Chapter 25 My older brother is definitely a henpecked husband…
Hearing this, Su Rong was clearly taken aback, and said anxiously, "Qing Tang was perfectly fine last night, how did she end up in the hospital?" She added with lingering fear and worry, "Could it be a car accident?"
Qin Guanlan shook his head, crossing his hands over his lap, making his aura even more imposing: "No, it's alcohol poisoning. The hospital has already arranged for him to have his stomach pumped."
The thought that Shen Qingtang had no one to take care of her and would rather call Xiao Qing than call him immediately darkened his face. If Xia Xia hadn't been quick-witted and overheard the call, perhaps the other party would have really kept this from him.
Hearing that the symptoms were from alcohol poisoning after drinking too much, Su Rong felt a little relieved, but then her eyes lit up and she complained, "That child is really something, how can she be so petty? It's not like we're not going to return the ancient medical book she borrowed, why is she drinking alone at home? Xiao Qing and Xiao Xia didn't stop her at home, she has an exam this afternoon."
Thinking back to how Shen Qingtang had repeatedly said he understood her that day, only to turn around and drink alone, Su Rong was very unhappy. She was straightforward and had always disliked this kind of two-faced behavior.
Qin Guanlan shook his head and said, "She didn't drink at home." He knew Shen Qingtang well; she wasn't the type to vent her emotions by drinking. If she was unhappy, she would rather take out her golden needles and bury herself in studying acupuncture points.
Therefore, after pausing for two seconds, he said with certainty, "There must be something hidden here."
Qi Yi and Qi Er nodded in agreement.
"I also think that Sister Shen doesn't seem like someone who likes to drink."
"Something must have happened to Sister Shen. She's been preparing for the exam for so long, how could she suddenly go out drinking?"
Sensing the protectiveness and concern in her brother's tone, Qin Sumiao scoffed, "If it were me, I wouldn't be stupid enough to get drunk at home. I would definitely have gone to a bar." Her eyes darted around, and she suddenly added, "I just got back today, and Shen Qingtang is already in the hospital. She's just picking a fight with me, isn't she? I've seen plenty of these scheming, manipulative women..."
Before Qin Sumiao could finish her rambling, a low shout came from her chest.
"Enough! You don't understand her. Shen Qingtang isn't that kind of person."
Qin Sumiao is the same age as Shen Qingtang, but six years younger than Qin Guanlan. Because her father was absent when she was young, Qin Guanlan practically raised her like a father and an older brother. Despite her lively personality and the fiery temper she inherited from Su Rong, Qin Sumiao actually harbors a deep-seated awe and fear of Qin Guanlan.
When she was a child, because of her looks and family background, she liked to tease boys' feelings. At the urging of those around her, she even encouraged a little boy to steal a hair clip she liked from a store. When Qin Guanlan found out, he immediately made her experience the feeling of "stealing" and sent her to the police station and locked her up in jail.
Qin Su Miao was so scared that she burst into tears. She was not released until two hours later. From then on, she never dared to do such a thing again. The person the entire Qin family feared most was him, no doubt about it.
Upon hearing this, she instinctively trembled, her face turned pale, and she dared not speak. However, when she looked up, her eyes were already red, filled with both grievance and confusion. The atmosphere in the car instantly froze.
Seeing her youngest daughter on the verge of tears, and remembering that the girl had only just returned to the country today, Su Rong felt sorry for her. She hugged Qin Su Miao into her arms, gently patted her back, and looked at Qin Guanlan, saying, "Guan'er, don't speak so harshly. Miao is just worried about you. Besides, it's normal that she doesn't know Shen Qingtang's character since she only returned to the country today."
Qin Guanlan blinked, not backing down at all: "Since you don't know, then you shouldn't be gossiping behind my back. This is a principle that even the servants of the Qin Mansion know. Don't you know it?"
Hearing this, Qin Sumiao was almost in tears. She didn't understand why Qin Guanlan was protecting Shen Qingtang so much. She was the culprit who caused her brother's legs to become paralyzed.
