Beauty and the Bodyguard - Chapter 111
Chapter 111: CH111
Li Fu’s car went straight into the parking lot under the International Pengzhan Hotel, going through some private tunnels before reaching the hotel’s top floor directly. The place was evidently quite closed off: there weren’t any people at all.
Li Fu led the three to a private room, and knocked on the door.
Both Yushu and Mengyao had been to the place countless times, already very familiar with their surroundings.
“Please, come in.” Chu Pengzhan’s voice sounded from inside the room.
Li Fu pushed open the door, only to step to the side as he turned to them. “Miss Chu, Miss Shu, and Mister Lin- after you.”
Mengyao and Yushu entered the room at the gesture, clearly used to Li Fu’s position as something of a butler- it was an image long rooted in their minds.
Lin Yi, on the other hand, felt a little uneasy. “Uncle Fu, after you too…”
“You’re the guest, Mister Lin.” Li Fu said firmly.
Without much of a choice, Lin Yi stepped through the door as well. He smiled in greeting upon sighting Chu Pengzhan. “Good morning, Uncle Chu.”
“Yi, come, sit! Haha, it’s just a family banquet, relax yourself…” Chu Pengzhan greeted with a smile as well. “Just get used to it slowly, we do this every weekend. Unless I’m out somewhere else on a business trip, that is.”
“Ahh…” Lin Yi could only reply with a bitter smile of his- why the hell was he partaking in a family banquet, anyway? Li Fu was the Chu Pengzhan’s most trusted man, Yushu was Mengyao’s best friend, and Mengyao was Pengzhan’s daughter… They weren’t out of place in a family banquet, for sure, but as for Lin Yi himself……
Mengyao, on the other hand, was absolutely taken aback by her father’s words- what did this Lin Yi do to her father, why was he telling him to get used to attending the banquets?? Didn’t that mean that Lin Yi would be joining them every weekend from now on?
While it was true that she’d accepted Lin Yi, she’d really rather not admit or submit to a cocky and lazy looking guy like him!! How many would line up for the position of her shield? Where did Lin Yi get off with that nonchalant attitude, even going as far as to frustrate her on a daily basis?
Mengyao didn’t know it at the time, but her proud nature would be cause for extreme regret in the near future……
“Hehe, Shield Guy, you’re part of the family from now on! Let’s be nice to each other, yeah?” Yushu said kindly as she played the good girl role.
Be nice to each other, huh? Maybe you should stop threatening me with something I didn’t even do! Coughing ‘tissues’ every day……
“Yao Yao, what do you think? Are you satisfied with Lin Yi so far?” Pengzhan asked with a smile as he turned to his daughter.
“Does it even matter if I’m satisfied or not? You’re obviously not gonna fire him at this point.” Mengyao said sulkily.
“Haha, I see Shu getting along with him quite well though! What are your complaints regarding Lin Yi, Yao Yao?” Pengzhan asked.
“Don’t have any……” Mengyao said with a shake of her head. In truth, she was still very much confused as to what she thought of the guy- he put his life on the line for her back at the bank, but he always acted as if she wasn’t someone he should be treating seriously! He always pissed her off, too.
The worst part was how he treated Yushu so much nicer than he treated her!! What was with that, had she lost her appeal or something? She’d have assumed that she’d gotten ugly recently if it weren’t for Zhong Pinliang still bugging her……
“Well, why don’t you two try to get along with each other if you don’t have any? You’re the same age, after all! Daddy wouldn’t be so worried about you if you had a companion, too……” Pengzhan nodded satisfyingly upon hearing his daughter’s response.
Mengyao only sighed- they were letting a wolf into the house, that’s what this was!! What was her father thinking, throwing a stinky man under the same roof as his innocent, fragile daughter? That wasn’t even the the worst part- the thing that pissed her off the most was Lin Yi’s disinterest in her!!
The dishes soon started coming out, clearly made with a great deal of effort. They weren’t fancy or luxurious, but the attention to detail was very evident in their presentation.
A man of Chu Pengzhan’s caliber had long since lost interest in the luxurious selections of food to dine from- preferring a nice, healthy meal instead.
Lin Yi decided to go all out- both Li Fu did tell him to do so, after all. The chairman was okay with it, as well- there wasn’t much of a point in pretending that he was someone he wasn’t, either: it was an employer-employee relationship between Pengzhan and him, and he decided to be more genuine when eating together. With that, Lin Yi started stuffing food items into his mouth under Mengyao’s disdainful gaze and Yushu’s surprised eyes……
A chill went down Mengyao’s spine as she watched the man. Can… Can you not… You’re my follower you know…… She glanced at Yushu, letting out a sigh of relief- the girl didn’t seem to be too shocked or anything……
Hmph, he’s just my follower, what do I care? Who cares if he chokes himself to death? Mengyao thought as she tried to comfort herself.
Lin Yi taking all the largest portions was getting on Mengyao’s nerves- she couldn’t take it anymore. “Lin Yi, maybe you wanna pack some up to eat at home later?!”
“Ah, yeah. I was just thinking of doing that.” Lin Yi replied with a nod.
Mengyao died with speechlessness. Meanwhile, Yushu tried to contain her laughter as Chu Pengzhan watched Lin Yi with a smile on his face- his impression of the kid was at its peak after the whole incident at the bank. He didn’t think much about the whole thing when his father kept nagging him about it, but it seemed that his eyes were spot on- Lin Yi was quite the man.
“Yao Yao, why don’t you go down with Shu and Uncle Fu first? I’ll help Yi pack some food up.” Pengzhan said as he went to look for some containers. Mengyao only blinked in surprise- her dad wasn’t the lavish type, but he’d never done something like that before…
Yushu seemed to be thinking about something as she looked at Chu Pengzhan, when a sudden, incomprehensible change took place in her eyes. They reverted to normal an instant later, and Yushu pulled Mengyao up with her hand. “Let’s go, Yao Yao……”
“Oh……” Mengyao couldn’t quite understand her father’s actions, but it wasn’t something she could just ask about. After all, her dad seemed to be finding Lin Yi more likeable than he found his own daughter to be. He’s just a follower you hired……
Li Fu moved on to get the car, while Yushu tugged on Mengyao’s hand to slow her down.
“Hm? What’s up, Shu?” Mengyao asked curiously.
“Yao Yao… I have this feeling……” Yushu said after a little hesitation, deciding to voice her concerns to her friend. She did keep the sudden realization she’d had hidden deep down, however.
“Feeling? What feeling?” Mengyao asked, not quite understanding what Yushu was trying to get at.
“Yao Yao, don’t you think… there’s something up with how Uncle Chu treats Lin Yi..?” Yushu said softly.
“Yeah…… You felt it too, Shu?” Mengyao nodded in agreement- she was just trying to wrap her head around this a moment ago…
*[Long Taos]: side characters in Chinese operas who perform acrobatics and fight scenes
*[12.47 to 13.07]: don’t ask me about the tree sap
Chapter 112: CH112
“Dad seems to treat him even better than he treats me… His attitude towards him, too……” Mengyao said with a slight frown.
“I know! Especially how Uncle Chu wanted the two of you getting along with each other… And that bit about you and him being the same age, too… Don’t you think that’s a bit intimate?” Yushu analyzed. “Would he say something like that if Lin Yi really was just a mere follower he hired? Just take a look at how strict Uncle Chu’s been with your relationship with your male classmates, he’d never just have a man live with us for no reason, right?”
“Yeah……” Mengyao nodded as she thought about it. It was true that her father had been a proper parent since she was small, educating her firmly that there was to be no dating before she reached eighteen. He didn’t even allow her to have an outing with any boys in it…
She’d just turned eighteen, but that didn’t justify the sudden change in attitude- it’d be way too unreasonably fast if that were the case! Mengyao simply wouldn’t believe that her father would get so open minded all of a sudden and decide to put a man inside the house like that!
