ã€ŠRebirth: My Dear Little Wife Is So Schemingã€‹


 Chapter 1 - 1 1 Awakening

    ?Chapter 1: Chapter 1 Awakening   Chapter 1: Chapter 1 Awakening                                   Bai Xiao woke up amid a bout of severe headache, feeling a lump the size of an egg on the back of her head. She opened her eyes to see only darkness engulfing her, followed by a sky full of stars and the pungent smell of cow and pig manure. She decided to close her eyes to endure the intense pain, as too many doubts troubled her heart.

    Where was she? Had she gone blind? Yet, her entire head felt as if it were being hammered by hundreds of hammers, neither asleep nor awake. Gradually, she began to notice the things around her.

    The icy feeling on her cheeks, transmitted from the ground, was both cold and hard. The air was suffused with a stifling pressure, and a familiar smell. She tried to sit up, but was forced back down by a piercing pain that shot through her brain.

    Damn it, she knew she was dead, but can the dead still feel such agony?

    Wasn¡¯t she supposed to have been killed by a car? Yes! She saw the eyes of Bai Mei, filled with resentment and venom, truly wishing her dead.

    So she should be in a hospital now, right? But a hospital shouldn¡¯t have the smell of cow and pig manure.

    This familiar smell instead reminded her that, before she was 18, the small storeroom in front of the cowshed where she lived was always filled with this suffocating odor. Since the age of ten, she had lived there. Her grandmother Wang Chunhua had once said with a good cause that the family had too many people and not enough space to live. They had done her a great kindness by taking her in to care for her, and since there was no space, she had no choice but to live in this storeroom; it was better than having nowhere to live at all.

    Only when her elder brother Bai Song came home on leave could he take her to live in the little house of the cowshed where the brigade kept their cattle. That was probably the happiest time of her life.

    Many years had passed since she had smelled the odor of cow and pig manure. Even a hospital shouldn¡¯t have that smell, not to mention that when she opened her eyes, she noticed how dark it was. And if her senses were right, she was now lying on the cold ground.

    Which hospital would leave a patient lying on the floor?

    Then, had someone locked her up? The faint voices grew clearer, leaving no doubt that she was in a familiar ce.

    Struggling to her feet, Bai Xiao still found herself in darkness, but a rush of cold, fresh air entered. She widened her eyes in surprise at what she saw; the worn calendar on the wall showed the date: ¡°July 8, 1985!¡±

    She trusted that her eyes weren¡¯t deceiving her because Bai Song had bought that calendar for her five months before her high school examination, especially so she could have a sense of time and n her daily study schedule effectively¡ªcounting down the days seemed better than relying on the numbers on the school teacher¡¯s ckboard.

    More importantly, because her elder brother Bai Song knew that their grandmother Li Chunhua and their uncle Bai Jianguo, who lived in the east wing room, would absolutely not let her see their calendar, let alone step near their house¡ªshe had even been considered a bad omen just for stepping on their bricks and stones.

    She stared nkly and raised her hand to touch, curious whether the calendar was real, eager to confirm if everything in this room was real.

    Yet she was fiercely struck by the sight of her own fingers. Though they were covered in calluses and various wounds, she could still tell they were the slender hands of a young girl, not the slightly twisted fingers caused by years ofbor.

    She chuckled softly, but it brought on another wave of headache, and she reached out to rub her head again.

    Good heavens! Humph.

    She had returned, returned to the time when she was 18 and about to take her college entrance exams.

    There seemed to be enough time, so don¡¯t me her for being impolite. Having gone through the hardships of her past life and returning to her 18-year-old self, it would be absurd not to be excited and exhrated.

    Rebirth!

    Of course, Bai Xiao was familiar with the term¡ªa popr concept that had been depicted in many TV dramas. Yet, as luck would have it, she¡¯d hitched a ride on the rebirth train. How could she not seize the opportunity and give it her all?

    Otherwise, she¡¯d be letting herself down, as well as her elder brother, Bai Song, and her two sisters, Bai Mei and Wang Meihua, who had been oppressed and exploited by their grandmother and uncle in an effort to protect her. How many chances at rebirth does one get in life?

    Since she had the chance to start over, there was still time for everything.

    Struggling to sit up, the stars in her vision multiplied. Bai Xiao remembered this was right after she¡¯d finished her college entrance exams. She hadn¡¯t followed her grandmother¡¯s orders to work with the other vige girls because she was waiting for her eptance letter. That resulted in her grandmother, Wang Meihua, furiously beating her with a fire poker until her head was bloodied, and then leaving her unattended in her small room.

    It seemed to be in that period, since after the beating, without anyone to care for her or feed her, the infected wounds led to a high fever. She burned for three days. By the time she woke up, her eptance letter had been taken by her grandmother, who also lied to her, saying she hadn¡¯t been admitted.

    She had waited hopelessly until everyone else had started school, only to finally realize that she truly hadn¡¯t been admitted to college.

    Who would have thought that her eptance letter had already been intercepted by her grandmother and thrown away in the bamboo forest on the back hill? All just to keep her from attending college. If she left, Bai Song, who was working, and her two married-off sisters would no longer provide living expenses to the grandmother, and why would her uncle¡¯s family spend their own money? For such a silly reason, an admission ticket to college was wasted.

    Bear in mind, in 1985, a college student was enough to make the whole vige envious. Sometimes, even an entire county might not produce two college graduates. Yet here she was, a potential college student, resigned to farming and toiling at home as a beast of burden for her grandmother and uncle.

    This time, nobody would fool her.

    Her priority now was to avoid slipping into unconsciousness, but given her condition, her grandmother and uncle definitely wouldn¡¯t get her medical help. The vige did have a clinic, but she didn¡¯t have a penny to her name.

    Everyone knew how stingy her grandmother was and would absolutely refuse to extend credit to her; giving credit to their family meant never seeing a return.

    Now, she had to recover quickly. This time, she must get her eptance letter in her own hands.

    And to do that, she needed to retrieve her special ability.

    Special ability?

    Yes, in her previous life, after her grandmother married her off to that inhuman, despicable gambler, she was subjected to nothing but beatings and scoldings. Eventually, he even tried to use her, his wife, as coteral for his gambling debts. A kind-hearted person secretly warned her, and she fled on foot along the mountain roads at night, seeking escape. But the gambler, along with others, chased after her in the darkness. In her panicked flight, she fell off a cliff, nearly losing her life. If not for two small trees that caught her in their branches.

    She might have died there, shattered to pieces, rather than just suffering from a full-body fracture. As shey at the bottom of the cliff, gasping for herst breaths, on the verge of death, a powerful energy burst forth from within her body. She could feel this energy healing her.

    From that moment, she knew she possessed a special power, a healing ability, which also changed everything for her afterward.

    Now, she had to reim this ability, and it seemed, she had to die once to do it.

 Chapter 2 - 2 2 Full after Eating

    ?Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Full after Eating   Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Full after Eating                                   Bai Xiao pulled open the door, and just by taking a few simple steps to the room, opening the door caused her to break out in a cold sweat.

    No wonder, in this family, because she went to school, she would frequently be scolded by Grandma and her younger uncle as a freeloader, not allowed to eat at the table during meals, and could only stay in the kitchen, eating leftovers. And of course, more often than not, she got what was left at the bottom of the pot.

    There really wasn¡¯t much left over. Whenever there was some tasty dry food or the like, Bai Mei, Bai Zhuang, and Bai Shan would never leave anything for her, at most she might get a few bites of cornmeal mush, and even then, there wouldn¡¯t be enough to fill a bowl.

    Each time, she would just add some cold water to the leftovers in the basin, pour it back into the pot, and scrape down the remnants stuck to the edges. It was almost the same as washing the pots, and with that, she would blow and slurp up a bowl.

    Sometimes there might be half a cornmeal bun left over, but of course, she wouldn¡¯t get any refined flour or rice. Being left with a couple of pickled vegetables was already considered giving her a lot of face.

    She also thought she was foolish, as, in her previous life, she was always the only one busy cooking in the kitchen.

    Grandma and her younger aunt did not want to trouble themselves in the smoky, zing kitchen. After supervising her several times and finding she was always well-behaved and did not steal or take anything, no one even bothered to give her another nce.

    Yet she still managed to behave well each time, neither stealing food nor taking anything extra; otherwise, her frail body wouldn¡¯t have be so thin that a gust of wind could knock her over.

    How stupid could she be?

    Looking at her miserable end in her previous life, she couldn¡¯t me others. With insufficient intelligence and too little cunning, if it wasn¡¯t she who died, who else would it be?

    Now it must have been that she had been lying here for a day already, with no possibility of someone bringing her food.

    It was only natural for her to break out in a cold sweat now.

    First things first, fill up the stomach.

    Bai Xiao staggered out of the room¡ªshe didn¡¯t need to close the door behind her. This short, small, foul, and broken house would attract no one to search for anything; everyone else lived in clean mud-brick houses with bright ss windows, clean and spacious, definitely without any dirty smells.

    As soon as she left the house and walked towards the stove, she ran into Bai Mei. Bai Mei was the same age as her, just one month older.

    But standing together, theparison made her look like a 14 or 15-year-old girl, underdeveloped, dark, thin, short, and petite.

    Bai Mei was different, she never had to work in the fields, and was raised well-fed and plump, tall and with a slightly budding chest, a fully developed 18-year-old young woman.

    When Bai Mei saw Bai Xiao, she curled her lip in disdain, ¡°Grandma only hit you a couple of times, and look at you acting dead, half-dead and half-alive. Do you want the entire vige to point fingers at your family¡¯s backbone? Let me remind you, you eat and drink from us, and the fact we haven¡¯t starved you to death already shows how benevolent my parents are. Remember, you and our family have no rtion.

    Don¡¯t you see it¡¯s already midday? Hurry up and go cook. If Grandmaes back from the fields and sees you haven¡¯t finished cooking, she might just give you another beating.¡±

    In fact, Bai Xiao had been hit so severely that she had passed out for a whole day. Li Chunhua had even checked on her in the morning, knowing that she had been quite harsh.

    She instructed her granddaughter, Bai Mei, to cook at home today. But the corn gruel that Bai Mei cooked in the morning was so badly burnt that it choked anyone who ate it, and the pickled vegetable strips, which should have been finely cut, were as wide as a finger. After getting scolded by Grandma and Dad for a good half day, seeing Bai Xiao finally climbing up, Bai Mei of course felt that cooking was this dead girl¡¯s responsibility.

    Now she could finally return to the room and lie down for a while to catch her breath.

    She had been chastised enough by the whole family this morning, and Bai Mei had finally found a scapegoat.

    Back in the room, Bai Mei copsed onto the kang to rest. Her grandmother had stirred her up too early in the morning; now was the perfect time to catch up on some sleep.

    Bai Xiao nced at Bai Mei¡¯s retreating figure. In this family, she was an invisible person. No one liked her, and even less cared for her. Whether she ate or starved to death seemed to concern no one. ording to Li Chunhua¡¯s words, she deserved to suffer, deserved not to have enough to eat, for she was nothing but a burden that the Bai Family reluctantly supported. She didn¡¯t understand why in her previous life.

    It was not until her uncle blurted out that she realized she was not the Bai¡¯s child. She was born to thosebeled as capitalist roaders and rightists. For some unknown reason, she waster entrusted to her parents, namely Bai Jianshe, the eldest of the Bai Family, who seemed to have died. Bai Jianshe owed someone a favor, as his mother had saved Bai Jianshe¡¯s life back then. So, Bai Jianshe and his wife raised her as their own daughter.

    The eldest brother and the two sisters also knew, but they had never failed to take care of her as their real sister, except for the Bai Family¡¯s matriarch and the younger uncle Bai Jianguo, who despised her, wishing to treat her like a ve. If not for her, her elder brother and sisters wouldn¡¯t send money back home every month.

    Her elder brother sent fifteen yuan to grandma each month, and the two sisters¡¯ family would send two yuan back. This was 1985, five years since her parents had passed away, and it was her elder brother and sisters who had supported her with this monthly amount of neen yuan, which back in 1980 was a substantial sum for living expenses.

    Regrettably, they didn¡¯t know what kind of life their sister was leading, still thinking that at least the grandmother would take care of her for the sake of the money.

    When the elder brother and sisters came back, grandma would clean her up properly, and her clothes were always washed clean. Patched clothes were normal during that era, so it was not unusual. As for where they stayed, they couldn¡¯t live with grandma and the younger uncle because there wasn¡¯t enough space.

    Moreover, she acted like a fool. For years, she stayed silent, not wanting to trouble her brother and sisters, trying to avoid causing them any inconvenience. Thus, she inadvertently aided Li Chunhua and the younger uncle Bai Jianguo in keeping their treatment of her a secret, fearing that her siblings would confront their grandma because of her.

    Actually, she was truly foolish. If only she knew that grandma and the younger uncle feared even more that her elder brother Bai Song and her sisters would find out about these things. They were afraid that if the truth came out, they would stop receiving money.

    Inadvertently, she was helping these viins.

    If they still wished to enve her this time, they would have to see if she was still willing to be so foolish.

    In herst life, she had been a fool for a lifetime, but in this one, she wouldn¡¯t let herself be bullied, no matter what.

    In her previous life, she always thought that backing down would lead to a boundless world, but why should it always be her to retreat?

    This time, she was determined to pay back those who bullied her, to repay kindness and harbor grudges.

    Heading straight to the kitchen, Bai Xiao didn¡¯t hold back! The food and drink at home were all controlled by grandma, but she knew every nook and cranny where things were stored.

    She cooked herself a pot of noodle soup, poached a couple of plump eggs in it, added some pickled cabbage, and topped it with fragrant green onions fried in oil¡ªa hearty bowl of white noodle soup.

    Bai Xiao ate her fill in one go, and suddenly felt strength returning to her body, her vision no longer blurred.

    It seems true that people are iron and food is steel.

    From now on, she would never let herself go hungry or mistreat herself for the sake of others.

 Chapter 3 - 3 3 Encounter

    ?Chapter 3: Chapter 3 Encounter   Chapter 3: Chapter 3 Encounter                                   Bai Xiao had her fill, put down her things, and stood up to go outside. Her special ability in her previous life seemed to be obtained by putting herself in deadly danger, and she didn¡¯t know if her idea was correct in this life, but what other choice did she have but to try?

    This special ability was something she must obtain, even if it meant risking her own life.

    Even though it might involve great risk.

    After all, many people who face deadly danger might not survive and end up dead with no chance of revival. But if she didn¡¯t have any reliable means to depend on in this life, how could she bring glory to her loved ones and pain to her enemies?

    She strode towards the exit.

    The Bai Familypound was in the middle of the vige. Decades ago in Liupan Vige, only the vige chief¡¯s and the party secretary¡¯s homes were made of brick and tile, while the rest still had houses made of mud mixed with straw and chaff. After being exposed to wind and rain, they would show traces of yellow dirt. Often, to look nice, they had to apply a newyer of mud on the exterior each year.

    The backyard of the Bai Family home was where the pigsty was located; naturally, Bai Xiao¡¯s little shed was adjacent to it. Inside the pigsty were two pigs, which were the Bai Family¡¯srgest asset. Perhaps they had arranged for her to live next to the pigsty because she was also considered the Bai Family¡¯srgest asset.

    The front yard housed the chicken coop, which held several hens that were the source of the family¡¯s cooking fuel, rice, oil, and salt for the year! Of course, the eggs also improved the Bai children¡¯s diet¡ªsomething that certainly did not concern her. Feeding the chickens with bran-mixed fodder was her job. But the results had nothing to do with her.

    In this home, nothing was rted to her.

    Every day, Sister Bai Mei, Bai Shan, and Bai Zhuang each got an egg, but she wouldn¡¯t even glimpse the shell of an egg. Let alone on holidays when ughtering pigs and chickens was out of the question. If she could get to eat a bowl of oily soup filled with pork fat, that was the happiest she¡¯d be all year.

    Yet even then, Grandmother Li Chunhua was still reluctant to let her eat, often sending her out to work so she could cook separately for the family.

    As she walked out of the main gate, it just so happened that she ran into her grandmother returning from the fields with a hoe, and her little uncle and aunt, as well as Bai Zhuang. Bai Zhuang was twenty this year, not fond of studying, but true to his name, he was indeed sturdy and strong. However, Bai Zhuang did not meddle in others¡¯ affairs. Like Bai Jianguo, he didn¡¯t care whether Bai Xiao was bullied or not. Besides caring about whether the harvest was good, what Bai Zhuang cared about most was Wu Xiaoyue, the eldest daughter of the Wu family in the vige, intended as his future bride.

    Unfortunately, Wu Xiaoyue¡¯s father was not easy to deal with, especially since Wu Xiaoyue herself waszy and liked to eat well. Except for her beauty, there was nothing noteworthy about her, yet Bai Zhuang treasured her as dearly as a gem in his palm.

    This future sister-inw had ordered her around quite a bit in the past, treating her practically as a housemaid of the family, even making her wash her clothes during her period. The most malicious act was when she was forced into marriage with that degenerate gambler. It was all because Wu Xiaoyue fancied the dowry the man offered¡ªjust for a mere hundred-plus yuan, she sold her, a living person, to a forty-something-year-old gambling addict.

    Of course, it was because she was weak-willed. She couldn¡¯t me anyone else. Not resisting and keeping her grievances to herself, she could hardly expect others to feel sorry for her.

    After all, she had a brother in the army and two sisters who truly cared for her. But it was her own failure to fight back.

    She dared not resist, nor did she dare seek others for consultation. Meeting such an end in her previous life, she probably deserved it.

    But in this life, no one should expect her to silently endure and continue ving away for them.

    When Li Chunhua caught sight of her granddaughter approaching, a fierce light shot from her narrow eyes as she red at Bai Xiao and demanded, ¡°You dead girl, why aren¡¯t you doing your chores at home? What are you running out here for? Since you can get up, our family doesn¡¯t feed the idle. You will work in the fields this afternoon or else you won¡¯t have any food.¡± Seeing Bai Xiao up and about, Li Chunhua automatically took it as a sign that the girl was healed.

    She gave no thought to the fact that just yesterday, her beating had knocked the girl unconscious, and even if Bai Xiao managed to get up now, to what extent could she have recovered?

    My cousin Bai Jianguo has a great reputation in the vige,uded by everyone as a generous and honest man. His good rtions with others are a source of pride for him.

    Seeing his mother shouting outside filled him with dissatisfaction. If outsiders heard her, wouldn¡¯t they think he was indifferent to his niece?

    ¡°Xiao, your grandma was only doing what was best for you yesterday. You mustn¡¯t hold a grudge against her. We¡¯re all family here. You¡¯ve rested all morning; if you feel up to it, join us in the fields in the afternoon. After all, we are in our busiest season! Don¡¯t you agree?¡± Every time Bai Jianguo said this, Bai Xiao would anxiously hurry to agree, iming she was fine and ready to work.

    That way, people lounging and eating at the courtyard entrance could see that it was Bai Xiao¡¯s own choice, not that they were forcing her.

    After all, that girl wasn¡¯t his own flesh and blood; strictly speaking, he was only her uncle.

    He couldn¡¯t afford to give outsiders anything bad to talk about.

    Bai Jianguo waited for Bai Xiao¡¯s reply, watching her closely. Bai Xiao nced at Bai Jianguo, knowing full well that the most cunning person in the house was this uncle of hers. With a hypocritical face and a dark heart, he was behind many of the family¡¯s schemes, usually letting his mother and wife do the dirty work.

    Should these actionse to light, Bai Jianguo could easily deny any knowledge and maintain his good standing before others.

    ¡°Uncle, because I refused Grandma¡¯s request to go out and work yesterday, she beat me. Iy bleeding and unconscious on the ground all night, and I still feel weak all over. I was heading to the vige clinic to see if they have any medicine. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to work this afternoon. If you really need extra hands, I saw Sister Bai Mei at home, lying down and sleeping. If necessary, let her go to the fields first with you. It¡¯s better than being short-handed. I also wouldn¡¯t want to die of illness in your house with no one to care for me. It would be bad if outsiders started saying it was your fault; they might think you abused your own niece.¡± Bai Xiao spoke deliberately and loudly, ensuring the surrounding people heard her words.

    Bai Jianguo loved his reputation, and now, in front of everyone, she was curious to see how he would respond.

    Before Bai Jianguo could speak, Li Chunhua was already yelling, ¡°You cursed child, what preciousmodity do you think you are? Just a beating and you need medicine? Doesn¡¯t that cost money? I¡¯ll tell you, I have no money to waste on your medicine. Since your parents died, it¡¯s like I owe a debt to a vindictive ghost. Your sisters married off, your older brother joined the army and left. How can an old woman like me cope? If it wasn¡¯t for your uncle and aunt taking pity on you, giving you a meal to eat, you¡¯d have starved to death long ago.

    Now we just ask you to do some work for the family, and you create all these obstacles. I¡¯ll tell you, if you think you can make it on your own, then go ahead. We¡¯re all country folks who farm thend; nobody gets to eat for free without working for it.¡±

 Chapter 4 - 4 4 Unveiling

    ?Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Unveiling   Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Unveiling                                   Bai Jianguo tugged at the olddy in difficulty, ¡°Mom, please don¡¯t say anymore. We are all family, and as the uncle, I can¡¯t watch the child starve. I¡¯ll help however I can. Anyway, I managed to support this child until she graduated from high school, which is fair to my older brother and sister-inw. The child is naive, but we adults shouldn¡¯t hold it against her.¡±

    With a generous look, he turned to Bai Xiao and said, ¡°Xiao, I know you didn¡¯t get into high school, and your grandma wants you to go out and work, you feel unwilling, but your uncle has done his best. I no longer have the means to let you repeat a year. Our family are farmers and rely on farming to make a living. Your younger uncle makes just a few dozen yuan a year working in the fields. Your older brothers and sisters have grown up too; it¡¯s time for them to get married and we need to prepare their dowries. Your younger uncle really can¡¯t help you anymore. I believe your parents, if they knew, wouldn¡¯t me me.¡±

    This speech was righteous, standing on a moral high ground. Bai Xiao immediately saw the vigers sitting around and listening nodding their heads.

    You should know Bai Jianguo was known in the vige as a genuinely decent man.

    Li Chunhua red, walked forward, and pinched Bai Xiao¡¯s arm fiercely.

    ¡°Look, look, this is what it means to raise an ingrate. Eating what her younger uncle provides, drinking what he offers, just because he couldn¡¯t sponsor her for school anymore. And she turns her back on us. I just lost my temper and hit you yesterday¡ªit¡¯smon for parents to hit their kids. It¡¯s not like it wasn¡¯t justified when your grandma hit you in anger. And today you even talk about going to the infirmary for medicine. Do you just want the vigers to point at our spines and curse, saying we haven¡¯t looked after you well in your parents¡¯ stead? How can you be so malicious?¡±

    This grandmother immediately took the opportunity to smear her own granddaughter while defending her son.

    The vigers¡¯ gazes toward Bai Xiao began to change. Bai Xiao had never been influential in the vige. People always saw her as a quiet and reserved girl. No one really knew her true nature, nor did she have friends who would defend her. If you don¡¯t stand up for yourself, what the Bai Family says goes.

    People started trying to persuade Li Chunhua, ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t be mad. The kid is young; teach her slowly. Once she grows up, she¡¯ll recognize your goodness. Without parents, kids just can¡¯t be brought up well.¡±

    ¡°Yes, we all know that. It¡¯s true that it¡¯s now every household for themselves, but Jianguo still has two young men and a youngdy to support. It¡¯s hard enough to provide for themselves, let alone having to also take care of a niece. Everyone understands these hardships.¡±

    Li Chunhua felt vindicated, lowered her head to feign sadness, and wiped her eyes, instantly garnering much sympathy. People began advising Bai Xiao, ¡°Xiao, you can¡¯t be like this. She¡¯s your grandma, and without your parents around, it¡¯s been your grandma and younger uncle looking after you these years. As a human being, you mustn¡¯t be heartless.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, even if your grandma hit you a few times, it was for your own good. When children misbehave, all parents might spank them. Your grandma loves you. You¡¯re already 18, and look, not many in our vige can afford to finish high school. It¡¯s not your grandma¡¯s or younger uncle¡¯s fault you didn¡¯t get into college.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, exactly!¡±

    Bai Jianguo smiled simply, ¡°Everybody, let¡¯s not speak of it. After all, this is my niece, my own brother¡¯s daughter. Even if my own kids couldn¡¯t afford to go to school or eat, I couldn¡¯t fail my brother¡¯s child.¡±

    Immediately, a chorus of praise filled the air, everyonemending Bai Jianguo as a man of integrity.

    Bai Xiao scoffed, lowered her head, and after a silent moment, said, ¡°Uncle, grandma, so the money for my school was indeed saved by my uncle. It seems I got it wrong. I will now go to my older sister to find out. To all the uncles and aunts here today, it¡¯s my fault, I misunderstood grandma and uncle, it¡¯s because when my older brother came back and my older sister came to see me, they clearly told me. My brother sends grandma fifteen yuan every month for allowance, and my older sister and second sister each try to save two yuan from their inws to send over each month. My brother told me that since the day he joined the army and entrusted me to grandma and uncle, he has been sending money back to grandma and uncle every month.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because he felt it was already a burden for grandma and uncle to look after me. It wouldn¡¯t be right for me to just eat and study for free at their expense. My brother, older sister, and second sister said even if they were suffering and tired, they would save money for my education. This time, when the admission letter hadn¡¯t even arrived yet, I don¡¯t know where grandma got the news that I didn¡¯t pass and insisted on making me go out to work.¡±

    ¡°My brother also told me to focus on my exams and that he would arrange everything after the results came out. I didn¡¯t expect that my brother and sisters hadn¡¯t given any money to grandma and uncle at all. I¡¯m just going to ask my older sister what¡¯s really going on, where all the money they sent each month has gone.¡± As Bai Xiao spoke, the entire vige was stunned.

    Li Chunhua and Bai Jianguo were dumbfounded as well. They hadn¡¯t expected Bai Xiao to be aware of the money.

    Li Chunhua and Bai Jianguo had pressed Bai Xiao several times, and since she never said anything, they thought this foolish girl had no idea about the money, but here she was, waiting all this time.

    The aunts who had been on Li Chunhua¡¯s side felt ufortable now. In the viges, unless there was someone who was a soldier or a worker, it would only be possible to have some external ie every month to supplement the household. Otherwise, aside from ensuring food to eat by working in the fields and raising some poultry to sell eggs or ughtering pigs for extra cash during the New Year, households would rely on just that little bit of money to get by.

    Who knew Li Chunhua¡¯s household was so rich, receiving up to neen yuan a month from her grandchildren. My goodness! Over the course of a year, that would total 228 yuan, a fortune in this vige!

    If that¡¯s the case, since Xiaobai¡¯s high school education was funded by a brother and sisters, it was only natural. Considering how much care her parents had taken of her, and thinking about the years Bai Xiao had spent in Bai Jianguo¡¯s household, even if she went to school during the day, she had to get up early in the morning to chop wood, cut grass for the pigs, after school hurry home to fetch water, prepare meals, wash clothes¡ªeveryone saw this.

    Not to mention weekends or school vacations; Bai Xiao was treated like a strongborer working in the fields.

 Chapter 5 - 5 5 Its me who took it

    ?Chapter 5: Chapter 5 It¡¯s me who took it   Chapter 5: Chapter 5 It¡¯s me who took it                                   Bai Jianguo sensed trouble the moment Bai Xiao spoke, effectively selling them out right there.

    The entire vige, upon hearing this, pointed fingers and cursed right at his backbone.

    He hurriedly stepped forward and said, ¡°Xiao, your uncle had no idea about this matter, those money, your uncle didn¡¯t see a penny of it. You mustn¡¯t wrongly use your uncle!¡± After all, Bai Xiao¡¯s elder brother and sisters weren¡¯t there, and it was just them framing empty words.

    Bai Xiaoughed, ¡°Uncle, you didn¡¯t take the money, and you¡¯re my uncle, how could I not trust you? I understand the situation now, there must have been someone messing around. My elder brother said that he sends money home through the post office every month, and I need to find the postal worker who delivers mail to our vige. How dare he embezzle it? Our family¡¯s money, since I was 14, my elder brother began sending money home every month, and now I¡¯m 18, four yearster, this isn¡¯t a small sum.

    This postal worker is outrageously bold; he must have done this more than once. I¡¯m going to find the vige chief right now, we definitely need to report this to the police. Such a person, if not arrested and taught a lesson in jail, who knows how many more people he will harm in the future.

    Don¡¯t you all think so?¡±

    Bai Jianguo, not admitting it was good. By denying it, he could escte the situation.

    Now, let¡¯s see how Li Chunhua and Bai Jianguo will wrap this up?

    Bai Xiao, looking at all the vigers present, tears streaming down, ¡°All esteemed elders and aunts and uncles, please stand up for me! My brother and sisters clearly sent me money every month, but it ended up being embezzled by this heartless postal worker, and for four years at that. Think about it, that¡¯s four years. That almost amounts to more than a thousand yuan.

    In our peasant homes, that¡¯s enough to build a house, yet because of the postal worker¡¯s corruption, my uncle and grandmother thought I was freeloading; I believe that my grandmother and uncle are not unkind people. Taking my elder siblings¡¯ money, how could they let me starve meal after meal? The clothes I wear were made by my parents before they passed away. Over the years, they became small, and I had to patch them with scraps of cloth, not realizing it was all because the postal worker was embezzling our money.

    If I don¡¯t get him jailed, I wouldn¡¯t be doing justice to my brother and sisters, who have worked so hard saving money for my education, and not to mention my uncle and grandmother who care for me as if I¡¯m their own child. You all must help me prove this, we can¡¯t let such a viin escape!¡± Bai Xiao, furious, headed toward the vige chief¡¯s house.

    Bai Jianguo dared not let Bai Xiao actually go to the vige chief¡¯s house. Once the issue reached the vige chief, who would be fool enough?

    Just querying at the post office who signed the withdrawal forms and whose seal was stamped would clearly show they were lying.

    Then their family¡¯s reputation in the vige would be well established.

    Bai Jianguo gave his mother a meaningful nce. At a time like this, of course, the me should be pushed onto the grandmother, she could afford to be shameless, but he still had to live in this vige, and his children had to marry and start families; the entire family couldn¡¯t bear the stigma of misappropriating their niece¡¯s living expenses.

    Li Chunhua suddenly pped her knee, ¡°Bai Xiao, what nonsense are you talking? It¡¯s your grandmother, I took the money. I was saving these funds for you, how else could you have continued your education all these years? What about your food and drink that cost money?¡±

    The crowd immediately started murmuring quietly. Though rural people were simple, it didn¡¯t mean they were fools. Just moments ago, the grandmother was proiming how hard she and her son worked to raise this grandchild and support her education, loudlyining that this grandchild was an ungrateful wolf, unwilling to work for them.

    Now, out of the blue, she admitted she took the money¡ª19 yuan a month, enough even for white flour.

    But what was the child wearing? What did she eat daily? Anyone with eyes could see for themselves.

    It turned out that Bai Xiao¡¯s high school education was paid for by her elder siblings, which had nothing to do with the grandmother and uncle.

    Bai Xiao, startled, feigned a face full of regret, ¡°Grandmother, so you really took the money. If only you had told me sooner, just now I almost went to the vige chief. If we had used the postal worker, that would have been wronging him, knowing now that you took the money, I¡¯m relieved.

    ¡°Over the years, it was my older brothers and sisters who paid for my high school education, and the food and drink I consumed were from my own home. Now that Grandma has given me some money, I need to buy medicine. This isn¡¯t excessive, is it? I haven¡¯t spent any money from my uncle¡¯s family.¡±

    The timid expression suddenly made everyone notice the numerous scars on Bai Xiao¡¯s face and body, especially the two bumps on her head, which looked particrly frightening. Someone couldn¡¯t help but speak out, ¡°Grandma Bai Xiao, you really went too far this time. Are you trying to kill the child? What kind of parent beats their child to this extent? And you¡¯re her grandmother.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not for you, Grandma, to worry whether she should go for a job. Her brother and sisters will take care of that.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, hurry up and give her some money for a check-up. If something serious happened as a result of the beating, fine, we¡¯d understand it was to teach her a lesson, but it would look really bad, as if you were after her inheritance to harm her.¡±

    ¡°This child is really too pitiful; she needs to be seen.¡±

    Li Chunhua smiled awkwardly at everyone and said, ¡°I actually just told her to rest a bit. When we country folk are sick or affected by disaster, who goes and takes medicine? We just endure and get over it. Who considers themselves so precious?¡±

    Asking the olddy for money was like trying to extract her heart.

    Under such circumstances, she still clung on stubbornly.

    Bai Xiao swayed a moment, and her aunt immediately steadied her.

    Feeling her forehead, her aunt eximed in surprise and concern.

    ¡°Oh my, how can this child have such a high fever? You adults are also to me, not fearing that the child might end up seriously ill. Quickly, take her to the vige clinic to get some medication.¡±

    The other aunts immediately overflowed with sympathy, and everyone¡¯s stance suddenly changed.

    ¡°What a sin! How could you beat a child like that?¡±

    ¡°Quickly, take the child to see a doctor!¡±

    Bai Jianguo also knew that if he didn¡¯t show the right attitude now, his hard-earned reputation might be worthless in everyone¡¯s eyes, and he would be seen as deceitful and duplicitous.

    He couldn¡¯t afford to gamble or lose on this.

    He urgently said to Li Chunhua, ¡°Mother, I didn¡¯t know about this. Why didn¡¯t you tell me about these things over the years? Here I thought I was the one supporting the child. Isn¡¯t this just a giant joke? You¡¯re old, and if you wanted some money for elder care from your grandchildren, this wasn¡¯t the way to do it.

    Quickly give me two yuan so I can take Bai Xiao for a check-up; we can¡¯t dy her treatment.¡± All of this made pushing the responsibility to the elderly mother seem reasonable.

    Li Chunhua also knew she couldn¡¯t keep resisting, so, grudgingly, she pulled out two yuan from her pocket and handed it to Bai Jianguo, but an immediate hand reached out and snatched it away.

    It was Bai Xiao who took it.

 Chapter 6 - 6 6 Argue with Reason

    ?Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Argue with Reason   Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Argue with Reason                                   ¡°Joking aside, if this money ends up in the hands of my uncle, it will probably just cover the cost of a couple of fever-reducing pills for me¡ªthe rest will surely end up in his own pocket.¡±

    She is really poor now. If she remembers correctly, every time her brother and sister bring her a small amount of pocket money, Bai Mei has, through a mix of coaxing and coercion, taken it from her.¡±

    She doesn¡¯t have a single penny in her hands now.

    This two yuan might actually stay in her own hands, and after all, it¡¯s her brother and sister¡¯s money¡ªwhy shouldn¡¯t she keep it?

    ¡°Uncle, I can go see the doctor by myself. You don¡¯t need toe with me. If I need an injection or anything, it would be inconvenient for you,¡± Bai Xiao immediately pushed Bai Jianguo ten thousand miles away.

    Bai Jianguo felt slightly awkward. His usually taciturn niece, who used to suffer in silence, had suddenly straightened her back. Especially today, she spoke sharply, her eyes bright; she even knew how to tear up in front of others, her expressions and actions incredibly natural.

    He fell into the trap in an instant.

    Li Chunhua was anxious. ¡°Xiao, don¡¯t be unreasonable. Let your uncle handle the money. It¡¯s not good for a young girl like you to handle money. It might lead you to squander it. Besides, who needs two yuan just to see a doctor? If you give the money to your uncle, he can take care of it for you!¡± In front of so many people, Li Chunhua couldn¡¯t be too harsh on Bai Xiao. Despite her tough personality, she still cared about saving face; she couldn¡¯t just beat or scold Bai Xiao in front of the whole vige, so she tried to persuade her in a softer tone.

    Unfortunately, she was mistaken.

    Bai Xiao was no longer the submissive girl she used to be. Holding the money, she smiled slyly, ¡°Grandma, this money is meant for my use by my brother and sister, right?¡± She didn¡¯t believe the olddy would dare to deny it in front of so many people.

    Li Chunhua wanted to re as she usually did, but realizing the situation was different today, she reluctantly smiled, concealing her irritation. ¡°Xiao, of course, this money is from your brother and sister. No one is denying that! But it¡¯s not easy for your brother and sister to earn money either. Nothinges easily, and we can¡¯t waste money. Grandma is only thinking of your best interests!¡±

    Bai Jianguo looked at Bai Xiao andughed, ¡°Mom, Xiao didn¡¯t mean it that way. This child is so sensible; how could she not understand your intentions? Maybe, Xiao, let your uncle take you to the clinic. Grandma has always seen you as a child!¡±

    Bai Xiao put the money in her pocket. ¡°Uncle, Grandma¡¯s way of thinking isn¡¯t right, is it? My brother and sisters intended this money to be spent on me. I¡¯m using it for medical expenses, which are for me as well, so how can that be called wasteful? I might still be young, but I¡¯m already eighteen. What could I possibly squander in a clinic? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to buy piles of medicine to take home¡ªthat would be foolish! Grandma, Uncle, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not foolish!¡±

    Even in her anxiety, Li Chunhua had nothing left to say; the money was already secured in a pocket.

    She could only feign politeness, ¡°You child, alright then. Go have a look, but hurry back. We are waiting for you at home to eat!¡±

    Bai Xiao sneered. They were certainly just waiting for her to cook!

    ¡°Alright, Grandma, Uncle, I¡¯ll just have a look ande right back!¡± She turned and left without pausing. With medicine now within reach, there was no need for her to force herself into a do-or-die situation. She was also worried that she might have misjudged the situation. Rebirth is not a benefit everyone could ept, and she wasn¡¯t willing to gamble with her life.

    Li Chunhua and Bai Jianguo smiled at everyone. ¡°Everyone, please go back. Look at this child, stirring everyone up over such a trifle. Please go back and have your meal!¡±

    The crowd dispersed gradually. As for what they thought privately, that was a matter of personal perspective.

    Once the door closed, what people said was beyond Li Chunhua and Bai Jianguo¡¯s control.

    Watching everyone disperse, Li Chunhua spat on the ground and was about to start cursing.

    Bai Jianguo¡¯s head had been aching terribly today. He had lost face, as people always mentioned how he had supported his deceased brother¡¯s daughter and praised him as a righteous man. From today, however, he feared that behind his back, there would be no shortage of pointing fingers and gossip. This really was losing his wife and soldiers in one fell swoop.

    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t let othersugh at us, let¡¯s hurry home! The children are hungry!¡± He did not want to lose face in public anymore.

    Unable to walk away, Bai Zhuang and Bai Shan pulled Li Chunhua back home. In this household, Bai Jianguo was the one who called the shots. Despite the olddy¡¯s fierceness, Li Chunhua, ever since her eldest son and daughter-inw died in a car ident, followed by her husband¡¯s death from depression within a couple of years, knew she could only rely on her youngest son and had to depend on him for her old age. Thus, she always yielded to Bai Jianguo and dared not say much.

    Seeing her son storm off, Li Chunhua followed him.

    As she entered the door, Li Chunhua sat down in the corridor, fuming, having had enough of that wretched girl today.

    Bai Shan brought her some water to wash up, and then went to fetch water for himself to wash off the day¡¯s sweat ¡ª it was sticky and ufortable without a wash.

    Upon lifting the wooden lid of the water jar, Bai Shan frowned, ¡°Dad, Mom, we¡¯re out of water!¡±

    Thinking that Bai Xiao had been knocked out by Grandma yesterday, and this morning no one had fetched water. Typically, this thankless task was Bai Xiao¡¯s job, and nobody else bothered with it.

    Hao Fang had just entered the home, dyed because she had left her insoles out in the field and had to go back for them, missing the earlier drama. As soon as she walked in and heard her son¡¯sint, she grew frustrated.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Bai Xiao? All day doing nothing but eating, where the heck did she die off to? Bai Shan, go call her out to fetch water. The whole family needs it!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Bai Shan shook his head, ¡°Mom, forget it, Bai Xiao went to the clinic to see a doctor. She¡¯s not home!¡±

    Hearing this, Hao Fang¡¯s anger red, ¡°What? Where did Bai Xiao get money from? If she dares get medicine on credit, I¡¯ll tan her hide. Mom, why don¡¯t you manage this? The house is full of children, and there¡¯s no spare money for her doctor¡¯s visits. You can¡¯t be sox; soon Bai Shan and Bai Zhuang will need marriage funds, and we still don¡¯t know where that wille from. She¡¯s not your only granddaughter.¡±

    Li Chunhua was left gaping, trapped between her son whom she dared not offend and a daughter-inw who might turn on her, making her life unbearable, ¡°That was money given by Bai Xiao¡¯s brother and sister, why shouldn¡¯t she spend it?¡±

    Hao Fang was taken aback, as the olddy had never spoken like this before.

    ¡°Ah, Mom, don¡¯t you always dote on your two grandsons the most? How could you say that? Can¡¯t I even blow off some steam?¡± ncing at Bai Jianguo, she noticed her husband¡¯s expression was sour, suggesting something was amiss.

    Bai Jianguo red at her, ¡°Just go and tend to the dishes; the whole family is hungry. All you do is run your mouth, and now you speak to Mom like this?¡±

    With no option, Hao Fang sulkily pushed aside the curtain and went to the kitchen.

    Upon entering, there was a cry of rm.

 Chapter 7 - 7 7 Discussing the Conspiracy

    ?Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Discussing the Conspiracy   Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Discussing the Conspiracy                                   ¡°My goodness, that damn girl didn¡¯t even cook?¡± Hao Fang lifted the lid of the pot, staring at the empty cauldron, feeling her breath catch in her chest.

    Having been lying down for a nap in the house just a moment ago, Bai Mei hurried out upon hearing the noise, ¡°What? Bai Xiao that damn girl didn¡¯t cook? I asked her to cook just a while ago, never thought this girl would deceive me like this. I clearly saw her going into the kitchen.¡±

    Bai Jianguo kicked over the washbasin with a smack.

    Everyone in the courtyard was too terrified to breathe aloud.

    ¡°Bai Mei, weren¡¯t you the one asked to cook? You might as well be dead fromziness,¡± Li Chunhua scolded her granddaughter. Now everyone knew probably Bai Mei had seen Bai Xiao getting up and didn¡¯t feel like working. Not just Bai Mei had this thought; even the olddy concurred when she encountered Bai Xiao earlier.

    Bai Mei muttered, ¡°Who knew Bai Xiao would dare to be so brazen now, not even cooking the meals. Grandma, you can¡¯t just let this go; otherwise, she¡¯ll develop even worse habits. Eating from our family, living in our home, and she still dares to argue, acting like she¡¯s some kind of missy.¡±

    Her father pped her across the face before she finished speaking, ¡°Get lost, go and cook now!¡±

    Bai Mei covered her face, stunned by the p.

    Her father usually neverid a finger on her; he must have gone mad today.

    Nevertheless, when Bai Jianguo really lost his temper, which of the children in the house wouldn¡¯t be frightened?

    Li Chunhua couldn¡¯t stand it. Bai Mei, Bai Shan, and Bai Zhuang were all raised by her hand. Although she had been a bit harsh on Bai Xiao, it didn¡¯t mean she wasn¡¯t fond of her grandchildren. Naturally, she treated these three differently from Bai Xiao.

    She grabbed Bai Mei, whose face now bore the clear imprint of a hand, because Bai Jianguo¡¯s anger had made him strike too hard, causing half of her face to swell up.

    Bai Mei¡¯s eyes welled up with tears of self-pity when her grandmother examined her.

    ¡°Grandma, look at my dad, hitting me without even asking. I didn¡¯t say anything wrong; it¡¯s all that jinx¡¯s fault. Just look at the trouble she¡¯s caused me the moment she got up.¡±

    Li Chunhua shook her head, ¡°Just calm down for now. Your dad is upset today. Go quickly and help your mom with the cooking, and don¡¯t provoke him further. The whole family still needs to work the fields this afternoon.¡± She pushed the reluctant Bai Mei towards the kitchen.

    Seeing that even her grandma wasn¡¯t siding with her this time, Bai Mei felt both anxious and angry, and with a toss of her head, she turned and strode into the kitchen.

    Li Chunhua scolded Bai Jianguo, ¡°You really are brutal with your own daughter. Aren¡¯t you worried about ruining her face and how she will marry off in the future?¡±

    Bai Jianguo was seething. Bai Xiao¡¯s sudden defiance unnerved him; although the damn girl constantly worked around the house, her grades were surprisingly good. If Bai Xiao actually got into a university and went to study somewhere else, not to even mention getting into a university, it wasparable to securing a job for life. In the future, she would definitely get work cement and even a city household registration.

    Bai Xiao had left their family, and from now on, how could Bai Song, Bai Yue, and Bai Ju still send them money?

    That was neen dors a month.

    Bai Jianguo had nned everything perfectly: Bai Zhuang was about to get married, and the wedding with the Wu Family was set to take ce after the New Year. But the Wu Family wasn¡¯t easy to deal with, Wu Xiaoyue¡¯s mother was very calcting. Not only did she demand a bride price of two hundred dors, but she also insisted on building a new house for the young couple.

    Plus the traditional three circuits and one shot of the betrothal ceremony, there was no way to proceed without a thousand dors in total.

    In the past two years, Bai Xiao had hardly cost them anything, and Bai Jianguo had already saved up a thousand dors. He counted on the next six months to cover the bride price, as Li Chunhua forced Bai Xiao to go out and work, partly to earn the betrothal money for their family.

    So, no matter what, he could not allow Bai Xiao to go to school.

    ¡°Mom, I didn¡¯t even know. It¡¯s all because Bai Xiao got under my skin. She said these things in front of everyone in the vige today. Think about what the vigers will say about our family. Although Bai Zhuang is already engaged, Bai Mei and Bai Shan aren¡¯t. If people find out we¡¯ve been withholding our niece¡¯s living expenses, who would dare to take our children? It¡¯s all because she angered us.¡± With Li Chunhua, Bai Jianguo didn¡¯t hold back. He knew his dear mother had his back; after all, she only had this one son to depend on in her old age.

    Li Chunhua clenched her teeth, ¡°Bai Xiao, that damned girl, must have eaten the heart of a bear and the gall of a leopard today to dare spread such nonsense outside. You shouldn¡¯t have let her go to the clinic in the first ce. That cost me two dors. When shees back, I will have to take care of that girl for sure!¡± The olddy had made up her mind to beat Bai Xiao with a stick when she returned that evening, unable to believe that breaking Bai Xiao¡¯s legs wouldn¡¯t stop her from badmouthing them outside.

    Bai Jianguo knew how the olddy thought and did not stop her. After all, disciplining his niece had never been his responsibility. Even if the vigers eventually found out, the me would fall on the olddy. But if they didn¡¯t discipline Bai Xiao, the girl would grow increasingly bold, and that would indeed be difficult to handleter on.

    ¡°Mom, I think we can¡¯t let this damned girl go to school. In the next few days, pay more attention to the vige postman. Make sure to meet with him, and have the letters delivered directly to our hands. We absolutely cannot let Bai Xiao get her hands on them. Also, send a telegram to Bai Song, telling him to send more money home. You know Bai Zhuang¡¯s wedding ising up, and I¡¯m really anxious about it,¡± Bai Jianguo suggested.

    Li Chunhua¡¯s face turned savage, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my second son. When ites to handling this damned girl, she won¡¯t flip out of my palm. Once I get her admission letter, I¡¯ll tear it up and throw it on the back hill to cut off her hopes. Let her earn money for the family honestly. We raised her, and she should contribute to the family.¡±

    Bai Jianguo felt reassured inside. As long as the olddy took action, generally, nothing would go wrong.

    Hao Fang came out with a dustpan, her face full of anger, her lips trembling with fury.

    ¡°Granny, look at this! Not only did that girl not cook for the family, but she also had the gall to make herself some noodle soup with white flour and eggs. Look, the eggshells are still thrown here. I¡¯m not wronging her. If you don¡¯t take care of this, she¡¯ll really tear the roof down.

    We seldom eat in white flour at home, saving it for festivals and holidays. The everyday bread is always made by mixing flours. But she¡¯s been extravagant. If this goes on, our family can¡¯t support such an ancestor,¡± sheined to Li Chunhua while hitting the dustpan.

    Li Chunhua¡¯s nose was about to go crooked from the anger.

    Bai Xiao was really getting bolder now.

    Wait, you wretched girl!

 Chapter 8 - 8 8 The Egg Incident Unfolds

    ?Chapter 8: Chapter 8: The Egg Incident Unfolds   Chapter 8: Chapter 8: The Egg Incident Unfolds                                   Bai Xiao arrived at the clinic where the vige doctor, Doctor Xu, used to be a barefoot doctor, walking through streets and alleys to treat the vigers for headaches and fevers. Later, due to government policies, every vige had to establish a clinic, and since it was hard to find the right person, the vige chief and the vigers decided to let Uncle Xu take the position directly.

    Uncle Xu examined her and, using a thermometer to check her fever, continuously shook his head in disapproval. ¡°The family of this child is truly irresponsible,¡± hemented as he looked over her body full of wounds. ¡°In fact, the lump on her head and the untreated wounds filled with dirt and dust have led to the inmmation. Now her fever has already reached 39.5 degrees Celsius. If it continues, I fear the child might be feverish and delirious.¡±

    He gave her an injection to reduce the fever and handed Bai Xiao about a dozen pills from a bottle, instructing her to take two at a time, three times a day; she should recover in about three days. He also advised her to keep the wounds dry and to rest more in the next few days.

    But he knew that his advice might as well be in vain. This girl from the Bai Family was always busy with various chores around the vige. Moreover, since she lived with her grandmother and uncle instead of her own parents¡ªwho might have insisted she rest properly at home¡ªhe doubted his advice would be heeded.

    Bai Xiao nodded her head in thanks to Uncle Xu and reached into her pocket to give him money.

    Uncle Xu was somewhat surprised that this girl actually had money in her pocket.

    Most vigers ran a tab and settled their dues at the end of the year. He took fifty cents from her and let her go.

    After receiving the injection, Bai Xiao already felt less feverish. The whole ordeal had drenched her in sweat, which might actually help break the fever.

    Securing the remaining one yuan and fifty cents in her pocket, Bai Xiao walked back home, wondering what she should do next.

    Since she had returned, the first step was to get her admission letter. If she remembered correctly, it was due in the next few days. This time, she could not let Li Chunhua intercept the letter, the key to changing her fate, and force her into servitude for the Bai Family unless she agreed to it.

    Once she had the admission letter, she would face an even more serious problem. Although the government provided monthly stipends for students, these only covered the basic necessities and started after arriving at school, merely enough for routine meals in the cafeteria. However, the travel expenses to and from the university were supposed to be out of her own pocket.

    Not to mention university bedding and other essentials; she had to prepare her luggage herself. Having defied the wishes of Li Chunhua and Bai Jianguo, she couldn¡¯t even dream of their assistance with these items; not setting traps for her already counted as fortunate.

    So, the pressing issue now was finding some money. Once she had the admission letter in a few days, she would visit her sister and decide what to do next. These days, no family was truly well-off. One of her sisters had four children, the other three children; both families struggled to make ends meet. They managed to save two yuan a month for her, cutting their expenses to the bare minimum, but travel costs for university were not just a few yuan.

    Moreover, in her previous life, both sisters didn¡¯t have it easy. After she left, afraid of being discovered, she dared not contact them. Only yearster did she hear that her older sister fell off a cliff while searching for her one night and died instantly, and her second sister had contracted a severe disease and hadnguished in bed for over a decade before passing away.

    Her older brother had already been killed in action, and not one of the remaining children lived a good life.

    She missed her sisters and brother, the people who had been closest to her in the world. No matter how hard or tough her life was, they had always treated her kindly. Bai Xiao did not know whether they were aware of her real background, but they showed her the greatest kindness and warmth in the world, which had fueled her resolve to endure the hardships that followed.

    This time, everything was imminent; she wished her family safe, that all her brothers and sisters would live safely and healthily until old age.

    While thinking about this, she involuntarily remembered her special ability. She must retrieve her own special ability, for it was so potent that it could bring the dead back to life and reduce white bones to dust. With herter mastered proficiency, she undoubtedly deserved to snatch people right from the hands of Lord Yama.

    As long as there was a breath left in someone, that person absolutely couldn¡¯t die.

    For her brothers and sisters, for herself, she also had to retrieve her special ability.

    As she walked back to the Bai Family home and entered the courtyard, the whole family sat under the persimmon tree in the yard, eating dinner. Several people saw her enter, but none even lifted their eyelids; Bai Xiao had long grown ustomed to this treatment.

    After all, if they didn¡¯t consider her part of the family, she didn¡¯t consider them part of hers either.

    Bai Xiao called out to Li Chunhua, ¡°Grandma, the doctor gave me an injection and prescribed some medicine, told me to rest more at home, so I¡¯m going to lie down for a while.¡± As no one else cared about her presence, she didn¡¯t want to stay and be an eyesore, twisting her body as she headed straight for her own small house next to the livestock shed in the back yard.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Li Chunhua red with her triangr, droopy eyes. She mmed her chopsticks down on the table with such force that the bowls on it jumped three times.

    Bai Xiao stopped; the olddy was apparently tallying up past grievances.

    She suddenly realized she was still about ten steps away from the courtyard gate. Given that everyone was eating inside their homes and the gate was wide open, she had noticed as she passed by that the neighboring Aunty¡¯s family, young and old, were all dining there.

    ¡°Grandma, what¡¯s the matter?¡± pretending ignorance, Bai Xiao asked.

    ¡°You still have the cheek to ask? How can you be so greedy? Was it you who messed with the flour at home? Were the eggs eaten by you? How old are you now? For a girl, how embarrassing it is to be so greedy, what will people say about our family raising a child like that?¡±

    Bai Xiaoughed, ¡°Grandma, you beat me unconscious in the room all day yesterday; I didn¡¯t eat or drink. Barely getting up at noon, I was seeing stars, but thinking of the leftover rice from breakfast in the kitchen. It turned out that grandma and uncle, you didn¡¯t leave any food for me. Usually, Bai Mei, Bai Shan, and Bai Zhuang, when they are sick, aren¡¯t they eating flour and eggs? I thought being sick meant eating those, so I took the liberty of maybe noodling some egg into the soup. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± Generally in the Bai Family, of course, only Bai Jianguo¡¯s three children received such treatment. As for her? She only had the chance to envy.

    Li Chunhua, angry enough to want to stand up and hit someone, scolded, ¡°You damn girl, do you even see whether you have the destiny to eat flour and eggs? I say one thing, you answer ten, do you think you are like Bai Mei or them? Don¡¯t you even look at what you weigh, eating and drinking for free and still being picky, why haven¡¯t you choked on your greed yet?¡±

    These words became unbearable for Bai Jianguo to hear; it was as if he was being included in the usation.

    Having just announced in front of the entire vige that the olddy had taken Bai Xiao¡¯s money, to now say she freeloaded truly was unreasonable, and he had no face to say that.

 Chapter 9 - 9 9 Help

    ?Chapter 9: Chapter 9 Help!   Chapter 9: Chapter 9 Help!                                   Bai Xiao looked at Li Chunhua and Bai Jianguo with a smile that was not quite a smile, ¡°Grandma, I can¡¯t agree with you there. Just today, in front of the whole vige, you said yourself that you receive the 19 yuan each month from my elder brother and sisters. Even if I were to eat flour and eggs with every meal, I¡¯m afraid that 19 yuan would be enough. I¡¯m not living here for nothing.¡±

    ¡°Uncle, do you think I¡¯m living for free too? If you do, then I really need to have a word with you. Although I don¡¯t work in the fields as much as Bai Shan and Bai Zhuang, out of the 365 days in a year, I must work at least a hundred of them. Not to mention the pigs and chickens at home, they are all raised and fed by me. How can you say that I can¡¯t even have an egg?¡±

    ¡°Uncle, grandma, let¡¯s make things clear today. If you think I shouldn¡¯t eat flour and eggs, then grandma, just give me my living expenses, and I¡¯ll go back to our old family house to live. I believe I won¡¯t starve to death.¡± Bai Xiao really didn¡¯t want to continue putting up a pretense with them.

    Bai Jianguo¡¯s face darkened. His niece, who was usually so subservient that not even three ps could coax an opinion out of her, was now demanding an exnation with her finger pointed at his nose. The disparity in his feelings was too great.

    Li Chunhua lost her temper, ¡°You little wretch, you¡¯ve really turned the world upside down now, daring to talk back to me about money and food. Let me tell you, I am your grandmother, and the money your brother and sisters give is my retirement money, not a penny of it is for you. I¡¯ll see I don¡¯t beat you to death today, you little wretch.¡± The olddy¡¯s eyes roamed, searching for something handy to hit Bai Xiao with.

    Her gaze fell on the carrying pole standing in the corner of the room, which was usually used for carrying water and was propped up against the wall after use.

    The olddy dashed over in a swift motion, picked up the carrying pole, and swung it at Bai Xiao without a second thought. Because it was so sudden, and the most important reason being that Bai Xiao wanted to take the hit so that outsiders would see the truth and sympathize with her, she could not handle the Bai family by herself after all. If Bai Shan and Bai Zhuang were to tie her up and throw her into the woodshed, and she starved to death, at most people would say she died from a fever.

    And with no evidence to prove otherwise, such incidents where a minor illness in the countryside turned into a major one and resulted in death were far toomon. These cases would neither go through the hospital nor the police station, and as long as the situation was concealed and exined to the vigers, nobody would delve too deeply into it, as it was something that could happen to any family.

    If she were to truly die, it would likely be in vain.

    Even when her elder brothers and sisters who could stand up for her returned, her bones might already have turned to ash.

    So she took the blow solidly, and Bai Xiao even deliberately bumped into the iron hook of the carrying pole. The angle and force of the impact were such that when she collided with it, her arm was cruelly caught by the hook. Her sleeve tore immediately, and a wound appeared on her arm, the flesh turning inside out and the blood flowing unstoppably.

    Clutching her shoulder, Bai Xiao ran outside; this hit was enough, she definitely wasn¡¯t nning to let the olddy beat her to no end.

    ¡°Help, Auntie, Uncle, Vige Chief Uncle, help! My grandmother is trying to beat me to death!¡± Bai Xiao screamed and cried, her voice summoning all the vigers. Many of them were so shocked by the sight of a young girl covered in bloody wounds that they almost suffered heart attacks.

    Upon a closer look, they realized it was Bai Xiao. It hadn¡¯t been long since everyone dispersed over the Bai family¡¯s issues, and now this girl was covered in blood and screaming for help, leading many bystanders toe over. Some kind-hearted vigers were already supporting her, ¡°Oh dear, what happened to you? How did you end up like this? Where are your grandmother and uncle?¡±

    Crying and pleading, Bai Xiao said, ¡°Auntie, Uncle, please, I beg you to call the vige chief over quickly, my grandmother wants to beat me to death.¡±

    Everyone was startled, what was going on here?

    Hadn¡¯t everything been just fine a moment ago?

    ¡°Alright, Dashan, go call the vige chief and the security Director, let¡¯s see how serious this girl¡¯s injuries are. If things go wrong, it could really cost her life,¡± said the elder Wang Da Niang from the vige, seventy-six this year. Highly respected, she had five sons in the house, and generally nobody would bother the olddy. However, Wang Da Niang was also a reasonable person, never misbehaving in the vige.

    The vigers all respected Wang Da Niang deeply. If there were any disputes or quarrels within a family, whether it be between inws or mother and daughter-inw, Wang Da Niang was always the one to mediate.

    Without hesitation, her grandson agreed and quickly ran to fetch the vige chief.

    Vige Chief Liu Baoguo and security Director Li Guoqing had already hurried over upon hearing the news.

    Li Chunhua and Bai Jianguo hurried out of the courtyard, surrounded by so many people. Li Chunhua¡¯s face turned white then ck, and still looked unattractive. She had thought that after closing the door and beating the death out of this wretched girl, everything would be done. She hadn¡¯t expected this girl to actually grow legs and dare to run outside, now they¡¯ve really lost face.

    Bai Jianguo had long since darkened his face.

    He had never thought that the child would be such a worry.

    Seeing all the condemning eyes around him, he realized that he had been too impulsive just now. No matter what, he couldn¡¯t mistreat his niece, Bai Xiao, in front of outsiders. His face was telling, and nobody could miss it.

    ¡°Jianguo, what happened to your family¡¯s Bai Xiao? Look at the child, she¡¯s covered in blood. Although you are her uncle and grandmother, separated by ayer of kinship, she is still the child of your elder brother¡¯s family. You can¡¯t be too harsh! Look at how you¡¯ve beaten this child,¡± Wang Da Niang could no longer hold back and spoke up.

    Weeping quietly in Wang Da Niang¡¯s arms, Bai Xiao said, ¡°Grandma, please don¡¯t say anymore, it¡¯s all my fault for eating wheat flour and eggs, and for saying that the money my elder brother and sister sent was enough for my meals. That made grandma angry. But I really didn¡¯t know that the money they sent was for grandma¡¯s retirement. My brother and sister only told me they had already given my life expenses to my little uncle and grandma, and told me not to worry about food. I truly didn¡¯t know that the responsibility for supporting grandma in her old age was not on my little uncle but on my elder brother and sister.¡±

    The fearful look on her face made everyone feel sad. Wang Da Niang, infuriated, turned to Bai Jianguo, ¡°You¡¯ve got some nerve, Jianguo! Everyone knows it¡¯s natural for a son to support his mother, but I¡¯ve never heard of expecting a grandson or granddaughter to do so. Are you dead or missing arms and legs to be relying on your own nephew and niece to provide for your mother? Our Shipan Vige has really produced a great personality.¡±

    Those words hit Bai Jianguo like a p in the face; he almost stumbled. He couldn¡¯t ept such an usation. Not to mention the whole vige, even in the nearby viges or the county, there was no precedent for a son requiring his grandchildren to support their grandmother. He couldn¡¯t bear such a reputation.

    He walked past Li Chunhua to pull Bai Xiao and frantically checked her injuries. Turning his head in a panic, Bai Jianguo said, ¡°Wang Da Niang, this child is not making herself clear, where is there such a thing? It was just her grandmother scolding her for being gluttonous and eating white flour and eggs. Ah! After all, I am her uncle, it¡¯s not my ce to say this. Xiao, let your uncle first take you to see a doctor, we can¡¯t let these injuries linger¡­¡±

 Chapter 10 - 10 10 Not Going

    ?Chapter 10: Chapter 10: Not Going   Chapter 10: Chapter 10: Not Going                                   Bai Jianguo was speaking when he looked down again at the wound on Bai Xiao¡¯s arm. The sight of the bloodied, everted flesh made his heart skip a beat. Still, his eyes quickly reddened, his face filled with unbearable pain.

    Mrs. Wang finally breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that she might have wronged Bai Jianguo earlier. After all, Bai Jianguo was renowned in the vige for his righteousness. In theory, he wasn¡¯t the sort tomit such inhumane acts. Perhaps there really was more to the story.

    The vige chief, Liu Baoguo, and Li Guoqing had alreadye over. ¡°What happened here? Bai Jianguo, I heard someone in your family might lose their life. What¡¯s going on?¡±

    As the two men approached, they caught sight of Bai Xiao¡¯s bloody appearance and were profoundly shocked.

    ¡°Oh, Xiao, what happened? Tell your uncle, the vige chief will take care of it for you.¡±

    Though it wasmon for families to have their squabbles and chaos on normal days, no one could afford a loss of life. If that happened, they couldn¡¯t just stand by. Both the vige chief and the director were responsible for the safety of the entire vige.

    Bai Jianguo quickly put on a weak smile and said, ¡°Vige chief, Director, I¡¯m sorry for causing a stir. It¡¯s just some children at home not listening to their elders. I¡¯ll take the child to get this hand treated first, and I¡¯ll exin the restter. Ah, the kids are growing up and indeed, they aren¡¯t close to us anymore¡­¡±

    ¡°Right, right, you better get that checked quickly. In this sweltering heat, if it¡¯s not handled well, it could be serious. I wonder if Old Xu can handle this wound? If not, I¡¯m afraid we might need to borrow a tractor to send him to the county. We can¡¯t dy looking after the kid!

    You also need to be careful with how hard you are on the children. How could you beat the child like this? Bai Jianguo, let me tell you, even if this child wasn¡¯t yours by birth, even if it were your own child, you¡¯d still be legally responsible if anything fatal happened. Don¡¯t think this child has no one to look after him.¡± Liu Baoguo was warning Bai Jianguo and also admonishing him to keep an eye on Li Chunhua, who was Bai Jianguo¡¯s mother and the child¡¯s grandmother.

    Bai Jianguo quickly nodded, sensing that the vige chief¡¯s tone was not as harsh, and he rxed a little. ¡°I understand, vige chief. Honestly, I¡¯ve treated this child as my own all these years. I¡¯ve never shortchanged her at all. Ah, let¡¯s not talk about that now¡­ Xiao, let¡¯s go, your uncle will take you to the doctor! Don¡¯t worry, no matter how much it costs, I will make sure your hand is treated. You¡¯re going to kill your uncle with worry!¡±

    Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes turned cold.

    She had long suspected that Bai Jianguo would cover for his mother. The Bai family was always conscious of their image, presenting themselves well in public. It was absolutely impossible for them to expose such a shameful incident under broad daylight for everyone to see.

    Furthermore, it was very easy for Bai Jianguo to dismiss the vige chief and the director, which showed how well-regarded he was in the vige; his reputation wasn¡¯t for nothing. People respected him and would believe in his character, making it easy for him to take her away, effectively sweeping the incident under the rug.

    Late on, behind her back, Bai Jianguo and Li Chunhua might tell others that Bai Xiao was greedy and insensible, ruining the family¡¯s provisions. Despite times being better than before, not every family could afford to have wheat flour and eggs at every meal. They could easily pin this me on her.

    The entire vige might then see her as a greedy, conscienceless glutton, ungrateful despite being well-fed.

    Bai Jianguo had it all nned out, but now if he ever sought help from the vige chief and the Director, they might not be willing toe forward. By then, if Grandmother Li Chunhua decided to deal with him, there would be no one to stand up for him because he wasn¡¯t indestructible. Li Chunhua could easily strike where no one could see and nobody would help him.

    At that point, Li Chunhua would probably be fearless, and even if he sought help from the vige chief and the Director, he wouldn¡¯t be able to intimidate her anymore.

    She absolutely wouldn¡¯t let Li Chunhua get away with it, and continue to torment her.

    Bai Xiao pushed Bai Jianguo away and shrank back, ¡°Uncle, I won¡¯t go for treatment. Grandma said that the living allowance given by my brother and sister isn¡¯t for my meals, but for her retirement. I¡¯ve been freeloading at your ce already, and now I even have the audacity to spend your money on medical bills.

    Uncle, I know you are kind-hearted, but I can¡¯t be a burden to you anymore. I know it was wrong of me to eat the in noodles and eggs today. Normally, those are for Bai Mei, Bai Shan, and Bai Zhuang when they¡¯re sick. Yesterday, Grandmother beat me until I was unconscious all day, and today when there was no food left for me, I thought I, too, could eat because I was sick. It wasn¡¯t intentional, and had I known that the money from my brother and sister wasn¡¯t meant for my meals, I definitely wouldn¡¯t have eaten that bite of in noodles and eggs.

    I have been living in Uncle¡¯s house for four years; today was the first time I ate in noodles and eggs. I thought being sick, I could eat in noodles and eggs, also thinking the neen yuan from my brother and sister could afford me a meal of in noodles and eggs. If I knew it was Uncle¡¯s ration, I wouldn¡¯t eat it even if it killed me.¡±

    Bai Jianguo¡¯s face turned pale.

    He had just managed to cate the vige chief and everyone in the vige, thinking everything was finally settled. But he hadn¡¯t expected this fool of a girl toy everything out in front of everyone. Now, every word, every sentence Bai Xiao said felt like a harsh p across his face.

    ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m sorry, even though I live in your house and my brother and sister give me living expenses, I shouldn¡¯t eat contentedly without doing any work. That would make me utterly heartless. I know that Grandma and you don¡¯t like me. Otherwise, why would I strive to do all the housework all year round¡ªcooking, washing clothes, fetching water, feeding the pigs, feeding the chickens¡ªI do everything earnestly to make you like me, but no matter how hard I work, I dare not even sit at the table to eat. Each time, I wait for everyone to finish eating and then add some water to the pot, making do with what¡¯s left. I thought by not eating and volunteering for more chores, you might like me.

    But today I realized my mistake; I am freeloading in Uncle¡¯s house. No matter how much I do, it can¡¯tpare to Sister Bai Mei, who does nothing all day and yet is still loved when she dresses up prettily. Even if I don¡¯t eat a bite, I can¡¯tpare to Bai Zhuang, who can eat threerge bowls and five buns a meal and you still wouldn¡¯t mind because I am not a part of this family. I am superfluous here.

    So, Uncle, I won¡¯t let you take me to see a doctor. I cannot afford this favor. Since I am freeloading at Uncle¡¯s house, I will go back to my parents¡¯ house to live, whether I starve or work myself to death, I will definitely not beg for food from your house.¡±

    With these words, the rural folks¡¯ gazes fell on Bai Xiao, especially her clothing, which was highly conspicuous; the colors had faded so much that the original color was unrecognizable. The hems of the trousers and sleeves were much shorter and seemed to have been patched up with fabric from somewhere else.

    With that said, everyone suddenly remembered that her clothes might also have been made by her parents when they were still around, and it seemed she wore the same outfit every summer.

    With this realization, everyone¡¯s gaze at Bai Jianguo changed.

    Because Bai Mei was standing boldly at the entrance of the yard.

 Chapter 11 - 11 11 Pig Teammate

    ?Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Pig Teammate   Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Pig Teammate                                   In those days, no family could afford to wear new clothes all the time. There¡¯s amon saying, ¡°Mend and patch, itsts another three years.¡± Everyone¡¯s clothes, once torn, would be patched up. The older siblings would wear them first, then the younger ones, and so on down the line. Even worn-out rags were kept for patching shoes or making insoles.

    However, at Bai Jianguo¡¯s house, look at Bai Mei. Her clothes were the subject of recent boasting by Hao Fang to the neighbors, iming that her daughter was ready to start talking about marriagee autumn. Of course, a girl her age needs to be dressed up. She had been made a new outfit: a white blouse with tiny flowers, blue khaki pants, and a pair of ck cloth shoes with white edges.

    Many vige girls were envious of Bai Mei. Everyone knew that the Bai Family had an older brother in the military. He could send them cloth coupons, grain coupons, meat coupons, and so on, while other families had to save for years and beg just to get fabric. But the Bai Family was different; after all, they had a brother serving in the army.

    But whenpared to the girl living next door, Bai Xiao, who wore ck cloth shoes with two toes poking out, the disparity was stark. To have a girl her age wearing such shoes was a disgrace no vige family would allow. Moreover, Bai Song had joined the army and the items he sent back, like cloth coupons, were of course intended for his sister. It made no sense to give them to a cousin instead. Even if they were shared, both girls should have been treated equally.

    Thinking about Bai Xiao¡¯s life over the years, even in the bitter cold of winter, she would carry a shoulder pole to fetch water from the river a mile away every morning before dawn, regardless of the weather. Upon return, she¡¯d cut pigweed, and likely had to prepare pig feed, feed the chickens, before she could shoulder her schoolbag to go to school. After school, she would often be seen washing clothes and cooking for the familyte into the night, only then hanging up arge basin ofundry to dry.

    As for Bai Mei, it was rare to see her doing any chores. She would usually sit around gossiping with the vige girls, or sit by the courtyard door looking pretty and eating sunflower seeds.

    It was hard to see how Bai Jianguo favored his niece.

    With the grandmother and the younger uncle acting as they were, if it were said that the aunt was abusing her niece, it was hard to believe. The family lived together, yet for four years the child had never been allowed to sit at the table for a meal. She had to make do with the leftovers in the pot, adding some water and scraping it clean¡ªthat wasn¡¯t a meal, that was just washing out the pot.

    Back in the sixties during the natural disasters, when people were starving, eating pot scrapings was understandable.

    But now it was 1985, and although people couldn¡¯t be called wealthy, filling their bellies was certainly not a problem. They might not have meat and fish, but they could eat their fill. Furthermore, each year the Bai Jianguo family harvested their crops in bags upon bags. Yet he fed his niece nothing but pot scrapings.

    Bai Jianguo¡¯s face turned red with embarrassment under those meaningful stares.

    Bai Xiao was not going to let him off the hook this easily.

    Clutching her fingers tightly, with a pale face she said, ¡°Uncle, I know I can¡¯tpare to Bai Mei, Bai Shan, and the others, who¡¯s fault is it that my parents are gone? I can put up with being treated differently when ites to food, drink, and clothes, and I know Uncle, that taking care of me is already making it difficult for you. But Grandma wants to beat me to death! If I hadn¡¯t run out, Uncle, would you have thought the same as Grandma, locking me up and beating me to death, then telling the vigers that I died of a fever? I know Grandma wants to beat me to death; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have hit me so mercilessly. I want to live. I know Grandma is not happy with me going to school. The university eptance letter isn¡¯t even out yet, but she¡¯s already telling everyone that I didn¡¯t get in. My grades aren¡¯t bad; even the teachers say I have a good chance of getting epted. Isn¡¯t it just because Grandma doesn¡¯t want to spend the money, thinking it¡¯s a waste on me? In that case, Uncle Vige Chief, I¡¯m already eighteen. Just let me move back into our house. I can take care of myself. I won¡¯t be a burden to Grandma and Uncle!¡±

    Bai Xiao really wanted to leave the Bai Family. Before, she was too young, and her siblings couldn¡¯t do anything about it¡ªthey couldn¡¯t let her live alone. But now that she was eighteen, she was fully capable of living on her own. Most importantly, their own house would be sold by Uncle at the end of the year for three hundred dors. Then their family would truly have nothing left. Why should Bai Jianguo get to sell their house to get money for his own children to spend?

    Upon hearing this, Bai Jianguo almost jumped up in shock, his eyes instantly filled with rage, but he could only hastily deny it.

    ¡°Xiao, how can you think this way about Uncle? Don¡¯t you know in your heart how Uncle has treated you? Have I ever hit or scolded you over these years?¡± He was trying to divert the issue.

    Unfortunately for the clever Bai Jianguo, he had an unreliable mother. Li Chunhua had already dashed out, grabbed Bai Xiao by the arm, and unfortunately grabbed her right where her wound was, causing Bai Xiao to shiver with pain.

    Wang Da Nai pulled Li Chunhua away, ¡°What are you doing? Can¡¯t you see the child is hurt and you still want to beat her to death?¡± Her eyes were full of disapproval; Wang Da Niang detested those who bullied the meek and feared the strong.

    Bullying a child without parents, what kind of behavior was that? People couldn¡¯t understand; wasn¡¯t Bai Xiao the biological daughter of Li Chunhua¡¯s eldest son?

    Li Chunhua, hearing this damn girl constantlyparing herself to her older grandchildren and criticizing her in front of strangers, didn¡¯t even think before she angrily turned red in the face and cursed, ¡°By heavens and earth, Wang Da Nai, how can I be seen as in this vige after so many years? People might not know, but you, as an old person, do know, right? This girl is talking nonsense with all her might. It¡¯s bad enough she doesn¡¯t listen at home, but just because I saw her wasting food, she ran out to make up lies everywhere.

    How could I want to beat you to death? It was just an ident. What household doesn¡¯t identally hit a child too hard? If every child screamed about dying and splitting up the family every time this happened, who would dare raise children? You ungrateful wretch!¡±

    Bai Xiao turned to the side, letting everyone see her arm, and said to Li Chunhua, ¡°Grandma, is this what you call an ident? Just becausest night I refused to follow Auntie¡¯s sister to work and earn money for the family, you took up a fire poker and beat me without reason, and the wound on my head hasn¡¯t even healed properly! Now I¡¯m still running a high fever, and you want my life over an egg and a little wheat flour.

    In the four years since I¡¯ve been with Uncle, I haven¡¯t eaten a single egg or a bite of white flour. I always eat what you leave behind. Forget white flour, even cornmeal buns are not left for me. Grandma, are you really my grandmother? If you are my real grandmother, then why do you treat Bai Mei, Bai Shan, and Bai Zhuang the same way, and me differently? If I¡¯m not really your grandchild, can I leave? I¡¯m only eighteen. I don¡¯t want to die without understanding why.¡± She almost shouted thisst sentence, tears streaming down incessantly.

    She knew she wasn¡¯t biologically rted to the Bai Family, but Li Chunhua was too cruel. To sell her off under the pretense of being her real mother was worse than death. How could she not demand an exnation in this lifetime?

 Chapter 12 - 12 12 The Key

    ?Chapter 12: Chapter 12: The Key   Chapter 12: Chapter 12: The Key                                   This string of words had already shocked the vigers. They knew how strict someone could be in child-rearing, but no one thought that the Bai Family could abuse this child so cruelly behind closed doors.

    The amount of information was overwhelming, and it was known that Bai Xiao was not Bai Jianguo¡¯s child, which truly amounted to abuse.

    ¡°This, Xiao, really? During the New Year or festivals, you should at least have some dumplings or something, right? Surely they couldn¡¯t have withheld even a mouthful of white flour from you?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, who can¡¯t afford to eat these days?¡±

    Bai Xiao wept like a downpour, ¡°Auntie, Ma¡¯am, yes, every New Year or festival, every household eats dumplings, big pieces of meat, and all the dishes that make you drool. But none of that was for me. By the time I got to eat, my grandmother, uncle, and aunt had already finished, and I was left with the leftover soup to go with the leftover mixed flour steamed buns. This was already the New Year for me. At least I could eat the mixed flour bun and mix it with the soup that had a bit ofrd in it. I was very content even though there was no meat! At least the soup had somerd. It counted as the New Year for me.

    My grandmother said I didn¡¯t deserve to eat.¡±

    Everyone was shocked. Many people looked at Bai Jianguo and Li Chunhua, ¡°Jianguo, this isn¡¯t right. Your family is not poor by any means, not with seven strong workers. Even if Bai Xiao is going to school, he helps during the wheat and autumn harvests and with watering and weeding! This kid has always helped.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, not to mention you¡¯re receiving neen yuan a month from your nephew and niece. Even raising two Bai Xiaos wouldn¡¯t be that costly, right? How can you make the kid eat like that, treating him like an outsider in the family? No wonder the child is heartbroken.¡±

    ¡°Not giving food or drink and even resorting to beating and scolding, how can you Bai Family be so cruel!¡±

    ¡°Bai Jianguo always cries poverty; how poor can he be? Every year their family makes over a hundred yuan just from selling pigs, not counting selling grain. By year-end there¡¯s at least two to three hundred yuan, plus the money from the nephew and niece. How can life be this bad? If life is this bad, I¡¯d like to try it too. Or Bai Xiao, how about youe to my house? Auntie is not like Bai Jianguo. At least you¡¯ll have enough buns to eat each meal, definitely to the point of full.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, my house works too. With neen yuan a month, I can afford to give you white buns every meal, guaranteed not to slight you!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Bai Jianguo¡¯s eyes widened, his heart raced erratically, and sweat dripped from his forehead like rain as he thought about how to cover this up, how to exin it, so he wouldn¡¯t lose face in front of everyone. If he didn¡¯t reverse the situation today, his image as Bai Jianguo would be utterly ruined.

    He had always maintained an honest and kind image to ensure Bai Shan could participate in recruitment each year and Bai Zhuang could have a chance to learn to drive a tractor. These were foundations he had built to show the vige chief and vigers how to recognize their family¡¯s children. If things went wrong now, everything for Bai Shan and Bai Zhuang would be over.

    Bai Jianguo looked at Bai Xiao with a heartache-stricken face and said softly, ¡°Xiao, I really didn¡¯t know about these things. Your grandmother said you didn¡¯t like eating with us and that eating reminded you of your parents, making you sad. I thought it was true. I didn¡¯t know you were going hungry. Uncle isn¡¯t that kind of person. I just didn¡¯t know¡­¡±

    This exnation seemed reasonable. How could a man pay attention to such small matters? Weren¡¯t all men working in the fields and doing odd jobs for extra cash? The women in the household took care of things, and Li Chunhua, being both mother and grandmother, did what she wanted. Who could say anything about that?

    Bai Jianguo mumbled, ¡°I didn¡¯t know! If Uncle had known, I would have gone hungry before letting you go hungry!¡± This statement shifted all the responsibility onto the olddy, Li Chunhua. Bai Xiaoughed coldly. For the son Li Chunhua cherished all her life, she wouldn¡¯t let the me fall on her daughter-inw. The scapegoat would always be that olddy.

    It seemed Li Chunhua epted it dly, and such a twisted mother-son rtionship truly left people speechless.

    ¡°Uncle, you say you didn¡¯t know? Ha, ha. Could you not see when Grandmother hit me? Every time she beat me, it was in front of the whole family, yet you didn¡¯t see? Eating at home, you didn¡¯t notice? Every time Grandmother steamed buns, she counted them, and if one was missing, I¡¯d get beaten. How could you not know?

    Whenever anything delicious was made, it was prioritized for you all. If I dared to hide some away secretly, would there be less physical punishment? You think I¡¯m a three-year-old child. Will a simple ¡®I didn¡¯t know¡¯ dismiss everything? If you hadn¡¯t allowed it in the house, how dare my grandmother and aunt treat me like this? You know as well as anyone that you¡¯re the head of the house!¡±

    Whether Bai Xiao would allow him to clear his name was another matter.

    ¡°Uncle, Grandmother, call me heartless or a white-eyed wolf if you like, but if you pity me and want me to survive, then give me the keys to my house. Let me fend for myself instead of being beaten to death by Grandmother now!¡± Bai Xiao wanted just one sentence from Bai Jianguo.

    Before Bai Jianguo could speak, Li Chunhua already said, ¡°Fine, fine. Bai Xiao, you¡¯ve grown abilities, your wings have hardened. We worked hard to raise you, and now you want to leave; that¡¯s not happening. And I¡¯ll tell you, I am your grandmother. I¡¯ve supported you, so you must be filial to me for life. I beat you for your own good. When children are disobedient, who doesn¡¯t beat them? If you want to leave and I don¡¯t agree, your uncle cannot go against me either.¡±

    Madam Wang was about to scold Li Chunhua. What era is this, still using filial piety to threaten a child? Isn¡¯t it shameful?

    Unfortunately, before Madam Wang could speak, Bai Xiao wrested her hand away, asking Li Chunhua with an air of despair, ¡°Grandmother, are you determined not to let me go?¡±

    Li Chunhua sneered, ¡°I am your grandmother. If you¡¯re capable, don¡¯t be filial to me. If you dare mention getting the keys and living on your own again, I¡¯ll die right here and let the whole vige see you forcing your grandmother to death. I want to see how you¡¯ll live then.¡± She wasn¡¯t afraid Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t break. Bai Jianguo certainly couldn¡¯t say anything at this point. She knew her son; he definitely left the bad cop role to her, and she wasn¡¯t worried. After all, the vigers couldn¡¯t do anything to her¡ªat her age, at worst, she¡¯d be called a shrew.

    But she couldn¡¯t possibly let Bai Xiao go; if Bai Xiao left, where would the bridal money for their Bai Zhuange from?

    Bai Jianguo feigned concern and pulled Li Chunhua aside, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t make things difficult for the child. Even if you can¡¯t bear to part from Bai Xiao, you shouldn¡¯t make it tough for him either!¡±

    ¡°You stay out of this. Bai Xiao is the one I said for you to raise. All these years, I was strict to avoid implicating you, but whom was I doing it for? Isn¡¯t it for this dead girl? Can she really be heartless to such an extent that I am disappointed! After raising her, she turned out to be such an ungrateful person. I don¡¯t believe it; she¡¯ll really force me to death.¡±

 Chapter 13 - 13 13 A Push

    ?Chapter 13: Chapter 13 A Push   Chapter 13: Chapter 13 A Push                                   Li Chunhua¡¯s wrist suddenly tightened, and when she turned to look, it was actually Bai Xiao, gripping her wrist tightly with one hand.

    That gaze was so chilling and venomous that it made her heart skip a beat¡ªwhat was this damned girl nning to do?

    ¡°Bai Xiao, what are you doing?¡±

    Bai Xiao looked at Li Chunhua and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t grandma say, if I insist on moving back to my parents¡¯ house, she would kill herself for me to see? Didn¡¯t she want to force a reputation of being unfilial onto me? Fine, let¡¯s go!¡±

    Dragging Li Chunhua along, she barely had any time to prepare for Bai Xiao¡¯s strength, her wrist was mped tightly as she was pulled quickly towards the outskirts of the vige.

    Li Chunhua struggled, ¡°What are you doing? What do you want to do?¡±

    Bai Jianguo wanted to stop her, instinctively knowing that what Bai Xiao was nning to do was no good; if he didn¡¯t stop her today, he might not be able to bear the consequences that would follow. However, Bai Xiao pushed him away with one hand and, grabbing Li Chunhua¡¯s wrist, started to run.

    The vigers were all baffled, not knowing what Bai Xiao was intending to do.

    The vige chief Liu Baoguo saw the direction Bai Xiao was heading in and became instantly rmed¡ªthat was the newly repaired reservoir in the vige. Usually, no one visited there, and the water was so deep its bottom was unknown. Every summer, some unaware children woulde here to y in the water, and every year, there would be lives lost.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, if you have something to say, just say it, your uncle will stand up for you. Your grandma can¡¯t mess around like this; you must not lose hope!¡±

    With these words, everyone else understood as well¡ªthe direction Bai Xiao was heading did indeed lead to the reservoir, and they all ran desperately to intercept her.

    This child was about to do something foolish!

    By this time, Li Chunhua had been dragged to the dam of the reservoir by Bai Xiao, stumbling along the way. Gazing at the water below made her dizzy; her fingernails digging hard into Bai Xiao¡¯s wrist, ¡°Bai Xiao, I¡¯m telling you, don¡¯t do anything foolish¡ªmurder demands a life in return.¡±

    She intended to frighten Bai Xiao, hoping it would deter her from proceeding.

    Bai Xiao looked at the tall dam and the distant line of green figures¡ªa nearby school¡¯s students were on a march. Squinting her eyes, she turned back to Li Chunhua, ¡°Don¡¯t you just want me to never break free from you in this lifetime? Aren¡¯t you just expecting me to spend my life ving away for your son and grandson? Alright then! Didn¡¯t you say today that if I dared to move back to my parents¡¯ house, you would die before my eyes and make me carry the infamy of being the granddaughter who drove her grandma to death for the rest of my life?¡±

    She pointed towards the dam, ¡°You want to die, don¡¯t you? Don¡¯t worry, I definitely can¡¯t bear the stigma of driving someone to death. If you want death, I¡¯ll apany you. Today will be our day of sacrifice. Since you don¡¯t wish for me to live well, then let¡¯s die together! We can go meet my parents then¡ªit¡¯s just uncertain whether you¡¯ll have the face to!¡± And with that said, her fingers slightly loosened their grip on Li Chunhua, but did not let gopletely.

    Li Chunhua, terrified out of her wits by these words, had meant her own earlier threats merely to scare Bai Xiao; she certainly didn¡¯t want to die. At sixty-five, she wasn¡¯t done living yet. This girl must be mad; she could see it in Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes¡ªthat determination for mutual destruction. She felt it, this girl truly dared to jump today.

    Involuntarily, Li Chunhua stepped back, trying to distance herself from the dam. If this girl truly went insane and pulled them both into a jump, judging by the sheer force Bai Xiao exerted while dragging her, she wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand it¡ªshe definitely didn¡¯t want to die here. The only thought Li Chunhua had was that this girl had truly lost her mind.

    At that moment, vige chief Liu Baoguo had arrived, leading people to them, only about a dozen steps away.

    Liu Baoguo shouted desperately, ¡°Xiao, you mustn¡¯t do anything foolish. Don¡¯t worry; whatever it is, Uncle vige chief will take care of it for you. What your grandma said doesn¡¯t count. Did you hear your uncle¡¯s words? Whatever the issue, whatever the difficulty, your uncle will solve it for you.¡± Right now, Liu Baoguo had only one thought: he absolutely couldn¡¯t let this girl jump.

    The water in this dam was very deep, and from the top of the dam, it would be toote to rescue them by the time he and the vigers reached the bottom, even if they hurried. It had been many years since someone was forced to their death in their Liupan Vige.

    If someone indeed died today, Liu Baoguo could already envision the investigation that would follow from above¡ªhe couldn¡¯t bear that responsibility.

    When Li Chunhua saw the vige chief and others rushing over,

    Seeing Bai Xiao still looking at the vige chief and the others, knowing her attention wasn¡¯t on herself, she took the opportunity to shove Bai Xiao with all her might and started running towards the vige chief and his group while screaming for help.

    ¡°Vige chief, save me! This girl is an evil ghost! She wants to die with me!¡±

    The olddy¡¯s legs suddenly became nimble, and she ran swiftly, reaching behind Liu Baoguo in no time.

    Then she noticed that everyone was looking at her strangely.

    ¡°Why are you all staring at me? I¡¯m almost scared to death by this girl. She wants to kill me. I need you to stand up for me, vige chief. I¡¯m telling you, you need to get the police. I want to sue her, she wants to kill her own grandmother.¡±

    Liu Baoguo shouted to everyone, ¡°Quick, go down and save her.¡±

    Suddenly, Li Chunhua and all the others followed the vige chief and ran down the steps of the dam.

    Li Chunhua was a bit slow to react and grabbed her son Bai Jianguo.

    ¡°Second son, why are you running with them? Your mom is almost scared to death.¡±

    Bai Jianguo forcefully pulled his mother¡¯s hand away and stomped his foot, ¡°Mom, what are you doing? You pushed Bai Xiao over.¡±

    Then he hurriedly followed the vigers and ran ahead.

    Li Chunhua muttered to herself, ¡°Who did I push? I¡­¡± Her eyes swept over the dam, where there was no sign of Bai Xiao.

    Her heart skipped a beat, and as she raised her hands, she violently remembered that she had indeed pushed Bai Xiao hard.

    No¡­ it couldn¡¯t be¡­ that she had pushed Bai Xiao over, could it?

    And indeed, she had guessed correctly. Everything Bai Xiao did was to kill two birds with one stone. Knowing Li Chunhua, a person who clung desperately to life, Bai Xiao predicted that if she dragged her to death, Li Chunhua would surely struggle with all her might to live.

    Jumping was inevitable, whether it was for her own special ability or to break free from the Bai Family; she had to jump.

    But she couldn¡¯t ¨C not by herself. The entire vige was watching.

    If she jumped on her own, first of all, the vige chief would take a disliking to her. No vige chief could be without achievements, and with her gaining the notorious reputation of jumping from the dam, whether the vige chief could be re-elected was questionable. Would he not hate her then, and what good could she expect toe of it?

    Not to mention the vigers, who were originally sympathetic towards her. If she jumped, they might get talked about by everyone in the neighboring viges. Bad news travels fast while good news stays within the walls.

    The story could get twisted in its retelling, possibly turning into some sensational tale, and the entire vige could end up with a bad reputation.

    When that time came, the sympathy she hoped for would probably be non-existent.

    So, of course, this task required Li Chunhua to do it.

 Chapter 14 - 14 14 Rescue

    ?Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Rescue   Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Rescue                                   But she had underestimated Li Chunhua¡¯s strength and the height of the dam; being forcefully pushed off from the dam and crashing down onto the water from such a height, she was certain to face dire consequences.

    Yet pondering over her past special ability, she deemed it all worthwhile.

    Then she felt herself smash into the water like a stone, her entire body as if crashing from a towering building onto solid concrete, the icy water engulfed herpletely, the cold and gloomy reservoir water wrapped around her forcefully, dragging her into the depths of darkness.

    In her blurred and confused thoughts, she considered that dying was indeed an unpleasant sensation.

    She sank deeper, pulled by an unseen hand. She was dragged further down, and in herst glimpses, she could see the towering dam gradually disappearing from her sight.

    After all the fear and pain, the end was almost a relief. For a long time, she could only surrender to the inevitable fate. But suddenly, instinct kicked in, and she began to struggle, trying to kick her legs to resurface.

    However, the intense pain in her body made her lose control, and gradually she used up all her oxygen. Her lungs burned, heavy from rapid breathing; she knew the moment was upon her.

    Her consciousness faded, and she knew no more.

    An Zhiyuan was conducting training with his students at the reservoir beneath the dam.

    In their area, floods threatened every summer, and the leadership¡¯s mission for them was to have a concrete concept of the floods, including countermeasures. This reservoir was the prime training ground.

    They were engrossed in a drill when they spotted two women running to the top of the dam, tussling with each other.

    Due to the distance, they couldn¡¯t hear what the two were saying.

    But soon they saw one woman fiercely shove the other off the dam.

    An Zhiyuan inwardly cursed their luck; from that height, even if the fall didn¡¯t drown her, the impact against the water could knock her unconscious, and regardless of her swimming skills, she would likely drown.

    ¡°Everyone in the water, save her!¡± An Zhiyuan dove in and swam towards where the woman had fallen.

    As they were in the midst of training, and aside from their olive green shorts, they were all shirtless, saving the time to strip, and upon the instructor¡¯smand, all the students, like dumplings, plunged into the water.

    The reservoir was too vast; they had a rough idea of the direction the woman had fallen, but seeing it and actually reaching the spot were entirely different matters.

    An Zhiyuan surfaced, took a deep breath, and could see no trace of the woman on the water.

    Diving again, An Zhiyuan finally saw a dark silhouette in the murk; he twisted his body, swimming towards her.

    He grabbed the woman forcefully, struggling as if to drag her to the surface. In the water, their gazes pierced the shadowy depths and met; his face was so close to hers, Bai Xiao could see her pain reflected in his eyes.

    She saw the sh in his pupils, felt the surge of his renewed strength, his arms wrapped around her waist, and with powerful kicks, he led them upwards, towards the surface for fresh oxygen, towards life.

    A wave of darkness engulfed her.

    An Zhiyuan, holding her, surfaced and quickly swam towards the shore. By then, Liu Baoguo had brought people to the edge of the dam and, seeing that someone had already dived in, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    It was lucky that the cadets were training here; had they waited toe down and then search in the water, who knows where they would have to look to find her.

    Now, seeing someone had already rescued Bai Xiao, Liu Baoguo¡¯s mind incessantly chanted Amitabha, praying fervently for her well-being!

    An Zhiyuan pulled Bai Xiao out of the water, but she was unresponsive, motionless as a rag doll resting in his arms, her lungs unable to function normally; she couldn¡¯t inhale the air she desperately needed.

    With the help of the vigers, he lifted Bai Xiao out of the water andid her t on the shore.

    An Zhiyuan ced her on the grass and began patting her back, attempting to get her to cough up the water she had swallowed, but she showed no response at all.

    Liu Baoguo looked at Bai Xiao, her eyes tightly closed. Her face was a ghastly pale with tinges of purple, motionless as shey there. He reached out to check under her nose.

    He shivered suddenly.

    She wasn¡¯t breathing!

    ¡°Vige chief, how is my Xiao doing?¡± Bai Jianguo asked anxiously. No one here was more anxious than he was, and no one was more worried that Bai Xiao might actually be dead.

    ¡°She¡¯s not breathing!¡± Liu Baoguo said dryly.

    This was a big problem for Liupan Vige now¡­

    Bai Jianguo¡¯s legs went weak, and he fell to the ground; if Bai Xiao were dead, not only would Li Chunhua have to pay with her life, but if Bai Song came back, it could cost the entire Bai Family their lives.

    An Zhiyuan shouted, ¡°All of you back off and don¡¯t crowd around her; she can¡¯t breathe in fresh air like this.¡±

    He used his hands to pry open her mouth and scooped out some water nts. With no foreign objects in her mouth and nose, he yelled to the vigers, ¡°We need to give her artificial respiration. Which one of you aunties or girls cane help?¡±

    Although saving a life was as urgent as putting out a fire, An Zhiyuan also knew that without this call for help, there would be endless trouble in the future.

    If he managed to revive this girl, he couldn¡¯t let rumors drive someone to death again.

    As expected, no one stepped forward, fearing that Bai Xiao might already be beyond saving and that the Bai Family would me her death on them.

    Angry, An Zhiyuan red and said, ¡°You¡¯re the vige chief, and I¡¯m going to perform artificial respiration on her now.¡± Then he took a breath and blew into Bai Xiao¡¯s mouth, mouth to mouth without leaving a gap, blowing forcefully.

    Liu Baoguo and everyone else watched An Zhiyuan do this and couldn¡¯t help but blush, not expecting artificial respiration to be like this.

    ¡°Is this saving a life? How embarrassing!¡±

    ¡°Exactly, isn¡¯t this that¡­ Ah! Shameless!¡±

    ¡°Just¡­¡±

    Liu Baoguo red, ¡°What do you know? I¡¯ve seen someone perform artificial respiration before, but it was on a child. If you don¡¯t understand, stop talking nonsense. Do any of you get it? This is about saving a life; there¡¯s nothing wrong here, so stop interfering needlessly.¡±

    Everyone immediately fell silent. In the vige, the vige chief had the final say, of course.

    After An Zhiyuan had blown several dozen breaths, Bai Xiao finally coughed violently and began to gasp for air, coughing out arge amount of water.

    He positioned her on her side, allowing her to more easily expel the water from her lungs.

    As long as there was breath, it meant she hade back to life.

    Bai Xiao opened her eyes, spitting out water in great gulps. Her blurred vision was full of people, and a gentle voice told her, ¡°It¡¯s okay now, it¡¯s okay! Spit it out, and you will be fine!¡±

 Chapter 15 - 15 15 Taking Charge

    ?Chapter 15: Chapter 15: Taking Charge   Chapter 15: Chapter 15: Taking Charge                                   A student brought a towel over to the instructor, ¡°Instructor, wipe yourself off quickly!¡±

    An Zhiyuan took the towel but didn¡¯t wipe himself, instead, he draped his jacket over Bai Xiao. She was wearing little since it was summer, and after falling into the water, her curves were all too visible, her chest clear for all to see. With so many people around, it was indecent.

    Bai Xiao tightened the clothes around her, coughing as if she was between life and death.

    Finally, she came back to life, and she could feel a force within her body, a power she was once familiar with.

    Her special ability had returned.

    But she wasn¡¯t ready to use it now, she wanted to let everyone see her in this sorry state, as evidence that she had been pushed in by Li Chunhua.

    When Bai Jianguo saw she wasn¡¯t dead, tears of genuine relief filled his eyes.

    He rushed forward to grasp Bai Xiao, ¡°Xiaobai, I¡¯m so d you¡¯re alright, so d you¡¯re alright.¡±

    Liu Baoguo, seeing that she was finally out of danger, also let out a sigh of relief. There was a big difference between a death and a near-miss.

    He hurriedly went up to thank the instructor.

    ¡°Comrade, thank you, thank you. You are the Guanyin Bodhisattva who saves us from suffering. If it weren¡¯t for you today, this child would have been lost,¡± he said, gripping An Zhiyuan¡¯s hand without end in his gratitude.

    An Zhiyuan, wiping his hair with the towel, asked, ¡°Are you the vige chief?¡±

    He could tell this man had the air of a leader, and he had also been the one who stopped the idle chatter among the vigers just before.

    Liu Baoguo nodded eagerly, ¡°Yes, I am the vige chief, from Liupan Vige just ahead.¡±

    An Zhiyuan nced at Bai Xiao, who was now able to sit up, ¡°We just saw someone push her into the water. That¡¯s attempted murder. I think you should report to the police station immediately. All of our students can testify.¡± It was outrageous that someone could push another person off the dam in broad daylight.

    This was definitely attempted murder. Falling from such a height, it would be a miracle not to die.

    When Bai Jianguo heard this, he panicked. If the police got involved, it would be the end of them. Which decent family dared to have any entanglement with the police? Once entangled with the police, everyone would look at them differently, as bad elements. If such a reputation fell on their family, it would be difficult for his two sons to ever make something of themselves.

    He hurried over to exin, ¡°Instructor,rade, there has been a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding. It¡¯s definitely not murder. The girl and her grandmother had a quarrel, and the old woman identally pushed her in.¡±

    Liu Baoguo knew that it couldn¡¯t really be called murder since the whole vige had seen it clearly. Li Chunhua had acted out of desperation, it truly wasn¡¯t intentional. If they made a big deal out of it and reported to the police station, and if a murderer really emerged from their vige, it would bring great shame upon them. In those days, beingbeled as a murderer was a very serious crime. One person¡¯s mistake would make an entire family hang their heads in shame, and the whole vige would be talked about.

    ¡°Comrade instructor, we just arrived, and it was indeed the olddy who lost control. It really wasn¡¯t intentional; they are all one family.¡± Liu Baoguo, as the vige chief, has the duty to protect the interests of everyone in the vige.

    Bai Xiao sneered; she had known there would be such an act.

    The vigers are just like that¡ªas long as it doesn¡¯t concern them, they hang it high, unless it¡¯s their own family member who dies, then they make a huge fuss. Since she has no biological father or mother to protect her, naturally, everyone thinks that since she didn¡¯t die, it can¡¯t count as murder.

    Li Chunhua had also rushed over, her face covered with tears and snot, sobbing as she hugged Bai Xiao.

    ¡°Oh, child, it¡¯s good you¡¯re okay. It¡¯s all grandma¡¯s fault. You frightened me, saying you wanted to drag me down with you. Grandma got anxious and¡­ it¡¯s all my fault¡­¡± Li Chunhua didn¡¯t forget to pin the me on Bai Xiao even at such a time.

    Bai Xiao trembled, gently pushing Li Chunhua away, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ my grandma¡­ didn¡¯t¡­ do it¡­ on purpose, it¡¯s my fault! I wasn¡¯t careful!¡± These words made An Zhiyuan frown; this girl was clearly a scolded cat, a little bok choy.

    Saying such things in front of so many people was obviously coerced.

    An Zhiyuan said to Liu Baoguo, ¡°Even if it was an ident, it¡¯s still intentional injury. This matter could be big or small, and as the chief of the vige, you must handle it properly. Where are this girl¡¯s parents? Let her parentse forward. After such a big incident, do her parents not care about their own daughter? It looks to me like there¡¯s no one to stand up for her here. I don¡¯t think this grandma seems like her real grandmother!¡±

    As soon as these words came out, Liu Baoguo understood that if An Zhiyuan pursued the issue, they would be powerless. Although these military school students were not public security officers, they had different rights. In the eyes of the vigers, they were potential government officials, people who had a say anywhere, not the same as ordinary citizens.

    ¡°This child¡¯s name is Bai Xiao; she is also pitiable, with both parents passing away when she was fourteen, leaving behind just her and her siblings. Her older brother went off to work, and both her sisters are already married. She had no choice but to be entrusted to her grandmother and little uncle to raise her. It was all because of a family dispute, and the child wanted to move back to her original home, but her grandmother was harsh, and the child couldn¡¯t bear it. Comrade instructor, rest assured, as long as I¡¯m the vige chief, I cannot ignore such matters.¡± Now was the time for Liu Baoguo to showcase himself, as he turned his head to call for Bai Jianguo.

    ¡°Bai Jianguo,e here. This whole mess was sparked by you, in the presence of the instructor. Bai Xiao is already eighteen and wants to return to her own house to live, which is her natural right. As her uncle, you have no reason to stop her. Your mother doesn¡¯t understand things¡ªrural old woman, uneducated¡ªbut you shouldn¡¯t be just as ignorant, don¡¯t let people point at your backbone and condemn you. I¡¯m telling you, go back and immediately give the keys to Bai Xiao. As the vige chief, I¡¯ve decided on this matter. If you refuse, don¡¯t me me for docking your retention funds and public grain. As the vige chief, I won¡¯t stand by and watch Bai Xiao suffer.¡±

    Bai Jianguo didn¡¯t want to agree, but he had no choice in the matter. Noticing that the instructor was not easy to deal with, and considering that his own son wanted to join the military in the future, he had been nning to sell that house to get money for Bai Zhuang, but now was not the time. If it came to it, he could just agree for now! Just dy it, with no one around to supervise.

    With dy, this matter would eventually fade away, and no one would remember it.

    With this in mind, Bai Jianguo nodded immediately, ¡°Alright, vige chief, your words, of course, I will heed. Bai Xiao has always been young, and I was just worried about how she would manage on her own. Since you¡¯ve spoken up, I will certainly get it done! Rest assured, I¡¯ll sort it out after going back and give it to her.¡± Everybody knows how to talk sweet.

    Liu Baoguo revealed a satisfied smile; Bai Jianguo knew the times, which made himself look good on the surface.

    Liu Baoguo asked An Zhiyuan, ¡°Comrade instructor, are you satisfied with this handling of the situation?¡±

    An Zhiyuan, however, did not reply but walked over to Bai Xiao, ¡°You¡¯re Bai Xiao, right? I heard what the vige chief said, that your little uncle agreed to give you the keys to your family home when you go back. Speak up if there is anything else you¡¯re upset about. We people who saved you won¡¯t neglect the difficulties of the masses. We will definitely help you if we can!¡± The issue still needed the girl herself to speak up; he was only an outsider, and even if he wanted to help, he needed her to ask for it, lest it be a case of a meddlesome dog trying to catch mice.

    Bai Xiao immediately spoke up, ¡°Comrade Instructor, since you¡¯ve helped me this far, having saved my life a few days ago, please help me get the keys from my little uncle, and could you please help me tidy up the house? I beg of you!¡± Since they were willing to help, regardless of the reason, it was like heaven helping her, so she shouldn¡¯t turn it down.

 Chapter 16 - 16 16 I Just Want to Move Back Into My Own

    ?Chapter 16: Chapter 16 I Just Want to Move Back Into My Own House   Chapter 16: Chapter 16 I Just Want to Move Back Into My Own House                                   Upon hearing this, Li Chunhua forcefully pinched Bai Xiao¡¯s arm, causing Bai Xiao to shiver in pain. In pursuit of authenticity, she hadn¡¯t treated the wound on her arm, which was already a bulging mass of flesh! Now soaked in water, the wound was turning white. When Li Chunhua pinched her, it pulled at the wound, naturally causing excruciating pain.

    Seeing the girl¡¯splexion turn white, An Zhiyuan grabbed Li Chunhua¡¯s hand, ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    Li Chunhua was startled by An Zhiyuan¡¯s sternness.

    ¡°No, nothing!¡± she stammered, ¡°Comrade instructor! Can¡¯t I discipline my own granddaughter? This child has grown up without parents, raised by me and her little uncle. Now she wants to leave just like that! She wouldn¡¯t even stay for one night, that¡¯s just too heartless. My heart aches, and my hands lost control of their strength. Is that a great sin?¡± She argued her case out of fear, for if Bai Xiao left, how would she cope in the future?

    An Zhiyuan grabbed Bai Xiao¡¯s wrist and directly tore open the ripped sleeve. Many people had no idea what the People¡¯s Liberation Army soldier was trying to do.

    But when they saw the numerous scars on Bai Xiao¡¯s arm, they were all shocked. Some scars were old, clearly years old, and some were recent wounds still healing and scabbed over. Combined with the bruises from yesterday¡¯s beating, and today¡¯s wounds and nail marks from Li Chunhua¡¯s pinching, everyone gasped in unison. How could anyone treat this child like this?

    There was a fierce look in An Zhiyuan¡¯s eyes as he turned to call out to Liu Baoguo, ¡°Vige chief,e over here, please.¡±

    Looking down at Bai Xiao, he saw the girl clenching her lips tightly, her expression one of humiliation, awkwardness, and sadness. He couldn¡¯t help but feel sympathetic. How did such a girl grow up without resisting?

    Hearing An Zhiyuan¡¯s voice, Liu Baoguo hurried back, only to turn ashen when he saw Bai Xiao¡¯s arm. What on earth was Li Chunhua thinking?

    ¡°Li Chunhua, what are you doing? Do you realize this is child abuse? Although you are her grandmother, you have no right to treat her like this. Today, she nearly died because of you, and now you¡¯re still assaulting her. I see it now; no wonder she screamed for help. She can¡¯t bear it anymore!¡± Liu Baoguo was truly enraged.

    Such a serious incident had urred in the vige he managed. The push into the water could be considered an idental injury, but these wounds on the arm were clearly the result of prolonged abuse. Could this be called a mere mishap? No family disciplines a child like this. No wonder this officer was outraged; if he were to react, it wouldn¡¯t be human.

    It would be a beastly act.

    Li Chunhua defended herself in a low voice, ¡°How severe can it be? She¡¯s our own child, isn¡¯t this how every child grows up? How can she not survive like this? Her father, her uncle, when I was young, they all grew up strong and healthy after being disciplined.¡± She always thought it wasn¡¯t a big deal to discipline one¡¯s child.

    An Zhiyuan was so angry he almost wanted to p Li Chunhua. The child says it¡¯s nothing, clearly, the grandmother is biased. Who would believe such words?

    ¡°Vige chief, I don¡¯t think you can handle this. I suggest we call the police. We didn¡¯t save her just so her grandmother could beat her death. If that¡¯s the case, we would be worse than animals. She is a living, breathing person, not private property. The state has regtions; citizens have their own independent rights which cannot be taken away by anyone¡ªnot even by parents, siblings, or rtives, let alone by her grandmother. Even if her own parents beat her to death, they would still go to jail.¡± If you don¡¯t agree, let¡¯s see if you will after this.

    Li Chunhua trembled with fear. She hadn¡¯t expected the instructor to say such things. In her mind, how could disciplining a child be a serious matter?

    How could it lead to prison for her?

    Bai Jianguo had arrived early, with eyes like daggers, almost wishing to stab his own mother to death. What kind of sin had hemitted in his past life to have his mother harm him like this?

    Everything was about to be settled, as long as he could coax Bai Xiao back home with kind words, and once the door was closed, who could say anything?

    But now, things had turned around and they were back to the point of going to the police station, an ill-fated turn indeed.

    ¡°Comrade Instructor, this is our fault. My mom is just a country olddy who doesn¡¯t know anything better and still holds onto old ideas, thinking that beatings will produce filial sons. So please don¡¯t hold it against an ignorant olddy. When I go back, I¡¯ll make sure she is contained and won¡¯ty hands on Bai Xiao again. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely see to it,¡± he said with sincere attitude, a face full of unease and shame, the perfect image of a good uncle.

    An Zhiyuan looked at Bai Xiao, who timidly nced at An Zhiyuan, her fingers nervously clinging to the corner of An Zhiyuan¡¯s clothes. She looked anxious and fearful, probably not believing a word her uncle said.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, you¡¯re the one involved, what do you say?¡± An Zhiyuan couldn¡¯t make the decision for Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao shook her head, ¡°Leader An, my grandma didn¡¯t mean it, please forgive her. I just want to go back to my own home to live, I don¡¯t want anything else! After all, my grandma did raise me, even if she didn¡¯t spend a penny, but she watched me grow up, I can¡¯t see her go to jail in her old age!¡±

    An Zhiyuan suddenly felt that maybe Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t as fragile as he imagined; at least her stance was quite firm, wanting to return to her own home.

    Alright! If you¡¯re going to do a good deed, do it to the end.

    ¡°Vige Chief, you heard her. The girl is willing to not hold her grandmother responsible, but she doesn¡¯t want to live with her little uncle and grandma. Please help us tidy up a bit for her, that¡¯s not too much to ask, right?¡±

    Liu Baoguo nodded, ¡°Not too much at all, of course not! But it¡¯s embarrassing to bother you with our training. Otherwise, I will ask the vigers to help out.¡± As long as there was no scandal in the vige, Liu Baoguo was naturally willing to lend help in a way that went with the flow.

    Bai Jianguo also echoed repeatedly, ¡°Exactly! How can we trouble the instructors with our family matters? We¡¯ll find someone to clean up by ourselves!¡± He didn¡¯t dare let An Zhiyuan and others help, for if they did, the house would have to be handed over to Bai Xiao today, and his ns would fall through.

    An Zhiyuanughed, ¡°How is it any trouble? Serving the people is our duty, isn¡¯t it? When we say ¡®serve the people¡¯, my students are all going to serve the people in the future. It just so happens we have many people here, all with some basic construction skills! Helping tidy up a house should be no trouble at all, right?¡±

    As if he¡¯s a fool. This so-called uncle had shifty eyes at first nce and obviously didn¡¯t seem like a good person, likely harboring ill intentions. This young girl must have been out of options to seek help from an outsider like him, probably thinking that, given the uniform they wore, her uncle wouldn¡¯t dare make trouble.

    His students immediately chorused in unison, ¡°We¡¯re all one family, serving the people is our duty.¡±

    With the instructor¡¯s decision to get involved in this matter, how could they not agree? Besides, they found Bai Xiao quite pitiable¡ªa young girl without parents, bullied by her own grandmother and uncle. As servants of the people, of course, they ought to right wrongs and uphold justice; it was an unquestionable responsibility.

    An Zhiyuan was satisfied and turned to Bai Jianguo, ¡°Go get the keys. We¡¯ll follow you. Let¡¯s consider our training today as doing some work for our fellow vigers!¡±

    Bai Jianguo couldn¡¯t refuse any longer.

 Chapter 17 - 17 17 I Dont Want to Die

    ?Chapter 17: Chapter 17 I Don¡¯t Want to Die   Chapter 17: Chapter 17 I Don¡¯t Want to Die                                   Li Chunhua dared not say anything more, what more could she dare say when these people before her eyes might send her to prison?

    Liu Baoguo was obviously happy, having leaders from the schoole to their vige to help with construction was a disy of good performance in governance, wasn¡¯t it said that local authorities were like one big family?

    With An Zhiyuan by his side, chatting andughing all the way, the atmosphere immediately became harmonious.

    Bai Jianguo hung his head low, lost in thought.

    The aunties in the vige supported Bai Xiao, with hearts and eyes full of pity for the child without parents¡ªhow pitiable.

    Liupan Vige wasn¡¯t far from the reservoir, and after about ten minutes of walking, they arrived.

    Liu Baoguo personally led An Zhiyuan and the others to Bai Xiao¡¯s former house. No one had lived there for four years, except for the asional tidying up by Bai Song when he returned from the army. The interior was probably still tolerable, but from the outside, it already looked dpidated.

    After all, their house was made of mud bricks. One storm was enough to ruin its appearance. Didn¡¯t every family reapply ayer of mud on the outside every year? But with no one to maintain their house, of course, it looked deste and miserable. The house was remote, at the foot of the hill at the end of the vige, with the nearest neighbor a walk of a dozen meters away.

    An Zhiyuan frowned as he looked at therge lock on the door. The door itself was still intact; Bai Song ensured its condition whenever he returned to clean up the ce.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the key?¡±

    An Zhiyuan looked at the door lock and asked Bai Jianguo.

    Bai Jianguo suddenly looked up, meeting An Zhiyuan¡¯s seemingly knowing expression, and in a panic said, ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll go look for it. I¡¯m on it!¡± He turned and left.

    Li Chunhua had already slipped away as soon as they had entered the vige; now, there was no one from the Bai Family around.

    Liu Baoguo was also embarrassed, facing such a troublesome Bai Family. It was truly helpless, a group of people standing at the doorstep of Bai Xiao¡¯s house.

    Half an hour passed and there was still no sign of Bai Jianguo; Liu Baoguo¡¯s face was full of irritation.

    Bai Xiao, seeing the expression on An Zhiyuan¡¯s face growing colder, knew that the Bai Family had thoroughly embarrassed themselves in front of the vigers this time.

    She had no choice but to pull Liu Baoguo aside, ¡°Uncle, let¡¯s just break the lock. We can¡¯t have everyone waiting here doing nothing; at the very least, let¡¯s go inside and find a way to offer them a drink of water.¡± Counting on Bai Jianguo to actually bring her the key was unreliable; he could be plotting something with Liu Chunhua at home right now.

    It was better to take matters into her own hands than wait for them toe up with various excuses.

    Liu Baoguo was taken aback and hesitated, ¡°Isn¡¯t that improper? After all, the door is locked. Breaking in would be considered unauthorized entry!¡± In the vige, there was no such precedent¡ªit would set a bad example.

    If the vige chief broke into a house, and Bai Jianguo reported it, he would surely be reprimanded.

    Bai Xiaoughed, ¡°Uncle, this is my house. How can it be considered unauthorized entry? How could it be unauthorized entry if I¡¯m returning to my own home?¡±

    Everyone by default had considered the house a part of Bai Jianguo¡¯s inheritance, look at how terrifying such an assumption was.

    Liu Baoguo was startled and then realized, right, this was indeed Bai Xiao¡¯s home, and truly speaking, there was no need to consult Bai Jianguo.

    An Zhiyuan raised his eyebrows; the girl was quite clever, how did she end up being bullied like this?

    ¡°Fine, since it¡¯s like that, and the house belongs to your family, then, of course, it¡¯s your call!¡± Liu Baoguo nodded. As Bai Xiao had said, with her parents gone, the house naturally belonged to their children. It wasn¡¯t like the Bai Familycked a male heir, Bai Xiao¡¯s brother, Bai Song, returned here to stay every year.

    So they have the right to do anything.

    Bai Xiao hadn¡¯t spoken yet when Bai Jianguo, gasping for breath, arrived. Seeing his empty hands, everyone frowned.

    To have so many people, includingrades from the People¡¯s Liberation Army, waiting here, and yet not even bringing the key.

    Bai Jianguo ran to Liu Baoguo, ¡°Vige chief, vige chief! I¡¯m so sorry, I can¡¯t find the key. How about this, let¡¯s call it off for today? I¡¯ll go back and search thoroughly. Once I find it, I¡¯lle and tidy up the house. Everyone can rest assured, I will definitely clean up this ce for Bai Xiao.¡±

    He thought he hade up with a good excuse, one that his family had agreed upon as being the most appropriate.

    Surely they couldn¡¯t force him to break in just because the key was lost.

    As long as they got past today, everything else would be negotiable.

    But he suddenly realized that everyone was looking at him with disapproval, and that profound gaze made him feel utterly ufortable.

    ¡°Uncle vige chief, just listen to me and smash it! I¡¯m the boss of my own house!¡± Bai Xiao¡¯s resolute words came crashing down.

    Bai Jianguo nearly jumped up.

    ¡°Xiao, what are you doing? How can you break the lock? It¡¯s such a pity to break a perfectly good lock. Can¡¯t you just wait a day or half so your uncle can look properly?¡± He hadn¡¯t expected Bai Xiao to be so headstrong.

    An Zhiyuan signaled to the students and two of them went up with tools in hand.

    Bai Jianguo panicked.

    ¡°Uncle Bai, since you can¡¯t find it, there¡¯s no need to look anymore. Anyway, I¡¯m going to live in my house and would have to change the keys, so it¡¯s better to just break it and save trouble! Comrades, I am sorry to trouble you with this, and I thank you all here.¡±

    Bai Xiao was determined; nothing said today would prevent her from moving into her own house.

    She could never go back to the Bai family in this lifetime.

    Bai Jianguo looked at Bai Xiao with a gaze so fierce as if he wanted to devour her, not expecting her to be so resolute, not even giving him a sliver of time to maneuver.

    This was not about leaving any opportunity or excuse for him.

    ¡°Xiao, are you doing this because you don¡¯t trust your uncle? Do you know how cold this makes me feel? After all the years I¡¯ve raised you, don¡¯t you remember any of your uncle¡¯s kindness?¡± Bai Jianguo knew that once the door was smashed open, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to take back the house.

    Bai Xiao remained silent, stepping back silently to stand next to vige chief Liu Baoguo. ¡°Uncle, whether I trust you is not important. Therades are here and can help. I¡¯m afraid grandma might have been unintentional this time, but next time, I don¡¯t know if she might kill me!¡± She moved her arm to show her wound to Bai Jianguo.

    An Zhiyuan was at a loss for his forgetfulness, for the injury was still there.

    He said to his student, ¡°Get the medic over here to bandage Bai Xiao. Otherwise, it¡¯s easy to get an infection, which can be deadly.¡±

    Peng Dazhi immediately responded with an ¡°Understood!¡± and ran to call someone. The medic was not far and was easy to get.

    Liu Baoguo, impatient with Bai Jianguo, said, ¡°Alright! This is Bai Xiao¡¯s parents¡¯ house. Since the key can¡¯t be found, let¡¯s just break it open. You don¡¯t need to worry about this anymore. Don¡¯t talk about feeling cold, this child is probably the one who should feel cold. Don¡¯t forget, the kid almost died today. If something happens back at your house, how will you exin yourself?¡± At this moment, Liu Baoguo hardly had the patience to argue with Bai Jianguo.

    Bai Jianguo silently stepped aside; it was no longer up to him, with no one standing with him.

 Chapter 18 - 18 18 All-Out Mobilization

    ?Chapter 18: Chapter 18 All-Out Mobilization   Chapter 18: Chapter 18 All-Out Mobilization                                   The door lock was smashed open, and the door creaked open as Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes rimmed with reddish moisture.

    This was the ce she once lived in for fourteen years. The weeds in the yard were not too tall, only ankle-high; probably her brother had just cleared them when he came back a while earlier. The doors inside the house were also locked. Bai Xiao took out the key from around her neck! Her older brother had given it to her, asking her to visit when she had time, but when would she ever have the time?

    The Bai Family practically wanted her to work twenty-four hours a day without sleep. When she returned from school, she had to do so much housework to avoid bothering anyone. Ever since she left this home in her past life, she never had the chance to return.

    This time, she had returned.

    Upon opening the door, Bai Xiao saw the table and stools covered with thick dust, and the mats on the bed rolled up. The main room¡¯s roof had some leaks, evident from the recent rainfall, and on the table inside, one could see the water droplets and mud spots from the leaks.

    The entire house was filled with the scent of decay and dust. In the kitchen next door, half of the stove had copsed. Pots and pans must have been stored away in the cupboards, leaving no trace of cooking fumes, and even the water tank by the wall had a big hole in it.

    The room she and her sister once lived in, that poor little house, had nearly copsed beyond recognition.

    Aside from the courtyard wall still standing firm, the interior walls had mostly crumbled, and after being exposed to wind and rain, it was basically uninhabitable.

    She carefully pushed open the door, her heart sinking. She saw the room filled with fine cobwebs and thick dust, inhabited by many small insects and animals.

    ¡°Rats!¡± she stepped back in fright as a bold rat scurried past her feet.

    Bai Jianguo lifted a smug smile, letting you show off your prowess.

    He disyed a face of innocent grievance to Liu Baoguo, ¡°Vige chief, take a look at this house, how can anyone live here? I really am doing this for Bai Xiao¡¯s good!¡±

    Liu Baoguo also hesitated. The house still looked like a house from the outside, but it was indeed in disrepair for many years. Now, to say it was habitable was a bit of a stretch and if that was the case, one couldn¡¯t me Bai Jianguo for not allowing Bai Xiao to stay. It appeared that this uncle still had some affection.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, look at this house. Are you sure you want to live here? It probably can¡¯t be cleaned up in an afternoon,¡± Liu Baoguo said kindly, noting there wasn¡¯t even a stove, making having a meal virtually impossible.

    ¡°Xiao, you better go back with us. There are rats and spiders here, and who knows, maybe even snakes from the mountains. I¡¯m worried about you, a young girl staying here alone. Your uncle promises never to let your grandma hit you again,¡± Bai Jianguo choked with sorrow.

    Bai Xiao shook her head. ¡°Uncle, I won¡¯t go back. I can go without eating tonight if there¡¯s no stove. Uncle vige chief, please ask everyone to help me set up a stove. If it can¡¯t be used today, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, it will eventually dry up and be usable. If before today, I¡¯d have hesitated to stay here, seeing this state of decay has made me determined. I must stay here. This is the house of my parents, the only thing they could leave to my brother and me. Having the house end up in this state is my fault, and I¡¯m sorry to my parents.¡±

    ¡°If I had stayed here, lived here, and cleaned every day, this house wouldn¡¯t look like it does now; it¡¯s all my fault. From now on, I will live here and take good care of this house. When my brotheres back, he will have a warm meal to eat and a clean ce to stay. Uncle, Aunt, fellow vigers, please help me! This is the only thing my parents left behind. I can¡¯t let them rest in peace under the ground.¡±

    Bai Xiao bowed deeply to the crowd! She bent her body low, humbly begging. This was her home, as well as her siblings¡¯, a shelter from the elements, which absolutely must not be destroyed by Bai Jianguo.

    People have hearts of flesh, and hearing Bai Xiao¡¯s words, everyone in the vige, old and young, male and female, felt sad. If anyone heard such words, how could they be at ease? If one day they were to die and their children couldn¡¯t keep the house and family business they had left behind, they would probably jump out of their coffins.

    This child is right; this is the only thing left by her parents. She couldn¡¯t let this house fall into ruin.

    An Zhiyuan waved his hand, ¡°Fellow vigers, every family has children, and every family faces tough times. Let¡¯s all lend a hand. We, the studentrades, will take the lead. Don¡¯t worry, we are all engineering students. We¡¯ll handle these repairs, whether it¡¯s the roof, the courtyard walls, or the stove. We are responsible for fixing it. Everyone who can help, please do so. After all, we all live in the same vige, and you have all watched her grow up. I believe everyone here is kind-hearted,¡± he turned to the students behind him and spoke.

    ¡°Fellows, let¡¯s go. Everyone, grab your tools, those who can borrow a cart, borrow it. The rest will make y balls. Some stay here to start on the roof and the courtyard walls. Once the y dries tomorrow, we can start repairing the copsed part of the house. The stove also needs to be rebuilt. Let¡¯s get to work.¡±

    At An Zhiyuan¡¯smand, the dozen or so students behind him immediately rolled up their sleeves, borrowed carts from the vigers, went to their car outside to get their tools, and came back ready to work.

    Seeing the students in action, Liu Baoguo didn¡¯t hesitate and quickly urged the other vigers, ¡°No more talking, anyone who can help, start now. Go home and push carts if you need to. Everyone working together will speed up the work. Let¡¯s at least get the house habitable for this girl tonight so she can live in it.¡±

    Immediately, everyone got to work.

    The medic had been brought over, helped Bai Xiao to sit on a broken stool in the courtyard, and began disinfecting and cleaning the wound on her arm, then suturing it. Because there was no anesthesia, Bai Xiao sweated profusely from the pain.

    In fact, she could have chosen not to have the medic treat her. In the dead of night, when no one was watching, she could have locked the door and healed her wound herself. Her special ability was the Healing Ability. Although it consumed a lot, every time she finished healing, her body turned cold as if she had fallen into an ice hole, but that was the price she had to pay.

    As long as she was alive, no matter what the injury or illness, her special ability could bring her back from the brink of death.

    But now was not the time to use it. If she healed her injuries too easily, the Bai family might start spreading rumors and nder about her, possibly iming she was faking it. So, while the medic treated her, she bit down and endured.

    Only by letting the entire vige see her agony today, if the Bai family wanted to cause trouble again, everyone, with eyes to see and brains to think, would question what was really going on. Then it would be impossible for Bai Jianguo and Li Chunhua to spout nonsense and distort the truth.

    For that oue, she was willing to pay this price.

 Chapter 19 - 19 19 Conclusion

    ?Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Conclusion   Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Conclusion                                   An Zhiyuan rolled up his sleeves and climbed onto the roof. There was a big hole in the roof, and the vigers had helped bring some straw. The local sticky y mixed with straw made good mud. After cleaning the roof, they covered it with wooden boards, spread the straw and mud to level it, and then the finalyer consisted of rows of tiles.

    Bai Xiao began to tidy up inside the house herself. The kang stove was still usable, and after a simple clean-up, sheid down the straw mat that had been cleared of dirt.

    Once she got used to the dim lighting, she saw that on both sides of the hall there were crude wooden windows that could be pushed outward and propped open with sticks. Opening both windows, the room felt much brighterpared to before, and more cheerful, but it also seemed even dirtier.

    Apart from a rough table like the rest of the things, there was only a painting-peeled, mottled wooden chest on the kang. There was no other furniture in the house. Two legs of the table were broken, and it leaned crookedly in a corner. The best thing in the room, aside from the simple utensils and the intact four walls she had seen earlier, had already been moved to her uncle¡¯s house.

    What was left was a pile of worthless broken stuff.

    Inside the box, she found a quilt from their family, which felt damp and smelled musty. With effort, she carried it outside, where someone had already put up a rope for her to dry clothes. It was perfect for airing out the quilt. It was noon, and there was still time before the sunset to sun-dry it. This would at least make it a bit better for sleeping at night.

    By the time the sun set, the house had been tidied. An Zhiyuan climbed down thedder, and Bai Xiao diligently fetched arge basin of water and ced it under the eaves. ¡°Commissar An, please wash up! We really can¡¯t cook, but the vige aunties have already boiled water for everyone. Let¡¯s each have a bowl. Thank you so much for today, not only for saving my life but also for helping to fix up the house. I really need to properly thank you. How about this¡ªonce my kitchen is ready, I¡¯ll invite Commissar An and everyone over for a meal to express my gratitude.¡±

    Bai Xiao was sincerely grateful, even though she had orchestrated the events of the day! But there was no other choice, to survive, ordinary folks could only resort to some crafty tactics. However, Commissar An truly helped her a lot today.

    An Zhiyuan washed off the mud from his head and hands, shook his head, and flicked off the water droplets. ¡°Alright, little girl, you¡¯re moving into a new home. In a couple of days, I¡¯ll bring the students to warm up the stove for you, and we can also finish the courtyard wall. A promise is a promise, right?¡± He had indeed formed an inexplicable bond with this girl.

    Liu Baoguo had alreadye over. After a busy day, he had prepared food and could not let them leave just like that; it wouldn¡¯t be right.

    ¡°Commissar An, my wife has prepared food at home. Please bring the students to our house for dinner! Look at how busy you¡¯ve been all day; it¡¯s a small token of our appreciation.¡± Bai Xiao¡¯s ce couldn¡¯t be used for cooking, so as the vige chief, he naturally took the initiative to entertain the guests.

    An Zhiyuan waved his hand, rolling down his sleeves properly and buttoning up his cor before putting on his hat. ¡°Vige chief, there¡¯s really no need. We are serving the people; what token do we need? This is our duty. It¡¯s gettingte today; we must return to the school. We have our discipline. The day after tomorrow, we wille to finish the rest. Let the mud bricks sun for another day tomorrow; otherwise, the results won¡¯t be good.¡±

    They would not take advantage of others; the soldiers quickly departed with him.

    Liu Baoguo scratched his head, muttering to himself as he watched An Zhiyuan and the others walk away, ¡°What a good man!¡± Turning to Bai Xiao, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, girl. If themissar isn¡¯t going, you should. You can¡¯t cook here; have dinner at your uncle¡¯s house!¡± The favor had to be repaid adequately.

    Bai Xiao shook her head, ¡°Uncle, I won¡¯t go. You saw the state of my house; it¡¯s still a mess. I need to organize so I at least have a ce to step tonight.¡± Who would be happy with someone freeloading at their home?

    Liu Baoguo could tell this girl was thoughtful. ¡°Well then, do as you see fit! Tomorrow I will have Liu Hong send you a bag of cornmeal to get by. After the autumn harvest, you can ask your little uncle for your share of the grain.¡± The dispute over provisions was still a messy affair.

    Bai Xiao looked down for a moment, then raised her head, her eyes like ink filled with sadness. ¡°Uncle, I have a favor to ask!¡±

    Only Liu Baoguo could help with this matter.

    Liu Baoguo sighed. Bai Jianshe was such an honest person, and to just leave behind his children like that, looking at these kids was quite pitiable.

    ¡°Speak up, girl. Whatever help I can offer, I will. And if I can¡¯t, there¡¯s nothing to be done!¡± The vige had its affairs, and some matters were not easily interfered with.

    Bai Xiao knew this was essentially a refusal. Could Liu Baoguo not see what she wanted? It was about reiming her family¡¯s belongings. The house was empty, all valuable items gone. Bai Jianguo¡¯s family had many things that belonged to her, not to mention living expenses. She was destitute, with nothing to her name.

    But having the house back was already fortunate, thanks to encountering An Zhiyuan and his students. Otherwise, Liu Baoguo would not have intervened. After all, everyone thought this was Bai Family¡¯s own affair, and outsiders, whether they handled it well or not, would be met with resentment. Liu Baoguo wouldn¡¯t bring that misfortune upon himself.

    ¡°Never mind then, vige chief. I won¡¯t see you out; please take your leave!¡± Bai Xiao knew her ce. Today had been a sessful first day; she couldn¡¯t push people too far, or they might turn desperate. She had to go slowly and carefully.

    Liu Baoguo understood the girl got the message and walked away without saying more.

    Bai Xiao closed the front door and propped it from inside with a piece of wood. The house was indeed dpidated, but she would tidy up gradually.

    She spread out the quilt andy down, feeling the warmth andfort of the sun¡¯s scent on it; there was happiness and vitality.

    Alive. It felt so good. In one day, she had experienced rebirth, faced death again, narrowly escaped peril, and was now living in her own home. That feeling was damn good.

    The light from the bulb in the house was dim; the vigers had found it for her, otherwise there wouldn¡¯t even be a light bulb in the house.

    No matter how big the difficulties, they weren¡¯t insurmountable.

    Everything would get better.

    She locked the door, propped it with wood from the inside, and slowly, over time, the house would improve.

    Shey back in the quilt, basking in the fragrance of the sun, warm,fortable, and alive with hope and life.

 Chapter 20 - 20 20 Myocardial Infarction

    ?Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Myocardial Infarction   Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Myocardial Infarction                                   Bai Xiaoy in her nket, and although she was exhausted from the day, she just couldn¡¯t fall asleep. her mind was like a movie, scene by scene, ying everything from her past life¡ªher anger, her grievances, her unwillingness, and her final struggle¡ªall shed before her eyes.

    Out of anger, she clenched her fists tightly! She identally pulled at the wound in her arm and Bai Xiao winced in pain.

    Now she should try her special ability, the past and present were not urgent matters for the moment.

    The urgent matter was to test whether the effect of her special ability was the same as in her previous life.

    She closed her eyes and gentlyid her uninjured right hand over the wound. The familiar sensation immediately emerged¡ªa warm, hot energy flowed into her arm at the wound, lingering and umting there, before slowly enveloping and vanishing from sight.

    She didn¡¯t unwrap the wound. If she did, she wouldn¡¯t be able to pretend it was still there, as the vigers were all watching. If her arm suddenly healed by tomorrow, it would surely attract attention, so for now, she couldn¡¯t remove the gauze. She had to wait a few days.

    However, she touched the wound on her forehead! That one she decided not to heal.

    Her breathing started to quicken, and she knew it wasing¡ªthe aftereffects, probably a punishment for her consumption of her special ability. She could feel a chill rising from her bare feet, and she couldn¡¯t hear anything around her, including the neighbor¡¯s barking dog.

    It seemed as if all of a sudden, she deted like a balloon, sagging down.

    All her senses became heavy and sluggish, she felt colder, and it seemed as if all her internal organs were sculptures of ice¡ªthe cold originated within her, not from the outside. She shivered and wrapped herself tighter in the nket, burying her whole body in it, knowing how to deal with such an ordeal.

    She knew that being wrapped in a quilt in July and still shivering was something of a miracle. She remembered watching a foreign film, in which the female lead had a simr ability. However, that character wasn¡¯t a healer, and she also had a male lead who was ever-present to clear all obstacles and provide warmth, while Bai Xiao had to shoulder everything on her own.

    Heh, even with her teeth chattering from the cold, she still felt so excited she wanted to cry. Everything had returned. Her special ability hade back much earlier than in herst life, and this time she could save her sister and brother¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t have to die. This time, she would change everything with her own hands.

    She wouldn¡¯t die!

    She already knew the price from herst life¡ªgaining something meant you had topensate with something else. This was probably the fairestpensation from the heavens.

    Wrapped in the nket, she fell into a deep sleep.

    When she woke up the next day, her hands and feet still hadn¡¯t recovered¡ªthey were so cold that they were stiff, making getting out of bed difficult. but at least her body wasn¡¯t cold anymore. She rubbed her feet to ease the temperature and improve blood cirction, feeling great. Nothing could stop that joy. After all, the most reliable thing in this world is having the power to control your own life and the lives of others without anyone else knowing.

    After tidying up her bedding, she opened the door and breathed the fresh air of the morning mountain vige. Everything was about to begin.

    But now she had to consider what to do today. First, she had to solve the problem of food. The vige chief Liu Baoguo had already told her that she could borrow fifty pounds of cornmeal, and the autumn harvest wasn¡¯t far away. But even with the harvest, Li Chunhua probably wouldn¡¯t agree to give her grain. Besides, school would start in September, and she needed to go to school; food wasn¡¯t that important.

    What was important was that the college admission notice would definitely arrive in the next few days. Because she lived at her uncle¡¯s house, she had written that address¡ªit was definitely a matter of these next few days. So the first thing to do was to get the admission notice in hand and not let her grandmother talk nonsense.

    The remaining issue was the matter of travel expenses, but that could be discussedter. The pressing matter was the admission notice.

    She fetched water to wash her face. The water jar had been temporarily lent to her by Old Lady Wang from the vige. Wang Jiacheng, the eldest grandson of the Wang Family, had carried the water for her. Today she had to do all these things herself, which wasn¡¯t too difficult, but there were too many things shecked, such as even a shoulder pole¡ªevery possession had long been taken away by her uncle¡¯s mother.

    After washing her face and scattering the water in the yard, she grabbed a broom to sweep the courtyard clean. This type of broom, made from brittle broom grass cut from the mountains by the vigers, wasn¡¯t worth much. Everyone could make one, so they had left one for her.

    There was already a knock at the door.

    Bai Xiao opened the door to find Liu Baoguo, the Security Director, and the Women¡¯s Director all present. With a bag slung over his shoulder, the Security Director had brought some grain, which Bai Xiao knew was lent to her. She quickly smiled and said, ¡°Uncle Vige Chief, Uncle Security Director, Auntie, you¡¯vee so early. If it weren¡¯t for your help, I might have starved to death¡­¡± she choked up, unable to continue speaking. She wasn¡¯t putting on an act; at this moment, she could only show weakness, and she was indeed vulnerable.

    She had no grain, no money.

    If no one had helped, she would have been waiting to starve to death.

    Rebirth was not omnipotent.

    Liu Baoguo nodded, showing aforting smile, ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. I¡¯ll talk to your uncle about your situation. The grain shoulde from him, but it can be deducted in the fall. After all, thend is registered under your uncle¡¯s name! So it¡¯s only right. Our vige doesn¡¯t let anyone starve to death.¡±

    Bai Xiao helped Director Li Guoqing unload the bag of flour. Before she could offer polite words, she saw Li Guoqing suddenly clutch his chest and bend over to fall down. Bai Xiao was shocked and hurried to support him, but couldn¡¯t hold him up; Li Guoqing hadpletely copsed.

    Liu Baoguo and Women¡¯s Director Wang Meihua rushed over, shaking Li Guoqing, ¡°Old Li, Old Li! What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±

    Li Guoqing clutched his chest, crying out in pain.

    Bai Xiao realized something was wrong. In her previous life, due to her special ability, she deliberately learned a lot of basic pathology and treatment methods in both Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western medicine to hide her ability. It was clear that Liu Guoqing was exhibiting signs of a myocardial infarction.

    ¡°Uncle, I¡¯ll go call the vige doctor! Uncle Li doesn¡¯t look good. Don¡¯t move him at all. It looks like a myocardial infarction. Moving him carelessly could be fatal!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Wang Meihua grabbed Bai Xiao, ¡°Do you have medical knowledge?¡± Then she remembered Bai Xiao¡¯s deceased father, who had been a barefoot doctor, and that he would not have had a car ident with his wife while selling medicinal herbs in the county if it weren¡¯t for his profession.

    It seemed that the child had picked up some knowledge as well.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go call the vige doctor. You stay here. At least if something happens, we have someone knowledgeable here to avoid a bigger disaster.¡± In a hurry, Wang Meihua ran out.

    Liu Baoguo looked at Li Guoqing, who was already in a bad state, clearly seeing that his eyes had rolled back. What should they do?

 Chapter 21 - 21 21 Rescue

    ?Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Rescue   Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Rescue                                   Bai Xiao called out to Liu Baoguo, ¡°Vige chief,y the person down t; don¡¯t move him carelessly, it looks like a myocardial infarction. We must rescue him quickly, or there will be serious consequences.¡± After a quick examination, she discovered that Li Guoqing was already showing signs of shock. If he wasn¡¯t given emergency treatment within five to eight minutes, even if Li Guoqing was saved, the prolongedck of oxygen to his brain would have caused irreversible damage to the brain tissue, turning him into a ¡°vegetable.¡± Of course, without treatment, he would certainly depart this world.

    Liu Baoguo anxiously felt for Li Guoqing¡¯s breath, and then, almost no breath at all.

    Looking anxiously at Bai Xiao, he said, ¡°What should we do now? Bai Xiao, don¡¯t you have medical skills? Hurry and save him!¡±

    Driven to desperation, hepletely forgot that Bai Xiao was just an ordinary person with no qualifications. If anything went wrong with Li Guoqing¡¯s treatment, she would be legally responsible.

    Bai Xiao looked towards the courtyard gate, ¡°Uncle Vige Chief, you alone won¡¯t do, call for more people!¡±

    Liu Baoguo immediately came to his senses. Just as he was about to run outside the gate, someone else rushed in instead, ¡°What happened to my brother?¡± It was Liu Baoguo¡¯s wife, Li Chunmei. Li Guoqing was her younger brother, her own flesh and blood, and also Liu Baoguo¡¯s brother-inw. Otherwise, Liu Baoguo wouldn¡¯t have been so anxious.

    Li Chunmei hurled herself over, intending to embrace Li Guoqing.

    ¡°If you want Uncle Li to die, then move him!¡±

    With one sentence, Bai Xiao startled Li Chunmei.

    How did ite to life and death so suddenly?

    ¡°Liu Baoguo, what on earth happened? How could he be dying? Weren¡¯t you with Guoqing all the time? How could he be dying?¡± Li Chunmei was on the verge of strangling Liu Baoguo.

    The Liu Family had only this one male heir after six daughters, this one son.

    Before Liu Baoguo could speak or exin, the vige doctor, dragged along by Wang Meihua, arrived. Wang Meihua was also dutiful; she didn¡¯t spare any effort on the way, notifying Li Chunmei and at the same time calling for the vige doctor! This way, time was saved, and now there was a whole courtyard full of people.

    Upon hearing that Director Guoqing was dying, how could they note?

    How could a life be lost just like that?

    The vige doctor, out of breath, set down his medical bag from his shoulder and hurriedly crouched down to check on Li Guoqing.

    He flipped the eyelids, took out the stethoscope to listen, his face bing increasingly solemn as he shook his head from time to time.

    ¡°Uncle Xu, how is Guoqing? You must save him!¡±

    Seeing how things were, Li Chunmei was already scared into crying.

    The vige doctor put away his stethoscope and shook his head, ¡°He¡¯s not going to make it; he¡¯s already out of breath. It¡¯s not that I won¡¯t save him, this is a myocardial infarction. But in a ce like our vige, to get to a hospital takes dozens of miles on mountain roads, and any movement could make things worse. He¡¯s already in shock, I don¡¯t even have the medicine, so please don¡¯t make it difficult for me¡­¡± It was really not that Doctor Xu didn¡¯t want to save him.

    In those times, vige doctors came from the ranks of barefoot doctors who relied on experience, not professionally trained in schools, and without any internships. So, don¡¯t expect too much; in rural areas, especially remote mountain viges, being sick was truly a matter of fate.

    Li Chunmei became frantic, grabbing the vige doctor by the cor, ¡°Uncle Xu, you can¡¯t just do nothing! If you do nothing, isn¡¯t it just waiting for death?¡±

    Her eyes were red as if she was going to eat someone.

    Everyone felt disheartened, for who wouldn¡¯t be driven mad if it happened to their own family?

    Li Guoqing was only forty years old, with two boys at home, neither married yet.

    Doctor Xu really couldn¡¯t save him, not that he didn¡¯t want to, but he just couldn¡¯t say it.

    A frenzied person was not to be provoked.

    Liu Baoguo grabbed Bai Xiao¡¯s arm firmly and shook it, ¡°Xiao, since you were the first to discover the illness, do you have a way to help? If you can, Uncle pleads with you to save your Uncle Guoqing.¡± He wouldn¡¯t forget that Bai Xiao had diagnosed Li Guoqing¡¯s condition with just one look earlier, and it was the same diagnosis as Doctor Xu¡¯s, who hadn¡¯t used anything but simply looked for a few seconds to identify the problem.

    Surely that meant she was a bit more skilled than the vige doctor, right?

    ¡°If you have any acupuncture needles, I could give it a try, but everyone needs to leave the room, and we need to put up a curtain. I have a rule that no one can watch while I¡¯m diagnosing and treating, I¡¯m sorry but this was a rule left by my dad,¡± Bai Xiao stated her requirements, which was part of her pretense.

    Liu Baoguo shouted, ¡°Hurry up, Doctor Xu, your needles, and Chunmei, quickly bring the curtain.¡±

    Doctor Xu red, ¡°You girl, you dare take this on yourself, If something happens to¡­¡± He lowered his voice and couldn¡¯t continue. In this vige, if someone died during treatment, that was a huge issue. He handed over his acupuncture silver needle.

    Bai Xiao whispered a thanks.

    It was for her own good and absolutely devoid of any jealousy.

    She still took the silver needle and ducked inside the curtain. Outside, a crowd of people could only see vague shadows and none dared to speak out loud; they were all whispering among themselves.

    ¡°Tell me, when did the old Bai family¡¯s girl learn medical skills?¡±

    ¡°Exactly, I¡¯ve never heard of it before. The vige chief trusts her so much, isn¡¯t he afraid of the consequences if the patient dies?¡±

    ¡°Shush! What are you talking about? Don¡¯t jinx it. Didn¡¯t you hear Doctor Xu say there¡¯s no saving him? I think the vige chief is just grasping at straws, at least it¡¯s a chance, otherwise, we¡¯d be preparing a funeral!¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m just saying is all, I¡¯m not worrying about that girl!¡±

    ¡°The oue is unpredictable, but you don¡¯t know, both the old Bai¡¯s were good people, both doctors, and who in our vige hasn¡¯t been helped by old Doctor Bai, that¡¯s a good man. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if he taught his daughter some medical skills, it¡¯s not something unheard of!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I also think that girl is blessed.¡±

    ¡°Sigh, we haven¡¯t known it all these years probably because of her formidable grandmother, such a smart girl confined to the courtyard all day! If she¡¯s not working, she¡¯s studying. Even if she has the skills, who would know?¡±

    ¡°The Bai family has really sinned, too. Does the olddy not fear dying young? Such bad deeds done too often won¡¯t lead to a good death, I¡¯ve heard! Heaven doesn¡¯t ignore misdeeds; it just waits for the right time. Nobody can avoid it.¡±

    ¡°Better stop talking, lest you end up gossiping. Isn¡¯t that Li Chunhua agreeable?¡±

    ¡°What, it¡¯s okay for her to do, but not okay for me to speak, huh? People do their deeds, and Heaven watches!¡±

    ¡°Hush, there¡¯s movement!¡±

    ¡­

    Everyone¡¯s eyes were glued to the curtain when they saw Bai Xiao emerge with a deathly pale face, her hands trembling, ¡°Uncle¡­ it¡¯s okay now, take¡­ him¡­ away¡­ Let him¡­ rest¡­ well, don¡¯t¡­ drink¡­ alcohol¡­ or¡­ get angry¡­ Rest¡­ for¡­ three¡­ to¡­ five days¡­ and¡­ it¡¯ll be¡­ okay¡­¡± Her words tripped over one another as if her teeth were ttering with each other.

    As soon as Li Chunmei heard this, she dived into the room and immediately there was a wail, ¡°Guoqing, you¡¯ve finally woken up! You scared your sister to death!¡±

    Liu Baoguo quickly instructed the vigers, ¡°Everyone, please help to carry Guoqing back to the house, thank you!¡± He turned to Bai Xiao and said, ¡°Xiao, your Uncle can¡¯t thank you enough, I¡¯ll make sure your Aunt and I thank you properlyter!¡± At this point, he couldn¡¯t pay more attention to Bai Xiao as the vigers helped to carry Li Guoqing back into the house with much fumbling.

    The crowd also quickly scattered.

    Bai Xiao handed the silver needle back to Doctor Xu, ¡°Thank¡­ you¡­¡± She could hardly be med for not speaking properly; the after-effects of using her special ability would manifest immediately, and she had no control over it.

    Doctor Xu was taken aback, then he picked up the silver needle, slung his medical bag over his shoulder, and hurried towards Li Guoqing¡¯s house, wondering if the man really had been saved.

 Chapter 22 - 22 22 Warmth

    ?Chapter 22: Chapter 22 Warmth   Chapter 22: Chapter 22 Warmth                                   Bai Xiao shivered as she had just closed the front door, wrapping herself in a nket in a corner of the room, trembling from the cold. She had used her powers too ruthlessly this time, but it was because Li Guoqing¡¯s illness was critical, a matter of life and death. She couldn¡¯t afford to heal him bit by bit and had to take a risky approach, which had left her exhausted.

    She might as well freeze to death.

    There was a knocking sound from outside the door.

    Bai Xiao really didn¡¯t feel like responding. Who could be so insensitive as toe to her home at this time?

    She hardly had the energy to take a step.

    But the knocking continued without pause.

    Bai Xiao had no choice but to move to the door, just as she was about to ask who it was.

    She saw someone suddenly flip over the courtyard wall, and Bai Xiao truly wanted to curse.

    Which bastard was trying to break in uninvited?

    Was this an invitation for thieves?

    Then she saw someone quickly enter the room and found herself staring eye to eye with the intruder.

    An Zhiyuan knew his actions were wrong, but he had been sure someone was inside the house since the main door was locked from the inside. Yet, despite his loud knocking, no one had answered. A few aunties next door had added fuel to the fire, saying that Bai Xiao had just been healing someone, and An Zhiyuan couldn¡¯t help worrying that the girl might have fainted.

    He knocked for a while longer, but when no one came out and the aunties had left since it was time to get back to work in the fields, he had no choice but to climb over the wall in a fit of urgency.

    Right aftering in, he found the girl bundled up in a cotton quilt in the corner of the bedstead, even in the height of summer. How could that be normal?

    ¡°Bai Xiao, what¡¯s wrong with you? Are you sick?¡±

    He reached out instinctively to feel Bai Xiao¡¯s forehead. ¡°You don¡¯t have a fever?¡± He even tested his own forehead! Indeed, the temperature seemed perfectly normal.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not sick! Company Commander An, what are you doing here?¡± she said, calmly dodging An Zhiyuan¡¯s hand that was still trying to check her.

    An Zhiyuan finally realized his mistake, men and women should not touch each other so freely.

    He had been too impulsive.

    ¡°You don¡¯t look well. Maybe I should take you to the hospital,¡± he said, clearly noticing Bai Xiao¡¯s shivering form and her lips turning blue, which was a sign of severe hypothermia.

    Bai Xiao shook her head, ¡°No need, I know my own body. I¡¯m just a bit cold.¡± She was well aware of her own condition, wasn¡¯t it all because of healing Li Guoqing just a while ago?

    She yearned for a bowl of hot soup, the tears of craving almost falling.

    ¡°How long have you been like this?¡± An Zhiyuan asked, seeing her tears shimmer in her eyes, his concern making him soften.

    ¡°Not long!¡± She had no intention of revealing her weakness, and the words that came through her quivering teeth sounded far from confident.

    An Zhiyuan turned and left the room, Bai Xiao buried her head in the nket, breathing in the warmth she had generated. Could this make her a bit warmer?

    She couldn¡¯t help but miss her elder brother and sister, who would at least make her a bowl of hot soup and hold her protectively in their arms.

    But now¡­

    She seemed to be all alone in the world.

    Suddenly, footsteps approached, ¡°Bai Xiao, drink this!¡± An Zhiyuan¡¯s voice emerged above her head.

    Bai Xiao struggled to lift her head and saw An Zhiyuan holding a big steaming bowl. Tears of excitement welled up in her eyes, but unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t stretch out her arms.

    An Zhiyuan ced the bowl by her lips. Her body was stiff with panic, but she soon realized that An Zhiyuan definitely had good intentions. Being fussy at this time would be too pretentious. Bai Xiao took several big sips from the bowl he held. In fact, the sound of her teeth clinking against the rim of the bowl embarrassed her.

    Thankfully, the warm ginger sugar water made her stomach feel warm. She indulged in the warmth, unable to resist taking a deep breath. She hurriedly grasped the edge of the bowl with her trembling hands, nearly spilling the sugar water with her shaky movements.

    She steadied herself and continued to drink. Alright, this kind of happiness almost made her want to die.

    An Zhiyuan watched the young girl¡¯s satisfied look and couldn¡¯t help but curve his lips into a smile, chuckling to himself! She really was still a young girl, indeed.

    He took out the hot water bottle from his embrace and stuffed it into Bai Xiao¡¯s arms, wrapped the nket around her snugly, making sure even her toes weren¡¯t exposed a bit, then turned and left the room.

    Bai Xiao really wanted to shout ¡°Long live Instructor An¡±.

    This Instructor An was like a godsend to save her.

    After drinking a big bowl of ginger sugar water and hugging the hot water bottle, her consciousness became a bit blurry. She leaned against the wall, nodding off little by little, just like a chick pecking at grain.

    She drifted into sleep without realizing it until the aroma of a meal woke her with hunger. She had only eaten breakfast yesterday, missing both lunch and dinner. Not to mention this morning, she hadn¡¯t had a drop to drink.

    Upon opening her eyes, she saw Auntie Wang smiling at her, ¡°Hungry, aren¡¯t you? Get up and eat. You silly girl, you¡¯ve got a fever and you didn¡¯t say a word. Had it not been for Instructor An asking for help, I wouldn¡¯t have known. I made you a sizzling pan-fried fish with noodles. Come on, eat up! Eating will help you recover faster.¡±

    Bai Xiao was too embarrassed to face anyone; she was mistaken for being sick.

    Li Chunmei also came in, her face full of shame, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault! You suffered so much yesterday and were still busy saving people today. All of a sudden you fell ill. I was so anxious that I only took care of your Uncle Guoqing and forgot about you. This is my fault. Don¡¯t worry! Your meals will be provided by our house for the next few days. You just rest well. Instructor An and the others are outside building your house. It¡¯s good to be an official!¡± She set the bowl of food before Bai Xiao and handed her the chopsticks.

    ¡°Don¡¯te down, look at you, so pitiful, wrapped up tight in such a thick nket in this hot weather and still holding a hot water bottle. The Bai Family is truly cruel! Rest assured, from now on, you are my own niece. Your uncle and I will definitely take care of your affairs¡ªwe won¡¯t let anyone bully you.¡± She brushed the hair from Bai Xiao¡¯s face behind her ears, looking extremely kind.

    Bai Xiao looked at the two plump poached eggs in the pan-fried fish with noodles and was startled, ¡°Auntie, this really isn¡¯t right, eggs are such valuable things, I can¡¯t eat them!¡± In those days, nobody would easily eat their own eggs; they were sold for money to buy essentials like oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar.

    Li Chunmei red at her, ¡°Eat up, be good. It¡¯s just a few eggs. What¡¯s thatpared to the good you did for our family? Eat them up. If you don¡¯t, your auntie would feel bad.¡± A few eggs were nothingpared to her brother¡¯s life.

    Her own parents would be going over to express their thanks. If Bai Xiao hadn¡¯t been sick in bed, they would have been kowtowing their thanks by now.

    Bai Xiao was in a difficult position, but Auntie Wangughed, ¡°Just eat, or your auntie will feel uneasy. Go on, eat. Your Auntie Chunmei can manage; there are so many hens at home,ying lots of eggs. Eat two more and watch her hurt!¡±

    All three of them burst intoughter.

    Bai Xiao could only humbly ept, finishing a big bowl of the sizzling noodle fish with two poached eggs. Her face flushed with health and she began to feel warm.

    Her body¡¯s temperature regtor was back in action.

 Chapter 23 - 23 23 Discussion

    ?Chapter 23: Chapter 23 Discussion   Chapter 23: Chapter 23 Discussion                                   After the meal, Bai Xiao used the excuse of feeling much better to get out of bed, and it was only then that she noticed An Zhiyuan and a few other men from the vige building a wall for the copsed room in her house. It was almost finished, and even the top of the courtyard wall was now topped with an extra half-meter of mud. She couldn¡¯t help but purse her lips in a smile.

    The Instructor An really had a keen eye for detail.

    The work was quickly finished, and everyone left.

    After cleaning himself up, An Zhiyuan saw Bai Xiao standing at the doorway of her house, grinning at him and asking, ¡°Feeling much better now?¡± Seeing her rosy cheeks, he guessed she was indeed much better.

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°Instructor An, thank you. I really owe you one today!¡± It was absolutely heartfelt! No one in her life had ever treated her this well, not to mention in her previous life. Today, she felt more cared for than she had ever been before.

    ¡°That¡¯s good. If you need anything in the future, juste to me. Our troops are training nearby your area. Is your wound feeling better? Otherwise, can I apply some medicine for you?¡± An Zhiyuan asked as he looked at her arm, wondering if she could change her bandage by herself.

    Bai Xiao quickly shook her head, ¡°There¡¯s really no need, the aunties are helping out.¡±

    What a joke. Her wound had already healed, and this piece of gauze was just for show, to deceive others. If An Zhiyuan saw it, the jig would be up.

    ¡°Okay then, if you need anything, just let me know. Don¡¯t be shy; serving the people is our duty!¡±

    ¡°Alright, Instructor An, I certainly won¡¯t hesitate to bother you if somethinges up!¡±

    Bai Xiao saw off Instructor An and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    What a chaotic day it had been.

    She carefully checked out the room. On the kitchen stove was a bag of cornmeal, likely carried inside by Camp Head Instructor An, the water jar was filled to the brim, and the woodpile was neatly stacked, seemingly newly tidied. The room too had been neatly repaired.

    It was only then that Bai Xiao remembered she still hadn¡¯t given back the hot water bottle, which must have been provided by Instructor An.

    Well, she would talking about it the next time she saw Instructor An.

    Suddenly, she felt a sense of relief wash over her. Life was still so wonderful.

    She decided to find the postman. In their vige, mail delivery only started at noon, with the postman going from house to house. Generally, the vigers didn¡¯t receive much mail; no one would waste two cents on a postage stamp for no good reason, unless there was some important family matter that neededmunication. Besides, most vigers had lived in the vige for generations and didn¡¯t even have the possibility of receiving mail.

    So, the postman showing up was usually a big deal.

    Over at the Bai Family¡¯s ce, from yesterday until today, the atmosphere was tense, especially between Li Chunhua and Bai Jianguo, both of whom had dark expressions, making everyone in the household tread on eggshells.

    Bai Mei felt like crying out of frustration. Ever since Bai Xiao had arrived at their home, for four years, she had never done any chores, but now she had to wake up early to cut pigweed, thene back to chop it up for pig feed, not to mention the chickens that were waiting to be fed.

    The pigsty and chicken coop both needed cleaning, those piles of excrement were so revolting Bai Mei felt like vomiting just looking at them, tasks that used to be Bai Xiao¡¯s.

    Now assigned to her, she didn¡¯t dare shirk them, her own father¡¯s p from yesterday was still fresh in her memory; she absolutely didn¡¯t dare to provoke Bai Jianguo at this time.

    She could only sit there, seething with resentment as she chopped pigweed, cursing Bai Xiao viciously, ¡°That wretched girl, let her starve to death for all I care. Without our family supporting her, she¡¯d not even have dog feces to eat. She actually dares not to return after leaving, let her have the guts to nevere back in her lifetime.¡±

    Bai Jianguo and Li Chunhua didn¡¯t go out to the fields today, Bai Shan and Bai Zhuang went instead, the three adults stayed behind, not working thend.

    Mainly because Bai Jianguo now didn¡¯t know how to show his face, with that dead girl Bai Xiao causing such a scene yesterday, now the whole vige was eagerly watching tough at the Bai Family¡¯s misfortune, Bai Jianguo felt guilty himself, unable to step out the door.

    Yesterday, he had no choice but to thicken his skin and pretend to help at Bai Xiao¡¯s dpidated house, with so many vigers, the instructor, and the vige chief and other officials present, he didn¡¯t dare not lend a hand. Jeered at by some of the gossiping women in the vige, Bai Jianguo felt a fire in his belly.

    This was the first time in his life he had ever lost so much face.

    ¡°Just let that dead girl get away with it? That house is¡­¡± Hao Fang said, gritting her teeth in hatred, she and Bai Jianguo had already nned to sell that house as quickly as possible, after all, Bai Zhuang¡¯s marriage wasing up and needed a fair bit of money. Marrying off a daughter-inw meant the house would face famine; of course, that house couldn¡¯t just sit there unused.

    But now, to their dismay, the cooked duck had flown away.

    Li Chunhua waved her hand, her face full of impatience, ¡°No worries, sister-inw. As long as I¡¯m here, Bai Xiao won¡¯t escape from the palm of my hand. We¡¯ve supported her for so many years; it¡¯s time for her to repay us.¡± Over the years, she had longe to view Bai Xiao not as a person, but as a property for her grandsons and granddaughters, a property that could change their fortunes one day.

    Especially now, at the critical moment of Bai Zhuang about to get married.

    Bai Jianguo, taking a drag from his dry tobo pipe, inhaled deeply twice, ¡°Mom, I think this matter is likely to fall through. Don¡¯t bring up the matter of the house for now. With so many eyes in the vige watching, the issue of the house is illegitimate and our behavior yesterday unreasonable. We didn¡¯t have the upper hand, so let¡¯s not be too stubborn about the house.

    Better not to stir things up, making everyone even more focused on it. I think we should deal with Bai Xiao first. If she won¡¯t go out to work, then we should quickly find someone to marry her off, the dowry is one thing, but she can¡¯t be allowed to freeload at home anyway.¡±

    He had contemted it all night long.

    Hao Fang perked up at this, pping her thigh, ¡°Right, marrying off Bai Xiao kills two birds with one stone. First, the dowry is definitely a sum of money, and second, once Bai Xiao is married off, the house will be free again. We can then deal with the house, and it would be rightful and proper.¡±

    That made sense; Li Chunhua nodded in agreement, ¡°That settles it. I¡¯ll go find a matchmaker in the next couple of days. She¡¯s the best around here, I¡¯ll find a suitable family for Bai Xiao. As long as they¡¯re wealthy, we¡¯re not picky about the groom. As long as they can afford the dowry, that¡¯s fine!¡± No sooner said than done, Li Chunhua got up on her feet. Bai Xiao had be an open sore for her; she was anxious for her eldest grandson.

    Bai Jianguo grabbed Li Chunhua¡¯s arm, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t be hasty. This isn¡¯t a matter to rush at the moment. I think for the next few days, you should quickly find the postal carrier to settle Bai Xiao¡¯s admission notice issue. As long as she doesn¡¯t have this eptance letter, everything else is up to us to decide. As for the matchmaker, let Xiaofang handle it, she has a few well-off and well-connected rtives on her mother¡¯s side. Let¡¯s all refrain from provoking Bai Xiao these few days and avoid giving the vigers a handle to use against us.¡± He was thinking ahead, nning on how to convert Bai Xiao into money.

    Hao Fang immediately stood up, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll go. I¡¯ll return to my parent¡¯s house right now. My elder sister-inw mentioned that there is a family looking for a bride, and they offer a hefty dowry¡ªreportedly two hundred yuan! We¡¯re trying toe up with a significant betrothal gift. This could be a considerable sum of money, inside and out.¡± The mention of this made Hao Fang¡¯s face beam with delight, smiling as if she was in full bloom.

    She didn¡¯t care whom Bai Xiao married, as long as it brought money to their family. Bai Xiao could marry a pig or a dog for all she cared.

    Li Chunhua agreed, and the family reached a consensus.

 Chapter 24 - 24 24 A Dog Cant Spit Out Ivory

    ?Chapter 24: Chapter 24: A Dog Can¡¯t Spit Out Ivory   Chapter 24: Chapter 24: A Dog Can¡¯t Spit Out Ivory                                   At this moment, Bai Xiao had also found the postman. She just needed to wait on the main road at the entrance of the vige to intercept him. From afar, she could see him riding a dark green, ssic ¡¯28-model bicycle, with the green postal bag dangling from the back seat containing various letters and newspapers.

    Typically, a single postman was responsible for about a dozen nearby viges and would have been doing the job for decades, definitely a familiar face. Over time, he hade to recognize who belongs to which household in all the surrounding viges.

    When Bai Xiao saw the postman Zhang Changgong approaching on his bicycle, she hurriedly waved her hands, ¡°Uncle Zhang, Uncle Zhang!¡±

    Zhang Changgong got off his bike, resting his hands on the handlebars, his face beaming with a smile, ¡°Ah, Bai Xiao, are you here waiting for your admission notice? I¡¯ve checked and it hasn¡¯t arrived yet, but as soon as it does, I¡¯ll make sure to deliver it to your house without fail. You can rest assured I won¡¯t lose it. Getting into university, that¡¯s a big deal. Having a college student from our rural area, that¡¯s truly a cause for celebration. I promise I¡¯ll handle it with care.¡±

    Bai Xiao smiled, ¡°Uncle, I know I can trust you. I just wanted to tell you if the admission notice arrives, please do not give it to my grandmother or my uncle. I¡¯ve moved back into our house. When the timees, could you possibly deliver the notice there? My grandmother doesn¡¯t want me to go to school. She wants me to go out and work, or toil in the fields.¡± It was crucial to exin this to Zhang Changgong.

    Zhang Changgong furrowed his brow and sighed, looking at the child with pity, ¡°Alright, rest assured that once I receive the letter, I will definitely deliver it to your house. Your grandmother and uncle, they¡¯re just shortsighted. They don¡¯t consider that having a university graduate is like getting a permanent job. Anyone would be excited to the point of setting off fireworks and hosting a feast, but your family, ah, let¡¯s not talk about it. You, this child, have it tough. Don¡¯t worry, as long as you¡¯re admitted, I¡¯ll ensure the notice gets into your hands.¡± Thinking about the child¡¯s fears and facing such an unreliable grandmother and uncle, could he not be concerned?

    What work out there could possibly not require proof of admission these days?

    So, this admission notice was indeed a big deal.

    Bai Xiao eagerly thanked him, ¡°Uncle, thank you so much!¡± She bowed deeply, grateful beyond words.

    Zhang Changgong waved his hand, mounted his bicycle, and rode off, haphazardly navigating the dirt road.

    ¡°Girl, better head back now!¡±

    Bai Xiao finally felt relieved.

    This major issue was resolved. Now she had to consider taking a trip to visit her two older sisters. Waking up with barely a penny to her name, she needed toe up with a significant sum for travel expenses¡ªone challenge she couldn¡¯t tackle alone. She had to think long-term about this.

    Don¡¯t think that doing business was easy back in the eighties. In the countryside, without proper conditions or purchasing power, business was tough. You had to go to the town or provincial city, which she couldn¡¯t manage just yet. Even a round trip to the county town would take six hours, let alone the fact she had no means of transport.

    The only solution she could think of was to try to get her sisters to help with travel expenses. If that failed, she¡¯d have to borrow from every household in the vige. Once she arrived in the university city, she could perhaps start a small business or find some odd jobs to earn the money to repay everyone. But for now, she had no other options.

    But everything was progressing in a positive direction.

    As Bai Xiao was walking back home, she ran into Wu Xiaoyue and Bai Mei. The two were as thick as thieves on any regr day.

    Upon seeing Bai Xiao, Bai Mei¡¯s eyes were ame with anger. Her finger still throbbed with pain¡ªit had already formed two blisters since morning. How could she not be furious? And now, seeing the one who caused her suffering, she felt like biting Bai Xiao twice over.

    Bai Xiao saw Bai Mei and didn¡¯t intend to greet her; after all, Bai Mei looked as if she would be happy to devour her alive, and Bai Xiao had no interest in courting trouble.

    She turned, thinking to pass by the two.

    Unfortunately, while she wished to keep the peace, Wu Xiaoyue wasn¡¯t having it.

    This one alsocked tact, thinking herself to be Bai Zhuang¡¯s fianc¨¦e, which, by extension, made her Bai Xiao¡¯s future sister-inw. She felt it was her right to lecture Bai Xiao.

    She indeed caught hold of Bai Xiao.

    ¡°Xiao ah, why do you walk around us when you see us? After all, we are family, aren¡¯t we? Is there anything we can¡¯t discuss amicably? It¡¯s not necessary to make a scene and have the whole vige pointing fingers. Bai Xiao, you¡¯re a grown girl. I¡¯ve seen you handle things with care in the past, so why are you so thoughtless this time?¡± Wu Xiaoyue put on the airs of an older sister-inw.

    Bai Mei red with fury, ¡°Who is family with her? She¡¯s nothing but a wild child with no father or mother. If it weren¡¯t for my dad and my grandma¡¯s generosity in keeping you alive, you would¡¯ve starved to death by now. And now you have the gall to turn the tables. I think even a dog wouldn¡¯t eat your conscience. Had we known, it would have been better to let you die of starvation back then; then we wouldn¡¯t have all these issues today. You¡¯re a jinx; whoever encounters you is doomed.¡± Bai Mei was used to spouting abuse at Bai Xiao with impunity, having done so for many years, and Bai Xiao had never fought back.

    A smirk appeared on Wu Xiaoyue¡¯s lips. She had always felt that having an extra person like Bai Xiao around was actually quite convenient; looking at the past days, all household chores had to be done, and wasn¡¯t that just like gaining an extraborer for free? Eating little but working a lot, she was happy with such good fortune.

    Once she married into the family, it was as if she would gain a servant for nothing.

    So she really didn¡¯t mind Bai Mei scolding Bai Xiao. Only bypletely eroding this girl¡¯s spirit would she be easier to handle in the future, she thought to herself.

    Bai Xiao gave Bai Mei a sidelong nce, her eyes holding a chilling sharpness, as if they were two poisoned daggers, fixating on Bai Mei, who suddenly felt a wave of coldness at the back of her neck.

    How did this wretched girl end up with such intimidating eyes?

    ¡°What, you still don¡¯t agree with what I said? Am I wrong?¡± Bai Mei was far from conceding.

    ¡°Bai Mei, don¡¯t bite indiscriminately once you leave the Bai Family¡¯s gate. Go back and ask your dear grandma and your good father exactly who has been freeloading. Every month, my brother and sister send 19 silver coins to your house, and what do I get fed each day? Yesterday, in front of the whole vige, your grandma and father clearly admitted it. If you think you¡¯ve been wronged, let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s take this matter to the vige chief.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s see who owes whom? Save your breath if you can¡¯t spit out anything but venom,¡± Bai Xiao was not about to suffer in silence. Bai Mei was the type to bully the weak and fear the strong; if Bai Xiao showed any willingness to back down today, Bai Mei would take it as a sign of weakness and be insufferable.

    Bai Mei was so startled by Bai Xiao¡¯s tight grip on her wrist that she jumped. She didn¡¯t dare to go in front of the vige chief. She wasn¡¯t unaware that her father and grandmother had taken the money.

    ¡°What are you doing? I¡¯m not going!¡±

    Bai Xiao tightened her grip, ¡°Not going? If you don¡¯t have the courage to go, then shut your mouth. Stop spouting nonsense. Otherwise, the next time I hear such talk, I¡¯ll smack you every time I see you. If you don¡¯t believe me, just try me and see if I dare.¡± She threatened, raising her fist and waving it in front of Bai Mei, who nearly fell over in fright.

 Chapter 25 - 25 25 Shut Up

    ?Chapter 25: Chapter 25 Shut Up   Chapter 25: Chapter 25 Shut Up                                   Wu Xiaoyue hastily went up and pulled Bai Mei away, anxiously checking Bai Mei¡¯s wrist, while scolding Bai Xiao, ¡°Bai Xiao, what are you doing? Bai Mei is your sister after all, how can you say such heartless things? Even if your brother and your sister gave money, you still need someone to take care of you. Can just giving money solve anything?¡±

    Bai Xiao jerked her wrist out of Bai Mei¡¯s grasp, ¡°What right do you have to speak to me? Even if you are Bai Zhuang¡¯s fianc¨¦e, what does that have to do with me? Don¡¯t stand there without pain and say it¡¯s easy, can just giving money solve any problem? You see how easily your lips move when they meet.

    The problems that money can solve are enormous. If you don¡¯t believe me, go out and ask the whole vige. If this money were taken to any family, see if they wouldn¡¯t want to keep me and definitely let me eat my fill. On the contrary, it¡¯s my own grandmother and uncle who, having this money, let me go hungry and thirsty. Why? Don¡¯t you understand already?

    Don¡¯t treat everyone as fools. You are a bride bought with our family¡¯s money. If it weren¡¯t for the money I bring in every month, where would your dowrye from? Where would your bride pricee from? Haha, don¡¯t be shameless!¡±

    Bullying others won¡¯t make her feel joyful, but this feeling of speaking her mind and pointing fingers at someone is reallyforting.

    ¡°You¡­ you how¡­ are now like a shrew?¡± Wu Xiaoyue¡¯s face turned red with embarrassment; she hadn¡¯t expected Bai Xiao to dare to say anything and fear nothing, realizing Bai Xiao was just such a shrewish mess. She definitely wouldn¡¯t have provoked this troublemaker.

    Bai Xiaoughed, ¡°A shrew? You haven¡¯t seen a real shrew yet. If you don¡¯t believe me, keep provoking me and see what it looks like when a shrew hits somebody. If you¡¯ve got nothing to say, then get out of here now. I need to go home. Ever heard that a good dog doesn¡¯t block the way?¡± If you dare provoke her, be prepared to be bullied.

    Wu Xiaoyue really thought she belonged to the Bai Family, even if she was a member of the Bai Family, she had nothing to do with Bai Xiao.

    What need was there for her to butt in like a dog chasing mice and upstage herself, thinking she could defend the Bai Family, not even considering her own weight?

    She thrust out her hand and pushed Wu Xiaoyue aside, ¡°Don¡¯t block the way!¡±

    Wu Xiaoyue was suddenly so angry that tears welled up, ¡°You, Bai Xiao¡­ you are insulting people!¡±

    Bai Xiao breezed past her effortlessly, with a light nce, ¡°That look won¡¯t work on me. You would be qualified to talk only if you could manage to give your family¡¯s money to your uncles for their use. Since you can¡¯t do it yourself, just shut up.¡± She was busy.

    Wu Xiaoyue¡¯s tears almost forgot to fall, wondering, was this still the silly Bai Xiao?

    Stunned, she turned to Bai Mei, ¡°Is¡­ Bai Xiao¡­ crazy?¡± That idiot, who didn¡¯t even know how to defend herself when bullied, was acting so brazen.

    Who gave her the confidence?

    Wasn¡¯t it said that Bai Xiao was just an orphan raised by the Bai Family, with neither father nor mother, yet still so bold and confident. Who was backing her up?

    Bai Mei rolled her eyes. She had hoped that with Wu Xiaoyue by her side, they could deal with Bai Xiao together, but who knew it would end up with Bai Xiao taking her down. She was furious to the point of madness, yet seeing Wu Xiaoyue¡¯s defeated look suddenly made her feel a lot better.

    It seemed she wasn¡¯t the only one challenged by Bai Xiao, and that realization suddenly made it less suffocating.

    ¡°She¡¯s gone mad! She¡¯spletely rabid! You didn¡¯t see how fierce she was yesterday, she even dared to drag my grandmother to jump into the reservoir together, and you would do well not to bother with her in the future, in case she beats you up out of nowhere, and then you¡¯d really have nowhere toin!¡± Bai Mei, unable to contain her anger, said as she recalled yesterday, how Li Chunhua came back and was gnashing her teeth and cursing Bai Xiao in the house. It was only by listening that she understood the whole story.

    Bai Xiao was fierce, indeed, daring to actually drag Li Chunhua to jump into the reservoir, and that¡¯s something not just anyone would dare to do, her grandmother of all people, that¡¯s Li Chunhua there.

    The very grandmother who nearly beat Bai Xiao to death back then ended up so scared by Bai Xiao that she couldn¡¯t stop shouting about how Bai Xiao was possessed by a ghost when she got home!

    ¡°What? She was that fierce? Jumping¡­ the reservoir?¡± Wu Xiaoyue, having heard her own mom vividly talk about it when she came back yesterday, had thought that it was Bai Xiao who got scared by Li Chunhua and fell into it, never would she have thought that Bai Xiao had the guts to actually jump.

    How could that coward have dared?

    ¡°Yes, she even dared to perish together with my grandma. You see, Bai Xiao must have a huge stroke of luck to have fallen from such a height and still not die. I heard a sergeant saved her. They were all almost out of breath, and it was the sergeant who kissed her, bringing her back to life. Tell me if it isn¡¯t embarrassing, so many people watching, being kissed by a strange man like that. Who would want her after this? So shameful!¡± Bai Mei said excitedly as she spoke of this.

    Just the thought of that scene thrilled her. Bai Xiao had always been prettier than her, and she had been jealous for a long time. There were so many youngds in the vige who would literally stop in their tracks at the sight of Bai Xiao, not to mention how many would rush to help her fetch water or chop firewood, all because they thought Bai Xiao was pretty.

    This time, she finally stopped showing off.

    Bai Mei thought maliciously, Bai Xiao being kissed by a strange man in public, and even hugged, no need to say, her reputation would be ruined from now on. As for a man wanting to marry such a morally corrupt woman, heh, Bai Mei couldn¡¯t help feeling smug! That¡¯s what you get for being so arrogant, Bai Xiao.

    Wu Xiaoyue finally started showing interest, ¡°What, kissing? I didn¡¯t know about that!¡± She wasn¡¯t concerned about this; her mom hadn¡¯t borated yesterday, so she really didn¡¯t know.

    Bai Mei pulled Wu Xiaoyue to sit down on the roadside edge and narrated the whole story to her in every detailed detail, as if she had witnessed it herself, her excitement was palpable; it seemed as if Bai Xiao had done something indecent right then and there.

    ¡°I never expected, Bai Xiao to be such a person, I thought she was someone who understood shame and knew how to behave, but it turns out she¡¯spletely disgraceful. Bai Mei, you have to be careful from now on. Bai Xiao¡¯s bad name could easily drag you down too. Your mom should be looking for a marriage prospect for you too, and if people find out about this, it would reflect badly on all of you. I¡¯m just looking out for you!¡± Wu Xiaoyue had already started despising Bai Xiao for ignoring and vexing her, so it was her own fault for being unscrupulous.

    What would the Bai family know how to do about this? Those people in the Bai family are not very clever, and they¡¯d probably be d to get rid of this hot potato.

    As expected, as soon as Bai Mei heard this, she panicked, ¡°I just knew she was a troublemaker, how am I supposed to get married now?¡± Bai Mei was crying out in despair.

    Wu Xiaoyue tried to console Bai Mei, ¡°What are you afraid of? Just have your grandma marry this girl off early, then she won¡¯t be your family¡¯s problem anymore and won¡¯t drag you down!¡± She acted all sisterly, and Bai Mei really bought into that.

    Bai Mei nodded, ¡°Rest assured, I¡¯ll go home and tell my mom. This troublemaker must go; we need to marry her off as soon as someone will have her, to save our whole family from trouble.¡± She was plotting to quickly get Bai Xiao married off.

    Wu Xiaoyue smiled, ¡°Look at you, jumping the gun. You can¡¯t just marry her off like that; it has to be to a good family. Don¡¯t worry, even if you don¡¯t say it, I know. We¡¯re like sisters; of course, I won¡¯t side with outsiders. I¡¯ll ask around for Bai Xiao too when I get back. Marriage is a lifetime matter; it ultimately has to be something Bai Xiao is happy with.¡±

    ¡°What does she have to be happy about? If someone marries her, she should be secretly thrilled. With her immoral character, people might not even want her once they know.¡± Bai Mei thought about Bai Xiao¡¯s defiant face and felt that marrying Bai Xiao off to some poor, starving ce would satisfy her, seeing Bai Xiao live a hard life would simply make her day.

 Chapter 26 - 26 26 Value

    ?Chapter 26: Chapter 26 Value   Chapter 26: Chapter 26 Value                                   Bai Xiao didn¡¯t know what Wu Xiaoyue was inciting Bai Mei to do, and even if she did, it wouldn¡¯t concern her. Now was the eighties, not the old society back then. Li Chunhua couldn¡¯t even decide for herself. Even if she, Bai Lao Da, stepped in, it would be of no use¡ªmarriage freedom prevailed.

    It would be futile for anyone toe. Of course, it was possible to force her to take medicine like in the previous life.

    However, this time she had acquired her special ability beforehand and she was curious to see whether Li Chunhua still possessed the talents from her past life.

    Upon returning to her own courtyard, the door which had been smashed the day before hadn¡¯t been reced yet. She didn¡¯t have money to change it, and considering there was hardly anything of value in her spartan home except for a bag of cornmeal, she assumed the vigers wouldn¡¯t bother with her ce. So, she simplytched the yard gate.

    But now, standing in the courtyard, the gate was wide open.

    Bai Xiao frowned her distinguished brows, which were unlike other girls¡¯. Other girls had eyebrows that were thick in the front and tapered to a delicate willow-like curve at the tail¡ªtypically refined for a girl. Hers, from birth to now, were like a man¡¯s, slightly lifting at the tail before descending, as if they were the strokes of a brush in calligraphy¡ªsharp and defined, a stark contrast to her delicate features.

    Surprisingly, there was someone in the yard.

    Bai Xiao entered indifferently.

    What scares could possibly frighten someone who had already died once!

    Li Chunmei, Liu Baoguo, and several people from the Liu and Li families were moving things. Upon seeing Bai Xiao, they couldn¡¯t help but stop.

    ¡°Xiao, why are you back so soon?¡±

    Bai Xiao noticed the brand new mats and the kang table in Li Chunmei¡¯s hands, and at the door of the stove room on the other side of the courtyard, a new iron pot, and even more kitchen utensils¡ªnot to mention an increase in flour, meat, vegetables, and eggs. She was astonished.

    ¡°Hurry up! Don¡¯t stop, everyone, get on with the tidying up,¡± Li Chunmei, no longer assisting Liu Baoguo, instructed, then dashed towards Bai Xiao.

    ¡°Xiao, it¡¯s just a small token of appreciation. Don¡¯t turn it down. If this were ancient times, we would have to repay our life-saving debt even if it meant bankruptcy. These days that¡¯s not customary, but the sentiment is the same. Compared to what you have done for my brother, this is the least we could do,¡± Li Chunmei said, worried that Bai Xiao would refuse.

    Her father had saidst night, Bai Xiao was quite remarkable.

    They had taken Li Guoqing to the county hospital yesterday, where he underwent a thorough check-up. Even the doctors were puzzled as they asked, ¡°What did your familye to see? This person is in great health, jumping around lively. What¡¯s the meaning ofing to the hospital for check-ups? For no reason?¡±

    Li Guoqing himself was stunned. Although they didn¡¯t know what a myocardial infarction was, he did have high blood pressure and a mild cerebral thrombosis. These issues were identified in the hospital after the New Year, with even X-rays taken. It seemed like the doctor who treated him back then was the same one questioning them now, stating it was impossible topletely cure someone of his age with high blood pressure and cerebral thrombosis; the best they could do was keep it under control.

    He was aware of his dizziness, a problem for which he had to take medication to lower his blood pressure without interruption. On the day he was saved from the heart attack, everything at home was in such disarray and he was so shocked that he hadn¡¯t taken his medication. Logically, it shouldn¡¯t be possible that there was nothing wrong with him now.

    ¡°Doctor, it can¡¯t be that there¡¯s absolutely nothing wrong, right?¡±

    This made the doctorugh.

    ¡°What kind of person are you? What do you want to have? Peoplee to the hospital hoping they have no illnesses. You, on the other hand, seem to find it strange, wishing you had something wrong?¡± It was the first time the doctor had met such an odd person.

    Li Guoqing carefully asked, ¡°Doctor, do I not have high blood pressure, or a cerebral thrombosis? What about the myocardial infarction?¡±

    It couldn¡¯t be as he thought, could it?

    The doctor burst outughing, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen someone like you before. Rest assured, your body is stronger than a 20-year-old¡¯s. Look at this normal blood pressure. Cerebral thrombosis? Nothing of the sort. And a myocardial infarction is even less likely with your EKG and brain scans I¡¯ve checked. I can responsibly tell you that with a body like yours, living to over a hundred wouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±

    How amusing!

    Indeed, anything and everything can happen in this world.

    Li Guoqing and his eldest sister, wife, and children came out of the doctor¡¯s office, looking somewhat confused. Why did Li Guoqing seem as if he had seen a ghost?

    ¡°Xiao Qi, what¡¯s wrong with you? The doctor said you were fine, so why aren¡¯t you happy?¡± his eldest sister Li Chunni, who was already in her sixties, was still concerned about her brother.

    Liu Guoqing pped his thigh, ¡°Oh my goodness, we¡¯ve really encountered a living immortal!¡±

    Astonishingly, he dashed off, leaving everyone behind and ran back to the vige by himself.

    Li Chunni, her sister-inw, and her nephew all shook their heads repeatedly. It was as if escaping death had actually changed him for the worse.

    It seemed like they were regressing the more they lived.

    After returning home, Liu Guoqing sat with his father and recounted the whole story, spilling every detail.

    After listening for a while, the old man said just one thing, ¡°That girl is incredible; she¡¯s the Divine Doctor. From now on, we must protect her well, who knows if there mighte a day when we¡¯ll need to ask her for help.¡±

    Indeed! Hearing this, Li Chunmei and her husband Liu Baoguo couldn¡¯t sleep all night.

    Being able to cure diseases is one thing, but being a Divine Doctor is quite another.

    With just a few needle pricks of acupuncture, not only had her brother¡¯s myocardial infarction been cured, but all his other ailments had disappeared as well. What kind of skill was that? This was the real deal!

    So, the couple decided that this girl was currently facing a tough time. Everyone remembers the one who adds blossoms to the brocade, but it¡¯s king to send charcoal in the snow.

    They didn¡¯t want anything else but for the girl to remember their kindness. Perhaps one day it might even save their lives.

    Who can say they will never experience any illness or disaster?

    That¡¯s why it¡¯s said that people should do more good deeds and less harm in their daily lives; you never know when karma might pay a visit.

    So, the couple got busy early today.

    The Liu and Li families both mobilized. After all, everyone was from the same vige, and both families were populous. Not to mention the older generation¡¯s brothers and sisters, even just their own generation¡¯s children and grandchildren added up to a sizable n, truly the vige¡¯s significant households.

    Only now did this current situation arise.

    ¡°Then, thank you very much for your concern, auntie!¡± Bai Xiao didn¡¯t refuse, which immediately satisfied Li Chunmei and Liu Baoguo.

    Not refusing meant forging good rtions.

    Li Chunmei was immediately all smiles, ¡°Ah, that¡¯s good. You should see your uncle and me as your own family. If there¡¯s anything you need, just say it! You hear that, Xiao? From now on, you are like our little sister, a niece, an external niece; take good care of her, and don¡¯t mistreat our Xiao, you hear?¡± She was full of authority.

    The people of the Liu family, the Li family, all answered loudly, ¡°Yes, of course.¡±

    The courtyard was filled with heartyughter, bustling with people, lively and warm.

    A smile appeared on Bai Xiao¡¯s lips.

    Everyone has value.

 Chapter 27 - 27 27 Warm Stove

    ?Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Warm Stove   Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Warm Stove                                   Bai Xiao didn¡¯t let Liu Baoguo and Li Chunmei¡¯s families leave at noon, instead, she used their vegetables, meat, rice, and flour to prepare avish meal for the two families.

    The table was a small round one borrowed from a neighbor, and so were the stools and the tableware.

    Two tables were arranged under the jujube tree in the courtyard.

    Liu Baoguo and Li Chunhua were quite astonished by the variety of dishes. Could this girl be such a skilled cook?

    The couple exchanged a nce. It seemed Bai, the eldest, was a capable person; she had brought up this girl well at home. Just look at their daughter!

    Li Xiaotian nced at the full table and couldn¡¯t help but swallow his saliva.

    ¡°Uncle, shall I go buy some liquor for you?¡±

    Liu Baoguo pped Li Xiaotian on the head. ¡°Are you the one who wants to drink?¡±

    Li Chunmei took out two yuan from her pocket and gave it to Li Xiaotian. ¡°Go on, buy two jars of rice wine and two bottles of spirits. We all must not fail to appreciate Bai Xiao¡¯s kind intentions.¡±

    Li Xiaotian immediately took the money and ran off with a sigh.

    Li Chunmei walked to the kitchen door, just as thest dish was ready, sizzling, and a delicious aroma wafted from inside.

    ¡°Oh, Xiao, that should be enough. These were originally for you, and now it¡¯s all ended up in our stomachs; what are we supposed to make of this?¡±

    Although that¡¯s what she said, she was pleased inside. The girl was sensible and understood the niceties of social interactions well.

    Bai Xiao lifted the curtain and came out, carrying arge bowl, ¡°Auntie, here¡¯s another bowl. You take it out, one bowl per table! Fair and square, so you won¡¯t use me of ying favorites! Everyone, please try my cooking, it¡¯s rare for you all to experience it! I¡¯m just showing off a bit, and it¡¯s like everyone here is warming the stove for me. It¡¯s just perfect to join the fun together!¡±

    Li Chunmei hurriedly agreed and carried it out.

    ¡°Oh, Xiao, your cooking skills, even the best banquet chefs in our vige can¡¯t match you. You are so skilled!¡±

    Bai Xiao smiled and pressed her lips together, ¡°Auntie, please stop praising me. If you keep it up, I¡¯ll be so full of myself I might just float away.¡±

    Li Xiaotian was back very quickly, carrying two bottles of spirits and apanied by two people; Liu Baoguo saw them.

    ¡°Oh, Mr. An, the drill instructor, you¡¯re indeed lucky. It¡¯s just right that we are warming Bai Xiao¡¯s stove today. Come,e, sit down,¡± he invited the drill instructor and his student to sit down together.

    Drill Instructor An handed over the rice wine, canned fruits, and two bags of milk powder he was carrying to Bai Xiao, ¡°Just a small token, please take it!¡± Yesterday, seeing Bai Xiao like that was no joke; the girl wasn¡¯t in good health, so he had brought these especially for her. He hadn¡¯t expected to arrive just when they were warming her stove; luckily, he hadn¡¯te empty-handed.

    Bai Xiao was forting; these people had saved her and had helped her so much, to continue being formal would be ungrateful.

    ¡°Thank you, Drill Instructor An, I¡¯ll ept it without any more fuss.¡± She then took the items back inside.

    Li Chunmei and Liu Baoguo set up ces for the drill instructor and student, adding bowls and pouring white spirits.

    Drill Instructor An objected, ¡°We have rules; we can¡¯t drink!¡±

    Liu Baoguoughed, ¡°Drill Instructor An, don¡¯t be shy! Since you¡¯vee today to warm our stove, how can you not have a drink? Just drink a little, or maybe switch to rice wine. Rice wine hardly counts as alcohol. A cup or two just symbolically, we understand your school and military¡¯s strict requirements. But you¡¯ve been helping out in our vige for these past days. We need to show our gratitude, right?¡± He even specially switched to a rice wine bowl for the drill instructor.

    Liu Baoguo was insistent on refusing, and Liu Baoguo couldn¡¯t keep persuading since he knew being a military school instructor involved strict discipline.

    Bai Xiao came back and saw Instructor An sitting next to her. Without a word, she sat down to eat.

    An Zhiyuan nced at the dishes on the table and then looked at Bai Xiao in surprise. The girl had impressive cooking skills.

    Boiled beef slices, steamed pork, sweet and sour fish, double-cooked pork and four-joy meatballs, along with stir-fried cabbage with vinegar, cucumber sd, sugared tomatoes, and tofu mixed with green onions¡ªshe had managed to cater to both southern and northern tastes. Most importantly, the appearance, aroma, and taste seemed even better than what the master chef at their army canteen could make.

    He picked up a piece of boiled beef with his chopsticks. Wow, how refreshing.

    Bai Xiao took the rice wine from her bowl, stood up, and said, ¡°I¡¯m very thankful to everyone today foring to warm my stove. I have no parents, and my brothers and sisters aren¡¯t by my side. I really appreciate everyone¡¯s help this time. Here, I sincerely thank you all. People say to drink first as a mark of respect, so I¡¯ll finish this bowl of rice wine. Everyone, please feel at ease.¡± Bai Xiao downed it in one go, as her character was straightforward despite her hardships in her past life.

    She held up the empty bowl upside down to show everyone.

    Liu Baoguo pped his thigh, ¡°Good, Bai Xiao is straightforward! If us guys don¡¯t drink along with her, wouldn¡¯t that mean we¡¯re losing face?¡± He picked up a bowl and drank the white liquor in one gulp.

    ¡°Xiao, your uncle here also owes you an apology. Over the years, everyone thought your grandmother and your little uncle were taking care of you because they¡¯re your family, and they wouldn¡¯t mistreat you. We never expected your grandmother to do such a thing. Child abuse is unheard of in our vige. No one knew about it before, but from now on, if you have any issues,e to me, your vige chief. I¡¯ll take care of it and make sure they can¡¯t harm anyone like that again.¡±

    This was the first time he had taken such a clear stand. In the past, Liu Baoguo would never have publicly promised to intervene in family matters like this.

    But this time, of course, was different.

    Bai Xiao smiled and thanked him, ¡°Then thank you, uncle.¡±

    For a moment, everyone was toasting and eating non-stop from the moment they started.

    The dishes were truly authentic. Even though they were vigers who hadn¡¯t eaten many delicacies, who hadn¡¯t tasted food from wedding feasts or full moon celebrations? The taste of these dishes was still something different.

    Everyone was full of praise for a while.

    Li Chunmei kept praising Bai Xiao incessantly and assured her that she could alwayse to them, the vige leaders, for help as they were there to serve the people.

    An Zhiyuan ate heartily, asionally ncing at Bai Xiao.

    The girl seemed unfazed by praise or criticism, eating her meal with a serene expression.

    By the time the meal was over, all the tes and cups were empty, and Liu Baoguo and the others staggered off, drunk.

    It wasn¡¯t that Liu Baoguo was neglecting decorum. An Zhiyuan was present, and as the vige chief, he should have stayed, but the food was so delicious that everyone lost control for a moment. After a few bottles of strong liquor, they were all tipsy, unable to stay seated any longer despite their desire to keeppany.

    An Zhiyuan and some students helped Li Chunmei and others escort the vige chief back home.

    Bai Xiao was tidying up the dishes and chopsticks on the table when she saw a pair of big hands reach out and start gathering everything into arge basin. An Zhiyuan and his students had not left yet.

    ¡°Instructor An, please don¡¯t trouble yourself, I¡¯ll clean up. It doesn¡¯t make sense for guests whoe to eat to have to tidy up,¡± she protested.

    An Zhiyuanughed, ¡°We¡¯re not so particr. With more people, the work gets done faster.¡±

 Chapter 28 - 28 28 Coming to the Door

    ?Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Coming to the Door   Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Coming to the Door                                   Bai Xiao was washing dishes while An Zhiyuan had already wiped all the tables and chairs clean with a cloth, neatly stacking them. They didn¡¯t know whose house these items were borrowed from, so they could only leave them here until Bai Xiao could return themter.

    An Zhiyuan had already taken a cloth to help Bai Xiao with the dishes.

    His student had taken a carrying pole to fetch water for Bai Xiao, having enjoyed the delicious meal provided, despite havinge empty-handed. Everything was bought by the instructor himself, and he felt quite guilty, believing it inappropriate not to help with some chores as it seemed like taking advantage of the situation.

    ¡°Look at this, youe over to warm up the stove for me and even bring gifts, yet I end up having you do chores,¡± Bai Xiao felt quite apologetic.

    An Zhiyuan watched the student¡¯s disappearing figure and smiled, ¡°This kid is quite perceptive. Don¡¯t talk like that, I was just fortunate to save you back then; it was fate, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t have met such a talented and thoughtful girl like you.¡±

    Bai Xiaoughed, ¡°Instructor An, I really don¡¯t deserve such praise. By the way, I¡¯ve washed and packed the hot water bottle and the clothes you left behindst time you saved me. You should take them backter so it doesn¡¯t inconvenience you.¡±

    An Zhiyuan nodded, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take themter. How is your health now? If it really isn¡¯t better, you should go to the hospital for a checkup. The medical facilities in the vige aren¡¯t great, and since you¡¯re still young, you really shouldn¡¯t neglect your health. It would be troublesome if it led to something serious.¡± He still remembered how Bai Xiao had shivered with lips turning purple that day.

    Bai Xiao washed thest of the dishes and sprinkled the leftover water in the yard, bringing a cool relief to the scorching afternoon.

    ¡°My health is much better, don¡¯t worry. Since childhood I¡¯ve had a condition that leaves me cold and my limbs very cool, but it¡¯s really nothing serious.¡±

    An Zhiyuan shook his head in disagreement, ¡°You still shouldn¡¯t take it lightly.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Comrade Instructor!¡± Bai Xiao teased him.

    An Zhiyuan resignedly arranged the pile of dishes.

    ¡°Oh, Xiao, do you have guests at your ce?¡± a harsh tone broke out.

    Bai Xiao looked up to see Bai Zhuang and Bai Mei at the front gate.

    It was Bai Mei who spoke, her eyes sizing up An Zhiyuan with increasing warmth, emitting a steaming heat.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, who is thisrade? You should introduce him to us. I¡¯m Bai Mei, Bai Xiao¡¯s sister! And this is my big brother Bai Zhuang, Bai Xiao¡¯s elder brother!¡± Bai Mei stepped forward enthusiastically, introducing herself to An Zhiyuan.

    An Zhiyuan discreetly stepped back a bit¡ªthese must be Bai Xiao¡¯s uncle¡¯s older siblings?

    Although he hadn¡¯t heard much about Bai Xiao¡¯s family, putting together all the information from the past few days, he knew that Bai Xiao¡¯s real elder brother had joined the army and definitely wouldn¡¯t be this burly viged with fiery eyes.

    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m An Zhiyuan.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you are the Instructor An who saved Bai Xiao and kissed her?¡±

    At this, both Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan¡¯s faces darkened.

    Does this person know how to speak?

    Bai Xiao red, and An Zhiyuan¡¯s approachability faded away as a sharp seriousness began to emerge.

    ¡°Comrade Bai Mei, you must be responsible for what you say. That was CPR, done in an emergency to save a life. At that moment, Comrade Bai Xiao had already stopped breathing. If I hadn¡¯t saved her, your grandmother might have been charged with manughter, which is punishable by imprisonment. I didn¡¯t save her for gratitude from others.

    However, I at least expect not to be falsely used. The whole vige can testify to what happened, along with the students who were with me; I was clearly saving a life. If you continue to describe that day¡¯s events with such vulgarnguage, I will have no choice but to report you to the senior officials for nder and defamation of my character and reputation.¡±

    Bai Mei was startled. Whenever it came to Bai Xiao, even if she intended to speak normally, her words would be twisted,

    misinterpreted, distorted. Just to make matters more confusing.

    She hadn¡¯t expected the officer to actually pursue the matter. She knew the seriousness of the usation; she had heard that in a neighboring vige, a woman who had insulted her soldier brother-inw and spread malicious rumors ended up having her case taken up by the authorities. The local police directly intervened, charging her with defamation and nder, and she was detained for three months for reformation before being released.

    She definitely did not want to be locked up!

    Hastily, she put on a smile and said, ¡°Officer An, I¡¯m not well-educated and don¡¯t use fancy words. What I said was meant kindly but came out wrong. Please don¡¯t hold it against me, and I promise to watch my words from now on. Besides, I am Bai Xiao¡¯s sister; I would never harm her!¡±

    An Zhiyuan snorted coldly. His students had already returned with water, and An Zhiyuan took his leave.

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll be leaving. Thank you very much, Comrade Bai Xiao, for the warm hospitality and meal. I won¡¯t say goodbye to the vige chief; please thank him for today¡¯s hospitality.¡± He provided Bai Xiao with a way out while also shutting up the siblings.

    Bai Xiao now felt ufortable to even go inside to get clothes and a hot water bottle, for fear of what unpleasant things Bai Mei and Bai Zhuang might say.

    ¡°Alright then, Officer An, take care.¡±

    An Zhiyuan and his students swiftly left.

    Bai Mei felt displeased. Officer An might look dignified, but she hadn¡¯t expected him to be so unfeeling. Such a man deserved to stay unmarried.

    Once they were gone, Bai Zhuang quickly stepped forward, ¡°Bai Xiao, how did you upset Xiaoyue today?¡±

    Bai Xiao then realized they hade specifically to confront her. She nearly burst outughing from the absurdity. Her bullying Wu Xiaoyue was an international joke. Her few words had upset Wu Xiaoyue, who surely had a tougher resilience than that.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t bully her. We just exchanged a few words on the road today. If she felt bullied, bring her here and we can confront each other face to face to see if I really did bully her.¡±

    Bai Zhuang red, ¡°Bai Xiao, you¡¯re growing too bold. Even if your siblings have contributed money, you should not forget your roots. After all, it was Grandma and my father who raised you. It¡¯s not a simple issue that can be resolved with money nor can it be dismissed with a payment. It¡¯s about familial bonds.¡±

    Bai Xiaoughed, ¡°Bai Zhuang, I didn¡¯t expect you to be so eloquent. Truly, appearances are deceiving! Since you also know it¡¯s not something money can resolve, speaking of familial bonds, who among you ever discussed familial bonds with me? Did you think of familial bonds when I hadn¡¯t eaten a bite in the kitchen? Did you consider our familial bonds when I was working, while Bai Mei could sleep till the sun was high and I had to get up before dawn to chop pig feed, carry water, and cook? You never talked to me about familial bonds then.

    When Grandma was close to beating me to death, did you consider our familial bonds then? Now youe lecturing me about familial bonds; isn¡¯t it disgusting? Have you no shame saying that, when I can barely stand to listen? Your family treats me like a fool, thinking I won¡¯t fight back or speak up. But don¡¯t push a person too far; even a cornered rabbit will bite. And don¡¯t think I¡¯m just anybody.

    Go back and tell your Wu Xiaoyue, if she has no business with me, don¡¯t provoke me. We don¡¯t interfere with each other¡¯s affairs. But if she crosses me, she can¡¯t me me for not being nice.¡±

 Chapter 29 - 29 29 Beating Someone

    ?Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Beating Someone   Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Beating Someone                                   Bai Zhuang suddenly burst into mes, hurling a p in anger that he could not keep in check. In his mind, a disobedient sister like her deserved a good beating to make her behave.

    Deeply influenced by his father, Bai Jianguo¡¯s family traditions, as well as Li Chunhua¡¯s example and teachings, he firmly believed in the idea that ¡®filial pietyes from the stick¡¯. Regarding his so-called sister Bai Xiao, his impression was fixed on the sight of Li Chunhua beating her repeatedly, apanied by silent, powerless cries.

    Unfortunately for Bai Zhuang, Bai Xiao was well-prepared and swiftly dodged his p.

    She would not allow anyone toy hands on her ever again.

    She grabbed the pole that was lying next to her, left behind by a student of An Zhiyuan after carrying water, which had been ced by the wall near her. It now conveniently served as a tool at her disposal.

    ¡°Remember, don¡¯t casually hit a woman. Now, you two get out of here, or else don¡¯t me me for being impolite.¡±

    Bai Xiao was done enduring. Although she wasn¡¯t skilled inbat, having never fought in her two lifetimesbined, she knew she couldn¡¯t let this pass; if Bai Zhuang managed to hit her this time and she didn¡¯t fight back, it might embolden the Bai Family to walk all over her.

    Then, Bai Shan and Bai Mei might think they could hit her whenever they pleased.

    Given the nature of Li Chunhua and Bai Jianguo, they would indeed resort to such actions, so even for her future¡¯s sake she couldn¡¯t allow herself to take this beating.

    Bai Zhuang was furious. Although he didn¡¯t hold the same authority as Bai Jianguo within the Bai Family, he was still a pir of the household. His younger siblings always listened to him and nobody dared to defy him; otherwise, Bai Zhuang would beat them ruthlessly. In his heart, only fists could solve problems.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, you worthless Pizi, how dare you resist? Try me, just try to touch me and see if I don¡¯t beat you to death!¡± Bai Zhuang bellowed.

    As far as he was concerned, Bai Xiao was worthless in his eyes all her life.

    Bai Xiao swung the pole down. It was just hitting someone, and she didn¡¯t believe she couldn¡¯t hit a person. One swing of the pole knocked Bai Zhuang to the ground. It wasn¡¯t just about her strength; the momentum of the pole was much greater than human strength. Plus, Bai Zhuang had never expected Bai Xiao to really strike,pletely unguarded, and the pole knocked him down with a single blow.

    Then Bai Xiao, unable to stop herself like a floodgate opened, relentlessly beat Bai Zhuang with the pole, one strike after another. Each hit left red marks on Bai Zhuang¡¯s arms and legs. The whacks with the pole were not only visibly bruising but fiercely painful, swelling immediately. Even the sturdy Bai Zhuang couldn¡¯t endure it and began to scramble away in a cacophony of rolls and crawls.

    ¡°You wanted to kill me, didn¡¯t you? Let¡¯s die together then! Come on, why are you running away? Weren¡¯t you going to kill me? Come, let¡¯s die together, and see who dies today, you or me, or maybe we¡¯ll both die! Come on, why are you running? You told me to touch you to see what happens. I did what you asked, not just once. Come on, weren¡¯t you going to beat me to death? Come on! Come on!¡± Bai Xiao chased Bai Zhuang, raining down blows while he cowered and fled, terrified. It wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t overpower Bai Xiao; it was her utterly desperate and ferocious demeanor that scared him away.

    Bai Zhuang had never seen Bai Xiao so recklessly violent. The chilling gaze in her eyes and her viciously fierce aggression convinced him beyond doubt that Bai Xiao was bent on dying together if need be. Brutes fear the stubborn, the stubborn fear the reckless.

    He wasn¡¯t ready to die yet.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, what are you doing? Help! Bai Xiao is going to kill someone! Help!¡± Bai Zhuang desperately tried to escape, but in his panic, he ran without watching where he was going, ending up cornered in the courtyard by Bai Xiao. She stood at the gate, effectively preventing him from moving. Bai Zhuang was terrified to his very soul.

    Bai Mei had taken the first opportunity to flee, noticing how things were taking a bad turn and slipping away faster than anyone. Now she, too, was terrified. Her big brother had been encouraged by her to trouble Bai Xiao, but who knew Bai Xiao would turn into such a violent and dangerous ¡°tigress,¡± ready to snap at anyone in her path?

    If her brother ended up killed by Bai Xiao, what would she do? Her father would surely kill her.

    Bai Mei screamed, ¡°Help! Murder! Help!¡±

    A cry shattered the tranquility of the vige, prompting many to step out of their homes, all wondering, ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±

    How many times had someone in the vige cried for help already?

    Who was it this time?

    When people saw Bai Xiao with disheveled hair, holding a carrying pole and pointing at Bai Zhuang, who had dust on his face and body and a red mark on his arm, looking scared and bewildered, they realized something was wrong with both of them.

    Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t looking great either, with eyes red and swollen, clearly pushed to the brink. The courtyard was littered with broken bowls and dishes, tables and chairs all askew, aplete mess.

    An aunt came up and embraced Bai Xiao, who was shivering all over; the child must have been terrified as well.

    Clutching the carrying pole, Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t let go as Liu Baoguo, with one foot in a shoe and the other bare, evidently having just scrambled to his feet, looked at Bai Xiao and Bai Zhuang and became enraged too.

    He grabbed the carrying pole from Bai Xiao¡¯s hands, ¡°Give Uncle the pole, listen to me, Xiao, I¡¯ll take care of this for you! Give it to me!¡± and he snatched it away with force.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s body went limp suddenly, nearly copsing to the ground; if not for the support of Mrs. Wang and Aunt Guihua, she would have fallen.

    Liu Baoguo turned sharply and red at Bai Zhuang, who was already frightened by Bai Xiao and now almost wet himself under Liu Baoguo¡¯s fierce gaze.

    With a mix of injustice and grievance, he said, ¡°Uncle, you have to stand up for me, Bai Xiao is after my life! She¡¯s trying to kill someone!¡± He was telling the truth.

    Before Liu Baoguo could respond, someone rushed forward, ¡°My son, who¡¯s trying to take your life?¡±

    The Bai Family had arrived, and Hao Fang had already thrown herself onto Bai Zhuang, crying with reddened eyes.

    Bai Jianguo stood there with a dark expression, silent, but his demeanor clearly spoke of suppressed anger and resentment.

    Li Chunhua let out a wail and lunged at Bai Xiao; had Mrs. Wang and Aunt Guihua not been quick to intervene, her hands would have wed at Bai Xiao¡¯s face.

    Kicking her feet, Li Chunhua nted her hands on her hips and began to curse. Now, she had no intention of pretending to be the virtuous woman anymore.

    ¡°You damned wretch, you dared to hit your older brother, your own flesh and blood, the pir of the Bai Family. How could you? Everyone look, this girl needs to be disciplined, she¡¯s causing total chaos, we can¡¯t live like this! Bai Xiao,e here, do you hear me?¡±

    Li Chunmei had already appeared, holding onto Li Chunhua¡¯s hand, smiling as she said, ¡°Auntie, let¡¯s talk this over nicely. We still don¡¯t know who¡¯s right or wrong; none of us are clear on that. Coming over and hitting people isn¡¯t the way to handle this,¡± speaking politely since Li Chunhua really couldn¡¯t afford to make a scene with the vige chief¡¯s wife.

    Not if she wanted to remain in Liupan Vige.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know what happened, do you? This girl dared to hit someone, this could end up with someone dead. We can¡¯t let this slide; we must take her to the police station. What if she takes a life in the future?¡± Li Chunhua had already decided that the girl needed to be taught a lesson; she wouldn¡¯t listen otherwise.

 Chapter 30 - 30 30 Confrontation

    ?Chapter 30: Chapter 30 Confrontation   Chapter 30: Chapter 30 Confrontation                                   Liu Baoguo coughed, and Li Chunhua wanted to say something more but was stopped by Bai Jianguo.

    ¡°Mom, let¡¯s talk things over nicely, don¡¯t get emotional all the time, we¡¯re all family here!¡± Although these words were meant to ease the atmosphere, people had always had a good impression of Bai Jianguo, and it wasn¡¯t without reason.

    Bai Jianguo turned to Bai Xiao and said, ¡°Xiao, Uncle knows we¡¯ve wronged you, your grandma beat you and I didn¡¯t protect you, she took the living expenses without telling me and made you suffer, but Uncle¡¯s conscience is clear, I¡¯ve never treated you badly. Even though your brother is a bit impulsive, you can¡¯t really want to kill someone.¡± Bai Jianguo looked pained, like an elder heartbroken by his own children.

    Bai Zhuang, truly frightened, grabbed Bai Jianguo and said, ¡°Dad, that girl wants to kill me, she¡¯s going to kill me!¡±

    If it weren¡¯t for the crowd, Bai Jianguo could have kicked his hopeless son¡ªscared to death by a girl, is he still a man?

    ¡°Enough! She¡¯s your sister, what¡¯s this about life and death? Why would your sister want to kill you?¡± Although his words seemed to defend Bai Xiao, actually, each sentence carried the word ¡®kill¡¯.

    It was all about pinning thebel of murderer on Bai Xiao.

    Bai Zhuang stammered. Could he really say he tried to hit Bai Xiao and failed, making her so angry she wanted to kill him?

    He couldn¡¯t say that in front of the whole vige watching.

    Seeing Wu Xiaoyue standing in the crowd, Bai Zhuang felt his heart warm up¡ªhow could he let his crush look down on him?

    ¡°Like she could kill me? Bullshit, I was just teasing her!¡± Bai Zhuang straightened up, arrogant.

    Bai Jianguo almost couldn¡¯t hold back his desire to smack this fool.

    ¡°Exin clearly what exactly happened?¡± Bai Jianguo demanded sharply, this time he was furious.

    Bai Zhuang was startled but finally more rational. ¡°That damn girl bullied Xiaoyue. I came up to ask her why she was bullying Xiaoyue, and can you believe she was so fierce? She kept saying ¡®don¡¯t mess with her¡¯, I think Bai Xiao is an ungrateful wretch. Grandma, Dad, you¡¯ve been so good to her, and this damn girl dares to say she has nothing to do with our family. I got so mad I wanted to p her, and then this damn girl just grabbed a stick and tried to hit me, look, everyone look¡ªlook at my arm! My body is all bruised from her beating, and she even said she wanted us both to die together, isn¡¯t that murder? Vige chief, send her to the police station quickly, otherwise someone will get killed. I think she¡¯s gone mad!¡± His speech was muddled, but Bai Zhuang wasn¡¯t stupid, he¡¯d long thought of not making the situation unfavorable to himself.

    Upon hearing this, Bai Jianguo knew it was Bai Xiao who had hit first. That was good, his son hadn¡¯t hit her, it was Bai Xiao who had hit Bai Zhuang. Therey his justification.

    ¡°Xiao, what¡¯s going on here? What happened between you and Xiaoyue?¡±

    Bai Mei immediately exined, ¡°Today Bai Xiao ran into Sister Xiaoyue on the road and lectured her a few sentences, but Bai Xiao told her to mind her own business, not to mess with her, and said some really ugly things, and made Sister Xiaoyue cry. My brother saw it, so he went to ask Bai Xiao about it, and she even wanted to hit him!¡±

    Bai Jianguo sighed deeply, ¡°Ah, it¡¯s my fault I didn¡¯t raise the children right!¡± It wasn¡¯t clear exactly who was at fault.

    Liu Baoguo looked at Bai Xiao, his expression surprisingly more mellow, ¡°Xiao, what exactly happened?¡±

    Bai Jianguo felt anger brewing inside, as it seemed there was ack of trust in his children.

    Li Chunhua had already called out, ¡°Vige chief, how can you say that? Our child would never falsely use Bai Xiao. Isn¡¯t it obvious that Bai Xiao started the fight? Just look, she always resorts to hitting and shouting. Is there anything in this household she dares not do? You must take our side!¡± She wished she could kill Bai Xiao right there and then.

    ¡°Shut up, we need to hear both sides of the story. Do you think I am biased, or do you fancy yourself as the next vige chief?¡± Liu Baoguo red up, annoyed by the constant interruptions, which were a clear challenge to his authority.

    Li Chunhua no longer spoke, subdued by the vige chief¡¯s temper.

    Liu Baoguo looked at the subdued Li Chunhua before he spoke, ¡°Now, if anyone else has something to say, speak quickly. If not, when I askter, no one should interrupt, or I won¡¯t be polite!¡± Asserting his role as the vige chief, immediately, no one spoke.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, tell us what exactly happened?¡±

    Bai Xiao calmed herself down, knowing that being too emotional wasn¡¯t good for her, stepped forward, and addressed Liu Baoguo, ¡°Uncle, I want to confront Wu Xiaoyue, because Bai Zhuang came looking for trouble today, even raising his hand to hit me, all because he imed I bullied his beloved. I¡¯d like to ask Wu Xiaoyue, what did I do to her today? How did it turn into me bullying her?¡±

    The moment Wu Xiaoyue heard this, she knew things were bad; she hadn¡¯t said anything today, just let Bai Zhuang see her tear-filled red eyes. Staying silent often led others to specte wildly. She had hoped Bai Zhuang would sort out this little wretch and avenge the humiliation she felt earlier today, but now Bai Xiao had turned the tables.

    How could she face anyone after this?

    Reluctantly, Wu Xiaoyue stood up, ¡°Bai Xiao, that¡¯s not right. I didn¡¯t say anything to Bai Zhuang. Ask him if you don¡¯t believe me?¡± Her reputation couldn¡¯t be tarnished, especially since she had to live in this vige for many more years.

    Bai Zhuang immediately defended his fianc¨¦e, ¡°Xiaoyue didn¡¯t say anything. Stop ndering her!¡± Wu Xiaoyue nced timidly at Bai Zhuang, who was even more agitated. Protecting his woman was his righteous duty.

    Bai Xiaoughed, ¡°Big Brother, that¡¯s not correct. You specifically said I bullied Wu Xiaoyue. Let her exin how I supposedly bullied her, how has this be nder?¡±

    Weakly, Wu Xiaoyue said, ¡°Bai Xiao, you didn¡¯t¡­ bully¡­ me. It¡¯s my own fault, not rted to anyone else. Bai Zhuang, it has nothing to do with Bai Xiao.¡± Anyone who heard this couldn¡¯t help but feel it sounded more like a cover-up.

    ¡°All I said was not to act as if everyone else is a fool. You are marrying a wife bought with our family¡¯s money. Without the money I contribute every month, where would your bride pricee from? Your betrothal gifts? Haha, don¡¯t speak those ungrateful words. Did I say anything wrong?¡± Bai Xiao¡¯s memory was sharp; she knew well what she had said.

    Wu Xiaoyue¡¯s face turned pale, silently cursing Bai Zhuang a fool. He couldn¡¯t handle a simple task, what use was such a man? Now she found herself in an embarrassingly awkward position.

    Everyone was shocked. It was this month¡¯s talk, the neen dors, a significant amount indeed. Everyone had discussed how lucky the Bai Family was. Wasn¡¯t this the reason? The Bai Family¡¯s treatment of Bai Xiao was perhaps all about not wanting to let go of the money her siblings were willing to give.

 Chapter 31 - 31 31 The Insider Appears

    ?Chapter 31: Chapter 31: The Insider Appears   Chapter 31: Chapter 31: The Insider Appears                                   ¡°Do you all understand now? My older brother didn¡¯t stand up for Wu Xiaoyue out of good intentions,¡± Bai Xiao said with a smile. ¡°He was just mad because I struck a nerve, so he wanted to hit me out of embarrassment. Unfortunately for him, I didn¡¯t stay still and let him hit me this time. What did he say again? He dared me, said if I had the guts, I should hit him. So, I did just as he wished!¡±

    Bai Zhuang angrily said, ¡°Just because I told you to hit me, you did it? Then if I told you to die, why don¡¯t you go die?¡± He realized he had been tricked.

    Smiling, Bai Xiao told everyone, ¡°Bai Zhuang literally told me to hit him if I dared, to just try it! He said he would kill me if I did. Since the victim himself asked me to do it, how could I not oblige? So, I truly respected my brother¡¯s wish. After all, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve met someone who actually wants to be hit. I would feel bad if I didn¡¯t fulfill his wish.¡± With her innocent expression, Bai Xiao could have made Liu Baoguo die ofughter. This girl had also picked up some bad habits, and her words were indeed infuriating.

    ¡°You, you little brat, you¡¯re ying the victim after seeking a benefit. You clearly wanted to beat me to death!¡± Bai Zhuang was furious.

    Bai Xiaoughed lightly, her smile as radiant as spring blossoms.

    ¡°Spending my money and daring toe and hit me, who gave you the courage and audacity? Bai Zhuang, don¡¯t think I¡¯m a fool. My older brother and sister give neen yuan a month, which is more than enough for noodles at every meal. But what do I eat? Dishwater! Where did the saved money go? Don¡¯t say you don¡¯t know. Grandma favors you three most; you¡¯re about to get married. Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know where the bridal money for the Wu Family came from. Uncle already said that farming doesn¡¯t yield much money annually, yet the bridal gifts for the Wu Family were not slight at all¡ªtwo hundred yuan, and three rounds of firecrackers for the engagement gifts. Wow, Wu Xiaoyue must be very precious! It seems uncle is not really out of money,¡± she said. They thought they could keep exploiting her, but she wouldn¡¯t allow it.

    Upon hearing this, the vigers gasped, ¡°Oh, my Lord! The engagement gifts are as high as those for a city bride. The Wu Family really has guts to ask for so much!¡±

    ¡°And the issue is Bai Jianguo also epted the proposal. They must be really confident!¡±

    ¡°Of course, they¡¯re confident. Every month their nephews and nieces give neen yuan. How much can Bai Xiao possibly eat? Didn¡¯t you hear? She mentioned eating dishwater at every meal, so there must be a lot left every month, all going into Bai Jianguo¡¯s pocket!¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it said that the grandmother was managing the money?¡±

    ¡°What can I say about you? How naive can you be! The grandmother has only one son now. Do you still think the money in her hands isn¡¯t Bai Jianguo¡¯s?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I didn¡¯t think of that. Li Chunhua cherishes her own son so much. For her grandson¡¯s wedding, she¡¯d definitely spend money! It¡¯s sinful, isn¡¯t it, to mistreat your granddaughter just to provide a dowry for your grandson! Only the Bai Family could do such a thing.¡±

    ¡°s, you know a person¡¯s face but not their heart. There are all kinds of people.¡±

    ¡°Poor Bai Xiao, to be stuck with such a family, she would have been better off leaving with her parents!¡±

    Bai Jianguo¡¯s face turned red with shame. The women¡¯s director Wang Meihua had already teared up, slightly choked up as she spoke to Bai Xiao, ¡°These years have been hard on you, my dear! Your aunt must tell you something, I can¡¯t let you keep being bullied and exploited under the pretense of family by the Bai Family!¡±

    Li Chunhua went pale. Not many vigers knew about that incident, but the women¡¯s director did because that year, it was Director Wang Meihuawho intended to take Bai Xiao away. This matter could not be revealed in front of the whole vige, or she would be damned by the vigers.

    Li Chunhua urgently grabbed Wang Meihua¡¯s wrist, ¡°Meihua, you are a good person, but you need to think carefully. Would revealing this be good or bad for the child? She has such a fiery temper. She once almost dragged me to a reservoir. If she learned about it, who knows what might happen?¡± This was a threat to Wang Meihua.

    Bai Xiao suddenly realized that perhaps many people knew her origins; otherwise, Wang Meihua wouldn¡¯t have spoken like that.

    No wonder Wang Meihua advised her to run away the night before she was to be married off, even providing her with travel money, iming that she¡¯d wronged her.

    Wang Meihua was an insider.

    ¡°Auntie, what you mean to say is, I¡¯m not my grandmother¡¯s biological granddaughter, right?¡±

    A p of thunder exploded overhead.

    Wang Meihua was so frightened that she was speechless, while Li Chunhua fiercely red at Bai Xiao. This damn girl actually knew everything, knew her own origins.

    ¡°Bai Xiao! What nonsense are you talking about? You are indeed a member of our old Bai family. How could you even think of denying your ancestors?¡± Li Chunhua immediately, precisely, and fiercely tried to suppress the matter as quickly as possible.

    Everyone was relieved, right, the wife of the eldest son of the Bai family had been visibly pregnant, there was no reason for Bai Xiao not to be her own child.

    It seemed that this child had been pressured by Li Chunhua and Bai Jianguo recently to the point of harboring wild thoughts.

    However, upon reflection, they realized it was true that Li Chunhua had been overly harsh with her granddaughter. Even with Bai Song, Bai Yue, and Bai Ju, the olddy hadn¡¯t gone to such extremes. It was only with Bai Xiao that she seemed intent on tormenting the child mercilessly, no wonder the child thought this way.

    Even they sometimes felt that Li Chunhua didn¡¯t treat Bai Xiao like her own.

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t back down. In her previous life, she had not known the truth until her death when she learned she wasn¡¯t the biological child of the Bai family. This time, she didn¡¯t want to live in confusion anymore; she wanted to uncover everything, to know the truth.

    ¡°Auntie, what exactly is going on? Don¡¯t you want me to know?¡±

    As Bai Xiao stepped forward, Wang Meihua took a step back.

    ¡°Xiao, your aunt doesn¡¯t know! I don¡¯t know anything! You are a child of the Bai family, don¡¯t have such wild thoughts,¡± Wang Meihua stammered, her tone urgent and her speech rapid. Bai Xiao was even more convinced that Wang Meihua was lying. The reason Wang Meihua wouldn¡¯t speak could be because Li Chunhua and Bai Jianguo were here, or perhaps something else, but Wang Meihua had already changed her story.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, don¡¯t be absurd. Today the issue was with your elder brother, but that doesn¡¯t mean you should doubt you¡¯re our child. Think about it, have your parents treated you poorly? Or your elder siblings? If you weren¡¯t a child of the Bai family, why would your elder siblings give you money every month for your living expenses and schooling?¡± Li Chunhua, in a bid to keep the matter under wraps, shifted her stance, acknowledging the money aspect publicly for the first time.

    Bai Xiao knew today wasn¡¯t the day she would learn the truth. Wang Meihua definitely wouldn¡¯t speak in front of so many people. So be it.

    ¡°Fine, grandma, since you also said so, I am a member of the Bai family, a biological child of my parents. Then, grandma and uncle, please return everything that belongs to our family. And grandma, don¡¯t say you¡¯ve run out of money, everyone knows that¡¯s not possible. Give me twenty dors, there are so many things missing from our home, like firewood, rice, oil, soy sauce, vinegar, tea; I need to stock up, this is my home, grandma. You can¡¯t possibly say you have no money, right?¡±

    The strength of the crowd was the final push; she wanted to see what Li Chunhua would do.

 Chapter 32 - 32 32 Compensating Money

    ?Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Compensating Money   Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Compensating Money                                   Li Chunhua was furious, twenty yuan, why didn¡¯t Bai Xiao just drop dead?

    Howe the reservoir didn¡¯t drown that waste of space back then.

    Now she had to let this gue gouge her heart out.

    But everyone was watching her, Wang Meihua was watching her too, could she say no?

    If she dared to say she wouldn¡¯t give it, Wang Meihua would spill the truth afterwards.

    She felt cowardly, she was afraid.

    Liu Baoguo looked at Li Chunhua and sneered, this olddy just refuses to repent, it seems he needed to stir the pot a little, since he had to help Bai Xiao, might as well do it thoroughly.

    ¡°Li Chunhua, you are Bai Xiao¡¯s grandmother, and you¡¯ve taken her living expenses! Now that the child is living on her own, it¡¯s not too much for you to give her twenty yuan for living expenses, don¡¯t say you don¡¯t have it! Otherwise, I¡¯ll have to properly calcte how much money Bai Xiao has spent over these years!¡±

    Li Chunhua lowered her head, gasping for breath as if she were about to breathe fire, and answered through clenched teeth, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll give it, she¡¯s my granddaughter, can I not give it? I should!¡±

    Liu Baoguo, satisfied, turned his head to Bai Jianguo, ¡°The belongings of Bai Xiao¡¯s home that should be returned must be sent back to her. After all, the child has her own parents, and the things were also provided by her parents. It¡¯s not good for you to have a reputation for having taken advantage of your niece¡¯s estate. Also, look at Bai Zhuang, he¡¯s destroyed quite a few things, things that were borrowed from the vigers. Later on, gather it all up, see how much you shouldpensate others, andpensate them. It¡¯s clear that Bai Zhuang started the trouble, you won¡¯t deny it, right?¡± This matter wasn¡¯t over yet.

    He had to make sure the young girl was satisfied.

    Bai Jianguo¡¯s mouth was full of bitterness; this time he had really suffered a huge loss.

    But what could he say? Could he reveal Bai Xiao¡¯s background, and have the whole vige pointing fingers at him, calling him names? And Bai Xiao would bepletely out of his control. It was all because of Bai Xiao, that wretched girl. Who would have thought that a silent dog could bite so painfully? Grinding his teeth, Bai Jianguo pinched his nose and epted it.

    ¡°Fine, vige chief, after all, this mess was caused by our family¡¯s child. We can¡¯t skimp on everyone¡¯s money. Rest assured, I willpensate! But as for the belongings in Bai Xiao¡¯s home, you also know, it¡¯s been several years, many items¡¯ whereabouts are unknown, we didn¡¯t take them, and this house can hardly keep people out, it¡¯s been unknown where things have gone for a long time, what¡¯s left are just some tables and chairs and such, nothing else.¡±

    Bai Xiao sneered, Bai Jianguo really knew how to spout nonsense. Back in the day, her own parents were well-known for theirpetency in the vige, possessing medical skills, and they supplemented the household ie by gathering herbs. Their family was definitely not in ruins, especially the furniture at home, which was made from fine wood, and wouldn¡¯t be easily damaged by wind or sun. But now, in Bai Jianguo¡¯s mouth, it had turned into having nothing left.

    But that wasn¡¯t the main issue; it was pointless to argue over this right now. If Bai Jianguo wouldn¡¯t admit it, could they really go through his house to search item by item? This was a dead-end dispute, and she endured.

    As long as she got those twenty yuan, at the very least, part of her travel expenses would be covered, and she finally felt a sense of relief.

    ¡°Uncle, whatever furniture you can find, just bring back what you can,¡± she said. Pressuring Bai Jianguo was of no advantage to her; in just three days, Bai Jianguo was already pushed to the edge, she had to be cautious of him bing desperate.

    Bai Jianguo lowered his eyes and ordered Bai Zhuang and Bai Mei, ¡°Clean up the yard for your sister, then get lost!¡± It was these two unmanageable kids that had caused trouble. He had clearly said not to provoke Bai Xiao these few days, to wait until they had arranged everything. But they ended up causing so many problems for him this time.

    Bai Xiao had received another fifty yuan as well as the furniture, and he had topensate her on top of that, for all these bowls and dishes, they all cost money.

    Bai Jianguo wanted to kill Bai Zhuang.

    Bai Zhuang and Bai Mei didn¡¯t dare say anything, and honestly lowered their heads to start cleaning up.

    Liu Baoguo nodded, ¡°Alright, disperse everyone. Bai Xiao, just go collect the twenty yuan your grandmother promised you after this. If she doesn¡¯t give it to you, tell your uncle. I refuse to believe someone can cover the sky with one hand. As the vige chief, I am responsible for the trivial matters of the vigers¡¯ households. If anyone dares to cause trouble, don¡¯t me me for dealing with her!¡± This was a warning for Li Chunhua to behave herself and not stir up trouble.

    Li Chunhua red fiercely at Bai Xiao, huffed angrily, and pushed through the crowd to leave.

    The vigers all dispersed.

    Auntie Wang and Wang Meihuaforted Bai Xiao, telling her to call for help if she needed it, that everyone would be there to assist.

    Bai Xiao examined Wang Meihua carefully. The woman¡¯s gaze was always gentle and pitying. In her past life, she had thought Wang Meihua was like this with everyone, a kind-hearted person. But now she hesitated; perhaps Wang Meihua¡¯s pity stemmed from knowing some inside information; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t treat her this way.

    Yet, in her previous life, Wang Meihua never revealed her true identity. Knowing that she was to be married into such a family, Wang Meihua would rather advise her to run away than disclose this secret. So, in this life, it was likely that Wang Meihua wouldn¡¯t say anything unless absolutely necessary.

    How was she going to find a breakthrough?

    Liu Baoguo and Li Chunmei also greeted Bai Xiao, assuring her that she coulde to them with any problems. Everyone else had left.

    Bai Xiao sat on the threshold of the covered walkway, watching Bai Zhuang and Bai Mei mutter and grumble as they tidied up. They didn¡¯t dare to do otherwise.

    Then, the two of them also left.

    The fragments were still piled up there; the two barely cleaned up.

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t feel like moving either. After all, she wasn¡¯t short on time. Her mind was a bit foggy, many events from her past life swirling in her head, scene after scene shing like a movie. There was a lot she didn¡¯t understand, many things she couldn¡¯t exin. Li Chunhua and Bai Jianguo¡¯s attitudes indicated that they both knew her true background.

    What about her brothers and sisters, though?

    Did they know as well?

    She had decided; she wanted to find her eldest sister Bai Yue and her second sister Bai Ju. Bai Yue had married one hundred miles away in Shili Vige, and Bai Ju had married in a town ten directions south, neither ce being close by. In the past, they were also busy with their own affairs and saw her very rarely! Every encounter was hurried, they would give her some money and things like food and clothes they bought for her. In fact, if taken seriously, the two sisters had no obligation to her once they were married. Every bit of help signified potential displeasure from their inws, yet they still took care of her despite such scrutiny, which was already treating her too well.

    She must remember her sisters¡¯ kindness. In those days, her sisters suffered terribly because of her, so she didn¡¯t want it to be the same this time.

    She wanted her sisters to live well.

    But the admission notice hadn¡¯t arrived yet, and she was worried that Li Chunhua might steal it again. Therefore, she couldn¡¯t leave now, she could only wait.

 Chapter 33 - 33 33 Playing Hooligan

    ?Chapter 33: Chapter 33 ying Hooligan   Chapter 33: Chapter 33 ying Hooligan                                   Li Chunhua came back from the fields in the blistering noon heat! These days had been so tough, leaving her feeling incredibly frustrated and drained of energy, unable to muster any spirit.

    But the farm work couldn¡¯t be ignored¡ªher family depended on it.

    This month, Bai Song hadn¡¯t sent money back yet.

    And there was Bai Xiao¡¯s university admission notice, which she worried about the most. That audacious girl would be over the moon if she actually got into university.

    Under no circumstances could Bai Xiao be allowed to go to university and leave the vige. Even if Bai Xiao turned out to be rotten, she had to wither on this verynd¡ªshe absolutely couldn¡¯t be allowed to leave.

    Thinking over her n, Li Chunhua took a detour to the main road and immediately spotted the figure of the postman Zhang Changgong. Her timing was perfect; who didn¡¯t know that Zhang Changgong would be here at this time every day?

    She hurried towards him, ¡°Comrade Zhang, are there any letters or remittance slips for our family?¡± Having be quite familiar with the process over four years, the remittance slip was something Li Chunhua knew all too well.

    Zhang Changgong shuffled through a stack of letters, spotted Bai Xiao¡¯s name at a nce, and seeing the words ¡°Admission Notice¡± on the envelope, he knew that Liupan Vige had produced a university student.

    ¡°There¡¯s an admission notice for your granddaughter Bai Xiao! But I haven¡¯t seen a remittance slip this month,¡± he said with a smile as he slipped the letter into his green oversized pocket.

    Li Chunhua¡¯s outstretched hand fell t, and she quickly blocked Zhang Changgong, ¡°Comrade Zhang, just give me my granddaughter¡¯s letter, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m her grandmother, I¡¯ll take it to her myself!¡±

    Finally, a weight fell off her heart.

    Zhang Changgong frowned and shook his head, ¡°That won¡¯t do. This is a university admission notice; it has to be handed over to the person concerned. No one else can collect it on their behalf; it¡¯s registered mail! I must give it to Bai Xiao herself,¡± he remembered the favor Bai Xiao had asked of him.

    ¡°I¡¯m her grandmother.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t do! Registered mail has to be signed for by the person it¡¯s addressed to,¡± Zhang Changgong said, as he prepared to ride off.

    Li Chunhua suddenly grabbed the handlebars of Zhang Changgong¡¯s bike with a grip so firm it was frightening.

    Zhang Changgong nearly toppled over.

    He quickly dismounted, ¡°What are you doing? Don¡¯t you know you could hurt someone? Are you out of your mind?¡± Zhang Changgong steadied his bicycle.

    Li Chunhua quickly put on an apologetic smile, ¡°Comrade Zhang, I¡¯m just anxious! Have some sympathy for an old woman my age. I¡¯m doing all this for my granddaughter. Don¡¯t you see me here every day, checking with you? I¡¯m her grandmother, I promise I¡¯ll deliver it to her. We¡¯re family; would I harm her?¡± She wouldn¡¯t let Zhang Changgong enter the vige today without getting that letter.

    That damned girl must not be allowed tofortably leave for the city.

    Zhang Changgong frowned, trying to pry Li Chunhua¡¯s hands off, ¡°Why are you like this? I already told you, no matter who you are, it won¡¯t work. The letter has to be signed for by Bai Xiao herself. If you keep making a fuss, I won¡¯t be nice any longer. You¡¯re obstructing my work, and that¡¯s a serious matter,¡± he thought to himself, grateful that Bai Xiao had warned him beforehand. Otherwise, he might have actually handed the admission notice over to Li Chunhua, who, by the looks of it, did not seem inclined to give it to Bai Xiao.

    Not to mention, he knew about the Bai Family¡¯s recent sordid affairs.

    This old Lady Bai was no pushover; she was unkind to her own granddaughter, one might even call it abuse. He definitely wouldn¡¯t give her the letter.

    ¡°Are you going to give it to me, or not? If you don¡¯t give it to me, I will¡­¡± Li Chunhua had not expected this stubborn old man to be impervious to her ways.

    Zhang Changgong red, ¡°You will what? Step aside! I¡¯m about to lose my patience!¡± He shoved Li Chunhua¡¯s hand away, and just as he touched her hand, Li Chunhua reacted like a bristling hedgehog, seizing Zhang Changgong¡¯s hand tightly.

    ¡°Zhang Changgong is harassing me! He¡¯s harassing me!¡± Her sudden shout nearly caused him to fall over.

    Desperate to break free from Li Chunhua¡¯s grasp, he simply could not shake her off.

    ¡°What are you doing? What on earth are you doing?¡±

    This hooliganism could be a big or a small crime, how had he ended up in such a mess with this shrewish woman?

    This was nothing but trouble he had stirred up.

    To be involved in such scandalous debts at his age, wasn¡¯t this just courting death?

    ¡°Are you going to give it to me or not? If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll scream, and by then it¡¯ll be toote for you to give it to me even if you want to!¡± Li Chunhua clutched at Zhang Changgong¡¯s hand, the olddy¡¯s face was really red with shame, was it easy for her to be driven to this state?

    ¡°Let go, let go! I¡¯ll give it to you, isn¡¯t that enough?¡± Zhang Changgong was really out of options! Faced with such a shameless old woman, a shrew, even a decent man like himself could not subdue her.

    Li Chunhua was half-doubtful, ¡°Keep your word, give it to me now, and I¡¯ll let you go!¡± She didn¡¯t trust anyone, without that wretched girl¡¯s admission notice in her hands, she would always feel unsettled.

    Zhang Changgong was about to explode with anger, his eyes constantly scanning the entrance of the vige, praying that no one woulde over now.

    If someone were to see him grappling with a widowed old woman here, no number of exnations could clear his name.

    Who had he offended to deserve this?

    ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you, but you have to let me get it out, don¡¯t you? How can I take it out if you don¡¯t let go of me?¡± Zhang Changgong really wished he could strangle the widow right in front of him.

    Li Chunhua let go of one of Zhang Changgong¡¯s hands, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, if you don¡¯t give it to me, I¡¯ll throw myself into your arms right now.¡± She wasn¡¯t afraid of letting go of Zhang Changgong, after all, she could really do something like this.

    Zhang Changgong twisted his eyebrows in anger and rummaged through his mail bag, Li Chunhua¡¯s eyes fixed on him intently, afraid that he¡¯d renege.

    Zhang Changgong pulled out a bunch of letters, Li Chunhua tried to snatch them, but Zhang Changgong blocked her, ¡°What are you doing? These aren¡¯t all your family¡¯s letters, don¡¯t cause trouble, if you lose a single letter, you can¡¯t bear the responsibility.¡±

    Li Chunhua could only stand aside, sulking and waiting.

    Zhang Changgong found Bai Xiao¡¯s registered letter, feeling so wronged inside. He really owed this girl an apology; he had promised her he would deliver the letter to her door, but things had gotten to this point.

    How could he not see through this at his age? Once the letter fell into Old Lady Bai¡¯s hands, Bai Xiao could probably forget about attending college for the rest of her life.

    Was he ruining a child¡¯s life by doing this?

    But what could he do?

    Faced with such apletely shameless old woman, if she really made a scene by throwing tantrums and falsely using him, he would be powerless. He could not afford to lose his job; his whole family, young and old, depended on him to provide for them.

    Bai Xiao, I¡¯m sorry!

    ¡°Hand it over! What are you waiting for, for me to call for help?¡± Li Chunhua, seeing Zhang Changgong hesitate, lost her temper.

    Zhang Changgong stretched out his hand, ¡°You are Bai Xiao¡¯s grandma, you must not harm this child!¡± He tried to make onest effort.

    Li Chunhua snatched it away, ¡°As if I don¡¯t know I¡¯m Bai Xiao¡¯s grandma. Mind your own business when ites to our family matters.¡± Holding the letter triumphantly, she stuffed it into her pocket and carried her hoe into the vige.

 Chapter 34 - 34 34 Attack

    ?Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Attack   Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Attack                                   Just two steps away, Li Chunhua felt a trip under her feet, and she tumbled forward.

    A figure pounced on her, pinning her down tightly; then she felt a pain in the back of her neck, and all her strength left her! Her vision darkened, and she could see nothing more.

    Bai Xiao took out the registration letter from Li Chunhua¡¯s body, looked at it carefully, and indeed saw her own name on it, with the words ¡°Air Force Aviation University¡± below. This was her university admission notice. Although this institution wasn¡¯t her ideal choice, at that time it was the head teacher who had helped select a few schools whose score requirements matched, and which were very advantageous for a family like hers.

    Her desire to leave this ce had never ceased. Back then, all the colleges she applied to were outside her hometown. But applying for college then waspletely different fromter years; students would fill out their college preference forms based on their past grades. After the exam results were out, admissions were based on the first and second choices filled out on these forms.

    In many cases, the institution one ended up attending could be vastly different from the one they aspired to attend, which was a sad reality for many college students from that era.

    But for Bai Xiao, as long as she could get into a university, no matter where, she was extremely eager to go.

    She couldn¡¯t clearly remember which choice this volunteer opportunity was in her application, but it seemed her first choice was to be a teacher, and her second choice was to join the military; now it looked like she was headed for the military.

    Tucking the admission notice into her pocket, Bai Xiao looked up to see Zhang Changgong¡¯s dazed expression. She didn¡¯t me Zhang Changgong; she had seen everything from beginning to end. Even if she had intervened, if the olddy had stubbornly framed Zhang Changgong, then he would have really been ruined by her actions.

    It wasn¡¯t Zhang Changgong¡¯s fault. At least he truly kept his promise to her, wanting to deliver the admission notice to her personally. Unfortunately, both Zhang Changgong and Bai Xiao had underestimated the shamelessness and brazenness of Old Lady Bai.

    ¡°Comrade Zhang, I¡¯m sorry that you were almost implicated. I believe you didn¡¯t see anything,¡± Bai Xiao said with a teasing blink.

    Zhang Changgong shook his head helplessly. He considered himself experienced in world affairs, but today was truly an eye-opener for him.

    The grandmother was shameless to the extreme, willing to frame an elderly man like him to get her granddaughter¡¯s admission letter. And the granddaughter was even more formidable; she had managed to trick her own grandmother. He felt all his bones ache just watching her fall, only to snatch back the admission letter.

    He understood the girl was out of options. If Old Lady Bai had indeed be desperate enough to tear up the admission notice, Bai Xiao, even if she gathered many people, probably couldn¡¯t do anything. Without the admission notice, even with great exam scores, it would be impossible to attend the university.

    Well, Zhang Changgong sighed, ¡°I¡¯m old, with dim vision; I didn¡¯t see anything.¡± He mounted his bicycle to continue delivering mail to the vige. He decided to avoid Liupan Vige as much as possible in the future¡ªsuch a troublesome ce, indeed.

    Bai Xiao nced at Old Lady Bai. She got what she deserved.

    Was this considered ruthless and heartless on her part?

    Who cares?

    She hadn¡¯t killed anyone or broken thew; she was just protecting herself. Moreover, Old Lady Bai had caused her plenty of torment and abuse in this life and thest¡ªnot to mention that just moments ago, she had merely reversed the operation of her Healing Ability to knock the olddy unconscious.

    This was something she had discovered after much research and contemtion; her special ability wasn¡¯t limited to healing. If operated in the opposite direction, it could induce various illnesses.

    She hadn¡¯t left Mrs. Baipletely paralyzed, unable to stand or speak, lying in bed forever, which could be considered quite merciful.

    Was there anyone more saintly than her?

    Bai Xiao pped her hands and went home to pack her things, preparing to visit her eldest sister and second sister the next day.

    Since her return, she hadn¡¯t properly visited her family and those who had been genuinely kind to her.

    She also wanted to send a telegram to her elder brother in town, telling him not to send money home anymore; once at university, she would write him a letter to exin everything. But she didn¡¯t want her brother and sisters to keep sending money to support that family of vampires without knowing the truth.

    However, life is always full of surprises.

    Isn¡¯t there a saying that ns can¡¯t keep up with changes?

    When Bai Xiao got home, she carefully stored her admission notice. She wouldn¡¯t let Li Chunhua take it from her again. She visited the vige chief, Liu Baoguo, and showed him the notice.

    Liu Baoguo and Li Chunmei were also delighted upon seeing it. This girl had really made something of herself. University students were rare jewels; it was exceedingly difficult for a vige to produce one. It was truly Liupan Vige¡¯s pride.

    ¡°Xiao, you¡¯re amazing,¡± Baoguo said, ¡°our vige has never produced a university student before. This is a first for Liupan Vige. Don¡¯t worry, I will post a big red announcement. The whole vige will celebrate. Liupan Vige has produced an educated person, a real university student!¡± Liu Baoguo was excited. This was also a political achievement. Their Liupan Vige would be famous for producing a university student, benefiting everyone in the vige. Now when they talked about their vige, who wouldn¡¯t regard Liupan Vige people with respect?

    Li Chunmei held the admission notice, brimming with joy, touching it over and over again. It was a university admission notice, after all.

    ¡°Xiao, don¡¯t worry, you are our vige¡¯s only university student. If you have any difficulty, you can always talk to your uncle. Your aunt has decided¡ªwe will host a three-day banquet in the vige, so everyone can have a good time!¡± Li Chunmei could say this only because Liu Baoguo was the vige chief and had the authority to back it up.

    If the vige chief said to host a banquet, of course, everyone in the vige would lend a hand.

    Bai Xiao shook her head, ¡°Vige Chief Uncle, let¡¯s not have the banquet. It¡¯s too expensive, and our vige isn¡¯t wealthy. Besides, this should be something my parents do, not something for you to worry about. It¡¯s not appropriate. I don¡¯t want to cause trouble for everyone. My grandmother is already not happy about my schooling¡ªknowing about this would only cause more of a fuss. I¡¯m not sure how I would even handle it, I wouldn¡¯t want to dampen everyone¡¯s spirits.¡± She was indirectly warning Li Chunhua not toin; after all, the admission notice was now in her possession, and Li Chunhua could surely guess who had attacked her that day.

    But without any proof, and with Bai Xiao¡¯s denial, there was nothing Li Chunhua could do.

    This was Bai Xiao¡¯s firm resolve.

    Liu Baoguo widened his eyes and pped his hand, ¡°She wouldn¡¯t dare! You are our vige¡¯s honor. Who dares to trip you up? I¡¯ll deal with them! Bai Xiao, rest assured, we absolutely can¡¯t let your grandmother make a scene! You have your uncle!¡± Bai Xiao was truly talented, not just for getting into university, but also for her remarkable medical skills. If Li Chunhua dared to plot against her, let her see if Liu Baoguo wouldn¡¯t sort her out.

    You have to know, a vige chief holds considerable power in his eyes.

 Chapter 35 - 35 35 Expose

    ?Chapter 35: Chapter 35: Expose   Chapter 35: Chapter 35: Expose                                   Bai Xiao lowered her head, ¡°Uncle, this¡­ is too much trouble for you. I don¡¯t even know¡­ how to thank you!¡±

    Li Chunmei wrapped her arms around Bai Xiao¡¯s shoulders and patted her back tofort her, ¡°It¡¯s okay! Xiao, you have people standing up for you, don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t be scared in the future! You have to speak up; only then can people know and help you. Remember, wherever we go, we don¡¯t do anything underhanded, but we also can¡¯t let others trample over us. Liupan Vige is your home, and the vigers are your support; you have people to protect you!¡±

    She hoped this girl could change her temperament a bit and not get bullied outside.

    Bai Xiao nodded and tucked the admission notice into her clothing close to her body. People at that time were used to sewing a pocket inside their undershirt, for putting anything valuable they were worried about losing, even a safety pin was considered very important.

    As Bai Xiao was leaving, she encountered Liu Baoguo¡¯s eldest daughter, Liu Hong. The two brushed past each other. Liu Hong didn¡¯t usually think much of Bai Xiao; their rtionship was just a nodding acquaintance without much interaction. After all, as the vige chief¡¯s daughter and a popr high schooler in the vige, who wouldn¡¯t try to curry favor with her?

    So, it was normal for Liu Hong to dislike Bai Xiao, and seeing her, she snorted.

    ¡°Putting on airs!¡±

    Li Chunmei said with a smile, ¡°This girl must have been upset outside. Just ignore her!¡±

    She couldn¡¯t scold her own daughter after all.

    Bai Xiao nced at Liu Hong and turned her head to whisper to Li Chunmei, ¡°Auntie, please don¡¯t be upset with what I¡¯m about to say.¡±

    This matter could be minor or major, but she clearly remembered that this year, Liu Hong had a secret affair with Han Dazhi, a worker from the county, and Liu Hong got pregnant before marriage, which in 1985 in a rural area was a scandalous disgrace. Han Dazhi¡¯s mother seized the opportunity to refuse paying any dowry, wanting to take advantage of Liu Hong marrying her son, especially since Liu Hong was pregnant and probably wouldn¡¯t be wanted by anyone else.

    Being overlypetitive, Liu Hong secretly got an abortion, but since formal hospitals required a marriage certificate or proof, Liu Hong dared not let her parents find out! Consequently, she resorted to a ck-market doctor, and during the abortion, heavy bleeding led to her dying along with the baby in that illegal clinic.

    Liu Baoguo was devastated by the incident, and it led to his stepping down from the position of vige chief, turning Li Chunmei¡¯s hair white overnight.

    In the past, these matters might not have concerned Bai Xiao, but these people had helped her in her life, and she couldn¡¯t just watch a family fall apart. Even if it meant repaying kindness with kindness, she should protect Liu Baoguo as the vige chief and didn¡¯t want such good people to face such dire circumstances, especially because sending off a daughter was a profound sorrow for anyone in middle age.

    When she brushed past Liu Hong just now, her special ability had involuntarily triggered, and she had sensed that Liu Hong was already pregnant, although only three weeks, but definitely pregnant.

    Li Chunmei appeared shocked, ¡°My child, speak up! Do you think your auntie is unreasonable?¡± She felt Bai Xiao was very serious.

    ¡°Auntie, you need to pay closer attention to Liu Hong, if I¡¯m not mistaken, she is pregnant again. If you don¡¯t take care of her, she might do something foolish!¡± Bai Xiao had done her best, hoping that her reminder could change the fates of Liu Baoguo and Li Chunmei.

    Li Chunmei¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment, ¡°What did you say?¡± She could not believe her ears.

    ncing at Liu Hong as she walked into the house, Li Chunmei gripped Bai Xiao¡¯s wrist tightly, nearly twisting it off in her forceful hold.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s mouth twitched slightly, knowing it would turn out this way, and struggled free from Li Chunmei¡¯s grip. Li Chunmei also realized she had been overly forceful and looked at Bai Xiao rubbing her wrist, the skin beneath her sleeve reddened slightly¡ªshe had been too harsh.

    Feeling a bit remorseful.

    ¡°Auntie, better take her to the hospital to check. I am not joking.¡± Bai Xiao was not a person who wouldn¡¯t dare to speak.

    Li Chunmei remembered that her daughter had recently been losing her appetite and asionally feeling nauseous. She had thought that Liu Hong was just having stomach issues, especially since the weather had been very hot recently, and heat strokes sometimes caused nausea and difort.

    She hadn¡¯t paid much attention, but if what Bai Xiao said was true, it was indeed possible.

    Li Chunmei¡¯s lips trembled with anger¡ªthis was a vition of morals.

    Yet, it was her daughter; she could not help but protect her.

    ¡°Xiao, about this matter¡­¡±

    It was difficult to articte.

    ¡°Auntie, I won¡¯t talk nonsense, I don¡¯t know anything about this matter, but you must be wary of Liu Hong. Even if she wants to abort the baby, she must go to a regr hospital; otherwise, it will lead to trouble!¡± This was certainly a warning.

    Li Chunmei nodded gratefully, ¡°Xiao, thank you!¡± How could this child be so empathetic?

    She knew exactly what she wanted to say. Ah! If only her family were protecting her, who knew what she might achieve in the future.

    Bai Xiao went home.

    Meanwhile, Li Chunmei stepped into the yard! She closed the main gate and went straight into Liu Hong¡¯s room.

    As soon as Liu Hong entered the room, she smelled something foul, felt her chest churn, covered her mouth, and rushed out of the room. She pushed past Li Chunmei, who was blocking the doorway, ran to a corner of the yard, and vomited violently, almost throwing up her stomach.

    After finally finishing vomiting, Liu Hong rinsed her mouth and thought about lying down inside.

    Before she could enter, Li Chunmei grabbed her and dragged her into the room. Liu Baoguo, who happened to see this, quickly intervened, ¡°Wife, what are you doing? Be gentle; the kid isn¡¯t feeling well! If you have something to say, say it nicely!¡± He followed them inside, still unaware that his wife¡¯s only problem was her short temper.

    Liu Hong was thrown onto the bed by Li Chunmei.

    Feeling indignant, Liu Hong couldn¡¯t understand why her mother was acting so crazy. Her eyes reddened with grievance¡ªshe had just felt so unwell! Her own mother wasn¡¯t offeringfort but was angrily confronting her. She was Liu Baoguo¡¯s only daughter! With two older brothers, the entire family doted on her. She had never been wronged in her life, and now she was extremely upset.

    ¡°Mom, what are you doing? I¡¯m feeling so unwell and you¡¯re treating me like this! Am I not your biological child?¡± Liu Hong always spoke informally to her parents.

    Li Chunmei pointed at Liu Hong and scolded, ¡°If you weren¡¯t my daughter, if you were someone else, let me tell you, with the shameful things you¡¯ve done, I could have sent you to the police station. Tell me the truth! Who is the father of the monster in your stomach? Tell me!¡±

    Liu Baoguo was shocked! Monster?

    What monster?

    He scrutinized Liu Hong, his eyes nkly staring at her stomach.

    Liu Hong was startled, instinctively covering her stomach, and asked Li Chunmei in shock, ¡°You¡­ you¡­ how did you know?¡±

    She had also found out about it today, which was why she was so panicked. Liu Hong would normally have been flustered dealing with such a situation, and she hadn¡¯t yet consulted Han Dazhi, who wouldn¡¯t be back until the end of the month. She was utterly helpless when her own mother¡¯s words almost scared her to death.

    Her mother had figured it out.

 Chapter 36 - 36 36 Coming to the Door

    ?Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Coming to the Door   Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Coming to the Door                                   ¡°Honghong, tell me, what exactly happened? Is what your mom said true?¡± Liu Baoguo could not believe that his well-behaved daughter could do something like this.

    Liu Hong lowered her head, her fingers pinching and twisting the corner of her clothes, silent.

    Li Chunmei pped her across the face, hitting Liu Hong relentlessly. Liu Hong did not dodge and was beat by Li Chunmei.

    Seeing this, Liu Baoguo quickly intervened, ¡°Enough, what¡¯s the use of beating her to death? We have to solve the problem now that it has happened. Do you really want to kill her?¡±

    Li Chunmei copsed on the ground, ¡°I can¡¯t live anymore. How did I encounter such a shameless creature? We have lived a decent life in this vige our whole lives, never did anything guilty. Now, look, our own daughter has done such a thing. If the vigers find out, how can our family live on? Do you still want to face anyone after this?¡±

    Li Chunmei wept bitterly, thinking the disgrace was minorpared to her worry that her future inws would despise her daughter, and she wondered how her child could walk her path in the future.

    Liu Baoguo helped Li Chunmei to sit down, ¡°Don¡¯t cry anymore, let¡¯s properly ask what really happened?¡± Liu Baoguo was angry as well¡ªin his own house, his daughter got pregnant out of wedlock, an embarrassment that would make many peopleugh their heads off.

    Wiping away her tears, Li Chunmei asked Liu Hong, ¡°Tell me, whose child is it?¡± She couldn¡¯t let her daughter suffer in silence.

    Liu Hong remained silent.

    Li Chunmei was so furious she could eat someone alive, ¡°Still won¡¯t say it, will you? For a man, you even abandoned your own reputation. Do you now also want to forsake your parents¡¯ lives? Your two brothers are not yet married. If this gets out, what respectable family would let their daughters marry your brothers? Can¡¯t you use your head and think for a moment?¡± Frustrated at herck of understanding.

    Finally, Liu Hong reacted, lifting her head, her face streaked with tears. She regretted it, why hadn¡¯t she controlled herself, falling for Han Dazhi¡¯s sweet talk. That day, under a spell, she ended up with Han Dazhi who said he would ask for her hand in marriage in a few days.

    But the thing had already happened. She had been feeling unwell these past few days and sneaked off to the town hospital, where she gave a fake name and got tested. Holding the test results, she felt the urge to die. Wasn¡¯t she smart enough to know the consequences of getting pregnant before marriage?

    Once the story got out, not only would she lose face, but her parents and brothers would be implicated too. People would use their family of having no morals, for raising what kind of child? Also, Han Dazhi¡¯s parents might look down on her because of this. But what could she do?

    Now she was pregnant. She could only marry Han Dazhi. Otherwise, what could she do?

    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s, it¡¯s Han Dazhi from our vige!¡± Liu Hong finally stuttered out the name.

    Li Chunmei got up, ready to leave, but Liu Baoguo stopped her, ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    Li Chunmei said viciously, ¡°I¡¯m going to Han Dazhi¡¯s house to ask, what are they going to do after such shameless behavior from their son? I must make Han Dazhi marry my daughter. I really didn¡¯t expect Han Dazhi to dare have rtions with my daughter right under our noses. Isn¡¯t this a p in our face?¡±

    Liu Baoguo held her back, ¡°Don¡¯t go, Han Dazhi works in the county, he¡¯s not at home. What are you going to tell his parents? That your daughter has his son¡¯s child? What if Han Dazhi denies it? Do you want the whole vige to know? Will Honghong still be able to live?¡± Liu Baoguo was thinking long-term.

    Liu Hong, frightened, clung to her parents and said, ¡°Dad, Mom! What should I do?¡± If Han Dazhi did not marry her, she could only die.

    Li Chunmei pped her, ¡°Now you know fear when it¡¯s toote. When you were busy doing such shameless things with that man, didn¡¯t you think about what you¡¯d do if he didn¡¯t marry you?¡± Her urgency mixed with anger.

    Liu Baoguo pulled Li Chunmei away, ¡°Enough, stop making a scene. Honghong, tomorrowe with me to the county to find Han Dazhi. This matter is no longer just between you two. I want to see what their family ns to do.¡±

    Liu Hong murmured a nod.

    No one in the family could settle down.

    They were all counting the time.

    Bai Xiao had just returned home and was barely seated when Li Chunhua, apanied by Hao Fang, arrived furiously pounding on the front door.

    Bai Xiao had feared that Li Chunhua woulde to make trouble, so she¡¯d made sure to bolt the door.

    ¡°Bai Xiao! Come out here, you little wretch¡ªnow you even dare to hit your grandma? Do you know that hitting an elderly person calls for divine punishment? Aren¡¯t you afraid of the gods above? Look at this lump on my head that Bai Xiao gave me; it¡¯s so big and it hurts like hell!¡± Li Chunhua announced to the people outside the door.

    Bai Xiao opened the door, ¡°Grandma! What¡¯s happened to you?¡± she asked with feigned concern.

    Li Chunhua grabbed hold of Bai Xiao in an instant, ¡°You wretched girl, you still ask? Don¡¯t you know what happened? It was your sneaky attack from behind that did this to me! You all don¡¯t know, this ingrate hit me and then left me lying at the vige entrance for hours without a care, not worried in the least that bad people might carry me off! Such a cruel heart.¡± Li Chunhua¡¯s grip was fierce, and Bai Xiao¡¯s arm quickly bruised.

    Bai Xiao struggled free from Li Chunhua, ¡°Grandma, you¡¯re saying I attacked you from behind, but that¡¯s not true. Why would I hit you for no reason? Aunts and uncles¡ªyou wouldn¡¯t randomly sneak attack someone either, right? There has to be a reason!¡±

    She wasn¡¯t afraid of Li Chunhua making a fuss.

    Li Chunhua red with eyes sharp as daggers, ¡°You attacked me from behind and snatched the letter from my arms!¡± As soon as she said this, Li Chunhua realized her mistake; she couldn¡¯t talk about the admission notice.

    With a smile that was not quite a smile, Bai Xiao asked, ¡°What letter? One that needed me to knock you unconscious to take it? I really have no idea about it!¡±

    Li Chunhua was at a loss for words¡ªwhat to do now?

    ¡°You¡ªyou¡¯re the one who hit me?¡± Li Chunhua could only cling to that usation.

    In a gentle and amiable tone, Hao Fang said, ¡°Xiao, if you¡¯re dissatisfied with your grandma, you can¡¯t just retaliate with a deadly sneak attack. She¡¯s getting on in years; aren¡¯t you afraid of causing a fatality with just one blow?¡± This was an attempt to defend Li Chunhua¡¯s earlier statement about the letter.

    Bai Xiao chuckled, ¡°Little Aunt, I really didn¡¯t know about this. Grandma, did you see with your own eyes that it was me who hit you? Everyone says to catch a thief red-handed¡ªwho saw it? Don¡¯t tell me you were the only witness. If I go around pointing to an injury on the back of my head and say that my grandma hit me early in the morning and I saw it, it would be a real mess, wouldn¡¯t it? We still have to talk about evidence.¡±

    Dead men tell no tales.

    Li Chunhua was shaking with rage. She knew it was Bai Xiao who had done it because when she woke up, the letter was gone from her pocket! Who else would want that letter? Needless to say, it had to be Bai Xiao.

    So she was convinced it was Bai Xiao, but what she hadn¡¯t expected was for Bai Xiao to so adamantly deny it; she also couldn¡¯t reveal why Bai Xiao would have knocked her unconscious.

    What a suffocating frustration.

 Chapter 37 - 37 37 The Sudden Marriage Proposal

    ?Chapter 37: Chapter 37 The Sudden Marriage Proposal   Chapter 37: Chapter 37 The Sudden Marriage Proposal                                   The vigers also asked, ¡°Auntie! Are you sure you saw Bai Xiao? Could you have made a mistake? And who hits someone for no reason? Bai Xiao just came over from the vige chief¡¯s house; we all saw it. She didn¡¯te from the entrance of the vige!¡±

    ¡°Exactly, you can¡¯t wrongly use someone like that.¡±

    ¡°Bai Xiao doesn¡¯t seem like the type who would take revenge. You¡¯ve been beating her up for years, and we¡¯ve never seen her retaliate.¡±

    ¡°Definitely not. That¡¯s just not in Bai Xiao¡¯s nature to do such a thing!¡±

    Li Chunhua was even more angry. No one believed her.

    ¡°It was Bai Xiao, I saw it clear as day. And, there was someone else who must have seen it too; at that time, the postman, Zhang Changgong, was also on the road at the vige entrance. He must have seen it. If you don¡¯t believe me, just ask him!¡±

    Finally, the olddy remembered she had a witness.

    Bai Xiao was speechless. Old Lady Bai, could you please use your brain?

    Zhang Changgong would definitely love to see you dead right now. You threatened him once, and you expect him to testify for you? What are you thinking?

    Liu Baoguo and Li Chunmei both hurried over, and seeing that it was Li Chunhua again, the couple felt like swearing. Couldn¡¯t Li Chunhua go a single day without causing some kind of fuss?

    Do you ever let anyone live in peace?

    Liu Baoguo was already frustrated and in a bad mood today because of his daughter¡¯s issues, and here was Li Chunhua stirring up trouble again. This time, Liu Baoguo truly despised Li Chunhua from the bottom of his heart.

    ¡°Li Chunhua, what the hell is wrong with you? Stirring up trouble again?¡±

    Upon hearing these words, Li Chunhua felt a belly full of grievances with nowhere to vent.

    Pointing to the big lump on her forehead, she said, ¡°Vige Chief, look at this, you have to stand up for me. A granddaughter hitting her grandmother, that¡¯s a sin worthy of divine punishment. This unfilial offspring can¡¯t go unpunished. If young people follow Bai Xiao¡¯s example, there will be no ce for the elderly in our vige.¡±

    Liu Baoguo said impatiently, ¡°Howe you can link everything to Bai Xiao? You¡¯re not going to tell me that the lump on your head was given by Bai Xiao, are you? Everyone in our vige knows what¡¯s what. If we call everyone out to ask, who would believe that Bai Xiao gave you that lump? I think you¡¯re more likely to be the one giving Bai Xiao a lump on her head. Go do what you need to do and stop causing trouble in the vige at your age. You¡¯re just embarrassing yourself, shamelessly. Have you ever thought about Baoguo? Have you thought about your grandsons, Bai Zhuang and Bai Shan? With a grandmother like you, how are they going to find wives in the future?¡±

    These words were incredibly harsh, amounting to a face-smashing rebuke.

    Li Chunhua, feeling unjustly used, nearly burst out, ¡°Vige Chief, I¡¯m truly wronged. Look at this lump on my head. Do you think I made it up to frame Bai Xiao?¡±

    Bai Xiao, looking at Liu Baoguo, said in a low voice, ¡°Uncle, I didn¡¯t hit her. Just now, Comrade Zhang delivered my college admission notice, and I was on my way to bring it to you. I didn¡¯t even see my grandma. Besides, why would I hit my grandma?¡± Her expression showed the frustration of not having a ce to plead her case.

    Liu Baoguo turned to look at Li Chunhua and said, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Bai Xiao was indeed at my house just a moment ago. So, the lump on your head couldn¡¯t have been caused by her. As to who did, go find that person. If you keep spouting nonsense here and making life difficult for Bai Xiao, let me warn you, don¡¯t think you can actwlessly in our vige. You can¡¯t just do whatever you want. Our country, our party, does not tolerate anyone mistreating children and ndering them.

    I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking, Li Chunhua, such a good child, and the college admission notice has arrived. Bai Xiao is the only college student in our vige. You all heard that, right? Bai Xiao got into college. In the future, she¡¯s going to have an iron rice bowl as a government employee. Can you bear to stop a child like that from studying? I¡¯m the vige chief, and I won¡¯t allow you to keep acting out. If you target Bai Xiao again, watch out, I¡¯ll take care of you.¡±

    Li Chunhua wanted to argue, but Hao Fang held her back.

    It was clear that there were no good oues to be had in the presence of the vige chief, and if the conversation continued, the vige chief might lose his temper. In Liupan Vige, the vige chief was the one who had the final say, and if you provoked him, there would be ways to deal with you.

    ¡°Vige chief, my mother-inw probably saw things wrong. She¡¯s old and it¡¯s inevitable that sometimes she can¡¯t see clearly. I know Bai Xiao is a good person. Rest assured, I¡¯ll take my mother-inw home now. Xiao,e home for lunch. Your inws want to visit you and settle the marriage. It¡¯s time for men to marry and women to marry. This marriage was agreed upon by your parents years ago, and we can¡¯t very well stop it,¡± Hao Fang had her methods.

    Bai Xiao sneered, they were even bringing up his deceased parents now.

    ¡°Auntie, since when did I have an inw family with marriage settled? Howe I don¡¯t know about it?¡±

    The Bai family was in a desperate state, trying to force her to get married.

    Yes, by marrying her off, they could get the dowry money and prevent her from getting an education. Once married, whether to pursue education would no longer be up to her.

    ¡°It was settled by your parents, and when peoplee to propose, we can¡¯t exactly stop them!¡± Hao Fang knew what to say.

    A sarcastic smile appeared on the corner of Bai Xiao¡¯s mouth. She remembered that years ago, they were not in such a hurry to marry her off. It was only two years after Wu Xiaoyue joined the family that they mentioned this ¡°good¡± marriage to her.

    Now they had moved it up by a whole two years.

    It seemed that not only she had changed, but the Bai family as well.

    ¡°You shoulde at noon, it will be perfect for you to meet them!¡± Hao Fang didn¡¯t believe Bai Xiao would dare not show up, given the reputation of her parents.

    ¡°Aunt, I won¡¯t go! Just tell that family directly, I won¡¯t marry,¡± Bai Xiao said word by word.

    Hao Fang was startled; how had this girl changed so much that she dared to say such things.

    As soon as Li Chunhua heard this, she became furious, ¡°You ungrateful girl, what are you saying? Parental orders and matchmaker¡¯s words, are you saying you just won¡¯t marry? It was your parents who settled this deal, how could you be so undutiful as to anger your parents to the point of rising from their graves?¡± If it were not for Hao Fang holding her back, Li Chunhua would have grabbed Bai Xiao¡¯s ear and tied her up to take her home.

    The vigers didn¡¯t know what to say; although marriage was free, in the rural areas of 1985, most people still followed the practice of parents arranging marriages through matchmakers, and if both sides agreed, their children got married.

    There were generally no instances of defying the parents¡¯ wishes. Of course, before an engagement, parents would definitely seek their children¡¯s opinions, and if the children agreed, the marriage would be settled.

    If it were indeed a marriage arranged by Bai Xiao¡¯s parents, it would not have been to harm their child, so Bai Xiao speaking this way now indeed seemed somewhat undutiful.

    But who would want to offend someone in this matter? Bai Xiao was on the verge of attending university and might even be an official afterwards.

    She was expected to leave their mountain vige and their small cocoon someday, and who knew if they would ever need Bai Xiao¡¯s help in the future? If Bai Xiao was unwilling, no one could force her to agree.

 Chapter 38 - 38 38 I Marry Her

    ?Chapter 38: Chapter 38 I Marry Her   Chapter 38: Chapter 38 I Marry Her                                   ¡°I won¡¯t agree! You heard me loud and clear, I said I won¡¯t marry. So stop wasting your efforts, my parents passed when I was only 14, how could they possibly arrange a marriage for me? If it really was a marriage decided by my parents, this family hasn¡¯t shown their faces once in the past four years, nor have they cared how a 14-year-old child could manage to live. Such a family is utterly heartless and unprincipled. And now they¡¯ve heard that I¡¯ve been epted into college.

    They think marrying a college student will bring honor to their ancestors. But don¡¯t get your hopes up. There was no one to lend me a helping hand when times were tough, but now they want to take advantage of the situation. Uncle, Auntie, do you think I should agree to this marriage? Is such a family worthy for me to marry into?¡± Bai Xiao¡¯s words made everyone nod.

    If there really was such a marriage arrangement, Bai Xiao¡¯s life over the past four years had been unknown to the vigers. They had never heard of this matter and had never seen anyone visit Bai Xiao.

    Surely, such a family was indeed disheartening to the extreme.

    Now, their motive to show up like this really seemed unreasonable. If any parents knew of such circumstances, they probably wouldn¡¯t let their daughter marry into that family.

    ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t listen to this girl¡¯s nonsense. Have you thought about it? That day when you fell into the reservoir, a man had his hands all over you, hugging, touching, and kissing you. Your reputation was ruined to the extreme. Now that they are still willing to take you back, you are already so lucky. If you don¡¯t marry into their family, who will you marry? Do you think that instructor, just because he kissed you, is going to marry you?¡± Li Chunhua threw out whatever words she dared.

    Indeed, without anyone mentioning it, people could forget it, but once someone brought it up, it was true that Bai Xiao had fallen into the reservoir, and although the instructor had done it to save her, it was after all a man embracing and holding her, even kissing her at the time, which everyone present had seen.

    This event, without being mentioned, once discussed, really might prevent other families from wanting to marry Bai Xiao.

    In such a case, the fact that her fianc¨¦¡¯s family was still willing to take her back could even be considered extremely gracious.

    People couldn¡¯t help but advise Bai Xiao, ¡°Xiao, for a woman, reputation is of utmost importance.¡±

    ¡°With your current situation, that instructor¡¯s rank is significant, he definitely can¡¯t marry you, and now that your reputation is also damaged, you¡¯ll have trouble finding a marriage even as a college graduate.¡±

    ¡°Right, since your inws don¡¯t look down on you, it shows that the family is not bad natured.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, if you don¡¯t marry into such a family, it really doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±

    Immediately, all public opinion began to shift in favor of Li Chunhua.

    Li Chunhua said triumphantly, ¡°Bai Xiao, your granny has eaten more salt than you¡¯ve eaten rice. Given your current state, don¡¯t harbor any delusions. Do you really think an officer like Instructor An would marry you after saving you? You don¡¯t even consider how you¡¯re like a toad lusting after a swan¡¯s flesh. Just marry off quickly and save your reputation, otherwise, our vige¡¯s girls and boys might all have trouble negotiating marriages!¡±

    The olddy had her years behind her, and with a turn of her tongue, she immediately tied the concern to the interests of every family¡¯s children in the vige, so naturally, people wouldn¡¯t side with Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao wanted to fight back, but she didn¡¯t consider how much baggage she carried herself.

    This matter was difficult for Liu Baoguo to interfere in, but Li Chunmei was different; she was grateful to Bai Xiao for giving her advice today.

    ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t meddle in this. Whether Bai Xiao marries or not should be up to her. We live in a new society that values freedom in marriage. I¡¯ve never heard the saying ¡®parents¡¯ orders¡¯ in this context. Besides, Bai Xiao¡¯s parents have been gone for so many years. We never heard of such an inw before, and now they suddenly show up. Who knows what kind of tricks are behind this?

    You are her own grandmother, don¡¯t turn your elbow out. Besides, that day was about rescuing someone, and everyone saw it. If you hadn¡¯t pushed Bai Xiao into the reservoir, would she have ended up in that situation? And now, instead of protecting your own granddaughter, you stand here making such cold remarks.

    I¡¯m really puzzled, is Bai Xiao actually born to your family?¡± Li Chunmei was also surprised, as she had never seen a grandmother who treated her own granddaughter like this, almost as if she wished her dead.

    The way Li Chunhua treated Bai Xiao was not at all like family, but more like enemies.

    Li Chunhua twisted her mouth ufortably, ¡°Of course, Bai Xiao is my own granddaughter, but precisely because she¡¯s family, I worry about her. Just think, an unmarried girl found in such a situation, seen by everyone in the vige, held and touched, kissed by others. The instructor surely won¡¯t marry her. With her reputation like this, when it spreads, which family within ten miles would want to marry her? Could she spend her whole life at home as an old maid?

    This is for her own good. The family proposing marriage is wealthy, and they have only this son. If she marries him, that would be a fortunate life. Could it be that I, as her grandmother, would harm her?¡±

    Bai Xiao had just thought that she would rather be an old maid all her life than marry into such a family.

    Then, a voice cut in.

    ¡°Since the olddy says I have ruined Bai Xiao¡¯s reputation, then of course I must take responsibility.¡± Everyone looked and saw it was An Zhiyuan standing outside the crowd with a group of students, apparently having listened for a while. The students behind him were making faces at Bai Xiao.

    An Zhiyuan stepped forward and walked up to Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao felt guilty. The instructor An had kindly saved her, and now because of her, he had beenbeled like this.

    She knew that the more this was talked about, the more outrageous it would be, and it might greatly affect Instructor An¡¯s future prospects.

    ¡°Instructor An, this has nothing to do with you. You kindly saved me¡ªyou¡¯re my lifesaver. How can you be burdened with such abel because of this? Don¡¯t worry, I will rify everything with everyone. Even if I, Bai Xiao, am to remain an old maid and never marry, I will not drag you down.¡±

    An Zhiyuan smiled. This girl had a stubborn streak he hadn¡¯t noticed in the past few days.

    He¡¯d always thought of her as a timid and weak woman, like a mouse. But today, she disyed an aura fierce and unstoppable, with a decisive andmanding presence. It seemed he had misjudged her.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, since the matter involves me and your reputation was tarnished because of me, as a person, and as a man, I should take responsibility. Vige chief, fellow vigers, I, An Zhiyuan, hereby assure everyone that I will report to my superiors and marry Miss Bai Xiao. So let¡¯s put an end to this matter.¡±

    Everyone was shocked; after all, Instructor An was a respected figure, a school official of some standing, and now he was willing to step forward and take responsibility.

    This was a joyous turn of events for everyone.

    Bai Xiao was a college graduate, and marrying a school leader seemed to be an appropriate match.

    Everyone was happy.

 Chapter 39 - 39 39 Scheming

    ?Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Scheming   Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Scheming                                   Bai Xiao was stunned?

    What¡¯s going on, and how did it suddenly turn into Instructor An wanting to marry her?

    This is just too childish.

    She felt uneasy. Although Instructor An was from j School and she indeed had a good impression of him¡ªafter all, the men she knew were few and, due to the misunderstanding that resulted in him saving her life, Instructor An had been very kind to her.

    But there was no emotional foundation between them, they had met only three times in total.

    Each encounter was like something out of a drama.

    And now it had reached the point of discussing marriage, it was no wonder that Bai Xiao felt uneasy.

    She didn¡¯t want Instructor An to marry her just because he was worried about her reputation being affected and felt a sense of responsibility toward her. She understood that, as a principled leader, he would not want to bring negative impact to her reputation, but tomit to someone for life for that reason made her feel terribly sorry for him.

    When she went to the reservoir, she had her own selfish motives, her own scheming intentions, and as a result, she felt like she had implicated a genuinely good person for life. If Instructor An already had someone he liked at home, wouldn¡¯t she be a sinner for all eternity?

    As Bai Xiao brooded in distress, Instructor An observed her confusion, thinking the girl simply couldn¡¯t ept it all at once.

    He whispered reassurances in her ear, ¡°Rest assured, since I¡¯ve said these words, I will definitely marry you.¡±

    Still making guarantees, huh?

    Bai Xiao nearly rolled her eyes.

    At this moment, Li Chunhua would not stand for it, and Hao Fang was also dumbfounded; this was not the oue they had anticipated.

    How could Bai Xiao possibly be linked with Instructor An?

    This was like adding anotheryer of protection over Bai Xiao.

    Li Chunhua anxiously said, ¡°Instructor An, I do not agree with this. I know you mean well, but because you saved our girl doesn¡¯t mean you should marry her. You are a chief at the school, how can wemit such an act of ingratitude and harm the man who saved our daughter?¡± At this, Li Chunhua immediately reverted to her articte self.

    Her expression and demeanor seemed to be all for Instructor An¡¯s sake.

    An Zhiyuan smiled, not quite smiling, ¡°ording to convention, I should call you ¡®Grandma¡¯, but now would be inappropriate. Put your heart at ease a hundredfold; I sincerely want to take Bai Xiao as my wife, without any reluctance, so there¡¯s no question of ingratitude. If you insist on discussing the favor of saving life, then I¡¯ll say this: since I saved Bai Xiao, let the life-saving favor be repaid with a marriage. I, as an instructor, am a match for Bai Xiao, the university student, correct? Uncle vige chief, fellow vigers, what do you think, is this appropriate?¡±

    Liu Baoguo nodded happily, and the whole vige rejoiced.

    Everyone shouted in unison, ¡°Appropriate!¡±

    The students behind Instructor An were even happier, shouting, ¡°Appropriate!¡±

    Their stern faces finally showed a hint of realization¡ªthey now had an additional sister-inw.

    What a beautifully sensational tale of a hero saving a beauty!

    Li Chunhua was pulled back by Hao Fang, who seemed to realize that if she continued, she wouldn¡¯t fare well in front of the vigers and Instructor An.

    After all, if Instructor An had stepped forward to propose marrying Bai Xiao, and their family still obstructed and wanted to marry her off to someone else, wouldn¡¯t that be openly telling everyone that there was a story behind it all?

    Especially now that it involved Instructor An, someone of leadership, and they weren¡¯t mindless. Hence, this matter needed to be contemted carefully and not be handled rashly.

    It was their original intention to take a moral high ground, supposedly for Bai Xiao¡¯s benefit, because they all believed that a leader like Officer An couldn¡¯t possibly take a fancy to a vige girl from the countryside.

    They had nned to use this issue to force Bai Xiao to admit the truth, but they never expected Officer An to y his cards unpredictably, doing the exact opposite of what they anticipated, and now he insists on marrying Bai Xiao.

    This situation has suddenly be difficult to handle.

    Hao Fang dragged Li Chunhua back home, and as soon as Li Chunhua walked into the courtyard, she didn¡¯t even acknowledge her daughter-inw but went straight through the curtain into the house.

    Bai Jianguo was sitting on the threshold smoking his pipe when he almost got knocked over by his own mother.

    He asked Hao Fang, ¡°What¡¯s gotten into Mom? What upset her outside?¡±

    Hao Fang curled her lips, the olddy was just a paper tiger, strong on the outside but hollow on the inside.

    ¡°Your beloved niece has now hitched herself to a higher branch. Our mom wanted to finalize the marriage based on her tarnished reputation, especially since Fang Xiaoshan wasing over to set the wedding date. But out of nowhere, Officer An stepped in and said he¡¯s agreed to marry Bai Xiao.¡±

    A perfectly good marriage arrangement is about to go down the drain.

    Hao Fang felt a bit of pity, Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s family had even agreed to give Bai Xiao a dowry of 200 yuan¡ªa deal that would be sealed if Fang Xiaoshan took a liking to Bai Xiao at the noon meet-up.

    Initially, she thought someone like Fang Xiaoshan, who looked decent, would certainly win over an inexperienced girl like Bai Xiao when she met him.

    But unexpectedly, Officer An threw a wrench in the works.

    Now Fang Xiaoshan was supposed toe to their home at noon. What were they supposed to do?

    Bai Jianguo¡¯s face darkened, as things had been going badlytely, especially anything involving Bai Xiao, which never seemed to end well. But if Bai Xiao married Officer An, she would fly out of their humble nest for life, and no matter how many reasons they had, they might not be able to control Bai Xiao anymore.

    Bai Jianguo wouldn¡¯t allow such a thing to happen.

    He went through the curtain where his aged mother was sulking on the edge of the bed.

    Of all the people, his mother was the least willing to see Bai Xiao¡¯s fortunes improve.

    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s all fallen through.¡±

    Bai Jianguo knew exactly how to provoke his mother, and sure enough, as soon as he spoke, Li Chunhua jumped up in a rage.

    ¡°Bai Xiao should stop dreaming! She absolutely cannot marry Officer An! She¡¯s not even close to being worthy of that! Second Brother, once Fang Xiaoshan arrives, take him up to see Bai Xiao. Once Fang Xiaoshan sees her face, he should be reluctant to give up on having a wife. Then I will talk to him, and to be safe with Bai Xiao, we¡¯ll turn it into a fait apli. I¡¯m going to find the sleeping pills I used to take; the vige doctor prescribed some for your dad when he had trouble sleeping, and I still have them saved. We need to create irrefutable evidence that no one in the vige can dispute,¡± the old woman said viciously, even concocting such a wicked n.

    Bai Jianguo nodded, ¡°Mom! I¡¯ll listen to you, but Fang Xiaoshan might not go along with our n, right?¡± To do such a thing on their first meeting, Fang Xiaoshan wasn¡¯t a fool; he wouldn¡¯t just listen to them.

    Li Chunhuaughed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Fang Xiaoshan himself is illiterate, a scoundrel who doesn¡¯t hesitate to steal chickens or dogs, and he¡¯s involved in quite a few scandals with widows. He might even be more eager than us to do this. After all, Bai Xiao is a virgin and pretty besides. Why would he object?¡±

    Bai Jianguo felt reassured. It turned out the prospective inws his grandmother had picked weren¡¯t decent people at all.

    He couldn¡¯t help but wonder, had Bai Xiao¡¯s parents done something to wrong his grandmother?

    Otherwise, what kind of deep hatred must she harbor to inflict such harm on another family¡¯s daughter?

    Everyone knew Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t their own blood; how could he not know?

    That was also why he couldmit such vile acts without batting an eyelid because she wasn¡¯t truly one of their own.

 Chapter 40 - 40 40 Achievement

    ?Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Achievement   Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Achievement                                   Everyone had already dispersed.

    Liu Baoguo and the others had left as well.

    It was all said and done, but Liu Baoguo and Li Chunmei were still worried about their darling daughter and were not in the mood to talk to Instructor An.

    A few students, eager to please, fetched water and swept the courtyard for Bai Xiao, the future instructor¡¯s wife, their sister-inw¡ªhow could they not show their diligence for the instructor?

    Instructor An looked at Bai Xiao, who since a moment ago had seemed preupied. He wondered if he was ugly or of bad character to make the girl wear such a look of disdain.

    Bai Xiao looked at Instructor An, wanting to speak but hesitating. If she didn¡¯t, misunderstandings could really blow out of proportion.

    She gritted her teeth and pulled Instructor An into the house. Such words could only be discussed in private. With so many students outside, if they overheard, what face would he have left as an instructor?

    Instructor An¡¯s mouth curved into a smile as he watched Bai Xiao¡¯s slender, slightly cold fingers hold onto hisrge hand, the contrast between dark and light hands so stark. He couldn¡¯t help but tighten his grip on her hand.

    ¡°This affectionate? It doesn¡¯t seem like your style!¡± Instructor An teased as he entered the house with Bai Xiao.

    Only then did Bai Xiao react and briskly let go of An Zhiyuan¡¯s hand. She had been so rushed that she forgot it was 1985, and men and women still had to maintain a certain distance to avoid gossip. Even married couples wouldn¡¯t behave inappropriately in front of others. She had crossed a line.

    ¡°Instructor An, I need to talk to you!¡± Bai Xiao said bluntly.

    An Zhiyuan sighed, ¡°Are you going to say you don¡¯t want to be a burden to me?¡± The girl was too thoughtful. If he, a former reconnaissance toon leader, couldn¡¯t see that, then he would be blind. Her concerns were all too obvious.

    She had been fretting about it for quite a while.

    With her head raised, Bai Xiao¡¯s astonished look made An Zhiyuan chuckle, and he reached out to touch her glossy ck hair¡ªsuch beautiful hair she had.

    She dodged An Zhiyuan¡¯s hand ufortably, ¡°Stop touching me!¡± she chided, frustrated and agitated.

    Outside, students hiding under the window, listening in, curved their lips into smiles. Their instructor was bing a wolf as well.

    Quite the news.

    The window was thrown open, and An Zhiyuan shouted: ¡°Ten push-ups each!¡±

    The three eavesdroppers beneath the window stood up dutifully andy down in the courtyard to do their push-ups.

    Bai Xiao let out augh.

    So there were those listening at the corner as well.

    ¡°They really are amusing!¡±

    The corners of An Zhiyuan¡¯s mouth turned up.

    ¡°I can be quite amusing too!¡±

    Bai Xiao almost burst outughing. Instructor An was like the pot calling the kettle ck, praising himself shamelessly.

    ¡°Instructor An, I¡¯m serious. We¡¯re not suitable for each other! I don¡¯t want you to feel obligated to me just because you saved me. This isn¡¯t ancient times where a rescue means a lifetime of responsibility. This is a new society where you saved a life, and that¡¯s all. I can¡¯t let that ruin your life.¡± Bai Xiao spoke earnestly, very seriously.

    An Zhiyuan looked at Bai Xiao, his eyes filled with tenderness, ¡°Why are we not suitable? I think we are a perfect match!¡±

    Bai Xiao red, ¡°Match? You¡¯re an instructor, and looking at your youth, you will surely have a bright future. I¡¯m just a vige girl from the countryside, how could we possibly be a good match?¡± How could he not see the obvious?

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m an instructor, that¡¯s true, but aren¡¯t you the only university student in the vige? We¡¯re a perfect match,¡± An Zhiyuan kindly exined.

    Bai Xiao was speechless, ¡°I am a university student, which makes it even less suitable. I have to go to university, and after four years, I¡¯ll be heading to a big city. Aren¡¯t you worried that I might meet someone else and change my heart? Then you¡¯ll have just wasted all your efforts!¡± She wouldn¡¯t give up school for anyone.

    An Zhiyuan nodded, ¡°So that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about! Well, I can assure you with all seriousness, you can go to university without any worries. I will send you living expenses every month. If one day you meet someone you like, just let me know clearly, and I¡¯ll absolutely not stop you from finding your own happiness!¡± But in his mind, he thought the opposite!

    An Zhiyuan wasn¡¯t as harmless as he appeared. Deep down, he was a dominant person. He said all this to avoid Bai Xiao¡¯s resistance and to hope for time to give Bai Xiao a period of adjustment! It would allow them time to develop feelings for each other. What he wanted, he wouldn¡¯t easily let go of.

    Bai Xiao was dumbfounded.

    Are there really such silly people in the world?

    ¡°But, like this, won¡¯t you be at a big loss?¡± She didn¡¯t understand what An Zhiyuan was after.

    An Zhiyuan, looking at the students who had finished their push-ups in the yard, said, ¡°How am I at a big loss? Maybe after getting to know each other, you¡¯ll find I¡¯m quite a good person and won¡¯t want to leave me. Then wouldn¡¯t I have gained a wife?¡±

    Bai Xiao rolled her eyes. ¡°Are you overly confident or just too generous?¡± She couldn¡¯t figure him out.

    An Zhiyuan turned around and patted Bai Xiao¡¯s hand. ¡°Rest easy and ept all of this, it¡¯s really not much! Anyway, I don¡¯t have anyone I like, and you¡¯re not someone I dislike. Plus, having a university graduate as a wife should be enviable to many. All these reasonsbined should bepelling enough, right? Besides, if you don¡¯t agree, your grandmother might think about marrying you off to just anyone. Isn¡¯t that exactly what you¡¯re trying to avoid?

    So, just ept everything, go with the flow, let fate decide, and maybe one day, you¡¯ll realize we are the most suitable people for each other!¡±

    Bai Xiao looked at An Zhiyuan seriously. She could tell that An Zhiyuan wasn¡¯t joking. In fact, An Zhiyuan¡¯s appearance did resolve her urgent dilemma. After all, Li Chunhua and Hao Fang had been trying to marry her off for quite some time, and this time the reason was verypelling. Instead of endlessly arguing with them, it might really be better to settle it once and for all with An Zhiyuan¡¯s proposal.

    Anyway, if in a few years they really weren¡¯t suitable, she wouldn¡¯t force herself.

    ¡°Fine, but I¡¯ll state upfront that if you meet the right person, I¡¯ll never stop you, and you can end this rtionship at any time.¡± Bai Xiao didn¡¯t want Instructor An to think she wanted to cling to this position.

    After all, marrying a man like Instructor An was probably something nobody would dislike, as it was a leap out of peasant life.

    In this era, marrying a leader was still a very attractive prospect. Many vige girls were willing; being able to go to the city meant leaping out of the countryside.

    An Zhiyuan nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! As long as I meet the right person, I will definitely tell you.¡±

    Bai Xiao no longer had any concerns.

    ¡°Good! It¡¯s a deal!¡±

    The two exchanged a smile.

    Bai Xiao finally rxed.

    The students in the yard, hearing the instructor¡¯sughter, couldn¡¯t help but look at each other, thinking they had a chance!

    It seemed the instructor really liked his prospective wife.

    They worked with even more vigor.

    Bai Xiao had intended to invite them to have a meal, but An Zhiyuan did not allow it and directly took everyone back to school. Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t say much, after all, they belonged to a ce with rules.

    She could only ignore those dissatisfied little looks. These students hadn¡¯t forgotten the delicious dishes that Xiaozhang and the instructor had talked aboutst time. They had all been looking forward to this meal.

    But the instructor¡¯s heart was too tough.

 Chapter 41 - 41 41 Visiting

    ?Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Visiting   Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Visiting                                   Fang Xiaoshan and the matchmaker, Aunt Wu, arrived at Liupan Vige together, thirty li away from their ce. It wasn¡¯t too far, yet not very close either. Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s face was full of dissatisfaction, mainly because he had never done any farm work at home. Being the only son in his family, his parents couldn¡¯t bear to see him suffer.

    Not to mention the mountain road was tough, and after walking such a long distance, he hoped that Bai Xiao would be as beautiful as the matchmaker had described. If not, he would have made a huge loss.

    If it weren¡¯t for the matchmaker¡¯s extravagant praises, iming Bai Xiao was unsurpassed by any under heaven, he wouldn¡¯t have been willing to travel all this way, not to mention how high the bride price was.

    Upon entering Bai Jianguo¡¯s yard, Fang Xiaoshan was even more disdainful. His own family had already built a tiled house, as Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s real father was the vige party secretary, and his uncle ran a grocery store in the town. His uncle¡¯s family had only three daughters and no sons; he was considered the precious seed of both families, and both grandparents also doted on him. His family catered to his every need. If he wanted, everything in his uncle¡¯s home would be his, and thanks to being the only son, his family lived quite well.

    Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have developed such a reckless character, proficient in eating, drinking, prostituting, and gambling ¨C he was the spitting image of a prodigal son.

    So to think that the Bai Family¡¯s house would catch his eye was indeed strange.

    However, if it weren¡¯t for the fact that he was already over thirty without a wife, he wouldn¡¯t have bothered to look for one in a distant vige. Everyone in his own vige had seen his chaotic behavior; mainly, when Fang Xiaoshan gambled, not even the King of Heaven could stop him. Everyone was aware of his ¡°glorious deeds,¡± which was why no one was willing to marry their daughter to him ¨C marrying him would be like jumping into a pit of fire.

    No family would be happy to doom their daughter like that.

    That¡¯s why he was quickly approaching forty with no wife to speak of.

    Bai Jianguo weed the visitor inside. Seeing that Fang Xiaoshan looked decent and was dressed like the child of a wealthy family, aside from being a bit older, he couldn¡¯t spot anything wrong. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder why his mother would matchmake for Bai Xiao ¨C this wasn¡¯t sending her to enjoy good fortune.

    ¡°Uncle, where is my would-be wife? Why won¡¯t shee and meet me?¡± Fang Xiaoshan hade for this reason, of course, and didn¡¯t want to waste time.

    Bai Jianguo was surprised! He had never encountered someone so ignorant of proprieties! Who would demand to see the match immediately upon arrival?

    The matchmaker, Aunt Wu, quickly spoke up, having put a lot of effort into making this marriage happen. No family was so generous to admit that, after sessfully arranging a marriage, they would give two yuan as a thank-you fee.

    If it wasn¡¯t for the sake of this money, she wouldn¡¯t have wanted to make the long trip here.

    ¡°Uncle, please call Bai Xiao out. They should meet each other if they are to be engaged, right? As the saying goes, even an ugly wife must meet her inws eventually. It¡¯s a good opportunity for the two of them to see each other,¡± she said, as if it was the most natural thing to do.

    Bai Jianguo did not reply but sighed, ¡°Well¡­¡± he hesitated to continue.

    Fang Xiaoshan was not pleased, what did this mean? Could it be that they didn¡¯t deem him worthy?

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? If you¡¯re reluctant to be inws, just say it. I¡¯m not insisting on clinging to your daughter!¡±

    Bai Jianguo shook his head, ¡°No, no, it¡¯s not like that. Forget it, if you want to meet her, then let¡¯s meet. We can¡¯t go back on our word!¡± He stood up and walked outside.

    Fang Xiaoshan stood up unhappily, following him still.

    The two of them exited the Bai Family¡¯s main entrance, one after the other, and ran into Bai Mei, ¡°Dad, who is this?¡±

    Bai Mei saw a man following behind her father, dressed in a white shirt, ck trousers, andzy shoes. He was fair and clean-looking, quite handsome, except his eyes seemed flirtatious, restlessly staring at her, causing her to blush slightly.

    Bai Jianguo waved his hand, ¡°This is for Bai Xiao¡¯s match-making; he wants to have a look at her!¡±

    Seeing Fang Xiaoshan ogling his daughter with lustful eyes, his heart filled with displeasure. No wonder his own mother had arranged a match for Bai Xiao ¨C this kind of lecher, unable to control himself at the sight of a woman, didn¡¯t realize his own worth.

    Indeed, such a man was not a good son-inw candidate.

    Bai Mei hurried into the house.

    Fang Xiaoshan still turned his head to stare at Bai Mei¡¯s retreating figure, smacking his lips.

    Bai Jianguo¡¯s face darkened, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Now, Fang Xiaoshan had entirely abandoned his earlier haughtiness and was fawning over Bai Jianguo with a smile.

    ¡°Uncle, the girl just now was your daughter, huh? She¡¯s grown up quite a beauty! It must be time to discuss her marriage,¡± he said, apparently having taken a fancy to Bai Mei.

    Bai Jianguo was so furious he could hardly let it out, Fang Xiaoshan nevertheless had his uses. He stammered to change the subject, ¡°My daughter already has someone in mind, just waiting until she¡¯s of age, then we can hold the wedding. There might be some problems with Bai Xiao though.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Fang Xiaoshan said, ¡°Problems are good!¡±

    Bai Jianguo wanted to curse, was this man an idiot?

    Just then, Bai Xiao was off to the vige store to buy some things for her second sister Bai Ju; it was customary not to visit empty-handed. She had received two cans and two bags of milk powder from Instructor An which she intended to divide between her two sisters¡¯ families, bringing a can and a bag for each. After so many years without meeting, Bai Xiao felt that these few items weren¡¯t enough and wanted to add something like a couple of bags of rice noodles to her gift. She wondered if the vige shop had any.

    But as soon as she stepped out the door, before she even reached the vige shop, she bumped into Bai Jianguo escorting the slick-looking Fang Xiaoshan.

    The sight of Fang Xiaoshan left Bai Xiao somewhat dumbfounded; after all, in her past life, Fang Xiaoshan had not been short of causing her trouble.

    Despite Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s beastly appearance, he was nothing but a demon in human skin, apt to strike at the slightest displeasure. A light punishment would be a p or a punch, while at worst he would beat someone with a stool until they couldn¡¯t leave bed. Bai Xiao was often beaten so badly that the bruises and swelling never fully healed. Worse, Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s disdain only grew when he saw her in such a state, particrly when he woulde home demanding money and would brutally beat her if she dared im to have none.

    It seemed that in this life, Li Chunhua was still unwilling to let her go, bringing this beast to her door two years earlier nheless.

    Bai Xiao wanted tough bitterly; indeed, enemies were destined to collide.

    It looked as though she was fated to im this blood debt from Fang Xiaoshan.

    ¡°Xiao, what are you up to?¡± Bai Jianguo was inwardly pleased, as if finding a pillow as he was about to doze off. He had been pondering over an excuse to find Bai Xiao, and now she hade to him of her own ord.

    Fang Xiaoshan, upon hearing this form of address, immediately recognized that this girl before him was to be proposed as his wife.

    He couldn¡¯t help but size her up, his sleazy eyes roving over Bai Xiao¡¯s chest and behind, a gaze that made one deeply ufortable.

    Bai Xiao had no pleasant expression to offer, ¡°I¡¯m going to buy some things to visit my sister tomorrow!¡±

    Bai Jianguo gritted his teeth in hatred; he was on the verge ofying bare the truth. Once Bai Yue and Bai Ju found out how their family had treated Bai Xiao, the idea that they would still send money home monthly was ludicrous.

    Well then, if he was going to be ruthless, he couldn¡¯t me himself for being harsh.

    He pulled Fang Xiaoshan aside and introduced him, ¡°This is the marriage your parents arranged for you long ago, she came over for a visit.¡±

    Fang Xiaoshan revealed a smile he thought suave and greeted Bai Xiao. Although Bai Xiao¡¯s figure was less to his liking than that of the recently departed Bai Mei, her face was indeed pretty. He reckoned that in ten or eight viges around, he had not seen a girl prettier than Bai Xiao.

    So, in his heart, he was quite satisfied.

 Chapter 42 - 42 42 I Promise You

    ?Chapter 42: Chapter 42: I Promise You   Chapter 42: Chapter 42: I Promise You                                   ¡°Hello! I¡¯m Fang Xiaoshan!¡±

    Bai Xiao waved his hand dismissively as if shooing away an annoying fly, ¡°I don¡¯t care who you are, marriage freedom is what people care about nowadays, and I already have a fianc¨¦, so stop bothering me!¡± Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t want to exchange another word with this beast even if their lives were added up twice.

    Fang Xiaoshan was taken aback. Why did this woman¡¯s speech sound so unpleasant?

    ¡°Bai Xiao, our family¡¯s conditions are the envy of the surrounding ten viges. Go ask around, we¡¯re ranked at the top. After this vige, there¡¯s no such shop, Bai Xiao, you¡¯ll regret it if you miss this chance.¡±

    Bai Xiaoughed, ¡°Do you still think you¡¯re some hotmodity? ¡®After this vige, there¡¯s no such shop,¡¯ please, I would never fight over you. Uncle, I¡¯ll take my leave!¡± And with that, she actually walked away.

    Fang Xiaoshan was so infuriated he was almost smoking from his seven orifices. He had never been humiliated by a woman like this in his life. At least he considered himself handsome, and he was eloquent. Although the young women and wives in the vige didn¡¯t care for him as a person, none had ever failed to show him some respect.

    Seeing Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s face go dark with anger, Bai Jianguo thought to himself that this was a job well done.

    He sighed, projecting the irate demeanor of a parent who was upset at their child¡¯sck of ambition.

    ¡°A son is not within control once grown, let alone that my niece and I are separated by a generation gap. Bai Xiao is now a university student; her horizons have broadened! She wouldn¡¯t just settle for any random viger. Ah, no¡­ Look at me, misspeaking. Nephew, you look like a decent man, handsome, from a well-off family. It¡¯s our loss that this match can¡¯t happen,¡± said Bai Jianguo, shaking his head and sighing as he walked back with Fang Xiaoshan.

    Fang Xiaoshan was so riled up. He could tolerate looking down on others, but he absolutely could not ept anyone looking down on him.

    ¡°Uncle, just because Bai Xiao went to university, she thinks she can look down on us vigers? It¡¯s downright snobbery.¡± Bai Jianguo nced in Bai Xiao¡¯s direction while he pulled Fang Xiaoshan along, ¡°Don¡¯t be so loud. My grandniece has a terrible temper. Just yesterday, she nearly beat my son to death for something her older brother said about her. If she hears us now, she might just start a fight with both of us. My niece has a fiery temper, and it¡¯s for the best that things didn¡¯t work out between you, saving you from a lifetime of grief.¡±

    Bai Jianguo wasn¡¯t trying to calm the situation; he was clearly stoking the fire in Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s heart.

    Fang Xiaoshan followed Bai Jianguo back to his house, fuming and ready to bolt, not expecting to get so worked up over a failed blind date.

    But there sat Li Chunhua in the house. Fang Xiaoshan, careful about his appearance, of course, was polite in greeting the olddy, and Bai Mei brought him some sugar water, the sweet young beauty¡¯s demure demeanor somewhat quelling the anger burning inside him.

    Li Chunhua noticed Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s expression, ¡°My dear nephew, who¡¯s got you upset?¡±

    ¡°No one! It¡¯s just that your family¡¯s girl is too high and mighty for me. I won¡¯t impose any longer, I¡¯ll be on my way,¡± Fang Xiaoshan replied.

    Li Chunhua hurriedly held onto Fang Xiaoshan, ¡°Oh dear, it must have been that darn Bai Xiao, right? You don¡¯t know, that girl has been so full of herself since she got her university admission letter, as if her eyes are on the top of her head. I had my eye on your family as a good marriage prospect; look at how impressive my great-nephew is, and the good household hees from. Marrying you would meannding in a haven of happiness. But who would have thought she¡¯d pull such a stunt? The poor girl¡¯s parents are gone, and as her grandmother, I can only say so much. My dear nephew, I¡¯m truly sorry.¡±

    As if she had even considered her ce in the family hierarchy.

    Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s anger subsided a bit. It seemed the olddy held him in high regard, which excited him as if his heroism was being recognized by a keen eye.

    ¡°Grandma, you¡¯re a good person. It¡¯s a pity about our missed connection with your family.¡±

    He looked regrettably at the room where Bai Mei stayed.

    Li Chunhua said with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re such a likable young man. Bai Xiao is ignorant, but I genuinely wanted you as my grandson-inw,¡± she sighed, her face full of regret.

    A thought urred to Fang Xiaoshan. He was no fool; he may not have learned much good, but scheming and plotting against others came naturally to him, and it looked like the olddy was hinting at something more.

    ¡°Grandma, I really do want to marry Bai Xiao, but there¡¯s nothing I can do if she looks down on me,¡± he sighed on purpose.

    Li Chunhua nced outside the courtyard. Bai Jianguo had already made the excuse of preparing lunch and gone to the kitchen. Of course, Bai Jianguo would not get involved in such matters. Even if something went wrong in the future, it would all be the olddy¡¯s idea, and it wouldn¡¯t have anything to do with him, the perennially nice guy.

    ¡°If you truly want to marry our Bai Xiao, Grandma actually might have an idea for you.¡±

    Fang Xiaoshan raised his eyebrows, ¡°Grandma, if I really could marry Bai Xiao, you would be my own grandma from then on. I promise to take care of you until the end of your days.¡± Anyone can say nice things.

    Fang Xiaoshan wasn¡¯t fixated on Bai Xiao, but ever since Bai Xiao had looked down on him with disdain, Fang Xiaoshan had been thinking about how to deal with Bai Xiao. He really wanted to see if such a proud woman, once in his clutches, could still act so high and mighty.

    Li Chunhua leaned close to Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s ear and whispered for quite a while.

    Fang Xiaoshan almost jumped up, sizing up the olddy with his eyes. The unvoiced question was, is this olddy really Bai Xiao¡¯s grandma? What kind of grandma woulde up with such a nasty idea?

    It was truly eye-opening. Despite being such a pest that people detest him and even dogs find him annoying, his parents still treat him like a treasure.

    Not to mention the grandparents, although they are partial to his family, they at least treat the three sisters from his uncle¡¯s family well on the surface.

    This olddy has truly thrown all face and inner dignity to the wind.

    ¡°That won¡¯t do! If Bai Xiao uses me afterward, I could end up in jail for this.¡± Fang Xiaoshan wasn¡¯t stupid. He shook his head like a rattle-drum. The matter could be big or small, and he didn¡¯t want to get himself into trouble.

    Li Chunhua was anxious, ¡°What are you afraid of? When the timees, we¡¯ll testify for you, saying it was Bai Xiao¡¯s own free will. No matter how many exnations she gives, she won¡¯t be able to clear things up.¡± She was afraid that Fang Xiaoshan would back out.

    Now everything depended on whether Fang Xiaoshan could pull it off.

    Bai Xiao would never think of leaving this small mountain vige again.

    Fang Xiaoshan continued to shake his head.

    The curtain was lifted, and Bai Mei walked in with sparkling eyes and a smile on her lips, ¡°Brother Fang, do you really not want to marry Bai Xiao?¡±

    Fang Xiaoshan shook his head, ¡°I want to marry you! What¡¯s so good about a woman like Bai Xiao, who has nothing but a pretty face? How can shepare to you?¡±

    Bai Mei¡¯s eyes lit up with joy, ¡°Since you want to marry me, then make this happen. Consider it a betrothal gift to me. Bai Xiao has made me suffer enough; I can¡¯t just watch her live a life of luxury from now on. I want her to spend her life in the vige unable to hold her head high.¡±

    Fang Xiaoshan, confused, agreed right away. At worst, it was just a matter of sleeping with Bai Xiao once and then ying the part of the deadbeat who denies everything. Wouldn¡¯t that count as a win-win? He¡¯d have his fun with the beauty and marry the one with the good figure.

    Perhaps there¡¯s nothing better in life than this.

    ¡°Okay, I agree, but it¡¯s settled that after this is done, you have to marry me!¡± Fang Xiaoshan wasn¡¯t foolish; he grabbed Bai Mei¡¯s little hand and wouldn¡¯t let go, taking advantage of the situation.

    Bai Mei nodded with a smile, ¡°I promise you!¡± After all, the Fang family was well off, and Xiaoshan wasn¡¯t bad-looking either.

    She was quite willing.

 Chapter 43 - 43 43 Conspiracy

    ?Chapter 43: Chapter 43 Conspiracy   Chapter 43: Chapter 43 Conspiracy                                   Li Chunhua, although she couldn¡¯t stand to see Fang Xiaoshan holding Bai Mei with those lustful eyes, was helpless at the moment. She needed to coax Fang Xiaoshan to get things done, and once things were settled, Fang Xiaoshan wouldn¡¯t be able to do whatever he wanted. She was determined to match Bai Xiao with Fang Xiaoshan; after all, he was the match carefully selected by the olddy herself.

    The olddy was advanced in years and had be wily with age.

    Having observed people and matters for so many years, she was convinced that any man who got involved with gambling inevitably ended up in ruin. Without exception, those who gambled either squandered their wealth or abandoned their wives and children; not to mention those who ended up selling their sons or daughters.

    Even though society now strictly enforced thews against it, the olddy firmly believed that once a man was tainted by these vices, he could never change for the rest of his life.

    So why would she allow her granddaughter to leap into this pit of fire?

    It was simply a dream for Fang Xiaoshan to think of marrying her granddaughter.

    Thus, Fang Xiaoshan and Li Chunhua conversed extensively, ready to make a swift and decisive move. Bai Xiao just mentioned she would visit her sister¡¯s house tomorrow, so they must take care of the matter before she left.

    Li Chunhua¡¯s greater concern was to ensure that Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t go to her sister¡¯s house. That way, Bai Yue and Bai Ju wouldn¡¯t learn of the matter and stop sending money home.

    As dusk approached, Bai Xiao had finished packing her things for the visit to Bai Ju¡¯s house. Bai Ju¡¯s ce was close by, located in the town, merely a thirty-li journey on foot. However, her eldest sister¡¯s house was more than a hundred li away. Even when traveling by vehicle, from the nearest vige, she still needed to walk several dozen li of mountain roads. Therefore, she nned to visit her second sister Bai Ju first, and after that see Bai Yue.

    Her belongings were all packed up! Just as she was about to start cooking, she heard someone knocking at the front door.

    Bai Xiao nced at the sky, which had already begun to dim. Who could it be at this time?

    ¡°Who is it?¡±

    ¡°Xiao, it¡¯s your auntie. Your grandmother isn¡¯t feeling well; your uncle has already gone to fetch the doctor. Bai Mei twisted her ankle today, and I can¡¯t manage on my own. Your two brothers are all thumbs and can¡¯t take care of your grandmother. Could youe over and help your auntie?¡± It was Hao Fang.

    Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t help but think of Fang Xiaoshan. None in his family were good people.

    Could they be plotting something against her?

    ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m not feeling well today. I have a headache, a fever¡­ How about Ie over to see grandmother first thing tomorrow morning? Look at me, I¡¯m unwell, and if I pass the illness to grandmother, it would only make her sicker,¡± Bai Xiao refused toply.

    Hao Fang was so angry that her nose was almost crooked.

    This Bai Xiao was now utterly unyielding.

    ¡°Xiao, your grandmother is still your grandmother, after all. Even if she has done some things to you, she¡¯s still an elder. She¡¯s so ill and wants to see you, but you refuse toe. Your heart is too hard. Let the vigers hear about you, now that you¡¯ve been admitted to university, you don¡¯t care about your rtives anymore. That¡¯s just too disappointing,¡± Hao Fang deliberately raised her voice. Her words were beyond reproach.

    Bai Xiao wanted to pretend she hadn¡¯t heard, but Hao Fang wasn¡¯t the type to give up. Probably the Bai Family was up to some mischief again. Fine then, let theme. She¡¯d face whatever challenge they threw at her. She wanted to see what the Bai Family was up to this time.

    She opened the front door and dusted off the dirt from her clothes.

    ¡°Alright, auntie, I¡¯lle with you to see grandmother.¡±

    Hao Fang was immediately overjoyed, her face full of eager attentiveness, which only deepened Bai Xiao¡¯s suspicions. Unsolicited kindness typically signaled ill intent or theft.

    The two of them arrived at the Bai Family one after the other.

    Entering the west wing where Li Chunhua stayed, Bai Xiao didn¡¯t see Fang Xiaoshan in the courtyard.

    Li Chunhua indeedy on the kang bed, with a damp towel draped over her head and moaning as though truly ill.

    But upon seeing Bai Xiao enter, the smile that twitched at the corners of her mouth convinced Bai Xiao that she was definitely feigning illness.

    Faking illness, huh? Well, let¡¯s let her have a good look, Bai Xiao grabbed Li Chunhua¡¯s wrist, ¡°Grandma, what¡¯s wrong with you? I didn¡¯t expect your illness to be so serious.¡± She put on an expression of a dutiful granddaughter, lightly triggering her special ability. Li Chunhua cried out and shook off Bai Xiao¡¯s hand, ¡°Why are you pinching me?¡±

    Bai Xiao looked innocently at Li Chunhua, ¡°I¡¯m not!¡±

    Li Chunhua looked at her own wrist, which didn¡¯t even have a mark, indeed it didn¡¯t look like she was pinched at all.

    But just now she clearly felt a stabbing pain in her wrist, and Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t have a needle either.

    Perhaps she was just too suspicious.

    Li Chunhua immediately fell back onto the pillow and feigned illness again.

    ¡°Grandma, where do you feel ufortable?¡± Bai Xiao appeared frantic and even re-wet the damp towel on the olddy¡¯s head with water and reced it.

    Li Chunhua, holding her head,ined, ¡°My head hurts, my chest hurts, my whole body aches!¡±

    Actually, she didn¡¯t hurt anywhere, she was making it up as she went along, but as soon as she spoke those words, she suddenly felt her head really start to hurt. Even her chest began to throb painfully.

    Bai Xiao took care of her very attentively, and in a short while, Doctor Xu had even been called over to check on the olddy. Doctor Xu¡¯s prognosis was not good.

    ¡°This olddy seems to have a cerebral thrombosis; with this condition, it¡¯s probably best to go to the town for a consultation, otherwise it¡¯s very easy for her to be bedridden,¡± Doctor Xu said seriously.

    Bai Jianguo wanted to curse in his heart, unqualified doctor.

    His mother was clearly faking, yet he went as far as diagnosing cerebral thrombosis, was he trying to pretend he knew what he was doing?

    How could he not know? His own mother had just had three whole bowls of rice, not a sign of illness in sight.

    It was all just to deceive Bai Xiao; inviting Doctor Xu over was also for putting on a show for Bai Xiao, and of course, it was also to find a witness to prove that Bai Xiao was staying at their house tonight.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take the olddy to the town for a check-up first thing in the morning. Xiao, you sleep here tonight and take care of your grandmother,¡± Bai Jianguo ordered as if it was nothing, his n now half-fulfilled.

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°Okay, then Uncle, I¡¯ll stay here tonight to look after Grandma.¡± She just wants me to stay, doesn¡¯t she?

    Bai Jianguo then sent Doctor Xu off.

    Soon, the old Baidy¡¯s moaning became unbearable, sounding like an incessant loop that couldn¡¯t be stopped.

    Hao Fang marveled in her thoughts; this olddy could really act, and act so convincingly that anyone who didn¡¯t know better would think the olddy had genuinely contracted some serious illness.

    Pouring the pills from the medicine bottle onto the paper, she crushed them into powder with a rolling pin, mixed them in a bowl with warm water, and Bai Mei added several spoonfuls of sugar into it. Hao Fang¡¯s heart ached seeing this, that was white sugar, and this damn girl was so willing to use it so generously.

    As soon as Bai Mei looked up, she saw her mother¡¯s pained expression and couldn¡¯t help but let out a chuckle, ¡°Mom, just think about how many kilograms of sugar Bai Xiao¡¯s betrothal gifts would be. This little bit is nothing!¡±

    Hao Fang¡¯s expression finally eased.

    Yes indeed, as long as they dealt with Bai Xiao today, let¡¯s see her jump around still. A university student? Dream on.

    She¡¯d better obediently go to Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s house to farm thend and have babies.

    Influenced by Li Chunhua, not a single person in the family liked Bai Xiao; they all considered Bai Xiao a child they had picked up. They had raised her, so Bai Xiao owed them her life in return.

 Chapter 44 - 44 44 Sleeping Pills

    ?Chapter 44: Chapter 44 Sleeping Pills   Chapter 44: Chapter 44 Sleeping Pills                                   Bai Xiao watched Li Chunhua¡¯s groans grow fainter and fainter and smiled in her heart. It was Li Chunhua¡¯s own doing. She hadn¡¯t wanted to be so ruthless, as she was a normal person with no anti-social, anti-human, or even violent tendencies. While she did believe in an eye for an eye, she really couldn¡¯t bring herself to kill or set fires.

    She preferred to deal with her enemies using subtle means, but Li Chunhua kept on asking for trouble, over and over again, so she couldn¡¯t me herself for dealing with her.

    It was Li Chunhua herself who insisted on feigning illness when she wasn¡¯t sick, so Bai Xiao could only let her have a good taste of being sick. Let¡¯s see how Li Chunhua can continue to enjoy her son¡¯s filial piety then.

    Bai Xiao began to feel cold throughout her body. It was the side effect of using her special ability, but it was still within a bearable range. This time she was using her special ability in reverse, which was different from healing, so the bacsh was quite mild. At least it was much better than the previous time with Li Guoqing.

    Hao Fang lifted the curtain and came in, holding a bowl of sugar water, handing it to Bai Xiao, ¡°Xiao, it¡¯s been tough on you tonight. I really can¡¯t get away, so please take care of your grandmother. Here! Have a drink. You must be tired after being busy for so long, right?¡± Hao Fang had probably never been so pleasant in her entire life.

    Bai Xiao took the sugar water, and Hao Fang¡¯s gaze tightened, watching Bai Xiao intently, probably feeling that she was too hasty. She hurriedly lowered her eyes, but her gaze still nced at Bai Xiao¡¯s movements from the corners of her eyes.

    Bai Xiao smelled the water. Alright, cheap sleeping pills. She really wanted to shake her head. The person in the Bai Family who coulde up with this idea must be Li Chunhua. This kind of simple and crude method fits Li Chunhua¡¯s temperament.

    Hao Fang saw that Bai Xiao kept not drinking and became anxious. If Bai Xiao didn¡¯t drink it, that wouldn¡¯t do.

    ¡°Xiao,e on, drink it! Is it sweet enough? If it¡¯s not, auntie will add some more sugar for you!¡± Now she regretted not putting enough sugar earlier. It would be bad if this damned girl sensed something amiss.

    Bai Xiao took a sip.

    Alright, so sweet it could kill.

    Who did this?

    The sugar vendor should be shot.

    Hao Fang finally felt relieved to see Bai Xiao drink.

    Bai Xiao only drank two sips before she refused to drink anymore; it wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to y along with the act, but the water was simply too sweet, and she couldn¡¯t swallow it.

    Anyway, what Hao Fang wanted was just for her to drink it, probably not expecting her to finish the whole bowl.

    Secretly, Bai Xiao activated her special ability and circled it through her body. Her special ability could cure even critical illnesses, to say nothing of a small dose of sleeping pills. Without using much effort, Bai Xiao circled her special ability around her body and confirmed there was no harm before she was at ease.

    Hao Fang saw Bai Xiao looking a bit dazed and thought, could the drug work that fast?

    She couldn¡¯t help but probe, ¡°Xiao, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡±

    Bai Xiao looked at Hao Fang puzzledly, blinking and trying hard to appear more alert as her eyes seemed to be closing. She shook her head vigorously, ¡°Auntie¡­ I¡­ Why am I¡­ so¡­ sleepy¡­¡±

    With a thud, Bai Xiao sprawled over Li Chunhua¡¯s bed edge and closed her eyes.

    Hao Fang¡¯s heart leaped with joy.

    Sess!

    She walked over and pretended to push Bai Xiao.

    ¡°Xiao, Xiao! Wake up!¡±

    Seeing Bai Xiao motionless as a dead pig, with no reaction, she finally rxed, calling out, ¡°Quick,e in! Help this person over!¡±

    Bai Mei and Fang Xiaoshan immediately entered from outside the door; Fang Xiaoshan had been hiding in the next room all along, secretly peeping at the situation here through the window.

    Both of them struggled to lift Bai Xiao, who was unconscious and dead weight; Bai Mei was so tired that she almost wanted to curse. How could this damned girl be this heavy when she hardly eats a decent meal?

    The two moved the person to the next room, which belonged to Bai Mei. They certainly couldn¡¯t move her to the room Hao Fang and Bai Jianguo shared.

    Bai Mei turned to Fang Xiaoshan with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re quite lucky today; my sister is considered the prettiest in the vige. You better enjoy!¡± she said, then headed for the door.

    Fang Xiaoshan grabbed Bai Mei, ¡°Bai Mei, I¡¯m doing this for you, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t bother with such goods. You can¡¯t forget what you promised me.¡± Fang Xiaoshan wasn¡¯t easy to fool.

    Bai Mei suppressed her impatience and smiled gently, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will definitely keep my word on what I promised you. I¡¯ll go out and wait for you.¡± Bai Mei then left the room.

    Just now, their grandma had warned them in private that Fang Xiaoshan was no good¡ªdeceptive, a scam artist, involved in everything from drinking, prostitution, gambling, you name it. Just because he had a good-looking face didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t rotten to the core. Now, Bai Mei had no intention of marrying Fang Xiaoshan.

    She wasn¡¯t foolish. What good coulde from marrying such a scoundrel?

    All she was doing now was biding her time, nning to get rid of Bai Xiao as soon as possible. Once all the vigers were gathered, Fang Xiaoshan and Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t have a choice but to marry.

    Fang Xiaoshan nodded, ¡°Alright,e over after a while and check on the results.¡± With a flirtatious touch, he stroked Bai Mei¡¯s cheek. Her skin was indeed soft and tender to the touch.

    Bai Mei smiled as she closed the door. Once out of the house, her smile vanished. That damned bastard even took the chance to cop a feel.

    But as long as Bai Xiao was dealt with, she was willing to let him take a little advantage.

    Fang Xiaoshan rubbed his hands together, looking at Bai Xiao lying on the bed and began to hum a tune:

    ¡°Bang the drums quickly and y the gong slowly,

    Stop the gong and drums to listen to the singing,

    All sorts of idle words also turn to song,

    Listen to my singing of ¡®The Eighteen Touches,¡¯

    Reach out to touch sister¡¯s silken cheeks¡­¡± His hand had just touched near Bai Xiao¡¯s face when it was suddenly seized.

    Fang Xiaoshan was startled. Wasn¡¯t she passed out? What was this about? If Bai Xiao woke up and caused a scene, all his efforts would be wasted. Determined, he reached out to cover Bai Xiao¡¯s mouth, his only thought being not to let her shout out.

    But suddenly, he felt weak all over, and then he couldn¡¯t move at all. He wanted to call for the people outside; Bai Mei had only left moments ago, and would surely hear him if he shouted.

    However, he couldn¡¯t open his mouth, and his voice seemed to have disappeared.

    Unable to move, except for his eyes darting around, he felt as though he had been hit by an acupoint-sealing technique.

    Then he saw Bai Xiao, who had been unmoving like a dead pig, suddenly sit up and look at him with a smile that sent shivers down his spine. It was as if she was looking at a hated enemy, wishing she could stab him with a knife.

    Fear seized Fang Xiaoshan. He had been up to no good all his life, stealthily visiting widows at night andmitting acts of harm, but none of his past actions had ever frightened him like this. He wished he had never done such things.

    And there in Bai Xiao¡¯s hand was a silver needle!

    A silver needle!

    He realized why he couldn¡¯t move¡ªit was because of this woman¡¯s doing. It was over! They thought they had drugged her into unconsciousness, but in reality, she was wide awake.

 Chapter 45 - 45 45 I Have a Bad Temper

    ?Chapter 45: Chapter 45 I Have a Bad Temper   Chapter 45: Chapter 45 I Have a Bad Temper                                   ¡°Are you wondering why you can¡¯t move?¡± Bai Xiao¡¯sughter chilled Fang Xiaoshan to the bone. What was this woman nning to do?

    ¡°Um¡­ um¡­¡± Fang Xiaoshan tried to say something, but he could only produce indistinct ¡°um¡± sounds.

    Bai Mei, listening from outside, thought Fang Xiaoshan was excited, and couldn¡¯t help feeling triumphant. ¡°Bai Xiao, let¡¯s see how you¡¯ll go to college now!¡±

    Go to college? Dream on!

    She¡¯s more like a worn-out shoe!

    Sitting under the tree in the courtyard, Bai Mei waited for Fang Xiaoshan to call her in. She had already discussed the n with Hao Fang. They were just waiting for Fang Xiaoshan to finish the deed, then Hao Fang would im the olddy was unwell and someone needed to take her to the hospital. As soon as people arrived, Bai Mei would scream from the room, and their mission would be aplished.

    She couldn¡¯t wait to see Bai Xiao lose her splendor.

    She waited patiently.

    The n had been arranged: Bai Jianguo, Bai Shan, and Bai Zhuang had gone over to an aunt¡¯s house in the neighboring room to chat. Such matters couldn¡¯t involve the men; the clearer they were kept from it, the better.

    Later, they would just say that Bai Xiao went to Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s room on her own ord. Who could say anything then?

    Even if Bai Xiao cried and imed that Fang Xiaoshan forced her, it wouldn¡¯t make sense. After all, Fang Xiaoshan hade today to finalize their engagement. There was no need for him to force her; she was legitimately his fianc¨¦e. Why would he need to coerce her?

    Fang Xiaoshan should know how to exin things. Otherwise, bearing the stigma of a rapist couldnd him in jail. Fang Xiaoshan wouldn¡¯t be so foolish unless he wanted to be imprisoned. The marriage between Bai Xiao and Fang Xiaoshan was settled.

    Bai Meiughed with satisfaction, her smile as resplendent as blooming flowers. Bai Xiao would never get to live morously in the city again, and would forever be trampled under Bai Mei¡¯s feet.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    Fang Xiaoshan shivered, thinking he was trembling, but in reality, not a single muscle on his body twitched. He knelt rigidly as if mummified, one knee on the edge of the bed and one hand still in a caressing posture, leaning forward slightly, yet utterly motionless.

    Bai Xiao dangled a needle in front of Fang Xiaoshan.

    With a sneer, Fang Xiaoshan felt his heart pound. He wanted to curse and to fight, if only he could move, but he waspletely paralyzed.

    ¡°Fang Xiaoshan, if I wanted you dead, I¡¯d just need to prick you here with this needle. I guarantee that no one, not even the police, could tell how you died. At best, they¡¯d think it was a stroke, and strokes can be deadly quick,¡± Bai Xiao said as she gestured with the silver needle over Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s body.

    Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s eyes widened with terror as he desperately tried tomunicate through his gaze, pleading for mercy. He no longer found Bai Xiao beautiful but terrifying. It was probably the first time in his life he felt such fear from a woman. Panicked, his eyes darted around, hoping Bai Xiao would understand that he did not want to die. The very thought of a stroke was horrifying; he didn¡¯t want death.

    ¡°You indulge in eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling. I¡¯m sure even if you died of a stroke, no one would doubt it. So, tell me, should I let you die, or should I let you die?¡± In that moment, Bai Xiao truly wanted Fang Xiaoshan dead. He hadn¡¯t spared her any beatings in their past life, and because of this scoundrel, she couldn¡¯t carry a child past three months.

    And still, her inws had the audacity to criticize her as a hen that couldn¡¯ty eggs. None of the Fang Family were good people.

    But to let him die like that would be too easy for him. After the torment he put her through in thest life, and then trying to sell her to settle his gambling debts, it would be unfair to let such a man die so effortlessly, especially when the heavens had given her a chance to live anew.

    Fang Xiaoshan was scared to death. Could this demonic woman really be after his life?

    Bai Xiao smelled a faint scent of urine and, looking up, noticed Fang Xiaoshan had wet himself in fear.

    Shaking her head, Bai Xiao thought, ¡°Is this really a man?¡±

    ¡°But now I don¡¯t want you to die anymore.¡±

    Fang Xiaoshan tried desperately to nod, but sadly, he still couldn¡¯t move.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to stick a needle in you now, and you¡¯ll be able to move, but you can¡¯t yell or run away. Just listen to me speak honestly, and do as I say. If you understand, blink twice. If you¡¯re not willing, then there¡¯s no need to blink.¡±

    Willing? Of course, I¡¯m willing!

    Fang Xiaoshan blinked his eyes desperately; only a fool wouldn¡¯t blink!

    Bai Xiao thrust a silver needle into Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s shoulder, and Fang Xiaoshan felt his body go limp, copsing toward the bed. Having maintained the same position for too long, he now felt as if his entire body was going to fall apart, unable to hold up any longer.

    ¡°He¡­ ah¡­¡± Just as Fang Xiaoshan was about to cry for help, he suddenly felt a tingling sensation from the silver needle on his body, and then the voice in his mouth disappeared.

    Hey there, mouth half-open, face down on the bed.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s mocking voice was right by Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s ear, ¡°Fang Xiaoshan, it seems you never learn your lesson. Very well, then I shall teach you how to remember.¡±

    Fang Xiaoshan felt pain starting from the crevices of his bones, heart-wrenching pain. He thought he was rolling around on the ground, screaming and shouting, but in reality, he made no sound at all, lying there motionless.

    But his body¡¯s muscles, each one spasm-ing violently due to the pain, made Fang Xiaoshan wish he could just die on the spot, rather than lying there enduring this torture.

    Bai Mei, hearing no sound from Fang Xiaoshan inside the room, scornfully pursed her lips. Could Fang Xiaoshan hurry it up a little? To think he even started making noise. She once secretly overheard her parents by the wall corner; her father, Bai Jianguo, would also exim when excited. Could it be that all men are like this?

    It seemed Bai Xiao was finished.

    ¡°Can we talk properly now? If you sit here quietly without shouting and let me finish speaking, then I, well, won¡¯t torment you any further. Otherwise, this pain will keep going on indefinitely, hurting every two hours; just prepare yourself to die quietly,¡± said Bai Xiao, without an ounce of guilt or feeling cruel.

    Compared to how Fang Xiaoshan treated me in the previous life. This pain is nothing.

    This time, Fang Xiaoshan blinked vigorously. Who would ever want to die such a death, dying painfully while alive?

    Bai Xiao pinched the silver needle.

    After this agonizing session, Fang Xiaoshany therepletely paralyzed, not daring to move. He had a surreal feeling of having died once, and this time, he really didn¡¯t dare to scream or even shift slightly, knowing this woman was ruthless and serious about wanting him dead.

    Just with a single light touch, she had himpletely subdued before he could even feel a thing. He wasn¡¯t going toin about having too long a life.

    ¡°Alright, call Bai Mei inter. I will put her to sleep with a needle, and you¡¯ll know what to do after that. The scheme you intended to use on me, just keep that all for Bai Mei. I think you two are quite well-matched, and I¡¯m willing to help you out. Of course, if the vigerseter and you try to frame me for it, then I can only marry you out of no choice.

    But after marrying you, we¡¯ll be together day and night. I have a rather bad temper, you see, and if someone doesn¡¯t do as I wish, I tend to enjoy giving them a needle. However, I¡¯m not sure where the next needle will go.¡± She said this casually.

    Fang Xiaoshan shuddered, just imagining the scene where he could be pricked by a needle from the woman beside him in his sleep and then just die, possibly with a twisted mouth or crooked eye. Thinking about it, he¡¯d rather die outright than live like that.

    Best not provoke this she-demon too soon.

    He nodded vigorously!

 Chapter 46 - 46 46 Humiliation and Defeat

    ?Chapter 46: Chapter 46: Humiliation and Defeat   Chapter 46: Chapter 46: Humiliation and Defeat                                   Bai Xiao stood behind the door, nodding as he held the silver needle.

    Fang Xiaoshan shouted at the door, ¡°Bai Mei! Come in for a moment!¡±

    His voice couldn¡¯t be too loud, mainly because the pain had taken all his strength, and now he couldn¡¯t even shout loudly.

    Bai Mei was delighted, thinking it was a sess, and hurriedly shouted toward Hao Fang¡¯s room, ¡°Mom! It worked, go and call people! I¡¯m going to check if there¡¯s any slip-up to fix!¡± She was eager to rush in and immediately see Bai Xiao making a fool of himself.

    Hao Fang hastened to stop her, ¡°You¡¯re an unmarried girl, why would you run in there to see? That¡¯s not something you should see!¡±

    Bai Mei rolled her eyes, ¡°If I don¡¯t go in, will you? You better hurry and call people, just say my grandma is sick. You still care about this at such a time, I really can¡¯t understand you!¡± At home, there were only three women, the olddy had to lie on the bed pretending to be sick, Hao Fang had to go call people, leaving only Bai Mei to clean up the aftermath.

    Having no other choice, Hao Fang instructed Bai Mei, ¡°When you go in, tidy up what needs to be tidied, don¡¯t look around mindlessly, and thene out quickly. When people arrive, pretend you¡¯re going back to your room to rest, then suddenly cry out, and I will lead people straight in, catching the seducer in the act on the bed.¡±

    Bai Mei nodded, pushing Hao Fang to hurry, ¡°Okay, mom, I know, don¡¯t worry, go quickly.¡±

    Hao Fang went out and immediately began calling people, crying as she did.

    ¡°Help! Help! My mother is not well!¡±

    This was also a signal for the olddy to start pretending quickly.

    Bai Mei patted her clothes, lifted the curtain, and walked in, only to see Fang Xiaoshan looking at her disapprovingly, then she looked at the bed, but Bai Xiao was nowhere to be seen.

    Just as she was about to ask, ¡°Where is Bai Xiao!¡±

    She felt a sudden sharp pain in her back, and then she lost consciousness.

    Fang Xiaoshan, having some conscience, caught Bai Mei as she fell.

    Bai Xiao, holding the needle, boasted, ¡°I forgot to tell you, after this needle, you¡¯re not yet cured. If you don¡¯t do as I say, every day at noon and midnight, the pain will start,sting exactly one hour each time before it subsides. You better think carefully about what you¡¯re going to say.¡± Bai Xiao then left for Li Chunhua¡¯s room.

    Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s back turned cold. This woman is ruthless.

    Thinking about suffering such pain twice a day, eachsting an hour, and recalling the recent agony, Xiaoshan¡¯s mind was free of any mischief. Now, even if Bai Xiao asked him tomit arson or murder, he would not hesitate.

    Having lifted Bai Mei onto the bed, he removed their clothes, threw them beside the bed, drew the nket over both of them, holding Bai Mei. Although he was scared a moment ago, now holding Bai Mei, he could not help but be lustfully distracted.

    Bai Mei¡¯s figure was excellent, lean where it should be, plump where it counts. Fang Xiaoshan clenched his teeth and pounced on her.

    Meanwhile, Bai Xiao, still clothed, leaned against Li Chunhua, whose eyes were rolled back, drooling, with the quilt soaked through arge area.

    Staring intensely at Bai Xiao with trembling body, Li Chunhua tried to lift a finger to point at Bai Xiao, but couldn¡¯t move at all.

    Bai Xiao met Li Chunhua¡¯s gaze, ¡°Grandma, do you realize you¡¯re truly sick? What Doctor Xu said just now wasn¡¯t wrong. You have a brain thrombosis, prone to stroke. Look, you weren¡¯t careful, and just like that, you¡¯ve had a stroke. Look, look, your mouth and eyes are crooked. If you can¡¯t speak, just rest well.¡±

    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? You must hate me to death, don¡¯t you? It should have been me in that room next door, yet here I am bothering you instead. I can¡¯t go to that room because your beloved granddaughter, Bai Mei, is in there with Fang Xiaoshan. What are they doing? You surely know what this was supposed to be my arrangement for tonight, but since Fang Xiaoshan likes Bai Mei, now she¡¯s the one in the room.¡±

    Li Chunhua¡¯s face trembled with rage, her eyes zing with fury, as if she was ready to bite Bai Xiao at any moment.

    ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t worry, the show is about to start. Tonight, our family will forge a beautiful romance.¡± Bai Xiao wiped away the drool from the olddy¡¯s mouth with a towel, smiling as he tucked the quilt tightly around her.

    Just then, a noisy uproar was heard from the courtyard. Hao Fang, leading a group of people, especially the vige chief and Director of Public Security as well as the Women¡¯s Director, followed by several young men and older women, all came to assist. As they entered the courtyard, Hao Fang felt uneasy not seeing Bai Mei around; that dead girl, wasn¡¯t she supposed to stay in the courtyard?

    Just then, a piercing scream was heard from Bai Mei, ¡°Ah¡­ Bastard, help!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Liu Baoguo wondered, What help?

    The Director of Public Security, who was his brother-inw Li Guoqing, heard this and knew there was trouble. It was his duty as the Director of Public Security. With a wave, he led several men and rushed inside.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± That scream.

    Li Guoqing and several young men ran out sheepishly.

    Hao Fang knew that whatever was supposed to happen had indeed happened; otherwise, Li Guoqing would not have shown such an expression. He must have seen something he wasn¡¯t supposed to see.

    In a rush, she hurried inside.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening? What¡¯s happened?¡±

    Upon entering the room, Hao Fang was dumbfounded.

    Bai Mei was huddled in a corner holding a quilt while Fang Xiaoshan was leisurely pulling up his trousers. The bright red liquid on the mattress told Hao Fang explicitly what had happened to her daughter.

    ¡°You, Fang Xiaoshan, you¡¯re no human being ¡ª wasn¡¯t it agreed? How could you touch my daughter?¡± Hao Fang was ready to w at Fang Xiaoshan.

    Bai Mei clutched the quilt, but anyone with clear eyes could tell she was wearing nothing underneath. The putrid smell in the room, known by those who have been through it all, left nothing unsaid about what had just urred there.

    Several aunties, already buzzing with gossip, asked Li Guoqing, ¡°Director, what exactly happened inside? Tell us.¡±

    Li Guoqing sighed, ¡°Oh, this Bai Jianguo! How should I speak of him? He hasn¡¯t even taught his own daughter properly. If it were my daughter who had shamed herself like this, I would have drowned her by now.¡±

    The curiosity of several grew even stronger, with one shameless person barging in. With one leading, of course, the others were not afraid to make the scene bigger. They swarmed into the room, and upon witnessing the scene, they all instantly understood.

    ¡°Oh, my, Hao Fang, look at the mess this has caused. Is he your future son-inw?¡± Several people teasingly looked at Bai Mei, who shrunk back into her quilt, now too ashamed to show her face.

    Hao Fang quickly herded them out, ¡°Yes, he¡¯s Bai Mei¡¯s future husband.¡± Now that so many had seen them, she couldn¡¯t deny it. Denying it would mean admitting to something even more shameful ¡ª lying unclothed together on the same bed.

    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll propose right away, and marry Bai Mei as soon as I can.¡± Fang Xiaoshan said gleefully.

 Chapter 47 - 47 47 Son-in-law

    ?Chapter 47: Chapter 47 Son-inw   Chapter 47: Chapter 47 Son-inw                                   ¡°Who wants to marry you? You are Bai Xiao¡¯s fianc¨¦, I¡¯d rather die than marry you!¡± Bai Mei shouted hoarsely. Grandma had said that Fang Xiaoshan was a man who indulged in eating, drinking, prostitution, gambling¡ªhe possessed all five vices. If she married him, wouldn¡¯t her life be ruined?

    Several aunts immediately stopped in their tracks.

    ¡°Oh my, Bai Mei, how did this be Bai Xiao¡¯s fianc¨¦? If he¡¯s Bai Xiao¡¯s fianc¨¦, what are you doing rolling in bed with your own brother-inw? What¡¯s that all about?¡± someone teased.

    ¡°Right, that would be utterly shameless.¡±

    ¡°Bai Mei, are you confused? How can you talk nonsense like that, aren¡¯t you disgracing our ancestors?¡±

    Hao Fang could only hurry to exin, ¡°This child is thin-skinned. Everyone saw her getting angry with her son-inw, and she¡¯s too ashamed to face everyone after you all walked in. You are all her aunts; please be generous and forgive the child¡¯s ignorance!¡± Now she had no choice but to swallow her pride; otherwise, what could she do? With so many people and so many eyes watching, she couldn¡¯t possibly say that Fang Xiaoshan was not her son-inw unless she wished Bai Mei dead.

    Fang Xiaoshan said to the aunts with a beaming smile: ¡°Aunts, what I originally said was about Bai Xiao, but Bai Xiao is a college student, how could she look up to a country bumpkin like me? I know my ce. Seeing that Bai Mei is nice and Bai Mei also quite likes me, young people as you were, one thing led to another, and Bai Mei was rather proactive, I¡¯d had a little to drink, and couldn¡¯t restrain my youthful vigor. Sorry for embarrassing you aunts and uncles. It¡¯s all my fault. Bai Mei was just too embarrassed to face what happened and said those things in anger. Please be generous and let it slide. When we have our wedding banquet, we¡¯ll definitely invite all of you, and consider you our witnesses.¡±

    Fang Xiaoshan was a smooth talker; with his slippery speech, he immediately won over the hearts of the aunts and glossed over the whole affair.

    Bai Mei wanted to speak up, but Fang Xiaoshan turned his head and red at her venomously. The malice in his eyes terrified her; she had never seen such a vicious and fierce look in someone¡¯s eyes before.

    She obediently shut her mouth.

    Fang Xiaoshan turned to Hao Fang and said, ¡°Mom, you see, please take the aunts out first, and I¡¯ll tidy up with Bai Mei!¡±

    The word ¡°Mom¡± made Hao Fang¡¯s chest ache¡ªwho wanted to be Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s mother-inw.

    She took the aunts outside.

    ¡°Bai Xiao really did it, leaving her to keep Bai Meipany. How could such a thing happen!¡± It was none of Bai Xiao¡¯s business, but she just dragged her into the conversation anyway.

    ¡°Oh, is Bai Xiao here too?¡± someone asked curiously.

    ¡°Then why hasn¡¯t shee out?¡± Could there be some secret between these two sisters?

    The more curious ones began to specte.

    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t know, just now when I went out, I saw Bai Xiao and Fang Xiaoshan talking in one room. In the blink of an eye, it turned into this; I¡¯m also confused, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s gotten into the kids these days,¡± Hao Fang said smoothly. She was determined to drag Bai Xiao into this mess; after all, whether Bai Mei liked it or not, she wouldn¡¯t let Bai Xiao off easily.

    ¡°Was Bai Xiao also there just now?¡± someone gossiped even more. Everyone knows that Bai Xiao got engaged to Captain An today, and the Captain agreed to marry her to give her a good reputation. How is it that she is now tangled up with her former fianc¨¦ again?

    ¡°Auntie, I wasn¡¯t there just now. I was in my grandma¡¯s room the whole time. How could I have gone to Bai Mei¡¯s room? You can¡¯t just drag me into this to divert attention from Bai Mei. If people find out, what will I have be!¡± Bai Xiao stood at the entrance to the main room, startling Hao Fang with her sudden outburst.

    ¡°You child, you gave me a scare!¡± Hao Fang patted her chest.

    Bai Xiao was still holding a towel, ¡°Auntie, I¡¯ve been in my grandma¡¯s room taking care of her. How could I have gone to Bai Mei¡¯s room? Today, if you don¡¯t make this clear, I can¡¯t show my face anymore. How will everyone look at me? I just got engaged to Captain An during the day and now I¡¯m supposedly involved with Fang Xiaoshan. What kind of person does that make me?¡± Bai Xiao looked at Hao Fang with a grievance, determined not to let Hao Fang pin this mess on her. Did she think she wouldn¡¯t defend herself?

    Hao Fang, taken aback,ughed and said, ¡°You child, just now didn¡¯t I see you in that room talking to Fang Xiaoshan? Surely, Auntie wasn¡¯t mistaken? This can¡¯t be. If you don¡¯t believe me, call Xiaoshan out and ask him. I can¡¯t wrongly use our college student.¡± She wasn¡¯t worried about being exposed. Xiaoshan was about to be her son-inw; he wouldn¡¯t be unkind to his future mother-inw. If she said something, Xiaoshan would certainly back her up.

    Bai Xiao wiped away her tears, ¡°Fine! Auntie, bring Fang Xiaoshan out and let¡¯s ask him in front of everyone if such a thing happened. I can¡¯t be wronglybeled this way. I¡¯m a clean and innocent girl. Spreading rumors without evidence, if we don¡¯t rify this matter today, who knows what the vigers will say about me tomorrow, suggesting that my parents didn¡¯t raise me right. I don¡¯t want to be the reason they turn in their graves.¡± Her resolute attitude made everyone doubt Hao Fang¡¯s words.

    Liu Baoguo tried to mediate, ¡°Auntie, you can eat indiscriminately, but you can¡¯t talk nonsense. It might ruin a child¡¯s life. We¡¯ve all watched Bai Xiao grow up. We know what kind of person she is.¡± He was defending Bai Xiao.

    Li Guoqing also said, ¡°Exactly, Bai Xiao is not the same as Bai Mei. Don¡¯t sling mud at Bai Xiao! She¡¯s clearly a good girl and wouldn¡¯t be so shameless.¡± She was his lifesaver after all, and Li Guoqing would naturally defend her.

    With the vige chief and the Director speaking up, what else could the others say?

    Hao Fang wasn¡¯t having it. The implied message was that Bai Xiao was so good she had no equal in heaven or on earth, so did that make her daughter Bai Mei shameless? This was nothing but beating around the bush. She couldn¡¯t swallow this insult.

    ¡°Vige Chief! Director! These words are unpleasant to hear. You can¡¯t whitewash one person¡¯s actions just because Bai Xiao saved your life. Is my daughter not a good girl from a reputable family? Bai Xiao was clearly inside the room just before, and now suddenly my daughter is to me? Wouldn¡¯t that make me suspicious? Maybe Bai Xiao did something wrong. Can any of you guarantee she didn¡¯t? Don¡¯t believe it? Then call Fang Xiaoshan out and ask him what really happened. He¡¯s a living person; he can¡¯t possibly lie, can he?¡±

    She was adamantly pinning it on Bai Xiao.

    Liu Baoguo wanted to scold her, but with so many people watching, as a vige chief he couldn¡¯t appear too biased. He could only hold back his anger and say, ¡°Alright, let the persone out and tell us what really happened. Otherwise, you won¡¯t be convinced and will say that I¡¯m protecting Bai Xiao.¡± He believed in Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°Auntie, let Fang Xiaoshane out and rify what really happened. I definitely can¡¯t admit to something I haven¡¯t done. I know you and my uncle think that my moving out has tarnished your reputation, and also because I can no longer help out with household chores. But Auntie, I¡¯m still a member of the Bai Family. Tonight, it was you who insisted on bringing me over to take care of my grandma, which I have been doing all along.

    Now you use me out of nowhere, just to let everyone know that I, Bai Xiao, am not a decent person. It¡¯s as if I¡¯ve been fooling around with other men at night after getting engaged to Captain An during the day. You just want everyone to look down on me, don¡¯t you? But I refuse to take this me. Why should I bear the consequences for something I never did?¡±

    Hao Fang trembled with anger, ¡°Fine, fine, Bai Xiao, you¡¯re a college graduate, eloquent and clever. I can¡¯t argue with you. Then let Fang Xiaoshane out and tell us what¡¯s going on.¡±

    ¡°Fang Xiaoshan,e out!¡±

 Chapter 48 - 48 48 Reversal

    ?Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Reversal   Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Reversal                                   In the room, as soon as Hao Fang and the others stepped out, Fang Xiaoshan walked over and extended his hand to touch Bai Mei¡¯s shoulder. Bai Mei hadn¡¯t put on her upper clothes, and the nket couldn¡¯t cover her round and fair shoulders. Touched by Fang Xiaoshan, she hurriedly dodged backward.

    ¡°Don¡¯te any closer!¡±

    ¡°What are you dodging for? You¡¯re already my wife, where else can you dodge to?¡± Fang Xiaoshan teased, his slick ruffian demeanor suddenly revealing itself.

    ¡°Fang Xiaoshan, you make it clear to me, weren¡¯t you supposed to be with Bai Xiao? We had an agreement, and you and Bai Xiao actually conspired against me!¡± Bai Mei trembled with anger. As a pure and innocent girl, she had fallen into the hands of this scoundrel¡ªhow could Bai Mei not be furious?

    Fang Xiaoshan calmly started to get dressed, ¡°I¡¯m harming you? Isn¡¯t it you who are harming me? Don¡¯t think I haven¡¯t figured it out¡ªyou never wanted to marry me. You had your mother call outsiders in to trap me and Bai Xiao in this room. In the end, I¡¯m afraid I would have to marry Bai Xiao! I¡¯m just taking what I deserve.¡±

    Bai Mei was infuriated, yet she didn¡¯t dare to shout out loud, fearing to be heard by the people outside.

    ¡°Fang Xiaoshan, you¡¯re not human! I tell you, I would rather die than marry you.¡±

    Fang Xiaoshan leisurely walked up to Bai Mei and with one hand impudently lifted her chin, his eyes lecherously scanning her up and down, ¡°Alright then! Since you don¡¯t want to marry me, go ahead and die. Now that you¡¯re ¡®second-hand goods¡¯ like you are now, if I don¡¯t marry you, I¡¯m afraid you might as well die, since no other man would want you after sleeping with me.¡± His fingers tightly gripped her neck.

    Bai Mei suddenly struggled to breathe. She soon realized that Fang Xiaoshan was a grown man, and in terms of strength, she was no match for him, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, if it weren¡¯t for you and your mother trying to harm Bai Xiao, would I have suffered so much today? Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking. If you want to die, just hurry up and do it, but if you don¡¯t want to die, then clean yourself up and wait for me to properlye and marry you.

    I¡¯m telling you, if you make me unhappy or annoyed, I might really not marry you. Then see who can¡¯t survive with all the gossip. If you make me happy, I¡¯ll dly take you back and lead a good life together. Otherwise, you¡¯ll have a hard time.¡± Fang Xiaoshan pushed Bai Mei away, thinking back to how he almost died at Bai Xiao¡¯s hands, filled him with hatred for the entire Bai Family.

    If it weren¡¯t for their plot against Bai Xiao, why would he have gotten involved?

    He thought back to the measures Bai Xiao had taken to deal with him earlier, believing it was because the Bai Family wanted to turn a misunderstanding into a marriage, which made him hate the whole Bai Family.

    Bai Mei, clutching her throat, coughed violently, feeling a burning pain inside. Tears flowed down her face¡ªFang Xiaoshan spoke the truth. Now, the entire vige had seen her in that state with Fang Xiaoshan. If she didn¡¯t marry him, she might as well be dead.

    And seeing how much Fang Xiaoshan hated her, if she married him, what kind of life would she have?

    Bai Mei cried woefully.

    Outside, Hao Fang called Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s name at that moment. Fang Xiaoshan answered and straightened his clothes, walking out.

    The outside was so rowdy, and Fang Xiaoshan knew nothing about it.

    ¡°Mom, what¡¯s up?¡±

    As soon as Hao Fang heard the word ¡®mom,¡¯ her heart ached.

    ¡°I¡¯m asking you, were you just inside the room with Bai Xiao? At that time, Bai Mei wasn¡¯t in the room, she was sitting at the door. You tell me clearly, what exactly happened?¡±

    Hao Fang gave Fang Xiaoshan a meaningful look. The matter between Fang Xiaoshan and Bai Mei had be a done deal, and she had no choice but to recognize this son-inw.

    Fang Xiaoshan looked up at Hao Fang and, catching on, nodded, ¡°Oh, what does mom want me to say?¡±

    He didn¡¯t dare to nce in Bai Xiao¡¯s direction for a moment.

    ¡°I¡¯m asking you, weren¡¯t you just in the room with Bai Xiao? Is that true? Don¡¯t be afraid, since you are my son-inw, I acknowledge you, and I won¡¯t let anything else ruin your marriage with Bai Mei. Just tell me honestly, what exactly happened just now?¡±

    Hao Fang was just short of stepping forward and saying that he and Bai Xiao were indeed in the room just now.

    Liu Baoguo red at Hao Fang, seeing her anxious look as if she wished she could throw herself forward and exin.

    This wasn¡¯t giving Fang Xiaoshan the opportunity to talk nonsense. If Fang Xiaoshan said something careless here today, Bai Xiao would be done for, not to mention the vigers would be pointing fingers and causing him to jump into the river.

    ¡°Fang Xiaoshan, I am the vige chief of Liupan Vige. What exactly happened just now? Speak honestly and don¡¯t worry about being influenced by others, seek the truth. If you wrong a good person, I, as vige chief, won¡¯t let you off either,¡± Liu Baoguo also resorted to intimidation.

    Fang Xiaoshan nodded and bowed hastily, ¡°Of course, vige chief, your authority is well recognized. How could I dare to spout nonsense?¡±

    Liu Baoguo then nodded.

    At this moment, Bai Jianguo, Bai Shan, and Bai Zhuang appeared. They hade back on time ording to the original schedule, just to witness this moment.

    No sooner had they entered the courtyard and seen so many people than Bai Jianguo¡¯s heart jumped, and his face began to burn with excitement¡ªit seemed things had worked out.

    ¡°Wife, what¡¯s going on? Why are there so many people here?¡± He was the picture of innocence.

    Hao Fang looked as if she wanted to die. Seeing Bai Jianguo, she had no pleasant expression to offer, ignored Bai Jianguo, and turned her head to continue questioning Fang Xiaoshan, ¡°Xiaoshan, tell me what exactly happened?¡±

    ¡°Mom, what do you want me to say? Bai Xiao? I see, you want me to say Bai Xiao and I were just in that room. I am your son-inw, and I should listen to you and say what you want me to say, but I have a conscience! I can¡¯t sully someone¡¯s name for something they haven¡¯t done. Bai Mei was the only one with me in the room; I can¡¯t wrong her. Otherwise, what kind of person would I be?¡± Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s words took everyone aback.

    There was no need to say more¡ªthe words of Fang Xiaoshan had cleared Bai Xiao of all charges.

    Hao Fang was almost struck dumb and wished she could p Fang Xiaoshan twice for being such a bastard, betraying his own family by epting some benefit from Bai Xiao and siding with him. How could her family now live in the vige?

    ¡°Xiaoshan, what nonsense are you talking about? When did I ever tell you to say that? Don¡¯t falsely use me,¡± Hao Fang was furious to the point of wanting to spit blood.

    Fang Xiaoshan said grievously, ¡°Yes, Mom, I was talking nonsense just now. Vige chief, Director, it was all my nonsense earlier. It has nothing to do with my mother or the others. Really, it¡¯s my fault, and truly has nothing to do with them.¡±

    By now, Bai Xiao should be satisfied with his performance. Would this clear the suspicions around him?

    Liu Baoguo rebuked dissatisfiedly, ¡°Enough, Hao Fang, Bai Jianguo, hasn¡¯t your family embarrassed itself enough? Look at all these things happening these past few days. You¡¯re adults, but you still have to involve your niece in everything. You¡¯re not ashamed¡ªI¡¯m ashamed for you. Go and see your mother now. We¡¯re here to visit the elderly, not to deal with your family¡¯s scandal.¡±

    Hao Fang couldn¡¯t say anything more; Liu Baoguo didn¡¯t even want to hear an exnation.

 Chapter 49 - 49 49 Paralyzed

    ?Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Paralyzed   Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Paralyzed                                   Bai Xiao hurriedly led the way, ¡°Vige chief, Director, Aunt, Uncle, pleasee in quickly and see, my grandma is sick.¡± She ushered the group inside.

    As soon as the others left, Bai Jianguo red fiercely at Hao Fang, a woman who was only good at screwing things up, and rushed to follow the vige chief and the others into the house.

    His own mother was ill; how could he, as her son, not be by her side?

    It was absolutely not in line with Bai Jianguo¡¯s character.

    He was, after all, the world¡¯s number one son.

    Seeing Li Chunhua¡¯s twisted mouth and crooked eyes, Liu Baoguo frowned. A stroke of this kind was unheard of in their vige, though the sight of someone paralyzed in bed with a twisted face was all too familiar. Looking at Old Lady Bai in this state, he feared she really might be paralyzed.

    ¡°Jianguo, hurry and take her to the hospital! Your grandma looks like she¡¯s paralyzed. If you dy taking her, I¡¯m afraid it could cost her her life.¡± At this moment, Liu Baoguo couldn¡¯t be bothered with his past grievances against Jianguo¡¯s family; saving someone was the top priority.

    Bai Jianguo, not believing it, squeezed his way through and was taken aback when he saw his grandmother with a twisted mouth and crooked eyes.

    Hardly believing it, he nudged Li Chunhua, ¡°Mom, Mom, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± After all, Li Chunhua had been insisting it was all an act.

    No wonder Bai Jianguo didn¡¯t believe it; this was a perfectly healthy person justst night, and in just a few hours, she had be paralyzed.

    Bai Jianguo, in his anxiety, didn¡¯t realize his own strength, and Li Chunhua was pushed so hard that she rolled to the side, revealing to everyone her hands clenched like chicken ws, especially when she rolled over and the nket came off, releasing a strong smell of urine. Many people furrowed their brows and covered their noses.

    As the vige chief, Liu Baoguo couldn¡¯t cover his nose, so he could only give orders, ¡°I¡¯ll go call a tractor for you; you guys quickly get your mother dressed and wrapped in a nket and send her to the hospital.¡± With that, he left.

    The others quickly followed the vige chief out.

    The smell was simply unbearable.

    In a rush, Bai Jianguo shouted at Bai Xiao, ¡°Quick, change your grandma¡¯s clothes; I¡¯ll go get the bedding.¡±

    Disgusted by his own mother, he too ducked out, mainly because the olddy¡¯s current state was just too unkempt.

    Bai Xiao grabbed Bai Jianguo, ¡°Uncle, you¡¯d better call Auntie. I don¡¯t know where my grandma¡¯s clothes are, and besides, all of my grandma¡¯s things are locked up. If anything¡¯s missing, I could use ten mouths and still couldn¡¯t exin it clearly.¡± He thought it wouldn¡¯t be so easy to leave.

    Bai Jianguo thought about it and realized that was true; his own mother¡¯s stuff was locked up, and the olddy indeed had some private money. They couldn¡¯t let Bai Xiao take advantage of the opportunity, and having his own family handle it was more appropriate. He immediately gave Bai Xiao a smile, a sincere smile that Bai Xiao believed he had rarely seen in his lifetime. Bai Jianguo¡¯s smiles were always skin-deep, deceitful to the eye.

    ¡°Alright then, you go call your aunt!¡±

    This time there was no pushing back.

    Bai Xiao pressed her lips together and went out. Hao Fang was still simmering with anger, unable to understand why Fang Xiaoshan wouldn¡¯t support his own family, instead siding with Bai Xiao. This was just beyond Hao Fang¡¯sprehension.

    After all, Fang Xiaoshan had been so close with Bai Mei, he should have sided with his own family both morally and logically, but here he was, turning his elbow out.

    Even if Hao Fang broke her head over it, she probably couldn¡¯t fathom that Fang Xiaoshan would rather die than falsely use Bai Xiao.

    ¡°Auntie, Uncle told you toe and change grandma¡¯s clothes. The vige chief and the others have gone to call the tractor, we¡¯re going to take her to the hospital soon!¡± Bai Xiao dropped the words and walked out.

    Hao Fang wanted to ask for rification, but couldn¡¯t, and walked in frowning, wondering what trouble this olddy was causing now.

    At a time like this, what was the need to pretend? Wouldn¡¯t going to the hospital cost money?

    Hao Fang pushed the door open, and then Bai Xiao heard Hao Fang cry out sincerely for the first time.

    ¡°Mom, Mom, what¡¯s wrong with you? Mom, you can¡¯t have anything happen to you!¡±

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t want to stay, there was nothing for her here; all she wanted was to go home and sleep. After being up all night, she was tired.

    Let the Bai Jianguo¡¯s family continue their turmoil.

    ¡°Bai Xiao!¡± Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s voice made Bai Xiao wickedly want to give Fang Xiaoshan another injection.

    Turning coldly, this time Fang Xiaoshan was marrying Bai Mei, and she really wanted to see how the Bai family, which had caused her so much misery in her past life, would cope? Would they also ignore her as they did in her past life.

    ¡°Bai¡­ Xiao!¡± Fang Xiaoshan stuttered, shivering inside upon seeing the face of Bai Xiao, covered in frost.

    He deeply regretted why on earth he hade to Liupan Vige, running into this disaster.

    ¡°Anything else?¡±

    Bai Xiao was getting ready to leave, and upon looking at Fang Xiaoshan, Fang Xiaoshan was so frightened that he took a big step back.

    ¡°That¡­ that¡­ I¡­ I¡­¡± Fang Xiaoshan pointed at himself, unable to continue.

    Bai Xiao understood; this bastard was so afraid of death, how could he forget to beg her?

    ¡°Bai Xiao,e in quickly, help change your grandmother¡¯s clothes!¡± Hao Fang called from inside.

    Bai Xiao narrowed her eyes, already they were starting to find the olddy burdensome, and she wanted to see how the olddy would enjoy the care of her children and grandchildrenter.

    Seeing Bai Xiao narrow her eyes, Fang Xiaoshan felt a chill in his heart, ¡°Bai Mei,e out quickly, grandma is not well! You, her granddaughter, hurry and take care of grandma.¡± He ingratiatingly ttered Bai Xiao.

    The vige chief Liu Baoguo and the others had already returned, ¡°Jianguo, hurry up! The tractor is here!¡± Seeing Bai Xiao in the yard, he thought, the Bai family and Bai Xiao had endless troubles between them, his brows furrowed; it wouldn¡¯t make sense to send her back, as her grandmother was lying sick in bed unable to get up, most people would think it¡¯s only right for a grandchild to honor their grandparent.

    But judging by Hao Fang¡¯s appearance just now, everyone knew this family and Bai Xiao did not get along, it might be better to send the child away. However, who would say these words made a big difference.

    With this in mind, he said, ¡°Bai Mei, Bai Xiao, neither of you big girls have seen such a scene, and you won¡¯t be of any help lifting and carrying on the way. Just stay at home. Bai Shan and Bai Zhuang are both strong workers; they can help lift your grandmotherter. You two follow your parents and hurry up and get your grandmother onto the tractor.¡±

    Liu Baoguo, the vige chief, spoke impartially, and everyone nodded in agreement.

    Bai Shan and Bai Zhuang could only bow their heads and hunch their backs as they entered the room where their grandmother slept; once inside, they almost vomited.

    What is this smell in the room?

    Forcing herself, Hao Fang pinched her nose to change the olddy¡¯s clothes, found a set of clean bedding, and wrapped up the olddy, all the while mumbling to herself.

    ¡°What the hell is going on? How did the olddy just be paralyzed? How are we going to live like this from now on?¡±

    Seeing his sonse in, and assuming the vige chief and the others were in the courtyard, Bai Jianguo stuffed the neatly handkerchief-wrapped money from the olddy¡¯s chest into his own pocket and scolded irritably, ¡°Shut up! Don¡¯t you see what time it is? The whole vige is watching us. Save yourints forter, now¡¯s the time for all of us to be the dutiful sons and grandsons, otherwise be careful, or I¡¯ll deal with you!¡±

    He had soberly realized that this moment was the best time to salvage their family¡¯s reputation and face in the vige.

 Chapter 50 - 50 50 Youve ruined me

    ?Chapter 50: Chapter 50 You¡¯ve ruined me   Chapter 50: Chapter 50 You¡¯ve ruined me                                   Finally, a houseful of noisy people lifted the olddy onto the tractor, and, of course, it was the Bai Family who went to the hospital. Bai Jianguo¡¯s family of four escorted the grandmother and headed straight to the county hospital on the tractor.

    The entire yard had be quiet.

    The vigers had also dispersed, each returning to their homes. It was alreadyte into the night, nearly dawn, and after a night ofmotion, everyone tiredly went home to sleep.

    However, there were those who couldn¡¯t sleep, who, after returning home, began to gossip with their spouses about the scandalous events of the day.

    After all, Bai Mei was an unmarried young woman, a decent girl who had shared a bed with a man.

    Naturally, this incident became the hot topic of conversation among the vigers, and they inevitably discussed the recent events involving Bai Xiao at the Bai Family.

    Once such stories start circting, they tend to be more and more exaggerated.

    Rumors were already spreading throughout the vige, saying that Li Chunhua, in order to ensure her younger son would be taken care of in old age, actually took her granddaughter¡¯s living expenses and tuition fees to support her younger son¡¯s children and even nned to force the child to go out and work to earn money for the family. When the girl refused, her grandmother cruelly decided to get rid of her by pushing her into the reservoir, just to prepare a dowry for Bai Jianguo¡¯s son to take a wife.

    The family that was originally mentioned for Bai Xiao, due to their solid financial foundation, was considered by Bai Jianguo as a prospect for marrying his daughter. That¡¯s why the rumor that the olddy wanted to kill Bai Xiao started. Now, Bai Xiao¡¯s reputation was ruined, and she would never be able to marry into that family. Seizing the opportunity, Bai Mei climbed into her brother-inw¡¯s bed, and a raw rice was cooked into a cooked rice situation. This time, Bai Jianguo had hitched himself to a wealthy son-inw.

    Some even imed to have seen with their own eyes that the olddy pushed Bai Xiao into the water on purpose upon seeing those students practicing nearby¡ªher intent was clear. Either Bai Xiao would end up seriously injured or drowned, or the students had to intervene. After all, they couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch someone die. Regardless of who saved her, it was bound to involve a strange man.

    Besides, with the weather being so warm, nobody was wearing much. Once they got wet, things between men and women became hard to distinguish.

    Otherwise, the olddy wouldn¡¯t have said that Bai Xiao¡¯s reputation was already ruined that day. The n was to tarnish Bai Xiao¡¯s name so that Bai Mei could take advantage of the situation.

    By the time Bai Jianguo and his family returned from the county hospital with the olddy, the rumors had spread in every conceivable version, more outrageous as they circted. The reputation of the Bai Family, which Bai Jianguo had always taken pride in, was now thoroughly destroyed.

    Everybody had left.

    Fang Xiaoshan had to leave too. With only two young women left in the yard, it was necessary for him to go.

    But how could he dare to leave!

    If he stepped out of the gate, he would have to suffer excruciating pain by noon the next day, the kind of agony that was indescribable, and he didn¡¯t want to experience it a second time.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, please spare me! I really didn¡¯t have any bad intentions. See, I did everything you asked me to do, whether you told me or not. Please just let me off this once. I promise, if I see you again in the future, I will detour and walk away immediately,¡± Fang Xiaoshan pleaded, as nobody wanted their life to be controlled by someone else, as if their life was in someone else¡¯s hands.

    In reality, Bai Xiao had not left any lingering issues. If she really had the ability to cast spells or poisons with just a needle, she would have been quite formidable. Her needle was just that¡ªa needle. The pain was just a momentary thing, but even if she now told Fang Xiaoshan there was nothing to it, he probably wouldn¡¯t believe her.

    Alright then, she couldn¡¯t me her for having a bit of fun.

    ¡°Rootless Water, a child¡¯s urine, and the fruit from a hundred-year-old pine tree, plus a pair of virgin crickets, boil three bowls of water down to one and drink it morning and evening¡ªone dose each. Do this for ten consecutive days, and your ¡®root¡¯ will be gone!¡± Bai Xiao said withplete seriousness, spoutingplete nonsense.

    On the other end, Fang Xiaoshan took it as if he¡¯d found a treasure. People are sometimes this way¡ªthe more bizarre and difficult the solution seems, the more miraculous they think it is, and they firmly believe it to be true.

    ¡°Thank you! Thank you!¡± Fang Xiaoshan hastily apologized and rushed home, not worrying about whether the dark and windy night might cause him to stumble or face some danger.

    Even if there were dangers, Fang Xiaoshan was willing to risk his life to get back home quickly; he didn¡¯t have much time.

    As soon as Fang Xiaoshan left, Bai Xiao also nned to go home and get some sleep; as soon as it was light out, she would be ready to take a car to her sister¡¯s house.

    She was still waiting for the Bai Family to erupt into action.

    Bai Mei¡¯s sinister voice broke through, ¡°Bai Xiao, it¡¯s all your fault!¡± Dressed already, Bai Mei stood at the entrance, her eyes shooting mes, fists clenched tightly.

    ¡°So what if it was me who caused your misfortune?¡± Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t scared at all; the person in question had already left.

    Bai Mei lunged at her suddenly, ¡°I knew it was you, you wretched thing! It was you who should¡¯ve married Fang Xiaoshan. Instead, you conspired with Fang Xiaoshan to ruin me. I¡¯m going to kill you; I am going to kill you!¡± Bai Mei was on the verge of madness.

    For a woman to be involved with a man this scandalously before marriage, not only had shepletely lost her reputation, but getting married to a brute like Fang Xiaoshan; Bai Mei knew her life was ruined.

    Now, she genuinely felt the impulse to kill.

    Bai Xiao pushed her away forcefully andughed coldly, ¡°You¡¯re going to kill me? Don¡¯t joke, just you? Face the reality. Have you even considered your own strength? Are you stronger than me? Over the years, while you¡¯ve been pampered and spoiled, it¡¯s been me, this ¡®lowly creature,¡¯ who¡¯s been doing all the work at home. When ites to strength, you¡¯re no match for me. It¡¯s not even certain who would kill whom.

    Besides, what nonsense are you spouting? Me plotting with Fang Xiaoshan? Go around the vige and see if anyone believes that. Fang Xiaoshan and I are neither kin nor kind. How could we have conspired? It¡¯s ludicrous.

    Also, I haven¡¯t even congratted you yet. Marrying into such a family, I wish you, my dear sister, a lifetime of happiness, an early birth to a precious child, and asting marriage till death.¡±

    Bai Xiao left with a mockingugh.

    In this lifetime, she was determined to see what sort of life Bai Mei could have with Fang Xiaoshan.

    Of course, she wouldn¡¯t let Fang Xiaoshan off the hook either.

    To truly make someone suffer, one didn¡¯t need to end their life but rather make them watch as everything they cherished and desired slipped away. This time, she would definitely not spare those who had harmed and hurt her in her previous life.

    Bai Mei, looking at Bai Xiao¡¯s chilling demeanour, suddenly felt a cold shiver run down her spine. This version of Bai Xiao, even more terrifying than the one who had frantically chased Bai Zhuang the other day, made her wonder if the woman had lost her mind.

    She sat down on the ground, utterly unconcerned with the dirt, wondering what to do now. Now that her parents, grandmother, and brother were not home, she needed someone to give her advice. She had toe up with a n; there was no way she could marry Fang Xiaoshan. Her life would be over if she did.

    What to do?

    What to do?

    Bai Mei scrambled up and rushed into Bai Jianguo¡¯s room. She knew where Hao Fang kept her money and valuables¡ªin a small box inside a trunk with a lock on top.

    Bai Mei found a hammer and smashed the lock; as expected, it contained all the family¡¯s money. She took out a stack of notes, all in tens, and after counting, realized there were about five hundred dors. She hastily stuffed them into her pocket, then grabbed a few pieces of clothing from her own room, wrapped them up in a cloth bundle haphazardly. She nned to head south; she¡¯d heard from a few girlfriends that working in factories there, even as a temporary worker, could earn you quite a bit of money each month.

    She was absolutely not going to stay here and marry Fang Xiaoshan!

    She would leave as soon as dawn broke.

    Bai Mei went back to her room to lie down, confident that her parents wouldn¡¯t return anytime soon.

 Chapter 51 - 51 51 Accompanying

    ?Chapter 51: Chapter 51 Apanying   Chapter 51: Chapter 51 Apanying                                   Early the next morning, there were quite a few early risers because they had to catch the vige¡¯s public bus. This day, there was only this one trip, and if they missed it, their only option was to walk to the town or the county, which was a journey of more than 60 li through mountain roads. If anyone had business to take care of in the town or county, they had to take this bus.

    So, early in the morning at the bus station, they actually ran into many familiar faces.

    Liu Baoguo and Li Chunhua, with Liu Hong, spotted Bai Xiao immediately. Li Chunhua came over to greet him, ¡°Xiao, where are you headed?¡± Remembering what Bai Xiao had said, Li Chunhua knew Bai Xiao had Liu Hong¡¯s best interests at heart.

    ¡°Auntie, I want to go to the town to visit my second sister, Bai Ju. I¡¯ve received my eptance letter but haven¡¯t had the chance to tell my brother and sister. It¡¯s a good opportunity to send a telegram to my brother when I¡¯m in town. And since my second sister got married, I haven¡¯t visited her home. I feel it¡¯s not right, so I want to take this opportunity to visit rtives.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great! Your second sister will definitely be happy to see you, now that you¡¯re so aplished. Your parents, resting in peace, would also beforted. Okay then, your uncle and I are heading to the county. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll post a notice of honor for you in our vige. You are the pride of our vige,¡± said Li Chunmei, not forgetting this important detail. Although she was just a rural woman, she understood the concept of reciprocation well.

    Liu Baoguo, having been the vige chief for so many years, noticed a familiar figure swiftly board the bus, ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that Bai Mei? In this scorching heat, with a scarf wrapped around her head, where is she going?¡± He was certainly not mistaken in recognizing someone.

    Li Chunhua, who was also in a hurry to get on the bus, was surprised and wondered to herself. Everyone from the Bai Family was at the county hospital. The tractor driver had returned and said that the doctor imed it was a stroke. If they had sent herter, the olddy would have passed away; she had to be hospitalized for a few days.

    However, she quickly came to terms with the situation, probably due to concern for Li Chunhua. It made sense to go and visit.

    After all, Li Chunhua had always been good to the children, and it was only natural for them to be close to their grandmother.

    Upon boarding the bus, they saw Bai Mei with a scarf wrapped around her head. In this weather, wearing a scarf was definitely eye-catching¡ªwho else would wrap a scarf around themselves in such heat? But Bai Mei didn¡¯t seem to mind, even thinking she had done a good job of hiding herself. She was sneaking around, hiding behind people, facing away from the inside of the bus as if she didn¡¯t want to interact with others.

    Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t help but find it amusing.

    So there was such a tactic?

    What on earth was Bai Mei up to?

    ¡°Bai Mei, where are you going?¡± Li Chunhua tapped Bai Mei¡¯s shoulder. Did this child really think everyone on the bus was blind?

    Startled, Bai Mei turned around and saw it was Li Chunhua, managing an awkward attempt at a smile which looked even uglier than a cry, ¡°Auntie! It¡¯s you. I¡¯m just going to¡­,¡± in a moment of quick thinking, ¡°visit my grandma, yes, I¡¯m going to see my grandma.¡±

    Such an excuse seemed usible.

    ¡°If you¡¯re visiting your grandma, you¡¯re visiting your grandma. What are you afraid of? With that getup, people who don¡¯t know any better might think you¡¯re dodging debts!¡± Li Chunhua joked, startling Bai Mei.

    ¡°No, what debts would I be dodging? I¡¯m just worried about my grandma. She¡¯s getting on in years, and I don¡¯t know how she¡¯s doing. I can¡¯t rest easy without visiting her!¡± Bai Mei hadpletely regained herposure. Perhaps she was initially scared, but as she spoke more and more, she threw caution to the wind, assuming no one knew what she intended to do.

    ¡°Indeed, you should visit her!¡± Li Chunhua said with a smile, appreciating that the children of the Bai Family were thoughtful¡ªit reflected well on Li Chunhua.

    Bai Mei fell silent, turning her head to look out the window, asionally casting sideways nces at Bai Xiao, wondering what Bai Xiao was up to!

    No, she knew where Bai Xiao was going!

    She was going to see her sister; Bai Xiao had a sister, Bai Ju, who was married and lived in town.

    She had been harmed by Bai Xiao to the point of fleeing, yet Bai Xiao could calmly visit her sister. Why did all the good things always happen to Bai Xiao? Bai Xiao clearly wasn¡¯t a Bai family member, but she could still enjoy the genuine affection from Bai Song, Bai Ju, and Bai Yue. Bai Mei suddenly thought of how to deal with Bai Xiao¡ªwasn¡¯t Bai Xiao at her sister¡¯s house?

    She would go too. She didn¡¯t believe that after exposing the fact that Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t a Bai family member, Bai Ju would still treat Bai Xiao with heartfelt kindness. She wasn¡¯t foolish; she wouldn¡¯t let Bai Xiao have it easy.

    Why was Bai Xiao cherished from childhood, held in the palm of her uncle¡¯s hand, treated like a treasure, and why did the aunt prefer to starve herself than let Bai Xiao go hungry? The whole family adored her like a treasure. Why should an outsider enjoy the treatment of a Bai family princess?

    She couldn¡¯t ept it.

    Now that she had been made miserable by Bai Xiao, she wouldn¡¯t let Bai Xiao have it easy.

    ¡°Xiao, are you going to visit your second sister? Ever since she got married, I haven¡¯t had the chance to see her¡ªnot because she¡¯s too busy, but because when shees, I¡¯m not at home. Since you¡¯re going to visit her, let¡¯s go together. After all, we¡¯re family. If we don¡¯t visit, I¡¯d feel terribly ashamed!¡± As she said this, Bai Xiao suddenly realized that Bai Mei wasn¡¯tpletely useless; at least she had a sharper tongue than Hao Fang.

    Li Chunmei nodded in agreement, ¡°We¡¯re all family, flesh and blood. It¡¯s only right to visit!¡± No matter how times change, in the eyes of ordinary people, family is still family, connected by bone and sinew, and no one would mind the closeness of kin.

    Liu Baoguo also nodded. Although he disapproved of Li Chunhua¡¯s behavior, Bai Jianguo was quite popr in the vige after all, and none of his children were arrogant or tyrannical. If they could get along well with Bai Xiao and show unity, there would be no reason for them, as outsiders, to obstruct it.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Bai Mei toe to her senses overnight.¡±

    Bai Xiao¡¯s face was expressionless, but inside she was impressed. Just yesterday, Bai Mei had been caught in such a disgraceful situation. Most girls would not even think about stepping outside, much less wish they could die to escape the shame that would ruin a womanpletely in this lifetime!

    Even if she managed to get married, she likely wouldn¡¯t be well-regarded by her husband¡¯s family, and the scandal could be a handle for the mother-inw to suppress her. Yet there Bai Mei was, able to go out the next day full of energy. She really did have a thick skin.

    Bai Xiao also deeply understood how much of a failure she had been in her past life¡ªshe didn¡¯t truly understand Bai Mei at all.

    Bai Mei¡¯s resilience was absolutely strong.

    If she hadn¡¯t been reborn, she probably would¡¯ve been entirely controlled by the Bai family by now, not knowing what she would¡¯ve be. She fell far short whenpared to Bai Mei!

    ¡°Sure, Sister Bai Mei, if you don¡¯t mind joining, I¡¯m of course weing!¡± It was just Bai Mei trying to cause trouble.

    She wanted to see what other ways Bai Mei intended to dig her own grave. If yesterday¡¯s incident hadn¡¯t taught Bai Mei a lesson, then it seemed she had been too soft-hearted, or perhaps hadn¡¯t gone far enough.

    Well then, let¡¯s see as we go.

    Let¡¯s see what other schemes Bai Mei has up her sleeve.

 Chapter 52 - 52 52 Spectators

    ?Chapter 52: Chapter 52 Spectators   Chapter 52: Chapter 52 Spectators                                   Bai Mei¡¯s heart leapt with joy as she heard Bai Xiao agree, and a relieved expression washed over her face, softening her demeanor. She unconsciously touched the money in her embrace, thinking that with these funds, she should be able to livefortably for the rest of her life.

    When she thought about the expression on Bai Jianguo and Hao Fang¡¯s faces once they discovered she had stolen the family¡¯s money, Bai Mei refused to dwell deeper. She felt a gloomy reluctance, reasoning that after all, in her family, as in the vige, sons were valued far more than daughters. No one would make an exception for her, a daughter barely regarded. If it were not for Bai Xiao, the burden, and the fact that she was from an outsider¡¯s household drawing away the attention of her grandmother and real father, nobody would bother protecting her.

    Moreover, whenever there was a conflict of interest with their sons, her parents would undoubtedly side with their boys. She was nothing but an expendable pawn to them, and if she didn¡¯t look out for herself, her parents would probably give her away to Fang Xiaoshan upon their return.

    She was adamant about not spending her life in these backwoods, slogging in the mud, let alone living with a gambler like Fang Xiaoshan. The very thought made her feel indignant.

    So she would not let herself fall into a desperate state.

    Of course, Bai Mei had her ns, and she absolutely would not let Bai Xiao have it easy.

    Upon reaching the town, the bus stopped, and Bai Xiao got off after bidding farewell to Liu Baoguo and Li Chunmei.

    Bai Mei hurriedly followed suit, a bundle strapped to her back.

    In her hands, Bai Xiao held a cloth bag she had made from old clothes. Now, without the avability of stic bags or handbags, even a bag counted as a luxury item; not every household had one. Especially in the vige, where people mostly used baskets and backpack baskets they wove from wisteria vines themselves.

    Bai Xiao and Bai Mei stood on the roadside, clueless about where to find Bai Ju. Since Bai Ju had gotten married, Bai Xiao had never visited her home. It had always been Bai Ju who came back to visit. At this moment, she was truly in the dark.

    However, Bai Xiao did remember that Bai Ju had married He Wang, a carpenter in town, supposedly living near the trading market. Finding the ce and asking around should lead them to her.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you moving?¡± Bai Mei asked, puzzled, a hint of deep thought glinting in her eyes. Could it be that this girl was up to no good again?

    ¡°Do you know the way?¡± Bai Xiao asked.

    ¡°Not¡­ familiar with it!¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know the way, and yet you act so tough? I don¡¯t know it either.¡± Bai Xiao mocked. This girl still held herself so high and mighty, as if she and Bai Xiao were not equals. She still had no clue of the real situation.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t know it, can¡¯t you ask? Is that not a mouth under your nose?¡± Bai Mei said aggressively, mostly out of habit. She was used to showing no kindness to Bai Xiao, and she hadn¡¯t yet corrected this behavior.

    Bai Xiao gave Bai Mei a nce and turned to walk away.

    As if she enjoyed herpany. If it weren¡¯t for the chance to dig into her own origins, Bai Xiao would rather have nothing to do with Bai Mei.

    ¡°Where are you going? Wait for me!¡± Bai Mei, not wanting to be left behind, hurried after Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao asked a passerby for directions to the trading market and only saw the cluster of single-story houses upon arrival. In this era, single-story dwellings predominated in the town, and the factory units and town government employees upied the rare two-story buildings, residences for the more privileged. Although cramped with multiple generations squeezed into small quarters, those were still regarded as prestigious housing.

    These single-story houses, built collectively by the factories, were also known as cave dwellings, but they weren¡¯t actual caves carved out from hillsides. They were tall, with arched roofs that allowed good air cirction, making them cool in the summer and warm in the winter. They were products of rational architectural design.

    Bai Xiao stopped a woman who just came out to pour water from one of the single-story houses. ¡°Auntie, I¡¯d like to ask about someone. Do you know Bai Ju?¡±

    ¡°Bai Ju ah, right there in the middle of the third row of houses, should be the sixth or maybe the seventh house!¡± The aunt was quite straightforward and eagerly pointed her the way.

    Bai Xiao suddenly felt scared and hesitant inside. After all, it had been a very long time since shest saw her second older sister Bai Ju, and her impression of her seemed to have blurred. She could only remember Bai Ju with two glossy ck braids and a bright smile as she waved at her.

    Bai Mei pushed Bai Xiao forcefully from behind, ¡°Would you get moving? Dawdling like this, what time will it be by the time we get there?¡± After a morning of hassle, she hadn¡¯t eaten or drunk anything sincest night. She got up in the morning intent on leaving as soon as possible, without the thought of eating, but now, after walking all this way, her stomach began to growl with hunger.

    Bai Xiao shook off Bai Mei¡¯s hand with force, ¡°Don¡¯t touch me again, or else don¡¯t me me for being rude!¡± If it weren¡¯t for trying to get information out of Bai Mei, she would have let this death-seeking Bai Mei roll away any minute.

    Perhaps some people might ask, why not give Bai Mei an injection, to make her honestly confess.

    Bai Xiao told everyone with a bitter smile that she had overused her special abilityst night. After all, she used it three times, and although none were actual healing special abilities, the consumption was greater than using the healing ability once. So, after she went backst night, she almost froze to death. If not for heating a basin of hot water, wrapping herself in a quilt, and soaking her feet, which relieved a lot of the situation, she might not have been able to go out today.

    She was too anxious.

    Last lifetime she had studied her special ability for a long time and knew that the energy it required was her own body heat. The more she used it, the more heat she would consume. Like that time with Li Guoqing, she almost froze to death because Li Guoqing had a very severe myocardial infarction, a life-threatening condition, so her consumption was serious with no energy replenishment.

    If she had the means, she should prepare arge amount of food that could increase body heat, along with heating equipment. She should be absorbingrge amounts of heat while providing treatment. That would be the best way, the result of her research from herst life. But now, where did she have the means for that?

    So, this way of alleviating the aftermath of using her special ability was certainly a temporary fix, not a cure.

    If she had that ability, she wouldn¡¯t use it on Bai Mei. If she were to use it, it would be on Li Chunhua, because Bai Xiao believed Li Chunhua knew everything.

    Bai Mei was startled by Bai Xiao¡¯s outburst and suddenly remembered that Bai Xiao was no longer the girl she could bully at will.

    She had no choice but to sulkily follow Bai Xiao. At this time, she could endure.

    As long as she met Bai Ju, she would make Bai Xiao pay.

    The two of them walked one after the other into the row of houses ahead in search of someone.

    No sooner had they walked into the houses than they saw many people crowded around enjoying themotion, with voices arguing and children crying, aplete messy scene, as the onlookers pointed andmented.

    ¡°That Wang Er¡¯s wife is bullying people too much!¡±

    ¡°If I were Bai Ju, I¡¯d go up there and p her twice. The kids are fighting, and an adult goes up and hits someone else¡¯s child. What kind of behavior is that?¡±

    ¡°Bai Ju is just too kind. Hasn¡¯t it been said? ¡®A kind person is taken advantage of.''¡±

    ¡°That Wang Er¡¯s wife is doing it on purpose. Who told Bai Ju that her husband isn¡¯t home, the little brother at home is paralyzed in bed, all the kids are young, and there is no one to hold down the fort.¡±

    ¡°s, it¡¯s really not good for a home to not have someone in charge.¡±

 Chapter 53 - 53 53 Distorting Right and Wrong

    ?Chapter 53: Chapter 53: Distorting Right and Wrong   Chapter 53: Chapter 53: Distorting Right and Wrong                                   Bai Xiao pushed through the crowd, squeezed in, and finally saw her second sister Bai Ju, with a flushed face, talking to a woman who was gesticting wildly. The woman was holding the hand of a five- or six-year-old boy, pointing aggressively at a little girl behind Bai Ju and cursing. The little girl was crying and wailing, and there were clearly five fingerprint marks on her face¡ªa clear sign that an adult had hit her.

    ¡°What kind of person is in your family? So young and already not learning well, daring to hit others. Our Xiaobao is the only child of the Wang Family. If your child hurts our child and something bad happens, can you afford it? Huh! I¡¯m telling you, this isn¡¯t over. If you don¡¯t give me a satisfactory answer today, we¡¯ll move into your house,¡± the woman said haughtily, speaking so fast that her spittle flew everywhere.

    The people around clearly sympathized with Bai Ju but nobody stepped forward to speak up for her! Apparently, this Mrs. Wang the Second was not someone to be trifled with, otherwise the people wouldn¡¯t be making their stance so clear.

    ¡°Fine! What kind of answer do you want then?¡±

    Bai Xiao stepped out and stood between Bai Ju and the woman.

    Bai Ju was startled to see Bai Xiaoqi and tried to pull Bai Xiao behind her, knowing the woman in front was really someone who could resort to violence. Bai Xiao was frail, and she feared she might get bullied by this person.

    The woman eyed Bai Xiao disdainfully, ¡°Who do you think you are, a scallion or a clove of garlic? Why are you meddling, what¡¯s it to you?¡± She was annoyed that someone had the nerve to support Bai Ju, clearly not on her side, and she could tell that Bai Xiao had malicious intentions towards her.

    ¡°I¡¯m the child¡¯s aunt. Of course, it¡¯s my business. Kids fight, that¡¯s nothing new, but just look at your son. He¡¯s tall and sturdy, a good half-head taller than this little girl. And as for build, this girl could be blown over by a gust of wind, whereas your boy could probably handle two of her! Saying this little girl hit your son¡ªwho would believe that if we spread the word? Do any of you believe it?¡±

    The crowdughed. No one wanted to meddle, but once someone spoke up, people started to join in the hubaloo.

    ¡°Looks like nobody believes it!¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Mrs. Wang the Second, your boy is so burly. How could he be taken down by a little girl!¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t believe it! It¡¯s more likely your boy hit that little girl.¡±

    ¡°Exactly! Does your boy even look like he¡¯s been hit?¡±

    Several children also came outughing, ¡°We all saw it. It was Wang Xiaohu who was bullying He Cuicui, wanting to take her fruit candy by force. When she wouldn¡¯t give it to him, he started hitting her.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right! I saw it too. Wang Xiaohu always bullies He Cuicui, it¡¯s not the first time he¡¯s taken her things.¡±

    ¡°Last time, he even pushed He Cuicui into the wall, and her head got all bruised up!¡±

    ¡°Wang Xiaohu is a bad guy!¡±

    Wang Er¡¯s wife clearly didn¡¯t expect anyone to dare to stand up for justice. Usually, Wang Er was a group leader in the street processing factory, and everyone living in this area was a worker at the factory. Everyone had to give face to Wang Er, so they all indulged Wang Er¡¯s wife. But now, a young girl had stood up, and that broke the equilibrium in an instant.

    It wasn¡¯t that people didn¡¯t want to uphold justice, they just needed a leader, someone to take the risk of being resented! Once that risk had dissipated, of course, they dared to speak up.

    Wang Er¡¯s wife, named Zhang Jie, became furious with shame when she saw several children exposing the truth of the matter. Pointing at the kids, she yelled, ¡°You bunch of good-for-nothings, spouting nonsense here! How could our Xiaobao ever bully He Cuicui? It was clearly He Cuicui who stole our Xiaobao¡¯s candy and even hit our Xiaobao. I¡¯m telling you, Bai Ju, pay for our medical expenses! Medical expenses! And for emotional distress, too. Such a small child being bullied like this has suffered a lot, I¡¯m telling you, you mustpensate us.¡±

    As soon as she heard this, Bai Ju became anxious and approached Zhang Jie, grabbing her and saying, ¡°Sister-inw, we need to be reasonable about this. Our Xiaocui isn¡¯t a troublemaker, it¡¯s clear that¡­¡±

    ¡°Clear what? So our child isn¡¯t a troublemaker but yours is, is that what you¡¯re implying? Bai Ju, I¡¯m telling you, you have to be responsible for what you say. Be careful, I¡¯ll sue you. I¡¯ll report you to the leaders of the factory. I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s nobody who will take our side.¡± Zhang Jie impatiently cut Bai Ju off, intent on cing the me on Bai Ju¡ªwho was an easy target.

    ¡°Sister-inw! Sister-inw, listen to me. We can¡¯t let this reach the factory. It¡¯s just a small issue between the kids, there¡¯s no need to blow it up. I¡­¡± Bai Ju didn¡¯t want to cause trouble in the factory, she was just a temporary worker! The work had been offered out of pity for her by a neighbor considering her family¡¯s difficult situation. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have wanted her even as a temp worker.

    If something as trivial as this was taken to the factory, leaders might get annoyed with her and stop letting her work. Her family depended on her ie and that of her husband, He Wang. Without work, they¡¯d be doomed in the town without anynd, they might starve.

    When He Wang¡¯s family divided their assets, He Wang had protected her and the children, leaving with nothing to his name to work odd jobs in the town.

    ¡°Enough talk! Just tell me whether you¡¯re paying or not,¡± Zhang Jie threatened with glee, knowing Bai Ju was afraid of this. How could a temp workerpare with her, a permanent employee? That was precisely why she felt so bold.

    ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± Bai Ju knew Zhang Jie was a bully! But what could she do? She was a temp worker and couldn¡¯t afford to lose her job.

    ¡°We¡¯re not paying!¡± Bai Xiao stepped forward, pulling Bai Ju away and answered decisively.

    Zhang Jie was taken aback, ¡°Who are you? Do you have the right to speak here? I was asking Bai Ju.¡± She was frustrated! This damn girl kept interfering.

    ¡°Xiao, don¡¯t speak out of turn! You don¡¯t understand this situation!¡± Bai Ju quickly tried to stop Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao gripped Bai Ju¡¯s hand, ¡°Second Sister, listen to me. This isn¡¯t a matter where stepping back gives us a wider world. You always yield when you face issues, making others think you¡¯re easy to bully. Clearly, Xiaocui was bullied, and now we have topensate the bullies? How could we endure such treatment? I refuse to believe that in this world, good people should suffer such bullying. By acting like this, you¡¯ll hurt the children.¡± She would not let Bai Ju suffer in silence, having experienced such a fate herself in the past. In this life, she could not watch her sister walk down the same path.

    ¡°Ha! Bai Ju, think it over carefully. You¡¯re just a temp worker. If I report this to your leaders, it won¡¯t be good for you. If you get fired, your whole family can go drink from the northwest wind. My man is a permanent worker, don¡¯t you forget that!¡± Zhang Jie didn¡¯t believe Bai Ju wasn¡¯t afraid.

    Bai Xiao grabbed Zhang Jie, ¡°Fine, let¡¯s go to the factory and find the leaders right now. You wanted to see the leaders, right? I want to ask if socialist country¡¯s officials protect bad people who are both bullies and cowards. I must ask if they really think it¡¯s right that someone¡¯s child hits another and then bullies the victim into paying them? Where¡¯s the justice in that? We¡¯re going to sue you, too.

    You, an adult, hitting our child¡ªhow old are you and how old is that child? You really have some nerve, being capable of such small-minded bullying. We demand an exnation. Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go. I refuse to believe that in a socialist society, such evil will be tolerated, and that the factory would allow children from permanent worker¡¯s families to bully those from temp worker¡¯s families. I can¡¯t believe such injustice. Come on!¡± She pulled Zhang Jie, ready to go.

 Chapter 54 - 54 54 The Way of Others

    ?Chapter 54: Chapter 54: The Way of Others   Chapter 54: Chapter 54: The Way of Others                                   Zhang Jie dared not go. The factory leaders weren¡¯t rtives of theirs, and by going, it was clear that they were the ones in the wrong. She was just bullying Bai Ju for being timid and afraid to act. If she really went, what good woulde of it for them?

    She tried hard to shake off Bai Xiao¡¯s hand, ¡°What are you tugging at me for? Mind your own business. Just because you say go, doesn¡¯t mean I will. I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯m not going!¡± She was tantly being unreasonable.

    Bai Xiao gripped her wrist firmly, ¡°Then apologize to my niece! Andpensate us for our medical expenses, the medical bills, and emotional distress¡ªor you can forget about leaving today, because you¡¯re not going anywhere.¡± His eyes were as sharp as knives.

    Zhang Jie was terrified. She often bullied others and staged idents, but this was the first time she had been caught in her own game, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it! Why should I? I won¡¯t pay, what can you do about it?¡± She was by no means a kind person and was determined not to agree.

    What a joke. To demand money from her, for what reason?

    ¡°Fine! It seems like you want to meet with the factory leaders! Let¡¯s go!¡± He pulled Zhang Jie to leave.

    Zhang Jie clung to the wall tiles, refusing to let go, ¡°I won¡¯t go! I won¡¯t go!¡±

    The boy beside her started crying out of fright, holding onto Zhang Jie tightly, ¡°Mommy, mommy, I¡¯m scared, sister, we were wrong, it was me who hit He Cuicui, I was the one who did wrong, I shouldn¡¯t have stolen He Cuicui¡¯s things! It¡¯s my fault! Don¡¯t drag my mom away!¡±

    Bai Xiao released Zhang Jie in an instant, and she copsed to the ground, clutching her son tightly, ¡°Don¡¯t cry! Don¡¯t cry, everything¡¯s fine!¡±

    ¡°Xiao, let it be, it¡¯s too much¡­¡± Bai Ju couldn¡¯t bear it! It was heart-wrenching to watch.

    Bai Xiao shook his head, no wonder Zhang Jie dared to be so arrogant. With such a temper, he really was no different from himself in his past life.

    ¡°We can¡¯t let it be! Today they beat up your child and even tried to make you pay for it; if we let it slide, tomorrow they might feel bold enough toe to your house and take things directly aspensation. If adults don¡¯t set an example, children will just follow their lead! Then you might as well be prepared to let them trample all over you. I refuse to believe that the factory is owned by her family. I really want to see if the factory leaders will deal with such morally corrupt, truth-twisting family members, and to see if such a person can still work in the factory.¡± Bai Xiao didn¡¯t want his sister to be like she was in her past life, enduring everything until it became synonymous with weakness and being easily bullied! It¡¯s not true that if you give way, others will reciprocate. There are plenty of people who would take advantage of kindness and push you even further.

    Bai Xiao knew all too well that sometimes, being a shrew could get you farther than being kind, generous, and meek. Being nice might just invite others to walk all over you, while standing up for yourself often makes life much happier.

    At this point, Zhang Jie immediately did a one-eighty with her attitude, turning to Bai Ju to plead, ¡°Bai Ju, you can¡¯t do this to us. It¡¯s hard for any family to get by. Our family relies solely on my husband¡¯s earnings. If your sister makes a fuss, you¡¯ll be driving our whole family to death. Look how young the child is. If our Old Wang loses his job, our family will have toe to your house for meals!¡±

    The only thing Bai Ju could do was to try to reassure Zhang Jie, ¡°No! My sister isn¡¯t like that. I¡¯ll talk to her, don¡¯t worry. My sister has the kindest heart, she¡¯s just speaking in anger. She definitely won¡¯t make things difficult for you!¡±

    Bai Xiao scoffed, ¡°Second sister, I¡¯m not one to mince words. If someone bullies my family, I won¡¯t stand by and watch. Just look at how Xiaocui¡¯s face was beaten. An adult with such a heart of stone. Xiaocui,e here!¡± He beckoned to Xiaocui with his hand.

    The young girl timidly walked up to Bai Xiao, looking at him curiously because she didn¡¯t recognize the fierce and strong girl who seemed to be protecting their home and her mother.

    ¡°Xiaocui, remember, we don¡¯t go looking for trouble, but we aren¡¯t afraid of it either. We don¡¯t bully others, but if others bully us, we can¡¯t back down. Even if we can¡¯t beat them, we must at least bite off a chunk of flesh and make them remember that we are not to be trificked with!¡±

    Xiaocui looked up, confused, ¡°But mom says that¡¯s not what good kids do, that we should be obedient! We can¡¯t fight with others!¡± The child didn¡¯t understand why adults spoke so differently.

    Bai Mei saw themotion and thought, what an opportunity to cause a stir! She wouldn¡¯t be living up to her role as the evil rival if she didn¡¯t take advantage of the situation.

    She burst in saying, ¡°Oh my, Bai Xiao, you really can¡¯t teach the child bad habits. Hitting others is wrong, how can you teach a child to hit? The ancients said one should convince others with virtue. It is better to reason properly; resorting to violence is ultimately incorrect.¡±

    Zhang Jie immediately echoed, ¡°That¡¯s right! The child is young; how can adults teach the child to hit others? It¡¯s no wonder, with such poor family education, that you dare to bully our Xiaobao.¡±

    Bai Xiao red at Bai Mei and said, ¡°Fine,e here!¡±

    Taken aback, Bai Mei subconsciously took two steps back, ¡°What do you want to do?¡±

    ¡°What do I want to do? Didn¡¯t you say that even if someone hits you, you shouldn¡¯t fight back? Then let us witness your virtue.¡± She took a step forward and delivered two ps, and Bai Mei¡¯s face immediately swelled up with the prints of fingers.

    ¡°You¡¯re insane! Bai Xiao! How dare you hit me!¡± Bai Mei lunged forward, attempting to tear into Bai Xiao. She had never been bullied like this in her life and found it utterly unbearable.

    Bai Xiao grabbed her wrist tightly and twisted it backwards, causing Bai Mei to cry out in pain and nearly fall to the ground.

    ¡°I did hit you! What about it? You said, how could we teach children to hit others. Since that¡¯s the case, why should you hit back after I hit you? Didn¡¯t you just preach about winning people over with virtue? What now? Can you not apply your own teachings of virtue when ites to yourself?

    So don¡¯t give me that sanctimonious nonsense. Until the pnds on oneself, one advocates for others to keep the peace; but when one gets hit, they can¡¯t wait to retaliate immediately. Therefore, let no one talk about winning with virtue or that stepping back opens a broader world. In my book, whoever hits me, I hit back. If someone speaks kindly, then I¡¯ll respond with virtue; but in the face of those who can¡¯t speak properly, it is only fair to give them a taste of their own medicine.¡±

    At this, everyone burst intoughter.

    ¡°Ah, right, I like what this girl says. We don¡¯t understand all that fancy talk; I just know that if I don¡¯t hit back when bullied, I won¡¯t feel good inside!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I call reasonable, why should anyone allow themselves to be bullied? If you dare to hit, you should have the courage to be hit back. That¡¯s satisfying.¡±

    ¡°Right! That¡¯s what I call satisfying!¡±

    ¡°Do unto others as they have done unto you! Awesome!¡±

    Everyone cheered, and Bai Mei, unable to beat Bai Xiao, was seething with rage.

    Bai Xiao waved her hand, signaling everyone to be quiet, ¡°Your child hit our Xiaocui, now you say it, how do we settle this? If you don¡¯t say anything, I have two suggestions. First, apologize to Xiaocui andpensate for the loss; second, we might as well go ask the factory management what to do about this.¡±

    She would not let this incident pass quietly. She wanted people to see that Bai Ju wasn¡¯t without protection, that she wasn¡¯t a pushover.

    This was a lesson to all.

    Zhang Jie felt a lump in her chest, caught between speaking out and the difort of remaining silent.

    But today, she had seen that this girl wasn¡¯t one to be trifled with. If she hoped to smooth things over, it simply wasn¡¯t possible.

    She smacked her son hard on the buttocks. ¡°It¡¯s all because of you, all because of you! I told you not to be greedy, told you not to steal from others, and now look what you¡¯ve done! You little bastard, are wecking food at home, or drinks? You had to go and do something like this. Now go apologize to them, or do you want them to eat us alive, mother and son?¡±

 Chapter 55 - 55 55 Not Extorting People

    ?Chapter 55: Chapter 55: Not Extorting People   Chapter 55: Chapter 55: Not Extorting People                                   Xiaobao, sobbing and covering his bottom, came up to Xiaocui and choked up, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Xiaocui, I won¡¯t snatch your things anymore!¡±

    Xiaocui, seeing Xiaobao¡¯s eyes swell from crying to the point of barely being able to open them, generously patted his head, ¡°I forgive you, just make sure you change for the better in the future.¡± Children bear no grudges.

    Xiaobao, eyes brimming with tears, nodded, ¡°I definitely won¡¯t bully you anymore!¡±

    Zhang Jie was furious, pping Xiaobao¡¯s bottom repeatedly, ¡°Are you not going? Waiting for someone to devour us!¡± Her face was as dark as the bottom of a burnt pot.

    Bai Xiao blocked her way, ¡°You think of leaving without mentioningpensation, then try and see what happens if you do leave!¡±

    It¡¯s not that she was petty or greedy! Such matters had to be dealt with decisively once they started, otherwise people would think all it took was an apology to resolve everything, thereby diminishing the value of apologies. It needed to hurt so that they would learn to avoid such behavior in the future and remember the lesson.

    Zhang Jie covered her face with her hands, considering resorting to a shrew¡¯s tactics of crying, causing a scene, or even threatening suicide to handle the situation, as apologizing was something she felt forced into. However, spending more money on Bai Ju was something she was unwilling to do.

    She could exploit others, but she couldn¡¯t stand being exploited in return.

    ¡°Just cry out, and I¡¯ll have to take my niece to the factory gate to weep. Who doesn¡¯t know how to cry? I can too. If you don¡¯t believe it, let¡¯s try ¡ª you cry here, I¡¯ll cry at the factory gate! Let¡¯s see who can bring up one, two, three reasons first to avoid feeling wronged,¡± Bai Xiao was not afraid. To deal with a shrew, you had to outdo her; otherwise, you¡¯re the one who gets hurt in the end.

    Zhang Jie¡¯s cries were suddenly stuck in her throat, neither escaping nor fully forming, choking her terribly. Yet, she had to endure, daring not to make even the slightest sound, just in case the young madam actually went through with it ¡ª she¡¯d rather die than face that, as her whole family depended on Wang¡¯s monthly sry. She had no capacity to stir up trouble.

    Trouble would only bring misery to the whole family, who would really be left to face the northwest wind.

    ¡°So, what will you do?¡±

    Bai Xiao¡¯s demeanor made the surrounding people hesitant to say anything about reconciling, as she had just given a stern lesson to another with moral righteousness. If provoked again, this young woman truly dared to follow through, and it wasn¡¯t their family matter to interfere with! Who needed the trouble of dealing with such a shrew?

    Just as Bai Xiao said, this moment showcased the strength and advantages of being a shrew, indeed deterring everyone! Everyone immediately assumed a hands-off attitude, which also represented a stance of not wanting to get involved with such matters, thereby further isting Zhang Jie who thought people did not sympathize with her.

    Without a single word of support, Zhang Jie felt she could die of grief. But now, she dared not cry, not letting out even a peep, bitterly resenting how she had such bad luck today to have encountered this fierce girl ¡ª truly a shrew to outdo all shrews, and she, Zhang Jie, was definitely outmatched.

    ¡°Speak up!¡± Bai Xiao grew impatient dealing with Zhang Jie in front of so many people, but that didn¡¯t mean she was going to let the matter slide lightly.

    Bai Ju tugged at her sister¡¯s sleeve. With so many watching, they couldn¡¯t pressure someone to death.

    But just as she opened her mouth to speak, Bai Xiao¡¯s sharp re made her retract her words. Her sister had always been more timid than her, and seeing her suddenly be so assertive startled Bai Ju.

    A twinge of pain in her heart ¡ª Bai Xiao must have been having a tough time at her uncle¡¯s house recently. Otherwise, someone who ordinarily couldn¡¯t hurt a fly was now acting so fiercely, like a wolf ready to pounce.

    ¡°Then you tell us!¡± After muttering to herself about her terrible luck for the past generations, Zhang Jie finally spoke up. With so many onlookers, she couldn¡¯t just not respond.

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°Alright, since you¡¯ve asked me to speak, my niece isn¡¯t the type to falsely use or extort others. Our family has run out of coal briquettes. Have your mane over when he is resting and make five hundred pieces of briquettes for us, and we¡¯ll consider it settled withbor for the debt. If you find that inappropriate, we can settle with money, no objections from us!¡±

    ¡°Agreed, agreed! Sure, let¡¯s settle it with my husband making five hundred briquettes for your family!¡± Zhang Jie eagerly agreed the moment she heard it. It was just a matter ofbor, which involved no money. Nowadays, who doesn¡¯t make their own briquettes? Mixing y and coal g, everyone molded their own briquettes ¡ª it was hardly worth anything.

    Zhang Jie felt truly relieved by that, it seemed that Bai Ju¡¯s family was quite respectable. People were trying to extort money from them; otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have resorted to such a method. Now, she was somewhat convinced, realizing they just wanted an exnation.

    She had misunderstood.

    ¡°Alright then,e over some day! We won¡¯t keep everyone here to watch the drama anymore, let¡¯s all hurry back and cook!¡± Bai Xiao said, shooing people away while still not having seen enough of the excitement.

    The crowd then all caught on. That¡¯s right! They still had pots on their stoves at home.

    They scattered all at once.

    Many people pondered, it looked like Bai Ju¡¯s younger sister wasn¡¯t a bad person; she was just forthright but made sense, especially with thepensation she mentioned. Who in the neighborhood could object to that?

    Just one look, and you knew they were seeking an exnation, more for respect than taking advantage.

    ¡°Bai Ju has a really tough younger sister!¡±

    ¡°Bai Ju can truly hold her head high now with such a sister to stand by her! Who would dare to mess with her?¡±

    ¡°I am actually envious of Bai Ju, I wish I had a younger sister who would stand up for me like she does; I¡¯d be happy too.¡±

    The people gradually left.

    Zhang Jie, with Xiaobao by her side, also showed a smile. At this moment, thepensation didn¡¯t feel so bad, and she cheerfully said her goodbyes, ¡°Bai Ju, I¡¯ll be taking off. I¡¯ll have your elder brothere over in the next couple of days to help out! Get your materials ready, and we¡¯ll make sure everything is sorted.¡±

    Bai Ju actually felt embarrassed, ¡°Thank you then, brother-inw and sister-inw. Look at the fuss this has caused!¡±

    Zhang Jie nced at Bai Xiao as she walked away with the child.

    She dared not stay in this ce any longer; this woman was not someone to be trifled with.

    Once the crowd dispersed, Bai Ju quickly pulled Bai Xiao along, ¡°Xiao, let¡¯s go home, quick!¡±

    Xiaocui, holding onto Bai Xiao, asked, ¡°Mom, is this my auntie?¡±

    Bai Ju said with a smile, ¡°Yes, this is your auntie! Haven¡¯t you always wanted to meet her? Now you have!¡±

    Xiaocui, gleefully holding onto Bai Xiao, was overjoyed. Her auntie was the coolest, having such an auntie was simply awesome.

    The child was so attached she wouldn¡¯t let go, loving her newly met auntie to the bones.

    Bai Mei huffed in annoyance, feeling utterly ignored by everyone.

    She could only follow grudgingly, carrying her bags as she entered the door of Bai Ju¡¯s house.

 Chapter 56 - 56 56 Cleaning

    ?Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Cleaning   Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Cleaning                                   Bai Xiao led Xiaocui into the house, her heart filled with a pang of sourness.

    This is Second Sister¡¯s home.

    The exterior might look presentable, but the furniture inside is all old and chipped from years of use without any recement, which is quite surprising considering her brother-inw is a carpenter! He doesn¡¯t even make furniture for his own home.

    Not to mention the musty smell in the house, coupled with a foul and murky odor. Plus, there are clothes piled up on the floor and a basin, clearly, Bai Ju was just about to do theundry.

    Bai Ju saw them and, feeling a bit embarrassed, pushed the items aside and hastily ushered Bai Xiao further inside.

    ¡°Come, into the back room, this is my brother-inw He Weng, and this is my little sister Bai Xiao! Bai Mei from my brother-inw¡¯s family.¡±

    In the dimly lit middle room, a youth in tattered clothes sat propped up on the bed, his face a pale color not from sunlight but an unhealthy pallor. His eyes were filled with gloom and shrinkage, and he awkwardly pulled the nket over his legs, gesturing towards the inner room without saying a word.

    He Weng probably didn¡¯t interact with people often and didn¡¯t even know the basics of socializing, likely a very self-conscious person.

    ¡°Hello,¡± greeted Bai Xiao lightly, not wanting to make He Weng feel uneasy, and then she followed Bai Ju into the inner room.

    Bai Mei simply walked away with a look of disdain on her face.

    Only then did Bai Xiao see that the inner room, in contrast, was bright, with arge window, and beneath it, against the wall, was arge bed along with two smaller beds close together. There was also arge wardrobe against the wall, which, upon closer inspection, also revealed its age with its mottled appearance.

    The once pinkish walls were now covered with stains and ckened by soot and grime from the chimney.

    Bai Ju invited Bai Xiao and Bai Mei to sit down, ¡°Take a seat, it¡¯s right around noon, I¡¯ll go prepare lunch! Since you all are here today, I¡¯m going to cut some meat! We¡¯ll make dumplings for us to eat. I can¡¯t neglect our family¡¯s girls.¡± Bai Ju was delighted in her heart; her little sister had never visited before, and this was her first timeing over.

    Bai Mei finally breathed a sigh of relief and sat on Bai Ju¡¯s bed. Although the house looked rundown, Bai Ju had cleaned it thoroughly, which made it quitefortable.

    ¡°Sis, I¡¯m starving to death!¡± Bai Mei whined, finally able to rx.

    Bai Ju fumbled in the cupboard for a while before managing to find two dors which she then prepared to tuck into her bosom and leave.

    But Bai Xiao caught her arm, ¡°Second Sister, there¡¯s no need to go out. Whatever we have at home is fine to eat. We are sisters, and if you treat me like a guest, I will be upset!¡± Just now, Bai Xiao had seen that the handkerchief Second Sister was carrying only had a few scattered bills in it! Most of them were small notes and coins. Looking at those worn bills, she knew her sister must have been saving them for who knows how long, yet because of her visit, she was ready to generously buy meat to treat her.

    With a push, Bai Ju brushed off her hand and said with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re my sister, and it¡¯s rare for you to visit. If I don¡¯t buy some meat, I won¡¯t feel right about it. If you want your sister to feel bad her whole life, then stop me. Besides, our family needs to eat too. Let¡¯s treat it like New Year¡¯s.¡±

    She took off her apron, dusted the dirt from her clothes, and then stepped out.

    Xiaocui instantly bit her fingernail, a smile blooming on her little face. She must have heard about the meat and felt happy. She quietly tugged on Bai Xiao¡¯s hand and asked, ¡°Auntie, can youe to visit us more often next time?¡±

    Her eager expression amused Bai Xiao.

    She touched Xiaocui¡¯s slightly yellowed hair and asked, ¡°Why?¡±

    Leaning against Bai Xiao¡¯s legs, Xiaocui replied, ¡°There¡¯s meat to eat!¡±

    Bai Xiao was amused and saddened at the same time, finding it both distressing and funny.

    Bai Mei had already slumped onto the bed, almost falling asleep, when Bai Xiao came over and kicked her.

    Bai Mei nearly exploded with anger, but seeing it was Bai Xiao, she didn¡¯t dare to act out and was visibly furious, ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Go fetch water!¡±

    Bai Mei red, ¡°Why should I?¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t go, you can leave right now. This ce doesn¡¯t feed freeloaders. You want free meals, there¡¯s none here!¡± Bai Xiao rolled up her sleeves, put on an apron, and headed straight to the room outside. She opened the window, lifted the door curtain, and the room was immediately flooded with light.

    ¡°We¡¯re here as guests!¡± Bai Mei didn¡¯t want to get out of bed since she was dead tired from the journey.

    Bai Xiao red back, ¡°You really think of yourself as a guest! Have some shame. Get moving and fetch the water, or do you think I won¡¯t throw you out right now? Don¡¯t even dream of getting a bite to eat!¡± She had no intention of indulging Bai Mei, especially with Bai Mei¡¯s ulterior motives so apparent¡ªwho did she think she was fooling?

    Had it not been for the tiny bit of scheming from Bai Mei, she wouldn¡¯t have bothered with her at all.

    ¡°So what will you do?¡± grumbled Bai Mei as she reluctantly climbed out of bed.

    Bai Xiao had already filled the basin on the ground with water and sat down with the washing board and a small stool, pointing at the clothes, ¡°Why don¡¯t you wash these then? I¡¯ll fetch the water!¡±

    Bai Mei looked at the pile, weighing her options. There were quite a few clothes on the ground, including the bed sheets and quilts that had just been stripped and needed washing. It was no small task, and Bai Mei red with frustration. Bai Xiao just couldn¡¯t sit still even when she came here.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know the way. Who knows where to fetch water? Maybe when Bai Ju sisteres back, I¡¯ll ask her first, then I¡¯ll go!¡± Bai Mei had a nice n. Once Bai Ju was back, she would ask her, and surely Bai Ju wouldn¡¯t let her fetch water. Just like that, she¡¯d have avoided the task.

    ¡°Xiaocui! Come here, your aunt has a task for you!¡±

    The moment Xiaocui heard her aunt calling, she immediately ran out. Today, in Xiaocui¡¯s eyes, her aunt was the most formidable person.

    ¡°Can you take this aunt to fetch water? You know where to do it, right?¡± Bai Xiao figured that despite Xiaocui being only six or seven years old, a poor person¡¯s child grows up fast and couldn¡¯t possibly be unaware of such things.

    Xiaocui nodded her head, ¡°I know! I will take Auntie there!¡±

    Bai Mei knew that there was no way out. Bai Xiao would not let her off the hook, so she hung her head in defeat and followed Xiaocui, bucket in hand, to fetch water.

    Bai Xiao worked efficiently and soon had all the clothes, including the quilt covers and linings, washed out of therge basin. Compared to the work she did in her past life, this was a piece of cake. She rinsed everything thoroughly with water, much to Bai Mei¡¯s annoyance, who watched the water she just fetched quickly drain away.

    But she couldn¡¯t argue with Bai Xiao and could only stomp off with her bucket.

    Bai Xiao took the clothes outside to hang up. She had noticed that every household had a clothesline set up next to their small kitchen entryway, making it obvious that the clothesline outside a door belonged to that house.

    After hanging up all the clothes, Bai Ju was seen returning with a piece of meat and a bunch of chives. Seeing Bai Xiao hanging clothes, she couldn¡¯t help butin, ¡°Youe to your sister¡¯s house and still do these chores? At home, grandma and your uncle must have never let you rest. Over here at my ce, you rest well. I won¡¯t let you work anymore, did you hear me?¡± She felt sorry for her little sister.

    She was well aware of the adage, ¡°one must bow to the roof over their head,¡± and she knew all too well how her sister fared at her uncle and grandmother¡¯s house.

 Chapter 57 - 57 57 Complaint

    ?Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Comint   Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Comint                                   Bai Xiao took the chives from Bai Ju¡¯s hand, ¡°Second sister, I¡¯m your little sister, no need to be so formal with me. We are family after all, and moreover, I no longer live with grandma and my young uncle.¡±

    She took a stool and sat under the eaves to sort the chives, that¡¯s how it is in the row houses, each household working in their yards, everyone can see what others are doing.

    Bai Ju was startled and quickly asked, ¡°Was it grandma, did your young uncle kick you out? It¡¯s just like grandma to do that, after we eat, I¡¯ll go back with you. We need to talk it through with her, we can¡¯t just let you, a young girl, live alone, what if something happens.¡± She thought Bai Xiao had been driven out by her grandmother.

    Bai Xiaoughed, ¡°Second sister, go ahead and start chopping the meat! It wasn¡¯t grandma who kicked me out, I chose to leave. Anyway, at grandma and my young uncle¡¯s ce, I ate the least and worked the most. You all even give grandma money every month, why bother? It¡¯s better I live on my own, happily and freely.¡±

    She knew Bai Ju would say this and hurriedly exined.

    In the kitchen, as Bai Ju chopped the meat, her brows furrowed, ¡°Just endure it a bit more; I know grandma and your young uncle are not good to you, but still, it¡¯s better to have adults around to prevent those hoodlums from taking advantage, I know you¡¯re suffering. Once you get into university, everything will be better,¡± she asked, poking her head out.

    ¡°Right, I was actually going to call the vige to ask how your exams went, but I¡¯ve been so busy. Your brother-inw has been at Liuban Slope making furniture for someone, and he¡¯s been gone for over a month now. He should be back in a few days, and I¡¯ve been busy managing everything inside and outside the house, everyone¡¯s waiting to be fed, so I haven¡¯t managed to call you.¡±

    Bai Xiao, smiling, walked to the doorway of Bai Ju¡¯s kitchen with the chives, ¡°Second sister, I got into university, Aerospace Military University, even further north from here!¡±

    Bai Ju¡¯s knife stopped suddenly, she lifted her eyes to Bai Xiao, ¡°Really?¡± Joy filled her eyes.

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°It couldn¡¯t be truer!¡±

    Bai Ju, holding the knife, lunged towards Bai Xiao! She wanted to embrace her sister tightly, the past four years of hardship were finally not in vain, as long as Bai Xiao could get into university, their parents¡¯st wishes would all be fulfilled, even if she died now, she would have lived up to their parents below.

    Bai Xiao quickly pointed at Bai Ju and eximed, ¡°Sister, sister, put down the knife first, you¡¯re being very dangerous!¡±

    Only then did Bai Ju realize, embarrassedly dropping the knife, she hugged Bai Xiao tightly, kissing her cheek twice.

    ¡°I always knew you had it in you to study, our parents weren¡¯t wrong about you, you take after mom, it would be a waste if you didn¡¯t read,¡± Bai Ju was blissfully forgetful.

    Bai Xiao was taken aback, ¡°How do I take after our mom? Our mom couldn¡¯t recognize a single word.¡± An idea began to form in her mind; it seemed her sister Bai Ju knew about her origins, even who her real mother was.

    Bai Ju went silent, her face suddenly paling, stuttering, ¡°I mean¡­ I was saying¡­ your cleverness¡­ Yes! You got your smarts from our mom,¡± she brushed it off and darted back into the kitchen, picking up her knife to continue chopping the meat.

    ¡°Oh, so my clevernesses from our mom?¡± Bai Xiao didn¡¯t press further, her sister must be hiding it for her sake, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t keep it from her.

    Either her parents were disgraceful, or they had abandoned her, which was why her siblings and parents had always kept it from her.

    She absolutely wouldn¡¯t believe her sister was hiding it to harm her, because her elder brother and two sisters were not those kind of people.

    In her previous life, for her sake, none of the three had a good end. If there had been malice, it simply didn¡¯t make sense.

    The two moved quickly, Bai Xiao was adept at household chores, having handled all the household chores both at the Bai Family and the Fang Family in her previous life, she was skilled in managing everything from the inside out.

    She had nothing to do with eating the dumplings, but she was the one who made all of them.

    As two people were working, a boy and a girl burst in, curiously staring at Bai Xiao. She instantly knew who they were.

    These were Bai Ju¡¯s other two children. Although family nning was in ce, it had started in the eighties, and these two were already twelve and ten years old. Both were carrying backpacks and had juste back from school. In that era, which family didn¡¯t have several children, even if just to strengthen the workforce?

    The older one was a boy, and the younger was a girl.

    However, it was evident that the girl resembled Bai Ju more, with a delicate beauty about her, while the boy looked simple and honest. Yet, like Xiaocui, both children were dark and thin, theirplexion slightly sallow, clearly suffering from long-term malnutrition.

    The two kids, with their curious dark eyes, nced at Bai Xiao and then set down their backpacks.

    One started sweeping inside and outside the house, and wiping down surfaces and taking out the trash.

    The girl had already rolled up her sleeves, washed her hands, and came over to help them make the dumplings.

    Seeing the children, Bai Ju immediately smiled, showing a loving smile that perhaps all mothers have when they see their children, a sense of love emanating genuinely from the heart.

    ¡°Xiao, this is He Huanhuan, and the one over there is your elder nephew, He Qingsheng. Huan, this is your aunt who came especially to see you today,¡± Bai Ju beamed as she introduced them.

    Upon hearing this, He Huanhuan¡¯s face showed little joy, but rather an expression of dislike.

    Bai Xiao was taken aback. The child was only ten and, in theory, they had never met before and shouldn¡¯t have any quarrels, but this immediate dislike seemed a very natural reaction which meant the child didn¡¯t harbor good feelings towards his aunt.

    ¡°Huan, your aunt got epted into university. You and your brother should learn from her and also get into a university so you can make your mom proud. If our family could have two college students, your mom would die happy!¡± said Bai Ju happily.

    He Huanhuan suddenly widened his eyes, but the look in his eyes wasn¡¯t one of surprise or shock, but rather anger and sadness.

    ¡°You still want me and my brother to attend college, but our family, because of the living expenses sent to you each month, is living like this now; we can¡¯t even eat enough. If the two of us got into college, what would you use to support us? Do you and dad want to work yourselves to death?¡± The angry words finally made Bai Xiao understand the source of his dislike.

    It was perhaps understandable. For a family that was raising three children and had one bedridden patient, the parents¡¯ earnings were probably just enough to survive, let alone support another burden; no wonder the kids deeply resented her.

    Bai Xiao patted her hands, knocking off the flour, ¡°Huan, don¡¯t worry. Your mom supported your aunt for four years, and in these years, she suffered a lot for my sake. But now that your aunt has been epted into university, the tuition and living expenses will be covered by the school. From now on, it¡¯s your aunt¡¯s turn to support you and your brother to attend school, and your sister too. As long as you study hard and get into college, your aunt will definitely support you.¡±

    The child obviously softened upon hearing this, his face slightly shy, but his stubborn mouth said nothing.

    Just as Bai Ju realized her daughter had earlier been angry with her aunt, she was about to scold He Huanhuan when someone entered from outside.

    ¡°Oh, making dumplings, huh? You knew I wasing back today.¡±

    Bai Xiao¡¯s brother-inw, He Wang, had returned.

 Chapter 58 - 58 58 Uncovering

    ?Chapter 58: Chapter 58 Uncovering   Chapter 58: Chapter 58 Uncovering                                   He Huanhuan immediately pounced on her father and hugged him.

    ¡°Dad, you¡¯re back!¡±

    He Wang hugged his daughter back,ughing heartily. Then he saw that there was an outsider present and swiftly put the child down, chuckling as he rubbed his own head.

    Bai Xiao watched this scene, moved. She had once experienced simr moments, but sadly, her adoptive father had passed away early, leaving her without such tender care since she was fourteen.

    Such moments had be a luxury.

    Bai Ju, with her apron on, pulled He Wang into the yard to dust off the dirt from his clothes, ¡°Look at you, not tidying yourself up at all. I knew you¡¯d be back these few days, but I didn¡¯t expect you to arrive home today.¡± Although she was scolding, her tone softened considerablypared to before. Bai Xiao could clearly hear the tenderness in it.

    He Wang took the apron from her hands and started to pat off the dirt himself, smiling as he exined, ¡°The family I was working for finished early, and I was eager, thinking about you taking care of the whole family by yourself, so I tried to get back earlier. Who is this? Do we have a guest?¡±

    It was clear to her that her brother-inw was a kind and considerate man.

    Bai Ju quickly pulled Bai Xiao over. Bai Xiao didn¡¯t need her sister to introduce her and straightforwardly greeted, ¡°Brother-inw, I¡¯m Bai Xiao!¡±

    He Wang burst intoughter, ¡°Ah, it¡¯s Xiao! You¡¯ve grown up so much. I¡¯ve only seen you once when you were six. Now, you¡¯ve be a youngdy. Your sister always talks about you, saying that our Xiao is good at this, good at that. She said you will definitely get into university. You are the only ¡®educated person¡¯ in our family.¡±

    Bai Xiao smiled; she actually couldn¡¯t remember what her brother-inw looked like. Trying to remember things from when she was six was impossible.

    ¡°Brother-inw, go wash up, and have a seat inside. My sister and I will finish cooking the dumplings soon, and they will be ready to eat.¡±

    The brother-inw didn¡¯t have a single word ofint about her; at a nce, she knew he was an honest and simple man, naive and sincere. He must be her sister¡¯s happiness.

    Thinking about the situation of the family, Bai Xiao decided that she had to help improve her sister¡¯s household. No matter what, she couldn¡¯t let her sister and brother-inw suffer anymore because of her. If possible, she would find a way to cure her younger uncle, adding anotherborer to the family, so life wouldn¡¯t be so difficult.

    Actually, Bai Ju and her husband would have had afortable life in town if it weren¡¯t for Bai Xiao and the young uncle. A family of five could have livedfortably. However, with the two burdens, not only did they have to support Bai Xiao, but they also had to pay for their young uncle¡¯s medical treatments. Moreover, Bai Ju¡¯s young uncle was bedridden. A bedridden person doesn¡¯t just need medical care; they need someone to take care of all their personal hygiene. It¡¯s not as simple as just feeding them. Bai Xiao understood that Bai Ju looked older than her age because the family had too many burdens.

    So she was going to change all of that. Although she didn¡¯t have any significant skills, she wanted to give her sister a different future.

    He Wang agreed and went to fetch water to wash his face.

    Bai Mei had alreadye back. Seeing the family chattering andughing, Bai Mei couldn¡¯t vent the anger in her stomach.

    She ced the bucket heavily inside the house¡ªfortunately, she had not yet said anything unpleasant. Perhaps it was because He Wang had returned, or maybe because it was the first time she saw a stranger, Bai Mei didn¡¯t dare to be too reckless.

    On the other side, the dumplings were ready. He Qingsheng moved a small table into the inner room, and the three kids were busy moving small stools around, even bringing out the bowl for smashing garlic with vinegar.

    Bai Xiao put tworge bowls of dumplings on the table, then brought a bowl to He Weng, who was lying on the kang bed. He Weng thanked her quietly.

    This person is too timid.

    Bai Ju pushed Bai Xiao to go in and eat dumplings, she was fine with cooking; Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t agree.

    The two cooked the dumplings before bringing them over together.

    Bai Mei had already eaten alone until her stomach was round and had gone to rest on a chair to the side.

    Bai Xiao almost wanted to hit someone, Bai Mei was too unreasonable, out of the tworge bowls of dumplings, she ate a whole bowl by herself, while the three kids shared the other one, having no self-awareness of being a guest in someone else¡¯s home.

    As Bai Ju and Bai Xiao brought out the dumplings, Bai Mei¡¯s eyes lit up; she hadn¡¯t really let herself go eating yet.

    The pork and chive dumplings were so delicious, and the meat with its mix of fat and lean, greasy and sulent in the mouth, one bite and the taste of oil burst forth. Bai Mei couldn¡¯t eat like this at her own house, you see, even if the family was improving their living standards, Bai Shan and Bai Zhuang were always served first. Sure, they gave her some, but it was limited, she couldn¡¯t just eat as much as she wanted.

    She couldn¡¯t help but shift her feet, wanting to sit closer to the table. Bai Xiao nced at her and Bai Mei red up, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, won¡¯t let me eat now? I did what I was asked, I got water. Bai Ju, isn¡¯t this unreasonable?¡±

    Bai Ju hurriedly tried to smooth things over. ¡°Xiao, don¡¯t be like this. Bai Mei, go ahead and eat! If you¡¯re not full, feel free to eat all you like. Being at my house is like being at your own.¡±

    Bai Mei picked up her chopsticks, but Bai Xiao snatched them away and smacked them down on the table.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, you¡¯re an adult, have some shame. This isn¡¯t your house. If you want to eat your fill, go back to your own ce. This is my sister¡¯s house, and no one invited you. Coming to someone else¡¯s house empty-handed and having the nerve to eat till your stomach bursts,¡± she wouldn¡¯t tolerate Bai Mei¡¯s behavior.

    Besides, she wanted to infuriate Bai Mei.

    Bai Mei nearly flipped the table over but for Bai Xiao¡¯s quick reflexes. Her hands pressed down on the table firmly, preventing Bai Mei from overturning it.

    So it was that Bai Mei, pointing at Bai Xiao¡¯s nose, yelled, ¡°Bai Xiao, I¡¯ve tolerated you for a long time. Do you even have the cheek to say this is your sister¡¯s house? The Bai Family has nothing to do with you, you¡¯re just a foundling, reaping benefits without contributing, and still throwing your weight around. Let me tell you, out of everyone in this room, you¡¯re the one with the least right to eat!¡±

    These words brought silence to the room.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes shone like stars in the ck night, dark and lustrous as if stained with ink, ¡°Bai Mei, don¡¯t spout nonsense, who would believe that?¡±

    Inside her was a fiercely burning me, ready to unveil her own past.

    Bai Mei continued her rant, but Bai Ju covered her mouth, ¡°Bai Mei, stop babbling nonsense! You can¡¯t just say anything. You all don¡¯t want to live peacefully anymore, huh? These pork dumplings can¡¯t even shut your mouths. Everyone, calm down and eat.¡±

    Bai Mei struggled against Bai Ju¡¯s restraint, pointing at Bai Xiao, ¡°Bai Ju, let me tell you, Bai Xiao is not your family¡¯s child. Grandma said Bai Xiao¡¯s real mother died giving birth to her, that she brought death to her uncle and aunt too. It¡¯s best if you stay away from her, lest she brings death to your own three as well. Grandma called her a jinx; anyone whoes in contact gets unlucky.

    You treat her like a real sister, but she is definitely not the child of your uncle and aunt. She is a child that was picked up.¡±

    Finally, these words were out.

 Chapter 59 - 59 59 Unveiling (Part 2)

    ?Chapter 59: Chapter 59: Unveiling (Part 2)   Chapter 59: Chapter 59: Unveiling (Part 2)                                   Bai Xiaoughed, starting softly but eventually bursting into loudughter. Tears streamed down her face as sheughed at the unpredictability of life, knowing that the secret of her life was finally about to be revealed.

    Bai Ju embraced Bai Xiao tightly and shook her, saying, ¡°Xiao, don¡¯t listen to Bai Mei¡¯s nonsense. You are our parents¡¯ child, you are my real sister. She is talking nonsense, you can¡¯t believe her words!¡± She was anxious and worried, but her strength was immense¡ªit was a moment when this older sister truly meant to protect her.

    Just as she had always protected her in the past.

    Bai Mei became frantic, as things weren¡¯t going as she had imagined at all.

    Wasn¡¯t it supposed that once Bai Ju knew this piece of information, she would drive out this child who was picked up from the streets?

    ¡°Bai Ju, it¡¯s true, I secretly heard grandmother and my father talking about it, saying that Bai Xiao is a child left behind by a sent-down youth in the vige, and her mother died in childbirth,¡± said Bai Mei, bringing up witnesses topletely crush Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao gripped Bai Ju¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°Second sister, I believe this. These years, I know how grandma, uncle, and his family have treated me. Countless times, I¡¯vein next to that pigsty in that stinky room, truly wondering if I am actually a biological child of the Bai family. Otherwise, why would grandma and uncle treat me this way?¡±

    Bai Ju was startled, ¡°No, Xiao, listen to your sister¡ª¡±

    ¡°Sister, stop, what Bai Mei said is true!¡± Seeing her second sister still wanting to protect her ardently, Bai Xiao was unsurprisingly moved.

    This was the sister and family who had truly shown her sisterly affection in a previous life.

    Feeling victorious, Bai Mei pulled Bai Ju away from Bai Xiao, ¡°Look, Bai Xiao believes it, second sister, you have to believe that I¡¯m telling the truth. Bai Xiao really isn¡¯t one of our Bai family members; you can¡¯t be so foolish, devoting yourself heart and soul to raising an ingrate¡ªthat¡¯s what fools do.¡± She wanted to rify the boundaries between Bai Ju and Bai Xiao.

    He Wang saw this and knew trouble was brewing, so he quickly ushered the children out of the room, as these words were not suitable for them to hear.

    ¡°Bai Mei, get out, we don¡¯t want you here, leave right now!¡± Bai Ju roared, almost startling Bai Mei into a shiver.

    Bai Ju was pushing her toward the door, and Bai Mei became desperate.

    ¡°Second sister, what are you doing? I am your sister, she has no rtion to you, how can you not distinguish between insiders and outsiders? We are the real family! Now you are just turning your back on us!¡±

    Bai Ju¡¯s strength was immense; she hadn¡¯t put this much effort into her earlier argument with Zhang Jie, but now she seemed unstoppable, nearly causing Bai Mei¡¯s neck to twist in anger.

    Bai Xiao grabbed Bai Ju¡¯s wrist tightly, ¡°Sister, let her speak. I need to know whose child I am?¡±

    Bai Ju looked into Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes, seeing a coldness that chilled her to the bone and broke her heart. They had always kept the secret, partly because they feared she couldn¡¯t handle the truth and also because they promised their own parents they would never reveal it, and to love Bai Xiao as a real sister. Now, Bai Mei, careless and ignorant, had exposed it, and if Bai Xiao became distressed or thought too much about it, how could they stand it?

    ¡°Xiao, listen to your sister¡ª¡±

    Bai Xiao tightened her grip on Bai Ju¡¯s wrist, ¡°Sister, a wound must be opened to drain the pus, even if you suppress this matter today. I will goter and ask the Women¡¯s Director Wang Meihua to rify it. As long as someone knows the truth, it will eventuallye out. It definitely cannot be concealed.¡±

    Bai Ju was just afraid Bai Xiao would think too much, and then the situation would really be unmanageable.

    Bai Mei abruptly pulled Bai Ju aside, ¡°Sister, see, I told you it¡¯s a white-eyed wolf. The moment she heard she wasn¡¯t their own child by birth, she immediately wanted to know about her biological parents. If you¡¯re not born from the same womb, you don¡¯t share the same heart. Now you understand who really is your sister. I truly care about you to spare you the suffering of toiling away for others, raising a daughter for them. Look at the life you¡¯re living.

    If it wasn¡¯t for taking care of Bai Xiang and supporting her education, tell me, would your life have needed to be like this? Anyway, she also wants to know, and she¡¯s hardened her wings to go find her biological father.¡±

    Bai Xiao immediately understood that her biological mother was dead and her father was probably still alive, otherwise Bai Mei wouldn¡¯t have said such a thing.

    ¡°Bai Mei, you don¡¯t need to stir up trouble here, your words don¡¯t affect me. Have you forgotten that I am someone who has died once? What else could I possibly fear? Just say it outright!¡±

    Bai Ju heard this and asked Bai Xiao, ¡°What do you mean you¡¯ve died once? What do you mean you¡¯ve died once? Tell your sister clearly what exactly happened to you?¡±

    Bai Xiao realized she had slipped, but if she didn¡¯t speak, Bai Ju would still worry about her capacity to endure, so she spoke.

    ¡°Sister, a few days ago, when you told me to go with our aunt¡¯s sister-inw to work in the city, they beat me half to death when I refused. The next day, when I woke up hungry, I had to cook some noodle soup for myself and even added two eggs. Grandma used me of freeloading, so I said you and my older brother and sister all gave her living expenses already, and I wanted to move back to our family¡¯s old house.

    Grandma told me if I dared to ask her for money to move back to the old house, she would die right in front of me, and I should forget about ever going to university. I remember grasping Grandma, wanting to jump into the reservoir, but she pushed me into it. I nearly drowned, but luckily, there were People¡¯s Liberation Army soldiers training nearby, and a camp director saved me.

    Otherwise, none of you might see me anymore. So even now, whatever you tell me, I can endure it. I¡¯ve died once, took a tour around the King of Hell¡¯s pce, there¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t endure.¡± This was also to reassure Bai Ju.

    Bai Ju, hearing this, hugged her sister tightly, heartbroken, ¡°Grandma, how could our uncle do this? Your brother and our oldest sister, the three of us each give Grandma neen dors every month. Despite how hard or difficult it is, we never skimped on giving her the money, all because we were afraid you would suffer. But how could Grandma do this?

    If something happened to you, how could I live on, sister? One day when I go below, I won¡¯t even have the face to meet our parents. Our parents made it very clear before they left us: as long as we three are alive and breathing, we must support your education, as long as you can continue, we will definitely support you.¡± Seeing the stubborn and resolute expression on her sister¡¯s face, she suddenly understood where her sister¡¯s change came from.

    When a person is driven to a dead end, even a cornered rabbit will bite, let alone a living person.

    It¡¯s no wonder Bai Xiao handled the situation just now so aggressively, meeting hostility with hostility. The once taciturn and shy sister had suddenly be articte and sharp, incisive to a fault, revealing an untold backstory.

    Bai Ju was even more furious.

    It was all her fault. She should have kept her sister by her side, so she wouldn¡¯t have been despised and mistreated like this.

    It was all her fault.

    Yet when you think about it, even her house was so cramped there was hardly any room to even nt your feet, let alone maintain privacy between men and women. Even if she wanted to bring Bai Xiao to live at her ce, it simply wasn¡¯t feasible.

    That was exactly why, having no other options, they had entrusted Bai Xiao to Grandma and their uncle initially. They had hoped that, at least for the sake of the monthly sum of money, Grandma and their uncle would treat Bai Xiao a bit better.

    Who knew that these people could still be so heartless.

 Chapter 60 - 60 60 Drive Away

    ?Chapter 60: Chapter 60 Drive Away   Chapter 60: Chapter 60 Drive Away                                   ¡°Bai Ju, what you just said isn¡¯t right. She¡¯s just a bastard, and we¡¯ve been more than good to her already. If it wasn¡¯t for our uncle and aunt picking her up, she¡¯d have nothing to do with us. By now, she probably would have died without a trace! Our family has the grace of raising her.¡± Bai Mei found Bai Ju¡¯s inability to discern right from wrong intolerable and wished she could knock some sense into her foolish sister.

    ¡°Grandma said her birth mother was a shameless and despicable woman, who ruined her before she was married. Her birth father was no better; her mother sent him back to the city after much hardship, hoping he would take them back once he settled there. But as soon as he returned, he climbed the socialdder and married another woman, leading to her mother¡¯s death in childbirth. If it weren¡¯t for the kindness of our uncle and aunt, who raised the child, Bai Xiao would have died many years ago.¡±

    Bai Mei was not stingy with adding insult to injury, feeling a surge of satisfaction as this secret, known only to her, finally burst forth. The main thing was that these words could strike at Bai Xiao, and as bitter as it made her feel, it also brought her a twisted sense offort; she wanted Bai Xiao to be unhappy.

    Bai Xiao gave a bitter smile. So this was the origin of everything, the story of a woman of misfortune meeting a Chen Shimei. However, unlike her birth mother, Qin Xianglian didn¡¯t die and even met Bo Zheng, Bo Longtu, who dealt with Chen Shimei. But her own mother wasn¡¯t so lucky. Interestingly, it seemed that her mother was probably a city-educated youth, who must have had her own parents and family. But so far, no one seemed to havee looking for her, at least not in Liupan Vige where practically no one knew her origins.

    Even if someone dide looking, they probably wouldn¡¯t find out anything. Many might assume that the poor woman had died along with her child.

    But this also brought her peace of mind.

    She really was doomed to be parentless; her mother had died in such a repressed and unjust way. As for her father, whoever he was, he was undoubtedly a heartless man¡ªno description needed.

    So, she remained alone, destined to live a solitary life.

    No, she wasn¡¯t alone, nor was she solitary.

    She still had her older brother and sisters, who treated her as if she were their own flesh and blood. So they were her family, her kin, though not rted by blood, they genuinely cared for and looked after each other, and that was enough.

    In this world, there are people who are not family by blood but are more than family in spirit.

    In this life, since she had already changed many fates, she would also change the destiny of her family members. This time, she wanted her loved ones to live safely and happily.

    Bai Ju pped Bai Mei across the face, to which Bai Mei, incredulously staring at Bai Ju, eximed, ¡°What are you doing? Have you gone mad?¡±

    ¡°Get out of here right now; I don¡¯t need a sister like you.¡±

    With a shove, she pushed her out, throwing Bai Mei¡¯s belongings after her. ¡°Get out this instant!¡±

    ¡°Bai Ju, you¡¯re biting the hand that feeds you, ungrateful. I was doing this for your own good. If you want to continue being kind to that ingrate, then go ahead, be the good person. You deserve to live this poor for the rest of your life, you fool. Go on, leave! As if I¡¯d want to stay in this poor house,¡± Bai Mei grumbled as she picked up her things from the ground, dusted them off, and left. After all, she had eaten her fill and spilled the secret, and it was time for her to live her own life.

    Bai Ju took Bai Xiao by the hand and sat her down, looking at her with worry-filled eyes, at a loss for words tofort her sister. Such a blow would shatter anyone¡¯s world if overheard all at once. She couldn¡¯t imagine what the revtion must have done to the heart of her innocent sister.

    He Wang had been listening in from the outer room and clearly heard everything. He brought in two bowls of dumplings, ¡°You two sisters should also eat. Regardless of what happens, first fill your stomachs. If the sky falls, there are tall people to hold it up. Don¡¯t worry, this isn¡¯t the sky falling. Hurry up and eat!¡±

    He stuffed the chopsticks into Bai Xiao¡¯s hand. This honest and simple fellow didn¡¯t know how tofort others, so he used the most genuine and pure way to console his wife and sister-inw.

    Bai Xiao looked up and saw the concern on Bai Ju¡¯s face, knowing she had made her sister worry again.

    She couldn¡¯t help but let out a chuckle.

    ¡°Second sister, it¡¯s okay! Brother-inw is right, even if the sky falls, there are tall people to hold it up. What¡¯s this matter inparison? Besides, I¡¯ve had this feeling for a while now; it¡¯s just the suspicion turning into reality. That way, I won¡¯t have any qualms towards grandma or my younger uncle in the future. Eat up fast! Otherwise, the dumplings will get stuck together.¡±

    Bai Ju¡¯s heart lightened, and she scolded with augh, ¡°You little rascal, you almost scared me to death. Remember what your sister told you, whether you¡¯re our biological sibling or not, you¡¯re still our own little sister. When mom and dad passed away, they entrusted you to us. The three of us will definitely take good care of you.

    Since you were little, big sister and I have taken care of you together. Remember you¡¯re not without family; you have kin, and the three of us are your family, you can¡¯t ever get rid of us in this lifetime.¡±

    Bai Xiao ate the dumplings dipped in vinegar with relish, and Bai Ju finally rxed, seeing that her sister¡¯s inner conflict had been resolved, far from the devastating copse she had imagined.

    He Wang brought in another bowl of dumplings, ¡°Here, I brought you another bowl of dumplings; I¡¯m sure two bowls aren¡¯t enough for you both. Bai Xiao, eat your fill. I might not be able to offer you fancy food when you¡¯re at your brother-inw¡¯s ce, but these dumplings I can guarantee will fill you up. You just eat your heart out without any worries.¡±

    This honest man only knew how to express his kindness to his little sister-inw in such a way.

    Bai Xiao hurriedly stopped the dumplings that He Wang was trying to add to her bowl, ¡°Brother-inw, please don¡¯t exaggerate. I was the one who wrapped and cooked these dumplings; how could I not know how many are left? You¡¯re even giving me your share. I will get upset if you do that. Over the years, you and sister have been saving up living expenses for me every month. It¡¯s not just for a day or two, or a month or two, but for four whole years. I, as your sister-inw, am grateful for your kindness. We are family, so let¡¯s not talk as if we are strangers. You better eat these dumplings quickly! After you¡¯re done, I have something to discuss with sister and brother-inw.¡±

    He Wang felt embarrassed being called out by his sister-inw and scratched his head, ¡°Well, I¡¯m not hungry! Really!¡±

    Bai Ju gave her husband a nce andughed, ¡°Enough with the formalities, just eat! If need be, I will make the remaining flour into t noodlester, that should be enough. You¡¯ve been working hard outside for over a month; it wouldn¡¯t feel right if you came home and didn¡¯t even get to eat dumplings. I¡¯d feel bad myself.¡±

    He Wang agreed and began to eat the dumplings.

    The family happily started eating together.

    The three little ones from outside also ran in happily with their bowls.

 Chapter 61 - 61 61 Lessons from Parents

    ?Chapter 61: Chapter 61: Lessons from Parents   Chapter 61: Chapter 61: Lessons from Parents                                   After eating the dumplings and drinking a big bowl of dumpling soup, Bai Xiao felt that life¡¯s pleasures could hardly get any better.

    He Qingsheng and He Huanhuan were very tactful. After the meal, they cleared the table and took all the dishes and utensils to the kitchen to wash up and tidy everything.

    Bai Ju initially wanted to help, but Bai Xiao stopped her. She wanted to talk with He Wang, Bai Ju, and He Weng.

    Bai Ju and He Wang didn¡¯t understand why Bai Xiao asked He Wang to carry He Weng into thisrge room. He Weng, who hadn¡¯t seen people for years, felt very ufortable in such a brightly lit ce and nervously pulled the nket up over himself, almost wishing he could crawl inside it.

    Bai Xiao reached out towards He Weng, who blinked, not knowing what Bai Xiao was about to do.

    ¡°Xiao, what are you going to do? Don¡¯t scare him,¡± Bai Ju implored, feeling sorry for her brother-inw. To her, he was like a child she had raised. Having been married into the family for 12 years, she had taken care of him for that same period. From cleaning to caring and even handling his personal needs, she had nurtured a child into his twenties. In Bai Ju¡¯s eyes, He Weng was no different from her own child.

    ¡°Sister, I had a narrow escape from death, even made a round trip to Lord Yama¡¯s domain. Lord Yama was about to write my name in the Book of Life and Death. I was saved by someone, and those people were our mom and dad. They strongly argued with Lord Yama and exchanged their own merits for my little life,¡± Bai Xiao knew the bluff she used on the vigers, saying she learned medical skills from her father, but that wouldn¡¯t fool Bai Ju. After all, Bai Ju had lived with her for many years as her sister, and knew very well whether she had learned it or not.

    So, she thought of a more convincing excuse.

    Bai Ju gasped, ¡°What did you say? You met our mom and dad?¡±

    This was indeed frightening. After all, the dead, when seen, are known to be just spirits, and people these days still hold certain superstitious beliefs about such spirits and gods.

    ¡°Yes! I met our mom and dad. They saved me by using their merits to allow me to return to the living world. Before leaving, they passed on their medical skills to me, charging me to use these skills to heal the sick, do good deeds, and umte virtues for my future blessings.¡± This statement flowed much more smoothly.

    Indeed, Bai Ju believed it without a doubt, considering how her parents were so reluctant and worried about Bai Xiao when they were dying. Therefore, it was natural for them to protect Bai Xiao.

    Bai Ju, moved to tears, patted Bai Xiao on the shoulder and said, ¡°Xiao, you must make something of yourself and not let down our parents¡¯ kindness to you. It¡¯s also thanks to them that you, this little girl, still have your life.¡± It was both a sigh and a feeling of fortune.

    He Wang didn¡¯t know what to say. His deceased inws were good people. When they married their daughter to him, they were very forgiving in terms of the dowry and bride price and didn¡¯t disdain him for being an orphan and for bringing a disabled brother into the marriage. He already felt fortunate to have such good luck with parents.

    In his view, good people should receive good fortunes, yet his good inws had died so early. But to hear Bai Xiao say that they were still watching over their daughter even from beyond the grave reaffirmed their goodness indeed.

    Neither of them doubted the usibility or truth of this tale in the slightest.

    He Weng was even more filled with reverence.

    ¡°Sister, brother-inw, let me take a look at He Weng. I should be able to cure him!¡± Bai Xiao requested, telling others verbally that she could treat people and needing them to believe her. Afterying so much groundwork, this was the true intention.

    He Weng was taken aback!

    Treat him? His expression instantly turned dark. Over the years, his eldest brother and sister-inw had spared no expense in hiring doctors for him; the money spent on his medical treatment could have ensured afortable life for the family. He knew it was because of him that his brother and sister-inw were burdened. So many doctors had confirmed that he could never recover, and he had lost all hope. Each time, the disappointment that followed hope was even more crushing.

    ¡°Really?¡± In contrast to He Weng¡¯s despondency, He Wang felt differently; his brother was still young. He was not willing to ept this fate of lying in bed for the rest of his life. If he could at least walk a few steps with the help of a walking stick, or handle his personal needs by himself, he would be deeply content, feeling he had honored their parents¡¯ memory.

    Bai Ju was also skeptical. Could the medical skills passed down to Bai Xiao by her parents truly be that remarkable?

    But she knew quite well that her parents were only somewhat decent with identifying medicine¡ªher father¡¯s skills were modest, capable of treating minor headaches and fevers. He was incapable of treating serious,plicated diseases.

    Could he have had some great opportunity with Lord Yama, learning true skills?

    No wonder Bai Ju was doubtful. After all, talking about ghosts and spirits made many people very respectful of these so-called immortals who could revive the dead with a wave of their hand.

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°I really can cure him, but to treat this disease, I need a set of silver needles for acupuncture.¡± She only had one silver needle she had secretly kept from Doctor Xu, the vige medic.

    Actually, the so-called silver needles for acupuncture were merely a smokescreen. She could make her experiences sound even more legendary, but she definitely did not want others to treat her like ab rat for experimentation.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get them ready for you right now,¡± He Wang responded without considering the reality of her statement, grabbing his coat and rushing out.

    Bai Xiao shook her head. Bai Ju asked, ¡°Xiao, can you really do it?¡±

    ¡°Sister, the things I just told you and your husband, you must not tell anyone else. If people knew about my experiences, those scientists, and whatnot, would probably drag me back for blood tests and dissections to study exactly what¡¯s going on with me. I do not want to die,¡± Bai Xiao frightened Bai Ju.

    Hearing this, Bai Ju indeed turned pale, just imagining her sister lying there being dissected and covered in tubes made Bai Ju feelpletely unwell.

    ¡°Right, we can¡¯t talk about it. We can¡¯t discuss these superstitious matters nowadays. Here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do, Xiao¡ª if someone asks how you learned medical skills, just tell them you learned from our dad since you were little. All of us brothers and sisters can vouch for you. You are just more gifted, learned faster, isn¡¯t that right? There¡¯s no rule saying a wise son necessarilyes from a foolish father. Do you hear me?¡± Bai Ju really worried about her sister exposing these secrets.

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°I understand, second sister. Can¡¯t I just do as you say?¡± She hadn¡¯t even thought to suggest that herself, but her sister had alreadye up with it. But they were her family, after all!

    Bai Ju looked earnestly at He Weng with eager eyes. He Weng could only helplessly nod and whisper, ¡°Sister-inw, rest assured, I don¡¯t know anything.¡± Out of gratitude for the years of care from his sister-inw, he would absolutely not gossip outside, although he really doubted whether this young girl could cure his disease.

    Hearing this, Bai Ju clearly sighed in relief.

    She knew this brother-inw well; a bit shy and introverted, but a good person. Despite the difficulties he faced from childhood, he never became temperamental. Once he made a promise, he would keep it.

 Chapter 62 - 62 62 Treatment

    ?Chapter 62: Chapter 62 Treatment   Chapter 62: Chapter 62 Treatment                                   The three children finished tidying up and wanted to sit and chat with their aunt, but Bai Ju sent them away directly, ¡°Off you go, go y outside.¡±

    He Huanhuan was unhappy. The aunt had appeared so formidable just earlier, and she had heard from Xiaocui about how Bai Xiao had defeated that fierce shrew. Her feelings toward this aunt had shifted from disdain and disgust to a sense of respect and admiration.

    In the past, she always heard her mother say that her aunt was a kind and gentle child, that her aunt was a good person. But now, it seemed that her aunt¡¯s rtionship with kindness and gentleness was negligible. Just look at the power with which the aunt pped Bai Mei just then. That Bai Mei, went around acting entitled, eating as if she were a starving ghost in someone else¡¯s home.

    The three kids would never act like that. They knew what constituted propriety, integrity, decency, and honor.

    That p was truly satisfying. He Huanhuan had made her aunt her role model, especially since she heard that her aunt had even gotten into college.

    You should know that only a few from their town had made it into college.

    A college student was absolutely a respected and envied intellectual.

    When Bai Ju saw the children dawdling and not leaving, she immediately got angry. This was the first time the usually kind Bai Ju lost her temper, ¡°If you have nothing to do, then fine, but at least go to the yard, or to the kitchen to y. Or you could do your homework. In any case, you are not allowed in this room. I want to have a good talk with your aunt.¡± It wasn¡¯t that she wanted to be angry, but she was worried that the children might overhear something and, without any filter, bring up whatever they saw outside, and who knows what they might turn it into.

    She couldn¡¯t allow Bai Xiao to bear unwarranted names should those with ulterior motives catch wind of it.

    The three children were being scolded by their mother for the first time, so they obediently went out to the yard with their small stools and desks to do their homework.

    Bai Xiaoughed and took Bai Ju¡¯s hand, ¡°Sis, don¡¯t scold them. They¡¯re going to school this afternoon, and by the time they do, I will treat their brother. Then they won¡¯t see anything.¡± She was her own sister, always considering her best interests.

    Upon hearing this, Bai Ju felt a bit guilty, as she had been harsh on her children for the first time.

    In the afternoon, He Qingsheng and He Huanhuan went to school together.

    He Cuicui was not old enough to start school until September and was left alone at home.

    Bai Ju, afraid that He Cuicui would disturb Bai Xiao while treating the patient, asked He Wang to take He Cuicui out for a stroll and not toe back until it got dark.

    He Wang had already purchased silver needles. Acupuncture needles weren¡¯t cheap; they cost him a whole 12 yuan, a considerable sum of money. Though it pained him to spend so much, he was willing to do it for his brother¡¯s illness.

    For the sake of his brother, He Wang was a million times willing and immediately took his daughter out.

    Without asking exactly how the treatment would proceed.

    Bai Ju was really misunderstanding He Wang. How could he not be concerned? He nned to send He Cuicui to his aunt¡¯s house for the afternoon. Without watching her for a bit, he wouldn¡¯t feel at ease.

    Bai Xiao looked around the room, ¡°Sis, boil a big pot of water on the fire. Find all the quilts in the house, and also cook a pot of brown sugar ginger water. Pour it into a thermos. I¡¯ll need all of that soon.¡±

    Although Bai Ju found it odd, she didn¡¯t hesitate. She might not trust everyone else, but she would never doubt her sister.

    Perhaps this trust was without reason, but she believed in Bai Xiao.

    Everything was ready.

    Bai Xiao told He Weng to take off his shirt. Then, with silver needles sterilized with alcohol, she began inserting them into He Wei¡¯s acupuncture points. In her past life, Bai Xiao had really studied acupuncture, and she was never at risk of harming someone with it.

    However, if she really wanted to heal with acupuncture, she hadn¡¯t mastered the skill! It was only superficial knowledge.

    But she wasn¡¯t really there to perform acupuncture! It was all a ruse.

    Watching the dozen or so silver needles on He Wei¡¯s back, Bai Ju was filled with awe. Although she didn¡¯t understand anything, just by looking at Bai Xiao¡¯s technique, she felt convinced that what her younger sister had said must be true. Otherwise, Bai Xiao would have known nothing about it before, not to mention her, even their own parents had no clue about acupuncture.

    Therefore, she believed that Bai Xiao must have had a great opportunity.

    Bai Xiao gently rubbed a silver needle, and a stream of warmth flowed into He Wei¡¯s body. Suddenly, He Wei felt his waist and legs, which had long been numb and senseless, begin to ache and itch. This pain and itching felt like tens of thousands of ants gnawing and nibbling inside, but he didn¡¯t reject it. Compared to the previous numbness without any sensation, this pain and itching was like the sound of heavenly music.

    A thought of doubt arose in his heart¡ªcould Bai Xiao really cure his illness?

    If Bai Xiao could truly cure his illness and enable him to walk again, he would devote his life to repaying her, even if it meant working like an ox or horse.

    The pain and itching on his body became more and more intense, and He Wei could hardly bear it, letting out low, beast-like groans of pain from his throat.

    Bai Ju was frightened and at a loss about what to do at this moment.

    Bai Xiao, with trembling hands, handed a wad of gauze to He Wei, ¡°Bite on this! It might alleviate some of the pain.¡± She knew that the longer an illness had umted, the greater the pain one must endure to get better. It was very different from those illnesses that demanded immediate life-or-death decisions. The special ability that she had to expend was different as well. One shouldn¡¯t assume that those terminal illnesses required more special ability; in fact, these deep-rooted stubborn diseases consumed the most special ability.

    He Wang had already crept inside, and the main door was closed. Their house was now tightly sealed, in a state of full battle readiness.

    Seeing He Wei biting into the gauze, beads of sweat rolling down his cheeks and soaking the pillow into arge wet patch, He Wang felt a twinge of heartache, but this was all part of treating the illness.

    Bai Xiao released her grip and began to remove the silver needles one by one.

    ¡°Is that it?¡± asked He Wang, unable to tell.

    Upon hearing this, He Wei finally loosened his clenched teeth, and the gauze had turned out to be all bloodied, likely from biting too hard and causing his gums to bleed.

    Bai Xiao nodded, and it was at this moment that Bai Ju noticed her younger sister was shaking all over, clearly not in a normal state.

    In a hurry she went up, ¡°Xiao, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡±

    Bai Xiao pointed to the quilt, ¡°Sis, bring the¡­ quilt¡­ and put it over me, and bring the¡­ brown sugar water¡­ I need to drink a bowl. Then fill the¡­ foot basin with¡­ hot water, I need to¡­ soak my feet.¡± She spoke in fits and starts, frightening Bai Ju greatly.

    Not just Bai Ju, He Wang was also terrified.

    The couple could see that Bai Xiao¡¯s face had turned pale, her lips almost ck with blue. She looked as if she had been frozen in ice and snow overnight.

    Bai Ju hurried to make arrangements, while He Wang, no longer concerned about his brother, quickly covered Bai Xiao with the quilt, burying her entire body under it, with only her small face exposed.

    Bai Ju had already brought over the foot basin and poured hot water into it. She took off Bai Xiao¡¯s shoes and, upon touching Bai Xiao¡¯s feet, shuddered with shock. It was June, and the heat was almost unbearable, yet Bai Xiao¡¯s feet were as cold as two blocks of ice. She quickly massaged the soles of her sister¡¯s feet before slowly putting them into the hot water.

    The water temperature was not low, and she dared not add too much cold water, but it seemed as if Bai Xiao felt nothing.

    After drinking a big bowl of warm brown sugar water, Bai Xiao finally caught her breath.

    This time she was fully prepared, at least not allowing the cold to affect her for too long.

    Her teeth were still chattering.

    Bai Xiao gave a bitter smile. She had expended too much of her special ability this time.

 Chapter 63 - 63 63 Gratitude

    ?Chapter 63: Chapter 63 Gratitude   Chapter 63: Chapter 63 Gratitude                                   As soon as He Weng saw Bai Xiao¡¯s condition, he flipped over from the bed, stood up on his legs, and fell down in front of Bai Xiao, ¡°How are you?¡±

    The room was silent.

    He Weng urgently asked, ¡°What exactly is wrong with you?¡±

    Bai Xiao, trembling and weak, tried to squeeze a smile on his face, but his facial muscles were too stiff from the cold to manage it, ¡°Your¡­ legs¡­¡±

    Only then did He Weng realize that he had flipped over from the bed and walked up to Bai Xiao.

    Walked!

    He Wang hugged his brother tightly, tears streaming down his face, an honest man who had never wept like a child in his life.

    Pounding vigorously on his brother¡¯s back, ¡°Weng, oh Weng, heavens have indeed opened their eyes. Your legs are healed, your back is healed, you can finally walk!¡±

    He Weng, on the other hand, was rendered speechless, overwhelmed by happiness. He had never imagined that a single treatment from Bai Xiao could cure him; he had thought this kind of acupuncture required years to be effective, especially since they had seen many Traditional Chinese Medicine doctors and had undergone numerous such treatments before.

    Traditional Chinese Medicine is particrly known for its slow effects, how could it possibly work immediately?

    Yet now, he really could stand and walk, although he could feel his frail legs almost failing to support his strong body, trembling and shuddering, but he just knew he really could walk.

    He Wang pulled He Weng and knelt down in front of Bai Xiao, ¡°Little sister, thank you! We, the He Family, will never forget your great kindness in this lifetime, even if I and He Weng be horses or oxen, we must repay you.¡± They knelt and kept kowtowing.

    Bai Xiao, even if she wanted to stop them, didn¡¯t have the strength to do so.

    ¡°Brother-inw, if you really¡­ want to show gratitude¡­ hurry and find¡­ a hot water bottle, what I¡­ need isn¡¯t¡­ your kowtowing, I¡¯m really¡­ about to freeze¡­ to death.¡±

    He Wang and He Weng immediately felt ashamed, right, Bai Xiao was obviously about to freeze to death, weren¡¯t they getting their priorities wrong?

    Hurriedly, they got up and searched the house for a hot water bottle.

    Bai Ju had already fetched a towel from the hot water and was vigorously rubbing Bai Xiao¡¯s calves, ¡°Xiao, what¡¯s happened to you, don¡¯t scare me!¡± Tears were about to flow.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, sis, my¡­ medical skills have¡­ an issue. After treating¡­ someone else¡¯s¡­ illness¡­ my own¡­ side effect is¡­ body temperature¡­ imbnce. My entire¡­ body temperature¡­ will be¡­ very low. That¡¯s why I¡­ had you prepare¡­ these things, it¡¯s nothing serious, and I¡¯ll recover¡­ by morning at most. This time¡­ the strain¡­ was¡­ a bit much, so¡­ could you give me a few more bowls¡­ of brown sugar water?¡±

    He Wang had already borrowed three hot water bags from the neighbors, filled them with hot water, and wrapped them in towels! He gave them to Bai Ju, who then stuffed them into the quilt for Bai Xiao. Bai Xiao, holding the hot water bags, finally rxed and let out a sigh of relief.

    He Wang also brought her some brown sugar water. Bai Xiao gulped it down in a few sips, and finally, beads of sweat appeared on her forehead as the sensation of cold began to recede from her body. She stretched a bit! The stiffness from the cold had be more flexible.

    Gosh, the biggest advantage of her special ability was that it could save people from the brink of death! But the biggest downside was this severe, baffling hypothermia. This time she was fully prepared, otherwise, it would have been very tough on her. She wasn¡¯t ignorant of the consequences, but as long as her sister could be happy, it was all worth it.

    Bai Ju, worried sick, kept rubbing Bai Xiao¡¯s calves and arms with a towel, but Bai Xiao stopped her and pulled Bai Ju to sit on the edge of the bed.

    ¡°Sis, I¡¯m much better now. Please stop, I really am better! Look, I¡¯m even sweating on my forehead, and listen, I¡¯m speaking clearly now, not stammering like before. This is the proof.¡± Her heart was very warm, her sister knew her background but still treated her so well! This was a kind of inclusive spirit. It¡¯s one thing for parents to care for their children as expected, and many adoptive parents do love their children dearly, but siblings are different. They had no blood rtion, and for a sister to care selflessly for a girl with whom she had no blood ties, especially after their adoptive parents passed away, what was needed was true affection.

    ¡°Are you really okay? You scared me to death. Just now, your face was so pale, almost like a ghost¡¯s, and your lips were blue; it was terrifying. Does this happen every time you heal someone?¡± Bai Ju had not yet recovered from the shock and was still uneasy.

    Bai Xiao lifted the quilt, and as she recovered, she began to feel warm.

    ¡°This is a side effect because I can heal people, and often, it¡¯s very serious illnesses, so using my own energy this much, that¡¯s why it happens. Just be prepared, and it will be okay! Don¡¯t worry, sis.¡±

    When He Wang heard this, he also felt guilty. His sister-inw must have used all her strength to treat his brother, which was perilously close to them thinking Bai Xiao was going to freeze to death.

    ¡°Then, sister-inw, you rest well, and I¡¯ll go buy you some delicacies. You definitely need to replenish yourself, I¡¯ll go right now!¡± The honest man didn¡¯t know how else to express his gratitude, she had risked her life to save his brother.

    This was such a great favor.

    They had actually been prepared to take care of He Wei for the rest of their lives until they died! So He Wang could leave their children to take care of him; otherwise, who would take care of a bedridden He Wei if they were gone? That would lead him straight to death.

    But now, looking at He Wei standing there, so worried and at a loss because he could walk a few steps, though not very steadily, he could move, just like an able-bodied person, that alone was not enough.

    With such improvement, he could possibly go out, work, marry, and have children. Such a future was something He Wang dared not even dream of; if their parents knew below ground, they would probably jump out and kowtow to thank Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao quickly lifted the quilt and grabbed He Wang, ¡°Brother-inw, don¡¯t be so formal; if you do, I¡¯ll really be upset! All these years, you and my sister sent me a living allowance every month. It¡¯s not been a day or two! It¡¯s been four years. If we talk about favors, I owe you, let¡¯s not mention who owes whom. With this back and forth, let¡¯s just call it even. I don¡¯t need food or drink, I truly hope you and my sister have a good life, and that my nieces and nephews are all well andfortable, that wouldpletely satisfy me.¡± She wasn¡¯t just grateful to He Wang but wished for a less burdensome life for He Wang and her sister. Maybe then, her sister wouldn¡¯t end up paralyzed.

    In her life, she hoped her once-family members all had a happy future.

 Chapter 64 - 64 64 Origins

    ?Chapter 64: Chapter 64: Origins   Chapter 64: Chapter 64: Origins                                   He Wang felt embarrassed, ¡°How can that be the same? Taking care of you was a promise your sister and I made to our parents. How can we not keep our word? So that was ourmitment to our parents. Besides, your sister has never med you for anything, but what you did for us today is a huge favor. My brother can stand up now and live a good life from now on. How can that be the same as those things? It¡¯s not the same, it¡¯s not right.¡± He Wang was truly grateful to Bai Xiao and wished he could kneel down and kowtow to her again.

    He Weng also came over! Though he was not good with words, the gratitude was unspeakable in his eyes as he looked at Bai Xiao, and he could only say in a low voice, ¡°That won¡¯t do, that won¡¯t do! We need to show gratitude.¡±

    Bai Xiao witnessed the posture of the two brothers He Wang and He Weng, as if they were about to kneel down if not allowed to give back. She was truly at a loss.

    ¡°Brother-inw, don¡¯t buy those things. I¡¯ve brought some milk powder, canned food, and glutinous rice strips. Although your brother¡¯s health has improved, he still needs to follow up with good nutrition. Otherwise, even if I cured you and you go back to mismanaging your health, you¡¯ll fall sick again. You need to take care of yourself. Don¡¯t walk too much all at once. Take it slow. Increase it a little each day. Don¡¯t walk too much at once, or you¡¯ll only hurt yourself.¡±

    He Weng and He Wang nodded repeatedly, treating Bai Xiao¡¯s words like imperial edicts.

    Bai Xiao looked at the quilt and burst intoughter.

    Seeing Bai Xiao¡¯s reaction, Bai Ju was amused as well.

    He Wang and He Weng didn¡¯t understand what the two sisters wereughing at.

    ¡°The main thing is that if someonees in, they¡¯ll think I¡¯m sick or something. Covering up with a cotton quilt and clutching a hot water bottle in the height of summer, they¡¯ll definitely think I¡¯m crazy. Haha!¡± Bai Xiao was so amused that her stomach hurt fromughing.

    Bai Ju lifted the quilt off and folded it, then packed away the hot water bottle. She said to He Wang and He Weng, ¡°Alright, you two stop dithering around. We¡¯re all family here. Why are you being so polite with my little sister? Hurry up and tidy up, return these things, and go pick up the child. You can¡¯t keep leaving him at the old aunt¡¯s house forever.¡± They wouldn¡¯t know what to do without her speaking up.

    Upon hearing this, He Wang immediately agreed and went to take care of it.

    He Weng didn¡¯t know where to put his hands or feet. Bai Ju sent him off to his own room, which was just as well since he needed to rest anyway, not having heard Bai Xiao mention that he should take it step by step.

    With nobody else in the house, Bai Xiao grabbed Bai Mei, ¡°Sister, you know that I¡¯m not our parents¡¯ child, right?¡± She wanted to know the whole truth.

    Bai Ju sighed and pulled Bai Xiao to sit down.

    ¡°Xiao, don¡¯t worry about that. You are a child of Bai Family, a sister to your older siblings. We are one family.¡± She didn¡¯t want Bai Xiao to feel distant from them because of this matter.

    ¡°Sis, I know we¡¯re always family, I just wanted to know what happened, otherwise there¡¯s always this thing on my mind, and I won¡¯t be able to concentrate on my studies. I¡¯m not the Bai Family¡¯s child, Grandma and my little uncle know this, but I don¡¯t. Little uncle and Grandma treat me like a hired hand, I¡¯ve finally understood why,¡± Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    Once you know, how can anyone stay calm! Especially with Li Chunhua and Bai Jianguo stirring up trouble.

    ¡°Hired hand? Bai Xiao, what do you mean by that? I wanted to ask you earlier; what exactly is going on? We¡¯ve been back so infrequently over the years, and every time we do, you always say you¡¯re fine. I thought it was odd that you were always so thin, no matter how much you ate, you couldn¡¯t gain weight, but I didn¡¯t think too much of it. Why didn¡¯t you tell us?¡± Bai Ju spoke with a hint of reproach, not toward Bai Xiao, but toward herself. If only they had been more attentive, they might have noticed their sister being mistreated. Growing up, even their own parents expected them to work; a poor household has no room for princesses.

    But she never imagined that Grandma and her little uncle would refuse to feed Bai Xiao.

    ¡°Sis, Grandma and little uncle took money and told the vigers that they were the ones supporting me, that I was freeloading at my little uncle¡¯s home, which is why Grandma would beat me. I¡¯ve been enduring it, not wanting to make things difficult for you all. After all, she¡¯s still Grandma. What could you do even if you spoke up? You know how Grandma is¡ªif she couldn¡¯t win an argument, she¡¯d resort to hitting or throwing tantrums. Who among you could subdue her?

    I was thinking that it would all be better once I got into university. At least being away from home would be better than staying there. But Grandma was afraid that if I went to university and left, you all wouldn¡¯t send them money anymore, so she schemed to prevent me from going to school. I couldn¡¯t help but resist!¡± Bai Xiao exined everything from beginning to end to Bai Ju, no longer willing to cover for Li Chunhua and Bai Jianguo; they deserved to know the truth about such people.

    Bai Ju was so distraught she could have died from crying. If it weren¡¯t for Bai Xiaoforting her, Bai Ju would have gone back to confront Li Chunhua and Bai Jianguo right then and there. When she learned that Li Chunhua was hospitalized, Bai Ju finally calmed down.

    But she was still worried¡ªthe olddy was hospitalized! Even if she had been unaware before, not visiting her once she knew wouldn¡¯t be proper.

    Regardless of how Li Chunhua was, she was still their grandmother, an elder they absolutely couldn¡¯t sever ties with, no matter how inhuman the deeds were; there was no talk of breaking the rtion.

    ¡°Xiao, don¡¯t worry about these things anymore. You go to university and focus on your studies, and don¡¯t worry about anything else. As for your origins, I don¡¯t know the full story either. When our parents were about to leave us, they told us your birth mother¡¯s name was Yan Fengying, a sent-down youth from the city to the countryside. There were quite a few sent-down youths back then, with over a dozen in our vige alone, not to mention the neighboring ones. But then they all started to find ways to return to the city. No one knows why your mom was thest to remain, and no one knew she was pregnant either. Then one night, our dad went after hearing a cry for help, saying someone needed medical attention.

    That¡¯s when he found out your mom had given birth, but it was a difficultbor with severe bleeding. You were born, but your mom didn¡¯t survive. It wasn¡¯t a glorious affair, so the head of the production team arranged the burial. The child¡ªno one wanted to take care of. The Women¡¯s Director, Wang Meihua, did want to adopt you since she had no children of her own, but for some reason, it never happened. Our dad then took you home, which was timely because our mom had also given birth, but the baby girl died, so you were taken as her own. Nobody in the vige knew, and those who did wouldn¡¯t talk.

    I don¡¯t know the rest. If you want to find out who your father is, you¡¯d probably have to ask those sent-down youths. People say that man was heartless, but no one knows the specifics. Xiao, you can¡¯t let this hold you back. Brother has always treated you as our own parents¡¯ child, and in our hearts, you are our dear little sister!¡±

    Choking back tears, Bai Xiao hugged Bai Ju and cried. Indeed, her beloved brother and sisters always treated her as their dear little sister, or they wouldn¡¯t have met such tragic fates for her sake.

    ¡°Sis, I know¡ªwe are the real family!¡±

 Chapter 65 - 65 65 Gratitude and Repayment

    ?Chapter 65: Chapter 65 Gratitude and Repayment   Chapter 65: Chapter 65 Gratitude and Repayment                                   After enough tears had been shed, the sisters started to clean up.

    Bai Ju looked at Bai Xiao¡¯s red eyes, and Bai Xiao looked at Bai Ju¡¯s red eyes, both of them burst intoughter, resembling two rabbits with red eyes.

    He Wang brought Xiaocui back, and the girl had a great time ying. Upon seeing her aunt and mother¡¯s eyes, she wondered for a while before asking, ¡°Auntie, Mom, what happened to you two?¡± She reached out her little hand to touch Bai Ju¡¯s eyes, looking so endearingly obedient.

    Bai Xiao immediately scooped her up and tickled her, ¡°That¡¯s exactly what we were doing just now,ughing until tears came out. Why don¡¯t you try it!¡±

    As expected, the little girl was ticklish. With just a tease from Bai Xiao, she burst into uncontrobleughter and hid behind Bai Ju, grinning at her mother, ¡°Mommy, so you and auntie were ying tickle. Next time, wait for me to y with you. I¡¯ll be on your team to take on auntie, and then she won¡¯t make you cry fromughing.¡±

    Bai Xiao pretended to be angry and red, ¡°Alright then, Xiaocui,e here and see if I don¡¯t take care of you.¡±

    Xiaocui quickly stuck her tongue out and clung tightly to her mother¡¯s clothes, refusing toe out.

    The whole family wasughing heartily.

    He Weng, hearing theughter from his little room, also cracked a smile. This was the breath of life that the household should have; things had been too oppressive at home recently.

    Everything would be better from now on.

    Feeling his thigh muscles, the previously weak muscles had be thrillingly firm. Stealthily pinching himself, he winced and shuddered, yet he felt delighted inside. Pain was good; before, even if he plunged scissors into his leg, he could see the fresh red blood but felt no pain at all. Now it was different, he relished this painful sensation, proving that he was definitely not dreaming.

    Because of He Weng¡¯s recovery, Bai Ju made an extra effort with dinner, a truly joyous asion. Remembering Bai Ju¡¯s reminder, when He Wang went to call his eldest aunt¡¯s family for dinner, he simply mentioned that Bai Xiao had learned acupuncture skills from her parents-inw, having studied under them. Previously, he hadn¡¯t let Bai Xiao treat him, fearing the young girl might not be gentle enough, so he had always been against it. However, this time he felt he had nothing to lose, considering Bai Xiao had not only been admitted to university but had also cured their vige¡¯s Director of security¡¯s illness.

    Unexpectedly, Bai Xiao really did manage to cure He Weng.

    When He Weng¡¯s eldest aunt¡¯s family heard about this, they were skeptical at first. After all, how much could a young girl truly know about medicine, even if she had learned from her father? Everyone was aware that Bai Ju¡¯s biological father was just a barefoot doctor, not famous at all. At best, peopleuded his good nature, but other than that, he had no reputation to speak of, and no one had heard of him curing anyone of significance.

    But upon seeing He Weng walk shakily over and sit at the table, even pouring wine for his aunt, He Weng¡¯s eldest aunt could not hold back her emotions and began to cry uncontrobly, the sixty-year-old woman¡¯s sobs far from graceful.

    Bai Xiao felt embarrassed, thinking she had caused the olddy distress.

    As a result, He Weng¡¯s eldest aunt clung to Bai Xiao, not letting go, her face full of maternal affection as if she were looking at her own daughter, which gave Bai Xiao goosebumps.

    ¡°Truly, a living Bodhisattva hase from heaven! Our family elder, your sister is our family¡¯s savior. Weng, remember that she is your savior. One must not forget their origins. Keep in mind that she is the savior of your life. Without Bai Xiao, there would be no you. You must live properly to honor her kindness!¡± The eldest aunt was a simple soul, elevating Bai Xiao to a height that was simply unattainable.

    He Weng immediately stood up and was about to kneel again before Bai Xiao when she hastily stopped him; she had been knelt to several times that day, and she feared it might shorten her life.

    ¡°Listen¡­ don¡¯t kneel, or else I¡¯ll have to kneel to you, and that just wouldn¡¯t be proper. I said it¡¯s in the past, and if this keeps going on, I¡¯m going to leave. After all, you¡¯re my sister¡¯s brother-inw¡ªin it for my sister¡¯s sake, whatever I can do, I must do.¡± She didn¡¯t want to be treated as a deity or a lifesaver; it was all for Bai Ju. To put it bluntly, if it wasn¡¯t for Bai Ju, she wouldn¡¯t have bothered with this matter at all.

    Her heart wasn¡¯t warm, but selfish and cold. Her past life had exhausted all she had, and this life she was living solely ording to her own desires.

    Bai Ju also stopped He Weng, ¡°Alright, uncle, is it really necessary? If you keep this up, you¡¯re essentially driving Bai Xiao out of the house. If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll send her away immediately.¡±

    Director He finally fell silent.

    The whole family was beaming with happiness; the dinner was joyful for both host and guests, as good spirits made everything seem better.