So what if Shen Qingtang is good at taking care of people and cooking delicious food? She owes all of this to her brother. But now her brother and mother seem to have forgotten about it and have kept quiet about it, which makes her feel betrayed and makes her seem like a petty and calculating person.
But because of her deep-seated fear of Qin Guanlan, these thoughts only lingered in her mind; she didn't dare voice them aloud. She angrily pulled out her phone, forcefully scrolling down her WeChat Moments. Suddenly, her eyes lit up, and she stiffened her neck, flipping her phone over, saying, "I knew she must have gone to a bar! Someone who's already been hospitalized for drinking before, and now she's in the hospital again—she has absolutely no self-control. I really don't know how she takes care of my brother."
The picture appears to have been taken secretly, as the resolution is not very clear. However, when zoomed in, it can be seen that Shen Qingtang is drinking with someone, and she is drinking a mixture of baijiu, beer, and foreign liquor, earning her the nickname "Deep Water Bomb."
Those with low alcohol tolerance would pass out after just one sip, but Shen Qingtang had four or five empty wine glasses in front of her.
In the background, men and women are gathered together in a wild party. The bar's colorful lights are intertwined, and the pounding noise is almost bursting out of the glass. But Shen Qingtang's face remains calm, and there is not a ripple in her eyes, as if she is drinking water instead of a spicy, high-proof mixed drink.
Qin Sumiao already had a bad impression of Shen Qingtang, and finding evidence, she confidently made unfounded guesses: "Judging from her appearance, she's definitely a playboy, and the people around her are all shady characters. Why did we even go to the hospital? She should be taught a lesson..."
"Alright, Miao, no matter what, let's go to the hospital first." Afraid that the two siblings would start arguing, Su Rong glanced at Qin Guanlan's gloomy face and quickly interrupted.
*
"Drink, drink up!"
"Shen Qingtang, if you don't drink faster, I'm sending my master back abroad."
"You don't want Qin Guanlan to lose this opportunity for diagnosis, do you?"
So... are you going to drink it or not?
......
Shen Qingtang felt dizzy, as if a wet cotton ball was stuffed into her small brain, causing throbbing pain. The smell of alcohol lingered in her nose, and she felt like she had been soaking in a vat of liquor all night. Her stomach was bloated, and she clearly couldn't drink anymore, but because Ge Youan hadn't told her to stop, she could only drink one cup after another.
She felt she had reached her limit, but for this hard-won opportunity for diagnosis, she still managed to move her lips and say with difficulty, "Drink, I want to drink."
As long as Ge Youan can calm down and Old Huang can help treat Brother Qin's leg, she would gladly drink as much as she could.
Seeing Shen Qingtang lying on the hospital bed, her face as white as the sheets, her brows tightly furrowed, Qin Guanlan's initial anger and worry all turned into heartache. When she asked for water, he immediately brought it to her, gently nudging the back of her head and pressing it against her lips. Watching her stick out her tongue, close her eyes, and slowly lick the water, his heart instantly softened completely.
After feeding her half a cup in that position, he touched her slightly feverish forehead and softly called out, "Qingtang, Qingtang, are you alright?"
The cool sensation flowed down her throat to her stomach, but there was no burning or pricking pain. Shen Qingtang was somewhat dazed and confused.
Strange, this doesn't seem to be wine, it looks like water.
Upon hearing the indistinct shouts beside him, he became even more confused. Why did it sound like Brother Qin's voice?
Confused and bewildered, Shen Qingtang struggled to open her eyes and looked at the man before her incredulously, asking, "Brother Qin, is it really you?" Then, her eyes darted around the room, her gaze filled with confusion, "Aunt Su, Qi Yi, Qi Er... what are you all doing here? Weren't you supposed to be picking someone up at the airport?"
Although she had just been given half a cup of water, she had just finished having her stomach pumped, and her voice sounded very hoarse.
