roared. “You need to learn to respect the teachers and their teachings! You need to learn about ethics! Are you gonna go, or not!?”

“I’m not going!” cried Meng Hao, his eyes rolling.

“You…!” Meng Hao’s father raised his hand high into the air.

Meng Hao hurriedly said, “If you promise to never go see Peach Blossom again, then I’ll go…. You can go see anybody else, just not her!” He was afraid his father might actually start to spank him hard this time.

Meng Hao’s father wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry. He lowered his hand, placing it onto Meng Hao’s head and tousling it gently.

“Alright. You’re growing up, kid, and I can see that you have a fertile imagination. Fine. From now on, I’ll never see Peach Blossom again. I’ll leave her for you. After you grow up, I’ll arrange for her to be your concubine!”

“Really?” said Meng Hao, his eyes growing bright.

“You’re still not in bed?!” He glared at Meng Hao as he released him. Meng Hao beamed with joy as he ran into the house, threw off his clothes, and jumped into bed. He had some beautiful dreams that night.

Early the next morning, when the sky was just beginning to grow light, Meng Hao’s eyes were still blurry as his father dressed him.

Father glanced at son, and could see that he clearly hadn’t gotten enough sleep. A solemn expression covered his face, as well as love and kindness, something Meng Hao didn’t often see.

He reached down and picked up Meng Hao, just like he had when he was young. Meng Hao’s head fell onto his shoulder, and he continued to sleep. Meng Hao’s father grabbed the gift he planned to present to the teacher, and then left.

Along the way, his gait was a bit unsteady. Carrying such a large boy wasn’t an easy task.

An hour later, they reached the main gate of the house of a famous old man who lived in the east part of the city. Meng Hao’s father woke Meng Hao up and then put him down. Then, he knocked on the door, and entered the courtyard.

Meng Hao was left yawning out in the courtyard as his father entered the house, so he didn’t see his father respectfully clasping hands and making other imploring gestures.

Not much time passed before his father emerged. Next to him was an old man with a full head of white hair. His features were ancient, but full of vigor. It gave him a noble and prestigious bearing, much different from that of an ordinary person.

This was especially true of his eyes. They were filled with profundity, as if they contained stars within them. Anyone who looked at them would be entranced. The old man gazed down at Meng Hao.

This gaze seemed to be able to see lives that had been lived, and lives yet to be lived.

This gaze seemed capable of piercing through the haze to see all three lives: past, present and future.

This gaze made it seem as if this young man’s entire life had been lived for the purpose of coming here and kowtowing three times to become his apprentice.

A long moment passed, and the old man nodded slightly.

Meng Hao’s father looked down at Meng Hao and said, “A Master is like a father. Fang Mu, I want you to respect your Master. Respect him even more than you respect me! If you can’t do that, then you aren’t my son!” With that, he left.