Chapter 70:

Carrying the medical kit and just stepping out of the door, Gu Qiuyan and Han Shuying were seen lingering outside.

Hearing the sound of the door opening, Gu Qiuyan and Han Shuying immediately rushed forward.

“H-how is it?” Gu Qiuyan clenched her hands nervously.

Qin Chaoyu first turned to close the door tightly to avoid disturbing the sleeping Han Yixun, then said, “I gave him acupuncture and applied some ointment before coming out. He’s already asleep now.”

“Asleep?” Gu Qiuyan murmured to herself, “That’s good, that’s good.”

“Then, what’s the treatment plan like?”

Qin Chaoyu replied, “I’ve tentatively set a three-month period for treatment. During these three months, the focus will be on repairing the meridians, bones, and muscles damaged by his spinal injury. If he regains sensation in his legs after three months, it means the treatment is effective, and we can proceed with the next phase of rehabilitation exercises.”

“Three months… Is there a faster way? Or any method to shorten this time?” Gu Qiuyan asked sheepishly.

She knew she was being greedy. Being able to cure him was already a stroke of luck amidst misfortune, and three months wasn’t really that long. Yet here she was, asking for an even shorter timeframe—undoubtedly putting undue pressure on the doctor. But she couldn’t help it. She just wanted it to be faster, even faster!

“Ways to shorten the time…” Qin Chaoyu pondered, then suddenly said, “Ah, you can massage him frequently! Regular massages will help loosen his joints and improve blood circulation. I’ll also give you the ointment I prepared. After each massage, apply it until he says the ointment no longer feels warm.”

Then, Qin Chaoyu took out a jar of ointment from her medical kit and handed it to Gu Qiuyan.

Gu Qiuyan accepted it with great care, cradling it in her arms. “Are there any precautions we should take?”

“Nothing too major. Just keep his diet light and nutritious, ensure he maintains a good sleep schedule, and keeps his mood uplifted.”

“Good! Good!” Gu Qiuyan nodded. “Thank you so much, Dr. Qin.”

Qin Chaoyu smiled. “No problem, it’s my duty as a doctor. I’ll take my leave now.”

After seeing Qin Chaoyu off, Gu Qiuyan handed the ointment to Han Shuying and then quietly entered Han Yixun’s room to check if he had woken up.

To her surprise, Han Yixun was still asleep. Gu Qiuyan covered her mouth, her expression filled with excitement.

She knew her son’s habits well. Due to years of dangerous missions, he had developed an extremely high level of vigilance. Even when sleeping, the slightest disturbance would wake him immediately—even at home. To avoid disturbing his rest, she usually avoided entering his room between 9 PM and 7 AM.

But now, he was sleeping so soundly that even her entry didn’t wake him. What did this mean? It meant he was finally getting deep, restful sleep.

After a while, fearing she might eventually wake him, Gu Qiuyan quietly left the room.

“Mom, look at this ointment—it’s so pretty!” Han Shuying held up the wooden jar. “I took a sniff, and it even has a fragrance. A very unique one, something I’ve never smelled before.”

“Really?” Gu Qiuyan examined the ointment. “Dr. Qin is a woman, after all. She wouldn’t want an ugly, foul-smelling ointment. Since she made it herself, she’d naturally aim for something pleasant to look at and smell.”

After saying this, Gu Qiuyan carefully stored the ointment and patted Han Shuying’s hand. “Alright, alright. Your brother is asleep, so let’s not talk here and risk disturbing him. Let’s wait downstairs for him to wake up. I’ll use this time to prepare some soup for him.”

They ended up waiting for three hours.

When Han Yixun woke up, he felt momentarily disoriented, unsure of the time.

He remembered being treated by that young doctor earlier—how excruciating it had been, as if his bones were being shattered, followed by a warm current flowing into his body.

Wait, a warm current? What was that? It felt so mystical. Now, his body felt incredibly comfortable. Apart from the lack of sensation in his lower half, it was as if he had been completely rejuvenated—no discomfort whatsoever. He even felt some of his old injuries had slightly eased.

That warm current had flowed through his meridians and blood vessels, almost like the “inner energy” described in ancient times.

Inner energy?!

Han Yixun felt he had stumbled upon something extraordinary. That young doctor was no ordinary person!

At this moment, Han Yixun’s confidence in Qin Chaoyu’s ability to cure him grew by another three parts.

