Chapter 22 Do you want him to be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life...?
He turned slightly to check his appearance in the mirror beside him, only to find that the dark circles under his eyes were completely covered by foundation, without revealing any flaws.
Yan Yan actually suffers from severe insomnia. Many people think he is career-oriented and loves to work overtime, but in fact, he can't sleep all night long when he lies in bed. He would rather waste his time on work and force his body to rest by being overly tired.
While this method was effective, it wasn't a long-term solution. During this time, he tried psychotherapy and medication, but with little success. On the doctor's advice, he chose to soothe his mind with delicious food, which is why he loves Lin Qianyue's mango crepes so much.
Unfortunately, this method gradually became ineffective, as the body developed antibodies, much like it had developed resistance to the medication.
Shen Qingtang said in a calm tone, "I could tell." Seemingly noticing the doubt in Yan Yan's eyes, she added, "Although you can use makeup to cover up the dark circles under your eyes and your pale complexion, you can't hide the fatigue and exhaustion in your whole body."
The throbbing veins on his forehead and the occasional frown of discomfort, which might be insignificant details to others, were undoubtedly blatant symptoms of a patient in Shen Qingtang's eyes.
She paused for a moment, then took out a pill and said, "This Qi-replenishing pill can solve your problem."
Song Yun arrived unnoticed and suddenly sneered, "Shen Qingtang, you're really amazing. You can cook delicious food and practice medicine at the same time."
"No wonder they say that if there is an older sister, there will be a younger sister. Shen Ruowan can do it, and you happen to be able to do it too."
The sarcasm in her tone was too obvious; she was clearly questioning Shen Qingtang's medical skills and believing that he was just imitating her. After speaking, she looked at the handsome young man opposite her, softened her tone, and asked with concern, "Brother Yan, I know several old Chinese medicine doctors who are good at treating insomnia. Shall I take you to see them?"
She thought to herself, Yan Yan is the eldest son of the Yan family and the rightful heir to the Yan Group. If she could make him owe her a favor, it wouldn't be a waste that she secretly ran away from home.
More importantly, it would allow him to get revenge on Shen Qingtang and vent his anger.
Hearing this, Qi Yi, who was standing next to Shen Qingtang, frowned in dissatisfaction and retorted, "Our Sister Shen is just that outstanding. She's good at both cooking and medicine. Even Dr. Li has praised her..."
Listening to Qi Yi's incessant self-justification, Shen Qingtang raised her hand to interrupt, saying, "Medicine heals those who are destined to be healed. Believe it or not, it's fine." The last half of the sentence was clearly directed at Yan Yan.
Yan Yan stroked his chin, looking at Shen Qingtang's "I don't care whether you love me or not" expression, a smile flashed in his eyes, and he found the person in front of him more and more interesting. He stroked his chin and pondered for a moment before asking, "So, how much are you planning to sell me this Qi-boosting pill for?"
Shen Qingtang had already decided on the price, so she said without hesitation, "100,000. This is my first time doing business with someone, so I'll give you a discount."
"What? 100,000? Shen Qingtang, are you out of your mind?" Song Yun's expression changed drastically, and she said sarcastically. 100,000 was her entire month's allowance. For such a dark, tiny pill, no bigger than her little finger, to cost 100,000, Song Yun was convinced that this was Shen Qingtang's extortion.
In fact, even Zhang Xining, who rushed over, was shocked when she heard the price. She originally thought that Madam Qin and Master Hite had gone to discuss the painting, leaving Shen Qingtang alone to face Yan Yan and Song Yun, which should have been a loss for her.
I never expected them to try and extort me!
She immediately glanced at Yan Yan, and seeing that he didn't look angry, she breathed a sigh of relief and coughed awkwardly, saying, "Qing Tang, I know your medical skills are good, but as far as I know, the most sought-after Dragon Tiger Pill at Langyuetang Chinese Medicine Shop is only 50,000 yuan per pill, which contains expensive and rare ingredients such as century-old ginseng and tiger gall." She was subtly reminding Shen Qing Tang that the price she was asking for was a bit too high.
