Chapter 66

Jiang Ruan opened her bag, only to find that the larger bottle of medicinal powder was missing. Turning around, she saw Qin Yan mixing a drink using her cup.

She took out a smaller bottle and handed it to Xun Li. He had sustained severe physical and mental damage during his years in prison, and Jiang Ruan wanted a long-term, healthier partner for collaboration.

“This is made from the fruit of the Shencou Grass. Take 10 grams at a time,” she said. “Drink it yourself.”

Xun Li was pleasantly surprised. “Thank you.”

Qin Yan handed Jiang Ruan the freshly prepared drink to help replenish her energy. She took it and drank it down in one go, the temperature was just right.

After Xun Li left, Qin Yan mentioned the matter of Chang Linyan attempting to synthesize a chemical substitute. He took out a small bottle and said, “I’ll have someone check this later.”

Jiang Ruan uncorked the bottle and took a sniff. It had a fragrance—an artificial scent typical of synthetic chemicals, trying hard to mimic the natural aroma of plants but failing. The smell was unpleasant.

She closed the lid and handed the bottle back to Qin Yan. “What if she starts manufacturing and marketing products before us?”

“She won’t,” Qin Yan replied. “The current policies are ambiguous, and she won’t take the risk. I suspect she’s planning to use the synthetic substance to produce chicken feed.”

Jiang Ruan remarked, “That would probably taste awful.”

Qin Yan glanced at He Ziqi, who lay unconscious in the room. “Did you knock him out, or did he fall asleep?”

Jiang Ruan turned around and looked at him with the detached expression of a medical professional. “He fell asleep. Let’s lock the door and head over to my parents’ place for lunch.”

“If he wakes up, he might be confused,” Qin Yan said.

“According to theory, he shouldn’t wake up until the afternoon. We can leave him a note,” Jiang Ruan suggested.

“Alright. Should we inform his driver?” Qin Yan asked, watching her intently.

In her usual naive manner, Jiang Ruan didn’t notice Qin Yan’s subtle expression. “He’s not a child, there’s no need.”

Qin Yan chuckled. “Alright, then. I’ll write the note.”

Qin Yan’s handwriting was bold and vigorous. He wrote a few concise lines explaining the situation, telling He Ziqi to call Liu, the barbecue shop owner nearby, using the store phone when he woke up. Liu would come over and unlock the door.

…

He Ziqi didn’t have any nightmares. On the contrary, his dream was pleasant—he dreamt his father had died, and during the reading of the will, he was named the primary heir.

When he awoke, he found the dream amusing, realizing it must have stemmed from a hidden desire deep inside.

His shoulders no longer ached, and his whole body felt revitalized. On the bedside table, he noticed a cup of fragrant tea with a note underneath, instructing him to call someone to open the door.

He stared at the tea for a while. Was it safe to drink?

Given how comfortable he felt after the massage, as if he had been reborn, the tea should be fine.

He Ziqi drank it all in one go, then called the number on the note. Soon, Liu from the barbecue shop arrived to unlock the door. He Ziqi paid double the usual rate and asked Liu to grill a chicken and some skewers for him right in the middle of the day.

The grilled chicken was exceptionally delicious, and upon inquiry, he learned that it came from Jiang Ruan’s farm, where the chickens were fed with medicinal herbs.

On his way back to the hotel, He Ziqi made a deliberate detour past the Rejuvenation Hall, where Mu Xuehui came out to greet him but didn’t insist on accompanying him as she had before.

What was this? Had she given up on pursuing his investment?

He Ziqi sneered inwardly. He was like a fine horse that wouldn’t backtrack.

Cheng Wanxia, puzzled by Mu Xuehui’s behavior, asked, “You used to always follow Mr. He around during the weekends. Why are you acting so indifferent now?”

Mu Xuehui smirked coldly. “I don’t plan on climbing the social ladder by marrying him, so why should I keep chasing after him?”

Cheng Wanxia didn’t argue but thought to herself, Mu Xuehui thinks the master values her more, but it’s actually me whom the master favors. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been pressured to cut ties with my family.