Qin Sumiao sat on another hospital bed at a distance, arms crossed, and said resentfully, "Yeah, they were supposed to pick me up from the airport, but now they've come to the hospital to see you in a group." She added sarcastically, "You're quite capable, aren't you?"
Su Rong had originally planned to pick up her daughter from school this morning and have a family reunion lunch with Grandma Qin, but instead she ended up at the hospital. She couldn't help feeling a little resentful. She walked up to Shen Qingtang and said, "Qingtang, I always thought you were a reasonable person. It was just a medical book you lent out. Did you really have to drink yourself to the point of ending up in the hospital?"
"Isn't it worth it to exchange a medical book for a chance to get treatment? That's what you told me back then."
Shen Qingtang knew they had misunderstood, so she quickly shook her head and said, "Aunt Su, I didn't drink to the point of being in the hospital because of that."
"What's the reason for that?" Su Rong pressed.
Shen Qingtang pursed her lips, her eyes filled with apology, and said, "I'm sorry, Aunt Su, I can't say." This was also a condition she had agreed to with Ge Youan; otherwise, Old Master Huang would not have come to treat Brother Qin.
Upon hearing this answer, Qin Sumiao immediately scoffed and said, "Heh, so what if he's addicted to alcohol? What's so hard about that?"
Upon hearing this, a hint of disappointment flashed in Su Rong's eyes.
In fact, if Shen Qingtang hadn't been clearly lying in the hospital, she wouldn't have believed that the other party could do such a thing. Everyone had witnessed how diligently Shen Qingtang had cared for Guan'er these past few days. Not only did she do everything herself, but she also meticulously researched culinary delights, and Guan'er's condition was much better than before.
Moreover, Shen Qingtang is skilled in medicine, capable, and has a talent for gourmet food. She also appears rational and intelligent, yet she is addicted to alcohol.
Suddenly, a nurse pushed open the door and said, "Bed 23, you owe money. Go down to the first floor and settle your bill."
At Qin Guanlan's prompting, Qi Yi and Qi Er immediately stood up, and Su Rong suddenly said with a glint in her eye, "Great, let's go too."
Qin Sumiao pouted and said with dissatisfaction, "Where are we going? Aren't Qi Yi and Qi Er here?" Despite her words, Su Rong still dragged her off the bed.
Once everyone had walked away and the sound of their footsteps could no longer be heard in the ward, Qin Guanlan finally spoke up: "Now can you tell me why you suddenly went out drinking last night?"
He felt a pang of regret. If he had knocked on the door in the morning, he would have known the other person wasn't in the room and wouldn't have had to wait until they were taken to the ward to find out.
Although she felt a little apologetic, Shen Qingtang still firmly shook her head and said, "Brother Qin, I'm sorry."
Qin Guanlan pursed his lips and said, "Can't even I tell you?" He knew there must be a hidden reason, but the other party was unwilling to say.
Seeing the other person's injured expression, Shen Qingtang also felt uncomfortable, like she had eaten a sour lemon, her heart aching and bitter, but she still shook her head and said, "I'm sorry, Brother Qin."
Even if Brother Qin misunderstands her, as long as Old Huang can treat the other person's legs.
Upon hearing this, Qin Guanlan's face immediately turned ugly, and his cold aura seemed to emanate from him without restraint. The longer the silence between the two lasted, the more solid the atmosphere became.
In the end, Qin Guanlan relented, suppressing the anger in his eyes. Looking at Shen Qingtang's pale face, he sighed softly, softening his tone slightly, and asked in a low voice, "Does the stomach lavage hurt? Don't let this happen again."
Shen Qingtang keenly sensed the reconciliation signal being released, smiled slightly, nodded, and answered truthfully, "It hurts, it hurts a lot. But..." She paused, then said, "But when I think of Brother Qin, it doesn't hurt anymore."