Qi Yi was also somewhat taken aback by the price, blinking and looking at Shen Qingtang with a confused expression. He didn't know if the pills were really worth the price, or if the other party was just making a bluff.
Upon hearing Zhang Xining's words, Song Yun, as if she had found a pillar of support, questioned, "Did you use some expensive medicinal herbs in your Qi-replenishing pill?"
Shen Qingtang shook her head without changing her expression and said, "No, they are all common Chinese medicinal herbs such as Atractylodes macrocephala, Poria cocos, Angelica sinensis, and ginseng, but..." She paused, then changed the subject, pointing to her head and saying, "But the processing methods and pill formulas I know are worth 100,000."
Shen Qingtang was an utterly detached person. Her tone of voice was unhurried, and her eyes were devoid of any emotion, like inorganic black glass beads that inspired fear if stared at for too long. Her words just now, coupled with her expression, made her appear extremely arrogant and haughty.
Song Yun's anger was immediately ignited. She pursed her lips and said, "This is simply sophistry. I don't think this pill can be sold for a thousand yuan."
She advised, "Brother Yan, you absolutely mustn't buy it. Shen Qingtang used to be a good-for-nothing who spent all her time hanging out in bars. She's definitely trying to trick you out of these pills."
After listening to Shen Qingtang's words, Qi Yi felt as if he had found his backbone and immediately joined the group.
He crossed his arms and said, "Miss, you don't think this Qi-boosting pill can't be sold for this price just because you can't come up with 100,000, do you?" Qi Yi's words hit Song Yun's sore spot. Ever since she offended Su Rong and had to pay for a designer handbag, her father was furious. He not only put her in solitary confinement but also canceled all her credit cards.
She really doesn't have any money right now.
Because she felt guilty, even when she was angry, she simply looked away and forced herself to say, "How could that be? It's just a mere 100,000." She said decisively, "Anyway, Brother Yan will absolutely not buy it, so you can give up on that idea."
But the next second, Yan Yan's actions completely slapped her in the face.
The other person adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, chuckled, and deftly wrote out a check for 100,000, handing it to Shen Qingtang, saying, "I'll buy this Qi-boosting pill."
Shen Qingtang nodded and said, "Okay." Then she handed over the pills in one hand and the check in the other, completing the transaction.
Watching the other person turn to leave, Yan Yan spoke again, "Aren't you going to give me your contact information?" He said with a playful look in his eyes, "If this pill works, I might buy another one from you."
Shen Qingtang shook her head and said, "No need. I'm usually busy taking care of Brother Qin, so I won't make a second Qi-tonifying pill." The Qi-tonifying pill sounds simple, but the preparation method is very complicated. If it weren't for the purpose of replenishing Qin Guanlan's Qi and blood, she wouldn't have bothered to make it. Now there's only one left.
Recently, I've had huge expenses on medicinal herbs, so I'm selling them to recoup some of the losses.
She gave Yan Yan a deep look and said, "Besides, one Qi-tonifying pill is enough to cure your insomnia. If not—"
"What will happen then?"
Yan Yan found the woman in front of him increasingly interesting. Unlike those seemingly noble or elegant heiresses who confined themselves in a shell all day long, she was frank and straightforward, like a scalpel gleaming with cold light.
Shen Qingtang's tone remained unchanged as she calmly said, "This means you are beyond medical help and your illness has reached its terminal stage. You should choose a burial site and prepare your will as soon as possible."
Saying such things in this setting is bound to be considered unlucky. Even Zhang Xining couldn't help but twitch his brow and carefully observe Yan Yan's expression.
Song Yun stomped her foot and said, "Brother Yan, Shen Qingtang is cursing you!" She thought the other party would be angry, but she didn't expect that the other party was not offended at all. Instead, she laughed and said, "Shen Qingtang, you really are an interesting person."
It really is a scalpel, with sharp edges on both sides; you can easily cut your fingers if you're not careful.
