Time Travel: The Best Doctor in Ancient Times

Chapter 358: Chapter 232 The Calm Before the Storm Chapter 358: Chapter 232 The Calm Before the Storm Ancients were quite superstitious, and Yuan Bao truly believed in ghosts and spirits. After listening intently for a while, Yuan Bao felt there must be something fishy about this matter, so he hurriedly left Zhou Zongbao behind and chased after Zhou Mu.

Concerning Lady Changsheng, he must inform his master. In case there truly was an issue, it would be better to take precautions beforehand.

Gu Changsheng had just arrived with Zhou Mu at the building where Mr. Ban Shan resided when he heard the sound of children’s joyful laughter.

Gu Changsheng was slightly stunned, “My son? How did he get here?”

The laughter belonged to none other than his precious son, Gu Ze, which Gu Changsheng could clearly distinguish.

But Mr. Ban Shan was resting. How could his son be so impolite as to disturb him?

“Let’s go in and see.” Zhou Mu took Gu Changsheng by the hand and slowly walked into the building.

“Grandpa, grandpa, now that you’re my grandpa, will you protect me?” Little Meat Bun’s soft and sticky voice came through, laden with an obvious whining tone.

“Of course.” Mr. Ban Shan’s voice was filled with indulgence.

“Grandpa, then if my mother bullied me, would you help me too?”

“Yes, yes!”

“Grandpa, and if Uncle Wood bullied me, you’d help me too, right?”

“Yes, yes!”

“Ah! Long live Grandpa! It’s great to have a grandpa; I don’t have to worry about being bullied anymore! Wahaha…”

Hearing Little Meat Bun’s cheering from the second floor, the corner of Gu Changsheng’s lips twitched slightly.

The two of them met each other’s gaze, Gu Changsheng and Zhou Mu wore identical speechless expressions.

“Have I ever bullied my son?” Gu Changsheng pointed at himself, asking solemnly with a sadly troubled look.

“No!” Zhou Mu replied with a serious face and then asked, “When have I ever bullied him?”

Gu Changsheng shook her head, replying, “Never.”

The two exchanged another glance, a hint of helplessness flickering across their faces.

“Damn it, this Little Melon Baby has actually learned how to tattle, really, spare the rod and spoil the child! Watch me discipline him properly!” Gu Changsheng felt a sense of being wrongfully accused and was eager to get started, rubbing her fists and wiping her palms.

Zhou Mu was even more direct as he stepped forward and pushed the door open.

The door was suddenly pushed open, taking the newly-joined grandfather and grandson inside, who were frolicking, by surprise.

“Mother! Uncle Wood!”

As eight eyes met, Little Meat Bun was the first to regain his composure, crying out in shock before hurriedly burying his head in Mr. Ban Shan’s embrace.

Gu Changsheng watched with her mouth agape as her son clung to her foster father like a sticky tree creature, then she turned to her foster father, speechless.

Her son clung to Mr. Ban Shan like an octopus, and at that moment, Mr. Ban Shan had lost his refined and dashing demeanor, transformed into a doting grandfather. His wide-sleeved robe was wrinkled, his scholarly hat tilted, and his beard was in disarray, it was simply… simply unbearable to witness!

“Gu Ze! Get down from there right now!”

Gu Changsheng glared furiously at the instigator of this mischief, certain that her son was the culprit.

“Mother…” Little Meat Bun timidly peeked out from Mr. Ban Shan’s arms, revealing just his eyes. After one glance at his mother’s darkening expression, his big eyes welled up with tears, calling out pitifully.

“Get down here!” Gu Changsheng turned her face away, refusing to look at his pitiable state, resolutely immune to his usual tactics.

“Wah! Uncle Wood…” Seeing that his mother showed no signs of softening, Little Meat Bun turned his gaze to Zhou Mu, stammering another call for sympathy.

