Chapter 28: Ge Youan's Fate
Inside the dilapidated rental room.
Having just been kicked out of the Qin Mansion, Ge Youan was frantically making phone calls, pleading with a forced smile.
"Chairman Huang, how come the investment in the clinic has fallen through so suddenly? I know you're having cash flow problems, but my clinic is definitely a highly profitable venture..."
Before I could finish speaking, the dial tone sounded as the call was disconnected.
Ge Youan gritted her teeth and cursed, "She really treats people differently based on their status. She can't even come up with a measly five million. What kind of lousy chairman is she?" The thought of her clinic going bankrupt filled her with resentment. Looking at her already exhausted contact list, she quickly found a business card on the messy desk. She dialed the number, her voice practically dripping with obsequiousness, "Chairman Wang, it's me, Ge Youan. Didn't you say you were optimistic about my clinic's investment project? I happen to be short of funds right now and need your help. It would be perfect for us to cooperate and achieve a win-win situation."
After listening to the call, Chairman Wang on the other end sneered coldly, "Who do we have here calling? It's you, Ge Youan. Didn't you say last time that you looked down on the stinking money of a second-generation mine owner like me? Now that Chairman Huang has withdrawn his investment, you want me to take over? You sly woman, you're really shrewd and shameless."
After being thoroughly berated, Ge Youan's face darkened considerably, but she couldn't hang up immediately. She could only swallow her humiliation and gently plead, "Chairman Wang, there must be some misunderstanding. How could I possibly say such a thing to you? The clinic project is definitely not a takeover. I'm Elder Huang's disciple; that reputation is very valuable. How about this, I'm willing to compromise on the profits—40% for me, 60% for you, okay?" As she said this, Ge Youan felt a pang of heartache; originally, it was her 60% and the other party 40%.
Hearing this, Chairman Wang chuckled and said, "You filthy bitch, you're really good at bluffing. Everyone knows you've been showing off your medical skills all the way to the Qin family, and you even dared to deceive them. Old Master Huang even issued a special announcement expelling you from his school because of this. What kind of disciple are you? Let me tell you the truth, you've kicked a hornet's nest by messing with the Qin family. You're now on the industry blacklist. Even if you open a clinic, all sorts of inspections will be waiting for you, and you'll have to close down. Since you're not bad-looking, I might be magnanimous and let you work for me as a lowly servant..."
"Shit!" Hearing the other party's continuous mocking words, Ge Youan finally couldn't control herself and shouted angrily, slamming the phone hard on the table. It hit a glass of water with a "bang," quickly wetting the table and making it look messy, just like her current life.
Ge Youan had spent five or six years preparing for her clinic. Now that the funds had finally come in, she was left with this situation. She felt extremely wronged and resentful, and tears kept welling up in her eyes. When she saw her phone soaking in water, she seemed to realize something and quickly picked it up, wiping it dry with a tissue with a pained expression.
This is the latest iPhone model; none of her old classmates can afford it. If she breaks it, she'll never be able to afford another one.
After wiping away her tears, she composed herself, her eyes darting around rapidly. While cursing Shen Qingtang for ruining her plans, an idea formed in her mind. Since she had offended the Qin family and could no longer stay in the capital, she might as well return to her hometown and open a small clinic to resume her old profession. Even if she did only so-so, it would still be much better than her previous life.
The more she thought about it, the more feasible it seemed, and hope filled her heart, making her smile even brighter. Just as she was busy packing her luggage, a violent knocking sound suddenly came from the door, "bang bang bang," like basketballs hitting the ground, and the old, yellowed wooden door looked like it was about to collapse.
"Who is it? Why are you knocking so hard?" Ge Youan opened the door impatiently with a furrowed brow. Looking at Shen Qingtang, who was at the head of the group, with a cold gaze, a hint of fear flashed in her eyes.
He began to stammer, "Shen... Shen Qingtang, what brings you here?"
Shen Qingtang did not answer, but simply turned slightly to reveal the two burly men behind her—Qi Yi and Qi Er.
She nodded slightly and said, "Please take her to the bar."