After breaking off relations with her family, the master had explained to her that they originally intended to use Jiang Ruan’s medicine to cure He Ziqi. However, after a treatment cycle, they realized it only alleviated his symptoms but couldn’t cure him.

Although they couldn’t cure He Ziqi, his family remained unaware of the full truth. The information conveyed by his driver led the He family to believe that a cure was still possible. He Ziqi’s uncle had even approached Cheng Wanxia, offering an investment in her fried chicken business as a reward if they ceased the treatments.

Since the master couldn’t cure He Ziqi, they decided to cooperate with the other side. Mu Xuehui, however, was kept in the dark about the situation.

Being the master’s apprentice didn’t guarantee equal trust. Realizing that she was the preferred one, Cheng Wanxia felt more patient with Mu Xuehui’s arrogance.

…

The next morning, Qin Yan returned to the dorm after class. Zu Zhongjin came back from the department chair’s office and told him to head over there.

“Director Qiu wants to see me?” Qin Yan was puzzled.

Zu Zhongjin grinned. “A wealthy businessman donated a large sum to our school and asked to meet you as the student council representative. Better hurry over.”

His smile showed a mix of envy and amusement, making Qin Yan sense that something wasn’t right.

Qin Yan instinctively said, “Could you go over and let them know I’m not feeling well? My heart’s acting up. Lao Qi, could you call my girlfriend for me? She has some unique medicine I could use right now.”

“Lao Qi” wasn’t actually old. He was just the oldest in their dorm, so the nickname stuck.

After Qi Jiayue helped Qin Yan make the call, Zu Zhongjin had already left.

Qin Yan was reading a textbook when Qi Jiayue returned, smiling. “You missed how envious Zu Zhongjin looked. That wealthy donor must be a young, pretty woman.”

Qin Yan looked up. “Did Zu Zhongjin and Lu Sijing get back together?”

Dorm relations had been good before, but lately, Qi Jiayue had developed some animosity toward Xu Zhongjin. “Lu Sijing got back with him after recognizing Professor Qiu as her godmother.”

Qi Jiayue eyed Qin Yan. “Your girlfriend seemed pretty worried over the phone. Are you sure this is okay?”

Closing his book, Qin Yan chuckled. “She knows I’m not actually sick. She just gets anxious when I’m in trouble.”

“You two really have a deep connection,” Qi Jiayue remarked with envy.

Qin Yan didn’t have the best reputation among the girls on campus, who thought him arrogant and rude, not gentlemanly enough. But they didn’t understand that he was already committed. If he treated other girls with too much kindness, his girlfriend would feel uneasy.

Since someone was bound to be uncomfortable, Qin Yan chose to let others feel that way. It wasn’t unreasonable.

Before long, Lu Sijing and Zu Zhongjin arrived at the dorm with a young foreign businesswoman named Liang Meiche, who had recently donated to the school. Clearly, the donation came from her family.

Qin Yan didn’t recognize her, but she was there to see him.

“Student Qin Yan, Miss Liang heard about your determination to overcome physical adversity. She specifically came to meet you,” Lu Sijing introduced.

Qin Yan was already lying on the top bunk and didn’t intend to get up. “I’m not feeling well. I apologize for not getting up.”

Lu Sijing’s expression turned sour. Qin Yan was on the basketball team, after all. Could he really be in poor health? It seemed that whenever there was a woman around, Qin Yan would find a way to put her in an awkward position.

Lu Sijing remarked deliberately, “Qin Yan, you don’t have to act like she’s a threat. Liang Meiche in Hong Kong already has someone she likes.”

Qin Yan replied lazily, “Are you suggesting I’m pretending to be sick? You came to my dorm, yet I’m the one being accused of faking illness? Is that some logic you’ve invented, Lu?”

Zu Zhongjin stepped in to mediate, “Let’s just let Qin rest, Jing. We should escort Miss Liang out.”

Outside the male dormitory, they passed a lively young girl carrying fried chicken. Its aroma was irresistible, and under the dim hallway light, her fair skin seemed to glow.

Liang Meiche couldn’t help but look back. The girl had a petite, well-proportioned figure, with curves in all the right places. In Hong Kong, she would certainly catch a talent scout’s eye.

