On the first day of May, a heavy rainstorm arrived.
Phoenix Villa was shrouded in misty rain, creating an ethereal atmosphere, and the Wolong Courtyard, hidden within the clouds, resembled a heavenly palace.
Next to the master's bedroom was a medical room, equipped with all kinds of precious medicinal herbs and advanced medical equipment typically found only in major hospitals. It was fully stocked and staffed with top-tier medical professionals to attend to Chu Xiaotian's needs at any time.
Everyone in Jiangcheng knew that the old master of the Chu Clan cherished his life dearly, assembling one of the finest medical teams in the country for himself.
Under the eaves of the medical room, Chu Xiaotian's most trusted personal doctor—a young man with extraordinary medical skills—leaned against a pillar, gazing blankly and coldly at the pouring rain while silently smoking a cigarette.
Water gushed from the roof's drainage, and the medical prodigy slowly lifted his hand, reaching out to catch the stream.
The splashing water scattered on his face like petals, leaving nothing in his palm.
What slipped through his fingers was time, flowing like water.
At the courtyard gate, the old housekeeper entered slowly under a large black umbrella.
As he reached the center of the yard, he inadvertently glanced at the young doctor standing under the porch.
The old housekeeper paused unconsciously, his gaze resting on the doctor with a hint of complexity.
The doctor, named Lin Hao, was still focused on his hand catching the rain, but noticing the solitary figure in the courtyard from the corner of his eye, he glanced briefly without any change in expression.
The old housekeeper's wrinkled hand tightened on the umbrella handle, and with his head lowered, he walked forward quietly.
"How is the master today?" the elderly housekeeper asked, his tone devoid of emotion.
Lin Hao replied indifferently, "He's improving."
"Thank you for your efforts, Dr. Lin," the housekeeper sighed lightly. Without waiting for a reply, he stepped into the bedroom.
Lin Hao, seemingly never intending to respond, remained silent, his eyes distant and detached as he continued to watch the water trickle from his hand. His fingers curled slightly, cupping a small pool of water, but it quickly overflowed and vanished.
Inside the bedroom, the old master instructed his personal maid to fetch the aged liquor that Chu Yuxuan had brought him last time. He took a sip, savoring it. The maid, noticing the bottle was half empty, frowned and said, "Master, you can't drink too much."
Smacking his lips and closing his eyes in contentment, Chu Xiaotian replied, "Then I'll have more tomorrow."
At that moment, the housekeeper, Wang, entered the room.
The maid greeted him warmly before discreetly exiting.
"Brother Tian," the housekeeper asked, sitting by the bed, "Feeling better today?"
Chu Xiaotian, who had known the housekeeper since their military days when they shared a bunk, smiled faintly and said, "At this age, I'm living on borrowed time. I just take it one day at a time."
The housekeeper said nothing to comfort him, but pressed his pale lips together, picked up the bottle of water from the bedside table, and gave Chu Xiaotian a drink before taking a sip himself.
"Drink less," Chu Xiaotian joked. "My grandson bought that for me. If you want some, have your grandson get it for you."
The housekeeper chuckled dryly and then shifted the conversation: "Recently, a group called the Eastern Society has risen rapidly in Jiangcheng."
"Eastern Society?" Chu Xiaotian's sparse brows furrowed. "What's their story?"
"It's led by a man named Li Bin," the housekeeper explained. "I had someone investigate him—he's killed before and served time in prison. After his release, he hasn't changed his ways. He now leads a gang of thugs, stealing and robbing, but recently, they've made bold moves—robbing casinos, drug dealers, and taking over territories. They even collect protection fees from nightclubs, claiming that after midnight, they run the whole Jiangnan District."
"Someone must be manipulating him from the shadows," Chu Xiaotian mused with a smile. "The supervisory group is still in Jiangcheng, and that top official came with a coffin last year, swearing on his life to take down corrupt officials and criminals, restoring peace to the city. Who would dare act so brazenly at such a critical moment?"
"There are rumors about a man called 'Mr. Big,' but no one has ever seen him. I really can't figure out who he is," the housekeeper added.
Chu Xiaotian, lost in thought, suddenly asked, "What has Yuxuan been up to lately?"
"Still living his usual carefree life, but he's been spending more time with his wife than before, and taking more interest in Qingya Media. However, behind the scenes, he's still investigating his mother's death."
"Hmm..." Chu Xiaotian fell silent for a moment before instructing, "Keep investigating Tianji Society quietly. Help him if you can. I do feel guilty toward that boy... When he came to me last time, I could tell he wanted to talk about the society but hesitated for some reason."
The housekeeper's expression darkened, and he said grimly, "Those bastards are much more cautious now, with new blood in their ranks. If I hadn't stumbled upon their revival by accident, we still wouldn't know they were back."
"It may not be a revival," Chu Xiaotian speculated. "Someone else could be using their name."
The housekeeper replied, "I went to Honglou, hoping to start an investigation through official channels, but not long after I visited, Mr. Rufeng sent someone to warn me that Honglou won't get involved in the Chu Clan's conflict with Tianji Society and doesn't want us causing trouble there."
"That old fox is as skittish as ever; he won't let us stir up any trouble," Chu Xiaotian said with a laugh. "What you don't know is that the top official has a blood debt to settle with him. Politics are just as cutthroat as war."
"We'll have to find another way to investigate," the housekeeper said.
Chu Xiaotian glanced at him and sighed, "We're both getting old. You've estranged yourself from your son, so maybe loneliness is what you deserve. As for me, I have a big family, yet I feel even more alone than you. Perhaps I deserve it too."
The housekeeper looked at the family portrait on the wall and muttered, "The heart of man is never satisfied."
Chu Xiaotian chuckled and said, "When I'm gone, if you don't want to return to your hometown, you can stay here. The first and second houses are unreliable, but Zhijing will make sure you're well taken care of."
The housekeeper took a deep breath and replied, "If you're gone, what's the point of me staying?"
Death is inevitable, and the elderly face it with more composure than the young. The two old brothers chatted for half an hour before the housekeeper stood to leave.
Outside, Lin Hao was still watching the rain, expressionless, without even a glance at him.