Chapter 252
Tang Mudao said, “Xianzhang! I’m sincerely seeking the Dao!”
“Those instruments are my gift for our meeting!” He pointed at the entrance of the nursing home.
“I can also bring in some collaborations for the nursing home!”
“Collaborations?” The old man Bai was intrigued. “What kind of collaborations?”
“I have connections with some hospitals abroad... It wouldn’t be a problem to get a few prestigious names for the nursing home!”
Zheng Fa began to understand. It seemed like he was suggesting to use the names of well-known foreign hospitals to attract customers.
“I can also introduce some clients to the nursing home!” Seeing Zheng Fa’s expression was still neutral, Tang Mudao added, “Not foolish people, but those with plenty of money.”
“…”
To be honest, Zheng Fa could see Tang Mudao’s effort and sincerity. Yet, he felt increasingly puzzled.
“Professor Tang... You’re doing experimental physics abroad?”
“Uh, to be precise, I’m in astronomy.”
“Then you…”
Zheng Fa struggled to describe this person’s various words and actions.
Tang Mudao blinked, seemingly not understanding what Zheng Fa was trying to say.
It was Bai Laotou who seemed to grasp Zheng Fa’s meaning.
“This kid thinks you lack the demeanor of a scholar.”
Tang Mudao looked at his beer belly, confused. “I don’t consider myself a scholar…”
“…”
“I do research simply because I’m good at it. It’s my means of making a living, not because I enjoy it…”
Zheng Fa smirked. “But we... are a research-oriented nursing home.”
“Nursing home…” Tang Mudao was taken aback. “Research-oriented?” He seemed to struggle to comprehend how those two words could go together.
Zheng Fa nodded at him.
He then looked at Bai Laotou, who also nodded in agreement.
Tang Mudao opened his mouth. “I thought... you opened a nursing home to make money…”
That thought was quite normal—wanting to run a nursing home to study the Dao was rather unusual.
If Zheng Fa was solely focused on making money, then the instruments and connections Tang Mudao provided could indeed be somewhat useful.
It couldn’t be said that he wasn’t putting in effort.
Except for one thing…
“Instead of sending these things, it would be better if you brought two of your own papers.”
Bai Laotou sighed from the side.
Tang Mudao looked a bit frustrated. “How was I supposed to know that recruiting for a Xianzhang is the same as recruiting for a PhD?”
“…”
Papers were indeed a different matter.
Tang Mudao might not be a household name in academia, but he was certainly not unknown.
Zheng Fa, while not familiar with his research topics, could tell from the journal rankings, impact factors, and citation counts that this person’s tenure as a professor was likely not due to some mysterious Eastern power.
The four of them discussed in the backyard while Tang Mudao waited inside the main building of the nursing home.
“What do you think?”
“His academic ability should be fine,” Bai Laotou said first.
“I just feel that this person…” Tang Lingwu shook her head. “Doesn’t quite match our character. He’s a bit…”
“A bit too worldly,” Teacher Tian chimed in.
Tang Lingwu nodded in agreement.
That was also Zheng Fa’s feeling.
This person was smart, meticulous, and determined.
Bai Laotou had only appeared once in a livestream by a homestay owner, yet this person had managed to gather so much information.
Zheng Fa had no doubts about his intelligence and willpower.
“I’ve been thinking about this too…” Zheng Fa shared his thoughts. “First, do we need an astronomer? Second… if this person joins us, what impact will it have on the nursing home?”
“I’m actually more worried that he might want to use the Dao techniques he learns for his own gain in the mundane world.”
“That Daoist association of his…” Zheng Fa pondered. “Seems to hint at that.”
Upon hearing this, Tang Lingwu and the others nodded.
Bai Laotou stroked his chin and said, “Actually, I think, aside from academic cultivation, we do need someone like him.”
“Hmm?”
Zheng Fa looked at Bai Laotou, listening to his opinion.
“Our nursing home is about to open, right?”
“Right.”
“We might attract some attention.”
Zheng Fa began to grasp Bai Laotou’s meaning. “You mean, let him handle the reception?”
“Exactly. I think among the four of us, he’s the most suitable for this.” Bai Laotou continued, “It’s like those novels with inner and outer sects. We’re doing research, but we still need to deal with worldly matters.”
