Chapter 8 When did Third Brother lie to you?

Xue Qingdai lightly bit her red lips and looked up at Xie Yan. Her wrist hurt from his grip, and crystalline tears slid slowly down her cheek—delicate and pitiful. It was like a punch to Xie Yan’s heart. His phoenix eyes locked on her clear apricot ones, filled with innocence and confusion.

He slowly released his grip, his calm voice trembling ever so slightly, “Sorry… it’s a professional habit.”

“…Thank you.”
Xue Qingdai shot him her fiercest glare—though since she couldn’t beat him, she’d just run away. He really was cold and fierce, just like her third brother had whispered. And to think she hadn’t believed him at first.

But simply fleeing without a word felt like losing ground, so she poked at Xie Yan’s strong arm and let out a delicate, annoyed whimper, “Hmph!”

Xie Yan’s long arm instinctively lowered slightly, almost wanting to stop her—but neither of them noticed that Li Zhonghao, slowly waking up, had opened his eyes and was staring at her the entire time.

Xue Qingdai left without even glancing at Liu Zhihong and hurried to the train car entrance with her brother Xue Yongkang, afraid the crowds would soon surge and separate them.

Liu Zhihong watched the rare beauty’s retreating figure and sighed. As expected, Captain Xie wasn’t the type to show mercy just because someone was pretty.
“Captain Xie, you actually managed to make the young lady cry,” Liu said.

Xie Yan shot him a frosty look. Liu immediately zipped his mouth and stood ramrod straight.

Even someone as composed as the captain was showing regret… he must’ve seriously offended the girl. The rumors were true—this cold-faced “King of Hell” really could scold a beauty to tears.

Li Zhonghao, now fully awake, had a fit of coughing and even threw up a bit. Liu Zhihong busied himself helping and worried the businessman might really be dying—he even squeezed out two tears.

“You doing okay?” Xie Yan asked casually.

The nearest hospital was about 700 meters from the station. Liu could carry Li Zhonghao there quickly if needed.

Xie Yan hadn’t been back to the capital in years. Though it had been renovated, with new buildings and annoying dust storms, the medical resources were still the best in the country—just slightly behind Hong Kong. As long as Li Zhonghao stayed alive, it was all good.

Liu was already preparing to carry him when—

Li Zhonghao sat up and stretched, glancing at the crowd outside the window. “I feel great! My whole body feels clear and light. Even my chronic rhinitis feels better now. The mainland really is full of good people, mountains, and water.”

“Thanks to you, Xie Yan.”

Li Zhonghao knew full well about Xie Yan’s family background and felt completely at ease in his care.
“Once the meeting is over, I’ll visit your father.”

Xie Yan’s long fingers rubbed together, as if he could still feel that soft fragrance lingering.
“It wasn’t just me. A young girl on the train with some medical skills helped treat you.”

Li Zhonghao smiled knowingly—Xie Yan was being modest. He vaguely recalled the image of Xie Yan performing first aid on him. Though he was a few years older, he still felt worlds behind him. He truly respected the man.

After finishing the emergency investment meeting, the group took Li Zhonghao to the PLA 318 General Hospital for a full check-up. His health was even better than before arriving in the mainland. His family’s hereditary asthma hadn’t acted up in days. His gaze toward Xie Yan grew increasingly warm.

Meanwhile, Xie Yan stood lost in thought, holding the small herbal sachet the young lady had dropped. Her faint scent still clung to it.

“Xie Yan, what are you doing at the hospital? Is it that old injury again?”

Hu Lili was the youngest attending doctor in the respiratory department at the General Hospital. Her parents worked in tax and government sectors, and her uncle was the political commissar of the Northwest Military Region. She was highly accomplished and sought after by many.

Yet this golden girl had set her sights on Major Xie Yan. Not even his rumored infertility could deter her.

Whenever she heard he was in the capital, she’d do whatever it took to appear before him. After her suitor accidentally spread word of Xie Yan’s infertility throughout the military district, Hu Lili had backed off for six months, fallen ill, and returned with a gentler pursuit strategy.

Liu Zhihong nearly laughed—Captain Xie had only agreed to accompany Li Zhonghao because he knew Hu Lili wasn’t on duty today.

Xie Yan calmly tucked the sachet into his pocket, straightened his uniform, and prepared to leave. After all, Li Zhonghao had just devoured two Peking ducks and looked energetic as ever.

Hu Lili’s thick makeup cracked slightly as she frowned.
“I get it. You’re still angry at how I treated you before. But I’ll prove myself to you!”

Xie Yan had no interest in arguing with someone prone to melodrama. He patted Liu Zhihong on the shoulder and walked out.

Liu followed with a pained smile—being Captain Xie’s aide really wasn’t easy.

Hu Lili, half-distracted by the drama, handed a pile of overpriced prescriptions to Li Zhonghao.
“Miss, do you take me for a fool?! I only have asthma and you’re giving me hemorrhoid medicine? Get lost!”

“You—! I studied abroad for two years, what do you know?” Hu Lili hissed as she scratched out the prescription.

Holding his pristine new health report, Li Zhonghao was beaming like he’d just landed a million-yuan deal. He didn’t even want the miracle meds anymore. Before leaving, he called the PLA 318 Hospital’s director and filed a formal complaint.

He may look dull, but he wasn’t stupid.

He didn’t know much—but he knew how to report a fake “expert”!

Later, Liu Zhihong escorted Li Zhonghao back to the Xie family home. On the street, they saw the beautiful young girl and her brother from the train. Liu excitedly waved—only to watch as Xue Yongkang looked at them like ghosts and furiously pedaled his bicycle, nearly turning it into a flaming chariot.

Li Zhonghao stared after them, uneasy.
“Who are they?”

“That girl was the reason you got better so fast,” Liu said, shaking his head. “Doesn’t matter now. Captain Xie scolded her till she cried. Don’t expect that kind of luck again.”

Li Zhonghao’s heart trembled. That familiar weight returned to his chest.
Was his asthma… acting up again?

Meanwhile, Xue Yongkang was pedaling a borrowed bicycle with his sister seated behind. They were headed to the department store to buy her some new clothes. Even if he ran out of money, he’d fix radios—that was his trade. He could refurbish and sell one for 40 to 50 yuan, though he’d have to be careful. After all, this was the capital. One wrong move and someone might accuse him of “speculation and profiteering.”

“Third Brother, why were you biking so fast? My hair’s all messed up now.”

Xue Qingdai shifted uncomfortably on the hard steel seat. Even with a layer of clothes, it still dug into her. Riding fast made it worse. Her messed-up hair was just an excuse.

Xue Yongkang rang the bell a few times to warn pedestrians. “There were two shady street thugs back there. I was afraid they’d scare you, so I sped up.”

“When has your third brother ever lied to you?”
He rubbed his slender nose—another gentle lie to get through the day.