Something was definitely up! Mengyao wouldn’t have given this more thought than just a moment’s confusion if Yushu hadn’t brought it up- it was hard to get a clear understanding of the situation when you were in the center of it, after all. She’d attributed all of her father’s questionable actions to Lin Yi tricking him, but further analysis rendered that possibility unlikely. Her father was no normal man- he was meticulous, and intelligent! It simply didn’t seem very likely that the chairman of Pengzhan Industries would just get tricked by a farmer dude like Lin Yi……
That only meant that Lin Yi came here with her father’s approval… The question here was: what would’ve caused her father to make a decision like that?
“And… Uncle Fu treats Shield Guy with respect as well……” Yushu said, hitting the mark. It didn’t matter if Pengzhan fancied Lin Yi- he fancied quite a number of people! The elites all got in the company through his jurisdiction, and these people treated Uncle Fu with absolute, undeniable respect- even the vice-chairman of the company addressed Li Fu as ‘Li Bro’! Li Fu’s attitude towards Lin Yi, however, was extremely questionable… The man clearly treated him the same way he treated Mengyao herself……
“Yeah……” Mengyao’s frown intensified as she started having suspicions about her father’s true intentions of hiring Lin Yi… What was Lin Yi..?
“Yao Yao, whatever it is, whether it’s your dad, or Uncle Fu… their attitude with Lin Yi’s just too intimate, it’s nothing like an employer-employee relationship at all!! It’s like… They’re treating him as… family……” Yushu finally decided to reveal the idea she’d tucked away. It was a possibility that would devastate Mengyao, but it was something she had to do as her bestie.
Yushu’s analysis shot the idea into Mengyao’s mind, and the possibility of it silenced her completely.
“Shu… You think Lin Yi might be… My dad’s bastard child..?” Mengyao said with wide open eyes as she stared at Yushu. “Why else would my dad love him so much?”
“Wha-?!!!” It was Yushu’s turn to be shocked- she hadn’t considered that crazy possibility! Bastard?! Mengyao had to be really creative to think of something like that! A chill went down Yushu’s spine as she thought about it… It wasn’t an impossibility, but the two didn’t look one bit alike! It didn’t seem likely at all, what the hell was Mengyao thinking up here?
“What’s wrong, Shu?” Mengyao asked as she looked at the stunned Yushu, thinking that perhaps her guess might’ve been a little too far-fetched. “Am I wrong?”
“Your imagination’s really something, Yao Yao… Shield Guy’s around the same age as you and me, right? If he really was a bastard, then it’d had to be before or after your dad met your mom, but… does that sound possible to you?” Yushu shook her head speechlessly.
“Ah… So I’m wrong? But what other explanation is there?” Mengyao said, deciding to drop her idea.
“Here’s what I think, Yao Yao- I think Uncle Chu’s trying to find you a partner!! The way things look, he probably has his mind set on Lin Yi as the only candidate at this point…..” Yushu grinned playfully. Although, she did feel a bit uncomfortable inside as she said the words, for some reason.
“Partner?!” Mengyao’s mouth gaped wide open as she stared at Yushu, obviously shocked at the notion. “Shu, are you sure about this..?!”
“I dunno. It’s just a guess.” Yushu said with a shrug. “But it does feel like that’s the case, you know- that might just be it…”
“That’s impossible, right? I’m j-just eighteen, okay? N-no way, that’s impossible…” Mengyao shook her head a couple of times, blushing as she spoke. “Shu, what do you think?”
“Well… I think the two of you look pretty good as a couple!” Yushu said with a laugh. “Good driver, good cook, good fighter… Damn, it’s pretty nice…”
“No! No way!!” Mengyao rejected subconsciously, surges of unstable emotions welling up inside her as she spoke. Did father really want him to be her boyfriend? Wasn’t he just supposed to be a shield?!!”
Though, he’d be able to protect her if that were the case… The scene back at the bank had given Lin Yi a very reliable image in Mengyao’s eyes- her pride, however, insisted that Lin Yi was that much more of an annoyance because of that!
Even if that really were the case, the guy was always outside flirting with a variety of girls!! How could her father recognize a man such as this? It must be a misunderstanding on Shu and Mengyao’s part- her father might very well have something more deep planned out…….
It was a while before the two girls made it to the Bentley. Mengyao sighed softly as she seated herself at the back with Yushu. “Shu, tell me- how likely do you think that guess is?”
“Maybe zero percent, or fifty, or a hundred…” Yushu said with a grin, evidently having returned to normal. “Well, I guess it depends on what kind of scenario you’d want it to be?”
“Me? I don’t want it to be anything- he likes Song Lingshan, and there’s that pretty girl he was with yesterday, too! I’ve got nothing to do with him!!” Mengyao said, her tone sour even when she was making the stuff up.
“Heh heh…” Yushu grinned- could Mengyao actually be…?
Li Fu got in after checking the car, and both Mengyao and Yushu stopped talking. Mengyao’s expressions kept switching between joy and depression, and Yushu was, needless to say, quite curious about what her friend might be fantasizing about…
Yushu pouted her lips. Yao Yao’s gotta be in heat right now, maybe I shouldn’t have told her……
*[Long Taos]: side characters in Chinese operas who perform acrobatics and fight scenes
*[12.47 to 13.07]: don’t ask me about the tree sap
Chapter 113: CH113
A lot of things had taken place recently. Chu Pengzhan had made his position clear in the board of directors meeting, hinting to the more rebellious staff that they’d do well to mind their step.
But a steeled heart aimed maliciously at Chu Pengzhan wasn’t something he could just contain with ease. It was also because of this acknowledgement that Li Fu made sure to check the car for any signs of being tampered with before starting the car.
It wasn’t likely that there’d be a bomb rigged to the car, but the brakes and tires might’ve been tampered with- It was a necessary precaution to check.
Lin Yi pretty much knew that the chairman wanted to talk to him in private. It had to be pretty important, seeing how he’d sent Yushu and Mengyao on ahead first. There was just no way he’d be so passionate about getting some food in containers for Lin Yi.
“Uncle Chu, is something the matter?” Lin Yi said as he packed the remaining dishes into some containers.
“Haha, you see through everything, don’t you.” Pengzhan said as he helped Lin Yi with the containers. “I’ve done a bit of research in the dark regarding the problem back at the company- we’ve confirmed the suspect, but we need evidence before anything else. There’s a lot more at stake here… It involves some of the company’s elders- it’s a matter of face and the relations we have with them. It’s not something I can have a direct hand in.”
“Are you asking me to help gather evidence, Uncle Chu?” Lin Yi asked.
“Not necessarily. Just stay by Yao Yao’s side- don’t let anything happen to her. I’ll be able to take care of things around the company for now.” Pengzhan said with a shake of his head.
“Alright. Give me a call whenever you need me, Uncle Chu.” Evidence? You won’t be needing evidence when I’m involved, Uncle Chu- just give me a name and I’ll erase him for you… Why go to the trouble of getting evidence……
Chu Pengzhan was Lin Yi’s employer, however. It was his job to follow the chairman’s orders.
“You have enough to spend, Yi? Must be pretty expensive to be spending time with Mengyao, I reckon? Heard you guys went shopping yesterday?” Pengzhan asked, changing the topic.
“Well… I wouldn’t say expensive.” Lin Yi shook his head. He smiled bitterly as he pointed at the clothes he was wearing. “Even this set of clothes was bought using the Miss’ money, so I haven’t really spent anything yet.”
“Haha, the gentleman’s gotta pay when you go shopping, you know!” Pengzhan said with a laugh. “Here, I’ll have Li Fu get you a credit card later- you can just swipe it next time.”
“Ah… alright then.” Lin Yi smiled, shrugging. There was no reason for him to say no to free money- after all, it was his employer offering it, and he wasn’t one to reject money from an employer. Although, he wasn’t quite sure why Chu Pengzhan would do something like that.
The two got off the elevator and stepped into the underground parking lot. They were making their way to Li Fu’s car when Lin Yi’s jade started sending him a signal- Lin Yi’s heart froze instantly as he darted his eyes about, going on complete alert.
“Yi, what’s wrong?” Pengzhan asked as he saw Lin Yi stop walking all of a sudden.