Suddenly, a familiar figure flashed in his eyes. He immediately took Shen Qingtang's right hand and placed a kiss on the back of her hand, as gentle as a dragonfly skimming the water. Then, with a smile, he greeted the person behind Shen Qingtang, "Mrs. Qin." After saying that, he turned and left without offering any explanation for his actions.
Shen Qingtang turned her head and saw Su Rong's complicated and stiff expression.
Qi Yi hurriedly explained, "Madam, it was Yan Yan who inexplicably tried to kiss Miss just now, she..." Su Rong smiled and waved her hand, "It was just a hand-kissing greeting. Yan Yan grew up in England when she was young, and she still can't quite shake off some of those habits. Besides, I know what kind of person Qing Tang is."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Xining withdrew his offer to explain.
Song Yun bit her lip in resentment and said, "Aunt, you have no idea what kind of person Shen Qingtang is. Do you know what she just did? She just..." Before Song Yun could finish speaking, she saw Su Rong glance at her impatiently, her eyes as cold as ice. She immediately shut her lips.
Su Rong made a phone call and gave a few instructions. She had just hung up when Song Yun's phone rang.
Her father's furious voice came through the microphone: "Song Yun, all you do is cause me trouble, and now you've even sneaked out."
“This time I’m going to open up markets in the remote Midwest, and you’ll come with me.”
Upon hearing this, Song Yun's face turned completely pale. What good could such a poor, remote place be? There wasn't even a luxury boutique. She didn't want to leave Kyoto and the circle of wealthy young ladies here.
But she also knew that her father's words were law, and no one could dissuade him.
This time, Su Rong not only suppressed Madam Lin Yumei, but also strengthened her relationship with Master Hit, making her a triumphant return and naturally becoming the center of attention in the elite circles.
"Mrs. Qin is really amazing; she actually managed to get her revenge."
"After all, she comes from a top-tier wealthy family, so she naturally has some tricks up her sleeve."
Do you think the Lin family will regret coming to break off the engagement?
"That's impossible. Although the Qin family is a top-tier wealthy family, the Yan family is also a first-tier wealthy family. Besides, Yan Yan is not a cripple with both legs crippled."
"Tsk tsk, thinking about it this way, the Lin family made the right move after all."
"No matter how powerful Mrs. Qin is, her son is disabled."
"Let's go, let's go. We'll go comfort Mrs. Lin later."
......
As the footsteps faded away, Su Rong emerged from the last restroom. Recalling Yan Yan's long, straight legs and the way he kissed Shen Qingtang's hand, her joy at regaining the upper hand was instantly shattered, and her face turned somewhat embarrassed.
She looked in the mirror and sighed softly, a knot still lingering in her heart.
*
Half an hour later, Su Rong and Shen Qingtang left with composure and grace, like a victorious empress. With a wave of their hand, they left without a trace, only creating another dramatic legend in the world of wealthy wives.
On the other side, Qin Guanlan had already received the message from Qi Yi and was waiting at the door with Qi Er.
Xiaoqing and Xiaxia were in the kitchen, busy with something.
"Brother Qin, why are you sitting here? And why is there a basin of water for washing your face here?" Qi Yi scratched his head, completely baffled.
Qi Er kept winking at Qi Yi, signaling him to leave quickly and not block Qin Ge's view of Shen Qingtang. However, this only prompted Qi Yi to ask with concern and confusion, "Qi Er, did you get sand in your eye?"
Qi Er: "..." He twitched his lips, unable to bear it any longer, and pulled the other person aside, saying, "Get out of here."
At this moment, Xiaoqing and Xiaxia also came out with soap and clean towels respectively.
Sitting in his wheelchair, Qin Guanlan nodded with satisfaction and said to Shen Qingtang without making a sound, "Wash your hands first, we'll be getting ready for dinner soon."
It's only 4:30 now, so this excuse of washing hands and eating is far too far-fetched. As he said this, Qin Guanlan's eyes twitched wildly, and he didn't dare to look the other person in the eye.
