Chapter 26: Disease-Expelling Robe
With that shock, both my mother and I took a small step back.
But just before He Youfei's kick, it seemed like I saw something black over his shoulder.
My mother was infuriated, "The Silver Python Cheongsam of the Su Family is never lent out, that's an ironclad rule."
"That rule of your family applies to others, not to me. My sister-in-law has a terminal illness, and without your cheongsam, I'll have no way to explain it to my brother," He Youfei threatened, pausing after each word.
My mother resolutely said, "Last time you came to borrow the cheongsam for your sister-in-law, I told you no! And my answer is still the same."
"Ungrateful," He Youfei said contemptuously.
With the baseball bat in his hand, He Youfei slammed it heavily against the door, "Brothers, go on, smash this door down."
The punk youths around He Youfei started hammering the door with their clubs.
This door certainly has seen its share of disasters.
Last night it almost got torn apart by a group of foxes, and today it's encountered thugs and hoodlums.
My mother had already gone pale.
Facing this group of violent and vicious people.
She was a frail woman, and not to mention, a patient herself.
She had no means to defend herself.
If it had been before she fell ill, in fact, she might have had numerous ways to deal with those who came to borrow the cheongsam.
Right now, if I don't come up with a plan quickly.
Both my mother and I will be bullied by the group of thugs and hoodlums outside the door.
Peeking through the small hole again, I quickly confirmed what was on He Youfei's shoulder.
Flipping through the notebook my father left behind, I found the corresponding page:
Those who will die within three months have a black cat sitting on their shoulder.
I steadied myself, took a breath, and said, "He Youfei, you're not here to borrow the cheongsam for your sister-in-law, you're actually here to borrow it for yourself."
Outside the door, which had been banging loudly.
At that moment, it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
"Su Wan? You're home too?" He Youfei hooked up a sinister shallow smile, "What nonsense are you talking about?"
I clenched my fists, "I'm saying you've also been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Hasn't the doctor told you that you only have three months left?"
"Brother Fei... Brother Fei..."
The punk youths around He Youfei were scared silly, obviously unaware that He Youfei's life was hanging by a thread.
He Youfei, biting hard on the stub of a cigarette in his mouth, asked, "So will you lend it or not?"
"Even if you managed to borrow it, you'd only be able to live three more years. Have you thought about it? Three years will pass in the blink of an eye!" I flipped through the content in the notebook, searching for a page, the Disease-Expelling Robe.
This robe can be considered a garment of merit.
If worn and accompanied by accumulating good deeds, it might be able to expel diseases and avert disasters.
It might not be very effective against a terminal illness, but I planned to use it to temporarily stabilize He Youfei.
Suddenly, He Youfei outside burst into laughter, "Su Xiaomin said that your Su Family can perform the Yin Yang Life and Death Embroidery, and there's a garment called 'Life-Extending', right?"
Before I could play coy and deceive He Youfei, he himself brought up a "Life-Extending Robe," information probably given by Su Xiaomin.
The fact that He Youfei came to cause trouble at our doorstep was probably instigated by Su Xiaomin.
My nerves got even tenser, I gathered all my wits, "Did Su Xiaomin send you to find me?"
Telling He Youfei about something I've never heard of, like some 'Life-Extending Robe'.
I don't know if it was Su Xiaomin or Xuanjing...
There must be some conspiracy either way.
"Hahaha, don't blame your cousin, you and your mother killed his own father, and he hates that he cannot crush you to ashes due to lack of evidence."
He Youfei raised his eyebrows, laughing in an exceptionally sinister manner, "You get your mother to make a robe for me, and from now on, I'll protect you. You'll be my girlfriend, and Su Xiaomin won't dare touch a hair on your head."