Her intention was that she had found a way to help Qin Guanlan stand up quickly, but Qin Guanlan clearly misunderstood. He was once again stunned by Shen Qingtang's bold statement. Then, a sweet feeling welled up in his heart, and he pressed his forehead with a bit of helplessness, changing the subject: "Did the doctor say that you need to stay in the hospital for a few days?"
If you listen carefully, you can also hear a hint of doting in his words.
Shen Qingtang answered honestly, "I need to be hospitalized for observation for two days, but I'm fine now."
Upon hearing this, Qin Guanlan's face immediately darkened, and he said, "Then you should stay in the hospital for observation for a week."
Shen Qingtang shook her head and said, "No, Brother Qin, I want to be discharged from the hospital immediately." As if she knew that Qin Guanlan would say something to dissuade her, she spoke up first, "I have to take the junior TCM doctor's license exam this afternoon."
Qin Guanlan felt his temples throbbing uncontrollably. He never expected that Shen Qingtang, after having her stomach pumped, would still be preparing to take the exam!
*
"Miao'er, what are you doing? Didn't you say you were going to the toilet?" Seeing Qin Sumiao peeking through the door, Su Rong patted her shoulder as a warning.
Qin Sumiao's shoulder twitched from the pat, and she immediately breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that it was Su Rong. She took two steps back, crossed her arms, and pouted, saying unhappily, "Mom, what's going on between you and my older brother? My older brother is right, and I can't control him, but when did you become so soft-hearted?"
She complained, "Weren't you the hottest girl in Rongcheng? But you're so nice to Shen Qingtang, the culprit. I heard from Song Yun that you didn't buy her bags and clothes, but instead spent millions on Shen Qingtang."
Su Rong waved her hand and said, "Even a little chili pepper can turn into an old chili pepper. Besides, you don't know Shen Qingtang. She's not as bad as you think." As the saying goes, time will tell. She paused and then said, "If she hadn't lent the ancient medical book to Shen Ruowan this time, she wouldn't have been able to persuade Elder Huang to help your brother treat his legs."
Qin Sumiao curled her lip in disdain and said, "Then the biggest contributor here is Sister Wan, isn't she?" She pursed her lips and said, "Mom, could it be that Big Brother has taken a liking to Shen Qingtang?"
Su Rong remained silent, but didn't immediately deny it either. Qin Su Miao gasped, finally understanding why Qin Guanlan had defended the other woman earlier. She said, "Mom, you're really confused. How could my brother fall for Shen Qingtang?"
She said, puzzled, "If you ask me, Sister Xiaowan is much better than Shen Qingtang."
"She's beautiful, highly educated, and has a gentle personality..." She held up her fingers and listed the other person's advantages one by one. Finally, she sighed regretfully and said, "I really don't know what my brother saw in Shen Qingtang. If Rong Yun hadn't beaten me to it, I would definitely have asked my brother to pursue her."
"That way, we can live a happy and fulfilling life, just like Ziqian and I."
Hearing this, Su Rong felt a surge of annoyance and angrily flicked a roasted chestnut at him, saying, "You're such a simpleton!" Then, with a look of exasperation, she added, "Didn't I tell you to break up with that pretty boy as soon as possible? Why are you still in contact with him?"
Hearing this, Qin Sumiao pouted even higher, wrinkled her nose in dissatisfaction, and said, "Mom, how can you say that about Ziqian? He's not some gigolo. He's a top student in computer software at H University in the US. He's smart and ambitious. He's starting a game company with some of his senior classmates, and they'll definitely be able to go public soon."
"Going public?" Su Rong scoffed. "He's really good at making empty promises. His little company probably won't last two years." Her eyes narrowed, her gaze sharp and long. "You didn't use your living expenses to invest in him, did you?"
"How could that be?" Qin Sumiao trembled like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, and touched her nose guiltily, saying, "Is your daughter that stupid? I'm not love-struck." In fact, she not only saved up her living expenses to lend to her boyfriend to start a company, but also sold some of her jewelry when he was in financial trouble.
