Chapter 332 - 330: Making Final Arrangements

Chapter 332: Chapter 330: Making Final Arrangements

"You mean that... yes, the ’Hundred Herbs Rejuvenating Ointment.’ Does it really have the amazing effects you described?"

Wen Xiu was usually quite confident in the things Gu Nuan Nuan came up with. After all, take the green grass ointment for example—its effects were undeniably convincing. But even she couldn’t quite stomach how much Gu Nuan Nuan had hyped up the ’Hundred Herbs Rejuvenating Ointment’ at the time.

’It can cure cancer?’

Tsk.

’If it’s really true, then it would be a divine medicine on par with a national treasure.’ So, she couldn’t help but remain skeptical. "It’s been so many days. If it really works that well, the Mu Family should have called by now, shouldn’t they? How can there be absolutely no word from them?"

"Heh, what’s more likely is that they haven’t even opened the jar yet," Gu Nuan Nuan said with a chuckle. With that, she left to go find her grandfather.

"Haven’t opened it? That’s actually very possible." Wen Xiu was stunned for a moment. ’You’re right. Why would such prominent people casually ingest something from an unknown source?’ For the past few days, she had been so preoccupied with wondering if Gu Nuan Nuan’s Hundred Herbs Rejuvenating Ointment was having any effect on Mr. Mu that it never occurred to her they might have accepted it but not trusted it enough to even try a dose.

She stood there, shaking her head with a sigh. "It’s true... What if Nuannuan wasn’t exaggerating? Wouldn’t it be a terrible shame if Mr. Mu didn’t even try it?" After spacing out for a moment, she came to a decision. ’Forget it,’ she muttered to herself. ’At the very least, they’ve been good to our family. I’ll just call Qiangzi and have him talk to that young man from the Mu family again. They have nothing to lose by giving it a try. Even if what Nuannuan made can’t save his life, it should at least make him more comfortable before he goes.’

Having said that, she stopped picking vegetables. With the scallions still in hand, she went inside and walked straight to the telephone in the living room.

Wen Xiu didn’t know it, but Gu Nuan Nuan was exactly right. The Mu Family had accepted the jar of ointment from Zhang Dazhuang out of politeness, but no one ever actually intended to give it to the old master. They were extremely skeptical of Zhang Dazhuang’s cautious claim that the Hundred Herbs Rejuvenating Ointment would "be of some benefit to the old master’s illness."

And so, the jar of ointment was casually placed in a corner and soon forgotten.

As it happened, Wen Xiu’s well-intentioned phone call came at just the right time and, by a stroke of luck, saved Mr. Mu’s life.

During this time, inside the Mu Mansion in Beijing, not even the festive New Year’s atmosphere could dispel the pall of gloom that hung over everyone.

Mr. Mu’s illness had deteriorated at a speed that took everyone by surprise.

In just a few short days, he had reached the point where he could no longer eat, relying solely on a nutritional IV drip to stay alive. No matter how his family tried to hide the severity of it, Mr. Mu could no longer delude himself. Even though a man of his age had long since come to terms with life and death, when the moment truly came, he found he couldn’t be as calm as he had always imagined.

There was no longer any point in staying at the hospital. A nutritional IV and painkillers could be administered at home just as easily. So, when Mr. Mu proposed going home, no one in the Mu Family objected, and he was quickly moved back to the mansion.

Everyone, including the doctors, knew that Mr. Mu’s days were truly numbered.

Every member of the Mu Family, whether they were working or in school, set aside their responsibilities to stay home and spend more time with Mr. Mu. They all knew in their hearts that if they didn’t spend this time with him, they might never get another chance. Mr. Mu, for his part, used this time to gradually put his affairs in order.

Many people came to visit the Mu Family during this period. Most were old friends who had a good relationship with Mr. Mu. Seeing him lying in bed, barely breathing, left them all heartbroken. At the same time, they all sighed to themselves, knowing that once Mr. Mu passed away, the Mu Family’s position in the Alliance was bound to decline.

It was an unavoidable reality.

After all, Mr. Mu was the sole pillar of the Mu Family. Although he had been retired for many years and the family’s businesses were managed by the younger generation, his involvement was still indispensable for many major decisions.

Moreover, as long as Mr. Mu was alive, his prestige remained. Even if he was bedridden and unable to get up, others would still have to consider his influence and treat the Mu Family with a degree of respect.

But once Mr. Mu passed away, the circumstances for the Mu Family would change dramatically.

When a person leaves, the tea grows cold. Once he was gone, some relationships would inevitably fade, or even disappear entirely. This was a cruel reality that the Mu Family would have to confront, whether they were willing to or not.

This was something that not only outsiders understood, but the Mu Family members themselves were also keenly aware of.

Lying in his sickbed and looking at his wife, Tong Qingye, his eldest son, Mu Guoliang, and his younger son, Mu Zhe, Mr. Mu sighed. "Ah, this body of mine is just giving out. It would have been good if I could have just held on for another two years. I wanted to last a few more years, to wait until you all were on more solid ground..."

His eyes rested on his eldest son, and he let out another sigh. "If you hadn’t wasted all those years back then, perhaps your position in the family..." He trailed off, unable to stop sighing.

"Dad, it’s all my fault," Mu Guoliang said, his head bowed in self-recrimination, his face filled with regret. "I regret it now. If I hadn’t been so rebellious and had just listened to you back then, you wouldn’t have to worry so much now."

"COUGH, COUGH, COUGH..."

Mr. Mu was seized by a violent coughing fit. Seeing this, his wife, Tong Qingye, who sat by his bed, quickly began patting his back gently with one hand while wiping away her tears with the back of the other.

"That’s enough... No need... to pat," Mr. Mu said, waving a hand with some difficulty after his coughing subsided. He turned back to Mu Guoliang, continuing his earnest instructions. "But... I can’t really blame you. What young person doesn’t dream of breaking free from their family’s constraints to go out and make their own way?"

He gave a bitter smile and paused to catch his breath. "This is also fate. ’What is fated to be will be; what is not, one cannot force.’ Ah, well. Just take things slowly. At least you came back to the right path in the end."

Mr. Mu couldn’t speak for long stretches at a time and needed to rest a bit before continuing. No one was impatient. Watching him like this, they were all just overcome with sorrow.

After a long pause, Mr. Mu continued his instructions. "The Shao family... your Uncle Shao still looks quite robust. For the sake of my friendship with him, and because our families are connected by marriage, he will look after our family. Don’t be anxious. From now on, just do as I say: be low-key and be steady. It doesn’t matter if progress is slow. The most important thing is to be cautious at critical moments and avoid making wrong decisions. After all, you still lack experience. Whenever you’re unsure about something in the future, you can always go and consult your Uncle Shao. Our two families have always been very close, and we’re related by marriage. We can look out for each other when it counts. He won’t—and has no reason to—wish us ill... Don’t let your pride get in the way."