“Killing intent…” Lin Yi said faintly.
“Hm?” Pengzhan paused. Killing intent? He didn’t sense it himself, but killing intent was not something sensed through conventional means- Lin Yi being able to detect something like that, however, wasn’t a surprise at all considering who he was.
Lin Yi said no more, pulling Pengzhan to the side violently…
A huge crash sounded as a chandelier shattered into pieces where the two were just standing. (no idea what a freaking chandelier’s doing in an underground parking lot, but oh well…)
Chu Pengzhan’s face paled instantly as he looked at the broken up chandelier in front of him. A hint of rage flashed across his eyes. The chandelier was huge, and they were safe completely due to Lin Yi’s high reaction speed- the two of them would have no doubt been hit with the chandelier should they have continued at their pace.
It was made of glass, and while it wouldn’t kill anyone, it’d sure as hell injure anyone quite badly if it had hit them directly…
He knew for a certainty that this was an act of revenge for the board of directors meeting last friday- these people were getting more and more out of control! Pengzhan couldn’t believe their guts!
It seemed that they were going all out- kidnapping Mengyao was just part of their recklessness, apparently.
Li Fu, naturally, witnessed the scene along with Mengyao and Yushu, who cried out after staring blankly for half a second. It was too close a call!
Li Fu, on the other hand, was a lot more collected than the two girls, and was already making his way swiftly to where the chairman was. “Are you okay, Mister Chu?”
“Call security up here- have them investigate this. Seal the parking lot’s exit- don’t let anyone out!” Pengzhan said solemnly.
“That won’t be necessary.” Lin Yi said as he looked at the wires above the shattered chandelier. “Those wires were cut really thin by someone…”
“Oh?” Pengzhan turned his focus to where Lin Yi was pointing, and noticed that there was a very neat cut on the wires above. His face only darkened more. “But how did they manage to get the timing right, to have the chandelier fall on us just as we pass through?”
“Heh… I’d say they had the power closed off earlier, turning the chandelier on only when we were passing under. The thin wires couldn’t handle the electricity powering up the chandelier, and were melted instantly- resulting in the chandelier dropping on us.” Lin Yi explained. “Well, that’s just my guess- there might’ve been some other method they used….”
Pengzhan wasn’t a slow man- he understood the possibility of Lin Yi’s conjecture immediately. There was no need for any investigations, if that were the case- it’d be fruitless judging by how meticulous the perpetrators were. All the evidence would’ve probably been destroyed already.
“Let’s go.” Pengzhan said as he pressed his rage down with a deep breath. With that, he started walking with Li Fu to where the car was.
“Yi, sit in the back with the girls- I’ll sit in the front.” Pengzhan said to Lin Yi.
“Okay.” Lin Yi nodded. He was just about to open the door when he realized it was Mengyao on this side- he decided to walk to Yushu’s side before getting in.
He did have a better relationship with Yushu than he did with Mengyao, after all. The Bentley was quite spacious, too- it was a comfortable fit even with three people in the back.
Mengyao’s heart tightened when she saw that Lin Yi was going for the backseat, panicking and blushing as she remembered Yushu’s words earlier…….
You’re probably wondering why I’m still throwing out third chapters… Well, turns out I’ve missed a few more than I thought. Expect three chapters every day until September ends! Heh heh. just three days though.
ae link to my patreon, my friends
ae link to the votings, my friends
*[Long Taos]: side characters in Chinese operas who perform acrobatics and fight scenes
*[12.47 to 13.07]: don’t ask me about the tree sap
Chapter 114: CH114
So daddy thinks Lin Yi’s a good choice… Mengyao supposed that Lin Yi did look pretty handsome, now that she looked at him properly… After all, it didn’t really matter whether the partner was rich or not when taking into account the type of family Mengyao was born into- she’d rather have someone who would commit himself to her than have one of the young masters she saw so often. She wanted someone who could protect her, and love her.
Lin Yi was obviously capable of protecting her, but the problem was that they didn’t really know each other yet- it was still a employer-employee relationship. Lin Yi putting his life on the line for her, with that in mind, became just that more valuable an aspect- how far would Lin Yi be willing to go for her as her boyfriend if he’d do something like that for just his employer..?
Mengyao started blushing at the thought- she’d never been in a relationship before, and her heart started to warm up in shy excitement… She never thought much of it before, but questions and thoughts began flooding into her mind after Yushu brought it up……
But Lin Yi’s worst quality seemed to be how flirty with girls he was- why was he all over the place? Was she simply not attractive enough to him? Why would he get so intimate with Song Lingshan on just the first day like that? And that girl with the figure yesterday, too……
Could it actually be because of… how innocent her body looked? Mengyao couldn’t help but feel depressed at the thought. She glanced quietly at Yushu- her body was much curvier than hers was, was that why Lin Yi treated her so much nicer..? That must be it, the damned pervert’s found an interest in Shu’s bigger boobs……
Mengyao was even thinking angrily to herself of the kinds of things she’d do to Lin Yi if he dared sit beside her, maybe pretend to step on him when Uncle Fu hit the brakes to show Lin Yi what the consequences for crossing her were……
But the guy walked all the way to the other door after one look at her, sitting with Yushu instead!! It only served to agitate Mengyao even further.
What the hell did he think he was doing, he was a shield her dad hired! He should be sitting next to her, not Yushu!! What the hell!!
Mengyao frowned unhappily as she considered yelling ‘Lin Yi, sit over here…’ when she decided otherwise- her dad and Uncle Fu were both present…
The car had been moving for a while when Chu Pengzhan pulled his phone out, looking a little solemn as he dialed in a number. “Director Chen? I’m Chu Pengzhan…”
“Mister Chu, how are you!” The director of Songshan’s police said, his tone extremely friendly upon hearing it was Chu Pengzhan on the phone…… Chu Pengzhan was a man in a very high position- he was the biggest local entrepreneur, and a well known philanthropist, as well. The most important thing was his close relationship with House Chen from the military……. Director Chen, naturally, understood the gravity of that fact- he was a distant relative of the Chen family, after all.
“Director Chen, I’m just calling to ask about the bank robbery case- any news on the criminals who kidnapped my daughter?” Pengzhan asked, evidently quite furious to be making a phone call like that right in front of Yushu and Mengyao. The enemy was simply too much, turning their sights on him after just kidnapping Mengyao……
“Ah…… Nothing as of yet…” Director Chen said helplessly. “The suspect’s a slippery one- the plates were fake. We don’t have any valuable leads yet……”
“I understand. Please give me a call when you learn anything.” Pengzhan said, quite friendly as well- the director was a distant relative of Yushu’s family, after all. Although, he wasn’t sure if Yushu even knew about this relative at all……
“Sure thing. I’ll have my men work harder on the case!” Director Chen hung the phone up, directly dialing in the number to Song Lingshan’s office. “Song? I’m Chen Dafei, come to my office for a bit.”
“Alright……” Song Lingshan said. The director didn’t seem very happy, and Lingshan dropped what she was working on, issuing a couple of commands to her subordinates before rushing to the director’s office.
She knocked on the door, only entering after the director told her to come in. “Director.”
“Ah, Song.” Chen Dafei pushed his specs up as he put down the file in his hand. “Sit, let’s talk about the bank robbery case. Any updates?”
“The criminal police has established a 313 specialist team- currently trying to get a portrait of the suspect drawn. No news yet, I’m afraid……” Song Lingshan reported carefully.
The case was under her direct supervision- Huaijun had been assigned to a different case by the provincial office. He’d most likely get promoted to vice-director after that, and so everything involving the criminal police had been dropped on her shoulders as a result.
It was only then did Lingshan fully understand the stress that came with leadership over a task force- Huaijun would always make the important decisions, carry out operations as he led his men himself… There were a multitude of factors that Lingshan only understood the difficulty of after being assigned leader herself.
The Songs were no weaklings, however, and Lingshan wasn’t planning on giving up halfway. She had to grit her teeth through the hardships- there was no way she could face her family if she failed; she’d get looked down on for sure if she did……
“Put your back into it, I don’t need to remind you how important the case is. It involves Chu Pengzhan’s daughter, and we need this solved as soon as possible!” Dafei said. “Here, give me a time- when do you think you’ll have the case solved?”