But there was nothing she could do; after all, he was the boyfriend she had already decided to spend her life with. She didn't want to live the humiliating and stifling life of a wealthy wife like her mother, watching her father have affairs while she, like an ancient legal wife, ignored him completely.
This is not the kind of love she is looking for.
She repeatedly advised her husband to get a divorce, but he kept urging her to break up with him instead. Although she verbally agreed, she had already made up her mind.
Eating delicacies every day is not as healthy as simple porridge and cabbage. Besides, Ziqian treats her so well; he's a boyfriend that's hard to find even with a lantern, so he definitely won't let her down.
Su Rong knew that her daughter had inherited her explosive temper, and if she said a few more words, the other party might just turn around and leave. Therefore, she didn't pursue the topic any further and simply said, "It's good that you know what's going on."
"A marriage based on self-interest is unbreakable, while a good relationship based on love is precarious." She paused for a moment and said, "Anyway, you're definitely going back to China to develop your career now, and a long-distance relationship won't last more than a few months." She had long been pessimistic about the relationship between the two of them, not because the man was too different from her daughter, but because he looked shrewd and his eyes were full of calculation. Such a man is the most unreliable.
Unsure of what to do, Qin Sumiao lowered her head and remained silent. She didn't dare to mention that her boyfriend had already returned to the country with her. Instead, she touched her nose and changed the subject, saying, "Mom, do you think my older brother will agree to let Shen Qingtang be discharged from the hospital so she can take the exam this afternoon?"
Instead of answering, Su Rong raised her eyebrows and asked, "What do you think?"
Qin Sumiao said firmly, "My brother is a man of his word, he would never agree to that."
Unfortunately, she was proven wrong the very next second. Qin Guanlan not only complied with Shen Qingtang's request and rang for a nurse to remove the IV, but also called Qi Yi to take her to the exam venue.
Qin Sumiao gritted her teeth and said, "My older brother has never been this good to me." On those countless days when she wanted to fake illness and skip school, her older brother would only coldly and ruthlessly put her in the car and not listen to her explanations at all.
She angrily concluded, "My eldest brother will definitely be a henpecked husband in the future."
Although Qin Guanlan nodded in agreement to let Shen Qingtang take the exam, the atmosphere between the two became somewhat tense. Shen Qingtang's usually calm face showed an unusual look of unease. Before getting into the car, she turned her head to look at Qin Guanlan and said hesitantly, "Brother Qin, I'm going to take the exam."
She had anticipated this situation when she went to the bar, so she carried her exam admission ticket, ID card, and pencil case with her at all times.
Qin Guanlan gave a muffled "hmm," then pulled out a bag of bread and milk from somewhere and handed it to the other person, saying, "Go take your exam." After saying that, he turned his wheelchair around.
Qi Yi glanced in the rearview mirror and, seeing Shen Qingtang's stunned expression, mistakenly assumed that she was also angry. He chuckled and said, "Sister Shen, don't blame Brother Qin. He looked really upset when he found out you were in the hospital in the car. He was just worried about you."
Shen Qingtang nodded, tore open the packaging, took a bite of the bread, and said, "I know, Brother Qin is very good to me." The bread was filled with pork floss and cream, and it burst with flavor when you bit into it. It was very sweet, so sweet that it touched your heart. Even the milk was her favorite dark chocolate flavor.
Hearing this, Qi Yi smiled happily and said, "Sister Chen, it's good that you understand. Actually, it wasn't convenient for Brother Qin to go to the hospital in his condition, but he insisted on going for your sake."
After saying that, he paused for a moment and said, "So... Sister Shen, why did you suddenly go out and drink so much at night?"
Shen Qingtang pursed her lips but didn't speak, instead suddenly quickening her chewing of the bread. Qi Yi inwardly groaned, "Sister Shen's mouth is too sealed shut!"
Well, it seems he won't be able to complete the task assigned by Brother Qin.
