Chapter 187 Master Sixs Returning (1/2)
Before we could say anything else, a child's crying voice broke just outside. An old lady walked through the door and spoke to the old man, ”Look at your grandchild! He is not coming off the electric car that he just got on outside! He's not listening no matter what I say!” Aunt Fen scrambled forward, saying, ”We'll have ways for him to show himself, but we'll just need you to help calm him down when he comes!” She held out a key, ”This is the key for the electric car outside.”
Before Master Six's eldest brother could yelp any protest or assent, a portly man walked through the door this time. When he saw Mr. Zhang and Aunt Fen, he immediately addressed them respectfully, ”Master Zhang! Mrs. Zhang!” He took the key from her and muttered a quick ”Thank you” before walking out. Next, we heard him saying outside, ”Come on, son! There's no need to cry! Come, let Daddy take you for a ride!”
So that man was this old man's grandson! He's also Mr. Zhang's business partner! By accounts of seniority, Mr. Zhang was in the same generation as his grandfather, and the child crying outside was his son! The old man looked amused; Mr. Zhang and Aunt Fen had as good as bribed him and he was only compelled to play along with our tune now. ”Wait. Let me think of an excuse,” he said at last. But it did not take long; barely a split second later, ”Very well. I'm ready now. So, where do you intend to find him?”
”We'll only need Master Six's birthdates and time!” Aunt Fen pointed out. The old man nodded and told us just that. I nodded to Chongxi, gesturing to him that it was up to him now. He began calculating, his fingers fiddling as he worked his numbers. But he stopped suddenly, and he began calculating again. Then he stopped again, this time with beads of perspiration rolling nervously down his forehead. ”Strange... I can't seem to get anything right today...”
Aunt Fen reached for her phone and made a call. ”Where are you guys now?” She barked into the mouthpiece. But just as quickly, an ancient but no less vile voice broke the silence, ”I am here!” Old Man Chen walked in, with two of Mr. Zhang's female staff helping him through the door!
So, these were the phone calls that they were making! Mr. Zhang was making arrangements for somebody to help him purchase an electric car while Aunt Fen was calling for someone to fetch Old Man Chen! The Blind Master entered the house, and we made space for him. Aunt Fen then said, ”Please give your brother's birthdates and time of birth to him.” She indicated towards the blind Old Man Chen. But when Old Man Chen realized who the birthdate and time belonged to, he screamed, ”Just wait a minute! Of all people! I cannot do this! I'll regret doing this!” I hurried to him and whispered into his ears, ”Come on, Old Man Chen! You can just lie to us or keep some of the details hidden! We have prepared insurance! He'll never harm you! There will be no problems with his brothers here agreeing to help us!”
”But... but that's sacrilege...” Old Man Chen stuttered hesitantly. A cold voice cut through the room with the keenness of a knife, ”And right you are. Put down your hand.” The voice smothered what warm merriment going on in the little living room of the cottage, and everyone froze. We whirled and saw a man standing at the door, stroking a little bird lulling idly on his palm as he landed a foot through the door. The man of the hour, Master Six!
Old Man Chen immediately fell unnaturally silent as his hand sank back to his side. With a wry but no less dangerous smile, Master Six eyed the Blind Master viciously as he hissed like a slithering serpent, ”So... Aren't you the soothsayer?” Old Man Chen, now fidgety and fearful like a frightened little child, whimpered, ”Err... No... I'm just a simple fortune teller...” ”How about a prediction then? Just for sports. What am I going to do with this bird? Will I release it or will I kill it?” ”Err...” The Blind Master muttered meekly. The immortal smiled again. ”What about this? My feet. One of my feet is inside while the other is outside. Will I be walking in, or will I be retreating out?” Knowing that he'd better not antagonize a true demigod with powers beyond any comprehension of anyone present, Old Man Chen croaked hoarsely, ”I'd just decline...”
Master Six smirked. But he did not notice his eldest brother wearing a dark look, glowering at him scathingly. His youngest brother walked up to him, ”Brother! Finally! You're back!” Master Six threw him a look, and he asked dryly, ”Am I not welcomed now?” He walked inside, drifting past us, ignoring our greetings of ”Master Six!” and stood before the Blind Master. ”You still haven't learned your lesson, have you? You dare overstep your boundaries and try divining about me?” Old Man Chen could hardly emit so much as a whimper as sweat rolled down uncontrollably his forehead. But an angry voice boomed, breaking the palpable ice in the living room, ”I AM THE ONE WHO ASKED FOR HIS HELP!”
Surprisingly, the immortal's head retracted into his shoulders when he heard the thunderous shout like a frightened tortoise retracting its noddle within the shelter of its shell. It was Master Six's eldest brother, the third of their generation, who had shouted so loudly that no one missed the hint of rage in his voice. Instead, all bitterness that Master Six exuded immediately vanished as he smiled with the gentleness of a little brother, ”Heh heh heh! Big Brother! There's no need to shout like that! Come on, you don't have to rely on such a way to find me!” ”I made him do it! Otherwise, how else do you think I'm to find you? Your phone never seems to work whenever we call! It's a wonder that you still remember us, including me! It's a marvel that you still call this place home!”
Master Six muttered a string of yeses and of-courses as his brother's reprimanded continuously like an elder rebuking his son. After a while, his elder brother simmered down and said, ”I'm calling you back because I'm calling everyone back. Every single one of our brothers. Surely you still remember what day is two days after?” ”It's your birthday, Brother, after two days,” Master Six admitted docilely, and his brother merely tapped the floor with his walking stick in agreement.
In fact, in two days, it would be the Spring Lantern Festival, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. What a stroke of timing that his birthday would coincide with such a propitious festivity.