“Um……” Song Lingshan’s face darkened at the words. It was always Huaijun answering that type of question- she had no guarantee when she’d break the case, but there was no getting out of it. “Director, I guarantee that half a month… No, ten days is all I need!”
Song Lingshan saw Dafei’s eyebrow twitch a little upon hearing ‘half a month’, and decided instantly to change her answer right then.
“Hm… Ten days, then. I await good news, Song!” Dafei nodded, satisfied.
Lingshan had her eyebrows locked as she made her way back to her office, trying to remember what Huaijun would do in her situation, how he’d approach the problem…… She only rubbed her forehead helplessly after her futile brainstorming- nothing came up!
Every case had different circumstances, and she couldn’t just pull a random Huaijun method with just any case…… Lingshan was feeling troubled when the phone on the desk rang. She picked the phone up. “Hello, this is Song Lingshan of the criminal police.”
“Captain Song, this is Lou Liqiang of the outer city police… We’ve received a report of two corpses in an abandoned warehouse. Two males. We’ve identified one of them as Lu Jieyan of the 313 bank robbery case, also known as Baldy. We haven’t identified the other corpse yet, but chances are he was one of Baldy’s followers…”
*[Long Taos]: side characters in Chinese operas who perform acrobatics and fight scenes
*[12.47 to 13.07]: don’t ask me about the tree sap
Chapter 115: CH115
“Alright, I’ll get there at once……”
Lingshan’s heart sank- locating the main perpetrators was something worth celebrating, but…
Not when they were dead!
It only meant that things were much more complicated than they had thought- the two criminals must’ve been wiped out to tie off loose ends.
The case just turned much more complicated, as well. It’d be an absolute challenge for them to find out who the mastermind was.
Lingshan decided to bring some men to the scene, ignoring the pain in her head.
“Yao Yao, what’s wrong?” Yushu asked, evidently noticing the strange behavior Mengyao was displaying.
She’d assumed that Mengyao was behaving herself, being the good girl since Uncle Chu was right there and all, but… That didn’t seem to be the case.
“It’s nothing……”
Mengyao was pissed at Lin Yi for being a pervert, but she couldn’t just tell her best friend that she was jealous of her, could she?
“Oh. I really liked those fried mushrooms yesterday, what about you?” Yushu asked suddenly, nodding her head.
“……” Mengyao was speechless, but Yushu’s randomness cheered her up. “You’re really into food stands aren’t you, Shu…… You’ll be saving a lot of money for your husband some day……”
“Hehe, you’ll be marrying too if I get married you know? I’ll be saving money for you too……” Yushu grinned playfully.
“Wha… huh?” Mengyao’s face reddened instantly upon realizing what Yushu was talking about. She raised her hand and hit Yushu a little, flushed. “Stop bringing that up, it was when we were little!”
“Heh heh, so what? We pinky promised!” Yushu said, blushing as well. She glanced at Lin Yi a little as she considered the likelihood of Uncle Chu choosing Lin Yi as his son in law.
“Hmph!” Mengyao turned her head away from Yushu, clearly a lot of stuff going on in her mind.
It was a secret between the two of them, a promise they’d made when they were younger. They never told anyone about it, but they did bring it up jokingly every once in a while after growing up.
It was six or seven years ago, when they were watching a drama about two besties- they wanted to be best friends forever so much that they married the same guy……
That idiot Yushu, naturally, suggested to her Yao Yao that the two of them could do the same thing when Mengyao got married, and be together forever……
It was a pretty good idea, Mengyao thought. She agreed, and the two girls hooked their pinkies together in promise…..
The idea turned out to be quite a ridiculous one as the two of them aged, but it was something funny to bring up every now and then…..
Especially that time when Yushu didn’t want to call Mengyao ‘Yao Yao Sis’ anymore, it looked like she was trying to act cute- they were in the same class, after all. (okay, ‘Yao Yao Sis’ is what Yushu calls Mengyao, while Mengyao calls Yushu ‘Little Shu’. I adjusted it for aesthetic purposes…)
Mengyao, however, threatened Yushu with the secret, telling her that she’d naturally have to call Mengyao ‘sis’ since she’d be the elder wife, and that she’d tell everyone their secret if she failed to comply……
Helpless, Yushu decided to just continue calling her Yao Yao Sis- it wasn’t long before it became a habit of hers.
Yushu was younger than Mengyao by a few months, after all. Calling her sis wasn’t really inappropriate or anything.
Naturally, this secret was shared by the two girls exclusively- they were the only ones who knew about it.
Lin Yi only shook his head at the two girls- what the hell were they even talking about? He decided to leave it be, since the girls wouldn’t tell him even if he asked, anywyay.
Lin Yi then shut his eyes. He looked like he was resting, but was actually busying himself with something else.
“Elder Jiao, about that jade signal earlier……”
Lin Yi still didn’t know how the signals were sent out, and thought that it might’ve had something to do with Elder Jiao.
“Signal?” Yazi asked, clearly not understanding where this was coming from. “What’re you talking about, what signal?”
“You didn’t sense anything?” Lin Yi was surprised at the words. “That instant when the chandelier was about to drop, I felt a signal from the jade… Signal as in the signals the jade sends me every time something dangerous is about to happen…”
“Honestly, didn’t feel anything.” Yazi said, trying to remember anything noteworthy from earlier.
“Uh… something the jade just does, then? An ability it has?” Lin Yi asked, knowing that it was impossible for Elder Jiao to be lying to him.
“That’s possible. As I said, my master’s master left that jade, so I don’t know what other abilities it has. You’ll have to go discover them yourself- you’ll probably learn something new when you go to the cave the next time the doors open…” Yazi explained.
“I see.” Lin Yi said helplessly. It seemed that Elder Jiao didn’t know too much about the jade. The training space must be one of its abilities, as well.
The car stopped in front of the villa, and Li Fu drove off after dropping off Lin Yi, Mengyao, and Yushu. Pengzhan clearly had something else to attend to.
“Lin Yi!!” Mengyao exclaimed, turning her head towards Lin Yi abruptly.
“Huh?” Lin Yi blinked as he looked at the Miss.
“You’re not allowed to mess with girls when on duty from now on!!” Mengyao ordered. It was something she’d been thinking about the whole car trip, a concern she’d decided to address after gathering some courage.
“Uh, but I don’t..?” Lin Yi said. Was the Miss displeased that he’d been hitting on girls during work time?
“Don’t do it anymore if you were, and keep it that way if you don’t!” Mengyao continued, not very comfortable with mentioning the whole thing with Song Lingshan.
“Oh…… Okay.” Lin Yi nodded. “So only when on duty, right?”
“My dad’s paid a lot of money for your services, for you to be my twenty four hour shield! You’re with me all the time, you’re never off duty!” Mengyao concluded before walking off with Yushu.
“Ah…… Fuck.” Lin Yi smiled bitterly. “Jeez, even old slave masters don’t do that, right… I’m practically a slave, huh? This girl……”
“You were so cool back there, Yao Yao!” Yushu said excitedly.
“He’s gotta step away from all that flirting and playing with girls, he’s going overboard! How am I supposed to trick Zhong Pinliang if he goes and does all that?” Mengyao said, not understanding why she was even bothering with a justification.
“But Yao Yao, I don’t think Zhong Pinliang knows Shield Guy’s your boyfriend yet… I mean you don’t talk to Shield Guy at all, and you even let Zhong Pinliang have his way with him……” Yushu grinned. “Maybe I should go tell Pingy that Shield Guy’s your boyfriend tomorrow? I’ll also tell him about the two of you moving in together, heh… He’s so scared of Shield Guy that he’ll definitely piss himself if I tell him that……”
(might as well mention that Yushu actually calls him Shield Bro instead of Shield Guy. tell me if you’d like that changed)
*[Long Taos]: side characters in Chinese operas who perform acrobatics and fight scenes
*[12.47 to 13.07]: don’t ask me about the tree sap
Chapter 116: CH116
“Wh-wha-? Huh??” Mengyao almost tripped! Boyfriend? Moving in together? Was Shu trying to piss her off to death?!! Mengyao only put on a straight face as she turned to Yushu, thinking of changing the subject. “Shu… You’re a lady you know… You should stop using words like piss or poop… it’s quite vulgar, isn’t it? Don’t say stuff like that anymore……”
“Okay, I won’t say anything.” Yushu nodded.