~

The Liberia Hotel was a chain hotel from the United States, renowned for its distinctive and luxurious decor. It made extensive use of gold and silver tones without appearing gaudy, instead exuding an air of elegance.

Its most attractive feature was its restaurant. The hotel’s head chef possessed exceptional culinary skills and was never complacent, constantly researching and innovating new dishes. Periodically, he would introduce new delicacies to the menu.

Beyond the food, there was also the wine. The restaurant’s red wines were exclusively sourced from their own vineyard in California, a region with a classic Mediterranean climate.

For red grapes, ample rainfall during the leafing stage was essential, but the climate couldn’t be too humid or cold, or budding would be delayed. When the grapes formed, abundant sunlight was crucial. And just before harvest, rain was to be avoided at all costs, as the grapes would absorb too much water, growing large but diluting the juice’s concentration. (Source: Baidu)

The Mediterranean climate perfectly met these conditions.

By carefully selecting the finest red grapes and adhering to a rigorous winemaking process, the resulting wines were undeniably exceptional.

Thus, the Liberia Hotel’s wines sold out quickly every year, garnering high praise from connoisseurs.

Today, Bai Jixi planned to meet with Adonis Bruce at this hotel to discuss potential collaboration. This wasn’t a formal negotiation but rather an attempt to secure Adonis Bruce’s definitive answer on whether he was willing to engage in serious talks with their company.

Over the past few days, Bai Jixi and Adonis Bruce had exchanged words several times, but Adonis always skillfully dodged the topic. After repeated evasions, Bai Jixi realized Adonis was playing hard to get.

But what could he do? In a seller’s market, the buyer was inherently at a disadvantage. Frankly, if not for the trials Bai Jixi endured when taking over the Bai family—which had tempered his patience—Adonis’s behavior would have infuriated him. Even so, his patience was wearing thin.

He had made up his mind: if Adonis continued to sidestep the topic this time, it would prove his lack of sincerity and unwillingness to collaborate with the Bai Group. In that case, further discussions would be pointless.

Despite these thoughts, Bai Jixi still hoped for a successful partnership. After all, it was a win-win situation—why make things difficult? He wasn’t inflexible. Knowing that the Liberia Hotel was Adonis’s favorite spot, especially for its wines, he chose it as the meeting place.

The moment he stepped out of the car, Adonis Bruce sensed that the young chairman of the Bai Group was done waiting.

No matter. The timing was about right—it was time to reveal his decision.

This time, Adonis Bruce only brought his secretary, Peter Simon, a young man with blond hair and green eyes. Having held the position of Adonis’s chief secretary for three to four years, he undoubtedly had his merits.

Noticing his boss’s slightly pale complexion and pained expression, Peter approached quietly and whispered, “Mr. Bruce, are you still in pain?”

“Peter, you needn’t concern yourself with that. Just focus on the tasks I’ve assigned you,” Adonis Bruce replied. He was an exceedingly proud man who never showed vulnerability in front of anyone—why would he start now?

Gripping the steering wheel, he stared ahead. “I know your habits. That patient has been free lately. Whenever you’re available, let’s schedule a time for you to examine him.”

“Alright, I don’t have classes tomorrow afternoon, so let’s make it then. I have other things to attend to, so I’ll take my leave now.” With that, Qin Chaoyu pushed open the car door and hailed another taxi to leave.

She moved so quickly that Bai Jixi didn’t even have a chance to offer her a ride. He could only watch helplessly as she walked away.

~

Recently, the upper-class society of Yuzhou has been buzzing again—this time, it’s related to the Xiong family, or more precisely, to Madam Xiong.

The matriarch of the Xiong family, who had been bedridden for ten years, has recovered. At first, some people didn’t believe it, dismissing it as mere rumor—until they saw Jin Wenqing looking radiant and healthy. Only then did they have to admit it was true.

Having been absent from social circles for a decade, Jin Wenqing found many of her relationships had grown distant.

But that didn’t matter. Those who had drifted away were never truly important to begin with. And as long as she remained the matriarch of the Xiong family, she could always rekindle those connections.

Her top priority now was to announce her recovery and re-establish herself in social circles. She wanted everyone to know that even after ten years in bed, she was still the same strong, capable Jin Wenqing—unchanged!

So, Jin Wenqing had been attending quite a few banquets lately—almost one every three days. On days without formal events, she would invite other ladies for mahjong, afternoon tea, or spa visits.