Qi Yi chuckled and gave an OK sign, saying, "Sister Chen, leave it to me." Ge Youan saw that the situation was not good and subconsciously tried to run away, but the next second, Qi Er swiftly and accurately chopped her neck with a chop, her eyelids drooped, and she fainted.
When she regained consciousness, she was woken up by being splashed with ice water. She looked around and found that it was an ordinary bar room, but the long vertical table was covered with a lot of mixed drinks.
Under the colorful KTV lights, the scene looked quite beautiful, making Ge Youan's face appear even paler.
Ge Youan wasn't stupid. Seeing this similar scene, she immediately understood Shen Qingtang's intention. She trembled like a chick, swallowed hard, and begged for mercy, "Shen Qingtang, I can't drink this much." Her face was filled with terror as she said, "Please let me go. If I drink it, I will die."
Shen Qingtang said calmly, "He won't die, he'll just suffer from alcohol poisoning and be sent to the hospital for stomach pumping." She had already experienced it firsthand for Ge Youan.
"This is too much, this is too much, can we just drink half?" Ge Youan tried to bargain.
"There are twenty glasses of mixed drinks on the table, the same number as I drank that day, not many," Shen Qingtang said calmly.
Twenty cups! A full twenty cups! Upon hearing this number, Ge Youan almost fainted, especially when she met the other person's serious gaze. Tears welled up in her eyes as she tugged at Shen Qingtang's sleeve, shaking her head repeatedly, "No, it really won't work."
Shen Qingtang broke free from Ge Youan's grip, scoffed coldly, and said sarcastically, "Then when you lied to me before that Old Huang could treat Brother Qin, how come you could do it then?"
From beginning to end, what angered her was never Ge Youan's revenge on her for making her drink twenty cups of mixed liquor and ending up in the hospital, but rather for giving her the hope that Old Huang could cure her illness, which inadvertently pushed Brother Qin into the abyss of despair.
This is what makes Ge Youan so hateful.
Shen Qingtang is just indifferent and rarely pays attention to others, but that doesn't mean she's a pushover!
She gripped his chin and said coldly, "Ge Youan, I told you before, if you dare to lie to me again, I will definitely take revenge on you severely. You've really messed with me this time. So if you can't drink these drinks, I'll drink them for you."
Upon hearing this, Ge Youan knew there was no turning back. She immediately collapsed to the ground, her face ashen. Staring at Qi Yi and Qi Er's strong, muscular arms, she could only grit her teeth and force down mouthful after mouthful.
The mixed drinks were all high-proof liquors. After four or five glasses, Ge Youan showed signs of drunkenness, and her gaze towards Shen Qingtang was filled with undisguised disgust and hatred. As she drank, she sneered, "Shen Qingtang, so what if you're powerful? I still managed to outsmart you."
She couldn't help but smile smugly when she thought about it: "You prepared for so long for the junior TCM doctor's license exam, but you couldn't take it because you were hospitalized from drinking. I feel a little sorry for you." It was clear that Ge Youan had completely given up on herself.
Hearing this, Qi Yi clenched his fist and said angrily, "If it weren't for you, how could Sister Chen have failed the exam? She would have obtained her junior TCM doctor's license long ago."
Upon hearing this, Shen Qingtang's eyebrows twitched violently. The person in question looked surprised and said, "Who said I didn't do well on the exam?" She took out a screenshot of her score and said, "I got 100 points. I'll just wait a week to get my certificate."
Qi Yi: "........Huh?" So, did he make a blunder?
Upon seeing the screenshot of the perfect score, Ge Youan's smile vanished instantly. He suddenly realized how terrifying Shen Qingtang was. This woman was hospitalized in the morning for stomach pumping, and in the afternoon she went to take an exam and even got a perfect score.
This was something even she couldn't do. She, who had always prided herself on her exceptional medical talent, found her resolve beginning to crumble. She drank even more heavily, comforting herself that once she survived this ordeal, she could at least return to her hometown and start afresh.
Her fingers gripped the wine glass so tightly they turned white, and she secretly vowed: As long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood to burn! However, Shen Qingtang's next words shattered her last hope.
Shen Qingtang waved her phone and said, "Ge Youan, do you remember this video? I've already contacted someone to drop it in your hometown."
