## AST 1529 - Predestined Life, I Love Her More Than I Love Myself

“Hello, young man.” The old man greeted Qing Shui kindly.

“Grandpa, this is Qing Shui.” Qin Qing introduced in haste.

“Mmh, the young lad’s not bad at all. Little Qing’er has great taste. You’ve finally found someone you’re satisfied with after so long.” The old man broke out in laughter.

Qing Shui touched his nose lightly. It seems like the talk about Qin Qing’s marriage was a well-known issue in Qin King Manor. Everyone had assumed they were dating just with her bringing home a man.

“What are you talking about, Grandpa? We’re just friends. He has great medical skills and so I’ve brought him here to diagnose your condition.” Qin Qing was speechless by his reaction.

“My sight hasn’t muddled despite my age. You dare claim that you have no feelings for this young man?” The old man looked at Qin Qing warmly and with tender affection.

“Nope. I don’t.” Qin Qing replied stubbornly.

“Well, that’s fine. Hey kid, do you like our Qing’er?” He chuckled.

“Yes, very much. I care neither for food nor drink, but a day apart from her feels like years.”

The old man laughed heartily while moving towards the house. This exquisite-looking two-story building was the only one around here. There were many plants in the courtyard but they weren’t messy. The old man must have planted them himself.

“The young lad even has medical knowledge.” As he walked, he spoke with a smile.

“I have some knowledge of it!”

“Hey, can you stop being this modest? Just answer whatever my grandfather asks!” Qin Qing intercepted.

“Sure, sure, then I won’t hide it from Grandfather anymore. My medical skill is unparalleled and extraordinary. I’ve never met anyone who surpassed my skills.” Following her outburst, Qing Shui corrected.

Qin Qing spotted the issue with that sentence. With a blush, she didn’t bring it up. How shameless of him to regard her grandfather as though he was his own...

The old man chuckled, observing the sentiments between the pair, and felt a rush of happiness that couldn’t be expressed in words. He laughed. “What can you tell about my condition then?”

The old man was testing Qing Shui; he was obviously aware of his own condition. With his status, he had been in contact with many great physicians, but none of them was able to help.

“Grandfather is near the end of his predestined life.” Qing Shui stated straight to the point.

Qin Qing glared at Qing Shui. She hadn’t realized how thick-skinned he was. The old man, on the other hand, remained calm and regarded Qing Shui with interest. It was the first time he had seen anyone who could make Qin Qing look so helpless. Alas, there was always someone who could overcome another.

Still glaring, Qin Qing spoke up nervously. “Then, are you able to help Grandfather?”

“Silly girl. I’m reaching my predestined age, nothing’s going to change that.” The old man shook his head.

“If I could heal Grandfather, how would you thank me?” Qing Shui smiled at Qin Qing.

“How do you want me to repay you?” Flustered, Qin Qing returned the question. If he did manage to extend her grandfather’s life, then to reciprocate with gratitude is the right thing to do.

“How about this? You’ll stay by my side for the same length of time as I’ve extended Grandfather’s life.”

“Alright, but I’ll merely be by your side.” Qin Qing emphasized.

“Of course, what are you fantasizing about?” Qing Shui rebutted in exaggeration.

Qin Qing was filled with annoyance and resignation.

“Grandfather, allow me to feel your pulse!” Qing Shui smiled. After a few tries, he no longer had any qualms calling her grandfather in an overly familiar manner. It was absolutely bizarre to Qin Qing.

The old man extended his hand with a smile. “Even if you’re a miraculous physician, you won’t be able to save a man from his destined life.”

The old man had already embraced the fact and was able to discuss life and death openly. He no longer made a big deal out of dying, and this wasn’t something that just anyone could do.

“That’s not necessarily true. Your predestined lifespan now isn’t the actual end. A martial artist would have suffered countless of severe injuries, on top of cultivation. These would cause the body much harm with accumulation. The predestined lifespan now, is actually half of what it’s supposed to be.”

The old man and Qin Qing both understood what Qing Shui was saying, but it was a fact that his predestined life had already been halved and so, the initial predestined age had become a wishful thinking.

“Could it be that Qing Shui is able to restore the predestined years?” The old man figured out what he was trying to say in an instant.

“At my current level of skills, I can only restore a portion of it, and not heal you completely.” Qing Shui stated honestly, but the amount he was able to restore was still substantial.

Such words startled the old man and he grew doubtful of what Qing Shui had said. However, recalling that he was brought here by Qin Qing, he retained some confidence that the young man was able to keep to his words, but whatever he could return was probably at minimal.

Thinking back about how Qing Shui wanted Qin Qing to stay by his side as long as he’d helped her Grandfather restore his years, he was even more sure that he wouldn’t be able to restore much.

“Qing Shui, how many years can you restore for my grandfather?” Qin Qing didn’t have a number in mind. After all, even if he could restore 10 years, even if it would be a miracle, it would still be too little. She had hoped that it would be more than that, but she knew that either way, seeking to restore it was a wishful thinking.

“I can’t be sure either, I will only know after I’m done with the treatment. Sister Qing, you must keep in mind that you’ll have to stay by my side for as long as I managed to restore it. I wonder how long Sister Qing would want me to restore for Grandfather, to restore more or fewer years?” Qing Shui chuckled.