“Good……” Mengyao sighed.
“Well, I’ll tell Pingy about you and Shield Guy tomorrow then, if you’re fine with it……” Yushu continued.
“……” Mengyao really wanted to beat the girl up- didn’t they just agree not to say anything? The girl was clearly still hellbent on announcing to Zhong Pinliang her relationship with Lin Yi!!
“Shu, the time’s not ripe yet you know… Lin Yi just transferred in, and we’ve made it clear that we don’t know him at all- doesn’t it sound a little forced if you… tell them about us? Everything works with a lot of proper steps involved, and it’s the same with this. So, don’t say anything yet!” Mengyao said.
“Oh. It’s your call, Yao Yao.” Yushu said with a nod. “Well, it doesn’t really matter to me anyway, you’re the first wife and I’m the second… You’re the one choosing the guy……”
“Shu!” Mengyao wanted to hammer Yushu to death. “Why’re you always bringing that up? You’re not stupid, you know you can’t just marry the guy I marry!!”
“Don’t be too sure.” Yushu said, leaning forward and embracing Mengyao. “That’s just how I’m gonna do it if I don’t wanna be apart from you……”
“…You’re really… What should I do with you, Shu.” Mengyao shook her head, a little speechless. She held Yushu’s hand, and the two of them walked up the stairs together. Mengyao made sure to give the general an order as they went up. “General Wei Wu, good performance so far! Keep guarding that spot, don’t let that man come up!”
“Woof, woof……” The general responded, troubled. That man wasn’t someone he could just stop if he actually tried to go up……
Song Lingshan was quite troubled indeed- Pin Jieyan’s death meant a dead end! He had more distinct features, like his bald head, and it was a lot easier to search for him in comparison to his common-looking lakeys……
From what the autopsy had reported, the man had died unprepared and vulnerable- it was instant death with one bullet. The other corpse had died in the same manner as well.
They’d made a thorough search of the surrounding area, but these were the only two corpses they had. It meant that the remaining members of the group were still alive.
This was actually good news- Ling Shan would’ve grown even more troubled if the entire group had perished. It wasn’t that big of a problem with just two deaths: it was either an inner conflict or a superior tying up loose ends.
They’d found out about the other corpse’s identity online, as well: Ma Liu, a twenty-nine-year-old unemployed male, from the Shelf County Cattle Village area, a thug known for his laziness in the village.
He’d said he was leaving the village for work, and had disappeared since then……
Evidently, Ma Liu only met Pin Jieyan after leaving the village, and there wasn’t much to go on with only that clue……
Lingshan hesitated a while longer before deciding to give Huaijun a call. She needed his advice- she’d claimed that she’d have the case solved in ten days already, and while the director wouldn’t go as far as to fire her, it’d look really bad for the Song family as well as herself… Her father would have to lower his head in shame in front of the other relatives……
“Yang Bro, it’s me……” Lingshan greeted, uneasy. After all, the call was informing Huaijun of her inability even after following in Huaijun’s footsteps for so long… It was quite embarrassing for her……
Huaijun would always act as commander while Lingshan stayed in the vanguard, completely obliterating even the most violent of criminals with her experience as special ops coach backing her up. High-stakes missions were always Lingshan’s specialty, and this was something the department had recognized! A female captain wouldn’t have sat well with people otherwise, after all.
“What’s up, Song?” Huaijun was just about to go for a checkup at the Eastern doctor’s before going to the provincial office for a meeting later. His sickness had acted up again that day, and while it was because of Lin Yi agitating him, his body did deteriorate with each passing day. Huaijun noticed at least that much.
“Cap’n… The 313 bank robbery case… We still don’t have any leads- the two suspects we located were dead, and the whereabouts of the other remaining group members are unknown as well……” Lingshan said carefully.
“Ah……” Huaijun, naturally, understood Lingshan’s position- the girl didn’t set out for detective work, after all, and she hadn’t been properly trained before. “Well, I’ve heard about this already, so let me tell you what my thoughts are: I think that the ‘cutting loose ends’ scenario isn’t too likely. If that were the case, we’d have more than just two corpses.”
“Yeah……. But what if the two were killed off by the others, because they weren’t part of the inner circle?” Lingshan asked softly.
“It wouldn’t add up- why would they bring two guys they don’t trust with them, for what purpose? It has to be either a team of inside people, or a team of non-insiders……” Huaijun said with a smile. “So, an inner conflict is the most plausible scenario. It could be a dispute with the distribution of the money they’d robbed on Pin Jieyan and Ma Liu’s part, resulting in their teammates killing them off.”
“Ah, that makes sense…… That should be it.” Linghan nodded in agreement.
“Now, if that were the case, all we need to do is increase the search radius. Unless they don’t care about the money, they’ll find a hard time moving around. We’ve got our men in the traffic police searching for us too, and the chances of them leaving Songshan’s very low, as well. Do another search where you found the corpses, you might find some new clues……” Huaijun continued.
“Alright, got it.” Lingshan said, suddenly feeling enlightened.
“Haha, Song, I heard about you having some fun with Lin Yi?” Huaijun sighed, deciding to ask her about it after all. The news of Song Lingshan’s forwardness had been spread around the police department already, about her servicing her boyfriend at the hospital……
Huaijun didn’t quite believe Lin Yi becoming a couple with Lingshan- Lin Yi wasn’t the type to make commitments like that just anywhere, and there hadn’t been any bad rumors regarding Lingshan ever since she’d entered the department…… She’d even rejected a man as outstanding as Chen Yutian, after all……
But every girl found herself attracted to someone eventually, as the saying went. As fine a man Chen Yutian was, he was still quite lacking when compared to someone like Lin Yi. Even a girl as exceptional as Yi was head over heels for Lin Yi, let alone Song Lingshan……
This three chapters thing is hard shit man……… im never skipping work again
seven chapters are ready… tier 4’s officially born!
*[Long Taos]: side characters in Chinese operas who perform acrobatics and fight scenes
*[12.47 to 13.07]: don’t ask me about the tree sap
Chapter 117: CH117
“Eh?” Song Lingshan froze, her face darkening instantly… She’d never expected the Captain Yang she admired so much to be interested in gossip..! The image Huaijun had established in her eyes, after all, was that of someone who lived with absolute solemnity… It was definitely startling that he’d ask a question like that… She’d heard of the rumors herself, but there was simply no way to explain her way out of them!
This kind of thing was something that’d just worsen when explanations were given. Anyone with eyes would misunderstand the scene back at the hospital, and there wasn’t much Lingshan could do about what other people decided to say- it was their mouths, after all. It was all she could do to lay low for a while until the whole thing blew over.
But how was she supposed to explain this misunderstanding to the captain? “Captain, I… I’m……”
“Haha, it’s not like we’re not allowed to have relationships in the police department, right? It’s your freedom, Song.” Huaijun said upon hearing Lingshan’s hesitation, assuming that she was shy about being found out. He decided to leave it at that with a laugh- after all, it wasn’t his place to meddle with Lin Yi’s affairs. He did get a little too excited and thought that it wasn’t very fair to Yi, but Lin Yi would always be the centerpiece of their team, their god, their captain!!
“Captain……” Lingshan didn’t quite know what to say.
“Heh, though you could ask Lin Yi for help; he’ll probably be able to get you those suspects pretty fast……” Huaijun’s words trailed off a bit as he regretted what he’d decided to say. Sorry Eagle… Didn’t mean to sell you out……
Although, it was probably fine, taking into consideration Lin Yi’s relationship with Lingshan. If the two were at that stage the rumors claimed, then there’d be no doubt that Eagle would help Lingshan out, judging by what Huaijun knew of his personality.
