143 A Happy Reunion and a Farewell (1)
Jiang Ming looked at the busy figure in the medicine shop.
More than twenty years had passed, and his old friend had experienced a great many things. Her face was still delicate and sweet, but there were some crow’s feet at the corners of her eyes.
Time truly was cruel.
Jiang Ming looked at the figure and left slowly.
A moment later, he reappeared outside the medicine shop. This time, he revealed his true appearance. However, he had aged himself up appropriately.
Jiang Ming walked in slowly, and the sales attendants were still greeting him warmly until the figure in the medicine shop turned around and saw Jiang Ming.
The sunlight outside the window shone on the two of them. It was as if they were coated with a layer of golden light.
Jiang Ming looked at the surprised woman in front of him and grinned. “Long time no see, brat!”
Zhou Wenxiu stared at Jiang Ming in shock. “Where have you been for the past few decades? I thought you had died!”
As she spoke, Zhou Wenxiu’s eyes reddened. She jumped up without a care and threw herself on Jiang Ming’s body to give him a big hug.
Around them, the sales attendants of the medicine shop were shocked. Although their boss was easygoing, they had never seen her do such a thing to anyone.
Jiang Ming was too lazy to explain. He gently pried Zhou Wenxiu off him, and they walked to the backyard together.
“It’s been a few decades since we last met, and you’re finally able to hold your own!” Jiang Ming sat on the stone bench, looking at the large medicine shop, and smiled.
Now that Great Cloud City was under the emperor’s control, it was not possible for ordinary people to obtain such a large piece of land.
“Hmph, I didn’t waste my time. I joined the Flying Cloud Castle and started as a lowly doctor. Over the years, I became the most outstanding doctor in the army. My position was quite high. This is a plot of land that Marquis Fang personally granted me.”
Zhou Wenxiu hugged Jiang Ming’s arm. In front of Jiang Ming, she seemed to have become the cheerful girl she used to be again. She proudly told him about her achievements and her experiences over the years.
Jiang Ming listened quietly until Zhou Wenxiu was done. He ruffled her hair and gave her a thumbs up.
Jiang Ming glanced at her weather-beaten hands and the faintly visible calluses. “It’s been more than twenty years. It must have been hard.”
Zhou Wenxiu’s eyes reddened again, but she held back her tears and said stubbornly, “I’m the most powerful doctor out there! Nothing can stop me!”
Jiang Ming laughed.
Zhou Wenxiu mumbled and began to talk about the things she had seen and heard over the years, as well as the new friends she had made.
Jiang Ming listened carefully and smiled gently. He could see that although Zhou Wenxiu had not had an easy time over the past twenty years, she seemed to be very happy.
It was indeed the Zhou Wenxiu he knew. She was outstanding no matter where she went.
“Oh right, Marquis Fang often mentions you. Do you want to go find him?” Zhou Wenxiu suddenly asked.
Jiang Ming was stunned. He recalled the gentle teenager in his mind. Back then, he only focused on reading philosophy books. Later, he had no choice but to learn martial arts. In the end, he joined the Flying Cloud Castle by accident. Twenty years had passed. Now he was a marquis.
Minister Wei Yan and Marquis Fang Lie were the two pillars of the Cloud Empire.
* * *
“Jiang Ming!”
The moment Fang Lie saw Jiang Ming, he immediately rushed up and gave him a bear hug.
Jiang Ming looked around. All his old friends from the Tiger Hunting Village were gathered here today.
Guan Feng was there as well. He was now one of Fang Lie’s generals, but at the gathering today, no one dared treat him as a subordinate of Fang Lie.
“Master Guan, long time no see!”
Jiang Ming and Guan Feng looked at each other and smiled. They did not need words to communicate what needed to be said.
That night, everyone drank merrily and reminisced about the past. However, everyone kept a respectful distance from Fang Lie.
Late at night, Jiang Ming broke away from the crowd and walked to Fang Lie’s side. He was the only one there, sipping the strong wine.
“It’s lonely at the top, isn’t it?”
Jiang Ming glanced at his old friend. His gentleness had disappeared and was replaced by a stern, cold temperament. Only when he occasionally laughed and talked with his old friends could a trace of his old self be seen.
“How are you? Has your dream been realized?”
Fang Lie was stunned for a moment before he took a big gulp of wine and sighed.