Zhou Chao hurriedly drove to the old alley of Shichahai, Modu. After a series of turns, he arrived at the Xiao family residence. He greeted the two guards at the entrance and quickly walked into the quadrangle.
As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw the old man leisurely sitting on a recliner, drinking tea. Beside him was an antique radio playing classic Beijing Opera tunes.
Watching the old man with his eyes closed, tapping his fingers on his thigh in rhythm with the opera, Zhou Chao smiled but didn't speak.
Instead, he walked straight to the recliner next to Xiao Lao and sat down, leisurely pouring himself a cup of tea and sipping it.
After about seven or eight minutes, the old man still hadn't spoken. Zhou Chao had refilled his tea twice already.
It wasn't until the Beijing Opera on the radio stopped that Xiao Lao opened his eyes and looked at him, saying, "Your cultivation still needs some work. You must practice more!"