Chapter 19 – I Was Being Too Suspicious

Su Rong was stunned.
“Who paid for it?”

Who would be so kind as to cover her medical fee? Could it be…? But she and Sheng Qiye weren’t that close!

Hua Tuo pointed at a brocade box on the table.

Su Rong froze for a moment. Wasn’t that the very gift she had given Sheng Qiye last night?

Hua Tuo explained, “President Sheng came to see me. He brought me this gem, and said to treat it as your consultation fee.”

Su Rong was touched. So Sheng Qiye hadn’t kept her gem for himself after all.
“This… is it enough? If not, I can find a few more gems.”

“It’s more than enough to cover your treatment,” Hua Tuo replied. “That’s it for today. Come back at the same time tomorrow.”

“Yes, thank you, Divine Doctor Hua.”

Su Rong bowed to express her gratitude, then left the villa with Liu Xu, carrying the prescription and the medicine bottle.

Liu Xu took a deep breath.
“You have no idea, sitting in there was nerve-wracking. He’s like a worldly master, but still far more approachable than I expected. I didn’t expect Sheng Qiye would give that gem to Divine Doctor Hua. Looks like I was just being too suspicious.”

“President Sheng is actually very kind.”

Su Rong felt she should at least acknowledge it, so she dialed Leng Xiao—the only contact they had for Sheng Qiye.

Fortunately, he answered. His tone was indifferent. “What is it?”

Knowing he was busy, Su Rong got straight to the point.
“I just came from Divine Doctor Hua’s. He’s started treating me. I’m really grateful to you and President Sheng. You even gave him that gem… Divine Doctor Hua waived my consultation fee. I honestly don’t know what to say. I’m… very touched.”

“It’s fine. I wish you a speedy recovery.”

Leng Xiao hung up after that.

When Sheng Qiye heard that Su Rong was already receiving treatment, he inexplicably felt relieved.

Leng Xiao caught the subtle change in his expression.
“Master, I notice you care quite a lot about Su Rong. You personally went to see Divine Doctor Hua for her, and even carried her out of the black market…”

That wasn’t Sheng Qiye’s style at all.

Sheng Qiye gave him a cold look.
“She went to the black market to buy me a gift. I got dragged into it for no reason. Now that Divine Doctor Hua is treating her, she won’t bother me anymore.”

Leng Xiao, unscathed by the rebuke, continued probing.
“I mean, when she approaches you, even when you carried her, you didn’t reject her?”

Sheng Qiye explained patiently,
“Maybe I don’t feel as resistant to women anymore.”

Leng Xiao flashed a sly smile and teased,
“Or maybe it’s just Su Rong you don’t resist?”

Sheng Qiye didn’t think it was anything special, nor did he want to continue the topic.
“Are you really that idle?”

“I’m very busy! Master, I’ll get back to work.” Leng Xiao hurried away.

Liu Xu accompanied Su Rong to the hospital pharmacy to fill the prescription. Not wanting to trouble the Su family with decocting the herbs, she had the pharmacy prepare and bag the medicine for her.

Carrying two large bags of Chinese medicine out of the hospital, Su Rong felt sentimental.
“Liu Xu, thank you for running around with me these days, even putting up with fear and worry. Tonight, dinner’s on me. What do you want to eat?”

Liu Xu lightly punched her arm.
“Come on, what’s between us? If it weren’t for you back then, I probably wouldn’t even be here…”

Her mother had passed away from illness when she was five. Her father, Liu Yuanzong, remarried. The stepmother, after becoming pregnant, abused her behind his back—scolding and beating her. When Liu Xu talked back, the woman slapped her repeatedly and accused her of pushing her, almost causing a miscarriage.

Life at home became terrifying. After giving birth to a son, the stepmother ignored Liu Xu completely. To get rid of her, she even burned the boy’s hand with boiling water and blamed it on Liu Xu.

Forced to board at school, Liu Xu endured bullying from classmates. In sixth grade, Su Rong transferred into her class, became her friend, and fiercely defended her, teaching the bullies a harsh lesson.

Back then, Su Rong was like a ray of light, brightening her dark life. With her guidance and support, Liu Xu became more cheerful and braver.

By luck, they ended up in the same class in middle school. Later, Liu Xu learned it was because Su Rong begged the Su family matriarch to talk to the school.

From then on, Liu Xu no longer feared her stepmother. She moved back home and fought back with wit, constantly winning her father’s sympathy while exposing her stepmother’s schemes. Eventually, she secured her place in the Liu household.

Now, she had grown so used to opposing her stepmother that not sparring with her felt almost strange. To her stepmother, she was an unbearable thorn.

“Rongrong, you’ve protected me for so many years. From now on, I’ll protect you.”

Su Rong hooked her arm through hers.
“Thank you, Liu Xu. Come on, let’s go. Dinner’s on me. Order whatever you like…”

“Then I’ll really bleed you dry tonight!” Liu Xu laughed heartily.

“Alright, eat as much as you want—”

Before Su Rong could finish, her phone rang. The caller ID showed: Su Xue’er.

Liu Xu frowned immediately.
“What does she want? Don’t answer.”

Su Rong hadn’t intended to answer anyway, so she lowered the ringtone volume.

After two unanswered calls, Su Xue’er pouted to the Su family,
“I really wanted to take this chance to mend things with my sister, but it seems… she just doesn’t want to deal with me.”

The Su matriarch reassured her,
“Don’t say that. Rongrong might just be busy and didn’t hear.”

Su Xue’er turned to Su Heng.
“Brother, why don’t you try calling her?”

Su Heng thought the same—that Su Rong probably hadn’t heard her phone. But when he called, she picked up.

Her tone was slightly stiff.
“What is it?”

In the past, whenever he called, Su Rong would be overjoyed, acting spoiled even through the phone. But now? She didn’t even call him “Brother.”

Su Heng felt that since her return, she’d been doing nothing but upsetting him. Still, he had to pass along the matriarch’s message.
“Grandmother wants you to come home for dinner—”

The old lady took the phone.
“Rongrong, it’s Grandma. What have you been busy with these days? I had the kitchen prepare your favorite lobster, flown in fresh from Australia. It’s especially sweet and tender, you’ll love it. Come home quickly, hm?”

Su Rong wanted to refuse, but she hadn’t eaten at home in several days. She couldn’t bear to disappoint her grandmother, so she looked apologetically at Liu Xu.

Liu Xu smiled.
“It’s fine. Treat me another day. Go on home. Tomorrow we’ll go see Divine Doctor Hua again in the afternoon.”

Carrying her two bags of medicine, Su Rong entered the Su family’s living room. Everyone was there, including Qin Chufeng. Laughter echoed through the house.

She walked in and greeted the elders.
“Grandma, Dad, Mom.”

When her gaze landed on Qin Chufeng, she felt no particular ripple in her heart.

Leaning against Qin Chufeng, Su Xue’er eyed the medicine bags in Su Rong’s hand.
“Sister, you went to the hospital? I was just telling Grandma you might be sick. Why didn’t you tell the family? Do you really not trust us that much?”