    After dinner, seeing that it was gettingte, Director He spoke up, ¡°Look, Bai Ju, your home isn¡¯t that spacious, and with your sister visiting, there¡¯s no space to amodate everyone. Why don¡¯t you take her to my ce to stay the night? At the very least, we have an extra room avable since Xiaohua isn¡¯t there! The house is empty anyway; it¡¯d be a waste not to use it.¡± Director He looked like a kind person, swiftly turning to a smile despite the issue at hand.

    Bai Ju wasn¡¯t shy about epting the offer. Even if she and Bai Xiao didn¡¯t go to stay, she¡¯d have to send He Weng and He Wang to Director He¡¯s ce. It simply wasn¡¯t appropriate for an unmarried girl like Bai Xiao to be squeezing in with her brother-inw.

    She was grateful.

    ¡°Alright, uncle, I¡¯ll just tidy up a bit and then take Bai Xiao over,¡± she agreed.

    He Wang stopped her from starting to tidy up, ¡°You and Bai Xiao go with the Director now. It¡¯s getting dark and the roads are hard to navigate, plus it¡¯s nicer to havepany. Xiaoweng and I will take care of the tidying; you don¡¯t have to bother. It¡¯s not so often that you sisters get to chat together, so go ahead!¡±

    ¡°How could that be okay? You two men are all thumbs, and I¡¯m not short on time.¡± Bai Ju wouldn¡¯t bear to let her husbandbor away; she knew all too well that He Wang hadn¡¯t stopped for a break since he came home today.

    Director He, watching He Wang being considerate of his wife, said with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s the way to do it; take good care of your own wife. Let¡¯s go, let them dote on their wives. We¡¯re heading back!¡± And with that, she took Bai Ju with her and left.

    Bai Ju had no choice but to take Bai Xiao with her, and the three of them made their way back in the dark. The path was pitch-ck and nearly impossible to see, and they were thankful Director He had a shlight. They stumbled along until finally reaching Director He¡¯s home.

    Director He¡¯s house was clearly much more spacious than He Wang¡¯s, with three rooms in a small courtyard. As they entered, the air was thick with smoke. Director He¡¯s husband was smoking with the ountant from the factory, both men wearing perturbed expressions on their faces.

    Seeing Director He arrive with Bai Ju and a girl he didn¡¯t recognize, he could guess that she must be Bai Ju¡¯s sister. He nodded in greeting.

    ¡°Old He, I¡¯ll be leaving then. You shoulde byter, we¡¯re acquainted after all, and it¡¯s only right to say farewell. We¡¯ll havepany when everyone goes. It¡¯s just a shame to see someone so young pass away,¡± the ountant said to Director He¡¯s husband before heading out after they finished their conversation.

 Chapter 66 - 66 66 True or False

    ?Chapter 66: Chapter 66: True or False   Chapter 66: Chapter 66: True or False                                   He Weng¡¯s aunt nced at He Weng¡¯s uncle and felt some questions were inappropriate to ask, but she introduced them nheless, ¡°This is Bai Ju¡¯s younger sister, quite sessful, you know. She got into university this year. Plus, she¡¯s a remarkable doctor. He Weng felt better after just one acupuncture session. That young boy was really lucky to have met Bai Xiao.¡±

    He Weng¡¯s uncle didn¡¯t care much, thinking, how impressive could a girl be, she couldn¡¯t possibly amaze the heavens, ¡°Bai Ju, why don¡¯t you take your sister to the other room to rest? She might not feelfortable here with outsiders around. Rest well.¡± He had already guessed they were here for a ce to stay. These days, homes weren¡¯t spacious, and the arrival of rtives often meant looking elsewhere for lodging.

    He Weng¡¯s aunt had these two nephews, one had been paralyzed at the age of five and remained so till now, and the other was also unfortunate, having lost his parents early. Had it not been for He Weng¡¯s aunt¡¯s support over the years, even finding a bride would have been challenging. He Weng¡¯s uncle also helped more than he might have, given that he was doing it for his wife¡¯s sake.

    In her heart, she still thought of the two brothers as burdens, never showing much enthusiasm, nor a pleasant demeanor.

    Bai Ju also understood the hint and quickly grabbed Bai Xiao, ¡°Then uncle, we¡¯ll go rest now. You go on with your work. Just call if you need help!¡± She took Bai Xiao to a small room nearby.

    He Weng¡¯s aunt brought them clean bedding. Fortunately, it was summer, and they didn¡¯t need any quilts, just two sheets for cover. The room was very clean and tidy. Bai Xiao could tell it was a girl¡¯s room, probably He Weng¡¯s aunt¡¯s daughter¡¯s. There were many books against the wall, arge bed, and next to it a desk. The owner of the room seemed to have a taste for d¨¦cor. There were even several stic flowers in a stic bottle on the desk, surprisingly vibrant and colorful.

    Having settled the two, He Weng¡¯s aunt returned to her room and saw He Weng¡¯s uncle, Zhao Dachuan, putting on a short-sleeve shirt. Puzzled, she asked, ¡°Where are you going in the middle of the night?¡±

    It was already ten o¡¯clock. Who goes out at this hour?

    ¡°Give me five yuan! Factory Manager Wei¡¯s brother-inw, the young man visiting us, suddenly started bleeding from his nose and got a fever the day before yesterday, thinking it was just a flu. But after being sent to the hospital, he was deemed critically ill today, and the doctor has issued a notice. He¡¯s likely not going to make it. Just now, Old Han came to discuss going to see him together. You know Factory Manager Wei¡¯s wifees from a high-ranking official family. We must go take a look and lend a hand,¡± He Weng¡¯s uncle reached out to his wife for money.

    He Weng¡¯s aunt sighed, pulled out the cord tied around her waist, underneath was the key. She opened the cupboard, ¡°I¡¯ve seen that boy before. He looks clean and polite! Clearly a city person who greets everyone he meets. I heard he¡¯s the only child of the Wang Family. How could such a fine young man suddenly¡­ This is a matter of life and death. I can¡¯t imagine how distraught the Wang Family must be. Factory Manager Wei probably doesn¡¯t know how to exin this to his inws either. I¡¯ve heard that Wang Family is quite influential.¡± She was a bit of a gossip indeed.

    A woman¡¯s penchant for gossip has nothing to do with her age; even at eighty, it doesn¡¯t lessen.

    Zhao Dachuan pocketed the five dors with a sigh, ¡°Who can say otherwise? I heard that Director Wei¡¯s father-inw is a very high-ranking official. It¡¯s just unthinkable, a son being the only one, and we¡¯re here dealing with such a matter, worrying about something big happening. Nosebleeds and fevers aremon ailments. Who hasn¡¯t dealt with nosebleeds or fevers? I¡¯m hearing for the first time that these can be deadly. This fellow is just too young, only twenty-five or six, and to think he¡¯s just about to be gone. His parents must be heartbroken. I guess the Wang Family¡¯s folks are also on their way, not even sure if they¡¯ll get to see him. I¡¯ll go have a look and be backter.¡± He prepared to leave.

    He Weng suddenly remembered something and grabbed Zhao Dachuan, ¡°Hey old man, this Bai Xiao¡¯s medical skills are quite amazing; why don¡¯t you take her over to have a look?¡± He Weng wasn¡¯t just being nosy; her son had reced the old man and now worked in the factory. This was Director Wei¡¯s brother-inw. If Bai Xiao managed to save him, wouldn¡¯t Director Wei treat their family differently?

    Zhao Dachuan shook off her grip with a disdainful expression, ¡°You old woman, how can you be so muddled? The Bai Xiao you¡¯re talking about¡ªthat young girl, barely eighteen or neen. Even if she can treat, these are just headaches and fevers! If I bring Bai Xiao there, Director Wei might think I¡¯m just adding to his troubles. Then our son might end up suffering for it.¡± He looked utterly exasperated, convinced his wife was getting more senile with age.

    He Weng, her face flushed with indignation from her husband¡¯s words, retorted, ¡°Why are you yelling at me? What are you talking about, just headaches and fevers? Bai Xiao¡¯s capabilities are enormous! You don¡¯t even know, do you? He Weng has been bedridden for over a decade. His elder brother took him to countless hospitals and doctors who said there was no cure, that he would be bedridden for life. But Bai Xiao arrived today and gave him acupuncture with silver needles this afternoon, and by evening, the kid could walk around, even sat at the dining table to eat.

    If you think that¡¯s still not enough, then what kind of skills do you think can save a person? It¡¯s like a dog biting Lu Dongbin, not knowing a good person¡¯s heart. I asked you to take Bai Xiao there for the sake of our son. Imagine, if she really cures him, how could Director Wei not favor our son? Since the hospital has already given up, why not try thisst resort?¡± He Weng was not going to let her husband put her down without a fight, especially since Bai Xiao was her niece¡¯s sister and she knew Zhao Dachuan had little regard for her family, considering them a burden.

    Zhao Dachuan widened his eyes in astonishment, ¡°What? He Weng is walking? Really? You better not be fooling me. He Weng has been bedridden for so many years, I can hardly believe this.¡±

    Zhao Dachuan was aware of how many doctors He Weng had seen and how much money had been wasted, but he couldn¡¯t say much since He Weng¡¯s brother was willing.

    ¡°He really is walking. Why would I trick you about such a big thing? If you don¡¯t believe it, go and see for yourself. I was startled when I saw it today. Like you, I didn¡¯t expect much from a young girl, maybe just a couple of needles and feeling a bit better, then going around iming she¡¯s skilled.

    But having seen He Weng today, I truly believe Bai Xiao has great skills. Plus, she¡¯s a college graduate, an educated person who¡¯s naturally clever, not like us. Who knows, maybe she learns faster than us. Our ancestors left these practices behind, who knows if she has some secret family recipe? Can we really discuss these things? But seeing He Weng walking, that¡¯s a fact, and there can¡¯t be any doubt about it. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t even consider this idea.¡± Finally, He Weng had her moment of triumph, her family finally having a chance to turn things around.

 Chapter 67 - 67 67 Seeing is Believing

    ?Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Seeing is Believing   Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Seeing is Believing                                   Zhao Dachuan said anxiously, ¡°I¡¯ll go check out the situation first, and if it¡¯s not manageable, we¡¯ll call Bai Xiao over, just saying it¡¯s to help Bai Xiao take a look. If she can cure it, we¡¯ll talk further. Saving a life is more important than creating a seven-tier pagoda. Even if it¡¯s not for the sake of our kid¡¯s job, it¡¯s still a human life at stake. It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t know if that girl is easy to talk to. Educated people often have big tempers and some kind of pride. They might even look down on our type of family. I¡¯d hate to reach out and then have her refuse to help. That wouldn¡¯t be doing a favor, that would be creating resentment.¡± Zhao Dachuan was a man with ns, always considering all aspects.

    Aunt He was taken aback, ¡°That can¡¯t be right! I find that Bai Xiao is a gentle person. She¡¯s always polite when talking and eating with me, not showing any of the pride or temper you mentioned.¡±

    Zhao Dachuan shook his head helplessly, ¡°You, with those eyes of yours, what can you tell? You think everyone is good. I¡¯ve got to go now, can¡¯t keep nagging here.¡± He hurried out the door, but he didn¡¯t head to the hospital, instead, he went straight to He Wang¡¯s home.

    He couldn¡¯t rest easy without seeing for himself. After all, seeing is believing, right?

    Upon reaching He Wang¡¯s doorstep, before he could even knock, he saw the curtain lift and a person carrying a basin of water walking out. There were no streetlights around the bungalow, but in the dim light from inside the house, Zhao Dachuan could still clearly see the man at the doorway holding the basin, it was He Weng.

    His heart instantly warmed up.

    He Weng was startled too, stepping back two steps; anyone would be shocked to find a silent figure standing outside their door.

    Upon closer inspection, he finally recognized it was Uncle Zhao Dachuan.

    ¡°Uncle, what brings you here? Come in, please sit down.¡±

    The unspoken thought was that you shouldn¡¯t stand at the door and scare people.

    Zhao Dachuan circled around He Weng twice, clicking his tongue.

    ¡°Weng, are you really better now? Not feeling even a slight difort?¡± Aunt He had mentioned it earlier, but he hadn¡¯t really believed her. Now, seeing with his own eyes, Zhao Dachuan finally believed.

    The man who had been bedridden for over a decade was now able to walk properly on the ground. If this medical skill was still considered inadequate, then there were none in this world that were any good.

    He Weng smiled shyly and said softly, ¡°Uncle, much better. Except for some weakness in my legs and a bit of frailty, everything else is good, just like a normal person. Bai Xiao said that with more nurturing and exercise, I¡¯ll soon be indistinguishable from a normal person.¡± This response made him feel proud, as he never thought he¡¯d walk on his own in his lifetime.

    Zhao Dachuan, not convinced, said, ¡°Walk a few steps for me again.¡±

    He Weng walked outside with the basin, reached the dirty water bucket, poured the water from the basin into it, and then came back.

    Zhao Dachuan pped his thigh and eximed in approval.

    ¡°Great, great, truly wonderful!¡± he said, turning and walking away.

    ¡°Uncle, aren¡¯t youing in to sit?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve got things to do. Tomorrow I¡¯lle over for a meal. We really need to celebrate properly!¡± Zhao Dachuan was long gone out of sight.

    He Weng chuckled, this uncle really dide and go without a trace.

    He Wang came out and asked curiously, ¡°Who were you talking to? I heard you talking to someone, but I didn¡¯t see anyone.¡±

    Now, seeing his brother well and standing on the ground, He Wang¡¯s heart was filled with joy and delight.

    ¡°It was our uncle, he came over, spoke a few words, and then vanished just like that.¡± He Weng closed the door. He now enjoyed doing every little thing, activities that were once impossible even in his dreams. Nowadays, any small thing could bring him endless joy.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t theye in and sit?¡± He Wang and his brother walked into the inner room one after the other, and the three kids had already fallen asleep by then.

    ¡°Shush, keep it down! I invited him, but uncle said he was busy and rushed off.¡±

    ¡°What could he possibly have to do in the dead of night?¡± He Wang wondered.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not think about it anymore, let¡¯s sleep!¡± He Weng and He Wang eachy down.

    He Wang fell asleep quickly, snoring away. He had been tired from the day¡¯s events, and the major good news had lifted a weight off his shoulders that had been there for years. He Wang felt a lightness of having nothing to worry about.

    He Weng, on the other hand, found it a bit hard to sleep. Probably anyone who encountered such a situation would have trouble sleeping.

    ¡­

    ¡­

    Zhao Dachuan, holding a shlight, had just reached the main road when he bumped into Old Han and a few others. They were veterans from the factory and had agreed to visit Director Wei¡¯s home together. With such a major event, they definitely needed help, so even though the person was still breathing, it seemed like it would onlyst till tonight or tomorrow morning. When such a major event strikes a family, they need support too, especially since it involved Director Wei¡¯s household.

    The group didn¡¯t talk much and went straight to Director Wei¡¯s home.

    They knocked on the door and saw Director Wei with a dark expression, inviting them in without a word, all understanding the situation.

    Director Wei felt incredibly helpless inside. His brother-inw was the only son from his father-inw¡¯s family, cherished by the old Wang Family. His brother-inw was promising too, well-educated, and unlike those frivolous heirs, was a gentle and kind man. Yet, here he was, just visiting family, and now his life might be lost.

    How was he going to exin this to his father-inw?

    The hospital had already stopped the resuscitation efforts, saying it was futile and only caused more suffering to the patient. They had no choice but to take him back home, as they couldn¡¯t just let him die in the hospital.

    Now, the brother-inw was lying in the small room, hardly breathing in anymore.

    Director Wei could hardly imagine the fury and the immense grief his father-inw would unleash upon arriving, and he wondered if the old man would be able to withstand it.

    When that time came, his sisters and brothers-inw might very well turn against him, especially since the old man was the pir of the family. His connections were what allowed them to livefortably here. If something happened to him, the entire Wang Family might be destabilized.

    But the doctor had said there was nothing to be done. What miracle could they hope for now?

    He felt like the sky was falling.

    Zhao Dachuan and Old Han were there to help, and he knew they meant well. Anyone¡¯s family facing such a situation would need support, but his mood was at an all-time low.

    Zhao Dachuan thought it over¡ªit was useless for him to look at the patient since he wasn¡¯t a doctor. Checking a few times wouldn¡¯t change anything. He decided to go back and see if Bai Xiao would be willing to take a look.

    He told Old Han that he had forgotten something and hurried back.

    Watching Zhao Dachuan leave, Director Wei couldn¡¯t help but feel pained. He hadn¡¯t even fully reacted yet, and Zhao Dachuan had already begun taking sides, undermining him. It was like a p to his face. He had always thought Zhao Dachuan was smooth but not cunning. Now, it seemed that appearances were deceiving as Zhao Dachuan was already pulling strings.

 Chapter 68 - 68 68 Incurable

    ?Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Incurable   Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Incurable                                   Zhao Dachuan had no idea how Director Wei was pondering over him.

    In a hurry, he rushed back home, where He Wang hadn¡¯t gone to sleep yet, also feeling somewhat worried, after all, it was a matter of human life.

    If he didn¡¯t know, it would be the end of it, but now that he knew, not to try it out, what if there was a chance to save the person?

    Seeing her man return, she knew Zhao Dachuan had something in mind.

    ¡°Have they gone to bed? Go ask if this thing can be done. If it can, have Bai Xiaoe with me. I don¡¯t think that kid¡¯s going tost much longer!¡± Zhao Dachuan was somewhat out of breath. He hadn¡¯t felt anything until he saw Wang Han, but witnessing a lively young life suddenly be so lifeless, especially at his age, having seen so much life and death, and facing his own mortality, that feeling was even more intense.

    He Wang nodded her head and went to the next room without another word, knocking on the door.

    ¡°Bai Xiao? Bai Xiao! Wake up, your Aunt wants to talk to you for a moment!¡±

    The light in the room came on, and the sound of two people getting up could be heard. Bai Ju, groggy, said: ¡°Aunt! Just a moment!¡±

    Then the door opened.

    Bai Ju, with sleepy eyes, looked at He Wang, ¡°Aunt! It¡¯s sote, why haven¡¯t you all gone to sleep yet?¡±

    He Wang entered the room, and Bai Xiao sat up on the bed, also looking confused, having been sleeping soundly and dreaming of the mother she¡¯d never seen before.

    ¡°Aunt, what¡¯s the matter?¡±

    He Wang came in, took Bai Xiao¡¯s hand, and said: ¡°Xiao, you¡¯re such a good child. There¡¯s been an incident. Director Wei¡¯s brother-inw is about to die; they say he started bleeding from the nose and developed a fever all of a sudden, and now he¡¯s in a bad way. Have a look and see if you can treat him. If you can save him, give it a try ¨C after all, it¡¯s indeed a human life on the line.¡±

    On hearing this, Bai Ju came to her senses first, urging Bai Xiao, ¡°Xiao, go have a look. After all, it¡¯s about saving a life.¡± Bai Ju had a kind heart.

    Bai Xiao shook her head, ¡°Aunt, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to go, but the energy spent with each acupuncture treatment is more than an ordinary person can bear. You know this. I¡¯ve just given He Weng a treatment today. Even if I wanted to save someone right now, I couldn¡¯t. By saving him, I¡¯d be the one dying. You can¡¯t be asking me to trade my life for his, right?¡± It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to help; it was that her special ability was so peculiar. If she kept exhausting herself this way, her time to die would soone.

    It truly wasn¡¯t her being capricious; it was her special ability being capricious. She had experienced this in her past life as well and knew it could indeed lead to death, even being frozen to death. She needed to recover her strength, and that was not something she could do just by talking about it.

    Bai Ju wouldn¡¯t stand for this; her sister¡¯s life was more important.

    Who could value their life more than Bai Xiao? After all, her parents had snatched her back from Lord Yama¡¯s hands with great difficulty. No matter what, they couldn¡¯t let her get lost.

    ¡°No way, Xiao, you get some rest. We¡¯re not professional doctors after all; what¡¯s it to us if someone lives or dies?¡± Pressing Bai Xiao back into the covers, she said to He Wang, ¡°Aunt, don¡¯t bother Bai Xiao with this. She just treated He Weng today. You didn¡¯t see it, but afterward, she nearly looked like she was going to die. I was scared to death. So, she can¡¯t go.¡±

    Upon hearing this, He Wang also knew there were no options left. It wasn¡¯t as if Bai Xiao refused to treat the sick; it was that treating them might lead to her own death, and that was no joke.

    ¡°Alright, then. You get some rest!¡±

    He Dagu returned to the room, and Zhao Dachuan hurriedly asked, ¡°What did they say?¡± He was very anxious.

    ¡°No go!¡±

    He Dagu sighed.

    ¡°Why not? I saw with my own eyes that He Weng¡¯s legs seemed fine; that really is a Divine Doctor. Think about how many years He Weng has been paralyzed. In just one afternoon, the person was able to walk; if that¡¯s not the work of someone capable, what is? Is it about money? Fine, as long as she saves the person, wouldn¡¯t Factory Manager Wei and the Wang Family be grateful to us?¡± Zhao Dachuan thought Bai Xiao was concerned about money.

    ¡°It¡¯s not about money. Bai Xiao¡¯s medical skills consume a person¡¯s Vitality. She can only perform Acupuncture once a day. Today she already did it for He Weng, so she cannot do it again, or someone will die. That being the case, I can¡¯t persuade her to treat anyone by risking her own life for the life of another; no one would do that.¡± He Dagu exined, but as she spoke, she felt some doubt in her heart¡ªwas this girl just making up excuses?

    She had never heard of such a rule for doctors, but she couldn¡¯t say much. It was a matter of life and death. If she insisted and something bad really happened, she feared she wouldn¡¯t be able to exin it to Bai Ju. Besides, Bai Ju treasured her sister like the apple of her eye, so she couldn¡¯t disregard her niece¡¯s wife.

    ¡°Nonsense, what kind of rule is that? Bai Xiao must be making it up,¡± Zhao Dachuan also didn¡¯t believe it. Such a notion was too strange to exist in this world.

    ¡°Whether it¡¯s made-up or not, the fact remains that she won¡¯t go. Stop thinking about it. It doesn¡¯t seem right. Bai Ju said that her treatment relies on Acupuncture, a family secret that consumes a person¡¯s Vitality. This afternoon, after treating He Weng, Bai Xiao almost died. It doesn¡¯t seem like a lie to me. Otherwise, I¡¯ll try again at dawn tomorrow; right now, it¡¯s not appropriate to go back there.¡±

    Zhao Dachuan knew well that medical skills were someone¡¯s expertise, and they were in the position of asking for a favor; there was no room for coercion. But if the child doesn¡¯t survive tonight, even the most remarkable doctor would be of no use once a person has passed away.

    It seems they were destined not to climb the ranks of wealth.

    Sighing, ¡°Alright then! I¡¯ll be leaving now. Factory Manager Wei¡¯s house is still busy, and it¡¯s not right for me to be absent. It would be bad to be resented. If it dawns, you bring Bai Xiao over there. Let¡¯s leave it to fate!¡± He hoped the child could hold on until sunrise.

    He Dagu agreed and, after sending Zhao Dachuan out and bolting the door, finally got some peace and rest.

    Over on the other side, after hearing Zhao Dachuan had left, Bai Ju quietly asked Bai Xiao, ¡°Was what you just said true?¡± She also suspected her sister might be shirking since they weren¡¯t close to the patient and Bai Xiao might not want to treat them; it was understandable.

    Bai Xiao chuckled softly in the darkness, ¡°Big sister, why would I lie to you? It¡¯s true. You¡¯ve seen for yourself what I¡¯m like after treating a patient. Think about it; could I endure it a second time?¡± Her words were a mix of truth and fiction; no one knew exactly what had happened when she copsed.

    ¡°Well then, get some rest and don¡¯t think about anything. We¡¯re not ignoring a life in danger; we can barely protect ourselves!¡±

    Bai Xiaoughed. Her sister was not well-educated but had managed to use an idiom urately; she had underestimated her big sister.

    In truth, it wasn¡¯t that she couldn¡¯t treat the patient, and she wasn¡¯t lying about the energy consumption. It could be replenished, for example, by eating well and resting enough to minimize any adverse effects. The reason her condition was so serious now was partly because of theplexity of the first disease she treated, and secondly, her body had been malnourished for a long time, hardly able to withstand the consumption and easily bing utterly exhausted¡ªit was no exaggeration.

    Moreover, when treating strangers, there needed to be a proper exnation. They hadn¡¯te asking for treatment; if she offered herself, it would look like currying favor. Once the patient healed, if they forgot her kindness and instead thought she had waited to help out of ulterior motives, it would be worse.

    So the method of saving someone mattered too!

    She didn¡¯t want to end up making an enemy after saving a life. Besides, she had to consider the impact on her honest sister and brother-inw. He Dagu and Zhao Dachuan clearly were much shrewder than He Wang and others. People might neglect potential dangers for immediate benefits, but she wouldn¡¯t leave any hidden threats to her sister¡¯s family.

    After all, as long as there was a breath left in the patient, she could save them. It was just a matter of whether the person was lucky or not.

 Chapter 69 - 69 69 The Familys Secret Technique

    ?Chapter 69: Chapter 69: The Family¡¯s Secret Technique   Chapter 69: Chapter 69: The Family¡¯s Secret Technique                                   Zhao Dachuan returned to Factory Director Wei¡¯s home with a bowed head, and upon entering, saw a room full of people crying. Factory Director Wei was surprised to see him, as he hadn¡¯t expected Zhao Dachuan to make an excuse and slip away, which bnced his feelings quite a bit, realizing he had been mistaken.

    As dawn was about to break, the Wang Family¡¯s patriarch, Wang Jianli, and matriarch, Liu Huiru, arrived with their two daughters and sons-inw, quickly forming arge group. Four jeeps stopped outside, along with drivers, making a grand entrance all at once.

    Everyone made way as Wang Jianli and Liu Huiru, already with red eyes, entered. As soon as she stepped through the door, Liu Huiru immediately asked her daughter, ¡°Where is your brother?¡±

    Wang Fang quickly wiped her tears and led her mother and two sisters into a smaller room.

    Upon seeing her son with eyes tightly shut and a pale face, Liu Huiru burst into loud wails, ¡°My son, my little one, how could you leave your mother behind? You¡¯re going to cause me so much pain.¡± She cried heartbreakingly while holding her unconscious son.

    Wang Fang, also in tears, clung to Liu Huiru, ¡°Mom, Mom! Don¡¯t be like this, you need to take care of your health. Besides, in this state, my brother can¡¯t take it,¡± she urgently tried to console Liu Huiru.

    Wang Xue and Wang Xin also held Liu Huiru, tears unceasing. This brother wasn¡¯t just a favorite of their parents, but also their most beloved brother, who had the best character and nature. If he were to die so young, how could it not be heartbreaking?

    ¡°Mom, Mom, please don¡¯t be like this.¡±

    Liu Huiru had cried until she passed out and was carried by her three daughters to the bedroom inside to rest.

    Someone quickly went to call the factory¡¯s doctor to have a look.

    The doctor instructed the others that it was syncope caused by excessive grief, nothing serious, but to be mindful of the patient¡¯s emotions.

    Wang Jianli sat on a chair and asked his son-inw, Factory Director Wei, what exactly had happened.

    Factory Director Wei, also in a cold sweat, recounted the situation. It really had nothing to do with them¡ªthe sudden nosebleed and fever, who could have anticipated such a condition?

    ¡°When is the expert going to arrive?¡± Wang Jianli¡¯s question made Factory Director Wei jump.

    Was there an experting?

    The eldest son-inw, Qian Cheng, immediately went outside to check and returned to say, ¡°Dad! No sign yet, we drove fast, but they have more people, so they¡¯re slower. They should arrive in no more than an hour, don¡¯t worry!¡± For his brother-inw, his father-inw had spared no expense, inviting several renowned experts from the provincial capital. This was why Lian Ye rushed over¡ªto see if they could save his brother-inw¡¯s life.

    Wang Jianli went in and sat beside his youngest son, holding Wang Han¡¯s hand. The old man said nothing; having been blessed with a sonte in life, this son was not spoiled but rather sensible, understanding, and reassuring, never troubling anyone since birth, a son that made Wang Jianli proud.

    But now his sony there, unable to even open his eyes, forcing him to watch helplessly as his son faced death bit by bit, a pain no one else could understand.

    He gripped his son¡¯s hand tightly, wishing he could transfer his own strength to Wang Han.

    He would even trade his own life if possible.

    An hourter! The sound of car brakes outside startled everyone, and soon, five men in military uniforms, carrying medicine boxes and equipment, entered.

    ¡°Where is the patient?¡±

    Factory Director Wei quickly led the people inside, not daring to dy a moment.

    The small room was immediately crowded with people, and the five doctors began treating Wang Han, checking him one by one with stethoscopes. After examining him, they all shook their heads with grave faces, and Wang Jianli nearly broke down at this gesture.

    ¡°How is it, doctor?¡±

    This question wasn¡¯t asked by Wang Jianli, but by his eldest son-inw, Qian Cheng. The old man was already overwhelmed, tottering as if a single straw could break him.

    At this moment, he was the pir of the family, obligated to take charge of the situation.

    ¡°Just prepare for the funeral affairs, and decide if you want to give him a shot of cardiac stimnt so he can wake up temporarily and say his goodbyes to everyone!¡± The doctors were helpless, they were medical professionals, not magicians, and there were times when they couldn¡¯t save a life.

    Now, even if Wang Jianli held a high official position, he couldn¡¯t save his son.

    In the face of life and death, even heavenly kings are just as vulnerable and fragile.

    Wang Jianli¡¯s legs went weak, and he copsed, but he didn¡¯t faint, supported and seated by several people.

    The doctor examined Wang Jianli, ¡°Chief Wang, your heart is weak! You must grieve with restraint.¡± They administered medication to Wang Jianli, knowing that it was easy for something to go wrong under great excitement and immense grief.

    They were utterly useless here.

    Manager Wei invited several people to a neighboring room, which belonged to a neighbor but was temporarily used by him as his own home was too crowded.

    Wang Jianli wept profusely. He had been a fearless warrior all his life, fought in battles, and never flinched in the face of death! Yet now, his youngest son was beyond help, and how could Wang Jianli not be heartbroken?

    Everyone was somber, as none can escape the sorrow of life and death separation.

    Zhao Dachuan nced at the sky; it had been light for a while and now it was already half past five. It was summer, and the days dawned early. Feeling anxious, seeing Wang Jianli, this elderly hero, regardless of his rank, witnessing such despair in an old man, Zhao Dachuan¡¯s opportunistic thoughts disappeared.

    The pain of losing a son, though not experienced firsthand, resonated deeply, as he too was a father! If his son were in such a situation, he probably wouldn¡¯t bear to lose him even if there was a slim chance.

    In a heated moment, he approached, ¡°Chief Wang!¡±

    Qian Cheng was displeased, who were these people toe forward like this.

    ¡°My father is not in a good mood! Better to speakter!¡±

    Absoluteck of tact, truly annoying how these petty people try to gain visibility in front of Wang Jianli.

    Not even considering the circumstances, when somebody is about to die in their family! And still, theye to curry favor, not fearing to hit the wrong target.

    ¡°No, Chief, there might still be a chance!¡±

    At these words, Wang Jianli immediately raised his head! His eyes widened.

    ¡°What did you say?¡±

    The old man had been a soldier, faced battles, killed enemies. That look in his eyes was imposing and intimidating, making Zhao Dachuan lower his head, unable to withstand the fierceness.

    Wang Jianli grabbed Zhao Dachuan¡¯s wrist, ¡°What did you just say?¡±

    In desperate times, even the slightest possibility is grasped as a lifeline.

    Zhao Dachuan clenched his teeth, ¡°There might still be a chance, I know someone with an extraordinary familial secret. Expert in acupuncture, it might help.¡± Treating a dying horse as if it were alive was initially for securing a future for his children, but now it was about his conscience.

    ¡°Acupuncture? Don¡¯t joke. If Western medicine can¡¯t do it, what good is acupuncture!¡± Qian Cheng scoffed, everyone knew Western medicine worked fastest, Traditional Chinese Medicine took long, and acupuncture, even more so, was of no use in such dire circumstances.

    Haven¡¯t you heard, five specialists were unsessful, and they¡¯ve dered it hopeless? And suddenly some traditional medicine family secret can save him?

    This must be a scam.

 Chapter 70 - 70 70 Do Not Believe

    ?Chapter 70: Chapter 70: Do Not Believe   Chapter 70: Chapter 70: Do Not Believe                                   ¡°Where did you say this person was?¡± Wang Jianli felt cornered. As long as there was a glimmer of hope, he couldn¡¯t bear to give up.

    ¡°At my house!¡±

    Qian Cheng sneered.

    ¡°What kind of joke are you ying? What time is it now, and you¡¯re still thinking of ingratiating yourself with the powerful? You can¡¯t possibly say this Divine Doctor is a rtive of your family, can you?¡±

    Zhao Dachuan also knew that no one would believe such words. Let alone others, if he heard someone else say this, his first thought would be that the person had gone mad with the desire to forge a connection with Chief Wang. But at this moment, he had no choice but to be bold. One couldn¡¯t let others truly believe he was acting out of self-interest, after all.

    ¡°It¡¯s my nephew¡¯s wife¡¯s sister. She just came yesterday. My nephew has been bedridden for more than a decade, and all the doctors said it was incurable, that he would have to spend his life in bed. But yesterday afternoon, after just one acupuncture session, I saw with my own eyesst night; although he wasn¡¯t jumping around, he was already walking on his own, genuine walking, that¡¯s the evidence right there.¡±

    He even provided an example.

    Qian Cheng¡¯s face was full of mockery. To think such words could be uttered, truly absurd.

    Wang Jianli pped his thigh, ¡°Qian Cheng, go invite them! Bring that person here!¡±

    Qian Cheng panicked, ¡°Dad, you believe such people? This is just to grab some attention. Think about it, how could someone paralyzed for more than a decade suddenly walk? It must be a ploy designed by his family to draw attention. Who knows if his nephew is actually fine, and they¡¯re all in on some tall tale together. We¡¯ve seen too many of these cases, with all those folk performers and so-called Divine Doctors, aren¡¯t they all about mystifying things just to swindle money?¡±

    Zhao Dachuan was furious, ¡°I am not talking nonsense. If you don¡¯t believe me, ask the people here. They all work in the same factory area; everyone is aware of my nephew¡¯s situation. It¡¯s not possible to be pretending for more than a decade.¡± He dared them to disbelieve them.

    The surroundings were filled with people from the processing nt, colleagues who had worked with Zhao Dachuan and were acquainted with the situation in his family. Hearing this, they also began to speak up.

    ¡°That¡¯s true. His nephew¡¯s son has been paralyzed in bed for over a decade, everyone knows that. You can¡¯t fool people with that. But whether he has recovered, we don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°That child is a pitiable one.¡±

    ¡°That child doesn¡¯t even go out, unless his brother and sister-inw take him out to see a doctor. He never leaves the house otherwise.¡±

    ¡°Old Zhao, why didn¡¯t you speak up sooner?¡±

    Everyone was surprised by Zhao Dachuan¡¯s sudden mention of a Divine Doctor.

    Zhao Dachuan saw that many people still didn¡¯t believe him, even though he had exined, but nobody mentioned the doctor¡¯s matter.

    ¡°Chief Wang, how about this, I¡¯ll call my nephew here for you all to see for yourselves. But if this causes any dy, you can¡¯t me me.¡± Zhao Dachuan was full of grievance. Although he had always been slick in his life, he never did bad deeds. He just liked to weigh his options, naturally doing more of what benefitted him. But this wasn¡¯t a big w. Besides, this time, he was truly moved by Chief Wang¡¯s sorrow, and the result? Suspicions cast upon him.

    It was a greater injustice than that of Dou E.

    Wang Jianli stopped Qian Cheng who was about to say more, ¡°Go invite the doctor over, no matter what. Now that Xiaohan is already like this, we have to try. What if¡­ What if it works?¡± Qian Cheng understood that his father-inw was truly grasping at straws! It wasn¡¯t that he believed so much in this so-called Divine Doctor but that he was seeking a slim chance.

    He nodded, ¡°Okay, Dad, I¡¯ll take care of it right away!¡± He gave Zhao Dachuan a disdainful nce, ¡°Master Zhao, follow me! I don¡¯t know where this Divine Doctor lives!¡±

    Zhao Dachuan was furious. He had good intentions.

    In his life, he had always been fickle, never taking a firm stand. Just the one time he decided to do a good deed, he ended up being misunderstood. Looking up at the sky helplessly, he thought, Oh Heavens, why don¡¯t you let it snow!

    But the words had already been spoken, and things hade to this point. Now, even if he facedints, he had to lead them to the person in question. Otherwise, he¡¯d indeed end up making enemies.

    For some reason, a sense ofint arose within me. Why did I even bother with all this? A hot head leads to a loose tongue¡ªthat¡¯s exactly whatnded me in this mess.

    I led Qian Cheng to my ce.

    This time, I didn¡¯t greet Qian Cheng with a smile. After all, I was clear-headed. Even if I brown-nosed him until the cows came home, he probably already had a fixed negative impression of me and didn¡¯t consider me a good person.

    So I might as well save my spit.

    Upon arriving home, just as we entered the courtyard, I saw Bai Xiao and Bai Ju washing their faces.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, this is Qian Cheng, from the provincial department. He¡¯s the one your aunt mentionedst night¡ªthe family member of the child who¡¯s seriously ill,¡± Zhao Dachuan braced himself as he spoke, then pointed at Bai Xiao, ¡°This is the Divine Doctor!¡±

    Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t hold back and let out a snort ofughter.

    Since when did she acquire the fame of a Divine Doctor?

    If she went out with that title, she would be aughingstock. Everyone pictures a Divine Doctor as an old man with gray whiskers, a hunched back, short and plump, with a face full of kindness. She figured no one who saw her as she was would have the confidence, and if they didn¡¯t suspect that she was out to scam and freeload, she would be surprised.

    As expected, upon seeing Bai Xiao, Qian Cheng¡¯s gaze and facial expressions were filled with a clear message, ¡°This is a chatan, and a female one at that.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the Divine Doctor? Can you¡­ can you be a bit more professional? Who would be fooled by that look? A girl who¡¯s barely eighteen or neen and doesn¡¯t study properly, instead pretending to be a Divine Doctor. You don¡¯t even consider whether or not others would believe you when they see you like this.¡±

    Qian Cheng didn¡¯t hold back and openly disrespected Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao dried her hands and tossed the towel into the basin.

    ¡°Well, please, the door is right there. I surely won¡¯t stop you!¡±

    She didn¡¯t understand why he bothered degrading her when she didn¡¯t even ask for any of this.

    Qian Cheng found it amusing, wow, such a fiery temper!

    She really thought she was the Divine Doctor.

    Zhao Dachuan¡¯s face turned sour. He wished he could p himself. It was all his fault. Why did he have to talk so much? If he hadn¡¯t been so talkative, they wouldn¡¯t have been looked down upon to this extent.

    It was as if they had been visited just to be humiliated.

    ¡°Feeling insecure now? If you can¡¯t cure it, just say so. You¡¯re young, it¡¯s best to just be honest, but here you are putting on an act,¡± Qian Cheng was unimpressed.

    Even if such a chatan were to be taken back, they would likely end up ying the fool.

    Bai Xiao shook her head; this guy really needed to be put in his ce. Was his mouth always so filthy? He came to request a doctor, not to offend people.

    In her past life, even if coerced, anyone who came to her for help dared not be anything less than utterly respectful. This was the first time she encountered someone as idiotic as this.

    Qian Cheng left.

 Chapter 71 - 71 71 Settling Affairs

    ?Chapter 71: Chapter 71: Settling Affairs   Chapter 71: Chapter 71: Settling Affairs                                   He hadn¡¯t been gone two minutes before he turned back.

    After just a few steps, he suddenly remembered that the old man might really take this seriously. If he didn¡¯t bring the chatan back, the old man mighte himself soon.

    It would be better for him to bring this so-called Divine Doctor back himself and let the old man see that this is clearly a case of a trickster emerging from a ce of dire straits.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a ¡®Divine Doctor¡¯? Just go and take a look then! People¡¯s lives are at stake; are you really going to do nothing?¡± Qian Cheng¡¯s attitude was truly infuriating.

    Bai Xiao really wanted to spit in his face¡ªwhat kind of attitude was that?

    Zhao Dachuan then grabbed Bai Xiao, bowed his head and pleaded, ¡°Bai Xiao, it¡¯s my fault. For my sake, please go and check on the situation. After all, the old man is not young. If something happens to him, I wouldn¡¯t be able to bear it. I apologize here; please, for the sake of mercy, take a look.¡±

    He knew both his sons were at the factory, and under no circumstances today could they afford to make an enemy.

    If Bai Xiao simply walked away, Zhao Dachuan¡¯s family would suffer.

    This time, Zhao Dachuan truly regretted everything deeply.

    Upon hearing this, Aunt He Wang also understood that the person before her was not to be trifled with. People that brazen and rude generally had powerful backing. They were just ordinary folks and definitely couldn¡¯t afford to provoke such a person. Angrily, she red at Zhao Dachuan, ¡°Xiao, it¡¯s all your uncle¡¯s fault for being so foolhardy. We shouldn¡¯t have gotten involved in this. Please, for the sake of your sister and brother-inw, help us out. I¡¯m begging you here.¡±

    Zhao Dachuan looked despondent, realizing that he had been red at enough today tost a lifetime.

    Bai Ju tugged at Bai Xiao¡¯s sleeve, ¡°Xiao, why not just help your aunt and uncle out?¡±

    Although Uncle Zhao Dachuan was sometimes opportunistic, over the years, he had helped them quite a bit. Whenever they needed to borrow money or food, he never let them leave empty-handed. It¡¯s known that they had relied on their aunt and uncle during hard times more than just a few times.

    After all, they were family.

    Bai Xiao patted his clothes, took a small acupuncture pack from the house¡ªit was a small cloth bag he had brought along. The package of acupuncture needles that brother-inw He Wang had bought yesterday was still with him, ¡°Let¡¯s go! Aunt, I¡¯m doing this because of how you¡¯ve looked after my sister and brother-inw in the past. Otherwise, I definitely wouldn¡¯t have bothered.¡±

    Without further ado¡ªas he really didn¡¯t want to get involved¡ªbut since Aunt He Wang and her family were involved, he remembered the long private talks with his sister Bai Ju the night before. He knew well how she had been living these past years.

    Without Aunt He Wang¡¯s family¡¯s support, not to mention getting two bucks a month, someone might have starved to death in this home.

    Even if he technically received two bucks a month in his name for living expenses without spending a penny himself, it was his brother-inw¡¯s family who had helped him. However despicable the man seemed right now¡ª

    Bai Xiao was someone who knew the difference between gratitude and grievance. He would consider this repaying a favor today.

    He hoped Aunt He Wang¡¯s family would not regret thister, for he could only afford this favor once.

    ¡°Ai, ai! Aunt understands, we are the ones putting you in this difficult position. You are a good kid, doing this all for us. We understand, and we won¡¯t let this kind of thing happen again,¡± Aunt He Wang said guiltily and somewhat uneasily, wondering if she had been too selfish. Their family had essentially imposed on him. If it weren¡¯t for Bai Ju, they probably wouldn¡¯t have had the clout to ask him to do these difficult things.

    Qian Cheng scoffed, still pretending to be all proper, but a chatan is a chatan. Could someone be a ¡®Divine Doctor¡¯ at eighteen or neen without starting from their mother¡¯s womb?

    He walked out first.

    Aunt He Wang pushed Zhao Dachuan, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to apany the kid quickly? You stirred up this mess; you should see it through.¡± Shepletely forgot that she was actually the instigator, having gleefully boasted about Bai Xiao¡¯s medical expertise everywherest night, which gave Zhao Dachuan such ideas in the first ce.

    Zhao Dachuan muttered twice, hurriedly leading Bai Xiao out and heading straight for Director Wei¡¯s house.

    Upon entering the gate, all eyes in the room immediately turned to Bai Xiao.

    It was impossible not to know she was the so-called Divine Doctor, as only three people came in: Qian Cheng, Zhao Dachuan, and Bai Xiao herself.

    So instinctively, everyone could tell she was the miraculous Divine Doctor Zhao Dachuan had mentioned.

    ¡°Dad, I¡¯ve brought the person. Take a look, do you want her to see your son? I really think this is unreliable,¡± Qian Cheng whispered to the old man.

    As soon as Wang Jianli saw Bai Xiao, his heart skipped a beat. He had harbored a glimmer of hope that perhaps in this remote and impoverished ce, there really was a hidden master. After all, there were indeed some highly skilled practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine who were not after fame but dedicated to treating people and pursuing the noble path of healing.

    But now, seeing Bai Xiao, he realized what his son-inw meant.

    No wonder, just seeing the girl¡¯s age, his heart felt thoroughly chilled. An eighteen or neen-year-old girl, even if she had excellent medical skills, how skilled could she be?

    He immediately hesitated whether to treat or not to treat.

    In the room, Liu Huiru¡¯s crying suddenly intensified, Wang Fang rushed out, lifting the curtain, with a distressed look, ¡°Doctor, doctor, pleasee and check on my brother quickly, he seems to be failing to breathe.¡±

    Five doctors immediately rushed back in.

    Two minutester, a doctor came out and asked for Wang Jianli¡¯s opinion, as he was the old Wang¡¯s own son, it was still up to the old man to decide.

    ¡°Old Wang, your son might not make it. Our suggestion is to administer a shot of cardiotonic now, it might prolong his life for about half an hour, tell the family to say their goodbyes soon. Otherwise¡­¡± the implication of the rest of the sentence was clear to everyone.

    Wang Jianli¡¯splexion changed dramatically. Was there really no way to bring him back? Was he truly about to watch the elder bury the younger?

    Bai Xiao walked to the entrance of the small room, nced inside at the boy lying on the bed, his eyes tightly closed, dark bruises under his eyelids, and his breathing already very weak, looking like he might stop breathing at any moment.

    ¡°If you believe in me, I can treat him.¡± No matter what, she was already here, and there had been no misstep in attitude.

    Having promised Zhao Dachuan and his wife, she was also repaying the kindness they had shown to her sister and brother-inw.

    But whether they wanted her to treat was up to them after all. In case they did not believe her, it wasn¡¯t that she wouldn¡¯t treat, but that the boy would have no chance.

    Fire seemed to shoot from Qian Cheng¡¯s eyes as he pointed at Bai Xiao and scolded, ¡°At this critical moment, you¡¯re still causing trouble here. Get out quickly, our family doesn¡¯t need chatans.¡±

    Bai Xiao nodded calmly, shouldered her backpack, and left.

    That was his fate, and no one else was to me.

    If fate decrees your life, no one can stop it.

 Chapter 72 - 72 72 Unexpected Person

    ?Chapter 72: Chapter 72 Unexpected Person   Chapter 72: Chapter 72 Unexpected Person                                   ¡°Hold on!¡± A voice cut in, Bai Xiao was also taken aback, her wrist grasped by someone. Who could this be? So bold as to meddle in the affairs of life and death in someone else¡¯s family, and then pulling her directly in front of Wang Jianli.

    Oh, it was An Zhiyuan.

    How did he get here?

    People¡¯s Liberation Armyrades are indeed brave, but howe you show up everywhere?

    It felt almost like a superhero¡¯s presence.

    Appearing wherever needed.

    ¡°Uncle Wang, you have to trust me, Bai Xiao can save lives. I personally witnessed her saving a patient with a heart attackst time. Acupuncture brought him right back. Now, with Xiaohan¡¯s condition being so critical, I must say something inauspicious as a junior: even if you have to take a dying horse as a live one, you must try it.¡± That was something nobody dared say.

    Qian Cheng, frustrated, retorted, ¡°Zhiyuan, what are you doing? What kind of rtionship do our two families have? How can you speak for this chatan?¡±

    ¡°Brother-inw, Bai Xiao is my fianc¨¦e, she¡¯s not a chatan. I saw with my own eyes that her acupuncture indeed saved a life,¡± An Zhiyuan said, his expression not the least bit flustered, quietly watching Wang Jianli who held the most authority there.

    Bai Xiao suddenly felt her fianc¨¦ might be a bit too stubborn. The family didn¡¯t need her help, yet he still insisted on convincing them.

    Wang Jianli¡¯s face was pale. He tightly closed his eyes, took a long breath, then suddenly opened his eyes, which shone with sharp light¡ªthe kind seen on the battlefield, a resoluteness that was also a point of no return.

    Bai Xiao knew the old man must have made up his mind.

    ¡°Treat!¡±

    The low voice rendered everyone silent.

    The military medical professor looked at Bai Xiao, shaking his head repeatedly. This child didn¡¯t know the immensity of heaven and earth. Young people¡ªtoo impetuous, thinking they could be famous in one fell swoop.

    Without a thorough examination of the patient, if Wang Han had some chronic condition, something that might not be immediately life-threatening, it could potentially be dyed. Maybe acupuncture could indeed create a miracle; after all, the world is vast, and in China¡¯s long history of 5,000 years, there have been many remarkable tales. There might be secrets passed down only between parent and child. However, Wang Han inside couldn¡¯t wait.

    He was barely clinging to life, and once thatst breath was let go, he would be done for.

    Who knew if this needle would be the one to dete hisst breath?

    Under the sorrow of the Wang Family, they might end up thinking she was the one who caused the death.

    Ah!

    Impatient for sess.

    Bai Xiao took out a silver needle,manding loudly, ¡°Please prepare a quilt, a hot water bottle filled with hot water, tworge kettles of boiling water, a foot basin, and boil arge kettle of brown sugar ginger tea. If there¡¯s any candy or chocte, please prepare some of that too, as quickly as possible.¡±

    This time, it wasn¡¯t just Qian Cheng rolling his eyes¡ªWang Jianli also wavered. This girl couldn¡¯t really be a chatan, could she?

    The items she asked for seemed more suited for warding off the cold than treating a patient.

    An Zhiyuan looked at Bai Xiao and seemed to suddenly understand. He turned andmanded, ¡°Go get ready quickly!¡±

    Bai Xiao walked directly into the cabin, which was already so full that there was no space left to stand.

    Five military medical experts surrounded Wang Han, with Liu Huiru clinging tightly to her son¡¯s hand by his bed. His three older sisters were also huddled to one side, crying. The whole room was inplete disarray.

    ¡°Only one person needs to remain in the room. All other bystanders must leave at once. Don¡¯t hinder my treatment,¡± Bai Xiao said, not for show or to mystify. She couldn¡¯t treat the patient without clearing the room, and her appearance after treating a patient was anything but pretty.

    Liu Huiru looked at Bai Xiao, ¡°Who is she? What is she doing?¡± She did not understand why a young girl hade to her son¡¯s bedside.

    An Zhiyuan had already followed her in, smiling as he exined, ¡°Auntie, please go out for a moment. This doctor has been invited to treat Xiaohan.¡±

    Then he signaled to the three older sisters. Wang Fang and Wang Xue immediately understood and began to lead their mother outside.

    ¡°This is a Divine Doctor who¡¯s been invited to have a look at our brother. Let the doctor check on him, and we¡¯ll wait outside, alright?¡±

    Liu Huiru, dissatisfied, said, ¡°If she¡¯s going to treat him, then treat him. I just need to stay with my son. Even if she is a doctor, she can¡¯t just kick me out. I can¡¯t leave my son. Wang Jianli, what are do you think you¡¯re doing? Do you really want me to miss seeing my son for thest time? The experts have already said that the child is beyond help. You don¡¯t even know where you found this young girl toe and deceive me. I tell you if I miss seeing my son for thest time, I will die with him.¡±

    The three sisters hurriedly tried to console her, ¡°Mom, dad is doing this to save the brother. Do you think dad would bear not seeing him for thest time? Calm down; who knows? Don¡¯t judge this young girl by her age, she might have real skills.¡±

    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t make a fuss. Dad is doing this for brother. Just sit and wait, I¡¯ll go in to check and keep you updated.¡±

    ¡°Really! Mom, we¡¯re as anxious about our brother as you are!¡±

    Finally, the three sisters managed to persuade their mother, who was about to burst into the room. In fact, Liu Huiru was only fifty-five years old, but within this family, she was indulged like an elderly matriarch.

    In their family, apart from Wang Han being the first priority, it was their mother who was the most spoiled, acting like the youngest child. Even their father had to coddle her, not to mention everyone else.

    The five military medical experts were also ushered out.

    Only An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao were left in the room.

    ¡°What do I need to do?¡± An Zhiyuan was there to help, having previously imed to have personally witnessed it all, which initially was hearsay. Butter, he truly met Director Li Guoqing, who seemed just like any nice person.

    Bai Xiao opened her bundle and took out a silver needle.

    ¡°Take off his shirt and turn him over to lie on his stomach.¡±

    An Zhiyuan immediately got to work, stripping Xiaohan of his shirt to reveal the pale, frail body of the boy. In just three days, the child had be so thin that his ribs were visible.

    Bai Xiao had already inserted a silver needle, and Xiaohan shuddered once, then became still.

    An hourter.

    Bai Xiao crossed her arms, resisting the cold as she suddenly began to shiver, her entire body covered in goosebumps. Dammit, she hated this feeling, and she couldn¡¯t control it. This was the price to pay.

    Feeling cold often was not fun; it was a coldness that normal people couldn¡¯t understand. If you think it¡¯s just a simple shiver, you¡¯re simplifying this so-called cold. It was a cold emanating from the bone marrow, as if the fire in the heart had been extinguished, arge block of ice spreading cold from the inside out, pratingly cold, inescapable. But fortunately, An Zhiyuan¡¯s methodst time had inspired her; the cold could be dispelled by external effort. With adequate preparation, at least she wouldn¡¯t feel like she was dying after every cure, as she did in her previous life. While thinking this, a nket had already been ced over her. An Zhiyuan wrapped her up snugly.

 Chapter 73 - 73 73 Warming Up

    ?Chapter 73: Chapter 73: Warming Up   Chapter 73: Chapter 73: Warming Up                                   From the look in An Zhiyuan¡¯s eyes, she saw a face so pale and exhausted with cold, ¡°He¡­ is¡­ alright now.¡± Her teeth chattered as she mumbled, her whole body¡¯s muscles aching from being stiff and tense.

    An Zhiyuan nodded, holding a cup of brown sugar water, which he thrust into her trembling hands. She almost spilled it, and he sighed, took the cup, and brought it to her lips, ¡°Drink!¡± This girl possessed a miraculous strength; she had once again performed a miracle before him. He had watched the silver needles being inserted into the body, then seen her concentrate as she twisted a silver needle, and then the previously dying Wang Han, with eyes closed, gradually began to breathe more smoothly, his breath became even, and his face started regaining some color.

    After he fed her a cup of brown sugar water, he nced at her and went out to call for others.

    Everyone outside, upon seeing An Zhiyuan, was so nervous they hardly dared to breathe. Wang Jianli was filled with hope as he stared at An Zhiyuan. This boy had grown up with Wang Han, and although he was a few years older, he had watched the child grow up. Not to mention that An Zhiyuan¡¯s father and he were old warrades, brothers who had fought through life and death together. At this moment, An Zhiyuan was as trustworthy as his own son.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright now, Bai Xiao said. Prepare some easily digestible in congee. Around noon, he should wake up, and he¡¯ll probably be hungry then.¡±

    Wang Jianli¡¯s heart settled at once.

    Liu Huiru leaped up, ¡°What did you say? Xiaohan is alright? Really, Zhiyuan, you can¡¯t lie to Auntie! Auntie can¡¯t take this!¡± Her son was the apple of her eye.

    An Zhiyuan smiled, ¡°Auntie! It¡¯s true, he¡¯s fine. If you don¡¯t believe it, there are so many experts here, go in and see for yourself. I need to take care of Bai Xiao; her ancestral acupuncture consumes a lot of physical and mental energy, so she¡¯s not feeling well now. She needs a quiet room to rest and recover for a while.¡± He couldn¡¯t care about the others; Bai Xiao truly needed to rest, it pained him to see her like this.

    Zhao Dachuan quickly stood up, somewhat proud, puffing out his chest, ¡°No need to trouble Director Wei, I will take Bai Xiao back.¡±

    An Zhiyuan shook his head, ¡°She can¡¯t walk now! Don¡¯t fuss.¡± It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to take Bai Xiao back, but in her condition, it waspletely impossible for her to return.

    Wang Fang immediately said, ¡°Come to our house,e on, you take her to our bedroom.¡± This was their family¡¯s lifesaver. How could they let her be treated poorly?

    Entering the small room, the first thing they saw was Bai Xiao huddling under the covers, cowering in a chair, even the covers trembling. Everyone was stunned to see Bai Xiao¡¯s ghastly pale face and fell silent, considering how much of her strength she must have expended, leaving her unwell.

    Liu Huiru couldn¡¯t concern herself with Bai Xiao, her heart fully with her son. She rushed over to him and took a closer look. Indeed, Wang Han¡¯s condition was much improvedpared to before. Even the dark circles under his eyes had disappeared, and he looked no more than someone recovering from a severe illness¡ªa far cry from the visage of a person nearing death.

    The five specialists lost theirposure too, crowding around Wang Han for a thorough examination. An Zhiyuan had already taken Bai Xiao to the adjacent bedroom, and everyone suddenly realized that the nkets weren¡¯t for the patient, but for the doctor herself. Many people thought to themselves that she truly was the Divine Doctor. Who could say she had no genuine talent after seeing her treat illnesses and save lives to the point of exhausting herself? No one could doubt it.

    Some wondered if this was the legendary medical skillbining Internal Qigong with acupuncture, so taxing that it seemed to deplete her Inner Strength.

    Many were of one mind: she was definitely the Divine Doctor.

    Bai Xiao herself had never expected to be so divinely spoken of.

    An Zhiyuanid her on the bed, and just as he did, she unexpectedly began to sob softly.

    An Zhiyuan was startled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Speak!¡± he said worriedly as he cradled her, nket and all, in his arms.

    Though she felt shamefully weak, the pain was too intense to care about that. She had never known cold could be so agonizing.

    ¡°Leg¡­ cramp!¡± She tried to massage her calf with her hands, her right calf spasming so badly it made her want to die.

    An Zhiyuan bent down to massage her calf. He ced her leg onto his own and managed to ease the tense muscles after great difficulty, but within minutes, it started cramping again. She didn¡¯t dare to breathe heavily, her expression pained while An Zhiyuan continuously massaged to rx the muscles. Then he carefully straightened her legs and performed flexing exercises, the muscles tensing as her entire body ached in the joints and muscles.

    The agony this time around was far more unbearable than before, probably because An Zhiyuan was constantly soothing her in a tender voice,forting her while tirelessly taking care of her; she cried even harder.

    An Zhiyuan looked at her suffering, gritted his teeth, stood up toughly, and unwrapped the nket she was cocooned in like a zongzi. Amid her cries of surprise, he held her in his arms against his chest and stuffed a hot water bottle into her embrace. He wrapped her hands and feet in a cotton nket again, then wrapped her and the nket tightly against his body, knowing that theirbined body heat was the best heater.

    ¡°You¡­¡± she found it difficult to sound indignant with her teeth chattering.

    She couldn¡¯t me An Zhiyuan for doing anything wrong; even if someone saw them, they were fiances, although only they knew what their rtionship really was. To outsiders, they were fiances, so there was nothing inappropriate.

    ¡°Rx!¡± he said calmly.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s body heat was so intense it made her feel as though she might faint. At first, she only felt the warmth surrounding her¡ªit was sofortable, seeping into her clothes, prating her skin, and ultimately reaching her very marrow, helping to chase away the chill in her heart. He held her tightly against himself, helping her to fight against the shivering.

    ¡°Shh, no more crying! It will be over soon,¡± he whispered, wiping her face with a towel.

    It might have felt like hours, but it was probably only minutes before the trembling started to subside, allowing her to rx slightly. Shey limp in his arms, but soon she began to shake violently again, her teeth chattering ceaselessly.

    The relentless cycle blurred her hope for the cold to subside.

    This time, having someone there to provide support and warmth was an experience she¡¯d never had before. In her past life, nobody cared for her; they just used her and discarded her, leaving her to recover on her own. Then, she often had to clutch a nket for days to bounce back, or she would resort to an ¡°Energy Potion.¡± But this time, it seemed different.

    Finally, the shaking ceased, and she was able to lie quietly in his arms. Time passed second by second, and in the quiet room, only their breathing and the steady, strong beat of his heart beneath her ear could be heard.

    The consequence of warmth was drowsiness setting in for her. He appeared to do something, and she wanted to open her eyes, but a gentle voice by her ear told her, ¡°Sleep now, it¡¯ll be alright after a nap!¡±

    She fell into a deep slumber.

    An Zhiyuan let out a long breath and gentlyid her t on the pillow. Herplexion was finally not so pale anymore, the goosebumps from the cold receding to reveal smooth, delicate skin. He had watched her the entire time she was performing acupuncture. He believed that she had exhausted too much energy and his resolve to protect her surged within him.

 Chapter 74 - 74 74 Wang Han Wakes Up

    ?Chapter 74: Chapter 74 Wang Han Wakes Up   Chapter 74: Chapter 74 Wang Han Wakes Up                                   An Zhiyuan came out, everyone looked at him, making him pause, especially the five experts surrounding him. ¡°She¡¯s really better!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s so miraculous, let us see her!¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Such medical skills are simply a miracle.¡±

    ¡°We must talk to her!¡±

    An Zhiyuan put his finger to his lips, ¡°Shh, she needs rest!¡±

    The five experts were full of disappointment, but what could they do? They couldn¡¯t just drag her out of bed now. They still couldn¡¯t believe it. This was someone they had all verified to be beyond saving¡ªfive people, not just one!

    If it were only one person, there might be a chance of misdiagnosis. But five people, and expert-level doctors, the error rate was nearly zero. Yet someone they diagnosed as beyond saving had now been brought back to life. They had thoroughly examined Wang Han. Though he was still unconscious, his physiological functions had fully rejuvenated. The once failing organs were now revived, and all the symptoms werepletely gone. They couldn¡¯t help but be amazed.

    They were doctors, eager to understand what had happened. The vastness of medical science, the profoundness of ancient medical heritage is incredible.

    Now, these few people were itching to find Bai Xiao and get a clear exnation.

    Wang Jianli and Qian Cheng saw An Zhiyuan and hurried over. ¡°How is the Divine Doctor?¡±

    So concerned?

    Of course, Wang Jianli and Qian Cheng had already seen Wang Han¡ªsleeping soundly, breathing steadily,plexion gradually bing rosy. If anyone said he was going to die, they¡¯d p him.

    Qian Cheng was full of regret, cursing himself several hundred times inwardly. What did it mean to look down on someone? This was it. He hadn¡¯t recognized greatness right before his eyes.

    This truly was a Divine Doctor!

    An Zhiyuan shook his head, ¡°Uncle Wang, Bai Xiao exhausted herself, causing hypothermia. She had requested the prepared items knowing the risks. Now she¡¯s asleep. She had overexerted herself, convulsing and cramping for most of the day. If the preparations weren¡¯t thorough, Wang Han could have been saved, but she might not have made it.¡±

    Wang Jianli felt even more grateful. Without saying, saving someone on the brink of death would inevitably be exhausting.

    ¡°Whatever you need, just say it. We can¡¯t neglect the Divine Doctor. Oh, what did you say Bai Xiao is to you?¡± Wang Jianli genuinely thought he had heard wrong earlier. With his son in trouble, his mind was disturbed, so mishearing was understandable.

    ¡°Bai Xiao is my fianc¨¦e! My wife-to-be!¡± An Zhiyuan repeated solemnly.

    ¡°Goodd, I haven¡¯t heard your father mention any engagement. Where did you find this girl?¡± Wang Jianli was pleased. He had been worried about how to contact this Divine Doctor in the future. But if she was An Zhiyuan¡¯s wife, their families would be like one, and he could certainly benefit from that.

    ¡°Uncle, let¡¯s talk about itter, it¡¯s a long story.¡±

    An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t want to go into details. Besides, with so many people here, some details he preferred not to share.

    ¡°Xiaohan is awake!¡± A shout came from the small room. Wang Jianli, An Zhiyuan, and Qian Cheng rushed in.

    On the sickbed, Wang Han had opened his eyes. His improvedplexion made him look less sickly pale. He was confused, looking at the crowd, ¡°Mom, Dad, Sister, Brother-inw, Brother An, why are you all here? What happened?¡±

    Everyone was delighted.

    Really?

    Themselves worried sick over a life-or-death crisis, yet here he was, still oblivious.

    ¡°Xiaohan, how do you feel?¡± Liu Huiru grabbed her son¡¯s thin wrist, her voice gentle, almost dripping with tenderness.

    Wang Han touched his head, embarrassed. ¡°I am just a bit hungry, otherwise, I feel fine, nothing ufortable.¡± His mother¡¯s look made him feel like a young child again, embarrassed before his sisters and dad. They still treated him like a kid.

    ¡°Quick, quick, where¡¯s the porridge? Didn¡¯t the Divine Doctor say to have the white porridge ready? Divine Doctor is really divine, spot-on advice.¡± Liu Huiru now regarded Bai Xiao¡¯s words as sacred. She would worship her if it meant saving her son.

    Wang Fang quickly attended to the porridge, smiling. Her brother was safe, her gratitude was immense. Without Bai Xiao¡¯s help, who knew what today would¡¯ve brought!

    Their family couldn¡¯t handle more turmoil, especially if something had happened to their dad, it would haunt her forever. She was most troubled because the incident urred at their home. Whether atent issue or sudden illness, it would implicate them. If her brother had died, they would never escape that shadow, affecting their parents terribly.

    Now the storm was clearing, even her steps seemed lighter.

    They all owed Bai Xiao big thanks. She saved her brother, effectively saving their entire family.

    The porridge came immediately. Wang Han smelled it and eagerly took the bowl, consuming it rapidly like a starving ghost, making Liu Huiru worriedly pat his back, ¡°Slow down, slow down! Eat slowly, or you¡¯ll choke!¡±

    Wang Han held the empty bowl, looking at Liu Huiru expectantly. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s not enough, and it¡¯s tasteless. Can I have some meat?¡± One bowl of porridge made him even hungrier.

    Liu Huiru hastily turned to Wang Fang, ¡°Quick! Get your brother something nutritious! This porridge is too nd. Don¡¯t let him starve!¡± Her son¡¯s appetite proved his recovery. A healthy person craves food. Looking at her slimmer son, she wanted to nourish him immediately.

    Wang Fang held the bowl, ¡°Mom, the Divine Doctor said he should only eat easy-to-digest white porridge, nothing else. If you care about him, you should consider his health.¡± She remembered An Zhiyuan¡¯s words carefully. No one cherished her brother¡¯s health more than she did now.

    Liu Huiru was about to retort. Not allowing any food would starve her son.

    Seeing this, Wang Han quickly said, aware of his mother¡¯s protective nature, ¡°Okay, Sis, I get it. Since the doctor said so, we should respect the doctor¡¯s advice. Thinking back, I realize my illness was severe, I couldn¡¯t wake up for some time, I should listen to the doctor.¡± He now remembered his serious illness.

    Hearing her son¡¯s words, Liu Huiru beamed, ¡°Our Xiaohan is sensible. Yes, we should follow the doctor¡¯s advice. When they say you can eat meat, I¡¯ll make something tasty for you to replenish your body. Look how thin you¡¯ve be! It pains me.¡± Now, her son¡¯s words felt perfect.

 Chapter 75 - 75 75 Asking for Help

    ?Chapter 75: Chapter 75 Asking for Help   Chapter 75: Chapter 75 Asking for Help                                   Wang Han was helped to lie down by Liu Huiru, ¡°Mom, what exactly happened to me?¡± He was not foolish; he could see that both his own mother and father had rushed over, which meant that something serious must have happened to him, otherwise it wouldn¡¯t have caused such amotion at home.

    Liu Huiru started crying when she heard this, unable to forget the state her son had been in just before, teetering between life and death.

    Wang Jianli, looking at his son who now seemed as good as new, felt relieved, acknowledging that this doctor truly had a gift.

    ¡°You almost lost your life. If it weren¡¯t for a skilled doctor rted to your sister¡¯s factory colleague, you would have been a goner this time. Once you¡¯ve recovered, you should be sure to thank them properly.¡±

    Wang Han nodded; although he didn¡¯t know the specifics, he could imagine how dire the situation must have been to mobilize his parents, sister, and brother-inw, thus he knew his father wasn¡¯t lying.

    It was no wonder he felt like he was dying in his groggy state, then he felt a refreshing sensation coursing through his body ¡ª that must have been the doctor treating him.

    ¡°I understand!¡±

    Liu Huiru quickly stood up, ¡°Should we ask the doctor toe and check on Xiaohan again? We can¡¯t take any chances!¡± She was worried there might be something else wrong with her son.

    The five military medical experts nodded in agreement.

    Go and get him!

    They wanted to see the person.

    Wang Jianli nced at An Zhiyuan; as the matter involved An Zhiyuan¡¯s fianc¨¦e, they didn¡¯t want to pressure him, but they also truly weren¡¯t at ease without having their son checked again.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go take a look and see what she says,¡± he stated, not wanting to overstep. It was Bai Xiao¡¯s own decision to make, and seeing as she was his fianc¨¦e, not some stranger, he was even less inclined to put her on the spot.

    An Zhiyuan went next door.

    Liu Huiru looked at Wang Jianli in perplexity, ¡°What¡¯s going on with this young An? Why is he involved back and forth inside?¡± She had been solely focused on her son and was oblivious to the events that had unfolded.

    ¡°That female doctor is Xiao An¡¯s fianc¨¦e; she¡¯s practically one of our own,¡± Qian Cheng suddenly became eloquent again, as if he had never looked down on Bai Xiao or branded her a chatan.

    Qian Cheng himself felt regretful; if it hadn¡¯t been for An Zhiyuan¡¯s timely arrival and guarantee, his father-inw would have agreed not to let Bai Xiao treat the patient. If anything had happened to his brother-inw, he would have been done for. Thinking about it now sent chills down his spine.

    ¡°What? The Divine Doctor is Xiao An¡¯s fianc¨¦e? Gosh, Xiao An is really lucky to have stumbled upon such an opportunity,¡± Liu Huiru immediately expressed surprise. An Zhiyuan was a child she had watched grow up, and they were on good terms. She couldn¡¯t help sighing at An Zhiyuan¡¯s fortune to be engaged to such a formidable doctor; having her in the family meant they wouldn¡¯t have to worry in the future.

    ¡°Yeah! I never imagined Xiao An would be so capable. I thought his mother had set her sights on Jia Xiaoyu from the bigpound, that girl who grew up with him as childhood sweethearts. Everyone thought they would end up together. Who would¡¯ve guessed Xiao An had a fianc¨¦e in secret,¡± Qian Cheng knew quite a lot of the inside stories.

    The idle gossip was cut short, as An Zhiyuan returned.

    ¡°Auntie, Bai Xiao said there¡¯s nothing to worry about. He needs to eat light, digestible food for the next few days. He has to finish the in congee today, at least. As for his body, she doesn¡¯t need to check on him, assured that there won¡¯t be problems, but he should just rest more,¡± he reported.

    ¡°Did you hear that? You need to eat in congee!¡± At this point, Liu Huiru couldn¡¯t indulge her son¡¯s whims and ignore his health.

    Wang Hany down listlessly; without anything good to eat, what was there to discuss?

    ¡°Brother Zhiyuan, since when did you have a fianc¨¦e?¡± If he couldn¡¯t enjoy his food, at least he could indulge in some gossip.

    An Zhiyuan and Wang Han weren¡¯t much different; they grew up ying together. Wang Han certainly wasn¡¯t afraid of making a big deal out of things and wanted to ask for a clear exnation.

    ¡°You should rest well and not worry too much! It¡¯s easy to wear yourself out.¡±

    Bai Xiao had already recovered, and he was happy about it.

    Wang Han could only lie there.

    An Zhiyuan went next door, Bai Xiao had already gotten out of bed, tidying her hair which had be a tangled mess from the covers, looking utterly presentable. Now, she faced the mirror and tied her hair into a ponytail. She felt she was recovering faster than she had in the past.

    It seemed An Zhiyuan was truly her savior.

    ¡°Already better?¡± An Zhiyuan said as he entered and saw Bai Xiao fixing her ponytail, with the nkets and hot water bottle neatly arranged on the bed. The girl was indeed efficient.

    ¡°All good now, it was just severe hypothermia. Once it passed, I recovered. Our family¡¯s secret techniques always require some effort,¡± Bai Xiao replied with a smile. An Zhiyuan always made her feel at ease; he had appeared several times just when she needed him most, as if he were a noble sent by the heavens to save her.

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. There¡¯s a whole crowd outside waiting to see you!¡± An Zhiyuan knew very well that aside from others, the five military medical experts were bing quite impatient, almost craning their necks in anticipation.

    ¡°Ah? Who?¡± Bai Xiao was ready to go home. Her sister must have been worried and anxious all morning, especially since Bai Ju thought that Bai Xiao was using a secret technique stolen from Lord Yama. What if someone discovered it?

    ¡°Those experts want to exchange experiences with you, and Wang Han¡¯s parents also want to thank you properly!¡±

    Bai Xiao rolled her eyes; everyone¡¯s thoughts were too idealistic, exchanging experiences?

    Knocking sounds came from the door.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, we¡¯ve prepared lunch. You and Xiao An,e out and eat,¡± Wang Fang called. They were at her house, and it was only proper to prepare a meal for the person who had saved their lives. Anything less would be too heartless.

    The house was already fully prepared.

    Bai Xiao shrugged her shoulders, and An Zhiyuan said with a smile, ¡°You have to ept their gratitude. Coming out for a meal isn¡¯t going to hurt you!¡± He liked seeing the lively and vibrant girl in front of him, so different from the listless girl earlier who was almost out of life. He wanted to see the smile in her eyes, the confidence that shined through, and he couldn¡¯t help but wonder how he ever thought she was pitiful.

    This little girl was far from pitiful, with an inner strength unknown to anyone else.

    It looked like he had been wrong.

    He opened the door, gesturing for her toe.

    Bai Xiao was amused. An Zhiyuan, the instructor brother, sure knew how to talk and soothe people, and he was considerate and caring. She had never met a man like that before.

    In her heart, she always thought that instructors were supposed to be strict, serious, with unwavering standards and epitomizing the unbending spirit of a man of iron, along with meticulous attitudes and behaviors. An Zhiyuan had changed all her previous perceptions.

    As the two of them stepped out, Wang Fang was already waiting at the door. Not inviting Bai Xiao, their great benefactor, was not an option for her parents.

    What was more important was that she hadn¡¯t gotten a clear look at Bai Xiao earlier, knowing only that she was a young girl. Without paying much attention to anything else, how could she not take a proper look now?

 Chapter 76 - 76 76 Thank You

    ?Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Thank You   Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Thank You                                   Upon seeing Bai Xiao, Wang Fang¡¯s eyes lit up. This young girl didn¡¯t seem like anything special; she was pretty indeed, but dark-skinned and thin, so even her good looks came with a discount. Yet, it was this young girl who had saved her brother.

    It really confirmed the saying, ¡°You can¡¯t judge a book by its cover.¡±

    She rushed up and grabbed Bai Xiao¡¯s hand, her enthusiasm making it seem like they were anything but strangers.

    ¡°Doctor Bai, you finally came out. If you hadn¡¯te out sooner, our old man would have been worried to death. It¡¯s hard to tell that you have such high skills. Come on,e have a meal; you must be starving. Look, we¡¯ve been busy all morning and haven¡¯t taken good care of you,e, let¡¯s eat!¡± Without further ado, she pulled Bai Xiao toward the dining room.

    The five military medical experts were not pleased. They had been waiting for several hours just to meet this doctor and share their experiences. They were itching with anticipation, how could Wang Fang just hijack her!

    They surged forward.

    ¡°Doctor Bai, we are director experts from the People¡¯s Liberation Army Hospital of the Provincial Military Region. Regarding the patient Wang Han, we have many questions we would like to discuss with you. Could you please grace us with a detailed discussion of the rescue operation? It would help us devise strategies and methods for simr cases in the future!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Doctor Bai, this could benefit society greatly. We hope you can¡­¡± The old man couldn¡¯t finish his sentence; his request was a bit shameless, asking her to disclose her secret techniques. It seems only a few old geezers could have such thick skin.

    Bai Xiao just quietly watched the five of them, her expression neither panicked nor smug. She was like a serene well, undisturbed by waves, not a ripple stirred by their words. Her clear gaze seemed to see through to the heart, causing all five experts to lower their heads, silenced.

    They had prepared a thousand words, but were defeated by the young girl¡¯s eyes.

    Their hearts filled with shame, what kind of eyes were those?

    Eyes that saw the rity of worldly affairs, that perceived the cold indifference of human hearts, cool and detached, they left you with nowhere to hide.

    All five experts together were over two hundred years old, and yet they were defeated by a pair of eyes. Saying it aloud would be too embarrassing for them.

    Wang Fang still hadn¡¯t noticed how impressive this young girl was.

    With just a look, she had repelled a group of specialists! Such was her spirit unmatched.

    Smiling to smooth things over, ¡°Let¡¯s go have a meal; we can talk after we¡¯ve eaten. It¡¯s not polite to chat on an empty stomach. Right, Doctor Bai?¡± She warmly linked arms with Bai Xiao, determined that this girl was hers to cling to. After all, she was an old woman unafraid of losing face, even if Bai Xiao had objections! Wasn¡¯t An Zhiyuan there, after all?

    Their families were old friends, surely that amounted to some courtesy.

    Bai Xiao was not pretentious. Skipping a meal, people might start worrying about what she was up to.

    Following Wang Fang into the dining room, everyone immediately stood up as their attention focused on Bai Xiao. Instantly, she became the center of attention.

    ¡°Doctor Bai,e over here, we¡¯ve saved you a seat. Sit here!¡± Liu Huiru called out to Bai Xiao, their family¡¯s great benefactor.

    Bai Xiao was seated next to Liu Huiru, with An Zhiyuan beside her. Liu Huiru was indeed like Wang Fang, her mother, in her actions, holding Bai Xiao¡¯s hand, appraising her up and down with fervent eyes, as if beholding a rare treasure.

    ¡°Doctor Bai, thank you! I really mean it, thank you!¡±

    Wang Han was actually sitting right next to Liu Huiru. When he heard it was Doctor Bai, his ears had almost developed calluses, as his parents and family members had been discussing this young doctor. He was quite curious and slightly excited, now knowing that he had been issued several critical condition notices and had been regarded as good as dead. Yet, a set of silver needles from Doctor Bai had miraculously brought him back to life.

    As the person in question, he waspletely oblivious to the situation, having unwittingly lived and died twice.

    Seeing Bai Xiao, he felt somewhat disappointed. He had imagined her to be a fairy-like girl with an ethereal presence, but reality was starkly different from his imagination.

    ¡°Auntie, let¡¯s stop talking about this and start the meal!¡± An Zhiyuan interjected. What else could Bai Xiao say to that?

    It¡¯s nothing?

    Why should it be?

    It¡¯s what I should do!

    No, that¡¯s not right either!

    The three Wang sisters immediately understood that this topic was not conducive to pleasant conversation.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s time to eat. Let¡¯s all toast to Doctor Bai and thank Dr. Bai for saving our Wang Han¡¯s life. Doctor Bai, thank you!¡±

    Everyone raised their sses. Bai Xiao awkwardly nced at the ss of alcohol in front of her. It wasn¡¯t that she was being pretentious or disrespectful; she simply couldn¡¯t drink. It was white liquor, and although she could handle it, she had barely regained her strength. Her body had not fully recovered its resistance, and she was actually allergic to alcohol¡ªdrinking it now would only make her ufortable.

    But if she didn¡¯t drink, this family might think she was very dissatisfied.

    Arge hand reached over, took the ss of wine from in front of her, and reced it with a ss of orange-colored orange juice. ¡°She doesn¡¯t drink alcohol. I¡¯ll drink on her behalf. A toast to everyone!¡± An Zhiyuan said, lifting the ss of wine and draining it in one swig.

    Wang Fen also drank and teased An Zhiyuan, ¡°Little An, you¡¯re really something, having such an impressive fianc¨¦e and not telling us. If we hadn¡¯t run into this bit of luck and stumbled upon you, when were you nning to bring her home to meet the family?¡±

    ¡°We just confirmed our rtionship, and I haven¡¯t yet filed for marriage. I was nning to wait until we returned to the base and filed the marriage report before telling everyone. After all, she¡¯s a girl who might be shy, and I haven¡¯t even told my own family yet!¡± An Zhiyuan exined, his casual demeanor rifying the situation.

    Bai Xiao blinked, not believing that they were actually talking about filing a marriage report.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, meeting you is truly our family¡¯s blessing from the cultivation of eight past lives. My brother-inw didn¡¯t mean to offend you just now. Please, don¡¯t take it to heart. I¡¯m sometimes too outspoken, so don¡¯t mind my words. Look, once you and Zhiyuan are married, we¡¯ll be rtives. It¡¯s said that conflicts make closer rtionships. He¡¯s offering an apology with this drink, thanking you for saving Xiaohan¡¯s life. From now on, you¡¯re our family¡¯s great benefactor, and we¡¯remitted to repaying your kindness.¡± Qian Cheng had been agonizing over upsetting Bai Xiao, as nobody knew what kind of methods someone as magically talented as her might have, and he certainly couldn¡¯t affo¡­

    Having elderly inws, and even his own aging parents, made him realize no hospital couldpare to having an acupuncturist like her who could bring someone back from death.

    Just now, five medical experts had pronounced his brother-inw dead, yet she had managed to save him. Although she looked like she had lost half her life doing so, she had the skill.

    This was truly a master.

    Thinking of this filled him with immense regret, wishing he had never appeared in the first ce.

 Chapter 77 - 77 77 The Rear Path

    ?Chapter 77: Chapter 77: The Rear Path   Chapter 77: Chapter 77: The Rear Path                                   ¡°As long as you take good care afterwards, there basically won¡¯t be any problems. Rest assured,¡± Bai Xiao said this because she could tell that Qian Cheng¡¯s greater worry was that she had been holding off on prescribing medicine, wondering if she was trying to keep the Wang Family in suspense.

    She had no intention of keeping anyone in suspense. She helped the Wang Family because she hoped that her sister and brother-inw could receive attention from Director Wei; after all, her sister¡¯s temporary job could be decided with just one word from him, and her brother-inw¡¯s job was unstable. With three kids to educate and feed at home, she could imagine their hardship. As long as it was within her power, she was willing to leave the biggest fallback option for her sister.

    She had helped Director Wei and didn¡¯t believe he would have the audacity not to repay them. Of course, she would not ept repayment herself, so it had to be directed toward her sister and brother-inw.

    In herst life, her sister¡¯s family had struggled a great deal. Even if it cost her all her family¡¯s resources, her brother-inw neverined. Good people like him, she thought, should be rewarded. Her medical skills were certainly not something she could hide, but with her experience from thest life, this time she learned to conceal it with acupuncture! You should know that with acupuncture, she had also seriously studied to cover up her tracks, and truly had the skills.

    This life, she would not put herself in danger; there were still many things to do.

    Upon hearing this, Liu Huiru finally felt relieved.

    Wang Han looked at Bai Xiao curiously and asked, ¡°You saved me, thank you so much. I didn¡¯t expect you to be so young. Who did you learn your medical skills from?¡± It was really hard for people to believe someone of such a young age.

    Bai Xiao had already thought of an excuse, which was ready-made, ¡°My parents were originally rural barefoot doctors. They understood herbal medicine and acupuncture. I learned my acupuncture from them. My parents said this acupuncture is a secret family technique. To save a life is worth more than creating a seven-tiered pagoda, and it should not be used unless absolutely necessary, because this kind of medical technique is quite aggressive. The person administering it needs to put forth utmost effort and concentration, and it¡¯s easy to make the practitioner weak. It¡¯s generally not rmended to use. Besides, I haven¡¯t fully mastered it. My parents died early, and I only got a rough understanding. I¡¯m afraid to show off. But today, just as I was visiting my sister, I happened to encounter the situation. Since I was already here and my uncle here said such things, I didn¡¯t want to embarrass him. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t dare to rashly treat someone¡¯s illness. After all, as you saw, after I treated the illness, I was close to not being able to catch my breath.

    It¡¯s a domineering secret technique that risks the practitioner¡¯s own life. I was also afraid I wouldn¡¯t be able to recover. Fortunately, I saved the person, which is very lucky.¡± She implied that it was out of respect for her uncle¡¯s face.

    This gave Zhao Dachuan face.

    Zhao Dachuan¡¯s face immediately turned red with embarrassment. His wife and he had their own ulterior motives, but they never imagined that they could have nearly harmed the youngdy. Now, to have their deed attributed as a merit to them was truly shameless.

    ¡°I only spoke out of seeing the Chief genuinely heartbroken. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have dared to say such things. After all, it¡¯s something only known inside one¡¯s own family. Outside, others might not believe it. Wangrade is indeed lucky. Just by a fluke, Bai Xiao came to visit her sister and managed to heal my unfortunate nephew¡¯s leg. If not, who would have known? This is fate.¡±

    Liu Huiru and Wang Jianli could see for themselves! This youngdy didn¡¯t want them to talk about it. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have cornered them with her words. It¡¯s true, what she did required a lot of mental and physical effort. Casually saving people¡ªif she died, who would be responsible?

    The couple understood that they owed her a tremendous favor.

    The meal was enjoyed by everyone. After dinner, Bai Xiao didn¡¯t stay and said goodbye to the Wang Family. She prepared to leave with Zhao Dachuan. Director Wei and his wife sincerely asked Bai Xiao to stay and rest, but Bai Xiao refused. An Zhiyuan sent Bai Xiao back.

    Zhao Dachuan didn¡¯t know exactly what rank An Zhiyuan held, but he did know the man was a high-ranking official from the team, and also Bai Xiao¡¯s fianc¨¦. With nothing to worry about, he hurried back alone to deliver the news.

    Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan walked side by side.

    ¡°Thank you for today!¡± Bai Xiao was sincerely grateful. She had indeed noticed that ever since she was saved by An Zhiyuan, it seemed like he would always step in to help her out of danger. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was fate or not, but for Bai Xiao, it was an unexpected joy. As for An Zhiyuan¡­ Bai Xiao hummed to herself¡ªencountering her might be considered An Zhiyuan¡¯s bad luck.

    ¡°Thank me for what? I¡¯m your fianc¨¦, and it¡¯s only right that I stand by your side at all times. Besides, you¡¯re not doing anything wrong. Healing and saving lives should not require begging others for help! I was just telling the truth. Our vige¡¯s security director, that¡¯s a living example. You don¡¯t know, but every time he sees me, he goes on non-stop talking, praising you to the skies as if there¡¯s no other like you, acting as if I¡¯ve stumbled upon a great fortune.¡±

    ¡°How could I not know your capabilities? I will definitely support you in such matters,¡± An Zhiyuan remembered clearly the way Security Director Li Guoqing acted, filled with envy and resentment.

    He couldn¡¯t help thinking that if he hadn¡¯t stepped forward to marry Bai Xiao, Li Guoqing would probably have jumped at the chance to matchmake his son with Bai Xiao, keeping the ¡°good fortune within the family.¡±

    Bai Xiao smiled, her dimples showing as she grinned, looking irresistibly cute¡ªa stark contrast to her usual timidity, as if she became several times more cheerful.

    An Zhiyuan was momentarily stunned; it was the first time he had seen Bai Xiao smile. No, that¡¯s not right!

    He had seen it once before, but that time wasn¡¯t as bright as this. Her smile was so radiant it seemed to brighten his heart with sunshine, as if experiencing the joyful serenity of ¡°spring snow and clear skies.¡± In his heart, he swore he would make her happy and smiling like this for the rest of her life.

    ¡°I¡¯m not as exaggerated as you make me out to be. The Director is just grateful. Besides, if I were doing something bad, you certainly wouldn¡¯t be able to help me. Instructor An, you¡¯re a person of upstanding integrity,¡± Bai Xiao chuckled, teasing An Zhiyuan yfully, who truly felt like a caring elder brother¡ªsafe and reliable.

    An Zhiyuan, usually stern, let a faint smile dance on his lips. ¡°What bad things could you possibly do? You? No offense, but even if you tried, I don¡¯t believe you could stir up any real trouble. If you were capable of that, would you still be bullied by your grandmother and uncle like that?¡±

    Bai Xiao red at him. ¡°Instructor An, haven¡¯t you heard the saying ¡®you don¡¯t p someone in the face¡¯? How can I have a proper conversation with you like this?¡± He had a knack for bringing up the most sensitive subjects.

    An Zhiyuan promptly apologized. ¡°Comrade Bai Xiao! My mistake. Although it¡¯s the truth, I shouldn¡¯t have said it. I promise I¡¯ll never bring it up again.¡± His earnest nonsense made Bai Xiao unable to even get angry.

    ¡°I really can¡¯t deal with you! How did you get here? Shouldn¡¯t you be in training near our vige?¡± Bai Xiao was curious¡ªit seemed she was lucky enough to run into benefactors wherever she went.

 Chapter 78 - 78 78 Enthusiastic Sister

    ?Chapter 78: Chapter 78 Enthusiastic Sister   Chapter 78: Chapter 78 Enthusiastic Sister                                   ¡°Uncle Wang was my father¡¯s oldrade-in-arms, and I can say that Wang Han and I were childhood friends. However, he grew up calling after me, ¡®Brother An! Brother An!¡¯ Since I was close by when I heard the news, how could I not rush over to visit? It was right when I bumped into you here. Otherwise, if they had driven you away, it would have been their loss,¡± An Zhiyuan really hadn¡¯t expected to encounter Bai Xiao here. If not for the Director¡¯s words, which gave him a strong sense of trust, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to trust Bai Xiao this much.

    Actually, he himself found it strange. He had not met Bai Xiao many times, and each time, he had never seen her looking morous. Instead, it was always Bai Xiao at her most miserable. Logically, he should not fancy such a downtrodden girl, the type that¡¯s like a white lotus, which did not suit his straightforward nature. He was the kind of person who would seek revenge immediately.

    Yet he couldn¡¯t let go of Bai Xiao. Her weakness, her misery seemed to always touch his heart. And for some inexplicable reason, he felt an immense confidence in her, even though he didn¡¯t understand where this confidence came from to assure Bai Xiao. Had Bai Xiao failed to cure Wang Han, Uncle Wang would probably be hating him by now.

    ¡°And you? How did you end up in town?¡± He remembered that Bai Xiao should be busy preparing for university.

    Bai Xiao pointed ahead to Bai Ju, who hade out to greet them, ¡°I came to see my second sister. She¡¯s married into a family here in town.¡±

    Bai Ju was already hurrying over. As soon as Zhao Dachuan got back, he told the whole story of Bai Xiao at Director Wei¡¯s house! The thrilling level of the tale was no less than an action movie, scaring Bai Ju and their aunt silly with worry.

    Upon hearing that Bai Xiao suddenly had a soldier as her fianc¨¦, as a sister, how could Bai Ju not be anxious? This was something her younger sister had never mentioned to her.

    And that¡¯s why she hastened toe out and see for herself what kind of man this future brother-inw was.

    From a distance, she saw An Zhiyuan in full dress! His back straight as an arrow, neatly dressed in a Sun Yat-sen suit, and carrying an intimidating presence thatmanded respect at first nce. He was clearly a young man, looking very dignified. Importantly, he seemed like an official. He was talking to Bai Xiao with a good attitude, his face adorned with a faint smile, which made him less frightening than his clothes did.

    ¡°Xiao, this is¡­?¡±

    Before Bai Xiao could speak up, An Zhiyuan took the initiative to introduce himself.

    ¡°Hello second sister, I am An Zhiyuan, Bai Xiao¡¯s fianc¨¦. I¡¯m temporarily serving as an instructor at J University. I happened to be passing by on a mission, so I took the opportunity to visit you.¡± He was a man, how could he make Bai Xiao feel embarrassed?

    Bai Ju took one look at his presence and saw him extend his hand to shake hers.

    Compared to their factory director, he seemed even more like an official. She hurriedly wiped her hands on her clothes before shaking hands with An Zhiyuan.

    ¡°Hello, hello, pleasee into the house. You¡¯vee all this way,e and get to know where we live. Visit more often in the future. Our Bai Xiao is a good girl, and you must treat her well in the future. Otherwise, I, as her sister, will not let you off.¡± Bai Ju said the polite words, but couldn¡¯t help revealing her worries.

    Bai Xiao covered her face, Oh my dear sister.

    Who threatens people like that?

    An Zhiyuan immediately saluted, ¡°Second sister! Rest assured, I promise you, with a man¡¯s loyalty and faith, I will take good care of Bai Xiao! I definitely won¡¯t let you down. All of Bai Xiao¡¯s college expenses will be sent by me. No need to worry at all¡ªyou can count on me to deliver on my word.¡± This was one of the few asions where he could express his feelings.

    Bai Ju nodded in satisfaction then shook her head, ¡°No need, we¡¯ll figure out a way to cover Bai Xiao¡¯s tuition and living expenses on our own. We won¡¯t put Bai Xiao in a difficult position, and we don¡¯t want to put you in a difficult position, either. After all, it isn¡¯t right for us to spend a man¡¯s money before marriage.¡± Bai Ju refused, she might be poor, but she had her pride, probably inherited from the Bai family¡¯ste parents.

    Bai Xiao smiled as well, ¡°Instructor An, there¡¯s really no need for the tuition. I¡¯ll find a way myself.¡±

    Bai Ju, pulling Instructor An, headed toward their own little yard, as it wasn¡¯t appropriate to entertain one¡¯s future brother-inw at an aunt¡¯s house.

    An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao followed Bai Ju back to the small courtyard, where they invited An Zhiyuan to sit inside the house. He Wang, upon seeing a stranger, felt awkward and didn¡¯t know where to put his hands and feet, as their family never had such an imposing visitor before. You could tell he was an official at a nce. He hurriedly went to pour some tea, but, s, there was no tea at home, so after much rummaging, he could only serve a bowl of in sugar water to the guest.

    He Weng, seeing there was a visitor from the window, didn¡¯t leave the room, ustomed as he was to hiding indoors. He still felt too embarrassed toe out and meet people.

    ¡°Dad, go get two pounds of meat, we¡¯ll make dumplings tonight! This is Xiao¡¯s fianc¨¦, Instructor An Zhiyuan. Let¡¯s have them for dinner, it¡¯s his first visit! We don¡¯t have much to offer but making dumplings is all we can do, you won¡¯t find our food inadequate, will you?¡± Bai Ju called out politely, chiefly because they all had heard that the food in the military was good and were worried he might not enjoy their humble meal.

    An Zhiyuan quickly tried to stop He Wang, ¡°This must be brother-inw, right? No trouble needed, I have to rush back soon or I¡¯ll miss thest bus and that would mean criticism. Next time I visit, you can make dumplings for me. It¡¯s rare for us to get a meal of homemade dumplings, I haven¡¯t told you yet! The food we get is just like pig feed, all mashed up in a sloppy stew, you can¡¯t taste anything. I really miss dumplings.¡±

    ¡°How can it be okay to not eat? It would weigh on our minds if you left without eating. No, it is decided, you must have a meal,¡± He Wang wouldn¡¯t have it, honest folks show their hearts when treating their own.

    An Zhiyuan held He Wang¡¯s hand, ¡°Really, brother-inw, there¡¯s no need. I¡¯ll be in trouble if I¡¯mte, and it¡¯s no joke. We are disciplined, truly. I¡¯ll definitely visit next time I have leave; we can¡¯t forget about the dumplings then.¡±

    Bai Xiao also stopped Bai Ju and He Wang, ¡°Sister, brother-inw, please don¡¯t make it difficult for him. We can¡¯t break discipline, or else it¡¯s either confinement or a strict reprimand. You wouldn¡¯t want him to be punished over a meal of dumplings, right?¡±

    Bai Ju immediately shook her head, ¡°That won¡¯t do, Instructor An, you better hurry back then, let your brother-inw bike you to the bus station! Can¡¯t bete. School discipline must be adhered to! We can¡¯t let our affairs dy you.¡±

    He Wang rushed to get the bicycle, but An Zhiyuan stopped him yet again, ¡°Sister, brother-inw! Please, don¡¯t fuss over me. I still need to say goodbye to Director Wei and Uncle Wang, I can¡¯t just leave without a word, so don¡¯t worry about me. I can take care of myself at my age.¡±

    He Wang had to give in.

    An Zhiyuan said goodbye to Bai Xiao in a hurry and rushed off after bidding Bai Ju and her family farewell.

 Chapter 79 - 79 79 Bai Xiaos Plan

    ?Chapter 79: Chapter 79 Bai Xiao¡¯s n   Chapter 79: Chapter 79 Bai Xiao¡¯s n                                   Bai Ju sighed as she watched An Zhiyuan walk away. ¡°Xiao is truly blessed to have someone like Instructor An look out for her. He seems like a decent man who surely won¡¯t let you down in the future. Xiao, you must listen to your sister. If you need living expenses or tuition fees for school, you¡¯ve got your brother and us. Even if we have to cut back a bit, we can¡¯t let you suffer. But no matter what, you can¡¯t take Instructor An¡¯s money. Remember, a woman mustn¡¯t fall into debt; otherwise, when you marry, your inws could look down on you.¡±

    Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes were moist. Bai Ju was wholeheartedly looking out for Bai Xiao¡¯s future.

    Comfortingly pulling Bai Ju¡¯s hand, Bai Xiao said, ¡°Sister, don¡¯t worry, I understand. College doesn¡¯t cost much¡ªthe tuition is free, and they even give us a monthly living stipend. If it¡¯s not enough, I can get a part-time job to make up for it. Don¡¯t deprive yourself because of me and don¡¯t let the kids suffer. Sister, I get it. Let¡¯s not dwell on the past, our lives will only get better from now on.¡±

    Bai Ju nodded, ¡°Yes, better and better!¡±

    The whole family was in good spirits. He Weng overheard their conversation and hung his head deep in thought, wondering about something.

    For dinner, Bai Ju made porridgeplemented with big steamed buns and arge bowl of mixed vegetables¡ªthis was the best meal they could put together. Usually, they only had steamed buns with pickled vegetables and thin porridge. Despite being a simple mix of cabbage, tofu, and vermicelli, it was a rare treat in their household.

    Bai Xiao initially didn¡¯t want her sister and brother-inw to fuss over her; she didn¡¯te to be a burden. Seeing her sister and settling matters she no longer worried about Li Chunhua¡¯s deceit. She was quite relieved, and by sorting out her brother-inw¡¯s family issues, she felt she had repaid him for his years of care, and she had lightened her sister¡¯s load.

    She nned to return home the next day. Of course, she had things to do before leaving. As for Fang Xiaoshan, whether he could live his carefree life as ¡®the big boss¡¯ depended on whether she would allow it.

    What Fang Xiaoshan did to her in a past life was unforgivable, yet in a society governed byw, unless she wanted to go on a rampage and be an antisocial person, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to act. But she wasn¡¯t about to let Fang Xiaoshan get off so easily. With her around in this life, he wouldn¡¯t continue to bully and boss others around.

    After all, Fang Xiaoshan had no real skills, and his parents weren¡¯t capable either. Had it not been for his uncle who had no sons and treated Fang Xiaoshan like his own, always ready to provide money, would Xiaoshan have had such a good life?

    Unfortunately, Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s uncle wasn¡¯t particrly wise either. Despite having three daughters and being a shrewd businessman, if he hadn¡¯t been fixated on his nephew to care for him in his old age, who knows howfortable his life could have been?

    Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s bad habits stemmed from the belief that he had a wealthy uncle. In the countryside, not having a son means not just women, but men also can¡¯t hold their heads high. People are deeply influenced by feudal thinking, firmly believing that no sons equal no one to carry on the family line, and no one to mourn after death.

    In the vige, not having a son means being a target for others¡¯ bullying. It¡¯s very different from gender equality. Fang Xiaoshan relied exactly on his status as someone with no male cousins.

    After dinner, Bai Xiao and Bai Ju were tidying up the kitchen when guests arrived at the house! This time, it was Qian Cheng and Director Wei¡¯s couple. Representing Liu Huiru and Wang Jianli, they brought milk powder, malted milk, canned chocte, pastries, and fruits, expressing their gratitude to Bai Xiao and leaving behind a thick envelope, which Bai Xiao had no intentions of epting.

    However, they insisted she should keep it, suggesting that refusing would mean looking down on their gifts. These were just tokenspared to a life-saving act. Particrly Qian Cheng, who wished nothing more than to clear his own bad record. Bai Xiao¡¯s hints were vague, but they understood well enough¡ªthat she didn¡¯t take action lightly, and when she did, it was a life-saving matter, because she risked her own life to save others.

    Moreover, with An Zhiyuan present that afternoon, they inquired further and learned that Bai Xiao did indeed cure other vigers. An Zhiyuan wouldn¡¯t vouch for her otherwise, especially when people¡¯s lives were on the line. This confirmed their thoughts.

    Recalling Zhao Dachuan¡¯s persistent pursuit of Bai Xiao, Qian Cheng understood Zhao Dachuan¡¯s intentions. Zhao¡¯s entire family worked in Director Wei¡¯s factory, dependent on the leadership for their livelihood. Mingling with the hope of gaining favor and thus better treatment was only natural.

    But Bai Xiao had no intention of currying favor. If not for Zhao Dachuan¡¯s insistence, she would probably never have offered her help. They were strangers; why should she risk her life for someone else¡¯s?

    Seeing it from this perspective, everything aligned with what Bai Xiao had said¡ªshe kept a low profile.

    On further inquiry, they discovered that Bai Xiao¡¯s sister, Bai Ju, worked as a temporary worker in Director Wei¡¯s factory. Bai Xiao came to visit her sister and brother-inw. Had it not been for this visit, they likely wouldn¡¯t have met her. Wang Jianli realized that Bai Xiao was not seeking any favors from them, and a divine doctor like her, surely, had her own temper. In the future, they might need her help again; it was critical to maintain a good rtionship. They couldn¡¯t overlook the connection with An Zhiyuan, so they acted cautiously.

    Bai Ju, however, was an obvious choice. By maintaining a good rtionship with Bai Ju¡¯s family, they¡¯d have someone to advocate for them should the need arise. Judging by Bai Xiao¡¯s initiative to treat her brother-inw¡¯s younger brother, it was clear that she acted seeing Bai Ju¡¯s hardship. Otherwise, why would she interfere in others¡¯ affairs?

    Considering this, Bai Ju became an excellent point of connection.

    The next day, Director Wei had Bai Ju processed as a full-time employee, even securing her a workshop director position¡ªa treatment only avable to those with connections. Bai Ju was suddenly promoted overnight.

    Director Wei¡¯s wife, Wang Fang, grew very close to Bai Ju. Despite being directors in different workshops¡ªone in the food workshop, and the other in packaging¡ªthat did not stop Wang Fang from treating Bai Ju with endearment. As a savvy person, Wang Fang knew exactly how to foster a closer bond with Bai Ju.

    From then on, Bai Ju and Director Wei¡¯s family truly became friends, envied by many factory workers.

 Chapter 80 - 80 80 Ingratitude

    ?Chapter 80: Chapter 80 Ingratitude   Chapter 80: Chapter 80 Ingratitude                                   Bai Ju¡¯s family¡¯s ordeal was a story forter, but the next day Bai Xiao bid farewell to her sister, preparing to return home, and of course, she also had to run errands in town. Bai Ju had prepared a huge pile of things for Bai Xiao to take with her, food and drink! Fearing Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t have enough, Bai Ju even slipped her ten yuan for travel expenses. Bai Xiao knew that this was the money her brother-inw, He Wang, had just earned the day before, and before it even had a chance to warm in her sister¡¯s hands, her sister had given it to her.

    Bai Xiao epted it, then turned around and left! Her heart was sour, and she felt so sad she wanted to burst into tears, but she couldn¡¯t turn back! She knew Bai Ju was watching her retreating figure, and if she cried, Bai Ju would be even more heartbroken.

    Bai Ju watched her younger sister¡¯s slender figure leave, wiped away her tears, and thought how wonderful it was that her sister had grown up. If their parents knew from beneath the grass, they would surely beforted.

    He Wang knew his wife was upset andforted her by patting Bai Ju¡¯s shoulder; the two of them went back into the house together.

    Bai Ju tidied up the house, preparing to wash up and then head to work. Their factory operated on three shifts: day, night, and evening. She was on the evening shift today and couldn¡¯t bete. Their family relied entirely on her modest sry, and He Wang was also preparing to go out and look for work.

    Life was different now, at least He Weng had recovered and no longer needed constant care. In a while, He Weng would be able to start working too! The burden on the family would be lighter then.

    Suddenly, Bai Ju felt that never before had life seemed as beautiful as it did at this moment.

    While sweeping the bed, she suddenly noticed something was off with the pillow at the head of the bed where Meimei slept. Upon lifting it, she found the envelope from Factory Director Wei and her group beneath it! On top there was a note, with Bai Xiao¡¯s handwriting jumping out from the paper.

    ¡°Dear second sister, Factory Director Wei gave us a total of one thousand yuan. I knew you would refuse to keep it, so I¡¯ve left three hundred yuan for you. Tomorrow I¡¯m nning to go to our eldest sister¡¯s and leave three hundred for her, and I will take the rest to school. So don¡¯t worry, from now on you won¡¯t need to prepare living expenses for me, I¡¯ve grown up. We are sisters, bonded in this life, not the next, and I won¡¯t thank you and brother-inw for your selfless care over these years; so, you shouldn¡¯t say anything else either. Your sister, Bai Xiao.¡±

    With the three hundred yuan in hand, Bai Ju cried her eyes out. He Wang came in from outside and thought something had happened to his wife! He hurriedly consoled her until he learned Bai Xiao had left behind money. Looking at the thirty crisp ten-yuan notes Bai Ju took out of the envelope, realizing that ten yuan was thergest denomination avable, both were filled with emotion.

    ¡°How about this, I ride the bicycle and chase after her, surely I can stop her. We can¡¯t keep this money. Bai Xiao has four years of university ahead of her, she¡¯ll need money for lots of things. Moreover, this money was earned by Bai Xiao for saving people¡¯s lives, we would feel guilty for taking it.¡± He Wang was a good man, and an honest one. If not for He Wang¡¯s kindness, it might not have been possible for Bai Ju to give her younger sister five yuan a month. These things were the result of a man¡¯s responsibility and a broad heart, not just empty talk.

    After all, his own three children were still without food and drink, and to selflessly care for a younger sister-inw like this, most people couldn¡¯t do it. It was impossible for the family to not have fights over this.

    Bai Ju shook her head and wiped away her tears, while He Wang grew anxious, ¡°Why don¡¯t you agree? This is not right¡­¡±

    He Wang was too grateful for his little sister-inw to even consider keeping the money.

    He Weng walked out from his room! This home had no privacy at all; anyway, you could see and hear the conversation between his brother and sister-inw through the windows. He was bound to be aware of these matters, and understanding his big brother¡¯s anxiety, he knew his brother was not one to be ungrateful.

    ¡°Forget it, Xiao left the money and even left me a note! She did it so we would keep it! She made it clear that even if you try to return it, she can¡¯t ept it. Besides, this is Xiao¡¯s way of showing her care. I get it. We¡¯ll keep this money andter, when Xiao needs money for university, we can give it to her then. Isn¡¯t that better than stubbornly trying to return it to her now?¡± Bai Ju knew her sister was trying to support her, hoping she wouldn¡¯t feel guilty when facing He Wang.

    It was the first time in years that she felt like she could stand tall in front of He Wang, and it wasn¡¯t because he was petty or caring about such things, but precisely because he wasn¡¯t petty or concerned that made her feel more guilty. A man who tirelessly worked for his family did so because it contained his loved ones. But to do the same for Bai Xiao didn¡¯t seem right. Bai Ju knew this, and that was why she felt even more guilt-stricken; she always felt like shecked a solid foundation when she spoke.

    It was because she herself couldn¡¯t be assertive and confident.

    He Wang was about to say something else, but He Weng stopped his older brother. ¡°Big brother! Don¡¯t say anymore. Sister-inw is right. Since Bai Xiao left the money out of goodwill, if we really care about her, we should ept it. It will make her feel valued for contributing to us. That¡¯s how rtives behave.¡±

    He Wang red, even honest people have their moments of anger. ¡°How can you say that? You shouldn¡¯t say such things. You know how important that money is to Bai Xiao. She¡¯s a young girl alone out there, and she has to go through four years of university, and that¡¯s university. Even though I know universities provide a stipend and waive tuition fees, she still needs to buy textbooks, doesn¡¯t she? Not everything can just be dismissed. There will be times of urgent need. If we take her money, what will she do? No matter how hard things get for us, big brother and your sister-inw still have a way to earn money, but where can Bai Xiao, a student, go to make money?¡± At this point, he felt disappointed with his brother¡¯s ingratitude, not expecting his younger brother to suggest epting the money.

    He Weng tried to help his older brother sit down but was shrugged off by He Wang, who sat down by himself, fuming and ignoring He Weng.

    Bai Ju nced at He Weng. She knew her younger brother-inw wasn¡¯t heartless. The boy must have had his reasons, or else he wouldn¡¯t have said that.

    She pulled He Wang back. ¡°Listen to what your brother has to say! Look at your stubbornness every day. You haven¡¯t even spoken yet, and here you are getting all worked up. Can¡¯t you just have a proper conversation?¡±

    He Wang pointed at He Weng with deep anguish. ¡°I¡ªI feel cold inside. I can¡¯t believe these are the words of my own brother. ¡®When someone treats you with the slightest kindness, you should respond with a spring-like bounty.¡¯ But¡­ but¡­ Ah, it¡¯s because I haven¡¯t disciplined you well over the years. I always thought you were frail and didn¡¯t want to worry you, and look where that¡¯s got you now.¡±

    He Wengughed, squatting in front of He Wang, who looked displeased. ¡°Who punished you and made you stand?¡±

    He Weng knew his brother was tough on the outside, but warm-hearted on the inside.

    He fetched a small stool and sat in front of his brother, his actions nimble and tactful. He Wang softened at the sight of his brother, who he had raised like his own child. Even though he was upset, he couldn¡¯t bear to continue rebuking He Weng.

    Bai Ju kicked He Wang lightly. ¡°Alright, your brother is already like this, what more do you want? Know when to stop!¡±

    He Wang chuckled to himself; his wife was even using idioms now.

 Chapter 81 - 81 81 Repaying a Kindness

    ?Chapter 81: Chapter 81: Repaying a Kindness   Chapter 81: Chapter 81: Repaying a Kindness                                   ¡°Big brother, I actually have something I want to talk to you and sister-inw about. I¡¯ve thought about it for several days, fearing that you wouldn¡¯t agree! But today, I feel I must say it. Otherwise, if I leave secretly, it would be unfair to you for all the years of care you¡¯ve given me¡ªyou are my family.¡± He Weng spoke openly and frankly to He Wang.

    Bai Ju and He Wang were startled by his words, which seemed to suggest he was nning to leave.

    Where was He Weng nning to go?

    Bai Ju grabbed He Weng abruptly. Since her marriage into the He Family, she had been taking care of this younger brother-inw. Back then, He Weng was just a child, but now he had grown into a young man. He Weng was like her own child, so how could she not be anxious? Addressing He Weng, Bai Ju began to scold him without feeling any burden in her heart.

    ¡°Where do you want to go? The family is having good days, what are you thinking about? It¡¯s not that great out there. Have you thought about it? Your sister-inw treats you as one of her own, and you¡¯re not well-educated. You look frail; can you do physicalbor outside, or sit in an office? I¡¯m still a temp worker, you know, and it took a lot of effort just to get this job through a connection. Who will help you out there? I¡¯m telling you, you¡¯re not leaving. You just stay home, recover your health, and then after a while, I¡¯ll talk to the factory manager to try to arrange a temp job for you. Eventually, things will get better for us, and our family will thrive.

    I¡¯m telling you, don¡¯t feel like you owe your brother and sister-inw anything. We are family, no one owes anyone anything, do you hear? The home of your brother and sister-inw is your home, and we¡¯re even nning to save up money for you to get married and start your own family. Don¡¯t start causing trouble now,¡± Bai Ju really was a kind woman.

    He Wang also advised, ¡°Your sister-inw is right; don¡¯t mess around. You¡¯ve just recovered, what are you fussing about? Just stay quietly at home, our family won¡¯t starve without you working.¡±

    He Weng smiled, pried Bai Ju¡¯s fingers off, helped her sit down, and sat in front of them both, speaking seriously, ¡°Brother, sister-inw, I¡¯ve thought this through. Here, I can¡¯t do anything. You both know too well how scarce work is here; if temp jobs were easy to find, why wouldn¡¯t my brother work in the factory? It¡¯s also because there aren¡¯t the right conditions. Every extra mouth at home is another to feed. Moreover, having received such a great kindness from Bai Xiao, if I do nothing, then I really am heartless.

    Brother, sister-inw, listen to me. I know Bai Xiao¡¯s family doesn¡¯t expect anything in return. Even if I gave my life, it wouldn¡¯t amount to much. I¡¯ve thought it over. Bai Xiao has to continue her studies and needs money. Plus, she found such a capable partner! It turns out she really does need someone to help her. These past few days, I¡¯ve thought about it¡ªBai Xiao is a girl, and from now on, I¡¯ll treat her like my sister. School always requires money. Even if she¡¯s frugal, as a grown girl, especially Bai Xiao, if she doesn¡¯t buy some clothes in the city, she¡¯ll be ridiculed. It¡¯s different from our countryside where any clothing will do. Also, that Officer An clearlyes from a different background. If Bai Xiao spends his money, her inws might look down on us in the future. I might not have any other skills, but I can still do odd jobs. I know my body is weak, but I can still work other jobs. I¡¯ve heard there are more job opportunities in the provincial city, so I¡¯ll go there to work and earn money.

    From now on, Bai Xiao¡¯s affairs are my affairs. As her brother, I¡¯ll take care of her and won¡¯t let her suffer. I want her to be able to stand proud as a city dweller. So don¡¯t stop me. I thought there was no chance for a different life for me, just living and waiting to die. But now it¡¯s different; I¡¯m not content to just ept that. Let me go, or I¡¯ll never be at peace for the rest of my life.¡±

    This was truly what He Weng felt in his heart. He Wang instantly realized he had been wrong about his brother. Such a kind-hearted person, who wouldn¡¯t even harm an ant, how could he be ungrateful?

    He pped himself on the forehead, ¡°I¡¯m such a fool, such a coward. How could I not trust my own brother, I¡­¡±

    He Weng immediately hugged He Wang¡¯s arm, shouting anxiously, ¡°Big brother, what are you doing? I didn¡¯t say that, how could you know what I was thinking? Therefore, no one is at fault. We¡¯re all good people in this family, and we¡¯ve always encountered good people, so I believe in good karma.¡±

    ¡°Alright, brother agrees to what you said! Do whatever you feel you should do. People must do what they think is right in this life, and now you¡¯re a man. Repaying a favor is your choice; I can¡¯t stop you. All your brother can do is support you.¡±

    He Wang patted his brother¡¯s shoulder; these years, the two brothers hadn¡¯t spoken heart-to-heart like this. He had always been worried about making a living, frowning all day, or racking his brains to make money, with no time to talk about heart matters with his brother. Now he finally knew his brother had grown up! Like a man, made decisions and treated others properly, so he was very pleased.

    He Weng knew his brother would agree. He turned to look at his sister-inw and shook Bai Ju¡¯s arm, ¡°Sister-inw, my big brother agrees! Please agree too, my dear sister-inw!¡± He would act coquettishly with his sister-inw because in his eyes, she was like a mother to him. Over the years, she had cared for him selflessly; he knew his situation, and such tasks as she did, few unrted people would ever undertake.

    Bai Ju, her head spinning from her brother-inw shaking it, could onlyugh and say, ¡°Stop shaking, you¡¯re making your sister-inw dizzy. I agree, okay?¡±

    He Weng immediatelyughed like a child, ¡°Sister-inw, big brother, thank you.¡±

    His heartfelt thanks were his utmost effort.

    Bai Ju grabbed He Weng¡¯s arm, ¡°Don¡¯t be happy just yet; I still have something to say. If you don¡¯t agree to do this, you can¡¯t go!¡± She was a woman whose thoughts were ultimately thorough, considering more aspects.

    He Weng quickly sat down obediently, ¡°Sister-inw, speak!¡±

    ¡°When you¡¯re out there, take good care of yourself. Don¡¯¡­

 Chapter 82 - 82 82 Repaying a Kindness

    ?Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Repaying a Kindness   Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Repaying a Kindness                                   Bai Xiao went straight to the bus station, inquired about the returning time, and learned that the bus wouldn¡¯t leave for another hour. So, she went to the market in town, where several houses were used for business. It was now 1985; the policies had been liberalized, and doing business was no longer considered spective profiteering! Many smart people had already started doing business.

    Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s uncle, Fang Jianping, was one of them. To say Fang Jianping was a sharp-minded man was an understatement; he shouldn¡¯t have been under Xiaoshan¡¯s thumb, yet this very clever man spent his entire life earning money for Xiaoshan. He not only built Xiaoshan a tiled house but also found him a wife. Whenever Xiaoshan needed money, he would turn to Fang Jianping. Originally, Jianping¡¯s business was doing well, life wasfortable, and his three daughters were married well and were respectful to their parents. However, all of this changed because of Xiaoshan¡¯s gambling.

    One must know that gambling is a bottomless pit¡ªhow much money would be enough to fill it? Just like that, Xiaoshan managed to squander the entire family fortune. In the end, after buying a house and moving back to the vige, the penniless Jianping became the target of Xiaoshan¡¯s scorn! He was either beaten or scolded, and it wasn¡¯t long before Jianping was infuriated to the brink of death by Xiaoshan. If it weren¡¯t for his wife seeking help from their daughters, and their eldest daughter, who was married to an influential man in town,ing to Jianping¡¯s aid, things might have been different. Her husband wasn¡¯t afraid of Xiaoshan¡¯s bullying and took his inws home. Xiaoshan even tried to detain them to extort money, but ended up getting beaten. Since then, he quietly behaved himself and dared not provoke Jianping anymore.

    But Jianping was still running a small shop in town.

    As Bai Xiao wandered down here, she indeed saw Jianping¡¯s wife, Yang Mei, at the entrance of one of the houses. This woman was actually quite a capable person, but because she never had a son, she couldn¡¯t lift her head high in her own home. Although Jianping was a good man, theck of a son inevitably led to someints, leaving Yang Mei with no choice but to obey her husband and soothe her own guilt.

    Seeing Yang Mei about to throw out a basinful of water, Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes flicked cunningly. She seized the moment Yang Mei tossed the water and darted out, just in time to be sshed on her trouser legs, soaking her cloth shoes as well. She stood there dazedly, looking at the water on the ground and then at the basin in Yang Mei¡¯s hands.

    She looked foolishly as if she had been startled.

    When Yang Mei saw the mess she caused, she quickly stepped out, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, girl, I¡¯m really sorry. It¡¯s my fault, I didn¡¯t see youing. I apologize.¡± She hastened to make amends for the inconvenience.

    Bai Xiao waved her hand dismissively, rolled up her trousers, and stomped her feet, leaving two wet footprints on the ground, which made Yang Mei flush with embarrassment.

    ¡°Um¡­ Auntie, I¡­¡±

    ¡°Come on! Come inside and sit down. My house is just behind here. If you don¡¯t mind, you can wear a pair of my trousers first. I will hang yours up to dry. They should be dry in no more than two hours. I¡¯ll also dry your shoes so you won¡¯t have trouble going out,¡± Yang Mei quickly offered to rectify the situation.

    Bai Xiao urgently waved her hands, ¡°No, I can¡¯t! Auntie, I have to catch the bus back home in an hour. I really can¡¯t wait. Thank you for your kindness, but I¡¯m in a hurry.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Yang Mei pulled Bai Xiao towards the house, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, an hour is enough. At least your trousers will be mostly dry. I¡¯ll put them under the electric fan to blow, which should speed up the drying. Girl, rest assured, I absolutely cannot let you miss your bus.¡± Yang Mei, with considerable strength, dragged Bai Xiao into the house.

    ¡°Husband, watch the store. I need to find this girl a pair of trousers, I sshed herpletely with water!¡±

    Behind the counter was Fang Jianping. Hearing this, he quickly came out, ushering her, ¡°Hurry up, go ahead. I¡¯m really sorry, girl! Please sit down. I¡¯ll pour you a cup of water.¡± The couple were both honest people, quite different from Xiaoshan¡¯s family. There are good people and bad people in the world, I suppose.

    But why is it that good people always get bullied, and bad people are always arrogant and overbearing? Isn¡¯t it because they have wants and needs? People bow their heads only when they want something.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, no problem, uncle. Don¡¯t go out of your way for me. It¡¯s just an ident; everyone has a moment of carelessness. Aunt didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± She had bumped into it deliberately, but she certainly wouldn¡¯t say that.

    ¡°Your daughter is a good girl. Are you here to visit rtives?¡± Jianping was easy to talk to. Being in the business meant being able to get close to many strangers, a technique that was essential for their livelihood.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here to see my sister.¡±

    Yang Mei had already found some clothes for Bai Xiao to change into. Unable to refuse, Bai Xiao changed. Yang Mei¡¯s ck trousers were a whole size toorge, hanging loose on Bai Xiao¡¯s body, threatening to fall off. She had to secure them with a red cloth belt¡ªa mark of wealth in the days when a belted pair of trousers was a luxury, and only the families of cadres possessed one. For ordinary folks, a red cloth belt was a staple item, universally used without discrimination.

    Yang Mei hung the trousers up on a rope and pulled Bai Xiao down to sit and chat, even bringing out a tin biscuit box filled with pumpkin seeds and fruit candy¡ªluxuries usually found only in the homes of businesspeople like Yang Mei and Jianping, and otherwise a special treat reserved for the Lunar New Year in most households.

    ¡°Girl, are you visiting rtives?¡± Yang Mei continued where Jianping had left off.

    Bai Xiao sighed, ¡°Yes, Aunt, I¡¯m here to see my sister.¡±

    ¡°At your young age, what¡¯s there to sigh about? Tell me, what¡¯s troubling you? Your aunt might not be able to help, but I can still offer some advice.¡± Yang Mei was known for her kindness. Bai Xiao remembered from her past life how often she had been beaten ck and blue by Xiaoshan. During those times, Yang Mei had shown pity and treated her wounds, even encouraging her to divorce Xiaoshan. She didn¡¯t indulge her own family members¡¯ faults, which was why Bai Xiao hade to her for help this time. It was partly to displease Xiaoshan, and partly to repay a debt of gratitude.

    In the past, Bai Xiao had been treated like nothing and given to a creditor by Xiaoshan. She escaped in the night without a penny to her name, with nowhere to go. She couldn¡¯t even leave the county town; no matter how hard she tried, she couldn¡¯t walk far enough on her own two feet.

    In the end, it was Yang Mei who she ran into in the county town. Yang Mei had provided her with a hearty meal and insisted on giving her ten yuan. Although it was not much, it was that very ten yuan that allowed her to leave the county town and reach a wider world, leading to herter life. No matter what the oue in her previous life, Bai Xiao remembered Yang Mei¡¯s kindness.

    ¡°Aunt, you don¡¯t know the mess in our family. My sister married into the town and had two daughters in a row! Now with the strict family nning policy, because she didn¡¯t have a boy, my sister¡¯s mother-inw doesn¡¯t even see my sister and her husband as human beings. I was so angry, I just couldn¡¯t stay there and had to rush back home.¡±

    These words were meant to deceive Yang Mei and Jianping.

    Sure enough, upon hearing this, Yang Mei could empathize, which made it easy for her to resonate with the sentiment.

    ¡°What happened? Tell your aunt all about it.¡±

 Chapter 83 - 83 83 The Story of My Sister and Her Husband

    ?Chapter 83: Chapter 83 The Story of My Sister and Her Husband   Chapter 83: Chapter 83 The Story of My Sister and Her Husband                                   Bai Xiao fell silent, and Yang Mei understood that at such a time, people believed that family disgrace should not be aired in public. Often, they would rather swallow their own broken teeth than let othersugh at them.

    ¡°Ah, if you don¡¯t want to talk, don¡¯t talk. Every family has its own hard-to-read scripture. Like your aunt here, I¡¯m just as cursed as your sister, having given birth to three girls. My mother-inw detested me one hundred ways, using me of cutting off the Fang Family¡¯s lineage. And look at your uncle, bewitched into raising someone else¡¯s son as his own, almost wishing to support him as his child. But I tell you, that nephew of yours is no good, just waiting to make you suffer!¡± Yang Mei red viciously at Fang Jianping.

    Fang Jianping¡¯s face darkened, wondering how his wife just couldn¡¯t keep her mouth shut, worrying about the young woman hearing andughing at their marital spats.

    ¡°Just spout nonsense, talk less would you?¡±

    Yang Mei said bitterly, ¡°Talk less I might, but do you wish to hand over all our belongings to your precious nephew? Do you think I can¡¯t see how your mother ponders that because we have no sons, she favors your Fang Xiaoshan, wishing to give everything we have to him? Our old house was built by us both, with our money, yet look at Xiaoshan¡¯s demeanor, loafing about, shirking proper work. Such a person doesn¡¯t even respect his own parents; dreaming that he¡¯ll care for us in old age, you¡¯re delusional!¡± Outraged by her inws¡¯ tant favoritism and stuck with a deluded Fang Jianping, she faced parents who were swayed to let a nephew be their caretaker.

    Fang Jianping couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, the words spoken in front of a stranger stoked his anger.

    ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck. Is it my fault we can¡¯t have a son? If I had a son of my own! Would I suffer the olddy¡¯s pressure for money? You think I enjoy begging? With no son, who will care for us in old age? Should we just wait to die? After death, who will perform filial duties? I¡¯m the one facing an end with no heirs.¡±

    His words pierced Yang Mei¡¯s heart, and tears sprang forth. Sitting next to Bai Xiao, she wept inconsbly. The absence of a son was Yang Mei¡¯s deep wound, easily exploited by others.

    Bai Xiao gripped Yang Mei¡¯s hand, feeling the rough calluses in her palm and understanding that the couple hadn¡¯t lived an easy life, suffering because of the inability to see clearly, all due to the preference for sons over daughters¡ªsuch biases leading to their current plight.

    Patting Yang Mei¡¯s hand soothingly, Bai Xiao said, ¡°Aunt, don¡¯t cry. Uncle, I don¡¯t like what you said. Since you¡¯ve said it, I must have a word with you. I¡¯m not sure about the details of your family, but you both seem like good people, and your family business is prosperous. Let me tell you about my sister¡¯s family. My sister has two daughters, both sweet and smart, and both my nieces excel in their studies. Yet just because they are not sons, my sister¡¯s mother-inw insisted they adopt a nephew to raise as their own son.

    And what a mess that became. That boy demanded meat with every meal, wanted new clothes, and turned the house upside-down. My sister and her husband are just ordinary workers, not as capable as you, uncle and aunt. They couldn¡¯t afford such luxury, and the nephew chastised them, saying that all their pampering of their daughters was useless, as they were just ¡®a loss-making investment.¡¯ He imed it was him, their son, who would care for them in old age and inherit the family wealth. He threatened that if they didn¡¯t provide meat and clothes now, he would let them starve in their old age, leaving them as deste lone graves.

    Just listen how heartbreaking these words are,ing from such a young child, surely taught by adults. In a fit of anger, my sister sent him back, telling the olddy they were raising a son, not an elder, and that they couldn¡¯t afford nor handle such a lordly young master. This caused the olddy to make a huge scene, hitting my sister and causing a lump on her head, calling her a ¡®hen that wouldn¡¯ty eggs,¡¯ taking up their family¡¯s space, and she should just go die. She pressured my sister and her husband to divorce. Tell me, are these the actions of decent human beings?¡±

    The sister-inw spoke in a sarcastic tone, saying that they kindly gave a son to their elder brother and his wife because theycked one. Since he was their son, of course, he should have a share of the family property. There¡¯s no such thing as giving away a child for nothing. My sister and brother-inw, under immense pressure, really divorced in the end. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here to visit my sister.

    After the divorce, my brother-inw fell ill suddenly. Pitifully, he was all alone with no one to care for him. Sick in bed, there wasn¡¯t even anyone to bring him water. Taking advantage of his illness, the sister-inw moved straight into their house and even took over the property.

    My sister, with two daughters, had no choice but to find a temporary ce to stay. Fortunately, the two daughters were filial and helped with all the chores at home. After school, they even collected coal g and recybles to lighten the family¡¯s burden.

    Now, my brother-inw has realized that their son was after his property. When ites to filial piety, it¡¯s his own daughters who are caring for him, bringing him water and medicine. In a fit of anger, my brother-inw cut ties with the family, choosing to live a good life with his daughters and my sister. He is determined to raise his daughters well, believing that they will not be inferior to sons. After all, if you end up with an unfilial son, daughters are still better. The family is living well now, despite the hardships! After all thismotion, they were left with nothing, but at least the family is together,¡± Bai Xiao¡¯s interjected story immediately made Fang Jianping feel a sense of empathy.

    Even though Fang Xiaoshan was taken care of by Fang Jianping like a son, Xiaoshan¡¯s attitude towards them was just like that of a bratty child, showing displeasure whenever money wasn¡¯t given! Cursing and swearing, he had said those things about not supporting the elderly.

    This was practically a carbon copy of what had happened in their family. However, the subsequent development in their family¡¯s story wasn¡¯t the same. Even though Jianping hadn¡¯t experienced such things, upon reflection, he feared that Xiaoshan wouldn¡¯t take care of him if he were bedridden. If that were the case, why did he obsessively wish for a son?

    To suffer and struggle just to raise someone else¡¯s son?

    Isn¡¯t that the height of folly?

    Upon hearing this, Yang Meiughed heartily, ¡°Your sister is formidable. It serves your brother-inw right to suffer a bit and realize who in the world treats him the best. He neglects his own daughters and pins his hopes on an outsider? That¡¯s nuts. They¡¯re just after the property. To adopt a child so young is already difficult, let alone dealing with someone in their twenties. Now, you still have some money, so of course they wouldn¡¯t dare to mistreat you! But beauty doesn¡¯tst forever, nor does a person stay good for a thousand days. One day when you¡¯re down, let¡¯s see; your beloved nephew might do something even more extreme.¡±

    This story spurred Yang Mei¡¯s enthusiasm, seeing Bai Xiao¡¯s sister as a strong and brave woman in her eyes.

    She made up her mind that if things go south, she would divorce too! Looking at Xiaoshan, he certainly didn¡¯t seem like a decent person. Rather than squandering her entire fortune, it would be better to get a divorce, divide the property, and leave something for her daughter.

 Chapter 84 - 84 84 Idea

    ?Chapter 84: Chapter 84 Idea   Chapter 84: Chapter 84 Idea                                   Fang Jianping said sheepishly, ¡°That can¡¯t be the case for everyone. Everyone has a human heart. If we treat others well, they can¡¯t all be ungrateful!¡± He was still clinging to a hope.

    Yang Mei was infuriated by hisck ofpetitiveness.

    ¡°Fine, Fang Jianping, well done! You might as well go live with your nephew in the future! I want to divorce you, so I don¡¯t end up miserable in my old age and have nowhere to cry when the timees.¡± She too was influenced by the powerful story of her sister Bai Xiao.

    The power of example is significant.

    Fang Jianping was startled, ¡°Woman, why bring up divorce all of a sudden? This is creating trouble out of nothing.¡± Even if his wife hadn¡¯t borne a son, and the olddy nagged at him constantly, Fang Jianping had never thought about not wanting his wife. He was a good man, just too soft-hearted and still influenced by the society¡¯s preference for males over females, but he truly had no other faults.

    It wasn¡¯t just Jianping¡¯s problem; it wasmon in that era. Not having a son was considered a sin in most families.

    Many people were desperate for a son, influenced heavily by the societal environment.

    Yang Mei, touching her tears, said, ¡°Girl, your sister is a formidable person. Knowing that marrying into such a family, she would never be sessful, she dared everything for her two daughters. Your brother-inw is decisive and knows right from wrong, so your sister is blessed. Aunt Yang Mei has lived her life this way, but I don¡¯t want to suffer when I get old, so I¡¯m sorry to make youugh.¡±

    Bai Xiao handed a towel to Aunt Yang Mei, which Yang Mei had just used to wipe the water off her body.

    Fang Jianping wanted to beg for mercy; seeing his wife cry like this was heartbreaking. All his life, he never knew just how much she had suffered from her own parents and siblings because they had no son. Not to mention the benefits he had given his elder brother over the years. They had earned money over the years, but the couple still lived hand to mouth, all because the family¡¯s money was all spent on Xiaoshan.

    Even dowries for their three daughters were begrudgingly given, simply because the olddy considered them a financial loss, feeling it was better to save the money for Xiaoshan¡¯s future wife.

    Remembering this, Fang Jianping felt ashamed, but deciding against years of decisions now was also challenging. If you don¡¯t invest feelings, you don¡¯t know pain, but once you do, you expect some return, so for Fang Jianping to pull back now was really not feasible.

    Bai Xiao knew this and tried to mediate calmly between Yang Mei and Fang Jianping, ¡°Aunt, Uncle! Don¡¯t make decisions in anger over this. It really isn¡¯t worth it to divorce over this. I see Uncle as a man of deep loyalty and responsibility, not the kind who avoids his duties. So, Aunt, you shouldn¡¯t just decide on a divorce out of anger, giving others an advantage.¡± She didn¡¯te here to encourage a divorce; that was not her original intention.

    Aunt Yang Mei, being such a good person, should not have to face such a tragic end, which would only benefit Xiaoshan, allowing him to likely inherit property even faster without Aunt Yang Mei around.

    Fang Jianping quickly said, ¡°Exactly! Exactly! Girl, you¡¯re right, please persuade your Aunt. We¡¯re too old to be airing our divorce, making aughingstock of ourselves. It¡¯s not like there¡¯s no solution, maybe Xiaoshan isn¡¯t such a person.¡± He still held onto a hope.

    Bai Xiao shook her head; hearing this, Yang Mei felt even more choked up inside, ¡°Let me tell you, Fang Jianping, either from now on you sever ties with your nephew and not give him a dime or else we¡¯re getting a divorce. I¡¯d rather be on my own and spare myself the heartache.¡±

    Fang Jianping was both angry and anxious today; they were at loggerheads.

    Bai Xiao stood up, ¡°Aunt, Uncle, listen to me, don¡¯t make a fuss about this. A divorce really isn¡¯t worth it, and if our sisters find out, wouldn¡¯t they be heartbroken too? Aunt, don¡¯t be angry, this doesn¡¯t need to lead to a divorce.¡±

    Yang Mei and Fang Jianping both were stunned, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Both were somewhat confused.

    With a smile, Bai Xiao suggested, ¡°Uncle, Aunt, isn¡¯t your concern just whether your nephew will take care of you in the future, whether he will treat you well and provide for you in old age? That¡¯s an easy problem to solve.¡±

    ¡°How can we solve that?¡±

    The coupled still hadn¡¯t figured it out.

    ¡°That¡¯s easy, let¡¯s just test it out,¡± Bai Xiao had already thought it through.

    Yang Mei and Fang Jianping were startled, ¡°Try it out? How do we test it?¡±

    ¡°Uncle, your business might be dyed a bit, but if you¡¯re willing, I can give you an idea to try. You can see if your nephew is really after your money or if he¡¯s truly devoted to you two.¡±

    Yang Mei pped her hands in agreement, ¡°Alright, girl, Auntie will listen to you.¡±

    Fang Jianping nodded, saying he didn¡¯t want to find out if his nephew was after his money or if he would genuinely care for them in their old age; that would be false. Anyone would feel uncertain if it wasn¡¯t their own child. If there was a chance to test what his nephew really thought, Fang Jianping was willing.

    Bai Xiao nodded, pleased with the agreement.

    ¡°So, uncle and auntie¡­¡­¡­¡±

    She whispered with the two of them.

    Yang Mei and Fang Jianping also nodded frequently, acknowledging that it was indeed a good n.

    The honesty of a person can be tested and known.

    Yang Mei and Fang Jianping were extremely grateful to Bai Xiao. This young girl, a stranger they met by chance, was willing to help them find solutions and offer advice. They could tell from her words and actions that she had their best interests at heart¡ªthey were not clueless and definitely appreciated her kind-heartedness.

    Otherwise, who would involve themselves in such matters and not stay far away from trouble, risks of being criticized included?!

    Who wouldn¡¯t avoid trouble as much as possible?

    Over the years, the neighbors knew about their family¡¯s issues; the most they did was make a joke now and then. No one would ever talk to them openly and earnestly about this matter.

    People don¡¯t even notice their own pain, much less advise them to endure for peace and harmony at home.

    But who knew how anxious this couple was when they couldn¡¯t sleep at night, worried about if they could rely on this nephew when they got old.

    Bai Xiao said with a smile, ¡°Alright then. As long as you follow this approach, you¡¯ll know once you try. Once the results are out, won¡¯t you have a better idea of what to do? So, this situation is not so impossible to handle.¡±

    Yang Mei pped her thigh, ¡°Good girl, what a great idea. Auntie really needs to thank you. You¡¯re truly our family¡¯s benefactor.¡±

    Fang Jianping also thanked her profusely.

    Bai Xiao waved her hand, touched her pants¡ªwhich were already half-dry¡ªand noticing it was gettingte and that she needed to change her pants before leaving.

    Yang Mei and Fang Jianping packed several cans of canned food, rice cake sticks, and steamed sponge cake, insisting that Bai Xiao take them all, and refusing to let her leave without them.

    Bai Xiao had no choice but to take them, and Fang Jianping even specifically rode his bicycle to send Bai Xiao to the bus station, asking her to visit them again when she was in town.

    Bai Xiao waved her hand and left.

 Chapter 85 - 85 85 A Slap in the Face

    ?Chapter 85: Chapter 85: A p in the Face   Chapter 85: Chapter 85: A p in the Face                                   It is said that Liu Baoguo and Li Chunmei, with their own daughter Liu Hong, had arrived in the county town. The couple¡¯s worries never ceased for a moment, restlessly watching their daughter vomit by the roadside, stricken with unease.

    Things were still uncertain, and they could only hope that Han Dazhi were a responsible man. However, the reputation of the Han Family was not good, especially because Han Dazhi¡¯s own mother was a disagreeable olddy, greedy and stingy, and always gossiping away. It seemed impossible to stop her mouth from moving all day long; with such a household, their daughter¡¯s matters were indeed tricky to manage.

    Maybe the mother of Han would even decide not to provide a dowry.

    When the three of them arrived at the entrance of Han Dazhi¡¯s factory, they informed the security department that they wanted to see Han Dazhi. The security immediately called the workshop and asked with a smile, ¡°Who are you to Han Dazhi?¡±

    Liu Baoguo awkwardly smiled, ¡°Hehe, we¡¯re rtives!¡± What else could he say?

    The security staff chuckled, ¡°Rtives, huh!¡±

    Recently, Han Dazhi was doing well. Liu Hong was the vige chief¡¯s daughter, and he had been quite satisfied being with her. However,tely he became involved with a female worker in the factory. Despite being still fashionable, shecked some sophistication and charmpared to city folk.

    Han Dazhi¡¯s interest in Liu Hong had significantly faded, mainly because he had had his way with her. Once a woman had been intimate with a man, the novelty wore off. Han Dazhi was not as attentive to Liu Hong as he had been at the beginning, certain that she couldn¡¯t escape.

    As he was flirting with Xiaochui in the workshop, he was called out by the loudspeaker to meet someone at the factory entrance.

    Han Dazhi was a bit puzzled. Who could be looking for him, especially since he had just visited his home the day before yesterday and it wasn¡¯t likely that his parents or siblings woulde looking for him? Who could it be then?

    From a distance at the gate, he saw three people. It was only when he approached that he recognized them as vige chief Liu Baoguo, Li Chunmei, and Liu Hong. That sharp, knife-like re from Li Chunmei! He felt a sudden thump in his heart¡ªhad Liu Hong or Li Chunmei said something?

    He approached nervously, putting on a brave face. He knew Liu Hong was somewhat naive, possibly because she was pampered by her parents. Being the daughter of the vige chief, who held considerable power in their vige, made her situation different. Though Liu Baoguo was not utterly dominant, in theirnd he was a man of ultimate authority, and naturally, his daughter didn¡¯t need to worry too much. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have been deceived by Han Dazhi into losing her virginity.

    ¡°Uncle, auntie, why are you here?¡± He tried to speak calmly, without revealing any fear or guilt.

    Upon seeing Han Dazhi, Liu Hong immediately rushed to him as if he were her pir of strength, clinging onto him tightly. ¡°Dazhi, I need to talk to you!¡±

    Li Chunmei felt frustrated, as if she hadn¡¯t schooled her daughter properly.

    What a disgrace and disappointment.

    What was Han Dazhi anyway? At most a factory worker. But if it weren¡¯t for the Han Family begging and pleading with Liu Baoguo back then, to the point of almost kneeling, Liu Baoguo would only have agreed to help out of pity. Had Han Dazhi been capable of securing a job at the factory on his own merit?

    The Han Family wasn¡¯t even grateful to them, yet Han Dazhi dared to pursue her own daughter.

    ¡°Liu Hong,e here!¡± Li Chunmei shouted angrily, unable to control Han Dazhi, but still able to control her own daughter, right?

    Liu Hong raised her head to look at Han Dazhi, then at her own mother. She didn¡¯t want to leave Han Dazhi, she had so much she wanted to say to him. But seeing her mother¡¯s eyes red with anger, she felt scared. These past days at home, she had been scolded by Li Chunmei until she was frightened. How had her normally gentle and caring mother suddenly turned into a furious demon, as if she¡¯d devour her.

    Li Chunmei saw that her daughter hadn¡¯t moved an inch and felt disgusted. If she really married Han Dazhi in the future, she would surely be tightly controlled.

    Rage surged in her heart, swelling up to towering heights.

    ¡°Come here!¡±

    When Han Dazhi heard, realizing that the security department was already ncing their way because of the loud voice, he felt embarrassed.

    He nudged Liu Hong, ¡°Go to your aunt, let¡¯s talkter.¡± He felt somewhat resentful towards Liu Hong for not recognizing the situation. Was this the time for sweet nothings? These were her own parents, and she was just brewing hatred for herself.

    Liu Hong could only trudge slowly over to Li Chunmei and murmured a soft ¡°Mom!¡±

    Li Chunmei fiercely pulled Liu Hong behind her, ring at her. She felt utterly embarrassed.

    Liu Baoguo nced at Han Dazhi, ¡°Let¡¯s go, we need to talk somewhere else. You know the ce here, find somewhere we can talk!¡± He wouldn¡¯t lose his temper. At this point, whoever panicked first would lose, and Liu Baoguo was clear about this.

    Han Dazhi nced over and spotted a basketball court where their factory workers usually hung out. There were two rows of wooden benches. He pointed, ¡°Uncle, Aunt, how about over there? It¡¯s quiet and good for talking.¡± He was afraid of being overheard.

    The four of them walked over, Liu Baoguo and Li Chunmei sat down, while Liu Hong and Han Dazhi didn¡¯t dare to sit and stood in front of them.

    ¡°Dazhi, what do you and Liu Hong n to do?¡± Liu Baoguo was cautious, not initially bringing up Liu Hong¡¯s pregnancy.

    Liu Hong suddenly looked over. Maybe initially Han Dazhi didn¡¯t appeal to her very much, but ever since they became intimate, she knew she couldn¡¯t marry anyone else in her life but Han Dazhi. She had started to devote herselfpletely to him and valued him much more.

    Han Dazhi was startled, what was this about?

    ¡°Uncle, there¡¯s nothing going on between me and Liu Hong!¡± As soon as he said this, the atmosphere stiffened. Liu Hong never expected Han Dazhi would dare say such a thing.

    Li Chunmei jumped up and pped him, ¡°You say what? Isn¡¯t my daughter pregnant with your child? You damn not ready to admit it, huh? Just trying to deny it after you¡¯ve pulled up your pants, you Han Dazhi. I¡¯m going to your factory manager now. I want to see what crime this hooliganism falls under! I must see what sort of creature you, Han Dazhi, are!¡± The p was fierce and heavy! Itnded on Han Dazhi¡¯s face, buzzing his ears; he waspletely dazed, having never expected the normally kind and efficient Li Chunmei to have such a fierce and aggressive side.

    Liu Baoguo coughed, ¡°Enough, don¡¯t hit him. We came here to talk reasonably, why are you hitting him?¡± He didn¡¯t care at all. If Li Chunmei hadn¡¯t jumped up, Liu Baoguo would have pped him first.

    This cowardly bastard dared to answer me like that.

    Han Dazhi clutched his face, his mind buzzing chaotically, but he understood that Liu Hong was pregnant.

 Chapter 86 - 86 86 Strategy

    ?Chapter 86: Chapter 86: Strategy   Chapter 86: Chapter 86: Strategy                                   Han Dazhi stuttered as he pointed at Liu Hong, ¡°You¡­ you¡­ are pregnant?¡±

    Yet inside, he doubted, Could it be from just that one time? Since he had deceived Liu Hong that once and they had been involved, he had tried to deceive her again, but Liu Hong had refused to agree to anything, which had greatly annoyed him. He had even thought that if Liu Hong didn¡¯t like him, he would marry Xiaozhen from the factory.

    And now, Liu Hong hade to tell him that she was pregnant.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been pregnant for over two months now, almost three.¡± Liu Hong looked at Han Dazhi, desperation in her eyes. She clearly understood what Han Dazhi had just implied¡ªHan Dazhi was refusing to acknowledge the situation.

    ¡°How is that possible? Just once¡­¡± Han Dazhi shut his mouth, his silence essentially admitting that he had been involved with Liu Hong.

    Liu Baoguo looked at Han Dazhi, his demeanor calm and tempered, showing no signs of anger, ¡°Han Dazhi, what should we do about this? Think it over yourself. Should youe and formally request her hand in marriage, and get married to Liu Hong quickly? Or should we go speak with your factory director? It¡¯s up to you, but in a little while, Liu Hong won¡¯t be able to hide her pregnancy. At that point, we won¡¯t be ashamed, but everyone in the vige will point at your spine and curse.

    ¡°My daughter Liu Baoguo won¡¯t have trouble finding someone to marry, but I, Liu Baoguo, am not someone to be trifled with either. Anyone who makes my daughter unhappy, I¡¯ll make their whole family miserable. I¡¯mying it out here; in my life, I¡¯ve never let anyone shit on my neck. Han Dazhi, you¡¯d be the first!¡±

    Liu Baoguo¡¯s slow speech instead sent a chill down Han Dazhi¡¯s spine. Liu Baoguo was not like Liu Hong; Han could handle her, but he couldn¡¯t deal with a cunning old fox like Liu Baoguo, who could threaten without uttering a single curse word.

    ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m not denying it; this is definitely my fault. Here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do¡ªI will go back and talk to my parents and we¡¯lle and ask for her hand in marriage as soon as possible. We surely can¡¯t wrong Liu Hong, can we?¡± Han Dazhi was very adept at seizing the moment; now was not the time to quibble with Liu Baoguo! It was crucial to get him out of there and then figure things out with his parents.

    As soon as Liu Hong heard this, her face flushed; it seemed she had been ahead of herself.

    Li Chunmei, however, was not pleased. They say a mother-inw grows fonder of her son-inw the more she sees him, but looking at Han Dazhi disgusted her more each time.

    That such a person could be her son-inw? Yet looking at Liu Hong¡¯s belly, what choice did they have? When faced with disappointing children, all parents can do is swallow their grievances.

    Liu Baoguo stood up, ¡°Alright, we will be waiting at home for your parents.¡± There was no need to discuss it further. Although Liu Baoguo was disappointed in Han Dazhi, he also understood that dwelling on the matter was pointless; what mattered was addressing the child in his daughter¡¯s belly. If she wasn¡¯t married, it would be premarital pregnancy, and she¡¯d be gossiped about for life.

    Han Dazhi drove the three of them to the bus station and watched as they boarded the bus, finally breathing a sigh of relief.

    It looked like he needed to go back. If this had been a month ago, things would have been easier; Liu Hong was pregnant with his child, and getting married would have solved it. However, he had start dating Xiaozhen soon after, and a month ago, they had even begun living together secretly, renting a bungalow on the outside where they met from time to time. Unlike Liu Hong, Xiaozhen was passionate and open, and Han Dazhi had already nned to marry her.

    Just yesterday, Xiaozhen had mentioned feeling nauseous and wanting to vomit, wondering if she might be pregnant.

    At the time, Han Dazhi had responded, ¡°If you¡¯re pregnant, we¡¯ll have the baby and get married,¡± not expecting at all that such a situation would arise.

    Liu Baoguo was not to be trifled with, but Xiaochui was equally daunting. Xiaozhen¡¯s uncle was the workshop Director at the factory. Han had already met her parents, and now he dared not offend either party.

    Offending Liu Baoguo would lead to a scandal in the factory, not only ruining his reputation but certainly leading to his dismissal; but offending Xiaozhen? Would she let him off the hook? With her fiery temperament, Han Dazhi expected that he would undoubtedly face allegations of seduction and have no end of trouble.

    He was truly in a dilemma now.

    Han Dazhi used to be quite proud of his ability to juggle two rtionships, but he finally understood the consequences of juggling two boats.

    As soon as he returned to the factory, he immediately took leave. Xiaozhen saw him and asked, ¡°What are you up to? I heard a rtive has visited your home? What happened?¡±

    Han Dazhi dared not tell the truth and quickly concocted a lie with a smile, ¡°A rtive hase to seek medical treatment, saying my mother¡¯s not doing well, that she¡¯s fallen ill, so I thought of going back to check on her. Otherwise, I really can¡¯t rest easy!¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯lle with you to take a look. The elderly is unwell, so as a future daughter-inw, I should pay a visit.¡± Xiaozhen wanted to meet Han Dazhi¡¯s family. After all, she was already carrying his child, and she hadn¡¯t even met his family yet¡ªwhat kind of situation was that?

    Han Dazhi hurriedlyughed and said, ¡°You, why are you so impatient? This time, my mother¡¯s main illness makes it inconvenient for you to go. Once I¡¯ve settled things at home and my mother¡¯s better, I¡¯ll bring my parents to propose formally, and then you, the bride-to-be, will eventually have to meet your inws.¡± He definitely couldn¡¯t let Xiaozhen make things worse; if Liu Baoguo found out he had someone here, he would surely storm up to his door.

    Just now, Li Chunmei¡¯s manner, ready to p someone at the slightest argument, was not something he wanted to escte.

    He already had an idea in mind, a way to make Liu Baoguo call off the marriage himself. Then they couldn¡¯t me his family for being deceitful. If Liu Baoguo agreed, he wouldn¡¯t lose anything. If Liu Hong ended up getting married to him, he would just have to find a way to exin things to Xiaozhen, asking her to wait a couple of years, and then he could divorce Liu Hong. Han Dazhi was quite confident in his silver tongue.

    It was just two women.

    Sure enough, Xiaozhen blushed and pinched Han Dazhi, ¡°You¡¯re just slick with words. I¡¯m not talking to you anymore. Who wants to marry you?¡±

    Han Dazhi clutched his arm, grinning with a grimace, ¡°You said it, then I won¡¯t marry. It¡¯s you who doesn¡¯t want to!¡± These words were half true, half false.

    Xiaozhen red at him, stomped on the spot, ¡°Not marrying!¡± She blushed and ran off.

    Han Dazhi hastily boarded the bus home.

    He hurried home as the sky was getting dark.

    As soon as Han¡¯s mother saw her son, she was puzzled. Her son had just returned the day before yesterday, so why had hee back again?

    ¡°What¡¯s going on! Dazhi, why are you back again?¡±

    ¡°Mom, a big problem hase up. You must help me this time, otherwise, I¡¯ll definitely end up in jail!¡± Han Dazhi pulled his mother aside and exined everything from start to finish.

    Han¡¯s mother red with her droopy-eyed anger, pped Han Dazhi, and scolded, ¡°You foolish boy, are you trying to get yourself killed? Offending them won¡¯t end well for you. This is suicidal.¡± She knew how to handle ruffians, but she also knew this incident had gotten out of hand.

    Liu Baoguo was not someone easy to mess with.

 Chapter 87 - 87 87 Contempt

    ?Chapter 87: Chapter 87 Contempt   Chapter 87: Chapter 87 Contempt                                   ¡°Mom, stop hitting me, even if you kill me now, this issue still needs to be resolved!¡± Han Dazhi knew his mother was reluctant to hit him. After all, he was the most cherished child in the family, with three older sisters and no younger brothers¡ªhe was the only son. So, how could his mother not feel heartbroken?

    ¡°Then what should we do? We can¡¯t afford to mess with this situation!¡± The mother of Han was overwhelmed with worries, as the trouble her son had caused this time was too great.

    Han Dazhi pulled his mother inside the house, where he immediately saw his father squatting by the door, stuffing tobo into his dry pipe. He grabbed him as well, and together they went inside to discuss their strategy.

    The family discussed behind closed doors for an entire evening, and the next day Han Dazhi returned triumphantly.

    The remaining issues were not for him to face. He should be at work when he had to be and cuddle up with Xiaozhen after work to return to their t¡ªcontinuing to live carefree as if ready to meet whatever came their way.

    After waiting a day, the Han family didn¡¯t show up. Li Chunmei was losing her patience and wanted to visit the Han Family, but Liu Baoguo stopped her.

    ¡°Why would you ask? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s shameful? Your daughter is pregnant with their child. If the man¡¯s family isn¡¯t worried, going there might pressure Han Dazhi to marry your daughter. That¡¯s devaluing yourself! Better to wait!¡± Liu Baoguo managed to maintain hisposure better.

    Liu Hong hid in the room, too scared toe out. Currently, she was in no condition to go outside, being terribly nauseous and barely human.

    Li Chunmei was heartbroken, but there was nothing she could do. Pregnancy affects women in all sorts of bizarre ways! She wanted to help but couldn¡¯t intervene.

    All she could do was to vary the meals she prepared for her daughter. Beyond that, she was powerless. At this time, Li Chunmei truly despised herself for not keeping a closer eye on her daughter. With such an incident urring, once she entered her inws¡¯ house, they might look down on her. She¡¯d always be seen as inferior, and the future seemed grim.

    She had no respect for Han Dazhi at all, spotting his frivolous yboy demeanor instantly. Yet, she couldn¡¯t tell her daughter not to marry him; that would be like allowing her daughter to be exploited by him for free¡ªwhy should she?

    She only feared that Liu Hong¡¯s future life would be ufortable, wondering how such a man could ever treat Liu Hong well.

    Sadly, she couldn¡¯t express any of these concerns aloud.

    On the third day, both Han Dazhi¡¯s mother and father came to visit.

    But, as soon as they met, Li Chunmei was displeased. They hade to ask for her daughter¡¯s hand in marriage, but their hands were empty¡ªwas this even a proposal visit?

    Li Chunmei¡¯s expression immediately soured.

    Liu Baoguo¡¯s face did not change at all as he invited the Han couple to sit down and asked Li Chunmei to fetch some water.

    Li Chunmei, without even adding sugar, directly brought out two bowls of boiled water and mmed them onto the table.

    Seeing this, Han¡¯s mother had a smile in her eyes; it seemed her son was right. Liu Baoguo cared about appearances, and their actions were like stabbing him in the heart.

    After patting the dirt off herself with a handkerchief, she smiled and said, ¡°Big Brother Liu, it¡¯s not that my son did such a shameless thing, I, as his mother, feel too ashamed to evene to your door. But his father persuaded me. As the bride-to-be is already showing, if we do not hurry, Liu Hong will be disgraced. Our Dazhi just can¡¯t keep his pants on, and after what he¡¯s done, we can only shamelesslye here to ask for your daughter¡¯s hand. Big Brother Liu, since the kids have already gone this far, we as parents must ept it. We both should discuss and settle the date to get this matter sorted out, to prevent any gossip in the vige, and to save your face as the vige chief.¡± This was clearly a p in Liu Baoguo¡¯s face; whether it was calling Han Dazhi or Liu Hong shameless was up for debate.

    Li Chunmei was so angry she almost flipped the table but was held back by Liu Baoguo.

    ¡°To arrange the marriage, we certainly need some rules. We must take it one step at a time. For our families to be joined, there has to be a bride price, betrothal gifts, dowry, and a wedding banquet. We cannot omit any part. Let¡¯s discuss this slowly.¡± Liu Baoguo managed to keep his anger in check. This was about his daughter¡¯s future; he had never been so publicly humiliated in his life. Who didn¡¯t bow down to him upon seeing him? Han¡¯s mother was hitting him where it hurt, but when his daughter¡¯s whole life was on the line, what was his old face worth?

    Upon hearing this, Han¡¯s mother replied sarcastically, ¡°Now look here, Big Brother Liu, I don¡¯t like the sound of that. Liu Hong is already showing, and her pregnancy will soon be evident. What use is a bride price? I won¡¯t ask for much. As for the dowry, it¡¯s up to you all to decide; something like two hundred and a couple of livestock will do. I am considering Liu Hong¡¯s situation. We can¡¯t afford the bride price and gifts. It¡¯s not that we won¡¯t pay, we just aren¡¯t prepared. You know Dazhi only started working recently and hasn¡¯t saved enough to afford a wife. Now with Liu Hong¡¯s pregnancy, even though it¡¯s unfair to her, what can we do when Dazhi ended up causing such a disgrace? All I can do is try to arrange something.

    ¡°Let¡¯s also forget about the wedding clothes and banquet. There¡¯s no point in holding a banquet when people will just end up talking about Liu Hong¡¯s belly. I think the third of July would be a good day; Liu Hong can just bring her belongings! I¡¯ll have Dazhie over to pick her up, and our two families can simply share a meal together. That¡¯ll be sufficient to seal this marriage arrangement. We¡¯ll just distribute some wedding candies as if it¡¯s settled! I mean¡­¡± Han¡¯s mother, eloquently berating him, was enjoying herself when suddenly a bowl of water sshed in her face.

    ¡°Ouch, who did that? Which cursed fool sshed water all over me? See if I don¡¯t rip you apart¡ªoh, it¡¯s Liu Hong, what are you doing? Carrying our Dazhi¡¯s child, you shouldn¡¯t be so hot-tempered. You should be grateful that our Dazhi is willing to marry you. Otherwise, who would ept you while you¡¯re visibly pregnant? Wouldn¡¯t people drown you with their spit?¡± When Han¡¯s mother saw that it was Liu Hong, she didn¡¯t hold back her disdainful and contemptuous gaze, making everyone see her clear disdain.

    Liu Hong felt mortified and infuriated, being looked down upon by Han¡¯s mother. Now, even her parents were being humiliated. Nowhere in the surrounding viges were marriage negotiations handled this way. Han¡¯s mother felt secure, knowing that her grandchild in Liu Hong¡¯s womb meant she couldn¡¯t escape, and despite not offering a bride price, their family would have to tolerate it. Otherwise, Liu Hong carrying a child would be the one suffering the consequences.

    ¡°Get out of here. I will not marry into the Han Family. Unless youe to fetch me in a grand bridal sedan, don¡¯t expect me to step through the Han Family¡¯s gates!¡± Liu Hong fumed.

    Just as Li Chunmei was about to calm Liu Hong, Liu Baoguo pulled her back.

    Wiping her face, Han¡¯s mother looked at Liu Hong with a sideways nce and scoffed, ¡°Look at you, what¡¯s there to be proud of now? If you had any dignity, you wouldn¡¯t cling to our Dazhi¡ªwho wouldn¡¯t jump at any man given half the chance? Now it¡¯s your fault for being shameless, and yet you won¡¯t let anyone mention it?¡±

    These words almost drove Liu Hong to bang her head against the wall in humiliation; no one had ever spoken to her like this before.

    Turning to Liu Baoguo, Han¡¯s mother said, ¡°You see, your daughter may be precious, but it¡¯s not that we are heartless or unjust. It¡¯s actually your daughter who looks down on our humble home. No bride price, no gifts, no wedding banquet; she must marry ording to what we say or not at all.¡± She dropped these words and attempted to leave.

 Chapter 88 - 88 88 Falling Out

    ?Chapter 88: Chapter 88: Falling Out   Chapter 88: Chapter 88: Falling Out                                   ¡°Hold it!¡± Liu Baoguo mmed the table, his anger reaching a boiling point.

    The Han mother had intended to drop her words and hurry away, leaving the Liu Family to ponder on their own.

    She hadn¡¯t expected Liu Baoguo to lose his temper.

    Thinking of her son¡¯s future, the Han mother gritted her teeth, turned to face Liu Baoguo, and said, ¡°Brother Liu, is there anything else you want to say? Howe you¡¯ve agreed to our family¡¯s conditions now?¡± This was like pouring oil on fire.

    ¡°Are you deliberately trying to avoid bing inws?¡± Liu Baoguo couldn¡¯t stand to watch his own daughter be maligned like this. They were openly insulting Liu Hong to her face; if she really ended up marrying into their family, there¡¯s no telling how much more they would torment her.

    In a moment, Liu Baoguo had decided that this marriage was definitely not happening, but he also couldn¡¯t let Han Dazhi get away with it so easily.

    With a formidable toss of her handkerchief, the Han mother said: ¡°Oh, Brother Liu, listen to yourself. Our family hase with sincere intentions to ask for your daughter¡¯s hand in marriage, but if your family is unwilling, how can you use us of being deliberate? Even if argued in broad daylight, it wouldn¡¯t look good on your family. It might seem to others that the Liu Family still values old maid¡¯s pride, without considering that they¡¯re nothing more than an old shoe. I¡¯m not saying this to be mean, but if our Dazhi doesn¡¯t marry Liu Hong, she might as well stay an old maid for life. If this were ancient times, such a daughter would be drowned in a pig cage.¡±

    To this, Liu Baoguo didn¡¯t dare further provoke a rupture with their family, for who would fear who then?

    Liu Hong cried out, ¡°Just leave, I will not marry into your family!¡±

    Liu Baoguo, looking at Liu Hong crying profusely, said sternly, ¡°Since your family looks down upon our Liu Hong, this marriage cannot proceed. But there has to be an exnation for the child in Liu Hong¡¯s womb. Han Dazhi, thinking he can do wrong and just walk away, it won¡¯t be that easy!¡±

    The Han mother trembled inside; they had estimated that Liu Baoguo wouldn¡¯t dare make a scene, but they couldn¡¯t discount the possibility of it happening.

    Her face full of wrinkles revealed her guilt, although Liu Baoguo and Li Chunmei failed to notice. What they saw was the Han family¡¯s arrogance and shamelessness! They wanted to marry off a bride without spending a cent; if they let Liu Hong marry into such a family, how could the Liu family face anyone in the vige ever again?

    Not to mention how others would gossip about Liu Hong; even if people didn¡¯t know the entire story, they could guess, and Liu Hong¡¯s life would be effectively ruined.

    Not to say that Liu Hong, with her stubborn nature, would agree, and as her parents, they wouldn¡¯t agree either. Even though their daughter had been dishonored, having a child out of wedlock, it didn¡¯t mean they should ruin Liu Hong¡¯s entire life because of it.

    ¡°Brother Liu, what you¡¯re saying isn¡¯t right. Our Dazhi and Liu Hong are in love. Besides, we are not being irresponsible; it¡¯s your own refusal. One should have a conscience, Brother Liu, and as the vige chief, with your daughter doing something so shameful, others would usually cover it up, not you, looking to make it widely known. Dazhi has done nothing wrong.

    How about this; we don¡¯t even need a dowry, just take her home, since they already have a child together. Whether or not we hold a wedding feast doesn¡¯t matter; we are all family after all. How does that sound?¡± The Han mother still had her limits; she couldn¡¯t let the situation escte too far, but threatening Liu Baoguo a bit was necessary. If Liu Baoguo caused a stir, it would obviously disadvantage Han Dazhi in the end.

    Liu Hong stepped forward, pushing the Han mother towards the door, ¡°Get out, I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯d rather marry a pig or a dog than marry Han Dazhi. A family like yours would be lucky to have a daughter-inw in this lifetime, so just leave. Tell Han Dazhi, I never want to see him again in my life.¡± She was genuinely furious; Han Dazhi¡¯s attitude that day had already broken her heart. Now, thinking about the Han mother¡¯s actions was a direct p to her own parents¡¯ faces.

    With such a family, what good coulde if she married into it? The more Li Chunmei thought, the more she regretted everything. She shouldn¡¯t have believed Han Dazhi¡¯s sweet nothings. One wrong step led to another, and now she had put herself in such a situation.

    ¡°What¡¯s so great about you? Liu Hong, I¡¯m telling you, your aunt meant well by you. Marrying our Dazhi, you really entered a blessed nest, you¡­ don¡¯t be ungrateful!¡± Han¡¯s mother feigned advice, but it only infuriated Liu Hong more.

    Liu Baoguo stepped forward, shielding Liu Hong behind him, unwilling to let his precious daughter be bullied by an old woman.

    ¡°Fine, since my daughter has spoken, I¡¯m also telling you, Han Dazhi had better not return to this vige in his lifetime. I still have two sons at home, dealing with a Han Dazhi isn¡¯t worrisome. Also, if you have the guts, hurry up and move away, or else if paths cross, you¡¯ll find that I, Liu Baoguo, am not easy to bully.¡±

    Han¡¯s mother shuddered, ¡°Vige chief, in our socialist country, we are honest and decent people. You mustn¡¯t oppress us too much, or everyone will die together, everyone will suffer together. I would like to see if your family¡¯s daughter still wants her reputation.¡± In those times, if a woman acquired a bad reputation, the discriminative gazes and rumors alone could kill, the power of public opinion was unimaginable, strong enough that hardly anyone could resist.

    It also restrained many people¡¯s actions, never allowing them to act recklessly or freely.

    Liu Baoguo sneered, ¡°Don¡¯t be smug. If any rumors spread about my daughter, I¡¯m telling you, I can get your Han Dazhi a job in the factory, and I can also make him scurry back to the vige to farm, disgraced. Don¡¯t believe me? Try it. On my tiny piece ofnd, it¡¯s very easy for your Han family to die!¡±

    Han¡¯s mother and father spat and then left.

    Liu Baoguo pulled his daughter back and closed the front door.

    Li Chunmei quickly pulled Liu Hong towards her, and Liu Hong immediately burst into tears in Li Chunmei¡¯s arms. Things had escted to this point, the marriage agreement definitely couldn¡¯t proceed. Li Chunmei couldn¡¯t bear to scold her daughter anymore, as the child was already too heartbroken.

    Liu Baoguo kicked over a stool on the ground, ¡°Cry, cry, what¡¯s the use of crying! Instead of crying, you might as well go back to your room and think about what to do in the future!¡±

    Liu Hong covered her face and rushed into her room, throwing herself on her bed to sob pitifully.

    Liu Xuemei tugged at Liu Baoguo, and the couple sat on the threshold, worrying.

    With things having turned out this way, what were they to do? Both were very confused and yet could not show it.

    Liu Baoguo sighed.

    Li Chunmei wiped her tears.

 Chapter 89 - 89 89 Disappearance

    ?Chapter 89: Chapter 89: Disappearance   Chapter 89: Chapter 89: Disappearance                                   ¡°Dad! That¡¯s it? We¡¯re just letting Han Dazhi off the hook?¡± Li Chunmei ground her teeth in rage, hating the entire Han Family to the core for ruining her daughter¡¯s life, making it difficult for Liu Hong to ever marry into a good family again.

    Her child¡¯s life was basically destroyed; no family would want to ept a woman with such a past.

    Liu Baoguo was silent.

    The suppressed sobs of Li Chunmei filled Liu Baoguo with suffocation; he had never felt so stifled in his life. His wife couldn¡¯t even cry out loud, for fear of being overheard. They¡¯d rather swallow their own teeth and blood than let outsiders know¡ªthis vige was the lifelong home of both their families, where countless knotted family ties existed. If word of this disgraceful business got out, it wouldn¡¯t just affect them; it would be something for which countless people would be gossiped about by the vigers.

    He could not mention his own shame, but what about his siblings? They would have to endure the whispers and pointing fingers too.

    ¡°Are you just going to do nothing for your daughter?¡± Li Chunmei wished she could butcher Han Dazhi with a knife.

    Liu Baoguo nced at Liu Hong¡¯s room, ¡°Don¡¯t say any more. The child is already distressed enough. Let¡¯s get her to abort the baby in the next few days! Get her body back in shape first. I¡¯ll deal with Han Dazhi slowly. We¡¯ll take our time. A gentleman¡¯s revenge is not toote even after ten years. As long as the Han family is in the vige, I will one day make them kneel down and admit their wrong to us.¡±

    Li Chunmei cried even harder at the thought of Liu Hong¡¯s miseries.

    That evening, Liu Hong was nowhere to be found. Li Chunmei panicked at the thought of what Bai Xiao had mentioned.

    If Liu Hong really went to those small clinics, she might as well be throwing her life away.

    Liu Baoguo and Li Chunmei called rtives and friends to start searching. Bai Xiao entered the vige just as Li Chunmei, looking dejected with her sister, was returning. They had been searching for a whole day and still hadn¡¯t found her. As the day was about to turn into night, where could Liu Hong go in just one day and one night?

    ¡°Aunt, what happened to you?¡± Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t help asking, seeing Li Chunmei age a decade in just a few days, her wrinkles at the corners of her eyes impossible to hide, and her hair, which used to be well-cared-for, as Liu Baoguo was the vige chief and they lived a better life than most. Li Chunmei¡¯s hair, though belonging to someone in her forties or fifties, still looked glossy ck. But what Bai Xiao saw now was Li Chunmei with gray hair mixed throughout, aged considerably.

    Li Chunmei nearly burst into tears when she saw Bai Xiao, who had warned her in the beginning. Why hadn¡¯t she been more careful? Tears poured down as she grasped Bai Xiao tightly, as if clutching a lifeline.

    ¡°Xiao, Liu Hong is missing! How am I supposed to live?¡±

    Li Chun, standing beside her, supported her sister, fuming on the inside.

    The daughter of a vige chief shouldn¡¯t be bullied to such an extent, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, if anything happens to Liu Hong, I will take those boys and make sure the Han family pays with their lives. Han Dazhi wants to enjoy the life of a worker, but does he think we¡¯ll let him? Does he think the Liu and Li families are without people?¡±

    Bai Xiao immediately understood; Liu Hong had taken the same path as in her previous life, but hadn¡¯t she warned Li Chunmei?

    ¡°Aunt, don¡¯t panic. Where did Liu Hong go? Have you found her yet?¡±

    Li Chunmei shook her head, nearly fainting. If not for Bai Xiao¡¯s quick reflexes to catch her, Li Chunmei would have fallen to the ground. After days of exhaustion, Li Chunmei finally could take no more.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know, yesterday the Han Family came causing trouble, wanting to marry Liu Hong without spending a penny. We had a big argument, and as a result, Liu Hong disappearedst night, and she still hasn¡¯t been found. Xiao, your aunt is frightened something might have happened to her, and if something really did happen, your aunt wouldn¡¯t want to live either.¡± Li Chunmei truly had lost the will to live; humans cannot withstand too many blows, and everyone knew how much she treasured her only daughter.

    Bai Xiao looked at Li Chunmei, and together with Li Chun, they helped her back to the vige chief¡¯s house. Li Chunmei had copsed onto the kang bed, and it was an illness she wouldn¡¯t rise from.

    The entire household was now inplete disarray.

    Li Chunmei¡¯s two sons had already received the news, but they couldn¡¯te back; they were in the military, where you can¡¯t just take leave whenever you wish¡ªit had to be approved.

    After Liu Baoguo received the news, he hurried back. Seeing Li Chunmei lying on the kang with a wet towel on her forehead, delirious with fever and constantly calling out Liu Hong¡¯s name, the grown man squatted in the courtyard and cried.

    Bai Xiao sighed. A family can be broken and lives lost in the blink of an eye, from a single incident. No one could have foreseen the hardships that Liu Baoguo¡¯s family would have to face in this lifetime. If he had known before that he couldn¡¯t change any of this, maybe he shouldn¡¯t have spoken at all.

    Liu Hong must have gone to the small clinic by now. ording to the timeline from his previous life, it seemed that Liu Hong was supposed to die tonight because the Liu Family was preparing for a funeral, which meant that tonight was the night of her death.

    As long as he could find Liu Hong, there would still be a glimmer of hope. If she was with him, she wouldn¡¯t die. She wouldn¡¯t die from excessive bleeding as she had in his previous life, which would mean that Liu Baoguo¡¯s family wouldn¡¯tpletely fall apart.

    So there was still hope.

    Bai Xiao racked his brain; in his previous life, he seemed to recall someone mentioning that Liu Hong had sought treatment from an unlicensed doctor at Shili Shop, who did private work at home.

    Yes, Shili Shop!

    There was a crooked neck tree in front of that house; people always said that such feng shui was not good.

    Bai Xiao rushed out, grabbed Liu Baoguo¡¯s arm, ¡°Uncle, let¡¯s go! If the tractor¡¯s avable, we¡¯ll head to Shili Shop. When I wasing back, I heard people from the neighboring vige say they saw Liu Hong heading towards Shili Shop. She should be there; we need to hurry.¡± This reasoning was actually not sufficient and didn¡¯t stand up to scrutiny. Liu Hong had disappearedst night, and if anyone had seen her, it wouldn¡¯t have taken until now to be noticed.

    But it was the only excuse Bai Xiao coulde up with.

    However, clearly, Liu Baoguo wasn¡¯t in a state to think about such things. Hearing Bai Xiao¡¯s words, he quickly called out to Li Guoqing, ¡°Youngest brother, find the tractor, we¡¯re going to Shili Shop.¡±

    Li Guoqing didn¡¯t know what they were going to do but still immediately set out to find the vige tractor driver. In less than two minutes, Liu Baoguo, Li Guoqing, Bai Xiao, and Liu Baoguo¡¯s two brothers-inw were all sitting in the vehicle, heading towards Shili Shop.

    Night had fallen, and only the ttering noise of the tractor¡¯s engine roared menacingly through the darkness. Everyone was silent, hearts heavy with unspeakable misery. The asional jolts tossed people about, and Bai Xiao gripped the tractor¡¯s handrail tightly, desperate and hoping to make it in time.

    A parent burying their child could lead to theplete downfall of a family. Since she had already started this, she had to see it through to the end. Whether they called her kindhearted or a busybody, the situation hade to this, and of course, she had to rescue the person to the very end.

 Chapter 90 - 90 90 A Fortuitous Encounter

    ?Chapter 90: Chapter 90: A Fortuitous Encounter   Chapter 90: Chapter 90: A Fortuitous Encounter                                   The tractor suddenly died halfway through the journey.

    With a violent lurch forward, everyone nearly flew out.

    Liu Baoguo snapped to attention.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    The tractor driver, Zhao Heizi, said with annoyance, ¡°Vige chief, we¡¯ve run out of fuel and can¡¯t go any further. I had just used it to haul grain for the vige during the day, and I had nned to refuel tomorrow¡ªI didn¡¯t anticipate this¡­ Now it¡¯s definitely not going to work, we can¡¯t move an inch.¡±

    ¡°Why the hell didn¡¯t you refuel? Now look at the mess we¡¯re in¡ªI¡­¡± Liu Baoguo wanted to hit someone, to curse someone out.

    Bai Xiao steadied herself on the tractor, jumped off, ¡°Stop talking and let¡¯s walk. It seems we¡¯re about halfway there, no use wasting time now.¡± No one knew if it was manageable, but were even less willing to waste time. She had already maintained good rtions with the vige chief and his family and gained powerful support within the vige. This was not a connection she was willing to give up lightly. She did not want to see Liu Baoguo fall from grace due to Liu Hong again.

    After all, her despicable grandmother would return to the vige. Even though she was not Li Chunhua¡¯s biological granddaughter, her older brother and sisters were his biological grandchildren. When Li Chunhua kicked up a fuss, it would be problematic ¨C you could be tough, but you can¡¯t let people criticize your family. If the vige chief stepped in to administer justice in domestic affairs, that would be different.

    In the vige, the vige chief¡¯s word wasw.

    Whether it was welfare, delivering grain taxes, or allocations for house foundations, nothing happened without the vige chief¡¯s say-so. His word was final, and no one dared to defy the vige chief without good reason.

    Despite the Han Family¡¯s bluster, how could Mother Han not be anxious?

    If Liu Baoguo wanted to deal with them, they really had no recourse.

    It all came down to who was more shameless.

    The Han Family was betting on Liu Baoguo¡¯s sense of shame, that it would hold him back. If he cared about his reputation, he would be restrained by others¡¯ opinions; if he cared about face, he would not want his daughter to suffer. This was the Han Family¡¯s hope.

    So, Bai Xiao wasying groundwork for the future. Without long-term nning, there are bound to be immediate worries. After she was married to Fang Xiaoshan, hadn¡¯t her older brother and sisters been harshly controlled by their grandmother, Li Chunhua?

    Her whole life was about escaping from Li Chunhua¡¯s clutches, but Bai Jianguo, who would exploit others without hesitation, wouldn¡¯t let go of freebor and easy money-making schemes that easily.

    Even with Li Chunhua paralyzed, he¡¯d still concoct schemes to demand money from them¡ªit was his right.

    Therefore, if Liu Baoguo had a good impression of her, and she saved Liu Hong, he would definitely protect her older brother and the rest from Bai Jianguo. That was the way of the world.

    On hearing this, everyone agreed, what good would getting angry do? Better to just walk with their own two legs.

    A few people got off and began walking together. The country roads were devoid of streetlights, and the road between viges was pitch ck, not a single light to be found¡ªthank goodness they had brought shlights. Liu Baoguo, frustrated and anxious, walked ahead with his shlight, and Bai Xiao, silent as ever, followed behind him, navigating by the light of his torch.

    After about half a mile, someone suddenly asked ahead, ¡°Who goes there?¡±

    A few shadowy figures surrounded them.

    Bai Xiao, too, was startled.

    Being osted in the dead of night was truly rming, especially when no one expected to be waid by robbers. It was 1985, after all, during a crackdown¡ªwere there really people bold enough to rob others in broad daylight?

    Weren¡¯t they afraid of rotting in jail?

    ¡°We are from Liupan Vige, the vige chief here. We¡¯re heading to Shili Shop to find someone,¡± Liu Baoguo said as he shone his shlight around. As the leader of the group, he was the first to realize that these people were not robbers¡ªthe bright clothing they wore were that of j-school students.

    ¡°Liupan Vige?¡± A voice emerged, and Liu Baoguo was overjoyed, recognizing it as Instructor An Zhiyuan.

    They had had many dealings, so he recognized the instructor in an instant.

    Bai Xiao felt a sudden surge of emotion in her heart¡ªthey really were fated to meet.

    They had just seen each other in town that morning, and here they were, encountering each other again on the way back to the vige in the evening. What kind of fate was this?

    ¡°Instructor An!¡± Liu Baoguo called out eagerly.

    As soon as An Zhiyuan looked, he indeed recognized the person. The shlight moved from one face to another until it revealed Bai Xiao, squinting to avoid the light. Without saying anything else, he asked, ¡°What are you doing going to Shili Shop in the dead of night?¡±

    Liu Baoguo hurriedly exined his situation, he couldn¡¯t keep the fact that his daughter was missing a secret any longer.

    ¡°In that case! We¡¯ll take you, it¡¯s still over ten miles away, let¡¯s go. Our truck is over there, it¡¯ll only take about ten minutes to get there if we drive. Come on, Xiaowo, go start the car.¡± An Zhiyuan instructed.

    Liu Baoguo¡¯s heart warmed instantly, the world was full of good people indeed.

    ¡°Thank you, thank you, Instructor An, we won¡¯t be getting in the way of your work, will we?¡±

    An Zhiyuan waved his hand, ¡°Not at all, when faced with a situation like this, we should definitely lend a hand.¡± He nced at Bai Xiao, who didn¡¯t spare him a single look.

    Several people got into the vehicle. Their truck was arge one. Seeing that Bai Xiao was a girl, they let her sit inside the driving cabin while the rest climbed into the back.

    An Zhiyuan and Xiaowo drove, with Bai Xiao sitting behind them! She stared at the back of An Zhiyuan¡¯s head, not knowing what to say.

    Xiaowo knew Bai Xiao well; after all, she was the famous wife of their instructor. Back in the day, he had carried water for Bai Xiao and even been punished by the instructor with push-ups because of that incident.

    ¡°Sister-inw, you¡¯re going too?¡±

    The address ¡®sister-inw¡¯ made Bai Xiao¡¯s face turn red.

    ¡°Liu Hong is a girl, it¡¯s easier for me to help out.¡±

    An Zhiyuan looked at Bai Xiao, realizing she had gotten straight into the car upon return without taking a rest, probably not even having time to catch her breath. He felt a muted anger; this girl was half-dead yesterday, and now she¡¯s rushing around for others again, this wasn¡¯t the way to be a good person.

    ¡°Even her own mother isn¡¯t going, what are you doing!¡±

    His words came out harsh, making Xiaowo stare. Didn¡¯t the instructor know how to make conversation?

    This was surely going to upset sister-inw.

    Bai Xiao retorted unpleasantly, ¡°I want to!¡±

    This left An Zhiyuan with his breath caught in his chest.

    He couldn¡¯t express it, nor suppress it.

    Xiaowo didn¡¯t dare to say a word, whatever he said would be inappropriate.

    He quietly turned into a tree.

    When the truck arrived at Shili Shop, several people jumped out. Bai Xiao thought that An Zhiyuan and the others would head back, but to her surprise, An Zhiyuan jumped out of the truck and followed them into the vige.

    Bai Xiao asked around for the house with the crooked-neck tree, and they quickly found it.

    There it was, a crooked-neck tree right in front of a courtyard, very conspicuous. The gate was locked, and apart from the light, nothing could be seen or heard.

    Liu Baoguo hesitated, ncing at Bai Xiao, then pointing at the courtyard.

    ¡°Here?¡±

    What he didn¡¯t ask out loud was how Bai Xiao knew about this ce.

    Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t be certain either; it was just what people said in her past life, ¡°I don¡¯t know! I just knew that there was a family here in Shili Shop that specializes in treating women¡¯s private ailments that are hard to speak of. I guessed if Liu Hong came here, it must be for that reason¡­¡± She didn¡¯t need to finish her sentence for Liu Baoguo to understand.

    His eyes turned red, this was practically a death sentence for Liu Hong.

    Suddenly, a sharp cry from a woman broke the silence from inside the courtyard, followed by quietness.

 Chapter 91 - 91 91 Speed of Life and Death

    ?Chapter 91: Chapter 91: Speed of Life and Death   Chapter 91: Chapter 91: Speed of Life and Death                                   Baoguo Liu was frantic, rushing forward to bang on the door.

    ¡°Open up! Open up!¡±

    Suddenly, the lights inside went out.

    Baoguo Liu became even more desperate.

    ¡°Open the door, do you hear me? Open the door! Liu Hong, Liu Hong! Dad is here, answer me if you are inside.¡±

    Suddenly someone came out in the yard and shouted loudly, ¡°What are you yelling for? There¡¯s no Liu Hong here! Get lost now or I will call out, and when I do, the vigers will grab you thinking you¡¯re that thief!¡±

    Baoguo Liu violently pounded the door, making the door panels bang loudly, ¡°You open the door! If anything happens to my daughter, I swear I will take your life.¡±

    But that person became silent and didn¡¯t open the door.

    Inside came a woman¡¯s cry of rm, the sound of a washbasin hitting the ground, ¡°Her dad,e quick; this woman is in bad shape!¡±

    This shout was heard clearly by everyone outside; the footsteps in the yard hurriedly disappeared further inside, twisting Baoguo Liu¡¯s heart. These words made him think of all possible consequences! Each one was a horrifying image of Liu Hong lying in a pool of blood.

    ¡°Open the door! Open the door!¡± Baoguo Liu banged on the door forcefully, but unfortunately, the door was very sturdy.

    ¡°Move aside!¡± They heard Zhiyuan An shout sternly.

    Baoguo Liu couldn¡¯t hear anything, his ears seemed already to have flown inside the yard.

    Inside was chaos, ¡°Her dad, what do we do?¡±

    ¡°Blood¡­ so much blood¡­¡±

    Bai Xiao made a quick decision and shouted, ¡°Quick, pull the vige chief away.¡± She knew what Zhiyuan An was about to do.

    Li Guoqing and a few others went to pull Baoguo Liu aside; Baoguo Liu still tried to rush forward, only to see Zhiyuan An kick the door with a flying kick, making a thunderous noise as it fell.

    Everyone was stunned.

    That kick from Instructor An was too powerful, it was just a door; had it been a person, they would surely have been killed.

    Everyone shuddered.

    Bai Xiao was first to rush in, only for her cor to be abruptly grabbed from behind, ¡°Get behind me.¡± Someone flung her to the back.

    Bai Xiao was indignant, but before she could get angry, Zhiyuan An had already rushed in with others.

    The curtain of the inside door swung open, and a man inside, his hands covered in blood, blocked their way, ¡°What are you doing? This is breaking and entering; get out!¡± His eyes, filled with panic, inadvertently revealed the situation inside.

    Zhiyuan An looked back briefly; Xiaowu and the others rushed forward to pin the man against the corner of the wall. Baoguo Liu, Zhiyuan An, and Bai Xiao rushed in, and though they hadn¡¯t seen anyone yet, Bai Xiao could already smell the blood filling the room, a scent so intense it was rming.

    Bai Xiao knew it was a bad sign, Liu Hong had encountered what she did in her past life ¨C a severe hemorrhage.

    There might still be a chance to save her; if Liu Hong died, Baoguo Liu and Li Chunmei wouldpletely lose their minds.

    Baoguo Liu immediately saw Liu Hong copsed on the bed, her lower body covered with a bedsheet, but the flowery sheet waspletely soaked in blood, the heavy staining blending with the flowers on it, each blooming gruesomely, as if sneering sinisterly at Baoguo Liu.

    Baoguo Liu suddenly rushed over and grabbed Liu Hong¡¯s hand, ¡°Daughter, daughter, Hong, my daughter, why are you so foolish?¡±

    When Liu Hong heard Baoguo Liu¡¯s voice, she slightly opened her eyes. Bai Xiao saw the disperse look in her eyes, indicating that Liu Hong was breathing less and expiring more, a very bad sign indeed.

    ¡°Dad¡­ Dad¡­ I¡¯m¡­ sorry, next life¡­ daughter will¡­ be filial¡­ to you!¡± Liu Hong¡¯s intermittent words suddenly cut off in her throat, and her head tilted as she passed out.

    Baoguo Liu frantically shook Liu Hong, ¡°Hong, Hong, wake up, wake up, Dad will take you to the hospital, just you wait.¡± He was about to pick Liu Hong up when Bai Xiao stopped him with a firm grip.

    Baoguo Liu¡¯s eyes turned red, ring at Bai Xiao. At this moment, anyone who hindered him from saving his daughter could be killed by him.

    ¡°Get out of the way!¡±

    Bai Xiao sighed. She truly didn¡¯t me Baoguo Liu; this was a father, a father with a deep love for his daughter. No wonder in their former life, Baoguo Liu and Chunmei Li finally became feeble and listless; the two of them loved Liu Hong wholeheartedly.

    ¡°Uncle, even if you take Liu Hong to the hospital like this, it probably won¡¯t work. The hospital is at least three hours away from here by car. Can Liu Hong hold on until then?¡±

    Everyone had lost their reason.

    Baoguo Liu turned back to look at Liu Hong; sorrow rose from his heart. Yes! This is Shili Shop, so far from the county town. Would she even have a breath left by the time we get there?

    But to watch his own beloved daughter die right before his eyes, he couldn¡¯t bear it.

    Suddenly, Baoguo Liu turned around and knelt down before Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao, quick to react, pulled him up immediately.

    She sighed, ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m here to save her. You should take everyone out; it¡¯s not convenient with so many people here.¡± She hade to save a life; why should Baoguo Liu kneel down and beg her, also causing Baoguo Liu to possibly remember one day that she took advantage of his desperation.

    Baoguo Liu gripped Bai Xiao¡¯s hand tightly, ¡°Xiao, Uncle has only this one daughter. I beg you, you must save her! If you save her, from now on, our Liu Family will do anything for you, I beg you.¡± At this moment, Bai Xiao was his only hope. Baoguo Liu couldn¡¯t remember if he had felt this way when he was at Li Guoqing¡¯s ce, but now it seemed like if Bai Xiao didn¡¯t agree, Liu Hong would lose her life immediately.

    ¡°Hurry and take her to the hospital, your daughter is bleeding profusely, she¡¯ll run out of breath soon, stop making a fuss!¡± The man pressed against the wall shouted. He couldn¡¯t bear the responsibility; if someone really died, he would be the one facing jail. The man was desperate.

    At that moment, a crowd of people rushed in; after all, so many people suddenly bursting into their vigete at night making such amotion, the nearby neighbors and vigers couldn¡¯t possibly be unaware, so the people in the vige gathered to drive these intruders away.

    ¡°What are you doing? Breaking into a private homete at night, get out now, or don¡¯t me us for being rude.¡± The speaker was the vige chief.

    The man pressed in the corner saw the vigers as if seeing a lifesaver, ¡°Chief, quick, call the doctor, this girl is bleeding profusely, she¡¯s in bad shape!¡±

    These words made the vige chief¡¯s heart quiver, realizing this was a matter of life and death.

    ¡°Xiaowu, quickly check on her, you are the vige doctor, and you¡¯re also a university student helping in the countryside, please check her,¡± he urged, knowing a life was at stake.

    A nerdy-looking young man with sses was pushed forward and hurried over to Liu Hong. Baoguo Liu was about to stop him, having just pleaded with Bai Xiao, and besides, he had witnessed Bai Xiao¡¯s abilities. At this time, every minute dyed could harm his daughter.

    The doctor checked the pulse and eyelids with practiced skill.

    While examining, he shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s no use, she¡¯s lost too much blood, she¡¯s already in shock, our facilities here are inadequate, we must get her to a major hospital, otherwise she¡¯s done for, I can barely feel a pulse now; even if we get her to the hospital, she¡­ she¡­¡± Everyone fell silent.

    With one kick, Baoguo Liu sent the man flying, not bothering to be nice about it. The four-eyed man fell to the ground, and some vigers hurriedly helped him up, ¡°What are you doing? Speak if you want to speak! Why resort to hitting people?¡±

    Bai Xiao looked at Baoguo Liu and nodded.

 Chapter 92 - 92 92 Preparation

    ?Chapter 92: Chapter 92 Preparation   Chapter 92: Chapter 92 Preparation                                   Liu Baoguo said to Li Guoqing and the others, ¡°Throw these people out! Everyone go to the yard, Xiao needs to treat the patient, everyone out. Even if the Emperor of Heaven came today, he¡¯d have to step aside too.¡± Upon hearing this, Li Guoqing and the others shoved and pushed the vigers out.

    An Zhiyuan nced at Bai Xiao, signaling to the soldiers, ¡°Take this person to the yard as well, and we¡¯ll go out.¡±

    At this point, it was a matter of life and death.

    The man being pushed out shouted, ¡°You can¡¯t do this, if someone dies in my house, how can you me me? If he dies without being sent to the hospital, it¡¯s not my fault.¡±

    Liu Baoguo pped the man on the head, ¡°Still making excuses? If it weren¡¯t for you, the quack, my daughter¡¯s life wouldn¡¯t be in danger. And now you want to shirk responsibility? I¡¯ll sue you for malpractice; you just wait to be squeaky clean for jail.¡± He vented his own inner fury with punches and kicks, seeing his daughter Liu Hong barely clinging to life, Liu Baoguo really felt like killing the man.

    The man, cradling his head, dodged, ¡°Don¡¯t hit me, I¡¯m just earning a hard living, who could have expected your daughter to bleed so much? I mentioned the risks before the surgery, it was your daughter who assured everything, any consequences would be on her, and now you turn your back on me. I¡¯m wronged.¡±

    ¡°Shut up, keep it down!¡± Bai Xiao yelled loudly in the room.

    An Zhiyuan pulled Liu Baoguo aside, ¡°Uncle, now is not the time to pursue this! We need to give Bai Xiao a quiet environment to save the person.¡±

    Liu Baoguo crouched in the yard, clutching his head, not making a sound.

    The others also looked at each other, unsure of what to do.

    Could this really save a life?

    Li Guoqing peered in, eager to catch a glimpse! He himself was saved by Bai Xiao, probably no one here had more right to speak than he did, and he supported Bai Xiao.

    Besides, his father had said that many old experts in Traditional Chinese Medicine had great skills, some with the talent to traverse the world with a silver needle, reportedly at the level of Imperial Physician. Since the downfall of the monarchy, these skilled people had faded into themon folk.

    His father suspected that Elder Bai might have learned his skills from such a master, and these kinds of people don¡¯t unt their abilities, yet they passed them down to their daughters.

    Had he not encountered this, they surely would not have intervened.

    An Zhiyuan red at Li Guoqing, who sheepishly withdrew his head.

    The vige chief from Shili Shop was also stunned; if someone really died here, it would be big trouble for their vige.

    An Zhiyuan looked at the firmly closed door of the house, calmly told the woman who apparently owned the yard, ¡°Sister, please boil some water, and prepare some Ginger Sugar Water. Find your clean cotton quilts too; we might need them shortly.¡± This wasn¡¯t the first time An Zhiyuan had encountered Bai Xiao treating and saving people; it seemed like he instantly knew what to do.

    The woman, meek and timid, didn¡¯t dare to move for a long while, silent in her own home; she dared not take any initiative.

    Yet the man dressed in the Sun Yat-sen suit obviously looked like a leader; they could not afford to offend him either.

    Liu Baoguo, upon hearing An Zhiyuan bring this up, not knowing what it was for, and thinking it was being prepared for his own daughter, immediately barked, ¡°Go now!¡±

    The woman still didn¡¯t move; she looked at her own man. Seeing this, Liu Baoguo went up and kicked the man, ¡°Can¡¯t you hear, or what?¡±

    The man, wailing like a ghost, hurriedlymanded, ¡°Are you dead? The leader gave you an order, and you¡¯re still not moving? Go and get ready!¡±

    Only then did the woman quickly go to another room.

    Liu Baoguo, anxious and on pins and needles, listened for any noise from inside the house, but there was none.

    The vigers from Shili Shop were also looking at each other in confusion, uncertain what to do next.

    In such a case where someone had died, it could easily escte into hatred between two viges. Given this situation, Liu Baoguo and others would definitely not let things slide so easily. Either the person would have to be taken to the police station, or they would demand to keep the body forpensation, and there were many who would not hesitate to teach a lesson with their fists. The people of Shili Shop wouldn¡¯t look on idly as their own people were bullied. Thus, protecting their vigers would likely lead to verbal arguments and eventually fights. Whoever suffered would not be willing to let it go, and then people would go back to call for reinforcements, bringing a tractor over filled with backup to brawl. Things could end up with not just one person dead, but several from both viges.

    Everyone felt a heavy dread.

    In fact, everyone hoped the person inside the house would survive; otherwise, it was unknown how many families would be implicated. Everyone despised the man before them.

    ¡°Uncle Liu, bring over some nkets and quilts, we can¡­ carry the person out, and then¡­ let¡¯s go back,¡± Bai Xiao said, her voiceing through, giving Liu Baoguo a sigh of relief.

    If she wanted nkets and quilts and was asking to move someone, it must mean that the person was alright.

    Snatching the nket in hand, he rushed in, while An Zhiyuan ordered the other soldiers to block the vigers and went inside with Li Guoqing and a few others.

    Bai Xiao had already wrapped Liu Hong in a nket, wearing a nket herself, herplexion ghastly, lips turning purple, her entire body shivering.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go¡­ back,¡± she said, her voice trembling. ¡°Take good care¡­ of yourself.¡±

    An Zhiyuan went out to fetch a bowl of Ginger Sugar Water and handed it to Bai Xiao, ¡°Drink up, quickly!¡±

    Then he directed Liu Baoguo and several others to carry Liu Hong out. Their vehicle was still outside. An Zhiyuan strode over to Bai Xiao, who was shivering and had spilled half a bowl of Ginger Sugar Water while drinking the other half. Without a word, he picked up Bai Xiao along with the nket, ¡°Don¡¯t talk now, let¡¯s head back!¡± He understood that Bai Xiao did not want anyone else to know about her condition.

    Bai Xiao wanted to say something, but nothing came out. She leaned weakly against An Zhiyuan, feeling so warm.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s chest felt like a big, warm furnace, making her sofortable that she wanted to bury herself in it and rub against it endlessly.

    Already in the car, she was wrapped tightly, An Zhiyuan instructed the soldiers, ¡°You stay here and tell the vige chief to report to the police. If they don¡¯t report, we will. Such incidents can¡¯t be allowed to happen again.¡±

    The soldiers immediately responded with affirmation.

    The vige chief from Shili Shop didn¡¯t even get a chance to plead as their group had already vanished like the wind.

    Catching a glimpse of the man lying copsed on the ground, his face the color of ash after An Zhiyuan¡¯s words, it was clear he was in for trouble. Once the police would arrive, the situation would escte.

    This time, he had provoked someone he shouldn¡¯t have.

    Meanwhile, the truck sped towards Liupan Vige, with Bai Xiao shivering in An Zhiyuan¡¯s arms. An Zhiyuan was holding a tea jar, having filled it with Ginger Sugar Water before leaving. He was feeding Bai Xiao while also carefully wrapping the nket around her more snugly, covering even her feet and continuously massaging her arms and cheeks. In fact, Bai Xiao hadn¡¯t suffered much this time, and it seemed much less severe than what Wang Han experienced before.

    Moreover, An Zhiyuan had acted so swiftly and prepared so thoroughly.

    ¡°How do you feel?¡± An Zhiyuan asked, observing Bai Xiao¡¯s cheeks, which now seemed a bit rosier, and her delicate skin was silky smooth under his touch.

    Bai Xiao nodded obediently, answering, ¡°Much better! Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s not as bad this time.¡± Her speech was fluid, and An Zhiyuan was finally reassured.

    Xiaowo, at the wheel, pursed his lips, secretly amused.

    The drill sergeant would be the kind to dote on his wife in the future. Just look at the care she was receiving, even before they were officially together, he was so protective. If he were to marry her, he¡¯d probably treat her like a deity.

    Once back, Xiaowo intended to sing praises of the drill sergeant, contrasting his reputation as an unsmiling Buddha. Their drill sergeant was more like the chairperson of the ¡°Afraid of Wives Club.¡±

 Chapter 93 - 93 93 Turning a Blind Eye

    ?Chapter 93: Chapter 93: Turning a Blind Eye   Chapter 93: Chapter 93: Turning a Blind Eye                                   Returning to the vige, Bai Xiao was truly well this time,, and the speed of her recovery surprised An Zhiyuan¡ªit seemed even quicker than before! This time, she recovered in just a moment.

    Now, one could not even tell the state Bai Xiao had been in earlier.

    In fact, Bai Xiao had noticed something different this time. When An Zhiyuan held her, she could feel a warm current entering her body, driving away the cold, and making her sofortable that she did not need to shiver. She quickly regained her senses, and it was odd, so she couldn¡¯t help but size up An Zhiyuan.

    Could it be that An Zhiyuan possessed some trait that could help her ovee the side effects of her special ability?

    However, at this time, no one cared about this issue, and besides, it was a personal matter¡ªwho would bother with it?

    At Liu Baoguo¡¯s home, things had already turned chaotic.

    The People¡¯s Liberation Army¡¯s military vehicle had brought Liu Hong home, carried into the house. Li Chunmei had been lying half-lifeless on the kang, feverish, but upon hearing her daughter had returned, she immediately got up, paying no mind to anything else. Her vigor didn¡¯t seem at all like that of a sick person.

    She was busy all over the ce, attending thoroughly.

    On the way home, Liu Baoguo had instructed Li Guoqing and the others to tell everyone that Liu Hong had fallen down the mountain and had been saved,manding them to keep everything else secret. Liu Baoguo had already figured it out along the way; Liu Hong mustn¡¯t be ruined.

    As for the situation, Shili Shop had no idea they were from their vige, let alone who they were. An incident like this should ideally be hidden rather than spread around; hence, if their side was covered up well, Liu Hong would be fine.

    Li Guoqing and the others were Liu Baoguo¡¯s rtives¡ªhow could they not help sustain the lie?

    Thus, the vigers all knew that the vige chief¡¯s Liu Hong had fallen down the mountain, and they gradually dispersed, as it was deep into the night. As long as the person was okay, they were reassured to go back to sleep. Since it wasn¡¯t their own family, although concerned, their level of concern wasn¡¯t quite as intense.

    As the crowd had dispersed, Liu Hong was carried into the room she stayed in, with Li Chunmei and Bai Xiao inside while everyone else remained in the outer hall. Liu Hong had been found in better condition than anything else; everyone could rest a bit, especially since it waste at night.

    Li Chunmei, watching Liu Hong sleep soundly, felt anxious and quietly asked Bai Xiao, ¡°Xiao, she is all right, isn¡¯t she?¡± How could she not worry about her own daughter, especially after hearing from Liu Baoguo in private that Liu Hong had bled profusely, which nearly made Li Chunmei faint.

    Childbirth is dangerous, as is the postpartum period, especially for an unmarried woman like Liu Hong¡ªif she was impacted by the severe bleeding, how would she live her life afterward?

    ¡°Auntie, she¡¯s fine now, though she might suffer from anemia. She should eat more iron-rich foods like dates and pork liver. There¡¯s nothing wrong with her physically now, but you should talk to her to help her sort out her feelings,, otherwise, other issues might arise,¡± Bai Xiao advised, not knowing fully what kind of person Liu Hong was, just taking precautionary measures.

    ¡°Okay, okay, I understand. Xiao, thank goodness for you this time. Auntie knows you¡¯re a good child. If it weren¡¯t for you, Liu Hong would have been doomed,¡± Li Chunmei said, touching her tears. Whenever Liu Hong was mentioned, she couldn¡¯t stop the tears.

    Liu Hong¡¯s eyes opened, looking groggily at her mother sitting beside her, ¡°Mom, what¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Li Chunmei immediately grabbed Liu Hong¡¯s hand, ¡°You¡¯re awake? Do you feel any difort? If you¡¯re feeling unwell, you must speak up. Xiao is still here, she can check on you right away. You mustn¡¯t keep silent, as it could affect you for life.¡±

    Finally, as her memories returned, Liu Hong recalled her foolish actions, remembering how she had been gasping for breath due to excessive bleeding, and that she seemed to have seen her father. Yet upon opening her eyes now, she found herself back in her own home, in her room. She looked up to see Bai Xiao, the one she least respected, the ever-submissive Bai Xiao, the one who wouldn¡¯t fight back even when bullied.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Bai Xiao nced at Liu Hong, assured of her own special ability, ¡°Auntie, I¡¯ll head back first. I¡¯lle check on Liu Hong another day.¡± She had had a long day and needed some rest, preparing to visit her sister the next day.

    Li Chunmei wanted to see Bai Xiao off but couldn¡¯t bear to leave Liu Hong¡¯s side.

    ¡°Dad, Xiao¡¯s going back now, could you fetch a shlight for us?¡±

    Liu Baoguo immediately agreed, fetching a shlight while An Zhiyuan stood up.

    ¡°Vige chief, take it easy at home and take care of Liu Hong. I¡¯ll apany Bai Xiao. We¡¯re heading back anyway; it¡¯s on the way.¡±

    An Zhiyuan was Bai Xiao¡¯s fianc¨¦! Everyone in the vige knew it, which reassured them. Liu Baoguo nodded, ¡°Then, Captain An, thank you very much.¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao walked out one after the other.

    The vige was dimly lit, and there were hardly any lights on the road. An Zhiyuan was leading the way with a shlight while Bai Xiao followed him to her house, finding the door securely locked.

    An Zhiyuan turned around, ¡°The keys!¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°The keys!¡±

    Bai Xiao quickly pulled out the keys from her pocket and handed them to An Zhiyuan.

    An Zhiyuan unlocked the front door and then the door to the inner room, even helping Bai Xiao tidy up a bit before saying goodbye, ¡°I¡¯m leaving now. Make sure you lock the main door, get some rest, and if anythinges up have someone send me a message. Don¡¯t always bear things alone. I am your fianc¨¦, I¡¯ll face anything for you.¡±

    Bai Xiao was startled; what were they but a betrothed couple in name?.

    ¡°Well, ¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going now. I¡¯ll bring you some money and food coupons tomorrow; it¡¯s about time you prepared for school. I¡¯ll buy the ticket for you. Have you decided when you¡¯ll be leaving?¡± An Zhiyuan said, making Bai Xiao realize something.

    ¡°No need, I n to visit my elder sister tomorrow to see how she is before I leave. I can buy the ticket myself.¡± She didn¡¯t want to owe too much to An Zhiyuan, especially since she wasn¡¯t truly prepared to marry him. Getting too entangled, especially financially, would lead toplicationster on.

    An Zhiyuan paused, ¡°You should rest tomorrow. I¡¯lle over at noon to bring you money. If you¡¯re not home, I¡¯ll leave it with the vige chief. Remember to pick it up when you get back. I¡¯m leaving now.¡± He walked to the door but stood outside without moving.

    Bai Xiao was bewildered, ¡°Hurry and close the door; I¡¯ll wait for you to lock up before I go.¡± The shlight illuminated Bai Xiao¡¯s face.

    ¡°Oh! I¡¯m doing it now.¡± Bai Xiao closed the door, realizing he had been waiting for her to do so.

    An Zhiyuan was indeed a thoughtful man, yet also very stubborn; he seemed to disregard her previous wordspletely.

    Bai Xiao shook her head, washed her feet, andy down on the bed to sleep.

    It seems she won¡¯t be able to visit her elder sister tomorrow. She¡¯ll go the day after tomorrow.

    After visiting her middle sister, of course she had to see her elder sister. In her past life, her elder sister had died from a fall down the mountain while searching for her.

 Chapter 94 - 94 94 Gratitude and Repayment

    ?Chapter 94: Chapter 94 Gratitude and Repayment   Chapter 94: Chapter 94 Gratitude and Repayment                                   After Bai Xiao left, the rtives who were supposed to leave had all departed. It was gettingte, and people needed to rest. Both families were from the same vige, which made things convenient.

    Li Chunmei wiped the sweat from Liu Hong¡¯s brow and asked, ¡°Do you want some water? I can get it for you.¡±

    Liu Hong shook her head; she was not thirsty at all.

    ¡°Mom, what¡¯s the deal with Bai Xiao?¡± she asked. Having had a brush with death, she was no longer a child and could tell that her mother was very close to Bai Xiao, keeping nothing from her. Thus, Bai Xiao must be fully aware of her situation.

    ¡°You¡¯re still asking? If it wasn¡¯t for Bai Xiao, you would have been dead without anyone knowing. He saved your life,¡± Li Chunmei told her daughter everything, and only then did Liu Hong realize how critical her situation had been.

    ¡°You child, what is it that you can¡¯t tell your parents? Wouldn¡¯t we protect you? Your dad was even preparing to write a letter of introduction for you, nning for me to take you to the county hospital to terminate the pregnancy safely and securely. Who knew you would sneak out on your own? What if something had happened to you? How could your parents go on living?¡± Li Chunmei reproached and scolded her, unable to hold back even though she knew Liu Hong hadn¡¯t fully recovered yet.

    Liu Hong sat up, feeling unburdened andfortable without any difort or dizziness. Li Chunmei hurried to support her.

    ¡°Mom, I was wrong. The more I thought about itst night, the angrier I got. The Han Family aren¡¯t good people. I kept thinking about what his parents said as if I were just rotting cabbage on the roadside, rubbish. Even if I gave birth to the child, I¡¯d still be looked down upon by the Han Family. It¡¯s better not to have this child. I would rather live a good life without marrying than let my parents and two brothers be unable to raise their heads at home for the rest of their lives.¡± Liu Hong had truly grown up, her words touching Li Chunmei¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Even so, you can¡¯t just act recklessly. Look at what almost happened this time; you nearly lost your life. Whatever happens, you have your parents to make decisions for you. Now you need to recover well and once you¡¯re better, we¡¯ll find you a good family to marry into. You¡¯re bound to have a good life,¡± Li Chunmei thought of Han Dazhi roaming freely around town while her own daughter had nearly died and felt an uncontroble surge of anger.

    ¡°Mom, let¡¯s stop talking about it. I¡¯ll take good care of myself, and I promise not to worry you in the future.¡± Liu Hong, however, had decided she didn¡¯t want to deal with men ever again; Han Dazhi had truly broken her heart.

    ¡°That¡¯s good. Just live a good life. This time, we really need to thank Bai Xiao. He saved your life. That child is a good one, he didn¡¯t say a word too much. Ah, we owe him a huge favor,¡± Li Chunmei still couldn¡¯t forget how urgent the situation was at that time.

    Liu Hong didn¡¯t speak, drank some brown sugar water, and went to sleep.

    Li Chunmei watched her daughter fall into a deep sleep, tucked her in properly, then closed the door and went outside. When she got back to her room, Liu Baoguo asked anxiously,

    ¡°How is she? Did she fall asleep?¡±

    Li Chunmei took off her shoes and climbed onto the kang bed. She had just had a fever and, in her worry for her daughter, she hadn¡¯t been paying attention to her own difort. But now that she waspletely relieved, she felt wave after wave of weakness wash over her.

    ¡°She¡¯s asleep!¡±

    Liu Baoguo had alreadyid out the bedding for his wife. Seeing Li Chunmei¡¯s exhausted appearance, he was worried too and said, ¡°Are you alright? Are you still feverish? Should I get you some antipyretics?¡±

    Li Chunmeiy down, and it was only when her head touched the pillow that she realized she truly was exhausted.

    ¡°No need! My fever is already gone, you can¡¯t just take medicine carelessly. Right, you also didn¡¯t tell me what exactly happened today.¡± The details Liu Baoguo provided to Li Chunmei when he returned were unclear, he only gave a rough outline.

    Liu Baoguo turned off the light.

    He exined the whole story to Li Chunmei clearly from beginning to end.

    When Li Chunmei heard that her daughter had already stopped breathing at that time, she was so frightened that she lost all desire to sleep.

    Hearing that it was Bai Xiao who saved her daughter with acupuncture, she sighed.

    ¡°Her dad, we now owe that family a great debt of gratitude! This girl is a good one, look at how meticulously she does things. She clearly saved two lives in our family and never once acted arrogantly or put on the airs of a benefactor. Just for this alone, it¡¯s worth befriending the child. It seems my father was right, those who are truly capable never show off their skills.¡±

    ¡°When she saved my brother¡¯s life, she didn¡¯t ask for any kind of reward. If back then we had treated her the same way the vigers did, taking advantage of her being an orphan without parents and thinking her help was only natural, we probably wouldn¡¯t be here with our daughter saved today. It seems, to be a good person, you really need to be honest and upright. Do less of those things that go against conscience because who knows when karma will strike.¡± Right now, Li Chunmei was truly a bit scared.

    Liu Baoguo was a sensible man, how could he not understand that Bai Xiao helped them without seeking fame or reward. If it hadn¡¯t been for Bai Xiao¡¯s quick thinking today, even if they had found Shili Shop, they might have been greeted by the already breathless Liu Hong.

    Just thinking about Liu Hong¡¯s dying state in the room and the bloodied horror, Liu Baoguo shuddered; even he, a grown man, knew that had they arrived anyter, there would have been no saving her.

    ¡°Yes, from now on Bai Xiao is our family¡¯s great benefactor. I¡¯m aware, although she doesn¡¯t have parents anymore and has encountered such an ungrateful grandmother, and I don¡¯t see Bai Jianguo as decent either. Bai Xiao has been in their home for four years, and to say he didn¡¯t know his mother, his wife, and their whole family were abusing Bai Xiao, who would believe that?

    In the future, we must treat Bai Xiao well. People act, heaven watches. We can¡¯t control others, but we must be someone who repays kindness. Today I learned that Bai Xiao is very skilled; probably all the capabilities of old Bai didn¡¯t get applied properly, but instead passed down to this young girl who could learn quickly and ended up even more capable than her parents.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve decided that from now on we¡¯ll treat Bai Xiao as our own daughter. College costs money; they say there¡¯s no tuition fee, but they provide living expenses. Yet I know that the living expenses are just enough for food, and not even enough for a full meal. Going to college in a big city, every month there will be expenses for books, notebooks; which don¡¯te for free? Let¡¯s not talk about others. Our two sons are in the army; there shouldn¡¯t be a problem covering costs.¡±

    ¡°In a couple of days, prepare two hundred yuan for that girl, and from now on give her two hundred yuan every year. More than that, our family isn¡¯t wealthy, but we can¡¯t let her suffer either.¡± With these words, Liu Baoguo proved himself to be a gratefully responsible person.

    Li Chunmei nodded her head, ¡°Her dad, don¡¯t worry, I understand what¡¯s right. You¡¯re correct, from now on, we¡¯ll consider our family to have gained another daughter. Bai Xiao, from my point of view, is also a good girl, she won¡¯t suffer with us.¡± Once the couple had discussed and agreed, naturally, they felt at ease immediately.

    The couple was tired; these few days had left them utterly drained.

 Chapter 95 - 95 95 Abuse

    ?Chapter 95: Chapter 95 Abuse   Chapter 95: Chapter 95 Abuse                                   In the county hospital, Bai Jianguo and Hao Fang heard the doctor say that this was probably as good as the olddy¡¯s recovery was going to get: her mouth was crooked and her eyes askew. She¡¯d have to go home and slowly seek out Traditional Chinese Medicine treatments, try acupuncture, and take some Chinese medicinal herbs. There was a chance she could gradually recover, even though the hospital intervention hadete.

    Butpared to before, at least the olddy wasn¡¯t bedridden anymore. She could control her own bowel movements and, though trembling, she was able to take a few steps on the ground with the aid of a walking stick.

    This was already considered the best oue for a stroke.

    Bai Jianguo was so angry. They had already spent two hundred yuan for just five days in the hospital, and that didn¡¯t even include the family¡¯s food and drink. The expense pained him deeply.

    And yet, the olddy was still in such a state.

    From now on, the olddy would just be a burden once she went home.

    The olddy had been in good health before and counted as aborer in the house, never one to rest, always following them to the fields to work.

    Now, look, she had turned into an ancestor who could only be taken care of.

    Before, with Bai Xiao managing all the household chores inside and out, and the olddy tending to the fields as well, the couple had not felt that life was too hard. But look at these recent times.

    After Bai Xiao made a fuss, she went to live in their yard.

    Oneborer who had diligently worked for them was gone. Hao Fang had been busy all day long with the field work and the household chores, and she was already full ofints. Now, to make matters worse, the olddy was bedridden too, reducing theirbor in the fields and adding another person in need of care at home.

    Although the olddy could now walk a few steps on the ground, her trembling gait made one¡¯s heart skip with worry.

    Feeding her water and food required someone¡¯s assistance, otherwise she couldn¡¯t manage to eat on her own. And beyond the cost of her treatment, Bai Jianguo was frustrated, and Hao Fang even more so.

    The couple sat on a stone bench in the hospital¡¯s garden, their expressions as somber as if they had lost their parents.

    Hao Fang nudged Bai Jianguo with her elbow, ¡°What do we do about his dad now? Say something, will you?¡±

    Bai Jianguo had nowhere to vent his anger, ¡°What do you want me to say?¡±

    ¡°Look at the olddy now; staying in the hospital is just wasting money. We might as well take her home. Otherwise, if we keep this up, we don¡¯t have a mountain of gold or silver at home; all the money will be gone. What about Bai Shan and Bai Zhuang in the future?¡± Hao Fang was frantic, the sight of the bills burning a hole in her heart every day.

    That was their son¡¯s betrothal money.

    Bai Jianguo sighed, ¡°What can I do? Even if we talk about discharge now, the doctor has said to stay another week. If you have the nerve, go talk to the doctor yourself.¡± He was also anxious, watching money flowing out like water every day; it was odd not to be anxious.

    Hao Fang¡¯s eyes darted around, ¡°Dad, how about this: send a telegram to Bai Song, tell him his grandma is hospitalized and urgently needs money, ask him to find a way to send five hundred yuan back.¡± She had already thought about how to address the issue of where the money spent was going toe from.

    Bai Jianguo heard this, it was a n.

    ¡°OK, I¡¯ll send him a telegram right now. His grandma is in this state; how could he ignore it?¡± With the family¡¯s deficit potentially covered, Bai Jianguo felt a hint of pride.

    Bai Jianguo dusted off his pants and went to look for the telegraph office.

    Hao Fang also went upstairs.

    Upon entering the ward, she saw the olddy struggling and sobbing, saying something unintelligible while continuously hitting Bai Shan. Bai Shan wore an impatient expression. Hao Fang hurried over, grabbed the olddy¡¯s wrist, and forcefully pulled her hand from Bai Shan. She couldn¡¯t say anything in front of others since her strength was not small.

    But in private, she had often been rough with the olddy. If Li Chunhua dared to wet the bed, Hao Fang would pinch her severely, always in ces covered by clothing where no one could see. Anyway, the doctor had said that this was how the olddy would be for the rest of her life, and no one could understand what she was saying now.

    So if Li Chunhua ever thought she could still throw her weight around at home like before, that was definitely impossible now.

    Hao Fang had not forgotten how this mother-inw had treated her when she first married into the family, how she had been scolded and bullied. If it hadn¡¯t been for her cating the olddy all these years, andter ousting the eldest son, the olddy wouldn¡¯t be treating her so well now. This was all because there was only one son left in the house, and the olddy was counting on her and Bai Jianguo to look after her in her old age.

    Li Chunhua trembled with pain from the pinching, muttering and pointing with her fingers, hoping that the patients on the other beds could see her daughter-inw abusing her.

    Unfortunately, her condition was due to a stroke.

    The patients lying in the remaining beds also had simr conditions. The rtives of these patients could tell at a nce that the olddy had a bad temper after bing ill. Everyone saw how Hao Fang treated the olddy with smiles and kindness, but who knew what really went on behind closed doors and how Hao Fang dealt with Li Chunhua.

    ¡°Mom, stop making trouble. The doctor said you need to recover slowly with medication at home and now you¡¯re already doing well, at least you can walk. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ve been mother-inw and daughter-inw for so many years, I will definitely take good care of you. Jianguo has only one mother. Don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t neglect you.¡± Her words were so eloquent that the patients around and the attendants all nodded and praised Hao Fang.

    ¡°Old sister, your daughter-inw is really good! You are indeed fortunate.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, look how filial your son and daughter-inw are, and not to mention your two grandsons, ah! You are really blessed.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s rare to see such filial children and daughters-inw nowadays.¡±

    Li Chunhua felt bitter inside, but couldn¡¯t voice it. She had thought that she had been so good to her son Bai Jianguo all along, always putting his family first in everything at home. Even if it meant scrimping on Bai Xiao¡¯s money, she was saving it all for her son, in the hope that her son and daughter-inw would look after her in her old age.

    But now, ever since she had been bedridden,

    Hao Fang, who usually fawned over her mother-inw, changed her tune when she heard that she couldn¡¯t get better.

    At first, it was just cold looks, but as the number of attendants in the ward increased, Hao Fang, for the sake of appearances, stopped giving her dirty looks. However, she would only feed her half a bowl of watery soup, leaving her starving and clutching at her stomach. If she lost her temper and made a fuss, Hao Fang would pinch her.

    Li Chunhua wanted others to see how she was being abused by her daughter-inw. But with a hand that couldn¡¯t even bring a spoonful of rice to her mouth, let alone pull up her sleeve to show the bruises, she was helpless.

    Her son and grandsons also looked displeased whenever they saw her.

    Li Chunhua knew her retribution hade.

    She never imagined that she would end up this way.

    She had been wholeheartedly good to Bai Jianguo, never thinking she would end up with such an oue.

    She truly hated this.

 Chapter 96 - 96 96 Discharge

    ?Chapter 96: Chapter 96 Discharge   Chapter 96: Chapter 96 Discharge                                   Hao Fang saw the olddy finally sitting there quietly, no longer making a fuss. A smile yed at the corners of her mouth as she thought to herself, ¡°You must have thought you were still at home, living a life of luxury as the elderly matriarch. Now that you¡¯re paralyzed, like this, you¡¯re just waiting to die. Being fed is a great kindness from us.¡±

    Hao Fang would never remember the olddy¡¯s kindness, only how the olddy had tormented her in the past.

    Li Chunhua had stopped making a fuss and tears streamed down her face. At that moment, she regretted everything. If she had known that Bai Jianguo and Hao Fang were such ungrateful wretches, why had she focused all her attention on the second son and his family? If only she had been nicer to Bai Song, Bai Ju, and Bai Yue, at least by now, she could have grandchildren to take care of her in her old age.

    She had burned her bridges.

    Thinking that she had wholeheartedly nned for the second son¡¯s family, at least they would have treated her well.

    Only now did she realize that Bai Jianguo was the biggest ingrate of all.

    These past few days, how his wife mistreated his own mother. Definitely, Bai Jianguo had seen it. Once, Hao Fang had pinched the olddy, and the olddy, out of desperation, had tried to retaliate. Although she was clumsy, she could still il about. Hao Fang, frustrated by this, and taking advantage of the empty hospital room, as other patients had either gone out for some air in wheelchairs or were undergoing examinations, had pped the olddy. Bai Jianguo had just sat there clearly seeing everything and said nothing about his wife¡¯s actions, pretending he heard nothing.

    Only then did Li Chunhua understand the suffering Bai Xiao had endured. This was indeed indescribable agony.

    When Bai Jianguo walked in and saw the olddy crying, he looked around to see if anyone was paying attention and only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t cry. I just spoke with the doctor, and we can go home today. Once home, you can rest and surely we will take good care of you. Don¡¯t worry, I am your son and of course, I¡¯ll take care of you until the end. Even if there is only a bite left, I will surely save it for you.¡±

    He had just rushed back after sending a telegram and begged the doctor for a long time before they could be discharged. Bai Jianguo was in a good mood and spoke sweetly, relieved that there would be no more expenses.

    The olddy was anxious, knowing that at least in the hospital, the couple had to maintain appearances. But once back home, if they locked her in a small room and left her without food or drink, she could very well be dead in two days. It was then she understood the reason for Bai Xiao¡¯s struggles in the past.

    She only wanted to survive. Pushed to the brink, what wouldn¡¯t a person do?

    Li Chunhua iled her arms desperately and stammered that she did not want to go home.

    Bai Jianguo frowned, gripped the olddy¡¯s hand tightly, pretended to help her sit, and said to Li Chunhua, ¡°Mom, stop making a fuss. My mom is actually happy.¡± He said this smiling to the other patients in the room.

    Everyoneughed, ¡°We know, your mom is happy. Who wouldn¡¯t want to go home? Staying in the hospital all day would suffocate anyone.¡±

    ¡°Old sister, you¡¯ve finally made it through. Your son is so filial, go home and live well.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I will definitely take good care of my mom when we get back,¡± Bai Jianguo assured.

    Li Chunhua gradually stopped making a scene. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to fuss, but because she knew no one could understand her speech.

    Right now, she was like a deaf-mute; no one knew of her suffering.

    Hao Fang and Bai Jianguo began packing up their things, eager to leave the hospital. Every minute they stayed was another minute¡¯s expense, which Bai Jianguo, already heartbroken over the costs, despised. He wished he could grow wings and fly straight home.

    The couple had just finished packing when the hospital room door opened, and a nurse led in two police officers.

    The room fell immediately silent.

    Ordinary citizens always felt uneasy at the sight of police.

    The nurse pointed at Bai Jianguo and his wife and said, ¡°Those are Bai Jianguo and Hao Fang!¡±

    Bang!

    Bai Jianguo felt his blood rush to his head.

    His head buzzed as if he were dreaming, his heart panicked, and he didn¡¯t know where to put his hands and feet.

    ¡°Are you Bai Jianguo and Hao Fang? We¡¯re from the precinct police station. Is a girl named Bai Mei your daughter?¡± The two police officers¡¯ stern expressions nearly frightened Bai Jianguo and Hao Fang.

    But upon hearing her daughter¡¯s name, Hao Fang hurried forward anxiously.

    ¡°Officer, Bai Mei is our daughter. Has she gotten into some trouble?¡±

    Bai Jianguo pulled her back, ¡°What are you talking about? This is the county town, how could Bai Mei possibly be here? Officer, could there have been some mistake? We came to the county town to take my mother to see the doctor. My daughter Bai Mei is definitely in the vige.¡± Bai Jianguo¡¯s initial reaction was disbelief.

    That day, they had taken the elderlydy to the hospital, but clearly left Bai Mei at home to watch the house.

    The police officer nodded, ¡°Which vige are you from?¡±

    ¡°Liupan Vige!¡±

    ¡°Who lives in your house?¡±

    ¡°My wife and I, my mother, and our two sons and a daughter!¡±

    ¡°Then that¡¯s correct, we are looking for you,¡± the officer said as he seriously checked the information in his hand.

    Bai Jianguo then realized there had been no mistake.

    ¡°Officer, what exactly happened to my daughter?¡±

    ¡°Your daughter is suspected of stealing someone¡¯s property and has been caught red-handed. She is now detained at the police station. We¡¯vee to notify you, so hurry to the police station,¡± the officer stated solemnly as he put away his documents.

    The hospital room fell silent, and pairs of eyes stared at Bai Jianguo and Hao Fang. Their gazes were like knives, piercing fiercely into the couple.

    ¡°Impossible! Officer, my daughter is very timid, she definitely couldn¡¯t have done such a thing. Could there be a mistake on your part?¡± Hao Fang hastily argued, knowing that if the reputation of a thief stuck with Bai Mei, it would ruin her life.

    The police officer found it amusing, interpreting this as an implication they had made a mistake.

    ¡°Mistake or not,e with us to the police station now, and you can ask your daughter in person to find out.¡±

    Hao Fang wanted to say more but was abruptly pulled back by Bai Jianguo, thinking to himself not to forget where they were¡ªso many eyes watching and ears listening. Was this the ce to discuss such matters? This was like inviting people to mock and humiliate them.

    Smiling at the police officer, he said, ¡°Officer, the elderly are still in the hospital. I¡¯ll make arrangements and then follow you.¡±

    The police officer, seeing Bai Jianguo¡¯s understanding attitude, nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll wait for you downstairs. Be quick!¡± The officer then left.

    The hospital room initially fell silent. Soon, people started talking again, going about their business, but they distanced themselves from Bai Jianguo¡¯s family. Quite a few even hastily checked their own bags, probably fearing that like daughter, like father.

    Bai Jianguo¡¯s face burned with embarrassment.

 Chapter 97 - 97 97 Bai Meis Encounter

    ?Chapter 97: Chapter 97 Bai Mei¡¯s Encounter   Chapter 97: Chapter 97 Bai Mei¡¯s Encounter                                   Hao Fang clutched Bai Jianguo¡¯s arm. ¡°Dad, Meimei couldn¡¯t possibly do something like this.¡±

    Bai Jianguo nced from the corner of his eye and noticed someone eavesdropping on their conversation.

    ¡°Enough, now¡¯s not the time to talk about this. Go call Bai Shan and Bai Zhuang, have them arrange the discharge formalities for mom, and take mom back to the vige by car first. We need to rush to the police station.¡±

    Hao Fang, utterly distraught, went to look for her son and soon after, the settled couple followed the police straight to the station-front police station.

    There was a train station in their county town. Although it was notrge, it was very important to them since it saw a lot of travelers. As a result, the station-front police station was usually bustling with people because petty thieves were quitemon in their jurisdiction, making it as noisy as a marketce.

    Bai Jianguo and Hao Fang found Bai Mei behind a small iron fence, locked up with several other women. Her hair was unkempt, her clothes torn, her face swollen from bruises, and she was curled up in a corner, hugging her legs.

    Upon seeing Bai Jianguo and Hao Fang, she immediately sprang up like a rabbit to the door, frantically grabbing the iron bars, crying out, ¡°Dad, Mom, please save me, please save me, I can¡¯t stay here any longer. If I stay here any longer, I¡¯ll die.¡±

    The women behind the bars gave Bai Jianguo and Hao Fang a malicious look and snorted coldly from their noses, making Bai Mei shudder in fear.

    The police officer opened the door, letting Bai Mei out.

    Bai Mei immediately clung to Hao Fang, hiding behind her.

    The police officer took the three to the office.

    It turned out that after Bai Mei had stormed out of Bai Ju¡¯s house that day, since she needed to take a bus from the town to the county and there were no buses to the county that day, she couldn¡¯t possibly go back after the quarrel with Bai Xiao and Bai Ju. Fortunately, she still had 500 yuan that she had secretly taken from home, and decided to find a hostel to stay in.

    But when she pleaded with the middle-aged woman wearing a floral-patterned Dacron blouse at the hostel, the woman refused to let her stay, sternly telling her with a cold face that without a referral letter, she couldn¡¯t think about staying at the hostel.

    In 1985, without a referral letter, it was genuinely impossible to stay in a hostel as those were public institutions that strictly adhered to rules; no matter how Bai Mei pleaded, it was hopeless.

    The problem was that it was getting dark, and it wasn¡¯t safe for a youngdy like Bai Mei to wander outside at night.

    Bai Mei was scared, and she thought about running away, but she had never traveled far from home before and was totally unfamiliar with such situations.

    So, as the night grew darker, Bai Mei stood in the hostel, not knowing where to go.

    Finally, out of options, the staff suggested ast resort for her ¨C to check the train station, where many people catch night trains. There were chairs, and if not too many people, she could even lie down, which would be much better than standing around here.

    Bai Mei didn¡¯t want to stand outside the hostel all night, so she promptly made her way to the train station.

    Arriving at the station, she indeed found several rows of wooden chairs in the small waiting room, and there were many people of all ages waiting there, which reassured her somewhat.

    However, there were no seats avable as they were all taken.

    Bai Mei didn¡¯t find a spot until the early hours when a group finally boarded their train and vacated some seats. She sat down clutching her bundle.

    Feeling the money in her pocket, she could only hold tight to her bundle and lean back in the chair to doze off for a while.

    This was Bai Mei¡¯s first time out alone, and shecked any sense of caution, falling deeper and deeper into sleep until she eventually ced the bundle under her head andy down on the chair, unaware that the middle of the night was prime time for thieves.

    No sooner had she entered than someone had their eyes on her.

    When she heard the sound of the girl¡¯s snoring, a woman in her forties looked around for a while and then slowly sat down next to Bai Mei. On the long wooden bench where plenty of people could sit at once, Bai Mei upied one end, the middle was empty, and on the other end, a burly young man was sleeping. He looked like he was traveling too, hugging a handbag, appearing to be some sort of official.

    Looking around and seeing everyone else dozing, with no one paying attention to this corner, the middle-aged woman first pretended to identally bump into the young man. Like Bai Mei, he was sleeping soundly, as heavily as a log. The middle-aged woman immediately quietly pulled at the handbag resting under the young man¡¯s head, reaching inside for a while and, incredibly, pulled out a wallet. Very few people carried wallets these days.

    The middle-aged woman didn¡¯t even look, she just stuffed it into her pocket, turned around, and sidled up to Bai Mei. She felt around Bai Mei¡¯s bundle, squeezing every corner, feeling that it was unlikely there was money inside. Noticing Bai Mei sping her trouser pocket with her hand, the woman inwardly rejoiced, seeing that Bai Mei must be inexperienced in travel, clinging so desperately was clear proof that there was money in that pocket.

    Gently moving away Bai Mei¡¯s hand covering the pocket, she slowly and leisurely took out all the money from Bai Mei¡¯s pocket, feeling a thick handkerchief wrapped around the bills. The middle-aged woman was almost bursting with joy internally, intending to stuff the handkerchief into her pocket when her hand, too excited, shook and caused the young man¡¯s wallet to fall out.

    It made a pping sound as it hit the ground.

    The middle-aged woman, scared, looked up quickly at the young man and saw him stirring and actually getting up. At this moment, it was definitely toote to slip the wallet back into her pocket, and staying put would mean getting caught once the young man noticed his wallet was missing and started making a fuss.

    Thinking quickly, she grabbed the wallet and stuffed it under the lowest part of Bai Mei¡¯s bundle, and then started to shout.

    ¡°Oh my, where has my money gone? This is the life-saving money from my husband, which thief has stolen the money we needed for the hospital?¡±

    This shout woke everyone up instantly.

    Almost reflexively, everyone started checking their own money.

    The young man immediately noticed the zipper of his handbag was open and upon checking, his expression changedpletely.

    ¡°Oh no, my wallet is gone.¡±

    At this, everyone started to panic.

    Meanwhile, Bai Mei was still deep asleep.

    The middle-aged woman was amused.

    How indifferent must that girl be?

    The man grew anxious, ¡°Not only does my wallet have money, but it also contains my work ID and a letter of introduction. Without it, I wouldn¡¯t even be able to return home.¡± He anxiously surveyed his surroundings.

    Because of themotion, the police on patrol from the local station had already heard and rushed over.

    Just then, the man caught a glimpse of a ck corner sticking out from under Bai Mei¡¯s bundle. With swift hands, he rushed over, lifted up Bai Mei, and pulled his wallet out from under her bundle.

    ¡°Look at that, you little thief, stealing my wallet and pretending to sleep here.¡±

    This immediately drew cries of derision from everyone.

    Bai Mei,pletely unaware of what had transpired, found herself being grabbed and pped twice.

    She was then taken away by the police.

    The middle-aged woman had already sneaked away amidst the chaos.

 Chapter 98 - 98 98 Beaten to Death

    ?Chapter 98: Chapter 98 Beaten to Death   Chapter 98: Chapter 98 Beaten to Death                                   Bai Mei and the young man were taken back to the police station by the police.

    With the evidence conclusive, Bai Mei¡¯s cries of innocence fell on deaf ears.

    At that moment, everyone had clearly seen the young man retrieve his wallet from the bottom of Bai Mei¡¯s bundle.

    The police wanted to detain Bai Mei. Desperate, she pleaded, iming her grandmother was hospitalized at the People¡¯s Hospital, and insisted she was not a thief.

    In the end, seeing it was her first offense, with no prior messy record and possibly just a moment of madness, and considering the police station was overcrowded with people detained for simr petty theft, held for just over ten days,

    they decided to notify Bai Jianguo today. After all, such matters could be blown out of proportion or dealt with lightly. Seeing her as a young girl, they thought some reprimand and a fine would suffice, and she could go back as long as she promised not to reoffend.

    When Bai Jianguo and Hao Fang heard Bai Mei also lost five hundred yuan, they were filled with rage. It was obvious to them where the money came from¡ªstraight out of their own family¡¯s savings in the bedside cab. The damnable girl had stolen the family¡¯s money and had tried to flee, only to end up branded as a thief.

    Bai Mei imed she lost five hundred yuan, but not a single police officer believed her, thinking she was merely making excuses.

    A fine of one hundred yuan.

    Bai Jianguo had no choice but to pay, unable to leave Bai Mei locked up.

    Otherwise, who knows what kind of rumors would circte in the vige.

    Grinding his teeth, Bai Jianguo took out thest 100 yuan from his pocket, paid the fine to the police, signed the guarantee letter, and then the couple, along with Bai Mei, walked out.

    After leaving the police station, Bai Mei was filled with fear and trepidation about the huge trouble she had caused; not only had she lost all the house¡¯s money, but now her family had to pay a fine, and she had been detained overnight. Adding it all up, it was unlikely her own father would let her off easily.

    She began to drag her feet, not wanting to go any further. If she could find the chance to run away, that would be the best.

    Hao Fang grabbed Bai Mei¡¯s wrist and whispered harshly, ¡°Behave yourself, don¡¯t make trouble. Your dad¡¯s so furious right now he could kill. If you cause any more fuss and your dad, in front of others, loses face and beats you until you¡¯re crippled, don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you.¡± Hao Fang wanted to protect Bai Mei, but Bai Jianguo would hit even her when he was agitated.

    At this time, she couldn¡¯t afford to let her daughter run away. If Bai Mei escaped, back home Bai Jianguo would take it out on her and beat her to death.

    Bai Mei no longer had a chance to escape.

    Bai Jianguo stayed silent the entire trip, buying three bus tickets, and the three of them returned to the vige, dejected and disheveled.

    Bai Shan and Bai Zhuang had already brought the olddy back to the vige. She had to be helped home by the two of them, and both were almost dead from exhaustion by the time they got back. There was not even hot water in the house, and after settling the olddy onto the kang bed, the two had to go boil water themselves.

    But upon lifting the lid of the water tank,

    they found itpletely empty, and all the firewood by the stove gone as well.

    The hearth was cold and neglected.

    The two were full ofints, not understanding why Bai Mei, who was supposed to be looking after the house, would run off to the county town.

    Bai Jianguo just got back, and they immediately started berating Bai Mei.

    ¡°Meizi, what did you go to the county town for? Look at this house, what do you need that we¡¯ve got? All day at home, what are you doing? Not fetching water nor chopping wood.¡± These chores were usually done by Bai Xiao, but now both of them felt it should have been Bai Mei¡¯s responsibility.

    Upon hearing this, Bai Jianguo¡¯s anger red up even more.

    He snatched up the fire poker by the wall and, gripping Bai Mei, threw her into the room. Bai Jianguo always cared about face, but in front of Bai Mei, he would mercilessly beat her.

    ¡°You prodigal wretch, you¡¯ve already brought shame upon us with your shameless actions, and now you¡¯ve squandered all the money at home. Do you have no shame? Getting a grown girl like you locked up at the police station.¡±

    When had Bai Mei ever been beaten by Bai Jianguo like this?

    She was already wailing and crying pitifully when Bai Jianguo struck her with the poker, warning her, ¡°If you dare scream again, I¡¯ll break your legs.¡±

    Bai Mei was terrified; Bai Jianguo¡¯s appearance was clearly not one of jest.

    Hao Fang watched as Bai Jianguo had been beating her for a while and knew he had vented his anger.

    She hurriedly went to persuade Bai Jianguo, ¡°Child¡¯s father, stop hitting her. If you beat her into a bad state, we¡¯ll still have to pay for her medical treatment and medicine.¡±

    Bai Jianguo forcefully threw the fire poker aside.

    ¡°What should we do now? This wretched girl has now lost all our money. Go and see how much we have left,¡± he ordered.

    Hao Fang red at Bai Mei before hurrying back inside the house; earlier, as Bai Jianguo was blocking the doorway, she didn¡¯t dare approach, lest she get beaten too.

    Upon entering the room, she saw the lock on the cab bed had been smashed open.

    After turning the cab bed upside down, except for some loose change and a few food and cloth coupons, there was no money left.

    Bai Jianguo called from outside, ¡°How much money is left?¡±

    Hao Fang, furious, walked out and pped Bai Mei across the face.

    ¡°You wretched girl! How could you take all the money? Look at what¡¯s left in the house ¨C just these few coins. Are you trying to send us to our deaths? That money was saved up for your brothers¡¯ betrothal gifts for their marriages, and now, thanks to you, it¡¯s all gone. You¡¯re practically taking our lives.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Bai Shan and Bai Zhuang were simply livid. In their minds, Bai Mei and Bai Xiao were no different; from childhood, their parents and grandmother had always said that they were the pirs of the home and that all the family property was to be left to the two brothers.

    Now, Bai Mei had squandered the money meant for them to take wives. Originally, seeing Bai Jianguo beating Bai Mei so fiercely, they had thought of intervening, but now, upon hearing these words, they wished they could just beat Bai Mei to death themselves.

    Bai Mei, terrified, hid in a corner. Her whole body ached, and she watched as her own father really seemed ready to beat her to death today.

    She did not want to die.

    What should she do?

    True to form, Bai Jianguo picked up the fire poker from the ground, his eyes shining with a knifelike gleam. Bai Mei felt that she might not survive the day.

    In a frantic rush, she suddenly thought of Fang Xiaoshan. No matter what, Fang Xiaoshan now became her lifeline. Even if Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s family was involved in eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling, they were willing to give a betrothal gift. As long as her parents considered that two hundred yuan betrothal gift, perhaps she could escape today¡¯s peril.

    After a few days, once the family rxed their guard, she would find a way to escape.

    She never intended to marry Fang Xiaoshan.

    With her eyes quickly darting around, Bai Mei cried out urgently: ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll marry Fang Xiaoshan. That way, I won¡¯t take a penny of the betrothal money, nor will I need a dowry.¡±

 Chapter 99 - 99 99 Waiting to Die

    ?Chapter 99: Chapter 99 Waiting to Die   Chapter 99: Chapter 99 Waiting to Die                                   Bai Jianguo paused. Bai Mei¡¯s words echoed in his mind. By now, the family¡¯s savings had been frittered away by Bai Mei, leaving no ce toin. The police station simply did not believe that the money around the olddy had already ended up in their hands.

    Yet, treating the illness had already cost over two hundred yuan. With the fines paid, over a hundred yuan had been handed over, leaving just over two hundred in their possession. He had already sent a telegram to Bai Song today, asking him to send money home. Even if Bai Song couldn¡¯t send back four or five hundred yuan, there should definitely be at least one or two hundred yuan.

    If they followed through with Bai Mei¡¯s suggestion to marry her off, that would be another two hundred yuan for the dowry.

    If so, adding it all up, they could stille away with five or six hundred yuan in hand. This should just about cover Bai Zhuang¡¯s wedding costs, albeit the dowry might have to be a notch lower than before. Times were different now.

    There was still another son, Bai Shan, to consider. They couldn¡¯t use all the family¡¯s money for Bai Zhuang¡¯s wedding. What would be left for Bai Shan¡¯s wedding?

    With this in mind, Bai Jianguo¡¯s anger subsided.

    ¡°Bai Shan, lock Bai Mei in her room for me, and seal the windows too,¡± Bai Jianguo ordered, his cunning and sly nature emerging. ¡°Don¡¯t let her out until she¡¯s married off. That girl has grown too bold, thinking of stealing money from home today; tomorrow, she might sneak off in the middle of the night. Without dowry money, neither of you brothers will be able to marry. You see to it.¡±

    Today, Bai Mei had shown up in the county town with the family¡¯s money in hand. Bai Jianguo was no fool; he knew this daughter had turned into an ingrate. He figured she had probably nned to take the family¡¯s money and run off somewhere else.

    It seems she was intercepted just in time. Otherwise, if Bai Mei had been left to die, she probably wouldn¡¯t have shown her face.

    He was also aware that Bai Mei was unwilling to marry Fang Xiaoshan. If the man Li Chunhua found for Bai Xiao was any indication, she would be no prize. Bai Mei probably feared jumping into a fire pit, and he had not wanted his daughter to jump either. But now, if not Bai Mei, then who?

    After all, Bai Mei¡¯s reputation had been thoroughly ruined after what happened with Fang Xiaoshan. If she didn¡¯t marry him, she could forget marrying anyone else. At least, by marrying Fang Xiaoshan, they could retrieve two hundred yuan as dowry money.

    With these words, Bai Jianguo effectively blocked Bai Mei¡¯s way out.

    Upon hearing this, Bai Shan and Bai Zhuang, without a word, pushed Bai Mei into her room, locked the door, and began to seal the windows with wood.

    This time, escaping would not be easy for Bai Mei.

    Hao Fang came out cursing, carrying the olddy¡¯s trousers with a strong smell of urine that had everyone covering their noses and avoiding her.

    ¡°Look at this, look at this! The olddy¡¯s wet her pants again. How can anyone live in this room? When my son gets married, if there¡¯s this smell here, who among the visitors would deign to step inside?¡± Hao Fangined.

    Bai Jianguo hadn¡¯t yet decided what to do with the olddy, while Hao Fang tossed the trousers into a corner, impatient with attending to the urine-soaked clothing.

    ¡°Why not move the olddy into Bai Xiao¡¯s old room? Otherwise, no one will live in this one. Besides, now that she¡¯s like this, it¡¯s inappropriate for her to stay here. Clean up this house, and they can live separately once they¡¯re married,¡± Hao Fang suggested.

    Bai Jianguo¡¯s eyes lit up, but he could not voice his agreement. With two other sons around, such words might make him appear unfilial.

    ¡°The final decision at home is still yours,¡± Bai Jianguo said with an air of integrity. ¡°Make sure everything is taken care of for the olddy, her eating, drinking, and all. In these next few days, don¡¯t move her yet. First, get that room cleaned up and looking decent.¡±

    Hao Fang pouted, knowing full well Bai Jianguo would agree.

    ¡°Sure, the arrangements for the olddy will definitely be thorough.¡±

    One afternoon, many people from the vige came to see the olddy, but unfortunately no one could understand what the olddy was saying. Seeing her condition, most people thought that this time, she was truly bound to the bed. After giving half-hearted words offort, they all left one after another.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t every family have an elderly person who falls ill? Being bedridden, it¡¯s Bai Jianguo¡¯s turn to bear the burden.¡±

    Nobody would have thought that by evening, Hao Fang and Bai Jianguo had moved the olddy into the small, rundown shed next to the pigsty where Bai Xiao used to live. Without much cleaning up, they simplyid the bedding on the kang bed and shifted her there directly.

    Li Chunhuay on the kang bed, stunned.

    Covered with bedding that was probably originally for Bai Xiao, it was light but carried a lingering foul smell.

    As shey there, she couldn¡¯t understand why she was undergoing such great retribution.

    At this moment in her heart, she felt she was indeed facing retribution. How swiftly it came! She had once thrown Bai Xiao into this room, and now it was her turn to be discarded here.

    She truly felt as though heaven wouldn¡¯t respond to her calls, and earth wouldn¡¯t lend her any help.

    They hadn¡¯t given the olddy any food at noon, and for dinner, Hao Fang just brought over a half bowl of corn paste, set it on the edge of the kang, and left.

    Although the stench from the pigsty was nauseating, Li Chunhua knew that if she didn¡¯t eat, she would starve to death.

    Barely managing to crawl to the edge of the kang, her hands couldn¡¯t lift the bowl. Trying to drink from the edge, she couldn¡¯t control her body and tumbled right off the edge of the kang, scattering the corn paste on the ground and breaking the bowl into several pieces.

    Li Chunhuay there crying.

    She had nned for a lifetime, counting on her two sons. When she was young and married into the Bai Family, her husband was gentle and the household was ruled by her. She never faced opposition in this home, and even her inws gave her their respect. But now, things had turned for the worse. After the sons grew up and her husband passed away, she had ced her hopes on her older son. If only Bai Song, kind and gentle, were here, would she ever have ended up in such straits?

    It was because of the loss of her eldest son that she had no choice but to rely on her only remaining son. She had wholeheartedly schemed for her son¡¯s future, these past years skimping on food and money, always favoring her younger son¡¯s family. Wasn¡¯t her merciless exploitation of Bai Song and his wife all to ensure she had someone to care for her in her old age?

    The younger son always had sweet words, ttering her and wheedling away her valuables.

    Now she saw the truth: Bai Jianguo and his wife were nothing but wolves.

    It had only been a few days, no more than three to five, since they knew she was bedridden and of no use, and they had already shown their true colors.

    They had thrown her into this broken house, clearly just waiting for her to die.

    As long as no one discovered her, she could starve to death.

    Li Chunhua clenched her teeth in hatred, but now she couldn¡¯t even get up from the ground by herself, and even if she could call out, no one would hear her.

    Now, she truly regretted it all.

 Chapter 100 - 100 100 Celebration

    ?Chapter 100: Chapter 100 Celebration   Chapter 100: Chapter 100 Celebration                                   Bai Xiao woke up the next day and heard that the grandmother had already returned from the hospital. Reportedly, this time, it seemed she was truly done for, paralyzed in bed.

    She found it odd, as she didn¡¯t seem to have exerted that much force. Theoretically, the grandmother shouldn¡¯t be paralyzed and should be able to walk a few steps.

    With a twisted mouth and skewed eyes, if one seriously sought out acupuncture or Traditional Chinese Medicine, a few pokes and prods might still cure the condition.

    But when she initially dealt with Li Chunhua, she hadn¡¯t nned on actually leaving her bedridden. If Li Chunhua were truly paralyzed, then Bai Jianguo¡¯s life would be much easier. The whole family were heartless people; she would not allow Bai Jianguo to live a peaceful life. Without troubles, they might still cause problems for her and her siblings.

    Therefore, Li Chunhua was still of use to her.

    However, making Li Chunhua suffer for a few days was absolutely necessary. Isn¡¯t there a saying, ¡°No pain, no gain¡±?

    Madam, take good care of yourself. Sooner orter, you¡¯ll make youreback, an opportunity to throw your weight around.

    Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t help butugh indecorously.

    She never intended to let the olddy kick the bucket just like that, which would let Bai Jianguo and his wife off too easily. It was better for the olddy to be a god-like figure, ensuring Bai Jianguo couldn¡¯t enjoy his lifefortably. Otherwise, if Bai Jianguo had an easy life, it just wouldn¡¯t do justice to the hardship she suffered at their hands over the years.

    After all, suffering should be a shared experience.

    Bai Xiao began to pack up things to take to her eldest sister¡¯s house,rge and small bundles, almost looking like she was returning to her maternal home.

    While she was packing, she heard the sound of firecrackers outside. Huh?

    Whose family was celebrating a happy event?

    Still, she had no social obligations. After all, with the demise of the heads of the Bai family, the vigers wouldn¡¯t seek out this little girl for favors.

    Shaking her head, she ignored it. Enthusiasm for hot gossip was not Bai Xiao¡¯s style; she had things to do.

    An Zhiyuan would probablye by around noon. He seemed quite stubborn. She had already told him that she didn¡¯t need him to worry about her tuition and living expenses. In fact, there were no tuition fees, and the state provided a living allowance. For the rest, she would find a way, especially since she still had the seven hundred yuan from the Wang Family. After giving three hundred to her eldest sister, she would have four hundred left, which was enough to live without worries in school for quite a long time. Besides, once in the provincial city, she would naturally find ways to make money.

    Having lived a previous life, Bai Xiao understood it all. Women who lived willfully had their own earnings, their own confidence, their own say, and independence. There was no need to live by watching a man¡¯s face.

    She did not want to be as submissive as she was in her previous life, avoiding confrontations and never daring to face difficulties head-on. She was always looking for someone to rely on, but every time she relied on someone in her past life, it ended tragically for her. So she must not harbor any illusions. She and An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t even have a foundation in affection. Using his money felt sickening even to herself.

    If men didn¡¯t mind such arrangements, then all well and good. But should she encounter a petty one, or if someone whispered in his ear, he would likely see her as vain and opportunistic, looking for a security deposit.

    She was not that kind of person. She would live honorably and freely, relying on herself for things she could do. It was a golden age for individual entrepreneurs who thrived despite supply restrictions, heralding the emergence of the first generation of the wealthy.

    As long as she wasn¡¯t foolish or dull, she could definitely live a good life in the future. Besides, she didn¡¯t believe that with her medical skills, she would starve even if she relied on them for her livelihood. She was determined to follow the path of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which, after all, is vast and profound. Many true medical arts were indeed hidden among the people, with many masters to be found in the markets and streets.

    Her medical skills should allow her to livefortably without needing a grand reputation. In this life, her only wish was to seek revenge, live in peaceful times, and that was already the best thing in life.

    Therefore, she truly didn¡¯t intend to, nor could she ept, An Zhiyuan¡¯s money.

    But it wouldn¡¯t do not to clear things up. This man seemed to still harbor chauvinistic views, treating her, a genuine counterfeit product, as his real fianc¨¦e. It seemed necessary to remind him.

    Lost in these thoughts, she heard someone knocking on the front door. She had swept the floor early in the morning and had not opened the door, since she had no reasons to go out.

    Who could it be?

    She opened the front door.

    A crowd poured in. ¡°Xiao, congrattions, congrattions.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, the first college student from our vige!¡±

    ¡°Hurry, touch your sister Xiao, get some good luck, maybe you can also go to college and make your grandma proud for once.¡±

    Children swarmed around her, and Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t quite grasp the situation. They touched her hands, her clothes, and then scattered as quickly as they hade, leaving Bai Xiao looking at the ck marks all over herself. Vige children always yed in the dirt; they could never be clean, so she was at a loss for words other than tough and cry.

    Li Chunmei and Liu Baoguo came in, followed unexpectedly by Liu Hong. Liu Hong had already recovered. In fact, she had recoveredst night, but after having a miscarriage, Bai Xiao knew it took a toll on one¡¯s body. Even with her special ability, she couldn¡¯t fully restore lost blood. At most, she could help Liu Hong be a healthy person again, but she still needed to recuperate afterwards.

    ¡°Xiao, your uncle and I have decided to hang a banner. You are, after all, the first college student from our vige, and we cannot let it go unnoticed. That wouldn¡¯t be fair to the folks from Liupan Vige. Oh, and your uncle and I discussed not throwing a banquet. That money would be better spent on preparing your belongings for school!¡± Li Chunmei truly treated Bai Xiao like her own daughter, wholeheartedly helping her.

    Bai Xiao felt embarrassed; she truly didn¡¯t need this false honor, but couldn¡¯t help it if the vigers cherished it. At this time, being a college student from the vige was indeed an enviable achievement.

    ¡°Auntie, there¡¯s really no need. My sister has already prepared money for me. I¡¯ll just buy some cotton and fabric to make a quilt and mattress; that¡¯s enough! I don¡¯t need to bring too much else.¡± It was necessary to show gratitude for their kindness.

    In truth, Liu Baoguo¡¯s family had treated her really well, and that was why Bai Xiao wanted to protect them. To say she had no ulterior motives would be a lie¡ªeveryone needs connections.

    Li Chunmeiughed and said, ¡°You silly child, why are you so formal with your auntie? I genuinely like you, and you¡¯ve been a great benefactor to our family. From now on, you and Liu Hong are sisters. Whatever Liu Hong has, you¡¯ll have too! I¡¯m not good with fancy words, but your uncle and I treat you like our own daughter. Don¡¯t worry, if you ever face any trouble, with your uncle and me around, we absolutely won¡¯t let you suffer.¡± This was an explicit promise of their intent to repay her kindness.

 Chapter 101 - 101 101 Beating Gongs and Drums

    ?Chapter 101: Chapter 101: Beating Gongs and Drums   Chapter 101: Chapter 101: Beating Gongs and Drums                                   The vigers all came to visit; this was indeed a joyous asion. Before, it was just talk, but now the vige chief¡¯s colored paper clearly stated that Bai Xiao had been admitted to university. It was posted on a red cloth for all to see, signifying the pride of their entire vige.

    It wasn¡¯t certain that one could find a college student in every ten or eight viges.

    In Liupan Vige, having a college student was enough to give them something to talk about, even during discussions about their children¡¯s marriages¡ªit was an advantage. Although it wasn¡¯t their own child who had gone to university, it proved that Liupan Vige had good feng shui, nurturing its people.

    Li Chunmei and Liu Baoguo were hosting the guests like elders, simply sitting in the courtyard, handing out cigarettes, and chatting. Everyone knew the vige chief didn¡¯t organize a banquet to save money for Bai Xiao¡¯s school travel expenses. Most visitors gave a small red envelope, not much, a dime or two just to show goodwill. Of course, there were also some forward-thinking ones who enclosed a dor, which was already a significant amount in the countryside.

    Liu Baoguo had the vige ountant, Joe Lao San, keep track of the contributions. This was a matter of sentiment; they had no ns to ask Bai Xiao to repay it, but they couldn¡¯t just forget it¡ªthey intended to repay it in the future.

    Bai Xiao was packing his belongings inside the house when Liu Hong came in slowly. Seeing Liu Hong, Bai Xiao didn¡¯t speak; he wasn¡¯t the type of warm person who could instantly connect and be friendly without any sense of strangeness. If others didn¡¯t speak, Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t good at livening up the atmosphere either.

    Thus, an awkward scene unfolded in the room: Bai Xiao silently packed his things while Liu Hong just stood by the doorway, leaning on the frame and watching the busy Bai Xiao.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, do you think I deserve what happened to me, that it¡¯s my own fault?¡± Liu Hong¡¯s sudden question made Bai Xiao turn around.

    ¡°Why should I think that? Do we have a grudge?¡± Bai Xiao didn¡¯t know what she was thinking. Could she possibly suspect him, her life-saver?

    That would be biting the hand that feeds.

    ¡°I always used to mock and iste you, along with others. Don¡¯t you hate me for that?¡±

    Bai Xiao smirked, ¡°You think that¡¯s worth my hatred? If so, should I hate my grandmother and uncle even more? Don¡¯t overthink things. Making a mistake or misjudging people isn¡¯t a big deal; everyone errs at some point. But if you think the whole world looks down on you because of this, you¡¯re overthinking it. Life is short, everyone is busy; who has the time for your trivial matters? What really matters is how you live your life. Are you going to let that scum ruin your life? That¡¯s what would really beughable and a disappointment to your parents. Remember, you¡¯re not alone¡ªyou have parents who love and care for you and two brothers serving in the military. Compared to me, aren¡¯t you fortunate enough?¡± This kid just needed a lesson, always creating problems for no reason.

    She wasn¡¯t going to indulge Liu Hong just because her father was the vige chief; she had no obligation to do so. She had saved her life once because in her previous life she had encountered a scumbag and didn¡¯t want Liu Hong to think that a single mistake should cost a life¡ªnot worth it. Secondly, of course, it was because of Liu Baoguo¡¯s status. It wasn¡¯t out of pure kindness; she wasn¡¯t that benevolent.

    She didn¡¯t have the time to pity or save others; she had her own struggles to manage.

    Liu Hong fell silent, standing aside and pondering.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s attitude actually awakened her. Right, she was too presumptuous, expecting others to care about her. In fact,pared to Bai Xiao, her life was much more blessed. She had the protection of her loving parents and the affection of her brothers. It was her own doing, how was it rted to others? Bai Xiao didn¡¯t need to ridicule her, because she wasn¡¯t worth the attention or revenge. What she considered a slight grievance was just trivial bickering in the eyes of others. Was it worth taking to heart?

    ¡°Bai Xiao, thank you!¡± This time, Liu Hong was sincere, especially after this incident! Liu Hong truly grew up and matured. People only mature through experiences, don¡¯t they?

    Bai Xiao smiled, ¡°Live well and don¡¯t worry your parents. You are their only daughter. If something were to happen to you, it would im their lives. Just look at your mother¡¯s temples; in just a few days, they¡¯ve turned white. The greatest sorrow in the world is for parents to outlive their children. When children want to provide care, their parents are no longer there. Don¡¯t wait until it¡¯s toote to have regrets. Look at me; even if I wanted to honor my parents, they are no longer here.¡± It was the truth. If possible, Bai Xiao would rather return to the time when her parents were alive. At least, she would ensure they had a good life and enjoyed it without leaving so soon.

    Unfortunately, life is unpredictable! Nothing happens as one wishes.

    The time of her return was alreadyte; the past lives¡¯ kindest two people to her could nevere back.

    Such a regret is iprehensible to anyone.

    Although she wasn¡¯t their biological child, her parents truly loved her as their own. They even ensured, before their passing, that her siblings looked after her. Her greatest fortune was having such a family; not by blood, yet better than many blood rtionships.

    ¡°I understand! I won¡¯t let them be sad anymore. Call me when you make the quilt; at least I can help out a bit, sort of repaying the favor,¡± she joked, immediately brightening the atmosphere.

    Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t refuse, as having an extra friend wasn¡¯t a bad thing, ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll call you.¡±

    The two girls looked at each other and smiled, instantly feeling closer.

    Gradually, everyone left because it wasn¡¯t mealtime, and to linger would be imposing for a meal, an embarrassing dishonor no one would tolerate.

    Bai Xiao and Liu Hong quickly prepared lunch at home, not letting Li Chunmei and Liu Baoguoe for nothing. Liu Hong was even willing to help; over the course of the morning, the two found muchmon ground. Perhaps friendship is that simple. Despite Bai Xiao¡¯s quiet disposition, Liu Hong¡¯s enthusiasmplemented it, making their unlikely friendship quite meaningful.

    Li Chunmei and Liu Baoguo didn¡¯t hesitate to appreciate their daughter¡¯s cooking, especially since she seemed less gloomy than before and more cheerful. Apart from still being worried about Liu Hong¡¯s health, they were happy to see her and Bai Xiao getting along. After all, Bai Xiao was a steady and methodical person, who could potentially influence Liu Hong.

    Right after the meal, An Zhiyuan arrived, and this time, he came alone, apparently just for Bai Xiao. After greeting Liu Baoguo and Li Chunmei, he took advantage of the moment Bai Xiao was washing dishes inside to hand her an envelope.

 Chapter 102 - 102 102 Rejection

    ?Chapter 102: Chapter 102 Rejection   Chapter 102: Chapter 102 Rejection                                   Bai Xiao wiped her hands on her apron and opened the envelope to find 500 yuan inside, which surprised her; it seemed An Zhiyuan had quite a bit of savings. Then she stuffed it back and handed it back to An Zhiyuan.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want this money! Take it back. Have you forgotten the thank-you gift Wang Han¡¯s family gave us? It was a big envelope. I¡¯m not short on money, and besides, when I get to the city, I can find some odd jobs to do. I won¡¯t be idly sitting around consuming everything I have, so I don¡¯t need this.¡± She declined with a gentle, not too intense attitude. In fact, she was grateful to An Zhiyuan. After all, An Zhiyuan, as she knew him, was warm-hearted and stubborn, upright without losing subtlety. Such a person treated his fianc¨¦e very much as his own responsibility, not just as a burden. She couldn¡¯t just oppose everyone and everything just because of her own thoughts.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯srge hand pushed the envelope back, ¡°Keep it. Studying isn¡¯t easy, especially in university. Forget about odd jobs; working while studying! If you do that for a long time, it¡¯ll take a toll on your health. Besides, you can¡¯t earn much that way. I¡¯m your man; if I can¡¯t even support my own wife, then I don¡¯t deserve to be called a man, nor to be your husband.

    ¡°Don¡¯t they all say that marrying a good husband means being provided with food and clothing? Since you¡¯re my fianc¨¦e, it¡¯s my duty to do more for you and ensure you live a worry-free life. In this respect, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m wrong. If you¡¯re bothered by what my second sister said that day, then let me tell you, I am a man. A man should ensure that his wife doesn¡¯t have to worry about making ends meet or fret over money. If you were on your own, I wouldn¡¯t say anything more¡ªwe respect your freedom! But now you have me, so I can¡¯t just stand by and watch you suffer. I receive a generous allowance every month, and if nothing unexpected happens, I should get a promotion next year which will increase it even more. In the future, I will hand my allowance to you for safekeeping. Don¡¯t hesitate to get what you need, and remember, you have someone behind you to support you. You¡¯re not alone.¡±

    Anyone would be moved by those words. An Zhiyuan really was a man who knew how to touch someone¡¯s heart.

    Bai Xiao would be lying if she said she wasn¡¯t moved. In her previous life, the people who cared about her had passed away early, and everyone who came after had a utilitarian purpose; no one dared to offend her, nor could they afford to. But when it came to sincerity, she doubted she would see it. Everything that followed served only to prove that aside from being used by others, no one had truly cherished her.

    But in this life, what she gained the most was that her rtives were still by her side, and she had gained a man who wore his heart on his sleeve for her. That was truly precious. Perhaps An Zhiyuan was a man of integrity, with a distinct aura and attire that earned people¡¯s trust and gave a sense of security.

    In that moment, she believed that An Zhiyuan really wanted to take care of her¡ªit was not just lip service, but a serious sense of responsibility andmitment. She also believed that this man was likely to do whatever he said he would.

    Bai Xiao shoved the envelope forcibly into An Zhiyuan¡¯s pocket and even patted it, then continued washing the dishes. ¡°Instructor An, I know you¡¯re someone with an overwhelming sense of responsibility, and you probably don¡¯t make promises lightly. Once you say something, you¡¯remitted to doing it, but this isn¡¯t about responsibility. I¡¯m not yet your wife, just a fianc¨¦e. As long as we¡¯re not married, anything is possible. Didn¡¯t we agree that if one day you find a suitable girl, someone you truly like, we will go our separate ways? So, to be precise, we can only be considered business partners now, not lovers or an engaged couple.

    ¡°With that said, your money shouldn¡¯t be given to me. To you, this is a risky investment, very likely a lost cause, so this kind of capital input is something I can¡¯t bear to see. I don¡¯t see myself in any rtionship with you, so all the more I can¡¯t spend your money. It¡¯s not about pride or dignity; we simply haven¡¯t reached that stage. I wouldn¡¯t casually spend a man¡¯s money.¡±

    ¡°Of course, if one day we suddenly see eye to eye and truly want to get married, that¡¯s another story. At that time, I will certainly im my rights. But for now, I won¡¯t take it, and it¡¯s not possible for me to take it. Don¡¯t waste your breath. You have your convictions, and I have my bottom line. No one can persuade the other, so it¡¯s better to be clear and straightforward, don¡¯t you think?¡± Bai Xiao genuinely did not regard her rtionship with An Zhiyuan as that of an engaged couple.

    An Zhiyuan stood quietly there, his gaze fixed ahead, not knowing what he was thinking. Bai Xiao waved her hand in front of him¡ªshe didn¡¯t stun him with her words, did she?

    An Zhiyuan silently picked up the cloth next to Bai Xiao and began to dry the dishes with a diligence that made one wonder if he had heard her words at all.

    Bai Xiao shook her head; when this man didn¡¯t speak, she really couldn¡¯t guess his thoughts.

    After the two of them finished tidying up the kitchen, Li Chunmei, Liu Baoguo, and Liu Hong had already said their goodbyes and left. They didn¡¯t want to be in the way, especially since An Zhiyuan was Bai Xiao¡¯s fianc¨¦ in name. It would be awkward for their family of three to stay, so they found an excuse to leave early. As they were leaving, Liu Hong even winked at Bai Xiao, making her want to punch her.

    This little girl had be cheekier since she started iming to be her friend.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to your sister¡¯s house tomorrow. Let me take you there,¡± said An Zhiyuan.

    Bai Xiao shook her head, ¡°No need! I know how strict your academy is; you must have used up your leave by now. The day aftering back from town, and now asking for leave again¡ªthat¡¯s not good. Besides, it wouldn¡¯t look good to your students. I¡¯m just going to my sister¡¯s house, not to an alien; there¡¯s no need for you to worry so much. There aren¡¯t any monsters waiting to devour me.¡± Seeing An Zhiyuan wanting to do something for her, Bai Xiao still refused; she couldn¡¯t allow him to get the wrong idea, it was for the best for both of them.

    An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t insist further. He helped Bai Xiao with the water and swept the yard before leaving. He nodded slightly, pursed his thin lips, said nothing else, and turned to go. His upright figure, as on his arrival, disappeared around the corner.

    Bai Xiao wondered¡ªwhat was that look in his eyes? It was as if he was using her of being an extremely irresponsible betrayer. But she couldn¡¯t recall doing anything to deserve it.

    She was just telling some hard truths.

    She didn¡¯t want to think about it anymore; she had things to do. She was eager to see her elder sister tomorrow.

    Nothing could outweigh her urgent desire to see her family. In her previous life, her elder sister had fallen off a cliff while searching for her. This time, she wanted to see her sister living well; she hoped her family would all have a happy life.

    After Bai Xiao packed her things, as night fell, Liu Hong specifically made a trip to bring her two steamed buns and a bowl of vegetables. In Liu Hong¡¯s words, since Bai Xiao was going out tomorrow, it would be wasteful to cook. Bai Xiao didn¡¯t reject this kindness. She ate, washed up, and then went to bed.

 Chapter 103 - 103 103 Instructor An Takes It Seriously

    ?Chapter 103: Chapter 103 Instructor An Takes It Seriously   Chapter 103: Chapter 103 Instructor An Takes It Seriously                                   The next day, Bai Xiao got up early, hurriedly got ready, and set out for her eldest sister¡¯s home, which was more than a hundred miles away from their Liupan Vige. If she didn¡¯t leave early, there would be no more vehicles avable.

    As soon as she walked out the door with her bundle and various bags, and reached the edge of the vige, she saw a military green jeep. As soon as An Zhiyuan saw her, he got out from the driver¡¯s side, opened the back door, ced all her bags inside, then sat in the driver¡¯s seat, pointing to the seat beside him, ¡°Get in!¡±

    Bai Xiao was speechless. This man was really assertive. Despite what she had said yesterday, he still insisted oning.

    Get in, then.

    Could she really stand at the entrance of the vige and quarrel with Instructor An over such a trivial matter?

    Wouldn¡¯t that becking in grace, especially when someone had courteously opened the car door for her?

    Bai Xiao,ining to herself, pulled open the car door, then lifted her leg and sat down, mming the door shut in a defiant manner.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    When there was silence for a long time and An Zhiyuan made no move, she looked up and saw his dark eyes fixed on her with a profound gaze. Hmm, way too intense, and moreover, it seemed quite suggestive.

    Leaning in, An Zhiyuan moved closer to her, inch by inch, causing Bai Xiao to panic.

    This was right at the vige entrance, and the two of them were not yet that¡­ that¡­ The thought of already having been in his arms more than once suddenly made her realize that her rationale might be entirely baseless. When she needed his warmth, any embrace was permissible, but as soon as she recovered, she started to fuss over the little things. Wasn¡¯t that really heartless?

    But she couldn¡¯t let An Zhiyuan do as he pleased without restraint.

    As the distance between them closed, Bai Xiao could almost hear her own heart pounding wildly in her chest, like a little rabbit she couldn¡¯t keep still. She feared she might die of a heart burst any moment. Above all, she was internally debating what to do.

    If An Zhiyuan really made a move on her or even tried to kiss her, what should she do?

    Should she m him with a righteous smack across the face, or should she cry out, calling him a rotten scoundrel, or remain still and let herself be taken advantage of?

    She was torn with indecision in her mind.

    If An Zhiyuan dared to actually kiss her, Bai Xiao was prepared to make sure it wouldn¡¯t be easy for him. A p was definitely in order, which would be a barefaced bullying. An Zhiyuan, being who he was, surely knew this was not eptable. Just yesterday, she had spoken so bluntly and righteously, making it clear that they harbored no feelings for each other. An Zhiyuan was someone who could call it off at any time, and if he proceeded now, it was just taking advantage¡ªhe couldn¡¯t me Bai Xiao for being impolite.

    An Zhiyuan reached with his big hand to the right side of Bai Xiao¡¯s ear, causing her face to burn a little. Bringing a strap over, he secured her seat belt for her, ¡°Buckle up!¡±

    As he spoke, the scent of his masculinity enveloped Bai Xiao¡¯s face, making her blush.

    This time, it was out of embarrassment.

    She really had thought too much. An Zhiyuan was an upright person, how could she ever doubt his integrity? Look at the ridiculous situation now. She hadpletely forgotten about the seat belt in the car.

    An Zhiyuan must have helped because he was worried she didn¡¯t know how to fasten it and didn¡¯t want her to feel inferior. And here she was, imagining him as a sleazy, desperate scoundrel.

    ¡°Thank you!¡± The two words whispered softer than a mosquito¡¯s buzz.

    ¡°What did you say?¡±

    An Zhiyuan asked, even turning his head to look at her intently, his gaze particrly piercing, with a rity that seemed to see right through her.

    ¡°Thank you!¡± Bai Xiao said, bracing herself, even though she knew An Zhiyuan had definitely understood what she had been thinking just now. The feeling of being seen through was terrible, and so awkward.

    Oh, God, this misunderstanding was just too much.

    An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t speak and started the car. ¡°How do I get to your sister¡¯s house? I don¡¯t know the way!¡±

    Bai Xiao immediately began to give directions, ¡°It¡¯s the Liu Family stronghold. You leave the vige and hit the main road, head south for a hundred miles, and you¡¯ll be there. Just drop me off at that ce; the rest of the way can¡¯t be reached by car, it¡¯s all mountain roads.¡± In truth, she had also asked around to learn that the Liu Family stronghold was up in the mountains. After getting out of the car, one still had to walk for two miles and climb to the top of the mountain. However, she didn¡¯t need to say this part; An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t need to know either. It was already kind of him to take her that far.

    Following her instructions, An Zhiyuan continued driving in the direction she indicated, soon joining the main road and finding the going much smoother.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, I thought about what you said yesterday, and you were too heartless. Think about it, even though it is a new society and people do value free love, issues of conduct still matter. When I saved you, I indeed kissed you and held you, multiple times at that. If I acted irresponsibly and separated from you for another woman in the future, have you thought about what people would say about you, what they would say about me? Such mistreatment of a woman could get me dealt with severely, perhaps even prevent me from keeping a job. Surely this isn¡¯t how you treat your savior, is it?¡±

    Bai Xiao turned her head away. An Zhiyuan wasn¡¯t looking at her, but she stared at the short, neat hair underneath his military cap, ck like a brush, and noticed a ck mole behind his ear.

    ¡°As long as you don¡¯t appear around me, nobody would know. I¡¯ll be going to the provincial city for school in the future. If you work here, in reality, our paths seldom cross. With time, people will forget about our rtionship, and no one will gossip about what you do.¡±

    ¡°Furthermore, if you really can¡¯t save face and feel disgraced in front of yourrades, just say I¡¯m fickle and ungrateful. That way, it definitely won¡¯t affect your reputation or your job.¡± Bai Xiao knew that as society advanced, such matters would hardly be shocking. Issues between men and women wouldn¡¯t be taken so seriously, considering mistresses could brazenlye forward. Thus, dating wasn¡¯t excessive at all.

    Besides, she didn¡¯t even know if she would stay in that ce after college; she might be assigned a job in some remote corner. At that time, colleges were allocating jobs.

    So she didn¡¯t feel she was wrong.

    Perhaps it was her intense scrutiny that An Zhiyuan nced her way from the corner of his eye. When her gaze met his deep, persistent ck eyes, she froze, her mind momentarily nk. His look was too stubborn, marked by an aloof superiority.

    What kind of look was that?

    Alright! His gaze was so sharp, she couldn¡¯t deny she felt somewhat cowed and lowered her head.

    ¡°I won¡¯t nder a woman to protect my so-called reputation, nor do I need to hurt a woman to maintain my pride. Bai Xiao, don¡¯t harbor such unnecessary thoughts. Since I have be your fianc¨¦, I will act as your fianc¨¦. As long as you haven¡¯t parted from me, I will treat you as my fianc¨¦e, with the responsibilities andmitments that entails. Unless you say you won¡¯t marry me, my purpose is marriage. And it won¡¯t easily change.¡±

    Bai Xiao waspletely speechless this time.

    It¡¯s over!

    The instructor An is really taking this seriously.

 Chapter 104 - 104 104 Speculation

    ?Chapter 104: Chapter 104 Spection   Chapter 104: Chapter 104 Spection                                   Bai Xiao finally understood; An Zhiyuan was telling her that he would have no other bride but her!

    This time she had truly shot herself in the foot.

    She had not expected to return and do nothing at all, only to end up with a fianc¨¦ right away.

    Although marrying someone like him was nearly every girl¡¯s dream in this era, and was even encouraged by society, she truly had not considered bing a wife.

    The main reason was that Fang Xiaoshan in her past life had inflicted upon her a deep-seated fear and nightmare of marital life. Just thinking about those days, that kind of husband, Bai Xiao felt very disappointed. In the depths of her heart, she felt it might be better to live alone, simpler and safer.

    But the battalionmander An was not one to give up easily.

    Bai Xiao sighed and turned her head away, looking at the swiftly passing scenery outside the car window, feeling like a schr arguing a point against a soldier, unable to make her reasoning clear.

    An Zhiyuan really wasn¡¯t bad, at least not up until now. In her eyes, An Zhiyuan was gentle and considerate, and although he was dominant, he often appeared protective of her. Especially since her body seemed to have no aversion to An Zhiyuan¡ªat all¡ªsomething to note, because ever since her past life, Bai Xiao had felt repelled by any man! Any intimate gesture would trigger fear in her heart, but not in this life.

    An Zhiyuan had embraced her and kissed her, and there wasn¡¯t the slightest rejection from her body.

    Either rebirth had caused her body to forget the abuse and fear from her past life, or An Zhiyuan was different. Why he was different, she couldn¡¯t articte, but she remembered that since his intervention, ever since the incidents involving Wang Han and Liu Hong, she had noticed some changes.

    Normally, her special ability, once used to heal others, would cause her side effects of chilling coldness that required time for her to ovee and ease.

    But with Wang Han, Bai Xiao felt something was amiss. That time should have been severe, as Wang Han was on the brink of deathpared to others. To put it bluntly, Wang Han was really dying, and without her intervention, he probably wouldn¡¯t havested another two minutes before breathing hisst.

    The closer death loomed, the more special ability she had to use, and the more heat would be drained from her body, of course, leading to very serious aftereffects. It could be so serious that she might have to curl up under the nkets for days, nights, or even half a month, like a frozen ghost.

    But she remembered that time, An Zhiyuan held her, and warmth seemed to radiate from his body, so gentle and warm that she couldn¡¯t help but get closer, wanting to draw in the warmth. Later on, when An Zhiyuan massaged her cramping calves, the warmth from hisrge hands immediately made her feel an indescribable rxation andfort, dissipating all the cold.

    She had recovered in just a few hours then. Actually, she had thought about itter; it didn¡¯t make sense. It wasn¡¯t her first time using her special ability. In her previous life, it wasn¡¯t untilter that she discovered and developed the Energy Potion, specifically targeting her own coldness, providing another kind of energy that allowed her full relief, but at the same time, she also knew the severe side effects of this Energy Medicine.

    Just like a drug addict¡¯s reliance on substances, it eventually became a case where she wanted to drink Energy Potions even without using her special ability. That was also why sheter fell under Han Weiye¡¯s control, herself used as a means to threaten others in order to expand the territory of Han Weiye¡¯s business empire.

    Of course, her final fate, due to the excessive use of Energy Potions, led to her bing neither human nor ghost, though her special ability could ensure that she kept on living. But the meaning of such an existence had vanished, turning her into a puppet. Aside from finding drunken oblivion in Energy Potions, desiring either ethereal transcendence or the release of death, Bai Xiao knew that at that time she was no different from a dead person.

    She was nothing more than a walking corpse, alive in name only.

    So this time, she never thought about making Energy Potions. In her previous life, she had chosen death to end her life and make everything stop. In this life, she never wanted to fall into that kind of existence again, one where she was controlled by others, without freedom, without dignity.

    She would rather freeze to death, struggling with all her might against the cold that was a side effect of her past, than entertain any thought of making Energy Potions. In this life, she remained pure and clean, without bad habits or any physical dependency on drugs, and without any tragic experiences.

    Now, she didn¡¯t need to consider anything, and because she acquired her special ability early this time, she understood better how to hide it. Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture cast a mysterious veil over all her special abilities, one that would definitely not draw others¡¯ covetousness. After all, if one were to consult a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine, they would find out that mastery of Acupuncture wasn¡¯t something aplished in a day or two nor something you could grasp the basics of by simply observing and practicing. It required long-term training and learning.

    And for all this, she had alreadye up with excuses for herself, so she was not at all worried about anyone wanting to get anything from her.

    But it was different with An Zhiyuan. With Wang Han¡¯s incident, Bai Xiao had only a faint suspicion that the temperature of An Zhiyuan¡¯s body seemed like a natural heater made just for her, a very peculiar feeling.

    However, on the second asion with Liu Hong, she distinctly felt the difference. Even though Liu Hong¡¯s condition wasn¡¯t as serious as Wang Han¡¯s, it was the same kind of coldness that came after saving someone using her special ability. When An Zhiyuan held her, she clearly felt a warm flow from his body gently permeating her entire being. It seemed that in just a few minutes, she fully recovered, with no shaking, no coldness, no spasms, because this time was different from before. After using her special ability, An Zhiyuan held her immediately and took her to the car, where they hardly separated for a moment.

    Her recovery seemed much faster than before. This made her suspect that there was some secret about An Zhiyuan. Could it be that An Zhiyuan was the natural nemesis to the after-effects of her special ability,parable to the healing power of Energy Medicine? If that was the case, then marrying An Zhiyuan might not be such a bad idea, practically a human-shaped Energy Medicine.

    But she didn¡¯t know for sure yet. If she were wrong because of her assumptions and even risked her marriage over it, wouldn¡¯t that be insane?

    She wanted to find an opportunity to try again¡ªshe wouldn¡¯t rest until she had a concrete answer.

    Alright, let¡¯s not think about these for now. It¡¯s better to return to the reality of her own life.

    Big sister, I¡¯m here.

 Chapter 105 - 105 105 Difficult Mountain Roads

    ?Chapter 105: Chapter 105 Difficult Mountain Roads   Chapter 105: Chapter 105 Difficult Mountain Roads                                   The car stopped by the side of the highway; there was a fork in the road ahead, marked by a sign pointing in the direction of the Liu Family Vige, followed by arge arrow. At the end of the fork, one could see the distant mountain range, majestic and continuous.

    An Zhiyuan frowned, ¡°Are you sure the Liu Family Vige is in that direction?¡±

    He noticed it was a mountain road.

    Bai Xiao nodded, opened the car door, and began pulling her bags and parcels from the back.

    ¡°I¡¯m certain, Instructor An, thank you for driving me here. You should go back now,¡± she said.

    To her surprise, An Zhiyuan got out of the car, locked the doors, and walked over to her. Without a word, he took the luggage from her hands. Dressed sharply, his imposing figure contrasted starkly with the lumpy bundles he now carried, creating a spectacle one could hardly bear to watch.

    ¡°What are you doing? I can make it on my own. I know you must have taken time off today just to drive me here; I can¡¯t dy you any longer.¡± Bai Xiao hurriedly declined, thinking, what would it look like, a man showing up at her sister¡¯s door? It was sure to give Bai Yue quite the shock.

    Suddenly gaining a fianc¨¦ out of nowhere and none of her siblings being aware of it would indeed be strange.

    She was there to visit her sister, not to frighten anyone. At the very least, people deserved a little mental preparation for such news.

    An Zhiyuan nced at Bai Xiao, ¡°This morning, the drill instructor took over my training duties so I could take a leave. Since I¡¯ve already taken the morning off, I might as well take you all the way before I leave; otherwise, it would be a waste of a leave. Let¡¯s go. This mountain road doesn¡¯t seem easy to trek, and you, a girl, lugging all these bags by yourself¡ªhow could that be reassuring? I¡¯ll escort you up.¡± It was an offer that brooked no refusal.

    Then he picked up the heavy luggage and started walking up the mountain with long strides, leaving Bai Xiao inwardly cursing. Was he mocking her shorter legs?

    In fact, Bai Xiao¡¯s legs weren¡¯t short. She stood at 1.65 meters tall, which was quite tall for a woman in those days. But even so, she paled inparison to An Zhiyuan¡¯s 1.87 meters.

    With only a bundle left in her hand, Bai Xiao had to admit that there was a part of her that was secretly thrilled. Being treated like his woman by An Zhiyuan¡ªif that didn¡¯t make her a bit smug, then surely something would be wrong with her mind.

    She was still a normal woman after all, and being cherished like this set her heart aflutter. Bai Xiao made a face at herself. Women¡­ women¡­ You¡¯ve been reborn, but did you leave your brain behind?

    She quickened her pace to catch up. An Zhiyuan heard the light footsteps behind him, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. His mood unexpectedly brightened. Although he didn¡¯t know what Bai Xiao was really thinking, the fact that she hadn¡¯t vehemently opposed him or tried to set a clear boundary between them since he¡¯d spoken was a huge leap forward. It seemed there was considerable room for Bai Xiao¡¯s growth. He just didn¡¯t know when she would alter this distant stance of hers.

    Bai Xiao followed An Zhiyuan in silence on the mountain road. It was indeed difficult terrain. Nowadays, there weren¡¯t many paved roads; this was a real mountain road, where the path was simplypacted soil and rocks. With the weather being clear, there was a downside to it too. Walking along, the air was filled with dust; a single step could raise a cloud of it. Soon both of them were covered head to toe in grime, practically eating dust as they went.

    It was easy to imagine that in rain, the path would bepletely impassable, a boggy quagmire that made it seem as though no one had ever traversed it before. The stones strewn about must have been used for footholds during the rains. Once dried, they just stayed there, as they would be needed again the next time it rained.

    Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t help but start to worry about her eldest sister Bai Yue¡¯s life. How could such a vige remain unseen? Compared to Bai Ju, Bai Yue must have married into a rather poor family. There¡¯s a big difference between the viges in the mountains and those below; thend in each is distinct. What¡¯s more, even the drinking water is problematic. In the face of illness or disaster, I¡¯m afraid one can only wait to die, unable to get out.

    She couldn¡¯t understand why, back when the elder Bai was still around, he hadn¡¯t found a better family for Bai Yue to marry into. Considering the conditions in Liupan Vige, even if the Bai Family¡¯s situation wasn¡¯t great! But that didn¡¯t mean her daughter had to be married off to such a distant ce.

    At the time, she was too young to remember. Her second sister Bai Ju was already in her thirties, let alone her eldest sister. It seemed Bai Yue was two years older than Bai Ju, which meant Bai Yue was also in her thirties. Over the years, it had only been Bai Song who woulde back and visit his two sisters¡¯ homes, bringing some things each time. This maternal side of the family had, in reality, be a thing in name only. She, the younger sister, had been taken care of by her brother and sisters, but she¡¯d never had the chance to visit them. So she really didn¡¯t know the reasons behind all this.

    But looking at such mountain paths, she could imagine her sister¡¯s life wasn¡¯t easy.

    The two of them walked in silence, and finally, after two hours of mountain trail, they saw the vige on the mountain.

    Bai Xiao was gasping for breath. She hadn¡¯t been carrying anything, and even the bundle had been taken over by An Zhiyuan. Now, she suddenly felt that An Zhiyuan was truly considerate. Had he not insisted on apanying her, she might have copsed from exhaustion on the way up.

    It was not as beautiful as she¡¯d imagined, and she owed a lot to An Zhiyuan.

    The shepherd, who was herding sheep, looked at the two of them with surprise, scanning them up and down, ¡°Are you here to visit rtives? Who are you looking for?¡± It was clear that the two were from another vige! Especially An Zhiyuan, who was dressed conspicuously. Anyone who saw him would find it hard to ignore, not to mention people still held great respect for the Zhongshan suit.

    Bai Xiao caught her breath, ¡°We¡¯re here to find Bai Yue. I¡¯m her younger sister.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re looking for Big Mountain¡¯s wife, huh? Their home is right at the edge of the vige, against the mountain, the one with three rooms showing, and there¡¯s a grinding stone at the door. You¡¯ll see it as soon as you enter the vige. I can¡¯t lead you there, still have to herd the sheep.¡± The man politely pointed out the way. An Zhiyuan thanked him, and they continued on their own.

    The shepherd looked at the retreating figures of Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan, shaking his head. Big Mountain¡¯s wife still had family, huh? Whether or not her family could make a difference was another question. To him, a young girl like that didn¡¯t seem much of a force. That family would likely swallow her up whole.

    s, such a poor thing! To be stuck with that kind of mother-inw and co-wives, truly unfortunate.

    But that was someone else¡¯s business! What can outsiders even say about it? Every household has its own difficult scriptures to chant. Unless the big mountain stands up for itself, even if Big Mountain¡¯s wife is capable, it¡¯s likely there¡¯s nothing that can be done. What can a woman do, after all, with three kids at home? She couldn¡¯t just abandon the children and get a divorce.

    That sort of thing isn¡¯t permitted in this vige. Women just have to grit their teeth and bear it.

    It¡¯s just her bad luck to havended such a mother-inw and such a man.

    The shepherd shook his head and moved on with his sheep, needing to let them graze before the sun went down, or they wouldn¡¯te back.

 Chapter 106 - 106 106 Scumbag Brother-in-Law

    ?Chapter 106: Chapter 106: Scumbag Brother-in-Law   Chapter 106: Chapter 106: Scumbag Brother-in-Law                                   Bai Xiao could feel the unusual gaze of the shepherd from before. It seemed to carry sympathy, pity, and an indescribable feeling. Her intuition told her that her elder sister was probably not living an easy life; otherwise, a fellow viger wouldn¡¯t have had such an expression upon hearing that she was someone from her maiden family.

    She couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious. What on earth had happened to her eldest sister?

    In truth, she knew she was a burden because of her, her sister might have been having a hard time at her inws¡¯. After all, which family¡¯s elder sister takes care of her younger sister after getting married? It didn¡¯t make sense, and for years her two sisters had sacrificed too much for her.

    Although Bai Ju¡¯s life was tough, her brother-inw He Wang was still quite kind. She couldn¡¯t bear toin about her sister, but they also didn¡¯t livefortably, and without a mother-inw and father-inw, there were many less troubles. Yet, she could hardly imagine the hardships her eldest sister faced living up in the mountains, where she also had inws. Could they really stand by and watch her do this?

    An Zhiyuan held Bai Xiao back. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, panicking won¡¯t solve anything right away. If your sister sees you like this, she might think something has happened.¡± Seeing Bai Xiao unable to contain her impatience and getting worked up, An Zhiyuan almostughed. This girl seemed timid and cowardly at first,ter looked calm and rational, and now she had transformed into a little firecracker. She was bing more and more interesting; how many faces did this girl have?

    Bai Xiao took a deep breath and nodded. An Zhiyuan was right; if she couldn¡¯t keep her cool, she wouldn¡¯t be helping her sister. Was there anything that couldn¡¯t be solved? Aside from death, no problem was too great, and with her around, even death would have a hard timeing. So what could possibly be that serious?

    ¡°Instructor An, thank you!¡± She meant it sincerely because, of course, Bai Xiao understood that it was truly a good thing that An Zhiyuan hade with her. If they encountered any problems, Instructor An¡¯s uniform would be the best shield. It wasn¡¯t that she wanted Instructor An to do anything in particr, but at the least, she could borrow some of his authority.

    An Zhiyuan heard the distinctly softer tone and smiled. This girl really was a pragmatist, changing her attitude when she needed something from him. Well, since he hade to help, this was a great opportunity to close the distance between them.

    As expected, upon entering the vige, they soon saw a courtyard not far away, leaning against the mountain side. There were three rooms at the base with a yard in front. The gate was merely attice fence made of bamboo, slightly ajar. The courtyard wall was only half a person tall, made of mud bricks. From outside, one could see the vegetables nted in the yard. But looking from a distance, the vegetables were scattered messily on the ground, as if a tornado had passed through, leaving chaos behind.

    Bai Xiao pushed open thettice door and walked in. There was no one around on the way. As she approached the houses, she saw they were mud brick. The windows were ss, but one piece of ss was broken with arge hole, and others had cracks. It must have been like this for quite some time, likely because there was no money to rece them, so they were left as is. She peered inside and before she could see clearly, she heard crying and talkinging from within.

    ¡°Li Dashan, this is your son, how can you be so heartless? Every month, I earn money on the mountain by carrying stones. Aside from the two yuan I give my sister, the rest goes to mother. I haven¡¯t kept a single coin for myself. Now you won¡¯t ask mother for money; what am I supposed to use to get Xiaosan medical treatment? Look at him now, he¡¯s feverish and delirious. His leg might not be saved, how is he supposed to live like that at such a young age?¡±

    ¡°How is that my fault? You insisted on working with stones on the mountain for the sake of your little sister, spending your days with those men, and I haven¡¯t said a word. The money was what you promised to mother at the beginning. After earning it, except for your sister¡¯s living expenses, the rest would go to mother. Did I force you? Now you want me to ask mother for money; I don¡¯t have the face for that. Find your own way. You¡¯ve been supporting your sister all these years, and isn¡¯t it time for her to take care of you now? Let her go earn money carrying stones to pay for Xiaosan¡¯s treatment.¡±

    This must be her brother-inw. It seems Li Dashan indeed is her sister¡¯s husband.

    ¡°Are those even human words you¡¯re saying? By the time my sister carries stones, Xiaosan won¡¯t be able to wait. You¡¯ve seen his condition; we must send him to the hospital. I¡¯m begging you to ask mother for money. Just get him well and I¡¯ll repay mother in any way I can, even if I have to work like an ox or a horse.¡±

    This must be her eldest sister. It looked like there was trouble at home, and her nephew must have injured his leg.

    ¡°Still making excuses, if it wasn¡¯t for you toting rocks every day, would our three sons, unable to bear seeing you struggle, insist on helping you and get injured by the rocks? Our youngest got hurt because of this! You¡¯re a blight on this family, my mother was right, you¡¯re a jinx. Ever since you married into this family, we haven¡¯t had a single good day.¡±

    Bai Xiao red. This brother-inw really wasn¡¯t worth much.

    ¡°Li Dashan, how can you say such things without feeling guilty? If it weren¡¯t for the life-saving debt we owe to your family, do you think anyone would want to marry into your household with the way things are? If it wasn¡¯t for my father waving your bridal price and adding a dowry, your family would have been long gone because you couldn¡¯t afford medical treatment. My dowry saved you, and now you despise me? When you were spending my money, you didn¡¯t seem to mind?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you this, if you don¡¯t get the money, then I¡¯ll go myself. If your mother refuses to give me the money, I¡¯ll die on your doorstep. If my son can¡¯t live, then I won¡¯t live either. Let¡¯s see how hard-hearted a grandmother can be.¡±

    Smack¡­

    The sharp sound of a p, followed by the noises of punches and kicks. ¡°You ungrateful bitch, I told you to go, didn¡¯t you want to die? Then I¡¯ll kill you right now. Save me the shame and spoil. I¡¯m telling you, if you dare to go, I¡¯ll break your legs. Let¡¯s see how you¡¯ll support your freeloading little sister then. I¡¯m not going to believe this household iswless.¡±

    Bai Xiao gritted her teeth, ready to rush in. She couldn¡¯t tolerate her sister being beaten.

    But An Zhiyuan lifted the curtain and stepped inside.

    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ hit¡­ my¡­ mom¡­¡±

    Thump, someone fell to the ground.

    Bai Xiao followed inside and saw the room in a state of disarray. A man in his forties, with dark skin, was kicking and punching a woman on the ground, his face twisted with ferocity. A boy with a reddishplexion was lying on the ground, gasping for air, struggling to crawl over to protect the woman, but clearlycking the strength to even move. He tried several times but just ended up lying on the ground, panting heavily.

    An Zhiyuan quickly grabbed the man¡¯s fist. The man, clearly not expecting someone to interfere, was startled and immediately dodged to the side, shouting, ¡°Who the hell are you? How did you get into our house?¡±

    Bai Xiao rushed over to help the woman on the floor. The woman¡¯s face was covered in blood from her nose, and her eye sockets were swollen with blood. She hung her head, not wanting Bai Xiao to see, merely waving her hand and pushing Bai Xiao away, ¡°I¡¯m fine, but who are you?¡±

    At this moment, the older sister Bai Yue didn¡¯t raise her head and obviously didn¡¯t recognize Bai Xiao.

 Chapter 107 - 107 107 Borrowing Money

    ?Chapter 107: Chapter 107 Borrowing Money   Chapter 107: Chapter 107 Borrowing Money                                   ¡°I¡¯m your sister Bai Xiao!¡± she helped Bai Yue up.

    ¡°What?¡± Bai Yue turned around sharply, and because she did so with too much force, she pulled at the wound on her mouth corner, wincing in pain. But she also managed to see Bai Xiao¡¯s face clearly, and immediate joy filled her eyes.

    ¡°Xiao, is it really you? How did you get here? Has something happened?¡± Bai Yue¡¯s first reaction upon seeing her sister was that something must have gone wrong. Whenever she went back to visit Bai Xiao, her sister always kept silent, hardly uttering a word, shy and mute. And now, suddenly appearing at her doorstep indicated that something must have happened, otherwise why would her sistere to visit?

    After all, it¡¯s more than a hundred miles away. How could she, a young girl, make it here?

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Sister. I just wanted to check on you. Brother-inw, why did you hit my sister? No matter the reason, a grown man shouldn¡¯ty a hand on a woman, right?¡± Bai Xiao looked at Bai Yue¡¯s wound with heartache, giving Li Dashan no friendly nces. From what her older sister said just now, it seemed that Li Dashan¡¯s father had once saved their father, which led to this enormous debt of gratitude.

    When Bai Yue married into the family, Li Dashan¡¯s household was probably dirt poor, and he himself almost died.

    Not only did the Li Family show no gratitude for the help they¡¯d received, but they also bullied her sister. How could she be unaware that a woman carrying stones on the mountain was a harsh reality? Yes, considering Li Dashan¡¯s character, he wasn¡¯t someone who¡¯d willingly spend even a bit of money to take care of his wife¡¯s sister. If it weren¡¯t for her sister risking her life to carry stones on the mountain to earn money, most of which ended up in the hands of the Li Family, how could he have agreed to support her with two dors a month for all these years?

    She should have realized this.

    Where can you make money in the countryside? Even their Liupan Vige, considered a prosperous ce, doesn¡¯t offer much besides crops to fill stomachs for the year, while the healthyborers of the household go out to earn some extra cash with odd jobs.

    Still, many strong men can¡¯t even find work.

    Not to mention in this poor mountain ravine, Bai Yue must have been truly desperate to resort to carrying stones. Bai Xiao almost burst into tears, but she held them back forcefully. This wasn¡¯t the time to cry. If she didn¡¯t deal with Li Dashan now, he¡¯d likely continue to be brazen. Judging from the situation, this was probably not the first time he had hit her sister, and fury filled Bai Xiao¡¯s chest.

    Li Dashan, knowing that Bai Xiao was Bai Yue¡¯s sister, felt a tinge of panic, but the thought that Bai Xiao had cost his family four years of expenses immediately made him feel indignant and justified.

    ¡°This is our family¡¯s business, and it¡¯s not your ce to meddle. What, you¡¯vee to ask for money again? I¡¯ll tell you, we don¡¯t have the money to support you. My own son is sick and we can¡¯t afford his medical expenses, so where would we find the money to support you? Get back to where you came from, and don¡¯t make me say it rudely.¡±

    Bai Yue was taken aback; Li Dashan was leaving no face for her family¡¯s side, ¡°Li Dashan, you!¡±

    Bai Xiao pointed to the child on the ground, ¡°Sister, let¡¯s help the child up first. No matter what, we should settle the child down¡ªhe¡¯s burned like this. Lying on this cold ground, with the change of temperatures, it¡¯s easy for his condition to worsen.¡±

    Only then did Bai Yue realize what needed to be done, and she and Bai Xiao helped the boy on the ground up! They wanted to get him on the kang bed, but Li Dashan, not pleased with Bai Xiao interfering in their family affairs, went over to pull Bai Xiao away. However, he ended up being sidestepped by An Zhiyuan, who twisted his wrist and pushed him aside.

    ¡°Brother-inw, you should sit down and rest, don¡¯t move around too much, lest it worsens your injury,¡± she said firmly, and Li Dashan immediately felt as if his wrist was about to break. Unable to control his body, he was forced to change direction and sit in a chair a good eight feet away from the kang.

    Only then did the man in front of him let go of his hand.

    Li Dashan knew he was no match for the man before him. Just by looking at the uniform he was wearing, he could tell that the man held an official position. No matter how tough he might be, he only had power over his wife and children at home. In their vige, if someone had a rtive who was an official, it was considered an incredibly auspicious event. He was aware of the preferential treatment given to officials; just the benefits provided annually to the families of military personnel by the vige were prioritized over others.

    Everyone was envious.

    Unfortunately, even if you go and cause a fuss with the vige chief, it¡¯s to no avail. The vige chief had said the national government gave preferential treatment to these families. Their men and sons were suffering and working hard outside, defending the country¡ªof course their wives and children should receive good treatment at home.

    ¡°Who are you? Who¡¯s your brother-inw? I don¡¯t know you!¡± he muttered, unwilling to lose face.

    Bai Yue and Bai Xiao helped Xiaoshan onto the kang to lie down. Touching Xiaoshan¡¯s wrist, Bai Xiao used her special ability and immediately knew that the injury was due to a broken leg. It must be quite serious and had probably been for a long time; the wound on the leg had already be pus-filled and inmed. The child was running a fever now because of the inmmation and swelling¡ªif it were anyter, his life would be in danger.

    As soon as Xiaoshany down, he passed out. Bai Yue watched her son and tears fell from her eyes.

    Bai Xiao stood up. ¡°That¡¯s my fianc¨¦, he¡¯s an instructor. Brother-inw, the child is in this condition now. Hurry up and find a way to raise money to send him to the hospital, or it will really be toote.¡± At that moment, it wasn¡¯t that she couldn¡¯t heal the injury, but just from listening to the earlier conversation, she knew this brother-inw wasn¡¯t a good man. She could heal, but she couldn¡¯t just heal like that.

    She had to give her sister and nephew an exnation¡ªthis family couldn¡¯t continue living like this, especially with Li Dashan constantly beating her sister! She detested men who used violence on women, perhaps because in her past life Fang Xiaoshan had scared her with his violence. In her eyes, such men were better off dead.

    A man who couldn¡¯t earn money or support the family but relied on beating women at home to feel powerful, what kind of man was that?

    Li Dashan red. ¡°Easy for you to say. All our family¡¯s money has gone toward your living expenses. Where¡¯s the money to treat my son¡¯s illness? You want him treated? Fine, then give me back all the money you¡¯ve eaten and spent of ours over the years, and naturally I¡¯ll send my son to the hospital.¡± He was heartless, not caring about his son at all.

    Bai Yue wiped her tears. ¡°Li Dashan, just stop. All the money I¡¯ve earned over the years might as well have fed a dog. Let your mother cling to that money for her coffin. I¡¯ll borrow money for my son¡¯s treatment.¡± She stood up to leave but was kicked to the ground by Li Dashan.

    ¡°Are you fucking crazy? If you borrow money, is it none of my business? Don¡¯t I have to pay it back? I think you¡¯re just asking for a beating¡­¡±

    Li Dashan was kicked to the ground, grimacing in pain.

    When he looked up, he saw An Zhiyuan¡¯s grim face staring at him. The insult he wanted to hurl got stuck in his throat. ¡°An official hitting someone,¡± he could only shout like that. He was no match for An Zhiyuan; the kick was incredibly painful.

    He could only hope that An Zhiyuan feared punishment and wouldn¡¯t dare do anything to him.

 Chapter 108 - 108 108 Bastard

    ?Chapter 108: Chapter 108 Bastard   Chapter 108: Chapter 108 Bastard                                   An Zhiyuan grabbed the fire poker from the corner of the wall. The poker was as thick as an arm, which scared Li Dashan out of his wits. He feared he was about to be beaten with it.

    If he were hit with that thing, his arms and legs would surely break.

    In a panic, he shrank back, ¡°You, you are¡­ You can¡¯t just hit people at will, I¡­ I¡­ don¡¯te any closer¡­ don¡¯te any closer¡­¡±

    He couldn¡¯t finish his sentence. What could he possibly do to the other person?

    Bai Xiao looked at An Zhiyuan in disbelief; An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t seem like the impulsive type. Wasn¡¯t this kind of thing something she should be doing herself? If An Zhiyuan went through with this, they might actually get taken to court by Li Dashan¡¯s family. Then an usation of bullying themon people would be unavoidable. Soon they would have to deal with An Zhiyuan, she never meant to get An Zhiyuan so much as to lose his job.

    The three main rules of discipline and the eight points for attention were not a joke.

    She took a step forward. An Zhiyuan, holding the poker, walked up to Bai Xiao and handed her the fire poker, ¡°Hold it with both hands!¡±

    Bai Xiao picked up the fire poker and suddenly understood what An Zhiyuan intended to do.

    With a swift kick, the fire poker snapped in two. Bai Xiao threw the two pieces onto the ground,nding them right in front of Li Dashan, who shrank back in fright. He looked at the cleanly broken ends and worriedly nced at the spot where An Zhiyuan had kicked him before, fearing whether he might die from it.

    An Zhiyuan fetched a stone b from the courtyard, which had likely been collected from the nearby stone pits, and handed it to Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao, with a smile, took it; by now, how could she not understand?

    An Zhiyuan was really quite adorable.

    Again, An Zhiyuan kicked.

    With a beam that could outshine the spring sun, Bai Xiao held the stone b, now broken into pieces, ¡°Instructor An, you¡¯re really incredible. Just one kick, and it shattered like this. How many years have you been practicing?¡±

    ¡°This was just so-so. The conditions here don¡¯t allow for much, so I just practice casually. With a kick like that, if I want to, I could knock down a two-hundred-pound man and make sure he can¡¯t get up,¡± said An Zhiyuan, prompting Li Dashan to curse internally¡ªhe certainly didn¡¯t weigh two hundred pounds.

    ¡°I can¡¯t stand to see a man hitting a woman. As soon as I see it, I can¡¯t keep my temper in check. Brother-inw, I didn¡¯t hurt you, did I?¡±

    ¡°No, no, how could you? I¡¯m perfectly fine!¡± Li Dashan was a bully at home, but when he met someone tougher, he instantly cowered.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to borrow money!¡± Bai Yue stood up, and seeing that Li Dashan had now gone limp, unable to get up, she couldn¡¯t care less; her son urgently needed saving.

    Before she could leave, her two sons returned. The elder was sixteen, the younger fourteen, and the smallest twelve. Seeing their mother covered in injuries, they hurriedly checked, ¡°Mom, did Dad hit you again? Didn¡¯t I tell you, if he hits you again, you should fight back? You can¡¯t let him beat you to death. Look at the state you are in!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I need to go out. This is your aunt and her friend. Look after them while I go and borrow money for your brother!¡± Bai Yue was frantic, her own son burning up with fever over there.

    Li Haiping, the eldest, stopped Bai Yue, ¡°Mom, why don¡¯t you ask Grandma for money? Our family money has all been taken by Grandma. Now that it¡¯s needed, shouldn¡¯t we ask her? I figured it out, over the years, Grandma has siphoned off a total of seven hundred eighty-five yuan and five jiao. That¡¯s enough for brother¡¯s treatment. I will go and ask Grandma for the money.¡± He didn¡¯t understand why his own mother would go to borrow money.

    Their family, honestly speaking, wasn¡¯t without money; it¡¯s just that the money was frequently taken by Grandma, always iming that she feared her mother had to subsidize her natal family, so she would keep it safe, to be used when they grew up for building houses and marrying wives. Now they didn¡¯t need to build houses or marry wives, just needed money for their brother¡¯s treatment, so Grandma should indeed take it out.

    ¡°I asked your father to ask for the money, but he wouldn¡¯t do it. You don¡¯t know your grandma as I do. If I ask for the money, she will definitely think I¡¯m making up excuses to give it to my natal family. How could she give it to me? Your brother is burning up with fever; he can¡¯t wait. Rather than argue with your grandma, it¡¯s better to borrow money and save your brother first,¡± Bai Yue wished she could, but she couldn¡¯t get the money.

    The olddy guarded it as if guarding against a thief; Bai Yue couldn¡¯t get a single cent in her hands, and it would only result in a beating and scolding. It was more appropriate to borrow money. Bai Yue nced at her son lying on the kang, never imagining that Li Dashan could be so heartless even towards his own son.

    ¡°Big sister, matters like asking for money should naturally be taken care of by the brother-inw. The men in the house should stand tall as pirs, isn¡¯t that right, brother-inw? Besides, this is your youngest son, don¡¯t you care at all?¡± Bai Xiao also tried to persuade. Even if Bai Yue went to borrow money now, it wouldn¡¯t be the best solution. The household was aplete mess and Li Dashan was simply not acting like a man. If things were handled this way once, next time it would probably be even less likely for Grandma to give her any money, for she would assume you had a way out¡ªthat¡¯s the inertia of thinking.

    She sat in front of the third son, Li Haishun, wiping the child¡¯s sweat with a towel, constantly soaking it in cold water to cool down the boy. In reality, she had just taken the opportunity to use her special ability on Li Haishun, who was already much better, but she controlled it to not let the special abilitypletely heal Li Haishun directly. She did this to see just how this Li family, Li Dashan, and his mother would haggle over her big sister, to truly understand the situation before plotting the next move.

    So far, Bai Xiao had not seen any sign of Li Dashan being a man, assuming the responsibilities thate with manhood. Apart from violence, he showed not even a trace of warmth toward his elder sister and her children in the household, which Bai Xiao found very odd. How could the parents of Bai¡¯s elder sister have been so blind to match their precious daughter with such a bastard? Could it be that Li Dashan had been pretending all along, fooling the elder Bai couple?

    It was indeed possible, and if that were the case, Bai Xiao would help her sister, but it would depend on Bai Yue¡¯s own will. Regardless of who she was helping, even if it was her own family, she had no right to make decisions for others. She understood the principle that one man¡¯s meat is another man¡¯s poison.

    To help her sister and brother, she could do anything within her power, but she would never arrogantly assume that she could decide on another¡¯s life. The life was for others to live; she had no right to deprive anyone of their feelings.

    Right now, all she wanted was to clearly understand her big sister¡¯s thoughts, as well as the thoughts of every single member of this family! That would make it easier to think of a solutionter on.

    ¡°Why should I be the one to ask for the money?¡± Li Dashan was no longerpliant. He was afraid of An Zhiyuan, but he wasn¡¯t afraid of Bai Xiao, just an eighteen-year-old girl; she couldn¡¯t possibly consume him.

    ¡°Because you¡¯re his biological father. If you don¡¯t go, are you prepared to watch your son die?¡± Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t understand it; Li Dashan appearedpletely indifferent towards his third son, making one doubt whether he was truly the boy¡¯s biological father.

    ¡°Get lost, I don¡¯t even know if the third brat is the illegitimate child of my sister and some random man, and you want to pin it on me. You think I¡¯m a fool? I won¡¯t spend my money on a bastard. Better that he dies¡ªit saves me worry. Then I won¡¯t be theughingstock every day. He should have died a long time ago.¡± Li Dashan¡¯s words stunned Bai Xiao, Bai Yue didn¡¯t seem like a woman who would stray from her marital vows.

 Chapter 109 - 109 109 Divorce

    ?Chapter 109: Chapter 109: Divorce   Chapter 109: Chapter 109: Divorce                                   ¡°Li Dashan, how many times have I told you, Dazhuang is your son! What kind of person do you think I, Bai Yue, am? After these many years of marriage, do you still not understand? Am I the type of woman who messes around with any man? Don¡¯t you feel guilty saying such things? Ever since I married you, I have diligently taken care of everything, both inside the house and in the fields. What did I do to deserve such heartless words from you? Previously, when you said these things in private, I thought you were out of your mind. How can anyone doubt that their own son is truly their child? But now, you dare say such things in front of my family; you just want to humiliate me. I might as well be dead,¡± Bai Yue cried and tried to leave but was held back by Li Haiping and Li Hai¡¯an, who were worried she might indeed do something drastic.

    ¡°And you have the nerve to use me? Just look at Dazhuang, does he look anything like me? So fair and tidy, does well in school, so smart. Our Li Family has never had the seed for education. Look at the eldest and the second; they are indeed my sons, dark and strong. Now look at Dazhuang, if you say he is my son, only a fool would believe that. Everyone knows Dazhuang isn¡¯t my son when they see all three together.

    After all these years of gossip in the vige, do you think I wouldn¡¯t hit you? Being a man, I cannot stand such things. My own wife having another man¡¯s child and treating him like mine, how am I supposed to cope? My mother said long ago you were unfaithful. Otherwise, why would the eldest and the second not attend school when they said they wouldn¡¯t, but when ites to Dazhuang, you insist on schooling him? My sons have to haul stones at Shitou¡¯s ce to pay for this bastard¡¯s education. Aren¡¯t you a bit too cruel? The eldest and the second always feel like I am wrong to hit you.

    Think about it, isn¡¯t it because you favor Dazhuang, treating him with extra love, ignoring your two other sons? Would our home have turned out this way otherwise? I¡¯m telling you, I won¡¯t be asking for this money. If you still want to be with me, don¡¯t borrow money. Life and death are fated; if the bastard survives, that¡¯s his own ability. If he dies, that¡¯s his fate. If you dare borrow money, I¡¯m telling you, I will divorce you. I¡¯ve wanted to get rid of a worn-out woman like you for a long time,¡± Li Dashan¡¯s words stunned Bai Xiao.

    She took a good look at Li Haishun, and indeed, Li Haishun looked different from his older brothers. The eldest and the second looked more like Li Dashan, their features clear proof that they were Li Dashan¡¯s sons¡ªdark-skinned, with well-proportioned features and robust builds. Dazhuang, however, was fair and clean-looking, and when he opened his eyes earlier, his thick eyebrows andrge eyes made him appear more delicate and refined¡ªactually resembling Bai Yue. If only based on this, it would be unfair to im that Bai Yue cheated and cuckolded him, but Li Dashan was stubborn about it.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t, Li Dashan! Ever since I came here, there hasn¡¯t been a day when I haven¡¯t thought of this family, of you, and of the children. How could you suspect me of such a shameful and disgraceful act? Eldest, second, Dazhuang is your real brother. If your mother had been unfaithful, may lightning strike me dead!¡±

    Eldest son Li Haiping interjected, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t say such things. You are my mother, and I know you well. You¡¯re not that kind of person. You always made sure we three had something to eat, even if it meant going without yourself. Not going to school wasn¡¯t because you wouldn¡¯t support us, but because we weren¡¯t cut out for it. It wasn¡¯t favoritism. Every time we had to carry stones, you would stop us, saying we were too young and it would harm our bodies. Dazhuang is our brother, and we know it. Dad is out of his mind. Without you, this family would¡¯ve fallen apart long ago.

    If you had intentions elsewhere, why would you stay in this poor vige with us? Even grandma¡¯s vige is better than ours. If you wanted to leave, who could have stopped you? You stayed with us, earning money by carrying stones, suffering for the family; even enduring beatings from Dad. What for, if not because you love us? We all know that.¡±

    Bai Xiao looked at Li Haiping, not expecting such words from his son. Clearly, her daughter had raised her sons well. Bai Yue was holding her two sons, crying her eyes out. She might not have had many skills, but she was proud that her children were raised well¡ªtruly upstanding men.

    Li Dashan bellowed, ¡°Bai Yue, you¡¯re always so eloquent. I can¡¯t outtalk you. These two pups have always followed you, and they¡¯repletely on your side. They¡¯re not my sons at all. I¡¯m telling you, I want a divorce; take your bastards and get lost.¡± He had been harboring a grudge for years. If it hadn¡¯t been for the need of Bai Yue¡¯s ie at home, would he have put up with this for so many years? Could he stand watching that little bastard swagger around in front of him every day?

    ¡°Dad, my mom hasn¡¯t done anything wrong. What gives you the right to divorce her? Every penny in this house was earned by my mom. What have you done? It¡¯s always been my mom who¡¯s been working herself to death for this family. You just reap the benefits, so why do you treat my mom like this?¡± Li Haiping, already sixteen, questioned Li Dashan like a man.

    Li Dashan stepped forward and pped Li Haiping twice, ¡°I¡¯ll beat the ungrateful out of you. Do you even remember yourst name? I¡¯m telling you, if you think your mom is so good to you, then you can all get lost with her. Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know that you¡¯ve never respected me a day in your lives. Having sons or not makes no difference to me. If I relied on you to take care of me in my old age, I¡¯d probably starve to death. Luckily, I¡¯ve made preparations. From now on, Hai¡¯an will take care of me, and everything in the house, thends, will all belong to him. Don¡¯t you dare think about taking a penny. Bai Yue, I¡¯m telling you, I want a divorce.¡±

    Li Haiping staggered from the blows. Bai Yue rushed to block Li Dashan, ¡°If you need to hit someone, hit me! The kids haven¡¯t done anything wrong! After so many years of marriage, do you really want a divorce, to throw the four of us out? Li Dashan, do you even have a conscience?¡± Bai Yue couldn¡¯t believe that the man she had lived with for so many years actually intended to leave them with nothing. In the countryside, divorce was a shameful thing that could lead to being ridiculed to death. Even through beatings and suffering, Bai Yue had never considered divorce, because how would her children find spouses with such gossip around, condemned to never stand tall.

    She wasn¡¯t afraid and could endure any hardship, but she couldn¡¯t bear to see her three sons suffer with her.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you Bai Yue, if you don¡¯t want a divorce, that¡¯s fine too, but all the money you earn carrying stones from now on must be handed over to me. And about the youngest, that¡¯s settled; he¡¯s not allowed to seek medical care. If you agree, I won¡¯t divorce you. Otherwise, you and these three can get lost!¡± Li Dashan knew he had a hold over Bai Yue. What woman wants a divorce? A woman¡¯s reputation is ruined once divorced.

    He, Li Dashan, isn¡¯t afraid, but Bai Yue would be. Without him, what kind of man could Bai Yue find next? At this point, he was not at a disadvantage, especially since it was his own mother who said this.

    A divorced woman is worthless. As long as he has money, finding another woman would be easy. He was still young; it wasn¡¯t toote to father another son. He didn¡¯t need to rely on Hai¡¯an; he could handle it, take good care and be truly close with his own child¡­That¡¯s the right person to care for him in his old age.

    He had long stopped counting on these three sons.

 Chapter 110 - 110 110 Household Matters

    ?Chapter 110: Chapter 110: Household Matters?   Chapter 110: Chapter 110: Household Matters?                                   Bai Yue nced at Li Haishun, gritted her teeth. Li Dashan was determined to have his mistress dead today, and Bai Yue would rather die herself than let her son die. If it came to that, then divorce it would be. She made up her mind for the first time, not knowing what to do afterwards, but now she had to save her son.

    Bai Yue could endure anything, but when it came to her son, she was the strongest mother.

    ¡°Fine, Li Dashan! If you want a divorce, we¡¯ll divorce, but the money in this house was earned by me. I am taking half, and I am taking the three sons with me. From now on, I will have nothing to do with you or the Li family anymore.¡±

    Bai Xiao nodded, not so foolish as to leave without a penny.

    This sister was much tougher and more formidablepared to Bai Ju.

    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it, Bai Yue. Have you no shame? A woman who cheats, now you want money along with taking your bastards away? Dream on! I haven¡¯t even demanded the money for raising your bastards over the years, and now you dare ask me for money? Have you lost your mind? You will not get a cent from me; pack your things and get out with your bastards. I don¡¯t want to see you for another minute,¡± Li Dashan fumed, incredulous that Bai Yue had the audacity to ask him for money.

    This was sheer audacity.

    ¡°Let me tell you, Li Dashan, I, Bai Yue, am true to heaven, true to earth, true to this family. I have done nothing wrong. Whether you acknowledge them or not, the kids are indeed yours. I can take all three with me, but you need to give me half the money. I have kept the ounts. Your mother took 785 yuan from me¡ªI want 395 yuan, and then I¡¯ll leave. Otherwise, I will go to the vige secretary or the vige chief. There must be some ce that administers justice. I don¡¯t believe you, Li Dashan, can do whatever you want,¡± Bai Yue said resolutely.

    Li Dashan was so furious he itched to beat her as usual, but An Zhiyuan scoffed coldly, causing Li Dashan to tremble and almost fall. He didn¡¯t dare provoke this soldier.

    ¡°And you say you have no lover. Tell me then, why is this man protecting you and even beat me up? I¡¯ll call the whole vige to see this. An official, no less, mingling improperly with a married woman and resorting to violence. I¡¯d like to know if there¡¯s anyone who will deal with this,¡± Li Dashan was ready to act shamelessly, using this situation to corner An Zhiyuan and leave Bai Yue speechless.

    He could tell that An Zhiyuan was brought here by Bai Xiao. Surely, he thought, An Zhiyuan couldn¡¯t just behave like any ordinary viger, throwing tantrums indiscriminately. He didn¡¯t believe that with the vigers present, An Zhiyuan would dare to hit anyone in front of so many witnesses.

    Bai Yue panicked; knowing this man was brought by her sister, though unaware of his rtionship with Bai Xiao, she didn¡¯t want to drag him into their messy affair. She wasn¡¯t that kind of person. Bai Xiao stopped her, ¡°You want to call the vigers? Go ahead, don¡¯t let anyone stop you. An Zhiyuan is my fianc¨¦ and also an instructor. It¡¯s good that the vige chief is here; we can also ask whether ndering someone like this is a crime,¡±

    Such lowlifes daring to nder others without considering their own insignificance.

    An Zhiyuan also stood by Bai Xiao¡¯s side, nced at Bai Yue¡¯s injuries, and spoke solemnly, ¡°Big sister, it¡¯s a good time to bring the vige chief over. Your injuries can serve as evidence. The current marriagew strictly prohibits domestic violence against women. With our testimony, and the vige chief¡¯s, it¡¯s clear this isn¡¯t the first time. Someone in the vige must know about it. When the timees, we won¡¯t just ask for half the property; we¡¯ll demand it all. Thew is supposed to protect women. Besides, he ndered me and abused a woman, which shouldnd him behind bars for a few months at least, if not years. Punishments for ndering someone like me vary from person to person. With this, during the divorce, the judge should indeed support us.¡± Intimidating others was not new to him, although An Zhiyuan was not exactly sure what the specific penalties were, but that did not stop him from frightening someone like Li Dashan, who was illiterate and naive.

    Li Dashan was startled. Why would he end up in prison?

    He had merely made a casual remark. How had it led to talks of prison?

    ¡°Which man doesn¡¯t hit his wife? Don¡¯t scare me. I¡¯ve never seen some man go to jail for hitting his wife. That¡¯s a domestic issue that not even the vige chief can interfere with, let alone the police. Besides, I didn¡¯t say anything just now. You say I ndered? That¡¯s nder right there! I don¡¯t admit to it. It didn¡¯t happen!¡± Li Dashan immediately retorted, clearlycking any sense of responsibility.

    Bai Xiao sneered, ¡°A domestic issue? Hitting someone is a ¡®domestic issue¡¯? Well, then, let me show you what I consider a ¡®domestic issue.''¡± With a swift move, she charged at him. She might not have had any formal training inbat, but that didn¡¯t keep her from hitting someone. In her past life, being frequently abused by Fang Xiaoshan had caused her to develop a fear of people, whichter propelled her to learn some boxing skills. She might not impress someone like An Zhiyuan with her skills, but Li Dashan was more than manageable.

    She grabbed Li Dashan¡¯s arm, leaned her back into him, strained her arm, and with a shoulder bump, Li Dashan was sent flying, crashing heavily onto the ground. Before he could react, Bai Xiao had already leapt up and drove her elbow into Li Dashan¡¯s abdomen.

    The pain caused Li Dashan to immediately roll his eyes back. But Bai Xiao, not yet satisfied, got up and started beating and kicking him.

    ¡°This is for hitting my big sister! You said it¡¯s a domestic issue, right? Then, me, as the younger aunt pping her brother-inw, is also a domestic issue. Whoever dares to mess with me better be prepared. You dared to bully my sister because you think our family has no backbone? Then don¡¯t me me if every time I see you, I give you a thrashing. Remember, it¡¯s all ¡®domestic issues.¡¯ Whenever I feel upset, I¡¯lle practicing my boxing on you. Let¡¯s see who dares to interfere,¡± she said, showing no mercy. Bai Xiao, often doing physical tasks, had strength in abundance, and this time her ruthless approach left Li Dashan howling in agony, his screams resembling those of a ughtering pig, drawing a crowd from the vige.

    Bai Yue suddenly pulled Bai Xiao back, truly unaware of when her sister had be so violent. Watching her sister punch and kick fiercely, she couldn¡¯t let her sister beat Li Dashan to death. A worthless man like him was not worth trading her life over, for he was nothing but bold within his own home.

    ¡°Xiao, Xiao, stop hitting him! He¡¯s not worth dirtying your hands over. Listen to me, let¡¯s not stoop to his level,¡± she said.

    ¡°Let me tell you, Li Dashan, my sister is already set on divorcing you. You¡¯re such a pathetic loser, only good at beating your wife but ipetent in everything else. My sister married into your family without taking a single penny of dowry from your home. Instead, she used her own dowry to treat your illnesses and support your family. You¡¯ve shown no gratefulness for these great favors. Now you even dare to hit my sister? Let me tell you, you ungrateful wretch, we¡¯re done tolerating you. Divorce!¡± Bai Xiao thunderously added another kick to Li Dashan.

    Li Dashan, clutching his abdomen, cried out even louder.

    By now, some vigers had already hastened to inform the Li family.

 Chapter 111 - 111 111 Incitement

    ?Chapter 111: Chapter 111: Incitement   Chapter 111: Chapter 111: Incitement                                   Li Dashan saw that people wereing and pointed at Bai Xiao, saying, ¡°You¡­ you dared to hit me¡­ I won¡¯t let you leave Liu Family Fortress today, just you wait.¡± Wiping the fresh blood from the corner of his mouth, he spoke vehemently. Now that there were more people, Li Dashan felt emboldened; after all, people from the same vige wouldn¡¯t stand by and watch him being bullied, and, no matter what, Bai Xiao was still an outsider.

    This was a deep-seated instinct to defend one¡¯s own, something every vige shared.

    ¡°Folks, my fellow vigers, look how domineering the people from Liupan Vige are. Bai Yue sends her sister, my little sister-inw, to hit me, her brother-inw! Look what they¡¯ve done to me. I¡¯m telling you, Bai Yue, I want a divorce, and don¡¯t think you¡¯ll get a penny from me. Just because of her malicious behavior, I can¡¯t keep her. Just look, the people from Liupan Vige are bullying us from Liu Family Fortress like this. If this continues, won¡¯t our people from Liu Family Fortress be bullied to death when they go out? And our daughters and daughters-inw, how can they stand tall? If you¡¯re from Liu Family Fortress, go deal with them!¡± Although Li Dashan wasn¡¯t capable, his mind was quick.

    This even incited the vige¡¯s unity. He tried to escte a domestic matter to another level. After all, it¡¯s hard to defy the anger of the masses. Once the entire vige¡¯s people rose to attack, thew wouldn¡¯t hold the crowd ountable, and Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan would really end up in trouble without any way out.

    The crowd was confused; they hadn¡¯t seen what had happened clearly. They had just entered the courtyard, knew nothing about what had happened inside, and then heard Li Dashan say this. Some, whose minds were more straightforward, really thought Bai Xiao and others hade to bully Li Dashan, and this sense of shared enmity was deeply ingrained; they rolled up their sleeves, ready to step in.

    Some were more perceptive. Who in the vige didn¡¯t know what kind of person Bai Yue was? Kind and upright, a diligent woman. Besides, the Li Family had never treated Bai Yue as one of their own. Usually, it was Li Dashan who beat Bai Yue until her nose was bruised and her face swollen. Who knew what was really happening today?

    This kind of thing needed less chaos.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see first, just a sister-inw and a man, even if it¡¯s a fight, how severe could it be? If we don¡¯t ask clearly and it turns out Li Dashan is in the wrong, won¡¯t we be disgracing ourselves for his sake?¡±

    As soon as these words came out, everyone stopped their motions, and those who had rolled up their sleeves felt embarrassed. Yes, one girl and one officer¡ªif they went up to fight, wouldn¡¯t they be the bullies? Besides, people then realized that the man standing by Bai Xiao was a public servant. Just looking at his attire, if theyid hands on him, it would be considered assaulting a leader, who knew what consequences would follow.

    Thus, everyone stepped back, exchanging looks. Some wise ones had already started shouting, ¡°Call the vige chief! Call the vige chief!¡±

    Exactly! This matter needed the vige chief to intervene.

    The ones with quick legs had already gone to call the vige chief.

    Bai Xiao, holding Bai Yue¡¯s hand, stepped forward in front of everyone, ¡°Folks, my fellow elders, my name is Bai Xiao, and I am Bai Yue¡¯s sister. I came here today with big bags and small bags to see my elder sister, but who knew that before I even entered the door, I saw this man, who should be my brother-inw, beating my sister until her nose was bruised and her face was swollen. Everyone, look, even if it¡¯s his own wife, can he beat her like this? All of you have daughters; if your own daughter was married into a family and was beaten like this, could you bear to watch?¡±

    The crowd was speechless. If anyone dared to beat their own daughter like that, they would probably have gone to beat up that son-inw long ago, breaking his legs even. But Li Dashan was from Liu Family Fortress, so they truly couldn¡¯t say much.

    ¡°The child at home is so sick he can barely manage, and all my sister asked was for Li Dashan to ask his mother-inw for some money. Normally, the money my sister and her kids earned from carrying stones was all taken by her mother-inw. Li Dashan just talked about getting divorced and even said my sister should leave without anything. Is that something you say? My sister has ved away for this family for so many years and saved this man¡¯s life using her own dowry. He¡¯s not only ungrateful, but he also has the nerve to say such things. Today, in front of everyone, I admit, I hit Li Dashan. But if I hadn¡¯t hit him, I would have let down my sister who carried stones to earn our living expenses. If I hadn¡¯t, I would have let down my deceased parents. If my parents were alive, I believe they would have broken Li Dashan¡¯s legs today too.

    Today, in front of everyone, my sister wants to divorce Li Dashan. The money at home was earned by my sister, and she is not unreasonable. She only asks for half, just so she can save my nephew. My sister will take the three children, but of course, if the kids want to stay, we won¡¯t stop them. We just fear that Li Dashan might turn around, remarry, and the kids would suffer. The house andnd must be split half with my sister. The marriagew stiptes that in a divorce, the property is divided equally between the spouses. If Li Dashan doesn¡¯t agree, we will have no choice but to sue him. We believe socialisticw protects the good people.¡±

    This speech made everyone step back even more, mainly because of thewsuit. They didn¡¯t want to stir up trouble and get drawn into awsuit.

    The simple vigers, upon hearing about awsuit, who would want to involve themselves in that?

    Seeing the silent crowd, Li Dashan became anxious. Why is everyone so cowardly? Now isn¡¯t the time to stay quiet but to grab that damn girl and beat her to death.

    Still letting that damn girl talk?

    ¡°You still want to split my property? I tell you, Bai Yue, no way. I want to see who dares to take our family¡¯s property.¡± Li Dashan had gotten up by now but was still clutching his stomach. Bai Xiao¡¯s kick had been terribly painful. Bai Xiao hadn¡¯t really hit him fatally; if he did use his special ability, Li Dashan could have been crippled.

    But with things turning out this way today, Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t stupid. Crippling Li Dashan might make everyone suspect them. Even if they wanted to teach Li Dashan a lesson, now was not the time. Who doesn¡¯t know to seek benefits and avoid harm?

    The vige chief came running. With such a big incident happening in the vige, how could he not show up?

    Seeing the state of Li Dashan and Bai Yue, he knew it was a domestic issue, a couple fighting. He immediately said sternly, ¡°Alright, alright! Disperse! What are you gathering around for? Haven¡¯t you seen a couple fight before? Go on, go on, get back to what you should be doing!¡±

    Seeing the vige chief say this, the crowd slowly dispersed. After all, thinking about it, when couples fight, they say harsh words but end up making up by the end of the bed.

    Vige chief Liu Baoshan looked at Li Dashan¡¯s disheveled appearance and was furious. A grown man beaten up by a little sister-inw, his face bruised, and he still had the nerve to ask people to help him in a fight. What a shame.

    Looking at Bai Yue, he was displeased too. A woman¡¯s domestic life seemed so problematic because Bai Yue made him feel embarrassed, leading him to be unkind towards Bai Yue as well.

 Chapter 112 - 112 112 To Death

    ?Chapter 112: Chapter 112: To Death   Chapter 112: Chapter 112: To Death                                   ¡°Bai Yue, really now, he¡¯s your man, and you just watch your sister beat him like this? You¡¯ve gone too far. You¡¯re family after all. Even if your husband is in the wrong, you shouldn¡¯t let your sister hit people! Divorce sounds good to you, huh? Spreading such irresponsible talk. As a married woman, if you get divorced, how are you going to support your son by yourself? Your three sons will need to get married, build houses¡ªwith just you? Aren¡¯t you harming them?¡±

    Hurry up and apologize to your man, and this will all blow over. I¡¯ll just assume your sister is young and doesn¡¯t know any better, but even so, just the fact she hit someone means she should be arrested and given a good education,¡± Liu Baoshan was clearly protecting Li Dashan, treating Bai Yue unfairly.

    Li Dashan was smug, of course. Everyone knew Liu Baoshan favored his own¡ªit was his Liu Family fortress, after all. Even if they were wrong, he¡¯d defend them. He waited for Bai Yue to lower her head and apologize.

    ¡°Vige Chief, hello. I didn¡¯t know that when Li Dashan hit someone and hurt my older sister like this, you didn¡¯t see it! He beat my sister, so it¡¯s only right that I hit him. If you¡¯re saying I should be arrested and educated for this, well then, I wasn¡¯t aware when the Vige Chief assumed the role of the police station. When did the Vige Chief be the public security, with such great power?¡±

    ¡°Li Dashan hitting people, abusing my sister, now her face and body are covered in bruises, we¡¯re going to sue him for abuse, and we want a divorce. If you won¡¯t handle it, someone else will. I refuse to believe that the Liu Family fortress can do whatever it wants. Are you saying you¡¯re going to silence us by killing us?¡± Bai Xiao didn¡¯t shrink back at all, her sister couldn¡¯t just endure it today. It was clear that the Vige Chief wanted to smooth things over but was acting like a troublemaker, trying to make her sister bow her head, only encouraging Li Dashan to beat his wife, right?

    Liu Baoshan was displeased because as the Vige Chief, no one had ever challenged his authority like this. Who would dare talk to him that way in the vige? In his eyes, Bai Xiao was nothing more than a small orphan girl from Liupan Vige, hardly worth his time to listen to her threats of suing¡ªaplete joke.

    ¡°You little girl, don¡¯t bite your tongue while you talk. Running to court over every little thing, do you think the courts and police stations are run by your family? You think you can just sue whenever you wish? Besides, this is just a scuffle between a husband and wife. What are you suing for? And divorce? Little girl, you should first ask your sister if she wants a divorce. If she divorces, how are you going to support her and your nephew? It¡¯s justughable! I have more important things to deal with and no time for your nonsense. Everyone should just mind their own business and stop making a scene,¡± Liu Baoshan said impatiently, not wanting to get entangled with Bai Yue and Bai Xiao any longer. How could Bai Yue possibly consider divorce? After so many years, with the children grown¡ªdivorce?

    That would be insanity. Since she wasn¡¯t actually going to divorce, she needed to stop causing trouble.

    ¡°Vige Chief, I want a divorce! I want to divorce Li Dashan!¡±

    Bai Yue¡¯s deration made Liu Baoshan halt in his tracks and turn back incredulously, ¡°You want a divorce?¡± He couldn¡¯t believe his ears. Had this woman from the big mountain gone mad?

    ¡°Yes, I want a divorce. The kind of life I¡¯ve endured at the Li Family, you¡¯ve seen but chosen to turn a blind eye because Li Dashan is from your Liu Family fortress, so you protect him. How many times he¡¯s beaten me until I couldn¡¯t get out of bed, and the vige turns a blind eye as if they don¡¯t know. I was prepared to grit my teeth and bear it! But today Li Dashan actually said he¡¯d let my son fend for himself. I¡¯m a mother, I can¡¯t watch my son die, so I want a divorce. I want money for my son¡¯s treatment. If you won¡¯t help, I¡¯ll go to the township, the town, the county, the province¡ªI refuse to believe there¡¯s nowhere that justice will be served,¡± Bai Yue¡¯s determination earned apuse from Bai Xiao. Her sister was mighty indeed.

    ¡°Vige Chief, I¡¯m a college student, and I¡¯m about to go to university. If we¡¯re going to sue, we really do know how to find the right door to knock on, so don¡¯t worry about us. This marriage¡ªit¡¯s over. Every penny in this household was earned by my sister and nephew. You say they won¡¯t survive without him, doesn¡¯t that make you feel ashamed? Rest assured, without Li Dashan, my sister will live a better life. She won¡¯t die,¡± Bai Xiao used Liu Baoshan¡¯s words against him.

    Only then did Liu Baoshan realize they were serious.

    ¡°Li Dashan, what do you say?¡± He couldn¡¯t handle this matter alone¡ªit depended on the couple. If Bai Yue¡¯s little sister was a university student, then there really wasn¡¯t much he could do. Could it really be that he¡¯d go as far as killing people for Li Dashan¡¯s sake? That was impossible.

    He didn¡¯t have such a good rtionship with Li Dashan, and if it weren¡¯t for the fact they were from the same vige, he wouldn¡¯t bother with a loser like Li Dashan.

    ¡°Our Dashan can get a divorce, but don¡¯t even think about taking a single penny with you!¡± An old voice interrupted, and without even looking, one could tell this was a shrewish olddy, Bai Xiao realized, this must be Li Dashan¡¯s mother.

    Do all olddies in this world like to make things difficult for their daughters-inw?

    Everyone turned their heads, Li Dashan hurried over, his face full of joy as he helped the olddy sit down. Just a moment ago, he was all slumped and dispirited, now suddenly he seemed to have a backbone and started to act high and mighty.

    ¡°Right, divorce is fine, but not a single penny can be taken away!¡±

    He repeated the olddy¡¯s words like a tape recorder.

    Bai Xiao looked over, noticing that the old Mrs. Li¡¯s face was etched with deep lines, especially those maliciousness hidden within those lines¡ªit was apparent that she was not easy to deal with.

    ¡°The money was earned by my sister. Why can¡¯t she take it away?¡± At this time, Bai Yue couldn¡¯t speak up, but that didn¡¯t mean Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t.

    Old Mrs. Li red at Bai Xiao, ¡°Why? Because your sister is shameless, having birthed this bastard with someone else. If our Li Family hadn¡¯t been generous, a woman who doesn¡¯t maintain her chastity like your sister should¡¯ve been hung with broken shoes and paraded through the streets. Just for this, our family won¡¯t give her a penny. Isn¡¯t that enough?¡±

    Bai Yue looked at the olddy¡¯s contemptuous gaze, feeling a chill in her heart. She remembered how her mother-inw had cried and knelt, begging her father to let her marry into the Li Family, promising to love her as her own daughter. But once Bai Yue married into the family, the olddy grew more and more miserly by the day, wishing she could drain Bai Yue¡¯s dowry to fill the family¡¯s needs, which indeed, she had done, using Bai Yue¡¯s dowry for the Li Family¡¯s expenses. Yet, the olddy still didn¡¯t trust her¡ªa truly chilling thought.

    ¡°Xiaosan is a child of the Li Family. I have done nothing to wrong Li Dashan, and I have a clear conscience,¡± Bai Yue said excitedly, wondering who in this world could prove her innocence.

    ¡°Hmph, a clear conscience? If you¡¯re truly innocent, then go smash your head and die, and then I¡¯ll believe you¡¯re innocent.¡± The olddy¡¯s eyes, sharp as triangles, shot out malicious beams. She truly wished for her daughter-inw to die! Over the years, the olddy had be more and more resentful when she looked at Xiaosan, wishing for nothing more than Bai Yue¡¯s death.

    With sorrow and anger in her heart, Bai Yue thought that she would never be able to clear her name in this lifetime. No one believed she had done nothing to wrong Li Dashan, and instead of living with such a reputation for the rest of her life, she might as well die¡ªend it once and for all, saving herself from others¡¯ scorn.

 Chapter 113 - 113 113 Shameless

    ?Chapter 113: Chapter 113: Shameless   Chapter 113: Chapter 113: Shameless                                   Bai Xiao had been watching Bai Yue closely and could tell from her distressed expression that something was wrong. She knew her sister had reached her breaking point and feared it might lead to a real tragedy. She couldn¡¯t let her sister die; the olddy was too malicious, intent on driving Bai Yue into a corner and trying to save even the divorce settlement money.

    Stepping forward, she firmly grabbed Bai Yue¡¯s wrist, ¡°Old Lady Li, under normal circumstances I would respectfully call you Aunt, but I never imagined you could be so heartless, ignoring even your own grandson! You demand my sister prove her innocence, fine, there¡¯s a technology avable in the city hospital now. By simply drawing blood from the father and child, it can confirm true parentage, though it costs money! I believe in my sister¡¯s character. Let her go for the test in the city, and when it¡¯s proven that Li Dashan is indeed the father, throw that report in his face. When ites to asking for half of the divorce settlement, forget it; the money that you and the children worked so hard for shouldn¡¯t end up funding Li Dashan¡¯s new marriage. Not a single penny should go to him.¡±

    Her words sessfully halted Bai Yue¡¯s despair. Bai Yue¡¯s eyes lit up upon hearing this. Li Haiping and Li Hai¡¯an both rejoiced and said, ¡°Auntie, is this really possible? Then we should take our brother for the test. We all believe he is most definitely our brother.¡± They knew the burden of such usations would follow their mother for life.

    ¡°We will earn whatever it costs. We can¡¯t let our mom suffer such wrongful usations all her life, nor can we allow our brother to be disparaged forever.¡± The two boys were ready to bear this adult responsibility.

    Bai Yue, too, nodded excitedly, ¡°Yes, Mom will earn the money, even if it exhausts me to death. We must get the test done for our brother. It¡¯s fine if Mom dies, but you are all good children. I won¡¯t let you be tarnished by rumors. Even if it means selling everything we own, we will get that test.¡±

    ¡°Such nonsense, who would believe that? Still trying to trick us country folks with your ideas, there¡¯s no such precedent from the past. Don¡¯t even try, you can¡¯t fool us,¡± Li Dashanpletely disbelieved and was fixated on getting a divorce, believing himself to be highly capable. With plenty of money, marrying another woman and having another son seemed a far better option to him than dealing with Bai Yue, whom hepared to a worn-out, fifty-year-old woman.

    The elderlydy nced at her son, knowing all too well what he was thinking. While she did not believe Bai Yue could do such a thing, Li Erzhu had long convinced Li Dashan that Bai Yue was worthless, and he was set on getting a divorce. Her words were aimed at protecting the money for her son. Of course, the olddy had never thought of abandoning her two grandsons; they were still Li family¡¯s children.

    Now, talking about DNA tests, their vige didn¡¯t believe in such unfamiliar concepts, nor had the time or money to pursue it. The olddy knew the sacrifices her daughter-inw had made for the family over the years. If she really had other intentions, why would she suffer so much here? Carrying stones was torturous work that even men struggled with; no one would let their men do it if they could help it.

    But her son had made up his mind, and she would naturally protect him.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t earn every penny in this house, what right do you have to speak so boldly, Li Dashan? Just for hitting my sister, that alone would be enough to get you detained at the police station. How dare you even say those words?¡± Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t understand how Li Dashan could be so shameless; probably because Bai Yue had spoiled the whole family.

    ¡°I¡¯m the head of this household, of course, I have the right. You can¡¯t sue me, don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know. The woman from Wang Laoshi¡¯s family triedining; it was just mediated by the Women¡¯s Federation in the end. Wasn¡¯t Wang Laoshi making a fuss at the Women¡¯s Federation every day? And didn¡¯t his wife eventually return? Scaring me? No chance!¡± Li Dashan was brazen because he saw that this was how others got away; thew indeed didn¡¯t do much about domestic violence.

    ¡°Fine, since you¡¯re so confident, big sister, pick up our brother and let¡¯s go. We¡¯ll head to the town government. Officer An¡¯s car is still around; we¡¯ll take some people to the county government office. I want to see if they care about life-threatening issues. I just want to see what luck Li Dashan will have.¡± It was a desperate choice; Bai Xiao truly wished she could end it all for Li Dashan right now; he was nothing but a rogue.

    It might be better not to divorce and instead wish for Li Dashan¡¯s death. It was the first time Bai Xiao harbored such malevolent thoughts.

    It made her ufortable, feeling that she shouldn¡¯t let others affect her sanity. Li Dashan dying would be too easy for him. No rush, was it just about who could be more shameless? She had lived through her life; she knew well that those who sought honor often died early.

    Vige chief Liu Baoshan became anxious. Taking this matter to the town government wouldn¡¯t reflect well on him as the vige chief. Without any action, just a single indictment of negligence could be thrown at him. This girl was much harder to handle than Bai Yue.

    An Zhiyuan waved to Li Haiping and Li Hai¡¯an, ¡°Come over and help, let¡¯s take your brother out.¡±

    Liu Baoshan, daunted, quickly intervened, ¡°No, Officer, we can speak nicely about this, can¡¯t we? Airing family dirtyundry in public isn¡¯t good. We can settle it at home. Why let everyone know and lose face? Even if not for the adults, think about the children; they have to live their lives.¡±

    An Zhiyuan patted Xiao San¡¯s head; the fever wasn¡¯t severe anymore, no wonder Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t worried; she probably had already checked on him. That¡¯s why she dared to stir things up now, ¡°Vige chief, we shouldn¡¯t interfere in local management, but to be fair, Li Dashan has gone too far, been too ruthless. It¡¯s not about being unrelenting. You see the boy, sick like this, not getting treatment, whose responsibility would it be if he died? That¡¯s a human life at stake, I can¡¯t just watch a life lost right before me. If the Li family is unwilling to pay for the divorce, fine, don¡¯t give the money, but once we reach the town government, someone should take charge. We¡¯ll see how much the child¡¯s treatment costs, and the Li family can¡¯t contribute any less. I¡¯d like to see if strength can twist therger thigh,¡± he said, making sure the vige chief understood their reluctance to make this public.

    Liu Baoshan was out of options then; An Zhiyuan clearly looked like a government official, and he had to keep this matter under wraps.

    He couldn¡¯t afford to get tangled in it himself.

 Chapter 114 - 114 114 Masterful Tactics

    ?Chapter 114: Chapter 114: Masterful Tactics   Chapter 114: Chapter 114: Masterful Tactics                                   ¡°Li Dashan, you should know when to stop; don¡¯t push people to the brink of death,¡± Liu Baoshan said in a low voice to Li Dashan and the elderly Li matriarch. ¡°I see that this sister and brother-inw are not pushovers. If you think you can get away without paying a cent and just let them leave, I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s impossible. If this really gets to the town, and the town leaders start handling things, even if you¡¯re very persuasive, they won¡¯t overlook a human life. And if the government really gets involved, I worry they might withhold your relief funds and grain subsidies. Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you beforehand.¡± His words suggested they should take a step back.

    Li Dashan himself felt apprehensive.

    If the government got involved, he, a mere peasant, would have no option but to ept his fate. He dare not lose face and act out against the authorities; they had plenty of ways to deal with him. But the thought of paying up still pained him.

    ¡°This¡­¡±

    The elderly Li matriarch saw that her son was too fixated on money at such a critical time. He showed no sign of relenting, not considering that Bai Yue was no longer alone; she had a formidable sister and a People¡¯s Liberation Army brother-inw on her side. At this moment, their family had no right to stand on.

    ¡°Vige chief, let¡¯s talk about this further. Since Dashan¡¯s wife wants a divorce, we can¡¯t stop her, but we must rify everything,¡± the shrewd olddy said.

    Li Dashan¡¯s face showed impatience, still feeling pain where Bai Xiao had kicked him fiercely in the lower back, not holding back any force. It would be strange if it didn¡¯t hurt.

    How dare his sister-inw hit him!

    Liu Baoshan nodded; as long as the olddy was willing topromise, there was room for negotiation. In the end, the Li Family still depended on the matriarch¡¯s decisions.

    ¡°Bai Yue,¡± Haiping and your mother-inw say, ¡°since you want a divorce, it¡¯s only right to settle things. You should get some of the money; after all, you¡¯ll need to provide for yourself post-divorce.¡± There was a loosening of their stance.

    As soon as Bai Yue heard this, she gripped Bai Xiao¡¯s hand tightly¡ªher son finally had a chance to be saved.

    If it meant saving her son, even if it cost her life, she was willing.

    Finally, the two families sat down to talk.

    The elderly Li matriarch nced at Bai Yue. ¡°Daughter-inw, since you¡¯re set on leaving, I won¡¯t hold you back. Speak your mind on how you want to handle this. As long as it¡¯s nothing excessive, we can negotiate. After all, you¡¯ve been with our family for so many years; if not for merits, at least for your hard work.¡±

    ¡°Mother, I don¡¯t want the house ornd; I just want to take half of the money I earned. I¡¯m also taking all three kids with me. Anyway, Li Dashan barely connects with them beyond hitting them. After he remarries, no stepmother would want half-grown boys around. They are better off with me. Even if I have to beg for food, I won¡¯t let my children starve,¡± Bai Yue stated. She felt her demands were nothing but fair, as she had already made enough concessions.

    Bai Xiao red; oh sister, you don¡¯t know how to negotiate at all, revealing all your cards so soon¡ªnow they will surely drive a harder bargain.

    But this was her elder sister¡¯s affair, and she couldn¡¯t make decisions for Bai Yue. She could only offer help when needed, not take over everything for someone else. That wasn¡¯t her role. If one day her sister regretted it, wouldn¡¯t she be med for tearing apart someone else¡¯s family?

    Upon hearing this, the olddy¡¯s smile indeed deepened the wrinkles on her face, and any trace of animosity she held seemed to stretch and dissipate. It appeared that her sister¡¯s request was something the olddy had anticipated all along.

    ¡°Bai Yue, I can give you half of the money, but as you know, the money you earned over the years has been spent on household expenses, and there¡¯s not much left. I only have four hundred yuan in my possession. If you want to leave, I¡¯ll give you two hundred yuan¡ªthat should be fair to you. What do you think?¡± The olddy knew how to negotiate. If Bai Xiao remembered correctly, Haiping had just mentioned that they had altogether handed over seven hundred and eighty-five yuan to the olddy, which seemed to have already been cut by more than half without any discussion.

    Bai Yue nodded, ¡°Alright, I have no objections to the money, two hundred it is!¡± She didn¡¯t fuss because she knew that if it really came down to it, and the olddy stubbornly imed to have no money, what could she do? Either way, the oue would be the same, so she might as well just take the money and leave quickly to get her son medical treatment.

    ¡°Good, I knew you were reasonable. However, I can¡¯t let you take the eldest and the second sons with you. No matter what, they are still the grandsons of our Li Family. It wouldn¡¯t be right for you to take them away¡ªthat¡¯s definitely not happening!¡± The olddy¡¯s following words took Bai Yue aback, as she had thought the olddy disliked her three sons and, like Li Dashan, probably couldn¡¯t wait for the four of them to disappear.

    Li Haiping and Li Hai¡¯an clung tightly to their mother¡¯s clothes. They couldn¡¯t bear to part with their mom, for Bai Yue was the kindest to them in this world. Despite the olddy¡¯s sweet words, every time they carried stones back, apart from asking for money, the olddy never even offered a smile. When their mom once carried stones alone in the mountains and there was nothing to eat at home, they went hungry and panicked to their grandmother¡¯s house. They watched as the olddy hid eggs in the cupboard and lied to them, iming there was nothing to eat.

    After making them drink a bowl of water, she sent them away, but at that time, she didn¡¯t say they were descendants of the Li Family, did she?

    ¡°Olddy, I must take the eldest and the second with me. Staying here, with Li Dashan marrying a new wife, they would undoubtedly suffer hardships.¡± Bai Yue was terrified and hurriedly begged the olddy.

    The olddy had drooping, triangr eyes and simply ignored Bai Yue¡¯s pleas, thinking to herself how Bai Yue thought she was so capable. The olddy was determined to have Bai Yue cough up all the money; to contest with her without considering her own capabilities.

    ¡°The eldest and the second are descendants of our Li Family and must stay in the Li Family!¡± The olddy was unwavering in her stance.

    Li Dashan wanted to say something, but a stern look from the olddy silenced him instantly, leaving him to squat quietly on the side.

    ¡°Olddy, I beg you, please let the eldest and the second stay with me, do show some kindness.¡±

    Bai Yue couldn¡¯t abandon the eldest and the second¡ªno one in the family treated her children well, and even Li Dashan likely had little patience for them. Leaving them behind was out of the question.

    The olddy was waiting for Bai Yue to kneel before her.

    Bai Yue dreamed of getting money from her hands.

    ¡°Bai Yue, it¡¯s not like I absolutely won¡¯t let you take the eldest and the second with you. As you know, they are, after all, the descendants of our Li Family. If you want to take them, fine, but Dashan will be heartbroken without his sons. So, you should leave the two hundred yuan to Dashan aspensation, and then you can take the children! Think it over! I¡¯m not pressuring you; my intention was not to let you take the children away.¡± The olddy¡¯s words chilled Bai Yue¡ªit was clear that she intended to leave them without a single cent and drive the mother and sons away.

    Bai Xiao sneered. The olddy truly had skills¡ªshe seemed reasonable and understanding, but in reality, she had set a trap all along. If you fell into it, it wasn¡¯t because she forced you; you did it willingly.

    Such high-handed tactics.

 Chapter 115 - 115 115 Giving a Wink

    ?Chapter 115: Chapter 115: Giving a Wink   Chapter 115: Chapter 115: Giving a Wink                                   Bai Yue hesitated, torn between a rock and a hard ce. This was the difficult quandary the olddy had posed to her¡ªif she kept her eldest and second sons, without any money, how would she afford the treatment for her youngest son? If she didn¡¯t give the money, her eldest and second sons would suffer. The olddy was forcing her, a mother, to abandon her own sons, making her children resent her.

    When she didn¡¯t respond after a while, Li Haiping, holding his younger brother, released Bai Yue¡¯s cor and said, ¡°Mom, my brother and I will stay at the Li Family, our home! We won¡¯t leave. Take the money and use it to treat the youngest, don¡¯t worry! We¡¯ve grown up. We can take care of ourselves.¡±

    Bai Yue¡¯s heart softened. Her sons did not want to put her in a difficult position.

    How could she be unaware of the close bond she shared with her eldest and second sons! How could they bear to leave their biological mother? They knew she needed the money, so they made the choice for her.

    Bai Xiao silently nodded in approval, thinking that the education the boys received from their eldest sister was indeedmendable! At this moment, their intentions were pure; they were willing to make sacrifices for their mother, not wanting to impose on her. Who would want to stay with such a father!

    She walked over to support Bai Yue, ¡°Sister, it¡¯s only right that my two nephews stay with the Li Family. Think about it, one nephew is sixteen, the other fourteen. It¡¯s not like these half-grown boys will eat their father out of house and home, and after all, he¡¯s their biological father. He won¡¯t let them starve, and in a couple of years, they¡¯ll need to prepare for their own houses before getting married. That¡¯s going to cost a sizable sum of money, and that¡¯s the father¡¯s responsibility. Even if it means borrowing money, he should take care of his sons¡¯ marriages! You, as a woman, do not have that capacity. It¡¯s better to take the money and go back to treat the youngest. Our house might be run-down, but it¡¯s still a roof over your heads, and though our plots ofnd are small, they¡¯re at least enough to prevent you and your son from starving. Don¡¯t worry too much. Mrs. Li, since that¡¯s settled, let¡¯s take the money and leave early so we can go treat the youngest. We can¡¯t afford to waste time.¡±

    Li Dashan had already jumped to his feet, pointing at the eldest and second sons and saying to Bai Yue, ¡°Take these two away quickly! Our family cannot afford to support such big burdens. But let¡¯s be clear, their future weddings and funerals have nothing to do with this father. I don¡¯t count on them to provide for my old age, and they shouldn¡¯t expect any inheritance or return from me.¡± When he heard about the trouble of supporting the eldest and second sons, not to mention their weddings, he was already headachy at the thought. How could he possibly keep them around?

    Bai Xiao signalled to the eldest and second sons with her eyes, hoping the two brothers were smart enough to understand her intentions at this critical moment.

    Li Haijun was initially shocked, but then it seemed he suddenly got it. His eyes lit up with joy, and dragging Li Haian, they both threw themselves at Li Dashan¡¯s legs! Each clinging to one leg, crying and shouting, ¡°Dad, you can¡¯t abandon us! If we go with mom, we¡¯ll end up begging. Granny¡¯s house is empty, our aunt still needs mom¡¯s support, and there¡¯s no money to feed us. Dad, we won¡¯t leave, we¡¯d rather die than go. We still need to provide for your old age.¡±

    Li Dashan was furious, ¡°I don¡¯t need you for my old age, get lost! Go with your mother who always wears that sour face. I can hardly support myself, let alone you. Rest assured, I won¡¯t need you to provide for me when I¡¯m old, just get lost, do you hear me!¡±

    The two brothers were stubborn and refused to let go. Li Dashan¡¯s anger surged, and with a kick, he sent the two brothers flying. As they fell to the ground and tried to clutch at Li Dashan¡¯s feet again, he quickly jumped back, ¡°Alright, take both with you. Just take the money and leave. I don¡¯t want to see you ever again.¡±

    ¡°Dad! Please don¡¯t abandon us!¡± The two brothers continued to wail.

    Bai Xiao was almost amused; the two were quite the actors.

    Bai Yue, heartbroken, pulled her sons to their feet, ¡°Your dad doesn¡¯t want you. Come with mom. Even if I starve to death, I cannot neglect you.¡±

    Grandma Li sighed, as the situation had gone beyond her control¡ªthis son of hers.

    She had been counting on getting two hundred yuan for her two grandsons. It wasn¡¯t that Grandma Li didn¡¯t care about her grandsons, but Bai Xiao¡¯s words had hit the nail on the head. Li Dashan was not close to his sons; he did nothing but beat or scold them. Although the eldest and the second could already carry rocks, they were still growing boys withrge appetites. If Bai Yue stayed to work thend in this family, at the very least, she could feed these two.

    If Bai Yue left, Grandma Li knew her son all too well; he was incapable of carrying on his shoulders or lifting with his hands. When the time came, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to provide for himself, let alone the two grandsons. Hoping to save money for a wife and building a house, how long could they carry rocks on the mountain? At such a young age, if they ruined their health and ended up with lifelong illnesses, they probably couldn¡¯t even afford the medical bills.

    ¡°Grandma, this is your family giving up on the two children. Since they are my sister¡¯s children, even if we have to eat chaff and swallow vegetables, we can¡¯t let our nephews go hungry. However, my sister alone supporting three children¡ªLi Dashan should contribute a living expense every month. Otherwise, how could my sister possibly provide for three sons all by herself? We in Liupan Vige don¡¯t have the work of carrying rocks,¡± Bai Xiao brought up the need for child support. If she didn¡¯t, Li Dashan and Grandma Li would probably still think Bai Yue was taking advantage of them, knowing full well that the child support was just like a verbalwsuit.

    Even when thew was soplete many yearster, when it came to child support issues, there weren¡¯t many good solutions¡ªit mostly depended on the individual. If you expected the court to enforce everything, it would be impossible to do so.

    As expected, upon hearing this, Li Dashan shook his head like a rattle drum.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any money. Just look at how poor my house is. I don¡¯t even know how to take care of my own mouth, let alone money for the two of them.¡± Li Dashan was smart for once, not outright refusing to pay but rather crying poor.

    Bai Yue tugged at Bai Xiao, knowing this was her sister¡¯s goodwill, but as long as she could take the money and care for her sons, she was already content.

    ¡°Grandma, since that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s settle this matter. The three children will stay with me. Apart from the two hundred yuan, I don¡¯t want anything else¡ªnot the house, not thend. If this is eptable, then please, vige chief, be our witness. Let¡¯s draw up a document and also have the vige chief write us a letter of introduction. We¡¯ll get the procedures done right away.¡± Bai Yue wanted to leave as soon and as quick as possible to treat her son¡¯s illness.

    Liu Baoshan looked at Grandma Li and Li Dashan, ¡°What do you say? They have agreed to your terms.¡±

    Li Dashan nodded, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do that.¡±

    Drafting the document was quick. Liu Baoshan wrote it, made three copies, and handed one to Bai Yue. Bai Xiao took it and read it carefully. The content was more or less the same as what had been discussed. She felt indignant; her sister had toiled for the Li Family all her life and this was the oue she ended up with.

    All three sides signed and made their thumbprints; it was akin to a homemade divorce agreementing into existence.

 Chapter 116 - 116 116 Going Home

    ?Chapter 116: Chapter 116: Going Home   Chapter 116: Chapter 116: Going Home                                   The olddy went back and brought two hundred yuan, handing it to Bai Yue. Bai Yue had already sorted out her sons¡¯ worn clothes with her two sons; they couldn¡¯t go without some clean clothes to change into. Bai Xiao told them to also pick up therge and small bags she had brought; she couldn¡¯t leave those things for Li Dashan and the others, even feeding them to the dogs would have been better.

    Bai Xiao snatched the money from the olddy¡¯s hand because she grabbed it hastily, her fingers tightly pinching the olddy¡¯s wrist. The olddy, displeased, jerked her hand away.

    Li Dashan saw it and wanted to say something, but An Zhiyuan kicked a stool, immediately ducking his head and shrinking his neck, hiding behind the olddy like a quail.

    The divorce procedures had to be done in the town the next day; it was not possible now. Bai Yue and Li Dashan had agreed that they would handle it first thing in the morning. Carrying their belongings, An Zhiyuan, with Little Sansan on his back, followed by Li Haiping, Li Haian, Bai Xiao, and Bai Yue, left the Li Family¡¯s gate.

    Bai Yue¡¯s eyes reddened, although she actually had little attachment to this home.

    But having lived in this ce for sixteen years, anyone would develop feelings for a ce, especially one where they had invested their efforts.

    Bai Xiao supported Bai Yue, ¡°Sister, everything will get better. Let¡¯s go home.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± Bai Yue nodded.

    Sitting in An Zhiyuan¡¯s car, Bai Yue suddenly realized she was divorced now, returning with her three sons; her grandmother and uncle would probably be the first to reject them.

    ¡°Xiao, I¡¯m not afraid of anything else, I just fear that grandma and uncle won¡¯t let me through the door.¡± Bai Yue really couldn¡¯t think of anywhere else she could go now.

    Especially with three sons, and the youngest being so sick.

    Bai Xiaoughed, patting her back, ¡°Big sister! Don¡¯t be afraid, we¡¯re going back to our home. You won¡¯t be eating from uncle¡¯s nor grandma¡¯s, what¡¯s there to fear? I haven¡¯t even had the chance to tell you yet, I¡¯ve moved back to our house, the vige chief and the instructor have helped me tidy it up. It¡¯s just right; you returning will give me somepany.¡± She understood Bai Yue¡¯s concerns about returning home after a divorce, naturally looking at the faces of her family members.

    Bai Yue probably still thought she lived with grandma and uncle; how could they show a pleasant face with her bringing three sons back?

    Bai Yue urgently asked, ¡°What happened? How did you move out? It¡¯s not safe for a young girl like you to live alone, such a big deal and you didn¡¯t even tell your sister.¡±

    She was worried about Bai Xiao.

    ¡°I just moved out a few days ago. Ever since grandma almost took my life, I realized that no nest is as warm as one¡¯s own. Although our parents are gone, that¡¯s our home. Living in uncle and grandma¡¯s house, I had to live at the mercy of others, with endless chores, and they still scolded me for loafing. This time I got into university, grandma even thought about stealing my admission notice to prevent me from attending college, forcing me to work in the city to earn money for Bai Shan and Bai Zhuang¡¯s bride prices.¡±

    Bai Yue clenched her teeth in anger; she had thought of her sister suffering under grandma and uncle, but she never expected them to be so calcting, ¡°Right. Moving out was the right choice. Once sister returns, don¡¯t worry, since you got into college, you should focus on your studies. I might not have other skills, but I am strong, and I¡¯ll find a way to earn enough money to support you through college.¡±

    This was indeed their parents¡¯ wish.

    Bai Xiao leaned on Bai Yue andughed, this was her family; the second sister was like this, the eldest sister too, and the eldest brother who hadn¡¯t replied to her telegram treated her even better. Although they weren¡¯t rted by blood, they were the closest people to her in this world.

    Bai Yue, worried, gently touched the youngest son who seemed to be burning up less now.

    He felt relieved.

    An Zhiyuan looked at Bai Xiao in the rearview mirror, What kind of life had this girl been living before?

    Just by seeing the tough lives her sisters led, one could imagine hers was even tougher, living alone with her grandma and uncle. No wonder she had almost died the first time he met her.

    Upon reaching home, the vigers were so fascinated by the car that the children followed its ¡®behind¡¯ jumping and shouting in delight.

    Bai Xiao opened the house door and let Bai Yue and the others in. She had An Zhiyuan move Little Sansan into her own room¡¯s ¡°kang¡± bed since it was the only one usable at the moment¡ª the one next to it was cleaned but damp since it had not been heated.

    After settling Little Sansan, Bai Yue wanted to find a doctor, but Bai Xiao stopped her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother, Big Sister. Little Sansan, I¡¯ll take care of him!¡± Bai Xiao saw An Zhiyuan had gone outside to chop wood and carry water, she pulled Bai Yue aside and whispered the same thing she had told Bai Ju to her.

    Sure enough, Bai Yue widened her eyes as she sized up her sister, her eyes filled with tears. It sounded miraculous, but of course, everyone understood that encountering such a situation meant walking a pathid by Lord Yama, hovering at the edge of life and death, nearly dead at any moment.

    ¡°Your second sister is right. Henceforth, insist to all outsiders that you learned this from our parents, and that¡¯s true. You did learn from them. This is the secret technique left by our parents, and from now on you will be the sessor of the Bai Family¡¯s Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture. Even when speaking to your nephews, the older ones, you must im the same. They are young and sometimes speak without consideration and might slip up,¡± she said.

    Bai Yue¡¯s advice echoed Bai Ju¡¯s word for word, which made Bai Xiaough uncontrobly.

    ¡°Alright, Big Sister, let me check on Little Sansan first.¡± Bai Xiao took Little Sansan¡¯s hand, felt it, and her special ability circted. Little Sansan had sweated a lot at home, and the fever had subsided for now. However, with such severe injuries on his leg, the fever might return in the afternoon.

    She took out her silver needle, rolled up Little Sansan¡¯s trouser leg, and gently twisted the silver needle into it.

    Little Sansan muttered something blurry in his sleep! Soon, Bai Xiao removed the needles and there was no sign of abscess on Little Sansan¡¯s leg anymore; it looked just like a healthy leg. Although his face was still a bit pale, he was sleeping soundly.

    Bai Yue was both shocked and pleased. She really hadn¡¯t expected the medical skills her parents had given her sister to be so impressive.

    It seemed like Providence had intervened; her sister must have been sent by their parents to save her own child.

    An Zhiyuan had already walked in! He lifted the quilt on the kang bed, wrapped Bai Xiao up tightly, and held her entirely in his arms.

    Bai Yue was perplexed. Was the instructor being too casual?

    There should be clear boundaries between men and women. Although she knew along the way that the instructor was her sister¡¯s fianc¨¦, under broad daylight, this seemed too much.

    Seeing Bai Yue¡¯s hesitancy, the instructor pointed at Bai Xiao, ¡°She gets extremely cold after treating someone, and I¡¯m warming her up. Big Sister, if you¡¯re not too busy, make some fresh ginger sugar water for her to drink, it will help her recover faster.¡±

    Seeing Bai Xiao shivering and curling up in the instructor¡¯s arms, Bai Yue finally understood the seriousness and, in her rush to help, nearly knocked her head on the door frame as she hurried out the door.

 Chapter 117 - 117 117 Household Registration

    ?Chapter 117: Chapter 117: Household Registration   Chapter 117: Chapter 117: Household Registration                                   Bai Xiao nestled in An Zhiyuan¡¯s arms, this time she deliberately focused on the sensation, and indeed, the moment she touched An Zhiyuan¡¯s body, a warm current soaked through from him, like a warm wave gently caressing her frozen limbs and bones, rhythmically corroding and recing bit by bit.

    Then the cold stream inside her waspletely driven out, without the usual coldness and trembling.

    Bai Xiao ced her hand on An Zhiyuan¡¯s chest, and indeed, the moment her cold hand touched his hot, firm chest, the warmth quickly dispersed the cold.

    Her spirit, which should have been weakened, also improved.

    Bai Xiao seriously considered that An Zhiyuan seemed to be her own Energy Potion, definitely without any side effects.

    How could that be?

    In herst life, it wasn¡¯t that no one warmed her up, she had tried warming herself by holding others, but it had no effect at all.

    She didn¡¯t know why meeting An Zhiyuan in this life was different; could it be that rebirth brought bonuses?

    This didn¡¯t make sense!

    In her past life, she had acquired her special abilityter than in this life, stumbling along the way to fortuitously understand the various intricacies of the special ability, but because she was reborn earlier this time, she acquired the special ability many years earlier¡ªcould it be because she acquired it earlier?

    That¡¯s not right! When she first started using her special ability to heal herself, it didn¡¯t relieve her at all; it seemed that it was only after An Zhiyuan¡¯s intervention that there was an improvement.

    That is to say, the keyy with An Zhiyuan.

    What was special about An Zhiyuan and herself?

    Their meeting was dramatic enough, could it be¡­?

    Was it because she had An Zhiyuan rescuing her when she acquired her special ability this time, hence An Zhiyuan had the ability to counteract the side effects of her special ability?

    That exnation seemed to make sense, yet it was not fullyprehensible.

    It looked like she needed to carefully weigh her rtionship with An Zhiyuan.

    Next time, she definitely wanted to try what her special ability¡¯s side effects would be like without An Zhiyuan, to conclude whether An Zhiyuan was that important to her.

    If An Zhiyuan had be her Energy Potion, then she really couldn¡¯t just hand him over to someone else.

    An Zhiyuan, feeling the heat in his face as the girl rubbed against his chest, subtly shifted his body to the side without a word.

    By the time Bai Yue finally made the Ginger Sugar Water and brought it in, Bai Xiao was already folding nkets as if nothing had happened, An Zhiyuan was outside fixing the window in the yard, the stove had been cleaned out by the two sons and had started burning, and by afternoon it should be suitable for sleeping.

    The other room was too damaged to be inhabitable, a fix was not a matter of one or two days, so today was not hopeful, but the two rooms were now fit for habitation.

    At that time, Li Chunmei and Liu Hong came to visit. They had already heard from the vigers that Bai Xiao and Instructor An had driven her sister and nephew back to the vige, and it was only right to check up on them. Li Chunmei figured that Bai Xiao¡¯s family had grain, but probably not vegetables, so she and Liu Hong picked a basket full of cucumbers, eggnts, string beans, hot peppers, and whatnot from their own field, and they also brought over about ten eggs as a gift.

    As soon as Bai Yue saw Li Chunmei, she hurriedly patted the dirt off herself and went to greet her.

    ¡°Auntie, I was just saying that once we get settled, I¡¯de over to visit. You showing up like this makes me look so thoughtless as a junior,¡± she said.

    Li Chunmei handed the basket to Bai Yue, ¡°Being formal with your auntie? I came over as soon as I knew you were back! Let your auntie know if you¡¯re missing anything at home. I won¡¯t stand on ceremony with you. Honestly, Bai Xiao is like a daughter to me; how can I, as her godmother, stand by and watch you two sistersck clothing or food?¡± she said with augh.

    Bai Xiao was stunned.

    What now?

    Since when had she be Li Chunmei¡¯s goddaughter? She, the person in question, had no clue.

    Li Chunmei, maintaining herposure, patted Bai Xiao, ¡°Xiao, don¡¯t you think your auntie doesn¡¯t deserve to be your godmother?¡±

    Half sincere, half cunning, Li Chunmei had for a while harbored this intention along with Liu Baoguo. Bai Xiao was alone and helpless, and they were perfectly positioned to lend her a helping hand by epting her as a goddaughter, thereby legitimizing the rtionship between the two families. Recently, seeing her daughter bing closer and more cheerful with Bai Xiao, Li Chunmei naturally hoped they would stay together.

    Having a rtionship made people more willing to help.

    Bai Xiao lowered her head, ¡°Yes, godmother, you¡¯re right!¡± This delighted Li Chunmei, as it seemed to acknowledge her as a godmother.

    ¡°Just saying it won¡¯t do; one of these days your godfather and I should host a meal, invite a few vige elders to witness, and formally acknowledge this kinship. Us being godparents, we must prepare something substantial; we can¡¯t let Bai Xiao down!¡± Li Chunmei was eager, almost wishing she could host the feast immediately.

    ¡°Godmother, don¡¯t rush,¡± said Bai Xiao, smiling, ¡°I¡¯m not greedy for those little things. My sister just came back and hasn¡¯t settled in yet, let¡¯s discuss thister, okay?¡± Li Chunmei was indeed an impatient one.

    Li Chunmei felt embarrassed; she was indeed too anxious.

    Seeing Bai Yue and the busy Li Haiping and Li Haian in the yard, she asked, ¡°You came back knowing that Bai Xiao got into college, to help her pack up, didn¡¯t you? It still requires an adult¡¯s hand, doesn¡¯t it? Being just a young girl, how could she handle everything? It¡¯s still up to us to make arrangements.¡±

    Thinking Bai Yue was back for Bai Xiao¡¯s sake, Bai Yue¡¯s face flushed red. Divorce was not something to be proud of in the countryside and would be looked down upon. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to speak of it, but she knew it couldn¡¯t be hidden for long, living year in and year out at her parents¡¯ home; people would start suspecting something.

    It was better to be upfront about it at the start rather than being found outter and have people think she was involved in some shameful, disheartening business.

    ¡°My sister and Li Dashan divorced. That Li Dashan had the nerve to watch his own son lying there unconscious and still refused to spend money on treatment. That man is cruel. He doesn¡¯t even want his three sons, imed he can¡¯t afford to marry them off or build houses, let alone support them. My sister had no choice but to bring her three nephews back. Auntie, please help my sister. After all, we are from Liupan Vige, and I wonder if you could get my sister and my nephews registered in our family¡¯s household book.¡± Having a household registration book was critical in the rural areas; it entitled them tond and food supplies. Otherwise, what would four people do, starve?

    Only then did Li Chunmei realize Bai Yue had gotten divorced and looked at the two young boys diligently tidying up, sighing, ¡°It¡¯s hard for women. People say it¡¯s scary for a woman to marry the wrong man. Your dad had no choice back then. When the Li family knelt at the vige entrance, if your dad hadn¡¯t married you off, the Li family would have made sure he¡¯d be shunned for life. We knew about it, and your parents were heartbroken to send you to suffer! But indeed, it was the Li family that saved your dad. Old man Li even died because of that incident, your dad had no choice; who knew the Li family could be so awful,¡± she said.

    The vigers all knew about this.

    But this affair caused quite a stir, well-known throughout the neighboring viges.

    Now, facing such a consequence, even old Bai and his wife, knowing about it, would likely be turning in their graves.

 Chapter 118 - 118 118 Registering for Household

    ?Chapter 118: Chapter 118: Registering for Household   Chapter 118: Chapter 118: Registering for Household                                   Bai Yue¡¯s eyes reddened, ¡°Auntie, you can¡¯t me my parents. I was eighteen at that time, understood the importance of things, and it was also me who begged my dad to marry me off. My dad would rather tarnish his own reputation for being ungrateful than marry me off, fearing I would suffer. Let¡¯s not talk about the past; I just want to live well with my kids, raise them, see them get married, and then I¡¯ll be content, my life won¡¯t have been in vain.¡±

    Li Chunmei nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about it anymore. I¡¯ll discuss this issue with your Uncle Baoguo when I get back! We¡¯ll think of a way for you, your household registration is manageable, but I¡¯m worried about the registrations for your three boys. They¡¯re always considered outsiders in the vige. But no worries, if ites to it, we¡¯ll deal with the vige directly, not overstep onnd, nor infringe on any residentialnd, and I think that should pose no objections.¡± That was also a solution; it wasn¡¯t that Li Chunmei wasn¡¯t willing to help, but even the vige chief couldn¡¯t be entirely unfair. When the time came, many eyes in the vige would be watching, certainly talk would arise.

    Liu Baoguo could only help secretly, providing some privileges with relief funds, personal plots, and even public grain. But agriculturalnd and residential bases were the lifeblood of the vigers! No one could likely rx their grip on that.

    Bai Xiao also knew that it was impossible to get fat with one bite, ¡°Godmother, it¡¯s okay, we still have my and my brother¡¯snd. Those two acres are enough to start with for now, we can slowly figure out the restter.¡± If worse came to worst, they could lease someone else¡¯snd to cultivate, as this was not without precedent.

    There would always be families unable to cultivate theirnds, needing others to share some of the burdens.

    ¡°Thank you, Auntie!¡± Bai Yue was immensely grateful.

    Returning to the vige wasn¡¯t just a homing; more issues would be encountered, yet Li Chunmei had already made her stance clear. With the protection of the family of the vige chief, the journey would surely be much smoother! Moreover, Bai Xiao knew that in the uing decades, people would move from the countryside to cities. Farming wouldn¡¯t be the only livelihood, as many had made their first fortunes in the present era.

    She had no reason not to help her sister¡¯s family embark on the path to a modest socialist well-being. Farming wasn¡¯t their pursuit.

    But settling down first was for certain.

    They would n for the long termter.

    Li Chunmei smiled and said, ¡°You speak wisely. Alright, you all pack up, and Aunt will go back and talk to your Uncle Baoguo to see how we can tackle this issue. Also, Xiao, thend under your grandmother¡¯s control needs to be reimed, which might require some talking, as your grandmother just came back yesterday afternoon. Since your sister has returned, you and your sister should check it out, having the stature of seniors; you¡¯re about to go to university and shouldn¡¯t leave behind any grounds for gossip.¡± This was for Bai Xiao¡¯s own good.

    Bai Xiao nodded and looked at Li Chunhua; of course, they needed to check, but not now, at least not until Li Chunhua had endured a few days of hardship.

    ¡°Aunt, look at the mess at home, my sister¡¯s youngest is still sick. We¡¯ll go once things are sorted here, but we¡¯re definitely going.¡± Bai Xiao exined the situation, and it was because this was Li Chunmei; if it were someone else, she wouldn¡¯t even bother to exin. The affairs of one¡¯s own family were beyond an outsider¡¯s understanding; they were living their lives, and if they cared too much about what others said, they probably couldn¡¯t live well.

    Liu Hong wanted to speak with Bai Xiao, but seeing how busy everything was, she knew she shouldn¡¯t add to the chaos and left with Li Chunmei.

    Bai Yue quickly emptied the contents of the basket, adding a package of glutinous rice strips, covered it with cloth, and handed it to Liu Hong to bring back, not just offering the vegetables but also including the basket itself.

    Upon receiving the basket, Liu Hong immediately felt something was off, lifted the covering cloth, and saw the package, ¡°Mom, look!¡± she showed it to Li Chunmei.

    ¡°Oh my, you girl, what are you thinking? Aunt gives you some vegetables from her own garden, and you load it up with a package of snacks; this is embarrassing for your aunt. Take it back, otherwise, Aunt will get angry.¡±

    Bai Yue prevented Li Chunmei from taking it out and gripped her hand tightly, ¡°Auntie, since you are Xiao¡¯s godmother, it¡¯s only proper by both reason and sentiment. When shees back, shouldn¡¯t she pay her respects to you? Please don¡¯t say anything more; if you keep being so polite, then it really seems like we don¡¯t consider ourselves as family.¡±

    Li Chunmei had no choice but to ept, ¡°But we should not do this again; if it happens next time, I won¡¯te to your house anymore. Isn¡¯t this like pping your auntie in the face?¡± She also knew that Bai Yue was worried she wouldn¡¯t help them with the household registration matter. Knowing that Bai Yue was overthinking, she was actually eager to have some connection with Bai Xiao. Helping Bai Xiao was for the future, and considering Bai Xiao had saved Liu Hong, the couple could only feel grateful.

    Li Chunmei and Liu Hong left.

    An Zhiyuan also packed up and was about to leave; Bai Yue wanted him to stay for a meal, but An Zhiyuan shook his head, saying he still had duties at the military base and couldn¡¯t bete.

    Bai Xiao stuffed a packet of rice cakes into An Zhiyuan¡¯s hands for him to eat on the road, feeling uneasy that he had helped her so much yet wouldn¡¯t even stay for a meal.

    An Zhiyuan did not refuse and drove off with the rice cakes.

    That very afternoon, Liu Baoguo held arge vige meeting, not specifically because of Bai Yue, but because it was time to collect the withheld funds. Whenever it was time to collect these funds, there would be much grumbling, but every vige was the same. At such times, the role of the vige chief and the public security director was clear. Anyone who dared not to pay would have the directore to their house to collect. If no cash was avable, they would take chickens, ducks, pigs, or any valuable belongings from the household.

    Generally, people dared not refuse to pay. As soon as the vige chief called a meeting, everyone understood that it was time. However, every year there were always a couple of stubborn households who refused to pay and caused a hugemotion.

    This was also Liu Baoguo¡¯s purpose for holding the meeting, to briefly mention Bai Yue¡¯s matter. While everyone¡¯s attention was on the withheld funds, Bai Yue¡¯s matter would be overlooked with hardly any objections, showcasing Liu Baoguo¡¯s cleverness.

    Indeed, as soon as the meeting started and everyone heard that each person had to pay eighteen yuan and twenty cents, the people at the brigade headquartersined loudly,menting theirck of money and the high withholding amounts. Since the withholding was calcted per capita, households with many members felt the burden heavily. Fortunately, Liupan Vige was better off since, due to its geographical location, transportation was rtively smooth, and vigers could earn some extra money by working outside during non-farming periods. Though trulying up short wasn¡¯tmon, no family admitted to having money.

    Thus, everyoneined together, hoping to reduce the amount they had to pay.

    So, when Liu Baoguo brought up Bai Yue¡¯s matter, people heard that it would not upy the vige¡¯s farnd or housingnd, they didn¡¯t pay much heed, preupied with how much they had to pay.

    Thus, the matter regarding Bai Yue was quickly settled.

    Bai Yue went the next day to process the divorce with Li Dashan and also transferred the household registration for Li Haiping, Li Haian, and Li Haishun out of the household. Since removing three people could save farnd and housingnd, the vige chief did not block it, and the household registration was smoothly processed.

    Liu Baoguo didn¡¯t even require them to run around; hepleted the process directly, and the materials just had to be delivered to the township police station to be finalized.

    Thus, the four of them were officially settled in Liupan Vige.

 Chapter 119 - 119 119 Hope

    ?Chapter 119: Chapter 119 Hope   Chapter 119: Chapter 119 Hope                                   Li Haishun got better that afternoon, bing conscious and immediately iming that he was hungry. After lying in bed sick for a few days, the strapping young man hadn¡¯t had a proper meal, so of course he was hungry.

    After Bai Yue asked Bai Xiao whether it was okay to eat, she made Li Haishun a bowl of noodle soup with bright red tomatoes, threw in a few spinach leaves, and topped it off with a poached egg. Li Haishun devoured tworge bowls in one breath; if Bai Xiao hadn¡¯t been worried he might overeat and stopped him, he could have eaten even more.

    Li Haishun, wiping the soup from the corner of his mouth, still seemed to crave more as he said to Bai Yue, ¡°Mom, the noodle soup is really delicious. Howe we are at Auntie¡¯s ce now? Dad won¡¯t be happy if he knows, right?¡± Ever since he was little, Li Dashan never looked at him with favor, never giving him a kind face, always either hitting or scolding him. His first worry was that Li Dashan would be upset.

    Because when Li Dashan was not happy, the one who suffered was his own mother. To protect him, his mother often endured beatings from Li Dashan, so Li Haishun was concerned about his father¡¯s potential anger. Even though being at his aunt¡¯s ce meant eating wheat noodles and eggs, he was more afraid of his mother getting beaten. He still remembered how fiercely Li Dashan had hit his mother right before he passed out; he couldn¡¯t let his mother be beaten for his sake.

    Bai Xiaoughed, ¡°From now on, you will live at your aunt¡¯s ce. Are you happy about that?¡±

    As soon as Li Haishun heard this, he was so joyful he almost jumped up, but then he looked anxiously at Bai Yue and asked, ¡°What about my mom and my older and second brothers? Can they stay too?¡± After asking this, Li Haishun probably realized it was unlikely everyone could stay at his aunt¡¯s ce. Shaking his head firmly, he said, ¡°Auntie, I won¡¯t stay; I want to live together with my mom and my older and second brothers.¡± Although in reality he truly wanted to stay¡ªhis aunt was so kind to him, always greeting him with a warm smile, never hitting or scolding him, and he could eat noodle soup¡ªnoodle soup was really delicious, and he had never tasted anything as good.

    But he thought it over, and to neglect his mom and brothers out of greed for good food was absolutely not an option.

    Bai Xiaoughed, ¡°Big sister, your third son really has a conscience. He will surely be filial when he grows up; you¡¯re going to be very blessed in the future.¡± She patted Li Haishun on the head.

    Bai Yue¡¯s lips curved into a pleased smile, a smile she had not had for many years. She vaguely remembered having forgotten how to smile, the bitterness of life having made her forget that days could pass so easily andfortably.

    ¡°All I wish is for them to seed one by one, and to live safely and smoothly as the years go by. I am fine with anything!¡±

    It was just a simple wish from a mother.

    Bai Xiao sighed, ¡°Big sister, it seems your heart is entirely set on your sons. Little third, in the future you, your mom, and your older and second brothers will all live at your aunt¡¯s ce, and you will never see your dad again. Are you willing to do that?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Li Haishun¡¯s eyes sparkled, ¡°Really, we will all live at Auntie¡¯s ce and don¡¯t have to go back? And we won¡¯t have to see Dad?¡±

    Bai Xiao nodded.

    ¡°Mom, is it true?¡± The child couldn¡¯t believe it and turned to Bai Yue for confirmation.

    Bai Yue also nodded with a smile.

    Li Haishun immediately jumped high with excitement, cheering, ¡°I¡¯m willing, I¡¯m willing! Mom, I¡¯m so happy!¡± He hopped and jumped on the kang bed until Bai Yue hastily stopped him.

    ¡°Stop jumping around. If you break the kang, where are your aunt and I going to sleep tonight?¡±

    As soon as Li Haishun heard this, he quickly sat down obediently, his actions careful, as if he was afraid the kang bed would copse because of him.

    This amused Bai Xiao to no end.

    ¡°Then my dad must be angry, right? Will he beat us even harder?¡± Although Li Haishun really wanted to stay at his aunt¡¯s house, he didn¡¯t want Bai Yue to be beaten because of it. Every time his mom protected him, she ended up being beaten ck and blue by his dad, who on several asions left her lying in bed, unable to get up.

    ¡°Your mom and dad are divorced! She took you three brothers back to live with grandma. From now on, even if our lives are tough, we won¡¯t have to worry about your dad beating people,¡± Bai Yue tried to exin to the twelve-year-old Li Haishun.

    Li Haishun nodded understandingly, but inside, he felt like countless bubbles of joy were emerging.

    Deep down, Li Dashan didn¡¯t like him, and he didn¡¯t like Li Dashan either; sometimes, he even hated Li Dashan, because all he got from being with this dad was suffering and beatings, especially when Li Dashan beat Bai Yue within an inch of her life. There were times Li Haishun wished that dad would just die, or else their whole family would continue to suffer.

    Now that he could leave Li Dashan, Li Haishun suddenly felt a weight lifted off his shoulders. Without that scumbag dad, he had no regrets, and wouldn¡¯t mind if he didn¡¯t have a father for the rest of his life.

    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry, if we don¡¯t have money, I¡¯ll help you carry stones. When I grow up, I¡¯ll definitely be good to you,¡± said Li Haishun, thinking Liupan Vige was just like Liu Family Fort.

    Bai Xiaoughed so hard she clutched her stomach in pain. After herughter subsided, she tousled Li Haishun¡¯s hair and said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to carry stones. You¡¯ve got your aunt and your mom. You just need to focus on your studies. In the future, be an educated person with real skills, go to university, and then take good care of your mom.¡±

    Li Haishun nodded earnestly, repeatedly. He liked going to school.

    But when Bai Yue heard about going to school, she got worried. She only had two hundred yuan in her hand, and soon they would have to pay the retention fees. It was eighteen yuan and twenty cents per person. For five people, that was ny-one yuan, which would take away half her money right away. They definitely wouldn¡¯t have enough grain tost until autumn. Furthermore, thend was still under the control of her younger brother Bai Jianguo, and the harvested grain wouldn¡¯t be shared with them. Even if they reimed theirnd and sowed in the spring, they wouldn¡¯t reap any grain until the next year. How would they survive this year? One hundred yuan wouldn¡¯tst until next year.

    Bai Xiao could tell what was on her mind just by looking at her.

    ¡°Sis, I¡¯ve already been admitted to university. I¡¯m going to the provincial capital for college in September, so you don¡¯t have to pay my retention fee. Also, here¡¯s three hundred yuan for you because the grain definitely won¡¯t be enough. For now, buy some from the vigers to make do. Next year, when we harvest our own grain, things will get better. And even though we can¡¯t grow grain this year, it doesn¡¯t mean we won¡¯t have any ie. You can use the money you have to raise pigs and chickens, then sell them at the end of the year for some ie. Liupan Vige is different from Liu Family Fort. We can do small business and go to the big markets to make some money. Han Daniu and others from our vige are doing business in the markets, and it seems very profitable¡ªtheir big tile-roofed houses were built long ago. We can definitely make it!¡± Sheforted Bai Yue, implying that living people can¡¯t be choked to death by urine¡ªit really isn¡¯t much of a problem.

    As long as one is willing, there are still many things to do now.

    ¡°Xiao, can doing business really work? Won¡¯t we be caught as an example of something?¡± Bai Yue, who had been living in Liu Family Fort for years, where news was scarcepared to Liupan Vige, still had the mindset of the seventies.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. With the national reform and opening up, leaders are encouraging everyone to develop the economy. Go and see¡ªevery household is trying to make money. Pigsties and chicken coops are full. In my uncle¡¯s house, I am taking care of two pigs and more than a dozen chickens. Just from selling pigs and eggs, we earn a decent sum each year. So don¡¯t worry, life will get better and better.¡±

    Bai Yue immediately nodded. She had not anticipated how easy it would be to survive here as opposed to the struggles she envisioned. Indeed, even if nothing else works out, she could always raise pigs and chickens. After all, isn¡¯t livestock raising something every peasant family knows how to do?

    She suddenly felt that there was something to look forward to, and the future seemed bright.

 Chapter 120 - 120 120 Discussion

    ?Chapter 120: Chapter 120 Discussion   Chapter 120: Chapter 120 Discussion                                   Li Haishun looked at his aunt, and secretly made up his mind that he must be a person like her, go to college, bring honor to his ancestors, and moreover, he could see many things in his aunt that were different from others. His aunt was educated and knew a lot. With just a few words, she had smoothed the furrows of his mother¡¯s worried brow. He determined that he must be someone who could not only help others but also his own family.

    Clutching three hundred yuan, Bai Yue asked, ¡°Where did this moneye from?¡± She had never held so much money in her life. Today, the two hundred yuan her grandmother had produced was already more than enough to make her content, but now, looking at it here, her sister must have had it prepared for some time, just hadn¡¯t taken it out, that¡¯s all.

    Bai Xiao smiled and said, ¡°I went to see the second elder sister. She was nearly dead, but I brought her back to life, so in gratitude, they gave me one thousand yuan. I¡¯ve kept three hundred for our second elder sister. I was nning to leave you three hundred today when I visited, but seeing the way Li Dashan acted, I thought this money shouldn¡¯t be brought out. If it were brought out, it might as well feed the dogs, and it¡¯s still better to secretly give it to you. At least this money would go to my nephews, which is better than giving it to the ungrateful Li Family.¡±

    ¡°Now that you¡¯re back anyway, it¡¯s the perfect time since buying pigs and chickens all costs money, as does buying grain. Though the vigers don¡¯t ask for ration tickets, they still expect payment. Don¡¯t be too frugal. Look, all three nephews are growing. If the boys don¡¯t eat well, when it¡¯s time for them to grow, it will be toote. Don¡¯t think about saving money.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to the provincial capital. The university takes care of tuition and living expenses, and I can still work part-time to earn some pocket money. Later, I can still help subsidize you. You can¡¯t neglect the kids just to save money,¡± Bai Xiao worried that Bai Yue, used to economizing, might be reluctant.

    Bai Yue faltered, ¡°But how can I take your money? I¡¯m your elder sister. I¡¯m embarrassed enough for not having prepared travel money for you, let alone relying on my younger sister for support¡ªI¡¯d have no face to live. I let down our parents.¡± Her heart was in turmoil. Rationally, she knew she needed the money, but emotionally, she understood even more that she had no right to ept it.

    Bai Xiao red, gripping Bai Yue¡¯s hand tightly, and pressed the money into her palm, ¡°Big sister, what are you talking about? I¡¯m your sister; you¡¯ve looked after me for so many years. No one owes anybody anything. Now that I¡¯m capable, why shouldn¡¯t we help each other? Don¡¯t worry, I still have four hundred yuan. That¡¯s enough for all travel expenses to the school, you don¡¯t have to worry about me. If you need to worry, worry about how to make our lives better.¡±

    Bai Yue¡¯s tears flowed down her cheeks; she never thought that her little sister would be the one to help her in the end.

    Li Haishun, watching his aunt and mother talk, suddenly came over and wiped the tears from Bai Yue¡¯s eyes, ¡°Mom, just take the money. When I grow up, I¡¯ll make sure to take good care of my aunt,¡± he understood in his young heart how good his aunt had been to them.

    Bai Yue nodded her head.

    Her son was right; what was the point of being overly sentimental now? Her sister was able now, and what she should do was not to drag Bai Xiao down. By getting the household in order, only by not relying on Bai Xiao could she ensure that Bai Xiao could live well in the city.

    ¡°Alright, Xiao, I¡¯ll take the money. There will be plenty of time in the days toe. I know your intentions, sister, and my family will surely live better day by day,¡± Bai Yue said.

    Bai Xiao nodded, smiling, ¡°That¡¯s right! By the way, it¡¯ste today. Tomorrow you need to go through procedures, and the day after tomorrow, we should visit grandma. It¡¯ll be a good opportunity to talk to our uncle and handle the matter of taking back thend. I¡¯m sure that couple has some schemes in mind.¡±

    Bai Yue said, not without worry, ¡°I¡¯m afraid the uncle won¡¯t give up thend. You know how our uncle is; he only takes, never gives. Having farmed thatnd for so many years, will he really be willing to give it up?¡± That was her concern. She and her children could buy grain for one year, but they couldn¡¯t afford to buy it every year.

    Bai Xiao thought for a moment, ¡°No worries, if the uncle really refuses to give up thend, when I go to the provincial capital, you alle with me. We¡¯ll settle down and make a living in the city, and that¡¯s better than vige life.¡± She actually preferred her elder sister not to stay in the vige because life in the vige, especially when close to the uncle and grandma, wouldn¡¯t bring any good fortune. Both were troublemakers. Bai Yue, a divorced woman who had returned to the vige, would inevitably face much disdain; it would be better to leave than stay.

    Bai Yue might be worried, but Bai Xiao was not worried at all. With the reform and opening-up policy, as long as you work hard in the city and are not afraid of hardship, the days of her sister and the others would only get better. They certainly wouldn¡¯t be unable to make ends meet.

    Bai Yue sighed, knowing that her sister was trying to reassure her. It wasn¡¯t so easy to make it in the city, and just procuring enough food to eat was a concern. She knew that city dwellers needed a residence booklet to buy food. Without it, even if you had money, you couldn¡¯t get food.

    Bai Xiao knew that saying anything now was futile. She couldn¡¯t tell her sister that she was reborn, aware of the future¡¯s major developments. That would just scare Bai Yue to death.

    However, thinking of visiting Li Chunhua, Bai Xiao wondered how Li Chunhua was doing now? She hoped Bai Jianguo wouldn¡¯t disappoint her. Bai Jianguo and his wife were the kind who wouldn¡¯t wake early without a profit in sight. Given the olddy¡¯s current condition, she guessed that Hao Fang wouldn¡¯t let her off easily. The olddy¡¯s days recently must have been ufortable.

    The more ufortable, the better! It would be more interesting when the situation rebounded. After all, wasn¡¯t the olddy the only one who could suppress Bai Jianguo?

    Even if Bai Jianguo didn¡¯t care about the vigers¡¯ opinions, the family¡¯s house was still in the olddy¡¯s name. When the time came, as long as the olddy drove Bai Jianguo¡¯s family out, Bai Jianguo would truly be penniless.

    So, even if just for the sake of the family property, Bai Jianguo dared not treat the olddy poorly. Of course, it was different now that the olddy was paralyzed. Since she couldn¡¯t speak or go out for everyone to see, she naturally had to bear any grievances herself.

    Only then did Bai Jianguo dare to act recklessly, without any apprehension.

    At this moment, in the small room next to Bai Jianguo¡¯s family pigsty, Hao Fang was cursing and grumbling. She forcefully threw Li Chunhua onto the straw mat. The quilt that had been soaked with Li Chunhua¡¯s urine was just thrown on top of her, reeking to high heaven.

    ¡°Olddy, look at yourself. How old are you now? Don¡¯t you find it embarrassing to wet the bed? How can you not hold in your ¡®pig¡¯s dder¡¯? Look¡ªout of kindness, I¡¯ve made your meal, and you went and spilled it. If you don¡¯t want to eat, you should at least say something. It¡¯s such a waste to spoil good food.¡± While saying this, she swept the cornmeal mush on the floor into a dustpan and then dumped it away. Even the pigs couldn¡¯t eat it, as there were porcin bowl fragments in it that could harm them.

    Li Chunhua was so angry she panted heavily, but Hao Fang didn¡¯t even nce at her.

    ¡°Since you don¡¯t want to eat, fine, you won¡¯t have dinner tonight. That¡¯ll save you from wasting food and breaking bowls, olddy! If you had any sense, you¡¯d pass on sooner rather thanter. That way you wouldn¡¯t have to suffer while alive, and nobody else would suffer because of you. You don¡¯t even see that I¡¯m the only one taking care of you now. Does anyone else spare you a nce? Even your ¡®filial¡¯ son doesn¡¯t have the time to look at you. Be content! And you¡¯re ring at me? I¡¯ll give you a reason to re!¡± Hao Fang pinched the olddy fiercely a couple of times to vent her anger.

    She stormed off, fuming.

    Li Chunhuay there in pain¡ªnot just physically, but with a hunger that gnawed at her stomach and a deeper ache in her heart. She felt a seething hatred. She wanted to devour Hao Fang and Bai Jianguo alive. Her own son now saw her as useless and couldn¡¯t even bother toe by for a look. Oh, heaven! Why didn¡¯t divine punishment strike down these unfilial beings?

 Chapter 121 - 121 121 The Land is Gone

    ?Chapter 121: Chapter 121 The Land is Gone   Chapter 121: Chapter 121 The Land is Gone                                   On the third day, Bai Yue and Bai Xiao brought a package of rice cakes to Bai Jianguo¡¯s house.

    As they entered, Hao Fang was feeding chickens in the courtyard. Upon seeing the two, her gaze was sharp as knives, her face full of mockery.

    ¡°Well, well! Whose daughter-inw has run off to our ce? Must be at the wrong door, right?¡±

    Just the day before yesterday, during the vige meeting, the couple had found out about Bai Yue¡¯s divorce and her return to the vige. They were both anxious because their previous calctions hade to naught! Bai Xiao¡¯s bridal gifts were definitely off the table, but they were counting on Bai Xiao leaving for school. Once that house was empty, they thought they still had a chance.

    But now, with Bai Yue back with her three children, there was no room for them. They couldn¡¯t very well drive people out.

    It was her parents¡¯ house, after all; they had no reason or excuse to expel anyone.

    So, they resorted to cold taunts and unfriendly faces.

    ¡°Auntie, where¡¯s uncle? We¡¯re here to see my grandma; she¡¯s in the house, right? We¡¯ll go in to see her,¡± Bai Xiao had no intention of engaging with Hao Fang, who was a real piece of work. She had stirred trouble so many times it would be strange if she hadn¡¯t been involved.

    Hao Fang stretched a foot out to block their way, pointing towards the back courtyard, ¡°Your grandma is staying in your room. After she came back, sheined about not having peace and insisted on moving to your room. If you want to see her, go there. As for what you¡¯re holding, there¡¯s no need to bring it along. Your grandma can¡¯t eat that. I¡¯ll have to soak it in water first and feed it to her bit by bit.¡± She reached out her hand, clearly intending to snatch the rice cakes.

    Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t allow that and shook her head, ¡°No need to trouble yourself, auntie. I¡¯ll take it over. I can break it into pieces and feed her myself.¡± She pulled Bai Yue and headed towards the back.

    Bai Jianguo had already heard themotion and immediately came out to call out.

    ¡°Bai Yue, stop right there. Uncle wants to have a word with you.¡±

    Bai Yue stopped, and Bai Xiao stood her ground as well.

    ¡°Xiao, go see your grandma. There¡¯s nothing for you here!¡± Bai Jianguo, recalling how Bai Xiao had talked back to him several times, found her too clever forfort and couldn¡¯t stand to have Bai Xiao around. He wanted to send her away.

    Bai Xiaoughed, ¡°Uncle, I came with my sister! Of course, we¡¯ll go together. Otherwise, grandma might think my sister doesn¡¯t want to see her. I won¡¯t put my sister in that position, right. Is there anything you can¡¯t say in front of me?¡± The idea of being dismissed was out of the question.

    Bai Jianguo¡¯s slick tongue was more than enough to deal with Bai Yue, and Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t going to wait around for Bai Jianguo to do something despicable, all because her older sister had returned.

    Bai Jianguo¡¯s face darkened. This Bai Xiao was getting less and less respectful, ¡°Bai Xiao! You¡¯re a grown woman, not a clueless child. You should know your ce! Didn¡¯t your parents teach you anything? No matter what, I¡¯m still your uncle, your elder. What is the meaning of this attitude?¡±

    ¡°Uncle! If the elder acts like an elder, then the younger will act like the younger. My parents did teach me, oh they did. They said when encountering nonsensical and worthless types, regardless of whether they¡¯re elders or not, if they try to bully our family, we must not be polite. Otherwise, some people will just take advantage and go too far.¡± Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t let Bai Jianguo push her around.

    Bai Yue tugged at Bai Xiao, ¡°Uncle! If you have something to say, just say it. My sister is part of the family, is there anything she can¡¯t hear?¡± She was backing Bai Xiao up.

    Bai Jianguo was so angry his nose was almost crooked. Every single one of them at home was rebellious.

    ¡°Fine! Since you want me to speak, I will! I didn¡¯t want your sister here initially, to save you the embarrassment, but since you don¡¯t care, it¡¯s not my ce to say. I am your uncle, your father¡¯s gone! Of course, I have to say some things. What¡¯s this about a divorce in the family? How honorable is a divorce? The children are all grown up, and you, already of a certain age, still want to mimic others and divorce? Let me tell you, our Bai family doesn¡¯t entertain the idea of divorce. You better take your three children and go back, apologize to your mother-inw and husband, no matter what they say! Get back to your life there. The Bai family doesn¡¯t keep the divorced.¡±

    There lies the motive.

    Bai Yue¡¯s expression turned dark. Her uncle was really trying to drive her into a corner. She and Li Dashan were already at this stage; even if she took the children back, Li Dashan wouldn¡¯t reconcile with her. He didn¡¯t want her to stay at her own home.

    ¡°Uncle, you still know you¡¯re an uncle? You¡¯re not my parents, and you have no say over our house. My sister¡¯s divorce must be because life became unbearable. Look at how Li Dashan beat my sister. You may not care, but I do. My sister will live with our family from now on, and no one should even think about driving her out. If anyone dares toe to our door, sister, just have Haiping and the others chase them off with wooden sticks. I¡¯d like to see who can boss our family around.¡± Bai Xiao said coldly, looking at Bai Jianguo, which left him with a green face, knowing that with Bai Xiao there, he couldn¡¯t aplish anything.

    ¡°Bai Yue, since you won¡¯t listen to my advice, then fine, from now on, your family and ours should have nothing to do with each other. I can¡¯t afford to lose that face,¡± Bai Jianguo dered coldly, issuing an ultimatum.

    ¡°Okay, uncle, if that¡¯s the case, then you might as well return the two acres ofnd to our family. Thatnd belongs to my parents, my brother, and me. It¡¯s only right that we take it back. My sister would rather starve than step foot in your household.¡± Bai Xiaoid it out directly. Bai Jianguo wanted to have his way by throwing a tantrum and smooth things over, but that was not going to happen.

    Hao Fang stepped forward, ¡°Oh, Bai Xiao, but you can¡¯te to us for that. Your family¡¯snd was farmed by us because your family had nobor force. Later, since we didn¡¯t want to toil for others, your grandmother and your brother Bai Song agreed to transfer thend to your grandmother¡¯s name. Thatnd is no longer yours; it¡¯s clearly stated in ck and white. You can¡¯t reason with us about this; it¡¯s ournd, and not even the vige chief could forcefully take it.¡±

    ¡°Well then! If that¡¯s the case, we trust that uncle and aunt wouldn¡¯t deceive two orphans like us. Let¡¯s go and see grandma,¡± Bai Xiao said without any nonsense. Given Li Chunhua¡¯s character, she might indeed have done this. After all, Bai Song wasn¡¯t home, and it wouldn¡¯t have been difficult to pressure him into agreeing when he depended on others for food. No matter how stubborn Bai Song was, he had to consider his sister, so it was highly likely their family¡¯snd was now under their grandmother Li Chunhua¡¯s name. In that case, it would be nearly impossible to get it back.

    It seemed her guess was right. The path ahead for Bai Yue was indeed not in Liupan Vige.

    No matter what, if Bai Jianguo wanted to live a peaceful and good life, it probably wouldn¡¯t work out. Bai Xiao, pulling Bai Yue, hurried away. The olddy should be taken care of.

 Chapter 122 - 122 122 Overdoing the Treatment

    ?Chapter 122: Chapter 122: Overdoing the Treatment   Chapter 122: Chapter 122: Overdoing the Treatment                                   As the two approached the door of the house, Bai Yue¡¯s tears began to fall, and she clenched her sister¡¯s hand tightly, ¡°Did you used to live in this room?¡± She hadn¡¯t forgotten what their aunt had just mentioned¡ªthat this had been Bai Xiao¡¯s room before, right next to the pigsty, visibly dpidated, low and damp, reeking of stench. Her own sister had actually lived here, treated worse than pigs while they still sent their grandmother living expenses every month.

    Even though the years at Liu Family Fort had been tough, she had still lived like a human being, but her sister, for four long years, had stayed in her uncle¡¯s home¡ªwhat grievous, deep-seated grudge did they hold to treat this young girl so cruelly?

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, sister. The past is the past; we can¡¯t keep looking back,¡± Bai Xiao knew what Bai Yue was thinking.

    But how could the past be retrieved? Every time Bai Yue and Bai Ju came back, she was out front working! Who would know she had lived here?

    Before the evening, the two sisters had to rush back home. Who knew she was treated this way?

    Even if Bai Song returned, he didn¡¯t stay here, and she was like a mute gourd, not uttering a word. Her brothers and sisters didn¡¯t know. She med herself for not being assertive. Her siblings couldn¡¯t be with her all the time, and thus, she had been kept in the dark for so many years.

    The two pushed open the door and stooped to enter.

    The strong smell of urine, overpowering even the neighboring pigsty¡¯s stench, assaulted them. They saw Li Chunhua who didn¡¯t even have pants on, merely covered with a sheet, lying there barely alive, seemingly only moments away from passing. It was a terrifying sight.

    Bai Yue hurried over, ¡°Grandma, Grandma.¡±

    Li Chunhua had been subsisting on just a bowl of cornstarch sludge for three days now, starving nearly to death. Lying there, she had even harbored thoughts of death. In her heart, she repeatedly cursed Bai Jianguo and Hao Fang vehemently. If she ever got better, she would make these ungrateful wretches pay dearly, but currently, they were living well while she neared starvation.

    Lying there waiting to die was an unbearable feeling.

    Just as Li Chunhua thought she might die, she suddenly heard someone calling her ¡°Grandma,¡± and turning her eyes, she saw the tear-stained face of Bai Yue right before her.

    The olddy, ovee with emotion, sped Bai Yue¡¯s wrist tightly, her strength surprising even herself, and Bai Yue was startled.

    Li Chunhua¡¯s voice came out as grunts, saying something, but sadly Bai Yue couldn¡¯t understand.

    ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t panic. I¡¯ll fetch some water to clean you up first; you can¡¯t stay like this. How could my uncle and aunt be so heartless?¡± Bai Yue went out, fetched a basin of warm water, and began to clean the olddy. Three basins of water were changed before they managed to make the olddy presentable.

    Li Chunhua, with tears brimming in her eyes, watched her granddaughter cleaning her up. She swore in her heart that she would never be distant from her granddaughter again. Unlike Bai Jianguo, who was born crooked, no one in his family was decent, not remembering that she herself was part of that very foundation.

    Bai Xiao opened the wrapper of the rice cake, broke off a piece, and started feeding it to Li Chunhua bit by bit. Li Chunhua, famished, clutched Bai Xiao¡¯s hand tightly, afraid she would leave¡ªthe feeling of hunger was torturous.

    Seizing the opportunity, Bai Xiao used a bit of her special ability on the olddy. She didn¡¯t n to heal herpletely but definitely aimed to make her better than she currently was, as she couldn¡¯t bear the shivering cold. Soon, the olddy felt much better and began eating the rice cake more quickly.

    ¡°Grandma, eat slowly. Has my uncle not fed you for several days? How could you be so hungry?¡± Bai Yue reproached, seeing the olddy looking as starving as a hungry ghost reborn.

    Bai Xiao shook her head, ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be the case. Our grandma has always been very good to my uncle and his wife; she¡¯s always prioritized them. How could my uncle treat grandma like this? It¡¯s impossible!¡± Adding fuel to the fire is easy for anyone.

    Bai Yue red, ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s impossible? Are you saying what I saw was fake? Look at this ce, is it fit for humans to live in? And for a sick person? My uncle went too far; I¡¯m going to confront him! We can¡¯t just leave Grandma here! This is outrageous.¡± She was truly angry. She hadn¡¯t expected Bai Jianguo to treat Bai Xiao poorly, let alone his own mother; it was lower than beasts.

    ¡°My uncle said Grandma insisted on this herself. She probably doesn¡¯t want to burden his family. Grandma has always been so good to my uncle. How could he possibly do such inhuman actions? Even a tiger knows to be good to its parents, let alone a human. Is my uncle even worse than a beast?¡± Bai Xiao finished feeding thedy her turnip cake.

    ¡°Grandma, eat a little less; I¡¯ll leave the rest here for you to eat whenever you want.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing we didn¡¯t leave any for auntie. I had a feeling she wouldn¡¯t keep the turnip cake for Grandma¡¯s sake. Look, it¡¯s good that we didn¡¯t leave any behind.¡± Bai Xiao pped her hands.

    ¡°Lift¡­ me¡­ out, I want to¡­ expose those¡­ two¡­ beasts. I want¡­ them¡­ to not¡­ have¡­ a peaceful death.¡± The olddy suddenly spoke in broken sentences, startling Bai Yue. Then she surprisingly discovered that the olddy¡¯s mouth was not crooked anymore, nor were her eyes squinted, and although her speech was intermittent, she could talk again.

    Suddenly, Bai Yue turned to look at Bai Xiao, and Bai Xiao nodded.

    ¡°Grandma! You¡¯re all better, you¡¯re cured!¡± Bai Yue was moved, not because Li Chunhua was cured, but because Bai Xiao, despite past grievances, had cured the olddy. She had no idea Bai Xiao did it on purpose.

    This had all been nned by Bai Xiao long ago. Her special ability could also kill a person silently, but death was not the best oue. She had suffered so much; how could just one death be satisfying? They must live, living in torment and a life worse than death was best, they had to taste the suffering she went through!

    Li Chunhua, as ruthless as she was, was instigated by Hao Fang. How many misdeeds in this household were not backed by Bai Jianguo and Hao Fang? If the olddy died, that couple would be truly carefree. Bai Xiao was not about to let Bai Jianguo and Hao Fang have an easy life. The olddy was very useful.

    The olddy touched Bai Yue¡¯s hand, thinking to herself that this was truly her own granddaughter. She hadn¡¯t treated them well over the years, exploiting their money, but her granddaughter still wholeheartedly wished for her well-being.

    ¡°Girl, help me¡­ get out. I want to¡­ see the vige chief. Bai Xiao, you¡­ go call¡­ the vige chief.¡±

    Bai Xiao nodded, fully agreeing. She waspletely on board.

    First, Bai Yue and Bai Xiao helped the olddy into a pair of pants, then the two of them lifted her up. Unexpectedly, as soon as the olddy was supported to her feet, she stood up.

    At that moment, Bai Xiao looked at her own hands. Be proud; this is overdoing the energy work! The olddy¡¯s legs and feet had also be nimble.

    The olddy indeed refused to be carried, letting Bai Yue support her. She really staggered out, initially unstable but gradually became more sure-footed.

    Bai Xiao immediately rushed out to find the vige chief.

 Chapter 123 - 123 123 Will

    ?Chapter 123: Chapter 123 Will   Chapter 123: Chapter 123 Will                                   Bai Yue supported the olddy as they walked to the front courtyard, where Hao Fang was still tidying up the pigweed, preparing to feed the pigster.

    The sight of Bai Yue helping the olddy over suddenly caught her by surprise, nearly blinding her.

    She blinked in disbelief for a long time! Her mouth hung open in shock, as the olddy could actually walk?

    My God, how could this be?

    Hadn¡¯t the doctor said that the most the olddy could do was shuffle a few steps with support, and without rehabilitation she couldn¡¯t possibly walk? That had been the case ever since she left the hospital. Could it be that the sight of her granddaughter had excited her so much that she could walk?

    Remembering the olddy¡¯s previous hardships made her feel restless.

    She stood up hastily, ¡°Hey, Bai Yue, why are you bringing out your grandma like this? Aren¡¯t you afraid she¡¯ll fall? Whose fault will it be then? Hey Dad, Dad,e out and see this!¡±

    Bai Yue exined, ¡°My grandma asked me to help her out, saying she had something to say!¡±

    Bai Jianguo lifted the curtain and came out. He still felt somewhat ufortable in front of his own mother. He couldn¡¯t speak against Li Chunhua in front of others, as he still wanted to maintain his dignity. He could only turn and scold Bai Yue, ¡°Bai Yue, what nonsense are you talking about? Your grandma can¡¯t speak at all; where would she talk to you? Bai Xiao is up to no good, and now you too? You think only of deceiving others all day. I¡¯m telling you, even if you help your grandma out, it¡¯s pointless. Hurry up and take her back. Threatening me won¡¯t work.¡±

    Bai Xiao had already turned things upside down; was it so that even Bai Yue wouldn¡¯t listen to him now?

    p!

    Bai Jianguo covered his face in disbelief, looking at the olddy standing before him, her hand raised. Such crisp ps, one front-handed, one back-handed, scorched his cheeks, almost making him doubt his own eyes. Indeed, it was Li Chunhua who had pped him.

    Pointing at Bai Jianguo¡¯s nose, Li Chunhua cursed, ¡°Who are you calling a liar, you unfilial son? I¡¯ll kill you for your unfilial conduct. You beast, I am your own mother, your own mother who raised you from the diaper stage, found a wife for you, and helped raise your children. Having just fallen ill, you threw me into that shabby back room and let your wife abuse me. Did you want me dead so you could seize the family property, is that it?¡±

    Bai Jianguo, still covering his face, felt embarrassed to be pped by his mother at his age. But what truly made it unbearable was the olddy¡¯s clear and articte words. The events of the past few days were damning enough.

    Bai Jianguo, making a snap decision, resolved to kneel and apologize to the olddy. He was her only son after all, and she was counting on him to care for her in her old age. He was sure she wouldn¡¯t sever ties with him.

    Before he could bend his knee, Liu Baoguo, Li Chunmei, Li Guoqing, and vige officials like the women¡¯s director Wang Meihua arrived, quickly filling the courtyard with people.

    ¡°Vige Chief!?¡± Bai Jianguo watched as Bai Xiao emerged from behind the vige chief and scurried over to Li Chunhua¡¯s side, where Bai Yue was already assisting the olddy.

    Actually, Liu Baoguo had already heard the gist from Bai Xiao on the way there. Bai Xiao had described the conditions in which the olddy lived and what he had seen. This was enough to make everyone suspect that Bai Jianguo was guilty of elder abuse.

    Seeing the olddy trembling in the courtyard, he immediately called to Bai Xiao and Bai Yue, ¡°Quick, help the olddy inside, let her lie down on the kang. If we have anything to discuss, we can do it inside. We can¡¯t just leave the elderly standing out here.¡±

    Bai Xiao agreed immediately and helped Li Chunhua into the house. It was the olddy¡¯s room not long ago, and in just a few days, Hao Fang had already cleared it out for herself and her husband, because the whole room was spacious and bright. The bed and cabs, made from solid wood, were still sturdy. Hao Fang had long coveted the olddy¡¯s possessions, and now she and her husband werefortably using the new bedding stored in the olddy¡¯s cab.

    Upon entering the room, Bai Xiao didn¡¯t utter another word but spread out the bedding for the olddy, helped her onto the kang, removed her shoes, and let her sit up against the pillows.

    Liu Baoguo and the others entered the room.

    Bai Jianguo felt a pang of guilt, knowing full well his actions wouldn¡¯t stand up to scrutiny. He quickly red at Hao Fang, ¡°Why are you still standing there? Hurry up and move some stools, pour some water!¡±

    Hao Fang nced inside the room and whispered, ¡°The olddy¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s my mother!¡± Bai Jianguo snapped.

    Hao Fang immediately got the hint and felt relieved; even if the olddy were Sun Wukong, she wouldn¡¯t be able to escape from The Buddha¡¯s palm.

    She enthusiastically arranged small stools for the officials and poured a bowl of sugar water for each of them. This time she didn¡¯t skimp; the sugar wasn¡¯t spared.

    ¡°Auntie, if there¡¯s anything wrong, why did you call us here? Tell us, if there¡¯s anything we can do, we will definitely help you out!¡± Liu Baoguo said, looking at Li Chunhua. Normally, Li Chunhua didn¡¯t have a good reputation in the vige¡ªknown for being a shrew¡ªbut even if she was a shrew, she was still one of their vigers, and now that she was so sick, what was the point of holding grudges?

    Li Chunhua pointed at Bai Jianguo and said, ¡°Vige chief, this unfilial son¡­¡±

    Seeing things going south, Bai Jianguo hurriedly fell to his knees in front of his mother¡¯s bed and said, ¡°Mother, what¡¯s wrong with you? If your son has done anything to upset you, you can hit or scold me, but we¡¯re family. I would never be unfilial and will definitely take care of you until your dying days.¡± He was reminding the olddy that he was her only son.

    His mother knew exactly what she feared most.

    ¡°Today, in front of the vige chief, I want everyone to see what you, Bai Jianguo, are really like! I¡¯m your mother. If I want you to take care of me in my old age, then you must do so. If you dare to be unfilial, just you try. Vige chief, the house andnd in this family are all in my name; I, the old woman, saved every penny to build this courtyard. Today, I want to make a will in front of everyone.

    If I die a natural death, peacefully, with this son by my side looking after me, then all this will be his. But if I meet an untimely death, if it¡¯s unclear how I die, or if he takes his daughter-inw and grandchildren to live separately, then all these assets will go to Bai Song, not a penny will be left for Bai Jianguo.¡± The olddy¡¯s words left everyone stunned.

    Because in the countryside, wills were something fanciful from the city folk.

    Moreover, the olddy¡¯s words carried a massive implication¡ªit was almost as if she was saying Bai Jianguo was plotting to kill for her wealth.

    Bai Jianguo almost copsed onto the ground; his mother was truly not going to let him off.

    She was really out to ruin him.

    ¡°Mother, why would you say that? If there¡¯s anything I¡¯ve done wrong, just tell me. Why must you do this? Even if you leave me out of your will, I¡¯m still your son, and I¡¯ll still care for you and show filial piety.¡± Bai Jianguo wept bitterly.

    The olddy slowly rolled up the sleeve on her arm, and as everyone¡¯s gaze fixed on it, Wang Meihua was the first to gasp in shock. What was this¡­ What was¡­ stripe after stripe, mark after mark, widespread, isted, new and old, the bruises spoke for themselves.

    All eyes turned to Bai Jianguo, filled with disbelief, suspicion, and doubt¡ªit was clear to anyone that these were the marks of pinching and beating.

    Bai Jianguo actually abused his own mother!

 Chapter 124 - 124 124 Shifting Responsibility

    ?Chapter 124: Chapter 124 Shifting Responsibility   Chapter 124: Chapter 124 Shifting Responsibility                                   ¡°Bai Jianguo, what is going on?¡± Wang Meihua asked directly. She was the vige women¡¯s director in charge of these matters. Who would have thought that Bai Jianguo, always honest and kind-hearted, would abuse his own mother? Everyone knew that Li Chunhua treated Bai Jianguo very well, loving him with all her heart. The mother and son were always seen as loving and filial in the vige. Yet, this time, it hade to this.

    No one was not shocked. It¡¯s not to say that the vige was full of filial sons; there were plenty who shirked their responsibilities and were unwilling to support their elderly parents! But Bai Jianguo had always been a good man.

    Yet a good man does not spare cruelty when it harms others.

    Bai Jianguo¡¯s mind raced with thoughts. He knew about Hao Fang¡¯s mistreatment of the olddy; he had seen it in the hospital. He had simply turned a blind eye, as the olddy wouldn¡¯t speak and was paralyzed. As long as nothing overly inappropriate happened publicly, he wouldn¡¯t speak out. After all, that was how the olddy had treated Bai Xiao initially, and he didn¡¯t see anything wrong with it.

    This is probably what they call educational discipline through personal example.

    Bai Jianguo was indeed Li Chunhua¡¯s own son, perfectly mastering her teachings.

    If Li Chunhua knew, she would probably regret why she had treated Bai Xiao that way. Bai Xiao, even if not close, was still better than Bai Jianguo, the ungrateful son.

    Now that the incident had blown up, it was impossible to deny it. With so many watchful eyes, the Director could immediately send him to the police if he was found abusing the elderly. Not to mention, if the vige chief decided to hold a meeting to criticize and educate, Bai Jianguo¡¯s family wouldn¡¯t be able to live in the vige any longer. There would be no ce for them in Liupan Vige, although they could remain shamelessly! But with such a reputation, how could his son ever find a bride?

    Bai Jianguo always had the ability to make quick decisions. Turning around, he suddenly stood up and approached Hao Fang step by step.

    ¡°Good for you, Hao Fang. I entrusted my mother to you, asking you to take good care of her, and this is how you do it? I wholeheartedly believed you would take proper care of the olddy. I believed everything you said. The olddy has been good to us over these years, yet this is how you treat our mother? You dare to abuse an elderly person?¡± He delivered a p and a kick, sending Hao Fang flying out of the house door, where she fell in the courtyard, clutching her stomach and moaning.

    Li Guoqing grabbed Bai Jianguo, not wanting to witness a fatality.

    ¡°Speak if you want to talk, but if you¡¯re going to hit your wife, wait till we leave and close the door behind you. Don¡¯t disgrace yourself in front of us,¡± said Li Guoqing, a straightforward man but not a fool. How could a son not see his mother being abused?

    What did that indicate? Bai Jianguo had never really cared for the olddy. And why hadn¡¯t he? It just confirmed what Bai Xiao had said about the olddy being left in a small house next to the pigpen. Otherwise, how could he not have seen anything if he were home every day?

    Pointing at Hao Fang, Bai Jianguo said, ¡°That damned woman, to treat my mother this way! I won¡¯t forgive her; I¡¯d be failing my mother.¡± He then lunged towards his mother¡¯s bed. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s my fault, isn¡¯t it? I didn¡¯t notice. I thought she was diligently looking after you. It¡¯s all my fault. I¡¯ve been overwhelmed these past days, barely managing with the care,ing back from the town, so much work at home and in the fields, nothing going smoothly, my head hurts from worrying so much. I neglected home, letting this woman deceive and dominate. But mom, rest assured, from now on, I¡¯ll stay by your side and ensure you never suffer the slightest injustice. If I¡¯m unfilial, may I be struck by thunder.¡±

    Having sworn his oath, Bai Jianguo knew the gravity of the situation. The olddy was sharper than she appeared. Despite treating Bai Jianguo well over the years, she never transferred the title of the house ornd to Bai Jianguo¡¯s name. Even the estate titled to ¡®The Elder Bai¡¯ had been transferred to the olddy¡¯s name. In fact, Bai Jianguo only possessed five acres ofnd and didn¡¯t even own a homestead; even if he did, he couldn¡¯t afford to build a house.

    When the house was originally built, Bai Jianguo had nned for his own family to live there, never contemting setting up a separate household.

    He knew exactly what he was capable of. Without the olddy, what did he have?

    Not to mention finding a bride for his son.

    ¡°Bai Jianguo, stop beating around the bush. The vige chief and the Director are both here, so let¡¯s just finalize this document today and save everyone a trip.¡± Li Chunhua was determined to make the will.

    For Liu Baoguo and the others, it was merely a matter of being witnesses. Soon the document was prepared, and the elderlydy stamped her handprint, followed by the vige chief and everyone else stamping their handprints and signing. The matter was settled. Liu Baoguo dusted himself off, stood up, and said, ¡°Auntie, you take good care of yourself; we will be going now. Meihua, since you are the women¡¯s director,e by Auntie¡¯s house once a week from now on to make sure she isn¡¯t suffering any mistreatment without Jianguo knowing¡ªa socialist country like ours shouldn¡¯t allow such treatment of the elderly.¡±

    This demonstrated ack of trust in Bai Jianguo and his family.

    Wang Meihua agreed, ¡°Auntie, I¡¯lle and see you every other day, you mustn¡¯t get tired of me.¡±

    Knowing the good from the bad, Li Chunhua gratefully held Wang Meihua¡¯s hand, continuously thanking her.

    Seeing Li Chunhua¡¯s haggard and aged appearance, Liu Baoguo and the others also felt a pang of sadness. There¡¯s a saying that no child can serve well at the bedside of chronic illness, yet it had only been a few days.

    Many sighed as Liu Baoguo and his group finally left. No one paid attention to Hao Fang, who was wailing in the yard. There were many ungrateful daughters-inw in the vige, but their doings were clear¡ªthey openly refused to take care of the elderly, but at least they did not mistreat them.

    No one would sympathize with what Hao Fang did.

    And indeed, they could not sympathize. Everyone gets old, so sympathizing with her would be like telling one¡¯s own children that it¡¯s eptable to follow in her footsteps.

    It¡¯s not like anyone¡¯s brain just went haywire.

    Once Liu Baoguo and his team had left, Bai Jianguo sat down in front of Li Chunhua.

    ¡°Mom, please calm down, I know I was wrong. You¡¯ll still stay in this main house, and I will definitely take good care of you.¡± Bai Jianguo was now scared that the olddy would really kick them out. Bai Zhuang was about to get married, and if he didn¡¯tply with the olddy¡¯s wishes now, he would be out of options. Therefore, the immediate priority was to appease the olddy.

    Li Chunhua looked at Bai Jianguo skeptically; she knew her own son too well. He was very good at pretending, and it was fortunate she had safeguarded against Bai Jianguo and his wife, or else she would¡¯ve had nothing good left.

    ¡°Second son, since you know your mistake, I won¡¯t say much. From now on, your wife will move to that small house next to the pigsty in the backyard, and also bring me the money from my kang cab.¡± It was time to reim her rights and seek revenge.

    Bai Jianguo was taken aback, ¡°Mom, how can anyone live in that small house by the pigsty?¡± As soon as he said this, Li Chunhua¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°So you know that ce is uninhabitable? Then howe I was living there? If I can live there, why can¡¯t your wife? Is she something precious? If you¡¯re not happy, you can join her, I won¡¯t stop you.¡± The olddy red at Bai Jianguo with a murderous look.

    The moment Bai Jianguo thought of the pigsty, he immediately gave up his intention of pleading for Hao Fang. The olddy was simply out to torment people.

 Chapter 125 - 125 125 Internal Conflict

    ?Chapter 125: Chapter 125 Internal Conflict   Chapter 125: Chapter 125 Internal Conflict                                   ¡°Where¡¯s my money?¡± The olddy was relentless.

    Bai Jianguo nced at Bai Xiao and Bai Yue¡ªwhy were they so oblivious, standing there like wooden pirs? Didn¡¯t they see that he and his mother were talking?

    With those two present, Bai Jianguo couldn¡¯t muster his usual charming act; he was too embarrassed, he still had some pride.

    As soon as the olddy caught Bai Jianguo¡¯s look, her face darkened, ¡°Why are you looking at Bai Yue and Bai Xiao? I¡¯m talking to you! Where¡¯s my money? Bring it here¡ªthat¡¯s my nest egg, not a penny less will do!¡± When Bai Jianguo pouted, his olddy knew exactly what was up.

    Bai Xiao and Bai Yue treated Bai Jianguo as if he were invisible¡ªit wasn¡¯t that Bai Xiao didn¡¯t want to leave, but a family quarrel like this was a dramatic spectacle not to be missed. Curiosity was human nature, and Bai Xiao was no exception. After all, it was a scene he had orchestrated; it would be a pity not to watch it unfold.

    Bai Jianguo had no moves left.

    ¡°Mom, which part of your illness and hospital stay didn¡¯t cost money? It¡¯s all gone! I just don¡¯t have the capability,¡± hemented. His wife Bai Mei had cleaned out their funds, leaving nothing but hopes pinned on thest two hundred yuan left with his old mother.

    Li Chunhua sneered, ¡°All spent?¡± That was over six hundred yuan of her savings, and they had only been in the hospital for a week. Did they think she was a fool? Every day the nurses and doctors made their rounds, spoke loud and clear¡ªshe wasn¡¯t deaf and could understand perfectly well. They had said her illness wasn¡¯t life-threatening, just required some IV drips and injections. The day Bai Jianguo and Hao Fang had gone to visit Bai Mei, she had clearly seen Bai Shan and Bai Zhuang settle the hospital bill for just over two hundred yuan. There should be more than four hundred left from her six hundred.

    She saw right through Bai Jianguo¡¯s sly maneuvers.

    ¡°Second son, I heard from Bai Shan and Bai Zhuang that the hospital bills came to just over two hundred when you were discharged. Give me back the rest. Otherwise, I¡¯ll have no choice but to get the vige chief toe back and arrange for you to move out,¡± the olddy threatened. ¡°Your father made it crystal clear when he divided the property that this old house is ours, and has nothing to do with you kids. You said you had no ce to live, so you stayed here temporarily,¡± she added. Bai Jianguo knew she meant business; she would kick him out if he didn¡¯tply.

    In desperation, Bai Jianguo said, ¡°Mom, it¡¯s true, the money is all spent¡ªthe hospital charged over two hundred! But Bai Mei took all the money we had at home, and not only did she lose it, she also got fined a hundred by the police. We had to eat and drink at the hospital, too, and now there¡¯s nothing left but two hundred yuan. And Bai Zhuang is about to get married; your son can¡¯t evene up with the betrothal money. Mom, Bai Zhuang is also your grandson, don¡¯t you care that he can¡¯t get a wife and start a family?¡±

    Li Chunhua held out her hand, ¡°Give me those two hundred yuan. I¡¯ll write off the rest as a loss to the dogs. Let me make myself clear; any ie from the harvest in the future, I want the money from my share. You all eat and live under my roof¡ªno one¡¯s eating for free. Fifteen yuan a month, that¡¯s the rate for your whole family staying here, and even that¡¯s me being generous,¡± she asserted, her resolve unyielding.

    Ever since Bai Jianguo and Hao Fang had abandoned her in that little room to fend for herself, the olddy had spent those agonizing days vowing that once she got better, she had one thing left to do in life: sort out Bai Jianguo and his family, or she wouldn¡¯t be Li Chunhua.

    Bai Jianguo was dumbfounded¡ªfifteen yuan a month?

    It wasn¡¯t that they couldn¡¯t earn it. A year¡¯s harvest could a couple of hundred yuan, and with some odd jobs, father and sons could make about a hundred more. But that was the main source of ie for the household. To give the olddy fifteen yuan a month would amount to one hundred eighty yuan annually¡ªmore than half of their ie gone. How would they manage Bai Shan¡¯s marriage? They would be old and gray by then.

    ¡°Mom, both Bai Shan and Bai Zhuang are yet to be married. Even if you don¡¯t consider your son, you should at least have pity for your grandsons,¡± he pleaded, hoping she¡¯d soften for the sake of her grandsons.

    Li Chunhua sneered, ¡°Grandson? I don¡¯t have any grandsons, sitting by as their grandmother gets thrown into that back room without saying a word. Do you think I¡¯m a fool? Let me tell you, even if you¡¯re not living under my roof, you still have to pay for the elderly care, and not a dime less. If you dare not pay, I¡¯ll go to the vige, the township, themune to sue you. I¡¯m shameless now anyway, facing an unfilial son, what face do I, as a mother, have left to worry about?¡±

    She had already figured it out, the vige and the township would not allow such things to happen. The vige chief would have to stand up for her. Bai Jianguo¡¯s yearly sale of the state grain quota had to go through the vige, he had no choice but to pay even if he didn¡¯t want to.

    Bai Jianguo suddenly stood up, staring fiercely at the old woman. The olddy had her heart set on making life difficult for him.

    Li Chunhua spoke calmly and deliberately to Bai Jianguo, ¡°Tell your wife, I want to eat white flour noodles at noon, make sure to nest two eggs in there for me, and the seasoning on the braised dish should be stronger. I¡¯m tired of the tasteless corn porridge thesest few days!¡±

    For Bai Jianguo, there was no need to weigh his options. He didn¡¯t have the capability to leave the olddy and strike out on his own. He had no capital in his hands, and even if he were to leave the olddy, she would probably not allow him to live a better life. Rather than that, he might as well endure and see who could oust who.

    ¡°Then I¡¯m going!¡± Bai Jianguo left, seething. Today had been an extreme stroke of bad luck. How had the olddy suddenly gotten better? This was simply him attracting misfortune.

    It seemed thattely even drinking cold water would give him a toothache; one stroke of bad luck after another was reaching new heights.

    Seeing Hao Fang who had already picked herself up from the ground and was sitting on a stool wiping her tears, anger surged uncontrobly, ¡°Get moving and cook for Mom, didn¡¯t you hear the olddy wants noodles, with the braised sauce stronger, plus two poached eggs? I¡¯m telling you, from now on you better take extra care of the olddy, or else I¡¯ll skin you alive.¡± It was clearly a case of disced anger.

    Hao Fang was so angry she couldn¡¯t speak! The scene just now was because Bai Jianguo was looking for an excuse in front of the vige chief. Hao Fang understood that, but now that the vige chief had left, he still dared to treat her like this, did he think she was made of y?

    She sprung up and lunged forward, scratching Bai Jianguo¡¯s face with both hands.

    ¡°Good one, Bai Jianguo! I¡¯ve been working myself to death for this family, and look at how you repay me, daring to hit me. Who am I doing this for? Who am I doing this for? If you¡¯re so capable, then kill me, and we¡¯ll see if my real brothers can spare your life. You still dare to throw your weight around, see if I care. From now on, don¡¯t eat the food I make; I refuse to believe that without you, Bai Jianguo, I couldn¡¯t live.¡±

    When Hao Fang started to create a scene, Bai Jianguo couldn¡¯t handle her. Her hands were quick, and in an instant, he felt a burning pain on his face and several marks on his neck.

    Bai Jianguo pped Hao Fang across the face.

    ¡°You¡¯re insufferable, get lost! I want a divorce. Let¡¯s see if you have the nerve to tell your brother and sister-inw how you¡¯ve been abusing my mother, and see if they¡¯d still have the face to step foot in my house.¡±

    Hao Fang was shocked by these words. If this matter reached her parental home, her brothers and sisters-inw wouldn¡¯t be able to support her; she wouldn¡¯t have a leg to stand on.

 Chapter 126 - 126 126 Plan

    ?Chapter 126: Chapter 126: n   Chapter 126: Chapter 126: n                                   ¡°But¡­ but you agreed to it too,¡± Hao Fang said with little confidence.

    Bai Jianguo grabbed her by the cor of her clothes and questioned her fiercely, ¡°I agreed? When did I ever agree to any of this? Huh, did I consent to you hitting my mom, or did I say it was okay for you to not feed her? All I agreed to was for the olddy to move into the small room at the back, what else did I consent to? Go on, tell me, you im you have evidence or witnesses¡ªjust empty words from your mouth as if I, Bai Jianguo, said those things. Go out and ask around; see who would believe you.

    ¡°I am the olddy¡¯s own son; who would believe you over me! Do you believe that if I divorced you, making you leave the house with nothing, everyone would still apud me, saying I did well? They¡¯d call me a good son, a filial son, who kicked out a disrespectful daughter-inw for his own mother. Guess if that would add anotheryer to Bai Jianguo¡¯s reputation.

    Do you need me to say what your fate would be if you went back? Your three brothers wouldn¡¯t get out of bed early if there¡¯s nothing in it for them; you¡¯d be freeloading, and it¡¯d be a wonder if your sisters-inw gave you a warm wee. Think carefully about it, as I, Bai Jianguo, won¡¯t be at a loss at all.¡± Bai Jianguo had it all figured out; Hao Fang was brainless. She had some clever schemes, but ultimately, she feared power and bullied the weak. If he didn¡¯t keep a tight grip on her now, he would suffer in the future.

    True to his words, Hao Fang copsed onto the floor, her legs giving way under her.

    She clung to Bai Jianguo¡¯s leg, ¡°Dad, you can¡¯t do this; we¡¯ve been married for a day which is as sacred as a hundred days of grace, our three children are all grown now; how can you say such heartless things? I have been devoted to this family, I will listen to you from now on, isn¡¯t that enough? I was wrong.¡± She couldn¡¯t get divorced; what else could she look forward to if she did?

    ¡°Not divorcing is fine too, but you should move into the small room at the back,¡± Bai Jianguo took the opportunity to suggest. In any normal circumstance, Hao Fang would have made an endless fuss over such a suggestion.

    As expected, Hao Fang was stunned, ¡°Dad, Dad, how could you?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s what the olddy demands, and as you know, she has grievances that need to be aired out. Just stay there for a few days, and once I¡¯ve sweet-talked the olddy, you can move back. Didn¡¯t you see her today, looking fierce enough to chase us all out? Think about the house, thend, and all the family property; if we¡¯re thrown out, we won¡¯t even have a ce to live. Can Bai Zhuang¡¯s marriage still go on? It will surely be ruined. At least you should serve the olddy properly and humble yourself. We can¡¯t afford to offend the olddy right now, I¡¯ll find a way to appease her, and things will probably get easier afterward,¡± Bai Jianguo knew what Hao Fang was worried about, everyone frets over their own children.

    Especially with Bai Zhuang¡¯s imminent marriage, if they moved out, the greedy mother-inw of the Wu Family would certainly object to the marriage.

    Hao Fang swallowed her pride, bearing the burden for the sake of her children¡ªher debts.

    ¡­¡­

    ¡­¡­

    Inside the house, Bai Xiao brought out the tub cakes from behind the house for the olddy, then sat with Bai Yue for a while. Bai Yue talked about her own divorce. Li Chunhua, despite not showing a disapproving face to Bai Xiao or Bai Yue nowadays! However, she hadn¡¯t even considered the fact that Bai Yue, who hade back from her divorce, needed to eat¡ªprimarily because she had ignored her for so long that it had be a habit and was hard to change.

    The two sat for a while before taking their leave. It wasn¡¯t like they were going to scrounge for a meal, although the olddy certainly wished they would stay longer.

    Bai Yue excused herself, saying the children at home still needed to be fed, and the two managed to get away.

    After leaving the main entrance, the two returned home.

    Bai Yue rolled up her sleeves and started cooking with a look of bewilderment on her face. What should she do? They had nond left, and if they had to rely solely on raising pigs and chickens to survive, she feared they would genuinely starve to death.

    Bai Xiao rolled up her sleeves to help, picking and washing vegetables. They had steamed a pot of cornmeal and wheat flour buns in the morning, and for lunch, all that was left was to stir-fry some vegetables and make a porridge, and their meal would be ready.

    Seeing Bai Yue burdened with heavy thoughts and not speaking, Bai Xiao knew what she was thinking.

    ¡°Big sister,e with me to the provincial city,¡± Bai Xiao said, ¡°Let¡¯s take the kids. There¡¯s no difference between starving here in the vige withoutnd and being in the city. As long as you are willing to work hard, you can survive. Stop worrying about food. Although we don¡¯t have a residence permit, there are many people in the city willing to pay high prices for grain. As long as you have money, it¡¯s not a problem. Besides, I¡¯m there with you.¡± Bai Xiao tried to persuade her sister to move to the city. For many, the step from a remote mountain vige to a provincial city was unimaginable, and Bai Yue was one of those who dared not even entertain the thought.

    How could she not be afraid? She had only ever carried rocks and farmed thend. Now, suddenly without a home ornd, her secure life waspletely shattered. Anyone would be scared, and this fear could leave a person feeling hopeless about their future. Bai Yue and her children were unskilled in other areas¡ªhow could she dare to imagine a life in the provincial city?

    Bai Yue shook her head, ¡°Xiao, I know you mean well and are thinking of how you can take care of us. But how can living in the city be so easy? We¡¯re barely getting by in the vige. In the city, as strangers, without knowing anything, it might be even harder. I feel it would be better to raise pigs and chickens here in the vige, and we would still survive. If not, I could ask around the vige to see if anyone would rent us somend to farm, just to have enough to eat.¡±

    Bai Xiao knew that changing Bai Yue¡¯s mind wasn¡¯t going to happen with just a few words. Everyone has their own desires, and sometimes it¡¯s wrong to force change upon others against their will.

    She knew the future, but that didn¡¯t mean others did. Hence, respecting others was necessary. Perhaps when the time was right, everything would fall into ce.

    The meal was eaten with relish.

    Bai Xiao felt at peace, her own ns had seeded, and now all that was left was to arrange for Bai Yue. Since Bai Yue was unwilling to leave the vige, how to live day-to-day still needed consideration. They couldn¡¯t really resort to buying food.

    After the meal, Liu Baoguo and Li Chunmei came to visit.

    It turned out that the couple was already aware of Bai Yue¡¯s difficulties and had specificallye to offer their help.

    Liu Baoguo informed Bai Yue that the residence permits for their family of four had been processed. He brought them their household register booklets. Besides that, there was arge expanse of wastnd on the outskirts of the vige, at the base of the mountain, which nobody wanted to cultivate. Thend was barren and sandy, virtually impossible to grow crops on, and even if it was given away for free, no one wanted to farm it due to the inconvenience of irrigation.

    Liu Baoguo implied that even though thend wasn¡¯t good, it was unimed and now theirs by default. It was stillnd! Even if nothing much grew on the sandy soil, nting sweet potatoes or peanuts could be adequate. Later, they could even trade the extracted oil for grain with other vigers¡ªa source of sustenance. Besides, sweet potatoes could serve as food as well.

    The small patch near the mountain might only be a few acres, but it could still be used to grow vegetables. As long as one wasn¡¯tzy, survival was possible.

    They would consider finding one or two more acres of better farnd for Bai Yue when a good opportunity arose.

    Bai Xiao and Bai Yue were both grateful. Although thend wasn¡¯t ideal, at least they had a starting point.

 Chapter 127 - 127 127 Plans (Part 2)

    ?Chapter 127: Chapter 127 ns (Part 2)   Chapter 127: Chapter 127 ns (Part 2)                                   Liu Baoguo certainly did it to save face for Bai Xiao, taking out a wad of money from his pocket and handing it to her, ¡°This is travel money pooled by the folks in the vige for your schooling. It¡¯s not much from each person, but it¡¯s the sentiment that counts. You mustn¡¯t refuse it, for to do so would be to look down on our fellow vigers.¡±

    Bai Xiao took it, knowing this was the heartfelt gesture of simple folks.

    Exactly forty-eight yuan.

    ¡°Uncle, Aunt, I¡¯ve epted the money, and I will definitely study hard to bring honor to our vige!¡±

    ¡°Good! I know you¡¯re a good one. There are a few more years to apply for the poverty relief fund, and Bai Yue is now considered part of our vige. I¡¯ve applied for a share for you. It¡¯s not much, maybe just tens of yuan, but there will be a little grain subsidy towards the end of the year. Rest assured! Go attend school, with your uncle and I in the vige, your sister won¡¯t be wronged. And as for the housing fund, your family only needs to contribute for one person since you¡¯ve left for school and the three kids in the vige don¡¯t ownnd, so we¡¯re not being partial, it¡¯s just the reality.¡±

    Liu Baoguo¡¯s words immediately brought tears to Bai Yue¡¯s eyes. The vige chief had truly helped her family a great deal.

    ¡°Vige chief, how can we ever thank you enough?¡± Bai Yue was genuinely overwhelmed with gratitude, feeling blessed to have a helping hand while she was in a tough spot.

    ¡°What are you talking about? Bai Xiao is like my own daughter, and you are her sister. Aren¡¯t we all family? I know the olddy is biased, fooling Bai Song into changing thend title back then, and see, now troubles havee! But it¡¯s certain that it can¡¯t be taken back, so we can only think of these ways to help out. If there¡¯s trouble, could I, as your uncle, just ignore it?¡± Liu Baoguo meant every word. Ever since his own daughter was pulled back from death¡¯s door by Bai Xiao, Liu Baoguo and Li Chunmei had agreed that they would remember this kindness for a lifetime.

    Bai Xiao knew that Liu Baoguo and his family were good people. Although not everyone was ungrateful, the majority were indeed good-hearted.

    ¡°Godfather, Godmother, I can¡¯t express myself well, but if there¡¯s ever anything I can do for you, I, Bai Xiao, will definitely not shirk my duty.¡±

    Li Chunmeiughed, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about, girl? Who asked you to be so dutiful? Your godfather and I didn¡¯t do this to hear you talk of duty. You just focus on your studies and achieve something great. That will be the pride of our vige. This is what your godfather and I have prepared for you. It¡¯s not much, only two hundred yuan, but you¡¯ll need to buy things in the big city. Don¡¯t be too humble with me, or else I¡¯ll be cross!¡± She stuffed a stack of money into Bai Xiao¡¯s hands.

    This time, Bai Xiao truly couldn¡¯t take it and pushed the money back, ¡°Godmother! If you do this, that¡¯s not treating me like your goddaughter. That¡¯s not how family works. I can¡¯t take the money. To tell you the truth, I have money. If you don¡¯t believe me, ask my sister!¡±

    Bai Yue quickly nodded in agreement, ¡°Auntie, Bai Xiao really does have money. If you keep doing this, we¡¯ll lose face living in the vige.¡±

    Li Chunmei was not pleased. It was unheard of to take back money once given, but Bai Xiao firmly refused, ¡°Godmother, I definitely can¡¯t take the money. If you truly do care for me, I haven¡¯t made my bedding yet. Maybe you could make it for me when the timees? I¡¯m not good at needlework, and with my sister alone, it would be too much.¡±

    Only then did Li Chunmei relent, ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t stand on ceremony with you. I¡¯ll keep the money for you, and if you ever need it, youe and get it. Remember, you¡¯re supposed to treat me like family. If you¡¯re being polite, then that¡¯s acting like a stranger, got it?¡±

    Bai Xiao nodded eagerly, just like a little chick pecking at grains of rice, which delighted Li Chunmei.

    ¡°Okay! When the dayes to sew your bedding, call your godmother over. I¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s done perfectly.¡±

    Finally, they came to an agreement.

    Then Bai Xiao remembered about the pigs and chickens, ¡°Godfather, Godmother! My sister is thinking of raising pigs and chickens. Could you ask around and see who has good stock at a fair price? I don¡¯t understand these things, so I can only rely on you.¡± Since her sister was staying, Bai Xiao had to find a way for Bai Yue.

    Liu Baoguo nodded, ¡°Bai Yue is right to think so. Our farm produce surely won¡¯t be enough. Look, the piglets from Old Wang at the eastern end of the vige are quite good, and he¡¯s a man of honesty, not the deceitful type. I¡¯ll ask him for you! In fact, I¡¯ll take you there to have a look. Get a couple of pigs to raise, and by the end of the year, you should have enough food to feed the family, and raising some chickens could also help pay back debts with eggs. It¡¯s a good idea.¡± Farmers can only rely on their own ingenuity to get by.

    Bai Yue had nothing left to do except nod in agreement.

    Having seen off Liu Baoguo and Li Chunmei, Bai Xiao and Bai Yue made another trip to the neighboring vige¡¯s elementary school; Li Haishun still needed to attend school.

    Fortunately, the vigers there didn¡¯t say much once they realized they were from Liupan Vige and allowed the child to be transferred over.

    The next day, Li Haishun started school.

    Early the next morning, Liu Baoguo took Bai Yue and Bai Xiao to the head of the Wang Family¡¯s house, a well-known wealthy family in the vige. The patriarch of the Wang Family had three sons and no daughters. Their prosperity came from exceptional pig farming skills. Their pigs were not only robust but also highly disease-resistant, the patriarch had quite a reputation for his pig-rearing abilities.

    What¡¯s important was that the patriarch was skilled, but he never bullied others nor dominated the market. With fair pricing, he was known in the region for his integrity, enjoying a great reputation and considerable esteem.

    When the three of them arrived at the Wang household, they were impressed by the imposing courtyard. Few people in the vige could afford to build brick-and-tile houses, but it wasn¡¯t unheard of; the vigemittee and the school indeed had them. The Wang Family¡¯s residence was numbered among those who could afford such structures, with a row of rooms facing each of the four cardinal directions¡ªa courtyard house of sorts, with a gate in front of the shadow wall and a brick-built pigsty in the backyard, a feat beyond the means of most families.

    ¡°Old Wang, are you home?¡±

    As they walked in, they saw Old Wang and a shirtless man together binding a pig¡ªthree hundred pounds it must have been, squealing as they securely tied it up.

    Bai Yue blushed at the sight of the man without a shirt and promptly turned away.

    Bai Xiao, however, did not mind at all.

    The shirtless man, noticing the two young women, quickly washed and put on a jacket.

    ¡°Vige chief, this is quite the honor, your visit. If you have something you need, just send someone to tell me, there¡¯s no need for you toe in person.¡± Old Wang also washed his hands and put on a sleeveless jacket.

    He offered Liu Baoguo a cigarette with a filter, a luxury that only their family could afford in the vige, while most other people rolled their own cigarettes from tobo leaves and newspaper.

    Liu Baoguo took the cigarette, smelt it, and praised it.

    ¡°This is the good stuff, right, the Shuang Tou Feng?¡± he said, lighting it with a me from Old Wang¡¯s hand.

    ¡°This is Bai Yue, and Bai Xiao; you recognize her¡ªthe two daughters from the Bai family¡¯s eldest. Bai Yue, as you know, got divorced and came back home, and she¡¯s been without a source of ie. She also has three young kids. So she¡¯s thinking about raising some pigs. It¡¯s not easy for a woman alone! By the way, she¡¯s your niece after all; you really can¡¯t refuse to help.¡±

    Old Wang carefully scrutinized Bai Xiao and Bai Yue and nodded, ¡°I know them! I know them; your father once treated me medically. We¡¯re from the same vige¡ªkin and neighbors, after all. I am definitely going to help, certainly will.¡±

 Chapter 128 - 128 128 Buying a Pig

    ?Chapter 128: Chapter 128: Buying a Pig   Chapter 128: Chapter 128: Buying a Pig                                   ¡°Uncle Wang, I don¡¯t know about the prices, and I only have three hundred yuan,¡± Bai Yue said earnestly. ¡°You can decide how many pigs would be suitable to raise. We have two boys at home to help with things like cutting grass for the pigs. It¡¯s not difficult, but I¡¯ve never raised pigs before, so I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll need your guidance often.¡±

    Uncle Wang just chuckled without responding. His pig-raising skills were famous across many viges! His skills belonged to him, and no one could expect to gain them from a single plea, especially not from a woman; he was no fool.

    Bai Xiao tugged at Bai Yue¡¯s arm, ¡°Uncle Wang, we know you¡¯re skilled at raising pigs. My sister doesn¡¯t understand much and doesn¡¯t need much guidance, but we do hope you can choose a couple of easy-to-raise pigs for us. My sister has been single-handedly raising three children, and she¡¯s just trying to earn enough for food. These past years, up in the mountains, Shitou has been supporting me, her sister from her mother¡¯s side¡ªit hasn¡¯t been easy. Please show somepassion for the two of us, who are orphaned, and offer some advice.¡± No mention of learning the craft seemed to improve Uncle Wang¡¯s mood considerably.

    ¡°Shitou, you take them to the pigsty to take a look, and also discuss the prices of the pigs with them, so they can talk it over. I¡¯ll stay here with your vige chief uncle for a smoke,¡± Uncle Wang said. At his age, he had already passed his skills on to his son, and Shitou was actually Wang Yan, Uncle Wang¡¯s eldest son. His name had reportedly been changed by a visiting educated youth who thought the name ¡®Stony Wang¡¯ sounded too rustic.

    The man they¡¯d seen shirtless earlier turned his head to the sisters and said, ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll take you to take a look.¡± After speaking, he turned and walked away, and Bai Xiao thought she saw Wang Yan¡¯s ears grow noticeably redder.

    The sisters followed Wang Yan to the pigsty, where even the pigs seemed to live better than the people; Wang¡¯s pigsty was built entirely of green bricks with a cement floor and had a modern drainage system which made cleaning easy. This surprised Bai Xiao, and just as she nced at Wang Yan, she caught him sneaking a look at Bai Yue, anxious, his hands rubbing his clothes.

    Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t help butugh; Wang Yan had seemed so confident while handling the pigs earlier, yet he became visibly nervous around women. It was quite unexpected.

    ¡°Here are the piglets. We have Large White pigs and ck pigs here. The White pigs are more docile and have a stable growth rate, growing to over 200 pounds in about five months. ck pigs are more wild and can be dangerous, but they have better disease resistance,¡± Wang Yan became quite authoritative when he discussed pigs, sounding like a savvy pig farmer. ¡°If you n to keep pigs each year, it¡¯s best to pair a sow with a boar. I¡¯ll reserve a boar for you next time, so you won¡¯t need toe here to buy piglets again. Initially, raising five pigs should be enough to keep your family busy since the feed alone is a significant expense, not to mention cleaning the pens. But the good part is, when it¡¯s time to sell, the price of one pig can cover a person¡¯s expenses for a year.¡±

    Bai Yue nodded intently, listening carefully to his advice since she had never farmed pigs and wanted to avoid taking the long road by learning as much as she could now.

    ¡°But my pigsty isn¡¯t like this here ¡­ it¡¯s very rudimentary, and I worry¡­¡± Bai Yue thought of her own pigsty, which An Zhiyuan and others had repaired, but it was nothing like the neat and clean conditions of Wang¡¯s.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need topare it with ours, but it still has to be clean, because pigs will get sick otherwise. If you decide, I¡¯ll pick out some good pigs for you to send over, and I can also teach you how to raise them. If you run into any issues, just ask me. My dad has devoted his life to this craft and doesn¡¯t want it to go to waste; however, we should still help our fellow vigers when we can,¡± Wang Yan¡¯s words were surprisingly open, devoid of the old man¡¯s conservative attitudes.

    ¡°Sure, Big Brother Wang, thank you!¡± Bai Yue said sincerely. It would be normal if he didn¡¯t help her¡ªafter all, no one owed her anything. She couldn¡¯t expect sympathy and assistance from others based on pity, nor should she think it unjust if they didn¡¯t help. Bai Yue was not that kind of person.

    Wang Yan blushed, scratching his head involuntarily, ¡°What are you thanking me for? I haven¡¯t really helped you yet.¡±

    Resolved, the three of them slowly walked back from the backyard. Along the way, Bai Yue asked Wang Yan more about the essentials of pig farming, and he answered each question in detail. The more he replied, the more concerned he grew; Bai Yue clearly knew nothing about raising pigs¡ªwas it really a good idea for her to start with five?

    Bai Yue had to carefully pick two young pigs for herself to avoid future troubles. Otherwise, she would secretly feed them her family¡¯s secret recipe at night to ensure they grew up strong and resilient.

    When she returned to the front yard, Mr. Wang and Liu Baoguo were still talking. As soon as they saw her, Mr. Wang asked, ¡°How did it go? Have you made up your mind?¡±

    Bai Yue nodded, ¡°Uncle, I¡¯ve decided. I¡¯ll take five piglets, just therge white ones. One sow, one boar without a fan, the rest boars. I¡¯ll go back right now to clean the pigsty and can take the pigs this afternoon.¡± Bai Yue didn¡¯t dare dy a moment. With four mouths to feed at home and no grain, she had to start working; she couldn¡¯t just wait to starve. She could handle being hungry, but she wouldn¡¯t let her children go hungry. She had done hardbor, like carrying stones up the mountain. Raising pigs couldn¡¯t be more tiring than that.

    Mr. Wang nodded, ¡°Alright then. Since we are from the same vige, let¡¯s not mince words. One hundred dors for fiverge white pigs. Normally, one piglet would cost twenty-two, but we are from the same vige, and your parents get along well with Old Master Wang, so I¡¯ll just charge you a round hundred. It¡¯s easier to settle the money that way.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Uncle!¡± Bai Yue gratefully nodded!

    In the vige, it was customary to exchange money for goods on the spot. The pigs weren¡¯t taken, nor was money given yet.

    ¡°Shitou, this afternoon you help pick out good pigs for Girl Bai and deliver them to her. Also, teach her how to raise them and which pig feed is best.¡± Mr. Wang had given them quite the consideration; had it not been for the vige chief, Liu Baoguo, personally bringing them over, Mr. Wang wouldn¡¯t have been so amodating. This was also a favor extended to Liu Baoguo.

    Liu Baoguo was aware of this. He stood up, dusted off the dirt from his clothes, ¡°Alright, Mr. Wang, since we¡¯ve finished our business, I won¡¯t bother you any longer. There¡¯s more to attend to at the vigemittee. Another day, I¡¯ll invite you for a drink, and we can have a good sit-down.¡± This was merely a polite offer, as no one would truly expect the vige chief to host a drinking session.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s not keep Old Uncle Wang from his work!¡± Liu Baoguomanded, and Bai Xiao, pulling along Bai Yue and bidding farewell to Old Uncle Wang and Wang Yan, left.

    ¡°Godfather, we¡¯re off!¡±

    The three of them walked away.

    Mr. Wang shook his head, ¡°I really don¡¯t understand why Liu Baoguo recognized Bai Xiao as his goddaughter. Sigh, he can hardly manage his own household, yet he¡¯s looking after someone else¡¯s daughter. I can¡¯t make sense of it. Since when did Liu Baoguo be so benevolent?¡±

    ¡°Bai Xiao is the only college student in our vige. The vige chief must see some potential in her future development. Anyway, Uncle Baoguo is a good man, so let¡¯s not jump to conclusions,¡± Wang Yan said, already busy as the pig buyers would soon arrive.

    The father and son duo got busy again. After dealing with the pig buyers and having eaten something, Mr. Wang went inside to rest. With his son handling the delivery of the pigs to Bai Yue, he wasn¡¯t too worried. Wang Yan scurried to the pigsty and quickly grabbed five pigs. He was about to administer the medicine when, unexpectedly, Mr. Wang, unable to sleep, came back down to check on the pigsty. This prevented Wang Yan from finding an opportunity to medicate the piglets. In the end, he had no choice but to deliver them as they were.

 Chapter 129 - 129 129 Blessing

    ?Chapter 129: Chapter 129: Blessing   Chapter 129: Chapter 129: Blessing                                   Liu Baoguo had gone to the vigemittee, indeed busy with important matters and didn¡¯t bother with formalities with Bai Xiao and the others.

    Bai Xiao and Bai Yue were walking back home, not yet home, when they heard the vigers blocking the way at a distance, watching themotion. They didn¡¯t know whose family it was, but in the vige, a family issue inevitably gathered a crowd.

    As they passed by Aunt Wu, she immediately came over all mysterious, ¡°Xiao, Yue¡¯er, aren¡¯t you going to have a look? Your grandma is chasing your aunt around the yard, hitting her, iming she spat in her bowl. How disgusting is that?¡±

    Bai Xiao and Bai Yue exchanged looks. Bai Xiao, of course, knew that if Li Chunhua really got into it, she had her ways of handling things, and Hao Fang was no pushover either. There would be more drama in Bai Jianguo¡¯s house in the future.

    The two didn¡¯t join the onlookers; their pigsty was still a mess.

    Once they reached home, they discovered in the pigsty that Li Haiping and Li Hai¡¯an, two brothers, were busy cleaning it spotlessly. The brothers were sweating, and at the corner, there were two baskets full of pigweed freshly cut by them in the early morning. The beads of sweat on their faces suggested they heard the sisters were going to check the piglets, and had taken it upon themselves, two considerate kids, knowing their mom struggled to support them by herself, and this was their way of easing her burden.

    Bai Xiao looked at the children, young but with hands already calloused; she felt pity as they bore too much for their age. She would have preferred them to attend school, but they steadfastly refused, iming it wasn¡¯t for them. They had attended primary school but feel out of ce with books now after so many years, and they rather workfortably at home than feel uneasy at school.

    Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t force them, so she let it be, unsure if it was truly because the kids weren¡¯t meant for school, or because they were sensible, realizing their mother alone supporting four people was hard enough. If they went to school, she¡¯d work herself to death.

    The sisters had barely caught their breath when Li Chunmei and Aunt Wan, a chicken farmer, whose chicks were the best, arrived. Aunt Wan carried a basket; upon opening, it revealed a crowd of fluffy chicks, nudging and hopping like scared little creatures, a delightful sight.

    ¡°Bai Yue, pick some chicks. Keep more hens and a couple of roosters. When it¡¯s time, you can sell them or have meat for the New Year.¡± Everyone in the vige kept a few.

    Bai Yue hurriedly asked Li Chunmei and Aunt Wan to sit, while Bai Xiao had already gone to prepare syrup water, serving them each a bowl. It was the least they could do, since they were guests bringing gifts.

    Fortunately, Aunt Wan, friendly as ever, picked out twenty-five hens and ten roosters for them¡ªarge number for a vige, but don¡¯t think all will survive to adulthood. The potential death rate was anticipated; chick mortality was high, and in the end, only a few might survive. This was vige wisdom, people there relied on traditional methods rather than farming techniques.

    ¡°Initially, put them in a wooden box or basket; these chicks need warmth, or they¡¯ll freeze. If possible, put a light bulb inside to keep them warm. After a few days when they¡¯re bigger, they can adapt and be moved to the coop. If you ce them now, just beware of rats at night.¡± Aunt Wan shared her advice.

    Bai Yue listened intently, nodding continuously.

    Li Chunmei couldn¡¯t stay long, as an elderly viger had passed away, and they needed to help out. If it weren¡¯t for Bai Yue¡¯s chicks, Li Chunmei wouldn¡¯t have run over.

    Watching the dozens of chicks huddling together, shivering, Li Haiping and Li Hai¡¯an saw hope. Their family could never afford to raise chickens due tock of grain, besides any chickens would be taken by their grandma. It was their first time seeing such young chicks, and the two boys were mesmerized.

    Haishun went to school; otherwise, there would be three people here, unable to move their eyes.

    Bai Yue sent Haiping to the vige store to buy a twenty-watt bulb, which they could connect to keep the chicks warm. Without it, the temperature would drop before midnight and the chicks were visibly shivering severely.

    All this was money.

    When Haiping brought back the bulb, a few people were worried¡ªnone of them knew how to connect the wires.

    Just as they were worrying, Wang Yan came over, pushing a handcart, which carried five cheerful piglets in a crate to be delivered.

    Seeing them troubled by the bulb, he grinned, set down the handcart, wiped the sweat from his face with his sleeve, and came over! He took the bulb from Bai Yue¡¯s hand, ¡°Find some electrical tape, and turn off the breaker!¡± He began working right then.

    Bai Yue hurriedly turned off the breaker and handed the electrical tape to Wang Yan. Watching their silhouettes together, Bai Xiao¡¯s mouth curled into a smile; it seemed that Wang Yan was starting to take an interest in Bai Yue.

    Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be so proactive.

    Even though they were from the same vige, it was rare to see anyone else be so helpful. But that Old Wang didn¡¯t seem too easy to deal with¡ªit was uncertain how he might look down on Bai Yue, especially since she was a divorced woman with three sons, hardly the catch of the town! Nobody wanted to help raise three sons that were not their own.

    Soon, Wang Yan had fixed the bulb and turned on the breaker. Sure enough, the bright light immediately gathered the chicks together, huddled close. It looked much better.

    Wang Yan had already gone with Haiping and Hai¡¯an to carry the crate to the pigsty. Looking at this pigsty! Compared to his own, it was definitely far inferior, conditions were much worse. He couldn¡¯t help but worry about Bai Yue; pig farming wasn¡¯t easy, and losses could be total, especially for someonepletely inexperienced like Bai Yue.

    The problem is that young pigs are the most difficult to care for; one false step, and you might lose the whole litter. Wang Yan couldn¡¯t help but worry.

    Watching the lively piglets curiously sniffing and looking around in the pen, Haiping and Hai¡¯an happily stood in front of the gate. Their family had pigs now.

    Bai Yue invited Wang Yan to wash his hands and then offered him a bowl of sugar water. Giving him a hundred yuan, Wang Yan had no reason to stay longer! He only told Bai Yue to reach out to him if she encountered any problems, especially during this critical period for the piglets, then he left.

    Bai Yue crouched in front of the chick basket, idly stirring the chicks with her hand. It looked like she was just ying, but unknown to everyone, Bai Xiao was using her special ability, empowering each chick. This way, the chicks¡¯ resistance was definitely top-notch, as practice demonstrates truth.

    Indeed, afterwards, not a single chick at Bai Yue¡¯s house died. They became a living advertisement for Aunt Wang, a testament to the quality of her chicks.

 Chapter 130 - 130 130 Telephone

    ?Chapter 130: Chapter 130: Telephone   Chapter 130: Chapter 130: Telephone                                   ¡°Xiao, your family¡¯s phone call, the vige chief asked me to tell you to go to the vigemittee to answer it!¡± someone shouted outside the courtyard.

    Bai Xiao wiped her hands and untied her apron. She was washing vegetables. Yesterday, Bai Xiao and Bai Yue went to the market to buy cotton and cotton fabric, and today she had invited Li Chunmei and two seamstresses to her home to make bedding. It was already getting into August, and Bai Xiao figured it would be no more than ten days before she had to leave. She needed to prepare her luggage and bedding; there would be no ce to buy them then, as the students had to bring their own, so it was time to start getting ready.

    Bai Xiao ran to the vigemittee and saw that Liu Baoguo and Li Guoqing, among others, were having a meeting to discuss something. On the side, there was a microphone on the office desk.

    ¡°Godfather, are you busy?¡± she greeted.

    It wasn¡¯t that Bai Xiao was showing off, but a few days ago, Liu Baoguo and his wife had already hosted a banquet to officially recognize her as their goddaughter after inviting the old folks from the vige to a meal.

    Liu Baoguo nodded, ¡°It¡¯s your brother¡¯s call.¡±

    Bai Xiao quickly picked up the handset. This was the first time in her two lifetimes that she had spoken with her elder brother, and she felt a strange, indescribable feeling, both unfamiliar and yet familiar. Her brother had also suffered because of her, being married off to the brute Fang Xiaoshan, which led to a fight with her uncle. As a result, Bai Song was punished and eventually requested to patrol the borders. Given Bai Song¡¯s achievements at the time, he could have stayed in the local forces for life, but because of her, the brother she sacrificed died at the hands of drug traffickers on the border, bing a rtive she would never see again.

    This time, no matter what, she could not let her brother sacrifice himself again, not let him pay such a terrible price because of her.

    ¡°Big Brother!¡± Bai Xiao¡¯s voice trembled slightly.

    ¡°Xiao, it¡¯s so good to hear your voice. How have you been? I received a telegram from our uncle saying our grandmother was hospitalized and needed five hundred yuan, so he asked me to send it back. I¡¯ve been asking around to the other soldiers these days, and once we get our allowance in a couple of days, I¡¯ll send the money back. Tell Uncle not to worry.¡±

    Bai Xiao rolled her eyes. Bai Jianguo, oh Bai Jianguo, was as shrewd as ever, trying to deceive everyone and get money from her elder brother.

    ¡°Big Brother, didn¡¯t I send you a telegram? Didn¡¯t you receive it?¡± She remembered sending a telegram together with Bai Ju while in town specifically to keep Bai Song from being kept in the dark and not to let Li Chunhua and Bai Jianguo get the money. They couldn¡¯t afford to feed a thankless wretch.

    ¡°I got it, I got it. It said you enrolled in university and don¡¯t need to send money home anymore! But now that Grandmother is sick and in the hospital, Uncle says she¡¯s seriously ill and everything costs money there,¡± Bai Song exined, finally feeling rxed hearing his sister¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Grandmother is already better now, and she¡¯s been discharged from the hospital. You don¡¯t need to send money back, Big Brother. As for the money you¡¯ve borrowed from the other soldiers, you should return it to them,¡± Bai Xiao instructed, not wanting Bai Song to be burdened with debts, as Bai Jianguo was truly formidable.

    Bai Song felt it wasn¡¯t right. ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem good. We don¡¯t have an ie at home, and Grandma¡¯s treatment must have cost money. If I don¡¯t send money back, where will Uncle and Grandma get money from?¡±

    ¡°Big Brother! Don¡¯t worry, these years, you, Big Sister, and Second Sister have sent home so much money that I haven¡¯t spent a penny of it, so there¡¯s more than enough for Grandma¡¯s treatment. Besides, a few days ago, Grandma said that the total cost of her treatment was only over two hundred yuan. Somehow the family coulde up with that money. You shouldn¡¯t have to go around borrowing money,¡± Bai Xiao rified, to prevent Bai Song from worrying and making a mistake.

    ¡°Xiao, you got into university! Big Brother hasn¡¯t congratted you yet, don¡¯t worry. Once you get to school, write to your brother. Once I have your address, I¡¯ll send money to you every month. Whatever level you can study to, Brother will make sure to support you. Our family has a college student now. I¡¯ll be receiving my allowance in a few days, and I¡¯ll still send it to you. School is starting soon, and you¡¯ll need money for the journey and to arrange your luggage,¡± Bai Song considered thoroughly.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes grew warm; her eldest brother and two sisters always considered her needs without ever thinking whether it was difficult or within their ability to help. The trio who were not rted by blood treated her better than her own kin.

    ¡°Big brother, don¡¯t send money back. I have money, and the vigers have already collected my travel expenses. Besides, I don¡¯t need to pay tuition for college, and the school gives me a living allowance every month. From now on, you don¡¯t have to send me money. Save it for your own future bride,¡± she said.

    Bai Songughed over the phone, ¡°You little girl even know what it means to get a wife, huh?¡±

    ¡°Of course I do! When you get a sister-inw, our family will be more and more prosperous and life will only get better,¡± Bai Xiao wished.

    ¡°Alright, alright, I give in to you. As long as everything¡¯s fine at home, I¡¯m relieved. I¡¯ll ask for leave ande back for the New Year,¡± Bai Song couldn¡¯t say too much; others were waiting for the phone.

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°Okay, big brother, we¡¯ll see each other at New Year. You must take good care of yourself.¡±

    ¡°Got it, housekeeper!¡± Bai Song teased his sister. She had never talked so much whenever he left before! This time was different, and it seemed to him that his sister was a bit reluctant to part with him.

    After hanging up the phone! Bai Song felt that he should visit home sometime soon. Not to mention his sister¡¯s eptance into college¡ªa major asion. As her brother, it would be improper not to apany her to school. Being a girl all alone, she might be scared arriving in a strange city by herself.

    Moreover, he felt that her tone during the conversation made him wonder if she had been mistreated by Granny and their uncle at home. He knew very well that his uncle and Granny were not easygoing people, especially after they learned of Bai Xiao¡¯s background; they naturally resented and disliked her. If it hadn¡¯t been for the money they sent home over the years, the uncle probably would have refused to support his sister long ago.

    It seemed he really should make time to go back.

    With that thought, Bai Song hurried off to find the team leader. They were not in intense training at the moment, so if he filed a leave report, it should still be in time. He might forgo returning for the New Year, but given his position, there was a good chance the leave would be approved.

    He immediately set off, excited to submit his leave request.

    He thought about giving his sister a surprise bying back.

    Bai Xiao, on the other hand, had no idea that in a few days, her brother would actually return.

    After putting down the phone! Bai Xiao hadn¡¯t even stepped away when she heard someone rush in, lift the curtain, and shout, ¡°Vige chief, something terrible has happened, there¡¯s been a fight.¡±

    Liu Baoguo stood up abruptly, ¡°Who¡¯s fighting with whom?¡±

    In the vige, petty disputes were frequent, and it wouldn¡¯t take much for a small matter to spark a conflict and lead to a fight.

 Chapter 131 - 131 131 The one who deserves a thousand cuts

    ?Chapter 131: Chapter 131 The one who deserves a thousand cuts   Chapter 131: Chapter 131 The one who deserves a thousand cuts                                   ¡°Han Dazhi was beaten by a man who drove to our vige,¡± the speaker panted, ¡°It seems like he got the man¡¯s niece pregnant and was fooling around with another female worker in the workshop. When they were discovered, in a fit of rage, the two women started fighting, and Han Dazhi also caused the man¡¯s niece to lose her baby. Now, they¡¯re going to charge him with hooliganism.¡±

    Liu Baoguo slowly sat down, ¡°I know! Continue the meeting!¡±

    The person was stunned; this wasn¡¯t right.

    In the past, even if someone from their vige did something indecent, the vige chief would still lead people to support their own.

    Why was Han Dazhi out of favor with the vige chief now?

    ¡°Vige Chief! Aren¡¯t you going to check it out? That guy was hitting so hard that Han Dazhi¡¯s head was bleeding. Han Dazhi¡¯s parents didn¡¯t dare to step in, and the man brought four or five others. One of them even looked like they were in a police uniform. The beating was ruthless. I¡¯m afraid someone might get killed.¡±

    Liu Baoguo shook his head, ¡°What¡¯s the use of us going out when we¡¯re in the wrong? After all, this is the Han Family¡¯s private matter. If we all knew about it, it wouldn¡¯t look good for them. Hurry up, everyone go home. Besides, if they really charge him with hooliganism, are you going to confront the police?¡± He said, unhurriedly.

    Everyone shook their heads; who would dare to confront the police?

    ¡°You see, they brought the police! It must be that the police are going to arrest Han Dazhi for hooliganism. We are all good people; helping a hooligan would only bring shame to our vige. If we were used of shielding a wrongdoer, we wouldn¡¯t even have a ce to justify ourselves.

    Besides, if the police are there, they wouldn¡¯t let a murder happen. He wronged someone¡¯s niece, and of course, her family has suffered a loss. It¡¯s only natural for them toe over and hit him a few times to vent. If any of you wronged your wife and she went back to her parent¡¯s house, wouldn¡¯t theye and give you a beating? This surely won¡¯t kill him; it¡¯s nothing serious. Let¡¯s instead discuss the issue of the retention funds we haven¡¯t collected yet, which is a major matter for our vige.¡± Liu Baoguo¡¯s words indeed calmed everyone down.

    With the police there, a fatal incident was really unlikely.

    Bai Xiao chuckled, ¡°Godfather, I¡¯m leaving now.¡±

    Liu Baoguo waved his hand, but Bai Xiao still saw the corners of Liu Baoguo¡¯s mouth upturned. Was this situation orchestrated by Liu Baoguo?

    Otherwise, how could it be so coincidental? Even if Han Dazhi was brainless, he would know who mattered more. For him to offend the workshop Director, he must not want to stay at the factory. She thought Liu Baoguo was not a kind person; these days, he had been quiet and amiable to everyone, and she thought Liu Baoguo had swallowed his pride.

    Now she understood that he had been waiting for an opportunity. Han Dazhi yed with Liu Hong, and the Han Family maintained the same attitude. If Liu Baoguo didn¡¯t settle with their family, he would indeed be unworthy of his position as vige chief, not to mention the ordeal Liu Hong went through.

    As Bai Xiao stepped out, it wasn¡¯t far to Han Dazhi¡¯s house. Even if she didn¡¯t want to join themotion, she would have to see it just by passing by.

    Before she could even look around, Liu Hong pulled her over.

    ¡°My goodness, Bai Xiao, I¡¯ve been waiting for you for so long. Why did you onlye out now?¡± Her face was full of reproach, and her eyes were excited. It was clear that the girl had finally taken her revenge and was probably feeling quite pleased with herself.

    ¡°I¡¯ve juste from the vige council. Why are you waiting for me? I¡¯m not in the mood for a spectacle. Your mother and aunt are still making quilts at my ce. I have to make lunch today, and I¡¯m hosting. Tell you what, why don¡¯t you bring your godfather over at noon? We¡¯ll all have lunch at my house. Today¡¯s meal will be delicious. I promise it¡¯ll be so good you¡¯ll be looking forward to the next one,¡± Bai Xiao teased Liu Hong.

    Liu Hong held onto her and wouldn¡¯t let go, ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? What time is it now? It¡¯s still early for lunch. I¡¯m telling you, just watch with me for a little while. It¡¯s quite the scene in there, and after we¡¯re done watching, I¡¯lle to your house and help you cook, how about that?¡± There¡¯s a certain pain in not having someone to share gossip with.

    Bai Xiao was pushed by Liu Hong to stand at the door of Han Dazhi¡¯s house and watch the scene inside. Han Dazhi was surrounded by four or five men, who were hitting and kicking him. Because of the crowd, it was hard to see Han Dazhi¡¯s current state. However, it was clear that Han Dazhi was curled up on the ground, holding his head.

    Han Dazhi¡¯s mother and father were on the outskirts, trying to pull the assants off. But the four or five men looked tall and strong, and Han¡¯s mother, even after scratching one man¡¯s eyes, was flung out by a swing of the man¡¯s arm, falling to the ground. From there, she started howling and carrying on, shouting up a storm.

    ¡°They¡¯re killing someone! Help! A person¡¯s life is in danger here; someone¡¯s trying to kill a person.¡±

    As it turned out, many people were watching, but no one wasing forward to help.

    It turned out a public security officer was sitting on a chair, scribbling away, while a viger sat across from him. Bai Xiao gave a thumbs up¡ªthe family of the woman who was wronged had some clout. It wasn¡¯t that the public security officer wasn¡¯t doing his job. Here he was, conducting an on-site investigation no less.

    Look at him, interviewing vigers one by one, taking statements, so dedicated and responsible for his work.

    Seeing that no one was stepping in, Han¡¯s mother got up and tried to run out. She had to find the vige chief; now only the vige chief and the Director of public security could handle this matter. Ordinary folks wouldn¡¯t meddle in such official affairs.

    The neighbor who went to the vige council to report the incident was from the Han Family. Upon seeing the neighbor, Han¡¯s mother immediately asked, ¡°Has the vige chief arrived? How about the Director? My son is about to be beaten to death.¡±

    The neighbor shook their head, ¡°The vige chief said this is a matter for public security and the factory. The vige council can¡¯t handle it. Besides, this is a hooliganism case; how can the vige chief get involved? If they do, and public security starts saying our vige is a hotbed of hoodlums, won¡¯t that affect our daughters getting married and our sons finding brides? Moreover, public security won¡¯t let it be fatal; at most, the woman¡¯s family is venting their anger by hitting someone.¡± The neighbor was frustrated, watching Han Dazhi strut around arrogantly every day, always well-groomed and asionally flirting with the girls and young wives. But after all, he was a worker and not the same as these country folks.

