The pinnacle of magic

On the way to the hospital, Shi Rui got a general idea of ​​Old Johnny's current condition from Janet.

While explaining, the female magician kept the vehicle speed precisely within the allowable speeding range.Once, Shi Rui even saw a policeman turn on his lights, but he didn't catch up.After parking the car in the underground parking garage of the hospital, the female magician quickly took Shi Rui up to the elevator to the inpatient department.

"A suitable liver is already on the way."

"I invited the best liver transplant experts in the country to perform the surgery."

"Help me convince him to sign the consent form. As long as it is within my ability, I can help you do anything."

When the elevator bell rang, the female magician paused, looked into Shi Rui's eyes and said, "Don't worry about Clifford. He used to be my assistant, and I will never sit idly by." She preempted Step out of the elevator.

This is the first time Shi Rui heard that the magician used to be Janet's assistant. The reason why "Fingersmith" chose Clifford, is there also old Johnny's factor in it?Since Old Johnny was the magician's first teacher, with Janet's strength, it is not surprising to see some clues from the magician's techniques.

As we all know, "Fingersmith" Janet has very high standards for choosing assistants.Most of her magic tricks are close-up magic and don't require many assistants.And since her debut, there has never been a "layman" under her school.It can be said that as long as you become her assistant, you have taken a shortcut to become a professional magician.

"I won't accompany you in. Remember to tell him that I will keep my promise." The female magician brought Shi Rui to the door of a senior ward and stopped. "As long as he is willing to operate, I will never appear in front of him again." Her voice was very calm.

"I will try my best." Shi Rui looked into the eyes of the female magician, "but I must first respect his ideas. Johnny has his own way of life and has his own views on life. And, in your words, even if he really If you go to heaven, you will also bring laughter to heaven."

"But that's a paradise without me!" The female magician showed strong emotions in front of Shi Rui for the first time.She paused and smiled wryly: "I also know that the hope of this operation is slim. But I just can't be reconciled. He is so good, so good to everyone, he deserves a longer life, doesn't he? I... no way to lose him, even though I never had a major place in his life."

"He cares about you very much. You have always been the best student in his heart." Seeing the disappointed expression on the female magician's face, Shi Rui couldn't help but patted her on the shoulder. You will be brooding to death."

The female magician was slightly startled: "What did Johnny tell you?"

"Occasionally he was really drunk. Once he vaguely mentioned the accident after drinking. He thought it was him who made you never touch big magic again."

"That was just an accident!" The female magician frowned, "It was an accident caused by my own negligence, and has nothing to do with the path of magic I chose later."

Shi Rui shrugged: "You also know how much Johnny cares about 'students'."

The female magician frowned and thought.

"I'll go in first." Shi Rui cast an encouraging glance at the female magician, and pushed open the door.

The ward is not always white.Be it bed sheets or wallpaper, they are all warm and light colors.Pots of green plants are decorated on high and low shelves, and there is even a brightly colored abstract painting hanging on the wall.Old Johnny's hospital bed was placed near the window.There is a TV directly opposite the hospital bed, and a small round table and several wooden chairs on the other side.There is even a small "children's paradise" in the corner of the ward, many plush toys and two colorful stools are enclosed in a low "enclosed wall" made of building blocks.

Shi Rui: "Johnny..."

The old magician put down the rope ring in his hand, and when he saw Shi Rui, his eyes immediately showed surprise: "Ah! Shirley, come here quickly! Let me see you! I heard that you and Clifford are engaged? You guys are acting, right?"

"No. Although the marriage contract has not been formally established, he can only belong to me in this life." Shi Rui took a chair and sat down beside the hospital bed.The old magician's complexion looked good, at least not as tired and old as last time.

"Ah!" Old Johnny opened his mouth and pointed at Shi Rui's chest, "He knows you are..."

Shi Rui nodded.Old Johnny was one of the few people who knew his true gender.

"Haha, that kid is lucky! He can get a beauty like you!" The old magician couldn't help laughing. "Hey...you have found someone, it looks like I'm going to lose love." He made a face at Shi Rui.

"You are indeed about to break up in love." Shi Rui paused, "Janet told me that she doesn't plan to see you anymore."

For a moment, the expression on the old magician's face was brilliant.Shocked, saddened, and even a little... Angry?

"Go and tell her that if she dares to get married for such an inexplicable reason, I... I will not admit that I taught her!"

"Married?" Shi Rui raised his eyebrows.

Old Johnny coughed in embarrassment: "Last time, she said that as long as I was willing to undergo the operation, she would find someone to marry, because with her personality, once she got married, she would never come to me again. But I thought she was To put it bluntly, we were arguing about going to the hospital."

"Even if she really wants to marry for your peace of mind, that is her own choice." Shi Rui shrugged, "You know, I hate interfering with other people's will. I can help some people who are important to me , but only if he wants me to help him."