Ge Youan glanced at it and her expression changed drastically. This was the video of her refuting Shen Qingtang's act of saving people at the entrance of the vegetable market. There was also an announcement from Elder Huang expelling her from the sect, and the comments below were full of words cursing her.
She felt utterly devastated, realizing that she had no way out! Not only could she not open a pharmacy, but she could no longer practice medicine! At this moment, she finally couldn't help but burst into tears, filled with regret. If she hadn't opposed Shen Qingtang, her pharmacy would have already opened smoothly, and she wouldn't have ended up in such a disgraceful state.
On the way back after taking Ge Youan to the hospital, Qi Yi drove with a resentful look on his face and said, "Sister Shen, how are you so amazing? You actually lied to me that day and said I did so-so on the exam." He had thought Sister Shen was in a bad mood at the time, so he didn't dare to say a word.
The result? Full marks! Full marks!
Shen Qingtang touched her chin and replied innocently, "I did do so poorly on the test, but I managed to get a perfect score."
Qi Yi: "..." Your average, my average, seems a little different. He was instantly struck by the "Versailles" analogy, his mouth opening and closing for a long time but unable to utter a single syllable, finally turning into a helpless sigh.
Qi Er firmly stood on the side of protecting Shen Qingtang, glaring at Qi Yi and saying, "Who told you not to ask clearly and give us false information? How can you blame Sister Shen?"
Qi Yi: "...You little brat actually betrayed me, I'm never talking to you again."
Qi Er nodded, indicating that it didn't matter, and then cautiously asked Shen Qingtang in the back row, "Sister Shen, is Old Master Huang really coming to apologize tomorrow? Will it be possible to get him to...?"
Qi Er didn't finish his sentence, but everyone could hear the hint of anticipation in his tone.
Shen Qingtang pursed her lips, offering no clear answer, and said in a flat tone, "We can have Elder Huang take another look." But... that was all; she no longer held any hope for other people's medical skills.
*
The next day, at 7:30 in the morning.
"Xiaomin, did you agree with the Qin family that we would visit them at 8:30 this morning?" Huang Linli only learned about Ge Youan's audacious deeds yesterday. He immediately issued a notice severing the master-disciple relationship between the two on the grounds of misconduct. Fearing that he might really offend the Qin family, he rushed to catch the evening flight back to China after finishing his own business.
His flight arrived at 1 a.m. and he didn't get back to his resting place until 2 a.m. He had only slept for less than five hours in total, and he felt dizzy and hadn't adjusted to the time difference yet. Although he studied medicine and valued health, he was still an elderly man in his sixties or seventies, and no matter how much he looked, his physical condition had deteriorated considerably. He drank some milk and then felt a little more awake.
Huang Minmi patted her chest, striking a mature pose, and said, "Dad, don't worry, I've already spoken to Sister Shen." She was deeply impressed by Shen Qingtang's character and had long secretly considered her her idol. Naturally, she would make proper arrangements for such an opportunity to enter the Qin Mansion and meet her idol.
Huang Linli nodded and said, "That's good." He stood up and patted Huang Minmi's head, saying, "Luckily you were quick-witted this time, otherwise we would have offended the Qin family." Although he had shifted his business focus overseas in recent years, his foundation was still based in Kyoto.
If Huang Minmi hadn't noticed something amiss and gone to explain, how could Ge Youan have possibly gotten away with such mediocre medical skills? Offending the top-tier Qin family would have likely forced all of their Yonghetang clinics to close down.
Thinking of the consequences, Huang Linli couldn't help but feel a lingering fear, and he couldn't help but sigh softly: "How come Xiao Ge is becoming more and more wicked as he grows up?"
He still remembers the boy's innocent expression as he told him that his family wasn't wealthy, so he needed to focus even more on learning medicine. It's just a pity... people change so quickly, so quickly that he didn't even notice.
Although Huang Minmi was only sixteen years old, she seemed to have experienced all the vicissitudes of life. She took a bite of bread and said nonchalantly, "Isn't this normal? People like Sister Shen who can stick to their original intentions are a minority."
No sooner had the words been spoken than a strong, resonant voice came from outside the door.