The primary TCM physician license exam started at 1 p.m., and Qi Yi was dropped off at 12:20 p.m. There was already a long, dark line of people waiting at the school gate of the exam venue, slowly moving forward.
Qi Yi saw a crossroads where parking was available and said, "Sister Chen, I'll just drop you off here. You can get there by crossing the street. I'll come pick you up after the exam."
Shen Qingtang shook her head and said, "No need to trouble yourself, go back and pick up Brother Qin." She originally wanted to take a taxi to the examination venue, but she couldn't persuade Qin Guanlan otherwise, so she agreed.
Now that Qi Yi has finished dropping her off, he has to drop off Brother Qin and the others, and then he'll have to pick her up later. It's too tiring.
Qi Yi chuckled and said, "Sister Chen, I can't promise that. Brother Qin said he insisted that I pick you up later." Then he urged, "Sister Chen, hurry up and go into the exam room." Usually, you need to enter the exam room half an hour in advance.
Upon hearing that it was Qin Guanlan's request, Shen Qingtang stopped arguing and immediately got out of the car.
Although I ate something, my stomach still aches a little after being washed, accompanied by dizziness, headache, and nausea.
Those who passed the check could check their exam room location in advance using the exam room layout map. Of course, many more people were just silently memorizing from their books, muttering to themselves. Shen Qingtang's eyes darted around, and she pulled out a gold needle pouch from her waist. She pinched it between her middle and index fingers and quickly and accurately inserted it into her acupoints such as Baihui, Neiguan, Zusanli, Hegu, and Taichong. Her discomfort was quickly relieved.
*
"Sun Yun, what are you looking at? You're so engrossed in it." Li Mingsheng patted the other's shoulder and said with dissatisfaction, "Isn't your Chinese Medicine Association a bit too short-staffed? You've even come to our Western Medicine Association to find volunteers for your professional exams."
Sun Yun was tall and muscular, resembling a basketball player. However, he was actually a senior traditional Chinese medicine doctor and a beloved disciple of Master Huang, the kind who had traveled overseas with him.
He stroked his chin and said, "I just didn't expect that there would be such a talented person in a mere elementary exam. I wonder how long he has practiced his acupuncture skills. He can even insert needles into himself so steadily."
Sun Yun's sentiments are not without reason. Acupuncture may seem like just a few needles, but there is a great deal of knowledge involved. Just studying the acupuncture points can take up to three months. Needling is an even greater challenge. Too little needles will have no effect, while too much needles can cause bleeding and bruising.
Therefore, some people study diligently for a year but still cannot perform acupuncture on themselves, let alone on themselves. Just as you can't calculate the same thing as others, it is much more difficult to perform acupuncture on yourself. It not only requires courage but also the ability to endure pain (after all, you have been acupuncturing others before) and overcome your body's instinctive resistance.
In fact, although some traditional Chinese medicine doctors are very skilled in acupuncture and can do everything for others, they basically chicken out when it comes to acupuncture on themselves.
Therefore, Sun Yun greatly admired the candidate in front of him.
Following Sun Yun's gaze, Li Mingsheng quickly chuckled and said, "So it's her. That's not surprising." Seeing Sun Yun's puzzled look, he explained, "She is the peerless genius I told you about—Shen Qingtang! Acupuncture is one of her unique skills, and what's even more remarkable is that she has studied the knowledge in many ancient medical books in great depth."
If he hadn't known the other person was taking an exam, he wouldn't have been so willing to volunteer.
Hearing his friend's undisguised praise, Sun Yun scoffed, "There aren't that many geniuses in this world. Even if she passed the exam, she wouldn't be qualified to intern at my pharmacy, would she? All the interns there have intermediate-level TCM physician licenses."
Upon hearing this, Li Mingsheng calmly replied, "You'll see when you watch her exam."
In his heart, he thought, there really aren't that many geniuses in this world, but unfortunately, Shen Qingtang is one of them!
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Author's Note: [Crying] Actually, I need comments too.
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