Ch. 22
Chapter 22: The Power of Incantations
Lu Zhaozhao shook his head and straightened up from his previously limp position where he had been nestled in Lu Guohua’s arms.
“Grandpa, I’m fine, I’m really well.” Lu Zhaozhao said.
Lu Guohua revealed a look of astonishment, because the grandson in his arms was indeed improving at a speed visible to the naked eye. His pale cheeks had become flushed, and even his voice when speaking seemed to carry more strength.
“This… what is going on? Master, what did you do to the child?” Jiang Xinyue was filled with worry, yet also somewhat fearful.
In fact, from the very beginning of dealing with Shen Qingzhou, while they held reverence in their hearts, they also carried fear—fear of unknown power.
Shen Qingzhou naturally understood their thoughts and said with a light smile, “Don’t worry, I just cast a spell on him.”
“Cast a spell?”
Lu Guohua’s face showed both fear and anger, his voice even cracking.
Because spells had never been anything good.
Shen Qingzhou glanced at him coldly. When Lu Guohua met his gaze, he only felt a chill crawl up his spine and spread through his entire body. His anger instantly dissipated, leaving only fear in his heart.
“It’s only to reduce the burden on the child a bit, and at the same time lessen the difficulty of what comes next.” Shen Qingzhou said as he took out a key and opened the door.
“You mean that ‘no big problem’ phrase?” Jiang Haichao asked.
He was both curious and wanted Shen Qingzhou to answer, so as to reassure Lu Guohua.
Lu Guohua was brought here by him—if anything really happened to Zhaozhao, he would never forgive himself for the rest of his life.
“That’s right.” Shen Qingzhou walked into the room. “Come inside and talk.”
“Human language possesses a special kind of power.” Shen Qingzhou said.
“Like a person’s name and birth details?” Jiang Haichao asked.
“Similar. But the more commonly used a phrase is, the stronger the power it carries. For example, ‘no big problem’—many people like to say it, so it’s endowed with a certain kind of power…”
“Then wouldn’t catchphrases and even swear words be the most powerful?” Jiang Xinyue said softly from the side.
Hearing this, Shen Qingzhou turned his head and looked at her with some surprise.
“I… did I say something wrong?” Jiang Xinyue asked uneasily.
“No, you’re very smart.” Shen Qingzhou praised sincerely, then withdrew his gaze. “That’s why I rarely curse ‘your mother’s dead,’ unless their mother is actually dead.”
Everyone: ……
Shen Qingzhou set down the banana and said directly, “Since you’ve prepared everything, don’t waste time. Let’s begin.”
“W-wait a moment.” At this moment, Lu Guohua, who had remained silent, finally could not help but speak.
“Go ahead.” Shen Qingzhou looked at him.
Meeting Shen Qingzhou’s gaze, Lu Guohua subconsciously swallowed.
“Well… can my grandson really be cured?”
“After the treatment, take the child to the hospital for an examination. Once it’s confirmed there’s no problem, then you can pay. So you don’t need to worry about being cheated. I assume Old Jiang has already explained this clearly to you?”
“He has, but… what if the treatment makes things worse?”
Hearing this, Shen Qingzhou chuckled lightly. “Then that’s your own choice—whether to gamble for a chance at a cure, or let the child’s life continue to suffer like this. If I remember correctly, osteogenesis imperfecta is incurable, right?”
Lu Guohua hesitated upon hearing this.
Jiang Haichao opened his mouth, wanting to persuade him, yet didn’t know how to begin.
If this worked out, all would be well. But if it failed, Lu Guohua would likely resent him for the rest of his life. Fortunately, he himself didn’t have much time left in this life.
Just as he resolved to persuade him, Lu Guohua gritted his teeth and said, “I want to try.”
A disease like Lu Zhaozhao’s would make his future life worse than death. He did not want his grandson to live like that for an entire lifetime, so he decided to take a gamble.
“Alright, follow me.” Shen Qingzhou pushed open the door to the side bedroom.