    These old neighbors couldn¡¯t speak of him openly.

    But who would have thought it would lead to an incident like this? Just by looking at the vige chief¡¯s attitude, it was clear they were unwilling to get involved, pointing to the fact that Han Dazhi was surely at fault. Once public security stepped in, who knew how many years he¡¯d be locked away? These were matters the neighbors, as just that, were best not sticking their noses into, lest trouble finds them too.

    Han¡¯s mother sat on the ground with a thud, ¡°Damn Liu Baoguo, he¡¯s carrying out a private vendetta under the guise of public duty, he wants to see our family¡¯s downfall. Liu Baoguo! I curse your whole family to a bad end, your daughter will never marry, I want to see who would dare to take your family¡¯s tramp! Damn Liu Baoguo, he wants to see our house in ruins and our family destroyed!¡±

    Liu Hong¡¯s eyes reddened with anger, and she was about to rush forward, but Bai Xiao pulled her back. If Liu Hong charged in now, Han¡¯s mother would probably get even more worked up. With that shrew¡¯s foul mouth, there¡¯s no telling what she might say about Liu Hong. The vige was already swirling with rumors, and if Liu Hong got dragged through Han¡¯s mother¡¯s mudslinging, she¡¯d have an even harder time stepping out the door.

    So, if anyone should get involved, it was surely not Liu Hong! It had to be her, Bai Xiao, this girl¡¯s godmother.

    Looks like a fight is brewing!

    Bai Xiao had no choice but to roll up her sleeves and step in!

 Chapter 132 - 132 132 Absolute Crush

    ?Chapter 132: Chapter 132 Absolute Crush   Chapter 132: Chapter 132 Absolute Crush                                   Bai Xiao had just rushed out and reached the Han mother, but before she could p her, a gust of wind passed by her. Then someone grabbed Han mother by the hair, mounted over her, and crisp sounds of ps followed, making Bai Xiao¡¯s teeth ache from the sheer force that was not held back at all.

    Bai Xiao stepped back, not because she didn¡¯t want to help, but because she wasn¡¯t quick enough; that person was Li Chunmei.

    Immediately, Han mother¡¯s face was covered in blood from her nose, overwhelmed by the beating from Li Chunmei, which left her dazed. Han mother was used to making a scene; usually in the vige, she would lie on the ground, thrashing and rolling about fiercely during any argument, but her real-life fighting experience was nothingpared to Li Chunmei¡¯s.

    Although Li Chunmei didn¡¯t have the reputation of being a shrew in the vige, not only did she not have such a reputation, but she was also well-regarded as a capable and intelligent daughter-inw praised by everyone. Yet everyone knew that Li Chunmei was once a female militiaman and even an exemry one at that, receiving a certificate from the county.

    Li Chunmei was a female militiaman who had carried guns and bays in training; if she wanted to fight someone, not a single wife or olddy in the vige could beat her even if they took turns. Normally, she didn¡¯t bully anyone, but that didn¡¯t mean she couldn¡¯t stand up for herself against those who did bully her!

    Bai Xiao thought that Li Chunmei¡¯sbat skillspletely overwhelmed several Han mothersbined.

    ¡°I let you spew nonsense and curse all you want, and you dare curse our entire family? The whole vige heard you, you dirty-mouthed old hag, insulting my husband, my daughter, and my entire family. If I don¡¯t beat you till your teeth scatter, others will think the Liu family is easy to bully. Your son is shameless, faceless,mitting such immoral acts, it serves him right to be beaten to death. Why should our Baoguo get involved on his behalf? Since he brought shame upon our reputation in the vige, it¡¯s only right that he is dead.¡±

    ¡°And let me tell you, with the disgraceful things you¡¯re stirring up, see if anyone else cares!¡± She continued beating her relentlessly.

    Han mother wanted to fight back, but the strength disparity was simply too great.

    At this moment, she regretted it, thinking why she spouted such nonsense in front of the entire vige, getting on the bad side of the vige chief¡¯s family, especially since there was already prior bad blood. Now they would definitely not step in to help.

    ¡°Bullying a dead man now, oh Lord! p¡­¡± Han mother waspletely silenced with a p. Her cries were as loud as Li Chunmei¡¯s ps were fierce; now both of her cheeks swelled up painfully hot.

    She dared not cry out anymore.

    Shrews were called so because they resolved issues by making a scene and scaring others with their shameless behavior; they dared to make a scene because those they provoked cared about their public image and wouldn¡¯t demean themselves like she did. This was how she could manipte them. Of course, Han mother wouldn¡¯t dare make a scene at the houses of notorious troublemakers in the vige; she knew exactly who she could and couldn¡¯t mess with. In one word, she sized up who to provoke.

    The problem was, she never expected someone like Li Chunmei to fight back. She always assumed Liu Baoguo was image-conscious and Li Chunmei had a very good reputation in the vige; how could she afford to argue with someone like her.

    Yet, Li Chunmei did care!

    Li Chunmei¡¯s beating made it clear to Han mother who she could provoke and who she couldn¡¯t. She thought ever since Han Dazhi and Liu Hong fell out, Liu Baoguo¡¯s family wouldn¡¯t dare say a word, just out of consideration for Liu Hong¡¯s face, unlike her, who could afford losing face.

    Quite smug and self-righteous, she was.

    Now she realized that her shrewish tactics against Li Chunmei resulted in only one oue: total defeat. If you dare talk nonsense, she would directly p you, and even the police wouldn¡¯t bother with such a catfight between two shrews.

    Han mother regretted it! Why did she have to run her mouth for no reason?

    Bai Xiao watched the disheveled and beaten Han mother and quickly signaled to a nearby auntie; she alone couldn¡¯t stop it. Li Chunmei was in fury, enormously strong, while she felt helpless with her thin arms and legs.

    She tragically thought, to think she had wanted to stand up for others just moments ago.

    Going up there myself would have been like tearing into someone. It was unpredictable, I might even have been scratched by Han¡¯s mother because she wouldn¡¯t let go. I¡¯ve never seen how shrews fight; this isn¡¯t something ordinary people can handle casually.

    There¡¯s no way to overpower like Li Chunmei did so directly.

    I really must admire it.

    Fierce, my godmother!

    Sure enough, a few aunts came up and started pulling and tugging, some hugging her waist, some pulling her arms, and finally, they managed to pull Li Chunmei off Han¡¯s mother. Han¡¯s mother, sobbing and crying, still wanted toin to everyone, ¡°Look, look, they bully without any limits¡­¡±

    Bai Xiao suddenly blurted out, ¡°Quick, hold back my godmother!¡±

    Han¡¯s mother was so frightened she choked on her words and couldn¡¯t spit them out.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, if you dare to spout nonsense again, I will clean your mouth and wash your face thoroughly, and you¡¯ll learn what being a human is all about,¡± Liu Xuemei yelled angrily.

    Liu Hong also went up to pull her own mother, knowing it was for her sake. Otherwise, her mother, a normally decent person, had today unleashed her maternal fury, utterly defeating the Han family.

    The police had already stood up and went to symbolically pull a few men back, ¡°Stop, stop! Why hit someone when you can just talk? If there¡¯s an issue, discuss the issue. Hitting people is definitely not right. What if someone gets seriously injured and needs to be sent to the hospital, won¡¯t they need medical fees?¡± How could his words be so amusing.

    A few people had already stepped aside, and a middle-aged man in his forties said: ¡°It¡¯s this bastard who has been two-timing, not only that, he even got my niece pregnant. He was deceiving my niece about marrying her while messing around with other women on the side. He¡¯s nothing but a filthy rogue! I have proof, all the hospital documents from my niece are with me, and I¡¯m going to sue him.¡±

    Han Dazhi, holding his head, finally managed to raise his head. These people had already dazed him by hitting him. Holding his head in pain, he wished he could just get through this ordeal soon.

    Now, hearing that they wanted to sue him, he was terrified. He didn¡¯t want to go to jail.

    He grabbed the middle-aged man¡¯s legs, ¡°Uncle, uncle, I was wrong. I will change, isn¡¯t that enough? My feelings for Xiaozhen are real. I will marry her, and I promise to be good to her alone, wholeheartedly. Uncle, if you sue me, my life will be ruined, and with such a reputation, Xiaozhen also won¡¯t have a good life.¡± How could Han Dazhi not know that the charge of hooliganism is a major crime these days, and the state is currently cracking down on crime.

    Han Dazhi definitely didn¡¯t want to go to jail.

    The middle-aged man kicked Han Dazhi away, ¡°Get lost. Our family¡¯s daughter doesn¡¯t need you worrying about her. Just worry about yourself.¡±

    The police came over and pulled Han Dazhi up directly, ¡°Come on,e with me to the station!¡±

    Han Dazhi¡¯s legs went weak, and he copsed to the ground. Han¡¯s mother also rushed over, trying to cling to the police officer¡¯s legs, ¡°You can¡¯t take my son away, you can¡¯t take my son away!¡±

    Unfortunately, the police officer sneered, ¡°If you dare obstruct official duties, I¡¯ll arrest you too. The station doesn¡¯t care if you¡¯re a man or a woman. Think carefully about it yourselves.¡±

    Han¡¯s mother involuntarily shrank back, as shecked confidence and support; acting hysterical wouldn¡¯t work on the police.

    A few people escorted Han Dazhi away.

 Chapter 133 - 133 133 Thoughts

    ?Chapter 133: Chapter 133 Thoughts   Chapter 133: Chapter 133 Thoughts                                   Li Chunmei, Liu Hong, and Bai Xiao returned to Bai Xiao¡¯s home, where Li Chunmei was ecstatic. Over the past days, she had been bottling up a storm of emotions inside her. Every time she saw the Han couple unting around, her heart felt choked up.

    Others might not know, but she herself was acutely aware, her very own precious daughter had been tainted by Han Dazhi, and she couldn¡¯t even speak of her suffering. That feeling of impotence, how could any family feel at ease with it?

    Now, look what happened, Han Dazhi¡¯s bad luck had struck, and today she had the chance to relieve her frustrations by getting directly involved, feeling triumphantlyfortable.

    Just you wait, Han Family, this isn¡¯t over.

    Bai Xiao and Liu Hong were busy in the kitchen. As Liu Hong stoked the fire and stuffed firewood into the y stove, she sighed.

    ¡°Why are you sighing? Look how awesome your mom is, having a mother to protect you should make you happy. Look at me; I was so miserably bullied by my uncle and grandma because no mother was there to protect me,¡± said Bai Xiao as she chopped vegetables.

    ¡°It¡¯s precisely because my mom protects me that I feel guilty. How could I have been so blind to fall for such a loser? Now, thinking about it, I feel sick to my stomach. And it¡¯s caused so much worry for my parents, my heart hurts seeing my mother fight for my reputation today. She may have thrashed them thoroughly, but it tears me up inside. I hate myself for being so weak,¡± cried Liu Hong, burying her face in her hands.

    This time, Bai Xiao truly sighed. Often, the maturity of childrenes from being hurt, from seeing what their parents have sacrificed for them. Otherwise, they might never realize how important their parents really are, or understand the depths of parental love.

    ¡°Alright, stop crying. If your eyes are all red, won¡¯t your mom realize? You¡¯re just going to make her feel bad too. The past is the past, now focus on living well; that¡¯s better than anything.¡±

    Liu Hong wiped away her tears and smiled, ¡°Talking to you makes me feel better. Bai Xiao, you¡¯re actually a good person, not someone who lets others bully them. How could I have looked down on you back then?¡±

    Bai Xiao was speechless. Back then, not only did Liu Hong look down on her, but even she probably didn¡¯t think highly of herself.

    ¡°So, what are your ns now?¡±

    Changing the subject.

    ¡°What can I n? Like this, I¡¯m not going back to school. Ick the qualifications. Sitting in ss is like having paste in my head, not understanding anything the teacher says. Not like you, able to go to college. Ask around; in our ten-mile radius, you¡¯re probably the only one who made it. I¡¯m not that capable,¡± said Liu Hong with a hint of jealousy. Bai Xiao¡¯s academic prowess was unmatched, her diligence was almost maddening.

    ¡°Then what do you n to do? If your godmother knows you don¡¯t want to study, she¡¯ll definitely get you married off to avoid the trouble of having you around,¡± said Bai Xiao, and she guessed right. Li Chunmei had indeed been recently contemting this, feeling unsettled until she married off Liu Hong. Her daughter¡¯s current state required finding her a good home.

    Liu Hong red, ¡°Bai Xiao, are you doing this on purpose? Bringing up exactly what shouldn¡¯t be said! I refuse to get married. With the way I am, what kind of good family would want me? Marrying into a good family would just bring them misfortune. Don¡¯t I know myself?¡± The disappointment in her voice was unmistakable, the eighteen-year-old girl fully aware that her past misstep had be an indelible stain on her life, the damage irremovable.

    ¡°Then what do you want to do?¡± Bai Xiao hadn¡¯t realized how deep Liu Hong¡¯s thoughts were; even the most na?ve girl would mature after such a blow.

    ¡°Xiao, you¡¯re going to the city for college, why don¡¯t I also go there to work? I hear many people go to the city to make money working. I¡¯m no worse than anyone else. I have the ability, I work hard, and I won¡¯t starve to death. I want to have something of my own to do, otherwise, my mom keeps thinking about marrying me off. I don¡¯t dare to think about marriage; the wrongs I¡¯ve done can¡¯t be hidden forever. If I meet a good person, that¡¯s one thing, but if it¡¯s someone petty, how can I live? It¡¯s better to be on my own. I can support myself,¡± Liu Hong asked Bai Xiao, her voice firm. This was a spur-of-the-moment thought,pletely unconsidered, driven just by the idea that having Bai Xiao in the city would mean having someone familiar around, making her less afraid.

    Bai Xiao snickered at her, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it. Just think about it, you¡¯re the only daughter of your godfather and godmother. Your parents definitely wouldn¡¯t worry about your two brothers going out, but if you were to go to a different ce by yourself, wouldn¡¯t that make them anxious? Especially if it¡¯s the provincial capital, it would worry your parents sick. I think it¡¯s a no-go, your godfather and godmother won¡¯t agree.¡± Liu Hong¡¯s idea was good, but convincing Liu Baoguo and Li Chunmei was a big problem.

    Liu Hong said resentfully, ¡°My parents are too controlling. I don¡¯t even have a bit of freedom, whatever I want to do is not allowed.¡±

    ¡°You should be content, I don¡¯t even have parents. Truly, not knowing the blessing you have.¡± Bai Xiao had already put oil in the hot wok, ready to stir-fry, because she could hear Bai Yue outside in the courtyard, bustling about, getting everyone water to wash their hands and faces.

    It seems she had just finished being busy.

    With a sizzle, the fragrance of green onions filled the air, nothing too borate.

    What Bai Xiao made was noodles with ground pork sauce.

    She fried up a wok of ground pork sauce, and the hand-rolled noodles had already been rolled, cut, andid out to dry on the bamboo sieve.

    Just as Bai Yue and the others had finished cleaning up, Liu Hong had alreadye out to move a small table and benches, and Bai Xiao had already dropped the noodles into the pot.

    Bowl after bowl of vividly red and shiny noodles with ground pork sauce were served, and Li Chunmei couldn¡¯t help but praise, ¡°Oh my, Bai Xiao¡¯s cooking skills are so impressive. I really didn¡¯t know this girl could cook so deliciously. Not to talk of eating it, just visualizing the steam makes my appetite surge, especially this tangy soup, just smelling it now, I already feel like eating two big bowls. Hurry up, let¡¯s get to the table, everyone to the table.¡±

    If the two aunts who were helping out praised Bai Xiao, they did feel a bit embarrassed, as in this vige, who didn¡¯t have a time when they helped out with the quilts and ate a meal at someone else¡¯s house? If it were more finicky folks, they would probably have opinions.

    Bai Yue quickly called everyone to sit down.

    Bai Xiao and Liu Hong also carried out bowls of noodles and joined everyone at the table to start eating.

    After a big bowl of noodles with ground pork sauce, everyone couldn¡¯t help but sigh with contentment, and Liu Hong even drank everyst drop of the broth.

    Li Haiping and Li Hai¡¯an, the two brothers, sat on the doorstep with their bowls. With the table full of women, they were too shy to join.

    The two brothers ate no less than two big bowls each, andter felt too embarrassed to continue. If they truly let themselves go, they could fill up on three or four bowls each.

    But considering the household didn¡¯t have that much grain, each of the brothers just took a bowl of noodle soup in the end. Both men thought to themselves, life in Liupan Vige really was what living was about, no matter how hard, the family was all together.

    Moreover, they now had piglets and chicks.

 Chapter 134 - 134 134 Incident

    ?Chapter 134: Chapter 134 Incident   Chapter 134: Chapter 134 Incident                                   Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s grandmother was in the yard feeding chickens while chatting with the old man, ¡°The wedding with the Bai Family ising up and we need to start making arrangements. I was thinking that the bride price should be 200, and I do have that money on hand from what I asked from the second sonst time. It¡¯s enough. But for the bride¡¯s family requirements of ¡®three turns and a drumbeat,¡¯ along with jewelry and clothes, that¡¯s a pretty penny and we can¡¯t scrounge it up.¡±

    The old man was tapping his dry tobo pipe on the threshold, leisurely packing the tobo leaves into it.

    ¡°If worsees to worst, we¡¯ll have to take a trip to town. Xiaoshan is getting married, and as his uncle, the second son should show some generosity,¡± the old man thought first of his son who ran a small store in town.

    The olddy nodded, ¡°The second son, really, he hasn¡¯t visited in a while, doesn¡¯t think whether we¡¯re struggling or not, doesn¡¯t send anyone back. No money sent, no goods sent. He¡¯s really not filial, doesn¡¯t he consider why we keep asking him for money and things? Is it because we¡¯recking his scraps of food or a bit of his money? If he had a son, would we have to worry this much about him? Xiaoshan will have to provide for his old age, but if he doesn¡¯t treat Xiaoshan well now, who will respect him once we¡¯re gone?¡± The olddyined, finding her son thoughtless.

    ¡°Enough, don¡¯t go on about it. Hasn¡¯t the second son done quite a bit over the years? Who built the house we live in? Who¡¯s been paying for our food and clothing? What more do you want him to do? Treating Xiaoshan like a son is one thing, but it¡¯s not like raising a grandson. Even his own son would probably not be treated this well, and you show no subtlety in your favoritism,¡± the old man replied with fairness, feeling a bit morepassion for the second son in his heart.

    The only regret for the second son was that he had no son, but inparison, he was more capable and more likable.

    ¡°Alright! Alright, I¡¯ll stop, happy now?¡±

    Someone came through the main gate, ¡°Right here, we need help, bring him in, please.¡± Suddenly, four or five strong young men burst in, with Yang Mei calling directions from behind, carrying the bundled-up Fang Jianping.

    The olddy immediately panicked, ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Olddy, no time to talk. Let¡¯s get him inside to lie down first. These folks were kind enough to bring us back on a tractor from town, and they need to leave quickly, can¡¯t be dyed,¡± directed Yang Mei, as they carried Fang Jianping into their original room, the one they slept in when they were home, the room that had been given to them when they divided up the house.

    As soon as they entered the room, they found Fang Xiaoshan wrapped in a quilt, sleeping soundly on the kang bed,pletely undisturbed by themotion.

    The olddy knew immediately something was wrong; she had cleared this room for Xiaoshan to move into for his wedding, never expecting the second son and his wife to suddenly return.

    ¡°Come on, carry him over to your father¡¯s and my room. Xiaoshan has been staying in this room these past few days!¡±

    Fang Jianping was finally settled on therge kang bed in the olddy¡¯s room.

    Yang Mei saw the men out.

    Sitting on the kang bed next to Fang Jianping, the olddy noticed his paleplexion, a scruffy beard, sunken eyes, prominent cheekbones, and an overall appearance of being dark and thin.

    ¡°Oh, second son, what happened to you?¡±

    Fang Jianping said weakly, ¡°A few days ago, loan sharks came to the shop, saying Xiaoshan owed them money and even had a promissory note. They insisted we pay back the 2000 yuan on it. Even if we sold our bones and drained the marrow, we wouldn¡¯t be able to pay. They ended up smashing the shop and injuring me in the process.¡±

    The shop can¡¯t be opened anymore. The high-interest loan sharks said that if they see the door open for even one day, they¡¯ll smash it for that day. We¡¯re both powerless. Look at me now, the doctor said that my back is injured, and if I take good care of it, there¡¯s a chance it could heal. But if it doesn¡¯t get better, then I¡¯ll end up bedridden. How can Yang Mei support everything on her own? Besides, those high-interest loan sharks are keeping a close eye on our doorstep.

    I told Yang Mei to pack up our things, and we came back. We can¡¯t continue the business; at least if we¡¯re home, we still have something to eat.¡± After saying this, he immediately started gasping for breath, a clear sign that his physical condition was poor and he was out of strength.

    ¡°This¡­ this¡­ Xiaoshan, this damned fool, how did he borrow from loan sharks again?¡± The olddy¡¯s eyes widened in shock; this wasn¡¯t the first or second time their grandson had borrowed money, and it was always the second son who paid it back, so eventually, the loan sharks started going directly to the second son with the IOUs, without evening to the house.

    ¡°Get that damned Xiaoshan here,¡± the old mastermanded from his seat, looking at his son who was barely hanging on. The thought that his family was on the brink of ruin made his blood boil.

    The olddy was not pleased, ¡°What¡¯s the use of calling him here? Can he pay back the money? Or can he cure his uncle¡¯s sickness?¡± The olddy had always protected her grandson, unwilling to let anyoney a finger on him.

    Now, even with such a significant crisis at home, the olddy was still defending him.

    Jianping felt restless in his heart as hey there unmovable. Originally, their n was to pretend to be sick, but then the loan sharks really showed up. This nephew was addicted to gambling, and every time he lost money, there would always be a pile of debts waiting for his uncle to pay off. This time was no exception.

    When the loan sharks showed up, they immediately demanded two thousand yuan.

    It wasn¡¯t that Jianping couldn¡¯t afford to pay two thousand yuan. He had run a somewhat sessful business over the years and had some savings, but this time it was one thing to pay 2000 yuan, and quite another if the next time they demanded twenty thousand yuan. Plus, after listening to that girl¡¯s words, he had decided to really test his nephew, to see what kind of person he was and what he would do to him in the future. It was truly a thorny issue.

    Nobody wants to give so much of themselves only to be repaid with heartless ingratitude.

    So Jianping made up his mind not to give a single penny. The loan sharks were not easy to deal with; they scuffled in the shop, and he was pushed against the ss countertop, which broke. He did get injured, though of course, not as severely as he imed, and the talk of smashing up the shop wasn¡¯t as bad as it was made out to be.

    The couple put their heads together that night and decided this was a perfect excuse.

    So the next day, the couple didn¡¯t open the shop either.

    On the third day, they made a big show of getting people to help carry Jianping back to the vige. Both felt that Bai Xiao¡¯s method was a good one. Human nature is unpredictable, and they needed to keep a close eye to see if Xiaoshan was human or devil.

    But now, having returned to his own mother looking like this, his own uncle having suffered so much, and yet she still protected Xiaoshan.

    Jianping felt emotionally exhausted.

    If Xiaoshan were his son, he would have taken a big stick and broken his legs to see how he would go out and gamble.

    Not wanting to talk, he closed his eyes andy there, ignoring the olddy.

 Chapter 135 - 135 135 Vacating the House

    ?Chapter 135: Chapter 135 Vacating the House   Chapter 135: Chapter 135 Vacating the House                                   Old Master Fang forcefully knocked his tobo pipe on the doorstep, ¡°Haven¡¯t you had enough? Just look, you¡¯ve already gotten your second uncle into this state. Still defending him, sooner orter you will bring ruin to our family.¡± Old Master Fang was truly angry.

    Old Lady Fang was also scared, after all, Old Master Fang was the head of the family.

    Murmuring softly, ¡°The second son hasn¡¯t even said anything, what are you hollering about?¡±

    Yang Mei lifted the curtain and came in.

    ¡°Mom, Dad, the business deal fell through, we¡¯re left with a huge debt, and after offsetting the debts with the stock and items at the town store, it looks like we¡¯re left with practically nothing. With Jianping¡¯s health in this condition, the doctor said he needs to be looked after properly. We and Little Shanzi can onlye back home, at least we can grow some crops to feed ourselves. Otherwise, we would have to spend money on everything in town, and we have no way of making money,¡± the couple had discussed these words beforehand.

    Old Master Fang nodded, ¡°The business turning out like that, I¡¯m afraid it really can¡¯t be pursued. With your second brother¡¯s condition, it¡¯s best toe back. There will always be food on the table at home; you won¡¯t be neglected.¡± His own son couldn¡¯t be chased off.

    Yang Mei nced at the room, ¡°Mom, Dad, it¡¯s already noon, and Little Shanzi is still sleeping. This won¡¯t do, I¡¯m going to wake him up. That room needs to be cleaned up. Once wee back, we¡¯ll be living in that room. Even though we don¡¯t have a livelihood in the town now, we¡¯re here to stay for the long term, so we must tidy up.¡± That was their room, and it didn¡¯t make sense for Xiaoshan to be sleeping in there.

    ¡°About that¡­ we haven¡¯t told you yet, but Xiaoshan is about to get married. Since you two were always in town, your father and I thought it was wasteful to leave the house empty. Houses deteriorate if nobody lives in them for too long, so we spruced it up a bit, nning to use it as Xiaoshan¡¯s bridal chamber.¡± Old Lady Fang showed no guilt, acting as if it was her natural right to allocate their house to someone else.

    ¡°Mom, Dad, the money to build that house came from us. Once the house was built, we all sat down together and agreed that those two rooms belonged to us. After all, doing business in town can only sustain us temporarily; we can¡¯t do it for a lifetime. Eventually, we need to return to our roots ande back home to spend our old age. Now that Xiaoshan has taken our rooms, where are we supposed to live?¡± Yang Mei was furious; toe back and find out they had nowhere to stay was outrageous.

    ¡°The house is big enough, why can¡¯t you stay anywhere? It¡¯s just the two of you. How about this: you move into the small room where Little Shanzi used to live, isn¡¯t that fine? We¡¯re one family, why quibble over such things?¡± Old Lady Fang chastised Yang Mei as if it were a given, always finding fault in her daughter-inw, never speaking a kind word.

    ¡°Mom, is that appropriate? Since we¡¯ve split the family assets, that house is ours. You say we¡¯re all family and shouldn¡¯t care about such things, but if that¡¯s the case, why don¡¯t you have Big Brother and his wife move into the small room and let us live in his two rooms? Is that okay?¡± Yang Mei exploded; these tant favoritisms within the family had be clear during this visit home.

    Old Lady Fang was fuming at her daughter-inw¡¯s audacity, ¡°Have you lost your mind? You¡¯re like a barren hen, daring to talk to me like that. Are you lusting after your big brother and sister-inw¡¯s house? What gives you that right? If it weren¡¯t for my son refusing to do it, a wife like you who can¡¯t bear a son would have been sent packing back to her parent¡¯s home. You still dare to stand tall and talk back in this house? You should be grateful for any ce to stay, yet you dare to be so picky.

    Your house has been given to Little Shanzi to live in, so what? In the future, Little Shanzi will bear the responsibility for both households, caring for you in your old age. In the end, isn¡¯t the house eventually going to be Little Shanzi¡¯s anyway? Living there sooner orter¡ªit¡¯s all the same. You talk too much nonsense every day.¡± Old Lady Fang pointed at Yang Mei¡¯s nose and scolded her.

    Every time Yang Mei spoke up, Old Lady Fang would berate her for not being able to have a son.

    Yang Mei usually put up with it, but this time she was truly incensed, and now they didn¡¯t even have a ce to stay. The house was built with their money, and yet somehow they ended up being the ones without any rights. How could this be?

    Yang Mei was ready to have it out with the olddy. She¡¯d made up her mind that, if push came to shove, she would just divorce. Ever since she had heard what Bai Xiao said about his sister¡¯s plight, Yang Mei had resolved not to spend another day living under her mother-inw¡¯s thumb.

    If life wasn¡¯t going to be lived properly, then it wasn¡¯t worth living at all.

    Just as she was about to speak up, Fang Jianping opened his eyes, ¡°Mom, am I not your son? After the division of the family, the house that was divided to me became my house. I get to make the decisions about my own home; nobody has the right to just give my house away to someone else. Not even you, Mom. When you say these things, don¡¯t you feel the slightest bit guilty? The money to build the house was hard-earned by both my wife and me. Now, ironically, we can¡¯t even live in it after we¡¯ve built it.

    When we divided the family, we wrote a division agreement and had the vige chief as a witness. Do you want your son to bring the vige chief and others to disgrace our family by discussing this shameful matter in public?

    A nephew upying his uncle¡¯s house, where¡¯s the justice if such a thing were to be known to the world?¡±

    Yang Mei hurriedly went over to Fang Jianping and began rubbing his back, secretly pushing him back down onto the kang, fearful that he might jump up in agitation and give away their position.

    Even though they were in the right, it could quickly seem as if they weren¡¯t.

    ¡°Second son, what are you talking about? That¡¯s not what Mom means!¡± The olddy could assert herself confidently in front of Yang Mei because she was just the daughter-inw, and moreover, one who couldn¡¯t bear a son. It would be perfectly justified for a mother-inw to scold her normally, and usually, even if Fang Jianping had overheard, he would have pretended not to, because perhaps he too thought it wasn¡¯t wrong.

    But she never expected that today Jianping would speak up and outright im the house as his, bought with his own money. Beggars can¡¯t be choosers, and even the olddy would have to admit she was in the wrong.

    ¡°As long as that¡¯s not what you meant, I¡¯m relieved. I thought Mom only wanted her grandson and not me, her son. That would really be heartbreaking!¡± Fang Jianping sighed. Even if his own mother was wrong, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to be cruel to her. Was he being too soft-hearted?

    The old man stood up, ¡°Second son, rest assured, this is your home. Old woman! Go tell Little Shanzi to get up and clear out the room,e and carry your brother over here. It¡¯s what he ought to do.¡± The old man saw the situation clearly; the grandson would need Jianping¡¯s support for marrying, so they couldn¡¯t afford to upset him. Besides, Jianping¡¯s point was valid. Initially, they had thought that since Jianping wasn¡¯t living at home, it would be fine for Xiaoshan to move in. But if Jianping wanted to settle there, there was no rationale for an uncle to vacate his house for his nephew.

    Now it was time for Fang Xiaoshan to step up and to let Jianping see how important it is to have a son.

 Chapter 136 - 136 136 The Old Ladys Plan

    ?Chapter 136: Chapter 136 The Old Lady¡¯s n   Chapter 136: Chapter 136 The Old Lady¡¯s n                                   Fang Xiaoshan was sleeping soundly. He had yed cards with a few friends all night long, and only returned at dawn. It wasn¡¯t even dark yet, which meant it wasn¡¯t time for him to get out of bed.

    The olddy smacked Fang Xiaoshan on the back, ¡°Xiaoshan, wake up, get up! Get up!¡±

    Fang Xiaoshan turned over and continued to sleep, treating his grandmother¡¯s voice as if it were a mosquito buzzing. In his dream, he saw Bai Mei¡¯s fair skin, drooling with desire.

    ¡°Xiaoshan, get up! Your uncle is back, hurry up and get out of bed.¡±

    Fang Xiaoshan finally woke up because he heard that his uncle was back. That sentence was the most effective. He had lost everythingst night and was counting on asking his uncle for some pocket money in the next couple of days. Now that his uncle was actually back, wasn¡¯t that the same as rushing over to give him money?

    He scrambled up, ¡°Why is my uncle back? Does he know I¡¯m getting married? Is he bringing my bridal gift?¡± Fang Xiaoshan knew that expecting a bridal gift from his own parents was out of the question, but his uncle was different, he had a business in town! Even if it was just a little store, he never stopped giving him money; surely he had more money than his parents.

    The olddy pouted her lips! She had just been scolded by her son and was also angry. She¡¯d always felt that her son¡¯s return this time seemed different from before, his tone when speaking to her wasn¡¯t as gentle, and there was a hint of resentment, especially the words he just said that had pierced right into the olddy¡¯s heart.

    In the past, Fang Jianping would never have said such things, he would have probably just endured it. Surely it must be that daughter-inw who can¡¯t birth a son, stirring trouble behind his back. A few whispers by her pillow were more powerful than anything; Yang Mei wasn¡¯t an easy person to deal with. Otherwise, why would Fang Jianping not want to divorce after all these years without a son? He must have known how formidable Yang Mei was.

    They were resentful against them! They felt they were squandering their money, inciting their son to quarrel with them behind their backs.

    ¡°Clean up the house, your uncle and aunt areing back to stay. The little store in town has gone bust!¡± Only when talking about this did the olddy show her resentment.

    A pnded on Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s back, though not with much force; she couldn¡¯t bear to hit him hard.

    ¡°It¡¯s all your fault, you damned kid, gambling again! This time the loan sharks came knocking for two thousand. Your uncle didn¡¯t have the money! They smashed the store and even injured your uncle. The doctor said that if it doesn¡¯t heal well, he could end up paralyzed! Why do you have to cause such trouble, isn¡¯t it great to have your uncle¡¯s support? It¡¯s made life so much easier for our family, and now you¡¯ve messed it all up! Our family is in for some hard times now!¡± The more the olddy spoke, the angrier she became.

    The second son would give them no small amount of money every month; even the food and drink they had were provided for by him. And now what would they do?

    Fang Xiaoshan was stunned, ¡°What? My uncle is paralyzed, and the store is gone?¡± Only then did he realize the gravity of the situation. If his uncle couldn¡¯t earn money, who would give him his spending money?

    He thought about it, loan sharks?

    My God, yes!

    It seemed thatst month, he had gambled in the neighboring vige! It was a bit much, and he lost several hundred yuan in one go. Who could have imagined that with the umted interest, it would be so much? Two thousand yuan! My God, this was a disaster.

    ¡°So did my uncle pay off the debt for me?¡± This was what Fang Xiaoshan was really concerned about. If his uncle hadn¡¯t paid it off, the loan sharks woulde looking for him, breaking arms and legs, and he had seen it happen; he didn¡¯t want to end up crippled or disabled.

    ¡°Where would your uncle get the money to pay it off? If he did, would the store have been smashed, would he have been beaten up? He didn¡¯t pay it, and your uncle said they didn¡¯t have that much money, they couldn¡¯t pay it back! Why can¡¯t you just do something good, instead you¡¯ve caused such a big disaster, what are we going to do now?¡± The realization finally dawned on the olddy, if the money wasn¡¯t paid back, then the loan sharks would indeede to their door.

    Now it was indeed a matter of life and death.

    ¡°What? Not paid back yet! Then why did Ie back the second time? Not rushing to borrow money to pay me back, isn¡¯t this asking for a high-interest loan deathtrap!¡± Fang Xiaoshan couldn¡¯t stand it any longer, the usurers dared to hit Fang Jianping, of course, they would dare to hit Fang Xiaoshan as well.

    The voice was too loud; Fang Jianping, Yang Mei, and the old master heard everything clearly. Lying there, Fang Jianping¡¯s mouth twitched, true enough the girl didn¡¯t speak wrongly, if he¡¯s not one¡¯s own flesh and blood, he¡¯s just an ingrate.

    Suffering as he was, Fang Xiaoshan wasn¡¯t worried about how others were faring; instead, he was only concerned about his own unpaid debts.

    ¡°Shut your mouth! Your second uncle is lying right there, why don¡¯t you just keep shouting so that the whole vige will know! Let me tell you, since your second uncle has run a shop for so many years, he must have some savings. Your second uncle is not someone who doesn¡¯t n ahead. You should now properly take care of your second uncle, make him happy, and when the timees, you can ask for the money to repay the debts, hurry up and get married, bring a wife home to take good care of you!¡± The grandmother suggested a n.

    Fang Xiaoshan nodded, indeed Grandma was shrewd. With a burst of sweet talk, he coaxed Grandma¡¯s face into blooming like a flower.

    ¡°Hurry up and clean up; your second uncle will being to stay here!¡±

    The grandmother felt much better now.

    ¡°But this house is for my marriage, it¡¯s all been painted over. Second uncle can¡¯t live in that small house of mine, can he?¡± Fang Xiaoshan was not pleased; his second uncle¡¯s house was spacious and bright, besides, he had always regarded it as his own bridal room. Now, being abruptly told to move out, he was utterly unwilling.

    ¡°Think about your second uncle¡¯s money!¡± The olddy whispered a reminder.

    Fuming, Fang Xiaoshan spat, ¡°Fine, I¡¯m only doing this for the money¡¯s sake; otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t vacate this house. Second uncle should think twice; still expecting me to support him in his old age, he¡¯d better treat me well, or don¡¯t me me for being unfilial when ites to ¡®performing the final act of filial piety¡¯.¡± In his eyes, everything of his second uncle had long been his, Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s.

    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? Is that something you should say? Go call your second aunt to clean the house, and go be affectionate with your second uncle!¡± The olddy pushed Fang Xiaoshan out of the door.

    Fang Xiaoshan tousled his hair, forced a smile, and entered his grandfather¡¯s room, ¡°Second uncle, second aunt, I heard you¡¯re back. Second aunt, grandma is calling you over there. Second uncle, it¡¯s all my fault, causing you to get beaten. I¡¯ll definitely reform, please forgive me!¡± When Fang Xiaoshan really wanted to ingratiate himself with someone, he could indeed be very adept.

    Yang Mei nced at Fang Jianping and saw that he seemed to have calmed down; she then left the room and went into her own. The room was a mess; the ashtray on the table was full of cigarette butts, leftovers were still there, the quilt on the bed was in disarray, and there was even spit on the floor. She knew without the need for words that the olddy must have sent her here to tidy up; who else in this household would do it?

    Without speaking, she opened the window to air out the room, first hung the quilt outside in the courtyard for airing, Fang Xiaoshan was not particr, even sleeping with their marriage quilt that had been stored in the wardrobe, now taken out. Then, using a broom, she swept the bed, changed the sheets, and took the swapped-outundry outside.

    As she started to sweep the floor and tidy the table, the olddy covered her nose and left with a cold snort, heading for that room. The moment she left, the room erupted into a chorus ofughter and banter.

    Yang Mei frowned. If Fang Jianping continued to y dumb after this ordeal, she would really file for divorce. This kind of life was unbearable; Fang Xiaoshan now even had the audacity to owe two thousand yuan, his guts would only grow bigger in the future.

    She wouldn¡¯t wait until they were destitute to think of a solution. Bai Xiao had reminded her, she had three daughters, and daughters too were human beings. Speaking of which, her daughters were filial; they came to see their old parents every now and then, far better than Fang Xiaoshan by countless times.

 Chapter 137 - 137 137 It is only right and proper to repay

    ?Chapter 137: Chapter 137: It is only right and proper to repay debts.   Chapter 137: Chapter 137: It is only right and proper to repay debts.                                   Yang Mei had just finished tidying up, but before she could get Fang Jianping over, a crowd burst into the yard; Yang Mei recognized them as the gang of hooligans who came to collect the usurious loans.

    ¡°Is anyone breathing here? Hurry up ande out, we¡¯re looking for Fang Xiaoshan.¡± As the neers shouted, they kicked over a bucket in the yard, spilling water all over the ce. It was the water Yang Mei had drawn to wash the sheets and pillow coverster.

    Then another one of them directly pulled down the quilt drying on the rope, dropping it into the muddy water on the ground. Yang Mei felt her heart ache; it was a new quilt, made with five pounds of cotton by her mother when she got married.

    The problem was, where could she go to argue about it now? The couple had seen these kind of people before, who were being arrogant.

    Fang Xiaoshan drew back the curtain, ¡°Who¡¯s looking for me?¡± thinking it was his friendsing to invite him to y cards.

    But when he saw it was them, Fang Xiaoshan quickly dropped the curtain in fright.

    Lord have mercy; they had reallye to his door.

    Fang Xiaoshan immediately knelt down in front of Fang Jianping, desperately grabbing his hand, ¡°Uncle, Uncle, you have to save me, save me! Otherwise, these people will beat me to death. Uncle, if you can just get me through this ordeal, I¡¯ll be like your own son, taking care of you in your old age, I promise to be filial, Uncle! Please save me.¡±

    How could he not know, after failing to pay back the moneyst time, these people had nearly beaten him to death. If not for their hope that he would repay, they probably would have broken his legs. Now, thinking about it, Fang Xiaoshan was terrified.

    He was a coward, not used to being beaten.

    Before Fang Jianping could say anything, the curtains of the room were flung open and a few people walked in. Seeing Fang Jianping lying on the kang, theyughed loudly, ¡°Fang Xiaoshan, paying debts is natural, here is the IOU written in ck and white, shouldn¡¯t you be paying us back today?¡± One of them kicked Fang Xiaoshan, sending him tumbling to the ground.

    Fang Xiaoshan had been desperately holding Fang Jianping¡¯s hand, and almost pulled him off the kang; if not for Yang Mei¡¯s quick reflexes, darting over to steady him, Fang Jianping would have really hit his head on the ground.

    The couple exchanged looks, Fang Jianping painfully and slowly lying back down with Yang Mei¡¯s support.

    ¡°Ah, my back!¡± Fang Jianping winked at Yang Mei.

    Yang Mei barely stopped herself from twitching her lips; this man was already so old, yet still making jokes.

    But she was here to make sure Fang Jianping¡¯s deception wasn¡¯t discovered, lest the olddy find out their scheme, which could potentially expose them to further mischief.

    ¡°Fang Xiaoshan! This is now two thousand one hundred yuan, if you don¡¯t pay today! The interest keeps growing daily; I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll never be able to repay it in this lifetime.¡± The leader was a bald man with a face full of scars, clearly a tough character, staring at Fang Xiaoshan like he was looking at a piece of fat meat.

    The olddy was anxious, throwing herself protectively in front of Fang Xiaoshan, ¡°What are you doing hitting people? If you owe money, pay it, but you can¡¯t hit people! What will you collect from if you harm him?¡± Fang Xiaoshan hid behind the olddy.

    Baldyughed, stretching out a big hand and rubbing his bald head, ¡°Oh, so does this mean the olddy has the money to pay? Well then! Brothers, let¡¯s help Fang Xiaoshan stand up; after all, in our line of business, harmony brings wealth!¡±

    Someone had already moved a chair for Baldy, and he sat right in the middle of the room, tantly.

    The old man could only put on a smile and asked, ¡°How should I address this gentleman?¡±

    They absolutely could note up with these two thousand yuan even if it killed them.

    ¡°It¡¯s simple. Everyone calls me Brother Bald. Old man, bring out the money! We made this difficult trip just for the money! Today, if Fang Xiaoshan doesn¡¯t return the money, don¡¯t me us for not being polite. We¡¯ll have to take a limb. Weigh your options.¡±

    Baldy¡¯s face was fierce, and although he tried to speak loftily, that only made it all the more terrifying.

    ¡°Grandpa, Grandpa, I don¡¯t want my arms and legs taken! Grandpa, save me!¡± At this moment, Fang Xiaoshan could only beg the old man. Fang Jianping, on the other hand, had been silent all this time, being the richest in the family. If he didn¡¯t speak up, who else could bring out the money?

    At this time, aroused by the noise, Fang Jiansheng and Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s mother, Yao Pandi, also came over. There were wails and howls, especially from their own son. The couple, who had pretended to know nothing, finally couldn¡¯t sit still any longer.

    Seeing Fang Xiaoshan sprawled on the ground, the couple hurriedly pleaded with the old man, ¡°Dad, you can¡¯t just ignore Xiaoshan. He¡¯s our only son!¡±

    They now wanted to press the old man to ask Fang Jianping for money. They had no position to ask Fang Jianping for money; besides, any money they asked for would be considered a loan. But if the old man asked for it, it would be seen as filial piety on Fang Jianping¡¯s part, which was different.

    The old man sighed, ¡°Jianping, how much money do you have? Everyone in the family should chip in and let¡¯s get Xiaoshan out of this situation first. Otherwise, we can¡¯t just watch Xiaoshan get killed.¡± He knew his eldest son¡¯s intentions; at such a time, his eldest was still looking out for himself. The old man was helpless; that was his grandson! He couldn¡¯t just watch him die.

    Just as Fang Jianping was about to speak, Yang Mei intervened, ¡°This trouble was caused by Fang Xiaoshan, so how much will his brother and sister-inw contribute? Xiaoshan is their son, after all. It¡¯s not like they won¡¯t contribute a single cent!¡± The money was definitely going toe out today. The couple knew this beforeing. With loan sharks at the door, there was no escaping, but how much they put out mattered.

    Fang Jianping meant, of course, that they could contribute! Of course, it should alle from them! Not to put his parents in a difficult position. But Yang Mei didn¡¯t see it that way. If they gave everything, this family would probably not only be ungrateful but also assume they were obliged to give because they had money.

    Fang Jiansheng then spoke, ¡°Sister-inw, we really can¡¯te up with the money. You know very well our farm¡¯s yield hardly supports our family¡¯s needs, let alone allows us to save. We absolutely cannote up with these two thousand yuan.¡± They resorted to ying poor.

    The elderlydy immediately said, ¡°Where would they get any money? If you have it, just give it all. We are facing a crisis here. Why are you quibbling?¡±

    Yang Meiughed, ¡°Olddy, if we had money, when these people came asking, wouldn¡¯t we have given it? Do you really think Jianping wants to be beaten rather than part with money? We don¡¯t have any. You should think about it! Over the years, every building, every meal and drink in the house was funded by us. Xiaoshan even borrows money from us every now and then. After all these contributions, how could we possibly have money left? You surely don¡¯t think that just by running a small store, we could umte wealth, do you?

    Now the business has failed, we owe for goods and rent, that¡¯s all money. After we settle debts, we are left with five hundred yuan. Jianping still needs medicine. You¡¯re asking us for money, but we just can¡¯te up with it.¡±

    Forcing them to give money also depended on whether Yang Mei agreed.

    Fang Jianping wanted to pull Yang Mei aside but ultimately didn¡¯t make a move. He needed to see how the family would handle this. Without him, was the rest of the family simply not going to survive?

 Chapter 138 - 138 138 Raising Money

    ?Chapter 138: Chapter 138: Raising Money   Chapter 138: Chapter 138: Raising Money                                   Fang Jiansheng was stunned. He had note over just now because he heard that his younger brother was sick and wanted to avoid work, but he had not expected his younger brother¡¯s business had actually failed.

    What would they do now?

    Not justter, but what about now?

    This bunch of extremely vicious people were still waiting here.

    ¡°Brother, is that so? If Sister-inw is unwilling to help out, consider it a loan from us. We will definitely pay you back when we have the money, but Xiaoshan needs to be saved now! A family must not stand by and do nothing when one of their own is in trouble. Xiaoshan is your nephew after all. If something happens to him, the Fang Family¡¯s lineage would be cut off.¡± He couldn¡¯t believe that Fang Jianping had only saved up five hundred dors over the years.

    He didn¡¯t consider how long Fang Jianping had been in business in town, or that it hadn¡¯t been many years since the policies were rxed. Originally, the couple also made money working for others in town, and it was only by chance that they started this businesster. He also didn¡¯t think about how much money had been spent at home and how Fang Jianping could have that much money.

    The couple was making money, not going out to pick it up. Making money was never that easy.

    Immediately, the olddy objected, as Xiaoshan was her life. When she heard this, the olddy could have jumped three feet high.

    ¡°Brother, you can¡¯t keep secrets like this at a time like this. Your nephew is waiting to be saved, you know. Besides, Xiaoshan will be the one to perform the funeral rites for you in the future. You can¡¯t just watch something bad happen to Xiaoshan and do nothing!¡± The olddy felt that her second son was ying tricks on them because of what Fang Jiansheng said.

    Guang Ge couldn¡¯t help butugh, and the brothers around himughed loudly as well.

    ¡°I thought we were the bastards, but turns out assholes are everywhere. Even though we¡¯re no good, at least we know to have some shame. This shamelessness, I¡¯ve never heard anything like it. People build you a house, provide food and drink, even raise a family for you. You people farm and must make some two hundred bucks a year, right? After spending their money and eating their food for all these years, where did your money go? Did you give it to some young widow or did you use it to curry favor with some young wife?

    And then use others of hiding money? My God, my eyes have been opened ¨C such shameless louts, we can¡¯t evenpare to them. What an eye-opener! The people of the Fang Family are indeed something!¡±

    A bunch of hooligans immediatelyughed loudly, ¡°Guang Ge, we might be hooligans! But we follow the rules, debts must be paid ¨C it¡¯s a matter of principle, and that¡¯s indisputable. Butpared to those people! We¡¯re just ying in the minor league, way behind them. Maybe we should go home and check if we have brothers or sisters! If not, even married-off sisters would do. It¡¯s much easier than loan sharking and doesn¡¯t even require any effort, let alone repayment¡ªit¡¯s just a walking goldmine!¡±

    ¡°Go to hell, I¡¯ve told you, even though we are hooligans! We were still born to our parents, and our siblings are our flesh and blood of this life, not the afterlife. We can¡¯t do something so devoid of conscience. If anyone dares to step on their own siblings back home, thinking about eating and drinking off others, don¡¯t me me for breaking their legs to give them a lesson!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Guang Ge, how could we be those shameless beasts! We would definitely not do such things!¡± Several men immediately assured, leaving Fang Jiansheng blushing with shame.

    Having been exposed like this, saying anything further was futile.

    The old patriarch red fiercely at his wife and Fang Jiansheng. Each one was a source of constant worry.

    They were really forcing people tough at them.

    ¡°So, your mother and I still have five hundred dors, you and your spouse fork out twelve hundred,¡± the old man saw Fang Jiansheng was about to speak, he immediately interrupted, ¡°don¡¯t plead poverty, I know you have it, the rest your brother will make up three hundred, give them this two thousand for now, we¡¯ll talk about the restter!¡±

    Guang Ge shook his head, ¡°Old man, you¡¯re still one hundred short, it¡¯s twenty-one hundred dors.¡± Making money this way wasn¡¯t easy, of course, they wouldn¡¯t let a single cent slip, let alone a hundred dors, enough for them to enjoy good food and drink for a while.

    ¡°Dad, I really can¡¯te up with any money!¡± Fang Jiansheng immediately spoke up, joking, this alone would clean out him and his spouse¡¯s savings, there was no way he coulde up with more, it wasn¡¯t pleading poverty this time, it was genuinely having none.

    The old man looked at the olddy, who said annoyedly, ¡°I don¡¯t have any either, where would I get that much money from, let the younger one pay!¡± She had originally set aside dowry money for Xiaoshan, which was nowpletely washed away, leaving her unsure of what to do next.

    Yang Mei spoke up, ¡°Dad, doesn¡¯t the younger brother need to see a doctor?¡± Were they supposed to fill this family¡¯s bottomless pit like this?

    The old man pondered, his own son needed medical treatment too.

    What to do?

    Guang Ge smiled, ¡°Old man, no need to worry! It¡¯s only a hundred short, easy to handle, I have an idea, I saw in your family¡¯s yard, there are two pigs in the pigsty, and we don¡¯t mind taking them! Taking one will cover the hundred dors!¡±

    Joking, loan sharks were the best at collecting cash, no money was easy to deal with, just use goods to cover, that was their regr practice, as soon as they entered they had brothers go round the house and garden, they already knew what valuable things were there.

    The olddy wouldn¡¯t have it, ¡°That pig alone is worth at least one hundred fifty or sixty dors, you can¡¯t just say you¡¯re taking it away, that¡¯s really not decent!¡± She had raised that pig, and in just one more month it would be ready for sale, it could fetch money then, already weighing two hundred pounds, why should she let the loan sharks take advantage so easily?

    ¡°Alright then, olddy, keep your pig, we don¡¯t really want to be shepherding a pig everywhere anyway, we just want the money, not a cent less, or else¡­ mmhmm¡­¡± Guang Ge wasn¡¯t angry, seeing they already intended to repay, and most of the money had been put out, why would they quibble over such a trifle, if they wouldn¡¯t give him the pig, he didn¡¯t want it either.

    Fang Xiaoshan, frightened, clutched at his grandmother¡¯s sleeve and hid behind her, ¡°Let¡¯se up with this hundred dors!¡± Fang Jianping couldn¡¯t hold back, seeing his older brother and father pushed so far, maybe it was just Fang Jianping being too kind.

    Yang Mei was so infuriated she could have swallowed Fang Jianping whole, what an idiot hadn¡¯t heard, you big brother had put out twelve hundred, just short of this hundred dors, she hadn¡¯t expected it, let alone mention it, not to mention the ie from crops every year adding up to hundred or two hundred dors, and there were pigs to sell every year, the house always kept two pigs, those pigs alone could bring in three hundred dors each year.

    The family¡¯s food supply came from their own harvest, and any urgent needs were covered by them as a couple, what did they need to spend money on? None, yet they couldn¡¯te up with the money, who would believe that!

    Now this blockhead of theirs was even considering others¡¯ plight, not realizing these people wanted to suck their marrow dry like vampires.

    The family pooled together the money and handed it to Guang Ge, who passed the IOU to the old man, money exchanged for the deed, and the old man burnt the IOU, finally feeling some peace of mind.

    Guang Ge and his posse finally left.

 Chapter 139 - 139 139 Turning Against Each Other

    ?Chapter 139: Chapter 139 Turning Against Each Other   Chapter 139: Chapter 139 Turning Against Each Other                                   Seeing Brother Guang leave, Fang Xiaoshan finally plopped down on the ground, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and unexpectedly the olddy yanked him up by his ear, ¡°Fang Xiaoshan, you waste of space, look at what you¡¯ve done¡ªyou¡¯ve just thrown away twenty-one hundred yuan! The house has been emptied out, the floor pointing to the sky, how are we supposed to live from now on? Your wedding is just around the corner, what are you going to marry your bride with? Aren¡¯t you just asking for our lives?¡±

    ¡°Ow, ow, grandma, go easy on me, please! It hurts to death, ow, it hurts to death!¡± Fang Xiaoshan pulled the olddy¡¯s hand from his ear and vigorously rubbed it, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m your only grandson, doesn¡¯t it hurt your heart to hit me? If something happens to me because of this, who will give birth to your great-grandson in the future, huh?¡±

    He was full of grievances.

    Fang Jiansheng and his wife were also feeling frustrated. It was true their son had let them down, but if me was to be assigned, it should be on the second son¡ªwhy couldn¡¯t he just save up some money? If he had, would they be in this situation today, needing to take out their own money?

    Their money was supposed to be for Fang Xiaoshan, and now that arge chunk of it was gone, they certainly didn¡¯t feel good about it.

    ¡°You still have the nerve to argue. If you don¡¯t change, and something like this happens again, let¡¯s see who will be willing to help you next time,¡± the old man scolded his grandson.

    ¡°Ow, grandpa, this time was just bad luck. By the next, my second uncle¡¯s shop should be up and running again, so how could they not cover this little amount for me? Right, second uncle? When are you and aunt going back to town to open the shop? Now that this money issue is resolved, and those loan sharks won¡¯t be bothering you anymore, should I escort you back to start up the shop?¡± Fang Xiaoshan was scheming, as long as Fang Jianping and his wife kept the shop running, he would have a source of money; otherwise, whom would he turn to for cash?

    Just as Fang Jianping was about to speak, Yang Mei red, pulled at Fang Jianping, ¡°Lie down, didn¡¯t the doctor say that if you don¡¯t rest your back properly, you¡¯ll be bed-bound for the rest of your life? What else are you thinking about? Going out to be a workhorse for others?¡±

    Fang Jianping had no choice but to lie down, ¡°Xiaoshan, the doctor said it depends on how it goes, and right now, it¡¯s not looking good. It might be that your second uncle will have to stay in bed from now on. Otherwise, your aunt and I wouldn¡¯t havee back home. Now that the shop is closed, there¡¯s no more ie from that, only relying on the grain from ournd. From now on, your second uncle is counting on you.¡±

    Fang Xiaoshan was anxious, ¡°Second uncle, how can you not run the shop? If youe home, what will you eat and drink in the future?¡± Of course, he was worried; Fang Jianping and his wife were his vital sources for pocket money. If they came back to farm, how much could they possibly earn from that?

    ¡°Xiaoshan, those words don¡¯t sit well with your aunt. Didn¡¯t everything you eat and drink while living at homee from farming? If we can live here farming, why can¡¯t we do that when we¡¯re back? Your uncle and I aren¡¯tzy, we¡¯ll farm our ownnd. If your uncle can¡¯t move, your aunt still can, don¡¯t worry. I can farm ournd myself, and the harvested grain will surely be enough to feed me and your uncle,¡± Yang Mei had nothing but disdain for Fang Xiaoshan.

    ¡°Aunt, farming makes so little money. How about this¡ªyou stay at home and take care of my uncle, and you go back to town to run the shop?¡± Fang Xiaoshan just wouldn¡¯t agree.

    Yang Mei couldn¡¯t help butugh in anger, ¡°I¡¯m really puzzled here. Why are you so dead set on forcing us to open a shop downtown? I¡¯ve already told you, the shop downtown has gone down the drain. We¡¯ve settled our debts with everyone we owed. Now you want me to open a shop, rent a ce, stock up¡ªeach of these things needs money. Right now, my husband and I only have a hundred yuan left, and that¡¯s for your uncle¡¯s medical treatment. You¡¯re directing me to abandon a sick man and open up a store downtown, but with what? Are you implying that you¡¯re going to invest the capital?¡±

    Fang Xiaoshan red with a tilt of his head, ¡°Why should I provide the capital for you? Stop lying. Haven¡¯t you and your second uncle saved any money after running the shop in town for all these years? I felt too embarrassed to call you out in front of the loan sharks, but let me tell you, if you don¡¯t go back downtown to open a shop, don¡¯te ming meter for not taking care of you in your old age. You didn¡¯t contribute when it was time to take care of me, yet now you expect to be looked after when you¡¯re old¡ªyou must be dreaming.¡± Fang Jianping was so infuriated by this statement that he nearly jumped up, only to be held down by Yang Mei.

    ¡°Fang Xiaoshan! Are you even speaking humannguage here? We¡¯ve been running a shop in the town for so many years, and you know why we¡¯ve not saved any money. The family needed to build a house and we had to fork over cash. Everyone, from young to old, came to us for food, clothing, drink, and we also had to give your grandparents their living expenses. Not to mention how often you¡¯de by our ce demanding odd amounts of spending money. Just calcte how much you take from us every month¡ªyou take at least two to three hundred yuan.¡±

    Hasn¡¯t this been going on for just a day or two? You still have the nerve to say we didn¡¯t raise you, didn¡¯t nurture you? Did all the money we spent on food and drink just go to the dogs? Your second uncle is so sick now that he¡¯s nearly bedridden. The doctor has ordered him to rest at home, but you¡¯re here forcing us to go back to business. The business has already been ruined by you.¡± Yang Mei couldn¡¯t hold back. Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s words were too hurtful.

    The olddy was about to scold Yang Mei when Fang Jianping coldly stared at his own mother. He wanted to see how she would continue to make excuses for Fang Xiaoshan.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. I will support you in your old age. Of course, your property should all be mine. Now, it¡¯s just a matter of a little money and you¡¯re already quibbling. If that¡¯s not treating me like your son, then I don¡¯t know what is. No wonder they say that non-biological children are less cared for. If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯m telling you, from now on don¡¯t expect me to serve you. If you want to be looked after, go ask your darling daughter to do it.

    Not to mention anything about supporting you in your old age. When the timees, let her be the one to ¡®break the filial piety basin¡¯ for you. I want to see if the vigers willugh you to death!¡±

    ¡°Fang Xiaoshan, how can you speak such words? Apologize to your second uncle and his wife right now, or I¡¯ll break your legs.¡± The old man was furious. His grandson could actually say such cold-blooded things, and he had never imagined that his grandson, the one he had hoped would carry on the family tradition and take care of his younger son¡¯s family in their old age, would hold such thoughts.

    But it had never crossed his mind that his grandson would harbor such intentions. They weren¡¯t dead yet, and if his grandson could say such things to his younger son¡¯s family now, what more in the future when the old man himself grew older? This was like raising a thankless wretch.

    Fang Jianping waved his hand dismissively, while Fang Xiaoshan still looked defiant. In the vige, not having a son meant having no one to see to your funeral, and that would be cause for ridicule. He did not believe his second uncle would be stubborn to that extent. Let him really try to live without depending on him.

    ¡°Mom and Dad, you heard it too. Xiaoshan could say such words today, it chills Yang Mei¡¯s and my heart. With a nephew like that, we can¡¯t rely on him, nor would we dare to. When there¡¯s money, he calls his second uncle and aunt so affectionately, but the moment we¡¯re penniless, he doesn¡¯t even give us a chance to breathe. They say ¡®raise a son for your old age.¡¯ Well, that¡¯s someone else¡¯s son, and we can¡¯t afford to raise him. Yang Mei, help me back to our room. From now on, no one should ever mention bearing the burden for both sides of the family. Big brother, you better take good care of your own son. I certainly can¡¯t afford such ¡®filial piety.¡¯ I still want to live a few more years.¡± This time, Fang Jianping was thoroughly disillusioned.

    There he was lying in bed, and Fang Xiaoshan wouldn¡¯t even deign to help with the most menial of tasks for a single day. They were being forced to earn money or else they couldn¡¯t expect to live peacefully at home. How blind he had been! Now, when they were young and strong, he couldn¡¯t depend on them¡ªlet alone when they became old, sick, and crooked. They¡¯d be even less reliable.

 Chapter 140 - 140 140 Open Up

    ?Chapter 140: Chapter 140 Open Up   Chapter 140: Chapter 140 Open Up                                   ¡°Alright, alright, Uncle, you said so yourself, don¡¯te looking for me when ites to birth, aging, sickness, and death¡ªI won¡¯t go even if you do. From now on, our two families will have nothing to do with each other.¡± Fang Xiaoshan had made up his mind.

    In his eyes, his grandparents had always said he was the pir of their home, the only male child in the family. Without him, their family line would end, Uncle had no son, and they would be a house without heirs.

    His grandparents had always told him that he must definitely help his uncle in the future, that when the time came, he had to care for Uncle in his old age. All these years, he took advantage of Uncle¡¯s kindness and never thought twice¡ªbecause he believed that whatever money Uncle had left, who else would it go to but him? Uncle¡¯s three daughters were just ¡®bad bargains¡¯ and had already been married off, effectively belonging to other families.

    Did Uncle really expect his daughters to take care of him in his old age? There was never such a custom in their vige for daughters to care for parents.

    That¡¯s why he dared to be so arrogant. Deep down, Fang Xiaoshan felt that it was Uncle and his wife who should be ingratiating themselves to him; otherwise, if he refused to care for them when they died, they would wind up as lonely spirits.

    But he never expected that Uncle would be bedridden at such a young age. He had been counting on Uncle to work another two or three decades to earn money for him. How could he start serving him now?

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, even if I die without anyone to bury me, I definitely won¡¯t rely on you, Fang Xiaoshan!¡± Those words were spoken with finality.

    The olddy panicked, wondering how the conversation had escted to this extent.

    ¡°Jianping, Xiaoshan is just speaking without thinking, and you, as an elder, why are you arguing with him like this! Let¡¯s all say less. Xiaoshan, I have to scold you, too. Are you not aware of everything your uncle has done for you over the years? You shouldn¡¯t be saying things like this today. Your uncle has been closer to you than your own father, and you can¡¯t talk about not caring for your uncle in the future, or else I¡¯ll break your legs.¡±

    Fang Xiaoshanughed, ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t acknowledge my uncle, it¡¯s that he is the one who doesn¡¯t acknowledge me. Don¡¯t you know that eagerness doesn¡¯t make a bargain? Uncle is so proud, I want to see if Uncle can make anything grow in the fields at home!¡± He was not afraid of the olddy.

    Fang Jiansheng saw that things were going badly and pped Fang Xiaoshan. ¡°You bastard, that¡¯s your uncle you¡¯re talking about. Do you have no respect?¡±

    Fang Xiaoshan stood his ground, ¡°If you dare, kill me and see who will care for you in your old age. I have already said, let¡¯s not talk about caring for Uncle in the future¡ªI¡¯m your son, not my uncle¡¯s son. I have no such duty.¡± He turned and entered his parents¡¯ room, threw himself on the bed, and covered himself with a nket, going back to sleep.

    Fang Jiansheng and his wife were embarrassed; they hadn¡¯t expected things to turn out this way.

    But truth be told, they didn¡¯t think Fang Xiaoshan was wrong. Jianping and his wife were both younger than them, only just 50. Now they were asking their own son to care for them in their old age. If they started depending on him, it could be decades of care. They were happy for their son to be close to Jianping because Jianping was wealthy, and who wouldn¡¯t value money these days? Having an extra person to bear the family burdens without them worrying, why not?

    But now, not only would their son have to care for them, he might also have to earn money to support them.

    If Jianping really became bedridden, with only Yang Mei able to work the fields, how much could she possibly do? If they just managed to harvest enough grain for themselves each year, it would be considered good, let alone having excess money to help the family. And with a sick person in bed who needed medicine every now and then, it would be a huge burden.

    Of course, they weren¡¯t keen on giving their son such trouble.

    Yang Mei helped Fang Jianping up, and the olddy became anxious, ¡°Don¡¯t let him get up.¡±

    ¡°Jiansheng, are you dead? Your brother is like this, don¡¯t you know toe over and help carry your brother to his room?¡± the olddy said angrily.

    Fang Jiansheng and his wife hurriedly went over; it took the old man, the olddy, and Yang Mei, a total of five people, to carry Fang Jianping into the adjoining room.

    When Fang Jiansheng saw Fang Jianping lying there,pletely motionless, he realized that Fang Jianping¡¯s illness was probably indeed serious. They had deceitfully told the family that he would recover if he was well-taken care of, fearing that they were not telling the truth and that he might be left paralyzed at home for good.

    ¡°Brother, rest well and take care of yourself; your sister-inw and I are heading back. If you need anything, just give us a shout.¡± But he still had to say something nice, after all, he was the older brother.

    Fang Jianping shook his head, ¡°No need, big brother, thank you and sister-inw.¡±

    The old man and the olddy also left together.

    The room was suddenly left with only Yang Mei and Fang Jianping.

    Fang Jianping began to cry miserably on the bed. He had truly not known until now how revealing illness could be, like a mirror showing one¡¯s true nature. He had always thought that his nephew would take care of him in his old age and had treated the boy better than his own daughter, having been brainwashed day in and day out by the olddy, to the extent that he had not even been willing to give a generous dowry when his daughter got married.

    Was it because he had no money? No.

    It was because, deep down, he felt that a daughter was just a loss of money, and whatever dowry she took to her husband¡¯s family would be a benefit to them, not him.

    He wanted to save the money for his nephew, always believing that if he treated the boy sincerely, it would be reciprocated, and the nephew would treat them well in their old age.

    No wonder his wife always scolded him for having a head made of elm wood; his head really was useless. His eyes might as well have been blind for all the good they did him.

    This test had been fortunate, for if he had waited until one day he was old and could no longer work, he would have been totally at the mercy of Fang Xiaoshan. If Fang Xiaoshan decided not to take care of him, no one in the vige would enforce it¡ªthere were no rules saying a nephew must care for his uncle.

    By then, the couple would have been bitterly resigned to their fate, with no one to turn to.

    It seemed that providence had indeed been watching over them, he thought gratefully. The encounter with that young girl not long ago had turned out to be a predictor of their own situation. Now, they didn¡¯t even need to hope that Fang Xiaoshan would care for their well-being; if Fang Xiaoshan refrained from scheming andining, that in itself would be doing them a favor.

    ¡°Stop crying, what¡¯s a grown man like you crying for? Is this little setback really worth your tears? Aren¡¯t your tears more valuable than this?¡± Yang Mei felt relieved inside, d that her husband could now see Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s true colors. Their gamble had not been in vain.

    ¡°I¡¯m not crying, wife; from now on, we¡¯ll live a good life of our own. Our three daughters are our real family; I won¡¯t talk about being taken care of in my old age anymore.¡± Fang Jianping wiped away his tears and dered resolutely.

    Yang Mei held his hand, ¡°Don¡¯t worry; our daughters are just as much our own flesh and blood. Rememberst time when you had that bad fever at home, and our eldest daughter carried you straight to the hospital? I¡¯vee to realize that daughters can be just as good as sons, if not better. If a son turns out to be heartless and ungrateful like Fang Xiaoshan, it¡¯s better to be without one.¡± She hade to terms with it.

    Fang Jianping nodded.

 Chapter 141 - 141 141 Move Out

    ?Chapter 141: Chapter 141 Move Out   Chapter 141: Chapter 141 Move Out                                   In the following days, seeing Fang Jianping truly bedridden and unable to get up¡ªnot for a day or two, but a whole week passed without him ever leaving the bed¡ªthe elderly couple finally understood that the second son, Jianping, was probably seriously ill.

    With Xiaoshan¡¯s wedding fast approaching, the family could no longer count on Jianping.

    The grandmother became frantic, promptly calling a family meeting at home. It was just a matter of the family gathering together to discuss what should be done.

    Xiaoshan,nguidly rubbing his bleary eyes, had just dragged himself out of bed. For him, waking up at noon was definitely not his usual routine, the correct time for him to get up should be after dinner, so he could go out and mess around with his friends again.

    ¡°Grandma, why are you waking people up so early?¡±

    ¡°Early? The sun is already shining on your butt, and you say it¡¯s early?¡± the grandfather lost his temper.

    Xiaoshan, unfazed, responded with a cheeky smile, ¡°Grandpa, I came backtest night, alright, alright, I won¡¯t make you angry, just hurry up and say it, what¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°The eldest son and his wife, their turn to send the betrothal gifts to the girl¡¯s family ising up. In just ten days, Xiaoshan is getting married. We agreed to send the betrothal gifts to the bride¡¯s family tomorrow, but where is the money going toe from?¡± The grandmother had no choice but to speak up. It was crunch time, and the eldest son and his wife were still acting like quails in front of her.

    Fang Jiansheng kept silent; these matters had always been handled by the grandmother and the second son, and he never needed to worry about them, nor had he nned to. After all, if he didn¡¯t step in, the grandmother would have to figure out a way to deal with the situation herself in the end.

    Seeing his son still aloof and unconcerned, the grandfather was furious. The household hadn¡¯t been going smoothly these days. They had been hoping Xiaoshan¡¯s wedding would bring in a new daughter-inw to change their luck, but now they couldn¡¯t evene up with the betrothal gift money.

    If this had happened in the past, even just six months earlier, it would have been absolutely unthinkable. In the vige, if their Fang Family couldn¡¯te up with the money, other families would be even poorer to the point of being unable to lift the pot from the stove.

    But now, it had be a genuine difficulty for them.

    ¡°Eldest brother, that¡¯s your son, and you¡¯re not saying anything? Are you expecting us, the old folks, to take care of it for you?¡±

    Fang Jiansheng didn¡¯t even raise an eyebrow, ¡°Dad, thest time we paid off Xiaoshan¡¯s debts, my wife and I already emptied our savings. Where are we supposed to find the money now?¡±

    ¡°Fine, you can¡¯te up with the money, is that it? Then fine, I won¡¯t deal with this stuff either. Anyway, our families are already separated. Xiaoshan is your son, and it¡¯s unheard of for grandparents to be the ones to manage a son¡¯s marriage if his parents won¡¯t. Do as you please.¡± The grandfather was angry. Mainly, it was the eldest son¡¯s attitude that had really inmed the old man.

    Xiaoshan became anxious, ¡°Don¡¯t do that, Grandpa, you can¡¯t just abandon me. I¡¯m already so old¡ªIf I don¡¯t bring home a wife soon, I¡¯ll be a permanent bachelor. Others my age in the vige already have kids running around dripping soy sauce. You can¡¯t just stand by and let me suffer on my own.¡± He didn¡¯t care whether the family had the money or not; he¡¯d already been to Bai Mei¡¯s home.

    His future father-inw and mother-inw had agreed, as long as he brought the betrothal gifts andpleted the ¡°three rounds and one sound¡± ritual. They would immediately let him and Bai Mei get married.

    No matter what, Bai Mei was someone he had already slept with. Getting a wife was still better than being alone with a cold bed and quilt, and besides, it wasn¡¯t like he had to spend any money to marry her.

    Fang Jiansheng also realized that the old man was truly angry, and said sheepishly, ¡°Dad, Xiaoshan is our family¡¯s only child. If you don¡¯t care either, then aren¡¯t you forcing us to hang ourselves? We really don¡¯t have¡­¡±

    ¡°Shut up! Eldest son, since you say you have nothing, then I have nothing to say either. Just take those two pigs we have and sell them. Though they haven¡¯t grown to full size, selling them for three hundred apiece is still doable. That way, we¡¯ll have the money for the bride price. If we really can¡¯te up with it, just gather up some stuff from the house and pack them up. The bicycle and radio that second son bought for the family can be sent as a wedding present. Although they are a bit old, they¡¯re still functional and should make up the sum,¡± the old man dered decisively.

    Fang Xiaoshan panicked, ¡°Grandpa, how can that be? Those things are mine. If I give them to the bride¡¯s family, what will I use then?¡±

    ¡°Dad, if you do this, wouldn¡¯t it be like pping our family¡¯s face in front of the entire vige? When has the Fang Family ever been reduced to this state in the vige?¡± Fang Jiansheng felt indignant. He couldn¡¯t bear to part with money nor lose face.

    ¡°Then what do you suggest we do?¡±

    Fang Jiansheng sighed and nced at Fang Jianping¡¯s room. Normally, he wouldn¡¯t worry about these matters and would just rely on his second son.

    ¡°Alright dad, I get it. I saw second sone home with quite a few things. His watch and that tape recorder of his look pretty good. Why don¡¯t you talk to him and see if he¡¯d be willing to contribute something for Xiaoshan¡¯s wedding? Meanwhile, I¡¯ll ask Xiaoshan¡¯s mom to borrow 200 yuan from her family. As for the pigs, even if you sell them, we¡¯re still going to need to buy pork for the wedding feast.¡±

    In reality, Fang Jiansheng had the money. He just used the pretext of borrowing.

    The old man red, ¡°If you have the nerve to say that, then I must becking even more nerve to speak out. It¡¯s your own son getting married, and you still expect your younger brother to pitch in when he¡¯s sick in bed, the house stinking of medicine which everyone knows about. Are you even human? You¡¯re already thinking about thest few things your brother has. What kind of creature did I raise?¡±

    The old man walked away, leaving in a huff.

    Fang Jiansheng said awkwardly, ¡°Mom, look at dad¡¯s temper. I didn¡¯t even say anything and he gets mad at me.¡±

    The olddy jabbed Fang Jiansheng¡¯s head sharply, ¡°Put away your little schemes. Second son is taking medicine every day. I can see how much the traditional Chinese medicine alone costs. Not only do you not support your brother, but you also covet what little he has. If your father doesn¡¯t get angry with you, who should he get angry with? You may favor Xiaoshan a bit, but second son is also your brother and my own son.¡±

    Fang Jiansheng quickly tried to smooth things over, ¡°The problem is, mom, dealing with second son isn¡¯t easy, think about it. Xiaoshan¡¯s wedding ising up soon. When peoplee to our home for the wedding procession and feast, smelling all the medicinal herbs would be such bad luck. Think about it, this isn¡¯t me causing trouble. Please, talk to second son and see if we can arrange something. If it really doesn¡¯t work out, we can move him out temporarily, maybe have him stay with his three daughters for a while, and then he cane back after Xiaoshan¡¯s wedding¡¯s done.¡±

    Fang Xiaoshan nodded, ¡°Grandma, you were the one who said second uncle¡¯s house was for me to use when I got married. You surely can¡¯t expect me to bring my new wife into that small room, right? And if your great-grandson is bornter, wouldn¡¯t it break your heart to have him grow up in such a cramped, dark room?¡± He knew what his grandmother liked to hear.

    The olddy sighed, ¡°Alright, second son is just unlucky. I¡¯ll go talk to second son in a bit.¡±

 Chapter 142 - 142 142 Heart Cold

    ?Chapter 142: Chapter 142: Heart Cold   Chapter 142: Chapter 142: Heart Cold                                   As expected, it wasn¡¯t long before the olddy arrived at Fang Jianping¡¯s house. Fang Jianping had been lying in bed for days, feeling as if his bones had gone soft from the inactivity. This was the first time in his life he had been so idle, lying at home doing nothing for seven or eight days straight. He was thinking of making an excuse to have Yang Mei call his daughter and ask her toe pick him up so he could recover in the town.

    The couple had indeed given up their old shop front, but they had found an even better location. The new ce they found was promising¡ªwith a storefront and a backyard that could not only serve as living quarters but also as a storage space. They had had their eye on this spot for a while, and their savings over the years, though just barely sufficient, had allowed them to purchase the property. As for stocking inventory, the couple was well-regarded and trusted, so getting goods on credit from acquaintances wouldn¡¯t be an issue.

    They were confident that they could get the business going; the couple was not worried about that.

    But that didn¡¯t mean they could just stand up and leave immediately. What Fang Jianping really wanted was to see how Fang Xiaoshan and the rest of the family truly felt about him and his wife. To put it bluntly, he wanted to see just how tragic the finale of his years of effort would be.

    People are like that, not giving up until they reach the Yellow River, not turning back until they hit the southern wall.

    Although he hade to recognize Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s true colors, Fang Jianping still wanted to see his parents¡¯ stance. He had been generous to every family member over the years and couldn¡¯t believe that now, in his time of need, his family wouldpletely disregard him. If that were the case, his heart would truly grow cold.

    Seeing the olddye in, Yang Mei quickly offered her a seat and sat to the side, sewing clothes for Fang Jianping.

    The olddy scanned the room. This was a conversation that would be hard for the eldest son and his wife to broach if she didn¡¯t speak up first.

    ¡°Second son, how have you been feeling these past few days? Has there been any improvement?¡±

    Such a gentle tone was rare; since Fang Jianping¡¯s return, this was only the second time the olddy had spoken to him so softly, aside from when things turned chaotic at home on his first day back.

    Yang Mei nced at Fang Jianping with a clear meaning: Your mother is up to some mischief.

    ¡°Mom, what kind of feeling can I have? It¡¯s just like that; I¡¯m worried it¡¯s not looking good,¡± Fang Jianping said cautiously.

    ¡°Yes, Mom, taking medicine every day, and there¡¯s still no sign of improvement. And we¡¯re running out of money too. I¡¯m worried about how Jianping will continue his medication if we can¡¯t afford it.¡± Yang Mei joined in.

    She was genuinely concerned that the olddy would ask for money.

    The olddy gave her daughter-inw a sidelong nce. How could she not understand the subtext of Yang Mei¡¯s words¡ªfear that she would ask them for money?

    With a snort, ¡°Second son, it¡¯s like this. You know that Xiaoshan is about to get married. I think it would be inappropriate for our guests and rtives toe and find the house smelling of medicine. How about this? You and your wife go stay at Xiaocui¡¯s and Xiaojie¡¯s ce for a couple of days. Besides, you two are used to living in town, suddenly moving back to the vige might not befortable for you. Go visit your daughter, having her to talk to might make you feel better.¡±

    Fang Jianping looked at his mother in disbelief, ¡°Mom, are you trying to drive me out?¡± He had never expected the olddy to speak to him in this way.

    This family couldn¡¯t even amodate him anymore.

    ¡°How can you say that? Would I ever mean that? It¡¯s just that Xiaoshan is getting married, you know. When her familyes to visit, a house full of people, how am I supposed to exin the strong smell of medicine? Besides, that¡¯s your own daughter, you could stay at her ce for a couple of days. What difference would it make?¡±

    ¡°Mom, given my current condition, going to my daughter¡¯s house means bing a burden to her. When her husband sees his father-inw, who is paralyzed, showing up at their doorstep, would he ever look kindly upon my daughter? Why can¡¯t you consider things for your three daughters?¡± Fang Jianping couldn¡¯t hold back anymore.

    The olddy became furious, ¡°Second son, let me be honest with you, I¡¯ve thought about this for days. Given your condition, I can¡¯t count on you to provide for me and your father in our old age; it¡¯s out of the question. I know your eldest daughter married well. I¡¯ve heard her son-inw is quite capable. At the wedding, he promised in front of all the guests that he would take care of us in our old age. You and your wife should just go live with your eldest. As for this house, consider it payment for your father¡¯s and my retirement from now on. We won¡¯t ask you for another penny. What do you say?¡±

    Fang Jianping felt so disheartened he almost wished he could die right there and then. Who wouldn¡¯t feel chilled to the bone upon hearing the olddy¡¯s reasoning?

    ¡°Mom, am I not your biological child?¡± Now Fang Jianping really began to doubt.

    ¡°Second son, of course, you are my own, but this is for your own good too. Look, if you and your wife stay here, can you still farm or do any other work? Just relying on your wife¡¯s efforts, you¡¯ll barely manage to feed yourselves, let alone afford medical care. And with the way things are between you and Xiaoshan, counting on Xiaoshan for support in your old age is just wishful thinking. Living together in the same courtyard will inevitably lead to conflicts.

    Xiaoshan doesn¡¯t know how to speak kindly; who knows how much more distress he might cause you in the future? Instead of that, it would be better for you two to move out. With this house given to us as your contribution to our retirement, it¡¯s not like it would just be sitting empty otherwise. Plus, this allows you to fulfill your filial duties. I mean well.¡±

    ¡°Ha, mean well, mean well! That¡¯s a good one! Here I am, paralyzed and bedridden, and my own mother is asking me to vacate my house to pay for her retirement. What great intentions indeed. The money I gave you over the years could have supported ten of you.¡±

    The olddy got angry, ¡°Second son, I don¡¯t like hearing that. You gave me that money out of filial respect, and when you did, you only intended it for me to spend, never saying it was for your retirement. We can¡¯t speak so heartlessly. I¡¯ve already told you about this. You and your wife should consider it carefully and try to move out as soon as possible.¡± The olddy felt it was a disgrace to have such a conversation with her son¡ªto think she would be left with any dignity after this was ridiculous.

    Yang Mei saw the olddy about to leave, ¡°Mom, since you¡¯ve brought it to this point, we definitely can¡¯t shamelessly cling to this ce. If the house is topensate for your retirement, we can¡¯t settle this matter just with our words. We should have the vige elders witness this. Let¡¯s do this¡ªI¡¯ll go invite the vige chief and others over. Let¡¯s draw up a document to make things official, clear the te. From then on, even if Jianping and I have to beg for food, we will nevere to your doorstep, so as not to embarrass you or be a burden.¡±

    She wanted to make this a matter of record, never intending to return to this ce for the rest of her life.

    She and Fang Jianping would settle down in town from now on. As for these vile people, if they could sever tiespletely, that would be wonderful.

    That very afternoon, the vige chief was invited over. They acted as intermediaries and drew up a document. Fang Jianping¡¯s two rooms were set against his parents¡¯ retirement payment, and from then on, he had no further attachments in the vige. The two acres ofnd in Fang Jianping¡¯s name were directly returned to the vige, not given to his eldest brother, mainly because he was too heartbroken.

    Yang Mei went to the vigemittee as soon as the olddy left and called her daughter, asking for a car toe pick them up.

    By the afternoon, Fang Xiaocui, with her husband Chen Dazhu, came in their car and took Fang Jianping and Yang Mei away.

 Chapter 143 - 143 143 The First Challenge

    ?Chapter 143: Chapter 143 The First Challenge   Chapter 143: Chapter 143 The First Challenge                                   Fang Xiaoshan looked at his uncle and aunt¡¯s house, now finally his new home, and felt delighted. On a whim, he secretly took twenty yuan from Fang Jiansheng¡¯s cab and went out to gamble again, reasoning that even without him at home, his wedding would still be arranged properly.

    Meanwhile, Bai Xiao had all his luggage ready, nning to leave for school a week early. Now, he still had about ten days to stay at home, but something serious had happened to his family.

    Early that morning, Li Haiping ran into the house in a panic, ¡°Mom, Auntie, the pigs¡­ the pigs in the pigsty are not well.¡±

    Startled, Bai Yue quickly slipped on her shoes and rushed towards the pigsty.

    Bai Xiao followed closely behind.

    Upon arriving at the pigsty, they were both stunned. The five small pigs in the pen were now all lying askew, motionless, and whimpering; it seemed they were not going to make it.

    Bai Yue was terrified; these pigs were their family¡¯s entire livelihood.

    If they all died, not only would the hundred yuan go down the drain, but what would they rely on for their future livelihood?

    ¡°Xiao, what should we do? What can we do?¡±

    Bai Xiao calmed down. He could heal the little pigs himself, but he couldn¡¯t keep treating animals whenever there was an issue. He couldn¡¯t always act as if he were the vet on duty at an animal clinic. If his sister wanted to live her life independently, she had to ovee the challenge of pig farming on her own. He might be able to help temporarily, but he couldn¡¯t assist her forever.

    He couldn¡¯t use his special ability to let his sister live like that for the rest of her life. That wouldn¡¯t be helping; it would be hurting.

    ¡°Sis, hurry and find Wang Yan; he might have a solution.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Bai Yue immediately felt encouraged. At first, she had been so flustered that it hadn¡¯t even urred to her to think of Wang Yan. But now, after Bai Xiao mentioned him, she quickly came around, knowing no one did pig farming better than Wang Yan¡¯s family.

    She instantly ran out.

    Bai Xiao sighed; it really was true that man¡¯s ns could notpare to those of heaven.

    Such experiences, perhaps it was better for his sister to encounter earlier rather thanter so that she could bear them sooner.

    Pig farming, indeed, could make one wealthy if done right. But as the old saying goes, ¡°A fortune in livestock doesn¡¯t count.¡±

    Animal husbandry is hard, dirty work, dealing with animal excrement, poor breeding conditions, and no days off all year round, because the animals need to be fed and cared for daily. Even with all this toil, one worries about things not going well, paying for feed, vines,bor, and various utilities, all the while fearing that after all the hard work, they might just break even or worse, suffer a loss due to market fluctuations and lose everything they¡¯ve invested!

    Animal farming is too risky!

    This was why Bai Xiao didn¡¯t support Bai Yue¡¯s reliance on it for a living. It could all be lost in the blink of an eye.

    But this harsh lesson had to be endured by Bai Yue herself. Even if Bai Xiao tried to exin, Bai Yue might not believe it.

    Wang Yan quickly followed Bai Yue over.

    As he walked into the pigsty.

    Wang Yan couldn¡¯t help but frown, rolling up his sleeves and squatting down. He started checking the piglets¡¯ mouths, noses, and eyes, shaking his head continuously while examining them.

    Soon he stood up and shook his head, ¡°Today, let¡¯s start with some medicated water. I¡¯ve already brought some. Mix a small packet with a bowl of water, dissolve it, and drench the pigs with it. If the pigs are a bit more spirited by tomorrow morning, then they will have pulled through. If not, I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s nothing more that can be done. These piglets caught a cold and have been having diarrhea. I told you the other day toy some dry straw in the pigsty. You must have forgotten.¡±

    Bai Yue muttered guiltily, ¡°It¡¯s my fault. All my fault. I wanted to clean the pigsty a bit more to prevent disease, so I cleared away the straw. This is all on me.¡± And with that, she burst into tears.

    Wang Yan was at a loss for how tofort her. This was the biggest problem faced by people who didn¡¯t know pig farming techniques.

    ¡°Stop crying. I¡¯ll leave the medicine with you. I will administer the first dose now, and you will have to drench them with the next dose tonight. Watch how I do it, so you don¡¯t injure the pigs. I hope it works.¡±

    Bai Yue quickly nodded, ¡°Okay, Brother Wang, I¡¯ll watch and learn!¡± These pigs were the lifeblood of their family.

    She and her three sons had been treating these pigs like ancestral gods. It had been less than a week, and such a problem had arisen with the pigs. Bai Yue, wanting to save them no matter what, would even learn to ughter them if necessary, gritting her teeth through it.

    Wang Yan disapprovingly shook his head, ¡°This is a man¡¯s work. You, a woman, might¡­¡± The piglets were still small, and she could handle them alone, but once the pigs grew, even a grown man might struggle, let alone a woman. But there was no man in the house, and the three boys weren¡¯t much help yet.

    Li Haiping stepped forward, ¡°Uncle, let me do it. I¡¯ll learn from you!¡± He was already sixteen and felt that he had to support the family. He must take care of the household like a man, doing what his mother couldn¡¯t.

    Bai Yue shook her head, ¡°No, I¡¯ll do it!¡±

    Although she didn¡¯t know how to medicate pigs, she knew it wasn¡¯t easy; otherwise, Wang Yan wouldn¡¯t have said it was a man¡¯s job.

    ¡°Never mind, the epidemic prevention stations usually give injections, but your piglets might not even make it with an injection. It would be much simpler that way, but the station charges two yuan per injection, and it¡¯s not guaranteed to work. I¡¯ve seen too many piglets that couldn¡¯t be saved from diarrhea even with injections. So let¡¯s just try my family¡¯s home remedy and leave it to fate.¡±

    Bai Xiao watched Wang Yan administer the medicine to the pigs and then gestured for him to wash his hands in the front yard. Wang Yan didn¡¯t stand on ceremony and washed his hands, then said, ¡°I¡¯ll be going back now. If things really don¡¯t improve,e and get me!¡± He looked at Bai Yue as he said this.

    Bai Yue nodded her head. Today¡¯s events had left her still reeling. Wang Yan nced at the somewhat bewildered Bai Yue, sighed, and left with long strides.

    The mood in the household dropped to a low point afterward; no one spoke. With the pigs being ill, everyone seemed disheartened.

    All morning they were distracted. Bai Yue kept running to the pigsty to check on the piglets, and seeing them be increasingly listless caused her heart to sink. The piglets were already in this state; she couldn¡¯t begin to imagine how they would manage once they grew bigger.

    Suddenly, Bai Yue felt her future was clouded with uncertainty. Had she lost her mind, thinking that life would be so simple? Now her three sons would suffer alongside her. From being spirited just a few days ago, she had be utterly dispirited.

    Come evening, Wang Yan actually returned. This time he taught Bai Yue hand by hand how to administer the medicine. After sweating profusely Bai Yue finally managed to medicate the pigs. She thanked him profusely, and Wang Yan left with his shlight.

    That night, Bai Yue couldn¡¯t sleep a wink, worrying about the pigs in the sty. Barely waiting for dawn, she rushed to the pigsty and saw the five piglets, which had miraculously gotten up and were now energetically crowded at the feeding trough eating. Her heart, which had been suspended in worry, finally settled.

    It appeared that their family had weathered this first crisis.

 Chapter 144 - 144 144 Mooching Meals

    ?Chapter 144: Chapter 144: Mooching Meals   Chapter 144: Chapter 144: Mooching Meals                                   Bai Yue returned to the front courtyard and said to Bai Xiao, who was washing her face, ¡°The pigs are doing well again! No wonder people say Uncle Wang¡¯s family has a way with pig farming; they really are remarkable. Just yesterday, all of them were sprawled on the ground, but today they¡¯re hopping around and eating.¡± When the pigs recovered, Bai Yue¡¯s spirits lifted as well.

    ¡°Sis, since everyone across ten viges and eight townships says Uncle Wang¡¯s family has the knack, their years of experience raising pigs must surpass that of the average person. But Sis, have you really thought it through? This is just the first hurdle. Pig farming is risky, and until the pigs are sold, you won¡¯t have peace of mind. Constantly worrying is no small burden. I originally suggested that you join me in the city and start a small business. With three sons to back us up, we could run any stall without fear of being bullied. But now you¡¯re into pig farming, and it¡¯s not a short-term undertaking. You should consider it carefully,¡± Bai Xiao still favored her sister following her advice.

    Bai Yue gave a wry smile, ¡°I¡¯ve started raising these pigs now; I can¡¯t just abandon the endeavor halfway. Whether it turns out good or bad, I have to raise them until the end. Even if pig farming doesn¡¯t work out, I believe selling these five pigs at the end of the year, after covering our food and drink expenses, should still leave us better off. By that time, another year will have passed, and if it really doesn¡¯t work out, I can still join you in the cityter. It wouldn¡¯t be right to sell the piglets just a couple of days after buying them; quitting halfway isn¡¯t how you do things in life.

    Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve seen things more clearly now. Used to think that as long as I could raise pigs or chickens, I could survive. But after this sickness among the pigs, I¡¯ve realized the old saying is right: ¡®A house with a wealth of possessions, yet animals don¡¯t count towards that wealth.¡¯ If it doesn¡¯t work out, you go ahead and get settled this semester, suss out the market, and when Ie, there will be someone I can rely on.¡±

    Bai Xiao was astonished, not expecting Bai Yue to have had so many realizations in just one night.

    ¡°Alright, big sister, then I¡¯ll go settle down in the provincial capital first, and wait for you and the three boys toe.¡±

    The sisters hadn¡¯t finished tidying up when they set the breakfast table. Bai Xiao had made cornmeal mush, along with salty vegetables and Shuanghe flour steamed buns, when someone came to the door.

    It turned out to be their younger aunt, Hao Fang, who they hadn¡¯t seen for a long while since thest meeting. Both sisters were startled at her appearance.

    It had only been a bit over a week, yet she looked noticeably thinner, darker, and gaunt, as if a gust of wind could blow her over.

    Upon entering, Hao Fang saw the dining table and plopped herself down, ¡°Eating, are you? I¡¯vee at just the right time. What¡¯s this delicious-looking food? Let your aunt take a few bites too; I haven¡¯t even had breakfast yet.¡± Her shamelessness was indeed profound; she didn¡¯t wait for anyone else to speak, just grabbed the chopsticks and bowl and began devouring the cornmeal mush as if she hadn¡¯t eaten in days.

    Bai Yue, feeling helpless, thought to herself that after all, this was her own aunt; she couldn¡¯t just fall out with her over a meal.

    Seeing the situation, Bai Xiao didn¡¯t say a word but stuffed a Shuanghe flour steamed bun into each person¡¯s hand from the basket. She had made enough for one each, ¡°Everyone sit down and eat!¡± Otherwise, Hao Fang might eat up all their food in no time.

    Hao Fang reached out to grab more buns from the basket, only to see it was already empty.

    She smacked her lips and called out, ¡°Yue, hand your aunt a bun, will you? This runny bowl of cornmeal porridge won¡¯t fill me up!¡±

    Bai Yue was just about to get up to fetch one from the kitchen.

    Bai Xiao spoke up, ¡°Aunt, we don¡¯t have our ownnd. Every meal consumed means one less in storage, unlike at your home. If you¡¯re still hungry, you can go back and eat. We can¡¯t afford to feed you.¡± She had to speak up; given her big sister¡¯s thin skin, their aunt would definitely have her fill here if Bai Xiao stayed silent.

    Why should she?

    Bai Xiao was, of course, clear about one thing: Hao Fang¡¯s current appearance, resembling a dog that has lost its home, must definitely be the work of Old Lady Li Chunhua. The olddy was likely repaying the mistreatment she suffered at the hands of Hao Fang back in the day. Bai Jianguo¡¯s household must be suffering recently, because with Li Chunhua¡¯s resourcefulness, she had been very capable of dealing with herself in the past. Now, the olddy was probably racking her brains figuring out how to torment Bai Jianguo¡¯s family.

    Thus, Hao Fang had brought this upon herself, and she deserved it. When Bai Jianguo¡¯s family and Li Chunhua were tormenting her together in their past life, no one sympathized with her. In this life, she certainly wouldn¡¯t sympathize with this woman. Isn¡¯t it said that what goes aroundes around, and now she has finally set them against each other.

    If she opened her mouth today and Hao Fang tasted the sweetness of charity, she would probably show up at their house around mealtimes to mooch a meal in the future. Bai Yue just didn¡¯t have the means to feed another mouth.

    Hao Fang grumbled discontentedly, ¡°Bai Xiao, why are you so petty? It¡¯s just a piece of bread. If you won¡¯t eat it, then you won¡¯t eat it. Just give me another bowl of that corn porridge.¡±

    Bai Xiao pped her chopsticks down, ¡°No! Auntie, if you have something to say, say it. And if you don¡¯t, then you better hurry back home. We don¡¯t have the spare time to chat with you here. Your house has stored grain; our house is still trying to figure out how to scrap together a meal or else we¡¯ll starve to death.¡±

    Hao Fang felt awkward. She could brush off anyone else, but when it came to Bai Xiao, for some reason, she always felt guilty. This damn girl had be very formidable now, and she couldn¡¯t afford to provoke her.

    She cursed Bai Xiao a million times over in her heart, but she also knew that with Bai Xiao here, there was no chance she could mooch a meal. That old witch at home was very strict now, not only making her busy around the house all day but also ruling that everyone had to eat in her room at mealtimes.

    All the food at home was locked in the cupboard, with the olddy holding the key. At every meal, the olddy would open the cupboard with the key and allow her to scoop only as much as she was permitted. The olddy was very stingy now, absolutely not allowing for extra at any meal.

    When a meal was served, the olddy filled her two grandsons¡¯ bowls to the brim, Bai Jianguo managed to get a decent full bowl, but when it came to her, it was just the bottom of the bowl, clear and watery at that. As for bread and dry rations, the olddy handed them out, one per person, long ago, and she never got her share.

    Hao Fang was also starving, hoping to sneak a few bites while cooking in the kitchen, but the olddy was too shrewd for that. She would sit in the kitchen and watch her while she worked. If she dared to sneak a bite, the olddy¡¯s walking stick would not spare her, and she would be facing a brutal beating without end.

    After three days, she had be so hungry that she lost a ring of weight and had no energy left in her body.

    Hao Fang wanted toin to Bai Jianguo, but Bai Jianguo was ufortable as well. His own mother didn¡¯t even care for him anymore, not allowing him to eat his fill at meals. At most, he could only manage to eat half-full, so he wasn¡¯t in the mood to deal with Hao Fang.

    The couple finally felt the headache, as the olddy was determined to make their lives miserable.

    Bai Jianguo couldn¡¯t say or do anything either. After all, the possessions in the house belonged to the olddy. They had no choice but to endure,cking the confidence that they could step out the door and not be subjected to the olddy¡¯s tyranny.

    Even thends were mostly in the olddy¡¯s name. Bai Jianguo and his wife¡¯s ownnd only amounted to two acres¡ªnot nearly enough to feed their family of five. The rest, whether it be thend from Bai Elder or left by the grandfather, was firmly in the olddy¡¯s hands.

    Even if it came to discussing things with the vige, it was understood to belong to the olddy. Now, if he left, he would probably not even have enough for a half-full belly, not to mention theck of a house or money.

    Bai Jianguo could only endure obediently; what more about Hao Fang.

 Chapter 145 - 145 145 Talking to Oneself

    ?Chapter 145: Chapter 145 Talking to Oneself   Chapter 145: Chapter 145 Talking to Oneself                                   Hao Fang saw that no one was paying attention to her as everyone kept to themselves, eating from their bowls.

    She had no choice but to put down her chopsticks, ¡°I came here today to tell you something. Bai Mei will get married on the sixth of July in a few days, and you all shoulde over early to help out. You are all her sisters, and you don¡¯t need to give much for the wedding gift, just five yuan per person will do.¡±

    Bai Xiao sneered, Hao Fang really had the nerve to ask.

    In this vige, for any wedding or funeral, the most anyone gave was just a few dimes, and giving three to five dimes was already generous. Here Hao Fang was, asking for five yuan from each of the sisters¨Cshe really had some big ideas.

    ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m sorry, but my sister and I don¡¯t have any ie, we can¡¯t afford to give five yuan for a wedding gift. So, we feel embarrassed to go there without a gift. We won¡¯t go on that day. After all, Bai Mei did not give a gift when my sister got married. I don¡¯t think you or my uncle did either, did you? Don¡¯t worry, if I ever get married, I definitely won¡¯t notify you folks, so you don¡¯t have to trouble yourselves about preparing a gift,¡± Bai Xiao thought about whether she even wanted to let them give money.

    Hao Fang was furious, ¡°Xiao, what you¡¯re saying isn¡¯t right, we¡¯re family no matter what, and you as her sisters have to be there, don¡¯t you? If you don¡¯t go, what would people say about you not having a conscience? No matter what, you grew up in our family. You ate our food¡­ drank¡­¡± She mumbled and could not continue.

    Bai Yue mmed her hand on the table, ¡°Auntie, since you¡¯ve said that, I¡¯d like to ask you, every month each of us three siblings has been sending you 19 yuan, so why is it that my sister can¡¯t even get a decent meal and has to eat pot-washing water? How can you still have the gall toe to our house and freeloade? I¡¯d like to know who really has lost their conscience.¡± Mentioning this matter made Bai Yue seethe with anger.

    Hao Fang tried to defend herself, ¡°What do you mean she didn¡¯t eat? She ate. We provided her with good food and drink; if she didn¡¯t want to eat, how could we control her?¡±

    Bai Xiao and Bai Yue were infuriated by her tant shamelessness; it was useless to say anything to her.

    Bai Xiao grabbed Hao Fang¡¯s wrist, ¡°Auntie, what goes aroundes around. If you keep doing bad things, you¡¯d better watch out for a lightning strike from the heavens.¡±

    Hao Fang felt as if her wrist was about to break, the pain shooting through her, and she forcefully shook off Bai Xiao, ¡°Hmph, even if the lightning strikes, it won¡¯t hit me. There¡¯s still the olddy waiting for it upfront. Anyway, I¡¯ve delivered the message. I have things to do at home; I¡¯m leaving.¡± Hao Fang hastily left.

    Bai Xiao slowly picked up her bowl and took a big gulp of the cornmeal porridge. As the hot porridge filled her stomach, she immediately felt much warmer.

    Bai Yue was indignant, ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect my younger aunt could go this far. They weren¡¯t like this when our parents were alive. How could they have be like this without any shame?¡±

    ¡°Sister, let them be. We¡¯ll live our own lives. After all, if they have no shame, we must remember we have no money to give. It¡¯s not like we should give them money just because they are shameless.¡± Bai Xiao was worried that Bai Yue might still think about giving Bai Mei a gift.

    Bai Yue chuckled, ¡°Sister knows.¡±

    Bai Xiao was somewhat looking forward to seeing what kind of end Bai Mei and Fang Dashan, whom she sent off together, would have in this life. Thinking back, she wondered if she was a bit too cruel. Hmph!

    In her previous life, her family had been harmed so terribly, and she herself had met such a fate. It seemed that no matter what she did in this life, it wasn¡¯t enough to quell Bai Xiao¡¯s resentment. She probably wouldn¡¯t be satisfied until she saw the Bai family broken and destitute.

    The suffering she had endured in her past life, she wanted every member of the Bai family to taste at least once.

    Heaven should be fair.

    Bai Mei had a hard time these past few days. Fearing that she might run away again, Bai Jianguo truly confined her at home, not allowing her to step outside. Bai Mei nearly went mad with frustration, moring to an unheeding heaven and an indifferent earth. She waspletely oblivious to what was happening outside; the only thing she knew for sure was that her wedding was imminent.

    A couple of days ago, she had seen Fang Xiaoshan.

    Fang Xiaoshan hade to deliver the betrothal and dowry gifts, and of course, to catch a glimpse of his future wife.

    Bai Mei had now resigned herself to her fate, knowing she couldn¡¯t escape. Besides, even if she could, running away with 500 yuan in her possession had resulted in this oue. Not to mention, she was now penniless. Her one experience in the county town had been lesson enough.

    In that unfamiliar ce, treated as a thief, Bai Mei felt defenseless and thought, even if Fang Xiaoshan indulged in all vices, his family¡¯s wealth was undeniable.

    If that were the case, marrying into his family might not be so bad. Influencing Fang Xiaoshan, her days could turn out to be better than the helplessness she¡¯d felt outside.

    So, upon meeting Fang Xiaoshan this time, Bai Mei greeted him with a smile. She was skilled at ingratiating herself with others, and Fang Xiaoshan already harbored some affection for her. This time, the two seemed to hit it off quite well.

    Once Fang Xiaoshan had left, Bai Mei actually looked forward to being married. At least once she was married off, she would belong to the Fang Family. They couldn¡¯t possibly keep her confined at home, and then she would be free.

    Therefore, she had been preupied with dressing up these past two days, making sure she looked neat and tidy.

    She organized the clothes in her wardrobe, and the new clothes prepared by the Fang Family had also been delivered. Bai Mei began to take on the appearance of a bride, sorting through her belongings.

    Li Chunhua sat at the head, eyeing the betrothal gifts. Bai Zhuang was especially happy; although the three rounds and one sound were somewhat old-fashioned, they were considered the best of their kind in their vige.

    Wu Xiaoyue had already mentioned it several times; her mother was pressing them to get the betrothal and dowry ready to get married this year.

    Bai Zhuang was eager too. Seeing these gifts, he had been circling them with joy.

    He was finally going to take a bride.

    ¡°Dad, Mom, Grandma, how about we go to the Wu Family tomorrow to settle the wedding details? It¡¯s perfect timing, with my sister just married off. Bringing home a new bride will make the house lively if we hold the ceremony together. Grandma, next year she could bear you a great-grandson.¡± Bai Zhuang had everything nned out.

    Li Chunhua took a look and said, ¡°There¡¯s no rush with the Wu Family¡¯s marriage arrangement. Their daughter isn¡¯t so precious to demand a 200 yuan dowry and the likes of a ¡®three rounds and one sound¡¯ ceremony as if they were city folks. They should know their ce. If Fang Xiaoshan is willing to provide such betrothal gifts, it¡¯s because he¡¯s hopeless, unable to find a wife. You¡¯re not in the same situation, Bai Zhuang. Why the hurry? They should be the ones in a hurry. Wu Xiaoyue will be twenty-three soon; she¡¯s considered an old maid here in our vige. Stretch it out!¡± The matriarch made her decision.

    Bai Zhuang became anxious, ¡°Grandma, let¡¯s not stretch it. What if my bride-to-be runs away?¡±

    ¡°Look at you, spineless. Once the new bridees in, you¡¯ll end up under her thumb. After all these years of raising you, in the end, you marry and be someone else¡¯s man,¡± Li Chunhua bemoaned, angry at Bai Jianguo and Hao Fang, yet unable to hold any resentment toward her grandchildren.

    After all, she had raised them; besides, the two grandsons had never wronged her.

 Chapter 146 - 146 146 Bai Song Arrives

    ?Chapter 146: Chapter 146 Bai Song Arrives   Chapter 146: Chapter 146 Bai Song Arrives                                   ¡°What should we do?¡± Bai Zhuang asked anxiously.

    Li Chunhua mmed the table. Ever since she had recovered from her illness, her temper had grown sharp. She would often bang the table and glower, scolding anyone from head to toe without restraint. Recently, Bai Jianguo and Hao Fang had been frequently on the receiving end of Li Chunhua¡¯s scoldings.

    The couple had learned their lesson and tried to steer clear of Li Chunhua whenever possible, either by staying in their own room or finding excuses to check on the crops in the fields¡ªanything to keep their distance.

    ¡°Howe what I say doesn¡¯t count?¡±

    Bai Zhuang immediately backed down, knowing that his parents had made it clear that in this household they had to endure and amodate Grandma. Otherwise, if she truly told them to find somewhere else to live, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to bring his bride home.

    Endure!

    ¡°Fine, what you say goes! Of course, you have the final word,¡± Bai Zhuang conceded defeat and promptly left the house.

    Li Chunhua nced at the items without a word andy down to sleep.

    The day after tomorrow was Bai Mei¡¯s wedding. The day after Bai Mei¡¯s wedding, An Zhiyuan had already purchased train tickets for Bai Xiao. Thanks to An Zhiyuan¡¯s special status, which came with perks, he bought sleeper tickets. After all, it was a good ten-plus hours by train from their county to the provincial capital, almost twenty hours in total. To sit in a hard seat the entire time would be exhausting.

    Bai Xiao had initially wanted to decline, but An Zhiyuan simply dropped the tickets off and left. He even maintained a stern expression, dropping the words, ¡°I will drive you to the county town ahead of time.¡±

    Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t say anything.

    Let it be. Speaking of An Zhiyuan, he didn¡¯t really have any major faults, aside from maybe having a bit of a quick temper. In fact, he was quite decent, treating her with genuine kindness, heartfelt and sincere. He sent her money the other time, and this time a train ticket. From time to time, when he had a moment, he¡¯d alsoe over to their house to help out with some work.

    In this day and age, such a son-inw was quite satisfactory, especially her eldest sister, who thought that Instructor An was the best brother-inw possible.

    Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t really draw a clear line with Instructor An at the moment. She still hadn¡¯t figured out what the rtionship was between his special ability and her own, but at least one advantage was known: with An Zhiyuan around, she could suffer less. Maybe she wouldn¡¯t have to worry about side effects in the future. She was aware that in her past life, as she healed more and more people, the side effects had intensified, and she wouldn¡¯t have taken the risk with the Energy Potion if there were any other way. The slowly freezing sensation of a life worse than death made her long to feel some semnce of life.

    She really couldn¡¯t give up the rtionship with An Zhiyuan at this time. Sometimes, Bai Xiao even felt a bit despicable, as if she were using An Zhiyuan.

    s, had she be corrupted after her rebirth?

    She decided to stop pondering questions that were tooplex to understand at the moment. Now was not the time for such thoughts. She wouldn¡¯t actively harm anyone, unless someone bullied her first. So she wouldn¡¯t do anything inappropriate with An Zhiyuan.

    He was indeed a good person, the best she had encountered so far, unwavering and without any demands, shouldering her as a responsibility out of sheer duty. It seemed, in that light, that she was a cmity to An Zhiyuan.

    Bai Yue and Bai Xiao were going to help out today. The day after tomorrow was Bai Mei¡¯s wedding, and their vige had the custom of hosting guests and setting out feasts before marrying off a daughter. Of course, for the first two days, it simply meant serving noodles.

    Although it wasn¡¯t anything extravagant, the vigers were all delighted¡ªto bask in the joy of the asion and, of course, to enjoy a meal on the house. Who wouldn¡¯t be pleased?

    Even though Bai Xiao wanted to set boundaries, it truly was just a wishful thought. In today¡¯s society, it was utterly impossible, whether from a moral or public opinion standpoint, to disassociatepletely from Bai Jianguo¡¯s family. Therefore, the sisters still had to help out.

    She might not care about these things, but Bai Yue and the others still had to live in the vige and absolutely could not ignore them. People are societal beings, social animals, and no one could utterly reject the constraints ofmon customs, to be the person you want to be, to do the things you desire. Of course, if one day you be powerful enough, so powerful that everyone has to look up to you and depend on you, then your words be the truth. You can do whatever you want.

    Just as the two sisters were about to leave, they ran into Bai Song head-on.

    ¡°Brother!¡± Bai Xiao was the first to react with delight, quickly taking the army green duffel bag from Bai Song¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Bro, didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d only get time off at the end of the year? Why are you back now?¡± Bai Xiao never expected her older brother toe back at this time.

    Bai Yue pulled Bai Song into the yard, also looking very happy. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten both darker and thinner. Sit down, have you eaten? I¡¯ll go make some food for you.¡± This brother was their family¡¯s hope, especially because he was so honest and good-natured.

    Bai Song nodded, ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Just make me something simple, sis. Why did youe home?¡± He didn¡¯t yet know about his older sister¡¯s divorce, and Bai Xiao had not told him, feeling it was pointless to mention it over the phone, it would just make him worry.

    Bai Yue didn¡¯t say anything and went into the kitchen.

    ¡°Xiao, why isn¡¯t big sister talking? How many days has she been back?¡± Looking around the neatly tidied courtyard and the house that seemed to have been cleaned, Bai Song figured it must have been his sister¡¯s doing, even the stove and the walls of the house had been rebuilt.

    ¡°Big sister and the three nephews will be living with our family from now on,¡± Bai Xiao said as she poured water for Bai Song to wash his face.

    ¡°What? Why? Did something happen over at the Liu Family stronghold? Did they suffer a disaster or something?¡± Bai Song, washing his face, wondered if Bai Yue and the others had moved because they could no longer survive at the Liu Family stronghold.

    ¡°Big sister got divorced,¡± Bai Xiao passed a towel to her brother.

    ¡°What? Why did she get divorced?¡± Bai Song was shocked. If big sister was divorced, as a woman with three sons, how would she manage to get by in the future?

    ¡°I went to see big sister a while ago and happened toe across Li Dashan hitting her. He hit her so viciously, not to mention that Little Sansan was so feverish he was delirious, yet he still refused to get him medical help. Big sister wanted to borrow money and he beat her nearly to death. That¡¯s when she got divorced,¡± Bai Xiao didn¡¯t know what Bai Song would think because in this era, a woman getting divorced was a disgrace, looked down upon by people.

    She didn¡¯t know how Bai Song would react to this.

    ¡°Li Dashan, that coward, actually dared to hit big sister. It¡¯s good that she divorced him. A man who can¡¯t even care for his wife and children is not worth keeping. If I had been there, I would¡¯ve beaten Li Dashan for sure. How dare he strike my sister!¡± Bai Song¡¯s eyes zed with fierce determination.

    Bai Xiao thought about how Bai Song truly supported Bai Yue. Reflecting on it, she realized that Bai Song¡¯s life had not been easy. At just twenty-two, having been away for four years, he¡¯d been responsible for supporting two older sisters in this household. All while considering his sisters¡¯ maternal family in his actions and words, it was already more than what should be expected of someone his age.

    ¡°Bro, it¡¯s really great that you¡¯re back,¡± Bai Xiao said joyfully.

    That feeling of someone having your back was genuinely incredible.

 Chapter 147 - 147 147 Severing Ties

    ?Chapter 147: Chapter 147: Severing Ties   Chapter 147: Chapter 147: Severing Ties                                   Bai Yue had already prepared a bowl of in water boiled noodles, with four poached eggs lying inside, and handed Bai Song a pair of chopsticks.

    ¡°Here, eat up, fill your stomach first.¡±

    Taking them, Bai Song looked at the in noodles and felt warmth in his heart. He was well aware that after his sister got divorced, the Li Family definitely couldn¡¯t provide her with food rations. These in noodles must have been kept for entertaining guests during the New Year, and with his return, his eldest sister was treating him like a guest.

    But he said nothing, what was there to say between family members? Those feelings of gratitude and being touched didn¡¯t need to be expressed in words.

    He squatted on the ground, cradling the bowl and slurping down the noodles loudly. Within moments, half the bowl was gone.

    After he had eaten his fill and wiped his mouth, Bai Yue anxiously asked, ¡°Are you still hungry? I can make more for you. I have plenty of dough prepared, so eat without worry.¡±

    Bai Song shook his head, stood up with the bowl, and went to the kitchen todle out two spoonfuls of soup.

    ¡°Sis, I¡¯m full. I just wanted to drink some soup, you know they say ¡®the original soup toplement the original food.''¡±

    He drank the soup in one go, then finally inquired about Bai Xiao¡¯s and Bai Yue¡¯s circumstances. Hearing that Li Dashan actually wished his own son dead, suspecting his elder sister of infidelity, Bai Song felt an intense urge to head over to the Li Family¡¯s doorstep and give Li Dashan a good beating.

    ¡°Elder sister, you stay put and don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll send you money every month. Don¡¯t fret about food; in our vige, we don¡¯t need food coupons, we can manage by buying some grains from others. We¡¯ll get by one way or another. If it reallyes down to it, I think Xiaoshan was pretty spot on. Now with the economic reforms, there are a lot of people in the city engaged in business, and supplies can be quite tight. Many people with money can¡¯t find what they need, so if there¡¯s a wedding or a funeral in the vige, purchasing anything requires connections and ration coupons.

    Since our family no longer hasnd in the vige, instead of you and the children struggling here, it might be better for you to move to the city and start a small business. Where I am in the city, there are quite a few people running businesses, and they seem to be doing quite well. Sis, I¡¯m sure you¡¯d do no worse if you were in business.¡± Bai Song, having seen more of the world, spoke with conviction that made Bai Yue believe him even more.

    ¡°Third brother, I understand. First, let me rear these pigs well and sell them off, then I¡¯ll make further ns. I know both you and Xiao are looking out for me,¡± Bai Yue began tidying up.

    ¡°Where were you two nning to go just now?¡±

    ¡°Bai Mei from our uncle¡¯s family is getting married. We were about to go and help out.¡±

    ¡°Xiao, why did you move back too? I didn¡¯t quite catch what you told me on the phonest time. What happened with uncle and grandma? Did they treat you badly?¡± Bai Song remembered the vague conversation from thest phone call with his sister. Though she hadn¡¯t outlined the specifics clearly, he knew she must have been putting on a brave face, not wanting him to worry while possibly enduring hardship at home.

    Bai Xiao recounted all the grievances she suffered over the past four years to her brother.

    Bai Song kicked the stool away in fury, ¡°Bai Jianguo is such a bastard. He promised me he would take good care of you, but this is how they end up treating you? And grandma as well, I always thought she was just biased, but this isn¡¯t just bias, this is cruelty. I¡¯m going to settle the score with them!¡± Unable to swallow this insult, Bai Song stormed out the door.

    Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t hold him back, and as she couldn¡¯t, she called for Bai Yue and chased after him, heading straight to Bai Jianguo¡¯s house.

    At that time, Bai Jianguo¡¯s house¡¯s courtyard had a stove set up, with two cooks preparing arge pot of stew for making noodle dishes. Anyone who came could grab a bowl, scoop up some noodles,dle some stew on them, and then squat down to eat. This was the custom in the vige.

    Bai Jianguo was bustling around in the courtyard, all busy and hectic as he greeted people; their house was marrying off a daughter, so naturally, vigers woulde to present their gifts. Someone was recording the cash gifts on red paper, marking them down diligently.

    The moment Bai Song entered, Bai Jianguo spotted him instantly. The clothes he wore were eye-catching¡ªhow could anyone not notice him?

    Hurrying over with a smile, ¡°Third brother, when did you get back? Your timing couldn¡¯t be more perfect; look, your sister is getting married just now. Come on, sit down and eat.¡± Bai Song had a fiery temper, and he knew this kid wasn¡¯t like Bai Ju or Bai Yue, like Bai Xiao, one who could flip the table if things were not to his liking. His heart was still pounding.

    Now that Bai Xiao had moved out, Bai Song would definitely talk about these matters with his brother upon his return. With Bai Song¡¯s personality, there was no telling what he might do.

    Bai Song spotted Hao Fang in one nce and, without saying much, made a beeline for her, scaring Hao Fang into taking several steps back. Why had this blockheade back?

    Without further words, Bai Song stared at Hao Fang, ¡°Is it you who wants to sell off my sister?¡± He had learned that Hao Fang and Bai Jianguo intended to marry Bai Xiao off to Fang Xiaoshan. Although he didn¡¯t know what kind of person Fang Xiaoshan was, he knew this couple had no good intentions for his sister. Bai Xiao had clearly been epted to university, yet they wanted to snatch her admission letter and marry her off.

    ¡°No¡­ No¡­¡± Hao Fang was so scared she couldn¡¯t even speak properly.

    Bai Shan and Bai Zhuang were unhappy to see this; no matter what, their mother was an elder. Bai Song¡¯s overt confrontation was outright bullying. Did they seem like dead meat to him?

    The two brothers immediately intervened.

    ¡°Bai Song, what are you doing? No matter what, my mom is your elder¡­¡± Bai Shan couldn¡¯t finish his sentence when Bai Song fiercely kicked him, sending him flying.

    ¡°If you dare to sell my sister, then you¡¯re fucking not any elder of mine. I¡¯ve never heard of any family elders selling their own nieces. If you dare to sell my sister, then naturally you¡¯re an enemy of our family. I don¡¯t have such rtives.¡± Bai Song looked at Bai Zhuang and picked up the iron fire poker that stood in the corner of the wall. Every household usually had one, and Bai Zhuang watched as Bai Song, with just his hands, bent it into two pieces.

    Frightened, he gasped and backed away several steps.

    ¡°Third brother, this is your aunt, how could you¡­¡± Bai Jianguo¡¯s words were cut short when he saw Bai Song break the already two-piece fire poker into four pieces with an effortless look on his face.

    He choked on his own words.

    Unless he wanted to be beaten by his own nephew in front of everyone, he could talk to everyone about etiquette and morals, about respecting the old and loving the young, but that had to be with someone who would have that conversation with him. Facing a character like Bai Song, there might just be a fight without words. He wasn¡¯t ignorant of Bai Song¡¯s temperament over the years.

    Bai Song had already shown a lot of restraint in front of them, and that¡¯s because Bai Xiao, who was raised in their sight, treated them politely each time. That was because of his sister, who had to eat their family¡¯s food.

    But now, he probably really had the heart to wipe them out entirely.

    ¡°Today I¡¯m making it clear to you, Bai Jianguo, my father has already passed away. From now on, our two families arepletely severed. We can¡¯t afford to have an uncle like you. You take the money given by the three of us siblings, yet you mistreat my sister; only a beast would do such a thing. If you dare to cause trouble at our house again, don¡¯t me me for not being polite to you. In the future, you¡¯d better tell your son, grandson, and daughter to stay as far away as possible from anyone in our family. Otherwise, don¡¯t me me for not showing any courtesy. If I see old ones, I¡¯ll hit the old; if I see the young ones, I¡¯ll hit the young. You know how bad I am. I don¡¯t skimp on my reputation for being tough.¡± Bai Song casually crumpled the four pieces of iron in his hand, threw them on the ground, and walked away with Bai Xiao and Bai Yue.

    Everybody watched, dumbfounded, at the mangled iron ball on the ground.

    Geez, who would dare to mess with such a Bai Song?

    Everyone looked at Bai Jianguo with sympathy. Who else could you provoke? You just had to mess with Bai Song¡¯s sister; you thought you were bullying a meek little rabbit, and now look, the big tiger behind the rabbit hase out.

    It seems true that the heavens are watching what we do. It¡¯s not that the retribution doesn¡¯te; it¡¯s just not the time yet!

 Chapter 148 - 148 148 Sibling Conversation

    ?Chapter 148: Chapter 148 Sibling Conversation   Chapter 148: Chapter 148 Sibling Conversation                                   Bai Song brought Bai Yue and Bai Xiao back home and, with a sullen expression, went to the backyard to chop wood for them.

    Bai Xiao could tell that her elder brother was upset inside.

    Given Bai Song¡¯s personality, his ability to raise his hand and let Bai Jianguo¡¯s family off so lightly today must have been out of concern for Bai Yue¡¯s future in the vige. After all, he had to return to his military unit, and once he left, if the shameless Bai Jianguo¡¯s family came to bully Bai Yue, he couldn¡¯t possibly ask for leave to rush back every time to deal with such matters.

    So, he still left some leeway in his actions. Otherwise, with Bai Song¡¯s skills, Bai Shan and Bai Zhuang would probably be beaten so badly that even their own parents wouldn¡¯t recognize them.

    The main thing was his current profession. He could beat up Bai Shan and Bai Zhuang, but he couldn¡¯t beat Bai Jianguo and Hao Fang. It was a different matter, and if someone reported it, Bai Song would likely face severe punishment.

    Yet, Bai Xiao felt rather relieved. It seemed her elder brother had made progresspared to his past life and had learned such tactics. Just his ability was enough to deter Bai Jianguo¡¯s family, and of course, the vigers. If anyone else thought about bullying Bai Yue, the widow and orphan with no one to care for them, they should be scared now.

    ¡°Big brother, are you still angry? It¡¯s all in the past now. Aren¡¯t we as a family living well?¡± Bai Xiao squatted aside and watched her brother vent his anger on the firewood with his axe.

    With one strike of the axe, the wood split in two, and with a couple more hits, the firewood was neatly quartered.

    ¡°Brother, it¡¯s not anger at others, but at myself. You¡¯ve been with your uncle and granny for four years, not just for a day or two. Although I, your big brother, didn¡¯te back often, I still stayed for three to five days each time and yet, I didn¡¯t notice anything wrong with you. What are my eyes for then? My own sister was mistreated by others. If it weren¡¯t for this uniform I¡¯m wearing, I¡¯d have broken Bai Jianguo and Hao Fang¡¯s legs today. They¡¯re so hateful and infuriating.

    ¡°They¡¯ve been abusing a child as small as you for four years, not just for a day or two. Doesn¡¯t everyone have a heart made of flesh? Just hearing about those things makes me realize you must have buried a lot more that you haven¡¯t told me. The past four years at their house, you¡¯ve been treated like a ve. I really regret listening to granny¡¯s and uncle¡¯s promises back then, when they assured us that they would take good care of you.

    ¡°If I had known it would be like this, I would have begged door to door in the vige, even if it meant bowing down to every household, there would be one willing to take you in. You wouldn¡¯t have had to live like that in anyone else¡¯s home. I failed as a big brother. I promised mom and dad that I would take good care of you, but look what I let happen to you. Brother, I truly feel ashamed,¡± Bai Song said, filled with self-reproach and sadness.

    Bai Xiao ran in front of Bai Song with a giggly smile and hugged his arm coquettishly, ¡°Big brother, aren¡¯t I fine now? If you¡¯re still upset, then it¡¯s not worth it. You are getting upset here because of someone else¡¯s mistakes, which is simply not worthwhile. Big brother, you¡¯vee back not so easily, and I¡¯m about to leave. If you don¡¯t have a good chat with me, I will be the one who gets upset,¡± she said, puffing out her lips in a pout that amused Bai Song.

    ¡°You! What am I supposed to do with you? Look at you now, aren¡¯t you talking back smoothly? During those four years, how could you let granny and uncle bully you? Even if you couldn¡¯t beat them, couldn¡¯t you have told me secretly? With me around, I could have beaten them up badly. I wouldn¡¯t have to wear this uniform; I couldn¡¯t simply watch my little sister suffer,¡± Bai Song chided Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao pursed her lips, ¡°Big brother, stop talking big. Why did you go in the first ce? Wasn¡¯t it because our family was poor, and after our parents passed away, all the family property was taken over by our uncle and his family? Weren¡¯t you also aiming to support my schooling and find a way to make money? Even if you knew about it back then, you couldn¡¯t have done anything to our uncle, right? The reason I didn¡¯t tell you was that I knew telling you would only make you angry inside. You¡¯ve finally reached this position, and you may be able to stay there in the future. If you get sued by our uncle and grandma because of me and can no longer continue your career, and get demobilized back to our ce, what would you do? Even if we went back to our vige, we could only farm.¡±

    ¡°The problem is that our family doesn¡¯t even have anynd anymore. Are you going to take me out to work? I considered this for years without saying anything. I¡¯m not a child anymore, and now you¡¯re an adult as well. We both need to think more when we consider things. I just hope that before you do anything in the future, you won¡¯t act too impulsively. Think it through. In society, you¡¯ll run into many shameless people like our uncle and grandma. It¡¯s simply not worth it to jeopardize yourself for such people.¡±

    ¡°You should deal with them like I am now, finding a way to make them feel the pain. They hit me, I¡¯ll naturally make them hurt in return, but I definitely won¡¯t put myself at risk.¡± She was indirectly persuading Bai Song, still worried that her big brother would end up like he did in her previous life, demoted to Yunnan.

    Bai Song gave a bitter smile, ¡°Yeah, your big brother is just all talk, he¡¯s really not capable. He couldn¡¯t even protect you properly. From now on, Big Brother will definitely change his temper. Even if he wants to deal with them, he can¡¯t let others catch any weaknesses. Otherwise, he really would have let down our eldest sister and you. Xiao, you¡¯ve suffered!¡± He was filled with self-reproach. When their parents died, theirst wish was for their children to swear to take good care of Bai Xiao. At that time, Bai Xiao was still so young, crying as if she would die by their parents¡¯ bed.

    It was indeed as Bai Xiao had said: at that time, Bai Yue and Bai Ju were both married, with their own families to care for. It was impossible for them to shoulder the burden of Bai Xiao. Their family¡¯s two acres ofnd was enough for him and his sister to live on, but supporting Bai Xiao¡¯s education was extremely difficult.

    After all, the vige didn¡¯t charge tuition, but there were still costs for textbooks. Each year, you still needed pencils and notebooks, right?

    It was then that Bai Song felt truly helpless. Only then did he think about leaving, because he knew there would be an allowance if he went there, and that meant his sister could afford to go to school and have enough to eat. The three siblings discussed for a long time, and finally decided to go see the vige chief. Back then, not just anyone could take on that role.

    Fortunately, Liu Baoguo was a decent person. Remembering that their parents were good people and wanting to give their family a bit of a lift, he managed to secure a spot for Bai Song.

    It was like that time when they finally went to beg at their grandma¡¯s and uncle¡¯s door, producing neen yuan for living expenses in order to keep their sister at their uncle¡¯s house.

    At that time, they really had no other choice.

    Bai Xiao smiled, ¡°Big brother, you need to look forward. Aren¡¯t we living a better life now? Look, I¡¯ve been admitted to university, and it¡¯s to Aviation University at that. Big brother, I¡¯ll be in the same field as you soon. Our eldest sister and second sister¡¯s lives will get better and better, and we¡¯ve already gotten through the toughest times. You also need to do better there, Big brother. You need to work on your education; foreseeably, work will revolve around the four modernizations, and the requirements are likely to be for modernization as well. Don¡¯t let yourself be eliminated because you fall behind. Little sister, I hope your future is ever smoother, and that all our family members¡¯ lives will get better and better.¡±

    Bai Song put his arm around his little sister, and lovingly ruffled her hair, saying indulgently, ¡°You little girl, now you¡¯re even starting to lecture me. See how I¡¯ll deal with you.¡±

    The siblingsughed heartily.

 Chapter 149 - 149 149 The Trial of the Eldest Brother-in-Law

    ?Chapter 149: Chapter 149: The Trial of the Eldest Brother-in-Law   Chapter 149: Chapter 149: The Trial of the Eldest Brother-in-Law                                   ¡°Bai Xiao!¡± a voice made both of them stop, and they both turned their heads towards the source of the sound.

    An Zhiyuan looked at Bai Xiao and a young manughing so happily, and their intimacy was evident; his heart was indeed not only feeling the taste. He knew that after being together with Bai Xiao, he never saw such cheerful ease; this type of smile came from the heart.

    Although he understood that Bai Xiao was certainly not a frivolous person, and it seemed that Bai Xiao¡¯s family had a working elder brother, he couldn¡¯t help but feel somewhat wronged. Did Bai Xiao really look down on him that much?

    Bai Xiao was startled, seeing it was An Zhiyuan, her heart tightened; she hadn¡¯t yet told her elder brother about this fianc¨¦ that had appeared out of nowhere.

    Bai Song squinted his eyes, sizing up An Zhiyuan, the two men, in two sets of clothes, assessing each other.

    ¡°Xiao, who is this?¡±

    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m An Zhiyuan, Bai Xiao¡¯s fianc¨¦!¡± An Zhiyuan decided to take the initiative.

    He and Bai Xiao¡¯s rtionship must be recognized by all the Bai Family members.

    Bai Song looked back incredulously at his sister, Fianc¨¦?

    He had only been away for just over half a year, and how did his sister suddenly have a fianc¨¦?

    This was too strange indeed.

    However, considering the suit An Zhiyuan wore, Bai Song wasn¡¯t very resistant; after all, those in this profession gave a sense of more responsibility and security. He himself was in this profession, naturally feeling a natural affinity for such people.

    Bai Xiao felt awkward; every time An Zhiyuan exined it this way in front of her rtives.

    ¡°Elder Brother, An Zhiyuan is indeed my fianc¨¦, it¡¯s a long story, and I can¡¯t exin it clearly right now. Let me tell you about it tonight.¡±

    Bai Song turned towards An Zhiyuan, stretching out arge hand, ¡°Hello, I am Bai Song, Bai Xiao¡¯s elder brother.¡±

    An Zhiyuan reached out his hand, and theirrge hands sped together. Bai Song was a special talent; otherwise, he couldn¡¯t have developed such incredible martial skills. Just now, breaking an iron post bare-handed was due to years of training. This time, he intended to test the mettle of this so-called brother-inw. He couldn¡¯t let his sister marry a weakling; if he couldn¡¯t withstand his strength, An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t deserve to be his brother-inw.

    So the two men silentlypeted through their handshake.

    An Zhiyuan was also pleased initially; now that he had finally met the three closest people in Bai Xiao¡¯s family and gained Bai Song¡¯s acknowledgment, he and Bai Xiao were on a clear path. He had already submitted his love report, though he didn¡¯t know why it hadn¡¯t been approved yet, but that wouldn¡¯t deter his resolution to be with the girl.

    But this handshake made him realize that he wasn¡¯t acknowledged yet; another challenge awaited him.

    It was natural for men to have apetitive spirit, especially since he was facing not only his future brother-inw but also a peer in the same profession. This was a double test, so the two men quietly vied with each other.

    Bai Xiao watched as the two men shook hands, not letting go, looking at her brother¡¯s forehead veins bulging. Although An Zhiyuan seemed calm and collected, weren¡¯t the pronounced veins on his neck indicating otherwise?

    The two were quite interesting.

    ¡°Elder brother, you and Officer An have a chat here; I¡¯ll go ahead and help elder sister.¡± This was a man¡¯spetition, irrelevant to her as a woman, so she left.

    Once Bai Xiao left,

    the atmosphere in the yard immediately tensed up.

    Bai Song loosened his grip, stretched his shoulders, and said with a smile, ¡°Sure, your strength training is pretty intense. Come on, let¡¯s spar a bit and stretch our muscles.¡± Encountering someone about as skilled as oneself felt like finding a kindred spirit in drinking¡ªnever having enough.

    An Zhiyuan nodded, took off his clothes, and draped them over the firewood pile nearby, revealing a green tank top underneath. As soon as he took off his clothes, his well-defined muscles and striking figure were immediately apparent.

    ¡°I¡¯m from the special forces, how about you?¡± Bai Song also stripped off his clothes, as they didn¡¯t want to ruin them while sparring.

    ¡°I¡¯m from a certain brigade.¡± An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t specify which, but Bai Song understood that many brigades were newly established and secretive, and their personal information was highly confidential. Mentioning the brigade already implied that he was involved.

    Both men immediately took up positions.

    ¡­¡­

    ¡­¡­

    Bai Xiao and Bai Yue were tidying up the house, as Bai Song would need a ce to stay when he came back. The house was only so big, they had to make room for Bai Song and Li Haiping, Li Hai¡¯an, and Li Haishun to squeeze in together.

    Bai Yue aired the bedding in the yard to let the sun soften them, so her brother would feelfortable and soft when hey in bed at night.

    Hearing nging noises from the backyard, Bai Yue curiously said, ¡°Xiao, what are your brother and Instructor An doing? I saw Instructor An heading to the backyard to look for you just now.¡±

    Bai Xiao chuckled, ¡°I have no idea what they are up to.¡±

    And she wouldn¡¯t say even if she knew.

    From the smile at the corner of Bai Xiao¡¯s mouth, Bai Yue knew this tricky girl wasn¡¯t telling the truth.

    ¡°You sneaky girl, I think Instructor An is really nice. I just came home for a few days, and Instructor An hase over five times already. Although he lives nearby, he¡¯s still very busy with daily training and work. Yet, he finds time to check if our family needs help.

    Look at the table, he¡¯s left another big bag of stuff. I¡¯ve already told him not to bring things every time. We¡¯re all family here, why be so formal?¡±

    Bai Xiao walked over and opened the package on the table. Inside, there were not food items, but three sets of clothes and four pairs of rubber shoes. An Zhiyuan had indeed been thoughtful.

    If she guessed right, these must be for her three brothers, knowing that for young people nowadays, probably the biggest pride is having clothes to wear. Those who could would always save up to send clothes back home so siblings could strut around the vige feeling proud and stylish.

    The clothes were brand new, probably saved up by An Zhiyuan for his three big nephews.

    An Zhiyuan was good to his family, which definitely made her feel sweet! An Zhiyuan really knew how to handle things. After all, her eldest sister truly regards An Zhiyuan as a good brother-inw.

    Right now, even if she said she wouldn¡¯t marry, her sister would probably think she was just being capricious. In her sister¡¯s eyes, An Zhiyuan was the best brother-inw one could have.

    ¡°The clothes and rubber shoes are probably for the three brothers.¡±

    ¡°How could that be? Let Little An take them back and wear them himself. They go through clothes and shoes quickly with their training. What do those three kids need with such clothes?¡± Bai Yue disagreed.

    Bai Xiaoughed, ¡°Then you should talk to me about this, since I¡¯m not the one who brought them. Go talk to Instructor An.¡±

    She went to the kitchen to prepare a meal, bustling back and forth. It was almost noon, and of course, she wanted to cook something nice for her big brother¡¯s return.

 Chapter 150 - 150 150 Making Dumplings

    ?Chapter 150: Chapter 150 Making Dumplings   Chapter 150: Chapter 150 Making Dumplings                                   ¡°Sister, I¡¯ll go and get some meat. Let¡¯s just make dumplings for lunch. We have to prepare something nice for big brother when he gets back. After I get the meat, I¡¯ll stop by godmother¡¯s to get some chives or fennel from her field. Let¡¯s make two kinds of dumplings,¡± said Bai Xiao, ncing at the grain supply.

    Bai Yue had returned with her three nephews just a few days ago, and Li Chunmei and her husband had already brought over three bags of grain, remarkably one of white flour and two of cornmeal, each weighing over 100 pounds. The neighborhood watch Director Li Guoqing also delivered two bags of grain in the middle of the night, one of white flour and one of cornmeal. This act of kindness was significant¡ª all five bags together added up to five or six hundred pounds.

    Bai Xiao, of course, knew that this was their way of repaying her kindness. Although they didn¡¯t say so explicitly, it was all because she had saved Li Guoqing and Liu Baoguo¡¯s daughter, Liu Hong, back in the day. Although both families were well-off, this was essentially them giving her free grain. With this grain, they had enough tost them until after the New Year. If they could hold out until then, their pigs would be ready for market, and they would certainly have the extra money to buy more grain.

    She naturally did not refuse the two families¡¯ good intentions. Solve it on her own?

    Taking care of three children, who were all half-grown and starving, meant that grain was precisely what was needed. It would be downright foolish to fake modesty and decline their offer.

    Vigers were simple folks. If you saved their life and then refused their grateful repayment, they might think you looked down on them.

    She took it graciously, knowing there would be plenty of opportunities to repay their kindness in the future.

    Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t burdened by this at all, but Bai Yue hadn¡¯t slept well for several days, feeling as though she owed them a huge favor.

    Bai Yue nodded, ¡°You go and get some money from the chest on the kang bed. Cut a generous amount of meat. Since Commander An is here today as well, let¡¯s have a hearty meal as if it were New Year¡¯s,¡± Bai Yue said while sweeping the kang andying out the sleeping mats.

    Bai Xiao nodded. She took five yuan from her own money, not touching Bai Yue¡¯s, thinking it was better to leave her sister¡¯s money for any emergency that might arise.

    After leaving the house and reaching the entrance of the vige, they encountered the vige¡¯s renowned butcher Zhang¡¯s home.

    Coincidentally, the vigemittee¡¯s loudspeaker had been announcing all day that Butcher Zhang had ughtered a pig and those in the vige who wanted pork should go to the entrance to buy it.

    On ordinary days, even fantasizing about eating meat was unlikely.

    Even if the vige held arge market every so often, there was never that much meat to sell.

    One could only hope to indulge in some after several busy months when someone in the vige ughtered a pig.

    Today was a stroke of good luck.

    Butcher Zhang, of course, did not ughter the pig to sell to these vigers. People here lived frugally and wouldn¡¯t spend money on meat unless it was the New Year or a festival. His pork was actually meant for a wedding in the neighboring vige, where folks were quite generous and had bought two whole pigs in one go.

    Of course, they had asked Butcher Zhang to ughter the pigs, and he was given all the offal and trimmings, which the generous family didn¡¯t want.

    However, the cook there thought there was too much meat, especially since they had also procured beef and mutton. So, Zhang thought of bringing back twenty pounds of pork. Once announced on the vige loudspeaker, it was enough for those who wished to enjoy a little luxury.

    When Bai Xiao arrived, she asked for three pounds of pork, choosing a piece with a good mix of fat and lean. Butcher Zhang was very polite¡ªafter all, Bai Xiao was the only college graduate in the vige and the vige chief¡¯s adopted daughter. Could he be anything but extra courteous?

    He adamantly refused to take Bai Xiao¡¯s money, insisting she just take the meat home to eat.

    But Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t ept that. She pulled out the money from her pocket and insisted on leaving it with Butcher Zhang.

    The two pushed back and forth until finally Zhang the butcher epted the money, and gave Bai Xiao a set of pork tripe and intestines for free; if she didn¡¯t take them, he wouldn¡¯t sell her any meat.

    Left with no choice, Bai Xiao could only ept it.

    She made a detour to Li Chunhua¡¯s house. Li Chunhua¡¯s vegetable garden was right behind their house, separated by just a wall, very convenient.

    Li Chunhua was in the yard feeding chickens.

    Seeing Bai Xiao approaching with a basket, she smiled and said, ¡°You girl, where are you off to with that?¡±

    ¡°Godmom, isn¡¯t it because my brother came back? We n to make dumplings at noon, and I want you, goddad, and Liu Hong, the three of you, toe over for lunch. I¡¯m thickening my face to ask for some chives and fennel from you,¡± Bai Xiao said without any embarrassment, knowing well after these days of being together that Liu Baoguo¡¯s family were actually quite nice people.

    Li Chunhua took a sickle, ¡°Oh, spare me the talk. It¡¯s not easy for your brother toe back and have a meal of dumplings. Now you even invited our family of three over. Isn¡¯t that like pping your goddad and godmom in the face?¡± She led Bai Xiao to the vegetable garden, and swiftly cut a big bunch of chives and fennel.

    ¡°Godmom, what are you talking about? I took out 3 pounds of pork, we¡¯re practically celebrating New Year¡¯s in advance. The day after tomorrow, I¡¯ll be leaving, so just think of the meal as a farewell. It¡¯s livelier when everyone eats together. It so happens that my goddad alwaysins about not having a drinking buddy. With my brother and Director An here, we can prepare some liquor for themter. I¡¯ll stir-fry some peanuts, perfect to go with the drinks.

    Moreover, don¡¯t they say the more you eat dumplings and drink wine, the better it gets? You can¡¯t miss out. My sister and I will definitely wrap those dumplings for you. If you don¡¯te, I¡¯ll have to bring them over myself,¡± Bai Xiao threatened Li Chunhua straightforwardly.

    Li Chunhua gave Bai Xiao a stare, putting the chives and fennel in her own basket, ¡°Look at you, acting all important. Fine, we¡¯lle over for lunch. When someone invites you over for a meal and you don¡¯t go, that¡¯s just foolish. I¡¯ll have Liu Hong bring the vegetables over for you, so she can help out too. I¡¯ll finish up with what I¡¯m doing and then head over with your goddad. As for the liquor, we have some at home, no need to go to the vige entrance to get it. Later, I¡¯ll ask your goddad to carry a couple of bottles over.¡±

    ¡°Liu Hong, Liu Hong,e out! Bai Xiao is here, go help her wrap dumplings.¡± Li Chunhua had already called out for Liu Hong in a loud voice.

    Liu Hong came out, took the basket from her mother, and hooking arms with Bai Xiao said with a smile, ¡°Let¡¯s go, are we making dumplings? Wow, it¡¯s not even a holiday, and your family is actually making dumplings?¡±

    ¡°My brother hase back. We¡¯re having dumplings at my ce for lunch. Come on, help me with the work,¡± Bai Xiao led Liu Hong back home.

    Once home, she found a basin and started soaking the pork tripe and intestines.

    Bai Yue had finished tidying up the house and was surprised to see the tripe and intestines, ¡°Why did you buy these things? They¡¯re tough to handle and if they¡¯re not cooked well, they can smell very gamey.¡± She rolled up her sleeves, ready to chop the meat filling.

    At that time, there were no meat grinders; if a family wanted to make a batch of dumplings, one would have to spend a whole morning chopping on a cutting board.

    Liu Hong, holding the basket, found a basin and began picking vegetables, ¡°Big sister, I n to freeload for lunch at your ce.¡±

    Bai Yueughed, ¡°I¡¯m more afraid you¡¯ll eat me out of house and home.¡±

    Everyone shared augh.

    Bai Xiao took out some cornmeal and carefully washed the pork tripe and intestines. If not cleaned properly, they would indeed smell gamey. People in the vige generally didn¡¯t bother with such things because although they yielded a lot of meat, the hassle of preparing them, let alone the waste and effort involved, was hardly worth it.

    It was much less trouble to just eat a piece of pork.

 Chapter 151 - 151 151 Making Dumplings (Part 2)

    ?Chapter 151: Chapter 151 Making Dumplings (Part 2)   Chapter 151: Chapter 151 Making Dumplings (Part 2)                                   It didn¡¯t take long for Bai Song and An Zhiyuan to get dressed ande out, and now, their tone of speaking had be very familiar, as if they had instantly transformed from strangers into long-time friends.

    In the yard, three women were busily working.

    ¡°Are we having dumplings for lunch?¡±

    Bai Song, looking somewhat greedy, mused that, while their troops weren¡¯t without dumplings, they were only a special treat during festive seasons. Their training was grueling, and often took them deep into deserted mountains for three to four months at a stretch, without a chance for dumplings. Even having cornmeal pancakes was considered good fortune. There were plenty of times they went without food and water during field training, so a meal of dumplings was indeed a mouthwatering prospect.

    Bai Yue pointed to the water jar, ¡°Go, fetch some water. Since you¡¯vee home today, we¡¯ve ughtered some pork. We¡¯ll make dumplings. Camp Chief An, you can¡¯t leave at noon, stay here and have dumplings with us. Did you hear me?¡±

    Bai Song, grinning, quickly grabbed the shoulder pole to draw water. He was happy to work, especially with so many people at home watching; it made him even happier.

    An Zhiyuan wasn¡¯t shy about it. He usually came over in the evenings after training, but he had a day off today, and Bai Xiao was about to leave, so he wanted to see if Bai Xiao needed anything. He hade over and had a sparring session with his uncle-inw. That bout had truly been satisfying.

    It had been a long time since he¡¯d encountered a worthy opponent to spar with, especially one who was his uncle-inw. He figured his uncle-inw had wanted to show his mettle today, warning him not to mistreat his sister, or else he, as her big brother, could wipe him out.

    Rolling up his sleeves, he said to Bai Yue, ¡°Big sister, let me chop the meat filling, I¡¯m more suitable for this kind of physical work!¡± Not waiting for Bai Yue¡¯s response, he took the cleaver and began chopping.

    Bai Yueughed, ¡°Oh, Instructor An, you certainly look the part there. Do you also cook at home?¡± The more impressive her brother-inw was, the less her sister would have to suffer in the future. What woman didn¡¯t do everything at home?

    If Instructor An was also capable, it would make a difference, and seeing Bai Yue was truly pleased.

    An Zhiyuan chuckled, ¡°Not really, I just make some simple dishes.¡±

    Liu Hong nced at Bai Xiao, ¡°Xiao, you sure are lucky for the future!¡±

    ¡°Just pick your vegetables, we¡¯ll need them shortly! No more idle chitchat!¡± She had already washed the pork tripe and intestines, ready to be cookedter. All the spices in the house were supplied by Li Chunmei. She went next door to ask the auntie for a bunch of chili peppers; everyone here loved their chili peppers.

    In no time, An Zhiyuan had the meat filling ready, Bai Xiao grabbed a basin and began to mix the filling, while Liu Hong took over chopping the Chinese chives and fennel, ready to make two distinct fillings for the dumplings.

    The three of them started making dumplings in the kitchen.

    Bai Yue rolled out the dough skins, Bai Xiao and Liu Hong wrapped the dumplings.

    Bai Xiao used to be very good at household chores, a skill underappreciated in her past life. In Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s family, she did everything, inside and out. Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s grandparents and parents were the elders, how could they do any work? And Fang Xiaoshan himself was the only child in their family. As the olddy used to say, how could a man enter the kitchen?

    So she had to do everything.

    Bai Yue nced at Bai Xiao¡¯s dumplings and couldn¡¯t help but praise, ¡°Xiao, your dumplings look really good. This way of wrapping is somewhat like our mother¡¯s. Beautiful!¡±

    Liu Hong nced at her own lopsided dumplings and felt a bit embarrassed.

    At her parents¡¯ home, she was so cherished she never had to lift a finger. How could she know how to make dumplings? Eating them was likely the extent of her expertise.

    Bai Xiao taught Liu Hong how to wrap dumplings; after all, practice makes perfect. Anyone starting out was bound to produce less than perfect dumplings at first, but after a little practice, one does get the hang of it.

    Liu Hong, being smart, learned quickly just by watching Bai Xiao wrap a few and soon began to mimic her with skill.

    By the time Li Chunmei and Liu Baoguo arrived together, Li Chunmei rolled up her sleeves, ready to help make dumplings, only to be shocked at the sight of the dumplings her daughter had made.

    ¡°Are these¡­ dumplings made by Liu Hong?¡±

    No wonder Li Chunmei was surprised; she knew her daughter had been spoiled by them her whole life. How could she possibly know how to wrap dumplings?

    Yet now, Liu Hong proudly disyed the dumpling she had just made in front of her mother.

    ¡°How about that, Mom? My dumplings are pretty good, aren¡¯t they?¡±

    Li Chunmei was delighted, ¡°Not bad, not bad at all. Your dumplings are even prettier than the ones your mom makes!¡±

    Liu Hong looked smugly at Bai Xiao, ¡°See that? The student starves the teacher.¡±

    Bai Xiao dodged her flour-covered ws, ¡°I know, I, the teacher, am about to be starved by my student.¡±

    Li Chunmei was even more grateful, never expecting Bai Xiao to have taught her daughter so well.

    ¡°Godmother, why don¡¯t you go outside? The kitchen is small, and the three of us fit perfectly to finish making these. If you really can¡¯t sit still, how about sitting in the yard and peeling a couple heads of garlic for us?¡± Bai Xiao ushered Li Chunmei out.

    Li Chunmei went to peel and crush the garlic.

    The three brothers had already moved a small table outside, actually two tables because of their small size.

    The men sat at one table, and the women at another.

    On the other side, Bai Yue had already put water on to boil, just waiting for it to boil to cook the dumplings.

    Bai Xiao took advantage of the other burner on the stove to fry up some fragrant peanuts. She prepared them ording to a future recipe for boozy peanuts¡ªsoaking them in hot water to remove the skins, then frying them until crisp. She then stir-fried them with Sichuan pepper and chili in the pan, added seasoning and five-spice powder, and served them as a perfect apaniment to drinks.

    Bai Xiao had already cleaned the pork tripe, rubbed it with cornmeal, removed all the white film, and scrubbed it with salt twice.

    Earlier, they had boiled water in arge pot with ginger slices and added some baijiu since they didn¡¯t have cooking wine to hand. The tripe had already been cut into strips after boiling.

    Now she heated the oil in a hot wok, threw in onions, Sichuan pepper, chilies, garlic, and some bean paste she¡¯d made herself. Adding soy sauce, vinegar, baijiu, and a touch of sugar, she stir-fried it until it took on color. After adding green and red bell pepper strips, she quickly stirred and poured it out of the wok.

    When Liu Hong served the dish, she couldn¡¯t resist pinching a piece to taste, and her eyes immediately smiled with delight.

    ¡°Xiao, your stir-fried pork tripe is really delicious, and there¡¯s no gamey taste at all. Dad¡¯s in for a treat this time. This drink apaniment canpete with those in town restaurants.¡±

    As she said that and carried it out, Bai Xiao had already portioned a te for each table. Indeed, when Liu Baoguo saw the colorful and appetizing stir-fried pork tripe, he couldn¡¯t help but swallow hard.

    ¡°I knew Xiao was a good cook, but I never knew the girl had this skill.¡±

    An Zhiyuan gazed at the dishes in front of him feeling delighted inside. His wife was indeed incredible. He would surely be the one reaping the benefits in the future.

    He poured baijiu into the cup in front of Liu Baoguo.

 Chapter 152 - 152 152 The Moth

    ?Chapter 152: Chapter 152: The Moth   Chapter 152: Chapter 152: The Moth                                   Steaming hot dumplings were taken out of the pot, arge te of white, plump dumplings was served, with vinegar poured into minced garlic and topped with chili oil.

    All the guests were seated at the two tables.

    Liu Baoguo raised his ss, as he was the most senior among those present.

    ¡°Bai Song is not often back home, and Bai Xiao is going to university in the provincial city in a few days, so this can be considered a farewell drink. Come on, men will drink, anddies, just enjoy the dishes and the dumplings,¡± he said.

    Everyone happily began to eat.

    An Zhiyuan swallowed a dumpling, and the taste was simply divine. The filling was a perfect blend of fat and lean meat, juicy and bursting with the aroma of chives. He took another bite, savoring the delicious broth, then had a fennel-filled dumpling.

    The taste of this dumpling was different from the chive one, carrying a light and refreshing fragrance.

    He took a sip of liquor, followed by a bite of stuffed tripe.

    The vors were indeed delightful.

    As everyone ate and talked, they soon became full and content.

    Liu Baoguo, An Zhiyuan, and Bai Song, as the ones who could hold their liquor, drank for a long while. In the end, Liu Baoguo, quite drunk, was escorted home by Li Chunmei and Liu Hong.

    Bai Song and An Zhiyuan were somewhat drunk as well.

    Bai Yue had the three boys help the two men to their room to rest.

    She and Bai Xiao cleaned up everything in the yard.

    Worried there might not be enough dumplings with everyone around, they had made plenty, but now two tes remained uncooked, and since raw dumplings wouldn¡¯t keep well, they boiled them all. Once cooked, they rinsed them in cold water, so they wouldn¡¯t stick together when eaten at the next meal.

    ¡°Xiao, I honestly think Instructor An is a good man; you¡¯re going to be lucky to have him,¡± Bai Yue couldn¡¯t help but say what was on her mind. She could tell that Bai Xiao didn¡¯t seem too invested in Instructor An. Considering how good a person he was, Bai Yue really didn¡¯t want her sister to miss out.

    Bai Xiao almost rolled her eyes¡ªAn Zhiyuan sure had everyone¡¯s favor.

    ¡°I got it, Sis!¡± she replied.

    ¡°With that attitude, I¡¯m just worried about your temperament. It¡¯s bing more apparent, and you can¡¯t always be like this in the future. You might easily be disliked by Instructor An,¡± Bai Yue was concerned that her sister was being heedless.

    ¡°Sis, I¡¯ve always been this way. If Instructor An doesn¡¯t like it, then that¡¯s too bad. I won¡¯t change my temperament just for someone else. It¡¯s exhausting for me and for him. Sooner orter, my true nature will show through. It¡¯s better to be genuine from the start. If he can ept me for who I am, then we can truly make it work. If he can¡¯t, even if I pretend, can I pretend for a lifetime?¡± Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t pleased with this conversation. She hadn¡¯t nned to be a virtuous wife and mother in this life, had she not already had enough of that in herst life? Dealing with that beast Fang Xiaoshan, she had been a tolerant, dutiful wife and mother for so many years, causing herself to lose her unborn children. She wasn¡¯t prepared to suffer indignities for anyone else in this life.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid of you,¡± Bai Yue said, though she was scolding her sister. ¡°For every word I say, you have ten waiting for me!¡± She knew Bai Xiao was right, and besides, Bai Xiao was now a university student and had her own opinions. It was inappropriate to force her sister to be subservient, especially since she wasn¡¯t any less capable than Captain An.

    Bai Yue herself had spent her life tiptoeing around the Li Family, only to end up in such a state. It seemed wrong to expect her sister to follow the same path.

    An Zhiyuan woke up in the afternoon to find himself alone in the room. Bai Song was nowhere to be seen. He hadn¡¯t drunk much, just enough to feel a bit dizzy. Since he had nothing to do that afternoon, he had dared to rest at Bai Xiao¡¯s house.

    He got up and walked out into the courtyard, which was silent. Stretching his limbs, he noticed his clothes had been washed and were now blowing slightly in the wind on the clothesline.

    Bai Xiao was justing back from outside. Earlier, Li Chunhua had sent Bai Shan to call both Bai Song and Bai Yue over to her ce.

    Bai Xiao had thought the olddy was up to her usual tricks, but she soon found out the truth.

    Li Chunhua was now behavingpletely differently. When she saw Bai Song, she took his hands and made him sit beside her on the kang bed, her eyes brimming with tears.

    This left Bai Song at a loss for words, unsure what to say or do tofort her. After all, she was his grandmother. He could be tough with Bai Jianguo and Hao Fang, but he couldn¡¯t disy that same fierce demeanor towards Li Chunhua. In his heart, he and his siblings followed the norms, unlike those shameless ones who would do anything. They just could not bring themselves to act that way.

    ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t cry,¡± Bai Song said as he wiped her eyes, ¡°You should be careful with your eyes.¡±

    ¡°Xiaosong, grandma knows she has done many bad things in the past, things that were not right. But you shouldn¡¯t me grandma for that,¡± Li Chunhua said, now a changed woman. She had called the three children over because she had made up her mind. Bai Jianguo was an ingrate, and she feared Bai Shan and Bai Zhuang wouldn¡¯t be much better.

    After thistest incident, she no longer wanted to rely on Bai Jianguo. The olddy had carefully thought it over for days. Bai Song, Bai Yue, Bai Xiao, Bai Ju¡ªthey may have been neglected by her over the years, but she could see they were not cruel-hearted or heartlessly ambitious. Her control over them had been due to their strong familial bonds. People who value rtionships are easily entangled by them.

    Li Chunhua had realized that Bai Xiao was a tough and strong-willed girl. Being tough had its advantages. People said she was a jinx, ming her for the death of her elder brother and his wife, but recent events had shown her to be capable and promising, and even ruthless.

    The girl had now gotten into university and the sky was the limit for her. Just the way she treated her siblings indicated that she was a good person; being strong-willed was necessary to achieve great things, and she knew gratitude. Bai Xiao would not let her siblings down and in the future, they might even depend on her.

    She knew Bai Xiao might not treat her well, and not hating her would already be an act of kindness. But her biggestfort was the knowledge that Bai Song and her other grandchildren were her flesh and blood. She had decided that in her old age, she would rely on these grandchildren, and it was imperative to mend their rtionship now, as much as possible.

    She did not expect Bai Xiao to forgive her, but as long as Bai Song and the others remained close to her, Bai Xiao would not go against her older brother and sister.

    ¡°Xiaosong, you are not getting any younger. It¡¯s time to consider marriage,¡± she said. ¡°I know I¡¯ve done many wrong things in the past, but after this illness, I¡¯ve realized who truly cares for me and who does not. It¡¯s not much money, but I¡¯ve been saving what you¡¯ve given for Xiao¡¯s living expenses, which I had previously given to your second uncle. But that ungrateful wretch has lost all conscience.

    ¡°This is the money I retrieved from your second uncle. Keep it and use it when you get married.¡±

    Bai Song was taken aback. He hadn¡¯t expected the olddy to say something like this today.

    ¡°Grandma, you keep it! You should have some money on hand. I will save up for my own marriage,¡± Bai Song said, refusing to take it.

    Li Chunhua forcefully stuffed the money into his hands, ¡°Take it. I¡¯ve still got a few tens of yuan left for myself.¡±

 Chapter 153 - 153 153 Repentance

    ?Chapter 153: Chapter 153 Repentance   Chapter 153: Chapter 153 Repentance                                   Bai Xiao curled her lips. Had the olddy truly repented?

    She hadn¡¯t noticed it, and what she couldn¡¯t understand was that she had originally hoped that Li Chunhua and Bai Jianguo would fight each other, at least to keep her brother and sister free from annoyance.

    But with the olddy¡¯s tears and sobs, what was she making such a fuss for? Did she think they were children, with memories short enough to forget past events at the offer of a sweet?

    ¡°Grandma, today I made a scene in Uncle¡¯s yard, and I¡¯m afraid you heard it. I¡¯ve made up my mind to never associate with Uncle again. If you¡¯re notfortable living with Uncle, you cane to stay with us,¡± Bai Song said. Not that he was a saint, but this was his own grandmother who hadn¡¯t done anything excessively wrong to him, even though she had asked him for money and favored his biased uncle.

    But just these things couldn¡¯t make him ignore the olddy. The score Bai Xiao kept was attributed to Bai Jianguo¡¯s family in Bai Song¡¯s heart.

    Bai Xiao sighed. Her elder brother was too kind.

    Li Chunhua was probably waiting for this very statement. Now, it seemed they had invited another big Buddha to their home. After all her struggles, was she unintentionally arranging for another ancient ancestor to move back into their house?

    Bai Xiao thought morosely, if worse came to worse and Li Chunhua dared to live at their house, she would have to teach Li Chunhua another lesson. She would rather have her lying in bed, unable to move, than meddling and bossing around at home. If she were a bit more ruthless, maybe this time Li Chunhua would pass away.

    Bai Xiao looked at her own fair hands. Was she about to stain them with blood?

    Li Chunhua, smiling, wiped her tears away. ¡°Xiaosong, Grandma knows you¡¯re a good child. But I don¡¯t n to move into your house. This house was built with your money; why should I leave it for that ungrateful wretch to upy? If I moved out, he would take the whole thing. Don¡¯t worry, Grandma felt quite agile after recovering this time and I don¡¯t have any ailments. I¡¯ll just live here. Over the years, that couple has taken a lot of advantage from me. They want to abandon their duties towards their parents, they¡¯ll have to see if they¡¯ve got the nerve to do it.

    With me here, your uncle and your aunt won¡¯t dare to stir up trouble at your ce. In the past, Grandma used to join forces with your uncle to create a fuss at your house, but now I see clearly who really cares for me, who my real family is. I¡¯m here to deal with your uncle and his family so that you can live a good life.

    I¡¯ve already made up my mind. After a while, I¡¯ll talk to the vige chief. I¡¯ll list all the property, and when I¡¯m gone, everything will be left to you. Right now, I can still move around and don¡¯t need you to take care of me, and especially can¡¯t be a burden to you.¡±

    My gosh!

    Bai Xiao stared at Li Chunhua, shocked. How could her grandmother, who had mistreated her for so many years, suddenly speak such kind words? It was hard to imagine. Could it be that her ¡°special ability¡± also included the power to cleanse impurities and return things to their original purity?

    The change was just too extraordinary.

    Not only was Bai Xiao shocked; Bai Yue and Bai Song were alsopletely confused. Their grandmother had suddenly be so incredibly kind, it was almost scary.

    ¡°Grandma, please don¡¯t say that. You are our grandma any time, and we really don¡¯t care about the property. Each of us has able hands and feet, we can earn our own living. With the country¡¯s policy being so favorable, no one will starve. Rest assured, when you get old, we can¡¯t be unfilial,¡± Bai Song thought the olddy was offering to exchange her property for their future care.

    Li Chunhuaughed. She hadn¡¯t misjudged them at all.

    All these children are good kids; it was her own blindness before.

    ¡°You must take this money, otherwise it means you don¡¯t forgive Grandma.¡± Once Li Chunhua said this, Bai Song really had no choice but to ept. The money made Bai Song feel sad, as this was the first time in four years that Grandma had treated them, the siblings, like this.

    ¡°Alright, Grandma, I¡¯ll take the money. You take good care of yourself!¡±

    As they were talking, outside, Hao Fang was peeking around, but she didn¡¯t dare toe in. The olddy nced at Hao Fang and scolded, ¡°You thieving wench, what are you peeking around for? You¡¯re not stealing anything. It¡¯s because of your petty ways that you led my son and grandson astray. It¡¯s all my fault as their mother. People say to marry a virtuous wife, and I just had to be blind and married you, a harbinger of doom. Look at the state the house is in now.¡± The olddy¡¯s entire fighting spirit red up whenever she saw Hao Fang.

    Hao Fang¡¯s face turned dark. The olddy was calling her every name in the book, not caring whether it was harsh or gentle, or whether other people were present. She was utterly without respect.

    Why doesn¡¯t this damned old woman just die earlier?

    Hao Fang was gritting her teeth in hatred.

    ¡°Mom, what are you saying? I was just looking at Bai Song and the others since they arrived, knowing that Bai Mei is getting married the day after tomorrow. I was just hoping they could help tidy up the dishes and cutlery, as we¡¯re ultimately one family, right? Bai Mei is Bai Song¡¯s sister, isn¡¯t she? There are just too many peopleing and going in the house right now, and we really can¡¯t handle everything!¡± She still hoped Li Chunhua would order Bai Xiao and Bai Song around tirelessly, like before, without any special regard from the olddy for Bai Song and the others.

    Li Chunhua red and threw the broom from beside her hand, hitting Hao Fang directly on the head. Hao Fang yelped and jumped to the doorway, ¡°You ck-hearted, damned thief of a woman! My grandchildren have already cut ties with you, how can you still be so shameless, your face thicker than a city wall, to utter such words? When Bai Yue used Bai Song and the others¡¯ money and mistreated Bai Xiao, why didn¡¯t you treat them like your nephews and niece then? Now that you need someone to enve and order around, you suddenly remember my grandkids? No way, I want to see who dares to order my grandkids around today. You may be two different families, but it¡¯s not for my grandkids to serve you.

    Xiaosong, you guys don¡¯t go. Just sit in Grandma¡¯s room. I want to see who dares to order you around.¡±

    Bai Song quickly tried to calm the olddy down because she was shaking with anger. She was truly furious.

    ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s alright. We won¡¯t go. I certainly didn¡¯t n to help those ck-hearted scoundrels who mistreated Xiao. They shouldn¡¯t expect me to acknowledge them as rtives in this lifetime. Also, I won¡¯t being over in a few days. Xiao is going to the provincial capital to study, and I need to take her there. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be safe for her, a girl, to travel alone to an unfamiliar ce.¡±

    Li Chunhua looked up at Bai Xiao and gestured her over. Bai Xiao silently walked over to her.

    ¡°Xiao, here¡¯s twenty dors! Grandma knows she hasn¡¯t treated you well in the past, and I¡¯m well aware of it. You must resent me, and I won¡¯t say anything to make you let go of that resentment. But I just want to make one thing clear: your brother and your two sisters have truly cared for you with all their hearts. In this lifetime, you can be unkind to anyone or hold grudges against anyone, but you must not lose your conscience. Anyway, I¡¯m already at this age, and I won¡¯t live many more years. Any mistakes are the sins of Bai Jianguo and myself. You have every right to resent and hate us, but you must not wrong your brother and sisters.¡±

    Bai Xiao pinched the twenty dors in her hand. This was the first time the olddy willingly gave her money; it was indeed rare.

    ¡°I understand. I will be good to my brother and sisters in the future, you can count on that.¡±

    The only people in this world who had truly treated her with all their hearts were her brother and two sisters.

 Chapter 154 - 154 154 Shyness

    ?Chapter 154: Chapter 154 Shyness   Chapter 154: Chapter 154 Shyness                                   The olddy still wanted to chat with Bai Song and Bai Yue, which made Bai Xiao feel a bit ufortable, so she came back alone.

    She saw An Zhiyuan standing at the door of the courtyard house, staring at her dumbfoundedly.

    It was rare to see An Zhiyuan like this.

    She reached to take the clothes off the clothesline, patted and shook them, and handed them to An Zhiyuan, ¡°Here, I¡¯ve washed them for you. You spilled liquor on them at noon, and I was worried your superiors would scold you when you went back, so I washed them while you were sleeping. They¡¯re dry now, put them on!¡±

    An Zhiyuan took them, feeling warmed by the gesture. It seemed Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t heartless, at least she was nice to him.

    He believed in reciprocity. As long as he treated Bai Xiao well, she wouldn¡¯t be unaware of it. One day, he hoped she would willingly marry him.

    ¡°Thank you!¡±

    ¡°Thank me for what? You¡¯ve helped me so many times. Washing a shirt hardly counts as help! You shouldn¡¯t be too formal; if anyone should say thank you, it¡¯s me.¡± Bai Xiao now truly felt at peace with An Zhiyuan. Frankly speaking, An Zhiyuan was a good man and so upright and trustworthy, much better than Fang Xiaoshan.

    ¡°It¡¯s different. I¡¯m a man; these are things I should do. If I can¡¯t even protect my woman, what kind of man am I?¡± An Zhiyuan put on his uniform, smelling the faint scent of soap, feeling warmth in his heart.

    ¡°Right, actually, you don¡¯t need to see me off the day after tomorrow. My brother will take me to school. The train ticket is already bought, so you can rx now! Also, could you write down your address for me? I¡¯ll need to write to you so you don¡¯t worry!¡± Bai Xiao was unexpectedly generous, leaving An Zhiyuan astonished.

    What kind of miracle drug had she taken to suddenly treat him so well?

    These were the words he wanted to say, and now Bai Xiao had said them all. If it weren¡¯t for standing in the courtyard, he might have thought he was dreaming.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Not talking because it¡¯s inconvenient? Is your ce top secret or something?¡± Bai Xiao thought An Zhiyuan was having difficulties.

    ¡°No! Not at all! You better give me your school¡¯s address. I¡¯m about to be transferred, and I won¡¯t be at my current ce much longer, so leaving an address there is pointless!¡± An Zhiyuan exined, worried that Bai Xiao would think he was deliberately withholding his address. He knew gaining this young woman¡¯s eptance wasn¡¯t easy.

    Bai Xiao went inside to fetch paper and pen, then wrote down her school¡¯s address, which was also her reporting address.

    An Zhiyuan looked at the paper and smiled. Okay, the girl he fancied was part of the same system as him. He had initially thought the provincial capital Bai Xiao referred to was their local provincial capital, only to find out now it was far off the mark. Fortunately, he hadn¡¯t yet submitted his transfer request¡ªwhich was still in his desk drawer¡ªor the misunderstanding would have been severe; you can¡¯t transfer twice in a year, rules don¡¯t permit it.

    If it were across provinces, it wouldn¡¯t be easy¡ªit would require a report just to see each other.

    ¡°This university is a good one but it also has rigorous training. You¡¯ll likely need to strengthen your physical fitness,¡± hemented, somewhat concerned. Bai Xiao looked delicate, and though he hadn¡¯t participated in such training, he knew it was tougher than their new recruits¡¯ training and had a high dropout rate¡ªhe wondered if Bai Xiao could withstand it.

    Bai Xiao smiled, ¡°No worries, I also think I need to seriously improve my physical fitness. At Aviation University, who knows, maybe one day I¡¯ll even get to soar into the sky.¡± Actually, choosing this university was a fluke; she originally wanted to attend Medical University, but was twenty points short, so she filled in this university instead. Remarkably, her scores performed exceptionally well this time¡ªit was probably fate.

    Noticing the clothes on An Zhiyuan¡¯s body, she imagined herself in a uniform too and couldn¡¯t help feeling proud.

    ¡°I can¡¯t take leave toe here these next few days. I¡¯ll drive you and your brother to the county seat to catch the train the day after tomorrow. Be careful on the way.¡± An Zhiyuan couldn¡¯t help but advise; after all, it was Bai Xiao¡¯s first long trip, and his concern was justifiable.

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡±

    Li Haiping and Li Hai¡¯an had just returned from the outside, having gone to collect pig fodder. To save grain for their family¡¯s pigs, the brothers had spared no effort in figuring out how to feed the pigs well and keep them strong and robust. They frequently visited Wang Yan, helping him clean the pigsty and feed the pigs. Although they were not proficient in sweet talk, the two quietly worked hard for Wang Yan, which somewhat embarrassed old Wang.

    These twods were truly good kids.

    However, old Wang wouldn¡¯t simply reveal all his secrets. While Wang Yan wouldn¡¯t instruct them explicitly in pig feeding or managing during his routine chores, he let them watch without avoiding them, which wasn¡¯t really teaching but rather a matter of how much they could learn on their own.

    Li Haiping was particrly talented and meticulous in his work, and he indeed had some skills. Having returned home, they applied what they had observed. The five piglets at home, since falling illst time, had recovered and were growing lively and robust, recently having grown significantlyrger.

    The brothers were even more diligent.

    ¡°Uncle An, are you up?¡± The brothers naturally treated An Zhiyuan as their uncle by marriage.

    Bai Xiao red, while An Zhiyuan¡¯s face was all smiles.

    ¡°You guys¡­¡±

    An Zhiyuan cut her off, ¡°I should be leaving now, it¡¯s time for me to head back.¡± He winked at the two brothers, and Li Haiping and Li Hai¡¯an quickly took their baskets to the backyard.

    Bai Xiao was speechless, An Zhiyuan really did act the part of the uncle by marriage quite naturally.

    ¡°Wait a moment.¡±

    Bai Xiao went to the kitchen, found a lunchbox¡ªwhich was one An Zhiyuan had brought over, seemingly an extra of his own¡ªand filled it with freshly heated dumplings. This type of aluminum lunchbox was something notmonly seen in the vige homes, and many envied it.

    She wrapped up a lunchbox full of dumplings and handed it over to him in a bag.

    ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, you should eat these dumplings hot when you get back!¡±

    An Zhiyuan took it, his deep gaze falling on Bai Xiao, whose cheeks blushed. She didn¡¯t quite understand why she impulsively prepared these for An Zhiyuan, behaving just like a nagging wife sending her husband off to work.

    This thought made her face even redder.

    An Zhiyuan nodded, ¡°I¡¯lle over first thing the day after tomorrow, wait for me!¡± He turned and left.

    After An Zhiyuan left, Bai Song and Bai Yue returned.

    As they walked in, they too were sighing, mainly because the olddy had changed so much, and everyone was a bit confused.

    Bai Yue and Bai Xiao began packing her luggage, carefully bundling up her bedding. A green military-style carry bag, which Bai Song had insisted on using as Bai Xiao¡¯s luggage to protect her from ridicule when she traveled, was packed with numerous items.

    Luckily, Bai Song was traveling with her; otherwise, these things would have been too much for Bai Xiao to handle alone.

 Chapter 155 - 155 155 Start Fighting

    ?Chapter 155: Chapter 155: Start Fighting   Chapter 155: Chapter 155: Start Fighting                                   Fang Xiaoshan came to pick up the bride, and the vige was bustling, but Bai Xiao and his family didn¡¯t leave the house. There was no need to get involved with Bai Jianguo¡¯s family.

    However, even though they didn¡¯t get involved, trouble still came knocking at their door.

    Since they were avoiding Bai Jianguo¡¯s family event, Bai Xiao and his family were all busy with their own tasks inside the house today, and no one went out. Haiping, Hai¡¯an, and Haishun all stayed at home, with Haiping and Hai¡¯an getting up earlier than usual to gather pig feed and returning before the vigers had even woken up.

    The three military outfits and rubber shoes were so cherished by the three men that they just kept them packed away in the closet, which delighted Bai Xiao immensely.

    The whole family was busy. Bai Yue was steaming buns. Tomorrow Bai Xiao and his family were leaving, so Bai Yue had to prepare some food for their journey, nning to steam some buns, cook a few eggs, and bring some pickles¡ªthat should be enough for the road.

    Every time she steamed buns, Bai Yue had to steam tworge pots, because that¡¯s just how it is with arge family. She steamed six white flour buns for Bai Xiao and Bai Song to take on the road, while the rest was a mix of cornmeal and white flour, for those staying at home. Not scrimping at all, she was worried whether their food supply wouldst until the New Year.

    Then someone hammered loudly on the front door.

    ¡°Bai Song, Bai Yue, Bai Xiao, go and see, your uncle and the groom are causing a scene. They say they won¡¯t marry and want to leave,¡± someone was banging on the front door.

    Bai Xiao rolled his eyes. Who could it be, so inconsiderate as to knock on their door? Didn¡¯t they know that they had cut ties with that uncle¡¯s family? The whole vige knew about it at the time.

    Upon opening the front door, there stood Neighbor Wangyue, a well-known gossip in the vige who loved to stir up trouble and never shied away from any family¡¯s drama.

    ¡°Auntie Wangyue, you really shouldn¡¯t be knocking on our door for this. Bai Jianguo¡¯s issues have nothing to do with us. Besides, if the new son-inw doesn¡¯t want to marry, that¡¯s their family¡¯s issue, not ours, right?¡± he said as he was about to close the door.

    Auntie Wangyue quickly blocked the door, ¡°You, girl, how can you say family ties can just be dismissed? He¡¯s still your uncle. No matter who says you¡¯ve cut ties, you can¡¯t. After all, didn¡¯t your uncle raise you for four years? How can you be so heartless?¡± She clearly meant that she wouldn¡¯t rest until Bai Xiao and his family got involved.

    Bai Xiao held the door open, ¡°If you want to stand at our door, feel free, but how my uncle¡¯s family treated me, everyone knows, Auntie. You shouldn¡¯t be unclear about it either. The person who should be giving me this talk isn¡¯t you. My uncle, who took my sister and brother¡¯s money and refused to feed me, expects me to remember his kindness? Are you out of your mind? I¡¯m not stupid.

    Others treat me like this, and I don¡¯t hold a grudge, which is already generous. Now I¡¯m supposed to remember kindness? Also, these issues are Bai Family matters. What does it have to do with you? You¡¯re so eager to stand up for them, people might think the Bai Family has paid you off.¡±

    Auntie Wangyue¡¯s face turned red from Bai Xiao¡¯s words. Indeed, she had run around all day just because Hao Fang had given her a box of cigarettes, asking her to ensure that Bai Song and his family came over, especially since Bai Song¡¯s apparel had amanding presence that had to shield their family¡¯s reputation. Otherwise, if their daughter went to the marital home, she would be mistreated.

    She wouldn¡¯t have bothered otherwise, what did it have to do with her?

    But being indebted to someone has its downsides.

    ¡°Bai Xiao! That was inappropriate of you to say. We are still family after all¡­¡±

    Bai Xiao picked up a broom, ¡°Auntie, you better go back now. None of our family will be going, so don¡¯t force me to use this big broom to sweep you out. That wouldn¡¯t look good!¡±

    Wangyue Auntie nced at the big broom and suddenly remembered the incident where Bai Xiao had chased Bai Zhuang around the courtyard with a pole stick, a memory still vivid in her mind. She involuntarily stepped back. This girl was fierce, and she didn¡¯t want to get beaten up. ¡°If you¡¯re not going, don¡¯t me us for not telling you. Your sister Bai Ju and her family are already there, trying to break up the fight. If someone gets hurt, it¡¯s not my fault for not notifying you!¡±

    With that, she turned and left.

    Bai Xiao turned her head and looked at Bai Song and Bai Yue. Only then did the three of them recall that Bai Mei was getting married, and even if they didn¡¯t go, Bai Jianguo might have informed Bai Ju. Bai Ju might not know their situation and could have assumed they were all there helping. She went straight to Bai Jianguo¡¯s ce, and now she might be pushed forward to take the me.

    Bai Song rolled down his sleeves, ¡°Let¡¯s go take a look; we can¡¯t let your sister be taken advantage of!¡± Bai Ju and He Wang were both honest people. Meeting someone as cunning as Bai Jianguo and his spouse, it was strange if they weren¡¯t taken advantage of.

    The three of them quickly got ready and rushed over, arriving just in time to see Fang Xiaoshan about to smash his fist into Bai Ju¡¯s face. He Wang¡¯s mouth was already bleeding, and there was a bruise around his eye¡ªclear signs that Fang Xiaoshan had not held back. Seeing Fang Xiaoshan about to hit Bai Ju, He Wang hastily stepped in to block him.

    Usually, He Wang¡¯s physique would not allow him to be at a disadvantage against Fang Xiaoshan, but he still had to consider that this man was Bai Family¡¯s son-inw, and he couldn¡¯tpletely offend him to death. Today was a big day for weing the bridal party, and if he retaliated, how could the two families continue their rtions?

    But Fang Xiaoshan did not care about these restraints at all.

    The couple was unlucky. In fact, about a week ago, Bai Jianguo had already sent word to Bai Ju, telling them Bai Mei was getting married today and that they shoulde back early to help. The couple had been busy.

    Ever since Bai Ju became the workshop director, she had taken her role seriously, feeling she should not earn her sry in vain. She worked wholeheartedly, and she was strict with the workers under her. Although kind-hearted, now being a director, nobody dared to disrespect her. Bai Ju still held the powers to deduct bonuses and stop work, and moreover, she had the strong backing of the Wei couple in the factory, who treated her even better than their own sister.

    Nobody dared to seek difort, thereby transforming the workshop into a fresh environment and motivating the workers, which increased the quality of the product. Director Wei hadplimented Bai Ju several times.

    He Wang initially didn¡¯t even have the qualifications for temporary work because he was illiterate and a man. The cannery used fewer men since there were many people but few positions. Everyone cherished their job.

    But what kind of person was Director Wei?

    With one sentence, he arranged for He Wang to be part of the Transport Team responsible for delivery, specifically instructing him to learn driving directly under the veteran drivers. He demanded that the team leader train He Wang within three months, or else he would hold him ountable. The team leader clearly understood that this was an influential connection.

    Normally, neers to the team were assigned to apany the vehicles, which meant monitoring and helping with the delivery¡ªthe toughest and most exhausting task. Not everyone could just be a driver; that depended on whether the veteran was willing to teach. But He Wang was specifically directed by the factory, so who dared conceal their skills?

    He Wang was currently learning to drive with the team leader.

    The couple had been busy, which was why they hadn¡¯t managed to return yesterday. They rode bicycles back early this morning, fearing they would miss the bus.

 Chapter 156 - 156 156 Halt

    ?Chapter 156: Chapter 156: Halt   Chapter 156: Chapter 156: Halt                                   Bai Jianguo¡¯s family really did act in a shameless manner. When ites to marrying off a daughter, everyone provides a dowry. However, all they packed for Bai Mei were several bundles, some of which contained her old clothes. The bedding was neatly made, sure, but beyond that there was nothing else of value in her dowry.

    When Fang Xiaoshan came to fetch the bride, he arrived in high spirits, but upon reaching the door, he was first blocked by Bai Zhuang and Bai Shan. The vigers made a fuss, demanding red envelopes and wedding candies. The Fang Family had prepared for this, but Bai Shan and Bai Zhuang were a bit excessive, dissatisfied with the fifty cents and one yuan in the red envelopes. After finally getting inside, paying their respects, and nning to leave, Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s mood soured upon seeing the dowry loaded onto the tractor. His family had given a bride price of two hundred yuan and fireworks, thinking that at least a few items should be returned as part of the dowry in order to satisfy tradition.

    No one had ever seen a wedding without even a single dowry item; Fang Xiaoshan couldn¡¯t be pleased.

    But seeing Bai Mei made up with her cheeks rosy red, Fang Xiaoshan still held back. He knew the importance of this day and didn¡¯t want to cause difort. Before he could get over this irritation, he and Bai Mei had just climbed onto the tractor. As her elder brother, Bai Zhuang was supposed to escort them ¡ª a local custom. But Bai Zhuang was being difficult, refusing to let them leave without being given a red envelope.

    One red envelope wasn¡¯t enough; he brazenly demanded one worth ten yuan.

    That was when Fang Xiaoshan lost his patience. He immediately turned hostile, pointing his finger at Bai Mei¡¯s nose and saying bluntly, ¡°Marry or not, if the wedding is off, then return the bride price and betrothal gifts. Our tractor cannot return empty-handed.¡±

    Instantly, both families were at a standoff.

    Bai Jianguo couldn¡¯t swallow his pride; if he backed down today, he would be theughingstock of the vige. But if he didn¡¯t, would Bai Mei remain unmarried? He already had ns for the bride price and betrothal gifts.

    Someone had to step in to ease the tension, so he reluctantly asked Bai Ju and her spouse to try to persuade Fang Xiaoshan.

    Bai Ju and He Wang were not the slick-talking types. Their clumsy attempts only provoked Fang Xiaoshan to argue even more. A disagreement escted quickly, and not only did Fang Xiaoshan hit He Wang, but he also threatened to strike Bai Ju.

    Just as his fist was about to smash into He Wang¡¯s head in front of Bai Ju, a voice bellowed.

    ¡°Stop!¡±

    The voice was like thunder from a clear sky, startling Fang Xiaoshan enormously.

    He turned around, cursing, ¡°Who the¡­¡± He choked on his words upon seeing Bai Xiao following behind Bai Song.

    Since the engagement and the giving of the bride price and betrothal gifts, Fang Xiaoshan had never seen Bai Xiao, and he had assumed the ¡°star of disaster¡± was gone. Knowing that Bai Xiao had been admitted to university, he thought she had already gone off to school. Yet, here she was.

    All at once, the pain he had endured before came flooding back to Fang Xiaoshan.

    He shivered involuntarily.

    Looking around at the gathered crowd, his courage grew; Bai Xiao surely wouldn¡¯t dare to do anything to him in front of so many people.

    ¡°Who are you? Mind your own business!¡±

    Bai Song came over, and with a sidestep, he bumped into Fang Xiaoshan with his shoulder, causing him to stagger. Bai Song¡¯s build was ten times that of Fang Xiaoshan.

    Fang Xiaoshan rubbed his chest, muttering, ¡°Doesn¡¯t watch where he¡¯s going, damn it hurts, what is he made of, iron?¡± But his air of defiance diminished instantly. He wasn¡¯t a fool; the other man was wearing a military uniform, and he dared not provoke him.

    When Bai Ju saw her brother Bai Song, she breathed a sigh of relief. Who knew that such a scene would unfold upon her return?

    Bai Jianguo hurriedly stepped forward, ¡°Bai Song, you¡¯re finally here. Look at how Fang Xiaoshan beat up your sister. This new son-inw is really not giving the Bai Family any face, daring to hit his wife¡¯s family. If we let this slide, will they start to walk all over us in the future? You can¡¯t let him off!¡± At this moment, he hoped Bai Song would step in and keep Fang Xiaoshan in check. That way, today¡¯s humiliation could be reimed, and Fang Xiaoshan wouldn¡¯t dare to treat his daughter poorly afterward.

    Fang Xiaoshan got anxious. Were these really the Bai Family¡¯s people?

    ¡°Father-inw, please be reasonable. Tell me, does the Bai Family act honorably? I¡¯m also a human being, and just because I¡¯m the new son-inw doesn¡¯t mean I should be bullied by your family! Look at the dowry. Who else would apany such things? Our family gave a dowry of two hundred yuan! We also sent a ¡®three rounds and one sound¡¯ betrothal gift. ording to old customs, shouldn¡¯t there be two items apanied back in return? Let everyone decide. Which family marries off their daughter like this? Isn¡¯t that like selling a daughter? And, just now, my brother-inw insisted on ten yuan, refusing to get in the car without it. What¡¯s up with that? Have you never seen money before? Is your daughter made of gold or silver? A brother-inw actually demanding a ten-yuan red envelope, tell me, is there anyone else in our ten viges who is so greedy? Am I being unreasonable, or is the Bai Family¡¯s behavior improper? Let¡¯s sort this out. I refuse to believe there¡¯s nowhere to seek justice,¡± Fang Xiaoshan said, usually grasping for straws even when wrong, let alone when he was in the right.

    With those words out in the open, the vigers¡¯ gazes toward Bai Jianguo and his wife weren¡¯t too kind. There were very few families who married off their daughters like Bai Jianguo did.

    Bai Jianguo quickly tried to smooth things over, ¡°Xiaoshan, indeed, Bai Zhuang was inconsiderate with the red envelope. He was just joking with you. Who knew you¡¯d take it seriously? Plus, we are sincerely looking to be family. Why would we make things difficult for you? Right?¡± He deliberately avoided mentioning the dowry issue, as they had nned not to give one.

    Some people stepped forward to mediate, after all, it wasn¡¯t right for the celebration to continue in such disarray.

    On Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s side, elder individuals from both families mediated and, eventually, Fang Xiaoshan calmed down. Mainly because he felt ufortable seeing Bai Xiao and wanted to leave soon, so he didn¡¯t pursue the matter further. After venting a few words of anger, he went along with the flow and readied himself to get on the tractor and return.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Bai Song spoke up.

    Fang Xiaoshan nced at Bai Song. He couldn¡¯t afford to offend a soldier. Fang Xiaoshan was no fool. He knew who he could provoke and who he couldn¡¯t, and he clearly knew he couldn¡¯t provoke the man before him.

    ¡°People¡¯s Liberation Armyrade, do you have anything else to say?¡±

    Bai Song pointed to Bai Ju and He Wang, ¡°You might be done with your matter, but it seems we¡¯re not finished! After hitting someone, do you think you can just p your butt and leave?¡± Even if the man had beat up his second sister, and despite being Bai Mei¡¯s husband, Bai Song couldn¡¯t let Fang Xiaoshan leave just like that.

    Bai Ju pulled at Bai Song, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, it¡¯s nothing. On such a joyous day, let¡¯s not cause any difort for others. After all, we¡¯re family now, no worries!¡±

    Hao Fang also hurriedly said, ¡°Right! We are all one family; we can¡¯t let outsidersugh at us. Bai Song, you can¡¯t be helping outsidersugh at our family affairs now.¡±

    Seeing his mother-inw intervening, Fang Xiaoshan also apologized, ¡°This is my brother-inw and sister, right? I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t realize earlier, and I acted impetuously. I truly apologize. Tomorrow, when Ie back for the return visit, I¡¯ll make sure to have a good drink with you both!¡±

    He stepped his foot on the tractor, and as he lifted himself up, someone from above reached down and took hold of his hand, helping him up.

 Chapter 157 - 157 157 Hurry Up

    ?Chapter 157: Chapter 157: Hurry Up   Chapter 157: Chapter 157: Hurry Up                                   A hand reached out from the side and gripped Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s arm, and immediately he felt a piercing pain in his arm so intense that beads of sweat formed on his forehead. This feeling was all too familiar¡­ it couldn¡¯t be¡­

    With a thud, Fang Xiaoshan kneeled before Bai Xiao.

    Everyone was shocked. What was this all about?

    The main thing was that Fang Xiaoshan had just been acting so tricky and mean, and now he was suddenly able to kneel.

    What was the situation?

    ¡°Fang Xiaoshan, you think it¡¯s appropriate to just hit someone and walk away?¡± The pressure on his finger made Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s face turn ashen.

    Here it came again!

    ¡°No¡­ not appropriate! Absolutely¡­ not¡­ appropriate!¡± Fang Xiaoshan stammered, not out of fear, but because of the pain. He had been looking for a while, and he couldn¡¯t see where Bai Xiao¡¯s silver needle was, but Bai Xiao was holding him firmly, and he just felt that pain, the kind that gnaws at your bones and heart.

    It was exactly like thest time. Fang Xiaoshan had already been frightened out of his wits, so how could he not stammer?

    ¡°Since you¡¯re being sensible, I feel bad saying anything. But tell me, what should we do about this?¡± Bai Xiao looked at Fang Xiaoshan earnestly.

    She wouldn¡¯t disrupt Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s wedding. It was only right to let Bai Mei be married off in a respectable manner.

    But Fang Xiaoshan must be dreaming if he thought he could hit someone and walk away just because they were rtives. His sister wasn¡¯t someone to be bullied so easily.

    Bai Song stepped forward, worried that Fang Xiaoshan might hurt Bai Xiao.

    His sister had grown so bold. Since Bai Xiao wanted to stand up for Bai Ju, he, as her brother, had to protect her. He would indulge his sister just this once because what did Bai Song have to fear? If necessary, he would take the punishment for his sister¡¯s sake.

    He was on guard against Fang Xiaoshan. If Fang Xiaoshan dared to resist, Bai Song could immobilize him with a single kick. Of course, Fang Xiaoshan seemed to be very good at putting on an act, ying the part of an effeminate man. Just from Bai Xiao twisting his arm he could put on a performance like a terrified ghost drenched in cold sweat. One had to wonder if he was made of y.

    Fang Xiaoshan regretted it. Why hadn¡¯t he rified things before getting into a fight with that person earlier? It was supposed to be a day of celebration, and now here he was, having run straight into Bai Xiao¡¯s hands. He wasn¡¯t going to get away without losing ayer of skin.

    ¡°I¡­ will¡­ apologize, for injuring¡­ my brother-inw¡­ I¡¯ll pay for the medical expenses. If that¡¯s not¡­ enough, let¡­ my brother-inw hit me¡­ twice. Does that sound¡­ fair?¡± To speak in such a way was utterlyughable. Who would¡¯ve thought this groom was such a coward! He looked fierce enough earlier, but now that his wife¡¯s family had stepped in, even a little girl had him scared witless.

    Honestly, no one believed that Fang Xiaoshan was really in pain because of Bai Xiao¡¯s grip. It seemed impossible. Bai Xiao looked like a delicate little girl. Even if a farm girl had some strength, how much could a girl exert? Her fingers were as thin as chopsticks; how could they possibly hurt someone that much?

    Fang Xiaoshan was truly wronged.

    No one in the vige, including his own wedding entourage, felt any sympathy for him. They all thought he was just putting on an act to give his inws face, and theyughed at him inwardly. To think he had been controlled by his wife¡¯s family on the very first day, surely that meant he¡¯d be henpecked from now on.

    But who could know that Fang Xiaoshan was actually in severe pain?

    When Bai Xiao let go, Fang Xiaoshan copsed onto his backside.

    All the vigers around burst intoughter.

    Quite a few people teased the bridegroom.

    ¡°Is the groom¡¯s legs going jelly already?¡±

    ¡°From now on, he better not bully our Liupan Vige girls. He knows now how formidable our Liupan Vige girls can be, right?¡±

    ¡°Even after all, they are all one family, aren¡¯t they? They say brothers fight tigers together, and even though they are not blood-rted, they all share the same surname, descended from the same ancestor.¡±

    Fang Xiaoshan forced a smile, now he really had embarrassed himself thoroughly.

    The groomsmen beside him helped him up, preparing to lift him to his feet.

    Bai Xiao pinched her knuckles, and with a series of cracks, her joints made a sound.

    Fang Xiaoshan shivered at the sound.

    More toe?

    He quickly called to someone nearby, ¡°Quick, prepare tworge red envelopes for my brother-inw and sister, ten yuan in each envelope!¡±

    The wedding procession was stunned; ten yuan per person, making twenty for two. Since they now had topensate with twenty yuan, why had they made such a fuss over the big brother¡¯s ten yuan in the first ce? Wasn¡¯t this like losing a watermelon to pick up a sesame seed?

    But seeing how serious Fang Xiaoshan looked, no one dared to go against the groom!

    Immediately, someone sent over two red envelopes to Bai Ju and He Wang.

    Bai Ju and He Wang pushed them back for a long time, wondering how they could ept such a hefty red envelope when attending someone else¡¯s wedding.

    This could make othersugh at their family for being so shallow.

    And with this ten yuan in each envelope, twenty for two, it was really too much; who had ever seen suchrge red envelopes?

    Fang Xiaoshan was getting anxious; if they didn¡¯t ept the money, who knew how that vengeful spirit would handle him?

    He forcefully pressed the envelopes into their hands, ¡°Sister, brother-inw, I was blind and failed to recognize Taishan. I might as well have dug out my eyeballs and used them as a ball. I¡¯ve hurt you both, this money isn¡¯t much, just a small gesture. You can buy something good to eat and drink with it, to soothe your nerves.¡±

    ¡°No, really no! This is too much, we can¡¯t take this.¡± Bai Ju was adamant; after all, a twenty yuan red envelope was a big deal, and it was not proper to let others look down on her family.

    Fang Xiaoshan pushed the red envelopes into Bai Ju¡¯s hands, ¡°Sister, if you won¡¯t take it, then I¡¯ll have no choice but to kneel and knock my head on the ground to apologize. I sincerely ask for your forgiveness, and if you don¡¯t ept it, it¡¯s like you¡¯re looking down on your brother-inw here. If you really can¡¯t ept it, then I¡¯ll kneel and knock my head right now until you forgive me.¡± He was truly afraid of the girl watching themotion from the side.

    Left with no choice, Bai Ju couldn¡¯t really let the new son-inw kneel and kowtow in front of so many people.

    She reluctantly pocketed the red envelopes, thinking they could give them to Bai Jianguoter if it was still uneptable.

    Seeing that they epted, Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s face broke into a wide grin and he scurried to Bai Xiao, bowing and scraping.

    ¡°Little sister, I¡¯ve made amends to sister and brother-inw, and they have epted my gesture. Can we let bygones be bygones? I will return home with the bride right away.¡± Fang Xiaoshan wanted nothing more than to leave quickly. Out of sight, out of trouble¡ªhe had decided that he would rather die than set foot in Liupan Vige again.

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°Then hurry up and go, don¡¯t dy your brother-inw and sister¡¯s auspicious time.¡±

    Fang Xiaoshanughed like a fool, ¡°Won¡¯t dy, won¡¯t dy. Well then, we¡¯re off.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead!¡±

    Fang Xiaoshan leaped onto the tractor faster than a rabbit, going straight to the tractor driver and patting his shoulder as he yelled.

    ¡°Drive, hurry up and drive.¡±

    Everyoneughed heartily, thinking the groom couldn¡¯t wait any longer.

    Who could understand the suffering in Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s heart?

 Chapter 158 - 158 158 Tidying Up

    ?Chapter 158: Chapter 158: Tidying Up   Chapter 158: Chapter 158: Tidying Up                                   Bai Mei sat on the tractor, brooding angrily, surrounded by her aunts and girls from her vige who hade along. They were part of her wedding procession, thinking she was just shy, feeling somewhat guilty as they watched her groom being dressed down by her family.

    One aunt whispered in her ear, ¡°Having your family sort out your groom is good, so you won¡¯t be bullied in the future, and you¡¯ll have more confidence.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, you have your family¡¯s support.¡±

    Several people immediately started chattering all at once.

    Bai Mei felt disgusted.

    Bai Xiao was supporting her?

    It¡¯s more like he was pping her in the face.

    Seeing her own man being scolded and ordered around in front of everyone, acting like a submissivepdog, made her feel a fire of fury building in her belly.

    She had thought that once she got married, her life would finally improve.

    But no, she married such a person. Normally, he was extremely bossy towards her and her family, but around that little brat, he couldn¡¯t wait to act like a tail-wagging, fawning dog.

    Bai Mei arrived at Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s house in a huff.

    As soon as she entered the vige, firecrackers burst loudly.

    She was taken directly to the groom¡¯s house and after meeting rtives and performing the formalities, Bai Mei pocketed a few red envelopes and entered the bridal room only then.

    The bedroom was quite nice; one look and you could tell it was arge, tiled house, the two newlyweds¡¯ rooms were well put together.

    The walls were freshly whitewashed, adorned with numerous celebrity posters, and everything was spotlessly clean, clearly just tidied up.

    By the window was arge heated brick bed.

    Although the furniture wasn¡¯t brand new, by the looks of it, they had quite a few pieces¡ªrecent marriages didn¡¯t adhere to the ¡®thirty-six furniture pieces¡¯ tradition anymore, but it seemed that this room had everything from cabs to tables to chairs.

    New bedding wasid out on the brick bed, and Bai Mei sat on it, d in her red cotton pants and jacket. It was still customary to wear such attire for weddings, even if it was too warm for a cotton jacket at that time of the year¡ªit was tradition.

    The people who hade with her wedding procession had already ced all her dowry bundles, washbasins, and warm kettles into the couple¡¯s room. After making a racket for a while, everyone left to attend the banquet.

    Only Bai Mei was left alone, sitting there.

    After a little while, Fang Xiaoshan came in andy down on the bed.

    ¡°My goodness, I¡¯m exhausted!¡± Fang Xiaoshan, alwayszy and idle, had never been as busy as thesest few days, especially today with the ordeal at the Bai Family¡¯s home.

    Bai Mei, feeling resentful, pushed Fang Xiaoshan. ¡°Look at you, acting so cowardly just now. That damn girl showed you no respect, and you didn¡¯t even p her? And you call yourself a man.¡± She had thought Fang Xiaoshan, having been slighted, would definitely join her in condemning Bai Xiao. Perhaps he would even think his new bride was taking his side.

    To herplete shock, Fang Xiaoshan suddenly leaped up and pped her across the face.

    ¡°You¡¯re the coward! Keep nagging and I¡¯ll kill you. Don¡¯t you see what a piece of trash you are? Marrying you has been a disgrace to me. You must be the only woman in the world to get married without a dowry. There¡¯s never been a bride in our vige who didn¡¯t bring a dowry. I¡¯m telling you, don¡¯t even think about going back to your family¡¯s house¡ªI bought a wife, that¡¯s what I did.¡± Fang Xiaoshan ranted furiously as the most embarrassing moments of his life were associated with Bai Mei, making him begin to suspect that she was his jinx.

    Bai Mei had never suffered such humiliation.

    She thought that as the new bride entering the Fang Family, she needed to get a hold of Xiaoshan, or else she¡¯d never have a say in this household in the future. Who would have thought Xiaoshan was such a brute, daring to hit her on the very first day she entered the home? How was she to endure the days toe?

    Instinctively, Bai Mei lunged at him. She might not have learned much else, but she had inherited Hao Fang¡¯s talents for being a shrew. Her hands found Xiaoshan¡¯s face and before he knew it, he felt a sharp pain on his face and neck, followed by a kick that sent him tumbling off the kang.

    Xiaoshan was enraged too. He rolled up his sleeves and, gripping Bai Mei tightly, punched her hard twice.

    If it wasn¡¯t for Xiaoshan¡¯s biological father Fang Jiansheng calling him out to offer toasts to the vigers, Bai Mei might have been beaten to death by Xiaoshan¡ªthose two punches had nearly knocked the wind out of her.

    How could a woman¡¯s strengthpare to a man¡¯s?

    Xiaoshan hissed in Bai Mei¡¯s ear, ¡°Just you wait and see, wait till I get back and deal with you!¡± And with that, he got down from the kang to go offer toasts.

    Bai Meiy sprawled on the kang, slowly getting up. Her body ached all over, but what hurt more was the fact Xiaoshan had beaten her like this on her first day as part of the family. How was she to get through theing days?

    It was all Bai Xiao¡¯s fault. Bai Mei could still find a way to me everything on Bai Xiao. She felt that if it wasn¡¯t for Bai Xiao¡¯s tricks, she wouldn¡¯t be the one married to Xiaoshan and getting beaten¡ªit should be Bai Xiao who was shamed and disgraced, not her.

    But now that she was married into the family,paring Xiaoshan to her own father, it seemed that Xiaoshan hadshed out only because her family had pushed him too hard. She figured that if she was a bit more tactful with Xiaoshan, as his wife, how bad could he be to her?

    Her own father was the one who wanted to kill her, after all. Now that she had married into the family, she didn¡¯t believe she couldn¡¯t live a good life.

    Bai Mei got up. Despite being in severe pain, she managed to tidy herself up.

    Xiaoshan went out to offer toasts while cursing under his breath; the vigersughed out loud upon seeing him. Fang Jiansheng rolled his eyes at his son¡¯sck of discipline. Just look at him.

    ¡°Xiaoshan, in such a hurry¡ªdid the new wife kick you out of bed?¡± His buddies joked; nobody was blind to the scratch marks evident on his neck and face.

    Xiaoshan red, ¡°As if she dares, I¡¯ll beat her to death!¡±

    ¡°Oh, still putting on a tough face. Look at yourself, though your new wife is quite good-looking.¡±

    ¡°Good-looking my ass, her temper¡¯s nothing to boast about, she needs to be tamed!¡± Talking about his wife, Xiaoshan was actually pleased; Bai Mei was, after all, his initial choice.

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯ve got to keep a woman in line, or she¡¯ll be a real handful. I¡¯m telling you, don¡¯t take her too seriously; otherwise, they¡¯ll walk all over you. You, a big man, will lose control in the end.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡± Xiaoshan boasted. He might not be good at much, but handling Bai Mei¡ª he could manage that.

    ¡°Call the new bride out to offer a toast with us! What fun is it just for you?¡±

    The crowd egged him on, and Xiaoshan shouted into the house, ¡°Wife,e out and offer toasts!¡±

    After a while, Bai Mei came out coyly, following Xiaoshan with a blushing face, and together they went around offering toasts to everyone.

    Everyone praised Xiaoshan for marrying a beautiful wife.

    Xiaoshan, feeling proud, treated Bai Mei much better.

    That night, in their wedding chamber adorned with festal red candles, Xiaoshan and Bai Mei shared a moment of tender affection.

 Chapter 159 - 159 159 Accountability

    ?Chapter 159: Chapter 159: ountability   Chapter 159: Chapter 159: ountability                                   Bai Ju and the others were dragged back to the Bai Family¡¯s house by Bai Song, Bai Xiao, and Bai Yue. They sat down, and Bai Xiao cooked a few eggs for her brother-inw, He Wang, to roll over his eye sockets because applying red medicine was not an option¡ªhow would he show his face afterwards?

    Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t use her special ability on He Wang either.

    Using special abilities for such a minor injury would be making a mountain out of a molehill.

    It took a while for Bai Ju to realize that so much had happened at home; she was clueless about these affairs while in town.

    Her older sister had divorced, brought back her three nephews to their home, and Bai Song had even severed ties with his younger brother¡¯s family. Bai Ju was unaware of all these developments; had she known, she would have returned home first. If it weren¡¯t for her busy schedule, she would havee backst night, but she was truly tied up.

    ¡°Big sister, it¡¯s okay, life will get better,¡± Bai Ju said, infuriated to hear that Li Dashan had hit her sister. She was married to He Wang, and over the years, he had neverid a finger on her, even in the fiercest of arguments. He never resorted to hitting women¡ªit was unimaginable that Li Dashan could be such a scoundrel.

    In their housing row, some men hit their wives when drunk, and everybody condemned those men as scoundrels, leaving their wives bruised and battered. The cases that went to the women¡¯s federation only ended in counseling and education, but no one could really change those men.

    Domestic issues were deemed personal, and even the factory couldn¡¯t interfere in a couple¡¯s problems.

    However, Bai Ju felt chilled to the bone knowing the kind of life her sister lived behind closed doors. It was a blessing she had divorced. Otherwise, Bai Ju couldn¡¯t imagine what she might have done had she seen her sister being hit¡ªprobably she would have struck Li Dashan herself.

    Bai Yue smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s all better now, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯vee to terms with it. Life can only improve. I¡¯m lucky to be away from Li Dashan; who knows what would be happening otherwise. Thankfully, my sons are all sympathetic towards me, and as long as I¡¯m with the kids, I can handle anything. Look, now I¡¯m raising pigs and chickens, and I feel there¡¯s a purpose to my life.¡± Speaking to her sister, Bai Yue felt proud; life was much better now, even though the future was still uncertain. But life wasfortable, the children were filial, and they eagerly did all the household chores without her having to worry, plus one less person to hit her.

    ¡°Sis, let me know if you need anything. He Wang and I are both working at the factory now, and I¡¯ve even be the director. My sry is significantly higher than before, and He Wang will be able to drive in a couple of months, thanks to Xiao¡¯s connections,¡± Bai Ju couldn¡¯t help but share her joy during this happy asion.

    Bai Song asked curiously, ¡°What does Xiao have to do with it? Could your factory boss know Xiao?¡± Bai Xiao had not mentioned these matters to him.

    Bai Ju recounted how Bai Xiao had saved the factory boss¡¯s brother-inw. Of course, she knew the only reason she had been promoted from a temporary to a permanent worker, and even to director, was not solely because of her capabilities¡ªit wasrgely due to the huge favor they owed Bai Xiao. Otherwise, how could all these good things have happened to them?

    Bing a driver was another thing; many apprentices in the transport teams could hardly touch a steering wheel for years because their mentors wouldn¡¯t teach them. But He Wang, from the moment he started, was taken under the wing of the transport team leader for daily lessons. He Wang actually already knew how to drive, but he still needed practice. Who else would get such an opportunity?

    She knew all too well that this was indeed thanks to Bai Xiao.

    Life at home had be easier now that both spouses were earning sries. Although He Weng was being maintained at home, he could help them with the housework and take care of the younger ones, greatly easing the burden of the household.

    It was only now that Bai Ju dared to speak about supporting her older sister, after all, it wasn¡¯t easy for her sister to raise three children alone.

    He Wang also nodded in agreement and said, ¡°Big sister, if you¡¯re having difficulties, just let us know. We are all family here, no need to be formal with us. If we all pull together, we can gradually improve our lives. Everyone faces tough times, but by helping each other out, we can surely live well. There¡¯s no hurdle we can¡¯t ovee.¡±

    Bai Song pulled Bai Xiao into the room, ¡°Xiao, tell me honestly, what exactly happened? Our older and second sisters aren¡¯t very educated, so they believed your ghost stories, like meeting Lord Yama and seeing our parents. I¡¯m a soldier and I don¡¯t believe in those feudal superstitions. Just tell me honestly what really happened.¡± He wasn¡¯t easily fooled like Bai Ju or Bai Yue, given the different education he received in the military, and being a middle school student himself, Bai Song didn¡¯t believe in ghosts or gods either.

    Bai Xiao took her brother¡¯s hand and sat down, ¡°Big brother, it really happened that way, I¡¯m not lying to you. Even though you don¡¯t believe in spirits and ghosts, these things truly happened to me and I can¡¯t exin it either. All I know is that I died and came back to life and now I have this special ability.¡± She couldn¡¯t bring herself to speak of her rebirth, as that would only make her family suffer with her. After all, her brother would feel guilty, believing that they hadn¡¯t taken good care of her, which led to everything that urredter.

    She particrly didn¡¯t want her brother and sisters to know how tragic their past lives had been. Since it was all behind them, why not let them live happily? This life was different, and everyone deserved to be happy and joyful.

    She could bear all the past burdens alone; all she wanted was for her family to be healthy and happy.

    This once modest wish of hers had nowe true, so why add more troubles?

    Bai Song looked into his sister¡¯s clear eyes, believing Bai Xiao had not deceived him. Her demeanor was stable with not the slightest unease or nervousness while she spoke. Perhaps their deceased parents really had protected her and bestowed upon her such an ability.

    ¡°Xiao, you and your second sister are doing the right thing. No matter what happens in the future, remember that you are the inheritor of our Bai Family¡¯s medical skills. If anyone asks, just say our father learned medicine from a passing Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor, who is nowhere to be found now. Our family must all stick to the same story, and we cannot afford to slip up. Do you understand? Even if I, your big brother, find it hard to believe in your ability, let alone outsiders. If word got out, they¡¯d probably capture you for scientific study.¡±

    ¡°Your excuse about Acupuncture is good. We have a skilled Traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncturist in our troops, who can relieve ailments with just a few needles. Moreover, the master once said that his own teacher was even more formidable, having once brought someone back to life with a single needle, which perfectly aligns with your situation. Don¡¯t unt this; don¡¯t meddle in matters that aren¡¯t your concern, and try to keep a low profile, understand?¡± Bai Song was genuinely speaking out of concern, terrified that Bai Xiao might identally get into trouble.

    Bai Xiao nodded her head and shook Bai Song¡¯s arm, ¡°Got it, grandma!¡±

    Bai Song flicked her forehead, ¡°Remember the lesson, not just the snack! I¡¯ve noticed a big change in you sinceing back. You¡¯ve lost your previous timidity, which is great, but you shouldn¡¯t be too unrestrained! You¡¯ve be too bold. If I don¡¯t keep you on a short leash, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll get into trouble!¡±

    ¡°Yes, big brother!¡± Bai Xiao said, rubbing her forehead.

    In this life, her family still cared so much about her, always prioritizing her safety and well-being. This was so different from her previous life, where having no one to protect her led to her special ability being exposed and exploited by those with ulterior motives. This time around, they could definitely live peacefully for a lifetime.

 Chapter 160 - 160 160 The Thief

    ?Chapter 160: Chapter 160 The Thief   Chapter 160: Chapter 160 The Thief                                   That afternoon, Bai Ju and her husband returned to the town; it was only that day they realized Bai Xiao was going to a school in another province¡ªthey had thought it was in their own provincial capital.

    The next morning, Bai Yue got up at three o¡¯clock, boiled ten eggs, made scallion pancakes with eggs and green onions, and prepared cornmeal porridge before waking Bai Xiao and Bai Song to eat, afraid they would be hungry on the way.

    Bai Xiao knew her eldest sister meant well and didn¡¯t finish until she had eaten a big bowl of cornmeal porridge and two scallion pancakes.

    Bai Yue had already packed their things and kept reminding Bai Xiao to be careful on the road. She also said that once settled, Bai Xiao should write home first to let them know everything was fine, and not to worry about home. She should focus on her studies. Her sister¡¯s advice went on and on without end.

    Only when they reached the vige entrance and saw An Zhiyuan¡¯s jeep did Bai Yue finally stop.

    Bai Xiao and Bai Yue waved their hands, looking back at the figures of the sister and three nephews at the vige entrance, feeling a bit sentimental. This sensation of parting was genuinely uneasy, with a sour heart and warm eyes. Bai Xiao felt a bit sad; since her rebirth, she had grown ustomed to her family¡¯spany, and now the abrupt departure gave her a sense of lonely homelessness.

    Bai Song nced at Bai Xiao, aware of her feelings. Every time he left, seeing his little sister¡¯s small figure lingering there, he too felt a distressing heartache, almost wishing he didn¡¯t have to leave.

    ¡°Xiao, don¡¯t worry. You cane back to see them during your holidays. It¡¯s not like you won¡¯t see them for a lifetime,¡± he said.

    Bai Xiao touched her eye socket. ¡°Big brother, you really know how tofort people. I bet when you get a wife someday, you could annoy her to death.¡±

    Bai Song chuckled, touching his cor, and said to An Zhiyuan, ¡°My little sister here is a real firecracker, you better be careful with her in the future!¡±

    An Zhiyuan nced at Bai Xiao in the rearview mirror and replied with a light smile, ¡°No problem, I like that sort!¡±

    Bai Xiao red, her cheeks puffing up like a little frog, irritated.

    This only elicitedughter from Bai Song and An Zhiyuan, leaving Bai Xiao to wonder morosely whether Bai Song was really her brother.

    She thought his bias was far too strong.

    When they reached the county train station, An Zhiyuan bought tform tickets to see them off, and together with Bai Song, managed the luggage, leaving Bai Xiao with not much to handle herself.

    Once they were on the crowded train, fortunately, they had sleeping berths. Because Bai Song had purchased ticketste, his berth was separated from Bai Xiao¡¯s. Fortunately, Bai Song and the person in the upper berth exchanged tickets, so the siblings ended up in the same carriage.

    An Zhiyuan helped Bai Song put the luggage on the overhead shelves. Bai Xiao¡¯s valuables were all with her, so she wasn¡¯t worried about the luggage or beddings. Moreover, with Bai Song in the upper berth, it was all within view.

    After handing Bai Xiao her backpack and instructing her never to let it out of her sight and to be cautious on the train, since there could still be pickpockets, he fussed over her. An Zhiyuan was even more nagging than their eldest sister Bai Yue, not tired of reminding her.

    Once everything was settled, An Zhiyuan got off the train.

    Bai Xiao stood by the window, waving at An Zhiyuan. The train started moving slowly. An Zhiyuan shouted something at her, but Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t hear it and could only wave in response.

    An Zhiyuan took a step forward and waved goodbye.

    Goodbye.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes were still moist. Although she hadn¡¯t known An Zhiyuan for long¡ªjust a month or two¡ªhe had already be one of the most important people in her life, taking up a ce in her heart. After all, there was now another person in the world who loved her unconditionally and withoutints, just like her elder brother and sister. She believed in An Zhiyuan¡¯s character; this man truly treated her as his wife-to-be.

    Back at her seat, Bai Xiao took off her shoes,y down, and started reading a book, something An Zhiyuan had given her for entertainment on the journey, along with a big bag of snacks. She didn¡¯t even know where An Zhiyuan had found them¡ªcanned food, bread, and fruit, including a big bunch of grapes and two peaches, looking so fresh and dewy. These were things people from their vige couldn¡¯t even find to eat, as there was no one growing such things there.

    No one would bother to take the effort to grow them; if they had thend, they would rather use it to nt vegetables.

    Bai Xiao slung her backpack across her body and quietly read her book.

    Early the next day, the train arrived at a provincial city. Bai Xiao and Bai Song, carrying their belongings, disembarked and followed the flow of people out of the station. Many vans from small hotels and hustlers were enthusiastically inviting them to take a look, but Bai Song declined all their offers.

    He had been out before! He certainly knew that the areas around train stations were ces where one could be fleeced. These people might seem friendly, but they didn¡¯t hold back when it came to money.

    After making their way through the crowd with his sister, they asked the public security officers at the station how to get to Aviation University. The officers warmly gave them directions. To get to Aviation University from the train station required a transfer, so they went to the bus stop to wait for the bus with their luggage.

    As the bus arrived, immediately, a surge of people boarded. At that moment, the bus was absolutely packed to the brim, and getting on was a matter of squeezing in.

    Just then, Bai Song, with his quick eyes and hands, saw a man in front of him slit open the backpack of a girl in a dress with a razor de. He was about to stuff a pink wallet he had just taken into his pocket when Bai Song quickly moved in, captured the man, and twisted his arm firmly. The man screamed in pain, and the wallet fell to the ground.

    ¡°Miss, your wallet!¡±

    Only then did the girl realize what happened. Seeing therge hole in her bag, which seemed to mock her with a gaping smile, she hurriedly picked up her wallet.

    ¡°Thank you!¡±

    The man whose arm was being twisted grimaced in pain, yelling, ¡°Let go of me, let go! You¡¯re the thief! I was just trying to help, and now you¡¯re trying to pin this on me, ying the thief crying ¡®stop the thief¡¯ to everyone. You all can¡¯t let him get away. I¡¯m the good guy here,¡± he tried to turn the tables.

    All the bystanders looked at each other, unsure of who was right or wrong because, in reality, no one had seen exactly what had happened! They only saw Bai Song apprehending the man.

    ¡°What should we do? We don¡¯t know who the thief is!¡±

    ¡°This young man is wearing a uniform; he shouldn¡¯t be a thief, it doesn¡¯t look like it!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, a person like this wouldn¡¯t be a thief!¡±

    Seeing that things were not going his way, the thief hastily shouted, ¡°Who said so? Nowadays, there are many people wearing this kind of clothes. Can you guarantee they are all the most lovable people? Perhaps he¡¯s dressed like this to win trust. Who would suspect someone wearing this attire to be a thief? He¡¯s definitely not a good person.¡± He was trying to shift the me and escape.

    Everyone scrutinized Bai Song closely.

    Their gazes were filled with suspicion.

    Bai Song smiled and said, ¡°I have my ID in my pocket. Bai Xiao, please take it out and show everyone!¡± As if framing him would be easy, you¡¯d have to be pretty skilled to do that.

    Bai Xiao quickly pulled out a booklet from Bai Song¡¯s jacket pocket, flipped to the first page, and showed everyone Bai Song¡¯s photo and the bright red stamp on it.

    ¡°Let¡¯s take this person to the police station. There¡¯s one right by the station,¡±

    Bai Xiao said.

    Bai Song nodded and said to the girl, ¡°Please get off with us to be a witness.¡±

    The girl nodded in agreement.

    The three of them escorted the thief off the bus.

 Chapter 161 - 161 161 Car Accident

    ?Chapter 161: Chapter 161 Car ident   Chapter 161: Chapter 161 Car ident                                   Just as he stepped off the bus, suddenly three or four young men squeezed out of the door, quickly surrounding Bai Song.

    They all shed knives in their hands, looking at Bai Song with malice.

    ¡°Who asked you to meddle, let our guy go right now, or else a white de goes in and a red dees out, don¡¯t me us for not making ourselves clear.¡± It was obvious they were all together.

    The passengers on the bus, seeing the knives, were already scared stiff, not daring to make a move; everyone feared gangster retaliation and no one dared to step up.

    The girl was also terrified, tugging at Bai Song¡¯s arm, ¡°Let¡¯s just let it go. After all, my wallet has been recovered. You can¡¯t take on so many people alone.¡± Mostly the girl feared Bai Song getting hurt; seeing that these guys were not good, she worried that Bai Song would be at a disadvantage.

    Bai Xiao carefully stepped back several steps with his luggage, making way, and yelled toward the girl, ¡°Miss, you bettere over to this side, don¡¯t get hurt.¡±

    The girl red at Bai Xiao angrily, thinking at first that he was in cahoots with Bai Song, and now realizing that he was just another onlooker, staying further away from trouble than anyone else.

    ¡°I won¡¯t go. The People¡¯s Liberation Army was kind enough to help me; I can¡¯t just stand by and watch him deal with the bad guys alone.¡±

    Bai Xiao gave a thumbs up, ¡°Miss, can you fight?¡±

    The girl immediately looked baffled; she really couldn¡¯t.

    Speaking timidly, ¡°But I can¡¯t just watch someone be a Good Samaritan for me, and I hide away at a distance.¡± Although the eyes of the gangsters around her were evasive, she still bravely stood by Bai Song¡¯s side.

    A few men with knives chuckled sinisterly, with one wielding a knife approaching, ¡°Yo, girlie, pretty brave, huh? You¡¯re pretty, too. Since you like to poke your nose into others¡¯ business so much, why not y with us brothers?¡± he said lewdly, reaching out to touch the girl¡¯s cheek.

    What happened next was seeing Bai Song move like a dragon diving into water. The man¡¯s head was grabbed, his knee hammered into the stomach, causing him to immediately fall to one side clutching his belly, unable to rise; Bai Song twisted the man¡¯s fingers with one hand, and with a snap, the fingers were grotesquely twisted; with a kick, the man was knocked unconscious, and with one hand, Bai Song gently pushed the girl backward, the force steady and firm, sending the girl back a few steps out of the men¡¯s attack range.

    The men were caught off guard, gripping their knives tighter.

    ¡°Guys, this one¡¯s tough, let¡¯s gang up.¡±

    Desperate, the girl tried to rush forward but was firmly held back by Bai Xiao.

    ¡°What are you doing? Don¡¯t make things worse!¡± This was her first time seeing a girl who clearly couldn¡¯t fight yet insisted on jumping in to help.

    ¡°I can¡¯t just stand by and watch him suffer, can I?¡±

    ¡°He won¡¯t suffer, just watch! My big brother is awesome!¡±

    The girl¡¯s eyes widened, pointing at Bai Song she asked, ¡°Is that your big brother?¡±

    Bai Xiao nodded earnestly, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s him, genuine and guaranteed!¡±

    ¡°Then why aren¡¯t you helping?¡± The attitude was none too pleasant.

    ¡°What help could I give? When ites to fighting, I¡¯m not the match of those baddies. If I go up there and get caught, wouldn¡¯t I be taken hostage? That would only cause trouble for my big brother! Besides, my big brother is fine, the capable can take on more work.¡± Bai Xiao was indifferent; Bai Song had even caught drug traffickers in his previous life, plus she knew Bai Song was special forces, with such skills, just a few bluffing hoodlums couldn¡¯t do much to Bai Song.

    All of a sudden, the girl fell silent, deeply reflecting whether she had acted impulsively. Far from helping, if she really had been caught, how could Bai Song have saved her? That would indeed have been making trouble for him.

    At this point, Bai Song had already moved like lightning, rising and falling. The men¡¯s knives fell to the ground, and they too fell down.

    The gangstersy on the ground, and everyone on the bus apuded and cheered.

    Such a gratifying moment naturally excited people; bad guys defeated, good guys punishing evil and promoting virtue¡ªthis was indeed the act of a chivalrous hero.

    The girl¡¯s palms turned red from all the pping.

    Watching Bai Song, her face was full of admiration; at that moment, Bai Song was nothing short of a hero.

    A few hooligans realized the situation was bad and that they had encountered a tough opponent. They immediately scrambled to their feet and ran. If they didn¡¯t run now, they would be toote once the police arrived. The police station was very close by, and given the noise they had made, it wouldn¡¯t take more than a minute for the station officers and the police to get there.

    The group quickly scattered in all directions, darting into the alleyways along the street.

    Many passengers from the bus starteding down to help Bai Song catch the fleeing thugs.

    No one dared to help before for fear of retaliation, but now,ing down to join in meant there was an element of beating the drowning dog.

    Bai Song also joined in the chase, when suddenly he saw a hooligan being chased by two men, running straight onto the road.

    A military jeep from behind almost crashed into them.

    The driver of the jeep also saw the person suddenly appearing and, in panic, turned the steering wheel sharply. The vehicle swerved, and before the driver could m on the brakes, a city bus from behind smashed into it hard, hitting both the jeep and another bus that had been stationary at the station and hadn¡¯t left yet.

    Almost instantly, a chain collision urred.

    The three vehicles were squeezed together.

    The front of the jeep was mangled, and the city bus was billowing thick smoke; the situation looked critical.

    Bai Song saw this and quickly called for help, knowing that there were many young and strong men among those who had juste off the bus. If they didn¡¯t help now, in case of an explosion, they would be waiting for death.

    ¡°Everyone, hurry and save people!¡± Bai Song sprinted towards the ident.

    Bai Xiao dropped her luggage. Everything happened so fast; suddenly, in front of her, three vehicles were squeezed together like a sandwich cookie. Hearing the painful groans of the people inside, she knew she couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch.

    Following Bai Song, she ran over, shouting as she did, ¡°Big brother, I¡¯m right behind you.¡±

    Perhaps only Bai Song understood the meaning of that sentence.

    Bai Song and Bai Xiao rushed to the front of the vehicles.

    Being far away at first, they only saw the three vehicles colliding, which was shocking, but arriving at the scene revealed a much grimmer sight.

    After the collision, it was the jeep in the middle that suffered the worst, its front and rear ends crushed between the two city buses.

    However, the two city buses also looked severely damaged.

    The doors were badly deformed, the windows had shattered into fragments, and many inside were groaning in pain.

    Bai Song went straight to the jeep and tried to force the door open, but it was stuck due to the deformation.

    The driver, bloody and weak in the driver¡¯s seat, said to Bai Song, ¡°Hurry and save the Chief.¡±

    Bai Song nced at the back seats, where two people were gravely injured; one was impaled by a warped railinging through from the rear, his body nailed to the seat and his chest soaked in blood, while the other had an arm grotesquely deformed, obviously broken.

    Even in the most tragic idents, there are often miraculous survivals, and sometimes a minor collision can result in a broken spine and immediate death. A lot depends on the posture and the timing¡ªsigh, it¡¯s really all down to luck.

    Clearly, luck was not on the side of these individuals right now.

 Chapter 162 - 162 162 Saving People

    ?Chapter 162: Chapter 162: Saving People   Chapter 162: Chapter 162: Saving People                                   ¡°Let¡¯s rescue the people first!¡± Bai Xiao saw it too, and now it was impossible for her to stand idly by. She was a person, an ordinary person. Although her past life had ended in tragedy and she had suffered terribly, that didn¡¯t mean she had lost her humanity or was a cold-blooded animal who could watch others die without feeling.

    Perhaps she never was.

    Just like now, watching the scene of the car ident, she couldn¡¯t help but feel eager to act.

    Expose her special ability?

    That was not a problem. Bai Xiao understood the capabilities of her special abilities better than anyone else.

    She had only recently obtained her special ability, and it still needed refining. The so-called refining meant that she could fully master and skillfully use her abilities, but her special ability had not yet reached the powerful capabilities she would haveter. She remembered clearly that when she first acquired her special ability, it was very weak and it took all her effort to seed each time.

    Of course, there were also severe side effects.

    Butter on, she discovered that as her special ability increased day by day, eventually she only needed to use a little bit of her power to achieve great effects, reducing her own side effects.

    This day-to-day improvement referred to her proficiency. It was through continuously treating others that she could enhance her special ability¡¯s efficacy and reduce the expenditure of her energy. Eventually, she could treat the injuries of a hundred people in one day with ease.

    The side effects she had to endure also became smaller and smaller. Sadly, by that time, she had already been controlled by the Energy Medicine and was no longer in control of her own body.

    Bai Song wrapped his fist with his clothing and smashed the driver¡¯s side ss window. In fact, it was already broken, but there were still some ss shards left, and he pulled the driver out from the inside.

    The driver panicked and grabbed tightly onto Bai Song¡¯s fist. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. Look at your clothes; I know what you do for a living. Just listen, the one in the back is a district Chief, a top leader. You must save him at this time, by any means necessary.¡± Then he pushed Bai Song away, his eyes filled with earnest hope.

    Bai Song could only reluctantly turn to the back seat.

    The window was too small, and the person was fixed to the seat; it was impossible to move him out.

    Bai Xiao nced and knew what her brother was trying to do. Rescuing this person was too difficult, as he was entirely bound to the seat. Unless the steel pipe prating him was pulled out, and once pulled, the consequences were imaginable. There was no medical rescue avable at the moment, or rather, medical help hadn¡¯t arrived yet.

    Looking at the leader, who seemed to have some silver frost at his temples, in addition to the driver¡¯s words, Bai Xiao could guess this person¡¯s identity was very important.

    The person was not unconscious. Though fixed to the seat and unable to move even slightly, his consciousness was still very clear.

    ¡°In my current state, you can¡¯t save me. Go and save others first; there are so many people, surely many are severely injured.¡±

    He said these two sentences breathlessly.

    Bai Song nced at Bai Xiao. Bai Xiao saw people being carried down from the buses on both sides, and the station¡¯s open area was filled with casualties. At this time, she couldn¡¯t just not save them. If she were indifferent to preserving her own safety now, she would not be fit to be a person. Anyone should have at least a basic moral baseline and a standard for being human. She couldn¡¯t let her past suffering make her hate the entire society.

    She was never that kind of person. No matter what she had encountered before, she thought of retaliating against those who had hurt her in the past, but she never thought about watching innocent people die before her eyes. This had nothing to do with being saintly; she never believed that being reborn meant she should be more heartless and ruthless than others, that others should die. Only those who had hurt her deserved to die, not everyone.

    Taking out a silver needle, Bai Xiao pointed at the car door.

    Bai Song immediately understood. He exertively pulled the car door out of itspressed, deformed frame and tossed it aside.

    ¡°You¡­ you¡­ are¡­¡± The injured person saw this move; the surprise was followed by relief.

    ¡°Chief, you should see for yourself how I work. Please don¡¯t talk; I need to get you out of here. It might be painful, so please bear with it,¡± Bai Song said and without waiting, walked directly to the back of the car where the steel pipe had prated. He nced at Bai Xiao, now unable to protect her at this moment.

    Bai Xiao nodded at him.

    Bai Song gripped the steel pipe and pulled it out forcefully.

    The person in the seat passed out from the pain immediately as blood gushed from the chest wound after the pipe was removed.

    The person sitting next to the chair quickly pressed down on the wound with a piece of clothing, ¡°Too reckless. The doctor hasn¡¯t arrived yet. This could kill him.¡±

    Bai Xiao impatiently pushed his hand away. ¡°Don¡¯t interfere with my work.¡±

    With a swift motion, a silver needle descended into the unconscious man¡¯s chest.

    ¡°What are you doing? Are you a doctor?¡± the man asked Bai Xiao, incredulous.

    ¡°Be quiet!¡± Bai Xiao¡¯s special ability transferred into the man, gradually stopping the blood from his chest, and the man opened his eyes.

    ¡°You¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk now. I¡¯ve stopped the bleeding. You won¡¯t be in life-threatening danger for the time being. Emergency responders will have to take you to the hospital for further treatment. It¡¯s best not to move right now,¡± Bai Xiao wiped the sweat from her brow. This time, she had used only a little of her special ability, which she hadn¡¯t been able to manage before because back then her special ability wasn¡¯t capable enough to be used so freely.

    But now she could.

    Probably because of the recent uses umting over time, she had already nned it out. As long as her special ability could control itself, each time she saved someone, she would keep the injury from deteriorating without fully healing them. This way, although her special ability was still consumed, the consumption was minimal.

    Any aftereffects would be minor, and it would help her keep her abilities under wraps. Of course, this was thanks to the many times she had practiced and experimented in the vige. If she had never used her special ability to save people before, she wouldn¡¯t be able to do this now.

    This method of controlling her special ability was only avable at higher levels, so her earlier attempts to treat and save people were somewhat overzealous. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to hide it, she simply couldn¡¯t. If she couldn¡¯t manage something on her own, there was no point in trying to hide it.

    But now it seemed she could.

    Bai Song ran over and, seeing that the bleeding had stopped, nodded in approval, ¡°Good job. Let¡¯s hurry and rescue the others.¡±

    Bai Xiao took out another silver needle and addressed the man next to her, ¡°I¡¯m going to give you a needle too. You must have suffered internal injuries. The shock might have caused internal bleeding.¡±

    The man shook his head, looking over himself. Apart from a fractured, deformed arm, he couldn¡¯t see anything else amiss.

    ¡°No need, I¡¯m fine. Go help the others first.¡±

    Bai Xiao shook her head, knowing she had done all she could. If people didn¡¯t listen, there was nothing more she could do.

    She twisted around and together with Bai Song, they pulled the driver through the window. The driver also had blood pouring from his head, likely having hit the windshield. Clutching his chest, Bai Xiao immediately inserted a needle, ¡°Brother,y him t. It seems he suffered internal injuries from the chest impact.¡±

    The siblings worked quickly together, Bai Xiao directing and Bai Song immediatelyplying.

 Chapter 163 - 163 163 Appendicitis

    ?Chapter 163: Chapter 163: Appendicitis   Chapter 163: Chapter 163: Appendicitis                                   The ground nearby was already littered with many people lying in twisted positions. The girl who had just been robbed was bandaging those with minor injuries. Bai Xiao came to help, but she did not know how to bandage wounds. She was checking on each of the patients, and for those with severe injuries, she would insert a silver needle and rotate her special ability. Relief was immediate.

    Two individuals had major arteries punctured by ss and were quickly fading due to excessive blood loss.

    As soon as Bai Xiao inserted a needle, not only did the bleeding stop immediately, but the people also began to regain consciousness. At least they no longer appeared to be in life-threatening danger. They looked at Bai Xiao as if she were a deity, continuously calling her their lifesaver.

    There was also a little girl who was eating in the car when the ident happened. She choked and was now suffocating, her face swollen crimson and her eyes rolled back. The man holding her was desperate and out of options. Seeing Bai Xiao stop the bleeding with a single needle, he hurriedly pulled her towards his child.

    At that moment, Bai Xiao became a life-saving straw.

    ¡°Save her, Miss! Please save my child!¡± he cried.

    Bai Song wanted to follow her, but the girl who was bandaging the injured stood up and asked, ¡°Is your sister a doctor?¡±

    Bai Song shook his head, then immediately regretted it and nodded, only to feel that was not right either, and shook his head again.

    ¡°What do you mean by shaking and nodding your head? Is your sister a doctor or not? Treating illnesses is serious; a mistake could cost a life. Can your sister take that responsibility? I am Yan Chunlu, the head nurse at The Ninth Hospital, and even I wouldn¡¯t dare to im that I can save everyone. If your sister acts recklessly like this, it could bring trouble,¡± Yan Chunlu said with sincerity, remembering that this brother and sister had helped her earlier.

    Of course, she couldn¡¯t just watch Bai Xiao get entangled inplications from trying to save others. After all, these were just injuries needing bleeding to be stopped and wounds to be bandaged. But if someone lost their life, Bai Xiao would likely face me.

    Bai Song replied with conviction, ¡°My sister¡¯s medical skills are passed down from our ancestors. She absolutely will not fail to save people!¡± His confidence was derived from knowing that his sister had even been able to revive people whom doctors had dered to be beyond saving, let alone these people who weren¡¯t dead.

    Yan Chunlu stamped her foot in frustration. This blockhead! What was he saying about ancestral traditions? Did he think they were living in ancient times? In a rush, she went to check on Bai Xiao and, upon arriving, she was astonished to see Bai Xiao pulling out a needle. The little girl had already opened her eyes, coughed forcefully twice, and spat out the food she had choked on. The purple hue caused by asphyxiation on her face was fading away.

    She couldn¡¯t help but be amazed. This acupuncture was too miraculous.

    She had always felt that Western medicine was faster and more effective, but she had never witnessed Traditional Chinese Medicine¡¯s acupuncture having such incredible healing powers.

    Bai Xiao was then pulled away by someone else. A woman was lying there, clutching her abdomen, crying out in extreme pain.

    Yan Chunlu took one look and realized something was off. She quickly examined the woman: persistent severe pain in the middle and lower abdomen or on both sides often indicated signs of gangrenous appendicitis or perforation.

    The woman clutched Yan Chunlu¡¯s hand tightly, looking at Bai Xiao and weeping, ¡°Save me! Save me! The pain is killing me! Ah, it hurts so much.¡±

    Yan Chunlu grew anxious, ¡°Why hasn¡¯t the ambnce arrived yet? You have acute appendicitis; acupuncture can¡¯t save you. You must go to the hospital for surgery immediately, or it really will be toote.¡± She looked around but couldn¡¯t even see a shadow of the ambnce; police from the local station were already on the scene, helping with the rescue.

    Many citizens by the roadside were also lending a hand, mainly because there were too many injured people.

    Upon hearing this, a man also became anxious, ¡°Isn¡¯t this going to lead to death?¡±

    ¡°Do you know her?¡± Yan Chunlu could tell that the man knew the woman.

    ¡°We work at the same factory. We got up early to head there, who would have thought we would encounter a car ident on the way!¡± the man said, sweating profusely.

    ¡°If ites to it, find two people to carry her to the hospital,¡± Yan Chunlu suggested as she watched the woman rolling on the ground from unbearable pain, with sweat beads asrge as buttons.

    If the appendix ruptures, it could indeed be fatal.

    The man looked troubled, then with gritted teeth shouted, ¡°Quick, Zhuzi, Dashuang,e help! We need to take Sister You to the hospital. Thisrade here says it¡¯s appendicitis, and it could be deadly.¡± At that moment, saving lives was the priority.

    Two young men ran over, both with cuts on their bodies. Fortunately, they appeared to be injuries from ss and not severe.

    Three people tried to lift Sister You from the ground, but to their surprise, the moment they touched Sister You, she screamed sharply. Frightened, they let go, and she rolled her eyes and passed out.

    Yan Chunlu became anxious as well, realizing that the pain had caused Sister You to go into shock.

    She quickly bent down to perform cardiac resuscitation, watching Sister You¡¯s face turn paler and paler as shey on the ground, but she didn¡¯t wake up.

    Zhuzi, plucking up the courage, reached out to check under Sister You¡¯s nose, then jumped back startled.

    ¡°She¡¯s not breathing!¡±

    Yan Chunlu stopped despairingly, realizing that there was no breath, and it seemed they couldn¡¯t bring her back.

    Before she could say anything, Bai Xiao stepped forward, pushing Yan Chunlu aside, ¡°Have them find some nks or something to carry her to the hospital. We can¡¯t carry her!¡±

    Yan Chunlu watched in amazement as Bai Xiao inserted a needle, her delicate fingers gently twisting it, and then the woman miraculously opened her eyes and exhaled a long breath, ¡°That hurt to death!¡±

    Everyone cheered.

    Bai Xiao pulled out the needle, ¡°Hurry and take her to the hospital, what are you waiting for?¡± This was only a temporary relief; she hadn¡¯t put in the effort to fully heal her.

    It still required a doctor to solve the problem.

    The three men nodded hastily and went to find nks.

    At that moment, the ambnce finally arrived.

    Doctors and nurses, three to four people, hurried out. Someone had already called the doctor over, and they lifted Sister You onto the ambnce to take her to the hospital.

    Bai Xiao breathed a sigh of relief and turned to see Yan Chunlu¡¯s astonished gaze, smiling slightly.

    ¡°Why are you staring at me like that? It¡¯s scary!¡±

    Bai Song came over to help his sister, ¡°How are you? Are you alright?¡± He remembered she had said that she suffered from hypothermia after saving someone, and he worried about her current state.

    The moment he touched Bai Xiao¡¯s hand, he recoiled as though he had touched ice.

    ¡°Xiao, how are you?¡±

    He quickly rubbed her hands to warm them. Bai Xiao smiled and said, ¡°Brother, find a convenience store and buy some chocte or something. If there¡¯s no chocte, just buy me a few candies. I just need some energy replenishment, it¡¯s nothing serious.¡± This time, it was much better than before; it was practically child¡¯s y byparison.

    Luckily, her special ability had improved at a critical moment, otherwise, she knew she wouldn¡¯t be able to save many people now.

    Upon hearing this, Bai Song immediately took off his coat and draped it over Bai Xiao, ¡°Wait here, I¡¯ll go buy it for you.¡± He ran toward a roadside store, backpack in tow.

    Five minutester, Bai Song returned with a bunch of lollipops and guiltily said, ¡°I looked several ces, but there was no chocte, only these lollipops. Make do for now!¡±

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°That¡¯ll do!¡± She unwrapped a lollipop and popped it into her mouth.

    Mm, it seemed like a stopgap rather than a cure, but it was better than nothing. If only she could have a bowl of steaming noodles right now, she would probably recover faster. And if it came with a couple of big chunks of beef, she might be able to recover instantly!

 Chapter 164 - 164 164 Leadership

    ?Chapter 164: Chapter 164: Leadership   Chapter 164: Chapter 164: Leadership                                   In the vehicle, Li Dongliang looked at Bai Xiao sucking on a lollipop and asked Han Weiguo beside him, ¡°This girl is incredible. She seems unremarkable, but her acupuncture is immensely skillful. I thought I was a goner just now, and dying is an awful feeling. Then, she stuck the needle in, and I felt a rush of heat surge up from the spot of the insertion, and the pain at the wound eased, with the bleeding stopping too.¡± His eyes were filled with deep admiration.

    But he heard no reply from Han Weiguo. When Li Dongliang turned to look, he realized Han Weiguo¡¯s mouth was dripping blood, and he had rolled his eyes back and passed out.

    He quickly shouted to the person next to him, ¡°Hurry, call that acupuncture girl, someone has passed out here!¡±

    The person turned to nce at Han Weiguo, and upon seeing the blood still bubbling from his mouth, shuddered with fright! There had been too much blood seen today.

    He rushed over to call Bai Xiao.

    ¡°Miss, miss! There¡¯s someone who passed out over there! You need toe quick, they¡¯re spitting up a lot of blood!¡±

    Bai Xiao looked up, ¡°Where?¡±

    Pointing at the jeep, ¡°Right here!¡±

    With a silver needle in hand and still chewing on her lollipop, Bai Xiao walked briskly over, saw Han Weiguo¡¯s condition, and frowned. Hadn¡¯t he just refused to let her save him? Wasn¡¯t this self-inflicted suffering?

    She decided to let him suffer a bit. Otherwise, he might think she had been joking.

    Bai Song followed, and Yan Chunlu had turned into a tail as well, trailing behind. The moment she saw Li Dongliang, she stood up straight, terrified, ¡°Greetings, Chief!¡± My God! It was the top boss of their local area.

    What was the meaning of this?

    Li Dongliang smiled and waved his hand, ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there.¡±

    Pointing at Han Weiguo, he said to Bai Xiao, ¡°Quick, take a look at him. Why did he suddenly pass out like that?¡± He always thought that he was the one with the serious injuries. Just now, Han Weiguo had been chatting andughing with him, both sitting there watching the youngdy treat and save people. And now, for him to suddenly vomit blood and faint was extremely worrying.

    Bai Xiao took out a silver needle, ¡°I was going to pierce him earlier, warning that he had internal injuries and internal bleeding, but he adamantly refused. Now, I¡¯ll do my best!¡± As the needle pierced, Bai Xiao gently twisted the silver needle, and Han Weiguo gradually began to moan with his eyes closed.

    Bai Xiao removed the silver needle, ¡°Take him to the hospital, it¡¯ll be toote if we wait any longer.¡±

    The doctors and nurses had already hurried over, and upon hearing that a Chief was involved, they had dispatched additional ambnces. Several hospitals had also been alerted and sent their emergency vehicles.

    Now the medical examiners were checking, and a stretcher was brought over! They prepared to carry the person to the ambnce to be taken to the hospital.

    Li Dongliang asked Bai Xiao, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t answer, but pointed to Bai Song, ¡°The one who saved you is him. His name is Bai Song!¡±

    This big shot from the region would better remember Bai Song¡¯s kindness rather than hers. She didn¡¯t need any credit for herself.

    Li Dongliang looked at Bai Song, then back at Bai Xiao, ¡°You both aremendable.¡±

    The hospital executives had already arrived; how could they not when a Chief was involved in a car ident.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let these two leave; have them follow me to the hospital,¡± said Li Dongliang. With that order, two individuals in white coats stopped Bai Xiao and Bai Song from leaving.

    Bai Xiao rolled her eyes. Could this be a case of repaying kindness with ingratitude?

    This time, I didn¡¯t show any abnormalities¡ªthe most I did was dy the worsening of injuries. I only administered minor treatment to those with severe wounds. Could it be that I¡¯ll be taken away for research and dissection just for doing that?

    Then that research institute must be really cheap, grabbing anyone off the streets to dissect.

    Bai Song protected Bai Xiao, ¡°Chief, what are you doing? If there¡¯s anything, you can talk to me, it has nothing to do with my sister.¡± His nature was straightforward, he wasn¡¯t one for beating around the bush. Protecting Bai Xiao was his top priority.

    Li Dongliangughed, then turned to them and said, ¡°I mean no harm, I just want to invite you both toe with me for a chat.¡±

    Bai Song breathed a sigh of relief, as long as it wasn¡¯t malicious.

    Bai Xiao was aware that the Chief might have taken a liking to her¡ªnot in the inappropriate sense, but probably intrigued by her medical skills.

    She got in the car with Bai Song.

    Sitting in the ambnce, Li Dongliangy on the stretcher, while a medic was inserting a needle into his arm for an IV.

    ¡°Girl, your acupuncture skills are remarkable! The way you stop bleeding and stabilize the condition, you really know your stuff,¡± Li Dongliang said excitedly.

    Bai Song quickly responded, ¡°My sister isn¡¯t a doctor.¡± He didn¡¯t know how else to reply to Li Dongliang¡¯s statement, so he resorted to this.

    Bai Xiao almostughed, big brother was really something.

    ¡°Your sister isn¡¯t a doctor, then who did she learn this acupuncture from? It looks like she has really skilled technique! This isn¡¯t something she just picked up overnight!¡± Li Dongliang¡¯s eyes were incredibly sharp, he could tell that Bai Xiao¡¯s hand didn¡¯t even tremble when she inserted the needle! That was the true mark of ¡®a needle that reveals blood.¡¯

    ¡°My sister learned it from my father, it¡¯s a family tradition. It¡¯s nothing sophisticated enough to impress anyone; please don¡¯tugh at us, Chief.¡± This was the consistent story agreed upon by their family; the Bai Family now supposedly had a traditional acupuncture technique.

    Li Dongliang saw how Bai Song was protective of Bai Xiao, ¡°You¡¯re treating me like a weasel, not even letting your sister speak for herself. She¡¯s old enough to interact with others, you can¡¯t substitute for her in everything.¡±

    Bai Xiao realized that the Chief really wanted her to speak up.

    ¡°Chief, just speak your mind. I¡¯m just an ordinary girl from a regr family. The acupuncture is something I learned from my parents, and I can barely use it to treat and save people. But if we really get down to it, I only provide temporary relief, not a cure. To truly treat these illnesses¡ªlike the wound you have¡ªyou¡¯d need to go to the hospital for the doctors to stitch it up and perform surgery. My acupuncture really can¡¯t heal that.¡±

    She ced herself humbly, giving the best excuse for her medical skills. Even though she had saved Wang Han in the past, Wang Han had no visible wounds; their ailments were invisible to the naked eye. It could be said that her acupuncture cured him or conversely that it was a fortunate coincidence that the person recovered.

    Nobody could find fault with her for that.

    So far, she hadn¡¯t treated anyone with visible injuries, mostly just internal ailments, hardly visible to the naked eye. The only significant injury she might be associated with was the purulent fracture on her nephew Li Haishun¡¯s leg, but that was a secret known only to their own family, not to outsiders.

    She believed her elder sister had already instructed her three nephews to keep the matter to themselves.

    Li Dongliang chuckled, ¡°Youngdy, what do you do? And your brother, what¡¯s his job? Even though you¡¯re not saying, one can tell you¡¯re both formidable. And you? Are you interested in joining us here?¡±

    Bai Xiao now understood, he was attempting to recruit her.

    ¡°Chief, I¡¯m here to report at the aviation school. I¡¯m not yet a student, but once I register, I guess I¡¯ll be one of you.¡±

    With that, the Chief should rest assured, as she¡¯d be their person and couldn¡¯t run away.

 Chapter 165 - 165 165 The Disease is Cured when the Needle

    ?Chapter 165: Chapter 165: The Disease is Cured when the Needle Arrives.   Chapter 165: Chapter 165: The Disease is Cured when the Needle Arrives.                                   ¡°Girl, oh, you got into Aviation University. That school isn¡¯t really for you, you know. Look at you, a girl, and that school, only 30% of people there will be pilots in the future. The rest either get grounded and switch to ground staff, or they drop out and go to local schools to study other majors. Think about the immense pressure you¡¯d face as a girlpeting in that environment.

    Why don¡¯t you consider it? I think you¡¯d do well in our hospital. With your acupuncture skills, you¡¯d be quite aplished, and your parents would be proud of you for continuing the family tradition and bringing honor to your home. That would be wonderful,¡± Li Dongliang was rmed at the mention of Aviation University.

    Although both are part of the same system, they¡¯re not the same. He had nothing to do with aviation. Wasting such talent at Aviation University, wouldn¡¯t that be a pity?

    Bai Xiao was stunned, ¡°You can get grounded or drop out of Aviation University?¡± She really didn¡¯t know that. In her previous life, she hadn¡¯t attended college, and in this life, she hadn¡¯t either. Besides, hearing others talk about guaranteed job cement after college, how could she have known about the high elimination rate and the possibility of being grounded or dropping out? She might not know what being grounded meant, but she understood dropping out, which implied being sent back to the local level.

    ¡°Yes. Think about it. If you go there with your small frame, the training intensity is very high. I¡¯m a leader, so of course, I can¡¯t lie to trick you. Aviation University offers great benefits¡ªno tuition or living expenses, everything is provided! But the training and learning there are definitely not as easy as you might think. A year and a half of theoretical and basic physical training, every assessment is an elimination. If you fail an assessment, you face being sent back or grounded. Even if you pass, the subsequent two years and four months of conversion training are the same. Any failure can lead to elimination.

    I think you, young girl, seem to be a very smart person. Seeing that you¡¯re a college student, just this cleverness and learning ability is notmon. Our hospital needs such talent. I¡¯m offering you a spot to go to the hospital, a great ce for cultivating talent.

    You have medical skills but still need a ce to practice. In our hospital, with its many departments, our Traditional Chinese Medicine department is missing someone like you. Once you¡¯re there, you can fully demonstrate your abilities. Most importantly, by joining the hospital, you¡¯d be working four years ahead of others, and I don¡¯t need to mention the hospital¡¯s benefits. The monthly sry and allowances are definitely generous. Once you¡¯ve umted some years, we can even offer housing. More importantly, we can help arrange some jobs in our hospital for your family members. Give it some thought,¡± Li Dongliang¡¯s eyes shined like stars as he looked at the girl, clearly very fond of her.

    Their hospital was quite renowned in the province, yet the Traditional Chinese Medicine department was in decline. It wasn¡¯t that the departmentcked talent, but they didn¡¯t have anyone with acupuncture expertise as effective as Bai Xiao¡¯s, whose single needle could produce immediate results. Most people preferred Western medicine when sick because it seemed faster-acting.

    But some illnesses can¡¯t be treated that way. They all worked in this field, and chronic training led tomon issues like back and leg pain, rheumatoid arthritis. Many had long used Western medicine to no avail, like himself, who was also gued by many years of aches and pains.

    However, the girl¡¯s needlework was another story. He had just witnessed how she could even stop acute appendicitis pain, not to mention conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.

    And acupuncture does not damage the spleen and stomach, nor does it damage the liver; it essentially has zero side effects.

    Just think about the many in their team who suffer from untreatable pains every year, enduring their agony through training. Li Dongliang couldn¡¯t just stand by and let such talent slip through his fingers.

    Sending such a girl to Aviation University would be a waste of talent!

    Only then did Bai Xiao realize what kind of school she had enrolled in.

    No wonder the tuition and living expenses were free. But the problem is, other universities also don¡¯t charge tuition and provide living expenses. As for bing a pilot and flying nes, she hadn¡¯t really considered it. People should be more realistic; considering her small stature, she probably wouldn¡¯tst through the first three months of training without being eliminated.

    Bai Xiao just thought about doing pull-ups on the parallel bars, muscles bulging, and her head started to throb.

    Bai Song was also bbergasted. A pilot?

    His own sister flying airnes, and not just that¡­ just thinking about those beautiful stunts performed during the National Day ceremonies left Bai Song terrified. How could Bai Xiao possibly do well? It was no joke.

    It wasn¡¯t that he doubted she could do well, but Bai Song was acutely aware that the training he underwent as a special talent was already incredibly demanding. Could the training for a pilot be any less? It would undoubtedly be even more grueling and exhausting. He was worried that Bai Xiao simply wouldn¡¯t be able to endure it.

    ¡°Xiao, maybe you should¡­¡± Bai Song could make this decision for his sister; after all, it was a choice between twopletely different paths, affecting her future.

    Bai Xiao grimaced; it really was a tough choice.

    Seeing Bai Song wavering, Li Dongliang hurriedly said, ¡°Think about it, you could go straight to the hospital now. That¡¯s a job, and I guarantee your work will have a professional title. Within three months of joining, we¡¯ll definitely get all your paperwork settled. If you want to pursue further education at Medical University during your tenure, that¡¯s also possible. In this regard, it¡¯s far better suited for you than Aviation University, right?¡±

    Bai Xiao was speechless; how could she respond when a high-ranking Chief put it that way?

    ¡°Chief, my medical skills really aren¡¯t that great. I only know Acupuncture, and I must keep this Acupuncture technique a closely guarded secret. Before my parents passed away, they told me I could only pass it on to my son or daughter. I swore an oath on that.¡± She felt she had to make her situation clear upfront.

    Li Dongliang was taken aback when he heard this. He had not expected the girl¡¯s family to be the kind with a lineage of practicing medicine passed down through generations.

    ¡°Then let me ask, what can your Acupuncture cure?¡±

    ¡°My Acupuncture can cure anything, but the effectiveness varies. My father said, whether it¡¯s three years or thirty years in Traditional Chinese Medicine, there¡¯s no difference. It¡¯s about fully understanding and integrating what you¡¯ve learned, and practicing diligently. It¡¯s said, after all, ¡®The master leads you to the door; personal cultivation is up to the individual.¡¯ ording to family lore, our ancestors were Imperial Physicians at the height of their Acupuncture skills, reviving the dying and healing patients with just one needle.

    However, to reach that level, I definitely can¡¯t do it at present. For example, if I were to treat your injury with my Acupuncture right now, it would surely stop the bleeding and have some healing effect. But as for healing and improving the wound, I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t have that ability.

    Of course, it¡¯s not out of the question that after diligent study, one day I could achieve, ¡®one needle goes in, disease goes away, reviving the dead.¡¯ I can¡¯tmitpletely just yet; I have to leave room for excuses.¡±

 Chapter 166 - 166 166 How greedy this girl must be

    ?Chapter 166: Chapter 166 How greedy this girl must be.   Chapter 166: Chapter 166 How greedy this girl must be.                                   ¡°Little girl, your acupuncture skills are already quite impressive. I ask you, if someone suffers from joint pain or rheumatic pain, could a single needle from you alleviate their pain?¡± Li Dongliang naturally did not believe in those so-called miracles of bringing the dead back to life.

    Modern medicine can¡¯t always achieve such results with surgery, let alone a single acupuncture needle, right?

    However, it cannot be denied that many traditional Chinese doctors in ancient times possessed extraordinary ¡®medicine that matched the disease¡¯ techniques. Since her skills are said to be family-taught, and given that this young girl has already reached such a level at her age, who¡¯s to say that in the future, she couldn¡¯t indeed remove illnesses with just one needle? It¡¯s not impossible.

    An old expert at their traditional Chinese medicine hospital had passed away. Although not an acupuncturist, it was said that his prescriptions worked immediately. There was a person with lung cancer who had taken ten doses of his medicine and had greatly improved. The hospital had diagnosed him with a maximum of three years to live, yet he had already survived eight. That was enough to be the talk of the town.

    That¡¯s the miraculous aspect of Traditional Chinese Medicine in China; no one can know what magical effects a seemingly insignificant herb or a single silver needle can achieve.

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°If it¡¯s just the pain, then a needle can definitely relieve it. That is no problem.¡± These things were not shy or showy ¡ª sometimes just applying a ster could reduce the pain, so how couldn¡¯t her needle do the trick for such a trivial ache?

    Otherwise, it would make her look utterly ipetent. A high-ranking chief wouldn¡¯t transfer you elsewhere just to be a decoration!

    Therefore, being effective was necessary. Everyone has their value. Although she didn¡¯t want to be subjected to scientific dissection, she couldn¡¯t fade into obscurity to the extent that nobody would bother with her. Since she had chosen to go to the hospital, she had to have some skills, right?

    Since she couldn¡¯t prescribe medication, acupuncture was her only lifesaving treasure.

    Li Dongliang, excited, aggravated his wound and winced in pain.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ good¡­ that¡¯s really good¡­¡±

    Bai Xiao looked at Li Dongliang, silently took out a silver needle ¡ª this pack of needles had been bought by her brother-inw He Wang, and had indeed been a great value for money, providing a big help. Otherwise, she¡¯d be going empty-handed to treat someone, and then she might really end up as a specimen for dissection.

    Seeing the needle, Li Dongliang nodded, ¡°Right, right, give me one. It really hurts like hell.¡±

    The doctor nearby almost jumped up, thinking to himself that he should take a look at the injury. How many people could survive a steel rod piercing through their chest like this? After inspecting the injury, the doctors felt it was a miracle that he could hold on until the ambnce arrived. The steel rod had pierced through the liver, and after its extraction, there should have been unstoppable bleeding. Yet here he was, talking and joking ¡ª if this wasn¡¯t a miracle, what was?

    The girl was about to perform acupuncture with a silver needle. Although he was a Western medicine doctor, he was aware that the pain relief effect of many Traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncture doctors was quite good; the needle would indeed relieve pain when hitting the right acupoints.

    Despite the bumpy ride, Bai Xiao precisely inserted the needle and gently twisted the silver needle. Immediately, Li Dongliang felt a stream of energy flowing from below to above, along the direction of the needle, directly towards his wound. A warm flow enveloped the wound, and the pain seemed to vanish in an instant. The wound, which had been causing biting pain just moments ago, now felt only warmth and nothing else.

    He couldn¡¯t help but close his eyes and hum infort.

    Bai Xiao nced at Bai Song. Bai Song blinked his eyes, unsure of what his sister was up to.

    Spotting the lollipop in Bai Song¡¯s pocket, he quickly understood. He hastily took out a lollipop, removed the stic wrapper, and stuffed it into his sister¡¯s mouth.

    Watching from the side, the doctor and the nurse looked on, almost scoffing.

    Is this the passing down of a family medical skill?

    She was purely a little girl who hadn¡¯t grown up yet. Look how greedy she was: holding a needle in one hand and still wanting a lollipop in the other. Where was the appearance of a doctor?

    They looked at the chief with a touch of sympathy. The chief really didn¡¯t have great discernment.

    The problem is that they wouldn¡¯t dare say it.

    Even if the Chief¡¯s discernment isn¡¯t the best, it¡¯s still better than theirs when ites to recognizing talent.

    Li Dongliang heard the sound of unwrapping candy, opened his eyes, and saw Bai Song stuffing a lollipop into Bai Xiao¡¯s mouth.

    He couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Girl, eating candy like that is bad for your teeth. You¡¯ll get cavitiester.¡±

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°Chief, actually I still haven¡¯t finished telling you. If you really want me to go and work at the hospital, I have one condition. If you agree to this condition, then there will be no problem with me going to work.¡±

    Her very serious attitude made Li Dongliang frown.

    Could this little girl have some ulterior motives?

    She thought that since the Chief valued her medical skills, she could act spoiled and make some unreasonable demands.

    If that was the case, he had misjudged this girl.

    He could recruit her to work at the hospital, but it certainly wasn¡¯t a case of her being irreceable.

    ¡°What condition do you have in mind?¡±

    ¡°Well, the acupuncture skills passed down in our family require the support of a set of Qigong that I have to learn from my father. So, as I told you, our acupuncture skills are not only not to be passed on to outsiders, but even if someone watched me insert each and every silver needle, they couldn¡¯t learn it,¡± Bai Xiao said, making her own exnation sound quite mystical. However, if she didn¡¯t stick to the Qigong story, she couldn¡¯t exin her state every time.

    Li Dongliang was startled; no wonder he had felt a warm current at the location of the silver needles. Perhaps that was the girl¡¯s Qigong at work.

    ¡°Tell me!¡±

    ¡°My only condition is that I require a special examination and treatment room. This room must have a heating device avable at all times, 24-hour ess to hot water, and the essentials: chocte and lollipops. Furthermore, I demand that my work meals be different from others, with each meal having sufficient protein and calories. Meat needs to include beef andmb, and eggs are essential.¡±

    As soon as these words were spoken, the doctors and nurses beside them burst intoughter. Due to Li Dongliang¡¯s scrutinizing gaze, they quickly covered their mouths to hold back.

    Ah, this girl sure knows how to make demands.

    Such conditions were enough to make anyoneugh to death. A hospital doctor treating patients while chewing on lollipops? What kind of rule was that?

    Most importantly, the meals in the hospital cafeteria are the same for everyone. Of course, it¡¯s different for the Dean and Directors; the quality of food is not the same as the others. But just for the sake of food, you turn beef,mb, and eggs into essential requirements? Even the Dean of their hospital probably doesn¡¯t have such treatment.

    This girl must really fuss over her food.

    Li Dongliang looked at Bai Xiao and realized that the girl didn¡¯t seem to be joking.

    ¡°Leader, don¡¯t think I¡¯m greedy for food. If you don¡¯t believe me, shake hands with me and you¡¯ll understand why I¡¯m making these requests,¡± Bai Xiao offered her hand to Li Dongliang in a friendly gesture.

    Li Dongliang didn¡¯t hesitate any further and took Bai Xiao¡¯s hand.

 Chapter 167 - 167 167 Outrageous Conditions

    ?Chapter 167: Chapter 167: Outrageous Conditions   Chapter 167: Chapter 167: Outrageous Conditions                                   ¡°What is this¡­?¡± Li Dongliang was shocked and lifted Bai Xiao¡¯s hand to have a closer look.

    The veins on the hand were all visible, blue and exposed, like white jade, but why was the temperature so low?

    ¡°Every time I use acupuncture, I consume my own Inner Strength. This so-called Inner Strength is what I have cultivated over time by absorbing the essence of the sun and moon, which essentially is my own Internal Qigong. In in terms, it¡¯s my own vitality. Once consumed, it causes my entire body to enter a state of hypothermia.

    That¡¯s why I must demand perfect measures for heat preservation, and I need to be provided with enough heat. Otherwise, if you really can¡¯t provide these for me, then I can only see one patient a day. I won¡¯t die from the cold with just one, but if I have to see ten or eight patients, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t manage.¡±

    Li Dongliang now understood that this person really had skills. He had heard that those who practiced Hard Qigong and Internal Qigong would be powerless once they exhausted their Qigong, weaker even than ordinary people. Bai Xiao must be one of those talented individuals.

    If that¡¯s the case, then what she said wasn¡¯t wrong. After consuming arge amount of vitality, one certainly needs a lot of protein to replenish it, to speed up the body¡¯s energy absorption, and to ensure that there¡¯s sufficient strength for subsequent work. Otherwise, it¡¯d be like dying from burning out one¡¯s own energy.

    He had heard that truly skilled Traditional Chinese Medicine doctors did have great abilities; stories of a needle bringing the paralyzed to their feet were not unheard of. He didn¡¯t expect this young girl toe from such an impressive background.

    If one day their hospital also had such talented people, their personnel would surely be the first to benefit.

    He hoped that today he had the discerning eye to recognize a hero and that his effort in recruiting would not be in vain.

    ¡°Alright, alright, that condition is no problem, I can agree to it,¡± Li Dongliang¡¯s mood rxed, as the young woman hadn¡¯t made any excessively demanding requests.

    Bai Xiao removed the needles and put them back in the acupuncture kit strapped around her waist.

    ¡°Then if you have no other concerns, we have an agreement, and I can report for duty at any time.¡±

    Li Dongliang nodded, ¡°Once we get out of the car, my people wille over and take you directly to the hospital to report for duty. You can give your admission notice from Aviation University to my secretary, who will handle the remaining procedures for you.¡± Finally feeling relieved of the heavy stone that had been pressing on his heart, Li Dongliang felt extremely fatigued and slowly closed his eyes.

    Bai Xiao remained silent, as things had strangely taken a turn for the better.

    She, who was supposed to be at Aviation University, abruptly found herself working in a hospital. One second she may have been a university student, the next a doctor. Wasn¡¯t that a fortuitous coincidence?

    The car arrived at the hospital, and Li Dongliang was taken to the emergency room, but before leaving, he still instructed his secretary, and so after Li Dongliang was taken for surgery, the secretary Zhang He came to find the two siblings.

    ¡°You are Bai Xiao?¡± Having heard from the leader it was a girl, Zhang He sized her up. So thin, almost like a skeleton, she didn¡¯t look remarkable.

    Traditional Chinese Medicine?

    He reckoned she just performed emergency care on the leader; otherwise, the leader wouldn¡¯t have noticed this girl.

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°Then follow me, give me your admission notice from Aviation University. Lucky for us you didn¡¯t report yet. If you had, you wouldn¡¯t be allowed to skip school, and that would have to be dealt with by a higher authority. Let¡¯s go!¡± Saying that, he led Bai Xiao outside.

    Bai Song hurriedly followed, ¡°Our luggage is still at the site of the car ident!¡± That was all new bedding prepared by their family, several pounds of freshly cotton-stitched quilts, a real pity to lose them.

    Zhang He turned to look at Bai Song, ¡°Who are you?¡±

    He looked like someone from the same profession, but it was unclear what his rtionship was with the boss.

    ¡°I am Bai Xiao¡¯s older brother.¡±

    ¡°Where are you from?¡± Zhang He became somewhat curious.

    ¡°I am Bai Song, from a certain district¡¯s secret mission team.¡± Bai Song introduced himself.

    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s impressive, to be from there. You must have some skills. Shall we go and check out the scene first? Grab your luggage, and then I¡¯ll take Bai Xiao to the hospital.¡± Zhang He patted Bai Song on the shoulder, immediately bridging the gap upon learning they were on the same side.

    The three of them quickly returned to the scene where, before their arrival, the police had already cleaned up. Their luggage was kept in the car since no one had imed it; it would wait there until someone came to im it. Now that they had arrived, the police had them go through the formalities, signing and stamping before they could take their belongings.

    Zhang He helped Bai Song load the luggage into the car.

    ¡°You¡¯re back? I¡¯ve been waiting here, hoping to find you!¡± A voice interrupted, and all three turned around.

    It was then that Bai Xiao noticed Yan Chunlu.

    The young nurse who had been busy saving people was still there.

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you left?¡± Bai Song looked around; the scene had mostly cleared.

    Yan Chunlu, upon seeing Bai Song and Bai Xiao, lit up with joy, ¡°I couldn¡¯t give up. You helped me so much, I at least had to find out your names. I didn¡¯t expect I¡¯d really be able to wait for you. My name is Yan Chunlu, I¡¯m the head nurse of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at The Ninth Hospital.¡± Everyone could tell from the look on her face that she was genuinely happy.

    Bai Xiao extended his hand to introduce himself, ¡°I am Bai Xiao, and this is my older brother, Bai Song.¡±

    Zhang He nced at the three of them and chuckled, ¡°Well, since there are three of us, let¡¯s all go together. Since you¡¯re the head nurse, you must need to get back to the hospital. I¡¯m taking these two there as well; it¡¯s on the way. Get in the car.¡± He got into the driver¡¯s seat first.

    Bai Song opened the car door for his sister; he was worried about Bai Xiao being embarrassed since a country girl like her wouldn¡¯t know how to open a car door. Bai Xiao entered the car confidently, and Yan Chunlu smiled with her teeth showing to Bai Song, ¡°Thank you!¡± She climbed shyly into her seat, and Bai Song closed the car doors for them before sitting in the passenger seat.

    ¡°Why are you two going to the hospital? Are you feeling unwell?¡± Yan Chunlu evaluated them, failing to find any signs of injury. Recollecting the recent events, the car ident didn¡¯t seem to have affected the three of them.

    Bai Xiao shook her head, ¡°We¡¯re not injured. It just so happens that I start working at The Ninth Hospital from today.¡± She felt pretty good about encountering someone familiar.

    Yan Chunlu perked up upon hearing this.

    ¡°You work at The Ninth Hospital too? Which department? Now we¡¯ll be colleagues. When you¡¯re off duty, we can go shopping together.¡± Yan Chunlu had a special fondness for Bai Xiao and Bai Song. The brother was heroic and dominating, and the sister was a medical expert. Both of them coincidentally had a connection with her and had been her heroes by chance.

    ¡°I¡¯m in the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine.¡± Bai Xiao responded, noticing that Yan Chunlu was a straightforward person.

    ¡°The Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, huh? No wonder you used acupuncture just now. Your medical skills are impressive; just one needle and I saw the appendicitis stop hurting,¡± Yan Chunlu said with a look of amazement that pleased Bai Xiao.

    Such innocent girls were indeed a rare sight.

 Chapter 168 - 168 168 Test

    ?Chapter 168: Chapter 168 Test   Chapter 168: Chapter 168 Test                                   Upon arriving at The Ninth Hospital, Zhang He, carrying the leader¡¯s directive, led Bai Xiao directly to the dean¡¯s office.

    Dean Zhang was surprised to see Zhang He, as they already knew about the car ident involving leader Li Dongliang and had received a phone call. The patient was currently being transferred, and several experts from the Head of Surgery were preparing. They should be arriving in less than half an hour from thest phone call.

    Zhang He hade in advance, and no one knew what important matter had urred. Everyone was aware that Zhang He was the leader¡¯s favorite secretary, who had a promising future. Often, Zhang He¡¯s words represented the leader¡¯s intentions and were more effective than written approvals.

    ¡°Xiaozhang, why have youe over? Does the leader have any directives?¡± Dean Zhang courteously led Zhang He into his office.

    He instructed someone to pour tea for Zhang He.

    Zhang He hastily gestured with his hand, ¡°No need for trouble, Dean Zhang. This is Bai Xiao. The leader asked me to bring her here. You should arrange for her to join the Traditional Chinese Medicine department, mainly to perform Acupuncture treatment. Please settle her in first; I¡¯ll exin the other matters to you in detailter.¡±

    It was then that Dean Zhang took a closer look at Bai Xiao, noting that she seemed to be a girl of about eighteen or neen. Although she was fair and pretty, her clothes didn¡¯t suggest anything special. She did not seem like a city dweller; rather, she looked like she came from the countryside. Could she be a rtive of the leader?

    But in their hospital, unless it was for logistic tasks, they would not casually ce anyone in a department without solid professional skills, even if it was a leadership appointment.

    Li Dongliang had a reputation for integrity and absolutely did not tolerate improper practices. It was most likely that this girl was indeed a talent, which was why the leader treasured her and arranged for her to join their hospital.

    ¡°Alright, since that¡¯s the case, please tell me about your general situation, and I will have someone take you to the department of Traditional Chinese Medicine to report.¡±

    Even if she was introduced by the Chief, he still needed to understand this person¡¯s background.

    Bai Xiao promptly stood up; this Dean Zhang would be her immediate superior in the future.

    ¡°Hello, my name is Bai Xiao. I¡¯m sorry to say that I did not graduate from the Medical College. I was supposed to report to Aviation University today, but the leader saw my Acupuncture skills and felt that going to Aviation University would render my abilities unused. So, he convinced me to work in the Traditional Chinese Medicine department of our hospital.¡± She couldn¡¯t hide this fact as it would certainlye up when filling out her resume and undergoing a political review.

    Dean Zhang was surprised; those who came to work at The Ninth Hospital were invariably highly proficient in their fields. The fact that someone could secure a position based on their Acupuncture skills alone was astonishing and intriguing.

    ¡°What level is your Acupuncture expertise? Introduce it to me, please.¡± As he had to ce his subordinate in her role, of course, he needed rity. If he didn¡¯t understand her capabilities, it would be unclear to others whether to treat her as a doctor or an intern.

    Bai Xiao was put in a difficult position. Acupuncture was not something that could be demonstrated by mere words, and no matter how eloquently she described it, she was well aware that her merit did not lie solely in her Acupuncture skills.

    ¡°Dean Zhang, if I were to exin it to you directly, I¡¯m afraid you still wouldn¡¯t be able to sense it. Mainly, my Acupuncture has a rather special effect on alleviating pain,¡± she said.

    This was indeed a difficult situation.

    Zhang He smiled, ¡°Well, that¡¯s perfect. Our Dean Zhang suffers from chronic rheumatism, and it¡¯s been quite severe over the years. If you could demonstrate on him right now, we would be able to see the effectiveness of your medical skills firsthand. What a perfect example of showing your worth. Right, Dean Zhang?¡±

    Dean Zhang alsoughed, ¡°Xiaozhang, you have learned to be sly, haven¡¯t you? My rheumatism has been troubling me for many years; whether this girl sticks one needle or ten, it might not necessarily bring relief. You might be setting her up to bully her.¡± He knew the pain of his own condition well; rheumatism, once contracted, was truly incurable even with medicine. Initially, medication could ease it, but as time passed, the condition only worsened.

    He spoke candidly, not wishing for Bai Xiao to be at a disadvantage.

    Upon hearing this, Bai Xiao took out her acupuncture kit.

    ¡°If you have a bed avable, Dean Zhang, it would be best for you to lie down, and I¡¯ll give you a couple of needles to experience the effect,¡± Bai Xiao said, as she took a lollipop from her pocket, unwrapped it, and put it in her mouth. She had just discovered that eating a bit of candy seemed to help with the cold.

    Dean Zhang nced silently at the lollipop.

    This kid isn¡¯t using his own leg as a guinea pig, is he?

    But now that you¡¯ve said it in front of everyone, if it reallyes to doing it, would you go through with it or not?

    Oh well, think of it as giving the child a chance to practice.

    He looked at his leg with a feeling of distress.

    You say you already suffer from chronic rheumatism, and now you have to be a guinea pig and endure being pricked.

    Leg, you¡¯ll just have to forgive your unreliable owner.

    The dean¡¯s office is a suite, with the front part being the office and the back including a bed for resting.

    Dean Zhang led Bai Xiao inside, with Xiaozhang following closely behind, having never seen acupuncture in action before.

    He did think the image of someone eating a lollipop while getting acupuncture was quite interesting.

    Dean Zhangy down silently.

    Bai Xiao rubbed his hands together, rolled up Dean Zhang¡¯s trouser leg, took off his sock, and upon seeing Dean Zhang¡¯s toes and ankles¡ªrheumatoid arthritis had severely deformed his bones¡ªit was evident that Dean Zhang had been suffering from this condition for many years.

    He took out a needle and inserted one into the top of the foot.

    Dean Zhang didn¡¯t feel much as the chronic pain from his rheumatoid arthritis was much worse than this; the prick of the needle felt no more than a mosquito bite.

    Bai Xiao gently twisted the needle.

    Immediately, Dean Zhang felt something was off¡ª a warm current broke through the pain and stiffness in his joints, as if soaking in hot water, like bathing his feet, but most importantly, he couldn¡¯t feel any pain in those stiff and aching joints. What he felt wasfort, slightly floating as if he had drunk a little alcohol, tipsy as if flying in the sky, lying between white clouds and blue heaven.

    This sensation was utterly unique.

    Bai Xiao released his fingers and pulled out two needles to put them back in his acupuncture kit.

    ¡°Dean Zhang, please get up and move around, how do you feel?¡±

    Rheumatoid arthritis, a disease that fundamentally couldn¡¯t be cured. Bai Xiao¡¯s special ability could definitely heal it, but she was afraid it would be too astonishing, so she only used part of it. Even with just that portion, Dean Zhang¡¯s rheumatoid arthritis had greatly improved.

    Dean Zhang sat up, put his shoes on, and stood up to walk a few steps.

    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re impressive, girl. Your acupuncture skills are really something. I watched you just insert two needles, and my goodness. I can¡¯t feel the pain in my toes and ankles anymore. No wonder the chief wanted to bring you on board. Who did you learn from?¡± Dean Zhang was amazed, as those two needles had seemingly relieved most of his pain.

    Every year, he had to endure the agony of his rheumatoid arthritis, take medication regrly, and apply sters¡ªit was truly unbearable.

    He had once met an old practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine who had mentioned acupuncture might treat rheumatoid arthritis. But over the years, the acupuncturists he found had only average effects, so he didn¡¯t invest much hope in it.

    He never expected that today a young girl¡¯s acupuncture would be such an eye-opener.

 Chapter 169 - 169 169 Explanation

    ?Chapter 169: Chapter 169 Exnation   Chapter 169: Chapter 169 Exnation                                   ¡°This is a skill passed down from my ancestors,¡± Bai Xiao brought out this set of words, and actually, having said it many times recently, she herself had started to believe in this ancestral special ability.

    However, whether this ancestral skill genuinely came from the Bai Family, that certainly was not the case.

    She didn¡¯t know what the home environment of her biological mother had been like, but it seemed unlikely that her good-for-nothing dad could be responsible; perhaps her real mom had had something special about her too. Otherwise, why would this special ability suddenly appear? Even now, she hadn¡¯t understood why this ability had manifested.

    ¡°Ancestral, ancestral is good. If everyone learned this acupuncture skill from you, that would be powerful. You should know, here we have so many people who train year-round, and they all have this or that ailment. This rheumatoid arthritis isn¡¯t unique to me¡ªmany suffer from it, and oh, the pain is so severe it makes you wish you were dead.¡± The Dean had already begun to imagine the widespread benefits that spreading this acupuncture would bring.

    Bai Xiao quickly intercepted the Dean¡¯s wandering thoughts, ¡°Dean, my acupuncture is not to be shared. I have already exined the reasons to the Chief. Our acupuncture has strict requirements; it¡¯s not something anyone can just look at and learn. Even if someone watched my entire process and then tried to mimic it, they still couldn¡¯t do it.¡± She joked to herself, was this special ability something that really needed to be disguised as just acupuncture?

    The Dean was startled, initially thinking that Bai Xiao was unwilling to share her acupuncture with others. Right, when people mentioned ¡®ancestral,¡¯ it usually meant being passed down solely within the family from one generation to the next, with strict rules involved, like passing only to sons, not daughters, or vice versa¡ªthere were various kinds of restrictions.

    Yet now, in a new society, those feudal old thoughts should certainly be discarded. This miraculous medical skill should, of course, benefit society, the country, and the military.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, you should realize how many people your acupuncture can relieve of their suffering? By spreading your medical skills, the people who learn them could alleviate such pain across the nation; this is a tremendous social virtue. As a young person, you should understand that one needs a country before a home and only the most lovely people defending our nation¡¯s safety can people at the rear enjoy our current blissful life.¡± The Dean had began to appeal to her sensibilities and reason.

    Bai Xiao waved her hand, ¡°Dean, it¡¯s not that I won¡¯t teach, but that I can¡¯t. You might want to discuss the specifics with the Chief, as I¡¯ve exined my reasons to him. Really, ites with strict condition limitations; not just anyone can learn it. Even our family¡¯s ancestral medical skills aren¡¯t something that every generation could develop and broaden, so please don¡¯t put me in a difficult position.¡±

    That¡¯s when the Dean finally understood that this youngdy wasn¡¯t joking around. She just didn¡¯t understand why this medical skill couldn¡¯t be taught externally? There were strict conditions, all excuses, he thought.

    Zhang He became anxious, ¡°Hey, miss. You are so capable;e on, give me an acupuncture too. This ¡®Big Brother Zhang¡¯ here also has some pain in his leg, they say it¡¯s due to overtraining, causing the injury, and that I should take good care of it. But where do I have the time? Training so much every day, just give me one needle, and if it stops the pain, that would be great. Otherwise, every time I run ten kilometers with weight, my legs can¡¯t keep up, always slowing me down.¡±

    Now, his run with weights had plummeted from first ce to beyond tenth, bing his personal demon.

    Bai Xiao rubbed her fingers, feeling coldness setting in.

    Observing Bai Xiao not making a move, Zhang He got anxious. Why would she give the Dean acupuncture but not him?

    Could it be that this youngdy was starting to y favorites?

    Upon seeing Zhang He¡¯s expression, Bai Xiao knew his thoughts had gone askew.

    ¡°Dean, could I borrow your nket?¡± she joked. To treat such rheumatism and chronic cold legs, especially on days like today when she had used her special ability extensively outdoors¡ªdon¡¯t be fooled by the number of people she treated, the actual amount of special ability consumed was minimal because most of it was only to stabilize injuries, not to cure them thoroughly.

    But now she was treating their chronic cold legs, which were nearly cured. If conditions allowed, a couple more needles and the rheumatism and chronic cold legs would be essentially healed.

    The Dean was baffled, a nket?

    This acupuncture required a nket?

    She really heard it for the first time.

    Bai Song had been outside in the corridor all along, and the door to the Dean¡¯s office was open, so he had heard the conversation inside long ago.

    Now, hearing his sister ask for a nket, he immediately understood that his sister must have overused her special ability. When at home, Bai Ju and Bai Yue had told him that once Bai Xiao overused her special ability, she would experience severe whole-body cooling, unbearably cold.

    Without minding anything else, he immediately rushed in.

    ¡°Xiao, are you cold?¡± Bai Song grasped Bai Xiao¡¯s hand, despite the zing sun outside and the high temperature around 30¡ãC. In such weather, many people wearing T-shirts and skirts were still sweating, yet Bai Xiao¡¯s hand was colder than ice.

    Bai Song immediately took off his own clothes to put on Bai Xiao, stuffed her arms into the sleeves, and fastened the buttons for her.

    Dean Zhang was puzzled. How had another person popped up?

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    Seeing Bai Song, Zhang He exined to the Dean, ¡°This is Bai Xiao¡¯s older brother, who is one of us too!¡±

    The Dean rxed.

    ¡°Why are you dressing her? The weather is too hot; I was about to turn on the electric fan. By doing this, you could easily cause her to get prickly heat, not to mention it¡¯s easy to suffer a heatstroke.¡±

    Bai Song shook his head, ¡°Dean Zhang, my sister just told you that her medical skills cannot be disclosed, and this is the reason. Our family¡¯s medical skills have strict physical requirements. Our acupuncture requires the cooperation of Inner Strength. Every time she performs acupuncture on you, she actually consumes her own True Qi, which causes her body temperature to drop. If you don¡¯t believe it, you can touch her; her body is already as cold as ice.

    This is also why our medical skills cannot be passed on to others, only seeing the superficial, who would think that she¡¯s consuming her own Inner Strength.¡± Bai Song spared no effort to exin for his sister.

    Dean Zhang stepped forward, reached out to touch Bai Xiao¡¯s forehead, my god!

    This was like touching ice.

    He quickly took a teacup and poured a cup of boiled water, handing it to Bai Xiao. No wonder in this hot summer, her brother came in to cover her up with clothes. She had just performed acupuncture on herself because she used up her True Qi, and he even suspected that she was hiding her family¡¯s secret techniques, unwilling to share them with everyone.

    How could they pass it on, who could learn it?

    No wonder it¡¯s a family secret technique; this is truly different.

    Bai Xiao said thanks, drank a cup of hot water, and chewing on a lollipop seemed to feel much better.

    Zhang He was also taken aback, scratching his head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know performing acupuncture on you depleted so much energy. Let¡¯s do my acupuncture next time.¡± He really had misunderstood the youngdy.

 Chapter 170 - 170 170 Show of Force

    ?Chapter 170: Chapter 170: Show of Force   Chapter 170: Chapter 170: Show of Force                                   ¡°No need, I¡¯ll just give you the acupuncture now. I reckon even if I report for work today, I probably can¡¯t start just yet. I¡¯ve already made it clear to the leadership that my condition requires warmth and must be kept properly insted, with heating equipment avable at all times. Besides, in my current state, if I were to truly acupuncture ten or eight people in a day, I¡¯m afraid I wouldn¡¯t be able to endure it myself,¡± Bai Xiao found out it really wasn¡¯t feasible, as it seemed that she recovered especially quickly when An Zhiyuan was around. With the way she was now, she could feel the chill seeping through, freezing her heart like a block of ice.

    It looked like in the future, she might not be able to treat more than two patients a day.

    Zhang He had no choice but to lie down.

    Bai Xiao took a needle, pierced it in, and swiftly transferred her special ability in a cycle. Fortunately, Zhang He¡¯s injury wasn¡¯t the type that was like chronic cold-induced leg pain. It could be considered a recent and rtively minor wound, not very severe, so the consumption of her special ability wasn¡¯t significant.

    Remove the needle!

    ¡°All done!¡±

    Dean Zhang had already brought his own quilt for Bai Xiao, wrapping her in it. There she was, shivering with a cotton quilt around her in the heat of summer. The dean also realized that they were putting the young woman in a difficult position.

    He had heard that Qigong was very difficult to master, taking many many years to cultivate. No wonder people said that these medical skills couldn¡¯t be passed down.

    This girl must have spent more than a decade just practicing Qigong.

    Luckily, after drinking arge cup of hot water and chewing some candy, covered in the quilt for a while, Bai Xiao felt much better. After all, it was only rheumatism, not a particrly difficult disease. Although she had used a lot of her special ability,pared to that time with Wang Han, it really couldn¡¯t be considered severe.

    Dean Zhang nodded, ¡°I¡¯m going to have someone take you to the Traditional Chinese Medicine Department to report for duty. About the consultation room with heating equipment that you mentioned, I¡¯ll immediately arrange for someone to start on the construction. It should be ready in no more than two days. For these two days, you can get familiar with everyone in the department. As for your dormitory, I¡¯ll arrange a single room for you. The rest of the paperwork¡ªthe HR department will handle it all for you.¡±

    Now, Dean Zhang finally understood what kind of talent the Chief had recruited for him.

    Bai Xiao folded the quilt and returned it to Dean Zhang, and also returned the coat to her brother.

    Soon after, the HR Director arrived; of course, after receiving a call from the dean, he immediately rushed to the office.

    ¡°This is our hospital¡¯s new Acupuncture Specialist Bai Xiao. Take her toplete the formalities, and then escort her to the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Oh, and as for the dormitory, arrange a suite for her in the experts¡¯ building,¡± said the dean.

    The dean¡¯s words made the HR Director Li Ran look at Bai Xiao. Just one nce at this youngdy, and it was clear she had a solid background. Coming here, she was getting the treatment reserved for experts, but at her young age, she couldn¡¯t possibly have that much experience.

    However, as instructed by the dean, that¡¯s exactly what he, as the HR Director, would do.

    ¡°Alright! Comrade Bai Xiao,e with me,¡± he said.

    Bai Xiao bid farewell to Dean Zhang and Xiaozhang, ¡°Dean Zhang, Xiaozhang, I¡¯ll be going now, thank you.¡±

    Bai Song carried his sister¡¯s luggage, following behind her.

    Watching Bai Xiao leave with the HR Director, Dean Zhang nodded, ¡°This girl¡¯s medical skills are really impressive. My leg hasn¡¯t hurt since earlier, and what¡¯s most important is that it feelsfortable. What about you, Xiaozhang, how do you feel?¡±

    Zhang He felt his leg, then hopped a few times on the spot, and ran ap around the office.

    He couldn¡¯t help but give a thumbs up.

    ¡°It¡¯s really impressive. My leg ispletely healed. I don¡¯t feel any pain at all now,¡± he said.

    His leg had been gued by illness for over a year, and he was well aware that,pared to the beginning, it was nowpletely healed.

    It was truly amazing.

    Nobody could overstate the truth. Those who suffered from chronic pain knew all too well. It was deeply felt, the kind of pain that festers and lingers, preventing any chance of recovery. Whatever they did, there was always some weakness, especially during their rigorous training. When they would fall behind, they¡¯d almost wish they had just transferred out instead.

    Dean Zhang nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s go, it¡¯s time to visit the Chief. The ambnce should have arrived by now.¡± The old Chief was a major concern, while Bai Xiao was merely a pebble tossed into the water, causing nothing but a ssh.

    Even if acupuncture were miraculous, it couldn¡¯t be so miraculous as to take one¡¯s breath away.

    The two went to see Li Dongliang.

    Li Dongliang had already been taken to the intensive care unit. In fact, The Ninth Hospital¡¯s branch had already examined and operated on him. After the examination, the wound turned out to be less serious than imagined; even the organs that were prated hadn¡¯t been severely injured, which surprised the attending doctors.

    After all, it was a through-and-through injury. Not only was there no serious blood loss, but despite the horrific appearance of the wound, the internal tissues and damage were not as severe as expected.

    So, the surgery went smoothly, focusing on suturing the wound.

    Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have dared to transfer the Chief so casually.

    Because, in reality, the injury wasn¡¯t serious at all.

    At the moment, Li Dongliang was lying in bed receiving an IV drip. Dean Zhang and Zhang He came in, and the secretary had already left the room.

    Seeing Dean Zhang, Li Dongliang smiled and said, ¡°Why are you here? My condition isn¡¯t serious. It¡¯s not a big deal. Oh, right. Did you take care of the person I sent you? I¡¯ve told you in advance, that girl is a gem I managed to bring to you with great effort. Don¡¯t take her for granted.¡± He was still thinking about Bai Xiao.

    Dean Zhang pulled up a chair and sat down. The two of them were friends from their days of fighting side by side, living and dying together. She had saved Li Dongliang, and he had saved her in return¡ªthey truly shared a bond of life and death.

    ¡°I know, you sent me a treasure, how could I not take good care of her. I¡¯ve already had someone show her to her new ce, and even arranged a specialist¡¯s apartment for her. She¡¯s enjoying quite special treatment. I¡¯m just worried that paying her too much attention might cause jealousy among the others, giving her too much of a halo might not be good for her future development,¡± Dean Zhang weighed the pros and cons.

    Li Dongliang couldn¡¯t move, as the wound wasn¡¯t severe, but he had undergone surgery and suturing.

    ¡°She should work hard at the grassroots level for a couple of years. Since she was able to get into university, I think after a while, we can send her to the Medical University for further studies. Maybe she¡¯ll even be a pir of this ce in the future.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see! I¡¯ll keep an eye on her.¡±

    ¡°But let me tell you, as soon as this girl arrived, she really showed me up.¡±

    ¡°Oh, do tell. I want to hear all about the excitement,¡± Li Dongliang was interested.

    ¡°Asked to demonstrate her medical skills, she went straight for my leg with two needles. Good heavens, they were effective with just one shot. Look at my leg now, it¡¯s much better than before, and it doesn¡¯t hurt at all now. It wasn¡¯t me testing her; she was showing off her skills to me.¡±

    ¡°If she cured your leg, and you¡¯re stillining, then you¡¯re a hard Dean to please. I¡¯m telling you, the girl¡¯s acupuncture is something else. I watched her relieve an appendicitis patient who was in so much pain he thought he was dying¡ªjust one needle and the pain vanished. And look at me, with this fierce wound. When they pulled out that steel pipe, you should¡¯ve seen the blood spraying out like a fountain.

    She worked her needles, and the bleeding stopped. I had already passed out but then felt this warmth all over me and suddenly woke up.¡±

    Talking about his condition at the time, Li Dongliang felt frightened in hindsight. No one else knew, but he was aware of how critical it had been.

 Chapter 171 - 171 171 The Life of Worry

    ?Chapter 171: Chapter 171 The Life of Worry   Chapter 171: Chapter 171 The Life of Worry                                   ¡°There was such an incident? That girl didn¡¯t mention it; she really knows how to keep her mouth shut.¡± Dean Zhang had no idea and realized how urgent the situation must have been the moment Li Dongliang mentioned it.

    ¡°Actually, the girl¡¯s medical skills are really good. Do you know Han Weiguo? Today, we were in the same car. I was impaled by a steel pipe in my seat, and he wasn¡¯t in good shape either. His arm was almost twisted like a pretzel. Most importantly, at that time, the girl wanted to give him an injection, saying he had internal bleeding. That fellow was smug, telling me he was fine and that the girl had made a wrong diagnosis, stubbornly refusing to let her administer the injection.

    Well, it turned out great in the end; he started vomiting blood and went into shock. It was still the girl who hurried over to save him. I asked the hospital; his internal bleeding was quite severe. He¡¯s already been sent to the ward for surgery,¡± Li Dongliang couldn¡¯t help but sigh, considering them brothers in adversity.

    Dean Zhangforted him, ¡°This girl¡­ if she is talented, don¡¯t worry, I will take good care of her.¡±

    Li Dongliang suddenly remembered Bai Xiao¡¯s peculiar requests.

    These conditions probably could only be suggested by himself; if that girl mentioned them to Dean Zhang, he might think she was deliberately being difficult.

    ¡°Oh, right, arrange a separate consultation room for that girl. The room should be able to be warmed at any time, preferably with a small privatepartment, and have a 24-hour supply of hot water. As for the girl¡¯s cafeteria standard, just go ahead and match it to your own level. You don¡¯t realize, I just found out that the needles she uses for acupuncture involve more than just needles¡­¡±

    ¡°I know, you can ease your mind a bit. I know she uses Qigong for her acupuncture. She gave me an injection today, her small face was so cold it was colder than ice. Even under the covers, she was shivering. Now I understand why she stuffed a lollipop into her mouth the moment she walked in; I thought it was because she was young and liked sweets, but now I realize she was quickly trying to replenish her energy.

    You just rx, even if it¡¯s just to ensure that in the future she can treat this old man¡¯s chronic leg pain, I will treat her properly, right?¡± Dean Zhangughed while Li Dongliang was rarely this concerned about a girl.

    Li Dongliang shook his head, ¡°You already know, so much for my worrying! I haven¡¯t even told you yet about the girl¡¯s demands! She asked for lollipops and chocte. It¡¯s probably the first time a hospital like ours has encountered such welfare requirements. It¡¯s a bit excessive, but let¡¯s do this: the hospital can just cover the chocte. You can set up an order for her, put a dish on her desk every day, filled with choctes.¡±

    ¡°Enough, stop worrying. I will take care of these matters for you, alright? You, you¡¯re just fated to worry. Look at yourself, all beaten up and anxious. Just rest well,¡± Dean Zhang said and then left. There were still many things to attend to in her hospital. She could only sit with him for a bit; if she stayed any longer, probably all the directors and doctors woulde looking for her.

    After Dean Zhang left, Li Dongliang remembered something and asked Zhang He, ¡°What about Bai Xiao¡¯s brother?¡±

    ¡°Her brother escorted her here, seems like he¡¯s sorting out her dormitory before nning to head back. I guess he also took leave of absence to apany his sister,¡± Zhang He had a pretty good impression of Bai Song.

    ¡°He seems like a decent person, especially his skills; you have no idea. He forced the deformed car door open when it was stuck, that guy just pried it off. Both siblings are good. After you return, draft a transfer order and bring him to your side. Train him for a year or two, call it gilding him. It¡¯s for his long-term career development.

    Really, both are admirable, otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t be shamelessly doing all this.¡±

    Li Dongliang was genuinely fond of these two siblings.

    Zhang He immediately promised, ¡°Leader, rest assured, I will handle it. Your top priority now is to recuperate. Leave everything else to me.¡±

    Li Dongliang finally fell asleep, his mind at ease.

    When Zhang He left the room, he called the secretary over; he was the Chief Secretary, after all.

    ¡°Stay with the Chief inside, keep an eye on the IV drip. If there¡¯s any issue, call for the nurse or doctor right away. Don¡¯t take it lightly!¡±

    Having arranged everything in the ward, Zhang He then stepped out.

    ¡­¡­

    Bai Xiao and Bai Song followed Li Ran to the personnel department first.

    If you want to start working, it¡¯s not just about talking; there¡¯s a lot of formalities toplete.

    You have to fill out your personal details, family background; all this information has to pass a political review eventually.

    But since it was the Dean who had spoken, of course, all these matters were just formalities.

    Sure enough, Bai Xiao¡¯s paperwork was quickly processed, ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the department of Traditional Chinese Medicine now. Your work badge will take another two days, so go outter today to take a one-inch photo to bring back, as the badge needs a photo attached and to be stamped. Once you¡¯re at your department, I¡¯ll have your Director take you to the dormitory and sort out the rest of your affairs.¡± The human resources Director couldn¡¯t apany Bai Xiao to handle these things all the time, of course.

    Li Ran led Bai Xiao to the department of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

    By now it was already afternoon, and the office wasn¡¯t very busy.

    Li Ran found the Director¡¯s office and knocked on the door.

    ¡°Is Director Wang in?¡±

    Upon hearing Li Ran¡¯s voice, Wang Dachuan hurriedly opened the door to wee them in.

    ¡°Oh, why does our grand HR Director have time to swing by here?¡±

    He offered tea.

    He nced at Bai Xiao, not quite discerning what this girl was here for. But since she hade in with Li Ran, she must have business to attend to.

    ¡°What do you mean? I wouldn¡¯te if I didn¡¯t have business. Here, I¡¯m bringing a new doctor to your department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Bai Xiao, an Acupuncture doctor. This is Wang Dachuan, the Director of your department, your immediate superior in the future. Quickly say hello,¡± Li Ran, out of respect for Dean Zhang¡¯s face, didn¡¯t dare to just drop Bai Xiao off and leave. His personal delivery was a statement of their important connection.

    Wang Dachuan was taken aback but did not stand up. Since she wasing to work under hismand, she was his soldier. Even though she was a connection of Li Ran¡¯s, he didn¡¯t put her too high in his esteem. At most, he would offer her a bit more care, but that was not enough reason for him to lower himself and stand up to be overly enthused.

    Bai Xiao greeted, ¡°Director Wang, hello. I¡¯m Bai Xiao, and I look forward to your guidance in the future.¡±

    Her courtesy was impable.

    Wang Dachuan was quite pleased; it seemed this young girl knew how to conduct herself, not acting arrogant or spoiled because of her connections.

    ¡°Youngdy, in the future our department of Traditional Chinese Medicine will be relying on you young folks. Work hard, and surely you will aplish great things.¡±

    Seeing that his task was done, Li Ran stood up. ¡°I¡¯ve brought her to you, everything else including picking up the work uniform and meal ticket is your responsibility now. Oh, right, her dormitory has been arranged in the experts¡¯ building. Bai Xiao,e to my officeter to pick up the keys.¡±

    Wang Dachuan hurriedly held him back, ¡°How can you leave without even a sip of tea? Surely our department¡¯s tea is nourishing?¡± It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want Li Ran to leave; he was startled when he heard Bai Xiao was assigned a dormitory in the experts¡¯ building.

    Even he, the Director of the department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, didn¡¯t get to live in the experts¡¯ building.

    The facilities there were very good, reserved for national-level experts.

    To think that a young girl like her was going to live there, it made his position as Director seem inadequate.

    His subordinates would be living better than he did.

    How was he to manage people in the future?

    Li Ran waved it off, ¡°Right, don¡¯t arrange any outpatient sessions for this girl for the next couple of days. Dean Zhang said her consultation room is being renovated, so just let her get to know the department and help out everyone for now.¡± Actually, Li Ran himself was extremely curious and wanted to know who Bai Xiao really was.

    Then he left directly.

 Chapter 172 - 172 172 Arrangements

    ?Chapter 172: Chapter 172 Arrangements   Chapter 172: Chapter 172 Arrangements                                   As soon as Li Ran left, Wang Dachuan looked at Bai Xiao.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Bai Xiao, I¡¯ll have someone take you to get your meal card and work clothes first, and introduce you to the people in the department.¡±

    He seemed very enthusiastic.

    Wang Dachuan was unsure of Bai Xiao¡¯s background, but he understood from Li Ran¡¯s words that she must have been arranged by Dean Zhang, and just by looking at the treatment she was receiving, one could tell she was someone with an impressive parachuted status.

    Bai Xiao followed Wang Dachuan to the department.

    There weren¡¯t many people in the afternoon, with only two doctors on duty.

    Seeing Wang Dachuan bringing someone, they quickly stood up.

    ¡°What brings you here, Director?¡±

    Wang Dachuan pointed to Bai Xiao, ¡°This is the new acupuncture doctor Bai Xiao, who will be our new colleague from now on. Doctor Zhao Zhiguo is our senior doctor in the Traditional Chinese Medicine department, mainly responsible for acupuncture. He¡¯s been quite busy, being the only one, but now that Bai Xiao is here, she can lend you a hand. You¡¯ll show her around for a couple of days, and then she can start working once her consultation room is ready. This is Doctor Fang Zhiping, and there are two other doctors, Han Jian and Liu Weng, who are on leave today, but you¡¯ll meet them tomorrow! We don¡¯t have many people in our Traditional Chinese Medicine department, but we value quality over quantity. Besides, many patient families prefer Western medicine. Alright, get to know each other today and cooperate well in the future.¡±

    A doctor in his fifties, Zhao Zhiguo, eyed Bai Xiao up and down. ¡°Xiaoli, take Doctor Bai to get her things first.¡±

    Upon seeing Bai Xiao¡¯s age, everyone internally doubted that she could be a serious doctor, considering she wasn¡¯t even old enough to have graduated from Medical College.

    A girl came over, ¡°Doctor Bai, I¡¯ll take you to get your meal card and other things.¡± She was an intern, who typically followed Zhao Zhiguo to prescribe medicines, assist with tasks, and do odd jobs.

    These were the things she, as an intern, was supposed to do.

    ¡°Everyone, I¡¯ll go get my things and arrange for a dormitory now. Please take good care of me in the future.¡± She still managed a smile and a greeting before leaving.

    Everyone chuckled.

    ¡°Doctor Bai, go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Go on with your business!¡±

    No sooner had Bai Xiao left than Fang Zhiping eagerly asked Wang Dachuan, ¡°Director, she¡¯s so young and yet she¡¯s supposed to be a doctor at our ce? Isn¡¯t this a joke?¡±

    Zhao Zhiguo didn¡¯t say anything, just smiled. He wouldn¡¯t speak ill, especially since she would be working with him in acupuncture. If he said something unpleasant now, it would seem like he was ostracizing a younger colleague, and being in his position, he certainly wouldn¡¯t do such things.

    Wang Dachuan scolded, ¡°What do you know? This Bai Xiao is arranged by our Dean Zhang; do you dare not ept it?¡± He was clearly aware that Bai Xiao¡¯s age was a drawback, which could make patients reluctant to be treated by her because of her youth.

    But since the Dean had made the arrangement, what could they say?

    Fang Zhiping shrank his neck, realizing it was a connection from Dean Zhang.

    ¡°So we¡¯re weing a high deity into our department?¡± he still couldn¡¯t help but mutter.

    Wang Dachuan red, ¡°She¡¯s young and also the main acupuncture doctor. As long as she doesn¡¯t cause any trouble, just works quietly, you¡¯re all experienced doctors. Just watch out for this younger doctor and try not to let her handle any difficult or serious cases. If any problem arises, none of us can bear that responsibility.¡± That was the best Wang Dachuan could advise.

    Luckily, they were the Traditional Chinese Medicine department, not some high-risk surgery or internal medicine department whereplications are more likely. As long as Bai Xiao didn¡¯t look for trouble, the department should be rtively peaceful.

    Truth be told, when ites toplex and misceneous diseases, patients wouldn¡¯te to the Traditional Chinese Medicine department; they would go directly to Western medicine, whether it¡¯s surgery or internal medicine, any department was stronger than theirs.

    In the hospital, their Traditional Chinese Medicine department was somewhat a token presence. Most peopleing to The Ninth Armed Police Hospital were injured personnel, and once someone got injured, it was a matter for internal medicine or surgery, not much use for traditional Chinese medicine.

    At most, they treated elderly people with leg pain, lower back pain, performing physiotherapy, massage, or acupuncture.

    So generally speaking, there really shouldn¡¯t be any hups.

    ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s agree to offer it up to the Gods,¡± Fang Zhiping said, watching Wang Dachuan¡¯s retreating figure.

    Turning around, heined to Zhao Zhiguo, ¡°Dr. Zhao, what the heck is this? Our department of Traditional Chinese Medicine gets stuffed with all sorts of crap whether it smells or not. As usual, good stuff neveres our way, but all the bad stuff is ours. This job really is no fun at all.¡±

    Zhao Zhiguo still smiled, choosing not toment on anything.

    Seeing that Zhao Zhiguo wasn¡¯t engaging, Fang Zhiping felt it was pointless to talk by himself, so he turned around and picked up the newspaper on his desk to read.

    Bai Xiao and Xiaoli went to get their work uniforms. Two sets of work clothes a year, nothing special, just two white coats. Then, they went to collect toiletries, a washbasin, a thermos, a teacup, a tea jar, and a bunch of other random stuff. Fortunately, Bai Song followed behind, carrying everything for his sister.

    They were supposed to collect meal tickets as well, but when they got to the canteen, Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t do so because she didn¡¯t have a work ID, nor had the paperwork reached the canteen. They couldn¡¯t issue her meal tickets yet; they had to wait until tomorrow, when her work rtionship information had been processed by the canteen, so they could arrange her meal tickets.

    Bai Xiao thanked Xiaoli, as she needed to find Li Ran for the dormitory key. It wasn¡¯t that she was showing off, but she truly didn¡¯t know her way around the hospital yet.

    She asked Xiaoli casually where the experts¡¯ building was.

    Xiaoli nced at Bai Xiao, didn¡¯t say much, and pointed to a row of two-story buildings behind the hospital¡¯s three-story outpatient building, indicating that it was there.

    Bai Xiao told Xiaoli to head back first.

    She went to get the key from Li Ran. Upon reaching Li Ran¡¯s office, Li Ran had already prepared the key for her.

    ¡°This is the key for Building 5, Unit 3, second floor, Room 3. Go check it out, and if you need anything else, I¡¯ll help you get it,¡± Li Ran said, of course, trying to be helpful. The Dean had just called to inquire if Bai Xiao was settled in, so he dared not treat the matter lightly.

    After thanking Li Ran and taking the key, Bai Xiao and her brother Bai Song went straight to the experts¡¯ building.

    Many people looked their way on the journey, mainly because not many headed to the experts¡¯ building, and with Bai Song carryingrge and small bags of luggage, they naturally drew attention.

    Bai Xiao found Building 5, Unit 3. There were only two households on the second floor, and one of the doors had arge number three on it.

    That should be the one.

    Opening the door, the two walked in.

    Wow, what a surprise.

    This was no dormitory.

    The ce was simply too good.

    The floor was polished smooth cement, and the walls were coated with white lime, the top half was white, while a strip at the bottom had been painted with sky-blue enamel. It was a one-bedroom, one-living-room apartment, with a living room at the entrance leading into a bedroom, which also came with an attached bathroom and kitchen.

    The living room included arge balcony with woodentticed windows, the ss shining spotlessly, a clear sign that someone regrly cleaned the ce.

    In the living room, there was onerge and two small sofas, a ss coffee table, and an 18-inch color TV against the wall.

    In the bedroom, there was a double bed as well as a wardrobe, bookshelf, and nightstand, all the essentials.

    Apart from missing beddings, everything else like bed mats was here. All one needed was toy out a bedsheets and they could rest.

    The kitchen was stocked with pots, pans, anddles, and everything was brand new. They now had piped gas here.

    You couldn¡¯t just live in a ce like this by asking casually. Not everyone could afford such a luxury.

 Chapter 173 - 173 173 Separation

    ?Chapter 173: Chapter 173: Separation   Chapter 173: Chapter 173: Separation                                   It was clear that everything in this house was brand new, and it was fully equipped with appliances, including a television, washing machine, and refrigerator, which were hard toe by on the market nowadays. Bai Xiao now understood why the HR Director, Li Ran, had given her such a strange look earlier.

    This level of housing wasn¡¯t something a junior doctor like herself should be living in.

    But now that she was already here,

    it would be rude to reject the Dean Zhang¡¯s kindness.

    Bai Xiao gritted her teeth, thinking to herself that there would be a way when it came to it.

    Bai Song put down therge and small bags he was carrying, ¡°Xiao, why do I feel like this house is even better than our dean¡¯s?¡± He had seen what kind of houses corresponded to this level and decoration; was this really suitable for his sister, a doctor?

    Bai Xiaoughed, ¡°Brother, why think so much? Since the dean arranged for me to live here, he must think I¡¯m qualified to afford it. It¡¯s great to have this house; when our eldest sister and her three nephewse overter, it¡¯ll also give them a chance to see the world and see how different it is from our vige.¡± She was not nervous at all.

    Mainly because being nervous was pointless; what¡¯s done is done.

    Bai Song scratched his head, always feeling something was off, but he was happy to see his sister getting such good treatment. He was just a bit worried that she might regret not attending a universityter.

    ¡°Xiao, are you sure about this? This means you¡¯re officially starting work. If you¡¯re not happy with it, we can still go back or go to university instead.¡±

    Bai Song still felt that Bai Xiao not attending university was a bit of a loss.

    Bai Xiao reassured him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry; working is not so bad. Coming out of university, isn¡¯t it the same? You still get assigned a job. Now it¡¯s just starting work earlier, and I think after a year or half, I¡¯ll try to apply to a Medical University to get a diploma. You and I both know my level; others don¡¯t. If I could get a degree, at least people would recognize that my medical skills were learned, which is reasonable.¡±

    Bai Song nodded repeatedly, agreeing with his sister.

    ¡°Just take it easy from now on; you looked quite frightening today,¡± Bai Song was concerned about Bai Xiao being found out.

    ¡°I know, big brother, I¡¯m clear about it,¡± she reassured him.

    The siblings cleaned up the house together, straightening everything up and making the beds.

    Looking at the time, day was turning into night. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the railway station first to buy a ticket; I n to go back tomorrow. Check out the nearby market and buy some groceries. We need to eat since the canteen doesn¡¯t offer meal tickets,¡± Bai Song suggested.

    The eggs and steamed buns they had brought were already consumed on the road, and since Bai Song had had a busy day saving people without eating anything, he was now famished.

    Bai Xiao dragged Bai Song outside, ¡°Make meals? I will eat at the cafeteria from now on; I have meal tickets, why buy anything? Let¡¯s be generous today, I¡¯ll take you out to eat. You can eat your fill before going to the railway station to buy a ticket. You¡¯lle back just in time to tidy up everything, and you can have a good night¡¯s sleep.¡± She couldn¡¯t bear the thought of her brother going hungry to buy tickets.

    Bai Song shook his head, ¡°Let¡¯s not eat out, it¡¯s too expensive.¡± He was used to being frugal.

    Bai Xiao pulled her brother along, ¡°Big brother,e on, listen to me and let¡¯s hurry!¡±

    Unable to persuade his sister and knowing she was tired too, Bai Song eventually agreed, considering it as saving his sister some trouble.

    Having locked the door, the two of them exited the main gate and arrived at the hospital entrance. Since it was the hospital entrance, there were always guards on duty. They inquired around and found out that right across the street, in the alley opposite the hospital, there were small shops selling food, which was convenient for anything the hospital patients might need.

    The siblings walked in and, sure enough, there was a row of bungalows with various signs, including convenience stores and small restaurants. The area looked quite decent. Bai Xiao picked a noodle shop.

    They entered a small room with only four tables. Since it was mealtime, the ce was upied. They sat at the only avable table near them. The owner was a robust man with an honest look. He came over to greet the siblings.

    ¡°Here¡¯s the menu. Take a look and see what you¡¯d like to eat?¡±

    Bai Xiao nced at it. Nowadays, restaurant menus were quite monotonous, featuring a few simple homestyle dishes, mostly noodles, dumplings, and buns. She ordered two bowls of hot and spicy noodles with additional poached eggs and got four extra buns for her brother, knowing his appetite; this should be just enough to fill him.

    The owner nodded, put away the menu, and got busy.

    The buns came first. The owner was kind, and he also brought a te of his homemade pickles¡ªa mix of shredded cabbage dressed in oil, salt, vinegar, green onions, coriander, and chili oil. It was tasty.

    The buns were filled with pork and cabbage, more cabbage than pork, and the taste was passable. Considering the look, one shouldn¡¯t be too picky.

    Bai Xiao pushed the buns towards him, ¡°Brother, eat up! You must be hungry by now, right? I¡¯ve had a few lollipops, but you haven¡¯t eaten anything.¡±

    Bai Song declined, ¡°You eat first. I¡¯ll just have the noodles. I¡¯m not hungry!¡± No sooner had he spoken than his stomach embarrassingly began to growl in protest. Bai Song¡¯s face turned red. He wasn¡¯t used to lying, and he was caught red-handed.

    ¡°Brother, I really don¡¯t like buns. I want to drink some warm soup and wait for the noodles¡ªthat would be just right for me! You better start eating, or I¡¯ll get angry,¡± Bai Xiao could only threaten Bai Song.

    Bai Song looked at his sister, saw her frowning and staring at him, and knew she was worried about him. He handed her a bun, ¡°Eat it. Two each, let¡¯s not keep offering them back and forth or else neither of us will enjoy our meal.¡± He then picked up a bun and started eating.

    Soon, the hot and spicy noodles arrived. The noodles were quite chewy, and the broth was vorful. The scallions made it fragrant and inviting, and it also had tender greens and poached eggs.

    Being hungry, they quickly finished a bowl of noodles each, but still felt unfilled. Bai Xiao boldly ordered two more bowls¡ªafter all, it would be a shame not to eat their fill at the diner.

    In the end, the table in front of the siblings was piled with five empty bowls; Bai Xiao was thoroughly satiated, and Bai Song felt sofortable that he didn¡¯t want to move.

    Bai Xiao paid the bill, thankful that Bai Song had brought ration coupons with him this time. Otherwise, it would have been awkward to settle the bill.

    Bai Song saw Bai Xiao back to her dormitory before he asked for directions to the train station and went to buy train tickets for his return to the military base the next morning.

    By the time Bai Song returned, Bai Xiao had made up therge bed with fresh bedding she found in the closet. Instead, she moved her own bedding to the couch. They were grown up now; it wasn¡¯t like childhood when they could sleep together without a second thought.

    She nned to make do on the couch for the night.

    However, Bai Song absolutely refused to sleep on therge bed and endured a scolding from Bai Xiao. Finally, he had no choice but to sleep on therge bed himself, or else the siblings would have argued for half the day.

    The next day, while Bai Xiao was still asleep, Bai Song quietly left, not wanting to wake his sister. He left a note for Bai Xiao.

 Chapter 174 - 174 174 Embarrassment

    ?Chapter 174: Chapter 174: Embarrassment   Chapter 174: Chapter 174: Embarrassment                                   Because she was tired, Bai Xiao had slept soundly and when she woke up, her older brother was already gone. ncing at the watch, Bai Xiao wondered where the watch hade from.

    She hadn¡¯t mentioned it yet, butst night, while packing her bags, Bai Xiao discovered an extra white handkerchief-wrapped bundle in her backpack. She had initially thought it was the work of her older sister but upon opening it, she immediately realized it was An Zhiyuan¡¯s doing.

    It must have been the day before yesterday when they were boarding the vehicle, An Zhiyuan, while helping her with her backpack, had secretly slipped it to the bottom. She hadn¡¯t noticed at all; it was a deliberate act by An Zhiyuan.

    In the bundle was adies¡¯ plum blossom brand watch¡ªcurrently the most poprdies¡¯ watch¡ªalong with a stack of money, food coupons, and a letter.

    Bai Xiao counted the money; it was five hundred yuan, quite a substantial sum. An Zhiyuan was really something, not even fearing that she might lose it.

    The letter¡¯s tone was firm, stating that the money was for Bai Xiao¡¯s daily living expenses and instructing her not to be frugal, to take good care of herself, and so on¡ªin other words, that he considered himself her fianc¨¦.

    She had thought that An Zhiyuan had given up the idea of giving her money, especially since what she said at the time had not been pleasant. But it turned out An Zhiyuan was a man with his own convictions, determined and upromising, so she ended up with a watch.

    And now she needed something like it for going to and from work and keeping track of time. So she put it onst night, reasoning that she could always buy a watch to repay An Zhiyuanter. How heartless that sounded.

    So Bai Xiao had a watch.

    Fortunately, Bai Xiao had also prepared a handkerchief-wrapped bundle for her older brother Bai Song, containing two hundred yuan and food coupons. Her brother needed to start saving money, after all, for how else would he marry and bring home a wife in the future?

    Moreover, although they were provided meals at their location, it was still necessary to use meal tickets to get food. Bai Xiao did not want Bai Song to save his own meal money out of financial necessity. Although he was already twenty-five, he was still at an age when he had a hearty appetite. Plus, with the rigors of training, how could he have the strength to participate in various tasks without a good meal?

    Yesterday, Xiaoli told her that work started at eight in the morning and ended at five-thirty in the afternoon. There was no night shift here, so they had quite a leisurely schedule.

    Bai Xiao got up, washed, got ready, and grabbed her backpack, taking her acupuncture kit with her. Although the hospital would issue an acupuncture kit, she had not yet received hers, and her weapon was her own acupuncture kit, packed in arge white porcin tea jar, emzoned with red characters stating the name People¡¯s Liberation Army Hospital of a certain military region,plete with the August First emblem¡ªa typical must-have item.

    Leaving home ten minutes before eight, her dormitory was very close to the Traditional Chinese Medicine department; at most, a five-minute walk.

    Bai Xiao entered on the dot, and surprisingly, no one was in the department yet.

    No, that¡¯s not right; there were two people cleaning. One was Xiaoli from yesterday, and the other was a young man she hadn¡¯t seen before; he must also be an intern, judging by his appearance. Upon seeing Bai Xiao, Xiaoli hurriedly greeted her. Bai Xiao was different from them; she was not an intern but a legitimately appointed doctor at the hospital.

    That made a fundamental difference.

    ¡°Doctor Bai, you¡¯ve arrived!¡±

    ¡°Xiaoli, where are the others?¡± Bai Xiao was puzzled. Wasn¡¯t it said that work started at eight?

    ¡°Oh, today Doctor Zhao and Doctor Fang are off on rotation. Doctor Han Jian and Doctor Liu Wei haven¡¯t arrived yet, but they will soon, within ten or eight minutes at the most. You know, there aren¡¯t many patients in our Traditional Chinese Medicine department usually, soing early doesn¡¯t make much difference,¡± Xiaoli briskly exined the situation, probably because he felt Bai Xiao was also new, even though she wasn¡¯t quite like them. Maybe it was a natural sense of empathy, a feeling of being in the same boat.

    Bai Xiao nodded; the Traditional Chinese Medicine department she had joined really was rxed.

    This was very ufortable, as there wasn¡¯t even her own consultation office, she didn¡¯t have a ce to change clothes, let alone a locker to store her belongings, she hoped that Dean Zhang¡¯s office could be cleared out soon, otherwise it would be quite embarrassing.

    Seeing Bai Xiao¡¯s expression, Xiaoli knew that she felt ufortable, ¡°Dr. Bai, otherwise you can put your things in my locker and change in our interns¡¯ changing room.¡± She was kind-hearted, after all, Bai Xiao was new, and it was right to help her out. Bai Xiao reminded her of her own first days, when she was also a pitiful figure that nobody paid attention to or guided.

    ¡°Then thank you! My consulting room should be ready soon, I¡¯ll be troubling you for these few days,¡± Bai Xiao appreciated Xiaoli¡¯s enthusiasm, after all, why would she help her if not?

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so polite,e on, I¡¯ll take you to change clothes.¡± Xiaoli took Bai Xiao to change clothes, what they called a changing room was just a locker at the nurse station, where they had to squeeze in with the nurses; there was no separate changing room for themselves.

    Two nurses were changing clothes, and when they saw Xiaoli bring Bai Xiao in to change, they asked out of curiosity.

    ¡°Xiaoli, is this a new intern? She seems too young.¡± They were veterans and obviously weren¡¯t afraid to speak their minds.

    Especially Bai Xiao¡¯s age was a major drawback; no one seemed to take her seriously as a legitimate doctor.

    ¡°This is not an intern, this is the new Acupuncture Dr. Bai Xiao. Her consulting room isn¡¯t ready yet, so she¡¯s temporarily changing here!¡± Xiaoli patiently exined, and gave Bai Xiao an extra nce because she knew many doctors didn¡¯t like being called interns, as there¡¯s a difference between a real doctor and an intern.

    Seeing that Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t angered by thement, she was relieved! It seemed this girl was easy to get along with; after all, some doctors have a big temper, and there are certainly those who would scold others over such a misunderstanding, which would have been awkward.

    The nurses felt embarrassed, turned pale, and quickly apologized, ¡°Sorry, Dr. Bai, we didn¡¯t know, sorry, sorry!¡± They felt annoyed inside, wondering what kind of doctor woulde to their nurse station to change clothes; it seemed like a pretty bad mix-up.

    No wonder they were mistaken, which doctor would ever get so close with the nurses to this extent?

    Who could be med for this?

    It was an unexpected disaster; if the new doctor had scolded them roundly, they would have considered themselves unlucky indeed.

    Bai Xiao smiled, ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t me yourselves for the misunderstanding, it¡¯s my problem. Besides, this isn¡¯t a big deal, I probably know less than an intern right now; I understand nothing, not even as much as Xiaoli. I hope you¡¯ll help me in the future; I just arrived! There¡¯s so much I don¡¯t know and need your advice on. Please take good care of me!¡±

    This attitude immediately made the two nurses happy; Dr. Bai was a nice person, not one of those old-fashioned ones, nor a doctor who always looked down at them with a grim face. She seemed very approachable, and they immediately gathered around, saying, ¡°Dr. Bai, you really look young. How old are you? Which Medical College did you graduate from?¡±

    At that, the gates of gossip swung open.

    Xiaoli had heard the day before that Bai Xiao seemed not to have attended Medical College; it was best not to linger on this topic, as it could easily offend someone. Seeing Bai Xiao¡¯s friendly disposition, who knew what her temperament was like ¨C if on the surface she smiled jovially but inside was sharp as a knife, things could turn out badly.

    She quickly smoothed things over, ¡°Dr. Bai is here for her first day today; I¡¯ll first show her around the department. We can talk about thister, there¡¯s plenty of time since we are in the same department.¡± She hurriedly pulled Bai Xiao away.

    ¡°Dr. Bai, they didn¡¯t mean anything by it; they are good people, just a bit gossipy, please don¡¯t mind!¡±

    Bai Xiaoughed, ¡°I¡¯m not some fearsome monster; you don¡¯t have to be so scared of me. I¡¯m well aware of my own circumstances and don¡¯t care so much about what others say. If I were worried about people¡¯s opinions, I wouldn¡¯t havee here. Not having attended Medical College isn¡¯t something to be ashamed of; if need be, I can always attendter on; it¡¯s not unheard of for doctors to start out as health workers. Don¡¯t worry! I really don¡¯t mind!¡±

    Xiaoli instantly broke into a smile, seeing that Bai Xiao was indeed easy to get along with.

 Chapter 175 - 175 175 Air Conditioning (Second Update)

    ?Chapter 175: Chapter 175: Air Conditioning (Second Update)   Chapter 175: Chapter 175: Air Conditioning (Second Update)                                   Two people returned to the department, and there were already two more people in the consultation room: a middle-aged, short and plump woman, and a young man in his twenties. Bai Xiao nced at the name tags and realized that one was Han Jian and the other was Liu Weng. She had assumed Han Jian was a man¡ªshe didn¡¯t expect the name to belong to a woman.

    Both of them were taken aback when they saw Bai Xiao wearing a white coat; they hadn¡¯t seen Bai Xiao¡¯s name tag and couldn¡¯t figure out what she did.

    They could only ask Xiaoli, ¡°Who is this?¡±

    Xiaoli quickly introduced her, ¡°This is Bai Xiao, the new Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncture doctor who arrived yesterday. Her consultation room isn¡¯t ready yet, so she¡¯ll spend a couple of days getting familiar with things!¡± She said this guiltily¨Chow could she familiarize herself?

    The consultation room really had a ce for each doctor, seeing as how there were only two desks in one consultation room, with space for consultations on either side. The room on the other side was for Doctor Zhao and Doctor Fang; their spaces were clearly designated, and there genuinely wasn¡¯t a ce for Bai Xiao.

    Han Jian nced at Bai Xiao and said, ¡°Well, you look young. Doctor Bai, how many years have you studied Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture?¡±

    Bai Xiao, pouring hot water into her teacup, responded, ¡°Doctor Han, my Acupuncture skills were passed down in my family. I¡¯ve been learning for fifteen years now. I¡¯m eighteen this year, or neen by the traditional count.¡± Many people were curious about this topic, and she thought it was better to just speak inly instead of having people prod around for information.

    Han Jian was taken aback, ¡°Inherited? Doctor Bai is quite impressive. The only other Acupuncture doctor here, Zhao Zhiguo, seems to have only studied for about a decade or so. Although the two of you are different ages, if we talk about practical experience, it seems you¡¯re about the same.¡± She didn¡¯t say anything offensive, butparing Bai Xiao with Zhao Zhiguo was obviously going to stir up animosity, wasn¡¯t it?

    Liu Weng, on the other hand, was enthusiastic and came over with his teacup. ¡°Doctor Bai, would you like some tea? I have jasmine tea here. It¡¯s not anything special, but it smells quite nice. I think it¡¯s something girls would like.¡±

    Bai Xiao shook her head, ¡°No, thanks. I¡¯ll just have in water. in water is good for beauty and health.¡± She was cautious not to casually ept favors, as there is often a catch.

    ¡°They¡¯re arranging a new consultation room for you? Doctor Bai, you really have some clout,¡± Liu Weng said, looking at Bai Xiao. He was fishing for information, wanting to see what connections Bai Xiao had.

    ¡°Indeed!¡± Bai Xiao didn¡¯t say much.

    It was to make you anxious.

    But soon, their conversation came to an end, as patients had already starteding for consultations.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s work career thus began. However, after a long day, Bai Xiao waspletely bored. Apart from Wang Dachuan, the director of the Traditional Chinese Medicine department, who came to check on her and ask if she was adjusting well or needed anything, she basically had nothing to do all day.

    In the office, the two doctors were busy seeing patients and had no time to pay attention to her. Bai Xiao had no choice but to sit in the waiting chairs outside the consultation rooms. Many people looked at her curiously, wondering what was going on with a doctor sitting there.

    Fortunately, after sitting for a while, Xiaoliu from the nurse¡¯s station had received a phone call telling her to go up to the HR department.

    It was only after she¡¯d gone that she learned her work transfer had been processed and she was given authorization to collect meal tickets from the cafeteria. Seeing the word ¡°Grade A¡± on the authorization, she happily headed to the cafeteria. From today, she could eat in the cafeteria, which was a substantial savings.

    She didn¡¯t know that, besides Dean Zhang, she was the only one in the entire hospital with this ¡°Grade A¡± distinction.

    At the cafeteria, the manager looked at the authorization note and took a second look at her.

    Inside, she thought this girl must remember clearly now, being treated on par with Dean Zhang, she was probably the only one in the whole hospital.

    The attitude was worlds apart from yesterday when Bai Xiao came looking for him, not only did the cafeteria staff pour her tea, but they even brought her two apples. None of the rest of them received such treatment.

    ¡°Doctor Bai! Please eat, we don¡¯t have much else here, these apples were just bought yesterday, they¡¯re fresh. This is specially supplied, not easy to find in the market, they say it¡¯s Red Fuji, you can¡¯t find this type of apple on the market,¡± Chief Xing said somewhat ingratiatingly. The difference between being a cafeteria chief and a legitimate doctor in the hospital was significant.

    Bai Xiao smiled, ¡°Chief Xing, don¡¯t be so formal with me. It¡¯s my first time here, and I don¡¯t know much, so if I do something wrong, you¡¯ll have to let me know.¡± In truth, what could she do wrong in the cafeteria? She didn¡¯t work there; it was just a courtesy.

    Chief Xingughed, ¡°Doctor Bai, you¡¯re really too polite. Here, take your meal ticket. These are special meal tickets, 30 of these are a month¡¯s supply, and if you look over there, there¡¯s a small window; that¡¯s where the Dean and Directors get their meals. You¡¯ll need to go over there with your meal ticket. If there¡¯s anything special you want to eat, just let me know in advance, very convenient, and I guarantee you¡¯ll get it the next day.¡± The directive on this ticket clearly stated she receives the same treatment as the Dean, even the senior experts didn¡¯t get this privilege.

    ¡°Thank you, Chief Xing,¡± Bai Xiao took the meal tickets.

    So Bai Xiao spent all three meals in the cafeteria.

    From then on, she led a life of having everything provided for, without lifting a finger.

    Especially as ofte, she really didn¡¯t have much to do; in the department, everyone was busy with their own tasks and no one had time to pay her any mind. Han Jian, the older sister, was very willing to get close to her, but even her conversations were filled with attempts to fish for information, since everyone was curious about who Bai Xiao was connected to.

    No one in the department let her get involved with the work; when she offered to help, at most, they let her do some errand-like tasks, such as writing prescriptions, but there were already two interns for that; she couldn¡¯t possibly take their jobs.

    So, the most basic part of her job might have been to sit outside on a bench with a cup of tea and a newspaper.

    However, fortunately, this situation onlysted for five days. The consultation room Dean Zhang had mentioned was ready, and Li Ran personally took Bai Xiao to check it out.

    The consultation room was divided into two areas.

    One area was for seeing patients, and the inner room had an acupuncture bed, where curtains could be pulled for performing acupuncture on patients.

    Indeed, as she had requested, not only was heating installed in the room, but the windows had been sealed. Once the windows were closed, the temperature inside could be maintained at a consistent level. Most importantly, they had ced an electric water boiler for her. An air conditioning unit was fitted above the window, a device that most people would not recognize. Bai Xiao took a closer look at the brand, it read ¡°Cedar.¡±

    This was a luxury typically reserved for hotels and special institutions, at least their hospital didn¡¯t have any, and she must be the first to enjoy such treatment.

    This certainly drew a lot of attention.

    There was also a noticeable metal box on the desk, and Li Ran pointed to it, ¡°Dean Zhang said you¡¯d know what to do with it, just go to logistics to get more when it¡¯s empty.¡±

    Forget such an environment, not even the hospital¡¯s senior experts had such perks.

    Now, nearly everyone was inquiring about this Bai Xiao.

 Chapter 176 - 176 176 Seeing a Patient Before the End of the

    ?Chapter 176: Chapter 176: Seeing a Patient Before the End of the Workday. (Third Update)   Chapter 176: Chapter 176: Seeing a Patient Before the End of the Workday. (Third Update)                                   Bai Xiao finally had her own consultation room.

    However, her days were still so idle because basically no one came for her acupuncture services.

    She had observed that Doctor Zhao Zhiguo had many patients, some needing massage and others acupuncture, most of them suffering from back and leg pain.

    She had hung a few cards herself, but as soon as patients saw her, they shook their heads and eventually asked to change their appointment without even letting her examine their illness, convincing her that indeed her appearance was not enough to instill confidence, with no one willing to let her needlessly insert a needle.

    Bai Xiao felt dejected, wondering if she was now just loafing on the job!

    Dean Zhang, along with the Chief who had gone to great lengths to bring her here, pampered her with good food and amodation, treating her like a Bodhisattva. And now, she hadn¡¯t seen even a single patient in a month.

    But what could she do? If patients didn¡¯t trust her, she couldn¡¯t exactly go outside with a loudspeaker and advertise her true skills, her ability to save people from dire straits, or to even revive the dead, could she?

    If Bai Xiao actually did that, she reckoned even fewer people woulde, and the whole hospital would think she was insane.

    And so, the days flowed by like a stream of water.

    Although the doctors in her department got along with Bai Xiao on the surface, it was just a formality; behind her back, they didn¡¯t really respect her. After all, who would respect someone who tantly earned a sry for doing nothing?

    Liu Weng still frequented Bai Xiao¡¯s office; he held her in high regard because, in private, he had inquired about the connections behind Bai Xiao, which led straight to Dean Zhang.

    Even if she sat there living off others, nobody dared say anything.

    Bai Xiao nced at her watch. Well, with 20 minutes left until half-past five, another day¡¯s work wasing to an end.

    She had gotten used to this kind of job where she spent her time drinking tea and reading the newspaper.

    She wasn¡¯t in a hurry.

    There was nothing to rush for.

    Hasn¡¯t it been said? Good wine needs no bush.

    Her abilities were known to Dean Zhang, who had visited her room twice more over the past month.

    After Dean Zhang had received two more acupuncture sessions from her, his chronic rheumatism and cold legs werepletely cured, and even the deformed bones had been corrected, leaving Dean Zhang no choice but to feel impressed and amazed.

    Even if no one came to her for treatment, Dean Zhang would not underestimate her abilities.

    Now it seemed what shecked was a chance to make her name known to the world. She wasn¡¯t particrly looking forward to being famous, but at the very least, she needed patients.

    Leisurely, she stood up to pack her things, preparing to change her clothes, just as she had seen Doctor Zhao Zhiguo change his clothes and leave earlier.

    It was simply because by the afternoon, their department of Traditional Chinese Medicine would also have very few people left.

    She and Xiaoli, the intern, had agreed to eat dinner together at the cafeteria that evening. Over the past month at the hospital, her gains included befriending nurses and interns.

    She wasn¡¯t particrly articte, but she was a very good listener. Their department wasn¡¯t short of nurses who loved to gossip, and since her consultation room was so big and usually devoid of even a fly, nurses and interns liked to visit her office, whether they had business or not. There was a ready-to-use electric water heater, saving them the trouble of pouring from a thermos or going downstairs to the water room.

    Suddenly, a head poked inquisitively, ¡°Are you the doctor?¡±

    Bai Xiao looked up, and a young soldier, seemingly no more than seventeen or eighteen years old, was looking at her with a questioning face.

    ¡°I am!¡± Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t help but curl the corners of her mouth, suddenly having a premonition that today might just be her first opportunity to hang out her shingle in this hospital.

    The little soldier shrank his head back, and Bai Xiao was disappointed. There goes another one who runs away at the sight of her.

    See, this face of hers is a real ¡®hard injury.¡¯

    Bai Xiao cleaned the tea mug and set everything in order, preparing to go inside to change clothes.

    Xiaoli poked his head in, ¡°You haven¡¯t changed yet, have you? I¡¯ll be done soon, I¡¯lle find you after I lock the door.¡±

    Bai Xiao nodded.

    Before she could change clothes, tworades helped a man in who was in so much pain that he was grinding his teeth and grimacing. It seemed like he had suffered an injury to his waist.

    Bai Xiao quickly pointed to the stool, ¡°What happened to him?¡±

    Arade said helplessly, ¡°Our captain twisted his waist during training yesterday. He already had an old injury there, and today he insisted on participating in a bigpetition. Well, it ended badly; halfway through the match, he ended up like this. He was brought to the hospital, and after a recent X-ray, they found a sprain in his lumbar spine. They want him to rest in bed, but if this keeps up, he¡¯s going to need surgery for his back.¡±

    Zhang Duo clenched his waist in pain, ¡°What are you two muttering about? What the heck is this, a little back pain? I¡¯ve had worse injuries out in the field before, and I still had to run and jump as necessary. I have promised to take first ce tomorrow. Even if my back really kills me, I¡¯ll still show up. Otherwise, where would that leave me and my face?¡±

    Theradeined to Bai Xiao about their stubborn captain, ¡°You see, Doctor, our captain is just this stubborn. He¡¯s insisting oning to the Traditional Chinese Medicine department to get Acupuncture and massage, thinking it will fix everything. How is that possible? Last time he sprained his back, he came here and it took a week of treatment from an old doctor before he started to feel a bit better. Do you think Acupuncture is a miracle cure, that a snap and a massage will fix it? Everyone knows Traditional Chinese Medicine takes its time, with your back in this condition, can it really get better in less than a week or ten days?¡± He didn¡¯t care about rank when scolding his own captain.

    Zhang Duo grinned at Bai Xiao, ¡°Hey, this doctor, I¡¯ve never seen one as young as you. Call over the old doctor who does the acupuncture to stick a couple of needles in me.¡±

    Bai Xiao just knew, nobody believed in her.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,rade, Dr. Zhao has already gone off duty,¡± replied Bai Xiao.

    ¡°How can he be off duty already? Isn¡¯t there still ten minutes left?¡± Zhang Duo pounded the table with a fist in frustration ¨C he was in agony, the cold sweat was pouring out.

    ¡°Captain, please be careful; you¡¯re obviously in such severe pain, try to be a little more cautious.¡±

    ¡°How about we help you back home, Captain? You should rest in bed for the next few days,¡± the tworades had no intention of letting Bai Xiao treat him.

    Bai Xiao spread her hands, deciding to give it her best shot.

    ¡°If you trust me, I can try it. My family has a hereditary lineage in Acupuncture.¡±

    If she didn¡¯t strive to prove herself, who would know what she was capable of?

    Xiaoli rushed in from outside and jumped at the sight of the three people inside.

    ¡°We¡¯re about to close, and you threee in for a consultation now.¡±

    All the doctors in the department had gone home.

    The only one who hadn¡¯t left was the very doctor in front of him, who Xiaoli had never seen treat anyone. Xiaoli had heard plenty of gossip from the department doctors, saying that Bai Xiao was ¡®all show and no go,¡¯ incapable of anything, just sitting in the office drinking tea and reading the newspaper.

    She didn¡¯t care about that, but in her heart, she still thought of Bai Xiao as just for show.

    As a doctor, when it really came down to it, she seemed totally unusable.

 Chapter 177 - 177 177 We Will Not Spare You. (Four Updates)

    ?Chapter 177: Chapter 177: We Will Not Spare You. (Four Updates)   Chapter 177: Chapter 177: We Will Not Spare You. (Four Updates)                                   ¡°How can you talk like that? Isn¡¯t she a doctor right in front of you?¡± Zhang Duo was upset at being underestimated.

    The youngrade pointed at Bai Xiao, ¡°Her? Have you not seen her age? Aren¡¯t you afraid she might paralyze you with one needle, leaving you bedridden?¡±

    That remark was a p in the face.

    Bai Xiao shook her head, ¡°Fine, since you¡¯re worried, help your captain out. There is no doctor now. If you want acupuncture,e early tomorrow morning.¡± There was nothing she could do if they didn¡¯t trust her.

    It was time to close up.

    The two youngrades prepared to support Zhang Duo out of the door.

    Zhang Duo forcefully gestured with his hand, pushing the two away.

    ¡°Then¡­ you do it! Give me a couple of needles, just to temporarily stop this pain. This pain is really killing me.¡± Zhang Duo was in severe pain. He had undergone acupuncture before and knew that it wouldn¡¯t take effect immediately; it usually took two or three sessions to alleviate the pain, hoping to ease his severe pain to a bearable level.

    The young soldier hurriedly intervened, ¡°That won¡¯t do, captain. Didn¡¯t you see she¡¯s about my age? Aren¡¯t you afraid she might mess it up by needling you?¡±

    Zhang Duo was sweating from the pain, ¡°Even if she messes it up, let her mess it up. Everyone has been a beginner at some point, and we always need to give people a chance to learn. Can it be worse than the pain I¡¯m enduring now?¡± He turned to speak to Bai Xiao.

    ¡°Doctor,e on, didn¡¯t you say you inherit medical skills? I don¡¯t have other requests, just to ease this pain. Look at the beads of sweat on me and see how much pain I¡¯m in. I wish the pain would just kill me off now.¡±

    Bai Xiao smiled, ¡°Alright, you tworades help your captain to the bed inside, and let him lie face down. Remove his shirt, I need to needle his back.¡± Since she was given this opportunity, she would certainly seize it.

    She thought to herself, thisrade, you won¡¯t regret seeking me.

    The young soldier eximed, ¡°Captain!¡±

    ¡°Captain, this is reckless.¡±

    ¡°Am I the captain, or are you two the captains? Help me inside to lie down. That¡¯s an order.¡± Zhang Duo¡¯s patience was running thin, his back pain was almost unbearable, and now he had to argue with these two, which was hardly improving his mood.

    Having no choice, the tworades helped their captain, Zhang Duo, into the examination room, took off his outerwear, left him bare-chested, and assisted him to lie face-down on the bed.

    Xiaoli was worried.

    He whispered to Bai Xiao,

    ¡°If it¡¯s not possible, let theme back tomorrow. Once there¡¯s a mistake in the acupuncture points, it could cause problems.¡±

    He meant it well; he had seen patients with a crooked mouth and twitching fingers after incorrect needling.

    Although Bai Xiao sat there criticized by others as ipetent, at the very least, she was a properly presented, respectable doctor.

    If she really caused an ident by needling someone incorrectly, it would be a medical malpractice.

    How could she still sit here then? She would lose her job.

    Even if Bai Xiao had the backing of Dean Zhang, that didn¡¯t mean a medical ident was justified. Dean Zhang couldn¡¯t cover up everything.

    Bai Xiao took out her acupuncture kit and alcohol swabs, ¡°Xiaoli, trust me, rx! I can do this. I definitely won¡¯t harm anyone.¡±

    That guarantee had very little credibility.

    Xiaoli couldn¡¯t persuade Bai Xiao, so he just followed her into the examination room.

    He had prepared himself to be a witness, just in case something happened and he could defend Bai Xiao. Otherwise, without a witness, the patient could say anything. By then, Bai Xiao would have no way to defend herself.

    The tworades watched Bai Xiao intently, as if she were a ferocious beast that could devour their captain at any moment.

    ¡°Little doctor, this is our captain, so weigh your own skills. If you really can¡¯t handle it, better not to boast, in case you end up really hurting our captain, then we won¡¯t let you off the hook,¡±

    ¡°Exactly, stick to what you can do and don¡¯t boast about what you can¡¯t. You¡¯re doctors, and you need to take responsibility.¡±

    Bai Xiao smiled and wiped Zhang Duo¡¯s back with an alcohol swab, the cold sensation made Zhang Duo shiver, but it did divert his attention away from the pain a bit.

    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to those kids, go ahead, it¡¯s fine.¡± Zhang Duo initially wanted to re at the two youngrades, but he couldn¡¯t even turn his neck due to the pain, so he had no imposing presence at all.

    Bai Xiao nodded, gave a thumbs up, just for your confidence in me I must make you full of vigor tomorrow.

    Otherwise, it would be a disservice to my special ability.

    After all, you are my first patient since the opening.

    Beforeing to The Ninth Hospital, Bai Xiao really hadn¡¯t seriously treated anyone.

    Dean Zhang, of course, doesn¡¯t count, he¡¯s an insider, others would definitely say they¡¯re protecting their own, praising their own doctors to the skies.

    But this is a real member of our own, if I treat him well. Once I go back and do the promotion, probably many more people wille to see me.

    What she wanted was a good reputation.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I absolutely won¡¯t leave your captain bedridden,¡± Bai Xiao assured.

    The two youngrades got even more nervous when she said that.

    Bai Xiao pinched the silver needle, found the correct spot on Zhang Duo¡¯s lumbar area, and was about to insert it.

    One of the youngrades urgently shouted.

    ¡°Make sure you hit the right spot, don¡¯t shake.¡±

    Bai Xiao rolled her eyes, ¡°If you keep nagging here, I really can¡¯t guarantee I¡¯ll hit the right spot. Am I the doctor, or are you the doctor? Since your captain chose to trust me, and you keep going on and on, you¡¯re disrupting the doctor¡¯s thought process, understand? If it really goes wrong, whose fault will it be? Yours or mine?¡± If the doctor doesn¡¯t show some authority, they really won¡¯t know who¡¯s in charge.

    The youngrade, chastened by Bai Xiao¡¯s scolding, immediately shut his mouth, but his eyes were still firmly fixed on the silver needle in Bai Xiao¡¯s hand.

    With a swift motion, she inserted two needles.

    Bai Xiao gently twisted the silver needle, and her special ability had already started to work.

    Zhang Duoy there, moaning ah and oh.

    The two youngrades were startled.

    They quickly bent down to ask the captain.

    ¡°Captain, how are you feeling? Does it hurt a lot? I told you we shouldn¡¯t let her do it!¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± This time it was Bai Xiao who shouted, her voice stern and serious, with an irresistible majesty.

    Zhang Duoughed, ¡°Well, little doctor. You really are quite capable. After those two needles, I could feel a warm flow rising from my waist, and now it doesn¡¯t hurt at all.¡± That moan was one of relief.

    Who would know, after suffering so much pain for so long, to suddenly have the pain relieved, disappearing without a trace in an instant? That kind of relief is something others can¡¯t understand, only someone tormented by illness like him could appreciate it.

    The two young soldierspletely shut up.

    If the captain says it¡¯s good, what more could they say?

 Chapter 178 - 178 178 Apology (Five More Updates)

    ?Chapter 178: Chapter 178: Apology (Five More Updates)   Chapter 178: Chapter 178: Apology (Five More Updates)                                   Bai Xiao pulled out the silver needle and gasped for breath, ¡°Xiaoli, hurry up and pour me a ss of boiling water, then grab a piece of chocte for me from the box on the table, and be quick.¡± His face was as pale as if he had seen a ghost.

    The tworades were baffled. Isn¡¯t this just acupuncture? Why does he need water and chocte now?

    This is way too unprofessional.

    Thinking this was your living room, huh?

    And having a maid specifically to serve tea and fetch water?

    Really!

    They were quite displeased.

    Just as they were about to mutter andin, Zhang Duo had already swiftly flipped over and stood up by himself.

    ¡°Hey, Captain, Captain, take it slow.¡±

    ¡°Captain, be careful with your back.¡±

    The tworades rushed over, one from each side, like mother hens protecting their chick, arms spread wide just in case their captain identally did his back inpletely.

    Who knew if the acupuncture had worked or not?

    To everyone¡¯s surprise, Zhang Duo stretched out a big hand and pushed both of them away, not even having time to put on his clothes, and started doing stretching exercises bare-chested, bending over, standing up, twisting his body, stretching, doing bending exercises, which made the eyes of the tworades watching bulge out.

    This, this was the captain who was in agonizing pain just a moment ago?

    No way?

    Could it be that their eyes were deceiving them, creating an illusion?

    This back issue had been a longstanding problem for the captain, never taking less than three to five days to get better.

    Could it be the captain was faking it?

    The two of them quickly shook their heads. By God, their captain had trained them like dogs; there was no way he could be faking it after following him every day, and if anyone dared say the captain was pretending, they¡¯d be the first to get angry.

    Could it really be that this doctor was incredible?!

    They slowly turned their heads and looked at Bai Xiao, up and down, left and right, back and forth; no matter how they looked, they couldn¡¯t see how this girl could be a Divine Doctor.

    Bai Xiaopletely ignored their scrutiny; it wasn¡¯t the first time anyway.

    Having worked up a good sweat, Zhang Duo picked up his clothes and began pulling them over his head.

    ¡°Young Doctor, you are really incredible; these two needles have taken my pain awaypletely. No wonder you said it¡¯s a family secret; it¡¯s really impressive.¡±

    Xiaoli had already brought over a big cup of boiling water, holding a piece of chocte in his hand, handing it to Bai Xiao.

    Meanwhile, the corner of his eye was still observing the lively Zhang Duo, unable to hold back his astonishment.

    This is too¡­

    ¡­¡­

    Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t pretending to be a weakling, was she?

    Such powerful acupuncture should belong to those legendary white-bearded Imperial Physicians, right?

    His eyes instantly filled with little stars, eagerly bringing the water to Bai Xiao.

    ¡°Doctor Bai, who is this for?¡±

    Even the address had changed to something more grand.

    Bai Xiao took it, tore open the chocte wrapping, chewed a couple of bites, then gulped down a big mouthful of the hot water, almost scalding herself to death; she was cold, but not numb.

    Xiaoli was bbergasted; this was what Bai Xiao wanted?

    She thought it was prepared for that team captain.

    This is such a reversal.

    Why doesn¡¯t it follow the usual script?

    ¡°Doctor Bai, thank you! Thank you! With this, I¡¯ll definitely be able to take first ce tomorrow!¡± Zhang Duo happily pped Bai Xiao¡¯s shoulder, and she almost toppled over.

    This man is too strong; her frame can¡¯t handle it.

    ¡°No problem, it¡¯s what I should do, I am a doctor after all; it¡¯s my job to treat people. As long as you¡¯re fine, that¡¯s good enough. Take care, I won¡¯t see you out!¡± Bai Xiao still felt cold, but she couldn¡¯t recover in a short period of time, realizing that besides An Zhiyuan, she hadn¡¯t found another quick way to alleviate her own aftermath symptoms.

    The cold inside seemed hardly faded, the feeling of cold seeping into her bones was really different from anything else.

    It seems her own idea of recovery is not so easy.

    However,pared to before, she had made much progress; it should be said that her ability to smoothly control her special ability withoutpletely exhausting it was what maintained her current state. Otherwise, it would be normal for her to be shivering under the covers.

    The tworades now felt embarrassed, having just been so rude to her, and now their faces were metaphorically being pped hard, truly shameless.

    You pushed me, and I pushed you.

    Walking up to Bai Xiao, as men, how could they not dare to admit their mistakes?

    Summoning their courage, ¡°Little doctor, we are sorry! We were wrong just now, our words were inappropriate, and we shouldn¡¯t have doubted your medical skills, sorry.¡± The two were truly serious about admitting their mistakes.

    ¡°Yes, indeed, we failed to recognize someone¡¯s great value, we were wrong, Divine Doctor, please don¡¯t be mad, the great should not remember the offenses of the petty, the broad-minded should not be bothered by the faults of others, right?¡±

    ¡°We were wrong, sorry, so sorry.¡±

    ¡­

    The two could hardly stop if they had the chance.

    Bai Xiao nodded her head, ¡°Since your captain is already healed, you better get going, we also need to leave work; it¡¯s six o¡¯clock, our cafeteria is about to close, we¡¯ve agreed, I¡¯ve cured him, don¡¯te troubling me anymore. Come on, Xiaoli, hurry and help me clean up here, we are off work.¡± Bai Xiao shooed them away.

    Xiaoli immediately happily obeyed, ¡°Alright! Doctor Bai, I¡¯ll clean up right away, very quickly!¡±

    Bai Xiao was so amazing, it was¡­ hard to believe.

    She was a good friend of Bai Xiao after all.

    Her friend being so incredible, it was going to be glorious from now on.

    Zhang Duo nodded his head, ¡°Alright, we¡¯ve dyed your dinner, for this huge favor, I owe you big time, and I¡¯ll definitely present you with a banner in the future.¡± He threw down these words! And took the tworades with him as they left.

    Bai Xiao shivered, not caring for the banner; she was cold, so very cold.

    Xiaoli was beaming with joy.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, I hadn¡¯t realized you were this impressive; why have you never mentioned it? You truly keep your talents hidden, your skills seem even better than Doctor Zhao!¡±

    Bai Xiao took a sip of water, having finished a piece of chocte, feeling somewhat warmer inside, but it wasn¡¯t enough. How could she enhance her special ability again next time?

    Not using her special ability was definitely not an option; she had to use it even if she had to grit her teeth, only then could she improve in the future.

    Endure!

    Only by enduring this unbearable cold would she reach higher levels of special ability next time. In her previous life, the rate of improvement in her special ability and the severity of the aftermath were inversely proportional, but the greatest benefit of enhancing her special ability was that just a little bit of it could be very effective.

    So, the higher the special ability in the future, the weaker the aftermath. In her previous life, she had initially been harmed by Energy Potions, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have been unable to escape other people¡¯s control.

    In this life, she must endure what others can¡¯t, to gain what others can¡¯t.

    The two packed up their things and went to the cafeteria, where Bai Xiao wolfed down arge bowl of stewed beef, leaving Xiaoli dumbfounded.

    Bai Xiao was slight and petite, who would have thought she could eat so impressively.

    Such a good appetite!

 Chapter 179 - 179 179 The Neighbor Who Speaks for the First

    ?Chapter 179: Chapter 179: The Neighbor Who Speaks for the First Time (Sixth Update)   Chapter 179: Chapter 179: The Neighbor Who Speaks for the First Time (Sixth Update)                                   ¡°Bai Xiao¡­ uh¡­ Doctor Bai, your acupuncture is so incredible!¡± Xiaoli said enviously.

    Bai Xiao looked to be just eighteen years old and indeed he was only eighteen. The question was, how could someone so young possess such advanced medical skills? How did he train?

    Though it¡¯s said that in Traditional Chinese Medicine, studying for three years is no different than studying for thirty.

    However, acupuncture definitely requires practice. A single incorrect cement of the needle could either damage someone or end up twisted into three segments, turning and bending¡ªwhich patient would dare let you treat them then?

    Of course, Xiaoli didn¡¯t just stand by idly a moment ago.

    Bai Xiao swiftly inserted just two needles, not more, which she saw. Many veteran doctors need to insert several needles into each acupuncture point. There are techniques involving 24 or 36 needles and so on, yet with just those two needles from him, a person could stand up and walk.

    No one missed how the team leader was wailing in pain just earlier!

    Two needles in, and in less than ten minutes, the person was up and actively moving again.

    ¡°I¡¯m not incredible, I only know acupuncture. I can¡¯t do anything else, neither pulse reading nor prescribing,¡± said Bai Xiao, focusing intently on the food in front of him. His previous experience was still reliable; eating the beef had slowly started warming his stomach, and the giant ice block in his chest felt like it was melting.

    ¡°But that is incredible. Ever heard of ¡®A single brilliant move conquers all¡¯? If I had your skills, just mastering acupuncture would be enough. Bouncing patients back to health, no need for prescriptions or pulse reading,¡± Xiaoli was visibly excited.

    It was mainly because he was too thrilled. Seeing someone he considered his equal suddenly excel, who could suppress such excitement?

    ¡°Calm down, calm down. Eat up quickly. Didn¡¯t you say you had to go back to doundry today? Be careful, or there¡¯ll be no hot water left in theundry room,¡± Bai Xiao quickly reminded her, as she looked at him as if seeing a gold ingot.

    ¡°Oh dear, I forgot!¡± Xiaoli suddenly remembered she had yet toplete that important task of washing a week¡¯s worth of clothes and bedding.

    She wolfed down her meal and said to Bai Xiao, ¡°Doctor Bai, I have to leave now, see you tomorrow!¡± and she hurried off to her dormitory.

    Bai Xiao finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    Xiaoli¡¯s curiosity was understandable.

    However, what made him happiest was finally opening his practice, even though it was borne out of someone else¡¯s desperate need. Having the first client made it easier to expect a second.

    Returning to the dormitory, he bumped into a neighbor on the stairs, a woman in her forties. Bai Xiao described her so because that age shouldn¡¯t look too old, but thisdy had managed to make herself appear decades older with her short hair, bangs, pair of ck sses, and a suspicious gaze directed at everyone. Bai Xiao had only met this neighbor a couple of times with each encounter involving nomunication at all, not even basic greetings since after his initial greeting went ignored, he gave up on adapting to others¡¯ behavior.

    This encounter might have been their third. Bai Xiao nodded in acknowledgement, his years of etiquette training preventing him from not acknowledging her at all. He couldn¡¯t let others¡¯ck of manners bring down his own.

    He opened the door.

    ¡°Hello, may Ie in and sit for a while?¡±

    Bai Xiao turned around abruptly. Who was this?

    To her surprise, her neighbor was speaking to her. The voice was actually pleasant, but it was also quite startling. The two of them, who usually had no interaction, unexpectedly wanted toe over and sit at her ce.

    Could it be something urgent?

    Bai Xiao looked around, and upon closer inspection, she indeed noticed something amiss.

    There were clearly visible marks on the neighbor¡¯s door where someone had kicked it.

    There was obviously trouble.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ve run into some trouble. My ex-husband came to cause problems. Earlier, when he came to make a scene, I didn¡¯t open the door, but he said he¡¯d returnter. I¡¯m a bit scared. Could I stay at your ce for a while and leave once he¡¯s gone? I won¡¯t bother you for long!¡± Fully aware of theirck of prior interaction, her expression looked rather stiff.

    She opened the door, nodded, and said, ¡°Come in and sit down!¡±

    She was in a good mood today; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have bothered with this matter.

    The two of them entered one after the other and closed the door.

    The woman sat on the sofa with Bai Xiao, who went to pour her a ss of hot water.

    ¡°My name is Bai Xiao, and I am an acupuncturist in Traditional Chinese Medicine.¡± It was probably time to introduce themselves.

    The woman, ustomed to wearing an expressionless face, said, ¡°My name is Chui Li, I am a surgeon.¡± After she said this, there was a cold silence. Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t a person who was good at warming up to others. Unable to lighten the mood, she was usually passive in social interactions. It was Xiaoli who was lively and good at starting conversations and enlivening the atmosphere.

    However, it wasn¡¯t long before loud kicking sounds and curses could be heard from outside.

    ¡°Chui Li, open the door! Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know you¡¯re inside just because you won¡¯t open the door. I¡¯m telling you, I know you¡¯re off work today and you¡¯re inside. Come out and open the door. We agreed that you owe me money, and hiding is useless. If you keep hiding, I¡¯lle to your department tomorrow and make a scene, and we¡¯ll see who loses face!¡± the man outside yelled.

    Bai Xiao nced at Chui Li.

    Chui Li appeared uneasy. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my ex-husband and I are divorced. Originally, our daughter lived with him, and I agreed to give him twenty dors a month for living expenses. Last month, he took this month¡¯s living expenses as well, using our daughter¡¯s illness as an excuse. He¡¯s done this several times, always using Xiaofen¡¯s situation as an excuse to take more money. Then he acts as if he forgot about it and continues to demand living expenses. If I don¡¯t give, he causes trouble. Xiaofen doesn¡¯t feel close to me either, influenced a lot by her grandmother and his father¡¯s instigations. They make me out to be an enemy. I don¡¯t want to give in this time; I¡¯m tired.¡± She suddenly became visibly upset¡ªover the years, she had pretended to be strong, but a woman without her family, constantly giving money to her ex-husband for their daughter, confronted by Zhao Xi as if she were their family¡¯s servant meant to take care of their issues, and her daughter treating her coldly during every visit¡ªher heart had cooled, unable to warm even herself anymore.

    Bai Xiao now understood Chui Li¡¯s situation a bit better. Her ex-husband was a scumbag, leeching off her like a vampire under the pretense of child support, feeling utterly entitled to it, and their daughter was heartless, spurred by her step-mother, grandmother, and father, treating her own mother as if she were an enemy, confidently spending her mother¡¯s money as if it weren¡¯t enough. Especially that man¡ªtruly shameless.

    But she had no right to meddle in other people¡¯s family affairs¡ªit really wasn¡¯t her ce.

 Chapter 180 - 180 180 Scruples (Seven Updates)

    ?Chapter 180: Chapter 180: Scruples (Seven Updates)   Chapter 180: Chapter 180: Scruples (Seven Updates)                                   ¡°Chui Li,e out, or I¡¯ll smash the door. If you think it looks good on you, just stay inside and see who ends up being embarrassed,¡± the man bellowed, likely not his first time causing a scene. From the window, Bai Xiao saw a neighbor peek out and then quickly withdraw.

    It seemed everyone knew what was going on.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a solution, is it? He might just keep this up indefinitely!¡± Bai Xiao said, looking at Chui Li. This woman didn¡¯t seem weak, yet her ex-husband still had such a hold on her! It was all because she was worried her daughter wouldn¡¯t be well off in someone else¡¯s care.

    This made her think of her older sister, Bai Yue. If it hadn¡¯t been for their escape, Bai Yue might not be any better off, hindered by Li Dashan and the olddy from the Li family who hadn¡¯t had time to react or anyone to scheme with them. If someone had meddled back then, her sister might still be toiling for the Li family.

    Li Dashan should be having trouble now, right?

    She had left them a parting ¡°gift,¡± after all.

    The Li family wanted afortable life without considering whether she would agree. They took her sister¡¯s hard-earned money, no problem, she thought of it as money spent on medicine.

    ¡°This is only a temporary solution, not a permanent fix. You should resolve this once and for all, drive that man away. Either get your child back to live with you, or harsh as it may sound, just resign yourself to not having a child. After all, the kid is with their biological father, not a stepfather, so it won¡¯t be unbearable. Right now, they¡¯re walking all over you, expecting you to provide for them. Are you okay with that?¡± Bai Xiao didn¡¯t know what else to say; after all, everyone has to make their own decisions in life regarding what to ept and what to let go of.

    Twenty yuan was indeed quite a lot. Although the sry levels in 1985 were decent, raising a child didn¡¯t require twenty yuan. Even though Chui Li was a hospital director, her monthly sry was only around seventy or eighty yuan because those times didn¡¯t pay hospital staff as much aster years did.

    An average person earned about fifty to sixty a month. Even if Chui Li was shortsighted, the ex-husband, likely a worker, wouldn¡¯t need twenty a month to support a child, right?

    Schooling waspulsory education! Aside from a little spent on books each year, there were hardly any other expenses. There were no after-school sses, and how much could a child eat? Besides, living expenses should be shared by both parents, not just by Chui Li alone.

    Chui Li sighed, ¡°I¡¯m just afraid that if I deal with Fan Jiancheng, he might go back and mistreat Xiaofen. That would be too unjust for the child.¡±

    ¡°Your daughter doesn¡¯t know all the sacrifices you¡¯re making,¡± Bai Xiao advised. ¡°She¡¯s under your care and protection, yet she ispletely unaware because in her eyes, all these are expected! Yet, they don¡¯t amount to the affection she feels from her father and grandmother. You should let her see and understand the struggles of life to appreciate what you¡¯ve done for her.¡±

    Chui Li hesitated; she was still afraid of her daughter suffering.

    Bai Xiao shook her head and picked up the phone. Chui Li couldn¡¯t keep hiding in her house forever.

    ¡°Security department, I¡¯m at the Specialist Building, second floor, apartment 303. There¡¯s a serious disturbance across my apartment that¡¯s disrupting my rest. You¡¯d bettere over and take care of it.¡±

    Chui Li startled, fearing Fan Jiancheng would make an even bigger scene once Security showed up. He thrived on public attention.

    ¡°Don¡¯t, Bai Xiao, this might not be a good idea. The whole hospital will know about this, which is too embarrassing!¡± Chui Li struggled to take action.

    Bai Xiao sighed, another woman burdened by her reputation, ¡°They¡¯re not ashamed; why should you be? Have you done anything disgracefully? He¡¯s extorting you for money, why should you pay? If you were confident, you should tell Fan Jiancheng he can do whatever he wants; you¡¯re not providing that support anymore. Let him take you to court and see if the court orders you to give twenty yuan.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t sure what else Chui Li was dealing with, but at least she shouldn¡¯t forfeit her own position from the start.

    Chui Li gritted her teeth, ¡°I¡¯ll go out and deal with it then. I know I¡¯ve disturbed you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not doing this for me, you¡¯re doing it for yourself. I don¡¯t need to be afraid of disturbing anyone, I can handle him with just one phone call. This isn¡¯t a problem. By acting this way, you¡¯re only emboldening him. Taking a step back might not lead to a vast ocean and sky, but to an abyss, and in the future, your daughter won¡¯t be close to you either. You¡¯ll end up with nothing, having supported his entire family, and die lonely. Think carefully about whether you want to continue like this!¡± Bai Xiao felt that Chui Li was somewhat delusional; she certainly didn¡¯t need her doing this for her own sake.

    Chui Li nodded, ¡°I understand. I¡¯ve already done enough over these years. They live in my house, and every month they even ask me for money. It¡¯s my fault for fostering their greed. I thought I was doing it for Xiaofen¡¯s good! I didn¡¯t want her to suffer, but even the child has been led astray now. I wasn¡¯t thinking clearly!¡±

    Bai Xiao was utterly speechless. To think that such a thing was happening here¡ªan ex-husband actually living in his ex-wife¡¯s house and having the audacity to demand living expenses¡ªit was beyond belief that Chui Li was so muddled.

    With this kind of situation, who else would he bully if not her?

    Bai Xiao looked at her, realizing she still hadn¡¯t figured it all out, but continuing like this was not the solution. She had to step in; she couldn¡¯t just sit there all night with Dr. Chui Li. She had her own matters to attend to.

    Suddenly, she opened the door.

    The moment Fan Jiancheng heard someone next door opening a door, he kicked even more aggressively.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already called security. If you don¡¯t leave now, you¡¯ll just have to stay with them shortly,¡± Bai Xiao said bluntly.

    Fan Jiancheng, who had been kicking vigorously, suddenly stopped in his tracks.

    ¡°What! What did you say?¡±

    Most people don¡¯t want to deal with this kind of trouble. How did such a young girl dare call security?

    Indeed, if someone calls security, it¡¯s entirely justified, but usually, people think it¡¯s a domestic matter and don¡¯t want to interfere.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been working all day and need my rest. You are here making a hugemotion and seriously disturbing my rest, so I called security. Oh, look, herees the security staff now. Hello, officers. This is the man who has been furiously kicking the door and causing a disturbance here. Please take him away,¡± Bai Xiao saw the security staff had already arrived upstairs.

    After all, this is the specialist building. Everyone living here is a respected member of the hospital, and security definitely takes it seriously, arriving immediately.

    Fan Jiancheng was startled; security really hade.

    ¡°Officers, I am Chui Li¡¯s husband! I came to find Chui Li!¡± At this moment, Chui Li was the best shield for him.

    The security staff gave him a look, ¡°Even if you are Director Chui¡¯s husband, you still need to be mindful of others and not disturb their rest.¡± They were unaware of the situation and could only educate him.

    Bai Xiao red, this man was truly shameless.

    ¡°That¡¯s not right, Director Chui¡¯s husband has already divorced her.¡±

    Bai Xiao decisively cut in.

 Chapter 181 - 181 181 Bad Idea

    ?Chapter 181: Chapter 181 Bad Idea   Chapter 181: Chapter 181 Bad Idea                                   Fan Jiancheng red furiously, ¡°What business is this of yours?¡±

    As soon as the security department heard, their attitude changed immediately. Having divorced, she was no longer a family member of someone at their hospital; this was no longer an internal issue.

    ¡°Who exactly are you? What do you do? With the sky darkened, why are you here making a racket? Leave now, or else we¡¯ll detain you as an unauthorized individual. This is the Armed Police Hospital under local protection. If you cause trouble, that would be considered disturbing the peace of the hospital, and I have the right to detain you,¡± warned the security staff.

    Fan Jiancheng was terrified. He might have the guts to bully Chui Li because she cared about appearances and feared he would treat the child poorly, but the security department had no such concerns about face. If they decided to actually detain him, it would indeed be a matter of minutes.

    ¡°Comrade, I¡¯m just here for living expenses. You don¡¯t know¡ªthe year Chui Li and I divorced, she was not proper with other men and insisted on divorcing me. The child was still young, so of course I had to take him,¡± Fan Jiancheng said, knowing that ying the victim would earn him sympathy.

    The department staff¡¯s expression softened towards him, for most people still sided with the underdog, especially those uninterested in sympathizing with men or women suspected of improper conduct.

    Bai Xiao loftily threw out a remark, ¡°Oh, is that so? That¡¯s really strange then. Doctor Chui Li hasn¡¯t remarried after all these years. Howe I heard that you found a stepmother for the child just half a year after the divorce? Doctor Chui Li is known for her professionalism. I wouldn¡¯t have expected this from her in private. It turns out she¡¯s quite the opposite of what I thought. In the hospital, everyone knows she barely acknowledges even female doctors, let alone male ones.¡±

    The security was taken aback and upon reflection, they realized that was right. Chui Li was known for her stern face at their hospital¡ªit wasn¡¯t that she was formidable, but she never smiled at anyone.

    If anyone was used of impropriety, they could believe it¡ªbut Chui Li? Who would buy that?

    This was a lot to process.

    It seemed the ex-husband might not have been telling the whole truth. Having found a new partner so soon after the divorce, who would believe he was abandoned by Dr. Chui Li?

    Fan Jiancheng¡¯s nose was nearly bent out of shape with anger. What was this girl meddling in?

    ¡°Who are you? What trouble are you causing?¡± he snapped.

    Bai Xiao defended herself vigorously, ¡°I¡¯m a neighbor. So what? Can¡¯t neighbors speak up? Don¡¯t I have the right to speak? Who¡¯s causing trouble? Isn¡¯t this the truth? Comrade from security, you¡¯d better hurry up and get rid of him. I need to sleep; I have to work tomorrow!¡±

    Upon looking at Bai Xiao, who lived in the experts¡¯ building¡ªnot an expert, then likely a leader¡¯s family member¡ªthe security turned to Fan Jiancheng, ¡°All right, enough talking. Get out quickly. Do you want us to escort you out, or will you leave by yourself?¡±

    Their tone was already quite rude.

    Fan Jiancheng could only slink away down the stairs.

    Of course, he didn¡¯t want to spend a night in the security office.

    He resentfully nced at the lit window of Chui Li¡¯s apartment upstairs, convinced she was tucked away there,ughing at his misfortune.

    Alright, wait and see!

    Chui Li came out to thank Bai Xiao before returning to her room.

    Bai Xiao closed the door, thinking how tough it is to be a woman.

    Meanwhile, Fan Jiancheng despondently cycled home.

    As soon as he entered his ce, his significant other, Wu Ximei, was washing clothes. Seeing him return, she hastily wiped her hands on her apron and, whileining, brought him the food still warm on the coal stove.

    ¡°How did it go? What happened that you were out all day?¡±

    Usually, Fan Jiancheng had no trouble collecting debts, and he had never before spent an entire day on such matters. Wu Ximei felt a pang of jealousy, mainly fearing that there might still be some unresolved issues between Fan Jiancheng and his ex-wife Chui Li.

    She worried that if things didn¡¯t go well, they could remarry.

    Wu Ximei was certainly not willing to have her hard-won official status threatened.

    Fan Jiancheng began to wolf down his meal, cursing and swearing as he ate.

    ¡°That bitch just hid in her house today and wouldn¡¯te out. I see it clearly now, she¡¯s deliberately not nning to give me the money. Today was just bad luck, if I had kept making a scene, Chui Li would have had toe out eventually¡ªpeople talk, all those neighbors, all those eyes watching, ears listening, she cares so much about face, she would have had to give me the money in the end.

    But then I ran into someone tough, who called the security department straight away. Said I was disturbing her rest, and I couldn¡¯t stay there. I couldn¡¯t let the security department lock me up for the night.¡± The mere thought of Bai Xiao filled Fan Jiancheng with rage.

    When Wu Ximei heard that it wasn¡¯t because of Chui Li that he was dyed, she figured it wasn¡¯t a problem.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, don¡¯t bother with this anymore. Have the olddy take Xiaofen instead. Xiaofen is her rightful daughter asking for living expenses; it¡¯s only natural. After all, it doesn¡¯t look good for an ex-husband to be asking a woman for money,¡± Wu Ximei harbored a mean n.

    Upon hearing this, Fan Jiancheng nodded immediately, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go talk to mom about itter.¡±

    After gulping down his meal, Fan Jiancheng headed straight for the olddy¡¯s courtyard.

    The olddy lived in the row houses behind his.

    He, his wife, their four-year-old son, and Xiaofen, who was twelve, lived upstairs.

    As he entered, the olddy was about to tidy up and lock up for the night.

    Seeing her son walk in, she was filled with joy. She and her younger son were living there, and the younger son was about to celebrate a happy asion¡ªthe two side rooms had already been cleaned out.

    ¡°What brings you here in the middle of the night?¡±

    Fan Jiancheng exined to the olddy how he hadn¡¯t managed to get the living expenses today.

    The olddy¡¯s eyes narrowed sharply, ¡°Chui Li thinks she can turn things around on us? Don¡¯t you worry about this anymore. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll have Xiaofen take the morning off, and I¡¯ll take her to the hospital to find her mother. I want to see if she dares to refuse to give her daughter living expenses in front of her.¡±

    Fan Jiancheng knew full well that the olddy was still sprightly and had been a notorious shrew in the factory back in the day. She had thrown fits and rolled on the ground in front of the factory director¡¯s door to secure his dad¡¯s job¡ªa person even the factory directors couldn¡¯t deal with. If the olddy got involved, even if Chui Li didn¡¯t end up physical harmed, she would at least be stripped of ayer of skin.

    The olddy rebuked him, ¡°Your brother¡¯s about to get married, you and your wife can¡¯t just watch from the sidelines. Your mom did everything she could to get you a job back in the day; you taking over your dad¡¯s position while your brother doesn¡¯t even have a job, he¡¯s just doing temporary work for others outside. You can¡¯t be ungrateful.¡± She knew her son all too well, even stingier than the olddy herself. To get money out of his hands was harder than reaching the heavens.

    Fan Jiancheng was unconcerned. What did his brother¡¯s marriage have to do with him? Why should he have to give money?

    However, he was counting on the olddy for tomorrow, so of course, he spoke sweetly.

    ¡°Mom, that¡¯s my own brother, how could I not care? Just rx, I¡¯ll definitely give my brother a big red envelope when the timees. Haven¡¯t I always known how much you¡¯ve suffered for my brother¡¯s sake? I¡¯m in a rush to ask Chui Li for money now, isn¡¯t it all for the sake of my brother?¡±

    The olddy nodded in satisfaction, confident that as long as the brothers were united, life would always get better.

 Chapter 182 - 182 182 Lost

    ?Chapter 182: Chapter 182 Lost   Chapter 182: Chapter 182 Lost                                   Zhang Duo wiped off his sweat with a towel, so frustrated that his nose seemed crooked.

    Therades beside him dared not make a sound, their team leader had actually lost to Zhang He today¡ªthat Zhang He who had been out of the top ten for over a year. The team leader¡¯s face was unsightly, and now nobody dared tofort him for fear of drawing his ire onto themselves, probably having to run another ten kilometers to be done for the day.

    ¡°What are you all standing around for? Get back! Ten kilometers with load, starting now,¡± Zhang Duo ordered, causing everyone¡¯s legs to cramp.

    They had already carried loads for ten kilometers in the morning and afternoon, and now to do the same in the evening was just too much.

    Yet, looking at their team leader¡¯s scowling face, everyone miserably epted their fate, with no one to appeal to.

    Zhang He came over and pped Zhang Duo on the shoulder, ¡°Isn¡¯t it enough? Just spare your men. They say you lose the battle, not the war. Look at you, taking your anger out on your own people. If you¡¯re really that upset, how about you and I do the ten kilometers with load?¡±

    He had finally had a chance to hold his head high today. Since his leg developed issues, he had been ranked outside the top ten for over a year. Having been the butt of Zhang Duo¡¯s jokes for more than a year, today he had finally managed to win a significant victory.

    Zhang Duo red, knowing what Zhang He said was right. He turned to his men and shouted, ¡°Alright, forget the ten kilometers, everyone go back and rest.¡±

    At thismand, everyone felt like they had been pardoned, and they hurriedly left, fearing Zhang Duo might change his mind.

    ¡°Not bad, kid! Your leg¡¯s fixed, and you downyed it only to surprise me,¡± said Zhang Duo as he punched Zhang He on the shoulder, and Zhang He yelped.

    ¡°My leg really has recovered. I met a Divine Doctor, whose medical skills are amazing. You wouldn¡¯t believe it; just two needles made my leg feel like it was soaking in warm water, instantly relieving the pain and difort. I know you¡¯ve been having trouble with your back, so one day I¡¯ll introduce you to the doctor. Two needles and you¡¯ll be as good as new,¡± boasted Zhang He, taking delight in talking about his leg¡¯s recovery.

    He had finally vindicated his half-year of frustration.

    ¡°Do I need introduction? I too know a doctor, a young one, incredibly skilled. I twisted my back the day before yesterday and got even more injured yesterday. My back hurt so much I thought it was breaking in two. You know I can endure a lot, yet it made me sweat bullets. But after just two needles from that doctor, the pain vanished instantly.

    I was so certain of winning today, then suddenly you show up. What a miscalction. Initially, I even nned to refer you to this young doctor, but now that you have your Divine Doctor, I guess you don¡¯t need it,¡± said Zhang Duo, sporting a sense of grievance. He couldn¡¯t help feeling thatpared to Zhang He, he was stillcking. Over the past few years, he had surpassed Zhang He due to thetter¡¯s leg injury, but he knew Zhang He never stopped training, harboring a determination within.

    Now that his leg had recovered, he immediately showed Zhang Duo his newfound strength.

    Zhang He was surprised, ¡°Where did you get treated, and it involved needle therapy too? Strange. Did our hospital suddenly get two Divine Doctors?¡±

    ¡°The Traditional Chinese Medicine department at the hospital, a young girl, barely eighteen or neen, mostly referred to as ¡®little doctor,''¡± Zhang Duo exined; that little doctor was called up by a youngrade in his team.

    Zhang He couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Deal! We¡¯re probably talking about the same person. The doctor who treated me has just been transferred to our hospital¡¯s Traditional Chinese Medicine department, eighteen years old, named Bai Xiao. It was the Chief himself who ordered the transfer, saying the kid is quite talented.¡±

    ¡°Not only did they treat my leg that day but also took care of Dean Zhang¡¯s chronic rheumatism with a couple of needles, making it much easier for him to walk immediately. I guess this is a blessing in disguise for me; otherwise, you kid would have won this time.¡±

    ¡°Ah, running into the same doctor, what a fate!¡± Zhang Duo eximed, feeling that it was truly a Gordian knot of Zhou Yu meeting Zhuge Liang.

    ¡°Stop it, you must be thinking that we¡¯re cursed. Don¡¯t be petty; this year might be thest I can show off in front of you. The Chief has already said that I¡¯ll be transferred elsewhere next year. Even if I wanted topete with you, there won¡¯t be a chance,¡± Zhang He said.

    Zhang Duo was overjoyed, ¡°When are you leaving?¡±

    ¡°Can you keep that smug smile off your face? It¡¯s infuriating. You seem like you can¡¯t wait to send me off with drums and gongs,¡± Zhang He was really angry, as they were supposed to be friends, yet Zhang Duo couldn¡¯t hide his delight, seemingly eager to get rid of him.

    ¡°And you¡¯re ming me? In this lifetime, I¡¯ve always been under your thumb. Tell me, when could I ever get ahead with you around? Finally, you¡¯re leaving, and how can I not celebrate with drums and gongs? Now with Zhuge Liang gone, this Zhou Yu can finally breathe easy!¡± Zhang Duo boasted proudly.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s drink. I know you¡¯ve got two bottles of good liquor hidden in your office, brought by the Chief himselfst time he visited. I¡¯m with the Chief every day and didn¡¯t get any good liquor. The Chief, favoring you ¡ª isn¡¯t it just because you¡¯re more skilled than me? Isn¡¯t it just because you¡¯ve built a solid team? Look at you, all proud. At least I can have the upper hand in this bigpetition, but you¡¯re still better than me,¡± Zhang He couldn¡¯t deny.

    Zhang Duoughed like a fox, ¡°Finally admitted it, huh! We might not share the same physique, have you never heard the saying? ¡®Muscles are dense, brain is simple.¡¯ That¡¯s you! These days, we certainly emphasize tactics. Modern requirements are not just about physical strength but more about strategic tactics and a deep understanding of various fields.¡±

    ¡°Right, I didn¡¯t tell you yet, have you seen the transfer order I approved for you?¡± Zhang He and Zhang Duo were sitting in Zhang Duo¡¯s dormitory, with a dish of peanuts, two tea jars, and a bottle of Apricot Blossom Vige.

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve seen it, Bai Song! It¡¯s already been sent out ording to the transfer order, and he should be reporting here in a couple of days. It¡¯s strange, why would they transfer someone from another ce? Are you guys short on people over there?¡± Zhang Duo wondered.

    Reserve personnel are usually directly chosen by the leadership from their immediate locations; transferring someone from elsewhere was unheard of.

    ¡°This Bai Song is the older brother of that young doctor who treated us. The guyes from a notable background and has some solid skills. He might even overshadow me as the top dog around here,¡± Zhang He introduced Bai Song.

    ¡°My, the sister is a Divine Doctor, and the brother must be formidable. This family is impressive,¡± Zhang Duo expressed his amazement.

    The two chatted about family matters, drinking into the wee hours of the night.

    Bai Xiao was unaware that her elder brother was about to arrive in her city.

 Chapter 183 - 183 183 Chance Encounter

    ?Chapter 183: Chapter 183: Chance Encounter   Chapter 183: Chapter 183: Chance Encounter                                   He Weng boarded the train to the provincial city, Bai Ju had already received the letter from Bai Xiao, and no one had expected that Bai Xiao would actually be a doctor at the hospital. They didn¡¯t understand the details, but as long as everything went well for Bai Xiao, being a doctor wasn¡¯t bad at all.

    Apanying the letter was a 20-yuan remittance slip, which Bai Xiao had specifically mentioned in the letter was for the schooling of her three nephews. Bai Ju couldn¡¯t refuse it even if she wanted to.

    But she also understood what her sister meant. Her sister was no longer attending university, but had started earning a sry, and wanted to help their family. Her sister had always been concerned about the years they had supported her education¡ªshe was always one to dwell on things.

    With Bai Xiao¡¯s address in his possession, He Weng had already arranged with his brother and sister-inw to go to the provincial city and look for work.

    Bai Ju, seeing she couldn¡¯t dissuade him, prepared his luggage well, gave him money, and together with her husband, they saw He Weng off to the train station.

    Sitting on the train now, He Weng was somewhat excited. This was his first time leaving home in all these years. Arriving in the provincial city, although he didn¡¯t know whaty ahead, what was there to fear for a grown man like him?

    The train was crowded, with people filling the aisles, and it looked as though going to the toilet would be an impossible endeavor.

    The middle-aged man sitting next to He Weng had been observing him for half the day and, realizing he was alone, struck up a conversation.

    ¡°Brother, are you traveling alone, off to the provincial city to find work?¡± The man was very amiable, and He Weng nodded.

    A bit embarrassed, it seemed his inexperience with traveling was something people could easily spot.

    ¡°Come on! I¡¯m a bit older than you, so you can just call me Brother Han,¡± the middle-aged man offered warmly.

    He Weng couldn¡¯t just ignore him, ¡°Brother Han, my name is He Weng! Please call me Xiaohe.¡± It was not bad to meet someone to talk to on the road, certainly better than just sitting in his seat silently.

    Brother Han, seeing that he was easy-going, actually took out from his bag pig¡¯s trotters and roast chicken, then asked the train attendant for two bottles of beer and a pack of peanuts, and handed one bottle of beer directly to He Weng.

    ¡°Come on, brother, don¡¯t be shy. You seem like a straightforward person, and we need to look out for each other when we¡¯re away from home. I think we get along, so let¡¯s have a drink together.¡±

    He Weng felt uneasy as the man was being too generous, and he was quite overwhelmed by the hospitality.

    He only had steamed buns in his pocket, nothing else.

    It seemed a bit unfair to eat and drink at someone else¡¯s expense.

    But Brother Han was really enthusiastic, pulling him into a conversation that hadn¡¯t ceased the entire trip.

    ¡°Brother, what are you going to do in the provincial city?¡±

    He Weng couldn¡¯t hold his liquor well, he hadn¡¯t had any experience with alcohol over these yearsid up in bed at home. After half a bottle of beer, he was slightly tipsy and began to talk more.

    ¡°Brother Han, I¡¯m nning to go to the provincial city to work and earn money! It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t have any direction yet. I¡¯m nning to look for our fellow vigers there. I heard many of them work on construction sites and earn good money, so I want to go and see.¡±

    There was nothing secretive about this matter.

    Brother Han¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°Brother, you¡¯ve really found the right person then, I¡¯ve got a good job opportunity for you!¡±

    He Weng was also pleased, as he had been worrying about this.

    ¡°What job is it, Brother Han?¡± He didn¡¯t expect Brother Han to be such a nice person.

    ¡°This job, well, it¡¯s also on the construction site. Your brother, I am a sort of foreman there, a small-time contractor, actually. About twenty or thirty folks from our vige are working there, and we¡¯re short a cook. Why don¡¯t you give it a try? Cook two meals a day. Sure, it looks like a lot of people, but brother will cover your food and amodation, and you¡¯ll get a decent wage, too¡ªhow about 100 a month?¡± Han Ge said as he popped a peanut into his mouth.

    He Weng couldn¡¯t help being tempted, mainly by the mention of 100 yuan a month. That was no small amount.

    But he was a bit worried about cooking; the food he made was almost as bad as pig slop, which would hardly do.

    He shook his head.

    ¡°Forget it, Han Ge. My cooking skills really aren¡¯t up to scratch. The meals I make wouldn¡¯t be much better than pig slop. If you paid me 100 yuan to cook, that would be a huge loss for you.¡±

    Han Ge actually found this amusing. ¡°Hey, brother, you¡¯re too honest. Most people, hearing about a job that pays this well, wouldn¡¯t care if their cooking was good or bad¡ªthey¡¯d brag about how delicious their food is to secure the job first, then worry about the restter.

    Who else wouldy out their weaknesses upfront like you? Going about things this way, you¡¯ll end up at a disadvantage.¡±

    He Weng smiled shyly. ¡°Han Ge, I can¡¯t just lie about it. If I¡¯m working for someone, at the very least, I want to earn my keep.¡±

    ¡°There you go, brother. You¡¯re a good man. Lucky for you, you¡¯ve met me. Here¡¯s the deal, juste with me. Whether the cooking is good or bad, that¡¯s for me to decide. With your attitude, you¡¯ll surely do fine. Nobody knows everything from the start.¡± Han Ge gave He Weng a p on the shoulder as his speech began to slur from a bit too much drink.

    ¡°Really?¡± He Weng hadn¡¯t expected that his candidness would lead to Han Ge still wanting to hire him.

    Han Ge nodded, ¡°Stick with me, and rest assured, you won¡¯t be short-changed. With me as your brother, you are bound to strike it rich.¡±

    With that, Han Ge¡¯s head slumped onto the table, and he fell asleep.

    He Weng felt a burst of excitement, having met a good person.

    A young man sitting beside him couldn¡¯t help but lean over. ¡°Brother, since this big brother is hiring, could you ask if I can go too? I¡¯m out looking for work as well. I still don¡¯t have a ce to settle down. Since it¡¯s construction work, I can do it. Whether it¡¯s a tiler or a sterer, I¡¯m up for it. Isn¡¯t it all the same work wherever you go?¡±

    He Weng nced at Han Ge. ¡°How about this¡ªwhen Han Ge wakes up, I¡¯ll ask for you.¡± It¡¯s tough being out on your own, and if he could lend a hand, of course, he would.

    The young man immediately thanked him profusely, ¡°My name is Li Xiaozhu. Brother, from your ent, you sound like you¡¯re from Liupan Vige. My home is right next door in Wang Family Gully. We could be considered fellow vigers. We should look out for each other when we¡¯re away from home.¡±

    The two chatted away for a good while.

    By the time Han Ge woke up, they were almost at their destination.

    He Weng introduced Li Xiaozhu to Han Ge, who initially looked on with disapproval for a long time but after Li Xiaozhu beseeched him earnestly, he eventually agreed.

    As soon as they arrived in the provincial city.

    Han Ge led He Weng and Li Xiaozhu out of the station, and they soon spotted a minibus.

    It was crammed with about a dozen people. They realized then that these were also folks off to work, which gave them a bit more confidence in the size of Han Ge¡¯s operation.

    Han Ge climbed into the front seat, greeted the driver, and after shutting the doors, they headed straight out of the city.

    He Weng and Li Xiaozhu wedged themselves amongst the passengers, peering out the window. The further they went, the worse the road got, and soon they were heading into the mountains, into territory they didn¡¯t recognize at all.

    Because of the long journey, people squeezed together, leaning on each other, and fell asleep.

 Chapter 184 - 184 184 Strange Work

    ?Chapter 184: Chapter 184 Strange Work   Chapter 184: Chapter 184 Strange Work                                   He Weng was sleeping groggily when he felt the car stop and hurriedly opened his eyes.

    He then heard the car door open, followed by the sound of many dogs barking around the vehicle.

    Startled, he wondered why there were so many dogs here?

    It seemed that they were there to guard the construction site.

    People were already shouting.

    ¡°Everybody out, everybody out, we¡¯ve arrived, hurry up and get off!¡±

    The people on the bus, who had been sleeping in a daze, rubbed their eyes and disembarked.

    He Weng followed Li Xiaozhu off the bus and felt a chill from the cold wind, giving him a start.

    It was only then that he could see clearly; they were at the foot of some mountain, surrounded by about a dozen men holding sticks, with another dozenrge wolfhounds encircling them, jumping as high as a person. If not for the leashes holding them back, they would have pounced on them.

    Even those who were still dazed by this point were now frightfully awake.

    He Weng looked around; where was the construction site?

    His heart grew increasingly uneasy. He had heard about human trafficking; people abducting women to sell to rural areas for brides, or kidnapping children to sell as sons, but he had never seen burly young men like them being trafficked. What use would they have?

    Not only was He Weng puzzled, the twenty or so men surrounded were also clueless.

    Wasn¡¯t it said they were going to work at a construction site? Why were they dragged to the foot of a mountain?

    A bald man with tattooed arms held a thick stick which he repeatedly tapped in his palm, causing the hearts of the people to fluctuate as erratically as his tapping.

    Finally, someone brave enough asked.

    ¡°Weren¡¯t we supposed to work? What exactly is this for?¡±

    The dozen menacing men around burst into loudughter, and the barking of the dogs intensified.

    Baldy scratched his head and raised his hand, silencing everyone.

    ¡°Yes, this is indeed for you to work. Don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s plenty of work here for you. Food and amodation included, two hundred dors a month, hey, not a bad deal, right?¡±

    Everyone looked at each other in dismay; what in the world was going on!

    No one knew what these people really wanted. Were they actually going to work?

    ¡°Rest assured, we¡¯re not bad people. This here is Gedaigou Coal Mine, not some construction site. Besides, the construction work you¡¯d do involves heavy lifting too, carrying bricks and mortar, which isn¡¯t lighter than mining. Working at a construction site, you¡¯d earn five dors a day with food and amodation, and here it¡¯s two hundred dors a month. We even pay fifty dors more than the construction sites,¡± said Han Ge, stepping forward to speak.

    He Weng suddenly felt like he¡¯d been duped.

    ¡°Alright, you¡¯ve all been tired all day. Let¡¯s take you to the dormitory, rest up everyone. After all, wherever you work it¡¯s all the same, right?¡± Han Ge¡¯s calm and amiable face was deceitfully convincing, and upon hearing him, everyone began to settle down.

    Indeed, wherever they worked, it was all the same, as long as food, amodation, and sry were provided, they weren¡¯t too fussy.

    So, each person grabbed their luggage and followed the burly men into a shed enclosed by arge iron gate. Calling it a shed was a stretch; it was actually a stone-walled building with only a wooden door and no windows. Inside was pitch ck, and it was only upon entering that they saw the high roof, with straw on the floor and a dozen mats scattered against the walls, on which bearded meny idly watching them.

    The dozen men reluctantly found spots,id out their luggage, andy down on the spot.

    The door nged shut, and they could hear the sound of a chain outside, locking them in.

    Lying on his own bedding, He Weng didn¡¯t move at all. Even though he was inexperienced, he felt somewhere deep inside that something was not right.

    Making them work was not a big deal¡ªenduring hardship and exhaustion were expected when earning money wasn¡¯t easy.

    But once they were inside, the doors were locked; it felt like being in prison without any freedom.

    Moreover, with the men holding clubs and those dozen or so big dogs around, was such an imposing setup necessary just for mining?

    Yet He Weng couldn¡¯t pinpoint exactly what was wrong.

    Li Xiaozhu, who was sleeping beside him, moved closer, ¡°Xiaohe, what exactly is going on?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, we¡¯ll see when it gets light tomorrow, and find out what¡¯s really happening and whether they want us to work.¡±

    A sigh came from somewhere near the wall in the distance.

    In a drowsy haze, a sudden sound was heard: someone was knocking on the door with a club.

    ¡°Everyone get up, it¡¯s time to work.¡±

    The door was opened, a gust of cold air blew in; although everyone shivered, the stale air in the room cleared up considerably.

    He Weng followed everyone out only to see a line where each person was handed a safety helmet and a miningmp that looked quite worn out. ¡°Line up, line up, everyone head to the front to go down the mine.¡±

    Receiving his gear, he felt somewhat relieved; it seemed like they weren¡¯t up to anything bad, just mining as expected.

    ¡­

    ¡­

    When it was his turn, the man nced at him, and upon looking up, He Weng recognized it was Brother Han.

    ¡°Oh, Xiaohe, don¡¯t worry about mining, Brother said you¡¯re cooking. If Brother says you¡¯re cooking, that¡¯s what you¡¯ll do. Brother Han has to keep his word, right?¡± He Weng turned to the man beside him and said a few words.

    The man immediately told He Weng, ¡°Well, if you caught Brother Han¡¯s eye,e with me to the kitchen. Your task is not light; you have to cook for forty or fifty people, and old Lake-head is short of help.¡±

    He Weng could only whisper a thanks to Brother Han.

    It was just a superficial thanks; he didn¡¯t understand why he even said it, but he followed the man anyway.

    Someone beside them asked Brother Han, ¡°Brother Han, why are you so good to this guy? Is he your rtive?¡±

    Brother Han spat, ¡°Your rtive! This young man is honest, and he makes me think of my son who¡¯s about his age. I couldn¡¯t bear it. Plus, look at his frail body¡ªgoing down into the mine, he¡¯d probablyst only ten days or so. I lured him here; it¡¯s like gathering virtue for my son.¡±

    ¡°Brother Han, you are too kind. This kid has struck gold by meeting someone with your kind heart.¡±

    Brother Han gave a bitter smile. Nobody is born to be a bad person; it¡¯s just that fate pushes people into these roles.

    Coming across me might count as this kid¡¯s luck.

    But whether it¡¯s good luck or bad luck is hard to say.

    The fact that I lured him here means talking about a good heart now is pointless. If it were truly out of a good heart, I shouldn¡¯t have taken him here on the train.

    Ultimately, in this world, it¡¯s hard to say who is good and who is evil.

    For this kid, I¡¯ve done all I could; his survival now depends on his luck.

    Brother Han lit a cigarette, watching as the shadows of those men disappeared into the entrance of the mine shaft, like a pitch-ck gaping mouth swallowing them whole.

 Chapter 185 - 185 185 Dead (Five Updates)

    ?Chapter 185: Chapter 185: Dead? (Five Updates)   Chapter 185: Chapter 185: Dead? (Five Updates)                                   Bai Xiao looked around the empty consulting room, not a single surge in poprity despite thest time¡¯s grand opening sess.

    She was not in a hurry.

    However, Xiaoli mentioned that the department had been quite unsettled recently, apparently because there was one spot avable for this year¡¯s training program. The trainees would go to therge hospitals in the provincial capital for their study, which not only offered better treatment, but also an opportunity to learn a great deal. It was considered a gilding of their qualifications, which upon returning, would benefit sry raises or adjustments in seniority¡ªdefinitely something to show for.

    Lately, the four doctors had been engaged in an open and secret battle, but it had nothing to do with Bai Xiao!

    That was true, even if Bai Xiao had powerful backing, it wouldn¡¯t help. She had only been in the department for just over a month, maybe two, and if the training spot were given to her, it would likely incite public outrage¡ªit definitely couldn¡¯t be hers, which is why her ce remained the most peaceful.

    She nced at the newspaper, right, it was almost time for lunch again.

    She really felt like she was rearing a pig, doing nothing but eating and reading the newspaper.

    What a life of leisure.

    Then she heard a rising quarreling from Zhao Zhiguo¡¯s consulting room, growing louder and seeming to involve a scuffle. Bai Xiao blinked, debating whether to go and see or not. Not going would seem too indifferent, but going there might look like she was there for the spectacle!

    Being a decent person was truly difficult.

    Bai Xiao stood up and walked to the door of the consulting room, now hearing everything clearly¡ªafter all, it was the same hallway and the doors were wide open.

    ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re trying to rob me of my money and my life! I¡¯m going to sue you!¡± cried a woman¡¯s voice, filled with sobs.

    ¡°Sister, the child is in shock now; we must rush him to emergency care. You¡¯re wasting time here, and if we dy, the child could really die!¡± said Fang Zhiping¡¯s voice.

    ¡°It was you, you old man. Just look, one needle and now he¡¯s breathless. Don¡¯t think I¡¯m a fool. The child is already breathless, and you still want me to take him to emergency? That¡¯s just trying to send us away so you can deny responsibilityter. I¡¯m telling you, no way! My child is gone, and I want your life for his!¡± the woman was now crying and yelling.

    ¡°Sister, sister, it¡¯s not the acupuncture that¡¯s the problem. The shock happened after the needle insertion, it¡¯s not that he¡¯s breathless, it¡¯s different, there¡¯s still hope, really! Our hospital is not irresponsible. Can we save the child first?¡± Zhao Zhiguo was also pleading.

    ¡°Sister, what¡¯s going on? I recognized your voice, what happened?¡± another voice chimed in, signaling more people had arrived.

    Bai Xiao felt too embarrassed to step out; that would indeed be spectating.

    ¡°Zhang Duo, you have to stand up for me. Your niece had asthma these past two days; we got Western medicine which didn¡¯t work well, and her grandma insisted on Traditional Chinese Medicine, and here we are. This old man swore his Acupuncture could cure the asthma in three days, guaranteed. But look now, just one day in and the child is gasping for breath. My husband and I only have this one daughter; this is like asking for our lives.¡±

    ¡°Doctor, what¡¯s going on? Hurry up and save the person!¡±

    ¡°Comrade, the child is in shock and needs to be rushed to the emergency room right up front. But this sister refuses to let us move him, and any more dy could mean we can¡¯t save him!¡±

    Bai Xiao walked out the door and quietly approached Zhao Zhiguo¡¯s clinic, peeking inside, when someone suddenly pulled her in.

    ¡°Little doctor, please save this child. The child¡¯s father is a hero who lost a leg to injury and is now an amputee. If the child is gone, how can his father go on living!¡± The loud voice made Bai Xiao¡¯s ears ring.

    Bai Xiao reached out to feel the child¡¯s pulse.

    There really was no breath left, her special ability had scanned the area, and the child had already stopped breathing. It wasn¡¯t that she hadn¡¯t tried to save them, it was just impossible to do so.

    Shaking her head, she sighed, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t save them!¡±

    Zhang Duo was shocked. The emergency department¡¯s doctors and nurses had already rushed over, and a doctor went up to attempt resuscitation on the child.

    Bai Xiao stepped aside, her heart aching as she watched the eight-year-old child slip away like this. However heartbroken she might be, she didn¡¯t possess the power to bring back the dead or raise bones to life. She wasn¡¯t a deity, her special ability could only revive living people, those who still had a breath left in them. Without a breath, even a great immortal arriving would be powerless.

    In the end, the doctor shook his head, and both nurses and doctors began to remove the emergency equipment.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, please make arrangements for whates next.¡±

    Zhao Zhiguo fell to the ground with a thud.

    It was over, the child was dead.

    Actually dead.

    The child¡¯s rtive, evidently the mother, rushed over and started to attack Zhao Zhiguo, ¡°Give me back my daughter, bring back my girl! It was just asthma, how could it kill someone? What kind of doctors are you? You don¡¯t care about human life at all. I¡¯m going to sue you, all of you in the Traditional Chinese Medicine department are quacks, you¡¯ve murdered her!¡±

    Zhao Zhiguo didn¡¯t move, letting the rtive hit him, just as baffled as to how an injection could have taken a life so suddenly.

    The scene had descended into chaos.

    Zhang Duo went up to embrace the rtive, ¡°Sister-inw, sister-inw, please don¡¯t do this. We¡¯ll hold them ountable, but now is not the time. The little girl is still lying here, we need to take her back home first, she can¡¯t just lie here like this, sister-inw, please, calm down.¡± Comrades on either side also joined in, trying to console the woman.

    ¡°I won¡¯t leave, I won¡¯t! I demand their Dean give me an exnation. Their doctors have killed my child, they have to pay with their lives.¡± The woman wasn¡¯t listening to reason.

    Dean Zhang rushed over.

    Who could have envisioned such an incident in their hospital that hadn¡¯t seen a medical mishap in five years? Dean Zhang could never have imagined that something like this could happen in the department of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

    ¡°Big sister, I¡¯m deeply sorry for what happened. Rest assured, we will take full responsibility and provide you with an exnation. For now, let¡¯s take care of the child¡¯s matters. The hospital will cover all costs, including subsequentpensation. We won¡¯t shirk our duty; we will see this through to the end.¡±

    Bai Xiao suddenly noticed that the child lying there seemed to be breathing very faintly. Because she was being jostled by the crowd, she was now standing right beside the child, so she could clearly see the slight re of the nostrils. Could it be that the child¡¯sst breath wasing back?

    She grabbed the child¡¯s hand, ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    The mother, like a fierce beast protecting her calf, violently pped Bai Xiao¡¯s hand away, guarding in front of her child.

    Everyone was looking at Bai Xiao. She pushed the woman aside with such force that the woman stumbled backward, ¡°I saw the child breathing!¡±

    Upon hearing this, not just the woman but the other doctors as well hurried over to check. The stethoscope and the equipment were brought in for examination, but the emergency doctor shook his head, ¡°The effect of the emergency injection we administered earlier is kicking in, but once this breath fades, the child will bepletely¡­¡± In other words, this was thest breath hanging on, and without it, the child would be no more.

 Chapter 186 - 186 186 You Are No Longer a Doctor at the

    ?Chapter 186: Chapter 186 You Are No Longer a Doctor at the Hospital   Chapter 186: Chapter 186 You Are No Longer a Doctor at the Hospital                                   Bai Xiao rushed forward, as long as there was a breath, she couldn¡¯t afford to worry about exposing her special ability at this moment. She knew that in this situation, not to try to save a dying person was essentially tock even the most basic line of human decency. She was a human being, who had suffered tremendously in her past life, but that didn¡¯t mean her humanity had been wiped out. Seeing an innocent and adorable child pass away to what seemed like a medical ident was something she could not bear.

    She grabbed the child, hoping that a single breath was still lingering.

    Dean Zhang saw what was happening and thought, how could Bai Xiao be so thoughtless? The patient¡¯s family was already extremely emotional, and if their doctor was to touch the child¡¯s body now, it could provoke resentment and aversion among them, potentially leading to dire consequences.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, step aside immediately,¡± he said.

    Upon hearing the doctor¡¯s words, implying that there was no hope for the child, the mother¡¯s eyes rolled back as she failed to catch her breath and copsed to the ground.

    Zhang Duo and others hurriedly moved her onto a hospital bed.

    Several doctors checked her and determined that she was in aa due to extreme grief. The doctors and nurses immediately began resuscitation efforts. A child had already died at their hospital, and if an adult were to die there as well, it would be an unspeakable situation.

    No one had ever heard of both a child and an adult dying during treatment at their hospital.

    Such an event was simply shocking to hear.

    If word got out, who would dare toe to their hospital for treatment? Everyone would think this ce wasn¡¯t a hospital at all, but rather a killing field.

    No one dared to take the situation lightly.

    Bai Xiao, determined, pointed at the child and said, ¡°Dean, this child is still breathing. If I use Acupuncture on her now, there¡¯s a chance to save her. If we wait any longer and she stops breathing, even the Divine Doctor would not be able to save her.¡±

    Dean Zhang¡¯s nose twisted in anger.

    At a time like this, what kind of trouble was this girl stirring up? He knew her Acupuncture was remarkable, but even the most powerful Acupuncture was only good for treating conditions like rheumatoid arthritis. Ancient medical texts recorded cases of life-saving Acupuncture, but those Divine Doctors like Bian Que no longer existed. Not even the national masters of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture could bring someone back from the dead.

    This girl standing up now was just creating trouble.

    With the patient¡¯s family already distraught over their unconscious child, if Bai Xiao were to perform Acupuncture now and it failed to revive the child, the parents¡¯ resentment would fall on the entire department of Chinese Medicine. They would be unable to clear their names, and no one would be able to rify whether it was Zhao Zhiguo who had caused the child¡¯s death or Bai Xiao.

    She was just adding chaos to chaos.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, you have no business here, get out!¡± His voice was stern, and it was evident to everyone around.

    The doctors and nurses looked at Bai Xiao with a hint of schadenfreude.

    She seemed desperate to stand out and make a name for herself.

    Completely oblivious to the situation at hand.

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t move an inch. Life and death hung in the bnce, and she was not a kind person, but neither was she heartless. She didn¡¯t need to stoop to desperate measures just for fame.

    She could let someone die to protect her own secret, but her current special ability was no longer on the same level as before. If she chose to stand idly by, ensuring her own safety while a life slipped away, and told herself it was for her own protection,

    Then she did not deserve to be called human.

    Heaven had given her a second chance at life, not to wreak havoc on the world. Just because her previous life was tragic, did it mean she should make innocent people suffer in this life?

    It was merely because life was at stake ¨C the child was only a few years old and shouldn¡¯t die because of a medical error. Most importantly, she was confident that she didn¡¯t need to exhaust her abilities to save this life.

    At least it would make it so that no one could tell.

    She suddenly realized that this life could be different from her previous one. In that past life, she had spent her entire existence being used by others, serving as a means to protect and save the lives of those with power and deep connections. She had always seen the hideous desperation of those people, trying to survive, but she had never truly engaged in the act of healing and saving lives.

    In this life, she had been granted a rare chance at life, and if it was solely for the purpose of revenge, for the happiness of her family, then that was too small a significance for her existence. Her vision was too limited. If you live in this world, isn¡¯t there a saying? ¡°To live as a hero among men, to die as a hero among ghosts.¡±

    Why can¡¯t women be heroic figures?

    She too could heal and save lives.

    In this life, she would never allow herself to be anyone else¡¯s puppet. Being the person she truly aspired to be deep inside, the person she wanted to achieve, that was the greatest joy in life. It was at this moment that she finally found her purpose since being reborn.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, get out! This is an order!¡±

    Dean Zhang was furious.

    But Bai Xiao remained motionless, hoping that this one act of defiance could give the child onest chance.

    Zhang Duo turned around and strode over.

    ¡°Young doctor, there¡¯s still a glimmer of hope, right?¡±

    Bai Xiao nodded firmly, ¡°Just give me a few minutes. I can¡¯t promise that she¡¯ll be jumping around, but I can assure you that she¡¯ll survive.¡± At this moment, the only person with the authority to speak here was Zhang Duo, the team captain before her.

    The child¡¯s mother had already copsed.

    The only person here who could make such a decision was probably Zhang Duo.

    This time, Dean Zhang was truly angry, ¡°Bai Xiao, you are now relieved of your duties as an acupuncturist in the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Reflect on your actions when you go back.¡±

    At this time, this was how Dean Zhang could minimize the damage to the hospital.

    This was a hospital, and they couldn¡¯t allow this incident to tarnish the hospital¡¯s reputation, so at this moment, Dean Zhang could only use this method to stop Bai Xiao¡¯s reckless actions.

    Bai Xiao took off her white coat and threw it onto a nearby hospital bed.

    She looked at Zhang Duo with a determined gaze.

    ¡°Now that I¡¯m no longer an acupuncturist in the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine at The Ninth Hospital, I, as an ordinary person, as a bystander, hope you can trust me. If we don¡¯t help her catch her breath during thisst gasp, the child is really beyond help. She¡¯s still so young, and I hope you give her a chance. I once treated your back injury, the only thing I can use to persuade you is what I have done for you before.¡±

    Now it all depended on Zhang Duo.

    Everyone was watching Zhang Duo.

    Everyone knew how significant this decision was at this moment.

    If Bai Xiao, as an ordinary person, gave the child an acupuncture needle and the child didn¡¯t make it, then they could definitely make the excuse that the child died because of Bai Xiao¡¯s actions, and the hospital would have nothing to do with it.

    Zhang Duo looked at the child lying there, herplexion bing paler by the moment.

    He clenched his teeth, knowing better than anyone how much courage it took to make this decision at this moment.

 Chapter 187 - 187 187 You did well. (Extra update for

    ?Chapter 187: Chapter 187: You did well. (Extra update for monthly pass)   Chapter 187: Chapter 187: You did well. (Extra update for monthly pass)                                   ¡°Good! You do it!¡± Zhang Duo¡¯s reply gave Dr. Zhao, who was already sitting on the ground with a deathly pallor, a sudden sense of a lifeline from heaven.

    This time, it had nothing to do with him; all the consequences would have to be borne by this girl in front of him.

    It wasn¡¯t that he was a bastard, it was just that at this moment, he simply couldn¡¯t afford it.

    He was about to retire soon, and if the death of a case brought a stain upon him, he might be facing suspension for investigation, disciplinary actions, and he would no longer be able to work at the hospital. His whole family depended on his sry for living; without it, he wouldn¡¯t be able to survive either.

    At times like this, when everyone is faced with the choice between self and others, they may make a decision¡ªto let fellow Daoists die but not to die themselves.

    That¡¯s human nature.

    It has nothing to do with good and evil.

    Even though Dr. Zhao harbored a deep sense of guilt at the bottom of his heart, he still felt a weight lifted off his shoulders at this moment.

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t say a word, she took out her acupuncture kit, ¡°Alcohol and cotton balls.¡±

    Not a single doctor or nurse in the room moved.

    At this point, Bai Xiao was no longer a doctor of the hospital, and helping her would mean going against the dean.

    Xiaoli shakily squeezed in from behind the crowd. Although trembling, she still offered the alcohol and cotton balls to Bai Xiao with determined eyes.

    Bai Xiao smiled at her. She didn¡¯t me anyone here.

    During her time working here, she had limited interactions and had not formed deep rtionships with anyone except Xiaoli, the intern, who was her closest acquaintance. The fact that Xiaoli was willing to stand up and help her at a critical moment was proof enough that Bai Xiao was indeed well-liked.

    Why should others extend a helping hand to a stranger? Might their own future work be suppressed and marginalized just because of this one act of kindness?

    Bai Xiao lifted the child¡¯s clothes. Dean Zhang sighed; it wasn¡¯t that she was heartless, but in her heart, she really valued Bai Xiao as a talent. However, things hade to this point because of Bai Xiao¡¯s unwillingness topromise. Bai Xiao was still young and truly didn¡¯t understand the consequences her action might bring.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, do you understand the consequences you might face with this needle?¡± the dean wanted to give onest piece of advice, truly feeling it a pity for this child.

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°Dean Zhang, I understand. But we are doctors, aren¡¯t doctors meant to treat diseases and save lives? If all doctors weigh the consequences before treating and saving patients, then how can we live up to our medical skills and ethics?¡±

    Bai Xiao¡¯s words were like a bomb, shaking Dean Zhang¡¯s heart. For many years, she too had started as an enthusiastic young doctor and gradually climbed to her current position. Perhaps it was because she had encountered too many things, too many choices, and with each one, she had to consider the serious consequences of her actions. More often than not, she became cautious, no longer with the initial fervor that focused solely on the patient¡¯s well-being, ready to go sleepless nights just to cure and save lives.

    What had happened to them?

    The so-called medical skills and ethics had long been thrown to the back of their minds. A surge of warmth flooded her heart. Yes, all the people standing here were doctors, healers in the eyes of everyone.

    If today, they refrained from acting out of concern, then they would be abandoning the basic morals of being a doctor. She didn¡¯t know how she could continue to tell her students with conviction to respect each patient and ce treatment and life-saving above all else.

    Dean Zhang called out, ¡°Wait!¡±

    Bai Xiao looked up with the silver needle in hand; no matter what, she was going to insert that needle.

    Dean Zhang picked up a white coat nearby and draped it over Bai Xiao, ¡°Bai Xiao, you are the best acupuncturist at The Ninth Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital. From this moment on, any action you take is within the rights granted to you by The Ninth Hospital. You are doing great.¡±

    Everyone apuded.

    Zhao Zhiguo felt defeated; he couldn¡¯t even understand the essential medical ethics that a young doctor should have like Bai Xiao did.

    At this point, all the outstanding medical skills could notpare with excellent medical ethics.

    He did not deserve to be a doctor.

    Bai Xiao bowed her head, her expression focused as she looked at the child¡¯s back and steadily inserted one needle, followed by a second needle, which was her habit. She was ustomed to using two needles for the procedure, gently twisting them.

    The entire ward was so quiet that one could hear a needle drop. Everyone held their breaths, silently observing this serene and sacred moment.

    Xiaoli suddenly seemed to remember something and turned to run out.

    In a little while, he returned with arge cup of hot water and a piece of chocte, standing next to Bai Xiao.

    For ten minutes, everyone watched the child and Bai Xiao with intense focus.

    Although everyone knew in their hearts that all this might be in vain.

    But everyone still harbored hope, wishing the child coulde back to life and not leave the world because of a small mistake. The child had not yet experienced the world¡¯s beauty and should not depart because of their error.

    Bai Xiao removed the needles.

    Her face turned as white as a ghost, and she trembled, nearly falling over¡ªthat was because she had bent over to administer the needles and, after bing chilled, her body had stiffened. Zhang Duo quickly steadied her, only then shockingly discovering her hands were ice cold, even colder than ice.

    But there was no time for more thoughts.

    The child lying in the hospital bed suddenly opened her eyes, looked at Zhang Duo, and asked weakly, ¡°Uncle Zhang, why are you here?¡±

    Everyone erupted with excitement.

    All the doctors and nurses hugged each other excitedly, Zhao Zhiguo began to p vigorously, followed by the second person, the third, the fourth¡­

    The entire ward, including the hallway outside, was filled with the hospital¡¯s doctors, nurses, and many patients.

    The apuse from everyone merged into an ocean, resounding like thunder throughout The Ninth Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital.

    Dean Zhang¡¯s eyes were red.

    ¡°Quick, examine the child to see what other treatments are necessary. We must ensure the child¡¯s safety,¡± Dean Zhang shouted loudly.

    The emergency department¡¯s doctors and nurses quickly swarmed up.

    The child, still confused, had no idea what was happening. Suddenly surrounded by so many medical staff, the child, who was naturally afraid of people in white coats, immediately started crying loudly.

    At that moment, someone forcefully pushed through the doctors and nurses and rushed in, holding the child tightly in their arms.

    ¡°Niuniu, Niuniu, my Niuniu, you¡¯ve finally woken up,¡± the child¡¯s mother held her child tightly.

    The little girl clung to her mother¡¯s neck, ¡°Mommy, I don¡¯t want to get a shot, I don¡¯t want to take medicine.¡±

    ¡°We won¡¯t get shots, we won¡¯t take medicine.¡±

    The child¡¯s mother held her tightly, tears streaming down like rain.

 Chapter 188 - 188 188 Gratitude (Extra for monthly ticket)

    ?Chapter 188: Chapter 188 Gratitude (Extra for monthly ticket)   Chapter 188: Chapter 188 Gratitude (Extra for monthly ticket)                                   Xiaoli hurriedly squeezed next to Bai Xiao, stuffing the tea cup and chocte into Bai Xiao¡¯s hands. Having witnessed how Bai Xiao operatedst time, she had been close to Bai Xiaotely and obviously knew that Bai Xiao¡¯s acupuncture required the use of Qigong True Qi to activate, and after depleting the True Qi, her limbs became icy cold, and she shivered from the cold.

    Bai Xiao gratefully took the tea cup and gulped down the hot water, feeling as if her mouth and tongue, stiff from the cold, hade back to life.

    Dean Zhang stood beside Bai Xiao and watched as Bai Xiao clumsily tried to tear open the chocte wrapper. He reached out, took the chocte, and swiftly tore off the wrapper, then ced the chocte back in Bai Xiao¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Thank you, Dean Zhang!¡±

    ¡°Eat it quickly, or else you should go back to your consulting room, turn on the air conditioner, and close the door.¡± Finally, Dean Zhang realized that the reason she had wanted this consulting room was for that feature.

    Bai Xiao stuffed the chocte into her mouth, and only then remembered that she indeed had an air conditioner in her consulting room.

    She stood up, feeling stiffness in her legs.

    However, clearly she did not wait before she walked.

    A mother holding her child suddenly rushed up to Bai Xiao and knelt down in front of her.

    The incident came suddenly; no one had anticipated it.

    ¡°Benefactor, oh benefactor, you saved my child, and from now on, you are a great benefactor to our family. I offer my kowtows to you, and when this child grows up, he will definitely be filial to you,¡± the woman spoke jumbled words, but her sincere intentions were clear.

    Bai Xiao hurriedly tried to help her up, but her body was so stiff that even bending over felt difficult.

    She urgently signaled to Xiaoli, shouting, ¡°Quick, help her up!¡±

    Dean Zhang and Xiaoli together barely managed to help the woman up.

    ¡°Sister, this is what we doctors are supposed to do. Please don¡¯t say such things now, but rather have the doctors check on the child immediately. Whatever injections or medicine the child needs, let them administer. Let¡¯s not dy any further,¡± Bai Xiao spoke the truth.

    Having barely saved a life, she hoped earnestly that the child would live well.

    The woman quickly handed her child over to the doctors, who took the child towards the emergency room. Although the child had recuperated somewhat, his body was still weak, and with underlying asthma, he needed further observation and treatment in the hospital.

    The woman followed her child, then suddenly turned back to ask, ¡°Doctor, what¡¯s your name? We¡¯ve got to let our child know the name of his lifesaver.¡±

    Bai Xiao smiled, ¡°Just call me Doctor Xiao.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, thank you so much!¡± the woman thanked her repeatedly as she left.

    Only then did Bai Xiao feel a terrible chill over her body, beginning to shiver. She had already been limiting her use of her special ability, only treating the child partially to stabilize him. However, because of her special ability, her energy was still too weak, and such control actually ced a greater demand on herself. Thus, despite the child not beingpletely lively and bouncing around, she had expended even more of her special ability.

    Upon seeing this, Dean Zhang promptly shouted, ¡°Quick, help Bai Xiao to her consulting room, turn on the air conditioner, and close the doors and windows.¡±

    Xiaoli, of course, stepped forward. Just now, this intern had pushed past others, risking being sent back to her original hospital, in order to support Bai Xiao.

    Zhang Duo nced at Bai Xiao, ¡°Are you alright?¡± This youngdy does not seem very robust.

    Bai Xiao shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Please go check on that woman and the child.¡± She didn¡¯t ask Zhang Duo what he was doing there; she was confident that she had already cured Zhang Duo¡¯s lumbar problem¡ªany disease not immediately apparent to the eye, she would heal for them.

    Zhang Duo nodded. ¡°I originally came to present you with a banner of honor, but it seems today is not appropriate. You should rest first, I¡¯ll go check on the child, and in a couple of days, I will personally bring myrades to present the banner.¡± This was indeed the truth.

    Ever since Zhang Duo¡¯s back healedst time, he had had no rpses up until now. From the bottom of his heart, he truly believed that Bai Xiao¡¯s medical skills were absolutely trustworthy. He had specially made a banner inscribed with ¡°Miraculous Hands Revitalize.¡± But now, he felt that these four words were not enough to express their gratitude.

    Saving their family members, their children, elicited even greater gratitude than curing his back.

    Xiaoli helped Bai Xiao to her clinic, and the others had already dispersed.

    Wrapped in a nket from the rest room, Xiaoli had closed all the doors and windows and turned on the heating. The warm air blew in, and soon the room temperature reached thirty-five degrees, causing Xiaoli to start sweating from her head.

    Bai Xiao held arge tea mug, sipping hot water while nibbling on chocte.

    ¡°Gosh, I really can¡¯t take it anymore, I¡¯m going to overheat, I need to get out, I need to get out! You stay here by yourself. I¡¯ll close the door for you.¡± Xiaoli could no longer bear it, she opened the door and walked out, only to bump into someone right in front of her.

    Promptly she closed the door behind her.

    ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± Xiaoli asked, noticing that the person was still poised to knock.

    The person was dressed neatly, clearly someone of significance.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking for Bai Xiao!¡± An Zhiyuan said to this youthful-looking doctor.

    He had recently transferred to this provincial capital. He had inquired at the Aviation University, and found out that there was no Bai Xiao there. Eventually, after a great deal of effort, he learned from the university¡¯s records that Bai Xiao¡¯s files had been transferred to The Ninth Hospital for work-rted reasons.

    Initially, Bai Xiao had given him an address, but it had proved inadequate, leading to a brief disconnection between them.

    If it weren¡¯t for some connections An Zhiyuan still had in this area to help inquire about her situation, finding Bai Xiao would have been truly difficult.

    He was off today and had specificallye to see Bai Xiao.

    He had just figured out the route and found this ce; the Traditional Chinese Medicine room indeed suited Bai Xiao, her exquisite acupuncture skills would be wasted if not practiced in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

    He was just about to knock when someone came out.

    ¡°Are you here to see a doctor? Unfortunately, that won¡¯t be possible today, Doctor Bai is upied.¡± Xiaoli thought the visitor hade to seek treatment from Bai Xiao.

    She believed that after Bai Xiao¡¯s earth-shattering actions today, if no one sought her medical advice afterward, it would truly be inconceivable.

    Bai Xiao had bravely confronted everyone today just to adhere to her medical ethics and skills, and in Xiaoli¡¯s eyes, she was nothing short of a hero.

    A proper doctor would be just like that.

    Medical skills could be acquired gradually, but a person¡¯s medical ethics represented their true heart.

    If one doesn¡¯t abandon their medical principles due to challenging circumstances, such individuals, with proficient medical skills, are truly great doctors.

    If such people don¡¯t receive others¡¯ respect, do they even deserve to be called human?

 Chapter 189 - 189 189 I am her fiancÃ©

    ?Chapter 189: Chapter 189: I am her fianc¨¦.   Chapter 189: Chapter 189: I am her fianc¨¦.                                   ¡°I¡¯m not here to see a doctor,¡± An Zhiyuan exined with a smile.

    ¡°Then what are you here for?¡± Xiaoli didn¡¯t understand and suddenly had a brainwave; Bai Xiao had mentioned she had a brother in the army.

    ¡°Oh, are you perhaps Bai Xiao¡¯s brother Bai Song?¡±

    An Zhiyuan shook his head, ¡°I am Bai Xiao¡¯s fiance, An Zhiyuan.¡±

    ¡°Fiance?¡± Xiaoli was shocked, for Bai Xiao had never mentioned she had a fiance, let alone one who was an instructor.

    ¡°Is she inside?¡± An Zhiyuan asked.

    Xiaoli nodded dumbly.

    An Zhiyuan pushed the door and entered.

    He closed the door behind him.

    She would surely warm up quickly and then be able to start working.

    But Bai Xiao knew she was growing colder and shivering more violently. After barely managing to eat a piece of chocte, she didn¡¯t dare try to drink another cup of hot water for fear of knocking over the tea container. All the muscles in her body ached from being so tensely stiffened. She grabbed the nket, sat in front of the air conditioner vent, and wrapped herself tightly in the nket to keep the warm air around her.

    Right now, all she cared about was how to get herself warm. Once she was warm, she would worry about other things.

    At that moment, she particrly missed An Zhiyuan, who had once made her warm. She was in so much pain she could no longer bear it and longed for him to be with her now. If he were here, he would probably hold her tight, give her warmth, and at least she wouldn¡¯t be alone facing this hypothermic condition.

    But it was impossible for An Zhiyuan to appear here.

    Then she suddenly looked up and saw An Zhiyuan standing before her.

    Was she unable to distinguish whether this was a hallucination or not?

    An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t have her address, and she didn¡¯t have his; they had lost contact, which was her realization aftering to the hospital.

    She didn¡¯t have the means to find An Zhiyuan, and she regretted not having asked for his address clearly in the first ce; now the only man in the world who could potentially be the best ¡°Energy Potion¡± for her was lost to her.

    But now An Zhiyuan was standing right in front of her. It would be strange for her not to think it was a hallucination.

    ¡°Bai Xiao!¡± he said calmly, ¡°You will be okay.¡±

    Tears rolled down her cheeks, and she wiped them away with the corner of her nket, feeling that seeing An Zhiyuan had never made her this happy before.

    He would surely warm her up. She didn¡¯t understand how she could be so certain of that.

    He locked the door, then bent down, easily picked her up, carried her to the examination room¡¯s bed, and sat down holding her.

    ¡°How long have you been like this?¡± Before An Zhiyuan had even started to open the nket, Bai Xiao had already undone it and threw herself into his embrace, hugging his body tightly, hanging onto him like a ko.

    ¡°Not long, just after I saw a patient!¡± Bai Xiao felt An Zhiyuan pull her in close, and the warmth from his body was already flooding over her like the tide.

    He picked up the nket and wrapped Bai Xiao and himself tightly.

    One hand cradled the back of her head, pressing her face into the crook of his neck, forcing her to breathe in the air that had been warmed by his body temperature, while his palm wrapped around her icy toes, rubbing them.

    His body temperature was so high that she felt she was about to faint. At first, she only noticed the warmth enveloping her, prating her skin and reaching down to her bones. He held her tightly in his embrace, helping her fight against the trembles.

    ¡°Don¡¯t cry. I¡¯m here!¡± he said softly, wiping her face with the nket.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s body temperature continued to be transferred to her, more effective than any amount of chocte, hot water, and warm air.

    He was sweating, and she could feel his skin was damp.

    ¡°You¡¯re sweating?¡± her voice was weak.

    ¡°This ce is as hot as a desert,¡± An Zhiyuan murmuredforting words into her ear. She didn¡¯t need constion, she thought vaguely.

    Shey quietly in his arms. As time ticked by, the silence in the room was filled only with the sound of their breathing and the steady, strong beating of his heart by her ear.

    This reminded her of the countless times she had relied on him for warmth, certain that An Zhiyuan was indeed her Energy Potion against the cold.

    For some inexplicable reason, after they were reborn, destiny had tightly bound them together.

    She thought annoyingly, now she had to worry about how to exin that she must marry him, after all, she couldn¡¯t expect him to warm her up without marrying An Zhiyuan, it made no sense, and it wasn¡¯t something he would do.

    Her fingers traced over his chest, and even though clothes were in the way, she could still feel his hard deltoids, feeling his strength. Even his abdomen was firm, and his legs were muscr.

    No clothes could hide that; this man had a great physique,pletely unaware of how fatal his current appearance was to An Zhiyuan.

    Although the sigh was faint, An Zhiyuan still heard it.

    ¡°Are you warm now?¡±

    He was reassured, and he tenderly and slowly kissed her forehead.

    Finally finding Bai Xiao brought relief to his heart, and he didn¡¯t know when, but this girl had quietly entered his heart, upied all of it, causing him to constantly worry and be anxious for her. Now, atst, he could hold her in his arms again; she was still his.

    He could tell! The joy in Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes when she saw him; he was pleased! At the time when she needed help the most, he was the first person she thought of, and that warmed andforted him, knowing he still had a ce in her heart, even if it was just out of need.

    She nodded.

    ¡°How did you end up at The Ninth Hospital? You were hard to find,¡± An Zhiyuan¡¯s warm breath fluttered over her closed eyelids as he spoke.

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story, but due to a mix-up, I ended up saving a Chief who thought that my attending university was a waste of my medical skills. So I ended up working here. I didn¡¯t mean to lose contact with you, but I didn¡¯t have your contact details. I regret that I was so presumptuous to leave only my address with you and not take yours,¡± Bai Xiao said, taking slow, deep breaths, feeling her body and mind start to rx.

    ¡°Right, how did you get here?¡± Bai Xiao suddenly realized! An Zhiyuan shouldn¡¯t be here; his unit was near her small vige.

    With their strict military discipline, without filing a report and getting approval from superiors, he couldn¡¯t just cross provinces. An Zhiyuan wouldn¡¯t make a mistake just to find her, would he?

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡± An Zhiyuan had already seen Bai Xiao¡¯s concern. This girl was tough on the outside but cared deeply about him.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been transferred to a unit in this province now. I had no idea my unit was so close to your hospital; by car, it¡¯s at most a 20-minute drive. It took me over a month to find you,¡± remembered An Zhiyuan, amused that his most cherished person was within such close proximity all along.

    That must be fate.

 Chapter 190 - 190 190 Im Serious Too

    ?Chapter 190: Chapter 190: I¡¯m Serious Too   Chapter 190: Chapter 190: I¡¯m Serious Too                                   ¡°When you told me you were transferring for work, it turns out you wereing here. What a coincidence, I just arrived and you¡¯re here too,¡± Bai Xiao eximed, genuinely unaware that An Zhiyuan¡¯s transfer was to the same ce.

    Yet she felt a hint of unease. What if she hadn¡¯t been in this province?

    Something seemed off about this!

    An Zhiyuanughed softly, touching the top of her head, ¡°I specifically found out you wereing here to study before I transferred. Did you really think such coincidences happen in the world?¡± He was not someone who did things without talking about them, besides, he felt he must exin this.

    Bai Xiao leaned against him like a child.

    That trusting and letting herself go.

    ¡°An Zhiyuan, I¡¯m having second thoughts!¡±

    Her tone surprised him, his muscles tensed, making her immediately realize his nervousness, and her palms soothingly caressed An Zhiyuan¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡°What are you second-guessing?¡±

    He didn¡¯t realize how stiff his tone was.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± Bai Xiao teased yfully, actually enjoying it inside. This man really cared about her. As a woman, if she didn¡¯t have even this little bit of vanity, she might as well be dead.

    ¡°ying unfair, is it?¡± He said this as his deep, dark eyes stared unwaveringly at her.

    Bai Xiao suddenly felt guilty.

    With An Zhiyuan like this, she felt it was a bit inappropriate to joke around.

    His serious demeanor made it clear that this man was not Fang Xiaoshan or those men who wanted to control or appease her. This man was sincerely treating her, and her attitude indeed had been frivolous. Already having a liking for him and knowing that their entanglement was inevitablyplicated, yet she was still posturing.

    ¡°An Zhiyuan, I can¡¯t let you leave me anymore, I¡¯m prepared to monopolize you for the rest of my life. You¡¯ll probably only be able to marry me,¡± Bai Xiao said impulsively, not sure why, perhaps because of the focused expression in An Zhiyuan¡¯s calm eyes.

    Her wrist was seized by him and pulled to his chest with such force that she staggered forward unexpectedly, crashing right into his arms.

    Bai Xiao struggled forcefully, trying to push him away, but ended up being held even tighter.

    An Zhiyuan, watching the panic on Bai Xiao¡¯s face, felt a calm settle over him. She didn¡¯t seem as indifferent to him as he had imagined. His mood no longer felt so terrible, his expression softened, but his arms tightened around her more as he whispered in her ear, ¡°I¡¯m very pleased to marry you. I¡¯ve already filed the marriage report; it should happen soon.¡±

    Bai Xiao¡¯s face turned red instantly, ¡°Why would you do that? You didn¡¯t even ask for my opinion!¡± Her agreeing was one thing, but An Zhiyuan deciding independently was another.

    An Zhiyuan released her, looking at thesting bruises on her wrist he had caused, visibly upset, holding her wrist with a look of difort.

    ¡°Your skin is too delicate!¡±

    This girl was like a tender flower that seemed like it could be scarred by the slightest storm, yet she was clearly so strong, strong in a way that one could hardly imagine her power.

    ¡°You can¡¯t grab me like that next time; using brute force on me could hurt me.¡± Bai Xiao raised her wrists demonstratively, demanding his guilt.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± This time, An Zhiyuanpletely lost his temper.

    Bai Xiao threw back the nkets, wanting to find her shoes, but An Zhiyuan held her back, knelt down, and brought her the shoes, carefully putting them on for her, ¡°Aren¡¯t you cold now?¡±

    He was still worried; this woman looked disheveled every time he saw her.

    Bai Xiao nodded her head, stood up, and wiped her forehead, ¡°No wonder you said it¡¯s as hot as a desert, it really is, I¡¯ve started to sweat.¡± At this moment, she could feel it was unbearably hot inside.

    An Zhiyuan went to turn off the air conditioning, then opened a window, turned around, and folded the nket neatly, like a tofu block sliced neatly, which stunned Bai Xiao.

    The speed was indeed astonishing.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, it¡¯s time to eat; it¡¯s noon now. You have to eat something. I don¡¯t know what else to say; you always look like this when you¡¯re healing. What are we going to do in the future?¡± An Zhiyuan was cheerful now, his tone joyful. The feeling of mutual understanding made him feel like Bai Xiao at least liked him, which thrilled him to death.

    Could this be what¡¯s called mutual affection?

    Bai Xiao became a bit embarrassed, this man was unbearably gentle. In this age, how could there be a man like An Zhiyuan, without a hint of male chauvinism, careful and gentle, and yet with a cold, abstinent face, truly a man of two extremes.

    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s okay. I just drank some hot water and had some chocte. It¡¯s just that the child was in a serious condition. I definitely won¡¯t get myself into this state next time, I¡¯ll juste to you for warmth!¡± Bai Xiao found it odd; An Zhiyuan had rushed over this time, and although she was nearly freezing to death, An Zhiyuan seemed like an antidote and a source of fire, melting away all the cold as she got close.

    The hot water and chocte were really not much help earlier; it wasn¡¯t that they weren¡¯t effective, just that they were far less effectivepared to other days.

    She knew it too; this was a negative effect of forcibly stopping her special ability being intensified, thankful that An Zhiyuan was by her side, feeling really fortunate. An Zhiyuan seemed to be her savior, truly blessed with the protagonist¡¯s halo.

    An Zhiyuan watched seriously as she took off her white coat and put on a coat over it. The weather in November was dead cold, and he buttoned up her coat for her, earnestly saying again that he didn¡¯t want Bai Xiao to ept him just because she couldn¡¯t bear to hurt him by rejecting his sacrifices. Although he was delighted by such Bai Xiao, he didn¡¯t want to bind her like that.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, I just want to say one thing, you can still regret this now, but once you said we should start, you don¡¯t have the right to say it¡¯s over. I¡¯m a man who sticks to his principles; once I¡¯mmitted to someone, there¡¯s no way I can let go! No way at all!¡±

    She nced at him sidelong, her fingers pressing on his, cool but smooth, ¡°An Zhiyuan, I¡¯m serious too, and I¡¯m also a person who sticks to my principles. Once I¡¯ve said we should start, I won¡¯t think about ending it. If you ever betray me one day, I¡¯ll kill you, so think it through properly! I¡¯m absolutely not joking; my love is severe, and it does not tolerate any other betrayal. In such a case, I would choose a mutually destructive approach. With this side of me, do you still dare to want me?¡± She was deadly serious; it¡¯s rare to start life over; she could havepassion for the patients because she figured it out¡ªthose people didn¡¯t owe her anything, and it wasn¡¯t their responsibility topensate for old grievances.

    She understood the value of life; she could start over, but that didn¡¯t mean everyone could.

    But facing marriage and love was different; the consequences Fang Xiaoshan faced in her previous life were too severe, and in this life, she wouldn¡¯t let anyone hurt her like that again. If she saw any harming, she might end it with drastic measures, since she could make anyone die silently without being entangled inwsuits.

 Chapter 191 - 191 191 The Hardships to Come

    ?Chapter 191: Chapter 191: The Hardships to Come   Chapter 191: Chapter 191: The Hardships to Come                                   ¡°I won¡¯t take an oath because I believe all oaths are empty! If oaths were really effective, the world wouldn¡¯t have so many bad people, so I can only tell you, having chosen you in this life, I won¡¯t be of two minds. You are my wife, my woman, and in the future, the mother of my children. Hence, I will love you, respect you, cherish you, protect you with my very life. This requires time to prove; no matter how pleasing my words are, they can¡¯tpare to what you will see for yourself.¡± An Zhiyuan¡¯s palm held Bai Xiao¡¯s fingers so tightly that it caused her pain.

    He didn¡¯t know what Bai Xiao was afraid of, but he was willing to spend a lifetime caring for this woman.

    Bai Xiao leaned against his chest, and this time she rxed herself, feeling true security and warmth, a heart utterly calm and peaceful.

    An Zhiyuan hugged her tight, ¡°Xiaoxiao, I want to call you that, different from anyone else. It¡¯s my special name for you!¡± The woman finally was willing to trust him wholeheartedly, to be with him¡ªand that was perfect happiness.

    Bai Xiao nuzzled her head into his chest and looked up at him with pitiful eyes, ¡°Let¡¯s go eat, I¡¯m hungry!¡± Her stomach cooperatively growled as if to tell An Zhiyuan that her fianc¨¦ had been somewhat remiss.

    He gently ruffled her hair and said with a smile, ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s eat.¡±

    The two exchanged a look and a smile, tender sweetness suddenly blooming in that instant.

    The moment the door to the consultation room opened, Xiaoli was peeking around outside. Seeing Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan walk out side by side, with Bai Xiao¡¯s contagious sweet and warm smile, atst, her heart settled down.

    Xiaoli had let An Zhiyuan in effortlessly earlier and had been fretting at the door ever since. He imed to be the fianc¨¦, so a fianc¨¦ he must be.

    She med herself for not thinking clearly.

    If he wasn¡¯t, that would mean she had identally caused trouble for Bai Xiao.

    Now, seeing Bai Xiao¡¯s expression, she could finally rest assured. It seemed thisrade was indeed Bai Xiao¡¯s man!

    ¡°Xiaoli, let¡¯s go have lunch together. No one is likely toe for a consultation at this time anyway¡ªwe¡¯ve been busy all day and should go eat,¡± Bai Xiao said. What she didn¡¯t say was that, at such ate hour, they had probably missed most of the mealtime at the cafeteria, where only leftovers might be waiting.

    Xiaoli waved the aluminum lunch box in her hand, ¡°Doctor Bai, you guys go ahead. Someone already got food for me, so I won¡¯t join you. Sorry.¡±

    Getting the food was one thing, but she didn¡¯t want to be a third wheel to the couple¡ªthat was another matter entirely.

    An Zhiyuan had a hint of a smile on his face, ¡°Then we¡¯ll go and eat.¡±

    It seemed this youngdy was quite perceptive.

    Bai Xiao had no choice but to agree, ¡°Then, we¡¯ll go eat.¡±

    ¡°Xiaoli, who was that walking with Doctor Bai?¡± Xiaogao, the male doctor interning with Xiaoli and pursuing her, was the one who had brought her the food today.

    Xiaoli turned her head, ¡°That¡¯s Doctor Bai¡¯s fianc¨¦. I believe he¡¯s at least battalionmander level. He¡¯s also really handsome. From now on, Doctor Bai is my idol. Look at how beautiful she is, not to mention her incredible medical skills, and even her fianc¨¦ is so handsome and considerate. She¡¯s truly a winner in life.¡± Her face was full of envy.

    Xiaogao looked uneasily at the retreating figures of Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan, ¡°You like that type?¡±

    Although they were interning at The Ninth Hospital, they were not part of its official staff, nor did they enjoy the benefits provided there.

    ¡°Like it? How great would it be to have such an affectionate older brother figure? He¡¯s got the physique, the stamina¡ªI bet there aren¡¯t many girls on the streets who wouldn¡¯t like someone like that,¡± Xiaoli said seriously.

    Xiaogao felt even more disheartened.

    ¡°But being the wife of such a person isn¡¯t easy, you know. In our hospital alone, there are women who married men like him; living apart ismon. Following his unit isn¡¯t something just anyone can do on a whim. Usually at home, they are alone, having to care for children, work, and do house chores. When there¡¯s a storm or they¡¯re under the weather, they¡¯ve got no one to care for and love them,¡± Xiaogao stated, reflecting reality. Nowadays, many girls dream of marrying such heroes, mostly attracted by the glory associated with the men.

    Having a husband like that does make one appear spirited, just because of his uniform. Of course, stable jobs and military spouses do receive many privileges, but what many overlook is the intense hardship and struggle endured by these wives, something iprehensible to the average person.

    Xiaoliughed, ¡°You sure know a lot. How could I be unaware? My own older brother is in the military, and my sister-inw is fortunate to live with us¡ªmy parents and siblings help her out. Life is decent; there¡¯s someone at home to help with the kids. Otherwise, a woman¡¯s life is tough, managing farming, caring for children, and doing household work. Just thinking about it makes me feel it¡¯s terribly unfair.

    Admiration is one thing, but when ites to myself, I probably couldn¡¯t handle it. Look at me, I can handle flour but can¡¯t manage electrical wires. So, I should just honestly marry an ordinary man¡ªat least there¡¯ll be a man at home to handle the heavy lifting.¡±

    ¡°I wonder if Doctor Bai knows what it means to marry someone like him. With what you¡¯ve just said, now I¡¯m really worried that she¡¯s getting carried away by her emotions and his good looks. She¡¯s busy enough as a doctor; if she marries someone like that, she¡¯ll have to manage everything by herself, the household chores, the children, on top of her job. How will she cope then?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve noticed you really have a lot of free time¡ªworrying about Doctor Bai¡¯s affairs. Just go eat your meal, it¡¯s getting cold.¡± Xiaogao couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly.

    With her lunch box in hand, Xiaoli went to the rest area at the nurse¡¯s station to eat.

    The doctor¡¯s office was no ce for her to have a meal.

    Bai Xiao, apanied by An Zhiyuan, headed to the canteen. Along the way, everyone she met, whether acquainted or not, nodded and greeted her, which left her somewhat embarrassed. She didn¡¯t know many of them and could only nod and smile back.

    Upon entering the canteen, they found that the peak crowd had gone. Only a sparse handful of people, probably dyed by surgeries or consultations, were sitting at tables, eating.

    Chief Xing was dining with the canteen¡¯s master chefs. He nodded at Bai Xiao; at first, he thought Bai Xiao had some strong connections, mainly because of the type of voucher she used to get meal tickets¡ªa privilege not avable to most.

    However, after a while, he did some inquiring and learned that Doctor Bai was merely a token presence in their department.

    Up to that point, she had not treated a single patient.

    Everyone was clear about it¡ªthey supposed Bai Xiao was some Chief¡¯s rtive, here to make a round for the sake of padding her resume. Working here would provide her with legitimate work experience, making her eligible for a promotion when she transferred to another hospital.

    Knowing that Bai Xiao was unlikely to stay long in their hospital, Chief Xing no longer showed the enthusiasm he had at the beginning. After all, someone else would attend to Bai Xiao when she came to eat, so he didn¡¯t need to bother.

    He sat with the master chefs, eating, without showing any concern.

 Chapter 192 - 192 192 Out of Rice

    ?Chapter 192: Chapter 192: Out of Rice   Chapter 192: Chapter 192: Out of Rice                                   Bai Xiao didn¡¯t mind; she couldn¡¯t expect everyone to like her.

    After all, she was here to work at the hospital, not to win people¡¯s affection.

    She had intended for An Zhiyuan to wait for her at the table.

    An Zhiyuan disagreed, insisting on helping her fetch the meals.

    Bai Xiao arrived at the service window, where the canteen staff on duty said apologetically,

    ¡°You¡¯veete, only steamed buns and some shredded potatoes are left, everything else is gone.¡± This attitude was already quite amiable.

    It was mainly because Bai Xiao had a first-ss meal ticket.

    Under normal circumstances, even if there was no food left, with a first-ss meal ticket, the canteen had to make an exception and cook something up, but he had just seen it. When this Dr. Bai came in, their section chief merely nodded, without even a greeting.

    This already showed that Dr. Bai was not a person of great importance; otherwise, Section Chief Xing would not have ignored her, which was not his usual style at all.

    Section Chief Xing always pursued his own interests; he was very enthusiastic and made sure the food and drink were well-organized for those with some background.

    How could he be silent, knowing only leftovers remained?

    If the section chiefs behaved this way, the staff below naturally followed suit, serving based on the guest¡¯s status.

    You couldn¡¯t me them for that. Since ancient times, many people have been opportunistic.

    Bai Xiao looked at the food; it was indeed quite pitiful. The remaining steamed buns were uneven, probably due to using too much alkaline, and they hadn¡¯t fermented properly. It seemed that the better buns had been picked out, leaving only the subpar ones.

    There was only about one dish of shredded potatoes left in the basin, probably not even a full dish.

    It certainly wouldn¡¯t be enough for the two of them.

    Shaking her head, she took An Zhiyuan¡¯s hand, ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s eat at the small restaurant outside the entrance.¡±

    An Zhiyuan rarely visited; she couldn¡¯t let him just eat this.

    An Zhiyuan looked at the food, then at the staff. There was nothing wrong with their attitude, so they couldn¡¯t even get angry.

    However, he was pretty easygoing, but seeing the food made him feel that Bai Xiao probably wasn¡¯t treated very well here; he couldn¡¯t help but feel somewhat stifled.

    Bai Xiao had noticed the change in his expression, which had grown much colder. She tugged at his sleeve, ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯re justte today; it happens asionally. Usually, Ie very early, and I get to eat good things like potato stewed beef. I was actually looking forward to treating you with my meal ticket, so you could see the kind of treatment I receive at the hospital. Now, I¡¯ve really shot myself in the foot.¡±

    An Zhiyuan knew Bai Xiao was trying tofort him, but he still felt a bit depressed. His woman was being bullied, and he was utterly unable tosh out; this was a hospital, and he wasn¡¯t part of the same system.

    It wasn¡¯t their canteen after all.

    ¡°Xiaoxiao, do you like this hospital? If you¡¯re unhappy here, you can report for a transfer to another hospital. Or else, I can ask my friend about applying for a spot in a professional development program,¡± suggested An Zhiyuan. Many of his ssmates from the same period were now minor officials, and for Bai Xiao, now regarded as a family member, changing her job wouldn¡¯t be too difficult.

    Bai Xiaoughed, ¡°Don¡¯t be reckless. I¡¯ve just arrived at this hospital, and I¡¯m not even well-established yet, now you¡¯re thinking of moving me somewhere else, they would say I¡¯m overambitious. Besides, if I can¡¯t settle down and work diligently here, then it proves there¡¯s a problem with me. Since I chose to work at the hospital instead of continuing my studies, I have to endure the consequences of my choice.¡± Saying this was actually a trivial matter; she was the one who arrivedte, so it wouldn¡¯t be fair to me the canteen.

    If she were to make a fuss over such a minor issue, she would indeed be making an unreasonable scene.

    An Zhiyuan also knew that his own excessive concern was the reason he worried, even within his own team, when new people joined, they had to face the disdain of the veterans, let alone in a hospital like this?

    He himself was somewhat speechless about this attitude.

    The two of them continued their conversation as they walked toward the entrance of the canteen.

    Just as they arrived, they ran into Dean Zhang.

    Dean Zhang also saw Bai Xiao.

    ¡°Doctor Bai, have you finished eating, or haven¡¯t you eaten yet?¡±

    Bai Xiao said with a smile, ¡°Dean Zhang, this is my fianc¨¦ An Zhiyuan, who works nearby. He just came to see me, and because it gotte, there was hardly anything left to eat in the canteen, so I am nning to take him to the little restaurant across the street for a bite.¡±

    Bai Xiao could tell that Dean Zhang was a good person.

    Dean Zhangughed, ¡°I hadn¡¯t realized you were so young to already have a fianc¨¦. Never mind about the canteen being out of food, just let them cook up a couple of dishes for you. You have a first-ss meal ticket, and you¡¯re supposed to enjoy the treatment I receive as the Dean. If you can¡¯t get food even with a first-ss meal ticket, I¡¯d start to wonder if I myself should beid off.¡± Dean Zhang took Bai Xiao by the arm and led her inside.

    As soon as Chief Xing saw Dean Zhang, he promptly stood up and walked over to greet him.

    ¡°Dean Zhang, here for a meal. What would you like to eat today? I can ask them to cook something special just for you. I know you enjoy spicy food; how about twice-cooked pork and diced chicken in chili sauce, with a few bowls of rice?¡± It was important to make a good impression on the hospital¡¯s highest supervisor.

    Dean Zhang pulled Bai Xiao to sit down, and An Zhiyuan followed suit, sitting next to Bai Xiao.

    ¡°What would Doctor Bai like to eat? Order some dishes, two dishes won¡¯t be enough for the three of us, we should have at least five. Given Officer An¡¯s physique, I bet his appetite isn¡¯t small,¡± he said, chuckling and beaming with kindness.

    Chief Xing¡¯s heart skipped a beat.

    He had heard the conversation Bai Xiao had with the canteen staff when she came in earlier.

    But he had thought that since Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t be staying long, it wasn¡¯t worth his effort, so he pretended to be eating and didn¡¯t hear anything.

    Now that Dean Zhang personally brought Bai Xiao back to eat, what could Chief Xing say? What could he possibly say?

    He realized that Bai Xiao definitely had an extraordinary rtionship with Dean Zhang.

    ¡°Oh, Doctor Bai, you haven¡¯t eaten either? I just thought you had finished and were about to leave. Why didn¡¯t you say anything earlier? If you had told me, I would have had them quickly cook two dishes for you. After working hard all morning, you must be hungry. What would we have done if you couldn¡¯t get a proper meal?¡± Chief Xing immediately started to say all the right things.

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t mind. Dealing with someone like Chief Xing required not taking things too seriously¡ªotherwise, the only one upset would be herself.

    She had seen these kinds of sycophantic people in her previous life. For such petty people, it was best to pretend not to notice.

    ¡°Then, for the three of us, let¡¯s add boiled pork slices, potato stewed beef, vinegar-vored cabbage, together with the twice-cooked pork and diced chicken in chili sauce you mentioned earlier. That should be enough for us,¡± Bai Xiao said without hesitation, since it was her entitlement after all.

    Since Dean Zhang was here to throw his weight around, she¡¯d let him do it this once.

    After all, the food was provided by the hospital.

 Chapter 193 - 193 193 Thawing Previous Grudges (Fifth

    ?Chapter 193: Chapter 193: Thawing Previous Grudges (Fifth Update)   Chapter 193: Chapter 193: Thawing Previous Grudges (Fifth Update)                                   Chief Xing hurried to make arrangements and quickly started cooking.

    The skilled chefs had also returned to the kitchen with their own bowls of rice in hand already.

    Once the Dean arrived to request dishes, everyone got busy with their tasks, picking vegetables and cutting meat; no one dared to casually continue eating their rice there.

    Chief Xing, also bustling about in the kitchen with a forehead full of sweat, silently berated himself for hisck of foresight just moments ago.

    He had long known that Bai Xiao¡¯s Grade-A meal ticket put her on the same level as the Dean, and there were probably only a few others in the entire hospital.

    Yet he still had to look down on people with disdain.

    Who was the damn idiot who told him that Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t valued by the Dean and that she was just here to add a ssh of gold before leaving?

    Seeing how cordial Dean Zhang was with Bai Xiao, it was clear she wasn¡¯t just some rtion taking advantage of nepotism.

    If Bai Xiao was indeed a ¡°rtion,¡± then her ties with Dean Zhang must be significant.

    How could he have been so blind, especially to stumble into this situation right in the Dean¡¯s line of fire?

    It was truly bad luck.

    With seven or eight people working together, the meals were quickly served.

    Five dishes, plus a big pot of freshly steamed rice.

    Chief Xing personally brought the food to the table.

    ¡°Dean Zhang, Doctor Bai, please taste the food and see how it is. If it¡¯s not to your liking, I¡¯ll have them remake it right away. Oh, and here are two pig¡¯s trotters¡ªthey were already marinated. Please give them a try.¡± This was a special gesture from Chief Xing, as generally those trotters were reserved for taking care of VIP rtions.

    Dean Zhang smiled, giving Chief Xing a sidelong nce, ¡°Chief Xing, Xiaobai is one of our hospital¡¯s excellent talents. You should understand why she enjoys the Grade-A meal ticket; Xiaobai is a military officer who it took the effort of nine oxen and two tigers to recruit to our hospital. I¡¯ve always hoped our hospital could provide a warmth like that of a family, for her to feel everyone¡¯s care and friendliness. You are in charge of managing the canteen; if Xiaobai gets too thin, I will hold you responsible.

    This is a strict order, Xiaobai must be kept plump and healthy. If she ends up skinny as a rail, then I will have to find you, and if you can¡¯t even ensure our Doctor Bai is well fed, how can she be expected to treat and save others?¡±

    Although it was said in jest, thement was a clear show of support for Bai Xiao.

    Beads of sweat were forming on Chief Xing¡¯s brow.

    He quickly reassured Dean Zhang.

    ¡°Dean Zhang, rest assured, Doctor Bai is an excellent young talent in our hospital, and we must provide the best logistical support for her. Doctor Bai, what would you like to eat in the future? Just let me know in advance and I¡¯ll inform the department to ensure you¡¯re well-nourished. The task the Dean has entrusted to me will definitely be aplished.¡±

    Bai Xiao shook her head, ¡°Chief Xing, there¡¯s really no need. I¡¯ll juste to the canteen at meal times to get food, please don¡¯t arrange any special treatment for me. Besides, this isn¡¯t about feeding pigs. You say you want to keep me well-nourished, but I¡¯ve always been this way since I was little; I don¡¯t put on weight easily. If you want to fatten me up, Chief Xing, that might be a difficult task to aplish.¡± Spare others when possible.

    After all, Chief Xing was perhaps a bit too power-conscious, but that didn¡¯t mean she needed to be enemies with him.

    To hold onto it and not let go would be against the very basics of being human.

    Chief Xing also smiled, grateful that Bai Xiao had given him an out.

    ¡°Doctor Bai, in the future, if youe and there¡¯s no food, just give them a call and they¡¯ll cook up something fresh for you on the spot. Don¡¯t keep quiet about it¡ªour canteen is here to ensure everyone¡¯s well-being. If you haven¡¯t eaten enough, how will you be able to treat people?¡±

    ¡°Chief Xing, don¡¯t worry, if I run out of food, I¡¯ll definitelye find you,¡± Bai Xiao joked.

    Chief Xing chuckled, ¡°Oh my! Doctor Bai, with your words, I feel like the weight on my shoulders just got heavier.¡±

    Dean Zhang alsoughed heartily.

    Section Chief Xing, seeing that his affairs were appropriately resolved, very astutely led the staff into the kitchen to tidy up, giving the Dean and Doctor Bai room to talk.

    ¡°Doctor Bai, Comrade An, eat up, eat while it¡¯s hot,¡± Dean Zhang called out to them.

    Bai Xiao smiled and nodded, knowing she couldn¡¯t be polite. With her small frame, she certainly needed to replenish her energy.

    An Zhiyuan couldn¡¯t be by her side all the time; if she wasn¡¯t well-fed, how could she have the energy to stave off the cold?

    She pondered somewhat gloomily, wondering if she had dug her own grave.

    Dean Zhang looked at Bai Xiao with increasing fondness, thinking that she indeed resembled a former ssmate of his; talented and approachable, without a hint of arrogance.

    ¡°Doctor Bai, I need to apologize to you for what happened in the department today,¡± said Dean Zhang seriously.

    Bai Xiao raised an eyebrow, an apology to her?

    ¡°Dean Zhang, I don¡¯t quite understand what you mean,¡± she replied.

    Today, Dean Zhang hadn¡¯t done anything particrly outrageous, except, perhaps, for attempting to suspend her.

    If it were the 18-year-old Bai Xiao, she might not have understood why Dean Zhang had flown into such a rage, but she was no longer the naive Bai Xiao. She had seen too many people scheming against each other for the sake of profit, with conspiracy and trickery abound.

    Therefore, she fully understood Dean Zhang¡¯s actions, which were meant to uphold the honor and interests of the hospital from the perspective of a Dean.

    Bai Xiao might act bravely in a moment, but Dean Zhang couldn¡¯t do so, he couldn¡¯t plunge the entire hospital into deep trouble.

    If one were to speak truthfully, she actually admired Dean Zhang for that.

    In the end, Dean Zhang¡¯s actions and words showed her what the medical ethics of a true doctor were?

    Dean Zhang had used his own position to protect her, toprehensively interpret what true medical ethics were.

    ¡°Having been a Dean for all these years, I¡¯ve be ustomed to considering the honor of the entire hospital, to keeping the peace, to making decisions based on benefits for patients and the hospital. I¡¯ve lost the passion for medicine I had in my youth. Today, in you, I see the reflection of my younger self and the future of our medical workers.

    You all are the pirs that will uphold the future of both medical skills and ethics. Only with pure hearts can you genuinely carry forward the mission of healing and saving lives with medical skills.¡±

    Bai Xiao felt somewhat embarrassed by the praise.

    Could she say that she wasn¡¯t that kind of person? Until today, she had also been focused on self-preservation.

    Her effort to hide her abilities was due to uncertainty and worries about the future.

    But today, she had truly acted with fervor; the feeling of being able to heal and save lives, of holding the power of life and death in her hands, made her understand that she had many paths to choose from, not just limited to saving her loved ones, repaying kindness, or seeking vengeance. She could easily do all of these.

    The true pathid out before her today, right in front of her eyes.

    It showed her such brilliance and glory that she willingly decided to embark on this path.

    As long as she was discreet enough, she could certainly be a true doctor.

    She needed to look further ahead, be more open-hearted, and move beyond those personal grievances.

    Maybe then she could see a much broader world.

 Chapter 194 - 194 194 Making Trouble

    ?Chapter 194: Chapter 194: Making Trouble   Chapter 194: Chapter 194: Making Trouble                                   ¡°Dean, I just tried to fulfill a doctor¡¯s duty, I never considered anything else.¡±

    Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t lying. At that time, her true intention was indeed to save lives.

    Dean Zhang ate his food heartily, ¡°I could see that. You possess the most basic morality and conscience of a medical practitioner.¡±

    The scene Bai Xiao performed today didn¡¯t just move Dean Zhang alone; it also touched all the doctors in the hospital.

    Perhaps it was that scene in the corridor that suddenly made all the doctors realize the sanctity of their profession. Perhaps everyone went back and started to reflect on whether they had the benevolence that a medical practitioner should have. Such an impact might even drive a change in the entire medical ethos of the hospital.

    This is what truly moved Dean Zhang today.

    ¡°Dean Zhang, if you keep praising me like this, I will really feel embarrassed and won¡¯t be able to eat this meal.¡±

    Bai Xiao joked with Dean Zhang, who felt quite dear to her, treating her very much like an elder would, with kindness and affection. Since her rebirth, this was the first time Bai Xiao felt loved.

    ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll stop talking. You hurry up and eat. Look at you, always exhausting yourself half to death for others¡¯ sake during treatments. It makes me anxious just watching. Eat more. Next time you visit the cafeteria, let them cook whatever good food they have. I know those practicing Qigong and such need a high protein, nutritious diet. Every time you perform acupuncture, it consumes your own True Qi. It¡¯s really worrying if you don¡¯t replenish properly.¡±

    An Zhiyuan nced at Bai Xiao, surprised that she had informed Dean Zhang about all this.

    ¡°Understood! My lord Dean, look, I¡¯ve already eaten two bowls of rice. If I marry into their familyter, they mightin about how much I eat.¡± Bai Xiao nced at An Zhiyuan.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s expression remained unchanged.

    He ced a chopstick-full of beef slices into Bai Xiao¡¯s bowl.

    His action was his response to Bai Xiao.

    Dean Zhang was delighted, truly happy for the couple before him.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, where are you from? What family do you have back home?¡±

    This curiosity was indescribable; this child always evoked a very familiar feeling in him.

    Indeed, she looked too much like his ssmate.

    ¡°I¡¯m from Liupan Vige in some county. My parents have passed away, and I have one brother and two sisters.¡± This wasn¡¯t a secret.

    ¡°What did your parents do? I heard you mention it¡¯s a family secret technique, so your parents must have been medical practitioners as well.¡±

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°My parents were country doctors in our vige, mere traditional medicine practitioners, treating minor ailments like headaches and fevers. My father, when he passed on this medical skill to me, said that not everyone could learn it; even though it has been passed down from generation to generation, only those in a generation whose constitution is suited could master it. Moreover, acupuncture involves a lot of knowledge; everyone has different cognitive abilities.

    You have to be highly perceptive to the art of acupuncture and also possess the right physical constitution; my dad said it might take many generations for one such person to appear. It turned out exceptional that I alone made it in our generation. My dad had great hopes for me; he taught me medical skills from a young age. Do not think that acupuncturees without practical experience; in the beginning, I practiced numerous times on my own parents, not knowing how many needles I bent in the process?¡±

    Bai Xiao was a bit proud of her remarkable ability to lie.

    Since her rebirth, if there was anything she had mastered, it was her skill in lying.

    Dean Zhang was slightly surprised, ¡°Liupan Vige, huh? What was your mother¡¯s name?¡±

    It seemed like the vige where his friend had queued up was called that; he remembered it because he had once sent things there for his ssmate.

    Bai Xiao looked at Dean Zhang, finding his question somewhat puzzling and a bit intrusive.

    ¡°My mother¡¯s name is He Cuihua, and my father Bai Jianshu, both natives of Liupan Vige.¡±

    Dean Zhang¡¯s face was indifferent, ¡°Eat up, eat a little more.¡± he called to Bai Xiao.

    ¡°Zhiyuan, you should eat quickly too. Your work unit is nearby, right?¡± Dean Zhang was really nice to An Zhiyuan, seeing that An Zhiyuan looked like a tough guy, it must be close by, otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be easy for him toe for a visit.

    An Zhiyuan nodded, ¡°Dean Zhang, I work at a ce affiliated with our Ninth Hospital,¡± and I had been looking for Bai Xiao for a long time, I had no idea she was in the same system as me.¡±

    ¡°Doctor Bai is indeed a good girl, you should treat her well.¡± Dean Zhang was protective; Bai Xiao was now under her supervision.

    An Zhiyuan quietly poured a ss of water for Bai Xiao and ced it next to her, ¡°Rest assured.¡±

    Manager Xing rushed in hurriedly, ¡°Dean Zhang, you shoulde and see this. Doctor Chui¡¯s mother-inw and daughter are causing amotion in the outpatient hall. The olddy is already lying on the ground, iming that her daughter-inw is refusing to provide living expenses for her granddaughter. It¡¯s quite a scene. It just happens to be during the afternoon when patients areing up for appointments, and now the area is almost impassably crowded.¡±

    Dean Zhang put down his chopsticks, ¡°How can they turn the outpatient building into such a mess, why not take them to the office?¡±

    Manager Xing wiped some sweat, having run all the way here, reflecting quite the effort for his hefty body.

    ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t want to take them to the office? This olddy is quite unreasonable, there¡¯s no making sense of it; she started creating a scene without a second word.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go take a look!¡±

    Dean Zhang hurried out.

    Bai Xiao also stood up. Doctor Chui?

    It couldn¡¯t be the Doctor Chui she was thinking of, could it?

    An Zhiyuan nced at her, ¡°Are you nning to go watch the spectacle too?¡±

    He didn¡¯t think Bai Xiao was the kind of person who enjoyed watching spectacles.

    ¡°That Chui Li is my neighbor, I don¡¯t know if this Doctor Chui is the one I know.¡± Mainly because she had given Doctor Chui some advice that day, without knowing whether it worked or not.

    ¡°You should stay away from the spectacle; show me to your dorm instead. I want to be familiar with it so next time I can find where to visit you,¡± An Zhiyuan smiled, knowing this girl¡¯s curious eyes were rolling, wanting to go.

    Bai Xiao shook her head, nced at her watch, ¡°It¡¯s not convenient right now, I have to start working. When are you going back?¡± She indeed wanted to, but it was her working time now.

    An Zhiyuan looked at Bai Xiao¡¯s watch, a faint smile appearing.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be going back soon, and here¡¯s what we will do: write down your department¡¯s phone number for me, and I¡¯ll call you in advance next time Ie.¡± An Zhiyuan instructed, looking forward toing during Bai Xiao¡¯s off days! That way, they could spend more time together.

    Bai Xiao nodded, borrowed paper and a pen from the cafeteria staff and wrote down the phone number and address, ¡°You should leave me your address and phone number too, so it will be easier to get in touch! If I need something, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to find you.¡±

    An Zhiyuan carefully wrote down the address and phone number.

    His handwriting was strong and forceful, with an upright vigor, quite surprising to Bai Xiao; it seemed An Zhiyuan must have a high educational background, this handwriting could not fool anyone.

    ¡°An, which school did you attend?¡±

    ¡°I graduated from high school.¡± An Zhiyuan¡¯s response was exactly as Bai Xiao had anticipated.

    An Zhiyuan nced at his watch, ¡°It¡¯s about time for me to leave, I¡¯ll go for today.¡±

    Bai Xiao escorted him to the main gate, watched as An Zhiyuan drove away in his Jeep before she returned to the outpatient building of the hospital.

 Chapter 195 - 195 195 The pitiable ones must have their

    ?Chapter 195: Chapter 195: The pitiable ones must have their detestable side.   Chapter 195: Chapter 195: The pitiable ones must have their detestable side.                                   Bai Xiao arrived at the outpatient building and saw it was just as busy as Head Xing had described, with people crowding the lobby on the first floor.

    From a distance, she could hear an old woman¡¯s voice, crying out hoarsely with that unique squalling intonation, rhythmic and melodious as she ranted and raved.

    ¡°You must be the Dean, you have got to stand up for us. This Chui Li, she¡¯s not human, look at my granddaughter, only 12 years old, needs to go to school, needs to eat, and she promised to provide the living expenses. When wee to her for the money, she makes all kinds of excuses not to give it, how can she even deserve to be called a mother?

    Such a person who doesn¡¯t even want to support her own daughter, you leaders cannot allow someone with such rotten morals to continue bringing harm to others in your medical team. Don¡¯t be fooled by the white coat and her seemingly upright appearance; this woman has a dark heart.¡±

    Bai Xiao shook her head; wasn¡¯t this the kind of scene her grandmother, Li Chunhua, would typically cause?

    She had thought that the olddies in this city would make a scene at a different level.

    Turns out that making a public fuss was universallymon.

    When she squeezed into the crowd, she saw Dean Zhang being helped to lift the olddy up.

    Chui Li stood to one side, her face flushed red, the white coat she wore torn, with several buttons missing, her hair disheveled, and even finger marks on her face, it was obvious the olddy had given her quite the ordeal.

    All around them, everyone looked at Chui Li with strange gazes; among them were hospital staff, patients seeking treatment, and even soldiers.

    Of course, the olddy¡¯s words made everyone view her differently.

    ¡°Olddy, please get up first; if you have something to say, we can talk in my office,¡± Dean Zhang wanted to whisk the olddy away ¨C what was the point of causing such a scene in public, if not to tarnish the hospital¡¯s honor and reputation?

    But the olddy was having none of it.

    She was nted to the ground like a nail, refusing to get up no matter what.

    ¡°Since you¡¯re the Dean, whatever you have to say can be said right here. Once I¡¯m in your office, who knows how you¡¯ll protect your hospital¡¯s staff. Then who will stand up for me, an old woman, and my helpless granddaughter? Let the public witness just how much injustice we, old and young, have suffered.¡± The olddy was quite adept at leveraging the power of the crowd.

    Chui Li had no other choice but to approach, ¡°Please get up first, whatever you have to say, just tell me alone, there¡¯s no need for you to make a scene here in the hospital.¡± She had anticipated that the olddy and that shameless man woulde to make trouble, but she never expected the olddy to make such a big scene.

    She had thought at most the olddy would cause amotion in her department, not start one right in front of the outpatient building.

    The young girl pushed Chui Li away, her face full of anger as she pointed at Chui Li and said, ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to be kind here, my dad has been to your door several times asking for living expenses and you refused, just give a clear answer today, do you want to support me, your daughter, or not? If it weren¡¯t for you withholding my living expenses, would my grandmother have had toe here to cause a scene?¡± The young girl looked at Chui Li as if she were an enemy.

    The mother and daughter looked nothing like a mother and daughter should.

    Everyone was shocked; the olddy¡¯s actions might not have left the impression of a good person, but her own daughter standing up and saying these things made it hard not to believe the authenticity of the situation.

    The olddy was smug, having raised her granddaughter for so many years, of course, she sided with her; it was worth all the badmouthing of the girl¡¯s mother she had done into the granddaughter¡¯s ears.

    ¡°Look how she forces her own daughter toe and ask for living expenses, do you even have any shame left? Earning a decent sry every month and yet unwilling to provide for your daughter, let everyone judge for themselves, is there anyone more shameless, a more heartless mother?¡±

    Someone immediately spoke up in support of the olddy and the girl.

    ¡°People say that medical workers havepassionate hearts, just look at you, can you even live up to the white coat you wear? If you can¡¯t even support your own daughter, how can you face others and maintain apassionate heart, who would dare toe to you for treatment after this?¡±

    ¡°Exactly, if a person doesn¡¯t have the heart to raise their own daughter, let alone others.¡±

    ¡°She must have done something improper to end up divorced; otherwise, why would a marriage just end like that?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, what kind of heartless mother drags on without taking her child? A normal woman, after getting divorced, would surely take her own flesh and blood with her, afraid of leaving the child to suffer at the hands of a stepmother.¡±

    ¡°You hospital leaders can¡¯t just ignore this, right? Someone like her should be fired.¡±

    ¡°I have a word for your hospital leadership, for such a person with an improper style and such a malicious heart, you absolutely cannot condone her behavior and allow her to sit herefortably making money.¡±

    ¡°Right. If your hospital leaders don¡¯t do something about it, we¡¯re going toin.¡±

    The crowd was agitated, with all eyes quickly turning to Chui Li.

    Chui Li was at a loss for words.

    Even if she wanted to speak now, no one was willing to listen to her.

    Dean Zhang hurriedly waved his hands to signal everyone to calm down.

    ¡°Everyone, please calm down. We don¡¯t have the right to speak on this matter until the investigation isplete. As hospital leaders, of course, we will deal with the situation, but please let us rify things before making a decision.¡±

    Dean Zhang said this in all fairness.

    But the elderly woman on the ground would not settle for that. She wanted Chui Li to immediately hand over the money to her.

    ¡°Dean, howe your words sound like you are trying to cover up? Although she is a doctor at your hospital, you can¡¯t just do such unconscionable things, and your hospital doesn¡¯t stand up for us ordinary people. My goodness, is there no justice left? Aren¡¯t you just going to let my poor granddaughter starve to death?¡± The elderly woman began to cry again.

    Dean Zhang also had no way to deal with the elderly woman.

    Bai Xiao watched as everyone pointed fingers at Chui Li, and Chui Li stood there unable to defend herself, frustrated at herck of initiative.

    If you yourself won¡¯t stand up and defend yourself, what else do you expect others to say?

    There is truth in the saying that the pitiable have faults to despise, and this case was no exception.

    She turned to leave, as this was not her business to manage or her kind of idle matter to intervene in.

    After all, isn¡¯t it said that every family has their own difficult Scripture to chant, and whoever is guilty should bear their sins?

    Bai Xiao had actually been standing next to the elderly woman the whole time. As she turned around, her white coat caught on the elderly woman, who, caught up in her crying, suddenly found a piece of cloth in her hand and began wiping her tears with it.

    She didn¡¯t even bother to check whether it was a piece of cloth or someone else¡¯s clothing.

    Bai Xiao had just stepped forward when the elderly woman pulled strongly on the coat, wiping her face with it and nearly causing Bai Xiao to stumble and fall.

    ¡°Let go.¡±

    That was all Bai Xiao could say.

    Suddenly, she and the elderly woman became the focus of everyone¡¯s attention.

    Many people saw the elderly woman still holding onto Bai Xiao¡¯s coat corner, desperately wiping her nose with it. The crowd that had been righteous and indignant just a moment ago suddenly burst outughing.

    They were amused by this young doctor.

    Mainly because of the look of disgust on her face, which made it all the more adorable to watch.

 Chapter 196 - 196 196 A Great Kind Person

    ?Chapter 196: Chapter 196: A Great Kind Person.   Chapter 196: Chapter 196: A Great Kind Person.                                   The olddy only then realized that what she was clutching was indeed the white coat.

    ¡°Let go if I let go, but tell me, young man, how do you not know to respect the elderly and love the young?¡±

    The olddy wanted to strike first, realizing that she had made a mistake and had smeared her snot all over someone else¡¯s clothes, fearing that the doctor might trouble her.

    Bai Xiao turned to look at the olddy, ¡°I indeed understand respecting the elderly and loving the young, but I really don¡¯t know how to respect someone like you! Everyone should have dignity; at your age, you¡¯re still here making a scene. It¡¯s one thing to embarrass yourself, but you even dragged your 12-year-old granddaughter here. Those who know understand she¡¯s your granddaughter, but those who don¡¯t might think she¡¯s your enemy.¡±

    ¡°At such a young age, speaking to her own mother with no respect, I suppose that¡¯s how you usually teach her.¡± That was the only thing she could say in defense of Chui Li, and this time, she really was about to leave.

    Who knew the olddy wouldn¡¯t have it and grabbed Bai Xiao¡¯s legs.

    ¡°You girl, you must be colluding with Chui Li, and what you implied was that I mistreated my granddaughter, right? I raised her only to bring about my own transgressions, isn¡¯t it? Today, if you don¡¯t rify things for me, you¡¯re not going anywhere. Everyone, take a look at what level the hospital has stooped to in bullying people.

    ¡°This young girl, hardly a hair on her head, dares to bully an old woman like me; does this hospital rely on bullying to assert its power?¡±

    Indeed, the public opinion then turned against Bai Xiao.

    ¡°You, the little doctor, hurry up and apologize to the olddy. How could you speak like that? She raised her granddaughter after all; wouldn¡¯t it be a mistake not to raise her? What are you doing getting involved in other people¡¯s family matters at such a young age?¡±

    Chui Li quickly stepped forward trying to pull the olddy away, this matter had nothing to do with others, and it was improper to just drag others into it so casually.

    ¡°It has nothing to do with Doctor Bai, olddy. If it¡¯s money you want, just say so. I¡¯ll go get it for youter, won¡¯t I?¡± Chui Li could only choose to give in.

    The olddy¡¯s mouth curled in triumph.

    This former daughter-inw had always been easy to manipte, knowing very well she couldn¡¯t escape her clutches.

    ¡°From now on, you give Xiaofen 30 yuan a month for living expenses. The child is growing up, and certainly needs more for food and clothing,¡± the olddy demanded, clinging to Bai Xiao¡¯s legs stubbornly.

    Chui Li was stunned; her own monthly wage was only 60 yuan, and she had to send 20 yuan for the living expenses of her parents far away. With another 30 yuan for her daughter¡¯s living expenses, she would hardly have enough for her own meals with just 10 yuan.

    Wasn¡¯t the olddy being overly greedy?

    Seeing the difficulty on her face, the olddy knew she was reluctant to agree.

    She immediately clung to Bai Xiao¡¯s legs, pounding on them and started crying.

    ¡°Look, everyone! The doctors in this hospital are bullies. They don¡¯t regard us as humans, whether old or young. Is there no one to stand up for us? Look at how they bully us¡ªoh, my poor granddaughter, what a hard life having such a mother.¡±

    Bai Xiao found it amusing; she was really something, even more outrageous than Li Chunhua. Although Li Chunhua made scenes, she still cared about her face.

    This olddypletely disregarded her own dignity.

    ¡°Fine, olddy since you¡¯ve put it so pitifully, I initially didn¡¯t want to get involved, but Doctor Chui is a woman earning a wage that¡¯s hard enough as it is. Look at your son, he can¡¯t support his daughter, and we all understand your son has remarried and had another son. Of course, he can¡¯t support this daughter. Since he can¡¯t support her, why don¡¯t you just send this daughter back here to Doctor Chui? Your son can give Doctor Chui 30 yuan a month for living expenses, and Doctor Chui will ensure the girl is well taken care of, nevercking food or clothes. The clothes she is wearing are already too short, yet she still wears them.¡±

    Isn¡¯t it just a contest of wills?

    Bai Xiao¡¯s words immediately made many confused people somewhat understand, right. Raising a child is an affair of two people, not just one person.

    Every month, they made Dr. Chui cough up 30 yuan for living expenses, which means that if it takes two people to support the child, then the child would need 60 yuan a month.

    My goodness, the living standard of workers now is fifty to sixty yuan a month to support a family of five or six.

    Which family has to spend so much money to raise a child?

    And if they really had to spend so much money on a child every month, the child¡¯s clothes wouldn¡¯t look like this.

    The clothes aren¡¯t patched up, and they look of decent quality, but they seem a bit short, a bit small, indicating they¡¯ve been worn for several years.

    Asking for so much pocket money from their own mother every month, yet dressed like this, where did the money all go?

    Such a young child, saying she eats well, having meat at every meal, still wouldn¡¯t cost 30 yuan a month.

    These words immediately woke everyone up.

    The olddy, hearing this, panicked.

    She let go of Bai Xiao¡¯s leg, scrambled up from the ground, hands on hips, and pointing at Bai Xiao¡¯s nose, she scolded.

    ¡°You darn brat, what does this have to do with you? Why should my son give 30 yuan for living expenses?¡±

    As soon as these words came out, not only did Bai Xiaough, but everyone elseughed as well.

    ¡°Olddy, you¡¯re saying it¡¯s not okay for your son to give 30 yuan for living expenses, but it¡¯s perfectly right for Dr. Chui to do so, and if he doesn¡¯t, he¡¯s heartless, abandoning his daughter? Your logic seems wed, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    Many people by now hade to their senses,ughing heartily and pointing at the olddy, saying, ¡°This olddy is blinded by money. You just roll on the ground and make a scene, demanding money. This isn¡¯t just about supporting your granddaughter; I see it¡¯s supporting you and your son as well. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯m hearing about someone divorced still demanding money from their daughter-inw to support their own son. She¡¯s truly shameless.¡±

    ¡°Who would be shameless enough to show up here? I guess the olddy reckoned that because he¡¯s a doctor, he can¡¯t lose face and argue with her. She¡¯s even using the little girl as an excuse.¡±

    ¡°She really is shameless. People like her should just be taken straight to the security office, picked up, and thrown out.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, she¡¯s utterly disgusting.¡±

    Bai Xiao nced at Chui Li, such a simple phrase, yet she had the nerve not to say it herself; everyone isn¡¯t dumb, all it takes is saying it out loud and everyone starts to think.

    ¡°Olddy, your son is still living in Dr. Chui¡¯s house, staying in someone¡¯s house, and every so often iming the daughter is sick or needs to buy this or that, asking for money. Now you also want living expenses. Dr. Chui, it seems you are a money tree. Not only do you need to support yourself and your daughter, but you¡¯re also supporting your ex-husband, and even the child his new wife bore. You truly are a saint.¡± Bai Xiao¡¯s remarks left Chui Li utterly humiliated.

    These were the words she should have been saying, but Bai Xia had to say them, what was she afraid of?

    Originally, it was that simple.

    But she kept herself from speaking out due to her care for face, which led to the current situation.

 Chapter 197 - 197 197 Helping Out

    ?Chapter 197: Chapter 197 Helping Out   Chapter 197: Chapter 197 Helping Out                                   ¡°Oh my, Dr. Chui, you¡¯re practically a living Bodhisattva! Are you married again? If not, I¡¯d like to introduce you to my nephew back home, such a good wife, where on earth could you find another? Even after divorce you still provide for your ex-husband and his new wife, as well as the child you had with him! My goodness, you have an extraordinarily big heart,¡± a middle-aged woman immediately jeered.

    ¡°Dr. Chui, you¡¯re just being too nice, ever heard of ¡®the good are bullied¡¯? Who needs so much money to raise a child? Back in our town, after a divorce, it costs no more than five bucks a month to support a child. You¡¯re being scammed.¡±

    ¡°Right, your ex-husband has some nerve. To think he¡¯s living in his ex-wife¡¯s house and still demands so much money every month, what kind of man is that? To have the audacity to do something like this.¡±

    ¡°Dr. Chui, you can¡¯t tolerate such a man, such a mother-inw. You should go straight to that man¡¯s workce and talk to his superiors so they can see his true colors. And the house should be taken back, too; why let them live there?¡±

    ¡°Exactly, and looking at your own daughter, she doesn¡¯t have your back either. Spending your money and still daring to point at you and scold you. A daughter like that, you might as well disown her.¡±

    People started giving Dr. Chui advice left and right, poking precisely where it hurt.