Fortunately, Shen Qingtang didn't voice any doubts. She picked up the soap and obediently washed her hands. Seeing that the other party carefully rubbed her fingers but only perfunctorily rinsed the back of her hands with water, Qin Guanlan frowned and said, "You didn't wash them very carefully. Let me help you."
After saying that, he picked up the soap and rubbed it on the back of his hand. He then carefully washed Shen Qingtang's right hand three times, scrubbing until her skin turned a little red, before finally letting out a sigh of relief.
Seeing Shen Qingtang remain silent with clear, bright eyes, he felt a little guilty and coughed before letting go, explaining, "I was just helping you." He wasn't trying to take advantage of her.
Shen Qingtang looked at the other person's wet palms, took the towel from Xia's hand and helped wipe the water off, then said, "Thank you, Brother Qin."
She thought to herself that perhaps it was because she always treated Brother Qin like a child that he acted this way. For some reason, a warm feeling washed over her, and she tasted a slightly different emotion.
"Thank you for accompanying Mom today."
"It's not hard work, Brother Qin."
"Oh, right, Aunt Su ran into Mrs. Qin at the door, so she told Qi Yi and me to come back first and eat by ourselves."
"Then she probably went back to her villa."
The two chatted casually, rubbing each other's hands, like a loving old married couple, creating an exceptionally peaceful and warm atmosphere.
Xiao Qing and Xia Xia, who were standing to the side, exchanged a glance and smiled knowingly.
Today was another day of being totally obsessed.
Xiaowen and Xiaoqian, who were hiding in the servants' room, watched this scene coldly.
Life seemed to return to normal. A day later, with Dr. Li's help, Shen Qingtang registered for the primary-level TCM physician license exam. Dr. Li said with some regret that, based on her skill level, she could have directly taken the advanced-level TCM physician license exam, but unfortunately, she lacked a year of practical experience.
Shen Qingtang, however, remained calm and comforted Dr. Li, saying that these things should be done step by step. They were dealing with lives, so the more rigorous the qualification exam, the better.
As the exam date drew ever closer, everyone couldn't help but feel nervous, as if they were the ones taking the exam, not Shen Qingtang. The person in question, however, maintained a calm and composed attitude, eating and drinking as usual, studying and sleeping as needed.
Three days later, Su Rong arrived with three unexpected guests.
"Guan'er, your aunt has brought Xiaoyun and Xiaowan to see you."
With a beaming smile, Su Rong praised, "Xiao Yun's previous filming location happened to be a jade-producing region. Remembering your brotherly bond, she specially commissioned a master craftsman to carve a safety buckle for you. What a thoughtful child." After saying that, she placed the safety buckle, tied with a red string, in front of Qin Guanlan.
The jade buckle is no bigger than an ancient bronze coin, but its jade is warm and lustrous, with a translucent color. From a distance, it looks like a pool of emerald green water. You can feel its smooth texture and cool sensation as soon as you touch it. It is suitable to wear on the wrist, whether it is the hot summer or the dry autumn, which is why Su Rong praised it as thoughtful.
Although she and Bai Rou, the two sisters-in-law, often had their own squabbles, they never involved the children in the past grievances of their elders. They treated Qin Rongyun like their own child and were naturally happy to see the two Qin brothers get along well.
As for Shen Ruowan following behind... she blinked, and her originally gentle gaze was now only slightly less intense.
Bai Rou chimed in, "Yes, this child has always regarded Guan'er as his own older brother." She shook her head, somewhat helplessly, and said, "For this peace amulet, he even turned down the lead role in Director Luo's film, which could have helped him compete for the Palme d'Or."
Hearing Bai Rou's words, Qin Rongyun touched his nose somewhat embarrassedly and stopped her, saying, "Alright, Mom, stop talking." He didn't turn down Director Luo's role for this reason. Thinking of this, he looked up at Shen Ruowan beside him, his joy becoming even more palpable.
Qin Guanlan said calmly, "Xiaoyun, thank you for your trouble. Aunt, thank you for coming to see me. And..." His gaze fell on the woman with a graceful figure on the sofa, and he greeted her politely but distantly, "Miss Chen."