“Him? Suspects?” Lingshan blinked as she tried to process what the captain had just said, but Huaijun had hung the phone up already. Lingshan was itching with frustration at that point. Lin Yi you bastard!! My reputation’s completely ruined by you……
Lingshan then turned her attention back on the case after blowing off some steam with that curse at Lin Yi. She then did what Huaijun had suggested, and broadened the search radius……
Huaijun, on the other hand, was quite rushed as he drove to Songshan Medical University.
Songshan Medical University was one of the most well known universities in the country, well known even internationally, as well, attracting many foreigners there to pursue studies in Eastern medicine. This was all credited to the head of the university, Guan Xuemin!
Guan Xuemin was very highly regarded in the medical world- he was the leading doctor of Eastern medicine, the Dean of Eastern Doctors.
The Guan house wasn’t a powerful family, but Guan Xuemin’s existence had completely rewritten that fact! He’d turned the Guan family into a superpower even amongst the top-tier families! Was there anyone in this world utterly healthy and without sickness? Was there anyone in this world who could guarantee that they wouldn’t need Guan Xuemin saving his or her life?
The Guan family had risen to power only a little more than ten years ago, but it was by no means weaker than the other powerful houses. The Guans didn’t have a particularly strong foundation as of yet, but that didn’t matter- no one dared cross them, for crossing the Guans meant crossing the other houses!
The Yang house that Yang Huaijun belonged to was one such family. Huaijun being able to get the Guan Xuemin to heal him, as a result, was nothing out of the ordinary.
Guan Xuemin wasn’t giving lectures very often anymore, only giving one big lecture on a weekly routine. It was targeted towards Eastern medicine students, but it wasn’t uncommon at all for students from other medical fields to join the lectures… They were attracted by Xuemin’s fame and renown, and by the simple fact that the man taught them very useful things!!
Guan Xuemin lived in the university’s residential area, a villa district housing the school leaders and their best professors. Even Huaijun had to make a proper registration before entering the area in a police car!
After all, there was quite the number of national level academics living there, with even internationally acclaimed ones as well……
Huaijun parked outside Xuemin’s villa, and walked to the doorstep. He was just about to press the doorbell when a pretty girl opened the door, pausing upon seeing Huaijun at her doorstep. “Yang Bro, here to see my grandpa?”
“Yeah. Off to work, Xin Xin?” Huaijun guessed, seeing that she was dressed properly as well as prettily.
“Yep.” Guan Xin nodded. “Gotta leave earlier for the commuter transport.”
“Don’t you have your own car?” Huaijun asked, not expecting Guan Xin to be taking public transport.
“Of course I don’t- I just started working, you know.” Guan Xin smiled. “Yang Bro, grandpa’s with a guest right now, so you might have to wait a while after going up.”
“Alright. I’ll let you get going then, don’t be late.” Huaijun said with a nod. Guan Xin didn’t plan on relying on her family’s resources, it seemed- girls like that were rare. Even someone like Song Lingshan had her own car…..
Guan Xin left the door unlocked as she left. She was quite familiar with Yang Huaijun, and knew that he wasn’t a bad person- she was quite trusting of him as well. Huaijun then stepped in the villa, and walked up to the second floor directly.
Guan Xuemin was checking an old man’s pulse when Huaijun reached the living room on the second floor, with a middle aged couple standing right beside them.
“Elder Guan, how’s my father doing?” The man asked carefully.
“Not too well…… It’s gotten really serious.” Xuemin said, not intending to hide anything. “The heart’s deteriorating, going from bad to worse- a cure’s almost impossible at this point. Periodical acupuncture and moxibustion will be able to hold the deterioration back, but just barely.”
The old man didn’t react too violently to the blunt truth, evidently understanding his own situation very well. The man, on the other hand, was a little more anxious. “Hold it back? That’s good too, as long as it doesn’t get any worse or act up again.”
They’d been to many an establishment, but to no avail- as such, Xuemin’s words came as unexpected to the middle aged man.
“That’s no problem.” Xuemin nodded. “A weekly acupuncture session with needles will suffice- we can expect another ten years for him if all goes well……”
“Another ten years?” The old man was but joyed at the news. “Ten years! There’s so much that can be done in ten years!”
“Then we’ll be in your care, Elder Guan. We live in Yanjing, and regarding the weekly sessions…… We’ll make sure to cover an abundance of living expenses in addition to the treatment fees……” The man started.
“I don’t have the time. The sessions must be done at my place.” Guan Xuemin rejected the notion immediately. It was a rule of his: he never provided door-to-door service.
“Uh……” The middle aged man wasn’t sure what to do- he couldn’t just let his father travel that kind of distance every week! His body was burdened enough as it was.
“Who do you think you are?!” The middle aged woman exploded before the man could say anything. She pointed her finger at Guan Xuemin. “Do you have any idea who my father is? People line up just for the chance to treat my father, we’re offering you this because you’ve earned our acknowledgement! What kind of a big shot do you think yourself to be, aren’t you just an old Eastern doctor? Here, we’ll pay you double the fees! Will that be enough?!”
*[Long Taos]: side characters in Chinese operas who perform acrobatics and fight scenes
*[12.47 to 13.07]: don’t ask me about the tree sap
Chapter 118: CH118
“You’ll have to find another doctor, then.” Xuemin said without even looking at the woman, standing up and clearly telling them that they were done here.
The man was about to explode as well at his wife’s outburst- they’d finally found someone who was capable of treating his father, and now she’d went and crossed him! Guan Xuemin was no regular doctor! Double the payment? Did the woman think a doctor at Xuemin’s level lacked any money at all?!
The man couldn’t take it anymore- he arched his body and sent his palm across the woman’s face. “Huiru, keep your mouth shut!!!”
Huiru only held her cheek as she blinked at the man in disbelief. The man, on the other hand, was walking towards Guan Xuemin. “Elder Guan, please, don’t lower yourself to her level- let’s calm down and talk about this……”
The middle aged couple, obviously, was the couple Lin Yi had met back at the business district. They were Liu Tianyi and Wu Huiru.
Xuemin, on the other hand, wasn’t that pissed off- he found sense in Tianyi’s words, and decided that he needn’t pay any attention to the ramblings of that woman. The patient was the priority here, after all. With that, Xuemin stopped and turned back around.
“I’ll stay here, Tianyi. You two go back to Yanjing first.” Elder Liu said, not paying Huiru any attention as well, evidently very disappointed in his daughter-in-law.
“On your own? But, father……” Tianyi said, worried.
“It’s fine, go back first. I don’t have anything to do now anyway, just treat it as an old man going on holiday. Get me a place here later, somewhere close to Professor Guan’s home. It’s a pretty good environment, too- I’ll just live here for a bit.” Elder Liu smiled, waving a hand of dismissal at his son.
“I… I understand.” Tianyi knew well that there was no negotiating after his father had made his mind. He got his phone out and called someone. “Hello, Principal Zhang? It’s Liu Tianyi- my father’s decided to live on the campus, could you arrange a house near Elder Guan’s place? Yes, thank you.”
Huaijun had been trying to figure out what kind of people these three were, but the phone call made it clear just how powerful they were. Principal Zhang was the head of Songshan University of Medicine- Tianyi getting him to just find the old man a house, near Xuemin’s place no less, with just a phone call was quite the feat!
One had to understand that anyone who lived in the school’s villa district had to be on the level of a dean. The villas around Xuemin’s place were all top-tier houses, as well- these people had to be quite important for the principal to do something like that for them.
Having finished with Elder Liu, Xuemin turned to Huaijun. “Yang, come and sit first- I’ll talk to you after I’m done here. You can go watch some TV or use the internet in the meantime.”
“Okay. Don’t mind me, Grandpa Guan- I’ll wait!” Huaijun said, evidently not bothering with courtesies too much- he’d gotten quite close with Xuemin, after all. He sat on one of the sofas and turned the TV on.
