Chapter 389: 389: Jiang Zhi kneels 103 tis for Fang Bao (first update)
“Mr. Jiang,” Vice President Sun called from the end of the corridor.
Jiang Zhi pushed the infusion stand over.
The two entered the office together, and Vice President Sun said, “The results from the laboratory have been delivered.”
“Did they find a solution?”
He shook his head, “We tried many tis but it didn’t work. Once the blood leaves the body, its composition imdiately changes, acidity and potassium ions increase too quickly, and the longest shelf-life we can maintain is only five days. After five days, it can no longer be used as stored blood.”
Generally speaking, by adding appropriate anticoagulants and the nutrients needed for cell tabolism, and by controlling the temperature within a certain range, whole blood and red blood cells can be preserved for about thirty days.
If the blood could only be preserved for five days no matter what conditions were set, it was highly abnormal.
“Have the laboratory continue the research until a solution is found.”
Vice President Sun understood. After a mont of thought, he asked, “The blood sample is from Miss Zhou—”
Jiang Zhi interrupted, warning, “Don’t ask about things I haven’t told you.”
His gaze was icy, like peach blossoms covered in snow.
Vice President Sun nodded his head, asking no further.
Jiang Zhi reached the door and again instructed, “Ensure all data and samples are destroyed after the experint. They absolutely must not be leaked.”
“Understood.”
When Jiang Zhi arrived at Fang Lixiang’s place, Zhou Xufang was happily learning yoga with a teacher.
She turned her head when she heard the sound and, seeing him, stood up to wave enthusiastically, “Jiang Zhi.”
Old Fang’s guest room had been turned into a yoga studio, with mirrors on all four walls; it looked quite professional.
Jiang Zhi remained at the entrance, without going in, and softly said, “Sit properly.”
Zhou Xufang obediently returned to her yoga mat and continued with the teacher’s rhythm.
Xue Baoyi was also at her father-in-law’s place. After taking a phone call on the balcony and coming in, she saw soone standing at the door, “I heard from Lixiang that Zhou Xufang is pregnant.”
“Mm,” replied Jiang Zhi as he glanced at Zhou Xufang, then at her reflection in the mirror.
Curious, Xue Baoyi asked half inquisitively and half jokingly, “How did it happen? Aren’t you sterile?”
“Mind your own business.”
Far from being pacified, he beca even more provocative, jesting, “Brother Zhi, could it be you’ve been secretly seeking treatnt without telling us? Which hospital? Their technique is pretty good.”
His words were loaded with deeper aning.
He was extrely curious about why exactly Jiang Zhi was sterile – whether it was one thing or another that didn’t work.
In Jiang Zhi’s eyes, the peach blossoms were frosted over, with a chilling implication: “Itching for a beating, are you?”
Angry from embarrassnt.
Definitely the one thing not working.
Xue Baoyi put a hand to her mouth, gesturing a zipped lip, and stopped teasing her buddy. She spoke earnestly, “My wife’s posture is so graceful.”
Fang Lixiang’s right hand held her right ankle, standing on one leg, her body leaning forward, wobbling slightly.
Next to her, Zhou Xufang was performing the sa yoga pose, exceptionally stable on the lower body, as serene as a ditating monk, immobile, her face earnest and serious.
Jiang Zhi glanced at the mirror, “Zhou Xufang’s pose is more standard.”
A comparison?
Or showing off?
Oh, his damnable desire to win.
Xue Baoyi gave Jiang Zhi a sidelong glance, challenging, “My wife’s flexibility is unbeatable.”
Jiang Zhi didn’t even throw him a glance, “Zhou Xufang has a better sense of balance.”
Xue Baoyi retorted, not convinced, “My wife can stretch her arms straighter.”
“Zhou Xufang stands firr.”
“My wife’s belly is bigger.”
“Zhou Xufang’s legs are longer.”
Mr. Fang, who couldn’t get a word in, “…”
Two childish fools!
After the half-hour yoga session ended, Zhou Xufang was sweaty. She casually wiped her face with a tissue, still with pieces of paper on her face, and ran to Jiang Zhi, “Didn’t you say you wouldn’t co today?”
Jiang Zhi removed the bits of tissue from her face, “Ca because I missed you.”
Zhou Xufang’s cheeks, already flushed from exercise, reddened even further.
He leaned in to kiss her.
She imdiately sprang away, “People are here.”
Da Fang and Xiao Fang were right behind them, sneaking glances in her and Jiang Zhi’s direction.
“Let’s go back to our room,” said Jiang Zhi, leading her away.
Zhou Xufang did not live at Fang Lixiang’s house but had bought a second-hand house across the street.
After entering the house, she headed to the kitchen, “There’s plum juice in the fridge that Lixiang’s dad made; I’ll go get so for you.”
Jiang Zhi pulled her into his embrace.
He seed to be in a bad mood.
