Chapter 18 Someone Already Paid the Medical Fees

Leng Xiao only had Liu Xu’s number, so he notified her.

The two of them had gone to the Yu Palace today for a cooking class. Su Rong’s hand had flared up with pain several times in the morning, but she endured it. During the class she didn’t do anything, only watched from the side.

At the end, Liu Xu excitedly pulled her toward the door.
“Leng Xiao called—Doctor Hua wants you to come see him this afternoon.”

“Really?” Su Rong’s face lit up with joy. “That’s wonderful!” She lifted her left hand. “My hand can finally be saved.”

Liu Xu grinned. “Looks like Sheng Qiye really came through. Then again, you did give him such a valuable gemstone. Helping you a little was only right. Honestly, I never thought he would actually accept that stone from you—worth millions!” She sounded slightly reluctant.

Su Rong smiled. “The important thing is, he did something I couldn’t do myself. If he had refused to help, I’d have no idea what to do. Besides, I picked it up from the black market—well worth the price.”

Not far away, Su Xue’er stood watching them laugh so happily. Her chest tightened. Su Rong had made her live nineteen years worse than a dog, and three years in prison wasn’t nearly enough to make up for it. As long as Su Rong was happy, she herself felt miserable.

She quietly made a phone call. “Keep an eye on Su Rong. Don’t let her have it easy.”

A sinister voice on the other end replied, “I almost finished her off yesterday. Who knew Liu Xu would call Sheng Qiye? With that Buddha watching over her, it’s hard to get close.”

Su Xue’er nearly went mad. What was wrong with Sheng Qiye? Why was he protecting Su Rong? Was it all for Old Madam Su’s sake?

“Don’t kill her too quickly. I want to keep her around, torture her slowly. That’s what makes it fun.”

“Good. Two hundred thousand, transfer it to my account later.”

“Didn’t I just give you two hundred yesterday?”

Su Xue’er always had plenty of pocket money. Whatever she wanted, as long as she asked, someone in the Su family would transfer it to her. But that didn’t mean she could just be blackmailed so casually.

“Yesterday’s two hundred was for yesterday’s job. Today’s two hundred is for the next one. I’m taking huge risks here. Two hundred per time—you’re not getting cheated.”

She had no choice. On her own, dealing with Su Rong was difficult. Having someone willing to risk their life for her wasn’t a bad thing. “Fine. I’ll transfer it to you later. Just remember, take her down when you get the chance.”

“Relax. I’ll never say no to money.” The man chuckled darkly and hung up. Making money like this was getting easier and easier.

Su Xue’er shot a vicious glare at Su Rong, letting out a cold snort. Let’s see how long you can stay happy.

That afternoon, Liu Xu accompanied Su Rong to Phoenix Mountain. Zhang Shuo opened the door this time and invited them inside.

The entire house was decorated in a retro Chinese style blended with modern elements, rich with old-world charm.

In the living room, on a rosewood sofa, sat a man in his sixties. He wore a dark Tang suit, his face ruddy and firm, his temples frosted with gray that only added to his elegance. His eyes were clear, his spirit vigorous. Leisurely, he brewed tea, filling the room with fragrance.

Su Rong bowed politely. “You must be Doctor Hua. Hello, my name is Su Rong.”

Hua Tuo lifted his head and looked at her. “Sit.”

She sat down on the sofa across from him, maintaining a polite smile. With men like this, worldly experts, one had to know how to carry oneself properly.

Hua Tuo finished brewing, poured tea into several cups, and placed one in front of each person. “Drink.”

“Thank you, Doctor Hua.” Su Rong picked up her cup carefully, inhaled the aroma, and took a small sip. A wave of fragrance spread across her tongue. “Golden Melon Tribute Tea—one of the finest Pu’er teas. Excellent!”

She hadn’t meant to show off, just spoke what she recognized from the taste.

Hua Tuo smiled. “Miss Su knows tea?”

She had studied tea ceremony before, so she smiled. “Just a little.”

“Is that so?” His eyes held a touch of admiration. No wonder she had been praised as the most talented young lady in the imperial capital—keen, perceptive, and refined.

Setting down his cup, Hua Tuo said, “Show me your hand.”

Su Rong shifted closer, placing her left hand on the sofa’s armrest.

He took her hand, examined it, then felt her pulse. “This is an old injury. Your meridians are badly damaged. Recently, the pain has been severe, hasn’t it?”

She nodded. “Yes. It often feels like stabbing pain, sometimes lasting half an hour, several times a day.”

“Child, if you want a complete cure, it will take time. You must be patient.”

Her eyes grew misty. “As long as you’re willing to treat me, time is not an issue. I only worry about troubling you, Doctor Hua.”

“I’ll start with acupuncture.” He turned to Zhang Shuo. “Bring me my golden needles.”

“You’ll need both the Dragon and Phoenix needles simultaneously. It will hurt a little. Bear with it.”

Su Rong nodded. The sting of the needles piercing her acupoints, mixed with the pain in her wrist, made sweat bead on her forehead. But she endured silently. This pain now was hope, was strength.

Seeing her grit her teeth, Hua Tuo tried to distract her with conversation, though he did have questions. “Have you ever met Qingdai?”

Su Rong’s eyes stayed fixed on the needles. “No. A woman in prison told me about her. She said if the divine doctor refused to see me, I should bring you a message—it might help. But it didn’t.”

“What was that woman’s name?”

“She was called Li Nan.”

Hua Tuo’s hand trembled, nearly driving the needle in wrong. “What else did she tell you?”

“She said… if you agreed to treat me, when the treatment began I should tell you: ‘Qingdai disappointed you, but she found you a good seedling.’”

He froze. “What does that mean?”

“I don’t know. Sister Li Nan just told me to repeat it, said you would… understand.”

“Is that so? Hmph… testing my understanding now, are they?”

He looked at her again. “You’ve been watching me place the needles. Do you understand what you’re seeing?”

Su Rong thought for a moment, then correctly named the acupoints he had used.

His surprise was evident. “You studied Chinese medicine?”

“When I was little, I followed an old doctor for a while. But I never studied properly. I just recognize some herbs and memorized the acupoint charts.”

“Oh? What herbs do you know?”

She named several herbs and their properties, even recited a few prescriptions for common illnesses. “Doctor Hua, did I get those right?”

He nodded. “Not wrong. But Chinese medicine is vast and profound. What you know is barely scratching the surface.”

Su Rong smiled. “I understand. I’m just interested, that’s all.”

When the acupuncture was done, Hua Tuo wrote her a prescription. “Get these herbs from the pharmacy. Boil and drink morning and night.” He also handed her a bottle of ointment. “Apply this on your scars.”

One look, and Su Rong recognized it—it was the same ointment Sheng Qiye had given her before.

“Doctor Hua, how much for the consultation? I’ll pay part of it first.” She was nervous. Treatment from a divine doctor was expensive, and this would take time. Who knew how much it might cost? She might even need to visit the black market again.

But Hua Tuo simply said, “Your medical fees have already been paid.”