    Bai Xiao smirked proudly and turned to leave the crowd. Was this what they called a sense of justice?

    She suddenly felt like a heroine.

    Seeing the tide turning against her, the olddy quickly pulled Xiaofen and pinched her granddaughter hard, then started crying while pping her thigh.

    ¡°You all are bullying a lonely olddy and a young girl.¡±

    Dean Zhang let out a sharp shout.

    ¡°Call the security department. What kind of people are these, running to the hospital entrance and causing a scene, bullying others? What do they think our hospital is, a marketce? From now on, anyone whoes here without cause, making trouble, talking nonsense, and framing others will be thrown out immediately. If they cause any more disturbances, send them straight to the police station. This is a hospital, all of our doctors are legally protected, and nder against us will be punished by thew.¡±

    The doctors nearby responded loudly.

    ¡°Alright, Dean, I¡¯ll go to the security department right away. Such brazen women who dare to nder our doctors should be locked up in the police station and sentenced to a few years in prison.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m on it.¡±

    The doctor dashed off towards the security department.

    The olddy shivered in fear. How did it all of a sudden be a false usation? And talk of prison.

    She scrambled to her feet.

    With nimble legs, she hurriedly started to walk out.

    Xiaofen was still crying from the pinch by her grandmother, and seeing that her grandmother ignored her and just walked away, she quickly followed.

    As she left, she red at Chui Li fiercely.

    Everyone burst intoughter, and many patients and their families, present there,forted Chui Li, saying, ¡°Dr. Chui, you¡¯ve got to stand tall from now on. In life, you can¡¯t be too reserved; sometimes, caring too much about face isn¡¯t a good thing.¡±

    ¡°If you get bullied like this and don¡¯t speak up for yourself, no one else will help you.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, as long as you make your situation clear, all of us can back you up¡ªyour Dean, your leaders, all your doctors. How could they not support you? As long as you¡¯re in the right and haven¡¯t done anything wrong, who wouldn¡¯t help you?¡±

    ¡°This time, you must learn from the setback and take back the house. You can¡¯t just give away the money like that. Even if you have to provide living expenses for your daughter, let the court decide. Whatever amount the court says you should give, that¡¯s what you give. You can¡¯t let them take advantage of you like that for nothing.¡±

    Chui Li nodded. She had always been afraid to talk about her situation because she feared others wouldugh at her for being divorced.

    Now that so many people wereforting her, Chui Li suddenly felt she had been wrong all these years.

    For the first time, she felt she could hold her head high; she realized that life could be lived this way, that it was possible to live like this.

    ¡°Thank you, everyone, thank you all. I was wrong before. I was afraid that my child would be mistreated by their father, so I was always hesitant. From now on, I must stand tall and live with confidence,¡± Chui Li said, truly regaining her strength.

    Dean Zhang looked at Chui Li and said to everyone, ¡°Alright, break it up, everyone, break it up. Okay, whoever needs to see patients, see patients, whoever has to get back to work, go back to work.¡± The situation finally calmed down, and he said to Chui Li, ¡°Dr. Chui,e with me!¡±

    Some things couldn¡¯t be said in front of everyone, for fear of leaving Chui Li without face.

    Chui Li was somewhat anxious. This situation had caused quite a stir, and although Dean Zhang was a good person, he couldn¡¯t stand such things affecting the hospital¡¯s honor. She didn¡¯t know if he would discipline her.

    The two went to the Dean¡¯s office, and as soon as Dean Zhang entered the office, he pointed to the sofa.

    ¡°Sit!¡±

    His tone was still harsh, and Chui Li sat on the sofa like a mummy, waiting for the Dean¡¯s final decision on her fate.

    Dean Zhang sat opposite Chui Li and said with deep seriousness, ¡°Dr. Chui, you should have dealt with your family issues long ago. You can¡¯t be too weak. If you had stood your ground from the beginning, how would those people be so greedy? In the future, you must have a bottom line in such matters, and never lose it. And if you¡¯re facing difficulties, you should havee to me and the Secretary to discuss it. Wouldn¡¯t we have helped you?

    The situation wouldn¡¯t have escted to what happened today. From now on, you should focus on your work, work peacefully, and not let others affect you. Also, about your child¡¯s alimony, I happen to know awyer. I¡¯ll give you their number. Go talk to them. You can¡¯t tolerate such matters; if you yield too much, people will take advantage of you.¡±

    Dean Zhang¡¯s words were so touching that Chui Li almost cried. She thought that knowing her situation, the Dean wouldn¡¯t have a good face to show her and would discipline her, but to her surprise, he was actually offering her help. It seemed she had always been wrong, her judgment was truly wed¡ªmisjudging men and even more so others.

    ¡°Thank you, Dean, thank you!¡±

    At that moment, she was truly grateful. At a time when she thought she was at the end of her rope, many people had given her warmth and care, and now her heart was filled with warmth.

    Dean Zhang smiled, ¡°Remember, you¡¯re not alone. Our army hospital has its dignity. You can¡¯t bring us shame. What¡¯s there to fear from such a shrew? We are protected by discipline. If that family dares to make more trouble, next time I¡¯ll have them taken directly to the police station. I don¡¯t believe there¡¯s nowhere that will deal with them.¡±

    He was unequivocally supporting Chui Li.

    Chui Li was so grateful she didn¡¯t know what to say, just nodding repeatedly.

    She had finally understood! Silence is not golden; she needed to speak out, loudly tell others of her grievances. Then, many people would stand by her side. Divorce is not something shameful; she must be strong herself to live confidently.

    Let whoever wants to talk say whatever they want; she didn¡¯t care.

 Chapter 198 - 198 198 Ruthless Heart (Five Updates)

    ?Chapter 198: Chapter 198: Ruthless Heart (Five Updates)   Chapter 198: Chapter 198: Ruthless Heart (Five Updates)                                   The olddy returned home disheveled, and Fan Jiancheng was still at her house waiting for news, primarily concerned about the living expenses.

    He had promised to buy his son some toys and chicken legs, after all.

    With his and his wife¡¯s meager sries, they could barely get by, let alone livefortably. They depended on the monthly living expenses from Chui Li and the money he managed to scrape together every now and then. Having a son with great difficulty, he couldn¡¯t shortchange his precious child.

    Besides, the couple was also considering saving money, as their son was growing every day, and there would be more expenses in the future.

    Seeing the olddy storm in angrily with Xiaofen, who looked utterly bewildered following behind, his heart sank as he sensed that something was amiss.

    Could it be that the olddy hade back empty-handed?

    Impossible!

    He knew Chui Li well; despite her aloof exterior, she was tender-hearted and cared about her reputation. With the olddy, she had no choice but to admit defeat; there was no possibility of fighting back. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be so tightly controlled by him even after their divorce¡ªan understanding of Chui Li he dared not disclose.

    He carefully poured a ss of water for the olddy and ced it in front of her, ¡°Mom, how did it go?¡±

    The olddy red fiercely at Xiaofen, ¡°It¡¯s all because you¡¯re ipetent. Why didn¡¯t you cling to your mom¡¯s legs and cry your eyes out then? Look how people talked down to me! I¡¯ve never been so humiliated in my life. You¡¯re just an ungrateful wretch.¡± All of her pent-up anger was unleashed on Xiaofen at that moment.

    Xiaofen felt aggrieved; her grandmother and father had always been kind to her, continuously feeding her with negative information about her mother¡¯s disregard for having a daughter. She also had no affection for Chui Li, but this time it wasn¡¯t her fault.

    ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s Chui Li who wouldn¡¯t give it, not my fault!¡± Xiaofen retorted without backing down, as her father and grandmother always spoiled her.

    ¡°Mom, what exactly happened?¡± Fan Jiancheng asked.

    After the olddy rted the events, Fan Jiancheng realized the gravity of the situation. He used to manipte Chui Li because she was overly concerned about her reputation and wouldn¡¯t make a fuss to avoid disgrace, also worrying about his treatment of Xiaofen. Now, with someone to back her up, she really might not pay the living expenses anymore.

    What should he do?

    Looking at Xiaofen wiping her tears away with a sense of injustice, he said in frustration, ¡°Xiaofen, go home, I need to talk more with your grandma. Go help your mom with some chores!¡± He decided to deal with the matter after sending the girl away.

    Xiaofen didn¡¯t want to leave; she knew the atmosphere wouldn¡¯t be friendly back home with her stepmother, especially since her brother was born. She wasn¡¯t foolish¡ªher own father treated her brother like a treasure, while she had be an unwanted presence. It was only with her grandmother where things were better; although her grandmother also favored her grandson, she treated Xiaofen kindly. Yet, returning home meant facing her stepmother who, despite her smile, was harsh in hermands.

    Seeing her normally affectionate mother and sister getting along warmly made Xiaofen even more uncertain about her ce.

    ¡°Dad, let mee home with you!¡±

    Xiaofen sensed her father¡¯s bad mood and felt uneasy.

    Fan Jiancheng¡¯s face darkened, ¡°I told you to go ahead first; why won¡¯t you listen even to your father¡¯s words?¡± His daughter was really a jinx.

    Xiaofen reluctantly bowed her head and went out, returning upstairs.

    She felt ufortable; her father and grandmother had never treated her this way before. They were usually quite kind to her.

    This was the first time they had been so harsh and critical towards her.

    Back at home, her stepmother Liu Gaimei was bathing Xiaobao. Seeing her return, she asked with a smile, ¡°Xiaofen, you¡¯re back? Didn¡¯t your dade back with you?¡± She was in an excellent mood¡ªshe had her eye on a piece of fabric and nned to buy it tomorrow to make herself a pair of pants.

    Xiaofen responded listlessly, ¡°Dad said he wanted to sit a while longer with grandma and told me toe back first.¡±

    ¡°Well then, go do your homework. When your dades back, we¡¯ll go buy something tasty. We¡¯re having chicken legs tonight.¡± Xiaobao had been fussing for them for days.

    The couple had saved some of their sries in the bank, but if they wanted to eat well, theyrgely depended on the monthly living expenses from Chui Li.

    Liu Gaimei really looked down on Chui Li in her heart. Being a doctor, she deserved the divorce,pletely controlled by her ex-husband using their child. Such a woman deserved to be bullied, and even if she didn¡¯t bully her, someone else likely would. Since Chui Li was willing to ve away for her daughter, who wouldn¡¯t take advantage of that?

    As for Xiaofen, Liu Gaimei was extremely kind to her, understanding that the girl was practically a goldmine. As long as Xiaofen sided with them, Chui Li could be ckmailed.

    Thus, she was clever and treated Xiaofen well, knowing it was deserved for those twenty dors.

    Xiaofen went back to her room.

    In the meantime, Fan Jiancheng and the olddy were whispering intensely.

    ¡°Mom, what should we do?¡±

    The olddy coldly smiled, ¡°It all depends on how ruthless you can be!¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    The olddy checked the courtyard to make sure it was empty, then whispered, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if Chui Li doesn¡¯t give anything. If you harden your heart and torment Xiaofen for a few days, have her go cry to Chui Li. Let¡¯s see if she still dares withhold the living expenses. She thinks we¡¯re afraid of her, but doesn¡¯t realize the child is in our hands.¡± The olddy had been scheming all along.

    Fan Jiancheng was a bit troubled, ¡°What if Chui Li sues us and wants to take the child back?¡± He knew that having the child was his leverage over Chui Li.

    ¡°Are you foolish? Why would she sue? You are the child¡¯s biological father.¡± The olddy was confident that no one would interfere, not even the court.

    She had seen enough; which parents didn¡¯t hit their children? Biological parents spanked their kids hard, and no one could say they weren¡¯t caring.

    Even the police couldn¡¯t do anything.

    Fan Jiancheng steeled himself, ¡°Okay, Mom, I got it. I¡¯ll go home and discuss this with Gaimei.¡± To force Chui Li into submission, Fan Jiancheng was ready to go all out.

    The olddy nodded, and only then did Fan Jiancheng leave and return home.

    Upon reaching home and seeing his three-year-old son, Xiaobao, lively and diving into his arms, affection filled his eyes and heart.

    Liu Gaimei, noticing Fan Jiancheng returned empty-handed, asked curiously, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d buy Xiaobao some apples?¡±

    Fan Jiancheng repeated the n, and Liu Gaimei¡¯s heart sank; Chui Li had awakened just at the right moment.

    She had many ns for the month.

    ¡°Fan Jiancheng, are you nning to starve Xiaobao to death?¡± Liu Gaimei, upset, raised her tone by two degrees.

    Fan Jiancheng, doting on his wife, hurriedly put on a cating smile, ¡°How could that be! I¡¯d starve myself before letting you and the boy suffer! Don¡¯t worry, I already have a n. Watch what I do, Chui Li will be hand-delivering us the money within a month.¡±

    Liu Gaimei then showed a smile, pushing Fan Jiancheng yfully, ¡°You devil, always full of ideas! Let me remind you, I won¡¯t tolerate freeloaders. We agreed initially, I only agreed to care for your daughter because of the living expenses. If there¡¯s no money, I won¡¯t bother; you take her away, I¡¯ve served enough looking after you two, let alone a princess!¡±

    Fan Jiancheng wrapped his arms around his wife, pressing a kiss, his hands not remaining idle either.

    ¡°Rest assured, from today, Xiaofen will do whatever needs to be done. She¡¯s already a grown girl, shouldn¡¯t she be helping out around the house? You just order her around as you please.¡±

    Liu Gaimei nced sideways at Fan Jiancheng, ¡°Don¡¯t you feel pity for her?¡±

    Fan Jiancheng, loving Liu Gaimei¡¯s attitude, whispered into her ear, ¡°I have pity for you! Let me take care of you!¡± With those words, he carried Liu Gaimei into the house.

    Before leaving, he called out toward Xiaofen¡¯s room, ¡°Xiaofen,e out and watch your brother, your mom and I have something to handle!¡±

 Chapter 199 - 199 199 Beat You to Death (Monthly Ticket

    ?Chapter 199: Chapter 199: Beat You to Death (Monthly Ticket Extra)   Chapter 199: Chapter 199: Beat You to Death (Monthly Ticket Extra)                                   Xiaofen was in the middle of doing her homework when Fan Jiancheng¡¯s shouting threw her into a restless state of mind. She was hardly ever the one to take care of Xiaobao, that was always Liu Gaimei¡¯s job.

    But today her biological father was in a bad mood, and she couldn¡¯t go against him. If he really red at her with those eyes, she too would be scared.

    She put her pen down, went out to grab Xiaobao and brought him into her room, asking Xiaobao to sit on the bed and y while she sat at the desk to do her homework.

    Xiaobao saw her doing homework and was curiously drawn to it, already making his way to the desk.

    The bed was right next to the desk, so Xiaobao¡¯s approach was no issue at all. Seeing the pencil in his sister¡¯s hand, Xiaobao eximed, ¡°I want that!¡± pointing at the pencil in Xiaofen¡¯s hand.

    Xiaofen, growing annoyed, snapped, ¡°Go y over there, this isn¡¯t for you to y with!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Xiaobao became upset; both his mom and dad always listened to him. Why wouldn¡¯t Xiaofen listen to him? His tiny hands reached out to snatch it.

    Xiaofen quickly dodged, but because she was originally sitting on the chair in front of the bed, once she moved away, Xiaobao lost his bnce while trying to grab the pencil and tumbled straight off the bed, hitting his head on the corner of the chair, and immediately blood gushed from his head.

    Xiaobao¡¯s cries were so loud that they startled his parents, who were about to go to bed in the other room, causing them to jump up. They threw on their clothes in a panic and rushed out.

    Liu Gaimei put on her clothes inside out without even realizing it, and Fan Jiancheng ran out with one foot shoeless. They burst into Xiaofen¡¯s room to find Xiaobao lying on the ground, his head covered in blood, while Xiaofen just stood there dumbfounded.

    Fan Jiancheng was furious; not only had he had an unsessful day without making any money, but now his beloved son was bleeding from the head. His heart ached as if it was being drilled into. He scooped Xiaobao up from the floor, pped Xiaofen across the face, then brutally kicked her down, shouting, ¡°You heartless wretch, he¡¯s your brother, your own brother, and you want him dead! I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯m taking Xiaobao to the hospital now. If anything happens to him, I¡¯ll beat you to death in his stead!¡±

    Liu Gaimei nced at Xiaofen lying on the ground, clutching her stomach with tear-filled eyes. There was no need for her to y the viin. She turned around, grabbed her wallet, and followed Fan Jiancheng out the door, both of them rushing to the hospital.

    Xiaofeny on the ground, her stomach throbbing with pain, but her heart hurt even more. She knew her father preferred her brother, but he had always been nice to her as well, always gentle and never harsh. She never expected that inparison with her brother, she would be less than a de of grass to him.

    Liu Gaimei, who had always been affectionate toward her, was someone Xiaofen thought cared for her even more than her biological mother. Yet today, she wouldn¡¯t even spare her a nce of concern. Suddenly, Xiaofen couldn¡¯t understand how everyone had changed so quickly, all within one day.

    She pulled herself up, and recalling what Fan Jiancheng had said, coupled with the sight of blood on Xiaobao¡¯s head, she grew frightened. What would happen to her if something happened to Xiaobao?

    She believedpletely that if Xiaobao was hurt, Fan Jiancheng would indeed kill her.

    She immediately left the house and went to her grandmother¡¯s ce. Her grandmother had always been kind to her, and she had spent most of her days with her grandmother. Her grandmother should protect her, right?

    At this moment, her grandmother was her only lifeline left.

    As soon as she entered, the olddy was cooking, and her younger son was working at a nearby factory, almost doing overtime every day; household cooking chores were all expected to be done by the olddy, who was also hoping she could marry off her son soon and finally get some relief. Seeing Xiaofen carrying her swollen belly with her face swollen on one side, the imprint of five fingers distinctly visible, the olddy felt aint in her heart, ¡°Elder brother¡¯s hands moved too fast.¡±

    ¡°What happened to you?¡± The olddy didn¡¯t rush to check on her as eagerly as usual; instead, she continued her work methodically.

    Xiaofen suddenly threw herself into the olddy¡¯s arms! ¡°Grandma, my dad is going to beat me to death! You have to protect me.¡± At that moment, Xiaofen felt there was no better person in the world than her grandmother.

    The olddy pushed her away, ¡°How old are you already, still so reckless? Can¡¯t you see grandma is cooking?¡± Her attitude was not warm at all.

    Xiaofen froze all of a sudden.

    What¡¯s happening with grandma?

    Could it be that grandma also dislikes her?

    ¡°Why would your dad want to beat you to death?¡± The olddy still thought Fan Jiancheng was finding an excuse to discipline the girl, just to show Chui Li some color.

    ¡°It¡¯s all because of your mother! If she hadn¡¯t disregarded your well-being, if she had provided you with living expenses, would your dad have vented his anger on you? If you want to me someone, me your mother. Go cry to her if you want to cry; she won¡¯t pity you. Otherwise, why would you suffer like this?¡± This was the best time to drive a wedge, as the olddy wanted her granddaughter to turn against Chui Li.

    Xiaofen fell silent; what did this have to do with Chui Li?

    ¡°Dumb now, are you? Why don¡¯t you speak up? Every time we mention your mother, you act like this. You¡¯re so close with your birth mother, but she doesn¡¯t take you seriously. Otherwise, she would have considered whether you have a good life at your dad¡¯s or not.¡± The olddy scolded with great zeal.

    ¡°Grandma, dad asked me to look after Xiaobao. It was an ident when Xiaobao bumped his head, and that¡¯s why dad hit me. It has nothing to do with Chui Li!¡± She wasn¡¯t making excuses; it just seemed to her that grandma could connect everything to her own mother, even though it clearly had nothing to do with Chui Li.

    Upon hearing this, the olddy¡¯s face immediately changed. She grabbed the spat she was using to stir-fry and struck Xiaofen on the head and back, causing her to jump up as blood started flowing down, ¡°You cursed, heartless little wretch, just like your mother, how dare you harm my grandson, my precious grandchild. I¡¯ll tell you, if your dad didn¡¯t beat you to death, I will, you even harm your own brother, why don¡¯t you just die, what use are you? I¡¯ll beat you to death, beat you to death!¡±

    She showed no mercy at all, and Xiaofen ran out of the courtyard holding her head while the olddy, hands on her hips, one holding the spat, pointed to Xiaofen and cursed, ¡°You damned girl, you dare to run? I tell you, if you leave this house today, don¡¯t even think abouting back; I¡¯ll beat you to death.¡± By now, the olddy was mad beyond reason, partly because Xiaofen spoke up for Chui Li, and partly because she was convinced Xiaofen was malicious enough to want to harm her grandson. At this point, the olddypletely lost track of her own strategies and Xiaofen¡¯s worth, blinded by rage.

    Looking at her grandmother, who was cursing her evilly, Xiaofen suddenly felt that the world had be unrecognizable to her. Within a day, her world had turned upside down; her dad and grandma, who were usually so kind to her, and even her stepmother, now seemed to wish her dead. Now, she began to understand, the kindness her father, grandmother, and stepmother had always shown her, was thanks to the living expenses from her own mother.

    Without that money, in fact, she was nothing at all.

    There seemed to be no ce for her in this world anymore.

 Chapter 200 - 200 200 Emergency First Aid

    ?Chapter 200: Chapter 200 Emergency First Aid   Chapter 200: Chapter 200 Emergency First Aid                                   Xiaofen turned and ran, not knowing where she could go! It felt as if the whole wide world had no ce for her, as her own father and grandmother now wished she were dead! Perhaps without the living expenses, she was the least wee person. She had thought her father and grandmother were kind to her, but now she realized it had always been her seemingly heartless and unrighteous biological mother who had been the best to her. If not for the monthly living expenses from her mother, she probably would have been treated like this long ago.

    But now her mother had stopped providing living expenses too, probably because she had always spoken coldly to her over the years, never showing any affection, so she felt she didn¡¯t want to care for her anymore, right?

    Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have stopped the living expenses out of the blue.

    So now, no one cared for her.

    Xiaofen felt the cold wind as she walked; she had rushed out so quickly that she hadn¡¯t worn much warm clothing, and by now, her nose was blue, and her face was swollen from the cold.

    Walking on the street as it was about to get dark, everyone passed by in a hurry, no one noticing a young girl.

    Her stomach hurt more and more, the ce where Fan Jiancheng had kicked her now radiating an unbearable pain, and even in the depths of winter, sweat was dripping down her face.

    What should she do?

    Xiaofen trudged on, and it seemed to her as though the unspeaking eyes of Chui Li she had seen that day suddenly made sense; it was a look of helplessness mixed with pity. Perhaps everyone in the world disliked her, but even with all her faults towards her biological mother, Chui Li still cared for her greatly.

    With dragging steps, she headed towards the hospital, perhaps the only ce where Chui Li would wee her now.

    Upon reaching the entrance of the hospital, a security guard came out and inquired after noticing something was wrong with her, ¡°Young girl, what are you doing? The hospital is about to close. Ah, are you feeling unwell? Where are your parents?¡±

    Xiaofen looked up at the guard with difficulty, her vision blurring to the point that she was seeing double, and she weakly uttered, ¡°I¡¯m looking for my mother, Chui Li!¡± before copsing limply to the ground.

    The guard was startled to see the young girl fall to the ground, and the passersby couldn¡¯t help but turn their attention to see someone copsed at the hospital entrance.

    ¡°Someonee quick, there¡¯s someone who¡¯s fainted here!¡± The guard felt wronged; he had only approached the girl because she had seemed off, and now he was caught up in this mess. If people misunderstood and thought he had frightened the girl into this state, he would be med unfairly.

    People immediately gathered around. It was the end of the working day at the hospital; many were pushing their bicycles home, and others were leaving to run errands, all stopping to look.

    The guard quickly picked up Xiaofen. ¡°Let¡¯s take her to the emergency room!¡±

    Nobody knew what had happened.

    ¡°What happened here?¡± someone asked. As the guard lifted Xiaofen, everyone could see the dried blood matted in her hair and her face so swollen it was unrecognizable, not to mention the bruises on her face and body.

    She looked as if she had been abused, and everyone took notice.

    The guard gave a wry smile. ¡°I don¡¯t know either! This young girl came over, I just asked her a question, she said she was looking for her mother, Chui Li, and then she fainted.¡±

    ¡°Chui Li, the doctor? Oh, I remember now, isn¡¯t this young girl the very one who made a scene at the hospital at noon, Chui Li¡¯s own daughter?¡±

    ¡°Yes! We remember, too. How could it havee to this in just half a day? Hurry, take her to the emergency room!¡±

    ¡°Good heavens, I¡¯ll go and notify Doctor Chui, she was just in the department changing her clothes.¡±

    People clumsily carried Xiaofen into the emergency room.

    Chui Li had just changed her clothes and was about to leave when someone in the corridor started calling her name.

    ¡°Chui Li, Chui Li! Your daughter is in the emergency room!¡±

    Chui Li was startled, ¡°Emergency room?¡±

    ¡°How is that possible?¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    She spun around and dashed out, and as soon as she left her department, she bumped into the person looking for her, who grabbed her and hurried her away.

    ¡°Your daughter seems to have been beaten! She¡¯s covered in blood, and she fainted right at the entrance of our hospital. They¡¯ve taken her to the emergency room now.¡±

    ¡°Who injured her? What happened?¡± Chui Li¡¯s heart was in turmoil, her mind even more so.

    ¡°Go and see for yourself, no one knows exactly what happened!¡±

    Chui Li ran all the way to the emergency room, where she saw two doctorsing out, shaking their heads.

    Her face turned pale; it couldn¡¯t be that there was no hope left.

    ¡°Xiaozhang, Xiaoyao, how is my daughter?¡±

    Her heart pounded so hard, she felt like it would burst out of her chest, fearing their answer would be the worst case scenario she could imagine.

    As soon as Xiaozhang and Xiaoyao saw Chui Li, they had already heard that this girl was Chui Li¡¯s own daughter, with her biological father.

    ¡°The child is covered in wounds; it¡¯s quite tragic to see. The most critical issue is her peritonitis, likely caused by a perforation due to a kicked intestine. We¡¯ve performed emergency treatment. Go in and take a look; she¡¯s about to enter the operating room. You¡¯ve arrived just in time. You are the Head of Surgery, will you perform the operation yourself, or shall we do it?¡±

    Chui Li clenched her teeth, ¡°You do it!¡± As a family member, she was worried whether she could endure such a surgery emotionally.

    ¡­¡­

    An hourter, Xiaozhang and the others came out, ¡°Doctor Chui! The surgery was very sessful, and she can now be transferred to the intensive care unit. As long as nothing happens in the next twenty-four hours, she should recover normally.¡± Seeing that Chui Li was too tense to speak, they quickly reassured her.

    Chui Li gripped her colleague¡¯s hand tightly, ¡°Thank you, thank you!¡±

    Xiaozhang had already left but then turned back, speaking softly to Chui Lu, for everyone in the hospital knew about Chui Li¡¯s situation, and he meant well.

    ¡°Doctor Chui, although this time the child looked to be in danger, now you need to quickly preserve the evidence. All of this can prove that the child¡¯s father and grandmother have been abusive. It¡¯s best if you call the police immediately, so the evidence is conclusive from the outset. The child must have been truly desperate toe to the hospital for help. Having evidence will give you plenty of reasons to regain custody of the child through legal action.¡±

    This was a heartfelt suggestion, also out of fear that Chui Li was too flustered to think clearly. After all, bystanders often have a clearer perspective. They had just learned of Chui Li¡¯s situation, and seeing such a malicious man and mother-inw for the first time was truly shameless. Given the current situation, it was even more important to protect the child.

    A chill ran through Chui Lu¡¯s heart; she hadn¡¯t even considered this. She nodded gratefully, ¡°Thank you, Xiaozhang!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re all from the same hospital, there¡¯s nothing to thank me for. What¡¯s important is that the child stays with you. I don¡¯t think your ex-husband is a good person; he probably doesn¡¯t care much for the child.¡± Xiaozhang reminded her before he left.

    Chui Li went to the intensive care unit and, looking at her daughter still in aa, picked up the phone to call the police.

    Of course, she also called the security department; this wasn¡¯t just a matter for the police station, but also for those from their hospital. Xiaofen¡¯s case also concerned Chui Lu¡¯s child; she couldn¡¯t be treated like this without anyone caring.

    She somewhat regretted being too weak before. If she had found a way to take the child into her care sooner, none of this might have happened. Perhaps this was the so-called ¡®better a short pain than a long one.¡¯

    This time, she was determined to make that family pay.

 Chapter 201 - 201 201 Police Visit

    ?Chapter 201: Chapter 201: Police Visit   Chapter 201: Chapter 201: Police Visit                                   The security department was the first to arrive since they already knew about the incident. Once Chui Li mentioned it, they naturally took it seriously, made a record, and had many witnesses from the scene. They even took photos to keep as evidence.

    Then the police station arrived.

    While taking care of the child, Chui Li exined the situation and the police conducted their investigation and left.

    Chui Li sat beside her daughter, touching her forehead and shedding silent tears. What terrible suffering the child had endured.

    Xiaofen did not wake up until midnight and immediately saw Chui Li holding her hand, leaning against her bed. A smile finally appeared on her small face; it seemed her mother loved her, not abandoning her despite her tantrums and unreasonable behavior. She gripped her mother¡¯s fingers tightly.

    She was loved and cherished by someone.

    Fan Jiancheng and Liu Gaimei brought Xiaobao back home. Xiaobao only had a scraped knee, which looked severe but was not serious. On the way, Fan Jiancheng also questioned Xiaobao. Although Xiaobao spoke hesitantly, he managed to exin clearly that he had identally fallen off the bed, which left Fan Jiancheng feeling somewhat uneasy.

    He had wronged the girl and even hit her.

    However, any pang of guilt disappeared when he thought about the n to deal with Chui Li. This was also an opportunity for Xiaofen to learn what happens when her birth mother does not provide living expenses, which infuriated Fan Jiancheng further.

    He disregarded everything else.

    Liu Gaimei, on the other hand, was not really affected since she had not done anything. She took careful care of her son. Upon returning home and finding the front door open, and the house empty, Fan Jiancheng cursed, ¡°That damn girl, who knows where she has gone off to die! Wait till I get my hands on her!¡±

    He was still seething with anger.

    ¡°Save it, she¡¯s probably at your mother¡¯s house by now. Look at the time! Just wash up and go to sleep. I¡¯m dead tired,¡± Liu Gaimei said, cing Xiaobao on the bed and feeling uneasy as she looked at the gauze on his forehead covering the bump.

    Xiaobao was already asleep, tired out from the ordeal.

    Fan Jiancheng shut the door, and the couple had justin down.

    Then they heard a thunderous knock on the front door, filling Fan Jiancheng with anger¡ªwhat could this possibly be about in the middle of the night?

    ¡°Who¡¯s there? What do you want at this hour?¡±

    Fan Jiancheng got up, extremely displeased, and yanked open the front door.

    As soon as he saw the policemen in uniform, he was somewhat taken aback.

    ¡°Officer, what is the matter?¡±

    ¡°Are you Fan Jiancheng?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me!¡± Fan Jiancheng mumbled to himself, wondering why the police woulde looking for him since he hadn¡¯t done anything wrong.

    He was just a bit slick with his words, but genuinely, hecked the courage tomit any real crime.

    Why on earth would the police need him?

    ¡°Fan Xifen is your daughter, isn¡¯t she?¡± the policeman asked, looking sternly at the man in front of him. There was no ambiguity in his tone¡ªthis case was under high scrutiny from higher authorities as it involved a doctor¡¯s family, which was no trivial matter.

    ¡°Yes, Fan Xifen is my daughter!¡± Fan Jiancheng was stunned, wondering how Xiaofen was involved.

    Could it be that Chui Li had filed aint against him at the police station? But what could she possibly use him of?

    He had done nothing wrong.

    Not right!

    His heart sank.

    Fan Jiancheng suddenly remembered that he had just beaten Xiaofen today. Could it be that the wretched girl teamed up with his mother to sue him?

    If that were the case, then she really was a thankless wretch.

    He wasn¡¯t afraid of being sued.

    Which parent hadn¡¯t hit their daughter or son a few times?

    ¡°Alright then, pleasee with us to the police station to assist with the investigation,¡± the officer said immediately upon verification.

    Fan Jiancheng panicked, ¡°Officer, I haven¡¯t done anything wrong; you can¡¯t wrongly use me.¡±

    The officer became irritated, ¡°We are not wrongly using you, we just need you to cooperate with our investigation. Your daughter, Fan Xifen, is covered in injuries today, has a bloody head and a perforated intestine causing peritonitis. Her biological mother has already filed a report, iming she was beaten and abused. So, please cooperate with our investigation.¡±

    This was not a case of wrongful usation; anyone who saw the girl¡¯s condition would feel heartbroken.

    Fan Jiancheng was shocked, ¡°Impossible, officer, I only pped her and kicked her once, how could she have a bloody head and a perforated intestine resulting in peritonitis? This is absolutely impossible; it must be Chui Li trying to frame me,¡± he immediately suspected Chui Li was setting him up.

    The officer grew impatient and said, ¡°You bettere with us now. Regardless of whether it is possible or not, you have toe back with us for the investigation. If you are wrongly used, of course we will handle it fairly and release you.¡± The implication was if he wasn¡¯t wrongly used, then he wouldn¡¯t be able to leave.

    Liu Gaimei had heard the noise and came out; seeing that Fan Jiancheng was about to be taken away, she too panicked, ¡°Officer, what exactly did he do wrong?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve told you that we are taking him to assist with an investigation. Someone reported he abused his daughter, causing a perforated intestine and peritonitis, and she is now in the ICU at the hospital. If you continue to obstruct our work, we will have to take you by force,¡± the officer pushed Fan Jiancheng, moving him out of the door.

    Fan Jiancheng quickly said to Liu Gaimei: ¡°If there¡¯s any problem, consult my mother.¡±

    He hadn¡¯t even finished speaking when the police took him away.

    Liu Gaimei looked at Xiaobao, who was still sound asleep; she couldn¡¯t just leave the child alone to go see the olddy, so all she could do was wait anxiously for dawn.

    As soon as day broke, Liu Gaimei dressed Xiaobao, carried the child, and went straight to the olddy¡¯s ce.

    The olddy had just gotten up and hadn¡¯t tidied up the house yet when she saw her daughter-inw arriving with her grandson in her arms.

    Seeing the gauze still seeping blood on Xiaobao¡¯s head, she couldn¡¯t help thinking of that doomed girl, Xiaofen.

    ¡°Really, with the child hurt like this, how could you carry him over in this freezing cold? What if he gets cold?¡± sheined while quickly cing the child on the bed and covering him with a quilt.

    Xiaobao had already recovered his spirits and was energetically ying there.

    Liu Gaimei caught her breath, ¡°Mom, something terrible has happened!¡±

    The olddy was handing out cookies she had boughtst time to Xiaobao as she replied, ¡°What are you panicking about? What trouble could there be so early in the morning?¡± She watched with delight as her grandson sweetly nibbled on the cookies.

    ¡°Look how happily the child is eating. Didn¡¯t you give him breakfast?¡±

    Liu Gaimei had spent the previous night anxious and scared; as soon as the child woke up this morning, she rushed over to find the olddy without having time to prepare breakfast for him.

    ¡°Mom, forget about whether Xiaobao had breakfast. The police have taken Big Brother away!¡±

    This news was utterly shocking andpletely dumbfounded the olddy.

    ¡°What? Daughter-inw, are you confused? Why would the policee to arrest Big Brother? What could Big Brother possibly have done?¡± She knew her son well¡ªwhile Fan Jiancheng might be bossy at home, it was absolutely impossible for him to stir up trouble outside.

 Chapter 202 - 202 202 Swindling People

    ?Chapter 202: Chapter 202: Swindling People   Chapter 202: Chapter 202: Swindling People                                   ¡°Ah, Mom, it¡¯s true, the police camest night. They said Xiaofen was hit so hard that her head was bleeding and her intestines were perforated, and she¡¯s now in the intensive care unit at the hospital. It was Chui Li who reported the case.¡± Liu Gaimei was also anxious, how could she handle such a serious incident all by herself?

    The olddy was truly dumbfounded, ¡°Impossible?¡± She thought it over and over, and it seemed like she was the one who had hit Xiaofen¡¯s head with a frying pan yesterday.

    But head injuries, just like Xiaobao¡¯s before, were at most treated with gauze, how could it lead to a stay in the intensive care unit?

    The olddy¡¯s first thought was that Chui Li was stirring up trouble!

    She probably wanted to take this opportunity to frame their family and then take her granddaughter away.

    The furious olddy felt she had figured out the truth; she was now one hundred percent certain this was all Chui Li¡¯s doing.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, I¡¯ll make some food for Xiaobao first. After Xiaobao has eaten, I¡¯ll go find Chui Li and see what she¡¯s truly up to. I also want to go to the police station and see for myself. There¡¯s no justice if they can just arrest us when we¡¯ve done nothing. If they don¡¯t release Fan Jiancheng, I¡¯ll just lie down in front of the police station door,¡± the olddy hadn¡¯t remembered yesterday¡¯s lesson at the hospital yet.

    She always thought of herself as invincible, believing that her shrewish ways worked everywhere, not considering that others had reputations to uphold, while she had none.

    Liu Gaimei became frantic, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll make the food for Xiaobao. You should hurry over; I¡¯m worried without the child¡¯s father back.¡±

    It was already dawn, and Fan Jiancheng still hadn¡¯t returned. Liu Gaimei was definitely anxious and also scared.

    She could find a reason to request leave from work today, but if Fan Jiancheng really got arrested, she feared she might lose her job.

    Then how could she, a woman alone, provide for a child?

    The old woman nced at Liu Gaimei, noting her disheveled appearance and weary face, guessing she too hadn¡¯t closed her eyes all night, ¡°Okay then, cook an egg for my grandson and boil some noodles. The noodles are in the cab. I¡¯m going to the hospital right now.¡±

    The olddy tidied up quickly and dashed out the door, heading straight for the hospital.

    This morning, Bai Xiao had already heard about Chui Li¡¯s daughter being hospitalized because her ex-husband had beaten her.

    She felt a sudden pang in her heart. Why are there deadbeats everywhere?

    Is that even a real father?

    Although she was not the biological daughter of her foster father, Bai Senior had raised her since she was young with the utmost care and had neverid a finger on her. In her eyes, parents are the greatest rtives in the world, willing to sacrifice everything for her.

    Now, to think that Fan Jiancheng, her own father, could be so cruel to his daughter.

    It seems that Chui Li had considered this aspect when she was still acting like a white lotus. That¡¯s probably why she had been so restrained. Had Bai Xiao been too reckless yesterday? She hadn¡¯t taken Chui Li¡¯s actual situation into ount, always assuming that she was too soft-hearted, almost too much of a Mother Teresa. Now it seemed that maybe Bai Xiao had been meddling too much.

    Without standing in someone else¡¯s shoes, one might always assume addressing issues from their perspective was natural.

    She liked decisiveness and swift action, wanting immediate retribution for those who harmed her, but she hadn¡¯t considered the consequences that followed such retribution might be too great.

    It seems one cannot just consider things from their own point of view.

    She went out of her way to visit Xiaofen¡¯s hospital room to see for herself, and the little girl looked much better. After the anesthesia wore off, Chui Li was slowly helping her move about the floor, certainly necessary after such surgery to ensure proper breathing.

    The little girl¡¯s face showed she was in a lot of pain, screaming and writhing, but it was clear her rtionship with her mom had grown a lot closer.

    Chui Li looked up and saw Bai Xiao, and hurriedly called out, ¡°Come in and sit down, Doctor Bai. I¡¯m supporting her to finish this round of walking, and then she can lie down.¡±

    When Xiaofen saw Bai Xiao, her eyes were spinning wildly. She remembered that this was the doctor who had backed up her mom yesterday.

    ¡°Hello, Doctor Bai!¡± Of course, she was keenly aware that Doctor Bai was very capable; yesterday, when dealing with her grandma, Doctor Bai had shown no mercy, and it was Doctor Bai who had helped her mom!

    She felt somewhat intimidated.

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°How are you feeling, is it much better today?¡±

    Chui Li said with augh, ¡°Much better. Yesterday¡¯s surgery was very sessful. Look at this girl now, she¡¯s jumping around. If it weren¡¯t for the painful wound on her belly, she might be revolting by now.¡± Her face beamed as she spoke of her daughter.

    Xiaofen leaned dependently against Chui Li¡¯s chest and looked up to ask, ¡°Mom, you won¡¯t abandon me, will you?¡± She had been asking this question countless times since yesterday, and Chui Li wondered what her damned ex-husband had done to make the child so fearful.

    She stroked Xiaofen¡¯s head, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you are my child. How could I ever abandon you?¡± She was also resolved to get her child back into her own care.

    The door to the ward was suddenly flung open with a bang.

    The olddy rushed in as if flying, yelling and gesticting as she made her way inside, ¡°You shameless wretch, Chui Li, if you have an issue, take it up with me. Why go after my son? And now you¡¯ve even had your daughter start faking illness. Let me tell you, don¡¯t think you can fool me. If you want to harm my son, you¡¯ve got another thinking. The two of you mother and daughtermitting such vile acts, you¡¯d better watch out for divine retribution.¡±

    Bai Xiao saw the olddy about to grab Xiaofen, a child who had just undergone surgery and couldn¡¯t withstand such rough handling.

    She couldn¡¯t stand by and do nothing. She stepped forward and pulled the olddy aside, twisting her wrist. Bai Xiao pushed her toward the door, ¡°Olddy, this child just had surgery, and her wounds haven¡¯t healed yet. If you keep pulling at her like that, if the wound bursts open, she¡¯ll have to go back to the operating room and suffer all over again. And then we¡¯d have to charge you with assault.¡±

    She stood firmly between the olddy and Chui Li with her daughter.

    The olddy¡¯s wrist throbbed with pain, and she was just about to scold the doctor in front of her when she suddenly remembered that this was the youngdy who had left her speechless yesterday. Upon hearing Bai Xiao¡¯s words, she was going to use them of fraud.

    She turned her head and saw Xiaofen, pale-faced and with an IV drip in her wrist, but otherwise not appearing to have had surgery.

    The attending doctor had already rushed in upon hearing the noise.

    With help, Xiaofeny on the bed, and the doctor lifted the hospital gown from her stomach, pulling back the gauze. The olddy gasped at the sight of the bloody, ugly wound, like a twisted centipede, and felt her heart lurch.

    Oh my, she really had surgery.

    She felt as if the sky were falling.

    The doctor changed her dressing and instructed Chui Li, ¡°It¡¯s not even been a full day yet, even if she needs to get up to move around a bit, you must be careful with her walking. Don¡¯t make it too vigorous. Otherwise, if the wound tears open, she really would need a second surgery.¡±

    Chui Li nodded earnestly, her heart still racing with the scare. If it weren¡¯t for Bai Xiao¡¯s quick action to hold back the olddy, Xiaofen might really be suffering all over again.

    This was already the second time Bai Xiao had helped her.

    She couldn¡¯t help but look at Bai Xiao with gratitude.

 Chapter 203 - 203 203 Stand Up

    ?Chapter 203: Chapter 203: Stand Up   Chapter 203: Chapter 203: Stand Up                                   ¡°She really had surgery?¡± the olddy asked the doctor.

    The doctor nced at the olddy, his expression full of surprise. Who in the hospital didn¡¯t know about the olddy¡¯s heroic deeds? How had she appeared in the ward again? Could it be that she intended to cause more trouble?

    ¡°Olddy, your granddaughter was admitted to the hospital yesterday with intestinal perforation and peritonitis. The surgery was done less than a day ago. Please, calm down a bit. Have some pity on this child and her mother. Such a young girl undergoing such a surgery can lead tosting health issues if not cared for properly. If you are indeed her grandmother, you should just listen and go home.¡±

    The doctor really couldn¡¯t stand this olddy.

    The olddy was left speechless, having imagined hundreds of scenarios where Chui Li and Xiaofen had conspired to deceive them and get her own son into trouble.

    She had never expected that her granddaughter was genuinely suffering. Although she appeared to be a shrew and was not kind-hearted, she did have some affection for Xiaofen, whom she had watched grow up. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have prevented Xiaofen from following Chui Li all these years.

    However, seeing the child just lying there after having been cut open was beyond what the olddy had anticipated.

    ¡°Xiaofen¡­¡± The words stuck in the olddy¡¯s throat. What could she say?

    Xiaofen, ignoring the olddy, clutched Chui Li¡¯s hand tightly, as if she was afraid Chui Li would run away.

    Any pity the olddy might have felt disappeared at that sight. She couldn¡¯t bear that her granddaughter, whom she had raised for so many years, was so close to her own mother. Hadn¡¯t they raised her all these years in vain? That couldn¡¯t be right; Xiaofen bore the surname Fan and was a member of their family, the biological daughter of their eldest son.

    Thinking of Fan Jiancheng reminded the olddy of her eldest son, whom she had pushed to the back of her mind, who was still confined in the police station.

    ¡°Chui Li, hurry up and exin the situation to the police station and get my eldest son released. All he did was discipline the child a bit. Which parent hasn¡¯t hit or scolded their child a few times? By your logic, every parent on the street should be locked up in the station,¡± the olddy¡¯s goal, obviously, was to get her eldest son released.

    Xiaofen felt disheartened. She knew her grandmother had note to see her. The ferocious look on her face clearly showed she was there to trouble her mother. All these years, whenever her grandmother took her to find her mother, it always began with her grandmother exining that they were going to see her mother for money, or to cry, or to create a scene.

    How could this time be any different?

    From her grandmother¡¯s words, it seemed her father had indeed gone to the police station.

    Looking up at her mother beside her, her warm hands firmly holding hers.

    ¡°Olddy, you might as well go home. Even if youe to the station a few more times, I will say the same thing. This child has suffered so much; a simple excuse of mere discipline cannot exin it away. You probably don¡¯t know how severe the situation was yesterday. If she hadn¡¯t been brought to the hospital just in time, it was already dark, and if she had copsed in some corner, unnoticed, she could have died several times over in one night.

    I will go to court to gain custody of my child. You can save your exnations for the judge in the future, talking to me now is pointless,¡± Chui Li¡¯s tone had hardened. Since her daughter¡¯s incident, she had trulye to a realization.

    This wasn¡¯t anyone else¡¯s fault. Even if Bai Xiao hadn¡¯t exposed this ordeal today, it was bound to be revealed someday. If one day she failed to satisfy Fan Jiancheng¡¯s greedy desires, Xiaofen¡¯s fate would have been the same.

    In fact, she felt somewhat grateful to Bai Xiao for uncovering these matters sooner, allowing the child to learn the truth earlier.

    Otherwise, the barrier between mother and daughter would never untangle, and as the child grew older, some things would probably be even harder to exin. Letting the child see the truth for herself might be more effective than a thousand, even ten thousand exnations from her.

    ¡°What? You actually want to sue us in court? How can you be so heartless? We¡¯ve raised this child since you divorced when she was eight. What right do you have to take her away? This child belongs to the Fan Family, and what right do you have to take her away? Let me tell you, if you think you can take her away, no way.¡± The olddy suddenly lunged forward, waving her hand to pull Xiaofen up from the bed.

    ¡°Xiaofen,e home with grandma quickly. Don¡¯t worry, once you¡¯re home, your grandma will never hit you again. Your mom is not a good person; if you follow her, you will sufferter. Don¡¯t be fooled by her.¡± Shepletely disregarded the fact that Xiaofen was not supposed to move after just having surgery.

    Chui Li panicked, and this time she rushed forward to block the olddy, who swung her hand trying to scratch her face. Chui Li forcefully pushed the olddy away. She could never engage in the drama of rolling on the ground, scratching faces, or wing at cors. Pushing the olddy away using her physical advantage was the most she could do.

    The olddy was clearly taken aback.

    She was not unaware of how timid her former daughter-inw was.

    Of course, calling it timidity might not be right. It wasn¡¯t timidity; the former daughter-inw cared too much about face and liked to reason with people. She would certainly never resort to physical altercation.

    But today, she did strike first.

    ¡°Oh, my Lord, this is driving someone to their death. Not only did she take my granddaughter, but she also wants to send my son to jail. This woman wants to destroy our whole family. Who will bring justice?¡± The olddy eximed while pping her thigh.

    Chui Li said coldly, ¡°Olddy, if you want to cry, then keep crying. I will immediately call security. This is a hospital, not your family¡¯s courtyard. Furthermore, your son is living in my house and has now sent my daughter to the hospital for surgery. I am telling you, I do want to see him in jail. You probably don¡¯t know, but I am a military officer, and my daughter is a military family member. Since he dared to abuse a military family member, I will make sure he is severely punished.

    And let me tell you bluntly. I have already hired awyer today. I am going to sue, take back the house, and take back my child. I will raise my own daughter, and nobody else willy a finger on her. If you can, keep crying, keep shouting. Let¡¯s see if your son cane out now.¡±

    Turning to Bai Xiao, she said, ¡°Doctor Bai, could you please call security for me?¡±

    Bai Xiao nodded, realizing she was just a supporting actor in this scene.

    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll call security right now for you.¡±

    But Dr. Chui being able to stand up for herself and her daughter was already enough.

    Soon, the security arrived, and the olddy dared not cry or make a scene anymore. She was straightforwardly escorted out of the hospital.

    It was made very clear to her that if she caused a disturbance at the hospital entrance, they would immediately call the police and have the station take her in for disrupting the hospital¡¯s peace.

    The olddy dared not cause further trouble.

    She could only return home dejectedly.

 Chapter 204 - 204 204 Bai Yues Counterattack (Five Updates)

    ?Chapter 204: Chapter 204: Bai Yue¡¯s Counterattack (Five Updates)   Chapter 204: Chapter 204: Bai Yue¡¯s Counterattack (Five Updates)                                   Bai Xiao returned to her consultation room and suddenly realized how much of a woman¡¯s weakness is due to her own children. Just like her eldest sister, who could endure that man¡¯s domestic abuse simply because she wanted her three children to have aplete family. Perhaps after bing a mother, a woman¡¯s concerns are never about herself.

    She wondered how her eldest sister was doing now?

    Last month when she received her sry, she sent money to both her elder sisters and also wrote them letters to report her safety.

    Yet up to this point, she hadn¡¯t received a reply from either her eldest or her second sister. Instead, she had received a heartfelt letter from her elder brother.

    The good news was that her elder brother had actually received orders from his superiors; he had been transferred to the same ind province where she lived. This was indeed a fortunate event. Her brother¡¯s original ce was right next to Yunnan, which was also the reason why heter went to the border checkpoint station. On the one hand, he was being disciplined, and on the other hand, each year a number of people were drafted to reinforce the border checkpoint station.

    This time, with her brother transferred to her own particrly ind province, it meant reducing the uncertainties. Here, even if her brother caused some trouble, there would be no really dangerous incidents.

    It seemed her brother could live a safe and smooth life for the rest of his days.

    At this time, Bai Yue was living quite well in the vige, as the weather was getting colder.

    Once they entered thest lunar month, their five piglets would be ready for the market.

    Except for one sow they were keeping for breeding, the remaining four pigs had already grown to about 200 kilos each. In another month or so, they should reach 240 to 260 kilograms, a thought which made her happy.

    When the four pigs were sold.

    It would mean several hundred yuan. Then she could buy a few more piglets to raise.

    Bai Yue also felt that life had a real purpose; now her three sons were very understanding too.

    Little Sansan was doing exceptionally well in school in the neighboring vige; his teachers even said that with his grades, he was likely to get into a middle school in the county when he graduated from primary school the following year.

    Bai Yue was proud, feeling that this son might truly be a star of literature. If he could go to college like his aunt and get a job assigned to him afterward, that meant eating from the state¡¯s pot, which in her eyes was the real city life.

    The eldest and the second child never had a moment¡¯s rest at home, always fighting to do the work, whether it was raising pigs or feeding chickens. They didn¡¯t want her to tire herself out.

    For five pigs at home, just the grass they consumed was a significant amount. The two boys spent the summer cutting grass for the pigs. In the autumn, they specifically went to the fields after the harvest to gather wheat stalks, and during those days of autumn harvest, the two brothers lost over ten kilograms each.

    But the wheat stalks they gathered amounted to four big sacks, each at least 300 kilograms. That was enough not just for pig feed, but even for people to eat. Of course, these two boys didn¡¯t annoy anyone¡ªwherever they went to pick in someone¡¯s field, they always gave notice in advance.

    Everyone knew it wasn¡¯t easy for a woman raising three sons alone without anynd. Besides, gleaning wheat stalks is something only those who cannot afford a meal would do. After the harvest, the leftover wheat stalks required bending over and squatting, picking each grain one by one¡ªnot an easy task.

    No one minded the lost wheat stalks because bending over all day could almost break one¡¯s back.

    So people pitied the three brothers. The vigers had spread the word that they were free to glean, as long as the fields had been harvested.

    However, the two brothers indeed didn¡¯t ck off. They went down to the fields before dawn and didn¡¯t return home until the sun came up high in the morning to eat. And they left early in the afternoon to pick until dark. The vigers saw their diligence and praised the two brothers, saying they were good hard workers. If the family had their ownnd, with two such willing brothers, the fields would surely be well cared for.

    Bai Yue turned the gathered wheat into flour and kept the bran for pig feed. They made quite a lot of flour. Although it was a bit dark and coarse, it would be enough to feed the family throughout the winter. In another month or so, once the pigs were sold and they could buy food, that should tide them over until spring.

    By that time, the second batch of pigs could be raised again.

    So for Bai Yue, life was getting more and morefortable.

    Raising pigs was something she had be increasingly skilled at; for any major or minor illnesses, it was Wang Yan who helped her out. Every few days, Wang Yan would visit their pigsty to check on the pigs and offer guidance, which made her very grateful.

    The chickens at home had started toy eggs.

    Other people¡¯s chickens tended to lose a few from time to time right from the time they were chicks.

    Their chickens were different; they were healthy and robust. Of the more than thirty chickens they had bought, not a single one had died or fallen ill. They grew happily, and the two brothers had put a lot of thought into caring for them¡ªwhether it was digging up wild vegetables or catching insects, they were always turning over soil in the fields for earthworms.

    The brothers kept busy until the ground froze over.

    Maybe it was because the brothers had put in so much effort, Bai Yue felt their chickens were stronger and had begunying eggs early.

    Originally, they had twenty-five hens, but now, they were getting more than twenty eggs every day.

    Aside from following Bai Xiao¡¯s advice to give each of the three brothers an egg a day¡ªthey were all growing and she couldn¡¯t shortchange the children¡ªthe leftover eggs meant she had to go to market every three days. Too many eggs could spoil, after all. Once at the market, she could sell the eggs for money to buy household essentials like soy sauce, vinegar, and salt.

    An egg sold for fifteen cents, and just from eggs alone, their household could bring in eighty to ny yuan a month.

    Bai Yue no longer felt anxious at all; that eighty or ny yuan was more than enough to live on in the city, let alone the vige.

    She now truly rejoiced her decision to leave her former home with the children. Although the beginning was frightening and she felt cowardly¡ªshe had been afraid of not being able to provide for her children, of bing a burden to her younger siblings¡ªnow, through raising pigs and chickens on her own, they were living well. Despite not owning anynd, the money they earned was more than sufficient to buy food.

    In time, they could sell the pigs twice a year.

    Their household ie for the year would be close to a thousand yuan.

    Thinking of this, Bai Yue felt full of energy.

    After saving for a year, she nned to rebuild their house.

    The house certainly needed to be rebuilt; when her younger brother married, he couldn¡¯t possibly continue living in such a dpidated ce.

    If there was any residentialnd for sale in the vige, she wanted to buy a plot. In the future, she would build a house for her son.

    No matter what school Little Sansan attended in the future, she would be able to support him.

    She could even save to provide for her sons to take wives. In the past, even if she had worked herself to death carrying rocks as Shitou did, she would have hardly dared to consider these things.

 Chapter 205 - 205 205 Matchmaking

    ?Chapter 205: Chapter 205: Matchmaking   Chapter 205: Chapter 205: Matchmaking                                   Bai Yue had gone to the chicken coop to check for eggs early that morning, which was a daily chore for her.

    She fed the chickens while she was there.

    As she was feeding the chickens, she saw Wang Yan walk in.

    Now, Bai Yue called Wang Yan ¡°Big Brother Wang.¡± She was immensely grateful for Wang Yan¡¯s kind help. If he hadn¡¯t lent a hand back then, all their pigs would have been lost.

    In recent months, Wang Yan hadn¡¯t hesitated to help her out, frequently visiting her pigsty. This kindness alone was enough, and she appreciated him looking after her and hers.

    ¡°Big Brother Wang, you look quite sharp today!¡± shemented.

    Wang Yan was unusually clean-cut that day with even his usual stubble shaved off, dressed in a neat blue Sun Yat-sen suit jacket with ck trousers, only his cloth shoes looked a bit in.

    The shoes looked familiar to Bai Yue, resembling the pair she had made to thank Wang Yan two months ago.

    Blushing, Wang Yan said, ¡°The aunt from the neighboring vige is bringing someone over for my dad to meet.¡± His statement said enough.

    Bai Yue suddenly realized this was Old Man Wang arranging a marriage viewing for Wang Yan. She felt a slight pang of loss but quickly cheered up. Wang Yan was a good man. Due to his father¡¯s focus on building a prosperous home, Wang Yan¡¯s marriage had been dyed for years.

    Before the reform and opening-up policies, the vigers were cautious about farming pigs and chickens. Back then, the Wang Family was so poor they could barely make ends meet, especially since the family had three sons. Marrying off the sons and building houses were not easy tasks.

    Several girls had been considered for Wang Yan. People did value him highly, as he was good-looking and robust, the kind that catches one¡¯s eye easily. The problem was that no matter how appealing Wang Yan was, the girls¡¯ parents did not think highly of his family¡¯s poverty.

    So, after years of dragging their feet, his marriage had yet to take ce.

    By the time they finally dared to take on the task of farming pigs, Wang Yan was already in his thirties. The first few years of pig farming were tough, especially since their family did not just farm a pig or two. Old Wang particrly liked the aggressive nature of the ck pigs, but those pigs fattened up significantly, with an average weight gain of nearly 100 pounds per pig. That was all money.

    The three brothers, under Old Wang¡¯s guidance, had suffered quite a bit at home, especially during times when the pigs were sick. They practically slept in the pigsty, staying up day and night to look after the pigs. During those times, they hardly had the heart to even eat a bite of food.

    Finally, in the past two years, life had improved. The household had built up, and the pig farming business was getting better.

    The second and third sons had both found wives who married into the family and had children, but Wang Yan had run into difficulties.

    Wang Yan was nearing forty.

    Considering a younger bride, the women were put off by his age. Considering someone divorced, Old Wang couldn¡¯t ept it.

    Then, the aunt from the neighboring vige mentioned a woman in their vige, around twenty-eight or twenty-nine. There was nothing wrong with her; it was just that she had many younger brothers and sisters, and her parents needed her help to support the family, which had dyed her marriage.

    Old Wang was overjoyed. In his heart, he was determined to find a decent young woman for his son. His eldest had suffered and struggled for the family, and Old Wang felt it was his duty to find a suitable wife for him.

    Today, Wang Yan was dressed so neatly precisely because of the matchmaking appointment.

    Wang Yan nced at Bai Yue, opened his mouth to say something, but ultimately remained silent.

    Noticing the cloth shoes on Wang Yan¡¯s feet, Bai Yue wiped her hands, ¡°Big Brother Wang, just hold on a moment.¡± She went inside and pulled a pair of newly made cloth shoes from her cab.

    This was to express her gratitude for Wang Yan¡¯s care of her family. She made him a pair of shoes every month.

    She handed them to Wang Yan, ¡°Put these on. Wearing a new outfit without new shoes might give a poor impression to the youngdy. I hope you find a wife soon, Big Brother Wang. It¡¯s time for you to settle down. You need someone by your side who understands your needs deeply,¡± Bai Yue said calmly.

    Wang Yan took the shoes, and with hisrge hands rough from old calluses, he touched Bai Yue¡¯s hands as he took the cloth shoes from her, and immediately grabbed a stool to sit right in the middle of the courtyard. He took off the shoes he was wearing and put on the new ones, stood up, and stomped on the ground a few times, then took a few steps.

    Bai Yue¡¯s craftsmanship was excellent; theseyered cloth shoes feltfortable on the feet, even more so than the ones his own mother used to make for him.

    He was about to pick up the shoes on the ground, but Bai Yue beat him to it and picked them up first.

    ¡°I¡¯ll wash these shoes for you, and you can pick them up the next time youe over. Better hurry back now; today is a festive day, and we shouldn¡¯t dy it.¡±

    Wang Yan looked at Bai Yue, whose expression was gentle and calm, yet filled with blessings for him. Inside, he didn¡¯t know why, but a surge of anger rose, and he harshly dropped a sentence and left.

    ¡°Anyway, the matchmaking will never work out; she¡¯s not the one I fancy, no one will do.¡±

    Bai Yue was stunned. What¡¯s gotten into Wang Yan?

    This anger seemedpletely out of the blue.

    Silently taking the shoes, she started washing them, somewhat absent-minded as she did.

    She didn¡¯t understand why her heart felt ufortable upon hearing about Wang Yan¡¯s matchmaking. But what right did she have to feel this way?

    She was a divorced woman, and in the vige, thatbeled her as ¡°second-hand goods,¡± usually only considered by those who couldn¡¯t afford a bride or the old bachelors who were too poor.

    Why would a decent man from a good family consider her?

    Especially someone like old man Wang, whose family owned a house andnd, and raised many pigs. When it came to wealth, theycked nothing and were among the wealthiest in the vige. Though Wang Yan was older, he was decent-looking, and his family was well-off, deserving certainly to marry a young maiden.

    Thinking of this, Bai Yue¡¯s face suddenly felt hot, and she inwardly cursed at herself.

    What are you even thinking about?

    You¡¯ve just gotten divorced; are you already longing for a man?

    Bai Yue thought about her three sons and immediately cheered up; she had no ns to look for a man again in this lifetime.

    Getting another man was unlikely to treat her own sons well; her duty was to raise them properly, ensure they got married and had homes of their own, and only then could she rest easy.

    Maybe this was how she was meant to spend her life; what did matters of men have to do with her?

    Bai Yue sighed deeply.

    She quietly finished washing the shoes and hung them under the eaves.

    She needed to go make food for the pigs now.

    What was there to be dissatisfied about? She had left that excuse of a man, and she and her three sons could eat well and stay warm, and they even had some money left over each month. For this alone, she should be grateful to heaven; justst year at this time, she was still carrying stones on the mountain with two of her sons.

    People ought to be content.

    You must not expect too much.

 Chapter 206 - 206 206 Grab Your Weapons

    ?Chapter 206: Chapter 206: Grab Your Weapons   Chapter 206: Chapter 206: Grab Your Weapons                                   Li Haiping and Li Hai¡¯an came back.

    The twods simply couldn¡¯t sit still; they had just gone up the mountain to collect firewood. The two of them had tidied their home so well, the firewood alone wouldst them the entire winter without a problem.

    As they entered the yard, when Bai Yue saw her sons returning, she hurriedly helped them unload the firewood from their backs.

    ¡°You two should carry less, even though you¡¯re young, your bodies aren¡¯t fully grown yet, you can¡¯t be treating them so badly!¡± Bai Yue felt pained for her sons.

    Li Haiping grinned and wiped the sweat off his brow, ¡°Mom, this little bit really isn¡¯t much. Don¡¯t worry about it; though I¡¯m young, I¡¯m strong.¡± He knew his own mother worried about him.

    Li Hai¡¯an also smiled, ¡°Mom, my brother and I can¡¯t overexert ourselves. Besides,pared to when we used to carry stones on the mountain, this is nothing. It¡¯s not tiring at all.¡±

    Bai Yue was still concerned, ¡°Alright, both of you go wash up. I¡¯ll prepare some food for you. You¡¯ve been out since early this morning; you must be hungry by now. I¡¯ve kept the food warm in the pot, it¡¯s ready to serve.¡±

    ¡°Is Bai Yue living here?¡± a voice called out from the entrance.

    Bai Yue was about to lift the curtain to enter the kitchen when she quickly responded.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s here. Come on in.¡± She was puzzled in her heart, as there was actually someone who didn¡¯t know the location of her home.

    In a hurry, four or five people squeezed into the yard, and what¡¯s more, they carried two more people in.

    Upon seeing them, Bai Yue recognized Li Dashan and the Li family matriarch.

    Seeing the condition of these two people, who werepletely different from a few months ago when she had left, shocked her. Li Dashan was paralyzed, unable to move his limbs¡ªonly his eyes kept rolling around. Hey there like a lump of stone, motionless.

    The Li family matriarch looked even worse.

    With a crooked mouth and off-kilter eyes, half of her body, arm, and leg kept twitching uncontrobly. The skewed mouth drooled asionally, and the shivering figure was truly an unbearable sight.

    It was Li Erzhu and his family who carried them in.

    ¡°What is this all about?¡± Bai Yue couldn¡¯t understand. She had already divorced Li Dashan, and yet his family had the audacity toe to her house.

    Upon seeing Bai Yue, Li Erzhu immediately showed a face of surprise, and his wife, Zhang Qiaoqiao, rushed up to hold onto Bai Yue.

    ¡°Sister-inw, we finally found you.¡±

    The warmth in their tone made it seem like they had always been one family.

    Bai Yue calmly withdrew her hand from Zhang Qiaoqiao¡¯s grasp, ¡°Zhang Qiaoqiao, I have already divorced Li Dashan, and I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t honor the title of ¡®sister-inw¡¯ any longer. If you have business with me today, speak in and to the point. If not, please leave quickly, as we have things to attend to at home.¡±

    Seeing Bai Yue¡¯s response, Zhang Qiaoqiao realized she was not the same as before; she spoke with a firmness that was undeniable.

    With a woeful look, Zhang Qiaoqiao began, ¡°Sister-inw, how can you say such a thing? Although it¡¯s true you and my big brother are divorced, there is still the graciousness of night-longpany that can¡¯t be erased. After all, you¡¯ve lived together for so many years and have three sons. Even if my big brother has faults, you can¡¯t dismiss him entirely for old times¡¯ sake.¡±

    She immediately gave herself away with that remark.

    Bai Yueughed, ¡°Zhang Qiaoqiao, I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re getting at. I¡¯ve divorced Li Dashan, and there¡¯s no such thing as affection left between us. Are you trying to dump him on me now that he¡¯s be immobile? Let me remind you this is Liupan Vige, and Li Dashan has absolutely nothing to do with me. Regardless of his present condition¡ªeven if he were the finest man¡ªI have no interest in dealing with him. Better take him back quickly, or else I¡¯ll have to sweep you out with a broom.¡± Her anger was zing inside, at the thought that these bastards, seeing Li Dashan paralyzed, actually wanted to offload him onto her.

    That¡¯s wishful thinking if there ever was.

    Zhang Qiaoqiao pouted, ¡°Sister-inw, what you¡¯re saying isn¡¯t right. It¡¯s true my big brother divorced you, but these three kids are still his, aren¡¯t they? Isn¡¯t it natural for sons to support their father? Our mother divided the family assets long ago, and the eldest son takes care of the elders, following the oldest, which is proper. We didn¡¯te to see you; Haiping, Hai¡¯an, Haishun, this is your father and your grandmother. If you don¡¯t provide for them, it would be an unforgivable sin.¡±

    Only then did Bai Yue understand they had set a trap.

    The Li Family thought they could push around their household like soft persimmons, not wanting to take care of Li Dashan and the olddy themselves. They had concocted such a malicious scheme to dump Li Dashan and the olddy onto her three sons. The very idea was utterly ludicrous.

    ¡°You best carry them out of here right away. Eldest, second, get the pole!¡± she dered, firm in her belief that no one would dare leave people at her doorstep so casually. ¡°This is Bai Yue¡¯s home, and if you don¡¯t take them away promptly, don¡¯t me me for being inhospitable.¡± Bai Yue knew she could not afford to show any weakness today.

    Zhang Qiaoqiao and Li Erzhu had to see if she showed even a hint of softness; the hot potatoes would be dumped in their home today. She absolutely couldn¡¯t burden her sons with such an encumbrance and trouble. Even if it meant being universally condemned, she would rather bear the infamy than take on this responsibility.

    Upon hearing Bai Yue¡¯s words, Haiping and Hai¡¯an instantly grabbed a carrying pole and a fire poker, and stood behind their mother with a fierce demeanor. They understood that this family of vampires had finally got theireuppance and were now trying to foist them onto their household with such despicable tricks.

    Thesest few months had been the mostfortable they had ever lived. They didn¡¯t have to worry about their father turning violent toward their mother at any moment, nor did they have to toil in the stone quarry with her, enduring raw, chafed shoulders by day¡¯s end. The brothers had gritted their teeth and persevered day after day because they feared their mother might truly work herself to death. And if she died, what would be left in their home worth cherishing?

    But now, their days were filled with plenty, each meal featuring white flour noodles ¨C and enough to be full. At their age, they could eat two or three bowls per meal. Back in the mountains, except for the meal provided by the quarry that came with three cornmeal buns, their home meals were watery cornmeal porridge, with no solid food to speak of.

    Now their days had finally improved. Bai Yue wore a smile more often, and life became far less strenuous¡ªthey wished for it to carry on this way forever.

    Yet these wicked people were now trying to disrupt their lives again, forcing them back into that miserable existence. The brothers¡¯ eyes were flushed with rage; they felt like killing off the entire Li Family, these bastards who envied their happiness. Rather than enduring more pain, they¡¯d rathermit murder and pay with their own lives.

 Chapter 207 - 207 207 Desperate Effort

    ?Chapter 207: Chapter 207: Desperate Effort   Chapter 207: Chapter 207: Desperate Effort                                   Zhang Qiaoqiao and Li Erzhu were startled. They had lived in the same vige for over a decade, and although they did not live under the same roof, Bai Yue and the three brothers seemed easy to bully and easy to talk to, otherwise the olddy wouldn¡¯t have been able to control Bai Yue¡¯s finances for so many years through deceiving Shitou.

    Now, unexpectedly, the three were ready to fight them with carrying poles; this was something they had never anticipated beforeing here.

    ¡°Bai Yue, I¡¯m telling you, don¡¯t youy a hand on us. Even if you did, we¡¯re not afraid of you. If it reallyes down to a fight, do you think you, a woman, could defeat us men? We came here to talk nicely, after all. Even if you argue till the cowse home, a son supporting his father is only natural and right. Do you really want to tarnish them with a reputation of being unfilial?¡± Although Li Erzhu felt guilty, he still didn¡¯t back down.

    Their household had been living in dire straits these past few months. Since Bai Yue and Li Dashan divorced, Li Dashan had been living the good life for the first few days, hanging around his mother¡¯s house for food and being idle as usual, and he was still unable to change his ways.

    The olddy had long been scheming to find him a wife, but before she could find one, one morning Li Dashan suddenly found that he couldn¡¯t move his arms and legs. Not only his limbs, but he couldn¡¯t even turn his head or speak. Apart from his eyes being open and his looking like a living person, he was just like a dead man.

    This scared the olddy terribly.

    After consulting the vige doctor who admitted his helplessness, he quickly rmended sending him to a county hospital. But before they could get Li Dashan to the county hospital, the olddy fell and ended up bedridden herself.

    As a result, the olddy¡¯s mouth became crooked, and her eyes askew. The vige doctor saw that this was a stroke in old age.

    She waspletely paralyzed in bed.

    This put Li Erzhu and Zhang Qiaoqiao in a hectic situation, with both people bedridden, what were they to do?

    Send them to the hospital?

    In rural areas, even if someone is seriously ill, which family would send them to the hospital and bear the costs? Now that only the two of them could decide at home, they certainly couldn¡¯t send them to the hospital, so Li Dashan and the olddy were left on the kang.

    But not sending them to the hospital and leaving them at home wasn¡¯t an option either.

    Both were paralyzed, but they still needed someone to care for their daily needs¡ªeating, drinking, peeing, and pooping.

    Especially since Li Dashan couldn¡¯t move, he needed to be fed, and could not even defecate on his own, requiring someone to scoop it out by hand, which deeply disgusted Li Erzhu.

    The olddy only needed to be fed, but although she didn¡¯t need someone to scoop out her feces by hand, she had urinary and bowel incontinence¡ªsometimes wetting and soiling her bed, making the room where Li Dashan and the olddy stayed practically uninhabitable.

    Fortunately, Li Erzhu and Zhang Qiaoqiao, still conscientious, did not mistreat the two, but as days stretched into months, they also grew discontent.

    What household would want two bedridden individuals at home?

    Now, after enduring for several months, they could no longer bear it and after a long discussion, the couple immediately began to scheme.

    Despite everything, Li Dashan was still Bai Yue¡¯s three sons¡¯ father. No matter what, they couldn¡¯t just abandon them, so the couple devised a strategy, dragging the olddy and Li Dashan over here, resolved to abandon them regardless of the consequences today.

    As long as they abandoned them here, they would be free of responsibility.

    ¡°Kick these people out, beat them hard, and if they die, I will take the me. I don¡¯t care about such damned reputations, remember, when dealing with such shameless people, just go all out and hit them hard. These bloodsuckers have been draining us for years, and they still want more. Your aunt is right; we can¡¯t be polite with such people.¡± Bai Yue hated these people to the core; she was indeed ready to risk her life.

    Li Haiping and Li Hai¡¯an gripped their weapons tightly and responded loudly, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry, we understand. Isn¡¯t it just risking our lives? We are here to do just that!¡±

    As soon as Li Erzhu saw the situation, he realized Bai Yue and the two boys were truly ready to fight for their lives and hurriedly shouted.

    ¡°Everyone retreat immediately, let¡¯s go.¡± They had initially agreed to negotiate peacefully and it was settled to leave the person behind. If Bai Yue wouldn¡¯t listen to them, they¡¯d just abandon the person and leave.

    Now, seeing Bai Yue and her team ready to fight desperately, of course, they wanted to flee quickly.

    Unfortunately, it was toote for them to escape.

    As five or six men tried to run towards the gate, Vige Chief Liu Baoguo, along with a crowd of vigers armed with poles, hoes, shovels, and everything else, had already fiercely surrounded them, leaving no space for escape.

    Li Erzhu trembled with fear, having never anticipated such a situation.

    They had thought everything through quite well. Bai Yue, a married woman, even if she had returned to the vige, the vigers wouldn¡¯t protect her. In any vige, a married daughter is considered spilled water, and no one cares about her once she returns to her parents¡¯ house.

    They had calcted that the people of Liupan Vige would definitely not stand up for Bai Yue because of this matter. Who would have thought that the vige chief of Liupan Vige would not y by the rules, and they ended up surrounded by him and his group? What was this supposed to mean?

    ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡±

    Liu Baoguo nced at Li Erzhu but ignored them, and asked Bai Yue, ¡°What do these people want to do?¡±

    With Bai Xiao not at home, Bai Yue was his concern. Liu Baoguo and Li Chunmei had always cared about Bai Yue and her family of four, insisting on taking good care of them. Thest thing they wanted was for Bai Xiao to worry while he was away.

    These people, carrying two paralytics, had asked around for Bai Yue¡¯s house and found their way here, and the vigers had already reported to the vige chief.

    Vige Chief Liu Baoguo was Bai Xiao¡¯s godfather, and if anything stirred at Bai Yue¡¯s home, it would be odd if no one had informed him immediately.

    Upon hearing their bad intentions, Liu Baoguo immediately shouted for the neighboring vigers and came over armed, determined not to let anyone bully Bai Yue without going through him first.

    When Bai Yue saw the vige chief, she felt a sudden relief. Her legs went weak. Despite her strong facade just now, Bai Yue was only a woman, and today she had truly been ready to risk her life to protect her children. Suddenly having this support, it was natural that her body weakened as the tension drained away.

    ¡°Uncle Baoguo, they¡­ they are too much, they actually want my three sons to take care¡­ of these two paralytics,¡± Bai Yue said breathlessly.

    As soon as Li Erzhu realized this man was the vige chief, he quickly pulled out a cigarette and approached Liu Baoguo, ¡°Chief, have a smoke!¡±

    He was pped aside, the p so fierce that Li Erzhu¡¯s cheek throbbed with pain.

    Holding his cheek, Li Erzhu looked at the person who had pped him.

    ¡°You¡­ why are you being so unreasonable? Why hit someone?¡± he protested.

    The person who pped him was Wang Yan. Seeing this, Liu Baoguo knew that since they had already resorted to violence, they had to protect their own.

    ¡°Well done, I, the vige chief, approved this. How dare you bully people from our Liupan Vige without even looking to see where you are?¡±

 Chapter 208 - 208 208 Support

    ?Chapter 208: Chapter 208: Support   Chapter 208: Chapter 208: Support                                   Wang Yan was at home having a matchmaking meeting when the girl and the matchmaker had already arrived.

    Wang Yan hadn¡¯t even taken a proper look, for if someone¡¯s heart isn¡¯t in it, even if a girl as beautiful as a heavenly fairy is presented before him, he would likely have no interest in ncing at her.

    Moreover, the moment the girl entered, she seemed pleased with his courtyard and even more so with the rows of tiled houses, repeatedly inquiring about his family¡¯s ie and situation. When she heard that Old Wang¡¯s family was raising thirty pigs and a few hundred piglets, her eyes lit up.

    He really didn¡¯t care for it. So as soon as he heard the vige chief outside calling about an issue at Bai Yue¡¯s house and asking for help, he immediately grabbed the carrying pole and left the house, not even worrying about the two adults still in the courtyard.

    The girl and the matchmaker were left staring at each other. Fortunately, Old Wang, noticing his son¡¯s disinterest, hurriedly came out with his wife to smooth things over, and the matchmaker started to engage the old couple and the girl in casual conversation.

    Once Wang Yan arrived at Bai Yue¡¯s house with the vige chief, he saw Bai Yue holding a broom with her two sons behind her, one holding a carrying pole and the other wielding a fire poker, ready to fight. Bai Yue¡¯smanding presence gave the typically delicate girl an impressive and special beauty that was hard to look away from.

    Upon hearing how deplorably the Li family had behaved, trying to bully Bai Yue and her two children, Wang Yan had already be furious.

    Seeing Li Erzhu trying to tter the vige chief, he couldn¡¯t help but p him.

    He wished he could p to death all those despicable men who prey on women!

    Although he didn¡¯t know why Bai Yue had divorced, simply from observing the Li family¡¯s conduct, Wang Yan knew the fault couldn¡¯t lie with Bai Yue. After all, he understood Bai Yue¡¯s character well. Bai Yue, kind and strong, had endured the hardships of these days without aint. A woman raising three sons on her own wasn¡¯t just the subject of vige gossip; the idlers with ill intentions lurking around Bai Yue¡¯s door were enough to make anyone anxious.

    But Bai Yue had never shown weakness. She managed everything impably. Closing her doors at night, she was more chaste and proper than anyone. The Li family, however, continued to bully such a woman, and Wang Yan genuinely wished he could protect Bai Yue and relieve her of this burden.

    ¡°You people of Liupan Vige are bullies! How can you hit someone?¡± Zhang Qiaoqiao quickly rushed over to protect her man.

    Liu Baoguo scoffed, ¡°So what if we hit someone? You all bullied your way to our doorstep, and we shouldn¡¯t fight back? Enough nonsense, take your people and scram. Don¡¯t think that Liupan Vige is defenseless. Let me tell you, Bai Yue has already divorced Li Dashan. These three children have been left in Bai Yue¡¯s care. Just the fact that she didn¡¯t ask Li Dashan for alimony should be enough for him to be grateful. And now you want to force minors to support their father¡ªdo you even understand thew?

    Let me tell you, thew, made by the government and the state, exists to protect ordinary folks. If you don¡¯t understand, I can have the policee from the station to exin it thoroughly to you. Now hurry and get your people out of here.¡± How dare you harass Liupan Vige and ignore whose territory you are on?

    Zhang Qiaoqiao and Li Erzhu, realizing they were outnumbered and that there was no ce to seek justice, understood they would definitely receive no sympathy.

    If you want to argue, the vige chief could argue even better than them.

    It¡¯s very likely none of them would make it back.

    Of course, the couple was scared. They originally bullied Bai Yue because she had no family support, and with three sons, it seemed obvious the sons should support their father. They hoped to stir up confusion and leave the person behind without further ado. But the vige chief spoke sensibly: these kids weren¡¯t even adults yet, and everyone knew that after a divorce, the children would follow their mother. Without an adult in Luo¡¯s custody, how could they expect the sons to support their father?

    If it really came to legal matters, they were just ordinary folks who wouldn¡¯t understand such things. To everyone, the vige chief¡¯s word was as authoritative as an imperial decree. The vige chief managed an entire vige and was naturally well-informed.

    Who could they provoke? They certainly couldn¡¯t provoke the vige chief!

    Thus, the group could only sullenly carry Li Dashan and the olddy away swiftly.

    The onlookers watched them leave dejectedly and burst into apuse from behind.

    Bai Yue dropped her broom and bowed to everyone in thanks, ¡°Thank you, everyone, thank you!¡±

    She knew if the whole vige hadn¡¯t stood up, if Li Erzhu had actually gone through with throwing Li Dashan and the olddy out, then their hopes of sending people over would have beenpletely dashed.

    Liu Baoguo nced at Bai Yue, ¡°Don¡¯t mention it! We¡¯re all from the same vige, your dad and your mom were born and raised in this vige. Your uncle watched you grow up, how could we let outsiders bully you? Rest assured, this is Liupan Vige, if anyone else dares toe here to cause trouble? Just beat the drums and call out all the vigers, make sure they regreting. If anything happens, I, as vige chief, will stand by you.¡± Liu Baoguo could say this confidently because, in the neighboring viges, it wasn¡¯t rare for a few deaths to happen each year over fights for the reservoir or the river water, and typically the police wouldn¡¯t get involved, as thew does not punish the masses.

    If the whole vige protects you, if it reallyes to a fight, you can hardly tell who killed whom.

    The Li Family walked away with their tails between their legs precisely because they knew that if it really came to a fight, their deaths would be in vain.

    Consideration of another strategy would not justify provoking the wrath of the masses.

    The vigers had dispersed.

    Liu Baoguoforted Bai Yue, ¡°Niece, remember, if something happens, just beat your drums and shout your lungs out. With your uncle here, I absolutely won¡¯t allow your family to be wronged.¡± He was Bai Xiao¡¯s godfather; how could he let his goddaughter be mistreated?

    Bai Yue nodded.

    ¡°Uncle, I understand!¡±

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be going now.¡± Liu Baoguo also prepared to leave.

    He nced and saw Wang Yan still standing there not moving, ¡°Aren¡¯t you leaving?¡±

    Wang Yan looked at Bai Yue, ¡°Just shout if you need something.¡±

    Bai Yue nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I understand.¡±

    Wang Yan followed Liu Baoguo and left.

    Bai Yue¡¯s strength seemed to drain away; she nearly copsed to the ground, but thankfully her two sons caught her from both sides, helping her inside to lie down on the kang to rest for a while.

    The two sons began cleaning up the courtyard, making pig feed while they were at it.

    The yard had turned into aplete mess.

    Bai Yue trulyy there, unwilling to move. The longer shey, the more suffocated she felt. After finally getting a chance to start a new life, why wouldn¡¯t the Li Family leave her alone? They wouldn¡¯t leave her three sons alone either.

    This was just the beginning, since Li Erzhu hade up with the idea of washing his hands of responsibility and dumping the hot potato, Li Dashan, onto their family, he would surely think of it again in the future.

    Bai Yue felt sick at heart.

 Chapter 209 - 209 209 Father and Son Argument. (Five

    ?Chapter 209: Chapter 209: Father and Son Argument. (Five updates)   Chapter 209: Chapter 209: Father and Son Argument. (Five updates)                                   Wang Yan followed behind Liu Baoguo, heading home with his head down.

    He felt as if there was a lump in his heart, unable to rise or fall.

    ¡°Shitou, are you interested in Bai Yue?¡± Liu Baoguo¡¯s words made Wang Yan freeze on the spot, unable to move.

    Wang Yan¡¯s face turned red, ¡°Uncle Vige Chief, what are you talking about? I just see Bai Yue struggling as a widow with children, and I want to help her!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s best if you¡¯re not interested. If you really are harboring such thoughts, I advise you to drop them. It¡¯s not that Bai Yue isn¡¯t good; she¡¯s a fine girl, but she¡¯s had misfortune in the people she¡¯s met¡ªstuck with such a rotten man. She¡¯s just started to feel a bitfortable these days. You see, there¡¯s never peace either inside or outside her home.

    If you fancy Bai Yue, then you indeed have good taste. But you should be well aware of what your father is scheming. He wants to find you a young maiden and doesn¡¯t think highly of Bai Yue. So, you¡¯d better notplicate things for Bai Yue by stirring troubles in her life.¡± Liu Baoguo, being an old man, could see through these things clearly. Though his words were solemn and serious, they were absolutely reasonable.

    Wang Yan was startled, ¡°My father¡­ my father¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t finish his words. Yes, just like his father¡¯s mind, always thinking about finding him a maiden, otherwise there wouldn¡¯t have been this matchmaking event today.

    ¡°Think about it yourself when you get back. Bai Yue has suffered enough. If you¡¯re not capable of protecting her, then don¡¯t trouble her any further.¡± Liu Baoguo walked away with his hands behind his back.

    Wang Yan stood still, lost in thought for a long while, and finally headed home.

    As soon as he entered the house, Wang Old Man and the Old Lady were joyfully chatting in the courtyard.

    Upon seeing their eldest son entering, they hurriedly called him over.

    ¡°Shitou, how did you find this girl today?¡± Wang Old Man was quite satisfied with this maiden; she was also well-mannered. Apart from being a bit of a lightweight, she was indeed a suitable bride candidate.

    Besides, his wife had mentioned that the girl had wide hips, a sign that she would likely bear many sons in the future.

    Wang Yan blurted out without even raising his head, ¡°I¡¯m not interested.¡±

    ¡°How can you not be interested?¡± Wang Old Man was puzzled. The matchmakers in the area had suggested quite a few candidates; although some were certainly mismatched, some were indeed nice, yet his son just wasn¡¯t interested.

    ¡°I¡¯m not interested means I¡¯m not interested. Am I the one getting married or are you?¡± Wang Yan snapped.

    Wang Old Man got angry, grabbing the pipe in his hand and striking Wang Yan with it, ¡°Have you be too proud, boy? I¡¯m your father, how do you speak to me like that?¡±

    Wang Yan ducked to one side, holding his head, and didn¡¯t make a sound anymore.

    ¡°You¡¯re not interested in this one, and not in that one either; then what on earth could possibly interest you? You¡¯re over 40, and if you don¡¯t marry and have sons, who will support you in your old age?¡± Wang Old Man was really anxious.

    ¡°I¡­ anyway, I¡¯m not interested in this one.¡± Wang Yan dared not mention Bai Yue, afraid of causing her trouble. He knew his own father too well, more troublesome than any viger when stirred.

    Wang Lao Tou felt overwhelmed, ¡°I¡¯m telling you this girl is not bad. Isn¡¯t marriage about living life together? Do you still want to pick a fairy to bring home? Don¡¯t you see a fairy wouldn¡¯t spare a look for a burly guy like you?¡±

    The elderlydy also interjected, ¡°Yeah, Shitou, you¡¯re not getting any younger, you can¡¯t keep being so picky. It¡¯s just because our family is well-off, able to provide a decent dowry, that these youngdies aren¡¯t minding. If you keep being picky and it¡¯s not suitable, wait a few more years, then you can only marry those young widows or women who are divorced and on their second marriages.¡± Now the whole family was worried about Wang Yan¡¯s marriage.

    ¡°A second marriage? What¡¯s wrong with a second marriage? Are they not human?¡± Wang Yan tentatively threw out thement.

    Wang Lao Tou, pointing his tobo pipe at Wang Yan, scolded, ¡°I tell you, bunny, as long as I live, you¡¯re not going to marry a divorced woman. There¡¯s never been a widow or a second marriage in our Wang Family ancestors. If you want to do something outrageous, you¡¯ll have to wait till I¡¯m dead. Otherwise, if you¡¯re capable, go make your own living and marry whoever you want¡ªI won¡¯t interfere.¡±

    Wang Yan was stirred, ¡°Dad, do you think I can¡¯t make it on my own? I have hands and feet; I won¡¯t starve anywhere.¡±

    ¡°Fine, fine, then hurry up and go make it on your own. I want to see what kind of sess you can have without me, your dad. You also don¡¯t take a good look at yourself, nearly forty and all you know is how to raise and ughter pigs. I¡¯m telling you, without your dad, you really can¡¯t make it.¡± Wang Lao Tou was so angry he was shaking.

    ¡°Dad, you said it, if what you said is true, I¡¯ll make it on my own right away,¡± Wang Yan half-joked.

    ¡°Fine, Shitou, if you want to make it on your own, I¡¯ll fulfill your wish today. I¡¯m telling you, you can make it on your own, but you can¡¯t use the pig raising and ughtering skills that our Wang family has passed down from generation to generation.¡±

    Wang Lao Tou was serious. Today, his son had really driven him mad.

    Wang Yan was just about to say, if making it on my own is what it takes, then so be it.

    But the olddy panicked and pped Wang Yan on the back, ¡°Shitou, what are you and your father doing? Now the father and son are taking things seriously, picking at each other¡¯s words like this. What kind of talk is this? This isn¡¯t even a real problem yet and you two are already making a scene. Won¡¯t peopleugh at us if this goes out?¡±

    Wang Yan was helpless. He knew this as well, just saying it casually, truly making it on his own wasn¡¯t so easy.

    ¡°Mom, I was just spouting off steam,¡± and he could only back down.

    Wang Lao Tou, still fuming, sat on the chair, ¡°I¡¯m not just spouting steam. Among your three brothers, you¡¯re the only one left unmarried. Though you¡¯re older now, but we have talent, our family has money. Our ancestors up to now have never married a widow, much less a second marriage. If you really have this thought in mind, then I, your father, would feel I¡¯ve betrayed our ancestors. If that¡¯s really the case, then you might as well be on your own.¡±

    Even if you chase widows or second marriages, if you don¡¯t have money, power, a house, ornd, see who would marry you.

    The olddy was annoyed, ¡°His father, what is wrong with you? The son said it¡¯s nothing, why can¡¯t you let it go? Do you really want to force him out to make it on his own?¡± She didn¡¯t care what Wang Lao Tou said¡ªher son was her concern.

    Wang Lao Tou nced at his wife and thought to himself, this old woman doesn¡¯t understand anything, she just yaps, not knowing that this is for our son¡¯s good.

    He calmly said to Wang Yan, ¡°Shitou, your dad knows what kind of person you are. You¡¯ve always been stubborn. If there¡¯s really someone you fancy, you wouldn¡¯t care whether she¡¯s a widow or divorced. The fact that you brought this up today proves you¡¯ve thought about it. I want to make this clear to you.

    Our Wang family has never done this before, and we cannot start now. You¡¯re all grown up; if you really insist, I can¡¯t stop you. But if you really do it, then I have to tell you, you¡¯re not allowed to use our Wang family¡¯s pig raising and ughtering skills anymore. If you¡¯re capable, support yourself and the person you want on your own,¡± he, of course, knew that without raising and ughtering pigs, Wang Yan was good for nothing.

    What else can you do in this vige? What else can you make a living from, unless you go to the city to work?

 Chapter 210 - 210 210 Drunken Words (Extra for Monthly

    ?Chapter 210: Chapter 210: Drunken Words (Extra for Monthly Votes)   Chapter 210: Chapter 210: Drunken Words (Extra for Monthly Votes)                                   ¡°His father, don¡¯t talk nonsense. Shitou isn¡¯t that kind of person. Shitou, tell your father you promise you don¡¯t have such intentions,¡± the olddy was unwilling to give up.

    Wang Yan went to the backyard with his head down and did not leave a definitive word before he left.

    The olddy, seeing her son walk away like this, couldn¡¯t help but feel puzzled and asked Old Man Wang.

    ¡°Do you think Shitou¡¯s silence means he actually has these thoughts?¡±

    Old Man Wang squinted his eyes, put the dry tobo pipe to his mouth, and took a harsh drag, the smoke rings he exhaled were hazy, obscuring his expression from the olddy¡¯s view.

    ¡°Tomorrow, you go and settle the marriage with the girl from today. We can¡¯t dy our eldest son¡¯s marriage any longer. I can tell his mind is not in the right ce. Saying such things today proves he has some ideas in his head. I know my own son. Right now, he¡¯s not married yet, and I¡¯m afraid his heart is set on someone in the vige¡ªand it¡¯s definitely not a maiden. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have said what he did today.¡± The old man made a decisive decision, determined to settle the matter swiftly.

    The olddy was still in a fog, ¡°Could it be? Shitou doesn¡¯t seem to have contact with anyone normally.¡±

    If she could just see her son spending time with the vige girls, she would be relieved. Named Shitou, her son truly was like a rock, spending all day working at home, managing pigs, fanning them, and helping them to give birth. Among her three sons, only the eldest was most devoted to the family affairs.

    Old Man Wang shook his head, sighing.

    ¡°It¡¯s precisely because we haven¡¯t noticed anything that I¡¯m even more worried. Anyway, you go ahead and finalize this marriage for him quickly. Once he¡¯s married, he¡¯ll forget all about it, sleeping next to his new wife on the Kang. I reckon it¡¯s just a passing fancy right now. As parents, we can¡¯t let him stray off the right path.¡±

    The olddy nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go tomorrow.¡±

    The old couple had set their minds on quickly getting Wang Yan married off to save their son.

    Wang Yan, working hard in the backyard, had been toiling for half a day, drenched in sweat, and still feeling uneasy. The anger he had been holding in since morning was still burning inside him, making him feel like he was on fire.

    Even as he kept busy with the work, the image of Bai Yue handing him shoes would always appear before his eyes.

    Every time he thought of the hands he had touched, his body felt electrified, and his heart burned even hotter.

    He continued working until evening, ate a few bites of dinner, made up an excuse, went out, and arrived at the reservoir at the entrance of their vige. He sat by the water, lost in thought.

    ¡­

    The three sons had already gone to bed.

    The front gate was locked.

    Bai Yue sat on her own kang, with a te of peanuts on the table and a jar of wine in her hand. This was leftover from a meal when they entertained the vige chief a while back. The drink was said to be Apricot Blossom Vige¡¯s Fenjiu, which tasted sweet and didn¡¯t have a harsh bite.

    Bai Yue had been sitting there for half the day, unable to articte what exactly she was feeling, just a general sense of difort and frustration.

    She had already drunk half the bottle, the world spinning slightly before her eyes, her body feeling floaty as if a lot more at ease.

    Suddenly, she heard the gate rattling, Bai Yue¡¯s hand slid out scissors from under her pillow.

    She staggered to the door, holding them behind her back.

    ¡°Who¡­ ah?¡±

    Ever since the people in the vige learned she had divorced, there were not a few idle men knocking on the doorte at night, yearning for a woman who had been married twice. How could she not take precautions?

    ¡°Bai Yue, it¡¯s me, Wang Yan!¡±

    It was Wang Yan¡¯s voice.

    Relieved, Bai Yue undid thetch.

    ¡°Big Brother Wang, what brings you here?¡±

    Upon opening the door, Wang Yan immediately smelled the alcohol on Bai Yue. Her speech was softer and tinged with a drunk slur, different from usual, which made him furrow his brow.

    Turning to close the door behind him, he saw Bai Yue swaying slightly; he quickly went to support her, steering her towards the room while scolding her,

    ¡°Why were you drinking so muchte at night? Look at what a state you¡¯ve put yourself in.¡±

    Supporting Bai Yue into the room, he saw the small table on the kang, with peanuts and liquor on it.

    It seemed she had indeed drunk quite a lot.

    Bai Yue pointed to the far end as she sat on the kang.

    ¡°Perfect timing, Big Brother Wang, since you¡¯re here. Have a drink with me. You¡¯ve been a big help since I returned to our vige. It¡¯s only right and proper for me to toast to you. Here, this cup is for you. Thank you for looking after my four children and me so well.¡± Bai Yue raised her cup, utterly oblivious to the fact that Wang Yan didn¡¯t even have a cup in front of him, and downed it all in one gulp.

    Wang Yan grabbed her wrist firmly, ¡°Bai Yue, stop drinking, or you¡¯ll really get drunk.¡±

    Bai Yue pushed his hand away, ¡°I¡¯m not drunk; just let me have a few sips. Otherwise, I feel this ache inside, it¡¯s unbearable. I married Li Dashan hoping for a good life; I knew it was tough for my parents, his family being such a mess. Which girl would want to marry into that? It was his mother who used the favor owed to my parents to pressure them.

    If I hadn¡¯t married him, my father¡¯s reputation in the vige would have been ruined. I thought at the time, who you marry is all the same. As long as you are dedicated, you can live well. But who knew? Li Dashan turned out to be such a piece of crap. At first, it wasn¡¯t bad being married to him, because he was bedridden and needed care, and I looked after him day and night, until he finally got better.

    I even raised his brother until he was old enough to marry, but then, oh then, anytime he disliked something about me, he would beat me, just because he didn¡¯t want me to go up the mountain to carry stones. Yes, all stone carriers at the quarry were men, and there I was, a woman, working among them, and the vige couldn¡¯t stop gossiping.

    But what choice did I have? Did Li Dashan agree to go out and earn money to support my sister? I promised my parents I¡¯d see her grown up. We had just enough from farming to make ends meet; where else could I get the money for my sister¡¯s education?

    Because of that, Li Dashan beat me to near death. Sometimes, when I was covered in bruises and lying on the kang immobile, I¡¯d wonder, why live a life like this? When would such days ever end? Sometimes, I wished I would just die and get it over with, it would be easier, settled once and for all.

    But then, looking at my three sons, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to do it. No matter what, they are innocent. Now that I am divorced, I have finally been able to give my sons a better life, but why won¡¯t the Li Family leave me alone? Just because they bully my brother, who¡¯s not around, and there¡¯s no man in the house to back me up,¡± Bai Yue sobbed as she recounted her past.

    Wang Yan¡¯s fists clenched, veins throbbing on his forehead. He truly hadn¡¯t known why Bai Yue had divorced. Perhaps she would have kept all this buried inside forever, never telling another soul, if she hadn¡¯t been drunk.

    A worthy woman like her, tormented by that beastly man to the point she couldn¡¯t get up from the kang¡ªthe abuse she must have suffered was unimaginable. Thinking of Bai Yue¡¯s condition and hearing her words filled Wang Yan with a deep anguish.

    Why must such a good woman never experience happiness in her life? Why would fate be so cruel to her?

    Bai Yue waspletely drunk now, copsed over the table, motionless.

    Wang Yan helped her to lie properly on the kang and covered her with a nket, lest she catch a chill sleeping slumped over the edge of the table all night.

    He gently stroked the wrinkles on Bai Yue¡¯s face, remembering her smile from the past. Back then, in the vige, Bai Yue was one of the most liked girls by the young men. But now, she had been worn down to this state. He recalled when he first saw her, barely able to believe it was her.

    The girl who was once as delicate as a flower bud had now ended up like this.

 Chapter 211 - 211 211 Brothers

    ?Chapter 211: Chapter 211 Brothers.   Chapter 211: Chapter 211 Brothers.                                   Bai Yue woke up and opened her eyes all of a sudden, sitting up abruptly. It seemed like she had a dreamst night, where Wang Yan was sitting beside her, holding her hand, stroking her face, and talking to her a lot. She couldn¡¯t remember what he had said, but she clearly remembered that it felt incredibly good, giving her a sense of security and restlessness she hadn¡¯t experienced in a long time.

    Looking at the table in the room, stillid out with peanuts and bottles of alcohol and sses, she felt a sigh of relief, realizing that she had probably been drunkst night, which led to the dream.

    But this dream, it truly made her feel embarrassed.

    Bai Yue wished she could p herself. At her age, to still have such dreams.

    She quickly got up, tidied up the things on the table into a cupboard, lest her sonse inter and criticize her for not focusing on more important tasks.

    Once everything was neat, she headed out.

    Outside, she saw that the courtyard was already cleaned, and smoke was rising from the kitchen. Her eldest son, Li Haiping, was carrying dishes outside when he saw his mother and hurriedly called out to her.

    ¡°Mom, you must be tired. This morning, when my brother and I saw you hadn¡¯t gotten up, we knew you were exhausted yesterday, and those people had upset you. Just take a good rest today, we¡¯ll handle the household chores. Don¡¯t worry. Quickly wash your face, I¡¯ve already prepared the meal, we can eat now. Then you can go and rest,¡± his words instantly warmed Bai Yue¡¯s heart.

    As Bai Yue fetched some water with a basin, she replied, ¡°No need. Mom¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not that fragile, and besides, our household chores aren¡¯t that demanding. How tired can I get? Mom, today we need to take the eggs we¡¯ve collected to the market to sell. Our days are brightening; we¡¯re saving to build a big tiled house,¡± she said, her voice filled with determination.

    Though it seemed like there weren¡¯t many eggs, it all added up over the month.

    All she wanted now was to ensure a good life for her family and to raise her three sons well.

    Li Haiping, Li Haian, and Li Haishun all smiled joyously at the mention of building the big tiled house, a thought previously unthinkable for them. But now they knew, with hard work, their family¡¯s life would keep getting better.

    Previously, every meal was a thin corn porridge, but now, look at them¡ªnoodles and steamed buns every meal, the three young men eating their fill, each getting an egg every morning, a luxury unimaginable in the past.

    What satisfied them most was the sight of Li Dashan and the olddy¡¯s faces yesterday. Although Li Erzhu brought his family to cause trouble, the sons felt a release. Although he was their biological father, in the hearts of the three sons, he was not their father. He did nothing but drink at home, never worked in the fields, nor did any heavy lifting like hauling stones; everything was left to their mother.

    From a young age, they grew up strapped to their mother¡¯s back, carried as she worked the fields or left on the edges of the fields, everything taken care of by their mother alone without anyone¡¯s help.

    A woman alone has to farm three acres, manage both household and outside work, and endure beatings from her own father.

    In their hearts, the three sons wished they never had such a father.

    And now, indeed, retribution had arrived. The very man who wanted to drive them out was now, along with the olddy, bedridden¡ªwas this not retribution?

    It seemed one really should do good deeds.

    Humans act, heaven watches, retribution isn¡¯t absent, just dyed.

    So, this was retribution.

    Li Dashan and Old Lady Li lying in bed got what they deserved. They were so arrogant towards their own mother back in the day, now they must endure severe torment and pain for the rest of their lives. Li Dashan is now akin to a living dead, unable to move any part of his body except his eyes. And there¡¯s no need to mention Old Lady Li. And their younger uncle, causing trouble today by carrying people around, isn¡¯t it because he doesn¡¯t want to take care of them, doesn¡¯t want to bother with them?

    They had iting!

    How satisfying!

    The three boys were delighted.

    ¡°Mom, there¡¯s a big market today, why don¡¯t we go?¡± Haiping felt sorry for his mom. Following that father all her life, his real mom never had a good day, never a moment of relief.

    Bai Yue smiled, ¡°I¡¯ll go. Today I want to buy some things for our home too, we¡¯re low on salt, and I¡¯m thinking of getting some fabric to make pants for each of you three. Over the years, you boys have never had new clothes, always wearing whatever is handed down. Now that we¡¯ve made some money, I¡¯ll make them for you.¡±

    Haishun shook his head, ¡°Mom, make them for big brother and second brother. Don¡¯t worry about mine, I spend most of my time at school so I don¡¯t wear out clothes much. Besides, the uniforms uncle and cousin-inw gave me are still good.¡± At a young age, he was quite thoughtful. He knew all the hard work in the family was done by his big brother, second brother, and his mom. He wanted to save money for the household, as he was spending money on school without working. It made him feel a bit guilty.

    Haiping smiled and gave Haishun a pat on the back.

    ¡°Little guy, I told you to focus on your studies, and we¡¯re still making you pants. Your big brother and your second brother work so hard because they hope that our family can produce a schr like auntie, who could go to college. Focus on your schooling and don¡¯t worry about home; you have me, your second brother, and your mom,¡± the eldest brother truly yed his role.

    Haishun lowered his head, smiling. The three brothers always had a strong bond.

    He knew deep down that his big brother and second brother genuinely cared for him. He resolved to study hard, to stand out, to make his mother proud. Not for any other reason but for his dear mother who had struggled with her three sons through life¡¯s hardships.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s eat quickly and get to our tasks. Mom,ter you can also gather the eggs from the chicken coop. We¡¯ll take them to sell at the big market.¡± Bai Yue feltforted seeing her sons so close to each other.

    The New Year was nearly upon them. They couldn¡¯t afford much, but this New Year had to be different, a fresh start. It was after all their first New Year at their maternal home. If they were to celebrate, it should be done right. She had sent a letter to her sister; she didn¡¯t know if she would be able toe back for New Year¡¯s. The girl had taken up a job at the Military District Hospital. Despite feeling somewhat disappointed, she was proud. Her daughter was a doctor now, fulfilling her parents¡¯ longstanding wish.

    Her parents were of the same kind, yet none of their children had taken over the family business.

    She just hoped her daughter would do well.

    But she believed that with Bai Xiao¡¯s temperament, things would turn out well.

    Her sister was so smart, so hardworking, and capable. Surely, she would have a smooth and sessful life.

 Chapter 212 - 212 212 Zhang Erlengs Bad Idea

    ?Chapter 212: Chapter 212 Zhang Erleng¡¯s Bad Idea.   Chapter 212: Chapter 212 Zhang Erleng¡¯s Bad Idea.                                   Bai Yue packed up the eggs from the chicken coop into a bamboo basket. She had counted the eggs, and there were exactly 70 in the basket. She could sell them for ten yuan and fifty cents at the market. In her pocket, she also carried some money and cloth ration coupons her brother had left behind.

    Once she had packed up, she left the house.

    Carrying the bamboo basket on her back, she was headed to the market at Dawang Vige.

    In their area, the markets were held irregrly, about every three to five days in different viges, but Dawang Vige was close to the county town, so the market there was thergest.

    There were many people going.

    As soon as Bai Yue stepped out of her house, she ran into several aunties also on their way to the market. They had agreed to go on this day, and old man Zhang¡¯s ox cart was just right to take them there, charging ten cents per person. At this time, no one would walk the long way to save ten cents, as walking would take at least two hours.

    Bai Yue was surprised to see Wang Yan next to the ox-cart, which gave her a start. She had just dreamt about himst night, and there he was today, which made her face feel hot, mostly because she felt guilty.

    She nced at Wang Yan but deliberately didn¡¯t greet him.

    A few aunties grabbed her and chattered nonstop. As soon as old man Zhang¡¯s ox-cart arrived, people squeezed in tightly, and just as Bai Yue sat down, she btedly realized that someone had sat down next to her. Turning her head, she blushed deeply when she saw Wang Yan sitting right beside her.

    All around her were aunties, daughters-inw, and girls, so what was a grown man like him doing squeezing in here?

    But before she could think or say anything, the cart had already gradually filled up with people, and it was so crowded that there was no more room to sit.

    Old man Zhang agreed to drop off this group and then make another trip to calm everyone down.

    As the ox-cart moved forward, Bai Yue sat there, absent-mindedly chatting with a few aunties beside her.

    The road was rough.

    It was just a dirt road, full of bumps, stones, and clumps of earth that rocked the cart from side to side as the wheels rolled over them.

    With a jolt, the wheel ran over arge stone.

    Bai Yue was unprepared and suddenly crashed into Wang Yan¡¯s back. The solid impact hurt her nose, and Wang Yan turned around to look at her, ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    Bai Yue quickly shook her head.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Feeling guilty, she looked away. The heat from Wang Yan¡¯s body made her face turn red and suddenly reminded her of the first time she met Wang Yan. He was shirtless, his body all toned muscles, which made her heart race just looking at him.

    She couldn¡¯t go on thinking about that, or it would only lead to trouble. Bai Yue pinched herself hard. What was she doing?

    She had only been divorced for a few months, and she was already losing control? If she continued, it would only make her the talk of the vige. Moreover, Wang Yan was a good man who had helped her a lot. She couldn¡¯t ruin him. His character was such that marrying any proper girl would be fitting.

    She¡¯d better get her mind on the right track.

    Bai Yue turned her head away and didn¡¯t look at Wang Yan again.

    Although it was an ox-cart, it was fairly quick, and soon they arrived at the bustling market. They were among thest to arrive; the market was already crowded with people.

    Since Bai Yue was there to sell eggs, she went her separate way from the aunties. Carrying her basket, she found a secluded corner, squatted down, and opened the cloth on the basket to reveal the neatly arranged, clean eggs.

    This was not her first time rushing to the big market. From initially being unable to speak up, she had now be quite practiced in the art of hawking her goods.

    ¡°Fresh eggs for sale! Fresh eggs.¡±

    Bai Yue¡¯s voice was clear, andbined with her improved circumstances over the past half-year, her whole person had grown healthier. Not only had her originally dark skin be fair and tender, but because of a slight weight gain, the wrinkles on her face had also significantly reduced, especially now that she was in high spirits. Her eyes were bright and ck, which was particrlyforting to look at.

    It attracted quite a few people.

    ¡°Oh, these eggs look great,¡± came a frivolous voice.

    ¡°Cut the crap. Are you eying the eggs or the woman selling them?¡± A few hooligans from the market gathered around, seemingly noticing that Bai Yue was alone, and without any rtives to apany her. It was clear they hade to bully her.

    ¡°Are you buying eggs or not? If not, move aside and don¡¯t block the way,¡± Bai Yue said firmly, not one to endure quietly upon seeing their ill intentions.

    ¡°Oh, buying eggs, of course, we¡¯ll buy eggs. How much are they?¡± one man, clearly in his forties or fifties, said as he ogled Bai Yue.

    ¡°One egg for fifteen cents. How many do you want?¡± If they really wanted to buy eggs, she couldn¡¯t just chase them away.

    ¡°Sure, we¡¯ll take all the eggs,¡± the man, known as Zhang Engzi, who was in his forties or fifties, dered, pping his chest.

    Bai Yue didn¡¯t know him, but he knew her. He had seen Bai Yue at the market more than once and had heard the old wives in the vige mention that the woman selling eggs was a divorcee. Seeing that she was quite attractive, and though she was a bit older¡ªjust in her thirties¡ªhe, almost fifty, immediately took an interest in Bai Yue.

    He was aware that Bai Yue had three sons but didn¡¯t mind bing their stepfather; it seemed like a good deal as the woman was capable. She came to the market every few days to sell eggs. If he actually married her, he could just sit back and enjoy good meals without doing much.

    Bai Yue was startled. ¡°All of them? That¡¯s seventy eggs, ten dors and fifty cents!¡± She had never encountered such a big purchase before.

    The three men in front of her looked shabby and untrustworthy, hardly seeming like genuine customers. Could they be nning to deceive her?

    ¡°We¡¯ll take all the eggs, but you¡¯ve got to deliver them to my house. It¡¯s not far, just past the road fork ahead, and the second house on the other side,¡± Zhang Engzi detailed, having already nned his move. A woman like her wasn¡¯t someone he could marry just because he wanted to.

    As long as he could deceive Bai Yue intoing to his house, once things escted, she would have no choice but to marry him.

    After all, she was no virgin, having been with a man before. He didn¡¯t believe she would dare to make a fuss about it.

    Then he would have gotten a wife for nothing.

    Upon hearing this, Bai Yue shook her head. She was not foolish; these three men clearly had bad intentions. If she really followed them just like that, she¡¯d be helpless if anything happened.

    ¡°If you want the eggs, take them yourself. If not, forget it.¡± She was over thirty years old; she could see through their tricks.

    Zhang Engzi, seeing that Bai Yue was not falling for it, signaled his two friends with a nce.

    He grabbed Bai Yue¡¯s arm, ¡°Girl, I¡¯m buying your eggs, but you¡¯ve got to deliver them. What¡¯s the big deal? Come on, deliver these eggs for me, and I¡¯ll give you the money. That¡¯ll settle it.¡± He began to pull Bai Yue, forcefully trying to take her away while the other two men each grabbed an arm.

    ¡°Come on, just deliver some eggs for my brother. It won¡¯t take long.¡±

    Bai Yue panicked.

    ¡°Let go of me! I¡¯m not going. Help!¡± She could see clearly now that if she didn¡¯t make a noise, those hooligans would really take her away, and then shouting would be utterly useless.

    Unfortunately, the people nearby were from other viges here to do business. No one knew her, nor were they willing to meddle in such affairs. They were all honest farm folk, who would want to get involved in trouble and possibly face retaliation?

 Chapter 213 - 213 213 Ive killed more pigs than the salt

    ?Chapter 213: Chapter 213: I¡¯ve killed more pigs than the salt you¡¯ve eaten.   Chapter 213: Chapter 213: I¡¯ve killed more pigs than the salt you¡¯ve eaten.                                   Zhang Erlengzi red, and everyone around him lowered their heads.

    He smirked in triumph, baring his teeth wide, and reached one hand toward Bai Yue¡¯s shoulder.

    While speaking in a nonsensical manner, he said, ¡°Girl, we¡¯re really destined for each other,e on, your good deeds of bringing eggs will pay off.¡±

    But no sooner had he spoken than his arm was violently twisted behind his back, causing him to grimace in pain.

    ¡°Ouch, who the hell are you? Let me go or else¡­¡±

    A punchnded squarely on his face, swallowing the rest of his words in his mouth.

    Zhang Erlengzi was knocked to the ground.

    The two men holding Bai Yue only then saw clearly a tall, burly man, his eyes aze with fury staring at them.

    He looked like he was ready to devour them both.

    ¡°Who¡­who are you? Why are you meddling?¡± the two blustered.

    ¡°Let her go!¡± Wang Yan bellowed.

    The two holding Bai Yue shivered uncontrobly, the voice frightening them.

    Bai Yue, recognizing Wang Yan, hurriedly cried out, ¡°Brother Wang, please save me, they¡¯re trying to drag me away!¡± At that moment, he seemed like a lifeline.

    Zhang Erlengzi spat out a mouthful of blood and, his tooth knocked out by Wang Yan, was seething with rage as he scrambled up from the ground.

    ¡°Are you sick in the head? If I don¡¯t beat you so hard that you¡¯re scrambling for your teeth, then I¡¯m not Zhang Erlengzi,¡± he said, clenching his fists and charging at Wang Yan.

    Normally in Dawang Vige, Zhang Erlengzi was a notorious bully, used to intimidating others, never the other way around.

    Moreover, he was no stranger to fights and brawls, considering himself tough with impressive fighting skills.

    He thought he had been caught off guard before, and this time, he was determined to teach Wang Yan a harsh lesson.

    But as soon as he rushed forward, Wang Yan fiercely kicked him squarely in the chest, knocking him to the ground again.

    Zhang Erlengzi¡¯s cronies saw the trouble and rushed over to help him up.

    Bai Yue felt liberated and quickly ran behind Wang Yan, clinging tightly to his clothes.

    Wang Yan, protecting her with one hand, turned and whispered, ¡°Go to the side, I don¡¯t want them to hurt you. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let them bully you.¡±

    Reassured by his words, Bai Yue suddenly felt at ease and nodded vigorously.

    ¡°I trust you!¡±

    She then stepped back into the crowd.

    Zhang Erlengzi and his men were now furious.

    He pulled out a dagger from his waist, while the others drew out two Xiaodao.

    The three of them menacingly encircled Wang Yan.

    Seeing that lives were at risk, people were scared and immediately scattered, none wanting to stay and risk being involved. Getting stabbed in the chaos was thest thing anyone wanted.

    So, that corner quickly emptied.

    Only Bai Yue, still holding the basket, stood alone in the corner. Everyone else could leave, but she couldn¡¯t; Wang Yan was cornered by these thugs because of her. Leaving now would be utterly disgraceful.

    ¡°Kid, see what I have in my hand? This recognizes blood, not faces. You better get lost if you know what¡¯s good for you, mind your own business,¡± Zhang Erlengzi said, wiping the blood from his lip, inwardly cursing his luck.

    Why did I have to run into such an idiot when I stepped out today?

    Wang Yan¡¯s hand trembled, and from the carrying basket on his shoulder, he pulled out a fire poker originally intended for carrying the basket¡¯s rope when it became too tiring, to give his shoulders a break. Now, it came in handy for a different purpose.

    ¡°Brother Wang, be careful,¡± Bai Yue couldn¡¯t help but warn Wang Yan aloud.

    Zhang Erleng was furious.

    Damn it!

    This woman was actually siding with this brat; he got it¡ªthey must be having an affair. Here was a divorced woman, and a man willing to fight to the death for her, what else could it mean?

    Fine, she dares to cuckold me even before she¡¯s married to me.

    Zhang Erleng couldn¡¯t ept it.

    He didn¡¯t even consider what his rtionship with Bai Yue really was.

    He was getting into his role a bit too much.

    Zhang Erleng roared, ¡°Boys, get him, we must spill this kid¡¯s blood today.¡± He was enraged. Competing with him for a woman? If he didn¡¯t beat up the man in front of him, he would feel he¡¯d let himself down.

    Three men charged howling.

    Wang Yan, wielding the fire poker, struck it against the wrist of a thug who had approached him; the thug¡¯s knife ttered to the ground, and Wang Yan kicked it forcefully away. Feeling a cold breeze on his back, Wang Yan swiftly dodged aside; pain seared through his arm¡ªit was Zhang Erleng, who had taken advantage to sh him when he was unguarded.

    Instantly, a gash opened on his arm, and blood spurted out, eliciting a scream from Bai Yue.

    Wang Yan¡¯s eyes darkened with fury. This bunch of bastards. Wielding the stick, he charged directly at Zhang Erleng.

    The two came to blows. When one of Zhang¡¯s men tried to sneak in with a knife at Wang Yan, now alert, Wang Yan was not so easily ambushed. One swing of his poker broke the man¡¯s arm.

    A kick aimed at Zhang Erleng¡¯s leg and a wild flurry of blows left Zhang Erleng tossing aside his dagger and curling up, wailing on the ground.

    ¡°Mercy, mercy! Big brother, big brother, please spare me.¡±

    He secretly cursed his luck; who could have expected such a tough opponent that the three of them would end up crying for their parents? He knew his arm was definitely broken; why would Wang Yan be polite after he had attacked so violently?

    Zhang Erleng and his men were already beaten to a pulp. Seeing things turn bad, Bai Yue quickly rushed to stop Wang Yan.

    ¡°Brother Wang, stop, or someone will get killed,¡± she pleaded.

    Only then did Wang Yan step back, kicking the prone Zhang Erleng hard onest time.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, next time you show up at the market, if I see you once, I¡¯ll beat you once. This time I broke your hand, next time watch out, or I¡¯ll break your leg. And you dare bring a knife against me? I¡¯ve ughtered more pigs in my life than the salt you¡¯ve eaten.¡±

    Zhang Erleng truly broke down crying; of all people, why did he have to mess with Bai Yue and her tough butcher lover?

    Really unlucky.

    ¡°Big brother, next time I¡¯ll make sure to walk away if I see you,¡± he promised.

    Otherwise, he would only suffer more.

    Zhang Erleng was very aware of the times; he was a thug who bullied the weak but feared the strong. He could bully others, but when faced with someone tough, his only option was to beg for mercy and never stand his ground.

    Bai Yue pulled Wang Yan aside, ¡°Let¡¯s go over here and I¡¯ll take care of that wound on your arm.¡± She pulled him aside, fearing he might charge back into the fray. What would she do if someone really died today because of her?

    She wouldn¡¯t want to be the cause of Wang Yan¡¯s ruin.

    Onlookers pped and cheered, and now people were willing toe out.

 Chapter 214 - 214 214 He is not my man

    ?Chapter 214: Chapter 214: He is not my man.   Chapter 214: Chapter 214: He is not my man.                                   Bai Yue pulled Wang Yan to the side under a tree. The coat he was wearing outside was already torn, and his arm was still oozing blood. Bai Yue didn¡¯t think it was looking good and anxiously asked the bystanders where the vige doctor of Dawang Vige was, then dragged Wang Yan along to go there.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a little wound. I just need to apply some medicine when I get back, and I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Wang Yan didn¡¯t seem to care. He was used to getting injured every now and then from his regr work of ughtering pigs¡ªthis little injury truly didn¡¯t bother him.

    After all, when Zhang Er Lengzi attacked him, he had managed to dodge quickly, so the cut on his arm was just a scratch. He knew it wasn¡¯t serious, although the sight of blood always looked more unsettling to people.

    However, the anxious way Bai Yue was dragging him to the doctor made him feel somewhatforted, especially since Bai Yue was so worried that she didn¡¯t even realize she was tightly clutching Wang Yan¡¯srge hand.

    Their fingers intertwined, Wang Yan felt utterly delighted inside.

    The cut he received was worth it.

    ¡°No, you can¡¯t just leave it. You¡¯ve lost so much blood, how can you not have it looked at? Stop your nonsense ande with me quickly,¡± Bai Yue said in a fluster, speaking as if she was scolding her own son.

    Wang Yan chuckled, ¡°Then you should pick up the basket of eggs, or they¡¯ll end up costing someone a fortune.¡±

    Only then did Bai Yue realize she had forgotten about the eggs and hurriedly went to pick them up. But Wang Yan snatched the basket and hoisted it onto his own back before handing Bai Yue his empty basket.

    ¡°These eggs aren¡¯t light; I¡¯ll carry them. You take this empty one,¡± he said.

    Bai Yue wanted to say something but ultimately didn¡¯t utter a word.

    The two went to the vige doctor, who had Wang Yan take off his clothes to examine the cut on his arm. Indeed, it was just a superficial scratch that didn¡¯t even need stitching, merely disinfection and a couple of anti-inmmatory pills to take home. As long as he didn¡¯t get a fever or expose the wound to cold water, it would heal in no time.

    Bai Yue finally felt relieved, and when they both stepped out, she had lost all interest in selling the eggs.

    Moreover, with all themotion, it was already past midday, and those who hade for the market were likely heading back. There was no point trying to sell her eggs now.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go and try to catch the vige cart before it leaves, If we¡¯re toote, it might already be gone,¡± Bai Yue told Wang Yan.

    They rushed to the agreed-upon tree, but the cart had already left. Now they truly had no choice but to walk back on their own.

    Bai Yue felt a bit helpless now that only the two of them were left. She had wanted to keep her distance, but that seemed impossible now.

    ¡°Everyone¡¯s gone, so we should head out too,¡± she said.

    Wang Yan suddenly grabbed Bai Yue, startling her. Her hand reflexively pulled back as if scorched.

    ¡°If you have something to say, say it. Why are you grabbing me?¡± She kept her voice down, not wanting to attract attention.

    Wang Yan pointed towards a nearby He Lao noodle stall, ¡°It¡¯s way past noon. Let¡¯s eat something there first, then we can start walking. Otherwise, it¡¯s several hours back on foot; who can endure that without a meal?¡±

    Bai Yue was about to say she wasn¡¯t hungry, but Wang Yan firmly grabbed her arm and pulled her over to the noodle stall.

    He pushed her into a seat and sat down next to her, calling out loudly to the owner.

    ¡°Boss, two bowls of noodles.¡±

    The boss, a middle-aged woman, readily agreed and started rolling out the noodles with a rolling-pin bed.

    Seeing that the noodles were already being cooked, Bai Yue found it difficult to refuse.

    ¡°Why waste the money? We could walk back and have a meal at home,¡± she still grumbled quietly. She had attended the market many times but had never eaten there¡ªnot forck of money, but because she was thrifty.

    Wang Yan defended himself rightly, ¡°You might not be hungry, but I am. After fighting for half a day, my belly¡¯s been empty, rattling like a drum.¡±

    Bai Yue had no choice but to concede. Regardless, Wang Yan had just helped her and saved her, so she thought, all right, she would pay for the meal as a thank you to Wang Yan.

    Soon, the two bowls of noodles were brought over.

    The boss¡¯s Herle noodles were really authentic; the noodles were round and plump, topped with ayer of stew including tofu, daylilies, wood ear mushrooms, soybeans, ss noodles¡­ There was a variety in the stew, save for theck of meat. After a handful of chopped green onions andtro was sprinkled on top, it truly whetted one¡¯s appetite.

    Wang Yan opened the jar of chili on the table and asked Bai Yue.

    ¡°How many spoonfuls of chili do you want? I see you eat chili at home, too.¡±

    ¡°Give me two spoonfuls. It¡¯s cold today, eating something spicy to sweat a bit should warm me up,¡± Bai Yue decided to not stand on ceremony since she was the one who offered to treat for the meal.

    Wang Yan scooped two spoonfuls of chili oil into her bowl and then btedly added two spoonfuls to his own bowl.

    Then he buried his head and started slurping up the noodles. Seeing him enjoy the meal, Bai Yue thought and said, ¡°Brother Wang, I can¡¯t finish this bowl by myself. I haven¡¯t even started, let me push half of it onto your bowl.¡±

    She felt that one bowl surely wouldn¡¯t be enough for Wang Yan.

    Wang Yan nced at Bai Yue. This woman, her heart is just too kind, ¡°You eat first; if you have leftovers you can¡¯t eat, I¡¯ll have them. I had three buns before heading out to the market this morning. Although I¡¯m hungry now, I can¡¯t eat much either.¡±

    Bai Yue rolled her eyes. You say you can¡¯t eat much, yet you insisted on having this meal with me; these two bowls of noodles aren¡¯t free.

    It made her teeth itch with frustration.

    Bending her head down, she too began to eat with gusto ¨C never mind him.

    Yum! The Hele noodles really tasted good.

    Before she knew it, she had reached the bottom of the bowl, even slurping up the sauce and broth until none was left.

    Bai Yue put down her chopsticks and felt her face flush with embarrassment. She had just said she couldn¡¯t finish her bowl, yet now she had nearly finished it all; wasn¡¯t she just pping her own face?

    Luckily, Wang Yan wasn¡¯t even ncing her way. He had finished eating, wiped his mouth, and at some point had already started chatting with thendy, who was in her forties. They talked happily, and Bai Yue watched Wang Yanugh so heartily and carefree that it made her blood boil.

    ¡°Landy, the check please,¡± Bai Yue cut off their conversation.

    Seeing that Bai Yue had finished eating and stood up, Wang Yan got up and picked up the basket of eggs from the ground.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Bai Yue spoke irritably, ¡°We haven¡¯t paid yet.¡±

    Thendyughed, ¡°Girl, your man paid a while ago. When going out to eat, we never have women pay the bill. Though women may be in charge at home, holding the purse strings, when ites to eating out, of course, you have to give your man some respect,¡± she grinned and began wiping the table with a cloth.

    Bai Yue was just about to open her mouth to say he is not my man.

    Wang Yan had already picked up the empty basket and walked towards the door.

    Bai Yue hurried after him.

    ¡°Hand me that basket of eggs, I can carry it myself.¡±

    Wang Yan cast a nce at her, ¡°It¡¯s not proper to let a woman carry heavy things. Just keep it quiet and carry the empty basket,¡± he said and continued walking ahead.

    Bai Yue had no choice but to pick up the empty basket from the ground and follow from behind.

    The two of them left the market, one in front of the other, and hardly spoke on the way. Bai Yuegged behind Wang Yan by three or four steps to avoid suspicion, for fear that someone familiar might see them and gossip would spread.

    When they got back to the vige, Wang Yan set down the basket of eggs in the yard, went to the backyard to check on the pigs, and talked with Li Haiping and Li Haian for a while before leaving.

    Bai Yue put the shoes she had cleaned for Wang Yan into his basket, along with two new pairs she made for him. In the future, if Wang Yan talks about getting engaged, his fiancee should do these tasks. She wanted to avoid any furtherplications with Wang Yan and have a clear ount between them.

 Chapter 215 - 215 215 Speak Up (Fifth Update)

    ?Chapter 215: Chapter 215: Speak Up (Fifth Update)   Chapter 215: Chapter 215: Speak Up (Fifth Update)                                   Wang Yan left, and it was only then that Bai Yue sighed in relief.

    For some reason, she had been feeling that Wang Yan¡¯s gaze towards her had been somewhat off these past few days. He used to be quite friendly towards her, albeit with a bit of distance, but recently she noticed the look in his eyes seemed to be aze.

    That scorching sensation made her too scared to meet his eyes.

    Just now, while Wang Yan was around, she didn¡¯t dare to leave the room, for fear of bumping into him. Now that he was gone, she finally lifted the curtain and stepped out. A big basket of eggs was still in the grain storage, and it seemed that she could only wait until the next market day to go.

    When Li Haiping and Li Haian came out and saw Bai Yue, ¡°Mom, Uncle Shitou knows so much, we are confident that, with Uncle Shitou¡¯s guidance, it won¡¯t take us two years to learn how to raise pigs. Then, Mom, we can raise a couple more pigs, and you won¡¯t have to work so hard every day. We, your two sons, will take care of the rest.¡± Though the two brothers were not yet eighteen, they were already full of ambitions.

    Bai Yue, seeing how sensible her sons were, was also pleased, ¡°That¡¯s great, in the future our family will be counting on you.¡±

    ¡°Mom, Uncle Shitou is such a good man, not marrying all these years. I really don¡¯t know what kind of woman Uncle Shitou would take a fancy to!¡± Li Haian said casually. Uncle Shitou was even better to them than their own father, treating them kindly, willing to teach them everything. Although the boys¡¯ eagerness to help out Uncle Shitou yed a part, much of it was due to Uncle Shitou¡¯s good nature. Otherwise, even if they tried to impress the entire Wang Family, it would be in vain; the old man wouldn¡¯t spare a single honest word.

    People are not the same.

    ¡°Your Uncle Shitou has high standards, an ordinary woman wouldn¡¯t catch his eye!¡± Bai Yue said uneasily, wondering if it was appropriate to discuss this with her son.

    Li Haiping nced at Bai Yue, ¡°Mom, I think Uncle Shitou has feelings for you!¡±

    Goodness, that bombshell left Bai Yuepletely shaken.

    ¡°You child, what nonsense are you talking about? Is this the kind of thing you can just say? What kind of person is your Uncle Shitou, and what kind of person is your mother? Can they even be mentioned in the same breath?¡± Bai Yue was slightly infuriated.

    Li Haiping continued, looking at Bai Yue, ¡°Mom, why can¡¯t I say it? You are not a bad woman. Do you think I can¡¯t see it? I¡¯m already 16, can Uncle Shitou be so kind to us for no reason? And hees to our pigsty every other day, iming to talk to us about pig raising, but in reality, doesn¡¯t he always help you with chores in the front yard every time?

    And he sneaks nces at you from time to time, immediately stepping in to help whenever you¡¯re doing some physically demanding work.¡± He really wasn¡¯t a child anymore, and could see things from an adult perspective.

    Bai Yue, her face flushing, rebutted, ¡°That¡¯s just Uncle Shitou being a kind person. In the future, you must not talk such nonsense. Your mother is a twice-married woman, ill-reputed in this vige. You are not to ever speak of this again, do you hear me?¡± She was getting angry.

    Seeing that Bai Yue was angry, Li Haiping fell silent, ¡°Mom, let¡¯s go for a walk, check the fields that haven¡¯t frozen over yet and maybe dig up some earthworms or something. It¡¯s getting cold, and our chickens need some extra nutrition, or they will stopying eggs.¡±

    The two brothers left the house.

    Watching her sons walk out, Bai Yue¡¯s heart was filled with aplex mix of emotions, indescribable. Lifting the cloth cover off the egg basket, she suddenly spotted a handkerchief tucked away in a corner. Her heart stirred, this was¡­

    Opening the handkerchief, insidey a box of skin cream, seemingly never opened.

    No one but her and Wang Yan had touched that basket.

    Who else could have left it there?

    Bai Yue felt ufortable. If Wang Yan¡¯s previous disys of affection had been subtle, this time, it was a clear deration of his feelings. But what could she do with this admission? She was all too aware of Old Man Wang¡¯s attitude towards her.

    The old man from Wang Family didn¡¯t just treat her like this, he treated all the widows and divorced women in the vige the same way with disdain.

    Wang Yan was the eldest son of the Wang Family, and in the future, he would have to care for the two elders. Unless she wanted to cause unrest in the Wang Family home, she had to outright reject this matter.

    Although it hurt inside, saying she didn¡¯t like Wang Yan would be a lie. From the day she married Li Dashan, she never enjoyed a moment of tender care. Li Dashan had no other skills apart from throwing his weight around at home; he never cherished her for even a day, nor did he ever strive to take the weight off her shoulders concerning household matters.

    Wang Yan was different. This man was clearly the type who stood upright and capable, adept at managing both home and outside affairs. Marrying such a man would have certainly meantfortable days, but unfortunately, she was no longer a maiden. For the sake of her three sons, she couldn¡¯t afford to keep struggling here.

    Bai Yue steeled her heart. Life had just started to get slightly easier, and she absolutely couldn¡¯t let her three sons carry any other kind of reputation. She could remain unmarried for life, that didn¡¯t matter, but her sons were different. They were her hope and the hope of the family as well.

    As night fell, Wang Yan came out to sit by the reservoir again, an activity that had nearly be part of his daily routine. Staring at the vast reservoir, with its surging waves, seemed to ease his mind a great deal.

    Suddenly, he felt someone approaching.

    Wang Yan looked and to his surprise, it was Bai Yue.

    His mouth almost dropped open.

    His eyes were brimming with smiles.

    Bai Yue sat down beside him, reaching out her hand, ¡°This must be yours, right? The cream in the handkerchief you left in the basket.¡±

    Wang Yan shook his head, ¡°No! I¡¯ve never seen this thing before.¡± His resolute attitude made it difficult to doubt him.

    Bai Yue smiled, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t admit it, but I know for sure you put it there. Take it back, and don¡¯te to our house so often in the future. Otherwise, people will gossip. I¡¯m leaving.¡± Whether or not Wang Yan was responsible, she wanted to make the matter clear to him.

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Wang Yan suddenly stood up, his eyes zing, yet his facial expression didn¡¯t reveal any anger.

    Bai Yue looked back, ¡°What I mean is that our two families should have less to do with each other from now on. It¡¯s not easy being a divorced woman with three children, and since you are not yet married, it¡¯s not appropriate for you to keep visiting our house.¡± Her words were harsh.

    Bai Yue herself didn¡¯t realize she could be so heartless, to speak such words without even a hint of hesitation.

    Wang Yan stepped forward, and Bai Yue couldn¡¯t help but step back.

    This man¡¯s demeanor now evoked an uncontroble fear.

    Wang Yan reached out his hand, and Bai Yue involuntarily cradled her head and took a step back.

    ¡°Don¡¯t hit me!¡±

    This fear had be a conditioned reflex for Bai Yue when facing such domineering men, a reaction of dread she couldn¡¯t control.

    ¡°I won¡¯t hit you. Any man who hits a woman is not a fucking man,¡± Wang Yan seeing the fear on Bai Yue¡¯s face felt such pain as if his heart were being cut. How could there be such assholes in the world, can¡¯t they be a little more capable than to hit women?

 Chapter 216 - 216 216 I Want to Marry You

    ?Chapter 216: Chapter 216 I Want to Marry You   Chapter 216: Chapter 216 I Want to Marry You                                   Bai Yue stepped back a few paces, realizing that her reaction had been somewhat excessive.

    ¡°I¡¯m leaving!¡±

    The exposure of her innermost secrets embarrassed her, and she turned to leave the ce.

    An arm sped her waist and yanked her backward into a body so solid that the impact truly hurt. She had not heard a sound, not even the movement of the air; there was no warning whatsoever. He had appeared abruptly behind her, holding her with a strong, forceful embrace,

    Bai Yue was stunned, frozen,pletely at a loss.

    She had imagined many scenarios that the two of them might face, but she never anticipated that Wang Yan would dare to be so bold.

    Always, Wang Yan had seemed to her a man of integrity, precise in his actions, never stepping out of line.

    But now.

    Bai Yue was terrified, struggling desperately; if someone saw them, could she still live this down?

    It was simply scandalous.

    How could Wang Yan not know that she would be utterly frightened at first, deeply startled, although he disliked this method, he had no choice¡ªhe had to make her listen to him, otherwise, she would quickly withdraw, something he wouldn¡¯t allow. Now that things had reached this point, he couldn¡¯t stop his heart from drawing closer to this woman step by step, nor could he stop himself from foolishly standing in this direction every night, staring at Bai Yue¡¯s house, even if it was just a blur of light.

    But it let him know that the woman was in that house. He felt like he could smell the scent of soap when she moved, remember the curve of her smile even with his eyes closed, and recall the warmth and texture of her fingers. All of it was nearly driving him mad.

    He knew the consequences of his actions and needed to be on high alert, ready to adapt to her movements at any moment.

    She would certainly resist. Bai Yue was, after all, a fighter; she had managed to live this well with three children until now. She wouldn¡¯t surrender easily and would struggle until she was out of strength.

    And he might have to restrain her, but not hurt her, until she was exhausted or willing to listen to him.

    If he was to do this, he needed a result. But he could not use violence on Bai Yue, so he had to be prepared, ready to endure damage before he could control her. He regretted that she would be so frightened, yet there was an undeniable anticipation that he couldn¡¯t help but feel.

    If life required him to let go of her, he would. However, if there was the slightest chance to have her, he wouldn¡¯t give up. The craving was so intense it kept him awake at night; all the words his father and mother had said were long forgotten. In his eyes, in his heart, it was all Bai Yue.

    He was not a man who gave up easily.

    She had to use all her wits to try to escape; everything was wrong, every movement was out of pure instinct, like a hare struggling to escape a wolf¡¯s grip. Her primary concern had always been the fear of being seen by others, fiercely trying to break free from his restraint.

    Yet, Wang Yan¡¯s body remained immovable; her struggles seemed insignificant before him, unable to shake him in the slightest.

    Instead, he twisted her around and pulled her tightly into his embrace.

    Her futile struggles gradually ceased, and her silent resistance turned into sobs. Tears slid from the corners of her eyes, trickling down her cheeks and into her hair.

    She couldn¡¯t see him, but she couldn¡¯t bear to look at his face either. Though her tears blurred her vision, she still tried her best to keep her eyes tightly shut.

    How did ite to this?

    ¡°Shh, don¡¯t cry, Bai Yue. Don¡¯t cry. I don¡¯t want to hurt you. I never wanted to,¡± he said. ¡°Listen to me, listen to me.¡±

    ¡°Wang Yan, why are you doing this? You know I¡¯ve just been divorced. The whole vige isughing, and so many have lingered in front of my house. I can barely protect my own reputation. If others see what you¡¯re doing today, how can I stand to live in this vige?¡± Bai Yue¡¯s anger opened her eyes wide, and her furious emotions suppressed the fear of being seen.

    Out of nowhere, she found the strength to strike again, turning her head and biting down hard on any part of him she could reach, ending up biting the side of his upper arm, right onto his firm tendons. The metallic taste of blood spread in her mouth, feeling like biting into a stone. She thought to herself that old man Wang really hadn¡¯t chosen the wrong name.

    He endured the pain without moving. ¡°Bai Yue, I want to marry you. I am not like those idlers. I¡¯m not joking, nor am I trying to toy with you. I truly want to marry you, to protect you for a lifetime, to cherish and love you,¡± he said.

    She red at him fiercely as she opened her eyes wide. He stared back from a very close distance, their breaths mingling.

    In the darkness, although there was no light except for the distant lights from the vige, she could make out the powerful contours of his face and the brightness of his dark eyes amid the shadows.

    Silence stretched between them. Taut and searing.

    After a moment, Bai Yue took a deep breath to calm herself. Who could have known her arrival would turn out like this? If she had known hering would spark this fire, she would never havee. ¡°Brother Wang, I will pretend I didn¡¯t hear what you just said. We are not suitable for each other. Doing this will only make us both look bad. Why do you insist on doing something hopeless? Going forward, I hope to not see you again. I cannot possibly marry you,¡± Bai Yue murmured as she pushed Wang Yan away, wishing to leave. She felt an urge to cry from regret. She couldn¡¯t admit that she felt a thrill in her heart upon hearing Wang Yan¡¯s words just moments ago.

    She despised herself for the insincerity of her words. But she knew better; even if it were other men from the vige with lesser family conditions, she might have fought for a chance with them. But Wang Yan¡¯s father was Old Man Wang; that made it utterly impossible. Rather than stir controversy in the entire vige, she would rather this incident had never happened.

    She understood she needed to stop this foolish yearning and abandon any hope for an impossible oue. She might not be able to kill her strong feelings for him, but she could at least stop expecting and stop hoping for a future that couldn¡¯t be.

    He just looked at her, his expression as inscrutable as ever. Although she couldn¡¯t clearly see, she knew. It was an indescribable look that made her shiver all over.

    One hand supported her waist, the other slipped into her hair, gently grasping the nape of her neck. He bent down and sealed her lips with his. Her mind nked, her body immobilized, her arms still sped at her elbows, her head tilting back at his will.

    He let go, and in the silence, she could hear the sound of the water flowing in the reservoir nearby, even the sound of the wind in the trees became hypersensitive.

    She didn¡¯t know what to say, and the man before her was likely not one to be easily controlled. Her recent words seemed futile, as she stood there helplessly, refusing to look at him.

    ¡°If my dad doesn¡¯t agree, I¡¯ll take you away. Don¡¯t just say we¡¯re not suitable so lightly,¡± his tone became stern suddenly, ¡°I¡¯ve never been so serious about anything in my life. I want to marry you, Bai Yue! There is nothing I am more serious about than this.¡±

 Chapter 217 - 217 217 I am An Zhiyuans mother she is An

    ?Chapter 217: Chapter 217: I am An Zhiyuan¡¯s mother, she is An Zhiyuan¡¯s fianc¨¦e   Chapter 217: Chapter 217: I am An Zhiyuan¡¯s mother, she is An Zhiyuan¡¯s fianc¨¦e                                   Bai Yue didn¡¯t know how she had gotten home. It was as if pieces of her memory were simply missing, never existing in her mind. Lying on her warm kang, she suddenly chuckled, but the sound soon became eerie in the empty room. She worried about waking her three sons.

    Thinking of her sons, her reasoning began to return.

    Yes, she still had three sons.

    If it had been just her, maybe she would have had the courage to recklessly run away with Wang Yan once. She really would have left with him to a ce where no one knew them, to start over, even if life proved difficult, but now it was different, she still had three sons.

    She couldn¡¯t just ruin her children¡¯s lives, running away with three sons and a man. What kind of situation would that be, especially with the youngest still needing to go to school? She could not, in a moment of impulse, disregard everything.

    She was no longer a young girl, having lost the right to act without thinking.

    He had plunged her into confusion, facing the strongest temptation. She knew she could never be indifferent toward him.

    Yet, to forsake her sons for him¡ªshe just couldn¡¯t do it.

    So she tossed and turned, flipping back and forth in bed, unable to sleep until it began to dawn.

    Bai Xiao had no idea so much had happened to her elder sister at home. Things were rtively smooth for her, at least in her Traditional Chinese Medicine practice as an acupuncture therapist, attracting few patients. In the beginning, those that came were mostly soldiers from Zhang Duo¡¯smand, likely due to Zhang Duo¡¯s improved health impressing other soldiers. Who doesn¡¯t have pains from training they¡¯d want relieved if they could?

    The most astonishing thing Bai Xiao discovered was that, after An Zhiyuan wasst by her side, the side effects of her special abilities seemed to have improved again. Last time she treated the young girl, she was nearly frozen, but An Zhiyuan¡¯s body temperature seemed to truly have a therapeutic effect on her condition. Ever since then, she felt much better, which was quite miraculous.

    She had thought long and hard, suspecting it might be because she had fallen into the reservoir and precisely then, An Zhiyuan had jumped in to save her, creating this connection of special abilities between them. Otherwise, it really made no sense.

    Every side effect of her special abilities seemed to pose no problem when faced with An Zhiyuan¡¯s body.

    It was curious for Bai Xiao, indeed.

    This matter couldn¡¯t be discussed with anyone else; it was just her conjecture.

    Nevertheless, An Zhiyuan had indeed be much more important to her now, and the option of marriage wasn¡¯t so uneptable. Though she valued free love, after being unfortunate in her previous life, she hadn¡¯t made any definite ns in this one.

    The truth was, she had not yet met anyone she truly intended to marry. Choosing to marry An Zhiyuan wouldn¡¯t be so bad; after all, this man seemed to be an excellent one without any serious ws.

    Lost in thought in her clinic, someone opened the door and came in.

    Bai Xiao looked up. A middle-aged woman apanied by a woman in her twenties. Judging by their clothing and demeanor, they seemed to be from a distinguished background. She secretly wondered why they woulde to her for acupuncture.

    She had been working here for over three months now.

    So far, aside from the young girl she had saved, she had only dealt with men.

    Having female patients visit was truly a rare urrence.

    She couldn¡¯t help bringing some enthusiasm, for rarity adds value.

    ¡°Hello,rade, which one of you is here for treatment?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not here to see a doctor!¡± the young girl said quite confrontationally.

    Bai Xiao was startled, then quickly realized that she seemed there to pick a fight.

    She put down the pen in her hand.

    ¡°If you¡¯re not here to see a doctor, then please leave; I have other patients waiting.¡± Even if someone came to pick a fight, it depended on whether she was willing to deal with it.

    ¡°We did register, which makes us your patients. Is it appropriate for you to just kick your patients out? Is this the attitude of doctors in your hospital?¡± The girl continued pushing aggressively, refusing to let go of the issue.

    Bai Xiao nced at the girl. ¡°Alright then. I¡¯m asking you, who here is the patient? You say you¡¯re not here to see a doctor, so what are you here for? You might have registered, but if you¡¯re not here to see a doctor, please don¡¯t waste other patients¡¯ time. This is a hospital, and I believe that being responsible to my patients is what a doctor should do.¡± She thought Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t reply.

    The girl was so angered she red wide-eyed, ¡°Auntie Wei, look at her!¡± she said coquettishly to the middle-aged woman beside her.

    Auntie Wei?

    Bai Xiao rummaged through her mind and was sure she had never met such a person.

    ¡°Youngrade, don¡¯t get too agitated. The two of us came here specifically to find you,¡± Wei Shufen said calmly, looking at the girl. Being of her status, she deemed it beneath her to argue with others.

    ¡°Why are you looking for me?¡± Bai Xiao hoped to get to the point as quickly as possible as guessing around was pointless.

    ¡°I am An Zhiyuan¡¯s mother, Wei Shufen, and this is An Zhiyuan¡¯s fianc¨¦e, Ding Min.¡± Wei Shufen¡¯s gaze fixed on Bai Xiao as she rified each word.

    Bai Xiao smiled inwardly, cursing An Zhiyuan for bringing the fight to her doorstep.

    Why was An Zhiyuan maintaining the act of a fianc¨¦ when he had one already? Did he not tell her because he was juggling both? ying a double game?

    The problem was her own blindness, for having spent so much time with him and not realizing his capability for such double-dealing.

    ¡°Hello, so you are An Zhiyuan¡¯s mother. I¡¯m An Zhiyuan¡¯s fianc¨¦e, Bai Xiao!¡± Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t consider herself the other woman.

    Losing people can¡¯t mean losing spirit.

    Wei Shufen seemed to regard Bai Xiao highly, noting the girl¡¯s sharp tongue and arrogant air.

    Ding Min exploded, ¡°Shame on you! How could you consider yourself An¡¯s fianc¨¦e? I am An¡¯s fianc¨¦e, the one recognized by his uncles and aunts.¡± It was absolutely the time to assert her rights.

    When Bai Xiao heard this, she understood: this girl was likely caught up in the eternal drama of arranged marriages by parents. She wasn¡¯t foolish; despite her own blindness, she could see An Zhiyuan wasn¡¯t someone capable of duplicity or double-dealing.

    If he truly had such skills, Bai Xiao would have to admire him.

    ¡°Oh, being recognized by An Zhiyuan as his fianc¨¦e is enough for me; I don¡¯t really care about anyone else¡¯s approval. After all, the person I will live with is him, not someone else.¡± Bai Xiao didn¡¯t care whom she offended. If someone thought they coulde here, being An Zhiyuan¡¯s mother, and dictate to her, they were mistaken.

    She had lived apromised life in herst existence; there was no reason in this life to suffer for others.

    She could save people, but she would absolutely not indulge others.

 Chapter 218 - 218 218 Who Exactly is An Zhiyuan

    ?Chapter 218: Chapter 218: Who Exactly is An Zhiyuan?   Chapter 218: Chapter 218: Who Exactly is An Zhiyuan?                                   ¡°Auntie, just listen to how arrogant this woman is,¡± Ding Min couldn¡¯t take it anymore. They had thought that the information they held proved that this girl was just a country girl who had recently passed the university entrance exam, inexperienced and naive, easily frightened by a few harsh words into retreating. But who could have expected that this girl¡¯s audacity would be so overwhelming?

    At this point, she could only turn to An Zhiyuan¡¯s mother for support. After all, Wei Shufen was upying the position of An Zhiyuan¡¯s mother, which gave her the status of an elder.

    And besides, what woman doesn¡¯t want to please her mother-inw?

    Wei Shufen nced at Bai Xiao, ¡°Bai Xiao, we¡¯d like to have a talk with you. If it¡¯s convenient, let¡¯s find a time to sit down together.¡± It seemed that dealing with this girl required a strategy.

    Bai Xiao looked at her watch, ¡°I¡¯ll be off work in an hour. If you¡¯re willing to wait, you can wait outside for me to finish. If not, I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡±

    They say the mother-inw and daughter-inw rtionship is a millennium-old problem, and now, I¡¯ve already butted heads with my future mother-inw. It looks like I¡¯m in for some tough times, she thought despondently. Could it be that I made a mistake in choosing An Zhiyuan, this guy who never told me about his family situation?

    Wei Shufen nodded, ¡°Alright. We¡¯ll sit outside and wait for you.¡±

    Ding Min wanted to say something else but was silenced by a look from Wei Shufen and obediently followed her out of the consulting room.

    The patients behind them immediately entered the consulting room.

    Ding Min was somewhat stifled, sitting next to Wei Shufen, ¡°Auntie, I can¡¯t stand her arrogance. She¡¯s just a country bumpkin from the countryside. Who does she think she is?¡± Her insides were boiling with rage, incredulous that a woman she thought could be easily dismissed had managed to infuriate her to the point of chest pain. To have such nerve was a feat in itself.

    Wei Shufen nced indifferently at Ding Min, ¡°Why are you stooping down to argue with such a girl? Considering your status and position, do you really need to do this? Don¡¯t lower yourself to the level of a shrew, you wouldn¡¯t want to disappoint the years your parents spent raising you.¡±

    Ding Min was speechless. She dared to speak to Wei Shufen like this only because Wei Shufen was her aunt, a close aunt, indeed!

    Although Wei Shufen and An Zhiyuan were mother and son, sadly, she wasn¡¯t his biological mother but his stepmother, which was the ssic drama of a stepmother wanting to meddle in her stepson¡¯s marriage.

    ¡°Auntie, I understand now. I lost myposure today, perhaps because I didn¡¯t expect this girl to speak and act with aposure that doesn¡¯t resemble someone from the countryside at all. It was my fault for losing my footing,¡± she immediately reflected on herself. After all, her education over the years had taught her what should and shouldn¡¯t be done.

    Wei Shufen nodded and patted Ding Min¡¯s hand, ¡°You¡¯ve liked Ayuan for so many years, and your uncle and I both know it, but you should be aware of An Yuan¡¯s temperament. He responds to gentle persuasion, not force. If it weren¡¯t for him submitting a marriage report to your uncle¡¯s superior, we wouldn¡¯t even know about this matter. Remember, haste does not bring sess. We would naturally want to help you since you are my niece and have liked him for so long,

    but there is a limit to this matter. Your uncle will definitely not force Ayuan unless you can persuade Ayuan to take your side. Otherwise, I won¡¯t be able to make your uncle force Ayuan to marry you.¡±

    That she came forward this time was already showing a lot of consideration for Ding Min.

    Not one of the three brothers in this family was easy to handle; being a stepmother was tough. Unfortunately, I¡¯ve never had children of my own. If I had, I wouldn¡¯t need to be so cautious. The reason I¡¯m helping Ding Min is precisely because I know An Zhiyuan is capable, and his future will undoubtedly be bright. Even though An Cheng has always said that he would never let his son rely on his father¡¯s achievements to climb up the ranks,

    the reality is that An Zhiyuan will have an easier time on this path than others, whether he wants to use An Cheng¡¯s honors or not. People first recognize him as the son of Chief An, and with An Zhiyuan¡¯s strong personal abilities, his future will bepletely different.

    As his aunt, of course, I would be pleased to see it happen. If my niece marries An Zhiyuan, at least my sister¡¯s family will get some support.

    It wouldn¡¯t harm her.

    But that didn¡¯t mean she had to use brute force topel An Zhiyuan to marry Ding Min.

    Ding Min lowered her head, feeling aggrieved. For so many years, her fondness for An Zhiyuan was almost a known fact to the entire An Family, yet An Zhiyuan was simply indifferent toward her. Even when she had wanted to go into the arts for his sake, An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t show her any special warmth in his attitude, and in the end, it didn¡¯t work out because she didn¡¯t meet the physical requirements.

    ¡°Auntie, I think this girl is quite capable.¡± Her tone of voice had calmed down considerably by now. The previous anxious and furious mood seemed to have faded, and she was truly reverting to the reserved and graceful Ding Min.

    Wei Shufen nodded thoughtfully, ¡°I hadn¡¯t expected a girl from the countryside to have suchposure, neither servile nor overbearing, and she didn¡¯t change her behavior in any way just because I am An Zhiyuan¡¯s mother.¡±

    She hadn¡¯t expected that.

    Three or four people came in and out of the consulting room, and finally, it was time to close for the day.

    Bai Xiao walked to the door, ¡°Auntie, my shift is over now. Pleasee in and have a seat.¡±

    It was either a blessing or a curse; she couldn¡¯t escape what wasing for her.

    And she hadn¡¯t even thought about running away!

    She had intended to call An Zhiyuan, but picked up the phone and put it down again. She remembered he had told her he would be busy with something important in the next few days. If she called him over such a trivial matter, disturbing him and distracting him from work, what would be the point?

    Although she really wanted to get to the truth, it wasn¡¯t necessary to do it right now. She was already in her forties; what was there that she couldn¡¯t let go of or understand?

    The years had settled her impatience. Wasn¡¯t it more interesting to address things slowly, to clear up rights and wrongs over time?

    Besides, she didn¡¯t believe she would be at a loss.

    The attitude of the current situation was pretty clear¡ªit was An Zhiyuan¡¯s mother and the so-called fianc¨¦e showing up on her doorstep, presumably hoping that she would know when to give up and retreat.

    They looked down on her as a rural daughter-inw. Ding Min, the fianc¨¦e, probably couldn¡¯t really be counted as one but rather as the marriage partner approved by the parents. Unfortunately, it was not necessarily with An Zhiyuan¡¯s approval, so they hade to show her who was in charge, hoping she would get the hint and quickly retreat to where she came from.

    Moreover, from An Zhiyuan¡¯s mother, she had clearly understood one thing¡ªAn Zhiyuan was probably of no ordinary birth; this man had kept a lot of things from her.

    Alright then, it seemed she was about to uncover the true face of An Zhiyuan.

    Let her see just who this Chief Instructor is.

 Chapter 219 - 219 219 Western Restaurant

    ?Chapter 219: Chapter 219: Western Restaurant   Chapter 219: Chapter 219: Western Restaurant                                   ¡°Since you¡¯re off work now, let¡¯s go out for a meal together. After all, you need to eat lunch, or else how can you work in the afternoon?¡± Wei Shufen¡¯s tone was very gentle, yet absolutely not warm; her detachment seeped through her bones.

    Bai Xiao thought it over and agreed. She still had to work in the afternoon. How could she work on an empty stomach?

    Her job was not like others. Every patient who came to her naturally needed acupuncture. Even though she now had some control over her special ability, the absorption of heat and energy was absolutely essential. No matter how minimal the energy consumption, she was still consuming energy.

    She certainly didn¡¯t want to find herself suffering from the aftereffects of excessive use of her special ability due to ack of energy in the afternoon. It¡¯s not like she could just freeze to death and call An Zhiyuan toe warm her up.

    If that happened, others wouldugh their heads off.

    She nodded, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll change my clothes, and then we can go together. We have a cafeteria here. If you want to eat something else, we can go outside. However, there aren¡¯t any particrly delicious small restaurants nearby.¡±

    After changing, Bai Xiao came out, and Wei Shufen and Ding Min stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s go. There¡¯s a car at the door, and not far from here is a Western restaurant. Let¡¯s go there. It¡¯s really quiet, good for us to talk.¡±

    A smile yed at the corner of Bai Xiao¡¯s mouth. A Western restaurant?

    Oh, they were still trying to intimidate her, to make her understand the gap between herself and them.

    She shook her head. They were relentless.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    The three of them went downstairs, and indeed there was a ck Hongqi sedan parked at the hospital entrance.

    Bai Xiao was even more sure in her heart. It seemed An Zhiyuan¡¯s identity was indeed substantial; this guy was not straightforward!

    The problem was she hadn¡¯t noticed anything different about An Zhiyuan that set him apart from others. If he was a high-ranking official¡¯s son, this son of a high-ranking official was truly down-to-earth, washing clothes, cooking meals, and doing chores¡ªshe had never seen such a cadre¡¯s child who could do everything.

    If she thought she was mistaken, that couldn¡¯t be possible! After all, they had sought her out, and even knew she was called Bai Xiao; there was no mistake.

    Without investigating, she had no right to speak.

    When they arrived at the Western restaurant and sat down, Bai Xiao was quiet throughout, not out of tranquility but because she was troubled with her personal worries.

    She had originally hoped to find an ordinary man and live a normal life, but now she was potentially entering a family of officials. This was almost an insurmountable issue. If they looked down upon her, that was almost guaranteed.

    If not because An Zhiyuan¡¯s treatment for her special ability¡¯s aftereffects was the best, she wouldn¡¯t have rashly agreed to marry him. She had just agreed to get married, and immediately, she had concluded that this man waspletely different from the honest and straightforward An Zhiyuan she knew.

    She needed some time to adjust.

    Wei Shufen handed the menu to Bai Xiao, ¡°Doctor Bai, take a look. What would you like to eat?¡±

    ¡°You guys pick, I¡¯m not picky.¡±

    Now, she couldn¡¯t care less about Wei Shufen¡¯s taunts.

    Ding Min snorted coldly. Just pick anything¡ªwas it because she couldn¡¯t understand the menu and didn¡¯t know how to order?

    Bumpkin!

    Wei Shufen ordered a sd, cream of mushroom soup for each person, sirloin steak with spaghetti for each, and a cup of coffee per person.

    Once the waiter left, the atmosphere quieted down.

    Wei Shufen cleared her throat, ¡°Doctor Bai, I just introduced myself, I am An Zhiyuan¡¯s mother, but Ayuan hasn¡¯t told us about your engagement, so it was quite rude of me to visit so abruptly.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, truth be told, An Zhiyuan also didn¡¯t mention anything about you all to me, so neither of us knew about the other, and there¡¯s nothing rude about that.¡± Bai Xiao stated the truth¡ªWei Shufen¡¯s intent was very clear, to put her down.

    She did not want to pretend to be polite.

    ¡°It seems that you and Ayuan still need to deepen your understanding of each other. This child sometimes just doesn¡¯t like to talk about family matters, but since I¡¯m here, you Doctor Bai, being such a smart woman, must surely understand my purpose. I¡¯ll speak frankly, you and An Zhiyuan are not suitable.¡±

    ¡°Auntie, only the foot knows whether the shoe fits; simrly, only the two of us can really know whether An Zhiyuan and I are suitable or not. No one else can substitute our feelings,¡± Bai Xiao smiled.

    However, it was quite unexpected for An Zhiyuan¡¯s biological mother to be so young.

    ¡°Doctor Bai, when I say you¡¯re not suitable, I¡¯m not referring to the feelings between you two. An Zhiyuan¡¯s father, An Cheng, is a district leader, and Ayuan is his second and favorite son. Being a part of such a family, Doctor Bai, must be a lot of pressure for you, I presume.

    I can tell, Doctor Bai, that you are a girl who strives for independence and strength, and it¡¯s evident that your pride is strong. Facing such a family, even if I don¡¯t mention it, you must understand the enormous gap between your rural family and a family like ours. Wouldn¡¯t you feel ufortable dealing with a mother-inw like me everyday?¡± Wei Shufen was very adept at grasping one¡¯s psychological weak spots.

    During the conversation, the sd and soup were served.

    Following which, the steaks were also served.

    Wei Shufen picked up her knife and fork, elegantly began to slice her steak. Ding Min smiled slightly, also lifted her knife and fork, and gently cut the steak in front of her into neat pieces, picking one up with her fork and cing it into her mouth.

    Her nting gaze carried a sense of defiance and arrogance, unapologetically unting a superior air.

    Wei Shufen observed that Bai Xiao hadn¡¯t started eating, raised her eyebrows, ¡°Doctor Bai, why don¡¯t you eat from my te? Give me yours and let me slice it for you.¡± Although her tone was amicable, every gesture and expression she made was filled with malice.

    It was just short of outright saying, ¡°Doctor Bai, since you can¡¯t slice the steak, let me help you.¡±

    Bai Xiao slowly picked up the knife and fork on the table, Ding Min sneered¡ªthey had just watched them cut steak, imitating them correctly, but sadly, merely imitating the actions doesn¡¯t guarantee skill in doing it well the first try.

    Bai Xiao effortlessly sliced her steak in front of her into neat pieces, dipped them into the sauce in front of her, and ced them into her mouth with grace that was wlessly unchallengeable, as if she had performed such an act thousands of times before.

    Ding Min looked as though she had seen a ghost, observing Bai Xiao carefully from her hair to her fingertips, with no pretense in her movements, and the size and proportion of the steak she sliced by herself werepletely even. Moreover, her movements were so graceful, as if eating Western meals was her usual pastime.

    Such proficient movements were certainly not feigned.

    Ding Min grew uneasy¡ªhow could their crude bumpkin suddenly outshine a white swan in elegance? What was happening here?

    With this, how could they possibly make Bai Xiao back down?

 Chapter 220 - 220 220 Undermining Foundations

    ?Chapter 220: Chapter 220: Undermining Foundations   Chapter 220: Chapter 220: Undermining Foundations                                   ¡°Auntie, both An Zhiyuan and I have our own jobs. After getting married, it¡¯s definitely impossible for us to live with you. So, Auntie, your worry is really unnecessary. We won¡¯t be spending much time together. Of course, with your character, you certainly wouldn¡¯t stoop to spouting insults during our interactions; that¡¯s something only a rural shrew would do. It¡¯s beneath someone of your official status.¡±

    ¡°So, you see, there really isn¡¯t any conflict between us. Although you may look down on me, it doesn¡¯t matter as we won¡¯t be living together. As long as An Zhiyuan approves of me, that¡¯s what matters since it¡¯s just the two of us who will be living together. From what it seems, An Zhiyuan is willing to marry me.¡± Bai Xiao enjoyed the delicious steak, which truly tasted good here.

    She had never been to this Western restaurant before; after all, she wasn¡¯t in a position to indulge indiscriminately. Her status was just that of a doctor, and nowadays, doctors aren¡¯t as sought after as they will be in the future. Although it¡¯s a highly respected profession, there are no red envelopes to collect, so naturally, she couldn¡¯t enjoy a luxurious life.

    ¡°Doctor Bai is really surprising. Aren¡¯t you afraid that people will say you¡¯re marrying Ayuan for his social status, harboring intentions of social climbing? Aren¡¯t you afraid of gossip?¡± Wei Shufen really hadn¡¯t expected Bai Xiao to be so different from ordinary girls, even surpassing her own niece.

    No wonder An Zhiyuan had set his sights on her. If such a woman really married An Zhiyuan, it would be like adding wings to a tiger for her stepson, and she did feel a bit regretful about it.

    Honestly, if it weren¡¯t for Ding Min being interested in Ayuan, she would have agreed to An Zhiyuan marrying Bai Xiao. After all, having a wife like her could take him further in life, but who could me her? Ding Min was her niece.

    ¡°Auntie, such words might make others say you¡¯re too narrow-minded. With your cultural level and social status, how could you think like ordinary people? Now is an era of free love, and I think you understand this. The era of arranged marriages has long passed. Moreover, whatever happens between Ayuan and me, we will decide on our own.

    I feel that one should livefortably and happily, without worrying too much about others¡¯ opinions. If I have topromise myself just to please others, that¡¯s just foolish. Why should I? I like livingfortably and happily. I really don¡¯t care or mind what others think.¡±

    If a soldieres, we block; if wateres, we cover with earth.

    For the first time, Bai Xiao felt her tongue was quite sharp. It seemed unlikely that she and this Mrs. Wei Shufen would ever coexist peacefully, considering how the conversation had turned so bitter. No matter the oue, it was impossible for her to reconcile with Mrs. Wei Shufen.

    ¡°You and Ayuan will not be happy together! You¡¯re still young, tell me what sort of boy you like. I know many people, better than Ayuan in family background, and they are all quite excellent. I can introduce them to you¡­ ¡±

    ¡°Auntie, I wasn¡¯t aware you were digging at my corner!¡±

    All three turned their heads simultaneously.

    An Zhiyuan strode in, tall and imposing, his face calm.

    The atmosphere turned awkward.

    Ding Min was the first to jump up, her cheeks flushed shyly, her eyes shimmering with love.

    ¡°Big brother An, howe you¡¯re here?¡± Seeing An Zhiyuan, her heart couldn¡¯t help but race, thumping uncontrobly like a rabbit.

    An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t spare her a nce, grabbing Bai Xiao, ¡°Let¡¯s go! It¡¯s so hard to swallow this meal, yet you dare to eat here!¡± Draping his arm around Bai Xiao¡¯s shoulder, they left.

    Completely disregarding the ugly expressions on Wei Shufen and Ding Min¡¯s faces.

    The two walked out of the restaurant, An Zhiyuan¡¯s Jeep parked outside.

    As An Zhiyuan opened the car door for Bai Xiao, and as she was getting into the passenger seat, Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t help but look up and ask him, ¡°How did you know I was here?¡±

    An Zhiyuan stretched out hisrge hand and pressed her into the seat before he took his ce in the driver¡¯s seat.

    The car moved along the road, the air pressure inside was very low, with only the constant swishing sound of the tires rubbing against the ground.

    Bai Xiao gripped the seatbelt, ¡°Why won¡¯t you answer me?¡±

    It should have been An Zhiyuan feeling uneasy, not her looking like a meek daughter-inw.

    ¡°I called the hospital, Xiaoli told me, and I guessed it was Wei Shufen. ording to her habits, even if she was to have a conversation with you, it would definitely be in such a setting to disy her ss and elegance. More importantly, to make you feel uneasy and insignificant¡ªthat¡¯s her goal. So the closest ce from the hospital is here. That¡¯s why I rushed over.¡± An Zhiyuan¡¯s chiseled features suddenly turned cold.

    Bai Xiao shook her head; a man like him, if he likes someone, probably truly cherishes them, and if not, he probably wouldn¡¯t spare a second nce.

    It seemed like the temperature dropped ten degrees when she saw Ding Min earlier.

    Should she secretly rejoice?

    ¡°That¡¯s it? Nothing else you want to say to me?¡± Bai Xiao tugged at the seatbelt, this man seemed tock self-awareness.

    She had to ask him such uneventful questions herself, but if she didn¡¯t, she felt it would be unfair to herself, especially after such a long struggle just moments ago.

    It was all because of An Zhiyuan¡¯s presence. Having a childhood friend at home and still talking about keeping promises during their agreement made her uneasy.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Wei Shufen¡¯s arrival. I will handle it. There won¡¯t be a next time.¡± The reply was still cold.

    ¡°Is this title really appropriate? Wei Shufen? She told me she is your mother. Are you supposed to address your own mother by her full name?¡± There must be a story there! But unfortunately, An Zhiyuan wasn¡¯t ready to borate.

    She just had to force him to speak up.

    ¡°Not speaking about it won¡¯t do me any good. You know she is allegedly my mother-inw. What do you expect me to do? At least give me a reason to fight for you! I don¡¯t want to die without knowing why!¡±

    An Zhiyuan sighed, the car stopped in the hospital parking lot, and he turned to look at Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes, clear in ck and white, watched his smooth jawline, quietly waiting for what he would say next.

    ¡°Wei Shufen is my stepmother. Although she raised the three of us brothers, there¡¯s a lot I can¡¯t exin right now. Just remember, you don¡¯t need to be polite to her, don¡¯t listen to her, don¡¯t believe her,¡± An Zhiyuan looked at Bai Xiao, his message this time very clear.

    ¡°Did you rush over here worrying about me?¡± Bai Xiao smiled at An Zhiyuan¡¯s slightly red ears.

    Just when she thought he wouldn¡¯t answer such a question, he simply ¡°Hmm¡±ed, his voice low and deep, carrying the maic quality of a mature man.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s cheeks suddenly flushed red,pletely unexpected to see such a considerate side of An Zhiyuan.

 Chapter 221 - 221 221 Not Approved

    ?Chapter 221: Chapter 221: Not Approved   Chapter 221: Chapter 221: Not Approved                                   ¡°Get off, I¡¯ll take you out to eat, you definitely didn¡¯t eat enough just now!¡±

    An Zhiyuan gripped her hand, watching her somewhat shy cheeks, and all his previous anxiety vanished.

    Who could have known the moment he found out Wei Shufen hade here! He was so worried that Bai Xiao would disappear because of Wei Shufen¡¯s words, or simply ignore him from then on.

    Bai Xiao shook his hand, and with their hands sped, how could they get out of the car?

    An Zhiyuan somewhat reluctantly let go.

    It was only then that Bai Xiao realized they had stopped not far from the hospital, right opposite the street foodne. To call it a foodne, in fact, Bai Xiao had not been there many times, and frankly, there wasn¡¯t much good to eat.

    Feeling somewhat annoyed, if she had known, she would have filled her stomach beforehand. Instead of steak,ing here for noodles, she might as well cook at home.

    An Zhiyuan led Bai Xiao inside. He usually didn¡¯t have the chance to eat out, having always eaten in the canteen, and he couldn¡¯t stroll around with Bai Xiao on the streets either. He felt somewhat regretful; it had been tough to gain some closeness from his wife, and yet they couldn¡¯t even sit down and have a heartfelt talk.

    Bai Xiao checked her watch and honestly, there wasn¡¯t enough time now. If possible, she would rather cook for herself. It was only ten minutes of drive to work, and probably they wouldn¡¯t have time to eat anything.

    She grabbed An Zhiyuan.

    ¡°Big Brother An, let¡¯s not go, I have to start working soon!¡±

    An Zhiyuan stiffened, feeling a bit self-reproachful.

    ¡°Wait for me a moment!¡±

    He ran off and soon disappeared.

    Bai Xiao looked around; there weren¡¯t many people in the eateries at this time.

    In less than five minutes, An Zhiyuan ran back, holding a wax paper package in his hand and stuffed it into Bai Xiao¡¯s hand. ¡°Go and eat a bit in the office, you can¡¯t be hungry.¡±

    Bai Xiao checked the time, waved at An Zhiyuan, ¡°Then I¡¯m off, there¡¯s no time, I¡¯ll bete!¡± She smiled and ran into the hospital gate.

    An Zhiyuan waved his hand and watched Bai Xiao disappear, then he walked back to get ready to drive away.

    Then he saw Wei Shufen and Ding Min standing in front of his car, Ding Min looking aggrieved at him, as if he hadmitted some unforgivable sin. Seeing Wei Shufen, An Zhiyuan frowned, although Wei Shufen had always been good to him without any overt actions, yet he would never forget the incident of his brother being lost that year, and it was strange to say that it had nothing to do with Wei Shufen.

    In his lifetime, he would always remember the words his brother spoke when he was rescued from human traffickers; it was Wei Shufen who took him to the department store, then said she was going to the restroom, and never came back, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t have ended up being targeted by traffickers.

    Although Wei Shufen said it wasn¡¯t intentional, that she just went shopping and who knew that the child would be gone by the time she returned, this incident cast a long shadow in the hearts of the three brothers. Moreover, An Zhiyuan knew that his eldest brother wasn¡¯t someone who spoke nonsense. Among the three brothers, it was only the eldest who was the most upright. Since the eldest said so, it must be true. Although Wei Shufenter became very cautious and treated them well, quickly winning over the youngest brother¡¯s heart, bing as close to him as a biological mother, it couldn¡¯t be med on the youngest¡ªhe was still small at that time, a one-year-old child. What could he understand?

    But he and his eldest brother would never trust Wei Shufen in this lifetime, they absolutely couldn¡¯t trust her.

    Because there were many things involved, in any case, he was very guarded against Wei Shufen. This stepmother was not a simple person to deal with.

    Especially now that the old man was about to retire, and could no longer maintain his grip on power, the three brothers had already begun to rise prominently, recing the old man in an irreversible tide of the new recing the old. Wei Shufen then became keen on meddling in their marital affairs. The intentions behind this were obvious to anyone.

    ¡°Ayuan! Let¡¯s talk!¡±

    Wei Shufen knew that this son was not close to her. Not only was An Zhiyuan distant, but the eldest, An Zhigao, barely spoke to her, treating her barely better than an enemy. Of course she knew that this was a consequence of her own actions in the past! But back then, it was because she was young, thinking she still had a chance to have her own children.

    Who wouldn¡¯t want to have their own children instead of being a stepmother to someone else¡¯s? A stepmother¡¯s role wasn¡¯t easy to y. Naturally, she was going to give all her love to the child in her womb, and since the eldest had such an unlikeable demeanor, naturally she acted the way she did.

    But because of that one incident, she lost her own child, and could not conceive ever again. She had absolutely given up and started treating the brothers well, regarding them as her own children. But inevitably, that incident had created a barrier between her and the eldest; the child remained distant towards her.

    Even An Zhiyuan was influenced by the eldest, growing distant from her. How could she not regret over the years, wishing she had understood earlier why she had caused such trouble? Perhaps her own child would have been saved.

    Why must she now humble herself and still not receive a single kind look from them?

    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business!¡± An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t want to speak harshly, especially not in front of Ding Min. Outside, everyone viewed Wei Shufen as the best stepmother in the An Family, and their old man was very concerned about appearances.

    An Zhiyuan opened the car door, but Wei Shufen grabbed it.

    ¡°Ayuan, you can¡¯t solve the problem this way. Your father already knows about your situation. I came here because your father asked me to. Otherwise, why would I y the viin? It does me no good.¡±

    An Zhiyuan turned to nce at Ding Min, ¡°Regardless of who you represent, I can only tell you one thing¡ªI will not change my mind. Do not bother Bai Xiao anymore. My decision to marry her will not change!¡±

    ¡°Ayuan, you should know that in our kind of family, you can¡¯t just marry any woman you please. It wouldn¡¯t be good for you or for her. You¡¯vee this far, and I know it hasn¡¯t been easy! You¡¯ve done it all on your own. Next year, you¡¯ll be promoted to a leadership position at twenty-seven, a bright future ahead. Your father has high hopes for you; you can¡¯t break his heart.¡±

    ¡°Aunt, you should be aware that my father wouldn¡¯t oppose whoever I marry. My father himself came from humble beginnings; how could he care about such things? Perhaps it¡¯s you who cares! Let me make it clear¡ªI¡¯m not interested in Ding Min, not in the slightest romantic sense. Do not project your schemes onto me; I am not a tool for you to use for leverage. Also, do you really think Ding Min could sway me? You are underestimating me.¡± An Zhiyuan gave Wei Shufen a cold look, this woman had never given up.

    Wei Shufen slowly let go of the door, ¡°But your father has already agreed to Ding Min¡¯s marriage to you. Unless he approves, you will never be able to go through with your marriage. Think about it for yourself. I am not forcing you; there¡¯s no need to. Whom you marry does not benefit me in any way. Your father and I are looking out for your best.¡± Ding Min knows you thoroughly, and this child ispletely devoted to you. Why act this way?¡±

    She knew this stepson was not someone she could persuade, but the old man was within her grasp. That was enough.

    An Zhiyuan mmed the car door shut.

    The car sped away, leaving a cloud of dust behind.

 Chapter 222 - 222 222 Grocery Shopping

    ?Chapter 222: Chapter 222 Grocery Shopping   Chapter 222: Chapter 222 Grocery Shopping                                   Ding Min stomped her foot in frustration as An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t even spare her a single nce.

    ¡°Auntie, what should I do?¡±

    Wei Shufen nced at the hospital. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. These things can¡¯t be rushed. Let¡¯s go back for now. Ayuan is very enthusiastic right now, and I¡¯m afraid that no matter what we say, he won¡¯t listen and will think we¡¯re getting in his way. It¡¯s simple: separate the two of them. With time, their feelings for each other will cool down.

    I don¡¯t believe he will remain this passionate, and even if Ayuan continues to care for her, I doubt Doctor Bai will feel the same for him!¡± She was well aware of such situations. When you¡¯re in love, it feels like life and death, but even the most intense feelings can¡¯t withstand the test of time.

    Ding Min was delighted upon hearing this. ¡°Auntie, you¡¯re right! Send Bai Xiao to some other ce, huh, preferably the toughest, most exhausting ce. I don¡¯t believe she¡¯ll still have the energy to be lovey-dovey with Ayuan.¡± She enjoyed the thought of it.

    Wei Shufen gave her naive niece a look.

    The two of them headed back home.

    This time, they had returned without aplishing anything.

    ¡­

    With the New Year approaching, Bai Xiao¡¯s Traditional Chinese Medicine department was probably the quietest in the hospital, so she was granted two weeks off to return to her hometown for the holidays.

    The phone rang just as Bai Xiao had taken off her white coat, preparing to leave work for the day. It was Friday, and she could rest tomorrow.

    Ever since Zhang Duo had made a grand show of delivering the banner of appreciation, her clinic had started to see a flood of patients.

    But as the New Year approached, the number of patients had somewhat dwindled.

    However, as Doctor Bai, she had established herself at the hospital since saving the little girl. Doctor Zhao¡¯s attitude toward her had changed considerably. This veteran doctor, now in his fifties, would sometimese over, wanting to discuss acupuncture treatment with her.

    Unfortunately, Doctor Zhao was destined to be disappointed; while acupuncture might be something shareable for others, for her, it was a closely guarded family secret not to be revealed.

    ¡°Hello, The Ninth Hospital Acupuncture Department!¡±

    Bai Xiao picked up the phone.

    Xiaoli had already gestured outside the door, shaking his hat and pointing to his changing room.

    Bai Xiao nodded.

    ¡°Xiaoxiao, are you getting off work?¡± An Zhiyuan¡¯s voice, with its unique maism, made Bai Xiao¡¯s heart flutter.

    The more she got to know this man, the more she realized how different he was.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m changing clothes! How about you, not busy?¡± An Zhiyuan called her almost every day, which had be an unspoken agreement between them.

    Sometimes she quite liked this kind of gentle, steady affection; it was rather nice.

    ¡°I have a day off tomorrow. I¡¯m calling from the snack shop outside your hospital right now. Let¡¯s have dinner!¡± An Zhiyuan wanted to make up for the meal that never happened.

    In the end, that meal had been reced by three steamed buns, which, upon reflection, felt regrettable.

    He hadn¡¯t had a proper date with Bai Xiao yet.

    That kind of date with dinner and a movie, he had inquired about from his subordinates. They told him that going for dinner and a movie was a popr step in courtship these days. Also, in a busy movie theater, being close and jostling with the crowd was an opportunity to get closer to a girl, a perfectly honorable chance to embrace and protect her.

    Although An Zhiyuan sternly scolded her with his voice, deep down he¡¯d already been moved.

    Bai Xiao nced at the time; she had finished work early at just five o¡¯clock. The market wouldn¡¯t be closed yet, so she should be able to buy some things. She suggested, ¡°How about this, I¡¯ll buy some groceries and cook for you? Eating out won¡¯t be as tasty, and it¡¯s a waste of money too.¡± She also craved home-cooked meals. Eating at the cafeteria every day had nearly driven her to the point of vomiting. No matter how delicious the food, it couldn¡¯t withstand being eaten every single day.

    ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll wait for you at the entrance. Come out when you¡¯re ready,¡± he said.

    Bai Xiao seemed to sense disappointment in An Zhiyuan¡¯s voice, which puzzled her. What was there to be disappointed about? It was just a meal, and what she cooked would surely be tastier than anything from a street vendor outside.

    Of course, An Zhiyuan was disappointed. He had been thinking of taking her to see a movie after dinner¡ªa perfect opportunity. But he hadn¡¯t anticipated eating at home, which likely meant there wouldn¡¯t be enough time for a movie today. It seemed they would have to wait until next time.

    Seeing Bai Xiao walk out of the hospital¡¯s main gate, wearing a simple down jacket with her long hair tied back in a ponytail, her fair cheeks and dark eyes catching sight of him, she ran towards him, causing his serious expression to begin cracking into a smile.

    Reaching him, Bai Xiao exhaled breaths that turned to white mist, remarking how very cold it was.

    An Zhiyuan unwrapped the scarf from around his neck and wrapped it around Bai Xiao¡¯s, looking at her rosy cheeks. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wear a scarf?¡±

    In this weather, it was already below minus twenty degrees Celsius, enough to freeze someone.

    Bai Xiao smiled and buried her face in the scarf, drawing in its warmth, which still carried An Zhiyuan¡¯s tobo scent. It was fresh, however, not the kind of offensive tobo stench.

    ¡°I forgot! Let¡¯s hurry, or the vendors will have packed up for the day.¡± She pulled An Zhiyuan along, quickening their pace.

    An Zhiyuan nced at the hand that Bai Xiao had unhesitatingly ced on his arm, feeling a warmth in his heart.

    It seemed Bai Xiao had indeed grown much closer to him. Such an unconscious gesture indicated that she felt no distance from him in her heart.

    By the time they arrived at the market, it was indeed about to close. Many vendors had already packed up, and the remaining few were finishing up, looking ready to call it a day.

    Bai Xiao picked out some potatoes, bought some meat, cabbage, and tofu, and noticing somerge white steamed buns, she picked up ten. She was well aware of An Zhiyuan¡¯s appetite, and they finally had enough groceries to head back.

    An Zhiyuan carried a cloth bag, which was what Bai Xiao used for shopping¡ªa precursor to the reusable bags of the future. Currently, there were no stic or convenient bags; it was still the era of bringing your own bag to the market.

    Bai Xiao kept her hands in her pockets, hopping from the cold, urging, ¡°Hurry up, hurry up, I¡¯m freezing to death!¡± The weather here was indeed deadly cold.

    An Zhiyuan chuckled, quickening his pace to keep up with Bai Xiao. By the time they reached the entrance of Bai Xiao¡¯s dormitory building, they had finally warmed up.

    The two of them went up the stairs just as Xiaofen wasing down to take out the trash. The young girl greeted Bai Xiao politely. After the previous debacle, Xiaofen¡¯s biological father had been sentenced to a year in prison and the court had repossessed Chui Li¡¯s house. That house had already been rented out by Chui Li, bringing in an additional ten-plus yuan a month.

    Due to the undeniable evidence of Fan Jiancheng¡¯s abuse, the court had awarded Xiaofen custody to live with her mother.

    The court had also ordered Fan Jiancheng to pay five yuan a month in child support, but given his imprisonment, that money was unlikely to materialize. Even if he weren¡¯t incarcerated, Chui Li doubted that he would send the funds. She didn¡¯t rely on that ie anyway.

    Life had be much better now, Chui Li and Xiaofen living simply together. Xiaofen had transferred to the primary school at the Military District Hospital, which was convenient for her mother¡¯s care, and the bond between mother and daughter deepened by the day.

    Xiaofen had grown increasingly sensible; her behavior and speech were bing more refined, no longer resembling the little shrew she had been when living with her grandmother.

    Chui Li and Xiaofen were very grateful to Bai Xiao.

    Whenever they cooked something delicious, they would share some with their neighbor Bai Xiao.

    During that time, the neighbors had formed a very harmonious rtionship.

 Chapter 223 - 223 223 Wicked Taste

    ?Chapter 223: Chapter 223: Wicked Taste   Chapter 223: Chapter 223: Wicked Taste                                   Bai Xiao opened the door and called for An Zhiyuan toe in.

    The room was filled with a burst of warmth, as the heating had been turned on early. The biggest advantage of the expert buildings was their winter heating¡ªit was the hottest here since these buildings were different from the other dormitories. When it came to heating, it was the most sufficient here and also the closest to the boiler room.

    Bai Xiao breathed a sigh of relief.

    She unwrapped her scarf, ¡°It¡¯s so warm!¡± The winters here are truly cold.

    The winter here is over ten degrees colder than back where shees from.

    An Zhiyuan carried his stuff into the kitchen, which looked spotlessly clean¡ªit hadn¡¯t been used much.

    Bai Xiao took off her coat, revealing a high-cored wool sweater beneath. She never scrimped on treating herself well. After all, it wasn¡¯t easy to live her life over again, and during her youth at that¡ªwhy shortchange herself? Besides, her current monthly sry wasn¡¯t meager.

    Ever since her clinic started having a steady stream of patients, she had received several tens of yuan in bonuses over thest two months.

    Now, Bai Xiao¡¯s monthly sry was around one hundred and fifty-six yuan.

    For the year of 1985, this was a substantial figure. Apart from sending twenty yuan each to her two sisters every month, and saving some money for herself, including for clothes, she still had plenty to spare. After all, she didn¡¯t need to spend money on food coupons.

    Bai Xiao was very satisfied with her current life.

    Therefore, she didn¡¯t skimp on her appearance either.

    Rolling up her sleeves, she entered the kitchen.

    An Zhiyuan was taking items out of the bag while Bai Xiao had already washed her hands, taken out the chopping board, and the knife to start marinating the meat.

    ¡°Zhiyuan, can you help me put on the apron? I forgot it just now. Mainly because I haven¡¯t been cooking for these past few months, even this has started to feel unfamiliar,¡± Bai Xiao remembered only then and pointed to the apron hanging on the wall, speaking to An Zhiyuan.

    An Zhiyuan picked up the apron and stood behind her to tie it on her. The posture he assumed created a sense of happiness as if he were embracing Bai Xiao. An Zhiyuan suddenly felt cooking at home wasn¡¯t too bad¡ªindeed, it could enhance the connection between two people.

    His fingers quickly knotted the apron behind her back.

    ¡°There we go!¡±

    Bai Xiao nodded in satisfaction, ¡°Zhiyuan, I know you like spicy food and I like it too. How about we make boiled beef slices and stir-fried shredded potatoes today? We have steamed buns and I¡¯ll also cook some porridge. How¡¯s that, isn¡¯t itvish?¡±

    Bai Xiao was also craving boiled beef slices. Although the food in the cafeteria was good, eating the same few dishes every day was starting to make her feel tired of it.

    An Zhiyuan took out a pot to start washing the millet and cooking porridge; they all liked drinking millet porridge here.

    ¡°Whatever you make, I¡¯ll like it,¡± he said.

    Bai Xiao nced at An Zhiyuan; this man sure knew how to sweet-talk.

    The satisfaction level was one hundred percent.

    Seeing that An Zhiyuan had started cooking the porridge, Bai Xiao urged him to go out and sit in the living room to watch TV.

    Since it was his first time visiting their house, she felt a bit awkward ordering An Zhiyuan around.

    An Zhiyuan shook his head, ¡°Let me wash the vegetables for you, you cut the meat, and I¡¯ll wash the vegetables. Just sitting in the living room watching TV, all I would see is ¡®News Broadcast.¡¯ Didn¡¯t they say it¡¯s less tiring for men and women to work together? How can I sit outside and rx while you¡¯re alone in the kitchen? It wouldn¡¯t sit right with me.¡± He was quite honest.

    Bai Xiaoughed, ¡°Ah, Big Brother An, I heard from your stepmother that your dad is a high-ranking official. You don¡¯t act like a son of an official at all; you¡¯re more like an ordinary person, without the airs of an official¡¯s child.¡± This was what puzzled her the most. She wasn¡¯t clear on how An Zhiyuan had grown up over the years, how his upbringing could have shaped him this way.

    Certainly different from what one would expect of an official¡¯s child.

    It¡¯s not to say that official¡¯s children are bad; but many with afortable family life may have good character, yet are often not adept at household chores, which is a significant weakness. After all, with parents to look after them, especially in households like An Zhiyuan¡¯s where his dad was a high-ranking official, they must have maids. How could they possibly end up doing household chores themselves?

    It was not meant to smear, it was simply the truth.

    An Zhiyuan rolled up his sleeves, ¡°Does being the son of an official mean I¡¯m not human? I¡¯ve been working for many years, and I¡¯ve always been on my own since school, so I¡¯m used to taking care of everything myself. Besides, you get the hang of these things if you do them often enough.¡± Unconcerned, he grabbed a basin to fill with water and began washing the cabbage.

    Bai Xiao nodded in agreement, ¡°Mainly it¡¯s that you don¡¯t have any of that ¡®big man¡¯ temperament. Most men would probably be reluctant to cook, and even if they can, they would not want to go into the kitchen, for fear of others saying they¡¯re henpecked or something.¡± She hadn¡¯t expected An Zhiyuan to have such good husband material.

    An Zhiyuan swiftly washed the cabbage, filled the basin again, and began washing it a second time.

    ¡°What ¡®big man¡¯ temperament? That¡¯s just being pretentious. When a couple lives together, what does it matter if one person does a bit more? As a man, since I¡¯ve married this woman as my wife, of course, I should take good care of her. I don¡¯t have those bad habits. A couple needs to amodate each other more, so they can live together in harmony. If you just think everything should be done by the woman and act like a boss who doesn¡¯t lift a finger, I have no respect for that kind of man.¡±

    Bai Xiao turned her head to nce at An Zhiyuan, her lips twitched into a stealthy smile. It seemed she had struck gold.

    ¡°What are youughing about over there?¡±

    Even if An Zhiyuan wanted to pretend he didn¡¯t know, it wouldn¡¯t work, seeing how Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t hide her giggles.

    ¡°I¡¯m justughing at how lucky I am, Big Brother An. It¡¯s great to have met you.¡±

    These words of affection immediately caused An Zhiyuan¡¯s face to turn bright red.

    This girl, when had she be so proactive? He hadn¡¯t forgotten that it was this very girl who had wanted to keep her distance from him, staying miles away from any rtionship with him.

    ¡°You¡­¡±

    Bai Xiao had prepared all the ingredients, ready to cook as soon as the porridge was done.

    ¡°Not talking now? I bet you¡¯re thinking how brazen I am, not the least bit shy, to say such things outright to a man.¡± Bai Xiao had just reached the faucet to wash the cutting board, knife, and her hands.

    An Zhiyuan stopped her with one move.

    She was surprised.

    An Zhiyuan took a basin and filled it with some cold water, then poured hot water from the thermos into it, stirring with his hand to test the temperature. ¡°You¡¯re a girl, don¡¯t always use cold water. The cold water here in winter is bone-chilling. We big men can¡¯t stand it, let alone a girl like you. Don¡¯t rely on your youth; if you get unwellter on, you¡¯ll be the one suffering.¡±

    Bai Xiao put her hands into the basin, and the water was just right. Suddenly, she turned her head and leaned in to kiss him. The turn was so swift that she caught him off guard, her lipsnding on his jaw covered in a stubble of bluish beard hairs, which pricked her mouth slightly. An Zhiyuan¡¯s body jolted, not expecting her to pull such a move.

    Bai Xiao saw An Zhiyuan freeze, then burst into heartyughter as she left.

    There was a sense of triumph, as if having bullied a virtuous woman, never expecting to do such a thing in her life.

    Resultingly, An Zhiyuan pinned her against the door from behind, securely holding her raised hand above her head. The space in the kitchen suddenly grew tight as a warm, soft thing explored her mouth.

    When he released her, it was Bai Xiao¡¯s face that was flushed, while An Zhiyuan appeared calm, showing no signs of being emotionally disturbed at all.

 Chapter 224 - 224 224 Affection

    ?Chapter 224: Chapter 224 Affection   Chapter 224: Chapter 224 Affection                                   During the meal, the two ate in silence. Bai Xiao had learned her lesson from An Zhiyuan¡¯s tidy ways and was on her best behavior, not daring to stir up any trouble. Ironically, despite being a teacher herself, she found herself outmatched by her student, who had left her figurativelyid out on the beach.

    After eating, Bai Xiao intended to wash the dishes, but An Zhiyuan had already begun to tidy up the kitchen. Bai Xiao had been moring to wash her hair and bathe, but the weather made going to the public baths out of the question, and the staff baths had already closed for the night.

    An Zhiyuan had anticipated her needs and heated water on the stove for her.

    ¡°Go ahead and wash. I¡¯ll take care of the dishes,¡± he said.

    An Zhiyuan had already begun washing the dishes, and with only a few to clean, it would be a quick task.

    Bai Xiao looked at the way An Zhiyuan worked and felt a tender sweetness in her heart. Encountering such a man was probably her good fortune. It was as if the heavens hadpensated her for her hardships in a previous life by sending her An Zhiyuan from above to be by her side right from the start.

    Perhaps, An Zhiyuan¡¯s ability to restrain the side effects of her ¡°special ability¡± was heaven¡¯s own arrangement.

    ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll go wash up!¡± Bai Xiao carried therge pot to the bathroom, filled the basin with water.

    An Zhiyuan took one look and quickly took over. ¡°Let me do it. The pot¡¯s quite hot. What if it scalds you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not that fragile. Even back in my rural hometown, I did all these chores. I can¡¯t let you spoil me to uselessness now that I¡¯m here,¡± Bai Xiaoined sweetly.

    ¡°What was necessary at home is different. Now that I¡¯m here, I¡¯ll handle these tasks. Once we¡¯re married, I¡¯ll be the one doing housework. I¡¯m marrying a wife to cherish, not to have her toil away,¡± he dered imposingly.

    Bai Xiao squinted and smiled, ¡°You said it. You¡¯ll be taking care of the housework from now on.¡± Her coquettish demeanor made An Zhiyuan itch with an urge to hug and nibble on her.

    Bai Xiao quickly noticed the look in An Zhiyuan¡¯s eyes, promptly tousled her hair, brought over a stool, and ced the washbasin on it, trying the water temperature to diffuse the awkward tension.

    An Zhiyuan nced at Bai Xiao, ¡°Let me wash your hair for you. It¡¯s not easy to do it yourself.¡± He pulled her over to the sink, fetched a scoop from the kitchen, and mixed the pot¡¯s hot water with cold to make itfortably warm before filling the scoop.

    Bai Xiao understood An Zhiyuan¡¯s intention but still tried to decline, ¡°No need, I can manage on my own.¡±

    ¡°Hurry up before the water cools,¡± he urged.

    Bai Xiao had no choice but to lower her head into the basin. The warm water flowed over her head, and she gently massaged her scalp, soaking her waist-length hair, which she could not bring herself to cut short like in her past life.

    She applied shampoo and worked her hair into ather. Nowadays, everyone used ¡°Seagull¡± brand shampoo and ¡°Bee & Flower¡± brand conditioner. That was city life for you; in the countryside, being able to wash one¡¯s hair with soap was a luxury.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready to rinse!¡± Bai Xiao called from below.

    An Zhiyuan, looking down at the little woman with affection, thought about how she would soon be his wife.

    He scooped up water and carefully rinsed the suds from her hair, asionally using his hands to bring the remaining foam to the front from spots that the water couldn¡¯t reach. Hisrge knuckles gently massaged her scalp, prompting Bai Xiao to drop her hands and enjoy thefortable technique.

    Her delicate fingers curved slightly as she rested them on the edge of the washbasin, lost in a multitude of thoughts.

    She marveled inwardly, An Zhiyuan¡¯s hair-washing skills were indeed professional.

    Having washed her hair quickly, An Zhiyuan wrapped her hair with a towel and gently wiped it dry. Bai Xiao did not reject his efforts, nor did she attempt to take over the task. She half-closed her eyes, standing in front of An Zhiyuan, the two of them very close. Like an obedient rabbit, she let An Zhiyuan handle her effortlessly.

    He carefully dried her hair, her soft strands asionally brushing across his face, filling the air with a hint of their fragrance mixed with the sweet scent of shampoo. It made him feel warm all over, and he suddenly found himself a little distracted. Regaining hisposure, he said, ¡°That should be about enough. Find another dry towel and wipe a bit more. I¡¯ll clean up here. Then I¡¯ll boil some more water for you, so you can wash your feet and face afterward.¡±

    Without needing Bai Xiao to say anything, he had already tidied up the bathroom neatly and then carried the big pot outside.

    Bai Xiao gently wiped her hair with the towel and peeked into the kitchen.

    An Zhiyuan had wiped the washed dishes and utensils with a cloth, and was now boiling water on the stove. His earnest demeanor warmed Bai Xiao¡¯s heart. No man had ever been so good to her; to say she wasn¡¯t moved would be a lie.

    Sitting in the living room, she turned on the television, where ¡°The Legend of the Condor Heroes,¡± a well-known series, was airing.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes rested on the TV screen, but her mind wasn¡¯t there.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s affectionate gaze, his gentle gestures¡ªthey were branded onto her heart, indelible and unerasable.

    Ah, this man was now bing more and more involved in her life.

    Soon after, An Zhiyuan brought the big pot of water into the bathroom and adjusted the temperature for her, then spoke as he carried the pot out.

    ¡°Go wash your face and feet. The water¡¯s nice and warm; you¡¯ll sleepfortably afterwards.¡±

    Bai Xiao enjoyed the feeling of being taken care of, not having to lift a finger, realizing she could really get spoiled by him this way.

    She walked slowly to the bathroom, only to see An Zhiyuaning out and picking up his coat to put on. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked.

    An Zhiyuan nced outside; it was already past ten and the night had set in. Moreover, he could hear the howling of the cold wind rampaging outside.

    ¡°Just go to sleep after you¡¯ve washed up. I¡¯ll be heading back now.¡±

    Bai Xiao paused, looking outside. A strong wind had picked up, and it seemed like the weather forecast had mentioned snow.

    She felt unease at the thought of sending him out into such weather after he had busied himself so much for her.

    After a moment of thought, she said, ¡°You should stay over tonight.¡±

    There was no ulterior motive in her words; she simply didn¡¯t want him to travel back in such weather, fearing it might be dangerous for him.

    An Zhiyuan hesitated, understanding that Bai Xiao didn¡¯t mean anything else, just concerned about him. ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll sleep on the sofa. You go wash up; don¡¯t let the water get cold.¡±

    Bai Xiao nodded and quickly washed her face and feet inside, even specifically leaving some water in another basin for An Zhiyuan.

    She found a face towel and a foot towel and handed them to An Zhiyuan. ¡°You should go wash up too! I¡¯ll go find a nket for you in the room.¡±

    An Zhiyuan did not demur, taking the towels and entering the bathroom. Sitting on the stool, he soaked his feet in the basin, inhaling the lingering scent of Bai Xiao still present in the bathroom. A smile curled the corners of his mouth, subtle, yet enough to convey his contentment.

 Chapter 225 - 225 225 A Guilty Conscience

    ?Chapter 225: Chapter 225: A Guilty Conscience   Chapter 225: Chapter 225: A Guilty Conscience                                   Bai Xiao brought out a quilt for him and had set up a pillow on the sofa, but she looked at the double sofa and wondered if it was too cramped for An Zhiyuan¡¯s 6¡¯1¡å frame?

    An Zhiyuan watched the small figure of the woman bustling about outside, his gaze fixed on her slender silhouette, his burning eyes seemingly ready to reduce her to ashes.

    Footsteps came from the doorway, carrying the unique unhurried steadiness of a man.

    Bai Xiao paused, feigningposure as she continued with what she was doing.

    After all, the atmosphere between them was a bit ambiguous. She was innocent and not afraid of shadows crooking, but she didn¡¯t know if An Zhiyuan saw it the same way. He might think she was ying hard to get or behaving improperly!

    ¡°The sofa is a bit small. How about I sleep on the sofa and you take the bed?¡± Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t Lei Feng, but she really felt sorry for a 6¡¯1¡å man having to curl up on such a cramped sofa.

    ¡°No need. I¡¯ll sleep there!¡± An Zhiyuan refused, letting his future bride sleep on the sofa wasn¡¯t something he, as a man, could consent to.

    Bai Xiao checked and everything was pretty much in order.

    ¡°Then go ahead and sleep,¡± she looked at the clock. Indeed, after all their to-ing and fro-ing, it was almost 11 p.m. already.

    An Zhiyuan nodded, his eyes drawn to her flowing, smooth long hair, which reached her shoulders. Usually tied in a ponytail, it was not noticeable, but after washing, it shimmered like glossy ck satin, dazzling his eyes.

    ¡°You should go to sleep too.¡±

    Bai Xiao obediently returned to her room and even deliberately locked the door.

    With An Zhiyuan¡¯s character, he definitely wouldn¡¯t barge into her room in the middle of the night, but somehow, locking the door made her feel more secure.

    Shey on her bed, unsure if it was because the bed was too soft or suddenly having another person in the house, but she tossed and turned, finding it hard to fall asleep.

    After trying to sleep for a long time and unable to, her throat felt very dry.

    In the north, where there¡¯s central heating, the room gets extremely dry.

    She got up to pour a ss of water in the kitchen, and stepping out of her room, she saw the TV in the living room still on, the screen showing static, though the lights were already off.

    She guessed he must have fallen asleep while watching TV.

    She walked over and turned the TV off.

    Turning around, An Zhiyuan¡¯s right hand was resting on his eyes, lying there quietly, his long legs on the arm of the sofa, the quilt draped askew over him. The light from the streetmps outside the window illuminated his features, softening his sharp contours.

    His lips were pressed in a straight line. She suddenly imagined if they were to have a child, it would definitely be very beautiful, given the gics at y here.

    Suddenly feeling her cheeks heat up, she scolded herself for letting her thoughts wander to having children.

    She tiptoed closer, able to see his eyes tightly closed, and his slender eyebrows slightly furrowed.

    She reached out to pick up the quilt and gently covered him up, as the north wind continued to howl outside.

    Bai Xiao smiled, gently touched An Zhiyuan¡¯s cheek, feeling a small thrill of pride and sweetness that such a man was hers. Seeing he was still asleep, she turned and quietly returned to her room, gently closing the door.

    What she didn¡¯t know was that shortly after she left, An Zhiyuan opened his eyes, staring at the slit of light leaking through the door, his gaze growing deeper.

    His lips curled up, revealing a subtle smile that was hard to detect.

    ¡­

    The next day, Bai Xiao overslept.

    Due to the restless tossing and turning of the prior night, she hadn¡¯t slept well and had only fallen asleep at dawn, so upon waking, she was startled by the bright light filling the room.

    Climbing out from under the covers, she could feel the air in the room had gotten several degrees colder. Drawing back the curtains, her eyes were met with a world nketed in snow¡ªrooftops,rge trees, cars on the roads, and even the roads themselves covered in white, making the scene stunningly beautiful.

    In her hometown, it also snowed, but never this heavily.

    At the moment, thick kes of snow were still drifting down from the sky.

    Heavy snow promises a plentiful harvest. It seemed like next year would be fruitful, but sadly they didn¡¯t have anynd. He couldn¡¯t help but think of his elder sister still in the vige, wondering how she was doing now? Thest time he received a letter from Xiaosan Li Haishun, it had stated that everything was fine at home and told her not to worry about the family or send money back because they had enough, clearly written in the tone of his elder sister Bai Yue.

    More than a month had passed, and with the New Year approaching, Bai Xiao missed home.

    This was a truly new year. With his big sister around, he could bring back his second sister when he returned. He was a bit worried about whether his eldest brother could make it back for New Year¡¯s since he had just taken him to school in August and probably couldn¡¯t get the holiday leave.

    After folding the quilt and stepping out, he saw a tableid with steaming millet porridge, dough sticks, steamed buns, tea eggs, and a small dish of pickles. He was momentarily stunned. An Zhiyuan had alreadye out of the kitchen, holding a bowl and chopsticks, and said without even raising his eyebrows, ¡°Go wash up. I¡¯ve heated some water for you; it¡¯s in the basin.¡±

    Bai Xiao was speechless. This man was too domestic.

    What a good man!

    After washing up, the two of them sat down at the table to eat.

    ¡°This is¡­¡± Holding a dough stick, Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t help but ask; they certainly didn¡¯t have these in the cafeteria.

    ¡°Bought them from a street vendor. I asked for freshly fried ones and even brought a pot for them, to keep them warm. Eat up, and once we¡¯re done, I¡¯ll take you to make snowmen!¡± An Zhiyuan thought suggesting a movie might be too abrupt, but they both had the day off and he didn¡¯t want to go back doing nothing.

    The holiday was soon and they would both return to their respective homes for the New Year, separating for a month. If he didn¡¯t use this opportunity to foster his rtionship with his fianc¨¦e, how could it work?

    Bai Xiaoughed, ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit childish? You, a grown man making snowmen; aren¡¯t you afraid your subordinates will see?¡±

    ¡°Not afraid, they should be the ones scared. Whoever sees, runs ten kilometers with a load!¡± An Zhiyuan responded slyly.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes crinkled withughter.

    A loud knock on the door.

    So early in the morning, who could it be?

    ¡°Who is it?¡±

    ¡°Xiao, it¡¯s your brother! Hurry up and open the door for me!¡±

    Good heavens!

    Bai Xiao jumped in surprise!

    His expression flustered, he nced over at An Zhiyuan, feeling almost as if he¡¯d been caught red-handed in a scandal.

    But they hadn¡¯t done anything!

    Moreover, they were engaged!

    An Zhiyuan responded to Bai Xiao¡¯s worried nce by calmly standing up and opening the door.

    ¡°Big brother, hello!¡±

    Bai Song¡¯s coat and hat were covered in thick snow. Seeing Bai Song, he was momentarily startled, then took off his hat and began patting the snow off it outside.

    ¡°An Zhiyuan, what are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°I just arrived. Xiaoxiao was eating, and I joined in for a bit!¡± An Zhiyuan¡¯sposed expression surprised Bai Xiao. The transition was too smooth!

    Who really was the reborn one here?

    Seeing the food on the table, Bai Songughed, ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten either, perfect timing for me to join.¡±

    Unexpectedly, he didn¡¯t ask further questions, which surprised Bai Xiao.

    Was she still his little sister?

    Then she nced at the wall clock and finally understood why her big brother didn¡¯t show a hint of suspicion¡ªit was already half-past ten. What would you think seeing An Zhiyuan here at this time?

    It seemed she was the one with a guilty conscience.

 Chapter 226 - 226 226 Saved the Entire Milky Way

    ?Chapter 226: Chapter 226: Saved the Entire Milky Way.   Chapter 226: Chapter 226: Saved the Entire Milky Way.                                   Bai Xiao went to get bowls and chopsticks for his elder brother, ¡°Elder brother, why have youe?¡±

    Bai Song picked up a deep-fried dough stick and started eating it in big bites, ¡°I¡¯m off work today, so I came to see you. I went to your department, but Xiaoli said you were off today, so I came here. By the way, when are you going home for the New Year?¡± He hade specifically to discuss this.

    Bai Xiao filled a bowl with millet porridge for Bai Song and put it in front of him. Bai Song immediately picked it up and took a big gulp, ¡°Comforting, this millet porridge is cooked just right, neither too thin nor too thick.¡±

    ¡°I have half a month of leave, what about you, elder brother?¡±

    ¡°The Chief has been good to me, he gave me two weeks off as well. It¡¯ll be perfect for us to go back together. I¡¯ll buy the tickets, it¡¯s not convenient for you to do that. Our team leader said, if we need to buy tickets, just ask him. He has a rtive who works at the train station ticket office.¡±

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°That¡¯s perfect, saving me a trip. Let¡¯s go back next week then. I also want to buy some things for home.¡± There were some specialty products here that were highly prized back home.

    Like ck fungus, red ginseng! It would be great to buy some for his sister and for his godparents too.

    Bai Song calcted the time, ¡°I¡¯ll ask the team leader to help us get tickets first, to see if we can get some for next week. Anyway, start preparing these next few days. An Zhiyuan, actually, I haven¡¯t asked where your family is from?¡± He knew that An Zhiyuan was his brother-inw, but they didn¡¯t know much about his family background.

    As an elder brother who acted as a father, it was only natural for him to take responsibility and understand An Zhiyuan¡¯s family situation clearly.

    ¡°Elder brother, I¡¯m from the Capital City. My mother passed away early, and my father remarried when we were very young. My stepmother doesn¡¯t have her own children. In our family, we are three brothers, and I¡¯m the second. My elder brother is already married, his wife is from Modu, and they have a four-year-old nephew. My younger brother is three years younger than me and is a journalist who has just started working. This New Year, I¡¯m going to bring up the marriage with my parents, and when Xiaoxiao turns 20, we will get married,¡± An Zhiyuan looked at Bai Song, as this man was his future elder brother-inw, and they belonged to the same system.

    ¡°An Zhiyuan, it¡¯s not quite appropriate for me to call you Xiao An, since I am younger than you in age. You have a stepmother at home, and I¡¯m worried that Xiaoxiao will suffer after marrying into your family. People always say stepmothers are difficult to get along with. Even legitimate mothers-inw and daughters-inw have endless conflicts, let alone a stepmother who isn¡¯t even rted by blood.

    Though we are from a rural family, my sister is an exceptional talent. Not to mention her beauty being well-known across the viges around us, she is also smart and learned. Although she didn¡¯t go to university and started working right away, my sister¡¯s medical skills are very high. From any point of view, my sister is not marrying up to you. What I want to make clear is, if she suffers in your family, I will not stand for it.

    We only have this one sister in our family. You must have heard that when our parents passed away, they left words saying that we three brothers, even if we had to pawn everything we own, must take good care of our sister. In the past, due to our circumstances, she suffered at home. But in the future, if she is going to suffer in her inws¡¯ house, I¡¯d rather she not get married at all.¡± Bai Song said this out of concern that Bai Xiao might suffer in An Zhiyuan¡¯s family.

    Probably everyone would imagine a wicked stepmother upon hearing about one.

    ¡°Elder brother, rest assured, after Bai Xiao and I get married, we both have jobs, and we will definitely settle down here in Modu. The time we spend with my parents back home will be very limited. Even if we encounter any issues while there, I would rather endure it myself and never let Bai Xiao suffer. You can be at ease about that, Bai Xiao is a good girl, and I am well aware of that.

    So, please don¡¯t worry,¡± An Zhiyuan promised, knowing that if he couldn¡¯t even get past his future brother-inw, he wouldn¡¯t amount to much.

    Bai Song nodded repeatedly, ¡°That¡¯s more like it. I¡¯ve heard about the two of you from Bai Xiao, and we won¡¯t dwell on who is right or who is wrong in the past. Now that my sister is with you, I just hope that you treat her well.

    Let me tell you, if you dare to bully my sister, I, as her brother, will not let you off. Not to mention, my fist and foot skills are probably not worse than yours. If you dare to treat my sister badly, I will deal with you even if it costs me my life.¡± This was a threat, but also a sign of his protective love for Bai Xiao.

    An Zhiyuan nodded, ¡°Big Brother, I can¡¯t guarantee anything else, but I dare to assure you with a man¡¯s honor and loyalty that I will treat Bai Xiao very well.¡±

    Bai Song punched An Zhiyuan on the shoulder, ¡°Alright, just for what you said, I believe you.¡±

    Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes felt a bit ufortable. This brother had a sincere sibling¡¯s love for her, in her past life and in this one.

    Sometimes she really wondered if she had once saved the entire Milky Way.

    That must be why she was so lucky to meet her adoptive parents and the three siblings, not rted by blood, who treated her with heartfelt sincerity. They had never slighted her forcking blood ties but genuinely cared for her and protected her as their own.

    After witnessing so many sordid affairs in her past life, such unadulterated affection, devoid of any personal gain or selfishness, truly moved her beyond words.

    If you really think about it, the ones she owed the most were her three brothers and sister.

    She only hoped that in this life, they could all have a beautiful future.

    ¡°Big Brother!¡±

    Bai Song nced at his sister and saw her eyes were red. He immediately joked, ¡°Look at you, girl, what are you crying for? Remember what your brother said, live well with An Zhiyuan, and all big brother wants is for you to be happy, healthy, and well. That way, I¡¯ll have done right by our parents in the hereafter.¡± He quickly grabbed a steamed bun and stuffed it into his mouth.

    ¡°Hey, this bun¡¯s pretty good.¡±

    Bai Xiao knew her brother was trying to distract her andughed, ¡°Big Brother, you¡¯re off today, I¡¯m off too, and so is An Zhiyuan. I¡¯ll cook something delicious for you today. Later on, take off the clothes you¡¯re wearing, and I¡¯ll wash them for you. The heating in the house is so good, everything will be dry by the time you leave tomorrow. Stay here tonight, we can chat together.¡± She wished she could pamper her brother like he was her child.

    Bai Song chuckled, ¡°Sure, before big brother even gets married, he¡¯s already enjoying his sister¡¯s care. An Zhiyuan, isn¡¯t my sister virtuous? You¡¯re in for such great fortune in the future.¡± He didn¡¯t forget to praise his sister in front of An Zhiyuan.

    An Zhiyuan looked at Bai Xiao with a gentle gaze and nodded, ¡°Yeah, Big Brother, I don¡¯t know what good deeds I did in my past life to deserve such fortune.¡±

    Bai Xiao¡¯s face turned red, ¡°What are you two doing? Ganging up on me to tease me, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Bai Song and An Zhiyuan looked at each other andughed heartily.

    Theughter of the three filled the room.

 Chapter 227 - 227 227 Healing the Sick and Saving Lives

    ?Chapter 227: Chapter 227 Healing the Sick and Saving Lives   Chapter 227: Chapter 227 Healing the Sick and Saving Lives                                   Bai Song finished his meal, and Bai Xiao was about to clean up the bowls and dishes.

    Their front door was suddenly pounded upon.

    Bai Xiao was genuinely puzzled this time; they didn¡¯t have any rtives around here.

    Despite the heavy snow, their home seemed to buzz with activity.

    An Zhiyuan took the bowls and dishes from her hands, ¡°You go open the door, I¡¯ll clean up.¡±

    Bai Xiao opened the door.

    Outside stood two men, one a young man in a crisp suit and gold-rimmed sses, looking schrly and gentle. The other, a middle-aged man, was rather portly and also d in a suit and leather shoes. Just by looking at their expensive attire from head to toe, one could tell they came from wealthy families.

    ¡°Who are you two looking for?¡±

    Bai Xiao was somewhat confused. She scrutinized them carefully and felt the young man looked somewhat familiar.

    ¡°Doctor Bai, hello! It¡¯s so good to see you.¡± The young man immediately reached out enthusiastically as soon as he saw her.

    Bai Xiao was taken aback. Did she really know him?

    ¡°You are¡­?¡±

    The problem was, she hadn¡¯t figured out who this person was in her mind yet.

    ¡°Xiaohan, what are you doing here?¡±

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s voice came from behind her. Bai Xiao quickly turned around and silently inquired with her eyes, who is this person?

    He had just put the dishes in the kitchen and came out only to realize the familiar voice belonged to an acquaintance.

    ¡°This is Wang Han ah, you once saved his life.¡±

    Bai Xiao suddenly understood. No wonder she found him familiar. But she couldn¡¯t really me herself; she had only interacted with Wang Han for a few dozen minutes, and as someone with face blindness, she indeed only felt he looked familiar but couldn¡¯t recall who he was.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s you! Come in, please, have a seat.¡±

    As an old acquaintance, she naturally had to invite them in.

    Wang Han and the middle-aged man came in together, followed by a driver who hadn¡¯t been expected. They cedrge and small bags on the table until it was filled. Then the driver respectfully closed the door and left.

    ¡°Wang Han, what¡¯s all this? It would have been fine just to visit; why bring so much stuff?¡±

    Bai Xiao had never intended to cash in on her favor and had not expected any return from them. Besides, the Wang Family had already thanked her with a red packet containing 1,000 yuan, and from letters she received from her elder sister, she knew that Factory Manager Wei had been very good to her sister¡¯s family. Her elder sister was now livingfortably.

    These developments matched exactly what she had hoped for; all she wanted was to ensure that Bai Ju¡¯s family could live without worries.

    As long as the goal is achieved, it¡¯s fine. However, if one has too much personal desire, it¡¯s very easy to end up on a path to one¡¯s own demise.

    Wang Han quickly said, ¡°Doctor Bai, my parents said that you¡¯re not the kind of person who cares about these formalities, but even then, as guests who¡¯vee to your door, I¡¯d feel embarrassed toe empty-handed. The gifts aren¡¯t very valuable, so please take them as a small token from me as a younger brother.¡± He was afraid that Bai Xiao would misunderstand that they were trying to use money to influence her.

    His dad had said that people with real talent often have a big temperament, and from theirst interaction with Bai Xiao, they understood that this girl wasn¡¯t someone who was greedy for profit.

    They told him he must be respectful, and treat her with the utmost courtesy, especially since he was seeking a favor from her.

    ¡°If you put it that way, of course I can¡¯t refuse. But I¡¯m afraid these things are not just a simple gesture ofing to see me, right? If there¡¯s something you need, it¡¯s better toy it out on the table. It would save me the unease of having all these gifts piled up here. Should I ept these things or not? I think it¡¯s better to wait until you¡¯ve finished speaking,¡± Bai Xiao had already noticed that the packaging of these items was definitely of substantial value, far more than just a small token as Wang Han had mentioned.

    As the saying goes, he who takes another¡¯s hand is short.

    She definitely couldn¡¯t ept these things without understanding their intentions. In any era, at any time, only if she maintained the right stance, not swayed by personal gain and without losing sight of her principles, would she not be disrespected by others.

    This was the key point. Many times, it¡¯s not that you can expect something from others just because you want it. Even if someone gives reluctantly, with resentment in their heart, the oue might not be good in the end.

    She had not failed to encounter such situations in her past life and had learned what it means to be wise enough to protect oneself.

    Wang Han felt ufortable being seen through by Bai Xiao; there was no need for them to beat around the bush.

    ¡°Doctor Bai! This is Jiang Zhicheng. Actually, my visit this time is firstly to properly thank you for saving my lifest time. Secondly, it¡¯s because this Leader Jiang is seeking your help, asking you to treat his father¡¯s illness!¡±

    Only then did Bai Xiao seriously look at the middle-aged man in front of her. She had thought that his gaze from the beginning was more about sizing her up and evaluating, and now she understood that he must have had some doubts after seeing her.

    ¡°Hello, Leader Jiang.¡±

    ¡°Hello! Doctor Bai, my first visit is somewhat abrupt! It¡¯s just that my father is critically ill, beyond help from medicines, and I implore Doctor Bai to save my father!¡± Leader Jiang pleaded with a cupped fist, his actions portraying him as a forthright person.

    ¡°Wait a minute, Leader Jiang, I think there might be some misunderstanding here. I¡¯m not omnipotent, nor can I bring the dead back to life. For ailments, one should still see a doctor, and nowadays, many hospitals have very high medical standards,¡± Bai Xiao obviously understood that someone following Wang Han wouldn¡¯t be just anybody, likely influenced also by Wang Han¡¯s effective advertising. Otherwise, who would not be put off by her young age?

    But many people might also be misled into thinking that since Wang Han could be brought back from the brink of death, other illnesses would obviously be no issue, and that sess was expected of her, while failure would lead to confrontation. Of course, she indeed could cure them, but by not letting them know the difficulty of the task, if she seeded, they might still think it was child¡¯s y.

    She had encountered such ungrateful thinkers before.

    Leader Jiang, upon hearing this, became anxious, ¡°Doctor Bai, whether you can cure him or not, please have apassionate heart as a healer, and take a look at the old man.¡± He hade here clinging to a thread of hope because his father¡¯s illness had led them to seek doctors everywhere¡ªprominent physicians, professors, experts, and even miracle doctors tucked away among themon folk. They had sought many, partly because Wang Han and his own son grew up together.

    The critical condition of Wang Han was not widely known because it had happened at his brother-inw¡¯s house, so many people in the Wang Familypound were unaware of it.

    It was only after Wang Han talked to Jiang Shaoqing about his narrow escape from death that Jiang Shaoqing got the idea. After all, their family could certainly afford to consult with one more doctor; they invited various specialists every day, just hoping that the old man would wake up. It was a matter of a desperate attempt to save a dying horse.

    That¡¯s why he mentioned it to Leader Jiang, leading to this visit.

    ¡°Where is the patient?¡± Bai Xiao said it was impossible not to treat. She was now a doctor, and choosing this path meant that healing people was her mission. Her earlier remarks were just to y down her medical expertise to avoid shocking people and to conceal the essence of her skills, not to inte her own value.

    Leader Jiang immediately said, ¡°In Capital City. We have already arranged for a ne, and as soon as you¡¯re ready, we can depart immediately.¡±

 Chapter 228 - 228 228 While Parents are Alive There is Still

    ?Chapter 228: Chapter 228: While Parents are Alive, There is Still a ce to Go in Life   Chapter 228: Chapter 228: While Parents are Alive, There is Still a ce to Go in Life                                   ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious, you should first tell me about the old master¡¯s condition.¡± Bai Xiao had never seen a patient¡¯s family member so anxious before, could it be that the old master was already gravely ill?

    ¡°Right, I might have been a bit too anxious. I haven¡¯t clearly exined the old master¡¯s situation to you.¡± Jiang Zhijie also felt that he had been somewhat rash today, probably because too many things had happened recently; his mother had passed away, and soon after, the old master copsed and has been in aa for over a month now.

    If he doesn¡¯t wake up soon, it could be truly dangerous.

    And there was so much work at his own unit that he waspletely overwhelmed.

    ¡°Three months ago, my mother passed away. My father and mother had a very deep love for each other, and unexpectedly, nearly two months ago one day, my father suddenly fell into aa. After the hospital urgently treated him, they said the old master himself had high blood pressure, which,bined with emotional agitation, caused frequent fluctuations in his heart, leading to severe cardiac overload and organ failure.

    He¡¯s still not awake to this day.¡±

    Bai Xiao understood, the old master¡¯s symptoms were not as severe as Wang Han¡¯s, ¡°All right then. I¡¯ll ask for leave from the hospital and then we can set out.¡± The family had alreadye to her door, and they even had an airne ready, so they clearly didn¡¯t want her to dy.

    Jiang Zhijie gratefully indicated, ¡°Good, Doctor Bai, don¡¯t worry about the leave; I can ask for you. I am an old acquaintance of Dean Zhang. It would be best if we could leave right now.¡±

    Bai Xiao was surprised, right now?

    Was there really a need to be this hurried?

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit too rushed to leave now?¡±

    ¡°You can rest assured, we will prepare everything you need. The airne is also on standby. As for the leave, I can ask Dean Zhang over the phone while we¡¯re on the way. As long as Doctor Bai departs with us, that will suffice.¡± Jiang Zhijie had everything prepared in advance.

    Bai Xiao nced at her brother and An Zhiyuan.

    An Zhiyuan asked Wang Han, ¡°Xiaohan, why such a rush? It¡¯s still snowing outside, with heavy snow weather, there could be safety issues with the airne taking off.¡± He didn¡¯t know Jiang Zhijie, so he could only ask Wang Han.

    Wang Han was embarrassed, what could he say?

    ¡°Big Brother An, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely take good care of my sister-inw, and I¡¯ll go with her. There won¡¯t be any issues. Principal Jiang is the vice-principal of Aviation University, so you have nothing to worry about.¡±

    His uncle was being too anxious.

    He hadn¡¯t even settled down before he wanted to whisk someone away.

    Bai Xiao almost jumped up; this was the principal of the Aviation University she had almost attended.

    No, the vice-principal.

    She wondered if the vice-principal knew she had almost been a student at Aviation University, he might regret it to death.

    ¡°Big Brother An, I should go on this trip then.¡±

    This wasn¡¯t the time to be politely declining.

    An Zhiyuan and Bai Song were actually more worried about the weather, knowing full well that heavy snow could greatly affect an airne¡¯s takeoff andnding. Their main concern was safety, especially An Zhiyuan. He worried every time Bai Xiao went to treat and save people, it was as if she had touched death, and he really felt uneasy not being by her side.

    But he had his own restrictions. He wasn¡¯t some ordinary office worker who could take leave whenever he wanted.

    He had his duties.

    Pulling Wang Han to one side, he whispered, ¡°I¡¯m entrusting her to you. Our two families have a different kind of bond. Since you¡¯re taking her from my care, you need to bring her back to me whole and unharmed. If even a single hair is out of ce, I¡¯ll hold you ountable.¡± He had grown up with Wang Han and thus spoke without any need for formality.

    Wang Han gave a bitter smile, ¡°Big brother, no matter what, I grew up trailing behind you. Since you said that, it proves how important sister-inw is to you. Rest assured, even if I had ten guts I wouldn¡¯t dare let anything happen to sister-inw, not even the slightest problem.¡±

    An Zhiyuan might appear polite and amiable, but he was actually a very strong person inside, and his only possible w was how protective he was of his own people.

    Now it seemed that his future sister-inw was of utmost importance in his big brother¡¯s eyes.

    Of course, he would not take it lightly. Besides, Bai Xiao was also his benefactor; he couldn¡¯t repay kindness with enmity.

    Meanwhile, Dean Jiang was already making another call to Dean Zhang.

    ¡°Dean Zhang, this is Old Jiang!¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, I know I wouldn¡¯t bother you unless it¡¯s urgent. Brother, I¡¯vee to seek your help.¡±

    ¡°I need to borrow a doctor from you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s Bai doctor I¡¯m talking about.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because our old man has been unconscious for nearly two months, and he still hasn¡¯t woken up. I¡¯m almost out of my mind with worry.¡±

    ¡°Even though Bai doctor is an acupuncturist, I know she¡¯s very capable; that¡¯s why I¡¯vee to ask for her specifically. Now, I¡¯m just waiting for you to grant her some leave. Look, the New Year ising, and there will be holidays anyway. How about granting her a couple of days off now? I¡¯ve never asked you for a favor before, you surely can¡¯t refuse to help me this one time, big sister?¡±

    Dean Jiang actually begged shamelessly.

    Apparently, Dean Zhang had said something on the other end of the line because Bai Xiao had already packed two pieces of clothing; she hadn¡¯t brought anything else as it wasn¡¯t necessary.

    But she really needed an assistant. Aside from other things, there had to be someone to take care of her after she treated the patient.

    ¡°Dean Jiang, I need an assistant. I hope I can bring Xiaoli, the intern from our department, with me.¡±

    Dean Jiang nodded and said to Dean Zhang on the phone, ¡°She needs an assistant, it looks like it¡¯s one of the interns from their department, Xiaoli. Big sister, please, be thorough in your help. My old man is really in danger; otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t be doing this.¡± He nced at Bai Xiao, some things he couldn¡¯t say out loud.

    In fact, it was a desperate attempt, as akin to trying to revive a dead horse. They had consulted many doctors, and the old master¡¯s room had almost be a specialized department for expert consultations. In just these two months, who knows how many specialists from all over the country had flown in.

    In truth, he harbored little hope for this so-called Divine Doctor Bai Xiao they were inviting, since many renowned experts, national-level professors, and highly touted divine doctors had been helpless in the face of theiratose father.

    So, to be precise, it was only after hearing Wang Han¡¯s personal experience that he was moved, but deep down, he still had no certainty about the oue.

    But he couldn¡¯t give up just yet. After all, the old master had spent his life in bloody battles and had experienced significant milestones through the years. Now, just when he was finally able to enjoy some peace, the mother was gone. He felt guilty inside, too busy with his career to spend time at home taking care of the elderly.

    Then, his father copsed.

    This made Dean Jiang truly understand the saying, ¡°With parents, one still has a ce to go; without them, life is just a journey to the end.¡±

    With parents around, no matter how old we are, we are still children in their eyes, still able to act spoiled and mischievous with them. Whether sessful or unsessful in our careers, we can always share with them. But without parents, one bes the loneliest person; the hardships of life, the difficulties of living, must be borne alone, with no more havens of support.

    Since his mother passed away, Dean Jiang had sworn to take good care of his father.

    No one could understand his current feelings, this all-out rescue effort. It was not just his own desire but also the wish of all five Jiang brothers.

    The five brothers had all made their mark, yet now they couldn¡¯t fulfill their filial duties to their parents. The impact and blow this dealt to their hearts were hard for others to even imagine.

 Chapter 229 - 229 229 The Corpse Collector

    ?Chapter 229: Chapter 229: The Corpse Collector   Chapter 229: Chapter 229: The Corpse Collector                                   An Zhiyuan pulled Bai Xiao aside and gave her instructions. No one knew better than he did the cost that Bai Xiao had to pay for treating and saving people. If possible, he would rather be the one apanying her.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already arranged everything with Xiaohan. Once you¡¯re there, you can ask him directly for anything you need. Don¡¯t shortchange yourself. Here, this is for you. I had nned to bring it to you yesterday, but things were too hectic, and I was too busy to give it to you.

    ¡°Inside is an electric heating vest, as well as some chocte that my friend brought back from abroad, and there¡¯s also a bottle of cocoa powder. Take them all with you, and don¡¯t let them keep drinking brown sugar water anymore. Cocoa powder has better caloric content than brown sugar water. This vest is designed based on the principle of electric nkets and is a patented product developed by an alumnus of mine; it¡¯s not avable on the market yet. I think these two items are what you need most.

    ¡°When I¡¯m not with you, you must protect yourself. Remember, no one¡¯s life in this world is more important than yours. Although you are a doctor and saving lives is your duty, remember, you are very important to me. I would rather you be selfish and, when faced with a difficult choice that involves risk, that you choose to protect yourself.¡±

    An Zhiyuan stuffed the items into Bai Xiao¡¯s handbag.

    Bai Xiao smiled. To An Zhiyuan, she seemed like the selfless Angel in white, but how would he know that privately, she cherished her own life more than anyone else? Treating and saving people, absolutely, but in this life, she would never sacrifice herself for someone else again.

    ¡°Okay, I understand. I¡¯m very selfish and I cherish my life a lot.¡± Her voice was low and soft, as if wringing water from it¡ªthis was the coquettishness that only An Zhiyuan would know.

    A shadow crossed An Zhiyuan¡¯s eyes.

    Bai Song also strode to his sister¡¯s side. ¡°Xiao, remember to take care of yourself.¡± The meaning in his eyes was clear only to Bai Xiao. With so many people there, Bai Song couldn¡¯t speak too bluntly, but his meaning was for her to be careful.

    Careful of what?

    Was there a need to exin?

    This was probably a secret known only to the four siblings.

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Now she had confidence, because it wasn¡¯t like before. Her special ability was enough for self-protection.

    After getting everything ready, Bai Xiao left with Principal Jiang and Wang Han, with a sedan parked downstairs.

    It was practically non-stop all the way. The car arrived at the airport, and Bai Xiao saw Xiaoli, who had been waiting with luggage. Six hourster, they hadnded at Capital Airport.

    The car picking them up had been waiting outside the airport all along.

    What Bai Xiao could feel on the way was that the speed was simply unimaginable.

    It seemed the Jiang Family¡¯s connections were formidable. Just the operation along the way, including the flights¡¯ takeoff andnding¡­ Getting a ne ticket wasn¡¯t something you could just decide to buy and get immediately. This was 1985, not the future. For many flights, there might only be one a day, and it was unlikely she could have been so lucky to catch a flight without the coordination and cooperation of various parties.

    As soon as the car arrived at the Jiang Family¡¯s ce.

    Bai Xiao and Xiaoli were both a little surprised; this courtyard was the famous Siheyuan.

    The courtyard was quite exquisite, and it seemed that only one family lived in the vast yard. Unlike other Siheyuans Bai Xiao had seen, which housed many families in one courtyard, it was clear from the meticulous maintenance and repair that the owner of this courtyard took great care in its upkeep.

    Xiaoli followed Bai Xiao closely and couldn¡¯t help but lean towards her. Capital City was different from other ces. Just by looking at these magnificent buildings, which werepletely different in style from their hometown, it was easy to feel a strong sense of inferiority.

    ¡°Doctor Bai, this ce is so imposing!¡±

    She spoke softly to Bai Xiao, afraid of being overheard, but she couldn¡¯t contain her excitement.

    After all, this was Capital City. As a doctor from a poor rural hospital, she had never dreamed ofing here.

    The excitement in her heart needed no expression.

    Bai Xiao gave her a sidelong nce, and Xiaoli immediately fell silent. Bai Xiao had made it clear through their interactions over the past few days, with just one look, when it was appropriate to speak and when it wasn¡¯t.

    Now was definitely not the time to speak.

    Quietly following behind Bai Xiao,

    they entered the door and saw a young man bidding farewell to an elderly gentleman with white hair. The headmaster Jiang nodded in acknowledgment, and as the young man finished seeing off the elder, he quickly caught up and couldn¡¯t help but size up the few people in front of him.

    ¡°Uncle, are these the doctors?¡±

    Headmaster Jiang immediately introduced Bai Xiao, ¡°This is my nephew Jiang Shaoqing, and this is Doctor Bai Xiao, whom I have specially invited to treat the old master.¡±

    Jiang Shaoqing sized up Bai Xiao, who, in turn, was secretly astonished.

    She didn¡¯t know about others, but this Jiang Shaoqing was to be a renowned CEO of a listedpany, rumored to have a worth beyond that of the founder of a certain treasure-likepany. However, he was extremely low-profile, a reserved and understated person who rarely let others know about his affairs. His wealth and legend were, of course, hot topics amongter generations.

    She had met him because this Jiang Shaoqing was the very person who had ultimately buried her remains.

    After being controlled by others for many years, she met Jiang Shaoqing because his wife had contracted an incurable disease. In his efforts to save his wife, Jiang Shaoqing spared no expense. She was the savior; of course, her price was not low at the time. Jiang Shaoqing had to spend fifteen percent of hispany¡¯s equity to save his wife¡¯s life.

    It was because Jiang Shaoqing agreed to this condition without considering the cost that Bai Xiao took a high opinion of him and felt that he was a man of deep affection and gratitude. Jiang Shaoqing did not regard their transaction as squaring ounts with silver and goods for the shares given, but instead, he genuinely cherished her.

    He tried several times to save her, but s, all attempts fell short. How could the opposing party with such formidable methods and powerful background easily let go of her, their cash cow? Thus, when she was on herst breath, thest person she saw turned out to be Jiang Shaoqing, who had brought people to collect her body.

    This should be credited to her soul still witnessing the final scene after her death.

    To think that this was Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s home!

    It must be fate!

    Isn¡¯t it said that one should repay kindness and seek vengeance for grievances?

    In her previous life, she failed to touch her enemies because they were too powerful, and many were forced to cooperate with her out of fear for their own inevitable suffering and mortality,pelled to work for that person.

    What about this life?

    Now that she had met Jiang Shaoqing, such a potential powerhouse, as long as she prepared in advance, she believed she could help him reach even greater heights. Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s temperament should be capable of dealing with that person.

    This time, she couldn¡¯t let that person have such an easy escape.

    To crush her while she¡¯s still budding?

    Shang Kaiwen, this time, I¡¯m back.

    Let¡¯s see if you still have the fate to reach that step.

    Bai Xiao smiled and greeted Jiang Shaoqing.

 Chapter 230 - 230 230 Doubt

    ?Chapter 230: Chapter 230: Doubt   Chapter 230: Chapter 230: Doubt                                   ¡°Hello, Mr. Jiang!¡±

    Jiang Shaoqing responded politely, ¡°Hello! Dr. Bai, please lead the way.¡±

    He guided them beside the principal¡¯s side.

    The principal asked anxiously, ¡°How is it going? How has the old master been these past two days?¡±

    Jiang Shaoqing shook his head, ¡°The situation isn¡¯t very good. In the past two days, experts from all over the country have flocked here, but everyone¡¯s diagnosis is the same. They say the old master is most likely in a vegetative state. Under such circumstances, he might wake up tomorrow or might never wake up.

    The one I just saw off was the National Medical Sage. It is said that his ancestors were Imperial Physicians, and his family¡¯s medical skills are extraordinary. He arrived the day before yesterday and administered acupuncture twice to the old master, but sadly there was no effect, and he took his leave just now.¡±

    Bai Xiao found these words quite harsh to hear. Wasn¡¯t this said just for her to hear? It meant that all of this group were inept doctors.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s lips pursed. Why did she feel so tempted to explode with anger?

    The group quickly made their way to the inner courtyard.

    Following the principal into the room, Bai Xiao frowned¡ªthe air in the room was not very fresh. Despite it being winter, proper venttion was still very important.

    The smell of medicine mixed with a nauseating miasma in the room created an oppressive atmosphere, making it hard to breathe.

    An old many in bed, surrounded by several gray-haired senior doctors, who seemed to be in an argument.

    ¡°I said not to use acupuncture. Look, you wouldn¡¯t listen to me. Now the old master¡¯s condition has progressed beyond vegetative. Look at a perfectly fine person, his mouth is now crooked, and they talked about the National Medical Sage, the sessor of the Imperial Physician. I think he¡¯s simply a quack. Isn¡¯t this harming the patient?¡±

    The indignation of the old doctor finally made Bai Xiao understand the implicit attitude Jiang Shaoqing had towards her earlier. The resentment here must have been the source.

    This was a transfer of anger and mistrust.

    ¡°Exactly, with acupuncture, every needle targets an acupoint. One mistake could be fatal. At such an old age, they still do not care for their reputation.¡± These were using the old doctor who had just left.

    Upon hearing this, the principal hurriedly stepped forward.

    ¡°Make way, everyone!¡±

    His father had had another incident.

    Of course, he couldn¡¯t help but be anxious.

    When everyone heard the voice and saw it was the principal, they immediately gave way. This was the old master¡¯s son, who naturally had the right to know.

    Bai Xiao followed behind, unwittingly ending up side by side with Jiang Shaoqing.

    Jiang Shaoqing gave Bai Xiao a cold nce and shifted a bit further away, his expression growing colder.

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t mind and peered over.

    The old man on the bed was so emaciated that it was heartbreaking to look at him. Although his face was pale, he looked peaceful. But indeed, his mouth was crooked, and now saliva dribbled down from the corner, which instantly marred the dignity of the old master.

    The principal picked up a towel handed over by a nurse and gently wiped the old master¡¯s mouth, feeling extremely sorrowful.

    Suddenly, he began to doubt whether listening to Wang Han, that kid, and inviting Bai Xiao, the so-called Divine Doctor, was a mistake.

    After all, a venerable expert and a Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor could make mistakes, proving that the old master¡¯s body had already reached its limit. Any issue that wouldn¡¯t typically affect others was a side effect that was significantly pronounced in the old master.

    ¡°Principal Jiang, in the old master¡¯s condition, you should primarily focus on maintaining and taking care of him. Don¡¯t bring in quack doctors from all over, which can easily cause further issues. The old master is weak now, he can¡¯t be moved, and he¡¯s unconscious. Even if there are some problems we can¡¯t see, I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t be able to spot them.

    If one day the old master wakes up, these unnecessary losses will only add to his burden. We must be responsible for the patient,¡± advised the senior doctor, unable to hold back any longer.

    Even the scientific medical equipment of major hospitals and the most advanced medical techniques were futile, so how could one believe in the art of acupuncture?

    This isn¡¯t a joking matter with a patient.

    Xiaoli couldn¡¯t hold back anymore, ¡°Our Doctor Bai is not a quack, she is a doctor employed by the Military District Hospital.¡± This made it sound as if their Bai Xiao was here to freeload, which was too much of a bullying.

    Everyone initially hadn¡¯t paid much attention to the two of them, thinking they were just rtives of the elder, but now all eyes had turned their way.

    Bai Xiao kept herposure.

    She wasn¡¯t timid in the face of so many gazes. In this life or thest, such scenes were not unfamiliar to her, so there was nothing to be timid about. This was her main battlefield; there were only people she chose not to save, none she couldn¡¯t.

    Everything in the world was possible, and even if it was just to repay Jiang Shaoqing for the debt of collecting her body, she would probably save Grandfather Jiang.

    ¡°Principal Jiang, may I take a look?¡±

    Her grace and confidence immediately won the favor of Principal Jiang. Although still somewhat uneasy, with her attitude so apparent, and since looking wouldn¡¯t hurt, whether or not they would let Bai Xiao treat was still their decision to make.

    Principal Jiang immediately made way for her.

    Bai Xiao went over, sat beside the elderly man, and took one of his wrists¡ªan absolute master of pulse diagnosis in Traditional Chinese Medicine. In herst life, she had performed this useless task time and again, all to hide her special ability. Too bad the only unsessful thing she did in herst life was thinking she was wless; in reality, she had long been noticed by others.

    But this time was different; she came prepared.

    The special ability circted slightly. Indeed, it was a severe fit of angerpounded by deep mncholy, so Grandfather Jiang was truly in a vegetative state! Put inly, he was unwilling to wake up himself.

    The Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor also wanted to relieve the congestion in Grandfather Jiang¡¯s meridians, but unfortunately, as soon as one needle went in and opened up one side, another channel got blocked, causing the elderly man to show symptoms of stroke.

    Principal Jiang looked at Bai Xiao while the other experts around him, disapproving, said to him, ¡°Principal Jiang, we understand the urgency of the patient¡¯s rtives! But we can¡¯t agree with this rash approach to seek medical treatment. Just look at the old expert in his fifties or sixties from the day before yesterday; he couldn¡¯t manage it. Now, this young girl, even the time we¡¯ve spent treating patients exceeds her age. How could such a child have any experience?

    If you keep going on like this, Grandfather Jiang will sooner orter be dyed by these ipetent doctors; at that time, we also wouldn¡¯t dare to take over the case easily. Whether he gets better or worse, it won¡¯t be clear how responsible we can be.¡±

    They were looking down on Bai Xiao¡¯s youth.

    Bai Xiao looked up, ¡°Principal Jiang, Grandfather Jiang¡¯s illness can be cured!¡±

    Principal Jiang was overjoyed, but immediately worried, the emotions mixed.

    He was afraid Bai Xiao would end up like the previous doctor and worsen Grandfather Jiang¡¯s condition.

    ¡°Doctor Bai, how are you going to treat him?¡±

    Jiang Shaoqing interjected; he had been against this girl treating his grandfather from the start. How could someone of her age possibly possess profound medical skills?

    The uncle was hastily seeking medical help out of desperation.

    ¡°Acupuncture!¡±

    At these words, several of the older doctors immediately showed disbelief on their faces.

    ¡°Principal Jiang, we apologize, but we have other matters to attend to, and we must take our leave. We have said what we needed to say, and we advise you not to lose your judgment. It is easy to be deceived by people iming the long-standing cultural heritage of our Traditional Chinese Medicine and swindling others. That would be irresponsible towards Grandfather Jiang¡¯s health. Our medical skills are limited; we cannot cure Grandfather Jiang! Of course, we can¡¯t stop you from seeking other treatments, but we hope you do not harm Grandfather Jiang!¡±

    Their words were gravely serious.

    And truly heartfelt.

    Principal Jiang was now utterly shaken.

    He nced at Jiang Shaoqing.

    Jiang Shaoqing shook his head.

 Chapter 231 - 231 231 A Pair of Fools (Extra Chapter for

    ?Chapter 231: Chapter 231 A Pair of Fools (Extra Chapter for Monthly Votes)   Chapter 231: Chapter 231 A Pair of Fools (Extra Chapter for Monthly Votes)                                   ¡°Please hold on, esteemed experts! My grandfather still needs your care; we can¡¯t just let him continue to suffer with his distorted mouth and squinted eyes, how should he be medicated! We still need you¡­¡± Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s words were cut off by an expert who, with a face full of terror, pointed behind Jiang Shaoqing and shouted.

    ¡°What are you doing? You¡­¡±

    ¡°My goodness, is this a doctor? Not even asking for the family¡¯s consent, if you end up killing someone, ten of you wouldn¡¯t match up to one old man!¡±

    ¡°Stop right now!¡±

    The experts became agitated.

    Jiang Shaoqing turned around, and at some point when he couldn¡¯t see, Bai Xiao had already taken out an acupuncture kit, and two shiny needles were already inserted into his grandfather¡¯s head.

    The trembling silver needles provoked his anger.

    This was reckless endangerment of human life!

    ¡°Bai Xiao, I¡¯m telling you! If anything happens to my grandfather, I will take your life. Someone call the police and say someone here is recklessly endangering lives.¡± Jiang Shaoqing couldn¡¯t physically confront Bai Xiao at that moment, because Bai Xiao¡¯s fingers were still on the silver needles.

    Although he didn¡¯t know much about acupuncture, he knew that acupuncture had to be done on specific points, and if not done correctly, it could cause severe damage or even death.

    Therefore, he dared not act rashly.

    He could only stand in front of Bai Xiao and make a scene. At this moment, Jiang Shaoqing really wasn¡¯t calm, and Bai Xiao thought to herself thatpared to the Jiang Shaoqing forty yearster, the Jiang Shaoqing at this time was just a greenhorn.

    Xiaoli bravely stepped forward, blocking Jiang Shaoqing with her hand.

    ¡°Don¡¯t disturb Doctor Bai as she treats the patient, and please prepare a cotton coat and some hot water, quickly.¡±

    She now had unconditional trust in Bai Xiao, having witnessed with her own eyes how Bai Xiao had saved a child. That little girl¡¯s survival was proof. Besides, what did these people know about medical skills?

    Jiang Shaoqing wanted to strangle Bai Xiao, but he wouldn¡¯t prepare those things.

    ¡°Get out of the way, if she kills someone, you can¡¯t escape guilt either. You two are birds of a feather.¡± Jiang Shaoqing wouldn¡¯t haveid a hand on a woman if he weren¡¯t so disdainful towards hitting women.

    Xiaoli stood firm, facing up to Jiang Shaoqing.

    Jiang Shaoqing was furious enough to kill someone.

    Still, he was stopped by Wang Han, ¡°Fourth Brother, stop causing trouble, this Bai Xiao is Ayuan¡¯s wife, she wouldn¡¯t harm your grandfather. These things really need to be prepared;st time I nearly died, it was Bai Xiao who saved me.¡± Seeing Bai Xiao misunderstood, Wang Han couldn¡¯t just stand by, both publicly and privately he couldn¡¯t remain indifferent, he had promised An Zhiyuan to take good care of Bai Xiao.

    Jiang Shaoqing pushed him away, ¡°You¡¯re in cahoots with this doctor to deceive our family? Wang Han, I really misjudged you.¡± He thought Wang Han was protecting Bai Xiao due to his rtionship with An Zhiyuan,pletely disregarding his grandfather¡¯s health.

    Wang Han became anxious, ¡°What are you doing? I would never harm the old man; he¡¯s not only your grandfather, but also an elder who watched me grow up. I know you¡¯re anxious, but you must calm down and think. Am I the kind of person who talks nonsense? Is An Zhiyuan that kind of person? Bai Xiao is his future wife, what benefit would we get from colluding?¡±

    Jiang Shaoqing wasn¡¯t usually someone who would lose hisposure! But because of the quack doctor the previous day, his anger had reached an extreme, so this suspicionbined with distrust had amplified several times, making him extremely agitated.

    Otherwise, Jiang Shaoqing wasn¡¯t that kind of person.

    The experts, seeing that it was a done deal, all sighed with regret,menting that a good old man who had survived countless battles was now being tormented by his own people, truly a sign of the degradation of morals.

    They couldn¡¯t help but show sympathy for the old man.

    Now no one was talking about leaving, just in case something inappropriate happened to the old man, they wanted to be there to provide immediate treatment.

    Who knew if, in a moment, instead of just a distorted mouth and squinted eyes, he might start convulsing and foaming at the mouth?

    The needles had already been inserted, and it was toote to say anything. No one was trying to persuade anyone now, everyone was just quietly watching to see what the consequences would be. If this youngdy was fortunate enough, and the old man showed no response, it would be a blessing from heaven. But if the old man showed the slightest abnormality, it was likely that the people of the Jiang Family in front of them could turn hostile.

    After all, the umtion of many days of depression and agitation had reached a peak and was about to explode. Just by looking at Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s attitude, one could tell he seemed to wish someone would die on the spot.

    Xiaoli, seeing that no one paid attention to her and that only Wang Han among the many people present was somewhat on Bai Xiao¡¯s side, of course knew who to talk to, as she could detect who could be influenced and who could not.

    She moved closer to Wang Han, ¡°Please get some hot water and a coat, the thicker the better, as Doctor Bai needs them.¡±

    Wang Han nced at Jiang Shaoqing! Hoping for Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s help was out of the question, thankfully he was familiar with the Jiang Family, so he decided to fetch things himself.

    Out of both empathy and reason, he could not just ignore Bai Xiao and went outside to fetch things.

    Before long, he returned with nkets and a thermos, and a cup, which was already the limit.

    As soon as Xiaoli saw them, she immediately happily took them. Bai Xiao had already instructed her on the way here to make a cup of this cocoa powder, and everything else she handled smoothly.

    As soon as the hot water met the cocoa powder, the fragrance filled the room, causing many to shake their heads.

    A few experts quietly whispered among themselves, ¡°This is nonsense! Even if the patient wakes up, he can¡¯t drink something like this at this time, it¡¯s like they¡¯re trying to kill him!¡±

    ¡°Exactly, she¡¯s supposed to be a doctor, yet shecks even this basicmon sense!¡±

    ¡°Ah, this trulycks medical ethics!¡±

    Jiang, the dean, truly regretted his decision.

    Why had he invited Bai Xiao? Watching this, he felt uneasy; she clearly wasn¡¯t following the standard medical procedures.

    Could such a doctor really cure the old man?

    He could hardly believe it.

    Could it be that his impulsiveness had endangered his own father?

    At this moment, he too became serious, summoning his secretary and the family bodyguards. The Jiang Family came from a distinguished lineage, not only was the old man a leader, but out of his five brothers, three worked in significant government roles, and the remaining two, though one was in business and the other in politics, were both influential figures. They were not easily fooled, and no one could take them lightly.

    This youngdy must be mistaken if she thought she could deceive or bully the Jiang Family so easily. The dean could make her unable to leave through this door without anyone raising an objection.

    Everyone¡¯s attention was on Bai Xiao, watching as the color drained from her face; they didn¡¯t know if it was because the old man had yet to show any response or if she was scared.

    They saw Bai Xiao skillfully withdraw the needles and said to Xiaoli standing by her side,

    ¡°Plug in that electric vest for me, and the chocte¡­¡± Bai Xiao didn¡¯t finish, but Xiaoli had already sprung into action.

    She rapidly helped Bai Xiao into the vest, assisted her to a sofa on the side, plugged in the vest, handed her chocte that had already been unwrapped, covered her with the nket from head to toe, and then handed her a hot cocoa drink.

    Everyone watched, dumbfounded, as Xiaoli efficiently managed everything, looking as if they were watching a pair of fools.

    Why did it feel like the sick person about to die was Bai Xiao, the doctor in front of them? Was she trying to use smoke and mirrors to escape the wrath of the Jiang Family?

    Wasn¡¯t that a bit naive? The Jiang Family were no fools.

    Many showed a look of contempt.

    This youngdy was still too inexperienced.

 Chapter 232 - 232 232 Could An Zhiyuan Be Her Life-saving

    ?Chapter 232: Chapter 232: Could An Zhiyuan Be Her Life-saving Elixir?   Chapter 232: Chapter 232: Could An Zhiyuan Be Her Life-saving Elixir?                                   Jiang Shaoqing saw Bai Xiao drop his own grandfather and run to the side to engage in some deceitful tricks, which infuriated him beyond measure. The few bodyguards called by Principal Jiang just now were all watching fiercely from the side. While they didn¡¯t know what they were there to do, they were aware there must be an emergency that needed their attention.

    How could they not see what was going on?

    It surely had something to do with the medical experts present, or perhaps, bringing the old master back from the brink. Just a few days ago, a quack doctor had treated the old master, leaving him with a crooked mouth and a squint. After a severe beating from them, the old master had nearly lost his life. If it weren¡¯t for today¡¯s visit from the so-called medical authority, who had called in many favors to mediate, it might have been Jiang Shaoqing¡¯sst straw. Otherwise, that man could very well have been sent to the police station, and whether he would be able to return was another matter altogether.

    Could it be that today, someone foolhardy hade to the Jiang Family to engage in these worthless acts?

    These people waited expressionlessly for orders from above, ready to carry them out.

    ¡°Kick that fraud of a woman out and never allow her to set foot in our Jiang Family¡¯s doorway again,¡± Jiang Shaoqing had already checked on his grandfather earlier, and the only constion was that, although the old master had been pricked with two needles, at least he didn¡¯t have a crooked mouth, body spasms, or any life-threatening conditions.

    Wait a moment.

    Jiang Shaoqing suddenly felt that something was amiss, as if he had overlooked something and was about to turn back to carefully check on his grandfather.

    Just then, a frail and elderly voice came from behind, ¡°Who¡­ are you¡­ driving out?¡±

    Jiang Shaoqing immediately felt tears well up in his eyes. That voice was all too familiar, it was indeed his own grandfather¡¯s voice.

    Turning his head, he saw that without his knowledge, the old master had slowly opened his eyes, and within those cloudy eyes, the gaze fixed on him was indeed that of his kind grandfather.

    Principal Jiang and Jiang Shaoqing both rushed over immediately.

    Each tightly grasped the old master¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Grandfather!¡±

    ¡°Dad!¡±

    Before they could speak, both were already choked up. The old master had beenatose for so many days.

    They had invited no fewer than a hundred doctors from outside, and 60% of them had clearly stated that he was in a vegetative state, with no currently effective treatments avable for vegetative patients in modern medicine.

    The remaining 40% who imed they could cure him had essentiallye back empty-handed.

    Deep down, they had already prepared for the worst: the old master might not survive this time. Although he had beatose, his physical condition was gradually deteriorating, including his internal organs and other bodily functions. Under the watch of so many experts, it was clear that he was in a slowly deteriorating state.

    Many experts had said that under such conditions, it was likely the old master wouldn¡¯t make it through, and they had prepared themselves for the worst.

    But now, the old master had actually woken up and was even talking to them. It was a situation that outsiders might not understand.

    Only those who are closest can truly appreciate and be grateful for this regained blessing.

    ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t stand there¡­ muttering, that girl¡­ her abilities are incredible, she is indeed your father¡¯s¡­ lifesaver. You, my grandson¡­ ah, I always thought you were calm¡­ Why are you so reckless this time¡­ not observing carefully before¡­ deciding in the end, how could you be so rash¡­ wanting to drive¡­ someone out.¡±

    The old master spoke with unsteady breaths and was still wheezing, revealing his physical frailty.

    With tears in his eyes, Jiang Shaoqing nodded vigorously to his grandfather.

    ¡°Grandfather, I was wrong, I admitted I misjudged Doctor Bai. From now on, she is a great benefactor of our family, and I am going to make amends and apologize to her until she forgives me.¡±

    As long as his grandfather could wake up, even if it meant his own immediate death, it wouldn¡¯t matter to him.

    Moreover, Jiang Shaoqing was a man who clearly distinguished between gratitude and resentment; he sincerely respected those with real ability.

    He had been wrong, and that was that.

    Considering his recent attitude, the fact that this youngdy didn¡¯t refuse to help out of spite was enough for him to believe that she was a person with a broad mind and apassionate heart.

    Jiang Shaoqing was a man of action.

    He stood up, wiped his face with his hand, and in a few steps, reached the bundled-up Bai Xiao and knelt before her with a thud.

    ¡°Doctor Bai, I was wrong today; I used a petty mind to measure a noble heart, associating you with those mediocre doctors. I sincerely apologize to you here. Today you saved my grandfather; from this day on, you are my family¡¯s great benefactor. Should you ever ask anything of me, I, Jiang Shaoqing, will go through fire and water to make it happen,¡± he said.

    His attitude was absolutely sincere, and this vow was by no means insignificant. In the eyes of outsiders, the Jiang Family was not only powerful but also known for keeping their word; they fulfilled their promises without fail.

    Bai Xiao shivered and raised her brows, ¡°Jiang¡­ Shaoqing, I will¡­ remember what you¡­ said today, and I¡­ hope you¡­ do as you said. Please¡­ stand up; why are you¡­ kneeling before me like¡­ this?¡±

    What she wanted was that promise.

    Jiang Shaoqing quickly stood up, suddenly finding the young girl before him unexpectedly pleasant to look at. Not only were her medical skills excellent, but her broad-mindedness and frank nature suddenly appealed to him greatly.

    He secretly resolved that should Bai Xiao ever need anything in the future, he, Jiang Shaoqing, would definitely not hesitate to face death for her.

    With his abilities and the Jiang Family¡¯s position and means, protecting a doctor was more than feasible.

    Wang Han hurried over, ¡°Sister-inw, are you okay?¡± Thest time he had heard that Bai Xiao nearly died after saving him.

    At first, when An Zhiyuan warned him repeatedly, he thought it was an overreaction.

    He assumed An Zhiyuan was just overly concerned about his wife, which is why he cared so much. Now seeing Bai Xiao¡¯s condition, he realized what An Big Brother was actually worried about.

    Jiang Shaoqing suddenly realized, this was An Zhiyuan¡¯s wife!

    He couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly disappointed; his eagerness to repay her meant probably having no chance to do so, as An Family¡¯s resources and backing were no less significant than those of the Jiang Family. Did they even need the Jiang Family¡¯s help to protect someone or to support someone?

    ¡°I¡¯m fine! It¡¯s just that the¡­ True Qi depletion was¡­ too much¡­ I need some time¡­ to recover.¡±

    Bai Xiao knew Wang Han had been very helpful this time.

    Xiaoli nced sidelong at Jiang Shaoqing, ¡°Some people don¡¯t understand the situation with our Doctor Bai, nearly causing a fatal incident.¡± She was, of course, quite cocky.

    Jiang Shaoqing felt ashamed, now understanding that everything this assistant needed wasn¡¯t for the old master, but for Doctor Bai.

    This misunderstanding was indeed substantial.

    ¡°Xiaoli, stop it. Jiang Shaoqing didn¡¯t mean it; it¡¯s a case of being in the fray versus observing from the side. My age makes many people misunderstand, and it¡¯s not Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s fault,¡± Bai Xiao, feeling much better now, said somewhat surprised to find herself recovering faster from the chill than usual.

    Although she had been holding back her special ability, it shouldn¡¯t have been this quick.

    Thoughtful.

    She recalled that recently, the times she exhibited side effects from treating and saving people, An Zhiyuan was always by her side.

    Could it be that An Zhiyuan was her lifesaving remedy?

 Chapter 233 - 233 233 Luck

    ?Chapter 233: Chapter 233 Luck   Chapter 233: Chapter 233 Luck                                   Jiang Shaoqing nced at the old man, ¡°Doctor Bai, my grandfather¡­?¡± What he wanted to ask about was the old man¡¯s health condition.

    Bai Xiao looked at the many dumbfounded specialists, ¡°I have done all I can, the rest depends on the specialists¡¯ medicine and equipment. That is beyond my abilities; I only understand acupuncture treatment. I really don¡¯t know anything about Western medicine, so you should hurry and let those specialists check him out. What medicine is required? What treatment is necessary? You need to act fast and not dy the treatment of the condition.¡±

    Bai Xiao had learned to hold back her special ability when it advanced further. She would never again do things that shock the world. The relief for all her patients was only partial, and it was not possible topletely cure their physical condition.

    That way, others would only think her acupuncture was extremely impressive and magical, but not to the extent that they would want to study her like a specimen.

    At first, it was because she couldn¡¯t control her special ability.

    Now?

    She was no longer that worried and frightened.

    Jiang Shaoqing hurriedly summoned several specialists, ¡°All the specialists, please check my grandfather quickly! See what treatment he needs now.¡± His grandfather had woken up; of course, they had to take good care of his health.

    The specialists flocked over.

    They also wanted to see what kind of acupuncture could be so miraculous, especially since treatment for patients in a vegetative state was a nk area in the world of medicine.

    If Traditional Chinese Medicine¡¯s acupuncture really had such treatment techniques, thebination of Western and Chinese medicine might pioneer a leading field in the treatment of vegetative state patients for their country.

    Jiang Shaoqing didn¡¯t have time to pay attention to Bai Xiao and Wang Han in front of him and ran out to call his father and a few uncles. After all, with Dean Jiang present, nothing could go wrong.

    Bai Xiao, feeling much better, unwrapped her nket and couldn¡¯t help feeling sweetly about An Zhiyuan as she saw the hot, thermal vest she was wearing. The guy sometimes seemed obtuse but was actually very thoughtful and considerate in many things. Indeed, he was her nemesis from a previous life.

    If not for fate, it wouldn¡¯t have been An Zhiyuan who saved her, and his ability just happened toplement and counteract her own.

    Hugging a cup, she drank hot cocoa and indeed felt much warmer.

    ¡­

    Over there, arge group of people were bustling about.

    After a series of examinations by four or five elderly specialists, the old man had indeede around, but his physical condition wasn¡¯tpletely healed. The decline in his internal organs was still severe, though the symptoms of the stroke had disappeared. Director Zhang looked back at the young girl happily holding her cup and couldn¡¯t help but marvel. Never mind everything else, there weren¡¯t many who could alleviate a stroke with just two needles, probably only a handful of National Medical Sages in the whole country. Of course, they too could manage it, but it would require repeated sessions of acupuncture.

    This young girl, just with two needles!

    No matter how you look at it, maybe this young girl was just lucky. After the old doctor had just addressed the stroke, coincidentally, the old man woke up right after this young girl¡¯s acupuncture. Whether it was the old Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor¡¯s effect or this young girl¡¯s skill, everyone saw that it was this young girl who had done the job.

    The Jiang Family would remember this act of kindness.

    Dean Xu nced at Director Zhang¡¯s expression and chuckled, ¡°Better to be lucky than to be good in medicine!¡±

    All of them, the doctors, unanimously believed that the young girl had benefited from good fortune.

    But at this moment, it wasn¡¯t appropriate to say anything, as they would be perceived as envious of another¡¯s talent and ability, and these doctors weren¡¯t foolish enough to do that.

    Several people quickly began treating the old master, and although specific examinations had to be done at the hospital with sophisticated equipment, it was certain that they needed to administer medication to strengthen his immune system and reduce inmmation.

    They also prescribed medication for the old master, which would require observation afterward.

    Then the several doctors were asked to step out.

    The old master had just awakened and was still somewhat listless, his spirit wasn¡¯t great. After speaking for a while, he became drowsy and wanted to sleep, his eyelids had already closed.

    Principal Jiang was somewhat afraid, what if the old master fell asleep and then couldn¡¯t wake up again?

    But he couldn¡¯t disturb his own father.

    He could only sneak up to Bai Xiao, rubbing his hands together, ¡°Doctor Bai, um¡­ about the old master¡­ this¡­¡±

    Bai Xiao looked at the old master, ¡°It¡¯s okay, although the old master keeps sleeping, his bodily functions are still depleting. Now he is actually getting some real sleep. Let him rest well; I reckon he should sleep until tomorrow. Prepare some millet porridge for him. He should be hungry when he wakes up. Smaller, more frequent meals, the old master hasn¡¯t been eating properly for a long time, so his diet needs to be managed.¡±

    Pricipal Jiang felt somewhat reassured, ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good, Doctor Bai, I really can¡¯t thank you enough for earlier.¡± Speaking these words, he felt somewhat guilty as he had in fact always distrusted the youngdy; it was just that upon seeing how young she was, together with experts challenging her, hepletely lost the joy he had felt when Wang Han had mentioned her at first.

    People, sometimes, really follow the crowd without much thought.

    This statement from someone who was already a vice-principal was already quite proper, and Bai Xiao didn¡¯t expect Principal Jiang would say much more.

    ¡°Principal Jiang, you should get things ready. Although the old master has woken up, I have to say something unpleasant: his bodily functions have been significantly drained while bedridden these past days. He needs proper recuperation and a gradual return to health. Besides some necessary exercises, of course, he also needs your encouragement andpanionship. At their age, the elderly don¡¯t care for material wealth or luxury; they most likely need care and warmth from their children.¡± Bai Xiao had saved someone¡¯s life and naturally hoped the old master could continue to live well.

    Principal Jiang nodded, abashed. Indeed, this young girl understood principles that they themselves failed to heed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I understand.¡±

    The front door suddenly made a loud noise, as the four sons of the Jiang Family had all arrived.

    Bai Xiao could only head out with Xiaoli; with family members present, there was nothing left for her to do.

    Upon leaving, she ran into Jiang Shaoqing.

    Jiang Shaoqing had not been idle for a moment. With such a significant event as the old master awakening, of course, he had to inform his father and uncles, who had all been incredibly worried about the old master.

    Now, seeing Bai Xiao, he approached her with a smile.

    ¡°Doctor Bai, why have youe out?¡±

    Although the snow had stopped in Capital City, the temperature was still not high, and Jiang Shaoqing remembered that Bai Xiao had been freezing earlier.

    Bai Xiao pointed inside the house, ¡°It¡¯s inconvenient, too many people.¡±

    Jiang Shaoqing immediately gestured for a housemaid toe over, ¡°Arrange the best room for Doctor Bai and her assistant, make sure everything they need in terms of food and drinks are well taken care of! We cannot neglect our guest!¡±

    Bai Xiao understood that she definitely wouldn¡¯t be leaving that evening. She nodded her thanks and followed the elderly housemaid away, with Xiaoli in tow.

    Watching Bai Xiao walk away, Jiang Shaoqing let out a sigh of relief and lifted the curtain to go see his grandfather.

 Chapter 234 - 234 234 Pretend

    ?Chapter 234: Chapter 234 Pretend   Chapter 234: Chapter 234 Pretend                                   As soon as they entered, they saw the room was quiet and peaceful, and to their surprise, the elderly patriarch had closed his eyes again.

    They couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of urgency.

    In a low voice, Bai Xiao asked Principal Jiang, ¡°Uncle, is Grandpa¡­?¡±

    Who wasn¡¯t worried!

    They all feared the old man had fallen asleep again.

    Although Principal Jiang himself was uncertain, heforted everyone ording to what Bai Xiao had said. Jiang Zhiguo, the eldest brother, sighed, holding the old man¡¯s hand, gently caressing it, ¡°It¡¯s okay, as long as dad wakes up, that¡¯s good. We¡¯re all here with him.¡±

    Principal Jiang smiled and said, ¡°Doctor Bai said that the old man is just tired and needs a good sleep. He probably won¡¯t wake up until tomorrow morning. You shouldn¡¯t be tiring yourselves here either. Leave one person with him, and the rest should go about their business. Besides, I think what Doctor Bai said makes sense. We really should discuss this properly. Our mother is already gone, and Grandpa living here by himself must be feeling a lot lonelier, inevitably leading to emotional moments. How can he be in good spirits?

    I think we, the five brothers, should really think about what to do in the future?¡±

    The room fell silent for a moment. Eldest sister-inw Fang Yuan, seeing her brothers-inw deep in thought, chuckled and said, ¡°If we need to discuss, let¡¯s go outside to talk. Here we can take turns keeping vigil, so we don¡¯t disturb the old man with our noise.¡± She was the eldest sister-inw and had been the one staying by the old man¡¯s side these past few days, remaining silent until now because with her son and the second uncle present, she didn¡¯t need to express anything else.

    In her own family, her husband and brothers-inw were influential figures who could shake the ground with a stamp of their feet, so she wouldn¡¯t chime in lightly and knew her ce.

    Jiang Zhiguo nodded, agreeing with his wife, and gestured, ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ll talk outside. Shaoqing, you stay with Grandpa!¡± When the family convened a meeting, the wives couldn¡¯t be excluded, as this concerned all of them. Therefore, Jiang Zhiguo was not autocratic and allowed everyone to speak.

    Jiang Shaoqing nodded and whispered, ¡°Got it, dad, uncles, you go ahead!¡±

    The room suddenly became quiet. Jiang Shaoqing sat in the chair beside his grandfather, looking at the old man¡¯s tranquil face as he slept. The faint sound of the old man¡¯s snoring reassured them that he was indeed asleep.

    Bai Xiao had a good night¡¯s sleep. She had a room to herself, and the Jiang Family truly lived infort, with each room having an en suite bathroom. In this era, not many bathrooms came equipped with shower facilities, but the Jiang Family had them¡ªone in every room, with hot water avable at the turn of a tap, a luxury indeed.

    After a hot shower, Bai Xiao went to sleep. If all went well and the old man woke up with no serious issues tomorrow, she should also be going back. She didn¡¯t have much time left, as she had to return for the New Year and buy gifts for her elder sister and others, right.

    Thinking about shopping, she remembered that the Capital City had many fine things hard to find elsewhere. In 1985, the city was in the prime of economic reforms, with small traders and vendors just beginning to flourish.

    Things like electronic watches and bell-bottom pants were in style, although, of course, they wouldn¡¯t be found in their small vige.

    Waking up early the next morning, she was summoned to the old man¡¯s room, where he was still asleep. The generals and the others were getting worried¡ªthe old man hadn¡¯t woken up, and it was rather frightening.

    Several experts hade again, urgently called by phone.

    With the old man still not awake, everyone became anxious.

    But upon examination, the old man¡¯s vital signs were still the same as before. If he didn¡¯t wake up, this could only mean he was either really sleeping or had fallen into a deeper sleep.

    Who could tell which it was?

    In any case, despite all themotion, the old man didn¡¯t wake up.

    So when Bai Xiao entered, everyone looked at her, especially the experts from yesterday; Dean Xu and Director Zhang had said the youngdy was lucky, but today it seemed her luck wasn¡¯t holding.

    Bai Xiao nced at the old master, Jiang Shaoqing quickly approached, even if the old master hadn¡¯t woken up, he wouldn¡¯t look down on Bai Xiao again, it wasn¡¯t the same thing.

    ¡°Doctor Bai, the old master has been asleep for so long, do you think we need to do acupuncture again?¡± They didn¡¯t see any problem, they had never seen a case where one acupuncture session was enough, they had only heard of it, it was like a legend, which patient was cured by acupuncture after just one session?

    Bai Xiao walked over, took the old master¡¯s wrist, made a circle with it, and smiled, ¡°Old master, wake up! It¡¯s not nice to scare people like this, if your sons and grandsons get frightened, that wouldn¡¯t be good.¡±

    The old master was still ying tricks.

    He was actually faking sleep to scare people.

    Upon hearing this, the old master couldn¡¯t pretend any longer, he opened his eyes, a cold light flickering in his tiger-like gaze, ¡°You girl, you¡¯re the one who treated me yesterday, right? How could you tell I was faking? None of those old guys noticed!¡± He was somewhat displeased to have his ruse exposed.

    Bai Xiao was amused, helped the old master sit up, and put a pillow behind his back. This old master was truly interesting.

    ¡°Your stomach has been growling; who would still have a growling stomach while sleeping? Besides, I know my own medical skills; you should have woken up early this morning. If you hadn¡¯t woken up, that would have been bad for my reputation.¡± She stood aside, hanging her head.

    Jiang Shaoqing was both annoyed and amused, his grandfather was really an old mischief-maker.

    ¡°Grandpa, you¡¯re really something, now you¡¯ve even learned to scare people,¡± he said.

    Dean Jiang and Jiang Zhiguo and his brothers immediately gathered around. They had been so worried just moments ago, but now they found the elder¡¯s act simply baffling.

    ¡°Dad!¡±

    ¡°Dad, that was quite something you did!¡±

    The old master grimaced, ¡°Why can¡¯t I scare you guys? Who else should I scare when you don¡¯t spend time with me? If not you, then who?¡± Bai Xiao could see that he was embarrassed and annoyed.

    She quietly stepped aside, wondering what the old master woulde up with next.

    Jiang Zhiguo nodded, ¡°Alright, we¡¯re in the wrong, are you happy now? I¡¯ll help you wash up and get ready to eat. Then we¡¯ll have the doctor check on you again. All these people are here because of you.¡± He admitted his mistake without good grace, his own father had made such a spectacle that it was quite embarrassing.

    After the old master washed his face and hands, he waved Bai Xiao over, ¡°Girl,e here!¡±

    Bai Xiao pointed to herself, ¡°Me?¡±

    Impatiently, the old master said, ¡°Of course you, you¡¯re my lifesaver.¡±

    The Jiang family all looked at Bai Xiao with warm smiles and nodded eagerly; she was their family¡¯s savior, a fact they all acknowledged.

    Bai Xiao had no choice but to walk over and stand in front of the old master.

    ¡°Old master, I¡¯m no lifesaver, it was just a lucky coincidence. If you don¡¯t cooperate with the treatmentter on, I¡¯m afraid there might be problems,¡± she had long learned not to take credit, to keep a low profile and hide her brilliance was the true way.

    Unless she became strong enough to protect herself, she still had to remain humble.

 Chapter 235 - 235 235 Dissatisfaction

    ?Chapter 235: Chapter 235 Dissatisfaction   Chapter 235: Chapter 235 Dissatisfaction                                   ¡°Don¡¯t be so modest, I was asleep sure, but I was well aware of what was going on! Don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t know anything just because I was asleep. Some quack doctors stuck a few needles in me, and I ended up with a crooked mouth and eyes, but I¡¯m not blind at heart. At that moment, I thought to myself, if I could wake up right away, I¡¯d definitely give that quack doctor a few good ps. Anyone dares to call themselves the National Medical Sage.¡±

    ¡°Luckily, you girl are impressive. If I had waited for their agreement for you to give me acupuncture, I¡¯m afraid I wouldn¡¯t havested. So, you took the initiative and acted decisively right away, which shows you¡¯re someone with good judgment. I was thinking while I was sleeping, if I woke up, I¡¯d be grateful to you for the rest of my life. The Jiang Family¡¯s descendants will always remember, Doctor Bai, this little girl is now our family¡¯s benefactor, if Doctor Bai ever needs anything, you must never stand idly by. As long as it¡¯s not illegal or against morals, you have to go through fire and water to help, did you hear that?¡±

    Bai Xiao twisted her mouth. Elder, you tter me too much.

    Although I do want to maintain good rtions with the Jiang Family, with what you said, so many people will have their eyes on me.

    Jiang Zhiguo and a few others nodded, ¡°That is only right. Dad, even if you hadn¡¯t said so, we know we¡¯ll never forget Doctor Bai¡¯s kindness for the rest of our lives.¡±

    Bai Xiao smiled, ¡°Now that your health has recovered, I¡¯m nning to go back. I was on leave toe here, and I still have work to do.¡± She wanted to return.

    Dean Jiang looked somewhat worried, ¡°Doctor Bai, why don¡¯t you go back tomorrow instead, so I can arrange for it?¡± Keeping Bai Xiao for one more day was just in case something happened to the elder.

    Bai Xiao smiled, understanding their concerns.

    Alright, since things have already gotten so big, to ensure that this potential support remains solid, I might as well be a good person to the end.

    ¡°Dean Jiang, I will perform acupuncture on the elder once more today. Although it can¡¯tpletely cure all of the elder¡¯s ailments, I believe at least his recovery should be rather swift.¡± This was out of consideration for Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s feelings.

    Jiang Zhiguo nodded; he hadn¡¯t seen Bai Xiao practice acupuncture, but he had heard about some master acupuncturists and their Miraculous Hands Revitalize tactics. Of course, he wanted to see it for himself.

    Several experts were green with envy.

    Since when could acupuncture cure organ failure? Is this girl getting too cocky after getting lucky?

    This is just bullying.

    ¡°Doctor Bai, the elder is suffering from the failure of all five viscera and six bowels; your acupuncture might not be very helpful,¡± Director Zhang said indignantly, as if it implied that the other doctors were all just eating their rations for nothing. This was too much.

    He had always believed that Bai Xiao had simply stumbled into good fortune. The previous National Medical Sage might have really been something remarkable, except everyone thought he had messed up by making the elder¡¯s mouth and eyes nt. Who could have guessed that maybe it was his needles that had actually done some good?

    Bai Xiao might have genuine talent, but he really didn¡¯t believe it.

    Dean Xu nced at Director Zhang; he was too impulsive.

    ¡°Old Zhang, maybe this youngdy does have real skills, you know.¡±

    Those words didn¡¯t sound like they were trying to calm things down, but rather like adding fuel to the fire.

    Director Zhang couldn¡¯t hold back his anger. ¡°Old Master, Principal Jiang, the old master¡¯s illness is due to his long-term bedridden state which has led to a decline in bodily functions, causing organ failure. This really needs Western medicine for proper treatment. I¡¯ll be blunt, although the old master seems awake now and speaks with strong breath, in reality, he can¡¯t even stand up. Without ten days to half a month of hospital treatment, the old master wouldn¡¯t even think of moving. We¡¯re not trying to scare you, but the old master¡¯s condition is actually quite worrying. This is the actual situation. If we don¡¯t spell it out, they might think that Bai Xiao is quite remarkable.¡±

    This isn¡¯t about bullying these old experts.

    When someone ps you in the face with a loud smack, they can¡¯t possibly not fight back.

    Don¡¯t assume all experts are fools; just because they don¡¯t expose doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯ll let others shit on their heads without a peep.

    Wanting to step on them to climb up and add luster to their own face also depends on whether they allow it. A young girl with impure intentions tries to ingratiate herself with high officials and experts, truly a foolish and delusional pursuit. She¡¯s thrown her medical skills and ethics into the trash. It seems the younger generation keeps getting worse.

    Bai Xiao nces at Director Zhang. Has this old doctor be anxious?

    She reflects on herself, wondering if she has done anything excessive.

    She considers herself a lover of peace, never attacking aggressively. At most, she¡¯s a bit calcting, maybe even a little vindictive, but apart from that, she sees herself as a proper and decent person.

    The title of good person should be hers.

    In this life, she wants to be different. Compared to her previous life where she was used by others, nothing but a puppet, the current her aims to be kind to others.

    ¡°Dr. Bai, what do you think we should do?¡± Principal Jiang has greatly changed his opinion of Bai Xiao since the old master was awakened by her two acupuncture needles yesterday. At least in his heart, he acknowledges her, and this is where facts speak louder than words.

    Director Zhang is outraged. Does this mean they don¡¯t trust these experts?

    Bai Xiao looks at Director Zhang and says, ¡°What this old expert said is true, the old master¡¯s internal organs are indeed starting to fail! The current situation is that the old master needs long-term treatment and recuperation. My acupuncture today is a shortcut, stimting his acupoints to revive his immune functions! It¡¯s meant to kickstart the recovery of his organ functions, acting as an aid. The real recuperation still needs the experts. What I am doing is just a Traditional Chinese Medicine method for maintaining health. Our family has passed down unique medical skills. I guarantee that after this acupuncture session, the old master will at least be able to walk, and the recuperation of his organs can improve by fifty percent fast. It¡¯s supposed toplement the main treatment.¡± She had no intention of stealing others¡¯ livelihoods, but without showing some real skill, how could she maintain a good rtionship with the Jiang Family?

    Being grateful also meant not letting Jiang Shaoqing be driven by her, so she had to demonstrate some unique abilities to win hearts and make the Jiang Family truly convinced.

    Skill should be shown to those who need to see it. Hiding it now would be digging one¡¯s own grave.

    Only when you are powerful can others willingly support you. It¡¯s a mutual benefit, you can¡¯t me her for reading people¡¯s hearts.

    You always need to consider your own interests to truly value and be willing to give.

    She doesn¡¯t know when that person would appear; ording to her previous life, it would still be ten years. But she has toy the groundwork well in advance, building a solid foundation for the Jiang Family.

    ¡°What a joke, young girl, just because we don¡¯t speak doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re fools. Traditional Chinese Medicine¡¯s acupuncture is indeed powerful. In ancient times, there were Huatuo¡¯s bone scraping healing techniques, and Bian Que was a miraculous National Medical Sage. But your ims are excessive. The patient¡¯s problem now is his internal organs, not unconsciousness. It¡¯s not something your acupuncture can solve.

    And to brazenly say he can walk¡ªCan the old master walk now? Or else people might think we¡¯re exaggerating,¡± said Director Zhang, who had long been dissatisfied.

 Chapter 236 - 236 236 Magical

    ?Chapter 236: Chapter 236: Magical   Chapter 236: Chapter 236: Magical                                   Dean Xu and the others also understood that Director Zhang was provoked by this young girl, and it wasn¡¯t just Director Zhang, they were all quite angry as well.

    It was as if she was tantly disrespecting their Western medicine practice and indirectly belittling it.

    All of these experts were in their fifties, and here they were being disparaged by a young girl¡ªor at least that¡¯s how they interpreted it.

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t even realize she was belittling anyone.

    Indeed, it was a big misunderstanding.

    ¡°Doctor Bai, although you practice Traditional Chinese Medicine and it¡¯s not rted to our Western medicine, we both operate independently,¡± Dean Xu had to speak up, being the one with the most authority here. ¡°If you don¡¯t speak up, you¡¯re not supporting your own people.¡±

    The message was clear: if Bai Xiao really managed to get the old man to walk, they feared she might have used extreme measures that could cause him injury.

    This made Principal Jiang hesitate again. Bai Xiao could see that Principal Jiang was a man easily swayed and could easily waver. How could such a man be a principal without decisiveness? Could it be that Principal Jiang specialized in ideological work as a kind of nominal principal?

    Or was it just a title?

    Jiang Shaoqing, however, had changed his attitude from the previous day. Yesterday, he was full of distrust when he saw Bai Xiao, but today he was the pr opposite.

    Absolute support.

    ¡°I believe in Doctor Bai, let her give it a try,¡± Jiang Shaoqing said confidently. ¡°Doctor Bai is not one to talk big. With so many experts here, in the event of any issue, I am sure no one would stand idly by. Right, Dean Xu?¡±

    What else could Dean Xu say? Given the stature and influence of the Jiang Family, how could they not respect the wishes of the patient¡¯s rtives?

    They had already encountered a mishap the day before. They didn¡¯t want Bai Xiao to act recklessly, yet after her two needlings, by sheer dumb luck, she managed to bring the old man back to full consciousness. Now if they wanted to present any strong evidence, it would be as if they were pping their own faces.

    Go ahead and needle.

    If something went well or poorly, it would probably convince the Jiang Family once and for all.

    Dean Xu shook his head with a sigh, then nodded.

    ¡°Old master, we still need to hear your own opinion, because after all, it¡¯s your body,¡± Dean Xu was conscientious in his advice. ¡°You just woke up, and you need rest and recovery now, which is not something that can be aplished in one or two days. If you really want to try acupuncture, it would be better to wait until your condition has somewhat improved, which might produce better effects. But to do it now, the risks are still too great!¡± Dean Xu was a doctor with a conscience.

    He wouldn¡¯t irresponsibly gamble on a patient¡¯s health just because he was upset.

    The old master pondered for a moment, ¡°Girl, are you confident?¡± He was the only one who truly knew the condition of his body. Even though he was awake, he feltpletely weak, especially the pervasive feebleness inside and out, including the dizziness before his eyes. He was lucid; what Dean Xu said wasn¡¯t a lie. He could hardly sit up with pillows supporting him without the world spinning before his eyes.

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°Everyone, I can assure you that I will not take any risks to stimte the old master¡¯s body. My treatment will be absolutely beneficial and harmless. With so many seniors present here, a check-up after the treatment will make everything clear! There¡¯s no way to deceive you all!¡±

    The old master nodded, ¡°Alright, Doctor Bai, go ahead with the needling.¡±

    He slowly closed his eyes.

    The old master was tired.

    Bai Xiao took out the silver needles, and Xiaoli had already begun the sterilization process, now adept and professional in her assistant role.

    As Bai Xiao applied the needles to the old master, her special ability had recovered well the previous day. Going through this small sequence of needlings, without straining the muscles and bones, at most would cause a slightly chilly sensation on the body; it shouldn¡¯t be as severe as it was yesterday. Originally, her intention was to simply bolster the old master a bit, lest her efforts in saving his life be in vain.

    If the person is dead, what¡¯s the point of being credited with saving a life?

    She intended for Jiang Shaoqing to firmly remember her life-saving grace.

    A circle of special ability finished, Bai Xiao removed the needles.

    Xiaoli passed the freshly prepared cocoa powder to Bai Xiao. Steam rose and the fragrance filled the air.

    The old man was roused by the aroma and immediately opened his eyes, ¡°What¡¯s this? It smells so good?¡± He had been hungry for a long time, relying only on nutrient solutions to sustain life, and with nothing else in his stomach, of course, anything he saw made him drool.

    ¡°This is cocoa powder, but you are not suited to drink it now. You should be able to get out of bed and have a small bowl of millet porridge; just a little,¡± Bai Xiao instructed.

    Xiaoli looked at Bai Xiao with concern, ¡°Are you okay?¡± You seem very good today, yourplexion hasn¡¯t really changed.¡±

    Bai Xiao shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m fine! I¡¯m very well now, didn¡¯t use much True Qi.¡±

    This excuse was really a good one.

    The old man threw off his covers, feet hitting the floor, and Jiang Shaoqing along with the director and Jiang Zhiguo, all gasped in shock. They hastily supported the old man, ¡°Dad, don¡¯t be hasty!¡±

    ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t rush!¡±

    They were all worried.

    Dean Xu and Director Zhang were also startled and quickly surrounded the group. They started a checkup, not because they were worried about anything else, but they knew that stimting acupuncture points could be manipted by the unskilled with some extreme methods to excite patients, causing them to tap into their potential, but these things could be very damaging to the body.

    They feared that Bai Xiao, in pursuit of fast sess, might use such extreme methods.

    After examining for a while, everyone disyed surprise. Jiang Zhiguo and the director anxiously asked, ¡°Dean Xu, how is it?¡± As his sons, they were of course extremely concerned.

    They also feared that young people, in their desire to ingratiate themselves with the powerful, would stop at nothing.

    Their father¡¯s body couldn¡¯t withstand being toyed with.

    The old man had already shrugged off the support of three people and walked a few steps by himself, hand on his hip, and couldn¡¯t help butugh heartily, ¡°Ah, that feels good.¡± He even managed to sit down on the sofa, gesturing to the caregiver to bring him millet porridge. The soft, glutinous millet porridge, with the rice oil cooked out of it and apanied by a te of refreshing side dishes, was delicious.

    Jiang Shaoqing looked at his grandfather, feeling relieved. He absolutely trusted Bai Xiao.

    Dean Xu said bitterly, ¡°The old man¡¯s body has indeed recovered vitality. All the indicators and tests show it, at least half of the functioning immune system has been restored, and even now the condition has greatly changed. It¡¯s like an old car that couldn¡¯t start at all before is now able to move, getting to an auto repair shop would definitely not be a problem. Doctor Bai is truly remarkable.¡±

    He was not the kind to nder others just to cover up the truth. Bai Xiao was indeed remarkable, and that had to be acknowledged.

    Director Zhang also wore a constipated expression, ¡°We really have never heard of such acupuncture skills. It seems we have been ignorant.¡± For Director Zhang to admit defeat like this showed that the old man¡¯s recovery was much better than they had said.

    Jiang Zhiguo and the director, grateful, shook Bai Xiao¡¯s hand. ¡°Doctor Bai! Thank you, thank you so much!¡± They had not expected him to be such a hidden expert.

    At that moment, they suddenly believed that this was fate.

    If not for Wang Han being close to their family, how could they possibly know where to find such a hidden Divine Doctor?

    Furthermore, the girl¡¯s age was very deceptive.

    Bai Xiao shyly smiled, ¡°I am a doctor! This is what I should do, no need for thanks. The rest is up to Dean Xu and Director Zhang to manage. That way, I can leave without worries tomorrow, and you can be at ease as well,¡± she said with a teasing tone.

    The director didn¡¯t want to leave today precisely because he was worried about the old man¡¯s health.

    The director¡¯s ulterior motive, she could see right through it. If the Jiang Family really wanted to make it happen, how could they not arrange a ne?

 Chapter 237 - 237 237 Homecoming (Extra for monthly pass)

    ?Chapter 237: Chapter 237 Homing (Extra for monthly pass)   Chapter 237: Chapter 237 Homing (Extra for monthly pass)                                   At noon, Jiang Zhiguo and Jiang Shaoqing specifically sought out Bai Xiao. They informed her that they had arranged for her to take the afternoon flight. It wasn¡¯t that the Jiang Family couldn¡¯t do it, but Principal Jiang indeed hadn¡¯t initially intended to, yet seeing all that Bai Xiao had done, they actually felt embarrassed to hold her back.

    Therefore, after a round of thanks, Jiang Shaoqing personally saw Bai Xiao onto the ne. Bai Xiao and Xiaoli were somewhat resigned, as it seemed their dream of touring the capital had been dashed.

    However, once at the airport, Bai Xiao found out that Jiang Shaoqing had prepared a whopping fiverge boxes of gifts for her on the ne, and had also assigned an assistant to take care of her throughout the flight. Afternding, the Jiang Family had also arranged for someone to escort Bai Xiao back to the hospital, ensuring meticulous arrangements throughout the journey.

    Bai Xiao bid farewell to Jiang Shaoqing, who even left her his personal phone number, a treatment far from ordinary. Everyone knew that Jiang Shaoqing was now the sessor to the Jiang Family¡¯s business empire. This number signified that it was not the type to go through a secretary for transfers but was instead Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s private number. Of course, there were no mobile phones yet, so having andline number was already very impressive.

    Of course, the phone number mattered the most to Bai Xiao. Jiang Shaoqing was the key to cutting off the puppeteer behind the scenes. Naturally, she wouldn¡¯t let Jiang Shaoqing suffer a loss. The debt of collecting her corpse in her past life must definitely be repaid.

    Jiang Shaoqing watched Bai Xiao¡¯s graceful figure board the ne and stared until the aircraft took off and disappeared into the sky before he left.

    As ofst night, Jiang Zhiguo¡¯s desk already had Bai Xiao¡¯s resume on it. This girl seemed unremarkable on the surface; she was indeed the adopted daughter of a pair of barefoot doctors with some fame in a vige. This couple had passed away early, leaving a son and two daughters struggling to bring up their younger sister. It¡¯s said that the affections among the four siblings were particrly deep. Bai Xiao had been admitted to Aviation University.

    His uncle was shocked when he saw this resume. How could he be unaware that Bai Xiao was a student of Aviation University? Moreover, how could a student from Aviation University end up working as a doctor in a hospital?

    Who had poached her midway?

    Such a talent, if ced in their Aviation University, might not be able to fly to the skies, but Aviation University also had its own affiliated hospital. How could they not amodate a Bai Xiao?

    Jiang Zhicheng was livid.

    Because upon inquiring, he found out that she had been poached by none other than King Yama himself.

    The Demon Lord of Mayhem just happened to meet her at a car ident, then snatched her away for his own department in the hospital. It didn¡¯t need saying; he understood that they would certainly arrange for this girl to take various advanced courses. After that, she would make a trip to Medical University and upon return, her career credentials would get a significant upgrade, and their hospital would gain a famous acupuncture specialist.

    This bastard had not even allowed them a chance to wee her at Aviation University¡¯s door.

    What pained him more was the loss of such a talent.

    If she hade to their Aviation University, she would have been a rising star for sure.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s experience and knowledge were very much aligned with what she had imed. Acupuncture was indeed a family heirloom, seemingly taught by that couple. It was unexpected that the couple, who weren¡¯t widely known, were now brought to glory by an adopted daughter.

    Jiang Zhiguo and Jiang Shaoqing were clear that Bai Xiao was talented. It was said this was merely her modest foundations, and if she were to master her skills in the future, she would possess the ability to bring the dead back to life and turn bones to white. They were not ignorant of the historic recorded National Medical Sages who were truly formidable. The profound depth and heritage of Traditional Chinese Medicine were not something they could easilyprehend. Since Bai Xiao had formed such a rtionship with their family, they would also maintain this connection. After all, with such a National Medical Sage around, manyplex and difficult diseases might indeed require her help.

    Everyone fears birth, aging, sickness, and death, Jiang Zhiguo was well aware that making friends with such a person was a necessary investment.

    Their family wouldn¡¯t be stingy about such an expenditure, nor would they mind it. As it seemed now, Bai Xiao had no background of her own, at most an unmarried fianc¨¦, An Zhiyuan, from the An Family. People from the An Family were not to be trifled with, especially Wei Shufen, An Zhiyuan¡¯s stepmother. With such a stepmother around, whether An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao could actually get married was still an unknown.

    Bai Xiao probably needed a lot of help.

    The Jiang Family was quite willing to offer assistance.

    Bai Xiao and Xiaoli returned to the provincial capital, and as soon as they got off the ne, a van took them back. Staff members specifically moved Bai Xiao¡¯s five suitcases to her dormitory, settled everything, then left, and enthusiastically let her know that if she needed anything, just to give his assistant a call.

    Of course, Bai Xiao understood this was arranged by Jiang Shaoqing, otherwise why would an assistant exchange favors with a young junior doctor?

    After seeing off the assistant, Xiaoli also took her leave, not having been back for several days, she needed to go and wash clothes and tidy up the dormitory.

    Xiaoli was indeed very perceptive.

    After sending everyone off, Bai Xiao finally copsed on the sofa. Having run back and forth without stopping for two days proved to be worthwhile.

    She never mentioned a consultation fee, because she understood that, just like the Wang Family, such a favor was more important. Although as a military officer she wasn¡¯t allowed to do business or have any under-the-table ie, she wasn¡¯t nning on embarking on a path as a business magnate. So, as long as she could improve her family¡¯s living conditions and have no worries about food and clothing for herself, nothing else was that important.

    Material life can ultimately change, and you should know that the less you talk about money, the more mysterious and virtuous you seem. People will be willing to offer gifts voluntarily, which is far more sincere and generous than if you were to ask for them.

    True masters do not talk about money.

    For a family like the Jiangs, discussing remuneration would be too vulgar, and whatever price you set will always be ridiculed: too high would seem greedy, too low would appear to undervalue Old Master Jiang. So, either way, it wouldn¡¯t be right, not appropriate. The best way is to not want it at all.

    When ites to the Jiangs, Bai Xiao might not understand others, but as for Jiang Shaoqing, money had never been an issue. Since she saved his wife, he was willing to give up fifteen percent of the Jiang¡¯s shares. Back then, the Jiangs were already one of Asia¡¯s wealthiest, with fifteen percent equating to almost several billion in U.S. dors. He didn¡¯t bat an eye at that price and still treated his lifesaver with utmost sincerity.

    Such a generous person wouldn¡¯t quibble over money.

    So she didn¡¯t refuse the five suitcases because there was no need to. It wasn¡¯tpensation from them; in in terms, it was just a little thought, a gift.

    If it were truly about gratitude, they wouldn¡¯t have left without saying anything. Jiang Shaoqing had style in the way he handled things.

    She managed to establish a connection with Jiang Shaoqing sessfully.

    Maybe everything was already beginning to change, different from her previous life. She had already started building herwork early on, and one day, she was determined to make that person pay the price¡ªthey always had to pay back what they owed.

 Chapter 238 - 238 238 Jiang Shaoqings New Year Gift

    ?Chapter 238: Chapter 238 Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s New Year Gift   Chapter 238: Chapter 238 Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s New Year Gift                                   Bai Xiao rested overnight, and the next day she returned to the hospital to report in. Essentially, she would actually be going on vacation and returning home in three days.

    Dean Zhang was quite happy to see her. ¡°You little rascal, you had me worried for a long time! I called President Jiang, and he said old Mr. Jiang is much better now, actually able to eat a bowl of rice per meal. He used to have a poor appetite, but now he can eat tremendously and he keeps praising you.¡± Naturally, Dean Zhang was pleased since his own people were bringing glory to him.

    What she didn¡¯t mention was that on the phone, President Jiang hadn¡¯t spared her, using her of poaching his corner, pointing out Bai Xiao was from Aviation University. Dean Zhang wasn¡¯t one to eat humble pie, he sharply retorted that if she didn¡¯t report in, then she wasn¡¯t from Aviation University. Besides, if Bai Xiao went to fly nes, that would be a true waste of a medical talent.

    Bai Xiao smiled lightly, very modestly, ¡°Dean, I just did my best, didn¡¯t do much really. Mr. Jiang still needs the hospital¡¯s treatment cooperation afterwards.¡± She liked the dean, who was over fifty and had a very kind presence, not intimidating at all.

    A bit irreverent by nature, Dean Zhang had always indulged her antics, treating her like his own child, Bai Xiao was not afraid to face Dean Zhang.

    ¡°Oh, by the way, I wanted to tell you, after the holidays are over, I¡¯ve enrolled you in Medical University for further studies. Go and learn systematically for two years, with a stipend. When you return, you can be promoted to attending physician. You really have to grasp this opportunity well. Keep in mind that we are not a Traditional Chinese Medicine hospital, and TCM departments are not a priority. This opportunity was hard-won, a rmendation from a professor at the Medical College. If you don¡¯t study hard, you would be letting me, your Dean, down!¡± Dean Zhang was very fond of this young woman, treating Bai Xiao with a rxed attitude, like a favored junior.

    Bai Xiao immediately nodded, ¡°Dean sir, thank you, I understand. I will study hard, aim high, and make sure toplete the tasks you¡¯ve assigned, sir.¡± After her nonsense, she even gave a military salute.

    Dean Zhang was nearlyughing from jubtion.

    ¡°You, stop your bber and get back to work. I don¡¯t know how many people have been hollering these past two days, those wanting your acupuncture are about to wear out my ears.¡±

    Bai Xiao nodded solemnly, and withdrew.

    Upon reaching her office, Xiaoli had arrived early and cleaned her office spotlessly, even brewing the elder white tea she liked.

    Xiaoli had now officially be her intern as her assistant.

    After a busy day of seeing patients, Bai Xiao finally had time to call her big brother to report her return, and also to reassure him. Her brother also mentioned that he had already bought the tickets, a lower berth, departing the morning after her vacation starts, potentially reaching their home by evening if all went well.

    Bai Xiao and her big brother discussed the journey for quite some time before they finally hung up.

    No sooner had she put down the phone, it rang again.

    Bai Xiao picked up the phone, thankful for the phone in the specialists¡¯ building. Her guess was probably right: it was An Zhiyuan.

    ¡°Xiaoxiao, are you back?¡± An Zhiyuan¡¯s deep voice seemed to be containing some emotion.

    ¡°Yes, I got backst night.¡±

    ¡°Did you miss me?¡± This question hung unanswered on both ends of the phone for a moment.

    Bai Xiao bit her lip, the man now exhibiting a fierce offensive, ¡°I didn¡¯t miss you!¡± Her words belied her heart, she certainly wouldn¡¯t tell him she had thought of him lying on the couch that night.

    ¡°But I missed you!¡±

    Her cheeks flushed a fiery red, Bai Xiao suddenly understood An Zhiyuan¡¯s potential was growing immensely by the day.

    ¡°An Zhiyuan¡­¡± Bai Xiao felt like she was grinding her teeth.

    ¡°Call me Ayuan, we can¡¯t possibly keep using full names forever, are we going to continue even if we get married?¡±

    Alright! Bai Xiao realized for the first time that when a serious man gets yful, nobody can resist.

    ¡°An Zhiyuan, that¡¯s enough! I¡¯m hanging up now.¡±

    Facing too formidable an opponent, she could only retreat in defeat.

    ¡°Have you booked your ticket? I¡¯ve already booked mine for a week from now. I¡¯ll bring you some stuff tomorrow evening, I¡¯ve bought some local specialties for your elder and second sisters. You can take them back!¡±

    ¡°Sounds like they are my sisters indeed!¡±

    How could this person so smoothly call out for elder sisters?

    And by what right did he buy local specialties and ask her to bring them back? What was that all about?

    ¡°Yes, yes, your elder sisters, aren¡¯t they also my elder sisters?¡±

    When An Zhiyuan said this, Bai Xiao didn¡¯t feel he faced any inconvenience.

    ¡°An Zhiyuan¡­¡±

    ¡°Ayuan!¡±

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s stubborn voice finally carried a serious tone.

    ¡°Ayuan, it¡¯s gettingte, let¡¯s sleep early.¡± Bai Xiaopromised, intending to hang up the phone.

    ¡°Are you tired?¡±

    ¡°Tired, very tired!¡± Bai Xiao said insincerely.

    Clearly still wide-awake, who would have thought An Zhiyuan could suddenly be so charming.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s deepughter came through, ¡°Alright, sleep well, I¡¯lle over tomorrow night! Make me dinner, I¡¯ve been craving your cooking, you don¡¯t know how terrible our cafeteria is.¡± He sounded almost like he was cooing.

    Bai Xiao forcefully hung up the phone.

    Did he really see her as just a cook?

    Yet, she still smiled, this man!

    She opened the suitcase, only now finding time to unpack the gifts Jiang Shaoqing had given her.

    But as she organized, she was surprised; Jiang Shaoqing was more generous than she had imagined.

    Especially when she opened one of the big brown paper bags that neatly contained ten thousand dors.

    Back then, there weren¡¯t any fifty or hundred denominations, thergest was ten dors, so ten thousand dors was indeed a huge sum.

    Precisely piled stacks of new bills dazzled her eyes, and even though inter years she would see millions in bills regrly, money was never an issue for her, as it was something she could easily obtain.

    But this was different.

    Nowadays, ten thousand dors seemed nearly equivalent to a millionter on.

    The suitcase had many items, and only then did she realize that five suitcases were organized ording to her family¡¯s members, except for two suitcases that were clearly intended for her! The clothes, shoes, and essories inside were obviously aimed at girls of her age.

    One suitcase contained men¡¯s items; watches, leather shoes, belts, but no coats! However, thoughtfully, there were warm underclothes and woolen shirts, and also cigarettes and liquor, clearly Maotai and Wuliangye.

    The other two suitcases held onedies¡¯ quartz watch, three digital watches, more clothes and shoes, and a radio. Just the down jackets alone totaled four sets, not to mention one set included backpacks, pens, and stationery while another contained onedies¡¯ watch, two men¡¯s watches, three digital watches, a radio, six different-sized down jackets, and three sets of stationery and backpacks. These suitcases also packed cigarettes and liquor, clearly indicating that Jiang Shaoqing understood her family¡¯s circumstances quite well.

    Ah, Jiang Shaoqing was really going big.

    Bai Xiao looked over the items and felt a bit distressed, how was she supposed to carry all these?

    Jiang Shaoqing had already prepared her New Year¡¯s goods; wasn¡¯t that obvious?

    The problem was how to bring them back. Now, that was worrisome!

 Chapter 239 - 239 239 Warm Man

    ?Chapter 239: Chapter 239: Warm Man   Chapter 239: Chapter 239: Warm Man                                   The next day after work, Bai Xiao also took an hour off early to go to the market to buy ingredients.

    She boughtmb blood, beef tripe, and the like, nning to make a spicy dish called ¡®Mao Xue Wang¡¯ and sweet and sour pork ribs, apanying them with bought steamed buns. She then headed back to her dormitory early to cook.

    Upon arriving at the dormitory, just as she took out her keys, she saw someone kneeling in front of the door next door.

    She couldn¡¯t help but take a closer look, and, alright, she recognized her¡ªit was Chui Lu¡¯s former mother-inw. The elderlydy must have had someone advising her this time; she wasn¡¯t crying or making a scene, just kneeling motionlessly at the door.

    Bai Xiao thought that if Chui Lu were there, she would probably have a headache, but didn¡¯t the olddy inquire beforeing? Chui Lu had met her this morning while heading back to her hometown for the New Year with Xiaofen. This was the first time Chui Lu had taken Xiaofen back to her mother¡¯s home for New Year. The child was happy, and Chui Lu also had a smile on her face, showing more expressions than the usually aloof Dr. Chui Lu she first met.

    The elderlydy probably noticed Bai Xiao returning and starting to open her door, so she immediately began to sob quietly, waiting for Bai Xiao to show some concern. After all, in this weather, it was very unusual for an old woman to be kneeling in front of someone¡¯s door, and any normal person would naturally be concerned.

    If she could, she would take the chance toin and reiterate all the bad things about Chui Lu. She hade this time to force Chui Lu to return the child; without Xiaofen, Chui Lu had also taken back the house, and her eldest son had even been jailed because of this. His wife, left homeless with their child, had no choice but to move back into their bungalow. But with their younger son about to get married, they barely had space to move, so she had allowed her eldest son¡¯s wife to set up a bed in her room, cramming three people into one room.

    The eldest son¡¯s wife had grievances, but the younger son was also full ofints. This new daughter-inw hadn¡¯t even been brought into the family yet, and she would likely have a belly full of grievances when she did.

    Now the household was in a state of constant anger andining all day long.

    The olddy, having no other option, took advice from an acquainted elderdy who suggested to just bring the granddaughter back! How could the daughter not soften her heart then?

    The key stilly with the granddaughter.

    So, the elderlydy hade here this time particrly to make a show for everyone to see, trying all means to take Xiaofen back.

    Bai Xiao opened the door, about to close it, but the elderlydy didn¡¯t even wait for Bai Xiao to say a word. Seeing Bai Xiao about to shut the door, the old woman quickly stood up, ¡°Please, just a ss of water for me. My daughter-inw won¡¯t open the door!¡±

    She was forcing Bai Xiao to respond.

    Bai Xiao smiled, shut the door right in front of the elderlydy, and left her with these words.

    ¡°Dr. Chui isn¡¯t home; she went back for the New Year. Even if you kneel to death, no one wille out.¡±

    Only then did the olddy realize that she had knelt in vain all afternoon with her knees now swollen, as the person she sought wasn¡¯t even at home.

    She spat fiercely at Chui Lu¡¯s door and stormed off, fuming with rage.

    After Bai Xiao washed the vegetables, she heard a knock on the door.

    Opening the door wide, An Zhiyuan entered with arge bag, ¡°Come inside quickly, the wind at the doorway is strong.¡± An Zhiyuan pushed Bai Xiao inside and turned to shut the door.

    He set down his things at his feet and pulled Bai Xiao into his embrace in one swift motion.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s shoulders were broad and sturdy, and with Bai Xiao encircled in his arms, she looked even more delicate and petite.

    Suddenly pressed against the man¡¯s firm chest, Bai Xiao startled. Even through the thick fabric, she could feel his steady, powerful heartbeat. Her fingers involuntarily tightened around his clothes. A pair of long, handsome hands had already grasped hers. His resolute face nearly touched her cheek, and his scratchy stubble made her slightly flustered. Their breaths mingling, his solid legs pressing close to hers, her ears burning hot, her heart raced as she instinctively turned her head to look at him.

    ¡°Missed me?¡± An Zhiyuan¡¯s face, with its strong features, looked focused and serious. His gaze upon her cheek, his lips parting slightly.

    Bai Xiao came to her senses¡ªthis man hadn¡¯t forgotten yesterday¡¯s unfairness on the phone yet.

    She had no choice but to push the man¡¯s arms away and retreat to a safe distance, her cheeks red with embarrassment, ¡°I did think about it!¡±

    If she didn¡¯t know how to respond by now, she¡¯d be a fool. If she dared to say she hadn¡¯t thought about it, An Zhiyuan would probably pounce on her.

    Once she regained her freedom, even the air around her felt fresher, though her heart continued to thump wildly.

    ¡°Really?¡± An Zhiyuan asked in a teasing tone, clearly amusing himself.

    Bai Xiao hadn¡¯t expected him to say something so flirtatious, which was nothing like his usually stern and serious demeanor. Okay then, I¡¯m really scared of my Instructor An now!

    ¡°Really! It couldn¡¯t be truer!¡±

    To alleviate her embarrassment, Bai Xiao turned around and headed to the kitchen, ¡°Have a seat for a moment. Dinner will be ready soon.¡±

    An Zhiyuan ced his things on the shelf and immediately noticed the five boxes in the living room. They were too conspicuous to ignore, especially right at the entrance. Thinking back to where Bai Xiao had been these past few days, An Zhiyuan found the boxes quite an eyesore.

    He also knew Jiang Shaoqing. The two weren¡¯t as close as Wang Han, but they were well-acquainted. If it came down to brotherhood, Jiang Shaoqing would have to call him ¡®Second Brother.¡¯

    Jiang Shaoqing and he could be considered mutually appreciative yetpetitively skilled rivals.

    ¡°How is Old Master Jiang?¡± An Zhiyuan leaned against the kitchen doorway, his gaze deep and quiet, and she didn¡¯t have time to interpret exactly what it contained.

    ¡°He woke up! He¡¯s doing well!¡±

    Bai Xiao scooped up the ingredients, ced them in arge bowl, then poured the cooked sauce over them, sprinkled fried Sichuan peppercorns and chili, and finally drizzled hot oil on top, making a sizzling sound as the aroma wafted up.

    Just as she was about to use a towel to protect her hands and grab the bowl of hot and spicy bloodcurd, An Zhiyuan unexpectedly moved beside her. He took the towel from her hands, lightly pushed her aside, and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of this!¡±

    And then he simply left with the dish. Bai Xiao¡¯s lips twitched, she grabbed the steamed buns that were sliding off the small rice porridge pot and ced them on a te, naturally calling out, ¡°An Zhiyuan, can you take this in?¡±

    ¡°Ayuan!¡± An Zhiyuan said casually, yet stubbornly.

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°Ayuan, please take it.¡± She handed the te to him, their fingers inevitably touching.

    He took the te, his fingers wrapped around her wrist, and she couldn¡¯t pull away. His thumb and index finger lightly pressed against her pulse, the heat pressing against her skin. At such a close distance, she could even see his chest rise and fall with his breaths, and she smelled a fresh tobo scent mixed with a faint hint of soap

    His gaze was cold, yet focused. Bai Xiao¡¯s ears immediately heated up, and a wave of embarrassment made her re at him.

    An Zhiyuan simply met her gaze, unflinching and unfazed, as if blind to her irritation.

    ¡°My oil pot!¡± Bai Xiao eximed, feeling his grip loosen slightly. She quickly pulled her hand free and turned around, pretending to be busy.

    Yet she felt An Zhiyuan leave from behind her.

    Bai Xiao sighed, feeling increasingly shy. Even though she didn¡¯t understand feelings well, she knew she could no longer maintain her initially neutral stance towards An Zhiyuan¡ªher feelings were growing deeper.

    And it seemed Instructor An was far more charismatic than she had imagined.

 Chapter 240 - 240 240 Angry

    ?Chapter 240: Chapter 240: Angry   Chapter 240: Chapter 240: Angry                                   The two ate their meal in rtive silence, the atmosphere between them somewhat indescribable.

    Bai Xiao tidied up the dishes, while An Zhiyuan helped on the side, the two coordinating seamlessly in the kitchen. This time, Bai Xiao did the dishwashing, honestly using hot water, and upon seeing An Zhiyuan¡¯s satisfied look, she couldn¡¯t help but wear a smile.

    ¡°Ayuan, I can¡¯t bring myself to call you that. Don¡¯t you have another nickname?¡± Bai Xiao protested, clearly not fond of that nickname.

    An Zhiyuan took the dishes she had washed from her hands, wiped them with a clean towel, and then put them away in the cab.

    ¡°If you really aren¡¯tfortable, just call me Big Brother An! I¡¯m older than you, after all, and calling me Big Brother An shouldn¡¯t be a loss, right?¡±

    Listening to Bai Xiao¡¯s light voice seemed to warm the very bottom of his heart.

    ¡°Big Brother An!¡±

    Bai Xiao found the nickname pleasing to say, calling it out naturally.

    Her voice was crisp and carried a girlish pout.

    ¡°Hmm!¡± An Zhiyuan looked at her with a beaming smile.

    ¡°By the way, my eldest brother booked the tickets; we¡¯re leaving the day after tomorrow. I wanted to give you a heads up and wish you a Happy New Year!¡± Bai Xiao knew An Zhiyuan had been concerned about them going back home.

    ¡°I¡¯lle to see you off!¡± An Zhiyuan said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bothering, you¡¯d have to take time off and you¡¯re about to go home yourself. It¡¯s not suitable to ask for leave now. With my eldest brother around, you have nothing to worry about. Besides, who would dare to sell me off?¡± Bai Xiao teased, smiling cheekily at An Zhiyuan.

    He handed her the dry towel, finished drying thest of the dishes, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll have them cover for me. Sending you off won¡¯t take too long.¡±

    Bai Xiao dried her hands and walked out beside him, immediately spotting a bag on top of the cab An Zhiyuan had ced there, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to bother preparing unnecessary things? How am I supposed to carry all this?¡± Although sheined verbally, her eyes and brows showed pride; she was gratified by his kindness to her family.

    Upon opening the bag, she found arge pack of ck fungus, three boxes of ginseng, candies, and most importantly, a woolen coat.

    After rummaging through the bag, Bai Xiao only found one woolen coat. She took out the coat, murmuring, ¡°Howe there¡¯s only one?¡±

    Suddenly, An Zhiyuan popped up behind her, ¡°Of course there¡¯s only one. I¡¯m not rich enough to buy heaps of presents to win your favor. I¡¯m just a poor guy who could only afford to buy you one woolen coat.¡± The sourness in his tone was unmistakable.

    Bai Xiao turned around abruptly, realizing that he could even feel jealous.

    So that was it¡ªshe had felt the awkwardness all along, and he had been struggling with his peculiar looks at her.

    An Zhiyuan, caught by Bai Xiao¡¯s gaze, turned away, his thoughts exposed before this young woman, which made him feel somewhat uneasy. He decided to go to the kitchen to boil water for her.

    ¡°Are you mad?¡± she asked, looking up at him, her voice very soft and low.

    He turned his head to one side, ¡°No, I¡¯m going to boil you some hot water,¡± he said, then turned to leave.

    She reached out from behind and tightly hugged his lean waist. He had taken off his coat, and beneath the fleece was solid muscle that radiated an exciting hormonal scent. ¡°Are all you men so petty?¡±

    An Zhiyuan was somewhat annoyed by her bluntness in expressing her true inner thoughts and tried to break free from Bai Xiao¡¯s arms. He moved slightly, but unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t escape her arms; instead, she hugged him even tighter, ¡°It¡¯s not about being petty, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m a bit saddened. Although my family is well-off and my older brother is a businessman with a lot of money, the truth is that I¡¯m not wealthy. That money isn¡¯t mine, and I wouldn¡¯t take it. By being with me, you¡¯re destined to live a hard life!¡±

    ¡°What does that matter?¡± Bai Xiao did not mind.

    He turned around, ¡°Really, it doesn¡¯t matter? I¡¯m just worried that you might feel mistreated. I would give you everything I have, but my job determines that there are many things I can¡¯t touch or am not allowed to. All I can give you is honor.¡± His hand pressed firmly on her waist.

    Bai Xiao tiptoed, lifted her head, and sealed all his words with a kiss.

    She was just tall enough to reach his neck, and before he could recover from his daze, she took the opportunity to wrap her hands around his neck, tiptoeing to deepen the kiss.

    His mind went nk for a moment, disconcerted by Bai Xiao¡¯s initiative, but he soon took control.

    The quiet air flowed with restless heat, breaths intertwining.

    Bai Xiao pushed away from his chest, and An Zhiyuanughed as he gently pecked her lips, waiting for the flush on her face to fade as she breathed in the cool air.

    ¡°Ayuan, I won¡¯t say I¡¯m not a materialistic woman, but I will earn my own likings. And do you think I would lose myself for others¡¯ appeasement? Remember, I am the Divine Doctor. Their ttering care and meticulous attention are because they need to maintain good rtionships with me. There will be more men and women vying for my favor in the future. If you get jealous over this, or feel resentful, then we really can¡¯t get along,¡± Bai Xiao didn¡¯t want any unresolved feelings with An Zhiyuan. He was a good man, she could tell. No one could say he was the best man, but he was probably the most suitable man for her in this lifetime.

    From the first day she returned, her entanglement with An Zhiyuan was destined, whether it was the repeated help or the restraint provided by his special ability, to today¡¯s profound understanding. She felt bewitched, seeing him as probably the best.

    He hugged her tightly, ¡°I won¡¯t be like this again. I think I need to be good enough that you can¡¯t live without me.¡± He also felt that he had been petty. As a man, he should rise to the challenges rather face them with ambitions for Bai Xiao¡¯s concessions.

    He had no reason to be insecure, he was his own man, capable of providing his woman with enough security and happiness. Therefore, what he needed to do was not to be narrow-minded.

    ¡°This coat was bought for you, try it on! These gifts are my sentiments. I¡¯ll contact myrades to help you handle your excessive luggage, they¡¯ll send it to the county once when you arrive, so you don¡¯t have to shuttle back and forth,¡± he said.

    Bai Xiao pecked his cheek happily, ¡°You¡¯re really wonderful, I had been worrying for a long time! You resolved everything all at once.¡± Shepletely epted An Zhiyuan¡¯s arrangements.

    He touched his cheek and went to boil water.

    Bai Xiao changed into the clothing and it really fit perfectly. Nowadays, most clothes are loose, but this coat was tailored at the waist, which was indeed rare! It indeed looked beautiful on her.

    ¡°Does it look good?¡±

    Bai Xiao asked An Zhiyuan as he came out of the kitchen.

    She even elegantly twirled around.

    ¡°It looks beautiful!¡±

    His heart swelled with a sweet and proud emotion.

 Chapter 241 - 241 241 Home

    ?Chapter 241: Chapter 241: Home   Chapter 241: Chapter 241: Home                                   Bai Xiao and Bai Song had finished packing their things and the suitcase was ready. Anyway, it was a ready-made case that just needed packing, and An Zhiyuan had indeed contacted his friends at the train station to send them off on their journey. The goods were sent directly via cargo service, which had already been arranged.

    An Zhiyuan had bought a tform ticket and came out with a young man wearing sses and a railway uniform. He looked at Bai Xiao with curiosity in his eyes, ¡°This is Bai Xiao, my fianc¨¦e. This is Ding Ke, an old ssmate of mine and also a brother who grew up ying with me.¡±

    Ding Ke reached out to Bai Xiao enthusiastically. An Zhiyuan he knew all too well¡ªalways setting a high standard, rarely showing interest in women. So many girls in the courtyard cried and shouted to be with An Zhiyuan, but he was indifferent. Now suddenly introducing a fianc¨¦e, and so formally, what did it mean?

    ¡°Sister-inw, hello, this is our first meeting. If you need anything in the future, juste to me. I¡¯m just a minor leader here, but I can still help with buying tickets and handling shipments. Don¡¯t be polite with me. An Zhiyuan is my big brother, so don¡¯t be shy to ask your brother-inw for anything.¡±

    Bai Xiao, overwhelmed by Ding Ke¡¯s enthusiasm, responded, ¡°Hello! Hello, I will definitelye to you if I need anything. Thank you!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all, you go ahead. I will send them on the train and then head back,¡± An Zhiyuan dismissed him unceremoniously since Ding Ke was holding Bai Xiao¡¯s hand a little too long.

    Ding Ke rolled his eyes. This was a ssic case of favoring a romantic interest over friends.

    ¡°Alright! Then I¡¯m off! Sister-inw, see youter!¡±

    Approaching An Zhiyuan, Ding Ke gave him a strong hug and whispered in his ear, ¡°Good for you, An Zhiyuan. Wait for it, I¡¯ll call everyone as soon as I get back. Your heroic deeds will soon spread throughout the Capital City circles. Let them grill you a bit.¡±

    Then nonchntly patting An Zhiyuan on the shoulder, he left, waving to Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao smiled lightly and waved back. An Zhiyuan watched Ding Ke make faces at him.

    After seeing Bai Xiao and the others onto the train, this time both had lower berths, An Zhiyuan ced a bag on the table, ¡°This is some food and drink for your trip. I¡¯ll call you when you get back, big brother, take care on your journey.¡±

    Bai Song looked at his brother-inw bustling about and felt very pleased. He was happy to see him treating Bai Xiao well.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here. Give my regards to your uncle and aunt for the New Year!¡±

    An Zhiyuan nodded and squeezed Bai Xiao¡¯s fingers forcefully, ¡°I¡¯m off!¡±

    ¡°Take care, I will miss you,¡± whispered Bai Xiao, leaning in close.

    He looked up into her eyes that shone with tenderness and met her smile, which was rarely so bright and charming. His gaze deepened and intensified, as if soft emotions were spilling from his eyes. Nodding, he squeezed Bai Xiao¡¯s hand again and stepped off the train.

    This time, he left without looking back.

    Bai Xiao stood at the train window watching An Zhiyuan leave. It seemed that their farewells always urred like this¡ªby the train window, on the tform.

    But it seemed that the feelings involved had changed from one time to the next, such as now. Even though An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t look back, her heart still overflowed with sweetness. This man had taken care of everything he could for her¡ªit wasn¡¯t materialistic but everything she couldn¡¯t do herself, which was quite rare.

    Watching him leave, she couldn¡¯t help but smile, her dimples lightly showing and her eyes curving into a smile.

    Feeling very happy, she settled back into her seat.

    Bai Song shook his head and teased, ¡°Ah, a grown daughter is hard to keep at home!¡±

    That brought a ring look from Bai Xiao, followed by heartyughter.

    The two of them chatted about family matters all the way, and time flew by quickly.

    By the time it got dark, they finally arrived in the county town. As soon as Bai Xiao and her party exited the station, they saw someone holding a sign with Bai Xiao¡¯s name on it, probably the person An Zhiyuan had arranged to pick them up.

    Hurriedly, they went over to greet the person.

    ¡°Hello! I am Bai Xiao.¡±

    The man, thrilled to see Bai Xiao and Bai Song, shook her hand warmly, ¡°Sister-inw, remember me? I am Xiaowa. I fetched water at your house once. Our instructor had called me about this matter, and I¡¯ve been thinking about it since. By the way, I know you have a lot of luggage; where is it?¡±

    Bai Xiao actually didn¡¯t remember the students who had helped out at her house, as at that time she was eager to distance herself from An Zhiyuan, never paying much attention to those who came to help.

    ¡°Xiaowa, we need to pick up our luggage at the luggage counter at the station,¡± Bai Xiao mentioned.

    Feeling quite apologetic as she saw the redness from the cold on Xiaowa¡¯s face, she knew that he had been waiting for them outside the station for a long time.

    Without mobile phones, the only way to connect was to wait here, and Xiao guessed that Xiaowa had waited a long time, not wanting to dy their ns.

    Xiaowa said with a smile, ¡°Let¡¯s go then, sister-inw, let¡¯s go get the luggage.¡±

    Bai Song and Bai Xiao followed Xiaowa to the luggage counter. It was lucky that Ding Ke had notified them in advance; otherwise, they couldn¡¯t have retrieved their luggage right away. Holding the ticket, they began collecting their bags, and it was then that Xiaowa realized why the instructor had insisted on them being escorted home¡ªthe five cases were not few.

    Fortunately, with Bai Song and Xiaowa there to help, Xiaowa carried two cases, Bai Song carried three, and Bai Xiao wanted to carry one, but her brother and Xiaowa wouldn¡¯t let her. Instead, she took all the backpacks on Bai Song¡¯s back, clutching them to her own chest, each filled with parcelsrge and small.

    The three of them hadn¡¯t walked far from the station when they saw the jeep parked.

    After loading the luggage, Bai Song sat in the front, Bai Xiao in the back.

    Xiaowa drove directly to Liupan Vige. Along the way, he kept praising An Zhiyuan, making him sound more beautiful than flowers, which amused Bai Xiao immensely.

    When they arrived at the vige, it was already dark.

    Driving straight to Bai Xiao¡¯s house, Bai Song jumped out of the car and knocked on the door loudly.

    Bai Yue and Li Haiping had already received Bai Song¡¯s telegram and knew they were due back these days. The moment they heard the knocking, draped in their clothes, they asked from inside.

    ¡°Is that you, Bai Song, Bai Xiao?¡±

    The family had not slept well for several days, listening every night for any noise outside, fearing Bai Xiao and Bai Song would arrive when it was too dark.

    Bai Yue had heard the sound of a car earlier¡ªno other households in the vige had a car.

    She felt faintly hopeful it might be her brother and sister returning. Now someone was knocking, of course, she got up immediately.

    ¡°Sister, it¡¯s Bai Song and Bai Xiao; we¡¯re back.¡±

    Bai Yue quickly opened the door, and Bai Song called to his nephew, ¡°Haiping,e help with the luggage.¡± Now that they were home, it seemed unfair to trouble Xiaowa anymore.

    Bai Xiao hopped out of the car and took down the bags, with Bai Yue alreadying forward to take them from her hands.

    Bai Xiao then turned and grabbed another case, while Bai Song, Xiaowa, and Haiping carried the remaining four cases into the house.

    By then, Bai Yue had already stoked the stove, ced a pot of water on top, and was getting ready to cook for them.

    She stepped out to greet Xiaowa, ¡°Comrade, thank you for bringing my brother and sister back. Pleasee inside and warm up, I¡¯m going to make something hot for you to eat.¡±

    Xiaowa repeatedly waved his hands, ¡°No thanks, big sister, I really can¡¯t stay for a meal, I have to hurry back.¡±

    He had training tomorrow and couldn¡¯t afford to miss the drill.

    Bai Xiao quickly took two boxes of cigarettes from her bag and stuffed them into Xiaowa¡¯s hands, ¡°Then take these two boxes of cigarettes. Since you have duties tomorrow, I won¡¯t keep you, but whenever you have time,e over for a meal, I¡¯ll cook something delicious for you.¡±

    Xiaowa, grinning, pocketed them! They always had a liking for smoking and drinking.

    ¡°Alright! Sister-inw, when I have time, I¡¯ll definitelye over for a meal. I know you¡¯re a great cook. While the instructor is away, I¡¯lle over and sneak in a few meals. I won¡¯t be going home for the New Year, so you won¡¯t mind, right?¡±

    This little guy was still thinking about the feast he had missed previously. Back at their pace, they had boasted quite a bit, and Xiaowa had been longing for it for a while.

    ¡°Sure,e over during the New Year¡¯s if you have time. I¡¯ll be home cooking something delicious just for you,¡± Bai Xiao warmly agreed.

    Xiaowa happily drove off.

 Chapter 242 - 242 242 Cant Be Unreasonable

    ?Chapter 242: Chapter 242: Can¡¯t Be Unreasonable   Chapter 242: Chapter 242: Can¡¯t Be Unreasonable                                   Bai Song saw Xiaowa off and closed the courtyard door.

    Bai Yue had already prepared the dough, and the big pot already had the braised sauce simmering, getting ready to boil the noodles.

    Bai Xiao and Bai Song were in the house, where a fire was burning under the kang bed. Both of them had already taken off their coats and gotten onto the warm kang, sitting cross-legged and feeling the warmth spread from the inside out.

    Li Haiping moved the kang table, and Li Haian had already brought over the sauce for the noodles.

    It wasn¡¯t long before Bai Yue brought up two steaming bowls of noodles.

    ¡°Come on, eat quickly.¡±

    Seeing his younger siblings return, he couldn¡¯t hide his joy.

    Li Haishun sat on the edge of the kang, nced at the noodles, slurped, and slipped off to the kitchen. Soon, he returned with one hand holding chili oil and the other holding a vinegar bottle, cing them in front of Bai Xiao and Bai Song.

    ¡°Aunt, uncle, it¡¯s tastier with some chili oil and vinegar.¡±

    Bai Songughed, ¡°Oh, boy, you do have an eye for good things.¡±

    Li Haishun blushed shyly, climbed back onto the kang, and sat next to Bai Song.

    Bai Yue untied her apron, ¡°I knew you would be here these two days, just didn¡¯t know which day. And look at you two,ing back and bringing so much stuff? How much money did this all cost?¡±

    Bai Yue, having always been concerned, could not help but start scolding when she saw big and small bags and five suitcases moved into the house.

    Bai Xiao was all smiles while Bai Song directly deflected, ¡°Sis, all this stuff is Bai Xiao¡¯s doing; don¡¯te at me. I just provided the muscles, didn¡¯t spend a penny.¡± He ate his noodles with gusto, shamelessly escaping responsibility.

    On hearing it was Bai Xiao¡¯s doing, Bai Yue scolded even more, ¡°You girl, I have yet to start on you. It¡¯s not easy for you alone outside, and just when you start earning a sry, you should keep it for yourself, look howvish you are now. I even had Little Sansan write to you, telling you not to send your sry home every month. We can buy food here in the vige much cheaper than in the city. Plus, sis is doing fine here, raising chickens, selling the eggs can get us seventy or eighty yuan a month. In a few days, we¡¯ll also be able to sell the pigs in the house.

    We¡¯re not short of money. You better not send money home anymore. Life in the big city must be expensive. Save the hard-earned money for yourself for your future dowry,¡± Bai Yue said, genuinely concerned for her sister¡¯s struggles for the family.

    Bai Xiao pointed to those suitcases, which she had marked with numbers 1 to 5, indicating who each was intended for, ¡°Haiping, find the one marked with a one; it¡¯s for you and the older sister.¡±

    Li Haiping looked at his mom. Bai Yue shook her head. What could be done, really? Everything was already bought; could they still return it? The cost of transporting it back wasn¡¯t worth the train fare!

    ¡°Go ahead, listen to your aunt.¡±

    Li Haiping, Li Haian, and Li Haishun, the three brothers, rummaged through and finally located suitcase number one, heavy as they moved it out.

    Untying the ropes on the suitcase, they began removing each item, and the three brothers were almost bbergasted by the contents.

    ¡°Mom,e and see¡­¡±

    Li Haiping held a radio, and it took him a while to snap out of it. Some families in the vige had this ck box, and they knew that pulling out the long wire allowed it to somehow generate sound.

    Especially around noon, the storytelling from this ck box, featuring ¡°Romance of the Three Kingdoms,¡± Zhao Yun¡¯s tales, was exceptionally clear. Sometimes they would stand outside someone¡¯s courtyard, hooked to it and not willing to leave.

    The thing was said to be expensive.

    Apparently, a radio like this cost over 100 yuan, and not many in the vige could afford it.

    The three brothers secretly vowed to raise their pigs well, hoping in a couple of years they too could save enough money to buy one.

    Bai Yue was also startled at the sight.

    The eldest was holding a radio, the second a digital watch, and the third a backpack and a fountain pen.

    Oh my, how much money would all these items cost?

    Bai Yue was suddenly very upset.

    Even though it was her sister who bought them, Bai Yue felt the pain of spending so much money. Her sister had suffered over the years, and only now had she finally found a formal job. Making money was not easy. If it all went to her siblings, what would be left for Bai Xiao¡¯s dowry when she got married?

    If the dowry wasn¡¯t respectable, An Zhiyuan¡¯s family might look down on her sister by then.

    ¡°Xiao, you¡­¡±

    Bai Xiao had just finished eating, she put down her bowl and dropped her chopsticks.

    ¡°Sis, please don¡¯t scold me, I didn¡¯t spend a single cent on these things.¡±

    She promptly stopped her older sister from scolding.

    Bai Yue red, ¡°Who are you fooling? How much would these things cost? Who would give them to you for free?¡± Suddenly, she thought of something.

    She immediately sat down in front of Bai Xiao with a stern expression.

    ¡°Did An Zhiyuan give you these things?¡±

    Bai Xiao shook her head.

    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me. If these were gifts from Instructor An, we need to return them immediately. You aren¡¯t married yet, and epting such significant gifts now would lead to disrespect from your inws in the future. Sister knows our family was poor before. You suffered at grandma¡¯s and your uncle¡¯s, but remember, we must have integrity even in poverty, especially girls can¡¯t be shortsighted for these things. Once you start living together, having epted such heavy gifts,

    any argument would put you in the wrong. Our family being poor is one thing, but a life is made by people¡¯s efforts. There are no blessings that can¡¯t be enjoyed, only hardships that can¡¯t be endured. Sister would rather live a bit more difficultly than see you owing anything to your inws.¡±

    Bai Xiao felt warm inside! She hugged Bai Yue, resting her head on her big sister¡¯s chest, ¡°Big sis, you are so good!¡±

    Bai Yue blushed and swatted Bai Xiao, ¡°You are still ying these tricks on me. Let me tell you, ttering me won¡¯t work, you have to return these things.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Li Haiping and his other two children promptly and obediently put the items back in the box.

    They fancied these items, but after hearing their mother, they understood if they kept them, their aunt¡¯s life would be difficult.

    Bai Xiaoughed, ¡°Big sister, these items really weren¡¯t from Instructor An. I cured someone¡¯s illness for a high-ranking official, and he gifted them to me. Moreover, he had already delivered them to my door. You see, he even investigated our family so thoroughly he sent gifts for each one of us. So, you might actually just keep these; they¡¯re earned through your sister¡¯sbor.¡±

    This finally made things clear.

    Bai Yue was still skeptical, ¡°Really?¡±

    She was afraid her sister might have taken a wrong turn because of their family, although An Zhiyuan was a good man! However, remembering these gifts in the future could still be ufortable.

    Bai Xiao nodded firmly, pointing at her older brother who was chuckling on the side, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, ask Big Brother. He knows too. He was there when the high-ranking official came to invite me.¡±

    Bai Yue searched Bai Song¡¯s face, and Bai Song hastily nodded, ¡°I know she went to treat someone, but I really didn¡¯t know about these gifts.¡±

    Bai Yue sighed in relief.

    ¡°That family is alright, aren¡¯t they?¡± She was worried Bai Xiao might have exposed any of her secrets.

    Bai Xiao nodded emphatically, ¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡±

 Chapter 243 - 243 243 The Villagers

    ?Chapter 243: Chapter 243: The Vigers   Chapter 243: Chapter 243: The Vigers                                   ¡°Hurry up and take those things out, they were tailor-made for each of you,¡± Bai Xiao said to her three nephews.

    The three looked at Bai Yue.

    In their house, everything was decided by their mom.

    Bai Yue nodded her head, ¡°Since it¡¯s specially to thank your auntie, let¡¯s ept it! We are benefiting from your auntie¡¯s good fortune this time.¡± After Bai Xiao exined the reason, she was not shy about epting the gifts. After all, they were meant to please her sister.

    Mainly, as long as Bai Xiao was safe, she was happy to let the kids have their fun.

    Li Haiping, Li Hai¡¯an, and Li Haishun immediately cheered.

    Bai Xiao smiled with her eyes crescent-shaped, her mouth curled into a smile; this was the feeling of home.

    Watching her three sons cheer every time they took something out, Bai Yue had to step in. What time was it now? Bai Xiao and Bai Song must be exhausted from a whole day of travel.

    She immediately spoke up, ¡°Just take a look now, and examine them carefully tomorrow. It¡¯s sote now, let your auntie and uncle go to sleep quickly.¡±

    As the head of the household spoke up, the three boys quickly gathered the items back into the suitcase. Pushing Bai Song towards their room, of course, he would sleep with the three of them upon his return.

    Bai Yue made up the bed for herself and Bai Xiao and turned off the lights.

    Bai Xiao took off her clothes andy in the warm bed. The heat rising from under the nket soothed her thoroughly, and she couldn¡¯t help but stretch outfortably in a big yawn.

    The surrounding sounds of chickens crowing and dogs barking carried a familiar scent.

    This must be the feeling of home.

    ¡­¡­

    The next day, before Bai Xiao even opened her eyes, she heard a noisymotion in the courtyard.

    ¡°Be gentle, Bai Xiao is still sleeping.¡±

    ¡°I told you toeter and you had toe!¡±

    ¡°Mom, even if I hadn¡¯te, look how many people are seated in the courtyard waiting to see Bai Xiao.¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright, you always have to be right.¡±

    Bai Xiao opened her eyes, stretched a big yawn, and slowly got up to get dressed from the bed.

    As soon as there was movement in the room, the voices outside grew louder by threefold.

    Bai Xiao tidied up her hair in the room and washed her face.

    She took out a bag of candy from her own bag. Returning with her elder brother, they came back from the big city, a rare event in the vige.

    The fellow vigers who came to see them were definitely not few.

    She took a bag of candy out to the courtyard and gave a few pieces to each of the children and women there, as a small token of goodwill.

    Immediately, a group of children surrounded Bai Xiao, and those with enough courage even took several more candies from her bag.

    Seeing that she was not angry and happily scampered away, but no one took advantage of the situation, the vigers and children were still quite simple at heart.

    When Li Chunmei and Liu Hong saw Bai Xiao, they happily went into the house. Other aunties took some candies, exchanged a few words of greeting, and then left as well. The family must have a lot to talk about when someonees back home, it wouldn¡¯t be considerate to keep bothering them at their house.

    Once inside the house, Li Chunmei sized up Bai Xiao, ¡°Xiao, you need to tell your godmother what exactly happened. Why are you working again? It¡¯s such a pity not to continue at the university.¡± They had only heard a bit about this from Bai Yue, so no one really knew the details.

    Bai Xiao pulled out an electronic watch to give to Liu Hong, then handed over a box of red ginseng to Li Chunmei, ¡°Godmother, actually, it¡¯s nothing serious. I¡¯m working at a hospital, which is simr to being assigned a job after university graduation. Besides, our Dean also said he ns to arrange for me to go to Medical University to further my studies after summer. By then, I¡¯ll still graduate from university; I promise to bring you a university diploma when Ie back.

    I was thinking, working at the hospital is somewhat better than Aviation University. With my weak physique, if I really went to train and fly airnes, I probably couldn¡¯t do it and would end up transferring to other ground jobs anyway. It¡¯s better to work in the hospital.¡± She exined the pros and cons to Li Chunmei.

    Li Chunmei still felt it was a pity, ¡°I was thinking it¡¯s not easy for you to get into a university, and if you don¡¯t go, it really is a shame. But you said you can go to Medical University this year, that¡¯s good too. If you be a doctor, like your dad and mom, healing the sick and saving lives, plus you have the family¡¯s acupuncture skills, being a doctor in the future to save lives and help the wounded would indeed carry forward your parents¡¯ expertise.¡± She nced at the red ginseng as she held it.

    ¡°You¡¯re a girl who has started to earn a bit of money; it¡¯s not easy, so save it and don¡¯t spend it recklessly. Your godfather and I are living in the vige, young and without ailments; we can¡¯t consume such expensive things. You¡¯ll need money for many things out there.¡± But still, she held the ginseng preciously in her hands.

    Liu Hong had already tried on the electronic watch and was beaming with joy.

    ¡°Mom, if you don¡¯t want it, I do. This item is called an electronic watch, and I¡¯ve seen many people in the county town have it. I heard it sells out as soon as it¡¯s stocked, and this one costs more than twenty yuan.¡±

    When Li Chunmei heard this, she was startled, ¡°My goodness, it¡¯s that expensive? We can¡¯t ept it!¡±

    Bai Xiao stopped Li Chunmei, ¡°Godmother, it¡¯s just a little token of my affection. If you don¡¯t ept it, that¡¯ll make me unhappy. I¡¯m your goddaughter, and it¡¯s only right for me to honor you with something, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Li Chunmei was touched by these words and couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Look at you, you really talk like a university student¡ªso smooth. All right, I¡¯ll ept it this time, but you can¡¯t do this again. If you bring things again, it means you don¡¯t consider us as your godparents, do you hear me?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I hear you, godmother!¡± Bai Xiao cooed, hugging Li Chunmei.

    Liu Hong, with the electronic watch on her wrist, came to whisper to Bai Xiao.

    ¡°You might not know, but that bastard Han Dazhi was sentenced to five years in prison. It really served him right.¡±

    Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t aware of this, but it indeed was a good thing that the scumbag got what he deserved.

    ¡°Godfather didn¡¯t mess with the Han Family?¡±

    Bai Xiao had long realized that although Liu Baoguo was a good man, he was also ruthless. If someone mistreated his daughter, it would be wrong not to seek revenge from their family.

    Liu Hong¡¯s lips curled in a smile, ¡°You think my dad wouldn¡¯t take action? Because the Han Family produced a criminal, my dad took back Han Dazhi¡¯snd. Not only will they no longer receive relief funds, but they must still deliver the public grain ording to the headcount. Han Dazhi¡¯s mother caused a scene at our house once, and my uncle, Director Zh¨¬ B¨£o, took his men and seized all of their pigs.

    The pig was ughtered, and the meat was distributed to the whole vige, except their family. My dad said that anyone who causes a ruckus and thinks they can be exempt from their duties by throwing tantrums and rolling on the ground is dreaming.

    The sanctity of national policy cannot be vited. Anyone trying to evade or resist will face strict measures, and this is just the beginning.

    Their second son still hopes to work in the county factory, right? He won¡¯t pass the political vetting; my dad won¡¯t stamp the approval. Their family has already produced a rapist, and they still dream of good fortune? That¡¯s outrageous.¡± Liu Hong knew that her dad nned to deal with the Han Family slowly, with him as the vige chief holding sway over them, they couldn¡¯t hope to rise above.

    In their ruralmunity, if Liu Baoguo wanted to settle scores, he would do so slowly and painfully, and the Han Family would have their time to weep.

    Bai Xiao figured that the olddy of the Han Family must be regretting everything by now. If she had known this would be the oue, she might have wished her son had married Liu Hong instead.

 Chapter 244 - 244 244 Who is Family with You

    ?Chapter 244: Chapter 244: Who is Family with You?   Chapter 244: Chapter 244: Who is Family with You?                                   There it was, no sooner had I settled onto my stool at noon, someone came knocking at the door.

    Who?

    Hao Fang came in, dragging Bai Mei along with her, both of them crying and sobbing.

    Bai Xiao nced at Bai Mei, the once plump and rounded Bai Mei! She now looked withered, her formerly rosy cheeks now dry and thin, her once fair skin had turned dark and sallow, and her once soft and shiny hair was now like dry straw. Especially her face; one eye was still bruised and hadn¡¯t faded, and her eyes were red with tears.

    There¡¯s no need to talk about Hao Fang, who had lost a good deal of weight, she was slender, to begin with, but it was unbearable to witness the stench. The moment she entered, it hit the nostrils, her whole body reeked of a terrible odor, who knows how many days it¡¯s been since shest bathed. The two of them tried to sit on the Kang bed! But Bai Xiao swiftly blocked them.

    She pointed to the stools on the ground; the house had acquired two more stools which, ording to Haiping, Uncle Wang had made.

    Bai Xiao hardly had time to figure out who this Uncle Wang was before the mother and daughter entered.

    Of course, they certainly hadn¡¯te for her, Bai Xiao, they must have been heading for Bai Song, who else could be the master of the house if not Bai Song?

    ¡°Go sit over there!¡± Bai Xiao still clutched the broom she used to sweep the bed, Hao Fang and Bai Mei had been in the middle of crying their eyes out, but they were stunned by Bai Xiao¡¯s interjection.

    Hao Fang pointed at Bai Xiao, ¡°Xiao, how could you be so cruel? Can¡¯t you see how your sister has been beaten? And you still¡­¡± She had thought that after all these months, Bai Xiao¡¯s anger would have subsided, but she received this treatment the moment she arrived.

    ¡°Don¡¯t falsely im to be rtives; I don¡¯t have such a sister. Besides, our Kang bed isn¡¯t for just anyone to sit on. If you bring fleas onto it, do you expect our whole family to spend the evenings hunting them bymplight?¡± Bai Xiao had long noticed the lice in Hao Fang¡¯s hair; it would truly be troublesome if it spread.

    Hastily, Hao Fang covered her hair with her hands! It was all because of that house, crammed next to the pigsty, stinking and infested with lice and fleas everywhere. Hearing this, Bai Mei jumped in fright, letting go of her mother and stepping back.

    Hao Fang was furious inside.

    This damned Bai Xiao was her bane.

    Why couldn¡¯t this bane just stay away for the New Year? With Bai Xiao around, the things they wanted to do would probably be difficult to aplish.

    Hao Fang turned to Bai Song, ¡°Second Brother, you can¡¯t ignore your sister. She was beaten up by that bastard Fang Xiaoshan. If you don¡¯t stand up for her, our Bai Mei will be bullied to death. You don¡¯t know, even the two-month-old child in Bai Mei¡¯s belly was lost because of Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s beatings. It¡¯s such a sin.¡± Hao Fang cried heartbreakingly at the mention of her daughter¡¯s suffering.

    Bai Mei suddenly sat on a stool, covering her face and sobbing.

    Bai Song nced at Bai Mei and Hao Fang with furrowed brows, ¡°I really can¡¯t intervene in this matter. I¡¯ve made it crystal clear; your family has nothing to do with ours, we don¡¯t associate anymore. You should be seeking Bai Jianguo, Bai Shan, and Bai Zhuang for this, not me. I¡¯m an outsider, and I really can¡¯t meddle in this matter.¡±

    Bai Xiao was surprised to see her big brother being so supportive, showing no pity for Bai Mei¡¯s pitiful state, but rather taking a firm stand.

    ¡°Bai Song, how can you talk like that? Each and every one of you is so heartless, this calls for divine punishment! You¡¯re all Bai¡¯s!¡± Hao Fang had not expected Bai Song to respond this way.

    Bai Mei also stopped crying and looked up at Bai Song in astonishment.

    Bai Song sneered, ¡°What, you think I¡¯m an idiot? When your Bai Mei had that promising match, whom was it supposed to be with? If circumstances hadn¡¯t identally changed, who would be suffering now? My sister, Bai Xiao, right? Who¡¯s the heartless one? You¡¯ve brought this upon yourselves, no one¡¯s to me. This is retribution; you had iting! You really think I would deal with your mess? You must be dreaming! Get out now or don¡¯t me me for being rude.¡±

    Hao Fang and Bai Mei had truly not expected Bai Song to react like this. In everyone¡¯s eyes, Bai Song was a man of principle, one to fight tyranny and help the weak. Shouldn¡¯t that be Bai Song¡¯s duty? How could he be so different now?

    The mother and daughter werepletely dumbfounded.

    Seeing that they still hadn¡¯t moved, Bai Song bellowed toward the courtyard.

    ¡°Haiping, Hai¡¯an, take the fire poker and drive these two out. From now on, let¡¯s not just let anyone into our yard.¡± He really couldn¡¯t stand Hao Fang and Bai Mei.

    As soon as Li Haiping and Li Hai¡¯an heard that, they were delighted. They had long been tired of Hao Fang and Bai Mei¡ªespecially Hao Fang. In the month just after Bai Xiao left, she would specificallye to their house at mealtime to freeload.

    The first time Bai Yue just couldn¡¯t bear to turn her away, but to her surprise, Hao Fang showed up the next day, and the day after that, until Bai Yue eventually locked the main door and wouldn¡¯t open it even if someone knocked it down.

    That¡¯s when Hao Fang stoppeding.

    But her stopping had a reason behind it; she was waiting for someone in the house who was in charge.

    One wielding a broom, the other a fire poker, they stormed right in.

    Li Haiping lifted the cotton curtain and, pointing to the outside door, said to the two people.

    ¡°Hurry up and get out!¡±

    Li Hai¡¯an, holding the broom, positioned himself in front of the mother and daughter, ¡°Hurry up, don¡¯t dawdle. Don¡¯t let all the warmth in our house out.¡±

    Hao Fang and Bai Mei were so frustrated they were practically itching. Bai Mei looked at Bai Song with fierce hope, ¡°Second brother, you¡¯re really not going to do anything?¡±

    Bai Song answered resolutely, ¡°You¡¯re not worthy of calling me ¡®second brother¡¯.¡±

    Hao Fang and Bai Mei left dejectedly.

    Bai Xiao watched Bai Mei and Hao Fang leave and quickly called out to Haiping and Hai¡¯an, ¡°Quick, sweep up the house, clean it, and disinfect it. I saw that Hao Fang¡¯s hair was teeming with lice¡ªwe can¡¯t let them infect everyone here.¡±

    Everyone hurriedly scalded the chairs with boiling water and swept the floor several times, and even sprayed vinegar all around the house.

    No one knew if it would work, but it was done for peace of mind.

    Bai Yue brought the dining table over, and the family prepared to eat¡ªbig pots of stew, white flour buns, and mushy cornmeal. She nced around the room¡ªhaving been busy cooking in the kitchen, she had no idea what had been said in here.

    ¡°Did they leave?¡± The shamelessness of Hao Fang was more than Bai Yue could handle.

    Bai Xiao nodded, picking up her chopsticks, ¡°My brother drove them away.¡±

    ¡°Big sister, next time theye, just drive them out directly. The more polite you are to people like that, the more emboldened they be and start taking advantage of you,¡± Bai Song said as he picked up a big white bun and took a bite. ¡°Mmm! Sister, the buns we steam are really the best.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s good, then eat more without worry. We have enough grain in our house,¡± Bai Yue said proudly. It was something she wouldn¡¯t have dared to guarantee before, but now she had confidence.

    The family¡¯s twenty-five hens were doing extraordinarily well. Just the money from selling eggs was three to four yuan a day, which added up to over a hundred yuan a month. Bai Yue found that buying grain hardly cost her anything.

    She was full of confidence and nned to add another twenty-five chicks after spring. That would mean two hundred yuan a month. They could not only buy grain but also afford to build a big tile-roofed house after saving for a year.

    She inquired around the vige, and a tile-roofed house with nine rooms in a row, plus a front and back yard could be built for just a little over one to two thousand yuan.

    And it would be quite the grand house.

 Chapter 245 - 245 245 Coercion

    ?Chapter 245: Chapter 245 Coercion   Chapter 245: Chapter 245 Coercion                                   Bai Mei and Hao Fang arrived home, cursing andining the entire way.

    As they entered, they bumped into Bai Zhuang, who was sulking.

    Upon seeing Bai Mei, he was infuriated, ¡°Why are you back again? You¡¯re not afraid of your inws gossiping about you running to your parents¡¯ house all the time? No wonder Fang Xiaoshan beats you. You never do any work at home, what use is a wife like you?¡±

    As soon as Bai Mei heard this, she exploded, ¡°Bai Zhuang, are you speaking like a human? I¡¯m your sister. Instead of protecting me and supporting me after I got beaten, you¡¯re hereining about me. Are you even my real brother?¡±

    Hao Fang also scolded Bai Zhuang. If her son hadn¡¯t been so useless, she wouldn¡¯t have had to beg Bai Song. It was humiliating to have her warm face met with their cold backsides.

    ¡°And you, the eldest, how can you speak to your sister like that? Look at what Fang Xiaoshan did to your sister. I¡¯m telling you, tomorrow you and Bai Shan better go find Fang Xiaoshan and make him pay for this. If he doesn¡¯t kneel down and apologize to your sister, she won¡¯t go back there!¡±

    Bai Zhuang didn¡¯t like what he heard and retorted, ¡°Mom, if you think like that, then I definitely won¡¯t go. What¡¯s our family situation now? I can¡¯t even afford to marry a wife, and you want to take Mei back? Who¡¯s going to provide for her? If it weren¡¯t for Mei stealing the family money and running off causing all of it to be wasted, I wouldn¡¯t still be unmarried at this age.

    Mom, let me tell you, Wu Xiaoyue¡¯s mother said that after the New Year, if we don¡¯t prepare a dowry and propose, they¡¯ll talk to other potential matches. Then your son really won¡¯t be able to find a wife.

    If you have so much free time, why don¡¯t you clean yourself up? Look at yourself, no wonder dad doesn¡¯t want toe home. I can smell you from eight feet away.¡±

    Being the oldest in the family now, Bai Zhuang could, of course, speak up to Hao Fang.

    Hao Fang was furious and started beating Bai Zhuang with a broom, ¡°I raised you, and now you despise me? I tell you, even if I stink to high heaven, I¡¯m still your mother. They say a dog doesn¡¯t despise its impoverished home, a child doesn¡¯t despise an ugly mother, yet you dare toin? Have you ever thought about who¡¯s responsible for my condition? If it weren¡¯t for your grandmother harassing me all the time, would I be like this?¡±

    As Zhuang dodged, he argued, ¡°Who else is there to me but you, for not treating my grandma well? Would our family have sunk this low otherwise?¡±

    When looking back at what had happened over the past six months, Bai Zhuang was filled with anger. He had agreed that he would be married this autumn, but now, there was not even a shadow of a bride in sight.

    The grandmother held the financial power of the household tightly in her grip, unwilling to let go.

    Aside from the crops they produced themselves, the grandmother took all the grains harvested in the autumn. She hid all the money from selling the grains, money that was previously set aside for him and Bai Shan.

    Now, as Bai Zhuang recounted the situation, could he really be without resentment? Of course, he believed his own mother had spoiled everything.

    And there was his sister, stirring up trouble.

    ¡°You still have the nerve to talk! I¡¯m asking you, are you going to stand up for your sister with Bai Shan tomorrow?¡± Hao Fang could now only rely on Bai Shan and Bai Zhuang.

    Bai Zhuang shook his head, ¡°Even if you beat me to death today, I won¡¯t go. Bai Mei can deal with the consequences of her own actions. She chose to marry Fang Xiaoshan back then, and a daughter married off is like water poured away. Now you want me to make a decision for her, what decision can I make?

    It¡¯s normal for a man to hit a woman. How long has Dad not beaten you? He¡¯s always ready to start hitting you. If every couple returned home over things like this, looking for parental support, we¡¯d be run into the ground.

    Bai Mei, you better hurry back to your marital home. I¡¯m telling you, our family has neither space for you nor food. You leave behind such a good life at your inws¡¯, the big tiled house, and insist on running back here. I think you¡¯re just looking for trouble.¡±

    Bai Mei trembled with anger. Fang Xiaoshan had beaten her until she miscarried. She had hoped that once Bai Song returned, as long as he dealt with Fang Xiaoshan and made sure he never dared to hit her again¡ªbest to cripple one of his legs, so he couldn¡¯t go out and gamble every day.

    As for whether Bai Song would face military discipline or legal punishment, that was not her concern. In her mind, she only considered whether she could live her own life; she truly never thought about the life or death of others.

    Bai Mei¡¯s nature was indeed much like that of her parents, Bai Jianguo and Hao Fang; the education and examples set at home had been remarkably sessful.

    ¡°Big brother, can you be so heartless? Do you know what kind of person Fang Xiaoshan is? He¡¯s always up to no good, stealing chickens, groping women, and even having an unclear rtionship with the widow in the neighboring vige. It might look like I¡¯m living a morous life at the Fang Family¡¯s ce, but do you know it¡¯s just a pile of trash?

    The Fang Family used to have money to build a big tiled house and hold a ce in the vige only because Fang Jianping, a powerful uncle from the family¡¯s business, was supporting them. Without him, what capital would Fang Xiaoshan have to squander? But now?

    His uncle saw through Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s worthlessness long ago. He cut ties with the family before our wedding and didn¡¯t evene back to the vige for it. He said he had given their old house to the grandparents and wouldn¡¯t be involved with them anymore, even in their old age.

    Other than his uncle, everyone in the Fang Family is worthless. Since I married into the family, his parents keep making excuses not to work, saying they¡¯re too unwell. So who does all the work at home? The old man and the olddy just sit around waiting to be fed and catered to. I¡¯m the one ving away in the fields, only toe home without a hot meal waiting and still needing to cook and wash clothes. Think about it, me, a frail woman, serving five people in the Fang Family. Have you ever considered what kind of life your sister is living there?

    If Fang Xiaoshan were a good man, I could bear the hardship andbor, but the problem is he¡¯s worthless. Whenever hees home and there¡¯s no money, he immediately starts cursing. In the first two months of marriage, it was just cursing, but since heid hands on me once, beating me has be a daily urrence. Every time he¡¯s in a bad mood, I¡¯m the one who suffers. I had been two months pregnant, but his beating caused me to lose the child. Even then, he didn¡¯t give me a moment to breathe and forced me to keep working at home and in the fields.

    You¡¯re my brother; this is my maternal home. If you don¡¯t support me, going back there is like walking down a dead-end. I might as well hang myself with a rope if I return. It¡¯s better than living in this world where neither my father cares nor my mother loves, a life that is unbearable.¡± Bai Mei knew how to threaten Bai Zhuang, not believing that if she pushed her sister to death, he, her big brother, could have a good reputation in the vige, nor could Wu Xiaoyue dare to marry him.

    Indeed, Bai Zhuang was frightened. If Bai Mei truly died because of this, people wouldn¡¯t say that Fang Xiaoshan drove his sister-inw to her death; they would definitely say it was Bai Zhuang¡¯s cruelty in not taking care of Bai Mei that killed her. With the Wu Family already dissatisfied with him, adding this reputation to his name, his marriage to Wu Xiaoyue would certainly be doomed.

    Pounding his chest in assurance, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. You¡¯re my sister, and I¡¯ll definitely take a stand for you. Rest assured, tomorrow Bai Shan and I will head to the Fang Family¡¯s house.¡± This was also forced upon him by Bai Mei.

    Bai Mei sighed with relief, touched the bruises on her body, and thought about how to deal with Fang Xiaoshan. She couldn¡¯t live like this in the Fang Family¡¯s house in the future. She had to teach Fang Xiaoshan a lesson that he couldn¡¯t bully her anymore.

 Chapter 246 - 246 246 Collecting Pigs

    ?Chapter 246: Chapter 246: Collecting Pigs   Chapter 246: Chapter 246: Collecting Pigs                                   The next morning, Bai Xiao, Bai Song, and Bai Yue got up early, for today their family was to sell their pigs, including the sow and the four boars that remained, which Bai Yue and her son had raised to be particrly plump and strong over thest few months.

    Bai Xiao estimated that one of them weighed around three hundred pounds, and its size was likely one of thergest in the vige. They had not fed the pigs the previous evening, adhering to the local custom of selling pigs. Honest vigers usually followed this rule to avoid being criticized for dishonesty.

    Because of those who cheated and acted slyly, skipping the pigs¡¯ meal in the evening but then feeding them heavily in the morning to increase their weight wasmon. However, buyers weren¡¯t fools; they could easily spot such tactics.

    The amiable ones wouldugh it off, exposing the act and simply subtracting the extra weight, but if they met someone less forgiving, they would refuse to buy the pigs right then and there. If they were deceived into buying, they would likely never buy from that family again.

    Li Haiping, Li Haian, and Li Haishun were so excited that they didn¡¯t know what to do.

    Chickensying eggs daily was such amon urrence that it was taken for granted, but the money from these few pigs was noparison to that from chickens.

    All three children understood that this was a significant ie for their family and it would affect their future path. They were all aware that theirs was the only family in the vige without anynd, unable to rely on farm crops for sustenance. Instead, they depended on the chickens and pigs at home to provide for their meals and to afford schooling for the youngest child.

    Soon, Wang Yan led a short, stout man into the house.

    ¡°Oh, everyone¡¯s here? Bai Xiao, Bai Song, you both havee back for the New Year. This man here is Brother Sun Weimin, our town¡¯s pig buyer. He said he¡¯d start buying in our vige today, and I brought him to your ce first to do business and then we¡¯ll head to my ce,¡± Wang Yan spoke to Bai Song and Bai Xiao.

    Bai Song was a man and currently the backbone of the family.

    He quickly pulled out a pack of Ashima cigarettes with filters, given to him as a gift by Bai Xiao, and offered one to each, ¡°Brother Wang, Brother Sun, have a cigarette.¡±

    Sun Weimin and the Wang Family had connections. Who couldpare to the Wang Family when it came to pigs in the region? Not only were their pigs well-fed and sturdy, but they also had a high turnover rate. Other families took five to six months to produce a batch of pigs, but the Wang Family could manage it in four and a half months, yielding two more batches in three years than anyone else, and they raised the most pigs.

    In the neighboring ten viges, the Wang Family held the status of major pig breeders, capable of producing forty to fifty pigs in a single batch, making them one of the major breeders in the area.

    Initially, when Wang Yan had brought him to the Bai Family to buy pigs, he didn¡¯t pay much heed; it was just another deal. But he had heard about the Bai Family, apparently they had a college student, which was big news for the ten viges. He also knew that the eldest sister had divorced and returned home with her three children to raise pigs and get by, he had heard of that too.

    In theory, a household raising just four pigs, like Bai Yue¡¯s family, wouldn¡¯t warrant a personal visit from Sun Weimin to buy pigs. However, he couldn¡¯t refuse Wang Yan, who had taken over his father¡¯s skilled legacy, so he reluctantly agreed to follow Wang Yan on this trip.

    Now seeing Bai Song¡¯s gesture, offering cigarettes with filters, and noting his military attire, Sun Weimin, who was worldly and knowledgeable, recognized the bars on the uniform and knew at once that Bai Song was someone formidable¡ªa man of rank.

    He immediately treated him with greater respect.

    Smiling, he took the cigarette and lit it for Bai Song, ¡°Brother Bai, you¡¯re too courteous.¡±

    Wang Yan also lit a cigarette, and the three of them squatted in the courtyard, engulfed in smoke, talking. Then Wang Yan and Bai Song took Sun Weimin to the backyard pigsty. They were surprised to see the four plump and sturdy pigs, which significantly improved their impression of the Bai Family. Despite being a household of orphans and a widow, they were quite adept at raising pigs.

    Watching the pigs nodding continuously, they looked at Bai Yue, who followed behind them, with newfound respect. Initially, they thought a divorced woman managing to raise pigs was impressive enough, but they never expected her pigs to be in such good condition, nearly matching those of the Wang Family.

    Sun Weimin couldn¡¯t help but take a second look at Bai Yue. On closer inspection, he discovered she was rather pretty, not at all old and ugly as rumored. This revtion added to his contemtion.

    He had indeed made a good amount of money as a middleman in the pig trade, but his wife had died early, leaving him with a son and a daughter being looked after by the elderly at home. Because of his busy business, he had no time to concern himself with matters of marriage.

    However, living alone was ultimately lonely and bleak. Every day, he came home to no hot meals, not to mention how cold the bed felt at night. Sincest year, he had been thinking about remarrying.

    But he hadn¡¯t met the right person yet.

    The matchmakers were mostly interested in his money, otherwise why would any decent girls willingly marry him?

    He had seen a few but none caught his eye.

    Today, upon seeing Bai Yue, although she didn¡¯t stand out at their initial meeting and no one took notice, he now found that the more he looked at her, the more appealing she became, despite her having three kids.

    But with Bai Yue¡¯s skill in raising pigs, managing those three kids wouldn¡¯t be hard at all. Most importantly, Bai Yue, as a woman who had been divorced, still retained her charm, which was a whole different matterpared to younger girls. Sun Weimin couldn¡¯t help but take an interest.

    ¡°Your pigs are impressive. I didn¡¯t expect a woman with three children to be able to raise them this well. It¡¯s truly rare!¡± Because he had made up his mind, Sun Weimin¡¯s attitude towards Bai Yue and Bai Song became even more polite and friendly.

    While speaking, he even turned his head specifically to address Bai Yue, instead of Bai Song, who had been standing beside him all along.

    Bai Yue smiled, pleased with thepliment, especially since raising those pigs had taken a lot of effort from her and her children. She felt quite proud. ¡°Brother Sun, please don¡¯t praise me so much. I really have to thank Brother Shitou. If it weren¡¯t for his help, I¡¯m afraid we wouldn¡¯t have been able to raise these pigs. When they first arrived, they put me in quite a predicament by all falling ill. It was only after Brother Shitou came over with medicine twice that we managed to save them,¡± she said.

    Wang Yan nced at Sun Weimin, feeling a chill, as he noticed something off in the way Sun Weimin was looking at Bai Yue.

    ¡°Still, it took a lot of hard work from you and the kids to raise the pigs so well! I reckon each of these pigs weighs at least three hundred pounds. Here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do¡ªI¡¯ll take all four of these pigs. I¡¯ll have my mene over soon to weigh and load the pigs directly into the truck. The price will be the same as the Wang Family¡¯s, ny cents per pound, certainly fair for you. Once you¡¯ve raised good pigs again, just call me directly and I¡¯ll send the truck over to pick them up!¡±

    Sun Weimin was very enthusiastic, and Bai Yue thanked him profusely.

    The expression in Wang Yan¡¯s eyes grew even colder.

    After exchanging some more pleasantries, Sun Weimin then followed Wang Yan back to the Wang Family¡¯s home.

 Chapter 247 - 247 247 Thoughts

    ?Chapter 247: Chapter 247: Thoughts   Chapter 247: Chapter 247: Thoughts                                   Along the way, Sun Weimin had not stopped praising how beautiful Bai Yue was and also how capable she was. Even a fool could see his intentions towards Bai Yue.

    Wang Yan became increasingly silent.

    On the other hand, Bai Yue, Bai Song, Bai Xiao, and the three kids at home were all delighted. A pig weighed at least three hundred pounds, and four pigs totaled up to twelve hundred pounds. Even if it was slightly less after deductions, they definitely had about eleven hundred and fifty pounds. At nine-tenths of a yuan per pound, that was over a thousand yuan!

    Upon hearing this number, Bai Yue was somewhat trembling with excitement.

    Four pigs were over a thousand yuan, and adding the money from selling eggs every month, it would amount to another thousand-plus for the year.

    Their family would have over two thousand yuan in a year.

    Even though they didn¡¯t have their ownnd, buying grain still left them with a surplus of over a thousand yuan.

    It was truly a considerable sum of money.

    Bai Xiao, seeing Bai Yue¡¯s excited state, really didn¡¯t have the heart to break it to her elder sister that this was just seeing the harvest. These chickens were because of her own blessings, and the pigs were lucky to have survived this time. The next time might not be so fortunate. If something went wrong with the grown pigs, they could end up with nothing at all.

    Perhaps after a year of raising them, they might end up not making any money, but instead lose what they had invested in the piglets.

    But today was such a good day, and she could not bear to say these words.

    So let the elder sister take it slowly; life is lived one step at a time.

    In the afternoon, Sun Weimin had someone drive directly to Bai Yue¡¯s house. Several workers came in and clumsily tied up the four pigs, and upon weighing, they truly were eleven hundred and forty pounds.

    ¡°Boss, the pigs are full-sized, no feedstuff added, a true weight indeed.¡± The master who was specifically responsible for checking the pigs reported to Sun Weimin.

    Sun Weimin nced at Bai Yue. This woman was honest and straightforward, probably due to her brothers who were all soldiers and the family¡¯s influence.

    ¡°Miss Bai Yue, the pigs have been weighed and loaded onto the truck. Here¡¯s one thousand and twenty-six yuan. Please count it,¡± Sun Weimin said as he took out money from his bag and handed it to Bai Yue.

    Bai Yue smiled as she took it, ¡°Thank you, big brother Sun!¡± She turned to Bai Xiao to count the money, as having her sister, a university student, count the money was only appropriate.

    Bai Xiao counted it and said, ¡°Big sister, it¡¯s exactly right, not a yuan more or less.¡±

    Sun Weimin, smiling, opened the big truck¡¯s door and turned to Bai Yue, ¡°Miss Bai Yue, I¡¯ve left you my number. If you want to sell pigs next time, just give me a call and I¡¯ll definitelye personally. If you need any help, just let me know. I¡¯m definitely willing to help.¡± He looked fondly at Bai Yue and spoke very amiably, clearly nning to further their acquaintance.

    Bai Yue waved her hand, ¡°Take care, big brother Sun. I¡¯ll definitely call you if there¡¯s anything.¡± She was genuinely happy about her sessful pig harvest.

    After seeing off Sun Weimin, Bai Yue came back to close the gate. With so much money at home, she inevitably felt a little worried. Fortunately, her brother was at home; otherwise, she would have felt uneasy about having sold the pigs and handling so much money all at once.

    Bai Xiao watched Sun Weimin¡¯s car disappearing into the distance, teasing her elder sister with a grin, ¡°Big sister, I see that this Sun Weimin really treats you differently!¡±

    She wholeheartedly encouraged her elder sister to take this step, and encountering Li Dashan was unavoidable, but it didn¡¯t mean her elder sister was less than anyone else.

    Bai Yue gave Bai Xiao a disdainful look, ¡°He¡¯s in business, of course, he¡¯s different with everybody. He tells people what they want to hear. If you take that seriously, then you¡¯re just too naive.¡± She didn¡¯t feel that Sun Weimin had any special feelings for her at all.

    Mainly, over the years, Bai Yue hade to see herself as a mother, mothering three sons. She didn¡¯t think anyone would fall for her at first sight.

    Of course, she thought of Wang Yan and couldn¡¯t help but smile sweetly. This man was different.

    Bai Xiao watched her elder sister¡¯s heart-fluttering smile and couldn¡¯t help but wonder. Had her sister had some romantic encounter during the days she was not around?

    It seemed her elder sister wouldn¡¯t tell her.

    Frustrated, she went inside, nning to thoroughly interrogate her elder sister at bedtime, to figure out with whom her elder sister had had an affair. It would also help her keep an eye on her sister so that she wouldn¡¯t encounter another jerk like Li Dashan. Her sister, such a kind and hardworking woman, deserved the best man.

    She hoped it wasn¡¯t one of those second-rate men out to take advantage, considering her elder sister was naive and could easily feel grateful for a little help in tough times. This gratitude could easily turn into affection.

    Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t let such a thing happen to her elder sister.

    When Bai Song returned, the family finally had dinner. He had gone to the vigemittee to call Bai Ju from the town. Bai Ju said that on the twenty-ninth of the twelfth lunar month, their family would return. This New Year was genuinely the first time their whole family would celebrate together, so of course, they had toe back for a family reunion.

    It was easier for Bai Ju since she didn¡¯t have inws; the couple coulde back directly with their three children for the New Year.

    Bai Yue, holding her bowl of rice, suddenly remembered, ¡°Oh dear, I forgot to save a pig for our family. I was so happy I sold them all, forgetting that we need meat for the New Year. Especially since we have more people this year, we should¡¯ve kept more meat. How could I be so happy that I sold all the pigs?¡± she eximed with regret.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay if you sold them, elder sister,¡± Bai Xiao chuckled. ¡°If ites to it, a few days from now if someone in the vige ughters a pig, we can just buy some pork from them. We wouldn¡¯t eat a whole pig anyway. Just get about forty to fifty pounds this year, elder sister. First, let¡¯s sort out the room next door, ask for some help from the vige, and make some basic repairs. If we fire up the kang and heat it for a couple of days, it should be ready for my second sister and her family when theye.¡± She was more concerned about where everyone would stay by then.

    Bai Yue nodded approvingly, ¡°Look at me, not thinking about anything else, just focused on having your brother call your sister, without even considering where they would stay when peoplee back. Their family has five members, after all. Tomorrow, since your brother is here, we¡¯ll fix that room¡ªjust the roof is broken and the windows aren¡¯t great. Fixing the roof or doing the windows might take a couple of days. I¡¯m not sure if the vige carpenter will be willing to work, especially since it¡¯s already the twelfth lunar month.¡±

    The family continued nning while eating their meal.

    Bai Song shook his head, ¡°I¡¯ll go talk to the vige chief, even if it means paying more to rush the job, it could actually be done in one day. At worst, I¡¯ll go help out. I¡¯ll make sure that when your third brother and brother-inwe back, they can stay in a warm house.¡±

    With these thoughts, Bai Song was ready to spend some money. He had brought a few months¡¯ allowances, and he had nned to spend it for the New Year at home.

    The New Year goods for the family hadn¡¯t cost his sister a dime, mainly because the five big boxes of goods were overwhelmingly impressive.

    Now being able to contribute to his family, Bai Song was happy.

    In fact, thinking about spending the New Year with all four siblings together for the first time, sitting around the table as aplete family, warmed his heart more than anything else.

    Isn¡¯t the New Year all about family?

    In previous years, even if he came back for the New Year, it was just a meal at his grandmother and uncle¡¯s ce, then he would be on his own, cold and quiet. His sisters would go back to their maternal home and had no time to visit. Even if he wanted some excitement, there was nowhere to go. But this year was going to be different; their home would be lively and bustling for the New Year.

 Chapter 248 - 248 248 Repairing the House (Extra Chapter for

    ?Chapter 248: Chapter 248: Repairing the House (Extra Chapter for Monthly Ticket)   Chapter 248: Chapter 248: Repairing the House (Extra Chapter for Monthly Ticket)                                   The next day, early in the morning, Bai Song went to Liu Baoguo¡¯s ce, holding an Ashima and two bottles of Wuliangye, which his sister had packed into his suitcase. Since Liu Baoguo was also Bai Xiao¡¯s godfather, it was only right and proper for him to bring these gifts.

    Liu Baoguo was sitting inside the house when Bai Song entered and saw Liu Baoguo¡¯s two sons, Liu Chengwen and Liu Chengwa, were also there. It seemed the two brothers had taken leave to celebrate the festival at home, and they immediately stood up to greet Bai Song.

    They had long known from the letters their father had written that their families had be rted through marriage and that Bai Xiao had saved his sister¡¯s life. They had always been grateful, and now seeing Bai Song made them even more enthusiastic.

    They all worked in the same profession, albeit in different ces¡ªfar and wide¡ªbut nheless, they were simr people with amonnguage.

    They pulled Bai Song to sit on the kang. Bai Song set the tobo and alcohol he was carrying on the table, ¡°Uncle, these are the New Year¡¯s gifts I brought for you. Please don¡¯t be polite with me, or else it would mean you don¡¯t consider us as family.¡±

    Liu Baoguo was sitting on the kang, and with his two sons back home, he had nothing pressing to do, so they sat down to have a long chat.

    When Liu Baoguo saw the tobo and alcohol Bai Song had brought, he became anxious, ¡°My boy, take these things back. Yesterday, when Bai Xiao came back, the things your aunt and sister brought were already valuable enough. Now you¡¯re giving me more tobo and alcohol¡ªhow does that look? We recognized Bai Xiao because we wanted to look after you siblings, not to take advantage of your family. What would the vigers say about me?¡±

    Liu Chengwen and Liu Chengwa also reprimanded Bai Song, ¡°Our dad is right. What is the rtionship between our two families? If anyone should be giving gifts, it should be us bringing gifts to your home. Just based on Bai Xiao saving my sister¡¯s life, even if our whole family gave your family our house, it would only be right. Instead, you keep bringing things to us, which makes us feel really ufortable.¡±

    ¡°You must take these things back. Come eat lunch at our house today. The three of us can have a good drink together. Back in the vige, we didn¡¯t get a chance to be close. Now we can really bond and chat about old times. Anyway, it¡¯s almost New Year¡¯s, and there¡¯s nothing big going on. Don¡¯t leave today, stay at my ce.¡±

    The two brothers, upon hearing about the dangers Liu Hong faced, thought that if they had been able to return, it wouldn¡¯t have been just a matter of Han Dazhi ending up in jail¡ªthey would have crippled him to do justice to their sister¡¯s case.

    At home, they had only one sister who was doted on by their parents and brothers from a young age. In their hearts, they were truly grateful to Bai Xiao¡¯s family.

    Bai Song took out his own cigarettes, offering one to each person, ¡°Uncle, by saying this, you¡¯re not treating me like your nephew. These are especially from Bai Xiao, honoring you as her godfather. It¡¯s okay to treat your own people well. Besides, these gifts didn¡¯t cost any money. They were given to Bai Xiao by a patient she treated as a form of gratitude. Bai Xiao is merely ¡®borrowing flowers to present Buddha.¡¯ If you are going to be so calcting, I would be afraid to ask for your help.¡±

    Liu Baoguo took the Ashima and Bai Song lit it for him; he inhaled deeply, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I should enjoy the filial piety of my goddaughter. My boy, if there¡¯s anything you need help with, just speak up. Your uncle isn¡¯t helping you just because of these cigarettes and alcohol. It¡¯s all for the sake of my goddaughter; otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t bother with you at all!¡± He knew Bai Xiao was capable.

    Then Bai Song exined his situation in detail. Liu Baoguo nodded, ¡°Right, your house does need some fixing up. Don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s no need to look elsewhere for the doors and windows. The two brothers learned carpentry before, and although their skills are not as good as those experienced craftsmen, they can still manage to make the doors and windows for you. We have all the necessary wood and ss back at home. For the roof, I¡¯ll get some of the old hands from the vige. They should be able to get it done in half a day. As for you, you should prepare the mud, straw, and other materials at home. Or forget about it, since you¡¯ve just returned and aren¡¯t familiar with where to find these, I¡¯ll just make a trip and get everything sorted so we can start fixing up the house directly. Your brothers should hurry and measure the windows and doors now. If the two of you can get it done quickly, the doors and windows can be fitted tonight. Then, heat up the kang tonight. If you keep it heated for a couple of days, the house will be fit for living.¡± Liu Baoguo had already made up his mind.

    He immediately got off the kang, put on his shoes, and left the house.

    Bai Song couldn¡¯t help but smile. Liu Baoguo was indeed an impatient man.

    He went back home with Liu Zhiweng and Liu Zhiguo. As soon as people arrived, they knew it was time to start work and hastily called everyone together.

    The brothers didn¡¯t say another word; they took the measurements and went back, hurrying to make the windows and doors.

    Indeed, in an afternoon¡¯s work, Bai Song and the vigers got the roof fixed, and all the chimney flues in the house were connected. By dusk, the doors and windows were all installed.

    Li Haiping and Li Haian held the firewood and started heating the Kang, but actually, no one had been living in the house, and it was a bit damp. By warming up the Kang like this for a couple of days, the house would be suitable for living.

    Their family¡¯s busy day was about to end.

    However, Liu Baoguo was called away by someone.

    Because a serious incident had urred again at Bai Jianguo¡¯s home.

    Bai Shan and Bai Zhuang had been beaten up.

    By Fang Xiaoshan?

    No!

    Liu Baoguo brought people to Bai Jianguo¡¯s home only to find out that Bai Shan and Bai Zhuang had gone to Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s home today to stand up for Bai Mei. Unfortunately, as soon as they entered the door, they were trapped in the courtyard by the householders.

    Seven or eight burly men, each bareheaded and holding a club, appeared fierce and ferocious, scaring Bai Shan and Bai Zhuang terribly.

    They had never seen such a situation before!

    The intruders demanded Fang Xiaoshan by name as soon as they entered, but the problem was, Fang Xiaoshan had run away without a trace already.

    This time, Fang Xiaoshan had again racked up a huge amount of high-interest debt from gambling, amounting to 2000 yuan.

    Fang Xiaoshan knew all too well that his family couldn¡¯te up with the money and couldn¡¯t pay it back, so as soon as he heard that people wereing for him, he had run away without a trace. He couldn¡¯t confront them, but he could certainly hide. There would be no good oue for him with these people here.

    The high-interest lenders were relentless, so they started demanding money from Fang Family¡¯s old master and old mistress. But where could the old couple find any money? The family had been left penniless after paying for Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s wedding. They couldn¡¯t even produce 200 yuan, let alone 2000 yuan.

    Consequently, the lenders began to haul out anything of value from the house. Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s radio, and even the pigs and poultry from the family¡¯s pen were not spared. It was like a raid; even the thermos and washbasin that Bai Mei had brought as dowry were taken.

    Seeing this, Bai Shan and Bai Zhuang had to say something, being two men, they couldn¡¯t just stay silent while their sister¡¯s dowry was being seized.

    As a result, they were surrounded by the rowdy men and beaten up.

    Thus, with bruised faces and bodies full of injuries, both their arms and legs were hurt. Bai Shan had one arm broken and Bai Zhuang one leg, and they were sent back by those people.

    The two of them are still lying there, crying out for their father and mother in pain.

    That¡¯s why Vige Chief Liu Baoguo was called to administer justice.

 Chapter 249 - 249 249 Strike a Deal

    ?Chapter 249: Chapter 249: Strike a Deal   Chapter 249: Chapter 249: Strike a Deal                                   Hao Fang and Bai Jianguo were terrified out of their wits.

    Having both sons carried back home was enough to nearly give the couple a heart attack.

    Especially seeing the one drenched in blood, enough to make one¡¯s heart and liver quiver with fear; Bai Mei was also scared out of her mind.

    Xiaoshan dared to beat up his own brother; what on earth was he trying to do?

    The vige doctor had already set Bai Shan and Bai Zhuang¡¯s broken bones and secured them with splints, ¡°One with a broken arm, the other with a broken leg; injuries to muscles and bones take a hundred days to heal. Just stay home and recover well, otherwise, at your young age, you might end up with residual issues.¡±

    Hao Fang, unable to contain her anger, had someone call for the vige chief. With such an incident happening, who else could they turn to for justice if not the vige chief?

    The problem was, they wanted to find Bai Song, but Bai Song wouldn¡¯t get involved.

    Liu Baoguo took a look and asked for details about the event, ¡°Since they¡¯ve been set, you should rest well at home.¡± He, the vige chief, couldn¡¯t interfere in the business of usury.

    Upon hearing this, Hao Fang realized the vige chief wasn¡¯t going to intervene, and she pinched Bai Jianguo hard in her urgency.

    At this moment, she didn¡¯t realize she was not well-regarded by others, all because of her mistreatment of her mother-inw, causing her to be chastised by everyone in the vige, who would want to associate with her? Young women and daughters-inw, even the elderly, no one wanted to be involved with her. What if she corrupted their own families in the future? She could have spoken this out loud, but the vige chief would certainly have retorted.

    Bai Jianguo coughed, ¡°Vige chief, this incident came out of nowhere. If you don¡¯t stand up for us, people mightugh at us and say that the people of Liupan Vige are spineless; even when one of our own gets beaten up, we don¡¯t utter a word in protest.

    I¡¯m not just saying this for my two boys but also for the sake of our vigers. Think about it, isn¡¯t this the case?¡±

    Liu Baoguoughed, ¡°Bai Jianguo, you always seemed like an honest and straightforward fellow, but I didn¡¯t expect you to be so eloquent. The question is, how can we get involved in this matter? Does anyone even know if the usurer is from Shili Shop? Besides, it¡¯s inappropriate for us to get involved. That¡¯s your rtive, your son-inw, who caused this mess and brought it back home. Surely you don¡¯t mean that we should stick up for your son-inw, do you?

    If we were to stand up for your two sons, are you saying your daughter and son-inw are splitting up? Take a look around; no matter how we intervene, it won¡¯t be appropriate. Everyone present, please say how we can help in this situation? In the end, no matter what we do, we end up looking bad.¡± He already knew that when ites to usury, there¡¯s simply no ce to reason.

    The surrounding vigers chimed in, ¡°Yeah, Jianguo, it¡¯s your son-inw who has caused this trouble. You should go to him. If you ask the vige chief to confront them, isn¡¯t that openly showing disrespect to your rtives? In the end, the one who will suffer is your daughter.¡±

    ¡°Besides, we¡¯re talking about usury here. If we step in, do you think they will reason with us? And if they beat up the vige chief and all of us, who will be responsible for that?¡± When the vigers heard about the usury, they all backed down.

    Who would want to get involved in such trouble, especially when there¡¯s no rtion or obligation?

    Bai Jianguo felt nauseous; the situation was truly disgusting, but even if it had urred in someone else¡¯s home, he wouldn¡¯t want to be the one to intervene.

    ¡°Alright then, we¡¯re leaving. If it¡¯s not possible, you should go talk to your rtives yourself. After all, both children are injured, and logically your son-inw should pay for the medical bills. Sit down and have a good talk; after all, you¡¯re still family.¡± Liu Baoguo led the others away.

    Hao Fang was so angry she rolled her eyes. Both sons were lying on the kang bed, moaning in pain, and her heart ached for them.

    ¡°Old man, are we just going to let this go? Did our two sons get beaten for nothing?¡± She really couldn¡¯t stand it.

    Bai Jianguo, noticing the stenching from Hao Fang, instinctively moved away and turned his head up to catch a breath of fresh air before speaking, ¡°I certainly don¡¯t want to let it go, but what else can we do? We can¡¯t wait until I get back to discuss it; the two boys had to go themselves. Just look at them, young and hot-blooded, they got into a fight and ended up getting beaten up. It¡¯s usury¡ªdo you think you or I can afford to provoke them?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all because of your precious daughter,¡± Bai Jianguo grumbled. ¡°So what if her husband hits her a couple of times? After losing the child, they can always have another one. In a marriage, there are bound to be bumps and bruises. It¡¯s just such a trivial matter, she couldn¡¯t handle it and ran back home, and look what a mess she¡¯s made of our household.¡±

    At this moment, his heart was filled with disdain for Bai Mei. In his mind, what did it matter if a man hit his wife a couple of times?

    He often hit his own wife.

    Because of this, she ran back to her parental home, making a scene and pressuring her two brothers to stand up for her. And look at them now, one with a broken arm, and the other with ame leg. The New Year is upon us, and with two sick people lying in the house, how inauspicious is that going to be?

    Hao Fang couldn¡¯t help feeling deted. Without the men of the family stepping in, what could she, a woman, do? Just by listening to Bai Jianguo¡¯s tone, she could tell that he definitely wouldn¡¯t stand up for Bai Mei or go after the other family for the sake of his sons. Bai Jianguo was simply a coward.

    ¡°So are we just supposed to let them lie there and suffer? Was getting beaten up for nothing?¡±

    ¡°Wait another day or two. I reckon even if we don¡¯t go up to the Fang Family, they shoulde to us soon. With such a big incident urring, it¡¯s strange that today not a single one of them escorted our two sons home. Besides, it was their son who caused the injuries to our boys. No matter where we take this issue, our family is in the right. Both sons are at home in need of care, eating and drinking, not to mention the cost of medicines. If the Fang Family doesn¡¯t deal with this, who will?¡±

    Bai Jianguo had a pretty good idea of the situation. His own daughter was still at her parents¡¯ house, he couldn¡¯t believe that the Fang Family wouldn¡¯te looking. Did they no longer want their daughter-inw?

    He was also counting on getting some money out of the Fang Family. If Bai Zhuang¡¯s marriage wasn¡¯t arranged soon, it might really fall through.

    He no longer dared to count on the olddy. The olddy, Li Chunmei, had made up her mind not to part with a single cent.

    He had beenying low for so long, yet the olddy still looked at him with disdain. What mattered most was that now, the olddy was keeping a tight grip on the household finances. In the past after the autumn harvest, once the public grain tax was paid and the family¡¯s food was set aside, he could pocket over half of the money gained from selling the rest. But this year, the olddy had directly taken all the money from selling the grain.

    He didn¡¯t dare to say a word, for every time he opened his mouth, the olddy¡¯s response was simply, ¡°Then move out now.¡±

    He was so choked up it hurt his heart and lungs. When had his mother ever been so hard-hearted towards him?

    Only now did Bai Jianguo realize that he truly had no bargaining power. The olddy had been good to him in the past because she depended on him to provide for her in her old age, but by getting sick, he had thoroughly offended her. He regretted it terribly; had he known that the olddy would recover, why would he have been so blind as to wrong her?

    Inwardly, he med the ipetence of the hospital doctors in the county town. Although heined, what could he really do? They said his mother wouldn¡¯t recover, yet she did. Are they to be med for something good? Did they wish for the olddy to remain ill?

    But now, under the olddy¡¯s tight control, he couldn¡¯t get his hands on a penny of disposable ie.

    It was urgent for the eldest son to find a wife. He had figured it out ¡ª they could borrow some money for the bride price and the betrothal gifts. After all, which family in the vige didn¡¯t borrow money to get a daughter-inw? If they could get a sum from the Fang Family this time, it would just about cover the bride price for his own son. The Fang Family was wealthy, after all.

    Hao Fang nodded, finally hearing something sensible.

    Watching her two sons wiping their tears on one side.

    Bai Mei, listening to Bai Jianguo¡¯s words from outside the window, felt a chill in her heart.

    Counting on her own father to stand up for her was utterly impossible. It seemed that relying on herself was better than depending on anyone else.

 Chapter 250 - 250 250 Sneaking Around

    ?Chapter 250: Chapter 250 Sneaking Around   Chapter 250: Chapter 250 Sneaking Around                                   Bai Xiao and Bai Song had heard about it, but they didn¡¯t go to see, because they had decided not to get involved with anything rted to Bai Jianguo¡¯s family, regardless of themotion.

    However, they still had to visit the olddy in the evening. No matter what, the olddy was Bai Song and Bai Yue¡¯s grandmother. Bai Xiao didn¡¯t n to go, for what could she do there?

    She resented the olddy, and the olddy didn¡¯t like her either. When the two met, it was clear they couldn¡¯t stand each other. Why bother making both sides ufortable?

    It was better to let her elder brother and the others go. She couldn¡¯t stop her elder brother and them from fulfilling their filial duties. Being rted was one thing, but expecting them to share her hostility towards the olddy was asking too much.

    She wouldn¡¯t force everyone to follow the life path she had arranged just because she was reliving her life. That wasn¡¯t her ideal. Everyone has their own life to lead. She was only meant to change their major life trajectories, not to have them follow in her steps. That would be unreasonable and not truly for their benefit.

    In the evening, Bai Song brought two cans and a box of Daoxiangcun pastries, along with roast duck from the Capital City, all of which were very trendy items. You couldn¡¯t find these good things in the vige or even in the county town¡ªthe cans were of lunch meat, a brand new product barely avable on the market, definitely not something you could just find anywhere.

    The olddy probably had some demands only when it came to food.

    Once Bai Song had left, Bai Xiao sat on the kang sorting things out. She was preparing to buy New Year¡¯s goods tomorrow and would head to the town¡¯s big market to buy loads of items. This year, she nned to celebrate the new year with great splendor, so she was listing the items needed on a piece of paper at the table.

    There were too many things missing at home, and a lot needed to be bought, like bed sheets, nkets, pots, and pans¡ªincluding various condiments. She had noticed her sister¡¯s frugal habits still led to careless living; many spices were missing. Today, she even saw that the only oil they had was pigrd, and only a small jar of it. They definitely needed to buy some peanut oil for the New Year. Listing these items was the only way to prepare properly. Nowadays, you don¡¯t get packaged goods easily; if you buy vinegar, you have to bring your own vinegar bottle, otherwise, you can¡¯t get any.

    Of course, buying oil also required her to bring her own oil jug. These things probably all cost money. Most importantly, she was thinking about calling a family meeting when her second sister returned. The house needed to be rebuilt¡ªthat was the major issue.

    This was supposed to be their sisters¡¯ stronghold. Since her eldest sister wouldn¡¯t follow her lead! Building a house was certainly imperative.

    If her sister werefortable in her living, they would have afortable ce to stay when they returned, which was much better than having to temporarily fix up the house like now.

    As she was seriously writing this down, she saw her eldest sister Bai Yue change into a blue checked over-shirt and head outside. ¡°Xiao, I¡¯m going out for a bit and will be back soon,¡± she said as she brushed past Bai Xiao, who caught a whiff of Snow Cream.

    Looking up, she asked her elder sister, ¡°Big sister, where are you going? It¡¯s the middle of the night. Maybe I should apany you?¡±

    Bai Yue¡¯s face stiffened, ¡°No need. I¡¯ve got a shlight. I just ate too much today, and I¡¯lle back after a walk. It¡¯s freezing out, you better note.¡± She hurried out the door.

    Bai Xiao watched Bai Yue leave the house, quickly jumped down from the kang, put on her down jacket, slipped into her cotton shoes, grabbed a shlight with one hand, and stealthily slipped out the door, soon spotting a beam of shlight moving off into the distance.

    It was dark, and to avoid being noticed, Bai Xiao deliberately did not turn on her shlight. Fortunately, there was a moon tonight; otherwise, it would have been pitch ck, and she would have probably tripped. She was really curious. Bai Yue¡¯s sneaky behavior was suspicious, especially washing her face and applying Snow Cream and changing her jacket in the middle of the night.

    If these actions didn¡¯t indicate something was wrong with her sister, then what would?

    As Bai Yue gradually left the vige, Bai Xiao wondered where her sister was heading.

    Soon, she had her answer: there was a figure on the distant dam waiting.

    Bai Xiao slowed her pace and hid behind a tree, moving in the shadows from one tree to the next. She wanted to see who was luring her sister out here.

    Soon, under the moonlight, she saw a man extend his arms and embrace Bai Yue, ¡°I¡¯lle to the vige to pick you up next time. It¡¯s dark and the road is slippery; what if you fall?¡± The familiar voice stunned Bai Xiao.

    No wonder I felt something was off watching Wang Yan and my sister during the day, there was clearly an illicit affair.

    I really wanted to sigh. What¡¯s wrong with my sister? She couldn¡¯t even face her own sister to speak about it, and though Wang Yan is indeed quite honorable, why did they have to sneak around?

    Could it be that Wang Yan had ill intentions?

    After all, for a divorced woman, such a situation isn¡¯t anything good. A good reputation¡ªBai Yue didn¡¯t need to hide for anyone else¡¯s sake unless it was to protect that person.

    What position does this put Bai Yue in?

    ¡°It¡¯s okay! I just didn¡¯t want Xiao and the second child to find out. You know they¡¯re back, if they discovered us, I¡¯m afraid they¡¯d get the wrong ideas. I don¡¯t want to trouble you with this, let¡¯s just end it here?¡± Bai Yue¡¯s voice carried a mix of helplessness and sadness.

    ¡°Yue, don¡¯t talk like that. I¡¯m ready to confront my dad. Even if he kicks me out of the house, I¡¯m not afraid. So what if he forbids me from raising pigs ever again? For you, I can do anything this lifetime, even if it means eating bran and swallowing vegetables. We can¡¯t wait any longer.¡± Wang Yan¡¯s voice was steady, yet it was filled with much helplessness and resolution.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be like this, I think your dad¡¯s disapproval makes sense. A divorced woman like me really isn¡¯t a match for you. You should forget about me.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying this because you¡¯ve fallen for someone else?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? Who else could I possibly have my eye on?¡± said Bai Yue, somewhat angrily embarrassed.

    ¡°Sun Weimin was looking at you today as if he was just short of openly telling you he wants to marry you. I¡¯m not blind!¡±

    Wang Yan growled.

    Bai Yueughed with a snort.

    ¡°You, you¡¯re really silly! If I really fancied him, would I need toe see you? I really don¡¯t know where your mind is at times.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been distressed all day today, you don¡¯t know, I¡­¡±

    ¡°Brother Shitou, I understand your feelings, and you know mine. But I¡¯m truly afraid. If your parents ever found out about us, I really don¡¯t know how I could face anyone in the vige again with all their pointing fingers. How would I live then?¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s leave this ce. Letting go is simply out of the question. Bai Yue, if I can¡¯t marry you in this lifetime, then I¡¯d rather stay unmarried. I¡¯m a stubborn man, as you well know.¡±

    ¡°Brother Shitou!¡±

    ¡°Trust me! I¡¯ll figure out a way.¡±

    Bai Xiao rolled her eyes here, okay, now she finally understood why the two had to sneak around¡ªit was the judgment of society.

    This is a truly devouring public opinion.

 Chapter 251 - 251 251 The Vixen

    ?Chapter 251: Chapter 251: The Vixen   Chapter 251: Chapter 251: The Vixen                                   Bai Xiao had just decided to reveal herself, figuring it was better to clear the air rather than having her sister continue to hide and sneak around.

    Unfortunately, she was a step toote because she saw two people suddenly rushing over from behind the dam, from behind a row of trees where Wang Yan had just been.

    ¡°Shitou!¡±

    ¡°Boss!¡±

    Both voices contained anger.

    Bai Xiao pinched her temples, feeling powerless, and covered her face. This was a case of being caught red-handed.

    Indeed, caught in the act.

    ¡°Mom and Dad! How did you get here?¡±

    Wang Yan protected Bai Yue behind him.

    ¡°Shitou, you get back here!¡±

    ¡°Dad!¡±

    ¡°Are you leaving or not? If you don¡¯t leave today, I¡¯ll break your legs, and as your father, I¡¯ll pretend I never had a son like you.¡±

    Well, it looks like he was still caught by his parents.

    ¡°Dad, now that you¡¯ve seen it, I won¡¯t lie to you. I love Bai Yue, and I want to marry her.¡± Wang Yan made a desperate stand; there was no way he could avoid this.

    p!

    A pnded on Wang Yan¡¯s face, and Bai Xiao could feel the strength of that p even from a distance. Old man Wang clearly hadn¡¯t held back at all.

    That must have hurt!

    Bai Xiao grimaced, Old man Wang must have been furious to strike such a harsh blow¡ªafter all, that was his son, not his enemy.

    ¡°Shitou, don¡¯t be stubborn with your dad. Let¡¯s go,e back home with mom!¡± The olddy came over to pull Wang Yan; with the father and son in such a state, it was clear that tensions were high. Both were stubborn, and it might not cool down any time soon.

    Wang Yan suddenly broke free from the olddy¡¯s grasp. ¡°Dad, even if you beat me to death today, my words remain the same, I want to marry Bai Yue!¡± He furrowed his brows, staring resolutely at Old man Wang.

    The father and son were both upromising.

    Old man Wang was breathing furiously, his breaths hissing like the bellows used in a fire, and Bai Xiao could even imagine Old man Wang with his eyes bloodshot.

    It¡¯s best if you go back with your parents first, we can talk things through!¡± Bai Yue pulled on Wang Yan, not wanting him to really break ties with his family over her, although Wang Yan had mentioned this more than once to her.

    But now that it hade to this, Bai Yue couldn¡¯t bear it. Raising a son to provide for old age, yet to see a son treat his own parents like this over a woman, any parent would feel aggrieved.

    ¡°Shut up, who gave you the right to butt in? Just look at you, a divorced woman not behaving with dignity in the dead of night. No wonder the Li Family doesn¡¯t want you. You¡¯re nothing but a flirtatious vixen, leading my good son astray. To what extent has he been bewitched by you now? I¡¯m telling you, as long as I, Wang Lao Shi, live a day, you¡¯d better not dream of getting your ws on my son. Get lost now.¡± Old man Wang was flying into a rage at Bai Yue.

    Unable to bring his son¡¯s heart back, Old man Wang could onlysh out at Bai Yue. This woman was the crux. His fine son wasn¡¯t raised for someone else. Because of a divorced woman, Wang Yan dared to challenge them today, standing his ground stubbornly against them. Old man Wang felt his authority was being challenged like never before.

    He med everything on the woman before him. The saying goes that a beautiful woman is a source of trouble. Isn¡¯t this woman proof of that?

    Had it not been for Bai Yue getting divorced and moving back to Liupan Vige to live, their son, Wang Yan, would never have set his sights on this woman. Ultimately, it was all this woman¡¯s fault.

    A woman who doesn¡¯t properly handle her household affairs and insists on causing a stir with a divorce clearly isn¡¯t good. Even if her man wasn¡¯t great, she shouldn¡¯t have divorced. A divorce demonstrates that Bai Yue herself has behavioral issues. Otherwise, why doesn¡¯t everyone else get divorced? When ites to her, she wants to divorce, bringing her three sons with her. How can that be justified?

    In Old man Wang¡¯s eyes, divorced women were all indecent, just look at how she hooked his son¡¯s heart now, making Wang Yan oppose his own family. Such a woman, he resolutely refused to allow into their home, absolutely disagreeing, even if it killed him.

    Tears immediately started flowing down Bai Yue¡¯s face. Probably only Li Dashan, besides Old man Wang, had ever humiliated her so tantly to her face. Such cruel, face-pping words were the utmost insult and disdain anyone could show a woman.

    ¡°Dad, if you¡¯re going to talk like that, I will tell you that Bai Yue is the woman I love the most. If I can¡¯t have her, I won¡¯t marry anyone else in this lifetime. I¡¯d rather be a bachelor forever. It wasn¡¯t her seducing me, it was me forcing her to like me. If there is a fault, it¡¯s mine, and it has nothing to do with her. She¡¯s a good woman; just now she was advising me to separate from her to avoid making things difficult for the family, but how can you not think before saying such things at your age!¡± Wang Yan held Bai Yue tightly in his arms, his stance firm.

    Now that things were out in the open, what was there to fear?

    The trouble Bai Yue faced from her father was because of him. Old man Wang¡¯s intentions were no secret to him; he had been causing trouble these past few months, insisting on setting him up with some woman from the neighboring vige. Had it not been for his outright refusal when the matchmaker and that girl¡¯s parents came knocking, his father likely would have already forced him to marry her.

    It was to sever his infatuation, but he could never leave Bai Yue in this lifetime. She was the most important person in his heart, and no one could stop his pursuit of happiness.

    Old man Wang was truly seeing red now. His son waspletely bewitched.

    About to say even harsher words, the Old Lady suddenly stopped him; she knew all too much how stubborn her old man was. In this situation, if he said anything absolute, Wang Yan would take it seriously. If it really escted to a father-son rift, it would be too great a loss.

    ¡°Shitou, no matter what, you need toe home with us first, let¡¯s talk more there, not here. What does this look like in the middle of the night? If someone hears us, they¡¯ll think we¡¯re uncouth!¡± The Old Lady was skilled in speech, turning to Bai Yue, she said, ¡°Bai Yue, you go back too. This matter needs to be considered by us, the adults.¡± This was the limit of what the Old Lady was willing to say to Bai Yue; she wouldn¡¯t utter another word.

    Bai Yue nudged Wang Yan, ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± She didn¡¯t wish that because of her, Wang Yan would truly sever ties with his family.

    She had never wanted to uncover this matter because she feared she couldn¡¯t bear such consequences, constantly hovering between breaking it off or not because their rtionship was different from normal marriages. Now the harsh truth had been revealed, and Bai Yue knew that it wouldn¡¯t be long before this matter was resolved.

    She could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

    The dust had settled, which wasn¡¯t a bad thing; it was better than being constantly anxious. If Wang Yan chose not to be with her because of his family, wasn¡¯t it something she had anticipated long ago?

    So what was there to be disappointed or worried about? She was just a divorced woman, undeserving of happiness, indulging her own delusions. So this dream could finally end, sparing her the struggle to let go of this warmth she clung to. Actually, the continuous dragging on without breaking up with Wang Yan was because deep down, she still couldn¡¯t bear to part with this rare tenderness and warmth.

    Wang Yan had given her all the fantasies and consideration she could expect from a man, which made her reluctant to let go. Now, it was time to wake up, her dream had reached its end.

    Bai Yue waved at Wang Yan, ¡°Auntie, Uncle, I¡¯m going back first!¡±

    Turning, she walked away quickly, her pace almost a run by the end as she headed home, her tears hidden from all eyes.

    Bai Xiao quietly followed behind, ensuring his sister¡¯s safe return home.

    Maybe the conflict was just beginning. His sister was the best in the world, so kind, it was heartbreaking.

 Chapter 252 - 252 252 Thrilling

    ?Chapter 252: Chapter 252: Thrilling   Chapter 252: Chapter 252: Thrilling                                   Bai Yue plunged into the house, her mood so foul that she couldn¡¯t even disguise her ownplexion¡ªin that moment, she felt exhausted. All these years she had never onceined or med anyone, seemingly bearing all the hardships of life silently, shouldering them regardless of the storms or the rough paths, marching forward with her head held high and chest puffed out.

    But she, too, could feel exhausted and lonely. Wang Yan was the key that unlocked the deep-seated desires within her heart, setting free all her wants and restlessness. It was also Wang Yan who made her realize that she was at her best, deserving many things in this world, feeling cherished in someone¡¯s palm¡ªa memory Bai Yue would never forget in her lifetime.

    She had no inclination to hide her feelings anymore. Everyone has moments of despair so intense they feel like crumbling, and right now she didn¡¯t care if her sister would notice.

    Unexpectedly, she didn¡¯t see Bai Xiao. Bai Yue spread out the quilt, didn¡¯t even take off her clothes, and justy down, burrowing under the covers. Tears finally fail to be held back, falling uncontrobly. Her shoulders trembled softly under the quilt as her suppressed sobs died in her throat, silently whimpering over the day¡¯s helplessness.

    The shame of being insulted made her want to break awaypletely. She could endure anything, but should her three sons also have to endure the pointing fingers of the vigers?

    She could imagine, after today, how strong and resolute the Wang Family¡¯s attitude would be. Perhaps from then on, the four of them, mother and sons, would have no ce to stand. She couldn¡¯t bear those kinds of looks, her sons couldn¡¯t bear that injustice, and there was her sister¡ªthe most talented and promising of their family. If she brought shame upon them because of herself, she felt she truly deserved death.

    Her brother, her brother was an upright person. For such a decent brother, having a sister who knew no shame would likely be an obstacle¡ªsuddenly she felt she truly deserved death.

    Bai Xiao lifted the curtain, bringing in a chill from outside. She had already locked the front door because she heard their eldest brother¡¯s snoring thundering from the other room. She entered the room quietly, and even the faintest sound was sensed by Bai Yue.

    The sobbing sound disappeared in an instant, as if nothing had happened.

    Bai Xiao sat beside Bai Yue and pulled back her quilt. ¡°Big sister, I saw everything today!¡±

    Bottling things up like this could make a person sick. Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t let Bai Yue continue to suffer in silence. Let it all out, she was Bai Yue¡¯s sister and would not allow her to be bullied by others.

    Not even in the name of love.

    Bai Yue sat up abruptly, that sentence nearly scaring her soul away.

    With tears streaming down her face, she looked at Bai Xiao in surprise.

    Seeing the understanding in Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes, she realized her sister truly knew the truth. She felt such shame that she wanted to crawl into a hole. She had never expected her sister to find out about it¡ªshe must have secretly followed her.

    Then, her sister had seen everything that had happened just now. Bai Yue didn¡¯t know how much Bai Xiao had seen, but whatever part it was, it left her feeling incredibly guilty.

    ¡°Xiao, listen to me exin!¡± Bai Yue was afraid that Bai Xiao would look down on her. At her age, if even her sister looked down on her, what was the point of living?

    Bai Xiao grasped Bai Yue¡¯s arm tightly and hugged her firmly. ¡°Sister, don¡¯t say anything, no need to exin. I know, I understand. You¡¯ve done nothing wrong. The right to pursue happiness shouldn¡¯t be stopped by anyone. Sister, be at ease; I will support any decision you make.¡±

    At this time, perhaps thefort and encouragement of a family member was the motivation Bai Yue needed to continue living. Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t take away Bai Yue¡¯s right to pursue happiness, nor did she have any inclination to change Bai Yue¡¯s mind.

    No matter who Bai Yue is with, this hurdle must be ovee.

    As long as the man is from a respectable family, choosing Bai Yue would inevitably face opposition from his family.

    She would support her sister to be strong, but wouldn¡¯t make any decisions for her, only Bai Yue herself could make those decisions. In matters of the heart, only the wearer knows where the shoe pinches.

    Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t decide Bai Yue¡¯s happiness for her either.

    When ites to love, no one besides those involved has the right to interfere, especially under the guise of protection and care. Everyone must experience their own hardships; shielding them won¡¯t protect them for life.

    ¡°Xiao, sister, sister¡­ Am I a frivolous woman? It¡¯s been less than half a year since my divorce, and I can¡¯t keep to myself, I just¡­ I suddenly feel what others say about me isn¡¯t wrong. In such a short time, I just¡­ I really feel ashamed to meet people. Especially you, it was you and Captain An who stood up for me in such a situation, helping me and my three children leap out of the fire pit. But now, in this situation, what will people say about it?

    They¡¯ll think your sister doesn¡¯t abide by women¡¯s virtues, they¡¯ll think you¡¯re covering for your sister. I¡¯ve even dragged your reputation down.¡±

    Bai Xiao supported her sister with both hands, her gaze firmly fixed on Bai Yue, ¡°Elder sister, remember you have the right to your own happiness, no one should be a burden in your heart. I can¡¯t, Haiping, Hai¡¯an, and Haishun can¡¯t either. Life is only so long, you must follow your own inner thoughts and feelings, don¡¯t treat yourself unfairly! Don¡¯t aggrieve yourself, it¡¯s not wrong to love someone, nor is it wrong to be cherished by someone. The feelings between a man and a woman are the most beautiful thing. As long as you¡¯re not humblypromising to love someone, then you can love openly and nobly, no one can stop you.¡± She didn¡¯t want Bai Yue to carry such a heavy burden; love itself isn¡¯t wrong. When too many additional things are imposed, it bes a shackle that binds a woman, and that¡¯s even more undeserved.

    Bai Yue looked at her sister nkly.

    ¡°Xiao, am I not wrong?!¡±

    It was the first time she¡¯d heard such a shocking view. She had heard too much about how a woman should adhere to moral expectations, how a woman shouldpromise, how a woman should endure for the sake of her children, and how a woman should follow conventions. To hear someone speak to her like this was a first, and it suddenly made her feel the sky was not so dark.

    The world wasn¡¯t so cold.

    Bai Xiao hugged her, soothing her sister¡¯s back, ¡°Sister, if you live a life worrying about what others say, then you might as well not do anything, not want anything. You live for yourself. Think about it, if you humble yourself because of what others think, only to be taken for a fool, what¡¯s the point? We must live clearly and enjoyably. Whether or not it pleases others, what¡¯s that to us?¡± She wanted her sister to break free from the shackles of societal views, to live freely and fully, in a way that¡¯s profoundly satisfying.

    Let all those views, societal norms, and gossip go.

    She wanted a carefree sister, a divorced woman who is still a woman with the right to pursue happiness; Bai Xiao wanted her sister to live not a whit less than anyone else.

    Bai Yue nodded, her eyes sparkling. Her sister had opened up a different world to her. Right, why should she live by the approval of others? She wanted to live with confidence and full support, backed by her family and her own two hands to provide. What else could anyone say?

    Separated from Wang Yan, she could support herself, support her three sons. What did she have to feel humble or worried about, could any day be harder than those that had passed?

    A woman should live freely and enjoyably.

 Chapter 253 - 253 253 Kicked Out of the House

    ?Chapter 253: Chapter 253: Kicked Out of the House   Chapter 253: Chapter 253: Kicked Out of the House                                   The sisters turned off the light andy on the kang. In the darkness, Bai Xiao asked, ¡°Big sister, when did it all start? I asked you today! You were ying coy with me, your little sister, but anyone with eyes could see there¡¯s something going on between you and Wang Yan. You deliberately avoid each other¡¯s gaze, which is just trying to cover up the obvious!¡±

    Bai Yue¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment. Being discovered by her sister still gave her a shock.

    ¡°Actually, it hasn¡¯t been long, just about a month. I didn¡¯t want it to be this way. Since divorcing Li Dashan, I nned to just live out my life with the kids. But sometimes, I still crave that moment of warmth he gives me. Ah, your sister is just not strong enough!¡± Bai Yue¡¯s face reddened. It seemed somewhat improper to discuss these topics with her younger sister.

    ¡°Sis, do you like Brother Shitou?¡± This was the critical question.

    Bai Yue remained silent. She wasn¡¯t highly educated or ambitious. She had thought her life would be a simple one with a husband, raising their children together. But things had already veered off course. Love, like or dislike, she didn¡¯t quite understand these feelings.

    ¡°I suppose it counts as liking? Actually, I don¡¯t know if this is what liking someone is like. All I know is when I¡¯m with him, I always want to smile happily. It feels very rxing, and I feel joyful inside, with nothing to worry about.¡±

    Bai Xiaoughed, ¡°Big sister, that is what liking someone is all about!¡±

    Her big sister was actually quite adorable and naive. If it hadn¡¯t been for running into a jerk like Li Dashan, Bai Yue, with her good qualities, should¡¯ve had a happy life. Bai Xiao hoped Wang Yan could bring her sister happiness.

    ¡°Big sister, let¡¯s sleep! Don¡¯t worry, you have our whole family¡¯s support. No need to fear anything. If things really don¡¯t work out, just bring your kids ande with me. My brother and I are both in the city. You and the kids cane over; there will always be a ce for you. There¡¯s not much difference between the city and the countryside; it¡¯s not a fearsome ce, don¡¯t be afraid. Remember how you were initially worried about not being able to provide for your three sons without anynd in the countryside?

    But now look at how confident you are. If you can manage life this well here, then you can do the same in the city. City people aren¡¯t born with an extra eye or an extra nose. We¡¯re all the same, and with hard work, you can make a good life there too.¡± Bai Xiao hoped that Bai Yue and her children would leave the countryside. It wasn¡¯t that the countryside was bad, but its gossip was too much, and people¡¯s outlook was outdated, never allowing one to act freely.

    She didn¡¯t want her big sister and nephews to live in such an environment, where their vision and mentality would be so confined.

    Bai Yue sighed, ¡°Xiao, I understand what you¡¯re saying. I¡¯ve thought about it too. Just let me think about it a bit more. I¡¯m just afraid of burdening you and your second brother by taking the three kids along. I¡¯m uneducated and afraid I won¡¯t know how to do anything in the city and would end up being a burden to you!¡± Bai Yue was more realistic; she thought more deeply. Having endured so much already, she could not burden her siblings further. If that was the case, she¡¯d rather stay in the vige.

    ¡°Sis, what¡¯s this talk about being a burden? You don¡¯t know that the city has already opened up policies. Many people are in business. There¡¯s a baked sweet potato vendor outside our hospital who earns more in a month than a doctor. Think about it; you¡¯re notzy, and you have two sons to help you. If Wang Yan really wants to be with you, the four of you can surely run a business.

    In time, you might even support my brother and me. You don¡¯t know, if it wasn¡¯t for my job which doesn¡¯t allow such things, I would go out and do it after my shift too. Not earning money when you can, that would be madness.¡± Bai Xiao¡¯s lively persuasion finally moved Bai Yue.

    ¡°Really? Business is that good?¡± She wasn¡¯t thinking of anything else. If Wang Yan broke off rtions with his family over her, then she couldn¡¯t stay in the vige. So leaving with her children was a must, but she needed a way to survive.

    ¡°Yes, really. I heard those in business are earning a lot because many things are hard toe by even if people have money. Think about it. Whenever there¡¯s a wedding in our vige and people need to buy things, don¡¯t they go begging around? It¡¯s because things are not easy to get, so doing business in the city is an opportunity.¡± She encouraged her sister to step out. What did it mean for Bai Yue to stay in the countryside with her children while the others lived a different life?

    She and Bai Song inevitably left the vige to live in the city, and Bai Ju was doing well in town. It was unfair for Bai Yue to live in the vige with her children.

    She wanted her brother and sister to have a good life.

    Everyone deserved a good life.

    ¡°Sis, think it over again,¡± Bai Yue closed her eyes, her heart wing with anxious agitation.

    She slept very uneasily that night, or rather, she hardly slept at all, only closing her eyes when dawn approached.

    The moment she got up! Seeing the dark circles under her eyes in the mirror, she couldn¡¯t help but sigh.

    She really couldn¡¯t keep calm.

    Bai Xiao also got up to wash her face and brush her teeth, and Bai Yue hurried to the kitchen to busy herself¡ªthere was still a pile of things to take care of at home. They had agreed to go to town today to buy New Year¡¯s goods, and no matter what, life had to go on! She decided not to think about anything else, and to first have a good New Year with her family.

    However, just as Bai Yue finished sweeping the yard and opened the front door, she was startled, dropping her washbasin with a ng onto the ground.

    Bai Xiao rushed out, worried, to see what had happened.

    What she saw was Bai Yue helping a pallid and ashen-faced Wang Yan into the house, one hand still carrying a bedding roll.

    Bai Xiao hurried over to take it from him, and Bai Song and Li Haiping, hearing the noise, came out as well, quickly helping Wang Yan into their room.

    Li Haiping, anxious, asked, ¡°Uncle Shitou, what happened here?¡± They had a close bond with Wang Yan, who they considered their master. He was strict with them, but he also didn¡¯t skimp on care. To Li Haiping, Li Haian, and Li Haishun, such a good person, a good man was the very image of a real father¡ªsomething they never had. But they saw a man¡¯s responsibility and duty in Wang Yan.

    Of course they were concerned now, helping him inside and pouring hot water for Wang Yan.

    Bai Yue looked at Wang Yan, ¡°What happened here?¡±

    Looking at the bedding roll, she didn¡¯t know what to say.

    Still groggy, Bai Song hadn¡¯t grasped the situation, ¡°Brother Wang, what¡¯s going on?¡±

    Wang Yan looked at Bai Song and Bai Xiao, then stood up, ¡°Bai Song! Bai Xiao, I won¡¯t hide it from you. I want to marry your sister. Last night, my family had a major row, and my dad kicked me out. He said if I don¡¯t break up with your sister, I¡¯ll never be allowed to use the Wang Family¡¯s techniques or inherit their estate, so I¡¯m now penniless. Would you still agree to let your sister marry me?¡±

    Bai Song was so shocked that he didn¡¯t know what to say. The content of those words was too startling¡ªWang Yan and his sister?

    When did this happen?

    He hadpletely failed to notice it¡ªit all happened too quickly, turning out this way in an instant.

 Chapter 254 - 254 254 Buy Buy Buy

    ?Chapter 254: Chapter 254: Buy Buy Buy   Chapter 254: Chapter 254: Buy Buy Buy                                   ¡°Brother Wang, please have a seat first. This matter is between you and my elder sister. As her younger siblings, we will follow her wishes. As long as she is happy, we have no objections. The only requirement is that my sister must be happy!¡± Bai Xiao invited Wang Yan to sit down.

    It would be a lie to say it wasn¡¯t shocking. Wang Yan, a grown man in his forties, was no longer a youngd who acted on impulse. He had passed that impetuous age long ago. To do this for Bai Yue was truly admirable¡ªit took great courage to start over at such an age, and it was not without difficulty.

    Bai Yue looked at Wang Yan, ¡°Brother Shitou, it¡¯s not worth it for you to do this for me. Your family is living well; why bother? I¡¯m just a woman who¡¯s been divorced, and by doing this, you¡¯re making your parents absolutely despise me.¡± She hadn¡¯t expected Wang Yan to truly choose to break with his family for her. Although she¡¯d imagined it, she couldn¡¯t believe it¡ªit took immense courage for a man to do this.

    ¡°I¡¯ve said I¡¯m serious about marrying you, you should trust me even if I don¡¯t use the Wang Family¡¯s pig farming skills! I can still support you and the kids,¡± he said earnestly.

    Bai Xiao nced at Bai Yue, who was already moved to tears. Alright! Let¡¯s leave these two alone, what are they doing here like a third wheel?

    Pulling Bai Song along and pushing Li Haiping, Li Hai¡¯an, Li Haishun with him, they headed outside, ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ve eaten and will head to town to buy New Year goods. Your mother will stay home!¡± The couple needed a good talk, it couldn¡¯t be settled over just a word or two, they needed time and space.

    Bai Song wanted to say something, but Bai Xiao quickly pulled him away.

    Arriving at Bai Xiao¡¯s room, Bai Song sat on the kang bed. Watching his sister serve the kang table, he hurriedly took it from her, ¡°Xiao, what exactly is going on? I¡¯m still confused. When did elder sister and Wang Yan get together?¡±

    Li Haiping and Li Hai¡¯an were all smiles, looking incredibly happy, which made Bai Xiao curious.

    ¡°What are you twoughing about? Look, your smiles are stretching to your ears.¡±

    Li Haiping blushed, ¡°Actually, we really hope Uncle Shitou can be our dad. We never thought this dream could reallye true.¡± It was natural for the two boys to be shy about these matters.

    ¡°Brother, you heard, right? Don¡¯t worry too much. As long as Wang Yan treats our elder sister well, I don¡¯t see anything wrong with it. She¡¯s had a tough life, and she deserves someone who truly cares for and cherishes her. However, I didn¡¯t expect Wang Yan to actually break with his family for her. It seems this man has deeper affection and loyalty to our elder sister than we thought.¡± Bai Xiao set the tableware and went to the kitchen to serve food.

    Bai Song scratched his head. Isn¡¯t this too sudden?

    Suddenly having another brother-inw.

    The five of them ate, then carried their baskets and set off. Since it was the month before the Lunar New Year, people were buying goods for the festival, so there were always ox carts and tractors running to town. They paid a dime each for a ride on a tractor. Initially, the tractor driver refused to take their money¡ªthe vige chief¡¯s daughter, who would dare? Not afraid of getting scolded by Liu Baoguo.

    But Bai Xiao did not want this minor amount of money to cause gossip in the vigeter¡ªvigers tend to be petty! This tiny bit of money was significant to them, and it might give rise to idle talk.

    They were not short of a bit of money; there was no need to cause such trouble for Liu Baoguo.

    Firmly, they handed the money to the tractor driver, and they securely reached the town. First, they went shopping, then they nned to visit Bai Ju¡¯s home before returning to the vige.

    As the New Year approached, the market swelled with people¡ªbusier than a temple fair in thest few days.

    Small vendors lined the streets, the crowd weaving in and out, nearly impossible to move through as people pressed against one another. Through all this, there were still enthusiastic calls inviting them to look at their goods.

    Bai Xiao discovered that, in just half a year, the number of people doing business in the town had greatly increased, which showed that many people had seized the business opportunities brought by policy changes.

    It was rare to see beef for sale, so Bai Xiao had the vendor cut thirty pounds directly, which she took home to braise. Whether sliced on a tter or cooked in dishes, it was great, and thisrge purchase delighted the beef seller, as this single sale was equivalent to the business of several other people. In the end, she even gave Bai Xiao a free tripe, which was cheap and unwanted; usually, vendors would keep it for themselves, and giving it away was just a little extra.

    Bai Song looked indulgently at his sister buying items. Although he thought it excessive, he understood that his sister wasn¡¯t doing this just to satisfy her own cravings but was preparing for the family¡¯s New Year, and ultimately, they would all benefit.

    So he swallowed his words.

    This New Year needed to be rxed and enjoyable for his sister and was their mostfortable one yet, so why not buy and buy?

    Thus, Bai Song, Li Haiping, Li Hai¡¯an, and Li Haishun all turned into Bai Xiao¡¯s porters, carrying baskets and following behind her, putting whatever she bought into the baskets.

    She also bought forty pounds of pork. Seeing a meat grinder, Bai Xiao specifically ground eight pounds of minced meat, three pounds of which were for making dumplings! The rest was for frying meatballs, five to six pounds for cooking! The remaining parts were all belly meat. Bai Xiao thought the belly meat was excellent, nicely marbled, just perfect for making roast pork.

    She also bought eight pig¡¯s feet and two pig¡¯s hocks.

    For the New Year in their ce, frying meatballs and tofu, making roast pork, and small crispy meat were essential dishes, and they could eat them from the twelfth lunar month until the end of the first lunar month.

    She also bought kelp, dried bean curd sticks, and daylilies as side dishes. There were no greenhouses this season, no fresh vegetables; they bought several heads of Chinese cabbage. The rest were white radishes, carrots, and potatoes, with no green vegetables at all.

    Vermicelli, ss noodles, and various seasonings like chili powder, five-spice powder, star anise, and also scallion, ginger, garlic, were all avable for purchase.

    She also bought some preserved eggs and salted duck eggs. She also bought chicken feet. They were bound to cull chickens from their own coop this year, but if they wanted to eat chicken feet, there wouldn¡¯t be many of them, and the items they were buying just kept piling up.

    They also bought peanuts, sunflower seeds, and candies. Normally, they should have roasted the peanuts and seeds themselves, but they had nond to grow these this year, so they had to buy some.

    The three boys saw the fireworks and couldn¡¯t contain their excitement, as boys naturally loved them.

    Bai Xiao, with a grand gesture, said, ¡°Buy!¡±

    So the three boys happily dove in, following Bai Song¡¯s inclination¡ªjust setting off a few fireworks for the New Year would suffice! But Bai Xiao said that this year they wanted a bustling and thriving New Year! So they bought extra to be festive.

    The three enthusiastic boys bought a whole basket full, delighting the vendor, who rarely encountered such a big customer in a year. The vendor not only served them eagerly but also gave them plenty of freebies, making the three young men incredibly happy.

    It seemed that they had never experienced a New Year where they could so freely buy things they liked. It all seemed like a dream. Just half a year ago, they were struggling intensely, desperately trying to protect their mother from harm and working themselves to the bone in stone quarries just so they could have enough to eat. Now, suddenly, it seemed as if all happiness surrounded them.

    The contrast was so great that it was surprising enough to make them think they were dreaming.

    In such times, they wished never to wake up, without any fear or worry, no hunger or cold, no mother¡¯s tears and bloodshed. Could there be a better life than this?

 Chapter 255 - 255 255 He Weng Didnt Go to Find Her

    ?Chapter 255: Chapter 255: He Weng Didn¡¯t Go to Find Her   Chapter 255: Chapter 255: He Weng Didn¡¯t Go to Find Her                                   When five people arrived at Bai Ju¡¯s house, their presence was trulymanding, with many neighbors envying them! It looked like there were many items packed in their back baskets. Clearly, they were visiting rtives, but the entourage of five people was indeed quite impressive.

    Bai Ju was on the night shift today and had slept in the morning. She got up to prepare meals because her three children needed lunch, and He Wang would be back soon. He had mentioned yesterday that he wouldn¡¯t bring lunch because he had a driving shift in the morning and could rush back for a meal at noon. He Wang had been driving for two months now, and his monthly sry was even more than Bai Ju¡¯s. The drivers at their factory had a base sry plus bonuses and allowances based on the number of trips made. All in all, he was making eighty dors a month.

    Bai Ju earned only fifty-six dors a month. The couple¡¯s life was getting increasingly smoother. Theirbined sry was well over a hundred, and their three children were no trouble, so suddenly it seemed like their life was somehow quietly changing, bing more vibrant.

    As she was about to start kneading dough, she heard a knock on the door.

    Bai Ju checked the time in surprise. It was only eleven o¡¯clock, and the children would be out of school at half-past eleven, not getting home until almost noon.

    ¡°Who is it?¡±

    ¡°Sis, it¡¯s us!¡± Bai Xiao pushed the door open and entered.

    Bai Ju was startled to see them.

    ¡°Why have youe? Is something wrong?¡± Her sister had not returned for a visit because it really wasn¡¯t permissible time-wise. They were nning to take a few days off for the New Year holiday soon and then head back to the vige to celebrate. The couple had nned it early.

    Now at their home, they were the ones livingfortably, so of course, they wanted to return for the New Year. Bai Ju was worried about Bai Yue, so she had prepared some food stamps and money for her elder sister. When someone in the family faced difficulties, everyone should help out; only by working together could they better their lives.

    Bai Xiao unloaded her basket. ¡°Sis, can you help Haiping and the others take off their baskets? I¡¯m exhausted. What happened? We came to buy goods for the New Year. It¡¯s almost the festival, and if we don¡¯t buy them soon, by the twenty-ninth of the twelfth lunar month there might not be any stalls left. By then, you all will have gone back, and what would you be able to buy?¡± She was tired; buying hadn¡¯t seemed tiresome, but carrying the load had gotten heavier with every step.

    Bai Ju helped Li Haiping, Li Hai¡¯an, and Li Haishun unload their baskets. Bai Song also unloaded his.

    ¡°Why did you buy so much stuff? How much money did that cost? I forgot to tell you, our factory issued goods for the Spring Festival, quite a lot, intended to be brought back home. Just the pork alone is about thirty pounds, not to mention sugar, apples, and I heard they¡¯re even distributing chicken and fish this year.¡± Bai Ju, like Bai Yue, was used to hard times! Seeing wasteful spending was something neither could bear,ing from poor families that knew how to cut corners.

    Bai Xiaoughed.

    ¡°Sis! You really have great benefits now. So did I lose out bying back for the New Year early? I won¡¯t even see all the stuff given out for the festival.¡±

    Bai Ju jabbed her pointedly in the ribs.

    ¡°You¡¯re always so cheeky! You know this was your n. Your brother just follows your lead; he¡¯s got no choice but to do what you say. You¡¯re the Demon Lord of Mayhem, and everyone in our family listens to you.¡± The tone was full of affection.

    Bai Xiao rubbed her forehead contentedly. ¡°Sis, we¡¯vee to scrounge a meal off you; just look at us, four big guys. You better brace yourself to feel a little heartache!¡±

    Bai Ju rolled her eyes. ¡°Eating won¡¯t bankrupt me. By the way, have you seen He Weng? Did he not send a message back with you? His brother has been worried about him for months. Since he left, we¡¯ve got no news at all. We¡¯re all concerned. Do you know how he is faring? What kind of job has he found?¡± Bai Ju, troubled by these concerns, asked Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao was taken aback, ¡°He Weng? How could I possibly see him? Isn¡¯t he at home?¡± He Weng was considered family because she was helping her sister with medical treatment, and she thought having him at home would ease her sister¡¯s worries.

    Why would they suddenly ask about this?

    Bai Ju was stunned, ¡°You didn¡¯t see He Weng? That¡¯s impossible. He Weng took your address, that kid is so sincere¡ªhe said it was to repay your great kindness. He insisted on going to your city to work, iming it was to earn living expenses for you and even save for your dowry. I specifically gave him your address; he couldn¡¯t have failed to contact you, right? It¡¯s been over three months already.¡± Her brother-inw and his family had always thought he was in touch with Bai Xiao. She hadn¡¯t expected there might be something else.

    ¡°Sister! I really haven¡¯t seen him, he hasn¡¯te to look for me these past few months!¡± Bai Xiao was also surprised, He Weng really was kind-hearted.

    Bai Ju scooped two bowls of noodles from the white flour bag, pouring them into a basin that already had two bowls. Thinking not to give up hope, she scooped one more bowl into it, for the four young guys, she couldn¡¯t let them starve.

    ¡°This kid must not have found a good job and felt embarrassed toe to you, but with the New Yearing up, how can there be no news at all? Whether there¡¯s money or not, he should stille home for the holiday! His brother is really worried about him; he¡¯s never been away from us. We¡¯re also worried.¡±

    Bai Xiao suddenly felt an ominous feeling in her heart.

    Although He Weng was old enough that human traffickers definitely wouldn¡¯t be interested in him, and no one would want such a big son to take on the burden, it was mysterious how a person could just disappear into thin air.

    ¡°Maybe he¡¯lle back in a couple of days!¡± Bai Xiaoforted Bai Ju, and herself as well. She always had a strong sense of unease¡ªperhaps something had happened to He Weng.

    Bai Ju didn¡¯t think too much of it; after all, they hadn¡¯t encountered any truly bad people in this world, at most just some family squabbles. What were those, really?

    He Weng was a grown man, after all; it wasn¡¯t likely he couldn¡¯t take care of himself. At worst, he might just struggle a bit if he couldn¡¯t find a job, but it wouldn¡¯t be anything too serious.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just wait then, go wash your hands, and sit in the other room. I¡¯ll be done soon.¡±

    ¡°Sis, I¡¯ll help. Haiping and Hai¡¯an can go fetch water for Auntie.¡± This was one of the advantages of having boys around.

    Bai Song rolled up his sleeves, ¡°I¡¯ll go. I¡¯m an adult; I shouldn¡¯t be sitting around letting the kids work. I¡¯d be too ashamed to just sit there.¡±

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t mind; family members helping each other made for a particrly nice atmosphere.

    Before the three students returned, they had finished making a big pot of stew with the meat they bought, frying some meat slices, stewing tofu with ck fungus, lily buds, and diced tofu skin¡ªit smelled mouth-watering.

    When He Wang returned, and the three students entered, the whole family immediately started their meal.

    With the noodles boiled, a bowl was served up for each person. He Wang hadn¡¯t expected his nieces and nephews toe, but seeing the whole family harmonious and happy made him happy too. He had lost his parents early and loved this lively and warm family atmosphere.

    Little did they know, He Weng was now in a situation where cries for help were unheard¡ª a fate more tragic than being kidnapped by human traffickers.

 Chapter 256 - 256 256 He Wei in Dire Straits

    ?Chapter 256: Chapter 256: He Wei in Dire Straits   Chapter 256: Chapter 256: He Wei in Dire Straits                                   He Weng gripped the peeler tightly, stripping the potatoes of their skins. In front of him, arge basin filled with dark, murky potatoes¡ªthis was their noon meal. Usually, they only had cornmeal buns with pickled vegetables; the potatoes today were a special addition because the factory boss¡¯s family was celebrating, and they were given a bag of sprouted potatoes to supplement their meal.

    The chilins on his hands throbbed painfully when they met the cold water, itching and burning, especially where many sores had cracked open. Whenever he moved, his hands would ooze blood, a frightening sight, yet in this godforsaken ce, there was no real treatment. At most, he and Old Hu, the cook, would seize the chance while preparing meals for the boss and the enforcers to rub some ginger on their wounds or asionally boil ginger water for both to wash with, though such opportunities were few.

    They were often under surveince! Don¡¯t think that they were freer than the others; their freedom was just as restricted. The boss was extremely vignt with them.

    In the beginning, He Weng had thought about escaping! But after witnessing two people who tried to climb the wall and flee at midnight being caught, not only were they viciously whipped, but all the miners had one meal reduced from their rations¡ªa collective punishment.This was done to deter escapes, prompting many to inform on others just to survive. No one could hope to flee, especially since one of those whippedter sumbed to an infection, without proper medical care. Feverish and untreated, they still forced him to work in the mine until he perished down there. The thing was, no one saw his body being brought out; it was said that the usual practice was to bury him right there on the spot.

    It seemed that this mine was the final destination for them all, with no chance for anyone to leave. He Weng knew with his frail constitution, he didn¡¯t stand a chance at escape, as he had been bedridden for years. His body was weak, the consequences of which included underdeveloped motor skills. Running? He couldn¡¯t outrun the fierce guard dogs.

    Any other n was simply out of the question. The brutal guards didn¡¯t regard them as human; no one would care for their well-being, hardly even a nce.

    The only person he could rely on was Han, the manager who had tricked him into getting into the car. Heter found out that this so-called Manager Han was actually one of Baldy¡¯s subordinates. He treated He Weng rtively well, often looking after him.

    It was because of Manager Han that he was able to stay and work in what they called the canteen. Otherwise, he might have already died in the mines. Of course, He Wengter learned that Manager Han¡¯s kindness was because He Weng resembled Han¡¯s younger brother¡ªapparently, their eyes were very simr. That was the ultimate reason for Manager Han¡¯s care.

    Manager Han took good care of him, ensuring the enforcers had quality meals. When in the kitchen, Manager Han would reserve a bowl of the good food for him and Old Hu, as if to offer them an extra dish. Manager Han¡¯s special status and rapport with the boss elevated him above the rest.

    If you asked He Weng if he was grateful?

    He didn¡¯t feel a hint of gratitude. And why? Does that even need to be said?

    His current plight was all thanks to Manager Han; had he not been deceived on the road by him, he wouldn¡¯t have ended up in this predicament. He Weng was no fool¡ªhe knew the strategy of offering a sweet date after a p. Dream on.

    Yet, each day he served Manager Han with a smile, feigning great gratitude. He figured there would eventually be a chance to escape or to send a message outside.

    He had to escape; he couldn¡¯t die here for the rest of his life. Even if he died here, it was likely that there would be nobody to im his body. No one in the world would know that he had died silently in this ce.

    Down in those minesy unknown numbers of skeletons. Who could say where those people hade from?

    Unknown origins, unknown destinies¡ªHe Weng was clear that despite Manager Han¡¯s friendly demeanor and kindness towards him, if he truly attempted to leave, Manager Han would be the first to turn against him. If He Weng got out, Manager Han would be incriminated, as he would be the one to point the finger at Manager Han.

    So don¡¯t even think about leaving, it was absolutely impossible while alive.

    And even less possible in death; the bones of the wronged were plentiful here, and the boss feared neither divine retribution nor thunder.

    Outside, the sound of a car engine sprang to life¡ªit was time for Manager Han¡¯s return.

    His timing was spot on; every week, at this hour, Manager Han would bring back severaldies for the boss and his brothers¡ªof course, the term dies¡± meant a certain kind of woman. At first, He Weng didn¡¯t understand! Butter, when he did understand, it turned out they were those disreputable women.

    These women coulde and go freely, staying overnight and then being sent away by Manager Han the next morning or at noon, the treatment they received was entirely different from how they were treated.

    Every time these women visited, their kitchen life improved because they needed to host the women properly; Brother Han would buy lots of food and drinks, and they had to cook up a storm.

    He Weng scrubbed the potatoes clean when Brother Han called out to him, ¡°Xiaohe,e help me with the groceries. I bought quite a bit today, andter you two will get to enjoy some good stuff too!¡± Brother Han was usually amiable towards him, treating him like a big brother would.

    He Weng put down the peeler and wiped his hands on his apron, ¡°Okay,ing right up!¡±

    Following Brother Han to the SUV, a few women were standing not far from the car, swaying their curvy waists flirtatiously andughing. They were unabashedly sizing up He Weng, who, apart from the henchmen, looked like a decent man, and he was quite handsome at that! No wonder he attracted the attention of women.

    ¡°Hey, young man, you are really handsome.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, look at that, he¡¯s blushing the moment you talked. He¡¯s really cute. He couldn¡¯t be a greenhorn, could he?¡± The women clearly had no inhibitions talking dirty, flirting with such a young guy was probably a pastime for them.

    He Weng¡¯s face did turn red. He bent down and lifted a crate of vegetables from the trunk, while Brother Han was hugging a woman with a big smile, a cigarette pinched between his fingers, pointing at He Weng said, ¡°Just stop teasing the honest guy, this kid is my brother. Don¡¯t mess with him for nothing!¡±

    The girlsughed even more brazenly, obviously emboldened. They surrounded He Weng, one draping an arm around his shoulders, another pinching his cheek, and someone else daringly groping him up and down. He Weng clenched his wrist, almost immobilized while holding the crate of vegetables.

    ¡°Excuse me, excuse me! Let me through, please, this is all groceries. If they spill¡­ getting them all over you wouldn¡¯t be good.¡± He said timidly while trying to evade the onught of the women, his words lightly veiled as a threat.

    Brother Han watched He Weng¡¯s utterly embarrassed demeanor andughed so hard his stomach hurt.

    And then, suddenly! The crate tipped over, and vegetables rolled onto the skirts of the surrounding women. They immediately jumped aside in disgust, covering their noses.

    ¡°Look what you¡¯ve done, you got our skirts dirty, you¡¯ll have topensate us for this.¡±

    ¡°Absolutely filthy.¡±

    Brother Hanughed, ¡°Alright, alright, isn¡¯t a new skirt enough?¡±

    He Weng squatted down to pick up the vegetables. Then a girl squatted next to him, helping him gather cabbages, pork, chicken legs, mushrooms, and the like scattered on the ground. He Weng nced at the girl.

    Her eyes curved, and despite the heavy makeup, the look she gave him was kind.

    He Weng nodded, ¡°Thank you!¡±

    The girl smiled, ¡°No need to thank me. I just happened to be kind-hearted today. You must have prayed to the right god.¡±

    The girl reached for a big cabbage, and He Weng hurried to take it from her. That cabbage alone weighed at least fifteen pounds, a real whopper.

    He Weng¡¯s hand touched the girl¡¯s hand.

    Both pulled away quickly, the girl looked at him in surprise, then stood up and walked away in her high heels, following the other women.

    He Weng lowered his eyelids.

 Chapter 257 - 257 257 Saving Lives

    ?Chapter 257: Chapter 257 Saving Lives   Chapter 257: Chapter 257 Saving Lives                                   ¡°Sally, have you taken a fancy to that young man? Look at how shy he is, but he¡¯s got no prospects; don¡¯t be a fool! We¡¯re in this business for the money. Don¡¯t fall for some poor devil, and don¡¯t forget how Xiaolu was swindled out of everything she had.¡± The older colleague sitting beside her offered her earnest advice, her manner worldly as she held a cigarette between her fingers.

    Sally nodded. ¡°How could I fall for such a poor guy? I just thought he looked like my brother, that¡¯s why I lent him a hand. Don¡¯t get the wrong idea. I really don¡¯t have that kind of interest. Don¡¯t you know my mom is bedridden, waiting for me to earn money for her treatment? I don¡¯t have the luxury to daydream.¡± She knew all too well that she didn¡¯t have the capital to entertain such thoughts; aside from earning money, what other options did she have?

    ¡°d to hear you understand. As someone who¡¯s been through it, I definitely don¡¯t want to see you go astray. Since you¡¯re already in this line of work, you should make the most of your youth and earn as much as you can. We don¡¯t have a way out. Dreaming of going straight and marrying a decent man is impossible. That coal mine owner, he¡¯s the type to throw money around. Charm him well, and it¡¯s easy money. Then, your mother¡¯s medical expenses will be taken care of in no time.¡±

    The two exchanged their whispers and walked in. This two-story building belonged to the boss. They usually came here to serve him because he was busy at the mine¡ªregarded as a den of vice, it offered everything from food and drink to prostitution and gambling.

    Sally nodded and gestured towards the restroom. ¡°I¡¯m going to the loo, you go on up first, I¡¯ll be right there.¡±

    The others left.

    Sally entered the restroom. There was only one small cubicle, and it reeked. It seemed rarely cleaned, but luckily it was winter and not as bad as it would have been in summer. Otherwise, the stench would have been unbearable.

    She locked the door, looked at what she was holding, and was surprised to find a ten-dor bill?

    Thed who carried vegetables had actually given her a ten-dor bill? Hah, did he think that a woman like her could be had for ten dors?

    With a sneer, Sally acknowledged that men were no good. She stuffed the money into her small purse; ten dors was still money, and even though it wasn¡¯t what she was after, it had been offered by the boy. There was no reason to refuse.

    After fixing her makeup and applying a freshyer of lipstick, she finally left for upstairs.

    He Weng was busy in the kitchen, where Old Hu was frying peanuts. They needed three dishes of each type, as per the usual routine, since there were three tables of guests.

    He Weng sliced braised beef and roasted chicken, ready to be ted. Their cooking skills were indeed not great, so when such guests arrived, aside from some side dishes they had to prepare, most of the food was bought ready-made¡ªthe boss wasn¡¯t stingy with money.

    Of course, when it came to them, money was scarce; everything else was trivial.

    After slicing arge piece of beef, He Weng nced around. The skinny supervisor tasked with watching over their work stood in the doorway, eyeing the small building across the street whereughter from girls and music could be heard. With his eyes riveted on the building and muttering curses, thenky bastard paid little heed to them.

    He Weng, knife in hand, quickly moved to Old Hu¡¯s side and stuffed the beef into his mouth with lightning speed. They had done this before, so Old Hu¡¯s first reaction was to bow his head and keep an eye on the oil pot, and only after He Weng stepped away did he slowly lift his head to look at the skinny man¡¯s back and began chewing the beef in his mouth.

    It had been some time since the boss had entertained guests, and they could hardly scrape up any extra benefits. Old Hu knew that their situation was not much better than that of the workers; they got by only on pilfering food when they could, otherwise they would be just as badly off.

    Don¡¯t think that cooking for seventy or eighty people is easy. Sure, it may just be pickles, cornbread, and cornmeal porridge, but they had to do it all themselves¡ªpickling vegetables, steaming bread, making gruel, and even cooking for the henchmen. A single misstep in preparing their meals could result in a beating.

    Life is hard for everyone.

    Old Hu knew he couldn¡¯t escape. The boss wouldn¡¯t let him leave. Since He Weng had joined him, it seemed that many things had be more manageable, at least they could huddle together in the bitter cold.

    That damned shack could nearly freeze you to death in winter and bake you alive in summer.

    ncing at He Weng, he recognized that the kid was decent and looked out for him, sharing whatever good food and drink he had. Most importantly, the kid was sharp-witted.

    What a pity.

    Once you¡¯re in a ce like this, chances are you¡¯ll never leave for the rest of your life.

    Such a waste for someone in his twenties.

    All day, they bustled about, serving those upstairs in the little building till they were full and content. The sound of music from insidested a long time, as did the girls¡¯ughter.

    He Weng was originally going to deliver food for them, but the skinny guy wouldn¡¯t allow it, insisting on going himself, so He Weng had to abandon the idea.

    Hope the girl is a kind person.

    The next day, Brother Han drove the person away.

    He Weng¡¯s life began to desperately need this kind of torment day after day, constantly telling himself that he must hold on, to protect his own life, which wasn¡¯t really his. Even if he were to die, he couldn¡¯t die here unclearly, with so many things left undone. He had yet to repay his debts of gratitude, his life wasn¡¯t his own. The kindness Brother and Sister-inw showed him, he hadn¡¯t been able to repay either.

    That girl named Bai Xiao saved him, gave him another chance to stand up. It wasn¡¯t so he coulde here to work asborer, and an unpaidborer at that, with a supposed sry of one hundred yuan a month.

    But those were just numbers in Brother Han¡¯s ledger. He never saw anyone actually get their sry. Maybe those people never intended to pay them, since everyone ended up dying here anyway¡ªwhy would they need a sry?

    He had to leave.

    He Weng told himself not to lose hope, or else he wouldn¡¯t survive.

    He didn¡¯t know if the girl would notice, or if she was a kind-hearted person. Nothing had happened yesterday, so he understood that either the girl hadn¡¯t noticed the thing with the money, or she had noticed but hadn¡¯t snitched.

    Whichever it was, aside from waiting, he seemed to have no other options.

    By this time, Sally and the others had already returned to the convenience store in front of their rental apartment in the city. She took out a ten yuan note from her wallet, ¡°Boss, a pack of Ashima, please.¡±

    The boss bent down to search in the box, and Sally, impatient, waved the money in her hand as if there was some tiny print on the note under the sunlight.

    Sally took a closer look.

    ¡°Call the police, save my life!¡±

    Four big characters.

    Sally¡¯s heart skipped a beat. What was this?

    Was it a joke? Or was it written by the boy who moved vegetables?

    The boss handed over the cigarettes.

    Sally, panicking, stuffed the money into her wallet, ¡°Sorry boss, I just remembered something urgent, I¡¯ll buy cigarettes from you next time.¡± She rushed back home in a flurry.

    After closing the door, Sally looked over the ten yuan note several times, certain that that was the message. Save a life?

    Whose life?

    The boy¡¯s?

    Unsure of what had happened, and knowing that the coal boss was rumored to have a strong backing, she wouldn¡¯t get herself involved in this. She slowly put the money away.

    Besides, it might just be a prank.

    That ce was just a broken-down coal mine; what was there to save a life from?

    Sallyy down on her bed and decided to ignore the matter.

 Chapter 258 - 258 258 Fate

    ?Chapter 258: Chapter 258: Fate   Chapter 258: Chapter 258: Fate                                   There was a bus back to the vige at three in the afternoon; if they missed it, the five of them would have no choice but to walk back.

    Bai Ju and her spouse had to work and had no time to send them off, and Bai Xiao and the others didn¡¯t require any fussing over. Bai Ju even packed all the items given out by the factory for Bai Xiao to take back.

    Bai Xiao insisted on leaving some pork behind; just because her sister¡¯s life had improved, it didn¡¯t mean she should take everything without leaving anything for herself, not to mention the longing looks in the three children¡¯s eyes.

    Bai Xiao and Bai Song, along with Li Haiping, Li Hai¡¯an, and Li Haishun hurried to the bus station.

    Suddenly, Bai Xiao remembered Fang Jianping¡¯s family and told her eldest brother to wait for her at the station, saying that she would at least feel more at ease if she could catch a glimpse of them.

    She hoped that good people would always receive their due rewards in this life.

    Bai Song didn¡¯t know what Bai Xiao was nning to do, but since she was an adult and not an ignorant child, he felt fairly confident leaving her to her own devices as they headed to the station.

    Bai Xiao went straight to the row of shops where Fang Jianping¡¯s store was, only to find that it had changed hands, now turned into a noodle shop. She shook her head, wondering if Fang Jianping had encountered some misfortune or if, perhaps, he was still unable to escape his ill fate from a previous life.

    She didn¡¯t go up to ask for fear that she would be distressed if she heard any negative news; she¡¯d tried her best to change the fate of everyone, particrly those who had been kind to her in the past, wishing them well. Unfortunately, sometimes it was still hard to contend with destiny.

    Feeling a bit down, Bai Xiao, with her basket on her back, walked toward the station, only to be tapped on the shoulder from behind.

    ¡°Little girl, I finally found you!¡±

    Bai Xiao turned around and immediately brightened up.

    Yang Mei was looking at her with a face full of surprise.

    ¡°Auntie?¡±

    ¡°You little rascal, you¡¯ve been hard to find. I¡¯ve finally caught up with you. I figured your sister¡¯s family would be in town, and you¡¯d surelye to visit her. I¡¯ve been hanging around the station these past few months, hoping to bump into you, and atst I have. Come on, let¡¯s go to your auntie¡¯s shop, have a drink, rest your feet. I know you must be in a hurry to get back to the vige, so I won¡¯t keep you.¡±

    She wouldn¡¯t let go of Bai Xiao¡¯s hand.

    Bai Xiao nced at her watch; there was a little over an hour left, which was plenty of time to catch up, and she really wanted to know what had be of Fang Jianping now.

    ¡°Auntie, I¡¯ming with you, no need to rush!¡± Yang Mei, true to her temperament, was always in such a hurry.

    They arrived at the station¡¯s side; the houses here were expensive because of the location! The house here was much pricier than the one where Fang Jianping and his wife had lived earlier, but this ce also enjoyed much more foot traffic.

    She had never expected Fang Jianping and his wife to move here; the house was spotlessly clean! Through the big ss windows, she could see the ss showcase inside and the wooden shelves behind the counter filled with all sorts of goods, with Fang Jianping behind the counter serving customers.

    Recognizing Bai Xiao as soon as Yang Mei brought her in, Fang Jianping greeted her immediately.

    There was no way he and his wife could forget Bai Xiao, whose offhand remark had changed their lives forever. Now that they were living peacefully, they owed a lot to this young girl.

    The couple had always been grateful and had wanted to properly thank Bai Xiao.

    ¡°Girl, you¡¯vee! Have a seat,¡± Fang Jianping warmly invited her while weighing cookies for a customer and speaking to Bai Xiao.

    Yang Mei seated Bai Xiao near the stove, fetched a tea jar from behind the counter, poured some boiled water into it, and added two spoonfuls of orange powder, a trendy item these days, even more popr than white sugar.

    ¡°Here! Have a sip to warm up first. Have you eaten yet? Let your auntie whip up a bowl of noodles for you!¡± Yang Mei¡¯s fondness for Bai Xiao grew by the second.

    Bai Xiao quickly shook her head, ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t trouble yourself, I¡¯m not hungry. I just had a full meal at my sister¡¯s ce. Let¡¯s just talk for a bit. If you¡¯re too busy, then I¡¯ll have to leave.¡±

    Yang Meiughed, ¡°You, kiddo,e on, Auntie will sit down with you for a chat.¡±

    Nheless, she grabbed a handful of melon seeds and peanuts from the basket nearby and roasted them on the circle of the stove, ¡°Auntie doesn¡¯t really have any fancy snacks here! If you¡¯re bored, just nibble on some melon seeds or peel a few peanuts to eat.¡±

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t hold back and peeled the peanuts, surveying the shop. This new store had expanded to over twice the size of the original one, and the range of goods was clearly more abundant andplete. Even the counters and wooden shelves were meticulously crafted, and the merchandise was arranged in an orderly fashion¡ªsuch a transformation from the initial small shop.

    ¡°Auntie, when did you guys move?¡±

    Yang Mei and Fang Jianping exchanged smiles, ¡°Our moving was all thanks to you.¡±

    Bai Xiao pointed to herself, ¡°Me? What does it have to do with me?¡±

    Yang Mei sat down, ¡°You might not be aware of how much your words back then, and the suggestion you gave us, meant to our family. It was a tremendous act of kindness.¡±

    Bai Xiao felt embarrassed; after all, she only gave that advice because she knew a lot about future events from her previous life. Of course, what was more important was her knowledge that this couple were good people who had show kindness to her in the past. She wasn¡¯t heartless or ungrateful; anyone who had been kind to her,

    she would want to repay. She hoped that their lives could be better. Sometimes in life, a bit of guidance from others might just change one¡¯s destiny.

    She wished for all the people she knew to have good endings in this life.

    Of course, the bad ones must face the consequences of their actions.

    If heaven wouldn¡¯t punish them, then let her, Bai Xiao, do it.

    ¡°Auntie, I really don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying,¡± Bai Xiao said.

    Fang Jianping sent away thest customer and came out from behind the counter with a stool, sitting by the stove. The three of them huddled around the stove for warmth.

    ¡°My girl, I want to thank you. These past years, it was as if I were blind and heartless, never seeing the beast I fostered right by my side, and even treated him as if he were my own son. The advice you gave mest time, after I acted on it, I clearly saw those people¡¯s true colors.

    Now, my days are so much morefortable, all thanks to you. Ever since I kicked those ungrateful wolves and vampires off me, my spouse and I have been livingfortably. We transferred the lease of our old shop and bought this one. Although it took all our savings, we no longer have to think about supporting someone else¡¯s son, so we can really spread our wings.

    This shop is doing very well now, doing ten times better than the old store. Look at me, I even bought a car. And oh, our three daughters are so good to us. I used to not want them toe home often, worried that my nephew would be unhappy to see them returning all the time, but now theye back often with their husbands and children.

    My spouse and I can actually enjoy the happiness of family life. Especially when I was sick recently, my three daughters stayed by my side throughout. Only after falling ill did I realize who really cares for me in this world.

    No matter how close other people¡¯s children may seem, they are still others¡¯ children. Only your own children will be the most filial. Now, I finally understand this. From now on, I¡¯m going to live well with your auntie. Forget about passing on the family name or breaking the filial piety pot; I¡¯ve thought about it, a filial daughter is also your own child. We should live in the moment, why bother about things after death?¡± Fang Jianping truly hade to a realization.

    Yang Mei was also chuckling gleefully, ¡°Your uncle has really changed, I can hardly believe it¡¯s the same man. Look how affectionate he is with our three daughters.¡±

    Bai Xiao smiled with relief. Yes, this is life, living in the present.

    After sitting for a while, Bai Xiao saw that it was about time to go.

    Upon hearing she was leaving, Fang Jianping took out arge package of goods that he had sorted out at the counter and insisted on giving it to Bai Xiao, ¡°Girl, we have fate with you. If you don¡¯t ept it, your uncle¡¯s heart won¡¯t be at ease. It¡¯s just a little token from me. When you have time,e back and visit your uncle and auntie¡¯s ce as if it were rtives¡¯. We can¡¯t lose this connection.¡±

    Bai Xiao really couldn¡¯t refuse; if she did, the couple might even fall out with her.

    They were truly kind people.

    So, she ended up heading to the bus station, her arms burdened with the heavy package.

 Chapter 259 - 259 259 Deciding to Go to the City

    ?Chapter 259: Chapter 259 Deciding to Go to the City   Chapter 259: Chapter 259 Deciding to Go to the City                                   Bai Song saw his sister return and finally breathed a sigh of relief. The car was about to depart, there were only ten minutes left, and they were worried Bai Xiao might not know the way. They were just about to have the three kids wait while he went out to look for her.

    Then he saw Bai Xiao struggling back, carrying a big bundle of stuff, and he hurriedly took it from her.

    He weighed it in his hands, ¡°Goodness, what¡¯s all in this big bundle? Why is it so heavy?¡±

    But the bus was about to leave, and with people starting to buy tickets and board, there was no time to fuss about it. The five of them quickly squeezed through to buy their tickets and got on the bus.

    There was no chance of getting seats, but luckily, Li Haiping and the other twods immediately took the engine cover at the front of the bus with their carry baskets. The five of them sat on top of it, taking a rest. Generally, the driver wouldn¡¯t say anything unless they needed to open the cover.

    Because it was market day, the bus was packed to the brim.

    After more than an hour, the five of them finally squeezed off the bus at the entrance to the vige.

    The three boys immediately started throwing up by the roadside.

    It really wasn¡¯t their fault. None of them had ridden in a car before, and their first time was in this swaying, jostling box stuffed full of people, especially on the bumpy road leading back to their vige.

    Finally, the five of them made it home with their baskets on their backs.

    As they walked in, they saw Bai Yue tidying up the bedding that had been drying in the courtyard; she had likely been sunning it all day and was now bringing it inside.

    When she saw the five of them arriving, she hurried over to take the basket off Bai Xiao¡¯s back.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s just great. You go to the market, and youpletely disappear,¡± sheined with a mouthful of grievances, but her face couldn¡¯t hide the mirth and joy sparkling in her eyes.

    Bai Xiao knew that her elder sister and Wang Yan must have settled matters.

    ¡°Sister, we bought so many New Year¡¯s goods! We¡¯ll have to take everything out and sort through it. This year we¡¯re going to have ourselves a really good New Year!¡±

    Bai Yue nodded, ¡°We should celebrate properly. In a couple of days, it will be the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month. We should tidy up the house and present a respectful incense offering to the Kitchen God.¡±

    The whole family nodded in agreement.

    When Bai Yue started sorting through the items, taking things out and simultaneouslymenting over the cost,

    ¡°You reckless child, why did you buy so much meat, so many things? How much money did all this cost? Just look, you finally get a job, earn some sry, and you just had to show off, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    Bai Xiao cheerfully sidled up to Bai Yue, ¡°Big sis, stop lecturing me, will you? Living life is all about feeling good. What¡¯s the point of making money if not for the family to live happily andfortably? If we earn money but start pinching pennies, afraid to eat this, scared to use that, then what¡¯s the point of earning money at all?

    Big sis, ever since I started working outside, I¡¯ve realized that as long as you work hard, you can make any amount of money. But if you¡¯re frugal to the point of misery after making money, saving every penny and not spending it, then what¡¯s the purpose of saving all that money?¡±

    Even though there¡¯s money on hand, the whole family has to eat chaff and drink hardship for it to be considered good. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s right. Since we¡¯ve earned money, I¡¯m not saying we should be extravagant, but we definitely need to save a portion for emergencies. I agree with saving, but part of the money earned must be used to at least improve the living conditions for oneself and the family.

    In the past, we lived a tough life because we couldn¡¯t earn money; there was no source of ie, so we had to rely on saving. Only then could we feed the whole family. But now that we can earn money, why should we still make the whole family suffer?

    Big sister! I know what you¡¯re thinking, and I¡¯m afraid if we spend too freely now, we might not earn moneyter. Sister, don¡¯t worry, our days will only get better. She hadn¡¯t even told her older sister that she still had ten thousand yuan untouched.

    Bai Yue sighed, ¡°I understand your reasoning, but sometimes I still feel anxious without money. In this life, your sister has been so scared of being penniless that I¡¯d rather hoard any little money I have and not spend a penny of it. I know you¡¯re working outside now, and your horizons have broadened. You can¡¯t be as petty as your sister in dealing with people and situations.

    ¡°I need to change my mindset and my methods too, otherwise, when we move to the city, people mightugh at us; I¡¯d feel embarrassed if I cause you to lose face.¡± She knew her sister was right.

    Bai Xiao was startled and grabbed Bai Yue, ¡°Big sister, what are you saying? Are you implying that you¡¯ll move to the city with me?¡± This was something she had persisted in convincing her older sister to do many times, but her sister had hesitated and never agreed.

    Bai Yue nodded, her face showing a mix of shyness and distress, ¡°I do intend to, but I¡¯m worried about Little Sansan¡¯s schooling. If we don¡¯t have a residency registration, how will he go to school in the city?¡± Even with the intention, the thought of these difficulties frightened her.

    Frightened that she would be a burden to her younger sister and brother.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes twinkled with joy, ¡°Big sister, as long as you agree to move to the city, don¡¯t worry about Little Sansan¡¯s schooling; I¡¯ll take care of it. The Chief promised me that when I start working at the hospital, some family matters could be addressed, whether it¡¯s employment or schooling; we¡¯ll definitely get help for you.¡±

    As long as her older sister was willing to take that step with her children, no matter how hard or difficult it was, she would help her sister through it.

    It seemed that Wang Yan had made up her older sister¡¯s mind.

    ¡°Mom, are we really going to live in the city with Auntie and Uncle?¡± The three silly kids were a bit too excited.

    It wasn¡¯t so much the allure of the city, but the joy of being able to be with Auntie and Uncle that excited them.

    In their eyes, Uncle was formidable, a man who stood his ground and whom many didn¡¯t dare to provoke. And Auntie was even more powerful ¨C even Uncle listened to her! Auntie was very kind to them, willing to buy them anything, unlike their mother who was reluctant to spend a penny on anything.

    Auntie would listen to their opinions and if she thought the items were useful and necessary, she would agree to buy them for them.

    Of course, they wouldn¡¯t make unreasonable requests because they knew that life was not easy at home. The three kids, who had grown up experiencing hardship with Bai Yue, were aware of the family¡¯s difficulties. They knew there were many things they couldn¡¯t ask for.

    But it seemed like with Auntie, they never had to think too much. Auntie would only analyze whether the things they wanted to buy would be useful to them. If needed, Auntie would definitely buy it no matter the cost. But if those things were useless and just for show-off, Auntie would firmly refuse.

    This way of interacting made them feel even closer to Bai Xiao.

    Bai Yue nodded, ¡°So, do you want to go to the city? The city is not like our countryside; you can¡¯t raise pigs or chickens and ducks. We¡¯ll have to rely entirely on ourselves. Are you scared?¡±

    The three kids nodded, ¡°We¡¯re not afraid, Mom. The two of us brothers have grown up; we have hands and feet, and there¡¯s a lot of work we can do. We¡¯ve heard from vigers that some who go out to work in factories or construction sites can make money, it¡¯s just hard work. After we¡¯ve grown up, we can support Mom and our little brother.¡±

    Li Haiping and Li Haian assured, thumping their chests.

 Chapter 260 - 260 260 A Family

    ?Chapter 260: Chapter 260: A Family   Chapter 260: Chapter 260: A Family                                   ¡°Why would you kids need to work so hard? Your mom is still young, and besides, your Uncle Shitou ising with us. We¡¯ll have an extra person in our family from now on. Are you guys willing to have Uncle Shitou living with us?¡± Bai Yue was somewhat afraid, for her three children were her lifeblood.

    Li Haiping, Li Haian, and Li Haishunughed and answered in unison.

    ¡°We¡¯re willing.¡±

    In their hearts, Uncle Shitou was a good man. If Uncle Shitou was going to live with their mom, they were very happy to have someone to take care of her, especially since they had always thought highly of Uncle Shitou, feeling he was a truly good man in their hearts. They were even more willing.

    Bai Yue¡¯s face turned red with shyness; she truly hadn¡¯t expected her children to have no objections at all.

    Bai Xiao and Bai Song alsoughed heartily. Their home was really filled with love. In every matter, everyone discussed and considered together, and there was mutual understanding among them. This made Bai Xiao feel a surge of emotion; this was her home.

    Every person here was her dearest rtive, and each one of them was so kind, so outstanding.

    When cooking in the kitchen, Bai Xiao finally asked what was really on her mind¡ªwhat exactly was going on with Bai Yue? Of course, some things were not suitable to discuss in front of the little ones.

    ¡°Sis, Big Brother Wang Yan, are you and he¡­?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re nning to get married, but he promised his parents that he would never use the Wang Family¡¯s pig farming techniques again. We talked it over today; he only has one mu ofnd, and that¡¯s not enough to feed five mouths in the household. The path to pig farming is blocked, and relying solely on chicken farming might barely get us by.

    He originally nned to go out and work to save money for building a house and then marry me. But then, Sis, I remembered what you said about taking the kids to the city to do business. I figured if I¡¯m to be with him, we would constantly run into the Wang Family folks in the vige, creating awkwardness between us.

    Rather than that, I might as well take the kids with him to the city. Even though I don¡¯t understand business, Sis, I believe what you said that as long as one is hardworking, one can make a living anywhere. When I came back to the vige, I was starting from scratch with nond and no food. But now, at least I know life can go on like this. No matter how tough or difficult life gets, as long as you live honestly and work hard, you can make a good life,¡± Bai Yue spoke with unprecedented confidence.

    As Bai Xiao stoked the fire, she said, ¡°That¡¯s right, Sis, don¡¯t worry. Life in the city isn¡¯t as hard as you imagine, and we have some advantages. For example, we can help arrange a school for Little Haian to study, and even find you a temporary job.

    But honestly, I¡¯d prefer you and my future brother-inw to go into business together. Our family has plenty of helping hands, and as long as you work honestly and don¡¯t cut corners, shortchange, or pass off inferior goods as quality, trust me, our life will be many times better than in the vige.¡± This is the best era for doing business.

    As long as you have the guts, the brains, and a bit of flexibility coupled with hard work, there¡¯s no problem making money in the city with business.

    Bai Yue nodded, ¡°Xiao, it¡¯s all because of what you said that I have the courage. I would be unsure otherwise.¡± She was suddenly taken aback¡ªall of this was because of her sister! Initially, it was about her taking care of her younger sister, but now why did she find that her sister had be her mainstay?

    Perhaps it was because Bai Xiao had bepletely different from before; she not only had ideas but also the courage and determination to do many things. She was the brave woman Bai Yue had always envisioned.

    There was an even bigger reason¡ªBai Xiao had a job now and had established herself in the army. With wider knowledge and perspectives far surpassing her own, Bai Yue felt that her sister¡¯s words began to carry significant weight.

    ¡°Xiao, you wouldn¡¯tugh at your big sister, would you?¡± What Bai Yue was really worried about was being able to summon the courage to face the pointing fingers of the vigers. But deep down, what really mattered to her was her family¡¯s opinion. If her family didn¡¯t look favorably on her rtionship, she didn¡¯t even want to continue. She was afraid her younger sister would regard her as a frivolous woman.

    ¡°Big sister, life is your own. You should never care too much about what others say. I¡¯m your sister; I know you best. The life you¡¯ve lived in the past few years was barely a life at all. You¡¯ve suffered so much. Now you want someone to rely on, someone to give you strength¡ªand there¡¯s nothing wrong with that.

    I would neverugh at you. You have every right to pursue your happiness, and as your sister, I will always be here to support you, to bless you. So be bold and do what you want, as long as you won¡¯t regret it,¡± Bai Xiao understood Bai Yue¡¯s concerns, fearing that her own younger sister would look down on her.

    Tears fell from Bai Yue¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Big sister, look at you. You¡¯re rolling out the dough, and now we¡¯ll all end up eating your tears. Come on, wipe away your tears. The good days are still toe.¡±

    She could only wish that her sister would no longer shed tears in this life, but only knowughter and happiness.

    Bai Yue yfully hit Bai Xiao on the back. ¡°You¡¯re such a tease, always picking on your big sister.¡±

    Bai Xiao giggled and added some firewood to the stove.

    ¡°What about Brother Wang? Why do I see no one at home?¡±

    Bai Yue¡¯s face turned red, ¡°He said that since we¡¯re not married yet, it¡¯s not appropriate for him to stay here. It would lead to gossip from the entire vige, which would be unpleasant. He¡¯s gone to Uncle, the vige chief, to prepare to stay in the vige¡¯s cave house for a few days. After the New Year, we¡¯ll get our marriage certificate, and then we¡¯ll go to the city together.

    He has also given me all the savings he¡¯s umted over the years. I can hardly believe it; I never imagined he would go to such lengths for me.¡± Bai Yue was amazed at Wang Yan¡¯s resolutemitment, finally understanding the extent of what a man could do for a woman.

    Especially holding the heavy package of money that Wang Yan had given her, she was moved. This man had entrusted her with all his assets without worrying that she might take the money and turn her back on him. What mattered most was that they were nning their future together.

    Having a man continuously nning and imagining a future home for you really felt sweet and tempting. She longed for the warm, protective embrace she had fantasized about, and Wang Yan had given her everything she¡¯d dreamed of.

    Bai Xiao nodded; Wang Yan had been quite considerate. Otherwise, she might have doubted his intentions.

    ¡°When we finish cooking, let Haiping and the others deliver the food. Even though he doesn¡¯t stay at our house, we still need to bring him meals. Besides, you two will have to make things clear eventually. As long as you don¡¯t go too far, the vigers can¡¯t say much. Actually, why don¡¯t you just get your marriage certificate before the New Year? The government officials will be on break during the holidays, and after the fifth day, we¡¯ll be heading back to the city.

    I think it¡¯s a good idea to get everything sorted out over the New Year. Then you, me, and eldest brother can all go together. Once we¡¯re there, we¡¯ll settle in.¡± Bai Xiao was thinking further ahead.

    She knew that once Bai Yue and Wang Yan¡¯s situation came to light, there would be much gossip in the vige, and she didn¡¯t want her sister to be hurt by it.

    If they were going to leave anyway, why not do so before any harm was done?

 Chapter 261 - 261 261 Fried Meatballs

    ?Chapter 261: Chapter 261: Fried Meatballs   Chapter 261: Chapter 261: Fried Meatballs                                   In the midst of conversation, it was already the twenty-sixth of thest lunar month. Early in the morning, Bai Yue had started bustling about in the kitchen, and she was not alone, Bai Xiao was there too. The day before yesterday, Bai Yue and Wang Yan, having obtained a marriage certificate from the town with an introduction letter issued by the vige chief, were officially a family now.

    Of course, the two of them had no chance for a traditional wedding night.

    At first, when Liu Baoguo issued this introduction letter, he was somewhat surprised. After all, he never expected that Wang Yan could really seed with Bai Yue, considering Old Wang¡¯s stubbornness¡ªhow could he possibly allow his son to marry a twice-divorced woman?

    However, Bai Xiao did not hide anything and clearly spoke of how his brother-inw was cleaned out in the divorce. Liu Baoguo gave Wang Yan a thumbs-up; he was indeed a real man.

    Liu Baoguo readily wrote the introduction letter, but the couple was very tight-lipped, not discussing the matter with the vigers. If they did, it would only fuel gossip, and the chatter and judgement, both to their faces and behind their backs, would be unpredictable. For the vige women idle talk was plentiful, and even the slightest gossip would be magnified countless times.

    Through word of mouth, the story could even be blown out of proportion into something scious.

    Liu Baoguo certainly understood the damage that such rumors could cause. Besides, he had heard that Bai Yue¡¯s family was nning to move to the city with Bai Xiao¡¯s, which seemed to indicate that Bai Xiao was helping his sister and brother-inw settle in the city, potentially never returning to the vige.

    At this time, adding to their troubles was unnecessary.

    However, Liu Hong was aware of Bai Yue¡¯s ns to move to the city, and she had caused quite a scene at home with her parents. She had long wanted to move to the city herself, as staying idle at home was increasingly frustrating. Yet, Liu Baoguo and his wife firmly disagreed.

    Bai Xiao, with his sleeves rolled up, was busy making fillings. Today was hectic as it was almost the New Year. ording to vige tradition, today was the day to stew meat and prepare different dishes; both of their stoves were now lit, and Li Haiping was in charge of tending the fire today.

    On the stove in their room, the beef that had been braised overnight was already done. Now, they had switched pots to start braising pig knuckles and trotters. That smell had wafted around the yard allst night, tormenting everyone sleeping on the tform bed as their stomachs grumbled loudly.

    Probably everyone dreamed of eating beefst night¡ªthat aroma was just too tantalizing.

    Yesterday, Bai Yue had prepared arge basin of tofu. Today¡¯s tasks included frying meatballs, tofu, roasted pork, and also fish and crispy meat. The workload was truly substantial.

    Originally, Bai Yue intended to handle it herself, but seeing that Bai Xiao¡¯s culinary skills were clearly more proficient, and honestly, Bai Xiao¡¯s cooking was not only skillful but also delicious. She, as the elder sister, could only assist on the side.

    In anotherrge pot, the roasted pork was already cooked. Bai Yue lifted it out, cing it on a bamboo mat to drain. Once it was nearly dry, she brushed ayer of honey over it¡ªhoney, a raremodity which the vigers didn¡¯t have, was part of therge package sent by Fang Jianping and his wife.

    The couple was not shy; thatrge package was filled with genuine goods, both food and drink, amply provided.

    Bai Yue was now poking tiny holes in the pork skin with a bamboo skewer, ensuring that the roast would puff up and look very appealing.

    Meanwhile, Bai Xiao had already heated the oil in the pan. She had bought 5 jin of peanut oil from the big market.

    A hand deftly scooped out a ball of meat mixture from a bowl. Inside the mixture were not only white radish and tofu, but also meat, flour, eggs, and various seasonings. Just smelling it was already delicious. The ball of meat became a smooth strip in her hand. Her thumb and forefinger formed a circle, and with a gentle squeeze, her other hand¡¯s forefinger flicked, creating a round and glossy meatball which smoothly slid into the pot.

    Her movements were swift. In no time, the pot was full of frying meatballs, and as the peanut oil bubbled, the aroma of the meatballs instantly dispersed.

    Li Haiping, the elder brother from the old town, sat there tending the fire, unable to help salivating at the delicious smell.

    Bai Xiao watched as the meatballs changed color to golden brown, scooped them out with a strainer, and ced them in arge basin nearby. She even pinched a meatball and popped it into Li Haiping¡¯s mouth.

    Li Haiping¡¯s mouth opened and closed as he was scorched, but the vor was so delightful that he was willing to be burnt again.

    ¡°Auntie, these meatballs are really delicious and so fragrant.¡±

    This was their family¡¯s first year making meatballs. In previous years, there was hardly enough food for regr meals at their house, let alone any special food during the New Year. Even if their grandmother made meatballs, she couldn¡¯t include much meat; they were primarily made of radish and flour. Even then, they could only eat a couple at most during the New Year celebrations. How could they have other opportunities to enjoy them?

    For them, enjoying meatballs and pork was a luxury, perhaps their greatest dream once they had money was to eat their fill of these delicacies.

    Bai Xiao smiled, ¡°That¡¯s your auntie¡¯s skill. Can you doubt it? Besides, these meatballs have plenty of meat! Once these meatballs are fried and New Yeares, we¡¯ll put them in a bowl with some scallions, ginger, and garlic, mix with water, add various seasonings, and steam them over the fire. Oh, the vor!¡± Bai Xiao herself drooled just talking about it.

    After all, it had been many years since she had started preparing New Year¡¯s meals like this. Since marrying Fang Xiaoshan and living with the Fang Family, her life had been full of hardships rather than delights. Once she had escaped, her life underwent significant changes.

    Even though herter days were filled with luxury foods like shark fins and sea cucumbers sent her way, she could never taste the delicious vors that she had from the New Year meals with her parents and siblings in her childhood. This was why she didn¡¯t hesitate to spend money to make this New Year special.

    She wanted to recapture that happy vor of the New Year from her memory.

    Even though Bai Xiao was efficient, she continued working until the sun hadpletely set, and finally, all the items were perfectly fried.

    Bai Yue looked at the big basins and small basins full of food, her eyes squinting with glee. Just seeing these preparations for the New Year made her feel the happiness and fulfilment of their lives.

    What remained was to ughter a chicken tomorrow, steam the bread the day after, as the vige nned to steam bread enough for the entire first month of the New Year.

    The scent of the New Year had already begun to spread throughout the vige.

    The New Year was drawing closer.

 Chapter 262 - 262 262 Going Home

    ?Chapter 262: Chapter 262: Going Home   Chapter 262: Chapter 262: Going Home                                   On the twenty-ninth of the twelfth lunar month, Bai Ju and He Wang, apanying their three children, returned home as well, alsoden withrge and small packages. The couple rode on two bicycles, bringing their three children back home with them.

    Before Bai Yue couldment on the plethora of packages, she remembered what Bai Xiao had said, indeed, as long as life wasfortable it was fine. Her sister was not one to squander needlessly, surely she had a sense of measure in her mind.

    Bai Ju must have noticed the thoughts running through her older sister¡¯s mind and quickly exined.

    ¡°These things weren¡¯t bought by me. It was our factory manager who insisted I bring them over, saying that he knew Xiao wasing home and this was a gesture of goodwill and also a gift. I couldn¡¯t refuse. It was kindly meant, and, after all, he is our factory manager. He wanted toe over to our house desperately, but then his father-inw called, asking them to go back and spend the New Year with them. That was the only reason he left, but he made sure I knew these gifts had to be brought back.¡± Bai Ju was well aware that the factory manager was expressing gratitude to her sister.

    Bai Yue frowned, ¡°Owing such a huge favor to someone, how will we ever pay it back in the future?¡± She was concerned for her sister working in the factory; offending the factory manager was certainly not ideal, but if one day he came asking for a favor they couldn¡¯t fulfill, it would surely bring trouble to Bai Ju.

    Bai Xiao chuckled, ¡°Elder sister, don¡¯t worry. This is just a matter of giving and receiving favors. Since they¡¯ve given, we shall ept. When the second sisteres back, you can also prepare a gift to send back with her. Besides, what the factory manager is interested in is my ability to heal and save lives. He¡¯s anticipating that, having built a good rtionship, should anyone encounter illness or disaster, they will have someone reliable to turn to for treatment. So he won¡¯t make things difficult for the second sister.¡±

    Bai Ju hugged Bai Xiao with a smile, ¡°You don¡¯t know how much I¡¯ve benefitted from your reputation, Xiao. It¡¯s strange, though. He Weng just hasn¡¯te back, and it¡¯s already the twenty-ninth. Your brother-inw is worried and was hoping you could go back and check on him if you have time and find that kid. Him noting home for New Year¡¯s really is worrying!¡±

    Bai Xiao nodded, also finding it odd. He Weng didn¡¯t seem like someone indifferent to family; after all, He Wang and his sister had taken care of him for so many years. It was hardly conceivable that he hadn¡¯t sent even a letter, which didn¡¯t make sense. People nowadays were enthusiastic about returning home for the New Year, and the destion of spending it alone outside was imaginable.

    ¡°I understand! When I go back, I¡¯ll ask your husband, and you should have your acquaintances who work outside inquire too, because it¡¯s impossible for He Weng to be in a ce where he knows no one at all. There must be fellow townspeople, right?¡± Bai Xiao was puzzled as well.

    Bai Ju nodded, and Bai Yue brought out the basket. Today, being the twenty-ninth of the twelfth lunar month, ording to old tradition, it was time to offer incense at their parents¡¯ grave, as a form of ancestral worship. The four siblings had long prepared offerings and joss paper, and immediately went to their parents¡¯ graves.

    Most of the vige graves were on the hill behind or in fields near the hill. Bai Xiao respectfully knelt in front of her parents¡¯ graves and kowtowed. At this moment, her heart was filled with piety. Her foster parents had raised her, provided her with the utmost kindness and warmth, and treated her even better than their own children. This was her great fortune and such foster parents were Bai Xiao¡¯s blessing.

    She quietly lit the incense,id prostrate on the grave, and kowtowed.

    Dear parents, rest assured! Your sons and daughters are all doing well in this life and will keep on improving. You can go in peace.

    If there¡¯s a next life, I hope to still be your daughter, to joyfully sit by your knees and to respectfully tend to you in your old age.

    The wisps of incense smoke slowly rose, as if conveying a blessing from the children.

    ¡­¡­¡­

    ¡­¡­¡­

    At this time, An Zhiyuan, dressed in a green shirt and trousers, went downstairs. Today was a day for the family reunion, with his eldest brother, sister-inw, and younger brother all present. He hade backte the previous night and hadn¡¯t seen anyone, his heart filled with a bit of joy but also with significant unease. Since Wei Shufen had left home several months ago, his father hadn¡¯t mentioned Bai Xiao to him at all, even when calling.

    This is definitely not normal, unless the stepmother has some ulterior motive.

    As soon as he descended the stairs for breakfast, the entire family was gathered around the dining table. Father An Cheng saw An Zhiyuan, his expression unchanged. This son had returnedst night, but it was toote, and he had already gone to bed.

    ¡°Dad, I¡¯m back,¡± An Zhiyuan said as he pulled out a chair to sit down.

    He grabbed a stick of youtiao and took a big bite.

    The aunt had already brought him a cup of soy milk, ¡°Ayuang, there¡¯s also red bean porridge. If you want some, I¡¯ll serve it for you.¡± Aunt Niandi had worked in their house for a lifetime, having watched the three brothers grow up. She was like an elder to them.

    ¡°Aunt Niandi, of course I¡¯ll have some. Your red bean porridge is the best,¡± An Zhiyuan¡¯s response made Aunt Niandi beam with joy as she hurried to the kitchen to fetch the porridge.

    ¡°Big brother, sister-inw! Little brother!¡± An Zhiyuan then greeted the two with a smile.