These activities never failed to captivate the wealthy, leisurely ladies.

Jin Wenqing’s efforts paid off—those women finally accepted her again.

On a rare free day, Jin Wenqing wanted to rest, but her youngest son suddenly rushed up to her with a serious expression.

Startled, she thought something had happened.

But Xiong Rongming solemnly declared, “Mom, I want to learn traditional Chinese medicine from Sister Qin!”

Jin Wenqing couldn’t help but laugh. She patted Xiong Rongming’s head affectionately. As a boy, he had hair that many girls would envy—jet-black, silky, and incredibly soft to the touch.

She stroked it a few times, finding it so pleasant that she unconsciously did it again. “Rongming, do you have any plans for your future?”

“Future? Plans?” Xiong Rongming tilted his head, looking confused, as if he didn’t quite understand what those words meant.

Of course, at just ten years old, he was still at an age where playfulness and mischief were the norm. The fact that he was so well-behaved and obedient—unlike most kids his age—was already impressive. How could he possibly grasp the concept of the future?

Jin Wenqing chuckled. “I mean, what do you want to do when you grow up?”

At that, Xiong Rongming understood. He raised his hand and declared loudly, “I know! I want to be a great doctor like Sister Qin!”

“Good. Once you’ve decided what you want to do, no matter how difficult it gets or how many setbacks you face, you must never give up. If you promise me that, I’ll ask Sister Qin if she’s willing to take you as her student.”

“I promise! I promise!” Xiong Rongming said eagerly, tugging at Jin Wenqing’s arm and swaying playfully.

“Alright, then I’ll ask Sister Qin for you.”

“Yay!” Xiong Rongming jumped excitedly. “Mom, you’re the best!”

Though she wanted to approach Qin Chaoyu immediately, Jin Wenqing wasn’t sure how to broach the subject.

After some thought, she decided to use gratitude as the reason.

It wasn’t a lie—she truly did owe Qin Chaoyu thanks. She had been too busy lately to express it, but she hadn’t forgotten.

Not long ago, Jin Wenqing had been pondering how to establish a connection with Qin Chaoyu. A highly skilled physician—what that represented needed no explanation.

Her son’s desire to learn traditional Chinese medicine had given her the perfect opportunity.

Not that Jin Wenqing was selfish or solely driven by personal gain. As a mother, she would never harm her child. If Xiong Rongming hadn’t expressed interest in learning from Qin Chaoyu himself, she would never have forced him.

~

The next afternoon, Qin Chaoyu arrived at the location Bai Jixi had mentioned, carrying her medical kit. Bai Jixi had offered to pick her up, but she had firmly refused.

She knew the place—it was quite close to Yuzhou University. If Bai Jixi had to come from the Bai Corporation or his home, he’d have to make a long detour to the university before doubling back. It wasn’t worth the trouble.

Adonis Bruce sat there, occasionally glancing at the entrance to see if an elderly man would appear.

From what Bai had told him, the person he knew was a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine—a uniquely Chinese form of treatment, incredibly mystical. Oh, and he also knew that the proper term was “TCM doctor.” He couldn’t afford to get that wrong later.

Qin Chaoyu arrived under these circumstances. As soon as she entered, she spotted Bai Jixi sitting directly across from the door, facing a foreigner who kept looking around—likely the patient she was here to treat. She walked toward them naturally.

Even as Qin Chaoyu stood right in front of Adonis Bruce, he was still staring at the door.

Bai Jixi had to lean in and whisper, “Mr. Bruce, the doctor I mentioned has arrived.”

“Ah, she’s here? Where? I don’t see her!” Adonis Bruce scanned the room but found no white-bearded old man matching his expectations.

This was the stereotypical image many foreigners had of TCM doctors—elderly men with long white beards.

It wasn’t surprising. Traditional Chinese medicine was profound and complex, something many spent their entire lives studying without fully mastering. Generally, the older the practitioner, the longer they had studied, the broader their expertise, and the better their skills.

So, most practicing TCM doctors did fit the image of elderly men.

Bai Jixi stood up and introduced, “Mr. Bruce, this is her. Her name is Qin Chaoyu.”

“Her? A young girl?” Adonis Bruce’s eyes widened in shock. He turned to Bai Jixi and said seriously, “Bai, this joke isn’t funny at all. I know that the truly skilled TCM doctors in your country are all white-bearded old men.”