"Master, I've brought the Harmony Pill and the 500-year-old ginseng you requested." Huang Minmi looked out the door and saw the strong, muscular arms. She immediately realized what was going on and glared at Huang Linli with displeasure. "Dad, why did you call Senior Brother? Didn't we agree that the two of us would be enough?" Could she possibly mess this up?
Seeing Huang Minmi's aggrieved pout, Huang Linli smiled and said, "Your senior brother has been running a clinic in Kyoto for so long and has dealt with the Qin family. It would be better if he came with us to avoid any misunderstandings."
“That’s right, Junior Sister, the Qin family is not to be trifled with.” Sun Yun said, while mischievously pinching the two little buns that Huang Minmi had specially tied up today.
As expected, I received two glares and a white eye.
Sun Yun was not ashamed but proud, and said with a smile, "It's even fuller than last time. It seems that you are finally not a bald girl anymore."
Huang Minmi: "......." She hates overly familiar adults!
In short, Sun Yun's steady yet lively personality is indeed well-suited for warming up people and getting along with them. No wonder Huang Linli specifically called him over.
Strictly speaking, it was Ge Youan, not Huang Linli, who had a grudge against the Qin family, so Su Rong and the others treated them very politely and without any airs. Sun Yun had some prior acquaintance with Su Rong, so after explaining the situation, the atmosphere was quite harmonious.
As the conversation naturally turned to Qin Guanlan's legs, Huang Linli said, "Although I've seen the diagnosis report before, I haven't actually seen them in person." He paused for a moment, then offered, "How about I take his pulse and take a look?"
Su Rong was naturally delighted and looked at Qin Su Miao, saying, "Call Qing Tang and ask her to bring Guan'er over." After saying that, she smiled apologetically and said, "They just had breakfast and went for a stroll in the small garden. They lost track of time."
As the saying goes, you can't force a sale. Su Rong had already decided that if the other party didn't bring it up, they wouldn't either.
Sun Yun smiled and said, "The plants in the small garden are indeed unique; no wonder they linger there." He had just glanced at it and noticed that there were not only flowers but also Chinese medicinal herbs. Su Rong understood the teasing tone and covered her lips with a smile, saying, "It was all Qing Tang's idea to plant some medicinal herbs; it does look quite charming."
Five minutes later, Shen Qingtang pushed Qin Guanlan into the hall and greeted the people opposite.
Huang Minmi skipped and hopped to Shen Qingtang's side and said, "Sister Qingtang, you've finally arrived! My dad wants to have Brother Qin take another look..." Before she could finish speaking, Sun Yun interrupted her.
He exclaimed in utter shock, "Shen Qingtang? What are you doing here?" But he quickly realized, "So you're Shen Qingtang." Although Su Rong had been calling him Qingtang repeatedly, Sun Yun hadn't considered the possibility that he knew her. After all, it wasn't uncommon for people in this world to share the same name or even the same face.
Seeing Sun Yun's unsteady demeanor, Huang Linli asked with some surprise, "Sun Xing, do you perhaps know this Miss Shen?"
Sun Yun nodded excitedly and said, "Master, do you remember when I told you about proctoring the junior TCM physician license exam? She answered that perfect score paper. She's very talented in medicine." Even he couldn't help but consider taking her on as a disciple. If Li Mingsheng hadn't wanted to extort more money from him, he would have gotten the phone number long ago.
The difficulty of this primary TCM practitioner license exam was so great that even Huang Linli, who was overseas, had heard about it. Some even joked that the old-fashioned scholar had come out of seclusion, and that it was going to "roast" people to death. But he never expected that a perfect score would appear in the exam room. For a moment, his gaze toward Shen Qingtang was filled with undisguised admiration, and he commented: "Young friend Shen, you will definitely achieve great things in the future."
Upon hearing this, a look of surprise flashed in Su Rong and Qin Su Miao's eyes.
Although the two women knew that Shen Qingtang knew a little about acupuncture and medicine, they had no idea just how skilled she was. Even knowing that Shen Qingtang had scored a perfect score on the exam, they had no idea what she was talking about, yet now she had earned a compliment from Elder Huang... Su Rong and Qin Su Miao exchanged a glance, their gazes towards Shen Qingtang shifting, now filled with a respect they had never shown before.
