I Became a Medical Genius in the 80s

Chapter 609: Chapter 608: Expert

After the foreign old man left, an elderly man with a white beard and hair stood aside, gloomily staring.

”Is there anyone who knows a chess master? Please introduce them to me quickly!”

The elderly man who had lost the game felt somewhat embarrassed, stood up and said, ”Elder Ma, I’m sorry. I didn’t expect this foreign old man to be so skilled.”

The man referred to as Elder Ma was the elderly man with white beard and hair. He sighed and shook his head, ”It’s not your fault. That big-nosed old man is indeed quite skilled. It’s my mistake for succumbing to provocation and betting with him. If no one can beat him by tomorrow, that treasured calligraphy by Mr. Wu will have to be given away!”

That calligraphy was his prized possession. Among all the artworks he had collected, he cherished Mr. Wu’s pieces the most. There were only three in total, acquired at an exchange meeting where he fought to purchase them, spending quite a sum of money. If he had to give them away like this, his wife might divorce him!

Elder Ma was anxiously pacing around.

There are many foreigners here, and the elderly folks are accustomed to seeing them, unlike other districts where there are fewer foreigners, and people would stare at them intensely.

That’s why foreigners tend to gather in certain areas, making it convenient for daily activities and lives.

While there are indeed many foreigners here, several elderly folks had never seen such a skilled foreign person, who was well-versed in Chinese culture, not only skilled at chess but also knowledgeable about calligraphy and paintings, and even knew some domestic celebrities. His favorite is Mr. Wu, and another respected person from the Wei Family, who is famous within certain circles, ranking among the top eight!

This is because Elder Ma loves to brag, though it’s not entirely bragging. He simply enjoys showing off, especially with those treasures in his possession, unable to resist telling a few friends about them, reveling in their envious gazes.

While showing off that day, the foreign old man was among the crowd, and that’s probably when he got noticed!

Elder Ma stomped his feet in frustration. Who would’ve thought a foreigner could possess such great skill? This was the third time today, and all the usual chess players had already tried, yet none could win!

An elderly man, delighted with the spectacle, chimed in, ”Old Ma, if it doesn’t work out, you should take those calligraphies and run. If you flee, he won’t be able to find you!”

Laughter erupted around them, and Elder Ma glared angrily, ”I’m not a great sage or saint, but I am credible. If I lose, I lose—how could I possibly cheat?”

Beisitian found it amusing, and upon hearing Mr. Wu’s name, she stopped to watch for a while. It seemed rare for a foreigner to be so knowledgeable about Oriental culture; this person genuinely seemed to love Chinese culture.

Beisitian and Luo Xudong continued to stroll forward, while Elder Ma frantically searched for a chess master in the peaceful and serene atmosphere around Shichahai. Walking by the water was quite soothing.

As Beisitian and Luo Xudong made their way back, they saw that foreign old man standing alone in front of a promotional poster, which advertised a martial arts movie set in a temple, featuring a few kung fu-minded young monks.

The foreign old man was staring blankly at the promotional poster, his expression wasn’t one of wanting to watch a movie.

Their car was parked not far away, and as they approached the foreign old man, Beisitian couldn’t help but slow her pace.

As they got closer, she could clearly see that the foreign old man’s expression was one of nostalgia as he looked at the temple.

Could this foreign old man have lived in a temple at some point?

This foreign old man had white platinum hair, very fair skin, brown eyes, a high nose bridge, and deep wrinkles, yet he possessed a tall stature.

The foreign old man extended his right hand, gently caressing the image of the temple, whispering something softly, prompting Beisitian, who wasn’t fluent in foreign languages, to instinctively turn to Luo Xudong.

Although Luo Xudong hadn’t been abroad, his English was proficient, being disguised as a returning overseas Chinese during his operative period. It wouldn’t make sense if he weren’t fluent in English.

”He said, ’I would help fulfill your wish,’” Luo Xudong translated while glancing at the old man.

Having heard Luo Xudong’s translation, the foreign old man turned to look at the two of them and flashed a smile at Beisitian and Luo Xudong.

”I met my wife at the temple,” the foreign old man said with a smile, evidently noticing Beisitian’s interest.

Listening to his somewhat awkward Chinese, Beisitian smiled, ”Is your wife Chinese?”

The foreign old man turned his head to look at the temple on the poster again, nodding and saying, ”Yes, she was a very beautiful Chinese woman.”

Judging by the foreign old man’s demeanor, it seemed his wife was no longer alive, otherwise, he wouldn’t be talking about helping her fulfill a wish.

”Do you want to visit this temple?” Beisitian asked.

The foreign old man nodded, ”This is Mount Song Shaolin Temple, an ancient temple in China and a sacred Buddhist site.”

It seemed he knew quite a bit, though the Shaolin Temple at Mount Song appears to have always been popular among foreigners, especially after some martial arts films became internationally known, sparking widespread interest in Chinese kung fu.

”Are you locals?” the foreign old man suddenly turned and asked.

Beisitian nodded, ”We live here.”

The foreign old man’s eyes lit up as he said, ”I remember there being many ancient temples in the Beijing Suburb. Could you tell me which ones are the most effective for blessings?”

Beisitian and Luo Xudong exchanged a glance. Beisitian didn’t know much about these things. Having been in Beijing for a while now, it seemed like she was always busy, then pregnant, so she hadn’t thoroughly explored Beijing or the suburbs yet.

Reflecting on this, Beisitian suddenly felt a bit regretful and said to Luo Xudong, ”Xudong, perhaps we should also visit sometime.”

”The few temples in the Beijing Suburb are in the mountains. While it wouldn’t normally be an issue, your belly is quite big now, making climbing difficult and possibly harmful to your health,” Luo Xudong patiently explained.

Beisitian sighed, knowing he was right. It wasn’t just climbing—walking on flat ground made her feel somewhat tired.

Seeing the disappointment on Beisitian’s face, Luo Xudong felt unwilling and said, ”How about this—we’ll drive as far as we can and walk only if necessary.”

Beisitian smiled at his words, feeling relieved. It would be nice to get some air; staying cooped up was indeed stifling.

The foreign old man, overhearing their conversation, chuckled, ”Could I join? At my age, I can’t climb much either. I’ll follow wherever you go.”

Beisitian laughed, ”Sure, if you’d like to come along, you’re welcome to join us.”

The foreign old man seemed delighted, ”Then let’s meet here tomorrow.”

After agreeing on the time, both parties dispersed.