Hearing this cold address, Shen Ruowan couldn't help but shrink back, and the smile on her face involuntarily faded a bit. She considered herself to be gentle, good at reading people, and very popular. Even the servants in the Qin mansion had a good impression of her. But Qin Guanlan was like a stubborn, unyielding rock, always treating her coldly.
Although it wasn't explicitly stated, she could vaguely sense that the other person looked down on her from beginning to end. It seemed they saw through her disguise, knew her true nature, and didn't approve of Qin Rongyun being with her. They had tried to dissuade her several times, both openly and secretly. Fortunately, Qin Rongyun was deeply in love with her, so he didn't waver in his decision.
Shen Ruowan felt a surge of displeasure, but her face wore an impeccable smile as she handed over the high-end health products, saying, "Brother Qin, hello." Then, her gaze lingered on Qin Guanlan's legs, which were covered by a blanket, for a moment, revealing a hint of concern as she asked, "Are your legs alright? Are you really unable to stand up again?"
To be honest, this topic is undoubtedly a deeply painful scar for someone who lost both legs in a car accident. Even though it has scabbed over, every time you touch it, you will still think of the sadness and despair you felt back then.
But Shen Ruowan looked at her with a concerned gaze. This subtle and faint sense of malice was something most people wouldn't notice, and instead, it would make people praise her kindness.
If Qin Guanlan had previously shut himself in his room, locked himself in his own little world, and refused entry to everyone, he would have remained calm on the surface but angry inside. But now, thanks to Shen Qingtang's efforts, his mind was much more open, so he simply nodded and said, "It's alright."
Qin Guanlan thought this was just an ordinary visit, which would end in half an hour as usual, but he did not expect that the conversation would gradually turn to Shen Qingtang.
Finally, Su Rong asked, "Guan'er, is Qing Tang in the kitchen right now?" Qin Guanlan frowned slightly and said, "No, she went out for a while." Dr. Li had someone find a book of key points for the primary TCM physician exam, and he happened to have time today, so he asked Shen Qing Tang to go and get it, which is how they managed to avoid each other.
Su Rong nodded and said, "I see. Then let's sit and wait." As she spoke, she asked Xiao Qing and Xiao Xia to go to the kitchen to cook a few bowls of beauty-enhancing milk and bird's nest porridge.
Qin Guanlan's eyes darkened slightly as he discerned their intentions, asking, "You've all come to see Shen Qingtang?"
“Not bad.” Qin Rongyun didn’t think it was a big deal. Ignoring Shen Ruowan’s disapproving look, she directly said, “Big brother, you don’t know that a few days ago Shen Qingtang snatched a medical book that Xiaowan had her eye on. Xiaowan asked for 50,000, but she actually asked for 200,000. That medical book was snatched away by her just like that.”
"Robbery?" Upon hearing this word, Qin Guanlan's expression turned colder: "All goods sold in the market are sold to the highest bidder, so how can it be considered robbery?"
"It's just that you can't afford such a high price."
These words were quite blunt, and Qin Rongyun's smile faded slightly, while Qi Yi and Qi Er smiled knowingly.
He thought to himself: Qin Rongyun brought this on herself, how dare she speak ill of Sister Shen.
Qin Rongyun hadn't expected Qin Guanlan to protect the culprit who had crippled his legs. His tone was no longer as respectful and gentle as before. He pursed his lips and said, "Brother, how can you say that? Shen Qingtang doesn't know any medicine at all. She snatched that medical book..." Under Qin Guanlan's warning gaze, he paused and immediately changed his words.
“What’s the use of buying it back? It will only be left untouched or never opened. It’s better to give it to Xiao Wan. She’s now a disciple of Master Huang and studies medicine every day. Giving her that medical book might cure your legs.”
Hearing this, Su Rong's eyes lit up with anticipation. Although she had heard that Shen Qingtang had cured Qi Er's lumbar vertebrae with acupuncture, it seemed insignificant compared to the renowned Huang Linli.