    His eldest brother An Zhigao had started his ownpany, which was the so-called capitalism their father most despised, hence their rtionship wasn¡¯t good.

    Probably, if it wasn¡¯t for the chance to see him, An Zhigao wouldn¡¯t havee home early in the morning to face their old man¡¯s demeanor. After all, confrontation was inevitable whenever the eldest was with their father.

    ¡°Ayuang, it¡¯s good you¡¯re back. We probably only get to see you during the New Year, and that¡¯s if you have a vacation this year; otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t even get to see you. Let¡¯s have a good sit-down this noon!¡± An Zhigao had the best rtionship with An Zhiyuan. The two brothers were the closest.

    An Zhiyuan nodded. An Zhixiang felt somewhat dissatisfied with An Zhiyuan¡¯s continuous oversight of Wei Shufen, who sat next to their father, ¡°Second brother, you haven¡¯t greeted mom. You don¡¯t know how much she worries about you.¡± He was brought up by Wei Shufen herself. After Wei Shufen married into the family and could no longer have children of her own, An Zhixuang was just one year old. To him, Wei Shufen gave all her maternal love, and in his eyes, she was indistinguishable from a real mother.

    Wei Shufen said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s alright, we are all family, no need for such formalities. Ayuan, how long can you stay this time?¡± She bore the absolute image of apassionate mother.

    An Zhiyuan took a sip of soy milk, ¡°Auntie, I have a week off this time. I have to rejoin my team on the fourth day of the lunar month.¡±

    His tone was so even that it hid the disharmony between them.

    An Cheng watched his most cherished son by his side; even when he was stern, he couldn¡¯t hide his pride and satisfaction, ¡°Now that you¡¯re back, rest well at home. Oh, and you¡¯re not getting any younger. Your mom has found a few girls for you to meet. Make sure to see them and settle down soon. So I, your old man, don¡¯t have to worry about you anymore.¡±

    The most important matter of his son¡¯s marriage should be on the agenda. After all, An Zhiyuan was already twenty-seven. At his age, there weren¡¯t many who weren¡¯t married yet. The old man knew An Zhiyuan¡¯s personal affairs had been dyed due to his job. Of course, the primary issue was that An Zhiyuan hadn¡¯t found a suitable girl.

    But at this age, if he didn¡¯t marry soon, the old man would worry. Once he was past thirty, it might not be easy to find a wife. People would suspect there was something wrong with An Zhiyuan¡¯s health; after all, it would be odd for the son of a leader to be unmarried at such an age.

 Chapter 263 - 263 263 Dont Even Think About It

    ?Chapter 263: Chapter 263: Don¡¯t Even Think About It   Chapter 263: Chapter 263: Don¡¯t Even Think About It                                   ¡°Dad, I¡­¡± An Zhiyuan hadn¡¯t finished speaking when he was already interrupted by An Zhixiang.

    ¡°Dad, my second brother has found someone, you didn¡¯t know, huh? I heard that he and Ding Min are childhood sweethearts, and Ding Min has always been waiting for my brother. Second brother, it¡¯s not right for you to let a woman you like wait in silence. Men should take the initiative.¡± An Zhixiang said indignantly. In his eyes, Ding Min was a good girl who had deep and sincere feelings for his second brother. After all these years of waiting, he wasn¡¯t blind to not see it.

    Moreover, Ding Min often visited their home, and he spent more time with her. In his heart, he felt that Ding Min would be at a loss if she became his sister-inw.

    To An Zhixiang, his second brother An Zhiyuan was a cold and unromantic figure. Ding Min¡¯s tender affection for An Zhiyuan was like feeding a dog, basically met with no response! Such insensitivity, wasn¡¯t it unfair to Ding Min?

    Ding Min often talked about her childhood memories with An Zhiyuan in front of him, including all the little details as they grew up, making it sound like they were a pair of childhood sweethearts with a deep connection. But as they grew up, because of the man¡¯s conservatism, it was the woman who suffered. This was why An Zhixiang wanted to break the silence and spare Ding Min from further hurt.

    Wei Shufen was surprised and looked up at An Zhixiang, as these words weren¡¯t instructed by her. She wasn¡¯t foolish; An Zhiyuan wouldn¡¯t be so easily swayed by a few words to yield. That just wouldn¡¯t be An Zhiyuan.

    Only her naive niece would be so foolish as to think that by making a fuss with An Zhixiang, she could expose everything and put An Zhiyuan in a position where he couldn¡¯t defend himself, thereby creating the illusion of a fait apli.

    Sigh, she felt somewhat helpless with a niece whose intelligence was offline. A person like Ding Min wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against An Zhiyuan, let alone someone as formidable as Bai Xiao. It would be strange if An Zhiyuan were to fancy Ding Min.

    Even she was starting to dismiss Ding Min, let alone An Zhiyuan.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense, your second brother doesn¡¯t seem like that kind of person to me,¡± Wei Shufen immediately tried to suppress the topic.

    She didn¡¯t want to push An Zhiyuan into a corner. She liked toy the groundwork and take things slowly. The more obvious things became now, the more disadvantageous it would be in the future. She didn¡¯t care about someone like Bai Xiao, a minor character with no background. Dealing with her would be a matter of minutes.

    As for the cleverness of Bai Xiao, Wei Shufen didn¡¯t pay it any mind. Such excessive cleverness in a girl wasn¡¯t necessarily a good thing.

    An Zhixiang was about to say more when An Cheng suddenly got excited.

    Regarding the choice of his son¡¯s wife, he also preferred the children of the oldrades and cadres from thergepound, since everyone was familiar with one another¡¯s backgrounds, which could reduce future conflicts.

    Ding Min wasn¡¯t a bad option either.

    That girl was always around him, seemingly knowledgeable and reasonable. If she were together with An Zhiyuan, they would look quite well-matched.

    ¡°Ayuan, Ding Min is a good girl, if you fancy her, then you should settle things early to avoid others gossiping. It won¡¯t do your reputation any good if you wait, and if the two of you are willing, I as your father can¡¯t stop you. Nowadays, we value love freedom, don¡¯t we?¡±

    An Zhigao sneered, ¡°Dad, Ding Min¡¯s kind is just ying coy in front of you. She¡¯s far from good enough for Zhiyuan. It wasn¡¯t enough for you to marry someone like that, now you want to drag Zhiyuan into it too?¡± He had long disliked Wei Shufen. His own father¡¯s words proved that he hadn¡¯t paid any attention to An Zhiyuan¡¯s preferences. His brother wasn¡¯t that shallow.

    His own father had never shown genuine concern for their lives. If he had truly thought it through, he wouldn¡¯t have said such things.

    He was furious at his father¡¯sck of loyalty and kindness.

    It was bad enough that he had married a woman with ulterior motives and wild ambitions, but now he was meddling in his brother¡¯s marriage too. Ding Min was Wei Shufen¡¯s own niece, and he wondered how good such a girl could be. Yet his own father still spoke for her, without considering An Zhiyuan¡¯s feelings and concerns at all. How could he not be enraged?

    An Cheng was also angry; his eldest son was being petnt. Whatever he said, this son would take it to extremes. This son would confront him, showing no filial piety or respect for his father, as if his father was good for nothing but to harm his own children.

    Such misunderstandings and wrongs were something An Cheng could not tolerate. At his position, neither the dignity of his status nor the authority of those above him could ept An Zhigao¡¯s provocations.

    ¡°What are you saying? What¡¯s wrong with Ding Min? What¡¯s not good about her? She¡¯s beautiful and well-educated. Besides, she grew up with Ayuan; they understand and trust each other. And was it me who brought them together? Didn¡¯t you hear your brother say that Ayuan and Ding Min got together on their own? What does that have to do with me? You can¡¯t just pin this on me without any basis!

    And what nonsense are you spouting? ¡®I married this woman?¡¯ Who is she? She¡¯s your mother! No matter what, she raised the three of you brothers. Emotionally and logically, whatever mistakes she made in the past, it¡¯s all in the past now. You¡¯ve been unable to let go for so many years¡ªare you such a petty man? Is An Cheng¡¯s son so narrow-minded? You really disappoint me.¡± An Cheng always felt insecure when facing his eldest son, especially because of the issues in the past.

    Although Wei Shufen imed it was unintentional, no matter how idental it seemed, in the eldest son¡¯s eyes it was deliberate. After all, Ding Min was their stepmother, and there¡¯s always an inherent conflict between a stepmother and her stepsons, especially when the eldest son was already eight years old and knew better. This turned into an unforgettable hatred in the child¡¯s memory.

    An Zhigao snorted coldly, ¡°Dad, I am narrow-minded, I am not fit to be your son. Back then, didn¡¯t you insist that I admit in front of everyone that my getting lost was just an ident, all to protect your wife? Back then, you could disregard your own son¡¯s life or death for that woman, what can¡¯t you do now?

    I¡¯ll tell you, you¡¯ve already ruined me, but Ayuan can¡¯t be ruined by you again. He will decide on his own marriage. Don¡¯t force him into marrying some dubious character, or else don¡¯t me me if I turn against you. My brother should live freely ording to his desires; no one can dictate his life.¡±

    An Cheng was so furious he nearly fainted, his fingers trembling as he pointed at An Zhigao and stammered, ¡°Fine, fine! In your eyes, I¡¯m an unfit father, I¡¯ve ruined your life. Now you finally speak your true feelings. If you¡¯re really capable, then don¡¯t use the name of An Cheng¡¯s son in business outside. When it suits you, you¡¯re the son of the father, but when you don¡¯t need it anymore, I¡¯m just an old fool! An Zhigao, goddamn it, get out, I don¡¯t want to see you.¡± With that, he mmed his fist on the table, finally exploding with rage.

    An Zhigao stood up slowly, ¡°Dad, I will definitely ¡®get out¡¯. You can¡¯t stand seeing me, but haven¡¯t I felt the same about you? Ever since that year when you disregarded my feelings, insisting that I had just lost my way, the father I revered was no longer there in my heart. Wei Shufen, I warn you, if you want to stir trouble, especially with my brother, don¡¯t me me for not warning you. No one can harm my brother. He¡¯s not like me; you ruined me, but you can¡¯t destroy him just to please your own family. Forget about it!¡±

    Wei Shufen lowered her eyes, clutching An Cheng¡¯s hand tightly as if grasping a lifeline. She knew full well that An Zhigao was not joking.

    He really could do anything.

 Chapter 264 - 264 264 Arrangement (Extra Chapter for Monthly

    ?Chapter 264: Chapter 264: Arrangement (Extra Chapter for Monthly Tickets)   Chapter 264: Chapter 264: Arrangement (Extra Chapter for Monthly Tickets)                                   An Cheng felt his wife¡¯s fear and anger, and was about to flip the table, his own fury surging up from the depths of his heart.

    An Zhigao had already stood up and said to An Zhiyuan, ¡°Looks like our ns for lunch are going down the drain. How about this¡ªlet¡¯s go out for dinner tonight, just the two of us, big brother will treat you. It¡¯s morefortable outside anyway, saves me from having to see certain people and losing my appetite. Six o¡¯clock, I¡¯ll pick you up!¡± He patted his younger brother¡¯s shoulder and turned to leave.

    Sister-inw Xun Xin quickly stood up as well, apologizing to everyone with her gentle demeanor, ¡°Mom, Dad, little brother, I¡¯m sorry, Zhigao just has that kind of temperament. I¡¯ll go and talk to him. Dad, don¡¯t be mad at him, you know what he¡¯s like. He¡¯s always been this way since we were kids. I¡¯ll have a word with him; you take care of your health.¡±

    An Cheng shook his head. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to get angry at his daughter-inw¡ªan old father-inw just couldn¡¯t do that.

    ¡°Go on! Take good care of him.¡±

    Xun Xin hurried after An Zhigao, apologizing with a nod to An Zhiyuan¡ªthe apology clearly for disrupting An Zhiyuan¡¯s first day back home¡ªand after exchanging a meaningful look with An Zhiyuan that told her to keep an eye on An Zhigao, she nodded and rushed off.

    An Cheng sighed and slumped into his chair, seemingly aging a decade in an instant, while Wei Shufen gripped his hand tightly. ¡°Old man, are you alright? You have high blood pressure; you can¡¯t afford to get angry. You need to control your temper. The kids are grown up and naturally have their own ideas. Let¡¯s not force them and just go with the flow,¡± she said, massaging his back earnestly with a tender and understanding touch.

    ¡°That damn brat! How did I end up with a son who¡¯s such a thorn in my side! He must be here to collect a debt; the debt I owed in a past life is exacting its toll on me now,¡± An Cheng grumbled vexedly. Ever since his eldest had grown distant, father and son had found it challenging to return to the close rtionship of the past.

    Wei Shufen¡¯s palm continued tofort him on his back, her voice soft and consoling.

    An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t speak. An Cheng¡¯s blood pressure was very high and he could easily have an episode. His eldest had already infuriated him enough, and unless he wanted his father to drop dead on the spot, An Zhiyuan knew he had to swallow whatever he wanted to say. He sighed and pushed the dishes in front of him away, acknowledging that sometimes it¡¯s a helpless fact that one can¡¯t always do as one pleases.

    He suddenly missed Bai Xiao terribly¡ªthe woman seemed to live so freely,ughing when she wanted, cursing when she felt like it. Thinking about how Bai Xiao dealt with Bai Jianguo and Li Chunhua, he felt a sudden respect for her. Perhaps if he were in her shoes, he wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it as well.

    He stood up and walked upstairs.

    An Zhixiang asked him, ¡°Second brother, where are you going? Ding Min will be here soon.¡± He was still preupied with Ding Min¡¯s arrival.

    An Zhiyuan nced at his younger brother. An Zhixiang had always been raised by Wei Shufen, who had poured all the love she might have given to her own children into him. An Zhixiang was different from them; he didn¡¯t understand what made Wei Shufen different. He had enjoyed being brought up by this mother and hadpletely forgotten his own. It wasn¡¯t really An Zhixiang¡¯s fault, but that didn¡¯t mean An Zhiyuan would allow him to meddle in his affairs.

    ¡°Ding Min and I have nothing to do with each other! Don¡¯t mix me up with her anymore.¡± An Zhiyuan left those words behind and went to change clothes. He needed some air, asing home had been nothing but oppressive and suffocating.

    When had home stopped being a ce of belonging and be synonymous with gloom and annoyance?

    An Zhixiang, baffled, called out loudly from behind, ¡°Why doesn¡¯t it have anything to do with you? Saying that, second brother, is so irresponsible!¡± An Zhiyuan ignored him, leaving Zhixiang frustrated and almost jumping with annoyance.

    An Cheng nced upstairs, keenly aware. His son hadn¡¯t said a word, but his attitude was cold. Yes, just having returned home to such disorder. Who wouldn¡¯t feel irritated?

    The child was probably troubled.

    ¡°Old An, let me help you up to rest. Don¡¯t be angry over this¡ªkids will be kids. You know your own body. If something happened to you, what would you have me do?¡± Wei Shufen scolded An Cheng in a feigned angry tone, a tactic An Cheng found quite effective.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t leave you alone,¡± An Cheng knew Wei Shufen¡¯s worries. After all these years as a couple, how could he not understand what his wife was thinking?

    But anyone would be worried!

    An Zhixiang came over to help An Cheng upstairs, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry, you still have me, right? Besides, Dad just has high blood pressure, he doesn¡¯t have any other health issues! As long as he keeps his temper in check, living to a ripe old age is no problem at all.¡± He was closest to his parents, probably because he had always been by their side. He couldn¡¯t understand why his older brothers were so opposed to Wei Shufen. It was not just the second brother who didn¡¯t say anything unpleasant, but he could tell that he also didn¡¯t have a favorable impression of Wei Shufen.

    Is blood rtion really that important?

    He had always regarded Wei Shufen in his heart as his own mother. He couldn¡¯t remember his biological mother. It was Wei Shufen who yed with him, took care of him when he was sick, and gave him surprises on his birthdays. So why wouldn¡¯t he treat Wei Shufen just like his real mother?

    An Cheng felt relieved. At least his youngest son was sensible and shared their sentiments. It¡¯s no wonder that parents have a soft spot for the child born in theirter years¡ªthere is a lot of truth to that.

    Wei Shufen helped An Cheng to lie down and take two blood pressure pills. She watched him fall asleep before leaving the room with An Zhixiang.

    Seeing Wei Shufen looking a bit down, An Zhixiang offered hisfort, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t be upset. Big brother and second brother just don¡¯t realize how good you are. Don¡¯t worry, I am your son, and I will take good care of you.¡±

    Wei Shufen lifted a faint smile. She hadn¡¯t doted on this son for nothing; he was closest to her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom is okay. But I have to tell you something, and you need to follow my advice, okay?¡±

    An Zhixiang nodded, ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯ll definitely listen to you!¡±

    ¡°In the future, don¡¯t mention anything about Ding Min to your second brother again. He doesn¡¯t like that, and it¡¯s needless to make him feel aversion. Also, because of Ding Min, there¡¯s no need to have him badmouth us behind our back. You know what your second brother is like¡ªhe doesn¡¯t like to show off and is very steady. There¡¯s no need to upset him over Ding Min. You guys are real brothers, and in the future, you can only rely on each other. So don¡¯t say things that make him unhappy.¡± She wouldn¡¯t let An Zhixiang and An Zhiyuan grow apart.

    An Zhixiang felt dissatisfied, ¡°But it¡¯s too sad for Ding Min. If my second brother never speaks up, then she¡¯ll wait her entire life! A woman doesn¡¯t have an endless number of youthful years to waste away. Does second brother n to never marry and make Ding Min wait forever? I just can¡¯t stand how second brother always acts so nonchnt.¡±

    Wei Shufen, sensing her youngest son¡¯s emotions were off and that he was a bit too concerned about Ding Min, asked,

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to like Ding Min, would you?¡±

    She had ns for her youngest son¡¯s marriage. An Zhixiang, with his gentle and magnanimous nature, and also being in the military just like her, would have had a hard time advancing if Wei Shufen hadn¡¯t discreetly reached out to An Cheng¡¯s oldrades. With such a temperament, it was determined that his prospects could be limited. Now, if he didn¡¯t marry a wife who could support him, it was likely he would stay at the grassroots level all his life, which wasn¡¯t what she had in mind.

    So, Ding Min better not even think about getting involved with An Zhixiang.

    An Zhixiang hurriedly shook his head, his cheeks going a bit red, ¡°No, not at all!¡±

    Wei Shufen nodded, speaking kindly, ¡°That¡¯s good. Remember, you and Ding Min are not suitable. Mom will keep an eye out for other nice girls for you. My son, of course, deserves to marry the best girl!¡±

    An Zhixiang¡¯s heart sank.

 Chapter 265 - 265 265 Shares

    ?Chapter 265: Chapter 265 Shares   Chapter 265: Chapter 265 Shares                                   At dinner time, An Zhigao indeed came to pick up An Zhiyuan; the two brothers left the house.

    An Cheng hadn¡¯te down all day. An Zhiyuan went to see him after lunch, and actually, their father was not too ill; he was just old with high blood pressure! He inevitably felt dizzy and tired, so he needed a quiet environment to recuperate. The father and son chatted for a while! Everyone consciously avoided the sensitive topic of An Zhiyuan¡¯s marriage and actually got along quite well, considering An Zhiyuan¡¯s life in the military was rich enough to keep An Cheng thoroughly pleased.

    Having his own son as a sessor was the greatestfort.

    Such an exceptional soldier, An Zhiyuan possessed all the virtues of a military man! He was a natural soldier embryo, a man with sharp insights and military responsiveness; he ought to feelforted.

    Not everyone could achieve having a sessor. Many of his oldrades¡¯ descendants had chosen other paths! Few continued to develop in the military in the spirit of their forefathers, and even fewer were as outstanding as An Zhiyuan.

    Others might not be aware, but how could he not be? An Zhiyuan had never relied on his authority; he even consciously concealed his identity outside, except for his senior leaders, not even An Zhiyuan¡¯s regimentmander was aware of An Zhiyuan¡¯s identity.

    This child was too exceptional.

    Once in the car, An Zhiyuan saw his elder brother still had a sullen face, ¡°What¡¯s up? What¡¯s troubling you so much?¡± He and his elder brother had been confidants since childhood, probably because they were close in age.

    An Zhigao shook his head, ¡°I¡¯ve hit some troubles in business recently, no worries! Even if I told you, you wouldn¡¯t be able to help! How about you? I¡¯ve been calling you, but you often aren¡¯t there! Still pushing yourself too hard?¡± He knew his brother well; An Zhiyuan treated his career as if it were his life, especially military honor, which to An Zhiyuan was above everything else.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m pushing too hard. I¡¯ve recently been transferred to the Fourth Field Army, and it¡¯s just the adaptation process at the beginning; actually, everything is going smoothly. You know me; for those dissenting heads in the troops, I can settle them with my fists, beating them until they¡¯re convinced. In the military, we solve problems straightforwardly; we don¡¯t argue but see who has the stronger fist, who is mighty, and adhere to them!¡± An Zhiyuan loved his career and the simple, dedicated, and heroic atmosphere of the barracks.

    ¡°You! You were born to be a soldier. As a child, you loved ying at riding and fighting; now you¡¯ve straightforwardly gone into the military and never looked back! Are you nning to be a soldier for life?¡± An Zhigao parked the car in front of arge hotel, and An Zhiyuan got out, surveying the luxurious and majestic decorations, noticing how much the streets and alleys of the Capital City had changed.

    ¡°Me, I¡¯m just born to be a soldier. If I don¡¯t train for a day, I feel really ufortable. This morning, it¡¯s because I came back tootest night, arriving home at three, otherwise I would have gone for a couple ofps; now my body feels ufortable. I don¡¯t n to leave the army; I chose this, so of course, I¡¯ll strive for it for life.¡± He got out of the car and stretched a bit, amusing An Zhigao.

    ¡°Come on, future Major General Sir, big brother is treating you to a good meal today. This restaurant is most famous for its Cantonese cuisine! They¡¯ve hired a new southern chef, especially his seafood, his skills are quite impressive. Today, we brothers won¡¯t return unless we get drunk.¡± An Zhigao¡¯s mood lightened instantly as if being with his brother made all worries evaporate.

    ¡°Alright! Let me see how your drinking tolerance has improved these past few years,¡± An Zhiyuan boasted, managing to get his elder brother drunk every time, almost always carrying him home! It had be a tradition.

    An Zhigaoughed out loud, warmly draping his arm around him as they walked inside.

    ¡°You know, I give up. My drinking ability could never surpass yours, I admit defeat.¡±

    The two brothers entered, and An Zhigao had arranged a private room, making it convenient for the two of them to have a conversation. After such a long time apart, naturally, they had some heartfelt things to discuss.

    An Zhigao ordered lobster and abalone, along with two side dishes for the drinks, and a bottle of Maotai, but An Zhiyuan gestured with his hand that it was enough.

    ¡°It¡¯s just the two of us; let¡¯s not waste.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be polite with your big brother. I have finally achieved a little sess. If I don¡¯t spend this money on you, who will I spend it on?¡± He sympathized with his brother having to abide by military restrictions, and of course, those military allowances weren¡¯t enough for him to dine luxuriously like Zhiyuan.

    ¡°Big brother, I¡¯m not short on money. Right now I¡¯m already a battalionmander. If nothing goes wrong, once I pass next year¡¯s assessment, my promotion is guaranteed. For my age, that¡¯s already a high rank. I think it¡¯s pretty good! The military takes care of everything¡ªI don¡¯t need anything special. I have enough!¡± An Zhiyuan maintained the simplicity and humility of a soldier.

    ¡°You, well, I won¡¯t lecture you. Just know, I told you, mypany has shares for you. The initial capital for my business was provided by you. If you don¡¯t want it, I might as well close down thepany to save me the heartache!¡± An Zhigao remembered how tough the early days were, and how the family member An Cheng would agree to a child of a military family venturing into business, which he saw as irresponsible, except for serving in the army, probably all other jobs in An Cheng¡¯s eyes were irresponsible.

    So he wouldn¡¯t give him a penny, and he didn¡¯t even have the money to rent an office for hispany. At that time, he was truly desperate, knowing the old man was just forcing him to surrender, but he preferred roaming the streets over bowing his head.

    He clearly remembered his younger brother finding him spending the night in a movie theater, without a ce to stay; at that time, all he could do was buy ate-night movie ticket and spend the night inside the theater.

    During that period, he couldn¡¯t even remember what it felt like to lie in a bed.

    Having only been a soldier for two years, An Zhiyuan took out all his allowances and even borrowed some money from arade, amounting to three thousand yuan. In 1982, that sum was astronomical. He remembered his brother¡¯s eyes, telling him that since he chose this path, no matter how bitter or difficult, he must persist. He believed in his brother, knowing he wasn¡¯t weak.

    Perhaps that was the reason he managed to ovee any difficulty over the years¡ªwhat couldpare to his brother¡¯s support and encouragement?

    So when hispany more officially began making money, unknowingly earning many times that three thousand yuan, he told his brother! Half of thepany¡¯s shares belonged to him, although An Zhiyuan¡¯s name wasn¡¯t on the business license, of course, to protect Zhiyuan, since military personnel cannot engage in business and must eschew connections with local businesses, but he always made sure the ounting was done every year ording to the two shareholders¡¯ dividends.

    ¡°Big brother, you know I don¡¯t need that money. You¡¯re my big brother, why would I want anything in return from helping you? Besides, you¡¯re not unaware of our military¡¯s discipline. You wouldn¡¯t want to get me punished by militaryw, right?¡± An Zhiyuan teased his big brother, knowing very well Big Brother¡¯s intentions. His big brother is stubborn by nature, but deeply affectionate.

    An Zhigao poured him a drink, ¡°What military or not military? All I know is that you¡¯re my brother. Brothers don¡¯t have next lives; having you as my brother in this life is already enough. So, if you¡¯re too polite with me, I¡¯ll get impatient! Whatever you say, it¡¯s still yours, and when you get married, I¡¯ll hand it to your wife.¡±

    An Zhiyuan took the bottle and filled up An Zhigao¡¯s ss.

 Chapter 266 - 266 266 Clarification

    ?Chapter 266: Chapter 266 rification   Chapter 266: Chapter 266 rification                                   ¡°Big Brother, I¡¯ve filed a report!¡± I wouldn¡¯t keep this from anyone, least of all Big Brother.

    An Zhigao was stunned.

    ¡°You filed a report? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re really thinking of getting involved with that Ding Min? Let me tell you, Ding Min is like a second-rate product ¨C she may look shiny on the outside like a donkey¡¯s dung egg, but I don¡¯t think she¡¯s a good match for you! Besides, you know what kind of rtionship she has with that woman! Marrying Ding Min would mean you¡¯ll have endless troubles in the future.¡± He was firmly against his younger brother marrying Ding Min.

    An Zhiyuan picked up his cup, clinked it against An Zhigao¡¯s, and drank it down in one go; the Maotai was smooth and mellow, ¡°This is good liquor! Big Brother, you¡¯ve got it all wrong. There¡¯s really nothing between me and Ding Min! My fianc¨¦e¡¯s name is Bai Xiao! She¡¯s a girl I saved when I was in a vige in a certain province, and she will be neen after the New Year¡¯s. I n to marry her once she turns twenty,¡± An Zhiyuan narrated smoothly.

    An Zhigao had another drink, and An Zhiyuan refilled his cup for him, ¡°You better think it through. There¡¯s nothing wrong with vige girls, but usually those girls are not well-educated, and theye with a lot of rtives. Soon your whole family will be involved ¨C today one person shows up, tomorrow another. It might drive you crazy with annoyance. Whether you help them or not, it will be troublesome. You have to consider this carefully; I¡¯m not prejudiced, but obviously, a vige wifees with her own set of problems.¡± He was, after all, experienced and had seen many family conflicts that arose from marrying vige girls, so he had a clearer perspective on these matters than An Zhiyuan.

    As a big brother, he certainly didn¡¯t want his own younger brother to have a restless home life, especially since his brother was a professional. If the family support was not well-managed, it would be very difficult for a man so troubled to achieve sess in his career.

    It¡¯s always said, ¡°Marry a virtuous wife and you¡¯ll have fewer woes.¡±

    An Zhiyuan nodded and said with a smile, ¡°Big Brother! Bai Xiao is different. Although she¡¯s also from a vige, she currently works at the hospital. She¡¯s a doctor. Her parents passed away early, and the siblings she¡¯s closest to are all good people. Her eldest brother is someone like me, and now he¡¯s also at the same ce as me, with proper credentials and skills no less than mine. Her two older sisters are also good people.¡± He couldn¡¯t put his big brother¡¯s concerns to rest without rifying Bai Xiao¡¯s circumstances.

    An Zhigao became curious, ¡°The way you describe her, this girl seems quite capable. But she¡¯s only 19, how can she be a doctor already? Even if she¡¯s attending Medical College, it would still take several years to graduate. Anding from a vige family, they certainly won¡¯t have any connections to pull strings for her. This really piques my curiosity.¡± He knew well about the medical students in thepound.

    ¡°Bai Xiao inherited her family¡¯s Acupuncture skills, and she¡¯s very talented. Although she can¡¯t im to bring the dead back to life, her treatments are remarkably effective. You know about Uncle Wang¡¯s precious son, Wang Han, right? He was almost at death¡¯s door, and it was Bai Xiao who saved him. Now she works in the Acupuncture department of the hospital, and manyrades who get injured during training or suffer from chronic pains find relief after she gives them a few needles. She¡¯s now quite the renowned Dr. Bai,¡± An Zhiyuan couldn¡¯t help but sing Bai Xiao¡¯s praises when he thought of her.

    An Zhigao took a longer look at An Zhiyuan, his clear understanding of his younger brother meant he knew that although he was not a troublesome person, he was very steadfast. A girl that received such high praise from him must be someone he really liked.

    ¡°It seems you really like this girl.¡±

    An Zhiyuan felt shy; after all, it was his big brother. To speak so openly made him somewhat embarrassed.

    ¡°Well then, it is time for a man to marry when hees of age, and a woman to marry as well. Since you¡¯ve set your heart on this girl, if you want to get married, of course, your big brother wishes you happiness. However, you probably haven¡¯t told the old man yet, and that woman at home certainly won¡¯t make it easy for you. In her eyes, you¡¯re a hotmodity. I doubt my conflict with her will ever be resolved in this lifetime. The third brother is too gentle, not cut out for heavy responsibilities, and you¡¯re probably the only one in our family who¡¯s really promising. It¡¯s unlikely she doesn¡¯t have ns for you,¡± An Zhigao seriously advised An Zhiyuan, quite aware of Wei Shufen¡¯s character.

    An Zhiyuan nodded, ¡°Originally, I wanted toe clean with Dad this time, but since his blood pressure is so high, I fear that if I told him outright, he might just keel over. Anyway, Bai Xiao isn¡¯t of age yet, and we still have to wait for more than a year. I¡¯ll talk to him about it after some time.¡± Of course, he was well aware of the situation.

    ¡°When can I meet my future sister-inw then? They say an ugly wife still needs to meet her inws. I should¡¯ve insisted that you bring her home when you came back for New Year¡¯s. Even with his high blood pressure and temper, Dad wouldn¡¯t lose his cool in front of the girl,¡± An Zhigao was now even more curious about Bai Xiao.

    ¡°Next time, I suppose. She went back home for the New Year anyway.¡± An Zhiyuan and his elder brother enjoyed their drinks.

    ¡°You¡¯re getting married, and don¡¯t worry about a thing¡ªhouse, car, all the furniture you¡¯ll need for marriage, I¡¯ll prepare everything for you. It¡¯s not just about other things; even if you don¡¯t need them, you don¡¯t want to mistreat the girl, right? Marrying you is hard enough, and she¡¯ll endure more hardships in life than she has ever imagined. It would truly be unfair to her if our family had the means but failed to provide her with the best conditions,¡± An Zhigao refused to give up.

    An Zhiyuan shook his head, ¡°Big brother, that¡¯s all in the future, still a long way off.¡±

    ¡°How can it be far off? The city where you live now is rtively backward, and it¡¯s much colder there. After the New Year, I n to visit and scout out a location for a branch office. It¡¯ll be a good opportunity to meet my future sister-inw. Plus, setting up a house for you there means I¡¯ll have a ce to stay when I visit. You wouldn¡¯t begrudge me that, would you?¡± An Zhigao blocked any objections An Zhiyuan might have had.

    ¡°You wear me out. Let¡¯s talk about it when the timees. I haven¡¯t finalised the ns for next year¡ª who knows what might happen by then.¡±

    ¡°What could possibly happen? If I had my way, I¡¯d convince Dad to transfer the two of you back to Capital City. It¡¯s closer to home, and the living habits among other things are more convenient. You¡¯re so far away, if I wanted to take care of you, it would be miles apart. It¡¯s fine now with just the two of you, but once you have kids, are you going to let them suffer in that bitterly cold ce too?¡±

    ¡°Big brother, why are you even considering kids now? We haven¡¯t even gotten married yet, where would the kidse from? Besides, our children will naturally have to ept the conditions of our home. It¡¯s okay to be a bit tough or tired,¡± An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t think that family life was necessarily bad. If other families¡¯ children could live there, why not his?

    ¡°Alright, alright, I won¡¯t persuade you anymore. Of course, you won¡¯t consider these things until you encounter them. You¡¯ll think differently once you have kids. For now, let¡¯s just enjoy our meal and drinks.¡±

    The two indeed didn¡¯t stop until they were thoroughly drunk. But of course, the one who ended up unconscious was naturally An Zhigao.

    An Zhiyuan drove An Zhigao home, facing his sister-inw¡¯s disapproval with repeated apologies. Every year he had to deal with her disapproval; who else could he me?

 Chapter 267 - 267 267 Family Recognition

    ?Chapter 267: Chapter 267: Family Recognition   Chapter 267: Chapter 267: Family Recognition                                   On the evening of New Year¡¯s Eve, the Bai Family was all bustling about, for it was the grand New Year¡¯s Eve in their locality, and the festive dinner was set for the evening. Not only did they prepare several dishes, but they also needed to boil dumplings. Bai Song, along with his three sons, had already gone out to hang up couplets, and two rednterns dangled merrily at their front gate. Bai Song had specifically run wires for them, and indeed, the view was much more festive.

    Bai Xiao and her two older sisters were busy in the kitchen.

    The dumplings had been prepared earlier.

    Once the steaming dumplings were taken out of the pot, the New Year¡¯s feast officially began.

    At that time, their household did not own a television, so of course, they couldn¡¯t watch the Spring Festival G, which had not yet made its way into viges like theirs.

    However, since there were many children, the atmosphere was already lively.

    Bai Yue, carrying the dumplings, walked into the house, calling out, ¡°Come,e, New Year is here, everyonee in and eat. Let¡¯s have a good New Year this year.¡±

    Bai Song and his three brothers also came inside, surrounded by their three little ones.

    ¡°Time to eat! Time to eat! Come inside quickly.¡±

    The three little ones were already thrilled. In past years at their home, having dumplings for New Year¡¯s was good enough, but this year, not only at home could they freely enjoy sunflower seeds, peanuts, and candies, but they also received thetest gifts.

    How could children not be happy during New Year¡¯s?

    Those brand-new down jackets, reportedly, were fine items only urban folk could wear. The kids tried them on for a long time and didn¡¯t dare to wear them immediately; they carefully folded them and ced them under their pillows, waiting to wear them the next morning on New Year¡¯s Day.

    Especially with new school bags and stationery, that pen alone¡ªHe Qingsheng and He Huanhuan were older students! Of course, they knew what a fountain pen was. In their ss, only the students from particrly well-off families would have a Hero pen, the cheapest kind avable in the shop, both clumsy and ugly. This pen, however, was a Parker, clearly showing it was valuable.

    How could the children not be delighted? They had new clothes and stationery, as well as delicious food, and yes, a radio! They truly felt like they were celebrating New Year already.

    Inside the house, atop the kang cabry, sat a radio, buzzing and bustling at the moment with singing and, most importantly,ic dialogues which entranced the kids as two people performed.

    After all, there wasn¡¯t much in the way of cultural entertainment.

    Bai Xiao nced around, then quietly pulled Li Haiping aside, the eldest among the children at sixteen. He was already beginning to show theposure and demeanor of a man, and moreover, all three boys were supportive of Bai Yue¡¯s situation! Such sensible kids were heartwarmingly precious.

    Li Haiping and his aunt whispered for a while before he quietly slipped out.

    Bai Yue and Bai Ju began to organize as, due to the many people, they divided into two tables. There were simply six young ones at home, so they split into two groups. Bai Xiao suddenly felt that their kang was a bit small.

    Latterly, Bai Yue figured out a solution by cing the children¡¯s table directly in Li Haiping¡¯s room since there was also a radio there; they didn¡¯t care whether they ate while listening to sketches or songs. Besides, the kang had been heated all day and was warm; the six children together could make as much noise as they wished.

    The five adults sat at a separate table on this side, where they could speak about adult things without worrying about the children overhearing something inappropriate.

    Once the table arrangement was decided, they immediately began shifting them.

    Bai Yue served the dishes on that side, and with the weather like this, the food remained steaming hot, so there wasn¡¯t any worry about the kids catching a cold. Yet, she felt somewhat distressed, reflecting on how Wang Yan was all alone in the vigemittee¡¯s cave dwelling, cold and quiet, probably only having the steamed buns and vegetables sent over at noon. However, it wasn¡¯t easy to invite him over.

    As they were just finishing up, Li Haiping brought Wang Yan in.

    ¡°Auntie, I havepleted the task,¡± he chuckled and ducked into the other room, kicking off his shoes to get up on the kang where the kids immediately started moring to begin eating.

    They had been looking forward to delicious food.

    The aunt had indeed prepared plenty of tasty dishes.

    There were several steamed dishes alone.

    Steamed tofu, steamed crispy meat! Plus, steamed pork belly, meatballs, fish, and a bowl of eight-treasure rice; that made six steaming dishes, arge te of cold mung bean noodles, and a ¡°three-shreds¡± sd with potatoes and radishes, and severalrge tes of piping hot dumplings, everyone had been eagerly guarding the dishes with their chopsticks.

    As soon as the eldest brother climbed onto the Kang and picked up his chopsticks, everyone cheered, each holding a bowl, and with chopsticks in hand, they dashed toward their favorite dishes.

    The young ones at the table hardly had time to talk. They were busy filling their bellies first.

    Wang Yan was still a bit constrained, after all, he wasn¡¯t very familiar with these sisters, and their rtionship hadn¡¯t been officially celebrated with a feast; strictly speaking, he was a son-inw who was not yet recognized by public.

    So, the nervousness in his heart was something no one could have guessed, of course, the main reason was that these past days in the cave dwelling, being all alone had indeed made him suffer. But he had no regrets, for his own happiness, he was willing to endure any hardship.

    Originally, with the sporadic sounds of firecrackers outside, he had already ced the somewhat cold buns next to the stove to roast, and the vegetables in his bowl had also been put into the water in the pot to warm them up; that was going to be his New Year¡¯s Eve dinner.

    While doing these things, he even managed a bitter smile, as the family had had good years and never before had he had to suffer through such conditions on New Year¡¯s Eve, but he truly held no grudges and had no regrets.

    Unexpectedly, Haiping suddenly burst through the door, pulled him into a coat, and dragged him out, saying that his mother had asked for him to join them for the New Year¡¯s Eve dinner.

    Wang Yan was surprised; he and Bai Yue had agreed that after the New Year, the family would have a meal together as a formal acknowledgment of their rtionship, as the two were already married by certificate, making them officially spouses. They decided not to have a wedding banquet, given the circumstances, a banquet would only be a subject for gossip and would make the elder Wang feel insulted; after all, they weren¡¯t bothered by those formalities.

    So, they had agreed to have a meal after the New Year, calling over the younger brothers and sisters, and thus fully settling the matter in the clear.

    But today was New Year¡¯s Eve, it didn¡¯t seem appropriate to call him over.

    There wasn¡¯t much time to think it over, Haiping had already forcibly brought him over.

    Now, standing in the room, he indeed felt a bit awkward.

    Bai Yue was also stunned; seeing Wang Yan a bit ufortable, Bai Xiao hurriedly nudged her older brother, indicating that it was time for the men to handle it.

    Bai Song immediately realized, quickly made space, ¡°Brother-inw,e over! Sit next to me on the Kang! It¡¯s warm here. It¡¯s New Year¡¯s Eve, let¡¯s all sit together as a family and enjoy a warm, lively meal.¡±

    Wang Yan felt a warmth in his heart at this address of ¡°brother-inw¡±! He hadn¡¯t expected Bai Yue¡¯s younger siblings to ept him so easily.

    He repeatedly said, ¡°Okay! Okay!¡±

    Bai Ju had already heard about her older sister and Wang Yan¡¯s matter, but she had not yet met him in person.

    This was indeed a first meeting.

    ¡°Brother-inw,e up to the Kang!¡±

    Wang Yan nodded, his eyes a bit tearful, and took his ce on the Kang, signifying that he was now officially a member of the Bai Family.

    Bai Yue¡¯s face turned a shade of crimson, this was definitely Bai Xiao¡¯s doing! She red fiercely at Bai Xiao! The girl was always full of tricky ideas.

 Chapter 268 - 268 268 Simple Promise (Extra for Monthly

    ?Chapter 268: Chapter 268: Simple Promise (Extra for Monthly Votes)   Chapter 268: Chapter 268: Simple Promise (Extra for Monthly Votes)                                   The family sat down, and Bai Song poured wine into the cup in front of Wang Yan and also for He Wang, while Bai Xiao had already opened another bottle of Wuliangye for his sisters and himself.

    How could one not have a drink on such a day?

    Bai Yue sat on the edge of the kang, too shy to sit too close to Wang Yan.

    Bai Xiao picked up his ss, ¡°Brother Wang Yan, this ss, I toast to you!¡±

    Wang Yan picked up his ss. He, of course, knew that this girl probably had the most say in the family; she was the darling of the family.

    She was the only college graduate in their vige, the vige chief¡¯s goddaughter; just because of this, he knew this girl was formidable.

    ¡°Brother Wang, my elder sister grew up steeped in hardship, spending the first half of her life for parents, family, and children, bearing humiliations all for me. Now that you havee this far for her, in my eyes, you are a true man. This drink, I toast to your loyalty and righteousness!¡± Bai Xiao drained his ss.

    He held up the ss for Wang Yan to see it was empty.

    Wang Yan downed his drink in one go. With such a bold sister-inw, how could he not join in this drink?

    Bai Xiao poured a second ss, and Bai Song also filled Wang Yan¡¯s ss to the brim.

    ¡°Brother Wang, this is the second ss I toast to you. My elder sister¡¯stter half of her life will be entrusted to you. She is a good woman, and I only hope you treat her well, cherish her, take care of her, and also be kind to the three children. And not regret the choice you made today. Although it might not be appropriate to say these things on such an asion, now that you are bing part of our big family, bing one of us, some things still need to be stated clearly.

    I, this little aunt, am young and hot-headed; my only w is that my life is tied to my elder brother, elder sister, and second sister. I can endure living poorly and having a tough life, but the one thing I cannot bear is them having a hard life. So, if you ever stop cherishing my sister, please leave early. Don¡¯t mistreat my sister. It¡¯s okay not to love her; nobody can control emotions, but if you mistreat her, then you are nothing but a scoundrel.

    So, don¡¯t me me for being unkind if ites to that, our family¡¯s women cannot be bullied. I¡¯d rather kill you than let my sister suffer!¡± This was the most severe threat.

    Wang Yan drank the entire ss of wine in one gulp.

    ¡°Little sister-inw, no need for harsh words. I understand that today you are just trying to exert your authority. But I appreciate you inviting me today. By calling me brother-inw, you¡¯ve already shown me the greatest acknowledgment. Rest assured! You don¡¯t have to speak so harshly. I will take good care of Bai Yue in thetter half of her life, not because I¡¯m afraid of you and your siblings, but because I want to be good to her.

    I don¡¯t dare im I¡¯m the best man, but I can promise I won¡¯t hit anyone, I will earnestly support a family. Since your sister married me, I will make sure to be good to her. Men who are without merit are the ones who abuse their wives or rely on a woman to support them. I can¡¯t promise to make your sister wealthy, but as a grown man, fully able-bodied, I have the capacity to provide for my family and keep them fed and clothed.¡± This was the most heartfelt and rustic confession of love a rural man could make.

    Bai Xiao picked up the bottle and filled Wang Yan¡¯s ss. ¡°Okay! Brother-inw, just for what you said, I dly call you brother-inw. I wish you and my sister evesting happiness and to grow old together!¡± This time, it was not about showing power, but a pure blessing.

    Bai Song, Bai Ju, and He Wang all raised their sses.

    ¡°To my sister and brother-inw growing old together!¡±

    Wang Yan¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. This was the greatest eptance the family had shown him.

    The meal was so hearty that everyone was greasy-mouthed. Bai Xiao¡¯s cooking was indeed exceptional. Listening to the bustling Spring Festival program on the radio, which featurededy skits and songs intermittently, the room was warm with the heated kang. Everyone was thoroughly satisfied with the meal.

    Bai Song, Bai Yue, Bai Ju, and Bai Xiao all looked at each other, the four of them raising their sses. Their parents¡¯ offerings were alreadyid out on the altar across from them; Mom and Dad, we siblings will surely continue to improve.

    The mealsted until after midnight. Bai Song and He Wang, along with Wang Yan and the six children, started setting off firecrackers at the main entrance of the courtyard. The sounds of the firecrackers heralded theing year¡¯s abundance and hope.

    Blending with the firecracker sounds from every household in the entire vige, they saw happiness.

    However, the atmosphere at Wang Family¡¯s home on Lunar New Year¡¯s Eve was somewhat somber.

    Old Man Wang sat on the Kang smoking a cigarette, while the olddy ushered her two daughters-inw to serve the prepared meal: meatballs, steamed pork with rice flour, deep-fried peanuts, a portion of pork liver, a portion of pork stomach, along with cold bean sprouts and scallion tofu sd. Their family was not short on meat; the New Year¡¯s meal was rich and borate.

    Seeing the old man¡¯s displeasure, the olddy certainly knew that the old man was worried about their son who still lived in the cave dwelling.

    Although tempers had red that day, resulting in harsh words between father and son, it was, after all, his son. How could they not worry, especially knowing that, in the dead of winter, their son had moved into the vigemittee¡¯s cave dwelling? The people in the vige might not know the full story, but they did. Despite the gossip, the only sce for them was that the son hadn¡¯t moved directly into the Bai Family¡¯s home, preserving some dignity for them.

    Otherwise, who knows what nasty things the people in the vige would say?

    Yet how could the olddy not know? That rickety cave dwelling at the vigemittee was old and decrepit, leaky, and drafty. This winter, the ce was anything but warm, and with scarce food and drink, their son was suffering alone there during the New Year.

    Thinking about this, the olddy felt a heavy suffocation in her heart. Looking at Old Man Wang, she couldn¡¯t hide her displeasure. ¡°Look at what¡¯s happened this New Year; do you know what Shitou is eating? Every household is feasting on dumplings and luxurious dishes, while my poor eldest is out there braving the cold winds. What sins have Imitted? Why does Lord Heaven inflict such suffering on my Shitou?¡± The olddy sat on the side, wiping her tears, while the two daughters-inw were busy in the kitchen.

    The house contained only their family.

    The two young boys were also squatting to one side, unsure of what to say amidst this scene.

    That was their eldest brother, who had always looked out for them, due to their family¡¯s poverty! The eldest brother quit school early to work with their father and support them; now that the family¡¯s circumstances had finally begun to improve, how could things have be like this?

    Eventually, Wang Erniu couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. ¡°Dad, let me go call big brother back. A meal isn¡¯t too much to ask for, right? After all, big brother is your son; I can¡¯t bear to leave him in that cave alone; if you have to scold someone, scold me. Even if you scold me, I¡¯m still going to call my big brother.¡±

    Turning around, he walked out, and Wang Sanxi quickly followed. They didn¡¯t talk much! But their feelings for their big brother were the same; their father was all bluster and a soft heart¡ªindeed, who couldn¡¯t see that Old Man Wang was also worried about Wang Yan?

    But he just wouldn¡¯t say it.

    With his sons gone, Old Man Wang red and aggressively tapped his dry tobo pipe against the edge of the Kang.

    ¡°I certainly didn¡¯t agree; the youngsters these days! They don¡¯t even listen to their own father anymore.¡± Though he said this, the olddy saw a significant softening in the old man¡¯s attitude.

    ¡°When the kides back! You better not say hurtful things. If you drive him away again, I won¡¯t allow it,¡± the olddy cautioned preemptively.

    Old Man Wang grumbled, ¡°I still don¡¯t approve of him being with that Bai Yue. As long as he agrees to break it off with her, he¡¯ll still be my son; how could I not care about him?¡±

    This matter was an insurmountable hurdle for Old Man Wang.

 Chapter 269 - 269 269 Rupture

    ?Chapter 269: Chapter 269: Rupture   Chapter 269: Chapter 269: Rupture                                   The two daughters-inw brought the dishes to the table, and the piping hot dumplings were also served. The two little grandsons, one three years old and the other one year old, were making a ruckus all over the kang bed. Seeing the delicious food, the two little guys had already crawled over, wanting to grab a dumpling from the te.

    The olddy pped her grandson¡¯s hand, ¡°You can¡¯t eat now, wait for your uncle toe! We¡¯ll eat the New Year¡¯s Eve dinner, the reunion dinner together!¡±

    Old man Wang looked out into the courtyard. Their house was not far from the vigemittee¡¯s cave dwelling. Why haven¡¯t these three rascalse back yet?

    The olddy saw him looking into the courtyard and chuckled.

    Old man Wang¡¯s face fell in embarrassment, ¡°I¡¯m hungry. If we wait any longer, the dumplings will get cold, and the grandsons will have upset stomachs. Why haven¡¯t these two damn foolse back yet?¡± His attempt to conceal his concern was obvious.

    Smiling, the olddy said to the two grandsons, ¡°Yes! Your grandfather here has always been insincere. We must not learn from him when we grow up. Did you hear that? Otherwise, you won¡¯t be able to find a wife in the future!¡±

    Old man Wang¡¯s face turned red, ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? You¡¯re old enough to watch your words a bit.¡±

    While they were talking, the two sons walked in.

    They lifted the curtain and entered, a burst of cold air blowing in with the curtain. Old man Wang immediately straightened up with feigned dignity, not even raising his eyelids, and the conversation was abruptly interrupted.

    ¡°Hey, is it just the two of you? Where¡¯s your older brother? Don¡¯t tell me his stubbornness is keeping him away?¡± The olddy hastily asked when she saw only two sons hade back.

    The eldest son was also stubborn, exactly like his old man.

    Old man Wang quickly looked up, his face showing urgency, fearing that the stubborn mule would hold a lifelong grudge against him.

    Wang Erhu and Wang Sanxi shook their heads, ¡°It¡¯s not that our older brother doesn¡¯t want toe! It¡¯s that he¡¯s just not there. We knocked for a long time and nobody was home. It was pitch ck inside the cave dwelling, so we had toe back.¡±

    ¡°Where could your elder brother have gone by himself?¡± Suddenly, the olddy fell silent.

    Yes, where could he have gone?

    Isn¡¯t there the Bai Family¡¯s house?

    It¡¯s a given that Wang Yan went to Bai Yue¡¯s ce. They¡¯re definitely having the New Year¡¯s Eve dinner now. This year, all of Bai Family¡¯s siblings came back home, and the vige saw that the Bai Family had gotten quite a lot of New Year¡¯s goods. They too were happily weing a prosperous New Year.

    In a rage, Old man Wang harshly tapped his smoking pipe, ¡°Who asked you lot to embarrass me like that? Wang Yan is Wang Yan, he has nothing to do with me anymore. If you keep nagging about ¡®older brother this, older brother that,¡¯ I¡¯ll disown you as my sons.¡± He was infuriated by shame.

    He felt his authority had been challenged by his son like never before, especially since the so-called destitute life he imagined for his son was actually far from the truth. His son was living well in that woman¡¯s home. A grown man spending such a night in someone else¡¯s house, what¡¯s the difference from a live-in son-inw?

    Old man Wang felt like he was going to fly into a rage.

    Wang Erhu and Wang Sanxi didn¡¯t dare to make a sound anymore. The whole family silently ate their meal, no one daring to speak, with Old man Wang¡¯s face looking frighteningly grim. Aside from the two oblivious little grandsons who continued to babble and y, the house was devoid of conversation.

    This Chinese New Year was probably the most ufortable one that Old man Wang had ever spent.

    After dinner, the old man Wang called his two sons and his wife into the room.

    The two daughters-inw, with their children, went to that room because the atmosphere today was too eerie. The daughters-inw did not want to get involved,cking rity on how the household could suddenly face the eldest brother¡ªat his age¡ªthreatening to leave home. They knew the eldest brother¡¯s pig-farming skills were far superior to those of the second and third brothers.

    With the eldest brother around, the two brothers relieved much of their burden, even enjoying more free time at home with their children. But now, the second and third brothers were busy as dogs, barely seen day or night. The sisters-inw held resentment in their hearts, yet they could not voice their concerns.

    In this family, it was Old Man Wang who called the shots, and no one dared to argue with him. The sisters-inw sighed.

    What a good man the eldest brother was!

    Meanwhile, Old Man Wang spoke to his two sons with a stern look, ¡°You two brothers must work hard in the future. Our pig farming business is thriving, and today, I¡¯ll make it crystal clear: Don¡¯t ever bring up Wang Yan¡¯s issue again. I will act as if I never had an eldest son in this lifetime. None of you are allowed to have anything to do with your elder brother from now on. Whether he fares well or poorly, it¡¯s no concern of ours. Do you understand?¡± In Old Man Wang¡¯s mind, it was his eldest son who had betrayed him and the family. He did not believe that Wang Yan could make a living with that woman without farming pigs.

    The Bai Family had nond; they relied solely on raising pigs and chickens for their livelihood. Now that Wang Yan couldn¡¯t raise pigs, only chicken farming remained!

    Ha, as if chicken farming were so easy. Besides, what a waste of Wang Yan¡¯s talents.

    But he was confident that only after Wang Yan suffered, followed that woman and saw himself be like trash, incapable of anything,ughed and pointed at by others, would he realize the fickleness of human rtions and appreciate how wonderful life at home was.

    This time, Old Man Wang was determined to properly deal with his eldest son.

    He did not believe that Bai Yue, who had been divorced, could truly live a good life with someone like Wang Yan. He wanted his son to see through that woman¡¯s true colors, otherwise he would never understand the genuine concern his parents held for him.

    Wang Erhu and Wang Sanxi were stunned. Knowing their father well, once he said such words, it meant he truly intended to utterly disown their eldest brother. The brothers shook their heads, unable to understand how a happy family could fall apart sopletely.

    The stubborn old man and his son, both equally inflexible, now found themselves at an impasse, leaving no room for reconciliation.

    ¡°Did you hear what I said? If I discover that any of you are secretly aiding your eldest brother, don¡¯t me me for turning my back on you and driving you out of this family as well,¡± said Old Man Wang fiercely.

    The two sons reluctantly agreed, ¡°Understood, Father!¡±

    Both thought of secretly seeking out their eldest brother to talk and persuade him to change his mind. After all, it was just a matter of finding a wife to have children with¡ªwhy be so stubborn and resist their father? This way, not only would they be the ridicule of the vige, but the eldest brother¡¯s future would also not look bright.

    As a man with such skill in pig farming, what could the eldest brother do if he could no longer pursue this profession, especially now approaching the age of forty?

    The mother sat silently, shedding tears.

    She had hoped that the New Year¡¯s Eve would present an opportunity for reconciliation between father and son, but it had turned into the spark that caused their rift.

    The grandmother loathed Bai Yue.

    She believed no good person woulde from a woman who had divorced, a woman who had ruined her good son.

 Chapter 270 - 270 270 New Year

    ?Chapter 270: Chapter 270 New Year   Chapter 270: Chapter 270 New Year                                   Bai Xiao woke after only four or five hours of sleep, having stayed uptest night to observe the tradition of seeing the New Year in. Unfortunately, everyone had sumbed to sleep in the end.

    However, that wasn¡¯t the case for the six little ones.

    They were up early, unable to sleep, primarily because the children were excited about New Year¡¯s¡ªthinking of new clothes and the lucky money they would receive.

    Bai Xiao and the others had already heard stirrings from the two rooms.

    She had no choice but to get out of bed and start dressing and tidying up.

    Bai Yue had risen even earlier and had already started a fire in the stove; they were to eat dumplings this morning of the New Year¡¯s first day.

    She had just washed her face and tied her hair back.

    Bai Yue was already in the room tidying up.

    Upon entering and seeing Bai Xiao was up, she said, ¡°You¡¯re up early, Xiao! Happy New Year! In the years toe, our family will only get better and better.¡± Bai Yue took arge red envelope from the cab and handed it to Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiaoughed and pushed it away, ¡°Big sister, I¡¯m already grown up. And I¡¯ve started working and earning my own money, how can I still ept your red envelope? Don¡¯t treat me as a child anymore. You can¡¯t make me angry during the New Year; otherwise, I¡¯ll be upset all year long.¡±

    Bai Yue insisted on cing it in Bai Xiao¡¯s hand, ¡°Big sister knows you¡¯re grown up and that you work, but in my eyes, you¡¯ll always be a child. Just ept it this onest time. From now on, I¡¯ll acknowledge you¡¯re grown up, and the next time I give you a red envelope, it will probably be when you¡¯re getting married,¡± Bai Yue said, feeling sentimental at how her little sister had grown up so quickly.

    Bai Xiao, knowing her sister¡¯s intentions, reluctantly epted it, ¡°Alright, big sister, thank you for the red envelope. Wishing you great fortune and prosperity.¡±

    Perhaps in the eyes of her two sisters and brother, she would always be the most important to them, like their own child.

    Only then did Bai Yue smile.

    As the curtain was lifted, six children, unable to contain their eagerness, rushed in.

    Bai Song, Bai Ju, and He Wang followed behind.

    The three adults watched the children with smiles.

    The three little ones, upon entering, promptly made the adults take their seats on the kang.

    ¡°Aunt and Uncle, we¡¯re here to wish you a Happy New Year.¡±

    The six children knelt down neatly in front of them to kowtow.

    ¡°Happy New Year! Wishing our elders good health, all things as you wish, and may all your wishese true.¡± The auspicious words pleased everyone present.

    In the vige, the old tradition of kneeling down to kowtow to one¡¯s elders on New Year¡¯s was still observed. This vige retained the simple folk customs and many of the traditions passed down from the older generation.

    Bai Yue, with a smile, told the children to rise, ¡°Alright, get up, everyone. Here¡¯s a red envelope for each one of you. Those of you who are going to school, study hard and work even harder, so our family will see more university students in the future, and even surpass your little aunt. Those who aren¡¯t in school, may this red envelope bring you sess in all you do, and may you grow up to be capable adults.¡±

    The children immediately burst into cheers, for the New Year¡¯s red envelopes were, in their eyes, the most sacred and wonderful things.

    Bai Xiao and Bai Ju, as well as Bai Song and He Wang, all took out their offerings, and the children couldn¡¯t have been happier.

    Each one of them held severalrge red envelopes in their hands, hurriedly thinking about opening them to see how much money was inside, looking just like little money-grubbers.

    ¡°Wow, Auntie¡¯s red envelope has the most, there¡¯s a whole dor! Auntie, Auntie, does going to college and then working really make you so much money?¡± He Huanhuan held up the dor in her hand, squeezing her way to Bai Xiao; in her eyes, her aunt was different from anybody else.

    Bai Xiao patted her head and reached out to fix her braids, which were probably made carelessly that morning as they were crooked and twisted, making one almostugh on sight.

    ¡°Yes, as long as you have knowledge, there will be many ways to make money, not just from work. With knowledge and education, any idea in a person¡¯s mind can be turned into money. So, you need to study hard in the future. You¡¯re so smart, and so young; as long as you work hard, I believe one day you¡¯ll be even more amazing than your auntie,¡± Bai Xiao said lovingly as she finished braiding He Huanhuan¡¯s hair.

    Off to the side, Bai Yueined about Bai Xiao spoiling the children, ¡°You¡¯re too indulgent with the kids, how can you give them a whole dor each?¡±

    ¡°Sister, today is the first day of the lunar year; cursing someone is not allowed. If you curse me today, my whole year might not go well. Besides, these past years it¡¯s been you who provided me with living expenses. It¡¯s not easy that this year I finally earned a sry of my own. Can¡¯t I give my own niece a little red envelope? It¡¯s the thought that counts. The amount isn¡¯t the most important thing; the problem is that this red envelope can only represent our family¡¯s life getting better and better. It¡¯s a blessing.¡±

    Bai Yue almost rolled her eyes, ¡°Your way with words¡­ I just can¡¯t win against you. I¡¯ve noticed that you educated people, once you learn something, the first thing that gets sharp is your tongue. Ever since you got into college, your mouth has be slicker and more powerful.¡±

    Bai Songughed, ¡°Big sister, what does that mean? It means our Bai Xiao is now an impressive person. From now on, no one will dare to bully her. I like her spunky character; it saves her from being like before, a pushover.¡±

    Bai Ju disagreed, but since it was the New Year, she couldn¡¯t say more.

    The children were counting the money in their red envelopes with joy. Bai Yue brought out the dumplings and they finally hid the red envelopes quietly away, each of them beaming in their new clothes,

    after devouring a bowl of dumplings,

    the boys were already eager to go out and y¡ªoutside, the sound of fireworks burst forth incessantly, their hearts already wild.

    No sooner had they finished eating than they wiped their mouths and ran outside.

    Bai Yue found this amusing.

    Wang Yan didn¡¯te over this morning; yesterday she had taken him a bowl of dumplings and dishes, so he chose not toe over in the morning, but he did n toe over for lunch. The younger brother and sister had already given their approval, and Wang Yan and Bai Yue were preparing to make it public. After all, it was the first day of the lunar year, and by the fifth day, they would be leaving.

    Gossip aside, what mattered was that the two of them were now together.

    Bai Song, apanied by his sisters Bai Yue, Bai Ju, and Bai Xiao, went to pay a New Year¡¯s visit to Grandma Li Chunhua. It was a matter of courtesy, even if they were disdainful of their uncle¡¯s family, they couldn¡¯t avoid paying their respects to the elderlydy.

    Upon entering the door, the house was eerily quiet as if no one was there; besides the couplets on Bai Jianguo¡¯s door, there seemed to be no sign of a festive atmosphere at home.

    Bai Song led his sisters into the olddy¡¯s main room, only to find Grandma talking to some of the olddies from the vige. There was a chill in the room, and for this ce, it felt rather cold. They, the younger ones, could clearly feel the cold, not to mention the older folks who detest the chill even more because of their age.

    Bai Song couldn¡¯t help but feel resentful towards his uncle; it was as if his uncle had given up.

    Wasn¡¯t he worried that the vigers wouldugh at him for being unfilial to the olddy!

    It seemed that Bai Jianguo had thoroughly lost face¡ªafter all, being filial or not did not put food on the table.

    The moment they saw their grandchildren fill the room, a smile appeared on the olddy¡¯s face.

 Chapter 271 - 271 271 Sudden Realization

    ?Chapter 271: Chapter 271: Sudden Realization   Chapter 271: Chapter 271: Sudden Realization                                   ¡°Song, you¡¯re here! Come to grandma right away!¡± Li Chunhua waved her hands.

    Bai Song approached and respectfully kowtowed to the olddy, ¡°Happy New Year, Grandma.¡± His sisters also knelt down and kowtowed, while the elder cousins watched enviously as these grandchildren showed their respect.

    Who wouldn¡¯t know that Li Chunhua¡¯s life had befortable? The youngest son lived with her, and she called the shots in the household. It was only the eldest son¡¯s children who had each made something of themselves: one served in the military, others worked in the town, and one even became a doctor in the big city. Even the eldest granddaughter, who had divorced and was raising three kids in the vige, had more sess in raising chickens and pigs than others.

    Especially this time, they even had someone driving them back in a car.

    Many vigers had never even seen a car in their entire lifetimes. Even though the Bai Family was unassuming now, everyone knew that the eldest son¡¯s family had risen in status. It was just a pity that the eldest son of the Bai Family had passed away too early; otherwise, the couple would have been enjoying their great fortune now.

    ¡°Happy New Year, happy New Year! Stand up, everyone, stand up!¡± Li Chunhua smiled so hard her eyes turned into slits.

    Ever since the olddy had her paralysis thest time, the weight she had lost never came back. Bai Xiao thought Li Chunhua looked more full of life than when she had left, suggesting that Bai Jianguo¡¯s life must have been extremely difficult.

    The elder cousins couldn¡¯t stay seated any longer, ¡°It¡¯s the big New Year¡¯s celebration, and I have to visit other families so I won¡¯t stay. You have a good time sitting with your grandchildren.¡± With that, she left the house.

    Li Chunhua pulled Bai Song to sit beside her and beckoned Bai Ju and Bai Yue, ¡°Come on over, everyonee over!¡±

    Seeing Bai Xiao unwillingly approach, Bai Yue gave her a firm pull. She obviously understood her younger sister¡¯s feelings. Grandma and their uncle had given Bai Xiao trouble for four years, and after Bai Xiao learned about her own origins, she harbored a strong resentment against Li Chunhua.

    Bai Yue understood these feelings, but she still hoped that the Bai Family could be harmonious and united.

    The olddy had changed, not just a little but a lot. Bai Yue didn¡¯t expect Bai Xiao to do anything specific for their grandma, but at the very least, she hoped Bai Xiao could maintain a cordial facade; after all, their rtionship with their grandma was lifelong and unbreakable.

    Bai Xiao had no choice but to sit down on the edge of the kang bed with her elder sister.

    Li Chunhua shakily took out several red envelopes from the kang cab.

    To Bai Song, Bai Yue, and Bai Ju, Bai Xiao each received one.

    ¡°It¡¯s the big New Year, and grandma has never given you red envelopes before. This year, it¡¯s just a token of my heart. Don¡¯t think it¡¯s too little,¡± said Li Chunhua, managing to make Bai Xiao feel quite downcast. When you regard someone as an enemy, and suddenly they be someone you can¡¯t understand, it¡¯s disconcerting.

    She had only wanted the olddy and Bai Jianguo to be at each other¡¯s throats, never anticipating this kind of oue.

    When you hate someone to death and that person suddenly starts to treat you well, it¡¯s a very difficult feeling to deal with.

    Bai Xiao felt she could not forgive Li Chunhua. The dismal end of her past life bore an inextricable link to Li Chunhua¡¯s responsibility. Just because Li Chunhua had be better, did that mean she should really put aside past grievances?

    Could she do it?

    It¡¯s probably impossible.

    No one would know how tragic her previous life had been, with all the cause and effect tied to Li Chunhua and Bai Jianguo. Just because she hade back and hadn¡¯t let these people seed this time, did it mean she no longer needed to hold a grudge?

    She estimated she absolutely couldn¡¯t do it.

    She didn¡¯t use her special ability to kill the olddy, because she knew she didn¡¯t want to fight violence with violence. Once she really started using her medical skills to kill people, she feared that the darkness in her heart would slowly deepen. In the future, would she have to kill all her enemies one by one?

    Would she still be herself then?

    No, she absolutely didn¡¯t want to be dragged into endless hell because of other people¡¯s darkness. That would betray her own rebirth.

    The greatest revenge was not to wish these people death but to wish them a life worse than death.

    Clutching the red envelope in her hand, she looked around the room.

    ¡°Grandma, where are Bai Jianguo and the others? Why did they leave you alone at home? This room doesn¡¯t feel warm at all. During the New Year, didn¡¯t they prepare any firewood? Why is it so cold?¡± Bai Song had alreadyunched into a series of questions.

    Li Chunhua sneered, ¡°Bai Jianguo? That good son of mine, along with his good wife, went to curry favor with Bai Zhuang¡¯s father-inw¡¯s family. They wish I would die sooner and couldn¡¯t care less about my well-being.¡±

    Bai Jianguo had indeed gone with Hao Fang to Wu Xiaoyue¡¯s house, hoping to finalize Bai Zhuang¡¯s marriage to Wu Xiaoyue during the New Year. Of course, they were also eyeing the Wu Family¡¯s obligation to show hospitality during the holiday. The couple knew they couldn¡¯t dy Bai Zhuang¡¯s marriage any longer. Otherwise, he would soon be twenty-five, and in their vige, there wasn¡¯t a single man of that age who wasn¡¯t married¡ªkids would already be all over the ce.

    Bai Zhuang was a stubborn man, set on Wu Xiaoyue, and his parents couldn¡¯t say no. They had no choice but to shamelessly visit.

    Bai Song sighed. Bai Yue and Bai Ju had stepped out of the house, where firewood was piled up against the wall in the yard. Both of them sighed as well. This uncle¡¯s family really didn¡¯t know how to live; everyone knew that in the first month of the year, you needed a whole month¡¯s worth of firewood. How could this amountst a month?

    Without another word, they grabbed a big bundle each and went straight to the stove in the olddy¡¯s room, adding firewood and stoking the fire until the room finally started to warm up.

    ¡°Grandma, once the new year passes, my older sister will take the three nephews and move to the city with us. If you are left alone in the vige, why don¡¯t youe with me? Even though I¡¯m just a soldier and don¡¯t have any remarkable skills, I can still make sure you¡¯re well-fed, instead of you having to tolerate my uncle¡¯s treatment here,¡± Bai Song said with sincere concern.

    Bai Xiao turned her head to look outside and let her thoughts drift into emptiness, pretending she hadn¡¯t heard anything.

    ¡°Yue is leaving, huh! Let her go, let her go. It¡¯s better for her to take the three kids to the city and live there. With you all looking out for her, her life in the city surely won¡¯t be too hard. It¡¯s much better than being pointed at and talked about in the vige. I¡¯m old bones now; there¡¯s no way I can go with you. This is my home, and even if I die, I want to die here. Besides, if I go, that would only benefit Bai Jianguo and his spouse, which I cannot allow. Grandma still has to keep this house and thisnd for you when you get married someday,¡± Li Chunhua said with a shake of her head and a loving look at Bai Song.

    Bai Song shook his head, ¡°The way my uncle treats you, you¡¯ll end up without anyone to look after you if you stay here.¡± He was worried about Li Chunhua being bullied by Bai Jianguo.

    Li Chunhuaughed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Ever since thest time they mistreated me, the vige Women¡¯s Federation Director has beening over every other day to check on me. Even if that couple wants to try something, they probably wouldn¡¯t dare now. Your grandma has been a burden to you and your siblings all your lives; I absolutely cannot be a burden to you all anymore.

    I treated your uncle so well in the past, and now it¡¯s only right for him to provide for me and take care of me. Grandma knows what¡¯s what. I¡¯m already of such an old age¡ªhow much longer can I live? As long as you four live well, that¡¯s better than anything.¡± The olddy¡¯s words were the same as thest time, which even made Bai Xiao give her a second look, having always thought Li Chunhua was just making a gesture without real intention, but she truly seemed to have had a change of heart.

 Chapter 272 - 272 272 Return to the City

    ?Chapter 272: Chapter 272: Return to the City   Chapter 272: Chapter 272: Return to the City                                   After leaving Li Chunhua¡¯s house, they went to Liu Baoguo¡¯s home; it was only proper for them to pay a New Year¡¯s visit there, too. Liu Baoguo and his spouse were so hospitable, they insisted on having them stay for a meal, and in the end, Bai Song and Bai Xiao did stay. The others, along with the six children, felt it was too much of an imposition to stay as well.

    The day after New Year¡¯s Day, Bai Ju and He Wang took their children back to town, as they still had shifts to cover at work. Bai Ju was the workshop director and had to check in at the factory. Everyone found it hard to part, knowing that after this separation, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to gather again¡ªthey were scattered to different corners of the world.

    Bai Ju and her husband left.

    Bai Yue and Bai Xiao began to pack their luggage, seeing as she had three little ones to take care of, not willing to leave behind any of their possessions.

    The problem was that there were too many things, and in the end, it was Bai Xiao who had to step in. She eliminated some of the unnecessary items and those difficult to carry on the journey, for even with their numbers, it would be impossible to take everything on the road.

    Then Liu Hong came to tell Bai Xiao that there was a phone call for her at the vigemittee.

    Who could be calling her at this time?

    When Bai Xiao picked up the phone, she said, ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Xiaoxiao, happy New Year!¡± An Zhiyuan¡¯s deep voice instantly warmed Bai Xiao¡¯s heart. Suddenly, even the air she breathed seemed sweet, and the corners of her mouth curled up more and more.

    This man actually called her¡ªa rarity even among couples in that era because it wasn¡¯t convenient. An Zhiyuan specially made this call just to send a New Year¡¯s greeting.

    ¡°Happy New Year! How are you?¡± Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t help but ask sweetly.

    ¡°Not good! I¡¯m missing you!¡± Hearing the deep, resonant response, Bai Xiao¡¯s ears turned slightly warm, and she hummed nonchntly.

    For some reason, the atmosphere of this conversation made her nervous and embarrassed; perhaps it was truly a different feeling when in love. An Zhiyuan was not a man who easily showed his emotions, so this phone call was probably a first for him.

    She wanted to say ¡®I miss you too¡¯ but was afraid he might think less of her. She had to beat around the bush with her response.

    ¡°We areing back on the fifth!¡± Her answer made her blush as if she couldn¡¯t wait to return.

    ¡°The fifth? When on the fifth? I¡¯ll be there on the fourth and wille to pick you up then!¡± she then heard the man say in a low voice.

    ¡°We haven¡¯t decided on a time yet, we¡¯ll know once we buy the tickets.¡±

    ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll call you the day after tomorrow to confirm the time.¡± There was a soft sound of their breathing over the phone.

    Bai Xiao gave a hum, not knowing what else to say. After a moment, An Zhiyuan was the one who spoke.

    ¡°I¡¯ll hang up then, and call you the day after tomorrow!¡±

    ¡°Where are you?¡± she asked, enduring the heat on her face, not wanting An Zhiyuan to think she was too indifferent.

    ¡°At home!¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll hang up then!¡± Knowing he was at home made her think of Wei Shufen; she didn¡¯t want to cause any unpleasantness because of this.

    ¡°Okay!¡± An Zhiyuan finally hung up the phone.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment under Liu Hong¡¯s gaze, yet she couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    Liu Hong could tell Bai Xiao was in a good mood, ¡°Is it Instructor An?¡± she asked her with a raised eyebrow and a sideways nce.

    Bai Xiao walked away quickly, which drew a burst ofughter from Liu Hong.

    During their ninth grade, Little Wazi drove over with tworades to celebrate the New Year with Bai Xiao. They were die-hard fans of An Zhiyuan, who, even though he was no longer the instructor at their school, was still regarded as their instructor in their hearts. Thus, they saw it as their undeniable duty to look after Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao and Bai Yue had prepared lots of delicious food to treat them, with Bai Song joining in. For the four of them together, it was like finding kindred spirits over a thousand cups of wine. When the feasting reached its peak, Little Wazi learned that Bai Song and the others were going to buy train tickets, nning to head back on the fifth day of the lunar new year.

    He immediately pped his chest and assured them that he had a way; their military unit had means to purchase tickets, after all, they have certain connections with the locals. Cooperation over time naturally fostered some goodwill.

    Especially since Little Wazi was exceptionally capable with people skills, he managed rtionships very well.

    On the fourth day, Little Wazi specially delivered the train tickets to Bai Xiao¡¯s group¡ªseven bunk beds. Except for one that couldn¡¯t be near, all were closely-located berths.

    He handled the task with incredible efficiency.

    Bai Yue specially packed a big bag of fried meatballs, roast pork, and crispy meat for Little Wazi to take with him. They couldn¡¯t carry too much with them, and what was left wouldn¡¯t keep, so after a lot of declination, Little Wazi finally couldn¡¯t resist and took it away.

    Who would have known that the three of them, on their way back, would think of the steamed dishes they had at Bai Xiao¡¯s house and drool over their clothes, this snack truly satisfied their cravings.

    Little Wazi also made sure to tell them, he woulde in a truck the next morning to send them to the county town to catch the train, otherwise, with so much stuff, it would be really inconvenient to lug everything around inrge and small bags.

    Bai Xiao did not refuse; after all, with An Zhiyuan around, repayment was always possible.

    Early on the fifth day, Little Wazi came with a truck. They loaded their belongings onto the back of the truck, and only three people could sit in the front driver¡¯s seat: Bai Xiao, Bai Yue, and Li Haishun. Bai Song, Wang Yan, and Li Haiping and Li Haian, the four of them wrapped in coats, sat in the back.

    Liu Baoguo, Li Chunmei, and Liu Hong came specifically to see them off and followed them out of the vige. Li Chunmei truly had grown fond of Bai Xiao! She was as dear to her as a daughter, and Li Chunmei¡¯s tears flowed freely. Bai Xiao reassured them that next year, she would bring Li Chunmei and Liu Baoguo to the provincial city for the New Year.

    That finallyforted the couple.

    Liu Hong watched Wang Yan and Li Haiping leave, her emotionsplex, as she quietly made a resolve.

    No one knew Liu Hong secretly bought a train ticket after the lunar month had passed, copied Bai Xiao¡¯s address, left a letter for her family, and set off alone.

    When Bai Xiao and her group arrived at the train station, this time a formidable group of seven didn¡¯t need Little Wazi to escort them inside. Since they had sleeping berths, there was no scramble for seating, so the boarding went smoothly.

    After settling their luggage, the only one in a neighboring lower berth, Wang Yan, went to sleep, as there was still a bit of restraint. The three boys preferred to climb up to sleep, finding it novel and exciting, as this was their first time on a train¡ªpure curiosity surged.

    Bai Xiao and Bai Yue slept in the lower berths, for convenience.

    Bai Yue¡¯s heart was filled with anxiety, not knowing at all what the provincial city would be like.

    Although her sister had told her about all the benefits of the city, the fear and unease towards the unknown future remained. After all, the whole family was moving to an unfamiliar ce to live, where they¡¯d need to find food, clothing, and schools. These thoughts truly made one anxious enough to question life itself.

    Fortunately, the journey was smooth with no hups, and they soon arrived in the provincial city.

    As soon as they got off the train and left the station, Bai Xiao saw An Zhiyuan waiting at the exit from afar. At the sight of her, a smile spread across his lips, and Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes likewise curved into a smile.

    She waved towards An Zhiyuan.

 Chapter 273 - 273 273 When will you get married

    ?Chapter 273: Chapter 273 When will you get married?   Chapter 273: Chapter 273 When will you get married?                                   An Zhiyuan took the two big bundles from Bai Xiao¡¯s hands with a gentle smile, ¡°Big sister, big brother, you¡¯re all here!¡± He had already heard about Bai Yue¡¯s family of five moving to the city to settle down, and he had met Bai Yue before; after all, he had been involved in Bai Yue¡¯s divorce.

    Bai Yue was delighted to see her brother-inw¡¯s solicitude toward her sister. An Zhiyuan was a good-looking man and treated her sister so well; her sister was truly fortunate.

    ¡°Little An, to trouble you during the New Year, I really feel bad,¡± Bai Yue said, as she was the elder sister and technically the head of the family; it was her ce to say these words.

    Taking a big bundle from Bai Yue¡¯s back, An Zhiyuan said, ¡°Big sister, what are you talking about? We¡¯re family. You¡¯re Bai Xiao¡¯s big sister, which makes you my big sister too. If we¡¯re this formal with each other, you¡¯re not treating me like family!¡±

    ¡°Family, indeed; no need for formalities, no need at all. Now that we¡¯re here, we¡¯re really going to rely on you,¡± Bai Yue praised An Zhiyuan again and again.

    An Zhiyuan smiled, ¡°Big sister, the car¡¯s outside! Let¡¯s hurry. Xiao told me about your situation. You¡¯ll stay in Bai Xiao¡¯s dormitory for these couple of days. I¡¯ve asked a friend to look for a house for you; everything going well, we should have some news in a few days!¡±

    ncing at Bai Xiao, Bai Yue said, ¡°I¡¯m just worried about disrupting Bai Xiao¡¯s work. After all, it¡¯s a workce, not like in the countryside where you can casually stay with rtives!¡± She was truly concerned about causing trouble for her sister, but Bai Xiao kept reassuring her that it wasn¡¯t a problem, which still left her uneasy.

    As Bai Xiao opened the door, An Zhiyuan, having received the message, had borrowed a truck, and now everyone was aboard.

    Bai Xiao, Bai Yue, and Li Haishun sat in the front cabin with Bai Xiao next to An Zhiyuan. The cabin was designed to seat three people, but now it was amodating four, making it quite cramped. Bai Xiao was almost leaning against An Zhiyuan, their legs touching. If not for the gearshift between them, their proximity could be considered the closest of contacts.

    The warm, masculine scent enveloped Bai Xiao, and his dark green trousers entuated his long legs. His hands, resting on the steering wheel, were long and strong, with distinct knuckles. The top two buttons of his shirt were meticulously fastened. She saw his Adam¡¯s apple move slightly, which made him all the more dashing and stunning.

    Thest rays of the setting sun filtered through the window, casting his features into a mysterious y of light and shadow.

    An Zhiyuan felt her gaze. He turned his head, meeting her deep eyes. Bai Xiao¡¯s heartbeat suddenly lost its rhythm, an anxiety washing over her that almost made her want to flee. The sentence he had once said over the phone, ¡°I miss you,¡± now made it impossible for her to face him calmly, especially with his unfazed gaze, which only highlighted her own flustered state.

    She discreetly turned away, staring straight ahead with an unwavering focus.

    An Zhiyuan started driving, and every so often hisrge hand would touch Bai Xiao¡¯s trouser leg when shifting gears. Even as she tried to lean towards Bai Yue, she could still feel that searing heat.

    ¡°Little An! Your driving skills are really good!¡± Bai Yue, not knowing how to drive, could still tell that An Zhiyuan¡¯s driving was smooth and adept.

    ¡°Big sister, stop ttering me, or I¡¯ll start blushing!¡± An Zhiyuan knew Bai Xiao¡¯s big sister was a good person.

    Bai Yueughed, and Li Haishun remembered An Zhiyuan, ¡°Uncle-inw, I¡¯m the third child; do you remember me?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I remember. I was the one who carried you back to Liupan Vige. You¡¯ve grown up, haven¡¯t you? You seem to have shot up quite a bit! How are your studies?¡± An Zhiyuan hadn¡¯t forgotten this little boy, to whom he had some connection.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve grown taller, and my grades are still good. My teacher says that as long as I work hard, getting into a university won¡¯t be a problem,¡± Li Haishun was pleased that his uncle-inw actually cared about him. After all, they hadn¡¯t spent many days together, and every time he saw An Zhiyuan, he appeared very serious! This was the first time he was seeing such a friendly side of his uncle-inw.

    ¡°That¡¯s great. Your small aunt really hopes all of you can achieve something. Don¡¯t worry, if you get into a university, your small aunt and uncle-inw will support you, and we won¡¯t let your mom take on any additional burden. All you need to do is focus on your studies.¡± He knew how much Bai Xiao cared for the people in her family. His words were intended to please, but of course, An Zhiyuan had the means to support a university student with his stipends and bonuses.

    ¡°No need. I can manage. Just take good care of yourselves. I¡¯ll take care of my own children!¡± Bai Yue didn¡¯t want her children to always have something to fall back on,cking the drive to seed.

    An Zhiyuan smiled faintly but said nothing.

    Li Haishun asked curiously, and Bai Xiao was instantly petrified.

    ¡°Uncle, when are you and Auntie getting married?¡±

    ¡°Xiaosan, have you finished your winter break homework?¡± Bai Xiao¡¯s face turned red with embarrassment; kids these days are too shrewd.

    Bai Yue pinched Li Haishun and rolled her eyes at him. The way the child spoke without any filter really embarrassed Bai Xiao.

    ¡°Mom, that pinch hurt!¡± The little guy waspletely clueless about what he¡¯d done wrong.

    ¡°Auntie, I haven¡¯t finished my winter break homework yet!¡±

    ¡°Well, once we get there, you¡¯re finishing it tonight!¡± Bai Xiao decided to shut the kid up.

    ¡°Auntie! Why?¡±

    Li Haishun was truly innocent, having no idea why the usually amiable aunt had suddenly turned cold and demanded such discipline.

    Bai Xiao squinted her eyes, ¡°No reason, you just need to do your homework.¡±

    It¡¯s hard to teach kids these days.

    ¡°Oh, alright then, I¡¯ll do it when I get back, I promise toplete the task!¡±

    Since Auntie had said so! It must be for his own good, so he might as well just do it.

    ¡°Uncle! You haven¡¯t answered me yet!¡± Li Haishun¡¯s persistence nearly choked Bai Xiao.

    ¡°Xiaosan! Let¡¯s wait until your aunt turns twenty, shall we? Of course, I hope it can be sooner, but thew has its rules, and we must abide by them,¡± An Zhiyuan was happy to see this happen. Seeing Bai Xiao¡¯s cheeks flushed with a rosy glow, her coquettish petnce was genuinely heart-stirring.

    ¡°Oh, then I¡¯m relieved. Otherwise, what would Auntie do if no one took care of her by herself?¡± The little guy was really thoughtful.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have you? You little rascal, you, your mom, and your brother have all moved in with your aunt, so you can take care of her!¡± Bai Xiao asked with a smile.

    ¡°I can take care of Auntie! But I¡¯m too young and still have school. At home, I have to take care of Mom, and only then can I look after Auntie! Auntie would be too pitiful in that case. If Uncle marries Auntie, he could take care of her every day. Then Auntie would be very happy.¡± It turned out that despite his young age, the kid was quite savvy and thoughtful.

    Bai Yue hugged her son, ¡°You, silly boy, you¡¯re right, your aunt does need someone to look after her.¡±

    Bai Xiao was touched, ¡°Thank you for thinking of your aunt. Auntie will definitely hurry up and get married so as not to be too pitiful without someone to look after her,¡± Bai Xiaoughed heartily.

    Upon hearing this, An Zhiyuan instantly felt a great sense offort in his heart! A warmth rushed from his abdomen to the top of his head, thinking that Bai Xiao was also considering marrying him.

    Suddenly, he felt as if he had drunk two catties of strong liquor, a bit dizzy and ted.

 Chapter 274 - 274 274 Arrangement

    ?Chapter 274: Chapter 274 Arrangement   Chapter 274: Chapter 274 Arrangement                                   Having arrived at Bai Xiao¡¯s dorm, since it was a one-room, one-living-room setup, it indeed felt a bit cramped for six people. Bai Xiao knew she had acted impulsively¡ªshe hadn¡¯t done a good job preparing logistics. With the weather being what it was, sleeping on the floor was clearly impractical. The ground was rather cool.

    But there was only onerge bed at home, and they needed to separate the men from the women, which was going to be a problem when it came to finding a ce for everyone to sleep.

    An Zhiyuan looked around the dorm, ¡°Otherwise, my brother-inw and three nephews coulde with me. I¡¯ll arrange a ce for them. Let¡¯s just make do for tonight, and as soon as it gets light tomorrow, I¡¯ll contact a friend. There is actually an apartment with three rooms and a kitchen; the price isn¡¯t right! It¡¯s just that it¡¯s quite a distance from the hospital, about ten bus stops away, and nearby there is amercial street, a pedestrian street, and a night market. The location is good, perfect for doing business.¡± He shared his thoughts, understanding that Bai Xiao had a single-upancy dorm and even having a one-room setup was a favor; amodating six people all of a sudden was really asking too much.

    The moment Bai Yue heard this, her eyes lit up, ¡°Xiao An, then please take care of arranging your brother-inw and the rest to stay over tonight. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll go look at the house. I know we can¡¯t make do here at Bai Xiao¡¯s ce.¡±

    Bai Xiao thought for a moment, ¡°Alright! Brother-inw, I¡¯m sorry, but you¡¯ll have to go with Instructor An. Come back here for breakfast tomorrow.¡± Truly, a good cook can¡¯t do much without rice, and she hadn¡¯t anticipated such a dilemma before the New Year.

    Wang Yan nodded, ¡°Okay, anything works! If all else fails, the four of us can sleep on the floor in the living room!¡± As neers, they expected to endure some hardship. He had been determined to follow Bai Yue in leaving Liupan Vige and had already considered the difficulties. This situation was nothing inparison.

    Li Haiping, Li Hai¡¯an, and Li Haishun also nodded their heads, showing their well-behaved and sensible natures. The living conditions here were better than at home, even though there were no heated brick beds. But home still felt warm and cozy, and sleeping on the floor wouldn¡¯t bother them; they were kids used to hardship and didn¡¯t find it difficult.

    Bai Yue hesitated, ¡°Or maybe not, it¡¯s just for one night. Let¡¯s make do, since we¡¯re going to look at houses tomorrow anyway. Let¡¯s not trouble Xiao An any further.¡± She really didn¡¯t want her sons to be away from her! After all, they were strangers in a strangend, and it felt like her children were suddenly millions of miles away.

    She felt ufortable with the situation.

    Bai Xiao knew her older sister¡¯s thoughts, ¡°Otherwise, let them sleep here. I¡¯ll figure out a way to go borrow some quiltster. If weyer the floor thickly, it shouldn¡¯t be too cold.¡±

    An Zhiyuan agreed! It was their family affair, and he couldn¡¯t force others to ept his goodwill.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go borrow the bedding for you. You guys start tidying up your things.¡± He looked at his watch; it was already five thirty. ¡°The cafeteria is still open, so you take them there and sort out dinner. I¡¯ll go borrow the bedding and then bring it back. We can get everything arranged for the night.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, make it quick. I¡¯ll save some food for you,¡± Bai Xiao replied. Having a man¡¯s help was much better than asking for help herself, especially since theirwork within the Traditional Chinese Medicine department¡ªamong doctors and nurses¡ªwas somewhat limited.

    An Zhiyuan hurried out the door.

    Bai Xiao and Bai Yue meanwhile began packing up their things, putting clothes in wardrobes and on top of tables, and sorting out the foodstuffs. Watching Bai Xiao store all the meatballs and roasted meat in one cupboard, Bai Yue was amazed.

    ¡°Xiao, what is this cab thing? Why do I feel a chilling from inside?¡± As soon as she opened the fridge door, Bai Yue sneezed several times.

    ¡°Big sister, this is a fridge, and it¡¯s very useful. When the weather is hot, you can put leftovers, like veggies or other foods, in here so they don¡¯t spoil. Up top, this part is called the refrigeratorpartment, which means things inside won¡¯t freeze but are kept very cold to stay fresh. In the bottom, the warmer drawer is where you can freeze meat, fish, chicken, and such.

    Whenever you want to eat something, you just take it out to thaw, so you don¡¯t have to do what we do at home¡ªsalting the pork to preserve it if we can¡¯t eat it all at once.¡±

    She exined the functions of various things one by one and also described how washing machines and televisions work. When they heard that people actually move and speak within that box, it was simply too novel for them. There wasn¡¯t a single person in their vige who owned a television.

    Wang Yan had seen a TV in another vige, but he knew it was an expensive item. It seemed that his niece, Bai Xiao, was incredibly capable to have so many things provided for free in her assigned house; it indicated that his niece had great abilities. Otherwise, why would they give her anything?

    After Bai Xiao finished tidying up, she led everyone to the canteen for a meal and even brought food containers to pack meals for An Zhiyuan.

    Bai Yue felt somewhat hesitant; as soon as he heard about eating out, all he could think about was the additional cost. Just the traveling expenses had already taken a toll, not to mention how much more it would be if they had to eat out for every meal.

    ¡°Xiao, let¡¯s not eat out. We can just stay at home. We brought so much with us. Just warm up some steamed buns and cook a little dish. That¡¯ll do,¡± he said.

    Wang Yan also feared Bai Xiao would spend too much money. With their whole family imposing on their niece, it would be terrible to make her spend even more.

    Bai Xiaoughed and reassured them, ¡°Sister, you needn¡¯t worry about us going to a canteen, not a restaurant, and that¡¯s where I usually eat when I¡¯m at work. It¡¯s a special ce in our hospital for the staff, and outsiders aren¡¯t even allowed to eat there.

    Moreover, I don¡¯t have to pay for my meals; I get quite a few meal tickets every month that I can never finish¡ªall leftovers¡ªso now that you are here, let¡¯s use them up. Otherwise, I always end up with extra at the end of the month that go to waste because they expire, which really upsets me. Your arrival is perfect timing, especially since this month is the Chinese New Year and I¡¯ve been home for so many days that I have more meal tickets than usual. Eating in the canteen is economical and practical, plus we don¡¯t have to cook or wash dishes. And after a whole day of traveling by train and all the to-and-fro, everybody¡¯s tired.¡± She wasn¡¯t joking or boasting; she really couldn¡¯t finish her meal tickets.

    Half believing and half doubting, Bai Yue asked, ¡°Really? There¡¯s such a good thing as eating in the canteen without spending money? Howe it¡¯s still like the oldmunal dining hall here?¡± In the past, the vige hadmunal dining, where no family cooked and everyone ate at themunal hall instead.

    Laughing, Bai Xiao nudged Bai Yue towards the door, ¡°Let¡¯s go. What you¡¯re talking about and our canteen are different. Once you¡¯re there, you¡¯ll understand. Hurry, hurry, or the head chef will be off work and there¡¯ll be no one to cook.¡±

    Wang Yan and the three kids followed, watching Bai Xiao close the door forcefully, which then locked by itself, leaving them astonished by the novelty of the city¡ªeverything was different from their vige.

    Everything felt extraordinary and new to them, leaving them amazed by all they saw.

 Chapter 275 - 275 275 Eating Meal

    ?Chapter 275: Chapter 275: Eating Meal   Chapter 275: Chapter 275: Eating Meal                                   Bai Xiao took Bai Yue and the five others to the canteen, and though it was already thest mealtime, as soon as Bai Xiao entered, the head chef hurriedly came over to greet him. Ever sincest time when Dean Zhang personally brought Bai Xiao here for a meal, all the logistical master chefs in the canteen knew that Bai Xiao was a connection of Dean Zhang.

    Who would dare to provoke him!

    Moreover, Director Xing had already given orders that whenever Bai Xiao came, he should be warmly weed.

    So, the moment they saw Bai Xiao, and behind him five people whose clothing looked like rtives from the vige, who didn¡¯t have a few poor rtivesing to mooch?

    ¡°Doctor Bai, happy new year! You¡¯ve alreadye back on the fifth day of the New Year.¡±

    This master chef was specifically responsible for deans and directors, and of course, wanted to maintain a good rtionship with these people. Everyone¡¯s family had sick members sometimes, and when the time came to ask for help, it would be toote.

    Bai Xiao greeted him warmly, ¡°Master Gao, happy new year. This is my eldest sister and brother-inw as well as their three children. We¡¯ve just arrived after a day on the train, and I brought them here for a meal. Otherwise, there¡¯s nothing at home, not even a dish to cook.¡±

    Master Gao smiled and said, ¡°Of course! Returning from the New Year break, the house must be empty. Since it¡¯s the New Year, food in our canteen is good today, too. What would you like to eat?¡±

    Bai Xiao was the only doctor who could order dishes.

    This was instructed by Dean Zhang.

    ¡°Master Gao, what¡¯s being served today? If there¡¯s something tasty and hot, just bring it out, we¡¯re not picky. It saves you extra work.¡± Bai Xiao didn¡¯t want to trouble anyone.

    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble, no trouble at all. Today we have dumplings, stewed chicken with mushrooms, sauerkraut with ss noodles, soy sauce pig trotters, and soy sauce beef. I¡¯ll serve some of each. They are all ready and guaranteed hot.¡± Master Gao really had a good impression of Bai Xiao! Although this Doctor Bai looked young and had a powerful background, he never caused trouble and was very easy-going. In fact, all the master chefs in the canteen liked him; he never put on airs.

    ¡°Great, give me a bit of everything, and fill this lunchbox with dumplings as well; I¡¯ll take it home. As for meal tickets, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll pay for seven portions.¡± Bai Xiao amiably handed over the lunchbox.

    Master Gao took it, smiling broadly, and scratching his head, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get everything ready right away, just have a seat first.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t long before the canteen¡¯s elder sister hadid out everything on their table.

    Arge te of soy sauce pig trotters, arge te of soy sauce beef, a bucket full of five pig trotters, the chicken stewed with mushrooms, and the sauerkraut with ss noodles, all served in big basins. Steaming hot dumplings were brought out, one te per person. The food in the canteen was different from the food at home.

    Especially since Bai Xiao was using a dean-level meal ticket, the chefs used plenty of oil, so every dish was oily and bubbling with hot oil. The three youngsters were already dumbstruck, and although they had eaten well at home during the New Year, this was probably the year they ate the most meat.

    But seeing the food prepared in the canteen, the aroma and their home-cooked meals were iparable. Besides, these three youngsters always remembered what their aunt had just said about dining in the canteen without spending money.

    Dining on great dishes without spending money, not only the three kids were amazed, but Bai Yue and Wang Yan also looked a bit dumbfounded.

    Mainly because their concept of a canteen was still stuck in the era ofmunal meals, one bowl of clear porridge, one steamed bun per person.

    When this spread was served, Bai Yue quietly pulled Bai Xiao aside, ¡°Xiao, is it really free? Don¡¯t fool your sister.¡±

    Bai Xiao was amused and pulled a meal ticket out of her bag, pushing it towards Bai Yue. ¡°Sister, take a good look, this is the meal ticket. If you don¡¯t believe me, I¡¯ll call the head chef over right now to give the meal ticket to someone, and you can ask them.¡±

    Bai Yue shook her head, feeling uneasy, ¡°As long as it¡¯s free, I¡¯m just worried that you might quietly pay for it yourself to put my mind at ease. No matter how much money you have, you can¡¯t fill our bottomless pit. I¡¯m not doubting you.¡± She was genuinely afraid that her and her children¡¯s arrival might really drag Bai Xiao down.

    ¡°Master Gao, here¡¯s the meal ticket, please take it,¡± Bai Xiao called out loudly to Master Gao inside the serving window.

    Master Gao wiped his bald head with a towel beforeing out with a smile.

    ¡°Dr. Bai, hurry up and eat your food while it¡¯s hot. There¡¯s no rush for the meal ticket, we¡¯re all from the same canteen and I¡¯m not afraid of you running away. Besides, you haven¡¯t picked up this month¡¯s meal tickets yet. Director Xing has already prepared them for you, just waiting for you toe and sign for them.

    By the way, Dr. Bai, what would you like for breakfast tomorrow morning? We¡¯ve recently got some fresh milk and eggs. Tomorrow morning, we¡¯re makingrge meat buns in the canteen. What would you like for breakfast?¡± Master Gao said as he took the meal ticket and stuffed it into his white coat pocket.

    Seeing that he really did ept those pieces of paper, Bai Yue finally feltpletely reassured.

    She had never eaten in a canteen and didn¡¯t understand how it was possible to eat such ample amounts of meat and fish without spending money. It was really hard toprehend; weren¡¯t they afraid of running out?

    Noticing other people in the canteen, who were eating from their lunch boxes and asionally nced over, their looks also carried a sense of curiosity.

    ¡°Master Gao! We¡¯ll have whatever everyone else is having tomorrow! No need to make anything special! Thank you!¡± Bai Xiao was not someone who abused her privileges to act recklessly.

    In fact, overall, as long as no one bothered her, she was quite easy to get along with.

    She wasn¡¯t picky or difficult and was a likeable youngdy.

    ¡°Okay then, we¡¯ll talk about it when youe tomorrow! I¡¯m off to get busy, you guys eat up, eat up, don¡¯t let it get cold, it won¡¯t taste good then.¡± Master Gao, seeing that it might make Bai Xiao¡¯s sister and brother-inw feel ufortable to eat in front of him, and knowing that if they wolfed down their food in front of him, it might embarrass Bai Xiao, quickly left.

    ¡°Go ahead and eat! It won¡¯t be good once it gets cold!¡± Bai Xiao urged everyone to eat.

    Only then did Bai Yue and the others start to eat, and the taste was so delicious that it made them all sigh.

    With so many dishes, they couldn¡¯t keep up with the appetite of the young men. Li Haiping, Li Hai¡¯an, and Li Haishun were all growing boys, and although Wang Yan was an adult, years of habit had made him a big eater capable of devouring three bowls per meal, and Bai Yue¡¯s appetite was certainly no problem either.

    As a result, they quickly finished all the food. Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t eat that much meat and fish; having eaten only seven or eight dumplings and some pickled cabbage bean noodles, she couldn¡¯t eat anymore. She hadn¡¯t used much energy recently and didn¡¯t need to replenish so much, otherwise, she really would gain weight.

    After finishing their meal, Bai Xiao took the lunch box, and the six of them headed back to the dormitory. Just as they reached the dormitory entrance, An Zhiyuan happened to arrive by car, just turning off the engine and getting out.

    Together, they unloaded four folding beds from the car, borrowed from several colleagues¡¯ offices. With the weather being too cold to sleep on the floor¡ªas this wasn¡¯t Liupan Vige where the air temperature wasn¡¯t as frigid¡ªthe winter chill here couldn¡¯t be kept out by mere bedding.

    There were also four sets of clean bedding that were obviously new.

 Chapter 276 - 276 276 Discussing the Way

    ?Chapter 276: Chapter 276: Discussing the Way   Chapter 276: Chapter 276: Discussing the Way                                   After moving the stuff, Bai Xiao stuffed the lunchbox into An Zhiyuan¡¯s hands, fetched him some chopsticks from the kitchen, and even poured a small dish of vinegar, as An Zhiyuan¡¯s taste was simr to those in Liupan Vige¡ªa genuine vinegar lover.

    ¡°Eat up before it gets cold.¡±

    An Zhiyuan chuckled, feeling deeply cared for by his wife. It was indescribably wonderful to have someone care about you and know your preferences¡ªit was a kind of happiness.

    ¡°Alright!¡± he agreed and began eating in the kitchen.

    The cafeteria master chef had scooped out some dumplings for him just before he left; they were steaming hot and very fragrant, filled withmb¡ªquite delicious, especially with a dip of vinegar, one could eat them in one bite.

    Meanwhile, Bai Xiao was setting up beds in the living room with the others. Fortunately, the living room was spacious enough to fit four beds side by side. Theyid out the bedding, and Li Haishun was already sitting on a bed, quite intrigued, since back at their ce, they always slept on heated brick beds.

    After finishing the dumplings, An Zhiyuan washed the lunchbox clean, rolled up his sleeves, and when he stepped back into the living room, he couldn¡¯t help butugh at the situation.

    ¡°Wow, you¡¯ve all settled down, and it looks like it¡¯s gettingte. You guys go to sleep, I¡¯m heading back now. I¡¯lle pick you up at eight tomorrow to check out the house.¡± An Zhiyuan felt it was time to leave.

    It was already past eight o¡¯clock, and after a whole day on the train, Li Haishun had already fallen asleep in the quilt. An Zhiyuan could understand how exhausted those who had never traveled far from home must be.

    Bai Yue hurried to say, ¡°Xiao, escort An, the instructor; we won¡¯t go. Instructor An, be careful on the road. I see it¡¯s icy and snowy everywhere, you need to be even more cautious driving.¡± After all, he was their future brother-inw.

    Bai Xiao put on a coat, ready to see An Zhiyuan out, but An Zhiyuan stopped him, ¡°No need for family to keep escorting each other out, it¡¯s cold. It could drop to minus twenty degrees today, none of you need toe out, I will head back myself. You all rest well.¡± He nced at Bai Xiao.

    Alright! He didn¡¯t want her to tire herself out, so she nodded, ¡°Okay, take care then, see you tomorrow!¡±

    An Zhiyuan gripped her hand tightly, squeezed it firmly, and said, ¡°See you tomorrow!¡± Then he left.

    Bai Xiao watched from the balcony window as An Zhiyuan¡¯s car started and left before she finally felt relieved.

    The family was already too tired to stay up, they washed their feet and went to bed.

    Especially the three children, who were sleeping so soundly that their snores rose and fell, amusing Bai Xiao, Bai Yue, and Wang Yan, who was also chuckling.

    ¡°Brother-inw, let¡¯s sleep. My sister and I are going to sleep too!¡± Bai Xiao turned off the lights in the living room andy down with Bai Yue in their room.

    The moment Bai Yue¡¯s head hit the pillow, she was already drowsy, and in her half-sleep state, she didn¡¯t forget to say, ¡°Instructor An is a good man!¡±

    Bai Xiao hummed in response, already hearing her sister¡¯s faint snoring sounds, smiled, and fell asleep.

    An Zhiyuan was indeed a good man.

    The next morning, Bai Yue and the others got up very early. Changing locations still felt different, and even though they had slept soundly, they still woke up early.

    Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t continue sleeping either. After checking the time, she and her elder sister took two aluminum pots to the cafeteria to get food. At home, they had cooked millet porridge on the gas stove, picked up fifteenrge meat buns from the cafeteria, along with six eggs, some pickles, and soy-sauce cucumbers. Seeing that there were fried dough sticks, Bai Xiao bought two pounds more, considering that the men at home should not be shortchanged at mealtime.

    When they returned home, the millet porridge was ready. Wang Yan had already helped the children tidy up the beds and even stored the bedding in the cupboard! The living room was cleaned and tidy, and the three children sat quietly on the sofa waiting for them to return.

    Bai Xiao smiled and set the table with Bai Yue! It was a big round folding table, which could be tucked away in a corner when not in use and easily set up when needed. The family gathered noisily for breakfast.

    ¡°Sis, since you¡¯re here now, we should also consider what you will do next,¡± Bai Xiao had her own ns! But she wanted her sister and brother-inw to be willing as well. Sometimes what you think is good for others might not be what they deem best, as everyone has their own ideas.

    Bai Yue sighed, ¡°I just arrived and my mind is still a mess; I have no clue what to do next. I was thinking that once we settle down, we would look for jobs. Neither of us is afraid of hard work or getting tired.¡±

    Bai Xiao shook her head. Her sister was still holding on to the past notion that having a job means stability.

    Wang Yan, however, had a different idea, ¡°Xiao, to be honest, I¡¯ve been thinking about going out to see what¡¯s avable! If there¡¯s a business or trade that could be done, I¡¯ve seen many people in other viges thrive by running businesses. When I was raising pigs, I also dealt with businessmen. If business is done well, providing for the family is not difficult.¡± He had seen the world and, of course, had his own ns.

    ¡°Exactly! Brother-inw, I actually suggest you consider doing business. Look at our family; we have many people and hands avable. Although the location is cold, if well-managed, it really has a future. I have a suggestion for you¡ªinstead of other businesses, why not go into the food business? After all, everyone has to eat, and if someone doesn¡¯t eat here, others will. Look at our cafeteria; even though it provides meals, those small eateries at the entrance are still thriving. That¡¯s market demand.¡± Bai Xiao had some experience; in herst life, after escaping from the Fang Family, although she had a special ability, she knew nothing at first and did not understand what to do with it. Therefore, when she ended up in other cities, she worked for others, and things like hotpot, skewered meat, and barbecue were incredibly popr.

    In that ce, hotpot was always in vogue, and the climate here made it even more suitable. Winters here were colder andsted longer than in other ces, definitely making it an excellent customer base for hotpot.

    Now, she believed that hotpot had not yet be popr in many parts of the country, so if they did it well, they could establish a deeply ingrained brand. If her sister and brother-inw weren¡¯t afraid of hard work and did well, running a hotpot business could indeed be very profitable.

    Wang Yan nodded; he hadn¡¯t thought of what business to do, he just had an idea.

    Unexpectedly, his sister-inw brought it up.

    ¡°Here¡¯s the thing! Brother-inw, I have some skills myself. At night, we can eat at home! Let¡¯s have Captain Ane over and see if this food business is feasible. At least, the recipe was given to me by a friend, and I think it¡¯s quite suitable for the general public. As long as you have the secret recipe, the culinary demands are not very high and it¡¯s easy to learn!¡± This was Bai Xiao¡¯s view, as her sister and brother-inw were not master chefs. Hiring a chef would be impractical and would likely lead to frequent changes in personnel, making it hard to control the quality and manage effectively.

    ¡°Xiao, are you sure this will work?¡± Bai Yue was worried.

    Bai Xiao reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry! Let¡¯s try it tonight. You might not believe my opinion, but An Zhiyuan, who has traveled far and wide, together we can try and see whether this business is worth pursuing!¡± She knew about the hotpot recipe because she had fried the base materials before, so she indeed had some authority on the matter.

    Furthermore, considering the diverse developments of hotpot in the future, couldn¡¯t she lead in vor by arge margin?

    She had witnessed the poprity of hotpot in the future. Since she had the opportunity, why not give her sister a chance to be someone who could stir up the winds of change in the future?

    Her sister was definitely notcking.

    ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s give it a try!¡± Bai Yue trusted her sister unconditionally.

 Chapter 277 - 277 277 Dissatisfied

    ?Chapter 277: Chapter 277: Dissatisfied   Chapter 277: Chapter 277: Dissatisfied                                   After the meal, An Zhiyuan indeed arrived on time to knock on the door. The adults decided that the three children need note, as it was freezing cold outside, and they wouldn¡¯t be of much help anyhow. The necessary decisions would still fall on Bai Yue and Wang Yan, so the four adults set out.

    To prevent them from getting bored, Bai Xiao turned on the television for them. It was currently re-broadcasting the Spring Festival G, interspersed with asional TV dramas, so the three children were quickly captivated by the characters and scenes in the little box.

    Driving for over half an hour, An Zhiyuan brought them to the location. Bai Xiao looked around at the environment; it was quite nice, even though they were single-story houses!

    However, because it was a factory¡¯s residential area, there were old, long rows of single-story houses that were also very tidy, somewhat like the dormitory houses where her second sister lived.

    But these houses, lined up in rows, ensured mutual warmth.

    An Zhiyuan took out the keys and opened one of the doors. Upon entering, they saw that although there wasn¡¯t a fire lit, it was surprisingly warm¡ª not very cold. The house was like a train carriage, a big, three-room family home. The three rooms were indeed spacious, each separated by a door; only the room in the middle had poor lighting, mainly because it was wedged between the other two, but it was certainlyrge.

    It was spacious enough to fit two beds in every room and still have space for other cabs¡ªwhich was quite roomy for their family. The house was definitely adequate for them to live in.

    An Zhiyuan led them through each room, ¡°This house belongs to a toon leader¡¯s family, an old home. Originally his parents lived here, but now they have moved to another city to live with his brother, so the house is vacant. They are thinking of renting it out to earn some rent. The monthly rent for this house is fifteen yuan. Utilities are separate, and you can use the remaining beds and furniture for the time being! As long as they are not damaged, you are free to borrow them.

    There¡¯s also a small kitchen in the yard outside. It¡¯s big, but it¡¯s decent enough for cooking and storing things in the summer.¡±

    Bai Yue and Wang Yan were very satisfied. Although they could notpare with the spacious countryside homes with gardens for nting vegetables, they knew such a foothold in the city was hard toe by.

    ¡°toon Leader An, isn¡¯t the rent a bit expensive?¡± Bai Yue calcted the money in her hand. Fifteen yuan a month¡ªthey had no ie yet. Back in the vige, that was equal to a hundred eggs.

    ¡°Big sister, don¡¯t just look at the rent. Let¡¯s check out the surroundings! Didn¡¯t they say this ce is close to themercial street, pedestrian street, and night market? Renting a house is not just for living; we also need to see if it¡¯s suitable for doing business,¡± Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t concerned about the expensive rent but wanted to evaluate the location.

    Bai Yue fell silent! She was not as savvy as her sister in this regard, so she just watched without speaking.

    Wang Yan also nodded. He knew this little auntie had more say in it than they did¡ªshe had at least spent many days in the city.

    Bai Xiao led the group to themercial street.

    This was the busiest street in the city, with undoubtedly an incredible flow of customers. Typically, when people went shopping, they headed here. They arrived early, but it didn¡¯t stop many people from busily opening their stores, ready for business.

    Observing the crowd, Bai Xiao noted that the traffic was impressive. It all depended on what her sister intended to do.

    If the business was hot pot, this location would not be quite right since themercial street favored quick dining culture, like beef noodles for example. A hot pot restaurant here would be too rushed.

    People came here to shop; how could they afford to spend a lot on hot pot during a meal? Regr customers would be hard to maintain in the future. For long-term development, of course, a more appropriate spot was needed, a storefront facing the street, with reasonable parking. It¡¯s just that the current rent was unknown?

    All these considerations were important. After looking around, Bai Xiao began to suspect whether she was being too hasty! Was the scale she had initially nned for her older sister and brother-inw too ambitious? Maybe they should start with smaller street snacks like spicy hot foods and skewers.

    But looking at the weather outside, Bai Xiaopletely gave up hope.

    If they were in their provincial city, selling skewer dishes and spicy hot pot would¡¯ve been no problem! But here, the climate was an issue. Having his sister and brother-inw running a small stall outdoors would mean enduring great hardship for the money earned.

    Bai Xiao tly rejected the idea.

    An Zhiyuan could see that Bai Xiao was somewhat dissatisfied, ¡°What kind of house do you want? Tell me! Maybe I can help you find it!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m looking for a storefront facing the street, big enough to fit at least ten tables, with convenient plumbing! There should also be a spacious kitchen in the back. It would be best if it came with an attached living space, so they wouldn¡¯t need to rent a separate apartment.¡± Bai Xiao understood that running back and forth was a daunting task.

    An Zhiyuan thought for a moment, ¡°Let¡¯s do this. Since there¡¯s no rush to settle down right now, I¡¯ll ask around for you in the next couple of days. The month isn¡¯t over yet, so there¡¯s no need to hurry. A lot of stores aren¡¯t even open at this time.¡±

    Bai Xiaoughed, ¡°That¡¯s also my fault! I was a bit too anxious. Since we¡¯ve looked around already, let¡¯s head back. It¡¯s already afternoon after this entire day of looking. When we get back, I¡¯ll make hotpot for us. Let¡¯s go! And we¡¯ll see if my idea catches on!¡± The four of them had been walking the whole day and hadn¡¯t even managed to have lunch.

    An Zhiyuan nodded with a smile, ¡°Let¡¯s go. There¡¯s a food market nearby, the biggest one around here. It should be open today since it¡¯s the sixth day of the new year. Let¡¯s check it out, buy what we need, and head back to cook. I¡¯m quite curious about this hotpot of yours!¡±

    They bought loads of stuff! The four of them returned to the dormitory.

    Bai Yue wanted toin about Bai Xiao¡¯s excessive spending, but with An Zhiyuan there, showing no displeasure, it wasn¡¯t appropriate for her to criticize her sister in front of others. She could scold Bai Xiao in private, but she would never embarrass Bai Xiao in public! Nor would she want to make An Zhiyuan dissatisfied with Bai Xiao.

    Bai Yue was very clear about that.

    The four of them returned, and the three younger ones hurried to help carry things. Bai Xiao and Bai Yue took off their coats and headed for the kitchen.

    Bai Xiao thought about it, realizing she didn¡¯t have an induction cooker or a coal-burning stove here. She went out to find An Zhiyuan, ¡°Second Brother, could you find an electric hotte? You¡¯re familiar with this ce.¡±

    An Zhiyuan nodded, put on his clothes, and drove out.

    Bai Xiao began working with her sister; Bai Yue washed and prepared the vegetables while Bai Xiao was in charge of making the hotpot base. Since everyone in their family loved spicy food, there was no concern about having to prepare a ¡°Mandarin Duck¡± pot (half-spicy, half-not). They managed to buy a four-person y pot, as Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t find an appropriate pot or basin to use. If they were to open a hotpot restaurant in the future, she guessed they would need to find a ce to custom-make copper hotpots based on their specifications.

    Smelling the strong aroma, Bai Yue coughed, covering her nose, ¡°Xiao, this is way too spicy!¡±

    Bai Xiao herself was also coughing. It was her own doing, trying to create an authentic Sichuan-style hotpot.

    The younger ones outside also caught a whiff of the scent. Bai Xiao opened the kitchen window! It was cold, but the air improved significantly right away.

    By the time they finished washing the vegetables, Bai Xiao had already sliced the rock-hard frozenmb meat into thin pieces. In this kind of weather, they didn¡¯t even need a functioning fridge; it was cold enough outside that anything would freeze solid in no time ¨C perfect for slicingmb meat.

 Chapter 278 - 278 278 Decision

    ?Chapter 278: Chapter 278 Decision   Chapter 278: Chapter 278 Decision                                   An Zhiyuan came back, bringing with him an electric stove with a high wattage, which ismon here, though most households wouldn¡¯t use it¡ªit¡¯s not only a big electricity consumer but also a potential fire hazard.

    But now, this was the only option avable.

    Yet, a few more people came along, unexpectedly, it was Zhang Duo, a sister-inw, and a soldier in a wheelchair, apanied by a little girl.

    Bai Xiao was busy inside the house and had no idea that guests had arrived outside.

    As soon as the electric stove arrived, Bai Xiao immediately had everyone set the table, plugged in the stove, and ced the y pot on top.

    She added the base ingredients and broth she had prepared to the pot, and the meatballs brought from home were already taken out to be defrosted.

    In this weather, it was truly hard to buy any fresh vegetables, so they only had napa cabbage and potatoes, along with frozen tofu, ss noodles, tofu skin, and they had also managed to buy some mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms that had already been soaked, as well asmb, meatballs, and little crispy pork.

    It was already considered a very rich array of dishes on the table.

    Bai Xiao had made her own sesame paste, and the small dishes contained leek flower sauce, as well as fermented bean curd. Another dish was filled with chopped green onions and sugar garlic, and there was also a bottle of chili sauce, which was made by Bai Yue back in her hometown. It was delicious, especially the garlic version¡ªhomemade and safe, not to mention the vor was absolutely on point.

    Bai Xiao knew that four guests had arrived! But she really had no idea who they were.

    As soon as she came out and saw them, she recognized them¡ªit was Zhang Duo, a regr patient at her clinic, who had also banged drums and gongs to present her with a banner. And she could guess the other three; the little girl must be the one she had savedst time.

    They hade to show their gratitude for the New Year.

    ¡°Hello! Happy New Year, please take a seat, everything¡¯s ready. Big Brother, there¡¯s alcohol over there, you guys can drink. We women will stay out of the festivities.¡± It wouldn¡¯t be proper to entertain guests without good alcohol.

    An Zhiyuan happily agreed. Despite being ordered around by Bai Xiao, he felt content inside. He understood it to mean that Bai Xiao absolutely didn¡¯t see him as an outsider anymore¡ªtheir rtionship had undergone a qualitative change.

    Only family would be so informal; such words meant that his wife genuinely treated him as her man.

    Zhang Duo was annoyed! His own wife bossed him around, and yet he wore a face of pride. He didn¡¯t understand how his old friend could have turned out this way.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s eat, everyone take a seat.¡± Bai Xiao had already borrowed a few folding chairs from Doctor Chui Li next door; otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t have been enough seating.

    A table full of people sat around therge round table, twelve in all, packed to the brim.

    The men sat together¡ªif they wanted to drink, it was naturally for convenience. Bai Xiao, Bai Yue, and the sister-inw with the little girl sat on the other side.

    Bai Xiao brought out thest te ofmb from the kitchen and saw that there was only one empty seat left, right between An Zhiyuan and Bai Yue. An Zhiyuan waved and said, ¡°Come over and sit, we¡¯re just missing our host.¡±

    Bai Xiao had no choice but to sit down. In front of her was a ss of orange juice, which was considered the best thing in that era, not something every household could afford to drink.

    ¡°Everyone, dig in!¡± Bai Xiao toasted. ¡°First, I wish everyone a Happy New Year and hope everything goes well for you in theing year! Second, please try the fire pot and give me your honest opinion. My sister is thinking about starting this business.¡± As the host, these were exactly the words she should say.

    Everyone raised their sses and immediately started eating.

    Bai Xiao was afraid that the little girl couldn¡¯t handle spicy food! She specifically asked Mrs. Wu, the woman surnamed Wu, whose husband, Jiao Yang, was sitting in a wheelchair. He used to be a team leader and was injured during a self-defense counterattack, resulting in disability in both legs. He had since transferred to a civilian role. The little girl was the couple¡¯s only daughter, Niuniu.

    ¡°Should I cook some noodles or something for Niuniu? This fire pot is quite spicy, and I¡¯m worried the child won¡¯t be able to handle it!¡± Since their visit was unexpected, Bai Xiao indeed hadn¡¯t prepared for this.

    Mrs. Wu shook her head, smiling and exining, ¡°No need! My husband and I are both from Hunan, we are not afraid of spicy food, and this child has grown up eating spicy food. She might even handle spicy better than you northerners. There¡¯s no need for special treatment for her, look how happily she¡¯s eating!¡±

    Pointing to Niuniu¡¯s bowl, where Mrs. Wu had just added a piece ofmb with her chopsticks, the little girl seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it, her lips smeared with sesame sauce and chili oil, her eyes sparkling with joy as she pointed to the meatballs in the pot, saying, ¡°Mom, I want meatballs!¡±

    Seeing this, Bai Xiao felt relieved.

    Once everyone started eating, the atmosphere immediately changed, conversations grew livelier.

    ¡°Doctor Bai! This fire pot is really tasty! The vor¡­ sss¡­ is truly satisfying! Delicious¡­ delicious!¡± Zhang Duo initially thought the fire pot was just the same old pot they would have during winter; steaming hot andforting, but nothing special.

    Now, however, he realized what he thought was just a simple pot had essential differences; typically, a pot would contain cabbage, ss noodles, tofu, and meatballs, and the most luxurious version might include a few slices of fat meat, tasting like a hearty stew.

    This fire pot had a broth that was bright and appealingly red, stimting the appetite, and you could throw whatever you wanted into the pot, let it boil, fish it out, and dip it in sauces like sesame paste¡ªit was absolutely delicious.

    For someone like him who loved spicy food, it was the ultimate indulgence,rgely because the vor was so good.

    Wang Yan, An Zhiyuan, and Jiao Yang were also eating non-stop; they found themselves drinking less, mainly because pairing this kind of spicy food with white liquor wasn¡¯t quite right! Bai Xiao of course knew this; such a fire pot should be enjoyed with beer, which would have been endlessly delicious, but there was no beer avable yet.

    However, it seemed they had kvass here, imported from the Russians, which actually came pretty close to beer and was considered a tasty beverage.

    ¡°Xiao, this fire pot is really good!¡± Even Bai Yue couldn¡¯t help but nod in praise, thinking that her sister¡¯s idea to open a fire pot restaurant was impressive, as the fire pot really was extraordinary.

    ¡°How is it? The vor of the fire pot is not bad, right? A fire pot is all about the lively atmosphere; it¡¯s bright and hot, with three to five people, or perhaps a group of ten, gathering around a single pot, eating until their mouths are oily with the hot and fresh vors. The best thing is that you decide what to eat, cooking whichever ingredients you like. Even though the pot today was put together in a hurry and is somewhat rough, the vor still barely makes the grade! In fact, this fire pot could be made into a ¡®yin yang¡¯ pot, amodating both those who like it spicy and those who don¡¯t, ensuring everyone enjoys a warm and enthusiastic meal.

    The underlying broth can also vary, catering to different tastes, and through the simple and straightforward experience of sharing a fire pot, rtionships can quickly deepen. Life is full of worries, but with a single fire pot meal, all troubles can be left behind. Feeling that heat in your heart, it¡¯s as if you¡¯re filled with passion, and you start to believe that there¡¯s no big problem that a hot and numbing fire pot can¡¯t solve!¡± Bai Xiao felt confident in her choice, feeling veryfortable after tasting the familiar vors again, not to mention the others.

    Indeed, Wang Yan immediately gave his approval, ¡°Sister-inw, you¡¯ve got a brilliant idea. I¡¯ve agreed with your sister; let¡¯s start this fire pot restaurant. With this business, it¡¯s impossible not to be booming!¡±

    Bai Yueughed as well, ¡°My sister is unique, with a college-educated brain that really works, even turning a simple meal into something special. Let¡¯s do it, let¡¯s open a fire pot restaurant!¡± With that, even Bai Yue was persuaded.

    A single meal concluded with a n to open a new restaurant.

 Chapter 279 - 279 279 Stop at the Right Point

    ?Chapter 279: Chapter 279: Stop at the Right Point   Chapter 279: Chapter 279: Stop at the Right Point                                   Sister-inw Wu raised her ss and sincerely said to Bai Xiao, ¡°Doctor Bai! Actually, this time we were adamant about following Instructor An here because we heard you are Instructor An¡¯s wife, so we specifically came to express our gratitude. No matter what, it was you who saved our daughter. We will never forget the great kindness you have shown our family in our lifetime. The child is now well, even her asthma is cured, and it¡¯s all because you saved her. Without you, we might not have been able to go on living.¡± Sister-inw Wu choked up a bit, her fear of suffocation returning as she remembered the peril of that day, always feeling like she narrowly escaped death with a sense of guilt.

    It was she who had failed to protect her only daughter, which caused her to lose herposure upon seeing Bai Xiao. Her husband¡¯s suffering could not bring her down, but if they lost their daughter, they would both likely be devastated.

    ¡°Sister-inw Wu, don¡¯t say that. I¡¯m a doctor, and it¡¯s only right and proper to treat the sick and save the injured. If anyone faced that kind of situation in front of me, I would also reach out my hand. That was a life at stake, not anything else, something irreceable. So, live well with your child and Brother Jiao, and raise her to grow up big and strong!¡± Bai Xiao knew the depth of Sister-inw Wu¡¯s gratitude, having met many people who were truly grateful! Because for them, the lives of their loved ones are more important than anything else.

    This gratitude came from the bottom of their hearts. Bai Xiao remembered how she felt in her past life when she discovered her Healing Ability. Had she acquired the ability earlier, maybe her older sister wouldn¡¯t have had to die, and her brother might have escaped disaster. At that time, she really wished she could bring her loved ones back to life, willing to exchange even her own life for theirs.

    Sister-inw Wu wiped away her tears and said, ¡°Doctor Bai, no words can express our feelings. We might not be capable of much, but if you ever need something done, we can at least lend a hand. Just say the word, and we¡¯ll never refuse.¡± Her words were earnest, a true expression from the heart.

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t turn down the offer; the more you refuse these sorts of people, the more they worry and feel uneasy.

    ¡°Alright! Sister-inw, if I ever need help, I¡¯ll be sure toe to you. Now, let¡¯s hurry up and eat. The child can¡¯t reach¡ªlook how anxious she¡¯s getting!¡±

    Everyone looked over and indeed, Niuniu was standing on her tiptoes, trying to reach into the pot with her chopsticks. Fifth Sister-inw jumped in fright and pped Niuniu¡¯s hand away, ¡°You child, why are you so greedy? Be careful not to burn yourself!¡±

    Niuniu immediately puckered her lips unhappily, on the verge of tears. Fifth Aunt quickly picked up a slice ofmb for her with chopsticks, and immediately the little girl¡¯s face lit up with a smile. She bowed her head and dug in eagerly, amusing everyone with her antics.

    The little girl looked up with her big shiny eyes, innocently asking, ¡°Mommy, why aren¡¯t you all eating? This meat is so delicious. If you don¡¯t eat quickly, it will all end up in Niuniu¡¯s belly, and you can¡¯t cry then!¡±

    Jiao Yang, sitting beside Niuniu, served some bok choy hearts into her bowl. Watching her eat so heartily, he felt a sense of guilt, bound to a wheelchair for the rest of his life, unable to take care of his wife and daughter.

    Niuniu pouted, looking at the bok choy with displeasure, ¡°Daddy, I¡¯m not a rabbit!¡±

    Jiao Yang coaxed his daughter, ¡°Niuniu, eating more vegetables is how you¡¯ll grow tall. Otherwise, you¡¯ll stay a little runt.¡± It was unbearable for everyone to watch their little girl hugging her bowl and devouring the meat voraciously on her own.

    Doctor Bai didn¡¯t say anything! It didn¡¯t mean she didn¡¯t mind.

    These days,mb was expensive, dish after dish being served. They hade to express their thanks, but it now seemed as though they were mooching a meal, something that didn¡¯t sit well with his dignity as a soldier. He med himself for his inadequacy, for his child hardly ever seeing meat once a month. It was only natural that she attacked the meat like a little wolf cub, unable to stop eating.

    ¡°Really? Then I¡¯ll eat more vegetables, I want to grow tall!¡± Niuniu immediately changed her mind upon hearing this. She envied those tall uncles and aunts and wanted to grow up to be big and strong herself, so she could protect her parents and prevent her mother from being bullied and brought to tears.

    Jiao Yang smiledfortingly; luckily, his child was obedient and never threw tantrums. Even when she really wanted something, she would still hold back, not wanting to trouble her parents.

    Bai Xiao had already seen that times were tough for the couple. She smiled and brought out several more tes ofmb slices from the kitchen, ¡°Eat up, everyone. There¡¯s plenty of meat left, and it would be a waste not to finish it. Just look at these nicely cut slices¡ªif they¡¯re left over, you¡¯ll be wasting my effort. Niuniu, this te of meat is yours. You¡¯re responsible for finishing it! Andter, there are apples to eat. After the meat, you have to eat some vegetables. Only bybining meat and veggies can you grow up to be big and strong, got it?¡±

    Niuniu immediately became excited upon hearing this, nodding vigorously with a proud little expression, and she took Jiao Yang¡¯s hand, saying, ¡°Daddy, the doctor sister said I can have this whole te of meat, but I will eat my vegetables too.¡±

    Jiao Yang gave a bitter smile. His daughter didn¡¯t understand anything. Bai Xiao¡¯s approach clearly showed that she knew what he was thinking. She wasforting him. Dr. Bai really was a kind person.

    As Bai Xiao watched Niuniu eat her meal with effort, she asked Jiao Yang, ¡°Big Brother Jiao, what are you doing now?¡± Seeing this family indeed stirredpassion in her heart.

    However, she wasn¡¯t the kind of person who liked to y the grand benefactor. After all, there¡¯s an old saying that goes, ¡®It¡¯s better to teach someone to fish than to give them a fish.¡¯

    Jiao Yang¡¯s disability didn¡¯t mean there was nothing he could do.

    As long as he remained determined and resolute, the world wouldn¡¯t abandon anyone who strives to live.

    Jiao Yang felt somewhat embarrassed, ¡°When I arrived here, I couldn¡¯t do anything in the unit because of my condition so they just let me take sick leave at home. I make some paper boxes for people at home to subsidize our ie. Our family¡¯s entire livelihood depends on my wife¡¯s sry from sweeping the streets. I have dragged her down!¡± Speaking of his wife, Jiao Yang¡¯s face revealed sadness. The greatest sorrow for a man is probably to watch helplessly as his wife and daughter suffer alongside him, with nothing he can do about it.

    Mrs. Wu said angrily, ¡°You, why do you always talk like this? We are husband and wife; we¡¯re supposed to share weal and woe. What kind of husband and wife would we be if we can¡¯t share the hard times? Since I married you, it wouldn¡¯t make sense if I were there for the good times and ran away when things got tough. I am a human being and couldn¡¯t possibly do such heartless things. Besides, look at Niuniu¡ªour girl is so cute and obedient. For nothing in the world would I abandon you and our daughter.¡±

    Bai Xiao could tell that Sister Wu was a good person.

    ¡°Sister-inw, Brother, good people like you should consider doing something more substantial. After all, sweeping streets is not a long-term solution. The child is still young now but will need money for education as she grows. Although Big Brother Jiao has a disability, I see that his movements are still quite deft. Nowadays, the policies are so favorable, especially for people with disabilities! There are preferential policies for almost everything. You two could set up a small stall to sell something, like what I see on the street side in the university town. There are many people selling things, like socks, clothes, and snacks. I¡¯ve heard that a small stall, if run well, can make almost a monthly sry in just one day!¡± She could only say this much; whether they listened or not was their own business.

    She said no more than necessary.

    A deep thought appeared in Jiao Yang¡¯s eyes.

    Everyone ate and drank until after nine o¡¯clock when Zhang Duo and his group decided to leave. Jiao Yang and his family brought a box of red dates and their hometown¡¯s specialty twist bread, insisting on leaving them behind. Bai Xiao had to oblige or else they would have gotten upset with her.

    Having no choice, she asked her sister to pack some of the home-cooked meatballs and other dishes, and she stuffed it into An Zhiyuan¡¯s arms, giving him a meaningful look.

    An Zhiyuan immediately understood and winked, causing Bai Xiao to burst intoughter.

    Everyone looked at the two of them, not understanding what they were up to.

    An Zhiyuan seriously got up and helped Zhang Duo down the stairs with the wheelchair, while Mrs. Wu and her family, apanied by Niuniu, said their goodbyes. The little girl was reluctant to leave Bai Xiao.

    Finally, they had sent off the entire family.

 Chapter 280 - 280 280 Which Way the Elbow Bends

    ?Chapter 280: Chapter 280: Which Way the Elbow Bends   Chapter 280: Chapter 280: Which Way the Elbow Bends                                   Bai Xiao and Bai Yue cleaned up and washed the dishes, with Bai Yue afraid that Bai Xiao would use cold water! She insisted on washing the dishes herself! In the end, Bai Xiao simply boiled a big pot of hot water so nobody would have to use cold water, and while Bai Yueined about her sister wasting gas, she still finished washing the dishes! Bai Xiao stood by, drying the dishes.

    ¡°Xiao, I really think this hotpot business of yours is good, and I¡¯ve made up my mind, Sister is going to do this business.¡± Bai Yue of course knew that her sister did this to ease her mind, otherwise, with no idea what to do, she herself would never have thought of these things, let alone agree to them.

    ¡°That¡¯s great! I¡¯ll make a detailed list for youter on about how to operate, what¡¯s needed, and how to do it, including which ingredients and so on, I¡¯ll write it all out. You and brother-inw not only have to go out to look for a shop these days, but you also have toe back to learn how to stir-fry the base sauce. This base sauce won¡¯t go bad, once it¡¯s fried, you can just freeze it.

    The most important thing is to do it yourself, so that when ites time to use these things, you will be adept.¡± Bai Xiao was very happy that her older sister had figured it out.

    Bai Yue handed thest bowl to Bai Xiao, ¡°I¡¯m just afraid there won¡¯t be enough money to start the business!¡± That was her biggest concern.

    ¡°Big Sister! Don¡¯t worry, I have money here. Someone gave me a thank-you gift of 10,000 yuanst time, and I haven¡¯t touched it since, so you and brother-inw take this first and use it as initial capital to tide you over, and don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t want it.

    You are my older sister, no matter what, we two sisters don¡¯t need to say those things. If we really get down to it, you and big brother raised me for so many years, if anyone should be grateful, it¡¯s me.

    So let¡¯s not push this around with polite words, we are all family, we don¡¯t do that.¡±

    Bai Yue sighed, looking at her sister with some guilt, ¡°But that¡¯s 10,000 yuan, whether it¡¯s a thank-you gift from someone or your own earnings, this money should be for your future dowry. I will feel uneasy using that money.¡±

    ¡°Stop saying those things, I already said, the money is a loan to you, it¡¯s not just lent to you for nothing, you¡¯ll have to pay me interest on itter. If you can¡¯t pay me back, I tell you, I will take over that shop, including principal and interest, and run it myself.¡± Bai Xiao said with a smile, wrapping her arms around her sister¡¯s shoulders and walking outside.

    Bai Yue yfully spat at Bai Xiao, ¡°Ptooey! Look at you, all grown up and yet still not serious.¡±

    Bai Xiao tilted her head and leaned on Bai Yue¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Big Sister, money is external, no amount canpare to the bond between us sisters. Big Sister, just remember that I am your little sister, and you are my dear older sister. So, between us, no matter what, there¡¯s no need for formalities.

    Right now, you¡¯re just at the beginning of standing firm and starting a business. If I don¡¯t help you, who will?¡±

    Bai Yue¡¯s voice softened, her sister¡¯s words warming her heart painfully; she should be the one, as the older sister to take care of her little sister, but now, she was being taken care of by her sister instead.

    ¡°Xiao, you have the secret recipes and you know how to do it, why don¡¯t you just do it, and let your big sister work for you? You definitely wouldn¡¯t mistreat your big sister.¡± Bai Yue didn¡¯t want to take advantage of her sister¡¯s opportunity.

    Bai Xiaoughed, ¡°Big Sister, what do you know? Although I work in the hospital now, it¡¯s a hospital. The doctors in the hospital, that¡¯s something with a system. You can¡¯t do business while you¡¯re in the system, and a lot of the time, you¡¯re not free. If I did business? Think about it, wouldn¡¯t that be viting the rules? I¡¯d be fired.¡± Bai Xiao exined the serious consequences to Bai Yue.

    Frightened, Bai Yue jumped, ¡°Is it that serious? Then forget it, you better not get into business, just do your job honestly. Big Sister will do it, in her own name. Once we make money, you and your sister will share it.¡± Bai Yue immediately thought that she absolutely couldn¡¯t drag her sister down, but she also couldn¡¯t let her sister lose out.

    ¡°Sister, how could I possibly shortchange you once you¡¯re rich? So let¡¯s not talk about that anymore. Right now, just focus with brother-inw on how to make this business work. I¡¯ll specifically advise you, make some strategic decisions, but when ites to actual fieldwork and research, that¡¯s for you two to do. To put it inly, I¡¯m just a thinker and talker, the real hard work is done by the two of you.¡±

    Wang Yan heard this and answered with a smile, ¡°Hard work, we¡¯re not afraid of that, but your brains, even ten of me and your sisterbined probably couldn¡¯t match. This requires knowledge, insight, something only an educated person could do, and I know you¡¯re only doing all this because you care about your sister. Nevertheless, I still want to thank you for showing me a way out when I was at my wit¡¯s end and could see no light.¡±

    Bai Xiao fumed, ¡°Brother-inw, we¡¯re family, why talk like this? From the day you left everything behind for my sister, I¡¯ve regarded you as a stand-up guy. You¡¯re good to my sister, so naturally, I¡¯ll be good to you, because you¡¯re not only my sister¡¯s family but mine as well. Family should love and help each other. I don¡¯t have any other wishes, my only wish is to see our family happy and supportive of one another, with everyone living a blessed life.¡± She really meant it from the bottom of her heart.

    Wang Yan chuckled, ¡°Little auntie, you¡¯re a good person.¡±

    Bai Xiao hurried Bai Yue away, ¡°Brother-inw, you¡¯re a smooth-talking bad guy.¡± She truly hadn¡¯t realized her brother-inw was so eloquent.

    ¡°Your brother-inw isn¡¯t like that! He¡¯s really grateful to you!¡± Bai Yue thought Bai Xiao had misunderstood Wang Yan.

    ¡°Big sister, that¡¯s really the pot calling the kettle ck, isn¡¯t it? Look, it hasn¡¯t even been a few days and you¡¯re already turning your elbow out!¡± The smile on her face made Bai Yue both annoyed and blushing with rage.

    ¡°You little imp, I¡¯m going to tear your mouth apart! Look at my elbow, where could it possibly turn if not towards you? If I don¡¯t look after you, then who should I care for? To think you¡¯d call me petty.¡± She was both angry and amused, wanting to pummel Bai Xiao! But Bai Xiao had already dashed into her own room.

    Wang Yan was instigating from behind.

    ¡°Take care of that little wench, I can tell, she¡¯s dead set on squeezing us as a couple. Just show her where that elbow should turn.¡±

    Li Haiping, Li Haian, and Li Haishun wereughing so hard they were falling over.

    ¡°Mom, go sort out little auntie, we¡¯ll cheer you on. Let¡¯s see who¡¯s tougher, you or the little auntie.¡±

    Bai Yue found it amusing, pointing at the four in the living room, ¡°You guys are all traitors, just here to watch us sisters turn on each other, right? Xiao,e out, let them see what we sisters are made of. Let¡¯s see if they¡¯ll still fan the mes and add fuel to the fire, huh?¡±

    Bai Xiao immediately responded to the call. How could she not follow her big sister¡¯s orders?

    Rolling up her sleeves, she stood beside her big sister with fierce pride, hands on her hips.

    ¡°Sister, I¡¯ll take care of the three younger ones, you handle brother-inw. We¡¯ll split up and show them the might of our women¡¯s army.¡±

    The two of them charged over immediately. Bai Xiao firmly grabbed hold of the three boys and gave them a good scratch under their arms. The nephews were in a fix since they didn¡¯t dare to really fight back against their little aunt, and they ended up being easily handled by Bai Xiao.

    All three boys wereughing so hard that they started to cry, clutching their stomachs, dodging left and right.

    Bai Yue had already grabbed Wang Yan and given him a ticklish workout, and Wang Yan had long since cried uncle. The couple were exchanging nces, flirting and caressing. In the end, Bai Xiao just couldn¡¯t watch any longer and went back to her room.

    That finally called an end to the battle.

 Chapter 281 - 281 281 Everything Goes Smoothly

    ?Chapter 281: Chapter 281 Everything Goes Smoothly   Chapter 281: Chapter 281 Everything Goes Smoothly                                   Bai Xiao had to work the next day! She couldn¡¯t continue helping the couple with those matters, but she had listed the standards for finding a storefront for them, fearing that without considering the actual inspection requirements, they might act recklessly.

    The couple had memorized the standards before setting out.

    When Bai Xiao arrived at the hospital, the first thing she did was to visit the Dean to extend New Year¡¯s greetings, bringing with her their local specialties, natural honey, andb honey, which are notmonly avable elsewhere.

    Dean Zhang talked with her for a while, and Bai Xiao took the opportunity to express her own request, which was to hope for a quick resolution of Li Haishun¡¯s school registration issue¡ªit was necessary because without a household registration, it was difficult to enroll in schools nowadays since most of them are staff schools sorted into categories, requiring substantial material conditions for admission.

    Dean Zhang agreed immediately, assuring her that someone would solve this problem within a few days, because the terms initially offered to Bai Xiao were very generous, and besides, Bai Xiao herself was a doctor within the system.

    This request was not at all excessive, and certainly something within their capability.

    Having ensured this, Bai Xiao then went to see Director Wang Dachuan, her immediate superior, under whose management she still needed to survive, after all.

    There¡¯s a saying that a county official is no match for the one currently in charge.

    Wang Dachuan was a very utilitarian person who, as long as you had some backing, generally wouldn¡¯t make things difficult for you, but correspondingly, you had to be polite to him, maintaining considerable respect for your leader.

    Bai Xiao was not a so-called person of undue pride; herst life taught her too many lessons that being overly proud was not particrly good for either oneself or one¡¯s family.

    One could have dignity, but such dignity should be etched within one¡¯s bones, not necessarily disyed through fierce words, aloof attitudes, or arrogance, to signify pride.

    Wang Dachuan had long known that Bai Xiao was extraordinary¡ªnot only was her background impressive, but her medical skills were indeed even more remarkable.

    Zhang Duo had previously brought a banner with much fanfare, which had brought glory to their department of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

    It is known that in a hospital, the department of Traditional Chinese Medicine does not hold a dominant position; all resource allocations barely ever include them, but Bai Xiao¡¯s recent shining performance had brought honor to their department, naturally making Wang Dachuan value her even more.

    What was most important was that this girl was verypliant; look, as soon as the New Year was over, she came with local specialties, and regardless of the value of the items, her attitude was quite modest.

    Wang Dachuan praised Bai Xiao at length before finally letting her go. Opening the gift, he saw it was a small bag of walnuts, a brain-nourishing food not easily avable elsewhere, which left Wang Dachuan nodding in satisfaction.

    That afternoon, Dean Zhang called Bai Xiao to inform her that the matter had been settled and asked her to go to the personnel department for a certificate, then to take the child directly to the primary school for enrollment on the 16th of the first lunar month, as the school opening date had beenmunicated to her.

    Bai Xiao was profoundly grateful; Dean Zhang, this kind auntie, had really been good to her, proving to be not just a good leader but also a kind person, very warm-hearted and protective of her.

    Sometimes it¡¯s just a matter of fate between people.

    Anyway, Dean Zhang had indeed been good to her, and her rtively smooth experience at the hospital was inseparable from Dean Zhang¡¯s care. Having such a naturally close superior was certainly her good fortune, as if fate had granted her an abundance of luck.

    Bai Yue and Wang Yan had almost worn out their legs searching and finally settled on a storefront on the 20th of the first lunar month, located five bus stops away from Bai Xiao, surrounded by universities and some departmental offices, which, ording to Bai Xiao¡¯s analysis, made it a convincing market.

    College students receive a living allowance from their schools, and they also enjoy gathering in small groups. Employees in newspapers and television stations earn generous sries and have to deal with a lot of entertainment expenses, so as long as the environment and the taste of food are good, they are the best target audience.

    The building had two floors, an upper and a lower, which was a rarity in that era. It was a simple two-story structure, and the whole row consisted of various storefronts. However, this particr one was thergest, and because of its size, it had been difficult to rent out. The ground floor alone was a hundred square meters, not to mention the second floor.

    During the holidays, Bai Xiao and her sister and brother-inw had gone to see the ce. The house was actually quite nice, and with a bit of renovation, it would be very beneficial for future development.

    The rent was three thousand yuan a year, which was an astronomical figure for their area. Bai Yue hesitated for a long time because just the rent was over two hundred yuan a month. Bai Yue couldn¡¯t dare to think about how she was going to earn it back.

    However, Bai Xiao still analyzed all the market prospects and consumer patterns for her, and Wang Yan was even more receptive to it than Bai Yue. After discussing it, they finally decided to go ahead with it, mainly because there were three storage rooms at the back. They were called storage rooms, but they hadplete water, electricity, and heating; there was certainly no problem for living. Bai Yue and Wang Yan were very satisfied! In this way, the housing issue for the family was solved, saving them a good fifteen yuan.

    ording to Bai Xiao¡¯s n, the copper pots for the hot pot had already been made; they were those two-vored pots with a divider and single pots, but the nine-grid pots had not been made yet. Bai Xiao felt that one couldn¡¯t reach the sky in one step, and needed to take things slowly.

    As for the stoves, they had contacted the gas station, and bottled gas simply required a deposit; nothing else was a problem.

    They also needed to custom-order tables, so by the end of February, they had finally gotten everything in order.

    By that time, Li Haishun had been going to the hospital elementary school for over a month.

    At first, every morning, Wang Yan would cycle him to school because it was five stops away, and the distance was too great. They worried about the child¡¯s safety on the road. But after a few days, Li Haishun refused to continue, fearing that his ssmates wouldugh at him! In that era, it was rare for parents to take their children to school; they would go by themselves, regardless of wind or rain. The children weren¡¯t as delicate as those in future generations, so Li Haishun adamantly refused to let Uncle Shitou take him to school.

    Instead, he started taking the bus to school by himself and got a monthly pass. Since he was the child of a doctor, he received a discount on the pass. Li Haishun would go to school in the morning, and instead of going back to his own home at noon, he would find Bai Xiao and go to the cafeteria to eat with her and then rest in her dorm, as the hospital elementary school was just one street away from the hospital. He would only return home after school in the evening.

    He had started to lead a life of running between homes.

    Wang Yan bought a tricycle, as they needed it for buying groceries and stocking up, and a bicycle just wasn¡¯t enough. They didn¡¯t even dare dream of a car; it was beyond their means. Though the rent was only three thousand yuan, and they had signed a ten-year contract all at once, the costs of renovation, custom-made tables, pots, various tableware, including the meat-cutting machines and such, amounted to a whopping five or six thousand yuan.

    The couple was incredibly distressed. Even though Bai Xiao had given them ten thousand yuan, in their hearts, they considered it a loan from Bai Xiao that they were determined to repay.

    Thus, psychologically, they were under enormous pressure. Within just a month, both of them had developed a few strands of white hair.

    Fortunately, their sons, Li Haiping and Li Hai¡¯an, were very supportive and helped their parents with everything. They were strong and notzy, especially Li Haiping. As the eldest in the family, as the big brother, he was intelligent and eager to learn. He had been studying how to prepare the base ingredient for the family¡¯s dishes at home.

    It wasn¡¯t that Bai Yue and Wang Yan didn¡¯t want to learn; it was just that their attempts just didn¡¯t seem to satisfy Bai Xiao.

    But, after watching Bai Xiao make it a few times, Li Haiping suggested trying it himself, and surprisingly, the vor was very close to perfection.

    Bai Xiao realized that Li Haiping had the makings of a great chef.

    So, Li Haiping directly became the ultimate master of the hot pot base ingredient.

 Chapter 282 - 282 282 Grand Opening

    ?Chapter 282: Chapter 282 Grand Opening   Chapter 282: Chapter 282 Grand Opening                                   The hotpot restaurant was set to open on March 1st, the first day of March! That day coincided with the second day of the second lunar month, considered an auspicious date.

    The couple had decided on the name: it would be called Bai Family Spicy Hotpot.

    Worried about poor business on the opening day, Bai Xiao hade up with a solution. He prepared some flyers, essentially mini newspapers, as the advanced flyer technologies of future generations weren¡¯t avable yet. After all, high-quality color printing was expensive, and they didn¡¯t want to let their money go to waste.

    Therefore, newspapers were the best option. Though only ck and white, the provocative text paired with images was indeed very seductive and attractive.

    After all, many people had never seen such things before.

    The hotpot restaurant hired two waitresses, and together with their family of four, Wang Yan, and a handyman especially responsible for washing and ting vegetables. Bai Yue was in charge of managing finances, and Li Haiping would arrive at the restaurant early every day to prepare the base spices and set them aside. Whenever necessary, Wang Yan would scoop them directly out of the pot. During the remaining time, he, Li Haian, and the two waitresses would attend to the customers outside.

    Of course, they were all nervously uncertain, no one knew whether the shop would be teeming or empty on the grand opening. If it were thetter, they would have to cover the wages of the waitresses and handyman on their own. Not just Bai Yue and Wang Yan, but also the young fellows Li Haiping and Li Haian, were filled with worry, afraid they might squander Bai Xiao¡¯s investment.

    Bai Xiao had specially taken leave on March 1st and invited doctors and nurses from her department to support them. Naturally, she would treat her guests, especially on the first day to boost morale for her sister and brother-inw¡¯s business.

    When Bai Xiao arrived, the business hadn¡¯t started yet; Bai Yue insisted on waiting for Bai Xiao¡¯s arrival before they began the celebration with fireworks.

    As soon as Bai Xiao arrived, Li Haiping promptly went out with Li Haian to set off a loud series of firecrackers that attracted many onlookers. After all, everyone wanted to see what this so-called spicy hotpot was all about.

    The doctors and nurses from work could onlye by during lunchtime. Bai Xiao, Bai Yue, and Wang Yan sat inside the restaurant, feeling somewhat deserted despite the loud crackling of firecrackers. In fact, many were just spectators! Not a single person actually came inside, most just looked from the outside.

    Bai Yue¡¯s palms were sweating with nerves, ¡°Xiao, this¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay! Big sister, building a business reputation takes time. You can¡¯t expect people to know right off the bat that your food is delicious!¡±

    Sitting there until noon, with many onlookers still hesitant to enter, nobody hade in.

    Bai Yue and Wang Yan felt disheartened. They had prepared well and imagined a bustling scene with customers, but not a single person showed up.

    The couple felt terrible inside.

    Bai Xiao sighed. She too was talking big without practical experience. After all, she had learned everything through employment! But when it came to real business acumen, she didn¡¯t possess it, nor had she studied it. In her past life,ter on, she was just in charge of dressing up and treating the master¡¯s patrons, while others handled everything else. Why would she need to hustle for money, this mundane concern?

    Should she call An Zhiyuan to ask him to bring some people over to pretend to be customers and help draw in a crowd?

    Before she could make the call,

    suddenly there was the sound of gongs and drums from behind, startling Bai Yue, Bai Xiao, and Wang Yan.

    Could it be they were so unlucky that someone else was opening their business today?

    They had only set off a couple of strings of firecrackers, while the others had a full-on drum and gong parade ¡ª the atmosphere waspletely different! It was quite possible that all the onlookers might disperse to the new attraction, making their opening impossible.

    But unexpectedly, the drumming headed towards their Bai Family shop.

    People at the entrance parted to make way, and a uniformed drum band in festive red attire and red satin headbands marched right up to their door.

    Upon reaching the entrance, the band split into two lines, ten people on each side, with resounding drumbeats.

    Now, the three of them had no choice but to go out.

    This was clearly directed at them.

    As soon as they stepped outside, the drumming stopped and they saw ten young men in suits and ties, each holding a flower basket. These exquisite baskets were ced at the entrance of Bai Family, five on each side, looking immensely impressive.

    The ten men announced, ¡°Mr. An Zhiyuan wishes Bai Family Spicy Hotpot a very prosperous opening and booming business. He has reserved two tables for ten and will arrive around 12:30!¡± Their voices were in perfect unison, and everyone around heard them clearly.

    They couldn¡¯t resist whispering amongst themselves.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s heart warmed up. She had not expected that An Zhiyuan, this guy who didn¡¯t show much on the surface, would be so calcted inside. He did everything so thoroughly¡ªthings she hadn¡¯t even thought of. An Zhiyuan¡¯s grand actions indeed brought fame to the Bai Family.

    This man really did substantial work without much fuss.

    Bai Yue¡¯s face was all smiles, flowers seemingly blooming across it. Even though she knew An Zhiyuan was here to show support, she still feltfortable inside.

    ¡°Thank you, thank you! We will definitely be ready.¡±

    The drum band continued to y for another five minutes before they finally disbanded and left.

    Already, three to five people couldn¡¯t hold back their curiosity and wanted toe in and try.

    ¡°Shall we go in and give it a try? We¡¯ve never eaten here before; might as well see what it¡¯s like!¡±

    ¡°Sounds like it¡¯s for hotpot, we¡¯ve got to eat anyway, might as well try it!¡±

    ¡°Is it any good?¡±

    ¡°Even if it isn¡¯t good, it¡¯s just one meal. If we don¡¯t like it, we just won¡¯te back next time.¡±

    People were chattering on.

    Just as they were talking, suddenly they saw two people carrying baskets of flowers over. They looked at the signboard of the Bai Family and ced their baskets at the entrance, ¡°Mr. Zhang Duo wishes Bai Family¡¯s Spicy Hotpot Restaurant a hugely sessful opening and prosperous business!¡±

    Such square, proper congrattions once again dispelled people¡¯s doubts.

    Bai Xiao whispered a few words to Bai Yue, who then gritted her teeth and spoke loudly to the people at the entrance.

    ¡°Today, our Bai Family¡¯s Spicy Hotpot is opening for the first time. To wee the presence of both new and old customers and friends, our Bai Family will offer a 10% discount for the first month of opening. We wee everyone toe and taste.¡± Upon hearing this, those who were hesitant just a moment ago nodded immediately, impressed by the generosity of the owner.

    ¡°The owner is generous. Okay, we¡¯ll dine on this spicy hotpot today for the discount.¡± Several people were immediately invited in by Bai Yue, while others looked at each other and three more followed them in.

    Wang Yan quickly led the way, ushering people to their seats.

    Bai Xiao breathed a sigh of relief, grateful for An Zhiyuan and Zhang Duo¡¯s considerate help that helped them get through the first challenge. Once people began to dine, she knew they need not fear the word not getting out, but the first hurdle was always the toughest.

    She turned around, ready to go inside! To lend a hand, attend to the guests a bit, but she hadn¡¯t even made it inside yet.

    A whole crowd of people came walking over.

    This time, it was even more impressive. A truck stopped at the door of Bai Family¡¯s Spicy Hotpot. About a dozen people jumped off the truck¡ªsuch a sight was rare in this city given the weather! It¡¯s hard to see green nts here, usually only indoors. Now, they unloaded pot after pot of nts from the truck, including money trees, iron trees, and blooming orchids. Knowing in their city, orchids were astronomically expensivest year, almost everyone had an orchid or two in every household, each nt adorned with red ribbons and bows.

    Without a word, they just carried them into the shop. Bai Xiao, Bai Yue, and Wang Yan were all stunned.

    Who were these people?

    Aside from An Zhiyuan and Zhang Duo, they seemed to have no other acquaintances.

    All of them were strangers in this life, and they didn¡¯t expect anyone else to make such a grand gesture of congrattions.

    ¡°Hold on, what is this?¡±

    Wang Yan stopped these people! As the owner and a man, it was right for him to do so.

 Chapter 283 - 283 283 Ill Drink For Her

    ?Chapter 283: Chapter 283: I¡¯ll Drink For Her   Chapter 283: Chapter 283: I¡¯ll Drink For Her                                   ¡°Hello, this is Mr. Jiang Shaoqing wishing the Bai Family¡¯s spicy hot pot restaurant a great opening. President Jiang has reserved ten tables for ten people each for tonight at eight o¡¯clock. Do we need to pay a deposit?¡± the man with sses who had been leading finally reminded Bai Xiao of someone. This wasn¡¯t that assistant, the one who drove her home.

    Wang Yan stood there, dumbfounded. Ten tables?

    What does ten tables and ten people mean?

    Bai Yue pushed Wang Yan. ¡°Oh, no deposit is required. We¡¯ll have everything ready, waiting for President Jiang¡¯s arrival.¡± Naturally, her man had to cover all bases at this moment.

    The assistant nced at Bai Xiao and came forward with enthusiasm, ¡°Doctor Bai, President Jiang heard that Doctor Bai¡¯s family was opening a shop, so he specifically sent me to offer congrattions. I hope Doctor Bai doesn¡¯t mind.¡± Not only was his attitude easy-going, but he was also very respectful.

    Bai Xiao smiled, ¡°With President Jiang being so thoughtful, how could I mind? Please thank him on my behalf and tell him I will definitely express my gratitude in person when I have the time.¡± With someone being so considerate, it would be strange if she minded.

    ¡°Okay, I will definitely ry your message.¡±

    The assistant turned around to busy himself with moving all the nts in. After tidying everything up, he left with a smile.

    In a low voice, Bai Yue asked Bai Xiao, ¡°Who is this President Jiang? Why is he so generous? These nts must have cost a fortune!¡± Her experience was limited! But she had been running around decorating recently and had seen various markets. She didn¡¯t know the exact price of these nts, but she knew that even a cheap Clivia could cost three to five hundred, and the expensive ones could go as high as tens of thousands. She had seen several pots of Clivia just now.

    This gesture was overly generous; she was somewhat afraid that this person might have some malicious intent.

    Bai Xiao took Bai Yue and Wang Yan inside, ¡°Don¡¯t worry! Big sister! This President Jiang is the grandson of the old man I saved before the new year. He¡¯s just showing his gratitude; there won¡¯t be any harm, you can rest assured and ept it!¡± Since they had already been sent, there was no use in saying anything else.

    If Jiang Shaoqing wanted to establish a good rtionship with her, it was actually more than wee since she needed someone to deal with that person in the future. Jiang Shaoqing was the perfect choice.

    Bai Yue finally felt relieved.

    She hurried to greet the guests.

    By twelve thirty, An Zhiyuan indeed arrived with twenty people, all striding in majestically! You could tell they were together from their casual clothing, not wanting to be misunderstood, but their upright postures gave away their extraordinary origins just through the way they walked and sat.

    Bai Yue quickly went to serve them, prompting An Zhiyuan and his group to sit down. There were ten tables in the lobby on the first floor, and there were only two tables of guests earlier! Now, with their addition, the ce finally didn¡¯t seem so empty. She didn¡¯t initially want to arrange it so extensively, considering there was also a second floor.

    This was indeed too much.

    But Bai Xiao insisted, saying that since they were organizing it once, they should do it well to avoid having to redo the decorationster. Bai Yue looked at the nearly empty first floor, with the second floor practically being just for show, and she really worried.

    She handed An Zhiyuan the menu, ¡°Xiao An, thank you truly for your support today!¡± She could have never imagined her brother-inw being so thoughtful. She was already very satisfied with An Zhiyuan, but now she was even more pleased; he was really adept at handling rtionships and matters.

    Smiling, An Zhiyuan passed the menu to a few people next to him, ¡°Big sister, why be so formal? We are family after all. These friends of mine heard that my wife¡¯s big sister is opening a shop, so of course, they came to support. Right, guys?¡±

    The groupughed, ¡°Yes, big sister, don¡¯t be polite with us. Just serve us whatever good items you have. We aren¡¯t picky eaters; all of us are meat-lovers, and we don¡¯t mind vegetarian dishes either.¡± They were all individuals on the same level as An Zhiyuan, and he had really splurged on the invitation today.

    Bai Yue nodded, ¡°Okay then, I¡¯ll take the liberty of choosing the menu for you. But speaking of preferences! Are there any among you who don¡¯t eat spicy food? If there are, I¡¯ll get you a ¡®Yuan Yang¡¯ (mixed) hot pot.¡± Considering taste preferences was definitely important.

    ¡°I don¡¯t eat spicy!¡±

    Indeed, there were two or three who didn¡¯t eat spicy, so Bai Yue cheerfully went to prepare their menus and soup bases.

    Bai Xiao brought over four bottles of Maotai and ced two on the table.

    An Zhiyuan stood up to take the Maotai from Bai Xiao¡¯s hands and whispered, ¡°Come meet my friends! They are all good people, just a bit outspoken and careless, but they mean no harm. Please don¡¯t take it to heart!¡± He wanted to introduce his fianc¨¦e to everyone.

    Bai Xiao nodded generously. She and An Zhiyuan were destined to be husband and wife for life, and she would inevitably interact with An Zhiyuan¡¯s friends and colleagues in the future, so today was a start.

    Approaching two tables, she grabbed a ss, poured a full cup, and raised it, ¡°Hello everyone, I am Bai Xiao, An Zhiyuan¡¯s fianc¨¦e. Thank you all foring today, I won¡¯t say much. Since you all are straightforward people, I won¡¯t beat around the bush. Here¡¯s a toast to everyone,¡± and she downed it in one go.

    Everyone pped and cheered.

    Sitting next to An Zhiyuan, a man with a square face pped An Zhiyuan¡¯s shoulder hard, ¡°You, my boy, are lucky! Your fianc¨¦e is incredible, making us all envious. Where would we even find someone like her! She has set a standard so high for our wives, they¡¯ve been left in the dust. Hey, shouldn¡¯t we have An teach us a lesson by drinking three cups for keeping such a wonderful woman hidden from us?¡±

    Everyone immediately started making a racket.

    ¡°Yes, three cups, three cups!¡±

    An Zhiyuan nced sideways at this troublemaker, Xue Licheng, who was always stirring things up.

    He poured three cups of alcohol and drank them one after the other.

    Bai Xiao was a bit worried; one shouldn¡¯t drink alcohol on an empty stomach.

    On the other side, Bai Yue had already noticed and hurriedly asked Wang Yan to bring over peanuts and pickles.

    Xue Licheng wasn¡¯t ready to stop. Seeing such an exceptional future wife, not only beautiful but also naturally wife-material, he thought about his own tough wife and decided to seize the opportunity to stir up some fun.

    Others liked this kind of excitement. After all, they were all together, and after such intensive training, any opportunity for fun was rare and they were all eager to join in.

    ¡°Comrades, An the instructor drank three cups! Thisrade Bai Xiao is An¡¯s future wife and it¡¯s the first time we meet her! Shouldn¡¯t she also drink three cups? Let¡¯s all raise our sses; we can¡¯t bully a femalerade. Everyone should drink six cups withrade Bai Xiao, right?¡± Xue Licheng was really up to no good.

    Bai Xiaoughed. These men really knew how to be bold, even their bullying had to be open and above board, exchanging her three cups for their six.

    Unfortunately, her tolerance was limited to about 100ml of alcohol, beyond which she would really get drunk.

    She was about to say something difficult when several men rapidly downed their six cups.

    Now, she was in a tricky situation.

    Bai Xiao had to muster her courage and pick up the ss, ready to face whateveres.

    However, An Zhiyuan grabbed her hand, took the ss from her, and drank it in one gulp, ¡°I¡¯ll drink for her. She is just a girl with a weak tolerance for alcohol. We are all grown men here; we can¡¯t be so harsh on a girl!¡± He then quickly drank the remaining two cups.

    Everyone cheered at once, especially since everyone knew that Instructor An really cherished his fianc¨¦e.

    Bai Xiao smiled warmly at An Zhiyuan and went to help them serve dishes.

 Chapter 284 - 284 284 Dean Zhangs Care (Extra Monthly Ticket

    ?Chapter 284: Chapter 284: Dean Zhang¡¯s Care (Extra Monthly Ticket Chapter)   Chapter 284: Chapter 284: Dean Zhang¡¯s Care (Extra Monthly Ticket Chapter)                                   From time to time, more customers woulde in, and even though the total number wasn¡¯trge, there were still three tables of guests at noon. Each table spent on average thirty to fifty dors, so Bai Yue and Wang Yan were delighted. They made about a hundred dors that afternoon, and there was still the evening to look forward to.

    If they made three hundred dors a day, they would break even, and four hundred dors a day would cover the workers¡¯ wages.

    But at least they saw hope.

    While they were talking, a group of people walked in. Bai Xiao hurriedly went to greet them. Department Director Wang Dachuan and several other doctors and nurses had arrived, and not just them! Dean Zhang, Li Ran, and some directors from the surgery and internal medicine departments were there too. These people usually had no dealings with Bai Xiao and her family, or they interacted very little. They must havee because of Dean Zhang today.

    Otherwise, how could a humble acupuncturist like her have such clout?

    ¡°Dean Zhang, Director Wang, and all other directors, this way please. I¡¯m deeply honored by your visit!¡± Wang Yan hurriedly stepped forward to greet them; this was his sister-inw¡¯s leadership, after all.

    Dean Zhang nced over, ¡°You little rascal, howe you didn¡¯t tell your boss about such a big event at home? Are you afraid I¡¯d eat for free?¡± Of course, Dean Zhang knew about Bai Yue¡¯s situation! As a hospital doctor, Bai Xiao had to report her family affairs to her superiors, especially when opening a business. There would be no obstacle, but it was something that had to be dered in her personal record.

    ¡°Dean Zhang, how could I? How dare I invite someone as venerable as you? I feared that due to my young age andck of seniority, if you refused, I would feel ashamed. And if you reluctantly came to show me courtesy, it would make you ufortable too! So I decided to cut corners just this once, hoping to save some money, but you caught me instead,¡± she said with augh while pulling out a chair for Dean Zhang and ushering everyone to sit down.

    Bai Yue had already distributed the menus, one per person.

    ¡°Keep sweet-talking! Just so you know, today I¡¯m going to eat to my heart¡¯s content. I intend to eat you out of house and home; otherwise, I would be doing a disservice to myself for bringing everyone here,¡± Dean Zhang said to the directors.

    The directors immediately smiled and agreed, ¡°Of course, we¡¯ll certainly eat our fill and possibly bankrupt Doctor Bai!¡±

    ¡°Rest assured, Dean! If there¡¯s one thing I¡¯m good at, it¡¯s eating.¡±

    ¡°Me too! I¡¯m going to eat without restraint. I¡¯m afraid that Doctor Bai might lose several months of her sry today,¡± everyone joked andughed.

    Dean Zhang looked at the menu, ¡°You decide what to serve for the meal. Let¡¯s skip the alcohol, the heads of each department have to work this afternoon! Being tipsy is not an option. Bring some tea instead. I¡¯m interested to see what this ¡®mandarin duck pot¡¯ is all about; it sounds quite intriguing. I really have no idea what a mandarin duck pot is. Everyone should give it a try!¡± Of course, it was Dean Zhang who was in charge.

    Bai Xiao went off to prepare with a smile, ¡°Certainly! I¡¯ll let everyone taste the essence of the mandarin duck pot right away!¡± She handed the menus to Bai Yue.

    ¡°Sis, give them two sets of ourbo meal. That should be ample. Serve up five tes ofmb and marbled beef. I¡¯m going to join everyone for the meal; otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t look good.¡±

    Bai Yue nodded, ¡°Go ahead, don¡¯t worry! Your sister won¡¯t let you lose face!¡±

    With a teapot in hand and small tes of seeds and peanuts, which wereplimentary, Bai Xiao went around pouring tea for everyone.

    Dean Zhang pointed to the spot beside him, ¡°Come, sit next to me!¡± The tone was warm, akin to treating one¡¯s own younger family member.

    Bai Xiao immediately took the seat next to Dean Zhang, eager to please. She wasn¡¯t a fool; with Dean Zhang¡¯s attitude, he was indirectly establishing her credibility in the hospital, leaving a strong impression on the other department heads. This was like a major support for her to lean on.

    Upon seeing the mandarin duck pot served, Dean Zhang and the othersughed.

    ¡°It really is a mandarin duck pot. Surprising, very surprising. Your sister and brother-inw are quite the visionaries. This creative idea is definitely a selling point. Let me try this vor! This isn¡¯t just any run-of-the-mill pot. You eat whatever you swish! This is also new to me,¡± Dean Zhang, being from the north, really didn¡¯t know how to eat this kind of hotpot. It had been around in a certain part of Sichuan for a while already.

    Everyone started eating immediately, and with just one bite, they were all greatly amazed¡ªwhat delicious vors!

    Therefore, the meal was enjoyed thoroughly by both host and guests.

    After the meal, everyone needed to go back to work. Bai Xiao went to settle the bill and found out that Director Zhang had already had the waiter take care of it. Though he got a 10% discount, he still spent over a hundred yuan.

    Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t just return the money to Director Zhang and hoped for another opportunity in the future.

    An Zhiyuan and his group had settled the bill and left a while ago. They had eaten quite a bit between their two tables, and An Zhiyuan, having spent over three hundred yuan, took a significant hit to his wallet.

    Bai Yue originally didn¡¯t want to charge him since he was her brother-inw, but An Zhiyuan insisted on leaving the money.

    ¡°Big sister! This would make me vite our discipline. Our rules forbid us from taking even the smallest thing from ordinary people. Even if we are family, we can¡¯t do this.¡±

    Bai Xiao went back to work for the afternoon. Today, she finished at five o¡¯clock¡ªon time for a change¡ªas her sister¡¯s business had just started and it seemed better to check in for the next couple of days.

    Taking the bus alone, she arrived at the hot pot restaurant where the evening crowd was noticeablyrger than at lunchtime.

    To her surprise, the three tables of customers who had dined there at noon returned with even more friends that evening. The dining hall was now bustling with four or five tables of guests, with white vapor curling up and the spicy aroma of the beef tallow from the hot pot spreading through the air, creating a very lively atmosphere.

    Bai Yue was happy to see the new customers, and as she greeted them, she pointed upstairs, ¡°Mr. Jiang has already brought people to the upper floor, and he asked about you. I had a feeling you¡¯d stop by this evening, so I told him you¡¯d join him in a bit. I must say, he does have quite the presence, and to be a boss at such a young age¡­¡±

    Bai Xiao smiled without a word. That¡¯s for sure.

    After all, this was the man who¡¯d be the future wealthiest person in Asia, rivaling entire nations with his fortune.

    Heading straight upstairs, her visit was intended to greet Jiang Shaoqing.

    Upstairs was even more boisterous, with ten tables all packed to the brim.

    Jiang Shaoqing sat alone at one table, which only had two young people with him! They seemed to be Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s friends or rtives.

    Bai Xiao went over to say hello.

    ¡°Mr. Jiang, you¡¯re already here!¡±

    Jiang Shaoqing stood up, ¡°Dr. Bai, we meet again.¡±

    The two next to him immediately stood up, mainly because Jiang Shaoqing had risen, and they wouldn¡¯t dare to act oblivious and pretend to be the boss.

    ¡°Mr. Jiang, I really can¡¯t thank you enough. I didn¡¯t expect you to remember such a small event as my sister and brother-inw¡¯s opening,¡± Bai Xiao didn¡¯t know whether Jiang Shaoqing had always been so considerate or if it was something that developed over the years, but just looking at how he charmed people with his approach, it was indeed very likely to win hearts.

    Having experienced so much in herst life, she would be moved by such behavior, and it was even more understandable that a 19-year-old doctor would feel grateful to Jiang Shaoqing¡ªthat would be no surprise at all.

 Chapter 285 - 285 285 Enemies on a Narrow Road

    ?Chapter 285: Chapter 285: Enemies on a Narrow Road   Chapter 285: Chapter 285: Enemies on a Narrow Road                                   ¡°Doctor Bai, you¡¯re too kind. You saved my grandfather, and the Jiang Family will be grateful to you for a lifetime. These recent trivial matters are hardly worth mentioning. Last time I told you that if you ever needed anything, just toe to me, but I think you might have thought I was just speaking out of politeness. That¡¯s why I had my assistant pay closer attention to your situation, so we could lend a hand promptly when you needed it.¡±

    ¡°So please, don¡¯t mind it,¡± Jiang Shaoqing said, fearing Bai Xiao would be annoyed.

    After all, their actions could be seen as interfering with someone¡¯s privacy.

    Bai Xiao smiled and shook her head, ¡°President Jiang, you really don¡¯t need to be so formal. Saving lives is what a doctor should do, and you¡¯ve already sent so many gifts in return. If you keep doing this, I will indeed feel burdened. I hope we can interact as equals, like friends, without considering who owes whom. Otherwise, it¡¯s ufortable for everyone.¡±

    The young man sitting to the side snorted coldly, ¡°You think you¡¯re worthy of being my brother Jiang¡¯s friend?¡± The tone of his voice was unfriendly.

    Bai Xiao nced at the man, having initially focused only on Jiang Shaoqing and not really observed the other two people next to him.

    At this nce, Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t help but sneer.

    So it¡¯s true what they say about enemies often crossing paths.

    Isn¡¯t that the brother of that person? A tant henchman. Life is indeed ironic.

    It seems that even fate can¡¯t wait to see how she will take her revenge!

    New grudges and old hatredsbined, she had no intention of being falsely pleasant with this man. This kind of enmity was etched in her bones. She didn¡¯t want to smile for a brief respite, as she was not naturally a gentle person. Soft approaches and attitudes were not her trademark.

    Her warmth had long since died at the hands of Fang Xiaoshan and in those she had once trusted.

    ¡°Whether I¡¯m worthy or not, what¡¯s that to you? Do you need to speak?¡± Bai Xiao retorted without holding back, causing Jiang Shaoqing to lift his head in surprise, his gaze sweeping over Bai Xiao, sizing her up. Doctor Bai had always been calm and polite in his presence, never hasty or agitated, and even her assertiveness was silent, never disying her emotions through violent confrontations.

    Why was she so agitated this time?

    Shang Kaijie was instantly enraged, unable toprehend the ingratitude of this woman. Who did she think she was?

    She was just a doctor, and yet she fancied herself so important.

    Pointing at Bai Xiao¡¯s nose, he shouted, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the fact that you¡¯re a woman, I would punch you in the face to teach you some manners! And who do you think you are? Do you know my rtionship with brother Jiang? Even if you¡¯ve saved Old Master Jiang! It was nothing but dumb luck. If I want you dead, it¡¯s just a matter of lifting a finger. You¡¯d better apologize and kowtow for forgiveness, or I¡¯ll make you regret it.¡± He had never been treated with such disrespect in his life, and his fury was nearly blowing off the roof.

    He believed that his rtionship with Jiang Shaoqing was so strong that Jiang Shaoqing would never turn against him for this woman¡¯s sake. After all, the elders of their families had connections, and he and Jiang Shaoqing were of a different leaguepared to such fame-seeking trash. In terms of closeness, he and Jiang Shaoqing were far closer than Bai Xiao could ever be.

    Immediately, the surroundings went quiet. All the chatter stilled in the face of Shang Kaijie¡¯s tirade, frighteningly silent, with nearly all eyes directed at this table. Many didn¡¯t know who this was, but they all knew who Jiang Shaoqing was.

    The sneer never left Bai Xiao¡¯s lips. At this moment, she was in no hurry. Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s attitude would determine whether she would cooperate with him! After all, if Jiang Shaoqing sided with the man before her, implicating each other in misdeeds, she could ruthlessly discard Jiang Shaoqing. Even if in herst life she owed Jiang Shaoqing the favor of collecting her remains, in this life she had already repaid the Jiang Family with Old Master Jiang¡¯s life. That waspensation enough.

    If Jiang Shaoqing showed clear judgment of the pros and cons and stood up, then he was still the same person as in her past life, and helping him achieve greatness would not be difficult.

    The precondition was Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s attitude toward her.

    Jiang Shaoqing set down his teacup, ¡°Shang Kaijie, who the hell do you think you¡¯re cursing in front of? Watch your words! Doctor Bai is a benefactor to our Jiang Family, are you treating my words like farts? If that¡¯s the case, then get the hell out of here. I don¡¯t need friends who insult my friends! ¡®Those who do not share the same values cannot work well together.''¡± He mmed the lid down, the crisp sound of the lid hitting the teacup echoed loudly in the silent atmosphere.

    Shang Kaijie¡¯s face turned red with anger.

    Another young man sitting beside tried to smooth things over, ¡°Bro Jiang, Xiaojie, look, we are all our own people! There¡¯s no need to make such a fuss! Doctor Bai, I offer you a cup of tea in ce of wine as a toast, could you please not hold grudges against the likes of Xiaojie? He¡¯s young and doesn¡¯t know how to speak. You are the bigger person, please don¡¯t stoop to his level.¡± He was looking for a peaceful resolution.

    Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, at least it seemed the matter was settled.

    Shang Kaijie also breathed a sigh of relief. His rtionship with Jiang Shaoqing wasn¡¯t the strongest, and at least for today, he had just happened upon the situation, shamelessly tagging along. Normally, Jiang Shaoqing didn¡¯t care for him much. If the rtionship were to sour further over this woman, it would indeed be a loss not worth the gain.

    Most people faced with such a situation would take the opportunity to back down, especially since this woman didn¡¯t seem to have any powerful backing. Naturally, she would be even more willing to step down than he, right?

    ¡°Why should I not make a big deal out of it? Who does he think he is? For me to be magnanimous toward him?¡± Bai Xiao¡¯s words shocked everyone.

    Everyone was thunderstruck.

    Doctor Bai was too bold.

    This was going to be a fight to the end.

    What on earth had Shang Kaijie done to have this woman refuse to let go?

    Shang Kaijie was almost gasping for air.

    His eyes were so wide they looked as if they could shoot out mes.

    ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck!¡± he said through gritted teeth. He could afford to offend this woman, but he couldn¡¯t afford to offend Jiang Shaoqing.

    ¡°I just happen to like pushing my luck. What are you going to do, hit me?¡± Bai Xiao¡¯s stance was very clear, she was ready for a confrontation, leaving no room for reconciliation! Especially this time, she was forcing Jiang Shaoqing to take a stand, to make him and Shang Kaijie adversaries from now on.

    Shang Kaijie clenched his fists, ¡°You think I don¡¯t dare?¡±

    Jiang Shaoqing chided, ¡°Shang Kaijie, just leave. You¡¯re not wee here! Don¡¯t make me have someone escort you out!¡± This was an expulsionmand.

    Shang Kaijie¡¯s face turned ashen. For the first time, he was being kicked out with no regard for his feelings. Though both from the same circle, he dared not bear a grudge against Jiang Shaoqing. Albeit both ¡®second-generation¡¯, there are still levels within this hierarchy, and he was not on the same level as Jiang Shaoqing. Even ttery wouldn¡¯t get him on par with Jiang Shaoqing. In front of Jiang Shaoqing, he only had the option to fawn, so he could only threaten Bai Xiao.

    Yet Jiang Shaoqing still firmly protected Bai Xiao, showing nothing but contempt for Shang Kaijie.

    Bai Xiao brazenly red at him! Her gaze was unfriendly, full of scorn and disparagement, infuriating Shang Kaijie to the point he wanted to strike someone! And that¡¯s exactly what he did.

 Chapter 286 - 286 286 Provoked Someone Who Shouldnt Be

    ?Chapter 286: Chapter 286: Provoked Someone Who Shouldn¡¯t Be Provoked   Chapter 286: Chapter 286: Provoked Someone Who Shouldn¡¯t Be Provoked                                   Shang Kaijie clenched his fist and swung at Bai Xiao with a punch. He had been trained in Western boxing, and if this punchnded, Bai Xiao¡¯s face would be swollen for at least half a month.

    If the situation got severe, she could be crippled by the blow.

    Of course, Shang Kaijie intended to take Bai Xiao¡¯s life; she wouldn¡¯t die, but she¡¯d certainly end up in the hospital for two months. He had decided to teach this ignorant woman a lesson without any mercy.

    Jiang Shaoqing, too, had been trained. These sons of prestigious families might look like hoodlums, yet many were brought up tough. For instance, in families like these with some heritage, offspring were expected to excel both in letters and in martial arts. Everyone knew the extent of Shang Kaijie¡¯s skills, and there was no way Jiang Shaoqing would allow him to hurt Bai Xiao in his presence.

    The moment Jiang Shaoqing realized Shang Kaijie¡¯s punch was foul, he struck out, kicking towards Shang Kaijie¡¯s fist. Using the force to his advantage, he aimed to kick Shang Kaijie away, so Bai Xiao could avoid injury.

    Simultaneously, someone flew out from the stairwell, executed a swallow flip, and tightly embraced Bai Xiao, turning to expose his back to Shang Kaijie¡¯s fist, guarding Bai Xiao securely in his arms.

    In just three seconds, Shang Kaijie was sent flying by Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s kick, his arm¡¯s direction altered, which made him crash into a wall.

    Uponnding, Bai Xiao saw the worried look in An Zhiyuan¡¯s eyes, ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± Her fingers slowly rxed, and it seemed like fate¡ªShang Kaijie had been extremely lucky.

    Had An Zhiyuan not arrived in time, or had Jiang Shaoqing not intervened, Bai Xiao could have assured a situationcking bone fractures; yet Shang Kaijie would¡¯ve faced a lineage-ending injury.

    She was well aware that Shang Kaijie had done terrible things in his past life. Not only had he imprisoned her like a criminal, but he also had a perverse interest in young girls, ruining countless little girls in his previous life. In this life, she was determined to ensure that Shang Kaijie could not harm so many people.

    Considering the lengths the Shang Family had gone to exonerate their son, Bai Xiao felt she was already being too kind simply wishing for his impotence.

    Yet all her ns were disrupted by these two men.

    An Zhiyuan escorted Bai Xiao aside, ¡°Stay over there.¡± His gaze was calm.

    Bai Xiao grabbed An Zhiyuan¡¯s wrist, shaking her head and inhaling deeply, her eyes dry and sore with distress, ¡°Don¡¯t break the rules for me!¡±

    For her sake, he shouldn¡¯t risk his own for Shang Kaijie; even less so.

    An Zhiyuan slowly pried off one finger after another, speaking as if it were nothing, ¡°If dealing with him requires me to break the rules, that would be too embarrassing!¡±

    Bai Xiao released An Zhiyuan! At that moment, a man¡¯s dignity would not allow An Zhiyuan to ignore such an incident.

    An Zhiyuan walked up to Shang Kaijie, with Jiang Shaoqing beside him. Seeing him, Jiang Shaoqing reached out, pulled out a pack of cigarettes, offered one to An Zhiyuan, and someone immediately provided a light.

    ¡°Big brother An, what brings you here?¡± The tone was somewhat ingratiating, sycophantic.

    An Zhiyuan took a deep drag and exhaled a ring of smoke.

    ¡°Ayuan! Let me handle this! It was my guest who caused the trouble; I should give you an exnation. Besides, Doctor Bai is a benefactor of our family. No sooner had I spoken those words than my man disrespected Doctor Bai so rudely; I should take the responsibility!¡± Jiang Shaoqing slowly unbuttoned his shirt cuffs, rolling them up to reveal the solid muscles on his arms.

    An Zhiyuan flicked the cigarette butt to the ground, crushing it viciously under his shoe.

    ¡°Thirty seconds, if he can still show his face, it¡¯s my turn!¡±

    Jiang Shaoqing grinned, rotating his head from left to right on his neck, making cracking and popping sounds. Heughed and said, ¡°Thirty seconds, if he¡¯s still in one piece, I¡¯ll hand him over to you!¡± He quickly walked towards Shang Kaijie.

    Shang Kaijie had just been cradling his wrist, wailing in pain. There was absolutely no mercy in Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s kick, and he felt like his wrist was about to break.

    He thought the incident had passed, but he felt uneasy when he saw An Zhiyuan.

    Why would An Zhiyuane here to meddle in affairs?

    If they didn¡¯t know each other, that would be a lie. An Zhiyuan was a well-known powerhouse in thepound, and since childhood, he wielded the title ¡°King of the Kids,¡± a nickname earned through his fists. Whoever challenged him would be met with a punch. Now, who didn¡¯t know that the second son of the An Family was as formidable as a king? With countless trophies at home, all earned through actualbat, how could he not know what provoking An Zhiyuan would entail?

    The problem was that he had no idea why An Zhiyuan would jump in and stir up this mess.

    Jiang Shaoqing was clearly about to deal with him. Shang Kaijie hurriedly begged for mercy, ¡°Brother Jiang, stop, please, for my sister¡¯s sake, and give your brother some face. Brother Jiang¡­ Jiang¡­¡± His plea was cut off by a barrage of punches and kicks, leaving Shang Kaijie huddled up, unable to fend for himself.

    An Zhiyuan clicked his tongue, ¡°Jiang Shaoqing, you¡¯ve gotten much weakertely. Tsk, tsk, seems like you haven¡¯t practiced for some time. Look at those punches, did you skip your meal? My goodness, is Shang Kaijie your dear brother-inw? Twenty seconds gone! Ten¡­ nine¡­ eight¡­ seven¡­¡±

    Bai Xiao witnessed An Zhiyuan¡¯s ruffian persona for the first time, a blend of wicked ruthlessness, uncharacteristic of his usual demeanor, mysteriously possessed by an enchanting allure.

    Noticing Bai Xiao¡¯s gaze, he turned back with a profound stillness in his eyes. The nce he inadvertently cast upon her, and his inexplicably shifting mood, made her heart race. It seemed his eyes tenderly soothed her, unabashedly revealing his most authentic self.

    Jiang Shaoqing retracted his hands, ¡°You¡¯re as annoying as a fly, buzzing and buzzing. Too irritating.¡± He pped his hands, licked the blood off his knuckles, turned his head, and spat on the ground, ¡°Who¡¯s gotten much weaker? How about practicing together after eating?¡±

    Shang Kaijie was already lying on the ground, unrecognizable to even his parents.

    Shang Kaijie looked severe! But it was only external damage; no muscles or bones were injured, and there was no internal organ damage. Jiang Shaoqing knew his limits¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t fatally injure someone, especially since both families were from the samepound. Although the Jiang Family didn¡¯t fear or care about such conflicts, he wouldn¡¯t resort to deadly force.

    This was merely a lesson.

    People were already helping Shang Kaijie to his feet. He red venomously at Bai Xiao, ming everything that had happened on her.

    He couldn¡¯t me anyone else. This circle had its own rules. There was no use inining about getting beaten up. Go to the Jiang Family? What a joke!

    The Jiang Family scared of him?

    An Zhiyuan met Shang Kaijie¡¯s gaze, walked up to him, and said, ¡°Shang Kaijie, Dr. Bai is my fianc¨¦e. She¡¯s not yet a part of our family, so don¡¯t mess with people you shouldn¡¯t. You should know well how protective I, An Zhiyuan, can be. You¡¯re lucky this time; if Jiang Shaoqing wasn¡¯t here, I believe you¡¯d be in a much worse state. And I can assure you, after I beat you, your parents would be the ones to carry you over to apologize. Don¡¯t provoke me. Stay away from my woman!¡±

    Shang Kaijie was stunned. An Zhiyuan¡¯s woman?

    He turned to look at Bai Xiao and finally understood why Jiang Shaoqing had intervened and why this woman seemed fearless. Hanging his head, he felt it was his own bad luck.

    Fine then, Bai Xiao, he would remember this name.

 Chapter 287 - 287 287 Repay a Favor

    ?Chapter 287: Chapter 287 Repay a Favor   Chapter 287: Chapter 287 Repay a Favor                                   An Zhiyuan held Bai Xiao¡¯s hand and they sat down together, right next to each other. Shang Kaijie had already been taken away, of course, with someone escorting him back.

    Jiang Shaoqing also took a seat, wiped the bloodstains on his hands, and apologized to Bai Xiao, ¡°Doctor Bai, I¡¯m sorry for the spectacle you had to witness. I didn¡¯t expect someone to have an episode and startle you!¡±

    ¡°President Jiang, it¡¯s me who¡¯s out of touch, bringing trouble upon you. If Shang Kaijie wants revenge, have hime directly to me!¡± Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t just talking big. It was Shang Kaijie who wanted to retaliate against her, but unfortunately, she truly wasn¡¯t afraid.

    Now, there were many people around her who could be of use, and she was no longer her former self! Now she dared to be confident; if Shang Kaijie wanted to deal with her, he had to see if she was willing.

    Besides, Shang Kaijie¡¯s only tricks were currently not enough to worry about. Let hime to plunder and rob; this privileged young master didn¡¯t have the ability yet. It was the year 1986; making someone disappear without a trace wasn¡¯t so easy. The worst this bastard could do was to use his father¡¯s power to cause trouble at her workce, create problems, make life difficult. But she still chose to trust Dean Zhang.

    The Dean wasn¡¯t someone who simply ttered those with power, and of course, it didn¡¯t hurt that she had a high-ranking fianc¨¦, did it?

    It seemed as if the shiniest points on An Zhiyuan¡¯s personality suddenly became even more dazzling.

    Bai Xiao scoffed at herself for being so pragmatically minded!

    ¡°A joke? Doctor Bai, you really do have a sense of humor. Our Jiang Family always keeps its word. My grandfather said you are a benefactor of our family, and as long as you don¡¯t do anything outrageous and cruel, we will protect you, no second thoughts,¡± Jiang Shaoqing said, regardless of what Bai Xiao might think. She was a friend of the highest importance, someone their family had decided was worth engaging with.

    They would support and protect her fully to obtain the best return on investment, and right now, Bai Xiao was the best object for investment.

    Their family certainly had their own way of showing support to such people.

    ¡°Jiang Shaoqing, I will protect my own woman myself. If that bastard dares to show up again, don¡¯t me me for not being polite!¡± An Zhiyuan¡¯s arm rested on the back of the chair behind Bai Xiao, a gesture demonstrating his strong sense of territory and possessiveness.

    Jiang Shaoqing gave a wry smile and poured a ss of wine, ¡°Ayuan, that Shang Kaijie is not worth your effort. How long have we known each other? Do you not trust me? Leave this matter to me. I¡¯ll talk to Old Man Shang, and I¡¯ll make sure Shang Kaijie doesn¡¯t bother Bai Xiao anymore. Don¡¯t be so fierce. I¡¯m not going to steal your woman. Look at you; you¡¯re just like a henpecked husband. Once Doctor Bai marries you, your good days are probably over,¡± he joked, finding the mood to make light of the situation.

    It was then that Bai Xiao realized there must be a profound connection between An Zhiyuan and Jiang Shaoqing.

    Bai Yue and Wang Yan were startled to see someone being helped away, especially with a face swollen to the point of being unrecognizable. They hoped there wasn¡¯t a fight on the first day!

    They quietly went upstairs, mainly worried about Bai Xiao. Whatever happened to those people didn¡¯t concern them, but Bai Xiao was closely rted to them.

    As soon as Bai Yue reached the top of the stairs, she saw Bai Xiao sitting in view of the staircase, with An Zhiyuan right beside her. She felt relieved¡ªCaptain An was reliable. With An Zhiyuan around, Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t be at a disadvantage.

    She gestured to Wang Yan, who was following her, and they both turned to go back downstairs.

    Wang Yan didn¡¯t know what his wife had seen, but from her expression, it seemed there was nothing to worry about, so it should be fine.

    To his wife and inws, the little sister-inw held a much higher status than him.

    ¡°Yue¡¯er, how is it?¡±

    ¡°It seems to be fine; An Zhiyuan is there! They seem to be talking, and the injured person might have just been drunk and fell. As long as Xiao is okay, it probably doesn¡¯t concern us! I¡¯m just not sure about President Jiang¡¯s background and am a little worried,¡± Bai Yue said, no longer anxious since her sister was safe.

    ¡°Good. It¡¯s the first day of business, and I don¡¯t want any trouble,¡± Wang Yan said to Bai Yue as they descended the stairs, both speaking softly.

    At this time, more customers arrived.

    The couple hurried out to attend to them.

    In the kitchen, Li Haiping had taken over the responsibilities of the stove, because when it came to greeting customers, Wang Yan as an adult was certainly moreposed than Li Haiping. Moreover, donning the title of the boss made the customers feel especially valued.

    During this conversation, they saw arge group of people walking in, this time dressed in formal attire. Bai Yue and Wang Yan had already shifted from the nervousness they had felt while facing customers at noon to greeting everyone with smiles, speaking kindly, and obviously delighted to see the patrons. Tonight, they had at least four more tables, and these weren¡¯t the sort ofplimentary guests like Boss Jiang.

    These four tables represented real, solid business they had gained. Bai Yue had calcted that these four tables had spent even more than the lunchtime crowd, amounting to over three hundred dors.

    If more customers were toe¡­ hehe¡­ the couple would surely be grinning from ear to ear.

    ¡°Wee, wee! It¡¯s our grand opening today, and all dishes are 10% off,¡± Wang Yan said with a smile as he ushered the guests inside.

    A man who looked like a high-ranking official smiled and asked, ¡°And you are?¡±

    ¡°I am the owner of this establishment; please, take a seat!¡±

    Bai Yue had already presented the menus.

    Li Dongliang, with a smile, suggested, ¡°Then, just bring us whatever you rmend. There are eight of us, and we don¡¯t really know what your specialities are. But as we came in, we saw those steaming pots and smelled something delicious¡ªserve us that. In this chilly weather, it must be perfect.¡± Being the highest in rank, it was natural for him to take the lead.

    Bai Yue nodded in agreement, while Wang Yan had already started pouring tea for the guests.

    ¡°You¡¯re Bai Xiaoboctor Bai¡¯s brother-inw?¡±

    The question came like a thunderbolt from the blue, and Wang Yan understood that this was yet another visit based on affinity with his sister-inw.

    ¡°Yes, I am Bai Xiao¡¯s brother-inw. And who might you be?¡±

    He had grown ustomed to his sister-inw¡¯s reputation. It seemed that she knew a lot of people and was quite impressive; wave after wave of customers came in support of Doctor Bai.

    ¡°Bai Xiao is my life-saver! We came specifically to see what sort of restaurant Doctor Bai¡¯s sister and brother-inw have opened! It doesn¡¯t matter where we dine, but as a family, we should support each other, right?¡± Li Dongliang said to the people beside him.

    Han Weiguo smiled and said, ¡°Is Doctor Bai here? If she is, please ask her toe over. We owe her our gratitude for saving lives! Rest assured, if you ever encounter any difficulties in the future, juste to us. As long as it¡¯s within thew and not illegal, we will certainly help.¡± He had once ignored Bai Xiao¡¯s advice, and as a result, he suffered severe bleeding and ended up in bed for three months.

    The doctor who saved him had said that the person who came to his aid had indeed excellent medical skills, providing effective treatment for bleeding and pain relief during the most critical moment. Otherwise, by the time medical personnel had arrived, it might have been toote.

    When Li Dongliang received news from Dean Zhang that Doctor Bai¡¯s sister and brother-inw, having no other options, hade to the provincial city to open a restaurant, they made an immediate decision. They simply couldn¡¯t pass up the chance to show their support. If not for hearing about itte, Li Dongliang might have even arranged for a few people to perform a yangko dance and drum show to liven up the event.

    Han Weiguo had been intending to visit and thank the youngdy; her help in saving him had been selfless, and he felt he had not shown enough appreciation towards his lifesaver.

    So a whole group of them came.

    Just as Li Dongliang said, it didn¡¯t matter where they ate. And this way, they could look after family members too.

 Chapter 288 - 288 288 They All Know Each Other

    ?Chapter 288: Chapter 288: They All Know Each Other   Chapter 288: Chapter 288: They All Know Each Other                                   ¡°I¡¯m Bai Xiao¡¯s brother-inw. I¡¯ll go call her right now; she¡¯s upstairs, please wait a moment!¡± Wang Yan hurriedly sent someone to call Bai Xiao down.

    Li Haian quietly went up to Bai Xiao¡¯s side, ¡°Auntie, someone is looking for you downstairs!¡±

    An Zhiyuan looked calmly at Li Haian, ¡°Who is it? Can you tell?¡±

    Bai Xiao had just had a disagreement with Shang Kaijie, and she couldn¡¯t help worrying that the brat might be up to some mischief.

    ¡°It looks like some big chief or something? Quite old, saying that my aunt is their life-saving benefactor.¡± Li Haian was fairly urate at recalling details, and besides, there were only a few tables of people, so it was easy to remember everyone clearly.

    Bai Xiao suddenly realized who fit the description, but who else could it be?

    ¡°It¡¯s Li Dongliang. When I first arrived, they happened to have a car ident, and by a stroke of luck, I saved him. It was also he who dug me out and got me to the hospital,¡± Bai Xiao said with a smile, not expecting Li Dongliang toe. He was the biggest support she had obtained so far by her own efforts.

    He should be more important than Dean Zhang. Ever since theirst acupuncture session, they hadn¡¯t met again. After all, he was a leader, a chief; why would he have frequent meetings with her? This unexpected visit was quite a surprise!

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s heart stirred, ¡°Li Dongliang?¡±

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°Do you know him?¡± After all, the current An Zhiyuan was not on the same level as the An Zhiyuan she remembered. Zhiyuan¡¯s own father was also at that rank, so it was quite possible they knew each other. Usually, people in such circles have some connections with each other.

    ¡°I¡¯ll apany you. It might be the Uncle Li I know!¡± An Zhiyuan did not pretend to be unfamiliar with him. If he wasn¡¯t mistaken, this Li Dongliang was an old friend of his father¡¯s. His transfer to a certain province was facilitated through a call from Li Dongliang, but Li Dongliang was not someone to pull strings through backdoors; he truly valued people for their talents.

    ¡°I¡¯ming too!¡± Jiang Shaoqing picked up his coat and put it on. His own grandfather used to be Li Dongliang¡¯s superior. That meant both of them were considered Li Dongliang¡¯s juniors and had met him before. They were truly acquainted, and knowing that he was here for dinner, it would seem improper not to meet him.

    It seemed she had no ce to object here. Compared to them, everyone here had a stronger connection with Li Dongliang than she did.

    As Bai Xiao descended the stairs, she suddenly felt an illusion, as if the staircase she was walking on was a path leading to the future. This path waspletely different from her previous life; it was strewn with flowers and fragrances, perhaps the thorns and traps had not yet shown their fierce faces.

    Her life waspletely different from her previous one.

    An Zhiyuan had no idea what Bai Xiao was thinking, but looking at the girl¡¯s solemn and sacred gaze, he felt a tremor in his heart. If he encountered Bai Xiao in this lifetime, he would definitely protect her well. Who made her fall from the dam that day, crashing straight into his heart, making it impossible for him to look away since then? His heart and eyes were full of her. As a man, if he couldn¡¯t protect his woman well, he would feel he had failed the iron-blooded duty ced upon him.

    To protect one¡¯s family and country was what they stood for.

    Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, Bai Xiao headed straight for Li Dongliang, ¡°Leader, your esteemed presence graces us. I apologize for not weing you from afar!¡±

    Li Dongliang burst intoughter upon seeing Bai Xiao. ¡°So it¡¯s this little girl, all smooth talk and charm. Her family is opening a new store, and she didn¡¯t even send me an invitation. Should I punish you for that?¡± He genuinely liked this girl down to his core! She wasn¡¯t pretentious or coy, and shecked those annoying airs of affectation. She reminded him of the kind of child everyone likes just by looking at her¡ªfull of virtues from head to toe.

    ¡°Uncle Li!¡±

    ¡°Uncle Li!¡±

    Only then did Li Dongliang notice two additional people had arrived.

    ¡°Goodness, what are you two doing here? Is the world really this small? It¡¯s understandable for An Zhiyuan to be here since he¡¯s a local, but what about you, Jiang Shaoqing? Is the old Chief¡¯s health okay? It¡¯s been a while since I visited him. Last time I went to the Capital City, I really couldn¡¯t make it in time and had to send that good-for-nothing son of mine to pay New Year respects to the Chief on my behalf. What brings you to our remote neck of the woods?¡± Li Dongliang was delighted; both young men were juniors to him.

    Yet, each of their families was more illustrious than the next. He wasn¡¯t one to curry favor, but these two were different. One was the old Chief who had personally promoted him and to whom he owed a debt of gratitude, as well as his mentor. Many of his technical medical skills were taught by the Chief himself.

    The other was the son of a brother with whom he had faced life and death, fighting side by side. He and An Cheng shared a bond as strong as blood¡ªAn Cheng had saved his life, and he had saved An Cheng¡¯s. Back in the day, when they fought shoulder to shoulder in a life-and-death battle, they were the final two standing.

    Bai Xiao added three chairs, and Jiang Shaoqing, An Zhiyuan, and Bai Xiao all sat down.

    ¡°Uncle Li, I came specifically to congratte Doctor Bai on the opening of her restaurant. My grandfather was close to not waking up a while ago, and it¡¯s all thanks to Doctor Bai¡¯s Acupuncture that he recovered. I came here expressly to show my gratitude. I didn¡¯t expect to run into Uncle Li here.¡±

    Li Dongliang couldn¡¯t help but nce at Bai Xiao, who sat unppable as Mount Tai, as if the incredible feat that Jiang Shaoqing spoke of had been aplished by someone else, not her¡ªa testament to her remarkableposure. She didn¡¯t seem like a typical neen-year-old girl at all, too calm and unassuming.

    ¡°Doctor Bai indeed has formidable medical skills. Your Uncle Li also owes her a life debt. Now, it seems we¡¯re all in Doctor Bai¡¯s debt. If this continues, Doctor Bai, you could swagger all you want. Look at Mr. Jiang, he¡¯s a major backer for you. At best, I¡¯m just a little mound. Now tell me, who would dare to offend you?¡± Li Dongliang joked. The girl was too good at saving people, and those she saved were always high-profile, influential figures.

    ¡°Chief, I¡¯ve always been low-key and never bullied others with my power. Whoever bes my backer doesn¡¯t have to face troubles, and they get to enjoy the benefits of the Qihuang Technique from a national medical master. I¡¯d say it¡¯s all advantages and no disadvantages.¡±

    Li Dongliang was stunned, and Han Weiguo burst into heartyughter.

    Everyone pointed at Bai Xiao and startedughing.

    ¡°You cheeky girl! But your boldness is what I like¡ªin fact, that¡¯s how one should be, confident through and through,¡± Li Dongliangmented, noticing the seating arrangement. An Zhiyuan was sitting between him and Bai Xiao, which he found odd.

    ¡°Kid An, don¡¯t you know how to give way a bit? Doctor Bai is my lifesaver; she should be sitting next to me. Otherwise, we have to talk through you, which is inconvenient. Have you taken a liking to this little girl?¡± It was unusual for Li Dongliang to think An Zhiyuancked awareness.

    He had thought An Zhiyuan hade with Jiang Shaoqing since they both grew up in the samepound and had a good rtionship. A meal shared among a few buddies, while also supporting Bai Xiao¡¯s new venture, seemed perfectly reasonable.

 Chapter 289 - 289 289 An Unexpected Disaster

    ?Chapter 289: Chapter 289: An Unexpected Disaster   Chapter 289: Chapter 289: An Unexpected Disaster                                   Jiang Shaoqing smiled yfully, it seemed Uncle Li was unaware.

    ¡°Uncle Li, you probably didn¡¯t know, but Bai Xiao is An Zhiyuan¡¯s fianc¨¦e! Of course, the young couple should sit together!¡±

    Exposing An Zhiyuan¡¯s secret, there had always been peace and calm in the courtyard, and not a whisper had been heard about An Zhiyuan having a doctor as his fianc¨¦e. Jiang Shaoqing was not An Zhiyuan; when he investigated Bai Xiao, of course, he knew about the powerful figure behind her.

    But the An Family¡¯s attitude didn¡¯t seem to be one of those in the know.

    The An Family was moreplicated than most, especially since An Zhiyuan¡¯s stepmother, Wei Shufen, was no pushover. His grandfather had always said that appearances can be deceiving and the sea is immeasurable in depth. Wei Shufen was a cunning woman, just see how many years she had gone without children yet had managed to garner such a grip on An Cheng, solidifying her position as the master woman of the house.

    Just that made clear how capable Wei Shufen was. Moreover, when the An Family lost a child years ago! How big a fuss it caused. Everyone in the yard worked tirelessly to find the youngster, with many people making an effort.

    So, when in the end An Cheng¡¯s official statement imed that the child was lost by ident, what the adults whispered behind closed doors was out of An Cheng¡¯s control. At least his own grandparents said it was a sinmitted by Wei Shufen.

    If An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t get his family¡¯s backing, this marriage would probably not be so easily concluded.

    He was also trying to help Bai Xiao. Having Uncle Li support her would make An Cheng more epting than anyone else¡¯s word could.

    Li Dongliang¡¯s eyes widened in shock as he assessed An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao, his face full of disbelief. He was just about to ask when Bai Xiao looked up and said, ¡°Really? Doctor Bai, are you and Ayuan¡­?¡±

    An Zhiyuan turned to look at Bai Xiao with a calm and lingering gaze, deep as the ocean.

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°Leader, An Zhiyuan and I are engaged. He saved me from the reservoir back then. To prevent vige gossip, he stood up and said he would marry me. It¡¯s actually me who got the better end of the deal. An Zhiyuan got tied down by me like this,¡± she said, her eyes warm as they met An Zhiyuan¡¯s.

    Both couldn¡¯t help but reminisce about their experience by the reservoir, a gentle warmth flowing between them.

    Li Dongliang pped An Zhiyuan on the shoulder, ¡°You sly dog, you moved fast. I was nning to introduce Doctor Bai to my underachieving son, and where would you find a daughter-inw like her? Who knew you¡¯d act first.¡± Hemented, his expression towards An Zhiyuan suddenly shifted, as he leaned in with mischief.

    ¡°You¡¯re getting married without a foundation of feelings. How about this, Doctor Bai is now in the city, and no one knows about your past. If you¡¯re reluctant, I, as your uncle, can decide for you and call off this wedding. I believe Bai Xiao is not the kind of woman who craves wealth and will set you free.¡±

    He still harbored his own little schemes.

    Bai Xiao nced sideways at An Zhiyuan, who responded with a serene smile.

    ¡°Doctor Bai, right? An Zhiyuan is your lifesaver; you can¡¯t repay kindness with ingratitude. The An Family¡¯s threshold is too high! It doesn¡¯t suit you. Just say the word, and I¡¯ll decide for both of you, and we¡¯ll cancel this absurd marriage.¡± It¡¯s not toote, as long as they¡¯re not yet married.

    Bai Xiao, with a sunny smile, grasped An Zhiyuan¡¯s hand, ¡°Leader, there¡¯s no need to worry, I¡¯ve already told An Zhiyuan that since we are engaged, he belongs to me in life and in death. Isn¡¯t that right, Big Brother An?¡±

    An Zhiyuan tightened his grip around Bai Xiao¡¯s fingers, sping her slender wrist securely in his dry, warm palm.

    ¡°Uncle Li, I am very satisfied with this marriage. I¡¯ve already filed a marriage report. If nothing unexpected happens, once Bai Xiao turns twenty next year, we will get married.¡± This was a definitive deration of sovereignty.

    Li Dongliang¡¯s mouth drooped. How was it that good daughters-inw always ended up in someone else¡¯s family?

    Han Weiguo¡¯sugh was as bright as spring sunshine, ¡°Lao Li, you better stop thinking about Dr. Bai. Those two look like a perfect match, like a handsome man with a beautifuldy. Stop harboring any crooked ideas!¡± It was refreshing to see Li Dongliang at a loss for once.

    ¡°Fine, fine, so you had a goodugh at my expense. Go ahead,ugh! I¡¯m not afraid of it. Dr. Bai is such an exceptional talent, it¡¯s only natural that I would take notice. Isn¡¯t there a saying, ¡®A fine woman is pursued by many suitors¡¯? This just proves that my judgment is sharp. You know, ¡®It takes a wise man to recognize a hero¡¯¡ªget it?¡± This was Li Dongliang¡¯s retort after being the butt of Han Weiguo¡¯s joke.

    In the midst of their conversation, Bai Yue and Wang Yan had brought over the pot, turned on the gas, and everyone was immediately drawn to the hot pot.

    After all, they had never really tried eating like this before.

    Li Dongliang immediately shifted his attention, and Han Weiguo couldn¡¯t help but swallow his saliva, thinking that it indeed looked delicious.

    Especially since he loved spicy food, this was like a pot tailor-made for him.

    Bai Xiao noticed that a few people at the other table had already paid and left. Indeed, it was getting quitete.

    She heard the screeching of car tires against the pavement outside, a sound so shrill it made her ufortable. Right, had those peoplee by car?

    Looking through the ss window, Bai Xiao suddenly widened her eyes. A van sped toward them like a drunken drunkard, swerving right up against the window in front of them.

    All she could manage to shout was, ¡°Run, it¡¯s dangerous!¡±

    Then, An Zhiyuan pulled her by the waist from behind and rushed her towards the side wall. Amidst a thunderous crash and the sound of shattering ss, one entire side of the hall was smashed open, leaving a huge hole. Cold wind mixed with snowkes swirled into the room, and then the van started to reverse. An Zhiyuan and Jiang Shaoqing exchanged a nce and both got up to chase after it.

    This person was trying to get away.

    An Zhiyuan lunged forward! He only managed to grab the handle of the van, and due to momentum, the car swung its tail and headed straight out onto the road.

    His body was flung out with it, but fortunately, he was holding on tight to the handle, his entire body now dangling from the door.

    Jiang Shaoqing had already dived into his own car and was chasing after it, trying to get in front to block the van.

    But due to the heavy snowfall before the New Year, the road was dark and slippery. His car too was swaying like a drunkard, and the two vehicles weaved like snakes on the road. It was lucky that it waste and there were hardly any pedestrians or vehicles on the road.

    Otherwise, given the state of these two cars, there would likely have been many innocent casualties.

    An Zhiyuan finally smashed the window ss with his fist, reached in to unlock the handle that was locked from the inside, and flung open the door. The inertia pulled him backward and he had to run to keep up with the speed of the van, looking for bnce and leverage for his feet. Atst, he tumbled into the vehicle.

    ¡°Stop the car!¡± he bellowed, and from behind, he fiercely grabbed the driver¡¯s neck. The brake was mmed on violently.

    Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s car crashed hard into the van, and An Zhiyuan was flung against the driver¡¯s seat, falling to the floor. The driver was thrown out of the front windshield by the impact.

    Everything was in disarray.

    Gasp

 Chapter 290 - 290 290 Not Strong Enough

    ?Chapter 290: Chapter 290: Not Strong Enough   Chapter 290: Chapter 290: Not Strong Enough                                   Jiang Shaoqing got out of the car and walked over to An Zhiyuan, ¡°How is it?¡±

    The scene was indeed horrific.

    An Zhiyuan shook his head, and the two walked directly to the front of the car. The drivery on the ground, having mmed his head into a roadside utility pole when he was thrown out; his head was now so deformed that it was unrecognizable. His whole body was still in the position it had been when he fell, bent with limbs syed, a pool of blood underneath his head staining the ice and snow red.

    He knelt down, checked for breath, and shook his head again, ¡°He¡¯s gone!¡±

    Jiang Shaoqing punched the car door, ¡°It must have been that bastard Shang Kaijie who sent someone. We hadn¡¯t gotten far when they came back for death!¡± No need to say more; it was clear who they had just shed with.

    If it were targeting him and An Zhiyuan! They definitely wouldn¡¯t strike here! Everyone who knew them understood that it was impossible under these circumstances to harm them even slightly. There weren¡¯t many who were deranged enough to destroy a restaurant, and An Zhiyuan knew that the car was aimed where Bai Xiao had been sitting. If not for him grabbing Bai Xiao and dodging, that wall would have copsed, and Bai Xiao would have been in grave danger.

    ¡°We have to dig three feet into the ground to find him!¡± An Zhiyuan was furious, wanting revenge for the attempt on his woman¡¯s life.

    ¡°No need to tell me, with this happening right before my eyes, I can¡¯t ignore it. I¡¯m fucking ready to kill someone.¡± Jiang Shaoqing cursed, his always elegant and schrly demeanor finally slipping to reveal the ferocity beneath.

    An Zhiyuan returned to the restaurant. Bai Xiao and the others had already called the police since it was inappropriate not to handle such an incident through the authorities. They were taking care of the injured at the scene, victims of an unwarranted disaster. Bai Xiao, with a stern face, was helping to bandage several victims, administering stitches where necessary to stop bleeding. Fortunately, everyone had surface wounds, and no one was seriously injured.

    Bai Yue and Wang Yan also looked upset; to encounter such a significant issue on the day of their opening was something they needed to say.

    It was impossible not to feel disheartened.

    The city was too dangerous.

    ¡°Xiaoxiao, are you okay? Did you get hurt anywhere?¡± An Zhiyuan came in, instinctively concerned about Bai Xiao, since he had rushed out as soon as the incident happened without having time to check on Bai Xiao¡¯s condition.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, just some burns, bruises, and cuts from ss shards, nothing serious. But it looks like this person was out for revenge, otherwise they wouldn¡¯t have just crashed into a wall.¡± Bai Xiao calmed down, realizing she had underestimated Shang Kaijie¡¯s vindictiveness. Although the bastard was not yet as sinister as he would be in adulthood, his recklessness at such a young age showed that he was not worried about her retaliation.

    ¡°He probably thinks, what could Bai Xiao possibly do! Apart from Jiang Shaoqing and An Zhiyuan protecting her, she wouldn¡¯t stand a chance on her own,¡± Shang Kaijie probably thought.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll find the person for you,¡± An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t want Bai Xiao to worry about the incident.

    Jiang Shaoqing had already made calls. After hanging up, he said to Bai Xiao, ¡°I¡¯ve already called the workers; they will fix this ce overnight, and tomorrow it will look just like the old Bai Family Hot Pot again. I¡¯m really sorry for today¡¯s events; it¡¯s my fault for dragging that bastard here, which probably precipitated this incident. Rest assured, I will make it up to you.¡±

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°If you catch him, let me see him, please.¡±

    Jiang Shaoqing nodded.

    He walked away with heavy steps.

    Li Dongliang was furious and immediately ordered a manhunt for the mastermind behind the scenes. Under broad daylight, it was a grant vition of thew, such a vile act could not be tolerated.

    A few veteran chiefs had barely touched their hot pot, having just begun to enjoy it and feeling finally satisfied with a taste to their liking when the crash spoiled everything.

    Bai Xiao apologized to the group, ¡°Uncle Li, gentlemen, I¡¯m sorry about what happened today, it was truly an act of both natural and human cmity unforeseen by anyone. It looks like you won¡¯t be able to enjoy your hot pot today. How about this? In a few days, we will send you an invitation toe over for a meal personally, to make up for our apologies today.¡±

    At this point, nothing more could be said.

    The police quickly arrived at the scene and, after a simple investigation, found that the driver responsible for the ident had died. The vehicle was privately registered to the driver himself, and now, without any living defendant, findingpensation was impossible. Seeing the damaged scene of the restaurant, there was no possibility of findingpensation, leaving them to imply that Bai Xiao and the others should just ept it.

    In such circumstances, even the police felt helpless; with the person dead, there was nowhere to seekpensation.

    Bai Xiao and the others didn¡¯t say anything.

    All the people at the restaurant dispersed. Although Li Dongliang sternly demanded that the police seriously investigate and follow up on this case ¡ª to ensure such malicious incidents threatening public safety and ignoring citizens¡¯ rights did not continue to ur ¡ª everyone was aware of the reality. With the person involved dead, it was very hard to find evidence for anything,

    whatever was held as truth in their minds was futile, what is called ¡°dead without a witness¡± is exactly this.

    Bai Xiao sent people away in waves.

    An Zhiyuan settled Bai Yue and Wang Yan, telling them just to go back to their courtyard and sleep, leaving everything else here to them without any worry.

    Although Bai Yue and Wang Yan felt uncertain, they knew there was nothing they could do by staying, other than follow the arrangementsid out to them.

    An Zhiyuan took Bai Xiao back to her dorm.

    In a stable yet almost perceptible affectionate tone, he said, ¡°Go back, have a good sleep. When you wake up tomorrow, just go to work as if nothing happened. Leave everything here to me and Jiang Shaoqing. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll make sure to return the Old Bai Family Spicy Hot Pot to you, undamaged.¡±

    Bai Xiao nodded her head, and suddenly, An Zhiyuan hugged her, allowing her to lean on his chest. Perhaps she was too tired and numb to resist. She nestled contently in his arms. His strength enveloped her; his warmthforted her.

    His arm¡¯s wound caught her attention. Lifting her head, she examined the wound! Medical personnel had already done simple stitching and gauze wrapping, but there were still some blood stains seeping through the white gauze, and she could faintly smell the blood.

    She pulled him to the sofa and took her acupuncture kit from the house.

    It was then that An Zhiyuan realized what Bai Xiao intended to do. He hesitated as he nced at the wound, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s alright. It has been stitched. It¡¯s still bleeding a bit, but it will heal slowly.¡±

    Bai Xiao took a needle, pressed down on his arm, her fingers ice cold, causing An Zhiyuan to suddenly feel a warmth from where her fingers pressed.

    After two needles, Bai Xiao gently turned a circle of special ability, controlling it to not be too excessive, ¡°All done! Your wound was just sutured, but it wouldn¡¯t do for it to keep bleeding like this. I¡¯ve stopped the bleeding for now. Be sure to keep the wound dry when you go back.¡±

    An Zhiyuan nodded his head, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you rest now. I¡¯ve got everything under control!¡±

    Bai Xiao saw him out.

    Watching An Zhiyuan¡¯s Jeep drive away, Bai Xiao¡¯s expression grew colder. She had been too confident, always living in her own perceptions. She wasn¡¯t the Bai Xiao from her past life; she didn¡¯t have numerous powerful followers or Guardians. Now, she realized she had oversimplified everything; her conflict with the Shang Family was irreconcble.

    Yet, she had acted too hastily.

    She wasn¡¯t powerful enough yet.

 Chapter 291 - 291 291 Explosive

    ?Chapter 291: Chapter 291: Explosive   Chapter 291: Chapter 291: Explosive                                   The following day, Bai Xiao was almost absent-minded at work, but luckily the patients seemed to empathize with her mood, barely giving her any work except for one injection, after which she had almost nothing to do.

    At lunch, Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t even manage to eat, feeling extremely choked up. She was still too weakpared to that person! Although he wasn¡¯t very strong yet, his starting point was far higher than hers.

    Finally, when it was time to leave work in the afternoon, Bai Xiao put on her coat, a waist-tightening ck down jacket. There weren¡¯t any bright colors in this era, and she didn¡¯t like wearing bright red either. She wore a sapphire blue scarf and ck chunky leather shoes, which made her tall figure even more graceful.

    Her fair skin seemed even more translucent, causing anyone who saw her to involuntarily turn back and take another look.

    She walked out of the hospital building; the weather had been gloomy all day, and now snowkes began to float down, twirling in the air. The road was only slightly covered with traces of snow, nowhere near burying the road. The cold wind seemed to seep into Bai Xiao¡¯s bones. The wind rustled the tree branches, and their mournful sound struck her heart.

    When she got off the bus, the snowkes outside had grown bigger and more numerous,nding continuously on her hair. Bai Xiao nced at the dark sky, which appeared even darker than usual, suggesting that theing snowstorm might be fierce.

    Walking through the swirling snow, her field of vision was momentarily a white blur.

    When Bai Xiao reached the porch of the Bai Family¡¯s Spicy Hot Pot, she brushed the snow off her hair and shoulders. The main door was tightly shut, but the bright light shining through the ss windows conveyed warmth. The sign was now notably conspicuous because of the neon lights, clearly visible even through the blizzard.

    The wall that had been damaged the previous day showed no trace of it, as if everything had been a nightmare.

    The ss windows were clean and the old-fashioned redcquered wooden windows had no discernible difference from the adjacent ss ones. She pushed the door and entered, greeted immediately by a st of warm air.

    The waiter at the door turned around quickly when he heard the door open. Li Haian, seeing that his aunt had arrived, broke into a cheerful smile, ¡°Auntie, you¡¯re here,e on in. It¡¯s really busy today, my parents are swamped!¡±

    The joy of the fourteen-year-old boy was evident as he greeted Bai Xiao while attending to customers¡¯ requests for more dishes.

    ¡°Auntie, go sit at the bar yourself, I have to get busy!¡±

    ncing around, the hall was indeed bustling. ording to the originalyout, there were ten tables downstairs and ten upstairs, which were now all fully upied. Each table sported a pot emitting steaming vapor, filling the room with a misty, almost celestial atmosphere.

    Bai Yue, Wang Yan, and Li Haian, along with two waiters, were so busy they barely touched the ground.

    ¡°Boss, add two portions ofmb!¡±

    ¡°Boss, we need a portion of ss noodles and tofu here.¡±

    ¡°Boss, bring a bottle of wine!¡±

    ¡°Waiter, one serving of beef tripe and one serving of pork belly.¡±

    The poprity of the dishes took Bai Xiao by surprise¡ªwhat was going on?

    Bai Yue had already grabbed the menu and delivered it to the kitchen before catching her breath behind the bar. Seeing Bai Xiao, her face was flushed and her forehead was beaded with sweat. ¡°Xiao, Mr. Jiang is incredible. When he says overnight, he means it. When your brother-inw and I came the next day, we were startled. It was exactly the same as yesterday, you couldn¡¯t tell the difference. You should really thank him. I tried to invite him for lunch, but he refused because he was busy with other matters.¡±

    Bai Xiao handed her sister a ss of water, ¡°Here, drink some water and catch your breath! Don¡¯t worry about Mr. Jiang; I¡¯ve got it covered. We¡¯ll thank him sooner orter¡ªit¡¯s just a matter of one meal. They must really be busy, with what happenedst night not being an ident. Someone is definitely behind it. They¡¯re probably trying to find that person.¡± Seeing how well the business was doing lifted his spirits inexplicably.

    ¡°Is that so? But our family hasn¡¯t offended anyone. Why would someone target us?¡± Bai Yue didn¡¯t understand.

    ¡°Sis, you don¡¯t need to worry about it. There will be an oue for sure, with An Zhiyuan and Jiang Shaoqing on it. We don¡¯t need to stress! I¡¯m just wondering, why are there so many people this afternoon as well? It couldn¡¯t be customers brought in through Jiang Shaoqing and An Zhiyuan¡¯s connections, could it?¡±

    He hadn¡¯t expected the business to boom like this.

    Bai Yue smiled, unable to close her mouth, ¡°No, not at all! People started packing in since noon. At first, I thought they were your acquaintances bringing in guests; but then I asked around and found out there was a conference happening nearby¡ªa three-day training session for municipal officials. They saw our flyer and decided to give it a try.¡±

    ¡°I gave them a discount, and they enjoyed their lunch tremendously. Little did I know that after they went back, they promoted us, and nearly everyone from the conference came tonight. Both upstairs and downstairs were packed; so many people that I had to ask some to try other ces, yet they weren¡¯t happy about that and just sat waiting on the chairs over there.

    I really didn¡¯t expect this many people, Xiao, you wouldn¡¯t believe it, we made a thousand yuan just at lunch, and even more this evening¡ªI estimate over two thousand. My God, it scared me. Your sister had no idea business could turn out like this!¡± Bai Yue¡¯s voice was a bit hoarse with excitement, as she finished off the tea Bai Xiao had given her.

    She wanted to say more, but clients were already outside calling for additional orders, so Bai Yue hurried back out to work.

    Sitting behind the bar, Bai Xiao watched the busy silhouettes of her sister and Wang Yan among the tables of guests, feeling finally at peace. Although she knew that society was moving towards private enterprises, she had no experience and was simply imitating others, yet the results were now surprisingly good.

    With the recent surge in poprity, people tend to follow the crowd. Seeing the restaurant bustling from day one, they naturally assumed the food was exceptional.

    Indeed, their hotpot was truly unique in the area, and this style of eating, including the vors, would one day be popr nationwide. So, she was confident that after this initial sess, the reputation of Bai Family¡¯s spicy hotpot would spread, and within a month of the trial operation, the customer base would stabilize.

    Her sister and brother-inw had finally secured their foothold here.

    Of course, there would be many challenges in managing the business, but she was ready to face them as they came. Currently, doing business was rtively easier; customers were not very particr, and their demands were not high, especially whenpared to the service attitude, quality, and vors of the many state-owned restaurants around, they definitely had the upper hand.

    It must be luck.

    It seemed that even fate was on their side.

 Chapter 292 - 292 292 Hijacking

    ?Chapter 292: Chapter 292: Hijacking   Chapter 292: Chapter 292: Hijacking                                   Bai Xiao stayed at the hotpot restaurant until almost ten o¡¯clock but did not see An Zhiyuan and Jiang Shaoqing; it seemed that the two hadn¡¯t found Shang Kaijie yet.

    All of Shang Kaijie¡¯s capital was in the Capital City, and even though he was a wastrel, he should understand that only by returning to the Capital City could he be safe. Therefore, Shang Kaijie must be trying to find a way to return to the Capital City right now; he couldn¡¯t afford to offend Jiang Shaoqing nor An Zhiyuan.

    Thus, not running away was absolutely impossible.

    Shang Kaijie wouldn¡¯t take a ne, as it¡¯s a highly visible mode of transportation and he could be easily found. The most likely scenario was that he was driving a car back to the Capital City. Even though it was a long and arduous journey, the safety factor was very high; with a car from one of his subordinates, he could make his escape. Once in the Capital City, even if Jiang Shaoqing wanted to take action against Shang Kaijie, he would probably have to get past Shang Family¡¯s hurdle first.

    Even Jiang Shaoqing, as formidable as the Jiang Family was, could not resort to murder and arson, as thew was not a joke¡ªunless Jiang Shaoqing was willing to wage a war over Bai Xiao.

    She was very self-aware, knowing that her abilities were not enough to make people believe she had the power to summon a crowd at will.

    Ah, sighing.

    Such a blunder, she had the chance to make Shang Kaijie pay, but being protected wasn¡¯t necessarily a good thing.

    She had missed a great opportunity, and there wouldn¡¯t be many chances to catch Shang Kaijie alone next time.

    Shang Kaijie was the sole heir of the Shang Family, always apanied by someone whenever he went out. It was probably because he was with Jiang Shaoqing that he had been so careless; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to get close to him at all.

    Bai Yue and the others had already packed up their things; outside, the wind and snow continued to rage, relentlesslyshing at the windows. Looking out, nothing could be seen but a piercing white snowscape.

    Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t return home.

    Damn it!

    Bai Yue picked up her coat and put it on, ¡°Let¡¯s go, stay with us tonight, and early tomorrow morning, I¡¯ll have your brother-inw bike you back.¡± Although today had been exhausting, it was enough to make one¡¯s heart leap with excitement.

    Wang Yan looked outside, ¡°Yue, you, Xiao, and the three kids head back. I¡¯ll stay here tonight, perfect for keeping watch!¡± This ce was more spacious. Besides, there was no room at their house, and if he stayed, Bai Xiao could share a bed with Bai Yue.

    Bai Xiao gave a faint smile; truly, her brother-inw was a simple and thoughtful man, always considering others.

    Li Haiping and Li Hai¡¯an objected, ¡°Dad, let the two of us stay. It¡¯s perfect¡ªI can get up early tomorrow to start cooking, and it won¡¯t cause any dys. Besides, we can sleep in and won¡¯t have to walk over in the morning; isn¡¯t that great?¡± In reality, the brothers were very considerate.

    Wang Yan disagreed, ¡°I should stay, you two go back to sleep!¡±

    The three men began to argue, and Bai Yue watched in disbelief as they got heatedly into it, the corners of her mouth lifting. This was her man, her family, her children¡ªthe most perfect family, a group of lovely and sincere rtives. Perhaps this was happiness.

    ¡°Enough, stop arguing! All three of you stay,¡± Bai Yue settled the matter. In her heart, she preferred Wang Yan to spend more time with the kids, as any awkwardness between them would disappear quickly, which was not a bad way to bond.

    Li Haishun was thrilled, ¡°That¡¯s just great! Otherwise, I have to listen to my eldest brother¡¯s teeth grinding and my second brother¡¯s farting every day! Finally, I can get a good night¡¯s sleep in peace!¡± His joy amused Li Haiping and Li Hai¡¯an.

    ¡°Who knows whose snoring is louder than thunder, and yet they have the nerve to talk about us!¡± Li Haiping retorted with a sarcastic tone, revealing a secret among the three brothers.

    This really blew their cover.

    Bai Yue scolded with augh, ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough! You all have the sharpest tongues. Okay then, Xiao San, go with mom and auntie. Let them sleep in the living room. Let¡¯s go, you need to hurry up and sleep, or you¡¯ll still have to go to school tomorrow.¡± She grabbed her small cloth bag and pulled Bai Xiao and Li Haishun out the door.

    Before leaving, Bai Xiao didn¡¯t forget to remind Wang Yan, ¡°Brother-inw, be extra careful tonight to prevent any disturbances.¡± Better safe than sorry. Although it was unlikely Shang Kaijie would cause trouble, who knew for sure?

    Sometimes people act without thinking! Encountering a lunatic could easily lead to disaster, and Shang Kaijie was indeed a madman. She was not about to let her family go crazy alongside Shang Kaijie. Given the chance, she would make sure Shang Kaijie did not end well.

    So without reminding her brother-inw, she feared they would be at a disadvantage. She wasn¡¯t afraid of anything else, but what Bai Xiao feared the most was Shang Kaijie starting a fire! That would be a disaster in this weather, with such strong winds, a single spark could cause a wildfire.

    Wang Yan nodded, ¡°Be careful on your way! Otherwise, I¡¯ll escort you over and thene back. It¡¯s sote, and with two women and a child, it wouldn¡¯t be good if you ran into bad people.¡± Wang Yan became even more worried after Bai Xiao¡¯s reminder.

    With so few streetmps and everywhere shrouded in darkness, it would be a loss if someone was lurking in the shadows.

    He was so concerned that he took a kitchen knife in his coat and insisted on escorting them home.

    Thus, the four of them stepped out the door into a st of cold wind filled with snow, making it hard to even breathe. Although it was just one street, they were facing the wind head-on, and each step was terribly difficult.

    Wang Yan shielded Li Haishun tightly with his body, taking the brunt of the wind and snow! He told them to follow behind him. The five-minute walk took a full half hour toplete. Finally, Bai Yue¡¯s hands trembled with cold as she opened the door to their house, relieved, and everyone entered, shaking the snow off their bodies at the entrance. After Wang Yan patted off the thick snow, he reminded Bai Yue and Bai Xiao to lock the door securely after he left, then turned and walked out.

    Bai Xiao turned to help Bai Yue close the door when suddenly her muscles tensed in alert.

    Bai Xiao moved away from the doorway so quickly that Bai Yue hardly had time to blink. She was already pulling Bai Yue behind her, shielding her with her body.

    Bai Yue wanted to call out to Wang Yan, but when she saw a young man holding a dagger to Li Haishun¡¯s neck, his fingers in ck leather gloves raised to his lips in a ¡®shushing¡¯ gesture, she obediently closed her mouth. The door slowly closed, mercilessly cutting off the blizzard and any chance of rescue from outside.

    ¡°Very good, lock the door, and then sit down on the couch nicely. Otherwise, I don¡¯t know what inappropriate things I might do, right, Doctor Bai?¡± Shang Kaijie¡¯s evil gaze fixed on Bai Xiao, as if eyeing a delicious prey.

    Li Haishun trembled violently, his dark eyes brimming with tears that never fell. He bit down hard on his teeth, making no sound at all. He told himself he couldn¡¯t add to his mother and aunt¡¯s troubles. He must find a way to save them, or all three of them won¡¯t survive.

    Bai Xiao locked the door and led Bai Yue to sit down on the couch.

    Watching Shang Kaijie strangle Li Haishun tightly, he turned, blocking the door and them.

    ¡°You can let the child go now! We can¡¯t escape, we¡¯rembs to the ughter in your hands. Why keep holding the child?¡± Bai Xiao said calmly.

    Shang Kaijie released Li Haishun.

    Li Haishun threw himself into his mother¡¯s arms, or rather, in front of his mother and aunt.

 Chapter 293 - 293 293 I Want You Dead

    ?Chapter 293: Chapter 293: I Want You Dead   Chapter 293: Chapter 293: I Want You Dead                                   Shang Kaijie proudly raised the dagger in his hand, shaking it with a sleazy smile on his face, and malice filled his gaze.

    A foot d in a ck high-top boot was brashly resting on the table as he stared at Bai Xiao with a sinisterugh.

    His already swollen eyes were now narrowed to a slit, and his bulbous nose red as he revealed a set of not-so-even teeth. ¡°Dr. Bai, you never expected this day, did you? You thought An Zhiyuan and Jiang Shaoqing could find me no matter where I hid?¡± Pointing at his own nose, Shang Kaijie felt triumphant inside, the thrill of toying with two prestigious figures within their circles was not something ordinary people could understand.

    It was simply exhrating!

    Seeing An Zhiyuan¡¯s woman right in front of him, watching the woman and child next to her shivering, he felt extremely satisfied, reveling in a sense of bullying the weak.

    He felt he was untouchable¡ªwhat could An Zhiyuan do to him?

    ¡°You can¡¯t run! The whole province is now beingbed through by Jiang Shaoqing and An Zhiyuan¡¯s men looking for you. You¡¯re nothing but a desperate stray cur¡ªwhat¡¯s there to be proud of?¡± Bai Xiao unbuttoned her coat, took off the down jacket, which was cumbersome to wear, revealing a high-cored wool sweater underneath.

    The light blue colorplimented her fair skin, her full chest creating a captivating charm.

    Seeing Bai Xiao like this, Shang Kaijie immediately gripped the dagger tightly, ¡°Dr. Bai, even if I am a stray cur, I can still take someone down with me! If the three of you cushion my fall, I lose nothing! Let¡¯s see if An Zhiyuan loves you enough, shall we?¡±

    Shang Kaijie was not very old, at most eighteen or neen, virtually on an equal footing with Bai Xiao. He was in the prime of his youth, but Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t help but scoff at how immature and brash Shang Kaijie was acting at this moment. The Shang Kaijie of the future, who would be cunning and devious, was indeed different¡ªhe certainly wouldn¡¯t act like this in ten years¡¯ time.

    He would wait with hidden ambition, enduring hardships for the next opportunity to strike decisively, eliminating his foes in one fell swoop, never acting rashly while still powerless.

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    Bai Xiao pushed Li Haishun aside, but Haishun¡¯s obstinate little body didn¡¯t budge, refusing to move away from protecting her and the aunt. Although the child was only twelve years old, he was truly acting like a man, standing in front of his mother and aunt in the face of such a viin and the gleaming de of the dagger.

    This kind of noble quality was rare toe by. Bai Xiao foundfort in knowing that the family she once had were actually such good people, each living with their most precious qualities, never wavering in their hearts despite life¡¯s differences.

    ¡°Xiao San, move aside!¡± Bai Xiao pressed her fingers on his shoulder, feeling the trembling body of the child under her palm, her heart softening even more.

    He was trembling with fear.

    ¡°No¡­ I won¡¯t move! Auntie, he¡¯s a bad man.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, this uncle isn¡¯t here to kill us. If he did, he couldn¡¯t escape either, could he?¡± Bai Xiaoforted Li Haishun, knowing in her heart that Shang Kaijie had always been ruthless, reportedly fighting viciously since his teens, stabbing others was amon urrence for him, and he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kill.

    Shang Kaijie smiled silently, looking at Bai Xiao, his mind filling with wicked thoughts. He was driven to desperation today by An Zhiyuan and Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s relentless search. They may not be police, but they had theirworks, with traffic police searching at every intersection, making airports and train stations impossible for escape. The moment he showed up, he would be caught by Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s men.

    Originally he intended to leave by car, but the weather wasn¡¯t on his side¡ªa heavy snowfall trapped him, leaving no way out. If his car broke down in the wilderness, he¡¯d probably die without knowing how it happened.

    Shang Kaijie had to abandon these ns. Staying anywhere was unsafe, having narrowly escaped Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s men a few times and dodged An Zhiyuan¡¯s twice, he knew he had nowhere to go, and it was only a matter of time before he was found by the two men.

    So he had to take a risk.

    Everything had started because of this detestable woman; he wanted her dead. If she died, it would all be over. He couldn¡¯t swallow his pride, and taking revenge was inevitable. As long as this woman lived, he, Shang Kaijie, would never rest.

    An Zhiyuan and Jiang Shaoqing could be dissatisfied, but they couldn¡¯t kill him.

    Because the Shang Family just stood there, at most they would beat him up, no big deal.

    By that time, any anger in his heart had dissipated, and it was no big deal if they just stopped talking to each other. He would still be the carefree young master of the Shang Family, and he wasn¡¯t worried at all.

    Bai Xiao firmly pushed Li Haishun away.

    Shang Kaijie, just say what you want to do,¡±

    Bai Xiao took a couple of steps forward and spread his arms open, showing he clearly had no weapons. The gesture was meant to dissolve Shang Kaijie¡¯s wariness, for this man had always been deeply suspicious since childhood.

    Shang Kaijie, as expected, raised his dagger towards Bai Xiao, his eyes filled with caution and wariness.

    ¡°You should know what I want to do. You¡¯ve cornered me; you deserve to die.¡± Shang Kaijie didn¡¯t rx for a second as he kept his eyes fixed on the woman before him.

    This doctor Bai, he didn¡¯t know his background, why he had such a solid rtionship with Jiang Shaoqing and An Zhiyuan. Although they said Bai Xiao was a lifesaver of the Jiang Family and the fianc¨¦e of An Zhiyuan, he didn¡¯t believe any of it.

    What kind of experts did the elderly master of the Jiang Family not have at his disposal? How could such a green and inexperienced woman save the old master of the Jiang Family?

    Who would believe that? He certainly didn¡¯t.

    An Zhiyuan would take a liking to her?

    Who would believe that?

    Considering how high Wei Shufen¡¯s standards were and knowing An Zhiyuan as the most promising son of the new generation of the An Family, would he marry the daughter of an ordinary civilian family?

    Shang Kaijie felt emboldened because he understood the rules of official families and was even more aware of the bottom line of these so-called high-born families. In either case, he believed Bai Xiao was nothing more than a ything for Jiang Shaoqing and An Zhiyuan. Right now she was new and treasured like a pearl, but he was sure she would never enter the door of the An Family in the future.

    That¡¯s why he dared to do this.

    ¡°You want me dead, alright, but my life is very expensive,e and take it!¡± Bai Xiao said with a carefree smile, irritating Shang Kaijie to the point where his teeth itched.

    Shouldn¡¯t this woman be kneeling on the ground, begging for mercy with tears streaming down her face, pleading with him not to kill her?

    What kind of woman was this?

    Could she be some demon or monster?

    Shang Kaijie almost scoffed at himself; it was clear she was a creature without the slightest strength, and if he were to be frightened by her bluffing, that would be the real shame.

    Killing a person or two was not something he hadn¡¯t done before, and he was confident that Bai Xiao¡¯s death would go unnoticed.

    His men were outside, guarding, and killing someone would be done without heaven or earth knowing.

    Shang Kaijie tightened his grip on the dagger and took a step forward.

 Chapter 294 - 294 294 Resolution (Extra for monthly ticket)

    ?Chapter 294: Chapter 294: Resolution (Extra for monthly ticket)   Chapter 294: Chapter 294: Resolution (Extra for monthly ticket)                                   Bai Xiao watched the dagger stab towards herself, her gaze never leaving the dagger. Shang Kaijie was within arm¡¯s reach now, and such an opportunity would likely nevere again. Yet, once she grabbed Shang Kaijie, her special ability would take at least five seconds toe into effect¡ªfive seconds were enough for her to die several times over.

    But now there was no better n.

    It was a life for a life.

    She was determined to take Shang Kaijie¡¯s life, this bastard must die, even if it meant exhausting her significant special abilities to do so.

    The Energy Potion she had was created by this bastard. inly speaking, it was a form of disguised drug, meant to control her. Shang Kaijie had used this thing to threaten her to obey, and even attempted to sexually assault her several times.

    If she didn¡¯t kill Shang Kaijie, she would be letting herself down.

    Bai Xiao pounced with the swiftness of lightning, mping her hand firmly onto Shang Kaijie¡¯s wrist that held the dagger. Shang Kaijie had always known that no one would wait to die, that this woman was bound to fight back eventually. He had been waiting, amused to see Bai Xiao only grasping at his wrist.

    With such little strength, this woman really wasn¡¯t anything special or unique.

    He exerted force in his hand, switching the dagger to the other hand, and, with a ferocious grin, raised the dagger to stab Bai Xiao.

    The target was an easy one, as Bai Xiao stubbornly clung to his wrist, probably frozen in fear. Now she didn¡¯t even think to let go, to run away, or to fend off his dagger. Such a foolish woman deserved to die.

    Die!

    Shang Kaijie¡¯s cruel desire to see blood surged instantly; blood was likely the most beautiful sacrifice.

    Bai Yue and Li Haishun rushed in to join the battle. Bai Yue sped her hands around the sharp de of the dagger, her eyes a crimson fury, oblivious to the pain in her fingers. All she could think about was one thing¡ªshe couldn¡¯t let Bai Xiao die.

    She could not let the dagger pierce her little sister¡¯s body, absolutely not.

    Li Haishun lunged at him, clinging to Shang Kaijie¡¯s leg and biting down hard. He didn¡¯t know what else he could do; he was small and weak, but he knew he couldn¡¯t let this viin kill his aunt¡ªthe viin wanted to murder.

    Shang Kaijie howled in pain and delivered a heavy kick to Li Haishun¡¯s chest. Li Haishun slid across the floor, copsing and coughing continuously.

    Bai Xiao lunged at Shang Kaijie, the force of the impact knocking both of them into the table; it overturned, scattering the leftover bowls, tes, steamed buns, sweet potatoes, and chunks of pickled vegetables from the morning across the floor. They both fell to the ground, Shang Kaijie¡¯s head hitting the cement hard, causing a momentary daze.

    Shang Kaijie was already weakened, his body devoid of strength.

    ¡°Bitch¡­¡±

    The door was mmed open with a forceful impact, rebounding against the wall. Through the snowstorm, two people barged in. Bai Xiao had no more strength to continue fighting Shang Kaijie¡¯s aplices. With bloodied fingers, Bai Yue held Bai Xiao tight, the sisters clinging to each other.

    Bai Yue protected Bai Xiao, the two women ring at the two men wielding makeshift guns before them¡ªdeath was imminent.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, I¡¯m here!¡± Bai Yue held her sister tight, protecting her in her embrace, using her own body as a shield against the criminals.

    The sound of gunfire was deafening, and she instinctively pulled her sister to the ground. The sisters couldn¡¯t see what was happening. Her ears were still ringing, and the smell of acrid gunpowder filled her nostrils. Then came a heavy thud, followed by the sound of shattering ss.

    But she quickly realized she felt no pain on her body! In other words, the shot hadn¡¯t hit them.

    Bai Xiao helped Bai Yue up, the two sisters checking each other for injuries¡ªthere were none.

    Bai Yue breathed a sigh of relief.

    Bai Xiao looked up to see several people engaged in a fierce fight, the sounds of grunts, curses, and punches hitting flesh echoing around her. She tried to stand up but was struck from behind. She tumbled down, her shoulder mming hard against the sharp corner of a cab, numbing her entire arm and making her cry out in pain.

    Bai Yue rushed over, ¡°Xiao, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    It was then that Bai Xiao saw her sister¡¯s fingers were almost severed. The dagger was so sharp that the fingers were barely hanging on, trembling. Pain gripped her heart, and she quickly took out a silver needle to administer treatment on Bai Yue. Meanwhile, An Zhiyuan and Jiang Shaoqing had started fighting with the two assants.

    An Zhiyuan brutally elbowed a man in the temple. When the man gasped and convulsed, An Zhiyuan followed up with a hard punch to the jaw. Before the man could recover, An Zhiyuan had snatched the weapon from his hands and pressed it firmly against the back of his ear.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move! Or I¡¯ll pull the trigger!¡±

    The two men froze.

    Two others approached and grabbed the assants¡¯ wrists, lifting them nearly off the floor and flipping them over so their torsos faced down, their hands bound behind their backs.

    Around themy broken furniture and spilled food. Li Haishun was already being helped up and examined for injuries while An Zhiyuan rushed to Bai Xiao¡¯s side.

    Seeing her trembling, he took off his coat and wrapped her in it forcefully. Bai Yue watched her sister sway unsteadily and called out to An Zhiyuan, ¡°Carry her to our room. I¡¯ll go boil water. There are nkets on the bed.¡±

    Her voice trembled slightly, still in shock.

    Bai Xiao weakly turned to look at Shang Kaijie lying on the floor. He closed his eyes in despair, his chest heaving with breaths. Shang Kaijie¡¯s venomous gaze was fixed on her, as if he wanted to devour Bai Xiao.

    It was all over.

    An Zhiyuan carried Bai Xiao into the room and closed the door. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked.

    Bai Xiao shook her head and reached her trembling hand under An Zhiyuan¡¯s armpit, drawing warmth and nearly sighing with satisfaction.

    The spot where her shoulder had hit the cab burned like fire, and her body was so cold she felt she might freeze to death. That was definitely not okay.

    ¡°You don¡¯t look okay at all, sit down,¡± he said, ncing around and spotting therge bed. He carried her over, pulled back the nkets, and wrapped Bai Xiao up tightly.

    His fingers lightly touched her cheek, taking her hand in his. She blinked, finally focusing her gaze on him. She nearly passed out; this was probably the most serious she had ever been since her special ability had drained severely. She had performed a limb reattachment treatment, a procedure she shouldn¡¯t have done at that moment, but she couldn¡¯t bear to see her sister¡¯s fingers severed. In such cold weather, the chances of necrosis were too high, and once amputation was necessary¡­

    She had no ability to regenerate a severed limb, so while there was still a chance, even if it meant risking her own life, she had to save her sister.

    He stood up, peeled off his fleece, and casually tossed it aside. Then he sat down again, tucking her hand between them, sharing his body heat with her.

    His skin felt burning hot to her icy fingers even through the thin shirt. He ced a hand on her back, and the warmth he transferred made her breathe a sigh of relief. ¡°It¡¯s not so cold anymore,¡± she said by his neck, feeling her tense muscles gradually rx. She took deep breaths of his warm masculine scent.

    She was no longer shivering. An Zhiyuan was like a miraculous cure for her afflictions¡ªjust having him nearby seemed so simple. Look at this severe cold; confronted by An Zhiyuan¡¯s body heat, it seemed to be retreating steadily.

    ¡°Feeling better?¡± he asked, his voice deeper than usual.

    ¡°Yeah, but I can¡¯t keeping to you for warmth every time!¡± she said, vexed by the change in her special ability. If she told him the truth, An Zhiyuan would probably dieughing. Someone was coveting his warmth, not his looks?

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind, you¡¯re very wee,¡± An Zhiyuan¡¯s low voice was a temptation.

    Half-dazed, she thought about howfortable it was to lie in his arms and listen to his heartbeat. Most importantly, she felt an unprecedented sense of belonging, no longer alone in this world. Knowing he cared about and valued her was an intoxicating feeling. She couldn¡¯t remember anyone ever valuing her so much. She didn¡¯t understand how this connection had formed so quickly, or how she hade to trust and rely on him so swiftly, but that was the reality.

 Chapter 295 - 295 295 Silence by Murder

    ?Chapter 295: Chapter 295: Silence by Murder   Chapter 295: Chapter 295: Silence by Murder                                   After ten minutes, she was no longer trembling. What had happened had happened, and it needed to be faced.

    ¡°How did you guys get here so quickly?¡±

    Bai Xiao was very grateful that An Zhiyuan and Jiang Shaoqing arrived in time, because if they didn¡¯t, the three of them would surely have died today. Shang Kaijie had even brought reinforcements, and they had guns!

    If An Zhiyuan and Jiang Shaoqing hadn¡¯t arrived, it was likely that they would all have been killed.

    ¡°We had been chasing him for a day and two nights. This bastard is very good at hiding. Thest time we spotted him was by the side of the road, and then he disappeared. Luckily, we found his subordinate¡¯s wife. That woman spilled everything. Her man had followed Shang Kaijie to cause trouble for a woman. It goes without saying, we first went to the hospital dormitory. Since you weren¡¯t there, I figured you would probably be here.¡±

    ¡°By the time we arrived, it was like this, I¡¯m sorry, I promised to protect you, but I broke my word!¡±

    An Zhiyuan felt extremely guilty. As a man, he hadn¡¯t kept his promise, which was very frustrating for someone who took promises as seriously as he did.

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. You can¡¯t guard me 24 hours a day. If Shang Kaijie is intent on revenge, even if he didn¡¯t act today, he would find another chance in the future. Actually, now that he¡¯s made a move, it saves me from the constant fear of someone plotting against me day and night. It¡¯s not easy to be always on guard against evil intentions.¡± Bai Xiao leaned into his embrace tofort him, her warm breath tickling his chest, a tingling, numbing sensation.

    ¡°Do you feel warmer now?¡± An Zhiyuan suppressed his stirring thoughts, holding his most beloved girl like this. If he didn¡¯t have any thoughts, he wouldn¡¯t be a man. He was no chaste sage.

    ¡°I¡¯m already very warm.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go outside. We need to discuss what to do about Shang Kaijie,¡± An Zhiyuan said, pushing Bai Xiao away and putting on his fleece jacket.

    Bai Xiao threw off the nket, got down from the bed, and followed An Zhiyuan out.

    ¡°What do you n to do with him?¡±

    Killing him was definitely not an option.

    It was not about whether they had the courage, but they simply couldn¡¯t do it.

    It wasn¡¯t just the few of them involved; Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s men and An Zhiyuan¡¯s men had all seen Shang Kaijie. If he died, with so many people knowing, the secret would eventuallye out one day. If they wanted Shang Kaijie dead, it would mean they would have to take out the entire Shang Family.

    That was unrealistic, so they couldn¡¯t do that! It would only bring endless revenge and scheming.

    ¡°We definitely can¡¯t let him off lightly, or he might dare toe back seeking revenge. The price has to be substantial.¡± An Zhiyuan wanted a permanent solution but hadn¡¯t thought of one yet.

    As the two of them walked out, Bai Yue had just prepared a cup of ginger sugar water to bring to Bai Xiao and saw hering out. She hurried over and asked, ¡°Are you alright?¡± Bai Xiao had looked as if she was about to faint just now, and it was only now that Bai Yue understood what Bai Ju had said about Bai Xiao¡¯s medical skills¡¯ aftereffects!

    Back then, it had just been hearsay, but now that she saw it firsthand, she truly believed it was a gift from their parents; otherwise, how could she exin everything?

    She had watched her own fingers, which were about to be severed, bepletely intact in just a few minutes. Other than warmth, there was only warmth at the injured parts of her fingers. If she hadn¡¯t seen with her own eyes what her fingers had looked like, she never would have believed how dangerous the situation had been.

    And as if the warmth had been absorbed by her sister, her body kept getting colder, herplexion paler, a pallor tinged with green, turning to a dark hue. The aftereffects of Bai Xiao¡¯s medical skills were indeed frightening.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine now, big sister!¡± Bai Xiao took the ginger sugar water and drank it anyway. It was her big sister¡¯s kindness, and if she didn¡¯t drink it, her big sister would probably remain worried.

    Bai Yue held onto Bai Xiao, ¡°I¡¯m relieved you¡¯re okay! I¡¯m so relieved.¡± She looked her sister over and felt a sigh of relief seeing she was alright.

    Li Haishun had alreadye running over. Bai Xiao lifted his shirt and saw a ck and blue footprint on his abdomen. That was the work of that bastard Shang Kaijie, who didn¡¯t even spare a child.

    ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Bai Xiao felt a pang of heartache. At that moment, the child had not cared about his own safety at all, biting Shang Kaijie fiercely, which gave her a chance.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt, hiss¡­¡± Bai Xiao pressed his finger to the spot and he winced in pain.

    ¡°It still doesn¡¯t hurt?¡± Bai Xiao gently touched and rubbed the bruised area, and Li Haishun felt much better, warm and cozy, ¡°Auntie! This is reallyfortable!¡±

    Bai Yue said softly, ¡°Don¡¯t mess around. A child will recover from an injury in a couple of days. A doctor looked at him just now; don¡¯t neglect your own health.¡± Only the two sisters could hear this voice.

    Bai Xiao gave her elder sister a look, ¡°This is your own son, right?¡± But she pulled her hand back anyway. This kind of bruising didn¡¯t need much treatment, the loop of her special ability was just to spare the child severe pain in the next two days. She hadn¡¯t nned to do much healing.

    ¡°What are you talking about? Can he not be my own son? But you¡¯re also my own sister. This bruise won¡¯t kill anyone, and what you did back there was terrifying. I thought you were going to die. We have to choose the lesser of two evils. You should keep it down!¡± She cared for her son deeply. He had faced constant hardships since birth.

    Jiang Shaoqing and An Zhiyuan were whispering to each other, seemingly engrossed in their own conversation, when An Zhiyuan nced at Bai Xiao and walked over.

    ¡°Xiao, can I have a word with you?¡±

    Bai Xiao nodded. ¡°Elder sister, take the child to sleep first. Don¡¯t let him stay here. I¡¯ll have them figure out how to get rid of the people! We don¡¯t want our ce dirtied.¡± Mainly, she didn¡¯t want her sister and the child to be frightened again.

    Bai Yue nodded, seeing that it was already past eleven o¡¯clock at night. The child had school the next day.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Bai Xiao asked An Zhiyuan, feigning ignorance, though she knew exactly what he was going to ask her.

    The idea that Shang Kaijie could fully recover was far-fetched.

    Her special ability was not for show.

    ¡°Well¡­ Shang Kaijie can¡¯t move his body at all, nor can he speak. Except for his eyes, he¡¯s practically paralyzed. Worse than paralyzed. Could you exin what happened during your fight with him? We need to figure something out.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been told, he can¡¯t move because I hit his acupoint. It was a fight to the death, and if I hadn¡¯t made my move, it wouldn¡¯t have been just my life at stake, but my family¡¯s too.¡± Bai Xiaoid it all out. Now they needed to think together, and keeping secrets wasn¡¯t conducive tomunication.

    Jiang Shaoqing hade over, and his eyes lit up when he heard this. He hadn¡¯t expected Traditional Chinese Medicine to be so profound. Many people enjoyed martial arts films with defense techniques like the Golden Bell Cover, the Iron Shirt, and acupoint hitting¡ªenviable skills that Bai Xiao apparently mastered.

    ¡°Now the only option seems to be to silence him permanently. If we send Shang Kaijie back to the Shang Family like this, it would be greatly disadvantageous to us.¡± An Zhiyuan, with his status, surprised Bai Xiao by saying such a thing.

    Good heavens, what had she driven An Zhiyuan to be? Was he turning dark?

    Jiang Shaoqing also nodded, both having the same thought.

    If peace couldn¡¯t be made, there would be no ce for a burial.

    Bai Xiao quickly intervened, ¡°Wait, he can be cured!¡± She couldn¡¯t let Jiang Shaoqing and An Zhiyuan face off against the Shang Family now. The Shangs had some dark secrets unknown to outsiders. She wanted revenge, but not for everyone to be dragged downpletely.

    Both men¡¯s eyes shone then. Right, they¡¯d heard that you can reverse acupoint techniques.

    They hadn¡¯t really thought it through, jumping straight to murder and silence.

    An Zhiyuanughed sheepishly, ¡°My mind wasn¡¯t clear just now, I misspoke! Pretend I didn¡¯t say anything.¡±

    He now remembered who he was. In that moment, for his wife¡¯s sake, An Zhiyuan had truly been ready for ruthless measures, even pondering expulsion and prison.

    He couldn¡¯t let Bai Xiao be in danger in the future.

 Chapter 296 - 296 296 Dont You Have a Clue

    ?Chapter 296: Chapter 296: Don¡¯t You Have a Clue?   Chapter 296: Chapter 296: Don¡¯t You Have a Clue?                                   Bai Xiao certainly knew! Shang Kaijie would have to fully return to the Shang Family so that the hatred wouldn¡¯t be associated with them. That way, if Shang Kaijie got into trouble in the future, it wouldn¡¯t be their concern.

    ¡°Jiang Shaoqing, I need your help with this. Think it over before you answer me. It¡¯s a matter of great importance, and it¡¯s indeed ruthless, but I must deal with Shang Kaijie for both my sake and my family¡¯s,¡± Bai Xiao thought clearly that this was a job only Jiang Shaoqing could do; An Zhiyuan shouldn¡¯t get involved.

    Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s eyes darkened¡ªthis girl describing it as ruthless probably meant no good.

    An Zhiyuan asked softly, ¡°I¡¯m more suited for this kind of thing than Jiang Shaoqing.¡± He was a bit depressed; Bai Xiao actually sought someone else¡¯s help! Not even considering him, which made him very sad.

    Bai Xiao reassuringly squeezed his hand, ¡°You¡¯re not suitable; of course, Jiang Shaoqing is the most suitable!¡± Indeed, Jiang Shaoqing was the most suitable! It was also Bai Xiao¡¯s way of securing Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s loyalty; once Jiang Shaoqing helped her this time, they would bepletely in the same boat.

    After this, Jiang Shaoqing would be her true partner because Bai Xiao had to do this to ensure their cooperation was stable and unbreakable.

    Jiang Shaoqing looked deeply at Bai Xiao, the girl had put it so bluntly; it was all because of the backing of the Jiang Family she dared to be sowless. Should he do it?

    Should he let the Jiang Family be dominated by such a girl?

    ¡°I¡¯ve said we can do anything for you as long as it doesn¡¯t cross moral boundaries and isn¡¯t about killing and plundering. Our Jiang Family will support you,¡± Jiang Shaoqing said cleverly. These words, said earlier, were meant to guard against Bai Xiao¡¯s exploitation in the future.

    The reason the Jiang Family had stood unscathed for so many years was that they always stuck to their true moral baseline, never trampling their own principles for profit. That¡¯s why their family had grown so powerful.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! It won¡¯t vite the moral baseline,¡± Bai Xiao didn¡¯t back down. Even if what constitutes a moral baseline isn¡¯t clear to others, she knew; but this time, she was indeed challenging that line.

    For a demon like Shang Kaijie, dying a thousand times would not be enough; Shang Kaijie¡¯s death would truly save lives, otherwise, there¡¯s no telling how many more people he would harm.

    Later evidence showed that Shang Kaijie had taken the lives of dozens of people, all young girls in the prime of their lives. Not ending such a person¡¯s life would be an injustice to the children struggling in hell; this time, she wouldn¡¯t give him a chance to kill again.

    ¡°Oh? I¡¯d like to hear more about it!¡± Jiang Shaoqing was curious about what Bai Xiao intended to do.

    ¡°Like this¡­¡± Bai Xiao whispered some words, and Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s expression changed.

    ¡°You still don¡¯t think this is outrageous? Shang Kaijie¡­¡± Jiang Shaoqing lowered his voice, ¡°He is, after all, a human life, and you want him dead. Don¡¯t think I can¡¯t see through your malice. You¡¯re a doctor; can you justify this kind of action with your medical ethics?¡±

    Bai Xiao sneered, Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s reaction was as expected, ¡°I¡¯m not a bad person, at most I¡¯m just a hero of Liangshan, Shang Kaijie is a piece of trash, if he doesn¡¯t die, I definitely won¡¯t let it go.¡±

    ¡°But he¡¯s just one person, trash may just mean he¡¯s abusive and reckless, but that doesn¡¯t mean he deserves to die!¡± Jiang Shaoqing suppressed his own fury, unexpectedly, this young girl was truly ruthless, more so than many men.

    He regretted somewhat, the words said at home back then, had they given this girl the heart of a bear and the courage of a leopard?

    ¡°Heh, he¡¯s abusive and that¡¯s enough reason for someone to drive a car to kill me? His recklessness is enough for him toe to kill someone? Jiang Shaoqing, when you say these words, shouldn¡¯t you keep in mind, just now, just a moment ago, had you not arrived, what would have been the fate of the three people in our family? Don¡¯t you know in your heart? If you think such a person doesn¡¯t deserve to die, then tell me, otherse to kill me, should I give them a chance to finish the job, do I look particrly easy to bully?¡± Bai Xiao¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t high-pitched, yet every word and sentence struck Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s heart heavily, leaving him speechless, right.

    What did Bai Xiao say wrong, when someone wanted to kill her, yet she gave them a chance to catch their breath? If Shang Kaijie had dared to do that to him, he probably wouldn¡¯t be alive today, to dare to move against the Jiang Family and not expect to die was impossible, so why when it¡¯s Bai Xiao¡¯s turn, should she be the one to endure?

    Their moral bottom line was built on their interests, frankly, it¡¯s like being a prostitute but also wanting to set up an arch of chastity.

    ¡°You probably don¡¯t know, this Shang Kaijie, right before meeting you yesterday, just harmed a ten-year-old girl! Just ten, you have siblings too, a ten-year-old girl in the prime of her youth, what was her fault? If you don¡¯t believe me, go ask Shang Kaijie¡¯s men, nobody else may know, but they are his confidants since he¡¯s been here, they naturally know about such things since they¡¯re the ones handling the aftermath, you can ask them, is that little girl still alive? Or should I ask this way, how many little girls has Shang Kaijie harmed?¡± Bai Xiao spoke through gritted teeth.

    Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s eyes were filled with storms, although the Shang Family had a good rtionship with their family, it certainly did not reach a level that mattered in the Jiang Family¡¯s eyes, if Shang Kaijie really was such an inhumane person, he truly did not deserve to live.

    ¡°Take these two out! Take all these people away.¡± Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s stern voice revealed the storm within, those who had followed Jiang Shaoqing for years knew this was Jiang losing his temper.

    Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan got into his car, and the elder sister admonished An Zhiyuan incessantly, fearing something else might happen to Bai Xiao.

    The group left the ce, An Zhiyuan driving through the heavy snow with difficulty following Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s convoy, hisplexion dark, not looking too good! His expression was so stern that Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t pretend not to see it.

    A silent confrontation yed out within the car.

    In the end, it was Bai Xiao who gave up resisting, they were not children after all, what was the point of this?

    ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust you, it¡¯s just more appropriate for Jiang Shaoqing to handle this matter. Who are you? What I want, frankly, is for Shang Kaijie to be punished. Since thew can¡¯t punish Shang Kaijie, I¡¯ll act as the God, righting wrongs once isn¡¯t good? But you are different, your integrity, selflessness, fearlessness, and loyalty are all for the nation, for justice, I don¡¯t want such a stain on you. Is it worth getting angry with me over this?¡± Communication is very important.

    ¡°I¡¯m not angry at you, I¡¯m angry at myself, we had agreed I was going to protect you! But many times, despite myself, my responsibilities and duties require me to be a person of integrity and selflessness, but the result is that I can¡¯t protect you, needing others to do so, it hurts me.¡± An Zhiyuan punched the steering wheel.

    Only then did Bai Xiao understand why An Zhiyuan was angry.

 Chapter 297 - 297 297 The Urge to Cry

    ?Chapter 297: Chapter 297: The Urge to Cry   Chapter 297: Chapter 297: The Urge to Cry                                   They soon arrived at a house, or more urately, a three-story building, all of which was the property of the Jiang Family. Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan were led into a warm, cozy reception room, which was well-decorated with genuine leather sofas and tall bookshelves, revealing that it also served as a study and office.

    An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao sat side by side on the sofa. An Zhiyuan draped his overcoat over Bai Xiao. The room wasn¡¯t actually cold, but An Zhiyuan was still concerned that Bai Xiao hadn¡¯t fully recovered from the aftereffects of the recent exertion.

    ¡°Is there anything to eat?¡± An Zhiyuan heard the growling of Bai Xiao¡¯s stomach and asked one of the assistants nearby, one of Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s three assistants.

    Xiu He immediately went out to prepare. They had a cafeteria on-site, but now the head chef had long gone to sleep. However, the issue was that with the boss present, and everyone well aware of the rtionship between An Zhiyuan and Jiang Shaoqing, if a meal was requested, one must be produced even if it meant waking the chef up.

    The chef, deeply asleep, was rudely awakened by a knock on the door and hauled out of bed, still drowsy and confused about the fuss.

    A midnight snack?

    With the boss recently staying on the premises, they had all been extra cautious. Yet the boss never had a habit of eating midnight snacks.

    But when given an order to cook, the chef had no choice.

    All he could do was roll up his sleeves and get to work.

    The chef looked at the selection in the refrigerator and felt distressed, his prep work was not sufficient.

    Jiang Shaoqing arrived at their reception room ten minutester, sitting on the sofa, silent, his expression fierce. He was still shaken by the words of those two men, horrified by what Shang Kaijie had done within just five short days of arriving in the province¡ªthe first day and today being the only times he didn¡¯t have the opportunity tomit such inhumane acts.

    In three days, he had harmed three little girls, the youngest only eight years old and the eldest barely eleven. Most horrifically, he had so severely injured the eight-year-old that she needed to be hospitalized! But Shang Kaijie callously said not to bother about her.

    As a result, two people discarded the little girl by the roadside. The next day, news came that the young girl had dragged herself for three miles, reaching the entrance of her vige, where she ultimately died, her death being particrly gruesome, covered in blood, her eyes wide open in death. The adults in her family, the entire vige, were so horrified by the event that they reported the crime.

    No one knew Shang Kaijie had such a perverse tendency. In Capital City, he dared notmit such crimes¡ªfirst, because tossing a stone in Capital City might hit some high-ranking official¡¯s child, whom no one would dare touch. Behind one such child, there was an entire family¡ªwho could overlook the possibility that even a little girl on the street might have grandfathers or grandmothers with significant backgrounds. Second, because the Shang Family kept tight control. In Capital City, he was closely watched whenever he left the house; he wouldn¡¯t dare to act so recklessly. If his father caught him, he would beat him to death.

    But once outside Capital City, Shang Kaijie utterly cast aside his restraint, and with people eager to ingratiate themselves providing him the means, he naturally broke his vows. Once the floodgates opened, there was no controlling him, and things spiraled out of control.

    Jiang Shaoqing felt nauseated even listening to these events. Such a young man, only seventeen or eighteen, was an utter disgrace.

    This person, if left alive, one can¡¯t know how many more might die¡ªhe was a cmity.

    His silence was due to shame. Anyone who heard about such things would probably want to kill Shang Kaijie and deliver justice. Bai Xiao was right; she was indeed a hero among the ouws of Liangshan.

    He felt ashamed byparison.

    ¡°Doctor Bai! I take back what I said before. I, Jiang Shaoqing, will help you with this matter through thick and thin. Just tell me how you need me to cooperate, I¡¯ll follow your lead.¡± Who was Jiang Shaoqing?

    This man would one day be an influential figure, and when it came to making decisions, he would certainly not be inferior to Bai Xiao¡ªin fact, facing Shang Kaijie, he felt no moral burden whatsoever.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s earlier n was the surest way to handle Shang Kaijie, a once-and-for-all solution that would keep them unscathed. Not only was the girl ruthless, but she was also formidable, killing without a trace. This was Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s internal assessment of Bai Xiao. He was unavoidably more wary of her now; upsetting this girl could result in dire consequences.

    Yet Jiang Shaoqing knew he wasn¡¯t thinking rightly. In reality, Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t cruel or ruthless; dealing with such a beast in this manner was letting him off easy.

    The proper way to do this was for Bai Xiao to be the hand of justice.

    Ah, Jiang Shaoqing didn¡¯t even know what he wanted!

    Bai Xiao smiled lightly, knowing that Jiang Shaoqing would gradually understand her, but right now, if she didn¡¯t deal with Shang Kaijie, there would be endless troubles in the future.

    ¡°Thank you for thepliment, Mr. Jiang. Since this is the case, I think we can release the news now!¡±

    Jiang Shaoqing shook his head, ¡°Is your method foolproof?¡±

    What he worried about was! The Jiang Family bearing this me.

    This girl was too cunning; if not careful, it would be the Jiang Family carrying the me.

    He had to be extremely careful.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know my medical skills. I won¡¯t harm anyone. However, if someone else tries to harm me, of course I won¡¯t let them off easily.¡±

    Jiang Shaoqing turned and went out to make a phone call. If he was going to do this, he needed to act fast. The Shang Family must have received the news by now! By dawn, they woulde rushing, so he had to have everything prepared in advance.

    The master chef¡¯s dishes were served.

    An Zhiyuan watched as Bai Xiao wolfed down the small dumplings, peeling shrimp for her while chiding her.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you eat dinnerst night? Look at how you¡¯re wolfing down your food! Slow down, slow down, be careful not to choke!¡± Seeing Bai Xiao¡¯s messy state was both amusing and frustrating.

    With her mouth still full of small dumplings, Bai Xiao said indistinctly, ¡°How can I eat peacefully without catching Shang Kaijie?¡±

    ¡°You know fear? I thought you were Sun San Nianging down from the mountain, only ever having others eaten by you, never being eaten by someone else,¡± he said as his slender fingers easily peeled the shell of a tea egg and ced it in her bowl.

    ¡°Of course I¡¯m scared. I don¡¯t want to bring misfortune to my sister, brother-inw, and nephew because of me. You know that Shang Kaijie is like a rabid dog; just because of an unpleasant meeting, he could have someone hit me! He¡¯s after my life, so it would be strange if I wasn¡¯t scared!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand! How do you know about Shang Kaijie¡¯s private matters? I probably don¡¯t know, and it¡¯s clear that Jiang Shaoqing is also unaware. These things only happened after we arrived here, yet you know them in detail. Sometimes I¡¯m not clear about them; how do you know all this?¡± An Zhiyuan had to ask! There seemed to be many secrets with Bai Xiao. The more secrets there were, the more dangerous Bai Xiao became. He would not let her put herself in danger.

    Bai Xiao choked, and this time she choked so badly that she rolled her eyes back. An Zhiyuan panicked! He quickly patted her back, massaged it, and even handed her a cup of warm water. Finally, Bai Xiao¡¯s cough calmed down.

    An Zhiyuan sighed, looking at Bai Xiao¡¯s evasive eyes, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to say it, I won¡¯t ask. But just remember, I hope I¡¯m not thest person to know when you¡¯re in danger. Remember, I¡¯m not just anyone; I¡¯m your man! I can shield you from the wind and rain and protect you, no matter what secrets you have. I no longer wish to know. If you ever encounter any problems, remember I¡¯m right beside you. I can do many things for you, perhaps far beyond your imagination.¡±

    Bai Xiao felt a warmth in her heart. An Zhiyuan had been protecting her since the day they met and had been trying hard to keep her safe. Indeed, she wondered what she had done to deserve such a man, who stood by her side unwaveringly, without asking for anything in return, just purely for her sake.

    ¡°An, my dear brother! I¡­¡±

    An Zhiyuan smiled serenely, cing the peeled shrimp in her bowl, ¡°Eat up!¡±

    Suddenly, she felt an urge to cry.

 Chapter 298 - 298 298 What I Told Her

    ?Chapter 298: Chapter 298: What I Told Her   Chapter 298: Chapter 298: What I Told Her                                   Jiang Shaoqing came back after ten minutes, his expression had returned to calm, ¡°The Shang Family has already sent someone. I received a call, Shang Feng will be here with his daughter Shang Kaiwen in an hour!¡±

    Bai Xiao put down her bowl, and An Zhiyuan handed her a handkerchief, which she gently epted and gracefully wiped her mouth with unhurried elegance. They¡¯reing!

    ¡°That¡¯s quite fast!¡±

    Jiang Shaoqing snorted, ¡°Their only child has gotten into trouble, of course, they would rush over. The Shang Family has only this one precious child; otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have spoiled her to the point ofwlessness. Shang Feng is no simple character, and Shang Kaiwen is even more formidable. Don¡¯t be fooled by the fact that she¡¯s the same age as you; her intelligence and wisdom are likely beyond the reach of many. If she weren¡¯t a girl, I doubt Shang Kaijie would have much to do with anything. Many of the Shang Family¡¯s major decisions are influenced by Shang Kaiwen.¡± Knowing the enemy as well as oneself is the key to winning without battle.

    Jiang Shaoqing didn¡¯t know when he had begun to serve as Bai Xiao¡¯s omniscient adviser, probably since the time this girl demanded that he align with her decisive and ruthless requests. Although he didn¡¯t know what she would do, he had shared with her all the unthinkable consequences, which also represented a form of trust.

    You see, once he spread these words to the Shang Family, Bai Xiao would likely not have a ce to be buried, yet this girl not only trusted him but also knew how to grasp the situation and human nature very well. Having An Zhiyuan here was already a huge backing; even if he did not support Bai Xiao, he definitely would not do anything that would disadvantage An Zhiyuan! That would truly be a cause for a fallout.

    This girl must have thought things through very clearly beforehand, which is why she wanted to leave An Zhiyuan out and drag herself into this muddy water. This girl was really too cunning.

    An Zhiyuan found such a wife; how would people get along in the future? An Zhiyuan¡¯s wife would be a huge blow to many, who could marry a wife that surpasses his?

    With skills like hers, her medical skills were already renowned, and with her cunning strategies, she was registered here as well. Moreover, she looked harmless and incredibly beautiful, seemingly frail and delicate! And indeed, she was! But who would dare to underestimate her! That person would be truly blind.

    She was practically a demon.

    A lively thousand-year-old demon.

    Even more cunning and scheming than his grandfather, but if you were to say she had malicious intentions ¨C the good reputation of Doctor Bai spoke otherwise.

    The incident of the little girl Niuniu being saved in the hospital had already be a beautiful story passed around; the legendary tale of apassionate healer, the dignified demeanor of a righteous medical practitioner. To im such a person was harsh and crafty, even he found it hard to believe.

    She would rather give up her own job and face pressure to save a child that everyone else had abandoned. To say her heart wasn¡¯t benevolent or kind¡ªwho would believe that?

    Jiang Shaoqing felt truly perplexed.

    He couldn¡¯t see clearly whether this Bai Xiao in front of him was a human or a ghost.

    But was there still a chance for him to stand aside and watch the drama unfold?

    Being in the game, the moment he received that phone call! He knew this wretched girl was too bad.

    She had deliberately let him interrogate Shang Kaijie¡¯s subordinate, leading the person here indirectly informing the Shang Family that he was up against them; that he was involved in this affair. He thought about leaving, but it would not be so easy!

    Bai Xiao never gave him a chance to escape from the beginning.

    When she heard that name, her pupils constricted, and her dark eyes suddenly widened, as ck as stars in the night sky, shining bright enough to light up the heavens with their radiance.

    Finally, she was about to meet Shang Kaiwen!

    In her past life, she had been manipted by her, treating her as a sister with all her heart, only to be betrayed by this friend who hurt her the deepest. Bai Xiao knew all too well how cunning Shang Kaiwen was: as clever as a fox, she would prevent anything that could harm the Shang Family and attract anything that could strengthen it. It could be said that the Shang Family¡¯s rise to power was thanks to this once-in-a-century genius.

    This woman had imprisoned her for half her life. No, more urately, she hadn¡¯t imprisoned her; it was she herself who couldn¡¯t leave the Shang Family, couldn¡¯t leave Shang Kaiwen, groveling at her feet like a dog, acting as her pawn, just for a chance to cling to life and get the Energy Potion, ignorant of the fact that she herself could have broken free from Shang Kaiwen long ago. All she had to do was ask, and many would find the Energy Medicine for her.

    But unfortunately, she was like a fool! She gave all her credits to Shang Kaiwen, willingly acting as the pawn of the Shang Family without any rebellious intention, foolish enough for sure.

    That¡¯s why she harbored such deep hatred towards Shang Kaiwen.

    This time she wanted to see if without her, Bai Xiao, Shang Kaiwen could still receive so much support from the big shots, and whether she could still lead the Shang Family to glory.

    Heh.

    Fate had already started to spin its wheel, and they were finally going to meet.

    ¡°Before you talk, I think Shang Kaijie needs to take a nap. I don¡¯t want this guy to have any excuse to involve me in the future.¡± Bai Xiao didn¡¯t think about anything else, since it had already started, there was absolutely no way to stop it.

    Jiang Shaoqing blinked, this girl really could speak, brazenly asking him to open doors for her convenience.

    ¡°Shang Kaijie needs to sleep for a while, but not too long. I want him to be awake before your father arrives, just let him think he took a nap!¡± It was not easy to make this matterpletely unnoticed.

    The assistant agreed and immediately went to handle it.

    ¡°Doctor Bai! Why do I feel like you have a grudge against the Shang Family?¡± Jiang Shaoqing couldn¡¯t clearly define his feeling, but he was very sensitive about this.

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t hide it, ¡°Yes, there is a grudge, a big one, an irreconcble one, so I have to bring down the Shang Family.¡±

    Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s eyes twitched¡ªquite an irreconcble grudge indeed.

    What does your grudge have to do with our Jiang Family?

    ¡°Don¡¯t think it has nothing to do with you, nothing to do with the Jiang Family. This matter actually helps the Jiang Family. Don¡¯t believe me? Wait until you see Shang Feng! You can ask him how their Tianchi Coal Mine overstepped its boundaries, how the two roof copses in your Dongtan Coal Mine were rted to them.¡± Bai Xiao knew these things¡ªafter all, Jiang Shaoqing was once a person of interest to Shang Kaiwen! To find Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s weaknesses, Shang Kaiwen had thoroughly investigated him.

    It was then discovered that the Shang Family and the Jiang Family had cooperated a long time ago; however, there were problems during that cooperation, intensifying the conflict between the two families, ultimately making it irreconcble. This Dongtan Coal Mine was a major point of contention. If she wasn¡¯t mistaken, the Jiang Family was about to face a national shock due to an ident at the Dongtan Coal Mine, which would lead to the government intervention and investigation of the Jiang Family¡¯s coal industry.

    The Jiang Family hadpletely withdrawn from the coal industry, giving up on this big piece of the pie, allowing the Shang Family¡¯s rise in the coal industry, eventually reaching the top position. Otherwise, where would Shang Kaiwen get the confidence to fund her Energy Potion research?

    This time, she didn¡¯t believe that with her involvement the Shang Family could still enjoy this piece of the cake.

    Jiang Shaoqing was startled, his dark eyes coldly sweeping over Bai Xiao, ¡°How do you know so much about our family¡¯s Dongtan Coal Mine?¡± They had no intersection, aside from that one time she treated the old master; Bai Xiao had nothing to do with their family. How did she know such details about the Jiang Family?

    ¡°I told her!¡± An Zhiyuan spoke up.

    Jiang Shaoqing was frustrated, ¡°You sure are something, telling her everything!¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s my wife!¡± An Zhiyuan dered proudly.

    Jiang Shaoqing rolled his eyes, ¡°Fine, you¡¯re amazing, you have a wife, you¡¯re the boss. But why didn¡¯t you tell me about these findings? Are we still brothers or not?¡± He was not happy, not at all. How could he not be furious when someone was shameless to this extent?

    ¡°It¡¯s as if I said it if my wife said it!¡± An Zhiyuan could take shamelessness to the extreme.

    Jiang Shaoqing red, ¡°Alright, from now on you¡¯re just a whipped husband!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m happy to be! I¡¯m happy to pamper my wife. Xiaoxiao, from now on you mustn¡¯t tell him anything!¡± An Zhiyuan hinted to Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao nodded energetically! She was adorablypliant.

    This backer was truly solid!

 Chapter 299 - 299 299 Do It Well

    ?Chapter 299: Chapter 299: Do It Well   Chapter 299: Chapter 299: Do It Well                                   ¡°President Jiang, Shang Kaijie has already fallen asleep,¡± the assistant came in and interrupted them.

    Bai Xiao stood up and took out her acupuncture kit, ¡°Take me there!¡±

    The assistant nced at Jiang Shaoqing. President Jiang was the real boss here. Without his word, how could he dare to act recklessly?

    Jiang Shaoqing, evidently irritated, scolded, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what Doctor Bai said? Take Doctor Bai there!¡±

    They all knew how to get under his skin.

    The assistant quickly escorted Bai Xiao away.

    Once she had left, Jiang Shaoqing seriously asked, ¡°Ayuan, do you really trust this Bai Xiao?¡±

    This matter was of great importance: the affairs of Dongtan and Tianchi Coal Mine were something he could believe came from An Zhiyuan¡¯s intelligence. Not to mention An Zhiyuan¡¯s own capabilities! Even An Zhigao, the An family¡¯s eldest brother, was a leader in the industry, someone whose methods anyone would trust.

    But was it appropriate to disclose such critical information to Bai Xiao?

    Did An Zhiyuan truly trust Bai Xiao that deeply, so wholeheartedly?

    In his mind, in the grand scheme of a man¡¯s businesses, women yed no significant role. Women were like pampered flowers, while the real storms had to be weathered by men.

    An Zhiyuan nodded solemnly, ¡°You should know what kind of person I am! Bai Xiao is different; she¡¯s not like other girls. She isn¡¯t a greenhouse flower that needs someone else¡¯s protection. Her strength is beyond your imagination. What I can offer her, she can not only handle but also bear. Treat and trust her as you would me.¡± That was what he could do for Bai Xiao.

    He didn¡¯t want to know what had happened; matters that Bai Xiao knew about didn¡¯t concern him at all. He just knew Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t a bad person, would definitely not do bad things, just like Shang Kaijie. It was that scoundrel who had firstmitted outrageous acts and Bai Xiao had decided to punish him. Both morally and logically, Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t being unreasonable.

    He simply trusted unconditionally that Bai Xiao would not do bad deeds.

    ¡°You, Ayuan, I¡¯ve never seen you like this. In my eyes, you¡¯re the leader among us all, your personality and character are admired by everyone. That¡¯s why Wang Han has been following you around for so many years. Your personal charm and moral integrity are something we all believe in.

    I never expected that one day, my good brother would change so much for a woman. But I still need to remind you not to pamper women too much; it¡¯s very easy for them to grow a sense of entitlement, and one day you¡¯ll regret it,¡± Jiang Shaoqing spoke earnestly. His experience told him that women could be hard to satisfy, and this notion of pushing limits applied not just to women, but to everyone.

    It¡¯s human nature. He didn¡¯t want a day toe when An Zhiyuan would get hurt. Women as clever as Bai Xiao, if they were wholly devoted to An Zhiyuan, that would be one thing, but if they harbored ambitions, An Zhiyuan might be the one who suffered the most because of his actions today.

    He didn¡¯t want his brother to get hurt; Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t harm his brother either.

    An Zhiyuanughed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Bai Xiao isn¡¯t that kind of person. You don¡¯t understand her; she¡¯s perhaps the most sincere, kindest woman in the world. Initially, we got together because gossip made it difficult for her as a girl in the vige, particrly with her grandmother trying to use the opportunity to marry her off to a good-for-nothing scoundrel. I stepped in because I didn¡¯t want her to be cornered.

    But she¡¯s too rational. She cleared things up with me in private, knowing I was helping her and seriously told me that we were fake. She wouldn¡¯t parade around bearing my fianc¨¦e¡¯s name. As soon as I found someone I liked, she would immediately step aside and has always refused my affection.

    Facing her, I feel defeated, because how could I not like such a girl? The one I love hoping to stay miles away from me, that kind of unattainable desire is probably the most unique experience in my life. Now that I¡¯ve finally melted the ice wall around her heart and stepped inside, for her, I relish the opportunity. She¡¯s finally starting to respond to me; how could I not be good to her?¡± That was the voice of his heart, a devoted confession to the person he loved.

    Jiang Shaoqing was at a loss for words. He didn¡¯t have a beloved woman, so he couldn¡¯t understand this emotion. He was about to say something when Bai Xiao already pushed the door open and came in.

    ¡°Okay, if all goes well, he should fully recover once he wakes up, bouncing around energetically.¡± Bai Xiao put the acupuncture kit into her purse. What she just did was known only to herself. Her special ability could do many things. She didn¡¯t care whether she cured the patients or not; if not, there were always many other methods. Her special ability was developing new functions day by day! With its recent frequent usage, the ability had be increasingly powerful.

    Jiang Shaoqing nced at his watch, ¡°In half an hour, they will be here, so it won¡¯t be convenient for you to stay. Better to keep a low profile; I¡¯ll draw their fire by myself.¡± It wasn¡¯t that he had ulterior motives; it was just that since they hade this far and be partners, sometimes it was necessary to keep some cards hidden.

    Bai Xiao agreed. She wasn¡¯t ready to meet Shang Kaiwen just yet. What¡¯s the point if rivals meet and only she is overly emotional?

    An Zhiyuan picked up a coat and helped Bai Xiao into it, then wrapped a scarf around her, ¡°We¡¯ll be off then, call you tomorrow!¡±

    Jiang Shaoqing, watching An Zhiyuan behave like this, was so annoyed he couldn¡¯t contain it. The man was losing face, being too proactive even before Bai Xiao had said anything.

    It was too ring.

    He waved his hand with a stern face, ¡°Just go!¡± He couldn¡¯t stand it.

    Before stepping out the door, Bai Xiao turned around with a radiant smile, ¡°Jiang Shaoqing, Shang Kaijie is in our hands. Besides, the horrifying murder he attempted¡ª though unsessfully¡ª deserves somepensation from the Shang Family. Letting the Shang Family bleed a little is only fair for the price of Shang Kaijie, being the sole heir. I trust your negotiation skills, and I hope my partner is shrewd and capable.¡±

    ¡°Dr. Bai, you are certainly no businesswoman!¡± Jiang Shaoqing realized this girl definitely had the potential of a fox.

    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t prevent me from befriending businessmen.¡±

    Jiang Shaoqing snorted coldly. Bai Xiaoughed heartily as she walked out with An Zhiyuan, who put his arm around her shoulder. The two of them left the building intimately together for the first time.

    As they walked out the door, they bumped head-on into a father and daughter getting out of a car.

    The four of them brushed past each other. In that instant of brushing shoulders, Bai Xiao could clearly see the curiosity-filled gaze that Shang Kaiwen directed at her.

    This girl was still the same, always appearing innocently naive; no one could see the darkness and ruthlessness in her heart.

    An Zhiyuan opened the car door for Bai Xiao, and the two silently drove away.

    Shang Kaiwen suddenly stopped at the door, turned her head and watched their car drive away, cing her hand over her chest. Why was there this frightening sense of fear? The look in that girl¡¯s eyes was like a knife, yet what grudge did they have?

    She was sure she had never seen this girl before.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Shang Feng called out to his daughter with a deep voice.

    The two continued walking inside.

 Chapter 300 - 300 300 Threat

    ?Chapter 300: Chapter 300 Threat   Chapter 300: Chapter 300 Threat                                   Shang Feng was in a terrible mood; his son was nothing but a troublemaker. Look at what he got up to all day long.

    In Capital City he was somewhat restrained, but once he left, he was like a wild horse, and he even got on Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s bad side. Could the trouble be any bigger?

    He was the only son in the family, the only scion, and sometimes he truly wished he only had a daughter. Look at his daughter, Xiaowen, obedient and well-behaved. Whenever there were difficulties at home, it was Xiaowen who helped deal with them, while it was his son who caused trouble! They were as different as heaven and earth.

    But what could he do? The olddy, the old man, and his own wife had already fainted from crying, and the old man¡¯s heart condition had nearly red up. He had no choice but toe here immediately! He had to clean up the mess, and as a father, he couldn¡¯t even throw his weight around.

    It was infuriating, but he couldn¡¯t even speak harshly, or else the elders in the family would get upset with him. Shang Kaijie was spoiled by his own parents and wife.

    This time he had actually tried to kill someone!

    Oh God, and he was caught red-handed. If it were someone else, their family could have found someone to talk to, plead a little, and frankly, offer somepensation to settle the matter. But now he had offended the Jiang Family, who were said to be the lifesavers of the Jiangs. This was not going to be easy to handle. The Jiangs were not to be trifled with, and everyone knew that old man Jiang was famously overprotective. Shang Feng knew this time the trouble was serious.

    As he walked in, an assistant immediately came up to greet them and led them into the living room.

    Jiang Shaoqing was sitting on the sofa. Only when he saw Shang Feng did he slowly stand up.

    ¡°Uncle Shang, you¡¯ve arrived! Please have a seat!¡±

    Shang Kaiwen immediately went up to greet him warmly, ¡°Brother Jiang, it¡¯s been a long time. This time Xiaojie has caused you trouble. It¡¯s all my brother¡¯s fault. As his sister, I can only apologize to you on his behalf. I hope you can forgive his impulsiveness.¡± The shrewd woman attempted to use the rtionship between the two families to minimize the impact of the incident from the get-go.

    Shang Feng also immediately smiled and said, ¡°Indeed! Nephew, your younger brother is young and hot-headed, sometimes thoughtless in his actions. I¡¯ve told him to apologize to the doctor and guaranteed it will never happen again. I hope you can be magnanimous, after all, you¡¯re brothers who grew up together.¡± Sitting on the sofa, Shang Feng felt uneasy, facing a young kid, he couldn¡¯t understand why he would feel embarrassed.

    Jiang Shaoqing sat down as well, and the assistant immediately served tea. Jiang Shaoqing gestured with his hand, ¡°Uncle, Xiaowen, please have some tea!¡±

    Shang Feng could tell he was being ignored, which left him feeling slightly disappointed. It was well-known in the industry that Jiang Shaoqing was a tough nut to crack. This young man had learned well from his father, old Jiang, cunning as a fox.

    It seemed that today¡¯s discussion would not be easy.

    Shang Kaiwen took a sip of tea, not at all affected by Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s snub, but rather asked him, ¡°Brother Jiang, where is the doctor my brother injured? If it¡¯s convenient, I would like to apologize to her in person. We are at fault, no matter her demands! We will fulfill them, hoping we can at least try to make amends for the harm we¡¯ve caused.¡± If they couldn¡¯t get their way here with Jiang Shaoqing, they would find another way. Surely the Shang Family must know who Shang Kaijie wanted to kill; it was just a pretext for defusing the situation.

    Jiang Shaoqing raised his eyebrows, ¡°Unfortunately, she just left. Didn¡¯t you run into her?¡±

    There¡¯s no use ying tricks in front of him. They agreed on an hour, but this father and daughter duo came half an hour early. Wasn¡¯t it just to catch him off guard and leave him unprepared?

    ¡°Ah? Were those two just now Doctor Bai?¡± Shang Kaiwen had already guessed it, but she still pretended to be surprised.

    But she was genuinely astonished. That girl really looked young, at most seventeen or eighteen years old. Could she actually be a doctor?

    It seemed like he was protecting her! The man who was close to her also looked familiar, but she couldn¡¯t remember who he was. After all, she had been studying abroad for many years and was not very familiar with many people.

    ¡°Doctor Bai is the second daughter-inw of the An Family, so An Zhiyuan just took her back to rest. As you saw, it¡¯s alreadyte at night, and aside from people like me who have no choice but to stay up with you, ordinary people should be resting,¡± said Jiang Shaoqing. He didn¡¯t want to be the only one drawing fire. Since An Zhiyuan was the man in question, it was only natural to point another one to bear the brunt.

    Shang Feng almost spat out a mouthful of blood.

    How did the An Family get involved too? He really wasn¡¯t familiar with An Zhiyuan. After all, he was in business and An Zhiyuan had taken a different path. The two of them had no interaction at all. Speaking of familiarity, Shang Feng had already bought a vi and moved out of thepound! He was no longer familiar with many people there.

    ¡°Unexpected, isn¡¯t it? Doctor Bai is really no ordinary person. Then I should make even more of an effort to apologize to Doctor Bai. An Big-brother is also someone I knew as a child. I used to always follow you group of big guys around, so as your little sister, Brother Jiang, you can¡¯t just ignore me,¡± said Shang Kaiwen immediately ying the emotion card. Howe this Doctor Bai¡¯s backing seems to be getting stronger and stronger.

    ¡°This matter is really troublesome. You¡¯vee all this way, so you must be aware of the situation. Last night, someone drove a car and smashed into the restaurant, nearly killing Doctor Bai. There were more than one or two people injured that night. It¡¯s already quite a heinous act,¡± he said.

    You have to step on Shang Kaijie to death to add bargaining chips to your side.

    Shang Feng was getting impatient and interrupted Jiang Shaoqing, ¡°Shaoqing, didn¡¯t we agree that there is no dead proof in this matter? How can you be sure it was Xiaojie¡¯s doing? You can¡¯t just associate him with tonight¡¯s incident because of what happened! What if it was someone else who drove drunk unintentionally? That would be wrongfully using our Xiaojie.¡± He couldn¡¯t not protect his own. Another charge at this time would make it very hard to extricate himself.

    Jiang Shaoqing crossed his legs leisurely, took a sip of tea, and showed no sign of anger. Not admitting it, huh? Did they think he, Jiang Shaoqing, would make baseless usations?

    The more they argued, the more it proved that Shang Feng was panicking.

    The head of the Shang Family was like this, daring to covet the Jiang family¡¯s coal mine without weighing his own worth.

    ¡°There were more than just us at the scenest night! There were also Chief Li Dongliang and Chief Han Weiguo, who were among the victims. The investigation results were personallymunicated to me by Chief Li, which is why we went to all lengths to find Shang Kaijie and have him apologize. After all, things haven¡¯t reached an irreparable stage. Who knew what Shang Kaijie was thinking, but he took a dagger and his men to Doctor Bai¡¯s sister¡¯s house again, intending to kill. If we had arrived anyter, the three people in Doctor Bai¡¯s family would all have been dead ¨C two women! And one was just a child. You can think about it, if something like this had happened, what would the An Family, Li Dongliang, including our Jiang Family do?¡± Jiang Shaoqing was making a threat.

 Chapter 301 - 301 301 Massive Bleeding

    ?Chapter 301: Chapter 301 Massive Bleeding   Chapter 301: Chapter 301 Massive Bleeding                                   ¡°How could this happen?¡± Shang Feng was at a loss for words, contemting how to address the terrible trouble his son had caused.

    Li Dongliang! Alright, add in the An Family and the Jiang Family, and this reckless boy seems determined to make enemies of everyone.

    With a swift turn of her eyes, Shang Kaiwen said, ¡°Brother Jiang, since the incident has already urred, and although there has been no substantial harm done, we still feel terribly sorry. My elder brother indeed went too far, behaving impulsively like a child despite his age. This was our fault.

    We won¡¯t shirk our responsibility. However, Brother Jiang, I hope for the sake of the many years of friendship between our two families, you could give us a chance. My brother is not a bad person, just a spoiled child. We are willing to offer the greatestpensation possible. Could you possibly consider a solution?¡± At this moment, if Jiang Shaoqing stepped in, it certainly wouldn¡¯t be to send his elder brother to jail, but rather, for the sake of benefits.

    Surely, they wouldn¡¯t invoke such influential figures just to have Shang Kaijie locked up¡ªthat would really settle all ounts.

    ¡°Yes! My dear nephew, we are willing topensate,¡± Shang Feng said somewhat helplessly, by then he had obviously lost the initiative.

    ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, I won¡¯t beat around the bush! Your family member Shang Kaijie needs to be strictly controlled when he gets back. This time there were no casualties, and reconciliation is possible. But if there had indeed been a murder, if An Zhiyuan¡¯s fianc¨¦e had been killed by Shang Kaijie¡ªconsider whether the An Family would let it go! And you are well aware of our family¡¯s patriarch, the lifesaver of my grandfather. Should my grandfather express his anger, I believe the judicial department wouldn¡¯t dare to partake in any favoritism. By then, it would be toote for Shang Kaijie to repent.¡± Jiang Shaoqing wished Shang Kaijie was dead, seeing such a scumbag as nothing more than a constant threat to others¡¯ safety.

    Shang Feng quickly agreed without hesitation, his back breaking out in a cold sweat at the thought. If a life had really been taken, the consequences would be dire.

    ¡°He¡¯ll definitely be well disciplined when we get back, my dear nephew; rest assured. When I return, I¡¯ll make sure to discipline him strictly. If he doesn¡¯t listen again, I¡¯ll break his legs, to prevent him from causing trouble everywhere.¡± This was indeed the heartfelt sentiment of Shang Feng.

    ¡°Then, what about this issue? How can we get Doctor Bai to relent? We understand that this puts you in a difficult position, but Doctor Bai is the victim here. If she insists on suing Shang Kaijie, we¡¯re really at a loss.¡±

    Jiang Shaoqingughed. It wasn¡¯t that he wouldn¡¯t help Bai Xiao; it¡¯s just that she had be the Shang Family¡¯s prime target,nding on their cklist. He was curious to know what deep hatred existed between Bai Xiao and the Shang Family since her demeanor and expressions were far from joking¡ªthey conveyed genuine enmity.

    And it was deep-seated hatred at that.

    ¡°Doctor Bai is an upright person, and would probably focus on capturing the culprit, demanding severe punishment. I think¡­ that¡¯s right, Uncle Shang, I¡¯ve heard that your Tianchi Coal Mine is right next to our Dongtan Coal Mine¡ªwe¡¯re practically neighbors,¡± he changed the subject, while Jiang Shaoqing was well aware that Bai Xiao¡¯s concerns were legitimate.

    His assistant had already sent people to investigate the moment Bai Xiao brought it up. Half an hour was enough time for these superficial details to beid out before him. The old rascal had dared to tamper with things right under his nose. Had it not been for Bai Xiao¡¯s warning, and had something really gone wrong with Tianchi affecting Dongtan, it would have spelled trouble.

    He had already ordered his subordinates to conduct a rigorous risk assessment and evacuate the miners immediately, as idents in their mine were absolutely uneptable.

    If the Shang Family had engaged in such foul y, they shouldn¡¯t me him for being ruthless.

    Shang Feng was startled! He nced uneasily into the distance, brushed off by the probing question of a younger man concerning his guilty conscience. It was indeed embarrassing, could Jiang Shaoqing have discovered something?

    Impossible¡ªJiang Shaoqing hadn¡¯t noticed anything for so many years; their actions were kept secret.

    They had no choice really. Dongtan and Tianchi Coal Mines shared a vein almost perfectly, with Dongtan in the more advantageous position. If Tianchi was to ess those veins, they¡¯d have no option but to dig through from Dongtan, mining around it. So, it wasn¡¯t his fault.

    ¡°Is that so? I¡¯m not aware of this; these matters are handled by the people below me. How could I be clear about them?¡± He was adept at ying dumb.

    Jiang Shaoqing snorted, ¡°Uncle Shang, your words seem insincere. I was thinking of helping you resolve this issue, but with the way you¡¯re talking to me, you¡¯re being rather dismissive. Your Tianchi has caused two cave-ins at our Dongtan this year alone. You may be unaware of other matters, but are you also unaware of this? Surely, you¡¯d know about idents in the mine, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°My dear nephew, I¡¯ve heard there have been two idents, but I really didn¡¯t know¡­ how could that be connected to you? Our families are separated by quite a distance.¡± As soon as Shang Feng said this, even Shang Kaiwen felt the urge to p her father for basically admitting his wrongdoing.

    ¡°Since you im not to know how close the coal mines of the two families are, how could you know there would be any distance between them?¡±

    This was simply a case of contradicting oneself.

    Shang Feng also realized he had misspoken.

    The atmosphere suddenly became tense.

    ¡°Brother Jiang, my father was unaware of the situation with Tianchi, it must have been a decision made privately by the people below. After all, my father is not personally supervising the work there, and it¡¯s certain that those on the ground will act to deliver a set of numbers that looks good on paper. Sometimes, it¡¯s inevitable they¡¯ll do things behind our backs. I didn¡¯t expect it to cause such big trouble for your family¡¯s mine,¡± said Shang Kaiwen anxiously, admitting the mistake was the right thing to do.

    Shang Feng breathed a sigh of relief, knowing he couldn¡¯t admit to these issues. Bringing his daughter was to ease this awkwardness.

    ¡°Uncle Shang, let¡¯s not beat around the bush. I can help with Shang Kaijie¡¯s situation, but surely you understand it¡¯s not without conditions. First, Tianchi Coal Mine and the two small mines nearby must be transferred to us at Dongtan, the transfer fee being your purchase price. Second, I know that the plot ofnd for Bai doctor¡¯s family hotpot restaurant is in your hands, transfer thend title to Bai doctor¡¯s sister, aspensation that¡¯s not excessive,¡± he proposed.

    Shang Feng gasped, this kid was asking for a lion¡¯s share.

    The current market price of his Tianchi Coal Mine was far higher than when he had taken over, just the coal revenue alone could add several billion to his ie every year.

    Back when he bought these mines, he hadn¡¯t spent much at all ¨C altogether, it was just more than a hundred thousand yuan. Now, with a single word from Jiang Shaoqing, he had to give up this prime asset, but did he have any grounds to negotiate with Jiang Shaoqing?

    His son was still in their hands, what was he to do?

    It felt heartbreaking, yet he was forced to face this tough decision.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious, it¡¯s a big decision, and I understand it¡¯s difficult for you to part with it. How about this ¨C give it a good think, and get back to me by dusk. Otherwise, I¡¯ll have no choice but to take your precious son to the police station, along with his two subordinates who have already confessed. It seems your son might have a murder charge on his back. Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you as a nephew,¡± he threatened bluntly.

    Shang Kaiwen gritted her teeth, ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate. Agree to it.¡±

    At this moment, Shang Kaijie¡¯s life was the most important. If they lost money, they had the ability to earn it back. Knowing her brother¡¯s character, she absolutely believed that he could have murder charges against him.

    If he ended up with the public security bureau, and all these issues came to light, along with the pressure from several mountains above them, Shang Kaijie would have enough evidence against him to face a firing squad.

    By then, even if they wanted to spend money to bail him out, it would be impossible.

    Now, at least, Jiang Shaoqing was willing to give them a lifeline.

    This, in fact, relieved her, as it showed that faced with interests, Jiang Shaoqing valued profit. This meant in the future he wouldn¡¯t seek any more revenge on Shang Kaijie.

    The fact they came forward with these conditions showed they had already discussed it privately; they just wanted to bleed them dry. This made things better as it indicated that the families wouldn¡¯t dwell on the matter, as long as they epted the offeredpensation, the issue would be put to rest.

    Shang Feng had no choice but to make a tough decision! Comparing the mines to his son, what were the mines worth?

    ¡°Fine, I agree, but I need to see Shang Kaijie before signing anything,¡± Shang Feng had no other choice.

    Jiang Shaoqing stood up, ¡°I¡¯ll personally show you the way.¡±

 Chapter 302 - 302 302 Solution

    ?Chapter 302: Chapter 302: Solution   Chapter 302: Chapter 302: Solution                                   Shang Feng and Shang Kaiwen followed Jiang Shaoqing into a room. There, they saw Shang Kaijie sound asleep under a quilt,pletely unaware of the huge trouble he had caused.

    The act hemitted caused his father to lose several billion.

    Shang Feng, unable to contain his anger, pulled off the quilt and fiercely kicked Shang Kaijie.

    Shang Kaijie was instantly enraged, jumped up, and shaking his fist he yelled, ¡°Who the hell are you? Dare to kick me, I¡¯ll¡ª¡­ Dad, sis!¡±

    He hadn¡¯t expected it to be his own father and sister, but as soon as he saw them, he immediately realized that it must be because his grandparents and mother were making a fuss at home, and his dad and sister hade to rescue him first.

    With a sheepish look on his face, no matter how arrogant he was outside, summoning storms and rains, he was ultimately somewhat timid before his father.

    And his sister, who always seemed to him more like his boss whenever he was around her, had now seen him lost face so terribly and even had to drag their father and sister here. It was a bit too embarrassing for him.

    Actually, he had woken up once before and found that he could move his arms and legs. He figured it must have been from when he fell earlier, not knowing where he had hit. He had since recovered, so physically there was nothing wrong with him, and he was back to feeling lively and energetic.

    Of course, he knew that if he fell into Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s hands, he would not be killed.

    How could Jiang Shaoqing possibly deliver him to the police station? Even with the rtionship between their two families, Jiang Shaoqing wouldn¡¯t do such a thing.

    So he just covered himself with the quilt and slept soundly.

    From yesterday to today, he had desperately fled, all just to save his own face. He didn¡¯t want to be caught by Jiang Shaoqing, mainly because he feared alerting his father and sister.

    Yet in the end, his father and sister came anyway.

    ¡°Why do you think I came? How could you cause such a huge disaster? You¡¯re so capable now that you even dare to kill people. What wouldn¡¯t you dare to do?¡± Shang Feng was extremely frustrated, like iron not bing steel, wishing he could just p Shang Kaijie to death right there. This son was like a debt he was born owing.

    Shang Kaijie was always timid in the face of his father and immediately began apologizing with a smile.

    ¡°Dad, I was wrong, isn¡¯t that enough? It¡¯s all because of your woman, that dead woman. She had to oppose me. Otherwise, how could I end up so embarrassed? I only wanted to teach her a lesson.¡± He saw Jiang Shaoqing standing there and didn¡¯t dare say he wanted to kill someone, so he downyed the matter as much as possible.

    ¡°Brother Jiang! I was wrong, please forgive me. I definitely won¡¯t bother that woman anymore, okay? Between our families, you have to help me out.¡± Shang Kaijie was very aware of the situation. Only Jiang Shaoqing and his own father and sister were there, so of course, he needed to show humility. Jiang Shaoqing wouldn¡¯t ignore him.

    ¡°Uncle, as you see, he¡¯s lively and jumping. I didn¡¯ty a single finger on him, and you can ask him yourself if I touched him at all. If you have no objections, let¡¯s go out and sign the contract. After we get all the legal paperwork done, you¡¯re free to take him. The old folks at home must be missing him terrible,¡± Jiang Shaoqing calmly said, his voice a mix of a businessman¡¯s slick tone.

    Internally, he couldn¡¯t wait to get rid of Shang Kaijie. Seeing Shang Kaijie always made him feel disgusted; it was simply unbearable to continue pretending they were brothers.

    Shang Feng red fiercely at Shang Kaijie and then harshly kicked him a couple more times. A son worth billions, it was like his heart was bleeding.

    ¡°Wait here until your fatheres back to deal with you.¡±

    Fuming, Shang Kaiwen left with him.

    Shang Kaijie had no idea what was going on.

    Jiang Shaoqing quickly had all the contracts signed and the paperwork processed for the Shang father and daughter, and obtained all the deeds and notarizations he needed. pping the contract in his hands, he said, ¡°Okay, Assistant Zhang, go bring Shang Kaijie out and hand him over to his uncle. Let him take him away.¡±

    Finally, Shang Kaijie left together with Shang Feng and Shang Kaiwen.

    Watching the three Shang family members walk away, Jiang Shaoqing whistled softly.

    Impressive, in just a few hours, he had managed tond a few billion.

    All thanks to Bai Xiao. If it weren¡¯t for Bai Xiao¡¯s reminder, he might have only inquired about that piece ofnd,cking any major ambitions for Tianchi Coal Mine. But just now, he suddenly thought that if he acted all high and mighty, then discreetly backed down, the Shang Family would really worry about his next move.

    By then, it would truly be difficult to exin. Opening his mouth wide as a lion turned out to be a blessing, as the Shang Family would definitely not think he held any grudge.

    The rest is up to you, Bai Xiao.

    ¡°Send someone with this deed to Bai Xiao,¡± Jiang Shaoqing ordered his assistant, ¡°tell her I said this is her deservedpensation, after all, it was exchanged with her life. I just conveniently did her a big favor, so tell her not to be too grateful.¡±

    The assistant took the deed and left.

    Jiang Shaoqing sighed in relief; overnight, he had flipped several billion, maybe even more.

    It seemed there was no psychological burden in engaging in such murderous business.

    Had Bai Xiao corrupted him?

    He would have to keep his distance from this woman in the future.

    Upon returning to her dorm, Bai Xiao napped for a while. When it was time for work, she didn¡¯t n to request a leave; after all, staying up all night wouldn¡¯t kill anyone. She could just go straight to bed after work today and catch up on all her sleep.

    Sitting in the office, she was still slightly distracted, wondering how An Zhiyuan was. He was different from her! He had to train every day and had so much work, unlike her who just sat in the office.

    She thought about calling him, but ultimately decided against it as it wasn¡¯t a suitable time.

    She saw one patient! Administered an injection, which was for a patient with a backache! As soon as the needle went in, the patient immediately straightened his back and thanked her continuously. This was an old cadre, suffering from chronic back and leg pain for many years.

    After seeing the patient off, she found an extra person in her office.

    ¡°Doctor Bai! This was sent by our Director Jiang. This is the deed aspensation from the Shang family, our Director Jiang said there¡¯s no need for your gratitude. Everything has been taken care of,¡± the assistant now showed utmost respect to Bai Xiao, it appeared her rtionship with Director Jiang was special.

    Bai Xiao took the kraft paper bag, ¡°Thank you foring out in such heavy snow. Go tell Director Jiang, thank you. Just tell him, as long as he does as I instructed, nothing will go wrong.¡±

    The assistant almost stuck out her tongue, this one really dared to speak her mind.

    She nodded, agreed, and then turned to leave.

    Bai Xiao finally opened the paper bag and took out the contents inside, and then she smiled.

    Jiang Shaoqing really was a businessman and a righteous one at that.

    She hadn¡¯t thought about gaining any personal benefit from this matter, but Jiang Shaoqing had indeed thought of everything.

    Could this be considered a sharing of benefits?

    Joking, at most, she merely sipped the broth while others ate the meat.

    But having this deed wasn¡¯t bad; her eldest sister and brother-inw¡¯s business would growrger, and this piece ofnd, once she knocked it down and rebuilt, definitely had developmental potential.

 Chapter 303 - 303 303 Too Similar

    ?Chapter 303: Chapter 303 Too Simr   Chapter 303: Chapter 303 Too Simr                                   Bai Xiao ced the kraft paper bag into the drawer of the office desk.

    Someone knocked on the door.

    ¡°Come in!¡±

    ncing at his watch, there was still an hour left.

    The person who walked in, however, surprised Bai Xiao.

    Shang Feng, along with Shang Kaijie and Shang Kaiwen, entered together. The three of them were quite a sight, a family of three with two of them boasting good looks. However, just thinking about what Shang Kaijie had done was enough to make one feel nauseated.

    ¡°Doctor Bai! Hello! Shang Kaijie has caused you great trouble, so I specifically brought him here to offer a formal apology. It was all a misunderstanding. The child was initially just trying to scare you! We never anticipated it would lead to such a misunderstanding. Xiaojie,e and apologize this instant.¡± Shang Feng red at Shang Kaijie discontentedly.

    Shang Kaijie, reluctantly and dragging his feet, approached without even giving Bai Xiao a nce, his eyes nearly rolling to the top of his head, ¡°Sorry, I was wrong¡­¡± The drawn-out tone indicated his strong dissatisfaction.

    Shang Kaiwen quickly stepped forward, ¡°Doctor Bai, I¡¯m truly sorry. My brother has been spoiled by our family. His attitude might be poor, but after being reprimanded by my father and me, he truly realizes his mistake. That¡¯s why we¡¯vee specifically to apologize to you. As for the loss we¡¯ve caused your family, we are ready to offer sincerepensation. This is a small token, please be sure to ept it.¡± She held out a paper bag, gently cing it on Bai Xiao¡¯s office desk, and pushed it forward.

    Bai Xiao smiled pleasantly, ¡°What are you doing? If my colleagues and superiors were to pass by, they could easily mistake this for epting benefits from patients. Are you trying to make me lose my job too?¡± Of course the Shang Family wouldn¡¯t be that foolish, but he couldn¡¯t discount the possibility.

    Shang Feng¡¯s expression turned somewhat sour. He had been persuaded by his daughter Shang Kaiwen. After all, behind Doctor Bai was An Zhiyuan. Although they did not understand An Zhiyuan, the An Family was certainly familiar to them, and how could they not know An Cheng? Considering this, they couldn¡¯t truly afford to offend this woman.

    They had already lost a coal mine; if they failed to establish a good rtionship now, even the slightest hup could be enough to cause them trouble.

    That was the reason he hade, but he had not expected Bai Xiao to be so oblivious.

    His attitude turned cold as he observed Bai Xiao carefully and suddenly felt a jolt in his heart.

    This girl looked too much like someone¡­

    Could it be¡­?

    Shang Feng¡¯s heart sank. That person had died many years ago, he had inquired at the time, and it seemed she had died in a vige during the down to the countryside movement.

    ¡°Doctor Bai looks quite young and doesn¡¯t have the local ent, may I ask where you are from, and how old are you this year?¡±

    Unable to help himself, Shang Feng still asked.

    Bai Xiao raised his eyes to nce at Shang Feng. She had not met him in her previous life, probably because there had been no opportunity. Now that she had met him, she felt no fondness.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but if the three of you aren¡¯t here for medical treatment, please leave. There are patients waiting.¡± Bai Xiao had no intention of dealing with the Shang Family. If she had to watch Shang Kaiwen¡¯s face pretending to be so warm and friendly to her, as if they were long-lost friends, she could deceive many with such amiable and humble demeanor. She did not want to engage in insincere ttery with these people in this life, but it wasn¡¯t suitable to have an outright confrontation either, so the best solution was to avoid them altogether.

    Shang Feng, feeling embarrassed, nced at the patients outside; indeed, they were taking up someone else¡¯s time. ¡°Doctor Bai! Do you think we could have lunch together at noon?¡± This suggestion made Shang Kaiwen herself surprised; her father, a man who judged people by their status, actually showed regard for Bai Xiao, and that was certainly different.

    What¡¯s the inside story?

    Bai Xiao shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t sleep at allst night, I need to catch up on sleep at noon, so I apologize.¡± She declined politely but firmly, refusing toply with Shang Feng¡¯s request.

    ¡°Then¡­ what about tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°Dad, our flight is tonight!¡± Shang Kaijie couldn¡¯t help but speak out, did his father have feelings for this Bai Xiao?

    He couldn¡¯t possibly do such a thing in front of his own son, could he?

    Shang Kaijie wished death upon Bai Xiao, if it wasn¡¯t for his father and sister needing him there, he wouldn¡¯t havee.

    He had made up his mind, now that An Zhiyuan and Jiang Shaoqing were both protecting this woman, he couldn¡¯t afford to give anyone a handle against him, but he¡¯d have his chance one day. Bai Xiao had to die¡ªthis time, she had humiliated him so, subjected him to such an insult. Bai Xiao must die.

    Shang Feng finally understood and let out an ¡°oh,¡± sounding a bit embarrassed.

    Shang Kaiwen, however, tried to get closer to Bai Xiao, ¡°Then, Dr. Bai! It¡¯d be great if we could all have dinner together tonight as an apology.¡±

    Bai Xiao shook her head, handing the paper bag back to Shang Kaiwen, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I have to work!¡±

    With her words so direct, the Shang Family had nothing more to say, and the three of them could only leave. Shang Feng seemed hesitant to speak, and Shang Kaiwen leaned in to quietly ask Shang Feng, ¡°Dad, what¡¯s going on? Does Dr. Bai have an issue?¡± Her sensitivity was innate, and she had a sharp intuition about everything; she felt that there was something unusual about Dr. Bai. Although Bai Xiao had hidden it, that was a kind of hostility towards them. How could it bepletely concealed?

    She understood¡ªafter all, Shang Kaijie almost killed someone¡¯s entire family; it would be wrong not to resent them. But it was strange how Dr. Bai rejected their friendly gestures without any hesitation.

    Being An Zhiyuan¡¯s fianc¨¦e, how could she be unaware of their rtionship with these people?

    Plus, her father¡¯s attitude was also off. She was not like Shang Kaijie, she would never foolishly think that Shang Feng was interested in this woman because of attraction. Her father was no fool; Dr. Bai was An Zhiyuan¡¯s fianc¨¦e. Under this premise, who would dare to touch Bai Xiao! That would be asking for a fight to the death with An Zhiyuan.

    That would be insane.

    Shang Feng didn¡¯t hide anything from Shang Kaiwen; this daughter was different from the others. She had grand ambitions, didn¡¯t care about trivial matters, and focused on the bigger picture. This daughter was also his most beloved! It was because she was different, and in her, he saw the future hope of the Shang Family.

    As for matters of the heart, his daughter wouldn¡¯t care, and she certainly wouldn¡¯t make a big deal out of it.

    ¡°I¡¯ve told you about the time your grandfather was sent down to the countryside, and he got involved with a woman. She became pregnant, but I returned to the city and then I chose your mother and never went back. Later, I heard that woman died but left behind a child.¡± Shang Feng struggled to tell the story, after all, it wasn¡¯t something to be proud of.

    A man who had done what Chen Shimei had done would absolutely not want to bring it up again.

    Shang Kaiwen nced at Dr. Bai¡¯s clinic, her eyes filled with profound meanings.

    ¡°Could it be that you¡¯re suggesting Dr. Bai¡­?¡±

    ¡°She looks exactly like that woman, and there are few people in the world who resemble each other so closely. Besides, she seems quite young, which seems to fit the timeline. I¡¯m somewhat afraid!¡± Shang Feng wasn¡¯t afraid of Bai Xiao herself, but was afraid that if Bai Xiao¡¯s background truly rted to him, how he would exin it to his wife at home, that would blow things up.

    Shang Kaiwen said with a smile, ¡°If that¡¯s really the case, wouldn¡¯t it be quite good?¡±

 Chapter 304 - 304 304 Old Acquaintance

    ?Chapter 304: Chapter 304 Old Acquaintance   Chapter 304: Chapter 304 Old Acquaintance                                   Bai Xiao finally got off work and stretched leisurely, the day hadn¡¯t been busy at all! Although the heavy snow outside had stopped, the roads were tough to navigate. Every unit had mobilized their departments to voluntarily sweep and clear the roads, and their hospital had been no exception¡ªit would be their Traditional Chinese Medicine department¡¯s turn to shovel snow in the afternoon.

    It was a response to the government¡¯s call to action, something that, as a citizen, one should do.

    There really wouldn¡¯t be time for a nap after lunch.

    Bai Xiao took off her white coat, put on her overcoat, stuffed her hands in her pockets, and wandered outside to look for Xiaoli. They usually had meals together.

    But upon stepping out, she saw Shang Kaiwen and Shang Feng sitting on the waiting chairs outside the clinic, with Shang Kaijie nowhere to be seen. The pair stood up and greeted her with smiles that seemed harmless to humans and animals alike.

    This smile¡ªBai Xiao didn¡¯t understand. What was the Shang Family up to?

    Did they really think she was easy to bully?

    Ignoring them, Bai Xiao turned and went downstairs to the cafeteria, served herself food¡ªtoday there wasmb and radish soup, as well as sour cabbage vermicelli, and a portion of rice. Bai Xiao¡¯s appetite had decreased significantly these days.

    She sat down with her meal, and just as she put the first mouthful of rice in, two people sat down opposite her, holding their own meal trays.

    Bai Xiao rolled her eyes! Was this the kind of desperate clinging she was up against?

    ¡°Doctor Bai, what a coincidence!¡± Shang Kaiwen said without a trace of blushing or skipping a heartbeat.

    ¡°A coincidence? What do you two want by blocking me? I don¡¯t think I have much to say to you!¡±

    It seemed she wouldn¡¯t be able to enjoy her meal after all.

    Shang Kaiwen, in her entire life, had not recognized Bai Xiao, nor had she realized the special ability Bai Xiao possessed. So, what was Shang Kaiwen pestering her for?

    Bai Xiao was truly fed up with handling Shang Kaiwen. She could smile and greet anyone else, but sadly, she just couldn¡¯t bring herself to do the same for Shang Kaiwen.

    Shang Feng looked at Bai Xiao with a certain eagerness, his gaze twinkling. This expression immediately put Bai Xiao on alert. Shang Kaiwen had once looked at her with the same zeal in a past life! She mistook it for admiration until sheter realized it was nothing but covetousness.

    Shang Feng was now looking at her the same way, and the expression on both father and daughter¡¯s faces was eerily simr; she couldn¡¯t fail to notice even if she wanted to.

    Bai Xiao prepared to leave.

    ¡°Doctor Bai, you remind me of someone I used to know. I didn¡¯t stay to do anything to you; I just want to ask about your background, to see if you might be the child of an old acquaintance of mine,¡± Shang Feng finally spoke up.

    Shang Kaiwen had already analyzed it! If Bai Xiao was one of their family, Shang Feng¡¯s daughter, there would only be benefits and no harm whatsoever for the Shang Family. If she was indeed Shang Feng¡¯s biological daughter, it would mean wiping the te clean of all grievances between Bai Xiao and the Shang Family! The resources Bai Xiao possessed could help pave an even smoother path for the Shang Family.

    The An Family, Jiang Family¡ªa connection to either would ensure their smooth sailing to the top.

    What did the Shang Familyck now? It was the protection of power. Although the older generation of the Shang Family were also revolutionaries, the tumultuous times had hindered them. Moreover,pared to the Jiang Family and the An Family, the Shang Family was no match. So, after the old guard retired, they practically left no quality resources for their descendants. Currently, the Shang Family was only managing modest ventures precisely because theycked confidence.

    Better than some, but not as good as others.

    ¡°An old acquaintance?¡± Bai Xiao¡¯s heart skipped a beat.

    Could there really be such a coincidence in the world?

    Surely not this type of melodramatic twist; if Shang Kaiwen, who made Bai Xiao¡¯s previous life so unbearable, was rted to her, then looking at Shang Kaiwen would be truly frightening. Perhaps the targeting she faced from the beginning was all part of a conspiracy.

    A conspiracy she had no idea about.

    ¡°Yes! One of my friends who was sent to the vige forbor reform was named Yu Shaoya, and you look so much like her.¡±

    Shang Feng was somewhat excited, his look at Bai Xiao growing increasingly benevolent.

    ¡°Yu Shaoya?¡± Bai Xiao kept herposure. This name was indeed connected to her past¡ªit was her mother¡¯s. But who was Shang Feng?

    ¡°Yes, Doctor Bai, you¡¯re from another province, from Liupan Vige, and I apologize for investigating your background. It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve been somewhat too anxious. If this has angered you, I can apologize to you. The vige we were sent to work in was near Liupan Vige; did your parents ever mention that you were adopted?¡± Shang Feng approached the topic cautiously, not because he was overly eager for this child, but as Shang Kaiwen had mentioned, they were in need of help.

    Bai Xiao might be that help.

    Bai Xiao shook her head, ¡°My parents have passed away, and they never told me that I was adopted. So I¡¯m sorry, but you¡¯ve got the wrong person.¡± She had long known that her birth mother was Yu Shaoya; nothing else mattered. She remembered her sister mentioning that Yu Shaoya had been abandoned by a heartless man, and after returning to the city alone, she was left to live by herself in the countryside. In that era, for a woman to be unmarried and pregnant was almost tantamount to a death sentence.

    She must have endured so many cold stares and ridicule, only to give birth to her and then die ofplications during childbirth. Such a woman was truly pitiable.

    She could conduct her own investigation. With An Zhiyuan and Jiang Shaoqing to help her, she could find out if Yu Shaoya really was her birth mother. Nothing else was important.

    Whether Shang Feng was the Chen Shimei she thought he was, no longer mattered. She had no intention of recognizing her ancestors and returning to her roots.

    Moreover, she and the Shang Family were truly enemies now, a grudge that had begun in a past life, and nothing could change her resolve for revenge.

    Not even a possible blood rtion could soften her heart against such a scoundrel and her enemies. The good and kindness in her heart were reserved for others, certainly not Shang Kaiwen and Shang Kaijie.

    Shang Feng, disappointed, asked again, ¡°Are you sure your parents never told you?¡± There can¡¯t be that many coincidences of people looking so simr, especially in the same region. The odds are just too improbable.

    Shang Feng could not believe that Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t his child.

    Bai Xiao answered firmly, ¡°Of course not. Even in their final moments, my parents were concerned about having my three brothers and sisters take good care of me. Over the years, my siblings have suffered so much hardship for me. Do you think, if I were unrted by blood, they would do that?¡±

    In her heart, she silently answered, yes!

    In the world, there are siblings without blood ties who are as close as if they were rted, warming her heart for many years.

    Shang Feng¡¯s inner answer was no!

    Since he himself could not unconditionally treat someone unrted by blood as family, naturally he believed others couldn¡¯t either. People do tend to measure others by their own standards.

    ¡°Perhaps I have mistaken the person!¡± Shang Feng finally conceded.

    Bai Xiao stood up, ¡°Well then! I should be going back. Enjoy your meal!¡±

    Shang Kaiwen stood up to say goodbye to Bai Xiao.

    No matter the situation, Shang Kaiwen always carried herself with impable politeness and grace, never showing the slightest w.

    This was the ultimate disguise.

    Bai Xiao left coldly.

    But, unfortunately, things don¡¯t always go as one wishes.

    ¡°Doctor Bai! Have you finished eating? I thought you were still eating and wanted to sit with you for a while!¡± Dean Zhang suddenly appeared.

    ¡°Zhang Moru!¡±

    Shang Feng greeted with surprise and delight.

    Dean Zhang nced at Shang Feng, from initial confusion to slowly dredging up a memory of an old acquaintance, finally realization dawning in his eyes, ¡°You are Shang Feng!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s me! I didn¡¯t expect to find you here. Do you work at this hospital?¡± Shang Feng was somewhat surprised, after all, they were old ssmates.

    ¡°Dean Zhang, I¡¯ll take my leave now and won¡¯t disturb your reunion,¡± Bai Xiao quickly bid farewell, her mind in turmoil. Dean Zhang actually knew Shang Feng; could he possibly also know Yu Shaoya?

    Perhaps she would find an opportunity to breakthrough from Dean Zhang in the future.

    ¡°Alright!¡± Dean Zhang was somewhat excited to see an old ssmate.

 Chapter 305 - 305 305 Reminiscing

    ?Chapter 305: Chapter 305: Reminiscing   Chapter 305: Chapter 305: Reminiscing                                   Shang Feng watched Bai Xiao leave, his gaze flickering, she was so alike!

    Even the aloof air when she turned around was identical, every expression and gesture were exactly the same.

    Dean Zhang saw Shang Feng¡¯s expression and sighed, ¡°You think this kid looks familiar too, don¡¯t you?¡±

    She took a nce at Shang Kaiwen.

    Shang Feng hurriedly introduced, ¡°This is my daughter, Shang Kaiwen, Kaiwen, say hello to Auntie Zhang, she¡¯s an old schoolmate of your dad¡¯s. We were at the same school. I was four grades above your Auntie Zhang.¡±

    Shang Kaiwen quickly greeted her, her demeanor warm and polite.

    ¡°Auntie Zhang, hello!¡±

    ¡°Good, good! Such a pretty child, and so polite. Your daughter¡¯s not young anymore, how old are you, child?¡± Dean Zhang found the young girl adorable; such quiet children were rare these days.

    Nowadays, every young girl could be considered a wild one.

    ¡°Auntie Zhang! I¡¯m eighteen!¡±

    Dean Zhang looked shocked, quickly ncing at Shang Feng, that age?

    Shang Feng couldn¡¯t fail to understand what Dean Zhang¡¯s look meant and hurriedly exined, ¡°You didn¡¯t know, by that time Xiaoya and I had already broken up. I know she was your best friend, but at that time, she had feelings for someone else. I could only wish them happiness. Let¡¯s not talk about it! It¡¯s pointless to bring it up; let¡¯s just say it was my fault,¡± anyway, Yu Shaoya was already dead, and there was no one to contradict his words.

    The dead cannot jump out to exin.

    ¡°How could that be? Xiaoya back then was so¡­ How could she possibly?¡± Dean Zhang felt somewhat incredulous. Which young girl two grades below her would be someone so fickle in love? After all, at that time Xiaoya would dare to do anything for Shang Feng. How could a girl so crazy in love change her heart?

    Could people¡¯s hearts really change so easily?

    ¡°Let¡¯s stop there, the more we talk, the more we cry. I heard that child call you Dean Zhang. Are you now the dean of the hospital? You¡¯re doing well, still following your favorite profession. I, on the other hand, returned all I learned to my teachers and ended up going into business to be a merchant reeking of money. Disappointed, aren¡¯t you?¡± Shang Feng hadn¡¯t expected his old schoolmate to be a dean.

    He immediately wanted to maintain this connection, after all, who knows if he might need her help one day.

    Dean Zhang shook her head, ¡°What are you saying? The country has reformed and opened up. What¡¯s this about a money stench? Business is an industry encouraged by the state, all for contributing to the nation. What¡¯s there to be disappointed about?¡± She was always generous with others.

    Shang Feng took another look at Dean Zhang, ¡°Old schoolmate, I don¡¯t want to hide or hoard, that doctor Bai who just left, why do I find her so much like Xiaoya?¡±

    Dean Zhang sighed, ¡°Yes, I also feel this child looks a lot like Xiaoya, but the girl has parents, siblings; how could she be rted to Xiaoya?¡± Bai Xiao brought up her deep longing for her best friend.

    ¡°It¡¯s such a pity. I remember Xiaoya seemed to have gone to a vige near Bai Xiao¡¯s hometown for ruralbor. Do you think it¡¯s possible?¡± Shang Feng was still hopeful.

    Dean Zhang was startled, ¡°Is that so? I only knew Xiaoya was sent to that province, it seemed to be somewhere around there, but I had no idea it was so close to where Doctor Bai is from? Could it really be?¡± She couldn¡¯t help being excited.

    ¡°If it really is Xiaoya¡¯s child, that would be wonderful. Xiaoya has been gone for so many years, if there were a descendant, at least there would be someone thinking of her, sparing her loneliness, not leaving her unremembered in this world.¡± Dean Zhang was emotional.

    ¡°With the situation back then, you know how Xiaoya broke with her family over you, which angered the old man enough to be hospitalized, followed by her reassignment to the countryside, cutting off all contact with her family. Over the years, no one from the Yu Family has shown up; no one might remember her!¡± Dean Zhangmented the loss of such a beautiful and elegant woman; she feared she might be the only one left in the world who remembered her.

    Shang Feng¡¯s eyes twinkled, ¡°After the Yu Family was exonerated, they didn¡¯t return to Capital City?¡± Back in the day, the Yu Family also had their glorious moments, but during the movement, it was hard to distinguish right from wrong. Many people struggled to protect themselves. He chose his own wife at that time because it seemed like the better option¡ªwhy wouldn¡¯t anyone cling to that?

    At that time, even close blood rtions like parents and their children could sever ties and disown each other, let alone their kind of rtionship. But not hearing anything about the Yu Family for so many years really was strange.

    He had even worried for a while that the Yu Family might seek revenge against him, given the heavy price Yu Shaoya had paid for him; it was immense. The Yu Family must have thought he was with Yu Shaoya¡ªwhy wouldn¡¯t they seek justice for her?

    But there had been no movement from the Yu Family, which was really odd, especially since no one from the Yu Family had been seen in thepound anymore. Even if something had happened to the old man of the Yu Family, it couldn¡¯t be that all the sons had met with misfortune as well¡ªcould they all have been wiped out at once?

    That was virtually impossible.

    So, perplexed, he inquired cautiously.

    Dean Zhang shook his head, ¡°I also haven¡¯t seen anyone from the Yu Family since then, but I did hear from a friend that after their exoneration, Old Master Yu wasn¡¯t in good health and didn¡¯t want to return to Capital City. The sons of the Yu Family decided to stay locally to apany their father, so that¡¯s probably why we haven¡¯t seen anyone from the Yu Family. However, exactly where they are, I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    Shang Feng immediately breathed a sigh of relief, his heart settling down.

    In that case, it truly was for the best. The Yu Family¡¯s departure from the circle was, after all, not a bad thing for him.

    ¡°Dean Zhang, I¡¯m really happy to meet you this time, and I hope we, as old ssmates, stay in touch more often. Here¡¯s my phone number.¡± Shang Feng certainly wouldn¡¯t pass up such an opportunity¡ªfor connections could lead to more pathways.

    Dean Zhang smiled and took the business card from Shang Feng, then handed over his own as well.

    ¡°Alright, old ssmate, I¡¯m genuinely pleased to see you today.¡±

    ¡°If there¡¯s any concern here with Doctor Bai, I hope you could let me know! After all, it concerns Xiaoya, and I¡¯m still quite invested,¡± Shang Feng knew what he wanted.

    Dean Zhang nodded; she was also nning to investigate thoroughly when she got back to see if there was any connection between Bai Xiao and Xiaoya. The two looked strikingly simr and came from almost the same ce¡ªit would be natural for anyone to draw a link. In that era, it was not umon for one¡¯s own children to be given to vigers to raise.

    Who knew if the child born that year, after Xiaoya¡¯s disappearance, was this very child.

    ¡°I understand; I¡¯ll inform you when I have some leads on my investigation. Thank you for still being so concerned!¡± She was starting to see Shang Feng in a different light. Initially, she hadn¡¯t been optimistic about his rtionship with Xiaoya, but seeing how she had treated him, and he still remained so devoted¡ªit was impressive.

    A truly rare, good man indeed.

    Shang Kaiwen and Shang Feng bid farewell and left the hospital together, the father and daughter getting into the car that waited outside.

    ¡°Dad, are we just going to leave it at that?¡± Shang Kaiwen felt it was a pity.

    To let go of such a great opportunity felt regrettable.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll have someone look into it when we get back. If she¡¯s my daughter, isn¡¯t it only right that she returns to our family? I understand your concerns, and our thoughts are the same. You go back and talk to your mom. You know her temper¡ªI¡¯m afraid she won¡¯t take it well, may be petty, and do something that could disrupt our ns,¡± Shang Feng had the best rapport with his daughter because Shang Kaiwen had an understanding of the bigger picture.

    Shang Kaiwen nodded, ¡°Rest assured, I¡¯ll speak to Mom about these matters.¡±

    For the greater good and glory of the Shang Family, everyone had to make concessions for the family¡¯s interest.

    Even her own mother was no exception.

 Chapter 306 - 306 306 The Necessity of Reform

    ?Chapter 306: Chapter 306 The Necessity of Reform   Chapter 306: Chapter 306 The Necessity of Reform                                   Bai Xiao returned to the office with a mind unsettled, finding the developments of many matters to be beyond her expectations. The probing by Shang Feng, she was convinced, carried hidden meanings¡ªwhat nonsense about an old friend, with that fervent gaze, who would believe it?

    Go deceive the ghosts!

    She hadn¡¯t anticipated such a twist.

    She could almost be certain that Shang Feng was the despicable brother, Chen Shimei; she really hadn¡¯t seen thating.

    Shang Kaiwen could be her half-sister from the same father, and Shang Kaijie could be her half-brother. Was what she was doing now akin to fratricide?

    Ha-ha!

    Yet, she didn¡¯t feel the slightest guilt or unease about it. She finally understood why Shang Kaiwen had treated her that way in her previous life and why Shang Kaijie had been so cruel to her, often seeming to loathe her to the extreme.

    Although Shang Kaiwen had never spoken ill or hurt her, the way she treated her was different from how genuine friends behave. It was something she could not fathom! Why would the best of friends, benefactors, who had supported each other through so many hardships, end up in a love-hate sh.

    Now she understood the reason.

    No wonder Shang Kaiwen had looked at her with that love-hate gaze countless times; no wonder the mother of Shang Kaiwen she had seen had been so rude to her, even treating her unreasonably. In fact, they had always known the truth. They had never considered her family at that time, so they must have been afraid that she would discover the real cause of her mother¡¯s death and seek revenge for her own mother, right?

    Then, who would care about being half-siblings? What she wanted was a blood debt repaid with blood. The only people in the world who were closest to her were her eldest brother, eldest sister, and second sister; as for everyone else, let them go to hell.

    In her past life, she had been a wrongful ghost without rity! This time, she didn¡¯t care about these matters; her kindness was not spared for such people to use.

    This time, she was the one who was aware, not knowing what the Shang Family nned to concoct using her.

    Bai Xiao was busy all afternoon, shoveling snow at the hospital entrance, which was nearly a feat of physicalbor. She worked up a sweat, feeling her back drenched. She couldn¡¯t take off her coat, so she unzipped it to feel morefortable, and it was not until nearly five o¡¯clock, when the workday was about to end, that they ceased theirbor, leaving the space in front of the hospital clean.

    Without going to the cafeteria for dinner, Bai Xiao decided to check on the hot pot restaurant; consideringst night¡¯s incident, her sisters, especially the mistress, were probably scared stiff. It was only right to see how they were doing.

    She didn¡¯t feel the chill until she was on the bus; the weather was indeed cold.

    Upon arriving at the hot pot restaurant¡ª

    From a distance, she saw that it was still brightly lit; entering, it was bustling with people and packed full, with some even queuing up on stools at the entrance.

    Bai Xiao saw Bai Yue with a smile beaming from ear to ear and felt relieved. She had worried that her eldest sister had been frightened.

    Now, it seemed like her eldest sister was stronger than she had imagined.

    ¡°Xiao, you¡¯re here! Come in and sit at the bar! Have you eaten? If not, I¡¯ll get you something to eat,¡± Bai Yue said, busy as ever, taking bottles of alcohol from the bar and serving them table by table.

    The waitstaff was clearly overwhelmed, each one busier than the next.

    Bai Xiao shook her head and took off her coat! The temperature in the room was definitely several degrees higher now. She found an apron to tie on, ¡°Big sister, what do you need? I can help!¡±

    She was family, there was no need to stand on ceremony.

    Bai Yue wasn¡¯t shy either, why should she be formal with her own sister?

    ¡°The kitchen can¡¯t keep up with the orders, take a look at what¡¯s happening!¡±

    Bai Xiao entered the kitchen and saw Li Haiping and an assistant both scurrying about nonstop, one cutting meat, the other washing vegetables.

    She sighed. It seemed there was still ack of experience. These tasks ideally should have been prepared in advance. It was already toote to catch up; at least the vegetables should have been washed before the meal service began. When it was time to serve the dishes, they could have been ted directly. Washing them now, not only was cleanliness an issue, but the speed was insufficient too.

    She grabbed the menu and started ting, frozen tofu, ss noodles, meatballs, potatoes, and other items¡ªnone of these posed a problem for her. Her participation immediately relieved a great deal of kitchen pressure, significantly speeding up the dish output.

    Li Haiping and the assistant could finally catch their breath.

    ¡°Auntie, you came just in time; we were about to copse. Sometimes, I doubt myself for not being able to think of a good solution that would let us get all the dishes out at once,¡± Li Haipingmented, feeling that there must be such a method, but it eluded him.

    As Bai Xiao cut vegetables, she offered advice, ¡°Tomorrow you should reform some of these processes in the kitchen. For instance, these meat rolls, you can cut them ahead of time, te them, and freeze them in the freezer. That way when you need them, you can just take them out and serve.¡±

    ¡°But thosemb rolls and beef rolls will get deformed if they¡¯re pressed. They won¡¯t look good,¡± Li Haiping had also thought of this before.

    ¡°Are you silly? Just freeze oneyer, then add another on top, that way they won¡¯t get squashed. Haiping, you have to use your brain more when working, think of solutions. Otherwise, if business is this good every day, you¡¯ll work yourself to death!¡±

    Li Haiping scratched his head, feeling embarrassed, ¡°Auntie, howe I never thought of that?¡±

    ¡°Also, these vegetables should be washed before you start to open for business. Tell your mom to get somerge stic basins. After washing the veggies, let them drain and sort them out. Like these frozen tofu pieces, and the potatoes, cut them in advance, soak them in water. That way, when it¡¯s time to serve, you just need to te them, saving a lot of effort. Potatoes don¡¯t keep well, but submerged in water, they won¡¯t turn ck.

    And another thing that needs reforming: the condiments should be self-service! That includes sesame paste, garlic chive sauce, fermented bean curd, and so on; set them outside for customers to help themselves. First, customers feel like they¡¯re getting a good deal, which makes them feel their meal is worth it. Second, it saves onbor costs, and you won¡¯t need an extra step in the process.¡± Bai Xiao introduced many sessful experiences from the future that could help free up their hands and bodies in advance.

    Such busyness would otherwise be the death of the two of them.

    ¡°But won¡¯t that lead to people wasting food?¡± Li Haiping couldn¡¯t understand. If he knew he could eat as much as he wanted, wouldn¡¯t he eat a lot, even if he couldn¡¯t finish it?

    ¡°No worries. People mainlye for the hot pot. Who is going to drink three bowls of sesame sauce? That would be crazy! Even if there are such people, I believe they¡¯re few and far between. Most groupse to eat hot pot with friends, no one wants to make a fool of themselves in front of others.¡± It was all about mindset.

    Li Haiping nodded, half understanding, half not. He just knew that his auntie understood better.

    Everything Auntie said was definitely right.

    Finally, the day¡¯s business came to an end.

    Everyone was exhausted.

 Chapter 307 - 307 307 Full of Hope

    ?Chapter 307: Chapter 307: Full of Hope   Chapter 307: Chapter 307: Full of Hope                                   Bai Yue and Wang Yan were washing dishes, and the young worker was already so tired he had copsed.

    These past few days had been busier than anyone could have anticipated, so all the inexperienced staff were finding it tough, and there weren¡¯t enough hands; that¡¯s how everyone ended up doing the work of three or four people.

    Bai Xiao cradled a bowl of dough drop soup, savoring each bite. Having finished the rush, she had lit the stove and cooked arge pot; now anyone with enough energy was holding a bowl and enjoying it immensely.

    ¡°Sister! How¡¯s it going? It seems to be getting better and better! You should consider hiring a few more waiters with your brother-inw. Otherwise, we¡¯re all so busy we don¡¯t have time to breathe, and look at you, you can¡¯t even count the money in peace! It¡¯s easy to make mistakes this way. If we lose money in a mistake, it might cost more than hiring another person,¡± he didn¡¯t want his sister to be too worn out.

    It seemed like Bai Family¡¯s spicy hot pot restaurant was on the right track, but it was unclear if this poprity was sustainable.

    After all, luck from the nearby neighborhood meetings yed a part in this.

    ¡°Your brother-inw and I have discussed it, and many of the people who came today are from nearby and heard about us by word of mouth. Many have returned with family and friends after trying it out and giving praise, so we have many new customers. I think we should indeed hire more waiters and kitchen hands. Your brother-inw is nning to go back to the vige to look because it¡¯s easier to manage people when you know their background. Otherwise, people here might quit as soon as they don¡¯t feel like working anymore, and that¡¯s not suitable, especially since we need someone to watch the ce. If they live in the amodations at the restaurant, it¡¯s like an extra guarantee.¡±

    Bai Xiao shook her head, ¡°Big sister, you mustn¡¯t try to save money on this. I¡¯m telling you, the fire safety regtions clearly state that a restaurant cannot be used as staff amodations! If we get caught, there will be fines, and think about it¡ªfor a restaurant, if there were ever a fire at night, the consequences would be unimaginable. It¡¯s one thing if the restaurant burns down, but we cannot afford for anyone to get hurt. So please don¡¯t skimp on this. Hire a security guard for the night¡ªsomeone who would pay more attention.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Big sister, brother-inw, Xiaoxiao is right. I can introduce you to someone suitable for the night shift. He¡¯s a friend of ours who lives locally, has a family, butcks stable employment. It would be helping to find a ce for an idle person,¡± An Zhiyuan chimed in, having appeared unnoticed with a smile.

    Seeing him, Bai Xiao smiled understandingly; she had guessed that An Zhiyuan woulde today.

    When An Zhiyuan saw the radiant smile on Bai Xiao¡¯s face, he suddenly recalled a line of poetry from Bai Langning: ¡°With one nce from her, with one smile returned to him, life suddenly awoke.¡±

    Bai Yue, spotting her future brother-inw entering, hurriedly called out to Bai Xiao, ¡°Quick, serve Xiaoxiao a bowl too. Have a hot sip first¡ª it¡¯s freezing outside. I feel like tomorrow it¡¯ll be so cold everything turns to ice. Lucky for us, we shoveled the snow away today. Otherwise, who knows how many people would¡¯ve taken a tumble.¡±

    Unable to free her hands and seeing Bai Xiao moving sluggishly, she felt an urgency. This girl didn¡¯t seem to know how to cherish her man. In the future, when the couple lived together, she couldn¡¯t neglect the feelings of Commander An. She had noticed that An Zhiyuan was more than willing when it came to her sister¡ª always so eager to help.

    An Zhiyuanughed and picked up a bowl, making his way to the pot to help himself, ¡°Big sister, I¡¯ll do it myself. Why be formal? We¡¯re all family here. Let Xiaoxiao eat a hot meal after being busy all day. I¡¯m a big man; I can surely serve myself some soup,¡± he said, serving himself a bowl of the dough drop soup.

    After a big sip, he felt cozy inside. There was always a feeling of family warmth here, unlike the coldness or formal atmosphere of his own home. The warmth, the natural and free interaction among Bai Xiao and her siblings, the warm care they had for one another¡ªit was all different here.

    Just like yesterday¡ªhe couldn¡¯t be unaware that as soon as he and Jiang Shaoqing had barged in, Bai Yue was clutching Shang Kaijie¡¯s dagger, shielding Bai Xiao with her body. Althoughter he saw that miraculously, she hadn¡¯t suffered more than a scratch, just a graze on her hand, the mere courage it took spoke volumes about the love and protection they had for each other, willing to risk their lives for their family.

    No wonder Bai Xiao always took such good care of her siblings, considering everything for them. It seemed that their family would selflessly give anything for one another withoutint! This kind of family bond was something he yearned for even in his dreams.

    ¡°This dough drop soup is really delicious! Who made this?¡± An Zhiyuan, who was also hungry after dinner and after preparing a tactical report and finishing much work, had rushed over wanting to know how Bai Xiao was doing.

    Bai Yue smiled without a word; her future brother-inw was really well matched with Bai Xiao.

    Li Haishun pointed at the aunt, ¡°My aunt made it!¡±

    An Zhiyuan smiled even more deeply, proud of his wife-to-be. He knew she was skilled; even making dough drop soup, she made it taste so good.

    He came up with a bowl of food and elbowed Bai Xiao, whispering, ¡°Jiang Shaoqing hasn¡¯t called me yet, how are things going?¡±

    ¡°Jiang Shaoqing had someone deliver me a deed for thend, it¡¯s the deed for thend my sister and they own. I guess it must have been Jiang Shaoqing who asked the Shang Family for it. Oh, and I want to ask you to help me inquire about someone,¡± Bai Xiao remembered her main concern.

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°Yu Shaoya!¡±

    ¡°Yu Shaoya?!¡± An Zhiyuan was somewhat surprised! The name sounded very familiar, if he hadn¡¯t misremembered, it was the eldest daughter of the Yu Family in theirpound.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll find a way to inquire about her when I get back.¡± Without asking for a reason, his unconditional help and support warmed Bai Xiao¡¯s heart.

    This man seemed to be increasingly bing someone she cared about deeply.

    ¡°And one more thing! I also want to know everything about the Shang Family, everything from the beginning to now, about every single person.¡±

    Better safe than sorry.

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t even ask me the reason, aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll do something evil?¡± Bai Xiao felt a bit helpless, An Zhiyuan¡¯s unconditional trust really tugged at her heartstrings.

    ¡°I believe you won¡¯t, if you target someone! You must have your reasons, and it definitely won¡¯t be about harming an innocent person! Neither would it be because of a conflict of interest, in this regard, I still have some discernment. Your kindnesses from the bottom of your heart! You might not even be aware of it yourself, just being hard-mouthed and soft-hearted,¡± An Zhiyuan¡¯s urate assessment nearly made Bai Xiaough until she was out of breath.

    She really was not as selfless as An Zhiyuan described her.

    What to do?

    Should she ept this badge of a good person or not?

    ¡°Stop giggling like a fool. I¡¯ll take you back home. You haven¡¯t rested properly today; you didn¡¯t sleepst night! If you don¡¯t go back, how can you have a good rest?¡± An Zhiyuan came specifically to look after Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao nodded and then gave Li Haiping a lengthy list of suggestions rted to the kitchen. Because Bai Yue and Wang Yan were also involved, the three of them perked up at Bai Xiao¡¯s suggestions, realizing they could save a lot of manpower and resources¡ªand of course, these changes would attract more customers.

    Bai Yue now admired his sister to the utmost, as their daily business revenue had reached five thousand. After deducting expenses for rent, the cost of goods, personal expenses, and utilities, their profit for the day was at least over a thousand yuan.

    Something they wouldn¡¯t have dared to dream of back in their vige.

    Wang Yan was also full of enthusiasm and energy. Originally, he thought that after moving to the city, his fate would be no more than carrying bricks on construction sites for others. Now, he was not only the boss but also earning so much money. He estimated that within a year, they could buy their own house and have a home that truly belonged to them.

    The days were simply filled with hope.

 Chapter 308 - 308 308 The Fruit Plate

    ?Chapter 308: Chapter 308: The Fruit te   Chapter 308: Chapter 308: The Fruit te                                   He Weng was in the kitchen cutting beef, while Old Hu fried some stir-fried tofu and shredded potatoes in the pan. Once those were done, the meal would beplete. Ever since those women leftst time, New Year¡¯s had passed, and those women hadn¡¯t been around for a while.

    It seemed as if his ten yuan hadn¡¯t made even the slightest ripple.

    But He Weng didn¡¯t lose heart; he hadn¡¯t expected to seed in one try.

    If not this time, there would be a next time. He would eventually meet someone who would take notice, or perhaps someone who would show mercy.

    He needed to escape.

    This was no ce for anyone to stay! They wouldn¡¯t even let people rest during the New Year. Even for New Year¡¯s, all they got was a few extra slices of meat in the pot. Sadly, there was so little meat; you couldn¡¯t even see a speck of it.

    Since he had arrived here, more than half a year had gone by. Li Xiaozhu, who hade with him, had already disappeared. He didn¡¯t know where Li Xiaozhu had gone, but he knew that the mine shaft could swallow people up, ready to bury several people at any moment.

    There had already been a copse that killed several people, but no one cared about these incidents. Han Ge kept bringing people in without pause, continuously deceiving more people toe.

    This ce was like a man-eating hell, from which no one could escape, nor could they survive.

    He Weng knew that if it weren¡¯t for Han Ge, he would probably have died long ago, but now, not being dead was no different from being dead. Living out his days in perpetual darkness, he was no different from a walking corpse, devoid of any news from the outside world. It was as if he were already dead here. He worried about his brother and sister-inw back home, and his three nieces and nephews, and he also wondered how Bai Xiao was doing now in the provincial city.

    He was filled with regret a thousand times over, chastising himself for hisck of experience and insatiable greed that had led him to fall for the deception so easily. No one here escaped being tricked intoing, and no one had ever managed to escape. It was said that someone had escaped before, but unfortunately, they hadn¡¯t dared to report it to the police station. They just stealthily made their way home, treated it as if all was well and didn¡¯t dare provoke these people.

    After that, the surveince became tighter, and no one managed to escape anymore.

    After packing the beef, He Weng refused to believe in this curse. If he didn¡¯t try, he would just die here, and he couldn¡¯t ept that.

    ¡°Xiaohe, go deliver the food!¡±

    Old Hu instructed him. His legs weren¡¯t good, and he couldn¡¯t walk much while carrying the food. If he spilled it, it would be a huge loss.

    He Weng agreed and approached Old Hu. He ced the stir-fried tofu and shredded potatoes onto arge tray, along with the beef he had cut and some grilled chicken. Old Hu whispered, ¡°Go quickly ande back quickly. I¡¯ve saved some food for you, hidden under the stove. Eat it when you get back.¡±

    Only by supporting each other had they managed to survive to this day; otherwise, neither could have endured.

    Old Hu had been enduring this for five years. If not for the fact that his son and wife were still at home, he would have given up long ago.

    He Weng¡¯s arrival had brought a glimmer offort to Old Hu¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Alright, got it. I¡¯m going now,¡± He Weng replied as he picked up the tray and walked outside.

    The guard watching them followed along, absentmindedly eyeing the contents of the tray.

    ¡°Move faster; the boss is getting impatient. They¡¯ll have your hide!¡±

    They cursed andined but didn¡¯t dare toy a hand on him. If they were to p him and he dropped the tray, both of them would be in deep trouble.

    He Weng forced a smile, ¡°You go ahead; the tray¡¯s a bit heavy. Don¡¯t worry, I can keep up.¡±

    These were all the boss¡¯sckeys and enforcers.

    The man cursed as he walked ahead, and He Weng followed closely, his hand tightly clutching a five-yuan note.

    He had no more money left on him, just five dors, two one-dor bills, and three more chances.

    As he stepped into the building, he was immediately enveloped by the scent of women¡¯s perfume and various foods, as well as the aroma of alcohol. It was a different world in here, starkly contrasted with the outside where people lived like animals, while those inside lived carefree lives like immortals.

    He Weng didn¡¯t lift his eyelids, but his peripheral vision scanned the entire room. It was still those few women, and the one he had given money tost time was also there, sitting beside the boss! She was smiling radiantly while feeding the boss with a wine ss, her chest almost bursting out of her dress, revealing most of her ample bosom, which was so dazzling it could make one¡¯s head spin.

    The boss¡¯s eyes were practically glued to it.

    Another woman was sitting on the boss¡¯sp, gyrating provocatively. He Weng carried the leeks over, cing each dish neatly on the table.

    ¡°Boss! The dishes are ready, take a look and see if you need anything else?¡± He Weng asked respectfully; in this ce he had to suck up to survive.

    The boss nced at He Weng with dissatisfaction, ¡°Didn¡¯t you also buy bananas and oranges? Bring everything up.¡±

    Only the wealthy could afford to eat fruit in the winter here.

    He Weng nodded, ready to leave.

    Sally called out, ¡°Wait a minute!¡±

    He Weng tensed up. This woman had been quiet all this time, could it be she was waiting for this moment to expose him? If that was the case, he was certainly dead.

    He involuntarily gripped the te tighter, nobody knew that hidden by the rim of the te were a pair of sharpened wooden chopsticks. These chopsticks were prepared for others, but of course, they were also prepared for himself.

    After all, he had already made up his mind before doing this that it would be death or nothing.

    The boss looked at Sally, ¡°Hmm, what¡¯s up?¡±

    Sally leaned into the boss¡¯s embrace with a coquettishugh, ¡°Having those bananas and oranges served just like that on a big te, what¡¯s there to look at? I¡¯ve seen in those nightclubs, they carve the fruits into beautiful tes, pretty and convenient to eat. Why doesn¡¯t your chef do the same?¡±

    She deliberately rubbed her ample chest against the boss, and he immediately lecherously twisted a piece of flesh on her bust, ¡°You always have the best ideas; I¡¯ll have someone make that for you right now.¡± With a beauty in each arm, his mood was naturally very good, and he immediately agreed to her suggestion.

    He Weng replied with difficulty, ¡°Boss, I¡¯m really sorry. We¡¯re just country folks, and we really don¡¯t know how these nightclubs make their fruit tes.¡± As soon as he spoke, everyone in the room burst intoughter.

    The boss stroked his shining bald head and chuckled, ¡°Alright, alright, we know you¡¯re a country bumpkin.¡± He turned to Sally, ¡°My dear, what should we do? Our chef here is a country fellow and doesn¡¯t know your fancy things.¡±

    Sallyughed, ¡°That¡¯s easy, I¡¯ve seen it done, my lips move and he wields the knife, that¡¯ll do.¡±

    The boss chuckled with squinted eyes, ¡°Just make sure your pretty little mouth doesn¡¯t scare our chef here to death.¡±

    The room erupted into loudughter again.

    Sally jabbed her finger forcefully into the boss¡¯s chest, wiggled her hips, and said to He Weng from her high horse, ¡°Come on, little brother, your boss has let me instruct you. Don¡¯t be afraid, I won¡¯t bite you.¡±

    Everyone saw He Weng shrink back in fear.

    For them, teasing a country bumpkin like this was like watching a show.

    Sally followed He Weng out the door, heading straight for the kitchen.

    This time, no one followed.

 Chapter 309 - 309 309 Improvise

    ?Chapter 309: Chapter 309: Improvise   Chapter 309: Chapter 309: Improvise                                   ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Sally followed slowly behind He Weng. None of the onlookers who saw this scene intervened. They had juste out from the small two-story building, knew they had been let out by the boss, and nobody wanted to stir trouble at this time.

    ¡°He Weng!¡±

    He Weng felt somewhat excited inside.

    The fact that this woman had not exposed him, did it mean she was going to help him?

    ¡°What did you mean by giving me that ten yuan the other day?¡±

    Sally looked at He Weng, who seemed like a honest and simple young man. Honest and simple, yet he had dared to give her that ten-yuan note, which she had pondered over and still couldn¡¯t figure out.

    A cry for help?

    A worker crying for help? This ce isn¡¯t exactly a den of wolves.

    Boss Xu was quite generous, appearing bold and generous, always not stinting with them.

    The wages of these workers probably weren¡¯t even as much as what one of their sisters spent on themselves.

    ¡°Just that, save me!¡± He Weng did not hide it, at this point, having someone finally willing to listen to him was like a lifeline he needed to seize firmly.

    ¡°Are you joking? Save you? Save what? You don¡¯t think your boss is after your life, do you?¡± Sallyughed so hard she shook, mainly because she had never heard something so amusing.

    ¡°If you want to save me, here¡¯s an address. Help me send a letter there, just say I am trapped in a ck coal pit, someone is watching, and I can¡¯t leave. Naturally, someone wille to save me. You don¡¯t need to do anything else, my family will thank you greatly when they arrive.¡± He Weng knew it was unrealistic to hope this woman would call the police for him. She would definitely not risk her life by getting involved unless it was without any detriment to her interests.

    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Sally suddenly realized that the man in front of her wasn¡¯t joking, and her smile faded, her expression turning serious.

    He Weng nced at the vague shadow in the distance on the small building, ¡°You better keep smiling, otherwise if they notice something off about your expression, you might not be able to leave either.¡±

    Sally immediately wanted to look back.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look back!¡± He Weng hurriedly shouted.

    Sally felt weak, her hands and feet in a panic, not knowing where to put them.

    She steeled her heart, knowing she absolutely couldn¡¯t let anyone notice anything amiss at this time.

    She ced one hand on He Weng¡¯s shoulder and leaned into him gigglingly with a soft body.

    He Weng jumped back in fright, staring at Sally in front of him as if he had seen a ghost.

    At that moment, a thunderousughter erupted from the small building.

    Sally then realized, the people inside the building must have been watching them the whole time. If her expression had shown her fright, that might have actually spooked them.

    Right then, probably everyone upstairs thought she was flirting with the young man in front of her, with no one suspecting the seriousness of their conversation.

    After that, He Weng almost fled inplete terror.

    Sally couldn¡¯t help butugh at herself.

    Such an innocent man still exists in this world, merely touched on the shoulder and his ears are already blushing.

    Upon reaching the kitchen, He Weng quickly took out some bananas and tangerines, this time because Old Hu was there, he did not speak another word.

    You can know someone¡¯s face but not their heart, especially here where understanding people¡¯s hearts is the most challenging.

    Many people might suffer with you, but when you say it¡¯s time to run, the very first person who might betray you could be them.

    Here, if one person runs away, everyone must suffer the consequences together.

    So, in order to have a full meal, everyone would probably stop you from escaping.

    He didn¡¯t want to take the risk himself.

    It wasn¡¯t easy to get this opportunity, and with someone willing to lend a hand, he wouldn¡¯t let anything ruin it.

    Following Sally¡¯s instructions, though He Weng wasn¡¯t very adept with the knife, eventually, he managed to prepare the fruit tter albeit a bit clumsily.

    It still looked somewhat presentable.

    Sally nodded, ¡°Alright, carry the fruit tter and follow me to deliver it upstairs.¡±

    He Weng agreed, took the fruit tter, and followed Sally back to the mezzanine.

    The moment they entered the staircase, he grabbed Sally¡¯s hand from behind; now there was no one around.

    Sally quickly tightened her grip on the banknote in her hand.

    The two of them went upstairs, one in front of the other.

    When the boss saw the fruit tter, he nodded unconsciously.

    ¡°Not bad. It¡¯s clumsy, but it still looks okay. Sally, stop tormenting the young boys here. The poor guy isn¡¯t even married yet; can he handle your flirtations?¡± The boss still remembered how Sally had scared He Weng into running away just now.

    He pulled Sally into his arms, ¡°If you¡¯re going to torment someone, torment me instead.¡±

    Sally eximed, ¡°Yo, Boss Xu, why do I smell so much jealousy?¡±

    She even fanned her nose, which made everyone burst intoughter.

    The bossughed loudly as well.

    Sally¡¯s hand shook and the five-yuan note fell onto the couch.

    Boss Xu picked it up, saw it was a five-yuan note, and teased Sally, ¡°You¡¯re being too stingy, holding onto a mere five yuan like this. How about this, I¡¯ll give you an extra five hundred yuan when you leave today, how does that sound? Generous enough!¡± He then threw the five yuan into the ashtray.

    Sally snatched the five yuan from the ashtray and stuffed it into her bra, ¡°What? Boss Xu, you think this five yuan is beneath you? I could still buy a pack of cigarettes with this five yuan. It¡¯s my lucky day today; I just happened to find five yuan when I was leaving the house.

    Boss Xu! You wouldn¡¯t think you can send me off with just 500 yuan, would you?¡± Her face filled with righteous indignation, suddenly bing pitifully charming.

    The bossughed loudly, ¡°So that¡¯s the story. Then I really am at fault. Alright, since fortune is smiling on you today, I shouldn¡¯t be stingy. If you take good care of me today, how about I give you an envelope with 5000 yuan?¡± Money was just a tool for him to show off in front of his female friends, he could indeed spend liberally for a woman.

    Sally immediately hugged the boss joyfully and nted a passionate French kiss on him, causing the people around them to whistle.

    The other women immediately gathered around the boss, each trying to seduce him in hopes of securing a big envelope for themselves.

    The scene quickly became raucous, men and women flirting together, their words and actions growing increasingly uninhibited.

    The boss, his face turning almost bloody red, finally spoke to He Weng.

    ¡°Alright, you can go now.¡±

    He Weng still showed total respect, without even batting an eyelid, he went downstairs and returned to the kitchen.

    Only after he stepped out the main door of the mezzanine did he finally let out a sigh of relief.

    This woman was very capable; had she not adapted so quickly just now, they might have been exposed.

 Chapter 310 - 310 310 Telegram (Extra for monthly ticket)

    ?Chapter 310: Chapter 310: Telegram (Extra for monthly ticket)   Chapter 310: Chapter 310: Telegram (Extra for monthly ticket)                                   Bai Xiao got up early in the morning and had just walked into the office when Xiaoli came in excitedly, holding some letters and newspapers, her clothes not even fully changed yet.

    ¡°You¡¯re so proactive this early in the morning,¡± Bai Xiao said to Xiaoli, admiring the girl a bit for being able to be happy and cheerful in any environment, never worrying about anything.

    Xiaoli handed her a telegram.

    ¡°Here, someone sent you a telegram; don¡¯t be ungrateful,¡± Xiaoli was getting more and more intimate with her tank top! After all, her rtionship with Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t the same.

    She was still Bai Xiao¡¯s exclusive intern, and her treatment and status were improving.

    Bai Xiaoughed and handed Xiaoli a piece of chocte, ¡°I know you mean well! Will this buy your heart?¡±

    Xiaoli snatched it away, ¡°Hmph, at least you know what¡¯s good for you!¡± and she stuffed it into her coat pocket, pleased as punch.

    Even though the chocte was just sitting on the desk in Bai Xiao¡¯s office, Xiaoli was very disciplined. Even when she was very tempted, she never took any secretly from the desk or asked Bai Xiao for it.

    In this regard, Bai Xiao felt that Xiaoli was a person worth befriending; she was never someone to take too much liberty.

    Honest and kind, knew her limits, and was very observant; such an intern was indeed worth befriending.

    Bai Xiao tore open the envelope of the telegram and nced at its contents, her face turning pale instantly.

    The content and signature surprised her.

    She picked up the phone and dialed her second sister Bai Ju, the workshop director, who was qualified to take phone calls at work.

    The call connected quickly, and it was Director Wei on the other end. Hearing it was Bai Xiao looking for Bai Ju, he hurried to call her over, very polite and amodating.

    Soon after, Bai Ju picked up the phone, panting, ¡°Xiao, what¡¯s up?¡±

    She was busy at work in the workshop.

    ¡°Second sister! Have you received any messages from He Weng?¡±

    ¡°No, not a single word yet. Both his big brother and I are starting to worry. Do you have any news of him?¡± Bai Ju could tell from her sister¡¯s voice that something was wrong.

    ¡°Something happened to He Weng!¡± Bai Xiao had to believe the telegram was real; it was not some joke but a distress telegram from He Weng himself.

    ¡°What did you say? Something happened to He Weng? What happened?¡± Bai Ju panicked. He Weng was like a child she had raised herself; what would she do if something had happened to him?

    ¡°I received a telegram saying ¡®help,¡¯ and this address is holding He Weng captive. It¡¯s not very clear, but it¡¯s signed by He Weng. He didn¡¯t exin much. I just called to check if there were any messages from He Weng, and it seems like He Weng is in trouble.¡± Bai Xiao had not expected even a grown man could be kidnapped.

    What could they possibly want with a man?

    He couldn¡¯t bear children or be sold for his looks.

    Wait, there¡¯s another possibility, some illegal means might have kidnapped people, or drugged them until they passed out, targeting young and strong men, or those who are physically fit, just to harvest their organs. This is much more serious.

    ¡°What? What should we do? Wait for me and your brother-inw to buy tickets right away toe over to your ce, He Weng must be safe! If anything happens to him, I, his sister-inw, would be heartbroken, I practically raised him myself.¡± Bai Ju was speaking incoherently, herposure shattered upon hearing this kind of news.

    Bai Xiao reassured her, ¡°Second sister! Don¡¯t panic, I¡¯ll think of a way to check what¡¯s really going on over there, and you can take your timeing over. Maybe it¡¯s not as bad as we think, after all, He Weng is a grown man, they can¡¯t just sell him! He¡¯s not worth much anyway. Don¡¯t worry, second sister, don¡¯t start by assuming the worst.¡± In truth, she hadn¡¯t even mentioned the worst yet.

    Only then did Bai Ju calm down, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not waste money on the phone call, I¡¯ll talk to your brother-inw right now and we¡¯ll buy the tickets today. Xiao, you have to help out, make sure He Weng doesn¡¯t get into trouble! See if you can reach out to your brother-inw, we can¡¯t count on anyone else, all of us are from the countryside with no connections, even if your brother-inw and I were to go, I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t be of much help, we¡¯ll just be anxious.¡± Now she had regained herposure and was able to think through many issues.

    For such a serious matter, Bai Xiao, a young girl, also couldn¡¯t offer much help, she had to rely on her brother-inw.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! We will find a way, be safe on your journey! If it¡¯s not feasible, let your brother-inwe alone! There are still three kids at home, you can¡¯t just abandon a bunch of children and both leave.¡± She was afraid that her sister and brother-inw might be imprudent.

    ¡°All right! I got it, hanging up now!¡± Bai Ju hung up the phone, her face showing an urgency to leave.

    Factory Manager Wei suddenly stopped her, ¡°Director Bai, what¡¯s wrong with your family? I wasn¡¯t trying to eavesdrop just now! I just heard you mention that a family member is in trouble, if you need help just say the word, I¡¯ll definitely lend a hand if I can.¡± Factory Manager Wei had always been thinking of getting closer to Bai Xiao, especially since Wang Han was saved by someone, the old man had instructed him to find a way to establish a good rtionship with Bai Xiao, and they never had the chance! Apart from his efforts with Bai Ju and her husband, he really had no other good opportunities.

    Now that he heard there was a problem! Of course, he needed to step in to help.

    Bai Ju sighed, ¡°I¡¯m afraid you can¡¯t help with this. Our He Wang has a younger brother that went to my sister¡¯s ce to look for a job, and now something has happened, we don¡¯t know what exactly, but it seems bad! He¡¯s been locked up. I¡¯m not clear about the details, that¡¯s why we¡¯re nning to buy tickets and rush over.¡±

    ¡°Is it your crippled brother whose leg was healed?¡± Factory Manager Wei remembered this incident vividly.

    ¡°Yes! It¡¯s that kid! I don¡¯t know what kind of people he¡¯se across! How could some bully just take him and keep him? No wonder he hasn¡¯te back for the New Year¡¯s, turns out he¡¯s been detained, I¡¯m so worried.¡±

    ¡°Manager, I¡¯d like to request leave, we two need to go to my sister¡¯s ce, for such a big issue, we have to go and see what¡¯s happening. We need to get him out first!¡± Bai Ju thought it might be a debt issue that led to his detention.

    ¡°Granted! I¡¯ll have someone cover for you for a few days, this is a serious matter, go ahead!¡± Factory Manager Wei, always knowing how to handle things, immediately assured with a p on his chest, this was Bai Xiao¡¯s sister, after all, a different matter.

    Bai Ju repeatedly expressed her gratitude.

    After Bai Ju left, Factory Manager Wei picked up the phone and called his father-inw.

    He felt this was something they could help with, his father-inw¡¯s former subordinates were in the province where Bai Xiao was located, all important figures in the public security system, and someone dared to kidnap people, this was uneptable.

    With one phone call and a brief conversation, Old Wang on the other end informed his son-inw that he understood the situation.

    Qian Cheng was called by the old master.

    There hadn¡¯t been any major issuestely, but it seemed something hade up by the look on the old master¡¯s face.

    ¡°You and Wang Han go to a certain province, Wang Han is still in need of experience, you guide him. Take care of this matter well, it¡¯s rare for Doctor Bai to run into trouble, we should assist. Go!¡± After the old master exined the situation, Qian Cheng understood.

    He immediately set out with Wang Han.

 Chapter 311 - 311 311 Reconnaissance

    ?Chapter 311: Chapter 311 Reconnaissance   Chapter 311: Chapter 311 Reconnaissance                                   Bai Xiao put down the phone and immediately called An Zhiyuan. The ce was in a suburban or mountainous area of some province, which she did not understand in terms of terrain or geography. She needed An Zhiyuan¡¯s help and could not afford to be finicky at this time.

    What could she not ask her own man?

    ¡°You are Instructor An¡¯s fianc¨¦e, right? Hold on then! I¡¯ll go get someone for you, just wait!¡± The person on the other end of the line was very enthusiastic and kept giving instructions, afraid that she would hang up.

    Suddenly, there was the sound of hurried footsteps.

    The receiver was picked up.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, what happened?¡±

    The voice had lost its usual steadiness and was slightly out of breath, as if it had be even more attractive and seductive.

    ¡°An¡­ Big Brother,¡± she closed her eyes and clutched the phone as if it were a lifeline, her voice stuttering somewhat. She didn¡¯t even know how to articte what she wanted An Zhiyuan to do.

    ¡°Bai Xiao! What¡¯s going on?¡± An Zhiyuan knew Bai Xiao very well. She wasn¡¯t the type to easily make a call to talk about love, so this must be one of the rare calls that indicated she was in trouble.

    ¡°I received a tele¡­graph.¡± She looked at the telegram in her hand and tried to regain her ability to speak, but what came out was nothing more than a murmur.

    ¡°Whose?¡± An Zhiyuan sensed something was off.

    It must be rted to Bai Xiao and someone she knew; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be so distressed.

    ¡°He Weng! My sister-inw¡¯s brother!¡±

    ¡°What happened to him?¡± An Zhiyuan sighed in relief. As long as she wasn¡¯t the one in trouble, then anything else could be resolved.

    ¡°I need your help. Can youe over? Or I could go to you.¡± Bai Xiao believed her tone was as calm as she could manage, but this time she knew she wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it on her own.

    ¡°Alright, wait for me half an hour.¡± An Zhiyuan quickly instructed Bai Xiao to wait for him and hung up immediately.

    Half an hourter, An Zhiyuan indeed appeared in Bai Xiao¡¯s office.

    There was no one else there, just a telegram on the table at which Bai Xiao was staring nkly.

    Her gaze shifted to him and the pallor of her face made his smile disappear.

    She was terrified, white as a ghost.

    An Zhiyuan took a step forward and grasped Bai Xiao¡¯s fingers, which were cold as ice.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    A telegram was not something that should cause any trouble, especially not about He Weng, a young man; what could go wrong with him?

    ¡°Here, read it!¡± She pushed the telegram towards him.

    An Zhiyuan took it and while quickly scanning through it, his jaw tensed, and an unprecedented coldness appeared in his dark eyes, but this time his fury was clearly directed at the telegram.

    ¡°What does this mean? Isn¡¯t He Weng a young man in his twenties?¡± It¡¯spletely unrealistic to confine a person¡¯s freedom like this. What could He Weng even do?

    ¡°I¡¯m worried that He Weng has encountered, for example, have you heard of it? Some people get sick and need to transnt a kidney or liver. My concern is that He Weng has met such terrible people. My second sister and her husband hadn¡¯t considered this possibility at all. I fear that if it¡¯s true, they wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it and it could scare them to death.¡±

    Bai Xiao had been feeling anxious precisely because he was worried about Bai Ju and the others. His sister was too kind-hearted. Having cared for this younger brother-inw for so many years, if she were to suddenly face reality¡¯s harshness and cruelty, I¡¯m afraid she might copse.

    The main issue was that they didn¡¯t know what state He Weng was currently in.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think of it as so horrible. It shouldn¡¯t be that bad. Although transnt technology exists, there¡¯s not likely such a terrible organization. Think about it, if He Weng was able to get a message out, it suggests he must still be unharmed. Besides, the kind of operation you¡¯re talking about involves, not just a handful of connections and background, but needs professional doctors for the surgery, a strong transport capability, and coordination on all fronts. Otherwise, how would they find buyers, much less have buyers who dare to buy?

    I¡¯ll report this to my superiors. The ce is just on the outskirts of the provincial city. We¡¯ll send someone to survey it! See what the actual situation is! Then we¡¯ll make a decision. Let¡¯s not startle the snake by hitting the grass, in case it endangers He Weng¡¯s safety.¡± An Zhiyuan realized that whatever trouble He Weng had encountered, even if it wasn¡¯t as horrifying as imagined, it couldn¡¯t be anything good. His keen senses told him that there was something serious going on, and it wasn¡¯t a matter that concerned just one individual.

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°You¡¯re the only one I can discuss this with, we must rescue He Weng. Otherwise, my sister will be devastated.¡±

    An Zhiyuan put an arm around her shoulder, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m heading back right now. We will request cooperation from the local police to see what the situation is. I¡¯ll call you the moment there¡¯s news. Don¡¯t worry, leave it to me.¡±

    He tried his best to express his serious tone in a gentle and soft manner, not wanting to add any more pressure on Bai Xiao at this time.

    Bai Xiao nodded again, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me; I¡¯m not weak. Since we¡¯re faced with this situation, we¡¯ll find a solution. Mereints and grumbling won¡¯t solve anything. I¡¯ll do my best to stall my sister and her husband, hoping for your victorious return.¡±

    An Zhiyuan left withrge strides, leaving behind a resolute silhouette.

    Bai Xiao could only hope that He Weng¡¯s circumstances weren¡¯t as exaggerated as she imagined.

    The next day at noon, He Wang arrived. Bai Yue didn¡¯te, which relieved Bai Xiao. With three kids at home and no one to take care of them, the husband and wife decided that Bai Ju would stay to look after the children, and He Wang, as a man and head of the family, would take care of this significant matter.

    After arriving, He Wang stayed at Bai Yue¡¯s ce. Bai Xiao, as a younger aunt, wasn¡¯t in a position to take care of He Wang.

    Bai Yue¡¯s ce had room, and if push came to shove, they could make do with the shop as well.

    Meanwhile.

    An Zhiyuan had already reported to his superiors. The imusible plea for help made everyone feel uneasy since there had never been a so-called major case in the area before.

    Because of the information provided by An Zhiyuan, the superiors took it very seriously and appointed An Zhiyuan as the leader of the assault team. With tworades, he changed into in clothes to observe the situation and find out what was really going on.

    They didn¡¯t contact the police right away because there was no concrete evidence, and involving the police too soon could easily startle the snake.

    An Zhiyuan immediately selected tworades. They changed into in clothes and deliberately wore ordinary people¡¯s attire. The three of them also disguised themselves, not shaving their beards! They looked scruffy, creating a somewhat disheveled appearance. With their patched rough cloth clothes and old cotton-padded jackets, tied at the waist with a belt and a greyish-white towel wrapped around their heads, theypletely resembled three rural farmers.

    An Zhiyuan looked at his tworades and ordered, ¡°Don¡¯t stand with your backs straight, let your shoulders slump, avoid eye contact, and better not look people in the eye directly. Keep your weapons hidden on you, don¡¯t leave them behind. When it¡¯s time, follow mymands. If anyone asks, we¡¯re country folk who came to the city and were abandoned halfway, lost and not knowing the way. Got that?¡± They couldn¡¯t afford the slightest slip, not for their own sake, but for He Weng¡¯s.

    The two youngerrades immediately slouched their shoulders and bent their waists, resembling timid countrymen entering the city for the first time, which made the otherrades burst intoughter.

    An Zhiyuan briefed the assault team, ¡°The rest of you stay on the outskirts; don¡¯t close in and risk startling the snake. We three will check the situation first. In case anything happens, we¡¯ll signal with a re, and you guys charge in immediately¡ªsafety of the personnel is paramount.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Captain!¡±

    Everyone set out.

 Chapter 312 - 312 312 Plainclothes

    ?Chapter 312: Chapter 312: inclothes   Chapter 312: Chapter 312: inclothes                                   An Zhiyuan and his twopanions were sitting in the car, which had been driving for already two hours, all through mountain roads. They had a reconnaissance report from before, indicating that their current geographic location was near Luanshan. Following this road seemed to lead to a coal mine, as suggested by the huge sign of the coal mine they could see.

    An Zhiyuan asked the driver to stop the car.

    A coal mine?

    The three men jumped out of the car, ¡°If we continue ahead, the terrain bes open, with nothing to hide us, and they¡¯ll easily spot us. We¡¯ll hide right here; the rest is up to you three. Our 20 men will stay in this forest, ready to back you up anytime we get your signal,¡± the deputy captain instructed An Zhiyuan.

    An Zhiyuan nodded, and the three of them immediately started shuffling their feet, staggering along the path. Soon, they saw the sign for Luanshan Coal Mine in the distance, along with the pervasive coal dust.

    Before they got close, several coal-hauling trucks came driving by. The three men hurriedly pressed themselves against the side of the road. In their panic, they clumped together, nearly tumbling into the ditch by the roadside, looking like startled quails.

    ¡°Bro Han, what are those country bumpkins doing?¡± Dahe, the driver,ughed triumphantly, because when he passed them, he had deliberately honked the horn, scaring the three men nearly to the point of falling, which looked incredibly funny, making himugh uncontrobly.

    Bro Han nced at the three men, and seeing their attire and bowed heads, felt a stirring of suspicion. What would bring people to this deste area?

    Normally, other than coal buyers, it was extremely unlikely for anyone toe this way, which was very strange.

    ¡°Stop the truck, get out with me and take a look!¡±

    Bro Han was very cautious. Their operation had stood undisturbed for so many years! Apart from having backings protecting them, their prudence was also a factor. They caused small disturbances that would never draw attention to the underhanded business happening here. Otherwise, there would be more than just their small coal kiln under the name of Luanshan Coal Mine; this area was full of privately contracted coal mines, each acting as king of their own hill.

    The big truck stopped! Bro Han jumped out of the truck! Behind him followed Dahe and Shuisheng, two burly guys. The three of them approached the three anxious men by the roadside.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Bro Han asked.

    He examined the three men up close. They were young and sturdy, with solidly built bodies and skin tanned dark by the sun ¨C clearly depicting those who worked in the fields year-round.

    An Zhiyuan answered in a thick dialect, feigning the naive tone of a local rural worker, ¡°Big brother, sorry, we three were heading to the city to find work. We¡¯d agreed on a job, but then they dropped us off by the roadside and told us to wait. But one of my brothers got a stomachache, and we went to take a crap. When we got back, we couldn¡¯t find anyone. So we wanted to ask around where our employer was and saw some activity here, so we came over.¡±

    Bro Han took a look at An Zhiyuan, ¡°Hey, you seem to be the leader, huh?¡±

    An Zhiyuanughed naively, ¡°Big brother, what leader is there to be? I just have the most strength in the vige. Anyone who doesn¡¯t respect me, I beat them up, so I¡¯m brave, and they listen to me. Otherwise, I¡¯d have to knock their teeth out. That¡¯s why they heed my words.¡±

    While heughed, his mouth full of big yellow teeth and the smell of not having brushed them assailed Bro Han¡¯s nostrils, causing him to wrinkle his brow.

    It was the result of chewing a tetracycline tabletbined with the stench of stinky tofu; in fact, even An Zhiyuan himself was overwhelmed by the smell, but for authenticity¡¯s sake, it had to be done.

    There were many small coal mines nearby, with people always looking to bring back workers. It was quite possible that these men had been left behind by someone they worked for. It seemed they mightnd a bargain here ¨C after all, three strongborers were avable.

    They looked like they came from a rural area and knew nothing about the world, but possessed a fair amount of strength.

    ¡°Are you here to work?¡±

    An Zhiyuan and his twopanions nodded while the other two young men cowered behind An Zhiyuan at Bro Han¡¯s scanning gaze, looking utterly inexperienced.

    Bro Han felt reassured.

    ¡°Yes, big brother! We just can¡¯t find our employer, what should we do?¡± He pretended to be flustered and anxious, and it looked quite real.

    Bro Hanughed, and so did Dahe and Shuisheng.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you guys are in luck; our big brother here is the boss.¡± Dahe pointed to Han Ge, clearly the biggest shot around here.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s face lit up with delight, and after fumbling in his pocket for a while, he managed to fish out a wrinkled, newspaper-rolled cigarette and handed it over to Han Ge.

    ¡°Boss! Boss! We can do anything, just keep us on, please!¡±

    Without taking a walk inside, how could they know what the situation was.

    Han Ge smiled and shook his head, pushing away those big hands, and took a filter cigarette out of his own pocket to give to An Zhiyuan. An Zhiyuan epted it with a grin, too reluctant to smoke it right away; he just clipped it behind his ear and bootlickingly said,

    ¡°Boss, we¡¯re all good workers, just look at us, fit as fiddles. Bricks, heavy lifting, we can handle it all. You definitely won¡¯t regret using us.¡±

    Han Ge nodded, ¡°Alright then, Shuisheng, take them inside, we¡¯re heading out to make a delivery!¡± He instructed Shuisheng, who nodded and gestured with a wave of his hand, ¡°Come on! Follow me.¡±

    Full of gratitude towards Han Ge, An Zhiyuan and the other two hurriedly followed Shuisheng.

    Dahe almost diedughing, ¡°A trio of dumb pheasants!¡±

    Han Ge red at him, ¡°Quit the chatter, they haven¡¯t gone far yet! Hurry up and get in the car.¡±

    Dahe scrambled to open the car door, ¡°Han Ge, I was wrong, my darn mouth. Looks like we¡¯re off to a good start today, things are bound to go well. The boss is definitely going to reward youter.¡±

    Han Ge settled into the driver¡¯s seat and sighed, ¡°What we do in the end is against heaven and reason. I just hope that heaven doesn¡¯t visit these sins upon our children and grandchildren!¡±

    Dahe didn¡¯t care, ¡°To hell with it, I¡¯m the type whose whole family doesn¡¯t starve as long as I eat. My parents are long gone, if heaven wants to get back at me, let it.¡±

    Han Ge fell silent.

    People with different principles don¡¯t work well together.

    Following Shuisheng, An Zhiyuan and the other two made their way inside. An Zhiyuan surveyed their surroundings discreetly. The ce looked heavily guarded, with many men armed with sticks and even fierce dogs; it was obvious these were enforcers just by looking at them. But why would a coal mine need to maintain a group of enforcers like this?

    Running into Lao Hutou leading He Wei and carrying vegetables, Shuisheng escorted the trio straight into the scene. They bought groceries weekly, and the two of them would be busy for a while.

    ¡°Lao Hutou, I haven¡¯t had my meal yet. Make me a bowl of noodlester, throw in a couple of eggs, I¡¯m starving!¡± Shuisheng hadn¡¯t managed to catch breakfast that morning.

    He Wei caught sight of An Zhiyuan, and in such shock, he dropped a whole basket of cabbage to the ground.

    He Wei hurriedly squatted down to pick up the cabbages.

    A cabbage struck Shuisheng¡¯s foot, angering him. He kicked He Wei in the back, sending him sprawling with a face-nt, ¡°You blind or something, boy? Got a death wish? If it weren¡¯t for Han Ge looking out for you, you¡¯d be dead already. Get back to work!¡±

    He Wei quickly got up, ¡°Sorry! So sorry.¡±

    Lao Hutouughed and tried to make peace, ¡°Shuisheng bro, he skipped breakfast, that¡¯s why his hands are weak. There¡¯s still a lot to carry. How about asking these new guys to lend a hand moving things inside? While they¡¯re at it, I can start cooking your noodles. By the time they¡¯re done, your meal will be ready too, won¡¯t dy your business at all!¡±

    Shuisheng took a look at the full cart of vegetables and grains, thought for a bit, realizing it would really be who knows when before Lao Hutou and He Wei finished on their own. Right, the three neers couldn¡¯t go down the mines for now and had nothing else to do. He immediately turned around, ¡°You three, help with moving the stuff. Work hard, got it?¡±

    Now that they were inside the Luanshan Coal Mine, there was no thinking about getting out.

 Chapter 313 - 313 313 Roasting Fire

    ?Chapter 313: Chapter 313: Roasting Fire   Chapter 313: Chapter 313: Roasting Fire                                   An Zhiyuan and the others quickly nodded, and Old Hu headed to He Weng and said, ¡°Xiaohe, you take them to move the stuff, I¡¯ll go cook for Shuisheng, don¡¯t bezy!¡±

    He Weng nodded, loudly agreeing, ¡°Yes!¡±

    Shuisheng entered the kitchen and stood at the kitchen door, smoking a cigarette as he watched the few men outside working earnestly, transferring the food from the truck inside.

    They were indeed working hard.

    Old Hu had already stoked the fire and started rolling dough.

    Soon, Old Hu had a bowl of steaming noodles ready, with two plump white eggs nestled inside.

    ¡°Eat up, I¡¯ll go carry the goods.¡± Old Hu brought the bowl over to Shuisheng.

    With a wave of his benevolentrge hand, Shuisheng said, ¡°Forget it, you¡¯re already so old! Sit down and chat with me, let the young ones do the work.¡± Considering the bowl of noodles, Shuisheng was generously lenient this time.

    Old Hu quickly thanked him, sat by the stove, and chatted intermittently with Shuisheng.

    It was a rare moment of rest.

    Meanwhile, He Weng and An Zhiyuan each hoisted a bag of flour. He Weng whispered, ¡°Instructor An, how did you get here?¡± This was truly a surprise; he never expected An Zhiyuan toe¡ªthis was Bai Xiao¡¯s fianc¨¦.

    An Zhiyuan nced at He Weng! The first time he saw this He Weng! Thed was rather thin and frail, shy, and hardly spoke a word! The only reason He Weng left an impression was the way he looked at Bai Xiao, a gaze full of adoration from an admirer.

    That gaze held infinite gratitude, admiration, and respect, which he still remembered vividly to this day.

    Now though, He Weng looked much thinner than before, his face the hue of malnutrition, and his body stooped, clearly showing the fatigue of hardbor.

    ¡°Bai Xiao received your telegram, we are here to investigate the situation!¡± Lifting a bag, covering his mouth just right! No one could see that An Zhiyuan was speaking.

    He Weng also lifted a bag of flour, ¡°This ce is a ck coal kiln. The boss deceives farmers into working here, doesn¡¯t pay them, and they can¡¯t even think about leaving. Simply put, it¡¯s unpaidbor. If someone dies, they just bury them in an abandoned coal mine, without anyone ever knowing. It¡¯s even worse than very in the past.¡± He Weng finally saw hope, he hadn¡¯t expected Sally to actually send the telegram.

    Moreover, she came so quickly.

    But for An Zhiyuan and these two toe in so rashly was akin to delivering themselves to death; with so many thugs around, three soldiers would hardly be feared, and there was no guarantee they wouldn¡¯t be silenced.

    After all, these men engaged in heinous acts that couldn¡¯t be let out; if discovered, they would only take more drastic measures.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t havee in like this! Security here is tight; it¡¯s hard to escape. You should have called the police. Bringing the police along would have been much better than trying to rescue us alone.¡±  He Weng was frustrated, knowing that three people couldn¡¯t stand against dozens, and the oue would definitely not be favorable.

    He had imagined the rescue scene to involve hundreds of police rushing in, surrounding the ce, these men quietly surrendering without resistance, effectively caught in one swoop, getting them rescued, not like now, fraught with trepidation.

    Three people, how inconspicuous they were!

    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, we brought people, but they are nearby, we are here to scout the enemy situation. What equipment and weapons do they have here!¡± An Zhiyuan wasn¡¯t clear about the actual situation here.

    Upon hearing this, He Weng felt relieved; so there was backup after all!

    That¡¯s good!

    He finally felt relieved.

    ¡°These people usually carry clubs, machetes, and big ferocious dogs; I haven¡¯t seen them use any other weapons. There are about thirty enforcers split into two patrols that operate non-stop day and night. No one here can escape!¡± He Weng reported the situation that he had observed over the past six months.

    An Zhiyuan nodded, ced the sack of flour in the storeroom, and the two of them walked outside, one after the other.

    As they passed by the kitchen, Shuisheng yelled impatiently, ¡°Hurry up, don¡¯t waste time, you must move everything after I finish this bowl of rice.¡±

    He Weng nodded and bowed repeatedly, ¡°Yes! Big brother, right away, very quickly.¡±

    An Zhiyuan and the others then shared what they had learned. Essentially, they understood that about a hundred people, mostly countryside vigers tricked here under the guise of employment, were confined here. Many of them were illiterate, thinking they came here to make money, only to find out that there was no pay at all and no way to leave once they had arrived.

    This was a wolf¡¯s den, unless you died here, almost no one who tried to escape met with a good fate.

    However, they also noticed that the people here were like the dregs of society¡ªthugs holding control over a small coal mine. Legitimate coal miners wouldn¡¯t dare to risk their lives in such small mines where safety equipment wascking and idents weremon¡ªbig mines barely had enough workers, let alone people flocking to a smaller, riskier mine.

    It seemed that the coal mine owner had a sinister n, luring these vigers from the countryside since they were unfamiliar with the area. Once trapped here, cut off from the outside world, no one knew their whereabouts; they were essentially neither seen in life nor found in death.

    Moreover, many vigers simply vanished without a trace, not knowing how or where to report the disappearance.

    Just like that, people disappeared without a clear reason.

    An Zhiyuan and his group quickly finished moving the items.

    Shuisheng had finished his noodles, touched his warm belly contentedly, and waved at them grandly.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, follow me.¡±

    An Zhiyuan stepped forward, ¡°Big brother, let¡¯s not go, shall we? We¡¯ve been outside moving things around in the cold. Wouldn¡¯t it be nice to warm up here by the kitchen fire?¡± He walked over to the stove within two steps.

    Shuisheng sneered and grabbed the poker.

    ¡°You new son of a bitch, you think you can warm up by this stove? Get the hell out of here now.¡± Neers always need a harsh beating to settle down, initially thinking this ce is a legitimate work site.

    An Zhiyuan smiled, stretched out his hands, and warmed them by the stove, ¡°Come on, everyonee in and warm up by the stove, this weather is just unbearably cold.¡±

    He Weng didn¡¯t move, while the other two squeezed in.

    Old Hu sensed something was wrong, leaned back against the wall, crouched down, clutching his head, and positioned himself beside a table, ready to dive underneath it for protection should a fight break out.

    Seeing the other two alsoing in, Shuisheng waved his stick and struck towards the two guys, wildly swinging.

    ¡°You bastards, still daring not to listen to me. Well, I¡¯ll show you who¡¯s the boss here.¡±

    He was especially brutal, not treating the recruited individuals as humans at all.

    After all, even if he killed someone, he could just dump the body down the abandoned mine shaft.

 Chapter 314 - 314 314 Fainting from Fright

    ?Chapter 314: Chapter 314 Fainting from Fright   Chapter 314: Chapter 314 Fainting from Fright                                   The two men looked like they were hunched over and being beaten.

    Shuishengnded a stick on someone¡¯s back, and the stick immediately snapped into two pieces with a crack.

    Shuisheng was stunned.

    This firewood stick was thicker than his own arm, and though he had used a lot of force, it shouldn¡¯t have broken the stick with one strike.

    If the stick was broken, how was the person? He immediately looked down.

    He saw the young man, whose stick he had broken, straighten his back, stretchzily, and dust off the flour and dirt from his body, ¡°Big brother, you must not have eaten, right? That strike felt like you were just tickling me?¡±

    The other one burst outughing.

    Shuisheng realized something was wrong; even if he wasn¡¯t smart, he could tell that it wasn¡¯t a matter of not being able to break the stick or the stick breaking¡ªit must be that this person had some skill.

    He was just about to shout at the top of his lungs.

    As quick as lightning, arge hand firmly grasped his throat.

    The strength of the fingers mped down on his windpipe, making it nearly impossible to breathe, let alone yell.

    The young man who had beenughing just then had somehow gotten in front of him, and it was his hand that was choking Shuisheng.

    ¡°Don¡¯t scream, or I¡¯ll twist your neck off.¡±

    The young man picked up a firewood stick from nearby, and Shuisheng saw that under the force, five holes immediately appeared in it.

    He Weng smelled a strong scent of urine! He couldn¡¯t help but cover his nose and saw that Shuisheng¡¯s crotch was already soaked, and there were clear wet marks on the ground.

    These bastards usually bullied them so arrogantly, as if they wished they could kill them, and now just from that, they were pissing their pants¡ªnot very man-like at all.

    Shuisheng¡¯s eyes rolled back, and he fainted.

    The young man holding him had a gloomy face, threw him to the side, and asked He Weng, ¡°Do you have any rope here? Get a couple of ropes to tie him up and stuff something in his mouth.¡±

    He Weng thought for a moment, ¡°We have some in the storeroom where we kept the grain and vegetables earlier; I¡¯ll go get it for you.¡±

    Old Hu was shivering with fear; He Weng saw him and reassured him, ¡°Old Hu, don¡¯t be afraid. These people are good people, they¡¯re here to rescue us. Let¡¯s just do what they tell us, and there won¡¯t be any trouble,¡± Old Hu nodded.

    An Zhiyuan nced outside. Many thugs were patrolling near the mine shaft, but there weren¡¯t many people at the main gate.

    The trucks they had encountered on the road had not yet been sent to deliver their loads, which had also drawn away some personnel.

    Now was the best opportunity.

    ¡°Fire the re gun; it doesn¡¯t matter whether we tie him up or not. Let¡¯s make a dash for the main gate. Once there, knock down the people there first, then fire the signal gun. Open the main gate so the others cane in smoothly. I calcted the distance; from the mine shaft to the main gate, it¡¯ll take one minute even if running. That means we have to finish the fight within one minute before their reinforcements arrive.¡±

    An Zhiyuan had not missed a thing; this was exactly what they were doing.

    The tworades immediately saluted.

    ¡°Yes, Captain!¡±

    Three people had already found weapons and were heading out when they ran into He Weng.

    ¡°What are you all going to do?¡±

    He Weng held a rope in his hand.

    ¡°We are going to call everyone inside. You take that old man and hide in the storeroom, lock the main door, stay inside, and wait until it¡¯s calm outside before youe out,¡± An Zhiyuan instructed He Weng.

    He Weng shook his head, ¡°The three of you definitely won¡¯t make it. You better fire the re gun quickly. We¡¯ll hide in the kitchen and wait until your people flood in, then we can all go out together. Wouldn¡¯t that be much safer?¡± He Weng didn¡¯t understand why they wanted to do it this way.

    An Zhiyuan shook his head, ¡°Look, if that main door is securely locked from the inside, and the perimeter wall is high covered with barbed wire and electrified fences. If our people were to climb over directly from the outside, it would cause casualties. I want to guarantee the safety of myrades to the greatest extent. So we¡¯re going to open the door from the inside to amodate them. And your task is just to hide away safely and wait for the final rescue.¡±

    Ordinary people couldn¡¯t understand why they wouldn¡¯t use a foolproof method and instead opted for such a radical approach.

    He Weng looked at the electrified fences and barbed wire, then suddenly realized, grabbing a fire stick, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you guys, an extra person means more strength.¡±

    An Zhiyuan waved his hand, ¡°Your frame isn¡¯t suitable, keeping yourself and the old man safe is most important. Ensuring your safety is, in fact, the greatest assurance for our mission.¡± His unspoken implication was that he wasn¡¯t up to it.

    He Weng looked at himself. In his life, he had never gotten into a fight, let alone a verbal argument. If he really had to fight now, he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to win.

    He guessed that going would only cause trouble for others, they would have to protect him, they might as well hide themselves, let the People¡¯s Liberation Army handle it cleanly, maybe then they would suffer fewer casualties.

    ¡°Well then, take care of yourselves!¡± He Weng said excitedly, finally seeing the day of his release.

    An Zhiyuan led his people out.

    He Weng hastily rushed into the storeroom with old Hu, then locked the door from the inside after hearing the sound of a re gun.

    He Weng crouched at the storeroom window, looking outside to check the situation.

    ¡°Xiaohe, do you know these people?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know these three, I only recognize one, the one who was talking to me earlier, I guess I¡¯ve met him before.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve only seen someone once and theye to rescue you? Can these people be trusted?¡±

    Old Hu was worried! Over the years, he hadn¡¯t thought about leaving, but even when leaders from above came to inspect, they never had a chance to appeal. He was old. He still wanted to live properly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they are professionals at this, and there are backup people outside as well. It¡¯s not just the three of them, so rest assured. It¡¯s done!¡± He Weng suddenly remembered that jerk Shuisheng was still lying in the kitchen room. When he woke up, he wouldn¡¯t cause any trouble for the people outside, would he?

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Shuisheng is still lying outside. I need to go out, bring him inside.¡±

    As he said this, He Weng was about to open the storeroom door.

    Old Hu stopped He Weng with one hand, ¡°You foolish boy, what use is going out now? Look, outside is already a mess. Just stay here quietly, lest you end up being seen as part of them.¡±

    He Weng could only stay with old Hu, peering from the window.

    Because the distance was too far, and the ss windows blurred everything, he could only vaguely see a wide melee, unable to discern who was who.

    He silently prayed that nothing would happen to An Zhiyuan; surely Bai Xiao had located An Zhiyuan to rescue him. He absolutely didn¡¯t want anyone to get hurt because of his rescue.

 Chapter 315 - 315 315 Bribery

    ?Chapter 315: Chapter 315 Bribery   Chapter 315: Chapter 315 Bribery                                   At the very moment the re gun was fired, the responding personnel outside had already sped off in their vehicles, heading directly towards the path ahead.

    All team members understood that every second counted.

    Every second could mean greater danger for their teammates inside. The car raced to the front gate and saw it slowly opening, with Zhiyuan waving his arms, ¡°Be careful, they have guard dogs and weapons, but no guns.¡±

    All personnel jumped out of their vehicles, all those who leapt from the trucks were in uniform.

    As they shouldered their guns, the sight of hoodlums brandishing clubs and running towards them in a frenzy, they were utterly stunned. They were hooligans and ruffians; even though they were thugs, they feared death. The sight of the dark gun barrels made only a few unafraid.

    ¡°It¡¯s the police, run!¡±

    With a whoosh, someone shouted, and the disorganized crowd immediately scattered in all directions, some rushing to inform the boss upstairs.

    Mr. Xu had just hung up the phone. The moment the signal gun sounded, he thought it possible that someone had broken in. Such equipment was definitely that of undercover police; he thought immediately to call his backer.

    The person on the other end said they would send someone right away, which allowed him to breathe a sigh of relief as he and his men went downstairs.

    Zhiyuan and his team had already subdued most of the thugs downstairs when they saw a burly man with a bare head, like a human lightbulb, approaching them.

    ¡°Captain, who is that man?¡±

    ¡°Do I even need to say it? See how he doesn¡¯t hide or dodge, he must be the owner here.¡± Zhiyuan, being the highest-ranking officer there, of course went to confront him.

    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m the owner here, Xu Youcai. Which one of you is in charge?¡±

    Xu Youcai was neither servile nor overbearing, and Zhiyuan immediately could tell that Mr. Xu had seen the wider world. Facing a situation like theirs, he was calm and collected, clearly confident.

    ¡°Hello, I am the captain leading the team, Zhiyuan. Since you¡¯re the owner, that makes things easier. One of our officers has gone missing, and he wasst seen at your establishment. We¡¯re here to find him and take him back! As you know, a police officer¡¯s disappearance can be a major or minor issue. Whether he has run away or has been detained, it¡¯s a serious matter that goes to court. Who knew that upon arrival, we would find your coal mine suspected of illegally detaining people? We need to take all your miners back for an investigation.¡± Zhiyuan took out the documents prepared by their superiors.

    They were local personnel, and it wouldn¡¯t be legal to use their manpower for this operation without an order from higher up.

    So, they found the best pretext.

    Upon hearing this, Mr. Xu felt annoyed. Why would they do something so stupid? If they recognized a policeman, how could they dare to casually bring him here? All the people they had tricked intoing were almost exclusively illiterate vigers, many fresh from rural areas for their first jobs, people with no rtives, no connections, no one to rely on.

    To suddenlye up with a policeman was like deliberately smearing filth on them, and it was all done legally ¨C they were looking for their man, what did that have to do with them?

    They had unwittingly uncovered their dirty secrets.

    This was a deliberate provocation.

    But Mr. Xu¡¯s face showed not a hint of displeasure; instead, he cheerfully pulled Zhiyuan aside.

    Zhiyuan shook off Mr. Xu¡¯s hand, ¡°Mr. Xu, if you have something to say, just say it. No need for this pushing and pulling.¡±

    Mr. Xu cursed inwardly, clearly knowing that they hade to demand a share, yet still putting on this fa?ade of righteousness.

    Damn!

    He discreetly slipped a paper bag into Zhiyuan¡¯s hand while blocking the view of everyone else.

    ¡°Captain Zhiyuan, you and yourrades have worked hard in this cold, bleak weather, carrying out your duties. Please take this for the brothers to buy some snacks and drinks. It¡¯s not much, just enough to buy a couple of packs of cigarettes for the brothers. After all, we¡¯re all one family, right?¡± Mr. Xu knew he would be bleeding money today. Facing their weapons, he couldn¡¯t get away without paying up, it was simply impossible.

    Of course, he wasn¡¯t too scared; his own backing wasn¡¯t weak. It just wasn¡¯t necessary to confront these people head-on.

    If money could solve the problem, then it wasn¡¯t a problem.

    Zhiyuan weighed the paper bag in his hand and called out to his teammate, ¡°Dazhuang,e here.¡±

    Seeing that Zhiyuan didn¡¯t immediately refuse, Mr. Xu¡¯s smile became sincerely warmer¡ªit¡¯s always easier when money is involved.

    Dazhuang hurried over, ¡°Captain, what¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°This bag of money was just given to me by Mr. Xu. Take it and count it. Record the amount and make a note. I¡¯m not sure which criminalw applies to this kind of bribery, as I¡¯m not aw student, but we do have rules that we cannot ept a single needle or thread from the people. It seems Mr. Xu here wants to go to court.¡± Zhiyuan¡¯s words struck Mr. Xu like a bucket of ice water, chilling him to the bone.

    This Captain Zhiyuan was impervious to bribery; he was firmly determined to make things difficult for Mr. Xu.

    His face darkened, ¡°Captain Zhiyuan, you are not the public security police andck the authority to enforcews. You barged into my mine without any documentation; this is a private invasion. If I pursue this matter, you could be held greatly ountable. The person you¡¯re looking for is certainly not here. Now if you and your men would just leave peacefully, we can act as though today¡¯s incident never happened. Otherwise, I can have your captaincy stripped from you right away¡ªbelieve it or not?¡±

    This was a shift from a soft to a hard approach.

    Zhiyuan nodded, ¡°Dazhuang, make sure to note down what Mr. Xu just said. We are acting under orders, including the document that has our unit¡¯s official seal on it, within our jurisdiction. We have lost a person and thus have the right to search for him, and every individual has the right and the duty to cooperate with us. But now, the situation here isn¡¯t as rosy as you¡¯re making it out to be. I really don¡¯t believe you have the kind of power to dictate what I do or don¡¯t do.

    I¡¯m not one with good temper. If someone tries to push me, I actually want to see, Mr. Xu, what you can actually do to me today?¡±

    The miners from the mine shaft had been brought up. Each had faces darkened with soot and was d in ragged cotton clothes, bewildered because the working day hadn¡¯t ended before the bells rang, summoning them to the surface. Coming up and seeing the ring military uniforms and rifles, they were all a bit dazed.

    They couldn¡¯t grasp what was going on.

    Just then, three police cars came speeding in with their sirens ring.

    Everyone watched everything unfold.

 Chapter 316 - 316 316 I Can Prove It

    ?Chapter 316: Chapter 316: I Can Prove It.   Chapter 316: Chapter 316: I Can Prove It.                                   Rows of police uniforms, holding weapons, got off the car, and even Boss Xu was a bit confused¡ªwhy had the police arrived?

    And they hadn¡¯t notified him beforehand.

    Usually, he was quite friendly with the chief of the police station that governed their area, calling each other brothers. Although the chief was impartial, he wouldn¡¯t juste by for no reason.

    An Zhiyuan watched as the leading police officer approached them.

    ¡°We are from the city¡¯s public security bureau, and we have received a report from the public that illegal activities are urring here, including the restriction of personal freedom and even disregard for human life. We are here to investigate the case. May I ask who you are?¡± The person was from the city¡¯s criminal investigation team, and this kind of major operation was something nobody had expected.

    Boss Xu was stunned. He was just a coal mine boss, who might have some money and connections behind him, but if both the police and local authorities got involved, and looking at the way they showed up, it seemed unlikely they¡¯d bend thew for favors. Cold sweat immediately broke out on his forehead.

    This was the city¡¯s public security, along with local personnel; it seemed that this time, the trouble had gotten a bit too big.

    He didn¡¯t know whether his backing could cover him now.

    ¡°Officers, you¡¯vee at just the right time. We were also on a mission. We came to look for our missingrade, but we didn¡¯t expect to find these people armed with weapons and clubs upon arrival here. There were reports that personal freedoms were being restricted here, and it¡¯s perfect that you¡¯ve arrived so that you can take over; we would be happy to help.¡± An Zhiyuan understood that they were not police and could not exercise police powers. They could use a high-sounding excuse, but of course, the subsequent matters should be handled by the police.

    Otherwise, it would amount to overstepping boundaries, not only making it easy for others to catch a handle, but also more likely to attract criticism.

    Boss Xu¡¯sst struggle; he knew that the situation had turned against him. Half an hour had already passed; if that person wanted to save him, he wouldn¡¯t have failed to appear by now. Not appearing meant that they had already chosen to preserve their own safety.

    What other choices did he have apart from saving himself now?

    ¡°There was no report at all, officers, don¡¯t listen to his nonsense. This so-called Captain An has brought people to extort from me. If I don¡¯t pay him the hush money, he uses this kind of pretext to shut down my business. You¡¯ve seen it, the envelope his man is holding contains the money I gave him.

    Captain An, I have already given you the money, and yet you still do this. Are you afraid that the officers might use you of epting bribes, so you turn around and falsely use me at once? There were no reports, it¡¯s just an excuse you made up. If you look at all these workers standing here and don¡¯t believe me, let me ask them for you, to see who here has had their freedom restrained by me.¡± Boss Xu was very adept at distorting the truth.

    Moreover, what was crucial was that he had great confidence in his capability to intimidate. These workers had long been scared by him; they definitely wouldn¡¯t dare to stand up and say anything against him, knowing full well how he would retaliate against them.

    Boss Xu shouted at all his workers: ¡°Brothers, you alle to work in my mine for a monthly wage of two hundred yuan. Now that the public security officers are here, alleging that I have restricted your personal freedoms, I will ask you all in front of everyone here: Have I ever restricted your personal freedom? If not, then answer loudly, so that the officers can know how these soldiers are falsely using me.

    Would you nder a good person?¡±

    All the workers looked at each other, no one daring to speak out. They had long been cowed by Boss Xu¡¯s ferocity and had lost the desire to struggle, even though they were now faced with police officers. With so many people under Xu¡¯s control, who knew if they could all be arrested thoroughly? If anyone spoke out first, who could tell if the next day, they might be the ones found dead?

    More than one life had been disposed of in those abandoned mine shafts; nobody wanted to die.

    Thus, the scene fell into an eerie silence.

    Triumphantly, Boss Xuughed, ¡°Officers, now you see clearly, don¡¯t you? There is no such thing as restricting anyone¡¯s freedom here. My mine is simply a workce that provides jobs for workers. I hire workers and pay them; that¡¯s all there is to it. What¡¯s the point of restricting the workers¡¯ freedom? Imprisoning them can neither be eaten nor drunk.

    I am aw-abiding, exemry citizen. The taxes I pay to the local government are significant every year. How could someone like me knowingly imprison others and vite thew? Why would I take the risk of breaking thew?¡±

    Laughing wildly,ughing arrogantly.

    He knew these people would absolutely not dare to stand up.

    This situation put the police in a difficult position. They had received orders from above that there was illegal detention of persons here, an infringement of personal freedom. But this was just an order; if there was no solid evidence or powerful witness testimony, their actions would have no foundation.

    Thew demands evidence.

    ¡°I can prove that not only did Boss Xu restrict all of our personal freedoms, but they also disregarded human lives. The so-called payment of wages, the work we did for him was just a facade. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can investigate¡ªhas anyone here ever received a single cent of wages? We are treated like ves here, toiling for him for nothing, not even provided enough food. Look at what we¡¯re wearing in this cold weather, then look at where we live.

    Comrades in the police, we were all deceived intoing here. Since entering this ce, none of us has ever been able to leave. The high walls are lined with electric fences and barbed wire. I want to ask Boss Xu, whose mine needs such things? How many people have your guard dogs killed? In that abandoned mine shaft over there, countless souls have died. To my knowledge, just in this half year alone, three lives have been lost.

    But I¡¯ve only been here a little over half a year. There are people here who have been here for five years. Over these five years, how many people have died? How many tortured spirits are buried here?¡± The resounding voice terrified Boss Xu.

    Someone actually dared to stand up. He turned around abruptly and saw He Wei helping Old Hu limp out, with He Wei holding a fire poker in his hand, fresh blood still clinging to it, a sight that startled everyone present.

    Boss Xu screamed hysterically, ¡°He¡¯s talking nonsense, he¡¯s just bearing a grudge because I didn¡¯t give him a raise, this is just him retaliating against me. Policerades, you can¡¯t just listen to his side of the story. Look, there are so many workers here, why is he the only one speaking? This is proof enough of the problem.¡± He tried to argue further.

    ¡°I can testify too. I¡¯ve been cooking here for five years, lured here by you five years ago and never able to leave since. I just want to go home. After five years, my family probably thinks I¡¯ve died out there,¡± Old Hu shouted, pointing at Boss Xu.

    ¡°It¡¯s this heartless Boss Xu. How many of the workers he tricked here five years ago are still alive? Over the years, I¡¯ve seen one worker after another brought in by deceit, each of them dying one by one. This ce is simply hell. Don¡¯t you all want to speak up? Don¡¯t you want to prove that you can leave here alive, leave like a human being?¡±

    All the workers became agitated. Perhaps it was because someone had taken the lead, or perhaps these words really stirred something deep in their hearts, suddenly intensifying their desire to go home. Who would want to wait for death in this living purgatory? If they really could go home, why would they remain silent?

    ¡°We can testify.¡±

    ¡°I can testify too.¡±

    ¡°We can all testify.¡±

    ¡°All of us here were deceived intoing.¡±

    ¡°Forget wages, we haven¡¯t seen a single cent.¡±

    ¡°Policerades, you can¡¯t let this demon off.¡±

    Suddenly, the atmosphere turned intensely passionate.

    Boss Xu copsed on the ground, petrified by everyone¡¯s fervent emotion.

    The workers, unable to contain their rage, picked up chunks of coal from the ground and hurled them with force at Boss Xu and at those bragging enforcers who usually strutted around them.

 Chapter 317 - 317 317 Seeing

    ?Chapter 317: Chapter 317: Seeing   Chapter 317: Chapter 317: Seeing                                   An Zhiyuan and his team finished their work, and the captain of the local criminal investigation team said their goodbyes. They had fully taken over the work here. Initially short-staffed, they managed with the help of An Zhiyuan¡¯s team, and Boss Xu along with his thugs were handcuffed and put into police cars.

    All the workers were ced in An Zhiyuan¡¯s vehicles and escorted by his teammates to the hospital for medical examinations and treatment. The police wouldter take over to conduct interrogations and record statements, including all necessary written reports.

    The coal mine waspletely sealed off.

    They had already phoned the nearby police, who would arrive to inspect the mine shaft, which, ording to the workers, was a death pit. This suggested that Boss Xu¡¯s crimes were of monumental significance.

    It could be described as a sensational case that shocked the nation.

    Although the investigation was not yetplete, ording to Old Hu, the longest-imprisoned captive of five years, at least thirty people had died there over that period. Even without an exact number, this statistic alone would be enough for Boss Xu and hispatriots to face the firing squad multiple times.

    With the whole nation cracking down, the head of the city¡¯s criminal investigation team had no idea that he would crack such a significant case this time.

    When Qian Cheng first called him for assistance, he had thought it was making a mountain out of a molehill¡ªan adult male, even if faced with some problems, being detained seemed unlikely. For what purpose would someone detain him?

    Now, he knew the answer and was very grateful for epting this assignment due to personal connections, as it turned out to be andmark case. His cooperation with a certain team was an exemry disy of dedication and marked a historic coboration.

    The coordination between the local unit and the public security system led to the resolution of a major criminal case.

    Just thinking about the des he would receive from his superiors filled him with delight.

    It seemed that Old Master Wang had deliberately given him this opportunity, and he was fortunate to have seized it, lest he missed out on such a significant event.

    Of course, he understood how to write the report. Captain An¡¯s team had already cracked the case after much hardship and captured the suspects, preventing their escape, especially those thugs who assisted Boss Xu in their nefarious deeds; the deaths were closely linked to them.

    Effectively, they justpleted the final wrap-up, reaping substantial benefits in the process.

    Of course, the report would not conceal the contributions of others, and since the case was a cooperative effort, it held historical significance.

    They would handle the case very seriously and responsibly, as it was a major historical incident.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s team transported all the workers to the Armed Police Hospital, which also had forensic coboration with the public security department, and so He Weng was brought here.

    He Wang was almost moved to tears upon receiving the news, the tough man¡¯s first reaction was to well up with tears.

    With no other choice, Bai Xiao had to take leave and, along with He Wang, made their way to the Armed Police Hospital. An Zhiyuan had intended to apany them, but because they had justpleted their mission, they needed to report back to their superiors, a matter of protocol. As a leader, he had to set an example.

    When Bai Xiao arrived, An Zhiyuan¡¯s team had already left, and the two of them had no chance to meet.

    Bai Xiao had asked the nurse¡¯s station where He Weng¡¯s room was and, along with He Wang, found it on the third floor. Over a hundred workers had been arranged to stay in the wards on this floor. Many of them had been overworked for a long time, suffering not just from malnutrition, but also from the inhumanbor. On top of that, there was the dust inhtion in the mine shafts. It was evident how unconscionable Boss Xu had been, having taken no protective measures for the workers. Nearly a hundred people were essentially an army of the injured and sick.

    Overall, He Weng was in good shape, probably because he had ess to some greasy food from working in the kitchen. His body had not copsed. When Bai Xiao and He Wang walked into the crowded ward with over a dozen people, it was in disarray. Many rtives had not yet been notified, and even if they had, they weren¡¯t locals. It would take time for their families to get there even if they started immediately.

    People were immersed in the joy of finally being rescued, after all, who wouldn¡¯t want to live with dignity, instead of being enved and whipped like dogs, constantly at risk of dying from a mere cold or fever. Those days had finallye to an end.

    The abandoned mine shaft that haunted their dreams, the one that could swallow and bury everyone, could finally be left behind as a nightmare.

    Once freed, people¡¯s emotions surged, they chattered incessantly, sharing their future ns with one another. Almost without exception! Everyone was determined to go back home and live an honest life. The outside world was too frightening. Many believed that living with family was perhaps the most wonderful life on Earth.

    Rich or poor, at least to be together with one¡¯s family was what counted. Besides, the police officers had assured them that they would receive their wages andpensation. Thew would not allow Boss Xu to go unpunished. His assets would be distributed aspensation to everyone by court decree.

    This point was exceedingly exciting for them.

    Upon entering, Bai Xiao and He Wang saw He Weng lying in a bed by the window, covered with a white nket, silent, not saying a word, somewhat out of ce from the surroundings, exuding a sense of destion.

    The moment He Wang saw his brother, he could no longer hold back his tears, which gushed out. Afraid that He Weng would see him upset, he forcefully wiped his face and approached, calling out.

    ¡°Xiaoweng!¡±

    He Weng abruptly looked up to see He Wang and Bai Xiao.

    He sat up suddenly, a bit flustered.

    He Wang hurried to restrain him, ¡°Don¡¯t get up, don¡¯t get up.¡±

    ¡°Brother, Doctor Bai! You¡¯re here!¡± He Weng had anticipated that his older brother and Doctor Bai woulde to see him, but thinking and seeing were two different things. He thought he would burst into tears upon seeing his family, yet it seemed nothing happened, and he couldn¡¯t even shed a single tear.

    Bai Xiao set down the items from the bag; He Wang had specifically bought these for his brother: canned food, biscuits, malted milk, rice cakes, apples, and such. No matter how much Bai Xiao tried to dissuade him, he wouldn¡¯t be swayed, clearly the head of the family.

    ¡°How are you doing?¡± Bai Xiao pulled up a chair to sit down, while He Wang sat beside He Weng¡¯s bed.

    From thest time they met to this reunion, it felt like an eternity had passed. Bai Xiao knew that he had only been caught for illegalbor, which relieved her heart. After all, being employed illegally was far better than those who had been forced to sell their organs.

    She also knew she was overthinking.

    It was the year 1986, not 2006, and the criminals weren¡¯t yet so rampant.

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty good, no worries!¡± He Weng felt too ashamed. He had set out to repay a kindness but ended up being deceived into a wolf¡¯s den. Not only had he not earned any money, but now Bai Xiao had to rescue him.

 Chapter 318 - 318 318 Perspective

    ?Chapter 318: Chapter 318: Perspective   Chapter 318: Chapter 318: Perspective                                   The people around had quieted down earlier because of He Wang and Bai Xiao¡¯s presence, some looked enviously at He Weng.

    Someone had actuallye to visit him.

    ¡°You brothers chat, I¡¯ll go to the doctor¡¯s office to inquire about the situation,¡± Bai Xiao knew her presence might make He Weng uneasy as they truly didn¡¯t have much inmon after all.

    He Weng¡¯s purpose toe out this time truly surprised her, as it turned out it was for her. He Wang had told her that He Weng came out to repay her, hoping to work hard to save some money for Bai Xiao¡¯s dowry and wanting to protect Bai Xiao.

    Of course, that was the original intention, but the oue had been a different story.

    Instead, it led to Bai Xiao saving him once again.

    Bai Xiao said it would be false to im she wasn¡¯t moved, yet seeing the way He Weng reacted to her, somewhat like a mouse spotting a cat, she reflected on herself, wondering if she was too assertive, which may have frightened He Weng.

    Once Bai Xiao left.

    He Weng finally sighed in relief.

    ¡°You, why do you look terrified upon seeing Bai Xiao?¡± He Wang, seeing his brother¡¯s nervousness, found a teacup for him, as the patients had arrived with nothing at all! All wares were distributed uniformly by the hospital! A directive from the city authority had already stated that all expenses including meals and everyday needs of these workers were to be settled by the public security system.

    Of course, none of them knew that this major case had already rmed the provincial public security department; its enormous cruelty and severity were simply shocking. For so many imprisoned victims, the department had issued an order to initially cover these costs.

    Once the case was thoroughly adjudicated, the expenses would be deducted from Boss Xu¡¯s finances. Truthfully, Boss Xu owed these workers more than just that; the skeletons dug out from beneath the mine shaft exceeded 30, and thepensation for these people, including all futurepensations for the current workers, would be covered by all of Boss Xu¡¯s assets.

    Now, all they were waiting for was the gathering of more evidence; Boss Xu had already been detained and arrested, and even the elusive Han Ge fell into a police trap and was caught in a raid.

    ¡°Brother! I feel so embarrassed, I said I came to repay a favor! Yet, I ended up being saved by the doctor again, I¡¯m out of face!¡± He Weng was miserably frustrated.

    He Wang scolded him, ¡°And you still talk! It was all thanks to Bai Xiao; if not for her fianc¨¦ Officer An, do you think your telegram alone could have saved you? I¡¯ve told you to stop this nonsense, would it not have been better if you just stayed home and made some money to repay her? Instead, you ran all this way, and look, thankfully nothing happened this time. If something had, how could I face our parents below? I am telling you, once you are well, you will return home with me.

    You don¡¯t know, life at home has improved. I am a driver now, and once youe back, I¡¯ll teach you to drive. Eventually, I will save up to buy you a truck; I¡¯ve seen many people make good money driving transport! Don¡¯t worry, if there¡¯s anything, your brother will help you! Our days can improve.¡± This time, He Weng had terrified He Wang;ing out for a job nearly cost him his life, and he would not allow his brother to continue risking it outside.

    He Weng sighed, ¡°Big brother, please don¡¯t be like this. I¡¯m no child, at this age, it¡¯s only through venturing out that one understands life¡¯s storms. If I hadn¡¯t gone through this, how would I have known such evil people existed in the world? Isn¡¯t it said by the elders, a setback fosters wisdom? Now I can still properly take care of myself, and I consider that an enlightenment gained.

    Brother, I won¡¯t return; a man should venture out. It isn¡¯t right to always be sheltered under your wing as that wouldn¡¯t be helping me, big brother, but rather harming me. I am a man; after this experience! I believe no matter how harsh the trials, I won¡¯t be afraid, nothing else could be scarier than death. To live is to experience everything.¡± He Weng reasoned with his brother, to stop him from fretting over him. He knew his brother cared, but he was not a child and needed to stand up and face the world on his own.

    He Wang felt somewhat disheartened by He Weng¡¯s words, thinking he had been good to his brother, yet his brother didn¡¯t appreciate it. This was perhaps one of those things in the world that made sense yet couldn¡¯t be clearly exined.

    ¡°What can you do if you go out? I can¡¯t understand, is it really that great outside? Why do you insist on leaving?¡± He Wang couldn¡¯t grasp his brother¡¯s thoughts.

    Bai Xiao walked in. She had been standing at the door, overhearing the conversation between He Weng and He Wang. This He Weng, despite hisck of formal education, impressed her with his broad perspective and cleverness. His ability to save himself this time proved that He Weng was a smart and formidable person! Ensuring his own safety while finding a way to seek help, such a person was indeed smart.

    Both brothers stopped talking when they saw Bai Xiao, as some things were better not discussed in front of her.

    He Wang did not want to criticize his brother in front of his sister-inw, as that would dishonor his brother, something he would not do.

    ¡°He Weng, who sent that telegram for me?¡±

    Bai Xiao had roughly heard about He Weng¡¯s situation. Under such strict supervision, it was absolutely impossible for He Weng to go out and send a telegram himself, and others wouldn¡¯t give him the chance either, so it must have been someone else who helped him.

    He Wengughed, ¡°Doctor Bai, speaking of this, I also wanted to ask you to help me check on someone. It was this person who helped me. If it wasn¡¯t for their kindness, it¡¯s likely that no one would know where I am now! I want to properly thank her.¡±

    After exining Sally¡¯s role, Bai Xiao finally understood the whole story.

    ¡°Let¡¯s wait until you¡¯re better. I¡¯ve asked the doctor, and your condition is good, only suffering from malnutrition with no other illnesses. You can be discharged tomorrow, and we¡¯ll pick you up from the hospital! Once out, I¡¯ll apany you to thank her! After all, you¡¯re the person involved, and thanking her face to face is much better than me doing it. A girl like this, unafraid of bringing trouble upon herself to help you so much, we should indeed be thankful.¡± There are many good people in the world.

    Bai Xiao was willing to treat all those with a conscience, a sense of justice, and the courage to help others kindly. Compared to her previous life, this world seemed filled with good people, a truly strange feeling. Initially, she returned with hatred, but now, she found that besides hatred, this world was so beautiful and touching.

    It made her willing to sincerely treat this world and many people, even if they were ordinary and insignificant, because they were kind-hearted.

    He Weng nodded, ¡°Okay, thank you, Doctor Bai. You¡¯ve saved my life again!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me Doctor Bai, Doctor Bai, as we¡¯re practically family. Your elder brother is my brother-inw, so we¡¯re rtives, aren¡¯t we? Just call me Bai Xiao. It wasn¡¯t me who saved you this time; it was your own perseverance and your never-give-up attitude in the face of adversity that saved you. I was merely a stepping stone, don¡¯t dwell on that.¡± Bai Xiao was willing to be friends with He Weng because she could see a potential in him that didn¡¯t rte to academic or educational achievements, but the way he approached and tackled problems showed how far he could go.

    He Weng was slightly embarrassed by Bai Xiao¡¯s praise.

    The three of them talked for a while, but Bai Xiao had work to attend to. She had only taken half a day off, leaving He Wang to keep He Wengpany as she left.

    It was agreed that Bai Xiao would pick them up from the hospital the next day.

 Chapter 319 - 319 319 An Old Friend Arrives

    ?Chapter 319: Chapter 319: An Old Friend Arrives   Chapter 319: Chapter 319: An Old Friend Arrives                                   Bai Xiao returned to the hospital and, as it happened, was greeted by an old acquaintance.

    In the consultation room, she saw the travel-worn Liu Hong.

    ¡°What is this¡­¡± Bai Xiao wanted to curse. Liu Hong had always been pestering her to get out, and Bai Xiao had been one hundred percent against it. The only exnation for her showing up in Bai Xiao¡¯s office now was that Liu Hong had run off on her own, definitely without the consent of Liu Baoguo and Li Chunmei.

    That couple treated their daughter like the apple of their eye; how could they possibly allow Liu Hong to go to another ce, and such a long distance at that.

    Liu Hong saw Bai Xiao and threw herself at her.

    Clinging affectionately to Bai Xiao¡¯s arm, she cajoled and acted cute, ¡°Xiao, you¡¯re the best. I havee to seek shelter with you. You wouldn¡¯t turn me away, would you? If you do, I¡¯ll be left homeless on the streets. I am your elder sister after all; you wouldn¡¯t be so heartless, right?¡±

    Her face had the look of someone who would burst into tears if Bai Xiao didn¡¯t agree, which annoyed Bai Xiao to the point of rolling her eyes. This was emotional ckmail.

    ¡°Have you eaten yet? Did you just arrive, or have you been here for a while?¡± Bai Xiao figured she could forget about getting any work done today.

    She would have to continue her leave of absence.

    Liu Hong touched her stomach and said pitifully, ¡°I¡¯m starving to death. I didn¡¯t eat anything on the way here. You don¡¯t know how tough it was for me; I almost got abducted by human traffickers. Thankfully, I¡¯m smart, or else I would¡¯ve been done for. I was so scared, I didn¡¯t dare to eat anything random. Hurry and find me something to eat.¡± She certainly wasn¡¯t shy.

    Xiaoli walked in, ¡°Dr. Bai, thisrade has been waiting for you for quite a while, about three hours. Do you want your name removed from the registration list this afternoon?

    Bai Xiao shook her head, ¡°You see, there¡¯s just no way these next few days. Everyone in my family has had issues; how could I possibly focus on work? I¡¯ll go and ask the Director for time off.¡± Suddenly, Bai Xiao felt like she was being a really inadequate doctor, but with everything happening so fast and all at once, there was nothing she could do.

    Upon reaching the Director¡¯s office, Wang Dachuan readily approved a week¡¯s leave.

    Anyway, the doctors in their Traditional Chinese Medicine department weren¡¯t that indispensable. The prestigious doctors were all in Surgery or Internal Medicine. They just gave the patients acupuncture and prescribed medicine, dealing mostly with chronic diseases which weren¡¯t likely to cause any serious problems if Bai Xiao didn¡¯t show up for a week.

    Although Dr. Bai Xiao had by now established her ce in the field of acupuncture at the Traditional Chinese Medicine department, and many people came to see her specifically for her needling technique, she still didn¡¯t surpass the importance of the Surgery or Internal Medicine departments.

    Bai Xiao led Liu Hong to her dormitory, as Liu Hong had nowhere else to stay! If she didn¡¯t stay with Bai Xiao, where else could she go?

    Liu Hong was curious about everything, just like Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden.

    Once inside the room, Liu Hong threw her backpack on the floor, looking at all the things in Bai Xiao¡¯s room without daring to breathe out loud, seeing that everything seemed so valuable! She of course recognized things like the television; their vige only had one ck-and-white TV in their home, which was something her elder brother managed to buyst year. The signal was not good, barely able to receive one channel. While watching TV, Liu Baoguo always had to stand in front of the set, holding the antenna and adjusting it, or else it was just snow and static. Their own set was nothingpared to therge one Bai Xiao had here.

    Sure, ¡°It must be quite expensive,¡± thought Bai Xiao, who had seen many items here she had never seen before. She suddenly regretted rashlying here and wondered if she was bothering Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao did not notice Liu Hong¡¯s wilted demeanor. She took off her coat, turned on the gas, and started to cook noodle soup for Liu Hong. She didn¡¯t usually cook, so all she had at home was some dried noodles and eggs, not even any vegetables! Fortunately, she still had some pickles that her sister had brought specially for herst time. There were also some meatballs and roast pork left in the fridge. She had nned to give them all to her elder sister, but her sister refused, saying, ¡°What if one day you want to cook a meal for yourself and you have nothing? That would never do, right?¡±

    She tossed a few meatballs into the noodles and poached a couple of eggs.

    The bowl was simply prepared with soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil. There were some leftover green onions fromst time, so she chopped them up and sprinkled them over the noodles. Once served, the meatballs and poached eggs on top looked very appetizing.

    ¡°Let¡¯s eat!¡± Bai Xiao brought it over to her.

    Liu Hong shuffled over to the table and sat down. She picked up her chopsticks but didn¡¯t start eating.

    Bai Xiao nced at her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Aren¡¯t you hungry? Why aren¡¯t you eating?¡± The girl seemed to be weighed down with thoughts.

    Liu Hong nced at Bai Xiao, ¡°Xiao, am I disturbing your life bying here? I¡¯m telling you, right after we finish eating, I¡¯ll go out and look for work. It¡¯ll be fine as long as I find a factory job that includes room and board. I definitely can¡¯t disturb you here.¡± She felt a little sad. They used to live in the same vige, and back then, her own life was even better than Bai Xiao¡¯s.

    At that time, Liu Hong felt exceedingly superior; after all, she was the vige chief¡¯s daughter.

    Now, havinge here, she suddenly realized that the gap between her and Bai Xiao was growingrger andrger. Even the dormitory where Bai Xiao lived now, with its facilities and belongings, made it clear that the hospital valued Bai Xiao greatly.

    Here she was in a strange ce, bing someone who could only rely on the rtionships with fellow vigers to be a burden to others, and this disparity made her feel really ufortable.

    Bai Xiaoughed, flicking Liu Hong¡¯s forehead with a snap of her fingers. Liu Hong¡¯s eyes shed with indignation. ¡°I mean, look at you, the older you get, the heavier your thoughts be. Your parents are like my godparents, you know. By rights, I ought to call you ¡®sister¡¯. We¡¯re rtives, after all; so what¡¯s all this talk about being a burden or being troublesome?

    If you talk like that, you¡¯ll really make me angry. Since you¡¯re already here, just settle down and stay with me without being in a hurry to find a job. If you¡¯re really intent on making something of yourself, then of course we should find the right job for you. You¡¯re young; you should look for something where you can learn a skill, learn while you work, and earn money at the same time.

    Nowadays, you won¡¯t starve doing just about anything. Just stay here with me in peace. In a bit, I¡¯ll call your dad and you better not re at me.¡± Upon hearing that Bai Xiao nned to call her parents, Liu Hong felt as if she was being betrayed and her eyes widened more than brass bell.

    ¡°Think about it, you sneaked off alone without saying a word to your parents; they must be out there searching for you with a team right now. Just imagine their gray hairs; don¡¯t you feel guilty? Thest time they looked for you, your mom got so sick, and your dad didn¡¯t sleep for days and nights. Though they didn¡¯t agree with youing out here, they aren¡¯t stubborn people. Since you¡¯ve alreadye, the least you can do is let them know you¡¯re safe here and that someone is taking care of you; that will put their minds at ease.

    Don¡¯t just consider yourself, okay? Remember the old saying, ¡®Children want to support their parents, but sometimes parents are not around.¡¯ Look at me ¡ª I want to be filial to my parents, but I don¡¯t even get the chance. Don¡¯t leave yourself with any regrets.¡±

    Liu Hong hung her head, ¡°I was wrong. Go ahead and call.¡± Thinking about her parents worrying themselves sick over her, she genuinely felt guilty.

 Chapter 320 - 320 320 Opening Your Heart (Extra Chapter for

    ?Chapter 320: Chapter 320 Opening Your Heart (Extra Chapter for Monthly Ticket)   Chapter 320: Chapter 320 Opening Your Heart (Extra Chapter for Monthly Ticket)                                   Bai Xiao had called Liu Baoguo, and when he picked up the phone, he was relieved to know that Liu Hong was with Bai Xiao.

    ¡°Xiao, this silly girl, left without saying a word, just left us a note saying she had gone out to work, which worried her mom and me a lot. Since she is with you now, please take good care of her. Mainly because she has never traveled far before, I really can¡¯t rest easy.

    Don¡¯t worry, in a couple of days her mom and I wille to take her back, I promise not to cause you any trouble.¡±

    Liu Hong had seen Bai Xiao make the call and had been listening in by the phone the whole time.

    Upon hearing this, she looked displeased and made faces at Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao shook her head, ¡°Godfather, some things aren¡¯t appropriate for me to discuss with you, and you might not like to hear them, but I feel they still need to be said. Liu Hong is no longer a child, and she isn¡¯t attending school anymore. Initially, Liu Hong was a high school student; if you want her to marry and stay in the countryside, she wouldn¡¯t like that kind of life. Even if she truly got married, I¡¯m afraid she wouldn¡¯t live a peaceful life.

    Since she has alreadye here this time, I think you should note over either. Let her experience the world here. After all, Liu Hong is still young and has a certain level of education, which means she has a broader range of job opportunities here. Who knows, maybe Liu Hong will find her own opportunities.

    She is still young, and you should give her some opportunities to venture out on her own. Maybe, Liu Hong might have a different life?¡± These were words only she could say, as an outsider with rity, Liu Baoguo and his wife were deeply concerned out of love.

    Sometimes, they couldn¡¯t see clearly, always hoping to keep their daughter close to their side, not wishing for her to make any mistakes.

    Liu Baoguo sighed, ¡°Xiao, I know you¡¯re a college graduate with insights and understanding. I¡¯m just afraid Liu Hong will go down the wrong path. This kid is bold and wild, I know, and this little vige can¡¯t confine her. But ever since the Han Dazhi incident, I¡¯ve regretted not being stricter with her, which might have prevented such a situation.

    I¡¯m mainly afraid that she might go out and misjudge people, getting tricked. A mistake for a young girl is already unavoidable, but if anything goes wrong again, it could ruin her entire life.

    But after hearing what you said today, I think you¡¯re right. Even if Liu Hong really got married here in the vige, she¡¯d probably still cause nonstop trouble at home. Alright. Your godmother and I won¡¯te, we¡¯ll listen to you. Let her work there in peace. The only requirement we have for her is, we don¡¯t seek any superficial glory, just that she lives an honest life, that¡¯s all. Her parents will always wee her back with open arms.¡±

    Liu Hong¡¯s eyes turned red in an instant.

    Bai Xiao handed the phone to her.

    She went to clean up the dishes.

    ¡°Dad!¡±

    As soon as Liu Hong spoke, her throat was already choked up.

    When Liu Baoguo heard his daughter¡¯s voice, he finally felt reassured.

    This girl had only left a letter saying she¡¯d gone out to work, hadn¡¯t brought much clothing, and had only her usual pocket money on her, which made the couple very worried.

    Now, hearing her voice and knowing that she was safe and had reached the provincial city where Bai Xiao was, he felt much more at ease, especiallyforted by the fact that his daughter had managed to travel from such a distance to another city, a big city at that, and had found Bai Xiao, he couldn¡¯t help but feel proud of her.

    If she were going out alone, she would probably feel frightened, let alone the fact that her daughter had never traveled far from home before.

    ¡°Girl, you¡¯ve grown up now, and you¡¯re braver too. You even left a note for your parents and ran away from home.¡± It wasn¡¯t a joke but bitterness.

    The older her daughter grew, the more uneasy he felt.

    ¡°Dad, I know I did wrong this time. I shouldn¡¯t have left without discussing it properly with you, sneaking away on my own. Dad, please give me a chance. While I¡¯m still unmarried and young, let me try my luck outside. When I sat on the train alone and arrived here, looking at this unfamiliar city¡ªit¡¯s so different from our home, with tall buildings and a sea of cars.

    I want to see if I have the ability to carve out a bit of sky for myself. You wouldn¡¯t believe how shocked I was when I arrived at Bai Xiao¡¯s ce, her hospital, her dorm, and the conditions there¡ªthey¡¯re unbelievably good. Honestly, I felt a bit envious and jealous.

    Your daughter isn¡¯t stupid, she might not be as good as Bai Xiao academically, but I, too, graduated from high school. I want to see what I can achieve here with my own efforts.

    If in the future I aplish nothing, at least I will have tried and known that I did, and it just wasn¡¯t sessful. Then I can¡¯t me anyone else. But if I never tried or struggled, and just married and lived a simple life in the countryside, I would regret it in the future.

    So, don¡¯t worry. After going through the Han Dazhi incident, I¡¯ve learned my lesson. Trust me, I¡¯m not the naive Liu Hong anymore. I will firmly remember this lesson. Dad, tell mom not to worry, I¡¯lle back to see you during the New Year.¡± Words from the heart were spoken, and suddenly it felt like the distance between her and her parents had closed. Those reasons that once couldn¡¯t be exined suddenly became clear to her.

    It¡¯s not that her parents didn¡¯t understand these reasons; they were just worried about her.

    This worry made them unable to let go, unable to let her venture out on her own.

    It was because they loved her, wholeheartedly, without a hint of selfishness. They loved her and therefore wanted to protect her.

    Liu Baoguo was also teary on the other end of the phone.

    This was the first time his daughter had spoken such touching, heartwarming words to him, proving that she had grown up and be sensible.

    At least she understood the reasons now.

    ¡°Okay, okay, girl, take good care of yourself out there. No matter how tired, always eat well and stay hydrated. No matter how hard you want to try, your health is your capital. Without good health, you can¡¯t perform any job well.

    Also, when you¡¯re out there, be more observant and cautious, do more, talk less. Remember, trouble often starts with words. And wherever you are, make sure to work hard. Don¡¯t mind if people call you naive, as long as you are diligent, it will definitely pay off. Those who are deceitful never end well.

    I¡¯ve been a vige chief for many years and I understand; don¡¯t think the leaders don¡¯t talk much and seem cordial to everyone, they know who is hardworking and who is deceitful. They have a scale in their heart, when the timees to choose people, they naturally pick those who are trustworthy.

    This time, I won¡¯t say more. Just don¡¯t worry about your mom and me, we are doing well at home. As long as you can take care of yourself, we¡¯ll be happy. We¡¯re waiting for your return during the New Year, believing that you¡¯ll do well.¡±

    This time, father and daughter truly opened their hearts to each other, dissolving all iprehensible barriers between them, leaving only deep care and love among family members.

 Chapter 321 - 321 321 The Telephone

    ?Chapter 321: Chapter 321: The Telephone   Chapter 321: Chapter 321: The Telephone                                   Bai Xiao arranged for Liu Hong to sleep with her; they were both women, so there was no need to sleep separately.

    In the afternoon, she took Liu Hong to the staff bathhouse for a bath. It was Liu Hong¡¯s first time in a staff bathhouse, and she had never seen so many people bathing together. Even at home, she only bathed once a month, usually just heating a tub of water, washing in the basin, then rinsing her hair with another pail of water; that was considered a bath.

    She was absolutely embarrassed to be bathing naked with so many people.

    If Bai Xiao hadn¡¯t insisted, Liu Hong might have run away.

    However, once she stood under the showerhead, experiencing the miraculous scene of turning the switch and having hot water pour down continuously, showers felt so much more refreshing than washing in a tub, not to mention when familiar faces around offered to scrub each other¡¯s backs.

    Gradually, she began to rx.

    Especially because Bai Xiao was right by her side, bathing just as naturally, Liu Hong felt at ease.

    Especially using the ¡°Seagull¡± brand shampoo and that yellow conditioner Bai Xiao gave her, making her hair slick and smooth.

    After washing,bing through her long hair from root to tip was effortless.

    It was nothing like the knotted mess after washing at home in the vige, wherebing was a slow and painful process that often left her scalp sore.

    They did have soap at home, but few used scented soaps.

    This soap was fragrant, leaving a pleasant scent on the skin even after thoroughly rinsing off.

    The two spent well over an hour in the bathhouse before leaving.

    Bai Xiao had a bath ticket.

    With towels wrapped around their hair, the two returned home.

    Liu Hong finally appreciated the benefits of the bathhouse.

    Having traveled by train all day, Bai Xiao had arranged for her to go to bed early.

    Liu Hong had eaten lunch at two in the afternoon, so she skipped dinner and slept through to morning.

    Bai Xiao called An Zhiyuan at night, fearing he¡¯d be too busy during the day. She didn¡¯t want to bother him at work as she knew that could lead to teasing from his colleagues; therefore, she waited until after eight o¡¯clock to phone him.

    An Zhiyuan was indeed right next to the telephone and answered the call himself.

    As it happened, An Zhiyuan was about to call Bai Xiao because he couldn¡¯t make it over that day and didn¡¯t want her to worry.

    The two had the same thought at the same time.

    His report had already been submitted. The higher-ups were taking this matter very seriously, as initially, it appeared they had meddled in the public security system. Their excuse was sound, especially since the case was solved spectacrly and likely involved someplex issues. The leadership paid great attention and immediately instructed An Zhiyuan to send the report up the chain.

    They needed to report it to the district authorities.

    ¡°What are you up to?¡±

    ¡°I was just about to call you when you did. Does this count as ¡®great minds think alike¡¯?¡± An Zhiyuan¡¯s voice carried an unusual yfulness.

    ¡°An Zhiyuan, are you being glib?¡± Bai Xiao¡¯sughter was subdued, careful not to wake Liu Hong.

    ¡°Why are you whispering?¡± An Zhiyuan noticed Bai Xiao deliberately keeping her voice down.

    ¡°Liu Hong is here; she¡¯s asleep inside!¡±

    ¡°Liu Hong? Is she the vige chief¡¯s daughter?¡± An Zhiyuan remembered clearly, as it was they who helped when Bai Xiao saved Liu Hong; it was hard to forget.

 Chapter 322 - 322 322 Instructions

    ?Chapter 322: Chapter 322 Instructions   Chapter 322: Chapter 322 Instructions                                   ¡°You remember?¡± Bai Xiao didn¡¯t expect that.

    ¡°I remember everything that¡¯s rted to you!¡±

    This cheesy romantic line made Bai Xiao content, probably every woman hopes her man considers her special.

    ¡°ttering! Officer An, be careful not to lose all your integrity!¡±

    ¡°How about He Weng? How is he when you visited? He looks pretty spirited to me, and he doesn¡¯t seem to have any serious injuries, so it shouldn¡¯t be too bad! But we definitely need to consider the actual situation!¡± An Zhiyuan changed the subject, as he wasn¡¯t a man who excelled at flirting. The few romantic words he asionally said were truly spontaneous and definitely not intentionally provocative.

    ¡°He can be discharged tomorrow, and I will take him to stay with me. He doesn¡¯t have anywhere to live right now. The camp bed you borrowedst time is still there, so let him stay in the living room. My brother-inw has also moved in with us; I guess after these busy couple of days he will want to go back home, there¡¯s a mountain of things to take care of.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s inconvenient, I can help them arrange a stay at the guesthouse.¡± An Zhiyuan considered that it would indeed be inconvenient for two grown men to stay at Bai Xiao¡¯s.

    But it would also be inconvenient at Bai Yue¡¯s ce, and it wouldn¡¯t be suitable for them to stay at a hotel either, since the hotel doesn¡¯t heat up at night and it would be terribly cold and ufortable.

    Bai Yue¡¯s house is only so big with a couple and three children; it is already filled to capacity, so squeezing in more people was really not an option.

    ¡°No need, it¡¯s just for these few days, there is no need to make a fuss. Otherwise, they might think I¡¯m not weing them. That kid is probably already on edge enough; there¡¯s no need to add to his mental burden.¡±

    Bai Xiao could tell that He Weng was someone who cared about face! She reckoned that even if she let him stay longer, He Weng probably wouldn¡¯t stay for long, so there was no need to bother An Zhiyuan right now¡ª their guesthouse was no different from the hospital¡¯s.

    ¡°That kid? He Weng is several years older than you!¡± An Zhiyuan chuckled softly.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s tone was prematurely old, which made it seem as though she indeed saw He Weng as a child.

    ¡°Yes, my mistake, I mean that older brother!¡± Bai Xiao was annoyed, it was almost like a sickness the way she unconsciously treated others as her juniors.

    ¡°Tomorrow, I won¡¯t be able to pick you guys up, the leadership has asked me to report to the district, so I¡¯ll be setting off soon, and at the earliest, I can¡¯t return until three dayster. Take good care of yourself, especially don¡¯t overexert yourself, I will be very worried about your condition since I¡¯m not there.¡±

    ¡°You take care of yourself too, call me when you get back. This incident won¡¯t cause any trouble for you, right?¡± Bai Xiao had been meaning to ask, but hadn¡¯t, yet as An Zhiyuan was about to leave, she had to ask or she feared she would regret itter.

    She also knew it was inappropriate to involve An Zhiyuan in this matter; calling the police was the most suitable course of action. After all, they are the best equipped to handle it. But the moment she saw that telegram, Bai Xiao¡¯s first instinct was that there must be a huge protective umbre shielding these people; otherwise, with their criminal activities to such an extent, it was impossible for the local police not to have noticed.

    Maybe it was because of too many psychological shadows in her past life.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine. When I return, I¡¯lle to see you.¡± An Zhiyuan¡¯s voice was soft andforting. Although there were many things he couldn¡¯t say, this incident indeed didn¡¯t have a bad impact on him. In fact, because of his outstanding achievements in this big case, he should be the primary beneficiary. His leadership had already spoken with him, and his promotion should not be an issue, as this case had earned their team second-ss merits and himself a first-ss merit.

    If nothing unexpected happened, he would be promoted to a different rank in a month¡¯s time.

 Chapter 323 - 323 323 Sally

    ?Chapter 323: Chapter 323 Sally   Chapter 323: Chapter 323 Sally                                   Early the next morning, Liu Hong insisted on going with Bai Xiao to pick up the injured He Weng, although she had never met him before. However, having heard of He Weng¡¯s legendary experience, she was unable to sleep, filled with admiration.

    After all, He Weng, like her, was inexperienced! Despite knowing how to protect himself, he was even able to seek help, which wasn¡¯t something just anyone could imagine doing.

    Bai Xiao went with her to the hospital.

    He Weng and the others had already packed their things, which were few. The nurse had informed them that they only needed to sign to be discharged! The discharge process was simple, and they didn¡¯t need to worry about the costs themselves.

    When Bai Xiao arrived, theypleted the procedures, and the group walked out of the hospital together.

    He Weng¡¯s wardmates were envious; not everyone had so many people to pick them up like He Weng. Many didn¡¯t even understand what had happened yet they were rescued. Everyone remembered that He Weng was the first to stand up, bravely facing the authorities. Otherwise, their fates could have been different.

    After bidding farewell,

    He Weng and Bai Xiao left the hospital.

    He Weng nced at Bai Xiao, ¡°Bai Xiao, I want to visit Sally today. Yesterday, when the police took my statement, I asked for Sally¡¯s address.¡±

    Bai Xiao looked at the numerous bags, ¡°Brother-inw, why don¡¯t you take these things home? I¡¯ll give you the keys. You and Liu Hong go back first. He Weng and I will visit Sally¡¯s house. It¡¯s good to show gratitude!¡±

    He Wang looked around; he wanted toe along, but indeed the bags were cumbersome.

    Liu Hong clung tightly to Bai Xiao¡¯s arm, ¡°I¡¯m not going back. Brother-inw, you go back alone. I want to go with Bai Xiao to see. I won¡¯t cause any trouble; I just want to follow you.¡± She wouldn¡¯t miss such excitement.

    He Wang reluctantly nodded, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go back. You guyse back soon too.¡±

    He knew his brother was a good person, and such matters indeed called for a visit to express thanks.

    Bai Xiao hailed a taxi; none of them knew their way, and asking directions could take forever.

    The taxi driver, upon seeing the address, cheerfully said that it was just nearby, in an old house of a stic factory dormitory.

    It took fifteen minutes to reach the ce, and Bai Xiao and herpanions were surprised standing at Sally¡¯s doorstep.

    Sally¡¯s home consisted of two low shacks that looked dpidated and unremarkable.

    Bai Xiao knocked on the door.

    A sweet voice answered.

    ¡°Who is it?¡±

    ¡°We are here to see Sally!¡±

    The door opened, and a strikingly gorgeous girl d in a thick cotton-padded coat looked at them.

    He Weng immediately recognized her! This was Sally.

    Clearly, Sally recognized him too and hurried to close the door.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know you, go away quickly.¡±

    Bai Xiao held the door, ¡°Mr. Xu, all those people have been captured, most likely facing the death penalty. No one will bother you, and the police have followed our advice to protect your privacy.¡±

    The girl was obviously afraid of Mr. Xu¡¯s reprisals.

    The force with which she was trying to close the door weakened.

    ¡°Come in!¡±

    A few people walked inside.

    It seemed there were no windows inside; the house was dark, and the smell wasn¡¯t very pleasant.

    As they walked into the room, Bai Xiao adjusted to the darkness and could see clearly. There were two rooms; the outer one was called a living room but had only a wooden sofa. The inner room¡¯s door was open, revealing arge bed, and the heavy odor of coal gas from a coal stove made it suffocating to breathe.

    An elderly woman with graying hair, more than fifty years old,y on the bed, her face sallow and haggard.

 Chapter 324 - 324 324 Dialysis

    ?Chapter 324: Chapter 324: Dialysis   Chapter 324: Chapter 324: Dialysis                                   ¡°Who is it? Lily, is it your friend?¡± a frail voice asked again.

    Sally nced at He Weng and his group, gave He Weng a warning look, then turned and said to the olddy with a smile,

    ¡°Mom, they¡¯re my friends. You rest, I¡¯ll talk to them for a bit.¡±

    The olddy looked over at the group and said with a smile, ¡°You must be Lily¡¯s friends, right? Lily doesn¡¯t have many friends. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen friendse to visit, and I¡¯m very happy! I¡¯m just a burden! If it weren¡¯t for me, Lily wouldn¡¯t be dragged down like this. She¡¯s not a bad girl. Thank you for being her friends.¡±

    Sally gave a bitter smile, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t scare them off,¡±

    In her mother¡¯s eyes, she was probably the best daughter.

    Even though she was now spoken about so negatively by the neighbors, who cares about your hardships, everyone just sees that you¡¯ve taken the wrong path.

    Bai Xiao smiled and ced the items in his hand on the olddy¡¯s bedside, ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t say that, Sally is a good girl. We know that. We came specifically to see how you are. Take good care of yourself, and Sally will be reassured.¡± They had just bought some things after getting out of the car because it wouldn¡¯t be polite toe empty-handed.

    It was some fruit and canned cakes.

    The olddy, upon hearing her daughter praised, was ted and gripped Bai Xiao¡¯s hand tightly without letting go, ¡°Your daughter has a way with words. My child, let me tell you, it¡¯s not just me bragging about our Lily. It¡¯s all because of my illness. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be like this. That child used to do so well in school.

    She always ranked at the top of her ss. If her father were still here, she could have gone to university. But her father died in a car ident, and I got uremia. This disease is just a drag, needing dialysis every month, and money flows away like water. If it weren¡¯t for this, Lily wouldn¡¯t have gone down this path.¡± The olddy was full of pride when she spoke of her daughter.

    Bai Xiao looked at Sally, and Sally gave an awkward smile. Who would want to talk to a sickly olddy?

    ¡°Sorry, we rarely have visitors at home. My mom gets too excited when someonees, and it¡¯s bothering you. Why don¡¯t you sit outside?¡± She didn¡¯t want others to look down on her and her mother.

    Bai Xiao took a look around the entire room, knowing about Sally¡¯s background from He Weng. A girl who sold her body, lived a reckless life, yet resided in such a dpidated house without any fancy luxury items. The money must have definitely been for her mother¡¯s medical treatment.

    s, a girl like Sally! She probably agreed to help He Weng because she still had a shred of kindness in her heart. That shred of kindness was enough for He Weng to escape from danger. Otherwise, Sally could¡¯ve just turned He Weng in, and that Mr. Xu would probably have given her even more rewards.

    Just for that alone! This girl was worth helping.

    ¡°I am a doctor from the Military District Hospital. If you trust me, I can perform acupuncture treatment on your mother. Today¡¯s treatment could alleviate some of the patient¡¯s pain, and a total of three treatments are needed. For this first time, I¡¯lle to your home to do it! For the remaining two times, you can bring your mother to the hospital. I can assure you, your mother won¡¯t need to go through dialysis treatment anymore,¡± Bai Xiao said seriously.

    Give a peach in return for a plum.

    Good people should be rewarded.

    Sally scoffed, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust you, but I¡¯ve taken my mom to see many specialists. We even went to the great doctors in Capital City! They all said that there was no way, we could only maintain her condition with dialysis unless we had enough money to find a kidney transnt. Otherwise, there¡¯s no chance of recovery. You don¡¯t need tofort me, I know it¡¯s incurable.¡± It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t trust Bai Xiao; it¡¯s what all the doctors had said, so she had no reason to believe him.

 Chapter 325 - 325 325 Persuasion

    ?Chapter 325: Chapter 325 Persuasion   Chapter 325: Chapter 325 Persuasion                                   He Wei became anxious as soon as he heard the concern.

    ¡°Sally, I never knew that was your name before, please trust Bai Xiao, her medical skills are incredible. I couldn¡¯t walk before because of my legs, I was paralyzed in bed for over a decade. If it wasn¡¯t for Bai Xiao treating my condition, you wouldn¡¯t be seeing me right now. Just like your mother, I saw many doctors, and all of them said I would never be able to stand again, but look at me now, I walk perfectly fine, I can even run and jump! If you don¡¯t give it a try, are you being fair to yourself?¡±

    He was the best witness.

    Sally looked He Wei up and down in astonishment.

    ¡°You? You used to be paralyzed?¡±

    How could that be possible?

    She had seen He Wei moving and serving dishes, walking without any issues, never once limping¡ªhow could anyone imagine that He Wei used to be paralyzed?

    ¡°Yes, if you don¡¯t believe me, I can take you to my home to ask around. All the neighbors know that I was bedridden for more than a decade, and it was my brother and sister-inw who took care of me. Everyone is aware of this. Bai Xiao is a good doctor, a very, very good doctor.

    We have no reason to deceive you; what benefit would lying to you bring us?¡± He wanted to help Sally; he finally understood that behind Sally¡¯s reckless and uninhibited facadey such a burden of suffering.

    If it were possible, without the burden of her mother, wouldn¡¯t Sally then be able to lead a normal life, at least not be looked down upon?

    Having a legitimate job, she could start anew; nobody wants to lead such a life.

    He believed that given the chance, Sally could lead an ordinary life.

    This chance might be even more valuable than any of his other expressions of gratitude.

    Deep down, He Wei was grateful for Bai Xiao¡¯s suggestion. If it hadn¡¯t been for him, Bai Xiao would probably never have crossed paths with Sally in this lifetime, let alone be here. His n to express gratitude relied on Bai Xiao to realize, he felt ashamed, but he couldn¡¯t let his shame overlook the opportunity for change that this girl might have.

    Sally hesitated. Although she did not know He Wei well, she was aware this young man was smart and shrewd; else, he wouldn¡¯t be here today. Boss Xu was not someone easy to deal with, so He Wei definitely wasn¡¯t making empty promises¡ªhe genuinely wanted to help her.

    She looked at Bai Xiao, this girl was too young.

    So young that it was hard to be convinced, to ce trust in a stranger required courage.

    Then she looked at her mother again.

    In her eyes, there was a hint of relief. Yes, in her mother¡¯s current condition, how much worse could it get? She probably wished she could deteriorate quickly to her death, so as not to burden her daughter.

    ¡°Lily, let the doctor treat her. What do I have to lose or worry about at my age? Your mom has lived long enough. Living like this, half-dead, I¡¯m suffering, and so are you; why bother? If I can provide the doctor with a learning opportunity, I¡¯m willing; at least this way, this old wretch like me would have some value.¡± The olddy managed to joke cheerfully.

    Unfortunately, no oneughed; it wasn¡¯t aughing matter¡ªwhat helplessness must she feel to say such a thing.

    Bai Xiao took out the silver needle, carrying her acupuncture kit with her at all times as a cover. She couldn¡¯t leave home without it.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, please lie still and don¡¯t move. There might be a bit of pain, but it won¡¯t be too bad¡ªjust bear with it, and it will pass quickly,¡± Bai Xiaoforted the olddy.

    ¡°You go ahead and insert the needles; I¡¯m not afraid of pain. What is there left for me to endure with this illness? Just go ahead, this olddy won¡¯t fidget,¡± said the olddy, truly open-minded.

    Bai Xiao signaled He Wei and the others to go out; after all, the olddy was a woman and deserved at least that much respect.

 Chapter 326 - 326 326 Kowtowing

    ?Chapter 326: Chapter 326: Kowtowing   Chapter 326: Chapter 326: Kowtowing                                   The olddy sat upfortably, looking at her dumbfounded daughter, ¡°You girl, why such a ghost-stricken expression? I¡¯m your mother, you don¡¯t recognize me anymore?¡± she teased,ughing at her daughter.

    Sally sat beside the olddy, who had long lost the will to sleep, herplexion very sallow and swelling evident below. Nausea and vomiting need not be mentioned, as the person was tormented to a state worse than death. But now, the olddy¡¯splexion had obviously improved, and she could sit up without Sally¡¯s assistance.

    This was merely ten minutes prior. Wasn¡¯t this too miraculous?

    She found it hard to believe.

    Looking at Bai Xiao as if she were an immortal descending from the heavens.

    The olddy, full of vigor, threw off the covers, ready to get out of bed, frightening Sally. Even with significant healing, one couldn¡¯t just do this. Because of the swelling, the olddy¡¯s bones had deformed, making her unstable on her feet. Sally had always had to help her,ter getting a wheelchair to push her around. What if she fell while trying to get out of bed?

    Sally hurried over, but it was still a step toote. The olddy, wearing her cotton shoes, was already standing boldly on the floor.

    Seeing this made Sally¡¯s heart race with worry, but the olddy actually walked up to Bai Xiao.

    ¡°Doctor Bai, I bow to you in thanks. No need for further words; I know my own body, and it¡¯s already greatly healed. Doctor Bai, you¡¯ve saved the lives of both me and my daughter!¡± the olddy said as she bent her knees, truly intending to kneel.

    Bai Xiao quickly caught the old woman¡¯s arms with both hands, adamantly preventing her from kneeling.

    She couldn¡¯t ept such an elderly person kneeling before her.

    Despite the olddy¡¯s frail appearance, she had surprising strength. Bai Xiao, nearly unable to support her, called to Sally nearby, ¡°Come help me quickly.¡±

    Only then did Sally snap out of it and ran over! Together with Bai Xiao, they helped the olddy back to sit on the bed.

    The olddy kept muttering, ¡°Doctor Bai, you¡¯re a good person.¡±

    Releasing her hold, Bai Xiao felt a chill; there was no chocte here, no hot water, and certainly no air conditioning. Treating the olddy¡¯s chronic uremia had indeed been a tough task; she wrapped her clothes tightly around herself.

    ¡°Thud!¡±

    Before Bai Xiao could ask for hot water, Sally had already knelt before her.

    Bai Xiao simply couldn¡¯t take it anymore; she was frozen, stiff all over, unable to take care of herself.

    Because of themotion, Liu Hong and He Weng had already rushed in.

    They walked in to see Bai Xiao standing on the floor with Sally kneeling before her, sincerely bowing her head three times in gratitude.

    The sound of her forehead hitting the cement floor was so painful that it made listeners wince. Sally was truly exerting herself in her kowtows; otherwise, she couldn¡¯t express her gratitude.

    ¡°He Weng, hurry and help her up!¡± Bai Xiao instructed weakly.

    He Weng hurried over and helped Sally to her feet.

    ¡°Get me a bowl of boiling water, it must be boiling, add some brown sugar if there is any, and hand me a coat if you have one; I need to wrap up,¡± Bai Xiao was not in the mood for courtesy at that moment.

    Sally blinked in confusion. What was this all about?

    She hadn¡¯t reacted for a while.

    It was He Weng who suddenly remembered how he himself had been healed before; Bai Xiao had been even more formidable back then. Hurrying Sally along, he said, ¡°Go quickly, Bai Xiao heals people using her family¡¯s Qigong; there could be side effects.¡±

    Meanwhile, He Weng ran to get a chair for Bai Xiao by the stove, Liu Hong had already helped Bai Xiao to sit on the chair, and He Weng had stoked the furnace, lifting the bottom p to make the mes surge.

    The temperature inside the room rose.

 Chapter 327 - 327 327 Eat

    ?Chapter 327: Chapter 327 Eat   Chapter 327: Chapter 327 Eat                                   Bai Xiao and He Wei were escorted out by Sally, and Bai Xiao reminded Sally to continue her acupuncture treatments at her hospital in five days. After two more sessions, there should be no problem.

    Sally nodded vigorously.

    As long as her own mother could get better, she would do anything.

    Bai Xiao and her group returned to her dormitory.

    Seeing that it was almost noon, Bai Xiao asked Liu Hong to take a lunchbox and a pot to join her in the cafeteria to get some food. None of the four had eaten anything, and they must all be hungry by now.

    After getting their meal, they ate and talked simultaneously.

    Liu Hong herself had been unconscious when Bai Xiao had saved her; she didn¡¯t know anything and had already passed out. Only now did she realize how dangerous it was for Bai Xiao to treat and save people. Just looking at Bai Xiao¡¯s pale face showed how much effort she had expended.

    Her heart couldn¡¯t help but feel warm.

    When her parents had first told her about Bai Xiao saving her, she thought it was an exaggeration. How could a doctor treating and saving people end up making themselves sick? Only now did she realize that the situation must have been even more serious at the time.

    She must have been in worse shape than the olddy; Bai Xiao had saved her from death¡¯s door, so the effort must have been even greater.

    She couldn¡¯t help but wonder what Bai Xiao must have looked like then.

    Feeling affectionate, she scooped up arge spoonful of braised pork from the pot ¡ª today¡¯s dish was braised pork, stewed until tender and vorful ¡ª and ced it into Bai Xiao¡¯s bowl.

    ¡°Eat more to recover, just look how thin you are.¡±

    Bai Xiao quickly waved her hands, blocking Liu Hong¡¯s next spoonful. If she didn¡¯t intervene, Liu Hong would end up putting all the braised pork in her bowl.

    As if Bai Xiao was going to eat it all by herself.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, I can¡¯t eat that much. You all hurry up and eat!¡±

    Seeing that the others were not picking up the meat with their chopsticks, Bai Xiao knew they all felt too embarrassed to do so.

    She took the spoon and put a spoonful of meat into each person¡¯s bowl.

    ¡°Let¡¯s all eat properly, don¡¯t be offering it around, or no one will enjoy their meal. I can¡¯t eat all this by myself, eat up.¡±

    Bai Xiao called out to them.

    ¡°He Wei, what are you nning to do?¡±

    Bai Xiao asked about He Wei¡¯s ns; if He Wei was going back, then she wouldn¡¯t need to worry about him, but if He Wei was staying, she decided to give him some sound advice. After all, it was just the beginning of 1986, and many opportunities were still up for grabs.

    He Wei and the others were all conscientious people, and besides, they were closely rted to her own loved ones. So helping them out was not a big deal for her, but for He Wei and the others, it could mean apletely different fate.

    Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t just being kind; she wanted to strengthen everyone around her. If everyone became strong enough, she wouldn¡¯t have to fear Shang Kaiwen¡¯s future threats, and Shang Kaiwen appeared even earlier than in her previous life! Hence, she felt an urgency to rapidly empower herself, her family, and her friends.

    Jiang Shaoqing could only be a part of it; relying on just one person couldn¡¯t aplish much.

    She also couldn¡¯t put all her bets on Jiang Shaoqing, as their rtionship ultimately revolved around mutual benefit and was not stable enough. If a bigger opportunity for profit arose, she feared she might be abandoned. Right now, An Zhiyuan was probably her most solid support!

    However, her experiences in her previous life taught her that men were not always trustworthy. At this moment, as they shared mutual affection, An Zhiyuan would certainly stand by her side! But she wouldn¡¯t forget Wei Shufen and Ding Min.

    There were too many uncertainties, and even though An Zhiyuan was a steadfast person, who knew if he could withstand the pressure from his parents and family.

    She needed to establish a circle of trusted individuals, a circle that needed to be sufficiently powerful, otherwise, it would be crushed by others.

 Chapter 328 - 328 328 Bumping into the South Wall

    ?Chapter 328: Chapter 328: Bumping into the South Wall.   Chapter 328: Chapter 328: Bumping into the South Wall.                                   Bai Xiao¡¯s sister and brother-inw had been indirectly helped by her, and it was very likely that the Bai Family¡¯s spicy hotpot restaurant would soon start opening branches. If Bai Xiao could share more of her thoughts with Bai Yue and Wang Yan, she believed that it wouldn¡¯t take many years for the Bai Family¡¯s hotpot restaurant to flourish.

    Once the national chain operation began, with no one topete, she was confident that the Bai Family¡¯s spicy hotpot could be the leading chain hotpot restaurant in the country. To put it bluntly, by the time others started to imitate them, their restaurant might have already stabilized its foothold in the catering market.

    This was the advantage of being the first mover.

    Now, because of He Weng¡¯s trip to the coal mine, she hade to understand him a bit.

    He was smart, quick-thinking, and naturally clever. Most importantly, he was steady and careful in his approach. He was patient, didn¡¯t rush to escape when he was trapped but waited for the right moment. These were all personal traits, and she also learned that He Weng came here to repay her kindness.

    Grateful and intelligent, such a person would really defy all reason if he didn¡¯t find good development opportunities in the future.

    ¡°I n to just find a job here first, as long as it provides food and shelter. The amount of money doesn¡¯t matter, I need to take it slow. I¡¯ve never worked on a construction site before, so I need to learn it first, acquire a skill, and then think about what to do next!¡± He Weng had thought it through, since he had no skills but could get food and amodation, he would just start doing this.

    Eventually, once he had acquired the skills, he could consider moving from being a minor worker to a major one. He had heard that when the timees to work, one could earn eight yuan a day.

    That would make more than 200 yuan a month, an astronomical figure.

    He Wang wanted to say something, his mouth moved but he couldn¡¯t speak for a long time.

    His brother had already shared his thoughts with him, and he knew that what his brother said about not being able to control his whole life was right.

    One has to walk their own path to find out what they can truly do.

    This child was finally growing up.

    What he wanted to say was that he didn¡¯t advise He Weng to be a construction worker, as the work at a construction site was not easy¡ªmoving bricks, carrying cement, transporting sand, and mud. His younger brother¡¯s physique had only survived two months before he came out, and uponing out, he was like a wolf¡¯s den, skinny as a cardboard. However, he didn¡¯t raise any objections because he knew.

    With He Weng¡¯s current condition, no foreman on any construction site would take him; one look at his physique and they would know he couldn¡¯t handle heavybor. No one would spend money to have someone just ¡®hang around¡¯.

    He was prepared to let his brother face some hard knocks.

    Only by being deceived and experiencing setbacks would he understand how good his family was to him.

    Otherwise, even if he tried to persuade him tirelessly, his brother wouldn¡¯t appreciate it and might even be unhappy. He also figured it out that, rather than that, it¡¯s better to let go and let his brother try and see for himself.

    Isn¡¯t there an old saying that goes, ¡°Won¡¯t give up until reaching the Yellow River, won¡¯t turn back until hitting the south wall¡±?

    Letting He Weng hit the south wall might make him realize that life outside isn¡¯t as easy as he imagined.

    Getting a job isn¡¯t as easy as just finding one; many tasks that others can do might not be manageable for you.

    This is the reality.

    Bai Xiao responded with an ¡°Oh.¡±

    Looking up at He Weng, she said, ¡°I think with your current physical condition, if you were to look for some kind of manualbor, it might not be suitable. Whether or not a boss would hire you is one thing, but you probably wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it, and it might cause more harm than good.¡±

 Chapter 329 - 329 329 The Idea

    ?Chapter 329: Chapter 329: The Idea   Chapter 329: Chapter 329: The Idea                                   ¡°Bai Xiao, what do you mean by that?¡± He Weng felt slightly disappointed; he had thought that Bai Xiao also believed that he should go back to town to live a stable life under the protection of his elder brother and sister-inw.

    ¡°I think the country has rxed the policies a long time ago. In fact, because the provincial capital you¡¯re from is the northernmost part here, many ces and many people have already started to get rich. Especially in the southern cities, like Modu and Shencheng, a lot of things from there are in short supply in the northern cities.

    I heard from doctors in our department about his friend who specifically runs to Shencheng. Relying solely on his own strength, he moves things like electronic watches, bell-bottom pants, and portable cassette yers here, and it¡¯s said he makes at least a thousand or eight hundred each trip.

    There are also people who go to a small vige in the south called Wucheng. Though it might seem insignificant, every family there has workshops making clothes and knitting socks. Whatever you can think of, they have it. It¡¯s said that his rtives can bring back two bags full of socks and they¡¯ll be sold out in the local market in no time at all. As soon as they¡¯re put on the stall, people are fighting to buy them.¡±

    He heard that this kind of business was incredibly hot. ¡°I think you are clever and astute; why waste your talent carrying bricks on a construction site? You might as well consider doing a small business where moneyes faster and it¡¯s easier.¡±

    He Weng¡¯s face turned red.

    He felt ashamed for his narrow-mindedness just now. Bai Xiao was the one with a truly generous spirit, truly considering things from their perspective, not just telling them what they should or shouldn¡¯t do.

    He couldn¡¯t help but feel excited; he also understood his own shorings.

    In terms of strength and physique, he certainly couldn¡¯tpare with those strong and robust men.

    After all, having been bedridden for over a decade, even if he was better now, the nature of his body hadn¡¯t changed.

    Rather than going to a construction site to learn bricying, stering, and wall building, it might indeed be better to consider what Bai Xiao had suggested, to carve out a path in the south. If others could do it, why couldn¡¯t he?

    In terms of intelligence, he felt he was not inferior to others.

    The thing Bai Xiao was talking about now, he actually thought it suited him well.

    But He Weng hesitated.

    Bai Xiao noticed He Weng¡¯s concern. ¡°Are you worried about not having the capital?¡±

    He Weng felt ashamed; he hadn¡¯t earned a penny on his own.

    If he wanted to do business, he would definitely need startup capital, and he simply had no face to ask his brother and sister-inw for money, although he knew they would definitely not refuse him if he asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m just afraid that I won¡¯t make any money, but instead will end up having to put more in.¡±

    What he didn¡¯t say was that he was even more afraid that if the business didn¡¯t work out and he lost money, what would he do with that debt?

    That¡¯s why he never even considered asking his elder brother for the money.

    Bai Xiao took a passbook from a drawer in her bedroom and handed it to He Weng.

    ¡°This has two thousand yuan on it, my own sry and some other money. You can take this as the startup capital for your business.¡±

    He Weng was shocked and hurriedly refused, ¡°How can this be okay? How can I use your money?¡±

    He Wang wouldn¡¯t have it either; his own brother doing business but needing a loan from his sister-inw¡ªwhat was this supposed to mean?

    ¡°Xiao, he can¡¯t take your money; I¡¯ll go back and talk to his sister-inw, and think of a way. Even if it¡¯s a loan, we¡¯ll lend him some money.¡±

 Chapter 330 - 330 330 Borrowing Money

    ?Chapter 330: Chapter 330 Borrowing Money   Chapter 330: Chapter 330 Borrowing Money                                   ¡°Brother-inw, instead of asking others for a loan and having to repay them in the future, why not let He Weng borrow my money? It¡¯s a loan and certainly must be repaid, plus with interest too. I have a lot of confidence in you, but you also need to make your own efforts,¡± Bai Xiao said with a smile as he pushed the passbook back.

    He Wang¡¯s face turned red with urgency.

    ¡°That won¡¯t do, that won¡¯t do, how can it be the same?¡±

    Lending money to his own brother-inw, he felt ashamed to the core.

    However, He Weng firmly met Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes, seeing that certainty in them¡ªan acknowledgment and trust in him.

    ¡°Okay, Bai Xiao, I¡¯ll write an IOU. I¡¯m taking this loan,¡± what He Weng didn¡¯t say was that repaying the loan wouldn¡¯t be as simple as just adding interest.

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°That¡¯s more like it. Keep it safe for now. Don¡¯t rush into business yet; first, go check out the market, starting right here. See what¡¯s in high demand, what people urgently need but can¡¯t find. After all, many goods require permits, and you have to consider these issues.¡±

    ¡°Once you¡¯ve got a hang of the market here, then head south to see the market there, as it¡¯s different from ours here. Like I told you earlier about the small vige in Wucheng, it¡¯spletely different from the market in Shencheng. What exactly to do? You¡¯ll have to figure that out on your own. Also, don¡¯t be deceived by its simplicity; once there, remember that there are many scammers in the south, and aside from being careful, probably no one can help you.

    ¡°Also, if you decide to go down this path, it¡¯s going to be tough at the beginning. This physical work isn¡¯t necessarily lighter than carrying bricks or cement on a construction site, and it¡¯s a tough road to travel.

    ¡°But I believe that as long as you keep at it, you will eventually reap substantial rewards.¡±

    Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t worried about the future. In this era, as long as one worked hard, it was entirely possible to be extremely wealthy.

    It just depended on whether He Weng had what it takes?

    He had done all he could.

    He Weng nodded excitedly, ¡°I understand. Starting tomorrow, I will start exploring the market. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not afraid of hardships. If I can¡¯t even handle this bit of difficulty, then I might as well deserve to work on a construction site,¡± he knew well that Bai Xiao was helping him.

    Bai Xiao thought for a moment, ¡°Actually, there¡¯s another option regarding the market. The ce where my older sister Bai Yue is staying has storefronts for rent. Another option is for you to open your own store. Based on the current market conditions, as long as you can transport the goods back from the south, selling them won¡¯t be a problem. Later on, you just need to hire someone to sell the goods in the shop while you handle the sourcing externally. To put it bluntly, the profit would be much higher than if you were wholesaling to others.

    ¡°It¡¯s all up to you how to handle this.¡±

    This was also a solution¡ªafter all, thend where Bai Yue¡¯s building was located belonged to them, and that building alone had more than a dozen storefronts.

    Bai Xiao hadn¡¯t yet formally told her sister about the deed, but soon they would no longer be tenants butndlords.

    They could stick with this existing strategy for the storefronts, but if they had more money in the future, they could consider rebuilding on thatnd.

    Bai Xiao felt that if they built amercial tower and developed the surrounding area,

    they would definitely create amercial center.

    But for now, it was just a thought.

    The future was still too far away.

    He Weng nodded.

 Chapter 331 - 331 331 Liu Hongs Future Path

    ?Chapter 331: Chapter 331: Liu Hong¡¯s Future Path   Chapter 331: Chapter 331: Liu Hong¡¯s Future Path                                   Liu Hong became anxious, dropped her chopsticks, and grabbed Bai Xiao, ¡°Bai Xiao, you can¡¯t just ignore me, we¡¯re sisters after all, you even take care of your brother-inw¡¯s brother! It would be wrong to not care about me!¡± She was here to find a job, and He Weng was also here to find a job, so why wouldn¡¯t Bai Xiao help her?

    Bai Xiaoughed, patted Liu Hong on the back, ¡°Let¡¯s eat first, I will definitely consider your situation. Can¡¯t we talk about it after we¡¯ve finished eating?¡± Liu Hong is such an impatient person.

    Liu Hong patted her stomach, ¡°I¡¯m full, I¡¯ll wash the dishes.¡± She then snatched the chopsticks right out of Bai Xiao¡¯s hands.

    Bai Xiao looked at the braised pork in the pot, really wanting to say she still wanted to eat.

    Under the threatening gaze of Liu Hong, she could only sheepishly shut her mouth.

    It was all her fault for bringing up the matter during the meal. Why couldn¡¯t she have waited until after dinner, when everyone was sitting in the living room, to talk?

    This was probably a prime example of making one¡¯s own bed and having to lie in it.

    Liu Hong pulled Bai Xiao into the kitchen, and the two of them began to clear the table, while He Weng and He Wang folded the table and leaned it against the wall.

    As soon as they entered the kitchen, Liu Hong put all the pots and pans into the sink, poured out some of the hot water that had been boiled earlier, and started washing the dishes.

    ¡°Xiao, can you honestly tell me if you¡¯ve considered my situation?¡±

    Liu Hong felt aggrieved. What was her rtionship with Bai Xiao, after all? If they were to really talk about it, they were truly like sisters.

    Bai Xiao had considered everything for that He Weng, even going so far as to prepare money.

    She wasn¡¯t envious of the money and admitted that she didn¡¯t have the knack for business, but finding her a job shouldn¡¯t be that hard, right?

    Bai Xiao looked at Liu Hong, who was full of bluster, with a smiling gaze.

    This girl was really angry.

    ¡°How could I not consider for you? Of course, I have thought about your situation. I have thought about two paths for you. One is ready-made; if He Weng decides to open a shop, you could help him manage the store and sell goods. That way, you wouldn¡¯t need to invest any capital, nor rack your brains. You just need to sell the merchandise earnestly and earn your sry. There¡¯s no risk involved, and it¡¯s a permanent solution.

    The other path is, even though youck other skills, who in our vige can¡¯t tailor clothes or use a sewing machine? If you¡¯re willing, I could help you enroll in a tailoring course nearby to learn all aspects of cutting patterns again, to refine your skills, and after that, you could open your own tailor shop.