“As your mother said, now that you’ve learned to tattle, you deserve to be punished. Get down!” Zhou Mu was not any easier to deal with than Gu Changsheng and spoke sternly.

Little Meat Bun scanned both of them mournfully, wondering what punishment awaited him if he went down.

Probably, he wouldn’t be allowed on the Plum Blossom Piles for the whole day…

At this thought, the expression on Little Meat Bun, Gu Ze’s face, fell suddenly.

Wah… he didn’t want to practice on the Plum Blossom Piles alone. It was so boring, so sad…

Seeing that neither of the adults in front of him was showing any signs of relenting, Little Meat Bun withdrew his gaze and timidly looked up at Mr. Ban Shan. His round and chubby eyes brimmed with tears, appearing almost as if they might spill over at any second, evoking immense pity.

“Wah… Grandpa, save me…” His mother and Uncle Wood were ganging up on him, wailing pitifully.

With one hand, Little Meat Bun tugged at Mr. Ban Shan’s disheveled beard, calling out in a distressed voice.

Sure enough, upon hearing this, Mr. Ban Shan immediately cast a disapproving glance at Gu Changsheng and Zhou Mu, speaking with a grave voice, “I thought my little grandson was just playing around, but I never imagined you two would truly bully a little child like this!”

“Foster Father!” Gu Changsheng stamped her foot as she began to speak, yet Mr. Ban Shan interrupted her with a wave of his hand.

“Zhou Mu, lad, you’re after all an undefeated Great General, so how could you frighten my little grandchild like this?” Mr. Ban Shan cast a reproaching glance towards Zhou Mu.

Zhou Mu, with no choice but to purse his lips into a reluctant smile, glanced at Gu Changsheng then turned to face Mr. Ban Shan, offering a slight bow as a gesture of respect, “Zhou Mu pays his respects to the master. My own tutor often thinks of you, and seeing the master hale and hearty with such a vibrant spirit brings Zhou Mu great relief. Certainly, my tutor would also be comforted to know this.”

Gu Changsheng scrutinized them both keenly, hale and hearty? Vibrant spirit?

Indeed, absolutely true!

Hadn’t she seen her darling little Meat Bun son clinging onto him, standing with his back as straight as a rod?

Hadn’t she seen her precious son tucked in Mr. Ban Shan’s arms, smothering his giggles with his little hand?

Seeing this, Gu Changsheng couldn’t stand to watch any longer. Without waiting for Mr. Ban Shan to speak, she pulled Zhou Mu aside, took two steps forward, and spoke with a face full of gloom, “Foster Father, you mustn’t indulge him too much. This little melon child excels in acting pitiful and charming, sizing up people and acting accordingly. If not strictly disciplined, he’ll surely become lawless, climbing onto the roof and removing tiles in no more than three days!”

“Utter nonsense!” Mr. Ban Shan, as an exemplary foster father, for the first time retorted against his foster daughter’s words.

“Exactly! Utter nonsense! I’m not poor. I don’t need to steal tiles to sell for silver, hmph hmph…” Little Meat Bun, Gu Ze, stuck his head out from Mr. Ban Shan’s embrace, gloating as he added his piece.

“You!” Gu Changsheng glared fiercely on the spot.

“Hmm?”

Mr. Ban Shan emitted a disapproving hum, long and drawn-out, making it hard for Gu Changsheng to ignore.

“My little grandchild is so adorable and charming, how could he do such lawless things, such as climbing onto the roof and removing tiles! Changsheng’s beloved daughter, do not spread alarming tales and deceive your father here with tales of old age and failing vision!”

Hearing her foster father’s words, Gu Changsheng looked towards Zhou Mu with profound sadness.

Damn it, what kind of situation was this?

How had her darling little Meat Bun son transformed her staunch, filial father into a doting grandfather, completely pushing her aside as the foster daughter?

“Having just arrived at the estate, none of you should trouble my little grandchild. Otherwise, you’d be bothering me!” Mr. Ban Shan, holding Little Meat Bun in his arms with boundless affection, warned Gu Changsheng and Zhou Mu.

