"Master Xu, I will immediately contact my friends to find the medicinal materials. Thinking about having my own flesh and blood in the future, I wish I could grow wings to personally dig up the herbs you need," Lu Chennong said, visibly excited and thrilled.
"There is no need to rush, these medicinal materials are quite precious and rare, and it will surely take time to prepare. Here is my contact information; take note of it. Once you have all the herbs, remember to contact me," Xu Fan exchanged phone numbers with Lu Chennong.
"Yes, yes, yes, I got so caught up in excitement that I forgot about such an important matter!" Lu Chennong smacked his forehead, looking a bit embarrassed as he spoke.
"The medicinal materials must come from reliable sources; you absolutely must not use inferior-quality herbs, otherwise, I can't guarantee the effects," Xu Fan cautioned him earnestly.
"Master Xu, rest assured, I will definitely buy the herbs from the most reliable people," Lu Chennong nodded emphatically.
The medicinal materials were linked to the progress of his treatment; how could he not be concerned?
"Calling me master really is a bit too formal, and it feels awkward. Just call me Xiao Xu," Xu Fan said with a smile.
"Lu Chennong is a few years older than you, why not call you Xiao Xu instead?" Lu Chennong, a straightforward man, said to Su Chen.
"Alright, Elder Brother Lu, meeting is fate. Earlier in the barber shop, the gift Sister-in-Law gave to Tongtong was the only kindness I've encountered in a while," Xu Fan stated frankly.
"You are really good to your daughter," Zhang Lijuan looked enviously at the adorable Tongtong, nudged Lu Chennong's shoulder gently, and said, "Old Lu, let's hurry up and gather the medicinal materials. I'm already eager to have a sweet baby."
"Alright, alright, forgive my eagerness to have a child, I'm burning with impatience, I really can't wait any longer, I'm going to contact the herb suppliers now," Lu Chennong apologized to Su Chen with a cupped hand gesture.
"Go ahead; the sooner you collect them, the sooner I can see Elder Brother Lu recover," Xu Fan said with a smile, waving to the anxious couple.
Lu Chennong and Zhang Lijuan thanked Xu Fan once more and then hurriedly left the café.
Not far out of the café, a sleek black luxury car picked up Lu Chennong and Zhang Lijuan.
Once in the car, with no time to spare, Lu Chennong immediately dialed his phone, contacting a friend who dealt in medicinal materials.
"Boss Chen, I need you to help me find a batch of medicinal materials, all of the best quality, and can you get them to me as quickly as possible?" Lu Chennong explained all the herbs listed by Xu Fan to the person on the other end, a dealer of medicinal materials.
To be on the safe side, he requested double the quantity of each item that Xu Fan had prescribed.
"Oh, Old Lu, those herbs you mentioned are precious and worth a fortune. I have them all in stock, but that Jinling Grass is a bit special. I've got at most 30-year-old Jinling Grass here. Jinling Grass over 50 years is a rare treasure, difficult for ordinary herb gatherers to find."
"Thirty years old won't do, it must be at least 50 years or older, the older the better," Lu Chennong could not compromise when his chance for treatment was right before his eyes.
"Alright, it's not impossible to get Jinling Grass over 50 years old. Coincidentally, there is a medicinal material auction happening in East Sea City these few days, and there's a 70-year-old Jinling Grass on sale. However, its price won't be cheap; it will take at least several tens of millions to win it."
"Never mind the price; as long as the materials are authentic, no matter the cost, you must win the bid for me!"
"No problem, I have some influence in the world of medicinal materials. As long as the money is right, I will definitely secure that herb for you."
"Make it fast. Once the medicinal materials are ready, have them air-freighted to me," Lu Chennong reminded again.
"Don't worry, I know these herbs are for saving lives; I'll send them to you as soon as possible."
"Then I'll wait for your good news."
After hanging up the phone, Lu Chennong finally shook off the heartache that had plagued him for over a decade and revealed a hint of joy, gently embracing his wife in the back seat of the car.
"We're really lucky," Lu Chennong whispered to his wife.
"Yes..." Zhang Lijuan, considering Xu Fan's profound gaze and the mysterious aura around him, couldn't help but sigh with relief at the turn of events that had come their way.
On the other side.
Xu Fan spent the whole day at the amusement park with the adorable Tongtong, playing frantically.
They had tried out every single attraction in the park.
As the sun was about to set, the little one was so tired she could no longer walk. Xu Fan carried Tongtong in one arm, resting her cute little head on his shoulder, while he gently patted her back as they walked.
"Daddy, Tongtong is hungry now, wants yummy food," Tongtong pleaded from Xu Fan's embrace, patting her deflated tummy. A day of fun and games had completely burned off the KFC she'd eaten at noon.
"What does Tongtong want to eat? Daddy will take you," Xu Fan said, rubbing her adorable little head with indulgence.
"Tongtong wants pizza, a big round pizza," Tongtong said with a milky voice.
"Why does Tongtong want to eat pizza?" Xu Fan pinched Tongtong's crystal-clear little nose, which had a bead of sweat hanging from it.
"Because I want mommy and daddy to be together, happy and sweet," Tongtong wriggled in Xu Fan's arms, saying loudly.
"Okay, daddy will take you for pizza," Xu Fan's eyes flashed with light.
This precious daughter was just too lovable.
Xu Fan hailed a taxi, heading straight for the nearest Pizza Hut.
The taxi was rather dirty, and the driver, to save fuel, was reluctant to turn up the air conditioning. It wasn't until Xu Fan's stern tone that the driver increased the AC.
Now Tongtong was Xu Fan's little princess, the apple of his eye. If she were to be harmed by this shabby car's heat, Five-Direction Heavenly Emperor Xu Fan could slash the car to smithereens with a single sword.
"Looks like I need to buy a car of my own," Xu Fan thought to himself. No matter how tough life gets, he couldn't let his child suffer, especially his daughter who deserved to be raised in luxury. As the daughter of Five-Direction Heavenly Emperor Xu Fan, Tongtong must enjoy the best, he silently vowed to himself.
Before long, they arrived at Pizza Hut, and Xu Fan, with his little princess Tongtong in tow, went in and ordered a deluxe super pizza. The pair ate happily, one big, one small.
As she ate, Tongtong shook Xu Fan's arm and said, "Mommy doesn't let Tongtong eat pizza and KFC, she says they're junk food, but Tongtong just loves them."
"If you like it, eat more; whatever Tongtong wants to eat, daddy will take you to eat," Xu Fan said affectionately, watching the naïve Tongtong.
Worried about junk food? With just one Marrow Cleansing Pill, I can purify all the impurities in your body, so you can eat as much junk food and rich meats as you want in the future, and you'll never have the worry of dieting.
"Daddy is the best, I never want to leave daddy," Tongtong kissed Xu Fan's face and shook her little head, her face brimming with pride.
Xu Fan's eyes were full of laughter as he watched Tongtong eat bite by bite, his heart warm and content.