Zheng Fa found Bai Laotou’s perspective interesting.
He initially thought Tang Mudao’s slickness was a flaw.
But after Bai Laotou’s comment, Zheng Fa began to see it as a potential strength.
“The most important thing is whether we can keep him in check.”
Zheng Fa nodded slowly, already formulating some ideas in his mind.
…
“Test?” Tang Mudao blinked. “What kind of test?”
“You know about the dream of Nanke, right?”
Tang Mudao seemed to understand. “Testing the heart of the Dao?”
Zheng Fa nodded. His habit was to be straightforward, and he was the same with Tang Mudao.
If he was going to use the Great Dream Talisman on him, Zheng Fa would explain it clearly.
“I accept!”
Tang Mudao likely realized this was an opportunity Zheng Fa was giving him, and he nodded eagerly.
Zheng Fa tapped the back of his head, and the Great Dream Talisman shot into his mind.
The four of them watched as a dark mist slowly rose above his head, revealing Tang Mudao’s figure within.
He was dressed in a Daoist robe, walking through a small town that looked quite backward.
The townspeople bowed to him, calling him Xianzhang.
He nodded to those around him and approached a simple house.
The walls of the house were made of red bricks, a rarity in this day and age.
He pushed the door open and entered the hall.
In the hall stood an offering table with three incense sticks burning, their smoke curling around a black-and-white photo on the wall—a younger man in the same Daoist robe as Tang Mudao.
Tang Mudao gazed at the black-and-white photo and suddenly spoke:
“Father.”
“When I was twenty, learning Qigong from my master, I knew he was a fraud.”
“At forty, when I visited those Daoist temples, I also knew they were deceiving.”
“At fifty, when I became the president of the association, I realized I was deceiving too. They probably knew... it was all just a game.”
“But just like you said, the Dao is not a deception…” Tang Mudao said, “I have sought it.”
…
Bai Laotou was stunned, turning to the others and asking:
“Is this feudal superstition, or is there a family legacy?”
Teacher Tian shook his head. “It’s not a family legacy… Given his age, if his father was into this, he probably didn’t have a good situation.”
Bai Laotou paused, nodding silently.
“What he calls seeking the Dao…” Teacher Tian continued, “Perhaps it’s just that he hasn’t let go. Two generations of fools…”
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 237: The Law is Not to Be Lightly Passed, United in Heart and Mind
“Zheng Fa, what do you think? Should we keep him or not?”
Bai Laotou asked Zheng Fa.
Zheng Fa pondered for a moment. He had indeed gained a bit more understanding of Tang Mudao... but it wasn’t enough to instill a strong sense of trust in him.
“Professor Bai, I have an idea…”
“Hmm?”
“We need to improve the system for teaching Dao techniques at the nursing home.”
Zheng Fa’s words made the three of them nod slowly, as if they shared the same thought.
Previously, when Bai Laotou mentioned inner and outer sects, it sparked this idea in Zheng Fa.
The nursing home didn’t have such a system before, mainly because the four of them got along relatively harmoniously—it really didn’t serve much purpose.
But since the nursing home was about to gradually open, they would inevitably encounter people with more complex personalities, like Tang Mudao…
Zheng Fa couldn’t build deep relationships with everyone, and relying solely on feelings wouldn’t sustain an organization.
“System…” Bai Laotou thought for a moment and said, “A system is a good thing, but which direction should we take?”
Teacher Tian and Tang Lingwu looked at him curiously.
“My current thought is to implement a points system for academic achievements.”
“...It really is a research-oriented nursing home!”
Zheng Fa nodded and continued:
“For the techniques, any spiritual materials or spells we develop in the future, I hope we can assign corresponding points…”
“The evaluation of academic achievements, I plan for the four of us to decide…”
The three of them understood; Zheng Fa must have had this idea for a while.
“I think it sounds good, no issues there,” Tang Lingwu said with a gentle nod.
“If there are issues, it’s fine,” Bai Laotou was more open-minded. “We’re just getting started; we can make changes as needed.”
…
In the main building of the nursing home, on the first floor.
Tang Mudao was restless, waiting for Zheng Fa and the others to make their final decision.
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