“What rubbish, obviously the more years the better.”

“Ah, so Sister Qing is willing to stay by my side for that much longer? Alright, I’ll do my best.” Qing Shui replied seriously.

Qin Qing was stuck between being furious and anxious. With a change of her expression, she twisted his weak spot with force.

Ah!

Qing Shui yelled exaggeratingly, and Qin Qing flushed. Amused, the old man watched his granddaughter, pleased with her current state.

Qing Shui used his Superior Divine Needle Technique and began helping her grandfather with acupuncture. The vital points were like a hub for Qing Shui, and with his hands sparkling, it seemed almost transparent.

Saintly Hands!

Qing Shui was ceaselessly tapping the old man’s body, massaging and changing the position of his Superior Divine Needle Technique from time to time, from top to bottom, left to right.

The old man’s arm became black in color, and Qing Shui managed to heal his concealed ailment during that time.

The old man didn’t shut his eyes. Instead, he watched his arm in shock; he could no longer feel anything from it, and his entire body seemed to be piled under an enormous mountain. He was out of breath.

With a needle, he pricked the five fingers on the old man, and droplets of ink black, sticky substance began to flow from it and into a basin. It’s unbelievable, how much impurities had accumulated in the body…

There was a foul smell that filled the room. It was a good thing that they had opened up the windows before. Following the discharge of those black substances, the old man’s body had likewise become lighter from the burden of his imaginary mountain. The relief surged right through his bones.

By the time Qin Qing had cleared the basin, 4 hours had passed and dusk was almost upon them. Qin Qing was filled with anticipation when she came back. “So? How much did you manage to increase?”

“You’ll have to ask Grandfather. I’m not sure about it either.” Qing Shui smiled.

The old man was still in a daze. It was a long while before he exhaled a foul Qi. “I didn’t expect to witness such miraculous medical skills even after living for this long. Little girl, I speculate that you’ll have to follow him for the rest of your life now.”

“Grandfather, how many more years did you get?” Qin Qing’s face was still covered in glee. Grandfather had been the family’s pillar. It was because of him that Qin King Manor was able to reach its current status. Her father had been too low-key, and even though she didn’t care much about the status of Qin King Manor, they had always been living in such prestige. To lose it would attract much trouble, and with it, you would need to solidify the prestige again. Rather than going through such trouble, it’d be easier to just maintain the status quo.

“I don’t know either, but it must have been at least 800 years.” It was almost surreal when the old man spoke those words; from a man who was near the end of his life and still couldn’t bear to leave the living, to one with more than 800 years of life left. How surreal that must feel…

Qin Qing was startled as well. It took a long while before she exclaimed happily. “That’s great! Grandfather’s lifespan has increased drastically.”

“It seems that Sister Qing likes me a lot too; you’re so happy knowing that you’ll have to follow me for that long.” Qing Shui intercepted at that moment.

“Little girl, this is Qing Shui’s effort.” The old man smiled.

“You’re terrible. Did you already know about this before, that’s why you came up with this condition?” Qin Qing looked at Qing Shui. There was still gratitude in her heart; her mother passed away too soon, and so she had spent a lot of time with her grandfather. She could sacrifice a lot of things in exchange for the extension of his lifespan.

“Alright, I’m just kidding. I wasn’t serious about the condition earlier either. If there’s someone Sister Qing likes or that you detest me, I wouldn’t let you suffer.” Qing Shui smiled.

“Really?” Qin Qing reciprocated with her own smile.

“Of course it’s true, but I’ll need a reason. If even I, the dashing and lovable Qing Shui, couldn’t make you fall in love with me, then I’d really like to take a look at the person who could. I must let him know that the competition is brutal.”

“Pfftt, you’re going to kill him.” Qin Qing was amused.

“How is that possible? Am I that kind of person? I’ll perform a surgery for him, and turn him into a woman.” Qing Shui said naturally, with a hint of seriousness.

“I knew you wouldn’t be that generous.” Qin Qing laughed.

“That depends on what. If anyone dares to have any ideas about my woman, I won’t let him continue as a man.” Qing Shui snickered.

“Go to hell. Who’s your woman?”

It was after she said that when she remembered the presence of the old man. Watching him smile, she wanted to dig a hole in the ground and hide in there for the rest of her life. She glared at Qing Shui. “I’m going to inform Father of this news!”

“Qing Shui, our little girl likes you. Treat her well.” The old man said softly.

“Don’t worry, Grandfather. I love her more than I love myself.” Qing Shui reassured. He didn’t spit these words easily. During the time they got to know each other, he knew that he must pursue her with all he had. He liked her, to the extent that he was almost sure he loved her. It wasn’t difficult for a man to love a woman, it all depended on fate.

When he said that, Qin Qing, who hadn’t gone too far, stopped abruptly in her steps, a knowing smile decorated her features before she moved off hastily once more.

Qing Shui knew that Qin Qing had feelings towards him as well, but only to the extent of liking him and not all that much either. However, considering he was the only candidate, the situation is much better than it would’ve been otherwise.