“That’s Jiang Ruan, Qin Yan’s fiancée,” Lu Sijing introduced. “She knows a bit about traditional Chinese medicine and used to work as a nanny for Qin’s family.”

…

Jiang Ruan handed out the fried chicken to Qin Yan’s roommates, then leaned on the edge of his upper bunk, touching his forehead. “You don’t seem sick,” she said with a chuckle. “Get up, Qin Yan, it’s time for a midnight snack.”

Qin Yan climbed down and said, “It’s not good for digestion to eat so late. I’ll walk you back.”

His roommates grinned, “If you’re not eating, we will.”

Qin gave his share to Lao Qi, then took Jiang Ruan out of the dorm. As they walked, he mentioned the donation to the school by Liang Meiche.

“She specifically asked to meet me. I didn’t want to entertain her, so I used this excuse to call you over.”

“Good thing I didn’t go back to the village today. She’s from Hong Kong, right? She might know He Ziqi. I’ll ask him about her when I treat him tomorrow.”

“Sure, see if you can find out who she really is.”

At the campus gate, Jiang Ruan urged Qin Yan to head back, insisting that she wasn’t afraid of walking alone at night. If he walked her home and came back, the gate would be locked.

…

He Ziqi received a long-distance call at the hotel from his family, reminding him to return for a regular medical check-up. His uncle said that his father planned to bring over the half-brother’s uncle to seek other investment opportunities.

“They’re both uncles, after all. When you come back, have a word with your brother-in-law about it. Maybe next time I’ll go with you to the mainland.”

He Ziqi said he’d try, then was about to hang up when his uncle added with a laugh, “By the way, Liang Meiche has followed you all the way to the mainland. Why don’t you just accept her already?”

He Ziqi hung up.

He was scheduled to receive daily treatments from Jiang Ruan at her rheumatism clinic for ten consecutive days, but he had to return the day after tomorrow.

In the morning, he came to Jiang Ruan’s clinic without breakfast, afraid that the massage would be so painful it would make him nauseous.

Liang Meiche had trailed him from the hotel to the clinic. Seeing that he wasn’t leaving, she approached him, complaining, “He Ziqi, why are you avoiding me?”

He Ziqi had already accepted that there was no way to dodge her, so he responded calmly, “The mainland is a great place to explore. Stay longer and visit the tourist attractions. The men here are traditional, loyal, gentle, and responsible. Who knows, you might even meet your Mr. Right here. I wish you happiness.”

Liang Meiche was fuming. Out of all the playboys she knew, He Ziqi had one of the most reliable reputations. Her family wanted her to marry well, and she would rather choose someone like He Ziqi, despite his health issues, than follow their wishes.

“So, this clinic treats rheumatism? Does that mean it can cure your condition?”

He Ziqi replied, “The owner is skilled in massage. I’m here because of shoulder and neck pain. It’s just a routine treatment.”

“My shoulders and neck hurt too. Maybe I’ll get a massage as well.”

He Ziqi warned, “The owner is a bit eccentric. She might not agree to treat you.”

“Even if I pay double?”

He pointed across the street to another clinic. “You’d have better luck at Rejuvenation Hall. They have good customer service.”

Now defiant, Liang Meiche declared, “I’ll stay right here and see what kind of expert this boss is, the one who can make a young master skip breakfast just to wait.”

He Ziqi fell silent. He found it odd, too. Their appointment was set for eight o’clock, so why had he arrived at seven-thirty? He had expected Jiang Ruan to show up early, but evidently, she saw him as just another patient, not someone worth arriving ahead of time for.

Feeling bored, Liang Meiche shifted the conversation to He Ziqi, “By the way, have you heard about a student named Qin Yan from the law school? There’s a bit of a legend about him.”

Qin Yan? What kind of legend could he have? He Ziqi found it amusing. “Why do you ask about him?”

“You know him?” Liang Meiche’s eyes lit up.

“Why are you asking about him?” He Ziqi inquired.

“I heard that he was once paralyzed in a car accident, and the doctors said there was no hope. But somehow, he recovered and is able to walk again. I wanted to find out how he did it.”

