Unconventional [Rebirth] - Chapter 20

“Is Mr. Rong trying to force my hand?” Jiang Rui’s smile remained on his face, but there was no amusement in his eyes.

Rong Jingtang looked at him for a long moment, then frowned and said, “You are angry.”

Jiang Rui did not reply.

After a pause, Rong Jingtang asked, “Why?”

Jiang Rui suddenly felt the frustration of punching cotton—a sense of helplessness.

“I need your things, and you need money. This business is not forcing your hand,” Rong Jingtang said.

Jiang Rui chuckled aloud. “Mr. Rong, it’s not that you need it, but rather that your body needs it.”

“What is the difference?”

“The difference is that if you need it, then this business has to continue indefinitely. But if it’s your body that needs it, I can completely cure you, so you won’t need it anymore,” Jiang Rui said calmly.

Rong Jingtang looked up and stared at him expressionlessly, until Jiang Rui felt he couldn’t stand it and looked away first.

“Don’t say such things again.”

Jiang Rui was startled, then quickly reacted and said with slight annoyance, “Is Mr. Rong suggesting that I am trying to deceive you?”

Rong Jingtang said, “I believe in your ability.”

After speaking, he stood up and called for Sui Ming. Sui Ming had been waiting nearby for Rong Jingtang’s instructions.

Rong Jingtang glanced at Jiang Rui and added, “Regarding the business, I will not force you if you are unwilling. You can come find me anytime you need to. It’s late today. Uncle Cheng has arranged a room for you. You will stay here tonight.”

With the conversation reaching this point, there was no need for further discussion between the two.

“Sui Ming, take him to rest.”

Jiang Rui politely thanked him and did not refuse. He had come straight to see Rong Jingtang after getting off the train, and he didn’t want to go looking for another place to stay right now. Besides, this mansion was in a secluded area and it would take a long time to get to the city center.

The exterior of the Rong Residence was ancient and simple, but it contained all the necessary modern facilities inside. Jiang Rui took a shower, and because he had trouble sleeping in unfamiliar places, he didn’t rush to sleep. He lay on the bed and examined the room.

This was a guest room, yet the furniture and decorations were far from ordinary. There were tables and chairs made of huanghuali wood, mutton-fat jade ornaments, and some antiques that looked quite old; he wasn’t knowledgeable about this area and didn’t know their origins… After a quick look around, the person in question (Rong Jingtang) once again refreshed his status as a High Roller in Jiang Rui’s mind.

Rong Jingtang didn’t seem like a Xiangcheng native, and this mansion was probably not his permanent residence. If a single guest room was so extravagant, Jiang Rui couldn’t imagine the gold and jade-filled environment Rong Jingtang grew up in. The thought alone made his Hate Value nearly overflow.

The hatred-inducing Rong Jingtang was currently in the study, processing documents sent over by the Rong Clan.

Uncle Cheng occasionally served tea and water nearby.

As dusk approached, Rong Jingtang finally stopped working, pushed open the window, and looked toward the guest room in the west. Perhaps due to fatigue, his face was somewhat pale, and his lips were nearly translucent.

“Uncle Cheng, he was very angry today.”

Uncle Cheng naturally knew who Rong Jingtang was referring to. After a moment of thought, he said, “Sir, Young Master Jiang may seem gentle-tempered, but he is actually a stubborn person. Perhaps Young Master Jiang hasn’t even realized it himself, but he has already begun to treat you as a friend.”

“Is that so?”

Rong Jingtang asked flatly, as if just an offhand question. He didn’t wait for Uncle Cheng’s reply but stood up, planning to return to his room to rest. He had worked too long today, and his body couldn’t endure it.

Uncle Cheng, however, suddenly spoke up. “Sir, Young Master Jiang said today that he could cure your condition… Why didn’t you agree?”

Rong Jingtang paused slightly. “Uncle Cheng should be clear about the reason.”

His condition of general physical weakness and sensitivity to cold was congenital. Although severe to the point of being unusual, it was not a fatal illness. At most, it looked frightening, but it wouldn’t kill him.

Furthermore, a major figure in Southeast Asia had just died, and the shifting power dynamics had stirred up ideas among some people within the Rong Clan and other forces. This particular juncture was not suitable for seeking a cure.

“Sir, are you afraid that those people will target Young Master Jiang if they find out? We can send men to protect him…” Uncle Cheng said anxiously.

“It’s not appropriate.” Rong Jingtang then walked away without waiting for him to finish.

In just the past few days, merely because his body had shown some improvement, people dared to make a move against Jiang Rui right under his nose. If Jiang Rui were to actually cure him, the situation would only become more complicated, both for Jiang Rui and for himself.

Jiang Rui woke up the next morning feeling unwell. He had been having strange dreams all night, yet he couldn’t remember anything upon waking. Since he started cultivating, he rarely slept because meditating was far more effective at restoring energy and spirit than sleeping. Even his occasional naps were always peaceful. It had been a long time since he encountered a situation like this.

Could it be due to the unfamiliar bed? But his trouble with unfamiliar beds wasn’t usually this severe.

Something is wrong.

Jiang Rui felt that something was amiss but that he was overlooking it. This feeling had persisted since he entered the mansion yesterday, yet he couldn’t pinpoint the exact issue.

After much deliberation, Jiang Rui approached Uncle Cheng and asked to stay a few more days.

Uncle Cheng naturally consented happily. Ever since Rong Jingtang’s health had steadily improved, Uncle Cheng felt grateful toward Jiang Rui. Since Uncle Cheng managed the mansion daily, he could make this small decision without needing to consult his master.

After speaking with Uncle Cheng, Jiang Rui returned to his room and couldn’t help but inwardly criticize himself. He and Rong Jingtang were neither relatives nor close friends. Even if something was wrong with this place, why was it his responsibility to interfere? Besides, anyone who dared to tamper with things around Rong Jingtang couldn’t be a simple character. He truly must have nothing better to do to go looking for trouble!

After venting his frustration, he worried about his hard-mouthed, soft-hearted nature. In his previous life, he was ruined by his soft heart. Now that he had a second chance, he hadn’t made much progress in this area. No wonder people say one’s nature is hard to change. Experience could alter a person’s intellect, but some things are innate and cannot be changed.

If he remained like this, wouldn’t he be doomed to repeat his past mistakes in the future?

No, he could not allow such a thing to happen!

Absolutely not…

“Master, do things as your heart desires; do not force it.” Miao Xuan suddenly appeared in Jiang Rui’s Sea of Consciousness.

Jiang Rui jolted, snapping back to reality, his back instantly breaking out in a cold sweat! He had somehow destabilized his state of mind just now!

A cultivator’s state of mind (xinjing) is paramount on the path to immortality. He had always focused on this aspect, often consuming spiritual herbs and medicines from the Secret Realm that had the effect of clearing inner demons and solidifying his consciousness.

By the Secret Realm’s time calculation, he had been cultivating for over five years. He had deliberately suppressed the speed of his cultivation out of fear of instability in his state of mind.

He had never experienced this situation in those five-plus years.

He had just come close to going astray and generating an Inner Demon (xin mo).

If he had only been suspicious that this mansion had a problem before, he was now certain: there was definitely something wrong with this place!