    The advantage of this is that, while you might be tired at the beginning, making clothes for others, with time, you could gradually build up a reputation and then hire others to work for you. If I were to speak of more long-term ns, you might eventually cooperate with He Weng; he brings new styles of clothing from the south, and you could make clothes here following those styles, and then sell the finished products to He Weng. Of course, this would require you to expand your business because if you¡¯re only making ten or so pieces, He Weng probably won¡¯t be interested in coborating.

    Eventually, you could buy a few more sewing machines, hire more workers, and slowly turn your tailor shop into a garment factory. With ready clientele, as long as you can guarantee the workmanship and quality, I believe you will develop very well in the future.¡±

    Bai Xiao had indeed considered this matter for Liu Hong, since Liu Hong¡¯s dressmaking skills were not bad, and it was certain that if she refined her skills, she could turn it into a garment factory.

    In the future, with the economic development, people would gradually stop making clothes at home and instead buy ready-made clothes that are both beautiful and fashionable, keeping in step with the times.

    Liu Hong jumped for joy.

    She rushed over without caring that her hands were covered in water and hugged Bai Xiao, nting a fierce kiss on her face.

    ¡°No wonder you went to college, you really have a good head on your shoulders. I¡¯m telling you, from now on, you are my real sister.¡±

 Chapter 332 - 332 332 Lucky Star

    ?Chapter 332: Chapter 332 Lucky Star   Chapter 332: Chapter 332 Lucky Star                                   Bai Xiao extricated herself from the embrace with great disdain and touched her own face.

    ¡°How disgusting can you get? Keep it up and I¡¯ll avoid you like the gue. I¡¯m definitely not into women.¡±

    Liu Hong¡¯s smirk was excessively cocky as she squinted at Bai Xiao, ¡°Hey, as it turns out, I¡¯ve taken a fancy to you.¡±

    Both of them burst intoughter.

    He Weng was all ears for themotion in the kitchen, unable to understand how the two women couldugh so heartily.

    Liu Hong suddenly sighed, ¡°But opening a clothing store isn¡¯t as easy as you say. You lent all your money to He Weng, and I don¡¯t have a job yet. It¡¯s difficult to ask my family for money before earning any myself. s, He Weng got ahead of me.¡±

    She understood all too well that any venture needed a financial foundation.

    ¡°Maybe I should just find a factory job for a few months, save up some money, and then figure out how to open the clothing store.¡± Liu Hong didn¡¯t want to worry her parents. Since she had struck out on her own, she was determined to make a real go of it, to seed and someday return home in glory, showing everyone in her hometown and her parents that even a girl like Liu Hong can achieve great things.

    Bai Xiao gave her a look, ¡°You and your petty concerns. If I¡¯ve considered doing this for you, how could I not have thought about the initial capital you¡¯d need?¡±

    Liu Hong cheered, grabbing Bai Xiao and hoisting her up high.

    Bai Xiao cried out in haste, ¡°You little brat, put me down right now! Your hands are all wet, and you¡¯ve soaked my clothes!¡±

    Liu Hongughed heartily and, after spinning around a few times, finally set Bai Xiao down.

    ¡°I knew you cared for me the most.¡±

    Bai Xiao rolled her eyes at her, ¡°Who was it just now who said I wasn¡¯t considering her needs?¡±

    Liu Hong gave Bai Xiao a push, ¡°I was wrong, okay? I always knew Bai Xiao was the best to me in this world.¡±

    ¡°Quit buttering me up. I can lend you the money, but let¡¯s be clear: it¡¯s a loan, and you¡¯ll have to pay it back with interest. Somehow, I feel like I¡¯m bing a usurer.¡± Bai Xiao suddenly reflected on whether she could end up putting in a lot of effort without any appreciation after investing not just money, but also herbor and ideas.

    ¡°Pay it back? How could I not? Do you really think so lowly of me, that I¡¯d be the type of person to borrow and not repay? Don¡¯t worry. I, Liu Hong, am someone who stands tall. The capital you lend me today, I will return tenfold, a hundredfold in the future. Xiao, you¡¯re my lucky star.

    My parents were right, you are my benefactor. Ever since I met you, you saved my life, and now I might even be a boss. It makes me feel like I shouldn¡¯t cross you in the future. What if I anger my lucky star and bring misfortune upon myself?¡± Liu Hong said with a sneaky tone.

    Bai Xiao kicked her sharply in the shin, ¡°Just get lost. Who¡¯s your benefactor or lucky star? Meeting you has only brought me bad luck. I had to save your life, but now you¡¯re even depending on me to find a job. Are you going to me me for your marriage and kids too?¡±

    Liu Hong pretended to cry out in pain from the kick.

    ¡°Then my happiness, my fate in marriage¡ªit¡¯s all in your hands for the rest of my life.¡±

    ¡°Pfft!¡±

    He Weng, who had been hiding outside the kitchen, couldn¡¯t hold back hisughter any longer and burst outughing.

    Liu Hong¡¯s face turned red, and she stomped over to the door, ring fiercely at He Weng, ¡°What¡¯s so interesting about a big man like you eavesdropping on girls¡¯ conversations, huh?¡±

    He Weng could only suppress hisughter and hurriedly returned to the living room.

 Chapter 333 - 333 333 Drinking Wine

    ?Chapter 333: Chapter 333 Drinking Wine   Chapter 333: Chapter 333 Drinking Wine                                   Capital City.

    Shang Kaijie and a group of certain second generations were sitting in a nightclub, drinking.

    A few fashionably dressed girls with daring outfits were sitting beside them, each cooing andplimenting Shang Kaijie.

    Everyone knew that if they took good care of these heirs, the rewards would be generous.

    A single tip could equal several days of their ie.

    So they all put in extra effort to attend to their needs, carefully ttering them.

    Shang Kaijie was drinking merrily, ever since he had returned more than a month ago, he would feel stifled with indignation every time he thought about the humiliation he suffered there.

    He did want to go back and make trouble for Bai Xiao, but as soon as he returned, his old man, Shang Feng, gave him a severe beating with a belt.

    He had never been beaten like this in his life. Since his birth, he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, and nobody in his family, whether grandparents or parents, spared any effort to shield and pamper him. Even though his father was quite strict, due to his grandparents and mother¡¯s protection, he always had a bit of leniency.

    This time he was truly beaten severely.

    Even now, there were belt marks on his back, and when he was locked in his room and beaten, his grandparents and mother were desperately knocking on the door outside, pleading for him.

    Unfortunately, the old man was determined to teach him a lesson this time, and nobody could break in. He was ruthlessly beaten.

    After beating him, Shang Feng grabbed him by the cor and told him that from that day on he was to stay quietly at home. If he dared to go out and cause trouble again, next time it wouldn¡¯t just be a beating with a belt¡ªhe would break his legs to prevent him from causing more trouble.

    His grandparents and mother rushed in, nearly crying themselves to fainting over him.

    His father even pointed at his mother and said it was all because a doting mother often leads to a failed son.

    His back was almost beaten raw. During the time he was applying medicine to his wounds, he could only lie on the bed all day. In particr, when the bruises began to scab, even if he walked and moved slightly, it caused the flesh on his back to pull and hurt intensely. The more it hurt, the more he hated Bai Xiao.

    All of this was caused by that woman.

    What originally was a trivial matter had now led to consequences where his family had lost several hundred million. That shameless woman had even received a piece ofnd aspensation from his father. It was utterly humiliating for him, how could such a thing happen to him?

    These past few days, Shang Kaijie¡¯s back had healed, and after being cooped up at home, he immediately went out to drink when he received calls from a few fair-weather friends.

    He also wanted to vent his emotions. He had already figured out that his old man was still keeping a close watch on him. Even now, there were two bodyguards beside him in the private room, watching him. If he dared to do anything excessive, he believed the bodyguards would drag him back immediately.

    He was waiting for an opportunity.

    When the old man rxed his vignce and wasn¡¯t so strictly supervising him, he would find an excuse. He knew a few lowlifes from the underworld; it was just a matter of spending some money.

    He wouldn¡¯t want Bai Xiao to die.

    Wasn¡¯t she An Zhiyuan¡¯s woman?

    He wanted to see if Bai Xiao became damaged goods, would An Zhiyuan still treasure her as the apple of his eye.

    All men are the same, treating the unattainable as precious gems.

    If An Zhiyuan knew that another man had gotten there first, Shang Kaijie wondered if he would continue to protect Bai Xiao.

    Shang Kaijieughed as he downed another ss of alcohol. He was already a bit tipsy and had lost count of how many drinks he had. On one hand, he felt a sense of liberation which made him happy; on the other, he was riled up by his fair-weather friends and the women around him.

    So he couldn¡¯t help but drink a few more sses.

 Chapter 334 - 334 334 Accident

    ?Chapter 334: Chapter 334 ident   Chapter 334: Chapter 334 ident                                   Suddenly, Shang Kaijie stood up, his eyes bloodshot,pletely congested.

    He was staggering, but he steadied himself with one hand on the sofa and with the other hand tore open his cor, causing buttons to snap off his shirt and scatter onto the floor. Some hit the ss coffee table, making a crisp popping sound.

    A woman tried to support him, but he forcefully pushed her away, causing her to collide with amp post behind her.

    He promptly removed his sweater too, unbuttoned all the buttons on his shirt, and, with his chest exposed, threw back his head and howled.

    No one knew what he was going to do next.

    The previously cheerful atmosphere immediately quieted down, although their booth had grown silent, the music in the dance floor was still ying.

    On the stage, a woman in an evening gown was coquettishly singing a love song filled with tender emotion.

    In the dance floor, couples were gracefully dancing.

    Shang Kaijie staggered into the dance floor.

    He did not care how many people he bumped into, people who saw him moved aside as they could clearly tell he was drunk.

    He stood alone in the center of the dance floor, moving vigorously to the rhythm of the music, both fists clenched, forcefully pounding his chest.

    His friends thought he was dancing and got energized immediately. Arge group of men and women, embracing one another, also rushed into the dance floor.

    The rhythm of the music changed abruptly.

    The woman singer had left the stage, and the music switched to a vibrant disco tune.

    The whole dance floor was filled with nodding heads and bodies swaying to the beat.

    Suddenly, a scream.

    This abrupt scream almost echoed through the entire dance floor, overpowering the loud disco music.

    Everyone froze, and the nightclub¡¯s security quickly came to investigate.

    A circle had formed in the dance floor.

    Pushing through the crowd, they saw.

    Shang Kaijiey in the center of the dance floor, now bleeding from all his orifices, his body and fingers twisted like a shrimp, his pupils dted.

    ¡­

    ¡­

    Shang Feng was looking at thetest investigation report; he had sent people to Liupan Vige to dig into many of the past events. The staff would report every phase of the investigation to him in a timely manner on the desk in front of him.

    The section he was looking at now was about a woman named Wang Meihua, who was the women¡¯s director in Liupan Vige. This director had long been childless and desperately wanted a child. At that time, she had taken a girl home, while the couple who had delivered and tried to save Yu Shaoya were surnamed Bai, and the wife was pregnant at the time.

    However, the current women¡¯s director of Liupan Vige, Wang Meihua, has no children, even though they had already asked Wang Meihua, but she firmly refused to admit she had once taken a child.

    And this Bai Xiao was indeed the daughter born to the couple surnamed Bai.

    Shang Feng was somewhat puzzled.

    There was a vague thread in his mind, but he seemed unable to grasp it.

    All these clues were intertwined, appearing to be rted, yet seemingly unrted.

    It was such a coincidence that Bai Xiao was the daughter of the doctor who had delivered Yu Shaoya; the problem is, Bai Xiao looked too much like Yu Shaoya, yet all the clues indicated that the child adopted by Wang Meihua was supposed to be Yu Shaoya¡¯s child.

    But now Wang Meihua does not have a child. Where did that child end up?

    It seemed that besides Wang Meihua, nobody knew because the couple surnamed Bai was already deceased.

    It was a case closed without proof.

 Chapter 335 - 335 335 The Hospital

    ?Chapter 335: Chapter 335: The Hospital   Chapter 335: Chapter 335: The Hospital                                   The phone rang, and Shang Feng picked up the call.

    He frowned and nced at his watch. It was already two o¡¯clock in the morning.

    If he hadn¡¯t been at his desk looking over these documents, he would have been asleep by now. Who would be so inconsiderate as to call him at such ate hour?

    ¡°Hello!¡±

    ¡°Boss, the young master has had an ident and is now in emergency care at the hospital. Please hurry, the situation is very serious. The doctor says his life is in danger.¡± One of the two bodyguards who apanied Shang Kaijie was on the other end.¡±

    ¡°All right, we¡¯re on our way! Tell the doctor, no matter the cost, he must save him.¡± Shang Feng hung up the phone.

    He grabbed his coat and headed straight for his wife¡¯s room.

    Wu Jingxian was already asleep; her routine was very regr, early to bed and early to rise, a discipline nurtured from her days dancing in a cultural troupe.

    Shang Feng gently shook his wife, ¡°Old Wu, wake up; we need to go to the hospital!¡±

    Wu Jingwen woke up in astonishment, her eyes brewing with anger at being roused in the middle of the night.

    ¡°Xiaojie has had an ident; he¡¯s now at the hospital. We need to hurry.¡±

    Wu Jingxian became fully awake in an instant, rolling out of bed and hurriedly getting dressed.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    Ever since his return from a certain city, Shang Feng had severely beaten his son. After that incident, his son stayed at home for more than a month without going out.

    Today, he told her that he had recovered from his injuries and wanted to go out drinking with friends.

    Wu Jingxian had disagreed at first, having just managed to keep him confined at home so he could reflect on his actions, especially after learning about the trouble he had caused, which even Shang Feng told her was far too serious this time. If they didn¡¯t discipline him now, he might really cause a catastrophe.

    But she couldn¡¯t withstand her son¡¯s persistent pleading and begging, so she finally agreed to let him out just this once, on the condition that he would continue his recovery at home starting tomorrow.

    She hadn¡¯t expected trouble to arise so soon.

    And now he was in the hospital?

    Wu Jingxian guessed that her son might have gotten drunk and into a fight.

    Shang Feng shook his head, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about it now. We¡¯ll discuss it when we get there. I don¡¯t know the details either.¡±

    The couple grabbed their things in a rush, got dressed quickly, and drove straight to the hospital.

    Upon arriving, they went straight to the emergency room.

    They immediately saw the two dejected bodyguards, their faces filled with panic, sitting on chairs outside.

    When the bodyguards saw Shang Feng, they jumped up.

    ¡°Boss, the young master is in emergency care. The doctor hasn¡¯te out yet!¡±

    Shang Feng looked at the red light that was still on, ¡°What exactly happened?¡±

    Wu Jingwen, furious, eximed, ¡°Are you two good for nothing? To think you let him end up in the emergency room when you apanied him out. We pay such a high sry every month; what are we hiring you for if you can¡¯t even protect him on a simple outing?

    If anything happens to my son, neither of you is getting away with it.¡±

    Wu Jingxian¡¯s mind was still focused on the possibility of a fight, always assuming that her son got into trouble drinking and fighting, which made her first thought that the bodyguards were negligent.

    How could her son get hurt while being escorted by bodyguards? Was there no justice?

    The two bodyguards exchanged nces, ¡°Boss Shang, this matter really has nothing to do with us.¡±

    They were responsible for protection, and of course, they were well aware of their duties based on the sry they earned.

    But Shang Kaijie¡¯s situation had nothing to do with them.

 Chapter 336 - 336 336 Myocardial Infarction

    ?Chapter 336: Chapter 336: Myocardial Infarction   Chapter 336: Chapter 336: Myocardial Infarction                                   ¡°Who does it have to do with then?¡±

    Wu Jingxian was furious. Her son had been beaten to the point of needing emergency care, and yet these two bodyguards were here shirking responsibility. She had already decided that once this was over, she would definitely fire them.

    What was the use of hiring people who just took money without doing any work?

    Shang Feng frowned. ¡°Old Wu, let them finish what they¡¯re saying first.¡±

    Only then did the two bodyguards begin to speak.

    ¡°Shang Kaijie wasn¡¯t fighting with anyone. He and a few friends went directly to this nightclub. They were just drinking and talking the whole time while we stood next to their booth. Shang Kaijie didn¡¯t have any conflict with anyone. As he was drinking, he suddenly stood up, unbuttoned all his clothes, took them off, and ran to the middle of the dance floor to dance, even beating his own chest.¡±

    There were many people in the dance floor at the time. While they were dancing, suddenly someone screamed, and then Shang Kaijie copsed on the ground with blood running from all his orifices.

    We called the police immediately and phoned for an ambnce. Upon arriving at the hospital, the doctor said it was likely poisoning or a heart attack.¡±

    The two bodyguards were indeed wrongly med; this incident really had nothing to do with them.

    Shang Feng was taken aback. Poisoned?

    Indeed, if there was blood running from all his orifices, it was possible he was poisoned.

    But who would want their own son dead?

    Recently, the only people Shang Kaijie had conflicts with were Jiang Shaoqing, Bai Xiao, and An Zhiyuan. However, Jiang Shaoqing had already acquired his coal mine andnd and would definitely not seek revenge again. Why would he wait more than a month to do so?

    That would be as pointless as ¡°taking off one¡¯s pants to fart.¡±

    If it were Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan, that would be even less likely. Logically, it¡¯s impossible for such issues to extend to taking a life, traveling all this way from there to poison their own son.

    Or an old acquaintance poisoning him is also inconsistent; they had no deep hatreds or severe grudges.

    The lights went out.

    Shang Feng immediately stood up, and the doctor came out, taking off his mask. ¡°Doctor, how is my son?¡± Wu Jingxian had already rushed over.

    The doctor shook his head, ¡°We just operated on him, but after examination, there were no signs of poison in his blood. Instead, upon opening his chest, we found it was a heart attack. It appears to have been a sudden heart attack. We performed emergency procedures, go in and see him for thest time.¡±

    Shang Feng and Wu Jingxian were stunned.

    Wu Jingxian clung to the doctor¡¯s hand, ¡°Doctor, doctor, please, save my son, I beg you to save him. He¡¯s still so young, has his whole life ahead of him, he can¡¯t just die like this. Aren¡¯t you a hospital? Aren¡¯t you supposed to heal and save people? Why can¡¯t you save him now?

    You must operate on him, do the surgery, we can pay whatever it costs, I¡¯ll fetch whatever doctor you need.¡±

    The doctor shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s not about the money, it¡¯s not that we won¡¯t save him. Even if you went to other hospitals looking for the best doctors, no one can save him from an acute heart attack. Thankfully, you brought him to the hospital on time, we did all we could, and now we¡¯ve bought you some time to see him onest time, otherwise he might already be gone.¡±

    They understood the family¡¯s distress, but some diseases simply cannot be cured just because they want to.

    Especially with diseases like heart attacks, particrly those that ur suddenly, there simply aren¡¯t good treatment options avable.

 Chapter 337 - 337 337 Alienation

    ?Chapter 337: Chapter 337 Alienation   Chapter 337: Chapter 337 Alienation                                   Jiang Shaoqing received a call the next day, Shang Kaijie had suddenly died of a myocardial infarction in the middle of the night at the nightclub.

    Upon hearing this news, his heart skipped a beat.

    Originally, what Bai Xiao had asked him to do, he had indeed done for her. He even thought that Bai Xiao would use other means to deal with Shang Kaijie, such as finding someone to lure Shang Kaijie out for drinks and dancing, which was not a difficult thing at all.

    Given that Shang Kaijie himself was fond of such activities, and after being beaten by his own father and confined at home upon his return, he must have been feeling suffocated for over a month.

    He had merely found a few of Shang Kaijie¡¯s good friends, encouraged them a bit, and got them to invite the ¡°big sucker¡± Shang Kaijie out for a drink and some fun.

    Usually, these people depended on Shang Kaijie for handouts. Without Shang Kaijie stepping out for over a month, they definitely wouldn¡¯t have had as much money to spend, so they immediately took this idea to Shang Kaijie.

    Not every second-generation rich kid is wealthy, but Shang Kaijie was indeed a wealthy ¡°Sugar Daddy.¡±

    He had thought it would just be eating, drinking, and having fun, maybe Bai Xiao would hire someone waiting to strike Shang Kaijie down, like bagging him up and hitting him with a brick, or at worst, hiring a murderer.

    He could envision the most ruthless side of this woman.

    At least, he believed that Bai Xiao herself wouldn¡¯t dare to take action. After all, it was a life, a living, breathing life.

    But who could have imagined that without anyone doing anything, Shang Kaijie would die of a heart attack on his own.

    If you asked him to believe it was an ident, Jiang Shaoqing absolutely wouldn¡¯t.

    Shang Kaijie died just like that, and Bai Xiao hadn¡¯t done anything?

    He didn¡¯t believe it.

    Shang Kaijie indeed deserved to die, just his heinous deeds in that city were enough for him to die a hundred times over, but if turned over to the police, Shang Kaijie had plenty of people willing to take the fall for him, because who could clearly say who did it.

    It was precisely because he knew Shang Kaijie would never be legally punished that Jiang Shaoqing had epted Bai Xiao¡¯s request.

    Even though Bai Xiao¡¯s words were vague, he just knew that she definitely wanted Shang Kaijie dead.

    Bai Xiao had made it perfectly clear that the feud with Monk Kaijie and the Monk Family was irreconcble.

    Now, Shang Kaijie had died inexplicably.

    Jiang Shaoqing couldn¡¯t help but sneer, Bai Xiao was indeed formidable.

    Nobody knew what Bai Xiao had done.

    He didn¡¯t know either; he only knew what Bai Xiao had asked him to do, whatever Bai Xiao did, she would never tell him.

    It seemed he had to investigate this Bai Xiao thoroughly, or else one day he might not even know how he died.

    When the old master Jiang saw his grandson, he called him to sit down for breakfast, ¡°Why are you in such a hurry? Haven¡¯t seen your grandfather for several days, what have you been busy with?¡± Ever since Bai Xiao saved him, the old master¡¯s health had recovered very well, all the doctors praised his vitality, even though it seemed very serious at the time, the old master¡¯s ability to recover was just too powerful.

    ¡°Grandfather, Shang Kaijie is dead!¡±

    This matter involved two families that were old friends, so the news had to be passed on.

    ¡°What? Shang Kaijie, the grandson of old Shang? How could he die so young?¡± The old master was puzzled; young people these days were different from their time.

    ¡°Grandfather, I¡¯ve done such a big favor for Dr. Bai this time; in the future, we¡¯d better keep our distance from her. I always feel that this girl is ruthless and might be harmful to our family in the future,¡± Jiang Shaoqing didn¡¯t say much else, but these words could still be said.

    In this family, the grandfather had the final say. If the grandfather still insisted that they had to repay Bai Xiao, they really had no choice.

 Chapter 338 - 338 338 Conversation Between Grandfather and

    ?Chapter 338: Chapter 338: Conversation Between Grandfather and Grandson   Chapter 338: Chapter 338: Conversation Between Grandfather and Grandson                                   ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Do you have a bad feeling about Doctor Bai?¡±

    Jiang Family¡¯s old master took a sip of his porridge, a bowl of homemade red bean and job¡¯s tears congee, soft and sticky as the old man liked it.

    ¡°Doctor Bai is too cunning, a girl at her age acting too steadily in everything she does. Moreover, I sense that she is overly scheming. Such a person, if we help her now, I fear that one day when she gains power, it will be our Jiang Family that she harms. I¡¯m afraid we might be raising a tiger only to court cmity.¡± He almost said that Bai Xiao was a scourge, a blight upon the nation.

    The old masterughed heartily, ¡°Shaoqing, it¡¯s rare for you to judge someone like this. It seems this Doctor Bai Xiao has really offended you! What has she done to rub you the wrong way?¡± He knew his grandson well; he wasn¡¯t one to gossip idly about others. There must have been something others failed to see that made him wary of someone.

    Jiang Shaoqing hesitated. His impression of Bai Xiao and the development of the events werergely based on his own spection, without any solid evidence. Should he discuss it with the old master?

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what kind of person Doctor Bai is, but I do know that she has her standards and bottom line. As long as they are not crossed, she will remain the most benevolent doctor.¡±

    Jiang Shaoqing sighed, he knew the old man would say something like that. After all, the older generation valued rtionships deeply. Bai Xiao had treated his grandfather, and the old man¡¯s opinion of her had taken deep root in his heart.

    ¡°Grandfather, maybe Bai Xiao saved you for our Jiang Family¡¯s power and influence? You should know your status and prestige might make many people flock to us. Our family¡¯s over-concern for the help andpensation given to Bai Xiao has me worried that this youngdy might be spoiled.¡±

    The old master looked at his grandson seriously this time, not as casually as before, ¡°Shaoqing, my promise to Doctor Bai is because she truly saved your grandfather. But there are more reasons for it, like that report lying on your grandfather¡¯s study desk. Bai Xiao¡¯s actions are worthy of themitment our Jiang Family has made. Though the Doctor Bai you see may be different from the one I see, I know her core standard is ¡®the heart of a healer,¡¯ who, for a little girl everyone else had dered dead, chose to risk losing her job to save her life with thest resort medical treatment. She has never asked for anything in return from anyone she saved.

    ¡°That is the Doctor Bai I see, a neen-year-old girl who could go to such lengths deserves my respect. Even if the Doctor Bai in your eyes may be ruthless and ready to destroy Shang Kaijie by any means, I still believe she is not a bad person.¡±

    Jiang Shaoqing was shocked by his grandfather¡¯s words, then he felt a sense of release. How could his grandfather be oblivious to matters that affected the family? The old master¡¯s astuteness was second to none. He couldmand the winds and terrify all directions today, not just because of his ruthless military achievements, but also due to his keen observation. Anyone of interest to the old master was within his watchful gaze.

    Thus, his coboration with Bai Xiao could not have escaped his grandfather¡¯s notice.

    ¡°Grandfather! Yet you still think this way? Bai Xiao is now so deranged that she is using her medical skills to kill? This is no longer ¡®the heart of a healer¡¯!¡± Jiang Shaoqing argued, thinking his grandfather was being too subjective.

    ¡°First, you don¡¯t know what Bai Xiao has done, nor do you have proof, because I have already been in touch with the doctors at Shang Kaijie¡¯s hospital. Shang Feng, suspecting someone had poisoned his son, sought an authoritative forensic institution, but s, all their conclusions were the same, Shang Kaijie died of a myocardial infarction.¡±

 Chapter 339 - 339 339 Conversation Between Grandfather and

    ?Chapter 339: Chapter 339: Conversation Between Grandfather and Grandson (Part 2)   Chapter 339: Chapter 339: Conversation Between Grandfather and Grandson (Part 2)                                   ¡°Secondly, you should be well aware of what kind of person Shang Kaijie is and whether he deserves to die. The incidents with little girls you¡¯ve looked into, the reckless disregard for life, are not his first offenses. On my desk, there¡¯s information that, at the age of fifteen, Shang Kaijie desecrated a ten-year-old girl from the darkness in his heart. Because Shang Feng pulled some strings and Shang Kaijie was a minor, they managed to bury the issue with money.¡±

    ¡°Yet, Shang Kaijie still hasn¡¯t learned his lesson and continues to harm others. Those girls were all innocent and naive, the oldest barely eleven or twelve. If those children were your sisters, could you still hold a tolerant attitude towards Shang Kaijie? Could you still believe that his crimes do not warrant death?¡±

    The grandfather sighed; his grandson, due to his privileged upbringing, was truly incapable of empathetic consideration.

    This was a serious w.

    He couldn¡¯t understand that profound loathing, and even though he was disgusted with Shang Kaijie to the point of wanting to kill, his upbringing and sense of the bigger picture would never allow him to do such a thing. This childcked passion and fervor. Perhaps Doctor Bai Xiao could be the very stimulus to give Jiang Shaoqing a taste of life¡¯s vibrancy.

    ¡°Grandfather, I understand now!¡±

    ¡°You still don¡¯t understand! No matter what Bai Xiao did, I actually admire her decisive ruthlessness. She has the ability to silence people without a trace, which is truly a skill. And Shang Kaijie, he deserved far more than death. If such a person were allowed to live, who knows how many more little girls he would prey on? Shang Kaijie is very adept at escaping legal punishment. Your concern for the big picture could potentially imperil even more lives.

    Won¡¯t you feel guilty one day when you look at the reports before you? Because of your so-called social order, a great evil person could roam free, wreaking havoc on the world?¡± The old man leisurely finished his bowl of porridge.

    ¡°On the contrary, I think Doctor Bai did a good job. She met violence with violence while still managing to protect herself without implicating her own safety at all¡ªthe epitome of chivalry. I like such a girl.¡± The old man left these words as he went upstairs.

    Jiang Shaoqing sat at the table, motionless, chopsticks untouched.

    Indeed.

    What had Bai Xiao done wrong?

    Apart from evading legal sanctions, what else had she done wrong?

    Should Shang Kaijie be pitied? How could a demon with such proclivities simply stop? In that city, children have already died because of Shang Kaijie, and others may still harbor unhealing inner scars, possibly for a lifetime.

    But what could anyone do about Shang Kaijie?

    Apart from killing him, there seemed little else one could do.

    Expect Shang Kaijie to turn himself in?

    What a joke!

    If Shang Kaijie were to do that, he wouldn¡¯t have endlessly harmed those children without any boundaries. Shang Kaijie had already shown himself to be utterly without limits.

    He quietly picked up his bowl and served himself some red bean porridge.

    Perhaps he had been too quick to judge.

    Thinking about what the report said, Shang Kaijie had been scheming the previous night with his hoodlum friends, looking to recruit some thugs for a job. Though it wasn¡¯t disclosed what it was, Shang Kaijie mentioned that he needed to make a trip out of town, intending to ruin a woman¡¯s reputation.

    The thugs he had found were of the sort notorious for preying on women, what they were tasked with was obvious.

    The destination and the targeted woman all pointed towards Bai Xiao.

    If Shang Kaijie didn¡¯t die, perhaps it wouldn¡¯t be long before Bai Xiao and her family were in danger.

    He had totally confused cause and effect.

    If Bai Xiao didn¡¯t im Shang Kaijie¡¯s life, her own would be at stake!

    If he couldn¡¯t guess what Shang Kaijie was nning, then he wasn¡¯t Jiang Shaoqing.

 Chapter 340 - 340 340 Holding Back a Big Move

    ?Chapter 340: Chapter 340: Holding Back a Big Move   Chapter 340: Chapter 340: Holding Back a Big Move                                   Bai Xiao received a call from Jiang Shaoqing, and after hanging up, she let out a long sigh of relief.

    Shang Kaijie was dead!

    Looking at her own hands, Bai Xiao used to be able to im with a clear conscience that she was a kind person, but now she had probably stepped into the bloody ranks of revenge, bing another cold-blooded, ruthless person.

    But she didn¡¯t regret it.

    Compared to her previous life, she hadn¡¯t done anything wrong in this one.

    Shang Kaijie truly deserved to die.

    In her past life, Shang Kaijie did countless evil deeds, and many times, her downfall was rted to him. His lustful gaze towards her made her feel sick even now, and she wondered if Shang Kaijie knew about her possible connection with the Shang Family in the past life.

    If he did, then he deserved to die even more.

    She understood that this was truly a massacre in the real sense, sparing no means for revenge.

    Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t regret it at all. Knowing Shang Kaijie too well, if she had given him any chance to breathe, she might have been the one to die the most horrible death.

    It was either her or Shang Kaijie.

    So, she definitely wouldn¡¯t be merciful.

    In just three months, she should report to the Medical University. After all, such training opportunities were rare, and she hoped to do her best. The title of university student should indeed suit her this time.

    The beauty of life seemed to be just beginning to unfold.

    Her rtionship with An Zhiyuan was gradually falling into ce. In their true interactions, she found that An Zhiyuan was indeed a good man. At least toward her, he was unbelievably considerate. Their fixed pattern was a phone call every two days. He wasn¡¯t very talkative and liked to listen to her voice. She also liked to confide in him because perhaps she had no one else to confide in. After all, to keep her older sister and brother from worrying, there were many things she wouldn¡¯t speak about.

    But An Zhiyuan was different. Often, as an observer, he could give some impartial advice.

    However, Bai Xiao found it strange that ever since theirst meeting, An Zhiyuan¡¯s stepmother Wei Shufen and his so-called fianc¨¦e Ding Min had seemingly ceased all activity and had not appeared again.

    That was very odd.

    It seemed like Wei Shufen wasn¡¯t someone easy to deal with, being able to stay silent was too strange.

    Under such circumstances, there are two possibilities. One is they¡¯re biding their time, waiting to deliver a blow that would prevent her from ever recovering.

    The second is that Wei Shufen truly stepped back from such scheming.

    Is that possible?

    Bai Xiao herself couldn¡¯t believe it, and she would prefer to believe the first possibility. But the other shoe never dropped, like a sword hanging over her head, always making one feel uneasy, almost like walking on eggshells.

    Ah, An Zhiyuan is good in every way; perhaps the worst thing about him is his family.

    She can¡¯t choose that.

    Of course, she had met An Zhiyuan¡¯s older brother An Zhigao. Just a month ago, she learned that An Zhigao had set up a branch here, and at thepany¡¯s opening, she met An Zhigao, An Zhiyuan¡¯s brother.

    Overall, although An Zhigao had a scrutinizing look, he was quite warm to her. It was apparent that the two brothers were very close, which extended to how he treated her, loving the house and its crow, as it were.

    Everyone had a delightful meal, and a drunken Big Brother An earnestly held onto her, instructing her to be sure to treat An Zhiyuan well, telling her that An Zhiyuan was the best man in the world, and if she dared to treat him badly, he, as the older brother, would never spare her.

    An Zhiyuan almost carried his brother away in embarrassment.

 Chapter 341 - 341 341 Transfer Orders

    ?Chapter 341: Chapter 341: Transfer Orders   Chapter 341: Chapter 341: Transfer Orders                                   ¡°Dean Zhang, you wanted to see me?¡±

    Bai Xiao had rushed over as soon as she received the call from Dean Zhang.

    With June already upon them, Bai Xiao had thought that Dean Zhang wanted to discuss her forting training program.

    ¡°Have a seat!¡± Dean Zhang¡¯s expression looked uneasy, his gaze avoiding direct eye contact with hers, evasive!

    Something must have happened, right?

    Bai Xiao¡¯s intuition told her that this matter was definitely rted to her.

    ¡°Dean Zhang, why did you call me here today?¡±

    In her lifetime, there were hardly any situations that could make her panic. Facing any hardship, she could likely remain unflustered.

    Dean Zhang hesitated for a moment.

    ¡°Doctor Bai, as a dean, I originally disagreed with this decision, but, it¡¯s the higher-ups¡¯ directive. As a dean, I cannot let personal feelings interfere with national interests. I¡¯m sorry!¡±

    His words signified a major issue.

    ¡°Dean Zhang, just tell me what it is. No issue is too big to handle.¡±

    Dean Zhang nced at Bai Xiao and handed her an order of transfer.

    ¡°Originally, I had arranged for you to report to Medical University in September for a two-year training program. I hoped not to waste your qualifications as a college graduate. After graduating from Medical University and working in the hospital for a while, you being promoted to attending physician was virtually assured. However, ns cannot keep up with changes.

    The higher authorities are now assigning you to a medical unit in a border province, I¡­¡±

    Dean Zhang choked up. Bai Xiao was only neen years old. She was neither a surgery doctor nor an internal medicine doctor. An acupuncture doctor going to a medical unit, especially in a frontline area where frictions ur frequently and the danger level is life-threatening, was utterly nonsensical.

    But this was an order from above, amand more important than anything else. She was a dean of a hospital! Moreover, a leader, and obeying orders was the duty of everyone like them, even if she knew there were issues involved. But she could only do the job she was supposed to do.

    Personal emotions could not affect collective work.

    ¡°Dean Zhang, I am d to have the opportunity to work at the frontline. Rest assured, I will obey themand!¡± Bai Xiao understood that this was a transfer out of this ce.

    Moreover, the ce mentioned in the transfer order, frankly speaking, was indeed the frontline ¨C just not under heavy gunfire. However, it definitely could not be considered safe.

    ¡°Bai Xiao! You!¡± Dean Zhang was frustrated yet amused.

    ¡°Do you even know where you are being sent? Do you realize how dangerous it is there? Frankly, you have not undergone systematic training, and even if you were given a weapon now, you probably wouldn¡¯t be able to aim properly. Do you understand what it means to go there?¡± This young girl mustn¡¯t think it¡¯s merely a change of workce.

    ¡°Dean, I know what that ce is. But even though I know, I am now a doctor, and obeying orders is my sacred duty. Once there, perhaps I can save more lives and help more people, albeit in a ce far more dangerous than here. If I don¡¯t go, someone else will.

    Besides, I think this transfer order is amand, not a consultation with me. Neither you nor I have the right to refuse. So, why should we still be troubled by this?¡±

    Bai Xiao was at peace with the situation, already imagining who had maneuvered behind the scenes for this transfer order.

    Given Dean Zhang¡¯s care for her, it was certainly not possible for any hospital-level adjustment. She thought that the most likely person responsible for this situation was Wei Shufen.

    The Chief¡¯s wife could easily manipte the transfer of such a minor doctor, couldn¡¯t she?

 Chapter 342 - 342 342 No Conflict

    ?Chapter 342: Chapter 342 No Conflict   Chapter 342: Chapter 342 No Conflict                                   Bai Xiao understood everything clearer than anyone else.

    There were only a few people who could mobilize such forces against her and even fewer who bore her a grudge to the point of seeking revenge.

    Thus, by process of elimination, the only person left was Wei Shufen.

    She had thought as much; that one boot had yet to drop.

    And here was the ace up their sleeve.

    Transfer her to a far-flung ce.

    On one hand, the long-distance separation could weaken the feelings between two people. Gradually, An Zhiyuan¡¯s affections for her would naturally fade. Without that passion, Ding Min¡¯s opportunistic move would be logical and justifiable.

    On the other hand, the location she was being sent to was fraught with danger, and a single misstep could possibly cost her life.

    In this way, the problem she posed would be conveniently and permanently eliminated.

    This strategy was truly an invisible killer.

    Compared to her own schemes, theirs were truly on a higher ne.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, I understand. This is unfair to you. I just hope you realize that as a doctor, no matter where you are, as long as we fulfill our duties, protect our country, and save lives, we will shine like gold. I hope you won¡¯t harbor any resentment. Keep your passion and work wherever you are with all your heart. I especially hope you be the best doctor,¡± the Dean hoped Bai Xiao would not hold any bitterness in her heart.

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°Dean Zhang, rest assured, my standard has always been to be true to myself. No matter where I am, I will maintain my standard of conduct. I¡¯ve long told myself that what I want to do, the mission I want to fulfill, won¡¯t be changed by anyone, anything, or any ce. I am also grateful for your care all this time.¡±

    Dean Zhang sighed, ¡°You are so endearing yet pitiable. I cannot change the transfer order for you, but I hope you will stay safe and sound. No matter when or where, please protect yourself.¡± This was no longer the concern of a superior for a subordinate but the affection of an elder for a younger family member.

    Bai Xiao saluted, ¡°Dean, please be assured.¡±

    Watching Bai Xiao leave, Dean Zhang felt sorrowful.

    The girl did not show the slightest hint of resentment or opposition, as though whaty ahead of her was a city with beautiful scenery and afortable life.

    The phone rang.

    ¡°How did it go?¡±

    ¡°Old Li, is there really no way? You don¡¯t know how I felt when I mentioned the transfer order to the kid just now. I expected resistance, but she didn¡¯t trouble me one bit; in fact, she didn¡¯t even need any convincing. She told me straightforwardly that she was willing to go, which makes me feel even worse. You know how dangerous that ce can be. She is a girl who has never received proper training, and she is neither a surgeon nor an internal medicine doctor. Her actual effectiveness in treating the wounded there would be very limited.

    Why can¡¯t she serve in the position where she shines best?¡±

    ¡°You think I don¡¯t want to? But it¡¯s an order from above. The directive was issued from the top, and an old leader revealed to me that this transfer order cannot be changed. This kid is going to suffer this time.¡± What Li Dongliang did not say was that even he was powerless over Bai Xiao¡¯s situation.

    ¡°I just hope the kid stays safe.¡±

    Li Dongliang was speechless.

    He now somewhat regretted having poached Bai Xiao from the aviation academy; he might have harmed the girl.

 Chapter 343 - 343 343 Career Territory

    ?Chapter 343: Chapter 343: Career Territory   Chapter 343: Chapter 343: Career Territory                                   Bai Xiao returned to the department and the Dean had already told her that she could take a few days off from work.

    The transfer order stated that she must report to the designated ce within ten days.

    Frankly speaking, she didn¡¯t have much time left.

    She really needed to arrange things at home properly.

    Back at the dorm, having lived there for almost a year, she had grown quite fond of the ce.

    It was a pity it wasn¡¯t her permanent home.

    He Weng and Liu Hong had moved out long ago.

    Liu Hong had rented a front space as a tailor shop, and behind it in a small courtyard she had two rooms; He Weng was also looking to rent a room, so he discussed it with Liu Hong and ended up renting one of her courtyard rooms. It was also a setup where the two could look out for each other.

    Liu Hong¡¯s tailor shop opened soon, and in the evenings she went to the tailoring school to learn new techniques. During the day, she served clients in her shop, making clothes, measuring, and cutting fabric. Because Liu Hong¡¯s own tailoring skills were quite good, and she learned some new designs, with Bai Xiao¡¯s suggestions some adjustments to the designs had a good effect, like the back lines of a jacket, making it more tapered.

    Just two extra seams could make the waist look slimmer and more defined, especially entuating the figure.

    This particrly appealed to many young womenpared to the standard government-issued clothes, and the number of customersing to her ce increased significantly.

    Eventually, Liu Hong even added two sewing machines and hired two workers to help with the clothes, while she focused on cutting and supervising the workers¡¯ craftsmanship.

    He Weng, after the first batch of bell-bottoms were brought back from the south, established a foundation for his clothing store.

    He Weng¡¯s shop was located on the street where Bai Yue was, luckily surrounded by a high foot traffic area. On his opening day, the bell-bottoms sold outpletely. Now, He Weng had to make trips to the south every three days as most of his time was spent traveling.

    Luckily, the coboration between He Weng and Liu Hong that Bai Xiao predicted had indeed started.

    The poprity of the bell-bottoms, special-design coats, and various fashionable clothes could almost all be replicated by Liu Hong, and crucially, Liu Hong could create patterns on her own. As long as she had seen the size and design, she could produce the pattern overnight.

    The margin of error was almost zero.

    Thus, the coboration between He Weng and Liu Hong officially began.

    All the fabrics, threads, and essories for the clothes were transported by He Weng from manufacturers in the south because they were mass-producing, they could buy in bulk at wholesale prices which were very cost-effective. Liu Hong bought a few more sewing machines and hired more workers, starting to manufacturing clothes in what she saw as an assembly line process.

    Now, they could basically supply He Weng¡¯s shop for retail.

    Both of their careers were progressing smoothly.

    In He Weng¡¯s own words, it was advancing by leaps and bounds.

    He Weng could proudly say that he was now truly a boss, and influenced by Bai Xiao¡¯s franchising n for her sister¡¯s spicy hotpot restaurant, he himself considered the possibility of opening branches.

    If Liu Hong¡¯s business could continue to grow, they even considered He Weng bing Liu Hong¡¯s agent where they themselves could do wholesale. This way, the entire province¡¯s agents could get supplies directly from them without having to go to the south, saving on travel costs and time.

    Basically, their business territories were now gradually expanding.

    How far they could go depended on themselves.

 Chapter 344 - 344 344 Land Deed

    ?Chapter 344: Chapter 344 Land Deed   Chapter 344: Chapter 344 Land Deed                                   Bai Xiao put the property deed into her bag; since she was nning to leave, it was only natural to prepare in advance and to inform her sister and brother-inw.

    Without any surprises, she was ready to buy a bus ticket today.

    Sooner orter she¡¯d have to leave, so why stay and make her sister and brother-inw feel sad when they saw her?

    She hadn¡¯t told An Zhiyuan yet and nned to call him tonight.

    He would definitely be training now, and a call would only distract him.

    Besides, if she told him now, An Zhiyuan might immediately realize that it was his stepmother¡¯s doing.

    Who knew what might erupt then?

    However, she wasn¡¯t going to consider Wei Shufen; because of An Zhiyuan, she had to travel to the frontier, to protect the country. Since Wei Shufen dared to act, she naturally had to bear the consequences herself.

    She then took a bus to the hotpot restaurant.

    At this time, the hotpot restaurant hadn¡¯t started business yet.

    When she arrived, everyone was bustling with work. Bai Yue and Wang Yan were rtively free; this was probably the easiest time of the day for them as a couple, and they were shoulder to shoulder at the bar, tallying ounts.

    Wang Yan had his arm around Bai Yue¡¯s shoulders, their bodies close together. The couple lived harmoniously, and along with their three good sons, Wang Yan also got along well with the boys. The burdens of life didn¡¯t seem as difficult as imagined; the couple was now livingfortably and their affection for each other had deepened.

    It seemed to be oiled by sweet honey.

    Bai Yue, who was smiling, looked much better than before, seemingly younger by more than a decade. Although wrinkles still lined her eyes, herplexion was rosy, and her lips were always curled in a smile, radiating the refreshing fragrance of spring plum when sheughed, full of dependency and affection when she looked at Wang Yan.

    Compared to the battered Bai Yue of the past, she was now entirely different.

    ¡°Big sister, brother-inw!¡±

    Bai Xiao¡¯s voice interrupted the couple¡¯s intimacy, feeling a bit out of ce.

    Her big sister had finally found happiness, the greatest fulfillment of her life. Her sister was entirely different from her former self, and Bai Xiao hoped she would always remain happy.

    Seeing her younger sister arrive, Bai Yue blushed, feeling a bit unnatural ¨C they were just talking about their future ns and had perhaps let their guard down. She worried if her sister saw too much, would she be aughingstock?

    ¡°Xiao,e in, howe you¡¯re free today? Shouldn¡¯t you be at work this time?¡± Bai Yue pulled Bai Xiao in and threw a nce at Wang Yan.

    Wang Yan chuckled and greeted his sister-inw, ¡°Little Aunt, you chat with your sister. I¡¯m going to help out with the work.¡±

    And he quickly excused himself.

    Bai Xiaoughed, ¡°Look at brother-inw now, he¡¯s underplete wife control!¡±

    Bai Yue tapped her forehead. It looked hard, but she was actually very gentle, barely more than a mosquito bite.

    ¡°There you go joking again. I¡¯m asking you why you¡¯re here now? Shouldn¡¯t you be at the hospital? Is there some trouble?¡±

    This younger sister was usually very busy; Bai Yue always had to bring food to visit her. It had been two or three months since Bai Xiao hade over.

    Considering the time, it should have been her working hours, yet here she was.

    ¡°Sister, I¡¯ve brought you something, and there¡¯s also something I need to tell you.¡±

    Bai Xiao opened her bag, took out the property deed, and handed it to Bai Yue.

    Bai Yue looked at Bai Xiao questioningly and took the property deed, unfolding it to look, her mouth agape as if she could swallow an egg whole.

    ¡°Property deed? Where did you get this from?¡±

    Bai Yue wasn¡¯t uneducated; she had finished middle school at least.

    She understood the words on the document. This deed was for the property where their restaurant was located, and not just for one restaurant, but for the entire street.

 Chapter 345 - 345 345 Hes Dead Im Glad (Bonus Chapter for

    ?Chapter 345: Chapter 345: He¡¯s Dead, I¡¯m d (Bonus Chapter for Monthly Ticket)   Chapter 345: Chapter 345: He¡¯s Dead, I¡¯m d (Bonus Chapter for Monthly Ticket)                                   ¡°How else could I havee? Last time, that Shang Kaijie wanted to kill us. It¡¯s thepensation that Jiang Shaoqing helped us obtain, so it¡¯s that big viin who gave it to us ¡ª you should ept it with peace of mind. Otherwise, your suffering that day would have been in vain,¡± Bai Xiao said nonchntly.

    Bai Yue red, still terrified at the memory of that day.

    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t take things from that viin.¡± She didn¡¯t want it, primarily because the deed was too valuable. What if that bastard harbored grudges and turned back to retaliate against Bai Xiao?

    She would rather forego the money than risk any danger to her sister.

    ¡°But now, I guess you can¡¯t really return this deed,¡±

    Bai Xiao¡¯s cheerful demeanor left Bai Yue with no choice but to ept. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to be angry at her sister.

    ¡°How can you still not return it?¡±

    ¡°I heard that Shang Kaijie has already died, as he deserved.¡±

    Her casual response thrilled Bai Yue.

    Immediately, Bai Yue felt a strong sense of guilt, although Shang Kaijie got what he deserved. Wasn¡¯t it a bit too much? The problem was she really wanted to jump for joy. In her eyes, he had been the biggest threat to her sister and their family.

    Shang Kaijie was a madman. That day, it was merely because her sister hadn¡¯t ttered him upstairs, and hadn¡¯t allowed him to abuse her at will. He retaliated by trying to ram his car into their house wall, intending to kill Bai Xiao, and even went so far as to enter their house to try to kill the three of them.

    Such a person hadn¡¯t yet been severely punished by thew, and Bai Yue was constantly nervous after work every day, afraid to let Li Haishun stay home alone to do homework. Their family of five either left together or arrived home together, never acting alone.

    Especially Wang Yan, ever since he heard that his wife and child had nearly died that day, now always carried a pig-ughtering knife in his bag for self-defense.

    He would asionally take it out and sharpen it until it gleamed, all because he feared someone might still harm his wife and child.

    Now that this great viin had died, they of course should celebrate. At least, with him gone, no one else would likely harm them.

    Bai Yue¡¯s efforts to suppress her joy was because she was a good person, one who often sumbed to various social rules and moral constraints, so even though she wanted to smile, she had to forcefully keep the smile off her face and maintain a serious expression.

    ¡°Oh¡­ yes¡­ he¡¯s dead¡­ huh, bits¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m very happy, big sister, because Shang Kaijie wanted our entire family dead. If he hadn¡¯t died, he might have continued to trouble us. I don¡¯t want anything to happen to you and our family, so I¡¯m really happy he¡¯s dead. I want to drink and celebrate. I am just happy, extremely happy today!¡± Bai Xiao loudly expressed her true feelings, unabashedly celebrating, and if she could have the whole world celebrate, she would spare no expense.

    Bai Yue suddenly burst intoughter, the two sisters looking at each other andughing unabashedly, so joyously.

    ¡°It¡¯s good he¡¯s dead, such a bastard deserved more than death, and I¡¯m also very happy. We¡¯re all very happy!¡±

    ¡°Yes, big sister, it¡¯s wonderful he¡¯s dead. Now I can walk without any worries. Otherwise, I would still be concerned about whether that bastard would harass you here. Now, it¡¯s almost perfect,¡± Bai Xiaoughed heartily.

    Li Haiping and Li Hai¡¯an, baffled, watched their mother and auntugh almost like two fools.

 Chapter 346 - 346 346 Concealment (Extra for monthly ticket)

    ?Chapter 346: Chapter 346: Concealment (Extra for monthly ticket)   Chapter 346: Chapter 346: Concealment (Extra for monthly ticket)                                   ¡°Bai Yue, I don¡¯t understand what you just said, why do you have to leave? Where are you going?¡± Bai Yue suddenly realized something was wrong with her sister¡¯s words.

    Li Haiping and Li Haian pricked up their ears.

    ¡°Big sister, sit down. I¡¯ve received orders to transfer to another ce for work, so I¡¯m nning to buy the ticket today. If nothing unexpected happens, I should be departing in a couple of days,¡± Bai Xiao said without revealing the dangers of the ce she was heading to.

    She didn¡¯t want Bai Yue and the others to know, to prevent them from worrying.

    ¡°Why suddenly go work somewhere else? Why would your leaders just transfer you out like that?¡± Bai Yue¡¯s heart was reluctant to let her sister go, although she couldn¡¯t see her every day, she could still meet her every so often, but if her sister was transferred, it wouldn¡¯t be so easy to see her anymore.

    ¡°Big sister! This is the higher-ups showing their high regard for me. Don¡¯t you also hope that I can climb higher on thedder? Who knows, maybe after this move I could be a great hero, get a promotion and a sry raise, you never know, maybe I could be the best doctor,¡± Bai Xiao talked nonsense to divert Bai Yue¡¯s attention.

    Sure enough, as soon as Bai Yue heard this, she was both annoyed and amused, ¡°You, all I hope for is that you stay safe and sound, andter marry Officer An and live a peaceful life with no worries ¨C that¡¯s all I wish for.¡± She stroked Bai Xiao¡¯s forehead, this was theirmon wish for her.

    ¡°Sister, I know, you can¡¯t wait to marry me off! But I won¡¯t marry, I n to stick around at home and be a freeloader, no way am I getting married,¡± Bai Xiao yfully clung to Bai Yue.

    ¡°Who says they¡¯re not getting married?¡± a voice chimed in.

    Bai Xiao immediately sat up straight, and Bai Yue, seeing Bai Song, was shocked¡ªthis kid usually never had the time to visit, he didn¡¯t even make it for thest opening.

    ¡°The two of you siblings really are telepathic,ing together like this. Great, thenter I¡¯ll make dumplings for you, I¡¯ll have your brother-inw prepare the meat filling, and we¡¯ll all have dumplings together. It¡¯s not often the three of us can gather like this,¡± Bai Yue immediately went to the kitchen to call Wang Yan.

    ¡°Brother Shitou, the second one is also here, you chop the dumpling filling, let¡¯s wrap dumplingster, it¡¯s a good chance for a family gathering, we still have plenty of time,¡± their clients only start arriving after eleven, so there was still time.

    ¡°Then you knead the dough!¡± Wang Yan nodded, rolled up his sleeves, and took the meat out of the refrigerator, where there happened to be arge piece in the fresh-keeping section.

    Bai Yue told the two of them, ¡°You two sit for a bit, I¡¯m going to knead the dough and your brother-inw will chop the filling, then you cane over and help wrap the dumplings, and we can all eat them together.¡±

    Bai Xiao and Bai Song nodded their heads.

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    Bai Yue happily went inside to knead the dough.

    ¡°Brother, howe you¡¯re here?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean ¡®howe I¡¯m here¡¯?¡± Bai Song said irritably.

    Bai Xiao sighed, hearing this tone she knew her brother must havee because of her transfer and had rushed over after hearing the news.

    ¡°Big brother, we must not let big sister know about this, or else she might cry herself to death.¡±

    She whispered a low warning to her brother.

    ¡°I know, I¡¯m not a fool,¡± Bai Song was feeling down.

    Bai Xiao could see her brother was upset, ¡°Big brother, it¡¯s okay. I can definitely take care of myself, don¡¯t you know me? As long as I¡¯m breathing, I absolutely won¡¯t die.¡±

    Bai Song looked up at Bai Xiao, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re my little sister, I won¡¯t let anything happen to you.¡±

    ¡°Big brother, stop joking, there¡¯s nothing you can do about this order from above.¡±

    Bai Xiao understood what her brother meant.

    Bai Song didn¡¯t say anything more, he had his own ideas in mind.

 Chapter 347 - 347 347 Farewell

    ?Chapter 347: Chapter 347: Farewell   Chapter 347: Chapter 347: Farewell                                   The meal was enjoyed happily.

    Bai Yue didn¡¯t know anything and still thought that the other ces her sister went to were not much different from the current hospital.

    Other than instructing Bai Xiao to take good care of herself, she really wasn¡¯t worried. She just looked at her brother Bai Song, who seemed in low spirits, thinking it was because the training was too exhausting.

    When leaving, Bai Yue secretly put five thousand yuan in Bai Xiao¡¯s bag. They had long since repaid the ten thousand yuan borrowed from Bai Xiao. This money was for fear that the conditions where Bai Xiao was heading would be tough! At least she could take care of herself and should never skimp on food and drink.

    Now, Bai Yue was rather well-off.

    Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t know that where Bai Xiao was headed, money couldn¡¯t buy much.

    ¡°Big sister, I¡¯ve booked a ticket and won¡¯te to say goodbye to you. You don¡¯t need to send me off. Keep thisnd deed. When you have extra money like I mentioned before, build argemercial center here. When that happens, just collecting rent will probably make your hands ache. Don¡¯t always be so frugal, Haiping, Hai¡¯an, and Haishun are all grown up; stop thinking about buying a house only when you have enough money.

    Don¡¯t buy a bungalow just because it¡¯s slightly cheaper; go for an apartment instead. The winters here are tough, at least with central heating, the kids at home and you adults won¡¯t suffer as much.¡±

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t see it, and kept nagging there, mainly because if she didn¡¯t, her older sister would continue living frugally and wouldn¡¯t really start spending more liberally. But keeping the money in the bank wouldn¡¯t likely be better than using it to genuinely improve their lives.

    When there¡¯s no money, there¡¯s no choice. But if there¡¯s money and still reluctance to spend, it¡¯s just making life difficult for oneself.

    Her big sister really could do it.

    Living your whole life just earning money without enjoying it, that¡¯s no different from being a machine.

    Bai Yue sent her siblings out the door and ended up being lectured by Bai Xiao for a long time.

    It¡¯s uncertain whom this child takes after, always worrying.

    Bai Song saw Bai Xiao off, the two waved goodbye.

    Bai Song dropped Bai Xiao at her dorm, ¡°I¡¯m heading back first, I only took half a day off. Don¡¯t talk about other things, just make sure to take care of yourself when you¡¯re away. You¡¯re a girl, and the battlefield is merciless; don¡¯t act recklessly just because you think you¡¯re somewhat capable.¡± He was truly worried.

    Bai Yue didn¡¯t know about the situation there, but how could he not know?

    Military tensions were high, and there were constant conflicts in that area; some ces even experienced continuous battles.

    The thought of Bai Xiao, a girl, being in such danger there was unimaginable.

    ¡°Alright, big brother, I get it. Besides, I¡¯m a doctor, so you might not even need me on the battlefield. With so many hospitals there, chances are I might not even get close to the front line. So, stop worrying unnecessarily,¡± Bai Xiao consoled Bai Song, knowing full well inside that Wei Shufen wouldn¡¯t let her sitfortably in a local hospital.

    She was likely facing the front line.

    But as a doctor, curing the sick and saving lives was her divine duty, no matter what. She was a doctor for life.

    Certain unchangeable facts were associated with her, and from her memories, these conflicts would end in a few years; it was already the summer of 1986, and after 1989, such conflicts and frictions basically wouldn¡¯t ur anymore.

    Truthfully, who knows, the ce she was headed to might not have any issues at all.

    Others might not know, but she was clear about it.

    The gears of history wouldn¡¯t change just because of her arrival.

 Chapter 348 - 348 348 An Zhiyuan on a Mission

    ?Chapter 348: Chapter 348: An Zhiyuan on a Mission   Chapter 348: Chapter 348: An Zhiyuan on a Mission                                   Bai Xiao began to pack her belongings.

    The climate there was hot and humid, so these thick coats were basically unnecessary. She had already told her sister and brother-inw to take her luggage to their ce after she left; it seemed that this small duplex of an expert might not belong to her anymore.

    She nned to bring some lightweight summer clothes, an acupuncture kit, and medicine, which were definitely essential. She also decided to take two bags of brown sugar, a box of choctes, and a pack of lollipops. Although these things would surely melt there, having them was better than nothing. Of course, in such weather, she also needed to bring along a military coat, which others might not understand, but she was well aware of the necessity.

    There was also the beef jerky that her sister had given her, which was more preservable than the other items.

    When she saw the 5000 yuan in her bag, she couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    Big Sister, always treating her like a child!

    After packing everything, she grabbed her bag and went out to buy a train ticket.

    But before she could leave, Dean Zhang had already called. There was no need to buy a ticket since there were others departing with her, including somerades rotating there and teammates from her side. She would travel with them, and when they arrived at the ice station, someone would naturally be there to meet them; they didn¡¯t need to worry about it at all.

    This eased Bai Xiao¡¯s mind.

    She was just about to call An Zhiyuan.

    But to her surprise, An Zhiyuan had already called her first.

    ¡°Big Brother An, it¡¯s a coincidence I was just about to call you,¡± she said. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to beat me to it.¡±

    She felt somewhat aggrieved; naturally, she wanted to confide in the person closest to her when wronged.

    If not An Zhiyuan, then who?

    The cause of this matter was because of him, after all.

    ¡°Xiaoxiao, I¡¯m at the station. I¡¯m about to depart. I¡¯m calling to tell you that I¡¯m on a mission. You might not be able to find me for the next few months. Take good care of yourself. Be gentle with yourself when you¡¯re getting treated; don¡¯t overdo it. My biggest worry when I¡¯m not by your side is this very thing,¡± An Zhiyuan¡¯s words left Bai Xiao holding the phone, somewhat at a loss.

    What situation was this?

    ¡°Big Brother An, what kind of mission do you have? Is it that urgent?¡± she asked, clearly hearing the sound of military assembling and departing on the other end of the line.

    ¡°Xiaoxiao, if¡­ I mean, if I can¡¯t make it back, you should find a good man and get married. Xiaoxiao, take care!¡± An Zhiyuan¡¯s words struck Bai Xiao like a thunderbolt.

    Could it be that?

    ¡°Big Brother An, Big Brother An!¡±

    ¡°We have to assemble now; I can¡¯t talk anymore. Bai Xiao, I love you very much! Meeting you has been the happiest and most joyful thing in my life. You must be happy!¡± An Zhiyuan¡¯s voice on the other end became hurried, as people there urged him, and before Bai Xiao could say anything, he hung up the phone.

    ¡°An Zhiyuan, An Zhiyuan!¡±

    Bai Xiao cried out anxiously, as only a beeping sound remained in the receiver.

    This An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t even give her a chance to speak.

    If she wasn¡¯t mistaken, An Zhiyuan was probably heading to the same ce as her.

    Now, with the domestic situation stable and the country vigorously developing economic reforms, if there was a ce that would make An Zhiyuan utter such words, it surely had to be somewhere dangerous.

    Aside from a few regions, there weren¡¯t many options.

    Bai Xiao shook her head, no, that¡¯s not right. An Zhiyuan was An Cheng¡¯s son; An Cheng was really practicing tough love.

    Sending his own son.

    Bai Xiao stopped pondering. It seemed An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t know she was going to the same ce. The two of them really had a fateful connection as a married couple.

 Chapter 349 - 349 349 Arrival

    ?Chapter 349: Chapter 349 Arrival   Chapter 349: Chapter 349 Arrival                                   An Zhiyuan hung up the phone and blew the assembly whistle.

    This morning, upon rising, everyone had already packed their backpacks, and there was no need to bring anything else. In the small square of the train station, An Zhiyuan counted the numbers; they were ready to board the train.

    An Zhiyuan nced at the bustling city they were about to leave.

    Dear family, dear loved ones, we are leaving.

    He didn¡¯t know that a day after he left, Bai Xiao also embarked on the same journey with her luggage.

    Bai Xiao arrived in a certain province and began transferring trains to her destination with herrades.

    Under the illumination of the searchlight, the train could be seen lying quietly on the tracks like a giant dragon.

    This train was headed to the front.

    Bai Xiao could see many vehicles, under the direction of themand staff, slowly moving towards the wide steel tes leading to the train, then being firmly secured by thick steel ropes. Along with the various artillery and military supplies, she walked into the carriage with her teammates.

    Under the dazzling lights, she heard the sound of water rushing and saw that it was the work of crew members pouring water onto the top of the train with rubber hoses¡ªthe weather here was truly hot.

    Although she had mentally prepared herself, the clothes and white coat she wore still made her sweat profusely.

    This was to cool down the carriage.

    Bai Xiao entered the carriage and saw tworge iron buckets at the door filled with big chunks of ice. Moreover, every few paces, there were two buckets, all filled with ice, each bucket containing at least forty to fifty pounds, now emitting a white mist.

    They were sitting in a sealed carriage.

    All the team members had been arranged; everyone was here, the floor was covered with cool mats, one closely following the next, and Bai Xiao could tell that most of the team members were not unfamiliar with such an environment.

    However, she was not in this carriage, as she belonged to the Health Team.

    She had to pass through to reach thest carriage.

    The carriage of the Health Team was also a sealed carriage; all the medical personnel were here. To ensure venttion and essibility, the door on the left side of the sealed carriage would stay open, a chain secured across the middle, and so long as everyone paid attention to safety, it wasn¡¯t much of an issue.

    The train they were on.

    After a lengthy departure, it finally stopped at a station.

    They received notice that this was the final station.

    Of course, they then moved into the local barracks.

    It was said that the team members from here had already moved to the front, leaving some rooms empty.

    They rested here for but one night, and before dawn the next day, they started moving forward motorized.

    The Health Team had thirty people, moving alongside the others.

    Bai Xiao then understood that even before reaching the front, they were already utterly exhausted from the journey.

    After two days of travel, they reached a small county town, and just beyond that was the border line.

    Passing through the county town, their convoy did not stop, and Bai Xiao learned from other team members that in another ten or so kilometers, they would be in a truly dangerous area.

    Along the way, they saw the ck telmunication lines; here there were no so-called telegraph poles, but rather the lines were casuallyid on the earthen slopes, in great numbers, many of them tightly bundled together, each as thick as a bucket. The telmunication lines were specially made, and so long as no intentional damage urred, even if buried in the ground, they would not be affected.

    All of them could already smell the pungent odor of gunpowder.

 Chapter 350 - 350 350 Tense Emotions

    ?Chapter 350: Chapter 350: Tense Emotions   Chapter 350: Chapter 350: Tense Emotions                                   They had already reached the front lines, and it was best not to think about anything. Bai Xiao reminded herself that she was a doctor now, which meant she had entrusted her fate to the team. The more she thought, the more she was merely burdening herself with worries.

    She could distinctly feel the mood of her teammates bing more tense.

    In fact, everyone was worried, including herself.

    Since they had arrived here, there was no other choice.

    The convoy followed the team, passing the big mountain ahead. They could see a wooden sign on the side of the road,rger than a basketball backboard, with ¡°Entering Artillery Fire Blockade Zone¡± heavily painted in ck.

    The members of the Health Team knew nothing about the situation ahead, their anxiety utterly unabated. Everyone¡¯s face was pale, their eyes fixed on the convoy ahead, silently praying. The convoy ahead must not stop, for everyone knew that a stop meant trouble.

    The team members who had been to the front had already educated them: if a vehicle encountered danger while on the move, it would stop and hide.

    And now, the mountain roads were difficult to navigate.

    It wasn¡¯t just that the road was narrow, but also full of curves.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, aren¡¯t you scared?¡±

    Liu Yun, sitting next to her, gently questioned Bai Xiao. The medical staff, including doctors and nurses from various hospitals, had been hurriedly ordered to join the Health Team. None of them had ever been to the front before, and thus had no idea what it was like.

    But it didn¡¯t stop them from hearing about many things at the front.

    Although everyone had heard that hostilities had ceased at the front for now,

    many also heard that friction was almost constant.

    Where there was friction, of course, there could be stealth attacks.

    ¡°Scared! But what can being scared do? I am a doctor, and apart from obeying orders, it seems I have no choice,¡± Bai Xiao¡¯s smiling face alleviated Liu Yun¡¯s tension.

    ¡°You¡¯re really good, not married yet, unlike me, I¡¯m married and have kids, so I always end up worrying about this and that, which is a heavy mental burden,¡± she added.

    Their female teammate, Wang Ping, chimed in, ¡°Exactly, if I had known I¡¯d be here, I wouldn¡¯t have had a childst year. If something happens to me, it¡¯s okay, but leaving a child motherless, that¡¯s truly pitiful.¡±

    ¡°That can¡¯t be right, we¡¯re medics, aren¡¯t we supposed to stay in the tents and treat the injured? It seems it has nothing to do with us.¡± They did not know what exactly medics did on the battlefield?

    In fact, everyone assumed they would just be in the tents treating and saving the injured.

    ¡°Though they say there is no war now, this kind of friction often results in a situation where a shelles flying. Bullets and shells are blind; how would they know whether you are a medic or someone else?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not think too much. Our Health Team has a men¡¯s division too. Usually, those apanying them to the front are men from their team, unless they are short-handed. Only then might we possibly go forward to assist. Otherwise, they tend to keep us in a safe area, so let¡¯s not worry unnecessarily,¡± another reassured.

    Bai Xiaoforted everyone! In truth, she was also unsure, merely speaking off the cuff based on her own assumptions that the team was humane.

    She believed they generally wouldn¡¯t let women risk their lives unless absolutely necessary.

    At that moment, the convoy had stopped.

    Someone ran up from the front to inform them that they would need to proceed on foot from now on.

    Firstly, it had gotten dark.

    They could not use any shlights or have any light sources.

    Each person had to follow closely behind another, ensuring they could see clearly and walk steadily.

    The Health Team was assigned to the middle of the formation.

 Chapter 351 - 351 351 Exchange

    ?Chapter 351: Chapter 351 Exchange   Chapter 351: Chapter 351 Exchange                                   ¡°Captain, the leader is asking for you to take a phone call.¡±

    Fu Zi reported to An Zhiyuan.

    ¡°Oh,¡± An Zhiyuan acknowledged and hurriedly walked toward the tent. Although he carried a portable radio with him, he always felt ufortable using it since it was his first time in this area.

    Picking up the phone, the leader Zhao Xin was already speaking on the line.

    ¡°We¡¯ve received an urgent order from our superiors. You must take up your defensive positions on time tonight and be extra vignt. Moreover, your team must be divided into several areas, breaking the whole into parts, lest the line be too long. Form individual posts based on small units.¡±

    After hanging up the phone, An Zhiyuan left to call a meeting with the cadre and above.

    ¡°Comrades, the situation ahead is much moreplicated than we anticipated; therefore, everyone must be extra vignt. The mission for our team is now clear: five locations. Looking at the map, three of these ces are quite far, and one almost requires climbing a mountain without any paths. Following the superior leaders¡¯ advice, I¡¯m going to divide everyone into five teams now. I, the deputy captain, and the leaders of the first, second, and third small teams will each take a team. We¡¯ll set out under the cover of darkness to relieve ourrades who are already there.¡±

    ¡°The deputy leader of the small team will stay behind to take charge of the logistics support. Whether we¡¯ll have food to eat or weapons to use depends on you all.¡±

    ¡°We need toplete the handover with the brotherly units before dawn tomorrow. It¡¯s daytime now, so everyone get your equipment in order and rest up. As soon as it gets dark, we will depart,¡± An Zhiyuan finished saying, and everyone immediately sprang into action.

    The deputy captain nodded, ¡°Due to the urgent and heavy task, we¡¯ll skip the mobilization meeting. Everyone should go back and pass on the message. At this critical moment, you must all disy the advanced role of Party members, be fully prepared in spirit, and ready for mountain climbing and fording streams.¡±

    After dinner, those who were meant to go up the mountain had made their preparations. Not only were his own team members nervous, but it was also his first time heading to the front, and he was extremely tense, especially since they didn¡¯t know what the ce they were heading to looked like.

    While training in the team is one thing, confronting the actual scene is quite another.

    At this moment, everyone didn¡¯t know exactly what they should do.

    All they felt was tension.

    An Zhiyuan had already tied his leggings securely. Everyone was wrapped up in their own thoughts, unsure whether they wished for night to fall quickly or for it never toe.

    Unfortunately, no one could change thews of nature to suit their will.

    Still, night fell slowly until it was so dark that you couldn¡¯t see your own hand in front of you.

    An Zhiyuan had already set off with his team. The ce they were headed to was a farther location. They had calcted that, if they wanted to leave enough time for therades in the friendly unit to descend, they had at most three to four hours to make it. On the way, not a single minute could be wasted, and there was no room for errors at any point.

    An Zhiyuan felt a heavy weight in his heart. The previous captain had briefed him that, although there had been no major frictions in the past year, there were constant minor ones. There had been significant casualties on their border defense positions¡ªCaptains, deputy captains, and small team leaders had all made sacrifices. Now that they were replenished, it signified that their mission was arduous.

    The team members, in addition to their backpacks and weapons, each carriedpressed biscuit tins, canned food, and other provisions, with each person bearing a load of over 40 kilograms. It was strenuous to walk carrying so much, let alone now that they had to climb a mountain.

    It was fortunate that the team members¡¯ regr training had never ckened.

 Chapter 352 - 352 352 Departure

    ?Chapter 352: Chapter 352 Departure   Chapter 352: Chapter 352 Departure                                   Three hourster, without a single person falling behind, they finally reached the high ground.

    After An Zhiyuan handed overmand to the acting team leader Bao Yong of the allied team, he led the others to two other locations to coordinate the handover; once all the positions were secured, the allied team sessfully withdrew.

    The area they were in had many hills of varying sizes around it, and the positions were very important. Many ces were not marked with elevations on the map. They were generally named after their hills, and if there were no local names, they were named after special dates.

    The mountains in the early morning were peaceful. Even the sounds of the insects around them could be heard clearly. Although they had sessfullypleted the handoff, their mood was even more tense.

    They were ready to enter a state ofbat readiness at any time, possibly engaging with the enemy, and more likely to suffer casualties.

    This was their first time facing such situations.

    On the opposite high ground, one could vaguely see people moving about, and both sides¡¯ defenses had already been initiated.

    An Zhiyuan could not rest. During the scorching day, when everyone had no tasks at hand, they stayed vignt, hiding in the bunkers and observing the surroundings. Starting today, their daily routine of observation work involved designated observers using telescopes to watch the enemy and report any developments.

    ¡­¡­

    While An Zhiyuan and his team were in the midst of action, Bai Xiao and the female Health Team were resting on standby at the local hospital.

    However, soon after the exchange of teams, two locations experienced various weapon attacks.

    The two sides had been in a stalemate for many years, evolving from intense confrontations to asional weapon strikes now.

    But the leaders of the Health Team couldn¡¯t sit still. They knew once a weapons incident urred, there would definitely be casualties needing emergency treatment.

    The female Health Team couldn¡¯t just hide in the hospital all the time.

    So they were divided into ten squads; Bai Xiao and Liu Yun formed one such squad and had to carry medical supplies and equipment up the terrain.

    This time, they were going to the front line in reality, directly facing death, an experience of cruelty they had never seen before.

    The leaders had initially nned to have them go up in the evening.

    During the day, moving on the roads was too dangerous. They were too conspicuous a target and could easily be a focus of the enemy¡¯s attacks.

    Moreover, the focus now was not on attacking primary targets, but rather on striking vehicles transporting supplies and personnel.

    But this time, no one was avable to escort them.

    Their teammates who came with them had long since gone to their respective positions, posing an even greater risk for them, especially driving at night without lights, a recipe for disastrous crashes on the curvy roads.

    The leaders had considered the situation several times.

    Ultimately, fog arose this morning.

    The leaders quickly arranged for drivers to transport them to their destination, one vehicle for every ten squads, escorted by fourrades.

    Bai Xiao and her team sat in the vehicle with trepidation.

    This was different from any previous time. They heard they had to cross the notoriously famed line of life and death. Only after passing this line could they really enter the destination they sought.

    The actual border where both sides confronted each other was, oddly enough, not the main battleground. Therades hiding in the trenches were not in much danger even when weapons struck.

    But it was rumored that many people had lost their lives on that infamous line of life and death.

    Even before they had a chance to do what they wanted to do.

    How could the members of the Health Team like Bai Xiao not feel nervous?

    Even Bai Xiao herself was bing increasingly uneasy with this tense atmosphere.

 Chapter 353 - 353 353 Cross Fire

    ?Chapter 353: Chapter 353: Cross Fire   Chapter 353: Chapter 353: Cross Fire                                   Their Health Team¡¯s vehicle had already descended the mountain, crossed the bridge, and was now turning westward.

    Bai Xiao noticed that the roadsides were extremely open, with not even a slight cover within hundreds of meters. If she wasn¡¯t mistaken, ording to the geographical location, this should be what was referred to as the ¡°life and death line.¡±

    The fourrades escorting their vehicles were also very tense, as they carried a heavy responsibility, especially the two drivingrades. They were experienced drivers specially assigned to escort these femalerades and had more technical expertise in evasive maneuvers during critical moments than others.

    The speed of the vehicle was slowing down.

    Suddenly, Bai Xiao heard an explosion sound,pletely unprepared; it seemed to ur right beside them.

    The seasoned driver steered through the thick smoke, attempting to rush out.

    Although mentally prepared, Bai Xiao was still stunned by the suddenness of the event.

    Upon hearing the explosion, all the female team members instinctively embraced each other, huddling in the corners of the vehicle, their screams merging into a continuous shrill.

    The fourrades kept shouting out loud.

    In fact, after the initial explosion, there were continuous explosions one after another.

    The noise was deafening; everyone¡¯s ears were nearly bursting, and the vehicle¡¯s windows had already shattered into fragments.

    The strong smell of gunpowder choked everyone severely.

    At that moment, who could still hear what the fourrades were shouting, or saying?

    The vehicle sped up and slowed down intermittently, swerving left and right. Along with them was a transport vehicle carrying supplies. At this moment, the only thought in the drivers¡¯ minds was how to evade the attack, how to prevent themselves from being hit, as they had already let loose.

    Bai Xiao and herrades clung to each other. They were fully armed when they boarded the vehicle that day, wearing helmets with straps tightly fastened under their chins, making everyone ufortable. Yet, no oneined or expressed reluctance today.

    For they were passing through that mysterious and terrifying ¡°Gate of Hell,¡± and at this moment, they finally understood what the so-called ¡°life and death line¡± meant.

    Besides the roaring explosions, they could also hear the rat-tat-tat sounds.

    The sound was dull, interspersed with many thuds hitting the vehicle¡¯s body. Everyone guessed whether these sounds were from bullets or shells, but in reality, they did not know that these were the sounds of rocks and clods dislodged by the explosions hitting the vehicle.

    All their minds were almost in a nk state.

    This was also Bai Xiao¡¯s first direct encounter with death.

    No one could speak, only instinctively pressing their bodies down as low as possible, away from the windows, desperately squeezing into each corner.

    The surrounding explosions merged into a continuous barrage, amidst the thunderous roar of shells, the Health Team¡¯s vehicle finally crossed the life and death line, and the car turned onto a rudimentary road to the west. Soon, series of tall ridges appeared, blocking the shells.

    Finally, the shelling ceased.

    Although Bai Xiao had escaped the dangerous situation, her tense emotions had not yet recovered; her mind was nk, her face devoid of any color, her heart still pounding rapidly. If someone hade over, they might think this truckload of female team members looked as if they had seen a ghost.

    The driver stopped the vehicle, and after an inspection of the two vehicles, fortunately, only three people had minor injuries, cuts from the ss, which could be easily treated.

    And here, they had to part ways.

 Chapter 354 - 354 354 Departure

    ?Chapter 354: Chapter 354: Departure   Chapter 354: Chapter 354: Departure                                   Bai Xiao and Liu Yun loaded their supplies onto the transport vehicle since their destination was said to be the farthest hignd. When the vehicle reached its destination, they would have to wait until dark to join the transporters in crossing mountains and ridges to reach their actual destination.

    Both of them sat in the vehicle, leaning against its edge without uttering a word. Having just experienced a life-and-death situation, they both understood the cruelty of war, and their journey had just begun.

    Bai Xiao sighed; she had thought a lot! Regrettably, she had still underestimated the danger here. She assumed it would be a standoff where at most, one would shoot, and the other would return fire, never imagining the severity of the situation.

    No wonder they sent her, the oue was a narrow escape from death.

    She thought of An Zhiyuan, not knowing where he was, but she had a hunch that An Zhiyuan was somewhere here among the vast mountains and ridges, possibly at their station.

    Even if they were very close, they had no idea where the other was.

    She thought An Zhiyuan would never expect her to be here. He had instructed her if he couldn¡¯t return, to find a good man and marry. Perhaps after this, An Zhiyuan could marry another girl. The one to sacrifice could be her.

    If there was one sentence to describe it, it should be ¡°Heaven tasks the chosen with great responsibilities, but first tests their will and fortitude.¡±

    This was indeed a great responsibility bestowed by heaven upon her.

    The remaining so-called road was nothing more than a path filled with potholes and bumps where the tires between stones jumped. Bai Xiao and Liu Yun clung tightly to the vehicle¡¯s handle, no longer able to crouch like the other soldiers and cling to the corner to maintain bnce.

    Finally, the vehicle stopped, and the transporter got out. ¡°You two quickly get off. It¡¯s going to be dark soon. Take this time to quickly eat something, rest a bit, regain your strength. We¡¯re leaving soon.¡±

    Bai Xiao and Liu Yun staggered off the vehicle, their heavy luggage already removed by the transporter.

    The two followed the transport team and sat on the camp cots inside the tent, silently choking on the food in their hands. Although it was hot, nobody paid attention to the meal, or created any spectacle.

    Bai Xiao almost couldn¡¯t swallow her food.

    But she still forced herself to eat fiercely. She knew there was a long road ahead, and she needed her strength. If it came time to run, she couldn¡¯tg behind the whole team. At this moment, it wasn¡¯t just about her life; it was about the lives of the entire team tied together. From this moment, she was no longer just herself, but a true soldier.

    After eating, everyone remained silent; two female soldiers among a group of men stood out conspicuously, but at this time, who would notice? A canvas curtain was drawn for the two women, and they copsed onto the camp cots and fell asleep.

    It was unclear how long it was before they vaguely heard someone calling for assembly.

    Bai Xiao and Liu Yun hadn¡¯t really fallen asleep; under such conditions, how could they?

    Hearing themand, they immediately got up. They had to carry their own supplies, but the transporter had already distributed their gear among the others. Each person was carrying at least one hundred pounds, making it look as though they were carrying a mountain on their backs.

    They began their march.

 Chapter 355 - 355 355 Stopping Bleeding

    ?Chapter 355: Chapter 355: Stopping Bleeding   Chapter 355: Chapter 355: Stopping Bleeding                                   Bai Xiao and Liu Yun gritted their teeth and diligently followed the team without falling behind. After silently trudging for hours, they finally heard cautious voices ahead.

    They knew they had finally arrived.

    An Zhiyuan and his team were on high ground, and the Transport Team delivered meals once a day on average. The first meal was fresh! The second one was leftovers. If special circumstances arose and the Transporters could not deliver, they had no choice but to nibble onpressed biscuits and cold water. When they had arrived on the first day, they were immediately greeted with a harsh attack.

    An intense assault hade, so An Zhiyuan and his team had almost spent a day eating dust in the trenches, and two soldiers were severely wounded while three sustained minor injuries. Since they were all rookies, panic in such circumstances inevitably led to injuries.

    The minor wounds were manageable, but the severe injuries posed a risk to life. They never expected casualties on their first day.

    Superiors had already been notified! Medical corpsmen wereing tonight; if the injuries were serious, the Transporters would carry them down, if minor, they would be treated and continue to stay. Two corpsmen would retreat with the Transporters.

    Only then did An Zhiyuan find some relief.

    The Transporters and medics wereing up tonight.

    Upon Bai Xiao¡¯s and her team¡¯s arrival, they were immediately taken to see the wounded. Two of the severely injured had been prated by shrapnel from weapons¡ªone involved the internal organs, another hit the main artery in the thigh. Although they had been quickly bandaged to stop the bleeding, their conditions were not good, and both were currently unconscious.

    Liu Yun was dumbfounded, looking at the two men, helpless. She was a nurse from the hospital, sent here because she had no strong background or sufficient skills to retain her position under the hospital leaders, she was merely cannon fodder sent here. Among medical workers, she didn¡¯t even qualify as a doctor; she literally had no idea how to handle such situations.

    Bai Xiao nced at Liu Yun, whose trembling body didn¡¯t lie. The sister was petrified.

    Seeing the gruesome blood was indeed terrifying. If Bai Xiao hadn¡¯t experienced much in her previous life, she would have been scared stiff too.

    Mainly because she had treated not less than a thousand, but at least eight hundred people. She had witnessed unspeakable horrors, having seen situations far bloodier than this, not to mention the time she and her brother treated ident victims alongside Li Dongliang, whose condition was even more terrifying than this.

    Thus, she remained calm in this situation, took out her acupuncture kit, and gave two needles to each person, ensuring at least that they could safely return to camp. Further treatment was not their responsibility. Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t just watch theserades die but also wouldn¡¯t exhaust her special ability, as she couldn¡¯t predict what might happen next.

    The surrounding Transporters and soldiers watched Bai Xiao¡¯s acupuncture with some disappointment. They all had external injuries, and acupuncture was something they had never seen used on frontline casualties before. It seemed the quality of the medical staff varied greatly, and they were in for hardships.

    However, when they saw the wounded¡¯s bleeding stop and the unconscious men actually opened their eyes, everyone was pleasantly surprised.

    Gratitude was evident on their faces; no one could understand the significance ofrades to them. The two had been unconscious for too long, and no one could guarantee their recovery.

    Now that the two had woken up, their chances of survival greatly increased.

    ¡°I¡¯ve only temporarily stopped the bleeding, relieving some pain! They still need to be sent down quickly to the hospital for surgery¡ªthe shrapnel inside is very dangerous,¡± Bai Xiao instructed the Transporters.

    The Transporters nodded.

 Chapter 356 - 356 356 How come you are here

    ?Chapter 356: Chapter 356: Howe you are here?   Chapter 356: Chapter 356: Howe you are here?                                   Liu Yun was already awake when she saw Bai Xiao start the acupuncture. Even though she was just a junior nurse, she knew this was no time for her to be a bystander, especially with several other wounded soldiers around.

    Luckily, these injuries were simple enough to be treated with dressing and medication; nothingplex needed to be managed. Liu Yun handled these tasks with ease, and by the time Bai Xiao was done, Liu Yun had already finished treating the wounded.

    The two medics exchanged a smile.

    They were proud that they had made full use of their role here.

    The wounded were incredibly grateful.

    The transporters had begun to prepare the stretchers for the severely wounded, and Bai Xiao and Liu Yun helped to secure the injured onto the stretchers. The path ahead was a rugged mountain road: ten transporters in total, along with the two medics, twelve people and two stretchers. Most importantly, they had to ensure not a single mistake was made on the difficult journey.

    Bai Xiao and Liu Yun took care of two injured soldiers, giving them water to drink. There were four hours left until dawn, and they had to make it back before daylight, else they wouldn¡¯t be able to descend the mountain today.

    ¡°Everyone, prepare to set out,¡± Hu Biao, the captain of the transporters,manded.

    They could not afford to dy.

    All responded affirmatively.

    ¡°Are you ready?¡± An Zhiyuan arrived with his deputy. They had just been over there constructing defensive trenches.

    Last night¡¯s heavy rain had caused a partialndslide, burying half of the trench works. They had to rush repairs today, else it would be an easy target for a surprise attack.

    Those bastards constantly had spies posing as locals trying to infiltrate and cross their border.

    An Zhiyuan and hisrades had just finished half of the work and had thest part left when he rushed back after hearing that the severely wounded were being evacuated by the medics. He came specifically to see them off.

    The transporters replied, ¡°We¡¯re ready, and about to set out, Captain!¡±

    When Bai Xiao heard the familiar voice, she looked up, and An Zhiyuan¡¯s eyes found Bai Xiao standing by the stretcher. Even in the dim night, the hazy moonlight couldn¡¯t block his view of the girl. How could she¡­

    An Zhiyuan strode directly in front of Bai Xiao.

    The surprise in his eyes made all his team members exchange confused nces.

    What was their captain doing?

    Why was he standing in front of a female medic?

    Just as Transport Team Captain Hu Biao was about to say something, he was stunned by the scene unfolding before him.

    An Zhiyuan embraced the female medic beside him.

    He rubbed his eyes desperately. He wasn¡¯t seeing things. They were hugging.

    What was this about?

    This could be a serious breach of military conduct. Covering his eyes, he thought, the captain was surely going to get pped for this.

    Flirting with a medic, the captain was far too bold!

    Everyone watched breathlessly¡ªHu Biao¡¯s mouth agape, along with everyone else¡¯s.

    This sight was shockingly unexpected.

    Bai Xiao embraced An Zhiyuan, and in that moment, warmth quickly spread through her body. Her trembling body warmed instantly, as if a warm current had swiftly prated her. She greedily absorbed the warmth of the moment, knowing without doubt that An Zhiyuan was her ¡°Energy Potion,¡± and she didn¡¯t need further confirmation.

    ¡°How could you be here?¡± An Zhiyuan pushed her to an arm¡¯s length away. He waspletely unprepared to see the woman he longed for day and night in this ce, as it defied all logic.

    At first, he thought he was hallucinating from missing her too much, until he clearly saw her face and the delight in Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes. He couldn¡¯t control his feelings and embraced her without a second thought.

 Chapter 357 - 357 357 A Farewell Too Late

    ?Chapter 357: Chapter 357: A Farewell Too Late   Chapter 357: Chapter 357: A Farewell Too Late                                   ¡°Captain, Captain! This¡­¡± Hu Biao stammered, somewhat tongue-tied. The fact that the medic didn¡¯t give him a p on the ear left him confused about what was happening.

    Not just him, everyone seemed to be watching the scene unfold as if it were a y.

    It was only then that Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan realized the uncanny silence that had befallen the entire high ground. Aside from the scorching wind and the chirping of insects, not a single voice was heard, as all eyes were intently fixed on them.

    ¡°This is my fianc¨¦e, Bai Xiao!¡± An Zhiyuan exined.

    He would not let everyone misunderstand this situation.

    With one sentence, he thawed the frozen atmosphere, and everyone started to smile, warmed by the scene.

    A pair of engaged lovers meeting here was indeed a beautiful tale.

    ¡°Captain, we¡¯re running out of time.¡± Hu Biao really wanted to give the captain some time with his fianc¨¦e, but time wouldn¡¯t allow it. They were not in a time of peace; there was no room for personal affection or sweet nothings. They faced a harsh reality where they couldn¡¯t risk the lives of everyone. He couldn¡¯t, and neither could the captain.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s grip on Bai Xiao¡¯s shoulder was so tight that it caused her pain. He shook his head, ¡°Next time, there will always be a chance. We¡¯re in the same area; we¡¯ll surely meet again. You must take care!¡± Bai Xiao hugged him tightly once more, using her special ability to give him a cycle of energy.

    No matter what, she hoped her beloved would return to her unharmed.

    Hu Biao wiped his eyes, not sure why they felt so sour and swollen.

    Bai Xiao pushed An Zhiyuan away.

    She walked to the stretcher and joined the line, while An Zhiyuan saluted Hu Biao.

    ¡°Safe journey!¡±

    All the team members saluted, and the Transporters, who suffered the most casualties in the group, were the ones who truly deserved respect.

    Hu Biao stood at attention and saluted.

    ¡°Move out!¡±

    The twelve figures vanished swiftly into the night.

    An Zhiyuan quietly watched as they disappeared. He didn¡¯t know how many dangers awaited them on that rugged path. His anxiety was something none could understand. He wished he could escort Bai Xiao safely to the base, but he knew he had his duties, the responsibilities of a man. He could not move, his steps as heavy as if weighed down by a thousand pounds.

    Everything felt like an unexpected dream. He could still feel the warmth in his arms and the faint fragrance unique to Bai Xiao, yet he had to watch her disappear before his eyes without having the chance to say a word.

    And it was a path that might lead to no return, yet there was nothing he could do.

    ¡°Captain, your fianc¨¦e hase here; howe you never mentioned it before?¡± A few of the guys teased An Zhiyuan. They knew that although the captain was usually strict, as long as it wasn¡¯t about the mission or discipline, they could joke around without him minding.

    Besides, they hade a long way with An Zhiyuan; they were all men he had brought up.

    ¡°Exactly! Captain, you¡¯ve kept your cards too close to your chest. We had no idea that Doctor Xiaobai, who often called you, was right here. My God, Captain, your heart is too tough. If I were you, I wouldn¡¯t have the heart to send such a beautifuldy here.¡±

    ¡°What do you know? Who is our captain? Countryes first before righteousness, of course.¡±

    ¡°Besides, you all saw Doctor Bai¡¯s medical skills just now. That¡¯s real talent!¡±

    While everyone chattered on, An Zhiyuan couldn¡¯t hear a thing, his gaze as dark as ink.

 Chapter 358 - 358 358 Descending the Mountain

    ?Chapter 358: Chapter 358: Descending the Mountain   Chapter 358: Chapter 358: Descending the Mountain                                   Bai Xiao and Liu Yun supported the stretcher, their faces somber and silent. The checkpoints they passed along the way were a matter of life and death. They couldn¡¯t afford any mistakes¡ªnot just for their own lives but for others¡¯ as well.

    The injured man on the stretcher was covered with a raincoat. In this weather, a heavy rain coulde at any moment, sudden as it was quick, faster than a child¡¯s changing face.

    Every inch of the ground beneath their feet was like a man-eating monster. Everyone walked carefully; many mountain paths were barely paths at all. Like the steep downhill slope they were navigating then, without a real path, the tworades at the front had to carry the stretcher on their shoulders, while the two at the back nearly crouched down¡ªthose in the middle not only shielded the injured man on the stretcher but also helped stabilize it both front and back. If the bnce was off, they had to coordinate quickly or risk a disaster.

    Bai Xiao hardly noticed the stinging cuts on her face from the roadside weeds, sharp as knives. They should have covered a three-hour distance, yet it took them nearly four. By dawn, they finally retreated to the camp below.

    When the teammates met them and took over the stretcher, they almost copsed to the ground exhausted. It¡¯s essential to note that carrying a stretcher required thebined strength of several people and cooperation, which was utterly different from carrying an injured person alone, which would have been much easier.

    The two injured were quickly loaded onto a vehicle and sent to a hospital further back, as the local conditions were unsuitable for surgery. Bai Xiao and her team stayed at the camp, where ten medical personnel were housed in the safest part of the valley, which was surrounded by steep mountains acting as natural barriers, while other camps were situated on either side of the cliff. Behind them was a vige where local vigers lived¡ªthey were born and bred there and had never left this piece ofnd in their entire lives.

    Despite the disarray caused by enemy forces, these vigers still couldn¡¯t bear to leave their homes.

    When Bai Xiao and Liu Yun returned to the camp, they almost immediately fell asleep, utterly exhausted after two days of ordeal.

    They had been at the border for less than a week, but it felt like a year had passed.

    Especially the difficult task of crossing rugged mountains made them realize this was the real battlefield.

    In her dreams, Bai Xiao saw An Zhiyuan smiling at her, bright as the spring blooms in February, embracing her warmly, lifting her high up while they held each other¡¯s gaze, each reflected in the other¡¯s eyes.

    Awakening from her sleep, Bai Xiao joined the ranks of those nursing the injured. Many of the injured could not be moved to hospitals further back except those in exceptionally grave condition and were treated locally in makeshift medical facilities.

    They had a constant stream of injured to care for, which was significant as they were responsible for the logistical support of all the injured from five different positions.

    The task was daunting.

    Just the daily cleaning of wounds and the necessary gauze for disinfection were part of their duties. Supplies such as medicines and gauze might only arrive once a month, bundled with food and weapons, which meant they had to conserve as much as possible. Reusing gauze wasmon, and disinfection followed by drying in the sun was their only method.

 Chapter 359 - 359 359 Calling for Help

    ?Chapter 359: Chapter 359: Calling for Help   Chapter 359: Chapter 359: Calling for Help                                   Bai Xiao¡¯s acupuncture indeed yed a significant role in the camp, as many team members suffering from severe gastroenteritis and debilitating rheumatism found relief here, to the point where Bai Xiao was almost described as a highly sought-after doctor.

    The scarcity of medicine led to unanimous approval of the miraculous medical skills of acupuncture here.

    Since that first encounter with An Zhiyuan, the two hadn¡¯t been able to meet again. On one hand, the road to the hignds was fraught with danger. Unless there was a special need for medical personnel to go up for severely injured patients, health workers were generally protected as a priority. It was preferable for transporters to carry the injured down rather than letting health workers risk their lives by going up.

    The weather was bad today, with a persistent drizzle that had startedst night andsted all night. The oppressive heat was gone, but the humidity was heavy, making people feel as if they couldn¡¯t catch their breath.

    Being from the north, Bai Xiao and her colleagues felt this acutely,

    ¡°Doctor Bai, Doctor Bai!¡± Someone was calling outside the tent in a strained tone, and Bai Xiao, puzzled, lifted the tent p.

    A man, d in a gray-yellow robe with exposed shoulders and wearing a conical hat, stood anxiously outside in the light rain, draped in a raincoat made of bamboo leaves. Two team members stood by his side, clearly there to seek her out.

    The rain had lessened considerably by then.

    ¡°I am Doctor Bai. Who are you?¡± Bai Xiao was the only person with the surname Bai here.

    So there was no mistaking the person.

    ¡°Doctor Bai, please, I beg you to save my wife! She¡¯s dying. They all say you¡¯re the Divine Doctor, that your medical skills are exceptional, please save her!¡±

    The man knelt before Bai Xiao all of a sudden.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s mouth twitched¡ªwhy did everyone like to kneel before her?

    She had lost count of how many people had knelt before her¡ªit was a gesture she really couldn¡¯t ept.

    She hurriedly helped the man to his feet, and several female health workers came out of the tent too, themotion so loud that unaware individuals could not be present.

    Several people helped him up.

    ¡°Please, stop this! Fellow, just tell us what¡¯s happening. You¡¯ll scare our Doctor Bai!¡±

    This was still a humorous situation for them, not having encountered kneeling pleas before.

    The man looked at Bai Xiao desperately, ¡°Doctor Bai! Please save my wife! I beg you! She¡¯s about to die!¡± The man almost pulled Bai Xiao along to leave.

    ¡°Tell me clearly what¡¯s wrong? Even if we want to save someone, we need to know the situation to bring the necessary tools, otherwise we might dy treatment,¡± Bai Xiao had to speak up. Since hiding her medical skills, her favorite thing had been to find a cooperative partner-doctor, so that the credit for any treatment wasn¡¯t hers alone, thus ensuring that everyone had a share. Of course, rheumatic diseases, gastrointestinal difort, or coughs and asthma were solely hers to treat, as other doctors couldn¡¯t handle these and the medicines were ineffective! Western medicine had few solutions as well.

    ¡°My wife¡­ she¡¯s giving birth, and the midwife says it¡¯s a difficultbor. Both mother and child¡­ might not be saved. Now, only¡­ you doctors can save her, please!¡± the man finally blurted out the situation, stammering.

    ¡°Dr. Wei, you¡¯re best at cesarean sections, being an obstetrics and gynecology doctor, this is your forte,¡± Bai Xiao immediately found the ideal doctor for the case.

    It wasn¡¯t that she wouldn¡¯t save the woman, but when it wasn¡¯t necessary for her to desperately intervene, she preferred to stay in the background.

    ¡°But we¡¯re out of anesthesia!¡± Dr. Wei urgently said.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been out since the day before yesterday. We were supposed to wait for the next supply, and now there¡¯s none at all!¡± She too was in a predicament of a skilled wife without rice.

 Chapter 360 - 360 360 How Much Time Do You Need

    ?Chapter 360: Chapter 360 How Much Time Do You Need   Chapter 360: Chapter 360 How Much Time Do You Need                                   ¡°No anesthesia?¡± Everyone was shocked. An emergency cesarean section without anesthesia, the mother simply couldn¡¯t withstand the pain.

    They were doctors, not executioners; they couldn¡¯t just watch a living person die of pain.

    They were now caught in a dilemma: without surgery, the mother and the baby would die; with surgery, the mother would likely not survive the pain either, with the baby dying in utero.

    Was there even any point in performing the surgery?

    Most importantly, in the eyes of the vigers, they held great respect for them. If they failed to save lives, it could easily lead to misunderstandings and anger among the vigers, which would be detrimental to the unity Jianshe sought to foster.

    Especially at such times, all the health workers fell silent.

    There were few health workers here that could truly be called doctors, many were nurses by training, and those who could actually perform surgery were very few and far between.

    So it wasn¡¯t that Doctor Wei really didn¡¯t want to perform the surgery, it was that no one could bring themselves to make the first cut.

    The man, seeing the female doctors had gone silent, didn¡¯t understand what anesthesia was, but he was worried. No one was going to save his wife, his wife would die, and his child would be gone, yet these doctors were silent and unmoved.

    In his desperation, he pleaded earnestly. At that moment, the tall man wished he could kneel again, if only his wife and child could be saved. In the vige, childbirth was always attended by a midwife, and every year, one or two women died in childbirth at the gates of the underworld. He didn¡¯t want his wife to end up the same way.

    ¡°Doctor, doctor, we don¡¯t need the anesthesia anymore, can¡¯t we just not use it? Please, I beg you, save my wife, save my child!¡±

    In his urgency, the local dialect slipped out of the man¡¯s mouth. Many of the vigers here were from ethnic minorities, so there were variousnguages, most of which they couldn¡¯t understand.

    Doctor Wei said with difficulty, ¡°The responsibility is too great. Everyone knows the pain of a cesarean section is unbearable for most people, and it could really result in death. Maybe we still couldn¡¯t save the child or the mother. I can¡¯t make the incision.¡± Just thinking about the situation made Doctor Wei retreat. Performing surgery on a patient without anesthesia was not something she could do¡ªshe was no ancient Hua Tuo, and this mother was definitely not Guan Yu, Guan Yunchang.

    Those were historical legends, and she, for one, couldn¡¯t achieve that, nor did she expect an ordinary woman to do so. Healing the sick and saving lives also depended on their own abilities. At this moment, it wasn¡¯t about medical skills; it was the harsh reality.

    ¡°If I could use acupuncture to temporarily relieve the mother¡¯s pain, could you operate?¡± Bai Xiao finally spoke up. These were two lives at stake, especially here with the low medical conditions. If they didn¡¯t intervene, the mother and child were basically as good as dead. Don¡¯t even think about other hospitals; there wasn¡¯t even a proper vige doctor here, let alone anything else.

    Doctor Wei incredulously said, ¡°How could you possibly do that? If the pain relief wears off in the middle of the surgery, that¡¯s a very difficult risk to predict. You need to think this through!¡± It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t trust Bai Xiao; Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture for pain relief did have precedent, but those were matters of minutes. A cesarean section required far more than just a few minutes; there were wounds to stitch up, and not just a singleyer. Any mishandling could bring unexpectedplications and life-threatening risks to the mother.

    Bai Xiao nodded firmly, ¡°I can assure you, as long as you need for the surgery, that¡¯s how long I can hold on.¡± Although this time the special ability she¡¯d need to use would be much more than usual, lives were at stake.

    ¡°All right, let¡¯s go report to the leadership immediately,¡± Doctor Wei made a decisive call, as each extra minute dyed increased the danger for the mother.

 Chapter 361 - 361 361 Start Working

    ?Chapter 361: Chapter 361: Start Working   Chapter 361: Chapter 361: Start Working                                   Following the directive from higher leadership, five members of the Health Team set out to follow the vigers to treat illnesses in the vige, with two People¡¯s Liberation Army soldiers providing escort.

    Shortly, the seven people started their journey following the vigers.

    Though the distance to the vige was not far, the path was equally difficult to navigate, with its numerous mountain roads, dense forests, and due to the climate, a prevalence of snakes, insects, and rodents more rampant than usual.

    If it had not been for the vigers leading the way, it would have been tough for them to reach the vige even if they could see it, let alone navigate theplicated and unexpected turns. Beyond the winding paths, there were still roads to follow.

    The viger guiding them was a straightforward person. Along the way, he almost cleared mountains and built bridges for them, barely stopping short of carrying them on his back.

    Finally, they arrived at the vige.

    Calling it a vige, in reality, from a distance, there were only about twenty houses, all of which were dpidated thatch homes, generally facing east, aligned from south to north. stered on the mottled walls at the entrance of the vige were the words ¡°Defend the Home and the Nation¡± written in lime, the strokes worn away by years of wind and rain, some no longer intact.

    At the in near the entrance, there wererge fields of farnd, which were well-maintained without any weeds, and the crops were thriving and lush.

    asionally, chickens woulde out to peck at the ground, and dogs would bark at the sound of strangers.

    The man led them straight to the fourth house inside.

    Along the way, they encountered vigers carrying baskets and sickles, apparently off to cut grass. Upon seeing Bai Xiao and the others from the People¡¯s Liberation Army, especially their military uniforms, everyone appeared curious, yet no one dared to linger.

    Upon entering the house, they heard the midwife shouting, ¡°Oh dear, Xia Mei¡¯er, this is not good. The child ising out feet first, this¡­this¡­is not good.¡± The frantic tone did nothing tofort the mother-to-be, who was likely already frightened.

    Because they heard a weak voice pleading desperately.

    ¡°Grandma, please, save my baby. Even if I can¡¯t survive, you must save him. This is my child, after all.¡±

    But her voice was getting weaker.

    Bai Xiao nced at Doctor Wei, who decisively ordered, ¡°Quick, go inside!¡±

    All five female soldiers from the Health Team entered the room, which suddenly became even more cramped and crowded. They saw a pale, jaundiced woman lying on the bed, and a midwife in her fifties was busily working between her legs. The room was filled with a strong smell of blood, nearly nauseating.

    Someone wanted to open the window for venttion, but Doctor Wei stopped them.

    The woman inbor couldn¡¯t be exposed to the draft.

    The midwife, likely frightened by the arrival of so many People¡¯s Liberation Army soldiers, ignored the woman¡¯s agonizing moans, and stood frozen, staring at the neers.

    Doctor Wei shoved her aside, took out the medical kit, and they had brought full medical equipment with them. While this surgery couldn¡¯tpare to an operating room in a hospital, the sanitary soldiers who had performed surgeries before knew what to do despite the harsh conditions.

    After beginning the examination, Doctor Wei shook her head after the preliminary check. It seemed surgery was necessary, the mother-to-be was in grave danger, and so was the child! Without intervention, the child could likely die from asphyxiation due tock of amniotic fluid.

    Everyone donned surgical attire, and the nurses prepared clean surgical tools and medical equipment,ying the groundwork for the final task of the doctor. Doctor Wei had already put on gloves and stood ready as everyone¡¯s eyes were on Bai Xiao.

    Now, it all depended on her.

    Bai Xiao peeled open a piece of chocte which had turned soft and was almost sticking to the tin foil due to the heat. She popped it into her mouth, a move that caused some dissatisfaction in Doctor Wei.

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t look at them but took out a silver needle and inserted two needles into the mother¡¯s head.

 Chapter 362 - 362 362 Surgery

    ?Chapter 362: Chapter 362: Surgery   Chapter 362: Chapter 362: Surgery                                   The parturient, who was moaning in pain just now, gradually calmed down, and everyone watched this miraculous scene in amazement. The challenging part was that the parturient didn¡¯t pass out like she would¡¯ve under anesthetics; she was fully conscious and facing them.

    This was the most awkward part, because Doctor Wei probably had never experienced performing surgery on a conscious patient before. It was beyond belief.

    ¡°Sister-inw, we need to perform surgery to take the child out. It won¡¯t hurt now, but there will be a bit of pain afterward. You need to endure it so that we can save both you and your child,¡± Bai Xiao soothed the parturient, since her alertness meant her cooperation was necessary.

    The parturient waspletely at a loss. She didn¡¯t understand what was going on or what the People¡¯s Liberation Army soldiers were going to do.

    Fear, helplessness, and concern for the child in her womb had utterly exhausted the woman, and her gaze had started to be increasingly vacant.

    Bai Xiao was taken aback. A fellow viger rushed over and whispered a flurry of words into the woman¡¯s ear, which gradually revived her spirits. At least she wasn¡¯t as listless as before, and eventually, she even smiled and nodded at Bai Xiao and the others. This was her agreement to cooperate!

    Bai Xiao nodded to Doctor Wei, ¡°You can begin now!¡±

    The fingers remained in constant contact with the silver needle of Acupuncture.

    Doctor Wei looked at Bai Xiao and then at the parturient, who was living and looking at him with hope. With a trembling heart, he picked up the scalpel and cut into the woman¡¯s abdomen.

    Not just him, but all the nurses were holding their breath. The response from the parturient to this incision would determine whether they could sessfully continue the operation. They were all anxious since none of them had ever witnessed a Cesarean section performed without anesthesia. This was challenging the limits of mankind.

    Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture were regarded as magical in their minds, but no one had ever seen acupuncture rece anesthetics. Guan Yu¡¯s bone-scraping for healing is a legend. How many Guan Yus and Hua Tuos exist?

    Doctor Wei saw the parturient looking at him, unaware and even encouragingly saying, ¡°Doctor, don¡¯t mind me. Please proceed with the surgery. As long as my child is saved, I¡¯m not afraid of pain. I¡¯m not scared. Even if I die, I want my child to live. Doctor, hurry up with the surgery. I¡¯m not afraid, truly, I won¡¯t make a sound to distract you. Go ahead!¡± She clearly had no idea that the scalpel had already made its incision.

    Unable to help himself, Doctor Wei nced at Bai Xiao, who was earnestly pinching the silver needle, gently turning it. Pride swelled in his heart¡ªthis was their field hospital¡¯s first surgery done without anesthesia, and probably also a groundbreaking Cesarean section in medical history.

    All the nurses watching this scene admiringly thought of Bai Xiao.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get to work!¡± Doctor Wei threw himself into the surgery, with the nurses working in sync.

    The room was utterly quiet, save for the asional words offort to support the parturient. It was apparent that she was in good spirits, not feeling any pain, which was not something that could be hidden. Doctor Wei worked even faster and more meticulously, and finally, the baby was sessfully delivered. The baby¡¯s cries brought relief to everyone present; they were all there for this little one. If the baby had sufferedplications from oxygen deprivation due to dyed birth, their limited facilities couldn¡¯t have handled it.

    But the baby cried out so loudly, a strong, healthy boy.

    Everyone smiled.

 Chapter 363 - 363 363 Perseverance

    ?Chapter 363: Chapter 363: Perseverance   Chapter 363: Chapter 363: Perseverance                                   The child was removed, but their work wasn¡¯t finished yet. Doctor Wei needed to continue sewing the wound to ensure the safety of the mother.

    The nurse had already cut the umbilical cord, swaddled the child, and handed him to the viger.

    The man was almost in tears; his first son was born. As he looked at the child and his wife still undergoing surgery, he could no longer hold back his tears and they fell.

    Truly a Divine Doctor!

    Holding the child, he knelt before several doctors, respectfully kowtowed three times.

    ¡°On behalf of this child, I kowtow to his lifesavers. From now on, this child will be called Junsheng, after our benefactor who saved his life. Thank you, country; thank you, party; thank you, government; thank you, doctors.¡±

    Nobody paid attention to him; they were still busy here.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s face had turned much paler, and her fingers trembled slightly. The exertion this time was too severe, seemingly more serious than before, and the aftermath had already started. Fortunately, she had eaten a piece of chocte earlier, otherwise it might have been even worse now.

    ¡°Doctor Wei, how much longer will you need?¡±

    Doctor Wei nced at Bai Xiao¡¯s trembling body, ¡± At least ten more minutes, can you make it?¡±

    Anyone could see that Bai Xiao was in bad shape. After all, the surgery had been going on for twenty minutes, their equipment was insufficient, and the conditions were harsh. Twenty minutes weren¡¯t enough toplete the task; she needed more time.

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°Yes! Continue! I have no¡­questions!¡±

    ¡°Sister Liu, help me get a cup of water, brown sugar water. There¡¯s brown sugar in my medicine box; a strong cup, I need energy.¡±

    Liu Yun quickly agreed and went to search Bai Xiao¡¯s medicine box. Indeed, she found brown sugar, a can of cocoa powder, and some chocte. She was surprised that a doctor¡¯s medical box contained these items; it was quite peculiar.

    Hearing the need for boiling water, the man hurriedly left the child on the bed, which was a bamboo bed, and went to the kitchen to boil water. Soon, a bowl of boiling water arrived. It was the best bowl in their house, although its rim was still chipped in several ces! Due to the inconvenience of transportation and because their local supply point had been destroyed by artillery fire, many of their supplies were unavable¡ªnot that it mattered whether they had money or not; there was nowhere to buy them.

    Liu Yun poured the brown sugar into the water, feeling a bit regretful. This brown sugar would have been more valuable for the mother than for Doctor Bai. She stirred it with a wooden stick and brought it to Bai Xiao¡¯s lips. Bai Xiao¡¯s hands were still on the silver needles; everyone knew the surgery wasn¡¯t finished yet, and they couldn¡¯t afford to wait in case something happened.

    The sound of Bai Xiao¡¯s teeth chattering made Liu Yun realize something was wrong. Doctor Bai didn¡¯t look well, as if shivering from cold. This time, her movements much gentler, she ced the bowl by Bai Xiao¡¯s mouth, and Bai Xiao finally drank it, trembling.

    A warmth spread through her chest. Although the situation was severe, Bai Xiao could feel that the symptoms of the aftermath were slowly easing. Based on her symptoms from earlier periods, she should have copsed from hypothermia by now due to the immense energy she had expended for the mother. However, the fact that she could still hold on meant the after-effects of her special ability were miraculously weakening.

    She remembered the moment she held An Zhiyuan in her arms that night in the dark; that embrace had be a well-known story among herrades, but she clearly remembered that warmth and still yearned for it.

    Perhaps it was because he was also here, not far from her, or maybe because she had absorbed An Zhiyuan¡¯s warmth, that she was able to persist for so long.

 Chapter 364 - 364 364 Heating Up

    ?Chapter 364: Chapter 364: Heating Up   Chapter 364: Chapter 364: Heating Up                                   The surgery had finally ended.

    Bai Xiao huddled in the corner, wrapped in a heavy coat.

    At that moment, everyone understood why Bai Xiao had insisted on bringing a heavy coat with her. They had thought she was crazy; even if it was to visit a new mother and bring gifts, a heavy coat was certainly not the first choice. Winter here was not cold at all, at most a couple of lightyers were sufficient.

    A heavy coat was indeed unnecessary equipment. Nobody wore heavy coats here; even a raincoat was more suitable.

    But now, who would tease Bai Xiao, looking at how her face was as white as paper, her upper and lower teeth desperately shing together? Anyone touching her would understand! Bai Xiao was colder than a block of ice.

    Doctor Wei had noticed something was wrong with Bai Xiao, ¡°Doctor Bai! What happened to you?¡±

    Bai Xiao removed the silver needle from the acupuncture, ced it back into the acupuncture kit, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ nothing! This is¡­ my¡­ depletion from acupuncture¡¯s¡­ qi, leading¡­ to¡­ hypothermia, it¡¯s nothing, just¡­ let me warm up, slowly¡­ I¡¯ll be fine. Let me¡­ recover slowly.¡±

    By this time, everyone understood why Bai Xiao had been eating chocte and drinking ginger sugar water; hypothermia could be deadly.

    The new mother had now fallen into a deep sleep, and surprisingly, removing the silver needles did not cause her too much pain. Who wouldn¡¯t find it miraculous?

    Looking at Bai Xiao, trembling like a bop bag, her entire body shaking like a sieve.

    Doctor Wei made a decisive call, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s all hold Bai Xiao. Body heat is more effective than any heavy coat.¡± They were medical students and obviously knew what to do.

    Thus, Doctor Wei took the lead! Three nurses joined in, and the four of them opened their arms, tightly embracing Bai Xiao. Bai Xiao was like a big rice dumpling! She was held tightly by four people, while Doctor Wei and Liu Yun continuously rubbed her arms and legs, elerating her blood cirction.

    The room was quiet, save for their breathing sounds and the noise of their movements.

    The midwife was terrified. It was her first time seeing a live person being cut open, the child bloodily pulled out of the stomach, and the abdomen sewn up like clothing, yet the person did not die, and lived well. How could she not be scared?

    Looking at Doctor Wei and Bai Xiao, she saw them as celestial beings from heaven. Every few years, one or two women in their ce would die fromplications during childbirth.

    Looking at these people, they were simply miraculous.

    Being cut open and still not dying, what kind of medical skills were these?

    The midwife left with a reverential heart. She made a special trip to the vige to tell everyone that the doctors at the foot of the mountain were like mages with magic powers, capable of bringing the dead back to life, and surviving an opening of the abdomen.

    This tale spread like wildfire, exciting everyone in the vige.

    Almost every household was discussing Doctor Wei¡¯s incredible abilities; they saw these individuals as celestial beings and held them in great reverence.

    Bai Xiao finally recovered in the room, thanks to the four people warming her up. It was probably an unrivaled scene.

    Everyone, despite being in the peak of summer, still got goosebumps from Bai Xiao¡¯s chilling effect, before finally recovering.

    ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯m fine now, thank you all!¡± Bai Xiao finally spoke normally.

    Four women copsed on the bamboo bed, across the bed were thedy of the house and the child.

 Chapter 365 - 365 365 A Crowd of People

    ?Chapter 365: Chapter 365: A Crowd of People   Chapter 365: Chapter 365: A Crowd of People                                   ¡°Goodness, Doctor Bai! From now on you should just be our fan, no, actually, our air conditioner. I¡¯ve seen those air conditioners; once they¡¯re turned on, the cool breeze just whooshes out, and in no time at all, it makes you feel all cool and refreshed. You¡¯re just like an air conditioner. With you here, our dog days of summer will surely be more bearable!¡± Doctor Wei joked.

    Everyone burst into heartyughter, but because the noise was so loud, the baby, small as a kitten, hummed a sound, and they immediately covered their mouths.

    They had forgotten that there were still a mother and child present.

    Packing their things, they prepared to leave. Tworades were still waiting outside; after all, this was a ce where a woman had given birth. It wouldn¡¯t be appropriate for them to enter, nor was it necessary to provoke the vigers¡¯ bacsh. Maintaining local harmony was their duty.

    Hearing theughter from the doctors inside the room, the tworades breathed a sigh of relief. They, too, had been on tenterhooks.

    Surgery without anesthesia was indeed a first for them to hear about. In their ranks, even the injured men never had surgery without anesthesia, especially for such a serious operation. They couldn¡¯t bear to even think about that scene, that feeling was like walking barefoot on the slick, slippery edge of a sharpened de¡ªjust the thought made their hearts sour and churn intensely.

    Now, to think that no lives were lost and they heard no cries of agony was simply unimaginable. The ordeal seemed to have passed so lightly. How could they not feel fortunate? At the very least, they didn¡¯t have to worry about the localsing out in righteous indignation demanding their lives. That was the greatest luck of all.

    At the same time, they also felt extremely proud. Their few doctors were truly incredible. If they could perform such surgery well, what else could they be but Divine Doctors?

    The technical skill of the doctors in their team was indeed exceptional, and they felt a genuine sense of pride.

    These were their doctors.

    Doctor Wei then spent a long time instructing the husband on how to care for his wife and child, as postoperative care for a caesarean section was very important. They nned to leave Liu Yun behind. Liu Yun¡¯s nursing skills were top-notch, so taking care for the mother for a few days should prevent any mishaps, and the mother¡¯s recovery should be good.

    Doctor Wei and Bai Xiao packed up their things, ready to go down the mountain. There were still many things to attend to at the hospital, and at any moment, they might be needed to treat another patient. As long as the mother and child were safe, they could leave with peace of mind.

    As the four of them stepped out the door, they said to the two youngrades, ¡°Comrades, let¡¯s head down the mountain!¡±

    The tworades blinked frantically at them.

    Without needing them to say anything, Bai Xiao and the others had already spotted the dense crowd opposite them; ragged and wearing ck hemp clothes, the famished-looking vigers had surrounded them.

    The four instinctively took a few steps back. What was this about?

    ¡°Folks, we need to head down the mountain; please make way,¡± said Doctor Wei, the oldest among them, forced to address the situation.

    Bai Xiao was somewhat bbergasted. What were these vigers doing?

    There shouldn¡¯t be any conflict with them! For they had done nothing reprehensible; they hade with good intentions to save people.

    A vast crowd of vigers suddenly knelt down en masse.

    At this, Doctor Wei and the others were no longerposed.

    What was this for?

    Panicking, they began to help people to their feet.

    ¡°Folks, folks, please don¡¯t do this. If there¡¯s anything you want to say, let¡¯s talk about it calmly, can¡¯t we?¡±

    Who would have expected such a situation? It left thempletely flustered.

    Facing these vigers, their hearts, too, warmed.

 Chapter 366 - 366 366 Treatment

    ?Chapter 366: Chapter 366: Treatment   Chapter 366: Chapter 366: Treatment                                   ¡°Divine Doctor, Divine Doctor! Please save us; in our vige the young and old suffer. Many are ill with no ce for treatment; many just endure their conditions. Please, take a look at them; I beg you. If you don¡¯t agree, we will not stand up.¡± Several aged elders, looking to be over sixty with gray hair and deeply lined faces, were actually kneeling at the front of the line.

    Doctor Wei urgently asked everyone, ¡°What should we do now?¡±

    The four of them exchanged nces; clearly, they couldn¡¯t leave just yet.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we ask for instructions from the leadership and offer to treat the vigers? Many of them have severe injuries on their limbs, and who knows what unseen illnesses they have. This vige is near the border, and the terrain is difficult, making travel difficult. It¡¯s simply impossible for them to go to hospitals where treatments are avable,¡± Bai Xiao suggested.

    They couldn¡¯t leave now; trying to leave might incite the vigers¡¯ anger. Besides, since they were already here, it was better just to treat the people. There likely were no major illnesses¡ªmostly minor problems that could be handled simply enough.

    Doctor Wei had no better solution.

    So, he turned around and said to the vigers, ¡°Folks, we are doctors, and we definitely won¡¯t ignore your needs. However, we need to report back to our superiors. Please don¡¯t crowd around here; disperse for now. We will send arade back to ask for instructions and thene back to treat everyone. Is that alright?¡±

    The gathered crowd nodded. They dispersed, but they still squatted around their houses from afar; they were clearly not giving up hope.

    Doctor Wei arranged for one of theirrades to protect them while going back to report to their leadership, also to seek permission, leaving another to ensure their safety here.

    One hourter, therade responsible for their protection had returned; the leadership had agreed for them to treat the vigers here, ensuring that every viger¡¯s ailments were addressed. They had even brought many medications and antiseptic gauze.

    Consequently, Bai Xiao and her threerades had vigers move two tables from their houses to start treating the vigers officially.

    That consultation went on for five hours! Finally, they had attended to everyone.

    The five of them were exhausted and drenched in sweat. Bai Xiao removed the needles from two elderly people and helped them off the examination tables, allowing everyone a moment to breathe.

    Seeing that it was about to get dark, they seized the moment to descend the mountain. After all, they couldn¡¯t linger here, and it was uncertain how busy the Health Team was now. There were only ten people in the Health Team, and since five of them were here, the remaining five must have been extremely busy themselves.

    After all, the Health Team had numerous injured members.

    They gathered their belongings and were finally able to leave.

    Just as they stepped out of the building, they saw masses of torches brightening the entire night sky, eliminting any trace of darkness.

    The leader of the group was clearly the vige chief, who approached and firmly grasped the doctors¡¯ hands, ¡°Thank you, doctors, thank you. This is our token of appreciation; you must take it.¡±

    With a wave of his hand, immediately several vigers carrying eggs, cured meats, various unknown wild fruits, dried sweet potatoes, and the like crammed them into the backpacks of tworades, who had no choice but to ept them.

    Bai Xiao and the others quickly intervened, ¡°Elder, we are the people¡¯s doctors, bound by discipline; we cannot take even a thread or a needle from the popce. It would be wrong for us to ept this.¡± Giving a signal, the tworades hurriedly set their backpacks on the ground, and the six of them hastily left under cover of night.

    The urgency made several of the vigers stomp their feet in frustration.

    The simple-hearted folks felt it was improper not to pay for medical services rendered.

 Chapter 367 - 367 367 Thank You

    ?Chapter 367: Chapter 367: Thank You   Chapter 367: Chapter 367: Thank You                                   Six people trudged unevenly towards the camp, thankfully, the man from before had caught up with them from behind, carrying a torch, just to escort them part of the way. Indeed, the local vigers were needed to guide them through the terrain, which would have been difficult to navigate otherwise.

    After escorting them back to camp, the unpretentious man waved his hand and disappeared into the dense forest with the torch.

    Bai Xiao and the others sighed in relief and quickly returned to their quarters.

    They were so hungry they could feel their stomachs sticking to their backs, but at the viger¡¯s home, the woman inbor was only drinking rice porridge. They really didn¡¯t feel right about eating; they saw that the viger¡¯s rice bin was less than half full, yet they offered to cook for them, which they firmly declined. The child and the woman inbor needed nutrition, and in these mountain ravines, the rice was probably all they had. If they were to eat it, the woman inbor would have only sweet potatoes to chew on.

    They seriously told the vigers that they couldn¡¯t eat, exining that they would be disciplined if they did. The mountain man seemed embarrassed and muttered his dissatisfaction for a long while, wondering why they would be punished for just eating a meal.

    They saved a life upon arriving at the house, and yet they couldn¡¯t even eat a bite; it weighed on their consciences.

    The six of them left all the dry food they had brought with them for Liu Yun. So, upon returning to their quarters, they headed straight for the mess hall, where the head of the mess heard that they were the health workers who had performed surgery without anesthesia in the vige during the day. He immediately stoked the fire and cooked them arge pot of rice and opened two cans of meat. This canned meat was generally not served¡ªit was reserved for leaders, but now it was their treat.

    The six of them gathered around the pot, each person devouring two bowls of rice in one breath before finally feeling revived.

    There was no talk that night; everyone slept soundly, the day¡¯s exhaustion blocked by the night¡¯s curtain.

    Early the next day, they continued to throw themselves into caring for the injured.

    However, by the afternoon, the deafening sound of gongs and drums filled the air. Bai Xiao worried that it might attract enemy artillery fire, but the advantage here was the steep mountains and many surrounding peaks which meant the enemy¡¯s cannons couldn¡¯t reach them.

    Then the deputymander was met by arge crowd of people, each carrying a basket. These contained the gifts they hadn¡¯t managed to deliver the day before, and this time they hade to the camp with great fanfare. It seemed they had heard the leadership wouldn¡¯t allow it, so the vigers hade to see the leaders themselves.

    With no choice, the deputymander epted their kind offerings, as it seemed inappropriate not to now.

    But when he attempted to return the rice flour, sugar, salt, and other items to the vigers, they would not take them back.

    After a round of insistent back-and-forths,

    The deputymander very seriously informed them that if the vigers didn¡¯t take their items back, they couldn¡¯t ept the gifts either.

    Left with no option, the vigers reluctantly carried the goods back with them.

    Each of them marvelled at the benevolence of these people.

    They weren¡¯t fools; the items they were given in return were more than double what they had brought. The vigers knew they didn¡¯t want their lives to be impacted and had deliberatelypensated them.

    The whole camp was thrilled by this gesture, seeing it as a sign of popr recognition, something more pleasing than the items themselves.

    An eptance and recognition that money couldn¡¯t buy.

    The entire Health Team was uplifted, everyone exerting themselves with renewed enthusiasm, aiming to achieve even more.

    Now there was solidarity from top to bottom.

 Chapter 368 - 368 368 Strange People

    ?Chapter 368: Chapter 368 Strange People   Chapter 368: Chapter 368 Strange People                                   Recently, as the weather gradually improved, there were far fewer skirmishes, and the vigers began to feel bold enough to show their faces, increasing their interactions with the camp personnel. Now and then, some vigers woulde near the camp to greet everyone, even offering small gifts, but most of these gestures were refused¡ªwithout a leader¡¯s order, no one dared ept them.

    That would be a matter for disciplinary action.

    Bai Xiao had just finished washing gauze and was drying it on a patch of ground where the sunlight was strongest¡ªthese gauze pieces needed to be reused.

    She had been here for six months now, and the temperature always remained high, with little distinction between the seasons. She had grown ustomed to this way of life.

    Their camp was highly secure! Apart from that one time she went up to the high ground because of an injured soldier, it was virtually impossible to get the chance to go there, and An Zhiyuan could note down either.

    Although both of them knew the other was here, they had not been able to see each other even once in the entire six months.

    The onlymunication between them was the asional letter sent via the supply troops when they delivered rations and supplies, but they did not write often; busy as they were, they frequently forgot all about it.

    When the weather was bad, the supply troops sometimes couldn¡¯t make the trip for days on end, making this method of exchanging letters an unreliable form of contact.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s location was quite elevated¡ªarge rock protruded like an outstretched palm, and she was on top of it, a vantage point that allowed for foresight and extensive views.

    Soon, she saw tworades dressed in their uniform approaching from afar. The terrain of their camp was high, and any vigers or personnel passing by had to climb the steep stone steps that ran past them. Guarded by watchmen, these steps were not easily essible to outsiders.

    Even friendly units found it difficult to pass without proper identification and a special circumstance.

    Bai Xiao and her colleagues often saw theirrades from friendly units trudging up or down the mountain, burdened with stretchers, ammunition boxes,pressed biscuits, and meals. The road at the base of their hill was a trail leading to various high grounds.

    With the rainy season behind them and clear days bing more frequent, many border residents andrades from friendly units came and went. This ce felt more like an idyllic retreat than the asional frontline artillery positions.

    The two individuals approaching piqued Bai Xiao¡¯s interest.

    One was a man in his thirties, clearly dressed in an officer¡¯s uniform, and slung across his body was a weapon encased in a leather holster. The other, dressed in the uniform of arade, was much younger¡ªbarely into his twenties¡ªand carried the standard-issue semi-automatic rifle. Aside from their weapons and shoulder bags, they carried nothing else and appeared to be hurrying.

    It was no small feat to trek up and down the mountain, and mostrades would take the opportunity to bring up supplies that were hard to transport regrly¡ªit was rare to see someone travel so lightly equipped.

    It seemed as though they were in a rush to get somewhere.

    Yet, if they were indeed in a hurry, Bai Xiao noticed that despite the rough mountain path, they hardly watched their steps. Most surprisingly, though they did not look down, they never stumbled or tripped at any point.

    Their feet moved as if on t ground, indicating that they were no strangers to navigating such terrain.

    But what she found most odd was that as the two men walked, they continually nced around, their eyes sweeping over the surroundingndscape. Even when they passed byrades, they avoided greeting them, merely nodding in response to salutations.

    This was indeed very strange, as if they were deliberately avoiding something.

 Chapter 369 - 369 369 The Nonexistent

    ?Chapter 369: Chapter 369 The Nonexistent   Chapter 369: Chapter 369 The Nonexistent                                   The two individuals¡¯ behavior was very strange, causing one to unexpectedly feel suspicious.

    Especially when the two looked around vigntly and suddenly noticed Bai Xiao concentrated on observing them from the rocks above, it seemed to give them quite a scare.

    Their expressions turned tense, not to mention incredibly cautious, with one of therades¡¯ fingers resting directly on the trigger of a semi-automatic rifle, seemingly terrified by Bai Xiao¡¯s sudden appearance.

    ¡°Comrade, where are you heading? Why don¡¯t youe up and take a break, have some water?¡± Bai Xiao called out warmly.

    The soldier by the tunnel below couldn¡¯t help but nce at Bai Xiao. What¡¯s gotten into Doctor Bai today? He was never this enthusiastic before; even when they went to the hospital for a checkup, he was a man of few words. And now he was suddenly so attentive to tworades from a friendly unit?

    Has the sun risen from the west?

    The two at the bottom exchanged nces, and the one who appeared to be an officer shook his head quickly, ¡°No, thanks,rade, we have an urgent mission and shouldn¡¯t disturb you!¡± Saying this, they quickly walked towards the path at the end of the tunnel.

    Bai Xiao called out loudly after them, ¡°Comrades, you can¡¯t go that way; there¡¯s a guard post set up over there and the password for the shift change is different now. Didn¡¯t your leader tell you?¡±

    While speaking, he winked at the vigntrades. The two soldiers looked at Doctor Bai, and to their surprise, Doctor Bai was winking at them?

    Isn¡¯t Doctor Bai supposed to be Captain An¡¯s fianc¨¦e?

    What kind of move was this?

    Is she trying to make Captain An wear a green hat?

    They couldn¡¯t help but stand up straight, look forward unwaveringly, and grip their rifles tighter.

    Bai Xiao felt disgusted inside.

    Don¡¯t they have brains?

    The two below clearly didn¡¯t expect this twist and hesitated in their steps, exchanging looks.

    Bai Xiao quickly walked up to the guardingrades, smiling on his face, he whispered to the four men, ¡°Those two are suspicious, I lured them over here. Pretend you haven¡¯t noticed them, and once theye over, confiscate their rifles.¡±

    The four men were dumbfounded.

    One youngrade couldn¡¯t hold back, ¡°Doctor Bai, how could those two possibly be suspicious?¡± They hadn¡¯t noticed anything amiss; the attire and behavior of the two were standard for the friendly forces, with no issues, and most importantly, their Mandarin was quite good! They spoke with a standard ent, slightly tinged with a southern dialect, but very credible indeed.

    They had caught a few individuals who had tried to infiltrate the border before, speaking with an unmistakable dialect that immediately revealed they weren¡¯t their own.

    They had yet toe across spies who spoke Mandarin so fluently.

    ¡°Did you not hear what I just said?¡± Bai Xiao didn¡¯t want to exin further. Was it possible that he had spoken too softly, and therades hadn¡¯t heard him?

    Arade next to him suddenly realized.

    ¡°I get it now, we didn¡¯t set up any guard post, nor do we have any secret passwords. If these people were ours, they wouldn¡¯t have been fooled by what was said.¡±

    The four men¡¯s eyes widened as a sly smile spread across their faces, incredulous that someone would dare to approach the muzzle of their guns.

    Just the thought of capturing spies from the other side filled them with excitement.

    Usually, the enemy disguises themselves as border residents since life habits on both sides of the border are basically the same; there are no distinctive features to identify them by, making it difficult to tell them apart. Normally, they wouldn¡¯t just allow border residents into the camp recklessly.

    But, they tended to let their guard down much more with their ownrades. If, by chance, they let a few people in who then caused destruction, a few hand grenades would be enough to make everyone suffer.

    A cold sweat broke out among the four men.

 Chapter 370 - 370 370 The Hongmen Banquet

    ?Chapter 370: Chapter 370: The Hongmen Banquet   Chapter 370: Chapter 370: The Hongmen Banquet                                   It was obvious the two men had consulted with each other and were now slowly approaching, their amiable demeanor showing not the slightest sign of irregrity.

    ¡°Comrades, hello, we¡¯vee down from above on a mission, but there¡¯s been a sentry added ahead, and we don¡¯t know the passcode. Could you please tell us the passcode? We need to deliver instructions to the Chief, otherwise dying the situation wouldn¡¯t be good,¡± said the man with the look of an officer, scrutinizing Bai Xiao carefully as he spoke.

    His attention was on Bai Xiao because she was a woman, and here, the only possible role for a woman other than a health worker would be quite unlikely.

    No matter how capable a woman was, her ability to adapt on the fly couldn¡¯t be that formidable, so he hoped to discern something from Bai Xiao!

    At the very least, they needed to know if there was any danger.

    If they could really infiltrate this camp, they might at least figure out the personnel deployment of these people ¨C perhaps a surprise attack could be manageable.

    If that turned out to be impractical and they spotted some ranking team members, throwing a couple of grenades should do the trick. That way, on their journey back, they could consider their mission aplished to some extent ¨C sabotage was their objective.

    Bai Xiao responded with a light tone, ¡°Sure,rade, look at you guysing from so far away, that couldn¡¯t have been easy. Here, let Xiaoliu get some water for ourrades, have a rest, and look, it¡¯s almost noon. You haven¡¯t had lunch yet, have you? We¡¯re about to start eating ourselves. Today we¡¯ve cooked something delicious, potato stew with ribs. It¡¯s a rare day when we get to improve our lives and you¡¯ve run into us just in time. After eating, ourrades can leisurely tell you everything. How does that sound?¡± She seemed to be an innocent, naive sweet girl.

    Enthusiastically disclosing their internal situation.

    ¡°Doctor Bai, stop it, you¡¯re making me hungry. I¡¯ve longed for ribs for a while, and today we finally have them. I have to get myself a couple more bowls of riceter!¡±

    Xiaoli pretended to drool, looking both proud and covetous.

    The two men chuckled inside.

    Potato stew with ribs ¨C they couldn¡¯t help but swallow their saliva. It had been a long time since they had enjoyed a proper meal, especially one with white rice and meat dishes. They had not been provided with such abundant food supplies.

    ¡°Then we won¡¯t be shy. We¡¯vee down from above and it¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve had a hot meal, we do crave it a bit!¡± The officer-looking man smiled broadly, giving the impression of being quite pleasant to deal with.

    Bai Xiao smiled and invited them, ¡°Thene in,rades, I¡¯ll show you the way. Find a barrack to rest in, where you can even lie down for a bit. It¡¯s so inconvenient out here.¡± It¡¯s all about acting skills when everyone is ying a part; these two probably aren¡¯t here for the food.

    They were the old drinkers who sought not the wine.

    The two men stood up, surveying therades around them warily, while Xiaoli smiled, making way, ¡°Come in,rade!¡± The smile was genuine, revealing nothing amiss.

    The officer-looking man rested his hand on the handle of his gun and pressed the other hand against his waist; Bai Xiao, without even lifting her eyes, had already seen clearly their movements. ¡°There¡¯s no problem,¡± she said, but that was exactly the problem ¨C why would vignce be required within their own camp?

    Such overemphasis on weapon preparedness couldn¡¯t be more telling. Even if the possibility existed that the two were friendly forces unacquainted with the situation, being so excessively cautious on one¡¯s own turf was hard toprehend.

    Bai Xiao made a sign with her eyes, and this time, not one of the four men misunderstood.

    Bai Xiao gestured, ¡°After you,rades!¡±

    The two men followed her with a smile, knowing that if any trouble arose, they could immediately take this female doctor hostage.

 Chapter 371 - 371 371 Misfire

    ?Chapter 371: Chapter 371: Misfire   Chapter 371: Chapter 371: Misfire                                   Two people hastened their steps and quickly crossed the guards, following closely behind Bai Xiao. The one looking like an officer even deliberately moved two steps closer to Bai Xiao to feel safer.

    Unfortunately, just as they had passed fourrades, in pairs, the guards swiftly pounced on the two, one twisting an arm, the other sweeping their legs. Both were firmly pinned to the ground, unable to move their hands or feet.

    ¡°What are you doing? We are on the same side. We will report this behavior to our superiors; you have made a serious mistake and will bear the consequences,¡± the officer-like person still struggled pointlessly.

    Bai Xiao walked over, squatted down, and fished out four or five hand grenades tied together from his waist, the pins dangling by his side, presumably for easy ess.

    The four soldiers also broke out in a cold sweat.

    If it weren¡¯t for doctor Bai acting quickly, using this trap to deceive them, who knows if upon realizing something was wrong, these two might have opted for mutual destruction¡ªnone of the four or even doctor Bai would have survived this time.

    The st would probably have affected the camp behind them as well.

    That would be dying without even knowing how.

    If this kid had thrown the grenades into the camp, the casualties would have been even more severe.

    They were not afraid of death, but causing casualties amongrades and team members due to their own mistakes was absolutely unbearable.

    The four became even harsher; the two being suppressed began to cry out in pain.

    ¡°Spill it, what are you here for? Don¡¯t think about ying tricks. There were no guards or code words ahead; don¡¯t you understand? This is a trap doctor Bai specifically designed for you!¡± Xiaoli almost burst their hearts with one shot.

    They had already disarmed the two.

    The weapons on them were plentiful; each carrying around fifteen or sixteen grenades, plus firearms and ammunition, practically two small moving armories. Had these two managed to reach the rear camp, who knows how many of their team members would have been harmed.

    ¡°Comrade! It¡¯s a misunderstanding; we are yourrades. You can¡¯t do such things that would bring grief to kins and joy to foes. We are family. Let us go, it¡¯s definitely a misunderstanding,¡± they struggled desperately.

    ¡°Cut the crap, what misunderstanding? If you don¡¯t confess honestly, it means we can do nothing about it?¡± Xiaoli¡¯s team had lost eight if not ten members to these people. He simply couldn¡¯t suppress his anger.

    Now they almost wished they could execute these people on the spot.

    Bai Xiao blinked her eyes leisurely, ¡°Since they won¡¯t tell the truth, just throw them into the ditch next to us, one grenade will do the job, no need to ask anything. Saves the trouble.¡±

    This statement struck like a bomb, scaring the two still struggling on the ground.

    This woman is inhuman, how could she simply demand a life like this.

    Weren¡¯t the troops of China known to treat prisoners well? How could they just execute them without question?

    Upon hearing Bai Xiao¡¯s suggestion, Xiaoli was very pleased, ¡°I like this n. Since the grenades are theirs, if they get blown up, just assume it was their own mishandling that caused it! Either way, it has nothing to do with us. Come on, brothers, let¡¯s tie them up and get to work!¡±

    The soldiers immediately burst intoughter and truly began to tie the two up.

    Seeing no way out, the person dressed as an officer quickly begged for mercy.

    ¡°We¡¯ll talk! We¡¯ll talk! Don¡¯t mess around!¡± They were ready to die together! But when faced with actual death, they still felt fear.

 Chapter 372 - 372 372 Attack

    ?Chapter 372: Chapter 372 Attack   Chapter 372: Chapter 372 Attack                                   Bai Xiao nced at Xiaoli and the others, ¡°The rest is up to you now, I¡¯m just a doctor, I¡¯m leaving!¡± With hands tucked in the pockets of his white coat, he sauntered off, whistling a tune. The melody of ¡°Loyal to the Country¡± seemed quite fitting for the scene and his mood.

    The melodious and pleasant tune made Xiaoliu pause, ¡°Eh, what song is Doctor Bai whistling? It sounds really nice, kind of exhrating.¡±

    ¡°Get back to work! Doctor Bai is the team leader¡¯s wife, don¡¯t get any funny ideas!¡± Xiaoli immediately broke in to dispel his daydreaming, issuing a stern warning, as she was Captain An¡¯s wife.

    Xiaoliu¡¯s face flushed, ¡°Who doesn¡¯t know Doctor Bai is the team leader¡¯s wife? I just thought the tune sounded good! What are you thinking? Don¡¯t I know Doctor Bai is our sister-inw? I truly just enjoyed the melody. If you don¡¯t believe me, listen for yourself.¡± Xiaoliu¡¯s embarrassment stemmed from being misunderstood, considering Doctor Bai such a nice girl, it was offensive to sully her reputation.

    Xiaoli listened intently, ¡°Actually, you¡¯re right, it does have a feeling of a valorous and chivalrous spirit.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, that¡¯s what I should be saying. We better report to our superiors quickly about what to do with these two and interrogate whether they¡¯re part of any conspiracy,¡± Xiaoliu asserted, feeling vindicated.

    The four of them escorted the two spies to see the deputy team leader.

    In the captain¡¯s absence, the deputy team leader held the most authority.

    Bai Xiao, of course, had no idea that her unintentional act would reveal a significant conspiracy involving the two captives. The enemy had not only sent two people to scout the terrain and cause destruction but also infiltrated agents among their ranks, providing advantageous intelligence to the enemy.

    Due to this blunder, An Zhiyuan and his troop¡¯s defensive position came under a series of fierce attacks. The assault began before dawn, in the misty ambiguity, where neither side needed to see their targets clearly. Both sides knew the enemy¡¯s terrain as intimately as their backyard, and even a new stone would raise suspicion.

    No binocrs were necessary, nor explicit coordinates.

    Just adjusting the artillery¡¯s aim and elevation was enough to open fire.

    This barrage of artillery fire almost destroyed the entire camp, as theirtest intelligence indicated that the primarymander was on the high ground, but it was unclear exactly which one. Bringing down the enemy¡¯smand would, they believed, afford them a momentary respite.

    Therefore, all five high grounds faced a crescendo of bombardment, marking a peak of casualties, a severe blow to each position.

    An Zhiyuan and his men took cover in the trenches, their heads and faces covered in rocks and soil flung by the impact, with loose mountain stones threatening to crash down from above. Real artillery injuries were not fatal provided they didn¡¯t expose themselves; staying in the trenches and fortifications should keep them from serious harm, but they couldn¡¯t stop the falling rocks.

    Many were injured by the stones above.

    After the barrage had ceased, they urgently checked for casualties¡ªone was critically wounded, a piece of stone embedded in his chest like a knife. No one dared to remove it, as pulling it out might seal the person¡¯s fate. The lightly injured were bandaging each other¡¯s wounds, while the whole area began to recover and repair itself.

    Cleaning the trenches, fortifications, aiding the wounded.

    An Zhiyuan and the signalman managed to get a phone line. The signal was poor, but they just managed to report their situation. The deputy team leader had arranged for transporters and medics to ascend after dark, evacuating the casualties down.

 Chapter 373 - 373 373 Ambush (Extra Monthly Ticket)

    ?Chapter 373: Chapter 373 Ambush (Extra Monthly Ticket)   Chapter 373: Chapter 373 Ambush (Extra Monthly Ticket)                                   Bai Xiao and his team had received orders, and set out at night with the transporters.

    They were to rush to the hignds to rescue the wounded and bring them down.

    The morning they received the orders, the mountains were shrouded in heavy fog, and by the afternoon, a drizzle had unexpectedly started.

    The incident with the two spies a few days earlier had already left a deep shadow in everyone¡¯s mind.

    The deputy director had already specifically changed the code because of this.

    The terrain here was quiteplicated, not far from the border, especially since the border line was long, it was actually a ce where many spies frequented.

    Such incidents were probably not the first, and certainly not thest.

    Therefore, whether descending the mountain for any purpose, all teammates were extremely vignt and observed along the way for any suspicious people, because this profound lesson had, indeed, helped to identify some enemy operatives frequently active in the area.

    Bai Xiao was given the order to go to the same high ground asst time, first because he had rich experience there, and second, with ten medics and five hignds, there was simply no other way to assign them. The second reason was well understood by everyone; it had been over half a year, and the story of this engaged couple was known throughout the camp. It was seen as an opportunity to meet, though one fraught with dangers that could cost lives at any moment.

    Acting alongside the transporters, Bai Xiao himself felt an involuntary surge of spirit, simply at the thought of seeing An Zhiyuan which made him happy. After all, it had been half a year and he could finally meet his dearest once again.

    With the fine rain falling, they all wore raincoats, remained silent, and used no shlights for illumination. No lighting devices were allowed here for fear the enemy would spot them andunch a firepower attack.

    Fortunately, the transporters were all battle-hardened. They could navigate the area with their eyes closed, knowing every stone, every de of grass, every tree.

    Bai Xiao and Liu Yun stumbled along their way, often assisted by transporters next to them who helped them to climb mountains and ford streams. At one point, Liu Yun nearly stepped into a ditch beside her, and some areas nearby were cliffs; a fall could be fatal.

    As they progressed, they saw several shadows appear in the distance on the hillside.

    And they were slowly moving up towards the hignds, initially thinking they wererades returning from constructing fortifications on the hignds.

    Bai Xiao instead shook his head cautiously, ¡°I don¡¯t think so. If they were, they wouldn¡¯te down the mountain at thiste hour. Look at how they sneak around, keep low, and try to find sunken terrain for cover. If it were our own people, would they need to do this? Don¡¯t the people above know how many were sent down the mountain?¡± he whispered, speaking to the Transport Team leader.

    Transport Team leader Hu Biao, having walked this route more than once, saw the sneaky shadows of the opponents. They too harbored suspicions andmanded several transporters, ¡°Prepare forbat, let everyone know to keep quiet, follow them, and wait until we¡¯re close to ourrades on the hignds before starting the fight. This time, let¡¯s prepare a ¡®dumpling¡¯ surprise¡ªevery time it¡¯s us who are beaten until we¡¯re a mess, let them get a taste of their own medicine this time.¡±

    All the transporters immediately loaded their weapons. They rarely faced directbat, mostly being on the receiving end of attacks.

    If things went as expected this time, they could indeed surprise the enemy.

    All of them were immediately excited by the prospect.

    Bai Xiao and Liu Yun were escorted in the middle of the team by therades from the Transport Team.

 Chapter 374 - 374 374 Failed Ambush Force Attack. (Extra

    ?Chapter 374: Chapter 374: Failed Ambush, Force Attack. (Extra Chapter for Monthly Votes)   Chapter 374: Chapter 374: Failed Ambush, Force Attack. (Extra Chapter for Monthly Votes)                                   ¡°Captain, we¡¯ve seen shadows moving twice just now,¡± a sentry immediately reported to An Zhiyuan.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t I see them?¡± An Zhiyuan would inspect the various posts every night.

    The distances between the mountains were too great.

    The areas where the team members were stationed were also divided into several parts.

    ¡°They¡¯re afraid of exposing themselves, appearing and disappearing intermittently, but I¡¯m certain there¡¯s an ambush there.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re sure. Since they¡¯vee at this time, I¡¯m worried they¡¯ll run into our transporters or medics. Everyone, pay attention. It must be a retaliation for their failed spy incidentst time. This time, without the cover of artillery, they¡¯re directly sending people for a sneak attack. Let¡¯s gather everyone and trap them like beating a dog in a pen.¡±

    One minuteter, all the men here had assembled, and everyone checked their weapons and ammunition and reported to the captain via walkie-talkie.

    They had already analyzed the enemy situation. To the east were cliffs that were simply unscble. The enemy had suffered a serious setback therest time, and when they tried to sneak up from the same ce several times, they had fallen into our trap, as our men had figured out their pattern. They probably thought that the main force would be concentrated there, so this time they changed their direction.

    If their analysis hadn¡¯t been mistaken, this time the enemy¡¯s target would be the high ground in front. Should they manage to take it, it would cause us serious casualties.

    An Zhiyuan instructed Major Jian Dahai through the walkie-talkie; they were stationed there.

    They must hold it at all costs.

    Soon, the enemy really did creep up.

    Just as they neared the summit, Jian Dahai ordered his men to open fire.

    Before they could open fire, sounds unexpectedly arose from the enemy¡¯s rear.

    Jian Dahai excitedly smacked his thigh.

    ¡°Open fire immediately! That¡¯s definitely our transport team. Let¡¯s encircle them,¡± he said.

    Caught in a crossfire, the men immediately started to scatter and flee.

    The attacking enemies, numbering over sixty, were heavily decimated under the crossfire.

    Most were killed, and only a few used the terrain and the cover of night to escape back to their positions.

    Jian Dahai¡¯s group quickly brought up the transport team because they had caught the enemy off guard; fortunately, neither side had casualties, marking it as a victorious counterattack.

    After such turmoil, dawn was already breaking, and it was absolutely impossible for the transporters and medics to carry the wounded down the mountain.

    Especially afterst night¡¯s counterattack, which inflicted heavy casualties on them, it was uncertain what sort of retaliation they would bring in the daylight.

    As daybreak began, the surrounding gunfire started.

    Clearly, failing in their sneak attack, they now shifted to a forceful assault, bombarding the mountaintop with artillery shells, raining down like droplets.

    An Zhiyuan knew. Usually, such artillery cover was preparation for their forceful onught.

    Indeed, as the explosions sounded, the enemy personnel started charging uphill with loud shouts; ourrades began fire suppression and finally repelled the enemy¡¯s first wave of attack.

    Bai Xiao and Liu Yun had already been moved to the Karst Cave, and the wounded had also been arranged inside, which helped minimize casualties.

    Hu Biao, the captain of the transport team, had long been fighting alongside Jian Dahai and his men.

    When it was fully light, the second round of forceful attack began.

    This time, the enemy¡¯s artillery was fiercer, making them barely able to lift their heads, and the enemy threw explosives recklessly; although many team members bravely threw back the explosives, inevitably one or two would explode among them.

    The second round of attacks was also repelled.

 Chapter 375 - 375 375 Injured

    ?Chapter 375: Chapter 375: Injured   Chapter 375: Chapter 375: Injured                                   The enemy¡¯s artillery attack was too severe.

    An Zhiyuan had already ordered everyone to retreat to the Karst Cave.

    Only two sentries were left behind to observe the enemy situation. Orders were given via walkie-talkies, and allrades began searching for cover and the Karst Cave.

    After all, on such mountains, the Karst Caves were solid and reliable.

    Even heavy weapons couldn¡¯t destroy them.

    If everything went as expected, after this round of firepower, our artillery should have struck back.

    We always had to suppress the enemy¡¯s morale.

    An Zhiyuan had already entered the Karst Cave with his men, checking for casualties. Through the statistics reported over the walkie-talkies, twelve had been sacrificed and twenty-eight had been injured just this morning.

    Li Gaoshan was the most seriously injured; his intestines had spilled out, a sight too horrific to bear. He was barely hanging on by a breath. His leg had been blown off; even the bone was exposed, and the other injured needed varying degrees of medical treatment.

    An Zhiyuan ordered those who were not injured or only slightly injured to hold the position. He took a telescope and looked towards the enemy positions from the Karst Cave, but before he could make out anything clearly, a shell exploded in front of him and the st hurled him down into the cave. Thankfully, therades below caught him. Still, a shrapnel pierced his head, clearly lodged above An Zhiyuan¡¯s eyebrow. Had it been a fraction off, his eye would have been done for.

    Blood was streaming profusely; all the soldiers were taken aback.

    Jian Dahai and his group were at a higher elevation, not the main target of the artillery, so they suffered few casualties. Bai Xiao and Liu Yun had already quickly bandaged the wounded. They had suppressed the enemy¡¯s fire and repelled their third wave of fierce attacks.

    The sound of artillery suddenly quieted down.

    Nor could they see the advancing enemy, as if they had vanished into thin air.

    Jian Dahai and the others looked at each other as a voice came through the walkie-talkie, ¡°Jian Dahai, Jian Dahai, is the medic there with you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, the medic is safe and sound.¡±

    That wasn¡¯t the voice of the captain.

    ¡°The captain is injured, quickly send the medic over. Hurry!¡± the person on the other side shouted urgently.

    Upon hearing this, Jian Dahai grew anxious. The captain and these brothers had been through life and death together. The captain could have stayed at this best high ground, yet he chose to be on the front lines due to his reluctance to see any of them harmed.

    Now that the captain was injured and couldn¡¯t even use the walkie-talkie, one could imagine how severe the situation was.

    Jian Dahai immediately ran into the Karst Cave.

    ¡°Doctor Bai, Doctor Liu, I¡¯ll have someone escort you to the cave below, through the trenches. Our captain is injured; you must save him!¡± He was the squad leader and couldn¡¯t simply leave his post. This location needed him to hold it.

    Bai Xiao immediately stood up, ¡°Captain An is injured? How severe?¡± His eyes were already filled with urgency as he picked up his medical kit, wishing he could fly there right now.

    Four soldiers were escorting the two of them through countless trenches and slopes below; their high ground to where An Zhiyuan was located was almost like crossing half a mountain range.

    No wonder the battle line was stretched so long, such a length indeed exhausted the troops.

    It was quite strange, the enemy¡¯s artillery seemed to have cleared a path for them. Just now, it was like a rain of shells, but now it was eerily quiet. The feared enemy attacks and casualties almost didn¡¯t happen; it took the six people about fifteen minutes to finally reach the Karst Cave where An Zhiyuan was located. The uninjured soldiers had already entered trenches and strongholds for defense, and Bai Xiao and the others entered the Karst Cave! This ce was a temporary hospital for the wounded.

    Bai Xiao immediately saw An Zhiyuan lying on a stretcher, bleeding profusely.

 Chapter 376 - 376 376 Healing

    ?Chapter 376: Chapter 376 Healing   Chapter 376: Chapter 376 Healing                                   Bai Xiao rushed over, carefully inspecting An Zhiyuan¡¯s injuries.

    A piece of shrapnel was lodged just above his eyebrow! It had been cleaned out, leaving a deep wound that was still bleeding profusely, covering his eyes and face with fresh blood. It looked terrifying, and his other wounds were not visible, but An Zhiyuan was unconscious.

    That much was beyond doubt.

    A teammate almost frantically grabbed Bai Xiao¡¯s arm, ¡°Doctor, please check what¡¯s wrong with our captain. He¡¯s been unconscious since he was blown up by the bomb.¡±

    Bai Xiao pushed the teammate away, ¡°I¡¯m going to start the acupuncture now.¡±

    She took out the acupuncture kit from the medical box, unbuttoned his shirt around the chest, and disinfected with alcohol.

    At this moment, she couldn¡¯t afford to nce at An Zhiyuan¡¯s robust abs, as she inserted two needles.

    The teammate panicked, ¡°Doctor, our captain has a physical injury, what good is acupuncture? Shouldn¡¯t you examine and dress his wound first?¡± He might be ayman, but he knew that at first nce, the captain was bleeding uncontrobly. Acupuncture might at best stop the bleeding a little, but inspecting the wound, suturing, and so on ¨C that wasn¡¯t something acupuncture could do.

    Liu Yun red at the teammate, ¡°What are you panicking for? Our Doctor Bai¡¯s acupuncture is very powerful. She¡¯s needed for surgeries even when there¡¯s no anesthesia avable. Besides, she¡¯s your captain¡¯s fianc¨¦e ¨C do you think she doesn¡¯t wish for her future husband to be safe and sound?¡±

    Her hands were also busy; there were simply too many casualties. With twenty or thirty injured soldiers, their efforts were drops in the bucket.

    The teammate stuck out his tongue, not expecting this to be their renowned Doctor Bai. Everyone knew of Doctor Bai; every time the transporters brought letters to the captain, they could see him sitting alone in the trench, grinning foolishly like an idiot. It was rare for their wise and brave captain to be so infatuated, and they were all curious about Doctor Bai, who was rumored to have been bear-hugged by the captain upon first meeting. They wondered who this incredible person was to make their insightful and courageous Captain An act like a love-struck fool.

    ¡°Doctor Bai, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    This time it was a hundred times sincere. If anyone cared about their captain, it would be Doctor Bai, for he was her man.

    Bai Xiao shook her head, focusing intently on maneuvering the silver needles. Her special ability circted within An Zhiyuan¡¯s body, and finally, it located the site of his injuries. A fragment of shrapnel had prated into the right side of An Zhiyuan¡¯s head. Though small, it waspressing an artery. Had she not been present, An Zhiyuan¡¯s condition would have made it impossible to get him down the mountain for surgery; a ruptured vessel would have been fatal.

    Fortunately, his current unconsciousness was the lesser concern, which gave Bai Xiao some relief.

    Her special ability seemed to sense An Zhiyuan¡¯s presence, and the energy of her ability joyfully and automatically surged towards his wound. It was the first time Bai Xiao observed her ability behaving so spontaneously, as if out of her control, like it was seeking its origin ¨C a natural pursuit. Moreover, she was astonished to discover that her special ability healed An Zhiyuan¡¯s injuries without consuming any of her energy, as if the ability were his.

    Visible to the naked eye, Bai Xiao could feel the pressure pushing the shrapnel out of the wound, falling away from the injury. Thankfully, the number of casualties was so high that even the teammate who had apologized was too busy to notice. Otherwise, this would have been a big deal.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s wound had miraculously healed, and if it weren¡¯t for the blood masking his face, one might not have been able to tell he¡¯d been injured at all. Everyone would have noticed that the wounds on An Zhiyuan¡¯s body hadpletely vanished.

 Chapter 377 - 377 377 Wise Self-Preservation

    ?Chapter 377: Chapter 377: Wise Self-Preservation?   Chapter 377: Chapter 377: Wise Self-Preservation?                                   An Zhiyuan opened his eyes, and he could feel a surge of strength within his body. As this power flowed, all the wounds in his body were healing! It was as if he had grown a pair of eyes that allowed him to clearly see the injuries inside his body, including those in his brain. He could see the shrapnel being pushed out bit by bit, see the injured blood vessel tissues regrowing and recovering, and then he saw Bai Xiao.

    At this moment, no one knew better than he where this power came from, because he could see that after the power had healed his body, it was likepleting abat mission, swiftly returning to Bai Xiao¡¯s body, resting right at Bai Xiao¡¯s heart, seemingly bing a small speck of light and then remaining motionless.

    Bai Xiao could also feel that there seemed to be a change in her body! The special ability within her also began to undergo a qualitative change.

    It felt as though a fire was burning inside her, the area around her chest was scorchingly hot, as if a monster was residing there, waiting to erupt at any moment.

    What was most peculiar was that she was very aware that healing An Zhiyuan this time required a lot of energy and was exhausting, but paradoxically, she showed no signs of cold-induced hypothermia. In fact, she felt very hot, as if she was about to explode.

    All of this was too strange.

    An Zhiyuan sat up, ¡°Xiaoxiao, you¡¯vee!¡±

    Bai Xiao pulled out the silver needles from his body, ¡°Don¡¯t rush to sit up, see if there¡¯s anywhere else that feels ufortable.¡± Seeing him awake, Bai Xiao finally felt at ease.

    The team members shouted when they saw their leader awake, ¡°The captain¡¯s awake! The captain¡¯s awake!¡±

    All eyes were focused on them.

    The two of them suddenly became the center of attention.

    Liu Yun called out anxiously, ¡°Doctor Bai! Come quickly, this patient isn¡¯t breathing!¡±

    Bai Xiao let go of An Zhiyuan¡¯s hand and quickly grabbed her acupuncture kit, running toward Liu Yun.

    An Zhiyuan scrambled up; the Karst Cave was filled with moans and noisy chaos, a sight too ghastly to endure.

    The breathless one was Li Gaoshan, his intestines had been stuffed back into his abdominal cavity, tightly wrapped with gauze, but already soaked with fresh blood, his face a ghastly pale.

    Breathing had indeed gradually stopped, Bai Xiao¡¯s fingers pressed on his pulse, Liu Yun was vigorously performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation, surrounded by a number of injured people.

    There was a faint pulse, but it was so weak it was almost imperceptible.

    ¡°Everyone step back, give the patient some space, don¡¯t you see he¡¯s gasping for breath!¡±

    Bai Xiao shouted sternly; she needed to save a life, but the crowded and chaotic scene was not conducive.

    Not to save would be a betrayal of her conscience. At a time when a person was fighting for his life for his country, if she still hesitated so much, she truly wouldn¡¯t be human.

    The inner conflict intertwined, fighting, preserving oneself, or diving headlong into danger?

    An Zhiyuan shouted loudly, ¡°Everyone, clear out, move to the neighboring karst cave, immediately, Doctor Liu, please go and attend to the other injured! Leave this ce to Doctor Bai and me.¡± He looked assertively at Liu Yun as he gave the order.

    So, the injured people quickly started moving to the nearby cave, which was very fast because the adjacent cave was not far, almost just a dozen steps away.

    Liu Yun nced at Bai Xiao, ¡°Doctor Bai! Can you handle it?¡±

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°Go and take care of those injured, leave this to me, I¡¯ll try to perform emergency care, this is a human life, we owe it to him to try!¡±

 Chapter 378 - 378 378 Saving People

    ?Chapter 378: Chapter 378: Saving People   Chapter 378: Chapter 378: Saving People                                   An Zhiyuan watched as everyone withdrew.

    Bai Xiao had already taken out the silver needle, ripped open Li Gaoshan¡¯s shirt, and plunged the needle in.

    The ce was so quiet that she could hear An Zhiyuan¡¯s stable breathing, the man squatting right beside her.

    Bai Xiao wanted to test something. If she hadn¡¯t felt it wrong earlier, there indeed was a significant connection between her and An Zhiyuan. Although she had not yet figured out the nature of their rtionship, one thing was certain: An Zhiyuan could alleviate the aftereffects of her special ability, undoubtedly.

    One of her hands reached out and tightly grasped An Zhiyuan¡¯s hand, while her other hand held the silver needle.

    An Zhiyuan nced at Bai Xiao and firmly grasped her hand, her palm warm at that moment, devoid of any coldness.

    Then she felt a surge of energy burst forth, this outburst of her special ability seemingly carried a regal aura unlike before.

    Both of their gazes were fixed on Li Gaoshan.

    Li Gaoshan¡¯s chest began to breathe more quickly, the rises and falls bing slow yet orderly, hisplexion also started to flush, and his wounds gradually healed.

    Especially the wound on his abdomen, which Bai Xiao could see slowly healing. Suddenly, she let go of An Zhiyuan, ¡°No good! If this goes on, Li Gaoshan¡¯s wound willpletely heal, and we¡¯ll have no way to exin it; my Acupuncture can¡¯t achieve this.¡±

    This was simply astonishing.

    Trouble would ensue.

    Just as she had guessed, once her connection with An Zhiyuan was severed, the healing speed slowed down, and she began to be able to control it, at least not as uncontroble as before, the growth speed out of her hands.

    However, it was strange! The consumption of her special ability this time did not make her feel the assault of the cold, it seemed just a slight chill, rather than bone-chilling cold.

    Finally, Li Gaoshan¡¯s abdominal wound stabilized, which she couldn¡¯t sew! But Liu Yun could.

    ¡°Brother An, call Doctor Liu over! We need her to suture; with both of us working together, Li Gaoshan can survive,¡± Bai Xiao said, not needing to look at An Zhiyuan to know that he must have realized something.

    She could feel this peculiarity between them. Not to mention An Zhiyuan, such an intelligent and sensitive person.

    ¡°Alright, take it easy, know when to stop, and act ording to your capacity,¡± An Zhiyuan said meaningfully.

    Bai Xiao sighed; this still didn¡¯t solve the problem.

    The rtionship between her and An Zhiyuan was nowpletely intertwined.

    Liu Yun came over quickly, seeing that Li Gaoshan was actually breathing steadily, she was overjoyed, ¡°Doctor Bai, you are amazing, your acupuncture is more powerful than a cardio-tonic.¡±

    ¡°Stop talking nonsense, while he is still unconscious, I will use acupuncture to anesthetize him, and you suture the wound. Otherwise, in such an exposed state, we can¡¯t even transport him down the mountain. If it is left too long, a severe infection could truly be fatal.¡±

    Liu Yun didn¡¯t dally; she immediately took out the suture tools, began a simple disinfection on Li Gaoshan, and then started suturing.

    Recently, due to the frequent suture surgeries done in the hospital down the mountain, she had be skilled; her movements were quick and she was quite ustomed to operating alone, now fulfilling both roles as nurse and suturing doctor.

    In about ten minutes, the wound was fully sutured, and Bai Xiao finally removed the silver needles, taking a breath of relief, her special ability having passed through his entire body.

    Unless any surprises, as long as the dressing was changed regrly, the man would definitely not sumb to infection and death again.

 Chapter 379 - 379 379 Cooperation

    ?Chapter 379: Chapter 379: Cooperation   Chapter 379: Chapter 379: Cooperation                                   Next, Liu Yun and Bai Xiao continued to cooperate and quickly stitched and treated the other wounded. Because there was no anesthetic, Bai Xiao¡¯s acupuncture was almost a universally effective miracle cure, and Liu Yun¡¯s movements became even more skilled; the two of them coordinated more and more seamlessly.

    However, there was nothing they could do about An Zhiyuan¡¯s amputation; they could only suture and dress it, but reattaching the severed leg was impossible. First, the leg had been blown to who knows where, and secondly, Bai Xiao absolutely could not regenerate someone¡¯s leg at this time.

    That would truly be a death wish.

    The injuries of the remaining wounded were not so severe, merely requiring disinfection and stitching. About twenty or thirty wounded were quickly taken care of.

    It had already gotten dark.

    The sporadic sounds of gunfire silenced everyone.

    This was a farewell between life and death.

    Bai Xiao was too exhausted to move, sitting at the entrance of the Karst Cave, leaning against the rock wall, the gradually darkening night outside unable to block the booming of the artillery and the sh of its fire.

    Because of the heavy fog, no stars or moon could be seen in the sky.

    The air was filled with a damp moisture.

    Bai Xiao felt someone sit next to her. She leaned against the cliff, too weak to even want to open her eyes.

    No one could understand her feelings; today was probably the most astonishing day.

    She was very clear that her special ability had evolved once again.

    The most obvious result was that despite the day¡¯s exertions, the aftereffects of cold only caused her to shudder a bit, her skin to goosebump, and herplexion to pale slightly.

    Compared to the past when she needed to be covered with quilts, drinking brown sugar water, and still shivering, this was a huge progress.

    What¡¯s more important, she discovered that she could now control her healing ability more freely, even to the extent that, although the external injuries looked severe, their internal immune systems had been stimted by her to heal themselves effectively.

    This was a massive improvementpared to before.

    She strongly believed that this evolution of her special ability was likely rted to An Zhiyuan¡¯s treatment.

    The two of them were like the positive and negative poles of a ma, now truly sparking when they collided.

    ¡°Eat something!¡± An Zhiyuan¡¯s voice was still so deep, carrying a reassuring steadiness. Bai Xiao opened her eyes, and a piece of steamed bread was pushed into her hand. Although it had turned cold, it was still edible and more popr thanpressed biscuits.

    But here, it was the worst kind of food to preserve. The temperature was high, and coupled with the continuous rainfall, such food had to be delivered by the kitchen crew daily; otherwise, it would definitely mold and sprout hair by the next day.

    The kitchen staff would only improve their meals a few times a year; otherwise, it was always rice, which for many from the north, rice was practically a death sentence.

    Ordinarily, they might not eat a single meal of rice in a year, and now it had be every meal, every day, every year.

    This was undeniably a torment.

    Bai Xiao broke off a piece of the bread, put it into her mouth, and asked him vaguely.

    ¡°Have you eaten?¡±

    An Zhiyuan nodded. ¡°I ate earlier than you, about two hours ago when you and Dr. Liu were still busy.¡± He watched Bai Xiao, who looked exhausted, feeling a pang of pity.

    ¡°Looks like you won¡¯t be able to go down today. Their retaliation mightst for several days; today there¡¯s still steamed bread, but starting tomorrow, you¡¯ll probably only havepressed biscuits and cold water.¡± He didn¡¯t want Bai Xiao to stay here. Emotionally, having the person he loved by his side was a joy, but logically, having the person he loved stay here meant cing her in danger, which he did not wish for.

 Chapter 380 - 380 380 I Want to Marry You

    ?Chapter 380: Chapter 380: I Want to Marry You   Chapter 380: Chapter 380: I Want to Marry You                                   ¡°That¡¯s great, actually, or else meeting just the two of us would be too hard,¡± Bai Xiao said yfully, leaning her head on An Zhiyuan¡¯s shoulder as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

    An Zhiyuan blushed, ¡°Please don¡¯t do this, it wouldn¡¯t be good if others saw us.¡±

    He shuffled his body to the side a bit.

    Bai Xiao shook her head, ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything you want to ask me?¡±

    This was the question that had troubled her all day. Now that her special ability had been discovered by An Zhiyuan, hiding was out of the question; it was preferable to be straightforward about it.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to talk about it, I will never ask. I can only tell you to take care of yourself. Keep everything to yourself, tell no one, not even your closest kin. A secret isn¡¯t a secret if too many know about it. I don¡¯t want you to be in any danger,¡± An Zhiyuan earnestly advised Bai Xiao.

    This was the woman he loved, and he was determined to protect her. A faint smile appeared on his resolute lips; his girl was aposed and decisive individual, full ofpassion.

    Thinking of Bai Xiao, the rigid lines of his mouth softened. When he had seen her that morning, those sparkling ck eyes looked into his, her fingers warmly holding his, her slender fingers nestled in his broad palm, bringing him a thrilling warmth and emotion.

    Every achievement in her work was earned through battle after battle, tirelessly earning the respect of others step by step.

    Now she truly was Doctor Bai, and he would keep this secret, a secret forever.

    He really wanted to hold her in his arms, stroke her silky hair, and let her lean against his sturdy body, to taste her lips, but he couldn¡¯t. Here, he was the captain and had to set an example for everyone; those surging emotions would have to wait until they were alone.

    ¡°What are you doing here? You probably don¡¯t know how startled I was when I saw you!¡± An Zhiyuan said as he watched her conscientiously eating her food, as though she was not holding just a bun, but a delicacy.

    ¡°I thought you knew why I was here,¡± Bai Xiao replied, tilting her head and looking at him with yful silence.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s eyes filled with anger, ¡°You mean¡­¡±

    The rest didn¡¯t need to be said; both understood well enough. It wasn¡¯t many who would make such an arrangement with special consideration for Bai Xiao.

    Li Dongliang definitely wouldn¡¯t have transferred Bai Xiao to such a dangerous ce. Traditional Chinese Medicine is different from Western medicine; it doesn¡¯t show its strengths at the frontline. They both understood that, including the secret that Bai Xiao possessed, which others did not know.

    That meant, having a traditional Chinese doctor at the front as a medic was almost unheard of.

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°Perhaps they hoped this arrangement would naturally drive us apart. If you hadn¡¯te here, I believe we¡¯d be just as they wanted,¡± a fact both were clearly aware of.

    Who most wanted them to break up¡­

    ¡°Those bastards, I didn¡¯t expect her to be so harsh. No wonder this time when I returned, no one mentioned anything about you and me. I felt something was off. It turns out they were waiting for us here,¡± An Zhiyuan couldn¡¯t contain his anger, for it concerned Bai Xiao¡¯s life, which was an unforgivable crime.

    Bai Xiao soothingly stroked his back, ¡°Don¡¯t be like this, you should be thankful to them. If it weren¡¯t for their actions, we wouldn¡¯t have a chance to meet here. This time it should be me saying, if I can¡¯t return, you should marry someone else. But if we safely go back, I want to marry you.¡±

    Under the night sky, their eyes locked in a gaze that neither could break.

 Chapter 381 - 381 381 How Can It Be

    ?Chapter 381: Chapter 381 How Can It Be?   Chapter 381: Chapter 381 How Can It Be?                                   An Zhiyuan was unhappy, and everyone under him knew that the team leader was unhappy.

    His team members, under his icy gaze, were utterly despondent.

    They didn¡¯t understand, if even his fiancee couldn¡¯t make the team leader happy, had the two of them had a fight?

    Impossible! Dr. Bai was so busy yesterday that she hardly had time to speak, let alone fight.

    Moreover, Dr. Bai didn¡¯t look like someone who would quarrel. She was gentle in appearance, amiable in manner, and exceedingly patient¡ªhow could she quarrel with the team leader?

    All the team members who had been treated by Dr. Bai would not believe that she had argued with the team leader unless it was the team leader who lost his temper.

    This time, everyone was one-sidedly in support of Dr. Bai, cing their Team Leader An squarely in the camp of those who were being unreasonable.

    An Zhiyuan was almost at a loss for words.

    He couldn¡¯t trust Wei Shufen to operate in such an unconventional manner. Every time Bai Xiao went to work amid a hail of bullets, it meant she was risking her life¡ªand this was all because of Wei Shufen¡¯s selfishness.

    This time, Wei Shufen crossed his bottom line.

    And now was not the time to do anything. The friction this year had been quite severe; they needed to consider what came next! Not personal rtions.

    Wei Shufen had always thought An Zhiyuan was a cool, self-controlled, and mild-mannered man¡ªbut she was gravely mistaken.

    Politeness and self-restraint still existed, and his green uniform remained as immacte as ever, but there was not a trace of joy in his deep voice or in those eyes as dark as ink.

    They were shing with rage, emitting a cold gleam like a de under the moonlight. If Wei Shufen were here, she would be able to smell the ominous danger surrounding her. Her impression of this stepson was far from the truth; he was not some gentle, easygoing man, but someone not to be trifled with.

    An Zhiyuan had never felt death was so within reach; his cold, piercing gaze seemed to devour everything alive.

    His most beloved facing death, he was not only unable to protect her but also needed her to protect himself¡ªa thought that could torment him at any given moment.

    This man¡¯s fierce and ruthless nature was stirring beneath his controlled facade. She would pay a hellish price for this time¡¯s incident.

    ¡­

    Standing in front of the desk in the study, Wei Shufen looked up at An Cheng, her eyes now showing obvious panic, ¡°How could this happen? Old An, why did Ayuan go there? Ayuan is your most outstanding son; how could he do this to you? Didn¡¯t they consider your feelings at all? The situation there is not good at all right now, with constant friction and battles sparked by conflicts. Defending the country is a good thing, but there¡¯s no need for it to specifically be Ayuan and his team; their unit in the far north has nothing to do with that ce¡ªit¡¯s like they¡¯re trying to stab you in the heart.¡± She couldn¡¯t believe it; how could her own arrangement have this kind of oversight.

    Despite all her calctions and conniving, using various excuses to finally send that Dr. Bai to the front line, her intent was simple: Dr. Bai would either submit or die. After this matter, she would have no reason to even remember such a person.

    But now that An Zhiyuan had gone there, they would be greeted by a storm, and An Zhiyuan had the most promising future! If something happened to An Cheng¡¯s son, the An Family would be in chaos. She couldn¡¯t imagine the fatal blow that An Zhiyuan could bring to the An Family.

 Chapter 382 - 382 382 Youre Confused

    ?Chapter 382: Chapter 382 You¡¯re Confused   Chapter 382: Chapter 382 You¡¯re Confused                                   An Cheng, expressionless, said, ¡°He is a man, hisst name doesn¡¯t matter. Besides, it was his own request to go. When asked for his opinion, he didn¡¯t show the slightest hesitation, I am very proud of him.¡± Honestly, An Cheng was not without self-interest, but it all seemed so fragile in the face of the nation.

    He cared about his most outstanding son, but he also knew there was no better teammate. If Ayuan said he was ready, then he was undoubtedly ready. Such trust was unquestionable and due to his excellent overall capabilities.

    ¡°But, Old An, it¡¯s so dangerous there, you¡­¡± Wei Shufen was in utter chaos. An Zhiyuan¡¯s actions had disrupted all her ns. Ding Min had already gone to An Zhiyuan¡¯s station for a very good excuse, needing his care. But now An Zhiyuan wasn¡¯t there at all. What feelings could she foster when the man wasn¡¯t even present?

    Moreover, once An Zhiyuan reached there, finding out about Doctor Bai would be a matter of minutes, and perhaps they had already met by now. Ayuan was not just anybody; his intelligence and wisdom were second to none, which is why after several failures in her schemes against An Zhigao, Wei Shufen decided not to target An Zhigao again. She was well aware that the intellect of An Zhiyuan¡¯s women was above others. She would not risk exposing herselfpletely to An Zhiyuan.

    As long as the old man lived, she would be safe. Even if he were gone, without any concrete evidence against her, An Zhiyuan would have to treat her kindly. She was confident of that.

    Moreover, she believed An Cheng¡¯s health would allow him to live for many more decades; she wasn¡¯t worried about her own status at all.

    But now, she had made a monumental mistake by sending Doctor Bai to An Zhiyuan herself.

    She would have to endure the onught of An Zhiyuan¡¯s wrath.

    ¡°Old An, it¡¯s still not toote to call Ayuan back. You¡¯re old, I don¡¯t want to see you send off your son with white hair, tsk tsk tsk, touch wood! I just don¡¯t want Ayuan to have any idents. There are blind bullets in that ce, and he¡¯s your favorite son. If you won¡¯t act, I will. I¡¯m not afraid of others saying I¡¯m showing favoritism, this has to be done!¡± Wei Shufen picked up the phone.

    An Cheng yelled sharply.

    ¡°Put it down!¡±

    Looking embarrassed, Wei Shufen had never been treated like this by An Cheng before; it was probably the first time. Unwillingly, she put down the phone, trembling slightly inside.

    ¡°Have you lost your mind? Don¡¯t I know that An Zhiyuan is my son? But he is also a man. At this moment, he is no longer just my son but a person who is willing to forsake everything for the greater good of the country. If I call him back now, what about the others? If that¡¯s the case, everyone would want their sons, grandchildren, and rtives to be withdrawn. It would be total chaos.

    I will absolutely not hold back our system. Others can bleed and cry for the country, so can he. He is like everyone else; there is no family without a country. Don¡¯t you cause trouble, or I won¡¯t forgive you. That¡¯s it for this matter. I believe in my son; he can return safely.¡± An Cheng was very clear about his duty as a family member, and he was just like everyone else. If needed, he would not hesitate to take a rifle and join the fight for his country.

    Wei Shufen felt disheartened; it seemed impossible to separate An Zhiyuan now. The only option left was to inocte An Cheng in advance.

    To prevent An Zhiyuan¡¯s anger upon his return from affecting her.

 Chapter 383 - 383 383 Its What I Mean

    ?Chapter 383: Chapter 383: It¡¯s What I Mean   Chapter 383: Chapter 383: It¡¯s What I Mean                                   ¡°Lao An, there¡¯s something I did that I didn¡¯t tell you about,¡± Wei Shufen decided it was now or never. She knew An Cheng well; the more you hide from him, the angrier he gets when he finds out. It¡¯s better to be upfront ¡ª An Cheng would understand.

    She knew how An Cheng could ept her exnation.

    ¡°What did you do?¡± An Cheng was somewhat anxious.

    ¡°You must know about that doctor Bai! She¡¯s the girl Ayuan wanted to submit a marriage application for!¡± Wei Shufen was aware that An Cheng was dissatisfied with Doctor Bai, and of course, it had much to do with her own pillow talk.

    She painted Bai Xiao as a calcting rural girl wanting to use An Zhiyuan¡¯s life-saving grace as a stepping stone to leap over the dragon gate and she had seeded, hadn¡¯t she? Wasn¡¯t she arranged by An Zhiyuan to work in the hospital as a doctor?

    This was an established fact.

    ¡°That girl? What about her?¡± An Cheng had a vague recollection. It seemed that Lao Wei had mentioned that Zhiyuan had saved a rural girl in the area, and then her family took advantage, iming Zhiyuan ruined the girl¡¯s purity and reputation, which forced Zhiyuan to agree to make her his fianc¨¦e.

    An Cheng didn¡¯t know what methods the girl used, but Zhiyuan had helped her get a job at the hospital. He had never objected, because he trusted his son¡¯s judgement and believed that, given time, his son wouldn¡¯t be deceived by others.

    He was sure his son would make the right decision, but now why was this Doctor Bai popping up again?

    ¡°What does she want to do?¡± An Cheng asked irritably.

    His son was facing life and death on the front lines. This girl better not be causing trouble here!

    If that was the case, he would show no mercy; he couldn¡¯t let a vain and greedy woman ruin his son, dragging down his son¡¯s reputation.

    ¡°I called Lao Wei and had Doctor Bai transferred elsewhere. I just didn¡¯t want her to embarrass Ayuan at the local hospital, and I wanted her to learn her lesson. She needs to understand what our kind of family has to face,¡± Wei Shufen finally said it.

    An Cheng mmed the table, ¡°Nonsense!¡±

    He hadn¡¯t expected Lao Wei to do such a thing; this was¡­ bullying by using one¡¯s power.

    And even if that girl was unworthy, it wasn¡¯t as if she deserved to lose her life over it.

    ¡°Lao An, even if you¡¯re unhappy, I¡¯ve already done it. I just don¡¯t want her to deceive people using Ayuan¡¯s name. You don¡¯t know, she¡¯s been made a specialist at that hospital now, and even Dean Zhang takes good care of her. She lives in the specialist building with the same treatment as the Dean himself. Just think about it, if this goes on, Ayuan and your face will be lost. I can¡¯t let her destroy the honor we¡¯ve worked hard for, nor can I let her leech off your achievements,¡± Wei Shufen said, her words carrying a sense of righteous indignation.

    Upon hearing this, An Cheng got even angrier. This girl really didn¡¯t know how to appreciate favors, daring to do such a thing.

    A neen-year-old expert, nonsense!

    Living in a specialist building, enjoying the Dean¡¯s perks, what next? Should he appoint her as Dean himself?

    This was preposterous.

    ¡°Okay, I understand! If Ayuan asks about it, you say it was my call. Otherwise, Ayuan might think you want to split them up. As a father, of course I have the right to interfere in his life.¡± He understood Wei Shufen¡¯s predicament; a stepmother wasn¡¯t like a biological mother, no matter what she did, it was wrong.

    Just like with the eldest, who always thought Wei Shufen had ulterior motives. Sigh!

    He looked at his wife who had been with him for so many years and his heart was still warm.

 Chapter 384 - 384 384 Sending Stuff

    ?Chapter 384: Chapter 384 Sending Stuff   Chapter 384: Chapter 384 Sending Stuff                                   Bai Yue sent items to the address Bai Xiao had left her; she feared that the ce wouldn¡¯t have the local delicacies of their area, so she specially bought a lot of things, all of which were easy to preserve. There was also her sister¡¯s favorite millet¡ªnewly harvested from the vige, specially prepared by Liu Baoguo and his wife because they knew Bai Xiao loved it. Bai Xiao enjoyed drinking millet porridge, so they sent over some freshly ground new millet.

    There were also many other things, such as the famous red sausages from here, ck fungus, and her homemade pickled radishes¡ªthese were all her sister¡¯s favorites. Ever since Bai Xiao started working there, he suddenly stopped sending any messages. He only wrote a letter when he first arrived, and then nothing more.

    The problem was that there was no news from Captain An either; it seemed as though both had disappeared all at once.

    The fact that her sister was transferred was something she hadn¡¯t yete to terms with, yet suddenly Captain An stopped showing up at their house, which was very strange.

    At first, she thought maybe Bai Xiao and Captain An had some trouble, perhaps they argued over something. However, after Bai Song¡¯s visit, they found out that Captain An had actually left a day before Bai Xiao, for an important mission. Only then she understood that Captain An was on an assignment.

    She felt somewhat disappointed by this¡ªas Bai Xiao and Captain An were so far apart, and not together, it was inevitable that their feelings for each other might change. Bai Yue was worried, but she also knew that the nature of their jobs was such, and she couldn¡¯t really say anything about it.

    But she was worried, deep down.

    It was at this time that Bai Yue realized how difficult it was to truly be the wife of such a man.

    Not to mention living apart in different ces, it was worrisome enough not to see each other all year round, but theck ofmunication due to inconvenient transportation was even more concerning.

    With the items in hand, she arrived at the post office where the staff checked her package for contraband. Finding none, they handed her a form to fill out the address. Only after she had managed to send the goods off with great difficulty did Bai Yue return home with trepidation, continually worried.

    Wang Yan was in the store, directing the waitstaff as they busied themselves with cleaning up.

    The kitchen was finishing up bringing in the provisions, and one of the delivery persons was a vegetable vendor with whom they had a long-term partnership. Since the second Bai Family Spicy Hot Pot restaurant had also opened, both establishments were bustling with activity. Even with two venues, they were packed every day.

    The Bai Family Spicy Hot Pot¡¯s reputation had now spread far and wide, and it had be a household name known for its famous hotpot.

    Their daily consumption of vegetables and meat had be significant. They had gone from personally buying at the market to now having vendors delivering directly to them.

    Seeing Bai Yue return, the vegetable vendor, Old Zhang, hurriedly greeted her. This couple¡¯s business was booming, and since they started their long-term partnership, his own business had improved greatly. Just the daily demand from the two Bai Family restaurants was substantial. He provided quality and quantity with the freshest vegetables. Compared to other vendors who waited at the market all day, he now had a stable ie.

    Even if he had an errand that day and couldn¡¯t set up his stall, as long as he delivered to the Bai Family¡¯s restaurant, he was guaranteed his earnings for the day.

    He knew that Wang Yan was returning the favor because he had extended them credit for vegetables in the past. Otherwise, with so many other vendors at the market, some who were cheaper or had fresher produce, why would they exclusively use his?

    This couple was known for their benevolence.

    And they were particrly meticulous in their dealings.

 Chapter 385 - 385 385 Abnormal

    ?Chapter 385: Chapter 385: Abnormal   Chapter 385: Chapter 385: Abnormal                                   ¡°Manager Bai, just got back, huh!¡± Old Zhang was somewhat ingratiating, after all, this was a long-standing business deal.

    Bai Yue greeted him with a smile, ¡°Old Zhang, delivering vegetables, are you? I just stepped out to run some errands, and I¡¯ve only just returned. It¡¯s almost the end of the month, time to settle ounts. These next couple of days, you calcte your bills, and I¡¯ll do the same on my end. Let¡¯s reconcile our ounts, and I¡¯ll pay you.¡± Bai Yue conducted her business with integrity and disliked how some people would owe money and act like they were the boss, all smiles and sweet talk, yet never settling the bills.

    Old Zhang agreed with augh, ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯ll do it right away. Meeting you folks is like finding good Samaritans. Who doesn¡¯t owe money when delivering vegetables? Some owe for two or three months, and there are even those who owe for four or five months. As soon as you talk about settling ounts, those bosses will frown longer than a horse¡¯s face. Not like you, who are even urging me to settle the ounts. You folks are truly honorable people.¡±

    Bai Yue just chuckled. They had their own way of doing business; hadn¡¯t Bai Xiao said it before? Without rules, nothing can be squared.

    What the Bai Family passed down was different.

    ¡°Big Brother Old Zhang, don¡¯t worry. Our family doesn¡¯t drag our feet on payments. As long as your goods are good and delivered on time without dying our business, we¡¯ll have no trouble talking things out,¡± Bai Yue couldn¡¯t stand that sort of behavior, acting all high and mighty while owing others money.

    ¡°Of course, of course,¡± Old Zhang was quick to notice.

    This Bai Family sure knew how to do business.

    Not only were they honest, but they also had brains; they were truly adept at business. Following the Bai Family, he was sure not to lose out.

    Wang Yan came over to see off Old Zhang, then turned to Bai Yue and said, ¡°These past few days I¡¯ve noticed you¡¯re not looking so well. Why don¡¯t you go to the rest area in the back and get some sleep? There¡¯re no customers right now and I¡¯m here to look after the ce.¡±

    A husband cherishes his wife, and indeed Bai Yue had been acting differently these days, bing quite sleepy and hard to rouse, her eating habits had also started to be picky.

    Wang Yan thought Bai Yue was feeling unwell.

    Bai Yue nced at Wang Yan, her face alight with yful reproach.

    ¡°You, silly goose!¡±

    Wang Yanughed, ¡°If I¡¯m silly, who¡¯d know better than you?¡±

    Bai Yue had changed a lot recently; she used to be outspoken, but now her personality had be even more cheerful, her smile more frequent, and her eyes full of light. With life beingfortable, eating and drinking well, even her face looked a decade younger than before.

    He loved buying clothes for his wife, dressing up Bai Yue beautifully to sit behind the counter, watching her arrange things with a cheerful smile made his heart blossom with joy.

    He was willing to work a little harder to give his wife some peace of mind.

    The couple was now extremely affectionate.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, this is normal!¡± Bai Yue chuckled secretly. Wang Yan mightck experience, but that didn¡¯t mean she didn¡¯t understand. Having given birth to three sons already, how could she not know she was pregnant?

    It¡¯s just that with the family nning policies, it was uncertain whether they could have this child.

    If they couldn¡¯t, she was prepared to secretly have the baby anyway. This was her and Wang Yan¡¯s child; Wang Yan was already in his forties, it would be odd if he didn¡¯t want children.

    Wang Yan was puzzled, ¡°You call this normal? When it¡¯s quiet, you can fall asleep on the desk. And look at youtely, clinging to that jar of chili like it¡¯s your life, even the noodles you eat are loaded with such spicy oil that it makes me feel numb just looking at it.¡±

    Perhaps it was because they¡¯d been through so much together, Wang Yan cherished Bai Yue deeply. Besides, the affection between them truly needed no words.

    He liked to pay attention to every little detail about his wife, not wanting her to suffer any distress since marrying him.

 Chapter 386 - 386 386 The Mainstay

    ?Chapter 386: Chapter 386: The Mainstay   Chapter 386: Chapter 386: The Mainstay                                   Bai Yue smiled, just about to say something, when Li Haiping came over.

    The family had opened two shops by now, and the couple was preparing for the third and fourth. They had already understood the current business model and were developing and expanding bit by bit in an orderly fashion, just as Bai Xiao had initially instructed them.

    Moreover, the ie from the two shopsbined was more than ten thousand yuan a day, and even more during holidays. Needless to say, with many people queuing up, the couple was not short of money.

    The eldest, Li Haiping, had be the pir of the restaurant now.

    Li Haiping was specifically responsible for stir-frying the base ingredients of the kitchen.

    Bai Xiao had once said that hot pot relied entirely on this base, as well as service and fresh ingredients. As long as these aspects were up to par, the business could only thrive.

    And Li Haiping indeed had a certain talent for cooking.

    Following Bai Xiao¡¯s teachings on hot pot base, not only could he maintain the original vor, but most importantly, with the many methods and techniques his aunt had passed on to him, he could innovate many hot pot bases.

    Their hot pot base now had a dedicated research and development room to which outsiders had no ess; all the base ingredients were handled solely by him.

    This ensured that their family¡¯s secret recipe was unique.

    Moreover, the bases Li Haiping researched were actually based on the data provided by Bai Xiao. He figured out how to make them even tastier, visually appealing, and delicious. Hence, the tomato base, the medicinal mushroom health base, the clear oil and Sichuan pepper base¡ªthese vors were all very popr, providing many options for their ¡®Yuan Yang¡¯ (mixed vor) hot pot.

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m going to buy ingredients now; the second brother and I are leaving.¡± This was something Li Haiping had to do every ten days or so, as the selection of raw materials was the most crucial part of controlling the vor of the bases and ensuring that their secret forms did not get leaked. Of course, when buying ingredients, they would not purchase only one kind.

    Bai Yue nodded. Li Haiping had bought a motorcycle to make it easier to go out. He wasn¡¯t old enough to learn to drive yet, otherwise Bai Yue would have her son get a driver¡¯s license because it¡¯s often more convenient to have a car when going out.

    She now had an open mind. Bai Xiao was right; the money earned was meant to improve their lives, not just to be hoarded at home.

    The reliability and earnestness of her oldest son gave Bai Yue a great sense of aplishment.

    ¡°You two go ahead, but be very careful on the way, and don¡¯t ride the motorcycle too fast. Although the weather isn¡¯t so cold now, it¡¯s always better to be cautious,¡± Bai Yue advised, her heart filled with worry every time they left.

    Li Haiping smiled, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry about us. We know what to do! Dad, we¡¯re off!¡±

    Wang Yan grinned as he handed them helmets. Despite the three boys not being his biological sons, their rtionship with him was as genuine as that between a father and his sons, with a hint of buddy-like camaraderie alongside a deep respect for a father.

    ¡°Don¡¯t make your mom worry; you must wear your helmets. And when you drive, you take the lead, Hai¡¯an. That little guy is too reckless on a motorcycle. I rode with him once and nearly had a heart attack. He¡¯s not cut out for riding motorcycles.¡± Wang Yan knew each of his sons¡¯ temperaments well.

    Li Hai¡¯an pouted unhappily, ¡°Dad, that was on the second day I learned to ride, but now my driving¡¯s a lot steadier. You can¡¯t judge me by the past.¡±

    ¡°Sure, I won¡¯t judge you by the past. Who was it that knocked a bicycle crooked with the motorcycle yesterday and had topensate the owner a hundred yuan? I¡¯m not concerned about the money, no matter how much it is. What I worry about is you. You hit a bicycle this time, but what if you collide with a car? You¡¯ll be the one hurt!¡± Wang Yan swiftly reprimanded Li Hai¡¯an.

    Li Hai¡¯an looked dejected.

    He had indeed caused the incident yesterday, and with ten mouths, he still couldn¡¯t defend himself.

 Chapter 387 - 387 387 Gone Stupid (Monthly Ticket Extra)

    ?Chapter 387: Chapter 387: Gone Stupid (Monthly Ticket Extra)   Chapter 387: Chapter 387: Gone Stupid (Monthly Ticket Extra)                                   ¡°Nobody has confidence in me!¡± Li Haianined.

    ¡°You¡¯re still young, a bit unstable, but you¡¯ll get better over time. Don¡¯t be upset about Dad talking to you like this,¡± Wang Yan said in a down-to-earth manner, actually afraid that Li Haian would feel alienated from him.

    After all, he was a stepfather.

    Whether he spoke too softly or too harshly, it seemed there could be problems, but in his heart, he genuinely cared for these three kids and Bai Yue as his own family. Even though he knew that they might be ufortable with what he said, he definitely didn¡¯t want to pretend that everything was fine. These kids were forming their own personalities and starting to move in different directions.

    If they, as parents, didn¡¯t guide them well and the kids eventually went astray, that would be truly regrettable.

    Haiping was of course the most reassuring, but Hai¡¯an was impulsive, liked to show off, and was a bit restless. Without timely warnings, who knew how arrogant he could be?

    Hai¡¯an mumbled, ¡°I know, you¡¯re doing it for my good, otherwise you wouldn¡¯t bother. I do understand what¡¯s right and wrong!¡± But the best thing about Hai¡¯an was that as long as things were discussed openly, he didn¡¯t hold grudges.

    Watching the two brothers head out, Wang Yan sighed with worry that once outside, Hai¡¯an would want to grab the car keys, and Haiping, being someone who always indulged his younger brother, could easily spoil Hai¡¯an.

    Bai Yue rubbed his brow andughed, ¡°You really are like a real father, I¡¯m starting to be afraid of you, always nagging. Why don¡¯t you ask me what¡¯s been wrong with metely?¡± Her voice was heavilyden with teasing.

    Wang Yan pinched Bai Yue¡¯s hand and pulled her to sit on the chair in front of him, ¡°Bai Yue, tell me honestly, what¡¯s going on? You keep saying it¡¯s nothing, but I¡¯m really worried. You¡¯re young and healthy, and then suddenly you¡¯re having all these problems. I¡¯m mainly worried about whether those years carrying Shitou have left you with any issues? I want to spend my life with you, and when we¡¯re old, we should be able to walk down the street holding hands together.

    So, I¡¯m particrly worried. You don¡¯t know how I¡¯ve been unable to sleep these past few nights, watching you sleep soundly next to me like a little pig, it¡¯s been tormenting me.¡±

    This was a very serious issue.

    Bai Yueughed, and whispered a few words into Wang Yan¡¯s ear with a giggly smile.

    Wang Yan stared at Bai Yue, dumbfounded, motionless.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±

    Bai Yue nudged Wang Yan, hoping she hadn¡¯t shocked him into stupidity.

    Wang Yan suddenly hugged Bai Yue andughed in silly delight.

    ¡°Wife, we must have this child, can we?¡±

    It was his first time being a father, and he was so excited that he hardly knew what to do with himself. At his age, finally having a child was a reason for immense happiness.

    Bai Yue nodded, ¡°I want to have it too! I¡¯m just worried about the family nning policy, if the child can¡¯t be registered, they¡¯ll end up undocumented!¡± She also wanted the child.

    Wang Yan was worried too; the family nning policy was strictly enforced. In their vige, if a family had a boy, they couldn¡¯t have another child. If the first was a girl, they could try for a second child. Those who didn¡¯t have a son were desperate to have one, not knowing how many sneaked away to try outside the vige.

    If caught, they would be forced to go to the hospital for an abortion and sterilization surgery.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, wife, we will manage it. When you¡¯re pregnant, you rest at home, and I¡¯ll take care of everything, I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re able to safely give birth,¡± Wang Yan¡¯s first thought was how to protect his wife and child.

 Chapter 388 - 388 388 Bonus (Monthly Ticket Extra)

    ?Chapter 388: Chapter 388: Bonus (Monthly Ticket Extra)   Chapter 388: Chapter 388: Bonus (Monthly Ticket Extra)                                   ¡°But this is no solution, the child is born without a household registration. Why don¡¯t you talk to Uncle Baoguo about it? He¡¯s Xiao¡¯s godfather and can¡¯t mess things up for us. It¡¯s better to discuss it, isn¡¯t it?¡± Bai Yue really didn¡¯t want to hide here and there; having a baby was truly like guerri warfare.

    Wang Yan nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll call Uncle Baoguo. I¡¯ll take care of this matter; you just be responsible for keeping yourself and the baby well, you hear?¡± Clutching his wife¡¯s hand and refusing to let go, he felt incredibly joyful inside.

    He finally had a child of his own, and it was different. He felt that his life was nowplete.

    Although he never talked about it and truly considered Li Haiping¡¯s three boys his own kids, if he said there wasn¡¯t the slightest hope in his heart, it would be a lie. Which man wouldn¡¯t want a child of their own flesh and blood?

    This had nothing to do with selfishness; it was about a legacy that had been in people¡¯s bones for thousands of years, a tradition no one could escape.

    Especially for Wang Yan, a man in his fifties¡ªnot yearning for a child would be abnormal.

    A wife and children make for a warm bed; it¡¯s a man¡¯s ultimate dream.

    Bai Yue nodded her head.

    The feeling of being cherished was different. She too felt happy because of Wang Yan¡¯s joy, unlike when she had a child of her own and the Li Family red with disapproval as if she wasn¡¯t supposed to have children.

    People really are different.

    Nowadays were the days worth living.

    Sometimes Bai Yue felt grateful to her sister, who had encouraged her, and to Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan for their backing. Otherwise, she didn¡¯t know how she would havepromised.

    How would she have the life she had now?

    Wang Yan went to work cheerfully; all the staff could see that the boss was in a good mood today. He not only wore a smile on his face but was also humming a tune, which was rare. Every now and then, he¡¯d sneak a look at his wife, his eyes practically dripping with honey.

    The waitstaff all grinned mischievously.

    Someone approached and asked, ¡°Boss! What¡¯s the good news today?¡± Their boss was not a stingy man; he was hearty and treated them well. Working here was a pleasure, and the earnings were good, as long as you worked diligently and didn¡¯t ck off.

    They were all from Liupan Vige. The families were willing to let them out to work but worried about them being alone in unfamiliar ces. When the vige chief said Wang Yan needed people and mentioned the high pay, the households were hesitant, afraid that if Wang Yan¡¯s business failed, the sries would be difficult to im.

    Many were hesitant toe.

    They came, biting the bullet, because their parents said Wang Yan wasn¡¯t that kind of man. Besides, they had a n: if the first month¡¯s sry wasn¡¯t paid, they would quit.

    The worst they¡¯d lose was one month¡¯s wage.

    They would also understand what kind of person Wang Yan truly was.

    But once they started working here, they realized the scale of Wang Yan¡¯s business. How could he owe them wages? They were busy as tops every day! There was no time to nickle and dime.

    So they felt bold enough to joke with Wang Yan.

    Wang Yan pped his hand down, ¡°I¡¯m happy today; everyone gets an extra twenty yuan bonus this month. Work hard, and at the end of the year, no one will be shortchanged. Do you hear me?¡± His heart was so full of joy, he wished the whole world could know.

    ¡°Long live the boss! Long live the boss!¡± Everyone cheered, throwing their cleaning rags up in the air.

    All of them were teenagers¡ªhow could they not be happy?

 Chapter 389 - 389 389 Justifying the Name and the Reason

    ?Chapter 389: Chapter 389: Justifying the Name and the Reason   Chapter 389: Chapter 389: Justifying the Name and the Reason                                   Several junior waiters immediately surrounded Wang Yan and asked, ¡°Boss! What¡¯s the happy asion? Tell us so we can be happy too!¡± Their hearts itched with curiosity not knowing the reason.

    Wang Yanughed heartily, but he really wasn¡¯t going to tell them.

    ¡°Get back to work, everyone. The reason I¡¯m happy is because my wife is beautiful and that makes me happy. Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡± he bluffed.

    Bai Yue red at him; this guy was getting slicker by the day.

    But Wang Yan was genuinely good to her, and she believed that.

    ¡°Sheesh! Boss, you¡¯ve got some thick skin!¡±

    Laughed at, weren¡¯t you?

    Wang Yan wasn¡¯t upset; being happy wasn¡¯t a crime, and he simply chose not to share.

    He knew he couldn¡¯t let the vige family nning officials find out about this, or else they¡¯de after them.

    He wouldn¡¯t trouble himself with difort.

    He secretly watched Bai Yue with joy.

    During the afternoon break, Wang Yan hurried out to make a phone call at the post office.

    Liu Baoguo was at the vigemittee when he received the call, surprised. Why would Wang Yan call him all of a sudden?

    ¡°Shitou, what¡¯s up?¡±

    Liu Baoguo was worried. Could something have happened to his daughter, Liu Hong?

    ¡°Nothing, nothing!¡± Wang Yanughed, his teeth barely visible.

    ¡°What are you giggling about? Speak up; phone calls are expensive,¡± Liu Baoguo said, half-amused.

    So you¡¯re just calling for fun, huh?

    ¡°Is something wrong with my daughter, Liu Hong? If something¡¯s happened, you can¡¯t keep it from me,¡± Liu Baoguo still felt uneasy. Although his daughter asionally sent letters iming she was doing well and had even be a boss, he just couldn¡¯t be at ease.

    Being a boss isn¡¯t easy for a young girl like her.

    He feared she might only share the good news while suffering in silence.

    ¡°Uncle Baoguo, there¡¯s really nothing wrong with Liu Hong; she¡¯s doing great! I actually needed to ask you something!¡± Wang Yan decided to cut to the chase before he gave Liu Baoguo a real scare.

    ¡°You have something to ask? What is it? Tell me!¡± Liu Baoguo finally felt somewhat relieved.

    As long as his daughter wasn¡¯t in any trouble, that was fine.

    ¡°Uncle, Yue and I are having a baby.¡±

    Liu Baoguo was overjoyed, ¡°You rascal, well done! Not even a year and you¡¯ve got a kid on the way, that¡¯s great news. You¡¯re almost 40, and you¡¯re finally going to be a father. It¡¯s definitely good news. Let me tell you, it¡¯s hard on a woman to be pregnant. You must take good care of Bai Yue. Otherwise, you¡¯d be doing a disservice to your wife,¡± he advised Wang Yan, speaking from experience.

    ¡°Uncle, I¡¯ll definitely treat Bai Yue well. It¡¯s just that we¡¯ve both been worried about this family nning issue,¡± Wang Yan confessed.

    ¡°Oh, that matter? Don¡¯t you worry. Although the national policy advocates for one child per couple, there are exceptions, like Bai Yue being in her second marriage so she can have another child with you. That¡¯s allowed by national regtions, so go ahead and have the baby without worry. Besides, I¡¯ll arrange a birth permit for you in the vige. With that permit, you¡¯ll be able to have the child there,¡± Liu Baoguo quickly offered a solution, suggesting that even if they weren¡¯t allowed to, they should still have the child; at worst, it would just be a matter of registering the birth.

    This was Wang Yan¡¯s first child after all.

    ¡°Uncle, really? If that¡¯s true, Bai Yue and I will be relieved. We¡¯ve been scared, nning to hide at home once her belly grows bigger so she wouldn¡¯t have to go out. If it¡¯s as you say, we can be boldly confident. Uncle, I¡¯m leaving the worrying bits to you then, please help us get that birth permit,¡± Wang Yan finally feltpletely at ease.

    His child was finally legitimate.

 Chapter 390 - 390 390 Ruckus

    ?Chapter 390: Chapter 390: Ruckus   Chapter 390: Chapter 390: Ruckus                                   Hang up the phone! Liu Baoguo cheerfully strolled back home with his hands sped behind his back.

    Not only were Wang Yan and Bai Yue living well outside, but his own daughter was also benefiting from the light of Bai Xiao and the others. Now, his own daughter was said to be doing well in the city too. Without the help of Bai Xiao and Bai Yue, a young girl like her, unfamiliar with life in such a ce, would never have been able to set up a business.

    His daughter had said in her heart that she was making clothes there, and he believed it.

    His own daughter was a good hand at making clothes in the vige¡ªnot to mention the fit of the clothes she made or the fine stitching, which was much better than that of the average old woman.

    Now, the days of the Bai Family were getting better and better.

    Liu Baoguo couldn¡¯t help but hum a little tune.

    All along the road, the vigers greeted him, all with beaming smiles.

    He was just about to go home and talk with his wife about this.

    But then someone came rushing over in a panic, dragging Liu Baoguo with them.

    ¡°Vige chief, vige chief, something¡¯s happened at Bai Jianguo¡¯s home. You better get there quickly, or there might be a loss of life.¡±

    Liu Baoguo felt sick to his stomach.

    All year round, Bai Jianguo¡¯s family was never short of trouble, and he, as the vige chief, also got a headache every time he saw Bai Jianguo.

    After the New Year, the Bai Family had to scrounge and borrow from all over to finally marry Wu Xiaoyue into their family. The two families had quite a falling out over the bride price, and the mother from the Wu Family had her eyes set on money. In short, without receiving a satisfactory amount for the bride price and dowry, the daughter would rather die than marry.

    In the end, it was the Bai Family whopromised. Bai Zhuang was making threats of life and death at home every day, and Bai Jianguo was helpless, so they ended up borrowing money to make the wedding happen for the young couple.

    The problem was, Wu Xiaoyue was no pushover. As soon as she entered the door, she started making a fuss about splitting the family. She was unwilling to be tied to the big family and had her own ns in mind. She wanted to persuade Bai Zhuang to go out and work with her, hearing that a couple could earn a good sum working for others each month.

    Without splitting the family, any money they earned would still have to be handed over to her inws, and Wu Xiaoyue was certainly not about to agree to that.

    Bai Zhuang was a man who listened to his wife and naturally agreed to everything, resulting in quite amotion between the two and Bai Jianguo¡¯s couple.

    Unfortunately, after all Wu Xiaoyue¡¯s fuss, she realized that the house andnd didn¡¯t belong to Bai Jianguo¡¯s family. If they really made a scene about splitting the family, they might end up leaving with nothing, not even a ce to set foot.

    She did think about dragging Bai Zhuang back to her parents¡¯ home, but Bai Zhuang had his pride, and there was no way he would live under the same roof as his inws.

    So themotion ended up being fruitless.

    The couple couldn¡¯t really just leave with nothing.

    Wu Xiaoyue thought it over and decided she couldn¡¯t make too much of a scene for now. She figured she would first give birth to a child. Once the child was born and could be left with her inws, she and her husband could go out to work and save up money for a few years, enough to build a tiled house and then live separately with the child.

    If she caused too much trouble now, who would take care of the child?

    Her parents back home spoke sweet words¡ªshe was their only daughter, and they doted on her.

    But if she really let her mother take care of the child, with her mother¡¯s eye for money, who knows how much she would demand from them.

    It was better to leave the child with her inws. After all, it was a child of the Bai Family. They wouldn¡¯t possibly throw the child out, would they?

    This way, the couple could work and make money with a little more peace of mind.

    But having already made a scene twice in the vige, that was causing quite a ruckus.

    That¡¯s why Wu Xiaoyue had not been making a fusstely because she was already five months pregnant.

    Now, she was being treated like a sacred Buddha at the Bai Family¡¯s home.

 Chapter 391 - 391 391 Disdain

    ?Chapter 391: Chapter 391 Disdain   Chapter 391: Chapter 391 Disdain                                   ¡°Why does something always happen with the Bai family, what¡¯s it this time?¡± Liu Baoguo was exasperated.

    He felt that encountering the Bai family was truly unlucky.

    ¡°Vige chief, I heard that Bai Jianguo¡¯s son-inw came with some people to demand someone! They said Bai Mei smashed her husband¡¯s head and ran away with the money. Now the son-inw hase storming in with a group,¡± the neighbor who came to report was helpless, living right next to Bai Jianguo¡¯s house, separated only by a wall.

    Any disturbance in the Bai family was impossible for him to ignore,

    and it might even wreak havoc on his own house.

    The walls between their houses were quite low and could easily topple over with a push.

    A slight negligence might bring disaster to his own home.

    His family couldn¡¯t withstand the trouble caused by the Bai family, so no one fled as actively as his family did. Let each family mind its own business.

    ¡°Bai Mei? Does that girl even have such capabilities?¡± Liu Baoguo was unsure of what kind of person Bai Mei was, wondering why the Bai family just couldn¡¯t live peacefully.

    Other families were trying to prosper and get rich, while the Bai family was the opposite, constantly causing trouble and apparently finding peaceful days toofortable.

    But what could he do? He was the vige chief, and even if no one else would intervene, he had to go check.

    When he arrived at the Bai family home, it was already surrounded by people, as such incidents nevercked spectators.

    Seeing the vige chief arrive, they all made way.

    ¡°Vige chief, you¡¯re finally here. Look how Fang Xiaoshan is bullying us to our face in Liupan Vige, as if our women have no paternal home to protect them. Look at the damage they¡¯ve caused, they¡¯re going to drive us to death! My poor daughter, I don¡¯t even know where Fang Xiaoshan has taken her, she¡¯s neither seen alive nor found dead! My daughter, my poor child,¡± Hao Fang saw the vige chief like he was her kin and started wailing, wanting to cling to the vige chief¡¯s legs with her disheveled appearance.

    Liu Baoguo immediately stepped back to avoid her.

    Just kidding, Hao Fang smelled so bad she could stink a person to death, and nobody knew how this woman could be sozy, bing an outcast seen by people as barely better than a pig.

    Who would want her clinging to their leg?

    It was enough to disgust anyone.

    Hao Fang missed hugging him and nearly fell over, stunned for a moment, but she quickly realized she had been shunned!

    She was incredibly angry.

    Who would like to be shunned? Her disheveled appearance wasn¡¯t her fault but caused by that good-for-nothing at home, who hadn¡¯t let her move back for a year. Living next to the pigsty, no wonder she smelled bad.

    Not to mention, her family was in debt because of the festivities for Bai Zhuang, splitting each penny in half was still not enough, she had no money to take care of herself, and she was the sole worker at home, no one lending a hand, thinking life was easy for her.

    She did want to bathe and clean up, but fetching water and chopping wood were her tasks, she was too exhausted to manage, and she thought Wu Xiaoyue marrying into their family would lighten her load! However, Wu Xiaoyue turned out to bezy and spoiled her son shamelessly, always causing trouble with her about splitting the family, barely working at all.

    Now it was even worse, Wu Xiaoyue was pregnant, and she had to treat her like a deity, she was too exhausted to clean up.

    Besides, Bai Jianguo didn¡¯t care about her a bit, even if she cleaned up, who would she do it for?

 Chapter 392 - 392 392 Fang Xiaoshans Days Are Not Easy

    ?Chapter 392: Chapter 392: Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s Days Are Not Easy   Chapter 392: Chapter 392: Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s Days Are Not Easy                                   Liu Baoguo took one look! What a mess, the Bai Family¡¯s courtyard was now inplete disarray, the windows¡¯ sses smashed to smithereens, with baskets and carrying poles all over, and even the water jar had a big hole broken in it, with water flooding the entire yard.

    Bai Jianguo was clutching his head, which had arge purple swelling on top, not knowing whether it was from being hit or knocked.

    Bai Zhuang and Bai Shan were pinned against the corner of the wall, their clothes torn to rags, their faces bruised and dark. This was definitely the result of a beating. Wu Xiaoyue was holding her belly, standing inside the house, too scared toe out, her face full of panic, while a hooligan at the doorstep was leering at her.

    The olddy, however, was making no fuss; the courtyard was thoroughly chaotic.

    Fang Xiaoshan was lounging with one leg over the other, sitting on a bench and making a ruckus.

    ¡°Smash it, hit them. I don¡¯t believe this, Bai Mei can run from the Monk, but not from the temple. If you don¡¯t hand her over today, we are not done. I will use you of marriage fraud, return my family¡¯s betrothal gifts, or else I¡¯ll report you to the police station, and have your whole family thrown in jail.¡±

    Several men, wielding sticks and looking furious.

    Liu Baoguo shouted at the top of his lungs.

    ¡°Stop it all of you! Isn¡¯t therew and order left, doing this in broad daylight? Whoever wants to go to jail, go ahead and smash things, see if you don¡¯t end uppensating or getting locked up!¡± Being the head of the vige, his authority was not to be dismissed.

    With that shout, indeed everyone stopped, some looking at Liu Baoguo with respect.

    Fang Xiaoshan was so scared that he nearly fell off the bench.

    ¡°Who are you anyway? I am just iming my wife from my father-inw. Even if I shout it from the rooftops, it¡¯s my right! What¡¯s it to you?¡± He was brazen and self-assured.

    Fang Xiaoshan felt wronged. This year had been particrly rough for him. First, his uncle severed ties with their familypletely, not interacting with them at all. Initially, he was smug, thinking he had shaken off a burden, no longer having to support his sickly uncle. However, heter found out that after moving to town, his uncle miraculously recovered from his illness and even opened arger grocery store.

    It was said that all three daughters were helping out at the store, and the uncle even bought a TV for one daughter and a motorcycle for the son-inw, making many in the vige green with envy.

    People in the vige said Fang Jianping was now well-off and livingfortably. His son-inw and daughters treated them very well, and they would gather at their house for holidays, with grandchildren swarming around them. They even heard the uncle had bought a house.

    A two-story house with a front and back yard, and now the couple was practically wealthy.

    When he found out, he regretted it deeply, knowing his uncle had been relying on him for old age support, while neglecting his own daughters. Everything should have been his.

    If only that incident hadn¡¯t happened, he wouldn¡¯t be at odds with his uncle. Now, he had to watch his uncle¡¯s family prosper without being able to spend a penny.

    He wanted to mend their rtionship, but he had no face to go back.

    His grandparents had tried once, only to be rebuffed gently but firmly by the uncle and his wife, who said they didn¡¯t need anyone to take care of them in their old age; their daughters were filial enough. Even if they died without anyone to bury them, they wouldn¡¯t support an ingrate.

    Fang Xiaoshan couldn¡¯t stand it andpletely severed ties with his uncle¡¯s family.

    But Xiaoshan, who was used to living a good life, couldn¡¯t bear his current moneyless days, so borrowing money became a regr urrence.

    He demanded money from Bai Mei and when she wouldn¡¯t give it, a beating was unavoidable.

    Lately, Bai Mei had wised up, and he thought he had managed to frighten her into submission.

 Chapter 393 - 393 393 Debt Repayment

    ?Chapter 393: Chapter 393 Debt Repayment   Chapter 393: Chapter 393 Debt Repayment                                   Who would¡¯ve known Bai Mei had such crooked thoughts.

    Through whispers and rumors, Fang Xiaoshan learned that Bai Mei was getting cozy with an outsider who often came to their vige to collect local products. Initially, Xiaoshan didn¡¯t believe it, confident in his control over her; Bai Mei would have to wish for death to be daring enough to hook up with someone else.

    Wasn¡¯t she afraid he¡¯d beat her to death?

    Moreover, with her dead fish-like demeanor, who would take an interest in her?

    But the vigers¡¯ gossip grew uglier, and some imed they saw Bai Mei sneaking into the cornfields with that man, describing the scene so vividly it was as if they were right there watching. Xiaoshan couldn¡¯t hold back any longer, especially since he had recently umted a mountain of debt and was being hounded by his creditors to the point where he saw no way out either in heaven or on earth. So, he decided to go for broke and struck a deal with a creditor, offering up Bai Mei to pay off his debts. After all, he owed a lot of money and couldn¡¯t possibly pay it back, but the creditor even agreed to give him an extra five hundred yuan.

    He couldn¡¯t care less whether Bai Mei lived or died once at others¡¯ hands; his suffering days would finally be over. Bai Mei, a hen thatid no eggs, was not worth his distress. In the worst case, he could simply find another wife.

    He had everything nned out perfectly, anticipating that once Bai Mei was taken away, he would storm into the Bai family¡¯s home creating a scene, demanding they cough up the bride price. This way, he would get his cut from both ends without losing a dime.

    Therefore, when he returned home, Xiaoshan even bought wine and dishes, intending to treat Bai Mei well onest time as husband and wife.

    But as soon as he mentioned the debt, Bai Mei panicked.

    She pointed at his nose, calling him a wimp, a rotten gambler! A non-man who couldn¡¯t support a family and even pressured his own wife to pay off his debts. Her insults were venomous, so sharp that they hit Xiaoshan right in the heart. Unable to contain himself, a physical fight broke out between them. For Xiao Shan¡¯s misfortune, he underestimated her, thinking she would never dare to fight back as before.

    But this time, Bai Mei was desperate.

    He was going to sell her, and of course, Bai Mei wouldn¡¯t stand for it.

    Falling into the hands of those usurers would be a terrible fate, and she wasn¡¯t a fool. She had been mingling with Zhao Deshun, the merchandise collector, and was not uninformed about the kinds of lives some women led outside. She knew all too well that those bastards weren¡¯t spending big bucks to take her in for nothing, so she was certain that nothing good awaited her. Instead of facing that, why not elope with Zhao Deshun? After all, he had been persuading her to run away with him every day, and this was the perfect opportunity.

    So, Bai Mei grabbed a fire poker and struck Xiaoshan on the head, knocking him out cold, rendering him unconscious for a full day and night.

    Xiaoshan being knocked out wasn¡¯t the main issue.

    But Bai Mei also took the five hundred yuan he had just obtained and not yet spent. She went to the elderly master and mistress iming that Xiaoshan was ill and needed to see a doctor, suggesting they needed some money. When the elders visited him, they found him truly unconscious and were terrified, so they gave Bai Mei a hundred yuan to fetch a doctor, not knowing that she would vanish without a trace.

    As soon as Xiaoshan came to, he knew something terrible had happened.

    Bai Mei had run off without a trace, taking with her the five hundred yuan he had received. Now that his wife was gone, how was he supposed to survive?

    Of course, Xiaoshan could not let it go. In a rush, he brought along the usurers and headed straight to the Bai family¡¯s home, convinced that Bai Mei had no other ce to go and must have returned to her parent¡¯s house.

    If he failed to bring her back, he was certain he wouldn¡¯t survive.

    And so this drama unfolded.

    Little did he know that Bai Mei hadn¡¯t gone back to her family¡¯s home at all.

 Chapter 394 - 394 394 The Wicked Accuse First

    ?Chapter 394: Chapter 394: The Wicked use First   Chapter 394: Chapter 394: The Wicked use First                                   ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Fang Xiaoshan, my daughter hasn¡¯te back, yet you¡¯re still asking me for someone? I should be the one asking you! Hand over my daughter, did you do something to her? Give me a straight answer!¡± Hao Fang wasn¡¯t someone to be trifled with.

    Now that the vige chief was present, she immediately started jumping up and down, pointing at Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s nose and cursing.

    Liu Baoguo nced at Fang Xiaoshan! No matter what, he couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch the Bai Family get beaten up; that definitely wasn¡¯t eptable.

    ¡°Let everyone go! If you have something to say, say it nicely, don¡¯t think we are easy to bully. Bai Mei hasn¡¯te back at all. Youe demanding a person without even asking around?¡± Liu Baoguo¡¯s intervention was inevitable.

    The loan sharks immediately let go; it was different when someone dared to step in.

    After all, this was the vige chief, they couldn¡¯t stir up trouble here.

    ¡°What about it, vige chief? If you are in charge, then good, let the Bai Family hand over my wife. A perfectly healthy person took six hundred from our home and vanished without a trace. Are the Bai Family trying to scam me into marriage? Today, if you don¡¯t hand over the person, not even the king of heaven can help you.¡± Fang Xiaoshan let loose, nowpletely bereft of money and people, how could he not be anxious?

    The loan sharks were there to take someone, so naturally, they wouldn¡¯t cause a scene, standing aside and backing up Fang Xiaoshan.

    ¡°Yeah, hand the person over.¡±

    ¡°She must have taken the money and run off with some wild man, right?¡±

    Several thugs had already released Bai Jianguo, Bai Shan, and Bai Zhuang, and the three men immediately took cover behind Liu Baoguo. They had just taken a beating, and the Bai men were not the sort to lead the charge; now, they were huddling behind the vige chief, dirty and disheveled, with Bai Jianguo so angry his nose was almost crooked.

    In his life, he had never been humiliated like this.

    By now, he knew in his heart that Bai Mei had probably really run away. It wasn¡¯t without precedent; she had already stolen money from the family home once before, when things were unhappy with Fang Xiaoshan.

    Fang Xiaoshan beat Bai Mei often, having even caused her to miscarry twice. Now that Bai Mei had taken the money and run, it really was something she could do.

    But even if Bai Jianguo knew this in his heart, he absolutely wouldn¡¯t admit it now. If he did, with the way Fang Xiaoshan was acting, he would certainly extort money from them. The family was already living a difficult life. Ever since Bai Xiao and others had left, the olddy¡¯s control over money had reached an obsessive level, and Li Chunhua really didn¡¯t treat them politely at all.

    Even though Li Chunhua still treated her son well, doting on him heart and soul, there was no money, no grain, and certainly no chance of a house to be had.

    In short, the olddy had be utterly fixated on money now.

    She didn¡¯t recognize any family rtion.

    Bai Zhuang¡¯s marriage had also plunged them into debt. So, to the death, they could not admit that Bai Mei had run away. They had to insist she was harmed by Fang Xiaoshan; only that way they could turn defeat into victory.

    ¡°Vige chief, you must stand up for us. My daughter has disappeared without a trace, and Fang Xiaoshan is acting like a thief crying ¡®stop the thief.¡¯ My poor daughter, you have to bear witness for me. Our Bai Mei was a well-behaved and honest child, but now she¡¯s gone just like that after marrying into their family. We¡¯re going to sue them¡ªthis is a case of plotting for wealth and causing death. And they¡¯re trying to pin the me on my daughter. Fang Xiaoshan, you cursed wretch, may you be struck by lightning! Give me back my daughter¡¯s life!¡± Bai Jianguo immediately began cursing; even the way people in the vige looked at them now had changed.

    Yes, in their eyes, Bai Jianguo had always been a solid, honest, straightforward man, and now look what¡¯s happened: he started jumping around and cursing like the vige shrew.

    This was enough to make everyone¡¯s jaws drop.

 Chapter 395 - 395 395 Chickened Out

    ?Chapter 395: Chapter 395: Chickened Out   Chapter 395: Chapter 395: Chickened Out                                   Fang Xiaoshan was fed up, seeing the Bai Family about to deflect me onto others.

    ¡°Listen here, Mr. Bai, don¡¯t spew lies! Your daughter did shameless things and eloped with someone. In our vige, your daughter is notorious. I¡¯m sure she ran off with some random man. Your family mustpensate me for my loss; either return my bride price and dowry today or hand her over. Thinking you can pull a fast one, no way!¡± He waved his fists, yelling at Bai Jianguo.

    With a fierce re, Liu Baoguo looked ready to hit someone.

    ¡°Today you all im justice on your side, defending your own case. Let¡¯s not talk nonsense; since Fang Xiaoshan, you¡¯re iming your money was taken by his daughter, and he says you plotted against his daughter¡¯s life. I¡¯m the vige chief, and I can¡¯t handle these messes. So, here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do¡ªI¡¯ll call the police station and have the police deal with this.

    Since you¡¯re iming she ran off, well, that makes things easy. We¡¯ll find her, and since you¡¯re used of plotting for money and causing harm, we should investigate why she disappeared and what has happened recently, right? You yourself can exin it to the police, no need to shout here.

    Bottom line, you guys can¡¯t start hitting each other now. Whoever dares to strike another blow, I¡¯ll make sure you regret it,¡± Liu Baoguo¡¯s stern speech immediately dampened Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s fire.

    Others might not know the details, but didn¡¯t he know himself? Could he talk about his gambling with loan sharks at the police station?

    Plus, attempting to sell his own wife; if that got out, who would stand by him?

    He had rushed here today all bluster, trying to beat others to the punch byining first, hoping to lessen his losses and get some money back. But now, with the vige chief here warning of calling the police.

    He just didn¡¯t have the guts for that.

    ¡°This is bullying; you made my wife disappear! Now you even dare to y the victim first? I, I won¡¯t deal with you unreasonable people anymore, I¡¯ll have my parents talk to you, and this isn¡¯t over!¡± Fang Xiaoshan immediately backed down.

    Hearing about calling the police, the loan sharks felt uneasy too.

    Engaged in business they can¡¯t afford to make known, several ruffians pretending to pee or smoke quietly dissolved into the crowd and slipped away.

    Seeing the tide turning against him, Fang Xiaoshan quickly slipped away too; he wasn¡¯t about to wait around to be caught.

    A wise man does not eat the loss before his eyes.

    Bara broke through the crowd and started to flee.

    Desperate, Hao Fang chased after him, shouting.

    ¡°Fang Xiaoshan, you scoundrel, bring my daughter back! Otherwise, I¡¯ll have the police arrest you, you bastard! Don¡¯t you run, if you are a man, don¡¯t run.¡± This was her using her power to bully him.

    Liu Baoguo looked at Bai Jianguo, who was bruised and battered.

    He shook his head; what a family.

    ¡°Alright, alright, disperse everyone, don¡¯t crowd here anymore. Isn¡¯t there anything better to do? Watching the spectacle, nobody cared to step in when they saw the assault.¡±

    The vigers immediately dispersed.

    At that moment, those people looked fierce and menacing; who would dare to intervene, only to be beaten for nothing?

    ¡°Vige chief, you must stand up for us, they can¡¯t just make my daughter disappear like this!¡± Hao Fang still hoped Liu Baoguo would confront the Fang Family on her behalf.

    Liu Baoguo nced at them impatiently, ¡°We don¡¯t even know who¡¯s right or wrong in this situation; what can I possibly do for you? Better start looking for your daughter. If she really ran off with someone else, it won¡¯t look good on you either.¡± He walked away, hands behind his back.

 Chapter 396 - 396 396 Neither Money Nor Life to Give

    ?Chapter 396: Chapter 396: Neither Money Nor Life to Give   Chapter 396: Chapter 396: Neither Money Nor Life to Give                                   Hao Fang watched as Liu Baoguo washed his hands of the matter, hate burning in her heart.

    When it was Bai Yue¡¯s turn to be bullied, the vige chief would swing his staff and beat people up, irrationally shielding Bai Yue. But when it came to their Bai Mei, a few light words and that was it¡ªsuch a disparity in treatment.

    This was just too oppressive.

    Liu Baoguo didn¡¯t know what Hao Fang was thinking. If he had known, he probably would have thrown out a phrase, ¡°Serves you right, you troublemaker.¡±

    Did she really think she could be treated the same as Bai Yue?

    It would be strange if the treatment of close and distant rtives were the same.

    As if he wanted to deal with their family¡¯s mess.

    Hao Fang went over to pull Bai Jianguo, not daring to hold on without letting go. Bai Jianguo didn¡¯t care for her now, mainly because no one in the family cared for her anymore. Everyone looked at her with disgust. If she hadn¡¯t shamelessly gone around to other people¡¯s houses at mealtime to scrounge for food, she probably would have starved to death without anyone caring.

    ¡°What do we do now, Dad? Just leave Meizi like this?¡± She wanted to bring Bai Mei back; what good coulde to a woman out there alone?

    But she didn¡¯t know where to start looking.

    Bai Jianguo cursed irritably, ¡°All thanks to this wonderful daughter you gave birth to, isn¡¯t it humiliating enough? Haven¡¯t you heard? Meizi ran off with someone. Fang Xiaoshan came to demand her. Let me tell you, don¡¯t ever bring this up again. Insist that we¡¯ve never seen Meizi. Just say it was the Fang Family who lost our Meizi. Otherwise, with our family¡¯s situation, what could we possibly offer as a dowry?¡±

    Bringing up this daughter filled Bai Jianguo with irritation. Life could be good, yet she just had to create these messes.

    It wasn¡¯t just embarrassing; it was also bringing trouble to her own family.

    That wasn¡¯t good at all.

    They all might end up suffering because of it.

    ¡°Now you turn around and me me? Did I raise this daughter alone, or don¡¯t you have anything to do with it? Meizi ran away, and if she¡¯s gone, shouldn¡¯t you, her father, be med? Every time she got beaten, those two times by Fang Xiaoshan that left Wu Xiaoyue bruised, did you ever step up to defend her? Always telling her to endure, just because you were afraid they¡¯de to ask for the dowry money. Now she¡¯s run off, you don¡¯t even care if your daughter is dead or alive, you just worry about the money.

    Are you even human? Aren¡¯t you her father?¡± Although Hao Fang was never that good a person, when it came to caring for her children, she was more attentive than Bai Jianguo.

    Bai Jianguo was already furiously upset, and scolded by his detestable wife, with both his sons still in the house and able to hear her words, where could he put his face as the head of the family?

    Sure enough, Wu Xiaoyue¡¯s voice was heard from the next room.

    ¡°How can you me Dad for this little sister running off? Her legs are on her body, not a toddler to be tethered by your side. She just wants to be wild. Haven¡¯t you heard what the Fang Family said? She ran off with some man from another vige. If that weren¡¯t true, why would Fang Xiaoshan, a grown man, allow himself to be cuckolded?¡± The insinuations in her tone were infuriating.

    Basically, it meant that Bai Mei was unchaste.

    Bai Jianguo immediately jumped up in anger.

    With one kick, he knocked Hao Fang down. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know I, Bai Jianguo, do not have such a disgraceful, shameless daughter. Stop bringing her up in front of me, or I¡¯ll hit you every time you do. Our family will pretend she doesn¡¯t exist. Got it? If the Fang Familyes making trouble, we bite the bullet and say they lost our girl. No money given, no life owed. If the Fang Family can, let them find Bai Mei themselves.¡±

 Chapter 397 - 397 397 Group Fight

    ?Chapter 397: Chapter 397: Group Fight   Chapter 397: Chapter 397: Group Fight                                   Li Chunhua sat on the kang in the room, listening to themotion outside, her eyes full of indifference.

    She hade to realize that her son and his wife were good for nothing, corrupting their children one by one, turning them into worthless beings.

    How could she have ever been so blind as to think her second son and his family were all good?

    She refused to leave this ce to her death because she felt she hadmitted many sins. Regarding Bai Xiao, she might not have felt much guilt, after all, she was not rted by blood.

    She did not think she had done anything wrong.

    Yet, when it came to Bai Song, Bai Yue, and Bai Ju, the olddy did have a moment of conscience, knowing she had not treated her grandchildren well and felt guilty about it.

    She wouldn¡¯t follow Bai Song and his family partly because she indeed had been in the wrong and was too ashamed to go with her grandson. Additionally, it was hard for her to ept that she had given so much to her younger son, only to end up with such a result; anybody would feel ufortable about that.

    She just wanted to stay here and see what would be of her second son¡¯s family.

    After all, Xiaoshan¡¯s family still owed her. The money she had poured into them over the years, the numerous things they had taken from her¡ªnow if she left, this house would surely be Xiaoshan¡¯s permanent residence, and why should he livefortably? When it was time to enjoy, he stayed with her, but when it was time to take care of her and provide filial piety, he instead troubled his grandchildren.

    Once her sense of bnce was disturbed, she felt a profound resentment towards Xiaoshan¡¯s family.

    At this moment, the olddy actually felt a bit of schadenfreude.

    Meanwhile, Xiaoshan had returned to the vige looking utterly dejected.

    Before even entering his home, he saw a crowd gathered outside, which infuriated Xiaoshan. He started cursing, ¡°What are you all gathering around our house for? Go mind your own business! Is this spectacle so interesting for you? Get the hell out of here, you have no other business all day but poking your noses into other people¡¯s misfortunes.¡± He was fuming inside.

    Things had been going terribly wrongtely.

    As soon as he entered the house, he saw that the loan sharks were already there waiting for him.

    After being cornered at their ce, it was his turn to have his home turned into a disy of power. The yard was already a mess from their earlier rampage.

    The olddy, the old man, and his own parents were all shivering and hiding in the corner of the yard.

    Xiaoshan immediately put on a smile. He could be assertive with others outside, but he didn¡¯t dare show defiance to these people who didn¡¯t buy his tough act.

    Frankly, he was nothing but a coward who bullied the weak and feared the strong.

    ¡°Boss, look at this mess. Don¡¯t worry, I promise I¡¯ll find that olddy for you. Just give me some time, and I¡¯ll definitely bring her back to you.¡± Now that things hade to this, Xiaoshan was feeling nervous; these people were not to be messed with, and he knew he¡¯d be in deep trouble if he didn¡¯t handle it right.

    ¡°Teach him a lesson. Paying off debts is only natural,¡± the boss said.

    His order triggered his underlings to start attacking.

    Seven or eight men surrounded Xiaoshan and beat him relentlessly.

    This was the kind of job they enjoyed.

    It was nothing but a group beating.

    Xiaoshan wailed under the punches and kicks.

    Xiaoshan¡¯s grandfather, the olddy, and Xiaoshan¡¯s parents all panicked. No matter how much of a scoundrel Xiaoshan was, he was still their only son.

    They started crying and wanted to intervene.

    But they were threatened by a group wielding sticks, ¡°Get the fuck back, all of you, or you¡¯ll suffer. Old coffins!¡±

    The four of them really didn¡¯t dare to step in; you could negotiate with some people, but these were not the ones to meddle with¡ªthey were ready to use lethal force.

    Watching Xiaoshan howl, they didn¡¯t dare to move; the olddy was so anxious tears streamed down her face.

 Chapter 398 - 398 398 I Have Money

    ?Chapter 398: Chapter 398 I Have Money   Chapter 398: Chapter 398 I Have Money                                   ¡°Brother! Brother! Stop hitting me! Stop hitting me!¡± Fang Xiaoshan tumbled and crawled to his older brother, clinging desperately to his legs, begging for mercy. In essence, he was a spineless man, already in so much pain from the beating he felt like dying.

    Now, he¡¯d do anything as long as they spared him.

    ¡°Stop hitting you? Then tell us! How do you n to pay us back? You owe us five thousand all together. You were supposed to use your wife to settle the debt, but now she¡¯s also run off. So, we can onlye after you.¡± This time, the loan sharks were a new group of people.

    Fang Xiaoshan cursed Bai Mei silently, thinking if only she hadn¡¯t run away, he wouldn¡¯t be suffering this torture now.

    Bai Mei knew too, she must have thought, if she didn¡¯t run, she¡¯d be the one suffering.

    Only a fool wouldn¡¯t run.

    ¡°Brother, brother, I really have no money. Give me a couple of days to gather some; can¡¯t I try to repay you then?¡± Fang Xiaoshan knew clearly that with Bai Mei gone, he had nothing substantial to offer. It¡¯d be strange if they didn¡¯t demand money from him.

    His current n was just a stopgap; he was still figuring out a better one, nning to flee in the middle of the night just like anyone else with legs.

    Fang Xiaoshan had made up his mind already; trapped without options for the moment, he thought he¡¯d try asking his parents for some moneyter, and then he¡¯d leave in the middle of the night himself.

    The outside world was vast; the sky was the limit, where birds fly freely. He nned to make his way to the city, perhaps even make a name for himself one day.

    Then, repaying the money would be a trivial matter.

    ¡°You want two days? You make it sound so easy. Do you think we are fools? Your wife has already run away, and if you run away tonight, then whom shall we go after? Your old man and olddy don¡¯t owe us money. It¡¯s not right nor reasonable to demand money from them. You better exin clearly today how you intend to repay us. If you can¡¯te up with a solution, the guys here will break your legs for you.¡±

    So we don¡¯t have to worry about you running off and Monk losing his temple. We can¡¯t afford to have our efforts wasted.

    Thinking loan sharks are fools?

    They¡¯ve seen many like Fang Xiaoshan before, always eventually running away.

    Now, if they don¡¯t sort this out properly, they¡¯ll definitely not get their money back in the future.

    Several thugs held sticks, sporadically tapping them in their hands and ring threateningly at Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s legs, almost as if they genuinely wished to break them.

    Fang Xiaoshan was terrified.

    ¡°Don¡¯t! Don¡¯t, dear brothers, please show mercy, don¡¯t break my legs. I¡¯ll figure out a way to get you the money, I really will repay you. I still have money. My uncle is rich; he does business in town and has money,¡± Fang Xiaoshan blurted out in desperation, finally remembering he had a wealthy uncle.

    ¡°Who are you fooling? Do you think we¡¯re idiots? We¡¯ve already checked everything thoroughly. Your uncle has long severed ties with your family. He even gave your grandparents his house for their retirement, a fact well known around your vige, clearly documented in ck and white. You, a mere nephew, dreaming of getting money from your uncle? You must be dreaming,¡± the loan shark leader sneered, not to be taken for a fool. Those in this business don¡¯t survive without thorough investigations.

    Loan sharking also requires homework; first, they need to thoroughly investigate the debtors¡¯ family circumstances, identifying who is easy or difficult to deal with. For those who are difficult, they approach in a rtively gentler manner, and can¡¯t excessively jack up the interest rates.

    But for those who are easy targets, there¡¯s no mercy in how they are squeezed.

 Chapter 399 - 399 399 Revealing Hidden Motives

    ?Chapter 399: Chapter 399: Revealing Hidden Motives   Chapter 399: Chapter 399: Revealing Hidden Motives                                   ¡°My grandparents can definitely get money from my uncle; I am the only child in our family, and my uncle is counting on me to support him in his old age. He surely can¡¯t ignore me¡ªdon¡¯t worry,¡± Fang Xiaoshan suddenly remembered the kindness of Fang Jianping at this moment.

    Initially, it was always Fang Jianping whom he approached whenever he owed money, feeling somewhat secretly annoyed at himself for how blind he had been. He thought about going to apologize to his uncle¡ªeven if it meant kneeling and bowing down¡ªas long as he could coax the uncle back, he could have as much money as he wanted.

    As for being beaten to this state now.

    The loan shark chuckled and pointed to his men, ¡°Come, help him up.¡±

    As long as the money could be paid back, they would of course be pleasant and smiling.

    A man came over and hoisted Fang Xiaoshan right up.

    There, in the presence of these men, Fang Xiaoshan desperately squeezed out a smile, the corners of his mouth torn and bleeding, each smile pulling painfully at the wounds.

    ¡°Big brother, how about you wait here while I go to the town to ask my uncle for money, will that work for you?¡±

    Fang Xiaoshan had made up his mind; once he got out that door, he was definitely going to run.

    If he ran, leaving the old man and the others here to face the consequences, he did not believe his uncle could ignore his grandparents.

    ¡°Don¡¯t! How can we trouble a great man like you with such things?¡±

    Don¡¯t think that this ¡®big brother¡¯ has risen to his position for nothing; he had seen much of the world. How could he not see through such petty tricks with his sharp eyes?

    The firm big hand patted Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s shoulder.

    Almost knocking Fang Xiaoshan down.

    ¡°Old man, old woman, your grandson will just stay right here waiting for the both of you. Whether he can keep his legs today depends on whether you can get the money back. You two better hurry there and back! There are no cars going to town anymore. It will trouble you to walk up there, but we will have the difficulty of waiting here.¡± The loan shark big brother said to the old man and old woman with a smile.

    The grandparents, ncing at their grandson with a woeful face, knew well that they could not get through this ordeal today; other than going to the younger son, there really was no other way.

    ¡°Don¡¯t hit him, don¡¯t hit him, we will figure out a way to get the money, just don¡¯t hit him! Speak nicely, please.¡± The grandfather was out of options, his life had been turned into shambles by his grandson.

    The peaceful and affluent life they used to know was now gone due to constant debt collections.

    At this moment, the grandparents finally understood the value of the younger son; how good it was with him around before¡ªhe took care of everything, and there was always money when needed. But now, Fang Jianping had made up his mind not to care about them. This time, the grandparents had decided to approach the younger son; if he ignored them, they would rather die at his doorstep.

    This was desperation¡ªthey were pushing themselves to death, otherwise Fang Xiaoshan would definitely not ovee this ordeal.

    Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s parents were anxious, ¡°Mom and Dad, why don¡¯t we go ask for money together? How can you two manage that long mountainous road on your own?¡± Neither wanted to stay in the house surrounded by loan sharks, who clearly looked violent and had smashed almost everything inside; they were already terrified.

    Now that there was a chance to leave, who would want to stay?

    The loan shark big brother sneered, ¡°Don¡¯t try any tricks with me, get going quickly; you two kill the chickens. All the brothers are starving, cook us two chickens, make sure it tastes good and serve us well, or your son will suffer.¡±

    Thinking of escaping also depended on whether they would allow it.

 Chapter 400 - 400 400 Coming to the Door

    ?Chapter 400: Chapter 400: Coming to the Door   Chapter 400: Chapter 400: Coming to the Door                                   The couple was so scared by the harsh demands of others that they immediately mped their mouths shut and headed to the backyard to catch chickens.

    Looking at about a dozen chickens in the backyard cages, they felt heartache, but what could they do about feeling heartbroken?

    Now, the family¡¯s life had descended into chaos.

    The husband and wife secretly med Bai Mei, saying, ¡°Why did you have to run? If you hadn¡¯t run, wouldn¡¯t our problem have been solved?¡±

    They didn¡¯t consider why Bai Mei should help your son pay off his debts.

    If Bai Mei were here, she¡¯d probably run faster than anyone.

    The old man and the olddy could only sigh, supporting each other as they headed into town.

    Fang Jianping was now livingfortably. His three daughters, due to the change in their father¡¯s attitude, had be very affectionate with their parents.

    It wasn¡¯t that they didn¡¯t want to interact before, but each time they came, their own father would have a sour look, and no one wanted to deal with his moods.

    They knew he didn¡¯t favor his daughters.

    But now, for some reason, their father had be enlightened. He greeted each of them with a smile, and his warm manner made the three daughters feel uneasy, wondering if their father had developed hysteria.

    If it were hysteria, they¡¯d rather their father never regained rity. Their hardworking parents had earned money their entire lives, only for it to be squandered by the prodigal son. They weren¡¯t concerned about the money, though, since all three of them were living well. They didn¡¯tck money or necessities, having their own homes and cars, and their children were growing up strong and healthy.

    They were just distressed for their parents, who gave everything to others only to be underappreciated in return.

    Now, it was as if the sun had finally risen from the west. With their parents¡¯ newfound rity and severance from the family, their lives had be even morefortable.

    Especially for the three sisters, their parents even bought them television sets and motorcycles for their three sons-inw. If it were before, this money would have gone to their grandparents and Fang Xiaoshan. It wasn¡¯t about the money for them, it just made them feel uneasy.

    So the three families got along exceptionally well with their inws.

    Especially the three sons-inw, who would drop by to help out with whatever needed doing, whether there was a specific reason or not.

    Yang Mei was sick a while ago, and the eldest son-inw didn¡¯t hesitate to drive his mother-inw to the hospital. The three daughters took turns caring for her at the hospital, a stark contrast to the past when he was sick at home and nobody even bothered about him.

    Therefore, Fang Jianping and Yang Mei were now utterly resolute at heart.

    Even though their daughters were girls, they were still their own, and the anxious bustling of the three when she was ill made it clear who was truly family and who was not.

    Fang Jianping hade to realize it didn¡¯t matter whether his children were sons or daughters. As long as they were his own, they would care for him in old age. If he encountered unfilial behaviors like Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s, even if they were his own parents, they probably wouldn¡¯t care about him in his old age.

    Not to mention being filial.

    And about the nonsense of smashing the filial piety bowl when he died, well, he would be dead by then, so what if they smashed it or not? His daughters could handle it. At worst, it would be aughing matter. Once a person dies, they¡¯re gone, and theughs would be justughs.

    After all, they had lived their lives with a clear conscience.

    The couple was busy in the house today, as the eldest daughter and granddaughter were visiting. They were making dumplings for them in the house.

    Yang Mei was inside, chatting about everyday things with her daughter while wrapping dumplings when she heard someone crying anding inside.

 Chapter 401 - 401 401 Im Happy With My Own Daughter (Monthly

    ?Chapter 401: Chapter 401 I¡¯m Happy With My Own Daughter (Monthly Ticket Additional Release)   Chapter 401: Chapter 401 I¡¯m Happy With My Own Daughter (Monthly Ticket Additional Release)                                   ¡°Second brother, the sky might as well have fallen, you just can¡¯t ignore this, if you do! Our family might truly be finished,¡± the olddy¡¯s uniquely loud voice shouted as she rushed through the door.

    Yang Mei furrowed her brow¡ªIt had been some time since the old man and olddy hade making a fuss.

    More than three months ago, they created a ruckus multiple times, but in the end, they were repelled by the husband and wife whether through soft words or force.

    In any case, the bottom line was they wouldn¡¯t get any money.

    What trouble had cropped up this time?

    This household, it can¡¯t be peaceful even for a day.

    And with Fang Xiaoshan, that gambling-addled fool in the house, it¡¯s no wonder the days never pass quietly.

    Thankfully, they had severed ties with the family back then. Otherwise, judging by the past, even if the two of them toiled like oxen and horses, it still wouldn¡¯t be enough to fill Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s bottomless pit.

    The eldest daughter nced at her mother, ¡°Let¡¯s go out and take a look.¡±

    No matter what, those are your grandparents. Even if you im to be as tall as the sky, you can¡¯t deny your elders.

    Dusting off the flour from her hands, she led her own daughter out, and Yang Mei followed with her daughter, the three of theming out together.

    Sure enough, the olddy was sitting on a stool, crying and wailing.

    ¡°Grandpa and Grandma, what¡¯s wrong? What happened? Come inside to talk, it¡¯s no good airing your business out here where everyone can see and make it into a joke,¡± the eldest daughter said as she invited the old man and olddy into the inner room. The front part was their shop, and the back was their courtyard home, very convenient. A little courtyard with a well separated all this.

    The olddy¡¯s face soured the moment she saw her granddaughter. It was all because of these money-losing goods. Otherwise, how could her son have the heart to abandon them?

    She didn¡¯t even reflect on how she had treated her own son in the past.

    Even when sick and bedridden, she wanted the second son to make room, and even thought to give away herst penny. She was unkind to her own son, yet she expected others to treat her with benevolence and righteousness.

    The olddy, this was clearly a case of ¡®officials are allowed to set fires, but themon people aren¡¯t allowed to lightmps¡¯.

    ¡°Why are you here? Everything¡¯s fine, why aren¡¯t you staying at your own home instead of running to your parents¡¯ ce?¡±

    This one statement instantly darkened the faces of both Fang Jianping and Yang Mei, ¡°Mom, aren¡¯t you overstepping? My own daughtering back to my home is none of your business. Even if she lives here every day, I¡¯m happy about it because she is my dear daughter. Speak if you have something to say, otherwise, please head back soon. It spares you getting upset over here and us feeling ufortable,¡± Fang Jianping said.

    This time, his wife didn¡¯t need to speak up. Fang Jianping took matters into his own hands. He could see that if his wife started talking, the olddy would definitely not stop criticizing her. This mother-inw scolding her daughter-inw, you couldn¡¯t even argue against it.

    But he was the son. If she wanted to me or curse someone, let here at him.

    Why should she always bother his wife and his own daughter?

    The olddy was almost faint with anger at her son¡¯s rebuke. Looking at the second brother, it seemed he was no longer on the same side as them. Originally, when she mentioned that this money-losing good-for-nothing should not stay at her parents¡¯ house, her second son was on her side.

    But now, just as she started speaking, the second son began to counter her.

    ¡°Second brother, what¡¯s this? Can¡¯t I even talk about your daughter now? Is your daughter made of gold or silver? I¡¯m her grandmother, but I can¡¯t even say a word? I am your mother; I came to visit you, how can you push an old person out like this?¡±

    Old man Fang took a hold of the olddy. They weren¡¯t here to quarrel. With such blunt words, if they pushed the second brother too far, how could they expect him to give them money?

    He also resented the olddy for not choosing the right time.

 Chapter 402 - 402 402 What is Divorce (Extra Monthly Ticket

    ?Chapter 402: Chapter 402: What is Divorce? (Extra Monthly Ticket Update)   Chapter 402: Chapter 402: What is Divorce? (Extra Monthly Ticket Update)                                   The olddy finally came to her senses.

    She wasn¡¯t here to throw her weight around. If she did, and pushed the second son too hard, wouldn¡¯t they ultimately be the ones to suffer?

    She shut her mouth in frustration.

    Fang Jianping nced at Yang Mei, ¡°My dear, you stay here and watch the store; I¡¯ll go inside with mom and dad to talk for a while.¡±

    He didn¡¯t want Yang Mei to be upset by following them.

    Yang Mei gave a look that said, ¡®don¡¯t be foolish and let yourself be taken advantage of again.¡¯

    Fang Jianping smiled, understanding his wife was worried.

    It was his own fault for going too far in the past, which left such asting impression on his wife.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the back room to talk, mom and dad. It¡¯s not convenient with all these peopleing and going,¡± he directed his parents straight into the backyard.

    The older daughter didn¡¯t follow. What was the point?

    Her grandparents were just old-fashioned believers in the superiority of men over women. If she went in, it would just result in being scolded and rebuked. It was better to stay here with her own mother.

    Yang Mei picked up a cloth and began wiping the merchandise on the shelves.

    ¡°What do you think grandpa and grandma want this time?¡±

    The older daughterughed, ¡°Do you even need to ask? It¡¯s definitely because that troublemaker at home has caused another mess, and they want dad to clean it up!¡± Everyone in that family waszy and good-for-nothing. Who else would they turn to if not dad?

    ¡°Do you think dad might give in again? I¡¯m really worried the olddy and old man will start their crying, making a scene, threatening to hang themselves and dad will be pulled back in. If our family goes back to the old ways, you kids won¡¯t have a good life,¡± Yang Mei said, unwilling to regress after finally getting to live a decent life.

    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry. I think dad¡¯s resolve is much stronger now; he¡¯s improved leaps and boundspared to before. Besides, even if dad wanted to go back to the old ways, you wouldn¡¯t allow it. I heard you speaking so firmlyst time, saying that if he dared to secretly support his parents financially, you would divorce him. Why don¡¯t you have that determination now?¡±

    The older daughter teased her mother, and the little toddler in her arms naively asked Yang Mei.

    ¡°Grandma, what is divorce?¡±

    Yang Mei¡¯s face twitched, wondering how her daughter could be so disrespectful to her own mother.

    ¡°Go ask your mom,¡± she replied.

    The older daughterughed, hugging her child and said jokingly, ¡°Your grandma just doesn¡¯t want to cook for your grandpa anymore, that¡¯s called a divorce.¡±

    The granddaughter looked puzzledly at her mom, finally understanding, ¡°Oh, so are you and dad divorced now? You just don¡¯t cook for dad anymore.¡±

    Yang Mei burst outughing.

    Served her right! She had shot herself in the foot.

    The older daughterughed out loud, hugging her child deeply.

    The sound ofughter from outside permeated through the door, reaching the clear ears of the olddy and old man inside.

    They were utterly disgusted.

    With such a big crisis at home, about to bring the house down, and those two were thereughing carelessly. The saying is so true¨C¡¯One does not know a family until one has entered the house¡¯. Could these two be any more of outsiders?

    Looking at their granddaughter, it seemed as if she was raised by someone else¡¯s family, not caring at all about her parents¡¯ home.

    Fang Jianping, however, had a smile on his face, adoring his grandchildren.

    He treated all his grandchildren equally now.

    He had learned his lesson in his lifetime about favoring sons over daughters. He definitely couldn¡¯t let his next generation suffer from this issue, as it pained his heart.

    Whether a boy or a girl, it was all the same to him.

 Chapter 403 - 403 403 Parents Who Are Never Wrong

    ?Chapter 403: Chapter 403: Parents Who Are Never Wrong   Chapter 403: Chapter 403: Parents Who Are Never Wrong                                   ¡°Mom and Dad, why did youe this time? If it¡¯s about someone else¡¯s business, don¡¯t bother asking; you know it very well. You remember how they treated me back then; I wasid up in bed, and if it hadn¡¯t been for my daughter and son-inw getting me medical care, my daughters would¡¯ve broken the pot to sell the iron to cure me, and they even started this shop for me.

    Otherwise, we would probably only be able to go out on the streets to catch a northwest wind; I would have starved to death long ago. I¡¯ve realized that my own daughters, even if not perfect, are still mine. Expecting help from others is indeed not as reliable as counting on one¡¯s own children.¡± With this, Jianping immediately shut his parents up.

    The olddy red angrily.

    ¡°Second son, how could you say such a thing? Wasn¡¯t the family also helpless back then? If there had been any way, as your birth mother, how could I not have sought treatment for you? Are you ming us, your old parents, for not having the means to treat you?¡±

    Jianping sneered, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t talk to me like this. The courtyard we have at home was built up by me, penny by penny. If you really wanted to treat me back then, even by selling the pots and the house, you could have done it, rather than taking advantage of my paralysis and doing nothing. You coerced me to settle all the elder care at once, forcing me and my wife to move out, knowing we had nond, no house, nothing¡ªnot even any money.

    Of course, you gave birth to me, so I can¡¯t say anything about you, but the bond between us as mother and son broke when you drove me out. The house I had spoken about well in advance, I had secured it to you for your elder care, and from then on, life, aging, sickness, and death were none of my concern.¡±

    What the old man and the olddy wanted to do, they didn¡¯t need to say it out loud. It¡¯s just like what Yang Mei and others were saying outside; who doesn¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on?

    Isn¡¯t it just that now they see the good days we¡¯re having and have their eyes on our money?

    The olddy, furious, pped her thigh, ¡°Good, good, I¡¯ve really raised a great son who doesn¡¯t even want his own parents.¡±

    Jianping kept quiet; whatever the olddy wanted to say, she could say. Anyway, he didn¡¯t care.

    He figured that having face was utterly useless.

    A person who cares about face¡ªexcept for being tricked by others, being taken advantage of¡ªwhat good does it do them? None at all.

    It¡¯s better now not to care about face; without it, life is peaceful.

    The old man spoke up, as if he didn¡¯t say something now, the olddy wouldpletely offend their son.

    ¡°Second son, we were indeed struggling back then, and your mother did that behind my back, which pains me as well. There are no perfect parents in the world, and yes, we may have done some wrongs, but we are still your parents. Now that the family has hit a difficult patch, you can¡¯t refuse to lend a hand, otherwise, your parents really won¡¯t have a way out.¡±

    Jianpingughed, ¡°Mom and Dad, it¡¯s true that there are no perfect parents in the world, and no matter how you¡¯ve treated me, in my heart, you are still my parents. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let you be left without a way out. Although the money for elder care has already been secured, as long as you need support, I won¡¯t say a word and will still provide for you. After all, who else but their own children would hold a grudge against their parents overnight?¡±

    With those words, the old couple immediately felt better. It seemed that their second son was still filial.

    ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good. Second son, your nephew Xiaoshan owes someone 5000 yuan, and now they¡¯vee knocking on our door. Hurry up and take the money to help him out,¡± the old man finally got to the point.

 Chapter 404 - 404 404 This Lesson is Good

    ?Chapter 404: Chapter 404 This Lesson is Good   Chapter 404: Chapter 404 This Lesson is Good                                   The elderly couple looked at Fang Jianping with hope, nced around the room filled with a TV, refrigerator, and more, and noted the well-arranged decor, knowing Fang Jianping had money.

    To him, five thousand yuan was probably a trifle.

    Fang Jianpingughed, ¡°Mom and Dad, have you mistaken something? It¡¯s my duty to take care of my parents, but I have never heard of an uncle having to care for his nephew. I have already paid back all the debts Fang Xiaoshan owed. I never asked him for that money back; it was my own fault for being blind at the time.

    But now you want me to take out five thousand yuan to pay his debts, which really doesn¡¯t make sense to me. Fang Xiaoshan is just my nephew; he has his own parents to support him, it¡¯s not my ce to handle this. Moreover, he is just a hopeless gambler.

    Frankly, it¡¯s just like throwing money into a bottomless pit, no matter how much you put in, it¡¯s never enough. I have my own daughter, grandchildren, and granddaughter to support; I really don¡¯t have spare money to meddle in other people¡¯s business.¡±

    The old man was shocked.

    How could these words be said?

    ¡°Younger Brother, our family only has Xiaoshan as a male descendant, you can¡¯t neglect him. No matter how bad he is, he¡¯s the only boy in the family; you can¡¯t just watch him perish.¡± The old man wasn¡¯t shocked by what Fang Jianping had said, but by the fact that it was Fang Jianping himself who had said it.

    Bear in mind there were only the three family members in the house, no Yang Mei, no granddaughter; there was no possibility that Fang Jianping was being instigated by someone else.

    These were truly Fang Jianping¡¯s heartfelt words.

    That was what shocked the old man.

    Knowing Fang Jianping had no son was always a sensitive issue for him, and these words explicitly stated that Fang Xiaoshan was a lost cause.

    It also clearly stated that he intended to disregard Fang Xiaoshanpletely.

    The old man was frightened; no matter how ipetent Fang Xiaoshan was, he had always believed that as long as the younger brother was there, Fang Xiaoshan would be safe. Now that the younger brother had made his stance clear, he was really cutting off Fang Xiaoshan.

    Who would Fang Xiaoshan rely on in the future?

    Rather than saying that Fang Xiaoshan had been looking after the younger brother in their old age, it was more urate to say the old couple wanted the younger brother to protect Fang Xiaoshan for life; they weren¡¯t fools.

    With Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s behavior, no one would care if he died.

    Now that Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s wife had run away, if they died, Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s parents and the elder couple couldn¡¯t be relied on; they had always hoped that the younger brother¡¯s family would take care of Fang Xiaoshan.

    What were they to do now?

    Fang Jianpingughed, ¡°Mom and Dad, don¡¯t say anything else; whether Fang Xiaoshan lives or dies is none of my concern. He has his own parents, and besides, he has arms and legs, as long as he¡¯s notzy, he won¡¯t starve to death. You two don¡¯t need to worry so much, just live your own lives,¡± as if he could continue to be Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s workhorse, his parents sure had some imagination.

    Not even feeling embarrassed by themselves.

    ¡°Younger Brother, Xiaoshan now owes someone five thousand yuan, and they¡¯re going to break his legs if he doesn¡¯t pay. Can you really be so heartless and not help him?¡± the old woman said through gritted teeth.

    The grandson was more important to her than heaven itself.

    Fang Jianping shook his head, ¡°I can¡¯t manage him, and having his legs broken might actually be a good thing. It¡¯d keep him from going out to gamble. Isn¡¯t this a perfect chance to teach him a lesson? I think it¡¯s a good oue, and I totally agree with it. Mom and Dad, you spoil him too much, and you should know when to stop. The family may tolerate him, but no one outside will indulge him; it¡¯s about time to wake up.¡± He didn¡¯t think this lesson was a bad thing at all.

 Chapter 405 - 405 405 Report to the Police

    ?Chapter 405: Chapter 405 Report to the Police   Chapter 405: Chapter 405 Report to the Police                                   ¡°Second son, how can your heart be so cruel? He¡¯s your nephew. If you don¡¯t take care of him, I swear, I¡¯ll die right here at your doorstep for everyone to see how Fang Jianping drove his own mother to death,¡± the olddy pulled out her trump card. In her lifetime, besides using this move to scare the second son and his wife, she really had no other skills.

    The old man said nothing. Now that the second son had changed, if the olddy¡¯s trick proved useless, it seemed likely that the elder couple had no skills either.

    Fang Jianpingughed, ¡°Oh, Mom, please don¡¯t say such things. Are you really going to die?¡±

    He spoke with augh, but his heart felt bitter cold.

    The olddy was willing to force a showdown just for the sake of Fang Xiaoshan.

    He couldn¡¯t understand what was so good about Fang Xiaoshan.

    His own son couldn¡¯t evenpare to a grandson.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll die just to show you,¡± the olddy wasn¡¯t afraid.

    The second son did fear this tactic!

    With righteous indignation.

    ¡°Eldest daughter,e here!¡± Fang Jianping shouted to his firstborn daughter outside.

    As soon as the eldest daughter heard him, she ran in immediately.

    ¡°Dad, what¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°Go to the police station and report a case. Say someone is gambling with high-interest loans, and it could lead to loss of life. Have the police deal with it. The address is at your grandmother¡¯s house, which falls under the jurisdiction of our town¡¯s police station. Go now!¡± Fang Jianping¡¯s words left his eldest daughter stunned.

    ¡°Hurry up!¡±

    Finallying to her senses, the eldest daughter rushed to prepare to leave.

    Make a report?

    Great!

    This would warm the hearts of many. If they could get that Fang Xiaoshan arrested and locked up for three or five years, that would be a good thing.

    It would finally bring peace to their household.

    The olddy grabbed her eldest granddaughter¡¯s clothes tightly, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare go!¡±

    ¡°Mom, weren¡¯t you going to die? Go ahead, as soon as you take yourst breath, I¡¯ll report it, iming that Fang Xiaoshan forced his own grandmother to death with his high-interest loans. If you can see from heaven, watch as that damned grandson ends up disgraced, without a ce to be buried,¡± Fang Jianping hardened his heart.

    His own parents were fools. Instead of thinking about how to live a good life, they chose to follow Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s troublemaking. They wanted to force his hand, huh?

    He was keen to see how to force the bull to drink when it¡¯s not thirsty.

    ¡°Second son, have you really resolved to let your nephew die?¡± The old man finally spoke.

    If the quarreling continued, they would really end up going to the police station.

    Even if the police got involved, Fang Xiaoshan would be fine for the time being.

    But afterward, those thugs wouldn¡¯t let Fang Xiaoshan off easily, so Fang Jianping¡¯s move was truly like removing thest card that supports a copsing stack.

    It was a death sentence for Fang Xiaoshan.

    ¡°Dad, whoever wants our family dead, I¡¯ll make sure they don¡¯t live well,¡± he was no longer the Fang Jianping who used to take orders from the old man.

    ¡°Second son, if I knew you would turn out this way, I might as well not have had you¡­¡± the olddy bitterly began to say something heartless.

    ¡°Shut up!¡± the old man bellowed.

    No matter how bad the second son was, he was still their son.

    Others might not see clearly, but the old man could. In their old age, they would have to rely on the second son. With the eldest son¡¯s behavior, and Fang Xiaoshan not changing his stubborn ways, his life was over.

    So if they really burnt all bridges, the elderly couple would end up with no one to depend on for care, so he wouldn¡¯t do that.

    ¡°Alright, if the second son is unwilling, then let¡¯s just forget it. Let¡¯s leave,¡± the old man didn¡¯t even nce at Fang Jianping, knowing that any words would be fruitless at this point, as Fang Jianping wouldn¡¯t soften his heart.

    The olddy hurried to catch up with the old man¡¯s steps.

    ¡°Old man, Xiaoshan is¡­¡±

    Unable to get the money back! Those people wouldn¡¯t spare Fang Xiaoshan.

    ¡°Let whoevermits the sin suffer the consequences. We¡¯re old now, let¡¯s stay out of these things from now on,¡± the old man clenched his teeth and walked out the door.

    The olddy spat in Fang Jianping¡¯s face before turning to leave.

    Fang Jianping touched his face, so be it if she spits.

    After all, she¡¯s his mother.

 Chapter 406 - 406 406 No Money Just One Life

    ?Chapter 406: Chapter 406: No Money, Just One Life   Chapter 406: Chapter 406: No Money, Just One Life                                   The old man and the olddy returned home.

    The house was full of noise andmotion.

    Fang Xiaoshan was tied up, thrown in the corner, while the eldest couple had long vanished without a trace.

    Several loan sharks, drunk and disheveled, were scattered around the table, chicken bones littered, peanuts strewn across it, the smell of alcohol overpowering.

    The old man nced at his chest on the cupboard, which had been pried open, and the two bottles of Maotai that had been gifts from his second son were long gone, now drunk by these scoundrels.

    The moment Xiaoshan saw his grandparents, he was overjoyed¡ªhis grandparents were back! He was definitely going to be saved.

    ¡°Grandpa, Grandma, did you bring back the money?¡±

    This was his lifeline.

    The room fell silent.

    The leader dropped his cup and staggered off the bed, approaching the old man.

    ¡°Old man, where¡¯s the money?¡±

    A hand as big as a fan reached out, stretching right up to the old man.

    The old man turned, picked up Xiaoshan, and dragged him to the leader¡¯s feet.

    ¡°No money, just a life. He¡¯s yours now, do whatever you want with him, just take him away quickly and stop causing trouble at our home. This isn¡¯t Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s house. If you don¡¯t leave, I, barefoot, won¡¯t fear those with shoes. I¡¯ll call the police station; there¡¯s gambling and usury going on here. Let¡¯s see who ends up better off,¡± the old man said,ying everything on the line.

    All the way there, the olddy had no idea what to think, but the second son¡¯s words had deeply shaken the old man.

    Xiaoshan had been spoiled by them.

    Feeling invincible, he dared to keep doing the same thing over and over.

    There was definitely no money. Given that, the old man decided to be ruthless, setting up a ¡®do or die¡¯ situation to teach his grandson a lesson, or else he would be utterlywless.

    Now bold enough to sell his wife to pay off debts,st time he shouldn¡¯t have paid off the two thousand for him, which led to it being five thousand this time.

    This was his fault.

    It wasn¡¯t the second son¡¯s fault.

    Who is born owing service to anyone?

    Nobody owes anybody!

    That¡¯s why the old manpletely gave up on Xiaoshan for the first time.

    Not only was the olddy stunned, Xiaoshan and the debt-collecting leader were too.

    What was this move?

    Had the old man lost his mind?

    ¡°Old man, this is your grandson!¡±

    The leader pointed at Xiaoshan on the ground.

    ¡°He¡¯s my grandson? I¡¯m his grandson, maybe? Such an unworthy descendent can be taken by anyone who wants him. I, the old man, want to live a bit longer,¡± the old man said bluntly.

    Xiaoshan suddenly realized that his grandfather was serious.

    ¡°Grandpa, Grandpa, what¡¯s wrong with you? I¡¯m Xiaoshan, your grandson. Your most beloved grandson. I¡¯m the only seedling of the Fang family. If something happens to me, the Fang family will be done for. Grandpa, have you forgotten?¡± he truly couldn¡¯t ept this sudden onset of senility in his grandfather.

    How could his grandfather not recognize him, he had calcted all the possibilities, but hadn¡¯t seen this moveing from his grandpa.

    This was really pulling the rug from under him.

    The leader chuckled coldly, ¡°Old man, are you taking us for a joke? I must tell you, we recognize money, not people. If you really mean what you said, there¡¯s nothing we can do about it, you¡¯repletely justified. But don¡¯t underestimate us. Boys, since the old man said so, drag him out, break his legs. We¡¯lle for the money tomorrow, and if there¡¯s no money, I¡¯ll have no choice but to take an arm. One part a day, let¡¯s see how many days Fang Xiaoshan canst.¡±

    A few strong men agreed and dragged Fang Xiaoshan out to the yard.

 Chapter 407 - 407 407 The Leg is Broken

    ?Chapter 407: Chapter 407: The Leg is Broken   Chapter 407: Chapter 407: The Leg is Broken                                   The olddy saw that things are not looking good and grabbed the old man¡¯s clothes in a grip.

    ¡°Old man! What on earth are you doing? Are you really going to disregard Xiaoshan? He is our grandson,¡± she had always thought that the old man was just trying to scare those usurers.

    But now, it seemed not the case; rather, it looked like he was serious.

    ¡°I said I would not care, and if you can, you handle it. It¡¯s because of you always protecting him that he turned out this way. When he was a child and made a mistake, you would shield him and not let me discipline him. Look at him now, aplete gambling addict. If this continues, our home will never know peace. It¡¯s better to break his leg now than to let him end up dead under someone else¡¯s knifeter on. I said no one should interfere. If you have the ability and cane up with five thousand yuan, then go take care of it,¡± the old man said as he sat on the kang with his back turned, pouring himself a cup of liquor.

    This Maotai, he never had the heart to drink himself, but now, he had ended up feeding it to the usurers.

    Shaking the liquor bottle, it was empty, with only a bottom left.

    The olddy, furious and overwrought, did not have five thousand yuan, and even if the whole family sold their bones, they could not raise that sum, so she was powerless. Yet she couldn¡¯t bear to see her grandson, whom she had cherished for so many years, have his leg broken by someone else.

    And so, the olddy fainted with a crash.

    The old man nced at the olddy, carried her onto the kang, and pinched her in the philtrum with all his might until she finally, groggily, woke up.

    As soon as she opened her eyes and took a long breath, she heard Xiaoshan let out a shrill scream in the yard.

    Then there was silence.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go! Guys, we¡¯lle back tomorrow, and we¡¯ll see how many lives Fang Xiaoshan has.¡± The sounds of several people seemed to move out of the yard.

    The olddy suddenly flipped over and scrambled up.

    Her movements were sharp, nothing like someone who had just fainted; she ran outside, hopping on her feet.

    Fang Laoda and his wife, now hearing that the people had left, also rushed out, and there in the yard, the olddy threw herself with a howl onto Xiaoshan.

    Xiaoshan had already passed out from the pain.

    One of his legs was indeed deformed, and a stick, thick as the mouth of a bowl, was thrown in the yard.

    Clearly, it was the weapon just used.

    Laoda and his wife also began to wail, hugging their son, almost passing out with him.

    The old man walked out, ¡°What are you crying for? What right do you have to cry? When they were here, you all acted like cowards, and now crying does nothing! Don¡¯t you hurry to find a doctor to set his leg or do you want him to end upme?¡± His heart was aching, and the distress was unbearable.

    He had loved his grandson for so many years. To say he felt nothing would be a lie.

    But the thought of Xiaoshan willing to sell his wife andden with debts, the old man didn¡¯t feel that pang of heartache anymore.

    This grandson had ruined his life. If he couldn¡¯t be set right, then he might as well be left to his own devices.

    The family couldn¡¯t continue to be weighed down by this reckless youth, nor could they be sure who would end up dead because of him.

    Laoda¡¯s wife hurriedly ran off to find the vige doctor.

    Fang Laoda, looking at his son, heartbroken, carried Xiaoshan onto the kang in his own room.

    ¡°Dad, can Laoda be so heartless? That¡¯s his nephew,¡± he said.

    ¡°Shut your damn mouth. Laoda is his uncle, not his dad. If you weren¡¯t so soft-hearted, why didn¡¯t you pay off his debts!¡± roared the old man, utterly provoked by Laoda that day to a point of fierce determination.

    Scorning someone for a millennium.

    Laoda resignedly closed his mouth.

    The vige doctor came, and upon examination, confirmed that the leg was truly broken. Xiaoshan was drenched in sweat and was wailing after a while, and once the splint was set, the doctor specifically instructed that if the leg wasn¡¯t taken care of properly, it would cause problems in the future.

    The family was heavy with silence and had nothing to say.

 Chapter 408 - 408 408 Nightmare

    ?Chapter 408: Chapter 408 Nightmare   Chapter 408: Chapter 408 Nightmare                                   The problem was that Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s nightmare wasn¡¯t over yet, without getting the 5,000 yuan, there was no way those usurers were going to let him off.

    The next day, they showed up just the same. The elderly patriarch refused to even meet with them directly. Fang Lao Da and his wife really had no money to give and had no choice but to hide. Left alone, the grandmother was weak and powerless, and her tears and pleas were useless. If crying could get you out of dealing with usurers, they wouldn¡¯t be called usurers.

    They dragged Fang Xiaoshan out and after a brutal beating, Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s other leg was also broken.

    After agonizing pain, Fang Xiaoshan finally understood that his grandfather had hardened his heart and decided to ignore him.

    He med heaven and earth and secretly vowed that once his leg healed and he was feeling better, he would take revenge, one by one, starting with his second uncle. If it weren¡¯t for Fang Jianping¡¯s refusal to help, the old man would never have been so merciless. Fang Jianping definitely wouldn¡¯t have an easy time.

    The next target was the old man. He always talked nicely, iming that Fang Xiaoshan was the only grandchild in the family; but when it really mattered, the old man was just as selfish. If the patriarch had simply asked, the second uncle would have had to cough up the money.

    Without any self-reflection, he med everyone else. Such people never repent even upon death.

    The third and fourth don¡¯t even need to be discussed; Fang Xiaoshan hated everyone in the family in his heart.

    Regrettably, his chance to repay debts and settle grievances never arrived. A monthter, seeing that Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s family was willing to watch him be beaten but not moved to help, except for his wife who initially cried a bit but probably became numb andter didn¡¯t even shed tears.

    As a result, the usurers could not recover the 5,000 yuan and were also frustrated.

    On a dark and windy night.

    A firepletely engulfed the Fang Family home.

    A huge fire consumed the Fang Family house, and Fang Xiaoshan was severely injured in the spine from the beatings, permanently paralyzing him in bed.

    Aside from Fang Xiaoshan, other members of the Fang Family were unharmed, but the Fang Family was utterly ruined.

    All that was left of their home were ruins, essentially nothing remained.

    The vige couldn¡¯t simply watch and do nothing.

    Therefore, they had no choice but to temporarily lend them an abandoned cave near the mountain in the vige to live in, it was just temporary anyway. Since the family had able-bodied members, they could always save enough money to build a house; starvation was impossible.

    At that time, Fang Jianping returned. Fang Lao Da hoped that Fang Jianping could provide the money to rebuild the house, for if it were up to him and his wife to save the money, it would take many years. Now that Fang Xiaoshan couldn¡¯t move, and the grandparents seemed to have aged overnight, not able to work efficiently.

    The daughter-inw had run away again, leaving only the couple to support the frail and young in the household.

    The two of them couldn¡¯t possibly manage.

    So, seeing Fang Jianping return, they eagerly hoped he would quickly produce the money to rebuild the house and restore the household.

    Fang Lao Da was full of grievances, feeling that it was the second son¡¯s refusal to give money that led to the current situation, leaving his own son bedridden and their house gone.

    He felt that Fang Jianping should pay them.

    So when he saw Fang Jianping, he could hardly recognize him as the same person anymore.

    The old man sighed upon seeing Fang Jianping.

    ¡°Second son, why have youe back? No worries, all these troubles at home are Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s fault. It¡¯s actually good that the house burned down. It was originally built with your money, and now it seems like it has been reimed by heaven,¡± the old man surprisingly held no grievances.

    Fang Jianping was puzzled.

 Chapter 409 - 409 409 None of My Business

    ?Chapter 409: Chapter 409: None of My Business   Chapter 409: Chapter 409: None of My Business                                   ¡°Dad, I¡¯ve already called the police. We can¡¯t just let things slide when such a big incident happened at home, or else those people will remain arrogant and fearless. I¡¯m here to take you and mom to stay in town¡ªI doubt my elder brother and sister-inw have the time to look after you, what with taking care of Xiaoshan. Besides, there are the elderly and the young at home, and I can¡¯t leave my elder brother to shoulder the burden alone. So, I¡¯m taking you two elders with me. From now on, I¡¯ll take care of you,¡± Fang Jianping said straightforwardly.

    Fang¡¯s eldest brother¡¯s eyes bulged out, his face turning an angry shade of blue.

    He had thought that the second son was feeling guilty and hade back to help improve the family¡¯s situation, but to his surprise, the second son had such an idea, only caring about the old man and olddy,pletely disregarding their family of three.

    He didn¡¯t even consider why anyone should care about him.

    ¡°Second brother, aren¡¯t your words a bit out of line here? Our Xiaoshan ended up like this because of you¡ªif not for your indifference to his plight, would Xiaoshan havee to this? Would our home have been set on fire? And now you just want to wash your hands of it and walk away¡ªdo you have no conscience?¡± Fang¡¯s eldest brother roared, unwilling to let it go.

    Fang Jianping lifted his head to look at his elder brother, his eyes steady, his gaze piercing, without a trace of evasion.

    Instead, Fang¡¯s eldest brother was somewhat ufortable under such a sharp gaze. Howe the second brother¡¯s eyes are like knives now? Damn intimidating.

    ¡°Elder brother, did I make Xiaoshan go gambling? Or did I tell him to borrow usurious loans? What do you mean I did nothing to help? Fang Xiaoshan is not my son; I have no obligation to save him. And if Fang Xiaoshan were my son, I would¡¯ve pped him across the face a long time ago; there¡¯d be no need for usurious lenders to paralyze him¡ªI¡¯d break his legs myself and see if he¡¯d still go gambling or cause trouble out there.

    I¡¯ll tell you this: Fang Xiaoshan has nothing to do with me. To put it bluntly, he¡¯s just my nephew. You should examine your conscience and ask yourself, how much money has Xiaoshan spent on me since he was a child, how many things has he used from me? Just me paying off his high-interest debts and those gambling debts, there¡¯s been no less than a thousand, at least eight hundred. I owe your family¡¯s Fang Xiaoshan nothing.¡±

    What¡¯s meant by ¡®taking kindness for granted¡¯? What¡¯s meant by ¡®taking advantage of someone else¡¯s good nature¡¯?

    Fang Jianping was finally clear on that now.

    Fang¡¯s eldest brother also knew that he was in the wrong. If one were to truly tally the ount, of course, what the second brother said was correct.

    But inside, he felt aggrieved. The second brother doesn¡¯t have a son, what does he need that much money for?

    Could it be that when he¡¯s old, he could still clutch money and keep himself alive?

    His own Fang Xiaoshan is the only pir of this family; in the future, if not relying on Xiaoshan, who could the second brother rely on?

    ¡°Second brother, what you¡¯re saying¡­ We¡¯re blood brothers, after all, and Xiaoshan is your biological nephew. Our family has only this one boy, and in the future, when you¡¯re old, isn¡¯t it Xiaoshan¡¯s duty to take care of you until you pass? Even if it costs you a bit of money now, what does it matter?¡±

    Fang Jianping now understood why Xiaoshan had such thoughts¡ªit was what his dad and mom had instilled in him.

    ¡°Elder brother, although we are blood brothers, we each live our own lives. When I get old, I don¡¯t need your family¡¯s Fang Xiaoshan to take care of me, I have my own daughter and son-inw. Also, my money is my own business; it has nothing to do with you. I¡¯ve earned it with hard work, rising early and sleepingte, and I¡¯ll spend it on whoever I want. If I¡¯m not willing, even if someone tries to rob it, they won¡¯t seed.

    Plus, Xiaoshan¡¯s now paralyzed in bed, who is he supposed to take care of in his condition? Elder brother, don¡¯t treat everyone like fools.¡±

 Chapter 410 - 410 410 Choked

    ?Chapter 410: Chapter 410 Choked   Chapter 410: Chapter 410 Choked                                   ¡°Second brother, you¡­¡±

    Fang Eldest was poked right in the soft spot: indeed, his son nowypletely paralyzed in bed.

    It wasn¡¯t just about providing for them in their old age. They would probably have to take care of his toileting and bathing as well.

    Talking about the mainstay of the family now was just empty talk. With a mainstay like this, who would want it?

    Fang Jianping turned around and looked at his parents with a calm demeanor, ¡°Mom and Dad, the reason I came this time is specifically to take you two elders to live with me in town. I¡¯ve heard about the situation at home, but I¡¯m not nning to get involved. I¡¯ve already done my part once, and in the end, it led to this oue¡ªit might have been better if we had just stuck with the broken house andnd. Perhaps if we had lived more frugally, Xiaoshan wouldn¡¯t have been spoiled into what he is today.

    So, I¡¯ve made up my mind. I¡¯ll take you two elders to the town and live a good life. Given how my eldest brother is now, Xiaoshan won¡¯t have time to take care of you two. Anyway, since our house has burned down, there¡¯s nothing to take. I¡¯vee by car, so I¡¯ll just drive you two directly there.¡±

    Fang Jianping had thought this through before he arrived. He was adamant about not taking charge again, but when it came to his parents, he had to step in. After all, they were his biological parents.

    Therefore, even though his parents might have favored Xiaoshan over the years, after all, they did raise him, and he couldn¡¯t just stop providing for them just because the house was given to him.

    The olddy still wanted to threaten her second son by banging her thighs, hoping to force him to pay for Xiaoshan¡¯s treatment and to rebuild the house.

    But a re from the old man stopped her cold.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you go causing me any trouble. Second son, you¡¯re right. We¡¯re old, and sometimes we don¡¯t think things through properly. All these years, we¡¯ve been living off your kindness. If it weren¡¯t for your filial piety, we probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to build this big tile-roofed house, and without your support, who knows what state our household would be in now.

    Your mother and I might have been too greedy, and that¡¯s why we spoiled Xiaoshan. Alright, your mom and I will go with you.¡±

    These words from the old man thoroughly chilled Fang Eldest to the core.

    If the old couple really left, the second son would be even less likely to help them out at all.

    ¡°Mom and Dad, can you truly bear to abandon our family of three and just leave? Xiaoshan is still the child you watched grow up; can you really bear to see him like this?¡±

    The olddy wiped her tears; although she felt sorrow for her grandson, the current situation was beyond her control.

    The old man shook his head, ¡°Enough, Eldest, we¡¯re going with the second son to lessen the burden on you and your wife. If you work hard on thend and save your money, it won¡¯t be a problem to get treatment for Xiaoshan or to build a house. This is how all the other families in the vige have made it through. If you¡¯re not happy with that, that¡¯s fine; we¡¯ll stay. We, your elderly parents, will live with you.

    Anyway, the second son already gave us the house for our old age; you won¡¯t have to worry about our care, let your elder brother take care of us.¡± The old man would be foolish not to see the truth now.

    Fang Eldest was suddenly at a loss for words.

    What he wanted wasn¡¯t for the old man to stay and be his responsibility. What he wanted was for his father to stay so the second son would contribute money to their household.

    If the second son didn¡¯t give money to the family, why would he want to keep caring for the elderly couple? Did he think his burdens weren¡¯t heavy enough?

    ¡°It¡¯s not what you think, Mom and Dad. You¡¯d better go with the second son. Living with us won¡¯t give you a good life anyway.¡±

    Fang Eldest didn¡¯t dare mention keeping the old man any longer.

    If they stayed, they would be a burden.

    A family of five mouths to feed¡ªthey couldn¡¯t afford it.

 Chapter 411 - 411 411 Making a Ruckus

    ?Chapter 411: Chapter 411: Making a Ruckus   Chapter 411: Chapter 411: Making a Ruckus                                   So, Fang Jianping drove his car and fetched the old master and mistress to live in town, and from that point on, the life of Fang Family¡¯s eldest child¡¯s family never saw good days again.

    Because they had to take care of their son paralyzed in bed, Fang Family¡¯s eldest couldn¡¯t go out to work either.

    No one could work their fields or help with the housework for them now.

    In order to make life a bit better at home, the couple not only worked their fields everyday and tidied up after, but they also raised chickens and pigs at home.

    Unexpectedly, by the end of the year, they managed to save a few hundred yuan.

    Fang Xiaoshan becamepletely paralyzed in bed, his limbs badly deformed from frequent breaks inflicted by loan sharks.

    This meant that he would never again think about gambling and messing around for the rest of his life.

    As for those thugs from the loan-sharking ring who had burned his house and broken his limbs, the police had arrested all of them, sentencing them to several years in prison.

    The affairs of the Fang Family seemed to havee to a close.

    Fang Xiaoshan probably never imagined that his life would end up so miserably.

    Bai Xiao also didn¡¯t know that by changing Fang Jianping¡¯s life trajectory, she would indirectly affect Xiaoshan¡¯s subsequent development. Maybe this is what¡¯s called the wheel of karma.

    If she knew, she would probably be very happy about it.

    Having Fang Xiaoshan reap such consequences was probably the most satisfying oue.

    If he had died, it wouldn¡¯t bring the same visceral satisfaction as watching him live through these hardships.

    At this time, old man Wang¡¯s household was in turmoil.

    Ever since Wang Yan left quietly on the fifth day of the New Year, old man Wang had sworn he would absolutely disown this son.

    He never expected his eldest son, with nothing but pig-raising and ughtering skills, to dare to leave with that woman, taking three children with them.

    In the city, with no culture or skills, wouldn¡¯t they just be begging for a living?

    He was both anxious and angry in his heart.

    Initially thinking of using this incident to extend his son¡¯s misery, hoping he would return after realizing how difficult life was outside and admit his wrongdoings, old man Wang would certainly wee his eldest son back, as long as he renounced his wrong ways and severed ties with Bai Yue.

    Hadn¡¯t they just finished building the brick house at home, all set for his eldest to take a wife?

    But now, look what¡¯s happened¡ªthe man hadpletely vanished with that woman.

    Could old man Wang not be angry?

    He swore in his heart that he would not let his eldest son return unless he experienced some hardship.

    He didn¡¯t believe his son could live well outside.

    But as days passed, not only did his eldest son not return, but he even got the vige chief to find some people in the vige to work for him.

    Even though he hadn¡¯t seen the circumstances for himself, the vige chief described it vividly, saying that Bai Xiao had helped his eldest and her sister open a restaurant, and the business was so good it was indescribable.

    He didn¡¯t believe it!

    It was as if they were making it sound like money was lying all over the ground in the city, ready for the picking whenever one wished.

    He was waiting to see his son get a p in the face, waiting for those people from the vige who went to work for his son to return empty-handed without their wages. Then, filled with tears, they woulde back.

    He wanted to see what would happen when these people would go to Bai Xiao and the vige chief to make a scene; he wondered if they would still be so arrogant.

    But he kept waiting and waiting, and a whole year passed without news.

    And today, Li Chunmei came over to his house and chatted with his wife for a while, and his wife immediately started arguing with him, saying she wanted to go into the city to see her son and daughter-inw.

 Chapter 412 - 412 412 Im Going Anyway

    ?Chapter 412: Chapter 412: I¡¯m Going Anyway.   Chapter 412: Chapter 412: I¡¯m Going Anyway.                                   ¡°Can¡¯t you stop worrying, or are you still thinking about your eldest son? He¡¯s already with that kind of woman, and now even if you still acknowledge him, in his heart and eyes there¡¯s only that woman. Where do we, his parents, fit in?¡± Wang huffed and cursed his wife, who, for some unknown reason, was fixated on going to the city.

    The olddy was anxious, ¡°Whether you acknowledge him or not, I do.¡±

    She took her change of clothes out of the chest, wrapped them up in a bundle, making it look as if she really meant business.

    ¡°You old fool, what¡¯s gotten into you? Haven¡¯t I told you? Letting the eldest suffer and endure hardship outside, he¡¯ll realize that life isn¡¯t so easy, and that it¡¯s us, his family, who treat him the best. Are you really hoping he¡¯ll just go on living his life with that twice-married woman and raise another man¡¯s son?¡±

    ¡°Old man, stop talking nonsense. I¡¯m telling you today the vige chief got a call from our eldest.¡± The olddy didn¡¯t care about the ins and outs; she packed her clothes and pulled out money from her handkerchief to count it.

    ¡°What does he want, calling back? Can¡¯t he make it out there?¡±

    Wang felt a hint of smugness. If that was the case, and he was right, he was just waiting to see them be theughingstock.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t he make it? Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know about your petty thoughts. Aren¡¯t you just hoping our son can¡¯t make it, and thene back begging to me? Let me tell you, the vige chief said our eldest is doing very well there. He¡¯s already opened two restaurants, and this year he¡¯s nning to open a third and fourth. You and your petty thoughts might never get your way in this lifetime.¡±

    After so many years together, the olddy knew exactly what the old man was thinking.

    Wang was left fuming with the words of his wife.

    ¡°If he¡¯s doing so well, why bother calling back then?¡±

    What upset him even more was that every time his son called, it was to the vige chief, not to him or his mother.

    ¡°Bai Yue is pregnant. Our eldest is going to be a father soon. As his mother, shouldn¡¯t I go and help take care of his wife and child?¡± The olddy finished packing.

    ¡°What? She¡¯s pregnant?¡± Wang¡¯s heart wentpletely cold this time.

    He had always hoped his son woulde to his senses and leave Bai Yue.

    But now, if there is a child! Once the child is born, how could his eldest break things off with Bai Yue?

    It meant that his son was truly no longer his own.

    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s pregnant! This is our eldest son¡¯s first child. Whether it¡¯s a boy or a girl, can our inws really not care? I¡¯m his mother. When the second and third sons got married and had children, I was the one who took care of their wives, managed their confinement, and raised their children. Now it¡¯s the eldest¡¯s turn, how can I not be involved?¡±

    The olddy had always longed for her son to settle down early and have children of his own.

    Though she didn¡¯t have a good impression of Bai Yue, after all, which mother in this world would want her son to marry a divorced woman?

    But now, the uncooked rice was already boiled into cooked rice, and to top it off, there was the child of her own son. No matter what, she couldn¡¯t pretend she didn¡¯t know anything.

    The old man might not want his son, but she still wanted him.

    ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to go. I won¡¯t acknowledge their union, so you can¡¯t go.¡± Wang was furious.

    The olddy red, ¡°I¡¯m going, and what can you do to stop me?¡±

    The old couple was angry, and so neither spoke to the other.

 Chapter 413 - 413 413 The Old Lady Arrives

    ?Chapter 413: Chapter 413: The Old Lady Arrives   Chapter 413: Chapter 413: The Old Lady Arrives                                   Old Wang arguing with the olddy was futile, so the next day, the olddy had her second and third sons take her directly to the county town.

    The second son had no choice, fearing that his own mother had never traveled far, finding her way by train and all.

    He could only buy a train ticket and personally apanied the olddy there.

    The two went to the vige chief for Wang Yan¡¯s address because Wang Yan had never written home. Initially, when he had moved to that provincial city, Wang Yan had written a letter home, but his father tore it up without even reading it.

    Later, by the time the second letter came around, the second son secretly wrote to Wang Yan, telling his older brother not to write anymore because their father would tear it up without reading.

    The letter was carried away by the vige chief, so they had no address for Wang Yan.

    The second son apanied the olddy on a hard seat for over ten hours until they finally reached the provincial city.

    Following the address, the two inquired their way and eventually arrived at the Bai Family¡¯s Spicy Hot Pot.

    The two stood outside the door, observing the impressive entrance and then the crowd inside and outside the door.

    The second son suddenly realized, no wonder the vigers said his big brother had made it big.

    If this isn¡¯t making it big, then what is?

    Bai Yue and Wang Yan were busy. Bai Yue wasn¡¯t feeling well, suffering from morning sickness in the early stages of her pregnancy. Working in a hot pot restaurant with meat and beef fat around was overwhelming, and Bai Yue was nauseating endlessly.

    Wang Yan felt sympathetic, but there was no solution, as the restaurant currently needed staffing, and their third store was under renovation, requiring efforts from everyone.

    As soon as the olddy and Erniu entered, they saw Wang Yan serving wine to customers. Upon their arrival, a waiter quickly greeted them.

    ¡°Wee! Oh, olddy, you¡¯ve arrived!¡±

    Recognizing her as the boss¡¯s mother, the waiter quickly went to call Wang Yan.

    At a nce up, Wang Yan saw his brother and mother at the entrance, his heart warmed, and he hurriedly ran over.

    ¡°Mom, Erniu, what brings you here? You didn¡¯t even tell me to pick you up at the train station.¡± Though heined, his heart was filled with joy to see his family.

    He took the bag from the olddy¡¯s hand and helped her towards the counter.

    Bai Yue was settling ounts, with two tables ready to pay.

    ¡°Yue, mom and Erniu are here!¡±

    Wang Yan¡¯s words startled Bai Yue.

    She looked up and indeed, there was her mother-inw.

    Hastily she called over.

    ¡°Come in and sit down, let me just finish settling this ount.¡±

    She swiftly finished the calctions using a calctor, handed it to the waiter, and had the bill settled.

    The olddy observed Bai Yue, who now lookedpletely transformedpared to before, appearing much younger and dressed like a city dweller.

    ¡°Mom, why didn¡¯t you give us a call? So I could have had big brother pick you up.¡±

    Bai Yue was also sheepish, aware that the olddy didn¡¯t care much for her.

    The olddy nced at Bai Yue, ¡°Sit down, you¡¯re with child, there¡¯s no need to be formal with me.¡±

    The tone was so gentle that Bai Yue almost thought she was dreaming.

    ¡°Ugh, no, mom, you guys sit¡­there, ugh, I need to ¡­ go outside.¡± Bai Yue covered her mouth and rushed from behind the counter to the back restroom.

    Wang Yan saw and also hurried after her, patting her back, his heart aching with each time she threw up that day.

    The olddy saw and knew it was her daughter-inw reacting this way.

    She felt pleased.

    Seeing this, it must be a boy.

 Chapter 414 - 414 414 Cooking

    ?Chapter 414: Chapter 414 Cooking   Chapter 414: Chapter 414 Cooking                                   Finally, after the lunchtime rush had passed, they saw off the guests.

    Bai Yue and Wang Yan then led the elderlydy and Erniu back to their house behind the restaurant.

    The couple had actually just bought a house.

    Last time, Bai Xiao had instructed them that since their business had grown, and many of the service employees could no longer fit in their current dormitory, they nned to vacate the small courtyard they were renting to continue housing the staff.

    With three and a half kids at home now grown up, it was time for them to have their own rooms.

    Now that Bai Yue had money, her considerations had changed, and she felt that when her sons got married in the future, they definitely shouldn¡¯t have to move back to the vige.

    So, these kids would always need a house.

    Therefore, this time the couple went big and set their sights on four apartments.

    All of them were apartment buildings.

    However, these apartments were usually owned by work units and weren¡¯t avable for purchase by non-employees.

    Thankfully, An Zhiyuan had made arrangements for hisrade-in-arms to look after them before he left.

    That person had pulled some strings.

    And the house was bought.

    Even though the price paid was higher than others, the house was now theirs.

    All four apartments were four bedrooms with one living room. The children were still young, so they nned to rent out two of the apartments for now. Even if not rented out, the number of service staff needed at the restaurant was bound to increase, so instead of renting from others, it made sense to let them stay in their own properties.

    When the time came for the children to grow up and get married, they would vacate the apartments for them.

    The family of five was now settling into one of the apartments.

    With the house being spacious, the couple took one room, and the three brothers took the other three.

    The remaining apartment was reserved for Bai Xiao, as part of her dowry.

    They brought the elderlydy and Erniu into the house.

    As soon as they entered, both the elderlydy and Erniu were a bit stunned; they had never seen such a house before. Who in the vige could afford a ce like this?

    Though it was cold outside, the inside of the house was warm and cozy.

    And looking at how tidy and clean the house was arranged, one could tell Bai Yue was a diligent person.

    Not to mention the 24-inch color television in the living room or the furniture.

    These were all the rage in the city, unseen and unfamiliar to vige folks.

    ¡°Mom! Erniu, you guys sit down first. I¡¯ll make some food for you, and after we eat, you can rest in the room,¡± Bai Yue said hurriedly, arranging everything. No matter what, they were Wang Yan¡¯s family. Regardless of whether or not his family approved of them, they were still rtives and deserved to be hosted well.

    Besides, the elderlydy was, after all, her mother-inw.

    Wang Yan waved his hand, ¡°You go sit and rest too, I¡¯ll cook. You don¡¯t need to bother with it; you get so sick every time you cook.¡± He knew his wife had been having a rough timetely, the baby not giving her a moment¡¯s peace.

    The elderlydy rolled up her sleeves, ¡°You save your breath! What¡¯s a grown man like you doing cooking? I¡¯ll do it. I¡¯m here primarily to take care of your wife and to serve my grandson. Let me handle these matters from now on. You just go on with your business. The old woman that I am, I may not be good for much else, but these hands can still wash clothes and cook meals,¡± she said, breezing past her son into the kitchen without ceremony.

    ¡°Hey, why doesn¡¯t this kitchen have a wood stove? How are you supposed to cook without one?¡± Hearing the elderlydy hollering from the kitchen, Wang Yan couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    He went in to show her how to use the gas stove.

    The elderlydy was amazed; the city truly had its perks¡ªno need for wood or anything else. With just a flick of this thing, the fire would start.

    And it wasn¡¯t even smoky.

 Chapter 415 - 415 415 Home Cooking

    ?Chapter 415: Chapter 415: Home Cooking   Chapter 415: Chapter 415: Home Cooking                                   Bai Yue felt bad; there¡¯s no way she should have let her mother-inw cook for the family right after arriving. It just seemed too unreasonable.

    She went to the kitchen wanting to help but was chased out by the olddy.

    ¡°Look at you, so thin a breeze could blow you over, and yet youe here to help? Quickly leave. Whatever you want to eat, just tell me. I might be old, but I can still cook a good meal for you all. You wouldn¡¯t look down on me, would you?¡±

    The olddy was straightforward, and as soon as she said this, Bai Yue quickly exined.

    ¡°Mom, how could I look down on you? Having someone cook for me is a luxury I can hardly keep up with!¡±

    The olddy nced at Bai Yue and could tell that her words were sincere.

    She sighed.

    The old man was being unreasonable, Bai Yue was actually quite good.

    Aside from her being divorced, she was hardworking, capable, and beautiful.

    By any measure, she was more than a match for her son.

    The meal passed happily for the whole family.

    Wang Yan looked at his younger brother, ¡°Erniu, since you¡¯re here, stay for a few more days. Your sister-inw and I are busy, this business can¡¯t go a day without someone here. You can take our mom around, have a look around, and see how different this provincial city is from our vige.¡±

    In fact, since he had moved out, his perspective had changed. He felt it would be good for his brothers toe out and see the world instead of being confined to their small vige, knowing nothing but pig farming.

    Erniu said a bit embarrassedly, ¡°What¡¯s there to see? Mom and I almost got lost a few times just asking for directions from the train station to your shop. I didn¡¯t realize the city was so big. And seeing these buildings, they¡¯re nothing like those in our vige. I¡¯m afraid Mom and I might embarrass you if we go out.¡±

    ¡°Embarrass? When your sister-inw and I first started out, we brought the whole family along; it got better slowly. Even though the ce is big, there¡¯s an old saying, ¡®all roads lead to Rome.¡¯ Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t get lost. You¡¯ve got a mouth right under your nose for asking directions. If you get lost, then I¡¯d be the one embarrassed for you. Besides, our Bai Family Spicy Hotpot is quite famous here. If you ask around, I guarantee you won¡¯t get lost¡ªthere are plenty of people who can point you in the right direction.¡± Wang Yan chuckled.

    ¡°Shitou, seeing how good your business is, how did youe up with the idea? You can¡¯t cook, yet you opened a restaurant and manage to do so well. Don¡¯t people in the city know how to cook?¡± the olddy was curious.

    She knew her son very well. If it was about ughtering pigs, he was a pro, and heavybor was no problem, but cooking¡ªmeals he cooked at home could probably only feed pigs.

    ¡°Mom, you don¡¯t know about this restaurant yet. It¡¯srgely thanks to Bai Xiao¡¯s good fortune. Our hotpot restaurant¡¯s secret recipe was concocted by her own aunt. Otherwise, between the two of us, we¡¯d only be good for some heavy lifting,¡± Wang Yan felt grateful for his niece Bai Xiao.

    Without Bai Xiao, they wouldn¡¯t have their sess today.

    In just one year, they managed to live like they do now, not only buying a house but also cars for convenience, including running to branch stores.

    They bought two vans.

    He and Li Haiping both learned to drive.

    This made it convenient to rotate between the stores.

    It was also much more convenient for picking up goods or shoppingpared to the old tricycle, much faster indeed.

 Chapter 416 - 416 416 Daughter Good

    ?Chapter 416: Chapter 416: Daughter Good   Chapter 416: Chapter 416: Daughter Good                                   ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s why, but why is it called ¡®Old Bai Family Spicy Hot Pot¡¯?¡± The olddy felt a surge of irritation upon seeing that sign today. Her own son was the head of the household, and yet the name of the restaurant was not theirs.

    The olddy felt stifled and ufortable not voicing this out.

    Wang Yan immediately saw what his own mother was thinking.

    ¡°The reason it¡¯s called ¡®Old Bai Family Spicy Hot Pot¡¯ is not only because the secret recipees from Bai Xiao, but also the money for opening the shop was put up by Bai Xiao. If we¡¯re really talking about it, the shop isn¡¯t even ours; it¡¯s thanks to our sister-inw¡¯s generosity, she didn¡¯t make a fuss with us. But as people, we should not forget favors and vite principles, right?

    So, we discussed it and decided to call it the Old Bai Family to acknowledge that it¡¯s my sister-inw¡¯s shop, and furthermore, we also agreed that half of the shop¡¯s profits will go to my sister-inw. To tell you the truth, we got something for nothing.

    Without putting in money, without having the secret recipe, we just put in some effort and took away half of someone else¡¯s earnings. So, shouldn¡¯t we call it that name?¡±

    The olddy blushed upon hearing this.

    She had misunderstood, thinking her daughter-inw was bullying her son by following her and running off alone with no one to look after them, treating her son like a son-inw taken into the wife¡¯s family.

    She hadn¡¯t realized that there was such a reason behind it.

    Upon hearing this, her anger dissipated immediately.

    She couldn¡¯t help but feel grateful to Bai Xiao.

    ¡°Daughter-inw, we really need to thank your sister. Although what I said earlier might have sounded harsh, I thought you were treating Wang Yan like a son-inw taken into the wife¡¯s family. I misunderstood the situation and just wanted to support my son. Now I know, we really owe your sister. Without your sister, you wouldn¡¯t have what you have today.

    You two did the right thing. From now on, I won¡¯t interfere in your affairs. Rest assured, I came this time actually to take care of you. Honestly, it¡¯s for my oldest grandson. I looked after the children of your second and third brothers-inw, and as the wife of the eldest son, it¡¯s both reasonable and natural for me toe.

    Besides, you don¡¯t have your own mother, so if I, as your mother-inw, didn¡¯t take care of you, that would be truly inexcusable. Your father-inw is just stubborn, don¡¯t mind him. You and Wang Yan should live your lives as you see fit.

    Plus, now seeing how well off you are makes me feel warm inside.¡± The olddy was speaking from the bottom of her heart.

    Bai Yue¡¯s heart warmed. She was well aware of how her mother-inw had treated her in the beginning. Having married Wang Yan and caused such an ugly scene with his family, she had never expected her inws to treat her with such kindness and good words.

    But now that her mother-inw was speaking so candidly, it showed that she had begun to ept her.

    How could such a feeling not move someone¡¯s heart?

    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry, I will live a good life with Wang Yan.¡±

    The olddy patted Bai Yue¡¯s hand.

    Wang Yanughed, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m really looking forward to Bai Yue giving me a precious daughter. I especially adore having a daughter. Look at how my two brothers only have sons. If I have a daughter, our family would be blessed with a flower. That would be so cherished.¡± He was worried his mother was causing Bai Yue stress.

    The olddy chuckled, ncing at Wang Yan, ¡°If you had a daughter, what would you need a wife for? Yes, I am also looking forward to having a granddaughter. Granddaughters are great, just look at what a bunch of bald boys we have in the house. If I had a granddaughter, she would be so dear to me.¡±

    The olddy was well aware that her son was trying to protect his wife.

    Bai Yue smiled.

    In that instant, it felt as though a weight had been lifted from her heart.

 Chapter 417 - 417 417 Ernius Idea

    ?Chapter 417: Chapter 417 Erniu¡¯s Idea   Chapter 417: Chapter 417 Erniu¡¯s Idea                                   The next day, Bai Yue began living a fairy-tale life.

    The olddy really treated her well, getting up early in the morning to prepare food for a few of them, sending Haishun off to school, and once they were off to the store, she would clean everything inside and outside the house until it was spotless.

    Erniu, because Wang Yan insisted on keeping him and not letting him go, since he was short-handed himself, had Erniu help oversee the renovations of the new store.

    They were busy until the end of the year approached, and then Wang Yan bought Erniu bags of gifts,rge and small, allowing Erniu to finally go back home.

    The old man didn¡¯t realize that Erniu, indeed, had entertained the idea of leaving. Watching his brother¡¯s prosperous life in the city, and then considering their own lives, guarding those few dozen pigs at home, especially this summer when an outbreak of swine fever killed many, leaving only a few behind.

    His heart ached terribly.

    Not to mention, this year¡¯s efforts had essentially been for nothing.

    Thinking it over, he concluded that it might be better to start a business like his brother. Although it was also tiring, it was less so than pig farming, and it was cleaner.

    Moreover, seeing how the city folks lived made Erniu¡¯s heart burn with longing.

    He dreamed of bringing his wife and children to experience a different life, just like his older brother and sister-inw who started from scratch with nothing and now, in just over a year, had a house,nd, and even a car.

    If they had this kind of van in their vige, it would be the envy of so many.

    Now, some capable folks in their vige were starting to make ns to work outside, but not everyone could afford a car.

    He had discussed it with Wang Yan, and even though he wasn¡¯t ambitious enough to move to the provincial capital, he thought that relocating to the county seat wasn¡¯t a bad idea.

    He had long wanted to learn to drive; people from other viges had already started in transportation, and he heard that operating a truck could be quite lucrative.

    Wang Yan supported him and made it clear to him that if he needed money, all he had to do was ask his older brother, and he would certainly lend it to him.

    Erniu felt grateful.

    He was well aware that his own father would rather have all three sons stay at home and live off pig farming; if Erniu wanted to pursue a different livelihood, his father would likely be the first one to disapprove.

    Under those circumstances, not to speak of seed money, his father probably wouldn¡¯t give him a single penny.

    But his heart was no longer at home; pig farming was not his forte nor his passion. In reality, the family¡¯s backbone was his older brother.

    Now, he had seen other possibilities.

    There were other ways to make a living, and even to live better, so why not try a different path?

    He was determined to take his wife and kids out for a different kind of life.

    However, he hadn¡¯t mentioned this n to his father.

    Seeing the bags of goods Erniu brought back, his father almost threw them out in disdain. It was only after Erniu mentioned that the olddy had asked him to bring them that his father let it be.

    At night, in the privacy of their room, he discussed everything with his wife, and she was willing.

    After all, people strive for higher ground, and water flows to the lowest point.

    His wife, in particr, longed for an easier life. Though living with arge family seemed lively, the reality was that there would always be inevitable friction among so many people.

    And with the presence of the elders at home, and since the couple wasn¡¯t earning money themselves, the finances were controlled by the senior couple.

    It was inconvenient even to make small purchases for herself.

    She, too, hoped that they could indeed start their own life elsewhere, even if it meant hardship, as long as they were content with their days.

 Chapter 418 - 418 418 Crotch Rot Syndrome

    ?Chapter 418: Chapter 418: Crotch Rot Syndrome   Chapter 418: Chapter 418: Crotch Rot Syndrome                                   Old Wang had no idea that once his son left, his entire heart turned wild.

    He was just worried about when his wife could return, his greatest wish being that his eldest¡¯s business would face difficulties so he coulde home.

    Unfortunately, Wang Yan didn¡¯te back for the New Year, nor did his wife.

    That indicated Wang Yan¡¯s business was doing well.

    ¡­¡­

    Bai Xiao looked at the weather outside; it had been raining for several days now.

    The weather was atrocious, and it was impossible to move the injured soldiers.

    Moreover, there were too many injured, including six severely wounded, and even with ten transporters working to exhaustion, they couldn¡¯t evacuate the personnel.

    Moreover, in the rainy weather, the muddy roads were exceptionally difficult to navigate.

    One slip, and the transporters could overturn.

    Falling off would result in a serious ident, mainly because there was a cliff below.

    In addition, the enemy shelled them from time to time.

    Apparently, they wanted to take revenge but couldn¡¯t vent their hatred.

    An Zhiyuan was holding binocrs, watching the enemy¡¯s position. Everything looked quiet, except for the erosion from the rain, revealing nothing else.

    ¡°This rain won¡¯t stop; it¡¯s very harmful to the wounds of the injured, not just them, but many of your team members are starting to develop eczema, and it has already worsened for many,¡± Bai Xiao stood beside him; she was also very anxious.

    The injured and the team members both needed medications, but currently, there was no resupply.

    The transporters couldn¡¯t get through.

    The transporters below had tried several times to send supplies up, but it had always fallen through.

    One transporter had already fallen down the cliff! His fate was uncertain, and everyone understood that usually meant there was no chance of survival.

    We couldn¡¯t let people take such risks anymore.

    ¡°I know, I hope the rain stops tomorrow; it has been three days already. We might even finish off our rationed biscuits!¡± He was aware, but anxiety was useless.

    ¡°If the rain doesn¡¯t stop tomorrow, we can only form a suicide squad to move downhill, saving as many injured as possible, and we must resupply. I suspect the camp below is also very anxious.¡±

    Bai Xiao thought for a moment, sighed, what could be done at this time?

    Unless they grew wings, the injured couldn¡¯t get down, and the transporters couldn¡¯t bring supplies up.

    However, with her special ability, the wounded could be treated timely and heal ordingly, but nowplications were arising, and she feared the injuries might get worse. She could treat them, but continuing could easily expose her.

    Not treating wouldn¡¯t sit right with her own conscience.

    To treat, how to treat.

    An Zhiyuan nced at Bai Xiao, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I think this rain will stop by tomorrow afternoon at thetest. Then I¡¯ll escort you down the mountain.¡± He had received instructions from his superiors to make arrangements because the next batch of personnel exchange had been scheduled, and the relief squad would arrive in no more than a month.

    Bai Xiao nodded her head.

    What else could be done? They could only hope that tomorrow Mother Nature would show some mercy and stop the rain.

    She went down to administer acupuncture torades suffering from jock itch, many team members now had the condition, and the antiseptic medications they brought were almost used up, leaving very little for the injured, so the team members were truly suffering.

    Especially since they hade up as sanitary workers, originally none of them wore clothes because clothes would rub painfully against the raw areas; now, to avoid notice, everyone wore clothes, which made it even more ufortable.

    She couldn¡¯t treat anything else, but she could give her all to this.

 Chapter 419 - 419 419 The Rain Stops

    ?Chapter 419: Chapter 419 The Rain Stops   Chapter 419: Chapter 419 The Rain Stops                                   The next day, as expected, the weather gradually improved, and the rain stopped,

    turning into a drizzle.

    It seemed the rain would stop by night.

    Comrades were also very pleased since the humid weather made it hard to breathe, and most of them, being from the north, really suffered in such conditions.

    Bai Xiao was performing thest acupuncture treatment on the team members; when night fell, she was to descend the mountain with the Transporters.

    She pulled out thest silver needle.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s nerves had numbed.

    Ever since thest time she had treated An Zhiyuan, her special ability seemed to have evolved. Almost any treatment she performed now was not overly taxing. At leastpared to before, it was half the effort for twice the result, and the most significant difference was that her cold resistance had really improved.

    Although she still felt cold after using her special ability, it was absolutely not the bone-chilling kind of cold she experienced before. Instead, it felt like a cool breeze in crisp autumn air, fluttering briefly, not enough to freeze someone to death.

    Bai Xiao herself found it strange.

    In her previous life, there was no such phenomenon. Even when her special ability became so strong that she could bring the dead back to life within minutes, she still couldn¡¯t achieve the kind of immunity to the cold that she had now. Back then, to fight off the chill, she looked neither human nor ghostly and was controlled by others.

    Otherwise, how could Shang Kaiwen have controlled her?

    This life seemed to turn upside down after meeting An Zhiyuan. It was as if her special ability had met its match, surrendering without a fight. Like now, whenever An Zhiyuan came over and grasped her shoulder, in a pause of no more than two seconds, the chill in her body would melt away like ice and snow, immediately turning into warm spring sunshine.

    She couldn¡¯t exin this miraculous feeling.

    An Zhiyuan really seemed like her antidote.

    Now she was in a real predicament.

    She and An Zhiyuan were unavoidably tied to the same chariot of war.

    The problem was An Zhiyuan was no fool; how could he not have sensed it?

    If An Zhiyuan was unaware, why would he appear beside her every time she was treating someone, on any pretext? What did that mean?

    Most importantly, An Zhiyuan would intentionally or unintentionally make physical contact with her. Everyone knew that in public, An Zhiyuan was the epitome of an upright gentleman. It was inconceivable that he would make such a low-level mistake, blinded by beauty and lose hisposure to grope her.

    Therefore, Bai Xiao was one hundred percent certain that An Zhiyuan had sensed something.

    ¡°All right, that¡¯s enough. Get ready to go down the mountain. Our medics and the Transport Team, including us, will go together. This time we¡¯re taking two injured, Li Gaoshan and Dashuan will go down first,¡± An Zhiyuan began arranging the night¡¯s operation.

    They nned to take advantage of the night and leave early since, finally, there were some sparse stars in the sky. At least the night journey wasn¡¯t pitch ck, which was a vast improvement over the past few days. Although it was still dark and slippery, the difference was as vast as from heaven to earth.

    They hoped the enemy would have a good rest tonight and not disturb their descent.

    Bai Xiao packed up her medicine box, slung it over her shoulder, and went out to the trench outside the Karst Cave. With the rain stopped, she could go out to breathe the fresh air. The cave was very damp. If not for asionally bolstering herself, she might have developed eczema.

    Since thest time he was saved by her, An Zhiyuan had been in excellent health, relishing everything and feeling stronger than ever.

 Chapter 420 - 420 420 Canned Food

    ?Chapter 420: Chapter 420 Canned Food   Chapter 420: Chapter 420 Canned Food                                   Because the rain had stopped in the afternoon, although the trench was still damp, it was already much morefortable.

    Bai Xiao watched as the night outside gradually darkened.

    Her heart was in turmoil, and as she gazed into the darkness, the increasingly indistinct scenery began to look like fierce beasts. Any darker, and they would be setting off.

    ¡°Eat something, we still have time. It¡¯s just getting dark, and the enemy is still on high alert. It¡¯s not suitable for us to slip down the mountain in silence. We need at least two more hours. You can rest for a while!¡± An Zhiyuan appeared abruptly by her side, but she wasn¡¯t surprised or taken aback at all, as if there was an unspoken understanding between them.

    To be honest, she did trust An Zhiyuan. Apart from the secrets that couldn¡¯t be revealed, this man was trustworthy.

    After more than half a year of exploration, he was quite familiar with this area. The terrain around them was exceptionally rugged and difficult to navigate. In some ces, the mountain walls were almost vertical, with exposed rocks and steep abysses. On the other side, a raging river blocked their path, a very dangerous one at that.

    The transporters who came up to bring supplies and food were actually risking their lives every time, but such was the cruel and unavoidable danger they all faced.

    Truly, the risk the transporters faced every day was even greater than theirs.

    Bai Xiao patted her pocket and said with feigned ease, ¡°I still have some chocte. Compared topressed biscuits, I¡¯d rather eat this!¡±

    Bullshit, An Zhiyuan smiled, a kind-hearted woman. She was pretending as ifpressed biscuits weren¡¯t already being rationed out to everyone. That was why they were in a hurry to descend the mountain as soon as the rain stopped. So many people had almost no supplies for days, and they would use up their own stores quickly.

    ¡°Here, eat this, it should taste better than chocte!¡± An Zhiyuan stuffed half a can of lunch meat into Bai Xiao¡¯s hands. This was his ration, and others had theirs too. Every three days, they could get half a can of this lunch meat. Normally, as a team leader, he would be entitled to more, but now resources were scarce.

    He already noticed her cheeks were flushed, her expression flustered; he sighed inwardly, realizing the two of them needed a lot more time to get acquainted.

    Bai Xiao took the can of meat, her fingers touching An Zhiyuan¡¯srge hand. His hands were lean, with wide palms and long fingers that exuded strength. The tips and the center of his palms were somewhat rough, and she couldn¡¯t help but wonder, what would it feel like if such a hand caressed her cheek? Would it be gentle too?

    She took out her folding knife, clumsily cut the lunch meat into several slices in the tin, then picked one and held it up to An Zhiyuan¡¯s lips, ¡°Hmm, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve already eaten. That kind of lie is only good for kids.¡±

    She knew well the current scarcity of provisions, and An Zhiyuan wasn¡¯t a man to favor personal gain over duty, so he certainly wouldn¡¯t have eaten. His share must still be here, and the thought made her feel a bit sweet inside.

    An Zhiyuan nced at Bai Xiao, his expression calm, opened his mouth and bit the piece of lunch meat off the knife. Hisposure carried a sternness that made it impossible to guess his thoughts.

    Bai Xiao chose another slice, noticeably smaller than the first, and put it into her mouth.

    She sighed.

    Days ofpressed biscuits made the lunch meat feel like a delicacy, her taste buds almost screaming to devour the rest of the cans.

    She thought fiercely, when she got back to the rear, she would eat braised pork, spicy chicken, and many more delicious things. She also missed the hotpot at her sister¡¯s ce.

    Her daydreaming resulted in not noticing An Zhiyuan taking the can and knife from her, feeding her the slices one by one until it was all gone.

    By the time she came to, the can was already empty.

 Chapter 421 - 421 421 Departure (Extra Monthly Ticket)

    ?Chapter 421: Chapter 421 Departure (Extra Monthly Ticket)   Chapter 421: Chapter 421 Departure (Extra Monthly Ticket)                                   Until he held her wrist, motionless, she stared at him, unable to shift her gaze away.

    Her heart suddenly pounded against her chest.

    His dark eyes moved across her face, lingering on her lips and refusing to leave.

    ¡°Sleep for a while,¡± he said calmly.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s mind went nk; An Zhiyuan stretchednguidly in the cramped space, and then his heady next to hers against the mud wall of the trench. He kept his voice low, meant only for her ears.

    Despite the presence of others and the surrounding noise, she intensely felt as though lying here with him alone, an intimacy that was hard to believe.

    She could even smell the warmth of his skin and feel the steady, strong beat of his heart.

    ¡°Stop thinking,¡± he whispered, a finger touching her forehead. ¡°It¡¯ll be over in a moment. Sleep.¡±

    Warmth gradually climbed up, and drowsiness followed suit.

    Unconsciously, Bai Xiao had snuggled close to his arm, her hand tightly clutching his clothes, drawing warmth from his body.

    She tiredly opened her eyes and saw An Zhiyuan¡¯s head next to hers.

    She had no confusion whatsoever, immediately knowing where she was and whose side she was sleeping on; she didn¡¯t realize when she had intimately leaned her head on An Zhiyuan¡¯s shoulder, their heads almost touching each other.

    An Zhiyuan quickly awakened due to a sound, his soldier¡¯s vignce making him scan the surroundings. Seeing her gentle gaze, An Zhiyuan smiled, the curve of his lips clearly visible in the darkness, a warmth and emotion evident in his expression.

    ¡°We need to depart now!¡± An Zhiyuan checked his watch and then told Bai Xiao.

    He swiftly went to notify the others.

    The wounded weren¡¯t carried on stretchers this time, the path being slippery and treacherous. If they didn¡¯t want idents, they had to carry the wounded on their backs.

    This time, An Zhiyuan still arranged Bai Xiao and Liu Yun in the middle of the group, instructing Bai Xiao to stay close right behind him. Everybody else was already geared up and ready to move, each feeling light without the need to carry supplies.

    Except for the two wounded who needed to be carried in turns by several people.

    An Zhiyuan carried Li Gaoshan, doing his best to minimize any further injury to his wounds, although unbeknownst to others, Li Gaoshan¡¯s wounds had almost healed.

    Another team member, determined to protect their captain to the death, was one of the two who had descended the mountain with An Zhiyuan. They carried another wounded man who had lost a leg; everyone silently walked out of the trench.

    Bai Xiao nced at the cloudy sky, pleased that the weather tonight was cool rather than hot.

    It would have been nicer to have a full moon, but her eyes had long adapted to the dark, and the sky wasn¡¯tpletely ck. Her vision wasn¡¯t good enough to move around, but at least she could distinguish shapes and shadows. As long as nothing moved and there were no footsteps, she wouldn¡¯t be afraid.

    They quickly reached the riverbank; it was a rapid stream with a rocky bed, though it was called a small river.

    But the greatest advantage here was the cover, and the riverbank wasn¡¯t too high. The highest part of the bank was only three meters, but it was only two meters on the eastern side, and the slope was gentler, making it possible to descend without rappelling.

    The transporters used daggers to dig footholds in the ground; they practically walked straight down the hill.

    She followed closely behind An Zhiyuan; even though she couldn¡¯t see him, she knew that the person in front was him.

 Chapter 422 - 422 422 Obstacle (Extra Monthly Ticket)

    ?Chapter 422: Chapter 422 Obstacle (Extra Monthly Ticket)   Chapter 422: Chapter 422 Obstacle (Extra Monthly Ticket)                                   Because they were so close to the river, the sound of the rapids demanded full attention, so she focused even more on each step, carefully ensuring she didn¡¯t fall from the uneven rocks.

    There was no riverbank, at least not the kind most people think of. On both sides of the river were only rocks, all shapes and sizes,rge and small, round and pointed.

    Some were as stable as Mount Tai, while others would roll at a single step. Some were very slippery, and the most dangerous were both slippery and rolling.

    Before she took each step on the rocks, she made sure to grab hold with at least one hand before daring to shift her weight. As you can imagine, their progress was very slow.

    Liu Yun and she held each other¡¯s hands tightly, making their way as they hadst time; this was just another experience.

    A cold fog blew over, and within seconds, clouds enveloped the mountains, reducing visibility to zero.

    For the next hour, it was like this, with clouds shrouding the area and the wind continuously blowing mist in and scattering it. Once, the fog was so thick they had to stop and put on thin raincoats to keep their clothes as dry as possible.

    So, proceeding with frequent stops, their pace was greatly slowed, and they were still a long way from their final destination. Ahead of them was a slope covered in trees, their targety to the northwest, but the terrain leaned north, so they could only advance as the terrain dictated.

    But the worst was not these; it was the weather.

    Halfway through, a torrential downpour began.

    Their situation was quite awkward, with no way forward and no way back, and any path on either side involved great risk. An Zhiyuan, whose previous burden of carrying the wounded had been taken by others, was now anxiously contemting what to do in the pouring rain.

    He and Hu Biao picked up a thumb-thick branch and poked around in the shrubs for small caves, protruding rock faces¡ªany ce that could provide shelter from the wind and rain for the night.

    He had to find a suitable cave within the time he had set for himself. Although there were many protruding rock faces, some were too shallow, some cracked, and some had unstable ground. Some had water running over them; one of his conditions for resting was dryness, so none of these would do.

    Finding a karst cave would have been ideal, but the terrain was unfamiliar to him, though Hu Biao knew it much better.

    Finally, he spotted a potential spot. A piece of granite extended slightly upward, perched on top of a massive thick rock b. These two rock pieces were as solid as Mount Tai, having been fixed there for so long that they were almostpletely buried, withrge trees growing on top. At the opening below, which faced south, there was arge fir tree partially covering the entrance.

    He leaned in to inspect, this time turning on the shlight to make sure there were no snakes, bugs, mice, or anything else unsuitable for spending the night together; after moving aside the vines hanging over the entrance, the inside was dry. He illuminated every corner to check for snakes, dead mice, live mice, or any other undesirable guests.

    The cave was halfway up the hillside and resembled a northern sweet potato cer. The entrance was narrow; to get in, one had to extend their legs inside first, supporting themselves with both hands on the sides until their feet reached the stones below, then they could walk down the steps.

    The inside of the karst cave was irregrly shaped and not veryrge. With all 16 of them inside, there simply wasn¡¯t enough space to lie down; they had to lean tightly against each other.

    But this was already the best they could have under the current conditions.

    The ground was, of course, covered with gravel, and there were a few insects hastily avoiding the light. Having a fire would have been perfect, but that was absolutely impossible unless they wanted to invite the enemy¡¯s shells for a close encounter.

    Everyone began to orderly withdraw into the cave.

 Chapter 423 - 423 423 Burial (Extra Monthly Ticket)

    ?Chapter 423: Chapter 423 Burial (Extra Monthly Ticket)   Chapter 423: Chapter 423 Burial (Extra Monthly Ticket)                                   Guard duty had been arranged.

    An Zhiyuan and Hu Biao were on the first shift, all the team members now needed to rest, the rain outside was getting heavier, but it was unknown when it would stop.

    He wore a raincoat, the gun hidden inside, the karst cave extended forward into a narrow passageway which one could traverse, though not far, only about ten meters.

    Bai Xiao, the medic, was originally scheduled to rest.

    She simply couldn¡¯t sleep.

    She was well aware that they were trapped halfway close to the enemy, any slight sound might bring an attack from the opponent.

    She put on a raincoat and crawled out.

    She stood at the entrance of the cave to breathe some fresh air.

    Hu Biao saw Bai Xiaoe out and moved behind the rocks outside, very tactfully avoiding being a third wheel.

    The team leader¡¯s wife was right there; if the couple wanted to say some private words, his presence would be inappropriate.

    Bai Xiao hadn¡¯t even started speaking when suddenly she heard a cannon st.

    Before she could understand what was happening, An Zhiyuan had hurled himself at her, and both of them tumbled down the steep slope directly into the passageway.

    Immediately after, they felt rocks and chunks of mud pelting down on them like raindrops, the quantity was so massive that it almost leveled the area they were at.

    Just as she thought to shake off the debris and stand up, she heard the second and third artillery sounds.

    This sudden turn of events baffled Bai Xiao.

    She bit her finger forcefully to slowlye to her senses.

    ¡°Have the enemies spotted us?¡± Bai Xiao had to shout, feeling she couldn¡¯t even hear her own voice.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know; stay here and don¡¯t move. There¡¯s arge rock here that will protect us from the falling shells. I will go check on everyone else,¡± An Zhiyuan felt responsible.

    Bai Xiao was actually trembling with fright, but she knew she had to let go of An Zhiyuan; at this moment Captain An wasn¡¯t hers alone, but everyone¡¯s.

    ¡°Hu Biao! Hu Biao!¡± An Zhiyuan called out.

    ¡°Captain, I¡¯m fine, there are lots of rocks here, I¡¯ve found a ce to hide,¡±

    Hu Biao had been blown between a pile of rocks by the artillery! Fortunately, they were rounded rocks, or else who knows how severely he might have been injured.

    Now, all he could hear was buzzing, unclear of any other sound.

    Just after saying this, another artillery shell flew over.

    An Zhiyuan ducked his head to the ground.

    Looking up, he saw the roof of the karst cave had been demolished.

    At that moment, the rain intensified, turning muddy with the recent shelling. The rainwater mixed with mud flowed continuously downward along the slope; technically, he was now lying in a mudflow.

    He kept observing the enemy¡¯s movements across, but the heavy rain made it impossible to see anything beyond 50 meters; he could only see through the rain curtain that the cave entrance had beenpletely blocked by rocks. Initially, he hadn¡¯t realized the gravity of the situation, thinking the entrance was merely obscured by flying branches or stones. It seemed everything blocking could be pushed aside with some effort.

    But when he crawled closer, he realized the entrance was buried under gravel. If it wererger rocks, they might be easier to move, but with these small stones, clearing them would be very difficult. The biggest problem was that the artillery had sted open the rocks above.

    Rainwater mixed into mud slid through the crevices directly into the cave nonstop, gushing continuously.

    The people inside werepletely buried.

    If the rocks were not cleared quickly, the people inside would likely face grim prospects.

 Chapter 424 - 424 424 Alarm (Extra Monthly Ticket)

    ?Chapter 424: Chapter 424 rm (Extra Monthly Ticket)   Chapter 424: Chapter 424 rm (Extra Monthly Ticket)                                   Bai Xiao had already followed him to the entrance of the cave.

    Seeing the situation in front of her, her heart jolted in shock.

    At the entrance, she shouted, ¡°Liu Yun, Li Gaoshan!¡± Faint voices came intermittently from inside, but Bai Xiao still felt a surge of joy in her heart.

    ncing at An Zhiyuan, she said, ¡°We must dig them out. If this goes on much longer, never mind the rocks blocking the entrance, theck of air cirction alone, let alone the mud, could drown them.¡±

    An Zhiyuan nodded. What else could be said now?

    ¡°Hu Biao, Hu Biao,¡± An Zhiyuan called out.

    It was not only a matter of quick rescue now, but more importantly, they needed to stand guard. The enemy¡¯s artillery fire was alreadying their way, suggesting a high probability of small reconnaissance teams arriving; this meant their position was likely exposed.

    Of course, it was not excluded that the other party had discovered something and was merely testing them with a show of force.

    Either way, their situation was dire.

    Hu Biao, panting heavily, came crawling over, his face covered in blood from cuts and bruises.

    ¡°Captain!¡±

    ¡°You take the gun and stand guard, be careful. Given the present situation, someone might creep up on us. The two of us will try our best to open up the Karst Cave and rescue the people inside,¡± An Zhiyuan said as he handed Hu Biao his semi-automatic rifle.

    Hu Biao nodded. ¡°Captain, keep the gun with you. I have my gun. I¡¯ll push forward ten meters now. If I spot any enemy movement and you hear my gunfire, it will be a signal to you.¡± Hu Biao also realized that with very low visibility, they couldpletely miss someone approaching them.

    Especially since this group of bastards was even more familiar with the terrain than they were.

    An Zhiyuan shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t shoot randomly. There are just three of us here, and until we rescue those inside, if someone approaches, try to hide and conserve our strength. If need be, we¡¯ll use evasive tactics. Anyway, protect this entrance.¡±

    Once the battle truly began, the three of them, including Bai Xiao, had virtually nobat capability and would find it hard to confront the enemy face-to-face.

    Hu Biao nodded. ¡°Understood, Captain. I¡¯ll move forward now.¡±

    As Hu Biao moved away,

    An Zhiyuan turned around and saw Bai Xiao already intensely gouging at the rocks. Since the rocks were freshly sted, their edges were extremely sharp. She could barely remove one before her hands were already streaming with blood.

    An Zhiyuan tore off his own shirt and handed it to Bai Xiao, ¡°Wrap your hands.¡±

    He wrapped his own hands as well, and resumed digging with both hands.

    But the deeper they dug, the colder their hearts grew, because not only were there mud and rocks at the entrance, but also inside, filling the entire Karst Cave. If it were just the rocks filling the cave, there would still be air gaps between the stones, allowing any survivors inside to breathe.

    The real death trap was the mud that had also flowed in.

    After a while, the two realized that their bare hands were inadequate.

    An Zhiyuan had no choice but to take out a dagger to pry. This was why the team members¡¯ semi-automatic rifles, totaling fifteen, had been left outside. But these weapons were their second lives. Entering the Karst Cave earlier in fear of enemy approach being awkward, they had wrapped the weapons tightly in stic sheets for easier ess and to save space. Moreover, each magazine was fully loaded.

    Bai Xiao took the dagger and pointed at the weapons, ¡°You should gather up these weapons.¡± She forcefully pried open a stone.

    Even in his urgency, An Zhiyuan hadn¡¯t forgotten the possible looming threat of an enemy. He gathered all the weapons together next to himself before starting again to pry the rocks.

 Chapter 425 - 425 425 Attack

    ?Chapter 425: Chapter 425 Attack   Chapter 425: Chapter 425 Attack                                   The high ground and the camp below had seen their encounter with the bombardment, and it was only after the deputy team leader called upwards that they learned An Zhiyuan had personally led a team down the mountain. ording to the current situation, they must have encountered an attack from the enemy.

    While returning fire, they were also immediately dispatching reinforcements.

    But now, with conditions unclear and the roads dangerously slick, even if they were rushing over, it would take no less than two hours to locate their exact position¡ªwhere could they be?

    What baffled them the most was how, in the rain, visibility was so poor that targets could hardly be seen, yet why could the enemy fire so urately?

    What had given away An Zhiyuan and his team¡¯s position?

    In fact, this was a probing attack by the enemy, exploiting the rxed defense due to the rainy weather. The bombardment that An Zhiyuan and his team suffered wasn¡¯t specifically aimed at them. The enemy knew that this road was the supply and reinforcement route for the camp below, so the shelling was merely to prevent reinforcements from the camp.

    In fact, before their bombardment, they had ambushed a troop¡¯s strength in a distant valley.

    If it weren¡¯t for the heavy rain, the transport team led by An Zhiyuan would have encountered this troop of adversaries, but luckily, heaven had sent this rain, and they were stopped halfway.

    At this moment, when the individuals from the troop heard the shelling cease, they started quietly advancing up the mountain in the rain.

    They, relying on the rain and mist for cover and caring little for their exposure due to the poor visibility, were already spotted by Hu Biao, who silently made his way back. After years with the transport team, he knew the path like the back of his hand¡ªeven with his eyes closed, he was familiar with every nt and tree.

    By now, Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan had cleared some of the rocks and Bai Xiao was able to touch a hand¡ªit was Liu Yun¡¯s. Liu Yun weakly informed them that although everyone below was still alive, the air was thinning, and many were showing signs of hypoxia, symptoms of fainting, while the casualty situation remained unclear.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s hands, already torn from her clothing, were covered in fresh blood, forcing her to stop and bandage them again.

    It was then that Hu Biao came crouching up.

    ¡°Commander, there¡¯s something. I observed what looks like a troop¡¯s strength. It seems they aren¡¯ting directly for us. I saw them hurrying, apparently towards the high ground,¡± Hu Biao reported.

    After thinking it over, An Zhiyuan understood the situation. Clearly, the enemy intended tounch a night raid by ambushing in advance. It would be easy for hisrades on the high ground to mistake the enemy for the transport team returning due to heavy rain, allowing the enemy to approach the high ground and catch them off guard.

    If they hadn¡¯te down the mountain just in time, the enemy¡¯s n would probably have seeded with devastating losses for them.

    Keep in mind that the high ground had no clue about the impending sneak attack; if they really saw the enemy, they might think they were soldiers forced to return after encountering heavy rain on their descent, and by the time they realized what was actually happening, the enemy would have already made their charge.

    At that moment, it wouldn¡¯t just be a matter of a dozen or so casualties¡ªit would be a grievous price paid by countless individuals on the high ground.

    Now they had to warn the position above in advance, while also figuring out a way to eliminate these bastards. It was all about who could catch whom by surprise, a matter of who was more capable.

    At this time, the lives of the team members in the karst cave could no longer be their concern;pared to the defensive position above, they had to face the reality of abandonment.

    By now, Bai Xiao had understood, ¡°You do what you must, I¡¯ll keep on digging here. There¡¯s arge rock over there, I can hide under it. With this weather, if one isn¡¯t looking carefully, I¡¯ll gopletely unnoticed.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t leave¡ªshe had no skills inbat and was a burden, but by staying put, she could still help these people.

    An Zhiyuan nodded, pushed his handgun into Bai Xiao¡¯s hands, and taught her the basics of shooting.

    Bai Xiao understood that this gun was the only protection An Zhiyuan could offer her at that moment. Now, An Zhiyuan was not her fianc¨¦ but themander of the high ground.

 Chapter 426 - 426 426 Life and Death Together

    ?Chapter 426: Chapter 426: Life and Death Together   Chapter 426: Chapter 426: Life and Death Together                                   He gripped her fingers tightly. In the dim darkness of the night, they faced each other, and he seemed to be struggling to resist an overwhelming force.

    ¡°Take care! Try to hide and don¡¯t rush to dig; that won¡¯t do you any good.¡± He had no choice but to let go of her.

    Although he knew he should stay by her side to protect her, many more people and positions needed their defense.

    Compared to these, the interest of the nation was paramount.

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯ll hide. Look at this spot, I can stay under the rock! I can even reach into the Karst Cave to pry stones! If anyonees, I won¡¯t move a muscle, just like a rock. Besides, once you start firing, it will draw their attention¡ªprobably no one will notice here.¡± She knew what An Zhiyuan was thinking, and at this moment, he couldn¡¯t be distracted by their feelings, not when the lives of hundreds above were at stake.

    An Zhiyuan released her hand, ¡°When I get back, let¡¯s get married.¡± Then he strode away.

    Bai Xiao tucked a handgun into her waistband; the rocks of the Karst Cave had already been cleared to create a space! But it was still not enough, not even a gaprge enough for one person to pass through, and the space couldn¡¯t stop the mudslide from continuing downward. But she couldn¡¯t crouch at the front of the Karst Cave to dig as before, that would make her a target.

    She sidled under a rock nearby. If she remained utterly still, indeed, no one would notice there was a person here.

    She extended her hand into the Karst Cave, where another handy on the wall of the cave, belonging to Liu Yun, who was limp and lifeless.

    ¡°Liu Yun! Listen to me, the enemy has ambushed our position, and now we must stop digging. You must listen carefully to every word I say, grab the hand of the person next to you, have everyone hold hands tightly, no matter what happens, do not let go.¡± That was all she could do.

    She tightly grasped Liu Yun¡¯s hand, her special ability began to transfer, and she could feel the energy of her special ability starting to deplete.

    Liu Yun perked up a bit due to this, the previous dizziness induced by thin air started to fade, and the oppression in his chest was also gradually subsiding. He gripped the people around him, instructing everyone to hold tight. He had heard that Bai Xiao possessed True Qi, which was different from others. Although Bai Xiao¡¯s physical training was not as good as others, she was different, which might be due to the effects of True Qi.

    Bai Xiao heard gunfire; she pressed as close as possible to the stone wall, which had be cold and damp due to prolonged moisture! It grew so cold that it was like being on ice, chilling her to the core and spreading coldness throughout her heart.

    But she couldn¡¯t let go, no matter what, even if it meant being exposed, she couldn¡¯t. These were herrades, who had risked their lives with hers. Many people had protected them on the journey here, shielding the medics like her with their bodies without thought to their own safety.

    Among all the team members, the Transporters suffered the most severe casualties, and none of the people here deserved to die; as long as she was alive, she couldn¡¯t just watch them perish.

    Time passed slowly, and she could barely hear the gunshots as her body grew colder and energy was rapidly depleted.

    She found herself longing for An Zhiyuan¡¯s warmth.

    All the sounds appeared to be very distant.

 Chapter 427 - 427 427 Ambush

    ?Chapter 427: Chapter 427 Ambush   Chapter 427: Chapter 427 Ambush                                   An Zhiyuan and Hu Biao once again confirmed that all the bullets were chambered in the guns they held.

    An Zhiyuan was already carrying a submachine gun on his body, and if it weren¡¯t for the fact that he was the team captain, the transport team would never have been equipped with such gear.

    But now it was proving to be quite useful.

    He couldn¡¯t help but feel pleased with himself, thankful that he had followed them down the mountain! Otherwise, Bai Xiao and the others might have been buried in this Karst Cave, and nobody could predict what the oue would be.

    Hu Biao also picked up a semi-automatic rifle.

    Afterpleting these preparations, the two men vanished into the darkness, hiding in the thickets.

    They had camouged themselves well, and although they could hear odd sounds intermittently, they were quite sure the enemy hadn¡¯t detected them¡ªthat is, unless they were literally stepped on.

    However, if they were discovered, of course, they would immediately shoot to kill at least one to break even, two would be a bonus.

    And the sound of gunfire would also serve as an rm for the high ground above.

    Time ticked away, second by second. The two meny prone, blending into the jungle like a couple of stones,pletely still, not even causing a single leaf beside them to stir. They continued to hear strange voices but saw no one. Yet, they felt the enemy was getting closer by following the sounds.

    When faced with danger, the adrenaline in a person¡¯s body surges, and at this moment, what they felt was not fear.

    After a few minutes, they finally saw a group of people in the distance. Peering through the gaps in the leaves, they could clearly see the enemy¡¯s clothing, the insignias on their uniforms shining tantly, signifying the opposition.

    When they saw the group of about 40 people.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s heart steadied, and seeing no one else confirmed that this was the size of the enemy¡¯s party.

    The ce where the two of them were lying in ambush was the only route to the high ground.

    On both sides were cliffs.

    Once these people ascended, they could only turn forward quickly, and after passing through this narrow passage, they would encounter arge rock that could offer them cover.

    This was their opportunity.

    Both men gripped their submachine guns tightly, vigntly monitoring every move of the enemy, like hunters locked onto their prey¡ªnot just a single animal, but arge group. The ensuing struggle was going to be a matter of life and death, and the tension was making their hearts pound fiercely.

    As the path up the mountain and the small turning road were nked by stones, they had to walk in a line to move past this obstacle. The leader of the enemy was now at the end of the small path.

    They were almost face-to-face with the two men.

    The rain continued to fall.

    These old rivals, under themand of their Command Captain, quickly passed the path in front of them, the rest following closely, walking while keeping a wary eye on their surroundings. The two men¡¯s only hope now was that none of the enemy would fall behind.

    As long as no one fell behind, they wouldn¡¯t need to worry about individual dangers.

    Unfortunately, the Command Captain took a few steps and then allowed the men in front to pass, staying behind himself.

    He walked over to arge nearby rock and unbuckled his belt.

    Damn it, they encountered the very situation they had hoped to avoid.

 Chapter 428 - 428 428 Counterattack

    ?Chapter 428: Chapter 428: Counterattack   Chapter 428: Chapter 428: Counterattack                                   The opponent stood right in front of them, unashamedly unzipping his pants while the sound of running water began above their heads, and a pungent smell of urine forced them to hold their breath.

    The two of them remained utterly still.

    The sound of running water ceased, and they could hear the other person¡¯s heavy breathing. Now, all they could hope for was that the bastard would leave quickly, but unfortunately, people behind him kept greeting him, and they couldn¡¯t understand what was being said.

    Finally, the Command Captain stood up and followed his team as they hastened forward.

    Though the man had only been there for less than two minutes, for them, it had felt as agonizing as two days.

    They didn¡¯t stand up immediately. Although those guys had moved out of their line of sight, their current position was not advantageous for an ambush.

    About two minutester, the two crawled out of the mud and quickly scrambled behind arge rock to peek out.

    It was a godsend opportunity.

    The group gathered together, discussing something, and of course, even if they could hear thenguage, they wouldn¡¯t understand it.

    But because such a group was clustered together, it was the most opportune moment.

    Since they worried about being attacked, all their attention was focused ahead and to both sides, no one expected an attack from behind.

    With a burst of gunfire, a bunch of people fell instantly, and others turned their heads upon hearing the gunshots to see what was happening.

    Hu Biao had already taken the captain¡¯s position and started the second round of firing.

    An Zhiyuan quickly reced his machine gun¡¯s magazine. A second of dy was not affordable, as it gave no chance for the enemy to react.

    This time he took over Hu Biao¡¯s spot, emptied a magazine, and another person quickly took over.

    The two alternated positions, the gunfire never ceased.

    They didn¡¯t dare stop; after the gunfire ended, there wasn¡¯t a single person still standing on the entire mountain path.

    But they absolutely did not rx their alertness. The absence of standing people didn¡¯t mean everyone was dead.

    Many would be cunning, lying on the ground pretending to be dead. Or covered byrades, only slightly wounded.

    Each of the two men held a gun.

    They made sure to put an extra bullet in the head of every person without any omission.

    By that time, they both finally heaved a long sigh of relief.

    This ambush had instead turned into their counter-ambush.

    An entire toon was wiped out, leaving no survivors, and all this urred within two minutes.

    All dangers were eradicated in the bud; likely, the enemy hadn¡¯t anticipated a surprise force waiting here.

    When the enemy heard the gunfire, they just thought their men were engaging in a skirmish, maybe even thinking their troops had seized the high ground or were in hand-to-handbat with their team, never expecting their entire ambush team had beenpletely annihted.

    An Zhiyuan and Hu Biao exchanged a nce and quickly returned to their Karst Cave.

    While the enemy was still indulging in the fantasy of a sessful raid, they had to hurry to rescue their teammates and retreat to the camp below.

    Otherwise, once the enemy realized their raiding team had been obliterated, a fiercer bombardment would begin, making it difficult to descend the mountain then.

    The two returned to the Karst Cave, and An Zhiyuan felt relieved because, during the ambush, everyone had kept up with the team; no one had fallen behind, thus no one would detect anything unusual here.

 Chapter 429 - 429 429 The Handshake between Life and Death

    ?Chapter 429: Chapter 429: The Handshake between Life and Death   Chapter 429: Chapter 429: The Handshake between Life and Death                                   Bai Xiao felt that she was about to die! Her body was as cold as ice, and she truly believed it had be an ice block.

    Even moving slightly was impossible; she was as stiff as a zombie, indistinguishable from one.

    An Zhiyuan, pleasee back quickly.

    All she could do was pray that they would quickly defeat the enemy because in this moment, she knew she had gone too far.

    She had truly risked her life to save others, though she knew with her special ability within her, she definitely wouldn¡¯t die, but probably no one had tried the feeling of being frozen into an ice block! Recovering would require bit by bit thawing, then feeling like she had died once; it was extremely ufortable.

    If it were so bearable, would she have needed an Energy Potion in her past life?

    She still didn¡¯t know where her Energy Potion was.

    She knew she just had to let go of Liu Yun¡¯s hand, and then she wouldn¡¯t continue to freeze; that was the only way, but she clearly saw the mudslide still pouring in. Letting go meant the people inside would be the first to face death.

    In this moment, she couldn¡¯t abandon her teammates; she absolutely couldn¡¯t do such a thing.

    There were a dozen lives there; no matter what, she couldn¡¯t let go.

    So, the sped hands signified their lives were bound together.

    If they were to live, they would live together; if they were to die, they would die together.

    That wasn¡¯t realistic for her, but it was the reality for a dozen people.

    If there really was a God, she wished God wasn¡¯t letting here back just to watch others die while she remained indifferent, preserving herself wisely. So, God, please open your eyes and look at these people; they are all kind and loyal teammates! They shouldn¡¯t die in this cold, damp cave; they should die in a warm bed, in the arms of their family at home, definitely not here. As long as she was here, she couldn¡¯t watch her teammates make sacrifices.

    She would not let go, even in death.

    An Zhiyuan and Hu Biao rushed over.

    An Zhiyuan had already seen Bai Xiao and Liu Yun¡¯s tightly sped hands, and when he grabbed them, Bai Xiao¡¯s fingers were so cold that it made him shudder.

    Damn it, this woman had no regard for her life.

    He took off his raincoat and pulled Bai Xiao out; she was already in bad shape because her body was too stiff to bend.

    What kind of perseverance was this?

    ¡°They¡­,¡±

    In a daze, Bai Xiao saw An Zhiyuan, but her mind was still on her teammates.

    Holding her in his arms, Bai Xiao was so rigid she couldn¡¯t lean against him; he had to hold her like a wooden log, tightly in his arms, rubbing her body to warm her.

    ¡°Hu Biao, dig fast!¡± An Zhiyuan couldn¡¯t care about digging through the rocks; Bai Xiao¡¯s condition was more heartbreaking.

    But teammates, too, were lives, and he understood better than anyone what Bai Xiao was doing.

    If before he had had mere suspicions, now, having seen certain visions when he was between life and death, he somewhat understood the secret Bai Xiao carried, her medical skills, her different acts of salvation time after time.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s medical skills were likely being sustained by something that was depleting, with her life, or perhaps her Vitality, being the most likely possibility. He couldn¡¯t specify; he just felt that this so-called True Qi was probably not so simple.

    Bai Xiao was already frozen to this extent.

    The current temperature shouldn¡¯t have caused her to freeze like this, even though it was raining, yet she was still colder than an ice block.

    He didn¡¯t want to say anything; he knew there was a connection between them.

    This connection had been very clear to him when he was on the brink of death.

    Perhaps only he could help her at this moment.

 Chapter 430 - 430 430 Antidote

    ?Chapter 430: Chapter 430 Antidote   Chapter 430: Chapter 430 Antidote                                   Bai Xiao was already shivering, her face pressed against his chest. Due to the height difference, she was right under his chin, but her hands couldn¡¯t bend back to embrace him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯re all right.¡± An Zhiyuan nced at Bai Xiao and Liu Yun¡¯s hands, still tightly sped together, andy down holding her.

    What else could be done but lie down?

    Bai Xiao refused to let go no matter what.

    He unbuckled his clothes and pushed Bai Xiao¡¯s fingers into his armpit, rubbing her whole body forcefully. Bai Xiao already felt the warm sparks cheerfully coursing through her body.

    Finally, her stove had arrived.

    Hu Biao, seeing Bai Xiao¡¯s condition, said, ¡°Captain An, Doctor Bai doesn¡¯t look right.¡± Even a blind man could see that the doctor was nearly frozen to death.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk too much, just dig as fast as you can. Doctor Bai was just treating them, afraid they wouldck oxygen, so that¡¯s why she¡¯s like this.¡± Captain An couldn¡¯t avoid exining.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s current state was obviously not fooling anyone.

    Hu Biao paused, suddenly remembering that on the mountain, there had been rumors about Doctor Bai¡¯s impressive skills in acupuncture and True Qi, which were said to relieve pain and alleviate symptoms. It seemed she had just used it all on the team members.

    He felt grateful inside.

    Seeing Doctor Bai like this, it was clear that her True Qi was almost depleted.

    In those movies and television dramas about martial arts novels, when a master depletes their True Qi, they would die instantly; Hu Biao never truly imagined that such masters actually existed in the world.

    Looking at Doctor Bai, she seemed to be on the brink of burning out after exhausting her True Qi.

    She had done all this to save the teammates trapped in the cave.

    He hastened his digging.

    Bai Xiao finally felt a warm breath over her chest.

    ¡°Hold¡­ me!¡±

    The two words were almost gnashed out, but unfortunately, her teeth couldn¡¯t even touch each other, and even if they did, they would only fight each other.

    An Zhiyuan was startled, snapped to realization.

    He hugged Bai Xiao tightly. When her icy body pressed against his chest, he truly shuddered.

    My God, so cold.

    The scorching heat from An Zhiyuan finally began to melt the ice encasing Bai Xiao¡¯s body; she felt herself being rapidly enveloped by a torrential current.

    Turbulent and seething, fiercely warm.

    His body temperature was so high it made her feel like she was about to faint. At first, she only noticed the warmth surrounding her, seeping into her skin, piercing through to her marrow. He held her tightly in his arms to help her fight the tremors.

    Oh my God!

    This moment was sofortable she almost wanted to moan.

    His body temperature made her bones melt, her limbs weaken, and shey on him like jelly. The disappearance of the chill rxed her muscles, made her drowsy, and as her stiff muscles began to loosen, he held her even tighter.

    My God, what afortable warmth.

    It was a warmth that no brown sugar water, quilts, coats, or air conditioning could match.

    She was now shifting from rigid to trembling.

    At least she was trembling now.

    ¡°Are you feeling any better?¡± An Zhiyuan held her body, noticing she was slowly rxing. Her body¡¯s muscles were bing soft instead of rigid, like adorable cotton balls. Although still cold, the temperature was no longer unbearable.

    Bai Xiao nodded, looking at her fingers still tightly sped with Liu Yun¡¯s.

    ¡°I¡¯m much better now, let go of me and help him dig through the stones. It¡¯s too slow alone.¡± Bai Xiao did not release her grip, but they couldn¡¯t go on like this indefinitely; if these people were unearthed, they would be saved.

 Chapter 431 - 431 431 Salvation (Extra Chapter for Monthly

    ?Chapter 431: Chapter 431: Salvation (Extra Chapter for Monthly Votes)   Chapter 431: Chapter 431: Salvation (Extra Chapter for Monthly Votes)                                   An Zhiyuan released her, focusing intently on her eyes.

    ¡°Really, can I?¡±

    He was worried that once he let go, she would turn into a zombie.

    The previous incident had been terrifying, and he did not want a repeat.

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°Yes!¡±

    An Zhiyuan joined Hu Biao, and with two people, the speed of their work indeed increased a lot. However, it was still not fast enough. There were too many fragments of rocks, and they were too sharp, practically their nemesis.

    Soon, however, they heard voices. It was toote to hide, but fortunately, they soon recognized from the voices that it was their own people, probably the reinforcements had arrived.

    An Zhiyuan was overjoyed.

    Sure enough, it was a strike team of about twenty people from the camp below that had joined the excavation. In less than half an hour, everyone was finally rescued.

    Fourteen people, sadly, two had already died. At the beginning, when the rocks had fallen at the entrance, a transporter was hit directly on the head and had already stopped breathing. Another transporter at the bottom had suffocated due to being buried under a mudslide.

    Everyone¡¯s mood was very heavy.

    Liu Yun hugged Bai Xiao tightly, no one was more grateful than she! Her teammates had never abandoned any of them even when facing danger.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s efforts were not unknown to her. She didn¡¯t understand True Qi or anything like that, but she knew, Bai Xiao at least saved her, her teammates beside her were about to suffocate! It was Bai Xiao¡¯s True Qi, yes, True Qi.

    She could not remember if Bai Xiao had used acupuncture on her! But she remembered Bai Xiao¡¯s hands.

    It was those hands that brought hope of life to everyone.

    The feeling of life and death dependence was hard to forget! In the most perilous moment, it was Captain An and Hu Biao who annihted the enemy, ensuring their safety; Bai Xiao and the others stuck with them through thick and thin to the end.

    Otherwise, if the enemy discovered them, a single grenade would have ended all considerations of life and death.

    Everyone would have been done for.

    Her three teammates had protected their lives.

    Everyone was wounded, they couldn¡¯t stay longer.

    Quickly. They retreated swiftly down the mountain.

    Time was not short, they feared the enemy might have noticed something was wrong by now, and just a bombardment might be unbearable for them.

    There weren¡¯t many geographical conditions suitable for hiding here, the urgent task was to preserve personnel strength and avoid casualties.

    An hourter, they finally descended the mountain trail and reached the camp.

    The bodies of their teammates had already been sent to the rear for cleaning and would be cremated; the ashes would be transported to the rear as well.

    Everything here was kept simple.

    Bai Xiao and the others had already returned to the Health Team¡¯s camp. She and Liu Yun had now be legends of the Health Team. Just sewing up someone whose intestines were falling out and managing to save those not yet dead was heroic, especially without anesthesia and professional surgeons. The two, barely rted to Surgery, had heroically saved so many.

    It was impossible not to be regarded with respect.

    Yet seeing the pitiful state of the two, everyone said nothing, just greeted them briefly and left.

    These people were in such a sorry state; if others still hung around chattering, that would be utterly heartless.

    Bai Xiao and Liu Yun almost copsed into sleep as soon as they returned to their barracks, too exhausted.

    They had not rested well on the front lines for several days and nights, amidst constant bombardment, rain and humidity. Moreover, the two had to care for so many wounded, there was no time to sleep; managing to nap briefly was already the limit.

    And with the recent brush with death, they had reached the limit of exhaustion.

 Chapter 432 - 432 432 Coma (Extra Chapter for Monthly Votes)

    ?Chapter 432: Chapter 432: Coma (Extra Chapter for Monthly Votes)   Chapter 432: Chapter 432: Coma (Extra Chapter for Monthly Votes)                                   Bai Xiao slept for a full day and night before she woke up. Even with her special ability, she couldn¡¯t withstand prolonged exhaustion. Physical fatigue isn¡¯t much rted to healing, and besides, it wasn¡¯t as if she could just use her powers on herself for not sleeping. It would be overkill, like using a cleaver to kill a chicken¡ªa waste of her abilities.

    This isn¡¯t chewing gum that you chew whenever you feel like it.

    She was not one to waste resources.

    When she woke up, it was already the next morning. As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw An Zhiyuan sitting by her side, his eyes full of worry and anxiety.

    ¡°You¡¯re finally awake?¡± An Zhiyuan hugged Bai Xiao tightly.

    Tightly and forcefully, his arms were brimming with care.

    Bai Xiao was startled. The four of them shared a cabin, and such behavior could be the butt of jokes. Although she didn¡¯t mind the closeness with Zhiyuan, people¡¯s words are formidable, and she had to be cautious, especially since this was a camp, not just any casual ce.

    While pushing An Zhiyuan away with her hands, she hurriedly looked around, relieved to find that there was no one in the cabin at the moment; otherwise, she would have died of embarrassment.

    But howe there was not a single person around? Couldn¡¯t it be to avoid them, everyone had tactfully evacuated?

    That¡¯s it then!

    How could she face anyone now?

    ¡°It¡¯s over, where are they?¡± Without realizing it, she blurted out what she was thinking.

    An Zhiyuan watched her pushing him away with both hands and feet, trying to create a distance between them, and couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter.

    ¡°You¡¯re talking about it now? You slept for a day and a night and scared everyone! Especially Liu Yun, who thought you¡¯d exhausted your True Qi saving someone yesterday, feared you might have perished beautifully, and wished she could immediately find someone with Qigong abilities to transfer True Qi to you. She cried until her eyelids were swollen.¡± An Zhiyuan was both amused and frustrated.

    Not to speak of others, he himself was quite frightened.

    Although he had guessed a lot of things in his heart, to speak frankly, he really didn¡¯t understand what exactly was going on with Bai Xiao now.

    True Qi and Qigong are quite abstract concepts. Even though he had once experienced Bai Xiao¡¯s healing, and he believed that the cluster of energy that had lingered in her chest was probably what she referred to as True Qi, he was clueless about what happens once True Qi is exhausted.

    He just knew that he could be of help to Bai Xiao, for that cluster of True Qi in her body weed him with open arms. He wasn¡¯t foolish and could feel that the True Qi was very friendly toward him, so instinctively, he knew he must be of some help to Bai Xiao, but to what extent he did not know.

    Therefore, he was also very worried that if Bai Xiao really didn¡¯t wake up, that would be truly frightening.

    Bai Xiao was amused by Liu Yun¡¯s actions.

    ¡°Did she really go look for it? Who has True Qi?¡± No way, was Liu Yun actually going to do that?

    ¡°What do you think? In the end, I stopped her, or the whole camp would have been in chaos by now. How do you feel now? If there¡¯s any difort, you must speak up as early as possible. There are so many doctors here who can definitely help you. Although your True Qi might not be treatable by others, a physical illness can still be resolved,¡± An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t expect Bai Xiao to exin the True Qi matter to him.

    But he didn¡¯t want Bai Xiao to keep falling into these deep slumbers, which were very rming.

    At least he was terribly worried, daring not to imagine what he would do if something happened to Bai Xiao.

    He would probably kill Wei Shufen.

    Even if it meant facing military justice, he wouldn¡¯t care, for if Wei Shufen hurt the person he loved most, he couldn¡¯t forgive her.

 Chapter 433 - 433 433 Selfish

    ?Chapter 433: Chapter 433: Selfish   Chapter 433: Chapter 433: Selfish                                   ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just really tired these past few days, plus yesterday I exerted myself a bit too much, so everyone got worried. Don¡¯t worry, look at me, I¡¯m all lively and jumpy again. Look how strong I am, everything tastes so good,¡± Bai Xiao said jokingly, rubbing An Zhiyuan¡¯s furrowed brow.

    ¡°Stop frowning; if you keep it up, you¡¯ll turn into an old man. I haven¡¯t even married you yet, and if you be an old man, I might have to return the goods.¡±

    ¡°Dare to ask for a return? You should know that ¡®no returns or exchanges¡¯ is the policy here. Humph, you, girl, are you trying to rebel? Thinking about returns, huh? Spit it out, have you set your eyes on some other product that doesn¡¯t need returning or exchanging?¡± An Zhiyuan said fiercely, pulling her into his arms.

    The sour feeling in his heart was unmistakable, and Bai Xiao could feel it too.

    Leaning happily into his embrace, Bai Xiao rubbed her face against An Zhiyuan¡¯s chest and sighed, ¡°Who else could I possibly fancy? In this lifetime, I¡¯m practically trapped in the palm of Camp Leader An¡¯s hand, I can¡¯t escape no matter what. Big Brother An, it¡¯s really good to have you by my side.¡±

    No one in this life or thest has treated her so well. No, that¡¯s not right!

    To be precise, no man has treated her so well, of course, except for Big Brother.

    An Zhiyuan hugged her tightly, hugging without any reservations. Everyone now knew that Captain An was in Dr. Bai¡¯s tent, and he believed that no one foolish enough would dare to burst in, so he indulged himself, forgetting all rules. The scene that unfolded yesterday still seemed to y before his eyes, that image of Bai Xiao had nearly scared his soul away.

    He couldn¡¯t lose her.

    In fact, before he went to the front lines, the call he made to Bai Xiao was with the mindset that he might get injured, be disabled, or even die. He had contemted all possible oues, and his only thought was to not drag Bai Xiao down with him.

    That¡¯s why he spoke the way he did.

    He couldn¡¯t give happiness to the woman he loved most, nor could he be a burden to her.

    At that moment, he felt very noble.

    But yesterday, suddenly, he became selfish. His hair, drenched by the storm and clinging to his forehead in strands, but those eyes still twinkled like stars in the night, her slender body containing a strong spirit, unwilling to give up on her teammates even when she was at death¡¯s door, those tightly sped hands shook his soul.

    How could he bear to let someone like Bai Xiao go to someone else, how could he feel at ease letting her be with someone else?

    What if that person didn¡¯t love her, care for her, and pamper her unconditionally the way he did? What then?

    So let him be selfish just this once.

    Let him cherish, protect, and pamper his woman.

    He quickly kissed her forehead, then pulled away.

    With cheeks and ears turning unbearably red.

    Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t help butugh heartily. Her Captain An was blushing. Indeed, her Captain An was cold and serious in front of everyone else, so upright that it was hard to associate him with this doting man. It was unlikely that any of his subordinates would imagine their captain having such a side.

    She had long epted and liked the strong attraction she felt towards him; it was a pride as a woman, and she also acknowledged how important he was to her emotionally.

    In her past life, the love she gave was not reciprocated, and perhaps all she got back was endless hurt, so she learned to suppress her feelings to avoid getting hurt.

    But now, to talk of being cautious was already toote, she thought with a flustered heart. She had already fallen for him. Her body had taken its own initiative to press against him, seeking the pleasure he had given her once.

 Chapter 434 - 434 434 I Am Your Father

    ?Chapter 434: Chapter 434 I Am Your Father   Chapter 434: Chapter 434 I Am Your Father                                   ¡°Report, Captain, there¡¯s a call for Doctor Bai!¡±

    The voice of the guard outside broke the intoxication of the two people.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s face turned red, and she pushed An Zhiyuan away. This man really had no manners¡ªshe took the initiative a bit, and he nearly devoured her.

    But she absolutely loved his passion. When a couple with feelings for each other was together, wasn¡¯t it supposed to be as intensely passionate as, well, thunder and fire?

    An Zhiyuan gave Bai Xiao an awkward nce, stood up, and straightened his appearance.

    ¡°Alright, Doctor Bai will be there right away.¡±

    He felt some deep annoyance. How could he have lost his mind like this? Where was this ce?

    The battlefield!

    This was no ce for romantic affairs.

    Bai Xiao had already tidied up herself, letting down her hair and braiding it into twin its, resembling the vige girl Xiaofang. It couldn¡¯t be helped¡ªshe was a doctor; she couldn¡¯t just let her hair down casually, nor could she tie it into a ponytail. If Xiaofang it was, so be it.

    Bai Xiao ran to the switchboard operator to take the call.

    ¡°Hello, this is Bai Xiao!¡±

    She wondered to herself, who would be calling her? This was the front line; not to mention that hardly anyone would know her phone number, even if they did, the odds of the call actually getting through were next to zero.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, this is your father Shang Feng.¡±

    This sentence struck Bai Xiao like a thunderbolt.

    What was this all about?

    ¡°Mr. Shang, haven¡¯t you made a mistake? Besides, it¡¯s not really appropriate for you to call me right now, given the tense situation here on the battlefield,¡± Bai Xiao knew Shang Feng could pull strings to call her, which was not surprising.

    What was surprising was that he was calling her at this very moment.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, it¡¯s precisely because of the situation that dad must call you. I am your father, your own father. I can¡¯t just watch my daughter be in danger in such a battlefield. Bai Xiao, listen to me¡­¡±

    ¡°Wait a minute, Mr. Shang, I think you are mistaken, I am not your daughter.¡±

    The rest of her thought was, if possible, I¡¯d absolutely not want to be your daughter.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, you are my daughter. I¡¯ve investigated clearly and even went to Liupan Vige, found the woman director from back then, and she has confirmed you are indeed Yu Shaoya¡¯s biological daughter, which means you are my biological daughter,¡± Shang Feng had spent considerable effort and resources to reach this conclusion.

    ¡°I don¡¯t consider myself your daughter. You¡¯ve been indifferent all these years, so why do you insist on recognizing your daughter now? Moreover, I have no interest in being your daughter. I have my own life; please don¡¯t disturb me anymore. It doesn¡¯t matter whose daughter I am, but the Bai Family is my only set of parents. They¡¯ve given me the greatest love and familial affection, they¡¯ve shown me that someone in this world can love me so much. So, stop bothering me.¡±

    Bai Xiao had no intention of dealing with Shang Feng, even if he truly was her father, she would never acknowledge him.

    Was there even a possibility of recognition now?

    If Shang Feng knew that she was the one who caused Shang Kaijie¡¯s downfall, what would he do?

    In her eyes, the Shang Family would never be her kin. Shang Kaiwen and Shang Kaijie could have destroyed her in their previous life; in this life, she had no ns to be polite with these people.

    Familial affection?

    What a joke. They hadn¡¯t raised her or cared for her a single day but wanted to im the benefits she brought as their biological father.

    In your dreams!

    She wasn¡¯t naive. She knew why Shang Feng was so eager to acknowledge her; the Shang Family needed Bai Xiao, they needed the connections behind her.

    So many years without looking for her, and now they came to her door out of desperation¡ªtheir motives were clear enough.

 Chapter 435 - 435 435 Refusal

    ?Chapter 435: Chapter 435: Refusal   Chapter 435: Chapter 435: Refusal                                   ¡°Bai Xiao! I know you have grievances. You me your father for noting to look for you all these years, but your father had his difficulties. At that time, your mother kept it a secret and never told me about you. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have ignored you for so many years.

    ¡°I know you harbor resentment and hatred. Now that I know you are my biological daughter, I will certainly make amends, I have already sought people to arrange for your transfer back to Capital City. I will never let you suffer there again. How can my daughter be in such a dangerous ce? I will not stand by and ignore you.¡± Shang Feng thought that Bai Xiao, knowing she has a father like him, would be thrilled, as after all, the Shang Family is considered a high-ranking family, wealthy and powerful.

    Bai Xiao was just a child who grew up in an ordinary family, powerless and without influence, especially now that she has been transferred here, evidently to make things difficult for her. Shouldn¡¯t she grasp this lifesaver tightly at this moment?

    He could rescue Bai Xiao from this terrible plight, but, of course, the condition was that Bai Xiao must recognize him as her father. Otherwise, why would he go through all this effort?

    ¡°I will never acknowledge you as my father. So you can save it,¡± Bai Xiao coldly refused.

    She was not afraid of danger; here, she had her beloved, her teammates with whom she had faced life and death. The so-called hail of bullets was no longer important to her.

    Anywhere was fine to live, as long as there was love. Any ce could be idyllic and pleasant.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, why are you so stubborn? You know that if you acknowledge me as your father, I can apply to your superiors for you toe to Capital City to take care of me. Otherwise, you will have to continue here, which, to put it nicely, is sacrificing for the country, or to put it unpleasantly, is cannon fodder!¡± Shang Feng gritted his teeth on the other end of the phone; he didn¡¯t expect this girl to bepletely impervious to influence.

    Could someone really not fear death?

    ¡°Mr. Shang, I really don¡¯t like what you¡¯re saying, but you are a stranger to me. Say whatever you like. Since you say I¡¯m cannon fodder, then I¡¯m happy to be cannon fodder. Now, we have nothing more to discuss.¡± Bai Xiao was about to hang up the phone, as Shang Feng¡¯s intent to manipte her was evident, even using recognizing his daughter as a bargaining chip. There was no saving the Shang Family.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, do you really not understand what hanging up this phone means? As your father, I can be a great help to you. Don¡¯t you realize that? Not to mention anything else, I really am your father by blood. Coming back to your father¡¯s side will greatly benefit your future career. Isn¡¯t that worth recognizing me as your father?¡± Shang Feng truly didn¡¯t understand how this girl¡¯s mind worked. Had she been influenced by those vige fools over the years and be dull?

    Recognizing him as her father would be so beneficial. She was ignoring such simple logic¡ªcould a normal person do that?

    ¡°Who wants to recognize, let them recognize. What does your development have to do with me? Sorry, we have nothing to do with each other.¡±

    Bai Xiao hung up the phone immediately. There was nothing to discuss with someone like Monk Feng. People like him probably think of nothing but personal gain. Blinded by greed, even familial bonds could be used as adder to climb higher. She was not here to be adder for the Shang Family; she was here to bring them down.

 Chapter 436 - 436 436 Inquire Indirectly

    ?Chapter 436: Chapter 436: Inquire Indirectly   Chapter 436: Chapter 436: Inquire Indirectly                                   Shang Feng listened to the dial tone in the receiver, seething with frustration.

    It had taken him the strength of nine bulls and two tigers just to get this call through. Withoutyer uponyer of approvals from above, how could the call possibly have been transferred to the front line?

    With a m, he pressed the receiver back onto the cradle.

    She¡¯s simply an ingrate.

    Just like her mother, stubborn and unenlightened, she doesn¡¯t understand the least bit of subtlety or social grace. Doesn¡¯t she know how the world works?

    If that¡¯s the case, then let her suffer here. He had thought that by speaking up, Bai Xiao would surely be overwhelmed with gratitude towards her biological father. In her eyes, her father was naturally different. Whatever he would say must certainly be taken as gospel.

    Yet this stubborn girl not onlycked any gratitude, but she also didn¡¯t even want to acknowledge him.

    Shang Feng felt it seemed she hadn¡¯t suffered enough here; she needed to taste true hardship to realize how much her father had helped her when she was most in need.

    Hmph, wretch.

    Shang Feng stormed out of his office, infuriated. He was in a certain provincial military district where one of his old ssmates held a leadership position, wielding significant influence. Without this connection, how could he have made a call to that ungrateful girl on a whim?

    Li Heng watched Shang Feng storm out, tea cup in hand, and asked curiously.

    ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you? Weren¡¯t you supposed to call your daughter?¡±

    He and Shang Feng had grown up together, and Li Heng knew about the affair between Shang Feng and Yu Shaoya. So when he heard Shang Feng had a daughtering out of the woodwork, he thought he should lend a hand if possible. The worst that could happen would be transferring the girl to another ce, which was within his power to do, and it certainly wouldn¡¯t be seen as nepotism.

    After all, it wasn¡¯t bending any rules.

    ¡°Ah, that girl doesn¡¯t recognize me. It¡¯s true what they say; if you don¡¯t raise them yourself, they don¡¯t feel like your own.¡± Shang Feng clutched at his chest, pained.

    Li Hengughed and said, ¡°What do you expect her to do? You suddenly call her out of the blue, iming she¡¯s your daughter? You haven¡¯t fed her a single meal over the years, nor have you taken care of her in any way. How do you expect her to react to you? Put yourself in her shoes; if you were given away by your biological parents as a child, grew up in a tough rural environment, and one day your birth parents suddenly wanted to acknowledge you, would you ept them?¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m doing this for her own good, not to harm her. She denies knowing me, says I¡¯m unrted to her, can you believe that? With a daughter like that, I¡¯d be certain to suffer endless headaches in the future,¡± Shang Feng said, pretending to be a loving father on the outside.

    ¡°You should be content. I¡¯ve heard that your daughter hasn¡¯t been raised wrongly. Since she¡¯s been here, she¡¯s been hardworking and not delicate at all. Moreover, she¡¯s stayed calm andposed in such an environment. I¡¯ve asked around; your daughter is quite the doctor. In the Health Team, she¡¯s the famous Doctor Bai, whose acupuncture skills are nothing short of miraculous.

    She can even rece anesthetics. With such a capable daughter, you should be quietly pleased. If I had the chance, I¡¯d love to see for myself. You don¡¯t know, but several hospital deans have already called me, indirectly inquiring about her, clearly interested in having her.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Shang Feng¡¯s smoldering irritation finally dissipated.

    The girl was at least of some use.

    ¡°Whether she¡¯s capable or not, I don¡¯t care. As a father, all I want is for my child to do well.¡±

 Chapter 437 - 437 437 Transfer Orders

    ?Chapter 437: Chapter 437 Transfer Orders   Chapter 437: Chapter 437 Transfer Orders                                   Office

    ¡°Captain An, in view of your outstanding achievements this time, the senior leaders have already submitted a report to their superiors. They attach great importance to this matter and have fully affirmed your courageous and fearless actions in clearing the enemy¡¯s plot, safeguarding the lives of yourrades. Your contributions have been indispensable. As a result, after deliberation by the senior leadership, this time, you, An Zhiyuan, Hu Biao, and Doctor Bai Xiao, will be awarded First-ss Merit. Considering your good qualities and abilities and your outstanding performance in all aspects, you are specially granted a T-level position, Hu Biao is promoted to the rank of squad leader, and Doctor Bai Xiao is exceptionally promoted to a ninth-level doctor. We hope upon your return, you will continue to work even harder to defend the mothend.¡± The words of the senior leadership finally settled the matter.

    ¡°Yes! We will definitely do our jobs to the best of our abilities! We shall strive vigorously for the future of our mothend.¡±

    ¡°Comrade An Zhiyuan, I am now issuing yourtest reassignment. After the change of guard this month, you will be transferred back to Capital City to work. I hope that you will shine there and be a mainstay of ours.¡± This was the important directive.

    An Zhiyuan was taken aback; what was expected had stille.

    ¡°Reporting, Chief, what about Doctor Bai and the others?¡±

    This reassignment was undoubtedly rted to his father.

    ¡°After this time, Doctor Bai and the Health Team will be locally arranged to work in nearby hospitals. Seeing that Doctor Bai has exceptional work capabilities, I have already arranged for her to work in a hospital in Yun Province. What, are you very familiar with Doctor Bai?¡± The leader was unaware of the rtionship between An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao.

    ¡°Chief, I request to be transferred to work in Yun Province; I do not wish to return to Capital City.¡±

    ¡°Are you out of your mind? You should know that this reassignment must be your father¡¯s wish. Instead of returning to Capital City, you choose to stay in this small ce. You must realize that once you return to Capital City, your career prospects are boundless. Although Yun Province¡¯s border is not asplicated as our current situation, the border there is far from peaceful. There are rampant drug traffickers, along with many businessmening and going, and numerous violent incidents ur frequently. Do you still want to transfer to Yun Province?¡± He couldn¡¯t understand what the young generation was thinking.

    Foregoing a great future only to squeeze into some remote and impoverished corner of thend.

    ¡°Reporting, Chief, I am willing to utilize my abilities in Yun Province. I don¡¯t wish to rely on my father¡¯s achievements or enjoy the shelter of my elders. My father is my father, I am me, and I would rather advance step by step on my own. I hope you will agree to give me this opportunity. I am more willing to utilize my abilities at the grass-roots level, rather than enjoying my father¡¯s merit in Capital City as a privileged second-generation.¡± An Zhiyuan spoke openly and uprightly.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t right; why do I feel like there¡¯s something off with what you¡¯re saying? Tell me the real reason honestly, or I can¡¯t possibly assist you with this reassignment.¡±

    ¡°Chief, Doctor Bai is my fianc¨¦e. Since she is staying in Yun Province, I am willing to stay with her in the same ce. You wouldn¡¯t want your subordinates to be separated as husband and wife, would you? I was actually prepared to submit my marriage report this time.¡± An Zhiyuan had no reason to hide any longer; the Chief was an old friend of his father¡¯s.

    ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s the case. Your father hasn¡¯t mentioned this to me. You rascal, you already have a fianc¨¦e, and even managed to have her transferred to such a dangerous ce. Impressive! How can you be so heartless? Aren¡¯t you afraid something might happen to your little wife?¡± The Chief was delighted; if he could promote a good cause, why not do it?

    ¡°Chief, please agree to my request!¡±

    ¡°Alright, you rascal, I agree. Just for the love you show for your wife, I must agree.¡± The Chief nodded.

 Chapter 438 - 438 438 Minefield

    ?Chapter 438: Chapter 438 Minefield   Chapter 438: Chapter 438 Minefield                                   An Zhiyuan returned from the Chief¡¯s ce feeling pretty good all the way; the issue with his wife had been settled. Who would expect the Chief to say he could approve the marriage report immediately, only to find An Zhiyuan was even more anxious than he was? An Zhiyuan already had the marriage report in hand; the Chief could never have expected that An Zhiyuan would carry the marriage report on him.

    This guy was really something.

    What was most important was that, seeing the marriage report stained with sweat, water, and even faint bloodstains, the Chief couldn¡¯t bring himself to utter a word of refusal. This was a man once again protecting his country with his life, carrying such a marriage report to the front. He must be very devoted to this rtionship and it probably represented a man¡¯sst wish and obsession.

    Perhaps if he were to be sacrificed, this marriage report would be one that could never be delivered.

    Considering this, the Chief couldn¡¯t help but approve it. So, with a big stroke of his pen, An Zhiyuan got the consent from the senior leadership. Normally, review of such a marriage report would take one to two months, but here, when the Chief knew both of them were on the frontline, what need was there for further review?

    If all went well, after they rotated off the frontline they could go to get their marriage certificate. Since both their household registrations were with their unit, once they got to the new ce, they could naturally have their marriage registered.

    Could Captain An be anything but thrilled?

    When crossing the line of life and death, An Zhiyuan realized that something was very strange today; there were no attacks on the usually extremely active and dangerous line. They were following behind a supply convoy, but the line which was generally bombarded incessantly allowed them to pass through lightly without a single shot being fired.

    This was too unexpected.

    Upon their return to the camp, An Zhiyuan was no longer fit to go back up to the high ground. The deputy team leader had already led the team up to the high ground without waiting for their return, moving overnight after receiving orders from above. After all, An Zhiyuan was about to be a T-grade officer and it wasn¡¯t suitable for him to be on the front line, nor was it his ce to rush to the front like some squad leader.

    However, after they unloaded the supplies, of course, they finally understood why the enemy¡¯s line of life and death had been silent that night.

    On the way back, the transport vehicle ahead had hit andmine and was blown to bits.

    The vehicles following suffered heavy casualties, thankfully this time the transport was not carrying any personnel, just empty vehicles returning, otherwise the number of casualties would have been unimaginable.

    An Zhiyuan sent out scouts, and the news they brought back was very grim.

    The enemy probably didn¡¯t bother to prove themselves with artillery fire anymore. An Zhiyuan felt that the enemy considered the cost of artillery too high and it hardly caused any significant damage to them. So, in a do-or-die move, while they were unprepared, the enemyidndmines across the winding road in the mountain area.

    Moreover, the density of thendmines was quite high.

    To clear this minefield would take more than just one or two team members.

    What was most critical was that thendmines were of different models with varying sensitivities. Four scouts were sent out, but only three returned; the other because he identally triggered andmine, had his leg blown off and was carried back by the other three.

    He is now being rescued in the Health Team.

    The enemy¡¯s ambition was wild; this minefield they had set up was extremely troublesome, not only cutting off their supply line but also preventing any casualties from being evacuated.

    This minefield alone, if not cleared within three days, would not only affect the supply line on the high ground but also have a severe impact on their camp here.

 Chapter 439 - 439 439 Trap (Added)

    ?Chapter 439: Chapter 439 Trap (Added)   Chapter 439: Chapter 439 Trap (Added)                                   An Zhiyuan looked at the delineated minefield, his brow furrowed with concern.

    No matter what, this area covered with mines had to be cleared.

    ¡°Commander, I request to lead a suicide squad there; I will ensure the mission ispleted.¡±

    Shi Yu, the camp¡¯s engineering team leader, requested the order.

    ¡°The minefield is set too densely this time. Even if you lead the team, it¡¯s not certain you couldplete the mission,¡± An Zhiyuan was all too aware, though he was not an engineer himself, he was very familiar with the mines along the border. They had encountered an enemy minefield when they first entered this area.

    Moreover, many minefields were ultimately cleared by people walking over them.

    It¡¯s not as you might imagine, rolling a stone over to trigger arge area of mines¡ªthat¡¯s only in the movies. In real life, it¡¯s not like that; many mines only detonate when a certain weight is reached, and now the enemy is bing more cunning and their techniques more sophisticated, developing mines that are increasingly different step by step.

    To put it bluntly, it¡¯s a one-way trip.

    When they realized there was a minefield, they knew the enemy definitely had a series of strikes and attack tactics targeted at the high ground. At this time, it¡¯s about them being undersupplied, to deliver abination punch to catch them off guard.

    ¡°Get Hu Biao here!¡± An Zhiyuan¡¯s heart sank, it was crucial to stabilize the situation and prepare everything immediately.

    They could not allow the enemy to disrupt their formation, which was exactly what the enemy wanted in their moments of panic! At such a time! They could not afford any mistakes, covering all bases was necessary.

    ¡°Commander!¡±

    Hu Biao had already arrived.

    Today, the Transport Team wasn¡¯t his squad.

    ¡°You must now immediately organize personnel to deliver supplies to each high ground, send the second supply immediately, and make sure there are provisions for at least a week without a problem. Also, I demand that when you send them up, you must also bring them back, everyone has to return to the camp before daylight,¡± An Zhiyuan gave the order.

    Hu Biao didn¡¯t understand, but that didn¡¯t prevent him from epting the order.

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Hu Biao hurried out to organize the personnel. Five transport teams quickly departed, each member carrying over 100 pounds, to ensure a week¡¯s supplies as per themander¡¯s demands.

    The Transport Team departed swiftly.

    An Zhiyuan turned to the engineering team, ¡°Shi Yu, I don¡¯t want your so-called suicide squad; I require you to organize your personnel to start demining immediately, but there is just one requirement: ensure the safety of the personnel, we can¡¯t exchange lives for lives, we must ensure the safety of our team members.¡±

    Shi Yu stood at attention and departed on the mission.

    An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t close his eyes all night, waiting for news from the front.

    After dark, the situation became more challenging, but in broad daylight, they were just sitting ducks.

    This was the hardest part, not knowing how the enemy managed to nt mines right under their scrutiny.

    The booming sound of explosions made An Zhiyuan¡¯s heart pound with fear.

    Without needing to ask the observation post, he already knew the sounds were from the direction of the minefield.

    An Zhiyuan, along with others, headed out to meet them, anding towards them, he saw three team members supporting each other walking back towards the camp.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    An Zhiyuan asked.

    An engineering team member wiped away tears, ¡°Our squad leader isn¡¯ting back!¡±

    Five had gone, three returned¡ªthe fate of the remaining ones didn¡¯t need to be stated.

    An Zhiyuan and others provided cover and moved forward, only to see from a distance that half of Shi Yu¡¯s body had been blown off, the remaining part of his body at the center of the minefield. They had managed to clear a path at the cost of two lives, but sadly he couldn¡¯t make it across.

    ces marked with red gs indicated mines, but it was toote for demining.

    Another team member hadn¡¯t yet died, lying there with both legs blown off, bloody and mangled.

 Chapter 440 - 440 440 Tragic (Extra)

    ?Chapter 440: Chapter 440: Tragic (Extra)   Chapter 440: Chapter 440: Tragic (Extra)                                   ¡°We have to find a way to save him!¡± An Zhiyuan gritted his teeth! Watching his teammate die right before his eyes, An Zhiyuan¡¯s eyes turned red.

    The guard clung tightly to An Zhiyuan, ¡°Squad leader, you can¡¯t go up there!¡±

    All the other team members who hade along had red eyes, for it was their teammate.

    The deputy squad leader, Han Da, stepped forward. ¡°Squad leader, I¡¯ll take people up. You go back. I promise to carry them down. We can¡¯t just let our team members wait here to die.¡± Their hearts ached painfully.

    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­e over¡­¡± Geng Erdan, whose legs were broken and who was at hisst gasp, looked at them with a smile, a smile at the corner of his mouth as tragic as a blooming flower.

    ¡°Rest assured! We¡¯ll definitely save you,¡± An Zhiyuan shouted.

    Everyone felt grief-stricken, watching their teammate¡¯s heroic struggle tormenting their hearts.

    Geng Erdan smiled and shook his head. ¡°Since ancient times, war has always required deaths. Don¡¯t sacrifice more teammates for someone like me¡­ I¡¯m¡­ not going to make it, I know that myself. Squad leader, don¡¯t sacrifice others for me. I hope¡­ everyone won¡¯t forget me. I, Geng Erdan, have sacrificed my life for the country¡­ It¡¯s been worth it. Tell my parents¡­ their son was no¡­ coward!¡±

    After these words, Geng Erdan mustered all his strength to turn over. Though legless, he rolled towards the path ahead, bracing his body with his arms, moving forward with thest of his strength.

    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ do it¡­¡± everyone shouted.

    Everyone knew what he was nning to do.

    He wanted to use his final moments to clear more of the path for his teammates, even if just by a meter, to reduce one more casualty.

    In the time it took to speak, Geng Erdan had already rolled out two meters, and as his body passed, an explosion like thunder spread out.

    The guard instantly threw himself over An Zhiyuan, blocking the iing shrapnel and rocks.

    All had thrown themselves to the ground.

    The scene before them was shocking. Geng Erdan¡¯s body hadpletely disappeared, including the ground he had rolled over, which had be arge crater; his body had triggered twondmines.

    Fury and fire burned in everyone¡¯s eyes; they wanted to avenge the blood debt.

    An Zhiyuan pushed the guard away, his heart filled with sorrow. These were his people, the most beloved people who, knowing full well what awaited them, still offered their lives without regret.

    Fuck your great-grandfather!

    These are the most beloved people.

    ¡°Everyone fall back!¡± An Zhiyuan called his men to retreat. In their grief, members from each toon were asking to be part of the Spearhead Team to clear the way.

    But this was definitely not the best time.

    Back at the camp, An Zhiyuan urgently called a meeting. A path must be cleared, because this road represented the lifeline for supplies and reinforcements toe through; it was imperative to maintain it. If it were to be cut off, it would destabilize morale.

    The Spearhead Team had already been formed, with squads divided into groups, having written both petitions and letters of resolve.

    In the following three days, four waves of men had gone up, and the Spearhead Team had suffered heavy casualties.

    Now, three dayster, the road still wasn¡¯t cleared.

    So far, four squad leaders and six team members had been sacrificed, yet the path remained blocked.

    The mood of everyone was terrible now.

    In the past few days, the enemy took the opportunity to bombard the high ground with intensive artillery fire.

    One could imagine how difficult it was for the team members on the high ground now.

    The supply line had been cut, and if the road couldn¡¯t be cleared, the ammunition supply couldst at most four more days. Then, without the need for enemy bombardment, they would not be able to hold out any longer.

 Chapter 441 - 441 441 At All Costs

    ?Chapter 441: Chapter 441: At All Costs   Chapter 441: Chapter 441: At All Costs                                   An Zhiyuan stared at the topographic map before him, his heart burning with anxiety. His senior leaders had already called! They demanded that they must break through thest supply line at all costs within forty-eight hours, or else they would face legal consequences.

    He was not afraid of legal consequences, but the real challenge he was facing was the ¡°at all costs.¡±

    The casualties were too great now.

    What to do?

    ¡°Captain, the engineering squad is requesting to go up again,¡± the deputy captain reported.

    The members of the engineering squad were nearly wiped out.

    What was once a full troop had now been almost entirely decimated.

    It was they who had delivered themselves to death.

    Even if they hadn¡¯t died, they were seriously injured.

    The damn enemy was too cunning.

    ¡°Tell them to rest now, tell them, even if they are to go, it will be early tomorrow morning. It¡¯s already dark, going out now is just sending them to their deaths for nothing. Everyone, eat well and rest well, rejuvenate, and only then will we have the strength to go up tomorrow.¡± An Zhiyuan¡¯s eyes were filled with red bloodshot lines.

    The morale of the engineer toon was at an all-time low, they couldn¡¯t advance any further for three days.

    The faint light in the sky heralded the beginning of a new day.

    An Zhiyuan personally led the team, responsible for their safety. While dismantling mines, they also had to contend with artillery shells hidden in the distance, requiring armed teammates to protect them, or the casualties would be even greater.

    Today, he wanted to see what kind of a deadly trap the opponent hadid out.

    Everyone disagreed, but who could persuade him now?

    Early in the morning, An Zhiyuan led his team, with rocket artillery and heavy machine guns protecting ten team members as they went up.

    Stepping into the edge of the minefield, An Zhiyuan could see that the minefield had changed drastically, the once even path was now full of potholes, all left by artillery or mine explosions, telling of the blood of team members that stained these ces.

    They had just arrived.

    The enemy seemed to have sensed their arrival already, with a shell exploding far off to the side.

    It was apparent that the enemy¡¯s interest in them had waned considerably, the original spectacle might no longer hold any appeal to them.

    Even the artillery shells fired over were so casual, aimless.

    After our side fired back a shell, the entire surrounding area fell silent.

    It seemed the enemy had no real intention of stopping them.

    Their men had rushed up; they were wearing thick protective suits, helmets, and held metal detectors in their hands. Although they knew these clothes and helmets could not ensure their safety, not a single person retreated.

    An Zhiyuan watched from a distance as the team members inched forward, because the enemy was cunning too. Taking advantage of the night, they would sneakily nt additional mines, and just a moment¡¯s inattention could mean new mines where there previously were none.

    Even though An Zhiyuan had added patrols around the area at night, it was to no avail because the path was not only clear for them, but also for the enemy. The enemy was more familiar with the terrain than they were, hidden in the wild mountains and grasnds.

    Suddenly, a team member copsed for unknown reasons, followed by two others closest to him, who were also brought down. The trio fell in the pattern of a blooming flower as a mine was triggered, instantly exploding with a thunderous roar.

    Luckily, aside from the st injuries, no deaths were discovered¡ªyet they couldn¡¯t move from their spots at all.

    Everyone froze in an instant.

    An Zhiyuan ripped off the helmet on his head and threw it to a guard beside him, bursting out in a rush.

    ¡°Cover the captain!¡± The deputy captain had no time to stop him, only shouting from behind.

 Chapter 442 - 442 442 Stuck

    ?Chapter 442: Chapter 442 Stuck   Chapter 442: Chapter 442 Stuck                                   Bai Xiao stood there aiming at the target, frustratedly putting down her rifle¡ªshe simply had no talent for shooting! Looking at each shot missing the target, not to mention hitting the bullseye, she had already be the disgrace of their Health Team. Whenever someone walked by her, they¡¯d just shake their heads in constion.

    As Liu Yun put it, ¡°Bai Xiao can stitch up no problem, but shooting? Must be taught by a stepmother.¡± This statement had already be widely circted in their Health Team.

    Doctor Bai was formidable, but her marksmanship was total crap.

    Bai Xiao looked at the target in despair, inwardly cursing.

    Was this target specifically here to make her look foolish?

    How could it be that after five days, she hadn¡¯t hit it once?

    Her current aim had dropped so low that she only wished to hit the target, not necessarily the bullseye. Yet even such a modest aim seemed almost like an impossible dream for her.

    It was as if the target and the bullets had agreed to peace.

    Bai Xiao felt so ridiculed that her heart had cooled. Ever since thatst encounter in the Karst Cave when she and An Zhiyuan had been attacked, Bai Xiao had decided to train herself¡ªnot for anything else, but for her life¡¯s sake. Last time, although she seemed calm while taking the gun, she knew very well An Zhiyuan¡¯s method ofst-minute preparations; unless she faced the enemy head-on, and they didn¡¯t dodge,

    otherwise, the oue could almost be predicted. That¡¯s why she now ran to the shooting range to train, bravely enduring the ridicule as it was better than fumbling when a real situation urred.

    But looking at her current performance, Bai Xiao felt like dying.

    There was simply one word to describe her! Aplete shooting idiot.

    With her current skills, she¡¯d probably just be giving points to others if sent out.

    Enemy annihtion index was zero.

    Bai Xiao clenched her teeth hard. No, she couldn¡¯t let herself be this useless.

    After pondering for a long while, she finally felt disheartened.

    Clearly, what her eyes saw was one thing, s the bullets just wouldn¡¯t follow the direction she wanted, casually changing course¡ªas if those sharpshooters in TV dramas who could knock down the opponent without even looking were purely fictional.

    Bai Xiao was secretly infuriated.

    ¡°There goes Doctor Bai, Doctor Bai, been practicing for three hours and hasn¡¯t hit once. Better save the ammunition,¡± a well-meaning team member advised Bai Xiao at her side, which unfortunately made her even more frustrated.

    She just didn¡¯t believe it!

    How bizarre.

    You don¡¯t want to hit the target, do you?

    Well, I want to see if today you can possibly hit the target.

    Bai Xiao channeled her special ability into the rifle in her hands, she had never tried it before¡ªjust hoping the Healing Ability might enhance the bullet¡¯s hitting rate; at least this was a sort of ¡°healing¡± for the bullet, hoping it wouldn¡¯t deviate.

    But as a matter of fact, when she got nervous, she really got nervous. Her Healing Ability had cured people before, never applied on a weapon¡ªit was just in a fit of frustration and it was a wild idea, as someone with a normally functioning brain wouldn¡¯t do such a thing.

    And then as a result, she realized her finger was still on the trigger, embarrassing herself even more due to a jammed gun.

    And then the next shot, it jammed again.

    Perplexed, her fellow team member said, ¡°Doctor Bai! Let me check your gun!¡± One jam could be normal, but two consecutive jams were not; they were responsible for maintaining and inspecting their own guns, otherwise if they went to the front and the gun jammed, it would cost many lives.

 Chapter 443 - 443 443 Its Really Haunted

    ?Chapter 443: Chapter 443: It¡¯s Really Haunted.   Chapter 443: Chapter 443: It¡¯s Really Haunted.                                   The eager squad member helped check her equipment, ¡°Oh, Doctor Bai! It¡¯s really not your fault¡ªthe gun is faulty; it can¡¯t shoot bullets anymore. Maybe you should take a break today?¡± What the squad member didn¡¯t say was, Doctor Bai is so remarkable, she managed to wear out the gun with her practice.

    Bai Xiao was dumbfounded.

    The gun is broken?

    It can¡¯t be, her special ability couldn¡¯t heal, but it shouldn¡¯t have broken it, right?

    Wait a minute!

    Bai Xiao stared nkly at the gun in the squad member¡¯s hand, vaguely recalling that when she used her special ability earlier! She had been full ofints about this gun. At that moment, it seemed like she had wanted to harshly punish the thing. Could it be that her special ability had backfired?

    That wasn¡¯t healing, that was destruction.

    If that was really the case, could it be that she had discovered a new direction for her special ability?

    ¡°Give me the gun!¡± Bai Xiao asked the squad member for the gun.

    The squad member shook his head, ¡°Doctor Bai, this gun is already broken. You can¡¯t use it now. It needs to be sent for repair. Let me swap it with another gun for you.¡± He thought it was because Doctor Bai felt guilty for having worn out the gun.

    ¡°Just give it to me, I want to see if I can fix it.¡±

    Bai Xiao herself said this with a lopsided smile on her face.

    How could it sound so provoking?

    What ability did she have to fix it?

    The squad member¡¯s smile was also crooked.

    Doctor Bai really had character. She hadn¡¯t hit the target once all morning and still talked about fixing the gun. Was this frustration driving her to treat the gun like a patient?

    Silently, he handed it over; after all, you¡¯re the captain¡¯s wife, you call the shots. He definitely wouldn¡¯t want to damage Doctor Bai¡¯s confidence.

    Bai Xiao took the gun, this time focusing much more. She ran her special ability over it, ensuring that this time it was definitely a healing ability and not destructive.

    Then she raised the gun, pulled the safety catch, aimed at the target, and pulled the trigger.

    Bang!

    The sound of the gun firing made the squad member feel as if he had seen a ghost as he looked at the spot right in the center of the target.

    Good Lord, how on earth did that happen!

    He had just checked the gun; the firing pin was broken and it couldn¡¯t possibly have fired a bullet.

    Yet Doctor Bai not only could use it, but she hit the bullseye with a single shot.

    It was probably the only shot that morning that not only reached the target but also hit right in the center.

    This doesn¡¯t make any sense!

    Bai Xiao on the other side started running her special ability, this time in reverse; she had a hunch that earlier, perhaps her negativity had caused her ability to malfunction.

    This was the right way to use it.

    After another round of her ability, she pulled the trigger.

    Jammed!

    Bai Xiao ran her ability once more.

    Another shot hit the bullseye.

    Quite a few onlookers had gathered as Doctor Bai had be a spectacle here. Now that Doctor Bai had ¡°bloomed,¡± many cheered.

    Bai Xiao continued a round of ability reversal.

    Okay, it jammed again.

    Triumphantly, she tossed the gun back to the squad member.

    She had finally gained a skill that could save her life; in her hands, the gun could at least guarantee hitting the bullseye, and she could say without exaggeration that the exhaust of her ability was minimal, probably because it was the cold steel she was holding, not a living being.

    The consumption was almost negligible.

    The squad member raised the gun, aimed at the target, and pulled the trigger.

    His face immediately turned green.

    Jammed!

    He hurriedly set down the gun to recheck it, beginning to doubt his professional skills.

    The gun was exactly the same as when he had checked it earlier, the firing pin was clearly already broken.

    How then did Doctor Bai fire the gun, and how did she hit the bullseye?

    This was really spooky.

 Chapter 444 - 444 444 Stepping on a Mine

    ?Chapter 444: Chapter 444: Stepping on a Mine   Chapter 444: Chapter 444: Stepping on a Mine                                   ¡°Doctor Bai, this¡­ this gun is broken!¡± the team member stammered.

    Bai Xiao picked up his white coat, ready to go back to the Health Team to tend to the injured. In the past two days, the casualties had been severe, and their focus was now on nursing these injured soldiers.

    ¡°You need to fix it, it seems this gun is broken,¡± he said without any hesitation.

    It¡¯s like you broke it.

    Bai Xiao felt somewhat proud.

    A team member ran over.

    ¡°Doctor Bai! Doctor Bai, something has happened, Commander An is in trouble!¡± It was Xiao Hu, An Zhiyuan¡¯s guard.

    ¡°What happened to Commander An?¡± Bai Xiao was taken aback and grabbed Xiao Hu. In recent days, An Zhiyuan had had no time to meet her, and the two hadn¡¯t seen each other. She knew An Zhiyuan had been deeply worried about the minefield.

    ¡°Commander An rushed into the minefield to rescue the injured, and we couldn¡¯t stop him!¡± Xiao Hu was not apanying An Zhiyuan today; instead, a neer was assigned the task. If he had known something like this would happen, he should have followed him today.

    Only he had the ability to stop Commander An.

    Now it was done. He had just received a walkie-talkie notification that Commander An had actually rushed into the minefield to save someone,

    Bai Xiao was also terrified.

    That was the minefield.

    A single misstep could result in being blown to pieces.

    Even if An Zhiyuan were severely injured, she could heal him herself, but if someone were really blown up, her special ability would be useless.

    She had always known that mine-clearing was someone else¡¯s job. She knew An Zhiyuan was anxious, but she believed he was a rational person and should understand what he could and couldn¡¯t do.

    Amander doing the work of a sapper, he must be out of his mind.

    But now, he was indeed out of his mind.

    Bai Xiao, without even wearing her white coat, followed Xiao Hu and ran outside. Xiao Hu started the motorcycle, pulling Bai Xiao, and they arrived at the minefield in two minutes.

    By the time they reached the minefield, An Zhiyuan had already sent back one injured soldier and, despite opposition, had rushed back in for two more! Others wanted to go in, but An Zhiyuan stopped them. Everyone was well aware of the danger of the minefield. He had just bravely rushed in, primarily because he was extremely fortunate to have rescued one person. Now, only he knew the safe route in.

    If others recklessly went in, they might trigger other mines, potentially ruining everything and even costing new lives.

    Bai Xiao watched as An Zhiyuan¡¯s figure had already reached about ten meters from the two fallen team members when suddenly he stood still on the spot, not moving at all.

    Everyone gasped.

    ¡°It¡¯s over, themander has stepped on andmine.¡±

    Xiao Hu knew this and of course understood why themander didn¡¯t move. Usually, thendmines they encountered were pressure-sensitive, touching them is one thing, but the moment you lift your foot, reducing pressure, the mine would detonate, triggering an explosion.

    Themander had definitely stepped on one.

    What now?

    They were in a panic.

    Because they were injured, if they let a majormander sacrifice himself, they would not hesitate.

    The hardest part was the heartache, a majormander risking himself to save them, and now he was trapped in the minefield.

    They felt they had let theirmander down, not only failing the mission but also risking their leader. Many were now cursing themselves internally, wondering why they hadn¡¯t stopped themander in time?

    He had just rescued someone and if they had restrained him then, maybe this wouldn¡¯t have happened.

    Maybe they did stop him the first time, but the second time they didn¡¯t have as much strength. Probably because they had seen themander rescue one person already, everyone felt as if themander was invincible.

 Chapter 445 - 445 445 Fragmentation Mines

    ?Chapter 445: Chapter 445 Fragmentation Mines   Chapter 445: Chapter 445 Fragmentation Mines                                   ¡°An Zhiyuan!¡± Bai Xiao¡¯s shout cut through the noisy voices, silencing everyone.

    The scene fell so quiet that it became suffocatingly sad.

    Everyone knew this area was a minefield, and disarming the mines was an unimaginably difficult task.

    The engineers had already started preparing their equipment; they were going to rescue An Zhiyuan.

    An Zhiyuan turned his head and saw Bai Xiao, his heart warmed.

    If it was fated for him to die for his country, to see his beloved onest time was probably the happiest thing.

    At this moment, he felt a faintfort, thankful that although his marriage report had been approved, he hadn¡¯t had the chance to get a marriage certificate. If he had been that prompt and gotten the marriage certificate, no matter if he and Bai Xiao truly ended up together or not, Bai Xiao would have be a widow in name.

    That way, even in death, he would have wronged Bai Xiao.

    But now, even if he were to die, Bai Xiao could still live a good life, at least without carrying the stigma of widowhood, subject to society¡¯s whispers.

    Even that would have had an impact on Bai Xiao¡¯s future life.

    Now he could die with peace of mind.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, it¡¯s okay, I¡¯m okay. Don¡¯t worry, everything¡¯s fine,¡± he reassured Bai Xiao. He feared she would rush over¡ªdespite Bai Xiao seeming cold-hearted, her nature was so passionately loving and hating. He might not have understood it before, butter he did; Bai Xiao was the type who warmed up slowly. Once she opened her heart, she would be incredibly sincere and devoted to someone.

    He knew he had opened that door, but now he wished he hadn¡¯t, at least so Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t have to face her own grief.

    ¡°Xiao Hu, no matter what happens, your order is to stop the doctor,¡± An Zhiyuanmanded.

    Xiao Hu said with tears, ¡°Yes, Commander.¡±

    He understood themander¡¯s meaning and firmly gripped Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao waved her hand, ¡°Don¡¯t hold onto me; I won¡¯t act impulsively and do something foolish. Right now our priority is to figure out how to rescue yourmander. I won¡¯t create any trouble,¡± her calm tone made Xiao Hu sheepishly retract his hand.

    The doctor didn¡¯t seem like someone who would do something foolish.

    Feeling somewhat angry inside, the doctor really seemed not to care about theirmander at all; otherwise, which engaged couple wouldn¡¯t be worried sick for each other¡¯s safety? The doctor showed none of that concern, despite how much theirmander cherished her.

    Bai Xiao watched the engineers advance, following the path marked by footprints, until they finally reached An Zhiyuan.

    Far off, the wounded were still desperately suppressing their groans of pain; at this moment, they didn¡¯t want the engineers to be distracted. A single distraction could lead to a tragic oue for everyone.

    They didn¡¯t want any harm toe to theirmander.

    ¡­¡­

    Half an hourter, the engineer looked up with a grim expression. This was a fragmentation mine, which could not be defused. If they tried to defuse it their way, the mine would explode immediately, sending out shards that would injure anyone within a sixty-meter radius, potentially triggering other mines in a chain reaction. If that happened, no one in the area would have a chance.

    Even for them, the engineers, facing this kind of mine was a matter of life or death.

    An Zhiyuan calmly looked at the engineer, and from his face, An Zhiyuan could already tell the answer.

    ¡°You, withdraw!¡±

    From that moment, he had known that he would face death; now, he had to ensure that even if he died, his death would be worth something, at least to minimize the casualties among his team members.

 Chapter 446 - 446 446 Facing Death

    ?Chapter 446: Chapter 446: Facing Death   Chapter 446: Chapter 446: Facing Death                                   ¡°Captain!¡± The engineer was on the verge of tears.

    Tears brimmed in his eyes, blurring his vision.

    ¡°If you¡¯re a man, stop crying for God¡¯s sake, what you need to do now is wipe your tears, and backtrack on the same route you came from,¡± An Zhiyuan shouted, and if he could jump up, he would definitely kick thed.

    He would kick him back, but unfortunately, his feet dared not leave the ground.

    Even though he had been standing for a long time, his legs and feet were numb, but he knew that if he moved even slightly, there would be an explosion.

    The most regrettable thing was that there were two wounded men not far away.

    But he was clear, the first wounded man could return unscathed because thendmines ahead had been cleared, and the spot where the wounded man fell did not trigger anyndmines, which was merely luck.

    But now the luck had clearly run out.

    From his direction to that of the wounded man, there were at least two meters, and he didn¡¯t know how manyndmines might still be in those two meters.

    But rather than having the engineer risk his life to clear the two or three meters ofndmines, it was better that he did it.

    He had been observing just then.

    The entire minefield, after three days of life-risking demining, only had about five more meters to go.

    From his current position to thest safe passage was about five meters, because beyond those five metersy a stone b bridge, andndmines definitely could not be buried in stone bs, so these five meters were thest part of the minefield.

    The two injured teammates were in the middle of the minefield, while he was on the edge of the minefield.

    Perhaps today, creating a passage would cost the lives of all three of them.

    The engineer whom he had scolded trembled as he wiped away his tears and quietly walked back.

    Bai Xiao rushed over and grabbed him, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why stop demining? That¡¯s yourmander!¡± Bai Xiao wanted to curse, but what fault did the engineer have? She couldn¡¯t take her anger out on others.

    The engineer choked up as he spoke.

    ¡°This mine can¡¯t be cleared, if it was just one mine, there might be a chance, to dig a lightning pit, prepare some sand and stuff, there might be a chance, but now surrounded byndmines, especially a fragmentaryndmine¡­ I¡¯m useless! I can¡¯t clear it! I¡­¡± The engineer flipped off his helmet and squatted on the ground, clutching his hair and crying like a child.

    Many of the soldiers wept.

    Fragmentaryndmines, they had all seen before, it was almost always linked with massive casualties, and one of the bloodiest brutal harms in everyone¡¯s memory.

    Now that themander was stepping on one, it almost certainly meant he was doomed.

    A whimpering cry began to sound, someone uncontrobly started to cry outright.

    They say men don¡¯t easily shed tears, but that¡¯s only until the point of deep sorrow.

    Watching their reveredmander for saving the wounded, facing danger himself, every time they saw a teammate facing death, it was the most heartbreaking moment for everyone.

    That sadness, more than facing death themselves, was far more unbearable.

    An Zhiyuan took out some China cigarettes from his pocket, far away.

    He lit one.

    Love my China.

    This was probably thest time he smoked; he was a bit shaky, it took him a few tries to light it, and he took a deep drag.

    Looking at Bai Xiao! Looking at his own teammates.

    Dear ones, this time I have to leave.

    Although this is an indescribable pain, as long as there was even a slim chance he would not wish to do this, but when facing death, not everyone has the privilege of choice, the wonder of life lies in its unpredictability of whether the next moment will be wonderful or desperate.

    The smoke from his breath blurred his face.

 Chapter 447 - 447 447 I Want to Marry You (Extra Chapter for

    ?Chapter 447: Chapter 447: I Want to Marry You (Extra Chapter for Monthly Votes)   Chapter 447: Chapter 447: I Want to Marry You (Extra Chapter for Monthly Votes)                                   ¡°Bai Xiao, you must live well in the future, I don¡¯t regret meeting you in this lifetime! It¡¯s you who made me understand the beauty of loving someone, this life is worthwhile for me. Bai Xiao, forget about me from now on!¡± An Zhiyuan slowly spoke these words, only he knew the pain in his heart when he said them!

    If possible, he would rather stay by her side, offering her a beautiful future; he would prefer to be there for every one of herughs and sorrows.

    But here, it was already destined to end.

    All the team members silently shed tears.

    These words were too heartbreaking.

    It was a vivid separation of life and death, even more painful than receiving news of sacrifice.

    ¡°An Zhiyuan, are youfortable leaving me here alone? Aren¡¯t you worried that without you, someone will bully me? The secrets that you and I shared will never be shared with anyone else, don¡¯t you want to know? An Zhiyuan, are you going to let me live alone in this pain, live in the agony of watching you sacrifice yourself in front of me? An Zhiyuan! You bastard!¡± Bai Xiao cried, her tears already wetting her cheeks.

    In this life, she had never imagined she would meet someone who truly loved her! But this was how the heavens arranged it; the day she was reborn, she met An Zhiyuan.

    Whether or not this was Heaven¡¯s decision! But since Heaven arranged for them to meet and fall in love, what now?

    Was it just to make her experience the sorrow and pain of losing a loved one from her past life once again?

    No, no one would make her face this pain again, no one!

    ¡°An Zhiyuan, I will not let you face this alone.¡±

    Caught off guard, Bai Xiao ran towards An Zhiyuan like an arrow released from its bow.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s heart raced with fear.

    Watching Bai Xiao step correctly, following the route the engineers had just walked, until she was right in front of him.

    Then he saw Bai Xiao hug him tightly.

    Everyone was dumbfounded.

    ¡°Big Brother An, I won¡¯t let you leave alone. We agreed to face everything together. Even death won¡¯t separate us,¡± Bai Xiao leaned into his embrace.

    Never had she so desperately craved to live.

    An Zhiyuan held tightly to the warm, soft body in his arms, the faint fragrance signifying the woman of his dreams was right there in his embrace.

    Tears suddenly fell.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t havee, go back, Xiaoxiao, you have to go back! Otherwise, I¡­¡± An Zhiyuan, frustrated and desperate, pushed Bai Xiao away.

    Bai Xiao looked at him with a serene expression, ¡°Big Brother An, I want to marry you, let today be both our wedding and our funeral. I will never leave you in this lifetime, in life and in death, never forsaking you.¡± She gripped An Zhiyuan¡¯s arm, this man deserved her fervent love.

    ¡°No!¡­¡±

    A finger pressed against his lips, cold and dry, yet trembling slightly.

    ¡°I want to marry you, I want to marry you in front of everyone, An Zhiyuan, I am willing to marry you!¡± Bai Xiao¡¯s voice, like a fierce hurricane, shattered all of An Zhiyuan¡¯s defenses and calm, and instantaneously, his eyes, mind, and thoughts were filled only with the vision of this woman dressed in uniform, beautiful like a war field rose.

    Scene after scene with her unfolded before his eyes, like a rey, showcasing the person he loved.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, will you marry me!¡± So be it.

    Let him be reckless for once, do something he has never done in his lifetime, defy his principles, and let his heart¡¯s emotions run wild.

 Chapter 448 - 448 448 A Tragic Wedding (Extra for Monthly

    ?Chapter 448: Chapter 448: A Tragic Wedding (Extra for Monthly Votes)   Chapter 448: Chapter 448: A Tragic Wedding (Extra for Monthly Votes)                                   Everyone could not bear to watch, on the pockmarked road, a man and a woman embraced each other tightly against the wind, uttering the most beautiful vows. At that moment, everyone cried.

    Xiao Hu cried hysterically, his heart aching with shame for his own disgraceful doubts¡ªhow could he have questioned Doctor Bai¡¯s love for the battalionmander! There was probably no one in the world who more closely resembled arade¡¯s wife than Doctor Bai, so brave, sharing life and death, unwavering loyalty, such moving vows.

    Yes!

    The battalionmander and Bai Xiao had not yet married, but at this moment, Doctor Bai wanted to marry the battalionmander right here, on this battlefield where they faced death at any moment! It was a wedding that no one could have imagined, with no joyful celebration! Only sadness and sorrow.

    Yet the two newlyweds used their most solemn vows to honor its heroism.

    Xiao Hu led the apuse.

    These are the most beloved people.

    Apuse rose like a tide, tears welling up in everyone¡¯s eyes.

    The most magnificent wedding.

    In the distance, the opposingmander¡¯s gaze through the binocrs was also filled with tears. Despite not knowing what they were saying, he just knew that the man and woman were husband and wife, in a scene of life and death together.

    He had seen the officer step on a mine, which was why they hadn¡¯t fired! The original idea was to watch the other side struggle on the brink of death¡ªthat¡¯s what was interesting, wasn¡¯t it?

    But then, to see his loved one walk up so fearlessly in the face of death, what immense courage that required.

    How fortunate this man was to have such a loving woman.

    He did not have the heart to order the cannons to fire, destroying such a couple, and his heart softened instantly.

    There were still many beautiful things in this world, like at this moment he thought of his own wife and children far away at home. Yes, the world was so beautiful, life so precious, love so simple.

    He put down the binocrs.

    ¡°Shall we fire now?¡± his adjutant asked, sensing his superior had been off since a while ago.

    ¡°No firing. From now on, everyone is to rest in ce. Without mymand, no one fires a single shot or shell,¡± he ordered.

    He turned and left.

    The adjutant nodded dumbly.

    ¡­

    The song of the team members began to rise. At first, it was only a soft hum, butter everyone sang the Wedding March in unison.

    Bai Xiao clung to An Zhiyuan! Looking into his eyes, this moment might be forever; she loved him.

    Never had she understood her own heart as clearly as at this moment.

    Although she possessed a special ability that no one else had, enabling her to live far longer than others, she was willing to spend her lifetime with him, together forever.

    An Zhiyuan kissed his bride with utmost devotion.

    Everyone shed tears; at that moment, An Zhiyuan and Doctor Bai appeared so noble and beautiful to them.

    Bai Xiao suddenly pushed An Zhiyuan away, her eyes sparkling with surprise.

    What had she forgotten?

    Right, she had forgotten her special ability.

    Oh my.

    An Zhiyuan gave his orders to his team.

    ¡°Now the minefield is only five meters wide. Soon, I will use my own body to pave these five meters. I¡¯m afraid the two wounded won¡¯t be able to get out. My teammates, I hope you understand me; let the four of us end this battle with our lives. Vice Captain, once I break through here, you must clear a proper path out of here quickly. The craters caused by explosions are so big that no vehicle could pass unless they are filled. So your responsibility is immense. The enemy won¡¯t just watch us fix the road. You¡¯ll have to repair it under intense fire and notify the Transport Team to be ready to move out at any time,¡± hemanded.

    That was hisst order.

 Chapter 449 - 449 449 Bad Thunder

    ?Chapter 449: Chapter 449: Bad Thunder   Chapter 449: Chapter 449: Bad Thunder                                   Everyone received the order, and they understood what the captain intended to do.

    He was about to carve out the final path with his life.

    The two injured soldiers looked at each other.

    They knew what the captain meant to convey to them.

    Given their current position, there was absolutely no turning back.

    For the captain to clear a path of five meters by himself was an absolute impossibility.

    In other words, at the moment the captain triggered the mines, they would have to do their utmost to clear the remaining two-plus meters of mines.

    Giving each other a thumbs up, this was their final farewell.

    They were willing toy their lives for all their teammates to forge a path.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s mind raced as she considered a new use for her special ability, which, while merely experimented with on a rifle, had indeed seeded.

    If it could be used on a rifle, then could it mean it would work on mines too?

    If the mines could be rendered harmless, then nobody would need to die.

    It might be worth a try.

    Bai Xiao knew it waste to say anything.

    But if there was a glimmer of hope, she wished that none of the four of them needed to die.

    She would rather expose her special ability than face death.

    Moreover, it might not necessarily be exposed.

    She had An Zhiyuan, which was the best cover.

    She pulled An Zhiyuan close, whispering into his ear, ¡°Big brother An! You have to believe me, don¡¯t let them sacrifice themselves, I have a way to deactivate all the mines, you must trust me!¡±

    An Zhiyuan was shaken.

    ¡°Can you really?¡± He did not doubt why Bai Xiao had waited until now to speak up; she must have had her reasons and difficulties.

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°I just thought of it, but let¡¯s give it a try. Isn¡¯t it what people say about treating a dead horse as if it were a live one? Even if it does explode, it won¡¯t be far from what we expected. If it works, then it¡¯ll be our luck.¡±

    An Zhiyuan nodded, ¡°Alright! You give it a try! I¡¯m here for everything!¡±

    He didn¡¯t ask Bai Xiao about her secret.

    As Bai Xiao activated her special ability, their tightly embracing bodies served as the best conduit. An Zhiyuan stood right on top of a mine, almost without needing additional contact. Bai Xiao nced at An Zhiyuan who nodded back. An Zhiyuan looked toward their distant teammates, ¡°The two of you, don¡¯t make any reckless moves. That¡¯s an order!¡±

    He feared his own actions would send the wrong signals to his teammates.

    The two injured soldiers stared at Captain An, perplexed.

    And among the astonishment of everyone! They saw An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao take a significant step forward, moving away from the mine ahead.

    Everyone eximed, many closing their eyes.

    They couldn¡¯t bear to witness the gruesome scene.

    But after a good while, there was no noise.

    The wind still caressed their cheeks gently as if everything remained tranquil, indeed as if nothing had happened.

    The cheers were thunderous!

    It was a dud.

    That mine was actually defective.

    Heaven had opened its eyes.

    Such luck was defying the heavens.

    An Zhiyuan nced at Bai Xiao, and she nodded back.

    Afterward, they couldn¡¯t simply proceed this way, not every mine was of this pressure type, and there were many trigger-type mines, so they needed the sappers¡¯ mine detectors.

    ¡°Engineers, bring the metal detector here. Doctor Bai and I will clear the mines; the rest of you stay back,¡±

    An Zhiyuan knew he was the most persuasive weapon; Doctor Bai might not possess mine-clearing abilities, but as the captain, everyone would believe he had been trained in mine-clearing. That was the greatest persuasive power.

    The engineers meant for An Zhiyuan to step aside and let them take over, but Captain An insisted, and they could only follow orders. Here, Captain An had the final say, and although the appointment hadn¡¯t been formally issued, everyone knew that Captain An was already Captain An.

 Chapter 450 - 450 450 Blessings

    ?Chapter 450: Chapter 450 Blessings   Chapter 450: Chapter 450 Blessings                                   An Zhiyuan held a metal detector in one hand and tightly sped Bai Xiao¡¯s hand with the other. No one understood better than him that Bai Xiao needed this to be able to clear the mines.

    And no one was more careful than he, at this moment, who wouldn¡¯t want to die if they could avoid it, especially when their beloved was facing immense danger to help him clear the mines.

    No one understood the excitement in his heart.

    Step by step.

    Another mine was discovered, An Zhiyuan dug it out, and everyone cheered thunderously.

    Another mine had its rm disarmed.

    And then another.

    And another¡­

    ¡­¡­

    At the start, there was cheering! Butter on, it became everyone¡¯s numbness.

    The squad leader seemed invincible, as if divinely assisted; clearing mines had almost be a piece of cake for him.

    They all couldn¡¯t help but suspect, could it be because Doctor Bai was by his side? It was as if the squad leader had a guardian deity, each mine was urately dealt with, and not one was set off.

    Could it mean they had all lost their skill?

    If only they had let the squad leader marry Doctor Bai earlier, perhaps they would have cleared the mines by now.

    But they could not me the squad leader.

    Clearing mines was not the responsibility of the squad leader, if every squad leader had to be in the front line for mine clearance, who knew how many leaders would have perished here.

    Not everyone is the same, and maybe it was just the squad leader An¡¯s stroke of good luck today.

    Getting married might indeed bring good luck as well.

    A happy event lifts the spirits.

    This time they admired him to the utmost, no wonder he was the squad leader, no wonder he was a war hero, the regimental and squad leader were just too impressive.

    Perhaps it was because of Doctor Bai¡¯s encouragement that the squad leader could focus so intently, or perhaps it was the shared experience of life and death that allowed the squad leader to smoothly clear all the remaining mines with ease. There wasn¡¯t a singlerge hole left on the ground; otherwise, just repairing the road would take a lot of time.

    What¡¯s more, strangely enough! The enemy¡¯s shells also seemed to respect the squad leader¡¯s bravery, ceasing their fire, never once sounding off.

    Today truly was a good day.

    Could it be that there are such perks to getting married?

    All of them couldn¡¯t help but have a lovely expectation for getting married.

    Three hourster, thirty mines had been cleared within a five-meter radius, a variety of mines piled up like a small mountain, shocking everyone¡¯s heart; the road was finally cleared.

    At that moment, the enemy¡¯s artillery finally sounded.

    But for everyone, today¡¯s gunfire seemed like a blessing for the captain¡¯s front-line wedding, as the shells turned out to be fired wide. Someone had already gone up to carry back the wounded, and squad leader An and Doctor Bai had also withdrawn.

    It appeared the enemy¡¯s artillery was their parting salute.

    Some had already started to fill in the holes.

    The road now was full of potholes, and the transport vehicles simply could not pass; their mission was to try to fill in the road as quickly as possible, striving to clear it at the fastest speed as it was the lifeline to ensure the supply for all the team members behind them.

    An Zhiyuan had already led his people back to the barracks.

    The team members who had stayed in the barracks had already heard about the legendary front-line wedding of squad leader An and Doctor Bai.

    Although there was no marriage certificate, in everyone¡¯s eyes, squad leader An and Doctor Bai were husband and wife ¡ª no one looked more like a married couple than they did. Sharing life and death, inseparable, who could take such a step?

    They returned to camp.

    Everyone lined up in the camp to wee them, with warm apuse. Even Liu Yun had picked wildflowers from the field; although they were not very beautiful, they were still fragrant and refreshing. One was pinned to squad leader An¡¯s chest, the other to the clothes on Bai Xiao¡¯s chest.

    A big bunch was also stuffed into Bai Xiao¡¯s hands, all with everyone¡¯s warmest blessings.

    ¡°Wishing squad leader An and Doctor Bai a hundred years of harmony, and may you have children soon.¡±

    This time, Bai Xiao blushed.

    The fierce Doctor Bai from before was nowhere to be seen.

 Chapter 451 - 451 451 Marriage Report

    ?Chapter 451: Chapter 451 Marriage Report   Chapter 451: Chapter 451 Marriage Report                                   One monthter.

    After the troop rotation, An Zhiyuan and hisrades had descended from the high ground. They were reorganized and assigned to local posts, both he and Bai Xiao to ces in Yun Province.

    An Zhiyuan became a squadron leader in Yun Province, and Bai Xiao worked at a local hospital there.

    A train carried them away.

    The ce they left behind, filled with their turbulent and bloody experiences, became a distant memory.

    ¡°What? An Zhiyuan isn¡¯ting back?¡± An Cheng hadn¡¯t expected his son not to return.

    An Cheng knew all about An Zhiyuan¡¯s outstanding achievements, and he felt happy for his son¡¯s excellence. A man like him should experience the baptism of gunfire to be a true warrior, and such a son greatly exceeded his expectations.

    He had thought that An Zhiyuan¡¯s decision to stay was just a moment of impetuosity, a desire to show off his courage as a hero and a man.

    But it never urred to him that his son would perform so well and be so exemry, that his decorations for bravery came with dangers clear in his own heart.

    Two men against forty was virtually an impossible task.

    The deeds of defusing mines alone, now a celebrated tale across all the camps, and the wedding before battle that everyone talked about with relish¡­

    He had thought that after such bloody trials, his child would cherish the opportunity to return to the Capital City now.

    Yet, unexpectedly, his son plunged headfirst into that ce.

    A bitterness welled up in him; his child, his own son, had grown up and needed no more protection from him.

    He sighed, ¡°If he wants to train in the local area, let him stay there.¡±

    He didn¡¯t want any more conflict with his son over this.

    To have faced life and death, if he as a father were to trip up his own son, then it would all be so pointless.

    Since he had chosen this girl, and she was brave enough to stand by him through life and death, unwavering, what more could he say as a father.

    An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao reported to their new posts.

    The Chief, knowing of the rtionship between An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao, had arranged for them to be in the same unit and, of course, the same ce. He wouldn¡¯t want to be seen as the viin trying to split a couple by sending them thousands of miles apart.

    An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao were both very happy; at least they were together this time.

    After reporting in, they would have a month¡¯s leave.

    This special treatment was afforded to them as they had just rotated off the front lines, allowing them the chance to go home and visit their families.

    An Zhiyuan immediately took Bai Xiao to get their marriage certificate.

    The two of them officially became husband and wife. Of course, they didn¡¯t have time for a wedding ceremony, and they boarded the train home.

    Bai Xiao was still in a whirlwind when she suddenly became the wife of a squadron leader.

    Sitting on the train, it dawned on her that this train was headed to the Capital City! ording to An Zhiyuan, the ¡°ugly bride¡± must meet the inws eventually.

    But the most important reason for their journey was to attend a reception by the leadership; as heroes and contributors to the cause, they were summoned back to the Capital City.

    It was conveniently on the way.

    ¡°Big brother An, I¡¯m a little worried,¡± Bai Xiao said.

    She hadn¡¯t forgotten the way Wei Shufen had tried to trip her up, asking her to call Wei Shufen ¡®Mother¡¯ was something she couldn¡¯t bring herself to do, let alone reconcile with her. She had even thought about payback against Wei Shufen for everything she had done.

    Her university studies had been disrupted because of Wei Shufen.

    Otherwise, under normal circumstances, she would have alreadypleted a year of university by now. Instead, she was arriving at a new hospital, uncertain of what the Dean thought of her. The possibility of attending university was still in question, and her dream seemed further away than ever.

    It was enough to make her grind her teeth in frustration.

 Chapter 452 - 452 452 There is Providence in the Unseen

    ?Chapter 452: Chapter 452: There is Providence in the Unseen   Chapter 452: Chapter 452: There is Providence in the Unseen                                   ¡°What are you worried about? I¡¯m here with you, I definitely can¡¯t let you be wronged.¡± An Zhiyuan was peeling an apple for her, and, of course, the tickets they bought as military personnel were for the lower bunk.

    Now that Bai Xiao had be his rightful wife, if she was wronged, he thought about organising the wedding once they got back to the Capital City and then he would apany Bai Xiao to the provincial capital to see her sister and brother-inw for a proper family introduction.

    Bing the son-inw of the Bai Family.

    ¡°You know very well that your stepmother definitely doesn¡¯t like me, and who knows how much she has been talking against me to your father. If I go there and they show tant displeasure, why should we make it so unpleasant?¡± Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t worried, she just didn¡¯t want to deal with other people¡¯s attitudes.

    She¡¯d rather go back and visit her brother and sister with that time.

    If it were up to her, An Zhiyuan might as well follow her back to the provincial capital where they could have their wedding and a lively family dinner.

    Her own family would definitely be happy.

    She wasn¡¯t avoiding the situation, there was simply no need to upset herself unnecessarily.

    Finally rotated off duty, life was so beautiful, why should she harbour resentment against others? After all, for someone like Wei Shufen, she wasn¡¯t worth getting angry over.

    ¡°But you have to meet my father sometime, and I was thinking why not sooner rather thanter? Let¡¯s deal with their displeasure all at once. We¡¯re already married, no one can make us get a divorce. I¡¯ve made up my mind to be tied to you for life. People say, ¡®To hold your hand, and grow old with you.¡¯ When I¡¯m old, I¡¯m counting on supporting each other through life,¡± An Zhiyuan was very pleased! His wife was finally his.

    Of course, there¡¯s a difference between that and truly having her, but he was just happy.

    ¡°Then we agree, if I go there and your father and they give me a hard time, don¡¯t me me for turning around and walking out. You know how I am. My temperament is fine when it¡¯s good, but when it¡¯s not, I really won¡¯t put up with disrespect,¡± Bai Xiaoid it out upfront.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s thin lips parted slightly, his eyes not on her, he spoke lightly yet seriously: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will always stand by your side, unconditionally and irrationally. Just one thing, I am a ¡®wife ve!¡¯ Satisfied?¡±

    Bai Xiao smiled like a fox that had stolen a hundred chickens.

    ¡°Smooth talker!¡±

    His voice, fluctuating in the dimly lit space, seemed almost unreal, yet at that moment, it reached deep into her heart.

    This man was worth relying on.

    An Zhiyuan handed her the apple, tidied up the trash on the table, he wasn¡¯t worried at all! Such a grown man, he certainly knew what he was doing.

    Getting the marriage certificate this smoothly must have something to do with his father¡¯s tacit approval. Without An Cheng¡¯s acquiescence, even an approved marriage report would be useless, the final stamp and signature hadn¡¯t even gone through yet. Just one inappropriate political review could have held them up for months, but now everything was proceeding smoothly, surely proving that his real father hadpromised.

    For him to say such words was impossible, but this was already a sort of hint.

    An Zhiyuan could clearly understand it was his own father¡¯s intention.

    He didn¡¯t want to confront An Cheng, as his younger brother An Chu¡¯s health had grown increasingly worse over the past two years, with high blood pressure and heart disease worsening. As a son, he could boldly express his opinions, but he couldn¡¯t bear to see his father copse from stress.

    The explosive confrontation he had braced for seemed to have evaporated with this pre-battle wedding.

    Perhaps this was what fate intended.

 Chapter 453 - 453 453 Yu Family

    ?Chapter 453: Chapter 453: Yu Family   Chapter 453: Chapter 453: Yu Family                                   ¡°Xiaoxiao, I found some information about the Yu Shaoya family that you asked me to look into!¡± An Zhiyuan whispered to her, sitting beside her.

    Bai Xiao was shocked.

    ¡°How is the Yu Family doing now?¡±

    Her mother had died of hemorrhage during childbirth, and she had no reason to me such a mother. Yu Shaoya had never given up on her daughter. If she were still alive, she would have taken care of her regardless of the circumstances, of this Bai Xiao was certain as her sister had told her that during the difficultbor, when the adoptive parents asked Yu Shaoya whether to save the child or the adult, Yu Shaoya did not hesitate to choose to save the child.

    In other words, her birth mother had chosen to give her the chance to live, exchanging her own life for her daughter¡¯s. Such maternal love was truly great.

    Therefore, deep in her heart, there was always a natural closeness to the Yu Family, although they had never met.

    ¡°After Yu Shaoya was sent down to the countryside for re-education throughbor, the entire Yu Family was also sent back to their hometown for reformation. The Yu Family was fortunate since it was their native home, and the vigers there had some affection for them; they were not troubled much. Later, when the family was rehabilitated, Yu Shaohua, the eldest son of the Yu Family, was the first to be rehabilitated. They applied for jobs in Modu, and after their parents were rehabilitated, they moved to live in Modu as well.¡±

    Yu Shaohua and Yu Shaoyan, one worked in Modu and the other in Yuncheng, both brothers of the Yu Family worked in the health system. They could be regarded as a family of old revolutionaries, and they never returned to the Capital City in the end.¡± This was what he had found out about the Yu Family.

    ¡°It seems they are doing well!¡± There was a slight discontent in her heart. Had nobody from therge family gone to look for Yu Shaoya?

    Could it really be that Yu Shaoya¡¯s youthful, ignorant impulsiveness justified severing such blood-rted kinship?

    Or could it be that there were many hidden issues back then, at least there should be a way to find the Bai Family, right?

    They haven¡¯t shown up all these years! This might prove that they do not want to acknowledge Yu Shaoya.

    Could it be that this Yu Family isn¡¯t the one she knew?

    That would really be troublesome.

    ¡°Why are you asking about the Yu Family?¡± An Zhiyuan was curious. He knew a bit about Bai Xiao¡¯s background but had not asked in detail! Since it was Bai Xiao¡¯s privacy, he should not pry into it. As a husband, he shouldn¡¯t dwell on the past! Besides, it didn¡¯t matter to him who Bai Xiao¡¯s biological parents were, as long as Bai Xiao was happy.

    ¡°My biological mother might be Yu Shaoya, and my biological father¡ªyou probably wouldn¡¯t guess who he is?¡± Bai Xiao felt a faint sadness.

    It¡¯s likely that her mother has no more regrets in this world.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be Shang Feng, can it?¡± He, of course, knew about Bai Xiao answering the phone; the operator had connected the call, and he couldn¡¯t have hidden it.

    Shang Feng certainly wouldn¡¯t call here just to seek medical advice from Bai Xiao.

    Moreover, Bai Xiao¡¯s attitude towards Shang Feng was quite cold. It wasn¡¯t supposed to be said that Bai Xiao¡¯s biological father was a Chen Shimei.

    He had abandoned his pregnant wife when they returned to the city, remarried someone else, and had since vanished without a trace.

    All these linked together seemed to foreshadow an undeniable answer.

    ¡°Could you not be so sharp? There¡¯s no sense of mystery with you!¡± Bai Xiao rolled her eyes, her mouth curving uncontrobly upwards, which only confirmed the facts further for An Zhiyuan.

    ¡°It¡¯s really melodramatic!¡± An Zhiyuan also had no fondness for Shang Feng.

    And consider how Shang Kaijie had treated Bai Xiao; he was well aware of it.

    He had also received news about Shang Kaijie¡¯s ultimate fate; he didn¡¯t know exactly what Bai Xiao had done, but he was certain that Bai Xiao held a grudge against the Shang Family.

    The blow was quite severe!

 Chapter 454 - 454 454 Come Back

    ?Chapter 454: Chapter 454: Come Back   Chapter 454: Chapter 454: Come Back                                   ¡°The Shang Family has nothing to do with me, never had, never will. I am just Bai Xiao, my parents are the eldest of the Bai Family, and my brothers and sisters are the rtives who raised me. No one else matters to me!¡± Bai Xiao firmly defined her rtionship with the Shang Family.

    ¡°How can no one else matter? What am I, chopped liver? I¡¯m not ¡®no one else¡¯,¡± An Zhiyuan protested, feeling slighted. After all the trouble of marrying a bride, his bride didn¡¯t seem to keep him in her heart, and that stung.

    Seeing An Zhiyuan get genuinely mad for a change, Bai Xiaoughed uncontrobly.

    ¡°Big brother An, you¡¯re my man, you¡¯re one of us! How could you be ¡®no one else¡¯? You¡¯re being so irresponsible, considering yourself an outsider,¡± she teased.

    An Zhiyuan frowned, his little woman was being mischievous.

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯ll deal with you sooner orter!¡± An Zhiyuan leaned closer, whispering in her ear, identally brushing his lips against her earlobe, his breath somewhat heavy and warm.

    Bai Xiao blushed! Embarrassed and awkward, ever since they got their marriage certificate, An Zhiyuan had been unavoidable, just no real opportunity had arisen yet. This married couple had been incredibly busy this past month, not even settling into their own little home yet.

    Not to mention the house assigned to them was still being tidied up; they should find it ready upon their return, especially now that An Zhiyuan¡¯s status had changed.

    But the look An Zhiyuan was giving her, only a fool wouldn¡¯t know what he was thinking.

    ¡°We are on a bus, mind the surroundings!¡± Bai Xiao warned him.

    The way An Zhiyuan looked at her now! Just like a big bad wolf spotting a little bunny.

    Couldn¡¯t wait to gobble her up.

    ¡°Now you think of the surroundings? What were you doing just before?¡± An Zhiyuan looked at Bai Xiao, who seemed quite pleased with herself, and felt a tickling in his heart, his fingers tightening around her wrist.

    ¡°Stop being improper!¡± Bai Xiao panicked, although there weren¡¯t many people on this sleeper bus besides them two on the lower bunks and one person sleeping above. Still, with people passing by frequently, being seen by others while both dressed in uniform wasn¡¯t a good look.

    ¡°Marrying a wife is not easy at all!¡± An Zhiyuan muttered under his breath, but he did rein in his behavior a great deal.

    They arrived at the Capital City, and An Zhiyuan alone carried two suitcases while Bai Xiao, hands in her pockets, followed beside him, speaking softly about herst visit to the Capital City, just like a docile wife.

    Leaving the station, they saw An Zhigao waving at them from a distance.

    ¡°My big brother came to pick us up!¡± An Zhiyuan informed Bai Xiao on the bus that his brother knew they wereing back and insisted on picking them up personally.

    He really couldn¡¯t refuse.

    Exiting the tform, An Zhigao came over, took the luggage from An Zhiyuan¡¯s hands, and punched him squarely in the chest, ¡°You nearly scared your brother to death, acting all heroic. I almost had a heart attack but seeing you safe and sound in front of me rxed me instantly.¡±

    His eyes genuinely reddened, having worried for so long, fearing something might happen to his brother. Even though he knew the dangers were part of the job, nobody could anticipate the emotional turmoil when a loved one faced such dire life-or-death decisions.

    An Zhiyuanughed, ¡°Big brother, look, I¡¯m fine, aren¡¯t I? Don¡¯t worry, your little brother is tough! Besides, your sister-inw is a doctor. Here, Bai Xiao, this is my big brother; big brother, this is my wife Bai Xiao.¡±

    Bai Xiao stepped forward, ¡°Big brother!¡±

 Chapter 455 - 455 455 Perfect Match (Bonus Chapter for

    ?Chapter 455: Chapter 455: Perfect Match (Bonus Chapter for Monthly Tickets)   Chapter 455: Chapter 455: Perfect Match (Bonus Chapter for Monthly Tickets)                                   ¡°So you are Doctor Bai Xiao! Hard work pays off, sister-inw. I¡¯ve heard about the deeds you two performed at the front. Both of you did great. Don¡¯t worry, my little brother here has a good heart and character, he¡¯s absolutely a hundred percent good man. He¡¯ll definitely treat you well and won¡¯t ever bully you. If he dares to bully you, juste to me, your big brother, and I¡¯ll set things right for you,¡± An Zhigao sincerely said to Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao was stunned. What was this all about?

    Why was this ¡°Big Brother An¡± being so nice to her?

    This was too dreamy.

    ¡°Thank you, big brother!¡±

    ¡°Thank what, we¡¯re going to be family from now on. I drove here and will take you both home now,¡± said An Zhigao with a chuckle, finding the doctor before him more and more pleasing to the eye.

    Trailing behind, Bai Xiao quietly pulled An Zhiyuan aside to ask,

    ¡°Why is your brother so enthusiastic towards me? What did you do?¡±

    An Zhiyuan wrapped an arm around Bai Xiao¡¯s waist, ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything but tell him once about our wedding ceremony. Then my big brother said, ¡®Doctor Bai is a heroine, not inferior to any man,¡¯ and that from now on, Doctor Bai would be like his own sister and he would treat you as such. I, his own brother, don¡¯t even get that kind of treatment. I¡¯m honestly envious and jealous.

    Look at the charm of Doctor Bai, I can¡¯t help but admire it.¡±

    Bai Xiao twisted his arm fiercely, but unfortunately, his muscles were so firm that her effort to pinch was fruitless, slipping through her fingers without finding a grip.

    Bai Xiao could only re in frustration.

    An Zhiyuanughed heartily.

    ¡°Wait until we get home, and then you can properly take care of me. Even a couple of bites would do,¡± he said with a suggestive wink.

    Bai Xiao nearly spat at him.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± An Zhigao had already reached the car and called out to his far-behind brother and sister-inw.

    Seeing the couple¡¯s affectionate manner made him happy as well.

    He had been genuinely moved the day he heard about his brother and sister-inw¡¯s wedding. Facing such a life-and-death decision, the sister-inw had bravely stepped forward, capable of dering to share life and death together, to never part. That was enough.

    Wedding vows are made by many, promising in front of great people¡¯s images to share the sweetness and bitterness of life, through sickness and health, till death do us part.

    But often, these words are merely spoken, and when faced with a real choice, how many people would, for their own sake, abandon their other half.

    Doctor Bai, without even being married to my brother, was under no obligation, yet she was willing to face death with him, and even agreed to have that simple wedding ceremony at the front without an official marriage license, proving her genuine love for my brother.

    How could An Zhigao not like such a girl, how could he not respect her?

    An Zhiyuan took Bai Xiao¡¯s hand and opened the car door for her, cing their luggage in the rearpartment.

    The three got into the car.

    An Zhigao looked at Doctor Bai and An Zhiyuan and couldn¡¯t help thinking they were a perfect match.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s head home. The old man urged me early in the morning to pick you up, to pick you up. In his lifetime, he¡¯s probably never talked to me this calmly. If it weren¡¯t for his steadfast refusal to use his own car for personal matters, I bet he would have sent a car to fetch you long ago,¡± he said.

    An Zhiyuan nced at his brother, and from his words, it seemed like the rtionship between his brother and father had softened somewhat.

    ¡°Is everything okay at home?¡± An Zhiyuan asked.

    An Zhigao nced at Bai Xiao and half-heartedly responded, ¡°Everything¡¯s fine, you¡¯ll find out when we get back.¡±

 Chapter 456 - 456 456 Standing Up for Justice (Extra Chapter

    ?Chapter 456: Chapter 456: Standing Up for Justice (Extra Chapter for Monthly Tickets)   Chapter 456: Chapter 456: Standing Up for Justice (Extra Chapter for Monthly Tickets)                                   Three people arrived home.

    Bai Xiao got out of the car, inevitably feeling a bit nervous, as she was truly going to meet An Zhiyuan¡¯s parents now.

    It would be strange if she weren¡¯t nervous.

    An Zhiyuan took the luggage out from the car and, holding Bai Xiao¡¯s hand,forted her, ¡°I¡¯ve told you, I¡¯ve got everything under control. If they give you a hard time, I¡¯ll just take you away.¡± He had nned this long ago.

    Bai Xiao squeezed An Zhiyuan¡¯s hand, reassuring him of her calmness.

    The three of them entered the house.

    ¡°Dad, Ayuan and his wife are back!¡± An Zhigao announced loudly as soon as he entered.

    Bai Xiao then saw a group of people sitting in the living room.

    Wei Shufen did not need introduction as she was an old acquaintance, having dealt with her before, and naturally left a deep impression.

    Next to her sat an elderly man dressed in a Sun Yat-sen suit, his temples graying but his spirit robust. His eyes were bright and piercing. The instant he saw the two, his eyes flickered with undeniable warmth and a hint of a smile.

    This was certainly An Zhiyuan¡¯s father.

    ¡°Mom and Dad, we¡¯re back!¡± An Zhiyuan said, holding onto Bai Xiao¡¯s hand without ever letting go.

    An Cheng nodded, ¡°It¡¯s good that you havee back safely.¡±

    ¡°Let me see if you have changed at all now?¡±

    Just hearing about his son¡¯s heroic deeds on the battlefield was enough to make anyone worry. Bullets are blind, and for someone like him, injuries weremon.

    Now, examining his son from head to toe, seeing no noticeable changes on his face or body, it was already proved that his capabilities were significant.

    ¡°Dad! This is Bai Xiao, my wife. We have already registered our marriage and held a wedding ceremony. All ourrades at the camp were our witnesses.¡±

    An Zhiyuan clearly dered Bai Xiao¡¯s identity.

    Only then did An Cheng look up to take a good look at Bai Xiao.

    The girl looked tender and frail, not the type one would imagine as a Mn. She seemed like the girl-next-door still in school, seemingly nothing special about her. But this girl was not simple at all.

    To dare to share life and death with his son amidst the hail of bullets was enough for him not to give her a hard time.

    ¡°It¡¯s good that you are back. You must have had a tough journey.¡±

    This sentence already represented An Cheng¡¯s attitude.

    Wei Shufen warmly greeted Bai Xiao, ¡°Come, sit next to Mom. You child, I really didn¡¯t expect you to be so brave when we first met. You and our Ayuan are truly well-matched, a perfect couple indeed.¡±

    Such an enthusiastic and familiar manner! It seemed as though there had never been any unpleasantness between the two of them.

    An Zhiyuan led Bai Xiao to sit on the sofa across.

    ¡°Second brother, how could you be like this? Didn¡¯t you hear what Mom said? This is too much, and Bai Xiao, the elder has spoken, don¡¯t you know you should show some respect to your future mother-inw?¡± An Zhixiang spoke up, and his words were not well-received.

    ¡°Youngest, what¡¯s it to you? I know very well whether to show respect or not, I don¡¯t need you to teach me how to behave!¡± An Zhiyuan hadn¡¯t yet settled ounts with Wei Shufen, who dared to secretly pull strings to send Bai Xiao to the front lines, so he wasn¡¯t about to give her a good face.

    ¡°Second brother, you¡­ Even though you are a hero now, you still can¡¯t be unreasonable. What does it mean to bully others as soon as you get home? Mom hasn¡¯t wronged you, and the moment you return you behave as if everyone owes you a huge debt. Am I wrong for feeling sorry for Mom after all these years, not knowing the extent of her care for you? Every time you leave, she prepares everything perfectly for you. And now you behave like this?¡± An Zhixiang always liked to stand up for Wei Shufen, seeing her as his real mother.

 Chapter 457 - 457 457 Delighted

    ?Chapter 457: Chapter 457 Delighted   Chapter 457: Chapter 457 Delighted                                   ¡°If that¡¯s the case, Mom! I think you owe me an exnation as to why Bai Xiao ended up on the front line? Even with any rotation, it should have nevere to such a young doctor, and the transfer order was not subject to any refusal. Even her Dean and our Chief couldn¡¯t change it. It¡¯s aplete joke.

    I just don¡¯t believe that the Health Team of the hospital would copse without her, as if the Earth would stop spinning without Bai Xiao.¡±

    An Zhiyuan initially didn¡¯t want to tear open this issue so soon after entering the house and talk about it. That would clearly signal that he did not want to continue this topic cordially or maintain a harmonious atmosphere.

    After facing life and death for half a day, having returned to his own home, An Zhiyuan also wanted to properly rest.

    A so-called home is supposed to be a ce where you can rest securely, a harbor that is warm and safe, allowing you to fully rx.

    But no sooner had he walked in the door than his younger brother¡¯s words came at him like a p in the face. If he didn¡¯t fight back, he would be letting down his wife.

    For the undertone of the words was a direct hit at Bai Xiao.

    ¡°What are you implying, Second Brother? Are you saying that everyone else can go to the front line, but Doctor Bai can¡¯t? Since she chose this profession, obedience to orders is her bounden duty. The orders don¡¯t care about who you are or how capable you are. Second Brother, you need to get this straight and not let your personal feelings cloud your vision,¡± An Zhixiang defended Wei Shufen.

    ¡°Whether it¡¯s personal or not, you can just ask the mother before your very eyes. First of all, what did she actually do?¡± An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t want to engage in a pointless verbal dispute with his own brother.

    ¡°Ayuan! Yes! It was I who made the call this time, I reached out to your father¡¯s old ssmate, and had it arranged. But¡­¡± Wei Shufen knew there was no evading; the issue had to be torn open at some point. Thankfully, she had already given An Cheng a heads up.

    ¡°This matter was my doing.¡± An Cheng¡¯s admission made An Zhiyuan lift his head, his expression inscrutable and difficult to read.

    ¡°Doctor Bai, originally, this was a ploy I had intended to drive a wedge between you and my son. You can probably understand a father¡¯s expectations for his son¡¯s future partner, and at the time, you did not fit the image in my mind. That¡¯s why I resorted to using means to separate the two of you. Unfortunately, heaven didn¡¯t approve, and due to a mix-up, you ended up getting even closer. This is the exnation I owe you.

    If you harbor any resentment or hate, you can direct it at this old man. This affair has nothing to do with anyone else; I am the one who deliberately tripped you up,¡± An Cheng¡¯s forthrightness impressed Bai Xiao.

    Of course, that didn¡¯t necessarily mean she truly believed An Cheng was responsible. How could someone who speaks with such integrity employ such low and contemptible tactics against a woman?

    ¡°If I say I bear no grudges or ill feelings, I don¡¯t think you would believe me. But indeed, this incident facilitated my union with Big Brother An. If it hadn¡¯t been for this, we probably wouldn¡¯t have gotten married so quickly.

    So even if there was some hatred or resentment at first, I bear none now. Those who wished to upset me have only dropped a rock on their own feet. So why should I be unhappy? Besides, I¡¯m a doctor, and to say something righteous, being a doctor is the same anywhere. Moreover, due to this opportunity, I advanced from having no qualifications as a resident doctor to being promoted as a matter of course.

    It turned out to be a blessing in disguise. So clearly, the one who isn¡¯t happy now isn¡¯t me, which means I¡¯m quite happy.¡±

 Chapter 458 - 458 458 The Palm Slap

    ?Chapter 458: Chapter 458: The Palm p   Chapter 458: Chapter 458: The Palm p                                   Perhaps no one expected Bai Xiao to speak so bluntly about this matter.

    An Cheng sighed, ¡°You child, with what you¡¯ve just said, it¡¯s clear that you hold a grudge against us. Aren¡¯t you afraid that you won¡¯t get along with Ayuan¡¯s family in the future? After all, we are your inws; by emotion and reason, we hold the moral high ground. Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll make life difficult for you in the future? Don¡¯t forget, I am a Chief!¡±

    ¡°I think if you were truly the kind of person to make things difficult for me, you wouldn¡¯t have said these things to me today. Setting aside this matter, the fact remains that you are Zhiyuan¡¯s father, and on that ount alone, I respect you; for you have raised such an outstanding man. If you truly dislike me, it doesn¡¯t really matter. We probably won¡¯t be able to visit more than once a year anyway, so the chance for us to seriously get along is quite limited.

    So you need not worry, nor do I.¡± Bai Xiao¡¯s smiling demeanor truly satisfied An Cheng.

    The son¡¯s judgment was not mistaken; this girl was not intimidated at all and didn¡¯t fawn over him, despite his position as a Chief. Instead, she expressed her own views with conviction, standing firm and showing not the slightest hint of submission or inferiority, poised and full of presence.

    ¡°Dad, how can she be such a person?¡± An Zhixiang was dissatisfied, for he had never approved of Bai Xiao. In his eyes, Ding Min was the best choice for his brother¡¯s wife.

    ¡°Enough, your brother and sister-inw have just returned; let them go up and rest. Also, remember she is your sister-inw. Don¡¯t be so meddlesome as a younger brother¡ªit¡¯s not your ce to involve yourself in their affairs. You think you can manage the heavens and the earth? Since when can a younger brother meddle in the matters of a married couple?¡± An Cheng disliked how his youngest son nagged like a woman.

    Of the three sons, it was the youngest who had been spoiled by him.

    His manner was effeminate, without any of the decisive energy expected of a soldier.

    An Zhixiang felt angry inside, wondering why his own father would side with an outsider.

    ¡°Dad, who¡¯s meddling? It¡¯s just that my brother and Ding Min were childhood sweethearts. Now this Doctor Bai sticks her nose in halfway, which is hardly eptable. To put it bluntly, Doctor Bai is nothing but a homewrecker. If she can act, can¡¯t I speak? She destroys others¡¯ happiness. You even dare to let her marry my brother. Aren¡¯t you afraid she¡¯ll cuckhold him someday?¡±

    ¡°Apologize!¡± An Zhiyuan¡¯s low roar echoed through the room.

    An Zhixiang was startled; his eldest and second brothers had never been so stern with him.

    This was really the first time.

    No wonder people say ¡®a beauty brings trouble.¡¯ His brother was treating him like this because of this woman.

    In a sh, An Zhixiang charged up to Bai Xiao, pointed at her, and demanded of An Zhiyuan, ¡°You want me to apologize to her? To this kind of woman? Big brother, have you lost your mind? Let me tell you, no one dares to speak the truth. Clearly, this woman hase between you, she is the homewrecker, and she can forget about me ever addressing her as ¡®sister-inw.¡¯ She¡¯s nothing but a flirtatious woman.¡±

    p!

    An Zhixiang, in disbelief, covered his face and stared at Bai Xiao, who was calmly retracting her hand, ¡°You actually dared to hit me?¡±

    ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I hit you? In terms of rtion, by marrying your brother, I am your sister-inw. You, as a younger brother, insult your own sister-inw in front of your brother¡ªI went easy on you by opting to hit. Morally speaking, the childhood sweetheart you speak of had no marriage certificate nor any romantic rtionship with your brother, while your brother and I have officially filed a marriage report and hold a marriage certificate, making us a legally married couple.

    This is the first warning I give you, offer an apology immediately. If I hear a second offense, it won¡¯t be resolved with just a p.¡±

 Chapter 459 - 459 459 Is This a Threat to Him

    ?Chapter 459: Chapter 459: Is This a Threat to Him?   Chapter 459: Chapter 459: Is This a Threat to Him?                                   ¡°Ah, Bai Xiao, after all, he is your brother-inw, and we¡¯re all family here. The youngest has a thoughtless tongue; don¡¯t take it too personally. If everyone can step back, we¡¯re all family, and wouldn¡¯t it be better if everyone gave a little ground?¡± Wei Shufen hurriedly tried to smooth things over, having never expected An Zhixiang to be struck.

    Bai Xiao truly wasn¡¯t like ordinary girls; she had never seen a sister-inw who would physically fight with her brother-inw.

    ¡°Are you kidding, step back for a clear sky? I feel that if I didn¡¯t speak up today, didn¡¯t p him, and just stepped back as you say, I might be facing a profound abyss. I am, after all, a decent girl from a good family, casuallybeled as a flirt by my brother-inw. If these words spread outside, what would others think of a brother-inw who speaks this way about his sister-inw? One could easily guess what kind of person the sister-inw is.

    I cannot bear such a reputation. I will not let anyone tarnish my reputation, nor will I allow them to tarnish An Zhiyuan¡¯s name. I stand upright and straight, and if I¡¯m not mistaken, the younger brother is also a man. He ought to know how to speak and remember what should and shouldn¡¯t be said. Unfounded ims start rumors. Don¡¯t force me to sue you; I believe you know better how you should be dealt with,¡± Bai Xiao showed no intention of backing down.

    An Zhixiang might be the king at home, but as long as he provoked her, she couldn¡¯t overlook it.

    Especially since this brother-inw was clearly foolish,pletely clueless.

    In this family, the parents had never criticized their children, so what was this brother-inw jumping out for?

    The problem was still for Ding Min; she wondered if An Zhixiang even had a brain.

    Though he was quiterge and also good-looking, the An brothers were all handsome, with noble features, eyebrows like distant hills, and eyes like bright stars. If she had to say, in terms of looks, Bai Xiao thought the brothers took after their mother. An Cheng looked more rugged and masculine.

    But clearly, the youngest brother¡¯s intelligence was not online.

    In front of the whole family, to throw out such words the first time he met her.

    And he was a man, too. If he had been a younger sister, then she might consider it; perhaps he had a sort of sisterly bond with Ding Min.

    But for a grown man to stand up and say such things, was that appropriate?

    ¡°Bai Xiao, don¡¯t be upset, your brother is immature, and I apologize on his behalf. What he did today was wrong, and what he said was even worse. Please forgive him this once as a sister-inw, won¡¯t you?¡± Wei Shufen couldn¡¯t help but protect An Zhixiang; he was the child she had raised herself, and she felt a deep maternal bond with himpared to the others.

    ¡°Apologize to your sister-inw,¡± An Zhiyuan said. His voice was not loud, but his attitude was very firm.

    An Zhixiang nced at his father and saw An Cheng ring at him.

    He shivered inside.

    The part of his face that had been hit was burning with pain.

    Clearly, his father was not going to protect him; his elder brother was obviously defending the sister-inw, and he felt very wronged.

    ¡°Was what I said really¡­¡±

    ¡°Youngest!¡± An Zhiyuan raised his voice slightly, ¡°There are words you can say, and words you shouldn¡¯t. Think before you speak. You¡¯re not a child anymore, you¡¯re twenty-one. Besides, you are a man, you should know right from wrong in your heart. I¡¯m not forcing you to admit your wrongs. If you really don¡¯t want to admit them, then don¡¯t.¡±

    An Zhixiang felt a surge of joy inside, it seemed his elder brother was still protecting him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take your sister-inw to live elsewhere,¡± An Zhiyuan¡¯s words stunned An Zhixiang.

    Was this a threat?

 Chapter 460 - 460 460 Not Even Enough to Be Cannon Fodder

    ?Chapter 460: Chapter 460: Not Even Enough to Be Cannon Fodder for Others   Chapter 460: Chapter 460: Not Even Enough to Be Cannon Fodder for Others                                   ¡°Bai Xiao and I have been through life and death together at the front; despite being a delicate woman, she saved me from the brink several times. Even when I was trapped in a desperate situation, on the verge of life and death, she never hesitated to stand by my side. One could say we have shared our lives and deaths, never abandoning each other.¡±

    ¡°Yet, in your words, this woman is described as one with a dubious character and problematic behavior, which makes me feel deeply hurt. Someone who insults my wife can absolutely not be my brother. From the moment she and I faced life and death together, I vowed to protect her peace for the rest of my life. No one should carelessly insult her noble character, a woman¡¯s reputation, a wife¡¯s conduct.¡±

    ¡°Since it is so, we are no longer brothers,¡± An Zhiyuan stated resolutely, taking Bai Xiao¡¯s hand.

    Smiling, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, we are leaving.¡±

    He helped her into her coat.

    An Zhixiang was terrified, realizing that his own words were indeed biased towards Ding Min, but he had not expected his second brother¡¯s reaction to be so intense. Was this the same second brother who was supposedly deeply in love with Ding Min?

    Just a clear-eyed look would show how much the second brother cared about Doctor Bai, even to the extent of sparing no efforts.

    Stepping forward, he tried to stop his older brother, ¡°Second brother, isn¡¯t my apology enough?¡±

    With a voice full of grievance, he felt that all the frustrations of his life seemed to have started from the very moment he met his so-called sister-inw.

    ¡°What do you mean, isn¡¯t it enough? Wrong is wrong, right is right. Do I still need to teach you what to say and do?¡± An Zhiyuan¡¯s voice was deep, his eyes sharp, his gaze piercing.

    An Zhixiang lowered his head.

    ¡°Sister-inw, I¡¯m sorry, I was wrong! Please forgive me.¡±

    Probably the most humiliating moment of his life was like being pped by someone else, and still having to apologize and ask for their forgiveness.

    For the first time, he realized what ¡®troublees from the mouth¡¯ truly meant.

    ¡°Little brother, I¡¯ve forgiven you!¡±

    Not forgiving was not an option, and after all, clinging to such a trivial matter and making an issue of it would only showck of grace.

    An Zhixiang should probably learn from this mistake, right?

    Don¡¯t casually take up the cause for others.

    As for Ding Min, she wasn¡¯t even the one starting this fuss, what was the purpose of his mor here?

    Wei Shufen hastily said, ¡°It¡¯s good that everyone has cleared things up now, Auntie Li, bring them up to the guest rooms quickly.¡± Her face bore a solicitous smile, but her heart was cold as ice.

    An Zhiyuan had utterly disregarded his brother¡¯s feelings, and Bai Xiao was so audaciously domineering. If previously she thought she could separate the two, now it seemed virtually impossible. Bai Xiao¡¯s unyielding loyalty to An Zhiyuan had be a much-celebrated tale within the military.

    She had heard this widely circted beautiful story so many times that her ears had practically developed calluses. Now, An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao were widely acknowledged as a perfect couple by everyone; anyone who tried to meddle was seen as a spoiler.

    An Zhiyuan was already formidable, harsh and cold. However, he still had weak points; his father and his brothers mattered greatly in his heart, and he would listen to An Cheng, even if reluctantly and without outright contradiction. At most, it would be a matter of him doing his own thing.

    But there was still someone to restrain him then.

    This time, however, it was doubtful that An Cheng would take her side anymore.

    With such a powerful woman by his side, her ns to sway An Zhiyuan over to their camp were thoroughly ruined.

    Compared to this woman, Ding Min was nothing but trifling.

    Barely enough to even be considered cannon fodder.

 Chapter 461 - 461 461 Determination

    ?Chapter 461: Chapter 461: Determination   Chapter 461: Chapter 461: Determination                                   ¡°Mom and Dad, we¡¯re heading up,¡± An Zhiyuan nced at the auntie, who was not the one their family had employed for almost a lifetime.

    How strange, why would father agree to rece the auntie?

    Auntie Niandie had looked after them almost until they were grown, like a family member. Father had once said he would provide for Auntie Niandie in her old age. Why had he suddenly changed people?

    Auntie Li looked at An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao, ¡°I¡¯ve already cleaned up your room, and Doctor Bai can stay in the guest room for now.¡± She sounded uncertain.

    An Zhiyuan pulled Bai Xiao upstairs, ¡°You don¡¯t need to bother, I can manage it myself.¡±

    His voice was cold.

    Auntie Li twisted her apron in her hands, looking at Wei Shufen. Had she not handled things well?

    Wei Shufen nced at her indifferently, ¡°Auntie Li, go and prepare lunch. Make it a little more borate today. I will make a list of Ayuan¡¯s favorite dishes for you, and you can use this list to buy ingredients.¡±

    Idiot, absolutely clueless. Can¡¯t she see how far things have gone and still says things like that?

    Auntie Li left sheepishly.

    An Zhigao cheerfully sat next to An Cheng, handing the old man a cigarette of China brand, ¡°Dad, the second brother finally settled down, now you can rest easy. The second brother is capable for sure, marrying such a good wife.¡±

    An Cheng nced at the China cigarette and did not take it.

    ¡°I quit smoking.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    An Zhigao almost threw the cigarette in his hand away.

    ¡°My God, the sun must be rising from the west. You, who¡¯ve been a smoker for decades, have quit smoking. I need a moment, give me some time to absorb this.¡± He set the cigarette on the coffee table, feeling somewhat awkward.

    ¡°What are you mumbling about? Isn¡¯t me quitting smoking a good thing? I am your father, and you need time to process? Process my ass!¡± An Cheng cursed fiercely, but his rtionship with this son had improvedpared to the past.

    ¡°The youngest, can you exin what happened to Dad? Did he suddenly get water on the brain or something?¡±

    An Zhixiang slouched onto the couch.

    ¡°Dad made a bet with Uncle Jiang and lost, that¡¯s why he quit smoking.¡±

    He felt somewhat dispirited, now deeply reflecting on himself, was he wrong today?

    Indeed, thinking carefully, speaking like that was somewhat nagging, like a babbling girl.

    This was not his style.

    He, too, was a propaganda officer, though he had never really been on the front lines, but he knew that if given the chance, he could be like his second brother, fearless and forward, dedicating his life to thatnd, to his country.

    Yet, he had been bewitched.

    After all, his sister-inw was a woman, what was he doing arguing with a woman?

    That was truly embarrassing.

    It was all Ding Min!

    If it wasn¡¯t for her crying and despairing in front of him these days, like she was Wang Baochuan who had endured hard times for eighteen years, and his second brother was about to turn into Chen Shimei.

    No, he was passing the me. What capability was there in attributing these reasons to a woman?

    He should rightly consider whether he was acting on impulse, trapped in habitual thinking, not truly standing in his second brother and Doctor Bai¡¯s shoes to consider the matter, instead letting Ding Min¡¯s biased views make him strongly opposed to Doctor Bai.

    It seemed he was too immature.

    He had resolved that he would apply to go down to the grassroots level, to truly be tempered and grow into a real man.

 Chapter 462 - 462 462 Rest

    ?Chapter 462: Chapter 462 Rest   Chapter 462: Chapter 462 Rest                                   An Zhiyuan led Bai Xiao back to his room, where the luggage had already been delivered.

    Observing the bright and tidy room, and then the single bed, An Zhiyuan had an idea.

    Returning to his own home, how could he possibly sleep in separate rooms from his wife? By good fortune, this was a perfectly legitimate reason to hold his wife as they slept¡ªwhat else was there to think about?

    Bai Xiao sat on the sofa and patted it. An Zhiyuan¡¯s family¡¯s circumstances were indeed very good. His room alone was so spacious, furnished not only with a bed but also a sofa, a writing desk, a bookcase, serving essentially half the function of a study.

    ¡°Xiaoxiao, if you¡¯re tired, you can rest on the bed now. We¡¯ve already arranged to meet with the leadership at two this afternoon. I need to step out,¡± An Zhiyuan urged her, pressing her to sit down on the bed.

    Bai Xiao was puzzled, ¡°Where are you going? Dumping me at your house on the first day, and taking off yourself¡ªthat¡¯s hardly decent, is it?¡±

    With a smile at the corner of his mouth, An Zhiyuan pressed her shoulders, ¡°Dr. Bai has the courage and resolve to fight bravely on all fronts, so how could she be afraid of this tiny space in my home? I¡¯m going out to buy a bed, I¡¯ll be quick. I¡¯m taking my brother¡¯s car.¡±

    ¡°To buy a bed for what?¡± Bai Xiao swallowed the rest of her sentence.

    Yeah, what¡¯s the bed for?

    As clear as Sima Zhao¡¯s heart to everyone.

    Obviously, Captain An was nning his blissful marital life.

    Bai Xiao covered her mouth andughed heartily, while An Zhiyuan¡¯s expression stayed unfazed in the face of her teasing¡ªuntil Bai Xiao could no longer continueughing.

    ¡°Laughed enough? Sleep then!¡± He bent down and took off her shoes.

    Bai Xiao felt somewhat ufortable; this man was too gentle and considerate, which was rather intimidating. Where had the aloof Captain An, or rather, the icy Captain An gone?

    ¡°I can do it myself!¡±

    It was the first time someone took care of her like this, and it felt ufortable, his behavior so humble.

    ording to An Zhiyuan¡¯s temperament, shouldn¡¯t he be the type to pick her up and throw her directly onto the bed?

    Heh, had she been learning bad things, filling her head with all sorts of nonsense?

    An Zhiyuan insisted on taking off her shoes, ced her legs on the bed, and covered her with a nket.

    ¡°Have a good sleep, and get plenty of rest.¡±

    There was a significant meaning behind those words.

    Bai Xiao red, rest up for what?

    ¡°Just sleep honestly, why keep staring at me?¡± An Zhiyuan picked up his coat, ready to leave. Solving the living arrangements was a serious matter.

    Bai Xiao snorted and turned over, ¡°How would you know I¡¯m watching you if you¡¯re not watching me?¡±

    ¡°Now you¡¯ve learned to talk back! It seems we¡¯ll have to have a deep talkter on,¡± An Zhiyuan nced at Bai Xiao, who was showing defiance.

    However, he did not specify how ¡®deep¡¯ this talk would be, nor did Bai Xiao ask.

    Eventually, An Zhiyuan left.

    Bai Xiao turned over; with the door closed, she felt a subtly strange sensation. This ce was unfamiliar, entirely new to her, yet it also had a sense of familiarity because it was where An Zhiyuan had lived from childhood to adulthood.

    It felt quite miraculous to suddenly integrate into another person¡¯s life, to share and experience all aspects of his life, to ept one¡¯s habits and bad tempers, and also to let someone see the real you. Living together was not that simple.

    Thankfully, they only had to stay here for a few days before returning to her familiar ce. She missed her sister and brother, and those silly boys, too.

    She wondered how Haishun was doing with his studies?

    Were her eldest sister and her brother-inw Wang Yan happy in their life?

    It was about time for her older brother to find a sister-inw!

    She also wondered whether her second sister and brother-inw would face a factoryyoff.

    He Weng, Liu Hong, Liu Baoguo, Li Chunmei, and many others she knew well¡ªwere they all doing well?

 Chapter 463 - 463 463 Audience

    ?Chapter 463: Chapter 463: Audience   Chapter 463: Chapter 463: Audience                                   An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao were heroes designated to be received by higher leadership, so once their letter of introduction was presented, registration was swiftly handled.

    Someone specifically escorted them to the Chief¡¯s office.

    This was not a ce to barge into casually.

    Otherwise, it was easy to be suspected of prying secrets.

    Bai Xiao was somewhat uneasy and looked at An Zhiyuanpared to him, she was leagues behind.

    It¡¯s true what they say, paring people will drive you nuts.¡±

    This was a real-life example, and she was the rookie beingpared unfavorably.

    Being just an ordinary person, in her previous life, she was outstanding. But when it came to facing important figures, she rarely represented herself. Often, besides providing medical care, no one paid heed to her because Shang Kaiwen was the one who captivated the crowd.

    Who needed her presence to attract the eyes? In everyone¡¯s view, she was just an icy and aloof oddity, but who could understand the loneliness and craving in her heart?

    Lack of experience was hardly her fault; it was intentional on other¡¯s part.

    An Zhiyuan looked back, his face taut. Bai Xiao was all seriousness, and seeing her fists clenched tightly revealed her nervousness. He softly reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, they won¡¯t eat you.¡±

    Bai Xiao almost couldn¡¯t helpughing out loud.

    She rolled her eyes at An Zhiyuan, which immediately rxed her quite a bit.

    Feeling sweet inside, their Mr. An, always so forbiddingly cool to outsiders, was unsurpassable in thoughtfulness and care.

    ¡°Report, Chief, Comrades An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao reporting!¡±

    A duty officer had already knocked on the door to notify of their arrival.

    ¡°Let them in!¡±

    A voice aged.

    An Zhiyuan gave Bai Xiao a reassuring look, and the two stepped in.

    ¡°Chief, An Zhiyuan reporting to you.¡±

    ¡°Chief, Bai Xiao reporting to you.¡±

    An old chief in a sharply cut deep green uniform, the insignia on his shoulder indicating his rank, and his salt-and-pepper hair framing a face often seen in news broadcasts, sat behind the desk! He nodded repeatedly and gestured for them to approach upon seeing them.

    ¡°You¡¯ve arrived,e here, have a seat, don¡¯t be restrained, I don¡¯t bite.¡± His smiling demeanor made it hard to associate him with the imposing Chief.

    To say they weren¡¯t nervous would be a lie; the Chief appeared even more imposing in person than on television, with a tall and upright stance, stern face, and piercing eyes. Bai Xiao could distinctly feel the Chief¡¯smanding presence.

    Neither of them moved.

    ¡°Sit, this is an order!¡± His tone shifted, immediately bing stern.

    Only then did they sit down.

    They sat with knees together and back straight, eyes looking straight ahead.

    Bai Xiao felt she was suffering; she had never undergone formal training, mirroring exactly what the dashing Mr. An beside her did.

    But sitting so stiffly upright was truly torturous, and she wondered how An Zhiyuan managed it.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of the deeds you two performed. Excellent, really excellent! Meeting the two of you now, truly a match of equally remarkable talents. You lived up to the reputation pitched for the heroes¡¯ wedding, the glory stained with valor!¡± Fortunately, his tone had softened since the beginning.

    ¡°Chief, we only did what we were supposed to do.¡± Bai Xiao realized immediately that she had misspoken.

    The response was incorrect.

    ¡°Oh, Doctor Bai, An Zhiyuan did what he was supposed to do, unflinching in the face of death. I am curious, why did you think that facing death together was also what you were supposed to do? Weren¡¯t you scared of dying?¡± The Chief now sounded like a kind old neighbor.

    Bai Xiao was virtually unguarded.

 Chapter 464 - 464 464 Promotion

    ?Chapter 464: Chapter 464: Promotion   Chapter 464: Chapter 464: Promotion                                   ¡°I¡¯m afraid of death, Chief, to tell the truth, I am really afraid of death,¡± Bai Xiao stated openly.

    What a joke, she had never expected to encounter such a life-and-death crisis in the hospital. If she had known this would happen, she might as well have gone to Aviation University to train from the start. Flying an airne can¡¯t be more dangerous than being a doctor, right?

    It was all Li Dongliang¡¯s trickery, but she was also to me for being short-sighted. As soon as she heard about the death-defying training, she chickened out. Who else could she me?

    It was her own doing, and there was no way out.

    ¡°Afraid of death! And yet, you still want to live and die together with him? Or is it just talk?¡± the Chief was so fickle.

    His expression was now bing terrifyingly gloomy, as if Bai Xiao could create a storm at any wrong word.

    ¡°Chief, of course I¡¯m afraid of death. I¡¯m a normal person. Which normal person wouldn¡¯t be afraid of death? Moreover, I¡¯m still so young. There¡¯s a beautiful life and aspirations for the future that I haven¡¯t yet fulfilled, and rtives by my side whom I have not yet properly repaid. How could I not be afraid of death?

    However, the choice that day to live and die together was not just mere talk; it was what I willingly and without regretmitted to. An Zhiyuan had to confront his own choices. Whether in death or life, even facing death, he could calmly manage his affairs and tell me to live well and happily.

    Therefore, as his wife, though I was only his fianc¨¦e at the time, I was still willing to face any unpredictable future with him. Even death itself would tremble at our appearance, and it is that which gave us the determination to conquer death.¡±

    The Chiefughed heartily. ¡°Good! Great! ¡®Even death trembles at our appearance¡¯ ¨C I like this statement. If every soldier¡¯s wife had your awareness, perhaps all of us could live without regrets or worries.

    But you, youngdy, have quite the courage. I heard that An Zhiyuan was standing on andmine at that time, yet you still stood by him. Such bravery is perhaps not something everyone possesses.¡±

    Bai Xiao took a deep breath.

    Frankly, her courage that day was a momentary impulse, and afterwards, she even resented herself a bit for not caring about her hard-earned life.

    Isn¡¯t it said that while love is valuable, life is even more precious?

    Pah, it seems I got it wrong; what people say is that life is valuable, but love is even more so.

    Anyway, if she were given the same situation to do over now, whether she would still have the courage she had then is truly an unknown.

    ¡°An Zhiyuan, you are very good. An Cheng was once under mymand, and I never thought that the son could outshine his father. I have carefully reviewed all of your records. You truly are a man who has made his way up step by step on genuine merit. You really are formidable. You are excellent!¡± The Chief stared at An Zhiyuan, secretly admiring him, as An Zhiyuan was indeed outstanding, the perfect model.

    Loyal, firm, highly skilled, unafraid of life and death, and first-ss in conduct. On the front lines, he could serve as an outstanding leader, and at the rear, he could arrange troops and overall strategy as an excellentmander. He was truly formidable.

    An Zhiyuan lowered his eyes, ¡°Thank you for your praise, Chief.¡±

    He was neither self-congrattory nor arrogant, yet he was also not hypocritically modest.

    ¡°Comrade An Zhiyuan, after discussion by the higher-ups, it has been unanimously decided, due to your current professionalpetency and your two distinguished services, to formally promote you two ranks. Congrattions, Comrade An Zhiyuan. I hope you continue to achieve in Yun Province and do the work you ought to do, training more outstanding talents for us.¡±

    His statement was astonishing.

 Chapter 465 - 465 465 Mrs. An (Extra for monthly votes)

    ?Chapter 465: Chapter 465: Mrs. An (Extra for monthly votes)   Chapter 465: Chapter 465: Mrs. An (Extra for monthly votes)                                   An Zhiyuan immediately stood up to salute.

    ¡°Thank you, Chief!¡±

    His voice was steady, devoid of any trace of excitement, as if all honors were fleeting clouds to him.

    Bai Xiao did not understand what the so-called two levels meant, and she had never really figured it out.

    ¡°Comrade Bai Xiao, in view of your excellent performance and your exquisite skills in using acupuncture as an alternative to anesthesia, you are hereby appointed as the main acupuncture doctor at Yun Province Hospital. You are required toplete the advanced training at Medical University within five years. Of course, when tomence your training and at which Medical University you will study, these matters need to be coordinated and discussed with the Dean. However, I have now assigned you this task.

    I want to see more of your growth and see you be a qualified hospital doctor.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Chief, I will ensure the task ispleted within five years,¡± Bai Xiao saluted.

    This was an early promotion for her.

    It is known that bing a chief doctor without five to seven years of practical experience is absolutely impossible.

    Now, she could be considered fortunate in misfortune.

    ¡°Good, here as a senior leader, I sincerely wish you a happy life and an early birth of a noble son,¡± the Chief thenughed heartily.

    Bai Xiao was coquettish, still somewhat shy.

    ¡°Yes! Chief, I guarantee toplete the task.¡±

    An Zhiyuan answered earnestly, eliciting an eye roll from Bai Xiao.

    ¡°Good, Colonel An, that particr wedding of yours that none of us saw, since you are back in the Capital City, you should naturally treat us to a meal. Otherwise, it would not do justice to your bride. Be sure to send me an invitation. I used to be your father¡¯s old superior, and now I have be your old superior. By all means, I should have this meal, shouldn¡¯t I?¡±

    An Zhiyuan nodded, ¡°Yes, Chief, we also n to invite rtives and friends for a meal to officially introduce my wife, Bai Xiao, to everyone. Once we have set the date, we will definitely notify you.¡±

    The Chief nodded, ¡°Good, then I am looking forward to your good news.¡±

    They sat and chatted about many other aspects of this recent frontline experience. An Zhiyuan reported his work experience to his superiors and also updated them on the specific situations at the front. After they left, it seemed that tensions were easing, not as intense as imagined.

    Hopefully, this conflict can be resolved peacefully.

    It waste by the time the Chief let them leave.

    Bai Xiao left the building and sat in the car, then asked An Zhiyuan.

    ¡°Big brother, what exactly does this ¡®two levels¡¯ role entail?¡±

    She truly did not know.

    An Zhiyuan drove skillfully because they hade to see the Chief today. His older brother had specifically left his car for him, and by timing calctions, the furniture delivery should have arrived by now, right?

    ¡°You should really take some time to learn. You belong to a system now. To go around not even knowing this, you¡¯ll beughed at sooner orter.¡± An Zhiyuan was helpless about Bai Xiao¡¯sck of knowledge; he had never encountered someone within the system who didn¡¯t understand its rankings.