He Ziqi hadn’t known that about Qin Yan.

Liang Meiche’s brother had been kidnapped and returned disabled, with doctors in Hong Kong saying he’d never walk again. She doubted that mainland medicine, which was supposedly inferior, could succeed where Hong Kong’s doctors had failed.

“Maybe it’s just a misdiagnosis. Qin Yan might have recovered simply because he was never that bad off in the first place,” he suggested.

Still clinging to hope, Liang Meiche insisted, “I have to at least try. But Qin Yan is even more arrogant than you. He pretended to be sick just to avoid talking to me.”

He Ziqi gave her a pitying look. There were very few mainland men as proud as Qin Yan.

As Jiang Ruan appeared at the corner of the street, glowing under the morning sun, He Ziqi’s expression shifted. Was Qin Yan’s arrogance just his way of protecting Jiang Ruan?

The shop had just opened, and customers were already arriving for foot baths. Jiang Ruan prepared the herbal medicine for them while Grandma Huang and Xun Li’s mother looked after the shop. They chatted about everyday life as some elderly patrons, even those not undergoing treatment, enjoyed coming to the shop just to watch TV and have a conversation.

In the tranquil environment of this rheumatism clinic, even He Ziqi found himself able to relax.

He made a request, “The shop is quite crowded today. Could you go a little gentler? It would be pretty embarrassing if I end up crying out.”

Jiang Ruan couldn’t help but laugh. “The first treatment is to unblock the meridians. It shouldn’t be as painful as yesterday.”

Liang Meiche, having been refused entry to the private treatment room, had no choice but to sit at a distance, observing the elderly patrons soaking their feet. They praised how revitalized they felt after the treatment. Her gaze remained fixed on the tightly closed door of the treatment room as she pondered whether Jiang Ruan, who had witnessed Qin Yan’s recovery firsthand, knew the true reason he was able to stand up again.

…

Today’s treatment was indeed less painful than yesterday’s—bearable, even. Eventually, a comforting warmth seemed to seep into his bones.

He’d heard that Jiang Ruan rarely treated others, but when she was Qin Yan’s caregiver, she gave him herbal baths and massages every day until he could finally stand up. He Ziqi couldn’t help but feel a little envious of Qin Yan.

Suddenly, he turned to look at Jiang Ruan, who was behind him, with a puzzled expression. Could it really be that Qin Yan’s recovery was due to her secret herbal remedies and massage techniques?

Jiang Ruan grew impatient as the patient kept squirming and failing to cooperate. Her movements became less gentle, causing He Ziqi to cry out in pain, “Miss Jiang, could you please be a bit gentler?”

Jiang Ruan retorted, “How about you try staying still and cooperating?”

Outside the door, Liang Meiche grew anxious. “He Ziqi’s been afraid of pain since he was little. Miss Jiang, can you show a bit more compassion for your patient?”

Jiang Ruan softened her touch slightly, muttering, “You can thank your girlfriend for that. If it weren’t for her, you’d be in a lot more pain today.”

He Ziqi replied, “I never agreed to anything. It’s all one-sided on her part.”

“She seems genuinely concerned about you, and she’s beautiful too. Why wouldn’t you want to be with her?”

He Ziqi chuckled, “What if I told you I had genuine feelings for you? Would you like me because of that?”

“No.”

“Exactly. My answer is the same as yours, so let’s stop asking silly questions.”

This treatment was just as effective as the previous one. He Ziqi felt invigorated, rolling his shoulders as he asked, “The course of treatment is ten days, right? Can’t I take a break?”

“Of course not,” Jiang Ruan replied. “If you interrupt the treatment, I can’t guarantee I’ll eliminate the root cause of your condition. Think it over carefully.”

He Ziqi knew he had to return home, but he also needed to complete his treatment. Jiang Ruan’s nonchalant tone made it clear that she didn’t take other people’s health as seriously as her own.

Not willing to take any risks, He Ziqi suddenly extended an invitation to Jiang Ruan. “Miss Jiang, would you come with me to Hong Kong this time? When the treatment is over, I’ll personally bring you back.”