"Okay." The old magician sighed in frustration. "I'll talk to her myself."

"What's going on?" Shi Rui pointed to the "Children's Paradise" in the corner of the room.This is obviously not part of the standard equipment of the ward.

"The previous patient in this room was a little boy not yet ten years old."

Shi Rui frowned slightly.

"After he passed away, his family members didn't want to come to the hospital to clean up, so these things stayed. When I moved in, the nurses planned to take them away. But I think it's good to put them away, at least it makes me feel like I'm here The audience was watching me when I did my little trick. I've seen pictures of that little guy. Kind of chubby, with a little round face, so cute. What a pity...”

"There's no pity, soon he will be able to really see your performance, in the kingdom of heaven."

Shi Rui's words made the old magician silent for a moment.He sighed: "Shirley, recently I have been thinking about what will happen after death, whether the kingdom of heaven is as beautiful as people imagined, or whether the kingdom of heaven really exists."

"The conclusion is?"

"I don't want to die yet." The old magician scratched his white hair and said with emotion, "I don't think anyone can really wait for death in peace. This feeling is really bad, and I can only hear it from the doctor forever." In words of consolation, every day is weaker than the day before, and I can't even play rope well. Just now a strange person gave me a leaflet saying 'Just shaking hands can cure all diseases' . Ha! If only there was such a thing."

The old magician shook his head immediately: "But I know, this is just a lie. I don't want to torment myself like this anymore, and I don't want Janet to continue to worry about me. Even if the transplant operation is successful, the chance of relapse within three years is very high. Up to 80%. One more time, I think I'm going to crash."

"Johnny, how sure of success do you think a magic trick must be before it can be performed in public?"

The old magician was slightly taken aback. "One hundred percent?" he said uncertainly.

"Maybe for magicians. Because magicians can't afford to fail on stage. But for beginners? For kids who want to show their parents what they just learned What about those who learn a trick or two just to impress their lover? Do you still think you have to be [-]% sure to perform it?"

"Uh……"

"For some people, it doesn't matter if a magic trick fails, what matters is the intention when performing it. You once said a word to me, which I didn't fully understand at the time. You said that magic is to bring happiness to people. A magician must always keep this in mind. Johnny, you are born to bring happiness to others. Try it, and it won't get worse. At least you still have 20% hope, you can do it again Standing on the stage once can make the audience complacently show off after watching the performance, and tonight witnessed the performance of 'Goldfinger' Johnny!"

The old magician's eyes moved, but he didn't speak.

"But after the operation..." Shi Rui smiled, "Don't forget to make yourself happy too. Since it's a life you earned, you don't need to push yourself too hard."

The old magician sighed: "Now I'm really jealous of Clifford. It's a very lucky thing to be surrounded by people like you."

"Johnny..."

"Ok?"

"Didn't I tell you?" Shi Rui raised his eyebrows, "You are also within that range." He stretched out his arm to the old magician.

A feeble hug.

But Shi Rui knew that the fire of hope had been rekindled in this body.

"Actually, you don't have to worry about Janet getting married." Shi Rui said with a smile, "With her character, she will never go to an outsider. Because she is the same as you, magic has been integrated into her life and her blood , cannot be separated at all. But among the insiders... I don't think anyone dares to challenge the majesty of 'Fingersmith' Janet."

"Really?" Old Johnny frowned, with a suspicious expression on his face, "She had a lot of suitors when she first entered the industry!"

"You said ten years ago?"

"Fifteen years ago..." the old magician rubbed his chin, "Well, she has indeed looked more serious in recent years. Ah! By the way, are you and Clifford planning to get married?"

Shi Rui pondered for a moment: "I can't make a decision alone."

"If I have this preparation, if I am still alive at that time, can I be your witness?" The old magician asked with a smile.

Shi Rui felt that, compared to the last time we met, the smile that looked down on life and death, Old Johnny's smile at this moment was more heartwarming.It is the best state of mind to be determined to fight, but not attached to the result.

"I think it's okay." Shi Rui smiled, "Clifford asked me to thank you for him last time."

"for……?"

"Lead him in."

"He remembers me?!" The old magician suddenly widened his eyes.This news cheered him up a bit.

Shi Rui smiled: "Of course."

"It seems that it is right for you to help him. Although I didn't expect to be able to bring you together, but now it seems that even your memory is a natural match!" The expression of the old magician looked Look very pleased.

"Johnny..."

"Ok?"

"I am also very grateful for your decision at that time."

The old magician was secretly surprised by Shi Rui's frankness when expressing his gratitude.In the previous relationship, he had never seen Shi Rui express his feelings so clearly.He immediately thought that such a change was probably due to another disciple of his, and immediately laughed happily.

The night wind blows the curtains of the floor-to-ceiling windows, revealing a clear crescent moon hanging high in the middle of the sky through the gaps.

Tomorrow will also be a fine day.