    ¡°Who made me an amateur? You know I was tricked here by Chief Li, and I didn¡¯t undergo any formal training. I literally stumbled in here. I¡¯m not ashamed to ask, and you should answer honestly.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s hard to exin without rity, let¡¯s just say it¡¯s the smallest among a certain level.¡±

    ¡°This level, does that mean you are already equivalent to¡­? Your rate of promotion is too fast, does that mean I¡¯m already some kind of officialdy?¡± No matter how big or small, her man was the best.

    Twenty-five-year-olds achieving this level must be rare.

    Her face lit up with joy, which made An Zhiyuan feel happy too! Perhaps sharing one¡¯s honors with someone else brings happiness.

    ¡°Yes! Mrs. An!¡±

 Chapter 466 - 466 466 Congratulations (Extra Monthly Ticket

    ?Chapter 466: Chapter 466: Congrattions (Extra Monthly Ticket Chapter)   Chapter 466: Chapter 466: Congrattions (Extra Monthly Ticket Chapter)                                   Two people returned home.

    As soon as they entered, they saw An Cheng sitting on the sofa, beaming with joy. He excitedly stood up upon seeing his son and patted his shoulder.

    ¡°The Chief had already called me. You did really well, son. To be at this level at the age of 25, even I didn¡¯t have your capabilities at your age. My boy, let¡¯s have a drink with your dadter.¡±

    The excitement in his voice was almost uncontroble.

    ¡°Ayuan, congrattions on now being Director An.¡±

    Wei Shufen said with a congrattory smile, though her heart was not at ease.

    If only An Zhixiang had been the director instead.

    An Zhiyuan and her were not on the same page at all.

    Children at home were soaring high, and it was said that An Zhigao¡¯s business was thriving more with each day.

    Many said that An Zhigao, responding to national policies, plus the supportive policies for small and medium enterprises, and his father¡¯s connections were so extensive that An Zhigao¡¯s business empire had expanded to nearly every province with branch offices.

    Just by looking at this wretched boy, who changed his cars often and always those expensive imported ones, one could tell he was not short of money.

    But An Zhigao¡¯s wealth had nothing to do with her; the dead knot between them was a lifetime tie, unbreakable, and even though she had made countless efforts right from the start to salvage their broken rtionship, it was to no avail.

    She had originally hoped that Ding Min could marry An Zhiyuan, so at least her family could ride on his coattails. Now, what had been well nned could have separated them into different ces and then moved Ding Min closer to An Zhiyuan to foster affection over time.

    If that didn¡¯t work, turning the initially uncooked rice into a cooked meal would suffice, to tie An Zhiyuan to their chariot.

    The Wei family was indeed in decline; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t need to consider these things. Her nephews were not very promising. They were good at indulging in pleasures, each one lying on theurels of their predecessors, consuming the family¡¯s old capital. The problem was her own elder brother didn¡¯t hold a powerful position. After drifting through a few more years, he was about to retire.

    While the person is present, the favors remain; when the person leaves, the tea goes cold.

    When the timees, if no one from the next generation steps up, their family wouldpletely be an ordinary family.

    Unfortunately, all these ns had already turned into a mirage.

    This outstanding man could no longer be their family¡¯s shelter.

    Indeed, human ns can¡¯tpete with those of heaven.

    Now she could only pin her hopes on An Zhixiang. Although An Zhixiang was somewhat gentle and indecisive, he was, after all, An Cheng¡¯s son and An Zhiyuan¡¯s brother, which alone, with these two advantages, should be enough for him to climb to the peak.

    Although An Zhixiang could not possibly be a colonel at 25, at least making captain should be within his reach.

    If he could earn some more merits, he certainly could rise to a higher level, though such merits weren¡¯t easy to acquire.

    An Zhigao and An Zhixiang both came over to congratte An Zhiyuan.

    This was indeed a great joy for their family.

    The youngest director had emerged from their family.

    And with the status of having made significant contributions, his background absolutely crushed many others at the same level.

    ¡°Younger brother, congrattions, you¡¯re impressive, truly worthy of being our father¡¯s son,¡± said An Zhigao, genuinely happy for his brother.

    Seeing his younger brother seed made him happier than making any amount of money from business.

    ¡°Second brother, congrattions!¡± An Zhixiang regarded such a brother, wondering what it meant to be promising at a young age. This was a living example. He started to reflect for the first time whether he had lived too long in a greenhouse, dulling the sharp edge a man should have.

 Chapter 467 - 467 467 The Successor

    ?Chapter 467: Chapter 467: The Sessor   Chapter 467: Chapter 467: The Sessor                                   The meal was sumptuously significant, whether it was to wee the two of them home and cleanse them of their travel dust or to celebrate their promotions; this meal had extraordinary meaning.

    An Cheng and his three brothers talked as they drank.

    Today he was genuinely thrilled. He had had his share of glory in his lifetime. At his age, it was no longer about living for his own elegance; amongrades, colleagues, friends, and rtives, people were more inclined to talk about the achievements of their sons and daughters.

    For anyone, having a sessful son was a matter of immense pride. His eldest son had always been a thorn in his side and had chosen the path of a self-employed individual, which caused him great pain. In his mind, a family like theirs, of course, meant that the son should follow his father¡¯s career¡ªall of them shoulde from a martial background.

    Moreover, his eldest wasn¡¯t weak; with his temperament and personality, he would have been a formidable man in the military.

    But the eldest son had chosen a drastically different path.

    Sometimes he felt ashamed to discuss what his eldest son did, but now he was somewhat content. Having An Zhiyuan alone was enough for him to find sce. His youngest career son would probably turn many green with envy.

    He wondered how many would be at home tonight, drinking and sighing, wishing they had a son like An Zhiyuan.

    That was truly satisfying.

    That was the real sense of confidence.

    What An Cheng was looking forward to now was nothing but the flourishing sess of the next generation and the prosperity of the An Family. He didn¡¯t care about money, but a sessor who could be envied was worth more than any amount of money.

    Haha, indeed a thrill.

    Later, An Cheng becamepletely drunk, a side effect of his extreme happiness. An Zhigao couldn¡¯t go home today either; he was too intoxicated to drive.

    Bai Xiao had finished her meal earlier and sat with them for a while, until An Zhiyuan told her to go tidy up and wash up. It really wasn¡¯t feasible to have her stay longer¡ªthe four grown men needed to be able to speak freely.

    Wei Shufen had already tactfully returned to her room earlier.

    Looking at therge bed that had suddenly appeared in the room, Bai Xiao finally understood what he had gone to buy.

    Furniture!

    Humph!

    A Simmons mattress, probably thergest double bed, soft bedding¡ªBai Xiao¡¯s lips curved into a smile. This An Zhiyuan!

    After bathing, Bai Xiao came out in her pajamas, which were made by Liu Hong ording to her specifications. She took proper pajamas crafted from fabric that Liu Hong had purchased. How could she sleep in thermal underwear? And not wearing them was even more risky.

    Then she saw An Zhiyuan just open the door ande in, his features softened in the halo of light at the entrance. Even more handsome, his dark eyes were deep and bright. He saw Bai Xiao, who was drying her hair and nced faintly into the bathroom, his tone just as faint, ¡°Finished washing?¡±

    He watched her silently, his gaze tooplex for her to decipher.

    As soon as he spoke, a faint smell of alcohol spread in the air. Bai Xiao, feeling a bit nervous and guilty, pointed toward the bathroom, ¡°I¡¯m done. Go ahead and wash!¡± She quickly moved to the vanity, took ab, and began brushing her long ck hair.

    ¡°Mhm,¡± An Zhiyuan replied, taking off his military uniform to hang it up, and grabbing clothes out of the closet before entering the bathroom.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be quick!¡±

    His words before entering made Bai Xiao¡¯s face heat up. Her mouth opened, but before she could speak, he had already turned and gone into the bathroom, leaving her with the closed door.

 Chapter 468 - 468 468 Tell Me

    ?Chapter 468: Chapter 468 Tell Me   Chapter 468: Chapter 468 Tell Me                                   Her nervousness peaked with the cessation of the water in the bathroom, adhering so tightly that it almost felt suffocating.

    She trembled from head to toe, aching at the thought of what she was about to do, her thoughts feverishly escting.

    The thought of what was about to happen on the bed between them made her strive to remain calm. She rapidly got into bed, grateful for the two quilts, andy between them, biting her teeth and enduring the unease of the approaching unknown.

    She could hear her own heartbeat very clearly and found even her fingertips trembling.

    Ah!

    She closed her eyes, then opened them again.

    Upon hearing the bathroom door open, she immediately closed them again.

    Then, finding herself somewhat amusing, she couldn¡¯t help but giggle into the quilt, herughter causing her to quiver uncontrobly.

    Then the lights were turned off, and her whole body jolted.

    The mattress beside her dipped with the addition of a heavy weight and a distinct clean scent¡ªthe fragrance of shampoo, the sweet aroma of soap. Imagining her soap, which she had used on herself, being handled by hisrge hands sliding over his dark skin, Bai Xiao could no longerugh.

    She wouldn¡¯t know that what An Zhiyuan saw uponing out¡ªthe way she shrank into the quilt,ughing boldly, the woman¡¯s eyes and brows filled with a shy appeal, her delicate beauty under the soft light, her red lips and white teeth enchantingly beautiful¡ªaffected him deeply.

    ¡°What¡¯s so funny that you¡¯reughing so happily?¡±

    His voice was particrly deep in the darkness.

    ¡°Notughing at anything! Let¡¯s sleep!¡± Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t possibly tell him she wasughing non-stop at her own nervousness.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s sleep!¡±

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s voice unexpectedly carried augh, causing Bai Xiao to suddenly realize what she had said.

    Good heavens, An Zhiyuan must have misunderstood that she couldn¡¯t wait.

    A hand had already lifted the quilt and reached in, cradling her soft cheek, the heat ironing the skin there, raising the temperature inside the quilt significantly.

    Feeling ufortable and wanting to say something, Bai Xiao was pulled into a warm embrace by arge hand before she could speak.

    She hadn¡¯t expected An Zhiyuan to be so bold. After a slight struggle, he held her even tighter, the warmth of his palm radiating through her nightgown into her bloodstream.

    Her face flushed rapidly, her heart pounding.

    ¡°Ayuan¡­¡±

    Suddenly, she heard her own voice, sweet and sticky like melted honey, and she couldn¡¯t believe how it sounded.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± the man¡¯s fingers, with their slight calluses, gently explored her clothes, his hand at her waist tightening further. With a slight turn of his head, their lips were almost touching.

    A softugh, with the corner of his mouth curving slightly, those eyes like ck jewels gleamed even in the dark. ¡°Xiaoxiao, tell me if it hurts¡­¡± His breath tickled her ear, the heat and itchiness as low as a sensual whisper.

    Feverish passion consumed them both, seemingly insatiable.

    She became dizzy, her slender body trembling uncontrobly, her breathing more rapid. In a blur, she felt something gently rubbing back and forth, carrying searing mes, igniting her with him.

    A tingling sensation originated from the base of her spine, shooting up her entire back to the top of her head, Bai Xiao shivered uncontrobly, instinctively gripping his wrist but unable to stop his hand¡¯s movements.

    The hand at her waist forcefully drew her closer to his solid body.

    When the pain struck, her nails dug into the flesh of his shoulder des.

    ¡­¡­

    ¡­¡­

 Chapter 469 - 469 469 Your Father is Here

    ?Chapter 469: Chapter 469: Your Father is Here   Chapter 469: Chapter 469: Your Father is Here                                   It was morning.

    She woke up and saw the light faintly showing through the edge of the drawn curtains. Hey beside her with a heavy arm draped over her waist, his breath warmly caressing her shoulder.

    She felt like a fool because now they truly belonged to each other, bound tightly together in another form.

    Last night had progressed so naturally that she felt somewhat different.

    Today¡¯s rity and freshness made it hard to believe that it was supposed to be disastrous for her.

    In his arms, she felt an unprecedented sense of safety.

    By the end ofst night, her consciousness had begun to dissipate, everything before her eyes a blurry white, as if she had passed out yet maintained a fraction of awareness. She suddenly realized it was a feeling of resonance between kindred spirits, a sense of ease as if two halves had fit perfectly into a whole, and it unsettled her more than love.

    He woke up and tightened his arm, pressing his stubbled chin against her head and nting a kiss on her shoulder, his low voice breaking the silence of the room.

    ¡°Does it still hurt?¡±

    She could feel his care and cherish for her from his words and shook her head, ¡°A little.¡±

    If she used her special ability, she could probably healpletely, but she didn¡¯t want to. This pain would help her remember many beautiful firsts.

    ¡°Xiaoxiao, happy honeymoon!¡±

    He kissed her forehead.

    Smelling An Zhiyuan¡¯s healthy masculine scent, she said softly, ¡°Happy honeymoon, An Zhiyuan. Now I¡¯m officially your wife, you have to treat me well, understand?¡±

    Bai Xiao leaned into his embrace, acting somewhat coquettishly.

    The two of them intertwined again.

    Like two pieces of opposite mas, they attracted each other without knowing who took the initiative, endlessly exchanging their breaths.

    For a young man like An Zhiyuan, who had long abstained, breaking the seal was like unleashing a flood, impossible to restrain; for Bai Xiao, experiencing this for the first time, there was much difficulty to endure, and being with the one she loved always made her want to explore more¡­

    ¡­

    Afterward, he carried her to the bathroom for a bath. She was so limp she couldn¡¯t muster any strength, looking at him with a bit of spoiledint as he quickly washed her.

    Facing her little gaze, An Zhiyuan almost got excited again.

    Seeing the situation turning tricky, Bai Xiao could only send him out, or else they wouldn¡¯t leave the house today at all.

    It was already past nine o¡¯clock, and it wasn¡¯t just the two of them in this house; An Cheng and Wei Shufen might not see them kindly.

    She guessed they could probably imagine it, and thinking of her marital life being discussed andmented on by others, she couldn¡¯t allow An Zhiyuan to continue his antics.

    When Bai Xiao came out, An Zhiyuan was no longer there. Seeing the neatly folded bedding and her clothes also neatly stacked on the bed, even the underwear thoughtfully ced under the sweater, she couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    He really was considerate.

    ¡°Dr. Bai, your father is here, pleasee down quickly!¡±

    It was Aunt Li¡¯s voiceing through the door, making Bai Xiao pause while pulling her sweater over her head, then continue coolly pulling it down, ¡°Okay, I¡¯lle down right away.¡±

    Father?

    Could Shang Feng possibly be forcing her to recognize him through coercive measures?

 Chapter 470 - 470 470 The Agonizing Drama

    ?Chapter 470: Chapter 470: The Agonizing Drama   Chapter 470: Chapter 470: The Agonizing Drama                                   She wore a high-necked woolen sweater and blue jeans as she went downstairs directly.

    She could be one hundred percent certain it was Monk Feng.

    Just reaching the staircase, she could hear the conversation between An Cheng and Monk Feng.

    ¡°Old An, I never expected that one day we would be inws, it¡¯s truly unexpected!¡± Monk Feng¡¯s enthusiastic demeanor twisted Bai Xiao¡¯s mouth into a sneer.

    If his inws were the rural couple, Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s parents, she wondered if Monk Feng could still put on such a facade.

    Disgusting.

    ¡°Old Shang, I didn¡¯t expect it either, that Bai Xiao is your daughter, I really didn¡¯t hear about this matter. Ayuan, why didn¡¯t you say anything?¡± An Cheng also found it strange, as Bai Xiao had said nothing when she came to their house.

    ¡°Dad, I didn¡¯t know about this either. Could Uncle Shang be mistaken?¡± An Zhiyuan wasn¡¯t ready to easily acknowledge Monk Feng, as Bai Xiao had never admitted to such a rtionship.

    Moreover, Bai Xiao and the Shang Family had a deep-seated feud.

    He was unclear about the details, but he would absolutely respect Bai Xiao¡¯s wishes.

    ¡°Big brother An, my sister holds grievances in her heart. After all, due to the times, there were many unclear issues involved in that affair, and history has caused a lot of hurt. Actually, my father has always been thinking about Bai Xiao.¡±

    Yes, that voice belonged to Shang Kaiwen.

    As Bai Xiao came downstairs, she immediately saw An Cheng and his wife Wei Shufen, Monk Feng, Shang Kaiwen, and An Zhiyuan in the living room; the others were not there.

    Upon seeing Bai Xiao, Monk Feng¡¯s eyes lit up, and he stood up excitedly.

    Shang Kaiwen had already rushed over and tightly grabbed Bai Xiao¡¯s hand, ¡°Bai Xiao, you are my sister, I really had no idea. I thought you looked somewhat familiar when I saw youst time, I didn¡¯t expect we had such a connection.¡±

    Bai Xiao gently wriggled free from Shang Kaiwen¡¯s grasp. This kind of close affection wasn¡¯t new to her, and she felt like she was being entangled by a cold, slimy snake. She had no intention of being cordial with the Shang Family, not with Monk Feng, and certainly not with Shang Kaiwen.

    ¡°I am not any sort of sister of yours. My parents are the couple from Liupan Vige of the Bai Family. There has never been anyone else, so don¡¯t randomly im rtives,¡± she said, pushing away Shang Kaiwen, unable to control her fierce hostility towards her.

    An Zhiyuan had alreadye over, ¡°Mom and Dad, Xiaoxiao hasn¡¯t had breakfast, I¡¯ll take her to the restaurant to eat. Sorry, Uncle Shang.¡±

    Monk Feng blocked Bai Xiao¡¯s way in an instant, ¡°Bai Xiao, I know you have grievances, but I am your father! This is an indisputable fact, even if you vigorously deny it, you can¡¯t change this fact. I am your father. It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t acknowledge me, but in my heart, you will always be my daughter. I¡¯ve wronged you, these years you¡¯ve suffered in the countryside, but from now on, I will make it up to you. This time I¡¯vee to discuss your wedding with your future inws. I can¡¯t let my daughter get married without fuss or fanfare; I want to give you the best dowry and marry you off with honor!¡± His expression was passionate, and anyone looking on would see the image of a good father concerned for the daughter he had lost and regained.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s mouth curled into a mocking smile. Monk Feng was a great actor, very touching indeed. If she weren¡¯t the Bai Xiao who had lived through a previous life, if she really was the naive twenty-year-old Bai Xiao, perhaps she would have been moved by Monk Feng.

    Next, was there to be a melodramatic scene of a tearful father-daughter recognition, followed by letting bygones be bygones? Then Monk Feng would be inws with An Cheng andfortably enjoy the aid and support of the An Family.

 Chapter 471 - 471 471 Being Good to Only You in This

    ?Chapter 471: Chapter 471: Being Good to Only You in This Lifetime   Chapter 471: Chapter 471: Being Good to Only You in This Lifetime                                   ¡°I¡¯m really sorry! My wedding has already taken ce, and also, sir, I¡¯m really not familiar with you. If you insist on iming that I¡¯m your daughter, I can¡¯t stop you, but falsely iming rtives won¡¯t benefit you. I am Bai Xiao, and I have no rtion to you. Neither in the past, nor will there ever be in the future. Stop disrupting my life, otherwise I will start wondering if you have some ulterior motive.¡±

    ¡°I have been in Liupan Vige for many years, and you had plenty of time to acknowledge me but never did. It¡¯s only now, after I have married into Chief An¡¯s family, that you¡¯ve traveled all this way repeatedly to im me as your daughter. If you say there¡¯s no ulterior motive, I¡¯m afraid no one would believe that.¡±

    ¡°Besides, I¡¯ve been Bai Xiao all my life, and that will never change,¡± Bai Xiao coldly dropped the words and An Zhiyuan took her to the restaurant.

    Shang Feng, flustered by her barrage of words, turned away somewhat embarrassedly to exin, ¡°This child is still angry with me. I understand the grievances she feels in her heart; I really am sorry, An Cheng, for making this awkward for you.¡±

    An Cheng shook his head, ¡°Given that this child didn¡¯t grow up by your side, it¡¯s natural for her to have some grievances andints. Just wait for her to gradually ept you. Being too anxious can easily backfire.¡± Bai Xiao¡¯s words still made him more alert.

    After all, he was just a father-inw and couldn¡¯t interfere too much in his daughter-inw¡¯s family affairs.

    An Zhiyuan led her to sit at the dining table and served her a bowl of red bean porridge, then started peeling a boiled egg for her.

    ¡°Red bean porridge is good, it enriches the blood!¡±

    Bai Xiao almost spit out a mouthful of red bean porridge she had just taken.

    Her man was being cheeky.

    Teasing her in such a serious manner.

    ¡°Ayuan, you¡¯ve be naughty now!¡± Bai Xiao shook her head helplessly, wondering how her once aloof An Zhiyuan had changed so much.

    ¡°Only naughty now? What aboutst night then?¡±

    Clutching her bowl, Bai Xiao headed towards the kitchen, heaven knows what else this man might say if the conversation continued.

    An Zhiyuan pulled her back and pressed her down, ¡°Sit properly and eat; why run around with the bowl?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s you talking nonsense, and you me me!¡± Bai Xiao felt so powerless.

    ¡°Come on, eat up, are you feeling any better?¡± An Zhiyuan¡¯s eyes were brimming with satisfaction.

    Suddenly Bai Xiao understood the sudden change in An Zhiyuan, such a considerate man.

    ¡°You are really good!¡±

    An Zhiyuan handed her the peeled egg and lightly scraped her nose, ¡°If I were good to someone else, you would be crying.¡± His expression was full of indulgence.

    Bai Xiao red, like a lioness whose territory has been encroached upon.

    ¡°If you dare, I shall deprive you of your rights and marry another good man.¡±

    She seriouslyid down the threat.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s face darkened, his tone returning to its usual seriousness, ¡°Don¡¯t always throw around that you want to run off and marry someone else. You are mine now, and you shouldn¡¯t even think about it.¡± But his gaze on her was especially gentle, making it somewhat difficult for her to resist.

    Lacking the courage, she could only mutter in a low voice, ¡°You started it!¡±

    ¡°What did I say?¡± An Zhiyuan was inwardly helpless, considering he was only joking, how petty this girl could be!

    ¡°You did, you said you would be nice to someone else!¡± Bai Xiao used him, her eyes brimming with repressed anger!

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s dark eyes fixing on her, swirling with a tenderness that made her cheeks blush: ¡°I promise to only be good to you in this life.¡±

    Bai Xiao¡¯s face turned red.

    An Zhiyuan was just too good at sweet-talking with corny love lines.

 Chapter 472 - 472 472 Oblivious to Kindness

    ?Chapter 472: Chapter 472: Oblivious to Kindness   Chapter 472: Chapter 472: Oblivious to Kindness                                   After they finished eating, Shang Feng and Shang Kaiwen had already left the An Family¡¯s home.

    ¡°This Bai Xiao really doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s good for her!¡± Shang Feng was furious. A perfectly fine situation was ruined by her.

    An Cheng was someone he had wanted to connect with for a long time. Such an opportunity was rare. He was preparing to open a jewelry store and had already found a suitable location. What he needed was the approval documents, but unfortunately, the leader in charge was impervious to bribery. Although his paperwork wasn¡¯tplete, couldn¡¯t they just issue him the license first and then let him tidy up the documentation afterwards?

    The leader outright rejected all attempts at dining and gift-giving, showing no mercy.

    Lucky for Shang Feng, he eventually learned that this leader was a former subordinate of An Cheng. By using An Cheng¡¯s name, he finally got to speak with the leader, but the director just smiled and insisted on a phone call from An Cheng. It was obvious he wanted to confirm the rtionship between An Cheng and the Shang Family.

    ¡°Dad, don¡¯t worry, I still don¡¯t understand! Why is Bai Xiao so resistant to us? I always feel like there¡¯s more to it. If it¡¯s just because of my brother¡¯s sake, my brother is already dead, so any grudge should be gone by now. But the way she looks at me¡­ why is it so chilling?¡± Now, even Shang Kaiwen didn¡¯t understand Bai Xiao¡¯s attitude towards her.

    This was too strange.

    She believed she got along well with many people, and nobody disliked her. But it seemed that no matter how hard she tried, Bai Xiao was not just keeping her at arm¡¯s length, but also rejecting her with a polite coldness.

    Fuming, Shang Feng got into the car andmanded the driver, ¡°Drive!¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s just being temperamental! Probably because she sees you living so well by my side, she¡¯s reminded of her own suffering and naturally finds you irksome. Such pettiness really shows she¡¯s from the countryside,pletelycking a bigger picture perspective.¡±

    Shang Kaiwen shook her head, deep in thought, ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s it. Envy and hatred¡ªI can¡¯t possibly get those confused. I just don¡¯t understand where the hatred ising from.¡±

    ¡°No matter what, we need to find a way to make Bai Xiao side with the Shang Family. Otherwise, An Cheng¡¯s status won¡¯t be easy to leverage. We need An Cheng¡¯s name for many things. Not to mention the Jiang Family,¡± Shang Feng also had a headache.

    If she didn¡¯t recognize him, it wouldn¡¯t matter what he imed. Without Bai Xiao¡¯s approval, no one would believe him no matter how fanciful the tales he spun.

    ¡°Let¡¯s think of another way. How about this, we should still put in effort with the An Family. As for the Jiang Family, I¡¯ll give it a try and see if I can strike up a conversation with Jiang Shaoqing. Just hint at a rtionship with Bai Xiao subtly¡ªwho knows whether it¡¯s true or not!¡± She was determined, especially regarding Jiang Shaoqing.

    This man was the idol of her heart, and the desire to keep him firmly in her grasppelled her to do something.

    Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s pride only allowed him to treat Bai Xiao differently because she was his grandfather¡¯s lifesaver.

    This was an opportunity.

    ¡°Alright, give it a try, but don¡¯t depreciate yourself. Now that your brother is gone, Dad only has you. You need to be strong; the Shang Family¡¯s hopes are all on you. Don¡¯t disappoint me!¡± Shang Feng had high expectations for his children! Unfortunately, his son had been a disappointment.

    Shang Kaiwen reassured him with a smile, ¡°Dad, rest assured, I understand your concerns. I also hope to help the Shang Family reach greater heights. This time, I will find a way to get him to take me to Yun Province to purchase raw stones, so our family can break into other markets.¡±

    Pleased, Shang Feng nodded. This daughter was different from his son.

 Chapter 473 - 473 473 No Trouble

    ?Chapter 473: Chapter 473 No Trouble   Chapter 473: Chapter 473 No Trouble                                   Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan were called to the living room by An Cheng and Wei Shufen.

    Bai Xiao nced at An Zhiyuan, who innocently spread his hands.

    Was there even a need to ask?

    It must have something to do with Monk Feng and his daughter¡¯s visit.

    She tried her hardest to escape it, but sadly, she still couldn¡¯t manage.

    Bring it on then, let¡¯s see who survives this.

    As both of them sat down, An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t wait for An Cheng to speak and already said, ¡°Dad, the Chief has ordered to attend my wedding with Bai Xiao, but we¡¯ve discussed it already. The ceremony when we were at the front was already held, and for us, that was the real wedding. We just wanted to have a simple meal with family, friends, and some of dad¡¯s old friends that we really can¡¯t avoid. That way, even if the Chiefes, it won¡¯t cause a big fuss.¡±

    Once this topic was brought up, An Cheng indeedpletely forgot about Shang Feng¡¯s matter, his son¡¯s marriage was the most important.

    ¡°But wouldn¡¯t that be too unfair to Bai Xiao?¡±

    Wei Shufen spoke gently, looking at Bai Xiao with eyes full of affection and consideration.

    An Cheng patted his wife, thinking she always considered others too much, seeing how she was so openhearted with her daughter-inw after only having met her for a short time.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, what do you think? You only get married once in a lifetime, and although the ceremony is the most beautiful memory in your hearts, we as parents can¡¯t let you down either. We have to give you a decent wedding, not to mention there are many uncles and aunts waiting to meet you. If it¡¯s too simple, I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t be able to justify it.¡± An Cheng also liked simplicity. In their eyes, a wedding was just a formality, and if it wasn¡¯t for his son, he wouldn¡¯t be encouraging wasteful extravagance.

    In their time, theypleted their vows with just a copy of Chairman Mao¡¯s Quotations, not like the children of today with so many things, cars for transport, make-up and styling, wedding banquets in hotels; in An Cheng¡¯s eyes, that¡¯s just capitalist ostentation which is not advisable.

    Bai Xiao smiled faintly, ¡°Ayuan and I have also considered it, and we don¡¯t n to be extravagant or wasteful. It¡¯s all just a formality. This time, it was mainly about having a meal with family and friends to express our feelings.¡± She didn¡¯t want the hassle either.

    An Zhiyuan held her hand tightly. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to give her a lively wedding, but since her dearest rtives weren¡¯t here, without her family, he didn¡¯t want her to face so many strangers with a forced smile. A wedding was about the two of them, and it was never intended as a performance for others.

    He didn¡¯t want to tire out his most beloved.

    ¡°What Bai Xiao said also reflects my feelings, dad. There¡¯s no need for that extravagant disy, and besides, the Chief probably wouldn¡¯t want to see such a wedding either. We should just invite a few tables of rtives and close friends, have a meal, and express our sentiments,¡± An Zhiyuan insisted.

    An Cheng was satisfied; it was good his son had such a clear understanding, his son was just like him.

    ¡°Alright then, let your aunt arrange it, what do you think?¡± Knowing that his eldest and his second sons had issues with Wei Shufen, An Cheng didn¡¯t want to cause his son any upset.

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll trouble auntie with it!¡± An Zhiyuan agreed surprisingly promptly.

    Wei Shufen forced a smile, ¡°It¡¯s no trouble, no trouble at all. I¡¯m just afraid my arrangements won¡¯t meet your tastes, since young people like you and older ones like us think differently. You¡¯re more fashionable! I just hope you won¡¯t find my ideas too outdated.¡±

    ¡°Of course not, how could we? Auntie, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll arrange everything with the same care as if Ayuan were your own son. How could we possiblyin?¡± Bai Xiao said, her words disingenuous.

    She had to disgust her a bit, to ensure she wouldn¡¯t forget the domineering airs of Wei Shufen and Ding Min, and the behind-the-scenes scheming against her.

 Chapter 474 - 474 474 Savings Passbook

    ?Chapter 474: Chapter 474 Savings Passbook   Chapter 474: Chapter 474 Savings Passbook                                   ¡°Dad, let¡¯s go shopping for some things. After all, it¡¯s a wedding, and it only happens once in a lifetime. I have to buy something for Bai Xiao as a token of my love.¡± He didn¡¯t want to skimp on his woman.

    An Cheng had a sudden realization, nced at Wei Shufen, who quickly took out a savings book from her pocket.

    ¡°Ayuan! Bai Xiao, this is a little something from your dad and me. We hope you¡¯ll have a happy life.¡±

    She handed it to Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao nced at An Zhiyuan.

    An Zhiyuan smiled and said, ¡°Go ahead and take it. Since it¡¯s Mom and Dad¡¯s gesture, it would be impolite to refuse.¡±

    Bai Xiao epted it graciously, ¡°Thank you, Mom and Dad.¡±

    There was no way she wasn¡¯t taking it.

    An Cheng nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s set the date in the next couple of days. I have another meeting to get to today, so I¡¯ll take my leave first; you guys take your time and discuss with your aunt.¡± He wasn¡¯t yet of retirement age, and he had only beente today because of his son.

    Wei Shufen hurried to see An Cheng out, wrapping a scarf around him and attentively buttoning his jacket, the model of gentleness and virtue.

    An Zhiyuan pulled Bai Xiao aside, ¡°Mom and Dad, we¡¯ll head up now.¡±

    He didn¡¯t want to see his old man handing out public disys of affection.

    Once back in their room, Bai Xiao handed the savings book to An Zhiyuan.

    ¡°What¡¯s this for? This is a gesture from my dad for you¡ªwhy give it to me? Besides, you¡¯re going to be in charge of our household finances, honey. Whether we eat bran or vegetables will be up to you!¡± An Zhiyuan pushed it back without even looking at it and instead opened his drawer, pulling out two more savings books of different colors and handing them to her.

    ¡°What are these?¡±

    Bai Xiao was genuinely excited, feeling warm inside knowing that her man was entrusting his money to her. It signified a man¡¯s willingness to open up entirely to you.

    This was an immense trust.

    ¡°My sry. One is a five-year fixed deposit, and the other is the inheritance my mom left behind. My two brothers and I each got a share. When we came of age, Dad had us manage it ourselves. The other book is the remainder of the sries I¡¯ve earned over the years. I¡¯ve spent some on myself, smoking and drinking withrades, and the rest I¡¯ve saved up here. From now on, it¡¯s all in your hands.¡±

    Bai Xiao opened it and was taken aback.

    The inheritance left to An Zhiyuan by his mom actually amounted to thirty thousand yuan!

    That was a lot.

    It was even more impressive considering it was divided among the brothers when An Zhiyuan was a child, an amount worth envying.

    ¡°This much?¡±

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s own sry was substantial too! It seemed he hadn¡¯t spent much of his allowances over the years. No wonder he had slipped her that five hundred yuan back then. There was also five thousand yuan in there.

    ¡°Not much, what¡¯s mine is yours.¡± An Zhiyuan smiled and moved aside to read the newspaper, feeling particrly content watching his wife pore over the savings books like a little money-grubber, even though he knew that if Bai Xiao had wanted material things, plenty of people would have been keen to offer them to her.

    A doctor like Bai wasn¡¯t short on money, after all.

    But seeing his wife holding his savings books made him feelfortable and proud!

    Bai Xiao flipped through the savings book Wei Shufen gave them.

    Okay, Wei Shufen had really been generous; there was exactly five hundred yuan in it.

    It seemed that Wei Shufen must have known about An Zhiyuan¡¯s inheritance, and she had arranged their dowry ording to standard practice, not nning to give a penny more. Had they stopped even pretending here?

    That wasn¡¯t like her.

    Wei Shufen wasn¡¯t that sort of person.

    ¡°Stop looking. That savings book has five hundred yuan, right?¡± An Zhiyuan had already noticed Bai Xiao¡¯s distraction.

    ¡°How did you know?¡±

    Bai Xiao sat next to An Zhiyuan, leaning into his embrace as she held the savings book for them to look at together.

    ¡°My dad said that he treats all his sons the same when they get married¡ªfive hundred each, no more, no less.¡± An Zhiyuan said, stroking her long hair, now tied back in a ponytail, which looked very attractive.

    ¡°Your dad is certainly something!¡± Bai Xiaoughed. He hadn¡¯t considered the age of his sons or the cost of living; treating them all equally sure was interesting.

    ¡°Yeah! By the time it came to the youngest, he was in tears.¡±

    An Zhiyuan set the savings books aside and gripped her hand tightly, ¡°Xiaoxiao, trust me, we can live a very happy life. Whatever you need, I¡¯m capable of providing for you. We won¡¯tck anythingpared to anyone else.¡±

    ¡°Mm. Let¡¯s hurry out; I want to go shopping!¡± Bai Xiao pulled him up with a jump.

    She wanted to buy gifts to take home.

 Chapter 475 - 475 475 The Ring (Extra Monthly Ticket

    ?Chapter 475: Chapter 475: The Ring (Extra Monthly Ticket Chapter)   Chapter 475: Chapter 475: The Ring (Extra Monthly Ticket Chapter)                                   The two of them headed out, making a beeline for the bustlingmercial street, which An Zhiyuan knew best. The department store stood as andmark here, surrounded by a forest of various small shops selling clothes, food, local specialties, and all kinds of electrical appliances. It could be considered a concentrated area of department stores.

    An Zhiyuan wanted to buy clothes for Bai Xiao, but she didn¡¯t agree. They were military personnel and hardly had any chance to wear casual clothes except for their uniforms and her white coat. Yet An Zhiyuan refused to give up on the idea.

    It took Bai Xiao the strength of nine bulls and two tigers to persuade him, ¡°The temperature in Yun Province is mild; there are no bitterly cold winters or scorching summers. Even if we need casual clothes, we shouldn¡¯t buy them now. Think about it, the clothes here are all cotton overcoats and wool sweaters. Even if we buy them, we won¡¯t have the chance to wear them, not to mention they¡¯ll just end up at the bottom of a trunk. It¡¯s better to buy them after we go back, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    An Zhiyuan thought about it and agreed, but he still felt a sense of guilt.

    Bai Xiao took him to buy a watch, but she herself didn¡¯t buy anything! She hadn¡¯t even worn the watch that An Zhiyuan had given herst time. But Bai Xiao had long noticed that An Zhiyuan¡¯s watch had been damaged by a shrapnel and had stopped working. In fact, wearing it was just for show.

    So, this time she specifically wanted to buy one for An Zhiyuan.

    After An Zhiyuan bought the watch, he insisted on taking her to look at rings.

    In those days, tinum rings weren¡¯tmon; most were shiny gold rings, which Bai Xiao considered tacky.

    Her taste wouldn¡¯t even consider gold rings.

    She absolutely refused to buy one, thinking about a shiny gold ring on her fair fingers made her cringe, reminding her of movie characters with a big gold tooth in their mouth.

    Besides, she was a doctor, and the thought of showing a shy gold ring while giving a patient an injection was just too much.

    The patients would surelyugh themselves to death.

    This doctor is really funny.

    Seeing the look of disdain on Bai Xiao¡¯s face, An Zhiyuan of course knew that his wife didn¡¯t fancy the rings.

    Without another word, he immediately found a payphone and made a call.

    Half an hourter, they were in a jewelry store.

    ¡°Brother, you¡¯vee to the right ce. We¡¯ve got tinum diamond rings here. Is this your wife? Come,e, have a seat,¡± said a young girl who was serving them, looking quite youthful, probably about the same age as Bai Xiao.

    She¡¯s at the age to be studying but she¡¯s managing a business?

    Bai Xiao had no idea who this girl, who kept calling her sister-inw was.

    ¡°This is Ye Weiwei, Wang Han¡¯s cousin. Her family owns this shop, and she¡¯s in charge of it. She usually goes to school and only asionallyes to manage it,¡± An Zhiyuan exined.

    ¡°This is your sister-inw Bai Xiao. We want to buy a pair of wedding rings, simple and elegant. Don¡¯t bring out those tacky and impractical things. You know what kind of people we are, and it wouldn¡¯t suit us to wear that mess,¡± An Zhiyuan said, making Bai Xiao unconsciously squint her eyes with pride.

    This man was impressive, she had only shown a hint of disgust, and without her voicing her thoughts, he instantly understood what she wanted.

    ¡°Sister-inw, brother, you both have taste and ss. Nowadays, a lot of people like to wear gold and silver, look at those gold chains, gold rings, and gold bracelets, they have the air of the newly rich. Wait here, I¡¯ll have someone bring them to you,¡± said Ye Weiwei, reassuring them with a p on her chest.

    Ye Weiwei was swift in action, and immediately had someone bring out trays from the back.

    Three velvet-lined trays were ced onto the ss countertop in front of them.

    ¡°Sister-inw, all the rings here are thetest models. Take a look, I¡¯ve selected matching pairs of men¡¯s and women¡¯s rings for you. Take your time choosing, and when you¡¯ve made your decision, let me know. I guarantee you the best discount,¡± promised Ye Weiwei confidently.

 Chapter 476 - 476 476 Copyright (Extra for monthly ticket)

    ?Chapter 476: Chapter 476 Copyright (Extra for monthly ticket)   Chapter 476: Chapter 476 Copyright (Extra for monthly ticket)                                   Bai Xiao finally chose a pair of simple rings with just a basic pattern and no diamonds because whether or not they had diamonds was not important. She simply felt that this pair of rings were simple and elegant, and most importantly, they suited them perfectly.

    An Zhiyuan felt a bit ufortable wearing the ring, as it felt somewhat off to wear it during training.

    But seeing how enthusiastic Bai Xiao was, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to reject it. His wife was happy, and besides, one only gets married once in a lifetime. He could just bring the ring home and put it away when not in use.

    Before he could even react, Bai Xiao had already picked out a tinum chain. It was just a simple chain, without any pendant.

    Then, Bai Xiao took the ring off An Zhiyuan¡¯s hand, threaded it onto the chain, and hung it around his neck.

    ¡°This way, you can keep the ne inside your cor during training and nobody will see it. Plus, the ring won¡¯t get lost. We must keep our wedding rings safe. I also had Weiwei engrave our names inside the rings. Your ring has my name, and mine has yours. It¡¯s like we¡¯re always with each other,¡± Bai Xiao said, excitedly sharing her idea.

    An Zhiyuan hadn¡¯t even expressed his satisfaction when Ye Weiwei immediately jumped in.

    ¡°Sister-inw, that¡¯s such a great idea! My god, it¡¯s a waste for you to be a doctor. If you were a designer at a jewelry store, your creative ideas would definitely be refreshing. Just imagine how many couples would custom order rings like these. Sister-inw, can I use this idea, please?¡± Ye Weiwei immediately started calcting.

    An Zhiyuan touched the ne around his neck, his eyes shining. This little woman really had quite a few tricks up her sleeve.

    And he loved these things about her, they were an extension and elevation of her affection for him.

    ¡°Forget it, this is a private treasure between your sister-inw and me. If you dare to use it, believe it or not, I¡¯ll sue you until you¡¯re bankrupt.¡±

    An Zhiyuan coolly dropped the line and pulled Bai Xiao to go pay.

    Ye Weiwei stamped her foot in frustration.

    ¡°Big brother, you¡¯re just too¡­ stingy! This could benefit so many couples, why can¡¯t we use it? Give it a chance!¡± she pleaded, following behind An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao, trying to persuade them non-stop.

    ¡°You mean it benefits your wallet, right?¡± An Zhiyuan had already paid.

    ¡°That¡¯s just a side benefit. More importantly, this is a fantastic idea that can change an era. It can change people¡¯s perceptions, and most notably, don¡¯t you think that it¡¯s incredibly romantic? A ring hanging around the neck, with the engraving on the inside band¡­ Each element makes us feel how priceless such love is. Big brother, isn¡¯t it a shame if such a creative idea goes unused?

    Besides, if someone elsees up with this idea, then they¡¯d gain the benefits, so it might as well be me. Can¡¯t I share the patent rights with sister-inw?¡± Ye Weiwei kept jumping in urgency.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s attempt to pay was stopped by the cashier.

    ¡°Our manager said there¡¯s no need for you to pay.¡±

    Bai Xiao realized that if they didn¡¯t give this idea to Ye Weiwei today, they probably wouldn¡¯t be let out the door. She nodded affirmatively, readily agreeing. After all, many romantic ideas of this era were still at a primitive stage, and she had essentially borrowed from future designs. If they didn¡¯t give it to her today, plenty of people would still do it eventually.

    It was better to do a kind favor.

    ¡°I agree, the idea can be used.¡±

    Ye Weiwei immediately pounced, giving Bai Xiao a big kiss on the face. An Zhiyuan, looking displeased, pulled Bai Xiao away.

    ¡°I got it, I got it, she¡¯s your beloved wife. Sister-inw, from now on, I¡¯ll take care of all your jewelry designs. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll apply for the patent rights for you,¡± she said.

    Bai Xiao smiled.

 Chapter 477 - 477 478 Sudden Attack

    ?Chapter 477: Chapter 478: Sudden Attack   Chapter 477: Chapter 478: Sudden Attack                                   In Liupan Vige.

    Liu Baoguo and Li Chunmei were packing things up.

    ¡°We must bring these dried radishes, Honghong loves to eat them, and this big chunk of cured meat, they definitely can¡¯t buy it there,¡± Li Chunmei was chattering about the things she nned to take for her daughter and Bai Xiao.

    ¡°Alright! Just take whatever you see, why do I feel so uneasy?¡± Liu Baoguo sat on the edge of the kang, smoking, feeling somewhat anxious.

    ¡°You, always a hard worker, even if you really leave, you can¡¯t put your mind at ease about the vige,¡± Li Chunmei said while busily packing things up.

    This time, the couple had made up their minds to go to the provincial city and spend New Year¡¯s with their daughter because the stubborn girl had said that business was best before the New Year and that it was impossible to leave during that time. Here, they were now so busy with work that it was expected to continue until New Year¡¯s Eve, so they shockingly said they wouldn¡¯te back for the holiday.

    Upon hearing this, both of them felt a sense of urgency.

    Neither of their sons, who were in the military, woulde home for the New Year either.

    If their daughter also didn¡¯te home for the holiday, it would just be the two of them at home, quiet and cold. What kind of New Year would that be?

    So, anxious and upset, they discussed for a long time and finally decided on a n.

    If their daughter is too busy toe back, fine! They are not busy, so why shouldn¡¯t they take their stuff and go spend New Year¡¯s with her?

    Especially since Liu Hong had never left home before, and now that she had, it had been two years without seeing her except for the asional phone call to reassure them that she was doing well there, and she sent money home every month.

    Yes, it was five hundred yuan each month.

    Just the sight of the postman delivering the money order to their house every month was enough to make the vigers envious. But the couple didn¡¯t care about the money; they hadn¡¯t seen their daughter in two years, and their main concern was whether she was doing well out there.

    A girl doing business alone out there, could she be taken advantage of?

    Despite seeing the money increase, the couple¡¯s hearts were never at rest.

    So, they didn¡¯t tell Liu Hong and nned a surprise visit to see firsthand how she was doing, good or bad. They couldn¡¯t just rely on their daughter¡¯s words; they needed to see for themselves what she was actually doing out there.

    The main reason was that they couldn¡¯t stop worrying.

    That was what led to their actions today.

    ¡°What do I have to worry about? It¡¯s just that I can¡¯t stop worrying about our daughter,¡± Liu Baoguo sighed.

    Liu Hong was already twenty, and the girl was bing wilful. Whenever they mentioned marriage over the phone, she would immediately get upset and hang up the phone without any further discussion.

    The couple was indeed worried about this.

    ¡°I know, we¡¯re about to go see our daughter, and you¡¯ll understand whether it¡¯s good or bad. Oh, and in the next couple of days, you should sell the pig at home quickly, otherwise, who will feed it when we¡¯re gone? Take care of things at home,¡± Li Chunmei also worried about her family¡¯s affairs, calcting that it wasn¡¯t even the twelfth lunar month yet. From now until they went to the provincial city and returned after New Year¡¯s, it would be more than two months.

    The pigs and chickens at home, they couldn¡¯t keep them; otherwise, by the time they returned, they would probably have starved to death.

    Although her brother could help take care of them, that would still be troublesome.

    Liu Baoguo nodded, ¡°Fine, don¡¯t worry about it, I¡¯ve already arranged someone to buy the pigs. They¡¯ll be taken away tomorrow. As for the remaining chickens and ducks, think of something. Sell them in town. Once we do this, we¡¯ll be ready to go.¡±

 Chapter 478 - 478 477 Facing Layoffs

    ?Chapter 478: Chapter 477 Facing Layoffs   Chapter 478: Chapter 477 Facing Layoffs                                   Bai Ju and He Wang were sitting in front of the stove, roasting peanuts and talking.

    On such leisurely days, the two of them were worrying.

    ¡°Dad, the factory is going to close down, and we¡¯re all going to beid off. What are we going to do afterward?¡±

    Due to the overproduction and poor management over the years, their food factory, along with other state-owned enterprises, was facing closure. Although their small factory might not shut down immediately, there was unrest among the workers because severalrge state-owned enterprises in the county were already discussingyoffs.

    ¡°There¡¯s always a way when you get to the mountain. We¡¯ve had tough times before, but we got through them, let alone now when we¡¯re doing so well. We¡¯ve saved some money, and both of us have the ability to work hard. We¡¯ll make it through as long as we¡¯re diligent and capable.

    If the factory really closes down, at least I have my carpentry skills. I can always go back to doing carpentry for others. I can¡¯t let you and the kids starve,¡± reasoned He Wang optimistically.

    Bai Ju wasn¡¯tining, but after working in the factory for so many years, whether as a temporary or permanent employee, the sudden risk of unemployment made her feel anxious and fearful about the future.

    ¡°Ah, how can a good factory just close down like that.¡±

    ¡°Stop talking about that. We¡¯ve decided to spend the New Year in the provincial city this year. He Weng called early, afraid we wouldn¡¯t go. I heard the business he¡¯s conducting there is going quite well, booming in fact. It¡¯s perfect timing; going there for the New Year, you¡¯ve been missing your elder sister and Bai Xiao Bai Song, haven¡¯t you? We can visit them then,¡± He Wang knew Bai Ju was thinking of her siblings too.

    ¡°Suddenly, they all moved to the provincial city. It used to be difficult to see them even asionally, and now I feel a bit upset about it all,¡± Bai Ju felt her rtives had suddenly scattered in every direction.

    ¡°Don¡¯t sigh. Next month is the twelfth lunar month. The factory is already out of work and stopped operating, so let¡¯s just buy tickets and go as soon as the kids are on holiday. With that time, I can even take you and the kids around. It¡¯s not often we go to the provincial city; we should show the children around a bit,¡± He Wang actually had his own ns in mind.

    Thest couple of years had seen them saving a considerable sum of money. The couple was used to being hardworking and frugal, and even though the financial burden at home was lighter, they were not the type to indulge in extravagances. Besides the regr monthly expenses, they managed to save quite a bit.

    Moreover, this past year, his brother He Weng had sent money home twice, totaling ten thousand yuan.

    In the years ¡¯87, ten thousand yuan was certainly a lot.

    He Wang thought that if the factory really couldn¡¯t make it and closed down, and both of them faced unemployment, he could make use of his driving skills. He considered buying a vehicle to work in transport. Someone in their drivers¡¯ team had taken unpaid leave to buy a vehicle and run a transport business, and reportedly, it was quite sessful.

    He was making his own ns for some kind of business venture.

    His brother had always encouraged him to start a business. He might not know what exactly entrepreneurship involved, but he remembered the encouragement he had once given to his brother, and now he felt it applied to himself as well¡ª¡±Necessity is the mother of invention.¡±

    Facing such a situation, they needed a solution. This trip to the provincial city was also about scoping out the transportation market and checking vehicle prices. If possible, he was ready to buy a vehicle to bring back, though he hadn¡¯t mentioned any of this to Bai Ju yet. Bai Ju¡¯s mindset was still on finding a job and working hard. If he told her, she would probably worry so much she wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep.

 Chapter 479 - 479 479 Uncomfortable

    ?Chapter 479: Chapter 479: Ufortable   Chapter 479: Chapter 479: Ufortable                                   Old Wang was feeling uneasy.

    His wife had left and hadn¡¯te back yet, and even called to say she wouldn¡¯t be returning, having heard that Bai Yue had given birth to a daughter!

    Old Wang smacked his lips in dissatisfaction, having produced a useless girl.

    His eldest son was so capable and could make money, not to mention that he had taken a divorced woman for a wife, and now this woman had given birth to a daughter¡ªa crime for not producing a son.

    Why should his son be a useless girl, huh?

    And with that, the damn wife wouldn¡¯te back and was still pampering her over there.

    He was fuming inside.

    What was so great about having a girl to dote on, when she wouldn¡¯t evene back to take care of him? His house had gone cold, even the bedding on his kang bed.

    What was this nonsense?

    He felt discontent deep in his heart.

    But there was no one to listen to him speak. Now the house was silent, except when he talked to the pigs in the pigpen, there was no one else willing to hear his nagging.

    After the second son returnedst year, who knows what kind of crazy idea he had gotten, he insisted on doing business in town. No matter how much Old Wang scolded or beat him, it was no use. Pushed to the brink, the second son just took his wife and children and left.

    This year, the second son had unexpectedly prospered in town. He¡¯d pretended to visit the market and saw the second son and his wife. The second son had opened a clothing store, and through the ss windows, one could see all kinds of new clothes hanging on the walls and worn by mannequins¡ªit looked rather trendy.

    He saw peopleing and going, young women and brides, and there was no shortage of customers. The couple seemed too busy to even take a break.

    Old Wang¡¯s feelings were mixed.

    He had always thought that without him, his older sons would not be able to fend for themselves and would eventuallye back begging, but now they not only hadn¡¯te back to beg, but were also living quite prosperously.

    This left a bad taste in his mouth.

    Old Wang had always been a proud man. His craftsmanship was renowned throughout the local towns, and he had always felt confident about himself, being a man of means.

    He had absolute authority over his sons, believing that passing his skills on to them would ensure their lives would not be wanting.

    Yet now, starting with his eldest son¡¯s challenge to his authority, the family hadpletely gone off course. The simple life of farming and pig raising that had been so stable throughout the year, had been utterly disrupted.

    Now the third son, although helping with the pigs at home, was not cut out for this.

    Raising pigs might seem crude, a job anybody could do, but it actually required know-how. Otherwise, there was a big difference between raising pigs and raising them well.

    Otherwise, in the two years since Wang Yan had left, their home¡¯s pig farm had declined significantly, with pigs frequently getting sick. Though Old Wang was skilled enough to treat them, after all his age was showing¡ªboth his strength and his mind couldn¡¯t keep up. The third son was a mute as a fish, not knowing or even asking for advice, that several times the pig farm nearly met its downfall.

    Old Wang was exhausted.

    Not just physically exhausted, but mentally as well.

    Looking at the end of the yearing soon, with thest batch of pigs about to be sold, but he didn¡¯t feel a single shred of joy in his heart.

    Life turning out this way, his heart was also not at ease.

    He couldn¡¯t help but secretly me Bai Yue for all this.

    If she hadn¡¯t seduced his eldest, would the eldest have left?

    His eldest was the most eligible bachelor for miles around.

    Now he¡¯s abandoned his family and business to go support Bai Yue and her son. If not for his own capable son, could Bai Yue be living so well in the city?

    Old Wang had always remained stubbornly in his own delusional world.

 Chapter 480 - 480 480 Swine Fever

    ?Chapter 480: Chapter 480: Swine Fever   Chapter 480: Chapter 480: Swine Fever                                   ¡°Dad, Dad, something terrible has happened! Come quick and see! There¡¯s trouble with the pigs in the pigsty!¡± Wang Sanxi hurriedly ran inside.

    Wang Sanxi wasn¡¯t inept, just honest and simple-minded,cking cleverness, but he was steadfast and obedient.

    But being steadfast and obedient wasn¡¯t going to solve anything.

    Old Wang hurriedly followed Sanxi straight to the pigsty.

    The pigs were due for sale in just two months.

    Each pig weighed already 200 pounds and they were hoping that with another two months of feeding, they would reach at least 250 or 260 pounds, fetching a good price. After all the ups and downs of the year, they hadn¡¯t made much money. In the first half of the year alone, treating the pigs in the sty when they fell ill had cost them a good deal in grains and medicine; money went into all of it.

    That batch of pigs hadn¡¯t fattened as expected. At best, each weighed slightly over 200 pounds. Adding to that, Sanxi didn¡¯t have the knack for caring for them, and a few had died in the process.

    They would barely break even after selling them.

    They were counting on the end-of-year sale of this batch to make back the money for the year.

    If something went wrong now, it would mean a year¡¯sbor lost.

    Upon reaching the pigsty, Old Wang was dumbfounded.

    They had forty pigs at home, and now each and every one of them, big and small, was lying down.

    Lying down wasn¡¯t the issue; the problem was that they were all foaming at the mouth, a sign that things were not looking good.

    In his panic, Old Wang yanked open the pen door and charged in, squatting down in front of the nearest pig to check its eyes and mouth.

    A quick look was enough to set his heart ame.

    This was different; it was swine fever.

    Not like diarrhea, colds, or the flu, which could be treated with medicine and the pigs would soon stand again.

    But this time, it was swine fever, and clearly, the pigs had breath going out, with noneing in.

    This was a matter of life and death!

    Old Wang and Sanxi hastily brewed medicinal soup and, funnel in hand, force-fed it to each pig.

    This was their ancestral secret recipe, highly effective for such pig diseases. Normally, one dose would somewhat revive them, and by the second dose, the pigs would be almost back to normal.

    But by noon, Old Wang¡¯s heart sunk as he checked on the pigsty from outside.

    In the morning, the pigs had been foaming at the mouth and grunting, but now several pigs were already silent, clearly gone.

    The remaining pigs seemed even worse.

    Clenching his teeth, he and Sanxi administered the medicine again to the pigs, and they moved the dead ones to a shed outside the pigsty, grateful it was winter. If it were summer, the stench would have been unbearable.

    Old Wang¡¯s eyes bulged with distress; by one or two o¡¯clock, twenty pigs had died. He could no longer hold back.

    He stammered to Sanxi, ¡°Quick, go find the technician from the epidemic prevention station. Hurry!¡±

    Originally, the epidemic prevention station had required each pig to be vinated, but Old Wang had disagreed.

    A single vine cost two yuan.

    Two yuan could have been spent on their own medicinal concoctions for the pigs.

    Besides, in his mind, he didn¡¯t trust that vine; he believed his own herbal remedies were the most effective.

    Now, his remedies had failed too.

    At this point, he couldn¡¯t care less about losing face. If he didn¡¯t seek help, the remaining twenty pigs would meet the same fate.

    Then, the entire pigsty would be wiped out.

    Oh, his pigs!

    The technician from the epidemic prevention station arrived and simply shook his head after examining the pigs.

    ¡°It¡¯s toote; even injecting them would be useless now.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t that the technician was being petty; it just really was beyond saving at this point.

    That evening, not a single pig in Old Wang¡¯s home stirred anymore.

 Chapter 481 - 481 481 Making a Call

    ?Chapter 481: Chapter 481 Making a Call   Chapter 481: Chapter 481 Making a Call                                   Old Wangy on the kang, a wet towel draped over his head; he was so feverish he was delirious, his face swollen red with a few big blisters on his lips, babbling nonsense.

    It made Sanxi, who was beside him, terribly worried.

    With his own wife keeping watch over her father, he hurried to call Erniu in town and then made a call to his eldest brother, Wang Yan.

    He was primarily afraid that something might happen to Old Wang.

    Their home was still in need of tending to.

    Everything was now in disarray.

    Being an honest person by nature, he waspletely overwhelmed by the situation before him.

    The householdcked someone to take charge, having already been scared out of his wits.

    Wang Yan¡¯s days were going smoothly; his wife had given birth to a girl, and even though she was a girl, Wang Yan cherished her immensely.

    Every day when he returned home, after washing away the smell of hotpot and beef tallow, he¡¯d happily cuddle his daughter and give her kisses. His little girl was growing even more beautiful by the day. Thanks to Bai Yue¡¯s plentiful breastmilk, at just seven or eight months old, the little miss was plump and white, and very lively.

    Now she could sit by herself and y with whatever was in her hands, already recognizing almost everyone she saw.

    Each time she saw Wang Yane in the door, the little tyke would joyfully wave her arms and legs and call out loudly. If she could talk, Wang Yan believed his daughter would surely be calling him ¡°Daddy.¡±

    They named the little girl Tangyuan.

    She was white and round just like a tangyuan, irresistibly cute. She had two little dimples when she smiled and loved to be close to her family.

    Cuddling nigh endlessly with her mom, Bai Yue, and grandma.

    Her three older brothers spoiled her to the heavens.

    Ever since she was born, whenever she was awake, she hardly every in bed gnawing on her fingers; if it wasn¡¯t one brother holding her, it was another, or her father, her mother, or her grandmother. Everyone adored her beyond measure.

    Who could resist such an adorable child?

    Little Tangyuan¡¯s full name was Wang Keke, a name chosen after her mother consulted her aunt Bai Xiao, whom she had never met.

    Wang Yan was busy in the shop. Their business was thriving, and he truly felt like a boss now. Since he was too busy to handle everything alone, they had hired several more waitstaff. There were now twelve servers in just one shop, plus four kitchen workers for washing and cutting vegetables¡ªand that was just one location.

    Bai Family¡¯s Spicy Hotpot had opened five branches, virtually monopolizing the entire hotpot market in the provincial capital. Wang Yan was also nning to scout markets in other areas next year to open more branches. He had taken his sister-inw¡¯s advice and had begun deliberately training store managers so that, in time, each location could operate with aplete system, without needing someone to personally oversee it.

    The phone rang.

    Wang Yan picked up the phone.

    ¡°Big brother, it¡¯s Sanxi!¡±

    Even before hearing more, Wang Yan sensed something was wrong; Sanxi¡¯s voice was tinged with sobs.

    ¡°Sanxi, calm down, tell me slowly what happened,¡±

    ¡°Big brother, you and Mom need toe back quickly. Dad¡¯s fallen sick. We¡¯ve had swine fever, and a whole circle of pigs has likely died. Now, he¡¯s got a fever and is in bed talking nonsense. I¡­ I¡¯m afraid Dad might not make it,¡± Sanxi sobbed on the other end.

    A chill ran through Wang Yan¡¯s heart. Those pigs held significant meaning for his own father, representing the old man¡¯s lifetime of glory.

    It wasn¡¯t just the pigs that were dying.

    It was also the old man¡¯s dignity and vitality.

    ¡°Don¡¯t panic. First, find a tractor in the vige to take our dad to the county hospital. Don¡¯t go to the town hospital¡ªtake him directly to the county. Don¡¯t dy because of his condition. Do you have money at home?¡± Wang Yan calmly instructed.

    ¡°Yes! Dad has some on him!¡±

    ¡°Alright, then. You and Er can arrange to take Dad to the hospital. Mom and I will buy tickets and head back right now. We¡¯ll go straight to the county and meet up there. Sanxi, stop crying like a child; you¡¯re the only man in the house now, so you need to handle things. Act like a man and do what needs to be done,¡±

    Sanxi agreed and hung up the phone.

    Now, he was the man of the house.

    He had to hold up the family¡¯s main beam.

    Before his big brother and the others returned, he had to be like a man.

 Chapter 482 - 482 482 Going Back

    ?Chapter 482: Chapter 482: Going Back   Chapter 482: Chapter 482: Going Back                                   Wang Yan immediately called out to Bai Yue, who was doing the ounts. After she hade out of her confinement period post-childbirth, Bai Yue had already returned to the shop to help out, since Wang Yan alone couldn¡¯t manage everything.

    ¡°Dad is sick; Mom and I have to rush back right away. Can you manage on your own?¡± There was no choice but to manage.

    Nothing was more important than her own father¡¯s life.

    ¡°Is it that serious?¡± Bai Yue knew that ever since Wang Yan had left home with nothing, he hadn¡¯t spoken to his own father, not even calling him when the child was born. To say she didn¡¯t harbor any resentment at all would be hypocritical.

    But seeing Wang Yan with his face so pale with urgency, she knew something major had happened at home!

    ¡°Go buy the tickets. I¡¯ll withdraw money from the bank for you. You have to take money with you; healthcare can be expensive.¡± Bai Yue started preparing things for Wang Yan.

    Wang Yan grabbed his wife¡¯s hand, squeezed it tightly, then turned and left through the front door, driving away.

    Grandma Wang was holding her granddaughter in the smallpartment next door, ying. The little granddaughter now liked to stick to her Grandma or fall asleep in her arms, and would cry if she woke up and didn¡¯t see the faces of her grandma or mom. Grandma Wang¡¯s heart truly ached for her granddaughter.

    At first, when the granddaughter was born, she was a bit disappointed.

    After all, her son not having a boy was out of the ordinary.

    But seeing how Shitou adored his daughter, she didn¡¯t have much to say.

    And after caring for the baby for a month by month, Grandma Wang now held the granddaughter dearest in her heart.

    Those few bald boys were not as lovable, well-behaved, and obedient as her granddaughter was.

    She loved her so much that she couldn¡¯t bear to let go even for a day.

    And she couldn¡¯t bear to hear her granddaughter cry.

    Whenever Little Tangyuan cried, Grandma¡¯s heart would nearly break.

    When Bai Yue came in, Little Tangyuan saw her mother and immediately opened her arms, mumbling something, wanting her mother to hold her.

    Picking up her daughter, ¡°Mom, you should go home and pack some things. I can¡¯t leave the shop. Dad¡¯s sick at home, and Wang Yan¡¯s already gone to buy train tickets. You should set off as soon as possible.¡±

    Grandma Wang was startled, ¡°What? His dad is sick?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s serious. He has already been taken to the county hospital by Sanxi. Erniu should be there by now. Once you have your train tickets, you should be able to get back by tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Oh, oh! I¡¯ll go right away!¡±

    Grandma Wang hurried out to pack her things and rush back.

    Wang Yan paid a high price for a return ticket. After picking up his mom, Bai Yue had prepared twenty thousand yuan for him, which she gave him to carry. She told him to be careful and to call home if anything happened.

    He and his mom took the overnight train back home.

    After getting off the train, they hired a car to take them to the county hospital.

    Upon reaching the county hospital, they inquired and found out the old man was indeed in a hospital bed.

    When the two arrived at the ward, they saw that Erniu and Sanxi had been standing vigil. Sanxi¡¯s wife had to care for the children at home, and Erniu¡¯s wife had to manage both the shop and home affairs.

    As soon as the two brothers saw their eldest brother, their eyes turned red.

    ¡°How¡¯s Dad?¡±

    Wang Yan asked urgently.

    Upon ncing over, he saw that the old man was lying in the bed with his eyes still closed.

    ¡°The doctor said that Dad had a stroke, but luckily he was brought in on time. He¡¯s currently undergoing medication and injections. However, Dad still hasn¡¯t woken up yet,¡± Sanxi was the most informed about the situation since it was he who had brought their father to the hospital.

    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t worry, a stroke is not to be feared. Remember Grandma Bai? She also had a stroke, and even though she returned home with a crooked mouth and squinted eyes, didn¡¯t she recover after some time? As long as the person can be saved, that¡¯s what matters,¡± Wang Yan, reassured by this, took a breath of relief. His biggest concern was for his father to pull through.

    Grandma Wang settled at old man Wang¡¯s bedside, holding his hand and wiping away tears. It had only been a year since she left; how had the old man ended up like this.

 Chapter 483 - 483 483 No Money

    ?Chapter 483: Chapter 483 No Money   Chapter 483: Chapter 483 No Money                                   ¡°Sanxi, have you dealt with the sick pigs at home?¡± Wang Yan finally remembered to ask about it after catching his breath.

    Sanxi shook his head, ¡°Not yet, I¡¯ve had no time to spare. They¡¯re still lying there in the pigsty.¡± With the old man ill, he had no mind to tend to those matters.

    Later on, in the rush to get the old man to the county hospital, those concerns had been pushed to the back of his mind.

    ¡°That won¡¯t do. Dad has us, you have to go back and burn those infected pigs; otherwise, they will be a menaceter on!¡± Wang Yan knew that if those sick pigs were taken advantage of by someone with ill intentions, it could lead to a disaster.

    Sanxi looked at his older brother, ¡°Big brother, why don¡¯t you go back and take care of the sick pigs, and I¡¯ll stay here to look after Dad, is that okay?¡±

    Wang Yan sighed.

    This younger brother was the kind who couldn¡¯t be relied upon to stand firm.

    Honest and clumsy, but indecisive and unable to shoulder responsibility.

    ¡°Fine, no more talk. I¡¯ll rush back now to deal with the sick pigs. You guys stay here and look after Mom and Dad. You need to take care of your own health too; if it¡¯s not manageable, discuss with the doctor about getting a two-person ward and rent the other bed, so whoever stays here has a ce to sleep and can get some rest. You have to keep up with eating and drinking too, we can¡¯t let our health fail.¡± He left these instructions, fearing they would skimp to save money and end up harming their health.

    The old man would be staying in the hospital for more than just a day or two; it was crucial to ensure that no one was brought down by the strain.

    Sanxi and Erniu were somewhat embarrassed, their faces flushed with difort.

    Wang Yan couldn¡¯t be clearer about his younger brothers; surely, there was some difficult issue they were too embarrassed to mention.

    ¡°What else haven¡¯t you told me? Spit it out all at once. What kind of image are two grown men like you giving off, hesitating and muttering? Aren¡¯t we a family? Is there anything you can¡¯t tell me? Am I not your big brother anymore?¡±

    Wang Yan was furious.

    It was a critical time, and yet his brothers were still behaving like this.

    Erniu gritted his teeth, ¡°Big brother, I¡¯ve only been in business for half a year, and all the money I had, I had borrowed from you. It¡¯s all tied up in the goods now. I¡¯ve managed to scrape together 2,000 yuan and made the hospital deposit. But this morning, the hospital said we¡¯re almost out of money and need to make another payment. If not, they¡¯re going to stop the treatment and kick us out.¡±

    They hadn¡¯t expected the hospital to need so much money.

    Wang Yan took out 20,000 yuan from his bag, ¡°Take it. Pay 10,000 yuan for Dad¡¯s hospital fee first. Use the rest as needed. Whether it¡¯s for food or amodation, don¡¯t let yourselves suffer. We need to stay healthy first so that we can take care of Mom and Dad. Remember my words, this is not the time to be thrifty. When we need to spend money, we must spend it.¡±

    Tears rolled down the cheeks of Erniu and Sanxi. Big brother was the best; at least the family had a backbone.

    Wang Yan pointed at the olddy, ¡°Also, try tofort her. Tell the olddy not to be too heartbroken. Health is what matters most. We can¡¯t have her getting sick while the old man hasn¡¯t recovered.¡±

    Erniu and Sanxi nodded.

    Wang Yan arranged everything at the hospital and immediately left to buy a ticket and take a ride back to the vige.

    At home, only Sanxi¡¯s wife was holding the fort. Wang Yan feared that herck of experience might lead to trouble if someone came along to deceive her. The situation with the sick pigs could get out of hand.

    He arrived home with a sense of urgent concern.

    On his way, he encountered vigers who greeted him. Everyone in the vige knew that old Wang was in the hospital. They guessed the eldest son wasing back to visit his father, right?

 Chapter 484 - 484 484 In Good Conscience

    ?Chapter 484: Chapter 484: In Good Conscience   Chapter 484: Chapter 484: In Good Conscience                                   As soon as he entered the yard, he saw two men handing money to the third brother¡¯s wife, ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    They didn¡¯t look like good people at first nce.

    Seeing Wang Yan, they quickly hid the money behind their backs.

    Hmph, good people, hiding and skulking even when buying pigs?

    The moment the third brother¡¯s wife saw her eldest brother-inw return, she quickly stood up, still holding two-year-old Jin Bao in her arms, her face showing the relief of having unloaded a burden.

    ¡°Big brother, these two men say they buy pigs. They said it¡¯s a pity that our pigs have died, and although the price is a bit low, it¡¯s still better than a total loss. They¡¯re offering twenty yuan per pig. I figured losing all forty pigs for nothing would be too wasteful, and at least we¡¯d get eight hundred yuan. So I agreed to sell and have them take away the pigs overnight.¡±

    Although the old man didn¡¯t recognize Wang Yan, she knew very well that the eldest brother-inw in the household was highly esteemed by the old master. As soon as Wang Yan came home, he would have the final say in the Wang Family matters. She didn¡¯t oppose the eldest brother¡¯s return to take charge of the household, which had been in chaos for days, a burden she couldn¡¯t bear alone as a woman.

    This sister-inw and her own brother matched well, both utterly unreliable.

    If you talk about having ill intentions, Wang Yan did believe there were none, yet that made it even more infuriating.

    ¡°What do you two mean?¡± Wang Yan said coldly.

    The swine fever had struck their farm, and not only their vige knew about it¡ªthese pig buyers had already gotten wind of it and were clearly looking to make a quick, unscrupulous profit.

    ¡°Big brother, it¡¯s nothing! Just buying pigs. Look, it would be a shame if your pigs just died and were thrown away. Not only would all your efforts for the past half-year be in vain, but you wouldn¡¯t even recover your costs. We¡¯re pained to see this too, and by selling the pigs to us, you can relieve some pressure, right? It¡¯s a win-win,¡± one of the men argued with shameless gall that could indeed bamboozle the average viger.

    ¡°These pigs died of swine fever!¡± Wang Yan emphasized fiercely.

    The two men nced at Wang Yan as if he were a fool. Could he really say that?

    Didn¡¯t want to sell the pigs anymore?

    ¡°Those pigs didn¡¯t die from swine fever; they just caught a cold or flu, no big deal!¡± the two men hinted with their eyes.

    ¡°Fuck off, are you blind? It¡¯s clear these pigs died of swine fever. Anyone with eyes can see that. You buy these pigs and if people die, who would be responsible? Huh? You think we¡¯re so greedy that we¡¯d ignore our conscience and do such immoral things? I tell you, dream on! Go and ask around if our Wang family has ever engaged in such unscrupulous acts. Heaven watches what we do; beware that doing too much evil doesn¡¯t lead to thunder striking you down.¡±

    The two men were infuriated by Wang Yan¡¯s words, posing as if they had integrity. If they really had any integrity, they wouldn¡¯t have had his sister-inw negotiate with him, trying to raise the price.

    ¡°Look, big brother, the price can be negotiated. Don¡¯t be so firm¡ªwe don¡¯t like to hear that. Being stubborn won¡¯t bring your pigs back to life. Be more practical. We¡¯ll offer two yuan more per pig, twenty-two per head. No more than that; we have to make a living too. Don¡¯t be too excessive! That should be enough!¡±

    Wang Yan picked up a broom and swung it at them, scaring the men so much that they jumped back, narrowly avoiding the broom, and retreated several steps back to the entrance of the Wang family¡¯s gate.

    ¡°What are you doing? We were just having a business talk, why are you chasing us out?¡±

    The two men were also furious.

    Just when a deal had almost been finalized, out of nowhere a Cheng Yaojin had appeared.

 Chapter 485 - 485 485 The Pig is Definitely Not for Sale

    ?Chapter 485: Chapter 485: The Pig is Definitely Not for Sale   Chapter 485: Chapter 485: The Pig is Definitely Not for Sale                                   ¡°Who¡¯s talking business with you? Get lost, our family¡¯s pigs will definitely not be sold!¡± Wang Yan stood with a broom in hand, his eyebrows fiercely furrowed.

    The two men sneered, ¡°Big brother, don¡¯t be ungrateful. Even if you bury those pigs, someone might dig them up in the middle of the night, and then they¡¯ll be sold without you knowing where they went. You¡¯re justining about our price, not considering that no pig buyer would want to take your pigs right now. You don¡¯t understand the principle of quitting while you¡¯re ahead.¡±

    These two really thought Wang Yan was overacting.

    A person needs face like a tree needs bark. Besides, even though the money they made was ill-gotten, they were ostensibly doing others a favor.

    The neighboring vigers, walking by, didn¡¯t know what had happened and immediately gathered around. Seeing that it was Wang Yan from the Wang Family who had just entered the door, holding a broom, they all wondered what he was going to do with it?

    When they saw strangers from out of town and a daughter-inw holding a child, their gossiping hearts immediately ignited.

    They all thought that Wang Yan, who was home for the first time in two years, had seen his sister-inw do something outrageous.

    Otherwise, why would the uncle wield a broom like this?

    So, more and more people crowded around.

    Seeing themotion, the two men realized they couldn¡¯t do business anymore. Once the people in the neighboring viges heard about this, who would they sell to?

    Angrily, they felt their courage swell at the edge of their anger.

    Pointing at Wang Yan, they said, ¡°You¡¯re truly damned ungrateful! Since that¡¯s the case, let your pigs rot at your home. Guard them and attract flies if you can. As soon as you bury them, they¡¯ll definitely be dug up. If you don¡¯t, these pigs will rot and stink. Then your whole family might end up dying of swine fever.¡±

    This was cursing his family to a bad end.

    Wang Yan flipped one with a sweep of the broom, and fiercely hit the two men more than a dozen times before he was pulled away. Any more, and the two wouldn¡¯t have been able to walk out of Liupan Vige.

    Now, everyone began to understand. These were pig buyers, and the Wang Family¡¯s pigs had swine fever, something everyone knew. If sold, who knows what illnesses the eaters would contract.

    Those two men were malevolent!

    There were also those who were too clever by half, immediately specting. Given that the Wang Family¡¯s pigs had swine fever, someone might indeed dig them up in the middle of the night. After all, a pig is worth money, however little; it¡¯s still a windfall.

    Thus, everyone harbored their own thoughts.

    ¡°Shitou! Shitou, stop hitting them, killing them won¡¯t be of any use. Why get angry over such people? Calm down,¡± someone said.

    ¡°Shitou, you really should deal with these pigs quickly. Otherwise, who knows what trouble there¡¯ll be. It¡¯s not good to keep them at home,¡± another suggested.

    ¡°Just bury them quickly and be done with it,¡± said another viger.

    Some people were already scheming in their hearts.

    Wang Yan dropped the broom. He was well aware that the vigers were small-minded, wondering how many of them were now eyeing his family¡¯s dead pigs because of these two men¡¯s words.

    Without handling this matter properly, someone would be scaling the walls of his home that very night.

    The two men were beaten to a state where their faces were dirty and bloodied from broom scratches, thoroughly humiliated.

    How did they end up dealing with someone so stubborn and ignorant?

    They were truly unlucky ¨C didn¡¯t he realize that if he really buried the pigs, let alone others, they woulde to dig them up tonight? What was the point of causing such a ruckus?

    A bit of extra trouble. Would the Wang Family earn a single extra penny from it? What was the point?

 Chapter 486 - 486 486 Roast Pig

    ?Chapter 486: Chapter 486: Roast Pig   Chapter 486: Chapter 486: Roast Pig                                   ¡°A few of my close elder brothers and friends, please help out. Today I am going to dispose of these pigs, they cannot stay any longer¡ªthey died from swine fever! Imagine if someone unknowingly ate it, think about it¡ªit would be like eating this kind of pork in your own home. So ever since we Wang Family started raising pigs, we¡¯ve never done such a dreadful thing. The pigs that died or fell ill were all buried by us as fertilizer. But today, there are too many sick pigs. Even if we wanted to secretly bury them, I¡¯m afraid we couldn¡¯t hide it from everyone.¡±

    ¡°So please, help me out here. I thank you all in advance. Help me gather these pigs together; our family may lose all our investment this time, but we would never harm others, nor allow anyone else to do so. Brothers, please lend a hand.¡±

    No one knew what Wang Yan was nning to do, but several people who were close to Wang Yan and those whose sons and brothers worked in Wang Yan¡¯s restaurant stepped forward. After all, this was the time to show their support, and everyone knew that Wang Yan had recently be wealthy. It was said that he owned several restaurants, bustling with customers every day and making a lot of money.

    Thus, many people came out to help.

    Soon, the sick pigs from the pens had piled up in a high heap in the backyard, looking quite menacing.

    These pigs had been dead for several days. Though the cold weather had prevented them from spoiling immediately, they still looked unpleasant.

    Wang Yan handed out a ¡°Hongta Mountain¡± to each person, ¡°Today, everyone will see that our Wang Family absolutely does no harm. These pigs are dead; we¡¯d rather burn them all than give evil-doers a chance to exploit the situation. Sister-inw, bring our firewood!¡±

    Everyone was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

    What a resolute move by Wang Yan.

    Dashuang pped his thigh, ¡°Good, just for your integrity, Shitou, I¡¯ll fetch the firewood for you. This is what a true upright person does. The Wang Family has such integrity!¡± he eximed as he brought arge bundle of dry firewood and piled it around the dead pigs.

    Wang Yan hurried to his kitchen to find some cooking oil, poured it over the firewood and dead pigs, and lit a match, ¡°Folks, one must be decent in life. Although our Wang Family has been raising pigs for generations, we have never sold dead or sick pigs and betrayed our conscience.¡±

    He threw the match.

    Instantly, the fire spread wildly.

    The sparks, fueled by the oil, zed up immediately, filling the entire yard with the charred smell of burnt pigskin. Many sighed as they watched therge pile of pigs engulfed by mes. It was such a shame; all that could have been money.

    Some people apuded and praised.

    They praised the Wang Family for being honorable people who would rather cut off all thoughts with a fire than to let sick pigs spread. This was true nobility.

    Two men warmed their hands, watching Wang Yan with admiration in their eyes.

    Now, that¡¯s a real man of the Wang Family.

    At first, they thought he was just tough on the price, making them feel undervalued, but now they realized that the men of the Wang family were genuinely not willing to sell.

    They approached and shook Wang Yan¡¯s hand, ¡°Your Wang Family are good people, truly noble. No wonder your pigs are so well-known for miles around, not just for raising pigs but also for being decent people. Today we were wrong, and we won¡¯t do such disgraceful things in the future, thank you.¡± The two men walked away with big strides.

    Everyone apuded again.

    The fervent mes continued to ze in Liupan Vige for a long time before finally extinguishing, leaving everyonemending Wang Yan for truly being wealthy.

    Look at those forty pigs; to burn them without even blinking an eye.

 Chapter 487 - 487 487 Setting Off Firecrackers

    ?Chapter 487: Chapter 487: Setting Off Firecrackers   Chapter 487: Chapter 487: Setting Off Firecrackers                                   The home affairs were settled, and Wang Yan immediately returned to the county town, as the old man¡¯s illness was the main concern. He did not know if the situation had improved.

    Upon reaching the hospital, he specifically looked for the doctor. The doctor informed him of the condition¡ªit was not exactly a stroke but more precisely a cerebral thrombosis. This type of illness could be eased somewhat with infusions and injections for a while, but yearly treatments and medication were necessary to prevent future attacks. Essentially, as people age, they inevitably face many health issues.

    Only then did Wang Yan return to the ward.

    Erniu¡¯s wife was surprisingly in the ward. As Wang Yan entered, he saw the couple quarrelling, and his mother was also looking upset¡ªthe whole family was unhappy, sans Sanxi.

    Old Man Wang had awakened and trembled as he reached out his hand upon seeing Wang Yan. Wang Yan stepped forward and grabbed his father¡¯s hand, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m back! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here for you. Please take good care of yourself. The doctor said you need to remain calm and avoid getting angry, as it could worsen your condition.¡±

    He was worried that his father might lose his temper and be stubborn.

    As a son, he had no choice but to yield at this moment.

    This was his family.

    ¡°Shitou, you have¡­ returned.¡±

    The old man had not expected to see his eldest son as soon as he opened his eyes. Although he knew his wife was by his side, the eldest son, knowing his condition, would certainlye back. If Wang Yan had truly not returned, that would have saddened him. This son had always been a good, dutiful child.

    ¡°Dad, just focus on your recovery. I¡¯ve spoken with the doctor! It¡¯s nothing serious, but you still need to be careful. Don¡¯t get angry so easily. Getting angry isn¡¯t a good habit at your age. Do you want to eat something? I¡¯ll go buy it for you.¡± Right now, they weren¡¯t in a position to cook anything.

    The old man shook his head; seeing his son by his side was enough for him¡ªhe desired nothing else to eat.

    If he was considered the head of the family, in his heart, the true pir of the home was his eldest son.

    The second son was irresponsible and slick, the third son too na?ve¡ªso na?ve he was practically a blockhead. Only the eldest was righteous and principled, a man who cared about the bigger picture. It was unfortunate for his son.

    Thinking of Wang Yan invariably reminded him of Bai Yue.

    Old Man Wang couldn¡¯t help but sigh. His son¡ª

    what a fate, to end up with a divorced woman.

    His chest began to ache faintly again.

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ want to eat. Where¡¯s¡­ your wife?¡±

    Here he was, lying in bed, and his daughter-inw hadn¡¯t evene to visit. How could he expect her to be dutiful in the future? That¡¯s just wishful thinking.

    ¡°Dad, we still have the restaurant to run. She does want toe back, but at home and at work, someone needs to look after the kids and the business. I¡¯vee back, so she can¡¯t leave; otherwise, things would be a mess. Once you¡¯re better, I¡¯ll bring you and Mom to live in the city, and then you¡¯ll see Bai Yue. She¡¯s been thinking of you too. She asked me to send her regards.¡±

    He tried hard to bridge the gap between his father and his wife.

    Old Man Wang rolled his eyes, ¡°You think I don¡¯t know? Does she remember anything good about me? She might just be setting off fireworks at home, happy that this annoying old man is finally dying.¡±

    ¡°Dad, what are you saying? Bai Yue isn¡¯t like that. If you don¡¯t believe me, ask Mom. You¡¯re old now; you should think more of the good in people rather than assume everyone is bad. When she heard you were sick, she immediately went to the bank and withdrew twenty thousand yuan for me to take care of you. And if that¡¯s not enough, she said to call her right away and she¡¯ll send more.¡±

    Wang Yan wouldn¡¯t be saying this if he wasn¡¯t worried about his father getting overly upset.

 Chapter 488 - 488 488 Anger

    ?Chapter 488: Chapter 488: Anger   Chapter 488: Chapter 488: Anger                                   ¡°Look at you, I¡¯m already lying in bed like this, and you¡¯re still defending her; you¡¯ve really forgotten your mom after getting a wife,¡± the old man Wang ranted, puffing on his beard and ring.

    He looked as if he was about to get up from bed and pull out his IV.

    ¡°Dad!¡± Wang Yan held the old man down.

    ¡°If you really can¡¯t stand us, then I¡¯ll leave right now, so you won¡¯t get angry at the sight of me and jeopardize your health. That would really make me a disrespectful son,¡± Wang Yan also had a belly full of fire; why couldn¡¯t his own father get over his issue with Bai Yue?

    The old Mr. Wang, furious, pointed at Wang Yan, ¡°You, you, you. Did youe back to see me or to anger me?¡±

    Wang Yan stood up and walked out.

    Old Mr. Wang was huffing and puffing with anger.

    The grandma quickly soothed his back, ¡°Look, your son finally came back to see you. This could be a good chance to mend your father-son rtionship through this incident. Why must you be so stubborn about this? His wife has already given birth to his children. What more do you want? Do you really want to break up his family and make him divorce his wife?¡±

    She couldn¡¯t persuade him.

    Old Mr. Wang sighed, lying there motionless. Yeah.

    They could hardly get a divorce now.

    The kids were already born, whether they were boys or girls, they were the Wang Family¡¯s offspring.

    What was the use of staying angry with his son?

    Wang Yan sat outside on a chair, allowing himself to finally calm down.

    Looking at the mess in the house, he was troubled. If it weren¡¯t for his father always causing trouble, their home wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this today.

    s, he still disapproved of Bai Yue.

    What right did he have to disapprove of his own daughter-inw?

    Bai Yue was capable, gentle, considerate, and understanding. She never showed him a bad face. The household was happy, and the three boys treated him as if he were their real father. Why make distinctions between those who were born into the family and those who were not?

    If that was the case, wouldn¡¯t his dear Little Tangyuan instantly win the old man over if he met her?

    Thinking of his Little Tangyuan, Wang Yan couldn¡¯t help but smile, and all his anger evaporated.

    Yeah, that¡¯s his real family! His own home.

    He suddenly missed Tangyuan¡¯s slobbery kisses, those chubby hands patting his cheeks forcefully, and the way she snuggled into him, leaning on his shoulder to sleep. Oh, he missed his little girl.

    Erniu came out and sat next to Wang Yan, noting that his big brother¡¯s expression seemed a lot better.

    ¡°Big brother! Don¡¯t take it to heart with Dad. He¡¯s old and sometimes doesn¡¯t think things through. But in his heart, you are still the head of the family. We don¡¯tpare,¡± heforted his big brother.

    Indeed, at this time, the big brother was the head of the family. If it wasn¡¯t for his return, just the medical costs alone would have been a headache. Although the old man had money, it was all in bank books! Who could withdraw it?

    The two brothers were penniless.

    ¡°Stop it, I know. After so many years as father and son, how could I not know Dad¡¯s temper? It¡¯s just that words piled on words this time, and I really got angry. But could I really stay mad at Dad?¡±

    He knew it too.

    ¡°Big brother, why not go inside? Dad hase to his senses. Mom talked to him for a long time, and now he¡¯s lying in bed, silent, reflecting. Just go in and give him a way to step down,¡±

    Wang Yan stood up, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go see Dad!¡±

 Chapter 489 - 489 489 The Topic of Separating the Family

    ?Chapter 489: Chapter 489: The Topic of Separating the Family   Chapter 489: Chapter 489: The Topic of Separating the Family                                   As soon as the two of them entered, the old man twisted his face toward the wall, and Wang Yan couldn¡¯t help butugh inappropriately.

    His father was still just like an old child.

    He walked over and brought a chair to sit in front of Old Man Wang.

    ¡°Dad, you need to get well soon. You and mom have had a hard life. For the remaining years, don¡¯t worry about the family anymore. We three have all grown up, each of us can live our own life. You should take this time to rest. I¡¯ve been thinking about bringing you and mom over to our ce. You haven¡¯t even seen your little granddaughter yet, you know. She¡¯s so white and plump, just adorable, like a little Tangyuan. You¡¯ve never seen her, but once you do, I guarantee you won¡¯t be able to leave her!¡±

    Old Man Wang grumpily dropped a line, ¡°Granddaughter, I¡¯m not interested, what I want is a grandson.¡±

    The olddy gave him a p, neither too light nor too heavy.

    ¡°You might not be keen, but I am. I¡¯m telling you, don¡¯t you dare fight me for her when the timees.¡±

    Tangyuan was the apple of her grandmother¡¯s eye.

    iming disinterest in her granddaughter was sure to earn a beating from her.

    ¡°Alright, Erniu, let¡¯s go out and buy some food; it¡¯s almost noon and everyone is hungry. Our dad is still sick, let¡¯s get him some of his favorite lumpy soup and a couple of buns. We all need to fill our stomachs, right?¡± Wang Yan stood up, took his coat, and headed out the door.

    Erniu followed suit.

    Erniu¡¯s wife, Chunyan, pinched him hard, and Erniu grunted but didn¡¯t say a word as he left.

    Witnessing Erniu¡¯s behavior, Chunyan knew this bastard definitely wouldn¡¯t say anything. Furious, she quickly followed after him.

    The olddy nced at her daughter-inw and sighed. It seems that when people don¡¯t have money, they don¡¯t care much, but once they do, hearts begin to change. She thought it was time for the old couple to sort out the family affairs so the children wouldn¡¯t harbor any grudgester on.

    ¡°Old man, I¡¯ve been thinking. Once you¡¯re better, we should really go live with our eldest. We¡¯ll divide the house, thend, and the money among the three brothers right now! It¡¯s better to settle things now than for them to feel resentful dealing with itter. Besides, the kids are all grown up; they all have their own ns and lives to lead. Giving them the money will let them do whatever they wish; you can¡¯t keep them under your control forever.

    Third son, don¡¯t worry, raising pigs isn¡¯t the only way. Look at Eldest and Second, making their own way out there, living good lives. We¡¯re old now, we just want our children to befortable. All I want now is for the family to live peacefully and harmoniously,¡±

    Wang Yan didn¡¯t expect his wife to say such things and felt some smothered annoyance.

    Lying there, staring at the white wall, he was deep in thought about who knew what.

    The olddy sighed and went to pour a basin of water to wash the old man.

    It was only after living with the eldest son in the city that she realized what afortable life meant. Seeing how Eldest and his wife managed their life together, harmonious and considerate, why should it matter so much whether his wife was first-time married or remarried?

    She had made peace with these thoughts a long time ago. She just didn¡¯t know when the old man woulde to terms with them. However, she agreed with the idea of taking him to the provincial city to live for a while, not for Eldest to support them, but to let the old man see his granddaughter and understand what kind of people Bai Yue and the others really were.

    Only by spending true quality time together can one understand another person¡¯s nature and realize where their good qualities truly lie.

    Besides, she was confident that once the old man saw their adorable Little Tangyuan, any huge grievances in his heart would dissolve.

 Chapter 490 - 490 490 Retirement

    ?Chapter 490: Chapter 490: Retirement   Chapter 490: Chapter 490: Retirement                                   Chunyan bit her lip as she followed Erniu and Wang Yan. Erniu was bing impatient, ¡°We are going to buy food, why are you following us! Stay in the ward with our mother, just in case something happens and someone needs to lend a hand.¡±

    Chunyan red at Erniu. This coward didn¡¯t say a word. If not now, when would there ever be a chance?

    ¡°Big brother! I have something to tell you!¡±

    This was beyond caring about the consequences now.

    Erniu, out of desperation, grabbed her hand, ¡°You go back, or else watch out, I¡¯ll p you.¡±

    Chunyan fiercely shook off Erniu¡¯s hand, ¡°You won¡¯t speak! Nor will you let me speak, how can we go on like this?¡±

    Wang Yan could tell there was something they needed to discuss with him, so he pointed to the chairs in the hospital garden, ¡°Sister-inw! Sit down, whatever it is, just say it. We are family; you don¡¯t need to hide anything.¡±

    ¡°Big brother, don¡¯t listen to his nonsense, there¡¯s nothing going on!¡±

    Chunyan shook Erniu off, ¡°You always keep everything to yourself. If we don¡¯t talk about it, what will we doter?¡±

    ¡°Big brother, given dad¡¯s condition now, I think we need to consider his future care. The doctor said that dad¡¯s cerebral thrombosis has left his arms and legs quite weak, and he won¡¯t be able to do hard work or get upset anymore. There needs to be some arrangement for his care among us three brothers.¡±

    ¡°Erniu and I are supposed to close down our clothing store in town and go back to the vige to look after mom and dad. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to take care of them, but our store makes dozens of dors a day, and we¡¯ve finally managed to establish a foothold here. We¡¯ve just begun to build our own home here, nning to save up for a few months to buy a house, and the children are supposed to start school here.

    If we go back to the vige, what else can we do besides helping dad with the pigs? And you saw, firstly, neither Erniu nor I are into pig farming. We don¡¯t like it, so it¡¯s not sustainable for us. Secondly, if another swine fever breaks out, can our family even withstand such turmoil? I hate to sound harsh, sister-inw, but normally this should be the eldest brother¡¯s responsibility. Of course, as sons, we should all chip in, but how can it be that bypassing the eldest brother, the responsibility falls on the younger brothers? We also have our lives to lead. It can¡¯t be that only the eldest brother¡¯s life is secure, disregarding the well-being of the younger brothers and sisters, right?¡±

    Wang Yan finally understood what his sister-inw was upset about, and he felt relieved.

    ¡°You are really overthinking it. Erniu, in the future don¡¯t mull over these matters alone. We three brothers should sit together to discuss anything. If there are difficulties, we face them together. Plus, our parents aren¡¯t just your and your brother¡¯s parents; they are mine too. Actually, the thing I said to our dad earlier was true. I was really nning to bring our parents to live in the provincial city. If dad stays at home and looks at the pigsty, he¡¯ll probably start thinking about pig farming again, which is getting harder to manage these days not to mention the lower profitabilitypared to previous years.

    Besides, people now prefer scientific farming, and dad still clings to old methods, which is a guaranteed loss. That¡¯s why I was considering moving them. As the eldest son, many decisions naturally fall to me. Erniu, you and the youngest should just focus on making a good life for your own families, which is better than anything. I¡¯m happy for you all, let¡¯s drop this topic, and go get something to eat; I¡¯m starving.¡±

    Wang Yan left.

    Erniu red fiercely at Chunyan, and it took her a while to realize that her brother-inw was actually this reasonable.

 Chapter 491 - 491 491 Dividing the Family

    ?Chapter 491: Chapter 491: Dividing the Family   Chapter 491: Chapter 491: Dividing the Family                                   Wang Lao tou was discharged from the hospital, returned to the vige, and the second son¡¯s family had also closed their store for a few days toe back to the vige; it was the old man¡¯s idea! The old man said he wanted to have a family meeting.

    All three sons would of course be present.

    Wang Lao tou also made a special trip to invite the vige chief and several leaders from the vigemittee.

    Wang Yan had no idea what his own father was up to.

    Erniu and Sanxi were also confused.

    However, since the old man had said so, he naturally had his reasons.

    Once everyone was seated, the old man began to speak about dividing the family, which surprised everyone. Baoguo was also surprised; Wang Lao tou¡¯s absolute control over the family was well-known in the vige, everyone knew that the Wang Family was under his solemand, and now he was actually the one initiating the division of the family, it was as if the sun had risen from the west.

    Just looking at the astonished expressions of his sons, it was clear they were unaware as well.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised, everyone. As the tree grows, it branches; as people grow, they separate homes, this is an old principle. My three sons are all married with children of their own, it¡¯s time to divide the family. I am also getting old and want to live a quiet life for a few days, without too much worry, which is why I asked everyone toe over today, to divide the family,¡± Wang Lao tou was pleased with everyone¡¯s surprised expressions, as there was nothing in his life that he had done like others.

    ¡°Mom and Dad, what are you doing? Is there really a need to divide the family?¡± Erniu and Sanxi were bewildered.

    Their own father was actually talking about dividing the family; they thought they were dreaming.

    ¡°You are all grown up now, with your own ideas, and I am getting old, too. Do you expect your father to bear this burden for you for a lifetime? Your mother and I deserve to enjoy some peace and quiet. If you have any objections about dividing the family, say it! Or shall I just speak my mind?¡±

    All three shook their heads, ¡°You speak, please!¡±

    ¡°Very well! Since I am to speak, you must notin it¡¯s inappropriate. Speak up if you have any dissatisfaction with more or less once we¡¯ve divided, we are still a family. We should not hold grudges against each other because of the division, so I will say this again, you are people of my old Wang Family.

    As for the house, there are a total of twelve rooms. When they were built, they were nned for you. Including your mother and me, each family gets three rooms. When we are no longer here, those three rooms will go to each of my sons, one per person. I am being fair. As for thend, since the eldest and the second son are not in the vige, of course, it goes to the third son to farm. If the third son also wants to leave, then thend can be rented out to others. You have no objections, right?¡±

    All three shook their heads.

    ¡°Good! No objections, then. That leaves the money. I will take out the family¡¯s savings and divide it into five parts. One part is for your mother and me, the rest you brothers share equally. Your eldest brother has not skimped on helping the family over the years and didn¡¯t take a penny from the family for his wedding. So, your mother and I will give him two shares of the money. Do you have any objections?¡±

    Baoguo found himself nodding involuntarily. Despite Wang Lao tou being a stubborn man, he was still fair in his handling of matters.

    ¡°That¡¯s settled then! We will divide ording to this n. As for the household items, you brothers can discuss amongst yourselves who needs what. I don¡¯t think you would want to fight over it like other families, so you can manage that yourselves. I would ask the officials here to be witnesses, to get this division agreement written up.¡±

    And so, the old Wang Family officially divided their family.

    From then on, this family was no longer dominated by Wang Lao tou alone; instead, a new era arrived where the three sons managed their own lives.

    Wang Lao tou himself was relieved.

 Chapter 492 - 492 492 Discussion

    ?Chapter 492: Chapter 492: Discussion   Chapter 492: Chapter 492: Discussion                                   After the family split up, Wang Yan sat down with his two younger brothers and their parents in the evening for a frank discussion. He shared his idea of bringing their parents to the provincial city. Old Man Wang initially refused to go; he felt that by going, he would have to observe his daughter-inw¡¯s moods. It goes without saying that if he wasn¡¯t nice to Bai Yue, it would be odd for her to show him a pleasant face in return.

    However, after Wang Yan repeatedly assured him, Old Man Wang finally agreed to go and celebrate the New Year. If it really didn¡¯t suit him, Wang Yan would buy him a train ticket to send him back. In his mind, he thought that since it was his son¡¯s household, it would be impossible that his daughter-inw dared to mistreat him.

    He really wanted to see for himself how Wang Yan was doing, after all, it was all just vige rumors, and nobody knew the real situation. When Erniu came back that time, he praised Wang Yan and Bai Yue to the skies, but still, Old Man Wang was not convinced in his heart.

    How could doing business in the provincial city earn so much money?

    Was Wang Yan running a restaurant?

    That was rare.

    Could it be that city folks had such low standards for food that they would ept swill, or was the provincial city where they lived a different concept altogether, with different customs and tastes?

    But no matter how different, it couldn¡¯t be to that extent, right?

    Another possibility was that Bai Yue¡¯s cooking skills were exceptional, which would mean that his son was living off his wife¡¯s talents!

    In any case, Old Man Wang wanted to see what was going on for himself.

    After all, he was worried. On one hand, he was concerned that if his son¡¯s wife was domineering, his son would be emascted and lose his manhood; on the other hand, he was anxious about what his son would do if the business faced difficulties in the future.

    In short, he had a lot of worries.

    ¡°Brother, I want to discuss something with you.¡± Sanxi, after discussing with his wife for an entire evening, knew they couldn¡¯t keep silent. Their big brother was already about to buy a train ticket.

    If they didn¡¯t speak up now, big brother would leave.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Just speak up! I can¡¯t stand those who hem and haw and cower!¡±

    ¡°Big brother, Zhenzi and I have no real skills. Even pig raising is beyond us, and we just thought, maybe we could work for you? The two of us should be able to earn enough to support ourselves and the kids.¡± Sanxicked ambition and knew he couldn¡¯t handle pig raising, so he thought of following his big brother.

    In the vige, many families had someone working in big brother¡¯s restaurant, and it was rumored that they earned a lot each month¡ª at least over a hundred yuan. With this in mind, and knowing that he and his wife weren¡¯tzy, he figured they could earn enough as long as they were diligent, to support their kids. If others could make money, why couldn¡¯t they?

    But when it came to doing business, the couplecked the courage; they were conservative people who feared taking risks.

    ¡°If you want toe and work, it¡¯s not impossible, but I¡¯ll have to discuss it with your sister-inw first. We¡¯ve agreed that we will make decisions about the restaurant together, after a thorough discussion. How about this¡ª you wait for news at home. After we¡¯ve talked it over and reached an agreement, I¡¯ll call you back, then you can buy your ticket ande up.¡± Wang Yan didn¡¯t rashly agree, since even with his own father, he hadn¡¯t consulted with Bai Yue, and he didn¡¯t want to put his wife in a difficult position.

    Bai Yue¡¯s temperament was surely not the kind to really hold a grudge, but this kind of thing required Bai Yue¡¯s approval first, which was a matter of respect. He thought of making a phone call, but he was genuinely afraid Bai Yue would disagree. If Bai Yue really disagreed, what would he do then?

    He also couldn¡¯t just abandon the elderly people at home, although it was possible to leave them to his two brothers. Yet he knew very well that his mother would certainly want to go with them, as the olddy had been constantly talking about Little Tangyuan these past few days, and she couldn¡¯t bear to part.

    It simply wouldn¡¯t do to just take the olddy and not the old man!

    So, he couldn¡¯t add fuel to the fire at Bai Yue¡¯s end with this matter.

 Chapter 493 - 493 493 Relieving Oneself

    ?Chapter 493: Chapter 493: Relieving Oneself   Chapter 493: Chapter 493: Relieving Oneself                                   Hearing that they were leaving, Liu Baoguo came over excitedly, his own daughter was over there, and it was just perfect that the couple would have somepany on the road. Although Old Wang was a bit stubborn, Wang Yan was Bai Xiao¡¯s brother-inw after all. It was said that the storefront Liu Hong rented belonged to Bai Yue and them, which was really looking out for Liu Hong. It was an opportunity to get close to the family, no less.

    So, Wang Yan bought tickets with them.

    Five of them boarded the train, a formidable group.

    It was Old Wang¡¯s first time on a train, and his eyes sparkled with curiosity, though he tried to look knowledgeable, which must have been hard.

    The olddy was already well-versed with the journey, lying on the bunk sleeping soundly.

    It made Old Wang so envious he gritted his teeth. Why wouldn¡¯t his wife clue him in? He was too embarrassed to ask outright. Could you really sleep on a train?

    He thought it would be like a bus ride to the provincial city, where you sat though the whole trip. Who knew that traveling by train was like this? Too¡­ it was practically like being at home, no, even better than home. He watched as Wang Yan went to fetch hot water and returned, thinking, how could this train have everything?

    Old Wang¡¯s eyes were wide with amazement, and then he clutched his stomach, his face turning a suffocated red.

    He needed to use the restroom, but even after looking around for quite some time, he couldn¡¯t find a suitable ce.

    His wife had stepped out earlier, and he had no idea what she was up to as she didn¡¯t tell him when he asked.

    Desperate, he looked left and right. Wang Yan noticed his own father in a panic, searching around, not sure what he was looking for.

    ¡°Dad, what are you looking for?¡±

    He had set out the food on the small table; his father couldn¡¯t possibly have missed it!

    Liu Baoguo and Li Chunmei were on the middle bunks in the nextpartment! They didn¡¯t feel like sleeping just yet; it was their first time on a train, and they were too excited to sleep, so they sat on the small stools by the window, whispering to each other as they watched the passing scenery.

    They overheard Wang Yan asking Old Wang.

    They were curious too, as Old Wang looked a bit unwell, his face a mix of pallor and flush.

    ¡°Big Brother Wang, yeah, if you need anything, let Shitou get it for you. Don¡¯t bump into anything.¡± After Old Wang¡¯s brain thrombosis, he still hadn¡¯t fully recovered and wasn¡¯t very agile.

    Old Wang, with no other options, said in a low voice, ¡°How much longer until we reach the station? I need to step down for a bit.¡±

    He had noticed the train stopping periodically, signaling that they had arrived at some station where people disembarked. Wang Yan had even stepped out for a smoke at one of those stops.

    Wang Yan chuckled, jumped down from his bunk, ¡°Come on, Dad, let me take you to the bathroom. There¡¯s a toilet here, you don¡¯t need to get off to use it.¡±

    His own father was nearly the butt of a joke.

    Liu Baoguo shut his mouth, holding back augh as he turned to look out the train window.

    Old Lady Wang couldn¡¯t help herself, she was the first to burst outughing.

    Old Wang gave the olddy a re and quickly had Wang Yan help him to the toilet.

    Only then did he discover that the toilet was a little tin shack, which,pared to the earth-pit at home, was considered clean. Old Wang finally relieved himself and came out.

    As soon as he stepped away,

    Old Lady Wang, Liu Baoguo, and Li Chunmei all startedughing. Sure, it wasn¡¯t nice tough at a man in front of Old Lady Wang, but it really was funny.

    They had all followed Old Lady Wang to use this so-called toilet earlier. Otherwise, they might have been the ones to embarrass themselves.

    Ah! The city was indeed not the same as the countryside. The train had everything one needed for daily life, they even heard there was a dining car, a ce that sold food. One truly wouldn¡¯t know if they didn¡¯t get out and see for themselves.

    Liu Baoguo had taken a train in his younger years, but back then, he was a soldier, riding in a stuffy, closed train car, nothing like this train, not by a hundred thousand miles.

 Chapter 494 - 494 494 Simplicity

    ?Chapter 494: Chapter 494: Simplicity   Chapter 494: Chapter 494: Simplicity                                   Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan had bought everything and returned home.

    The other items they had decided not to buy there¡ªit was just some food and necessities for the family. The couple nned to buy their own items when they returned to Yun Province. After all, carrying things around during the journey was not only inconvenient but also risky¡ªgoods could easily get lost or damaged. It would be better to purchase them once they settled down in Yun Province.

    When they got home, Wei Shufen was waiting for them.

    She was furious inside. If she didn¡¯t handle An Zhiyuan¡¯s wedding preparations well, she would be criticized for being a poor stepmother. If she managed it well, as she had calcted today alone, she would need at least twenty tables for the banquet, and that was already minimizing the number as much as possible. An Cheng had many friends, and every interaction involved social obligations. If you invite one person but not another, who knows if troublemakers woulde knocking.

    There were also family rtives; though An Cheng¡¯s parents had passed away, there was still an aunt and an uncle. These rtives from both households added up to about twenty people, not to mention her own rtives¡ªit would be inappropriate for them not toe at this time.

    Thus, she nned tightly around twenty tables, perhaps even needing to prepare extra tables to avoid any issues with seating if more guests arrived than expected.

    That would truly be embarrassing.

    As for the venue for the banquet, she thought it over and still decided to contact their cafeterias. Many people held their weddings in cafeteria one, two, or three, and even An Cheng had said they shouldn¡¯t be extravagant or wasteful; she wasn¡¯t dishonoring her son.

    The third cafeteria was ssified as the highest standard, and of course, the most expensive. She could only book the first cafeteria.

    Wei Shufen wasn¡¯t being blind or trying to make things difficult for the young couple intentionally; it just pained her to see so much money spent.

    An Cheng earned a good sry, but the family had high expenses over the years. The couple often had social obligations, and An Cheng had to asionally help out somerades. Though daily life presented no problem, they felt the pinch whenever significant expenditures arose. She had considered mentioning to An Zhiyuan the money his mother had left behind, but she also knew that bringing it up would ignite conflict as a stepmother.

    Managing household affairs wasn¡¯t easy for her, especially since she still had An Zhixiang to consider.

    So no one could really me her, and even if An Cheng were to speak up, she had her reasons.

    A good woman is helpless without rice.

    As soon as An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao entered, Wei Shufen greeted them cheerfully.

    ¡°Ayuan, Bai Xiao,e, have a seat. Let¡¯s talk about the arrangements. If nothing goes wrong, you should finish writing the invitations tonight and we can have them sent out tomorrow.¡±

    An Zhiyuan smiled, ¡°Auntie, it¡¯s fine. However you arrange it is fine by us. We don¡¯t mind. Just give us the invitations; we¡¯ll take them back and write them. You can rest assured.¡± This wasn¡¯t the wedding Bai Xiao had wanted. The real wedding had already taken ce between them.

    A wedding they would never forget in their lifetime, the vows of life and breadth in sickness and in health, more memorable than any formality.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for his father, they might not even have had a wedding, as any form of wedding was essentially for the sake of others.

    Wei Shufen nodded contently. That was good; she had made her position clear. If they didn¡¯t care to notice, it was their loss. Later there would be no grounds for them to find fault with her.

    ¡°Wait, they may not care, but I do. I¡¯m Ayuan¡¯s older brother. You only get married once in a lifetime, and I can¡¯t let Ayuan be wronged.¡± An Zhigao appeared just at the right moment; in fact, he had timed it.

 Chapter 495 - 495 495 Hungry

    ?Chapter 495: Chapter 495 Hungry.   Chapter 495: Chapter 495 Hungry.                                   Wei Shufen got a headache as soon as she saw An Zhigao; this eldest son was here to wreck the scene.

    Having An Zhigao in the house made her head feel twice as big.

    An Zhigao was not prepared to let his younger siblings get married shabbily, although he couldn¡¯t call it shabby because that would truly offend the old man, who believed simplicity and thrift were virtues, a notion not shared by him.

    He immediately picked up the list from the table and started checking it.

    Wei Shufen forced a smile at Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan. What else could she say?

    ¡°A cafeteria?!¡±

    An Zhigao¡¯s loud exmation made Bai Xiao tug at An Zhiyuan¡¯s sleeve. After walking around the streets all day, this kind of squabbling was better left to the eldest brother and this stepmother to hash out.

    An Zhiyuan, understanding, looked at the tank top he wore, saw the faint shadows under his eyes, collected his emotions, and said to his elder brother, ¡°Big brother, Bai Xiao and I will go to our room to change and tidy up. We haven¡¯t eaten yet. You discuss with Auntie; whatever you two decide is fine with us!¡±

    He didn¡¯t even wait for his elder brother¡¯s response before taking Bai Xiao upstairs.

    Once inside the room, Bai Xiao threw herself onto the bed.

    This kind of shopping spree had been foreign to her for a while; it felt like her feet were no longer hers. Added to that, her stomach was genuinely grumbling. They hadn¡¯t brought food coupons today, had passed many restaurants, but managed not to eat a meal and were now famished.

    An Zhiyuan ced everything in his hands onto a cab and handed Bai Xiao some slippers. ¡°Go take a shower. I¡¯ll go down and bring up something to eat. By the time you¡¯re out, it will be ready.¡±

    Bai Xiao felt a bit embarrassed; she was still acting carefree, positioning herself in the role of the single Bai Xiao.

    An Zhiyuan had already left to go downstairs.

    Bai Xiao ruffled her hair, grabbed her pajamas, and went straight into the bathroom.

    Reflecting in the mirror, she had to admit, knowing what she might face on this trip, yet following An Zhiyuan back, proved she had already ced herself in the role of An Zhiyuan¡¯s wife. However, truly embodying that role still required time to adjust.

    She still couldn¡¯t see herself as a gentle and considerate wife; rather, she resembled a little girl spoiled by An Zhiyuan.

    Alright, patting her cheeks.

    ¡°Wake up, Bai Xiao. Now that you¡¯ve married An Zhiyuan, both spouses should support each other; it shouldn¡¯t be just An Zhiyuan taking care of you.¡±

    But being cared for still felt damn good.

    After a hot shower, she nearly wanted to sleep, all the fatigue from walking all day long catalyzed by the hot water, especially her feet, which felt as though they had been sliced with a knife.

    After drying her hair, towel still draped over her shoulders, she heard An Zhiyuan speak through the bathroom door.

    ¡°Come out and eat; I¡¯ve made some noodles. It¡¯s alreadyte and we¡¯ll just have something simple.¡±

    Bai Xiao immediately went out.

    When you¡¯re hungry, you can¡¯t help it.

    Meeting An Zhiyuan¡¯s teasing gaze, she felt somewhat sheepish.

    An Zhiyuan seated her at the table, in front of her a bowl of in boiled noodles, nothing fancy, just instant noodles cooked and scooped out, with some soy sauce, vinegar, chopped green onions, sesame oil, and a heap of chili oil in the bowl, topped with two sunny-side-up eggs.

    ¡°Eat! You must be hungry, right?¡±

    Bai Xiao looked and asked, ¡°Why is there only one bowl? Aren¡¯t you eating?¡±

    Eating alone is not the trait of a goodrade.

    An Zhiyuan smiled, picked up a towel to continue drying her hair, ¡°I ate downstairs, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let your man starve. Just eat your meal.¡±

    Bai Xiao happily nodded her head, ¡°Then I shall eat!¡±

    Her wolfish devouring nearly made An Zhiyuan die ofughter.

 Chapter 496 - 496 496 The Nitpicking Eldest Brother

    ?Chapter 496: Chapter 496: The Nitpicking Eldest Brother   Chapter 496: Chapter 496: The Nitpicking Eldest Brother                                   ¡°How are you feeling¡­ Any difort?¡±

    When he asked this question, she could hear the embarrassment in his voice.

    Bai Xiao felt a sweetness in her heart, ¡°Aside from sore feet, I¡¯m fine!¡± The person deliberately distorting the truth was this woman.

    An Zhiyuan suddenly changed the subject, ¡°Xiaoxiao, don¡¯t you have any expectations for this wedding? I want to give you the wedding you desire, at least to let me know your wishes.¡± He was guilty that he had not paid enough attention to his woman, and this wedding seemed like a task beingpleted rather than being arranged entirely for the two of them; it felt more like fulfilling a duty.

    It was all for the elders at home, for rtives and friends, this feeling was particrly ufortable for him, and he was more worried that it might wrong his wife.

    ¡°Second brother¡­¡±

    ¡°What did you just call me?¡± An Zhiyuan stopped what he was doing with his hands.

    Bai Xiao turned her head coyly, ¡°Don¡¯t stop, it¡¯s sofortable, I didn¡¯t expect you to have such good skills. Come clean, who did you practice on?¡±

    An Zhiyuan let out a short chuckle, ¡°In this lifetime, I¡¯ve only practiced on you, and I¡¯ve already fallen into your hands, how would I dare to have a wandering eye?¡±

    Bai Xiao was smug, her heart brimming with sweetness, after all, feeling unique was indeed very pleasurable.

    ¡°If you dare to stray, just try!¡±

    ¡°What did you just call me?¡±

    The way An Zhiyuan was called ¡®second brother¡¯ made him feel a tumult of emotions.

    Bai Xiao paused for a moment, ¡°Isn¡¯t it just ¡®second brother¡¯? Calling you An Zhiyuan doesn¡¯t feel close. After all, we are legally married and always calling each other by full names. Others might think we are colleagues. If I call you Ayuan like your parents and brother, it feels the same,cking novelty. So I might as well just call you ¡®second brother¡¯; don¡¯t you like it?¡±

    ¡°I like it, as long as you¡¯re the one calling, I like whatever you call me.¡±

    ¡°Such a smooth talker! The voices downstairs are so loud, are your brother and your aunt having a fight right now?¡±

    She could see that this older brother was always finding fault with his stepmother.

    The question was, as a man in histe twenties, wasn¡¯t he tired of this? Wouldn¡¯t it be fundamental to focus on expanding his business instead?

    It wasn¡¯t an ancient court drama; what sense did it make for a grown man to constantly bicker with women?

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, my older brother is actually a very broad-minded person, but all his pettiness and narrow-mindedness only explode when faced with Wei Shufen.¡± Maybe it was because his brother¡¯s feelings towards Wei Shufen were not just dislike, but a deep-seated hatred.

    ¡°What atrocious thing did your stepmother do to your brother that he¡¯s been unable to forget for so many years? I see that your stepmother treats your younger brother rather well, she seems to be a smart person. How could she have done something so obvious that anyone could see?¡± Bai Xiao pushed her bowl to the side after eating her fill.

    An Zhiyuan pulled her to sit on the bed and continued the task at hand.

    ¡°My stepmother actually had a child once. Not long after she married my father, they had their own child. Perhaps because of this, Wei Shufen started to harbored different thoughts. Besides, my older brother was very resistant to Wei Shufen back then. Being the eldest, he probably felt threatened, suspecting she would be a stumbling block in the future, so she took action. Unfortunately, heaven had its retribution; it fell upon my unborn brother or sister because of that incident. Her child was lost, and she became unable to have children ever again. That was the punishment from heaven.

    From then on, she directed all her maternal love onto my younger brother, which is why he is the closest to her in this household,¡± An Zhiyuan exined.

    Now that the two of them were a married couple, some things still had to be said.

 Chapter 497 - 497 497 The Real An Zhiyuan (Extra for Monthly

    ?Chapter 497: Chapter 497: The Real An Zhiyuan (Extra for Monthly Votes)   Chapter 497: Chapter 497: The Real An Zhiyuan (Extra for Monthly Votes)                                   ¡°Your stepmother isn¡¯t exactly a smart woman. If it were me as your stepmother, I definitely wouldn¡¯t do that. Rather than losing someone else¡¯s child right after getting married, no matter how highly you are regarded outside, everyone who hears about this will think the first thing that stepmothers with their own children want to do is get rid of their stepchildren one by one, to clear the way for their own kids.¡± Bai Xiao analyzed, pouting.

    An Zhiyuan, with keen interest, removed the towel, ¡°Then what would you do?¡±

    ¡°Well of course, I¡¯d ¡®kill with kindness¡¯! Think about it, all three of you are boys. If I really wanted to clear the way for my own child, I¡¯d just let you carry on with your headstrong ways,wlessly. In the future, that will be a concern. Once in society, who will let you do whatever you want? With your spoiled attitudes, you¡¯re bound to get whipped into shape by others. Then, I¡¯d raise my own child to be an excellent talent.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The hum from An Zhiyuan had a rising intonation, low and maic, like a small pebble tossed into her heart¡¯ske, rippling outwards.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You think I¡¯m being sneaky?¡± Bai Xiao didn¡¯t feel a shred of shame or self-consciousness.

    ¡°On the contrary, I think your method is good. If it were me, I¡¯d do the same. It¡¯s less trouble, and you end up with a good reputation, killing two birds with one stone.¡±

    Bai Xiao was so shocked she nearly fell back onto the bed. The An Zhiyuan in her eyes wore an ironed shirt, his tall and upright body standing before her, his features sharp and defined. His brow bones were slightly prominent, his eye sockets deeply set, and when he gauged her, those slightly squinted deep eyes seemed capable of ensnaring one¡¯s soul.

    ¡°Scared?¡±

    ¡°Not at all? I just find it unbelievable. Zhiyuan, you¡¯ve shattered the grand image of you in my heart!¡± She quirked up the corners of her lips.

    ¡°Xiaoxiao, this is who I am. I have a dark side too. Are you scared?¡±

    An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t want Bai Xiao to fear him, to distance herself from him. He wanted to show all sides of himself to the person he loved most.

    They were husband and wife, lovers who would share a bed for a lifetime, so he wanted to show Bai Xiao the most authentic version of himself.

    With her slender fingers resting on his broad shoulders, she looked down at him with bright, cat-like eyes, ¡°Not scared, I just suddenly feel it¡¯s real. If you were always so unworldly and honest, I would fear showing my frivolous and unstable side in front of you. Now that we are even, I¡¯m not afraid anymore. I like this side of you even more.¡± She kissed the corner of An Zhiyuan¡¯s lips.

    He gave her a gentle look, his deep voice bringing herfort.

    ¡°Lie down. I¡¯ll give you a massage, you¡¯ll feel much better.¡±

    Although a bit uneasy, sheplied, her sore muscles crying out for relief.

    She hadn¡¯t blushed in a long time, but suddenly she felt her cheeks grow hot. Even though her clothes didn¡¯t reveal any skin, she still felt a scorching heat. In fact, the way they were interacting now made the moment seem more intimate.

    He began massaging her legs, starting with gentle kneading at her ankles before moving up, working on her tense muscles. When his hands reached her calves, he heard her gasp in pain.

    ¡°Rx,¡± he murmured soothingly. ¡°Rx!¡±

    His touch was slow andsting, with the pressure concentrated at the tips of his fingers.

    After a while, she couldn¡¯t believe howfortable the massage felt, unable to resist the hallucinogenic drug-like enticement.

    Gradually, with his caressing hands, tension left her body. She heard herself uttering contented grunts and wanted to stop, since they sounded a bit too suggestive.

    She began to feel drowsy.

 Chapter 498 - 498 498 Braids (Monthly Ticket Additional

    ?Chapter 498: Chapter 498: Braids (Monthly Ticket Additional Release)   Chapter 498: Chapter 498: Braids (Monthly Ticket Additional Release)                                   He lowered his head to watch her, his lips slightly curved into a tender smile.

    She had fallen asleep.

    Asleep in blissfulfort.

    He looked down at her, at her silky, shiny ck hair scattered around her shoulders, at her thick, dark eyshes resting below her eyebrows, at her rxed, soft lips.

    As he massaged her aching muscles, the sounds she made reminded him of the noises made during an intimate embrace, prompting him to imagine what it would feel like inside her body.

    Raising his eyebrows, he sighed. The defenseless Bai Xiao, sleeping like the most beautiful angel, looked so inviting. He adjusted her pillow and tucked her in with theforter, wishing he could hold her tight in his arms and kiss her deeply and passionately.

    Instead, he let her go. Bai Xiao turned over and sank into the soft pillows, continuing to sleep soundly.

    His mind in turmoil, he closed his eyes and licked his lips, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing up and down. Frowning, his slender fingers methodically unbuttoned his shirt, one button at a time.

    Bai Xiao shifted restlessly but soon fell into a deep sleep again.

    She slept in a daze, only aware that the bed was incrediblyfortable, soft yet supportive, with a pleasant and reassuring scent.

    An Zhiyuan gave a bitter smile; a cold showerte at night was also satisfying.

    He had already lost control once yesterday, so today he decided to let her rest properly, having heard that a girl¡¯s first time can be quite difficult.

    He took the dishes away.

    This allowed him to leave the room filled with temptation. Before he left, he turned off the lights, leaving only a dim bedsidemp on.

    Before he even reached the stairs, he could hear Wei Shufen¡¯s angry exnations, ¡°Big brother, you can¡¯t do this! Just because I made a careless mistake once, you target me every time. An Cheng, if this continues, I won¡¯t handle the second brother¡¯s wedding. It¡¯s unrewarding, and you know well the situation at home. How much can Dad¡¯s sry be? The household expenses are significant, and Dad still likes to support hisrades. If you don¡¯t believe it! You can ask your father about this.¡±

    An Zhigao¡¯s voice was cold and scornful, ¡°You mean my dad can¡¯t afford to hold a wedding for the second brother? If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll talk to Dad. Since our family is already so poor, that¡¯s easy to handle. As a son, I¡¯ll arrange my brother¡¯s wedding myself. By that time, Dad better not feel embarrassed.¡± His words were shameless.

    Wei Shufen was infuriated. If you really want to hold a wedding for your brother, whye here and point fingers? Isn¡¯t this intentional?

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter you wanted to discuss with me?¡± An Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow; his father An Cheng had returned.

    Well, there¡¯s a mess brewing below.

    An Zhixiang appeared behind him, ¡°Second brother, why aren¡¯t you going down?¡± A curious gaze fell on the dishes in his hand. It was undoubtedly for that woman.

    ¡°Second brother, you can¡¯t spoil women like this, now you even have to bring meals to her room. If this continues, she might end up shitting on your neck. It¡¯s outrageous. Isn¡¯t a wife supposed to take care of her husband, making sure he¡¯s fed and clothed? Howe everything¡¯s different with her? You¡¯re a grown man, what face do you have left? I¡¯m going to tell Mom and Dad, this is uneptable.¡± This was a heavenly sin; wasn¡¯t every wife supposed to do housework and take care of her husband? Now everything was turned upside down for his second brother.

    An Zhixiang felt he had caught Bai Xiao¡¯s weakness.

 Chapter 499 - 499 499 I Have No Objection

    ?Chapter 499: Chapter 499 I Have No Objection   Chapter 499: Chapter 499 I Have No Objection                                   ¡°Your second sister-inw is my wife, not my mother; she doesn¡¯t need to take care of everything for me. I am a man, and it is a man who should take care of a woman. That¡¯s what should be done. Don¡¯t just spout nonsense there. Your second sister-inw is tired today; I told her to rest first. There¡¯s nothing wrong with that. You don¡¯t have a wife yet, so you wouldn¡¯t understand. Stop acting like you know everything.¡± An Zhiyuan walked away displeased. He couldn¡¯t stand his brother¡¯s chauvinistic thinking.

    ¡°A man should take care of a woman, but which family¡¯s woman requires her husband to bring meals to her room like your second sister-inw does? Will she need her husband to feed her next?¡± An Zhixiang couldn¡¯t stand it, seeing his own brother defend that girl.

    ¡°Which family¡¯s daughter-inw has stood on a minefield with me to defuse bombs like your second sister-inw? None? That¡¯s why she is not like others. Besides, she is my wife, and if I like to indulge her, it¡¯s none of your business, not even our father¡¯s. It¡¯s a private matter between spouses. Money can¡¯t buy my willingness. Don¡¯t make me hit you¡ªshow some respect for your second sister-inw, or else I won¡¯t mind teaching you what respect means.¡± An Zhiyuan left those words behind and went down to the kitchen.

    An Zhixiang was so blocked up he couldn¡¯t speak.

    His older brother rarelyid hands on him, but the few times he did were deeply memorable.

    Yes, just because of that time defusing bombs with her brother-inw, his second sister-inw had be a living example of glorious military spouse in the courtyard, even throughout the army.

    Everywhere they held activities to learn fromrade Bai Xiao, the model family member. Everyone said Bai Xiao was the most beautiful daughter-inw of the eighties.

    That single merit could makeup for all her faults. Even if heined to their father, could a father-inw possibly criticize his own daughter-inw?

    For the first time, An Zhixiang felt somewhat powerless.

    His brother had changed so much.

    Every time he saw Ding Min before, he was cold as ice. He barely spoke or smiled, always finding excuses to leave. The goodness Ding Min spoke of in his brother, he really couldn¡¯t see at all.

    Look at his brother now¡ªthat¡¯s real kindness to a wife.

    Ding Min, oh.

    Perhaps she really was delusional.

    An Zhixiang felt a pang in his heart. Ding Min¡¯s liking for his older brother was the undeniable truth, while his own feelings for Ding Min wereplicated, as his mother did not hope Ding Min would marry him.

    And Ding Min couldn¡¯t possibly marry him either, because her affection had always been for his brother¡ªwho could really say who was better?

    If Ding Min had been willing to marry him, maybe he would have treated Ding Min as his brother did now, sparing no effort to bring her meals or wash her feet. Whatever he did for the woman he loved was justified.

    Suddenly, he understood his brother all at once.

    His brother must really like Bai Xiao.

    Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t treat a woman like this.

    An Zhiyuan came out, and An Cheng stopped him.

    He knew today¡¯s issue wasn¡¯t over yet.

    ¡°Ayuan, I¡¯ve decided to hold your wedding in the cafeteria, about 20 tables. Just some simple firecrackers and a ceremony. Do you have any objections?¡±

    An Zhiyuan pursed his lips.

    Of course, he was siding with Wei Shufen. Actually, it didn¡¯t matter to him. The real wedding he and Bai Xiao cared about was not here.

    Frankly, if it weren¡¯t necessary to hold this ceremony because of the old man, they would rather not deal with so much hassle here.

    It¡¯s exhausting, having a wedding just for others to see.

    ¡°Dad, I have no objections!¡±

    An Zhigao gave a snort.

    ¡°Dad, asking him like that, how do you expect him to answer?¡± Displeased with his father¡¯s autocracy.

    ¡°Don¡¯t butt in here. They are my son and daughter-inw. Thrift is a virtue; why should we be so extravagantly wasteful? I¡¯m telling you, stop finding faults and head back to your own house. You¡¯re already married; what are you doing hanging around here all the time?¡± An Cheng gave an order.

    An Zhigao mmed the door as he left.

 Chapter 500 - 500 500 The Troublemaker Finally Arrives

    ?Chapter 500: Chapter 500 The Troublemaker Finally Arrives   Chapter 500: Chapter 500 The Troublemaker Finally Arrives                                   An Zhigao returned home in a huff, and his wife could tell by his expression that he had been upset at his parents¡¯ house again.

    She didn¡¯t bother with him.

    An Zhigao was usually a smart, rational man! But whenever he returned to the An Family home, he seemed topletely lose his intelligence.

    He deserved to be upset because he brought it upon himself.

    Then An Zhiyuan called An Zhigao.

    After talking with An Zhiyuan for quite a while, An Zhigao burst intoughter, hugging his wife so happily that all his teeth showed in his grin.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on with you? What¡¯s so funny?¡±

    A moment ago it was all doom and gloom, and now suddenly it¡¯s partly cloudy. What on earth did he say to the younger brother to make him so happy?

    ¡°Some secrets can¡¯t be revealed.¡±

    An Zhigao flicked his wife¡¯s nose. Although she wasn¡¯t beautiful and came from a humble background, she was the one who had stood by his side through all the hard times, so even if he was irritable outside, seeing his wife at home always gradually calmed him down.

    ¡°You and your ¡®secrets can¡¯t be revealed,¡¯ who do you think you are, some kind of grandmaster?¡±

    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m not telling you. Let¡¯s go to bed.¡± He swept his wife off her feet and headed for the bedroom, leaving a room filled with intimacy behind.

    The next day, An Zhiyuan¡¯s wedding invitations were sent out. The wedding would take ce tomorrow, and all the guests were invited to attend.

    There wasn¡¯t much they needed to prepare at home; everything that needed to be ready was set.

    Bai Xiao prepared two sets of formal attire for herself and An Zhiyuan. All that fancy, frilly dressing-up was not only tacky but also vulgar. If they were of such status, getting married in uniform was not only dignified but also sharp and spirited, emitting a robust aura.

    Far better than those shy red padded jackets and trousers. She wouldn¡¯t let herself be caught up in such vulgar tastes. Nowadays, there was no talk of wedding dresses¡ªjust the thought of how bulky she¡¯d look in those heavy cotton-padded clothes, Bai Xiao definitely did not want to be that kind of bride.

    As dusk fell, someone arrived at the house.

    An unwee guest.

    Of course, this was in the eyes of An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao.

    Ding Min, the childhood friend, had been conspicuously absent all this time, and Bai Xiao had found it very strange.

    And now, she finally showed up, albeitte.

    Ding Min came with red eyes, clearly showing she had been crying a lot.

    Originally, Wei Shufen had warned her over the phone not to make a scene¡ªafter all, with Wei Shufen, the aunt, there, she didn¡¯t want her niece to cause an uproar that would embarrass the An Family, not to mention that if she left a bad impression on An Cheng, it could ruin any chance of a good future for Ding Min.

    Clearly, Ding Min didn¡¯t take it to heart.

    As she entered, An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao were in the living room checking the guest list.

    Ding Min came in crying and sobbing, and as soon as she saw An Zhiyuan, she rushed at him crying, but An Zhiyuan, seeing the situation was bad, quickly stood up and stepped aside.

    Ding Min lunged at thin air.

    ¡°Big Brother An, why are you treating me like this? How can you do this to me?¡± Ding Min had not expected An Zhiyuan, who had always been fairly warm to her¡ªat least not as cold as he was to other women¡ªto suddenly avoid her today.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s mouth twitched. How have I wronged you?

    ¡°Ding Min, let¡¯s talk calmly. I¡¯m a married man. It¡¯s not appropriate for you to throw yourself at me like this. It doesn¡¯t look good. Please pay attention to your behavior and show some self-respect.¡± This statement was a serious blow to one¡¯s self-esteem.

    ¡°Big Brother An, you didn¡¯t used to treat me like this. I¡¯ve cared for you for so many years, can that really notpare to this woman¡¯s two years? What¡¯s so good about her?¡± Ding Min was not willing to give up.

    After all these years of waiting, to end up not being the bride.

    The trouble was, this girl had never understood the difference between unrequited love and a rtionship.

 Chapter 501 - 501 501 Unwilling to Accept This

    ?Chapter 501: Chapter 501: Unwilling to ept This   Chapter 501: Chapter 501: Unwilling to ept This                                   ¡°Ding Min, I think you¡¯ve misunderstood. All these years, I¡¯ve always regarded you as a sister, just a rtive¡¯s child. I¡¯ve never said anything that would make you misunderstand. Not before, and certainly not now. You should go back to your own life, finding a good man should be easy for you. Don¡¯t fixate on something that¡¯s not meant to be. I¡¯m actually not as good as you think,¡± An Zhiyuan said patiently, trying to persuade her, knowing he couldn¡¯t just throw her out.

    Seeing his wife¡¯s mocking smile as she looked at him sent a chill through his heart.

    This spelled a reckoninge autumn.

    His marital bliss.

    ¡°Big Brother An, I waited for you for so many years, and you say you think of me as a sister? Which brother¡¯s sister would go out of her way to bring him cold medicine? Which brother¡¯s sister would want to marry him? You understand my feelings, why would you treat me this way? What¡¯s wrong with me? Compared to her, the only things Ick are being a doctor and standing by your side like she did. If I had been the one to go there, I could have stood by your side through life and death too. You can¡¯t just dismiss everything because of that. What passed between us was a missed opportunity.

    It¡¯s all Aunt Wei¡¯s fault. If she hadn¡¯t insisted on transferring Bai Xiao there, none of what followed would have happened. I won¡¯t ept this!¡±

    Bai Xiao lowered her eyes, her smile turning into a smirk. This Ding Min was really quite the unhelpful teammate.

    Wei Shufen¡¯s face darkened as she scolded Ding Min sharply, ¡°Xiaomin, what are you spouting nonsense about? Bai Xiao¡¯s transfer was arranged by your uncle, if you don¡¯t know, then don¡¯t babble nonsense everywhere. And look at yourself, there are plenty of fish in the sea. Stop causing a scene here.¡± Her niece was simply not thinking straight. Love could really cloud a person¡¯s judgment.

    Ding Min had always been pampered by her family since childhood and had never failed to get what she wanted. Her frustration and anger were at boiling point.

    ¡°You always say I¡¯m talking nonsense, but this woman is not a match for my Big Brother An.¡±

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s expression turned grim. This was not the first time she¡¯d made such outrageous statements, insulting his wife. His face turned cold, ¡°Ding Min, this is my wife. If I really took your words seriously, you could face legal consequences. I advise you to leave now, and stop saying anything to nder my wife; otherwise, don¡¯t me me for being rude to you.¡±

    Ding Min cried out loud, her sobs heart-wrenching. She had always believed she was meant to be An Zhiyuan¡¯s wife, that this ce should have been hers. But now everything had turned to smoke. All the tenderness and concern An Zhiyuan had were for that other woman. Look at how gently Big Brother An smiled at that woman, the lovey-dovey way they looked at each other, as if afraid others wouldn¡¯t know they were husband and wife. All of this should have been hers.

    It was supposed to be hers!

    Ding Min, driven by fury, grabbed a fruit knife from the fruit te on the table and charged at Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao had intended to keep a low profile; after all, what was a wife to say in such a situation?

    She wasn¡¯t skilled in dealing with such a childhood sweetheart, and An Zhiyuan was already speaking eloquent words of defense. It wasn¡¯t her ce to get angry.

    Besides, it wasn¡¯t the first time Ding Min had ranted at her; she decided to endure it.

    After all, there was no need for her to confront the issue head-on; as long as it didn¡¯t interfere with her own little life, Ding Min could rant as much as she pleased.

    Who doesn¡¯t have an admirer or two?

    Who would have known that their family¡¯s An¡ªher husband, could attract admirers even better than she could.

 Chapter 502 - 502 502 Attempted Murder

    ?Chapter 502: Chapter 502: Attempted Murder   Chapter 502: Chapter 502: Attempted Murder                                   As a result, an emergency suddenly urred.

    Bai Xiao was sitting on the sofa when Ding Min, holding a fruit knife across the ss coffee table, lunged at her. Even a fool would know to dodge.

    Moreover, An Zhiyuan was not someone to be trifled with. Seeing the situation go south, he kicked Ding Min away, shielding Bai Xiao. But the fruit knife still stabbed into An Zhiyuan¡¯s shoulder, its gleaming de trembling on his shoulder.

    Ding Min was kicked by An Zhiyuan and fell directly onto the ss coffee table.

    The sudden turn of events stunned everyone.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯splexion changed, not because of the pain from the injury but because if he hadn¡¯t shielded Bai Xiao, the knife would now be in her face. Bai Xiao was also startled.

    Nobody had anticipated Ding Min¡¯s unexpected actions. Bai Xiao thought of dodging, but her movement surely wasn¡¯t as quick as Ding Min¡¯s. If An Zhiyuan hadn¡¯t blocked it, her face¡­?

    Wiping her face, she was still in shock.

    She had been through many significant events and wasn¡¯t scared by this one, plus the injury was not severe enough to cause permanent damage. Besides, her ¡°special ability¡± wasn¡¯t for show. However, the wedding tomorrow might only feature a disfigured bride.

    She couldn¡¯t very well show up tomorrow with an unscathed face after being injured today; that would tantly tell people something was off.

    But An Zhiyuan¡¯s injury also pained her.

    Grabbing An Zhiyuan¡¯s arm, she pulled him to sit down and checked his wound. The cut seemed deep, but luckily it had missed the artery. ¡°Do we have a first aid kit at home?¡±

    Wei Shufen finally snapped out of her daze and nced at Ding Min. What a disaster this woman had caused.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get it!¡±

    At this time, of course, the priority was to minimize the severity of An Zhiyuan¡¯s injury. This was not adding trouble for herself. Just when things had started to settle down and An Zhigao had stopped causing trouble, this incident happened. Now, with An Zhigao¡¯s brotherly feelings, it was hard to predict how he might react.

    An Zhixiang went to help Ding Min. It wasn¡¯t proper for a girl to be lying amongst shards of ss, nor did he understand what Ding Min was thinking¡ªdid she no longer want to live?

    It seemed good days had been too abundant.

    Helping Ding Min up, he realized something was wrong. Ding Min wasn¡¯t lying amidst the ss because she was too scared to get up after causing trouble; she had fainted. Half her face was severelycerated from hitting the ss, and arge shard had prated Ding Min¡¯s abdomen.

    ¡°Second brother, this¡­ there¡¯s been an ident!¡±

    Bai Xiao nced at Ding Min and picked up the phone. An Zhixiang felt somewhat grateful, at least his sister-inw seemed sensible. Even after Ding Min¡¯s actions towards her, she knew to call for emergency services.

    ¡°Comrade! We need to call the police! Yes, the address is such and such¡­ A woman has attacked someone with a knife, please send an ambnce, someone is seriously injured. Alright, alright.¡±

    An Zhixiang couldn¡¯t believe it, at a time like this, Bai Xiao was actually calling the police.

    How could she be so heartless?

    The look in his eyes was unfriendly, and Bai Xiao red back fiercely. Who¡¯s afraid of whom? Is it apetition to see whose eyes are bigger?

    ¡°Sister-inw, even with Ding Min like this, you still call the police¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t finish his sentence, implying that Bai Xiao was narrow-minded.

    ¡°Younger brother, don¡¯t get confused here. She wanted to attack someone. If your brother hadn¡¯t protected me, the knife in his shoulder would be in my face right now. Instead of worrying about your brother¡¯s injury, you dare to use me? Let me tell you, today¡¯s incident involves serious criminal liability, and we will not tolerate such attempted murder.¡± Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t nning to smooth things over.

    We¡¯re notparing miseries to see who deserves sympathy.

 Chapter 503 - 503 503 Just as Expected

    ?Chapter 503: Chapter 503: Just as Expected   Chapter 503: Chapter 503: Just as Expected                                   ¡°She¡­ she has already suffered enough¡­¡± An Zhixiang also felt that whatever he said was inappropriate.

    The person over there was also his second brother.

    ¡°Don¡¯t turn your back on your own family!¡± An Zhiyuan gritted his teeth, the wound was very painful, although not much blood was flowing, but it hurt fiercely. He was no stranger to bumps and bruises, as he had sustained more serious injuries during training, but what angered him was that if Bai Xiao had been the one to take this knife, what would his condition be now.

    Just thinking about it made An Zhiyuan shudder.

    An Zhixiang¡¯s voice gradually softened.

    The ambnce and police car arrived together, Wei Shufen was upstairs calling An Cheng, today¡¯s event was too significant, and she feared An Zhiyuan couldn¡¯t cover it up, she could only seek help from An Cheng.

    Before she could get through, the siren from the police car downstairs had already caused her to panic.

    She rushed downstairs only to see Ding Min being carried out on a stretcher to the ambnce, and two police officers were talking with An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao with furrowed brows.

    She had a bad feeling about this.

    An Zhiyuan was the one who was most likely to be harsh even to his own kin.

    This time, it seemed Ding Min had hit a wall.

    ¡°Officer, that¡¯s exactly what happened.¡± An Zhiyuan had just finished exining.

    When the police looked at An Zhiyuan¡¯s injury, ¡°You should also go to the hospital for a medical examination, to get treatment and to prevent any possibleplications.¡± Seeing the pity on the police¡¯s face, Wei Shufen knew she was in trouble.

    She hurriedly intervened.

    ¡°Ayuan, let¡¯s get you to the hospital now!¡± She knew that unless An Zhiyuan backed down, there would be no end to this.

    An Zhiyuan really didn¡¯t want to keep up the pretense, ¡°Little brother, take me to the hospital! Hurry up.¡±

    Bai Xiao was already carefully helping him out the door, Wei Shufen felt a bit humiliated, only An Zhiyuan dared to treat her with such disdain.

    Of course, An Zhigao wasn¡¯t there, if he had been! The situation for Ding Min might not be the same; it would be questionable whether she would still be alive.

    ¡°Officer.¡±

    She stopped the two police officers, fearing they had already formed their own opinions and that if Ding Min really was charged, there would be no way to negotiate.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°The one who was injured just now is my son, and the one who fainted is my niece!¡± Her face flushed as she said this.

    What aplete mess this was.

    The police were surprised, their eyes filled with confusion.

    The two officers exchanged nces.

    This family¡¯s situation was a thorough mess.

    ¡°This issue is an internal conflict within our family, and someone was identally injured. Could you allow us to resolve this privately? After all, we are one family, we are rtives, this event clearly wasn¡¯t intentional, and it would make future interactions within the family awkward if we pursue it legally,¡± she tried to sway the matter towards being a family issue.

    The police were amused.

    ¡°Are you the biological mother of that injured young man?¡±

    That question made Wei Shufen¡¯s face go pale.

    ¡°I¡­ am¡­ his stepmother,¡± she stuttered, clearly ufortable saying it.

    Sure enough, as soon as she said it, the officers¡¯ gazes toward her became even more dismissive.

    It was clear disdain.

    ¡°We thought as much. While this matter may be an internal family conflict, the injured party has strongly demanded the punishment of the perpetrator. If you truly wish to withdraw the case, then the victim themselves must personally go to cancel the case, and I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll need to speak with your son about this,¡± one officer said, still professional in his duties.

    Wei Shufen had no choice but to sheepishly see the police out.

    The two officers got into their car, but Wei Shufen could still overhear their conversation from afar.

    ¡°It figures, if she¡¯s not the biological mother then of course she would side with her niece.¡±

    ¡°These young folks nowadays, resorting to knives at the drop of a hat. And it¡¯s a young girl who dared to stab someone,ing from a family of officials, tsk!¡±

    Wei Shufen¡¯s faced turned an iron shade of blue.

 Chapter 504 - 504 504 Massive Hemorrhage

    ?Chapter 504: Chapter 504 Massive Hemorrhage   Chapter 504: Chapter 504 Massive Hemorrhage                                   Wei Shufen hurriedly called her younger sister.

    Such a serious ident had happened to Ding Min, and it wouldn¡¯t have been right not to notify them.

    After hanging up the phone and not waiting for An Cheng to arrive, she could only have the driver take her to the hospital immediately. Ding Min¡¯s condition was still unstable, and who knew what would happen next.

    And then there was An Zhiyuan, as a stepmother, she absolutely had to be present in the hospital.

    Her mind was in a turmoil throughout the journey, but upon arrival at the hospital, and rushing to the ward, she saw that the doctors were looking for Ding Min¡¯s family members.

    She hurried over.

    ¡°Doctor! I am Ding Min¡¯s aunt,¡± she said.

    The doctor nced at Wei Shufen, and it was clear from one look that the woman before him was likely an official.

    ¡°Ding Min¡¯s facial wounds have been treated and bandaged. However, the most severe injury is the piece of ss that pierced her abdomen and damaged her uterus, especially since the ss has cut the main artery. We must perform surgery to remove the uterus,¡± the doctor exined.

    Wei Shufen had anticipated that Ding Min would be injured, but she had not anticipated the injuries to be this severe.

    ¡°No! That¡¯s not eptable! Doctor, she¡¯s not married yet, she hasn¡¯t had children. If her uterus is removed, what will she do in the future?¡±

    More importantly, how was she to exin this to her sister and brother-inw now.

    ¡°If we don¡¯t remove it, she is in immediate life-threatening danger. The family needs to make a decision quickly. We¡¯re trying to transfuse blood to buy some time, but if you don¡¯t make a decision soon, I¡¯m afraid it might be life-threatening.¡± The doctor understood the family¡¯s feelings, but such a decision had to be made quickly, or else if the patient inside faced life-threateningplications, no one could bear that responsibility.

    Wei Shufen,pletely frantic, immediately borrowed a public phone to call the Head of Surgery at the provincial hospital.

    When Wei Shuxia and her husband arrived, several heads of surgery from the provincial hospital had also arrived and were in the operating room discussing Ding Min¡¯s case.

    Wei Shuxia¡¯s face turned pale with urgency upon seeing Wei Shufen. Her own daughter had been in a bad mood these past few days, especially that morning, when they received Wei Shufen¡¯s phone call, only to learn that An Zhiyuan was getting married the next day. This news was like a bombshell that left the family of three reeling.

    They had always assumed An Zhiyuan would marry their own daughter, considering Ding Min and An Zhiyuan had grown up together, and their sister had always been pushing for the marriage. Ding Min was always full of confidence, believing she would be An Zhiyuan¡¯s wife.

    Out of the blue came the news that An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao were already married, and especially the wedding of Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan was known to almost everyone in thepound.

    At first, their daughter refused to believe it, thinking it must be a rumor. She wanted to hear it from An Zhiyuan himself; only then would she believe it.

    But now, even the wedding invitations had appeared.

    And then, Ding Min lost itpletely, smashing everything in her room to bits and crying and making a scene for hours on end. No matter how they tried to console her, they couldn¡¯t calm her down.

    She ran out on her own, and they thought she just needed some time to clear her mind¡ªafter all, who hasn¡¯t experienced heartbreak before?

    But they never expected that just a few hourster, a phone call came, and their daughter was already in the hospital.

    ¡°Sister, how is Xiaomin now? What exactly happened? Why has Xiaomin ended up like this?¡±

    Wei Shufen, exhausted, rubbed her temples; the results of the expert consultation were still pending.

    ¡°The doctor said Xiaomin is hemorrhaging. She needs her uterus removed.¡±

 Chapter 505 - 505 505 Preserve

    ?Chapter 505: Chapter 505: Preserve   Chapter 505: Chapter 505: Preserve                                   ¡°What? A hysterectomy?¡±

    Wei Shuxia almost fainted, and Ding Xiangqian immediately supported his wife and helped her sit down on a chair.

    ¡°Big sister, what exactly is going on here? How did Xiaomin get to the point of needing a hysterectomy?¡± Although Ding Xiangqian knew that his way of questioning Wei Shufen was inappropriate, he couldn¡¯t help it; she was his own daughter, raised like a precious pearl, and his only child. Now that such a big incident had happened to his child, his fatherly tone was harsh, and rightfully so.

    Wei Shufen red, ¡°How dare you even ask? Xiaomin had barely said two words after arriving at the An family¡¯s home when she picked up a knife to stab Bai Xiao. Ayuan blocked her and kicked her away, causing her to crash into a ss table, shattering the coffee table, and resulting in her current injury. Now, Ayuan is in the Surgery emergency room being treated for his wounds.¡±

    These two even had the audacity to question her. Little did they know the trouble their daughter had caused.

    Ding Xiangqian was stunned, ¡°Impossible, how could Xiaomin hurt someone?¡±

    His daughter, although somewhat spoiled, didn¡¯t have many bad habits, let alone the extremity of using a knife and drawing blood. That was a big deal. A girl seeing blood might be terrified to death, let alone have the courage to stab someone with a knife.

    No matter what, Ding Xiangqian couldn¡¯t believe this fact.

    Wei Shuxia burst into loud wails,pletely ignoring her appearance, and everyone passing by the emergency room couldn¡¯t help but turn their eyes towards them.

    Wei Shufen wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into; how could her sister be so disregarding of her image?

    ¡°My poor Xiaomin, she isn¡¯t even married yet, hasn¡¯t had children, and now if her uterus is removed, can she still be considered aplete woman? How can she live her future days like this?¡±

    Ding Xiangqian also sat dumbfounded in his chair, his mind still unable to catch up with the events.

    Everything happened too suddenly.

    The doctor had alreadye out.

    ¡°Don¡¯t shout, this is a hospital, not a marketce, go outside if you want to cry. The patient inside is already quite unstable. Your crying like this will only worsen their condition,¡± said the expert who came out, visibly impatient with Wei Shuxia¡¯s wailing.

    Wei Shufen hurried forward, as the expert was invited through An Cheng¡¯s influence.

    ¡°Director Wei, how is it?¡±

    ¡°Surgery needs to be performed as soon as possible. She has already lost a lot of blood. We¡¯ll try our best to save her uterus, but we can¡¯t guarantee to what extent we can save it; however, given the many experts here and after thorough consultation, there is still a significant chance,¡± the expert¡¯s response immediately calmed Wei Shufen¡¯s heart.

    As long as the uterus wasn¡¯t removed, it was better than anything; at the very least, there would be a future after recovery.

    ¡°Then please take care of it, and after youe out, An Cheng and I will treat you and everyone to a meal to express our gratitude,¡± Wei Shufen said politely to Director Wei.

    An hourter, the surgery was very sessful.

    Ding Min had been wheeled out of the surgery room and transferred to the VIP ward.

    In the end, her uterus was saved.

    Wei Shuxia and Ding Xiangqian stood by their daughter¡¯s side, Wei Shufen only then noticing that Ding Min¡¯s face was wrapped in gauze.

    But the matter was not yet resolved, although Ding Min¡¯s uterus had been saved, if An Zhiyuan insisted on involving the police, the issue would not be considered closed.

    She hurried to the emergency room.

    Upon arrival, she found out that An Zhiyuan had already treated his wounds and gone home with Bai Xiao.

 Chapter 506 - 506 506 Dont Mess Around

    ?Chapter 506: Chapter 506: Don¡¯t Mess Around   Chapter 506: Chapter 506: Don¡¯t Mess Around                                   On the way back in the car, Bai Xiao clung tightly to An Zhiyuan¡¯s hand, and only at this moment did she feel reassured.

    The wound had actually been healed by her special ability and there was no serious problem, but she was still worried.

    For no apparent reason, Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes reddened, and she leaned toward him, intimately wrapping her arms around his: ¡°Why did you do that? If you hadn¡¯t rushed over, I would have dodged it. Do you know how scared I am that something might happen to you?¡±

    At this moment, she didn¡¯t want to pretend to be strong anymore. She wanted to tell him about her worries; she wanted him to always be well.

    Her special ability could even revive the dead, but it only worked if the person was still alive.

    If the knife had been a few inches lower, it would have been An Zhiyuan¡¯s heart at risk.

    Even if she had her special ability to rescue him, it would still have been extremely risky.

    Every time she thought about how An Zhiyuan had protected her at all costs, nearly losing his own life, she felt terrified.

    An Zhiyuan hugged her back, his uninjured arm wrapping around her tightly¡­

    Heforted her by her ear, ¡°See, I¡¯m fine, right? I know my own skills. If it hadn¡¯t been for not wanting to take Ding Min¡¯s life, the knife probably wouldn¡¯t have ended up in my shoulder.¡±

    Bai Xiao¡¯s tears almost fell, she clung tightly to his chest but identally touched An Zhiyuan¡¯s wound. An Zhiyuan clenched his teeth and without a change in expression, shifted his body slightly, a movement that Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t miss.

    She clenched his fingers, interlocking their hands. Lifting her tearful eyes to meet An Zhiyuan¡¯s gaze, she felt a warm current spreading outward from where their fingers touched, quickly turning into a small river, a warm and lively river flowing through his body.

    Then it reached his wound, hovering, dancing over it, and the previously scorching wound began to cool and feelfortable. Gradually, he felt as if the wound was healing, that familiar scene he had witnessed reappeared. His eyes seemed to have X-ray vision, able to prate his clothing and gauze, watching the flesh at the wound slowly regenerate and the injury mend until it was fully healed.

    Just as he had seen before, that miraculous scene, the warm flow retreated quickly after healing his wound, tracing back along the path it came, quickly returning to the space between their linked fingers and then to Bai Xiao¡¯s chest, where it settled like a transparent bead, still and silent.

    Bai Xiao looked straight at him, seeing the understanding in his eyes, unabashed and open.

    An Zhiyuan lowered his head to kiss her forehead, murmuring a word of caution to her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be reckless in the future!¡±

    This was a warning.

    He didn¡¯t know whether others could see the healing when Bai Xiao treated them; this time, he waspletely certain that it had nothing to do with acupuncture, because Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t holding a silver needle in her hand.

    But this secret could kill. He didn¡¯t want to know whether others had such an experience! Yet, if Bai Xiao¡¯s ability were to be noticed, the consequences wouldn¡¯t be pleasant.

    He didn¡¯t permit any harm toe to Bai Xiao, not in the slightest.

    Bai Xiao leaned into his embrace, her contentment amusing him; he was so worried, yet that girl was still humming a tune!

    ¡°Only you feel this way; no one else does!¡±

    This was her only revtion.

    An Zhiyuan held her tight, ¡°Even so, don¡¯t be reckless. You are very important to me, more so than anyone or anything else. Remember, your life isn¡¯t just yours. I saved you before, so your life is ours, we are to spend our lives together. I don¡¯t want anything to jeopardize that.¡±

    Bai Xiao nodded obediently, ¡°I¡¯m a doctor, a really amazing acupuncture doctor!¡±

    An Zhiyuan sighed!

 Chapter 507 - 507 507 No Intention of Keeping the Peace

    ?Chapter 507: Chapter 507: No Intention of Keeping the Peace   Chapter 507: Chapter 507: No Intention of Keeping the Peace                                   When An Cheng returned home, he had been anxiously waiting for half the day. Wei Shufen had called him, but he missed her call, and onlyter received a call at home. That was how he learned about the significant incident that had urred, so he hurried back home, but without knowing the details, he didn¡¯t feel it was appropriate to rashly go to the hospital.

    After all, what the housekeeper told him was that Ding Min had stabbed An Zhiyuan, and An Zhiyuan had knocked Ding Min unconscious by kicking her.

    How could An Cheng not be angry?

    Ding Min had actually injured his own son.

    Even if he had felt positively towards Ding Min, noting that she was a respectable junior who could be his daughter-inw, injuring his son was uneptable.

    It was a stroke of luck that they hadn¡¯t married. If they had, which couple doesn¡¯t argue? To resort to violence during an argument?

    Ten sons wouldn¡¯t be enough for Ding Min to run through.

    An Cheng was even more upset that he had initially thought this marriage was a good match. He truly was blind.

    What made him angrier was the reputation it could create. The news about An Zhiyuan getting violent with a woman, he knew that Ding Min must have driven his son into a corner, otherwise An Zhiyuan wouldn¡¯t haveid a hand on a woman. However, outsiders didn¡¯t know the truth, and it could be said that An Zhiyuan hit a woman, which wouldn¡¯t sound good at all.

    The wedding was to be held tomorrow, and such a significant event had happened today. How would his old friends andrades view his family now?

    Thest time An Cheng felt utterly disgraced beyond recovery was during An Zhigao¡¯s scandal. He couldn¡¯t control what others thought, but he knew they said things behind his back, though they wouldn¡¯t mention it in front of him.

    This time it might be even worse; everyone who heard about it might find it sensational.

    This could be the death of him.

    His son had been doing just fine; why did it have toe to this, pushing him into such turmoil? A joyous asion had turned into this.

    Seeing An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiaoe in, An Cheng asked in a somber voice, ¡°How is it? Is the injury bad?¡± He had to concern himself with his son, of course. The obvious bloodstains and tears on the clothing made the recent peril all too real.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s just a surface wound. The doctor said if it had been a bit lower, it would have hit the heart,¡± Bai Xiao answered on his behalf.

    ¡°¡­ How is she?¡± An Cheng asked, referring to Ding Min, which was clear to all three of them.

    ¡°What else can we do? When we were leaving, we heard the doctor mention that your aunt had called in Surgery specialists from the provincial hospital for a consultation. Her injuries are quite severe, and the situation isn¡¯t looking good,¡± said An Zhiyuan, clearly frustrated when he thought of Ding Min.

    ¡°She¡¯s your aunt, and it wouldn¡¯t be right not to help!¡± An Cheng was worried An Zhiyuan might resent Wei Shufen.

    ¡°Dad, don¡¯t say that to me. That woman is now injured and hospitalized, and she¡¯ll probablye to make trouble at our house. I¡¯ve already called the police. I won¡¯t coddle her because she¡¯s a woman. She tried to use a knife this time; who knows what she¡¯ll do next time? If we don¡¯t teach her a lesson, she¡¯ll only be more arrogant. Don¡¯t talk to me about keeping the peace; this isn¡¯t over. She dared to use a knife on my wife, and I won¡¯t let it go,¡± An Zhiyuan said coldly, preempting anything An Cheng might have said.

    ¡°Dad, Ayuan is tired, we¡¯ll go upstairs now,¡± Bai Xiao said, supporting An Zhiyuan up the stairs.

    Watching his son and daughter-inw head upstairs, An Chengpletely lost any remaining fondness for his niece Ding Min. An Zhiyuan was not ready to let things go, and his wife would probably intercede upon her return, giving him a headache.

    He was caught in a difficult position between them.

 Chapter 508 - 508 508 Awakening

    ?Chapter 508: Chapter 508: Awakening   Chapter 508: Chapter 508: Awakening                                   In the hospital room where Ding Min was, the effects of the anesthesia slowly faded, and she gradually opened her eyes to the buzzing of people talking nearby.

    All her memories came rushing back at once. She was so furious, knife in hand, ready to kill Bai Xiao, that woman who had audaciously taken away the happiness that belonged to her, her man, her position, the man she had loved for almost a lifetime. She couldn¡¯t swallow this indignation.

    From a young age, she had been the pampered darling, and the superior living standard at home had given her a huge sense of superiority. Whatever she wanted, she could have, whether it was in studies, work, or even friends. But now, the setback she was experiencing in her rtionship was almost unbearable for her.

    She had intended to die together with Bai Xiao, but Ayuan had, for that woman, not only taken a stab from her but also knocked her unconscious.

    She felt something hit her, and then pain shot through her entire body, causing her to lose consciousness.

    Is this in the hospital now?

    How is Ayuan?

    She didn¡¯t know if her stab had gravely injured An Zhiyuan; she had been so enraged at the time that she hadn¡¯t held back at all.

    ¡°Now you need¡­ to recuperate well, otherwise¡­ if the wound worsens, the only option¡­ will be to remove the uterus, and for the next three to five¡­ years, she won¡¯t be able to get pregnant. Yes! Getting pregnant will be¡­ a dangerous thing for her. You all need to pay attention to this problem,¡± came the intermittent voices of a conversation.

    When a person has just been pulled back from the brink of death, all their senses be particrly acute. Ding Min¡¯s eyes flickered, and those words became clearer and clearer in her mind.

    Remove the uterus?

    Unable to get pregnant?

    These revtions threw her already muddled mind into greater chaos. She couldn¡¯t move her body, feeling the urge to, yet unable to do so.

    Moreover, she felt the pain from her wound intensifying, spreading from her abdomen upward. Suddenly, Ding Min screamed loudly; she did not want her uterus removed.

    Her somewhat hysterical cries rmed everyone, including several doctors. After a quick check, the doctor instructed that she needed to be careful with the wound. Now was not the time to be reckless. After twenty-four hours, she needed to walk around to expel gases to prevent intestinal adhesions.

    After the doctor left, it was clear to everyone that it wasn¡¯t suitable for them to stay there anymore; the girl needed her family to console her.

    Wei Shuxia, seeing her daughter awake, joyfully grasped Ding Min¡¯s hand, her eyes brimming with tears as she said, ¡°Good child! It¡¯s good that you¡¯ve woken up, it¡¯s good, it¡¯s all right, nothing¡¯s wrong.¡± A woman¡¯s uterus is not unlike a second life; preserving the uterus meant that Ding Min was still aplete woman.

    ¡°Mom, what happened to my uterus? I don¡¯t want it removed, I don¡¯t! I can¡¯t have it removed; would I still be a woman then? If that¡¯s the case, I might as well not live,¡± Ding Min truly felt like dying. She had heard of some women who had to have their uteri removed due to cancer or childbirth; those women all seemed to age quickly, and a woman¡¯s aging was closely rted to the uterus.

    Moreover, she hadn¡¯t had children yet.

    Without a uterus, what would she do with her life?

    Wei Shuxiaforted her, ¡°It¡¯s okay, we won¡¯t remove your uterus. The doctors have already operated and sutured the wound. As long as you recover well, there shouldn¡¯t be any major issues. We definitely won¡¯t remove the uterus. Rest assured, your aunt has brought in the best doctor, and nothing will happen to you.¡±

    Only then did Ding Min notice that Wei Shufen was also in the hospital room.

 Chapter 509 - 509 509 Putting on a Play

    ?Chapter 509: Chapter 509: Putting on a y   Chapter 509: Chapter 509: Putting on a y                                   ¡°Auntie!¡± Ding Min¡¯s imposing manner faltered instantly when she knew her aunt was also here. She could be tough in front of her own parents because they let her get away with it, but her aunt was probably furious with what she had done.

    Wei Shufen gave Ding Min a nce. Even though she was brimming with annoyance at that moment, she could not vent it out.

    After all, she couldn¡¯t very well upset Ding Min right after her surgery.

    But this was a really passive situation. How was she going to face An Cheng when she got back?

    With a faint word offort, ¡°Take good care of yourself, I need to go,¡± she left the hospital room.

    She had her own problems to worry about.

    Ding Xiangqian followed her out.

    The police had alreadye when Ding Min was unconscious. Although he had managed to fend them off with the fact that Ding Min was stitose, the police would definitely consult with the doctor. Ding Min couldn¡¯t hide for long, and even he knew this was a criminal case¡ªserious or not, mainly because they were rtives! If they really abided by ¡®no report, no case,¡¯ perhaps they could still muddle through this as a family conflict.

    But who was An Zhiyuan? And what kind of person was An Cheng?

    Since An Zhiyuan¡¯s first reaction was to call the police, not an ambnce, that made clear his stance. After all, being stabbed was not something one could easily get over.

    Now the only hope was Wei Shufen, his aunt. He hoped she could help Ding Min. As long as An Cheng spoke up for peace, he believed An Zhiyuan wouldn¡¯t want to disgrace his own father.

    ¡°Big sister!¡± Ding Xiangqian called out to Wei Shufen.

    Wei Shufen turned around, her gaze sharp, which took Ding Xiangqian aback.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to mediate when I get back, but you all should think of a way to apologize soon and appease An Zhiyuan¡¯s anger. This time Ding Min was too reckless. I can see that Bai Xiao means a lot to Ayuan. The angrier he gets, the harder it will be for me. An Zhiyuan is the victim and the concerned party; if he does not relent, even a deity couldn¡¯t help!¡± She knew what her brother-inw wanted to say.

    How could she not consider Ding Min¡¯s situation?

    But the matter at hand was very tricky.

    An Zhiyuan was no child, and it was no longer a time An Cheng could control. An Zhiyuan was now a lieutenant colonel in the military¡ªbeing injured for no good reason was an issue that could either be big or small.

    Ding Xiangqian nodded. ¡°Big sister, don¡¯t worry. Whatever you need us to do, just say the word. This time it¡¯s Ding Min who has made the mistake, and we will definitely find a way to make amends.¡± His sister-inw spoke, so Ding Xiangqian felt somewhat reassured.

    Wei Shufen left the hospital and took a car back home.

    Before entering, she rubbed her eyes red and forced out tears before hurrying inside, knowing An Cheng must be waiting for her in the living room.

    Seeing his wifee in with red eyes, An Cheng¡¯s heart softened as he saw the tears well up in her eyes the moment she saw him, and she stubbornly turned her head to wipe them away.

    ¡°How is Xiaomin?¡±

    Wei Shufen sat on the sofa. Having wiped her tears, but when she was asked about Ding Min, they began to stream down her face again.

    ¡°Can you sort things out by crying?¡± An Cheng frowned upon seeing this. He couldn¡¯t stand to see women cry; it always made him go soft.

    ¡°Xiaomin had surgery, and she almost lost her uterus. If it hadn¡¯t been for my call to Director Wei for help¡­ now, if a girl loses her uterus, that¡¯s her life done for. The doctor said it would be dangerous for her to get pregnant within the next three to five years.¡± She portrayed Ding Min as pitiful as possible to elicit sympathy from An Cheng.

 Chapter 510 - 510 510 Empathy

    ?Chapter 510: Chapter 510: Empathy.   Chapter 510: Chapter 510: Empathy.                                   ¡°Deserved it!¡± An Cheng muttered, but his tone wasn¡¯t as harsh.

    Wei Shufen breathed a sigh of relief. That was good; it seemed this approach still worked on An Cheng.

    ¡°Who can say otherwise! Xiaomin brought it upon herself. You know, although she has harbored deep feelings for Ayuan over the years, Ayuan is now married. At the very least, she should¡¯ve offered sincere wishes. But just because someone said something unpleasant to her face, she flew into a rage. That girl was like a lunatic, wielding a knife, trying to fight Bai Xiao to the death.

    Ah! Ayuan is also fiercely protective of his wife. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have gotten stabbed for nothing. Now look at the mess. Bai Xiao is unscathed, while Xiaomin had major surgery. When I left, she was still not awake from the anesthesia.¡±

    The way she phrased it shifted the focus onto Bai Xiao, moving the point of contention to him. This would make An Cheng less irritated.

    An Cheng frowned, ¡°No matter what, you can¡¯t just pull a knife on someone. Isn¡¯t it right for Ayuan to protect his wife? If he didn¡¯t stand up for his wife, I would have scolded him for being ipetent.¡± He wasn¡¯t foolish; it was just that Wei Shufen had always managed things well both at home and outside, which moved him. He knew full well the difficulties of being a stepmother, so he had made some concessions on many issues.

    But that didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t aware of what Wei Shufen was trying to do.

    ¡°Yes! Xiaomin has already learned a huge lesson. She¡¯s so weak after such a major surgery and even wanted to apologize to Ayuan and Bai Xiao. If I hadn¡¯t stopped her, she would have tried to crawl here. I¡¯ve told her that Ayuan won¡¯t hold it against her; we¡¯re all family. After this incident, she will definitely rein in her temper,¡± Wei Shufen said, seeing that An Cheng did not respond with the cating words she had hoped for, and had to smooth things over herself.

    An Cheng shook his head, ¡°What you and I say doesn¡¯t matter. What does Ayuan think? It¡¯s his business.¡± He clearly did not want to intervene.

    For the first time, Wei Shufen was anxious. ¡°Old An, I know Xiaomin was wrong this time, but no matter her many faults, she¡¯s my niece. Ayuan, if you really send her to the police, it would ruin her life as a girl. Besides, I have had no children of my own in this life. I have always treated Xiaomin as my own. Old An, please just talk to Ayuan for once, spare Xiaomin this time. I guarantee she will turn over a new leaf and will never trouble Ayuan and his family again.¡±

    Nothing could be more effective than An Cheng¡¯s intervention. Wei Shufen certainly knew her own influence; if she dared to speak, it would probably make An Zhiyuan even more resolute in his actions.

    An Cheng shook his head, ¡°Stop it. Xiaomin, the child, I also watched her grow up. Do you think I don¡¯t feel for her? But no matter how much I care, doing wrong means facing punishment. And with her temperament, maybe getting educated in there is for the better, preventing future trouble. I¡¯ve always said that you can¡¯t spoil this child. Her temper has always been rather haughty.

    You always told me it was nothing serious. Now that there¡¯s been an incident, she should ept the punishment. Anyway, don¡¯te to me about this. Ayuan is my son too. Put yourself in my shoes and think about this; if your own child was involved, would you let it go? I¡¯m afraid in your heart, you still haven¡¯t truly considered Ayuan as your own son.¡±

    An Cheng got up and walked upstairs, his hands behind his back.

    Wei Shufen wanted to say something but closed her mouth, feeling powerless.

    Right now, An Cheng probably didn¡¯t want to hear anything she had to say.

 Chapter 511 - 511 511 Ill go

    ?Chapter 511: Chapter 511 I¡¯ll go   Chapter 511: Chapter 511 I¡¯ll go                                   Wei Shufen copsed on the sofa, her head feeling like it was about to explode, resting against the back of the sofa, motionless, tears trickling from the corners of her eyes.

    She was heartbroken by An Cheng.

    She had married him for a lifetime, yet in the end, she received such words from him.

    At first, she hadn¡¯t listened to advice, thinking that An Cheng had a high position and looked distinguished¡ªa perfect candidate in every aspect. If his wife hadn¡¯t died, leaving behind three children who weren¡¯t grown up, how could a man like An Cheng have chosen her?

    But now she understood.

    Her mother had once told her that being a stepmother was difficult, especially in such aplex family. She thought it was simple, but she hadn¡¯t realized that the bitterness was something only she knew.

    Having spent a lifetime together, it was devastating to hear him speak to her this way.

    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t be sad, Dad didn¡¯t mean to say that. He was just angry because my brother got hurt, that¡¯s why he said that.¡±

    Wei Shufen suddenly opened her eyes, An Zhixiang was sitting next to her, handing her a handkerchief.

    She took it, wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes; it was her youngest son who was closest to her. No matter what, this son was raised by her, and his heart was closest to hers.

    ¡°Youngest, don¡¯tfort me, I know your dad didn¡¯t mean it. I¡¯m just worried about Xiaomin. That child just had major surgery today, and if she really gets imprisoned because of this incident, think about what her proud and stubborn personality might lead her to do.¡±

    An Zhixiang sighed. How could he not be anxious? He had been worried all day.

    Originally, he wanted to stay by Xiaomin¡¯s side at the hospital, at least until he knew she was safe and sound before he could feel relieved.

    But at that time, his elder brother asked him to make the payment, seeing the wound on his brother¡¯s shoulder, he could not refuse.

    Latter, his brother asked him to drive them home, so he ended up back at their house.

    ¡°Mom, how is Xiaomin doing now?¡±

    ¡°What else can it be? She nearly had her uterus removed. She¡¯s had surgery; just imagine how agonizing it must be for her now. This girl, she¡¯s always been pampered, and today she really suffered a lot.¡± Wei Shufen felt a stir in her heart as she looked at her youngest son.

    Although An Zhiyuan was not fond of his stepmother, he still cared for his own brother.

    Perhaps An Zhixiang was someone who could break through to him.

    Upon hearing this, An Zhixiang¡¯s expression indeed showed urgency and concern, ¡°I didn¡¯t realize Xiaomin was suffering so much. She¡¯s a girl; she can¡¯t be sent to prison. Let me talk to the second brother and beg him to spare Xiaomin this time.¡±

    Wei Shufen sighed, ¡°Don¡¯t go looking for your second brother, his mood must be foul right now. Both he and his wife got injured, and he¡¯s distressed. If you go, he¡¯ll likely scold you too. Mom, it¡¯s enough that your second brother scolds me; why should you also muddy the waters? After all, you are real siblings; it¡¯s better to have fewer misunderstandings.¡±

    An Zhixiang was unconcerned, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m better off going than you. If you go, second brother will definitely get mad and won¡¯t have any kind words, but if I go, he might listen to me a bit for the sake of me being his real brother. I am his real brother, after all; if I beg him, he will surely agree.¡±

    He was truly protective of his stepmother and Ding Min from the bottom of his heart.

    Wei Shufen patted An Zhixiang¡¯s hand, ¡°Good child, I knew you cared for mom. Mom, in this lifetime, has always treated you as her own son, and I haven¡¯t loved you in vain.¡±

    An Zhixiang immediately felt uplifted, being needed was a very honorable feeling.

 Chapter 512 - 512 512 Beg You

    ?Chapter 512: Chapter 512: Beg You   Chapter 512: Chapter 512: Beg You                                   ¡°Second brother, may Ie in?¡±

    An Zhiyuan had just removed the gauze from his shoulder, the gauze still bearing blood, yet the skin beneath was as smooth as ever, showing no sign of the knife wound that had once been there. He couldn¡¯t help but cast a deep nce at Bai Xiao, who sat there reading the newspaper without changing her expression, seemingly engrossed.

    She¡¯s got some nerve!

    No choice but to worry about it himself from now on.

    Why did he feel like he had boarded a bandit¡¯s ship?

    Right then, he heard An Zhixiang¡¯s voice. Before he could reply, An Zhixiang had already turned the doorknob and entered, slipping one arm into his shirt.

    ¡°Come in,¡± he said.

    He buttoned up his shirt without changing his expression,pletely covering his shoulder.

    As soon as An Zhixiang entered, he saw his second brother getting dressed and noticed the gauze on the table at a nce.

    It was still blood-stained, clearly indicating that his second brother had been changing his bandages.

    ¡°Second brother, are you changing your bandages? Do you need my help? Let me apply the medicine for you.¡± An Zhixiang wanted to curry favor; after all, isn¡¯t there a saying about biting the hand that feeds you? He didn¡¯t know if buttering up his second brother would be of any use.

    ¡°No need. I¡¯ve just finished changing it. This is the used gauze. Besides, if you were to clumsily handle it, you¡¯d probably cause me more pain than before,¡± An Zhiyuan said buttoning up one fastener after another.

    ¡°Am I as exaggerated as you make me out to be?¡±

    ¡°Just spill it. No beating around the bush. The number of times you¡¯vee to my room in the past year can be counted on one hand. We barely see each other as it is, and when I go to the team, we might not see each other even once in a year and a half. You¡¯re not the type to show up without a reason,¡± An Zhiyuan changed the topic.

    Seeing An Zhixiange in, Bai Xiao stood up, ¡°I¡¯ll go fetch some things downstairs; you brothers should talk.¡±

    She was leaving the room to them both.

    Seeing Bai Xiao leave, An Zhixiang squirmed a bit before speaking up.

    ¡°Second brother, I have a favor to ask of you.¡±

    An Zhiyuan scanned his younger brother; all of An Zhixiang¡¯s thoughts were evident on his face.

    ¡°If you¡¯re here to plead on Ding Min¡¯s behalf, you can save your breath. Let¡¯s not let an outsider cause a rift between us brothers. I¡¯d rather not speak harshly and damage our rapport,¡± An Zhiyuan said with measured gravity.

    An Zhixiang almost choked on his frustration.

    ¡°Second brother, can¡¯t you just let Ding Min go? In my life, there¡¯s nothing else I¡¯ve asked you for. Could you please, just this once, let her off for my sake?¡± An Zhixiang persisted, emboldened by the usual tolerance his eldest and second brothers showed him.

    ¡°Little brother, I beg of you, don¡¯t ask me anything like this ever again in our lifetime. No matter what, we are blood brothers. Now you¡¯re asking me for the sake of someone else, someone who just stabbed your own brother in the shoulder. The way you talk, it seems Ding Min is even more important to you than I, your brother. It really breaks my heart, little brother,¡± An Zhiyuan said with earnest sadness; his younger brother was indeed too emotional.

    ¡°Second brother, we¡¯re blood brothers. That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking you¡ªbecause I know you are my kin. Ding Min isn¡¯t unforgivably wicked. She was just impulsive today, and she has already learned her lesson. I promise, I will only ask this of you once in my life, I¡¯ll never ask anything of you again, just please, for my sake, let her go this time,¡± he pleaded.

    ¡°Little brother, by doing this for Ding Min, you¡¯re weighing our brotherly bond against her. You¡¯ve truly hurt me.¡±

    An Zhiyuan never expected his brother to be so reckless for Ding Min¡¯s sake.

    ¡°Second brother, let me tell you the truth. I like Ding Min, just like you like your sister-inw. Everyone advised you against her, but you were willing to face the world for her sake. My feelings for Ding Min are the same. I¡¯m asking you just this once to let her go,¡± An Zhixiang said with resolution.

    An Zhiyuan was speechless.

 Chapter 513 - 513 513 Dont Change the Subject

    ?Chapter 513: Chapter 513: Don¡¯t Change the Subject   Chapter 513: Chapter 513: Don¡¯t Change the Subject                                   An Zhixiang left An Zhiyuan¡¯s room with joy on his face, brushing past Bai Xiao who was holding a teacup, and for the first time ever, he actually greeted Bai Xiao with a smile.

    ¡°Sis-inw, you two should rest early. Only with enough rest can you wee the guests tomorrow properly.¡±

    He called her ¡°Sis-inw¡± so willingly.

    Bai Xiao could only respond with a smile, ¡°You should rest early too.¡±

    Watching An Zhixiang bounce off energetically down the stairs.

    Bai Xiao shook her head and returned to her room.

    ¡°You agreed to givepensation andnd to your brother, what conditions did you agree to? It must be to let Ding Min off the hook, right?¡± She ced the cup of Longjing tea in front of An Zhiyuan.

    Resting her hand on his shoulder, she looked at him amusedly and teasingly asked.

    An Zhiyuan helplessly wrapped his arms tightly around his wife¡¯s waist, their bodies pressed together as he leanednguidly against Bai Xiao, showcasing his charming smile to her as well.

    ¡°Having a smart wife like you is troublesome, I can¡¯t hide anything from your discerning eyes. I¡¯ve realized that I definitely can¡¯t do anything bad in the future. If I even think about keeping a little mistress behind your back, I bet you¡¯d nip that idea in the bud the moment it takes root.¡±

    Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes widened as she lightly pinched An Zhiyuan¡¯s cheeks, pulling them with some force.

    ¡°You¡¯re actually considering keeping a little mistress behind my back? Your fox¡¯s tail is finally showing, no, this is a big bad wolf¡¯s tail.¡±

    An Zhiyuan held her tightly and kissed the corner of her lips, stopping her fierce words in her mouth.

    As their kisses deepened, she felt something hard pressing boldly against her body, and his hand on her waist had already begun to slowly knead her entire body, making her start to melt.

    Bai Xiao wanted to open her eyes to look at him, but she didn¡¯t have any strength left. His breath surged, making her face flush and her heart race, and within her fear was a shameless anticipation¡­

    ¡­¡­¡­

    The twoy in bed, with her leaning into his embrace, her body no longer covered by anything. Bai Xiao thought weakly that An Zhiyuan must be gifted with extraordinary talents; his learning ability was just too strong¡ªhe had only just started the day before yesterday.

    Today he was already taking it in stride, and she couldn¡¯t keep up with his pace. Could it be that some people were naturally skilled without a teacher?

    In the end, she was always the one crying and begging for mercy, but the more she pleaded, the more beastly he became. If his desires were not satisfied, there would be no release for her, and often by the end, she would be cooperating with his various positions, wishing she could just pass out.

    An Zhiyuan touched her cheek with a profound look in his eyes, noticing she was cold, he pulled the nket over them both.

    ¡°You sureck exercise! From now on, you¡¯ll go running with me every morning. If you were under mymand, you¡¯d definitely be the one getting scolded the most.¡±

    Bai Xiao rolled her eyes, ¡°Spare me! I¡¯d rather sleep a bit longer with that time. Use that stamina of yours on your subordinates instead!¡± And still heined.

    ¡°Did you promise the third brother that you¡¯d let Ding Min go?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired? Let¡¯s sleep.¡±

    She moved closer to him, ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject, tell me.¡±

    An Zhiyuan coughed, his dense eyshes unblinkingly fixed on her, who was so close¡ªespecially when she propped up her body to lean toward him and the sliding nket revealed a swath of snow-white skin that made one¡¯s blood rush, his voice grew even softer, ¡°He¡¯s my brother, and he rarely asks me for anything. I couldn¡¯t bear to say no.¡±

    Bai Xiaoy down, turned over, and wrapped herself tight with the nket. Hadn¡¯t she guessed it already?

    ¡°Are you angry?¡± An Zhiyuan embraced her from behind, holding the nket together, wrapping her tightly.

    ¡°Why would I be angry? Sooner orter, this matter was going to end like this anyway. Your brother owes you a favor, which I can ept.¡±

    Of course, she understood that matters like these couldn¡¯t possibly end with Ding Min facing thew, no matter how firm their stance was, they would probably have topromise in the end.

 Chapter 514 - 514 514 Wedding

    ?Chapter 514: Chapter 514: Wedding   Chapter 514: Chapter 514: Wedding                                   The next day.

    In front of the Cafeteria No. 1, the big red ¡°double happiness¡± character was posted, withnterns and streamers decorating the entrance. An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao, dressed in formal attire, each wore a small red flower on their chests¡ªone depicted a bride, and the other a groom¡ªmaking them look like an especially dashing and heroic couple.

    They stood at the entrance, greeting the guests as they arrived.

    Inside, the twenty tables were already filled with guests. An Cheng and Wei Shufen, as well as An Zhigao and An Zhixiang, were all busy weing guests. Many were old friends of An Cheng, who inevitably engaged in jovial teasing and banter with arms around each other¡¯s shoulders.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s smile was warm and elegant. At this moment, he nearly fit the image of the perfect man in her eyes.

    Seeing his little wife¡¯s enchanted gaze, he fixed his sharp, hunter-like gaze on Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes, making her face flush with embarrassment.

    People from inside came out to deliver the message that they could enter to start the ceremony.

    An Zhiyuan reached out to take Bai Xiao¡¯s hand, and they walked in shoulder to shoulder.

    A temporary stage was set up with a red backdrop, and a chubby officiant¡ªwho was presumably the master of ceremonies for the wedding¡ªwas smiling and gesturing for everyone to quiet down.

    ¡°Everyone, please quiet down, quiet down! The bride and groom, pleasee to the stage.¡±

    Warm apuse erupted.

    An Zhiyuan led Bai Xiao onto the stage.

    Bai Xiao felt her face grow hotter by the second, her ears burning.

    ¡°Now, let me formally introduce you to this handsome and dashing man, our hero An Zhiyuan, today¡¯s groom and leading man. By his side is the woman as beautiful as a celestial maiden, our courageousbat doctor Bai Xiao, today¡¯s bride and leadingdy. Let¡¯s wee this beautiful couple with a warm round of apuse. Today, before all of us¡ªfriends and family¡ªthey unite in matrimony.¡±

    The apuse grew even more fervent.

    ¡°Comrade An Zhiyuan,rade Bai Xiao, your legendary story is something we are all familiar with. There is no need to question whether you¡¯re willing to stand by each other through thick and thin, to grow old together, because we know that the most sincere and magnificent vows have already been made on the battlefield. With this hand, I will lift your sorrows, to grow old with you, through sickness and in health, till death do us part.

    Here, we all wish the two of you a united heart forever, soon to have a precious child, adding bricks and mortar to the construction of our socialist society, and to the defense of our mothend, shedding your sweat. Let¡¯s once again give them a round of warm apuse in blessing.¡±

    The entire Cafeteria No. 1 thundered with apuse.

    An Cheng couldn¡¯t help feeling ted, as the apuse was the greatest affirmation for An Zhiyuan. The slight unease from yesterday hadpletely dissipated.

    This was his most outstanding son, getting married and aplishing a significant life event, thus beginning another chapter in his life. Although he was not a sentimental man, his eyes couldn¡¯t help but moisten; the son he had raised for so many years seemed to have really spread his wings and left.

    From now on, the sky was the limit, the sea vast for the fish to leap at liberty.

    Wei Shufen quietly passed him a handkerchief. An Cheng dabbed the corners of his eyes and nonchntly tucked it into his pocket.

    By that time, An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao had already started to move from table to table, toasting with their wine sses.

    This was an ancient wedding custom that even the new couple couldn¡¯t sidestep.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s group of buddies and childhood friends had long been waiting to give the new bride a hard time.

 Chapter 515 - 515 515 Making Trouble in the Bridal Chamber

    ?Chapter 515: Chapter 515: Making Trouble in the Bridal Chamber   Chapter 515: Chapter 515: Making Trouble in the Bridal Chamber                                   An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao went from table to table toasting, first visiting the tables of older leaders, notably An Cheng and Wei Shufen. The most low-profile appearance was that of a certain Chief, which caught many by surprise.

    Who knows how many eyeballs were dropped.

    Everyone secretly spected! Could it mean that An Cheng might climb even higher.

    After all, such high-profile leaders wouldn¡¯t easily appear at such banquets. Without a certain rtionship and favor, it would be impossible for them to attend.

    Many also heard from the leaders that it was An Cheng¡¯s former superior¡ªthen it dawned on them. An Cheng¡¯s former superior was none other than An Cheng¡¯s old backer, the enigmaticmander.

    It seemed that both father and son were set for promotion.

    The Chief had a drink with the newlyweds and sat for a while before leaving. If he had stayed any longer, the guests might have mistaken him for the protagonist rather than the couple.

    The number of peopleing over to toast and chat would not decrease by one bit.

    To avoid disruption, he simply had a drink and left early.

    However, his mere presence had brought absolute honor to An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao¡¯s wedding.

    An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao were now at the table with his childhood friends¡ªa bunch of gatekeepers with eager eyes.

    ¡°Alright, alright, I know you guys have been up to no good. But don¡¯t go overboard, okay? Those old feudal customs aren¡¯t allowed here. We¡¯re now in a new society, celebrating weddings with civility and courtesy.¡± It was clear this bunch was holding back some mischief.

    ¡°Come on, Big Bro, cut the chatter. We¡¯ve been looking forward to your wedding for a long time, just waiting for this day. When we got married, you really put us through the wringer. We¡¯re not being unreasonable; we¡¯re just ying a little trick. As long as you and your wife work together to ovee this challenge, naturally, from now on, you¡¯ll live peacefully, with fair winds and following seas, marital harmony, and your children in pairs. Congrattions, congrattions!¡±

    This was the setup.

    Whistles,ughter, teasing¡ªall these sounds surrounded An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao.

    ¡°Yeah! Big Bro, you didn¡¯t go easy on us when it was our turn.¡±

    ¡°Now you¡¯ll see what your brothers have up their sleeves.¡±

    The two were pushed forward in front of everyone.

    ¡°This is called ¡®Five Schrs Passing the Exam.¡¯ See the apples on the table with five matches stuck into them? This is a red string, and in the middle, there¡¯s a lit cigarette. You have to figure out how to light the matches with the cigarette, of course, without using your hands to help.¡±

    An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao looked at the string, alright, there was no way to avoid it now¡ªthey had to get through this.

    Each of them bit the end of the string, someone lit the cigarette for them, and they clenched their teeth moving towards the matches. The swaying string just wouldn¡¯t let the cigarette uratelynd on the matches.

    Cheers and ps erupted from the crowd.

    An Zhiyuan moved closer to Bai Xiao, biting the string and said, ¡°We need to tense the string and aim properly. Listen to me, I¡¯ll count one, two, three, and then we¡¯ll both pull hard.¡±

    Bai Xiao could only nod in agreement; these people sure knew how to y.

    ¡°One, two, three!¡±

    Following An Zhiyuan¡¯s muffled count, the first match finally lit, and the two of them looked at each other, joy sparkling in their eyes.

    The rest of the matches were lit atst.

    ¡°Tsk!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s so boring; we had other games prepared for your failure.¡±

    ¡°Big Bro, enough that you were a top student yourself¡ªnow you¡¯ve married a wife who¡¯s just as tough. How are the rest of us supposed to live!¡±

    A chorus of groans filled the air.

    An Zhiyuan raised his ss, ¡°A man¡¯s word is his bond; to honor my word, I¡¯ll drink this ss first. Thank you all for attending our wedding.¡±

 Chapter 516 - 516 516 Spurning a Kind Gesture

    ?Chapter 516: Chapter 516: Spurning a Kind Gesture   Chapter 516: Chapter 516: Spurning a Kind Gesture                                   An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao finally got to sit down. After a round of toasts, even with his eldest brother and third brother intercepting drinks for him, Zhiyuan still couldn¡¯t avoid drinking quite a bit, and now he was a little tipsy.

    ¡°Son-inw, it¡¯s such a joyous asion today. How could I, as your father-inw, not be invited?¡±

    Bai Xiao frowned, Shang Feng really was like a lingering ghost.

    It seemed that this had been Shang Feng¡¯s n all along.

    An Zhiyuan pinched her hand, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here. On our big day, nobody is going to cause trouble.¡±

    He stood up to meet them.

    Shang Kaiwen wore an exquisite suit that highlighted her elegant temperament. Especially proficient in showing off her beauty, she now garnered apuse from everyone.

    She practically ran up to Bai Xiao, and even this didn¡¯t diminish her grace, instead, it added a lively youthfulness. She presented a finely-wrapped gift box to Bai Xiao, ¡°Sister, this is the wedding gift I¡¯ve got for you! This is a top-quality jade that I procured from Yun Province. When I purchased it, I thought of you, sister. Your wedding day happens to be the perfect asion for this most auspicious gift. Please ept it, and I wish you a happy marriage.¡±

    Bai Xiao felt nauseated.

    How affectionately she called her sister.

    Wrist flicking, Bai Xiao lightly blocked the box in front of her, ¡°Miss Shang, I really can¡¯t ept this from you.¡±

    The attitude could barely fall short of asking, who are you?

    Many people were watching the scene with amusement, and An Zhiyuan¡¯s childhood friends were also utterly puzzled. How had Shang Kaiwen be Bai Xiao¡¯s sister? Could it be that Bai Xiao had acknowledged the Shang Family as her godfamily?

    This was not umon, but usually, such arrangements were agreed upon by both families in advance.

    An Zhiyuan approached Shang Feng, ¡°Uncle Shang, I remember that Bai Xiao and I did not send you an invitation.¡±

    That statement was anything but polite. Quite the opposite, in fact.

    Shang Feng¡¯s face froze as he was publicly humiliated. An Zhiyuan truly was as inflexible as his father, An Cheng¡ªlike father, like son, indeed.

    Shang Fengughed it off, ¡°You kid, it¡¯s your and Bai Xiao¡¯s big day, and Bai Xiao is my own daughter, I¡¯m your father-inw. Do I really need an invitation?¡±

    Today was all about making this rtionship concrete, with everyone present. Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t deny it, and An Zhiyuan wouldn¡¯t want people to think Bai Xiao didn¡¯t recognize her own family, would he?

    ¡°Uncle Shang, you haven¡¯t had a drink yet, how could you be drunk already? You can¡¯t just say anything you like. Bai Xiao¡¯s surname is Bai; yours is Shang. Our families are unrted, no matter how impressive Bai Xiao¡¯s medical skills are, you can¡¯t just im her as your daughter,¡± said An Zhiyuan, sick of his woman being harassed by Shang Feng all the time.

    Shang Feng is an opportunist; judging by Shang Kaijie¡¯s prior behavior, if they were Bai Xiao¡¯s rtives, it would be trulymentable.

    ¡°Ayuan, what do you mean by that? Bai Xiao is the child I fathered during my time in the countryside, that¡¯s a solid fact. She is my daughter, and I¡¯ve been searching for her for many years, only to finally find Bai Xiao¡ªno, she should change her surname to Shang Xiao. This child has suffered enough; I feel guilty. But Xiao, even if you¡¯re angry, you can¡¯t refuse to recognize your own father or the Shang Family. We are blood-rted family,¡± Shang Feng said, moved by his own words.

    An Zhiyuan mmed the table, ¡°Uncle Shang, out of respect for the rtionship between our two families, I don¡¯t want to speak harshly, but today is my wedding day. If you came here to spoil it, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to ask you to leave.¡±

    He was offering him respect, and yet Shang Feng was shamelessly refusing it. Zhiyuan had no idea Shang Feng possessed such a shameless knack.

 Chapter 517 - 517 517 Unacknowledged

    ?Chapter 517: Chapter 517: Unacknowledged   Chapter 517: Chapter 517: Unacknowledged                                   ¡°What the hell is going on? Ayuan, how did Uncle Shang be your wife¡¯s father?¡±

    ¡°Jesus, what is this plot twist?¡±

    ¡°This clich¨¦ trick is straight from the book. Definitely Shang Feng had a sweetheart in the countryside back in the day, then he left her behind when he went back to the city, and now he suddenly realizes his daughter is an outstanding physician, famous and sessful. Of course, he wants to acknowledge her now!¡±

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s mouth twitched. Who the heck was this guy? He had hit the nail on the head, and it was actually the truth.

    ¡°My God! So he¡¯s the heartless Chen Shimei.¡±

    ¡°Should I even acknowledge this kind of father?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t even ask. If it were me, I¡¯d smack him. Where was he when I suffered in my childhood? Now that I¡¯ve made something of myself, youe crawling out to enjoy my sess. Fuck off.¡±

    ¡°But he is your biological father after all.¡±

    ¡°Biological my ass. Why wasn¡¯t he there for the first twenty years? He didn¡¯te looking for me then, but now he does? Isn¡¯t that just because Doctor Bai has made it big, famous and sessful, and married well? Can¡¯t you see what he¡¯s up to?¡±

    ¡°Up to what?¡±

    ¡°Taking advantage, obviously!¡±

    ¡°Does the Shang Family even need to take this advantage?¡±

    ¡°What about the Shang Family? If they¡¯re not after some advantage, whye out now? If I were Shang Feng and truly wanted to make amends, I¡¯d discreetly give gifts, hoping for my daughter¡¯s happiness, instead of ostentatiously like this. This isn¡¯t gift giving; it¡¯s tantly forcing someone to acknowledge kin.¡±

    Bai Xiao was amused.

    She nced over! It was the guy who had been the most agitated earlier,ughing at what¡¯s-his-beard or something like that. She hadn¡¯t really remembered his name, but now she did. He was undoubtedly the perfect candidate for a detective and gossip journalist with his wild imagination and gossip almost hitting the truth; probably no one could match that.

    As soon as Shang Kaiwen heard this conversation, she couldn¡¯t maintain herposure, as she hadn¡¯t yet reached that level of finesse.

    But she managed to keep her cool, trying to take Bai Xiao¡¯s hand, ¡°Everything you all are saying is spection. In fact, due to some historical reasons, we as the younger generation can¡¯t be sure either. But the fact that Bai Xiao is my biological sister is beyond doubt. I hope everyone can speak kindly and give us and Bai Xiao the space to deal with this ourselves. Thank you.¡± Her sincerity was so genuine it made it difficult for anyone to say anything else.

    Turning to Bai Xiao, with tears welling up in her eyes, that look of excitement and happiness at seeing kin. Bai Xiao sighed! There was a reason she couldn¡¯tpete with Shang Kaiwen, not in her past life nor in this one. With her ability to win people over, Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t hope to catch up.

    This was talent. This was the gap.

    All she could do was to give people the cold shoulder, butpared to Kaiwen¡¯s passionate and emotional expression, the gap was just too big.

    ¡°Miss Shang, please don¡¯t say that. I have my own parents. I¡¯ve lived just fine without my biological parents for the past twenty years. Besides, my real mom has been dead for many years. If you insist on this narrative, I can only say that this is an unverifiable matter. I certainly don¡¯t feel like Miss Shang and I are family. Miss Shang is eloquent and gracefully beautiful, how could we possibly be rted?

    Plus, even if we were family, I did pretty well without a father for twenty years and I don¡¯t need one now. There¡¯s now that says I must acknowledge him. So Mr. Shang, please don¡¯t disturb my life. I also don¡¯t want to interfere with yours, lest people think you have ulterior motives with me, which wouldn¡¯t be good for your reputation. Thank you! I won¡¯t see you out.¡±

    That was a clear deration of refusal.

 Chapter 518 - 518 518 Enemies

    ?Chapter 518: Chapter 518 Enemies   Chapter 518: Chapter 518 Enemies                                   ¡°Bai Xiao, how can you not acknowledge me as your father? I am your dad. Is it because you still haven¡¯t forgiven me? What do I need to do for you to forgive me? If I kneel down and kowtow to you in public, would that suffice?¡± Shang Feng became desperate, challenging Bai Xiao to actually prevent him from kneeling.

    He was not afraid that public opinion would turn against him; to forge a connection with the An Family, he was willing to pay any price.

    ¡°What now? Are you trying to force me?¡±

    Bai Xiao was truly annoyed. She wanted to deal with Shang Kaiwen, but she hadn¡¯t anticipated that Shang Feng would be so persistent, never expecting this hidden plot twist.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, you are angry with me, I will kneel down and apologize to you and your mom!¡± Shang Feng said, about to kneel.

    Bai Xiao pointed at a few people responsible for taking photos! These were An Zhiyuan¡¯s friends who had brought their own cameras specifically to take photos of the couple to keep as mementos.

    ¡°Could you please take a few more shots, and make sure to get good angles. Mr. Shang¡¯s expression must be captured genuinely, so it¡¯s clear when it appears in the newspapers,¡± she said calmly.

    Shang Kaiwen pretended to be ovee with grief and grabbed Bai Xiao, ¡°Sister, how can you treat Dad like this? Even if he has made mistakes! But he wants to make amends! He has been looking for you all these years. After all, he is our father.¡±

    If Shang Feng actually knelt down, it would be a disgrace to the Shang Family.

    A man grabbed Shang Kaiwen abruptly, ¡°Don¡¯t waste words on such a cold-hearted and ruthless woman. Can¡¯t you see? She looks down on you. Have you not realized how Bai Xiao, now a doctor, has climbed up the socialdder? Why would she care about so-called father-daughter affection now? A woman like her will do anything for her own advancement. By acknowledging you now, she would bebeled a bastard. You think she would want that when she¡¯s riding high on sess? Who would voluntarily smear themselves.¡±

    Bai Xiao looked at the man with a smile and stayed silent, as all that was bound to happen was gradually unfolding! This was none other than the well-known Wang Ruo¡¯an from Capital City¡¯s Four Young Masters, and also one of Shang Kaiwen¡¯s most loyal fans in her previous life, adoring her for many years and daring to do anything for her.

    It remained a mystery why Shang Kaiwen did not marry Wang Ruo¡¯an in her previous life.

    This lifetime, he has emerged out of nowhere.

    Look at the defense and concern, it¡¯s clear as day.

    An Zhiyuan pushed Wang Ruo¡¯an away and stepped in front of Bai Xiao, ¡°Wang Ruo¡¯an, you¡¯re right, and I¡¯ll say it too. Bai Xiao is my wife, and I won¡¯t allow her to associate herself with just any messy people, especially this so-called long-lost father-daughter affection that has suddenly emerged.

    ¡°Back when my wife was bullied in the vige, starving and without proper clothing, where was Shang Feng? Wasn¡¯t that when father-daughter affection should have shown? Now hees out acting like the big bad wolf! Moreover, who knows the true story behind all this? The dead are gone. Uncle Shang suddenly ims a past rtion¡ªhow can anyone prove that?

    ¡°There¡¯s no DNA test for recognizing a father; what if someone else shows up in a few days iming to be Bai Xiao¡¯s real dad? What would we be then? Besides, Uncle Shang never provided a single grain of rice or food for Bai Xiao, so why should he im a full-grown person now? What rights does he have to acknowledge her?

    ¡°If he truly feels guilty and sorry for Bai Xiao, wouldn¡¯t the right thing to do be to watch her live a good life quietly, without causing her any trouble? But look at what you¡¯re doing now. Wouldn¡¯t everyone think Bai Xiao is being unreasonable and thus damaging Dr. Bai¡¯s reputation? Does this seem like something a father would do? To me, it looks more like the actions of an enemy.¡±

 Chapter 519 - 519 519 I Have Evidence

    ?Chapter 519: Chapter 519 I Have Evidence   Chapter 519: Chapter 519 I Have Evidence                                   ¡°Ayuan, you cannot nder people like that!¡± Shang Feng was so stung by An Zhiyuan¡¯s sharp words that he could not kneel anymore.

    If he kneeled now, everyone would think he had ulterior motives.

    He hadn¡¯t expected An Zhiyuan to be even more protective of Bai Xiao than he had imagined.

    It seemed today¡¯s events would not go as nned.

    ¡°What nder? Uncle Shang, everyone here knows each other, your family has had one son and one daughter for many years. You have never mentioned having a lost daughter. Now suddenly a daughter appears; how can you expect people to believe that?¡±

    ¡°Exactly! It does look like there¡¯s suspicion of faking kinship, isn¡¯t it? Since Doctor Bai is an orphan, without family or rtives, so whatever you say goes, right?¡±

    ¡°I have proof!¡±

    Shang Feng could not let these troublemakers continue spouting nonsense, or the reputation of the Shang Family would bepletely destroyed.

    He hadn¡¯te unprepared, had he? Bai Xiao had underestimated Shang Feng¡¯s abilities.

    Everyone fell silent.

    An Cheng watched as things escted, wondering what a perfectly good wedding was turning into.

    ¡°Old Shang, whatever issues there are can be discussedter. Today is the young couple¡¯s big day. If you wish, stay and have a drink; if not, please leave without dampening the kids¡¯ spirits.¡± It¡¯s his own son¡¯s big moment; no one should me An Cheng for stepping in.

    ¡°Old An, you have no idea! Bai Xiao is indeed my biological daughter. I cannot stand silently while people point fingers at me. I just want to acknowledge my own daughter, but people speak so ill of me, if I don¡¯t clear up what¡¯s true and what¡¯s false today, what face will I, Shang Feng, have left to live in this world?¡±

    Shang Feng had gone this far; there was no more holding back. His intention was to force Bai Xiao to recognize them at today¡¯s wedding. Whether he had seeded in pressuring Bai Xiao, he didn¡¯t know, but he had certainly backed himself into a corner.

    Today¡¯s truths and falsehoods had to be rified. If not, which of the dignitaries present at this wedding wasn¡¯t a significant figure?

    If Shang Feng wanted to press charges against Bai Xiao, then it would be set in stone. He couldn¡¯t afford such a reputation, nor could the Shang Family. If things were not rified, it might appear as though Shang Feng was seizing the opportunity to raise his own status, to be inws with the An Family.

    Although that was indeed what he intended, he absolutely couldn¡¯t admit it.

    A man must preserve his face as a tree must preserve its bark.

    Even if that was what he intended, he absolutely could not let public opinion turn in that direction.

    An Cheng felt an urge to m the table.

    His son¡¯s wedding today was proving to be quite challenging. Just yesterday, before they were even married, knives had already been drawn, and today, the wedding itself was far from peaceful.

    His daughter-inw seemed to really attract trouble.

    All sorts of misfortunes seemed to find their way to them.

    The bloodshed from yesterday hadn¡¯t settled for long before today a father-inw had emerged, giving others plenty to talk about.

    ¡°So what do you want?¡±

    An Cheng could see that they hade prepared. Even if he silenced them today, chances were, it would alle out in public soon enough.

    Shang Feng¡¯s face wore a bitter smile, ¡°Bai Xiao, I didn¡¯t want to do this either. But the fact that I am your biological father, there are people who can testify to that.¡±

    Shang Kaiwen quickly supported the swaying Shang Feng, both resembling characters in a tragic y. Father and daughter looked like a pair who, despite facing countless difficulties, were ready to endure everything to seek the truth as family.

 Chapter 520 - 520 520 Witness

    ?Chapter 520: Chapter 520 Witness   Chapter 520: Chapter 520 Witness                                   ¡°Since we¡¯vee this far today, with so many witnesses present, why don¡¯t you bring out your evidence and call your witnesses?¡± An Cheng had no choice but to straightforwardly let everyone see the truth of the matter.

    Let¡¯s see whether it¡¯s a mule or a horse, pull it out for a walk.

    He also wanted to see what exactly Bai Xiao¡¯s rtionship with the Shang Family was.

    Bai Xiao, on the side, had her mind racing, wondering how Shang Feng could possibly have any witnesses to call. It was quite surprising.

    She just wanted to see who this witness could be.

    Wang Chunhua?

    If she hadn¡¯t guessed wrong, this person was most likely to know the truth. Of course, there were also Li Chunhua and Bai Jianguo, this mother and son pair, her uncle and grandmother. It would be impossible for them not to know her origins.

    If the Shang Family had really offered a high price, selling her out would be a matter of minutes.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, I¡¯m truly doing this for your own good. I am your biological father, and there is absolutely no mistake about that. No matter what your identity is, no matter what kind of person you are, dad really wants to make up for the paternal love you¡¯ve missed out on all these years. I didn¡¯t want to do this, but youpletely refuse to believe this fact.¡±

    Shang Feng had the appearance of someone deeply grieved and full of remorse.

    ¡°Kaiwen, go bring the witness up,¡±

    The entire canteen was now so quiet that the drop of a pin could be heard. Everyone was as eager for drama, watching this thrilling, heart-wrenching performance of father-daughter intimacy and strife.

    The father was desperate to acknowledge the girl, while the daughter wanted nothing to do with the father.

    Who could care about drinking wine or eating food at this moment?

    What kind of food or drink could be more fascinating than this drama unfolding before them?

    It contained juicy scandals, the sentimental recognition between father and daughter, and the thrilling confrontations.

    Exciting, how exciting!

    Shang Kaiwen nced at Bai Xiao, exited the door, and soon returned with someone.

    Bai Xiao narrowed her eyes, it was no surprise, an old acquaintance indeed.

    Wasn¡¯t this Bai Jianguo?

    Driven to desperation by her, Bai Jianguo¡¯s home should be struggling immensely by now. At this moment, the Shang Family made their move, which was like a pie falling from the sky, and bright, shiny pork right before his eyes.

    If Bai Jianguo didn¡¯t grab and bite into it fiercely, that would be truly bizarre.

    Even if her identity was originally picked up, even if she was actually his real niece, she feared that he would have handed her over to the Shang Family right now.

    Bai Jianguo was an old hand at grasping an opportunity for money.

    Bai Jianguo, as you put it, stepped forward amid the crowd, because there were so many people here, and nearly all of them were formally d, many wearing the four-pocket attire of officials ¨C of course, they must be either rich or noble.

    How could someone like him, a country bumpkin, be used to seeing such figures?

    That moment, when he came up, his heart was pounding, his calves even starting to cramp a bit.

    But as soon as he thought of that 10,000 yuan, he couldn¡¯t help but bite his tongue¡ªthe pain! It was real pain.

    Good, that pain confirmed that this was all real.

    Right now, Bai Jianguo¡¯s household was so poor they were practically penniless; together, he and his wife barely had a hundred yuan. With Bai Shan¡¯s wedding on the horizon, they needed money for the bride price, the betrothal gifts¡ªin every aspect.

    He was so desperate, he was breaking out in cold sores.

    And then, out of the blue, a huge opportunity fell into hisp.

    Shang Feng, apanied by some men, was inquiring around the vige, and it turned out they were inquiring about Bai Xiao¡¯s past.

    Bai Jianguo assessed the man and estimated that he had some significant background, judging by his clothes, his deportment, obviously a person of importance from the city.

    Immediately, he took an interest and struck up a conversation,

    Eventually letting slip that Bai Xiao was his niece and he knew everything about their family matters the best.

    Sure enough, this man in front of him finally produced 10,000 yuan, asking him to publicly disclose the matter.

    How could he not ept such an opportunity for free money?

 Chapter 521 - 521 521 Bai Jianguos Testimony (Extra Chapter

    ?Chapter 521: Chapter 521: Bai Jianguo¡¯s Testimony (Extra Chapter for Monthly Votes)   Chapter 521: Chapter 521: Bai Jianguo¡¯s Testimony (Extra Chapter for Monthly Votes)                                   ¡°Bai Xiao, if I had someone else testify, I guess you wouldn¡¯t ept it either, but you surely recognize the person in front of you. There¡¯s no need for me to introduce him, right?¡± Shang Feng looked at Bai Xiao, finally regaining that authoritative advantage in his tone.

    Bai Xiao nodded, ¡°This person, of course I recognize. I¡¯m sure you all want to know who he really is.¡±

    ¡°This is my former uncle, Bai Jianguo, the younger brother of my deceased father.¡±

    Bai Xiao did not shy away.

    It¡¯s useless to bring out either Bai Jianguo or Li Chunhua; I won¡¯t acknowledge you no matter what you say, even if you talk till the sky falls.

    Bai Xiao was not afraid at all; she wasn¡¯t someone to be frightened easily.

    Moreover, if you¡¯ve done nothing wrong, why fear a knock at the door?

    As long as she didn¡¯t admit it, whatever Bai Jianguo said would be useless.

    The crowd was astir.

    So, this was a family rtionship, it seemed the credibility of this person¡¯s words was very high.

    Shang Feng asked Bai Jianguo, ¡°Comrade, could you please tell us exactly what Bai Xiao¡¯s background is?¡±

    This was hispelling evidence; not only did he bring Bai Jianguo, but he also brought the Bai Family¡¯s elderly matriarch Li Chunhua. Why bring Li Chenghua? Of course, it was Bai Jianguo¡¯s suggestion, as a just in case. Li Chunhua was an old person in the vige and also the biological mother of the eldest of the Bai Family; his own words as an uncle might not be believed. But the words of someone¡¯s mother, of a grandmother, those would always be right, wouldn¡¯t they?

    ¡°The girl standing in front of us is named Bai Xiao, the daughter of my elder brother. However, she is not my elder brother¡¯s biological daughter. At that time, my sister-inw was also pregnant, and just when she was about to give birth, the biological mother of Bai Xiao, the young woman who was sent down to our vige, went intobor as well, and it was a difficult birth that led to massive bleeding. My elder brother was the vige medic at that time; he had no choice but to go to the scene to save her.¡±

    ¡°My sister-inw was my brother¡¯s assistant and went with him. The young woman had a difficultbor and gave birth to a girl but died due to massive blood loss. At the same moment, my sister-inw, shocked and emotionally agitated, went into prematurebor.¡±

    ¡°They had a girl, but because the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck, she was asphyxiated at birth and could not be revived.¡±

    ¡°The baby girl was originally going to be adopted by the vige women¡¯s Director, Wang Meihua, because she and her husband were childless. But when she brought the baby home, her husband disagreed, and her inws kicked up a fuss. In the end, with no other choice, she took the child back to my elder brother¡¯s ce.¡±

    ¡°The idea was to see if any other family was willing to adopt her, but at that time, my sister-inw had just given birth and was physically very weak; she didn¡¯t even know her own child had died. My brother feared that she might be devastated and be emotionally distressed, which might harm her health.¡±

    ¡°So, he handed the baby to my sister-inw, saying it was their daughter.¡±

    ¡°And that became theter Bai Xiao,¡± Bai Jianguo pointed to Bai Xiao standing there.

    Everyone looked her way, their gazes filled with pity and sympathy. To be born without a mother was already tragic enough, and ordinary people wouldn¡¯t normally know these hidden matters; whispers started to spread among the people.

    Shang Feng said excitedly to Bai Xiao, ¡°You see, this proves you are that child.¡±

    Bai Xiao asked coldly, ¡°Uncle, one should have a conscience in life. Even if the baby girl born to that young woman was me, let me ask you this, can you confirm that the man standing before us is my father? Mr. Shang, did you and that young woman register for marriage? Or did you perhaps hold a wedding banquet in the vige that everyone knows about?¡±

 Chapter 522 - 522 522 Kaiwens Considerations (Extra Chapter

    ?Chapter 522: Chapter 522: Kaiwen¡¯s Considerations (Extra Chapter for Monthly Tickets)   Chapter 522: Chapter 522: Kaiwen¡¯s Considerations (Extra Chapter for Monthly Tickets)                                   Shang Feng shook his head, ¡°The circumstances back then didn¡¯t allow it¡­¡±

    Bai Xiao sneered, ¡°Are you saying that I, as a child, didn¡¯t understand things? No matter how poor the conditions were, at least someone had to know who the child¡¯s father was, right? It can¡¯t be that if you im to be the father, you¡¯re the father, right? At most my younger uncle¡¯s words can only prove that I was indeed adopted by my parents, but he absolutely has no way to prove you are my biological father.¡±

    Bai Jianguo was at a loss for words; he epted someone¡¯s money to do their bidding, and now Bai Xiao¡¯s speech had truly left no room for sophistry or denial.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that, I really am your father. Back then, your mother and I were a couple, a lot of people knew about it.¡±

    Shang Feng panicked, even bringing up witnesses and Bai Xiao could still deny them.

    Bai Jianguo nodded repeatedly.

    ¡°Yes, yes, how could I lie about such a thing? Now I remember, there is someone else who can prove that Mr. Shang here is indeed your father.¡± Bai Jianguo was too anxious, he had to make sure that the money that had made it into his pocket was not going to fly away.

    He was now ready to do anything, evenmit murder and arson.

    Shang Feng¡¯s eyes lit up, right, wasn¡¯t there an olddy?

    He nodded vigorously.

    Watching Bai Xiao from the sidelines, Shang Kaiwen felt a chill in her heart.

    This Bai Xiao was no simple character. Even though she was just 20 years old, Kaiwen had indeed underestimated her initially.

    She thought that a child from the countryside would be naive and short-sighted.

    Otherwise, why would she not attend a proper university and instead go for some ss? Just this narrow-mindedness revealed much about a person¡¯s shortsightedness, limiting their future development.

    She hadn¡¯t taken Bai Xiao seriously at all.

    ording to her guess, although Bai Xiao refused to recognize her father, it was probably because of emotional issues, considering they had investigated Bai Xiao¡¯s entire life from birth until now. This girl hadn¡¯t had an easy time in the vige, mistreated by her younger uncle¡¯s family, with her grandmother adding fuel to the fire, exploiting her.

    Such a harsh environment for growth could easily twist a person¡¯s character.

    Therefore, it seemed only natural for her to reject her father.

    But today was a thorough eye-opener. Bai Xiao was able to face her father, confront the malicious Bai Jianguo, and remain calm andposed, discussing the matter with ease. With such a stable temperament and cool method of thinking, to say she was just a simple country girl would be something she¡¯d never believe.

    Even now, with Bai Jianguo¡¯s testimonyid out, she still managed to stay calm andposed, pointing out the inconsistencies. A girl like that, she thought, would definitely not be a minor character content with inferiority in the future.

    Plus, with the backing of An Zhiyuan and the An Family, Bai Xiao¡¯s future development might progress by leaps and bounds.

    Nobody could say for sure where this girl might end up, what position she might attain.

    It seemed they would really need to put forth some effort to bring her back into the fold.

    Bai Xiao made her feel it was essential; her own brother was already gone.

    Among the Shang Family¡¯s next generation, aside from herself, there were no particrly clever and capable individuals. If Bai Xiao were added, along with the support from her background,

    she felt very confident that she could lead the Shang Family to even greater heights in this generation.

    She needed someone capable who could assist her.

    Now it appeared that Bai Xiao was the perfect candidate, without a doubt.

    Moreover, Bai Xiao herself had great value.

    This girl had saved people several times, all of whom were influential and powerful.

    If they could establish rtionships through her in the future, how could the Shang Family not be more glorious?

 Chapter 523 - 523 523 Going Out

    ?Chapter 523: Chapter 523 Going Out   Chapter 523: Chapter 523 Going Out                                   ¡°Your grandmother, she must know what¡¯s going on, right?¡±

    The inexhaustible Bai Jianguo pushed Li Chunhua out to deal with the situation, which was why he insisted Mr. Shang bring his mother along.

    Li Chunhua certainly knew the truth about Bai Xiao¡¯s origins because, back then, she and the eldest were very close. The eldest, if he had something to say, would speak to his own mother. What did that young woman say before she died? Perhaps only she, as his mother, knew the answer besides the eldest son.

    He believed the eldest son wouldn¡¯t have kept Li Chunhua in the dark.

    Thinking of his mother¡¯s affection for the eldest son made his heart sour with waves of jealousy. He was lucky the eldest died early; otherwise, what would have been his ce?

    Shang Feng told Shang Kaiwen, ¡°Please bring the olddy here.¡±

    All three of them knew very well that Li Chunhua absolutely despised her granddaughter. In Li Chunhua¡¯s eyes, it was because of this jinx that her son and daughter-inw were ruined. Otherwise, how could she have treated an orphaned child so cruelly for so many years?

    Therefore, the conflict between Li Chunhua and Bai Xiao meant that Li Chunhua would definitely not speak in Bai Xiao¡¯s favor.

    A mocking smile yed on Bai Xiao¡¯s lips.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you had enough already? Do you think if you keep saying you have evidence and witnesses, we will just sit here indefinitely, waiting for you to present everything? Do you find us so idle and bored that we would be willing to apany you in this y-acting?¡±

    She did not want Li Chunhua to show up! Not to mention the issues between Li Chunhua and herself, their rtionship could never be mended. Li Chunhua mistreated her for years in her past life, and that hatred had taken deep root in her heart. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that the olddy was still useful, she would have wished Li Chunhua were lying in bed already.

    Bai Xiao certainly didn¡¯t want to be the one to ¡°return good for evil.¡±

    She had neither the mood nor the intention to do so.

    Therefore, Li Chunhua¡¯s appearance was very detrimental to her.

    ¡°I guarantee this is thest witness. If this witness can¡¯t prove the rtionship between you and me, I will never bother you again,¡± Shang Feng said, almost as if he was throwing all his chips in.

    ¡°Alright, then please bring the olddy up,¡± said An Cheng this time.

    If things weren¡¯t resolved quickly, everyone sitting here would just be waiting tough at both families¡¯ embarrassment.

    A perfectly good wedding had already been stripped of any sense of happiness or joy and had turned into a big paternity reveal instead.

    An Cheng was annoyed.

    He also wanted to end this topic as soon as possible. Nobody was paying attention to the fact that it was his son¡¯s wedding banquet any longer.

    An Zhiyuan, seeing Bai Xiao restrain herself from speaking, glimpsed a hint of doubt and confusion in her features. He tightened his grasp on Bai Xiao¡¯s hand. ¡°Dad, why are you getting involved in such matters? Uncle Shang, no offense, but what are you trying to prove? Bai Xiao is my wife; what does it matter whose daughter she is? I don¡¯t want to hear about anything else right now. This matter is irrelevant to us, and I don¡¯t want your presence to ruin our wedding. Please take your people and leave immediately. I don¡¯t want to get physical, but anyone would be upset if their wedding were interrupted.¡±

    His arm wrapped tightly around Bai Xiao¡¯s shoulders, offering her the greatestfort and support.

    Bai Jianguo was terrified. If he became useless, what would happen to that ten thousand yuan?

 Chapter 524 - 524 524 The Witness Has Arrived

    ?Chapter 524: Chapter 524 The Witness Has Arrived   Chapter 524: Chapter 524 The Witness Has Arrived                                   Bai Jianguo quietly slipped away while Shang Feng was still entangled with An Zhiyuan, and no one would notice his departure.

    In this farce, he had no significant presence.

    Shang Feng was frantic. ¡°Ayuan! You are the child I saw grow up. I would not harm you. Can you understand the feelings of a father¡¯s love for his daughter?¡±

    ¡°I cannot!¡±

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s merciless refusal came. At this moment, no one could hurt his wife under any pretext, no one was allowed.

    Bai Xiao suddenly felt an immense courage within. There was someone who would stand by her side, unwavering, even when she faced any difficulty alone and unsupported.

    Yes.

    The vows they had once made.

    To share life and death, to never leave nor forsake each other.

    At this moment, they became an inseparable part of each other. She no longer felt like she was always fighting alone. She had a reliable partner, a family member, a lover.

    No matter the storm, he would stand in front of her.

    ¡°Someday you¡¯re going to be a father, you also have a father. The concern and care a father has for his children¡­ You¡¯re asking me to ignore my own daughter. You might as well kill me directly!¡±

    ¡°Big brother, third brother, a few brothers, please help, take Uncle Shang out, so as not to dampen everyone¡¯s spirits.¡±

    Being stubborn and refusing to leave? No way!

    An Zhigao and An Zhixiang, at this moment, were definitely real brothers in arms. The father and son took to the battlefield like brothers fighting a tiger, and with a few men, they indeed red menacingly as they approached Shang Feng and Shang Kaiwen.

    Shang Feng was also in despair. An Zhiyuan was not Bai Xiao, if he said not to listen, he truly could refuse to listen. He had no excuse to cause trouble at someone else¡¯s wedding.

    Shang Kaiwen pleaded with An Zhigao, ¡°Big brother An, just let our final witness speak; it will benefit everyone. Big brother An, we all grew up in the same courtyard. Could you please persuade Ayuan for us? She is my sister, as well as my father¡¯s daughter. Please have pity on the heart of all the world¡¯s parents!¡±

    An Zhigao made a gesture, ¡°Take your dad out of here. Don¡¯t make us get rough. While you say that, you should also pity my father¡¯s parental heart. Seeing his son¡¯s wedding be like this, don¡¯t you have any consideration for others?¡±

    Very unhappy, definitely very unhappy.

    An Zhixiang followed behind his older brother, representing the face of the An Family at this moment.

    Although his heart sympathized with the fairer sex, his second brother¡¯s face was more important.

    ¡°Wait, the witness is here! The witness is here!¡±

    Bai Jianguo called out, pushing through the crowd, and everyone gave way, not that the way was blocked, but Bai Jianguo made a gesture of clearing the path. An olddy really did appear behind him.

    Trembling and faltering, her hair white, her face carved with deep wrinkles filled with a slow-burning hostility; her droopy eyes made it clear she wasn¡¯t an easy person to deal with. At this moment, she was following Bai Jianguo in.

    ¡°Who is this?¡±

    ¡°Could it be the so-called witness? The grandmother of Doctor Bai?¡±

    ¡°Seems like it.¡±

    ¡°This olddy doesn¡¯t look easy to talk to, all that hostility in her eyes and brows.¡±

    ¡°Today¡¯s really a series of dramas.¡±

    ¡°The An Family haspletely lost face today; not only did they get a daughter-inw, but they¡¯ve also stirred up this illegitimate daughter business. Is this something to be proud of?¡±

    ¡°Shang Family doesn¡¯t seem any better, even if it¡¯s their own daughter, recognizing her publicly like this is embarrassing.¡±

    ¡°Poor thing. Doctor Bai having such a father is really unlucky.¡±

    ¡°I hope Doctor Bai isn¡¯t Shang Feng¡¯s daughter. The way Shang Family handles things is too immoral. This doesn¡¯t seem like recognizing a rtive at all. It¡¯s more like they¡¯re causing a scene.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

 Chapter 525 - 525 525 The Old Ladys Disgust

    ?Chapter 525: Chapter 525 The Old Lady¡¯s Disgust   Chapter 525: Chapter 525 The Old Lady¡¯s Disgust                                   Bai Xiao saw Li Chunhua, and Li Chunhua also saw Bai Xiao in formal attire. Their gazes collided; Bai Xiao did not evade, while Li Chunhua¡¯s eyes were full of scrutinizing judgment, just like in those past years, disying an attitude of disdain.

    As if Bai Xiao was mere trash on the roadside, meant for anyone to step on or kick.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t youe and help me up, my dear granddaughter?¡± Li Chunhua spoke, but her first words were unmistakably filled with disdain.

    Disdain?

    Yes, disdain.

    Bai Xiao calmly walked over, intending to help Li Chunhua, only for Li Chunhua to jab her finger fiercely against Bai Xiao¡¯s forehead, just like the countless times before, as if she wanted to pierce through her skull, immediately leaving a red mark, ¡°Tell me, how can you cause so much trouble just by getting married? What do you think your inws will think of you? Aren¡¯t you usually so tough in front of us? Why have you be so meek here? Where has all your fierceness gone? Truly embarrassing!¡±

    Scolding while jabbing.

    Bai Xiao frowned, preparing to retaliate. It wasn¡¯t difficult to silence the olddy; this time, she could not afford to leave any loose ends. Let Bai Jianguo do as he pleases. It¡¯s better to deal with Li Chunhua first.

    Perhaps her initial approach of fighting fire with fire was wed; it had left her with problems.

    Otherwise, why would Li Chunhua show up to cause trouble?

    I made the mistake; it¡¯s up to me to solve it. I knew that Li Chunhua showing up would not ease the situation.

    Because she is not a descendant of the Bai Family.

    And just like that, Shang Feng was back in action.

    He pushed past Bai Xiao with sudden agility before her fingers even touched Li Chunhua¡¯s cor.

    Shoved aside, if it weren¡¯t for An Zhiyuan catching her from behind, she could have fallen head over heels.

    Feeling frustrated at that moment, she had missed the best opportunity to reach Li Chunhua, ring at her empty hand, Bai Xiao snorted coldly.

    Shang Feng really didn¡¯t know whether to live or die.

    Should she silence Shang Feng?

    ¡°Olddy, it¡¯s good you¡¯re here. Please give us your word, is this child, Bai Xiao, really Yu Shaoya¡¯s daughter from back then? Did you know about what happened between Yu Shaoya and me back then? Is this child really mine?¡± Finally, the olddy was involved.

    Shang Feng felt his chance hade again.

    Li Chunhua gave Bai Xiao a look! Anyone could tell it was a hostile look.

    Bai Jianguo quickly chimed in, ¡°Mom, Mr. Shang is desperate to find his daughter. Everyone knows the details of Bai Xiao¡¯s mother¡¯s past affairs as crystal clear to him. You definitely know, Bai Xiao is Mr. Shang¡¯s daughter, right?¡± This was hisst resort; the olddy had to agree if she still hoped for his support in her old age.

    ¡°The affairs of the past, you know them? Why are you in such a rush to discuss them here?¡± Li Chunhua red at Bai Jianguo, knowing exactly what he was up to. Rushing to curry favor with Shang Feng, this man from the Shang Family must have offered her son some great benefits.

    Bai Jianguo was sheepish.

    He no longer had a ce to speak here.

    ¡°Indeed, my eldest son knows a great deal about the past events. When Bai Xiao¡¯s biological mother was dying, she told these matters to my son, hoping that the child would know her biological parents once she grew up. Bai Xiao¡¯s biological mother was indeed Yu Shaoya, and Bai Xiao¡¯s father¡­¡± Li Chunhua looked at Bai Xiao with evident disgust.

    Bai Xiao clenched her teeth.

    It didn¡¯t matter to her; a dead pig isn¡¯t afraid of boiling water. Even if Shang Feng was her biological father, it didn¡¯t matter.

    Whether or not to acknowledge him was her business.

    No one could force her to acknowledge him.

 Chapter 526 - 526 526 Bai Xiaos Real Dads Surname is Not

    ?Chapter 526: Chapter 526: Bai Xiao¡¯s Real Dad¡¯s Surname is Not Shang   Chapter 526: Chapter 526: Bai Xiao¡¯s Real Dad¡¯s Surname is Not Shang                                   Everyone¡¯s eyes widened as they awaited Li Chunhua¡¯s words, a shocking secret!

    Shang Feng trembled with excitement, just one sentence would permanently bind him with the An Family.

    It didn¡¯t matter whether Bai Xiao acknowledged it or not, but the An Family had to.

    He and the An Family were rtives by marriage now, which would make things easier to handle.

    Speak! Speak, olddy, hurry and speak!

    Li Chunhua stared intently at Bai Xiao, ¡°Look at that pathetic expression! People are pointing fingers at you, forcing you, and you can still bear it? I¡¯m your grandmother, and even I feel embarrassed and disheartened for you. Weren¡¯t you very capable, didn¡¯t you sort me out so arrogantly before? Howe now when people are bullying you, you neither fight back nor talk back? Don¡¯t you have a mouth under your nose?

    Just let this bastard spout nonsense? If he¡¯s your father, then I, Li Chunhua, will write my name backwards. Sorry everyone, Bai Xiao¡¯s biological father isn¡¯t surnamed Shang. Young man, don¡¯t mistakenly recognize rtives. Although my granddaughter is outstanding and capable, it doesn¡¯t mean any Tom, Dick, or Harry cane crying and screaming to acknowledge kinship. Wherever you came from, hurry back there, my granddaughter has absolutely nothing to do with you.¡±

    Once these words were spoken, they were earth-shattering, affecting every listener differently.

    Bai Xiao was confused; what had gotten into this olddy? She was actually speaking up for her.

    But, internally, she breathed a sigh of relief.

    If Shang Feng were truly her biological father, it would make it difficult for her to deal with the Shang Family in the public eye in the future.

    To exist in society alone is not feasible; wherever there are people, there is public opinion and moral constraints. Many people stand on the moral high ground, focusing only on what kind of blood rtion you share, not caring whether there is love or hate between you.

    Now that Shang Feng wasn¡¯t her biological father, she stood on the moral high ground, both publicly and ethically.

    It saved her a lot of trouble.

    Shang Feng rushed forward, grabbing the olddy¡¯s wrist.

    ¡°Olddy, it¡¯s impossible. Bai Xiao is definitely my daughter. You must be mistaken.¡±

    No matter what, today he had to recognize Bai Xiao as his daughter, or else he would lose a great deal of face.

    Li Chunhua yelled, ¡°Oh God, all I did was tell the truth. Look, youe up and grab me so fiercely; my wrist is almost broken.¡± When it came to making a scene, ten Shang Fengs couldn¡¯tpete with her.

    Bai Xiao stepped up and pulled Shang Feng away, ¡°Mr. Shang, keep some dignity for yourself. My grandmother is already over 70. Do you want her life treating her like this?¡±

    Bai Jianguo turned pale.

    What was the olddy trying to do? Didn¡¯t she know that her words might cost him ten thousand yuan?

    ¡°Mom, what are you doing? Bai Xiao is clearly Mr. Shang¡¯s daughter. Why are you spouting nonsense?¡±

    Li Chunhua nced sideways at Bai Jianguo, ¡°Bai Xiao isn¡¯t my biological granddaughter. Who her biological father is, why should I lie? Besides, the elder had personally told me about the past events. How can you say it¡¯s nonsense? You don¡¯t know the real story; how can you im that Mr. Shang is Bai Xiao¡¯s biological father? Even though I may not like Bai Xiao since she¡¯s not my own blood, I still know that one cannot spout lies against their conscience.¡±

    She answered decisively.

    Shang Feng looked at everyone staring at him, the disdain all too clear in their eyes. Everyone thought Shang Feng was scheming to gain the An Family¡¯s favor.

    That was true, but the one thing he firmly believed was that Bai Xiao was indeed his daughter.

    Yet, now with the olddy as a witness! Instead of proving Bai Xiao was his daughter, she had proved she most certainly was not.

 Chapter 527 - 527 527 The Villain Sidekick

    ?Chapter 527: Chapter 527: The Viin Sidekick   Chapter 527: Chapter 527: The Viin Sidekick                                   ¡°Who is this Bai Xiao¡¯s daughter?¡± Shang Feng couldn¡¯t ept his own failure as being so miserable.

    Li Chunhua red at him. ¡°What kind of person are you? If Bai Xiao isn¡¯t your daughter, why should you care who her real father is? Why should I tell you? Are you being a bit too nosy for your own good?¡±

    Her justified demeanor left no room for rebuttal, indeed, aside from Bai Xiao herself, who else had the right to ask?

    Shang Feng had no response and quickly walked out with Shang Kaiwen.

    The embarrassing incident that followed was yet toe.

    Somebody followed the footsteps of Shang Kaiwen and her group as they left.

    ¡°Xiao, help me meet my inws,¡± Li Chunhua called out to Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao helped Li Chunhua up. The olddy hadn¡¯t been seen in a year! She seemed fragile, visibly older, and less like the evil hag who had mistreated her before. Although there was still an undertone of bitterness in her eyes, she just seemed old.

    The strangest thing was that the olddy was actually speaking up for her.

    She didn¡¯t quite understand this world anymore.

    The two of them were supposed to be enemies. The olddy had lost hope long ago that Bai Xiao would be there to take care of her in her old age, and probably didn¡¯t expect it. Bai Xiao had no intention of ying the saintly role of returning evil with good. Shouldn¡¯t the olddy just sell her off immediately to sever ties with the Bai Family and eliminate any threat from Bai Xiao?

    What kind of situation was this?

    Li Chunhua approached An Cheng and Wei Shufen. In terms of hierarchy, Li Chunhua, a woman in her seventies, ranked above them both.

    They hastily rose to greet her.

    ¡°Mother-inw, please take a seat. This long journey must have been exhausting. The wedding was arranged in a rather simple and hurried manner, so we didn¡¯t invite you, and that is our fault,¡± Wei Shufen was skilled at saying the right things.

    Li Chunhua nced at Wei Shufen. She could tell that this woman was no good; after being a mother-inw for decades, she had seen her fair share of deceptiveness.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s mother-inw was quite a character indeed.

    ¡°Then I will presume upon my age and sit down,¡± Li Chunhua said, looking at An Cheng, who still appeared upright and manly.

    An Zhiyuan hurried over as well. With Shang Feng gone, everyone resumed their festivities, but the atmosphere could not match the earlier warmth.

    ¡°Son-inw, daughter-inw, at my age, I really shouldn¡¯t have made this taxing trip, and I know that city folks like you have many rules and I didn¡¯t want to intrude. But that Shang looked like he had bad intentions. If I hadn¡¯te, I¡¯m afraid he might have sold my niece. So I thought I must make the trip no matter what, even just to see the Capital City, it would be worth it.

    ¡°My granddaughter, I never really treated her as my own, I wasn¡¯t kind to her, nor close, but after all, she was raised in our family. My deceased eldest son treasured her like a gem in his palm. So I¡¯m here to offer some support, to let you know, Bai Xiao has her natal family. Her elder brother and sisters are all decent people with their own jobs, and they certainly won¡¯t burden the young couple. However, Commander An, if you ever think of bullying Bai Xiao, her elder brother won¡¯t let you off the hook!¡±

    She had indeede to offer support.

    Bai Xiao was nearly breathless from the dramatic turn of events.

    This must be a scriptwriter going wild with the storyline.

    Li Chunhua was supposed to be the antagonist, or at the very least, a supporting character who should have died off long ago. Yet here she was, defending Bai Xiao ¨C had she lost her mind?

 Chapter 528 - 528 528 Buy Tickets

    ?Chapter 528: Chapter 528: Buy Tickets   Chapter 528: Chapter 528: Buy Tickets                                   An Zhiyuan immediately agreed, ¡°Yes! Grandma, I understand. I definitely won¡¯t bully Bai Xiao. I know how my big brother is; he¡¯s pretty tough. I¡¯m even afraid he will break my legs!¡± He also didn¡¯t understand what Li Chunhua was up to, after all if it weren¡¯t for Li Chunhua¡¯s interference back then, he would never have had this fate with Bai Xiao.

    At that time, the olddy seemed as if she wouldn¡¯t mind killing Bai Xiao.

    Yet in front of so many people, they were all actors.

    An Cheng, however, felt good about the olddy, thinking it noble for a foster grandmother to treat her this kindly and lovingly.

    ¡°Olddy, rest assured, we will definitely treat your family¡¯s Bai Xiao well, and if he dares to treat her badly, I, as a father, won¡¯t forgive him,¡± he said.

    Li Chunhua nodded, ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good. Inws, Bai Xiao is still young. If there¡¯s anything she does wrong, please be forgiving. After all, her parents died early and didn¡¯t have the chance to properly teach her. I, this old woman, have things I¡¯ve done over the years that I¡¯m not proud of. Just don¡¯t hold it against her.¡±

    An Chu and Wei Shufen both smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, olddy, we will love her like our own child and won¡¯t pick on her faults.¡±

    The banquet ended like this.

    Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan escorted the olddy back to where she was staying, which was a hotel nearby.

    It was Shang Feng who had rented it, and today Bai Jianguo had brought her from there.

    At the hotel, they found out that the room had already been checked out, and Bai Jianguo had long since disappeared, leaving the olddy behind all by herself.

    Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t help but be amused.

    Bai Jianguo indeed could do such a thing.

    Shang Feng was no good either, burning his bridges too quickly.

    He wasn¡¯t even afraid of what people would say about his character.

    Upon hearing this, Li Chunhua actuallyughed, ¡°No worries! I had guessed it would be this way. I haven¡¯t fallen into their trap! It¡¯s bound to end like this, and I, this old woman, wouldn¡¯t not know it¡ªtaking people¡¯s money to ward off disasters for them. I didn¡¯t ease their worries, so of course it ended up like this.¡±

    ¡°Zhiyuan, grandma is asking for your favor this time. Go to the train station and buy a ticket home for grandma. I¡¯ll go home. I¡¯m not afraid of what that heartless person might do. Would he still dare to dishonor me?¡± The thing that angered the olddy the most was her own son.

    He had just left her and walked away, without considering that she was nearly eighty years old. What if something happened to her on the way?

    An Zhiyuan nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Grandma. Speaking of leaving, it¡¯s not like we can leave immediately today. Let Bai Xiao check you into another room first. You rest here, and I¡¯ll head to the station to see if there are any tickets avable.¡±

    Bai Xiao nodded and asked Li Chunhua to sit and wait for her in the lobby while she saw An Zhiyuan out.

    ¡°Given your grandma¡¯s age, she can¡¯t travel alone. It¡¯s not a good idea for her to undertake such a long journey by herself. I think you should consider maybe I should take her back?¡± An Zhiyuan thought it through; they couldn¡¯t really just ignore the olddy.

    Even if the olddy really treated Bai Xiao poorly, it was not conceivable to be utterly inhumane.

    Bai Xiao shook her head, ¡°You better not. How would it look if you took my grandma back? The vigers might talk! Anyway, since we¡¯re going to visit my sister and brother-inw, we might as well take her with us to my older brother¡¯s ce. My older brother and sister can take her back, and that might even shut up my uncle¡¯s mouth. Otherwise, who knows what more nder and rumors will be waiting for us?¡±

    She didn¡¯t want Bai Jianguo to exploit An Zhiyuan as a topic.

 Chapter 529 - 529 529 Contradiction

    ?Chapter 529: Chapter 529: Contradiction   Chapter 529: Chapter 529: Contradiction                                   ¡°Have you thought this through? I don¡¯t want to do anything extreme, but I also don¡¯t want to put you in a difficult position. I know your grandmother has treated you poorly over the years, so I agreed to cut ties with them. Sending her back is also to avoid making you ufortable with this issue. But no matter how bad the olddy is, she is still of advanced age and can¡¯t really be left to suffer any mishaps on the road,¡± An Zhiyuan considered for Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao sighed, ¡°I know, and it¡¯s precisely because I know that we can¡¯t do this. Let¡¯s not bother with it; just take her with us to the provincial city. We¡¯ll be leaving soon anyway. The Spring Festival is around the corner, and tickets are hard toe by ¡ª you¡¯ll need to pull some strings.¡±

    An Zhiyuan saw she was not opposed, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be leaving. Go inside; I¡¯lle back to pick you upter.¡±

    Bai Xiao nodded, waved her hand, and watched as An Zhiyuan went away.

    He went back and opened a room for the olddy, taking Li Chunhua into the room.

    Li Chunhua was tired too. At seventy-eight, the elderly woman would certainly feel exhausted. She didn¡¯t expect Bai Xiao to take care of her.

    Shey down on the bed and covered herself with the quilt.

    Bai Xiao sat on the sofa chair, watching TV, and neither of them spoke. The only sound in the room came from the TV drama.

    ¡°Bai Xiao! I know you hate me, but I¡¯m saying this now! I¡¯m not doing it for you, so don¡¯t get the wrong idea! I just don¡¯t want you to be entangled by that Shang surname. Your elder brother and sisters will depend on you in the future. I am old, and I have done wrong things in my life; I will apologize to your parents down below, and I won¡¯t say more,¡± the olddy suddenly blurted out, startling Bai Xiao.

    The olddy had indeed changed a lot. It seemed she truly cared for Bai Song, Bai Yue, and Bai Ju, considering them in every aspect.

    ¡°I know, and I won¡¯t hate you less because of what you said today! I can¡¯t forget the things you did to me over those years, nor will I forget,¡± Bai Xiao replied coldly, her capacity for holding grudges well-known.

    ¡°You¡¯re right to say that! That¡¯s your character. I¡¯m not afraid. I have lived long enough. If you want revenge, take it. But you mustn¡¯t lose your conscience. You should know how your elder brother and sisters treated you these years; they have suffered for you. If you don¡¯t take care of them for the rest of their lives, I won¡¯t let it go even as a ghost,¡± the olddy stated her desires in a calm tone.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me. Whether or not you be a ghost, I am not afraid. I will naturally treat my elder brother and sisters well! Not because of you, but because of their selfless kindness to me, without any demand or expectation in return,¡± Bai Xiao said.

    ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good. I know you are a person who distinguishes between gratitude and grudges. That¡¯s good. The more you hate me, the better you¡¯ll treat themter. With that, I can rest in peace,¡± Li Chunhua murmured to herself, gradually drifting off to sleep.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s mind was in turmoil.

    Li Chunhua¡¯s change disrupted her firm determination for revenge. She found herself feeling soft and helpless; she seemed to be easily moved by others. To her, Li Chunhua was an enemy, entirely irreconcble.

    Yet, she would still hesitate because of Li Chunhua¡¯s treatment of her elder brother and sisters.

    Life is just too hard.

    She hoped to see her elder brother and sisters soon. That way, she might feel warmth in the depths of her heart instead of being disturbed by these messy matters.

    She missed her siblings.

    When she returned home that night, she saw Wei Shufen crying her eyes out. Only when she went back to her room did she learn that Ding Min¡¯s family¡¯s front door had been broken into the night before, Ding Min¡¯s parents tied up tightly, their safe opened, and their bed covered with various documents, bankbooks, and dazzling jewelry. It was their neighbor who discovered it and called the police in the morning.

    Before the police arrived, plenty of reporters, tipped off by a phone call, hurried over and took countless photos. Upon investigation, the police found a significant amount of illicit wealth in Ding Min¡¯s parents¡¯ safe, assets that didn¡¯t match their background. Consequently, a higher authority stepped in for investigation, and the Ding Family¡¯s downfall was foreseeable, with all their illegalities exposed to the light of day.

    The couple was taken into custody, and everyone with clear eyes knew what would follow.

    That night, Bai Xiao asked An Zhiyuan if he had done it. An Zhiyuan¡¯s denial was as vigorous as a rattle-drum, but Bai Xiao knew that he hadn¡¯t been home the previous night; she had awoken to find her side cold. Where he had gone, only he knew, but he wouldn¡¯t say a word.

    An Zhiyuan just hugged her andughed, steadfast in his denial.

    As for his second brother, he was so upright andw-abiding, how could he do such a thing?

    It must have been someone else who despised the Ding Family¡ªthere were likely many who found them objectionable. Such acts of justice could only be carried out by someone with a chivalrous heart.

    An Zhiyuan was merely a soldier.

    Yet, Bai Xiao knew it must have been him, having made a promise to An Zhixiang that he couldn¡¯t go back on. He sought indirectly to settle scores for her. Wei Shufen had wronged Bai Xiao for the Ding Family, and now An Zhiyuan hadpletely exterminated them.

    This was retribution not to be dyed.

    The Ding Family no longer needed to prance around. But Ding Min couldn¡¯t have expected the repercussions of offending An Zhiyuan to be so severe.

    It was said thatter Ding Min lost her job, which her parents had secured for her by pulling strings. Due to her wounds not healing properly, she had developed various illnesses and eventually had a hysterectomy. She was reduced to relying on Wei Shufen for support.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s An Second Brother might seem silent, but when it came to taking someone¡¯s life, he was particrly adept at killing without bloodshed.

 Chapter 530 - 530 530 Who Is My Father

    ?Chapter 530: Chapter 530 Who Is My Father   Chapter 530: Chapter 530 Who Is My Father                                   Li Chunhua actually woke up after a short sleep, Bai Xiao had brought her back some food, simple buns and dumplings, since there really was nothing fancier, she hadn¡¯t bought any soup.

    She came back and boiled a kettle of water.

    The olddy was sitting on the bed with her legs crossed, eating with gusto.

    At the noon banquet, she had been too busy with all the superficial interactions and hadn¡¯t really eaten at all.

    She had been hungry for a while now.

    ¡°My biological father is Shang Feng, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    Suddenly, Bai Xiao¡¯s casual words almost made the olddy choke.

    She coughed several times, took a sip of water, and finally managed to swallow the bun that was stuck in her throat.

    ¡°Are you trying to choke me to death?¡±

    ¡°My biological mother is Yu Shaoya, and my biological father is Shang Feng, right?¡±

    She actually knew the answer was very likely this one, but she still couldn¡¯t help asking this tormenting question.

    Probably everyone¡¯s like this, without hearing that definitive answer, there¡¯s always a hurdle in their hearts that can¡¯t be ovee.

    ¡°Why ask so many questions? That Shang fellow is no good, stay away from him in the future. I¡¯m saying this for your own good, don¡¯t be ungrateful,¡± Li Chunhua said irritably, continuing to eat.

    ¡°I just want an answer, I know it¡¯s him! Why are you so unwilling to tell me?¡±

    Bai Xiao certainly didn¡¯t think the olddy was doing this for her.

    Li Chunhua looked up, somewhat petnt, and nced at Bai Xiao. Seeing Bai Xiao¡¯s cool gaze, she froze. This girl really did look a lot like her own mother.

    With a deep sigh, the anger in her heart suddenly dissipated.

    ¡°Your real mother, Yu Shaoya, was a pitiful woman. We don¡¯t know the specifics of their rtionship, but your dad¡­ I mean my eldest son, told me that your mom gave up everything for Shang Feng, deserted by everyone, and got what she deserved in the end. Your mom regretted it for a long time, but she never wrote to your uncles or anyone. She said she wanted you to grow up properly, she said that man wasn¡¯t your father and only hoped you¡¯d be the person you want to be. These are the things your dad told me.

    That Shang bastard deceived your mom. She gave up her quota to return to the city for him, and once that scoundrel got back to the city, he married someone else and denied any rtionship with your mom, even telling her that he didn¡¯t have any feelings left for her when she went to find him, so your mom returned to the vige, disheartened and no longer wanting to live.

    That bastard even spread rumors that your mom had a shady rtionship with the vige chief, causing her to be shunned by the young people who had gone to the countryside, with no one willing to deal with her, except for a good friend of hers; no one else wanted to associate with her! The bastard Shang pretty much drove your mom to her death, and with your mom gone, he could finally be at ease.

    No man is a good thing! No, that¡¯s not right! My eldest son was a good person, a really good person who died too soon. Otherwise, I would¡¯ve enjoyed the blessings of your dad, and then there wouldn¡¯t have been those things with you. My poor eldest¡­ why leave me all alone! Better to have taken me with him.¡±

    As she spoke, Li Chunhua began to cry again.

    ¡°What are you pitying yourself for? At least you have Bai Jianguo to support you. I¡¯m the one who¡¯s pitiable,¡± Bai Xiao scoffed coldly. Li Chunhua feels pitiful now, but what did she do back then?

    ¡°Who asked for your pity? I¡¯m just saying, crying makes me feel better, it¡¯s none of your business,¡± Li Chunhua retorted, visibly annoyed.

    ¡°Hurry up and eat! It won¡¯t taste good once it gets cold! Don¡¯t startiningter that I¡¯m mistreating an old person,¡± said Bai Xiao.

    ¡°I¡¯ll eat, I¡¯ll eat, I love eating them cold, what¡¯s it to you!¡± Li Chunhua defiantly took a fierce bite of a dumpling, as if she were biting into a piece of Bai Xiao¡¯s flesh.

 Chapter 531 Dishwashing

    <h4>Chapter 531: Chapter 531 Dishwashing</h4><h4></h4>

    Two dayster, the three of them took a train and left the Capital City.

    Li Chunhua hadn¡¯t expected Bai Xiao would actually agree to take her to the provincial city, especially considering the unresolvable knot between her and Bai Xiao.

    But the prospect of seeing her grandson and granddaughter and even her granddaughter-inw was definitely something to look forward to, especially since Bai Yue had given birth to a daughter. Li Chunhua had heard about it in the vige, but she had never had the chance to meet the child. Perhaps this time she would finally have the opportunity. She had heard that the child was incredibly beautiful.

    Moreover, she was quite concerned that it was time for Bai Song to get married.

    Seeing how his sisters were all married and how her eldest grandson was already twenty-nine¡ªa age by which many are chasing after kids in the vige¡ªit was only Bai Song who remained single. She hoped to see her great-grandson born in her lifetime.

    In doing so, she could pass away peacefully, feeling she had exined herself to herte son and his wife.

    That way, she wouldn¡¯t feel like she owed anything to these children for those four years.

    During those four years, it was as if she had been possessed, solely obsessed with that beast, Bai Jianguo, and as a result, she had deeply hurt her grandsons and granddaughters. The consequences she faced today were nobody¡¯s fault but her own; she had sown the seeds, so it was only natural she reap the consequences.

    They hadn¡¯t informed Bai Song and Bai Yue of their return at all. An Zhiyuan had contacted one of hisrades in advance, who woulde to pick them up by car.

    Upon disembarking from the train, their friend drove them straight to the doorstep of The Bai Family¡¯s Spicy Hot Pot Restaurant.

    An Zhiyuan had originally wanted to invite hisrade to join them for a meal, but the man adamantly refused to stay, reasoning that what with the elderly and the young, it was obviously a family reunion. What was his ce there?

    After agreeing to dine together another time, his friend drove away.

    Bai Xiao was already pulling Li Chunhua inside.

    Li Chunhua mumbled as she eyed the sign.

    "Weren¡¯t you supposed to introduce me to your brother and sister? Why are you taking me to a restaurant? This ce looks expensive. I¡¯ll have you know, I¡ªa little olddy¡ªdon¡¯t have any money on me," she said, patting her pockets as if to say she wouldn¡¯t give up a penny, amusing Bai Xiao to the point ofughter.

    "You may not have money, but you have people! I¡¯ll leave you here, you can wash dishes for them, and we¡¯ll have a nice meal and be on our way. What a good deal," Bai Xiao teased Li Chunhua.

    Li Chunhua sneered, "If you aren¡¯t afraid of losing face, go ahead and leave me here. But don¡¯t me me if I cause a scene, throwing a tantrum. I¡¯m more than capable of that. Besides, I¡¯m a seventy-year-old woman; what do I have to fear from them? If they dare make me wash dishes, I¡¯ll sue them!"

    As they walked in, they came face-to-face with Bai Yue greeting customers.

    Bai Yue looked up and saw Bai Xiao and Li Chunhua, she was utterly shocked.

    "Oh my, Xiao, Grandma! Am I dreaming? How did you two end up together?" No one could have imagined Bai Xiao would be with Li Chunhua.

    Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t supposed to be at the military base?

    "Yue¡¯er, what are you doing here? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s because Bai Xiao left you here to wash dishes," said Li Chunhua, startled herself.

    She hadn¡¯t expected her eldest granddaughter to be there.

    Her first thought was that Bai Xiao was up to no good.

    Bai Yue burst outughing. ring at Bai Xiao for her trickery, she clearly saw through the ruse to scare the olddy. "Grandma, don¡¯t listen to Xiao¡¯s nonsense. This is our restaurant. You must be tired after a whole day;e inside to the room to sit. Xiao, help Grandma to the private room to rest."

    Then, seeing An Zhiyuan, she smiled even more brightly. Her brother-inw hade to pick up Bai Xiao and Grandma. This immediately made An Zhiyuan much more pleasant in her eyes.

    "Hurry! Zhiyuan, go and take a seat with them at your table," she urged.

 Chapter 532: Donâ€™t Change the Subject.

    <h4>Chapter 532: Chapter 532: Don¡¯t Change the Subject.</h4><h4></h4>

    "Zhiyuan, can youe over for a second? I have a favor to ask," Bai Yue said as she took a phone call and poked her head into the small room to call out to An Zhiyuan.

    Li Chunhua had been tired all day and had already copsed onto the bed in the small room, resting for a while.

    An Zhiyuan hurriedly agreed and came out, followed by Bai Xiao to the bar.

    "Here¡¯s the car key, it¡¯s the van parked in front of our restaurant. Your brother-inw is bringing his parents by train today too, and I reckon they¡¯ll be here in an hour. Could you help me pick them up at the train station?" Bai Yue really had no extra hands to spare.

    It was peak dining time, and the ce was crowded with customers.

    Initially, Wang Yan said there was no need for them to pick him up; he could just take his parents on the public bus.

    But Bai Yue happened to see An Zhiyuan there, and since he was family, not a stranger, they all knew An Zhiyuan could drive as he often came to see Bai Xiao in his car.

    That¡¯s what led to this situation.

    An Zhiyuan nodded, "Okay! Big sister, just leave it to me."

    Once An Zhiyuan left, Bai Yue finally questioned Bai Xiao, "Weren¡¯t you at work? Howe you¡¯re back and with our grandma? You little rascal, you didn¡¯t even call to let me know you were back. And you¡¯ve been gone for so long without sending a letter home, we were worried sick. All the stuff and letters we sent you got returned. I thought something had happened to you!"

    She jabbed Bai Xiao¡¯s forehead sharply.

    Clutching her forehead, Bai Xiao murmured quietly, "Big sister, can¡¯t youe up with something new? It¡¯s always a jab to the forehead since I was a kid. Aren¡¯t you afraid you¡¯ll make me stupid?"

    "You¡¯re as wily as a monkey; how could I make you stupid?"

    Bai Yue retorted irritably.

    "How couldn¡¯t you?"

    Bai Xiao feigned agony, prompting Bai Yue to check her forehead quickly, only to find not even a mark, and knew her little sister was just ying up.

    Annoyed, she gave a hard smack on Bai Xiao¡¯s bottom.

    "Stop changing the subject. What actually happened? Tell me.".

    Bai Xiao recounted everything, and Bai Yue¡¯s heart fluctuated with the narrative. Of course, Bai Xiao omitted the part about the battlefront; if her big sister knew she had been to such a frontline area, Bai Yue would probably be scared to death, with no telling how many tears she¡¯d shed.

    To save herself from drowning in those tears, Bai Xiao vowed not to breathe a word of this.

    She only shared the news that she and An Zhiyuan were married and how their grandmother ended up at her wedding, including the surprise appearance of a man insisting on acknowledging her as his daughter.

    To Bai Yue, these stories sounded like someone narrating a pingshu (Chinese story-telling performance).

    It was all so disconnected.

    Her sister had managed to get married in the time they hadn¡¯t seen each other. Well, marriage was bound to happen eventually, especially since she and An Zhiyuan, no, now her brother-inw, were set to marry sooner orter. Whether early orte, marriage was inevitable. Since the two of them worked together, being married would mean they could take care of each other more conveniently.

    What infuriated her was that Shang Kaijie, the man who wanted to kill them, turned out to be Bai Xiao¡¯s brother, which was just too melodramatic.

    And whatever the reasons, to go to such extreme lengths to acknowledge his daughter, causing amotion at his daughter¡¯s wedding, and even getting her grandmother and uncle to testify was extreme.

    Was this man really a father? He sounded more like an enemy.

    What angered her more was that the uncle had betrayed them to such an extent, siding with an outsider to bully his own niece. It was fortunate that their grandmother¡¯s disposition had changed significantly; otherwise, Bai Xiao might have suffered much more.

 Chapter 533: Overcrowded

    <h4>Chapter 533: Chapter 533: Overcrowded</h4><h4></h4>

    "Let me tell you, keep your distance from that Shang Family, even if that man is your own father, we shouldn¡¯t acknowledge him. Just by looking at his son, you can tell the whole family is no good. I saw how intent and earnest he was when he came to find us, he must have had bad intentions, wanting to get something out of you," Bai Yue, having been in business for so long, had apletely different perspective now.

    Her words went straight to the point.

    Bai Xiao nodded his head like a drowsy bug, his face grinning mischievously as he gave a big thumbs up.

    "Big sis is mighty!"

    "Cut out the nonsense, I¡¯m telling you, the wedding you had in Capital City doesn¡¯t count. Once you¡¯re back home, we¡¯re going to have another one. You¡¯re my only sister, how can we all just miss your only wedding? Besides, has your sister prepared your dowry to easily let you get married off? I¡¯ve long nned on throwing you a grand wedding," Bai Yuemanded sternly.

    Bai Xiao shook his head as if it were a rattle-drum, the wedding in Capital City had almost skinned him alive.

    If he had to go through another wedding, he¡¯d be skinned alive once more.

    He just thought he would have a meal with his elder brother and sister once he got home, sort out things simply, and let it be.

    Now, seeing his big sister¡¯s intentions, it looked like she was nning to go all out.

    "Big sis, please spare me. I¡¯ve just barely made it back; let me rest properly for a few days. I¡¯m nearly dead from exhaustion."

    This was a plea for mercy.

    "You want to rest? Resting is fine. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already bought you an apartment. The house is ready, withplete furnishings, and it¡¯s ready to move in anytime. Rest however you want, you can even lie in bed all day long, and I won¡¯t say a thing. I¡¯ll handle your wedding without you having to lift a finger," Bai Yue said, affectionately caressing her sister¡¯s little face, the more she looked, the thinner her sister seemed.

    "Sis, we are all family. We could just have a meal together, talk this over nicely, and be done with it. Please don¡¯t make this into a big deal, I really can¡¯t handle it. If you keep this up, be careful I might buy a train ticket tonight and sneak away tomorrow." Threatening her sister was her forte.

    Bai Yue was furious with Bai Xiao, and wanted to say something more, but guests were paying their bills, so she had to go attend to them.

    Bai Xiao happily went off to call her elder brother, to report that she was back.

    More than an hourter, An Zhiyuan returned with a whole lot of people: Wang Yan and Wang Yan¡¯s parents, as well as Liu Baoguo and his wife, and received news that Bai Ju and her spouse were also bringing their kids by train, arriving the day after tomorrow.

    Things suddenly got lively.

    Bai Yue thought to herself, it¡¯s a good thing they bought three apartments, otherwise they really wouldn¡¯t have had enough space.

    So An Zhiyuan drove Wang Yan¡¯s parents and Liu Baoguo with his wife and Li Chunhua to their ces of stay. Luckily, their apartment was ready, with furniture, sheets, quilts, and even pots and pans, all fully equipped.

    Finally, there was ample room in the three-bedroom apartment! If it wasn¡¯t enough, that would have been a joke.

    Li Chunhua felt more at ease seeing such an apartment and realized that her granddaughter was living well.

    Wang Yan¡¯s parents refused to stay, still concerned about their granddaughter.

    They only realized their granddaughter wasn¡¯t around when they didn¡¯t see Bai Yue with her at the hotpot restaurant, and found out she had been sent to a daycare because there was no one else to take care of her.

    The olddy was so distressed that tears came down.

    Having no choice, An Zhiyuan had to take them to Bai Yue¡¯s house.

 Chapter 534 A Glance

    <h4>Chapter 534: Chapter 534 A nce</h4><h4></h4>

    As soon as Old Lady Wang saw Tangyuan, her eldest granddaughter, sitting on the bed and ying, she immediately shouted affectionately and lunged forward, hugging and kissing Little Tangyuan over and over.

    Unexpectedly, Little Tangyuan was not shy at all, and clearly remembered her grandma, who was nearest and dearest and took great care of her, hugging the olddy and nibbling on her face several times.

    The cherished Old Lady Wang held onto Tangyuan and wouldn¡¯t let go.

    Old Master Wang red with annoyance, for just a girl was it really necessary?

    However, the little girl indeed looked chubby and tender, fair and delicate, and truly was quite endearing.

    But Old Master Wang was used to keeping his distance; he hadn¡¯t even held his own grandson, let alone any child. He never held children.

    Sitting at the other end of the bed, he watched as Tangyuan and her grandma yed on the bed, crawling over the olddy then snuggling into her arms! Her babbling voice was now starting to make simple sounds, and her round eyes yfully darted about.

    Then all at once, she spotted Old Master Wang sitting there motionless, like a wooden statue.

    Little Tangyuan, as if discovering a new toy, gleefully crawled over to him.

    The old man watched the small figure getting closer and closer and couldn¡¯t help but inwardly plead, please, please don¡¯te over here.

    s, Little Tangyuan obviously didn¡¯t understand what the old man was thinking.

    Upon reaching Old Master Wang, their eyes met¡ªbig eyes staring at little ones. Little Tangyuan sat down there, carefully examining thisrge new toy in front of her.

    Perhaps finding him particrly amusing, she looked at Old Master Wang and actually giggled, then quickly climbed into hisp like a tailless ko, found afortable spot between his legs to sit down, and even lifted her little head to stare at him.

    On the other side of the bed, the Old Lady almost choked withughter.

    Her granddaughter was impressive.

    Old Master Wang was terrified¡ªthe soft, milky-scented thing in his arms was too frightening.

    He dared not hold her, fearing that a single touch might break her.

    Wanting to move but afraid to do so, and feeling awkward staying still, the little imp sat securely in his arms, leaving him no choice but to look helplessly towards his wife.

    "Quick... take her..."

    "Shh! Tangyuan has fallen asleep, don¡¯t wake her up," whispered the olddy, pointing at hisp.

    Old Master Wang looked down, well, there you go!

    The little one was leaning in his arms, found a cozy position, and was sound asleep, her warm breath on his stomach softening his heart, making him even less inclined to move.

    Old Lady Wang didn¡¯t attempt to take Little Tangyuan away but simply handed over a nket, "Cover her with this. I¡¯m going to find something to eat; I¡¯m starving and utterly exhausted from the journey. Take good care of her, alright? She moves a lot in her sleep and might fall off the bed, so just hold her."

    Old Master Wang opened his mouth, feeling wronged inside. You¡¯re tired, but am I not tired? And here I am holding this little one in my arms, what in the world does this mean?

    But the olddy had already left through the door, from which the nging and banging noises of pots and pans soon came.

    Old Master Wang saw the little one open her eyes because of the noise, nce at him, and then she continued sleeping.

    That one nce melted his heart.

    It was endearing, clear, and reliant, and itpletely conquered Old Master Wang¡¯s heart.

    In that moment, he suddenly understood why his olddy was in such a rush to return home. Faced with such a cute, soft little thing, who couldn¡¯t like her?

 Chapter 535 Charm

    <h4>Chapter 535: Chapter 535 Charm</h4><h4></h4>

    Wang Yan was sent back by Bai Yue, considering that he¡¯d been non-stop busy these past two days, and now he was bringing back so many people, he must be exhausted from the travel. Bai Yue made a bowl of noodles for Wang Yan and told him to eat and then go home to rest. Besides, her inws were currently at her ce and didn¡¯t want Wang Yan to go back; she feared that when her son returned, the old man might kick up a fuss.

    Li Haishun was now at that age of thirteen or fourteen, when self-esteem is at its strongest and rebelliones easily. The elder Wang didn¡¯t get along with his sons, and if he really started to bicker, life would indeed be unbearable.

    Bai Yue initially thought about letting her inws stay in another suite to prevent any conflicts with Old Man Wang. After all, not living together meant less chances of shing over trivial household items; when people live separately, many conflicts easily dissolve.

    But she¡¯dpletely forgotten about Little Tangyuan, the treasure of her mother-inw¡¯s heart!

    Why would her mother-inw agree to that?

    Let them stay then; now, all the adults could do was to try their best to handle things well and minimize conflicts as much as possible.

    So she immediately sent Wang Yan back.

    Wang Yan, of course, understood what his wife was thinking and hurried back home.

    As soon as he entered through the door, he saw his mother sitting in the living room eating with a bowl in hand.

    Not seeing Little Tangyuan and his father, he found it odd,

    "Mom, where are Tangyuan and Dad?"

    The olddy pointed toward the bedroom.

    Wang Yan peeked in and burst intoughter, which earned him a fierce re from the old man, who then waved him off dismissively.

    He saw the little guy flip over in the old man¡¯s arms and continue sleeping, while the old man tenderly adjusted his arm under the child¡¯s neck and pulled the nket that had slipped off Little Tangyuan back over her. That face full of affection almost made Wang Yan stare in disbelief.

    Good heavens, was this the same stern father of his?

    His two younger brothers had fathered four kids between them, all chubby boys, and although his father was very happy about having grandsons, he¡¯d never seen him hold any of them!

    Ever since they were young, whenever the little one approached the old man, he would swiftly keep his distance.

    So they all knew that the old man actually didn¡¯t like it; he didn¡¯t want children near him, but now his own Tangyuan wasfortably sleeping on his father¡¯sp, both of them looking blissfully content.

    Wang Yan closed the door and left.

    "Mom, what¡¯s up with Dad?"

    The olddy said with delight, "Need I say it? Tangyuan¡¯s charm is irresistible; who wouldn¡¯t like her upon seeing her? You may not believe it, but your dad is no match for Tangyuan; he¡¯spletely subdued. At first, you¡¯d think Tangyuan was indifferent to him, staying miles away. But our Little Tangyuan is impressive, she crawled right over to sit on your dad¡¯s legs. You have no idea, the way the two of them looked at each other, so big-eyed and curious, it was really amusing.

    Then you saw Tangyuan fall asleep on your dad¡¯sp. I just finished cooking and asked your dad to put her down on the bed, but he wouldn¡¯t budge. He said we should bothe out to eat and that it¡¯s dangerous for the child to possibly wake up and fall off the bed. He held onto her and wouldn¡¯t let go; I¡¯ve never seen him care this much about anyone in my life."

    Wang Yan chuckled.

    Who¡¯d have thought that it would be Little Tangyuan who¡¯d conquer his stern father.

    Life is indeed unpredictable.

    On her very first day, Little Tangyuan won over her grandfather with her charm, leaving him with no temper at all.

 Chapter 536 Greed Is Never Satisfied

    <h4>Chapter 536: Chapter 536 Greed Is Never Satisfied</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan had a simple meal as well, not expecting to find the house fully stocked with everything they could need, except for fresh vegetables; there was an abundance of rice, flour, oil, salt, and various seasonings.

    The two made some egg drop soup, and after finishing a bowl each, they finally feltfortable. Rushing all the way here had been exhausting, not to mention the cold weather. They had been busy and didn¡¯t have any chance to rest properly for a while.

    Only then did they go to bed to sleep.

    Due to the exhaustion, An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t tease Bai Xiao and sincerely held his wife as they slept.

    Bai Xiao slept so deeply that she didn¡¯t wake up until ten o¡¯clock the next morning.

    And it wasn¡¯t the sleep that awoke her, but the hunger.

    It was mainly the smell of food that did it¡ªher stomach growled so loudly that it wouldn¡¯t allow her to ignore it any longer.

    She climbed out of bed, her long hair a mess, and entered the living room to see An Zhiyuan bustling around the dining table with fried dough sticks, steamed buns, tea eggs, meatball soup, and wontons, as well as tofu pudding. No wonder she smelled something good.

    An Zhiyuan nced at his wife, "Go wash your face and brush your teeth. I just brought everything back, and it¡¯s still hot. Enjoy it while it¡¯s warm."

    Seeing his wife barely awake in the morning made him feel a bit sorry for her. They had returned from a holiday month but hadn¡¯t had time to rest, busy dealing with one thing after another. Now, atst, there was an opportunity to let her rest properly.

    He couldn¡¯t bear to wake her and just covered her with the nket before heading out to buy breakfast.

    He had nned to wake her when he returned, but unexpectedly, she had already gotten up.

    Bai Xiao headed straight to the bathroom. The cups and toothbrushes were all new, clearly showing that her sister-inw had put in a lot of effort.

    She squeezed toothpaste onto the brush and filled a cup with water from the tap. Just as she was about to rinse her mouth, An Zhiyuan came in with a thermos.

    "Don¡¯t use cold water. Pour out half the water in the cup, and I¡¯ll add some hot water for you."

    Bai Xiao immediately did as instructed.

    An Zhiyuan then got a basin and poured half a basin of hot water for her, saying, "Just add a little cold water when you washter. Come eat after you¡¯re done."

    Bai Xiao hummed in agreement. Having someone by her side was different; now, someone was taking care of her.

    Life was sofortable¡ªdid she even need to lift a finger?

    After washing up and tying her hair into a ponytail, a refreshed young woman appeared in the mirror.

    Her cheeks were still naturally pale and tender, unsculpted by modern cosmetics. Young with a face full of cogen.

    She sat down at the table.

    That¡¯s when she remembered she had something to say to An Zhiyuan, "Brother Zhiyuan, big sister said our wedding in Capital City doesn¡¯t count, and she wants to hold another one here."

    An Zhiyuan also had a moment of dismay.

    Getting married was too tiring, even more so than charging into battle.

    "I didn¡¯t agree, but I think she¡¯s not going to let it go. Anyway, I told her it would be okay to just have a meal together. Don¡¯t worry, my older siblings listen to me. I didn¡¯t expect that my second sister would alsoe this time. Now that everyone¡¯s here, it¡¯s really a family reunion. Between us sisters, does this count as a telepathy thing?" She bit into a piece of fried dough stick, knowing it¡¯s not healthy, but it was so delicious!

    An Zhiyuan ced a bowl of wontons in front of her.

    "Don¡¯t worry, if you don¡¯t want it to be tiring, I¡¯ll talk to big sister."

    "But I also want to eat meatball soup, and the old tofu, what should I do?" Bai Xiao looked at An Zhiyuan with slight concern.

    "No problem, eat whatever you want. Just try a little of everything."

    "But I won¡¯t be able to finish it all, and it would be such a waste,"ined Bai Xiao, feeling quite greedy.

    Having stayed on the frontlines for so long, surviving onpressed biscuits and lukewarm food, she was finally able to eat what she craved, which might have been a bit excessive.

    "Eat whatever you want, and leave the rest to me," An Zhiyuan patted his chest.

    "You¡¯re so good!" Bai Xiao leaned over and kissed An Zhiyuan¡¯s cheek.

    The two smiled at each other.

 Chapter 537: Dearest Sisters

    <h4>Chapter 537: Chapter 537: Dearest Sisters</h4><h4></h4>

    After dinner, seeing that it was already past 11 o¡¯clock, An Zhiyuan went to pick up Bai Ju and her family, while Bai Xiao took her wallet and headed to the market to buy some vegetables, meat, and such, because she always had to cook at her own home.

    Besides, she was also nning to visit Liu Hong and He Weng, whom she hadn¡¯t seen in a long while¡ªshe believed it was only right to check in on them.

    However, before she could leave the house, Liu Hong and He Weng were already at their doorstep.

    Once Liu Hong¡¯s parents arrived yesterday, how could such news be kept secret?

    Liu Hong couldn¡¯t let Liu Baoguo and his wife stay at Bai Yue¡¯s ce¡ªafter all, she had her own apartment, having rented a two-bedroom with a living room that was quite spacious. It was perfect to have her parents over, and knowing that Bai Xiao was back, there was no way she wouldn¡¯te to see her.

    Since He Weng had bought a car, the two of them agreed to visit Bai Xiao together. So, He Weng drove first to pick up her parents, Liu Baoguo and his wife, and took them to her apartment. Then the two of them went to the farmers¡¯ market, bought a bunch of stuff, and finally made their way to Bai Xiao¡¯s ce.

    Their main concern was knowing Bai Xiao and her family must be tired from the train ride yesterday¡ªit had been a long trip. They wanted to let them sleep in a bit longer to avoid disturbing their rest by arriving too early.

    They arrived just as An Zhiyuan was leaving.

    Bai Xiao invited the two of them in, looking at the bags full of all sorts of vegetables, fruits, and meats they brought.

    "What are you two doing? Have you moved the entire market to my ce? How much did all this cost? I¡¯ll pay you back in a bit." She wasn¡¯t one to take advantage of others.

    "Bai Xiao, you can¡¯t talk like that, what¡¯s our rtionship, after all? And you¡¯re still keeping tabs with us on these things. If you really want to be so particr, then we can¡¯t continue doing business like this. Remember, it was all thanks to your help that we got to where we are today. If you¡¯re going to be like this, should we just give the whole business back to you?" Liu Hong¡¯s quick wit was on full disy.

    He Wengughed as he ced items one by one into the kitchen and the refrigerator, "Xiao, Liu Hong¡¯s right. We shouldn¡¯t be so petty among the three of us. You¡¯ve helped us out so much, and by all rights, you¡¯re our benefactor. I owe you so much in this life that I could never repay it all. It would be unreasonable to count these bits of food and drink against us."

    "Alright, alright, I can¡¯t argue with the two of you. Howe you¡¯re suddenly on the same side? Could it be that doing business together has turned you into partners in crime?" Bai Xiao watched one of them take things out of the bags and the other arrange them in the fridge, their movements practiced and familiar, clearly indicative of their frequent coboration.

    He Weng¡¯s face instantly turned red.

    Almost in a fit of embarrassed anger, Liu Hong dropped what she was holding and lunged at Bai Xiao, "You¡¯re the worst of all, let¡¯s see how I deal with you."

    Bai Xiao had a bad feeling and tried to flee, but Liu Hong wasn¡¯t going to give her the chance and pinned Bai Xiao on the sofa to give her a good tickling.

    Laughter brought tears to Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes, "Liu Hong, please spare me, I won¡¯t say it again, alright?"

    This girl¡¯s Nine Yin White Bone w was getting more powerful by the day.

    Liu Hong and Bai Xiao copsed on the sofa, giggling endlessly.

    "Bai Xiao, I¡¯m really happy to see you again." Hugging Bai Xiao tightly, Liu Hong¡¯s voice choked up; no matter whether Bai Xiao considered her a sister or not, in her heart, Bai Xiao was the closest sister she had in this world.

    Bai Xiaoforted her by patting her back, "Don¡¯t cry, we¡¯re too old for this, crying at the drop of a hat. We¡¯ll beughed at. Be good! No more tears."

 Chapter 538: Backing Up

    <h4>Chapter 538: Chapter 538: Backing Up</h4><h4></h4>

    "Heard you got married?"

    Bai Xiao knew it must have been her big-mouthed older sister who spilled the beans; the news hadn¡¯t even settled, yet it was already the talk of the town.

    "Yeah, I got married, already tied the knot with An Zhiyuan, An¡¯s second brother. I¡¯m now a proud wife."

    "Give me the lowdown, will you? Those lines of yours might fool your clueless older sister, but ever since she tried to send you stuff and it got returned, I and He Weng specifically looked into that address you left. We¡¯ve got inside info that this address is in a dangerous area, they say there¡¯s severe border friction there, and the fact that you don¡¯t get mail or packages just proves it," Liu Hong interrogated.

    Bai Xiao rolled her eyes; when had Liu Hong be so shrewd?

    "You¡¯ve turned into quite the businesswoman."

    "Cut the crap, what¡¯s really going on?"

    "Nothing¡¯s wrong, it¡¯s just that An Zhiyuan¡¯s stepmom didn¡¯t want to see me swoop in and snatch away her niece¡¯s marriage arrangement, so she decided to make life difficult for me!" Bai Xiao exined sinctly.

    Liu Hong suddenly got fired up, put her hands on her hips and started cursing, "Does that old hag evere to our provincial city? If she dares to show up again, let me know. I¡¯ll take care of it for you; I¡¯ll make sure that old witch gets a beating to let off some steam. I¡¯ve never seen such a vile-minded woman; she can¡¯t stand seeing others happy if she¡¯s miserable. What on earth is her heart made of, to be so dark?

    "The ce you went to, you could literally die if things go bad. It¡¯s not like we have a deep-seated grudge. She¡¯s really out to get you! You can¡¯t show any kindness to such a person; you must stand strong. And what did An Zhiyuan say? If he doesn¡¯t protect you, you shouldn¡¯t keep a man like that around. A man who doesn¡¯t look out for his wife in the future is nothing but a vile scumbag; you¡¯re bound to suffer.

    "Don¡¯t worry, if he¡¯s not the right one, I¡¯ll set you up with someone else. Whether you want someone rich or a handsome guy, I¡¯ve got you covered. Just tell me what you¡¯re after; I¡¯ll make sure you get it!"

    Bai Xiao pulled at Liu Hong, who shook her off sharply, "I¡¯m telling you, you can¡¯t just roll over because that olddy is An Zhiyuan¡¯s stepmom. If she gets away with it once, she¡¯ll do it again. If An Zhiyuan¡¯s not firm in his stance, things will easily go wrong. You must have your own principles and can¡¯t allow yourself to be bullied."

    Bai Xiao tugged at her again, "Why are you pulling me? I¡¯m speaking nothing but the truth; that kind of family spells endless trouble in the future."

    "Endless trouble?" Colonel An stood at the doorway with a dark expression, holding keys in his hand.

    This incident hadn¡¯t even settled, and now, he had to deal with his wife being taken away.

    Liu Hong coughed awkwardly. This was embarrassing! Caught red-handed trying to poach someone¡¯s partner.

    What to do now?

    "Howe you¡¯re back?" Bai Xiao approached him.

    An Zhiyuan pointed to the gloves lying on the table, "Forgot something!"

    Bai Xiao chuckled.

    An Zhiyuan nced at his wife; her eyes were dark. She needed to be taken in hand!

    Seeing An Zhiyuan, Liu Hong¡¯s guilt doubled, and then she turned defiant, "An Zhiyuan, I know you¡¯ve been promoted, but my Bai Xiao is at a loss marrying you, especially with that careless stepmom of yours. Who knows what tricks she¡¯ll pull next? I¡¯m not wrong; if you can¡¯t fully protect my Bai Xiao, then don¡¯t drag her into the wolf¡¯s den of your house, where your stepmom, the she-wolf, might snatch her, and no one would be wiser."

    Once she spoke her mind, she wasn¡¯t afraid at all.

 Chapter 539: Thoughtful

    <h4>Chapter 539: Chapter 539: Thoughtful</h4><h4></h4>

    "Don¡¯t worry, I know you are Xiaoxiao¡¯s good friend and sincerely looking out for her. I understand and appreciate your concern, but let me put it bluntly! My marriage with Bai Xiao is something no one can easily destroy, otherwise, I won¡¯t be lenient, and that applies to everyone."

    Furthermore, I know how to cherish my own wife. I will protect Bai Xiao, and no one else needs to worry about it. Here today, I can only assure you that I will guard Bai Xiao thoroughly. I would stake my life to protect her." An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t want to intimidate Liu Hong, but he ended up expressing these words anyway.

    Liu Hong was embarrassed, An Zhiyuan¡¯s presence was somanding that it left her unable to respond.

    "Alright, An Zhiyuan, since you are straightforward, I won¡¯t say much more. I wish you and Bai Xiao a hundred years of happiness and a swift blessing of children. I¡¯m looking forward to your wedding celebration."

    Liu Hong was generous by nature, not hiding or holding back, speaking her mind openly.

    An Zhiyuan nced at Bai Xiao, closed the door, and went out to receive guests.

    Seeing the door closed, Liu Hong hurriedly rushed over and locked it.

    "You naughty girl, you clearly saw An Zhiyuan at the door, why didn¡¯t you warn me? You made me embarrass myself in front of him."

    Bai Xiao wasughing so hard she couldn¡¯t catch her breath.

    "And you have the nerve to me me? I pulled at you twice just now, but you kept talking nonstop. What do you call that? Talking badly about someone behind their back and then getting caught red-handed?"

    Liu Hong was fuming as Bai Xiao obviously sided with An Zhiyuan.

    "By the way, you haven¡¯t told me where your wedding will be held? In Capital City?" Liu Hong was always curious.

    "Capital City!"

    She didn¡¯t borate on their wedding, not wanting to stress everyone out.

    Learning that Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan were going to stay and work in Yun Province, Liu Hong was slightly disappointed. She had hoped that after this time, Bai Xiao would be transferred back to their provincial city, considering Yun Province was incredibly far from where they were¡ªtruly a journey of a thousand miles.

    It would be difficult for her to reach Bai Xiao if she needed her.

    "Xiao, can you truly not transfer back to the provincial city?"

    "From the way you sound, you really can¡¯t bear to part. You¡¯re lucky you don¡¯t have a man; if you did, he might think you were up to something by the way you talk about another person!" Bai Xiao teased her.

    "Fine, now you dare to tease me. You¡¯re just taking advantage because I¡¯m not married yet, aren¡¯t you?" Liu Hong was visibly upset. Bai Xiao had be so bold after getting married.

    "I¡¯m telling you, hurry up and find someone to marry. Trust me, it¡¯s not just me saying this; your parents are definitely going to try everything they can to persuade you to settle down soon when they visit."

    Liu Hong¡¯s shoulders slumped. "You¡¯re actually right. My parents are here, and the first thing they said to me was to go back next year, have a blind date, no matter what, and find someone to marry quickly. I¡¯ve been nagged by them all morning."

    She was very annoyed.

    He Weng¡¯s ears perked up.

    "You¡¯re at the age to get married; if you don¡¯t, it¡¯s no wonder your parents are worried."

    "You know my situation. After what happened, my heart is also dead. How can a woman like me possibly find a good man? I might as well live a simpler life by myself. I have money if I want money, I have a career if I want a career. Why do I need a man? I¡¯m not relying on anyone to support me. With my health, you know how difficult it will be for me to have children in the future. Marrying anyone would just bring them trouble."

 Chapter 540: I Am

    <h4>Chapter 540: Chapter 540: I Am</h4><h4></h4>

    "What are you talking about? In the end, there are good men in this world who can ept your ws. Your kind heart, generous nature, and hardworking abilities make you a good woman. Of course, you¡¯ll meet a good man who will treat you right. Don¡¯t see the world as so bleak," Bai Xiao advised her.

    Liu Hong gave a bitter smile, "You make it sound so easy. Where is this man who can tolerate all my ws and embrace me? Will he only appear when I¡¯m old and grey?"

    "I am!" a voice suddenly appeared.

    Bai Xiao was dumbfounded, and so was Liu Hong.

    He Weng was holding an egg, standing at the kitchen doorway.

    Liu Hong chuckled, "He Weng, what are you doing jumping out like that? We were talking about my marriage affairs; what does this have to do with you?" She knew He Weng was a good person who had helped her a lot¡ªin fact, they were the best business partners and much of her business sess was thanks to him.

    Their partnership had also made them very good friends.

    Because she knew He Weng was a good person, Liu Hong had already guessed that He Weng was worried about her, which is why he spoke out.

    "I¡¯m not joking. I really...really want to treat you well." After saying this, He Weng¡¯s face turned red, and he turned his head back into the kitchen.

    Liu Hong,pletely confused, pointed at He Weng¡¯s retreating figure, "Has he lost his mind?"

    Bai Xiaoughed, "It¡¯s not his brain that¡¯s waterlogged; it¡¯s yours that has potholes."

    If she couldn¡¯t see that He Weng had feelings for Liu Hong, she had lived for nothing.

    "Even a woman like me, he can like. Oh my god, and you say I have holes in my brain?" Liu Hong couldn¡¯t believe this logic.

    "You, being in the situation can¡¯t see clearly, but outsiders can. He Weng has taken a fancy to you, how is that not okay?" Bai Xiao pointed out directly.

    Looking at Liu Hong, she seemed not unwilling, but tangled in her past and rooted deeply in believing she was a "tainted" woman, thus thinking she didn¡¯t deserve happiness.

    It was probably the era that created many women with such desperate values.

    Once they lost their chastity, they might be seen as damaged goods.

    "Bai Xiao, you know about me and my issues. How could a man not have concerns about that? I just think ahead. Rather than being looked down upon by a man, especially since I don¡¯t have children, one day, what if he has an illegitimate child from elsewhere? Rather than face that harsh reality and blow, I¡¯d rather live on my own and have peace of mind." Liu Hong was despairing and denying herself and all rtionships.

    "Silly girl, it¡¯s not your fault. If you stop moving forward in rtionships because of someone else¡¯s mistake and deny yourself, that¡¯s truly wrong. You must believe there are many people in this world who value what¡¯s inside. You¡¯re a kind and hardworking good girl, and you definitely deserve happiness. In fact,st time I treated you, though I said your path would be difficult, I didn¡¯t say you couldn¡¯t have children, so you must have confidence in yourself.

    Moreover, I believe He Weng is a good person. Just ask yourself, do you also wish to be with him? If so, these are all not excuses or reasons." Bai Xiao encouraged Liu Hong to take that step towards her own happiness.

    People make mistakes, but one should not deny oneself happiness because of them.

 Chapter 541 Who Says Iâ€™m Not Interested in Him (Monthly Ticket Bonus)

    <h4>Chapter 541: Chapter 541 Who Says I¡¯m Not Interested in Him (Monthly Ticket Bonus)</h4><h4></h4>

    "I¡¯m afraid that He Weng doesn¡¯t know about my past, and I fear that once he does, he might not even want to be friends with me anymore," Liu Hong still couldn¡¯t let go, questioning herself.

    "Do you perhaps like him a little? Want to talk and chat with him, and even if there¡¯s nothing to do, sitting there all afternoon not finding the time dull? When he doesn¡¯te do you wonder what he¡¯s up to, why he doesn¡¯t show up? When eating with him, even the coarsest food feels incredibly sweet, right? Ask yourself, don¡¯t you want to be with him?"

    Liu Hong red, "You girl, now that you¡¯re married, you just throw words around." Her face still blushed.

    "If you don¡¯t like him, fine, I¡¯ll introduce someone to him tomorrow. I know quite a few youngdies at the provincial hospital, I¡¯ll set him up with one. He¡¯s good-looking and capable, I believe he¡¯s also a considerate man. I reckon the youngdies at the Military District Hospital would be more than willing to marry him." Bai Xiao teased Liu Hong on purpose.

    "You dare?"

    "Why wouldn¡¯t I dare? It¡¯s time for men to marry and women to wed. You¡¯re not even seeing how old he is; if he doesn¡¯t marry soon, my brother-inw will start to worry."

    "Bai Xiao, you..."

    "After all, you¡¯re not interested in him, so you can¡¯t expect him to stay unmarried for life, can you?"

    Bai Xiao absolutely believed in the effectiveness of reverse psychology, of course, this fire needed to be handled carefully.

    "Who said I¡¯m not interested in him?"

    As soon as the words left her mouth, Liu Hong¡¯s face turnedpletely into a monkey¡¯s butt.

    Bai Xiao pped her hands, "He Weng,e on out, no need to eavesdrop anymore. I¡¯ve spotted you hiding there a long time ago, just listening to our chat. Liu Hong just admitted it, she is very interested in you."

    He Weng shuffled out shyly, the young man blushing.

    When Liu Hong saw He Weng, her face burned even hotter, as though a pile of firewood had been lit.

    She hid beside Bai Xiao and pinched her hard.

    "Ouch, being a matchmaker is tough, people usually thank matchmakers, look at what you¡¯ve done, burning bridges after crossing the river." She exaggeratedly rubbed her wrist.

    He Weng smiled sheepishly.

    "She didn¡¯t mean it, just teasing you for fun."

    Liu Hong nced sideways at Bai Xiao with satisfaction, hmph, little thing! See that!

    "He Weng, you¡¯re quite something, I¡¯m like your lifesaver, aren¡¯t I? And here you are, forgetting old friends for new loves," Bai Xiao teased them.

    "Not at all!"

    "Not at all!"

    The two uttered in unison.

    "Not yet? Just look at yourselves, united as one against amon foe," Bai Xiao chuckled.

    All this dog food she¡¯s being fed! It made her miss her own An Ergo.

    "Bai Xiao, you¡¯re dead!"

    Liu Hong wanted to pinch her but didn¡¯t dare, afraid the troublemaker would start yelling.

    "He Weng, no need to beat around the bush, Liu Hong is a person who has been through a lot. Now I¡¯ll leave the living room to you two, have a good talk. Some things need to beid out on the table, otherwise, there will always be knots in everyone¡¯s heart.

    No one else can help you with matters of the heart. The only thing I have to tell you is that Liu Hong is a good girl, everyone makes mistakes. When you¡¯re holding a grudge, you need to ask yourself, think about what kind of person she truly is, whether she¡¯s important to you. If you can¡¯t ovee this hurdle in your heart, it¡¯s best to just drop it.

    Don¡¯t hurt a good girl, and don¡¯t hurt yourself. Marriage is about joining two families in harmony, not creating enmity. Both of you need to think it through."

 Chapter 542: Overthinking (Extra Chapter for Monthly Votes)

    <h4>Chapter 542: Chapter 542: Overthinking (Extra Chapter for Monthly Votes)</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao left, returning to her room and closing the door behind her.

    Only the two of them were left in the living room.

    Liu Hong and He Wei both fell silent.

    Liu Hong was the first to speak up. At this point, what was the use in hiding? She had always thought of He Wei as a good person and had harbored some inappropriate thoughts towards him, but whenever she remembered her past, she felt like she¡¯d be ruining others.

    But now! He Wei had confessed his liking for her, so she had to make a choice -- to expose her past stark naked before someone else. It would make her embarrassed, but this was an issue she couldn¡¯t avoid.

    He Wei looked at Liu Hong and had thought it might be about that ex-boyfriend of hers. He had known Liu Hong for quite a while now, and since she was always saying how men were this or that, he knew it was just because she had been with the wrong people. But now, seeing Liu Hong struggling to speak, he realized that the situation might be different from what he had imagined.

    "Liu Hong, don¡¯t make it hard on yourself. You don¡¯t need to say anything. I truly like you for who you are, not for any other reason. You know the situation at my home. My brother and sister-inw took care of me growing up. If it weren¡¯t for Bai Xiao, I probably would still be bedridden, unable to get up. Now, I can jump and run around. I am very content.

    You don¡¯t need to worry about my family. My brother and sister-inw won¡¯t oppose my thoughts, and I don¡¯t have parents, so there¡¯s no concern about getting along with inws. My sister-inw is very kind, and you already know her. You don¡¯t have to worry about any conflict with her either. I will be good to you and cherish the life I have now because all of this is precious and hard-earned to me."

    Liu Hong was amused. This was He Wei -- a very kind person.

    For such a man to meet a woman like herself was truly a misfortune.

    She became even more determined not to harm anyone. He Wei was not like other people. If she hurt He Wei, she would despise herself. Ever since she started her business, He Wei had helped her a lot. Initially, it was because of Bai Xiao, andter on, because their skillsplemented each other and they needed to work together. But she couldn¡¯t, in all conscience, take advantage of such an honest person. Although He Wei was anything but simple.

    The man was clever,petent, and thoughtful. When facing problems, his problem-solving abilities were incredibly strong.

    But she couldn¡¯t bear to hurt He Wei.

    "He Wei, let¡¯s just forget it. We¡¯re not suitable for each other. What I said earlier was merely a joke with Bai Xiao. In reality, you and I truly are not a good match. Our families, our personalities don¡¯t align, and I don¡¯t like you. You¡¯re not bad as a friend, but as a man, we don¡¯t see eye to eye. I don¡¯t want to know about the things you mentioned. They have nothing to do with me. I just want to focus on my business and, in the future, find someone I like to marry and have children with, but none of this has anything to do with you," Liu Hong said with clenched teeth, her expression one of despair.

    He Wei blinked in disbelief. What was Liu Hong talking about?

    Wasn¡¯t it just...

    How had things changed so quickly?

    "Liu Hong, I¡¯m serious. Don¡¯t joke around. I really want to be with you." He thought Liu Hong was just shy.

    "He Wei, I¡¯m also serious. I don¡¯t like you. I really was just teasing Bai Xiao earlier," Liu Hong said with a serious tone that wounded He Wei¡¯s heart.

    Yes, Liu Hong was proud and lofty. How could she like someone like him? He was just a toad lusting after a swan¡¯s flesh.

    "I understand now, I¡¯m sorry, I thought too much. It won¡¯t happen again," He Wei said through gritted teeth and turned to leave.

 Chapter 543: Donâ€™t Overthink It

    <h4>Chapter 543: Chapter 543: Don¡¯t Overthink It</h4><h4></h4>

    Liu Hong watched He Weng return to the kitchen to continue what he was doing. His lonely silhouette was heartbreaking, but she knew she couldn¡¯t soften her heart.

    There are many things in this world that can¡¯t be exined.

    Two hourster, An Zhiyuan returned, and the Bai Ju family was brought back.

    This time, they went straight to the house, saving the trouble of running back and forth. Bai Yue had given An Zhiyuan the keys yesterday, so Bai Ju and her family stayed in another apartment. Now that Liu Baoguo and his wife had moved out, only their family of five remained.

    After settling them in and putting down their things, he brought them over for lunch here, knowing there wasn¡¯t much to eat at the other ce.

    He Wang and Bai Ju were very happy to see An Zhiyuan, as the couple hadn¡¯t seen their soon-to-be brother-inw for a long time. Especially after hearing that Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan had already held their wedding, they were shocked. As her sister and brother-inw, they knew nothing about it¡ªwhich was uneptable?

    The sister got married without the family knowing.

    But they couldn¡¯t me An Zhiyuan; they just thought about asking Bai Xiao carefully when they saw her, as they were still preparing her dowry.

    Her sister got married so easily, which made them feel ufortable, feeling as if they had let Bai Xiao down.

    They even wondered what the inws might be saying about Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao came out to prepare the meal. With her sister and brother-inw¡¯s family visiting, they obviously needed to eat. After getting off the train, a warm andfortable meal was appropriate, as was a good rest.

    As a result, Liu Hong was helping her in the kitchen while He Weng avoided them by staying in the living room outside, which struck her as odd. They seemed not to have reconciled, but rather, it seemed their discussion had fallen apart.

    Could it be that He Weng was a typical macho man who couldn¡¯t get over whether a woman was a virgin or not?

    If that was the case, then she had really misread He Weng.

    The atmosphere was eerily weird.

    Fortunately, Bai Ju and her family arrived soon after, and with more people, the atmosphere immediately changed.

    Seeing that Bai Ju and her family had arrived, Liu Hong and He Weng made their excuses to leave. If they didn¡¯t, they¡¯d end up freeloading there.

    They weren¡¯t there to freeload. Bai Xiao made He Weng promise to take Liu Hong home before she could rest easy, now unsure how to help Liu Hong.

    Matters of the heart had to be resolved by the people involved. What she considered appropriate might not suit others. Speaking of which, He Weng wasn¡¯t wrong either; everyone has their own standards and expectations. It would be unreasonable to force He Weng to ept something just because she thought Liu Hong was good¡ªthis would be imposing on him.

    He Weng nodded, took the car keys, and went out with Liu Hong.

    Once down at the lobby, Liu Hong really didn¡¯t want to go back with He Weng. With the atmosphere being so awkward between them, she couldn¡¯t bear the embarrassment of going back together.

    "I have some things to take care of, you don¡¯t need to drop me off, I¡¯ll go by myself. You should go tend to your own matters!"

    He Weng stood unmoving while Liu Hong looked at him, "Come on, go ahead!"

    He Weng suddenly grabbed her hand, walked her to the car, opened the door, pushed her in, then shut the door and got into the car himself.

    Liu Hong was startled.

    He Weng really did have amanding presence, the strong aura of a man, which made her heart beat wildly in fear.

    "I know you don¡¯t like me, but we are still friends, right? It¡¯s only right for me to drive you. Don¡¯t overthink it," He Weng said coldly, leaving those stiff words behind as he drove off.

    Liu Hong gradually calmed down, her head turned to look out of the car window, her thoughts spinning rapidly.

    The car pulled up to Liu Hong¡¯s house. Her ce was right next to the garment factory, just a short walk away. He Weng dropped her off and sped off like the wind.

 Chapter 544: Fine, I Agree

    <h4>Chapter 544: Chapter 544: Fine, I Agree</h4><h4></h4>

    Liu Hong sighed.

    He Wei was angry, couldn¡¯t she see that?

    But being angry didn¡¯t mean she had topromise, they were different.

    She hadn¡¯t been to the garment processing factory, where the factory director and the workshop director managed everything. In fact, her factory had already adopted a scientific management model, this set of management experience and methods came from He Wei, who learned it in the southern cities. She could say she was basking in He Wei¡¯s light.

    Now, she was no longer just a seamstress, but the owner of a clothing factory with fifty employees. The clothes she produced led the fashion trends of the provincial capital; it was truly a case of "out with the old, in with the new."

    All of this was thanks to He Wei as well. He instilled in her advanced experience and concepts and took her to the south to visit those factories and exchange experiences with the bosses there. He was her guide.

    Even the factory director and the pattern master in her factory were found by He Wei. To be honest, He Wei had invested more in her factory than she had.

    She had let He Wei down.

    This conviction strengthened her resolve not to harm He Wei.

    When she got home, Liu Baoguo and Li Chunmei had already tidied up the house. Coming to their daughter¡¯s ce, everything seemed new and curious to them.

    The two of them didn¡¯t idle away, cleaning their daughter¡¯s home from top to bottom, even the windows were sparkling clean, giving the whole house a renewed look.

    Now they knew their daughter was capable, just the number of people she employed in the factory was over fifty. In their vige, that was something to be in awe of; she could be considered a model worker.

    Seeing where their daughter lived, it was evident she was very busy. Knowing she wasn¡¯t the type to care for herself, the sight of dirty clothes strewn about and used dishes on the table in her home revealed just how busy Liu Hong must be.

    They felt a deep pang of heartache.

    "You¡¯re back? You deadbeat girl, leaving me and your dad here while you ran off, you¡¯re really something. Coming back just in time to take me shopping. Look at the life you¡¯re living, there¡¯s nothing in the kitchen but dried noodles. What do you even eat? Aren¡¯t you afraid of getting a stomach problem?" Li Chunmei scolded her daughter.

    Liu Hong perked up, "Let¡¯s go, Mom. I normally eat in the canteen. The factory has one, they provide meals, so I rarely cook at home. I don¡¯t have time to cook." What Liu Hong said was true.

    Taking her purse, she and Li Chunmei went out with their shopping baskets in hand. Nowadays, there were no stic bags, so when going out to buy things, they had to bring their own baskets; otherwise, they¡¯d have to carry their purchases home in their arms.

    It was an era that could be considered environmentally friendly.

    "Hong, let me tell you, this time your dad and I came over, but after the New Year, you¡¯ll go back with us. You¡¯re getting on in years, and if you don¡¯t get married soon, you¡¯ll be an old maid, and then the vigers willugh at you," Li Chunmei scolded her daughter.

    Now, the daughter¡¯s business was expanding, and Li Chunmei wasn¡¯t unhappy about it. But in the eyes of her parents, Liu Hong should still have a home, a man to take care of her. After all, for a woman, a home is most important. She couldn¡¯t spend her whole life struggling on her own without someone to care for her, feel for her. Her old parents wouldn¡¯t stand for it.

    They thought they were going to face opposition from Liu Hong, who always showed a hundred kinds of unwillingness whenever this topic was brought up. Yet this time, after a moment of silence, Liu Hong surprisingly nodded in agreement.

    "Okay! After the New Year, I¡¯ll go back with you for a blind date."

    The decisive response made Li Chunmei wonder, what had gotten into the girl?

 Chapter 545: The Story of Tangyuan and Grandparents

    <h4>Chapter 545: Chapter 545: The Story of Tangyuan and Grandparents</h4><h4></h4>

    In the evening, the owner of Bai Family¡¯s spicy hotpot restaurant left early.

    Because there was something going on at home.

    Bai Ju had arrived, and today Bai Song had also received a call and taken a leave, agreeing that the whole family would have dinner together tonight, which was also a good time for Bai Yue to discuss Bai Xiao¡¯s marriage.

    She really couldn¡¯t bring herself to just quietly marry off her sister; at the very least, she had to prepare a dowry for Bai Xiao.

    So tonight was of great significance.

    Bai Yue got into the car, Wang Yan drove, and when they arrived home and entered, they saw the old man holding Little Tangyuan up high.

    The chubby Little Tangyuanughed gleefully there, and when Wang Old Head put her down, she crawled over unwillingly, tugged at the old man¡¯s hand, and pointed into the air, meaning she still wanted her grandfather to lift her up high.

    Wang Old Head actually didn¡¯t mind and lifted his granddaughter up high again.

    This left Wang Yan and Bai Yue stunned.

    Because they had returnedtest night, Little Tangyuan had already fallen asleep by the time they got back.

    So they didn¡¯t know about the situation between Tangyuan and the old man.

    Today was the first time they apparently saw Wang Old Head and Tangyuan interacting.

    The grandfather and granddaughter were actually ying very happily.

    Wang Yan was delighted, walked over, and reached out to hold Tangyuan. "Come here,e to Daddy, don¡¯t tire your grandfather out."

    But the hand he stretched out was pped away by Wang Old Head.

    "Off you go, you just came in from outside, and you¡¯re so cold. What are you holding? You might give Tangyuan a cold. Besides, I¡¯m not tired," he said, smiling merrily while holding his granddaughter, "We Tangyuan knows, grandfather isn¡¯t tired, right?"

    Tangyuan happily threw herself at him, her chubby little hands tightly clutching Wang Old Head¡¯s neck, and he looked even more pleased.

    His granddaughter was so dear to him.

    Wang Yan felt awkward, now even being disliked.

    The olddy brought out the steamed egg custard. "Here ites, herees Little Tangyuan¡¯s meal."

    Wang Old Head sat on the sofa with Tangyuan, cing her in hisp, while the olddy took out a handkerchief to tie around Tangyuan¡¯s neck, then began to spoon-feed her the egg custard one bite at a time.

    Little Tangyuan, after each bite, would look at both grandparents and even pushed the spoon from the olddy to Wang Old Head¡¯s mouth, signaling that she wanted her grandfather to eat too.

    Wang Old Head pretended to bite at the air dramatically, satisfying Tangyuan who then happily took another bite. After finishing it, the next time she pushed the spoon toward the olddy¡¯s mouth. The olddy, also smiling, mimicked a bite at the air, and then the spoon went into Tangyuan¡¯s mouth once more.

    "Our Tangyuan is so good, so young and already knows how to respect her grandparents. Tangyuan, you need to grow up well, eat more so you can grow strong. When you can walk, your grandparents will hold your hands, one on each side, and we could go for a stroll on the street, how about that?" The olddy murmured to Tangyuan, feeding her and chatting.

    Wang Yan and Bai Yue discovered, sitting at the base of the car, that they, the parents of the child, werepletely left out by them.

    Bai Yue looked at Tangyuan, who was thoroughly enjoying her current life, probably because a while ago, when Wang Yan was away, she had resolutely sent Tangyuan to daycare, and now the little one wasn¡¯t as close to her.

    The little girl still bore a grudge.

    But seeing how genuinely the old man and olddy adored Tangyuan, what could she say?

    The couple retired to their room on their own.

    The two changed clothes and prepared to cook; they had already bought the groceries on the way back from passing the vegetable market.

    Besides cooking, what else was there for them to do?

 Chapter 546 Gathering

    <h4>Chapter 546: Chapter 546 Gathering</h4><h4></h4>

    At 7 p.m., the house was already bustling with activity. Bai Ju and her husband, their three children, Bai Xiao, Li Chunhua, and Bai Song had all arrived.

    The house instantly became overcrowded.

    It was fortunate that there were many rooms and the area was spacious; otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t have even been enough space to stand.

    Even so, Bai Yue was still regretful. Had she known, she would have bought thergest house avable back then, which even had a separate small duplex¡ªalbeit a bit more expensive¡ªbut not only was itrger, it was also more spacious.

    It was only now that she realized her foresight had beencking. Determined, the couple decided that they would purchase a house in the near future. After all, Bai Yue was the eldest sister, and with their parents gone, it was naturally her role as the eldest sister to step into the shoes of the family elder. Therefore, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if future family gatherings took ce at her house, and they felt they owed it to their siblings to create afortable environment for everyone.

    The only two absent from the house were Li Haiping and Li Hai¡¯an. Currently, they were the mainstays of the hotpot restaurant; both managed different branches, with Haiping also being the main chef responsible for the broth base. All the research and development, as well as the distribution of ingredients to the branches, were credited to Haiping. After the branches closed, he would return to the main kitchen to preparerge batches of the base for the next day.

    So it was impossible for them to be there at the moment.

    Seeing the family gathered, old man Wang felt somewhat out of ce. It was like he was in his daughter-inw¡¯s home and not his son¡¯s, and he always felt somewhat disconnected. His wife understood this feeling perfectly; initially, she also felt ufortable in this house, as if her son didn¡¯t hold a dominating position in it. But gradually, she came to a realization¡ªthe most important thing was for her son to feelfortable.

    Moreover, as time went by, Bai Yue treated her son with great respect. Especially the three sons, they all respected their stepfather without any resistance, and they were very polite as well.

    What more could one want?

    If they werefortable with their lives together, then other people¡¯s opinions or thoughts didn¡¯t matter.

    Upon arrival, Bai Xiao immediately spotted Little Tangyuan. She had heard about the little guy beforehand but had yet to meet him.

    She had even specifically bought toys and clothes for her, and the toy she was holding now was a littlemb that could sing songs and scuttle across the floor on its wheels.

    It was battery-operated, and upon pressing the button, it would light up and themb would sing and move around on the floor.

    As soon as Bai Xiao presented the toy, Little Tangyuan¡¯s eyes immediately widened. Her big, ck eyes, so much like Bai Yue¡¯s, blinked with thickshes, as if full of wonder.

    When Bai Xiao activated themb, it started running around the floor, singing.

    Little Tangyuan was thoroughly captivated and started patting her grandfather¡¯s hand, wanting to get down to the ground.

    Luckily, their house had wooden floors which Bai Yue always kept polished to a shine.

    Once on the floor, the little one gave chase to themb, crawling and scampering after it on hands and knees.

    Everyone in the house watched her andughed heartily.

    Little Tangyuan finally caught up with the littlemb, reached out with her chubby little hands, and embraced the singing Xiaoyan tightly in her arms. Holding up themb to watch it sing and glow,

    she even began singing along to the melody.

    Bai Xiao adored this little girl.

    She was truly the darling belle of their family.

 Chapter 547: The Child

    <h4>Chapter 547: Chapter 547: The Child</h4><h4></h4>

    Little Tangyuan seemed to already understand that her favorite littlemb had been brought by the woman holding her, and with a natural fondness, nestled in Bai Xiao¡¯s arms without moving an inch.

    Bai Xiao sang to her, and Little Tangyuan responded with joyful cooing and babbling sounds.

    Bai Xiao immediately apuded in wee.

    Little did she know that Little Tangyuan would start pping her hands to wee everyone just like Bai Xiao did.

    Her imitation was so spot-on that it had everyone doubling over withughter.

    As a result, Little Tangyuan became even prouder, pping her hands with even more vigor.

    Even Old Wang couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    He thought his granddaughter was truly smart, picking up everything so quickly.

    Little Tangyuan indeed was clever; when everyone stoppedughing, she would tilt her little head and continue pping, and when theyughed, she would gaze around in wonder, truly an intelligent and adorable child.

    Old Wang poked his wife urgently with his finger, nudging her chin towards him, signaling her to bring Tangyuan over. He felt ufortable without his granddaughter by his side, and nobody knew that it was because Tangyuan had been coughing from the smell of tobo on him yesterday. From that night on, he hadn¡¯t touched his dry pipe until now.

    For someone who had smoked for decades, the agony of quitting was indescribable.

    Even the olddy was astonished at how powerful her granddaughter¡¯s charm was to have such an effect on the old man.

    To think that they had quarreled countless times over her husband¡¯s pipe, and he had never listened to anyone, but a few coughs from his granddaughter and Old Wang managed to hold back to this extent. The olddy felt a pang of jealousy towards her own granddaughter; no one else couldpare to this level of treatment.

    Knowing that Tangyuan was now the apple of the old man¡¯s eye, she approached with a beaming smile, pping her hands, "Come here, Tangyuan, to grandma. Let your little aunt take a break! You little meatball, let¡¯s try on the clothes your little aunt bought for you, and see how pretty our Tangyuan looks."

    As soon as Tangyuan saw her grandmother, she immediately crawled over.

    Bai Xiao gave her a gentle pat on the bottom, and Little Tangyuan turned back to look at Bai Xiao with a grin, seemingly wondering why her little aunt had patted her. Then, turning back and crawling over, she hugged Bai Xiao and kissed her face before crawling back to her grandmother like a little bear.

    The olddy carried her to the room to change clothes, not forgetting to hold tightly onto the littlemb.

    The three children from Bai Ju¡¯s family had already followed; they adored their little sister so much.

    Little Tangyuan was the cutest little one they had ever seen.

    Bai Yue started to serve dishes on the table, Bai Ju went to help, and An Zhiyuan, seeing Bai Xiao watch Tangyuan¡¯s disappearing figure with a lost and longing look, couldn¡¯t help but lower his head with a smile curling on his lips, his eyes warm and soft, especially under the sunlight, as if affection was stirring in their depths.

    "If you like, we can have a daughter in the future too, so you can have enough fun!"

    Looking at Bai Xiao¡¯s loving face towards Tangyuan, he truly felt she would make a good mother.

    Suddenly, Bai Xiao¡¯s body jolted. A child?

    How could she ever have children?

    Her special ability doomed her to congenital coldness; while it was an incredible ability that could save her life against all odds, its only drawback was that her condition made it impossible for her to have children.

    She knew it from her past life. After she obtained her special ability, Shang Kaiwen had considered having a descendant of hers, simply to see if the ability was hereditary and whether it could be acquired in some other way.

    They had tried IVF so many times, yet never seeded; the doctor said her constitution made it difficult for her to conceive.

    Having her own child might be but a luxury.

    If it weren¡¯t for Tangyuan, she would never even think of it.

    Did she, perhaps, wrong An Zhiyuan?

 Chapter 548 Dowry

    <h4>Chapter 548: Chapter 548 Dowry</h4><h4></h4>

    During dinner, Bai Xiao sat beside An Zhiyuan, silent and seemingly in low spirits.

    Old Wang and the olddy took their meals to their own room to eat. Currently, with the three brothers squeezing into one room, they freed up a room for the elderly couple. The olddyforted them with a smile, "Don¡¯t move, all of you. We¡¯re old and eating is not thatplicated for us, a little will do. Besides, we have to watch Tangyuan to stop her from making a fuss and spoiling your meal. You just go ahead and eat, enjoy your meal. It¡¯s not easy for the whole family to gather together like this."

    Everyone understood that the grandparents didn¡¯t want to impose on them, and sure enough, with the old couple out of the way, they could let their hair down.

    The men had white liquor in their cups while the women had Jianlibao. It seemed like even thest New Year didn¡¯t see this many people. This year, it looked like An Zhiyuan had been added to the count.

    As soon as the meal started, Bai Yue couldn¡¯t hold back anymore.

    "Xiao is already married to An Zhiyuan, but without having a wedding, I feel I¡¯m letting my sister down. Not personally sending her off in the bridal car, I feel I¡¯m failing our parents. So this time, Xiao, you have to listen to your sister. We¡¯ll have another bustling wedding, and I have already prepared your dowry."

    This was not up for discussion; she was prepared to be adamant about it.

    "Xiao, big sister is right. Since we¡¯re all here, we should throw a big celebration," Bai Ju also expressed her excitement. They had arrived just in time and that very day they had been to see big sister¡¯s restaurant, only then realizing how sessful she had be¡ªit was one of the most famous restaurants in the provincial city. Just seeing how bustling it was indicated how well her sister¡¯s business was doing.

    Seeing the family doing better and better, Bai Ju felt happy, too, so much so that she had even forgotten the slight upset of both her and her husband beingid off.

    Bai Song felt the same, nodding, "I agree as well."

    "I disagree!" Bai Xiao retorted immediately. If she stayed silent any longer, the other three would have settled the matter then and there.

    "Big sister, second sister, big brother, I know you all want to give me the best in the world, but An Zhiyuan and I are already married. What¡¯s the point in doing all this again? It¡¯s nothing but a waste of resources and effort. We might as well save the money for big brother¡¯s future, considering I¡¯m already settled. We can¡¯t keep getting married over and over just because of this.

    Sister, if you really feel so bad about it, how about we just take a set of wedding photos? Would that fulfill your wish?" Bai Xiao firmly refused to have another wedding ceremony¡ªit wasn¡¯t about organizing a wedding, it was about getting exhausted.

    Bai Yue, Bai Ju, and Bai Song looked at Bai Xiao¡¯s resolute demeanor and knew they couldn¡¯t force the girl. It was supposed to be a joyous asion; if it turned into something she resented, what was the point?

    "Fine, if that¡¯s how you want it, we¡¯ll just take the wedding photos and have a meal together. But you must ept the dowry! I¡¯ve prepared it all for you: the house you¡¯re living in, and this bank book! If you refuse, you¡¯re not treating me as your big sister!" Bai Yue pushed the bankbook towards her.

    Bai Xiao opened the bankbook and gasped, "Big sister, you¡¯re giving me half of Bai Family¡¯s hotpot restaurant¡¯s money?"

    The number was downright terrifying.

    It would scare anyone, for it was a ring four million.

    "It¡¯s what you deserve. If you give me any lip about it, I¡¯ll be really upset!" Bai Yue wouldn¡¯t take no for an answer.

    This was something she had prepared in advance; she and her husband had been saving half of the restaurant¡¯s earnings just for Bai Xiao.

 Chapter 549 We Are Family

    <h4>Chapter 549: Chapter 549 We Are Family</h4><h4></h4>

    "But, big sister, this is too much, it¡¯s not appropriate. You and brother-inw have been working so hard at the shop, and here I am, reaping the benefits without doing anything. How could you let me think this way? Moreover, we had an agreement! This money was a loan I gave you, not an investment. Besides, you¡¯ve already paid me back. Continuing like this is not suitable," Bai Xiao clearly understood the meaning behind her sister¡¯s money, but it was indeed too much.

    It had be a burden.

    Bai Yue red at her, "This was something your brother-inw and I agreed upon. Forget about borrowing; when we started, we had nothing, no money, no skills, and it was all thanks to your guidance that we were able to get the business going. We agreed that you would own half of the shop¡¯s earnings. You are the biggest investor in our Bai Family¡¯s spicy hot pot restaurant. We never said anything about your job, but that doesn¡¯t mean it didn¡¯t happen. Isn¡¯t that right, Shitou?"

    Wang Yan nodded, "Niece, don¡¯t decline. Your sister and I have discussed this long ago. One must not be ungrateful, and even close brothers should settle ounts clearly, let alone between sisters who have such a good rtionship. Besides, now that you are working in Yun Province, it¡¯s not just about you anymore; it¡¯s about a family. You will have many expenses. We are not discontent with An Zhiyuan¡¯s contribution to supporting you, Bai Xiao.

    But after all, the two of you are not ordinary people, and the allowance has its limits. Going to a new ce where you don¡¯t know anyone, we just hope that Bai Xiao will have some money to make life a bit morefortable. There¡¯s no other meaning. It¡¯s also the support from your hometown that gives her confidence."

    An Zhiyuan raised his ss and clinked it with Wang Yan¡¯s, downing it in one gulp.

    "But, big sister, this is way too much," she suddenly became a millionaire.

    In this lifetime, Bai Xiao didn¡¯t really chase material things. In herst life, she hadn¡¯t experienced any luxury.

    She had money when she needed it, people when she needed them, everything she wanted was provided for her meticulously. In this life, she didn¡¯t have such grand ambitions or desires.

    All she wanted in this life was for her family to live smoothly and prosperously, for everyone to be safe and healthy, happy and carefree.

    "It¡¯s not too much. I¡¯ve never had the confidence to do something in my life like I do now. This time, I feel like I can do it on my own strength, to provide a safety for my sister. I have never properly thanked you in my life. Thank you, Bai Xiao, my family owes all of what we have today to you. My happiness now is all because of you..."

    Bai Xiao quickly patted Bai Yue¡¯s back as Bai Yue was choked up and couldn¡¯t speak.

    "Big sister, don¡¯t be like this. Isn¡¯t it okay if I ept it? If you keep talking like that, I¡¯ll be upset. All these years, I¡¯ve been able to grow up safely thanks to my two sisters and brother-inw. Without you, I might have starved to death by now. So, let¡¯s not thank each other back and forth. We¡¯re a family, aren¡¯t we supposed to support each other?"

    Bai Yue nodded, wiping away her tears, "You¡¯re right, sister. We are a family that supports each other. Last year at this time, we sat together for the reunion dinner. This year, we¡¯re sitting together again for the meal, and our family has a new member. I hope that in every New Year toe, our life will be prosperous and every one of us will be better off."

    Everyone raised their sses for a toast.

 Chapter 550 Round and Round

    <h4>Chapter 550: Chapter 550 Round and Round</h4><h4></h4>

    "Big brother, it¡¯s time for you to think about getting married. I¡¯m the youngest in the family and even I¡¯m married now. If you don¡¯t bring a sister-inw home soon, our parents will start worrying from down below." Bai Xiao teased Bai Song.

    Indeed, Bai Song was now the only bachelor left in the family.

    Li Chunhua nodded as well, "Song, you really should get married."

    If her eldest grandson didn¡¯t get married soon, she wouldn¡¯t be able to rest easy.

    With an awkward smile, Bai Song said, "I¡¯m not in a hurry."

    Whenever faced with this issue, this big, strong man became all hesitant and squirmy.

    "How can you not be in a hurry? You¡¯re not young anymore, and you¡¯re still not worried?" Li Chunhua was truly anxious.

    "Yeah! Big brother, if you don¡¯t get married soon, you¡¯ll be an old bachelor. Then people might start wondering if there¡¯s something wrong with you." Bai Xiao blurted out without a filter.

    Bai Song felt embarrassed, being rushed to marriage by his little sister was probably the most awkward thing for him in history.

    "I don¡¯t have such ns right now, it¡¯s not possible yet!"

    "Why?"

    Everyone¡¯s question.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s heart suddenly stirred, "Could it be, big brother, you¡¯ve also been dispatched to..."

    By this time, Bai Xiao had already realized what was happening.

    "What? Big brother, how could you also have been dispatched to..."

    She couldn¡¯t finish her sentence, afraid it would terrify her elder sisters.

    "Is someone pulling strings behind your back? If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll talk to your superiors. At the very least, I have some connection with Chief Li. We can¡¯t let others bully and harm us like this." Bai Xiao immediately thought of a conspiracy, having been a victim herself in the past. Now it seemed they wouldn¡¯t even leave her big brother alone.

    She had visited the front lines and knew the dangers there. It wasn¡¯t right for an entire family to sacrifice for their country.

    This was outright bullying.

    "No! No, Bai Xiao, don¡¯t be rash, I applied for it voluntarily. I was worried about you, a girl being there alone, so I thought I¡¯d request a transfer to be close and look after you." Bai Song chuckled, worried his sister would impulsively take her concerns to the Chief and inadvertently escte the misunderstanding.

    "Big brother, what am I supposed to say about you?" Bai Xiao was frustrated but felt a warmth in her heart.

    This brother of hers always acted for her sake. In their past lives, her big brother was transferred to support border operations against criminal organizations because of her, and he made the ultimate sacrifice. This time, he was supposed to have been safe and not have any more ties to that dangerous ce.

    Damn it, this was just messed up.

    By some terrible twist of fate, both siblings ended up going to that ce. She felt like cursing the heavens; this was surely going to be the end of her big brother!

    It seemed as though she had changed her path only to end up right back where she started, a truly depressing oue.

    Seeing the unhappiness on Bai Xiao¡¯s face, Bai Songforted her, "Xiao, big brother wants to go there to tough it out a bit. How can a man grow if he doesn¡¯t face challenges?"

    Bai Yue, noticing something was off between the siblings, asked, "What exactly is going on?"

    Bai Song, looking nervously at Bai Xiao, said, "Nothing¡¯s wrong. The ce I¡¯m going to is quite tough, with harsh conditions. Bai Xiao is just worried about me." ncing at his sister with pleading eyes, his gaze begged her to keep silent, fearing that any slip might set off an even greater uproar among their elder sisters.

    "Xiao, if you can endure hardship, what can¡¯t your big brother endure? It¡¯s good that he¡¯s going; it saves us the worry about you suffering alone. Now that your brother is going, we can rest easy. It¡¯s great that the two of you can look after each other. You don¡¯t know how blessed you are." Bai Yue praised Bai Song, unaware of the full situation.

    Just as Bai Xiao was about to speak, Bai Song quickly, and with a ttering gesture, filled her cup with Jianlibao.

 Chapter 551 Retribution

    <h4>Chapter 551: Chapter 551 Retribution</h4><h4></h4>

    "Song, don¡¯t make eyes at Bai Xiao, you think I can¡¯t tell? Be honest, was there something inappropriate about where you went?" Li Chunhua, with age, had be quite shrewd and felt something was off.

    Bai Xiao shing with her was one thing, but Bai Xiao truly cared about her siblings with all her heart.

    This type of irritable temperament didn¡¯t seem to be just about being capricious.

    Bai Song quickly said with a smile, "Grandma, not at all! Nothing like that!" He added a chopstick-full of braised beef to the te in front of the olddy. "Grandma, this beef is really tasty, very tender, suitable for your teeth. Come on, eat up before it gets cold."

    Li Chunhua nced at Bai Xiao suspiciously, seeing that Bai Xiao said nothing, she still felt uneasy, "Song, why don¡¯t you consider changing your profession? You¡¯re not young anymore, and after changing jobs, you should get married and have children. You are the only child of your parents, if you don¡¯t marry and have children, I will be too ashamed to face your parents down below." No matter what, Li Chunhua believed marrying was never wrong.

    Bai Yue also said, "Yeah, Song, actually there are a few nice girls that sister knows, why not let me introduce you to them? Changing jobs doesn¡¯t interfere with dating, right?"

    Bai Ju was also advising.

    "Yes, Song, you¡¯re not getting any younger, how can you keep dragging your feet? If nothing else works, find someone back in the vige, our rural girls are also good, many are pretty and capable, I¡¯ll go matchmaking for you. There¡¯s also no shortage of women workers in our factory, maybe we can introduce you to someone too, you can¡¯t dy such an important matter as marriage."

    Now, Bai Song had no escape.

    "Well, I need to use the restroom!" He quickly made his escape.

    Bai Xiao was amused by his eldest brother.

    The whole family was amused.

    The typical thin-skinned appearance of Bai Song was really unlike his usuallyposed demeanor.

    "Grandma, since you havee this time, why not stay here permanently, what¡¯s so good about that rural home? Just stay here peacefully with us, it¡¯s livelier with more people," Bai Yue said to Li Chunhua, who seemed to have aged a lot over the past year.

    Seeing Li Chunhua¡¯s graying hair and stooped body, Bai Yue and the others felt a bit heartbroken, no matter how wrongly Li Chunhua had acted in the past, in their hearts, she was still their dear grandma. They couldn¡¯t remain indifferent to the bonding of blood rtions.

    Li Chunhua coldly huffed, "You wish, I definitely need to go back. Your second uncle is eager for me not to return, so he can mess with the house and seize it. Wu Xiaoyue just gave birth to a boy, and the couple is feeling very self-important now. Wu Xiaoyue is inciting Bai Zhuang to go out to work together."

    "Let me tell you, Yue, if Bai Zhuang wants toe here to work, you must not ept him. Wu Xiaoyue is no good, always eying your shop, and if they really came, it would only cause trouble. Don¡¯t make things ufortable for yourself."

    Bai Yueughed, "Grandma, rest assured, my second uncle and we have long cut off rtions, we sure won¡¯t deal with those thankless people, haven¡¯t we had enough ttery?" As she said this, the whole table fell silent.

    Because these words implied a criticism of Li Chunhua herself.

    Li Chunhuaughed, "Don¡¯t be afraid, the only ck mark on my conscience in this life is this one mistake. People say, as man does, heaven watches, this is true. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have experienced how your second uncle treated me, this is called retribution."

    "I ask for nothing else, just that you all live well and have everything go smoothly. Then I can consider my life redeemed. I won¡¯t be a burden to you. I¡¯m still in good health, I have known neighbors and friends to talk to in the vige, I¡¯m notfortable here."

    Li Chunhua was always unwilling to relent and stay with Bai Yue and Bai Song.

 Chapter 552 Buy the Food Factory

    <h4>Chapter 552: Chapter 552 Buy the Food Factory</h4><h4></h4>

    After the meal, Bai Song went back by QQ on his own, while An Zhiyuan drove the car, taking Bai Ju, her family of five, and Li Chunhua to their amodation.

    Bai Xiao asked Bai Ju in a casual manner, "Second Sister, your factory¡¯s performance is not doing well now, is it?"

    ording to the timeline, it was almost the year eighty-eight, and a major wave of bankruptcies andyoffs was about to hit the state-owned enterprises. This was just the beginning ofyoffs for workers of state-owned enterprises. Although their town was small and wouldn¡¯t be affected so quickly, if a factory¡¯s performance was poor, it could only cease operation before going bankrupt. The workers would struggle to even receive the minimum wage, as the factory would fall behind on paying their sries.

    Bai Ju would likely be one of the first to be affected.

    "Yes, the factory has already been shut down for half a month. Otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t have been able toe to the provincial city so early to see our eldest sister. We don¡¯t even know when production will resume. Wei, the factory manager, did hint to me that the situation is not very good. Bankruptcies are happening at the county and city level, and a factory like ours probably won¡¯tst much longer. He advised us to be prepared, to quickly find a way out if things really go south, either to transfer or to find our own path. The factory going bankrupt is an inescapable oue."

    Bai Ju could only sigh when talking about this issue.

    The situation was life-threatening for them, both working in the same factory. Onceid off, both spouses would suffer a severe shock to the family.

    He Wangforted Bai Ju, "It¡¯s okay, Xiao, it¡¯s good that you are here. Give us some advice. I was thinking, at least I can drive. If things really don¡¯t work out, I can buy a vehicle and start a transport business. There¡¯s always a way out. What do you think?" He had ns in mind and wanted to ask his sister-inw, since she was a college graduate and smarter than most. Didn¡¯t he see how well his eldest sister was doing now, all thanks to Bai Xiao¡¯s advice?

    He wished to learn some business acumen from his sister-inw too.

    Bai Xiao considered for a moment, "Brother-inw, running a transport business is tiring work. You could be away from home for several months a year. Besides, in transportation, you can¡¯t avoid long-distance travel, right? It¡¯s easy to run into highway robbers on remote roads, and the money you earn might not even be enough to keep them at bay.

    Rather than that, it would be better for you and Second Sister to think about this: your factory is going to go bankrupt, and they will surely want to sell it. You both are familiar with the food factory, so if possible, consider buying it and running it yourselves," Bai Xiao boldly suggested.

    Bai Ju and He Wang were both startled.

    "How could that work? A factory employs so many people. Even the county leaders can¡¯t handle it, what can the two of us do? Wouldn¡¯t that be just waiting to lose money? Besides, we don¡¯t have the money to buy a factory. How much would that cost?" Bai Ju was scared by Bai Xiao¡¯s idea.

    This girl really had guts¡ªit wasn¡¯t like just anyone could buy a food factory.

    Bai Ju¡¯s heart pounded with fear.

    An Zhiyuan looked at the young woman sitting beside him, her face now lit with excitement. This young woman¡¯s mind worked fast, and he was eager to hear if Bai Xiao had any revival ns.

    "Second Sister, you fool, the factory is going bankrupt. The trend of state-owned enterprise bankruptcy is unstoppable. After all, the management of state-owned enterprises is outdated andcks innovation. To arge extent, people have been relying on the factory for their livelihood, used to the bigmunal pot. Workers have bezy, techniciansck the initiative to develop new products, and salespeople are used to customersing to them. Of course, they will go bankrupt.

    Now we are in an era of reform and opening up. People can find better services elsewhere. Why would they have to put up with your factory¡¯s attitude to buy things? It¡¯s not like they have nothing better to do."

    Bai Xiao analyzed their situation.

 Chapter 553 Detailed Discussion

    <h4>Chapter 553: Chapter 553 Detailed Discussion</h4><h4></h4>

    Li Chunhua snorted coldly, "Stop giving your second sister bad advice. How much would it cost to buy that food factory? You want the two of them to take on a whole load of debt. What if they can¡¯t handle it? Wouldn¡¯t that be hurting them? Besides, they¡¯re just workers at that food factory, not any sort of technicians or anything. If it¡¯s such a good deal, why wouldn¡¯t the factory manager buy it himself instead of waiting for you little workers to do so?"

    Bai Xiao was well aware that Li Chunhua was afraid Bai Ju would be at a disadvantage. When it came to protecting her calf, the olddy spared no effort.

    "Xiao ah, what you¡¯re talking about, we also feel it¡¯s a bit unreliable. We have neither the education nor the understanding, and with so many technicians there, if the manager can¡¯t do it, how could it be our turn? It¡¯s just not feasible, not feasible!" He Wang was an honest man and also felt the idea was too bold.

    Bai Ju, on the other hand, was somewhat intrigued. After all, Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t one to spout nonsense. Her sister was capable, and if she chose to discuss this, she must have a n in mind. This sparked some interest in Bai Ju.

    "Don¡¯t speak, let Bai Xiao say her piece."

    They had already arrived at their destination and weren¡¯t far off.

    An Zhiyuan stopped the car, and Bai Ju thought for a moment, "Grandma, you take the three little ones back to sleep. He Wang and I will go sit at Xiao¡¯s ce for a bit. We have keys, so don¡¯t wait up for us." Her heart was still somewhat restless.

    Li Chunhua red fiercely at Bai Xiao, "Alwaysing up with terrible ideas."

    The three little ones immediately followed their grandmother off the car. He Wang still went with them, escorting the four of them home before returning.

    Once they were home, An Zhiyuan made tea for Bai Ju and He Wang, one cup each. Since he and He Wang had a bit to drink, of course, they needed to sober up.

    Bai Ju was a bit anxious and left her cup aside without drinking it.

    "Xiao ah, hurry up and talk!"

    Bai Xiao smiled.

    She took the cup of water that An Zhiyuan handed her, took a sip, and then began to analyze the current situation for her second sister, including the future economdscape. She shared her own projections about possible future developments.

    "Second sister, on one hand, the food factory¡¯s performance is declining because the products are outdated! There are no new styles, no innovation. Think about it, even you wouldn¡¯t want to buy your factory¡¯s products when you go shopping, let alone give them as gifts. And why is that?"

    "Well, I certainly know that. Our factory still makes those same types of rice sticks, trough cakes, and the calcium milk cookies. There¡¯s no shortage of products in shops and their packaging is better than ours. Not to mention more attractive, we just can¡¯tpete," Bai Ju said sheepishly.

    "That¡¯s exactly right. If you really want to buy the food factory, the first thing you¡¯ll need to do is go to the south to look at machinery and equipment. There are two routes to consider. One, the instant noodle business will keep improving. Instant noodles symbolize the future poprity of fast food; think about it, people are so busy every day. When theye home from work or school, they would definitely wee a hot meal ready in minutes so they can rest faster.

    The other is about children¡¯s snacks. Currently, you might only know about shrimp sticks, but if you have time, let He Weng take you to Hong Kong Ind. There, you¡¯ll see many children¡¯s snacks are especially popr. Organizing some kind of raffle or promotion really appeals to kids. Parents live through their children; as long as their child wants it, they¡¯ll end up buying it no matter what!" Bai Xiao outlined the potential direction for development.

 Chapter 554: The Mouse That Saw the Cat

    <h4>Chapter 554: Chapter 554: The Mouse That Saw the Cat</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Ju and He Wang, although they didn¡¯t understand very well, got the general idea that the food factory wasn¡¯t beyond saving, it was just that its management model was outdated. But the couple was again worried about money. After all, it was a food factory with a staff of over a hundred people. Taking ownership would also require upgrading the machinery and equipment. My goodness, how much money would that cost!

    The couple fell silent, not because they couldn¡¯t borrow money. Their older sister was right there, with funds readily avable. As long as they asked to borrow money, it was almost certain that she would not refuse. However, the amount they needed to borrow was not small, and adding on what He Weng might say, if there were any mishaps with this sum, how could they everpensate her.

    "You two should go back and think it over, and also ask He Weng. He¡¯s been out and about, gaining more experience and perspective than both of you. If you really can¡¯t handle it, join He Weng and take a look around outside. At worst, it¡¯s just the cost of travel. If you really don¡¯t want to do it, then look for other opportunities." Bai Xiao didn¡¯t think her idea was necessarily the best. However, if they did well, Bai Ju and her husband could also secure their position in this industry in the future, as the poprity of snacks was there for all to see.

    Convenience food was constantly evolving, from the instant noodles of today to the sausages, quick-frozen dumplings, and various frozen foods of tomorrow. Their food factory could even be converted into a beverage factory, with beverages representing a significant market share in the future.

    Heavy-hearted, the two of them left.

    They closed the door behind them.

    An Zhiyuan looked at Bai Xiao and said, "You, with all these strange ideas in your head, really missed out by not going into business. It seems like you¡¯re short-changing yourself by being a doctor!"

    Bai Xiao was proud, "Ha ha, you justugh at me!"

    She went to take a shower, as she was indeed quite tired from the day.

    As for how the couple spent the night, of course, that can¡¯t be detailed here, lest we be censored. Let everyone¡¯s imagination run wild.

    Needless to say, the next morning, Bai Xiao was unable to get out of bed. Her body was still delicate and easy to topple.

    An Zhiyuan was feeling refreshed and invigorated after going for a run before returning home. The feeling of home was too strong.

    He was somewhat looking forward to returning to their own home in Yun Province! That was where their real home was.

    He felt an unexpected sense of anticipation.

    After all, there were always a bunch of people around, whether it was at their own house or here, leaving little private time for the couple. Just like now, Bai Ju, He Wang, and He Weng had already shown up early in the morning, bringing breakfast with them, leaving An Zhiyuan unsure what to say.

    He wanted to let his wife rest a little longer, but clearly, they weren¡¯t allowing it.

    Thus, Bai Xiao was dragged out of bed by An Zhiyuan, had to get dressed, and with hair resembling a bird¡¯s nest, she managed to brush her teeth and wash her face before she could meet people.

    Sitting at the dining table, Bai Xiao yawned, unable to help feeling that she couldn¡¯t be med for expecting to finally sleep in at her own home, waking up whenever she wished. It seemed she had set herself up for disappointment.

    It was because she had been talkative the night before, and now people were blocking her door.

    Especially with the three of them sitting at the table, not eating, just staring at her with six gleaming eyes, was anyone supposed to be able to eat under these conditions.

    "Why don¡¯t you go sit in the living room for a while, so I can eat in peace? If you stare like that, nobody can swallow their food," Bai Xiao had to speak up. It was clear that the three had forgotten what manners were.

    It was only then that Bai Ju seemed to snap out of it, a bit embarrassed. She hadn¡¯t slept well the previous night. The couple had discussed thingste into the night, and called He Weng early in the morning, speaking with him for half an hour. As soon as He Weng heard about the opportunity, he hurried over, resulting in this situation.

    "We¡¯ll go to the living room, we¡¯ll go to the living room, you eat slowly, no rush! No rush!" The three of them exited in an awkward hurry, leaving An Zhiyuan and his wife to eat.

    Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t help but giggle; the three of them looked like mice that had seen a cat.

    Am I really that frightening!

 Chapter 555: My Own Sister is Awesome (Extra Chapter for Monthly Tickets)

    <h4>Chapter 555: Chapter 555: My Own Sister is Awesome (Extra Chapter for Monthly Tickets)</h4><h4></h4>

    "Second Brother, should I just sneak away?" Bai Xiao whispered to him.

    An Zhiyuan peeled the egg without changing his expression, "Don¡¯t even think about it! Aren¡¯t you afraid Big Sister will panic? When shees storming into Yun Province with arge troop, that will be a sight to see. Don¡¯t forget, New Year¡¯s ising, and everyone will have time to personally hunt you down." He ced the egg in her bowl.

    Bai Xiao sighed, "Why is living our own life so difficult?" The whiny tone of her voice was quite endearing.

    After finishing the dumplings in front of him, delicious, even after having them yesterday, he still hadn¡¯t had his fill. The taste of the North was different from the South, where it was mostly rice, which Bai Xiao was almost sick of.

    "You¡¯d better just help your big sister and brother-inw with their idea, or else, you can¡¯t leave."

    The two ate their meal obediently; An Zhiyuan urged Bai Xiao to entertain the three whose necks were craning in the living room, while he took his bowl and chopsticks to the kitchen to clean up.

    Bai Ju saw her sister casually strolling over, and hearing An Zhiyuan¡¯s ttering in the kitchen, felt a bit uneasy. Her sister, acting like aid-back shopkeeper, was living toofortably; she hoped that wouldn¡¯t make Colonel An look down on her.

    She scolded Bai Xiao in a low voice, "How can you let Colonel An do the dishes? We really aren¡¯t short on time."

    Couples must live together. If Bai Xiao was too capricious, it would inevitably lead to marital discord.

    "Why can¡¯t Colonel An do the dishes? Sis, let¡¯s not fixate on this, it¡¯s between the two of us. What did youe to talk about today?" Bai Xiao knew that this time it was mostly He Weng wanting to understand the operation. If it weren¡¯t for He Weng saying the method was feasible, Bai Ju and He Wang probably wouldn¡¯t be in such a hurry.

    "Bai Xiao, I¡¯ve heard from my brother-inw about your idea; it¡¯s amazing. I really didn¡¯t expect that although you¡¯re not a business person, you have such a keen intuition for market fluctuations and trends. Your suggestion is just too impressive," He Weng who had seen much of the world, especially the cities in the south that were at the forefront of reforms, had different experiences from other ces.

    "So, my method is feasible?"

    "Feasible! Absolutely feasible! Your idea really opened my eyes. I couldn¡¯t believe such a casual idea from you could be so powerful; it¡¯s like turning stone into gold. I must say, Bai Xiao, you¡¯re really a genius," He Weng was extremely admiring, as ifpletely convinced.

    He Wang didn¡¯t understand the details, but knowing that He Weng said Bai Xiao¡¯s method was powerful, he couldn¡¯t help feeling happy. His younger brother had been very sessful in business over the years, having sent them money more than once. Now, his younger brother¡¯s wholesale clothing business had taken over more than half of the provincial city¡¯s market, driving smoothly all the way. Not to mention that now, his younger brother even drove his own car.

    He couldn¡¯t help feeling a sense ofpetitive pride. After all, his younger brother once relied on them, and now that their roles had suddenly reversed, it stirred He Wang¡¯spetitive male ego. If his younger brother could do so well, could he be any less capable?

    It was clear to him that he had eaten more salt in his lifetime than his younger brother had eaten rice. He didn¡¯t believe he would fail.

    "Ah Weng, are you saying this is a good opportunity?" It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t trust Bai Xiao; after all, she was a doctor, not a businessperson. Business acumen shouldn¡¯t be taken for granted. He Weng was different; he had been wing his way through the industry for more than a year, andparatively, he was more inclined to trust He Weng.

    This had nothing to do with trust but was simply human nature.

    "Yes! A good opportunity indeed! Big Brother, if you really take this on, you might end up doing great, bing really powerful," He Weng encouraged.

    Bai Ju couldn¡¯t help but purse her lips and smile.

    Her little sister was indeed remarkable.

 Chapter 556 Dowry (Extra Monthly Ticket)

    <h4>Chapter 556: Chapter 556 Dowry (Extra Monthly Ticket)</h4><h4></h4>

    "Sis, I suggest you guys, since you have time and the factory is now either closed or operating at reduced capacity, take the money and go visit the southern cities with He Weng. Get a firsthand feel for the situation and seek advice. After all, no one¡¯s wordspare to seeing it for yourselves, especially since this investment is arge sum. It¡¯s natural for you to have doubts," Bai Xiao encouraged them to step out and see more of the world. People need to broaden their horizons; what¡¯s needed is experience.

    He Weng thought for a moment, "How about this! Since there¡¯s still a month until the New Year, I¡¯ll buy the tickets now. We¡¯ll go ande back in at most ten days, just in time to celebrate the New Year without disrupting anything. It¡¯s also the busiest time for them right now, and it will give you an idea of how their factories operate." He Weng was rather anxious.

    A businessman facing a business opportunity can¡¯t help but want to investigate it, even if it¡¯s not directly rted to him! But since it was his own elder brother¡¯s project, it was like their family was involved, and helping out was naturally expected. He too hoped his brother and sister-inw would have a good life.

    Bai Ju suddenly remembered, "Wait, Xiao, how long is your vacation? You¡¯re in the military, so your holidays can¡¯t be that long!"

    "Sis, we are family, and you¡¯ve seen me now, whole and unreserved. What else is there to worry about? I think my ideas have been shared with you, but how you execute them requires careful nning. After all, transforming a factory takes a process. I¡¯ll write you a rough proposal in the next few days. However, it¡¯s still up to you to do it yourselves, since this matter is important," Bai Xiao wanted to see his second sister supported as well.

    Now his eldest sister¡¯s life was flourishing and would only get better, but it wasn¡¯t enough for one person to do well, the entire family had to do well; that was true capability. Among the four siblings, he and his elder brother were in the military, and unless they changed careers, they couldn¡¯t get involved in business. But that didn¡¯t prevent him from wanting his sisters to each have a sessful career. This was the era for the rise of themon people; it¡¯d be foolish to miss such an opportunity.

    "Xiao, I understand now, every time it¡¯s actually you helping your second sister, I feel somewhat guilty. I just want to spend more time with you, but opportunities are always so limited and I always feel regret. We sisters don¡¯t get to gather together very often. This year you¡¯reing back for the New Year, but who knows if you¡¯ll even have leave next year," Bai Ju was tender-hearted and valued rtionships, not quite cut out to be a boss.

    Bai Xiao smiled encouragingly at Bai Ju, "Sis, I¡¯ll tell you something you must remember: ¡¯no mercy, no soldiers; no righteousness, no wealth; a lenient leader will not have strong subordinates.¡¯ If you remain soft-hearted like this, I really have to worry about whether you can manage such a factory."

    Business isn¡¯t for everyone.

    Bai Ju smiled sheepishly, "You think your sister doesn¡¯t know? My nature is a big problem. I smile at everyone, and once people see through that, they¡¯ll start taking advantage. That¡¯s why your brother-inw is the backbone of our home. From now on, he¡¯ll handle the tough decisions, and I¡¯ll just take care of the production and finances, which I¡¯m good at." She was aware of her limitations.

    He Wangughed, "Niece, in a few days, if you leave, your sister and I probably won¡¯t be able toe back. This is the dowry we¡¯ve prepared for you. It¡¯s not much but consider it a token of our feelings." Smiling warmly, he took out a savings book.

    Bai Xiao sighed; their family was indeed advancing in their progressive thoughts.

    They¡¯re even getting addicted to preparing savings books.

 Chapter 557: Giving Way to Each Other

    <h4>Chapter 557: Chapter 557: Giving Way to Each Other</h4><h4></h4>

    "Actually, I¡¯ve prepared a gift for you as well. Here it is," Bai Xiao said, not looking at the bank book from Bai Ju¡¯s side, but pulling out another one instead.

    The whole familyughed.

    Whose family is so wealthy?

    Moving bank books back and forth like it¡¯s nothing.

    "You find it funny, don¡¯t you! It¡¯s not that I won¡¯t ept the dowry; it¡¯s that you¡¯re going to face times when you need money. Rather than borrowing from otherster, it¡¯s better to use this money where it¡¯s most needed now. Who cares about dowries? Even without one, would An Zhiyuan really be able toin about me?"

    An Zhiyuan had just dried his hands and came out when he heard this, "Who would dare toin about you? I certainly wouldn¡¯t dare; I¡¯d be afraid it¡¯d chip a tooth!"

    Everyone burst intoughter.

    "You think I don¡¯t know that? This bank book was given to you by your older sister yesterday. I can¡¯t take it. I could ask your older sister for money. You and my brother-inw are going to Yun Province to settle down; everything costs money there. If I took this money, that would be heartless of me. You¡¯ve already helped my second sister so much, we can figure out our own solutions. We don¡¯t need your money."

    Bai Ju refused to take it, and He Wang shook his head resolutely, pushing the bank book back.

    He Weng quickly said, "Bai Xiao, don¡¯t worry about us; go off with peace of mind. I¡¯ll find a way to get the money they need to start the factory. I have some money I can contribute, and if it¡¯s not enough, I know a few important people at the banks. Getting a mortgage loan for the factory won¡¯t be a problem. Just give us a call when you get there so we have someone to consult with for any issues. You¡¯ve already helped us with the big decisions; let us handle the small stuff."

    He Wang also nodded repeatedly. Using his sister-inw¡¯s money always made him uneasy; after all, Bai Xiao was leaving her hometown, and it was better for her to have money by her side.

    But using his own brother¡¯s money was also a burden, especially since He Weng wasn¡¯t married yet.

    "Alright! I just wanted to let you know that if you need help, you can ask us. An Zhiyuan and I are both government employees. We really don¡¯t have to spend much; we both have allowances and sries, soparatively, we aren¡¯t short of money." Bai Xiao did not want to grow distant from her sister, and she hoped her sister could stand up like her older sister did, strengthening their family so she wouldn¡¯t have to worry. After all, who could predict when Kaiwen might reach out?

    Don¡¯t be fooled by Kaiwen¡¯s failed attempt that day; Shang Feng might not seem formidable, but Kaiwen was well-versed in ying dirty games. Letting her off easily wasn¡¯t likely; if she couldn¡¯t find a weakness in Bai Xiao, she might look for issues with her siblings. That¡¯s why Bai Xiao had informed her family about Kaiwen¡¯s schemes the day before, to keep them on their guard.

    So, the family needed to strengthen itself to be truly invulnerable; otherwise, protecting them would be harder than if they were strong themselves.

    Jiang Shaoqing hadn¡¯t shown up recently. Logically, Jiang Shaoqing should have received the news about her being sent away, but the Jiang Family had remained silent.

    Bai Xiao felt that Jiang Shaoqing was intentionally distancing himself from her, which was a loss for him, considering the major mining disaster that was about to ur in the Jiang Family¡¯s operations if things went as they did before, likely around this Chinese New Year due to the timing, which would make the impact more sensational.

    The ferment from this incident would indeed be severe.

    Should she warn Jiang Shaoqing?

    But chasing after him isn¡¯t a solution either.

 Chapter 558: Taking Your Life While Youâ€™re Down

    <h4>Chapter 558: Chapter 558: Taking Your Life While You¡¯re Down</h4><h4></h4>

    Jiang Shaoqing was also hesitating.

    How could he not know about Bai Xiao¡¯s transfer? He had been keeping an eye on her all along. When he received the news, he even breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that getting rid of this troublemaker was not a bad thing at all.

    The main issue was that Jiang Shaoqing couldn¡¯t figure out how Bai Xiao wanted to exploit the Jiang Family. He was still afraid. Although Grandfather valued Bai Xiao highly, he still remained guarded against her.

    This girl was too scheming. It would have been okay if she were a good person, but from what happened with Shang Kaijie, he had learned that she was ruthless.

    Moreover, the affair of Shang Feng recognizing his daughter was making waves; everyone knew about it, treating it as a scandalous affair of a wealthy family. If Bai Xiao really was Shang Feng¡¯s daughter, then what she was doing was truly inhumane.

    He dared not entangle himself with Bai Xiao; he wouldn¡¯t even know how he might die.

    Yet, he couldn¡¯t just let Bai Xiao fend for herself. Ignoring such a person would mean underestimating her.

    Thus, he deliberately kept the news from Grandfather, for with just one word from Grandfather, Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t have dared to take that risk.

    But when he saw the report about Bai Xiao, he was truly shocked.

    Every little detail that had happened there proved one thing.

    Bai Xiao was nothing like he had imagined. She risked her life to save more than a dozen people buried under the Karst Cave, and for the person she loved, she bravely stood beside him in front of andmine, ready to face death together as they defused the bomb. Such courage, such apassionate heart of a healer, was enough to prove that Bai Xiao was not the kind of woman he had imagined.

    When he read the passage describing the wedding of Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan in front of the battlefield, he felt some envy toward An Zhiyuan. Encountering a woman in one¡¯s lifetime who truly could share life and death... those vows of sharing hardships were just talk. When it reallyes down to it, whether it¡¯s sharing hardships or each escaping when disaster strikes, it¡¯s not certain.

    But Bai Xiao had proved her loyalty and emotions through her actions.

    How could such a person be greedy, vindictive, and unscrupulous?

    So he began to doubt himself, wondering if he had been too subjective. Even if there really was a father-daughter rtionship between Shang Feng and Bai Xiao, what Shang Feng did as a father was indeed far-fetched. Even if there was hatred between Bai Xiao and the Shang Family, their revenge seemed justified.

    If someone had offended him, would his methods be gentler than Bai Xiao¡¯s?

    Why did it seem justified when he did it, but when Bai Xiao did the same, he thought she was ruthless?

    Because Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t him, he always ced himself in that position, the young master of the Jiang Family, ustomed to being above others, to having everyone revolve around him, and to expecting others to apologize and make amends for their mistakes. Actually, what wrong had Bai Xiao done?

    Shang Kaijie wanted to kill Bai Xiao. Isn¡¯t that reason enough for Shang Kaijie to deserve death?

    Was he supposed to wait for Shang Kaijie to actuallye and take Bai Xiao¡¯s life before he got the result he wanted?

    If Shang Kaijie had wanted to kill him, Shang Kaijie wouldn¡¯t have known how many times he¡¯d have died by now.

    So what was wrong with Bai Xiao wanting his life?

    Given Shang Kaijie¡¯s vindictive nature, once he recuperated, he would seek revenge against Bai Xiao! And the next time, his methods might be even worse. If Bai Xiao didn¡¯t let him die, she and her family would probably suffer a more dreadful fate.

    Bai Xiao was actually not at fault.

    Strike while the iron is hot, take your life.

 Chapter 559: Passbook Dowry

    <h4>Chapter 559: Chapter 559: Passbook Dowry</h4><h4></h4>

    He also knew that Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan had really gotten married, and they had received an invitation to the wedding in the Capital City, but the old man was attending a conference somewhere at that time and didn¡¯t have time to go. He had always suppressed the news about Bai Xiao, and to all the members of the Jiang Family, this was a silent signal, and no one else would consider going.

    Now that Bai Xiao was in the provincial capital and her family was all together, should he make an appearance?

    Should this rtionship be mended at all?

    Jiang Shaoqing nced at the photo of Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan standing side by side, hand in hand in the minefield. The smile tugging at the corner of the girl¡¯s mouth, and the light in her eyes, death could not bring her to tears, nor show any trace of fear or cowardice! Such a girl was so strong and bright.

    ...

    After seeing off Bai Ju andpany, Bai Xiao copsed onto the sofa, with three bank booksid out on the coffee table. Bai Ju and He Wang refused to take their bank books back no matter what, and there was an additional one from He Weng! To use He Weng¡¯s words, his life had been saved by Bai Xiao, she was like a real sister to him, and it was only right for a brother to give his sister a wedding gift. Originally, He Weng had nned to buy a car as a gift for Bai Xiao, along with a house, but since Bai Xiao and her family were in Yun Province, buying a house here would be useless.

    So, being more practical, He Weng prepared this bank book instead. What Bai Xiao didn¡¯t know was that He Weng had already sent people to Yun Province to make arrangements, nning to expand his wholesale market there and even purchase a house for Bai Xiao close to her workce! A car would also be prepared.

    A car, a house, and money, she deserved it all.

    To him, Bai Xiao had given more than just a life; she also gave him his current business, a path he had only embarked on with Bai Xiao¡¯s guidance. The person who orchestrated everything merely needed to provide the ideas, and he understood that without Bai Xiao, he¡¯d still probably be aborer on a construction site, having worked his way up from a junior worker to a senior one, at best just a hard-working hired hand.

    Everything he had now was because of a single word, a single idea from Bai Xiao. And it wasn¡¯t just him who benefitted, but also Liu Hong. They were all beneficiaries, not to mention Bai Yue. He Weng had personally witnessed the spark of an idea from Bai Xiao take effect.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s personal charm was so immense, bringing endless positive energy to everyone around her. Whenever she had an idea, who knew what kind of new concept mighte to light?

    Regarding the food factory renovation n, He Weng understood the business opportunity it represented. He had seen the prosperity of cities in the south, their rapid development¡ªthings their ind cities did not have. He had only cared about his own business, without any further contemtion, but Bai Xiao was different. She could turn any opportunity into a benefit for those around her.

    An Zhiyuan embraced her, and she leaned into his arms. "Tired already? Then go to sleep. There¡¯s nothing much to do these next couple of days anyway. Rest well, I¡¯m here for everything." Bai Xiao¡¯snguid demeanor clearly showed she hadn¡¯t rested well.

    "Just look at us now, we¡¯ve even be millionaires." She picked up the bank book He Weng had given her nonchntly. She hadn¡¯t even looked at it at the time, and it would have been awkward to do so in front of others.

    She flipped through it, smiled wryly, and handed it to An Zhiyuan. "He Weng is really showing his gratitude for saving his life, look at this, three hundred thousand."

    An Zhiyuan gently kissed her forehead. "He¡¯s given this whether it¡¯s out of gratitude for saving his life or for the brotherly affection. Just keep it, we¡¯ll have plenty of chances to repay them in the future. He Weng will eventually get married, right? Sister, their children will grow up too, and we¡¯ll think of a way to give it back then. Will you be upset with me for making this decision on your behalf?"

 Chapter 560: Interrupting the Good Thing

    <h4>Chapter 560: Chapter 560: Interrupting the Good Thing</h4><h4></h4>

    "How could I? I¡¯m still worrying over here. It¡¯s definitely not appropriate to refuse. Seeing the look on my elder sister¡¯s face, she would get mad if I dared refuse. I understand that they truly care about me, and with the business they always feel somewhat burdened, thinking they owe it all to my help. If I don¡¯t take this money, they probably won¡¯t be able to sleep easy, but epting it just feels like too much."

    "But you were right about what you said earlier, we have a long life ahead of us. If I save this money, when they face a business crisis and need to expand the capital, I can take it out to solve everyone¡¯s problems."

    "An, my dear brother, I didn¡¯t realize you were so clever. Your idea really isn¡¯t bad, it¡¯s like a foundation, keeping all the capital here, waiting for anyone who needs it. Then I can just snap it up and rescue them from a dire situation. Thank you!" Bai Xiao pecked An Zhiyuan on the cheek.

    Her man was too capable.

    An Zhiyuan looked at Bai Xiao with a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile, "That¡¯s how you thank me?"

    Bai Xiao raised her eyes, "Then how would you like to be thanked?"

    As she spoke, her facial expression barely changed. An Zhiyuan chuckled, looking at her with serious eyes, "What do you think?"

    "Stinker..." Bai Xiao cursed. How could she not know what An Zhiyuan was thinking? Ever since he¡¯d had a taste, this man had forgotten what modesty was.

    An Zhiyuan gazed deeply and gently at her, drawing her in, bowing his head, then leaned in to kiss her.

    "Stop it, not now! It¡¯s broad daylight. What if my second sister and the others think of something ande back?" Bai Xiao pushed against his arm, trying to stop him with a hand on his chest.

    But he kissed the corner of her lips regardless.

    "We¡¯re newlyweds, it¡¯s natural to be passionate. I¡¯m sure my second sister and the others would understand."

    While speaking such cheeky words, his mouth didn¡¯t stop moving. Bai Xiao¡¯s body gradually softened, she couldn¡¯t deny that since being with An Zhiyuan, her body had be more sensitive to his "training". In matters between men and women, she¡¯d gone from being shy and reserved to boldly responding to him.

    Without speaking, the two stayed in the living room, enjoying their tender and gentle time together.

    Just as they found it hard to let go, a knock at the door startled them, disrupting the erotic spring atmosphere in the room.

    Bai Xiao snapped back to her senses from the passion, while the man beside her persisted in holding her, his lips still touching her neck.

    The knock came again, relentlessly.

    She tilted her head to look in the direction of the sound as An Zhiyuan raised his head, catching his breath with a "Who is it!"

    His voice had lost its earlier rasp, now sounding extraordinarily calm, asposed as he usually was.

    "Jiang Shaoqing!"

    An Zhiyuan pursed his lips, silent. Bai Xiao kissed his forehead and whispered in his ear, "Go open the door, I¡¯ll make it up to you tonight."

    He gave a faint "Hmm" in response, and offered no further answer.

    She had no choice but to lean in to kiss his lips, intending to pull away when his face darkened, his expression tightening with frustration from being left unsatisfied. He held onto her hand tightly, roughly caressing her until he finally let her go.

    The knock sounded yet again.

    Bai Xiao stood up to tidy herself, and only then did An Zhiyuan slowly rise to his feet. He watched from the corner of his eye as Bai Xiao straightened up, and then he slowly opened the door.

    Jiang Shaoqing stood outside, noting An Zhiyuan¡¯s clearly reddened lips and with a knowing look, he stepped inside with a smile.

    It seemed he had interrupted the couple¡¯s intimate moments.

 Chapter 561: Wedding Gifts

    <h4>Chapter 561: Chapter 561: Wedding Gifts</h4><h4></h4>

    "President Jiang, hello, it¡¯s been a long time." Bai Xiao had gone to pour tea and took the opportunity to calm her breath. Otherwise, Jiang Shaoqing, that old fox, might have noticed something.

    She wasn¡¯t that liberated to let others see her flushed with springtime ardor.

    An Zhiyuan took the teapot from her hands and poured tea for himself and Bai Xiao before finally pouring for Jiang Shaoqing. Jiang Shaoqing silently grimaced¡ªAn Zhiyuan was getting stingier, and now he was even overprotective of his wife. How deeply must he be spoiling her?

    "Dr. Bai, it¡¯s been a long time. Big Brother An, the two of you are now well-known to everyone." Jiang Shaoqing took a sip of tea, looking at Bai Xiao seated next to An Zhiyuan, thinking the couple really matched well, a perfect pair of talent and beauty.

    Deep down, he felt a twinge of jealousy. Where was his beloved, the one he could share life and death with?

    "Speak up if you have something to say, and fart if you need to!" An Zhiyuan¡¯s time of affection with his wife had been interrupted, so he had no patience for Jiang Shaoqing.

    "Big Brother An, isn¡¯t that rather rude to an old friend?"

    Jiang Shaoqing could tell that An Zhiyuan was almost at the point of throwing him out.

    This man was vexed¡ªoh, a man frustrated in his desires is best not provoked.

    "President Jiang, what brings you here this time?" Bai Xiao grasped An Zhiyuan¡¯s hand tightly, giving him a reassuring look. Her An was not in the best of tempers right now.

    "Dr. Bai, you¡¯re too courteous. Don¡¯t call me President Jiang. An Zhiyuan and I grew up together. I¡¯m just a few years older than you; calling me ¡¯Big Brother Jiang¡¯ wouldn¡¯t be too much, and it wouldn¡¯t mean I¡¯m taking advantage of you. I¡¯vee to terms with that," Jiang Shaoqing said with a very friendly and gentle manner and tone.

    "Big Brother Jiang, then I¡¯ll be frank. What brings you here today...?"

    No one visits without a reason. She had just been wondering how to deal with Jiang Shaoqing, and now, he hade to her of his own ord.

    Her concern for him had not been in vain. If Jiang Shaoqing hadn¡¯t appeared, she wouldn¡¯t have sought him out herself.

    After all, Jiang Shaoqing had been kind to her, but it didn¡¯t mean she was eager to repay the favor. One life saved by the Old Master Jiang was enough to repay any debt. Everything else was because she didn¡¯t want Shang Kaiwen to grow too powerful; it was essential to nip Shang Kaiwen in the bud and not let her be any more influential. That woman was much crueler than she was.

    Jiang Shaoqing was the best ally she could have, or else she wouldn¡¯t have coborated with him.

    After all, she had begun to support her sister so that if all her family members had the strength to protect themselves, she could be free from worry.

    "I heard Ayuan and you got married. I couldn¡¯t attend the wedding because I was far up north, so I made a special trip to bring you a modest gift. Congrattions and best wishes on your marriage," Jiang Shaoqing said as he took out a beautiful velvet box from his pocket and pushed it toward them.

    "It¡¯s just a small token¡ªplease ept it!"

    An Zhiyuan opened it on behalf of Bai Xiao. It was a blue diamond ne that glittered brilliantly under the sunlight. An Zhiyuan sighed¡ªit really was a grand gesture. What exactly was Big Brother Jiang trying to do?

    Jiang Shaoqing watched Bai Xiao remain indifferent, which truly shocked him. This girl always managed to give a sense of astonishment at any moment.

    It¡¯s something significant. Most people would be moved at the sight of it, especially girls; it seemed like a natural inclination to like diamonds and jewels, especially since the diamond he chose was of absolute quality¡ªa ne worth five million. Only Jiang Shaoqing would do something like this; who else would go that far?

    But Bai Xiao didn¡¯t even raise an eyebrow.

    What does that imply?

 Chapter 562: Open and Honest.

    <h4>Chapter 562: Chapter 562: Open and Honest.</h4><h4></h4>

    "Brother Jiang, this gift is too precious, and I understand the principle that one should not ept rewards without merit¡ªthis gift, we probably can¡¯t ept. Besides, look at us both, what kind of people are we? How could I possibly have the chance to wear something like this? Wouldn¡¯t that just draw people¡¯s stares?"

    An Zhiyuan closed the lid of the ne box.

    His wife still understood his thoughts¡ªit was just a diamond ne. He could buy one for her himself.

    What on earth did Jiang Shaoqing mean by sending it?

    Surely, jewelry like this couldn¡¯t be given away casually. For the first time, An Zhiyuan felt like he was a poor man.

    No wonder Big Brother had given him money. That wasn¡¯t surprising; at least with money, one could buy whatever they wanted to give to others. This item, however, was something he couldn¡¯t afford, even though he was now a higher-ranking official.

    Yes, they should live a simple and modest life.

    Muttering these thoughts to himself made his face turn red with embarrassment. Only those who couldn¡¯t provide materially for their wives needed to make up such poor excuses to cover up.

    Had An Zhiyuan really regressed to this extent?

    Didn¡¯t he even have the courage to admit that he couldn¡¯t do it?

    Jiang Shaoqing wasn¡¯t surprised at all; the girl didn¡¯t even care for the thing he¡¯d brought.

    "Bai Xiao, it seems that this gift hasn¡¯t won over the hearts of you newlyweds. Well then, I¡¯ll take this back. I¡¯ll definitely make it up to you twoter."

    "Then, thank you!" An Zhiyuan gritted his teeth! Was this bastard here just to show him up?

    "Why be so polite with me? We¡¯re brothers, after all. I heard that you¡¯ve both been transferred to Yun Province; that ce is quite remote and also a tough ce to live. It¡¯s often said that harsh environments breed crafty people, and that ce not only breeds crafty people but also lots of criminals involved in cross-border crime. Ayuan, honestly, with your father¡¯s connections, it¡¯s baffling that you¡¯d still choose to stay there. I have no idea what you¡¯re thinking.

    You¡¯re not just indifferent to your own hardships, but you don¡¯t seem to care about the hardships of your wife either. Doctor Bai, isn¡¯t sending such a talent to that ce a waste?"

    Bai Xiao, with her arm linked with An Zhiyuan¡¯s, said, "To follow wherever one¡¯s husband goes is a wife¡¯s duty. Since Ayuan married me, wherever he goes, I go too. This is what truly sharing weal and woe means."

    An Zhiyuan looked at Bai Xiao with tender eyes. At this moment, his wife understood his feelings better than anyone.

    Jiang Shaoqingined, "Enough, you two. Stop unting your affection in front of me. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s cruel to do so in front of a bachelor like me?" His corners of the mouth almost reached the sky.

    Bai Xiao smiled lightly. This version of Jiang Shaoqing, unlike theposed and cold one he would beter, still had a touch of humanity and warmth.

    "Director Jiang, since you made the trip here, it shows you¡¯ve let go of any grudges against me. Of course, I also want to have an honest conversation with you. After all, honesty should be mutual. We can¡¯t keep going in circles and beating around the bush.

    If we want to be true friends, we certainly need to treat each other sincerely."

    Jiang Shaoqing was surprised. This girl was quite cunning, with the ability to read people and situations, and her scheming was deep. It was clear to her the real reason behind his visit, so putting on airs seemed pointless now.

    "Bai Xiao, you¡¯re right. It¡¯s just the three of us here, and Ayuan and I grew up together. Frankly, I dide today because I¡¯ve opened up to you. I do want to have a proper talk."

 Chapter 563: Heart-to-Heart

    <h4>Chapter 563: Chapter 563: Heart-to-Heart</h4><h4></h4>

    "Jiang Big Brother, I know you¡¯ve always thought of me as ruthless and feared I would harm the Jiang Family because of Shang Kaijie, so this time, when you knew I was in a difficult situation, you still stood by and did nothing, even going as far as cutting off the old man¡¯s means of getting this news.

    If it weren¡¯t for seeing my performance at the front line, you probably would never have appeared before me, let alone as a friend, we probably wouldn¡¯t even qualify as strangers who nod at each other in passing." Bai Xiao, although not particrly astute in her past life, had seen and learned from too many people.

    Rolling around in circles full of cunning people, even if you were a fool, you could learn a trick or two.

    "You put it that way, and I¡¯m indeed a bit embarrassed. I, a grown man, turned out to be less frank and open than a woman. Even though I had these thoughts, I kept them hidden in my heart. I must admit, I did intend to stand by and do nothing, and that¡¯s what I did.

    But after witnessing your performance on the battlefield, I felt I might have been too subjective. It¡¯s not that I couldn¡¯t empathize and do the same thing in your shoes. I had to consider all aspects of the problem and ended up not as clear-cut in my grievances and grudges as you are.

    I just hope that today, after we speak openly and clear this matter up, there won¡¯t be any hard feelings between us, and we can be true friends. Ayuan goes without saying; we were so close as kids, only a step away from wearing the same pants. Even though we¡¯ve grown up and gone our separate ways, because of this, there are no conflicting interests between us, and our friendship will certainly not change.

    By association, I should also trust you. After all, Ayuan is such a calm and steady man, and even I, a bystander, can see his feelings for you clearly, which fully proves what kind of person you are.

    My brother is definitely not blind, so Doctor Bai, I can absolutely trust your character, especially after that wedding of yours on the battlefield. I¡¯mpletely convinced that someone who can stick with another person through life and death can¡¯t be all that bad, can they?"

    Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s attitude this time was visibly more rxed; it was clear he had genuinely let go of his status and even put aside the vested interests he had associated with Bai Xiao, treating her like a friend.

    "I appreciate your trust and am d to have earned it. I understand your mindset; you carry the future and development of the entire Jiang Family on your shoulders. You absolutely cannot allow emotions to lead to any situation that might harm your family¡¯s interests.

    So let¡¯s let bygones be bygones, and start a new Chapter from now on. I hope we can be friends, and not just friends, but ones who can fight side by side. I also hope that when you weigh interests in the future, you won¡¯t betray me, your partner." Bai Xiao would certainly not mind Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s past actions; if she were in his position, she would have had to do the same.

    Trust in someone isn¡¯t established through a few words or even by saving a life.

    Bai Xiao learned from her past life that trust could lead to being terribly betrayed.

    So she was pleased with Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s approach. It proved that the partner she chose was incredibly shrewd and worthy of leading the Jiang Family.

    Sess is only possible when such people work together.

    Those who trust others too easily usually meet a terrible end.

    She was already an example of this.

 Chapter 564: Treat People with Sincerity

    <h4>Chapter 564: Chapter 564: Treat People with Sincerity</h4><h4></h4>

    "You really continue to surprise me, your knowledge, your demeanor, and many of your methods, they don¡¯t seem to match your experiences at all. I find it really hard to understand how a woman like you became what you are now?" Jiang Shaoqing was genuinely curious.

    "Since you¡¯ve looked into my past, you should understand how I met Ayuan. How could a person who has died once not be cautious? How could they not change themselves? The so-called knowledge and demeanor, including what you think of my ruthlessness, put yourself in my shoes, think about it from my position. Wouldn¡¯t you do the same?" Bai Xiao retorted, intending to steer the conversation away.

    This topic was indeed not a safe one.

    Jiang Shaoqing nodded, "From that perspective, of course, I can understand. If I were in your position, maybe I would act even more ruthlessly, even more decisively." Indeed, a girl who had died once and suffered four years of abuse, if she still hadn¡¯t changed, then perhaps she indeed deserved to die.

    Such a person was almost more guilty in death; even Jiang Shaoqing felt there was no need for sympathy.

    "I just ask you to believe that everything I do will absolutely not harm you. You might find some actions unthinkable, but I just want you to understand that we are on the same side. Perhaps the information I can provide you is something you¡¯ve always dreamed of.

    I will only make the Jiang Family stronger, never harm you."

    "Why say that?" Jiang Shaoqing was puzzled by what Bai Xiao wanted, as a person with no desires would indeed be strange.

    He never believed that there was such a thing as a free lunch in this world; a pie falling from the sky could easily be poisoned.

    "Because the stronger the Jiang Family is, the greater the protection I receive," Bai Xiao spoke bluntly.

    Jiang Shaoqing looked at An Zhiyuan with a smirk that could indeed infuriate any man¡¯s pride.

    Bai Xiao shook her head; this Jiang Shaoqing really did like to provoke like a big boy every now and then.

    "I¡¯m not saying that Ayuan can¡¯t help me, but because I am the link between you and him, he can provide me with information you absolutely can¡¯t, just like the way he protects me is in another manner. You should understand what kind of person he is, and what kind of person I am. There are many things we can¡¯t conveniently do.

    The reason I reveal so much information to you is that you have the freedom to act," Bai Xiao would not undermine her own man.

    Jiang Shaoqing snorted through his nose, his expression unreadable.

    "Now it seems a bit unfair, being two against one. How can I be sure that the information you provide me is urate?"

    Bai Xiao smiled, a subtle and warm smile. Jiang Shaoqing knew; this girl was just beautiful, the ugly duckling had long since turned into a swan.

    "Don¡¯t try to charm me with beauty; your beauty tricks only work on An over there. That approach won¡¯t work with me; I¡¯m not going to be muddled like he asionally is."

    "Jiang, are you seriously joking? Well, to demonstrate my sincerity, I have a piece of news for you now that rtes to you and your family, a major matter. Once you verify it you can consider whether our cooperation could be beneficial to you.

    And I believe if you go to Yun Province, it will be very convenient for you, since your family has a private ne."

 Chapter 565 Thank You, Good Brother

    <h4>Chapter 565: Chapter 565 Thank You, Good Brother</h4><h4></h4>

    "What news?" Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s expression remained unchanged.

    "The coal mine incident I mentioned to youst time."

    "The coal mine owned by Shang Feng has been bought by me. To be precise, the roof copse you mentionedst time was indeed caused by his mine. I have now eliminated all the safety hazards in his mine. His mine can no longer affect mine, and it is continuously generating profits for our Jiang family." Jiang Shaoqing thought he was about to say something else; it turned out to be this.

    He was very confident becausest time he was nearly trapped by Shang Feng, this time Jiang Shaoqing had personally assigned someone to handle the safety issues.

    "You¡¯re right, you¡¯ve eliminated the safety risks in their bud and taken over the mine, so no one can affect you now. However, sometimes man¡¯s ns are inferior to those made by heaven. I assume you must have some experienced exploration experts at hand. It would be best to take them with you before the end of the year to re-survey the mine veins under your mine shaft, if the information I got is correct.

    Your mine veins include a rare section of diamond veins, but because of this section, the entire vein is interrupted, and your machinery might be here, potentially triggering an underground earthquake. By then, whether your mine shaft can withstand it, that remains an unknown.

    If arge-scale copse urs in the mine shaft, it could lead to a major mining ident. If it coincides with the Spring Festival when safety hazards are scrutinized, and someone deliberately notifies the media, this issue could escte into a huge disaster.

    Even if your Jiang family is as stable as a mountain with deep roots, such an event would cause upheavals. Would the positions of your uncles and others be shaken up or down? Of course, you know in your heart." Bai Xiao had revealed as much as he could; the rest should be up to Jiang Shaoqing.

    Jiang Shaoqing stood up, his eyes dark and stormy, but fortunately, reason prevailed, and he did nothing rash.

    "You... you actually investigated our family?" He couldn¡¯t figure out when Bai Xiao had sent someone to investigate them.

    This kind of intelligence could only havee from some deeply knowledgeable people within their family, at least those who could reach the bottom of the mine shaft. Suddenly, he felt a chill; if such a big incident urred, even his grandfather wouldn¡¯t be able to protect them, and the main person responsible for the Jiang Group by then would be his father, who would have to bear the legal responsibilities.

    "I did this, and you should be clear about it. I also have some friends I can call on. My investigating you was not intended to harm you. If I wanted to harm you, Bai Xiao would not have disclosed this at all. You would never know, but things would still happen." An Zhiyuan was protecting Bai Xiao; this wasn¡¯t the first time he had done this.

    Jiang Shaoqing coldly looked at An Zhiyuan and weighed Bai Xiao, hesitating whether he should believe him or not.

    "Whether you believe it or not is one thing, but I¡¯ve already told you. If you don¡¯t believe it, you can go back and check. Don¡¯t waste words here. Because we are friends, I told you about this." An Zhiyuan dispelled his doubts; right, what was he still hesitating for? It was just about sending people here to inspect; it¡¯s not like he didn¡¯t have anyone.

    Whether it¡¯s true or not, one look will tell.

    "I will investigate this matter. If it is true, our Jiang family owes you a big favor. Ayuan, thank you. I know you wanted to use Dr. Bai to tell me. I understand, some things are understood without being spoken, thank you, my good brother."

    He turned and left.

    Bai Xiaoughed; could this really work?

    An Zhiyuan hugged his wife and yfully tapped her nose tip, mischievous!

 Chapter 566: Visiting

    <h4>Chapter 566: Chapter 566: Visiting</h4><h4></h4>

    "Dean Zhang!" Bai Xiao appeared in Dean Zhang¡¯s office holding a gift.

    An Zhiyuan was right behind her, her former boss, so of course, they had to visit.

    Moreover, they were newlyweds, and it was even more reason to visit. Back in the hospital, Dean Zhang had taken great care of Bai Xiao.

    Dean Zhang hung up the phone and upon seeing Bai Xiao, rose from his chair and pulled her to sit on the sofa.

    "Come,e, sit down quickly. An, make yourself at home, don¡¯t be shy. Bai Xiao, you really did us proud, stealing all the limelight. I never imagined you, little girl, could harness such great power, not only recing anesthetics with acupuncture, but also bravely facing life and death with your loved one. What can I say about you!

    It was my misjudgment; I should have insisted on keeping you, even at the cost of resigning from my position as dean. Now look, you¡¯ve be someone else¡¯s treasure, and I¡¯ve lost out big time." Whenever Dean Zhang saw Bai Xiao, he rambled on like a dear elder.

    Bai Xiao just listened, smiling with her lips pursed.

    Dazed at her smile, Dean Zhang paused, "It¡¯s so true! Even your smile is exactly the same." He stared at her face, transfixed.

    Bai Xiao of course knew what Dean Zhang was thinking. After all, Dean Zhang was her mother¡¯s friend, one of perhaps only two friends her mother had in this world, and one of the few who asionally remembered her mother.

    "Dean Zhang, An Zhiyuan and I got married, and we specially came to bring you wedding candies." Bai Xiao broke the silence, letting go of thoughts of her mother Yu Shaoya; she was gone, and the living must go on without being overly encumbered.

    "I¡¯ve heard all about it, some friends from the Capital City called me. They said you and An have married, very good, very good. A truly handsome couple, a perfect match. Bai Xiao, there¡¯s something I must say to you, since your father Shang Feng wants to mend your rtionship, you should consider it, after all, you are family."

    "Dean Zhang, I have no rtionship with Shang Feng, this matter he¡¯s been fussing over for a while and my grandmother has already stepped in to verify there¡¯s no rtion, please don¡¯t bring it up again." Bai Xiao had suspected that Dean Zhang¡¯s friend from Capital City might be Shang Feng and indeed, it turned out to be Shang Feng running his mouth at Dean Zhang¡¯s ce, likely aiming to fabricate a narrative.

    "Bai Xiao..."

    "Dean Zhang, we still have things to do, we won¡¯t disturb you today. We also need to visit Chief Li Dongliang, so we¡¯re going to head out." An Zhiyuan had already his words cutting off Dean Zhang. Dean Zhang was kind-hearted but gullible and easily misled by Shang Feng.

    Bai Xiao also stood up, "Dean Zhang, thank you for always taking care of me, we are leaving now."

    Dean Zhang knew it was of no use to say anything more as it would only upset them. He smiled, "Right, the two of you should go visit Li Dongliang. Go on, be careful on the road, and let¡¯s keep in touch. Bai Xiao, you should still consider applying to the Medical College for further courses. You are still young and need to meet professional standards. Whenever you face any hardships, you can alwayse to me for help."

    "Thank you! I understand!" Bai Xiao expressed her gratitude.

    Dean Zhang saw them out, watching the couple drive away, feeling a sense of loss. He had missed the chance to truly talk with Bai Xiao, to persuade her to recognize the Yu Family; even if she refused to acknowledge Shang Feng, her mother Yu Shaoya was still her biological mother, she couldn¡¯t simply disown her.

 Chapter 567: Leaving

    <h4>Chapter 567: Chapter 567: Leaving</h4><h4></h4>

    On the third day, Bai Ju and He Weng indeed embarked on their journey southward, leaving their three children behind. Bai Yue was still here to take care of them, a decision that the couple had resolved to undertake with great determination.

    Bai Xiao apanied them to the train station. Bai Ju and her younger sister, Yiyi, found it hard to part, and Bai Xiao estimated that by the time they returned, she would have already gone back to her military post.

    Departure seemed imminent.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s wedding photos were ultimately taken,pelled by Bai Yue. To be precise, the photography studios back thencked technical depth. It was mainly about a few outfits. Being rather picky, Bai Xiao and her partner settled for taking a set of photos in a suit and dress, and another set in traditional Chinese cheongsam and men¡¯s attire, forgoing other options. Their understanding and outstanding looks as they stood together drew endless praise from the photographer.

    The photographs they took were of the old-fashioned ck-and-white variety. Bai Xiao didn¡¯t like color photos because, in her opinion, theycked the aesthetic quality of ck-and-white.

    When the photographer saw the couple¡¯s finished photos, he suggested using them as therge poster advertisement for the photo studio¡¯s entrance. The couple declined.

    After all, they were public servants; this was something they absolutely could not do.

    The couple had one more week of holiday left, but they chose to leave for their return journey anyway. In Yun Province, there was much to attend to. They needed to establish their home there, and with only one week¡¯s time, it already seemed pressing.

    Not to mention, the trip itself would take two days and two nights.

    Bai Song, though he was also bound for Yun Province, had specialized transportation and thus couldn¡¯t travel with them.

    An Zhiyuan left his and Bai Yue¡¯s address with them; they were about to depart.

    Bai Yue had prepared a multitude of items for them; if not for An Zhiyuan, Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t have been able to carry them alone.

    Wood ear mushrooms, millet, dates, walnuts, and the most famous red sausage from the provincial capital¡ªthey had brought along a great deal. Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t help but chuckle every time; it was always like this. Bai Yue, the eldest sister, was like an old nanny, tearfully bidding her farewell amid earnest instructions.

    This time, she was to embark on a new journey. Under the premise of not transferring her job, they would live in Yun Province for a long time. Goodbye, dear family.

    Li Chunhua, as ever, wore a face full of disdain. However, when it came time to depart, she pulled An Zhiyuan aside and spoke with him at length. Bai Xiao didn¡¯t know what was said, but she figured An Zhiyuan would eventually tell her. It probably wasn¡¯t anything good!

    Wang Yan helped An Zhiyuan load the luggage into the trainpartment. Due to the rush of people heading home for the Spring Festival, thepartment was more crowded than usual. Watching Bai Yue, with tears brimming in her eyes, pulling at Bai Xiao, An Zhiyuan felt he was indeed being cruel. With the power to change their work postings, he still made his wife suffer just because he didn¡¯t want to bear the title of An Cheng¡¯s son!

    Conditions in Yun Province were much harder than where they were now. While the climate was great there, warm as spring all year round, transportation and other aspects were less developed. Moreover, being near the border meant they could at any time be called to trek to the frontline.

    Was he being too selfish? Bai Xiao hadn¡¯t done anything wrong. Why should she suffer just for his so-called principles?

    Bai Xiao dried Bai Yue¡¯s tears before boarding the train. As the train slowly started moving, Bai Xiao stood at the window waving to Bai Yue, marking yet another separation as they each went their separate ways.

    An Zhiyuan stood behind her, silently offering his support.

 Chapter 568: Exploration

    <h4>Chapter 568: Chapter 568: Exploration</h4><h4></h4>

    Jiang Shaoqing and the exploration engineer, along with several very famous experts, were surveying underground in theirrgest mine shaft! It was also the main powerhouse for daily coal production.

    The heamp on his safety helmet made his face look very serious. The mine manager following him couldn¡¯t figure out why his boss, a young master who usually didn¡¯t soil his hands, had suddenly gone mad and insisted on conducting an on-site survey in the mine shaft.

    Survey what on earth?

    The ce was pitch-dark, you could wave your hand and see nothing but ckness. After a while, the workers all felt a bit stuffy and ufortable, not to mention a pampered young master like him.

    Who knew what new tricks he wanted to y now.

    He could only tread carefully beside Jiang Shaoqing.

    "How is it? Old Huang, how are the conditions?"

    Jiang Shaoqing couldn¡¯t tell, each had their specialty, and he couldn¡¯t discern the veins of the mine, but that certainly didn¡¯t stop him from bringing in several well-known experts to assist.

    It rted to the life and death of the Jiang Family, so of course, he wouldn¡¯t take it lightly, especially if it really was as Bai Xiao had said. Then, if an ident were to ur, several of his uncles and great uncles would likely be implicated, gaining not a few who would kick them while they were down.

    These past two years, their family had been prospering, the family business and his uncles¡¯ political paths were very smooth, truly sailing with a favorable wind, and there were no few who were envious. Now, there was no chance for them to kick them down.

    If they themselves made a mistake now, it would be like handing a ready-made handle to others. Not to mention others! Just Shang Feng alone would fiercely bite him.

    He himself had bought the coal mine from Shang Feng at the lowest price, cutting off his financial path, which was no different from killing his parents.

    If Shang Feng didn¡¯t take this opportunity to turn the tables and reim his coal mine, that would actually be suspicious.

    So, Jiang Shaoqing had spent a great deal of money this time, hiring well-known domestic experts. Once was not enough, not even twice! He had them check three times because he wanted an answer.

    To eliminate any hidden dangers.

    Old Huang, called Huang Zhi, was the chief expert of the Geological Exploration Institute and also a senior mining expert, renowned nationally.

    "We didn¡¯t find any problems with this section of the vein. The coal resources are abundant, and this section of the coal seam is very good. Looking at the reserves, it could be mined for another fifty or sixty years without issues, and the coal produced is anthracite, very high quality, definitely high grade. Mr. Jiang, your family has made a very insightful purchase. Who chose this for you?"

    "Not really, just good luck. Are you sure you haven¡¯t found anything?" Jiang Shaoqing was not convinced.

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t seem like a woman who would talk nonsense; she always had everything under control, and she wouldn¡¯t be ying mind games with him on such a matter.

    There was no need.

    Huang Zhi replied with a smile, "I really didn¡¯t find anything. What do you want me to find?"

    It was the first time he had encountered someone who stubbornly insisted on finding something when there was nothing to find.

    Wasn¡¯t this a waste of manpower and resources?

    It was almost Chinese New Year! Who didn¡¯t want to go home for the holidays?

    That¡¯s the Jiang Family; they were hard to offend, otherwise, who would waste time here willingly?

    Jiang Shaoqing breathed a sigh of relief.

    With a loud ng.

    A loud noise startled everyone.

    Mine manager Bao Guoping asked angrily, "What¡¯s going on?"

    His boss was here, and if something were to happen, wouldn¡¯t that be like walking right into the line of fire?

    One by one, so disappointing.

 Chapter 569 Discovery

    <h4>Chapter 569: Chapter 569 Discovery</h4><h4></h4>

    "Mine manager, a stone is too hard; it broke our mining equipment," a worker reported as he ran over, holding a stone in his hand. This ce was semi-mechanized for coal mining.

    Jiang Shaoqing had introduced advanced foreign equipment to maximize coal production and to reduce the burden on the workers.

    The mine manager felt embarrassed.

    They often encountered such minor issues; there was no need for rm now.

    "No worries, Manager Jiang, this happens all the time. I¡¯ll take you out first, and the workers can deal with the rest. They¡¯re experienced with these kinds of things," said Huang Zhi, waving his hand dismissively, and then he gestured for the stone the worker had rushed over with.

    The mine manager quickly called out, "Xiaowo,e here and bring that stone you have!"

    Experts always seemed to be fascinated by these stones.

    The worker hastily handed over the stone to the expert! He couldn¡¯t understand what was so interesting about a stone; there were plenty of them down in the mine shaft.

    Huang Zhi examined the stone, turning it over and over, then passed it around for others to look at.

    "Let¡¯s have someone take us to the mining site to see for ourselves," Huang Zhi said, his expression now much more serious.

    Jiang Shaoqing nodded in agreement and instructed the mine manager, "Let¡¯s go to the mining site where this stone was found."

    The mine manager was hesitant, "Manager Jiang, the mining site is dirty and chaotic, and there¡¯s a lot of dust..."

    It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want them to go, but the workers often mined shirtless underground, given that it was all men down there, nobody cared who saw, and besides, it was pitch ck and covered in coal dust; anyoneing up looked like they were made of coal.

    Mainly, he feared that the rough ways of the workers would frighten these refined visitors.

    "Just take us there! Why all the fuss?" demanded Jiang Shaoqing, his temper ring.

    The mine manager had no choice but to take them into the mining area.

    Indeed, the air quality was poor, and the suddenly arrived leaders frightened the workers, who were naked to the waist; they quickly covered themselves and ran to the nearby tunnels to get dressed.

    They had no clue why all these people had suddenly shown up.

    Huang Zhi approached the machinery with his team and examined the stones carefully on the rock face. The more he looked, the more he sweated; he had seriously underestimated the situation.

    "Manager Jiang! These are diamonds, simr to normal diamonds! In a few millions of years, these stones might even be real diamonds, but they¡¯re not yet. However, their hardness is alreadyparable to diamonds. If we continue to mine them forcibly, we¡¯ll need increasingly powerful machines.

    You¡¯ve seen it yourself; our wall-styled mining has its ws. If these pirs encounter strong vibrations, they could cause copses in other nes. It¡¯s a good thing we found this early. Otherwise, this area alone could trigger a disturbance akin to a magnitude six earthquake. The mine shaft might not hold up then.

    These workers would have nowhere to escape to," Huang Zhi added, frightened.

    He had not anticipated the safety hazard lurking here.

    Who could have imagined that mining coal could lead to such an event, an ident triggered inadvertently.

    "Cease all work," ordered Jiang Shaoqing.

    The mine manager then ryed the order to all workers.

    Everyone looked at each other, not knowing what had happened, but from what the technical expert had said, it seemed like the mine shaft was prone to copse.

    Nobody wanted to die.

 Chapter 570: In the Limelight

    <h4>Chapter 570: Chapter 570: In the Limelight</h4><h4></h4>

    Jiang Shaoqing and hispanions returned to the surface; he saw off Huang Zhi and the others. He was covered in cold sweat himself, grateful that he had sought out experts! He was also thankful for the serendipitous discovery of the diamond¡¯s location this time; otherwise, even if he had invited more experts, he might have ended up failing just like Huang Zhi and his team.

    If he had taken things lightly, especially during the Spring Festival when some workers would take leave, in order to keep up with production to meet supply, the mine manager might have had the remaining workers work overtime. The chances of an incident urring under those circumstances would have been inevitable.

    Bai Xiao, oh Bai Xiao!

    An Zhiyuan, oh An Zhiyuan!

    You really are my brothers.

    Up until now, he had always believed that whatever news Bai Xiao ryed was actually An Zhiyuan using his wife¡¯s voice to help him.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s identity was not one to be trifled with; even if he had some ssified information, it couldn¡¯t be shared carelessly. Bai Xiao¡¯s words were on a different level, the kind of ambiguous statements that wouldn¡¯t count as leaking secrets when spoken by others.

    If you took it seriously, of course, it meant one thing, but if you didn¡¯t, it didn¡¯t mean they hadn¡¯t tried to help.

    Jiang Shaoqing immediately ordered a halt in the mine¡¯s production and began seeking experts to devise a n to resolve the matter of the diamond vein.

    Under no circumstance could anything go wrong.

    As soon as the work at his mine stopped, the several thousand workers there refused to ept it. If they didn¡¯t go down into the mine, they wouldn¡¯t get paid. And their basic wages were simply not enough to support their families, especially when thousands of workers faced collective unemployment. When the workers heard the news, it was sure to cause an uproar.

    As a result, during the festive season, thousands of workers blocked the entrance to the government offices. Back then, there was no such crime as obstructing public security, which was legited onlyter.

    The issue was quickly sensationalized by media reporters and broadcast on newspapers and television. The provincial and municipalmittees rapidly mobilized, setting up an investigation team to pacify the miners and intervene in the incident.

    Jiang Shaoqing was directly invited to the provincialmittee as a guest.

    After all, the livelihoods of thousands of workers were at stake. If this major issue wasn¡¯t settled, it was sure to cause social unrest. The province¡¯s leadership took this matter very seriously.

    Once Jiang Shaoqing presented all the files from his exploration report, all the leaders realized the gravity of the situation, and each felt a cold sweat on their backs.

    Had it not been for Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s timely halting of the coal mine production, a copse could have been catastrophic. This particr coal mine involved the lives of thousands, and each descent into the mine shaft implicated the safety of hundreds of workers. Any copse could result in severe casualties.

    Such an incident would have stirred turmoil locally, and not just the Jiang Family would have been unlucky, but these local leaders would also have been ountable.

    It was all due to Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s timely and wise decision; otherwise, it would have been about more than just workers¡¯ wages. Many would have lost their official hats, and provincial and municipal leaders would have been held mainly responsible.

    Therefore, after an entire day of emergency meetings, the provincial authorities, in an effort to cate the thousands of miners, proactively put forward a n. On one hand, they assigned specialists to address the diamond vein issue quickly, having already sought permission from higher authorities for this intervention.

    On the other hand, the government allocated a portion of funds to address the livelihoods of the thousands of workers,pensating them for some of their lost wages during the stoppage, on top of an additionalpensation from the Jiang Family. As long as the workers received some money, they would not make too much trouble even if they were out of work.

    Two monthster, the adamant vein was finally resolved.

    Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s coal mine resumed formal production, and once all the workers returned to the shaft, they finally understood why the mine had stopped working.

    Their employer had saved their lives!

    Do you know how much money the coal mine alone could make from selling the raw coal produced in a single day?

    To ensure the safety of the workers in the mine, they were willing to halt production for two months and provide financialpensation rather than risking their workers¡¯ lives.

    Everyone was even more grateful to the Jiang Family.

    The provincial and municipal leadership specially presented the mine with a banner of honor.

    Theymended Jiang Shaoqing for not gambling with human lives for personal profit and awarded him the title of Outstanding Entrepreneur.

    Suddenly, Jiang Shaoqing was the center of attention.

 Chapter 571: Train of Thought (Extra Chapter for Monthly Tickets)

    <h4>Chapter 571: Chapter 571: Train of Thought (Extra Chapter for Monthly Tickets)</h4><h4></h4>

    Shang Kaiwen watched as Jiang Shaoqing was festooned in reds and greens during the awards ceremony on TV, receiving kind condolences and recognition from provincial and city leaders.

    She felt a mix ofplex emotions.

    How could she, a well-informed person, not understand the insider information behind this?

    The Jiang family¡¯s luck was truly good.

    If they had discovered it a bitter, the oue of this matter would not have been so glorious; if a mine shaft copse had happened with casualties, it would have affected countless people. In such a case, the Jiang Family would have been suppressed, and they would have suffered substantial losses at the very least.

    Especially in such an ident, the primary person of responsibility would surely be investigated, and Jiang Family¡¯s eldest, Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s own father, would probably end up in jail.

    That would have been a difficult time for the Jiang Family, and if their Shang Family proposed a marriage alliance or even offered financial support, they could climb up using the Jiang Family.

    She was confident that if she married into the Jiang Family, within a few years, she could make it part of the Shang Family¡¯s assets. She always remembered her grandfather¡¯s words: she was indeed thest heir of the Shang Family of her generation¡ªBai Xiao didn¡¯t count at all.

    She intended to expand and strengthen the Shang Family.

    But such a golden opportunity was unexpectedly turned around by the Jiang Family. And because of that, the Jiang Family now appeared splendid and powerful. Reviewing the Jiang Family¡¯s recent growth, it wasn¡¯t hard to see that just from this one opportunity, they expanded their business and influence more than tenfoldpared to the past.

    s, time does not wait for me.

    Shang Kaiwen felt frustrated; recently, many things had not been going well. Ever since her brother had an ident, it seemed that from that moment on, their family started heading down an unlucky path.

    Her brother died unexpectedly from a cerebral hemorrhage. They had suspected whether the Jiang Family had yed a foul hand then, but no matter which medical experts they consulted, the diagnosis was consistent: all his bodily functions werepletely normal, confirming a cerebral hemorrhage without doubt.

    Brother¡¯s death didn¡¯t cause her much grief; after all, Shang Kaijie was nothing but a burden to the Shang Family. Besides causing trouble, he brought them endless enemies.

    They had not spared any expense for the sake of this sole heir of the Shang Family over the years.

    What good would her brother have done even if he were alive?

    With his death, at least they were spared the trouble of constantly cleaning up the messes he left behind.

    They could redirect those energies into developing the family business and enterprises. Seeing that a coboration with Jiang Shaoqing was impossible, Shang Kaiwen nced at the reports in her hand.

    They had already nned to focus their family business on the jade trade.

    In recent years, with economic development and an improvement in living standards, people¡¯s demands in this area had gradually increased.

    They had dispatched experienced personnel for market research, and from the borders of Yun Province, the processed jade could sell in major cities for more than a tenfold increase in price. Reportedly, with good luck, they could contact the mine owners of jade directly and buy raw stones from the mines themselves.

    The prices were not only low; with some luck, a single stone could be worth tens of millions of times its purchasing price.

    This sort of rags-to-riches story had be a legend there.

    She dared to venture into this business precisely because she had the confidence; one of her admirers, Liu Chuanfeng, was an expert in this field. She had already spent a substantial sum to hire him as herpany¡¯s technical consultant.

    This man had grown up with her, and although not from the same courtyard and of humble beginnings ¨C his family was so poor that the coin would rattle in their pockets ¨C it was because Shang Kaiwen once casually saw the ragged Liu Chuanfeng, starving and lingering at a street corner, and gave him her breakfast bun.

    Unexpectedly, this person remembered her kindness ever since.

    And what mattered most was that he actually turned out to be quite capable; it was said that out of ten raw stones handled by him, eight were valued attractively.

    A natural expert in jade stones.

 Chapter 572: Settling into the New Home (Extra Chapter for Monthly Pass)

    <h4>Chapter 572: Chapter 572: Settling into the New Home (Extra Chapter for Monthly Pass)</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao opened the house, which consisted of three bedrooms and a living room. For a city in Yun Province, such a house was considered very spacious.

    Of course, they hadn¡¯t done anything against the rules. An Zhiyuan was still Captain An before he left on vacation, but things had changed when he returned.

    Of course, the house assigned to him corresponded to his rank.

    It wasn¡¯t considered special treatment.

    However, for the two of them, the size of this house was more than sufficient.

    The two of them had returned to their station by train and were temporarily staying at a guest house.

    Today, they had just received the keys and were eager to tidy up the house.

    Together, they still had a five-day vacation. If they didn¡¯t take this time to get the house ready to move in, both of them would start work soon. Entering a new unit involved a set process to adapt to, and they wouldn¡¯t have much time to take it slow.

    Early this morning, the two of them arrived with rags, buckets, mops, and brooms to clean the house.

    Upon opening the door, the house was filled with the smell of dust.

    Bai Xiao started by filling a basin with water from the tap and sprinkled water all over the floor, which made the house feel somewhat better.

    All the doors and windows were opened, and the climate here was excellent.

    Once they opened the sun-facing balcony, sunlight poured directly into the living room, bathing the entire room in sunlight and freshening up the air.

    Bai Xiao grabbed a towel to wrap around his hair.

    Dressed in old clothes, he rolled up his sleeves and began to clean. There was no furniture in the house; the previous resident had moved out and cleaned thoroughly, leaving no clutter, only an abundance of dust, but nothing else was problematic.

    The two of them were essentially setting up a brand new home.

    It wasn¡¯t long before An Zhiyuan returned with a fewrades to help. Only then did they learn that theserades had been under An¡¯smand; the former deputy captains had now be captains themselves. Upon learning about their captain¡¯s promotion, they didn¡¯t hesitate, immediately calling a group to assist.

    With many hands, the cleaning quickly progressed.

    By noon, the windows were shining, and the whole room radiated a different kind of light. Besidescking furniture, there were no other issues.

    Since there was no stove and no pots or pans either, the helpers couldn¡¯t even offer water to their hosts.

    But An Zhiyuan had already promised that once everything was in order, he would definitely invite everyone over for a lively gathering.

    In the afternoon, without taking a rest, the two went straight to the local furniture market where An Zhiyuan could freely use a jeep.

    At the furniture market, although the styles weren¡¯t very innovative, the furniture of this era was primarily sturdy and durable, quite different from future designs.

    The couple picked out their furniture, choosing everything they could think of, spending a total of only two thousand yuan, directing it all to be delivered to their address.

    The driver was very cooperative; two delivery men arrived to help, making it easier to carry everything.

    They led the delivery truck and quickly arrived at their destination.

    It happened to be the soldiers¡¯ break time, and many of the old-timers who knew the new brigademander came to help. The delivery didn¡¯t even need the two delivery men, as a bunch of burly men finished the job in less than half an hour.

    The driver felt that he had made an easy profit, having saved much effort thanks to the help received.

    Such customers, of course, were ones he hoped to encounter more often.

    After tidying up a bit, Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan went to the cafeteria to eat. They were still staying in the guest house and had no ce to have their own meals.

 Chapter 573 Procurement

    <h4>Chapter 573: Chapter 573 Procurement</h4><h4></h4>

    The next day, Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan finally bought pots, pans,dles, and everything else, even a gas stove and a gas cylinder, so their home atst had the look of a real home.

    More importantly, today they also purchased a television, a refrigerator, a washing machine, and even a radio, with all that, their home could now be consideredpletely perfect.

    When the appliances were delivered, Bai Xiao had just taken the bed sheets and quilt covers they needed out of the car, having bought a heap of fabric. But ready-made items like these weren¡¯t avable now, so she had spent an extra yuan to have the tailor at the store cut them out and sew them together with a sewing machine.

    A whole set of floral and elegant curtains, quilt covers, and bed sheets made the house look warm and graceful; it instantly felt like a real home.

    On top of that, Bai Xiao had made a trip to the market. To their surprise, the market wasn¡¯t far from theirpound¡ªjust two streets away, where arge variety of fresh vegetables were avable. Perhaps due to the climate, there was no shortage of vegetables and fruits here.

    Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t shy about it, buying some of everything she liked.

    Especially considering that they nned to invite some familiar friends over the next day, they of course needed to prepare a bit more.

    Therefore, they got a selection of chicken, fish, meat, eggs, as well as vegetables, fruits, grains, and flour. Bai Xiao even made sure to have a full range of seasonings, as she liked to have a full palette of vors to create the dishes she wanted.

    Fortunately, the cost of living here was much cheaper than in their provincial capital, perhaps because this was a border city.

    Despite being a provincial city, the streets were dpidated, the buildings old, and it was apparent many pedestrians dressed in ethnic minority styles. Around the market, many farmers were selling their home-grown produce from baskets, just to make a small amount of money.

    The prices were incredibly low, so much so that Bai Xiao was left speechless. In their ce, something that would cost five cents a pound would here cost only two cents, and they¡¯d even give you a little extra to ensure you didn¡¯t think the weight wascking. All that for just a smile, over a matter of two cents.

    An Zhiyuan was already nimbly moving things, "Xiaoxiao, go upstairs and rest for a while. I¡¯ve got the water boiling. You can make yourself a cup of tea when it¡¯s ready. Leave the rest to me; you don¡¯t need to do this." He, a man, was already feeling tired.

    Let alone Bai Xiao, a girl; An Zhiyuan felt sorry for his wife, who had been bustling about nonstop since their return.

    Cradling the vegetables, Bai Xiao headed upstairs, agreeing, "Okay, then. I¡¯ll go up and organize things. You hurry up, too. Tonight, we should be able to rest in our own home. I don¡¯t want to stay in the guesthouse ever again."

    Heaven knows how stifling the past two days in the guesthouse had been, the room damp, not to mention the musty smell that was so strong it wasing from the beds and nkets. It was ufortable to sleep on them.

    The quilts she bought today were the best ones from the department store. It wasn¡¯t too cold at night here, so the quilts were not the thick cotton ones from the north but lightweight quilted nkets, lined with a thinyer of cotton mesh and sporting the currently popr bright red and green satin backing. Thankfully, they had been aired out in the sun all day, which should mean a good night¡¯s sleep scented with sunshine for her.

    "Alright, I¡¯ll go up." An Zhiyuan particrly loved hearing his wife say "our home." It showed Bai Xiao¡¯s eptance of their union and, in his heart, made him feel like part of a family, the closest of kin.

    With that thought, he found an extra burst of energy to get to work.

 Chapter 574: Neighbors

    <h4>Chapter 574: Chapter 574: Neighbors</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao had organized the kitchen neatly. Everything was sorted and ced in its category, and the fridge was packed full. It seemed they could cook for themselves tonight, no need to visit the cafeteria.

    She still hadn¡¯t quite adapted to the local vors here, except for the rice noodles, which were indeed delicious. The other dishes were somewhat different from her dietary habits.

    Especially since these past few days Bai Xiao had been feeling a bit inmed and wanted to drink some homemade millet porridge! Especially with ayer of rice oil on top, mixed with some pickled vegetables her sister had brought, tossed with sesame oil¡ªthat was truly a delightful taste.

    Saliva almost dripping, she decided to act immediately, already having washed the pot to start cooking the millet. It needed to simmer slowly on a low heat to bring out the best vor and texture.

    Just as she wiped her hands and came out of the kitchen, she saw someone at the door striking up a conversation.

    "You are the new leader An, right? I¡¯m your neighbor, living just across from you. My man is Hu Biao¡ªdo you remember Hu Biao? He was with you in that ambush, Hu Biao."

    As Bai Xiao walked out, she of course remembered Hu Biao, who was also one of the heroes in this achievement, probably promoted this time for his distinguished services.

    It really was a coincidence.

    "Oh, you¡¯re Hu Biao¡¯s wife! What a coincidence. Is he around? We should sit down sometime, though I¡¯m afraid today I won¡¯t have time," An Zhiyuan said, holding a bunch of stuff, while a robust woman beside him was also helping carry a heap of items. As soon as she saw Bai Xiao, she approached enthusiastically.

    "Yo, you must be Doctor Bai, right? I¡¯ve heard about you; you are amazing, they say you can use two silver needles as an anesthetic. I¡¯m older than you; just call me Sister Wei. From now on, we are neighbors. Anything you need, juste to me," said the woman who obviously enjoyed talking. Bai Xiao took the things from her.

    "Okay! Sister Wei, thank you. Why don¡¯t youe in and sit for a bit?" It was her first time meeting the neighbor, and it wouldn¡¯t be proper not to invite her inside.

    Sister Wei seemed to have some awareness, "No need, you guys are busy with your things. Looks like you¡¯ve been busy inside and out for a few days. It should be all set now, right?" She didn¡¯t enter, but she still peeked inside, and that one nce made Sister Wei exim in admiration.

    "My, you¡¯ve arranged this house so nicely! Is that a Panasonic TV? Looks like it¡¯s twenty-four inches. Just looking at that screen isfortable. The image must be really clear. Oh, and you even bought a fridge? That¡¯s not practical and uses too much electricity. We have one and I barely use it. And this furniture, tsk tsk, so stylish. Dr. Bai really has an eye for things. I wouldn¡¯t bear to spend that much money myself."

    Bai Xiao, slightly irritated by that gaze, what did it mean? They had spent their own money on these things, not anyone else¡¯s. She moved silently toward the interior, "Sister Wei, the house isn¡¯t fully tidy yet. I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t entertain you right now."

    Sister Wei¡¯s gaze shifted away from the furniture, smiling, "Alright then, I¡¯ll head back too. My man should be home by now. When hees back, I¡¯ll send him over. You guys are old acquaintances, surely having lots to talk about. I¡¯m heading back now!"

    Bai Xiao closed the door.

    Hu Biao was a nice guy, but his wife seemed to be a bit shallow. However, nobody is perfect. Everyone has their ws. As long as Sister Wei didn¡¯t do anything excessive, Bai Xiao was still willing to maintain a good neighborly rtionship for Hu Biao¡¯s sake.

    Nothing more than that.

 Chapter 575 Home

    <h4>Chapter 575: Chapter 575 Home</h4><h4></h4>

    An Zhiyuan had ced several pots of flowers that Bai Xiao had purchased all over their home¡¯s balcony. Since his wife enjoyed such a mood, of course he wanted to satisfy her. Here, flowers and greenery weren¡¯t considered valuablemodities because they were abundant.

    After tidying up and straightening his back, he looked around their home. Indeed, having a wife made a difference. Bai Xiao¡¯s style filled every corner of the house, and a woman¡¯s gentleness and warmth were evident in every small detail, including the delicate white fabric with small flowers on the sofa, and a vase on the coffee table with fresh white lilies and green baby¡¯s breath emitting a mild, pleasant fragrance.

    The sound of pots and pans nging in the kitchen conveyed that someone was indeed busying themself at home.

    The feeling of home grew ever stronger.

    Bai Xiao quickly prepared millet porridge. With no dry food at home, she mixed eggs and flour with some chopped green onions, salt, and five-spice powder, adding water to blend it evenly. Soon, she could make a few egg pancakes. As she heated the pan, she called out to Colonel An.

    "Zhiyuan,e and have your meal, it¡¯s almost ready."

    She had already stir-fried a dish of spicy and sour cabbage, a side she enjoyed with her millet porridge. However, knowing An Zhiyuan¡¯s preferences was still unclear to her, so she made him a separate dish. As a married couple, she couldn¡¯t just take care of her own preferences; she didn¡¯t always want An Zhiyuan to amodate her.

    An Zhiyuan responded, and as his tall stature appeared in the kitchen, it immediately seemed cramped.

    "Xiaoxiao, I¡¯m here."

    Seeing his wife, wearing an apron and busily working in front of the gas stove, pouring a spoonful of batter, rotating the pan to form a beautiful round egg pancake, the fragrance wafting out, his heart was full of emotion. He had lost his mother early and didn¡¯t get along with his stepmother, so he always tried to stay at school or spend time outside rather than at home.

    Back then, what he envied most about others was the sight of a family dining together¡ªfather, mother, children¡ªgathered around the table, with a kind mother serving food and dishing up for her children. As the son of Chief An, who wouldn¡¯t offer him a meal?

    But who could understand that what he coveted was the warmth and coziness of their homes, a soothing feeling he longed to drown in and never leave, yet it was something he desperately wanted but couldn¡¯t have?

    Now, atst, he also had a home of his own, with Bai Xiao, and in the future, their children. There would be their ownughter and tears, countless stories, but these would be his family members, his warm haven, his faith and support¡ªhis lifelong kin.

    Bai Xiao heard his voice choking with emotion and asked curiously, "What¡¯s the matter?"

    He hugged her waist from behind, "Wife, I¡¯m so happy, I finally have a home."

    Bai Xiao smiled. An Zhiyuan¡¯s upbringing was different from her own, but what they had inmon was their loneliness and their intense longing for the constion of family love. They were simr in that way.

    Home was a warm fortress for them! A ce that protected the warmest sunshine in their hearts.

    "Hurry up and serve the food. This is our home¡¯s first meal together, let¡¯s eat!"

    Bai Xiao¡¯s joy was infectious to An Zhiyuan. He kissed her neck, causing Bai Xiao tough and shrink her neck away as it was her sensitive spot, before finally serving the food.

 Chapter 576: Old Acquaintance

    <h4>Chapter 576: Chapter 576: Old Acquaintance</h4><h4></h4>

    As soon as the two men sat down at the table, someone knocked on the door.

    Bai Xiao nced at An Zhiyuan, certain it was an acquaintance, aware of his return. These past days, An Zhiyuan¡¯s subordinates had frequentlye to visit, so much so that even the guest house had not been peaceful.

    An Zhiyuan opened the door.

    "Chief An! Doctor Bai!"

    Hu Biao had alreadye in smiling, holding a pot of sweet potatoes, "These are harvested from our own field. My wife can only do some farming work, let you both try something fresh!"

    An Zhiyuan invited him in, "Just in time, we are having dinner, join us. We haven¡¯t seen each other for some days, I heard you¡¯ve been promoted, congrattions!"

    Hu Biao didn¡¯t stand on ceremony and simply sat down; Bai Xiao added a pair of chopsticks for him and looked at the stack of egg pancakes. For these two big-bellied men, it probably wouldn¡¯t be enough, "Sit down, let me get the dishes!"

    An Zhiyuan took out a bottle of Wuliangye; the house had plenty of alcohol, all from friends who came to visit. Each brought a bottle as a gift, a gesture of goodwill, especially since they¡¯d just gotten married, a housewarming gift of sorts.

    Bai Xiao then fried some sweet and sour pork and stir-fried some peppers with cured meat. The two men would definitely prefer meat dishes, and she also baked another stack of egg pancakes, now fully prepared.

    Hu Biao felt embarrassed seeing the dishes Bai Xiao brought out.

    "Sister-inw, don¡¯t trouble yourself anymore, it¡¯s all my fault. I just heard that the Chief... Chief hade back, so I came over to see him. I didn¡¯t expect to end up freeloading a meal, making you go through all this trouble."

    Bai Xiaoughed, "What are you talking about? We¡¯re all old friends, and we¡¯re going to be neighbors in the future. There¡¯s nothing to be embarrassed about. You guys enjoy your drink, don¡¯t mind me. Come on, don¡¯t be polite." After all, they were acquaintances who had been through life and death together; there was no need for politeness over a meal.

    "Then sister-inw, I¡¯ll take you up on that offer!" Hu Biao said with a greedy face, the dishes made by Doctor Bai looked delicious, unlike the swill his own wife made.

    "Don¡¯t call me sister-inw, just keep calling me Doctor Bai. Otherwise, it sounds odd. You guys go ahead with your drinking, I won¡¯t join in," Bai Xiao advised Hu Biao to rx.

    She had two pancakes and drank a bowl of millet porridge before picking up the dishes and heading to the room. There were still many ces in the house that needed cleaning; every nook and cranny needed attention.

    Hu Biao tasted a piece of the sweet and sour pork and almost swallowed his tongue, it was so delicious, "Chief, Doctor Bai¡¯s cooking skills are incredible. You are lucky, marrying a wife who is not only skilled in medical arts but also cooks better than any of our wives. How can we live after this? It¡¯s like being killed byparison. My own wife, whatever she cooks, it¡¯s just in boiled water with some seasoning added at the end, vorless and dull."

    An Zhiyuan nced at Bai Xiao, who was busyying bed sheets in the room, his eyes tender and adoring; she was his wife.

    "Stop your nonsense all day, if your wife hears this, you will be in trouble," he still warned him verbally.

    "Ah, I¡¯m just speaking my mind. Your ce is bigger, and I only have a one-bedroom apartment. Living between us is the family of Director Zhang, your future colleague; You haven¡¯t met him, right? Director Zhang is a good man, but his wife has been bedridden for many years. Director Zhang has been busy taking care of both the family and the unit. It¡¯s fortunate his daughter is capable, a twelve-year-old girl taking care of the household and her sick mother while still attending school. Nobody has it easy," Hu Biaomented, feeling moved.

    The lives of these people were certainly not easy, nor were their families¡¯.

 Chapter 577 Angel

    <h4>Chapter 577: Chapter 577 Angel</h4><h4></h4>

    "I haven¡¯t seen them yet, nning to report the day after tomorrow, after all, my holiday isn¡¯t over yet, and as you saw, there are still so many ces in the house that aren¡¯t sorted. I¡¯ve arranged to invite everyone over for dinner tomorrow to warm up the new home. You shoulde then, but I won¡¯t call you anymore," Bai Xiao had previously let him know.

    An Zhiyuan had greeted him before.

    "Okay, then tomorrow I¡¯ll ask my partner toe over to help Doctor Bai, or maybe not, she¡¯s a bit petty. Who knows what she might end up doing? I¡¯lle over to help instead." Hu Biao was a straightforward person.

    "Old Hu, time to eat."

    The shout came from across the door, Sister Wei¡¯s voice was really loud, clear through the door, as if she were shouting right beside the ear.

    Hu Biao stood up, "Then I¡¯m off!"

    An Zhiyuan waved his hand, he had eaten his fill, so he cleared up everything on the table, washed what needed to be washed, everything was swept clean, not only were the three dishes finished, but also the two stacks of egg pancakes Bai Xiao made were all gone, leaving a little bit of millet porridge. An Zhiyuan ced it into a small bowl, covered it with a te, it wouldn¡¯t spoil overnight at the current temperature.

    Knowing his wife loved cleanliness, he boiled a pot of water. Their bathroom didn¡¯t have a shower feature, and they usually bathed in the public bathhouse. That was definitely not possible at this hour, but washing her feet would still feelfortable.

    Bai Xiao had already put the quilt cover on the quilt that had been aired out all day, very satisfied. The quilt cover had been washed immediately upon their return, and the climate here was quite good--by evening, it was dry. Putting it on just felt right.

    An Zhiyuan walked in, took over the remaining tasks from her hands, "Go wash up, I¡¯ve heated the water for you. You¡¯ve been tired all day, I¡¯ll finish up here. Besides, we¡¯re not in a hurry, let¡¯s take it slow. The household stuff needs to be organized bit by bit, and we still have a day off tomorrow." He felt sorry for Bai Xiao who had a busy day without a moment to breathe.

    Bai Xiao pped her hands, "Alright, then I¡¯ll go wash up. I¡¯ll leave it to you, An Zhiyuan."

    "Naughty, to call your man An Zhiyuan, are you asking to be spanked?" An Zhiyuan pped her buttocks hard.

    Bai Xiao jumped up, "Hooligan!"

    "This is already hooliganism? There are even more hooligan things toe, do you want to try them outter?"

    This seriously spoken naughty remark immediately made Bai Xiao flee in panic.

    With arge basin of water, Bai Xiao wiped herself down all over. Although it was inconvenient, considering what An Zhiyuan had said earlier, the couple hadn¡¯t had any intimate moments since they got on the train six days ago due to the setting and exhaustion. It seemed like An Zhiyuan wouldn¡¯t let her off tonight.

    Bai Xiao enjoyed a veryfortable foot soak, so rxing that she almost fell asleep leaning on the sofa, her eyelids drooping. Wearing a thin sleeveless nightgown, when An Zhiyuan saw her, her ck hair hung down on both sides of her cheeks, sleep adding a rosy flush to them, her chest rose and fell with a slow, deep rhythm.

    A sharp desire pierced through his body; oh, how he wanted to hold her in his arms again. In his embrace, she could sleep as long as she wanted.

    He walked over gently, picked up a towel, and dried her feet. Bai Xiao opened her sleepy eyes, staring nkly at him, blinking, probably not yet realizing where she was, then she smiled sweetly at him, and stretched out her arms, like an angel fallen to earth.

    He carried her back to the bedroom.

 Chapter 578: Heartwarming

    <h4>Chapter 578: Chapter 578: Heartwarming</h4><h4></h4>

    Her cheeks blushed, her pink pajamas setting off her skin as fair as snow, in his eyes she was so beautiful.

    She looked up at him, and from the tilted angle, his gaze made her breath catch in her chest.

    He stared at her with a tense expression and... a hunger, as if time had stood still around them, her pulse beating slowly but forcefully, her breath shallow and rapid.

    Heaven knows how she was so easily bewitched by this man.

    She reached out and touched the stubble on his chin, "You should shave," she whispered.

    "Alright, but you can ignore it for now." His jaw twitched with a muscle.

    The two of them were caught in a moment of pause, a surge of intense desire crackling between them. It was desire, wasn¡¯t it? Sweet, fiery, and a bit dizzying for her.

    The light went out.

    In the darkness, she could still see the way he looked at her through the bright moonlighting through the window. His gaze pierced the darkness of the room, her eyes calmly half-covered, her body rxed and waiting... waiting.

    He looked at her like a tiger focusing on its prey.

    ......

    ......

    The next day, Bai Xiao slept infortably, for the first time during the vacation she could truly enjoy their time together without any disturbances, and as a wife, to indulge in the leisure of sleeping until naturally awake was a bliss.

    Of course, her natural awakening was around noon. Since the dinner invitation was only for the evening, she got up slowly. An Zhiyuan had already gotten up early; years of this routine had ustomed him to a morning run. The remaining time was spent alone, tidying up the entire room. By the time Bai Xiao got up, An Zhiyuan had already cleaned the room thoroughly.

    The floor was swept and wiped clean, the wooden floor spotless, and the rity through the windows made one¡¯s heart light with joy. Importantly, he had also put ribs to stew in the pot, Bai Xiao had already smelled the aroma.

    The bookshelf in the study also had many new books. She didn¡¯t know where he had found them. He had even washed their pile of dirty clothes umted over the past few days. She hadn¡¯t heard the washing machine, probably because he didn¡¯t want to wake her and had washed them by hand.

    Seeing hering out of the room, he was stacking a few boxes to put in the storage room. There was a small storage room right at their entryway, perfect for keeping misceneous items. The shoe rack at the door neatly disyed Bai Xiao¡¯s leather shoes and An Zhiyuan¡¯s, now polished to a gleam, so clear that they could reflect a person¡¯s silhouette.

    This man had been quite busy this morning.

    "You¡¯re up. Go wash your face, I¡¯ve prepared the meal. We can eat right away," he was refreshed, his satisfaction fromst night clearly reflected in his spirit today.

    Bai Xiao saw the hickey on her neck in the mirror. After brushing her teeth and washing her face, she walked out right into An Zhiyuan¡¯s arms. Hisrge hands steadied her, his long, beautiful fingers purposefully touching her lips.

    Her cheeks uncontrobly flushed, her blood heating up as if she was ced in a dry oven.

    He smiled, his gaze tenderly on her, emitting a mature man¡¯s roguish charm which made Bai Xiao wonder if she was perhaps overthinking, "Let¡¯s keep lunch simple." He felt it was his responsibility to feed his woman well.

    Bai Xiao looked down, pursed her lips, and brushed her hair aside. It seemed she was indeed overthinking.

    The next second, An Zhiyuan¡¯s lips were on hers, a restrained breath entering her ears, just likest night.

 Chapter 579 Help

    <h4>Chapter 579: Chapter 579 Help</h4><h4></h4>

    After finishing their meal, An Zhiyuan stepped out to find some help. They had guests to entertain today, so of course they needed to borrow tables and chairs; their own dining table could barely fit four or five people, let alone more.

    Bai Xiao had already busied herself in the kitchen¡ªentertaining guests couldn¡¯t be too simple, especially since many of the guests were oldrades in arms for both of them.

    For teammates who had faced life and death together, it was only right to offer the sincerest hospitality.

    Bai Xiao nned to cook several dishes and then make dumplings. That way, even if there weren¡¯t enough dishes, the dumplings could fill in the gaps, mainly because she wasn¡¯t sure how many people woulde tonight. An Zhiyuan roughly estimated about ten people, but if guests brought family members, the number could increase significantly.

    Therefore, Bai Xiao preferred to anticipate arger number of people.

    An Zhiyuan had already finely chopped the dumpling filling earlier. He hadn¡¯t rested that afternoon, instead preparing in advance for his wife.

    He believed that chopping meat filling should be a man¡¯s job, so he took care of all the preparations.

    Bai Xiao had just started cooking the beef tripe; stir-fried tripe was a favorite for the men, a great dish to apany drinks.

    The women, of course, would have pork trotters and chicken feet, rich in cogen.

    Someone knocked on the door from outside. Bai Xiao nced at the wall clock; it was only three o¡¯clock, too early for dinner guests.

    "Who is it?"

    "Doctor Bai, it¡¯s Sister Wei! My husband sent me over to help!"

    Bai Xiao opened the door, and several people were outside. Aside from Sister Wei, whom she had just met yesterday, the others were strangers.

    Sister Wei carried a child in her arms, a bald three-year-old boy who wasn¡¯t heavy but seemed very lively, squirming in her embrace.

    "Doctor Bai, this is He Hua, the wife of Captain Wu from upstairs; this is Shu Yun, the wife of Deputy Captain Jiang from downstairs; and this one is Director Zhang¡¯s daughter, Zhang Han. Their men won¡¯t be back until after six or seven, so we came over first to help out."

    Sister Wei had already squeezed past Bai Xiao, still holding the child, and entered the house.

    "Hello everyone, pleasee in."

    Bai Xiao weed them warmly. After all, they were surely rtives of someone she knew, and from now on, they would be neighbors, the kind you see every day. This gathering was a good chance for everyone to get acquainted.

    She ushered them all inside when she heard someone calling from behind.

    "Why only greet them and not me?"

    With a look of surprise, Bai Xiao turned around. My heavens, Liu Yun!

    A big hug, this was a genuinely old friend.

    "What are you doing here?" Liu Yun had heard that she was assigned to a different hospital, and at the time, she felt that even a friendship forged through life and death could end up dissipating, each going their own way.

    Liu Yun embraced Bai Xiao tightly. "Why are you still so thin? Heard you got married recently? My husband is staying in the dormitory building right next door. Since I¡¯m family, I was directly transferred to this hospital because of my job. Just a few days ago, my husband mentioned that the youngest Chief had returned, and these past days, we¡¯ve been fixing up our ce.

    The moment I heard that one of the couples is Leader An and Doctor Bai, I instantly thought it must be you and Captain An. You were busy these past few days, and I didn¡¯t want to disturb you by dropping by. When I came over yesterday morning, there wasn¡¯t anyone at home. And today, as soon as I heard they wereing to your ce to freeload a meal, I rushed over to help. That¡¯s good of me, right?"

    Bai Xiao pulled Liu Yun into the house, and the noise inside suddenly died down. Sister Wei was in the process of taking biscuits from Bai Xiao¡¯s cupboard to give to the child in her arms and looked a bit guilty when she met Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes.

    "Doctor Bai, I¡¯m sorry, my child was hungry. He saw the biscuits in the cupboard and wouldn¡¯t stop crying for them, couldn¡¯t be quieted down, so I thought, Doctor Bai, you¡¯re such a generous person, you surely wouldn¡¯t mind, and gave him one," said Sister Wei.

 Chapter 580 Cling to the Bundle and Deny

    <h4>Chapter 580: Chapter 580 Cling to the Bundle and Deny</h4><h4></h4>

    Everyone in the room went silent.

    Zhang Han looked at the doctor in front of her, curious to see what Bai Xiao would do. After all, Sister Wei¡¯s habit of taking advantage of small things was well-known in the yard, and nobody wanted to get involved with her lightly, because once they did, there was no end to it.

    Bai Xiao walked over, took the whole pack of biscuits from Sister Wei¡¯s hand. Sister Wei was reluctant to let go, "Sister Wei! Let me do it!"

    Bai Xiao¡¯s voice was firm, her tone not dominant, but it conveyed a sense of steadiness.

    "How could I ept that? I should be the one to hold it for the kid." Sister Wei had intended to take the pack of biscuits for herself, assuming that the wife of a leader like Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t stoop to quarrel with someone like her, not only because it would lower her own status, but it would also embarrass the Chief.

    "Sister Wei, since it¡¯s at our house, of course, I, the host, should do it."

    Sister Wei replied sheepishly and had to let go. The biscuits clearly looked like a luxury item, with just the packaging being so great. She had pretended to identally open the cupboard just now, letting the child see the stuff inside. Kids always like bright and colorful things, especially the outeryer of stic wrapping paper, which looked very festive.

    Bai Xiao took out a biscuit from the bag, "What¡¯s your name?"

    The little boy in Sister Wei¡¯s arms pursed his lips and reached out, wanting to snatch the biscuit away.

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t give it to him and dodged, "Auntie knows you¡¯re hungry, but there is a condition for getting the biscuit. You must tell Auntie your name? How old are you? Auntie likes polite children the most."

    The little guy looked at Sister Wei perplexedly; usually, his mother dealt with such situations, and most of the time, he didn¡¯t need to say anything before the biscuit was stuffed into his hand. Today, this auntie wasn¡¯t following the usual pattern, and the little guy didn¡¯t know what to do.

    Sister Wei felt embarrassed, twisting the little boy harshly, "The doctor is asking you something, hurry up and speak."

    The little guy probably hurt because he immediately started to cry.

    "I... am... Huzi, three years old!" Huzi finally managed to answer Bai Xiao¡¯s question in between sobs.

    Bai Xiao ced the biscuit in front of Huzi, "There, there, good children don¡¯t cry. Auntie knows now, Huzi is a good boy, you want a biscuit, right?"

    As soon as Huzi saw the biscuit, his sobbing gradually quieted down. He put his finger in his mouth and nodded vigorously.

    "Huzi is very good, here, take the biscuit. But let¡¯s make a deal, you can only eat one piece, okay? Auntie has made a lot of delicious food, there are dumplings, pig trotters, don¡¯t you want to eat something yummy? Otherwise, if you¡¯re full from biscuits, you won¡¯t have room for the good stuffter." Bai Xiao stuffed the biscuit into Huzi¡¯s hand.

    Upon hearing there were so many delicious things, Huzi immediately opened his big round eyes and nodded earnestly.

    "Huzi wants the good food, Huzi won¡¯t eat biscuits. Huzi wants to eat dumplings, wants to eat pig trotters."

    Everyone burst intoughter, and the atmosphere suddenly eased.

    Bai Xiao put the biscuits back into the cupboard and deliberately closed the cupboard door.

    She then took out the apples she had just washed in the kitchen, along with a te of sunflower seeds and peanuts. The five-spice seeds and peanuts were special products brought by her sister.

    Seeing Bai Xiao entertaining them, everyone felt embarrassed, "Doctor Bai, don¡¯t trouble yourself, we¡¯re here to help, it wouldn¡¯t be right to start eating before we¡¯ve helped."

    Liu Yun nced at Sister Wei, who was already reaching for the seeds; no wonder she was known throughout thepound for clinging onto small advantages.

 Chapter 581: Taking the Kids and Going Back First

    <h4>Chapter 581: Chapter 581: Taking the Kids and Going Back First</h4><h4></h4>

    "Bai Xiao, aren¡¯t we going to make dumplings? Let¡¯s give you a hand, you do your cooking, and we¡¯ll make dumplings over here, working separately so we can finish quickly. When theye back, we can eat right away," Liu Yun started to take charge, and here she was definitely Bai Xiao¡¯s close sister in arms.

    The others also nodded eagerly, "Yes! Yes, we¡¯ll make dumplings."

    Wei looked at everyone finding aprons and cutting boards, already bustling about. She didn¡¯t want to get involved, sittingfortably here, cracking sunflower seeds, eating apples¡ªhow nice it was! She could only rx like this at home during holidays.

    Doctor Bai and Chief An really are rich.

    It seemed having such a boss¡ªand neighbor¡ªwould mean no shortage of perks in the future. Doctor Bai didn¡¯t really get angry just now; it was only about not letting her take away a whole pack of biscuits. She seemed to care about her face, which meant things would be easier to handle.

    Dealing with the shameless made her fear for her husband¡¯s reputation; after all, she was well aware that away from here, her man was good for nothing, and the whole family was depending on him. Her probing was to see if she could possibly snag some benefits.

    It seemed promising.

    Holding Huzi, she said to Bai Xiao, "Doctor Bai, I¡¯m really sorry, my Huzi is at that age where he¡¯s bound to be troublesome. My job is to keep an eye on him so he doesn¡¯t bother you." And yet, she said this with a straight face.

    Even the people who came with her were disgusted by her shameless words.

    Doing nothing but showing up for a free meal.

    People began to feel sorry for Hu Biao. Hu Biao was popr in the team, but it was such a wife who tirelessly ruined everything.

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t speak, while Liu Yun snorted, "Wei, Huzi is indeed at a mischievous age. Why don¡¯t you take Huzi home to avoid causing trouble? We have a lot of people and things going on here; what if the child gets hurt by ident?"

    Wei¡¯s face darkened. She thought to herself that despite being new, Liu Yun sure didn¡¯t hold back, always ready to show her displeasure. She hadn¡¯t eaten at her house, so why was she in such a rush!

    "Doctor Liu, that¡¯s not right of you. This is Chief An and Doctor Bai¡¯s home. The hosts haven¡¯t spoken yet, and you are taking charge like this? If someone didn¡¯t know better, they might think you could take Chief An¡¯s ce in this house!" The words came out rather unpleasant.

    Liu Yun¡¯s face darkened instantly. "Wei Jianling, how can you have such nasty thoughts? I should find your husband Hu Biao and ask him what the crime of nder is?"

    Wei sneered, "Go ahead and ask. I¡¯m not a guest in your house. How dare you speak to me so rudely? Who started the trouble if not you, who thinks you can bully a country woman like me just because you are an educated person? Doctor Bai, you should judge this! You haven¡¯t said a word, and Doctor Liu is already using us, almost pointing at our noses and calling us freeloaders. But my child is young, am I not supposed to take care of him?"

    She wasn¡¯t afraid; she just worried that Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t step in. Could Chief An¡¯s wife really bully people?

    She was like a roof tile, not afraid of these sophisticated folks.

    "Wei, what Doctor Liu said makes sense. It¡¯s indeed not convenient for you to be here with a child. It¡¯s my thought too. You should take the child home first ande back with his father for dinner, so we can avoid any idents with the child."

    Bai Xiao was not going to indulge Wei; she had realized that Wei was shameless. If you were too concerned about your own face, she would just walk all over you.

 Chapter 582 Drive Away

    <h4>Chapter 582: Chapter 582 Drive Away</h4><h4></h4>

    "Doctor Bai, what did you say?" Sister Wei did not understand. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t hear, she just couldn¡¯t fathom whether Bai Xiao¡¯s brain had taken in water.

    How dared she say such things, wasn¡¯t she afraid of ruining Colonel An¡¯s reputation?

    "Sister Wei, please take Huzi back first. We are busy here and don¡¯t have time to keep wasting it with you. If you make me speak in a less polite manner, I can do that too." Bai Xiao looked directly into Sister Wei¡¯s eyes, unflinching, her gaze as piercing as a me.

    "Doctor Bai, why would you talk like that? Isn¡¯t that deliberately belittling our Hu Biao? Bullying his wife and child, even if you are the Chief¡¯s daughter-inw. But we are all wives, you¡¯re insulting my man here." Sister Wei was quick to react, immediately pulling Hu Biao into the conversation.

    "Sister Wei, in what sentence did I belittle Comrade Hu Biao? I simply asked you to take your child and go back first to avoid any potential injuries. Isn¡¯t this for Huzi¡¯s own good? You also said Huzi is young and at a mischievous age. I am truly considering what¡¯s best for Huzi. Here, we are either dealing with knives or hot oil, my whole intention is for you and your child¡¯s benefit. Everybody, judge this, what¡¯s wrong with what I said?" Bai Xiao said serenely, not intimidated in the least.

    "But... But I¡¯ve already said I would look after the child myself, there¡¯s no need for you to!" Sister Wei felt utterly overwhelmed.

    "Exactly, you are watching your own child, it is inconvenient here with so many people around. You live just across the door, it¡¯s very convenient to go back and forth." Bai Xiao opened the door wide, standing by it as she watched Sister Wei; that first impression Sister Wei made on her was indeedsting.

    She had decided that in the future, she must keep her distance from Sister Wei. Having such a neighbor too close was definitely not a good thing. Just one meal could bring out troubles; her and An Zhiyuan¡¯s reputations were already being dragged into this. Who knows what else might happen in the future.

    Sister Wei, in a fit of pique, scooped up her child, "Fine, we¡¯ll leave. You don¡¯t have to ask us, we won¡¯te. Huzi, they look down on us; let¡¯s go home, so your dad doesn¡¯t lose face any further. What life-and-death experiences? Pah, they¡¯re just looking down their noses at us. Deep down they despise usmon folks." She stormed out, cursing as she went back to her home.

    With a loud m, the door was forcefully shut as if to let everyone know she felt wronged.

    Bai Xiao shrugged her shoulders and closed the door.

    "Doctor Bai, don¡¯t mind her. She¡¯s not a bad person, but she has some ways that are really annoying. No one in this courtyard likes her; don¡¯t take it to heart." He Hua, the wife of Captain Wu who hade together earlier, said as the pleasant atmosphere of the meal was abruptly ruined.

    Bai Xiao shook her head, "It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ve only just found out what kind of person Sister Wei is."

    Everyone had already started getting busy with high spirits.

    Shu Yun nced at Bai Xiao and Liu Yun, who were bustling about in the kitchen, and whispered to He Hua and Zhang Han, "I¡¯ve heard about this Doctor Bai, they say she¡¯s formidable, daring to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Chief amongndmines, facing life and death. She wouldn¡¯t be afraid of a Sister Wei. Wei Jianling is being foolish; doesn¡¯t she consider that her own husband is under the Chief¡¯smand? With all this fuss, what good does it do her own husband?"

    Rolling out dough, He Hua¡¯s hands rolled back and forth, forming a perfect circle of dough while Shu Yun and Zhang Han were busy making dumplings, "Let¡¯s not talk about that. Sister Wei, well, she really knows how to make an unpleasant scene. If Sister Wei came to my house and started taking things out of the cupboards as soon as she arrived, I¡¯d probably p her right away. She has no manners at all. Doctor Bai has been quite patient already."

 Chapter 583: Idle Talk

    <h4>Chapter 583: Chapter 583: Idle Talk</h4><h4></h4>

    Zhang Han didn¡¯t speak. Although she was only twelve, she was the adult at home, always knowing when to keep quiet. The friendly-looking neighbors might not really be friendly after all.

    She represented not just herself, but also her father, Director Zhang. Therefore, she definitely couldn¡¯t speak carelessly.

    She silently wrapped dumplings, her movements swift. cing the filling on the dough, and with a pinch here and a press there, she formed a beautiful dumpling with neat pleats and a plump, festive appearance.

    "Zhang Han, why aren¡¯t you speaking?"

    He Hua was always talkative. Usually, when she saw Zhang Han, the girl was talkative too. Why was she quiet today?

    "It¡¯s nothing, just craving dumplings. I¡¯m eager to finish wrapping them. It¡¯s not easy to get to eat dumplings here." Framing it as a craving sessfully diverted their attention away from her.

    "Who doesn¡¯t eat dumplings even when it¡¯s not the New Year¡¯s? It will be New Year¡¯s soon. The New Year¡¯s here is different from ours. It snows in our ce, but it still feels like springtime here, and the food is different too, not much noodles. I¡¯m really not used to it."

    All of them came from different parts of the country, but because of the troop, most of them, following An Zhiyuan¡¯s group, were from the north. Thus, most of their wives were from the north too, and indeed, they weren¡¯t ustomed to living here.

    "Hey, are you going back for New Year¡¯s? I¡¯m not. My child¡¯s father is there, and where he is, that¡¯s our home," Shu Yun sighed. Their hardshipy in the constant moving with their men.

    In that ce, they had to move along too, otherwise staying alone at home meant an even harder life.

    "Not going back. Last year just happened to be his father¡¯s holiday, so we went back to see his parents and my parents. Not this year; it¡¯s too expensive to go back, and when we do, the food and sleep aren¡¯t good. The whole family ends up unsettled. Not making the trip this year," He Hua shook her head.

    Liu Yun nudged Bai Xiao, "You really have guts, not afraid of offending that Sister Wei with such talk?"

    She and Bai Xiao were different. Her own husband was just a team leader, not involved in the higher level issues. But Bai Xiao¡¯s husband was Chief An, whose stature could easily be marred by idle talk among the subordinates.

    "She thinks the same way as you, that¡¯s why she is so bold. Chief An¡¯s reputation isn¡¯t built by his wife; it¡¯s his own ability that does that. I know my man well; I don¡¯t have the capability to perform logistical work well. I just live life for afortable self. If I had to suppress and suffocate myself for that, I¡¯d rather not be married," Bai Xiao scooped out the tripe from the pot.

    "You, spoiled by Chief An!" Liu Yun chuckled, envious.

    "If not me, whom else would Chief An spoil?" Bai Xiao felt her skin had be quite thick now.

    "Disgusting! Stop making us jealous here," Liu Yun was chopping vegetables.

    Bai Xiao felt blissful; truly, An Zhiyuan did spoil her a lot, always standing by her side regardless of right or wrong, always believing in her. Such profound trust.

    It was also a profoundly touching happiness. If An Zhiyuan were here today, he probably wouldn¡¯t care about his own dignity either and would protect her. This was a lifetime worth cherishing, not to be wasted on tolerating or amodating anyone else.

 Chapter 584 Delivering a Meal

    <h4>Chapter 584: Chapter 584 Delivering a Meal</h4><h4></h4>

    An Zhiyuan and his group had returned, trailed by seven or eight others, who were carrying tables and benches. As soon as they entered the house, Shu Yun, He Hua, and Zhang Han greeted An Zhiyuan. They too were startled to see such a young Chief; Chief An¡¯s face was indeed very attractive.

    The delicate features of An Zhiyuan made him a handsome guy, a heartthrob in any era, meriting instant favor based on appearance alone.

    Especially since he was the youngest Chief.

    "Chief An!"

    "Chief An!"

    "Chief An, Dad, you¡¯re back?" Zhang Han saw her father, Director Zhang.

    Director Zhang patted his daughter¡¯s hair, "I¡¯m going to see your mother, you help out here." His mind was still unavoidably concerned about his wife, making it his daily routine for over a decade to visit her lying in bed first thing upon returning home.

    Zhang Han knew her father couldn¡¯t be apart from her mother, so she nodded.

    The seven or eight men had already crowded at the kitchen door, "Doctor Bai, sister-inw, hello!"

    The synchronised voices made Bai Xiao blush.

    "Hello, you men take care of the tables, everything will be ready soon." Bai Xiao tried topose herself; these men were strangers to her, but the looks in their eyes were filled with curiosity and admiration, probably all stemming from her and An Zhiyuan¡¯s wedding and vows at the front line!

    "Alright, sister-inw, we¡¯ll get on that."

    The menughed and went to find An Zhiyuan.

    Tables were set up in the living room, along with Bai Xiao¡¯s dining table! Just enough for two tables, men at one table, women at another, otherwise one table wasn¡¯t enough to seat everyone.

    The group was still notplete.

    Those who knew how to make dumplings had already washed their hands and rolled up their sleeves to help; everyone knew each other, there were no strangers here.

    Hu Biao looked around for his wife, feeling puzzled; this woman had been moring abouting over to help since this morning and now she was missing. However, her absence was probably for the better, sparing anyughs at her expense.

    Many hands make light work, and the dumplings were quickly wrapped; Bai Xiao¡¯s dishes were also ready, just needing a couple of stir-fries to finish.

    In a short while, everyone had arrived, and the meals were served.

    A te of deep-fried peanuts, celery with dried tofu, pig¡¯s trotters and chicken feet, cold pork liver, sweet and sour lotus root, stir-fried tripe, spicy chicken, cold diced chicken, and steaming dumplings arrived at the tables, identical dishes on both. People¡¯s mouths watered at the sight.

    The meals cooked by Bai Xiao looked appealing; after all, she had to live up to the skills she honed in herst life.

    She pulled Zhang Han over and handed her a lunch box, "Take this to your mom, she can¡¯te! But she should still try the freshness, see if the dumplings we made are tasty? Especially the ones you wrapped, it wouldn¡¯t do for your mom not to try them. Go on! We¡¯ll eat when you get back."

    Zhang Han hesitated, not expecting Doctor Bai to remember her mother, "No need, Auntie, my mom has already eaten, she doesn¡¯t eat at the same time as us."

    "Don¡¯t fob me off, go on, take it. If your dad gives you a hard time, say it was Doctor Bai who asked you to bring it back. Hurry up, the dumplings will stick together if they cool down, and then they won¡¯t taste good." Bai Xiao pushed her along.

    Zhang Han left with the lunch box and immediately bumped into Sister Wei poking around the opposite corner. Wei¡¯s eyes lit up at the sight of the lunch box in her hands.

    "Zhang Han, what are you doing with that lunch box?"

    Her eyes were fixed unwaveringly on the lunch box.

    Since Bai Xiao¡¯s meals could be given to Zhang Han, then Hu Biao could also bring a lunch box back for her. She knew she couldn¡¯t face going back to eat after what had happened just now.

    One had to have some pride!

 Chapter 585: Goodbye

    <h4>Chapter 585: Chapter 585: Goodbye</h4><h4></h4>

    "I¡¯ll go get Dad for dinner!" Zhang Han dodged Wei¡¯s gaze and hurried back into the room.

    She happened to run into Director Zhang preparing to leave. Seeing his daughter¡¯s flustered appearance and the lunchbox in her hand, he asked curiously, "What are you doing with that lunchbox?"

    Zhang Han raised the lunchbox, "This is the meal Dr. Bai sent for mom. I¡¯ve taken it out."

    She fetched dishes and bowls from home. There were plenty of dumplings, enough to fill a te, and a few side dishes, not many, but there was a bit of everything. Zhang Han¡¯s heart warmed. Over the years, while her mothery bedridden, hardly anyone had cared for her.

    Apart from the two of them, father and daughter, others would at most ask out of courtesy, but who would really pay attention to someone bedridden and housebound year-round?

    Her own mother had vanished from everyone¡¯s sight for many years. To receive such care was rare; at least Zhang Han believed Dr. Bai was a good, kind person.

    She carried the dumplings and dishes to her mother, "Mom, this is from our neighbors, Chief An and Dr. Bai¡¯s couple, who moved here and invited everyone for a meal. Dr. Bai specifically asked me to bring these dumplings and dishes back for you. Please try some." She ced the chopsticks and vinegar in front of her mother.

    Li Jiao looked at the dumplings and smiled lightly, it had been a long time since she had eaten dumplings, "Good, go and thank Dr. Bai for me, tell him your mother thanks him for his kindness." Zhang Han nodded and went out with Director Zhang.

    As the father and daughter left, Li Jiao sighed, "Such good people!" She picked up a dumpling and put it into her mouth. Delicious, it was pork with green onion filling. Due to her illness, the house was nearly empty, her husband had spent all their savings on medical expenses, and her daughter hadn¡¯t had a single carefree day, all because of her.

    They couldn¡¯t afford dumplings at home, saving money for medicine instead; the monthly medicine expenses alone could buy countless dumplings.

    It was all her fault.

    Li Jiao harshly beat her legs, feeling nothing from the waist down, and needing help from her daughter and husband even to sit up. What could a person at this stage do, except be a burden to her family?

    Her husband was a talented man; if not for her, he might have advanced to a certain position by now. But he was still just a director because of her, though only in his forties! His hair had turned gray, aging him more than a decade¡ªall because he was burdened with a wife like her.

    It was the same for her daughter. While other children werete to mature and enjoying parental care at twelve, wearing beautiful clothes, going to school happily, and living carefree, her daughter had learned early to take care of her, turning her over, washing her, and massaging her to prevent muscle atrophy in her legs. Even during the ten-minute breaks at school every day, her daughter had to rush home to help her with toileting and turning over. The child had never had afortable day with her.

    She was too much of a burden.

    With a ng, the te shattered into several pieces. Her daughter usually apanied her during meals, preventing such incidents, but wasn¡¯t this the perfect opportunity?

    The white porcin shards cut through the skin on her wrist, and as Li Jiao felt the warm flow of blood, she finally experienced a sense of relief. She hoped for another life where she could take good care of her husband and daughter, hoping that in another life, she could still live with them.

    My dear family, goodbye!

 Chapter 586: Nonsense

    <h4>Chapter 586: Chapter 586: Nonsense</h4><h4></h4>

    Hu Biao came back and called his wife toe for a meal; everyone was gathered, yet his wife dawdled and didn¡¯t show up. He was surprised; usually, she¡¯d be the first to think of a free meal, so what was up today?

    Nobody had told him what had happened today.

    "Come on, hurry and bring Huzi with you; everyone¡¯s here already. If you don¡¯te and help cook, do you really expect to be asked three or four times?" Hu Biao scolded his wife in his blustery way.

    Wei clutched Huzi tightly, "I¡¯m not going! Just bring me back a box of dumplings."

    Not going didn¡¯t mean not eating; surely there were tasty dishes today.

    She had known since today that they were to crash the doctor¡¯s ce... no, it was a gathering, and she hadn¡¯t eaten all day, not even lunch, staying hungry just waiting for it. Now if she didn¡¯t eat her fill, that would be too unfair to her stomach.

    Well, Hu Biao really did marry a good wife!

    "What are you talking about? Who goes to someone¡¯s house for a meal and brings food back for their family? Stop embarrassing me and hurry up; don¡¯t keep everyone waiting." Grabbing Huzi, Huzi giggled and clung to Hu Biao¡¯s neck, babbling.

    "Dad, I want to eat dumplings and also pig¡¯s trotters!"

    This child was indeed Wei¡¯s own; even the foodie trait was inherited. His mom hadn¡¯t fed him enough at noon, letting his stomach stay empty for this evening¡¯s meal. Otherwise, the child wouldn¡¯t have begged for cookies earlier when he was hungry!

    "Alright, Daddy will take you to eat dumplings and pig¡¯s trotters!" Hu Biao felt sorry for his son and turned to scold Wei.

    "Look how hungry you¡¯ve made the child. Didn¡¯t you cook for him at noon?"

    Hu Biao knew all too well what his wife was like!

    Wei said angrily, "My son and I won¡¯t go; you go by yourself. Just bring us back a box of dumplings. Oh, and add that pig trotter, chicken, and whatever else you can get."

    Of course, she wouldn¡¯t forget how Doctor Bai had treated her just now. Now she had to go back for a meal, letting those womenugh at her?

    Although she craved the food, she had her pride.

    "Didn¡¯t I say if you want to eat, go there and eat? Who ever heard of carrying food in boxes back to their own house?" Hu Biao was furious; why wouldn¡¯t this woman listen to reason now?

    Wei took Huzi back into her arms, "Why can¡¯t I take it? Just now, the Director¡¯s daughter was packing dumplings for her mom; I saw it myself, a big box of them. Why can¡¯t you do the same? My child and I didn¡¯t go to their house, just a box of dumplings, what¡¯s the big deal? If the Director can have food taken home why can¡¯t you? Besides, didn¡¯t you say these were favors from your old bosses?"

    Hu Biao was truly furious this time.

    "The Director¡¯s wife is bedridden at home; don¡¯t you know that? Taking a box of dumplings to her is just proper. They can¡¯t just eat here while sister-inw starves in bed. Aren¡¯t you ashamedparing yourself to a sick person?"

    "So what if Ipare? I have a child with me too. You have no idea how nasty Doctor Bai¡¯s words were today; ying the young girl, I didn¡¯t expect her to be so fierce. She sent your wife and son packing back home, and you still expect me to shamelessly go and eat there. Are you going to carry it or not?" Wei was prepared to make a scene.

    Hu Biao pped her.

    p!

    "Enough! What are you saying? You think I don¡¯t know what kind of person Doctor Bai is? She¡¯s not one to hold grudges, so if she was picky with you today, you must have done something to drive her to it."

 Chapter 587 Climbing

    <h4>Chapter 587: Chapter 587 Climbing</h4><h4></h4>

    "Well, look at you, Hu Biao, you¡¯ve even learned to beat up your wife now. Go ahead, beat me to death, kill your wife and your son. Or is it because you¡¯ve got your eye on the white doctor across the way, huh? She¡¯s prettier and younger than me, so are you thinking about killing off your own wife?" Wei Jianling clutched her face and started making a scene with Hu Biao, charging at him with such force that her hair flew wildly about her.

    The child Huzi, who she was holding in her arms, was frightened into loud wailing by his mother¡¯s aggression.

    Hu Biao was infuriated by Wei Jianling¡¯s words.

    "Wei Jianling, what nonsensical things are you saying? The doctor is the Chief¡¯s daughter-inw. You¡¯re being reckless with your words, do you realize the trouble you could bring upon our family?" Hu Biao was truly at his wit¡¯s end with a wife who could neither be hit nor scolded.

    That p just now happened out of sheer frustration, and he couldn¡¯t bring himself to hit her again, after all, she was the wife who had shared the bitter and the sweet with him.

    Besides, a big man hitting a woman, that¡¯s not the kind of person he was.

    The curses that came out of his mouth were unsightly, aplete embarrassment if overheard by others.

    "Hu Biao, what¡¯s going on? What¡¯s all thismotion?"

    Hu Biao was startled into turning around. He had been thinking that calling out to his wife and child toe over for dinner without even closing the door, and now there stood the Chief and Director Zhang at the doorway. Had they heard the argument?

    If they had, he would be utterly disgraced.

    "Chief, Director Zhang, please, I¡¯m begging you to take my side. Do you think being a wife is easy? Working tirelessly to keep a household together, living each day alone with every chore. Huzi, he¡¯s three years old now, ask Hu Biao if he¡¯s ever washed a diaper or changed the boy¡¯s clothes?

    I¡¯m swamped with chores inside and outside the house, looking after a child, farming, cooking, and doingundry for him. I wait on him hand and foot, and when something goes wrong, he just smacks me. Was I wrong toin about that? Director Zhang, it¡¯s true your Zhang Han did take a container of dumplings back to her room just now. I was simply afraid of bringing the child over and being looked down upon. If you truly wanted us to join for a meal, wouldn¡¯t it have been fine to give us a box of dumplings too?" Wei Jianling really was overstepping her bounds.

    Hu Biao was beside himself with anger. How could she say such things in front of so many people!

    "Shut your mouth!"

    "I won¡¯t shut up. Why should there be such unequal treatment? Just because Director Zhang has a higher rank, he deserves such privileges?" Wei Jianling¡¯s mouth often got her into trouble, spouting nonsense without fear of offending anyone.

    Zhang Han, who had been inside, came running out when she heard her name, only to overhear the conversation.

    "Auntie, why must you say such things? Are you not aware of the situation with that box of dumplings?" The young girl¡¯s face flushed with anger; her family¡¯s circumstances were nothing like Wei Jianling¡¯s.

    How could Wei Jianling drag her own mother into this?

    "Of course, I know your mother has done her part by lying in that bed!" Wei Jianling looked at Zhang Han unfazed, as if she had the thick skin of a pig that doesn¡¯t fear scalding water.

    Zhang Han was so outraged that tears began to fall. She rushed to her front door, fumbling with the key several times in her haste and agitation, unable to unlock it while mumbling to herself.

    "If you find it so disagreeable, I¡¯ll take the dumplings out, and neither of us will eat them. There¡¯s no need for you to drag my mother into this."

 Chapter 588: Driven to Death

    <h4>Chapter 588: Chapter 588: Driven to Death</h4><h4></h4>

    "Humph, putting on an act," Sister Wei was still not appeased.

    Zhang Han rushed in without even closing the door.

    "Mom, I¡¯m going to... Mom... Mom! Help... Help..."

    Director Zhang and An Zhiyuan exchanged a nce and both dashed into the room.

    Following closely were Hu Biao and Sister Wei, and since the door was left open, Bai Xiao and the others also heard the cries, prompting everyone to rush over.

    The scene before them stunned everyone.

    Director Zhang¡¯s daughter-inw leaned against the bed, her arm dangling off the side with blood flowing steadily down her wrist, a small pool of blood had already formed on the floor, searing everyone¡¯s eyes with its bright red hue.

    "Li Jiao, Li Jiao! What have you done?" Director Zhang had already lunged forward, scooping his daughter-inw up. Li Jiaoy dying in Director Zhang¡¯s embrace.

    Desperately trying to grasp Director Zhang¡¯s hand, "Husband, when I¡¯m gone, you and the child will be free, spared from others¡¯ mockery, and it won¡¯t drag you both down anymore. Lead a good life with our child from now on..."

    Director Zhang was already crying to death. He picked her up intending to rush out, but Liu Yun hastily stopped him, "Don¡¯t panic. Bai Xiao and I are from the health team. We¡¯ll take a look first. Don¡¯t fluster yourself." Mainly, Liu Yun thought the wound wasn¡¯t serious; many people attempt suicide by shing their wrists, but wrist-cutting involves technique and doesn¡¯t guarantee immediate death.

    At least, the blood pool on the ground didn¡¯t look like it was from severe blood loss.

    Director Zhang nodded urgently and quickly put her down.

    Liu Yun and Bai Xiao took a closer look; indeed, the injury on the wrist was not as severe as they had imagined, and the wound wasn¡¯t very deep.

    "Do you have gauze and medicine at home? Bring them here to bandage her wound and stop the bleeding,"manded Liu Yun, who had authority in this situation, having treated far worse injuries on the battlefield than this minor cut.

    Zhang Han hurriedly searched for the medical kit; their home was stocked with such supplies since they had a sick family member.

    After a flurry of activity, Liu Yun had sessfully bandaged Li Jiao¡¯s wrist.

    Although shey there looking spiritless, she was actually far from fatal.

    This time Hu Biao genuinely pped someone, very differently and much harder than the p before.

    "Look at what you¡¯ve done, always nitpicking, nitpicking all day, and now look where it¡¯s gotten you. Listen to what you¡¯re saying; aren¡¯t your words enough to drive someone to death? If Li Jiao had died today, you would be the executioner, the murderer," he couldn¡¯t believe his wife¡¯s words could actually push someone to death.

    Even he found those words unbearable to listen to, let alone a sick person who could easily be driven to despair.

    This time Sister Wei didn¡¯t dare retort, petrified as she was. Even if she wasn¡¯t much good, she was just grasping at small advantages. She really didn¡¯t have the gall to cause someone¡¯s death over her groundless suspicions.

    Now, holding her three-year-old Huzi, she didn¡¯t dare make a sound.

    "I... I didn¡¯t mean it... Director Zhang, Chief An, I really didn¡¯t mean it... I..." She felt like she was going to die.

    Director Zhang stopped Hu Biao, "Your wife didn¡¯t do it on purpose. A big man should not physically strike his wife, and no matter what, she was not wrong; she has contributed so much to the family, you shouldn¡¯t hit her."

    Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, d that no life was lost.

    An Zhiyuan hurriedly urged everyone, "Alright, alright, everyone go back and eat. Don¡¯t crowd in here, let sister-inw rest properly."

    Everyone withdrew.

 Chapter 589: Parting on Bad Terms

    <h4>Chapter 589: Chapter 589: Parting on Bad Terms</h4><h4></h4>

    Director Zhang grabbed An Zhiyuan, "Chief An, my daughter and I will not be joining you for dinner. We¡¯re worried about leaving my wife alone. You all go ahead and eat. Look, this nice housewarming party we¡¯ve turned into a mess. In a couple of days, I¡¯ll personally cook and invite you and your spouse over as a way to make amends."

    An Zhiyuan, of course, understood that Director Zhang was in no mood for eating right now.

    "Don¡¯t worry, just take some time to soothe your sister-inw and help her open up."

    Director Zhang nodded and saw An Zhiyuan out.

    An Zhiyuan saw Hu Biao and Sister Wei holding Huzi, standing at the door and not going in.

    "Hu Biao, hurry up and bring your wife and child in for dinner. What are you doing standing out here? Being punished to stand?"

    Hu Biao shook his head, "Chief An, I can¡¯t eat. We won¡¯t eat; frankly, it¡¯s because of Sister Zhang¡¯s near-mishap, we are too ashamed to join the meal." He, a grown man, found it really hard to say.

    His own wife has no sense of the bigger picture, and already petty on regr days, this little issue caused such a huge mess, it was unbearable to watch, and Hu Biao felt terrible inside.

    Today everything turned out alright, but had there been an ident, he wouldn¡¯t even know how to atone for it.

    An Zhiyuan pped Hu Biao¡¯s head from behind, "Look at yourself, what do you look like? A grown man, and yet less reasonable than a woman. It¡¯s only a small matter; once it¡¯s over, it should be over. Still dwelling on it, are you a woman or what? You¡¯re so petty it¡¯s smaller than the eye of a needle."

    Huzi reached out his hand, "I want pig¡¯s feet, I want dumplings." The child had no clue what had happened; he was just acting on instinct.

    An Zhiyuan scooped up Huzi, "Let¡¯s go eat dumplings and pig¡¯s feet. If your parents don¡¯t want to eat, let them starve. Our Huzi needs to eat his fill." He then went straight into the house.

    Sitting on An Zhiyuan¡¯s shoulder, Huziughed and called out, "Dad, Mom,e on! I don¡¯t want you to be hungry. Let¡¯s eat dumplings together! And pig¡¯s feet, okay?"

    Hu Biao and Sister Wei were frozen in ce, Bai Xiao tugged at both of them, "Come on in, how can you not be as sensible as a child?"

    The front door closed.

    Everyone sat together and continued to eat, but the mood was obviously not as pleasant as before. Everyone ate quietly, inevitably thinking about the earlier incident, and even the delicious food started to taste different.

    Sister Wei cradled Huzi, who held a dumpling in his hand, enjoying every bite.

    She looked ashamed, and even the thickest-faced person could no longer be brazen at this point.

    "I¡¯m sorry, Doctor Bai, I went too far today. I truly apologize for ruining your housewarming with Chief An. I am just wretched."

    Bai Xiao was surprised to hear these wordsing from someone like Sister Wei; her realization was enough to leave anyone speechless.

    What took you so long?

    The issue itself was minor, and had it been blown out of proportion, it would¡¯ve been ridiculous¡ªa bloodbath over a meal of dumplings.

    Of course, Bai Xiao didn¡¯t believe Li Jiao attempted suicide over something Sister Wei said¡ªa person¡¯s desire to die cannot arise so spontaneously. But who dares say it wasn¡¯t triggered by Sister Wei?

    Sometimes a single word can be thest straw that breaks the camel¡¯s back.

    "Everyone, just eat. Let¡¯s not talk anymore. You have to finish all the food I¡¯ve prepared otherwise it wouldn¡¯t do justice to my hard work and everyone¡¯s help today," Bai Xiao urged everyone to eat.

    The meal ended on an unhappy note.

 Chapter 590: Survive

    <h4>Chapter 590: Chapter 590: Survive</h4><h4></h4>

    "Child¡¯s mother, why do you put yourself through this!" Director Zhang sat beside his wife, wringing out a damp towel to gently wipe her pale, haggard face. The strength in his hands was very gentle, and his heart ached tremendously for his wife.

    Days like these were indeed torture.

    Li Jiao¡¯s tears slid down the corners of her eyes, turning into choked sobs, then erupted into loud crying.

    Sobbing uncontrobly, it was a cry that pierced the heart, a cry ofplete exhaustion.

    Director Zhang reached out to firmly grasp his wife¡¯s hand, sat on the edge of the bed, and gently lifted her up so her upper body rested against him. He embraced her tightly, offering her warmth and support.

    Patting her back gently and tenderly, his voice was soft and deep as heforted her, "There, there, crying it out is good. Child¡¯s mother, I know you¡¯re suffering inside, but think about the child, think about me. If we were to lose you, what would we two do? Could you bear to leave us behind?"

    "Think about Xiaohan, she¡¯s only twelve years old. She has always been sensible from a young age, and her academic performance is good, don¡¯t you want to see her grow up, attend university, get married, and have children?"

    "Look at me. We have been together for half a lifetime, do you really want to leave me to walk the rest of it alone? No one to talk to, nobody to apany me, to end up so lonesome by myself?"

    His voice carried an unspeakable roughness and choke, as a grown man actually wept.

    Li Jiao sobbed in Director Zhang¡¯s arms, clutching his hand tightly, "Child¡¯s father, all I want is for you to lead a normal life. I can¡¯t drag you down any longer, life has been too hard for Xiaohan and you, all because of me, all because of me. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t be living like this."

    "Look at the white hairs on your head. You are just forty! Look at these white hairs..." Her fingers gently stroked the temples of her man, where the frosted strands were a cause for immense distress.

    "But without you, have you thought about how miserable we would be? With you, our home isplete. Without you, what are the child and I supposed to do?" Director Zhang hadn¡¯t realized his wife felt this way and was slightly angered by it.

    Li Jiao copsed in Director Zhang¡¯s arms. Who wouldn¡¯t want to live? Isn¡¯t it said that a bad life is still better than a good death?

    She didn¡¯t want to die!

    But living like this, suffering herself and causing others to suffer too, she couldn¡¯t bear that a family of two should endure so much hardship because of her.

    "Without me, you could find someone else, surely it would be better than now. At least you¡¯d have someone who knows how to care for you, someone to look after your wellbeing, someone to take care of the child. It¡¯s better than the child having to rush back from school every day. I have really be a burden, a burden indeed.

    "What kind of life are the two of you living because of me? Look at our home, what¡¯s left? All the money has been spent on medical treatment. Living like this, I suffer and you also suffer."

    Director Zhang grabbed his wife¡¯s shoulders and pushed her away at arm¡¯s length, saying earnestly, "Stop thinking this way. Neither Xiaohan nor I think of you as a burden. With you, this home isplete. Without you, what¡¯s the point of us living? So for me and the child, you need to live well, stay with our family, okay? Promise me!"

    Li Jiao nodded with tears, but no one knew whether she truly epted this advice.

 Chapter 591: Going to Work (Extra Chapter for Monthly Pass)

    <h4>Chapter 591: Chapter 591: Going to Work (Extra Chapter for Monthly Pass)</h4><h4></h4>

    The next day, Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan both had to report back to work.

    This marked the official end of their leaves of absence.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s hospital was a five-stop bus ride away, while An Zhiyuan¡¯s was much closer; just a short distance from thepound. On the first day of work, An Zhiyuan had wanted to drive her, but Bai Xiao did not agree. She was able-bodied and was far from delicate. Why couldn¡¯t she go on her own?

    Moreover, the climate here was quite pleasant, and barring any idents, she nned to buy a bicycle for convenience and to save money. Riding to work would then take roughly fifteen minutes.

    Upon arriving at the hospital, the first stop was the HR department to officially end her leave and report for duty.

    The HR director immediately approved Bai Xiao¡¯s return to work upon seeing her paperwork.

    Bai Xiao had quite a reputation in this ce.

    Who didn¡¯t know about Doctor Bai and her front-line wedding ceremony?

    "Doctor Bai, the Dean had already said that you should look for him as soon as you return. You will still be assigned to the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Comrade Bai Xiao, the acupuncturist, we wee you to our hospital." He shook Bai Xiao¡¯s hand warmly.

    Bai Xiao nodded her head in thanks, appreciative of the warm reception, "Thank you, I look forward to your guidance in the future."

    "The Dean¡¯s office is on the third floor. You¡¯ll see it as soon as you go up. Dean Yu has been looking forward to your arrival for quite some time," the HR Director gave her directions.

    Bai Xiao expressed her gratitude and headed upstairs.

    It seemed that even though she hadn¡¯t met the Dean yet, he was an enthusiastic person who was probably pleased with her.

    The Dean¡¯s office on the third floor.

    "Doctor Bai, please take a seat," Dean Yu Shaohua gestured to the chair, surprised as he observed the young woman before him.

    "Dean, attending physician Bai Xiao is reporting for work," Bai Xiao knew she held a public position, now a civil servant.

    "Good, please sit down, don¡¯t be formal. I¡¯ve heard a lot about the famous Doctor Bai, and I truly didn¡¯t expect Bai Xiao to be so young. Are you twenty years old?" Yu Shaohua asked with a smile looking at Bai Xiao.

    "Yes, I just turned twenty this year."

    "Wonderful, the sky¡¯s the limit for you. Doctor Bai, I hope that you can benefit many more of our patients. I hear you specialize in acupuncture, an authority in the field! Many are astonished by your technique of using acupuncture in ce of anesthetic drugs, truly a living testament. I hope you can further the advancement of our traditional medical skills and save more patients. Continue to learn and improve your professional skills and be a contributor to our nation," Yu Shaohua was very satisfied with the young woman before him, who appeared humble and polite, neither servile nor overbearing, and didn¡¯t freeze up when facing her superior for the first time.

    Herposed and steady demeanor was endearing. Such a junior deserved more support and mentorship.

    "Yes, Dean, I will strictly hold myself to high standards, solve problems for more of our patients, and contribute to our medical profession," Bai Xiao was simrly satisfied with the Dean she was meeting.

    At least until now, he had been very kind to her. She hoped she could get along well with her superiors, not necessarily like Director Zhang, but she at least wanted to be true to herself.

    "Good, go back to your duties. If you have any requirements, whether in life or work, feel free to mention them," Yu Shaohua told Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao hesitated for a moment. This ce wasn¡¯t under Li Dongliang¡¯s control, nor was it Dean Zhang¡¯s territory. Being presumptuous would do her no favors. Besides, her "special ability" had improved greatly by now; she hadplete control over it. As long as she didn¡¯t act recklessly, she shouldn¡¯t face the risk of freezing to death again; everything else should be manageable.

    "Alright! Thank you, Dean."

 Chapter 592: Going to Work (Part 2) (Extra Chapter for Monthly Pass)

    <h4>Chapter 592: Chapter 592: Going to Work (Part 2) (Extra Chapter for Monthly Pass)</h4><h4></h4>

    Upon arrival at the department, the director of the Traditional Chinese Medicine department, Jin Junshan, was very enthusiastic and took Bai Xiao to the office.

    The Traditional Chinese Medicine department was still not a main department, and no Military District Hospital would consider Traditional Chinese Medicine as the main treatment modality.

    The conditions here were even more rudimentary, probably because it was located in a remote area.

    "Everyone, please pause for a moment. This is our new Acupuncture specialist in the Traditional Chinese Medicine department, Doctor Bai Xiao. Her acupuncture treatment is quite renowned, which I believe you might have already heard about. From now on, Doctor Bai Xiao will work in our Acupuncture department, and she is also a chief physician. Please get acquainted with her. From this point forward, she is our colleague, and we should cooperate with each other and take good care of our newrade," Jin Junshan introduced her to everyone.

    "These two are our Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners, Li Xiangqian and Wang Zhi¡¯an, who are the backbone of our department. We don¡¯t have many people; their skills in acupuncture are weaker. In our hospital, acupuncture is not used as a treatment modality, so they have less experience in this area. However, now that Doctor Bai has joined us, and she is proficient in acupuncture therapy but less experienced in Traditional Chinese Medicine pulse diagnosis, we willplement each other¡¯s strengths and weaknesses from now on and cooperate together to enhance the reputation of our hospital¡¯s Traditional Chinese Medicine department. Let¡¯s wee Comrade Bai Xiao."

    Everyone immediately apuded.

    Bai Xiao bowed to everyone, "Hello everyone, thank you! I¡¯m Bai Xiao, and I¡¯ll be in your care from now on. If there are any shorings in my work, please point them out. I will do my best to learn from all of you."

    Li Xiangqian looked at Bai Xiao and smiled, "Doctor Bai, don¡¯t be modest. We all know about your feats at the front lines, where your acupuncture as a substitute for anesthesia almost became legendary. Now that you¡¯re here, let¡¯s all learn from one another. Doctor Wang and I are, to put it bluntly,pletely clueless when ites to acupuncture. We hope that we can work well together in the future."

    He warmly shook hands with Bai Xiao.

    Doctor Wang Zhi¡¯an also hurried over to greet Bai Xiao.

    "Hello! Doctor Bai, wee to our hospital. You see, our department is full of guys, and now we finally have a youngdy on board. With you joining us, our work will surely be more vigorous. There¡¯s a saying, isn¡¯t there, that men and women working together will be less tired." Doctor Wang, in his forties, looked very amiable and was an outgoing person.

    Jin Junshan nodded, "Alright, now that everyone is acquainted, let¡¯s get to work. Bai Xiao, we have limited resources here, so you¡¯ll share a consultation room with Doctor Li. Doctor Wang, you¡¯ll share with me. Oh, and the acupuncture bed is also in your consultation room since there¡¯s a suite inside specifically made into a space for acupuncture for Doctor Bai. Let¡¯s start working."

    He pped his hands, and everyone immediately got to their respective ces.

    Li Xiangqian said to Bai Xiao, "Doctor Bai, I¡¯ll have a nurse take you to get your work clothes in a bit."

    Bai Xiao nodded her head.

    She soon received two white coats, and her changing room was also in the acupuncture room.

    The first day of work went by quickly.

    Because the acupuncture technique had never been introduced in their hospital before, most patients were unaware of it, so Bai Xiao mostly had nothing to do, which reminded her of her time at The Ninth Hospital in the provincial city. It seemed that an overnight sess was needed here as well; otherwise, good wine needs no bush.

    Lunch was also at the hospital cafeteria, where everyone had meal tickets, and Bai Xiao no longer had any special privileges.

    However, the food at the hospital was decent, with two dishes, one soup, and an unlimited amount of staples.

    Looking at the busy Li Xiangqian and Wang Zhi¡¯an, Bai Xiao felt her own idleness, but there was nothing she could do; her expertise was in acupuncture, and she knew nothing else.

 Chapter 593: Coming Again?

    <h4>Chapter 593: Chapter 593: Coming Again?</h4><h4></h4>

    After work, An Zhiyuan hadn¡¯t returned home yet. Bai Xiao got off work at 5:30 PM, but An Zhiyuan¡¯s job probably kept him busy until six or seven, so she washed the vegetables and made some simple dishes, including a few pancakes with green onions.

    She got off workte today and didn¡¯t have time to steam buns; their department of Traditional Chinese Medicine was understaffed, and the time spent on duty far exceeded the rest time.

    Altogether, including the Director and their attending physicians, there were only four people, so basically, one person would have a day off rotationally. Of course, Saturdays and Sundays were the legal rest days, so, in this way, there were three days off a week, which could be considered a very rxed workload.

    She¡¯d steam the buns when it was her turn to rest.

    After finishing cooking, she was watering the flowers on the balcony with a kettle.

    Then she heard a knock on the door and opened it.

    It was Zhang Han. The young girl was holding a lunchbox.

    At a nce, it was clear she hade to return the lunchbox.

    "Thank you, Doctor Bai."

    Zhang Han handed the lunchbox to Bai Xiao.

    "Don¡¯t mention it. Is your mother¡¯s mood better now?" Bai Xiao asked with concern. This young girl seemed to be the most pitiful one.

    "My mom is much better now..."

    The girl lowered her eyes, her words insincere.

    There was a loud ng.

    Zhang Han¡¯s face changed instantly, and she rushed back into their home.

    Bai Xiao hurriedly followed.

    Inside, Li Jiao had already fallen off the bed, the whole person copsed on the floor. Her head must have hit the cab, as there was a severe and bloody wound on her forehead.

    Zhang Han ran over, trying to lift Li Jiao from the ground, but it was impossible for the 12-year-old girl to lift herpletely uncontrolled mother.

    "Mom, what¡¯s wrong with you?"

    "Don¡¯t mind me, let me die, just let me die! I¡¯m just a burden to you and your dad!" Li Jiao cried out hoarsely, forcefully pushing away her daughter who was attempting to embrace her.

    Zhang Han was identally pushed by Li Jiao and bumped into the foot of the bed behind her, her knee hurting so much that she eximed in pain.

    Bai Xiao quickly steadied Zhang Han. Rolling up her trouser leg, she saw that the ankle was already bruised. Zhang Han pulled down her pants and said, "Mom, it¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay, you are not our burden, you are my mom, dad and I don¡¯t feel burdened by you at all. We both love you."

    She said urgently, trying to console her own mother.

    Bai Xiao sighed and, together with Zhang Han, helped Li Jiao back onto the bed. Because of the appearance of this stranger, Li Jiao¡¯s emotions seemed to be more restrained as she probably felt ufortable causing such a scene in front of someone she didn¡¯t know; she still cared about face.

    "Thank you, Doctor Bai." Zhang Han was very grateful to Bai Xiao.

    "Why do you do this to yourself? Just look at the injuries on this child. If you really care about her, you shouldn¡¯t be hurting her." Bai Xiao looked at Li Jiao with a mixture of pity and anger. Li Jiao might be pitiable, but what about Zhang Han?

    Li Jiao stubbornly turned her head away.

    "This is our family¡¯s business. It¡¯s none of your concern."

    Oh, she still had quite the temper then.

    "I may not have the right to intervene, and if you want to die, nobody can stop you. If a person truly wants to die, even if someone is watching them 24 hours a day, they will always find the opportunity. Of course, you¡¯ll be relieved if you die, but Director Zhang is still rtively young. I guess he¡¯s barely over 40, and it¡¯s unlikely he¡¯d stay single forever. If he brings back a stepmother, the one who will suffer is this little girl.

    A child without a mother is like a de of grass, and if she encounters a malicious stepmother, tsk, tsk, whether Zhang Han can even grow up is questionable. And even if she does grow up, if the stepmother is not dedicated, her future marriage prospects, hmph, if she meets someone who only cares about money and nothing else, this child¡¯s entire life would be ruined."

 Chapter 594 Stepmother

    <h4>Chapter 594: Chapter 594 Stepmother</h4><h4></h4>

    Li Jiao seemed to freeze when she heard those words, motionless.

    Zhang Han knew that the doctor was thinking about her mom, but at this moment, she didn¡¯t want to stir up her own mother. These past few days, her mom¡¯s mood had been off ever since that night of the suicide attempt. Li Jiao had changed, bing unreasonable, threatening to take her life; today alone she¡¯d done it several times. If Zhang Han hadn¡¯t run back to check on her during every break, who knows what her mother might have done.

    The child was so frightened that she hadn¡¯t paid attention in ss all day, fearing she would return home toote to prevent an incident with her own mother.

    "Doctor Bai..." that pleading look made Bai Xiao shake her head.

    "It won¡¯t happen, it won¡¯t happen, they will meet kind people," Li Jiao muttered to herself.

    "Kind people? There are kind people in this world, but even if you meet them. Imagine bringing home a stepmother, and it¡¯s fine if she doesn¡¯t have her own children, but once she does, think about it, even the kindest person. Will they be nicer to their own children or to someone else¡¯s?" Bai Xiao didn¡¯t think the indulgent care she was showing was fundamental; a person sick for a long time can be psychologically abnormal.

    It was necessary to give strong medicine to really cure it.

    This woman thought she was doing others a favor without considering whether they even wanted her favor.

    Zhang Han looked at Bai Xiao, questioning, is it good to scare my mom like this?

    Isn¡¯t it said that doctors arepassionate?

    Why does Doctor Bai seem so heartless?

    Bai Xiao winked at her, get on with it, girl!

    Zhang Han blinked back, what does that mean?

    Does Doctor Bai have an eye problem?

    Bai Xiao coughed once.

    Finally, Zhang Han¡¯s numb mind started working, Doctor Bai... Doctor Bai... Oh, I see!

    She turned her face, which was covered in tears, a picture of misery, the very image of an innocent Xiaobai.

    "Mom, can you really bear to let me live under the hand of a stepmother? I¡¯ve heard that stepmothers hit people, beat them with belts, stick them with needles, and don¡¯t give them food to eat. And those are just the mild things. What if when I grow up, I¡¯m married off to an old letch or a cripple, a mute, something like that, wouldn¡¯t your daughter¡¯s life be ruined? Mom, if you have to go, take me with you. Let¡¯s keep each otherpany, so I don¡¯t have to stay here and be bullied by a stepmother. Mom, I can¡¯t leave you."

    Bai Xiao¡¯s lips twitched.

    This girl could really act!

    Not just an actor, but an award-winning leading actress!

    Li Jiao, clearly startled by her daughter¡¯s crying and words, was already in a panic imagining various cruel stepmothers abusing children, like seeing a hero under brutal torture, uneasily said, "That can¡¯t be right, your father would protect you."

    Zhang Han choked, and there was still here waiting.

    "Ever heard that a new stepmother means a new stepfather?" Bai Xiao coldly interjected.

    Zhang Han immediately burst into tears, clinging to Li Jiao¡¯s leg, "Yes, if Dad marries a stepmother, she¡¯d be whispering bad things about me in his ear every day. By then, how could Dad remember his own daughter? Mom, you can¡¯t ignore me."

    For the sake of her mother, she really went all out, not caring about her own face.

    Zhang Han herself found it hrious, this wailing and pleading act was all learned from watching TV and movies; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to do it.

    Li Jiao thought about it and realized that if she was truly gone, and her husband married another woman, it was really hard to say what might happen in the future!

    "Alright, Mom won¡¯t die, rest assured. I will definitely protect you, only at ease when I see you safely married and having children, otherwise who knows how much you might suffer," suddenly filled with vitality, it was the determination to protect her daughter that bolstered Li Jiao¡¯s spirit.

 Chapter 595 Awakening

    <h4>Chapter 595: Chapter 595 Awakening</h4><h4></h4>

    Li Jiao immediately perked up and realized what she had done wrong.

    Full of remorse, she apologized to Bai Xiao.

    "Doctor Bai, I¡¯m truly sorry about earlier. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s been wrong with me these past two days. I was like possessed, just wanting to die, feeling like I was a burden to them, father and daughter. If it hadn¡¯t been for your words just now, like a smack to wake me up, who knows what mess I would have made of this household.

    Poor old Zhang and the child have already been worn out because of my illness, and now they have to indulge and pamper me because of my actions. I was ungrateful." After all, Li Jiao was an adult with a certain level of education and could obviously understand the role Bai Xiao had yed once she snapped out of it.

    "It¡¯s good that you understand. Actually, life is hard for everyone. You have it tough because you¡¯re sick and have to endure, but it¡¯s also hard for the father and daughter. It¡¯s precisely because each person is considerate and makes allowances for the others that led to your outburst today.

    Let¡¯s not talk about anything else; as long as you take care of yourself, Director Zhang and the child will also have some peace of mind. I see that your illness should have a solution. If you trust me, find some time, and I¡¯lle back to give you a few acupuncture sessions. Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture are profound. Our family has passed down this knowledge for generations. I¡¯ve cured someone who was bedridden for over a decade. Unless something unexpected happens, you should be able to recover too.

    It¡¯s just quite painful, and you have to persevere." Bai Xiao looked at Li Jiao, thinking of helping Zhang Han.

    This child really was too sensible, having to run back and forth several times a day from school to check on her own mother. It¡¯s lucky that the school was close, just a short run away, or else the child would have suffered even more. They say a long illness wears out filial piety, but this child has taken care of her mother for so long already.

    I¡¯m a doctor! When I see patients like this, I should reach out and help. It might be a simple effort for me, but for a family, it could mean a world of change.

    Whether from the perspective of a doctor¡¯s benevolent heart, or simply from that of genuine kindness, I ought to do this.