Zhou Xufang looked up at him, her forehead just reaching the height of his chin, “What’s wrong?”
Jiang Zhi spoke in a weary voice, “The lab sent a reply.”
“Isn’t going well, is it?”
“Yeah,” his tone was despondent, “After your blood is removed from the body, its composition changes, and the critical value for its effective period is five days. So far, there’s no way to preserve it for a longer ti.”
Not being able to receive blood transfusions in large quantities from others, nor store her own blood, remained a hidden danger.
Zhou Xufang wasn’t surprised at all and remained calm, “I had guessed this. The fact that Su Dingzhi and his son have been searching for all these years indicates that they have no way to preserve my blood samples for long, which is why they still need as a lab specin.”
Jiang Zhi frowned, his beautiful eyes gloomy, as if covered by a layer of mist from the rainy season in Jiangnan Water Town, murky and lacking any light coming through.
Seeing Zhou Xufang’s untroubled expression, he said in a reassuring tone, “It’s not all bad news. Can’t we preserve it for five days? We can prepare the blood before giving birth. I’ve looked it up online; many expectant mothers with rare blood types store their own blood.”
She decided to think of herself as having rare ‘panda blood.’
Jiang Zhi still hovered in deep worry, “What if there’s a premature birth? We can’t go and store blood every day.”
“…”
Zhou Xufang couldn’t find the words to comfort him anymore; he was overly apprehensive.
“Don’t always think the worst.”
Jiang Zhi buried his head in her shoulder, unable to help but imagine the worst.
Jiang Zhi spent the night, and the next morning during breakfast, Mr. Fang said he planned to visit the temple that morning to pray for blessings for Xiao Fang and little Xiao Fang.
Xue Baoyi imdiately said to her father-in-law, “I’ll go too,” and then, turning her head, asked Jiang Zhi, “Brother Zhi, are you coming?”
After Jiang Zhi had finished eating, he was watching Zhou Xufang struggle with her poor appetite, “I don’t believe in Buddhism.”
Despite saying that, he still ended up going.
Since incense would be burned in the temple, and the fragrances and woods contained chemicals that could be harmful to pregnant won if inhaled in excess, Zhou Xufang and Fang Lixiang did not go up. The two of them waited below.
It was almost forty minutes later that Jiang Zhi and the others ca down from the temple, a group of five people, taking two cars. Mr. Fang and Fang Lixiang rode in Xue Baoyi’s car.
On the road, Fang Lixiang remarked with a sigh, “Who would’ve thought Jiang Zhi would believe in this stuff?”
Mr. Fang had good driving skills and was focused on the road, so he didn’t speak.
Xue Baoyi chid in, “He says he doesn’t, but just now in the temple, he knelt more earnestly and paid respects more tis than anyone else.”
Fang Lixiang gave her a deadpan look, “What about you?”
Xue Baoyi’s will to survive was strong as she grabbed his hand and put it on her knee, her tone like that of a doting wife, “Feel this, I’ve knelt until they’re swollen.”
Jiang Zhi’s car followed behind.
Zhou Xufang sat in the back seat; ever since she beca pregnant, Jiang Zhi wouldn’t let her sit in the passenger seat and even had a special safety belt installed in the back for her.
Zhou Xufang asked him, “Did you make a wish?”
“Mhm.”
“What did you wish for?”
He kept his gaze on the road, driving slowly, “I can’t say it out loud.”
Zhou Xufang’s phone in her bag rang; it was a WeChat ssage from Fang Lixiang.
“Xue Baoyi said that in front of the temple hall, there are ninety-nine steps built for worshippers to climb, and most of them go up by walking. Only a very few kneel and kowtow at each step.”
After reading the ssage, Zhou Xufang put her phone down and leaned forward, spotting the dust still present on Jiang Zhi’s black pants.
One step, one kneel, one kowtow.
The wish Jiang Zhi prayed for must have had sothing to do with her.
Driving into the residential area, Jiang Zhi first parked the car to the side and took a phone call.
“Mr. Jiang, Chairman Ming from Bai De has responded to us.”
Jiang Zhi responded with a “Hmm,” and then after hanging up, he said to Zhou Xufang, “I’ve got business to handle, I won’t go upstairs. Call if you need anything.”
“Okay.”
Zhou Xufang unbuckled her seat belt and got out of the car, with Fang Lixiang waiting for her at the front entrance.
Jiang Zhi didn’t imdiately leave. He watched her until she reached the entrance of the building before rolling up the car window, “I’m leaving now.”
“Jiang Zhi.”
She ran back again.
Jiang Zhi rolled down the window.
She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, “Drive safely.”
“Mhm.”
At Qianling Temple, he had knelt a total of one hundred and three tis, with only one wish in mind: that Zhou Xufang would be safe for her entire life.
He didn’t dare to ask for too much, so, he didn’t even include their child in his prayers.
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