Chapter 66:

“That doctor is named Qin Chaoyu, and she’s currently attending Yuzhou University.”

“Attending university? You mean she hasn’t graduated yet?” Gu Qiuyan narrowed her eyes, her expression hardening. The commanding presence of the matriarch of the Han family radiated from her. As one of the most distinguished noblewomen in China’s upper society, the matters she handled and the people she encountered were far from ordinary. How could she truly be gentle and harmless? “You must be joking.”

Han Yumin also widened his copper-bell-like eyes, glaring fiercely at Jin Weidao.

Damn it, how dare he mess with me!

With decades of military service under his belt, Han Yumin’s decisive and ruthless nature was ingrained in his bones. In his younger years, he had a fiery temper, and cursing was second nature to him. As he aged and rose in rank, he began to cultivate a calmer demeanor. But those who knew him understood that he was still the same man. It was normal for him to curse when provoked—even his second son had often been on the receiving end of his temper.

The combined pressure from Gu Qiuyan and Han Yumin was not something easily endured. Jin Weidao’s face instantly turned pale, sweat pouring down his forehead as he frantically waved his hands. “How could I dare joke with you? It’s the truth—that doctor really hasn’t graduated yet. Those who know her speculate that her medical skills must have been passed down from someone else, not learned in school. I think that assumption is quite accurate. If Madam Han doesn’t believe me, you can investigate in Yuzhou. She’s quite well-known there.”

Gu Qiuyan weighed the situation and concluded that Jin Weidao wouldn’t dare deceive them. Her expression softened, and she reverted to her gentle and kind persona. “Hmm, thank you for the information. Once we find this doctor and cure Yixun, we’ll make sure to repay you properly.”

After that ordeal, Jin Weidao no longer dared to see Gu Qiuyan as just a mild-mannered woman. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he said, “It’s our honor to be of assistance.”

However, Jin Weidao was a man of high emotional intelligence. Sensing that Gu Qiuyan was hinting at their departure, he tactfully said, “Then my wife and I will take our leave now.”

Gu Qiuyan chuckled lightly. “Yes, goodbye. Thank you for making the trip.”

“Not at all, farewell!”

With that, Jin Weidao immediately stood up, and Qiu Nianhui quickly followed, heading for the door.

Only after the car had left the military compound did Qiu Nianhui finally release her tightly clenched hands, exhaling quietly in relief. She glanced back at the place that symbolized the highest echelons of power in China, her eyes filled with envy and longing.

But the look was fleeting. She soon turned away, no longer dwelling on a world she could never belong to. She was a woman who knew her place—just stepping foot in that place once in her lifetime was already an immense stroke of luck. What was the point of yearning for more? It was nothing but a pipe dream.

Thinking about the purpose of their visit, Qiu Nianhui asked, “Weidao, did we succeed this time?”

Throughout the entire meeting, she hadn’t dared utter a word, afraid that anything she said might ruin things.

Jin Weidao sat upright, his gaze deep and unfathomable, lost in thought. Hearing his wife’s question, he replied, “As long as the Han family investigates in Yuzhou, even if we don’t manage to forge a connection with them, we’ll at least leave a good impression. The Han family values loyalty and repays kindness. In their eyes, telling them about a doctor who might cure Han Yixun is a favor. So we didn’t make a wrong move. The rest depends on that doctor.”

Qiu Nianhui lowered her eyes and nodded solemnly.

She understood these principles perfectly well. Her question was merely to seek Jin Weidao’s reassurance, to bolster her confidence.

The driver in front kept his eyes fixed on the road, his mind focused solely on driving. He didn’t retain a single word of the conversation—precisely why he had earned Jin Weidao’s trust.

After seeing Jin Weidao and his wife off, Gu Qiuyan turned to Han Yumin, who had remained silent the entire time, and asked seriously, “Yumin, do you think this information is credible?”

Han Yumin replied in a deep voice, “If they had the courage to bring us this news, it at least means that doctor has some real skill. So what’s the harm in going to Yuzhou to look for her? What they want is nothing more than a few favors, but so what? As long as we can cure Yixun, I’m willing to give it!”

Gu Qiuyan nodded, no longer in the mood to chat with Han Yumin. She stood up and headed upstairs. Having finally grasped a sliver of hope, she couldn’t wait a moment longer. “Then I’ll arrange for someone to investigate this Qin Chaoyu in Yuzhou right away.”

It had been a long time since Han Yumin had seen his wife so impatient. For a moment, his gaze grew distant.

Han Yumin and Gu Qiuyan had known each other since childhood—they were childhood sweethearts. They had even fought side by side on the battlefield, comrades-in-arms who had saved each other’s lives. Their bond was extraordinary. The young Gu Qiuyan was nothing like the refined, dignified Madam Han of today. Back then, she was a fiery little pepper, headstrong and bold, unafraid to stand toe-to-toe with any man.

But after marrying Han Yumin and starting a family, Gu Qiuyan gradually withdrew from the battlefield. Over time, as their circumstances changed, she unwittingly transformed into the poised and elegant woman she was now.

Han Yumin had never thought this was a bad thing. He had always been somewhat traditional, believing that men should handle external affairs while women managed the household. His wife’s gentleness was a boon for both their family and the Han household.

Yet, seeing Gu Qiuyan like this now stirred a pang of melancholy in Han Yumin’s heart.

He owed her too much—perhaps more than he could ever repay in this lifetime.