This is why she suddenly changed her attitude towards Shen Ruowan and brought her to Qin Guanlan.
Shen Ruowan sat on the sofa and said calmly, "Brother Qin, I may not be 100% sure about your legs, but I believe my master will be interested in the medical book 'Complete Collection of Ancient Prescriptions of Huangpu,' and maybe I can use that as an opportunity to get him to save you."
Her confident and upright demeanor was very convincing, and Su Rong couldn't help but say, "Guan'er, that's what I think too."
"Anyway, Shen Qingtang doesn't quite understand that medical book, so why not give it to Shen Ruowan so she can study it carefully? Maybe she can really persuade Elder Huang to treat you."
She said with some regret, "If it weren't for Elder Huang being abroad, I wouldn't have let a neurosurgeon from the US perform the surgery on you. There must be a reason why traditional Chinese medicine has been able to survive for so long."
"What if Qingtang is unwilling?"
Perhaps feeling uneasy under Qin Guanlan's intense gaze, Su Rong turned her head away and paused before saying, "At worst, I'll just give her a little more money."
She didn't think that the ancient medical book would be of much use to Shen Qingtang.
Qin Guanlan's expression immediately turned cold. "So, are you trying to force me to buy this? This isn't how you've taught my sister and me since we were little." Besides, how could he not know how much Shen Qingtang treasured that book?
Every day he stayed in his room, constantly studying, practicing, and even experimenting on his own body... Thinking about all this, Qin Guanlan felt like he had suddenly eaten a bitter lemon, his heart aching and swollen.
Su Rong's face flushed red at what she was being told. She knew perfectly well that her behavior was wrong, but... her gaze lingered on Qin Guanlan's legs, her eyes reddening as she said, "But your legs... if they could be healed..."
Qin Guanlan bluntly exposed Su Rong's thoughts, saying, "So many doctors have said there's no hope for her. Do you think she can be saved just by reading an ancient medical book?"
After saying that, he stared at Shen Ruowan for a moment, then stated the facts with a cold expression: "You are Huang Linli's last disciple, that's true, but I've also heard that he has taken in more than one disciple like you. You've only been studying medicine for less than half a year, so how can I trust you?"
Sweeping her with the other person's sharp gaze, Shen Ruowan felt as if her heart had been pierced by an arrow. Her face turned pale, but she could not give a reply. However, if she were to miss out on that ancient medical book, a deep sense of unwillingness would well up from the bottom of her heart.
She forced a smile and conceded, saying, "Brother Qin, how about this? Consider it a loan, and I'll return it after I've finished reading it."
Qin Guanlan saw through Shen Ruowan's little scheme clearly. A loan is only a loan if it is repaid. But what if it is a loan that is not repaid?
Therefore, he did not budge, and with a tough stance, stared coldly at Shen Ruowan and said, "Show her out."
Shen Ruowan suddenly became anxious. She had been busy filming a variety show recently, and she finally had some free time to come here to get the medical books.
If this trip is a one-way trip, who knows when we'll be able to return.
Qin Rongyun was also a little anxious and gave Bai Rou a wink, but the other woman just sat on the sofa and leisurely savored the bird's nest, as if this matter had nothing to do with her.
Qin Rongyun wondered to herself: Why is Mom like this? Didn't she say she was here to get medical books?
He did love Shen Ruowan after all and couldn't bear to see her suffer. He immediately stood up, patted his chest, and said, "Brother, if you don't trust Xiaowan, don't you trust me? Just consider it a loan, okay? I'll definitely make sure Xiaowan returns it after she finishes reading it."
Qin Guanlan's attitude remained unchanged, still uttering the same cold words: "Show the guest out."
Qin Rongyun was slightly taken aback, and a hint of embarrassment flashed across her face.
Shen Ruowan gritted her teeth, her eyes darting around, and looked directly at Su Rong, saying, "Mrs. Qin, do you really want Brother Qin to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair?"
She said firmly, "I'm not just borrowing a medical book; I'm trying to give Brother Qin a glimmer of hope."
"A chance with a success rate of over 50%!"
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