Seeing Mr. Ban Shan’s protective stance, Gu Changsheng utterly admitted defeat.

Bothering him meant being undutiful!

Gu Changsheng was a person of utmost filial piety, clearly out of options at this point.

Zhou Mu, watching Gu Changsheng like this, could only shake his head with a smile, unsure himself of what to do next!

Not long after, Uncle Song came to report that everything had been prepared, and Little Monk Bu Jie said that the auspicious time had arrived to commence the ceremony of recognizing one’s father.

Only then did Mr. Ban Shan consent to put down Little Meat Bun, Gu Ze, and follow him to the main hall in the front courtyard.

Gu Changsheng, seizing the opportunity, whisked her little Meat Bun son aside and threatened with a menacing look, “Damn it, leave a line in life so as to meet with ease later on; kid, you better pray that your grandfather keeps you tied to his belt, because sooner or later, I will surely teach you a good lesson!”

Damn it, having a protective Flower Peacock master was one thing, but now another protective grandfather came into the picture!

Though Flower Peacock was protective, at least he could be considered a strict master. But looking at her foster father, his indulgence seemed boundless, seemingly willing to hold a ladder for Little Meat Bun if he wished to climb the roof and remove tiles. What was she to do?

Gu Changsheng suddenly felt an unprecedented worry about her son’s upbringing…

Meanwhile, on the other side, Yuan Bao whispered into Zhou Mu’s ear, embellishing Zhou Zongbao’s words with his own dramatic flourishes.

Zhou Mu listened intently, his brow furrowing tighter and tighter, before instructing Yuan Bao in a low voice, “After the ceremony is completed, bring Shang Xie to see me.”

“At once!” Yuan Bao immediately complied.

Gu Changsheng watched as her foster father swept in, reclaimed her Little Meat Bun son into his hands, and walked away. Nearly in tears, she turned to see Zhou Mu and his servant in secretive discussion, their expressions suggesting hidden matters. She nestled closer, curiosity piqued.

“What’s all this secrecy about? Something you can’t show in public?”

“It’s nothing to worry about, my beloved. Let us hurry to the front courtyard, lest we miss the auspicious moment,” Zhou Mu signaled Yuan Bao with his eyes, then took Gu Changsheng by the hand, leading her towards the front courtyard.

Gu Changsheng did not press Zhou Mu further upon hearing his response.

The ceremony of recognizing one’s father was solemn and dignified. Little Monk Bu Jie presided over it, Zhou Zongbao and Zhou Mu were in attendance, and Gu Changsheng, as a foster daughter, performed the nine bows and kowtows, paid homage to Heaven and Earth, and presented socks and headgear as a token of filial piety. Only after Mr. Ban Shan reciprocated with bows to the ghostly messengers of the underworld, wishing his daughter longevity, and offering an Ancient Jade longevity gourd as a gift, hung it around Gu Changsheng’s neck, did the ceremony conclude.

After the ceremony, Mr. Ban Shan took the seat of honor. First was Gu Changsheng, guiding Little Meat Bun, Gu Ze, to pay their respects, followed by Zhou Zongbao and Zhou Mu. Then, the household servants came forward to pay respects to the newly affirmed old master.

The entire family, undivided by station, wore smiles on their faces, with Uncle Song nearly shedding tears of joy.

He had long wished to place his beloved wife on a pedestal, but inevitably, as a servant, there were many inconveniences. Now with Mr. Ban Shan as a powerful foster father, his family seemed finally whole!

In celebration of the acknowledgment of fatherhood, a lavish banquet had been prepared at home with separate tables for masters and servants, yet all enjoying the same dishes, each person beaming with joy.

Only after the banquet concluded, did Yuan Bao finally find the chance to bring Little Monk Bu Jie to Lake Heart Pavilion to meet Zhou Mu.