Han Yumin rose from the sofa and slowly made his way upstairs. Enough reminiscing. Right now, nothing mattered more than their eldest son’s condition.

When Gu Qiuyan said she would arrange for someone, she acted immediately. With a quick phone call, she set the investigation in motion.

However, she had no intention of sharing this news with the rest of the Han family just yet. Until things were confirmed, she couldn’t bear to let Yixun face another disappointment.

—

**Yuzhou University**

“Hurry up!” Bai Pengpeng hastily grabbed her backpack, shooting an impatient glare at Qian Fangyuan, who was still dawdling. “Why are you so slow? The three of us are waiting for you!”

“Alright, alright.” After applying her lipstick, Qian Fangyuan pressed her lips together in satisfaction, set down her mirror, and rolled her eyes at Bai Pengpeng. “Honestly, what’s the rush? It’s not like you’re usually this punctual.”

Bai Pengpeng rolled her eyes again but held back her retort when Qin Chaoyu tugged her sleeve, settling for a disdainful huff instead.

The class they were heading to was Medical Theory, taught by a strict professor named Liang Renjie. He ran his classroom with an iron fist—no absences, tardiness, or early departures were tolerated. One slip-up meant losing all participation points, which accounted for a whopping thirty percent of the final grade. Without those, passing the final exam required scoring at least an 86—an impossible feat for most.

Hence Bai Pengpeng’s urgency. Unlike Qin Chaoyu and Miao Zhaodi, who were top students, she was a slacker who often skipped class. An 86? That would be the death of her.

They rushed all the way, barely making it to their seats a minute before Liang Renjie entered the classroom.

“Whew!” Bai Pengpeng exhaled in relief. “We made it.”

Qian Fangyuan bent down to retrieve her book, catching sight of Liang Renjie entering right behind them from the corner of her eye. “Yeah, that was close!”

Bai Pengpeng shot her a cold glare. “If you’d moved faster next time, we wouldn’t have had to rush like this.”

Qian Fangyuan stuck out her tongue at Bai Pengpeng, mouthing, *”I won’t! What are you gonna do about it?”*

“Pathetic! Childish!” Bai Pengpeng flipped open her textbook, refusing to engage with the girl whose IQ seemed perpetually offline.

Unsurprisingly, both Bai Pengpeng and Qian Fangyuan slept through the entire lecture.

When class ended, Qin Chaoyu found them still dead to the world and sighed, shaking them awake.

“Huh? What? Is class over?” Qian Fangyuan jerked upright, wiping imaginary drool from her mouth. Still groggy, she blinked in confusion.

Qin Chaoyu nodded. “Yeah, it’s over. Pack up. Honestly, you two—you sleep better here than in the dorm. Isn’t lying down more comfortable than sitting?”

Bai Pengpeng stretched lazily, propping her head on one hand. Her face was flushed from sleep, her eyes glistening with unshed tears from yawning. With her striking red lips and sultry gaze, she looked like a seductive enchantress, capable of ensnaring anyone who dared meet her eyes.

Even Qin Chaoyu, Miao Zhaodi, and Qian Fangyuan felt their hearts skip a beat.

Bai Pengpeng yawned again. “Can’t help it. Liang Renjie’s voice is just too hypnotic. Honestly, I haven’t seen any other talent from him, but his ability to put people to sleep is unmatched. If he ever quits teaching, he’d make a great hypnotist.”

Qin Chaoyu shook her head. “Enough nonsense. Hurry up and pack.”

Once they’d gathered their things, they prepared to leave. By then, only the most diligent students remained in the classroom, studying.

Just outside the door, they ran into someone unexpected.

Qin Chaoyu and the others instinctively glanced at Miao Zhaodi, relieved to see her expression remained calm.

Indeed, it was the same jerk who had mocked Miao Zhaodi’s appearance before.

He seemed startled to see Miao Zhaodi with her roommates but quickly composed himself. Gritting his teeth, he forced a smile. “Zhaodi, I came to see you.”

His eyes lingered on Miao Zhaodi’s noticeably improved appearance, and his heartbeat quickened. “Wow, it’s true what they say—you’ve really gotten prettier.”

He assumed Miao Zhaodi would eagerly accept his olive branch, given how much she’d liked him before.

Qian Fangyuan hadn’t expected this scumbag to show up first. Now that he was right in front of her, how could she let him off easy? “So you’re the toad?”

“Huh?” The guy scowled at Qian Fangyuan. “What toad? I’m here to see Zhaodi. This has nothing to do with you.”

*No wonder people call you the ‘Spicy Pepper’ and say you’re a shrew*, he thought angrily. *Who starts a conversation by insulting someone? So uncivilized! And here I thought you were misunderstood.*

What he failed to realize was that his opinion meant nothing to Qian Fangyuan—whether he believed in her or not was irrelevant.

Qian Fangyuan sneered. “How is this none of my business? Zhaodi is my good friend, so it *is* my business.”

She gave him a once-over, and he instinctively straightened up, trying to appear more impressive.

Qian Fangyuan scoffed inwardly. “With a face like yours, where do you get the nerve to approach our Zhaodi?”

“You—!” The guy’s face twisted in rage, but he waved it off. “Whatever. I’m magnanimous—I won’t stoop to arguing with a woman.”

He turned to Miao Zhaodi, who had been standing silently at the back, and barked, “Zhaodi, are you coming or not?”