Faced with the praise from her senior, Shen Qingtang replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Elder Huang, you flatter me. I am merely showing off my limited knowledge." After saying that, she turned the topic to Qin Guanlan and said, "Please trouble Elder Huang to give Brother Qin another diagnosis."
Upon hearing this, Huang Linli couldn't help but smile. He felt that Shen Qingtang's calm personality suited his taste very well, and the idea of taking her as a disciple arose in his mind. However, now was not a good time to say it, so he could only put it aside for the time being.
He first took Qin Guanlan's pulse, then lifted her legs to examine them closely. Finally, after massaging several acupoints, he looked up at Shen Qingtang with an extremely confident tone and said, "You were the one taking care of these legs before, weren't you?"
Hearing these ambiguous words, Su Rong's heart skipped a beat, and she asked anxiously, "Old Huang, is Guan'er's leg alright or not now?"
Huang Linli stroked his beard and smiled, saying, "They say that if your legs are like iron, you can lift a cauldron. Although Young Master Qin may not have reached that level, he is close."
Upon hearing this, Su Rong breathed a sigh of relief and said, "That's good."
Xiao Qing eavesdropped in the kitchen. Although she didn't understand the meaning of the ancient saying, she was certain that it was about iron and carrying a tripod. A smile appeared on her face, and she sighed, "I've never seen anyone more dedicated than Sister Chen."
"Yes," Xia nodded in agreement. It is said that there are no filial sons at the bedside of a long-term sick person, but Sister Chen has never been impatient. She takes good care of the young master's food, clothing, housing and transportation. Sometimes, when she sees the young master is unhappy, she will deliberately make him laugh.
Seeing that Huang Linli remained silent for a long time, Qin Sumiao bit her lip and said, "So... is my older brother's leg really beyond saving? Apart from not being able to stand up, his legs look almost the same as a normal person's, don't they?"
"Wonderful!" Sensing the accusation in his words, Su Rong quickly spoke up with a look to stop him, and casually apologized: "Mr. Huang, my daughter is usually spoiled by me, and she has a deep relationship with her older brother, so she spoke rudely. I hope you won't take it to heart."
Old Huang waved his hand and said, "It's alright, the deep affection between siblings is a blessing for the family." After speaking, he turned his gaze to Shen Qingtang and said with interest, "Even if someone takes good care of a person with crippled legs, their heart meridian is damaged and their qi and blood are insufficient, so they are often weak inside. That's why I specially brought Heqi Pills and 500-year-old ginseng to regulate Young Master Qin's qi and blood. But I found that his qi and blood are abundant and his bodily functions are adjusting towards their best state."
He paused for a moment before saying, "Young friend Shen, I'm very curious about how you managed to do it. Did you think of any other treatment methods?" The Harmony Pill was a pill Huang Linli had developed himself, and he knew its effects perfectly well. However, he also knew perfectly well that even if Qin Guanlan finished both bottles of the Harmony Pill he brought, he wouldn't achieve his current state.
Shen Qingtang frankly admitted, "Because I prepared Qi-boosting pills for Brother Qin and fed them to him." Hearing this, Qin Guanlan was somewhat surprised: "When did I take Qi-boosting pills?" He thought carefully but couldn't remember at all.
Shen Qingtang said, "Brother Qin, your body was too weak before, so I always dissolved a quarter of it in water for you to drink." Qin Guanlan suddenly realized, "No wonder you always made me drink a glass of warm water first thing every morning." It turned out that it wasn't just for waking up the stomach.
"Qi-replenishing pills? You actually know the recipe for Qi-replenishing pills!" Huang Linli's eyes lit up with excitement as he looked at Shen Qingtang. The recipe for Harmony Pills was derived from Qi-replenishing pills, but unfortunately, it was lost to time, and several ingredients were removed. Even with his diligent research and formulation, the effects weren't as good as the legendary Qi-replenishing pills.
Shen Qingtang blinked and said without changing her expression, "I saw it in the 'Complete Collection of Huangfu Ancient Prescriptions'."
Upon hearing this, Huang Minmi was somewhat puzzled and scratched her head, saying, "But Sister Chen, didn't it say that the pill formula was incomplete?" She had read it through as soon as she got it and remembered it clearly.
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