"See that? That's the No. 1 cafeteria, the farthest and biggest one. The portions are huge, but the taste's awful. The No. 3 cafeteria's closer to where I live, though the food's just average. Personally, I like the No. 4 private canteen best. It's pricey, sure, but the food's great. I'll take you there for lunch today."
Zhou Bapi kept chattering as he gave Jing Shu a grand tour of the sprawling villa district, pointing out every building like he owned the place. His whole demeanor screamed host, not guest, and his chatter completely killed the angry momentum Li Yuetian had brought with him to reclaim their stolen supplies. Now, he was starting to second-guess himself. Maybe it'd be smarter to get the supplies back through this guy instead.
That was when Jing Shu finally learned that the "old bastard" Zhou Bapi had been talking about was actually Jin Baba's father, Jin Tianci. The name meant "heaven's gift," and according to the story, he'd been frail and sickly since childhood. Rumor had it that Jin Tianci's father-in-law had only agreed to let his beloved daughter marry him because Jin Tianci once saved their entire family. The daughter had been hopelessly smitten with him ever since—drawn to his gentle, cultured charm.
Most of the villas looked about the same, but Jin Tianci's residence clearly outclassed them all. Just the area alone was equal to six or seven villas combined. It looked more like a manor, luxurious and dignified, with an elegant retro interior full of redwood furniture that reeked of old-world sophistication.
It suited his identity perfectly. After all, in ancient times, even county magistrates lived in mansions measured by the acre. As the highest authority in Wu City, Jin Tianci deserved nothing less.
The villa's interior was massive, like the grand lobby of a five-star hotel—bright, vintage, and filled with an oppressive kind of quiet. Jin Tianci lay on a medical bed in the center of the hall, surrounded by nurses and housekeepers bustling about. The atmosphere was suffocating, the kind that screamed of a dying tycoon whose heirs were already itching to fight for inheritance, pretending to weep as they waited for him to take his last breath.
But if anyone in this room was actually sad, it was Madam Jin.
When Jing Shu saw the man for real, she was stunned. There really were people who looked straight out of a drama—he was wearing a pair of gold-rimmed glasses even in his coma, his hair parted neatly down the middle, dressed in a gray Zhongshan suit.
He looked like a dashing young gentleman from the Republic era who'd aged into a mature, charming uncle.
Even though his face was pale and gaunt, that naturally gentle expression still carried a warmth that could melt ice. No wonder Madam Jin had fallen for him back then. His looks and temperament could win hearts easily. Jing Shu couldn't help but think he resembled actor Chen Kun—same aura, same kind of quiet refinement.
Li Yuetian, on the other hand, was a bundle of nerves. Things were going way too smoothly, and now he didn't even know how to bring it up. What was he supposed to say? "Your son took advantage of your dying status as Wu City's biggest boss to rob a bunch of people blind, including the supplies I hauled and the batch this lady brought back from America. Even if you're about to die, you can't just let your son run wild, right?"
While he silently wrestled with his words, Zhou Bapi's mouth didn't stop running for a second. He kept explaining Jin Tianci's condition to Jing Shu like she was there to treat him. To be fair, she had asked earlier about his symptoms after taking honeysuckle, so it was no wonder Zhou Bapi misunderstood her intentions.
"The old man's got a special constitution, terrible immunity. Once he gets sick, it's almost impossible to cure him. Even something as minor as a fever could take half his life. A few years back, he suffered from boils and abscesses for years, then the apocalypse hit. Lucky for him, your honeysuckle cured it completely. Medically speaking, that's what we call pseudo-cancer."
"Pseudo-cancer?"
"Yeah. See, cancer's caused by tumor cells blocking the body's repair functions. No matter what kind of cancer it is, once the body's that weak, even a small cold won't heal. So if someone catches a 'minor illness' that drags on for weeks or months without getting better, odds are it's tumor-related. Commonly called cancer."
He sighed. "But this old man's not like that. His body's resistant to 99% of drugs, and he can't absorb them properly. On top of that, his recovery speed's dozens of times slower than normal people. So even if others heal in a few days, he takes forever—sometimes never."
That finally explained why both Zhou Bapi and Su Mali had begged her for so much honeysuckle and treated it like gold. Jin Tianci's body really was a walking disaster.
"The old man hasn't had a drop of water in two months. He's surviving entirely on IV nutrition and meds. No one knows how much longer he's got. Lately, he's been awake for only a few hours a day, using that time to write his handover documents and file reports to the capital requesting replacement."
Sounded pretty bad, honestly.
"So what's his actual diagnosis?" Jing Shu asked.
"Old-age syndrome. He's burned through almost all his vitality. Back when I met him, I told him he wouldn't live past fifty. Now he's fifty-seven, so credit where it's due—those American drugs did something. Too bad they've stopped working." Zhou Bapi shrugged.
Maybe it was the noise, but Jin Tianci's brows twitched, and his eyelids fluttered open. The caretakers jumped into action. "Quick, call Madam Jin and the young master!"
Everyone knew each time he woke might be his last.
Moments later, Madam Jin entered the hall. Despite the cold weather, she wore a cheongsam and heels, her wavy hair styled perfectly. She looked not even forty, exuding that classy Shanghai vibe. Jing Shu could feel the woman's commanding aura from a distance—definitely a powerhouse.
Behind her strolled Jin Baba, lazy and arrogant, the perfect picture of a spoiled rich kid. He barely resembled his father, taking after his mother's flamboyant looks and confidence instead.
Beside him stood a middle-aged man in a sharp suit, slightly overweight, clearly someone long used to authority. He shared some resemblance to Madam Jin, so he was probably Jin Baba's uncle.
Zhou Bapi quickly made introductions. "Lao Jin, you're awake! Perfect timing. Let me introduce someone. This is Vice President Jing from Wu City's Medicinal Herb Association. She's the reason our branch ranked top ten nationwide. She'll even be leading the team to the capital later this year for competition. A senior pharmacist, no less—the honeysuckle that cured you came from her hands."
Jing Shu's smile froze. "What do you mean I'm leading a team to the capital later this year? Since when?"
Jin Baba's uncle gave her a long look, his eyes eventually sliding down to her legs. Experienced men always looked at legs first. He swallowed hard, eyes gleaming with barely disguised appreciation.
Jin Baba, however, was glaring at Li Yuetian. He'd just cleaned out the man's warehouse yesterday. What the hell was he doing here now? Complaining to his dad? Jin Baba made a throat-slitting gesture, threatening him to stay quiet.
Li Yuetian just snorted coldly. With the blade already at his neck, what was there left to fear?
Madam Jin's attitude softened once she heard about the honeysuckle, introducing her son politely. Jin Baba gave a reluctant nod, barely acknowledging her.
Jing Shu smiled faintly. "Oh, I know you. I heard you've been helping your father manage the city's resources lately. You exceeded your targets by five times, added tons of grain to Wu City's reserve warehouse. The people are grateful to you. Every other department's been praising your name."