This side bedroom had no windows, so even during the day, it was pitch dark.
Shen Qingzhou turned on the light, but the illumination was dim red, casting a mysterious atmosphere throughout the room.
Jiang Xinyue had been here before, so she didn’t find it strange, but Lu Guohua and Jiang Haichao curiously looked around at the furnishings.
The room was very simple—aside from an offering table, a meditation cushion, and a fire basin, there was nothing else.
“Logically, I should have you wait outside. But I doubt you’d feel at ease, so I’ll allow you to watch. However, no matter what happens later, do not panic, and do not make any sound…” Shen Qingzhou warned them with a serious expression.
“Alright.” The three naturally agreed immediately.
“You must promise me.” Shen Qingzhou continued sternly.
The three felt a chill in their hearts. Thinking of the incantation Shen Qingzhou had just used, they knew this wasn’t something to agree to lightly.
But having come this far, they could only grit their teeth and say, “We promise.”
Only then did Shen Qingzhou nod in satisfaction and let them enter the room.
“Put the child on the cushion.” Shen Qingzhou said to Lu Guohua.
Lu Guohua first glanced at Shen Qingzhou, then took a deep breath. He whispered a few words into his grandson Zhaozhao’s ear before carefully placing him onto the cushion in front of the offering table.
Although Lu Zhaozhao looked about the same age as Xiao Qiu, in reality he was two years older. Moreover, due to years of suffering from illness, he was far more sensible than ordinary children.
So when his grandfather placed him on the cushion, he neither cried nor fussed, only looked curiously at Shen Qingzhou.
Shen Qingzhou crouched in front of him and asked gently, “What’s your name?”
“Lu Zhaozhao.” Zhaozhao felt a bit puzzled—Grandpa Jiang had clearly introduced his name just now.
“And how old are you this year? Hmm… wait a moment.”
Shen Qingzhou reached his hand to the side, and then—
A child appeared beside him.
This startled Lu Zhaozhao, and also startled Lu Guohua, who was watching from the side. How had another child appeared out of thin air?
Jiang Xinyue, however, cried out in delight, “Xiao Qiu.”
“Go to your mother. Don’t cause trouble here.” Shen Qingzhou rubbed her little head.
“Come here quickly.” Jiang Xinyue also beckoned hurriedly.
At that moment, Shen Qingzhou withdrew his hand, and Xiao Qiu instantly disappeared before their eyes.
Shen Qingzhou paid no attention to this and continued questioning Lu Zhaozhao.
“How old are you this year?”
“I’m six years old.”
At six years old, his height was about the same as four-year-old Xiao Qiu.
“Are you sleepy? If you are, then go to sleep.”
“I’m not sleepy. I don’t want to sleep.” Lu Zhaozhao said.
“No, you are sleepy. You want to sleep now.”
Lu Zhaozhao’s eyes instantly lost focus, and he murmured softly, “Yes, I’m sleepy. I want to sleep.”
Then he yawned and curled up on the cushion, falling asleep.
The three people beside him instantly snapped awake, opening their eyes that had almost closed. Their hearts pounded violently as fear spread from within—they had been affected as well. This Master Shen was truly too formidable.
“What about the other items?” Shen Qingzhou turned and asked Jiang Xinyue.
“Here.”
Jiang Xinyue quickly handed over the bag she had been carrying, while Jiang Haichao also took out the hair he had kept close to his body.
“We were worried it wouldn’t be enough, so we brought his worn clothes and hair.” Jiang Haichao hurriedly explained.
Shen Qingzhou looked at the pile of dirty clothes in the bag and said with a look of disgust, “Put them aside, just put them aside.”
Jiang Xinyue quickly took out the clothes and piled them on the floor to the side. Jiang Haichao also carefully placed the few strands of hair he was holding on top. Just in case, he deliberately kept a few strands back.
At this moment, Shen Qingzhou began taking off his clothes.
Everyone: ……