After Miao Qing left, Xu Bin sent many people to look for him. But every time, it was like throwing a stone into the sea with no response. The people he sent searched every clinic and pharmacy, and even asked those itinerant doctors, but they couldn't find any trace of Miao Qing.
In the blink of an eye, many years had passed. Xu Bin even thought that his old friend might no longer be in this world. He had recommended many talents to the State of Cangwu, but the one he remembered most was the young man who, on a stormy night when he was seriously ill, sat back - to - back with him under a sweet - osmanthus tree in a shabby house. They pointed at the twinkling stars in the night sky and discussed their ideal lives.
After all these years, Xu Bin had never met anyone like Miao Qing again. The people he met later were mostly gentle and polite in front of him. They observed all the rules and treated him as an honored guest. The younger generations respected and admired him, but none of them could have a free - spirited conversation with him like before.
Miao Qing was Xu Bin's benefactor back then and also his proud confidant. When he staggered out of the gate of the Grand Tutor's Mansion, a gray figure appeared in front of him. The man had his back to Xu Bin. Even though it was night, one could roughly tell by the moonlight that the man had aged. His temples were gray, and his back was no longer as straight as before.
Xu Bin suddenly burst into tears. The servant beside him wanted to go forward and invite Miao Qing, who had his back to Xu Bin, into the mansion, but Xu Bin reached out his hand to stop him.
Time seemed to go back many years. At that time, Xu Bin was still extremely weak. Wrapped in a thick coat, he gently pushed open the door and saw the young Miao Qing sitting with his back to him in the yard. Xu Bin stepped forward and coughed twice. Then Miao Qing would turn around and scold him, saying that it was cold outside at night and he should go back quickly.
Now, this scene was just like that of many years ago. But Xu Bin knew in his heart that everything had changed.
Xu Bin let go of the servant's hand. With a smile on his face, he walked towards the gray figure. His steps were very light. Old Miao didn't notice him yet. He just walked around the huge sweet - osmanthus tree constantly, as if looking for something.
Finally, Old Miao seemed to find the mark he had made on it before. Clapping his hands, he laughed like a child. "Little Sweet - Osmanthus, after all these years, you've grown so tall and lush. Now you should be able to shade more than ten people at the same time, right?"
Xu Bin felt a tightness in his chest and couldn't help coughing a few more times. Old Miao turned around, and Xu Bin was standing behind him. Old Miao took a deep breath.
Xu Bin said with a smile, "Little Sweet - Osmanthus has grown up. I still remember that back then, it wasn't as lush as it is now. It couldn't even shade the two of us."
Old Miao quickly reached out his hand to support Xu Bin. Although they hadn't seen each other for many years, Old Miao's movements were so familiar and affectionate. "Look at you. You're still so weak."
Xu Bin reached out his trembling hand and tightly grasped Old Miao's hand. Yes, very tightly. Old Miao was stunned. Xu Bin smiled understandingly and let go of his hand. Then he explained slowly, "I'm just afraid that this time, you'll leave without saying goodbye again."
Old Miao quickly replied, "Who said I left without saying goodbye? I wrote you a letter when I left."
"Letter?" Xu Bin frowned.
"Of course. I even spent two copper coins and asked that blind man Wang in the north of the city to write it for me."
Xu Bin was speechless. Blind man Wang in the north of the city? He was an illiterate. How could Miao Qing ask him?
Seeing the skeptical look in Xu Bin's eyes, Miao Qing felt a bit guilty. "Don't look at me like that. I had no other choice. Those vampires in the Imperial Medical Academy had squeezed out all my savings. I managed to hide those two copper coins in my boots. I searched everywhere for someone to write the letter, and only that blind man Wang was willing to take my two copper coins and write the letter for you."
Xu Bin frowned. "You could have come to my place directly. Why did you have to write a letter?"
"It's not my fault. You were so pedantic back then. You even knelt in front of the king to plead for me and then got seriously ill. The king pitied your loyalty and gave you a new mansion and servants to take care of you. I was just a small official expelled from the Imperial Medical Academy. Naturally, they wouldn't let me into your mansion to see you."
"Moreover, I originally wanted to wait until you woke up to talk to you. But by the time my deadline came, you still showed no sign of waking up. I was driven out of the capital before you woke up."
When Old Miao said this, he seemed a bit aggrieved. Seeing this, Xu Bin couldn't help smiling. Old Miao also smiled back.
Back then, when Miao Qing entered the Imperial Medical Academy, because he was illiterate, he always did menial tasks. The capital was full of talented scholars at that time. For a rough person like Miao Qing, when talking to others, they would think him vulgar.
It wasn't until he met the scholar - looking Xu Bin. Xu Bin was well - read. Every time he visited the Imperial Medical Academy, he could talk to Miao Qing a few words, and there was not a bit of disdain for Miao Qing in his words. Gradually, Miao Qing's favor for Xu Bin grew.
Later, when he learned that Xu Bin was ill, he calculated based on Xu Bin's state when he saw him a few days ago that it couldn't be "consumption". But no one believed him. The people in the Imperial Medical Academy also told him not to meddle in other people's business for fear of implicating the academy.
But Miao Qing still sneaked out secretly. Every time night fell, he would secretly go to see Xu Bin. As time passed, Miao Qing and Xu Bin became good friends who could talk about anything.
Originally, Miao Qing thought that Xu Bin was a just and polite person, and he should treat everyone warmly. And he left a letter for Xu Bin when he left. If Xu Bin really regarded him as a friend, he should come to Jiangning to look for him.
However, he didn't come. So Miao Qing "knew better" and didn't bother Xu Bin anymore. Even later when he knew that Xu Bin had become the Grand Tutor of the State of Cangwu, he just smiled faintly and never thought of relying on the Grand Tutor's Mansion to get an official position.
He even never mentioned a single word about this friendship with Xu Bin in the capital to others. He thought of himself as a stain on Xu Bin. But he never expected that after so many years, Xu Bin could still recognize him at a glance.
From what Xu Bin said before, Miao Qing could roughly guess that they had missed each other for so many years because of a misunderstanding.
"Now that you're in the capital, don't leave, okay?" Xu Bin looked at Miao Qing.
Miao Qing stammered, "I, I'm not sure. This time I came because of a senior..."
"The little sweet - osmanthus tree back then has now become a huge tree. Unlike before, it couldn't even shade the two of us. Now, I've reached this position. I've grown just like it. You're under this tree, and I can protect you."
When Xu Bin said this, his eyes were firm. It even made Miao Qing a bit dazed. The frail scholar Xu Bin back then was really different now.