Tianyi was getting ready to leave with his father by the time Xuemin had finished setting a treatment schedule for Elder Liu, starting from the next day.
“Ah, that’s right- Elder Guan, do you happen to know a young doctor really skilled at massaging? He should be an Eastern doctor as well?” Tianyi asked, suddenly remembering Lin Yi. The guy was extremely skilled, from what he’d seen- he probably would’ve been able to do a whole lot more if he’d had needles with him.
The impression Lin Yi had made was still fresh in Tianyi’s mind- his massage proved the saying that skill didn’t have to come from experience.
“Really skilled at massaging?” Xuemin paused. “Are you referring to massaging in Eastern medicine?”
“I think so……” Tianyi nodded. “We were at a business district two days before, and my father’s sickness suddenly acted up. We didn’t have medicine, and a young doctor chanced upon us, massaging him in the emergency… It wasn’t long before my father recovered.”
“Massaging? He stopped the angina pectoris with mere massaging?” Xuemin asked, stunned. He understood how far the magnitude of Eastern medicine stretched- there wasn’t a limit to how much one could learn, and while he had achieved great fame in the medical world, Xuemin recognized that even he was far from mastering something as deeply rooted and ancient as Eastern medicine……
Yet he knew also that angina pectoris wasn’t a problem that could be solved with just simple massaging. There was a good chance that it could be contained through the use of needles, but even that was no guarantee. Xuemin himself knew how to employ Western medicine in the case of an emergency, providing treatment through needles after the body had been stabilized via Western means…….
“That’s right- he only massaged my father a little before he started gradually recovering….” Tianyi was taken aback by Xuemin’s reaction, as well- he didn’t know Eastern medicine, but Xuemin’s face made it clear that even he couldn’t believe what the young doctor had done. Just that fact alone proved how amazing that young doctor was.
“How’s that possible……” Xuemin frowned. “A result like that with just a massage? Did he employ any other methods?”
“No- I was standing right beside him. He was just passing by, and he probably wouldn’t have come at all if he didn’t know the girl…… “ Tianyi’s face started reddening in anger as he remembered the actions of his wife that day. He shot a glare at her- he’d have divorced her long ago if it weren’t for the Wu family! What kind of upbringing did that embarrassing woman have, to be throwing unreasonable tantrums all the time?
Fortunately for him, Xuemin wasn’t quite interested in anything other than the massaging. He sighed slightly at Tianyi’s words. “There is actually something I’ve read about… Eastern medicine stretches deep, and there’s been a method used in ancient times where qi was used through massages to achieve restorative effects… It isn’t impossible, but the method’s long been forgotten. I’m not too sure myself, but it’s one explanation for what the man did for your father…….”
“Oh? Does that mean he’s a really skilled doctor, if that were the case?” Tianyi said, regretting letting the guy go just like that- he might’ve been able to cure his father if he requested it! He could only sigh in regret for not knowing the level of his medical prowess……
“If what you say is true, then I’m afraid this man has medical abilities beyond even what I possess…… Though, why haven’t I heard of an Eastern doctor of this level arriving at Songshan?” Xuemin asked as he tried to recall anything. Unfortunately, Xuemin had no such masters in his circle- he’d never even heard of someone like that, let alone be friends with one.
“He’s a young man around twenty, a little slim, but fit at the same time……” Tianyi described as he recalled Lin Yi’s features.
*[Long Taos]: side characters in Chinese operas who perform acrobatics and fight scenes
*[12.47 to 13.07]: don’t ask me about the tree sap
Chapter 119: CH119
“Around twenty?” Xuemin’s frown grew at the words- a man with that level of medical skill at that age? Could he be from a hidden miracle doctor’s family..?
Xuemin enjoyed great renown throughout the world, reaching where he was with his high skill in acupuncture and moxibustion… But he understood well that there were many other master doctors not as willing to reveal their identities to the public…
There was one such doctor he’d met when he was young- his own acupuncture was taught by the person… His learnings were but a scrape from the person’s medical prowess, but even that was enough to stretch his name throughout the world……
It was why Xuemin wasn’t too surprised at the man’s age- it wasn’t too unbelievable- after all, that man he’d met was quite young as well.
But Xuemin wasn’t so ridiculous as to think that that person did training in some forbidden art, turning himself young again…… Tianyi said around twenty, and the person Xuemin met had to be at least thirty… It didn’t sound very likely that it was the same person.
“Professor Guan, I’ve met the young man as well. I’m certain he was no older than twenty- he had a mature air about him, but that was a very young face he had. He had to be young.” Elder Liu added.
“If that’s the case, then I must say I’ve no idea who this master is. The youngest Eastern medicine masseur in Songshan I know of is more than fifty years old……” Xuemin said, not continuing his sentence. There was no way the old man could’ve mistaken a fifty year old man for a twenty year old person, after all.
“I see…” Tianyi said, disappointed. “I suppose it’s a pity then.”
“Did you happen to ask for a contact number?” Tianyi had given up, but Xuemin found himself taking an interest in this master masseur. There weren’t many doctors at that level, and Xuemin wanted to get to know this master, as well, as the Dean of Eastern Doctors and all. He was sure that his own acupuncture would see significant improvement if he had discussions with this man.
Massaging and acupuncture shared a fundamental similarity, after all- both healed through acupuncture points.
“Well…… he didn’t, but we did leave him ours……” Liu Tianyi said, a little embarrassed. He hadn’t thought too much about it, but it was apparent from Xuemin’s reaction that the young man was a very extraordinary person. “My father invited him to contact us if he ever visited Yanjing……”
Xuemin only smiled, a slight taste of indifference tracing across his lips. A regular doctor would’ve taken the chance to associate himself with a man like Elder Liu; a medicinal master, and a hidden one at that, however, wouldn’t care much for something like that.
The young man could very well amaze the world with just that massaging alone, if he were to truly seek fame and glory. The fact that Xuemin hadn’t even heard of the man only meant that the master was completely uninterested in any of that……
It was absolutely unheard of for a youthful man like that! Xuemin remembered his own desires for fame and glory back when he’d receive some tutelage from that master- he couldn’t help but feel guilty and ashamed at the thought!
This young man was the prime example of a master- a true example indeed! It was only natural that a man of that calibre wouldn’t be initiating contact with Elder Liu!
Tianyi didn’t notice anything, but Elder Liu did… He may have been old, but his senses weren’t dulled yet- his acute observations gave him insight to that faint smile of Xuemin’s- he might’ve very well missed a chance of curing his sickness..!!
He remembered that faint expression the man had that day- he seemed to have kept quiet about whether or not he could cure him……
Elder Liu couldn’t help but regret his lack of passion that day……. The man had clearly helped him so that his friend could leave the predicament- he must’ve formed a grudge against Elder Liu and his family because of the whole incident, as well.
“If he does contact you, please- Elder Liu- you must inform me!!” Xuemin requested- it was the only thing he could do at that point. The winds of fate might indeed blow that man his way, if he were lucky.
Tianyi, on the other hand, was absolutely taken aback- Guan Xuemin had said ‘please’!! The tone and mannerism he was currently displaying…… It was a first since he’d entered the villa with his family!
House Liu was powerful, but they hadn’t much to offer to Guan Xuemin- quite the contrary, it was the multitude of powerful families who needed Guan Xuemin! It was precisely because of this that the Liu House maintained a reasonable level of humility in front of Guan Xuemin, and also why Tianyi even went as far as to slap his wife- Guan Xuemin was simply not someone you could say something as absurd as that to! The other families would be laughing at them if word got out, amused that the Lius would be as ridiculous as to piss a miracle doctor off……
Yet this very miracle doctor went as far as to say ‘please’ for a nameless doctor!!! Any idiot would’ve been able to comprehend the gravity of the situation, at that point. Tianyi couldn’t believe it- he’d wasted the opportunity!!
“Of course! We’ll make sure to inform you, rest assured!” Tianyi was bursting with regret, but he wasn’t a man that had such little control over his emotions. He maintained his composure as he spoke.
“Well, you guys find a place to live first- we start the first session tomorrow.” Xuemin said with a nod, standing up once more.
