I did not expect anybody to read yet, since this is still Saturday morning ...
Well, I am not sure which edition my book is, but based on Athena's article, it seems to me that it is the third edition (WXB's 'deceased' friend being Shi Ruidong and not Hai Ruidong). What I mean by the part is not in the book is that it is not in
my book, but it is in Minford's work, as well as in the online version. No, it is not my own imagination, and no, I have never seen any adaptation.
Perhaps someone more knowledgeable would be able to shed some light on this? Assuming that my book is indeed the third edition, could it be that Jin Yong dropped this part?
FYI, I am using the online version as my source, just because if I have to read without online dictionary, it will take me ten times longer. But I constantly compare the online version with my printed book. If there is any discrepancy, I use the book version, for example, the online version keep saying that WXB was fourteen, fifteen years old, but my book says he was thirteen, fourteen years old.