Ding Honglei, oblivious to everything, continued to hurl insults: "Pretty arrogant, huh? Can't you understand human language? You know perfectly well how you got your barefoot doctor's certificate! Crushing you is easier than crushing an ant for me!"
Su Ruyi just stared at him, her gaze as if she were looking at a corpse.
Ding Honglei couldn't understand her gaze, but he could sense that she was ignoring him, so he was almost furious: "Village Doctor Su! I'm warning you one more time, if I see you doing anything crooked again, I won't be polite to you!"
After saying that, he leaned against the wall and started panting heavily.
"Are you done talking this time?!" Su Ruyi glanced at him sideways.
"What kind of look is that?" the lackey said displeasedly.
"A 'take it or leave it' look." Su Ruyi still glanced sideways at Ding Honglei.
This man is Ding Daguo's cousin.
It's a ticking time bomb.
However, he is dying soon, so there is nothing to fear.
Ding Honglei was so angry that his hands started to tremble, and he looked like he was about to have a seizure.
The lackey hurriedly dragged him away, saying, "Boss, why bother getting angry with this country bumpkin? It's not worth it!"
After Ding Honglei and his companion left, Chu Liang'an looked at Su Ruyi with suspicion: "Does that person have a grudge against you?"
"Yes," Su Ruyi replied briefly.
"That man is Ding Honglei from the Organization Department of Heilongjiang Province. It seems he's been temporarily transferred to the Provincial Party Committee Office. He's a ruthless character!"
Chu Liang'an was a little worried, "Junior Sister, is there some misunderstanding? I know his older brother, do you want me to..."
"No." Su Ruyi refused decisively. "My feud with him can't be settled with just a few words from anyone."
"Alright." Chu Liang'an sighed, took out a pen and paper, and wrote down his address and phone number for Su Ruyi. "If Ding Honglei causes you any more trouble, junior sister, don't be polite with me, call me right away!"
"Yes, thank you, Second Senior Brother." A warm feeling rose in Su Ruyi's heart.
It was a strange feeling; she had never experienced such protective and unconditional favoritism from anyone other than her fourth and fifth brothers.
Chu Liang'an didn't even ask about the situation before assuming that she was right but the one being bullied.
Su Ruyi looked at Chu Liang'an again; his gaze remained calm and gentle.
She had so many questions she wanted to ask him, about her master's past, about her master and his aunt's past, but time didn't allow it.
She couldn't stay here too long; after all, according to Chief Cheng's plan, she shouldn't be here.
Moreover, it shouldn't be seen by Ding Honglei.
She said apologetically to Chu Liang'an, "Second Senior Brother, I have already told Aunt about Master's matter. I have urgent business to attend to back in Bingcheng. Once I've finished my business in Bingcheng, I will rush back to find Aunt and you as soon as possible, and then I will take you to Master's grave to pay our respects, is that alright?"
"If you have something urgent to attend to, then go ahead and do it." Chu Liang'an nodded. "Be careful on the road."
Jin Xingqiu originally wanted to ask about Ding Youliang's miraculous recovery, but seeing that the others looked like they had urgent matters to attend to, she had no choice but to give up: "Ruyi, have a safe journey."
"Okay." Su Ruyi left with Ding Youliang, Ding Sihou, and Cheng Zhen.
The Lada car drove up to the entrance of the state-run restaurant in Sanhe County.
Unexpectedly, when Su Ruyi went in to ask, she learned that Master Wang was not there today.
She wanted to thank Master Wang in person for asking Zhang Bin to save her, but it seems she won't be able to see him today.
It was lunchtime, so Su Ruyi treated the three of them to a simple meal.
Master Wang's young apprentice has already graduated and has at least received eight or nine tenths of his true teachings.
Su Ruyi thought for a moment and realized that this might be the reason why Master Wang had been away lately.
She packed two more meals, one for Cheng Weiguo and one for her grandfather and Li Wang, who had already gone to the hot springs.
After the four finished lunch, Su Ruyi hired an oxcart to take Ding Youliang and his son Ding Sihou back home.
Immediately afterward, Cheng Zhen drove the two back to Harbin.
Along the way, Cheng Zhen was extremely curious about Chef Wang from the state-run restaurant: "Dr. Su, tell me more, what other specialties does Chef Wang have?"
Su Ruyi thought hard and realized that Chef Wang seemed to have a specialty in every dish, and each one was amazing.
Cheng Zhen shook his head and sighed, "I used to think my cooking skills were pretty good. I even won first place in Heilongjiang Province in the army's big pot cooking competition! I've always heard people say that the food at the state-run restaurant in Sanhe County is exceptional. Today, we're only eating the dishes cooked by this Master Wang's apprentice, and they're already twice as good as mine! Turns out, I'm just a frog in a well!"
“Your cooking is also delicious, it’s a different style,” Su Ruyi said sincerely.
Cheng Zhen was used to cooking in the army, and he used very generous amounts of ingredients, so his food had a rich, dark flavor that suited Su Ruyi's taste.
Cheng Zhen shook his head, then asked somewhat embarrassedly, "Dr. Su, do you think he would accept me as his apprentice if I wanted to become Master Wang's disciple?"
"You've become his disciple?" Su Ruyi asked in surprise. "Why would you become his disciple? Aren't you going back to the army after your vacation?"
"I'm leaving the military," Cheng Zhen said regretfully. "It's my grandfather's decision."
"Oh," Su Ruyi responded softly.
She understood what Chief Cheng meant, and she completely understood the old man's selfish motives.
“Grandpa had nine sons and sixteen grandsons, all of whom went to the battlefield. Now,” Cheng Zhen said, sniffing and softening his voice, “only I am left.”
Su Ruyi suddenly felt a chill run down her spine.
Just now, she was thinking about the old man's selfish motives; now, she just wants to slap herself twice.
She stammered, "I'm sorry..."
"Let's not talk about that anymore, Dr. Su. Since you are this Master Wang's savior, can you ask him to take me as his apprentice?" Cheng Zhen asked expectantly.
"I...I'll give it a try." Su Ruyi didn't dare to agree immediately. "Don't have too high hopes. Actually, I'm not that familiar with Master Wang. I don't even remember when I saved him. That's why I came to thank him and ask him for clarification."
After the group left, Chu Liang'an talked with Jin Xingqiu for a while longer before leaving as well.
At this moment, Ding Honglei, who had been hiding in the shadows, came out.
He held up one finger and pointed at Jin Xingqiu: "That fraudulent doctor, you stop right there!"
He hadn't forgotten the doctor's earlier disrespect. Chu Liang'an looked familiar; he was clearly a frequent visitor to the Heilongjiang Provincial Government building. He couldn't rashly provoke him, but he still had the ability to deal with a minor doctor from Sanhe County.
Jin Xingqiu turned around stiffly: "Who did I lie to?!"
"Isn't it obvious? You lied to us and said Ding Youliang had just had lumbar spine surgery and needed to rest for six months, but he just hopped away and left!"
The lackey sneered, "Doctor, your ability to lie through your teeth is truly remarkable!"
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