“Alright then, Professor Guan. We’ll take our leave.” Tianyi said as he helped his father up, making their way downstairs with Huiru, who had a hand on her cheek.
Guan Xuemin then turned to Huaijun, not intending on escorting the Lius out. “You weren’t in a rush, I hope?”
“Not at all. Grandpa Guan, those three……” Huaijun hadn’t seen the family before- they probably weren’t from Songshan. They did mention Yanjing, as well…….
“Ah, the Lius of Yanjing. A big family. The patient was the grandfather of the Liu house, Liu Zhenhu, eighty this year. His body’s seen better days, however…..” Xuemin explained directly- the two were quite close, after all.
“Yanjing’s Liu House- no wonder they were able to get the principal to find them a house with one call.” Huaijun said with a smile.
“Well, let’s do the usual for you…… Acupuncture isn’t going to do much in your case, but it’s better than nothing. Hold on a bit longer, I’m attending an Eastern medicine symposium next week at Yanjing- I’ll mention your case to the others and see if we find anything new.” Xuemin said.
“Haha… It’s good enough already that I’m still holding on. I can’t go back to the battlefield, but it’s pretty nice doing honest work in the police force for a change.” Huaijun said optimistically.
votings- lets start with top 3 and hold it next month.. two days away
patreon- still just 7 chaps,… really tired today
so Shield Bro it is… maybe ill change shield guy to shield bro in the earlier chaps too someday
*[Long Taos]: side characters in Chinese operas who perform acrobatics and fight scenes
*[12.47 to 13.07]: don’t ask me about the tree sap
Chapter 120: CH120
“Holding on? Yes, that’d be fine if it were just holding on.” Xuemin sighed. “You know it yourself- those sedative painkillers cause huge damage to your body. Let’s not even talk about whether the medicine works, or if your body develops drug resistance…… You’ll have long fallen to the painkillers before any of that would’ve taken effect……”
“Ah, that’s right……” The prescription Lin Yi gave him crossed his mind. He’d gotten a couple of medicines from a pharmacy, thinking that it was worth a try…
He boiled the medicine when the pain prevented him from falling asleep- and it turned out to be extremely effective! His body stopped hurting not long after that, and he slept through the whole night until sunrise, waking up with an indescribable freshness in his body. It was much better than waking up from the pain in the middle of the night with the painkillers, after they’d worn off. He only needed to use Lin Yi’s medicine once.
Yang Huaijun never expected it to be that effective, especially when it wasn’t something he’d went to great lengths to make for him. He’d been able to contain his pain with Lin Yi’s medicine the last couple of days, and Huaijun couldn’t help but be impressed.
As expected of Eagle, a godly existence within the team…… It wasn’t just Huaijun who admired him so, too- anyone who’d fought alongside Lin Yi respected his abilities.
As a result, none of the boys envied Lin Yi when their goddess fell in love with him- something like that was only bound to happen, after all. It was only natural.
Huaijun considered telling Xuemin about Lin Yi’s prescription. He was never told to keep it a secret, but Lin Yi might very well be undergoing a special mission- it was a possibility that he’d cause him trouble if he shared the prescription with someone else.
But Guan Xuemin was his elder- Huaijun would’ve been dead long ago if it weren’t for Xuemin. The doctor’s acupuncture and the painkillers were the only things keeping him alive after he’d left the battlefield……
“Grandpa Guan…… So a friend of mine gave me a prescription a couple of days ago, to replace the sedative painkillers…… I tried it, and the results were really prominent- the effects don’t wear off as fast, too, and I don’t need to take it twice like how I do with the painkillers every night……” Huaijun said, deciding to leave part of the secret hidden. He’d be respecting both sides with this option.
“Prescription to replace the painkillers?” Guan Xuemin asked, his eyes wide. “Eastern medicine prescription?”
“Yes……” Xuemin nodded, feeling a little shy from how Xuemin was staring at him.
“And you said it’s effective on you..?” It was one big shock after another today! First there was Tianyi mentioning a twenty year old Eastern masseur who’d saved Elder Liu from angina pectoris with just massaging, and now Huaijun was saying that his friend’s prescription replaced the painkillers, stopping the pain attacks with prominent effects!
What was happening? Since when was the world of Eastern medicine so filled with medical prodigies?
“To tell the truth, Grandpa Guan- this prescription’s actually really effective. Getting rid of the pain is just one thing; there’s always this refreshed feeling I get when I wake up the next day after taking the medicine……” Huaijun continued honestly.
“Oh? Can I see the prescription?” Guan Xuemin was concerned that there might’ve been opium or some sort of illegal drug mixed into the prescription- prominent sedative effects could be achieved through that mean, but it’d cause immense harm to the body, as well! More thought into the matter, however, and Xuemin realized that that couldn’t be the case. The man was a cop, and a criminal police captain, at that- he’d be pretty familiar with drugs like opium, and he’d never get anywhere near that kind of thing. Substances like those weren’t commonly found in pharmacies, as well.
If Huaijun had gotten the medical ingredients from a pharmacy, then it was only natural to assume that the prescription would contain medicines readily available at regular pharmacies. Xuemin realized that he was complicating things upon further thought.
Xuemin smiled bitterly at the face Huaijun was making- he seemed to be in a tight spot, and Xuemin understood: many prescriptions were kept secret because of their value. Taking the current miracle doctor, Doctor Kang, for example- the guy had founded an empire of medicine based on just one prescription that healed wounds, propelling the Kang family into the world of top tier houses because of that!
The prescription hadn’t any side-effects, so if what Huaijun had described were true… Then that recipe had to at least be on the level of the miracle doctor’s prescription, in terms of value…..
Him asking for the prescription did indeed put Huaijun in a bad position, and Xuemin explained his intentions immediately. “Yang, don’t jump to any conclusions- I know well that prescriptions are usually kept secret. I only meant to see if there were any ingredients with side effects involved……”
“It’s not a prescription we should be revealing to outsiders, but Grandpa Guan- it’s still fine if you’d like to see it……” Huaijun said. “I’ll get it for you right now, but please don’t tell anyone else about it before my friend gives his permission……”
“Of course! I’m familiar with those rules, rest assured, Yang. Grandpa won’t put you into a hard spot- I’ll make sure to keep the prescription secret until you friend consents otherwise.” Xuemin said, joyed at Huaijun’s words- after all, even just looking at a prescription like that would enlighten him significantly.
Huaijun had always kept the prescription with him even after he’d gotten the medicines from the pharmacy. He pulled it out and handed it to Xuemin, aware that someone like Lin Yi would’ve made sure to tell him if he’d wanted something kept secret. This meant that Lin Yi didn’t need the prescription kept secret, but even so, Huaijun wanted to make sure and have Lin Yi’s consent before he let Xuemin share the prescription with anyone else.
Xuemin received the prescription carefully. He didn’t react too much as he read the first parts, but it wasn’t long before Xuemin’s expressions turned into shock and surprise as he went through the herbs and ingredients listed……
“This is the prescription?” Xuemin couldn’t believe it- the ingredients on there were absolutely ordinary! There wasn’t a single ingredient that was particularly expensive or rare, but some of them, like gastrodia for example, did provide sedative effects. Xuemin had given these ingredients to Huaijun before, as well, but the results weren’t very prominent. Did these ingredients hold a different effect when mixed together?
Xuemin was stunned, but he was still the Dean of Eastern Doctors, at the end of the day… He understood that the prescriptions in Eastern medicine were susceptible to drastic changes with just the difference of one ingredient……
The ingredients prescribed weren’t too dissimilar- they all targeted the pain in the muscles, and there wasn’t anything special about them. What Xuemin was certain of, however, was the fact that all these ingredients were clean- there wouldn’t be anything like opium inside of them……
“Yeah, that’s the one. Is there a problem, Grandpa Guan?” Huaijun asked, curious at the stunned face Xuemin was making.
*[Long Taos]: side characters in Chinese operas who perform acrobatics and fight scenes
*[12.47 to 13.07]: don’t ask me about the tree sap