    As long as Li Jiao isn¡¯t a thoroughly wicked person, I will save her.

    Li Jiao was stunned, "There¡¯s really hope for my illness?" It was not disbelief in Bai Xiao, but because of the illness, she had already been bedridden for ten years. She couldn¡¯t count how many doctors she had seen, how much medicine she had taken, all the money flowing out like water to treat her.

    Zhang Han¡¯s little head turned to Bai Xiao, "Doctor Bai! Is it really true what you said, that there¡¯s hope for my mom¡¯s illness?"

    The expressions of mother and daughter were identical, clearly showing their blood bond.

    "I¡¯ve treated someone who was bedridden just like your mom for over a decade, who is now able to stand, walk, run, and jump, doing everything and even driving around doing business," Bai Xiao advertised herself.

    Zhang Han immediately became excited. Whether Bai Xiao¡¯s words were true or not, she wanted to give her own mother a chance to try.

    As long as there¡¯s a glimmer of hope, who wouldn¡¯t want their own mother lively and spirited?

    Li Jiao clenched her teeth, "Doctor Bai! I know everyone has said you¡¯re very skilled, that your acupuncture can rece anesthesia. Just go ahead and perform the acupuncture on me. Whatever happens, it¡¯s like a dying horse being treated as if it were alive. How could it possibly be worse than it is now?"

    Bai Xiao smiled, "Then first you need to build up your strength. The acupuncture also requires your body to be strong enough to withstand it; otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t dare perform it on you."

    Li Jiao nodded vigorously, and Zhang Han clutched her hand tightly, "Mom, from today onwards, you have to eat well and get strong so Doctor Bai can perform the acupuncture on you."

    Mother and daughter nodded.

 Chapter 596 Meeting Reminder

    <h4>Chapter 596: Chapter 596 Meeting Reminder</h4><h4></h4>

    Jin Junshan and Wang Zhiwen were organizing their belongings in the consultation room. It was nearly time to clock out, and the patients had long since vanished. Their Traditional Chinese Medicine department was like a haven for the idle rich, although it couldn¡¯t really be described as rich, but idle was definitely the fitting term.

    It was extremely idle indeed¡ªpatients hardly ever requested to see a Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor. Those who did were mostly elderly folks from the viges who believed in it and tended to resist Western medicine.

    This was why their Traditional Chinese Medicine department had a ce in the Military District Hospital.

    "Director, Doctor Bai, why does it seem that you never see patients?"

    Bai Xiao was probably the most idle person in the Traditional Chinese Medicine department. All the patients were directed to the three of them, making Bai Xiao appear to be living off the others.

    Jin Junshan smiled bitterly, "At first, I also heard rumors that this Doctor Bai was very skilled, that his acupuncture could even rece anesthetics. Back then, the Dean said he had managed to persuade him to join our hospital, and I thought we had recruited an elite who could really elevate our department. Who would have known... heh..."

    "Doctor Bai as well, a doctor can¡¯t just know one shy move. Being a doctor in the Traditional Chinese Medicine department and not knowing how to take a patient¡¯s pulse, nor how to diagnose or prescribe medicine, and only knowing acupuncture, that¡¯s like bing a mere disy piece," said Wang Zhiwen, who was over forty and bold enough to speak out.

    In the hospital, Wang Zhiwen could be considered a backbone figure.

    "Exactly, I didn¡¯t expect that day at the doorstep to see a patient visiting Doctor Bai for treatment, only to watch him go straight to inserting needles without taking the pulse or prescribing any medicine. Naturally, the patient was frightened off," Jin Junshan added with a wry smile. Now, their department had gained a hot potato someone widely known as a heroic contributor. He was untouchable and unscoldable, a recognized inheritor of national Traditional Chinese Medicine skills. If he were to criticize him, who knows how he might strike back.

    "But we can¡¯t keep going on like this in the long term. We¡¯re four people¡¯s worth of staff, with three doing the work."

    That was the root of the problem¡ªwho would want to help others work while someone else gets paid for doing nothing?

    Even more pressing was not the issue of pay, but the neglect of performing one¡¯s duties while holding the position of a doctor.

    Every day, the three of them were busy as dogs while that youngdy leisurely sipped her tea. This really was too much.

    Jin Junshan shook his head, "How about this, let¡¯s have a meeting after we clock out, and we¡¯ll n the work and divide it up, each to their own responsibilities." This team consisted of just four people; if they were to stir up internal strife now, how could they work together harmoniously then?

    The workday was over.

    The department truly had a meeting, and Jin Junshan opened the discussion¡ªas the Director, it was pointless to have a meeting if he didn¡¯t speak.

    "Our Traditional Chinese Medicine department is understaffed and overworked. Intrinsically, we practice Traditional Chinese Medicine, and we must continuously study to absorb the strengths of diverse schools. As doctors, we must diligently enhance our professional knowledge and skills to be worthy of the title of ¡¯doctor.¡¯

    I suggest that starting today, everyone should review their past professional knowledge. We are colleagues as well as friends, and as the saying goes, ¡¯Among any three people walking, I will find something to learn surely.¡¯ I hope we can all consult with one another about things we don¡¯t understand, without being afraid of feeling embarrassed. I¡¯m willing to lose face and ask you all if I don¡¯t understand something.

    It¡¯s only through mutual exchange andmunication that we can perform better at our work, and what we strive for is to see a few more patients and alleviate their worries and troubles."

    This remark was a rather subtle hint for Bai Xiao.

    Li Xiangqian and Wang Zhiwen nced at Bai Xiao, hoping that Doctor Bai would understand the message.

 Chapter 597 Acute Appendicitis

    <h4>Chapter 597: Chapter 597 Acute Appendicitis</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao reflected on herself, realizing that her medical skills were quite superfluous; although powerful, under her deliberate disguise, they really didn¡¯t stand out. No one thought they were remarkable, especially in the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine. You don¡¯t even take the pulse or prescribe herbal recipes, how could any patient trust you?

    Knowing this herself was useless, too.

    But she had tasted the bitter fruit of fame and sess in her previous life, and in this one, she would rather be regarded as a mediocrity.

    That fierce way of showing off wasn¡¯t her thing.

    But now being criticized indirectly made things difficult! The Director was asking her to educate herself, and to be honest, it wasn¡¯t that she couldn¡¯t take a pulse¡ªshe could at least go through the motions if need be. In her previous life, she hadn¡¯t learned the real thing but had picked up how to fake it.

    But even after taking a pulse, she still wouldn¡¯t know how to prescribe the right herbs. She couldn¡¯t just recklessly prescribe a bunch of medicines to a patient.

    Otherwise, who would be responsible if the patient developedplications from the medication?

    She was here to treat and heal, not to harm.

    It was really hard to find the right bnce, to be regarded as useless while not drawing attention, hiding her special ability was definitely not something ordinary people could manage.

    If anyone thought it was easy, they should try it themselves.

    Life is not easy, cherish every step you take.

    Bai Xiao looked at her hands, weren¡¯t you meant to hold a healing pot, treat the sick, and help the injured and dying?

    This was the price you wanted to pay.

    The next day, Bai Xiao also felt that she had been too much. As soon as she spoke up, patients would definitely prefer to see a different doctor. But whether she spoke or not made no difference; if she didn¡¯t take the pulse or prescribe any herbs, which patient would dare to let her treat them this way?

    What other special ability could be more frustrating than hers?

    The golden finger had be useless.

    Oh dear!

    Jin Junshan had not eaten breakfast that morning because he was too busy. His child had a feverst night and his wife didn¡¯t sleep all night caring for the child. She was so busy taking care of the children, two of whom needed to go to school, that she simply didn¡¯t have time to cook for him; he was told to handle meals in the cafeteria. But as soon as he arrived, he got busy with a meeting because today a delegation of foreign medical specialists was visiting their hospital for a study visit.

    Touching his faintly aching abdomen, Jin Junshan gave a bitter smile. He had chronic gastritis, but the pain today seemed unusually sinister. Finally, the meeting ended and Jin Junshan breathed a sigh of relief. Back in his office, he fetched his tea mug, poured a cup of hot water, and took out biscuits from his desk drawer, his personal stockpile for times when he was too busy to eat properly.

    No sooner had he taken a bite of a biscuit than he suddenly clutched his stomach, his face color changing.

    Cold sweat, asrge as soybeans, streamed down from his forehead and cheeks.

    Something was wrong!

    No need to say much, being a doctor himself, Jin Junshan clearly understood that this felt like appendicitis, acute appendicitis.

    Clutching his belly, he staggered outside for help; acute appendicitis could be excruciating and could even be fatal if it led to perforation.

    And today, of all days, Wang Zhiwen was off, and there was no one in his office.

    Jin Junshan stumbled to the nurses¡¯ station.

    The nurses had just finished a busy morning and were taking a moment to catch their breath.

    They saw the Director approaching.

    "Director Jin, what¡¯s the matter?"

    At this time, Director Jin shouldn¡¯t normally have anything pressing, right?

    The young nurse was curious.

    But then she saw the color on Jin Junshan¡¯s face and got scared.

    "Director, Director, what¡¯s wrong with you?"

    "Quick... take me... to... Surgery..." Jin Junshan was in so much pain he copsed on the floor.

    The nurses scrambled to lift Jin Junshan onto the emergency bed and wheeled him toward Surgery.

    At this time, Bai Xiao was leisurely taking the pulse of a patient.

 Chapter 598: Despised

    <h4>Chapter 598: Chapter 598: Despised</h4><h4></h4>

    "Auntie, your condition is just a case of high blood sugar leading to a generalck of strength, limb fatigue, thirst, and hunger. How about I give you an acupuncture treatment?" Bai Xiao was trying to use his own methods to earn the patient¡¯s trust.

    This hospital was not like the one run by Dean Zhang, where he could expect preferential treatment. His reputation here had to be earned by himself. Of course, there are also many military personnel, but those whoe here for sprains and injuries are not ustomed to seeing a doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

    In the Surgery department, there¡¯s a doctor who specialises in treating such injuries and is said to work wonders. Thetest medicine he developed is said to have relieved many patients¡¯ pain. Because of his high patient approval rating, our TCM department¡¯s only slight advantage has vanished.

    Those whoe to seek treatment now are mostly farmers from remote mountainous areas or people from ethnic minorities who believe that herbal medicine can cure all diseases.

    "No need, doctor. Just prescribe me some medicine; that¡¯ll be fine."

    The olddy was somewhat dissatisfied. Why bother with acupuncture when she was feeling just fine?

    She knew she wasn¡¯t feeling well, but didn¡¯t the doctor prescribe her some medicinest time?

    After taking it, she felt quite good.

    Why would he suggest acupuncture right from the start this time?

    Acupuncture and the like are for those who are truly desperate, aren¡¯t they?

    "Madam, acupuncture could greatly alleviate the issues. Really, please give it a try?" Bai Xiao urged earnestly.

    Thumping the table forcefully, the olddy eximed, "Doctor, do you even know how to treat patients? I don¡¯t want acupuncture; I just want medicine."

    Bai Xiao fell silent, "I¡¯m sorry! Please go see the doctor over there. This is your number!" Bai Xiao was ashamed of himself.

    His words sounded awkward.

    The olddy was furious, "Are you, young doctor, ying games with me? If you can¡¯t treat patients, you should have said so earlier! What a waste of time. I knew you couldn¡¯t be reliable at such a young age. Look at this, you haven¡¯t even learned how to prescribe medicine. How can they let someone like you treat people? Isn¡¯t this deceiving folks?" The olddy was hot-tempered and began to grumble and fuss.

    The surrounding patients watched in silence; many nced at Bai Xiao and quietly removed their medical records and numbers from in front of Bai Xiao, cing them instead on the desk in front of Li Xiangqian.

    Bai Xiao remainedposed; what else could he do if the patients wanted prescriptions, a skill he didn¡¯t possess?

    Li Xiangqian hurried over and helped the olddy to his desk, "Madam, let me take a look at you. Doctor Bai does prescribe medicine, it¡¯s just that he¡¯s more skilled in acupuncture treatment, which is different from my approach."

    Li Xiangqian was still protecting his own, trying hard to exin.

    "Just because you¡¯re skilled in acupuncture doesn¡¯t mean you should give everyone a needle, right? I¡¯m already of such an old age, and now I have to endure a needle? Acupuncture is not for fun, you know. I¡¯ve heard of a strong man in the next vige over who had a sprained back. The TCM doctor insisted on acupuncture, and after one needle, well, that was the end of him. Acupuncture is just nonsense; I won¡¯t be fooled."

    The people around distanced themselves from Bai Xiao even more.

    ......

    Jin Junshan had already been rushed into the operating room. Without needing to say it, the surgeons quickly diagnosed him with acute appendicitis¡ªan unmistakable condition¡ªand he was soon stripped andid on the operating table.

    Sweating profusely, Jin Junshan suddenly remembered something else, causing him to sweat even more.

    The nurse trying to calm him thought Jin Junshan was scared, "Director Jin, rest assured, our hospital has performed many such surgeries, we¡¯re very experienced, nothing will go wrong! Besides, the Head of Surgery is operating on you, our number one surgeon. Even among the whole province¡¯s surgical departments, he¡¯s ranked first."

 Chapter 599 Drug Resistance to Anesthetics

    <h4>Chapter 599: Chapter 599 Drug Resistance to Anesthetics</h4><h4></h4>

    "No... not..." Jin Junshan said with difficulty.

    The nurse disinfected him and was preparing to administer the anesthesia.

    Jin Junshan struggled violently, his muscles protesting all over his body, and the cold sweat on his forehead beading more profusely.

    "Don¡¯t be afraid, it¡¯s just anesthetic, it¡¯s not a problem! The anesthetist is Xiaowu, the best in our hospital! I guarantee that once the anesthesia is administered, you¡¯ll wake up and be back in your ward," the nurse assured, having never seen a patient like Jin Junshan so scared of surgery.

    Anesthetist Xiaowu came over, "Director Jin, rest assured, I¡¯m going to administer the anesthesia now. It¡¯ll be quick, and you won¡¯t feel any pain soon."

    Jin Junshan nodded slightly.

    It hurt!

    Appendicitis wasn¡¯t something just anyone could endure.

    The anesthetic was administered.

    Head of Surgery Zhu Jiang was already fully geared up, with assistants and nurses all in ce.

    "Director Jin, Director Jin, can you hear me?" the anesthetist gently called in Jin Junshan¡¯s ear, making a final check to confirm the anesthetic was taking effect.

    Jin Junshan lifted his eyes to look at Xiaowu, "Hasn¡¯t it... been...? Hurry... up, it¡¯s killing... me..."

    His speech was broken but his awareness was clear.

    Xiaowu¡¯s face changed; something was wrong!

    He checked urgently, and true enough, the anesthetic had already been pushed in.

    Could it be that not enough time had passed? He looked at the clock on the operation room wall. Five minutes had already passed.

    "Director Jin, how do you feel now? Can you feel what I¡¯m doing?"

    Jin Junshan nodded, each motion depleting what little strength he had left.

    "Don¡¯t squeeze my... belly, that spot isn¡¯t where the appendix is."

    This time Xiaowu urgently whispered to Director Zhu Jiang, "Director, this is bad. Director Jin has a resistance to the anesthetic. To be precise, he has a strong resistance; he¡¯s not feeling anything from the dose I gave him."

    Zhu Jiang was stunned¡ªalthough resistant cases to anesthesia weren¡¯t unheard of, they were rare, nearly one in ten thousand. It was almost a miracle.

    "Try increasing by one unit to see if the effect will appear?"

    "Ow... hey! Hurry... up, I¡¯m... in agony," Jin Junshan was getting worse.

    Wasn¡¯t it said that anesthesia would stop the pain?

    What was happening now?

    Five minutester...

    Xiaowu¡¯s face had turned pale.

    Jin Junshan was still moaning on the operating table.

    The entire operating room fell silent.

    "The anesthetic is at its maximum dose! It¡¯s not possible to administer more; it could causeplications!" Xiaowu would not dare to act rashly. This was an anesthetic, not something trivial, and he could not be responsible if something went wrong.

    Besides, in Director Jin¡¯s current state, if another unit of anesthesia was administered, he might never wake up, and that would be a real trouble.

    Director Zhu Jiang was also anxious. Everyone had been waiting for half a day, and the patient¡¯s pain had not been relieved at all. Without anesthesia, who would dare to perform surgery? It¡¯s not like Guan Yu undergoing bone scraping; Director Jin didn¡¯t seem like he could endure it.

    "Quick, notify the Dean."

    This kind of emergency situation was very rare, maybe once in a hundred years, but now they had encountered someone who was nearly immune to the anesthetic and was also a patient with acute appendicitis. This time it was indeed life-threatening.

    What was truly life-threatening was for Jin Junshan, who was lying in the hospital bed. Wasn¡¯t he supposed to have surgery?

    Why had they left him there, with a bunch of doctors gathered around discussing who knows what?

    He was in pain!

    Ow, ow!

    Could their hospital really be this unreliable?

 Chapter 600: Comatose

    <h4>Chapter 600: Chapter 600: Comatose</h4><h4></h4>

    "What? Resistance to anesthesia?" Yu Shaohua was already outside the operating room,municating through ayer of transparent ss with the doctor inside, Zhu Jiang.

    "Dean, the situation is critical. It¡¯s no longer possible to inject Director Jin with anesthesia; it¡¯s too risky! Once done, the patient might never wake up. But without anesthesia, how can we proceed with the surgery? Director Jin¡¯s condition is very bad! His condition could deteriorate any moment, which might endanger his life." The situation was urgent, otherwise there wouldn¡¯t be such panic.

    What should be done?

    Yu Shaohua had just been with foreign experts, and now such a serious issue had arisen in his own hospital.

    This was a situation so rare it might happen only once in a hundred years. He had no choice but to seek help humbly.

    Several foreign experts had already been invited to the observation room outside the operating room. When they heard about this, they were shocked. With a good trantion, the foreign experts recalled simr cases, but not acute appendicitis. It was a gastric perforation patient who had high resistance to anesthesia, making it impossible to anesthetize him. In the end, they had no choice but to inject an overdose of anesthetic¡ªalmost five times the amount for an average person before it took effect.

    But although the surgery was sessful, the patient never woke up again and became a vegetable.

    This issue of anesthesia resistance had also been brought up by many schrs as a research topic, but so far, no one hade up with an effective solution.

    Jin Junshan¡¯s face had turned pale with pain.

    The head nurse urgently called out to Director Zhu Jiang, "Director, Director, Director Jin¡¯s condition is worsening!"

    Zhu Jiang quickly examined him, "Dean, the situation is very bad. The patient already shows symptoms of perforation. If we don¡¯t decide soon, he could be in mortal danger." Everyone was grim.

    Their hospital had maintained a record of no medical incidents for five years. Was that record going to be broken today?

    But following what the foreign experts suggested, was it really necessary to turn a person into a vegetable?

    Either death or a vegetative state.

    What an unimaginable choice.

    Zhu Jiang¡¯s assistant spoke up softly, "Dean! Director, the Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor Bai Xiao has performed surgeries using acupuncture instead of anesthesia. Maybe we can try calling her!"

    Zhu Jiang turned around to look at his assistant. This was a new surgeon, who had joined less than a month ago! Today was also his first time in the operating room. Normally, he didn¡¯t even know the name of this new doctor, something like Liu... Yun!

    Yes, Liu Yun.

    "That¡¯s preposterous! If acupuncture was that powerful, why would we need anesthesia? Have you ever heard of someone performing surgery while doing acupuncture?" Zhu Jiang was furious. He was a respected surgeon with many years of experience. He did not believe in the miraculous effectiveness of such acupuncture techniques, as Western medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine fundamentally contradicted each other, and mutual disdain was a fact.

    It was harder for him to believe that acupuncture could rece anesthesia than to believe that a pig could climb a tree.

    Liu Yun looked up, his eyes filled with unwavering conviction, "Director Zhu! Bai Xiao really did it. Many of us saw it with our own eyes. She performed acupuncture, and as the patient was getting the wound cleaned and stitched on this side, he felt no pain at all. I saw it with my own eyes! There was absolutely no false promotion. With the current situation and Director Jin¡¯s critical condition, shouldn¡¯t we at least try? Would you really want Director Jin to be a vegetable instead?"

 Chapter 601: Are You Confident?

    <h4>Chapter 601: Chapter 601: Are You Confident?</h4><h4></h4>

    Yu Shaohua made up his mind, "Go! Notify Dr. Bai Xiao toe to the surgery immediately, with her acupuncture kit." Of course, at this point, one must grasp at straws; besides, he was quite intrigued by the technique of recing anesthesia with acupuncture. Since Bai Xiao had beenmended for it, it couldn¡¯t be fake information.

    The military is a ce that ces great emphasis on discipline¡ªwhat¡¯s fake can¡¯t be made to seem real.

    The foreign experts, having heard the trantion, were immediately surprised and began to discuss animatedly.

    "What are they saying?" Yu Shaohua, seeing the foreign experts spit flying as they spoke, asked in puzzlement. These people, what do they know about acupuncture.

    The trantor smiled and said, "They are discussing acupuncture. They have studied its profoundness, but they are totally clueless! However, one of them has actually studied acupuncture under a master. In her opinion, it is absolutely impossible for acupuncture to take the ce of anesthetic drugs because when needles are inserted into acupoints, they can only relieve pain temporarily! But a surgery requires at least half an hour to an hour, not to mention any unexpectedplications! They don¡¯t think acupuncture is a feasible solution at all.

    They suggest instead to increase the dosage of the anesthetic drug, thinking that at least the patient would survive, rather than wasting the patient¡¯s time and making a needless sacrifice."

    A foreign expert grabbed Yu Shaohua¡¯s hand, pointed to Jin Junshan, who was still struggling in pain on the surgery bed, and began to speak rapidly and excitedly, as the trantor tried to keep up.

    "This is Dr. Jack, a renowned surgery expert. He thinks you are joking with the patient¡¯s life, which is irresponsible and mainly vites a person¡¯s human rights."

    Before Yu Shaohua could respond, he saw Bai Xiao had already changed into a sterile surgical outfit and entered, and the sterilized acupuncture kit was brought in.

    Jin Junshan was already in so much pain that he was nearly out of breath.

    Director Zhu Jiang looked at the young neer and sighed. The Dean was taking a big risk this time.

    If something happened to Director Jin this time, it would tarnish their international reputation, and the stench would spread overseas. He hoped his younger colleague would not bring shame upon them all! If so, Traditional Chinese Medicine, that national treasure, would be cursed by so many.

    Bai Xiao looked over. She had already been briefed on the situation by the nurse on the way. It was the first time Bai Xiao heard of a constitution resistant to anesthetics, and it had to be Director Jin from their department of Traditional Chinese Medicine. What a coincidence!

    "Dr. Bai, are you confident?" Zhu Jiang couldn¡¯t help himself. Normally, he shouldn¡¯t have asked, but his cultivation was not enough, especially since a life was at stake.

    Especially since Director Jin was also their colleague, it would be strange not to worry.

    Bai Xiao took out a silver needle and inserted it into Jin Junshan¡¯s arm. Immediately, the screams that had been akin to those of a pig being ughtered stopped, and the surgery room finally fell silent. Everyone¡¯s ears were at peace atst.

    Was there still a need for an answer?

    Zhu Jiang was embarrassed for himself. Bai Xiao had answered all their doubts with action.

    Bai Xiao rolled her eyes. Was the Director stupid? Why wasn¡¯t he proceeding?

    "Director Zhu, please hurry. This acupuncture uses up True Qi," Bai Xiao said softly as she twisted the silver needle.

    Jin Junshan turned his head toward the sound and saw Bai Xiao, "You... Dr. Bai... what are you doing here?"

 Chapter 602 Scared to Faint

    <h4>Chapter 602: Chapter 602 Scared to Faint</h4><h4></h4>

    "Director Jin, I¡¯m assisting with the surgery, and you can rest assured, it won¡¯t hurt at all," Bai Xiao reassured the director, who clearly had no idea what he was dealing with.

    Jin Junshan indeed felt no pain now, and could finally breathe a sigh of relief. The pain he had just experienced made him wish for death, a feeling probably familiar to anyone who has suffered from acute appendicitis.

    "You¡¯re assisting... surgery? Don¡¯t tell me the appendectomy you¡¯re assisting with is mine?" Jin Junshan failed to grasp exactly what had happened; he genuinely didn¡¯t know, since he had been too preupied with his pain, too focused on his own suffering to pay attention to anything else being said.

    "Director Jin, I made the incision!" Zhu Jiang couldn¡¯t hold back and added an extrament.

    It was mainly because he felt unsure.

    What if he made the cut and the other person started screaming? What if his hand slipped?

    The nurses and doctors nearby had already instinctively pinned down Jin Junshan¡¯s arms and legs. No one was sure what to expect, even though Jin Junshan seemed to have stopped feeling pain for the moment.

    But that could just be the pain from the appendicitis, maybe he was numb with pain and unaware of any sensations at all.

    Jin Junshan was puzzled, "Director Zhu, what do you mean you made the incision?"

    That phrase sounded so awkward.

    "We are about to start the surgery!" Zhu Jiang almostughed out loud.

    This guy had no idea what was going on.

    Jin Junshan nodded, "Start the surgery! I thought you had already begun. Weird, you didn¡¯t cut, so why don¡¯t I feel pain? Must be the anesthesia kicking in. Oh man, if it weren¡¯t for the anesthetic, I really would have died from the pain."

    This director was quite the chatterbox.

    "Director Jin, we didn¡¯t use any anesthetic," said a young nurse, unable to resist adding her two cents as she held onto his arm.

    "Youngdy, stop joking. How could there be no anesthetic? If there weren¡¯t any, why don¡¯t I feel pain now? Besides, how could Director Zhu make an incision without anesthesia? I would be in excruciating pain," Jin Junshan was feeling much better, at least his mental state had definitely improved.

    A huge improvementpared to how he was earlier.

    "We haven¡¯t used it yet!" The young nurse couldn¡¯t bear to lie.

    Director Zhu coughed.

    The young nurse fell silent.

    Jin Junshan looked around at the people holding down his arms and legs, something seemed off. He could feel a tugging sensation on his stomach, "Really, no anesthetic?" his voice trembled.

    "Old Jin, it¡¯s okay, Doctor Bai has already used acupuncture to alleviate the pain. Your body has a high tolerance to anesthetic drugs, so we couldn¡¯t use them," Zhu Jiang was definitely trying tofort Jin Junshan.

    Jin Junshan saw Bai Xiao right beside him! And that "silver needle" was trembling there.

    He closed his eyes and turned his head to one side.

    The young nurse jumped, "Director Jin has fainted!"

    Zhu Jiang and the others checked the monitors; the heart rate and blood pressure were very normal and stable. It wasn¡¯t that the analgesic effect had worn off, they knew that much¡ªit was probably shock.

    Who wouldn¡¯t be terrified to hear they were having surgery without anesthetic?

    It¡¯s just that Jin Junshan was a bit more faint-hearted.

    "Continue with the surgery."

    Everyone threw themselves into the intense operation, and it seemed Bai Xiao¡¯s acupuncture skills were no joke. Jin Junshan did not feel any pain whatsoever, all the way through until the end of the surgery, without waking up once.

    Finally, the surgery concluded.

    Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

    Finally, it was over.

    Good heavens, what a rollercoaster of a day.

    Most people wouldn¡¯t be familiar with using acupuncture instead of anesthetic drugs; they¡¯d worked at the hospital for so many years and had never seen such a thing.

    Today was truly an eye-opener.

 Chapter 603: The End

    <h4>Chapter 603: Chapter 603: The End</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao retracted her silver needle and ced it in her acupuncture kit, her expression rxed, but confusion lingered in her eyes. No one knew that just moments ago, Bai Xiao¡¯s heart had been like a tumultuous sea. Why?

    She had discovered that her special ability¡¯s side effects seemed to have changed. Normally, these side effects were controble, determined by the patient¡¯s recovery. However, after performing acupuncture to relieve Jin Junshan¡¯s pain today, she felt not a hint of cold¡ªa surety that she was as well as could be.

    Her hands and feet weren¡¯t trembling, and her palms were warm.

    Not just her palms¡ªthere was not the slightest hint of cold at the bottom of her heart.

    Good heavens!

    What in the world was this?

    Lately, she hadn¡¯t saved anyone for certain!

    She had been on vacation this month.

    There had been no time to save anyone.

    So, what recent event could have brought about such a change?

    The only thingtely was her marriage to Zhiyuan. They had shifted from being fianc¨¦s to the closest ofpanions, a qualitative transformation.

    Could it be...

    An Zhiyuan had always been the biggest uncertain factor affecting her special ability, originally repressing her ability¡¯s side effects. Now, if it was as she suspected, then it meant the key stilly with An Zhiyuan. With the change in their rtionship, the side effects of her ability hadpletely disappeared.

    Of course, whether they had disappearedpletely still remained to be seen.

    "Doctor Bai, you¡¯re amazing!"

    Just as Bai Xiao stepped out of the operating room, Director Zhu Jiang turned around and threw out ament before heading off to cleanse and change his clothes.

    The nurses and doctors filing out of the operating room each greeted Bai Xiao with great respect as they passed by her.

    "Doctor Bai!"

    "Doctor Bai!"

    "Doctor Bai, what a hard worker you are!"

    "Doctor Bai, let me help you with your coat!"

    Bai Xiao hurriedly waved her hands, joking about the overwhelming enthusiasm.

    "No, no, I can do it myself."

    Liu Yun removed her mask, smiled at her, and made a teasing face.

    "Doctor Bai, you truly have established your authority. Congrattions."

    Liu Yun knew Bai Xiao¡¯s situation well; she frequented Bai Xiao¡¯s home for chats and was well aware of her current status. She understood Bai Xiao, who had a knack for special abilities, now invincible in her skills.

    Who else could surpass Bai Xiao in this ability? It irked her when others looked down on Bai Xiao.

    After all, they wererades who had faced life and death together.

    She would never forget that night when Bai Xiao had held her hand the entire time; the strength passed through that touch was the foundation of their survival. Nor would she forget how Bai Xiao had looked afterward, her pale face in the dark, her bright eyes like stars in the night, providing hope and miracles.

    It then dawned on Bai Xiao that it was Liu Yun stirring up trouble; she had thought so¡ªwhy else would they seek her out? Not many knew of her reputation; thinking of her was even less likely. This was the realm of surgery, after all¡ªhow could there be a ce for Traditional Chinese Medicine here?

    It was even less likely with Director Jin; was he using his own life as an experiment?

    Or did he disdain a long life?

    "You really dare say it! Aren¡¯t you afraid that your director will remember this and make things difficult for you next time?" Liu Yun, a resident doctor in surgery, and Bai Xiao in Traditional Chinese Medicine, it was a bit like being an outsider.

    Liu Yun, gleeful, replied, "Not likely, Director Zhu is the embodiment of justice, though he is opinionated and rigid! But nothing majorly wrong with him."

    Zhu Jiang¡¯s mouth twitched slightly. How could that be considered no major fault?

 Chapter 604: Poaching

    <h4>Chapter 604: Chapter 604: Poaching</h4><h4></h4>

    Yu Shaohua watched the scene in the operating room, nodding with satisfaction. It seemed that Doctor Bai truly had real skill! That miraculous scene had already stunned all the foreign experts.

    At this time, everyone¡¯s faces wore expressions of indescribable surprise.

    The interpreter was dumbfounded. How should he trante this?

    It was the first time they had witnessed the miracle of acupuncture recing anesthetic drugs.

    "Ladies and gentlemen, please return to the conference room; the surgery has ended here," Yu Shaohua still wore a smile as he hosted the experts. The inspection still had two days to go, and this was just the beginning. Bai Xiao had already made a profound impression on them, such is the breadth and depth of Chinese medical arts.

    Mr. Jack, who was just now the most eager to advise, was already clutching at Yu Shaohua, his eyes filled with eagerness. The interpreter hastily tranted, "Dear Dean Sir, may we meet the doctor from just now? This is magical, to think that such a small silver needle could have such a wondrous effect, it¡¯s truly astonishing. It simply leaves us in awe."

    Yu Shaohua nodded with a smile, "Doctor Bai will take a rest for a moment, I will have someone invite her over. Please be patient."

    The group left the observation room.

    Bai Xiao washed her hands. This was her first time in the operating room, but she found the procedures strangely familiar as if it were her own backyard. Director Zhu watched Bai Xiao with newfound respect; after experiencing the entire process, if he still had any doubts about acupuncture recing anesthetic drugs, it would mean there was really something wrong with his brain.

    "Doctor Bai, it¡¯s a bit of a waste to have a talent like you in the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine! Have you ever given a thought to transferring to our Surgery Department? A talent like yours needs a department like ours to provide the space for your development. We have plenty of patients here, the difficulties are great! If you can provide such non-pharmaceutical pain relief, there is a tremendous potential for researching numerous cases here."

    Director Zhu couldn¡¯t be med for trying to coax her away, considering that the head of the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine was still lying there, sound asleep.

    Why was it called ¡¯sound asleep¡¯?

    Becauseter, Jin Junshan¡¯s snoring filled the entire operating room. Anyone who still thought that Director Jin was unconscious was surely deaf.

    Bai Xiao smiled gently, "Director Zhu, I don¡¯t understand anything about surgery; I ampletely ignorant. There¡¯s still so much to learn in the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine. I only have a bit of expertise in acupuncture, for other aspects, I¡¯m almost like an elementary student. I¡¯d better stay in the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine and learn slowly." She tactfully refused the invitation.

    If she had wanted to join the Surgery Department, she wouldn¡¯t even know where she was right now.

    Her special ability could potentially cure a hundred diseases, but she truly had no desire for that at the moment.

    She didn¡¯t want the limelight nor troubles for herself; living a stable and quiet life was actually quite nice.

    In her past life, she was glorious, a Divine Doctor in the eyes of the world, respected by Heads of State, political figures, and businesspeople rich enough to rival nations. But what had she gained in the end?

    Cold-heartedness, a harsh reality, being used by others, and an extremely miserable end; none of what she wanted was ever this.

    Besides, now she found that her special ability was continuously undergoing changes. Powers that she had never developed in her previous life were gradually transforming into changes that even she was unclear about.

    Those she loved were doing well, and those who loved her were by her side. What could be wrong with such a life?

    Her mission of healing and saving lives in this life would no longer revolve around important figures; her medical skills were beginning to warm those who truly needed a doctor¡¯spassionate heart.

 Chapter 605: Poaching Again

    <h4>Chapter 605: Chapter 605: Poaching Again</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao returned to the department of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

    At this moment, Doctor Li Xiangqian had just sent off hisst patient. Seeing Bai Xiao return, he thought the Dean had criticized her, andforted her, "Doctor Bai, don¡¯t worry, everyone is a bit awkward when they start. Be bold and try, and we can study together anything you don¡¯t understand." Li Xiangqian was only in his mid-twenties, still single, and tended to be more caring towards young female doctors.

    "Thank you, Doctor Li."

    Bai Xiao finally caught her breath, poured a ss of water, and before she could drink, Nurse Xiaozhang had already burst in, flustered.

    "Doctor Bai, the Dean wants you in the conference room!"

    Li Xiangqian felt puzzled as Dean Yu usually treated subordinates kindly and didn¡¯t put on airs. What was happening today, continuously focusing on Bai Xiao?

    "Doctor Bai! Is there something wrong?"

    She had just returned from the Dean¡¯s office, and now she had to go again. It felt like a relentless series of critical strikes.

    Bai Xiao shook her head, pretending it was nothing, "I don¡¯t know, I¡¯ll go see."

    With her hands in her pockets, she sauntered to the conference room.

    The door was tightly closed. Bai Xiao knocked on the door, and before her fingertips could touch the handle¡ª

    The door suddenly swung open from inside.

    Bai Xiao almost fell in,pletely unprepared, but fortunately, she supported herself on the doorframe, stabilizing her figure.

    The person inside had a face full of enthusiastic smiles, which sent a chill down Bai Xiao¡¯s back.

    "Doctor Bai, wee!"

    The person who opened the door turned out to be Director Zhu. Before Bai Xiao could react, she was pulled inside.

    Upon entering, she faced more than a dozen pairs of eyes, all filled with eager anticipation. Like under thousands of watts of lighting, Bai Xiao awkwardly smiled and said, "Hello everyone!" and gestured to the crowd.

    What do these foreigners want?

    They looked at her as if they had seen a top-grade steak, almost ready to devour her alive.

    "These are foreign experts who havee to our hospital for an exchange and learning experience. Doctor Bai,e and meet them," Yu Shaohua called out to Bai Xiao.

    The foreign experts were nearly desperate.

    Bai Xiao walked up to everyone, "Hello everyone!"

    Her English was passable, simple conversation was still possible. After all, she had once been a prospective college student; there was no doubt about that.

    Jack saw Bai Xiao and his eyes lit up. Coming up enthusiastically, he took Bai Xiao¡¯s hand, chattering nonstop, while the other foreign experts also surrounded her, leaving Bai Xiaopletely bewildered. What exactly did they want to do?

    The interpreter quickly intervened, "This is the acupuncturist who was wearing the face mask earlier, so young and a female doctor at that¡ªtotally unexpected."

    "Doctor Bai, Mr. Jack would like to invite you to America to his hospital for an exchange and learning experience. Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Jack says all the costs of the exchange and the highest expert sry in their hospital will be covered by them, guaranteeing your satisfaction."

    "This is Mr. McKeown. He invites you to Germany¡¯s Frnd Hospital to learn, with generous treatment. Especially, you can study thetest surgical cases, and even participate in the surgeries. Round-trip travel expenses, a bonus, and a research fund are all included." This was an open temptation, sparing no efforts.

    "This is Mr. Ryan, inviting you to France¡¯s Francis Hospital for an exchange. Name any conditions, and they will be epted without a second word."

    "This is..."

    The interpreter was already struggling to keep up with the trantion, as so many people were talking at once, her ears couldn¡¯t keep up!

 Chapter 606: Waking up with a Start

    <h4>Chapter 606: Chapter 606: Waking up with a Start</h4><h4></h4>

    Grandma bear!

    Yu Shaohua got angry. Did they think he, the Dean, was dead?

    Digging at his walls right in front of him, and acting so righteous about it, were they trying to turn the world upside down?

    With augh, he pushed through the crowd, pulling Bai Xiao behind him, discreetly blocking everyone¡¯s eager gazes. Trying to poach from me? They should see if I agree.

    "Doctor Bai is an excellent backbone of our hospital and is indeed too busy to spare time for exchanges, isn¡¯t that right, Doctor Bai?"

    Bai Xiao nodded, "I¡¯m sorry, my medical skills are just so-so. Don¡¯t waste too much effort on me; it isn¡¯t worth it." Stay humble, keep a low profile.

    Yu Shaohua was satisfied, the girl knew her ce. It wasn¡¯t that he wouldn¡¯t let Bai Xiao go out, it was just that such remarkable national essence of traditional medicine shouldn¡¯t be sold cheap to foreigners.

    Even if it were an exchange, it should be between hospitals in great China.

    The foreign experts¡¯ enthusiasm was immediately extinguished.

    They realized it wasn¡¯t appropriate to poach in front of a Dean and that they had gone too far, not knowing the rules. Even in their country, they wouldn¡¯t poach openly; such actions were done in private.

    They all made up their minds to wait until nightfall to secretly visit with a trantor. Of course, such matters should be approached quietly.

    "Director Jin has woken up." The nurse from the ward had already called to inform them.

    This was the Dean¡¯s order! After all, although the acupuncture seemed to have sessfully reced the anesthesia, it was necessary to wait and see how the patient recovered upon waking up.

    Director Zhu immediately went to the ward with Dean Yu Shaohua, and Bai Xiao followed suit. Staying behind would have left her to be devoured by the experts.

    She understood very well. Seeing the miraculous acupuncture, everyone was eager to learn. It wasn¡¯t that acupuncture in China wasn¡¯t impressive; Bai Xiao had seen incredible acupuncture doctors in her previous life who could really use needling to rece the anesthesia. But she was not one of them.

    She was a fake.

    So-called academic discussions were not something she indulged in. Even if it killed her, Bai Xiao would stick to being a traditional acupuncturist, with family secrets never to be shared.

    They would die before being shared.

    Even if she wished to share, she¡¯d tell you to experience death once first. Choose any way you want to nearly die, and only after a brush with death would she consider talking.

    Not considering her a lunatic would be odd.

    Tough.

    How could the foreign experts just patiently wait in the meeting room? Upon hearing that the patient had woken up, of course, they wanted to be led by the trantor immediately to see the condition of the patient, to personally verify his rity and awareness.

    The trantor had no choice but to lead them, not knowing where the specific patient was staying without the nurse¡¯s guidance.

    Seeing the stir, the nurse hurriedly had someone notify the Dean.

    In Jin Junshan¡¯s ward, as soon as he opened his eyes, his mind was still lingering on a big te of pork knuckles he had been dreaming about, holding and gnawing at them just moments ago.

    The skin was crispy and golden on the outside, tender and smooth on the inside, simply melting in the mouth, not greasy at all. He was eating to his heart¡¯s content when he suddenly woke up, smacking his lips, yearning for more. Why couldn¡¯t he have finished eating in his dream before waking up?

    In reality, he was woken up by the sting of the nurse trying to insert an IV needle. Today¡¯s IV was administered by a new intern nurse whose skills were stillcking, unable to get the needle in on the first try. Jin Junshan was sleeping soundly, so the nervous nurse had to try twice more before seeding. Jin Junshan awoke suddenly to her surprise.

    The young nurse was

 Chapter 607 Fainted Again

    <h4>Chapter 607: Chapter 607 Fainted Again</h4><h4></h4>

    He had opened his eyes for a while, still not quite understanding what was going on, when suddenly a crowd of people burst into the ward.

    Jin Junshan blinked, the Dean? Director Zhu? Doctor Bai? And so many strangers, right, what were those foreigners also doing there?

    Did they think he was a tiger in a zoo?

    This was no mere sightseeing!

    "Dean, what¡¯s this all about?"

    Yu Shaohua looked at Jin Junshan, smiling kindly. Their dean was a smiling tiger indeed. He wasn¡¯t usually like this to him; such a smile made him want to shudder.

    The harshest critic was Dean Yu himself, and now he was smiling like this; something must be wrong.

    Just as he thought about sitting up, he moved and immediately noticed how his abdomen hurt, causing him to grimace in pain.

    "Don¡¯t move, Director Jin, you¡¯ve just undergone surgery not too long ago. You absolutely can¡¯t move carelessly." Zhu Jiang held him down instantly, jokingly thinking who would be responsible if the wound were to burst open.

    This was the only case in his lifetime where he hadn¡¯t used anesthesia for surgery on a patient; he had to ensure his recovery meticulously. This was a unique case not just in the country but indeed in the world.

    Jin Junshan then behaved himself, suddenly remembering, right, he got distracted dreaming about eating pork knuckles, forgetting he was here for surgery due to acute appendicitis.

    Right, suddenly looking over, "Old Zhu, I remember passing out, and at that time you guys said I was resistant to anesthesia. What does that mean?"

    Now he recalled seeing Bai Xiao performing acupuncture on him! It couldn¡¯t be real, could it?

    Zhu Jiang smiled as he checked the wound and even pressed on it, causing Jin Junshan to cry out in pain. Zhu Jiang felt embarrassed, he just couldn¡¯t help but want to check; he hadn¡¯t really performed a sham surgery, had he?

    "Sorry, sorry, Old Jin. Rest assured, although you are resistant to anesthesia, Doctor Bai¡¯s acupuncture substituted it to relieve your pain. Your surgery was exceptionally sessful, almost a historic first case in the nation without using anesthesia for surgery, Old Jin, you really are something!"

    The nearby nurses pursed their lips, Director Zhu was praising Director Jin! Or was he boasting about himself?

    They couldn¡¯t help but want tough.

    "What? Are you serious?" Jin Junshan only then felt the real pain, his stomach throbbing painfully, and because he knew the pain, suddenly it became unbearable.

    Zhu Jiang nodded, "Really! Absolutely true. Didn¡¯t you see even the Dean came to visit you? You have made a great contribution to our hospital and even to the history of medicine."

    Jin Junshan cried out in pain and fainted again.

    It was mainly because he imagined himself being operated on without anesthesia, the scenario shook him so much that he fainted again from fear.

    Bai Xiao was speechless; Director Jin was really faint-hearted.

    Zhu Jiang checked him again, chuckling and shaking his head, "It¡¯s okay, Director Jin has fallen asleep again, which is good! This way his pain won¡¯t feel as intense. It will help his recovery. You must closely monitor Director Jin¡¯s condition and notify me immediately of any abnormalities." This was his iconic case, and after this, he might be a famous name in academic history.

    Yu Shaohua was very satisfied. Such an incident in their hospital,pared to those sessful surgeries! This really created quite a sensation, looks like his initial assessment wasn¡¯t wrong after all.

    This girl really is talented.

    They must vigorously cultivate Bai Xiao going forward. It¡¯s no wonder her former hospital dean is still going all out trying to get Bai Xiao back.

    Such talent would be the backbone in any dean¡¯s eyes.

 Chapter 608 Suspicion

    <h4>Chapter 608: Chapter 608 Suspicion</h4><h4></h4>

    After sending the foreign experts back to their hotel, which was actually just a small inn! The best hotel around here wasn¡¯t in their kind of suburban area, and he had wanted to arrange for those experts to stay at a hotel, but they tly refused, insisting on being amodated nearby instead.

    So, they had no choice but to make do and arrange a small inn for them since there was no guesthouse avable here.

    Even clearing rooms in this state-run small inn was difficult. It took a lot of effort to get several people settled in.

    Returning to the office, Yu Shaohua had Bai Xiao¡¯s file brought over from the material room.

    He intended to take a good look at it.

    After all, Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t particrly noticeable. Initially, it was indeed Bai Xiao¡¯s heroic deeds that led them to request her transfer, but the hospital was obligated to take in soldiers recently demobilized from the front line anyway. The Health Team was receiving people, and if not Bai Xiao, it would have been someone else. At that time, their choice was passive.

    Thus, their attitude was inevitably dismissive, even assigning Bai Xiao a dormitory meant for four, which she never actually lived in. She had her own home; why would she stay in a dorm?

    She certainly was not looking for difort.

    As Yu Shaohua reviewed the materials, he found there was nothing particrly special about Bai Xiao¡¯s records. She seemed no different from an ordinary rural girl. At eighteen, she was admitted to Aviation University?

    So, what was she doing now, working in a hospital?

    By the timeline, Bai Xiao had been working at the hospital for two years now, one of which was on the border front and the rest in a provincial hospital, also as an acupuncturist in Traditional Chinese Medicine. ording to her records, she had no formal medical education.

    The records indicated her acupuncture skills were family-taught. The question was, how did she end up here from a provincial hospital?

    Even if it was a job transfer, it wouldn¡¯t make sense for it to be to such a remote ce, especially considering the differences between the north and south; most northerners preferred to stay in the north, where the culture and people were simr.

    Moreover, her marital status was married!

    Yes, Yu Shaohua remembered, wasn¡¯t there a famously impromptu wedding at the front?

    An Zhiyuan was doctor Bai¡¯s husband.

    Others might not know, but he knew a thing or two about An Zhiyuan¡¯s background. After all, their families had some interactions back in the day. Over the years, his family had never returned to the circles of the Capital City, which is why those connections gradually faded.

    Those acquaintances from back then probably didn¡¯t remember his family anymore.

    Liupan Vige?

    Why does this ce feel so familiar?

    Liupan Vige? Liupan Vige?

    Bai Xiao looked so much like Yu Shaoya!

    Yu Shaohua suddenly remembered.

    Wasn¡¯t it near Liupan Vige where his sister Yu Shaoya went to work in the countryside back then? No wonder he felt some familiarity with the name.

    Later, after making inquiries, he learned that Yu Shaoya had died there.

    It was his other sister, Yu Shaohan, who had relocated Shaoya¡¯s grave to its current location, allowing the whole family to find out that Shaoya had died in her twenties.

    Her prime years had vanished like a fragrant mist, while that once bastard Shang Feng had long since returned to the Capital City, got married, had children, and was reportedly living well there.

    Exactly how the two of them separated, nobody knew.

    But as death extinguishes themp of life, they no longer wished to delve into the past.

    The issue was, they had never heard from Shao Han about Shaoya having a daughter!

    This Bai Xiao, looking nearly identical to Shaoya and born in the same area Shaoya once lived, would make anyone specte.

    It seems he needed to have a serious conversation with Shao Han about what was really going on.

 Chapter 609: The Late Adolescent Rebellion.

    <h4>Chapter 609: Chapter 609: The Late Adolescent Rebellion.</h4><h4></h4>

    Yu Shaohan looked at her daughter¡¯s defiance! It truly infuriated her how this good cadre¡¯s child insisted on degrading herself to pursue a Bai Song, without understanding why. Not only did she cause a scene in her office today, but she practically rebelled against the heavens.

    "Yan Chunlu, I¡¯m warning you, mind your attitude. Is this how you talk to your mother? Look at yourself now, ready to give up everything to move to that godforsaken ce for a man. Do you understand how dangerous the border conflicts there are? Frequent battles pose a real risk. Do you think you could protect yourself or what?" Viewing Yan Chunlu¡¯s stubbornness, Yu Shaohan felt her stomach churn with anger.

    Yan Chunlu sulked, "Mom, I¡¯ve made up my mind already. I¡¯ve even submitted a request to the higher-ups, asking to be transferred to the front to support them. The Health Team there is short-staffed." No matter what her mother said or did to stop her, she was determined to leave.

    "Your father and I went through so much trouble to get you transferred from the cold province to be with us. Why do you think we did that? We only want our daughter by our side, hoping to see you live a happy life.

    We don¡¯t know what kind of spell that man has cast on you. Your aunt was just like this, willing to break ties with the family over a man, but what happened to her in the end? She died alone and miserable in that vige while that man went back to the city to enjoy his life. He got married, had children, and lived much better than she did.

    Why are you acting just like your aunt now?"

    Whenever Yu Shaoya talked about her sister, Yu Shaohan was filled with resentment. Her sister was such a talented and beautiful individual filled with warmth and intelligence. None of their children evercked in education, yet such an exemry person met such a tragic end.

    The anger would re in her heart every time she thought about it.

    This was the consequence of misjudging people.

    As for her own daughter, even if it killed her, she wouldn¡¯t allow her to risk her life in a war-torn ce over a man.

    "Mom, you don¡¯t understand matters of the heart. He¡¯s different from others, not the irresponsible type. To be clear, he didn¡¯t sweet-talk me; it¡¯s me who likes him. No matter what, I need to be with him." Yan Chunlu huffed.

    Conveying her steadfast determination.

    Yu Shaohan was driven to the brink of madness.

    This daughter of hers seemed to have been born as a creditor. How obedient and gentle she was as a child, yet how did she be so wayward as she grew? She disregarded everything her parents said, opposing all the good things they considered for her.

    Was this what they called the rebellion of a bted adolescence?

    "If you dare actually get transferred there, I¡¯m telling you, your mother will die just to show you. If you wish to go, you¡¯ll have to step over my dead body to leave." For the first time, Yu Shaohan felt she had lost all patience. Whatever dignity she had vanished, and she could only confront her daughter with the attitude of a shrew.

    Yan Chunlu stamped her foot in frustration.

    "Mom, you can stop me for a day, two days, a month, two months, but can you stop me for a lifetime? If you won¡¯t let me go, then bury my corpse instead." In a huff, she returned to her room, mming the door shut behind her.

 Chapter 610 Persuasion

    <h4>Chapter 610: Chapter 610 Persuasion</h4><h4></h4>

    Yu Shaohan was so angry that she trembled all over.

    The telephone at home rang.

    She tried her best to calm her emotions before picking up the phone.

    "Shao Han, it¡¯s your big brother!"

    Upon hearing her big brother¡¯s voice, Yu Shaohan couldn¡¯t hold back her tears any longer, and they fell.

    Yu Shaohua heard his sister¡¯s breathing suddenly be rapid over the phone and didn¡¯t know what had happened to her.

    "Shao Han, are you listening? I have something I need to ask you."

    "Big brother! What is it?" Yu Shaohan was still somewhat choked up.

    "What¡¯s wrong with you? Why does your voice sound off? Have you been crying? Don¡¯t tell me your brother-inw has been bullying you? If he is, I¡¯ll call him right now." Ever since their second sister, Yu Shaoya, passed away, Yu Shaohua had truly doted on this one remaining sister of his.

    Shao Han shook her head and wiped away her tears, "Big brother! It¡¯s nothing, it has nothing to do with Lao Yan. It¡¯s about Chunlu, that debt-collecting wench. She actually submitted a report on her own requesting a transfer to the border frontlines because of a man. I scolded her a bit, and she turned against me, telling me to bury her corpse if ites to it. How did I end up giving birth to such a debt collector?" She finally found someone to confide in.

    Upon hearing this, Yu Shaohua¡¯s heart eased, "Chunlu is grown up now; she has her own thoughts, and you can¡¯t impose your own ideas and actions on her as you used to. Children, once grown, naturally have their own paths to follow. Whether right or wrong, adults can only offer advice from the side, but have no right to intervene.

    That was what happened with Shao Ya. The whole family opposed her, which only triggered her rebelliousness. If at that time everyone had considered her perspective and dealt with the matter in a more tactful manner, perhaps it wouldn¡¯t have pushed her to such a desperate point for the sake of that man.

    You should understand the saying ¡¯too rigid and you¡¯ll break.¡¯ Our family has had such a profound lesson; we mustn¡¯t let such a tragedy happen again with our children."

    This made Yu Shaohanpletely calm down. Perhaps whenever she faced her daughter, the two of them were always at loggerheads, and she never had the chance to think about the issue calmly and rationally. Now that her big brother put it this way, it suddenly made it easier for her to ept from an observer¡¯s point of view.

    That¡¯s right! Back then, the second sister ended uppletely siding with the opposition because the whole family was against it, with a very strong and resolute attitude.

    If we really get down to it, they were all the ones who had forced second sister to be the victim.

    "I know that, but every time we talk about it, I just can¡¯t suppress my anger, especially this time when she submitted the transfer request without telling anyone. When I found out, could you imagine how enraged I felt? Lao Yan has only this one daughter; if something really happens to her there, how are we supposed to live with ourselves afterward?"

    "No matter what, that¡¯s not a reason for you to push her to the brink. Sometimes letting things take their natural course is also a solution. The more you obstruct her, the more attractive she might find that man. But if you give her space and time to slowly discover for herself, she might be able to see the man¡¯s ws.

    She might thene to the conclusion that he¡¯s not suitable on her own. We¡¯re living in a different era now, love is free. The younger generation¡¯s views aren¡¯t the same as ours, so give her some time and space," Yu Shaohua advised his sister.

    His sister¡¯s fiery temper matched against her rebellious daughter; just thinking about the scene, he knew how explosive it could be.

    The two of them arguing back and forth at each other, it would be odd to expect a good oue.

 Chapter 611: Parting on Bad Terms.

    <h4>Chapter 611: Chapter 611: Parting on Bad Terms.</h4><h4></h4>

    "Big Brother, I know, what did you want to talk to me about?" Yu Shaohan hadpletely calmed down by now.

    Yu Shaohua gave a wry smile, "If you hadn¡¯t mentioned it, I would have gone off topic. I just wanted to ask, back then, you took care of Shao Ya¡¯s funeral arrangements, did she have any children?"

    Yu Shaohan shook her head, "Big Brother, what are you talking about? That scoundrel had already returned to Capital City, and he never married my second elder sister. At the time, I had also asked the educated youth who was with her, who were her best friends. My second elder sister was unmarried and alone, how could she have children without being married?" She was somewhat puzzled by why her brother was asking this.

    Yu Shaohua immediately discerned the crux of the issue.

    "You, your thinking is still so old-fashioned, so stubborn. Can¡¯t one have children without being married? So, how did Shao Ya actually die?"

    "Back then, Xiaoyuan told me my second sister died from exhaustion and malnutrition. Her health had already copsed, leading to a sudden heart attack. I had also asked others, and they didn¡¯t mention any anomalies about my second sister. They just said her health seemed really poor at that time, and her death indeed came suddenly."

    "Alright, then give me Xiaoyuan¡¯s address. I¡¯ll contact her and ask. I always feel there¡¯s something not quite right about this whole thing."

    "What¡¯s not right about it?"

    "I¡¯ll tell you, we have a new doctor in our hospital called Bai Xiao, who is 20 years old. Her family is from Liupan Vige. This girl looks almost exactly like your second sister. If I didn¡¯t know your second sister had passed away, I would have mistaken her for the way your sister looked before going to the countryside. Think about it, Liupan Vige is right near where your second sister had gone to the countryside.

    "With the two of them looking so alike, do you think there¡¯s no rtion between them?"

    This stunned Yu Shaohan.

    "Is there really such a thing?"

    "If you don¡¯t believe it,e to my hospital sometime when you¡¯re off work and meet this Bai Xiao. Then you should understand."

    "Okay, I¡¯ll give you Xiaoyuan¡¯s phone number in a bit. She was very close to my second sister back then, so she shouldn¡¯t deceive us."

    "Maybe it was just a well-intentioned lie. If your second sister asked her to do this on her deathbed, do you think she would follow through?"

    "This..." Yu Shaohan couldn¡¯t guarantee this.

    "Never mind the rest, give me the phone number. I¡¯ll contact her right now."

    "Fine! Let¡¯s do this, Big Brother. I happen to have a vacation in a couple of days. I¡¯ll bring Chunlu with me. It would be good if you could help me persuade this child."

    Yu Shaohan had a n in mind.

    Yu Shaohua sighed, "You, you still won¡¯t let it go."

    "Big Brother!"

    "Alright,e if you want to. But I must tell you, I can¡¯t be the viin if you expect me to force her to break up with him using brute force. I think I will respect her choices anyway. Chunlu is not a little girl anymore and has always been sensible since she was young. I believe she is not the type to be easily deceived by others."

    "Big Brother, was our second sister not sensible, not intelligent? But when she encountered so-called love, didn¡¯t she still lose miserably?" Yu Shaohan couldn¡¯t help but retort.

    "You are being stubborn, holding onto a narrow view. There¡¯s no need to fear the rope for ten years after being bitten by a snake once. Although it¡¯s true that Shao Ya made a poor judgment of character, you can¡¯t, because of this, be wary of every man around your daughter."

    The siblings parted on less than amicable terms.

 Chapter 612 Mystery

    <h4>Chapter 612: Chapter 612 Mystery</h4><h4></h4>

    Yu Shaohua hung up the phone, irritated by his own sister.

    Ah! Every family has its own difficult scripture to recite.

    All parents worry themselves to pieces over their children.

    Picking up the phone once more, this time he called Xiaoyuan, Xiaoyuan was good friends with Yu Shaoya during their time sent to the countryside! Back when they were in school, the two of them were the best of friends, which was why, when they had to deal with Shao Ya¡¯s affairs, they had contacted Xiaoyuan and trusted herpletely.

    "Hello, who is this?"

    "This is Yu Shaohua, Yu Shaoya¡¯s brother!"

    "Yu elder brother, I never expected you¡¯d call. Are you looking for me?"

    Xiaoyuan never thought that after so many years, someone from the Yu family would still contact her. Since the death of Yu Shaoya, no one from the Yu family had appeared in everyone¡¯s view.

    She thought she would never see anyone from the Yu family again in her life.

    Now the actual event was quite surprising.

    "Xiaoyuan, sorry for the intrusion, but there are a few things about my sister Shao Ya that I wanted to ask you about!"

    "Please go ahead, Yu elder brother. If there¡¯s anything I can help with, I certainly won¡¯t shy away."

    Thinking of her good friend, Xiaoyuan still felt a pang of sadness.

    "Did Shao Ya have a daughter back then?"

    Such a direct question! It still left Xiaoyuan greatly astonished.

    "How did you know..."

    With that response, she had essentially admitted it.

    Xiaoyuan cursed inwardly for her carelessness. Caught off guard by such a question, she had implicitly admitted the truth.

    "So my sister truly had a daughter. Then why didn¡¯t you tell us about the child back then? And who is the father of this child?" Yu Shaohua was now emotionally stirred.

    His sister had a child! Although he had a feeling in his heart that it might be possible, suspecting it was one thing, and knowing for sure was another.

    "Yu elder brother, I promised Shao Ya! I would never tell you all about it."

    Xiaoyuan was troubled, not wishing to go against her friend¡¯sst wishes.

    "But do you know? Her daughter is now working in my hospital. If you don¡¯t tell me the truth, should we really never acknowledge each other? Do you think Shao Ya would be happy about this in the afterlife?"

    "Yu elder brother, Shao Ya¡¯s daughter is now at your hospital! That can¡¯t be possible?" Xiaoyuan found it too incredible. Liupan Vige, that ce, was miles away from Yun Province,pletely unconnected; it was unimaginable that they could end up reunited after such a long distance.

    "That girl is named Bai Xiao. She looks almost exactly like Shao Ya, especially her eyebrows and facial features, and her hometown is Liupan Vige."

    At this point, Xiaoyuan realized that the other party must have had evidence before making this call.

    She sighed! It seemed that the natural bond of blood could not be severed.

    "Indeed, 20 years ago Shao Ya gave birth to a daughter. She did not die from a heart attack, but from massive bleeding during a difficult childbirth. She wasn¡¯t married and didn¡¯t want anyone to know about her pregnancy, so I have always kept it hidden for her, and nobody knew she was pregnant.

    That child was eventually given to a couple, both doctors, who assisted with the birth; that family¡¯s surname is Bai."

    By now, there was no need to hide anything anymore. The deceased had already passed away, but the living needed a clear understanding of the facts.

    "So, who is the father of the child?"

    "I always thought it was Shang Feng, but Shao Ya told me on her deathbed that the child was not Shang Feng¡¯s. But who is the child¡¯s father? With Shao Ya gone, this question has really be a mystery. I don¡¯t know if Shao Ya denied Shang Feng as the father out of resentment as she was dying, or if the child¡¯s father really isn¡¯t him.

    You should know, during those years after we went to the countryside, we were always together, and I¡¯ve never seen her intimately involved with any other men. So, if the child isn¡¯t Shang Feng¡¯s, whose child is she? This has really been a mystery weighing on my mind for many years." Xiaoyuan couldn¡¯t help but vent, as this was indeed a long-standing mystery to her.

    "Thank you," Yu Shaohua hung up the phone.

 Chapter 613: Minor Car Accident

    <h4>Chapter 613: Chapter 613: Minor Car ident</h4><h4></h4>

    When Bai Xiao finished work, An Zhiyuan came to pick her up in a car, a privilege of his rank as Chief.

    Though it was just an ordinary jeep, it was enough to make two people happy.

    Seeing An Zhiyuan, Bai Xiao immediately forgot all about restraint and raced over, throwing herself in front of him. An Zhiyuan caught her, avoiding getting too close!

    After all, they were in public.

    "Stand firm! Do you still look like a doctor in that state?"

    One hand steadied her, his expression serious, but his eyes were full of uncontroble mirth.

    Lately, the wife seemed to have lost some of herposure, showing a yful side that was slightly off-kilter.

    He opened the car door for her and lifted her up into the seat.

    Once Bai Xiao was settled, sheined, "You¡¯re so unromantic!"

    An Zhiyuan got into the car, closed the door, and suddenly leaned over to kiss her cheek.

    Bai Xiao touched her face, "What are you doing? Who just said I didn¡¯t resemble a doctor?" She put on a stern face, intimidating An Zhiyuan.

    An Zhiyuan smiled faintly and yfully scraped her nose, "Who just used me of being unromantic? I¡¯m just showing you what being romantic is all about."

    He was here waiting for her.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes crinkled into a smile as she lightly poked Colonel An¡¯s chest muscles with her finger, "Big Brother An, you¡¯re learning some bad habits!" Her flirtatious manner made his heart skip a beat.

    An Zhiyuan wished he could just pounce on her right then and there. This girl was definitely provoking him on purpose, knowing full well he had no defense against her, "Just wait until we get home, I¡¯ll show you!" he growled through clenched teeth.

    Thinking about the 72 punishments he had nned for her at home, each one meant to torment her until she begged for mercy, Big Brother An suddenly felt his anger dissipating.

    The car had just started when suddenly, he hit the brakes.

    Bai Xiao was smugly looking at An Zhiyuan¡¯s profile, getting ready to put him in his ce. She thought, let¡¯s see who¡¯s going to put whom in their ce today!

    Caught up in her smug thoughts, the car¡¯s abrupt stop nearly sent her flying. Fortunately, An Zhiyuan quickly wrapped his arms around Bai Xiao, sparing her from an intimate encounter with the windshield.

    "Who is this?" Bai Xiao rubbed her forehead, which had still bumped into Colonel An¡¯s muscr chest, and winced from the pain.

    "Are you okay?" An Zhiyuan checked her limbs. Bai Xiao shook her head, "I¡¯m fine, you¡¯ve got your arms around me, how could anything happen?"

    "Next time, be honest and buckle up!"

    The girl had bewitched him with her charm, sometimes causing his reason to go offline.

    Bai Xiao pouted, missing the real point. It was the person outside causing trouble that mattered.

    Someone was knocking on the car door hard.

    An Zhiyuan opened the door.

    A barrage of foreign words spilled out.

    "Doctor Bai, can we talk? I¡¯ll only take a little bit of your time, let me treat you to a meal," the trantor popped up from the side, looking flustered.

    Are these foreigners not supposed to follow traffic rules? Is this what they call obeying trafficws?

    It was ridiculous.

    Jumping right in front of someone¡¯s car; was he trying to pull a scam or just reckless?

    Bai Xiao looked through the car window to see that foreign expert Smith, his face lit up with eagerness, unable to hide his enthusiasm. This expert was indeed very persistent and reckless in his attempts to make contact.

    "No!" Bai Xiao refused tly.

    This meal was not to be enjoyed lightly. Bai Xiao knew exactly what Jack was up to. She was a public servant; one slip could mean a lot of risks. Anyone with a sane mind would not agree.

    An Zhiyuan checked the car¡¯s front bumper; thankfully, there was no damage. He smoothly pushed Jack aside, got into the car, and drove away.

    As if anyone could bother his wife!

 Chapter 614: Eating

    <h4>Chapter 614: Chapter 614: Eating</h4><h4></h4>

    Before the two even opened their own front door, the next door opened, and the little girl Zhang Han poked her head out. "Dr. Bai, Chief An, my dad has invited you over for dinner today, hurry on over. My dad made his specialty dish¡ªit¡¯s truly a rare asion; he¡¯s an excellent cook," she said with particr excitement, seeming livelier than usual.

    An Zhiyuan nodded. "We¡¯ll be right there!" Why was Director Zhang suddenly inviting them to dinner?

    However, the two of them were not only neighbors but also worked together¡ªone responsible for intellectual education and the other for physical education. They had already developed a certain familiarity, and whether for professional or personal reasons, he had no reason to refuse Director Zhang¡¯s invitation.

    The opposite door opened, and Wei Jianling came out holding Huzi and smiling. Seeing Chief An and Dr. Bai, she seemed a bit awkward. Recently, she had rarely appeared in Bai Xiao¡¯s sight. Not only was Bai Xiao busy with work, but also,st time, Hu Biao had sternly taught Wei Jianling a lesson, making her fearful, so she had be much more restrained.

    In essence, she wasn¡¯t a bad person; she just loved to take small advantages.

    "Dr. Bai, Chief An, Zhang Han, you¡¯re all here?"

    Zhang Han huffed, "Asking when you know the answer!" She thought Wei Jianling didn¡¯t know that she loved to eavesdrop behind doors. It was probably hearing about their family¡¯s invitation to Chief An and Dr. Bai for dinner that prompted her to show up, hoping to mooch a meal.

    Wei Jianling had thick skin; it had been just a few days, and she had already forgotten the past lesson, shamelessly moving closer, "Zhang Han, what delicious food is your dad making at home? The entire corridor was filled with fragrance earlier."

    Huzi pped his tiny hands and looked at Bai Xiao, still remembering thest time the auntie gave him cookies and praised him. Children can be incredibly persistent about certain things.

    "Auntie, hello, my name is Huzi, and I¡¯m three years old!"

    He said in a sweet, childlike voice, reaching out his little hand to Bai Xiao.

    He just remembered that after the auntie asked him to do thisst time, he got cookies and praise.

    Bai Xiaoughed.

    She picked up Huzi in her arms. Even though Wei Jianling liked to freeload, the child was innocent. This little guy actually remembered what she had taught himst time. In fact, children are like nk sheets of paper; the way adults teach them is exactly how they will be influenced.

    "Huzi! You¡¯re so smart to have remembered what auntie taught youst time. Well done. Come on, auntie will get you some cookies." Immediately, Huzi happily hugged Bai Xiao¡¯s neck, a sign of affection.

    Wei Jianling also tried to follow, but An Zhiyuan stepped in front, "Sister Wei, we¡¯ll go change our clothes and bring the kid out in no time. Don¡¯t worry, we definitely won¡¯t sell your Huzi!" he half-joked, half indicating he didn¡¯t want Wei Jianling toe in.

    Liu Yun had spoken regarding Wei Jianling¡¯s conduct during thest incident; Bai Xiao hadn¡¯t said anything, but it was unreasonable to let someone bully his wife, so he had long since marked Wei Jianling as someone to avoid.

    Wei Jianling was embarrassed. She might have argued back with Dr. Bai, but Chief An¡¯s expression, when it got serious, was like an eternal iceberg, especially his eyes, which seemed to see right through people.

    "Ah! Sure, how could I?" She waited obediently outside.

    Zhang Han huffed and closed the door.

    She didn¡¯t talk to her.

    Wei Jianling also huffed, but remembering what Hu Biao had said, if she caused any more trouble, she¡¯d be sent back to her hometown. She decided to let it go; how could her hometownpare to thefort here?

    The two changed their clothes, Bai Xiao put on a floral dress with a cinched waist that made her look slender and graceful; An Zhiyuan¡¯s eyes were filled with tenderness as he held Huzi, the little guy holding a cookie and nibbling contentedly. He was worried Huzi might spill cookie crumbs all over Bai Xiao.

 Chapter 615: My Mom Can Walk Now

    <h4>Chapter 615: Chapter 615: My Mom Can Walk Now</h4><h4></h4>

    Two people came out, and to their surprise, Wei Jianling was still standing at the door. Seeing the biscuits in Huzi¡¯s hands, Wei Jianling felt a spark of hope¡ªit seemed that Doctor Bai liked children. This should make things easier; it appeared necessary to have Huzi open the door of the Chief¡¯s house.

    She could tell that Chief An and Doctor Bai were wealthy, having plenty of food at home. Was buying a heap of goods really Chief An¡¯s way of showing love for his wife?

    But after all, this was someone else¡¯s husband.

    All she felt was admiration and envy, but this was Chief An, and no one couldpete with the men of his household, not even if they were on horseback.

    They were not on the same level. It was now widely known in the courtyard that Chief An¡¯s family held a prominent position in Capital City. It was said that Chief An¡¯s father was a senior leader, holding a high-level position, making it no easy task for Chief An to be a chief. Of course, many people also said that Chief An had earned his position step by step on his own.

    Earning a reputation was not just handed over because someone¡¯s father was influential¡ªit had been earned bit by bit from beneath the barrels of guns.

    Like Hu Biao in their family, who had also established merits to have all that they had now. Otherwise, they would still be crammed in those t houses, unable to livefortably in the cadres¡¯ building.

    "Huzi, have you thanked your uncle and aunt yet?" Wei Jianling finally began to speak sensibly.

    Huzi nodded, still slightly confused. aunt Bai had said to be polite, "I have thanked them, Aunt said I was polite."

    Wei Jianling hugged Huzi and smiled at Bai Xiao, "You see, this kid doesn¡¯t know manners, making you spend unnecessarily."

    "It¡¯s okay! Just this once. We also don¡¯t have time to see Huzi normally anyway, and the kid is very smart. I taught him mannersst time and he remembered them right away." Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t hold a grudge against a child because of the adults, but also wouldn¡¯t give Wei Jianling a chance to take advantage, making it clear it was just this once because they didn¡¯t usually have the time to host them.

    Wei Jianling nced at the two knocking on Director Zhang¡¯s door, "Chief An, Doctor Bai, are you here to see Director Zhang?"

    Director Zhang¡¯s family opened the door.

    Seeing Chief An and Bai Xiao, they quickly invited them in, "Come in, why are you standing at the door?"

    It was then they noticed Wei Jianling, "Huzi¡¯s mom!"

    Wei Jianling had already squeezed past Director Zhang uninvited, "Director Zhang, how is your sister-inw doing? Thest time was my fault. I owe her an apology." She pushed her way in with Huzi in her arms.

    Director Zhang looked and helplessly shook his head. He dealt with ideological education and often had to show extra tolerance towards family members like Wei Jianling. He closed the door.

    As soon as Bai Xiao entered, Zhang Han had already eagerly pulled her into the bedroom, "Doctor Bai, the time to witness a miracle has arrived, ta-da, look!"

    Bai Xiao then saw Li Jiao standing with the help of a table. Joy was evident in every corner of her eyes and brows, her lips trembled, and her eyes sparkled, enveloped in a halo as if by magic, she firmly took a few steps, though a bit stiff, towards Bai Xiao and Zhang Han.

    Bai Xiao smiled, while Zhang Han already started to cheer loudly beside her, "Mom, you¡¯re amazing, Doctor Bai, did you see that? My mom can walk! My mom can walk!"

    He shook Bai Xiao vigorously, and Bai Xiao nodded.

    This result was certainly not unexpected; she had already reduced the effectiveness, but having performed acupuncture three times, it was theoretically time that Li Jiao could walk. If not for her reluctance to shock everyone, she could have had Li Jiao walking around from the first session.

 Chapter 616: Joyful Event

    <h4>Chapter 616: Chapter 616: Joyful Event</h4><h4></h4>

    "Hurry and support your mom. She has just recovered and needs to take it slowly; don¡¯t let her get too tired," Bai Xiao urged Zhang Han with a push.

    Zhang Han quickly rushed over and helped Li Jiao to her feet.

    By then, Wei Jianling had already walked in, utterly astonished.

    "Sister-inw Zhang, you... you can walk... now..."

    Anyone who saw a person who had been paralyzed for over a decade in everyone¡¯s memory suddenly stand up and take a few steps, even though Zhang Han was supporting her, would be deeply shocked by such a sight.

    Likewise, Li Jiao was not particrly fond of Wei Jianling. The two hardly interacted; Li Jiao had been paralyzed for many years, staying indoors and not meeting people from outside, but that didn¡¯t prevent her from hearing gossip from her daughter. This woman had moved into the neighborhood just over a month ago and had quickly be infamous throughout the entirepound.

    Nobody could really feel good about such a person, but today was a happy day, and all of that seemed trivial.

    "Wei sister, it¡¯s all thanks to Doctor Bai. Thank you, Doctor Bai. Your tremendous kindness; I would work like an ox or horse for the rest of my life to repay you," Li Jiao said, visibly moved. The ability to walk and not lie in bed like a dead person, dependent on others, was a relief to her and her daughter. Even if she still couldn¡¯t do much, at least she could visit the bathroom on her own, sparing her daughter the constant trips back and forth.

    That was more than enough.

    Bai Xiao came over and had Li Jiao lie down, "We¡¯ll need to do one more acupuncture treatment tonight, after which you might not need any more needles. The rest will just be you slowly exercising and recovering. If everything goes well, you should be able to take care of basic living activities on your own within a month, just like a normal person, no different. Congrattions." She felt it was all worth it for this child¡¯s sake.

    Tears of excitement filled Li Jiao¡¯s eyes; it had been so many years since she experienced the feeling of being able to walk.

    Zhang Han became even more touched upon hearing this, "Doctor Bai, I thank you, and on behalf of my mom and dad, I thank you." In her heart, she silently vowed to excel at the Medical College and grow up to be a doctor like Doctor Bai, healing the sick and aiding the injured¡ªthat would be the true meaning of great kindness.

    Bai Xiao smiled, "No need to thank me anymore. Help your mom sit down, finish eating, and then I¡¯ll do acupuncture on her." She couldn¡¯t stand to see such a considerate child suffer.

    Wei sister came in, her arms full with Huzi, "Doctor Bai, you¡¯re amazing! I truly didn¡¯t expect your medical skills to be so extraordinary. Sister-inw Zhang, you¡¯re really fortunate. This really marks the end of hardships for Commissioner Zhang and Zhang Han. No wonder you invited Chief An and Doctor Bai over for dinner today; it turns out to be a celebration. Truly congrattions are in order. Congrattions!"

    Wei Jianling¡¯s eloquence was particrly noteworthy today; at least her words were pleasing to hear.

    "Thank you, thank you. Has your husband, Hu Biao,e back yet? If not, let¡¯s eat together to celebrate this asion," Li Jiao politely offered. After all the nice things Wei had said, it would be inappropriate for her to respond with a frown or a re.

    Wei Jianling immediately agreed, "My husband, Hu Biao, is in the middle of a shower. I¡¯ll go call him. With Director Zhang¡¯s big happy news, it¡¯s only right to join for the meal and share in the joy." She left with Huzi to call him, without even stepping outside, opening the door of Director Zhang¡¯s house and shouting across.

    "Biaozi, Director Zhang has invited you to join us for the meal."

    Director Zhang and An Zhiyuan shared a smile. Wei Jianling had a particr interest in meals, and it was all good as long as it didn¡¯te from their own home.

    Hu Biao came in wearing a green undershirt, fresh from a shower, only to find out that his wife hadn¡¯t cooked and had instead gone over to Director Zhang¡¯s ce.

 Chapter 617: Thanksgiving Wine

    <h4>Chapter 617: Chapter 617: Thanksgiving Wine</h4><h4></h4>

    Li Jiao looked at the bustling scene outside, and although she usually preferred peace and quiet, this moment¡¯s festivity surprisingly brought her joy rather than annoyance. Perhaps it really was that one¡¯s mood determines how they perceive things, for even Sister Wei, whom she found annoying, suddenly seemed adorable.

    It seemed in an instant, everything in the world had be endearing. Every little thing appeared beautiful in her eyes.

    As everyone sat down to eat, Bai Xiao felt someone sit beside her, casting a slight shadow over the table. She sipped her orange juice, the sweet taste traveling from the tip of her tongue straight to her heart.

    The three men eating inevitably involved cigarettes and alcohol. When the conversation reached its peak, their voices grew louder, filling the air withughter. Compared to the enthusiastic Director Zhang and Hu Biao, An Zhiyuan appeared quieter. He leaned back in his chair, a cigarette held between his fingers, and when someone spoke to him, he showed a smile or briefly responded.

    Director Zhang, holding up his ss, said loudly, "These past few days have been the happiest of my life. No matter how we articte it, it¡¯s rare for us all to be together today, so I must offer a proper toast."

    Bai Xiao watched as Director Zhang¡¯s furrowed brows smoothed out, making him look much younger. She couldn¡¯t help but curve her lips upward, feeling the grip on her hand tighten. She turned her hand over and gently sped An Zhiyuan¡¯srge hand.

    Hu Biao joined in the fun, "What toast? Just drink a crossing-cup wine with your wife! This is the drink you should have. Sis, I¡¯m a in man, and seeing you sitting here dining with us all today, I feel happy for the Director, too."

    Li Jiao blushed. Over the years, she had always avoided thepany. How could she dine with them, paralyzed and bedridden? Anyone visiting their home did so quietly, fearful of upsetting her, daring not partake in meals there.

    Because of her, their home hadn¡¯t entertained guests in many years, all because they feared her reaction to seeing these people, which caused awkwardness. Gradually, everyone maintained a distance from Director Zhang.

    Director Zhangughed heartily, augh she hadn¡¯t seen on her husband in a long time.

    "What nonsense are you talking! But this drink should indeed be to honor Doctor Bai. Come, mother of my child, pick up this ss. I know you don¡¯t drink, but you must have a sip today. This is a toast of gratitude, thanking Doctor Bai for saving our family, thank you, Doctor Bai, thank you so much," Director Zhang said, his voice choking up. Without another word, he lifted the ss and drank it down in one gulp.

    Li Jiao also picked up the ss in front of her and poured herself some white wine.

    "Doctor Bai, thank you for giving me the courage to live. No moment has made me feel this life is more worth cherishing than now. Thinking back to when I attempted suicide, I truly feel it was foolish. If I had really died then, I probably would have been the one to regret it the most.

    Abandoning such a wonderful husband and daughter, I would have been filled with remorse," she said and also drank it all in one gulp.

    All eyes were on Bai Xiao as she picked up the wine ss, "Although you im to be tough as nails, at the end of the day, you are still ordinary men. Their wives aren¡¯t roles that just anyone can fill. Nowadays, many young girls admire you, wanting to date you to satisfy some vanity, but if they really married you, they might run faster than rabbits. So here¡¯s what I say¡ªthis drink is to all our families."

    Everyone raised their sses.

 Chapter 618: Blocking the Door

    <h4>Chapter 618: Chapter 618: Blocking the Door</h4><h4></h4>

    Their dinner hadn¡¯t yet dispersed.

    But outside, the sound of the door next door being knocked reverberated thunderously.

    Everyone instantly fell silent, listening closely, it seemed to being from An Zhiyuan¡¯s ce, all eyes turned in that direction, "Chief An, it seems that you have guests at your house."

    With a furrowed brow, An Zhiyuan realized that it was already past eight in the evening. Around here, apart from hisrades in the forces, he hardly knew anyone else. It was almost impossible for someone to drop by for a visit at this hour.

    Bai Xiao looked at An Zhiyuan too, since he didn¡¯t have friends or rtives around here, it was even less likely for someone to visit their home at this time.

    Their kind of house did not have good sound instion. Any sound from the corridor was almost clearly audible, especially since their dining area was located right now in the house where the dining room and living room were not separated. When there were many people, the table was ced directly inside the living room, which faced the front door.

    At this moment, they immediately heard unintelligible foreignnguage from outside.

    Bai Xiao instantly recalled the foreigners who had blocked their car earlier; these people were really persistent.

    "Ignore them, they¡¯re foreign experts from our hospital. They already intercepted me once when I got off work today, and I didn¡¯t expect them to show up at home now to pester," Bai Xiao realized that these foreign experts probably didn¡¯t get an answer from him at the hospital during the day and decided toe over in the evening to persuade him! It was trulyughable.

    Wei Jianling, definitely a gossip lover, perked up at the mention of foreign experts. In their small, modest ce, encountering a couple of foreigners was an oddity that would draw crowds; to see big noses, blue eyes, and blonde hair was something many had never witnessed before.

    "Doctor Bai, what are those foreign experts doing at your ce?"

    It wasn¡¯t just Wei Jianling who was curious; everyone in the house, including Director Zhang, found it strange.

    With a smile, Bai Xiao said, "I¡¯ve finished eating, and Li Jiao, if you¡¯re done too, let¡¯s go into the room and I¡¯ll do the acupuncture for you." He joked, as if he would satisfy her curiosity.

    Li Jiao immediately put down her chopsticks. Eating couldn¡¯tpare to receiving acupuncture from Doctor Bai.

    "I¡¯ve been full for a while now. I used to not exercise much, and would feel very full after eating just a little." She tried to stand up, but her daughter quickly came to her aid. Li Jiao chuckled and waved her hand,

    "No need, I had you help me yesterday, but this morning I found that I could stand up on my own with some support." Indeed, with one hand resting on the table, she stood up, though Zhang Han still went over to help her, "Doctor Bai has said you¡¯re only beginning to recover. Don¡¯t rush it. Haste does not bring sess."

    Li Jiao gently stretched out her hand and vigorously ruffled her daughter¡¯s soft hair, yfully chiding, "I know, little housekeeper."

    Zhang Han proudly smiled as she helped her mother into the room.

    After informing everyone, Bai Xiao went in as well.

    An Zhiyuan was also aware that, recently, Bai Xiao had beening to Director Zhang¡¯s house every other day to administer acupuncture to Li Jiao.

    His eyes twinkled, but the meaning behind them was not discernible to others.

    As Bai Xiao began the acupuncture session for Li Jiao, he instructed her, "Because you¡¯ve been lying in bed for many years, your leg muscles have atrophied a bit, even though your daughter regrly massages you. Therefore, when walking, don¡¯t push to go too fast too soon. It¡¯s better to use a walking stick initially and gradually exercise the leg muscles. Trying to hurry the process can be counterproductive; if you injure the muscles, you may need to rest for a while before you can continue recovery."

    She divided the acupuncture treatment into four sessions, to make the sensation of receiving medical treatment feel more authentic.

    Her "special ability" was now absolutely safe. If anyone still suspected her after this, they were out of their minds.

 Chapter 619: Compatibility

    <h4>Chapter 619: Chapter 619: Compatibility</h4><h4></h4>

    Fortunately, the foreigners who had been blocking the way for a long time didn¡¯t see anyone when they knocked on the door, and seeing no lights in the house from downstairs, they had to leave, rather displeased.

    After Bai Xiao had finished applying acupuncture on Li Jiao, the dinner party outside had already dispersed.

    Hu Biao and his wife had already gone home with their child, leaving only An Zhiyuan and Director Zhang sitting there, watching television and chatting about something.

    Seeing Bai Xiaoe out, An Zhiyuan also took his leave.

    The two returned to their own home, and Bai Xiao sighed, copsing onto the sofa. Their sofa was one of those spring sofas, not one of those newer style sofas, but rather an old-fashioned, cumbersome one. Yet, such sofas were absolutely sturdy and durable, plus they had good sticity.

    An Zhiyuan watched as the orange light fell from above, enveloping her slender body and casting a crisscrossing shadow on the sofa¡¯s edge and even onto the floor.

    "Why do those foreign experts keep hovering around you?"

    After heating some water for her to wash her feet, Bai Xiao had big habits¡ªnot exactly germaphobic, but she needed to wash her face and feet every day, and sometimes bathe, although she mostly bathed at the hospital since it was not convenient at home. An Zhiyuan was recently considering installing a shower in Bai Xiao¡¯s bathroom at home, but it was difficult to find the right setup locally, mostly gas water heaters which seemed unsafe and prone to gas poisoning.

    Bai Xiaozily sat up, crossed her legs on the sofa, "Today, I performed a surgery with acupuncture but no anesthesia, and these people happened to see it. So, like mosquitoes sensing the scent of blood, they cling to me, dying to have me go abroad for exchanges."

    Bored, she turned on the television, but with only a few channels avable, there was nothing interesting to watch.

    An Zhiyuan took off his clothes and went to the bathroom to wash himself, as his wife¡¯s habits now made him ufortable if he didn¡¯t wash every day.

    Dressed in a bicep-baring undershirt, the top was military green, and the bottom was a pair of all-cotton lounge pants, making him look solid and tall. Perhaps because he had just bathed, his whole body carried an indescribable freshness.

    Especially that eight-pack, An Zhiyuan was not thin, but when he squatted down, his abdomen tucked in, without a bit of excess fat.

    His physique was excellent, from his body to his Adonis belt, naturally yet powerfullypelling.

    The whole man copsed onto the sofa, squeezing next to Bai Xiao.

    She smiled slightly, "Squeezing like this, aren¡¯t you hot?"

    Bai Xiao shifted a bit to the side; she had already washed her feet and changed into her pajamas, focusing intently on "The Legend of the Condor Heroes," a drama that captivated an era.

    He stretched out his arm to hold her tightly, tighter than he ever had before.

    Bai Xiao turned to hug his waist and leaned against his chest, her arms resting on his body.

    She felt the sturdy warmth of his masculine body providing her a solid sense of security, with a hint of soap scent in his breath.

    It was an indescribable feeling, mysterious yetfortable.

    No words could describe it, like a silent movie, containing a strange silence.

    At the moment An Zhiyuan hugged her, Bai Xiao thought she could hear the sound of flowers blooming in the quiet night, gentle and slow, like petals unfolding tranquility, but her world suddenly became colorful and dazzling.

    Her cheeks pressed against his firm chest, listening to his strong heartbeat, she felt an infinite craving, with sweet bubbles frothing in her heart.

    ----

    It was unclear who initiated, but in that uncontroble joy, the two were lost in it, his movements on her were deep, each touch reaching deep into her soul, his angr face sweaty, at that moment so perfectly in sync, until after a long time, the vigorously trembling bed gradually returned to calm.

 Chapter 620: The Dean is Looking for You

    <h4>Chapter 620: Chapter 620: The Dean is Looking for You</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao arrived at the hospital, and when Li Xiangqian saw Bai Xiao, he couldn¡¯t help but congratte him, "Doctor Bai, I really didn¡¯t see iting, your level of skill is so impressive. Have you been ying dumb these past few days? Why do I feel like you¡¯re bullying everyone?"

    Today, the news had spread all over the hospital that Traditional Chinese Medicine specialist Bai Xiao, using acupuncture in ce of anesthetic, sessfully saved Director Jin¡¯s life. The story had been told in vivid detail, and how could he not know about it.

    To say there wasn¡¯t a tinge of resentment in his heart would be a lie.

    All this time, he and Bai Xiao had been working in the same clinic. She had such amazing acupuncture skills, yet every day, with each patient, she neither took their pulse nor prescribed any medicine, causing all the patients to flock to his side instead.

    His workload had really been substantial.

    Wasn¡¯t this just like sabotaging your own teammate?

    "Doctor Li, I really wasn¡¯t ying dumb, I¡¯ll tell you the truth. The medical skills passed down through my family only taught me acupuncture. I can treat illnesses, but I only have one trick up my sleeve, and that¡¯s acupuncture. So, with each patient, I neither take pulses nor prescribe medicines. I can only ask if they want acupuncture. If they do, I¡¯ll treat them with needles.

    If they don¡¯t want it, I can only ask them to go to you for treatment. To put it bluntly, I¡¯m like Cheng Yaojin with his three-pronged axe, but I¡¯ve got just this one move, I don¡¯t know anything else." She was definitely telling the bald truth.

    Upon hearing this, Li Xiangqian realized that was the case.

    Actually, her acupuncture skills were enough; they could already treat many illnesses. His own family came from a long line of Traditional Chinese Medicine, with his grandfather, and great-grandfather before him, all being doctors. His family¡¯s acupuncture was said to be sublime, with legends saying that the best acupuncture could cure a hundred diseases.

    Unfortunately, by the time it reached his grandfather¡¯s generation, it had been nearly lost.

    Many acupuncture techniques required practical experience and the umtion of time, as well as the doctor¡¯s control over the acupoints and urate judgment when treating diseases.

    If it was passed down through her family, he truly couldn¡¯t me Bai Xiao.

    This kind of transmission from generation to generation, keeping secret manuals within the family, wasmon.

    And the methods of treating patients varied; not taking pulses and not prescribing medicines were indeed not mistakes.

    "It¡¯s fine. I think your one trick is pretty impressive. I don¡¯t have your level of skill. If I knew how to do that one trick, I bet my ancestors would be so happy they¡¯d jump right out of their coffins." Li Xiangqian had his own unique way of givingpliments.

    Bai Xiao felt awkward. If your ancestors really did jump out of their coffins, they¡¯d scare so many people!

    "Doctor Bai, the Dean is looking for you!" the head nurse called from outside the door.

    Bai Xiao quickly responded, wondering what the Dean could want from her this time. It was probably still about the foreign experts.

    It seemed like they had a bone to pick with her.

    "Doctor Li, I¡¯ll leave this to you for a bit," she said.

    Li Xiangqian nodded, "Go ahead, go ahead. You¡¯re the star of our hospital now."

    With a smile, Bai Xiao left the room, heading straight for the Dean¡¯s office.

    From a distance, she could see a group of foreign experts with an interpreter heading toward the Traditional Chinese Medicine department, seemingly beelining for her clinic.

    Were theying to confront her?

    Bai Xiao turned quickly and made a detour through another hallway, taking a different staircase to the Dean¡¯s office.

    She knocked on the door.

    "Come in!" Yu Shaohua¡¯s voice came out.

    Bai Xiao looked left and right as if she were a thief, then pushed the door open and quickly shut it behind her.

    Yu Shaohua, seeing Bai Xiao¡¯s sneaky behavior, felt both exasperated and amused. "Doctor Bai! What are you doing? Skulking around like that."

    Bai Xiao stuck out her tongue, "Dean, I was afraid the foreign experts would corner me. They even came to my housest night. You have to say something to them; they¡¯re seriously invading my personal life." This was her way of subtly tattling to the Dean.

 Chapter 621: Training Quota Reappears

    <h4>Chapter 621: Chapter 621: Training Quota Reappears</h4><h4></h4>

    Seeing Bai Xiao in front of him, especially the polite smile on Bai Xiao¡¯s lips, Yu Shaohua¡¯s emotions surged again. Although he was sitting down, his legs were so weak he couldn¡¯t stand, and his eyes couldn¡¯t shift away from Bai Xiao. He heard his own hoarse voice say, "Please have a seat. I will handle this matter."

    Bai Xiao noticed that Yu Shaohua¡¯s face looked somewhat worn. The Dean had been full of vigor just yesterday, but, overnight, he seemed to have been severely affected.

    "Dean, did you ask for me?"

    She quite liked Dean Yu Shaohua who had always been nice to her.

    "It¡¯s like this, Director Zhu from Surgery wants to transfer you to Surgery, and I wanted to ask your opinion." Yu Shaohua looked at Bai Xiao with an ufortable expression, his hands trembling slightly by his sides.

    Bai Xiao blinked, her expression confused, "Dean, Director Zhu? From Surgery?"

    Surgery?

    That has nothing to do with Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture!

    Why would they need her?

    As a chief physician, she was just a figurehead. She didn¡¯t understand any medical basics and was worse than a nurse. Surely they didn¡¯t expect her to just wait for someone to develop resistance to anesthesia before she stepped in!

    That¡¯s just a waste.

    "Yes, Director Zhu wants to start a project on Traditional Chinese Acupuncture and its substitution for modern anesthesia. He is the group leader and would like to invite you to join. Of course, he is very weing of you joining Surgery. He understands the significant difference between Traditional Chinese Medicine and Surgery, and he is willing to help you get a slot for further studies in Medical College."

    "Dean, you know I¡¯m from Traditional Chinese Medicine, and besides, my knowledge in this area is still superficial. I am a family-trained doctor! I haven¡¯t undergone professional training, so I can barely manage my responsibilities in Traditional Chinese Medicine. If you send me to Surgery or to a medical hospital for further studies, I would be starting from scratch. Please spare me this!" Bai Xiao knew her limitations well. Being a doctor isn¡¯t just talk, and being a surgeon involves countless hours of practice from internship to surgery; not to mention the many poor animals that are dissected, and she believed she simply didn¡¯t have what it takes.

    Her special ability was merely meant for getting by, and if she truly had to perform like an expert and state exact traditional time periods, it would be the death of her.

    She might as well go to Aviation University.

    "I understand that you don¡¯t want to go to Surgery, as the fields are different; Traditional Chinese Medicine differs greatly from Western Medicine, almost like starting afresh. But since you¡¯ve chosen to be a doctor, mastering professional knowledge is obligatory. Even if you don¡¯t go to a hospital for Surgery, you should be prepared to go to Medical College for further studies. I will arrange a slot for you; you need to live up to the title of being a doctor," Yu Shaohua earnestly advised Bai Xiao, truly wanting what was best for her.

    This was his niece¡¯s daughter, his niece, how could he let her drift aimlessly and waste her days?

    Bai Xiao smiled wryly; this so-called further study slot was something she had already been offeredst time by Dean Zhang, but it seemed that fate, not pleased with her incredible luck, hadid countless obstacles before her. Her protagonist¡¯s halo had not protected her, leading her to be stationed in this ce. Now this again?

    She couldn¡¯t help but wonder if other issues might crop up unexpectedly soon.

    For her as a college student to truly earn her title was indeed very difficult.

    Seeing Bai Xiao obviously distracted, Yu Shaohua felt a bit frustrated by herck of ambition. Was this girl too careless?

    But then he thought, what was he really hoping for?

    For more than a decade, the Yu Family hadn¡¯t known this child, and now you expect her to grow up as you imagined? That¡¯s hardly fair.

    It was just a small vige, not a big city. The environmental conditions simply didn¡¯t match.

    That she hadn¡¯t gone astray or failed to recognize even a single character was already fortunate enough. What more could you expect?

 Chapter 622: Dear Uncle

    <h4>Chapter 622: Chapter 622: Dear Uncle</h4><h4></h4>

    Yu Shaohua¡¯s gaze on Bai Xiao wasplex and puzzling. What kind of look was this?

    It seemed to be a mix of various emotions, along with an inexplicable warmth.

    Warmth...

    Could it be that Dean Yu Shaohua wanted to harass her?

    She had heard of male supervisors who abused their power over their female subordinates, engaging in unspeakable acts, but she had never encountered this in her past life.

    The title of Divine Doctor was not meant to be tainted; she was the Divine Doctor, not someone anyone could just provoke. Provoking her was like courting death, and no one would even bury you.

    Could it be that in this life, she was going to face this unprecedented issue for the first time!

    Bai Xiao felt disgusted.

    Dean Zhang had been kind to her, a female elder who would never harbor any improper thoughts toward her, especially since Dean Zhang had been real friends with her mother. She naturally looked after Bai Xiao, who resembled Yu Shaoya, but Yu Shaohua...

    Wait a minute, Yu Shaohua, Yu Shaoya...

    She shook her head. It couldn¡¯t be a coincidence. Could Yu Shaohua be her own uncle?

    Back then, she had only heard that the Yu family had always been absent and indifferent about Yu Shaoya¡¯s wellbeing. She had thought that the Yu family hadpletely given up on Yu Shaoya, but it turned out there was still an uncle hidden here.

    Could it be that Yu Shaohua also noticed her resemnce to his sister, thus showing affection by extension, or was it simply Yu Shaohua¡¯s genuine care for a younger rtive?

    "Dean, the foreign experts have been blocking me quite a few times these past days, and this can¡¯t go on," Bai Xiao didn¡¯t know how to probe, wondering if she should ask, ¡¯Do you still remember Yu Shaoya? She is my real mother?¡¯

    It seemed like she had never intended to acknowledge her ties with the Yu family. In her past life, she had no idea, and she didn¡¯t n on it in this life.

    The Yu family¡¯s disregard for Yu Shaoya over the years had also led to their disregard for her. A significant part of her life was entangled with the Yu family. Maybe they never wanted to know how Yu Shaoya was doing or whose daughter she was. Perhaps knowing she was Shang Feng¡¯s daughter would only make them despise her more.

    "I will handle this matter properly, Bai Xiao, but there is another, very important thing I need to talk to you about. Please listen quietly," Yu Shaohua suddenly became serious.

    Instinctively, Bai Xiao knew that Yu Shaohua was about to reveal something significant. Could it be that he wanted to acknowledge their kinship?

    "Dean, I have other things to handle, and Doctor Li is the only one in the department right now; he can¡¯t manage alone. I must go back now. We can talk about thister. I have to leave," Bai Xiao said, hastily standing up and walking out.

    Recognizing kin was too troublesome. Although Yu Shaohua had instructed that he wanted to acknowledge his ties with the Yu family after these many years, their actions had made it impossible for her to forgive. They would acknowledge when they wished and disregard otherwise. Now, Bai Xiao didn¡¯t want to acknowledge them either.

    Those supposed rtives from her grandmother¡¯s side could be forgotten.

    Having rtives only meant troubles.

    "Bai Xiao, I am your uncle, your real uncle!" Yu Shaohua, seeing Bai Xiao about to leave, couldn¡¯t possibly let her go. He had brought Bai Xiao here today specifically to recognize her as family. He hadn¡¯t slept well the night before, having personally phoned the elders at home to discuss this matter. The grandfather¡¯s heart condition had nearly red up, and the grandmother had cried all night.

    After all, Yu Shaoya had once been the most beloved daughter of the elders. At that time, Yu Shaoya¡¯s decisive actions to sever ties with her parents and family, to betray her own family for a man, had been an immense blow, yet the grandfather had not been brought down by it.

    Butst night, the grandfather had almost had an incident.

 Chapter 623: The Truth

    <h4>Chapter 623: Chapter 623: The Truth</h4><h4></h4>

    "Dean, stop joking, this isn¡¯t funny at all, I¡¯m off to work!" Bai Xiao¡¯s tone grew cold.

    The Yu Family, why they acknowledged her, she did not know! Perhaps they, like the Shang Family, thought that her medical skills were passable and that she had married a man with a powerful background, now considered a raremodity, so they were willing to acknowledge her.

    But she was unwilling.

    Whoever wanted to acknowledge her, no way!

    "Bai Xiao, this is no joke. I am your biological uncle, your biological mother is Yu Shaoya, and you look almost exactly like your mother, Bai Xiao, listen to me," Yu Shaohua had discussed with his family the previous night and decided that they must acknowledge Bai Xiao.

    This was his only niece, his sister¡¯s only flesh and blood. It was okay when they didn¡¯t know before, but now that they did, how could they let this child wander alone? All these years, this child must have suffered so much; they had not fulfilled their duties.

    Yu Shaohua regretted that he should have pushed through his illness back then to manage Yu Shaoya¡¯s affairs after her passing. Maybe then they wouldn¡¯t have let their careless, negligent young sister handle things in such a sloppy manner.

    He wouldn¡¯t have let his sister¡¯s flesh and blood wander alone all these years. Regardless of the circumstances, Yu Shaoya¡¯s mistakes were caused by that era; it wasn¡¯t solely Yu Shaoya¡¯s fault. Back then, it wasmon for spouses and parents to clearly define their boundaries; this matter was already unclear.

    "Dean, if you¡¯re not joking, then let me ask you, if my biological mother is indeed Yu Shaoya, why didn¡¯t you acknowledge me all these years? What¡¯s the point of acknowledging me now? Not realizing for twenty years that Yu Shaoya had a daughter, and now suddenly discovering her and being eager to acknowledge me, why?

    I¡¯m already ustomed to my life over these years; I get by quite well, so there¡¯s no need to disturb me. I also don¡¯t want any uncles or the like. I have no connection with them."

    Yu Shaohua was struck by Bai Xiao¡¯s words, feeling as if a cold night wind had poured into his chest.

    The child did not want to acknowledge them.

    At that moment, embarrassment, guilt, and regret once again swept over him, his eyes reddened with a sour feeling, "I am a failed uncle, having missed your past twenty years of life, and I have no right to ask for your forgiveness. But there are many reasons for this situation. I¡¯m not making excuses or finding reasons, but you should at least sit down and listen, then you can decide whether to forgive us or not."

    Yu Shaohua recounted the whole story, an old clich¨¦ story that most people involved in that movement probably experienced during that period¡ªthe turmoil of their youth and the confusion of their life¡¯s goals. Yu Shaoya, like most active members of that era, harbored resistance and resentment towards their father, a pianist considered a ¡¯stinky number nine¡¯ with capitalist thoughts, and due to her unapproved love with Monk Feng, incited by Shang Feng, she firmly reported her parents¡¯ background to the authorities and distanced herself, trying to strive for progression.

    Thus, overnight, the entire Yu Family got swept up in the movement, the old couple of the Yu Family was sent to a rural vige, confined to a cowshed for criticism and re-education,monly called denunciation.

    His siblings and him couldn¡¯t escape either; thus, they were all sent to remote rural areas, and Yu Shaoya couldn¡¯t escape it either, due to her family¡¯s background, she was sent to a ce near Liupan Vige.

    Theter situation was that after the vindication, the elderly Mr. and Mrs. Yu were left with severe physical impairments and felt so disheartened that they no longer wished to return to their old circle in the Capital City, instead settling in the city to which they had originally been sent. His siblings each found their own lives in other ces.

 Chapter 624 Refusal to Recognize

    <h4>Chapter 624: Chapter 624 Refusal to Recognize</h4><h4></h4>

    By the time they began searching for Yu Shaoya, ten years had passed since the end of that movement, and it wasn¡¯t so easy to quickly rectify each case. Their family was almost thest on the list for redress, not to mention the many reviews that were still required.

    No matter what Yu Shaoya did, the old master and mistress of the Yu Family eventually forgave her! After all, she was the child they had raised by hand, and the elderly couple still held a fondness for her. Who hasn¡¯t made mistakes? Many families were fragmented during that era, and Yu Shaoya was not unique. The parents couldn¡¯t possibly remain truly angry with their child.

    Thus, Yu Shaohua began to look for Yu Shaoya. However, as Yu Shaohua had fallen seriously ill due to injuries suffered in the countryside, returning to the city only to sumb to illness, he was too weak to search for Yu Shaoya himself. This led to Yu Shaohan¡¯s involvement, who, despite her reluctance to find her sister and harboring some resentment in her heart, learned upon finding Yu Shaoya that she had passed away.

    No one knew Yu Shaoya had a child. Yu Shaohan, being so neglectful, had inadvertently relocated Yu Shaoya¡¯s grave quietly, thereby overlooking the existence of Bai Xiao.

    But how was she now to handle these affairs?

    She truly couldn¡¯t bring herself to embrace them in tears of joy upon learning the truth, feeling only a momentary resentment at the moment of revtion. But soon, engulfed by a sorrowful confusion, the resentment slowly dissipated. It wasn¡¯t that she wasn¡¯t sad, but after the sadness, she didn¡¯t wish to change anything.

    The deceased are gone. Yu Shaoya¡¯s rights and wrongs no longer had anything to do with her. Even if Yu Shaoya hadmitted great offenses against the Yu Family, she was the woman who chose to die in order to give birth to her, the woman who protected her with her life. That was enough.

    No one could predict their own sufferings. After all, her adoptive parents had treated her sincerely. Her brothers and sisters had also tried their best to be kind to her. In this world, truly, no one owed her anything. Those who owed her were already matters that she could take into her own hands.

    Seeing Bai Xiao¡¯s unresponsive demeanor, Yu Shaohua had an indescribable feeling, quite different from what he had imagined. This girl had no intention of recognizing them as family.

    "Bai Xiao, don¡¯t you believe it now?"

    "I believe! I am Yu Shaoya¡¯s child, but what does that change?" Bai Xiao didn¡¯t know what Yu Shaohua wanted.

    "Bai Xiao, we understand you¡¯re harboring resentment, but I just want you toe back and meet the elders! They miss you terribly, and we are family after all!"

    "Who is my father?"

    Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t fail to ask. She didn¡¯t distrust Li Chunhua¡¯s answers ¨C she selectively believed them, but thus far, there was nopelling evidence to prove her rtionship to Monk Feng.

    And the notion that Shang Feng was her father was quite repulsive.

    Yu Shaohua shook his head, "Aside from your mother, probably no one knows who¡¯s child you are. Your mother¡¯sst words were that you weren¡¯t Shang Feng¡¯s child, but as to whose child you are, no one knows. In those times, many things could happen."

    Bai Xiao nodded, "If there is nothing else, then I will be leaving!"

    "Bai Xiao! Don¡¯t you want to acknowledge us?"

    The truth was, they hadn¡¯t done anything wrong in this matter. The faulty with the times and a series of unfortunate misunderstandings.

    "Even if you really are my uncle, there¡¯s no need for us to recognize each other now. My mother is gone, and with her, the disputes should end. So what¡¯s the point in acknowledging me or not? I¡¯ve grown ustomed to living like this over the years and don¡¯t feel anything is missing without rtives." Bai Xiao turned and left all the same.

    Leaving Yu Shaohua in a room chilled with solitude.

 Chapter 625 Blocked Up

    <h4>Chapter 625: Chapter 625 Blocked Up</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao really didn¡¯t want to see Yu Shaohua. Now things had beplicated. The Yu family, whom she wanted nothing to do with, suddenly appeared out of nowhere, just like a plotid out in a TV drama, step by step, everyone began to emerge, rted to her or not, step by step unveiling the past.

    The problem was that just when everything was starting to get better for her and she wanted to live a peaceful life, wasn¡¯t this an indication that they didn¡¯t want her to live peacefully?

    It seemed that God had given her a second chance at life with conditions, at least not letting her live peacefully was a certainty.

    She bumped into two people and was firmly grabbed by someone.

    "Bai Xiao!"

    Bai Xiao looked up and smiled; it was that girl whose wallet got stolen, apparently called something... Chunlu.

    The world really is small.

    "Hello!"

    "Mom, this is Bai Xiao, the sister of Bai Song that I¡¯ve told you about!" Yan Chunlu held onto Bai Xiao without letting go, really not expecting to meet an acquaintance here.

    Yu Shaohan looked Bai Xiao up and down, in her heart disliking this girl even more because she was the sister of Bai Song, who she despised the most.

    "What a coincidence indeed! Well, since you¡¯re here, there are some things I want to discuss with you. Let¡¯s find a ce, I need to talk to you," seizing the moment, Yu Shaohan wanted to cut off all potential ties between Yan Chunlu and Bai Song.

    Bai Xiao was bewildered¡ªwhy was this olddy showing such hostility towards her?

    Yan Chunlu was furious; her mother was clearly trying to start trouble.

    "Mom, if you say anything excessive, don¡¯t me me for leaving immediately and nevering back!"

    Yu Shaohua red at Yan Chunlu, "Are you really my daughter? Were you just born to cause me debt? What else can you aplish in your life besides threatening your own mother? How is it my fault that people don¡¯t like you? You¡¯d abandon your own mother for a man, and you don¡¯t want toe back, but I don¡¯t want to see you either.

    The mother and daughter really had nothing good to say to each other.

    Yan Chunlu pulled Bai Xiao away, "It¡¯s just fine that you don¡¯t want to see me, I don¡¯t want to see you either. It¡¯s best we don¡¯t meet, out of sight, out of mind, to spare you the displeasure of seeing me."

    Yu Shaohua grabbed Yan Chunlu tightly, "Chunlu!"

    "Mom, do you really need to make me lose face in front of so many people?" Yan Chunlu was infuriated. Is this really her own mother?

    Yu Shaohua was furious, "Fine, since you care about saving face, then today you can¡¯t let her go. What harm is there in me talking to her for a bit? It¡¯s just a conversation; is it going to eat her or make her lose a piece of flesh?" Her eyes almost venomously red at Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao looked at the two with an innocent expression, listening to them, it seemed the mother and daughter were discussing something about her older brother, Bai Song.

    What was the rtionship between Bai Song and Yan Chunlu?

    Could there be some scandal involved?

    Now, not only could Yan Chunlu not drive her away, but she also didn¡¯t want to leave herself, especially since it was about her brother, she obviously should know.

    Without surprises, her brother would soon reach the border area, and if she couldn¡¯t ensure peace here, her brother might also get into a lot of trouble due to his frustration.

    "Don¡¯t worry, aunt, since you have something to say to me, I definitely won¡¯t leave. Let¡¯s go to my office; I am a doctor at this hospital." Seeing that the topic was sensitive and they were in a public ce, Bai Xiao made a suggestion.

    Yu Shaohua nodded, appreciating that this girl knew her ce.

    Yan Chunlu shook her head eagerly, "You... don¡¯t need to... this matter..."

    Bai Xiao waved her hand; no matter the reason, it was essential to rify things. If things were unclear, no one would know what was going on.

 Chapter 626 Unrequited Love

    <h4>Chapter 626: Chapter 626 Unrequited Love</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao led the two people to her office; the innermost small room was the acupuncture treatment room. There weren¡¯t many people there, and after closing the door, the soundproofing seemed quite effective.

    Li Xiangqian nced at her and saw that she still had two people following her furiously; he couldn¡¯t figure out what was going on and could only hurry to attend to the patient in front of him.

    Luckily, it was Friday, so there weren¡¯t many people.

    Upon closing the door, Yu Shaohan sat down on the acupuncture bed with a huff. The quarrel with her daughter on the way here had also left her quite agitated.

    Once inside the room, she finally felt a bit out of breath and had to sit down to catch her breath.

    Bai Xiao poured two cups of water for Yan Chunlu and Yu Shaohan.

    "Now it¡¯s just the three of us, whatever you want to say, just say it."

    If it¡¯s a scab, it has to be squeezed open to prevent it from festering worse.

    Yan Chunlu, anxious to exin, was sharply interrupted by Yu Shaohan, who barked, "Shut up!"

    "Are you Bai Song¡¯s sister?"

    She scrutinized Bai Xiao closely. This young woman seemed well-mannered. Although she came from the countryside, she carried herself with an umon grace. Just the fact that she didn¡¯t shy away but instead invited them in for an open and frank conversation showed considerable poise.

    "Yes, I am Bai Song¡¯s sister, Bai Xiao. Feel free to speak your mind to me."

    Could it be that my brother had some amorous adventure?

    How could that be possible? My honest and straightforward brother, how could he get entangled in such an affair? If he did fancy a girl, it was more likely that he would form a proper romantic rtionship in a very straightced manner, probably even more upright than my second brother.

    "Alright, you seem like a reasonable child. Today I¡¯ll be frank with you. No matter what, our Chunlu cannot be with your brother. First of all, don¡¯t get me wrong, I don¡¯t think less of your family for being from the countryside. I know what your brother is like; defending the nation is his duty. But likewise, being his wife involves umon hardships.

    Chunlu is still young, and she admires your brother in her heart; it is normal for her to have a heroplex and be infatuated with such a person. But to seriously live day to day, it¡¯s impossible for two people to rely solely on this emotion for a lifetime.

    You are Bai Song¡¯s sister, and you should understand that your brother spends more than 300 days a year at the military base. Chunlu has been spoiled by us since she was young. She couldn¡¯t possibly take care of a home all by herself.

    I ask you to convey to your brother that he should stop seeing Chunlu. I am begging him as a mother."

    Bai Xiao raised her eyes, pondering the situation. "Bai Xiao, don¡¯t listen to my mum¡¯s nonsense. Your brother doesn¡¯t know anything about this matter; it¡¯s just my own feelings towards him. It was also me who initiated the transfer to be with him; it has nothing to do with him at all. He might not even be aware of this situation," Yu Shaohan insisted.

    Yan Chunlu was getting anxious, afraid that Bai Xiao might misunderstand her older brother.

    "You mean my brother doesn¡¯t know about your feelings for him?" After hearing all this, Bai Xiao finally understood. It turned out to be Yan Chunlu¡¯s unrequited love. No wonder her parents were anxious about their daughter following some strange man to such a dangerous ce.

    Her own brother would probably never imagine that he had be a nightmare in someone else¡¯s parents¡¯ eyes.

    "Auntie, since Chunlu has already said that my brother is unaware of this matter, then I think what you should do is to take care of your daughter, not to make demands of us," Bai Xiao said, displeased with the idea of being bullied.

 Chapter 627 The Agony of Seeking but Not Obtaining

    <h4>Chapter 627: Chapter 627 The Agony of Seeking but Not Obtaining</h4><h4></h4>

    "What kind of talk is this,rade?" Yu Shaohan had not expected that a seemingly gentle girl could turn around and utter such lethal words.

    Bai Xiao, without shifting her gaze and not the least bit intimidated, said, "Comrade, this is your daughter pining for someone unrequitedly. Why should others be required to keep their distance from your daughter? Shouldn¡¯t you be properly restraining your daughter in such matters?"

    Bai Xiao was fiercely protective, especially of her elder brothers and sisters at home. Anyone trying to bully them was bullying her.

    For the first time, Yu Shaohan felt as if she had been harshly pped in the face.

    Deep down she knew her demands were somewhat unreasonable. Her daughter was clinging to someone who had no intention to even befriend her, and despite this, her daughter wouldn¡¯t let go.

    Her words weren¡¯t just for Bai Xiao to hear; frankly, there were indeed intentions of bullying by virtue of her status.

    It was all because this Bai Song¡ªshe had done her research thoroughly¡ªapletely ordinary person from the countryside. Although she wasn¡¯t someone who valued social status that much, she still couldn¡¯t let her daughter marry a rural man.

    After all her efforts and years of nurturing her daughter, to have her marry a country boy¡ªwhat was the meaning of this?

    Frankly, she was somewhat transferring her anger, trying to intimidate Bai Xiao, also hinting at the Bai Family to back off and not harbor any delusions.

    The issue hadn¡¯t escted yet, but her daughter was already chasing after him. If he showed even the slightest interest in her daughter, she feared her daughter might marry him behind their backs.

    But faced with such a retort, Yu Shaohan was unable to save face.

    "Look at this! Look at what you¡¯re doing? What kind of manners does this girl have? If she can humiliate you to your face before marriage, imagine if you married into their family¡ªa whole household would bully you, and then you would have your ¡¯good days¡¯ to look forward to," Yu Shaohan said, her words blunt and unpleasant.

    Yan Chunlu¡¯s face turned pale with anger. Bai Xiao¡¯s words also made her feel wronged. She wasn¡¯t that lowly. How can someone who loves someone earnestly and has given so much not deserve even a word offort?

    "Bai Xiao, I like your brother."

    That was a confession. She had already expressed her feelings for Bai Song both explicitly and implicitly many times, but that man simply seemed not to get it and rejected her outright every time.

    That¡¯s why she desperately wanted to be with Bai Song, to make him see her merits, her shining points. She didn¡¯t consider herself ugly¡ªin their hospital, she was deemed quite the catch, with many young men pursuing her, but somehow she was always rebuffed by Bai Song.

    No matter how she changed her tactics to chase after this man, he remained lukewarm towards her, utterly unenthusiastic, even telling her explicitly many times that he was not interested and she shouldn¡¯t waste her time on him.

    It¡¯s probably amon affliction among all¡ª the more unattainable something is, the more valuable it bes in one¡¯s heart.

    For Bai Song, she had now developed an obsession.

    An obsession to win this man¡¯s attention and love at all costs.

    "But my brother doesn¡¯t like you, Yan Chunlu. You¡¯re not a child anymore. My brother is definitely not someone who fools around with ambiguities. He is a man of his word¡ªif he liked you, not even the obstacles from your parents would matter to him. He would do everything to eliminate those obstacles and be with you. But if he doesn¡¯t like you, even if you offered him your whole heart, it would be futile," Bai Xiao understood her brother very well and believed he would rify the situation.

 Chapter 628 Complaining

    <h4>Chapter 628: Chapter 628 Comining</h4><h4></h4>

    "Bai Xiao, how can you..." Yan Chunlu couldn¡¯t believe it. Bai Xiao had not the slightest intention tofort her; instead, she ripped open all her wounds.

    "Comrade, you better take your daughter and leave quickly. You should havee to us from the beginning. Unrequited love is a sickness only she can cure; nobody else can do anything. You¡¯ve seen it yourself, my big brother surely made it crystal clear to your daughter. If she continues to delude herself, it has nothing to do with our family. So, you can¡¯t me this on us," she said. She would not let Yu Shaohan pin anybels or cast aspersions on her big brother.

    Her brother had always been an upright person in this life and thest, principled and not one of those glib, scheming sorts. A pampered miss like Yan Chunlu was certainly not someone her big brother could put up with.

    Yu Shaohan was so frustrated she was itching to bite something. This was the first time she had encountered such a disrespectful and inconsiderate girl, truly irritating¡ªjust as hateful as her brother, really not likeable at all. No wonder their whole family had been exiled to such a remote ce. Such people, unable to read the room, definitely couldn¡¯t get far.

    "Alright, I hope you keep to your word." She turned and pulled Yan Chunlu. "Let¡¯s go! Why stay here and be the butt of their jokes? Haven¡¯t you seen what kind of people they all are? Such ill-mannered, narrow-minded people. I¡¯m surprised, what did you see in him? Hurry back home and save us the embarrassment."

    Yan Chunlu was unwilling to leave. She truly liked Bai Song, but she had never anticipated this oue.

    She began to sob, making Bai Xiao roll her eyes. Now you cry¡ªwas it we who bullied you? Clearly, it was your family throwing their weight around.

    "Farewell, we won¡¯t see you out. We don¡¯t need to bother you with whether we have manners or generosity." Bai Xiao gestured with her hand, urging them to leave quickly.

    Yu Shaohan, with Yan Chunlu still in tow, stormed into Yu Shaohua¡¯s office.

    As soon as Yu Shaohua saw his sister and niece enter, he couldn¡¯t hide the rage on his face.

    He stood up and closed the office door.

    His sister had always had a temper since she was young and sometimes would lose it regardless of the setting. It was just her husband who had put up with her for so many years; any other man would have probably wanted a divorce by now.

    "What¡¯s the matter? Why are youing in here so angrily? Who has upset you now?" Yu Shaohua, of course, knew his sister had been bothered by his niece¡¯s issue these past few days.

    Yu Shaohan let go of Yan Chunlu abruptly. "Who else could it be, if not this good-for-nothing girl causing trouble?" she said, poking Yan Chunlu fiercely in the eyes.

    Yan Chunlu quickly hid behind her uncle. "Uncle, mom is being too much. Always so impulsive, not caring about the consequences. She humiliated my friend right in front of me, causing them to misunderstand me too."

    Yu Shaohan was nearly breathless with anger. It¡¯s true what they say¡ª¡¯you can¡¯t control your kids when they grow up.¡¯

    "You have the nerve to say that? What kind of friend is that? He¡¯s even working as a doctor in your uncle¡¯s hospital. Young as you look, you speak so rudely, definitely someone to be reckoned with. If you married into such a family, wouldn¡¯t that be the end of you? Not to mention the awful things they¡¯ve already thrown in your face. His brother has no interest in you whatsoever; what are you hanging on for, really?"

    Yu Shaohua patted his sister¡¯s shoulder. "The loudest in the room is not always the one who is right, don¡¯t rush. If you have something to say, say it calmly. What¡¯s the use of always yelling at the child?"

    Yu Shaohan, still fuming, turned away and ignored Yan Chunlu.

 Chapter 629: The Facts

    <h4>Chapter 629: Chapter 629: The Facts</h4><h4></h4>

    "Chunlu, your mother has told me about your problem, but I can¡¯t just take her word alone. Although you¡¯re grown up, marriage is a big deal after all. You still need your family to look out for you, you can¡¯t just rely on individualism,"

    "I heard that you¡¯ve almost broken up with your family over a boy. What¡¯s the situation with this man? Just tell me, what exactly happened? Uncle will listen impartially. I won¡¯t side with your mom or you. I just want to understand the situation and help you analyze it."

    Yu Shaohua wasn¡¯t someone to be treated lightly, having been a leader for many years and skilled in ideological work, he was quite capable.

    Yan Chunlu immediately felt her uncle loomrger, "Uncle, it¡¯s really just that my mom is being unreasonable. Will you listen to me? It¡¯s not at all as she described." She recounted how she met Bai Song, how Bai Song chased off a thief, and how they had encountered a car ident and saved people, among other things.

    Yu Shaohua frowned upon hearing about Bai Song and Bai Xiao, realizing that his niece actually knew Bai Xiao.

    Could it be that his sister hadn¡¯t realized that Bai Xiao resembled someone from their own family?

    "You say it was just saving people, do you know what his intentions were? Maybe he knew about your family¡¯s situation and had some ulterior motives for saving you. Why else would he specifically choose you?" Yu Shaohan was being quite unreasonable and spoke rudely.

    Yan Chunlu¡¯s brows furrowed in anger, unable to justify herself regarding Bai Xiao, but she was quite assertive when it came to her own mother.

    "Mom, how can you say that? After the car ident, Bai Song helped many people. If he was just currying favor, why would he bother saving others too? Both Bai Song and Bai Xiao are good people. You don¡¯t know, at the scene, there were so many casualties, and Bai Xiao didn¡¯t even ask for anyone¡¯s identity while helping them, whether they were in sedans or buses, he went over to help all the injured.

    "Not to mention Bai Song. If it hadn¡¯t been for them, several more might have died that day." She wouldn¡¯t allow her own mother to nder the man she admired.

    "Fine, you say he¡¯s a good person, a decent person. If he doesn¡¯t like you, then why is he leading you on, making youe here, insisting on transferring to this ce? What are his real intentions then?"

    Yan Chunlu wanted to rebut, but Yu Shaohua waved his hand, signaling for both to calm down.

    "So you¡¯re saying you like Bai Xiao¡¯s brother, Bai Song? How about him? Does he have feelings for you too?"

    Yu Shaohua didn¡¯t see it as a big deal; mutual affection between a man and a woman is quite normal. If two people truly have feelings for each other, why should anyone stop them?

    Yan Chunlu lowered her head and gritted her teeth, "Uncle, Bai Song has always been rejecting me. He says we aren¡¯t suitable for each other. But I really like him. I thought that if I could transfer to be in the same ce as him, over time, love would grow."

    Yu Shaohuaughed at this point, "Alright, now I understand. This is a story of you liking someone who doesn¡¯t like you back. And then your mom keeps putting abel on him, thinking that he has seduced you."

    Looking at his own sister, "Shao Han, this time it¡¯s your fault. What does this have to do with others? You! Every time something happens, you always twist the logic to favor your side. inly speaking, it¡¯s just bias. The fault always lies with others."

 Chapter 630: Who is She?

    <h4>Chapter 630: Chapter 630: Who is She?</h4><h4></h4>

    "Exactly! Uncle, you¡¯re so right, you should talk to my mom. She just ran into Doctor Bai Xiao and started scolding him relentlessly. Naturally, he wasn¡¯t pleased. Saying his big brother, of course he wouldn¡¯t be happy, it ended up very unpleasant, and I was so embarrassed."

    Yan Chunlu angrily recounted the incident.

    Yu Shaohua was shocked, "Did you just run into Bai Xiao?"

    When Yu Shaohan recalled the girl¡¯s attitude a moment ago, his face couldn¡¯t hide the disgust.

    "You don¡¯t know, that girl is a tough character. Big brother, what does this girl do at your hospital? She seems so arrogant. You should be careful with such people; someone so young and headstrong can easily cause you troubleter."

    Yu Shaohua pped the table with a smack, startling both Yu Shaohan and Yan Chunlu.

    What¡¯s going on here?

    "You! What should I even say about you?" Yu Shaohua had not expected that just moments ago he was thinking about how to persuade Bai Xiao toe home and recognize his rtives. The parents knew there was another niece¡¯s child here, and the house was already restlessst night. If he wasn¡¯t mistaken, first thing this morning, the old man anddy of the house would have his brother get tickets toe over here. They could arrive by tomorrow without needing any further dy.

    But the person hadn¡¯t agreed to recognize them yet, originally displeased that they had never sought her out and didn¡¯t recognize them. Now, with Yu Shaohan stirring up such a scene, there was likely an even greater rift between Bai Xiao and them.

    "Big brother, what¡¯s wrong? She¡¯s just a junior doctor, why are you so angry? I¡¯m your sister. Besides, I didn¡¯t do anything to her, what could I have done to her?" Yu Shaohan was utterly baffled. Her older brother had never lost his temper at her like this before. Over the years, he had be more steady andposed, and this kind of situation was rare.

    Could it be that this doctor is some rtive of someone else?

    That¡¯s absolutely impossible, right? Isn¡¯t she Bai Song¡¯s sister?

    The Bai Family has no special background¡ª just old farmers eking out a living from the soil, barely knowing enough medical skills, and those were lost early on. Not to mention other rtives, just rural rtives with their small-town affairs, already enough to be frustrating. There¡¯s no way they have any real background.

    "Do you know who she is?" Yu Shaohua looked at his sister somberly; his own niece facing off against his sister was like a real-life drama.

    "Big brother, stop talking in riddles, I know she¡¯s Bai Song¡¯s sister. That whole family is nothing good!"

    "She is Shao Ya¡¯s biological daughter."

    It was earth-shattering news.

    Yu Shaohan felt a storm surge inside her heart. How could that be possible?

    "Big brother, you must be mistaken, right?"

    This just couldn¡¯t be possible?

    But recalling the girl she had just seen, she seemed somehow familiar. She was too upset earlier to think about it, but now it was as if she was seeing through the mist. Yes, she looked almost exactly like Shao Ya.

    Especially the eyes and mouth¡ªthey all looked simr in her family, so it means...

    "I¡¯ve already confirmed with Xiaoyuan, the information provided matches exactly with this Bai Xiao. I originally wanted to acknowledge her and even bring her in for a paternity test. A former ssmate told me that Harbor City has thetest technology to determine whether there¡¯s a blood rtionship. This technology is new, but the uracy is still very high."

 Chapter 631: Paternity Test

    <h4>Chapter 631: Chapter 631: Paternity Test</h4><h4></h4>

    "How do we verify it?"

    "By using a rtive¡¯s hair, blood, saliva, any of these can be used for verification."

    "But my second sister passed away a long time ago. How can we find those things?" Shao Han was well aware that the grave even had been relocated by her.

    "Have you forgotten? When your second sister broke off rtions with mom and dad, she cut off a strand of her hair. Mom and dad still kept it in a box. That is important evidence!" Yu Shaohua had asked before, and he was absolutely right.

    Shao Han was at a loss for words at this point, which was just wonderful. She and her possible niece were directly up against each other.

    The two of them were so unhappy, and in the future...

    "Big brother, maybe it¡¯s not true? After all, who can clearly articte what had happened back then?" She was starting to resist the idea.

    "It has to be her because when I mentioned Yu Shaoya¡¯s name, she didn¡¯t show any surprise at all. It was clear her adoptive parents must have told her about it, so she knew clearly, but she still didn¡¯t show us any good will. This child must have suffered these past years, so she holds quite some resentment towards us," Yu Shaohua knew full well they had absolutely no intention of acknowledging them.

    "What reason does she have to resent us? It¡¯s not like we gave birth to her in that ce. We can¡¯t be med!" Shao Han recalled the hardships Yu Shaoya¡¯s family had faced, and her heart was uneasy. Even though it was her own sister, a deceased person is like an extinguishedmp, past events are akin to smoke, but that didn¡¯t mean the pain had disappeared.

    Back then, her departure was so hasty she hadn¡¯t thoroughly investigated. She held resentment, not because of Yu Shaoya, but because of her, how could she and her brothers have been sent to such a remote mountain area? She would never forget those days, she still harbored resentments.

    Whoevermitted the sins, let them suffer the consequences.

    Why should theye and tter this girl, who does she think she is!

    "Stop it, whatever Shao Ya did, she¡¯s still our sister. Such kinship is only in this life and not in the next. She¡¯s gone, any gratitudes and grievances should end. Our parents are the ones who were hurt the most, and if they can let it go, do we really need to hold onto it? No matter what, she was Shao Ya¡¯s only child," Yu Shaohua rather saw things clearly.

    Everyone has some grievances, some grudges. But in this matter, Bai Xiao was not wrong, they were not wrong. It was the era that was at fault, too many unfortunate misunderstandings.

    "What should we do now?" Shao Han began to calm down slowly.

    Thinking about it more carefully, this was after all their sister¡¯s only child, no matter what. She was their family. Upon closer inspection, Bai Xiao and Bai Song were not really rted.

    Her own investigation into Bai Song¡¯s family revealed that their situation was not very good; his parents died early, his sister got married, leaving only a brother and Bai Xiao. Presumably, Bai Song joined the military to support his sister.

    In this light, Bai Song seemed to be a good person, at least he was unconditionallymitted and responsible towards his family.

    "I¡¯ve already asked Yu Ming toe over; his age is close to Bai Xiao¡¯s, maybe some things are easier said between youngsters. They might have more inmon, easing Bai Xiao¡¯s resistant emotions," he too was troubled as Bai Xiao¡¯s demeanor was really cold, from her attitude, he could feel that she truly had no intention of recognizing any rtives.

    Also true, over these years neither party knew about each other. Perhaps Bai Xiao knew, but when she was suffering there, she probably harbored even more resentment towards them.

 Chapter 632: Out with the Old, In with the New

    <h4>Chapter 632: Chapter 632: Out with the Old, In with the New</h4><h4></h4>

    "Uncle, what do you mean? Is Bai Xiao the daughter of my second aunt?" Yan Chunlu had been listening on the side and waspletely stunned.

    Anyone with a functioning brain would be able to connect the dots after a little thought! The words all pieced together to reveal that Bai Xiao was the daughter of her aunt who had passed away many years ago, and that she was actually rted to her.

    "It¡¯s very likely, more than eighty percent sure," Yu Shaohua knew he couldn¡¯t keep it a secret.

    "Then am I not sisters with Bai Xiao?" Yan Chunlu felt a stir in her heart.

    Sisters, that¡¯s good.

    "Then Bai Xiao and her older brother Bai Song are..."

    Worry.

    The person she wholeheartedly admired, could it be that one day, in some melodramatic twist, he would be her older brother? If that were the case, she might as well die.

    "Your second aunt only had Bai Xiao, and her older brother is the child of her adoptive parents, who are truly virtuous and kind." He thought about the records, which didn¡¯t say much but meant a lot; having experienced hardships himself, how could he not understand? The kindness this family had shown to Bai Xiao was profound and unparalleled.

    This was a debt of gratitude.

    No wonder Bai Xiao was so protective of her older brother; she was someone who knew gratitude and sought to repay it. It seemed their rtionship as siblings was very strong indeed.

    She wouldn¡¯t hesitate to confront others for the sake of her older brother. He liked this kind of temper in her.

    The child was smart; considering how adverse the environment had been all these years, she still managed to learn medical skills from her adoptive parents. The skills she possessed now were enviable.

    One should really thank the Bai Family for passing down their ancestral medical skills to an adopted daughter with such dedication. Just for that, one could tell that her foster parents were people of high moral integrity, which is why they could raise someone like Bai Xiao.

    Yan Chunlu finally felt at ease.

    Yu Shaohan looked at his daughter¡¯s disappointing demeanor, and it pained his heart.

    At this moment, his daughter still cared about that Bai Song; could it be that he had really made a mistake?

    "Uncle, I¡¯ll go find Bai Xiao then, I¡¯ll talk to her! After all, we do know each other, maybe she¡¯ll listen?" Yan Chunlu felt inexplicably excited at the thought that she and Bai Xiao were cousins.

    Yu Shaohua looked at Yan Chunlu and shook his head; he had watched the child grow up! She had no major faults, but her nature was soft, not someone who thought things through extensively. Someone like her trying to persuade Bai Xiao, who was so determined and stubborn, was likely to be fruitless.

    "Chunlu, let it be! You should go back with your mother. Your mother just had a misunderstanding with Bai Xiao; going now, do you think Bai Xiao will look at you differently? It¡¯s more likely that her resentment will be harder to ovee. Just wait! Your older brother should arrive by noon."

    Yan Chunlu thought it over and realized he was right; her mother had just humiliated Bai Song, and Bai Xiao was willing to argue with them over it. Now, telling her they were rtives, there was no way Bai Xiao would ept that.

    "Okay, I¡¯ll listen to Uncle."

    "Little sister, you and Chunlu should head back. Once this matter is resolved, I¡¯ll let you know!" At this moment, Yu Shaohan being here was of no help either.

    Yu Shaohan had no choice but to stand up, realizing her older brother probably wasn¡¯t in the right mindset to consider anything else, "Big brother, we¡¯re leaving now. You¡¯re not getting any younger; you should take care of yourself." She looked at her older brother¡¯s stooped figure, and felt a wave of emotion; they were all getting old.

    A new generation of young people began to step forward, as one generation gives way to the next.

    Yan Chunlu obediently followed her birth mother and left.

    Yu Shaohua breathed a sigh of relief.

 Chapter 633: Auction

    <h4>Chapter 633: Chapter 633: Auction</h4><h4></h4>

    "An Zhiyuan, this mission is a bit tricky, and I hope you canplete it quickly, because Sang Ji has caused us tremendous losses. The Public Security Department strongly demands cooperation from all sides to eliminate these transnational criminals and restore peace to our borders," the Chief said.

    The superior was issuing an order to An Zhiyuan.

    "Yes! I wille up with a n as quickly as possible," An Zhiyuan responded.

    This time, Sang Ji, a major drug lord, was moving along the border of Myanmar and China. He was a clever and cunning enemy who employed local farmers in Myanmar to grow opium poppies, with specialists refining them into the final product, which was then transported through various locations via the Chinese border, now bing a golden route.

    The man had organized armed forces, ruthless and cunning, never letting anyone capture him. The Public Security of Yun Province had already lost several undercover agents due to his shrewdness, leaving them unprepared.

    This is why it was necessary to mobilize local special forces, public security departments, and border police together; the opposition was just too powerful.

    "Chief, unless we continue to send undercover agents, it will still be very difficult to get close to Sang Ji. This man, as the information shows, is extremely intelligent and cunning, and like a rabbit, never stays in one ce for long. Even his closest confidants are unaware of his whereabouts, mysterious and cruel, indeed a formidable opponent," An Zhiyuan, who had reviewed the data, said during the meeting in the office.

    "You are right, but due to the previous failures of our undercover operations, Sang Ji has be very cautious. It¡¯s almost impossible to infiltrate his side again any time soon. However, the border department provided us with some new intelligence yesterday that we believe is feasible," the Chief added.

    "Look, although Sang Ji is no saint, he has a peculiar penchant for gambling on stones and is a born gambler, particrly fond of betting on raw stones in several renowned pits in Myanmar. He is the type of person who loves the idea of getting rich overnight, and his luck, reportedly, is quite good, often making money in eight out of ten gambles, not necessarily getting rich but never losing money either. This is why he is so passionate about it," said the intelligence personnel, while detailing thetest intelligence to the leaders.

    An Zhiyuan looked at the photo in his hand. Sang Ji didn¡¯t look like a desperado at all, with a gentle demeanor. From a certain angle, the man¡¯s features were very handsome, and with the added maturity of age, he carried a refined aire, courteous in his dealings, and his demeanor, including his actions, betrayed nothing of his status as a top drug lord.

    It really proved true that "appearances are deceiving, and the sea is unfathomable."

    "There¡¯s going to be an auction at thergest pit in Myanmar soon, and it¡¯s said that the three major pits will each send a batch of raw stones to participate in what will be the greatest auction event, inviting interested parties from everywhere. ording to our intelligence, Sang Ji will definitely not miss this opportunity.

    This will also be our only chance to get close to him. The best approach is to have our personnel disguise themselves and participate in this auction to get close to Sang Ji, obtain evidence of his crimes, and capture him topletely shatter this golden route," was the final conclusion reached after various analyses.

 Chapter 634: Cooperation

    <h4>Chapter 634: Chapter 634: Cooperation</h4> "The most suitable candidate for this mission is you, and we hope that you can cooperate with this operation. Especially attending such an auction, a single gentleman like you will attract a lot of attention. We have already selected an appropriate female officer for you. The two of you will disguise yourselves as a couple, and we have also prepared the funds." The special operation leader began assigning tasks for the capture of Sang Ji.

    An Zhiyuan frowned. The task didn¡¯t seem very difficult, but the tricky part might be pretending to be a couple.

    "Chief, when do we carry out the mission?"

    Being a tough guy was no problem for him, but acting in this kind of role, he doubted his own abilities.

    "The time is soon, at most a week. In theing days we will give you some basic knowledge and materials. During this week, you two must work together in harmony, including reviewing this knowledge so that when facing Sang Ji, you can answer any questions posed to you. At the very least, you must master superficial knowledge."

    This was an explicit order.

    "Yes, Leader. I will do my best to cooperate with all departments andplete this mission."

    The next day, early in the morning, a beautiful inclothes officer arrived at An Zhiyuan¡¯s office. Although she was in casual wear, it was a knee-length pleated skirt and a floral blouse, with wavy long hair and almond-shaped eyes with dark eyebrows. She indeed looked like a beauty in the making. Most importantly, no one would mistake this girl for a police officer; shepletely had the air of a fashionable socialite.

    "Hello, An Zhiyuan, I am Wu Yn." Wu Yn was also surprised when she saw Chief An; so young and handsome, this was her first time seeing him.

    Potential off the charts.

    And first-rate looks as well.

    "Hello, I am An Zhiyuan. Please have a seat."

    The two of them began to exchange information and ask questions about the raw stone auction. There was a pile of materials on the table that they needed to read and memorize. At the very least, they should be able to effortlessly provide basic knowledge. The leader even specially delivered several raw stones of different types for them to analyze. Experts in this area would give them intensive training the next day.

    After all, posing as raw stone experts in a week would require more than a little effort.

    "Hmm, have you eaten? Make sure to eat on time. Even when I¡¯m not there, you shouldn¡¯t just make do on your own... It¡¯ll all be over in about ten days. Hmm, okay, I understand. I will take care of myself. Alright, go to sleep!"

    Listening to An Zhiyuan¡¯s gentle advice and conversation with someone on the phone, this seemed to ur nearly every night. Wu Yn guessed that this must be An Zhiyuan¡¯s girlfriend, and likely a young one, a girl who needed constant care. Otherwise, why would a man like An Zhiyuan coddle a woman like this?

    Yet An Zhiyuan seemed cold and ruthless, with a hint of aloofness that made him unapproachable. He was always stern and serious with others, a model of military demeanor, rarely smiling at work. But seeing his tender side! It was indeed captivating, at least she was developing feelings for Colonel An.

    How could such a man not attract women?

    "Chief An, here is the batch of information. Let¡¯s review it together; you ask, I¡¯ll answer."

    An Zhiyuan nodded, took the materials, and focused his gaze on them.

    Wu Yn gracefully paced the room, deliberately showcasing her elegant figure and enchanting demeanor. She was very aware of her physical attributes and charm¡ªthese were advantages. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have been chosen for this role. Frankly, she was meant to y a vain and materialistic woman, while An Zhiyuan was to be a rich yboy. Only such a pair could create the most deceiving effect.

 Chapter 635: Full of Ambition

    <h4>Chapter 635: Chapter 635: Full of Ambition</h4><h4></h4>

    Shang Kaiwen and Liu Chuanfeng checked into the only four-star hotel in the area. Faced with the old furnishings, Shang Kaiwen couldn¡¯t help feeling helpless, as the decrepitude and underdevelopment of the ce were truly unexpected.

    However, this was her first real time attending a raw stones procurement event. Liu Chuanfeng had mentioned that it was a major event with well-known domestic jewelry and gemstone executives in attendance, as well as some international experts, all sharing amon passion.

    In business, who wouldn¡¯t want to acquire better quality raw materials than others? The amount involved this time was enormous.

    Many spective traders who wanted to get rich overnight also followed their noses here, like vultures drawn to the scent of blood, unwilling to leave without a bite.

    "Miss Shang, rest assured, our participation in the public bidding conference isn¡¯t until the day after tomorrow. These two days, I can show you around locally, visit some beautiful sights, and enjoy some fine dining," Liu Chuanfeng had a unique infatuation with Shang Kaiwen, stemming from gratitude as well as her personal charisma. Shang Kaiwen was attractive and in the blossom of her youth, coupled with a pure and delicate charm that made her the goddess of Liu Chuanfeng¡¯s dreams.

    Shang Kaiwen, of course, was aware of Liu Chuanfeng¡¯s feelings, but using them to her advantage was indeed her purpose. She smiled faintly, her smile curving into a perfect arc that nearly made Liu Chuanfeng lost in reverie.

    "Brother Liu, thank you. It¡¯s so nice to have you by my side. I really don¡¯t know anything about this, and I owe it all to your help. Otherwise, I as a girl wouldn¡¯t know what to do."

    Liu Chuanfeng was fully satisfied. Even if his goddess demanded his utmost sacrifice, he would not hesitate. This Shang Kaiwen was a kind-hearted, genuinely innocent, and lovely woman. Aware that her brother¡¯s death had ced the entire Shang Family¡¯s burden on a twenty-year-old girl, Liu Chuanfeng felt it was his duty to help Shang Kaiwen; otherwise, he couldn¡¯t live up to the help she had once given him.

    Otherwise, he would be no better than a wretched, ungrateful beast. He wanted to stay by Shang Kaiwen¡¯s side, helping her achieve everything and ensure her business continued to thrive. He harbored no expectations of one day marrying her, as that was unlikely.

    The status between the two was worlds apart, his only desire was to protect Shang Kaiwen and ensure her happiness.

    "Alright, go and pack, and I¡¯ll take you out for a stroll shortly."

    Watching Liu Chuanfeng leave the room and close the door behind him, Shang Kaiwen¡¯s smile gradually faded. Liu Chuanfeng was a useful pawn, but she stillcked certain things, including status, funds, and fame. Currently, not many people knew who Shang Kaiwen was when she went out.

    She had to represent the Shang Family in many matters, but Shang Feng was still unwilling to introduce her as the sole heir, reluctant to start having her appear publicly. This dissatisfaction stemmed from the same old issues with gender, where just like her parents, he could not fully let go.

    Even though her own brother was finished, Shang Feng still held onto the Shang Family, reluctant to hand over power, simply because he felt that a girl was not up to the task.

    This time, she really needed to aplish something significant to show Shang Feng. Currently, not many of the family¡¯s ventures made substantial money; most were stable industries that generated profits in an orderly fashion, but overnight riches were out of the question.

    She was here at this public bidding conference because Liu Chuanfeng had clearly told her that this time, barring any idents, he could help her secure at least half of China¡¯s jewelry and gemstone raw materials supply. With that, they would dominate a significant portion of the jewelry industry.

    Shang Feng would then see her in a new light.

 Chapter 636: No Smoke Without Fire

    <h4>Chapter 636: Chapter 636: No Smoke Without Fire</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao was getting ready for work when she came out the door and happened to bump into Sister Wei who was cradling Huzi, with a basket slung over one arm, looking like she was about to go pick vegetables in the garden behind the houses.

    In the back yard, each family had a little plot ofnd, not big, but enough to grow some vegetables to help with the household expenses, which was a favorite cost-saving activity of the family members. They all managed their plots with great care. Bai Xiao¡¯s own plot was still untouched; both she and her partner worked and simply had no time, so their plot was lying fallow.

    "Doctor Bai, off to work?"

    When Sister Wei saw Bai Xiao, her expression changed as if she had something to say but then stopped herself. Bai Xiao smiled and patted Huzi¡¯s head, "Yes, off to work."

    These past few days, the number of patients in her clinic had increased. There were several new cases of gout and cervical spine pain. Basically, they were all old acquaintances, old friends, formerrades who had fought together. Once they knew that Doctor Bai was at the hospital, they came specifically to see her, a show of support for an old friend.

    Because some people were saying that no one in the department of Traditional Chinese Medicine wanted to see Doctor Bai for treatment. This didn¡¯t sit well with them at all; after all, Doctor Bai¡¯s medical skills had been proven before. Who would dare to say that Doctor Bai was not capable?

    So this was, in a way, a show of support for Doctor Bai, and her workload had suddenly increased thesest two days.

    All of a sudden, more people were willing toe to her for acupuncture.

    "Doctor Bai, don¡¯t just focus on your work all the time. As a woman, and especially after getting married, your own man is of utmost importance. You can¡¯t neglect him. If you don¡¯t pay some attention, it¡¯s easy for certain vixens to ensnare them. It¡¯s not easy for us women to have a home. You mustn¡¯t take it lightly."

    Bai Xiao mulled over these words. What was Sister Wei trying to say today?

    Was she reminding her to pay more attention to An Zhiyuan, to prevent giving others an opportunity?

    That¡¯s a joke. An Zhiyuan was working in a ce full of men. What did she have to worry about?

    Unless An Zhiyuan had turned, starting to take an interest in the same sex?

    Impossible!

    She would never believe it. Given how An Zhiyuan behaved in bed with her, to say he had a problem with his sexual orientation, she could only scoff in disbelief.

    "Okay, I understand!" Bai Xiao hurried downstairs, she couldn¡¯t bete.

    Seeing how dismissive Bai Xiao was, Wei Jianling stomped her foot in frustration, "Why won¡¯t you listen to me finish? Not heeding the advice of your elders will lead to regret right before your eyes. You¡¯ll cry when the timees."

    Li Jiao opened her door and spoke right on her doorstep, making it impossible not to hear her. She was also nning to go out for some sun and a walk. Now, Li Jiao made a point of going out regrly to take a stroll, as a way to exercise and breathe in some fresh air, and to glimpse the outside world.

    "Sister Wei, what¡¯s the matter?"

    Seeing Wei Jianling hopping and yelling, Li Jiao didn¡¯t know what Sister Wei wanted to say to Doctor Bai.

    "You don¡¯t know, huh? I have good intentions. I wanted to advise Doctor Bai to keep an eye on Chief An. Haven¡¯t you noticed? Chief An hasn¡¯t been home for five days now. I¡¯ve seen it myself. Yesterday I saw Chief An and a shy woman looking all chummy driving off together. That woman, unting her charms and acting all delicate, clearly up to no good. They looked very close. If I don¡¯t remind Doctor Bai, and Chief An happens to stray, what will she do then?"

    Li Jiao had long been familiar with Sister Wei¡¯s ability to stir up trouble without cause.

    Shaking her head, "Chief An is not that kind of person, don¡¯t worry."

    An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t seem like the type to double deal. His integrity was clear, as was his affection for Bai Xiao. Anyone with eyes could see it.

 Chapter 637: Seeing is Believing.

    <h4>Chapter 637: Chapter 637: Seeing is Believing.</h4><h4></h4>

    "Ugh, why don¡¯t you believe me? I am genuinely concerned for Doctor Bai¡¯s well-being. Chief An is such an outstanding talent, with the looks and the rank of a chief; countless women dream of him day and night. Our Hu Biao has said that in the hearts of the girls from the art troupe, Chief An is the number one choice for a husband. Lots of youngdies frequently go to their training ground just to watch Chief An train." Sister Wei gossiped nonstop all day long, how could she not share.

    Li Jieughed, gently closed the door, took her crutches, and left the house, "I didn¡¯t really notice, I think Chief An likes Doctor Bai a hundred and twenty percent. You should see how Chief An looks at Doctor Bai, his eyes don¡¯t even wander. If that¡¯s not liking someone, then what is?" She shook her head, not taking Wei Jianling¡¯s words seriously.

    Wei Jianling, annoyed, hugged Huzi and went downstairs, "Hmph, no one listens to me; there wille a day when they¡¯ll suffer."

    Her voice could still be heard in the distance, dripping with dissatisfaction.

    Li Jie shook her head and sighed; most women in thispound have men working outside, and only a few could arrange work. The rest stay at home, taking care of the children and household chores. Naturally, over time, they end up having plenty to talk about, be it the expansion of somebody¡¯s home or the troubles of another.

    And so, the rumors, spiced up and exaggerated, began to fly around. To put it bluntly, it¡¯s just idleness.

    How could Chief An possibly wrong Doctor Bai? She wouldn¡¯t believe it even if she were beaten to death.

    Suddenly, a military green jeep drove by. In this weather, the windows were down, and a girl¡¯s lovely, coquettishughter rang out like silver bells. The man in the driver¡¯s seat was clearly visible¡ªit was Chief An.

    Ah...

    Chief An?

    Li Jie rubbed her eyes, this couldn¡¯t be.

    Could it actually be as Sister Wei said, that Chief An was having an affair with someone else?

    The girl just now indeed looked very seductive; her long, curly perm was not something their decent women would opt for, and that dress¡ªits V-neck was cut so deep, it almost revealed her white bosom.

    Which decent girl would dress like that?

    Wasn¡¯t it obviously intended to lure men¡¯s eyes?

    And yet there she was, sitting in Chief An¡¯s car!

    That¡¯s it, a big scandal has erupted.

    Li Jie couldn¡¯t care less about her own exercise anymore, she hurriedly hobbled home on her crutches. She hadn¡¯t even reached the stairs when she remembered that Doctor Bai had just gone to work; even if she went upstairs now, what could she do?

    Heavy-hearted, she walked slowly along the shady pathway in thepound, gripping her crutches.

    The normally vibrant garden seemed to have lost its luster as well.

    Li Jie angrily knocked down a brilliantly blooming rose with her crutch.

    The bright rose flowersy there on the ground.

    "Men, not a good one among them."

    She felt indignant on behalf of Doctor Bai.

    Doctor Bai¡ªsuch a good person, young and beautiful with a nice figure and excellent medical skills.

    Where else could you find such a perfect bride, even with antern?

    And yet, here was Chief An, wanting to have his cake and eat it too.

    No wonder Sister Wei burst out with that; probably many people in thepound saw Chief An unting that vixen around.

    That must be where those words came from.

    Most likely it was well-intended advice for Doctor Bai, lest her backyard catches fire and she ends up in a huge loss.

    It won¡¯t do; when Doctor Baies home from work tonight, she has to tell her.

 Chapter 638: Not a Single Truth All Day.

    <h4>Chapter 638: Chapter 638: Not a Single Truth All Day.</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao had just started work when an additional person appeared in the outpatient clinic.

    Upon closer examination, it was a young man, youthful and confident, who, judging from hisplexion and overall appearance, did not seem like a patient.

    The visitor sat in front of her desk, his eyes showing eagerness.

    Suddenly, Bai Xiao realized who he was, someone from the Yu Family!

    "Are you Bai Xiao?"

    "I am!"

    Bai Xiao had always tried to avoid the Yu Family, not wanting any deeper contact.

    What did the Yu Family¡¯s grudges have to do with her?

    Children cannot choose their parents, but now, with Yu Shaoya gone, she had the right to choose the life she wanted to live.

    It would be better if these so-called rtives and friends appeared less frequently.

    "I am Yu Heng, if we are to speak in terms of seniority, I am your elder brother, you are the child of my second aunt." Yu Heng was straightforward, stating their rtionship openly without any concealment.

    Next to her, Li Xiangqian perked up his ears. He did not recognize the man Bai Xiao was talking to, but he knew him; this was the son of their Dean.

    Howe the Dean¡¯s son was iming to be Doctor Bai¡¯s elder brother?

    Could it be that Doctor Bai had some hidden background?

    If that was the case, then Doctor Bai was really keeping a low profile.

    No wonder her medical skills, though not entirely up to par, were still able tond her in their department. It was true, having connections made things easier.

    "So what?"

    "I came here today hoping you would meet our grandparents this afternoon," Yu Heng didn¡¯t beat around the bush, looking at Bai Xiao with a sense of closeness, perhaps unable to hide the kinship he felt after learning of her identity, "The family already knows about your rtionship with your second aunt, the grandparents, and other uncles and aunts are on their way; they want to see you..."

    "What does that have to do with me, your grandparents and your rtives? It seems the Dean didn¡¯t make it clear to you from the start, I am a person of the Bai Family, I have my own brothers and sisters, and they all cherish me. So don¡¯te disturbing others¡¯ lives so easily." She lifted her head to meet Yu Heng¡¯s gaze.

    "Bai Xiao, listen to me, there¡¯s a lot of suffering involved in this, there are grievances from the older generation... Listen to me, the grandparents have always loved your second aunt, even though she did many wrongs to the family.

    Misunderstandings led to the unfortunate events of the past, none of us knew of your existence, otherwise, with my father¡¯s and grandparents¡¯ temperaments, they would never have let you be left alone outside; it was an ident," Yu Heng exined eagerly, his father was waiting for news on the other side, having instructed him emphatically to persuade her toe.

    Bai Xiao called out to the patients outside, "Next!"

    Yu Heng could only stand up and leave without having received such treatment before, which left him feeling somewhat embarrassed.

    He had no choice but to take his leave, Bai Xiao did not see him out, leaving Yu Heng with an unpleasant taste in his mouth, but before he left, he looked back at Bai Xiao, who, however, turned her head away, clearly unchanged in her decision.

    He had thought this matter would be an easy one, not expecting that she wouldpletely refuse any association with their family.

    Seeing Yu Heng exit, and with the patient not yet arrived, Li Xiangqian asked Bai Xiao in a low voice, "What¡¯s your rtionship with the Dean?"

    Bai Xiao shrugged, "A superior-subordinate rtionship, of course. What else could it be? You¡¯re not suggesting something inappropriate between me and the Dean, are you?" She teased Li Xiangqian with his curious mind.

    Li Xiangqian gave her a look, "A dog can¡¯t spit out ivory; you never say a true word."

 Chapter 639: The Prodigal Son Returns, More Valuable than Gold

    <h4>Chapter 639: Chapter 639: The Prodigal Son Returns, More Valuable than Gold</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao finished her shift early and left the hospital, fearing she would get entangled by these people again.

    About a week ago, An Zhiyuan had called her, saying he probably couldn¡¯te home for about half a month because he was on a very important mission.

    Knowing it was confidential, Bai Xiao didn¡¯t ask more questions; she was already quite the qualified wife in demeanor and quality.

    She wouldn¡¯t ask what she shouldn¡¯t, and whatever An Zhiyuan could tell her, he would; what he couldn¡¯t, not even death would make him reveal it to her.

    Just as she took out her keys to unlock the door, the neighboring door opened.

    Li Jiao was leaning on a crutch, with a very paleplexion.

    "What¡¯s wrong?" Seeing Li Jiao¡¯splexion, Bai Xiao thought she might be sick.

    "Let¡¯s talk inside!" Li Jiao followed Bai Xiao into the house, with an urgency that left Bai Xiao stunned for a long time.

    "What happened? Yourplexion doesn¡¯t look good."

    She poured a ss of boiled water for Li Jiao after entering and sat opposite her.

    "So, what is it?"

    "Dr. Bai, I think you should go check on Chief An. It¡¯s not good for a couple to be apart so often. It¡¯s been a week since Chief An hase home; you might as well go see him." Li Jiao had been ufortable all afternoon before deciding to put it this way; she couldn¡¯t just bluntly tell someone that their man was getting cozy with another woman and that she should go and defend her home.

    Bai Xiao was taken aback. Wei sister had said the same thing in the morning, and now Li Jiao was saying it in the evening; could it be that Zhiyuan really cucklded her?

    Otherwise, why would these women be so anxious?

    "Isn¡¯t that unnecessary? He¡¯s on a mission, and he¡¯ll be back in a few days."

    What on earth had An Zhiyuan done to have these army wives collectively bothering her?

    "Dr. Bai, you can¡¯t take this lightly. Let me tell you, men also need a woman¡¯s tenderness. You should visit him from time to time, show some concern and a bit of gentle affection, so he can feel the warmth of home. Especially since, you young couples should have a child sooner¡ªit helps settle a man¡¯s heart." Li Jiao was like talking to a brick wall; they were in that state, and Dr. Bai was still swallowing her grievances, not wanting to make Zhiyuan lose face.

    Bai Xiao smiled wryly. They had been married for only two months; having a child so soon seemed a bit quick, she wasn¡¯t even mentally prepared to be a mother yet.

    Of course, if it happened, she wouldn¡¯t oppose it; having a child with her own bloodline was indeed a beautiful thing, like a soft Little Tangyuan at her side¡ªit would be nice.

    But her period had just ended two days ago, so she definitely wasn¡¯t pregnant.

    "Li Jiao, what¡¯s the matter? Speak clearly if you have something to say; otherwise, I¡¯mpletely puzzled, like a monk who can¡¯t find his head¡ªit¡¯s just holding things up!" Bai Xiao didn¡¯t want to y guessing games.

    Misunderstandings stemmed from not speaking clearly, and she didn¡¯t want to live like that.

    Li Jiao clenched her teeth; Bai Xiao was a straightforward person, not likely to understand these roundabout talks.

    So be it, she¡¯d y the viin.

    "Today I saw a gaudily dressed woman sitting in Chief An¡¯s car; she didn¡¯t seem like a good person. The entirepound is buzzing with talk, and it¡¯s not good for Chief An¡¯s reputation. You should talk to him; a prodigal son returning is worth more than gold, don¡¯t let him ruin his future." She couldn¡¯t bring herself to say more.

    Fearing Bai Xiao would lose face.

    She stood up to take her leave.

 Chapter 640: Dear

    <h4>Chapter 640: Chapter 640: Dear</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao pondered for a long time and finally understood; Sister Wei and Li Jiao were insinuating that An Zhiyuan was cheating!

    It seemed the rumor was rampant throughout thepound, and it looked like she had to step in to address it herself.

    Without grabbing her bag, she headed straight out the door and cycled to An Zhiyuan¡¯s military base, where she was stopped at the gate. She asked the guard to notify An Zhiyuan that someone was looking for him.

    And she waited at the gate.

    The night breeze wasn¡¯t very cool, the temperature at night here was still bearable; overall, the season was temperate without extreme heat or cold.

    Someone came out, "Who¡¯s looking for Chief An? He went to a meeting and hasn¡¯te back!" Wu Yn could have simply told the guard over the phone, but her curiosity overpowered her reason when she heard on the phone that it was a young girl looking for An Zhiyuan.

    So she specifically came out to see, just who was this young girl who came looking for An Zhiyuan in the dead of night?

    Once she stepped out, the guard pointed at the young girl standing outside by the wall of the gate entrance. What young girl?

    Bai Xiao, because of her small face, was always mistaken for younger than her age, which was quite deceptive. Now looking at her, Wu Yn indeed thought she was just a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl, and seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

    An Zhiyuan was the type to have various rtives and, looking at her, she seemed more like a family member, like a sister or something.

    In the past few days, An Zhiyuan had been someone who scarcely joked or smiled, always stern, going about his duties methodically and precisely, without wasting words on idle chit-chat with her, so what she knew about An Zhiyuan was mostly hearsay.

    It was said An Zhiyuan wasn¡¯t a local, and he didn¡¯t look like one. The locals generally weren¡¯t as tall and sturdy, and his face was clearly that of a northerner.

    "Chief An has gone to a meeting, and he¡¯s not back yet. If you have something to tell him, you can tell me, and when he returns, I¡¯ll pass on the message," she said, curiously looking at Bai Xiao.

    It was at this moment that Bai Xiao understood what Li Jiao and Sister Wei had meant. Indeed, in front of her stood a bona fide mature woman, seductively sexy and charming, and it was indeed rare to see such provocative dressing here at night. She noticed the young soldier standing guard by the door trying to keep his eyes straight ahead but blushing to the tips of his ears.

    "No need!" said Bai Xiao, shaking her head as a sense of disappointment suddenly filled her.

    However, she wasn¡¯t interested in inquiring about Wu Yn¡¯s rtionship with An Zhiyuan! Such trivial gossip was not something a grown adult like her should be asking.

    She turned around, ready to leave.

    Wu Yn watched the girl pushing her bicycle, ready to leave, and found the girl¡¯s behavior quite odd.

    Just then, a jeep drove up and stopped beside Bai Xiao.

    Wu Yn, with her keen eyes, immediately spotted An Zhiyuan.

    She rushed over to him.

    "Darling, you¡¯re back!" she eximed.

    It was their yful term of endearment they nned to use at future auctions; to avoid slipping up, they had been addressing each other this way for the past couple of days.

    Upon seeing Bai Xiao unlocking her bicycle, An Zhiyuan stiffened, then turned around.

    His eyes filled with disbelief as they locked gazes with her.

    In that moment, An Zhiyuan realized something was terribly wrong.

    Wu Yn had just called him ¡¯darling.¡¯

    That was a huge misunderstanding.

    He immediately got out of the car and hurried toward Bai Xiao, but she didn¡¯t even give him a nce and pedaled away on her bicycle, ready to depart.

 Chapter 641: Pamper You Well

    <h4>Chapter 641: Chapter 641: Pamper You Well</h4><h4></h4>

    Wu Yn had not yet spoken any affectionate words when she saw An Zhiyuan get out of the car and decisively intercept the young girl.

    She felt somewhat astonished; she hadpletely forgotten about this matter.

    It seemed somewhat embarrassing, but An Zhiyuan was indeed very charming; liking him seemed to be a natural urrence, unaware of how many women here were probably green with envy at her.

    It was purely envy, jealousy, and hatred.

    "Chief An, is this a rtive of yours who came looking for you? I just asked her what the matter was, and she wouldn¡¯t say anything. Is she your sister?"

    Of course, Wu Yn knew how to act like a magnanimous woman, intelligent and generous, with presence. Considering this girl seemed tock the figure, she definitely couldn¡¯t be An Zhiyuan¡¯s type, and Wu Yn obviously had to maintain her own image.

    An Zhiyuan looked up, annoyed, and nced at Wu Yn, "You go back. She is my beloved!"

    He then led Bai Xiao towards the car.

    Bai Xiao coldly pointed at the bicycle, as if to suggest she wasn¡¯t supposed to go to work on foot the next day.

    An Zhiyuan immediately wheeled the bicycle to the security post, instructed the guard to take care of it, and then got into the car.

    Wu Yn watched as An Zhiyuan drove off.

    She walked over to the security post, "Comrade, what did Chief An just say about that girl¡¯s rtionship to him?"

    She felt dazed as if she had misheard.

    The young guard dared not look directly at Wu Yn¡¯s chest, keeping his eyes straightforward, "Didn¡¯t hear!"

    Wu Yn chuckled to herself; what was she thinking, constantly looking back as she returned to her dormitory?

    An Zhiyuan drove to a nearby parade ground, which was a basketball court of the adjacent factory. Not many people were around, and almost no one was on the tree-lined road. Bai Xiao looked at An Zhiyuan¡¯s profile with a smile that was almost not a smile, her expression pleased.

    Truly, had she note, she wouldn¡¯t have been shocked.

    "Brother An, since when did you acquire another dear one? Not even a word to your legitimate wife, huh?"

    However, there was no hint of a smile at the bottom of her eyes, only a ring fierceness.

    An Zhiyuan shuddered. That damned Wu Yn shouldn¡¯t have said "beloved"; he had been tortured by that term for days, and it gave him the creeps to hear it. Now his own wife had caught him red-handed, and the misunderstanding was huge.

    "Everyone in thepound knows already, and it really seems that the wife is always thest to know." Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t say she wasn¡¯t angry, but neither was she very angry. Anyone with clear eyes wouldn¡¯t make such a basic mistake. Who would be so brazen as to cheat right in front of everyone? That wasn¡¯t cheating; that was seeking death.

    Considering it was 1988, the era wasn¡¯t so liberal as to disregard everything; people still held male and female conduct in high regard, and An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t seem the type to be so lust-blinded as to be foolish.

    An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t give her a chance to continue speaking; his fingers gently pinched Bai Xiao¡¯s tender white chin, his gaze burning as he stared at her rosy, inviting lips.

    He leaned toward her, kissed her lips lightly like a dragonfly skimming water, his breathing uneven, seemingly ready to press down harder.

    "Move away, if you don¡¯t rify this..." she was afraid of being seen by others outside; this era was not open enough for unrestrained public disys of affection.

    A misstep and the public security could arrest you for indecent behavior.

    He pressed her against the chair, leaned forward, his hands on her soft, slender waist, unable to refrain from whispering softly in her ear, "So soft..."

    Bai Xiao said aggrievedly, "Just any woman calling you beloved and I would have been unreasonable; you owe me an exnation, or we are done right now. I knew you attracted attention, but I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d remain unsettled after getting married."

    He looked at Bai Xiao, suddenly sullen like a child, and felt warmth in his heart, "Xiaoxiao, that was just a mission of mine. I can¡¯t say more, but I have no rtionship with her."

    Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes widened, "Are you guys..."

    "Being too clever really isn¡¯t a good thing for a woman." His murmuring voice was still heard by Bai Xiao, An Zhiyuan held her back, then amorously approached her ear, kissing her.

    "Don¡¯t be mad at me; it seems I still didn¡¯t reassure you enough. Since you¡¯re here, don¡¯t hurry off...I¡¯ll make it up to you..." his voice husky.

 Chapter 642: I Will Leave After You Fall Asleep

    <h4>Chapter 642: Chapter 642: I Will Leave After You Fall Asleep</h4><h4></h4>

    Finally, it was An Zhiyuan who drove her and her bicycle back home.

    Seeing An Zhiyuan help Bai Xiao lift her bicycle up the stairs and lock it there, Sister Wei, who just came out to take out the garbage, looked at the two with surprised little eyes, as if she wouldn¡¯t be satisfied until she saw the two fight.

    An Zhiyuan saw Sister Wei and greeted her, "Sister Wei, taking out the trash?"

    "Oh, yes, Colonel An, you¡¯re back?"

    The question was particrly ambiguous.

    As Bai Xiao opened the door, An Zhiyuan smiled and entered, thinking it would be a shame not to step in when he was already here.

    The two shut out Sister Wei¡¯s prying eyes from outside.

    Bai Xiaoughed uncontrobly, mainly because Sister Wei¡¯s expression was so amusing, as though she was almost clinging to the door frame, eager to barge in.

    But Bai Xiao was caught off guard when someone lightly sucked on her earlobe, and she turned her head.

    His eyes, hazy and deep, fixed intently on her, flushed cheeks and weakened body, not wanting to miss any tender expression she showed in her aroused state. Using his scorching tongue, he lingered on her earlobe for a while, one hand resting on her slightly trembling shoulder, the other lightly on her slender waist. Rationality in his brain was easily shattered by the sight of her closing her eyes and gasping softly.

    Her eyes closed, she shrank back, "Don¡¯t... Wei..."¡ªno need to think to know that Sister Wei¡¯s gossiping heart would definitelypel her to eavesdrop by the door crack.

    An Zhiyuan opened his eyes and lifted her by the waist, "Let¡¯s go to the bed!" He whispered, audible only to her. With her eyes closed, her blushing cheeks gradually became more pronounced, his gaze filled with utmost tenderness, his fingers softly touching her lips, red and inviting.

    Her cheeks were rosy like blooming peach blossoms, hot to the touch of his fingers, yet she found a trace of coolness in the burn and became infatuated with the temperature of his touch.

    ......

    Exhausted, the twoy in bed with their eyes closed.

    He stretched out a hand to brush her hair, sticking to her lips, and kissed her cheek, "Tired?"

    It took a while for Bai Xiao to calm the trembling sensation in her body; not speaking, she turned over, wrapped her arms around his strong, sturdy waist, and rested her cheek against the man¡¯s corbone, her eyelids growing heavy in his embrace: "Ever since we got married, I¡¯ve been seriouslycking sleep."

    Soft and smooth to the touch, he liked holding her in his sleep.

    But ncing at his wristwatch, which showed it was already half past midnight, he knew he had to leave.

    As a public servant, he had his duties.

    "Sleep well, I¡¯ll watch you fall asleep before I go, and stop overthinking. I¡¯ve ¡¯checked our supplies¡¯ just now, and I¡¯m saving it all for you!" Colonel An said naughtily, without a hint of embarrassment.

    Bai Xiao, looking into his eyes, poked An Zhiyuan¡¯s pursed lips with her finger.

    Without a word, she turned over and closed her eyes, snuggling into the nkets.

    She wouldn¡¯t sleep, and he couldn¡¯t bear to leave.

    An Zhiyuan watched her enchanting back, involuntarily pursed his lips and swallowed, a smile curving his lips, his eyes filled with unprecedented tenderness.

    She slept soundly.

    She didn¡¯t even notice when he left; in her dreams, she always felt a pair of passionate eyes watching over her, An Zhiyuan her most intimate, most cherished lover.

    An Zhiyuan drove back to the dormitory, and by then it was alreadyte. He closed the door and went to sleep.

    Only when Wu Yn saw the light disappear under the room¡¯s door did she sink into a deep sleep, her dreams filled with An Zhiyuan entwined with a woman, making for an uneasy rest.

 Chapter 643: Scamming

    <h4>Chapter 643: Chapter 643: Scamming</h4><h4></h4>

    The next day was her day off, followed by Saturday and Sunday, giving her three days of rest.

    It seemed likest night¡¯s argument hadn¡¯t even caused a stir, as it was forcefully suppressed by An Zhiyuan, leaving Bai Xiao lying in bed, ironically mocking her own loyalty blindness.

    She knew, though, that the mission An Zhiyuan hadn¡¯t mentioned must be rted to being an undercover agent; otherwise, why would they need a dazzlingly beautiful woman?

    It must be pretending to be a couple, or a husband and wife, to catch someone or gather intelligence.

    s, she couldn¡¯t think about it anymore, or she would start imagining An Zhiyuan and the beauty¡¯s romantic tango¡ªan unquestionable responsibility of his, and she had to step aside.

    That is his wife, after all.

    She got up to tidy the house, which seemed less lively without An Zhiyuan around.

    Bai Xiao changed into a dress and prepared to stroll the streets, a ce she hadn¡¯t really explored yet, an opportunity she seldom had.

    With her wallet and keys, she headed out.

    That day, she wandered the streets, enjoyed a unique meal of crossing-the-bridge noodles, and only returned at sunset.

    As she entered the building, an elderlydy suddenly slipped in front of her, teetering wildly; the olddy let out a cry of pain and would have tumbled down if Bai Xiao hadn¡¯t caught her just in time.

    "Olddy, are you alright?"

    "How could I be alright? You try falling and see if you¡¯re alright!" the olddy scolded, rubbing her ankle without lifting her head.

    So much for good deeds going unrewarded.

    Helping the olddy up, "Let¡¯s see if you¡¯re hurt; otherwise, should I call an ambnce?" Bai Xiao thought about escaping the situation.

    She really had tried to y the saint for once and look at all the trouble it brought.

    "It¡¯s just my foot feeling ufortable, no need for an ambnce," the olddy said, lifting her head as their eyes met.

    One could tell the olddy must have been beautiful in her youth, despite her sharp tongue, she appeared to be a dignified person, not someone looking to scam people.

    After all, it was still 1988, and people were generally honest; scams like this weren¡¯tmon.

    The olddy obviously hesitated for a moment.

    "Well! If you are fine, then I..." Bai Xiao wanted to say she was leaving.

    But the old woman grabbed her arm, "Don¡¯t you think about leaving now, having bumped into me and knocked me over and just walking away; that won¡¯t do."

    Bai Xiao really rolled her eyes then.

    Just when she thought people were honest, she actually ran into a scammer.

    "Olddy, I was several steps away from you when you came down the stairs."

    Good intentions really taken for granted.

    Bai Xiao inwardly cursed herself for being foolish.

    "Anyway, it was you who knocked me over, and you can¡¯t just ignore it now. These youngsters today just want to hit and run."

    The olddy¡¯s barrage of words left Bai Xiao truly helpless; it wasn¡¯t the age of cameras and mobile recordings yet.

    She really couldn¡¯t produce any evidence.

    Alright then, since she insisted it was her doing, she¡¯d use her special ability to treat her for a while and then take her to the hospital for a check-up.

    The doctor surely couldn¡¯t falsely im, could he, that the olddy was ill?

    "Ah! My foot hurts."

    Bai Xiao helped her up, "My apartment is just upstairs; you can rest there for a while, and then I¡¯ll take you to the hospital for a check-up."

    It took quite an effort to help the olddy into her home.

 Chapter 644: Really took a fall

    <h4>Chapter 644: Chapter 644: Really took a fall</h4><h4></h4>

    "Do you live alone?" The elderly woman¡¯s attitude became much more casual as soon as she entered the room, scanning the interior.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s gaze darkened. Could it be that the olddy had aplices?

    Was she looking to catch her off guard and rob her?

    The question was, at such an advanced age, she actually came here to engage in such nefarious deeds. Didn¡¯t she realize this was a militarypound?

    All she had to do was shout, and without a doubt, just the two across the doorway woulde charging out.

    "No! I live with my husband!"

    She hoped her words would dispel any bad thoughts the olddy had, this was an absolute chance for a change of heart.

    "You don¡¯t look very old, why did you get married so early?"

    Bai Xiao snorted withughter, "Olddy, you¡¯re not my grandmother. What does the timing of my marriage have to do with you?"

    This one really didn¡¯t see herself as an outsider.

    "What does your husband do?"

    The olddy looked around the room, even the kitchen wasn¡¯t spared.

    Was this surveying the terrain?

    "My husband is a bodyguard!"

    Olddy, if you¡¯re not afraid, then go ahead.

    The olddy, clutching her waist, sat down on the sofa, "You don¡¯t have any manners as a host. Why didn¡¯t you offer me a ss of water?"

    So, it was her fault now.

    "Olddy, you¡¯d better not drink any water. I¡¯ll quickly check your ankle, alright? I¡¯ll take you to the hospital."

    She really didn¡¯t want to keep the olddy in her house.

    "Oh my, my back hurts, my legs hurt too. Oh my, my back won¡¯t stand this."

    The olddy held her back and started groaning vociferously.

    "Then I¡¯ll just call for an ambnce."

    She could tell this was heading towards an unwee stay.

    The olddy shook her head, "No need to call the ambnce. Just help me to the bed to lie down, and I¡¯ll be fine after a while."

    "Olddy, who exactly are you?"

    Bai Xiao was no longer polite.

    Invading her home was one thing, but now she clearly wanted to get on her bed.

    She could see it now, the olddy had no intention of leaving her house today.

    The olddy groaned and moaned butpletely ignored Li Baixiao as she groped her way into the room andy down on her own.

    "Who else could I be? I¡¯m just an old woman you knocked down."

    Still stubborn in the face of wrongdoing.

    A thought struck Bai Xiao: something was off. Clearly, the olddy hade for her.

    She hadn¡¯t considered it before, but thinking back, the olddy seemed to have been standing right at her doorstep and only after seeing her, did she take that tumble. If she wasn¡¯t mistaken, the olddy had deliberately targeted her.

    Bai Xiao stepped out and picked up the phone.

    The olddy scrambled off the bed and nced at the living room. Seeing Bai Xiao with the phone, she hurriedly shouted, "Girl, there¡¯s no need to call an ambnce, really, there¡¯s no need."

    "I¡¯m calling Dean Yu. He should know what you¡¯re here for!"

    The olddy sprang up, but then came a cry of ¡¯Ouch!¡¯ as she fell straight to the ground. Now things really became unclear.

    "This is address, someone has fallen here. Please send help right away."

    Bai Xiao put down the phone and went over to help the olddy up. This time the olddy was genuinely in pain and moaned. Her special ability made a round, revealing that the olddy simply had a bad back, amon issue among the elderly. It seemed she may really have fallen. Otherwise, there did seem to be no other problems.

    Quietly giving her another round, the olddy suddenly felt much better in her back.

    "Huh, why doesn¡¯t it hurt anymore?"

    "Dean Yu, why are you doing this? At your age, still engaging in such things as scamming?"

    If her guess was right, this was none other than her own step-grandmother.

 Chapter 645 Unmasking

    <h4>Chapter 645: Chapter 645 Unmasking</h4><h4></h4>

    The olddy was startled, "How did you know I am Mrs. Yu?" and held onto Bai Xiao¡¯s hand without letting go.

    Bai Xiao helped her sit down on the sofa.

    "Is ying the sympathy card fun, or do you think it¡¯s fun to ckmail me?"

    She wasn¡¯t a fool; not just anyone could enter thepound, at least strangers had to sign in. The olddy¡¯s attire didn¡¯t look like she was trying to scam anyone, but she kept saying it was her own responsibility and even seemed eager to move into Bai Xiao¡¯s home, which naturally made Bai Xiao suspicious.

    With just a little thought about the recent incidents, of course, she could guess who this olddy might be.

    "Oh, my back really hurts." When the olddy was exposed by her own granddaughter, she immediately clutched her back and moaned in pain.

    Bai Xiao was speechless, "You might as well save it, your back healed a long time ago."

    "Bai Xiao, you are my granddaughter!"

    The olddy also realized there was no point in pretending any longer and firmly gripped Bai Xiao¡¯s hand.

    "Mrs. Yu, I¡¯ll take you to the hospital." Bai Xiao grabbed her keys and bag, and without another word, helped the olddy up and headed outside.

    iming kin had nothing to do with her.

    Bai Xiao took Mrs. Yu to the Dean¡¯s office.

    The moment Yu Shaohua saw the olddy, he quickly helped her.

    "I¡¯ve handed her over to you, I¡¯m leaving!" Bai Xiao turned around and left.

    Yu Shaohua hastily called out to Bai Xiao, "Bai Xiao, you..."

    Unfortunately, Bai Xiao had already left without a trace.

    He sighed, turned his head, andined to the olddy, "Mom, didn¡¯t we agree that you should wait until the child was mentally prepared before you meet her? Acting this way and even imposing on her, think about it, she already had a negative view of us. How could she acknowledge you like this?" He looked at his unreliable mother.

    He was afraid of exactly this kind of incident happening.

    Bai Xiao might not even know what to think of them yet.

    The olddy rubbed her back, which in fact had stopped hurting a long time ago; she had pretended for so long that even she had forgotten.

    "Oh dear, that girl must be your sister¡¯s child. Look at those eyebrows, almost identical to your sister when she was young, but her temper is different, it¡¯s more like mine. I¡¯m telling you, we must acknowledge this girl no matter what. Your sister only had this one daughter, and it breaks my heart to think about your sister¡¯s situation. If you don¡¯t get this child to recognize us, I will disown you as my son," the olddy stubbornly insisted.

    Yu Shaohua could barely contain himself, "Mom, are you really disowning your own son?"

    The olddy could actually do it.

    "Where¡¯s Dad? Howe he let youe alone?"

    The old gentleman and the olddy were usually inseparable, and it was unusual not to see him today.

    "I snuck over here without your father knowing, you know how he is. Always so formal, everything has to be absolutely proper. With his ways, who knows when he would acknowledge his granddaughter," the olddy confessed, pleased to have met the person she intended to see.

    Yu Shaohua reluctantly smiled, "I¡¯ll take you back to the hotel. As you saw, the girl won¡¯t change her mind any time soon. Besides, she truly suffered a lot as a child and having grievances against us is understandable." He had already asked for her files to be revisited, and the details of Bai Xiao¡¯s harsh childhood wereid out on his desk.

    Seeing the hardships and abuse she endured in the vige, being mistreated by that so-called grandmother and uncle for four years, it would be wrong if this child held no grievances at all.

 Chapter 646 Kidnapping

    <h4>Chapter 646: Chapter 646 Kidnapping</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao was speechless; her grandmother was truly beyond anyone¡¯s expectations.

    It was already dark when she returned to the courtyard.

    She came backte because the olddy had dyed her with her meddling, and now night had fallen.

    Entering the hallway, she discovered that the light on the first floor was out.

    She silently cursed her bad luck, though the light in the hallway often malfunctioned due to years of disrepair.

    It seemed that tomorrow she¡¯d have to notify the security guard at the entrance toe rece it when they had the time.

    Just as she entered the hallway, a pain in the back of her head, then darkness, and she fainted.

    ......

    When she came to, Bai Xiao felt as if the back of her head was splitting open. It was clear that she had been clubbed by some bastard; it was no robbery, it was either abduction or assault.

    Without opening her eyes, she had already circted her special ability within her body to do a check. Apart from being hit in the back of the head, she had been drugged with a sleeping pill.

    They were seriously afraid of her waking up.

    It was clear their intent was not robbery.

    Could she still be here if it was a robbery?

    Assault?!

    Hmph, that pervert dared to attempt to assault her, it seemed she had been too kindtely, too kind-hearted, and even she had forgotten her own ruthless nature.

    It was a good opportunity to practice on these guys; she didn¡¯t believe anyone could keep her captive.

    Her body was unharmed, and then she opened her eyes, only to find her arms and legs tied securely, surrounded by pitch darkness.

    Her mouth had been gagged as well.

    Bai Xiao struggled forcefully for a moment; they had tied her up pretty firmly.

    She couldn¡¯t move, but she could feel that she was tied to a chair, her hands and feet bound tightly.

    As she moved her body, it caused the chair to scrape against the floor with a creaking noise.

    It was jarring and very frightening.

    Even she was startled by the sound.

    When people are in danger, their adrenaline levels surge and they be extremely anxious, any little noise can startle them.

    That was her current state.

    "Don¡¯t move, girl, don¡¯t you dare move. The bad guys have gone to buy food, there¡¯s only one person watching over here, and he¡¯s gone to the bathroom. If he discovers you¡¯re awake, it won¡¯t end well, don¡¯t be scared, I¡¯m trying to find a way out... ow... don¡¯t be afraid!" an elderly voice spoke from behind Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s body instantly tensed, she dared not move.

    Could this person be a ghost?

    How had she not noticed there was someone behind her? From the sound of it, the person was also a captive.

    This had to be a joke, it was obviously an old man¡¯s voice.

    What were these bastards thinking, it was one thing to kidnap her, but why capture an old man as well?

    She had thought the perpetrator intended to assault her, but looking at the situation now, it was a group of people,pletely beyond her expectations.

    Could this be a kidnapping?

    Was Doctor Bai that valuable?

    There was still movement behind her; she couldn¡¯t tell what the old man was doing.

    She heard rustling sounds; this old gentleman truly was a good person.

    Busy trying to free himself while alsoforting her.

    "Don¡¯t worry, girl, don¡¯t be scared, and for heaven¡¯s sake, don¡¯t make a sound. I¡¯m sure I can get us both out of this, we can¡¯t let those bad guys win."

    It turned out only the two of them were bound.

    Before the old man could attempt his escape, the sound of an iron door being violently kicked open echoed through the ce.

    Heavy footsteps entered.

    Bai Xiao could tell it was a single person.

    Then a gust of wind blew through their space, and the sound of a wooden door opening followed, the door was opened.

 Chapter 647 Counterattack

    <h4>Chapter 647: Chapter 647 Counterattack</h4><h4></h4>

    "Yo, old man, what do you think you¡¯re doing? Trying to run? ¡¯Cause you got fancy meddling in shit that¡¯s none of your business! What do you think we dragged you back for, huh? Just wait, you¡¯ll get what¡¯sing to you soon enough." The man cursed and swore as he walked up behind Bai Xiao, followed by a flurry of punches and kicks.

    There were also the old man¡¯s groans. Bai Xiao now fully understood that this elderly gent must have been dragged into this mess because of her.

    It must have been when she was being hit over the head, the old man saw and tried to help, which got him caught and brought back with her.

    She forcefully shifted the chair, and finally, the grating friction between the chair and the floor startled the man.

    "Oh, this one¡¯s awake too!"

    The man seemed to be standing in front of her, and then the blindfold covering her eyes was ripped off.

    The dim light was so harsh that it pained her eyes. Bai Xiao quickly shut them and slowly ustomed herself to the light.

    "Well, well, you¡¯re awake? Good, saves me the trouble of having to ssh you with cold water. You sure are pretty; don¡¯t worry, me and the boys will take real ¡¯good care¡¯ of you soon." The man¡¯s lecherous eyes rudely scanned Bai Xiao¡¯s entire body.

    Their intentions forter were painfully clear.

    Bai Xiao coldly watched the man in front of her. With curly hair and probably not more than twenty, wearing bell-bottoms, a floral shirt, with wayfarer sunsses tucked into his shirt pocket, he looked every bit the petty street thug.

    "What are you looking at? You think you can intimidate me with your stare? It¡¯s your bad luck that you¡¯re so damn attractive and managed to piss off someone you shouldn¡¯t have. Otherwise, why would we brothers care about who you are?" The curly-haired man boasted, his grimy hands reaching out toward Bai Xiao¡¯s face, trying to touch her cheek.

    "This skin¡¯s so smooth and slippery, just like a peeled egg, truly top-notch. Don¡¯t worry, after the boss has his turn, all of us brothers will take good care of you. Let me have a feel first, to sate my craving."

    As he spoke, that filthy paw of his reached directly for Bai Xiao¡¯s chest.

    "You bastard, what do you think you¡¯re doing? If you want to pick on someone,e at me, you old fart! What kind of skill is it to bully a young girl? I¡¯m telling you, you¡¯remitting a crime, and if you get caught, you¡¯ll face a firing squad," the old man¡¯s yelling came from behind, loud enough to nearly deafen the curly-haired man.

    All of his attention was broken, and Curly clenched his fist in rage, "You old geezer, you¡¯re asking for it. Since it¡¯s a firing squad you mention, I¡¯ll send you off first to spare me your attempts to ruin my fun."

    The moment he took a step forward, Curly¡¯s knee hadn¡¯t even straightened when suddenly, some hard, heavy object struck his back, pushing him to the ground and thwarting his further intentions.

    In an instant, several things happened at once, so fast that he couldn¡¯t react at all.

    A pair of legs hooked his own and held them tight. A hand covered his mouth with such force his head was bent backward, and a solid arm locked around his throat.

    In just the blink of an eye, Curly was leftpletely immobilized.

    "Make one more move, make one sound, and I¡¯ll snap your throat."

    The voice was as cold as it was threatening.

    Although there were only a few words, spoken so softly Curly could barely hear them, he clearly understood their meaning. The arm choking his windpipe said it all. He was pinned to the ground, unable to raise a hand to defend himself.

    Who the hell is this?

 Chapter 648 Interrogation

    <h4>Chapter 648: Chapter 648 Interrogation</h4><h4></h4>

    Curl was groggy, his thoughts heavy. Could this be an unknown adversary taking advantage of Brother Xiaodao¡¯s absence to attack them?

    But that was impossible. They had chosen this ce on the fly, brainstormed in the van. How could anyone get the news so quickly?

    His body suddenly went limp, his vision blurred, and his breathing grew rapid.

    Then he found himself thrown to the ground,pletely ignored, the weight on him long gone.

    Due to the angle, with his twisted body and head tilted back, he could see a slender figure walking towards the old man.

    ????

    It was her?

    That woman?

    Impossible, Curl thought, as if he had seen a ghost.

    Bai Xiao rubbed her wrists. The destructive power of her special ability was not bad. It was a new feature she had developed in this lifetime and, although notpletely handy, it proved useful.

    After a sweep of her special ability, the rope had decayed as if it had been rotting in a warehouse for centuries, shaking apart into pieces, no match for her. They had intended to bind her with that? Bai Xiao approached the old man to untie him.

    An old man with white hair, a serious expression, and a beard stared at her in shock.

    Just as she had imagined, had a man as upright as him encountered anyone other than her, he most likely would have suffered greatly.

    "Old man, are you okay?" she asked, while her hands kept moving, untying the knots and circling the old man with her special ability to check on him. Fortunately, he wasn¡¯t hurt. He seemed quite robust, probably only suffering from a bit of rheumatoid arthritis, but otherwise, in good health.

    "How...how did you untie it?"

    The old man couldn¡¯t understand. He had struggled and hadn¡¯t been able to loosen it at all, but this girl had easily done so?

    Was there discrimination in binding people?

    Was the rope used for her different from his?

    Bai Xiao picked up a piece to show him, "It rotted!"

    The old man stood up and moved his stiff limbs, cursing internally. What were these kidnappers thinking?

    Could this kind of rope really bind someone?

    This was too unprofessional.

    Wasn¡¯t this straight-up bullying?

    Before he could speak, Bai Xiao had already turned the head of the lump on the ground towards her, "I ask, you answer. If you don¡¯t respond correctly, see what I have in my hand? Silver needles! I am a doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and with one prick, I can make your mouth crooked, your eyes askew, and leave you incapable of living independently¡ªI am quite certain of that."

    Curl trembled, finally realizing he was at the mercy of this girl.

    But to say he wasn¡¯t scared would be a lie.

    Just moments ago, he had nearly stopped breathing, that feeling of having his neck twisted was no illusion¡ªshe really had intended to take his life.

    "I¡¯ll talk, I¡¯ll say everything..."

    "Who ordered you to kidnap me?"

    This was the crux of the matter. Bai Xiao had yet to figure out who bore such a grudge against her that they would resort to such treachery. She didn¡¯t have many enemies, and those she had were not here.

    "Mei Jie had us do it," Curl did not dare withhold.

    "Mei Jie? Who is that?"

    Bai Xiao wracked her brains but couldn¡¯t ce this Mei Jie.

    When had she ever offended the local thugs?

    "Mei Jie is Brother Xiaodao¡¯s mistress. It was her idea to have you kidnapped, she said...she said..." He trailed off, unable to continue. The deeds they were supposed to carry out were enough to incite rage in anyone, and he did not wish to die here.

 Chapter 649: Majestic and Powerful?

    <h4>Chapter 649: Chapter 649: Majestic and Powerful?</h4><h4></h4>

    "What will you do to me?"

    Bai Xiao knew it wasn¡¯t anything good, but she wanted to see just how malicious this Sister Mei could be.

    "Let us take turns... you, then take photos of that kind and post them at the hospital entrance," Curly muttered curses under his breath, ming Sister Mei for such a lousy idea, as if he was looking to kill himself.

    "Your Sister Mei..."

    Outside, the sounds of cars starting up and other noisy disturbances rushed in, and a group of people burst in before Bai Xiao could finish her question.

    "Where¡¯s that damn Curly?"

    "Isn¡¯t it obvious? He probably wanted a taste first, this son of a bitch is audacious, not even waiting for our Brother Pi, daring to act alone. Let¡¯s deal with him. But that dame is indeed a looker, all soft-skinned and delicate, a prime piece, way better than the street corner salon girls."

    Bai Xiao turned sharply, there stood five men at the door, each holding a lunch box packed with stuff, one of them had a camera around his neck, their eyes locked.

    "Curly, you damn audacious bastard, letting people go, what if she had run?" a thin man asnky as a pole cursed at Curly.

    The men¡¯s entrance and what they saw; Curly lying on the ground, looking entranced, with Bai Xiao rising from him, resembled a sleazy scene, leading them to believe Curly was forcing the woman to service him.

    "Oh, Curly, you¡¯ve be skilled, now bold too, finding new twists to ying with women. Come on, brothers, let¡¯s broaden our horizons and see how mighty and powerful you are," the leading big brother said, catching a glimpse of the dazzling light in Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes as she turned, itching inside.

    This woman was truly beautiful.

    Just didn¡¯t know how she managed to offend Sister Mei, that provocative vixen, forcing them to pick on this woman in theplex, but it was clear to anyone this woman was well-educated and from a decent family, look at that figure, that skin! Could she really be the same as their sun-scorched women?

    And to take photos for public disy, it was meant to ruin this woman thoroughly

    But there was no helping it, since Brother Xiaodao admired Sister Mei, following her everymand, what could these underlings do but obey? Anyway, they wouldn¡¯t lose out on such deals.

    Even the police likely couldn¡¯t find them, for once the job was done, they would immediately retreat to their stronghold in Myanmar, untouchable by anyone, an old but effective trick.

    Still, it was a pity for this woman.

    Curlyy there in frustration, thinking everyone was blind. Didn¡¯t they see how desperate he was, even causing a stir with this woman, risking being the first to take the fall? He was really digging his own grave.

    "Everyone¡¯s back!"

    Bai Xiao was just worrying about how to find Sister Mei, and here came the cavalry, what perfect timing to inquire.

    A figure suddenly threw themselves in front of Bai Xiao, blocking her decisively.

    "I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯d rather die than let you harm her, today I¡¯ll fight you if I have to," the old man grabbed a chair, swinging it protectively in front of Bai Xiao, standing behind.

    With a fierce and imposing presence.

    Everyone fell silent.

 Chapter 650: A Woman Must Be Ruthless

    <h4>Chapter 650: Chapter 650: A Woman Must Be Ruthless</h4><h4></h4>

    Suddenly, five people burst outughing.

    Bai Xiao also wanted tough, but considering that the old man was trying to protect her face, she couldn¡¯t undermine him. She held back herughter so forcefully that she bit her lip until it bled.

    "Old man, are you here to make usugh? Look at yourself, have you seen your age? Your age alone probably adds up to three of us, right? Is your old body still strong? Just because you can pick up a chair, we have some too. Guys, bring them out for the old man to see," the one who looked like the eldest brothermanded.

    The four men below immediately took out steel pipes, solid steel pipes. If one were to hit the head with these, it would undoubtedly cause serious injury. They brandished the steel pipes, striking them in their hands with a show of force, "Old man, how about we all have some fun together?"

    The old man steeled his heart and whispered to Bai Xiao, "Girl, I¡¯ll draw their attention in a moment. You find a way to run fast. They won¡¯t do much to me, but it¡¯s not the same with you."

    Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t help butugh. Old man, you should worry about yourself! Here he was, barely able to protect himself, yet still considering her welfare. How foolish could one be?

    Yet, she was moved. A stranger willing to risk his life for her at his age deserved her respect. She couldn¡¯t possibly leave the old man behind.

    She would handle it herself.

    She pushed the old man aside, rolled up her sleeves¡ªthank goodness she was wearing a shirt today and had sleeves to roll up. She decided to show some swagger too.

    "Old man, this is none of your business. Let me handle it!"

    Tears sprang to the old man¡¯s eyes, and Bai Xiao was puzzled. What did this mean?

    Was this a situation to cry over?

    "Child, do you know I¡¯m your grandfather? You¡¯re so smart, how could you not guess that I am your grandpa? I thought I had covered my tracks perfectly, but you couldn¡¯t help it. This is the bond of blood, the instinct to protect that can¡¯t be changed. Child, you¡¯ve recognized me after all! My granddaughter!" the old man wept bitterly.

    Bai Xiao stepped back two paces.

    What a beautiful misunderstanding!

    She genuinely didn¡¯t know this old man was her grandfather, the very one, Mr. Yu.

    She was utterly speechless. Mrs. Yu tried to extort her, and now the old man was ying the hero!

    What an extraordinary family they were.

    Each one of them was an acting master!

    The five hooligansughed boisterously, "Oh, now we¡¯ve got a touching family reunion scene! Come on, girl, trying to protect the old man, huh? With your delicate skin, I really can¡¯t bring myself to harm you. Let¡¯s y a little game. Brothers, put down the sticks. Let¡¯s see who can strip off more clothes. The winner gets to go first."

    The men rubbed their hands, dropped their sticks, and closed in, "Come on, girl, let¡¯s have some good fun!"

    Bai Xiao pushed the old man away as the five men advanced towards her.

    Their primary target was Bai Xiao¡¯s clothes. She was wearing a shirt and a skirt, and if they got hold of her, she would be left with no clothes on.

    These men were up to no good.

    Bai Xiao sneered. Heaven¡¯s gate was open, but you chose not to enter; instead, you forced your way into hell. She had been livingfortably and started to treat everyone with kindness, but it seemed fate just couldn¡¯t bear to see her at ease, always wanting her to explode.

    Ruthlessness is often a product of force.

    Without severity, a woman can¡¯t stand firm.

 Chapter 651: Solve

    <h4>Chapter 651: Chapter 651: Solve</h4><h4></h4>

    Five minutester, six peopley on the ground wailing.

    Big brother Pizi watched Curly wail beside him and pped him on the head, "Why the hell didn¡¯t you remind us? How were we supposed to know this woman was so powerful? Why didn¡¯t you say anything? You¡¯re screwing us over! And stop your damn wailing, that woman didn¡¯t even touch you, what the hell are you howling for?" After the p, he immediately felt pain in his hand as if it were about to break, and he rolled on the ground, clutching his arm.

    "Big brother, I was scared of getting beaten. She almost snapped my neck just now. If I hadn¡¯t yed dead, I¡¯d be gone by now!" Curly was very much aware of the right thing to do at the time; in fact, they didn¡¯t even understand what had happened. The moment that woman¡¯s hand touched any part of their body, whether it was their wrists or ankles, they would instantly see a silver needle inserted, and then they ended up like this.

    Rolling around on the ground, they were drenched in cold sweat from the pain.

    It was mainly because every part of the body hurt; there wasn¡¯t a single spot that didn¡¯t ache. The pain seemed to radiate from the cracks in their bones, even the eyeballs seemed to hurt, causing their bodies to tremble and making them wish for death. The ce had been chosen for its convenience for their deeds, located in a remote area with few people, ensuring that nobody would inadvertently disturb their underhanded activities.

    It turned out to be the ce where they would meet their doom, to die here without anyone knowing; even if they screamed their lungs out, no one woulde to save them.

    Damn it, this was going to cost them their lives.

    Bai Xiao dusted off her hands, thinking, is there anyone she can¡¯t take down?

    The old master of the Yu Family watched in disbelief, silently setting down the chair he was holding. It seemed his own chair could not achieve this effect; his granddaughter was even more skilled than he had imagined. No wonder his son had said that her acupuncture was powerful¡ªit truly was.

    Looking at his own hands, he felt like he really just added to the chaos; he had thought he was saving her, but it turned out she didn¡¯t need any saving at all. This kind of letdown really was despairing.

    Bai Xiao grabbed a chair, "Please sit for a while, grandpa. I still have things to take care of." She said this without any form of address.

    Her mind was also in turmoil. This old man was her maternal grandfather, her mother¡¯s father. Yet deep down, she was very resistant to this rtionship. In her previous life, she had no idea she had this connection and had always thought she was part of the Bai Family. Now, with sudden twists and turns, she wasn¡¯t prepared for this.

    With more rtives came more trouble; who knew what kind of mess the Yu Family was involved in? epting this family connection meant opening herself up to countless troubles. It wasn¡¯t about fearing trouble but about not wanting to invite unnecessary problems for herself.

    Moreover, after experiencing everything from her past life, she honestly had no reason to find a bunch of rtives now that she was capable and sessful. Was she living toofortably and looking for some amusement?

    That¡¯s a joke!

    Only someone whose brain had been mmed in a door would do that.

    But with the old man protecting her like this, it would be heartless and ungrateful of her to pretend she didn¡¯t see it and ignore it. She was a kind person, well, maybe not friendly to some people, but generally harmless and amiable.

    It didn¡¯t seem quite right to praise herself like this.

    Right now, she just wanted to know who this Sister Mei was.

    The hatred that wished her dead and buried, the kind of hatred that would ruin a woman¡¯s reputation like this¡ªwhat kind of grudge did they hold against her?

    Mei...

    The only person with ¡¯Mei¡¯ in their name that she knew of seemed to be just one person.

    But shouldn¡¯t that person be in the vige?

 Chapter 652: Forced into a Corner

    <h4>Chapter 652: Chapter 652: Forced into a Corner</h4><h4></h4>

    "Starting now, one by one,e out here. I¡¯m going to ask questions, and you are going to answer. If anyone is hoping to bluff their way through, and your answers don¡¯t match with others, you understand what will happen without me saying it! If you answer well, I might let people go. After all, you haven¡¯t done anything really harmful to me, so I might consider it, but it will depend on your performance," Bai Xiao coldly sized up the people.

    Curly was the first to get up, as everyone else barely moved without agonizing pain, so he was the only one who looked human.

    "I¡¯ll talk, I¡¯ll talk. I guarantee you¡¯ll know whatever you want, just please spare me," he saw an opportunity. Just now, by ying dead, he had his own n. If his big brother had defeated this woman, he naturally would have stood and joined; but if his big brother had fallen, since he hadn¡¯t made a move, he was innocent.

    The oue didn¡¯t really rte to him either way.

    Bai Xiao nced at him! Curly was a slick one, but he surely didn¡¯t know much being such a minor character. No one would tell him anything significant.

    "Drag him out for me," she motioned to the man on the ground referred to as big brother.

    That big brother felt like dying right there.

    Why start with him?

    Curly shakily helped the big brother outside. The two were as limp as noodles, seemingly drained of all strength. They barely managed to support each other to the outside, but before reaching the chairs, they both copsed with a thud.

    The few steps seemed like a grueling journey, and both felt like they were about to copse.

    Looking at the acupuncture needles on their arms, who dared to pull it out? What if something went wrong and they ended up paralyzed?

    They had heard that traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture was about hitting the right spots, and one misstep could kill. Neither dared to risk their lives, and mentally cursed Mei Sister¡¯s ancestors thoroughly. Damn her for harming them.

    Anyone who considered this a good thing right now would want to kill him.

    "Curly, go back. Don¡¯t think of doing anything. Just a reminder, if you pull out the needles, at best you¡¯ll end up with a crooked mouth and squinty eyes, at worst, your life is at risk. If you don¡¯t believe it, feel free to try. I don¡¯t mind," Bai Xiao coldly warned them.

    Curly didn¡¯t dare to mess up, quickly returning with a forced smile, "I know, I know, I wouldn¡¯t dare!" He slowly shuffled his steps back.

    "You¡¯re their big brother? How should I address you?"

    Only then did Bai Xiao sit down on a chair, kicking the lump of mud on the ground. Now even he barely resembled a big brother, he was just mud.

    The old man sat not far from Bai Xiao, warily scanning the surroundings, fearing someone might jump out and strike them from behind.

    "I¡¯m Pizi, big sister, I mean, doctor, we were wrong. We didn¡¯t recognize a great person when we saw one, and we never meant for this, it was all Mei Sister forcing us. You see, we don¡¯t know you, why would we provoke this trouble? It was all out of desperation, especially since she¡¯s the lover of our big brother, Xiaodao. We couldn¡¯t refuse," Pizi wasn¡¯t one to cover for his own big brother.

    At this moment, his desire to survive was strong, looking for a way out for himself was better than dying here, and evading responsibility was something they excelled at.

    "Then tell me about this Mei Sister? Who is she?" Bai Xiao really just wanted to know if it was the person she knew. Nothing else mattered much.

 Chapter 653 Bai Mei Appears

    <h4>Chapter 653: Chapter 653 Bai Mei Appears</h4><h4></h4>

    "Mei, Sister Mei started working at a hair salon herest year and met my older brother Xiaodao, then she went straight, pretty and very much to my brother¡¯s liking. Gradually, she began to handle some matters for Brother Xiaodao, managing all the girls under Xiaodao¡¯smand. Mei, being ruthless and decisive, won Brother Xiaodao¡¯s favor. Over time, we all started calling her Sister Mei." Zhongzi spelled it out clearly, believing in saving his own skin over others¡ªhe wasn¡¯t going to cover for Mei.

    Bai Xiao nodded, "What¡¯s Sister Mei¡¯s real name? Where does shee from? How old is she? And why did she have me kidnapped? There must be a reason!"

    "We don¡¯t even know Sister Mei¡¯s real name, but I once heard Xiaodao mention something about a surname Bai... Sister Mei¡¯s surname might be Bai..." With that said, Pizi suddenly stopped talking.

    If Sister Mei¡¯s surname is Bai, and the doctor¡¯s surname is also Bai, it means that it¡¯s a familymitting fratricide. The question is, why involve us small fries in it.

    Sister Mei has caused someone¡¯s death.

    "Keep talking!"

    The surname matches then.

    It really is Bai Mei.

    "She¡¯s about the same age as Doctor Bai, with delicate and tender skin, very beautiful! Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have bewitched Xiaodao so thoroughly, with a rather voluptuous figure. I heard she came from the north, was deceived intoing here, and out of desperation, started in the flesh trade. We really don¡¯t know the exact ce she¡¯s from."

    "We were told to kidnap Doctor Bai because he has a deadly feud with you. There¡¯s nothing more said about it." Pizi had spilled everything he knew.

    Bai Xiao became even more certain now.

    Interesting, Bai Mei hase here and stepped onto an important path. In her previous life, Bai Mei married a local worker and had a smooth life, only toter disdain the worker for hisck of capability and hooked up with a businessman from the south, eventually abandoning her husband and child to leave.

    This time, she¡¯s followed the same path. So, did Fang Xiaoshan get ditched by Bai Mei?

    Fang Xiaoshan isn¡¯t the kind of person to be left behind, so it must have been something Bai Mei did that made her leave.

    Again, she¡¯s ended up in a southern city, although this time not with a southern businessman but with a southern thug¡ªstill a businessman, albeit of a shady kind.

    The world really is small.

    So, she and Bai Mei have met again, a truly ill-fated rtionship.

    A deadly feud?

    Bai Mei certainly doesn¡¯t hide her hatred for her, nor does it misrepresent the fact that she dealt with Bai Mei once, for it was Bai Mei and Hao Fang who plotted against her back then. She merely reciprocated in their own forms, and now it¡¯s escted to a deadly feud, which meant they were probably foes in her past life too.

    "Where is she now? To kidnap me and note to see how miserable her enemy is doesn¡¯t fit Bai Mei¡¯s character."

    Pizi looked embarrassed, "Couldn¡¯t your family conflict avoid implicating others?"

    They were all just underlings.

    "Sister Mei is in Myanmar, attending a public auction with Xiaodao tomorrow. She has told us that we can release you only after she sees you when she returns." Implicitly, she is too busy to deal with you now.

    "How many people does your Xiaodao brother have?" Bai Xiao didn¡¯t want to prolong her ordeal.

    Bai Mei as a threat definitely needed to be eradicated; she didn¡¯t want to worry about being ambushed every time she stepped out. Although her special ability was formidable enough for self-defense, a sudden blow could still result in her capture¡ªa group of six today, what if it¡¯s a dozen next time? She couldn¡¯t always cover her blind spots.

    She wasn¡¯t going to die, but she couldn¡¯t control other harms, and she wasn¡¯t James Bond.

 Chapter 654: The Needle of Redemption

    <h4>Chapter 654: Chapter 654: The Needle of Redemption</h4><h4></h4>

    "Brother Xiaodao has his own group of people in Myanmar, although not many, each one is desperately fierce, flourishing there."

    "How many people? What kind of weapons and equipment? If you don¡¯t know, I¡¯ll ask someone else, see who knows!" Bai Xiao was impatient with the endless evasions.

    "I know, I know, there are about twenty people, they have guns and knives, Brother Xiaodao cherishes his life very much." Pizi thought to himself, Brother Xiaodao, you pray for your own luck, it¡¯s not that I won¡¯t protect you with all these bodyguards, they have no protection now.

    Protecting one¡¯s life is crucial.

    "Where are they usually?" Bai Xiao asked.

    It seems Brother Xiaodao is Bai Mei¡¯s backer, then she would have to dismantle this backer.

    It¡¯s better than living in constant fear.

    Pizi looked at Bai Xiao seriously, "Doctor Bai, you can¡¯t go there. Although you are skilled in acupuncture, those people are ruthless killers, unlike us. If you go there, not even ashes would remain." He wouldn¡¯t do such a foolish thing. Doctor Bai seemed to actually be considering confronting Brother Xiaodao, which was outright suicide.

    This time, it was a sincere warning.

    Bai Xiaoughed, patting Pizi, "Are you worried about me, or worried about not getting your acupuncture from me?"

    "No, Doctor Bai, Brother Xiaodao really isn¡¯t someone to mess with. Please listen to my advice, go back and live well, there won¡¯t be a next time. I¡¯ll exin everything to Brother Xiaodao on your behalf, make clear that someone with such exquisite medical skills like Doctor Bai shouldn¡¯t be trifled with in the future." Going against his own boss was like courting death.

    The needles weren¡¯t yet removed from him; if Doctor Bai died, would they have to wander around with needles in them for life?

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t look at him; instead, she continued calling others out, questioning them one by one. The responses were quite simr to Pizi¡¯s, it seemed that this Sister Mei was not a secret here, matching uppletely.

    The old master Yu watched Bai Xiao for a long time; he also realized something was amiss with Bai Xiao¡¯s actions. Could this girl actually be nning to confront Brother Xiaodao alone?

    It really would be sending her to death.

    "Girl, if you want revenge, you can¡¯t do it this way. You should go back to the police and let the public security handle these matters. Or else at the very least, you can report to the higher-ups, and they will surely send someone to protect you. Someone will handle this matter. You are a girl, unarmed and powerless; going there would just be delivering yourself to their doorstep, those people aren¡¯t good people.

    Child, listen to advice for the sake of a full stomach, don¡¯t act impulsively."

    Bai Xiao ignored the old man. Bai Mei couldn¡¯t be allowed to continue causing trouble,ing out and finding trouble for herself was not helping. The permanent solution was to end Bai Mei, but who could she turn to for assistance?

    The meaning of old master Yu was for Yu Shaohua to help protect her, but what good would protection do.

    She wasn¡¯t foolish either; she would definitely seek help. Going alone was suicide. She¡¯d go back first; anyhow, the matter with Bai Mei had to be resolved within a couple of days, otherwise it would lead to endless trouble.

    "Rest assured, I won¡¯t cause trouble for myself."

    Bai Xiao looked at the car outside, calling Curly Hair, "Drive us back."

    Curly Hair was relieved; finally, this troublemaker was leaving.

    It was good that she was leaving.

    But Pizi and the others paled, what about them?

    Bai Xiao looked at the silver needles, went over, and removed them one by one, which finally made Pizi and the others breathe a sigh of relief.

    Their mouths weren¡¯t twisted, eyes weren¡¯t nted, and the tools for eating were still intact.

    "From today, behave oneself. Although I¡¯ve removed these needles! You should try it yourselves. This set of acupuncture I practice is passed down in my family, especially named ¡¯Conversion Needles¡¯. Starting tonight, every night at twelve o¡¯clock it will hurt once, and you know how bad the pain is. If you reform and behave, the pain will gradually disappear, but once youmit an offense, the pain wille immediately, try it for yourselves if you don¡¯t believe it."

    Bai Xiao spoke as if it were all true, but of course, her special ability didn¡¯t actually extend that far. However, for the first couple of days, she really made some changes to their bodies to let them suffer a bit, thus establishing a deterrent effect.

    She didn¡¯t have the means to kill these people.

    Murder and arson were not things a doctor should do.

 Chapter 655 The Ancestor Playing the Rogue

    <h4>Chapter 655: Chapter 655 The Ancestor ying the Rogue</h4><h4></h4>

    Watching Bai Xiao and his crew walk away, Pizi finally heaved a sigh of relief.

    "Tsk, stop bullshitting about ¡¯reforming,¡¯ fooling a three-year-old? I¡¯d have to be a ghost to believe that crap. Today¡¯s just goddamn unlucky, running into such a menace. We better think about how to exin this to the boss!" Pizi said, clearly not convinced.

    They all made their living in the underworld; such childish lies couldn¡¯t possibly fool them.

    The others struggled to their feet, relieved to no longer be in pain, but inwardly they cursed their bad luck.

    "Brother Pi, how are we gonna exin this to the boss?"

    This question voiced the concerns of everyone. Brother Xiaodao seemed gentle, but when he got angry, he was ruthless, demanding arms and legs! Who among them hadn¡¯t been thrashed by Brother Xiaodao, who struck with deadly force? Exining this to Brother Xiaodao wasn¡¯t going to be easy.

    Pizi was pondering too.

    What to do?

    If they hadn¡¯t seeded in the task, the boss would definitely not let them off easily.

    "Let¡¯s hide for a few days until the bosses back from the trading point, then see his mood before telling him. If the boss is happy, we¡¯ll spill the beans, but if the boss isn¡¯t happy..." What then?

    No one spoke the rest of the sentence, but everyone understood that if the boss wasn¡¯t happy, they should brace themselves for collective punishment.

    Of course, they could also push one person out as a scapegoat.

    Yeah, push out a scapegoat.

    The five of them brightened at this idea.

    Pizi shifted his gaze towards the door, and the four others unanimously looked that way. A scapegoat, great!

    The five nodded, indeed, it was a creative idea.

    The car pulled up at the courtyard entrance, and Bai Xiao got out, "Take the old man to the hospital, it¡¯s only two stops away, don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know the way." This night had been altogether too exhausting.

    She wanted to rest properly, but it seemed she was not destined for it.

    Curly hesitated, but Grandpa Yu outright opened the car door and stepped out.

    "No way, wherever you go, I go. Can¡¯t be ungrateful and betray benefactors right? Didn¡¯t I save your life? You understand gratitude, right!" Grandpa Yu¡¯s shameless words almost made Bai Xiaough.

    Wow, this old man really was from the same family as the olddy.

    No need for doubts, no wonder her own mother had made clear boundaries. If it were her, she¡¯d probably do the same. Such a pair of live treasures, who could handle them?

    They were not just parents; they were ancestors.

    "Old man, who exactly saved whom here?"

    "Of course, I saved you. Do I even need to say that? Young man, this isn¡¯t right. You should understand the principle of respecting elders. Moreover, I look like this because of you. Not letting me go up and take a shower, is that reasonable?" The old man had a really thick face.

    Even Curly, the delinquent, was shocked. This was just too shameless!

    "Old man, you really are something!" Bai Xiao was utterly speechless.

    Resultingly, Grandpa Yu strutted toward her house with his hands behind his back, his strides confident as if he owned the ce, just like his wife¡ªbirds of a feather.

    So Grandpa Yu also got himself roasted following her.

    "See how formidable I am! Still not moving?"

    Grandpa Yu¡¯s face turned red, he had lost all face for life; if his buddies saw him now, their eyeballs would probably hit the floor.

    Never had they seen Grandpa Yu apply his proper piano-ying demeanor to such hooliganism.

    Bai Xiao shook her head. There was no helping it; dealing with such a person, she was without recourse. If a man is shameless, he is invincible.

    This guy truly was the ancestor of all shamelessness.

 Chapter 656 Xiaolai

    <h4>Chapter 656: Chapter 656 Xiai</h4><h4></h4>

    "Then go ahead and leave!" Bai Xiao had no choice but to say to the curly-haired man. She was an upright person who wouldn¡¯t partake in wrongdoings.

    The curly-haired man hastily stopped Bai Xiao, "Doctor Bai, are you just going to leave like that?" He seemed almost ready to cry in desperation.

    Bai Xiao was puzzled, "If I don¡¯t leave, what do you expect me to do? Give you a heartfelt farewell? Don¡¯t joke around, we¡¯re not close!

    "Doctor Bai! You can¡¯t just abandon me, I¡¯ll be dead for sure!" the curly-haired man also became frantic.

    "Now that¡¯s absurd, what do you mean ¡¯I¡¯m abandoning you¡¯? You were originally one of them; what does it have to do with me?" So now he was trying to pin this on her, huh?

    One Xiai is not enough; now there¡¯s another one?

    Do I look that easy to bully? Or that easy to talk to?

    Each and every one of them is pressing me to explode.

    "Doctor Bai, you may leave, but please think about how I¡¯ve been protecting you all day. If I go back now, I¡¯ll either be beaten to death, or they¡¯ll ostracize me. Who knows, they might even hand me over to Brother Xiaodao as a scapegoat, pushing all the me onto me. Then I¡¯ll be on a path to certain death. Doctor Bai, you can¡¯t just ignore me," the curly-haired man was on the verge of crying because what he said was indeed something his own people would do¡ªas the saying goes, ¡¯Everyone for themselves and the Devil take the hindmost.¡¯

    Pizi and the lot are no good either. He always got squeezed out, but it usually didn¡¯t lead to death. Yet now, after what he did today, these people will definitely hold a grudge against him. Once he returns, he¡¯s in for nasty repercussions, probably because he was too eager to bring Bai Xiao back a moment ago.

    Now, Bai Xiao was his lifeline.

    If he didn¡¯t grasp it, it was a dead end for him.

    "Get lost, you¡¯re just taking the opportunity to leave. I was kidnapped by you, do you want me to talk to the police or what?"

    Trying to trap me, without realizing we¡¯re on the same side!

    "Doctor Bai! Go ahead and call the police! I¡¯d rather be caught by them. If I go back, I won¡¯t live to see the sun tomorrow morning. I¡¯m dead either way, I might as well rot in jail where I can still eat and wait for death. At least I¡¯d still be alive," the curly-haired man was desperate and had to risk everything because if things went south, he was done for.

    This was a matter of life and death.

    Bai Xiao waspletely trapped by his shameless tactics.

    He wasn¡¯t ying around.

    "Then I will really call the police!" Bai Xiao clenched her teeth.

    The curly-haired man faced death head-on, "I won¡¯t run. It¡¯s all my doing. I¡¯ll confess honestly."

    Bai Xiao, furious, red at him. He was determined to sh with her.

    "Do what you want, it¡¯s got nothing to do with me." She went upstairs by herself.

    The curly-haired man opened the car door and sat inside, not bothering to close the door, and just stopped there at the entrance. He had nowhere else to go.

    Bai Xiao got home and was about to take out her keys when she saw Sister Wei chatting animatedly with Old Mister Yu. Seeing her, Sister Wei teased her with a smile, "We should have brought the old man over. Men need to be set straight, otherwise, they get all sorts of fancy ideas. Clean his clock once, and he¡¯ll remember it for life."

    Bai Xiao pushed open the door, "Aren¡¯t you supposed to bathe? Hurry up, we don¡¯t have hot water at home." She was really at a loss. Of all people, why did the old man have to chat with Sister Wei? Wasn¡¯t this just making trouble for herself and An Zhiyuan?

    Old Mister Yu immediately smiled, "All right, youngrade, I¡¯m leaving."

    The two entered the room, and Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t help but scold, "At your age, don¡¯t you know what should be said and what shouldn¡¯t? What am I to do with you!" She was truly exasperated by the old man.

 Chapter 657: Calling for Help

    <h4>Chapter 657: Chapter 657: Calling for Help</h4><h4></h4>

    The old man hurried to the bathroom and upon seeing himself in the mirror, his face was filled with helplessness. His hair was as messy as grass, his face recklessly unshaven, barely distinguishable from a beggar on the street.

    Bai Xiao had already poured the hot thermos water into the basin and mixed it with some cold water. Their home didn¡¯t have the facility for bathing; they all cleaned themselves this way.

    If the old man wanted toin, he probably couldn¡¯t; it was his own choice toe and suffer.

    She gave him a new towel and then went out, closing the door behind her.

    Yu Shaohua chuckled to himself behind the door; it seemed he was one step ahead of his wife after all. He had said that her n wouldn¡¯t work, but she insisted on trying it, and this girl showed real mettle.

    What¡¯s the use of saving face when you¡¯re old?

    Bai Xiao picked up the phone and dialed Dean Yu Shaohua, "Dean Yu, there¡¯s a Mr. Yu currently at my ce. It would be best if you arrange for someone toe and pick him up."

    Yu Shaohua had spent the entire night awake, his own father had suddenly vanished, and the olddy had no clue where the old man had gone. Most importantly, he was said to have gone to look for Bai Xiao. However, when they knocked on Bai Xiao¡¯s doorst night, there was no answer.

    With Bai Xiao not home and the old man missing, how could he, as a son, not be anxious?

    Not having returned home all night, and now receiving this call, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed the old man had been with Bai Xiao. How the old man managed to get into Bai Xiao¡¯s house was a mystery; still, the old man was always one step ahead. He couldn¡¯t afford to hold him back.

    "What, he¡¯s at your ce? That¡¯s problematic now; I¡¯m about to leave for a meeting in the province and can¡¯te to pick him up right away. Doctor Bai, could you take care of him for a while, or maybe you could take him to a hotel, I¡¯ll pick him up when I return."

    Telling lies bes effortless after a while; your face doesn¡¯t even blush, and you start to believe them yourself.

    Bai Xiao was speechless. This whole family must be hereditary debt-dodgers.

    "Dean Yu, then I¡¯ll take Mr. Yu to the hotel." He definitely couldn¡¯t stay here; she had other things to tend to and couldn¡¯t afford to spend all her time entertaining an old man.

    She thought of An Zhiyuan and his obligations, and with a change of heart, she dialed his number, only to be met with continuous ringing but no answer.

    She remembered An Zhiyuan¡¯s mission and figured he wasn¡¯t around.

    It seemed she would have to turn to someone else to deal with Bai Mei this time. In Yun Province, she didn¡¯t know too many people she could ask for this sort of challenging favor, going to Myanmar with unknown risks and not something to be taken lightly.

    After some thought, she called Jiang Shaoqing.

    Having influence in Yun Province was no issue for Jiang Shaoqing, finding familiar faces wouldn¡¯t be difficult.

    And sure enough, her call was connected immediately.

    "This is Jiang Shaoqing!"

    This man¡¯s voice was so pleasant to listen to. If she didn¡¯t already have An Zhiyuan, whose voice was even more extraordinary and possessed an addictive maism/sexiness, she might have been attracted by this voice. These men were nothing but enchanting beings.

    "I¡¯m Bai Xiao! I need your help."

    Direct and to the point.

    Jiang Shaoqing nced at his watch, "6:30 in the morning, you¡¯re not sleeping, nor do you let others sleep?" Could it be that this woman hadn¡¯t slept at all?

    "Sorry, it¡¯s really urgent, or else I definitely wouldn¡¯t call you."

    "What is it?"

    There weren¡¯t many things that could make Doctor Bai so anxious.

    It must be something serious.

    "I need some helpers who can go to Myanmar with me, not tomorrow, not in the future, but today, right now. We¡¯re up against armed forces, so there¡¯s risk involved."

    The brevity of her request was somewhat infuriating to Jiang Shaoqing.

    What in the world was this woman up to?

    Wasn¡¯t An Zhiyuan keeping tabs on his wife?

    Letting her wife run amok!

 Chapter 658 Deliberation

    <h4>Chapter 658: Chapter 658 Deliberation</h4><h4></h4>

    "Where is An Zhiyuan? Can¡¯t your Chief An handle this kind of matter?"

    Jiang Shaoqing scoffed. Chief An could handle much tougher situations than this, especially when he was so close at hand.

    "He¡¯s not here."

    The implication was clear¡ªif he had been there, they wouldn¡¯t need Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s help.

    Jiang Shaoqing found it all quite irritating to hear.

    "Give me your address. Someone will be there in half an hour, a Mr. Shao. He¡¯ll help you," Jiang Shaoqing ended the call abruptly.

    The more he thought about it, the more it bothered him. What was Bai Xiao up to?

    With An Zhiyuan away, Bai Xiao needed someone to go to Myanmar. Was this some kind of joke? With the current turmoil there, the politicalndscape was unstable, and the country was embroiled in a battle of factions. Who would go there for no reason?

    Even though the destination was right on China¡¯s border, she herself admitted there were armed forces there¡ªclearly, they were not good people.

    If there were knives and guns, not to mention people involved, they were either involved in drug trafficking or illegal mining.

    No, he had to see for himself.

    What if something truly bad happened? How would he deal with it?

    How could he exin it to An Zhiyuan?

    He immediately booked a flight ticket, feeling somewhat despondent. Even if he hurried, it would already be afternoon by the time he reached the ce. He wondered if he could make it in time.

    Half an hourter, the old man sat in front of her, happily devouring egg noodles. She had no choice¡ªhe keptining of hunger, and she couldn¡¯t ignore him. So she cooked the noodles for him, topped them with two sunny-side-up eggs and a handful of greens, with a sprinkle of chopped scallions fried in oil. It smelled so delicious. The old man, a spice-lover, even added two spoonfuls of chili oil before deeming itplete.

    He ate with sweat pouring down, only eximing how satisfying it was. However, Bai Xiao had no appetite. She couldn¡¯t rest easy without dealing with Bai Mei, feeling like she had a time bomb beside her. As soon as Bai Mei found out she had run away, she¡¯d likely strike back with full force. Even if Bai Mei didn¡¯t dare to mess with her recently, one couldn¡¯t always be on guard against others¡¯ schemes.

    Moreover, she was genuinely curious to find out how Bai Mei ended up there.

    Could it be that Fang Xiaoshan was selling brides again?

    After all, a lot of things were different in this lifetime because of her intervention; many trajectories had changed.

    Normally, Fang Xiaoshan, that bastard, should still be leeching off his wealthy uncle, livingfortably with plenty to eat and drink.

    But now, due to her involvement, Jianping saw through Xiaoshan¡¯s worthlessness early andpletely broke ties with him. Jianping was livingfortably on his own, surely not allowing Xiaoshan to bleed him dry any longer. Knowing Xiaoshan¡¯s gambling habits, it was likely he¡¯d resort to selling brides earlier than before.

    Was Bai Mei sold here, or did she escape on her own?

    When it came to Bai Mei, Bai Xiao had not an ounce of sympathy.

    In her past life, Fang Xiaoshan, together with Wu Xiaoyue and Hao Fang, had orchestrated the sale of her for a good price. They lived quitefortably on her dowry.

    Letting Bai Mei taste what she endured in her past life did not cause Bai Xiao any psychological barriers.

    Besides, if they hadn¡¯t tried to harm her first in this life, Bai Mei wouldn¡¯t have been tied to Fang Xiaoshan at all.

    This was reaping what she had sown.

    The problem now was that their new scheme was much more malicious. Previously, at most, they wanted to sell her to someone deceptive who indulged in eating, drinking, and gambling.

    Their skills had grown, and so had their tactics.

    They wanted her to hit rock bottom, to be utterly disgraced. For a woman to face such a humiliation, perhaps the only path left would be death.

    Now it was a contest to see whose skills proved superior.

 Chapter 659: Solving Trouble

    <h4>Chapter 659: Chapter 659: Solving Trouble</h4><h4></h4>

    Half an hourter, someone knocked on the door.

    Bai Xiao asked cautiously.

    "Who is it?"

    After the incident with those bastards, Bai Xiao had heightened his vignce. Although his special ability was healing, it wasn¡¯tpletely foolproof. Being reborn wasn¡¯t easy; he had to be cautious about everything.

    "Doctor Bai! I am Shao Ming, introduced by Jiang Shao."

    These clues matched up, so Bai Xiao opened the door.

    Standing outside was a young man, not exactly youngpared to Bai Xiao, quite unremarkable, someone who wouldn¡¯t stand out in a crowd, just an ordinary person who wouldn¡¯t catch your eye.

    "Pleasee in!"

    Shao Ming was stunned when he saw Doctor Bai. Jiang Shao had asked him for help, and he had thought Doctor Bai would at least be a middle-aged woman in her forties, especially since anyone hearing about going to Myanmar would think it involved a lot ofplicated grudges.

    She looked like a college student, how could she be mixed up in these messy affairs?

    Bai Xiao exined the task, to snatch Bai Mei from Xiaodao¡¯s hands, just like that.

    "When do we leave?"

    It didn¡¯t sound like a difficult mission, especially because a group of twenty-something people wasn¡¯t a challenge for them, even if they had weapons, they wouldn¡¯t be anything advanced.

    It was just that the ce these people were heading to was a bit tricky; it was a public area, and they couldn¡¯t cause trouble at the public conference, which was protected by local forces. If you dared cause trouble, they dared to wipe you out.

    "It¡¯s best if we leave immediately, because I¡¯ve heard they¡¯re at the public conference, and it¡¯s easiest to find them there. If they leave the conference, it might be very difficult to find them again," Bai Xiao decided on the spot. She had to resolve this issue once and for all.

    "Alright, then let¡¯s set off now," Shao Ming was decisive, the task wasn¡¯t necessarily hard but wasn¡¯t necessarily easy either. Catching two people, as they understood, wasn¡¯t definite; they might have hidden anywhere hard to reach.

    Bai Xiao nodded. "I¡¯ll go change my clothes."

    She hade back looking disheveled, and going out without tidying up would be embarrassing.

    Shao Ming nced at Bai Xiao! Indeed, at their first encounter, he had thought this woman looked like she had been robbed.

    Bai Xiao was quick in her movements; she washed her face,bed her hair, and changed into a shirt and pants, which were more suitable for the task they were about to undertake than a dress. Even if they had to run, they had to be capable on their own, so after a brief consideration, she changed into this outfit.

    She tied up her long hair and wore sses that were purely cosmetic, making her appear refined and courteous.

    "Let¡¯s go, but first, help me take this old man to the hotel where he is staying," she said before departing.

    Bai Xiao nced at the old man.

    It was time for the old man to go home.

    The old man red, "I¡¯m not going back. Wherever you go, I¡¯ll go."

    Bai Xiao was speechless, "Old man, I really have things to handle, and you shouldn¡¯t follow me."

    It really was her bad luck to have such a grandfather.

    "Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to. I heard everything you said just now. You and these people are going to Myanmar to find Sister Mei, how could you go without me? Whatever you say, I have to protect you," the old man insisted, thumping his chest, refusing to leave.

    Shao Ming looked at the old man, thinking to himself, You protect your granddaughter?

    Was this a joke?

    With all of us gearing up, including the old, weak, and sick, to go to Myanmar topete, wasn¡¯t this ludicrous?

    Without another word, he waved his hand and directly pushed the old man into a car.

    Someone had already driven the old man away.

    Bai Xiao breathed a sigh of relief; thankfully, this Shao Ming was a capable figure, solving a big problem for her.

 Chapter 660: None of Your Business

    <h4>Chapter 660: Chapter 660: None of Your Business</h4><h4></h4>

    Two people set off, and upon seeing their convoy, she understood that Shao Ming had brought at least a dozen people.

    These individuals, by merely observing their physique and demeanor, revealed a cold ruthlessness, clearly suggesting that they were cold-blooded assassins, and the bulges at their waists indicated the presence of hidden weapons.

    Bai Xiao spoke little.

    Although she was unaware of the exact location of the so-called public market in Myanmar, the person by her side seemed to know everything.

    "At the public market meeting, we cannot take action. Remember, the people at the public market meeting are not to be provoked, and any grievances must wait until the meeting is over. Once out of the public market area, it¡¯s just like people¡¯s brains turning into dog¡¯s brains; nobody cares."

    "Only the two of us will enter the meeting. I¡¯ll have people stationed at the crossroads. The person you¡¯re looking for, my men have already conducted a background check. If everything goes as nned, I should have the information by the time we reach Singapore. Do you want this person alive or dead?" Shao Ming was unsure what this youngdy was really up to.

    Bai Xiao shook her head, "I need them alive."

    What does she need a dead person for? If she truly wanted someone dead, even at the public market, she would have Bai Mei silently taken care of, with no one able to trace how it happened.

    However, Bai Mei probably wouldn¡¯t easily meet with her now.

    "What deep grudges does this person have with the doctor?" Shao Ming wondered.

    Listening to the name, it seemed like they were family.

    Was this an internal conflict?

    A girl wanting to doom her own family members usually involved inheritance or love interests. Looking at thisdy, she didn¡¯t appear wealthy, so it must be for a man.

    The things girls do for a man these days can be so vicious.

    The morals of society are indeed declining.

    What¡¯s baffling is that the Jiang family was even willing to let him get involved in such matters. This was clearly a misuse of talent.

    Still, his face showed disdain.

    "Mind your own business!" Bai Xiao retorted fiercely, not taking him for a fool.

    Shao Ming¡¯s face was full of contempt; if it weren¡¯t for Jiang Shaoqing, he probably wouldn¡¯t bother with such trivial matters.

    Since you¡¯re just following orders, why care about what I do?

    Shao Ming turned his head, swearing inwardly.

    This young woman certainly didn¡¯t have the attitude of someone needing help.

    The cold and tough bodyguard in the driver¡¯s seat had a gleam in his eyes and a smirk on his face; it wasn¡¯t often someone made their boss look foolish.

    The mountain roads were difficult to navigate.

    It was only due to their excellent driving skills that they could speed along, wheels skimming the edge of the mountain road despite the chasm on one side.

    Two hourster, after a bumpy ride through potholed roads, they finally saw a mine not far away.

    The vehicle stopped.

    Clearly, there were roadblocks ahead, meaning from this point, they would have to proceed on foot.

    Shao Ming got out of the car, "After you, Doctor Bai."

    Bai Xiao got out of the car.

    So this was the public market, her first time seeing Myanmar¡¯s famed jade mine. It looked just like a mountain of rocks, nothing special, but she had heard here that Myanmar¡¯s three major mines nearly supplied all of Southeast Asia¡¯s raw jade materials.

    The two approached the roadblock and were stopped by armed soldiers in camouge gear.

    Suddenly, someone rushed over, humbly presenting a card; this time¡¯s public market meeting was inessible without a guest invitation.

    After checking the invitation, they were immediately allowed in.

 Chapter 661: Donâ€™t Understand

    <h4>Chapter 661: Chapter 661: Don¡¯t Understand</h4> The town of Mengman in the northern part of Myanmar is not far from the border, nestled among mountains shrouded in clouds and mist.

    The mine was located not far from the town deep in the mountains; in the morning, the post-rain sunlight was dazzling, the soft muddy roads were like fermenting, emitting the smell of grass roots and cow dung. On the Ancient Tea Horse Road, the bells from horse caravans chimed, sounding like a team of drunks swinging wine bottles.

    In the hollow, the crowing of chickens and barking of dogs carried over several mountains; in between, dazzling white tin roofs, thatched huts, and solitary bamboo buildings were nearly swallowed by the green grass and trees; behind the houses, fields of poppies bloomed fiercely.

    The foreign border was fraught with unpredictable danger, not a ce to linger for long. They had better make it quick, but this public auction had caught both Bai Xiao and Shao Ming¡¯s attention, although both were clueless about raw stones.

    If not for the drug traffickers¡¯ secretive and elusive behavior, only maintaining contact with the ring leaders.

    What was Bai Xiao doing getting involved here without any reason.

    Bai Mei was truly formidable, managing to secure the position as Sister Mei, which indicated she was a powerful character too, and it seemed there was a reason why he had fallen into her hands in a past life.

    When it came to ruthlessness, she stillcked somewhat.

    Upon entering, someone immediately led them inside. There were threerge tents set up in the open, each representing different grades of raw stones, and correspondingly different amounts of money.

    Calling it an auction was somewhat misleading, it actually only applied to the third tent at the very back, where the carefully selected raw stones were ced for the major buyers to scrutinize. That¡¯s where the auction would take ce, although it wasn¡¯t mandatory¡ªif nobodypeted with you.

    Watching Shao Ming examine the stones intently, Bai Xiao asked in a low voice, "Do you recognize these stones?"

    "The stones know me but I don¡¯t know them. In my eyes, it¡¯s just a stone," answered Shao Ming with a straightforwardness that almost made Bai Xiaough.

    The awkwardness that had lingered between them finally began to ease.

    Shao Ming held out his arm, "Come on, Doctor Bai, we¡¯re customers here. We should at least pretend to have a look and buy a couple, or there could be trouble. Have you brought enough money?" This ce wasn¡¯t for casual browsing.

    Bai Xiao shook his head, "How would I know I¡¯d need money for this?"

    "I¡¯ll lend you ten thousand, five percent interest," Shao Ming¡¯s eyes lit up.

    No money, that was right; otherwise, what business would he be doing here.

    Bai Xiao pouted, "Are you still so obsessed with wealth?"

    Calling him money-obsessed was apliment; seeing how his eyes shone with excitement at the mention of money revealed just how intense Shao Ming¡¯s desire for money was. Jiang Shaoqing actually dared to use Shao Ming, not fearing that Shao Ming would betray him for money.

    "A gentleman loves money, and takes it in a proper way. I love money as I love my life, nothing wrong with that! Will you borrow or not? Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn youter, if you don¡¯t buy any stones, you might be kicked out."

    Shao Ming hade prepared; although he didn¡¯t gamble on stones, he had a general understanding of the business. Considering their line of work, how could they not know a little?

    "Why are these people so infatuated with these stones?" Bai Xiao didn¡¯t understand! What was so special about the inconspicuous stones that warranted the attention of so many well-dressed individuals? Don¡¯t think she hadn¡¯t noticed that just like them, many had gotten out of their cars, dressed up as if they were either rich or noble,ing to this rugged wilderness. Could the allure of stone gambling be that strong?

    "You don¡¯t understand, the jade business here on the border is booming. The locals consider going to Myanmar¡¯s Jade Market to make a living or quickly selling jade stones back home for cash as their way out when desperate. Thus, the majority of those digging for jade here are impoverished Chinese people."

    Shao Ming exined to her.

 Chapter 662: Raw Melon Eggs

    <h4>Chapter 662: Chapter 662: Raw Melon Eggs</h4><h4></h4>

    "If that¡¯s the case, why do these people stille?"

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t understand.

    "There¡¯s an old saying, ¡¯To get rich, bet on stones; to go broke, bet on stones.¡¯ The stone betting business is like licking blood from the de, you either be rich overnight or go begging. It¡¯s perilous and unpredictable, and you have to judge based on the stone¡¯s external features, such as the type of skin, what kind of sand is revealed, whether there is green pine or white python bands, considering a variety of factors to determine if there¡¯s jade inside and the quality of it. Due to the mystique of stone betting, even a veteran can slip up asionally, and one oversight could lead toplete ruin."

    Shao Ming had been around for a long time, and although he didn¡¯t understand it himself, he spoke as if he were an expert.

    Bai Xiao smiled wryly; they really were full of gambling spirit. Although she didn¡¯t understand it fully, she knew that essentially, these were all gamblers.

    This was a kind of disguised gambling, but aside from luck, it also hinged on visual acuity and knowledge.

    A lot of people had gathered around, from China, from Myanmar, and other countries. The men of Myanmar were tanned like buckwheat, wearing gray clothing and worn sandals, walking with a duck-like gait; they had a bit of earthy homemade spice on their faces, their bodies exuding a sour sweat smell, decorated with tattoos, and their red betel nut-stained teeth made them smell of dry tobo, which gave them a rather odd scent. The women of Myanmar were even stranger, their fair faces smeared with clumps of "old Myanmar powder," their heads decorated with a few wildflowers; asionally, they retyed their dresses with hooking motions that attracted men, their movements as graceful as willows swaying in the wind; they looked enchantingly bizarre, their lips blood-red as if they had stolen and eaten a chicken, like seductive fox spirits.

    In any case, Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t help but squeeze closer to Shao Ming, unable to stand the smell.

    Many people saw that the two of them were not looking at stones but rather observing people, which caused puzzled expressions.

    Shao Ming couldn¡¯t take it any longer, especially since the fully armed patrolmen were also asionally watching them, mainly because the two of them were too conspicuous.

    "We¡¯d better pick out a couple of stones just for appearances; we must do it, otherwise we¡¯ll have trouble before you meet the person you¡¯re waiting for," he said.

    Shao Ming, of course, knew the rules here.

    Bai Xiao nodded, we shall bet then, it¡¯s just picking out two stones.

    Each picked one, Bai Xiao didn¡¯t understand at all, the stones here were priced at two hundred per piece, sold by the b regardless of size. Naturally, Bai Xiao chose thergest one; bigger is better, she thought. After everyone had looked at her as if she were a fool for a long while, Bai Xiao also understood what sitting on pins and needles felt like. It was one thing if one or two people looked down on you, but it was entirely different when everyone regarded you as a fool.

    Shao Ming almost diedughing, "Doctor Bai! You¡¯re impressive, this stone at first nce is just a bare rock, even I know that at the very least there should be some green or a python band on a stone to possibly have a chance of containing jade, you just inly judged by size."

    Bai Xiao was embarrassed at that moment; she didn¡¯t know any of this.

    She was really just going for size.

    It seemed that nobody thought well of her stone.

    But clearly, those armed soldiers rxed a lot more, even with a humorous smile, probably understanding that they were just novices, really green ones at that. This kind of approach was typical of neers, totally based on luck and without any technique.

    Such people turn up by the thousands every year! Seeing it often enough they just treated it as a joke.

 Chapter 663: Sudden Increase

    <h4>Chapter 663: Chapter 663: Sudden Increase</h4><h4></h4>

    "Little girl, are you here to be funny?"

    Someone mocked her from behind.

    Bai Xiao looked at the person, aplete light bulb, and that shiny head could blind someone.

    Most importantly, he was fat-faced and had stered ears, plus being bald, his appearance was asughable as could be.

    "Aren¡¯t the stones here for people to buy? Is there a rule that says you can only buy small ones, not big ones?"

    Shao Ming wanted to cover his face in embarrassment, turning ignorance into a personality and still speaking so righteously, probably only the person in front of him could do it.

    He really wanted to step back a bit and walk away.

    "Alright, little girl still wants to challenge others? Let me show you what stone gambling is, pay attention. That piece, that piece, and this one, yes, open these three for me." Baldy was definitely showing off. The stones others chose were indeed not big, but they appeared more sculptable than the one Bai Xiao had chosen.

    When stone cutting was mentioned, everyone gathered around, many loved watching stone gambling, always talking about how a single cut could lead one from rags to riches, or from heaven to hell.

    Shao Ming said smilingly to others, "We will also do some stone gambling."

    Watching such excitement also broadens the mind; he had heard stories of heaven and hell with just one cut, but experiencing it first-hand was still a first-time, not to say Bai Xiao was excited, even Shao Ming felt his adrenaline rising.

    The crowd instantly grew.

    The master nced at the stone, a piece of sand skin with a python belt an inch wide on it, and clusters of pine flowers, he weighed it in his hand, squinting, and asked, "Boss, do we cut or polish?"

    "Polish!" The stone was only fist-sized, Baldy, seeming knowledgeable, immediately responded.

    The master got excited, impatiently hitting the switch, and the moment the electric grinding wheel touched the stone, it jolted everyone¡¯s heart, a truly unique sensation which got Bai Xiao excited too.

    This is stone gambling!

    It really is as thrilling and enthralling as the legends suggest.

    The crowd gasped¡ªvalue increased! A bundle of watery green appeared!

    The master continued to polish along the python band, revealing a green the length of a matchstick, immediately someone shouted, "A fixed price of twelve!"

    Baldy clenched his teeth, "Keep polishing!"

    Another three fingers¡¯ width of green appeared, and Baldy couldn¡¯t help butugh then.

    "Two hundred thousand, take it away!"

    Baldy shouted, and instantly someone came up and took the stone away, everyone sighed, if the stone would have been cut open it would have shown clearly what was inside, but now it was toote.

    "Little girl, did you see? This is what stone gambling is. Your stone is worth nothing."

    That stirred up everyone¡¯s emotions; two hundred producing two hundred thousand immediately caught everyone¡¯s attention at the venue, many began buying stones as they all knew if there was one good hit, there might be another, they couldn¡¯t help but get ready for action.

    Who¡¯s afraid of dying when there¡¯s money to be made, without taking risks, how could gold fall from the sky! Immediately, from jade merchants to hole diggers, looking as gant as soldiers heading to battle, all lined up with stones for stone gambling.

    "Boss! For the remaining ones, should we continue polishing?" the master cutter asked, Baldy still had two more stones.

    However, these two were much bigger, one the size of a ser ball, and another a rectangr strip. Baldy pondered for a while, the ser-ball-sized one had a python belt an inch wide, pear skin, and white salt sand, the stone¡¯s turned sand resembling fine salt grains.

    "Cut, cut!"

    Many were encouraging, Bai Xiao watched with cold eyes; clearly, Baldy felt confident after the recent surge.

    "Cut!"

    A final decision.

 Chapter 664 Collapsed

    <h4>Chapter 664: Chapter 664 Copsed</h4><h4></h4>

    The bright saw, spraying water droplets, shrieked and wailed as soon as the stone was pushed onto the de, sounding like cutting through bone, so painful it seemed to make one¡¯s heart bleed!

    The stone-cutting master carefully wiped the stone. After a bout of strange screams from the saw, unexpectedly, ayer of red mist was revealed under the skin of the stone¡ªstones with this kind of mist typically have a dry texture inside.

    Baldy saw a glimmer of hope and immediately shouted, "Cut, keep cutting for me!"

    Someone had already made an offer for the stone, "Two hundred thousand, I¡¯ll take it for two hundred thousand!"

    With a clink.

    The bald boss copsed on the spot and wet himself¡ªboth pieces of the stone were stark white, theyer of green exposed as thin as paper!

    The crowd was shocked for a long while, unable to catch their breath. The stone was expertly rubbed, one more rub and the green would have been gone, one less and it would have been light green; the rubbing was done to perfection!

    "It copsed?" Baldy couldn¡¯t believe it. He had just seen a stone that was worth at least five hundred thousand, and now he had made a loss in an instant.

    Luckily it was only two hundred yuan; a loss didn¡¯t hurt too much. But oh, if only it had more green.

    With frustration, he kicked the stone away, "Cut, keep cutting for me. I want to see if this stone has really be something mystical." Baldy was already fuming.

    His eyes filled with the anticipation of sudden wealth, but it turned out to be a mirage, leaving him somewhat ufortable.

    The half piece of stone rolled to Bai Xiao¡¯s feet. She bent down, touched the stone, and suddenly had an idea.

    She didn¡¯t know what would happen if she applied her special ability to the stone. Why not give it a try?

    She immediately picked up the half piece of stone and asked Baldy, "Boss! Sell me this piece of stone, will you?"

    Baldy looked back at Bai Xiao, "Little girl, this stone has copsed. It won¡¯t turn green if I sell it to you; it¡¯s not worth a penny. If you really want it, I¡¯ll give it to you." This was the kind of rookie question that only a novice would ask.

    Bai Xiao stubbornly shook her head, "I still want to buy it. Settling ounts is a rule, isn¡¯t it? If, by chance, it does turn green upon cutting, then things will getplicated."

    Baldyughed, and the spectators behind himughed as well.

    They¡¯d been in the business for a long time, seen it all; a copsed stone is a copsed stone. The chance of it turning green again on another cut was even lower than the chance of getting green in a new stone purchase. Her question was quite dumb.

    "Alright, if you want it, I won¡¯t cheat you. Fifty yuan, fair and square."

    Baldy really wasn¡¯t taking advantage of her¡ªit was a fair price.

    Bai Xiao looked at Shao Ming, who reluctantly took out fifty yuan and handed it to Baldy.

    The long raw stone nearby had been rubbed open, and it had nothing! Even after cutting, there was nothing; it hadpletely copsed.

    Peopleughed for a while, but Baldy was not discouraged; after all, his opening gambit had made him quite a bit of money!

    "Little girl, it¡¯s your turn."

    Actually, it was just for the excitement. Many people had already left, with eight out of ten people already predicting the oue for this young girl¡¯s stone.

    Sure enough, Bai Xiao¡¯s giant stone was cut four times, with nothing but whiteness, not even a hint of green seen, and after theughter, everyone dispersed.

    After all, not many stones bought for two hundred yuan reveal green; many still focused on the second and third tents, where the big goodsy.

    Bai Xiao handed the stone she held to the master, "Master, please cut this one for me!"

    She really didn¡¯t understand¡ªbut cut they would. It was just an experiment for her, not to expect a miracle, but to see if her special ability had any use elsewhere. After all, she hadn¡¯t had the chance in her previous life, but this lifetime, she remembered how effective her ability had been in disruptingndmines and when shooting.

 Chapter 665: Fate, Sigh

    <h4>Chapter 665: Chapter 665: Fate, Sigh</h4><h4></h4>

    The master nced at Bai Xiao, "Miss, take a piece of advice, this cut will cost thirty yuan, and it¡¯s not necessary. Any clear-eyed person can tell that the stone won¡¯t increase in value." The master was definitely well-intentioned.

    "Go ahead and cut it! Master, I just want some peace of mind. I always feel like there should be something inside." Bai Xiao spoke kindly and politely.

    She was indeed seeking peace of mind.

    What she was seeking was peace of mind about her special ability, who could know that Bai Xiao herself was also nervous.

    The master reluctantly started the small electric saw and cut off a corner of the stone.

    To Baldy¡¯s surprise, his eyes suddenly shone with greed¡ªinside was the transparent, flowing water of ss-type, imperial green!

    Baldy was stunned and suddenly his eyes bulged.

    He cursed in his heart, damn it, how could such a thing turn around and increase in value, isn¡¯t there any justice in this world?

    The master polished the stone into a ring face, wless inside, like a shiny green water droplet, afraid it would roll away if not careful. He cut another three pieces from it, all capable of being polished into ring faces and sold off.

    The remaining pieces were split into three slices, the middle one like green ss, an excellent material for collectible carvings, and someone immediately offered four hundred thousand yuan to buy it. In less than half an hour, they had made a profit that left everyone dumbfounded.

    Baldy regretted it so much that he pped his forehead, "Why did I sell it for just fifty yuan! Why did I sell it for just fifty yuan!"

    He felt like banging his head against the wall.

    Shao Ming crowded next to Bai Xiao, delighted, "I didn¡¯t expect you to have this skill, I really misjudged you. Impressive, I¡¯ll follow your lead from now on, big brother." That was over four hundred thousand yuan that had entered his ount in the blink of an eye! This exhrating feeling finally made him understand why some people were obsessed with gambling on stone; the feeling of sudden wealth was truly unique.

    The main thing was the damn exhrating feeling of turning a loss-making piece into a profit in an instant, raising one¡¯s eyebrows in triumph and indulging in sweet revenge.

    Bai Xiao shook her head, "I really don¡¯t know how to gamble on stone, I was just fooling around. This is all luck!"

    She hadn¡¯t expected her special ability to be so powerful, although it was only a small ring. Even though she didn¡¯t understand jade, achieving her goal was what mattered. Now she felt confident that she could indeed expand on her special ability in this lifetime and not let it go to waste.

    "With your luck, you¡¯re really defying fate, picking up someone else¡¯s discarded junk and still finding a treasure isn¡¯tmon," Baldy said, a mixture of depression and envy. That¡¯s just how this business is, one might misjudge, and if one does, there¡¯s no one else to me.

    He had been on the verge of making a fortune just a moment ago, and had ended up giving it away for fifty yuan; the thought alone made him lose face, and he still dared to im he was a gambler on stone.

    "Bai Xiao, what are you doing here?"

    An abrupt voice caused Bai Xiao to look up, Shang Kaiwen and Liu Chuanfeng looked like a perfect pair standing together; Shang Kaiwen was still wearing her usual white dress, with her long hair draped over her shoulders and a hat, exuding British elegance and beauty. Many people were covertly observing Shang Kaiwen, swallowing their saliva, and quite a few Burmese had fiery eyes. Rarely did they see such superb women here¡ªit was not a woman¡¯s battlefield. Although there were women in this line of work, they were mostly the tomboy-ish type, strong and rugged,cking the soft demure charm by a long shot.

    Liu Chuanfeng was frowning, staring at Bai Xiao with what seemed to be anger.

    What a coincidence.

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t understand, why would Shang Kaiwene to such a ce of her own ord?

    The Shang family in her previous life dealt with the pharmaceutical industry, so why would theye here?

    She hadn¡¯t even started to settle the score with Shang Kaiwen, and Shang Kaiwen had delivered herself to the doorstep.

    Bai Xiao began to consider whether to shake hands with Shang Kaiwen or something, perhaps letting Shang Kaiwen go back to die violently would be quite satisfying. But would that be too blunt andcking sophistication? Wasn¡¯t the real revenge making Shang Kaiwen experience the torment of her previous life, living like a walking corpse, without hope, without a future, with all her loved ones meeting terrible fates?

    That would be true vengeance¡ªto let Shang Kaiwen die! Instead, it would be letting her off easy.

    Bai Xiao still suppressed the impulsive thoughts stirring within her, not to rush, absolutely not to rush.

 Chapter 666: How Many Eyes Does the Horse Prince Have

    <h4>Chapter 666: Chapter 666: How Many Eyes Does the Horse Prince Have</h4><h4></h4>

    "What a coincidence indeed!" Bai Xiao clenched her teeth.

    There was no helping it; whenever Bai Xiao saw Shang Kaiwen, she felt the urge to kill. This tendency towards violence seemed to have suddenly emerged in her lifetime.

    "President Shang, let¡¯s just go inside instead of wasting time here," Liu Chuanfeng wished he could block all the covetous gazes directed at Shang Kaiwen, but unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t just hide her away.

    "We were just saying how amazing it is that someone managed to find a profit out of the discarded waste from someone else¡¯s failed attempt¡ª and not just a profit, but a huge one. We came to see who this lucky person was. I never expected it to be you. Howe you¡¯re here?" Shang Kaiwen didn¡¯t expect to see Bai Xiao there either.

    Bai Xiao was a doctor, wasn¡¯t she?

    However, this ce was at the border of Yun Province, which wasn¡¯t a difficult ce for someone from Yun Province to ess, but Shang Kaiwen genuinely hadn¡¯t anticipated a doctor showing up here.

    People came to this ce for money, as everyone hoped for overnight wealth. It seemed that even her own sister wasn¡¯t as lofty as she had imagined¡ªshe still needed money after all.

    She was baffled; why wouldn¡¯t Bai Xiao simply acknowledge their father? The Shang Family surely offered better circumstances than the present. What was the point of Bai Xiao¡¯s actions?

    Or was it the ridiculous ¡¯fear of and too near¡¯?

    That made absolutely no sense.

    "Miss Shang, the reason you¡¯re here is the same reason I¡¯m here, tit for tat!" Bai Xiao certainly wouldn¡¯t tell Shang Kaiwen the truth. It seemed this trip¡¯s difficulty had just increased.

    Not only did she have to deal with Bai Mei, but she also had to watch what Shang Kaiwen was up to. If Shang Kaiwen foolishly thought she could turn her fortunes around with this gemstone, well, sorry, but Bai Xiao was no pushover. Shang Kaiwen had bad luck foring across her.

    "Unexpectedly, we are fellow travelers, Bai Xiao. In fact, we are family..." Shang Kaiwen still wanted to pull Bai Xiao to her side. If only Bai Xiao would acknowledge them, the An Family and Jiang Family behind Bai Xiao had enough influence to help the Shang Family tap into other markets¡ªthis was a significant force to be reckoned with.

    "Don¡¯t spout nonsense. I¡¯m not like you; we have no rtion. So, spare me your ridiculous talk," Bai Xiao certainly wasn¡¯t about to acknowledge her, knowing perfectly well what Shang Kaiwen was up to.

    No one understood Shang Kaiwen better than she did, a woman who would exploit any force and not let slip the slightest bit of value, squeezing you dry until there was nothing left. There was no way Bai Xiao would be fooled again.

    "Bai Xiao..." Shang Kaiwen said intively, seeming full of helplessness, appearing deeply injured, which stirred anger in Liu Chuanfeng. How dare someone bully his boss, the woman he loved? This woman clearly didn¡¯t know whether she wasing or going.

    "Don¡¯t waste your breath on this kind of person. She just had a stroke of dumb luck and thinks she¡¯s all that. We¡¯ve seen plenty like her before. She doesn¡¯t even step beyond the second or third tent, just picking over scraps here. A few hundred thousand is nothing, mere dregs. If you have the guts, go check out the big items inside the tent and see if you understand how you¡¯ll be killed," Liu Chuanfeng, of course, had the arrogance that came with real capability. Unlike others, he had a thorough understanding of the business, and he did have his authority in the industry. His past few purchases had multiplied in value several hundred times over, and many now respectfully called him "Brother Liu."

    This was someone capable.

    Shang Kaiwen felt a surge of pleasure within her. She didn¡¯t have to say anything herself, as someone else was standing up to humiliate Bai Xiao; it was satisfying to save her the trouble, considering the woman never seemed to see what was right in front of her, oblivious to her circumstances.

 Chapter 667 Provocation Strategy

    <h4>Chapter 667: Chapter 667 Provocation Strategy</h4><h4></h4>

    "Bai Xiao, this is ourpany¡¯s jade raw stone purchasing advisor Manager Liu, and this is me... Dr. Bai Xiao." Seeing Bai Xiao acting as if she was unrted, Shang Kaiwen felt a fire burning inside. In her whole life, she had never met someone who didn¡¯t give her the proper courtesy, and Bai Xiao was truly out of line.

    "Dr. Bai, I still want to advise you, since you are a doctor, why not stick to your field? In Yun Province, doctors are highly sought-after and respected. Why get involved with this kind of business? The waters here are deep, and not just anyone can wade in and find gold. There are plenty of people here who have be beggars overnight. Please take good care of yourself." Liu Chuanfeng just couldn¡¯t stand the disrespect this woman showed towards Shang Kaiwen.

    Bai Xiao smiled faintly, "Thank you for the lesson. I really don¡¯t understand much about this, but I¡¯ve always been lucky. Maybe my luck will help me win big today, after all, I have already had a sessful start, haven¡¯t I?" Anyone can talk back, she didn¡¯t believe Liu Chuanfeng could beat her luck.

    Liu Chuanfeng¡¯s face indeed turned ck with anger, trulycking grace.

    "In that case! Dr. Bai! I can only say so much. If you¡¯re really gambling on luck, then head on over to the shed up front. I¡¯ll be there to teach you a lesson anytime, and we¡¯ll see if it¡¯s your outrageous luck or my real skills that hold up. Luck will run out one day, but real skills will never let you down."

    Upon seeing Liu Chuanfeng, a grown man, ranting endlessly at Bai Xiao, a woman, treating them as enemies with every sentence, Shao Ming lost his patience, "Do you even know how to speak? What do you mean luck will run out? We¡¯ve just started. Do you think you¡¯re the only one with skill? In this business, everybody knows, even the most skilled person wouldn¡¯t guarantee their prowess. And you can? Who do you think you are? Overconfident words can easily backfire."

    Men need to save face.

    At this moment, Shao Ming¡¯s task was certainly to back up Dr. Bai, whether feasible or not, you can lose money but not the battle.

    Liu Chuanfeng scoffed and made a ¡¯please¡¯ gesture, "Well then, please! Since you rely on luck, do you dare to try your luck with me in the shed out back? Let¡¯s see if your luck is better than my skills." He wouldn¡¯t feel satisfied until he had decisively beaten this man and woman.

    Shang Kaiwen quickly pulled Liu Chuanfeng back, "Manager Liu, don¡¯t be like this. Bai Xiao is a doctor; they really don¡¯t understand, and there¡¯s no need to bet on this." She wished she could add fuel to the fire, hoping Bai Xiao wouldpletely embarrass herself today. Of course, if Bai Xiao could be made so poor she¡¯d lose everything, that would be even better.

    In this world, there isn¡¯t anyone who can¡¯t be bought with money.

    She was curious to see if Bai Xiao,pletely bankrupt andden with debt, would still refuse to recognize the Shang Family.

    Her mind had been running quickly just now, already sensing a good opportunity.

    If Bai Xiao didn¡¯t understand the implications, how would she understand the importance of money?

    "Bai Xiao, there¡¯s no need to do this! You¡¯ve already won over four hundred thousand. Go back and live your life well; that money is enough for you to livefortably. There¡¯s no need to argue with him here. You¡¯re not on his level." This was adding fuel to the fire.

    Just as Bai Xiao was about to say, "Well then, I¡¯ll go back and live my life well," not nning to fall for the trap, the person beside her, Shao Ming, had already be impatient and jumped up.

    "Alright, we ept the challenge! It¡¯s just the shed down there; we¡¯ll go. What¡¯s there to be afraid of!"

 Chapter 668: The Fake Bodyguard

    <h4>Chapter 668: Chapter 668: The Fake Bodyguard</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao looked at Shao Ming, who was embarrassed, as if his gaze was like a knife, seemingly carving him up slice by slice.

    He hadn¡¯t done anything wrong, but losing face here was not an option.

    He was Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s man, after all. If he admitted defeat here today, it would be as if he were admitting defeat on behalf of Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s family. If this word got out, and he brought shame to their family, how could he have the nerve to be around Jiang anymore?

    "What, Dr. Bai, don¡¯t you dare?" Liu Chuanfeng saw Bai Xiao¡¯s reluctance and decided to fan the mes.

    For a novice like Bai Xiao from the jade industry to daree and seek death in his presence, he wouldn¡¯t be doing himself justice if he didn¡¯t take this opportunity to strike them hard.

    Shao Ming managed an indignant look, but this time, he dared not make decisions on his own.

    Bai Xiao turned her head back, "Fine then, since Manager Liu has so graciously invited us, it would be quite rude not to go." She still hadn¡¯t found Bai Mei, what mess was Shao Ming stirring up?

    But at this moment, Shao Ming was her partner.

    This was the so-called shared weal and woe.

    She would absolutely not discredit Shao Ming.

    "Right! It would be very rude!" Seeing Bai Xiao take the lead, Shao Ming immediately revived, "That¡¯s how Dr. Bai should be. Even if we lose today, we haven¡¯t disgraced Jiang Shaoqing."

    Liu Chuanfeng nced at Shang Kaiwen, his eyes seemingly telling her to wait and watch the drama unfold.

    Shang Kaiwen looked at Bai Xiao somewhat helplessly, like she was looking at a child throwing an unreasonable tantrum. Her demeanour seemed indulgent, which made Liu Chuanfeng even more fond of Shang Kaiwen. He thought about how kind his woman was, spoiling someone so clueless about when to advance or retreat as if she were her own kin, her heart was just too kind.

    "Alright then, let¡¯s go please!" Liu Chuanfeng, arm in arm with Shang Kaiwen, led the way.

    Shao Ming looked at Bai Xiao somewhat ingratiatingly, now understanding he might have been too presumptuous. In this matter, the two of them didn¡¯t know anything; weren¡¯t they just going there to hand over their money? Who would foot the bill?

    Jiang Shaoqing had not given him the authority to usepany funds; he was dipping into his personal savings. If Dr. Bai lost, whom could he turn to then?

    He regretted his actions now.

    "Or maybe, we should just forget it?" Shao Ming was clearly frightened now.

    Bai Xiao gently patted Shao Ming on the shoulder, "Why forget it? Didn¡¯t you say it¡¯s okay to lose a battle but not to lose bearing? Come on, let¡¯s see what the inside of that ce is like. Keep an eye out for Bai Mei, don¡¯t forget what we¡¯re here to do!" Since they had agreed, how could they not go?

    Bai Xiao was still counting on dealing Liu Chuanfeng a heavy loss. Since Shang Kaiwen valued this Liu Chuanfeng so much, she certainly intended to ensure that he could never be involved in this industry again, breaking Shang Kaiwen¡¯s right-hand man, to see how she would manage.

    Shao Ming grimaced, "But we have no money! I only agreed to lend you ten thousand yuan, nothing more." He clutched his pockets, a spitting image of the quintessential miser Ge Langtai.

    Bai Xiao chuckled, "Come on, after all, I just won over 400,000 yuan. I won¡¯t spend a cent of yours, using my own money should be fine, right?" How different Shao Ming was from when she first met him, what a contrast!

    Could it be that Jiang Shaoqing had sent her a fake bodyguard?

    Upon hearing this, Shao Ming felt relieved, his demeanor grandly restored.

    "Good, Dr. Bai, I have faith in you. I always knew you were a righteous person."

    He wasn¡¯t the least bit embarrassed by his own words.

    Bai Xiao shook her head and headed to the betting hall below.

    The onlookers began to follow her down to the betting hall; Liu Chuanfeng¡¯s reputation was well-known here, everyone wanted to see how she would lose.

 Chapter 669: Not Ashamed to Ask Questions

    <h4>Chapter 669: Chapter 669: Not Ashamed to Ask Questions</h4><h4></h4>

    In the second shed, things were noticeably different upon entering. The crowd here, in terms of attire and demeanor, was a stark contrast to those in the previous one¡ªin more precise terms, if the other ce was for the masses, this one was for the middle ss. Bai Xiao amusingly spected that if they moved on to the third shed, they would probably find the so-called wealthy elites.

    Liu Chuanfeng and his group were not there. Someone came over to inform Bai Xiao and Shao Ming that Liu Chuanfeng had been invited by the boss to the third shed and asked them both to go there to find him.

    The messenger had also deliberately added a couple extraments, and pretty much, Shao Ming got the gist¡ªthis was just a way to publicly embarrass Liu Chuanfeng.

    To enter the third shed, one must show a bank statement of five million. Only with proof of five million in savings were they qualified to enter.

    That meant Liu Chuanfeng was intentionally making it difficult for them. If they couldn¡¯t even produce that amount of money, they had no businesspeting.

    This was the true definition of being pped in the face.

    The onlookers¡¯ smiles were clearly mockery.

    Shao Ming was dumbfounded. Five million?

    He had it!

    But...

    He quietly moved a few steps away, distancing himself quite a bit from Bai Xiao.

    This was his dowry money, and he hadn¡¯t even gotten married yet. He couldn¡¯t let the doctor mess this up.

    A thousand could be lent, but five million? That was astronomical in 1988. Many people wouldn¡¯t make that much money in their lifetimes, let alone a single generation.

    Gambling on stone carries risks; investment must be cautious.

    Bai Xiao turned to look at Shao Ming, who quickly turned his head away, pretending not to know the doctor in a ratherical manner.

    Shaking her head, she knew she could not count on Shao Ming at that moment.

    She grabbed someone nearby. Eh?

    It was Baldy, who had actually followed them here.

    "Oh, hello, what¡¯s your surname?"

    Bai Xiao¡¯s tone was too kind, her voice gentle and soothing like a warm breeze.

    Baldy shuddered. Surely she wasn¡¯t trying to charm him!

    Without changing his expression, he stepped away, "I have no money!"

    Bai Xiao almost spat blood, she wasn¡¯t nning to ask for money!

    Who would think she was trying to borrow money?

    They treated her as if she were the gue, unbelievable.

    "My surname is Fu, everyone calls me Strong Baldy."

    Bai Xiao burst outughing.

    Strong Baldy!

    It seemed like in the years that followed, the name Strong Baldy had be somewhat of a trend.

    Baldy touched his bald head, "Laugh, many haveughed before."

    Bai Xiao calmlyforted him, "No worries, that name¡¯s quite nice, very auspicious!"

    Who knows how tofort someone, what¡¯s so auspicious about Strong Baldy?

    "I was just hoping to learn a little, what in the raw stones attracts the highest price, maybe the type? Could you introduce me to some?" Bai Xiao was unashamed to ask; she had never seen them and to rack up five million all of a sudden, she might at least need a temte.

    Everyone aroundughed.

    Even the messenger who had informed themughed.

    "Trying to cram at thest minute won¡¯t be enough!"

    "This youngdy is interesting!"

    "It¡¯s my first time seeing someone who only starts doing their homework now. What were you doing at home?"

    "Too funny,ing here to y, in a little while not even bones will be left."

    "Youngdy, I advise you to just go home. This ce isn¡¯t meant for ying."

    "Yeah, you had me thinking I was about to witness a huge battle, turns out it¡¯s just for show."

    "Stop crowding around; go back to your own business!"

    The crowd dispersed.

    Baldy blinked, Bai Xiao stood there baffled; couldn¡¯t she even ask a question?

    Wasn¡¯t there a saying about not being ashamed to ask questions?

 Chapter 670: Science Popularization

    <h4>Chapter 670: Chapter 670: Science Poprization</h4><h4></h4>

    "You¡¯re really asking this?" Baldy was also seeing such an earnest person for the first time.

    Normally, if you don¡¯t understand, you at least find someone who does to apany you, or you try to put on a mysterious air; at least that way you can bluff your way through.

    To bepletely clueless and still dare to boldly ask strangers, such a case is unprecedented and unlikely to be seen again.

    Indeed, ignorance is bliss.

    But this girl¡¯s luck really is something to talk about.

    Just based on the way she took over four hundred thousand from him with only fifty, he was willing to befriend her. Why do you think he followed her? He was hoping to catch some of her good fortune too.

    Everyone in the Gambling Stone Circle knows that jade gambling is one part eyeing it up, three parts luck; that gives you a sixty percent chance. Gambler¡¯s luck¡ªit¡¯s not about skill; you¡¯ll lose to death betting on that.

    "Really!" Bai Xiao just wanted to make money quickly.

    It¡¯s only five million; she didn¡¯t believe that a single stone here couldn¡¯t fetch that price.

    "What¡¯s your honorable surname?"

    This time, the fat man was calm.

    "My surname is Bai, they all call me Doctor Bai!"

    "Alright, Doctor Bai, since you asked, of course I¡¯ll tell you. Consider this a quick lesson. In the world of jade, there are two precious types: Gold-silk Jadeite and Dragon Stone-type Jadeite. Actually, jade is graded from high to low as: ss-type, Ice-type, Glutinous-type, Bean-type¡ªthese are the four main categories (also understood as grades). Among them, Bean-type has the worst translucency, while ss-type has the best.

    Jadees in multiple colors, roughly divided into: green series, red series, purple series, yellow series, and blue series¡ªthese five are the precious color series.

    The green series, white series, gray series, and ck series are themon color series.

    In terms of color, green is the most esteemed, with vibrant hues being preferable. Within jade, the top tier Emperor Green is the most vibrant green, appearing in crystal-clear material.

    However, the most impressive are those named after the dragon¡ªthe Dragon Stone-type Jadeite is an extraordinarily rare treasure that is the only type that can grow in caves and has the unique feature of being warm in winter and cool in summer. Because of the texture of jadeite, Dragon Stone-type Jadeite can warm the body and moisturize the skin in winter, offering a refreshing and natural feeling in summer.

    Dragon Stone-type Jadeite is a type that is hard toe by even once in a hundred years; its worth is exceedingly high. It¡¯s valued simrly to diamonds¡ªa piece could go for millions as soon as it appears."

    Bai Xiao only half understood; a person who knew nothing was bombarded with such specialized knowledge and couldn¡¯t understand a thing.

    Baldy also noticed and yanked a cord from around his neck, with a pendant dangling from it, "Take a look, just to show you, this is ss-type, and it¡¯s not even top-grade. Dragon variety is even more translucent than this, and the color is purer. Just this pendant here is worth more than a million."

    Now Bai Xiao saw clearly. The pendant and the surface of the stone she had just cut were somewhat different. Her ring¡¯s surface naturally couldn¡¯tpare to this; just by looking, the luster was different, the colorpletely distinct.

    "Thank you!" Bai Xiao sincerely expressed her gratitude.

    Baldy flushed with embarrassment from the appreciation; these were simple truths that anyone could tell you, and he hadn¡¯t said anything else.

    What was this, really.

    "Don¡¯t mention it, don¡¯t mention it, littledy, please take a piece of advice: you really should go back. Don¡¯t act rashly with people. In the Gambling Stone Circle, it¡¯s taboo to provoke others¡ªthat¡¯s a sure route to losing nine out of ten times."

 Chapter 671 Bai Mei Appears

    <h4>Chapter 671: Chapter 671 Bai Mei Appears</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao suddenly turned and dashed towards a rock beside her.

    "How much is this rock?"

    Good heavens, mydy, what are you trying to do?

    Baldy and Shao Ming both rushed up.

    Baldy did have a soft spot for Bai Xiao. He felt she was lucky, and it was her who had brought him the first rock that increased in value by over a hundred thousand. Despite his confident talk, he had actually lost quite a bit of money here, and rarely made a profit! Opportunities like today¡¯s, where two hundred could turn into thousands, were rare! It would be enough to boast for a while.

    Shao Ming just didn¡¯t want Bai Xiao to waste her money on a worthless piece.

    The staff member looked it over, "Are you sure about this one?"

    Baldy examined the raw stone and noticed several dark patches of ringworm on the surface. Pressing on them with his nail, they gave in ¡ª soft ringworm! Soft ringworm only affects the surface and doesn¡¯t prate the stone; removing the ringworm often uncovers high-quality green jade underneath, making millions in profit wouldn¡¯t be strange! He dampened the stone and shone a spotlight on it, his heart skipped a beat ¡ª beneath the soft ringworm was hard ringworm! If cut open, the ringworm would absorb the green, leaving only ck and green wastage! The seller was devious, luring with soft ringworm and the promise of huge profits, making you act feverishly and risk everything!

    "No, this one won¡¯t do!"

    If even a half-expert like him could tell, then so could the others here. The staff member must have overheard their conversation earlier; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have asked such a question. Likely out of concern for her money.

    "How much for this piece?" Bai Xiao persisted, still fixing her gaze on the staff member.

    The man nced at Bai Xiao, pity in his eyes. He was responsible for selling the stones, and many people had looked at this stone before, but they all walked away. Those in the know would surely see the problems.

    It was only good for tricking novices. But why did this pretty young girl insist on gambling on stones?

    You don¡¯t understand anything, you¡¯re just a naive fool about to hand over your money.

    "What¡¯s the matter? Don¡¯t you want to sell it when someone wants to buy?" A charming voice interjected.

    Bai Xiao immediately turned around.

    The show was finally ready to begin.

    Bai Mei stood there alluringly, leaning on a man with a fierce face covered with horizontal scars, standing right behind her. Their eyes met, and Bai Mei smiled innocently, but her eyes wereced with venom, wishing Bai Xiao would drop dead on the spot.

    "Yo, Bai Mei, we meet atst!" Bai Xiao chuckled.

    It hade to her without any effort.

    Finally, Bai Mei showed up, making Bai Xiao¡¯s trip worthwhile.

    "Indeed! We finally meet! I didn¡¯t expect you to have such a strong will to live, managing to escape!" Bai Mei hadn¡¯t ordered Bai Xiao¡¯s release! Those men would never have let Bai Xiao go! The only exnation was that Pizi and his men had botched it, Bai Xiao had fled, and even found her way here. It¡¯s like not taking the road to heaven but barging into hell instead. In Myanmar, you have no choice but death.

    Bai Mei was filled with hatred for Bai Xiao. If it weren¡¯t for Bai Xiao, how could she have ended up like this, when she could have been living a good life, married to a decent man? Instead, now she was living a miserable life not fit for a human or ghost.

    Wasn¡¯t it all because of Bai Xiao? If Bai Xiao had married Fang Xiaoshan back then, how could Bai Mei have gotten involved?

    Bai Xiao was the root of all her problems. She wanted Bai Xiao to be in a state where she couldn¡¯t live or die.

    Since Bai Xiao willingly came here, Bai Mei couldn¡¯t be med. After all, this was Myanmar! There were plenty of locals here who liked pretty women. Imagining Bai Xiao being ravaged by the dark, burly Myanmar men in their dens, Bai Mei smiled.

 Chapter 672: Borrowing Something

    <h4>Chapter 672: Chapter 672: Borrowing Something</h4><h4></h4>

    "Yeah! I¡¯ve always been pretty lucky."

    "Why take a chance on gambling stones?"

    This wasn¡¯t the ce to start a fight, but Bai Xiao had brought this man here precisely to settle ounts with her. Looking at Shao Ming, Bai Mei sneered through her nose. Had such a character be bold enough toe out and strut around? Shouldn¡¯t he have brought that campmander instead?

    So, the flower-guarding hero has changed, huh?

    Once you¡¯re in Myanmar, there¡¯s no turning back.

    "Yeah! Just for fun!"

    "You¡¯ve really got an eye for stones, don¡¯t you? Daring to buy such raw stones?" Bai Mei nearly burst intoughter looking at the stone. Even an outsider like her could tell something was off. Bai Xiao seemed keen on ying the fool.

    "I like it!"

    With one sentence, Bai Xiao had rendered Bai Mei speechless with annoyance.

    Shao Ming tugged at Bai Xiao¡¯s sleeve. "Don¡¯t be like this, we¡¯re not here to provoke! This stone also doesn¡¯t look right to me, let¡¯s not waste money on it." His miserly nature wouldn¡¯t allow him to part with his money easily.

    Even if it was Bai Xiao¡¯s money, it still didn¡¯t matter. Wasting it was shameful.

    Bai Xiao gave him a look, and Shao Ming shut up.

    It was someone else¡¯s money, after all; he really couldn¡¯t control that.

    Bai Mei beamed with delight, "Oh! Looks like your boyfriend is reluctant to spend money on you."

    She had assumed Shao Ming was Bai Xiao¡¯s boyfriend.

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t bother to correct her.

    "How much for this piece?"

    The staff member kept a poker face, realizing it was self-inflicted misfortune, but he couldn¡¯t be med for it.

    "This piece, five thousand per kilogram!"

    Frankly, this raw stone was just a gimmick to fool the wealthy neers at the auction, which happened to attract quite a crowd this time.

    Bai Xiao finally understood¡ªthe stone looked like it weighed several dozens of kilograms; it wasn¡¯t cheap.

    But there were already quite a few people checking out the other stones upfront. There was no fun in trying to outbid them.

    Watching everyone examining stones with what looked like magnifying sses, he turned to Baldy Qiang.

    Baldy Qiang shivered at being stared at.

    What was he up to?

    He wasn¡¯t responsible for this kind of meddling.

    "Let me borrow that... please?"

    He pointed at the magnifying ss and shlight in Baldy Qiang¡¯s hands.

    Bai Mei almost doubled over withughter at that moment.

    Bai Xiao must be joking, she thought. Although Bai Xiao was a schr, that was just about writing and painting; when it came to gambling stones, not everyone had the knack or insight for it. Right now, Bai Xiao was clearly a newbie¡ªblindly white.

    And fittingly so, with her surname.

    "This? Here, it¡¯s yours." Baldy Qiang immediately handed it over. It was just a magnifying ss and shlight, after all. Easy to rece with a new setter.

    Bai Xiao crouched over the stone, examining it closely with the magnifying ss, gently pressing her palm on the stone, slowly caressing it. The stone¡¯s icy surface seemed toe to life under her hand. "This is the stone. Shao Ming, go pay for it."

    She spoke as she continued to caress.

    Bai Mei was taken aback. She was actually buying it.

    She nudged Xiaodao, "Xiaodao, take a look, give it your expert eye." After all, if it was something Bai Xiao wanted, her aim was to sabotage it. She couldn¡¯t let Bai Xiao get her way, especially after Liu Chuanfeng had made fun of Bai Xiao, which she had also witnessed, prompting her derision.

    Offending Liu Chuanfeng was akin to making enemies with many; no one would want to get close to her then.

    Xiaodao scrutinized the stone, shaking his head afterwards.

    He had mixed in this trade for over a decade, having lost tens of millions here; if not that, at least millions. Having been duped often, he did have some basic standards at the very least.

    Bai Mei was relieved.

    "Do you even know how to evaluate goods? Stop ying the part of an elephant with a pig¡¯s nose! With your level, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll need to look until next year¡¯s Water Festival!"

    It might be challenging to spot a good one, but spotting a bad one was a piece of cake.

 Chapter 673 Collapsed

    <h4>Chapter 673: Chapter 673 Copsed</h4><h4></h4>

    Shao Ming had already returned with a grimace on his face! He had just settled the bill for this stone, and everyone looked at him as if he were a fool.

    The staff gave him looks filled with ill intent, so much so that he felt like crying.

    He had never been so scorned in his life; their gazes were like those reserved for a big sucker. The stone weighed sixty kilograms and cost him three hundred thousand yuan, three hundred thousand!

    Just thinking about it made Shao Ming¡¯s heart ache.

    Three hundred thousand yuan, just gone like that. Even though it wasn¡¯t his money, it still hurt.

    The main thing was that it was all for nothing, he just...

    What could he do?

    Clenching his teeth, he returned and said, "It¡¯s done!"

    Bai Xiao withdrew his hand and said expressionlessly, "Then let¡¯s cut the stone!"

    Isn¡¯t this what he was here for?

    Upon hearing about stone cutting, despite being a stone that no one was optimistic about, the passion for watching the process was undeniably strong, and watching a flop was a kind of enjoyment in itself.

    The raw stone was carried to the Stone Gambling Area.

    As soon as the stone cutter saw Bai Xiao, he was amused; the girl hade again.

    The little girl didn¡¯t choose wisely, did she?

    But after looking at the stone, he grimaced; he had perhaps been lucky before, but how had he ended up with this stone this time? They scrutinized their own field¡¯s stones countless times every day; they knew well which ones might yield treasure and which ones wouldn¡¯t. Would the theater owner really leave the good stuff for others to get a bargain?

    This stone had been looked over by no less than hundreds of people, none of whom had taken a fancy to it. The boss had ced it on disy merely to make up the numbers, and now some big sucker had actually bought it.

    "Girl, you¡¯re back again?"

    Nonchntly plugging in the power, he flicked the switch, and the grinding wheel whirred into motion, startling everyone present!

    Bai Xiao nodded her head, "Back again!"

    "Cut or grind?"

    The master would not say one word more than necessary; each profession had its rules.

    "Grind!" Baldy shouted.

    With this kind of frosted stone, grinding might leave some wiggle room, but cutting would be a decisive life-or-death stroke.

    The master didn¡¯t look at him but at Bai Xiao instead.

    She was the master of the house.

    "Then let¡¯s grind it!"

    The master picked up the stone and rubbed it against the grinding wheel several times, wetting it to check, revealing a promising surface! He continued grinding, and the yellow-brown rind began to lighten. He tried grinding it a few more times ¡ª and suddenly revealed a white peel that took everyone¡¯s breath away!

    "It¡¯s a flop!" Everyone eximed in unison! The atmosphere at the site suddenly tensed, apanied by the mournful whining of the idle wheel.

    Knowing it could happen was one thing, but actually seeing it flop was another.

    Bai Mei pursed her lips and smiled, "Doctor Bai, not everyone is cut out for stone gambling; you better stick to your silver needles. This isn¡¯t your ce." She was just waiting for Bai Xiao to leave now; she had people arranged, just waiting for Bai Xiao to step outside. Once she did, she would never be able to leave Myanmar in her life.

    "What in the world could be more delightful than a stone flopping? Hahaha..."

    The arrogantughter made everyone nce over. While it was somewhat satisfying to see someone else¡¯s stone flop, not everyone would unt it so brazenly; after all, it was just a thought inside one¡¯s head. This woman was simply insane.

    Did these two have a feud?

    It was like rubbing salt in the wound and wanting to stomp on it a few more times.

    "Cut it!"

    Bai Xiaomanded coldly.

    Everyone sighed; under these circumstances, cutting would most likely reveal nothing but white ash.

    "Youngdy! If you¡¯ve lost, you¡¯ve lost; who hasn¡¯t lost a few times in stone gambling? Losing isn¡¯t shameful. Your thirty thousand isn¡¯t much; consider it a lesson bought, it¡¯s not a loss!"

    "Right, don¡¯t be too hard on yourself; you¡¯re still young, you have plenty of opportunities," they advised.

    Bai Xiao insisted firmly, "Cut!"

 Chapter 674: Modesty

    <h4>Chapter 674: Chapter 674: Modesty</h4><h4></h4>

    The master looked down; whatever the owner said, he did. With just one cut, he earned thirty bucks. Whether the cut diminished or increased the stone¡¯s value was none of his concern.

    Then came a strange screech from the stone, a spray of water shot up high as if sawing into everyone¡¯s hearts! The onlookers¡¯ eyes bulged until the stone¡¯s skin flew off with a snap!

    In an instant, the whole ce erupted with "Wow"¡ªthe stone revealed a ss-type vibrant green!

    Baldy burst into a series of bizarreughs, tears squeezing out as if he were crying. His chubby fingers pointed at that stone: "Underneath the blemish, high green¡ªunderneath the blemish, high green ah¡ªwhat could be more thrilling than gambling for an increase! My God, the luck, this girl¡¯s luck is too good."

    This time, without Bai Xiao¡¯s instruction, the master powered up the grinding wheel. The milky white slurry spun and whirled, polishing the stone until the motor abruptly stopped. The stone thudded into a water bucket, rinsing out to reveal a sizeable "Green Lychee"!

    ced on the table, it was crystal clear, like a quivering droplet, frighteningly close to rolling away if not careful!

    Needless to say, the stone¡¯s value skyrocketed!

    Everyone was dumbfounded.

    Even Brother Xiaodao squatted there to take a close look, filled with not a little regret.

    This was a top-grade ss-type.

    "Twenty million!"

    Someone blurted out a price.

    Baldy looked at Bai Xiao and nodded; the price wasn¡¯t bad, just right, and the bidder was an old hand too.

    Twenty million in the ount, Shao Ming was so excited he was shaking. Twenty million!

    It wasn¡¯t that he hadn¡¯t seen money before, having followed Jiang Shaoqing and seen more money than he could count. But this was twenty million earned in minutes from three hundred thousand¡ªwho had seen such speed in making money? It was faster than money falling from the sky.

    They all hovered around that jade, their eyes sparkling with stars.

    This was money indeed.

    Sold for twenty million, they were now qualified to go to the third shed. Bai Xiao breathed a sigh of relief.

    As long as nothing went wrong, it¡¯d be fine. She stillcked some control over her special ability, mainly because she couldn¡¯t gauge the quality of the jade. Otherwise, it might have been easier. She also owed her thanks to Baldy¡¯s popr science lesson; otherwise, she could have only produced a Bean-type at most. And how many stones would she have to sell to reach five million then?

    At least now she knew what kind of stones her special ability could create. She didn¡¯t understand raw stones, nor their texture, nor the mines, but she didn¡¯t need to understand.

    Bai Mei¡¯s eyes were red with wrath.

    "She really hit the damn jackpot," Bai Mei wanted to enjoy the show, but clearly, it was over.

    Xiaodao couldn¡¯t help but size up Bai Xiao, initially thinking she was just a pretty but empty vessel. Now he realized that there was something different about her. Could it be that they had misjudged?

    He wasn¡¯t very clear about Bai Mei¡¯s grudge against Bai Xiao, as Bai Mei hadn¡¯t gone into details, but did he need a reason to settle the score if his woman felt wronged?

    Xiaodao had started with an indifferent attitude, but now he suddenly felt this woman was too useful. If he could get her on his side, not to mention her looks¡ªwhat man doesn¡¯t care about looks and figure? And if she had this talent, adding another ¡¯little one¡¯ to his side was nothing. Xiaodao was already plotting.

    He quietly called over a subordinate, whispered a few words, and the man left noiselessly.

    Baldy rubbed his head, smiled as if in bloom, as if the rise in value was his doing, and he became affectionate towards Bai Xiao. "I heard you¡¯re a doctor; do doctors research raw stones too?" His sycophantic demeanor was almost unbearable.

    "I really just had luck. I just felt there was jade inside! Nothing more¡ªraw stones are beyond me."

    Baldy¡¯s meaningful look conveyed that nobody believed that.

    Once might be called luck, but if you say it¡¯s there and it¡¯s there, then it¡¯s like a divine decree¡ªsurely she was confident, and it was just a pretext.

    Those in the business understood this was modesty.

 Chapter 675: The Plan

    <h4>Chapter 675: Chapter 675: The n</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao nced at Bai Mei, who was on the verge of madness.

    Looking at Bai Xiao, her eyes seemed murderous, and indeed, she wanted to kill someone. At this moment, Bai Mei no longer wanted Bai Xiao to survive. If just a moment ago she had hoped that Bai Xiao would be tormented in the den, better dead than alive, now Bai Mei understood that Brother Xiaodao had feelings for Bai Xiao after he had arranged some matters.

    This woman, no matter the circumstances, was always so lucky. Just look how quickly her man fell for this woman¡ªnot just a little bit¡ªwanting to take her away to be a private treasure; even her own status was about to be reced. Was it easy for her to reach this point today?

    That mountain trader who eloped with her was, bluntly put, a swindler. He promised her the stars and the skies, and brought her back, only for her to realize it was all in a poor and remote vige. Bai Mei was not one to suffer, but the issue was the man was worthless. Not to mention being poor, he also liked to smoke opium, spending all the money at home on that stuff, leaving Bai Mei in utter misery.

    The man watched her so closely, she couldn¡¯t even run away.

    As a result, Bai Mei was sold by this man to a hair salon. She didn¡¯t know what these women were called there, but she became one of the women under Brother Xiaodao, dealing in this kind of business. Not do it?

    She wouldn¡¯t even know how she would have died.

    Every woman who worked for Brother Xiaodao wasn¡¯t beaten or scolded, nor was she held captive, but all were forced or tricked into taking something. In any case, once you¡¯re in, you¡¯re in for life with Brother Xiaodao. Once the addiction hits, you¡¯d do anything he asks.

    That¡¯s how she found herself on this pirate ship, unable to disembark.

    Luckily, she was smart, knowing how to use her own capital. Bai Mei was good-looking, though not as beautiful as Bai Xiao. Beauty is different from beauty. Bai Xiao¡¯s was a stunning, pure kind, with an intense coldness that made her untouchable. But Bai Mei was different; hers was the allure of a seductress.

    One was like a bold, enchanting rose, and the other like a subtle jasmine.

    Thus, Bai Mei sessfully clung to Brother Xiaodao and had be the current "Sister Mei." But now, Bai Xiao was threatening to steal her business.

    Brother Xiaodao had already begun to treat her differently without much happening.

    How could Bai Mei not act ruthlessly?

    But she wasn¡¯t in a hurry; rushing wouldn¡¯t help. Her subordinates were all Brother Xiaodao¡¯s men, and no small move could escape Brother Xiaodao¡¯s eyes. Even if she wanted to pull something off, Brother Xiaodao likely wouldn¡¯t allow it.

    However, she was all too familiar with Brother Xiaodao¡¯s methods. Bai Xiao certainly couldn¡¯t escape. When it came time to tamper with those things, she didn¡¯t believe Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t end up ruined. After all, an overdose of that stuff could kill, and if she really died, what could Brother Xiaodao say?

    At most, he would beat her up, but he couldn¡¯t eat her alive. She knew all too well why Brother Xiaodao relied on her: she could manage those women well, save him a lot of trouble, and bring more ie to Brother Xiaodao.

    Brother Xiaodao left, arm in arm with Bai Mei.

    Bai Xiao tugged at Shao Ming, "Hurry! We¡¯re heading to the Third District. Have you alerted your people? I don¡¯t want to have to waste more energy trying to find Bai Mei again." This time, she was determined to settle matters, and if she could kill two birds with one stone, Bai Xiao would be even more pleased.

    After all, she wouldn¡¯t miss Liu Chuanfeng¡¯s invitation. A person needs a face, like a tree needs its bark. Liu Chuanfeng was Kaiwen¡¯s right-hand man, and today, if she didn¡¯t break at least one of Kaiwen¡¯s arms, she¡¯d be sorry foring from so far away.

 Chapter 676: Joining Shares

    <h4>Chapter 676: Chapter 676: Joining Shares</h4><h4></h4>

    "You¡¯re really going? Don¡¯t do it, you already have twenty million in hand, why bother making yourself ufortable? Besides, isn¡¯t the person you¡¯re looking for right in front of you! If we leave now, believe it or not, that bastard will definitely send people to deal with us. This is not an opportunity." Shao Ming disapproved of Bai Xiao going to the Third District.

    "Shao Ming, what do you know? I guarantee that after we enter, I¡¯ll give you a twenty percent share of all the jade betting ie. How about that?" Shao Ming had his eyes wide open at the sight of money and couldn¡¯t resist hefty profits. This man might even be a hindrance to her, but the problem was that she still needed Shao Ming now.

    Shao Ming¡¯s eyeballs twirled excitedly¡ªtwenty percent! My god, if she could get a few tens of millions once inside, wouldn¡¯t that twenty percent be several million? That was just too good of a deal.

    His expression brightened, and he said seriously, "Doctor Bai! Rest assured, I will definitely stick with you to the end today. Wherever you say we go, we¡¯ll go. Whatever you say to do, we¡¯ll do. Wading through fire and water is nothing I¡¯d shy from."

    Bai Xiao almost burst intoughter.

    Shao Ming was really a good person, one of the few who could take his greed for money to the extreme.

    "Who asked you to wade through fire and water? It¡¯s just taking a walk inside, let¡¯s go."

    Shao Ming stretched out his arm with an arrogant charm. After all, she was the God of Wealth, pah, the Goddess of Wealth.

    Goddess!

    "Doctor Bai, I want to join in too, I want a stake," Baldy insisted, staying close behind, refusing to leave.

    As a matter of fact, Baldy didn¡¯t look too bad. If one looked closely, he appeared quite dignified¡ªaside from his beer belly, he had no real faults. He had also been quite enthusiastic, offering help several times even though they wereplete strangers. Such enthusiastic people were indeed rare, so Bai Xiao treated it as repaying a favor.

    "Having borrowed your things, I ought to repay the favor. Once inside, I¡¯ll give you a twenty percent share." Bai Xiao was definitely someone who repaid kindness.

    Baldy¡¯s face turned red with excitement.

    "Doctor Bai! Then, buy a few more pieces. I¡¯ll put in the money, I¡¯ll pay¡ªisn¡¯t that okay?"

    "Baldy, you¡¯re really not afraid of losing money, huh? Is everyone in this line of work so easily trusting of others? How on earth have you survived up till now? I¡¯m seriously doubtful." Although Bai Xiao didn¡¯t understand the jade betting industry, she knew well enough that the industry¡¯splexity absolutely didn¡¯t allow for easily trusting others. Trusting someone else might mean never knowing how you¡¯d end up dead.

    Yet Baldy trusted her right from the start, even offering his capital.

    This inevitably made Bai Xiao suspicious.

    Baldy shook his head, "I trust you, I trust you. I¡¯ve been following right behind you all the way, Doctor Bai. With your impressive skills, if I don¡¯t trust you, it¡¯s like I¡¯m turning my back on money."

    The three of them talked and headed straight for the Third District, with Xiaodao and Bai Mei following closely behind.

    When they reached the entrance to the Third District.

    Here, every person entering must first verify that there are at least five million in their ount, otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t even dream of getting in.

    Today, Xiaodao hadn¡¯t brought that much money. Although he gambled on stones, it was just dabbling. He¡¯d had his fair share of tumbles in the world of jade betting over the years and had developed a habit of never carrying too much money for betting in one go; otherwise, with the gambling nature of desperadoes like them, they would have ruined their families who knows how many times by now.

    This was the only method he employed to restrain himself.

    Watching Bai Xiao and the others go in, he felt a tinge of regret. The merchandise inside the Third District could easily be worth millions or even tens of millions, and he had never experienced anything like that. He was genuinely curious about what kind of luck Doctor Bai would have there.

    He quietly slipped some money to the staff member and whispered a few words. The person nodded in agreement.

 Chapter 677: There Really Are a Lot of Acquaintances

    <h4>Chapter 677: Chapter 677: There Really Are a Lot of Acquaintances</h4><h4></h4>

    As soon as they entered the Third District, Shao Ming became somewhat nervous, not because he was afraid, but because only after entering the Third District did he realize that it was a gathering spot for gambling stone experts from all over the country and the world. The ce was filled with significant figures from every corner, all those who were anyone in this circle could now be seen here at a nce.

    And each of them had an extraordinary worth.

    In short, if a stone were to fall from the sky, it could easily hit several of the wealthiest tycoons.

    Given the renown of such a grand event, any small incident would spread like wildfire, so how could these people not respond to the slightest rustle?

    After all, it was certain that major revtions would ur at this kind of auction.

    Risks and riches went hand in hand.

    Bai Xiao caught sight of Shang Kaiwen and Liu Chuanfeng immediately, clearly, Shang Kaiwen also saw her standing at the entrance since they were thest ones toe in! It somehow made them stand out, not just to Shang Kaiwen but to everyone! All eyes drifted towards them, sizing them up.

    The look in Shang Kaiwen¡¯s eyes harbored ill intentions, Bai Xiao had yet to figure out the meaning behind Shang Kaiwen¡¯s gaze when she spotted another acquaintance. In the distance, An Zhiyuan and that same provocatively sexy woman from the other day were standing arm in arm in front of a stone, his gaze fixed on her, utterly unshaken.

    Bai Xiao shamelessly scrutinized the woman, indeed the same one from that day. Although she hadn¡¯t paid much attention to the woman then, her memory was clear: long wavy hair, a seductive figure, sexy looks, plus her outfit now, she truly resembled a perfect mistress.

    Today, An Zhiyuan wore a suit, which he normally did, and he looked really good in it¡ªhandsome and distinguished, tall with broad shoulders and narrow hips, entuating his sculpted, handsome features.

    The two stood in a close pose, and now she finally understood the meaning behind Shang Kaiwen¡¯s gaze. Probably only Shang Kaiwen here knew them, she was certain! An Zhiyuan must be on a mission! Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have neglected to give her even a nce after entering, even if his looks were so cold when he did.

    "See someone you know?" Baldy asked, noticing that Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t moving.

    "What do you think, when someone invites you warmly, aren¡¯t they an acquaintance?" Bai Xiao replied with a light smile, watching Liu Chuanfeng.

    Shang Kaiwen walked slowly towards them, arm in arm with Liu Chuanfeng, "Bai Xiao! Didn¡¯t expect you to really show up!"

    It wasn¡¯t surprise, it was schadenfreude.

    "I really didn¡¯t know, when did you and An..."

    "Aren¡¯t you here to gamble on stones? Or did youe to talk big?" Bai Xiao challenged, looking at Liu Chuanfeng.

    As expected, Liu Chuanfeng became enraged¡ªno one had ever spoken to him like this before, Bai Xiao was set on bankrupting herself.

    "Fine then, I just fear you won¡¯t know how you end up dead!"

    His tone was disdainful, as if he were looking at an ant.

    "Who dies is still uncertain, as everyone knows, my luck isn¡¯t too bad today."

    Liu Chuanfeng gritted his teeth in anger, he hadn¡¯t expected this woman to actually make her way in here. In such a short time, twenty million had been credited, as people had been constantly updating him.

    Such a worthless stone had revealed an extraordinary ss-type; the gods truly were blind.

    "Fine, I really want to see how long your luck willst. Gambling on stones isn¡¯t something you can win just by luck, many have gambled away even their pants."

    "Did youe here to spout nonsense? I rely on luck if I want to, I enjoy it, what¡¯s it to you?"

    Everyone was dumbfounded; they didn¡¯t know it could be done this way.

 Chapter 678: The Wager

    <h4>Chapter 678: Chapter 678: The Wager</h4><h4></h4>

    "Fine! If you want to y with fire, then I¡¯m game. We¡¯ll each pick a stone, and whoever buys the stone that reveals something of higher value wins. But if there¡¯s no wager, why would I gamble with you?" Liu Chuanfeng truly looked down on Bai Xiao.

    Shang Kaiwen advised with some reluctance, "Bai Xiao! Stop being impulsive. Manager Liu is a renowned figure in this industry. You don¡¯t need to be at odds with him. We can talk about our issuester. Why be stubborn with me?"

    She was afraid Bai Xiao might run off halfway.

    After thinking for a moment, Bai Xiao replied, "Since Mr. Liu has said so! Without a bet, it wouldn¡¯t be proper. As you know, I just won twenty million outside. If you win, I¡¯ll give you another twenty million. But if you lose, I want you to swear off the raw stone trade for life. What do you say?"

    Liu Chuanfeng sneered, "Are you joking? You think you can buy a lifetime with a mere twenty million? Who do you think you are!" He couldn¡¯t believe the audacity of this woman to say something so preposterous.

    "Indeed, it was a bit unfair of me to say that. Then, what do you think would be worthy of your status?" Bai Xiao was determined to make Liu Chuanfeng lose face today. She wouldn¡¯t be Bai Xiao if she didn¡¯t bring him down a peg.

    Shang Kaiwen¡¯s eyes flickered, sensing a rare opportunity. She gently tugged at Liu Chuanfeng¡¯s sleeve. Liu Chuanfeng had followed her for years and knew all about her grudges with Bai Xiao, and he instantly understood what Shang Kaiwen was aiming for.

    "It¡¯s simple. If you win, I will agree to swear off the raw stone industry for life and leave it behind. But if I win, you must respectfully call Miss Shang ¡¯sister¡¯, acknowledging your heritage and returning to your family roots. Do you dare?" Liu Chuanfeng genuinely cared for Shang Kaiwen.

    Shang Kaiwen shook her head sadly, "Don¡¯t push my sister. It¡¯s understandable if she doesn¡¯t want to recognize us. Given time, she will eventually see our true hearts." She had the air of a considerate younger sister, concerned for Bai Xiao¡¯s well-being.

    Everyone had already begun to imagine this saga. Is this a tale of sisters recognizing each other or one of mutual destruction?

    It seems to be a family affair.

    Especially since Liu Chuanfeng is a distinguished expert in the industry¡ªeveryone knows him. With his keen eye for stones, he¡¯s practically a living God of Wealth. If it weren¡¯t for his steadfastness, who knows how many people would try to steal him away?

    After all, his unwavering loyalty to the Shang Family was like a living billboard.

    This young girl challenging him to a bet is bound to lose nine times out of ten.

    Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t stand the sight of Shang Kaiwen acting as if she had everyone¡¯s best interests at heart. That act is how Kaiwen had deceived her in the past, and whenever she put on such a facade, it moved everyone around her. In the eyes of others, she was the epitome ofpassion, always considering others¡ªa veritable saint.

    This is what they call a ¡¯white lotus¡¯, but who sees what happens behind the scenes? How dark can this white lotus truly get?

    "Good, since Mr. Liu is so generous, I won¡¯t hold back either. I ept!"

    Shao Ming spoke up, "Of course, besides these terms, let¡¯s bet another twenty million. Mr. Liu wouldn¡¯t be scared, right? Twenty million is nothing to you."

    It seemed this woman was actually Bai Xiao¡¯s sister. Although he didn¡¯t know the specifics of their feud, he knew even if they lost, it wouldn¡¯t really hold. Even if it did, they wouldn¡¯t push Bai Xiao to her demise.

    Little did he know the true rtionship between Shang Kaiwen and Bai Xiao.

 Chapter 679: Canâ€™t Afford It

    <h4>Chapter 679: Chapter 679: Can¡¯t Afford It</h4><h4></h4>

    "Forty million, I can raise the bet!" Baldy immediately spoke up.

    Bai Xiao turned around; were these two trying to take advantage of the situation?

    With a stroke of his bald head and a covetous smile, Baldy said, "I have confidence in you."

    Shao Ming immediately said, "Mr. Liu is a famed name in the gambling world. Surely we can¡¯t bet on even terms with you; wouldn¡¯t that tarnish your reputation? We can¡¯t afford to do business at a loss."

    Liu Chuanfeng snorted, "Even without your provocation, I was certain it wouldn¡¯t be one-to-one odds. If I lose, I¡¯ll pay out at five-to-one to you, but if I win, I¡¯ll take your forty million." Liu Chuanfeng was a leader in his own right, possessing that bit of boldness.

    Over the years, he had climbed his way to the top of this industry, certainly owing it to his special talent in geological exploration, and his keen intuition. Combining these assets, despite his rtively short few years in the stone gambling circle, the amount of money he had made was substantial¡ªa case of minimal investment, massive returns, and overnight wealth. The phrase ¡¯struck it rich¡¯ aptly described him.

    Everyone erupted in discussion at this, their eyes glued to the scene.

    This time, they were in for a grand spectacle, all eager with anticipation. Which of these stone gamblers didn¡¯t have some level of expertise, and which of them hadn¡¯t participated in such bets?

    Whenever these tycoons had grudges or vendettas, they settled them here by betting on a stone.

    "Alright, you have half an hour. Everyone examine the stones and then we¡¯ll see the oue at the stone gambling area," dered Liu Chuanfeng, already confident. He had been checking out the stones since his arrival, and though he hadn¡¯t covered all grounds, he was nearly sure of his choices.

    Choosing a high-value stone for himself was not an issue; it was just a matter of whether he could afford it.

    Bai Xiao nodded, "Alright then."

    Tugging Shang Kaiwen along, Liu Chuanfeng headed towards the stone he had already set his eyes on.

    This was a piece of ck Wusha from the Houjiang Field Mouth, shaped like a monkey hunched over, weighing about forty kilograms, with a pale white python belt featuring a dark green patch. Anyone withmon sense knew that the Houjiang Field typically produced small items;rge pieces of ck Wusha like this were rare, and the texture was definitely not ordinary¡ªif the python belt included pine flower patterns, it could hide a ss-type brilliant green jade inside!

    Such stones were treasures¡ªrare finds in the stone gambling world¡ªand Liu Chuanfeng, along with quite a few others, were coveting this one intensely.

    He was known for his steadiness, but this stone exuded such an aura of spirit, it was like a powerful lure that made his heart race. For a gambler, a stone that could yield a once-in-a-lifetime jewel was worth dying for.

    Bai Xiao¡¯snguid voice floated from behind him, "So this is the stone you¡¯ve chosen? Doesn¡¯t look like much to me!" Her hand was already leisurely ced on it, gently caressing the surface. Putting on an act, she stretched out her hand, and immediately Shao Ming handed her a magnifying ss and shlight.

    Liu Chuanfeng smirked, dismissing her as nothing but a clown. To the discerning eye, her actions were clearly for show. He didn¡¯t believe she could spot anything noteworthy to be so brazen about it.

    "This stone, you can¡¯t afford it. It¡¯s a premium piece, don¡¯t waste your effort!" He would think twice about such an item, let alone others.

    Why else hadn¡¯t the heavy-hitters present made their move?

    Simply because the stone was too expensive.

    Ordinary people couldn¡¯t handle it.

    "Isn¡¯t it priced by the kilogram? How can you say I can¡¯t afford it?" Bai Xiao retorted.

    Her words drewughter from everyone.

    "You truly can¡¯t afford it; this piece is at least forty million, and that¡¯s not counting any premium added by those interested, to the highest bidder."

 Chapter 680: Mocking

    <h4>Chapter 680: Chapter 680: Mocking</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao quietly withdrew his hand, "I really can¡¯t afford this stone. I¡¯m going to look over there. But don¡¯t me me for not warning you; this thing isn¡¯t worth so much. If it gets cut poorly, it¡¯s a big loss."

    Liu Chuanfeng didn¡¯tugh out loud, but the surrounding big shots did.

    "Girl, you¡¯re going too far. My eyes are still eyes, and so are the eyes of all these people here. Are you suggesting that we¡¯re all going blind?" The people from Modu were not convinced. This hobby had been a lifetime passion for him; he could live without his life but not without stones.

    He had looked over this stone time and again, and the girl¡¯s words were infuriating.

    The people from Capital City also spoke up, "You¡¯re not afraid of your tongue snapping from talking big!"

    "It¡¯s infuriating!"

    "Stone gambling also depends on character. If someone¡¯s character is bad, the stones won¡¯t ¡¯open their eyes.¡¯

    "I want to see what kind of stone this girl will pick!"

    Bai Xiao, at a loss for words, wondered if he had incited public outrage?

    Shang Kaiwen hurried to smooth things over, "Everyone misunderstood, my sister... No, Bai Xiao just speaks without a filter. Please forgive her, considering her young age!" She was constantly trying to link Bai Xiao to their family.

    Especially in front of An Zhiyuan! Although she noticed that An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t pay attention to Bai Xiao, instead, he was apanied by another woman! But such pretentious acts were clear to all. An Zhiyuan was also a prominent young man from Capital City; liking two women wasn¡¯t considered a big deal in their eyes.

    Did you notice that Bai Xiao didn¡¯t make a sound herself, ying deaf and dumb? She didn¡¯t want to burn bridges with An Zhiyuan, it seems Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t as principled as I imagined.

    Bai Xiao stood in front of Shang Kaiwen, looking her up and down, and all around, making Shang Kaiwen very ufortable.

    As he roamed around, he also touched his chin and nodded repeatedly, exaggerating his gestures and carrying a sleazy demeanor, which even made Liu Chuanfeng unable to hold back.

    Liu Chuanfeng moved to protect Shang Kaiwen, cing her behind him.

    "What do you want to do?"

    "What do I want to do? I just wanted to see to what extent some people¡¯s shamelessness could reach. Is it thicker than a city wall, or is it that President Shang became the president by being shamelessly pushy? That¡¯s impressive. Who are you to call me sister? Stop falsely recognizing rtives, or I might have to sue you. Spreading false defamation is legally punishable."

    Shang Kaiwen¡¯s face turned red instantly.

    Being publicly humiliated like this, probably only Bai Xiao could do such a thing. This woman really was seriously outrageous, not even caring about her own face.

    Baldy raised his thumb, "Doctor Bai! You¡¯re awesome, my idol. Such pretentious women, only you dare to speak out publicly. Otherwise, so many people would just pretend not to see because of her background and status, while secretly wanting to vomit countless times!"

    Bai Xiao suddenly felt that this Baldy really wasn¡¯t too bad, at least he was living authentically.

    "Baldy, you really don¡¯t mince words, huh? I didn¡¯t say that; nobody take it personally, please. If you guys want this stone, feel free, feel free!"

    Bai Xiao started looking around the exhibition hall; each stone had a price tag. Because they had already been through several rounds of elimination, most of the remaining stones had potential, but what kind of quality they were was another matter. This was the moment to reallypete in skill and discernment.

 Chapter 681: Kill You in Seconds

    <h4>Chapter 681: Chapter 681: Kill You in Seconds</h4><h4></h4>

    Liu Chuanfeng followed behind Bai Xiao, "Why are you following me? Are you afraid that I¡¯ll find a better stone than yours?" Bai Xiao suddenly turned around, and Liu Chuanfeng almost crashed into her back, mming on the brakes. This woman really could do anything.

    "This ce is free for all! You can look! I can look too. What makes you think that I¡¯m following you?" Liu Chuanfeng defended himself.

    Bai Xiao shook her head; this man really was stubborn.

    "Please, go ahead, look around all you want. It¡¯s not like we own them."

    Bai Xiao stepped aside.

    Shao Ming burst outughing, "Haha, this is really interesting! Now men don¡¯t look like men, and women don¡¯t look like women. It¡¯s really too funny!"

    Liu Chuanfeng red at him to no avail, as Shao Ming was not afraid of him at all.

    Bai Xiao looked at the stones in the hall; nearly every piece had someone sizing it up.

    This proved that the contents within each stone were of interest to someone.

    Oh, one stone attracted a lot of viewers! But they all shook their heads and turned away after looking.

    Bai Xiao moved closer.

    Baldy and Shao Ming followed along; they were now acting like two little sidekicks.

    This particr stone didn¡¯t look special, valued at just over a million yuan, a forty-kilogram "Lean Green" jade raw material.

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t understand Lean Green and couldn¡¯t discern anything, but many who had looked at it murmured to themselves. Bai Xiao asked Baldy.

    "What is this Lean Green? Why do people sigh and walk away after looking at it?"

    Baldy exined, "This so-called Lean Green refers to a specific green appearance on the surface of the jade raw stone, which is why it¡¯s named after it. This green may look tempting, but it poses a great risk. There¡¯s a saying in the Gambling Stone Circle, ¡¯better to buy a line than arge patch.¡¯ It means this green is highly deceptive and alluring. It¡¯s easily misleading, making one think there¡¯s more color or better quality than there actually is.

    The thickness of this green is crucial. If it¡¯s too thin, it¡¯s worthless, and the Lean Green on this stone is actually famous as ¡¯Fairy¡¯s Thallium¡¯, encapsting even greater risks.

    Natural gamblers wouldn¡¯t buy such a stone that is so tempting yetpletely uncertain."

    Baldy was really giving a heartfelt introduction.

    Liu Chuanfeng looked andughed as well, "Doctor Bai, you aren¡¯t nning to buy this stone, are you? I must tell you, it¡¯s really not worth it. Even if the inside is entirely green, based on the weight and size of this stone, even if the value increases after cutting, it¡¯s only worth fifty million at most. That¡¯s the upper limit. And the stone I was looking at a while ago could beat yours in a minute."

    Bai Xiao smiled, "Are you sure?"

    "Of course I¡¯m sure." Liu Chuanfeng firmly believed in his judgment, although the industry was unpredictable, but eight out of ten times, his assessments were not wrong.

    "Mr. Liu, time is almost running out. Before the stone is cut, it¡¯s difficult for anyone to say exactly what is inside. What if mine reveals a Dragon variety when cut! Could your stone still guarantee to beat mine in a minute?"

    Liu Chuanfeng almost choked on hisugh.

    "Haha, Doctor Bai, it seems you really are here to amuse. Our people have already paid, the stone is ours. Ten more minutes for you to choose slowly, Doctor Bai," he said,ughing triumphantly as he left.

    Baldy and Shao Ming looked at her earnestly.

    Bai Xiao patted the stone, "Pay for it. This is the one."

 Chapter 682: Donâ€™t Force It

    <h4>Chapter 682: Chapter 682: Don¡¯t Force It</h4><h4></h4>

    "Doctor Bai! You should really think this over carefully. There are so many stones here, why insist on buying this one? The likelihood of the ¡¯Dragon variety¡¯ appearing is nearly one in ten thousand. You¡¯re gambling everything against a one in ten thousand chance, isn¡¯t this just asking to lose everything, down to your pants?" Baldy was much more knowledgeable than Shao Ming and, of course, understood what Liu Chuanfeng wasughing at just now.

    If he weren¡¯t on the same side as Doctor Bai, he would have burst outughing upon hearing this.

    The possibility of this stone producing the Dragon variety is absolutely impossible.

    Let¡¯s not even mention the opening of this stone, which has already determined the possible type of jade it might yield. Looking at the quality of the stone, it absolutely does not possess the characteristics of a raw stone of the Dragon variety.

    Shao Ming gazed at Bai Xiao somewhat foolishly, "Doctor Bai, please consider it. If you lose, it¡¯s a loss of forty million, and that includes two million of Baldy¡¯s money."

    "You mean you have no confidence in my luck?" Bai Xiao nced sideways at Baldy.

    Baldy forced a smile, "How could that be?"

    In his heart, he thought, The youngdy here is still counting on luck on this matter.

    Luck might strike once or twice, but it can¡¯t always be on your side.

    "Let me touch it again, see if I feel any connection," Bai Xiao said, cing her hand on the stone and carefully caressing it.

    People around gave them space, thinking this person must be silly to what extent?

    Gambling on stones and relying on luck?

    If there really was such a thing as luck, then who would bother gambling on stones?

    How naive.

    After a while, Bai Xiao dusted off her hands, "I¡¯ve made my decision!"

    "You¡¯re not buying it?"

    Shao Ming touched his sweat, this was forty million after all.

    Buying this stone might be just over a million, but losing means losing forty million.

    That¡¯s a huge difference.

    "This is the one!"

    Baldy broke into a cold sweat, "You¡¯re really going through with it?"

    "Baldy, think it over carefully, it¡¯s not toote to back out now." Bai Xiao would never force someone to do something against their will. Baldy and she had merely met by chance. She had taken a liking to Baldy because he was a decent person, someone who had repeatedly enlightened her with knowledge of raw stones. Being a person who differentiated clearly between gratitude and grudges, she had decided to do this. But she would never pressure someone into action.

    The gains or losses depend on the individual. If Baldy believed in her, then naturally there was arge profit margin, but if he didn¡¯t trust her, she wouldn¡¯t me him¡ªit would be Baldy¡¯s own bad luck, and nobody else¡¯s fault.

    Torn between trust and trepidation, Baldy said, "Alright, today I¡¯ll take the risk with you to see if Lady Luck is really on our side."

    Bai Xiao smiled, "Shao Ming, go pay."

    Baldy followed Shao Ming to make the payment, feeling somewhat exhausted. If the twenty million turned into nothing, it¡¯d be a huge letdown to himself.

    No matter the bravado he¡¯d just disyed, inside, he quivered with fear.

    An Zhiyuan strolled up behind Bai Xiao with Wu Yn, examining the stone through a magnifying ss without sparing Bai Xiao a nce, his voice only audible to the three of them.

    "Xiaoxiao, stop messing around and leave now, it¡¯s dangerous here," he whispered.

    He had never expected to encounter so many familiar faces here.

    The moment he saw Shang Kaiwen, he knew trouble was brewing, for Shang Kaiwen knew his real upation. If she shouted out the name An Camp Leader, and Sang Ji¡¯s spies overheard, then all the ns they hadid out for so long would be utterly ruined.

    He had only just managed to get close to Sang Ji, who was very interested in Wu Yn, making this their closest approach to Sang Ji yet.

    And yet there were still four bodyguards standing by Sang Ji¡¯s side.

    If they missed out on this chance and Sang Ji became alert, trying to get close to him again would likelye at a very high cost.

 Chapter 683: Dilemma

    <h4>Chapter 683: Chapter 683: Dilemma</h4><h4></h4>

    "Why are you here?" Bai Xiao wondered, but still pretended not to recognize An Zhiyuan. She did not know who might be watching them nor why An Zhiyuan hade here, anyway, their rtionship was cursed in this lifetime.

    Whenever something came up, Bai Xiao would always run into An Zhiyuan. She couldn¡¯t figure out how fate had arranged this.

    "Don¡¯t say so much, this ce is very dangerous, you must leave immediately," Wu Yn, standing beside An Zhiyuan, tightened her grip on his arm and involuntarily leaned on An Zhiyuan¡¯s sturdy arm, watching Bai Xiao with a smirk.

    An Zhiyuan red at Wu Yn, who felt somewhat guilty and stepped back a little, pretending to fan herself with the fan in her hand, and let go of An Zhiyuan.

    "I cannot leave now; you¡¯ve seen that. You do your job, and I¡¯ll do mine. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t hold you back," Bai Xiao said coldly, turning her head to the side, her expression indifferent.

    Even though she was on a mission, seeing this kind of scene, she wasn¡¯t a fool. It was obvious that this woman was interested in An Zhiyuan. These things often lead to feelings between a man and a woman working together, just like the cheating men and women who develop feelings over time and end up using ¡¯true love¡¯ as a cover.

    She despised doubting An Zhiyuan, but her heart was still ufortable.

    "Bai..."

    "Doctor Bai, alright! The money has been paid; let¡¯s go to the Stone Gambling Area," Shao Ming and Baldy approached with uneasy expressions. They had beenughed at along the way, and both were feeling very on edge.

    Bai Xiao walked away with her head held high, followed closely by the two men as if they were bodyguards.

    An Zhiyuan straightened up, his facial muscles stiffening, his heart feeling bitter. That girl must be really angry.

    Wu Yn moved closer, "Sang Ji also went to see Stone Gambling, we must go too," she whispered to An Zhiyuan, who kept watching the girl out of the corner of his eye, feeling indignant inside. Did she think she was invisible?

    Why did he act as if he didn¡¯t see her, even though she was right beside him? Luckily, she had Sang Ji as an excuse.

    An Zhiyuan looked up and sure enough, there was Sang Ji, swaggering through the crowd with his bodyguards. No one would have thought Sang Ji could be so bold as to bring so many bodyguards to the public market conference. It seemed that Sang Ji had a good rtionship with the owner of the pit, otherwise, these owners were not to be trifled with, as each had the support of government soldiers behind them.

    It looked like it was going to be difficult to take down Sang Ji today. Once outside the auction¡¯s doors, they could not possibly arrest Sang Ji here as this was international territory. Any problem could lead to a diplomatic dispute, but if they missed this chance, Sang Ji could vanish off the face of the earth again.

    What a damn dilemma.

    An Zhiyuan wanted to ingratiate himself with Sang Ji, but unfortunately, Sang Ji¡¯s interest in Wu Yn had transferred elsewhere because of Bai Xiao and Liu Chuanfeng¡¯s stone gambling. He couldn¡¯t even remember who Wu Yn was.

    The difficulty had increased this time. What should he do?

    He could kill Sang Ji, that was certainly possible, but to get away scot-free was not. And Bai Xiao was still here; any resulting heavy casualties would be uneptable, but to let Sang Ji continue his wrongdoing?

    Therades who had died would not forgive him for doing so. Thinking of those struggling desperately in the drug rehabilitation centers, Sang Ji¡¯s sins were heavy.

    He couldn¡¯t give up his great responsibility because of personal feelings.

    But...

    They finally reached the Stone Gambling Area.

 Chapter 684 Pig Bristle Moss

    <h4>Chapter 684: Chapter 684 Pig Bristle Moss</h4><h4></h4>

    This time, the spectacle was unprecedented. The master in the Stone Gambling Area of Third District was the most formidable one, a true expert. To think that people gamble on stones, who could surpass this master who dealt with stones every day? He knew stones better than he knew people. Every master here had been through numerous battles. They probably had more experience than everyone else herebined.

    The real expert was actually the stone carver master.

    The stone Liu Chuanfeng had purchased had already been brought over.

    Liu Chuanfeng was discussing with the stone carver master how to cut it. Such a big piece, if they chose to just brush it, until what year would that take?

    Definitely cut.

    But cutting also required expertise. If not done well, millions could lose half their value. If done well, even millions could see their value increase significantly.

    After drawing the lines on the stone, the stone carver master pressed the switch, and the electric saw roared. Immediately, mist mixed with the wind spun around. The stone carver master, full of confidence, had four people push the stone towards the saw. Everyone¡¯s heart was lifted, pulling at their throats, as if they were the ones gambling on the stone.

    Liu Chuanfeng smiled. With this cut, the results would be clear immediately. He and the master had agreed that this way of cutting would preserve the most material inside the stone.

    He was confident because his understanding of the stone was even deeper than of himself. These stones were like his life. Although he hadn¡¯t studied stone gambling for a long time, there were people in this field who had been gambling on stones for decades and still could not decisively determine life or death. But he was different. His most desperate moments were because his father was a gambler who had lost everything due to stone gambling, his family broken apart. Growing up in such an environment, he had many more years of training and experience than others.

    How could others know that his father was a gambler who went bankrupt and then made aeback? At his peak, he owned tens of millions, mansions, and lovers, envied by many. But in times of downfall, he was the guy who could even pawn his wife.

    If with all this, destiny didn¡¯t grant him the insight, then it would be a real injustice to his suffering.

    In the screeching sound of the saw, Bai Xiao slowly rxed herself, watching with a smile as the moment arrived. She didn¡¯t know where her "special ability" could lead; this wasn¡¯t a 3D blueprint, she didn¡¯t have x-ray vision to see the internal structure of the stone. All her imaginations needed to gauge the energy release of her special ability. She wasn¡¯t sure what the stone inside could transform into.

    Not too overpowering, yet not too mild.

    She was giving Liu Chuanfeng a chance to rebound.

    It was incredibly hard to grasp this bnce.

    She waited for the moment of life or death to arrive.

    Time seemed to freeze. The only thing left in the room was stone dust flying around, and then with a ng, the stone was cut open.

    Everyone gasped.

    "Pig Bristle Moss!"

    Liu Chuanfeng, who was feeling proud talking to Kaiwen standing next to him, hurriedly turned around upon hearing this.

    It was indeed Pig Bristle Moss.

    His face drastically changed. He rushed over and washed the stone surface with water, it was still Pig Bristle Moss. His heart wentpletely cold.

    Everyone exchanged nces, acknowledging the failure.

    Bai Xiao leisurely moved towards Liu Chuanfeng, "Mr. Liu, I did mention this stone wasn¡¯t worth the price. Look, I was right." She wouldn¡¯t admit to kicking someone when they were down.

    She wanted to see, after all her efforts and trying to manage the bnce, what the oue would be. Watching was eye-opening.

    Liu Chuanfeng glowered back at Bai Xiao, "Don¡¯t be so proud. Your stone isn¡¯t even as good as this one."

    He had already seen that stone with its skin green. It definitely couldn¡¯t yield arge green jade. Even if it was green, it would just be amon Bean-type green. It couldn¡¯t make a huge difference.

    If that was the case, their two stones were essentially on par with each other.

 Chapter 685: When Luck Comes, It Canâ€™t Be Stopped

    <h4>Chapter 685: Chapter 685: When Luck Comes, It Can¡¯t Be Stopped</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao smiled slightly, "Master, let¡¯s do the stone gambling!"

    Not admitting defeat, that¡¯s good.

    Kaiwen was shocked and did not understand how Liu Chuanfeng could lose.

    "Big Brother Liu, what happened?"

    If Bai Xiao won, that would mean a loss of two billion. Money was a minor matter, but if Liu Chuanfeng lost, he had to retire from the jade stone industry for life; thus, they would be losing a key figure, not just money.

    Recently, thanks to Liu Chuanfeng¡¯s help, their family¡¯s jewelry store had been doing quite well, selling many jade jewelry pieces well in Harbor City, attracting many eager buyers. In just a few months, she had already tasted the sweetness of the jewelry and jade industry and was thinking of expanding the business, but now they faced a major setback.

    Without Liu Chuanfeng, who would pick the stones for her?

    Liu Chuanfeng thought Kaiwen was worried about him, "Don¡¯t worry, her piece of stone I am almost certain is wed too, and it will end up as a draw! I didn¡¯t expect this stone to actually contain Pig Bristle Moss; I missed it," he consoled Kaiwen.

    Indeed, even immortals can¡¯t reliably predict the oue of jade.

    Only then did Kaiwen feel relieved.

    "Big Brother Liu, that¡¯s good, don¡¯t worry! I will cover this payment, it has nothing to do with you, you represent our Shang Family." Kaiwen was very good at winning people¡¯s hearts.

    Liu Chuanfeng was moved to tears; in his eyes, Kaiwen was the most angelic.

    "How should we cut it?" the master asked Bai Xiao. Stone gambling was not only about luck but also skill, his judgment on how to cut this stone was really uncertain.

    Just now, they had cut out Pig Bristle Moss, which had been surprising, and now if this skin-green stone revealed a full green, it would truly be jaw-dropping.

    Liu Chuanfeng teased sarcastically from aside, "Doctor Bai, do you know how to cut a stone? Why don¡¯t you do it!" The appearance of Pig Bristle Moss had rendered the stone useless, which upset Liu Chuanfeng as he had spent fifty million on it; the disappointing oue certainly pained him. But if Bai Xiao didn¡¯t lose, he would never turn his fortunes around, and he also wanted to see what was special about Bai Xiao¡¯s stone.

    Bai Xiao chose not to argue back.

    She really didn¡¯t know how to cut stones, but there was someone who did.

    "Baldy, how should we cut it?"

    Baldy was embarrassed, with so many eyes on him, he had truly made a name for himself today; after today, nobody would not recognize him as someone who gambled on a skin-green stone and lost everything. But now was not the time for regrets.

    "Cut it right down the middle!"

    It was either going to be fully green or just ayer, they had to cut it open to find out.

    Wiping it a hundred times was useless.

    Bai Xiao shook her head, "No! Master, not from the middle, cut it from this side, right here," directing her master to draw a line, she felt her special ability had lingered at the center of the stone, it shouldn¡¯t be cut from the middle, but rather skimmed from the side.

    Liu Chuanfeng sneered.

    "Pretending to know when you don¡¯t!"

    The master didn¡¯t question and followed the instruction; after all, if the cut wasn¡¯t right, it was still the customer paying for it.

    It had nothing to do with them anyway.

    "Don¡¯t think I am boasting, perhaps your skill can¡¯t match my luck. You never know when luck will strike, and once it does, there¡¯s no stopping it." Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t intending to upset anyone, but these words really did annoy people.

    The master bowed his head, unsure whether tough or to cut.

 Chapter 686: Dragon Stone-type

    <h4>Chapter 686: Chapter 686: Dragon Stone-type</h4><h4></h4>

    "Master, cut it!"

    Bai Xiao¡¯sugh was heartless, driving some people crazy with annoyance.

    Shang Kaiwen held Liu Chuanfeng back, nced at Bai Xiao, and realized this Bai Xiao was different from what she had imagined. People say your origin limits your insights and development potential, that the first half of one¡¯s life determines the heights one can reach in the second half.

    But Bai Xiao was different, appearing uneducated and ostensibly short-sighted, yet somehow he was impressive everywhere he went.

    She thought she could persuade Bai Xiao, to have him contribute to the glory of the Shang Family. But clearly, that was unrealistic; Bai Xiao felt no awe for the Shang Family, nor for anyone else for that matter.

    The master quickly plugged in the machine, and the chainsaw began its whirring roar, ready to open its bloodthirsty jaw.

    This time, people were excited. Compared to that Pig Bristle Moss, this stone¡¯s gambling prospects were a few degrees higher. After all, who could have predicted the appearance of Pig Bristle Moss? Many were secretly relieved they hadn¡¯t impulsively bought that stone, otherwise they would be the ones crying now.

    Yet, no one was really optimistic about this stone with its promising green skin. It seemed that today, expectations weren¡¯t aligned with oues, and the auction had its fair share of disappointments.

    The winners were always the owners of the goods, the auctioneers; they were the ones being manipted by others.

    For a time, lively debates about gambling wins and losses filled the air.

    So, the stone gambling master had someone hold the stone tightly and push it towards the de, causing it to emit a sharp, ear-piercing screech.

    Everyone felt a bone-deep soreness as they tensely awaited the moment¡ªuntil with a ng, the stone split in two and fell onto the saw table!

    Everyone gaped, speechless¡ªthe one half of the stone was in white, but the other half was a green as clear as the waters of a cold autumnalke! It was a miracle unheard of in the gambling stone circle¡ªfree of cotton, impurities, smoothly silk-like, extremely lustrous and emitting a radiant glow. It truly reached the state of "round and lustrous like pearls and jade."

    It was indeed a miraculous jade, the work of Mother Nature¡¯s own stealthy craftsmanship that opened everyone¡¯s eyes!

    "Dragon variety..."

    Some couldn¡¯t even finish their sentence.

    A full green wasn¡¯t unusual; gambling on stones was all about the thrill of the heartbeat. A full green was surprising but not extraordinary. As Liu Chuanfeng had just said, a full green was at most of the Bean-type due to the stone¡¯s quality and the specific pit it came from.

    What is the Dragon Stone-type?

    Dragon Stone-type, also known as Shenlong-type, Dragon variety, or the Old Dragon Stone variety. The Dragon Stone-type jade is the pinnacle among all jade types and is a rare treasure seen once in hundreds of years in Myanmar. It is as elusive as a dragon, hence the name "Dragon Stone" jade.

    Its color is primarily green or light green, uniform, and without visible color roots.

    It is the only kind amongst jade types that feels warm in winter and cool in summer. The Dragon Stone-type jade is filled and brimming with luster, giving the sense that water is almost overflowing, and it has an excellent sheen.

    It exhibits a distinct fluorescence, chilly and cold, while the quality of the jade is silky smooth and extremely soft to the touch.

    Seeing the sh of green, Baldy couldn¡¯t help but let out a loud "Wow" and rushed over to hug the stone, weeping bitterly.

    Catching sight of Liu Chuanfeng¡¯s trembling lips and streaming tears, his eyes wide with shock as if he had just suffered a death in the family, Baldy lifted his tear-streaked face and with a sinister sneer, followed by a long, loud howl: "Baldy¡¯s struck it rich... I¡¯ve finally turned my luck around¡ª"

    It was truly an instant wealth windfall!

    Bai Xiao stared nkly at the stone, unfamiliar with its variety, but it was obvious that the results of her turning on her special ability a few extra times for safety were clear as day.

 Chapter 687: Sky-high Price

    <h4>Chapter 687: Chapter 687: Sky-high Price</h4><h4></h4>

    "Baldy, don¡¯t just focus on being happy, how much is this Dragon Stone-type worth?" Shao Ming was anxious.

    It was happy news to have the value increased, but the most important thing was that he didn¡¯t know how much the Dragon Stone-type was worth; without a price, he couldn¡¯t understand its real value.

    Baldy red at Shao Ming, "You¡¯re speaking foolishness. Is this about money? Look at the Dragon Stone-type, the Emperor Green has to bow down in front of it. A Dragon Stone-type like this, rarely seen in hundreds of years, and such arge piece too. Just think, after we finish removing the surrounding Emperor Green! The remaining piece alone must be at least ten kilograms, oh my, I¡¯m dying."

    Shao Ming¡¯s eyes bulged, "Give me a straight answer. How much is it worth?"

    The people around couldn¡¯t bear to interrupt Baldy¡¯s crying; not just Baldy, anyone who came across this would cry.

    The heavens really are blind.

    So many people underestimated this stone, and yet it turned out to be Dragon Stone-type. No one had paid it much attention, many hesitant to decide, all because of that skin-deep green.

    "A piece of Dragon Stone-type jade was found ten years ago, only a fifty-five-gram pendant, and it sold at a Harbor City auction for fifteen million. Just calcte how much these ten kilograms could be worth." Everyone here was an expert.

    At that statement, Shao Ming also cried, clinging to Bai Xiao¡¯s leg, sobbing breathlessly.

    Fifty grams for fifteen million, then ten kilograms would be several billion!

    Oh, heavens!

    Send down a thunderbolt, strike him twice to see if he¡¯s dreaming.

    His own twenty percent share, how much would that be?

    Liu Chuanfeng was struck by thunder, copsing onto the ground.

    This... could this really be luck?

    Shang Kaiwen¡¯s heart sank.

    If this stone belonged to the Shang Family, then billions. The Shang Family could immediately join the ranks of top tycoons, the rise of the Shang Family would be just around the corner.

    But with Bai Xiao¡¯s impervious demeanor, he definitely wouldn¡¯t just hand over these fortunes with both hands.

    It hurt inside.

    The glory of the Shang Family rested at Bai Xiao¡¯s fingertips, yet she couldn¡¯t manage to control Bai Xiao.

    What to do?

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s gaze darkened, scanning the surroundings. Many here were already getting restless. Who here didn¡¯t have their own subordinates? Fortune tempts the heart, and this was no small fortune.

    Bai Xiao was about to face big trouble.

    He couldn¡¯t help but walk over to Bai Xiao, unable to let Bai Xiao face the danger alone.

    Wu Yn grabbed him, slowly shaking her head, "Remember your duty."

    An Zhiyuan smashed his fist into a nearby pir, blood spattered, and those who saw it thought An Zhiyuan was captivated by the Dragon Stone-type, probably regretting enough to want to hit a wall.

    Today, how many people felt like hitting a wall?

    There weren¡¯t enough walls here for everyone to hit.

    Sang Ji narrowed his eyes, impressive.

    While everyone else had their eyes on that piece of Dragon Stone-type, Sang Ji was different; he valued the woman more.

    This woman definitely wasn¡¯t just lucky as she imed. Having gambled on stones here for years, he knew many with good luck, but to be this unbelievably lucky, there were few. If this woman didn¡¯t have some skill, would she dare toe here?

    This is skill, and the greatest skill might just be to y dumb to catch the wise, a formidable Mermaid.

    Sang Ji was moved. A woman who possessed both intelligence and beauty was rare, and he happened to see one today. Such a woman deserved to be a gift from the heavens to him.

 Chapter 688: Baldy Strongâ€™s Counterattack

    <h4>Chapter 688: Chapter 688: Baldy Strong¡¯s Counterattack</h4><h4></h4>

    "So what if it¡¯s sky-high?"

    Here, sky-high is bait to bleed people dry, with countless eyes fixed on this fat slice right now.

    Whether Doctor Bai can safely leave this ce is itself the question.

    Wu Yn stood behind An Zhiyuan, her smile lifted, gentle and neat.

    Bai Xiao was cursing, who could know the copse happening within her heart?

    She only wanted to beat Liu Chuanfeng! But she hadn¡¯t anticipated causing such a sensation.

    This is courting death.

    With so much money, even the theater owner must be tempted.

    She might not really be able to get out of here.

    She turned and patted Baldy on the back, "You put in half the gambling money, Shitou ounts for half of that; fifty percent is yours, Shao Ming gets twenty percent, I¡¯m only taking thirty percent!" As if leading a disaster elsewhere was beyond her.

    Having so much money really burns.

    Shang Kaiwen felt even more heartbroken. This reckless woman, she¡¯s let go of seventy percent in no time, does she even grasp the amount of money that is?

    Her heart was bleeding.

    Suddenly everyone¡¯s gaze centered on Baldy and Shao Ming. Seventy percent.

    Baldyughed heartily, boldly stroking his bald head, "Doctor Bai is full of integrity! Just for those words, if Baldy herself harbors ill intentions, then I¡¯m not human. This one time in my life, gambling on stones, this is the mostforting and exhrating gamble. You all might not be familiar with me, but who wouldn¡¯t be tempted by such an impressive Dragon Stone-type? Don¡¯t put on an act, every one of your little hearts has been thumping wildly, and those eyeballs almost can¡¯t look away, glued inside. A lot of folks are nning to arm up and greet us when we step out, right!"

    "How could that be? We¡¯re all in the gambling business, don¡¯t we know the rules?"

    "Exactly, striking it rich overnight, that¡¯s skill."

    Baldy chuckled, "Look at everyone mouthing insincere words. Don¡¯t tell me you wouldn¡¯t, even myself, if I hadn¡¯t spent this money, I¡¯d be thinking about getting my hands on it too. But don¡¯t worry unnecessarily, even though you all look down on me, Baldy, I¡¯lly it out here. As long as Doctor Bai is within Myanmar¡¯s boundaries, she¡¯s under Baldy¡¯s protection. If anyone dares touch her, they¡¯re messing with me. Don¡¯t me me for not being polite."

    His threats were delivered tly, and nobody seemed to take them seriously.

    After all, many below had asked around, but nobody knew who Baldy was. Those who did recognnize him had only seen him gamble on stones, noted for his poor skills and misjudgments.

    Nobody took Baldy seriously, and hearing these words, many showed contempt on their faces.

    Such bold statements, who couldn¡¯t make them?

    Who knew? The first to turn their gun around might be Baldy himself, after all Doctor Bai, clearly a neer with no backing¡ªck on ck crime is nothing unusual here.

    It¡¯s your fault if you can¡¯t protect your earned wealth.

    "You probably don¡¯t believe me, so let me show you whether Baldy speaks empty words or not." Baldy pped his hands, and the sound echoed through the hall.

    Then a group of armed soldiers appeared, their gun muzzles glinting under the sunlight with a threatening gleam, sending chills down everyone¡¯s spine.

    Many couldn¡¯t help but huddle together. Myanmar is rather chaotic, and there are many ready to plunder in times of chaos. They typically avoid provocations; if something happens, there¡¯s no ce to seek justice.

    Bai Xiao and Shao Ming stood together, clueless, looking at Baldy.

    In their minds, could it be that Baldy is some big shot with serious connections?

    No, that can¡¯t be right. He speaks Mandarin so fluently and doesn¡¯t look like a typical dark-toned Myanmar local.

 Chapter 689: Overcome the Impossible Difficulties

    <h4>Chapter 689: Chapter 689: Ovee the Impossible Difficulties</h4><h4></h4>

    The theater owner Jia Bu came out with two other owners and hurriedly came over to shake hands with Baldy, "Bar Ye, Bar Ye, why didn¡¯t you let us know you wereing? We definitely would have treated you right. We were just saying, your personal guards are all here, but the boss isn¡¯t, so you were hiding here all along."

    Everyone was shocked. Bar Ye!?

    Anyone who mingles in Myanmar and doesn¡¯t know the name Bar Ye is simply wasting their time.

    Even Sang Ji stepped back.

    The name Bar Ye was as thunderous as it gets.

    He was the leader of Myanmar¡¯s most powerful ace military figure, holding the ace of aces within the Myanmar government forces.

    How powerful could Bar Ye be? If he wanted someone dead, it was as easy as lifting a finger.

    Who, mixing in Myanmar, would dare to disobey Bar Ye¡¯s word? Unless you never showed your face in Myanmar, you would never have a peaceful day. Who among Myanmar¡¯s top brass would ever think to connect such a domineering figure like Bar Ye with the current smiling, good-tempered Baldy?

    And the thing is, Bar Ye was such great friends with doctor Bai, who turned out to be incredibly lucky.

    To casually make a friend and end up with a big shot.

    What kind of luck is that?

    "I was just in a good mood and wanted to have some fun. Didn¡¯t want you all to see me; where¡¯s the fun in that if you see me? You had a pile of stones ready for me to pick through, none of which I could possibly cut down. How boring that would be. This way, it¡¯s interesting. I¡¯m having a st on my own. Look at my partner here, doesn¡¯t know a thing and just relies on luck, which is through the roof," Baldy said with great satisfaction, looking at Bai Xiao.

    This made Bai Xiao realize that this was a big leg to hold on to, a big Myanmar leg.

    "This... I... Bar Ye..." What should she say?

    "Just call me Baldy. We don¡¯t need all that formal stuff. Just because you¡¯re so righteous and didn¡¯t get greedy or ungrateful when you saw money, just for that, I acknowledge you as my sister, doctor Bai. As long as you ask, your big brother will do everything he can for you. Even if he can¡¯t, he¡¯ll figure out how to get it done," Baldy said, vigorously patting Bai Xiao¡¯s shoulder, nearly ttening her with the force.

    With a crooked smile, she said, "Baldy, since you¡¯re my big brother, I won¡¯t bother with the pleasantries here. We bought this stone together, and no matter its increase in value, we agreed that¡¯s how it should be. Initially, you gave me twenty million, and even though it was from a gambling deal, considering our rtionship, I feel it¡¯s only fair that you have a half share."

    Baldy nodded, "Alright! Since you put it that way, I won¡¯t be coy. But don¡¯t you decline either. Just speak up, and I¡¯ll definitely help you, no matter what it is! As long as it¡¯s in Myanmar, there¡¯s nothing Bar Ye can¡¯t handle." Bar Ye was not one to take advantage of others; his reputation for righteousness was well-known.

    "Big brother, I actually do have a favor to ask of you. I hope you¡¯ll be as good as your word, and I thank you in advance," said Bai Xiao, not one to pass up this opportunity.

    Baldyughed heartily, "Good, good! I love your straightforward spirit. Go ahead and say it!"

    Everyone felt awkward, as all the covetous gazes became well-behaved. Now, who would dare set their sights on this piece of Dragon Stone-type? That would be like their brains were clogged withrd, utterly blind.

    All of them put together couldn¡¯t measure up to even one of Bar Ye¡¯s fingers.

    Not to mention, Bar Ye was famously known for his deep loyalty and righteousness.

 Chapter 690: Asking for Someone

    <h4>Chapter 690: Chapter 690: Asking for Someone</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao nced at An Zhiyuan, and An Zhiyuan stiffened.

    What was Xiaoxiao trying to do?

    Certainly not...

    Now was definitely not the time for trouble.

    Shang Kaiwen approached with a beaming smile, "Sister, please don¡¯t be angry with your brother-inw. Men often y roles in public, you mustn¡¯t take it seriously." Her use of ¡¯sister¡¯ was so melodious and affectionate, making it seem as though the two had never been apart.

    Bai Xiao covered her mouth and pushed her away. Shao Ming quickly stepped in to separate Shang Kaiwen. "What are you doing? Why cause a stir over nothing? Do you see our big brother as a godfather and think you can take advantage of him?"

    Shang Kaiwen was almost brought to tears by his words. Everyone was ying their own game; what could she do about it.

    "No, sister, I¡¯m doing this for your own good!"

    "Stop disgusting me, I really don¡¯t want to vomit endlessly." Bai Xiao finally caught her breath, thoroughly disgusted by Shang Kaiwen.

    Indeed, she was capable of doing and saying such things; Shang Kaiwen had really gone down in sspared to her previous life.

    Even something so unintelligent, she could manage.

    "Sister! Just say it, whatever it is, your big brother will definitely handle it for you. Is it that Liu fellow you want not to leave this ce?" Baldy had long noticed Liu Chuanfeng wasn¡¯t getting along with the tank-top, definitely this kid.

    Wasn¡¯t he just mocking his own sister a moment ago?

    Liu Chuanfeng, terrified, turned pale and trembled, looking as if he was about to faint. This was Myanmar, the godfather. If he really made it so Liu couldn¡¯t leave, no one would even find his corpse.

    At this moment, Liu Chuanfeng could no longer care about whether he left the gangster life or not, he worried about whether he could save his own life.

    Desperately, he nced at Shang Kaiwen. Shang Kaiwen couldn¡¯t just abandon Liu Chuanfeng even though she seemed to have no advantage in this scene. Bai Xiaopletely ignored her. Though it might be a joke to speak out, she must speak anyway, otherwise how willing would she be to help the Shang Family in the future? This was the humiliating price she had to pay.

    Before Shang Kaiwen could speak, Bai Xiao already had.

    "Since big brother has spoken, I won¡¯t be shy. I want this person!" The direction her finger pointed made everyone break out in cold sweat.

    Seeing it wasn¡¯t pointing at themselves, a few people discreetly wiped their sweat, but those who were pointed at were streaming with cold sweat, cursing internally, who had brought this disaster upon them?

    If only they weren¡¯t acquainted with the doctor.

    Who knew any doctor?

    Everyone stepped back, leaving Sang Ji exposed as he realized something was amiss and tried to merge back into the crowd. Before he could, Bai Xiao had already approached Baldy, pointing urately at Sang Ji, "Big brother, I want this man."

    At a turn of events, Liu Chuanfeng¡¯s heart finally settled down.

    Sang Ji was shocked; he didn¡¯t know this doctor.

    "Godfather! Godfather, I¡¯m Sang Ji. I have some rtionship with your man, Number Five. Our rtionship is good, you can ask him. I have never offended this doctor. Doctor, killing doesn¡¯t tip the scales to our detriment; we haven¡¯t any disputes. What is this for?" As Sang Ji spoke, all thoughts of before had evaporated. At this moment, aside from saving his life, he didn¡¯t believe his four bodyguards could protect him, especially not against who he was facing.

    In the face of absolute power, Sang Ji was nothing.

    The godfather was the sky here.

    To challenge the sky was no joke.

    Bai Xiao smiled, "Sang Ji? So your name is Sang Ji! Big brother, it¡¯s him, what do you think?"

 Chapter 691: Gambling on Stones

    <h4>Chapter 691: Chapter 691: Gambling on Stones</h4><h4></h4>

    Baldy chuckled, "Since I promised my sister, naturally there¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t handle. However, it really seems like Sang Ji doesn¡¯t know you, and with those looks of his, he¡¯s not exactly handsome. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve taken a fancy to him?"

    To him, it wasn¡¯t a big deal; Sang Ji wasn¡¯t worth his attention. As long as Bai Xiao was happy, he¡¯d genuinely be willing to hand him over.

    But today he felt particrly good.

    He craved some excitement.

    "That¡¯s none of your business. I have my reasons for wanting him. Just tell me if you¡¯ll hand him over or not!" Bai Xiao said with a charming smile, confident that Baldy wouldn¡¯t refuse her, especially considering the Dragon Stone-type¡¯s face value.

    She had observed An Zhiyuan and the others for a quite a while. Although they were disguised well, it was a pity that she still noticed An Zhiyuan was after Sang Ji.

    Meaning Sang Ji was An Zhiyuan¡¯s target.

    Therefore, she had no reason to willingly ce her man in danger in front of someone else. It¡¯s not about fearing theft, it¡¯s about fearing the thief¡¯s attention.

    These past two years it¡¯s been about preventing fire, theft, and betrayal.

    She wasn¡¯t oblivious to this woman¡¯s thoughts. She hadn¡¯t settled ounts with An Zhiyuan that night, and now it¡¯s not like she could be petty about it, but it¡¯s also not wise to keep hazards close.

    "Doctor Bai, your request isn¡¯t too much, and as your brother, I have agreed to it. But, brother has a request too," Baldy demanded without the slightest hint of embarrassment.

    Bai Xiao almost felt like spitting blood.

    Isn¡¯t that too much of a demand?

    Can¡¯t you have a bit of shame? But of course, Baldy wouldn¡¯t care about that. It never urred to Bai Xiao that a person who ruled over others could have the character of Baldy.

    "This request definitely isn¡¯t too much. I just want to have a thrill. Bet with me once; I want to see if my sister¡¯s luck is really that good?" Baldy habitually rubbed his bald head, but no one dared to let their guard down. Every move of his could mean life or death.

    Bai Xiao breathed a sigh of relief, "Since big brother wants to gamble, of course, little sister would keep youpany!"

    Winning a bet isn¡¯t easy, neither is losing.

    Baldy pped hisrge palm down, "Good, that¡¯s the spirit, I like your straightforwardness."

    He had already started striding through the venue until he found a piece he was satisfied with. Bai Xiao then pointed to a piece of rock closest to herself, which was a decorative artificial mountain¡ªessentially a pile of scrap stone.

    Baldy was displeased, "Sister, are you looking down on me?"

    That was far too casual.

    "Big brother! Stone Gambling is all about the thrill, I want to see if my luck can turn stone into gold."

    "I love the way you put it, sister. Someone, prepare for the Stone Gambling."

    Bai Xiao looked around, An Zhiyuan and Wu Yn had already left.

    She felt a bit annoyed.

    As the electric saw was plugged in, did anyone really pay attention to the Stone Gambling?

    One by one, they quickly snuck away, taking the chance to escape while Baldy wasn¡¯t watching, fearing some disaster might unfoldter.

    Sang Ji also wanted to leave, but he was stopped by armed guards. Four bodyguards were simply no match; as soon as they red, they were smacked on the head with a gun and pushed down. Anyone who dared to re at Baldy here was clearly tired of living.

    The roaring sound refocused everyone¡¯s attention.

    The stone Baldy had chosen was already lifted into ce, and the Stone Gambling master carefully made a cut along the line Baldy had drawn.

    As expected, with one slice, a glossy green seeped out, and everyone cheered. It turned out to be a premium ss-type, even though it wasn¡¯t Emperor Green, it was still incredibly valuable.

 Chapter 692: Luck Oh

    <h4>Chapter 692: Chapter 692: Luck Oh</h4><h4></h4>

    "Master Ba, impressive! This piece of stone has been cut to reveal a full green ss-type jade." The theater owner was proud, of course, he had deliberately ced this stone in a prominent position just for this moment.

    Baldyughed heartily; in his life, he had not cared for gold or silver, had enjoyed beauties and gourmet foods, but was solely addicted to gambling on stones. This time his gamble was indeed perfect, as he had never gambled a full green ss-type jade before. This was the first time he had won it by his own skill. Was it possible he had rubbed off some of Bai Xiao¡¯s luck?

    "Sister, it¡¯s your turn now."

    Although it was a bit crafty, after all, choosing the stone was something he had done himself, and no one dared to give him advice.

    "Go ahead and cut!" Bai Xiao was indifferent.

    Her intention was to lose to Master Ba, to give Baldy ¡¯face¡¯; this she understood very well.

    The master looked at the stone and shook his head; go ahead and cut.

    Dust and gravel flew, and with a click, the stone was cut in half.

    Everyone was shocked.

    Bai Xiao leaned in to take a look.

    To her surprise, she saw colors as magnificent as a rainbow with seven hues: red, yellow, blue, green, purple, white, and ck, all glittering andplementing each other, undoubtedly a concentration of the essence of mountains and spirit of waters.

    She breathed a sigh of relief; surely, a jade with seven colors could not be considered the finest among jades.

    "Big brother, even good luck runs out at some point. Look, this time it can¡¯tpare to yours. I concede!"

    Everyone looked at her oddly.

    Bai Xiao touched her face, and Shao Ming, following Bai Xiao, said, "Why do these people look like they want to beat you to death?"

    She might not understand everything, but she couldprehend the meaning in their eyes.

    "I don¡¯t know either!"

    Bai Xiao also felt a chilling aura; she had clearly angered the crowd.

    What had she done?

    Baldy burst intoughter after a while; soon, everyone joined in.

    "Sister, with that kind of luck, Big Brother is thoroughly convinced in his loss."

    With a big pat on Bai Xiao¡¯s back, "Who couldpete with your luck?"

    Bai Xiao was taken aback and pointed to the colorful jade, "Could it be..."

    "Doctor Bai, this is a heavenly blessing. We¡¯re lucky to see tri-colored jade, which is already a rarity; witnessing five colors is considered ¡¯Five Blessings Arriving at the Door¡¯. Now, you¡¯ve uncovered a seven-colored piece that¡¯s even brighter than a rainbow. This is an invaluable treasure." The adjacent theater owner quickly exined.

    He was delighted and proud.

    Look at our ce; with today¡¯s public stone auction, we¡¯ve really shown them. From now on, who would dare to underestimate us?

    Not only did we uncover Dragon Stone-type jade, but a seven-colored rainbow as well; such a rarity, an automatic masterpiece just from a casual touch. Even the theater owner coveted the pile of ornamental rocks, already secretly instructing to reserve that ornamental rock for himself to cut. If he could reveal another ¡¯Five Blessings¡¯ or ¡¯Three Blessings,¡¯ he¡¯d strike it rich.

    Many were eager and excited, their nerves ignited by the heavenly blessing, with every eye filled with enthusiasm and excitement, as if they were ready to dive right into the pile of stones.

    Overnight riches; that¡¯s what gambling on stones is all about.

    Even a novice like Xiaobai with just a piece of raw jade stone could defy the odds! It was clear that these raw stones were worth a look; otherwise, good luck would be pointless, and who wouldn¡¯t want to seize the chance to get rich?

    Bai Xiao was speechless, silently ncing at the stone. Did she really have this ¡¯golden touch¡¯ of luck?

    She really hadn¡¯t done anything, not even touched the stone.

    "Big Brother! I¡¯d like to gift you this seven-colored rainbow, as a gesture from your little sister. If it weren¡¯t for Big Brother¡¯s interest in gambling stones, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to reveal this stone. All this is thanks to Big Brother¡¯s fortune." Bai Xiao was very tactful; after all, Master Ba had the final say here! Seeing how Master Ba¡¯s eyes were nearly popping out at the sight of the stone, she could tell he truly loved it.

 Chapter 693: Tackle

    <h4>Chapter 693: Chapter 693: Tackle</h4><h4></h4>

    An Zhiyuan and his team hadn¡¯t changed clothes, sitting in a car at a distance when Bai Xiao appeared! Now, things had developed beyond everyone¡¯s expectations, and the operators of the eavesdropping device were listening intently, amazed at how capable this doctor was.

    They just didn¡¯t know what this doctor wanted with Sang Ji.

    "Captain, what do we do now? Our men are in ce, ready to strike the moment Sang Ji shows up!"

    "Don¡¯t act rashly, no need to worry. Baldy will help us deliver Sang Ji," An Zhiyuan¡¯s indifferent reply instantly suppressed the atmosphere in the car.

    The captain was unhappy.

    "Could it be that this doctor is one of ours?"

    Many spected. They had spent a lot of effort on Sang Ji, who was too cunning and well-protected. Leaving this venue, it was still uncertain which route he would take.

    Whether they could block him was still an issue.

    Just like they had people arranged when they came, but sadly they had not seen when Sang Ji had entered.

    They couldn¡¯t grasp any leads at all.

    "Captain, the doctor couldn¡¯t be the one I know, could he?"

    Hu Biao suddenly raised his head, eyes wide with surprise. He had just heard people discussing this doctor and thought it was someone local to Myanmar, not important, considering not all doctors with the surname Bai were Bai Xiao.

    But now it seemed that was not the case.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s piercing gaze swept over, and Hu Biao immediately shut his mouth.

    Wu Yn, unconvinced, asked, "You guys know another doctor too? Big brother An, who is this doctor? Clearing this up could prevent misunderstandings. Could it be someone from our side? But the superiors didn¡¯t inform everyone." She was concerned about what rtionship An Zhiyuan had with this doctor.

    "She has no rtion to us," An Zhiyuan said through gritted teeth.

    How Bai Xiao could be involved in this matter truly confused him.

    Just the thought of Bai Xiao almost being trapped filled him with rage. What kind of man was he, letting his woman be in danger and remaining indifferent? Goddamn sense of responsibility. He had just wanted to shed this skin, if only... there were no ifs.

    Sure enough, Baldy soon appeared with his men. Someone pushed Sang Ji into a car, "Sis, I¡¯ll have someone escort you to the border. You¡¯ll be absolutely safe on the road. Make sure youe visit next time; it¡¯s always thrilling to gamble on stones with you." He happily watched the rainbow-colored load being lifted into the car, utterly beautiful.

    "Then, big brother, we¡¯re off. Swing by Yun Province when you¡¯re free, and I¡¯ll be sure to host you."

    A polite momentter, Baldy drove off.

    Bai Xiao and Shao Ming also got in their car and ncing sideways, they saw two ck sedans parked quietly, "Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ll head back."

    Shao Ming clenched his teeth, "Bai Mei and Xiaodao ran off."

    He was a responsible person and hadn¡¯t expected that Baldy¡¯s appearance would scare off all the underlings.

    With Bai Mei¡¯s escape, who knew when they would find her.

    Bai Xiao smirked, "Time is on our side. Bai Mei will surely circle around me, don¡¯t worry! She will show up eventually."

    The car drove directly to the border, just a hundred meters away from the frontier post, where two ck sedans had already driven up.

    They quietly parked on the side.

    Bai Xiao and Shao Ming got out, their driver had already brought their car.

    Sang Ji was pushed out of the car, tightly bound.

    He still hadn¡¯t figured out how he had ended up in this situation.

    An Zhiyuan got out of the car and walked over briskly when suddenly out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a glint of light.

    He reached out and knocked Bai Xiao down.

 Chapter 694: Kidnapping

    <h4>Chapter 694: Chapter 694: Kidnapping</h4><h4></h4>

    The area where Bai Xiao was located erupted silently into smoke, from a silenced sniper rifle.

    An Zhiyuan rolled with Bai Xiao behind the truck, both of them gasping for air as they leaned against the undercarriage to scan their surroundings.

    Shao Ming had already pulled Sang Ji next to his sedan.

    Baldy¡¯s men were already in pursuit.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s men got out of the car, vigntly checking the surroundings; Hu Biao rushed over, "Captain, the suspects have fled, those from Myanmar are in pursuit, the area is now secure."

    An Zhiyuan pulled Bai Xiao to her feet and carefully checked her over, but Bai Xiao pushed him away.

    "Sang Ji is left to you guys, we¡¯re heading back now," he said to Hu Biao.

    Hu Biao quickly nodded, facing Chief An¡¯s icy expression, he really felt like crying.

    The doctor must have seen Wu Yn and the Chief walking arm in arm. Clearly, she was infuriated by the sight.

    Whenever his own wife started to get angry, it was a sign just like this, sparing not a single nce at her pitiful Chief.

    Bai Xiao nced at Shao Ming, "Aren¡¯t you leaving?"

    Shao Ming pushed Sang Ji towards Hu Biao, "Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go, mydy, can we not leave? Look, I haven¡¯t been idle, I¡¯ve been working hard. If it weren¡¯t for my risking my life, that guy Sang Ji might have been done for," he said, desperately trying to take credit.

    "We aren¡¯t after Sang Ji; your mission isn¡¯tpleted yet," Bai Xiao scolded irritably, feeling like she¡¯d only dressed up for someone else¡¯s wedding today.

    Before she could take a step, an iceberg blocked her path.

    Bai Xiao, with a chilly face, took a step to the side; the iceberg moved with her, she stepped back, and the iceberg followed.

    This was asking for trouble.

    "Move aside!"

    "I won¡¯t move until things are clear!" An Zhiyuan¡¯s face also looked grim, watching his wife casually flirting with danger filled him with anxiety.

    "Shao Ming, what are you here for? Don¡¯t you have any professional ethics? Don¡¯t you see someone blocking my way?"

    Immediately, Shao Ming and An Zhiyuan started fighting.

    Despite Shao Ming¡¯s love for money, when it came to fighting, Bai Xiao realized that Jiang Shaoqing had sent a tough guy. He was even able to match An Zhiyuan in a fight, exhibiting impressive martial arts skills.

    This man was worthy of his job.

    Bai Xiao casually walked towards the sedan, assuming the rest of the events had nothing to do with her anymore.

    But the next second, she was hoisted onto someone¡¯s shoulder and stuffed into the sedan, the person then opened the driver¡¯s side door, "Get out!"

    The driver shuddered and scurried out of the car.

    An Zhiyuan got into the car and stepped on the elerator. Bai Xiao nearly hit the windshield in front of her, if not for An Zhiyuan quickly blocking her with an arm, she would have made intimate contact with the ss.

    She caught sight of Shao Ming getting up from the ground, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, staring as she was whisked away.

    Unqualified!

    What kind of people is Jiang Shaoqing using!

    She furiously pushed away An Zhiyuan¡¯s arm, "Who needs your fake kindness right now!"

    Don¡¯t expect her to forgive him.

    Thinking about An Zhiyuan¡¯s indifference towards her earlier, acting as if he didn¡¯t know her was one thing; she knew it was for the mission. But when it came to the appearance of the high-priced Dragon Stone-type, to continue ignoring her truly hurt.

    This was utterly disregarding her safety. If it weren¡¯t for her lucky encounter with Baldy bing the most powerful boss in Myanmar, it was questionable whether she could even leave Myanmar¡¯s borders alive.

    Now he remembers she¡¯s his wife?

    Toote!

 Chapter 695 Warmth

    <h4>Chapter 695: Chapter 695 Warmth</h4><h4></h4>

    The bastard did that and still had the nerve toe here. She was almost worn out, and thest thing she wanted to deal with was this situation.

    Bai Xiao thought sadly that her heartache was probably not entirely due to An Zhiyuan¡¯s indifference, but also because of that woman, the one who had appeared beside An Zhiyuan.

    She buried her head in her crossed arms and began to cry like a child.

    She was also a person, no matter how much she recreated herself, her natural needs and emotional dependency as a person would not change. Everyone wants to be cared for, and no one can refuse that warmth and security.

    And damn An Zhiyuan.

    After he had given her all that warmth, and made her think she could fully trust him, he still ended up breaking her heart.

    Yes, heartbreak.

    She was heartbroken.

    Very heartbroken.

    All her strength turned to ashes; she couldn¡¯t suppress her true feelings inside. Like every ordinary woman, once she had given her heart, she would want a return. Just seeing him would light up her world instantly.

    He looked up at her, studying her face as closely as he studied a photograph. The car suddenly stopped at the roadside, and hisrge hands embraced her, who was already hupping from crying.

    The nerve-wracking anxiety, the nausea twisting her stomach, and the intense tension throbbing in her temples made her abandon all the proud calm and restraint she had.

    She became hysterical.

    She had thought, and hoped, never to care about him again.

    It was because she somehow managed to forget how powerful and intense the physiological impact he had on her was, and forgot the feeling of his cold, deep eyes gazing at her.

    "Let me go!" she said calmly but with hostility, not showing the inner turmoil she felt.

    "I won¡¯t let go."

    She was still extremely annoyed, almost unable to bear being so close to him. She felt a rage boiling up,pressing her throat. How could he...

    After doing such a despicable act to her, still act so entitled, as if a simple apology could cate her!

    "I don¡¯t want to ride in the same car as you."

    "You know that¡¯s not possible." His deep ck eyes narrowed as he scrutinized her, saying nothing, just steadily holding her, providing endless warmth.

    ...

    The next morning, Bai Xiao woke up in An Zhiyuan¡¯s arms, her head resting on his shoulder, the warmth of his body the mostfortable source she had felt all these mornings.

    The rain was pouring down harder than the day before, having started the previous evening when they returned.

    Like usual, he woke up nearly at the same moment as she did, probably due to his cautious nature that wouldn¡¯t allow him to be vulnerable when others were awake.

    Based on her knowledge of his profession, Bai Xiao felt she was right.

    She sat up and stretched, easing the stiffness in her muscles from lying in the same position for too long.

    An Zhiyuan, still lying next to her, reached out to rub her exposed back, his movements gentle and cherishing.

    Bai Xiao swept back the hair hanging in front of her eyes, knowing it must be a mess since it was still damp when they hurriedly went to bed the night before.

    The two quickly reconciled in other ways, but the future still left her uneasy, with many issues unresolved.

 Chapter 696 Restoration

    <h4>Chapter 696: Chapter 696 Restoration</h4><h4></h4>

    She quickly got out of bed, slipped into her pajamas, and then dashed into the bathroom.

    Gazing at her reflection in the mirror, she pulled a face, checking her appearance. Her hair was aplete mess, resembling a madwoman.

    Over the past few days, her eyes had begun to sparkle, at least showing signs of vibrant life.

    After washing her face, shebed her unruly hair into some semnce of a hairstyle.

    She returned to the bedroom, donned her warmest, loose-fitting track pants and a short-sleeved shirt¡ªthe temperature had dropped significantly due to the rain today.

    As she stepped out of the bedroom, she could already smell the fragrance of fried eggs and the aroma of rice porridge¡ªAn Zhiyuan was already preparing breakfast.

    She poured herself a ss of water, "Aren¡¯t you going to work today?"

    They hadn¡¯t gone out since they returnedst night. Bai Xiao had now regained all her rationality. Unlike her, An Zhiyuan could not do as he pleased. At least she had not been able to go to work today, which a phone call had resolved; Yu Shaohua hadn¡¯t even asked her for a reason.

    "I am, but a bitter. There¡¯s still time for breakfast." An Zhiyuan skillfully ced the eggs onto a te, lightly fried some slices of steamed buns until they were fragrant and set them beside the eggs, handing them to her, "I¡¯ll serve up the millet porridge in a moment."

    Bai Xiao sat down at the table, hungrily devouring the fried eggs and steamed bun slices, and sipping on millet porridge, feeling instantly rejuvenated. Everything had happened so fast yesterday that it left her struggling to process, and by the end, she was acting purely on instinct! It had nothing to do with being calm and rational.

    She must have gone crazy for a whilest night.

    "I was being somewhat unreasonable yesterday."

    Bai Xiao considered herself the best at self-reflection.

    An Zhiyuan was eating quietly across from her. Hearing this, he looked up with a gentle smile in his eyes, "No, it was my fault for not giving you enough security. That Wu Yn couldn¡¯t possibly have anything to do with me. I¡¯ve told you I¡¯m a one-woman man. Once I¡¯ve set my heart on someone, that¡¯s it for life, and that person has always been you."

    She felt uneasy; once An Zhiyuan started with the romantic talk, she was powerless to resist.

    "I was just feeling ufortable, but I¡¯m fine now."

    "Bai Xiao, as a public servant, sometimes when I¡¯m faced with a choice between you and my duties, like yesterday, please forgive my helplessness. I could die to protect you, but I cannot let a mission fail. Too many people have already died for that mission involving Sang Ji, my teammates. They were all real, living people, and I couldn¡¯t let their sacrifices be in vain."

    "I understand!" How could Bai Xiao not understand? They had been through life-and-death situations together; of course, she understood.

    "How did you know that I wanted Sang Ji?" An Zhiyuan was surprised that Bai Xiao could so confidently demand Sang Ji yesterday. That moment had stunned many, at least An Zhiyuan had no idea she meant Sang Ji, he thought she was referring to Liu Chuanfeng or Shang Kaiwen.

    "Your eyes were glued to him all the time. Don¡¯t think you hid it well; in actuality, your technique was terrible. How did you even manage with such surveince skills?" Bai Xiao pointed out his w.

    "Not at all, I tried my best to look at the short, plump guy standing next to Sang Ji."

    "Sang Ji has been caught, your mission is over, I think it¡¯s time to say goodbye to your female partner, right?"

    Full of jealousy.

    An Zhiyuan smiled indulgently, "You, there¡¯s no room for anyone else in my eyes."

    "Sweet talker!"

    Sweetly enjoying her meal.

 Chapter 697 Contemplation

    <h4>Chapter 697: Chapter 697 Contemtion</h4><h4></h4>

    "Right, I haven¡¯t asked you yet, how did you end up going there?" An Zhiyuan¡¯s expression was extremely serious now.

    The public market in Myanmar was so dangerous, and yet Bai Xiao had actually gone there, even to gamble on stones.

    "Is it not all for Bai Mei!"

    Thinking of letting Bai Mei escape gave Bai Xiao a headache. Until he captured Bai Mei, he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to live peacefully.

    "How did Bai Mei get involved in this?"

    Bai Xiao recounted in detail how Bai Mei had ordered someone to kidnap her and even attempted to rape her. An Zhiyuan¡¯s face turnedpletely dark.

    "Leave this matter to me, I¡¯ll take care of the aftermath."

    His words were so calm, Bai Xiao breathed a sigh of relief. It was good to have someone take responsibility.

    She was somewhat disappointed, thinking An Zhiyuan would be furious.

    After finishing the meal, An Zhiyuan left to report to the military, he had a lot on his te.

    However, he made it clear to Bai Xiao that he woulde back for dinner in the evening.

    This meant their life was returning to normal.

    As soon as An Zhiyuan left, Bai Xiao busied herself tidying up the house, rearranging the decorative cushions on the living room sofa to ensure the colors harmonized.

    She made the bed, took the sheets off, and put them into the washing machine, along with the clothes she¡¯d changed out of the day before.

    Once everything was in order, she brewed a fresh cup of lemon tea, the sliced lemons and ck tea making an impable match. She grabbed a long-sleeved shirt from the cupboard, put it on, and walked to the balcony, screened with gauze curtains.

    She sat in the wicker double seat she had managed to acquire after much effort, pulling her feet up and leaning on it at an angle.

    The overcast sky and the continuous cold rain merged into one, stealing away the sunlight and color of the daylight.

    Cradling her warm lemon tea, she inhaled the fragrant steam and gazed at the rain curtain, trying to clear her mind of all thoughts, allowing herself to rest.

    Overnight, she hade into possession of a fortune of eight hundred million.

    Actually, she had wanted Grandpa Ba to directly deal with Shang Kaiwen yesterday; it would have been perfect, eliminating her biggest threat.

    But s, how could she not know that Grandpa Ba¡¯s promise to her yesterday was only because of the Dragon Stone-type gemstone. Had she not given half of the Dragon Stone-type to Grandpa Ba, how could he possibly expose his identity to escort her safely?

    The promise from such a person only held validity for a while. Since she had chosen Sang Ji, there was no reason for Grandpa Ba to deal with Shang Kaiwen for her.

    After all, Sang Ji was different from Shang Kaiwen; Sang Ji was a native of Myanmar, while Shang Kaiwen was from China. Not wanting to cause diplomatic disputes between the two countries or get embroiled in legal trouble themselves, it was necessary to let Shang Kaiwen go yesterday.

    Luckily, Liu Chuanfeng, Shang Kaiwen¡¯s right-hand man, had been dealt with by her. Speaking of which, she had been so busy yesterday; Liu Chuanfeng still owed her two hundred million.

    Forty million turned into two hundred million¡ªshe believed Grandpa Ba would not let go of this unexpected windfall.

    Liu Chuanfeng would never think of continuing in this line of work in his lifetime¡ªthat was her intention.

    She would watch as Shang Kaiwen¡¯s jewelry business copsed.

    This time around, Shang Kaiwen¡¯s fortunes wouldn¡¯t be as smooth as in herst life. Bai Xiao suddenly felt a sense of satisfaction. What Shang Kaiwen prized most was her family¡¯s status; this life, Bai Xiao was set on destroying it. When Shang Kaiwen had nothing left, would she still hold herself so high? Was it not masochistic of her not to just strike at Shang Kaiwen, sending her directly to hell, which would be the proper way to open the story?

    But it wasn¡¯t satisfying enough.

    Probably what everyone wanted to see was the method of exacting vengeance; how could death disy the seeds of hatred? In herst life, she didn¡¯t even have the right to die.

 Chapter 698: Who Bullied Our Granddaughter

    <h4>Chapter 698: Chapter 698: Who Bullied Our Granddaughter</h4><h4></h4>

    The knocking echoed.

    Bai Xiao leaned back in his chair, not wishing to respond, but s, the persistent knocking continued.

    Shuffling his slippers, Bai Xiao asked, "Who is it?"

    It seemed unlikely that Bai Mei would show up so soon.

    Still, for safety¡¯s sake, it was best to be cautious.

    "Bai Song!"

    With a whoosh, he flung open the door.

    Sure enough, his older brother Bai Song¡¯s familiar smile greeted him, and Bai Xiao immediately threw himself into his arms, "Big Brother, you finally made it. I¡¯ve missed you to death!"

    "Cough, cough..."

    Faced with An Zhiyuan¡¯s helpless expression, Bai Xiao sheepishly retracted his hands. Howe his man was here too?

    Could this be a misunderstanding?

    It shouldn¡¯t be, right?

    Is it only permissible for officials to start fires and forbidden for themon people to lightmps?

    An Zhiyuan was justpleting a task, and you had to fly off the handle and give him no quarter; what are you doing now?

    This is not your real brother.

    Many plot lines are about siblings with no blood rtion falling in love with each other in the end.

    What will An Zhiyuan think?

    "Silly girl, why are you standing there in a daze? Come on in!" Bai Song wasn¡¯t as scheming as Bai Xiao; seeing that his sister looked well, he knew An Zhiyuan had taken good care of her and was reassured.

    "An Zhiyuan, it seems you¡¯ve taken very good care of my sister. Brother-inw, thank you!"

    An Zhiyuan smiled and pushed the door open wider, ncing at him sideways with his usual calm demeanor, "Big Brother,e in. Xiaoxiao has been looking forward to your visit for many days. You¡¯re finally here."

    He stood next to Bai Xiao and put an arm around her shoulders, their closeness casting a doubtful look on Bai Song¡¯s face.

    "You two haven¡¯t been fighting, have you?"

    Something felt off.

    Bai Xiao smirked, "Big Brother, not at all. My husband wouldn¡¯t dare argue with me. Besides, he can¡¯t win against me!" she tantly lied.

    He couldn¡¯t win against her in arguments, but every time, it would be through physical domination. His stamina was infuriating, and in the end, it was always she who begged for mercy.

    "Yeah! I wouldn¡¯t dare argue with her. Our household¡¯s queen is none other than Doctor Bai!" An Zhiyuan said suggestively, ncing at Bai Xiao. His gaze gently swept across her chest where the neckline showed a hint of a red mark, a remnant of his doing from the night before. As Bai Song bent over to change his shoes, An Zhiyuan deftly adjusted Bai Xiao¡¯s neckline.

    Bai Xiao suddenly realized An Zhiyuan¡¯s intention and shot him an annoyed re. It was all his fault, after all.

    "Queen? Bai Xiao, is this how you bully An Zhiyuan? I might have to criticize you for that..." Bai Song stepped in, intending to keep the peace.

    "Who¡¯s bullying our Bai Xiao? Who dares to bully our granddaughter? Just watch me teach them a lesson!" Two people pushed past Bai Song and barged in.

    They almost knocked Bai Song off his feet.

    Clutching the nearby wardrobe for bnce, he quickly looked up. Who were these people, haphazardly iming kinship?

    How did his sister suddenly be their granddaughter? Was there now and order anymore?

    Looking up in bewilderment, he saw an elderly couple with white hair, looking earnestly at Bai Xiao, as if she were braised pork ¨C the kind they drooled over.

    Then, behind them, another person squeezed in, bumping into Bai Song, "Sorry... Ah, Big Brother Bai, you finally made it!"

    Someone clung to Bai Song¡¯s arm, overly affectionate.

    Bai Song forcibly freed his arm and stepped behind Bai Xiao, "How... did you... get here?"

    Bai Xiao was amused.

    It wasn¡¯t often someone could scare her big brother like that; it was Yan Chunlu.

 Chapter 699: Everyoneâ€™s Here

    <h4>Chapter 699: Chapter 699: Everyone¡¯s Here</h4><h4></h4>

    "Bai, I came to see Bai Xiao. You might not know this, but she¡¯s my aunt¡¯s daughter, her own flesh and blood. We¡¯re sisters," Yan Chunlu said as soon as she saw Bai Song, her eyes fixed solely on him,pletely oblivious to thinking before speaking.

    Bai Song turned to Bai Xiao. "What¡¯s all this about?"

    He knew Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t his biological sister, but he had no idea she had this many rtives either.

    The problem was that Yan Chunlu, whom he desperately wanted to avoid, turned out to be Bai Xiao¡¯s rtive. Now he had nowhere to hide¡ªwait a minute!

    If Yan Chunlu was Bai Xiao¡¯s sister, then she was his sister too. What was he running from then?

    "Brother, it¡¯s tooplicated to exin right now. Don¡¯t bother with these people. I¡¯ll send them away immediately!" Bai Xiao was also feeling the headache.

    This couple was troublesome enough, and now with Yan Chunlu around, those starry-eyed looks she gave her brother were unbearable.

    "It can be exined, it can be exined! You¡¯re Bai Xiao¡¯s big brother, right? I¡¯m Bai Xiao¡¯s maternal grandfather. That makes you our grandson too! You should call me Grandpa!" The old man enthusiastically pulled Bai Song over to the sofa to sit down, behaving like they were one big happy family.

    Bai Xiao felt a pain in her chest.

    Facing this relentless family, she truly felt out of her depth.

    The olddy looked at Bai Xiao with eyes so tender they seemed to drip water.

    "Bai Xiao, look at all the groceries Grandma bought just to cook something delicious for you. Where is your kitchen? I¡¯ll get started."

    In her hands, she carried a big bag filled with celery, mushrooms, garlic shoots, onions, and various other ingredients.

    She really hade to cook.

    "Wait, wait..." Bai Xiao tried to stop her.

    But the olddy didn¡¯t give her the chance, found an apron, and went straight in.

    Before you knew it, Yu Shaohua and Yu Shaohan had also appeared inside the house.

    The small house was suddenly filled with people.

    Wei Jianling, holding a child at the door, peeped inside and eximed, "Wow, so many people. Dr. Bai, your family has visitors."

    Bai Xiao had no choice but to go over and dismissively reply, "Oh." Then she closed the door, indicating she didn¡¯t want an audience.

    She closed the door and tried hard to calm her temper.

    My temper, oh my temper.

    "Dean, what are you doing?"

    Her voice lowered, Wei Jianling was probably eavesdropping by now. She really didn¡¯t want to make a scene. If the whole hospital started buzzing because of this, An Zhiyuan and her peaceful days were over.

    Yu Shaohua grinned, looking like a Maitreya Buddha. "Well, your grandparents insisted oning, so we thought we¡¯de along. They¡¯re getting on in years, and it wouldn¡¯t be good if something happened. We¡¯re here just in case."

    As if!

    "Dean, don¡¯t push me..."

    Bai Xiao really didn¡¯t want to make threats. This was definitely her mother¡¯s family. No matter what they had done wrong, her mother, Yu Shaoya, hadn¡¯t done anything wrong.

    At least she hadn¡¯t done anything to wrong her.

    "Bai Xiao, if you¡¯re upset or unsatisfied, take it out on me. Honestly, the tragic life you¡¯ve had, it¡¯s all thanks to me. I me myself for not asking around more carefully when I moved your mother¡¯s grave. Then again, it¡¯s not all my fault. Many people concealed the truth, leading to what happened today. I¡¯m your aunt, and it¡¯s only right if you don¡¯t acknowledge me. But your grandparents and uncle, they haven¡¯t done anything wrong. You can¡¯t treat them like this."

    Yu Shaohan let it all pour out.

 Chapter 700: Donâ€™t Owe You

    <h4>Chapter 700: Chapter 700: Don¡¯t Owe You</h4><h4></h4>

    "Do you all really think that just because you believe you¡¯re in the right, I should just smile and bear your goodwill? Do you think that by acknowledging me, you¡¯re bestowing upon me some great benevolence? Yu Shaoya didmit acts of severing ties and righteousness in the past, but it was a product of the times, and she wasn¡¯t the only one doing so. Back then, can you honestly say that this type of thing was rare among other families?

    Even if she owed you, that doesn¡¯t mean I owe you anything, nor does it mean that you can just recognize me whenever you wish. My life now is very good; I have my own family, the people I love, and they all love me very much and treat me well. Isn¡¯t living like this good enough?

    You insist on recognizing me! But what¡¯s the point? Haven¡¯t we all made it through these years? When you care for someone, shouldn¡¯t you let them live in an environment they¡¯re familiar with and satisfied with, without rashly changing everything?

    You¡¯re only seeking peace of mind, but what happens after you find it? Haven¡¯t you lived just fine all these years without Yu Shaoya, without me, Bai Xiao? Why go through all this now?"

    It¡¯s true that we don¡¯t need to dwell on historical issues to determine who was right or wrong, but I, Bai Xiao, am tired. Just when my family was starting to live a good life, the Yu Family shows up.

    It would be easy for me to just ept them, but what the future holds for the Yu Family, no one knows except for me. Why should I have to face future storms with the Yu Family just because of this rtionship? On what grounds?

    "Xiao, don¡¯t be like this, let¡¯s talk nicely," Bai Song couldn¡¯t stand by anymore, having roughly understood that these were the rtives of Bai Xiao¡¯s biological mother. Regardless, Bai Xiao¡¯s background had be an open secret. As her brother and family member, he also hoped that Bai Xiao could have reliable rtives; their ability to help Bai Xiao was limited, unlike these people before him who clearly had status as officials.

    If these were Bai Xiao¡¯s rtives, they would surely help her in many ways, much more so than the rest of us who could only hold her back!

    An Zhiyuan walked over, put his arm around her shoulder, "Let¡¯s talk this over calmly. Come, sit down, no one is going to force you, and no one can force you. Whatever you want to do is okay; I will always support you."

    Suddenly, Bai Xiao felt at peace.

    Yes, no one knows what the future holds, only she does.

    The old man looked at Bai Xiao, his granddaughter, who had almost the exact same face as his daughter but apletely different temperament. Bai Xiao was stubborn, brave, and then there were her medical skills that he had witnessed¡ªshe held a grudge in her heart towards them.

    "Bai Xiao, I know you¡¯re upset. Tell me, what can we do to make you recognize us? As long as you can say it, this old man is willing to stake hisst breath to make it happen."

    Yu Shaohan helped her father sit down, "Bai Xiao, don¡¯t go too far. The old man is of substantial age, and for him to say such words... We don¡¯t owe you anything. If you need to me someone, me your mother, me that Chen Shimei of a father. Theymitted those sins, not us. How did it turn out to be our fault? What did we do wrong?"

    Bai Song pulled Bai Xiao closer, "Xiao, I only just found out about this. Your big brother won¡¯t say much, just that you shouldn¡¯t resist this matter too much. Take it slow. Your big brother respects your choices, no matter which family you belong to; I¡¯m always your real big brother. Big sister and the others feel the same. So don¡¯t be afraid and don¡¯t be angry. All I hope is that you can have a family that truly loves you."

 Chapter 701: Compromise

    <h4>Chapter 701: Chapter 701: Compromise</h4><h4></h4>

    "You understand what I mean! It¡¯s not that your older brothers and sisters don¡¯t love you. You grew up before our eyes, you are our most beloved sister, and also the child our parents worry about the most. In this lifetime, we will always be your closest kin, but considering Grandma¡¯s situation, you will never be able to be close to her.

    Your elder brother isn¡¯t a fool, and it¡¯s only because of us that you haven¡¯tpletely severed ties with Grandma.

    But to ask you to be close to Grandma, that is absolutely impossible, so you should have other rtives, at least ones that you can visit."

    The old man coughed, tears nearly falling, this young person was really too sensible.

    Those words warmed everyone¡¯s hearts.

    "Bai Xiao, if you really don¡¯t want to, you can treat us as distant rtives as well, it¡¯s okay not to interact, we just hope to know that you are well, your grandfather doesn¡¯t ask for more. If you want to visit us, do so; if you don¡¯t want toe back, we wille to see you, alright?"

    Truthfully speaking, the Yu Family really doesn¡¯t owe me anything.

    But she doesn¡¯t owe the Yu Family either.

    This is an issue without a clear distinction of right or wrong, the answer is simply a personal choice from one¡¯s heart.

    But seeing the olddy secretly wiping her eyes in the kitchen! Pretending she hadn¡¯t heard anything, there picking vegetables, bending over backward despite her age toe to the door, begging shamelessly, wasn¡¯t it all because she is Shao Ya¡¯s daughter? If not for this blood rtion, perhaps the two elderly people could have been influential figures outside! And yet they needed to kowtow to a young girl like this.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s heart softened after all; she has never been a hard-hearted woman, which was indeed a w.

    "After dinner, you should hurry back, don¡¯t trouble yourselves with running back and forth, it¡¯s too much of a hassle."

    Her tone was far from pleasant, but it immediately relieved the tense Mr. Yu, his cheeks flushing with color! It seemed as if his vitality had instantly recovered.

    Bai Song patted his sister¡¯s shoulder and pulled the old man to the sofa, "Old man, let me keep youpany for a game of chess!" easing the atmosphere for everyone.

    The old man perked up immediately upon hearing this.

    He nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes. You don¡¯t know how rare it is to find a young person who respects the elderly and cherishes the young like you. Everyone in our family avoids ying chess with me! They see me and run faster than anyone else." He clutched Bai Song¡¯s hand tightly and wouldn¡¯t let go, ordering Yu Shaohua to bring the chessboard.

    Yu Shaohua cast a sympathetic nce at Bai Song.

    This was truly like walking into a trap.

    An Zhiyuan found a chessboard in the bedroom, a housewarming gift from arade that hadn¡¯t even been unwrapped yet, and now it would be put to good use.

    The old man opened it himself in no time, pulling Bai Song alongside, pleased as can be.

    "You are Bai Xiao¡¯s brother, clearly a good one. I have heard that for these past years, it was you and your siblings who supported Bai Xiao. I really must thank you," the old man said, recalling the documents reported in those files, how Bai Xiao lost her parents at fourteen, and how her foster parents treated her like their own. Her siblings contributed more to her upbringing than anyone else! It was this family that raised their Bai Xiao.

    This has resulted in such a sessful granddaughter today.

    Thinking about it, they are truly benefactors to their family.

    Thinking back to how that little person was raised well through the hardships endured by this family, they owed them a great debt.

    Bai Songughed, "Old man, look at what you¡¯re saying, Bai Xiao is our sister, it¡¯s only right. There¡¯s no need for thanks."

    The old man liked him even more for it.

 Chapter 702: Scalding Injury

    <h4>Chapter 702: Chapter 702: Scalding Injury</h4><h4></h4>

    Yu Shaohua sat in front of the two people, watching them y chess.

    Yu Shaohan was so annoyed with Bai Song, but now it was not her turn to speak! If she said something unpleasant at this moment, she guessed her own father would not take it well.

    He might even p her.

    She went to the kitchen to help; meanwhile, Yan Chunlu kept holding onto Bai Xiao without letting go, finally realizing that Bai Xiao was her sister, her aunt¡¯s sister, which meant her own sister. How could it not be different?

    An Zhiyuan saw that there was nothing for him here and also grabbed a chair to sit in front of the old man, watching their game.

    Only then did he understand the expression Yu Shaohua had earlier.

    The old man was just... terrible at chess!

    "Mom, let me do it!"

    Yu Shaohan took the knife from the olddy, who quickly checked the chicken soup in the sandpot and skimmed the foam off the surface with a spoon.

    "I am so happy today!"

    Yu Shaohan sulked, "Mom, you and dad are so biased! When my older sister was around, you only had eyes for her, treating me and my older brothers as if we weren¡¯t even your own. And now it¡¯s the same with my niece. Aren¡¯t you afraid the younger ones in the family will get jealous?" Competing with her own sister for their parents¡¯ love was truly the one tragedy of her life.

    The problem was, her sister had died! It became a lifelong regret that she could never ovee.

    The olddy tapped her on the head, "It¡¯s only you who is petty, as small-minded as the tip of a needle. When you were little and fought with your sister over things, whatever she liked, you had to have it too; nothing has changed. You¡¯re grown up now; I think Chunlu from your family is better than you, she would never be jealous of Xiao. After all that child has suffered, shouldn¡¯t we show her some love?" A gnawing worry finally lifted from her heart, and the olddy¡¯s wrinkles smoothed out.

    The second daughter had a tough life and bad luck with people, what could be done? But this girl was different from her daughter; I don¡¯t know whom she takes after!

    "Mom, I think this girl isn¡¯t so easy to talk to; aren¡¯t you afraid she won¡¯t be close with you too? I don¡¯t understand why," Yu Shaohan felt a surge of irritation whenever she thought of Bai Xiao. Putting aside Bai Song¡¯s issues, her first encounter with Bai Xiao was unpleasant, and future interactions were likely going to be tough.

    "Rted or not, she¡¯s still your sister¡¯s child. It doesn¡¯t matter if she doesn¡¯t recognize us, but we can¡¯t deny her. The child did nothing wrong; we haven¡¯t looked after her at all but now suddenly show up wanting to act as her elders. I wouldn¡¯t like it either.

    Who wants another elder to deal with?"

    The olddy added oil to the pan to fry a fish.

    She rubbed some ginger on the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking, then ced the freshly killed fish inside. As soon as it hit the frying pan, it sizzled, and oil sshed everywhere.

    Yu Shaohan stepped back.

    "Mom, you¡¯re trying to ruin your daughter¡¯s face!"

    Mom hadn¡¯t spent much time cooking in her life, except during the mandatorybor during her rural cement, the olddy seldom cooked.

    The olddy was beaming with joy.

    Being happy meant cooking.

    Winning over her granddaughter¡¯s stomach would rely on these offerings.

    She took a spat to flip the fish to fry the other side, but then tragedy struck.

    The fish flipped alright, but sttered oil everywhere, burning the back of the olddy¡¯s hand with hot oil.

    Yu Shaohan screamed instantly.

    "Mom¡¯s been burnt by the oil."

 Chapter 703 Stirring Up Trouble

    <h4>Chapter 703: Chapter 703 Stirring Up Trouble</h4><h4></h4>

    The elderly woman had already thrown the spat out of her hand in pain.

    Bai Xiao had heard the noise! She rushed into the kitchen with the speed of an arrow and saw that blisters were already forming rapidly on the olddy¡¯s hand.

    She grabbed the elderly woman¡¯s hand and ran it under the tap, turning on the cold water to rinse the wound.

    Yu Shaohan panicked and eximed, "How dirty is tap water? What if bacteria get in?"

    Yu Shaohua had already rushed in; since he was a surgeon, he naturally knew that burns were within his scope of expertise.

    "Don¡¯t interfere without knowing anything. Bai Xiao is doing the right thing. We need to flush it for at least half an hour to cool down the skin on her hand," he advised.

    He nced at Bai Xiao approvingly. No matter how one looked at it, Bai Xiao¡¯s approach was correct.

    Half an hourter, the olddy sat on the sofa, surrounded by a crowd of people, all looking tense.

    By then, the olddy was groaning in pain continuously.

    The sight of a transparent,rge blister slowly swelling on her hand was enough to make anyone¡¯s heart jump.

    The old man felt a pang of heartache as he watched and impatiently directed his son, "Quickly treat your mother¡¯s hand, or she¡¯s going to die from the pain! Aren¡¯t you the Dean? What have you done with your lifetime of medical skills? Now, when it¡¯s time to use them, you¡¯re practically useless. Look at how much pain your mother is in." The old man was distressed for his wife, who had endured many hardships with him throughout their life, never experiencing any luxury, but certainly not a shortage of suffering.

    During the struggle sessions in the production team back then, when he was being denounced and targeted with cards and big-character posters, it was his wife who desperately protected him. She stood by him as they were made to parade the streets with that card, while people threw stones at them. Without his wife, the weight of that card alone could have killed him several times over during those forced parades.

    That card weighed at least several dozen kilos.

    But now, seeing his wife suffer like this, his heart was in deep agony.

    Yu Shaohua was at a loss for words.

    His own father was quite reasonable indeed!

    "Dad, all we can do now is to burst the blister and apply medication, but this isn¡¯t a burn hospital, so we have to get her to a burn hospital in another district. I¡¯ve already contacted a vehicle. Please don¡¯t panic," he exined.

    He was lucky to be the man¡¯s own son, otherwise, he might have been tormented to death by his own father.

    The olddy¡¯s face had gone pale from the pain.

    Bai Xiao sighed.

    She took out her acupuncture kit.

    Yu Shaohua¡¯s eyes brightened up.

    Of course!

    How could he have forgotten.

    Although Bai Xiao practiced Traditional Chinese Medicine, her skills in acupuncture pain relief were witnessed by many, truly no need to brag about it.

    "Xiao, what are you doing?" the old man jumped in shock.

    He always knew his granddaughter was capable, but he really wasn¡¯t clear on the specifics of her skills.

    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not going to eat anyone. I¡¯m just going to insert a couple of needles," she said, without exining any further, and not too pleasantly either.

    The old man¡¯s heart skipped a beat.

    He watched Bai Xiao disinfect the silver needles, his eyes twitching with each movement.

    Yu Shaohan recklessly tried to stop her, "No, Bai Xiao! Take your issues up with me, but this is your grandmother, after all. Even if you don¡¯t acknowledge her, there¡¯s no difference between her age and that of any other old woman out there. Aren¡¯t doctors supposed to havepassionate hearts? How can you bear to see her suffer? Where¡¯s your heart? Can¡¯t you show some kindness and ease the olddy¡¯s pain?"

    Bai Xiao almost spat blood, realizing once again why being the good person is so hard.

    "You¡¯re the one who doesn¡¯t want me to use the needle! Don¡¯t regret itter!" Bai Xiao immediately put away the needle.

    And that was the end of the treatment.

    Yu Shaohua got anxious and pushed Yu Shaohan away, "What are you doing? Messing around for! Bai Xiao¡¯s acupuncture could rece even the anesthetics used in surgery without side effects. It¡¯s just some minor burn pain; it¡¯s an easy job for her. What are you creating chaos for!"

 Chapter 704: Administering Acupuncture

    <h4>Chapter 704: Chapter 704: Administering Acupuncture</h4><h4></h4>

    "Bai Xiao, don¡¯t mind her, she doesn¡¯t understand the situation, just do it!"

    She automatically blocked out everyone else.

    Yu Shaohan wanted to say something else, but the elderlydy grabbed Bai Xiao¡¯s hand, took a breath of cold air, and, clenching her cheek, said, "Xiao, go ahead, what¡¯s there to fear at my age! Do it!"

    This was the first time her granddaughter had reached out to her in kindness, and whether it was one needle or ten, she was prepared to endure it.

    Even if her granddaughter¡¯s medical skills were not good, she wanted to let her do it for the sentiment involved.

    "Mom! It¡¯s one thing for my older brother to be messing around, but why are you joining in on this too? The whole family is being so superstitious; what are you all trying to do? I¡¯ve never heard of treating a burn with acupuncture - this is ridiculous!" Yu Shaohan stomped her feet with frustration.

    She couldn¡¯t figure out what kind of enchanting drug Bai Xiao had given to her parents and older brother.

    Bai Xiao coldly took out the silver needle and inserted it into the position of the tiger¡¯s mouth on the olddy¡¯s wrist, and did the same with the other wrist.

    It wasn¡¯t as painful as she had imagined. The elderlydy squinted her eyes and took a furtive nce, feeling as if the pain had lessened.

    It wasn¡¯t clear whether the pain had actually subsided or if it was just psychological.

    She opened her eyes with a giggly smile.

    "It really doesn¡¯t hurt anymore!" She wanted to reach out and touch Bai Xiao, but as soon as she moved, Bai Xiao quickly restrained her restless hand.

    Yu Shaohua chided his own mother, "Mom, just calm down for a bit. Bai Xiao is very capable. She assisted in a surgery at our hospital where the patient was allergic to the anesthetic; it was Bai Xiao who provided acupuncture support. Don¡¯t underestimate her, she¡¯s known for performing cesarean sections without anesthesia on the battlefield."

    He beamed with pride. How he wished she were his daughter; it always seemed that the best daughters belonged to other families.

    Ah!

    The old man noticed that his wife¡¯s expression was no longer as pained as before, and her cries of agony had ceased; the anxiety hanging in his throat finally descended back to his stomach. Looking at Bai Xiao, he felt even more fond of her; this girl had truly been well raised by the Bai Family.

    Yu Shaohan was at a loss for words. In fact, she had some preconceived biases against Bai Xiao, thinking that the girl was unfriendly towards them. Plus, with Bai Song being her brother, she naturally felt averse. But the reality often had a way of proving one wrong.

    Yan Chunlu nudged her mother, "Mom, Bai Xiao is really good at what she does. Remember the acupuncture I told you about that stopped the bleeding during that car ident? That was her. Back then, didn¡¯t you also praise her as a very capable doctor?"

    She wanted Yu Shaohan to get along better with Bai Xiao, hoping it might also change her attitude towards Bai Song.

    Her mother had greatly misunderstood Bai Song.

    Bai Song was not as self-serving as Yu Shaohan imagined. He hadn¡¯t even shown interest in her yet.

    It was all a one-sided affection.

    "I get it! Just you with that mouth; I was just worried earlier on."

    Perhaps it was an illusion, but everyone felt as though therge blister on the olddy¡¯s hand had somehow shrunk and didn¡¯t look as severe and exaggerated anymore.

    Bai Xiao removed the needles, knowing it couldn¡¯t be cured in one go.

    Everything in moderation.

    "Okay then, pay attention to the wound these next few days, and you still should visit a burn hospital. This is just symptomatic treatment, not a cure."

    As she said this, the ambnce arrived.

    Yu Shaohua and the rest of the family followed the elderlydy to the burn hospital, but Bai Xiao didn¡¯t go with them.

    There were too many people for the ambnce to amodate, after all.

    Yu Shaohan and Yan Chunlu didn¡¯t go either.

    With the elderlydy gone, Yu Shaohan didn¡¯t want to stay there, feeling somewhat uneasy.

 Chapter 705 Itâ€™s Just My Wishful Thinking

    <h4>Chapter 705: Chapter 705 It¡¯s Just My Wishful Thinking</h4><h4></h4>

    ncing at Yan Chunlu¡¯s pitiful state, her gaze was unable to break away from Bai Song.

    "Bai Xiao, I know that I used to have a bad attitude, but no matter what, I am your aunt. I hope that from now on you will consider Chunlu as your own family and think more about her." The stiffness in her voice made Bai Xiao unhappy as well.

    Yu Shaohan¡¯s attitude was truly ufortable, lofty and condescending, as if Bai Xiao owed her millions.

    In fact, if it weren¡¯t for the old master, she really wouldn¡¯t want to have any entanglement with the Yu Family.

    "To apologize with such a level of effort, you must be the first since the beginning of time. If you¡¯re not willing, don¡¯t force yourself. I¡¯ve gone so many years without an aunt, and it won¡¯t make a difference if I don¡¯t have one in the future either. Why force yourself? I¡¯m not crying and shouting to acknowledge this rtion. Don¡¯t act like you¡¯re some kind of savior."

    Bai Xiao was truly speechless. The Yu Family¡¯s future misfortune was indeedrgely rted to Yu Shaohan, who was a person more than capable of ruining things without achieving anything.

    "You... Is this the way you treat your elders? To be born by a mother and..." The rest of the words would have been too much, and Yu Shaohan realized it, choosing to close her mouth.

    "You¡¯re actually not wrong, my own mother didn¡¯t teach me how to respect my elders, so you should leave."

    Bai Xiao was truly infuriated.

    An Zhiyuan opened the door, "Please leave my house. To speak such things to my wife in our home, you¡¯re probably the first. We have no use for such rtives, so please don¡¯t show up at our house again in the future. You¡¯re not wee."

    To insult Bai Xiao was to insult himself. An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao were united in their enmity; whatever Bai Xiao disliked, An Zhiyuan supported unconditionally.

    Bai Xiao thought to herself, domineering.

    "Fine, you don¡¯t care for me as your aunt, and I don¡¯t like you as my niece. We truly repulse each other. Let me say one more thing, Bai Song, it¡¯s impossible between my daughter and you. Please don¡¯t harass my daughter again in the future, she¡¯s not someone from your world." These were the words Yu Shaohan had been wanting to say all along.

    Yu Shaohan had been holding back this breath of anger from the very beginning.

    Seeing Bai Song¡¯s harmonious interaction with the old master and even being favored by him, she had already conspired in her mind, categorizing Bai Song among those scheming men who sought to curry favor with his elders, aiming to rise up step by step, soaring to the skies.

    Bai Song walked up to Yu Shaohan straightforwardly, "Auntie, you must have misunderstood. It seems that it should be me saying these words. I have tried my best to avoid Yan Chunlu. She has seriously disrupted my life. I¡¯ve made it clear that we are not a fit, but she insists on her own beliefs. We are definitely not suitable for each other! Especially with such an attitude you¡¯ve taken towards my sister, who is also your own niece, I think that makes any connection between us even more impossible."

    Defending his sister from being bullied was absolutely necessary.

    Bai Xiao was touched; how could she not be? She was truly fortunate.

    Yan Chunlu pulled at her mother, ashamed, her mother was here to create a scene, obviouslying to disrupt everything.

    "Mom, what are you saying? Nothing happened, it was my own wishful thinking, it has nothing to do with him, the one who is obsessed is me, not him. Do you feel better now that I say this? Are you happy now to leave me with no dignity?"

    "Yes, Bai Song really looks down on me. It was I who chased after him incessantly, and still, he showed not a shred of interest. Are you satisfied now?" Yan Chunlu cried as she ran out.

    Yu Shaohan red fiercely at Bai Song and chased after her daughter.

 Chapter 706 Favoritism

    <h4>Chapter 706: Chapter 706 Favoritism</h4><h4></h4>

    The meal ended on a discordant note, and Bai Xiao was also troubled.

    Left alone, Bai Xiao cooked the meal, and the three of them ate in silence.

    Bai Xiao packed some chicken soup in a thermos, and An Zhiyuan took it to the hospital, knowing his wife was someone with a tough exterior but a soft heart.

    Though Bai Xiao said nothing, it was clear to all that the soup in the thermos was meant for the elderly grandparents.

    He might as well y the mediator.

    Suddenly having a wife with so many rtives indeed took some getting used to.

    Bai Song was also due to return to his military unit, and this was their only chance to see each other as Bai Song was about to rotate to the frontlines.

    Even though Bai Xiao was worried, she knew there was nothing to be done.

    Unless she followed her brother to the battlefield, there was no way to look after Bai Song for long.

    The siblings parted ways.

    An Zhiyuan returned and reported that the olddy¡¯s injuries were not serious. After applying medication, they returned to the hotel they were staying in. He delivered the chicken soup, and the grandparents were delighted, naturally aware that it was their granddaughter¡¯s sentiment.

    It didn¡¯t matter to them that in fact, the olddy herself had cooked the soup.

    However, that meal had been disrupted.

    The olddy, with her wrist bandaged, leaned against the headboard, "Old man, who would have thought our Xiaoya would have such a formidable daughter? She¡¯s nothing like us; I find her temperament reserved¡ªnot one to show weakness or be soft-hearted. I suspect this has to do with her experiences as a child.

    Yes, after suffering so much back then, it¡¯s hard for the girl to ce her trust in people again."

    "Let¡¯s not talk about it. It¡¯s hard to say who was right or wrong, but now that she¡¯s back with us and, as you¡¯ve seen, she¡¯s quite capable herself, having formed her own family, the child doesn¡¯t acknowledge us probably because she doesn¡¯t want us to disrupt her life. Let¡¯s go back in a few days.

    We shouldn¡¯t force her to ept us all at once; she¡¯s decisive and won¡¯t be constrained by mere kinship. What we should hope for is her happiness," the old man voiced what they both clearly understood.

    Though Bai Xiao reluctantly relented today, that child really was different from what they had imagined.

    Not thepliant girl longing for family affection and protection from abuse, she was instead like a strong tree, unafraid of storms.

    Moreover, they could see that Bai Xiao¡¯s brother was indeed a true elder brother. Bai Xiao listened well to Bai Song, treating himpletely differently from how she treated them.

    They thought the little cabbage beaten down by abuse would crave the protection of a family.

    In reality, the elder brother and sister protected her well.

    And the affection they gave her was why the child was so good to her own family.

    The olddy sighed as well, "No more talking, I understand. There¡¯s still a barrier between this child and us. Rtionships require a foundation of affection, let¡¯s take it slow."

    The old man nced at the olddy¡¯s hand, "How is it? Does it still hurt?"

    "You know, it¡¯s quite strange. It hurt so much when I first scalded it¡ªnot so much hurt, but rather a throbbing pain. But those two injections from Bai Xiao really did provide relief, and I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s my imagination, but I feel like the blisters have gotten much smaller after those two pricks." The olddy was quite delighted; after all, it was the first treatment her granddaughter had performed for her.

    "You feel that way too? I had the same sensation just now but thought my eyes were tricking me." The old manughed, "It seems our granddaughter is indeed capable. But it¡¯s a pity she didn¡¯t go to university."

    "What¡¯s so difficult about going to university? I¡¯ve heard that she was very good in her studies, even got into the aviation school. Bing a doctor was probably due to the family¡¯s financial situation. Haven¡¯t you thought about who her immediate superior is?"

    "Yes, let¡¯s have the eldest allocate a higher education spot for her to further her studies. We wouldn¡¯t be nepotistic¡ªit would be an exception, and if I have to, I¡¯ll force the eldest to do it just this once," the old man exhaled deeply.

 Chapter 707: Drowning in Spit

    <h4>Chapter 707: Chapter 707: Drowning in Spit</h4><h4></h4>

    The elderly couple left Yun Province on the third day.

    Once they were gone, the world finally became peaceful.

    While they were here, Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t really say anything harsh to the elderly couple, because she¡¯s not the type to hurt others.

    She had to treat them well; the elderly couple were the kind to stay put in the house once they settled. Mostly it was Bai Xiao going to work, while the elderlydypletely overhauled her home.

    They added quite a bit of furniture and even refurbished everyday items; even the quilts and mattresses were new¡ªit was as if she was preparing for a daughter¡¯s wedding.

    Bai Xiao was torn betweenughter and tears, wanting to speak up, but seeing the elderlydy¡¯s proud, self-congrattory expression, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to say anything. Let them be, she thought.

    The elderlydy was transferring all her love for Yu Shaoya onto herself, making sure not to upset them. She really couldn¡¯t be the bad guy.

    Wei¡¯s sister was so envious she wished she could move into their house, mainly because the elderlydy was willing to spend the money. She bought anything that was good, anything that Bai Xiao might possibly need.

    She prepared delicious meals for Bai Xiao every day; Bai Xiao herself felt embarrassed by thevish care, a feeling of being loved she hadn¡¯t experienced in many years.

    Suddenly, with the elderlydy there, Bai Xiao could only keep silent and bear it all, this was a mother¡¯s love extended through the bloodline to her daughter!

    That¡¯s why, when the elderly couple left, Bai Xiao immediately felt much more rxed.

    Having those two around had really been stressful.

    Then, she was notified to report to the dean¡¯s office.

    Li Xiangqian winked and teased, "What trouble have you caused recently? Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t keep calling you to the dean¡¯s office."

    No one in the entire hospital knew about Bai Xiao¡¯s rtionship with Yu Shaohua; they also thought it was their private matter and saw no need to broadcast it loud and clear to everyone.

    Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t the type to bully others with her power; she was very low-profile.

    "I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ve done recently. Don¡¯t you know that every day, besides going to work and then getting off work, most of the patients go to you? The few acupuncture patients that I have are all trivial issues, either a sore waist or a backache. Even if I wanted to cause trouble, there¡¯s nowhere to cause it," Bai Xiaoughed, now familiar with Li Xiangqian since both doctors shared an office.

    Poor Li Xiangqian had to take on most of the work in their clinic because there was no way for Bai Xiao to prescribe any medications.

    "Right, the director came back to work today; your good days areing," Li Xiangqian was young and quite fond of this youngdy.

    Whether she could do the job or not was another matter, but looking pretty, she was a delight in the office.

    Bai Xiao smiled, "What do you think of our Director Jin?"

    She never thought of exploiting her previous kindness to have Director Jin open doors for her.

    That wasn¡¯t her style at all.

    "Give me a break. Now the whole hospital knows you¡¯re Director Jin¡¯s life-saver. The nurses and doctors in surgery have spread the word everywhere. That day, the situation was critical. Surgery was impossible without an anesthetic injection, and if an anesthetic was used, Director Jin might have been done for. Caught in such a dilemma, our Dr. Bai, like a knight riding a white horse, solved the big problem with just two silver needles.

    "What do you think Director Jin will do for you?"

    Li Xiangqian spoke with spit flying everywhere.

    Bai Xiao quickly dodged out the door, "I don¡¯t know what Director Jin will do for me, but I definitely know what you will do¡ªyour spit could drown a person!"

    Li Xiangqian¡¯s face turned red, his image, oh his image.

    But she had already left.

 Chapter 708: Training

    <h4>Chapter 708: Chapter 708: Training</h4><h4></h4>

    In Yu Shaohua¡¯s office.

    A training notification lettery in front of Bai Xiao.

    "Dean, this is..."

    Bai Xiao had never called Yu Shaohua "uncle," and Yu didn¡¯t mind it.

    The rtionship needed to be cultivated slowly; he wasn¡¯t in a hurry, and one day this girl would understand that they were all sincerely looking out for her.

    "This is a training spot at Modu Medical University, with a duration of two years. You are originally from Traditional Chinese Medicine, but I have found through investigation that your foundation in Traditional Chinese Medicine is not very solid. Although your skills in Acupuncture are indeed very impressive, one cannot im they cure all illnesses, they can solve many symptoms, but we must not confine ourselves tocency.

    In this era, to master a unique skill that prevails everywhere is no longer possible; technological advancement is too rapid. We, as doctors, also need to strive to improve our technical proficiency.

    This is an excellent opportunity.

    I hope you will grasp this opportunity well. I know that previously, your learning capability was very strong, and I believe you won¡¯t miss out on this opportunity.

    Furthermore, this Medical University is, indeed, crammed with talent. Every year, just for our military and major hospitals alone, it provides hundreds of medical talents. This ce is truly a cradle for many doctors. Although Traditional Chinese Medicine is not very emphasized nowadays, I still hope that there, you canpensate for many of your foundational weaknesses and refine your Acupuncture skills.

    So get ready, you are to report there in a couple of days. I will have someone buy your train ticket in these next few days.

    The sry you enjoy at the Medical College won¡¯t be any less. This is a rare training opportunity in our institute, and it was unanimously approved by everyone at our institute¡¯s seminar. There¡¯s not a trace of favoritism in it."

    Yu Shaohua¡¯s face turned slightly red; in reality, he was nning to show favoritism initially.

    His grandfather really pulled out all the stops; if he had refused, his grandfather would likely have thrown a fit right in front of him.

    What waspletely unexpected was that when this resolution was proposed at the conference, the Head of Surgery was the first to express agreement. Director Jin of Traditional Chinese Medicine had already resumed work; with the support of these two directors, everyone else had also heard the various rumors about Doctor Bai.

    Moreover, it had nothing to do with their department.

    Thus, the resolution was passed exceptionally smoothly.

    Yu Shaohua hadn¡¯t expected Bai Xiao to hold such a high regard in the minds of the Head of Surgery.

    After the meeting, it was only then that the Head of Surgery shared his true feelings, saying that those foreign experts were adamant and were scheming to poach Bai Xiao. If their hospital didn¡¯t provide such a talent with an opportunity for further growth, it would be akin to handing such talent over to someone else¡¯s doorstep.

    In fact, even if the Dean had not spoken, the Head of Surgery was already prepared to apply for it, including Director Jin who, right upon his appointment, didn¡¯t care if it seemed like he was mixing personal motives with public ones, also stated that talents like Bai Xiao should be given greater opportunities for advancement.

    The only regret regarding Doctor Bai now was that her educational level was a drawback.

    But for these doctors of military background, many didn¡¯t possess such formal academic qualifications.

    To gild and reform was not very difficult.

    Just send the person to study properly at Medical University for two years; there was no need for an internship, this ce was the best situation.

    They were confident.

    They couldn¡¯t let a talent like Doctor Bai be buried among the masses, especially when those foreigners were still covetously watching.

 Chapter 709: Thank You

    <h4>Chapter 709: Chapter 709: Thank You</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao walked out of the Dean¡¯s office, then held up the notice and smiled at the brilliant sunshine.

    Yes, the long-missed opportunity for further study.

    The interrupted n was finally back on the agenda.

    Suddenly, a realization hit her: life is always full of unexpected surprises.

    She was finally going to college.

    It seemed that after so many detours, after two years, she was truly stepping into a university, finally having the opportunity to attend college in her lifetime!

    She had given up, but she wouldn¡¯t regret it, such life experiences, no one would want to forsake, they are the glories too precious to part with.

    The corners of her mouth lifted, revealing her most beautiful smile.

    Passersby greeted Bai Xiao, and although she didn¡¯t know many of them, many recognized her.

    "Doctor Bai!"

    "Doctor Bai!"

    Bai Xiao responded with a smile to each.

    Returning to her department, before she entered, Director Jin had already poked his head out from the opposite director¡¯s office, "Doctor Bai,e here for a moment."

    Li gestured with his hand, no need to say, Director Jin was definitely expressing gratitude.

    Bai Xiao walked in, and now there really were no patients, Wang Zhiwen¡¯s smile was quite forced, that smile was more appropriately described as bitter.

    "Doctor Bai is here!"

    The greeting was absolutely insincere, tinged with mild jealousy.

    Bai Xiao looked at the training notice in her hand, understanding everything.

    In the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, only four people, and as a new doctor, she had taken someone else¡¯s spot, Wang Zhiwen must surely be feeling resentful! But he knew it was inevitable, a helpless frustration.

    "Doctor Bai! You¡¯ve received the notice, right? Congrattions on your further training, this is a great opportunity! I hope you can grasp it well, enhance your professional knowledge, from tomorrow you don¡¯t need toe to work! Spend these two days packing your bags, preparing to go to school, we¡¯ll be waiting for the day you return with your new knowledge." Director Jin was extremely emotional, he had always sided with Wang Zhiwen, thinking Bai Xiao was one of those who relied on connections and had no real skills.

    The true story really told him, never to judge someone lightly, what you think is a fact might never be the actual fact.

    "Director Jin, thank you all! Thank you, everyone."

    Bai Xiao was somewhat reluctant as well, just when she was getting familiar with everyone and was yet to develop deep rtionships, she had to leave abruptly.

    Sometimes she found it odd, in that ce, just as she was warming the bed, she had to move, and there were really not many old colleagues with whom she could havesting interactions.

    "Also! Bai Xiao, thank you, this thank you is on my behalf, your sister-inw wants to invite you to our house for a meal, both of us want to thank you." Director Jin finally voiced his real intention.

    Since thest time he got off the surgery table, the Head of Surgery had exined the peril at that time, it was literally a matter of life and death, many foreign experts had suggested it was better to let him be a vegetable than to let him die.

    But it was because of Bai Xiao¡¯s intervention! Everything changed, otherwise, he probably wouldn¡¯t be like this now.

    His wife and children at home were terrified, the whole family was deeply grateful to Bai Xiao.

    His wife had even said they should present Doctor Bai with a silk banner.

    This was what a real doctor should be.

    A doctor¡¯s benevolence.

    Never giving up any chance to treat a patient.

    Bai Xiao wanted to refuse, as that would like epting benefits from patients.

    Director Jin pped his hands boldly, "Tonight, everyone from our department will go, it¡¯s also a farewell for Doctor Bai, nobody is excused."

    This was settled.

 Chapter 710 Misunderstanding

    <h4>Chapter 710: Chapter 710 Misunderstanding</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao returned to the department, just as Li Xiangqian was bidding farewell to a patient. Seeing her in a daze, he said, "What¡¯s wrong with you? Did Director Jin¡¯s deep bow frighten you? That¡¯s hardly likely, you¡¯re the renowned Doctor Bai, after all."

    He still didn¡¯t know the news about Bai Xiao¡¯s departure.

    "Director Jin invited everyone to dinner at his home tonight."

    "What? Director Jin is known to be a miser, and he¡¯s actually inviting us over for dinner? That doesn¡¯t sound right, it should be to thank you! He should be inviting you alone for dinner! Why the hell are me and Wang Zhiwen being dragged into this?" Li Xiangqian was open-minded and thought even more broadly.

    It¡¯s not that hecked ambition, but he wasn¡¯t overly career-driven, and because of that, he was less prone to jealousy andparison, making him more simple and pure at heart.

    It wasn¡¯t clear whether this side of Li Xiangqian was good or bad.

    "It¡¯s because it¡¯s a farewell for me, I¡¯m leaving the hospital. Starting tomorrow, you¡¯ll have the entire consultation room to yourself," Bai Xiao exined atst.

    Li Xiangqian was stunned, then he thought of a possibility. Could it be that Bai Xiao was being removed because her professional skills weren¡¯t up to par?

    This was not eptable.

    "Let¡¯s go! I¡¯m taking you to the Dean. How can they do this to you? You might not be strong in basic knowledge, you can¡¯t prescribe medicine, and you¡¯re unable to take pulses! But your acupuncture skills! Not just in our hospital, but even considering the whole country¡¯s Traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncturists, who can match you?

    You¡¯re a specialist with unique skills. Keeping you at our hospital will bring immeasurable impact on its development. The Dean and others shouldn¡¯t just focus on these minor blemishes, it¡¯s a loss of talent! I¡¯ll speak on your behalf." He grabbed Bai Xiao and headed outside.

    He had already concocted in his head the Dean and Director¡¯s persecution of Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiaoughed so hard she nearly ran out of breath, leaving Li Xiangqian baffled.

    "Doctor Bai! You haven¡¯t gone mad from anger, have you? To stillugh!"

    There was nothingughable about the situation.

    About to be unemployed and still managing tough, it was indeed admirable.

    Li Xiangqian was angry at herck of fight.

    "You¡¯ve got it all wrong, the Dean is sending me for further training, not firing me, haha, haha, Doctor Li, you¡¯re truly straightforward. I don¡¯t even know how to thank you. I really appreciate your concern," Bai Xiaoughed uncontrobly.

    Li Xiangqian finally got it! He had foolishly jumped to conclusions.

    Feeling gutted, he pointed at Bai Xiao, "You! You... great, Doctor Bai, you¡¯ve been misleading me on purpose, taking advantage of a pure and kind person like myself, that¡¯s too much! You¡¯ve hurt my tender heart. Don¡¯t you feel a stab of conscience seeing such an innocent person spun around by your deceit?"

    Bai Xiao, with a grin, tucked her hands in her pockets, "That¡¯s twisting the truth. Who has misinformed you? Doctor Bai never said a word about being fired; it¡¯s all your wild imagination, and now you¡¯re ming innocent people. What kind of way is this to shirk responsibility? Doesn¡¯t your conscience hurt?"

    Having said that, she quickly made her getaway, while Li Xiangqian, fuming, clenched his fists and dashed out! By the time he reached the corridor, there was nobody in sight.

    "Doctor Bai, that¡¯s bullying! I... I... Today, I¡¯m going to eat two bowls of rice! Humph!" Li Xiangqian tried to sound as righteous as possible.

    He closed the door to the consultation room and, ignoring the giggling of the junior nurses, went to the cafeteria for his meal.

    No sooner had he disappeared down the stairwell than bursts ofughter erupted in the corridor.

    Li Xiangqian¡¯s face darkened.

    Bai Xiao, oh Bai Xiao, she was indeed his nemesis.

 Chapter 711: A Changed Successor

    <h4>Chapter 711: Chapter 711: A Changed Sessor</h4><h4></h4>

    After work in the evening, Director Jin and his party of four returned to his home in the hospitalplex, which was a small two-bedroom apartment.

    It wasn¡¯t big, but it was very cozy.

    As soon as the door opened, Director Jin¡¯s spouse, Xiaomei, warmly came out to greet them, still wearing an apron, while a young boy was helping his mother pick vegetables. As soon as he heard the sound of the door, he ran out.

    Both pairs of eyes eagerly watched Bai Xiao, because she was the only female doctor among the four.

    They absolutely couldn¡¯t mistake the person.

    "Dr. Bai, Dr. Li, Xiaowang,e in quick, look how busy I am, please,e sit down. Xiaoweng, go pour some tea for everyone, and bring out the fruit as well," she continued, busily instructing her son.

    Xiaoweng hurriedly put down the vegetables he was holding, poured three cups of tea, and respectfully handed one to Bai Xiao, "Dr. Bai! Have some tea."

    The little guy¡¯s eyes were filled with gratitude.

    Bai Xiao was somewhat overwhelmed by the sincere hospitality of Director Jin¡¯s family.

    This gratitude indeed gave her a bit of a psychological burden.

    What people didn¡¯t know about Director Jin was that initially he treated a patient simply as a patient, not because the patient was Director Jin, but because Director Jin was a patient himself.

    Director Jin smiled and said, "This is my son! He¡¯s in high school now. This kid is so inspired by Dr. Bai! He told me he wants to study Traditional Chinese Medicine, promote the culture of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and be a master of Acupuncture just like Dr. Bai." Watching his son, Director Jin couldn¡¯t help feeling content! This child had always been a source of worry since he was young, but today, he was inspired by Dr. Bai.

    A mentor in life, indeed, his son had reformed due to Dr. Bai.

    Bai Xiao chuckled.

    Liughed, "Kid, you¡¯re following in your father¡¯s footsteps. I¡¯ve heard about your honorable deeds. Your dad said you¡¯d rather die than study Traditional Chinese Medicine! You used to say that those herbal medicines were just symptomatic treatments and not true cures! They¡¯re slow to take effect and you particrly looked down on us Traditional Chinese Medicine doctors, including your dad.

    "So, this time you¡¯ve realized what true Traditional Chinese Medicine is, haven¡¯t you?"

    Seeing a child turn over a new leaf, especially from disdain for Traditional Chinese Medicine to a fascination with it, could indeed be considered a boundless merit of Dr. Bai.

    Xiaoweng nced awkwardly at Bai Xiao, his eyes full of fear of being disdained by his idol.

    "Not at all! Uncle Li, I was just ignorant and young, who hasn¡¯t gone through a rebellious phase in their youth? Now, I¡¯m fully devoted to Traditional Chinese Medicine! I¡¯ve already made up my mind with my dad that I¡¯m definitely going to the Medical University and my major will surely be Traditional Chinese Medicine. Dr. Bai, they say a prodigal who returns is more precious than gold, you won¡¯t look down on me, will you?"

    Bai Xiaoughed, actually understanding the boy¡¯s thoughts.

    However, she hadn¡¯t expected that just one person like herself could influence the next generation to change their views, which was indeed a pleasant surprise.

    "How could I? Everyone has a period when they think they must experience something firsthand to believe in what others say. But the fact that you want to apply for Traditional Chinese Medicine impresses me. You should know that the knowledge our ancestors left us carries profound cultural heritage. Moreover, never underestimate Traditional Chinese Medicine; if truly mastered, aplished Traditional Chinese Medicine doctors can indeed perform miraculous cures. What I do is just a small part of it. Traditional Chinese Medicine is truly vast and profound.

    "Many diseases that Western medicine fails to treat effectively might respond astonishingly well to a few doses of Traditional Chinese Medicine. But nowadays people are too utilitarian and always hope for a pill that brings immediate relief, whilepletely disregarding the damage it may do to their liver and kidneys."

 Chapter 712: New Ideas

    <h4>Chapter 712: Chapter 712: New Ideas</h4><h4></h4>

    "Doctor Bai! Is Traditional Chinese Medicine really that powerful?" Xiaoweng truly admired it from the bottom of his heart.

    Li Xiangqianughed heartily and patted Xiaoweng on the shoulder, "Think about it, Doctor Bai¡¯s acupuncture can actually rece anesthesia. I can bluntly tell you, Traditional Chinese Medicine can do many more miraculous things. It all depends on how you learn and how you view it. Traditional Chinese Medicine is indeed powerful."

    Director Jin was also cheerful. His son was very difficult to discipline, and he always hoped to pass down the skills he had acquired in his lifetime.

    He had long since be disheartened with disciplining his son, as the boy¡¯s disdain made it very difficult for father and son tomunicate.

    But ever since his own surgery, after his son heard about Doctor Bai¡¯s miraculous acupuncture recing anesthesia, he was utterly in awe of Doctor Bai, treating him like a deity, and was eager to have Doctor Bai as his master.

    From then on, the child changed a lot and gradually became interested in Traditional Chinese Medicine, often flipping through the herbal books and basic theory in his own bookcase, and even asionally interacting with them.

    Director Jin finally felt a sense of having waited until the clouds parted to reveal the moon.

    All thanks to Bai Xiao.

    "Of course! If you don¡¯t believe me, just ask Doctor Bai." That was the time to encourage the child.

    To inspire him with the motivation to continue moving forward.

    Director Jin looked at Bai Xiao with a pleading gaze.

    Bai Xiao was silent, looking at Xiaoweng¡¯s sincere and serious eyes, suddenly feeling a bit ashamed from the bottom of his heart.

    Speaking bluntly, his skill in Traditional Chinese Medicine was half-baked at best. He had only learned a little bit of the basics, and he could not even truly im to have scratched the surface, essentially putting on a fa?ade.

    "Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine are the same in that as long as they can cure diseases and save people, it does not matter whether it is Traditional Chinese Medicine or Western Medicine. What we really need to do, considering the needs of future societal development, is to integrate Traditional and Western Medicine. This is the path that suits our country¡¯s development."

    After all, Traditional Chinese Medicine is our heritage. To abandon it could mean the extinction of ancient cultural traditions! But Western Medicine has its advantages too, and we should not oppose others just because we aremitted to one thing.

    "I hope that during my time at Medical University, I can calm down and seriously study this area. Of course, I also hope that young people like you will join this research, allowing our national essence to disy its charm once again."

    A righteous speech! But Bai Xiao genuinely hoped that kids like Xiaoweng wouldn¡¯t approach learning with prejudice. This generation must be instilled with a correct set of moral and value judgements.

    Director Jin mmed his hand on the table, excited, "Right, what Doctor Bai said is excellent. The integration of Traditional and Western Medicine is indeed the feasible path for the future development of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Doctor Bai! What you said is wonderful. This thought is great¡ªwe must go back and apply with the Dean to begin exploring this path of integration. We can pioneer a project as a precedent for other hospitals."

    Li Xiangqian and Wang Zhiwen also couldn¡¯t help but reflect! The integration of Traditional and Western Medicine, when they thought about it, really seemed promising.

    Take, for example, Bai Xiao¡¯s acupuncture and Western Medicine¡¯s suturing technique; such an integration could reduce manyplications for patients in the future.

    The acupuncture anesthesia developed by their ancestors had beenpletely phased out due to the intervention of Western anesthesia drugs. But in reality, the effectiveness of acupuncture without anesthesia drugs was far superiorpared to using anesthesia drugs.

    This indeed opened up a new line of thought for them.

 Chapter 713: Drunkenness

    <h4>Chapter 713: Chapter 713: Drunkenness</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao, because of her sister-inw, Xiaoweng, and Director Jin¡¯s repeated toasts, actually felt obliged to drink the three cups of gratitude everyone else was drinking, and the rest was due to her own loose tongue for proposing a n tobine traditional Chinese and western medicine, a suggestion that instantly inspired the three men obsessed with traditional Chinese medicine.

    As a result, before she knew it, she found herself drinking more than she¡¯d intended.

    Although she wasn¡¯t drunk, the slight intoxication painted her cheeks a peachy red, her fair face blooming like peach blossoms, with jet-ck hair and red lips, she was so beautiful that it took one¡¯s breath away.

    And the person whose breath was taken away was Jiang Shaoqing.

    He had finally arrived in Yun Province and only then learned from Shao Ming about the great deeds of Dr. Bai: battling at the gambling stone scene and even acquiring the financial support of a Myanmar tycoon. To put it bluntly, from then on, Bai Xiao could walk sideways when she reached Myanmar territory.

    Jiang Shaoqing didn¡¯t know what to feel.

    They had agreed she would save people, thus owing him a huge favor, which meant their families¡¯ rtionship with Bai Xiao would no longer be based on an unequal treaty, allowing him to breathe a sigh of relief, it seemed.

    Dr. Bai always seemed to have the ability to turn danger into safety with ease, as others would turn their hands for clouds and their hands for rain.

    The dangers he imagined were but a mere dish to Bai Xiao.

    His emotions were aplex blend.

    In his lifetime, he had encountered countless women, skillful in their means, extraordinary in ability, devastatingly beautiful to overthrow states, and no shortage of vases as lovely as fairies, but none were like Bai Xiao.

    This woman, with a face like a vase¡¯s, actually made her living on her abilities and could create a stir no matter the circumstances.

    Jiang Shaoqing himself couldn¡¯t figure out what his attitude towards Bai Xiao was now.

    Did he hope she¡¯d be intelligent and wise, omnipotent, victorious in every battle?

    Or did he wish sometimes she would leave her brain at home, making mistakes from time to time, waiting for someone toe to the rescue?

    He dide to rescue her, after all.

    But it turned out she didn¡¯t need it.

    That was undeniably frustrating, so he drove and parked under Bai Xiao¡¯s building, watching as An Zhiyuan came home and went inside.

    Watching the illumination of the lights in that apartment, Jiang Shaoqing, however, did not see Bai Xiao return.

    This woman noting homete at night! Doesn¡¯t An Zhiyuan care?

    What an interesting couple.

    As he watched, he saw Bai Xiao return home, delivered by someone on a bicycle¡ªa woman who dropped her off and left only after seeing Bai Xiao enter the building.

    Jiang Shaoqing decided to go up, but then in the stairwell, he saw Bai Xiao sitting on the stairs, leaning against the wall, burping from the alcohol.

    The stairwell was filled with the smell of alcohol, and a dazed Bai Xiao looked at him sitting beside her, grinning as she moved closer to Jiang Shaoqing, grabbed his face with augh, let out a big burp, and blew it right into Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s face, causing him to turn his head away.

    Could this woman act with a little more propriety, or did she not have any sense of a woman¡¯s decorum?

    "You... who are you?"

    Bai Xiao rubbed her head, seemingly unable to recall, she sighed, grabbed the railing to stand up, preparing to go upstairs, "An... Zhiyuan... I¡¯m... back... now!"

    Her legs gave way and she was about to fall to the ground, with a flight of stairs underneath her. Jiang Shaoqing didn¡¯t dare think further, as he suddenly felt a shiver shoot through his body.

    By the time he came to his senses, he realized Bai Xiao was lying in his arms, and his hands were wrapped around her waist.

    Bai Xiao pushed him away, her finger inappropriately poking his chest, "What are you... doing? This is... after all... apound, if you dare... to y the rogue, I¡¯ll... scream... indecency."

    "Xiaoxiao!" An abrupt, deep, and maic voice echoed through the stairwell from An Zhiyuan.

 Chapter 714 Subtle

    <h4>Chapter 714: Chapter 714 Subtle</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao saw An Zhiyuan and waved her hand in a naive manner, "An... An..."

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s gaze fell on therge hand that Jiang Shaoqing had around Bai Xiao¡¯s waist, and his eyes darkened.

    He took two steps to Bai Xiao¡¯s side, hisrge hand scooping her up from Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s embrace, "How did you end up this drunk?"

    Although his tone was reproachful, it still carried an indescribable doting.

    Bai Xiao leaned in An Zhiyuan¡¯s embrace, rubbing her head against his chin as if she had found the mostfortable spot, and closed her eyes to sleep.

    An Zhiyuan smiled indulgently.

    This woman.

    Perhaps hearing hisughter, Bai Xiao slowly opened her eyes, but before she could see clearly, she closed them again. Her cheeks rubbed against the arm wrapped around her neck; it feltfortable.

    "Let¡¯s go upstairs! When did you get here?" An Zhiyuan, holding Bai Xiao, walked up and asked Jiang Shaoqing.

    Jiang Shaoqing looked at his now empty hand, a sour feeling welling up inside him, a sourness named jealousy.

    She looked at him with a smile, standing against the wind, her lips curving into a smile, her gaze as gentle as water. She was just in his arms, but she¡¯s that man¡¯s wife! The wife of his good friend.

    Heughed mockingly, "Just arrived. I had intended toe up, but then I saw Doctor Bai sitting on the stairs burping from alcohol."

    An Zhiyuan kicked the door with his foot; he hadn¡¯t shut it when he went downstairs, and from the upstairs window, he saw Bai Xiao get off her bike and walk inside, but he realized something was wrong when he didn¡¯t see here in, so he went out and witnessed the scene just now.

    "Have a seat, I¡¯lle out as soon as I get her settled." He carried her straight to the bedroom, ced her on the bed, took off her shoes, and covered her with a thin nket. Bai Xiao turned over and continued to sleep.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s eyes watched Bai Xiao for a while with a somber expression before he closed the door and came out.

    Jiang Shaoqing sat on the couch, seemingly lost in thought, his gaze fixated on his hands resting on his knees.

    Hearing the footsteps, he naturally lifted his head, his gaze moving past An Zhiyuan¡¯s shoulder to the tightly closed door behind him.

    "Why did youe?" An Zhiyuan started pouring him a cup of tea while fishing out a cigarette.

    The light tea calmed his restless heart. Jiang Shaoqing, with a smile, replied, "Who else but your Doctor Bai could make me go to such lengths?"

    "Hasn¡¯t it ended?" An Zhiyuan wouldn¡¯t forget who Shao Ming belonged to; Bai Xiao had already told him, Shao Ming was Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s man.

    At the time, he had felt a bit ufortable that when his woman faced danger, the one to lend a hand wasn¡¯t him. The result of his reflection was that he made it a point to go home right on time recently, to make up for his mistake, especially when he thought of Bai Xiao being kidnapped by Bai Mei, An Zhiyuan felt like going mad.

    "Yes, I only found out after I arrived. Your wife is a talisman. She always manages to turn bad luck into good. It seems if I run into any trouble in the future, I could just bring your wife over, pray to her, and probably turn a disaster into a blessing." Jiang Shaoqing stood up.

    "Since it¡¯s over, I¡¯ll be leaving. Shao Ming asked me to tell you that Bai Mei has hidden somewhere else, and they haven¡¯t found her yet. Once they do, they¡¯ll bring her to you; that¡¯s what Shao Ming owes Bai Xiao. Also, discuss with your wife about the few billion just sitting at home, which might as well be in the bank. Why not invest it in mypany?"

    An Zhiyuan watched Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s retreating figure until the front door closed with a bang.

 Chapter 715 Drunken Beauty

    <h4>Chapter 715: Chapter 715 Drunken Beauty</h4><h4></h4>

    Back in the bedroom, he closed the bedroom door.

    Bai Xiao felt a warm breath on her cheek, tickling her, followed by someone lifting her arm and asking softly by her ear, "Do you want to change into pajamas before sleeping?"

    She was still somewhat groggy and wanted to sleep, "No!" Her thoughts became chaotic, unable to remember where she was.

    She frowned impatiently, turned over, but did not wake up.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s gaze was dark as he entered the door and saw the girl whose clothes had apparently been half torn off due to the heat. She was wearing a blue skirt that originally reached her calves but was now barely covering her thighs, her round and perky buttocks partially visible. Her white, slender legs bare/revealed, irresistibly drawing the eye. Her long hair was in disarray, covering her chest, with one hand half-raised resting by her head. Her skin was pale and smooth, blooming like peach blossoms under the dim yellow light of the bedsidemp.

    Such an unguarded appearance was rare for Bai Xiao.

    Most of the time she was with him, Bai Xiao was alert, as if she was always on guard, ready for any battle.

    He unbuttoned his shirt, and in a few moments, he was left with little clothing on his body. He leaned forward to pick up Bai Xiao and stripped her of her clothes, his eyes constantly fixed on her face. Gradually, his actions took on a different vor...

    He gently moved the hair from her cheek. Against the backdrop of her ck hair, her skin was as white and solid as snow. He lowered his head, kissed her corbone forcefully, leaving a rosy mark there before he moved along her arm, along her waist downwards, exploring.

    Ever since An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao got married, he hadpletely indulged in fleshly desires, his needs ever increasing and even stronger than the average man. It was as if the umtion of the past dozen or so years was urgently in need of release. He couldn¡¯t hit the brakes, nor could he restrain himself. Plus, the two of them asionally faced separations, making Bai Xiao¡¯s current appearance simply too seductive, practically criminal.

    His lips pressed against hers, the pressure somewhat forceful.

    Suddenly, Bai Xiao felt a slight pain and reached up to push against his chest, trying to push him away, but their lip and tooth entanglement only grew more intense. She tried to push, yet couldn¡¯t budge him.

    She opened her eyes slightly clearer, recognizing the face before her, but felt her hand restlessly wandering over her smooth body.

    "Ayuan... mm,"

    The man¡¯s kisses fell on her chest, rib area, lower abdomen... every inch of skin burned hotly with his touch, as her hands gripped the pillow. His fine kisses traveled down from her pubic bone to her feet, eventually stopping at her ankles, making her involuntarily curl her toes.

    Bai Xiao heard her own increasingly panting breath, her fingers clutching his shoulders. The man was leaning over her, his hands circled around his neck, eyes locked on each other, and she was already slightly more sober.

    "Mmh..." She wanted to grit her teeth, but couldn¡¯t withstand such stimtion; her body was too sensitive. She tightly gripped the bedsheet beneath her, pulling it forcefully.

    She could feel he was different than usual. This side of An Zhiyuan was rarely seen. He was doing it intentionally, still pressing against a certain spot on her body, deliberately rubbing twice, eliciting tingles from her spine, "Mmh... ah... what¡¯s wrong with you?"

    An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t speak; his actions said it all.

    This was his wife!

 Chapter 716 Dissolution

    <h4>Chapter 716: Chapter 716 Dissolution</h4><h4></h4>

    He didn¡¯t speak, but for the first time, he disyed his domineering side. He stared at her intently, fiercely, not allowing her to shrink back.

    Bai Xiao stepped back, her initial excitement gone, and said in a muffled voice, "Even if you¡¯re angry, there has to be a reason, you can¡¯t... ah..."

    She hadn¡¯t sobered up from the alcohol yet when she sensed something off in the atmosphere.

    "Go to sleep!"

    An Zhiyuan turned onto his side and slept in his clothes.

    The atmosphere became tense and awkward.

    Bai Xiao was confused.

    Something wasn¡¯t right today.

    An Zhiyuan wasn¡¯t the kind of person to sulk in silence.

    "You... bastard..."

    Bai Xiao could feel his dominance today; he was almostpletely ungentlemanly, a stark contrast to his usual self, making her feel ufortable and inevitably hurt.

    "Saying I¡¯m a bastard, hm..."

    Grinding his teeth, Colonel An suddenly turned over and leaned close to her ear, panting as he asked, "Who isn¡¯t a bastard? Is it him?" The fire in his chest was burning more fiercely now.

    He remembered thoserge hands around her waist.

    An inexplicable irritability.

    When Bai Xiao opened her eyes, she saw his strainedposure, his jaw tight from clenching his teeth, and a hint of irritation and helplessness in his eyes.

    "Who?"

    She didn¡¯t understand who An Zhiyuan was talking about.

    She was still feeling the effects of the alcohol and had no memory of the recent events.

    An Zhiyuan gripped the headboard with both hands, the veins on his arms standing out. He breathed heavily, his eyes fixed unblinkingly on Bai Xiao. Seeing the confusion in her eyes, he felt a sense of relief. When had he started to doubt himself so much?

    "Just now, Jiang Shaoqing brought you home, even holding you..."

    He didn¡¯t realize the sourness in his words.

    All at once, Bai Xiao understood the reason for his sudden change of temperament; his concern for her had grown far more intense than before, probably kindled by Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s actions.

    She propped herself up with one hand behind her on the bed, lifted herself halfway, and with her other hand, she gently touched his shoulder, her voice soft, "The person I love the most is you."

    He trembled as he stroked her hair and whispered near her lips, "Me too..."

    The two of them leaned against each other.

    The tension finally subsided, and in her drowsy state, Bai Xiao pursued the matter, "Did Jiang Shaoqinge by?"

    Wasn¡¯t An Zhiyuan¡¯s jealousy all because of Jiang Shaoqing?

    But she hadn¡¯t seen Jiang Shaoqing around.

    What was Jiang Shaoqing doing in Yun Province?

    "You¡¯re asking? You drank so much you didn¡¯t know up from down. Sitting on the stairs, making a drunken scene, and that¡¯s when Jiang Shaoqing arrived, specifically for you. I could tell he must have taken a flight and rushed over during the night. He really cares about you." An Zhiyuan¡¯s words were bitter.

    He was aware of Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s merits. Growing up, Jiang Shaoqing and An Zhiyuan were the two kings of the children, the leaders among the kids in thepound.

    It was destined that they would both admire andpete with each other. They were natural rivals.

    Even though they had chosen different paths as they grew up, they were both outstanding in their respective fields.

    An Zhiyuan could clearly see Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s intentions; Jiang Shaoqing was not the kind of man to travel thousands of miles for a woman on a whim. The fact that he had dropped everything toe meant that Bai Xi meant a lot to Jiang Shaoqing.

    Bai Xiao leaned against his chest, cast a sidelong nce, and with her fair fingers lightly tapped on his muscr chest, "No matter how good Jiang Shaoqing is, he can¡¯tpare to you. We¡¯re different. Jiang Shaoqing is just a friend, but you are my man. I can talk business with Jiang Shaoqing, but with you, it¡¯s about marriage. We¡¯re the ones who will spend our lives together." Then she nestled into his embrace and closed her eyes.

    An Zhiyuan finally felt calm and at ease.

    Indeed, she was his wife.

 Chapter 717 Break Up

    <h4>Chapter 717: Chapter 717 Break Up</h4><h4></h4>

    The thunderstorm woke her up.

    It wasn¡¯t fully light yet; the night sky was tinged with early grey. Thunderstorms, with their intimidating lightning and thunder, reminded her of those fierce, heavy downpours.

    Lightning streaked across the night, then the rumbling thunder made the air quiver.

    Shezily leaned into An Zhiyuan¡¯s embrace, counting the seconds between the lightning and thunder. The storm weaved a symphony around them, truly magnificent.

    She felt a keen sense of vitality and profound peace, as if she was waiting for something. Yesterday, by its definition, had passed, but it seemed as though there was a chasm they had crossed between them, binding their emotions even more closely.

    She turned her head slightly and saw the man she imagined to be asleep looking at her with a tender, lingering gaze, making her wonder if he had watched her all night like that.

    "Morning!"

    She leaned in for a good morning kiss, his stubble prickling her delicate skin.

    An Zhiyuan wrapped his arms around herzily, "Morning!"

    She was aware, under the covers, that they were both naked; it was dangerous like this.

    Especially with a man in the morning.

    "I have something to tell you!"

    She pushed against his approaching chest, her cheeks turning slightly red.

    "Let¡¯s talk about itter..."

    An Zhiyuan liked seeing Bai Xiao¡¯s shy demeanor! This version of her was entirely different from her wildnessst night.

    Next time, he could maybe seduce her to drink alone; he might get the queen he desired.

    "Husband..." The drawn-out tone was soul-stirringly charming.

    An Zhiyuan let her go reluctantly, his head resting against the headboard, not really letting her go much, as his long legs were still tightly entwined with hers, "Go ahead."

    It seemed he intended to continue after she finished speaking.

    shes ofst night darted through Bai Xiao¡¯s mind; the fierce need and her tearful, pitiful pleas for mercy.

    Too vivid.

    Unleashing that beast again would mean she would certainly suffer.

    "The Dean has offered me a spot for advanced study at Medical University, and I¡¯ll likely be leaving in a couple of days."

    She spoke hurriedly, and sure enough, the hand that was roaming around her paused, then he sat up and looked at her seriously.

    "Really?"

    Yu Shaohua, the bastard, had just acknowledged Bai Xiao and now wanted to send her away.

    This was a plot to separate husband and wife.

    Justst night, he had seriously considered wanting more time to be with Bai Xiao; their honeymoon phase hadn¡¯t even ended yet.

    Bai Xiao nodded obediently, her smile innocent, "Really, husband, I want to go to Medical University. You know how much I regret not having been to university." She held onto An Zhiyuan¡¯s neck, nestling in his embrace, expressing her wish.

    An Zhiyuan sighed. Yes, Bai Xiao¡¯s regret.

    "That¡¯s too soon though!"

    He was irked by Yu Shaohua¡¯s scheme, not considering how long the separation would be for them as a couple.

    "Ayuan, it¡¯s in Modu. If you miss me, you cane visit, and I¡¯ll be back for holidays. It¡¯s just two years! It¡¯ll pass quickly, and I¡¯ll finish the course as fast as I can so that we can be reunited. Alright?" She genuinely wanted to study hard and delve into what other medical applications her special ability might have.

    After thendmine and bullet incidents, she¡¯d had new ideas. Perhaps, she could showcase even more brilliant capabilities of her special ability without being detected. What she needed was an opportunity to gain close proximity to medical knowledge.

    What else could An Zhiyuan say? His wife¡¯s wish was naturally his to fulfill.

 Chapter 718 Report

    <h4>Chapter 718: Chapter 718 Report</h4><h4></h4>

    As fast as it was said, that afternoon someone delivered the train ticket to Modu. The departure was scheduled for the next evening.

    Bai Xiao felt somewhat reluctant to leave.

    This ce had be her and An Zhiyuan¡¯s home, where she loved and was loved. The thought of leaving so abruptly made it incredibly hard to part with.

    On the night before departure, the two intertwined passionately all night long, with hardly any rest. Watching An Zhiyuan put her suitcase on the luggage rack, Bai Xiao¡¯s gaze lingered tenderly.

    When she got up in the morning, Bai Xiao saw her own heavy dark circles in the mirror. There were many things she repeatedly told herself she must do, yet she still felt conflicted about whether leaving An Zhiyuan was right or wrong.

    She was not na?ve enough to be unaware of the many issues that could arise in a marriage when a couple is separated for a long time.

    Yet to give up her dreams just because of this was definitely not realistic. Without a man, a woman with a career is not doomed.

    But without a man and a career, that truly meant being doomed.

    As the train pulled out of the station, Bai Xiao looked back and could still see him standing there, watching her departing train car.

    She had lost count of how many times they had parted like this at the train station.

    So many that Bai Xiao¡¯s memory became confused.

    The entire trip went without words.

    The train car gently jolted and then stopped at the tform edge. They had finally arrived at Modu Station. Bai Xiao took her suitcase down from the luggage rack, got off the train, and followed the crowd out of the station.

    After getting off, Bai Xiao inquired at the station about the address. Though she had the address, she was unsure of how to get there by bus. After asking the station staff, a young worker with a red armband gave her detailed directions for the bus route.

    After several transfers, Bai Xiao arrived at Second Medical University.

    Located midway down a certain road, Second Medical University was not close to the train station; the roundtrip bus ride took over an hour before the grand entrance of Second Medical University appeared before Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes.

    On the reflection screen at the main gate, four lines of golden, shimmering characters were engraved: Seek Truth and Pragmatism, Unity and Coordination, Pioneering and Enterprising, Resolutely Innovative.

    This must be the school motto.

    The Office of Political Education and Counseling¡¯s admission office.

    Yu Shaohua¡¯s words came to mind: "Always remember that you are just an ordinary student, you must be humble and cautious, and not be conceited about your achievements, nor should you be treated differently!"

    The office door was left slightly ajar, and inside was only a middle-aged woman, engrossed in a phone conversation.

    Bai Xiao gently knocked on the door twice. Only then did the woman look up, seeing her standing at the doorway with her suitcase, and slightly furrowed her eyebrows, covering the phone to ask, "What is it?"

    The school season had long passed, and it was not the time for registration at all.

    Bai Xiao raised her admission notice, "Teacher! I¡¯m here to register!"

    The middle-aged woman nced at therge suitcase in her hand and said, "Wait a moment!" She then continued to chat on the phone, oblivious to others.

    Several minutes passed, and the phone conversation continued.

    Bai Xiao could even clearly hear the voice of a man chastising loudly on the other end of the phone.

    She patiently waited a few more minutes, seeing that the woman had no intention of stopping, Bai Xiao felt a re of irritation. Was this the attitude of the staff at the Office of Political Education and Counseling?

    But she couldn¡¯t lose her temper; instead, she decided to out of sight, out of mind. She turned back to the corridor, leaned against the window, and waited slowly, thinking to herself, "Let¡¯s see just how long you can keep this phone call going."

 Chapter 719: Handling Procedures

    <h4>Chapter 719: Chapter 719: Handling Procedures</h4><h4></h4>

    After waiting for more than twenty minutes, Bai Xiao peered inside to see the woman still on the phone, droning on incessantly, her voice growing louder and louder. It seemed she intended to talk through the phone.

    He could only knock on the door again, "Hello! Teacher, could you please process my enrollment first?"

    He couldn¡¯t possibly wait at the door forever.

    The woman abruptly looked up, saw Bai Xiao, and said impatiently, "Didn¡¯t I ask you to wait? Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m on the phone?"

    Bai Xiao had no choice but to leave. Fine, he would wait today and see how long they expected him to wait.

    He set his suitcase down on the ground, sat on it, and took out a book on the basics of Traditional Chinese Medicine to read seriously. This book was a gift from Director Jin; everyone in the hospital knew that Dr. Bai couldn¡¯t prescribe or take a pulse.

    As he was reading, a man with a hint of silver in his hair came by with his hands sped behind his back. He stood next to Bai Xiao and looked down at the book he was reading.

    "Why are you sitting here reading?"

    When Bai Xiao looked up, he realized there was someone beside him.

    "Oh, I¡¯vee to register. They told me to wait inside."

    Only then did he realize that he must have been reading for at least half an hour, and the woman hadn¡¯t evene out to call him. Was she still on the phone?

    That was way too long.

    A public phone doesn¡¯t cost her personal money after all.

    The silver-haired elder looked towards the office and smiled amiably, "The report time has passed, and others have finished their military training. Why are you just arriving?"

    Bai Xiao took out his notification letter, "I am here for further studies from the hospital. I came as soon as I received the letter."

    She knew she wasn¡¯t following the regr registration process.

    "Alright, follow me!"

    The elder nodded at the notification letter in his hand and beckoned Bai Xiao to follow him into the office.

    To Bai Xiao¡¯s astonishment, the middle-aged woman beneath whom there seemed to be powerful springs, "swooshed!" to her feet from the chair, and the receiver she had been holding snapped back into ce quicker than lightning.

    As if nothing had happened in the office at all.

    The speed left Bai Xiao sighing, feeling inferior.

    They probably couldn¡¯t match her speed even in the midst of bullets and barrages on the battlefield.

    "Xiaoli, this student is here to register. Please process her paperwork!"

    "Professor Xue, I¡¯m young and nimble¡ªjust call me, and I¡¯d be happy to run errands. There was no need for you toe personally, really, I¡¯m not worthy!" Li Hong¡¯s face was stered with a smile, resembling a sunflower craving sunlight.

    "Just make sure her paperwork is done quickly, and take her to the dormitory. It¡¯s inappropriate for her to be sitting in the hallway with her luggage." Professor Xue was obviously a very influential person, or else Teacher Li wouldn¡¯t have shown this attitude¡ªit was clearly a case of looking down on others.

    It was just because she was seen as a trainee from a small ce, arriving alone with a suitcase and no one to pick her up, that she was treated this way.

    "Sure! I¡¯ll get her registered right now. Don¡¯t worry."

    Li Hong looked at Bai Xiao with even more displeasure, certain that Bai Xiao had beenining about her to Professor Xue.

    Professor Xue kindly said to Bai Xiao, "Study hard!" and then walked out with his hands behind his back.

    Bai Xiao offered her thanks gratefully.

    "Bring over your registration materials." Li Hong looked askance at Bai Xiao, tapping her fingers on the desk.

    Bai Xiao chuckled. There was no point in getting angry with such petty people. She handed over her notification letter.

    Li Hong finished the paperwork, and she should have taken her to get the dormitory key, but she skipped that step, just telling Bai Xiao where to find the dormitory aunty to get the key.

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t say anything more.

 Chapter 720 Roommate

    <h4>Chapter 720: Chapter 720 Roommate</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao carried her luggage and asked several ssmates before she found the dormitory building. The dormitory auntie downstairs checked her admission documents, took a bunch of keys from the cab on the wall, unhooked one, and handed it to her, "You¡¯rete, there¡¯s only one dormitory left. You should havee earlier to check in. Go on now."

    After thanking her, Bai Xiao found her room. Just as she got to the door, she heardughtering from inside, so she gently knocked on the door, and a brisk voice came from within, "Come in."

    Upon entering, Bai Xiao saw three people already sitting around a table, chatting. She said with a smile, "Hello, everyone. My name is Bai Xiao. I just arrived this afternoon and have been assigned to this dormitory."

    Wee! Just as Bai Xiao finished speaking, a sturdy girl with dark skin stood upughing and said, "My name is Ma Yao, specializing in pediatric clinical practice." Judging from the voice, the earlier "Come in" had alsoe from her.

    As she spoke, Ma Yao reached out to take the suitcase from Bai Xiao¡¯s hand, "Here, let me put this away for you."

    "No need, no need. I can do it myself." Bai Xiao was a bit embarrassed by Ma Yao¡¯s enthusiasm. This girl obviously had a cheerful personality and seemed easy to get along with.

    "Don¡¯t be so polite! Just carrying the suitcase up to the fourth floor from downstairs must have been tiring." Without waiting for a reply, Ma Yao took the suitcase from Bai Xiao¡¯s hand and ced it next to the empty bed at the entrance, "I¡¯m really sorry; this is thest bed left. Please make do."

    "It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s quite nice," Bai Xiao said with a smile. "Thank you!"

    "I¡¯ve said there¡¯s no need to be polite¡ª we¡¯ll be ssmates and roommates from now on!" Ma Yao patted Bai Xiao¡¯s shoulder with a boyish bravado and turned to the other two, "You two should introduce yourselves too."

    The slim, tall girl opposite, wearing a pair of gold-rimmed sses, elegantly raised her hand to push up her sses, "I¡¯m He Juan, specializing in obstetrics and gynecology."

    The short, chubby girl with long hair next to her said shyly, "My name is Lin Xiang. I¡¯m in pediatrics too. What about you? What¡¯s your major?"

    Bai Xiao shook her head with a smile, "I¡¯m here for further studies, probably in Traditional Chinese Medicine! Actually, I don¡¯t know for sure. The teachers didn¡¯t tell me when I registered." She really was unaware of her specific major.

    As soon as Ma Yao heard this, she shook her head in disagreement, "You¡¯d better go askter, or how will you know what sses to attend tomorrow? Besides, you also need to collect your textbooks. If you don¡¯t know your subject, how can you get them?"

    The girl was indeed warm-hearted.

    "All right! I¡¯ll go ask in a bit," Bai Xiao started to arrange her bed.

    When she opened her suitcase, Ma Yao, He Juan, and Lin Xiang watched as Bai Xiao pulled out item after item like magic; the small suitcase was like a treasure box.

    Soon, one bed became elegantly arranged, causing the three others to feel somewhat sheepish.

    They all had their parents to help them out; none of them managed everything on their own like Bai Xiao did.

    "Bai Xiao, where are you from?" Ma Yao asked curiously.

    "I¡¯m from a certain province, but I came here from Yun Province," Bai Xiao dusted her hands, having finished tidying up.

    It went just as she had nned, but she still needed to buy toiletries¡ªat the very least, things like a washbasin and a tooth mug.

    After discussing it together, everyone agreed to apany Bai Xiao to a nearby department store to make her purchases.

 Chapter 721: Freak

    <h4>Chapter 721: Chapter 721: Freak</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao grabbed a small backpack and headed out with three others, just in time to bump into some people from the dormitory across from theirs. Two tall, good-looking girls gave them a cold look, especially Bai Xiao. Their noses were practically turned up to the sky.

    "A bunch of bumpkins!"

    They walked off in their high heels.

    Ma Yao was so furious she almost freaked out. If Lin Xiang hadn¡¯t held her back, she would have rushed forward to start a debate, even if it meant throwing punches.

    Bai Xiao asked He Juan, "Who were those two?"

    He Juan helplessly shook her head, "One of them is Qiang Xinran from the Surgery department, and the other is Meng Han from the Dentistry department. Both of them are locals from Modu. Theye from families with a long lineage in medicine. They are also here for studying; it¡¯s said they are just polishing their credentials as their families have already arranged positions for them in a famous hospital in Capital City. They just need this diploma to secure their positions.

    But just because they are locals, they act superior, always looking down on outsiders. They don¡¯t get along with Ma Yao because once she swept the trash from our dorm into the hallway, and Ma Yao gave them a piece of her mind. Since then, they have held a grudge against our dorm, always finding faults for no reason.

    Just ignore them."

    Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. This school really is like a small-scale society.

    Ma Yao spat, "Looking down on us as if they are something special, I don¡¯t know where they get their sense of superiority. It¡¯s bad enough they bully us with dialects we don¡¯t understand. Now they openly insult us. I think they just need a good thrashing to set them straight. I¡¯d like to see whether it¡¯s my fists or their mouths that are harder."

    Lin Xiangughed awkwardly, "Ma Yao has been practicing Sanda since she was young; her family has a martial arts background, so she values physical strength." She could barely hold her back, thanks to her weighing 150 pounds.

    Anyone else would have been shaken off by Ma Yao by now.

    Only then Bai Xiao realized their dorm was full of distinctive talents.

    Changing the subject for Lin Xiang, "Ma Yao, aren¡¯t you supposed to be showing me the way? I don¡¯t know the area. Oh, is there anywhere good to eat nearby? How about I treat everyone to a mealter, as a sort of a meet-and-greet for our dorm?"

    Lin Xiang perked up immediately, pulling Ma Yao over, "Yes, yes, right next to the department store there¡¯s a ce famous for their pan-fried buns, really delicious and even a century-old brand. It¡¯s always so crowded, usually you can¡¯t even queue up. I heard it¡¯s quite pricey, fifteen yuan for a basket of buns. But I¡¯ve heard from friends who¡¯ve eaten there that it¡¯s so good you can¡¯t stop."

    "Oh, and there¡¯s another ce next door run by ady from Sichuan Province. Their spicy dishes are really authentic, reasonably priced, and economical,"

    Lin Xiang got really excited when it came to food.

    Ma Yao burst outughing, "You¡¯re already 150 pounds and still fixated on eating. You¡¯d better join me in running every day to give your mom a break."

    Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t helpughing too; Lin Xiang¡¯s physique did make her look like a foodie.

    Lin Xiang red, "Oh really! You all are ganging up on me, aren¡¯t you? Watch out for my ¡¯Nine Yin White Bone w¡¯¡ªsee how I deal with you!" She lunged at Bai Xiao with ws outstretched, considering her an easy target.

    Bai Xiao quickly begged for mercy, "Lin Xiang, I was wrong. I was wrong!"

    "What were you wrong about?" Lin Xiang released Bai Xiao, asking earnestly.

    Bai Xiao chirped cheerfully, "I was wrong not knowing that you are such a foodie. What if we finish eating and can¡¯t pay the bill!"

    Turning, she ducked behind Ma Yao.

    Ma Yao waved her fist at Lin Xiang, the threat clear. Lin Xiang stomped her foot in frustration.

    All four of themughed.

 Chapter 722: Department Store

    <h4>Chapter 722: Chapter 722: Department Store</h4><h4></h4>

    The bond among the four of them warmed up instantly.

    Bai Xiao also experienced a different kind of life; student life indeed had a unique vibe.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s one hand was linked with Lin Xiang¡¯s, and the other was grabbed by He Juan. The four of them, arm in arm, left the school gate and headed straight for the department store.

    The department store was really big. In this era, it must have been thergest in the area¡ªa three-story building. To Ma Yao and the others, this was known as the "grand department store."

    The first floor sold various daily necessities and bicycles, the second floor was for clothing, shoes, hats, bags, and such, while the third floor, colloquially known for luxury goods, featured televisions, refrigerators, and all sorts of electrical appliances. It was said to be the best ce around here.

    Next to it was a food store, selling all kinds of foods, where one could see different food items and snacks behind the ss counters.

    It was then that Bai Xiao understood why so many people liked Modu; it often truly represented the epitome of fashion and modernity, with many of its offerings being thetest styles leading the nation.

    After buying washbasins, toothbrush cups, and a host of other misceneous items, a full of stuff was effortlessly carried off by Ma Yao, whose strength was quite impressive, making it seem as light as a bunch of toys.

    Bai Xiao was somewhat envious of Ma Yao¡¯s good health.

    He Juan couldn¡¯t help but want to go to the second floor to look at the clothes. Few girls don¡¯t like clothes, especially fashionable ones like here.

    The four of them went up.

    No sooner had they arrived than He Juan spotted a sky-blue dress hanging on a mannequin at the top, with ribbons at the cor that could be tied into a gorgeous bow, as if it was tailor-made for her. She was so captivated that her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

    Bai Xiao encouraged her, "If you like it, why not try it on?"

    She was quite fond of it. The dresses here definitely looked a lot prettier, revealing the waistline, unlike those in Yun Province, which were just like wearing a barrel.

    The sales clerk apparently heard them, "This dress is a best-seller. Our store only received a hundred of these, and now we have just over ten left. If you like it, please take a look, youngdy. You must be a college student from around here; look how good your aura is."

    The enthusiastic introduction was unlike the service Bai Xiao had imagined from the state-run store clerks of the ¡¯80s, who were notorious for being aloof¡ªit was truly different from the rumors.

    "Could I try it on?"

    The clerk took down the dress and pointed over to a corner. Walking over, she pulled across a curtain, creating a secluded space, "Miss, you can change here."

    He Juan, holding the dress, stuffed her bag into Lin Xiang¡¯s arms and gleefully slipped into the makeshift dressing room.

    All girls love to look beautiful.

    Bai Xiao began to slowly check out the merchandise along the counter; alright, she had to admit that as she looked, there really were quite a few things she wanted to buy.

    New undergarments, chic blouses, skirts, trousers, and shoes¡ªit really did have everything.

    Bai Xiao started to ponder about buying a lot.

    After all, Doctor Bai really wasn¡¯t short on money.

    Her few billions had already been handed over to Jiang Shaoqing, invested into Jiang Corporation.

    Meanwhile, she had a deep talk with Jiang Shaoqing¡ªof course, under the supervision of Colonel An. If not for him, who knew how the man would sulk.

    One liquor-fuelled mishap had already caused Colonel An¡¯s jealousy to re up; if there were any more incidents, Bai Xiao didn¡¯t know how she would exin.

    She had no intentions towards Jiang Shaoqing¡ªhis beloved was not rted to her in any way.

    She had some spare change left, just a few million. When she left to study here, she brought ten thousand yuan but hadn¡¯t had time to deposit it in the bank yet.

    There wasn¡¯t a service for remote deposit and withdrawal back then¡ªwithout bringing it, she would have meant having no money.

    So Bai Xiao was indeed carrying arge sum of money, nning to deposit it the next day.

 Chapter 723 Mockery

    <h4>Chapter 723: Chapter 723 Mockery</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao walked back, intending to pull Lin Xiang aside to act as her advisor, but before she could reach her, she heard Ma Yao angrily shouting.

    Around them, a crowd had formed a circle, and amidst the chatter, He Juan¡¯s cries could be heard.

    Bai Xiao squeezed through the crowd and saw Ma Yao being firmly held by Lin Xiang, He Juan wiping tears, wearing the same sky-blue dress, while two girls stood beside them, smugly saying, "He Juan, hurry up and take off the dress, we¡¯re still waiting to buy it."

    "If you don¡¯t have the money, don¡¯t try it on."

    "Really, you¡¯re just exuding poverty, did you even consider if you could afford this dress?"

    "She¡¯s totally brainless."

    "Hurry up and take it off."

    In broad daylight! To ask a girl to undress, even with a curtain for privacy, He Juan was overwhelmed with shame.

    Bai Xiao extended a hand to block the two women pointing fingers, recognizing them as the same two arrogant locals from earlier, Qiang Xinran and Meng Han. They were clearly looking for trouble.

    "Hold on, what¡¯s going on with He Juan?"

    How could trying on a dress turn into this kind of situation?

    He Juan, sobbing uncontrobly, suddenly clung to Bai Xiao, gasping through her tears.

    Bai Xiaoforted her while asking Lin Xiang and Ma Yao, "What happened? What¡¯s going on?"

    On the other side, Qiang Xinran, unting her red polished fingernails, pointed at He Juan and said, "What¡¯s wrong? Why don¡¯t you ask her? She dares to try on a dress she can¡¯t afford, then is embarrassed when she hears the price, right? Take it off, quickly take it off, we¡¯re still waiting."

    They stood there high and mighty, as if they had caught them in some major fault.

    Ma Yao couldn¡¯t stand it, wanting to throw a punch! Bai Xiao stopped her, "Hitting someone won¡¯t solve the issue."

    If they hit someone now, they would simply give Qiang Xinran and the others more to hold against them, possibly even resulting in a punishment for Ma Yao.

    "They¡¯re bullying us, does not having money mean you can¡¯t try on a dress? The salesperson didn¡¯t say that, and besides, who says we can¡¯t afford it, it¡¯s just five hundred yuan, we¡¯ll buy it!" Ma Yao said, her face flushed with anger.

    Lin Xiang was stunned, "Buy? How can we buy it?"

    This was five hundred yuan we¡¯re talking about. Who could afford that?

    They only had a few dozen yuan to live on each month; five hundred yuan was more than a year¡¯s worth of living expenses. This was no joke.

    Upon hearing this, Qiang Xinranughed.

    "Did you hear that, Meng Han? What did they say? They actually said they¡¯ll buy it?"

    Their tones full of arrogance and provocation.

    "Yeah, some people just don¡¯t know their own limits, still talking big at a time like this. Are you nning to starve yourself for years to buy this dress for He Juan? Do you think you¡¯re rich? You, Ma Yao, don¡¯t cause your friends to go hungry, okay?" Meng Han was even more infuriating.

    "We can afford it." Ma Yao was provoked, entirely missing the look in Qiang Xinran and Meng Han¡¯s eyes.

    Lin Xiang was getting anxious, "Don¡¯t get hot-headed and make a fuss, okay?"

    Ma Yao grabbed Lin Xiang and said to He Juan, "If all of us chip in, we must buy it. We might lose the battle but not the spirit. Today¡¯s humiliation, if we can¡¯t hit back, will be used to mock us for life. Look at Qiang Xinran and their faces; once back at school, they¡¯re likely to spread the word. Think about it, how could He Juan bear beingughed at by the whole school then?"

    Just thinking about that scenario made He Juan feel like dying. Why on earth had she tried on that dress?

    This was a disaster out of the blue.

 Chapter 724: Not Enough

    <h4>Chapter 724: Chapter 724: Not Enough</h4> He Juan nodded, "Consider it a loan from you guys, I¡¯ll pay you back when my parents send my living allowance."

    Bai Xiao frowned, it¡¯s not that it¡¯s wrong to do this, but because of this, buying an item of clothing that exceeds one¡¯s financial ability seems too unworthy, just for the sake of face value.

    But at this time, even if she said anything, they probably wouldn¡¯t listen, probably still thinking she¡¯s a new student who¡¯s afraid of causing trouble, keeping her distance.

    It really was a headache.

    He Juan timidly took out the one hundred yuan she had, which was her allowance for five months; the school didn¡¯t charge tuition, and living costs per month weren¡¯t much, but she still needed some subsidies from home, and she couldn¡¯t get more until she went home during the holidays.

    Ma Yao quickly pulled out the money in her pocket, totaling only one hundred and twenty, which was all she had.

    Lin Xiang took out fifty yuan.

    Her family lived in the countryside, and it wasn¡¯t easy for her parents to give her money, this was all she owned.

    The three of them no longer looked at Bai Xiao, even if Bai Xiao now took out one hundred yuan, what difference would it make.

    It still wasn¡¯t enough.

    Far from enough.

    They even stopped considering asking Bai Xiao.

    Qiang Xinran and Meng Han looked at the money in the three girls¡¯ hands and came up with smiles, saying with bad intentions, "That¡¯s not enough! This new student is not doing enough, why don¡¯t you take out your money?"

    "Take out what, you can see it won¡¯t be enough, she¡¯s smarter than them, didn¡¯t think about humiliating herself."

    "Yes, people nowadays, oh how vain, look at her pretending to be something big without money, better strip the clothes quickly! What are you waiting for?"

    Qiang Xinran was determined to humiliate He Juan today, to embarrass Ma Yao and the entire dormitory, to see how they would swagger around them in the future.

    At the end of the day, this disaster was caused by Ma Yao.

    The waiter, who disliked Qiang Xinran and her gang bullying others, couldn¡¯t argue with the fact of having no money, and now it was even necessary to make the girl strip.

    People around started to egg on.

    "Strip,e on girl, strip now!"

    Those with malicious intent were intimidated by Bai Xiao¡¯s re, mumbling, "It wasn¡¯t me who said it, it was those two young girls who said it."

    He Juan turned pale, her fingers gripping her skirt tightly, she gritted her teeth and walked towards the curtain.

    Qiang Xinran and Meng Han mocked withughter, "Exactly, strip quickly, that dress isn¡¯t meant for you."

    "A country bumpkining to the city trying to dress like others, doesn¡¯t even see what kind of stuff she is."

    The harsh, insulting words made Ma Yao and Lin Xiang tremble with anger, but Lin Xiang still desperately held back Ma Yao, not letting her take action.

    Fighting would lead to a major demerit from the school, or even expulsion, their admission to university wasn¡¯t easy, no reason to let others ruin their future.

    Bai Xiao grabbed He Juan, who looked at Bai Xiao, not understanding. Bai Xiao hadn¡¯t taken out any money just before, and all three felt somewhat disappointed, knowing it wasn¡¯t reasonable to expect her to help them, and even if she wanted to, she couldn¡¯t do much as none of them were rich.

    But there was still a slight difort inside since they were roommates after all.

    Now, she must be trying to offerfort.

    He Juan forced a strained smile, "It¡¯s okay! I¡¯m fine."

    Bai Xiao told the sales clerk, "We¡¯ll take this dress, please make the bill."

    This statement immediately shocked everyone.

    Everyone looked at Bai Xiao.

    This girl must be dreaming!

 Chapter 725: Rich

    <h4>Chapter 725: Chapter 725: Rich</h4><h4></h4>

    Qiang Xinran scoffed, "Oh, look, a big spender has arrived!"

    Thinking Bai Xiao was just bluffing to scare them off, so she could slowly negotiate not buying the item¡ªit wasn¡¯t as if such things had never happened before.

    "Saledy Auntie, you better watch out, don¡¯t get fooled by someone," she warned.

    Meng Han fanned the mes.

    The two were certain that Bai Xiao was up to some trick; after all, their monthly living expenses as college students were limited. Unless they wanted to starve, it was impossible for anyone toe up with much money.

    Even though both of their families were well off! But still, they only received three hundred yuan a month from home.

    This was already several times¡ªor even more than ten times¡ªthe living expenses of many ssmates, enough for the two of them to show off for quite some time.

    Now, five hundred yuan was a figure that the two of them could only afford if theybined their money. And here Bai Xiao was, ready to buy without a second thought¡ªit had to be a scam.

    Nothing about Bai Xiao¡¯s attire suggested anything special, just an ordinary person.

    They really hadn¡¯t paid attention.

    The saledy red at the two girls; they were clearly making trouble out of nothing.

    She wanted to help the four girls smooth over the situation¡ªwhether they bought anything or not didn¡¯t really matter.

    "Girls, are you buying or not? If you are, I¡¯ll get one for you. If not, stop causing a racket here."

    Bai Xiao smiled as she looked at Qiang Xinran and Meng Han.

    "Yes, are you buying or not? If not, stop pretending. We¡¯re from the same school, is it necessary to be so ruthless?"

    She couldn¡¯t understand why the young girls nowadays had to back someone into a corner to be happy, as if there was a deep hatred¡ªit wasn¡¯t.

    Watching someone else¡¯s misfortune or embarrassment, what good does that bring them?

    It was really beyond her.

    Besides being ruthless towards the Shang Family, Bai Xiao was generally a kind-hearted person and wouldn¡¯t easily make enemies. But right from the start, these two had intended to wipe out their entire dorm, not just bullying He Juan or undermining Ma Yao! They even wanted to drive a wedge between her and others, which was why Bai Xiao could not hold back any longer.

    She needed to teach these two a lesson, or there would probably be more trouble.

    It was better for the young girls to be docile.

    Qiang Xinran and Meng Han were not the type to back down. Clearly given a way out, they thought Bai Xiao was fainthearted¡ªan absolute proof.

    "If it¡¯s a purchase, then purchase. Anything you can afford today, we will buy!"

    Utterly arrogant.

    The onlookers were amused.

    It was interesting to see the young girls y this out.

    "Oh, turns out the real rich ones are here!"

    "Right, they look impressive, maybe they really are wealthy."

    "Never mind the rest, I doubt these four girls can afford this skirt, let alone buy something else. Isn¡¯t this just bullying?"

    "What¡¯s wrong with bullying? Money makes the world go round."

    "This scene is quite enjoyable to watch; let¡¯s see how it unfolds."

    Bai Xiao shook her head! A crowd that didn¡¯t mind if things got out of hand.

    "What, lost your nerve? You probably can¡¯t even scrape together the money for thest skirt, let alone other stuff. I¡¯m not looking down on you¡ªI never even had respect for you in the first ce," Qiang Xinran felt it was too easy to trample these four.

    She indeed had money; how could someone with a monthly living expense of three hundred yuan be penniless?

    Bai Xiao grinned, asking provocatively, "Really? Whatever we buy today, you¡¯ll buy the same? You have that much money?"

    Qiang Xinran patted her chest confidently, "Of course, Meng Han and I are not short on money."

    Meng Han nodded, the two girls united were unstoppable.

 Chapter 726: Big Brother Todd

    <h4>Chapter 726: Chapter 726: Big Brother Todd</h4><h4></h4>

    "I¡¯m afraid you guys can¡¯t afford to buy!"

    Bai Xiao¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t loud, but her words were enough to infuriate them.

    Qiang Xinran had never encountered a woman daring topete invishness with her before, this woman before her was probably the first, truly reckless.

    A fresh neer, her ent made it clear she was from out of town. To say that thisdy came from a wealthy family, they didn¡¯t believe it.

    "Humph, it¡¯s still not clear who can¡¯t afford it. I¡¯ll just leave it at that; today, whatever you can afford, we will buy it too, even if you buy up everything here. We¡¯ll match you to the end." Qiang Xinran took the lead between the two, and Meng Han nodded repeatedly upon hearing this.

    Bai Xiao nodded, looked her up and down, "I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll back out, you don¡¯t seem to have brought much money!"

    That was really infuriating.

    Qiang Xinran proudly reached into her small backpack and took something out, everyone gasped; no wonder this girl was so confident, look at what she pulled out.

    Bai Xiao alsoughed.

    A brick phone!

    It was a model that had just started bing popr in the country, also known as a "brick" due to its hefty size; indeed, it could be used as a brick. A whack on the head with it would certainly crack a skull.

    He Juan didn¡¯t want Bai Xiao to get tangled up with these people over this and, considering they really didn¡¯t have the money, tugged at Bai Xiao, "Bai Xiao, let¡¯s not make a fuss with them. It¡¯s just a dress, and I could just take it off. It¡¯s not worthpeting over this with them."

    He Juan might have felt hard done by before, but now with Bai Xiao stepping in, that feeling of grievance seemed to dissipate suddenly. Now she started to feel it was pointless to drag a few good friends into this mess over such a trivial matter.

    Everyone came here to study! Getting into Medical University wasn¡¯t easy for anyone, and it wasughable to jeopardize months of one¡¯s life for someone else¡¯s sake.

    It was just a dress, after all.

    Lin Xiang also advised, "Don¡¯t stoop to their level; we¡¯re not the same kind of people as them." She too thought Bai Xiao was just bluffing, hoping Bai Xiao would take the hint and step down quickly.

    Qiang Xinranughed wildly, "Ha ha, ha ha! Look, look! Everyone sees it right? She can spout such nonsense, obviously a poor ghost! Still here pretending to be high and mighty. Fine! I¡¯ll show you what wealthy people are like, give you a glimpse of more money than you¡¯ve ever seen in your lives."

    She turned and handed the brick phone to the salesperson, "If I don¡¯t have enough money to pay for the shopping today, I¡¯ll leave this brick phone here. I definitely won¡¯t run off, because the things I¡¯m buying are not even worth as much as this phone. I¡¯ll bring cash to redeem it tomorrow."

    With intense assertiveness, the salesperson was troubled.

    A brick phone was valuable, rumored to cost twenty thousand yuan.

    They were ordinary people; if it broke while in their care, whose fault would that be?

    "Better not, we¡¯re just a department store. We can¡¯t ept coteral, and if it breaks, we can¡¯t afford the losses."

    Everyone understood; that was tens of thousands of yuan. If it broke, the salesperson really couldn¡¯t afford topensate for it.

    "We really can¡¯t ept, miss, we only take cash."

    The salesperson really didn¡¯t want to get involved in this mess.

    Qiang Xinran was furious, having met someone impervious to her tactics. Didn¡¯t they recognize a brick phone?

    It was rare to find someone so oblivious.

    But thinking it over, she understood; they were afraid of taking responsibility. If anything went wrong with this brick phone, the salesperson indeed couldn¡¯t afford topensate.

 Chapter 727: Withdraw Money

    <h4>Chapter 727: Chapter 727: Withdraw Money</h4><h4></h4>

    "Fine! Since that¡¯s the case, wait here, we¡¯ll go get the money. There¡¯s a bank right next door, we¡¯ll be back in ten minutes at most. Don¡¯t you dare run off while we¡¯re gone." Qiang Xinran was determined to vent her spleen today.

    Sometimes people are like that, possessed by some madness. Under these circumstances, at this time and ce, Qiang Xinran was no longer just trying to humiliate Ma Yao and the other three, but it had be a psychological advantage for her.

    "No way! Meng Han, you stay here. I¡¯ll go withdraw the money to prevent them from running off."

    Qiang Xinran was simply crazed.

    Bai Xiao was speechless.

    Meng Han, too, was eager to show off, seeing it as capital for ostentation; both of their families indeed were not short of money, truly not short of money. She even had a thousand yuan left in her own savings book.

    That alone would be enough to crush the people before her.

    "Good! Make it quick and return fast. I¡¯ll keep an eye on them here. Today¡¯s shopping money we¡¯ll split half and half, let¡¯s show them what ¡¯notcking money¡¯ means."

    Ma Yao and the others were also getting a bit cowed. After all, their previous ferocity was easy to provoke anger in a chain of heated words.

    But given a moment to cool off,

    They all realized they had been somewhat rash with their pride.

    There was really no need to blow this situation out of proportion.

    It¡¯s just a skirt, after all, no big deal whether bought or not.

    If because of a skirt, they all had to go hungry for several months¡ªof course, the school does provide living allowances, so it¡¯s not like they would actually starve to death.

    But then, because of a skirt, an entire dorm¡¯s worth of people would have to chip in.

    Would He Juan still have the face to wear this skirt?

    "We..."

    Ma Yao was not a person to speak meek words, and though the two characters "we" managed to pop out, she found she couldn¡¯t continue.

    Meng Han sneered, "Scared now? Just apologize nicely to us right now, and we¡¯ll act like nothing¡¯s happened. Take that skirt off."

    They relished these kinds of opportunities to make the other side lose face.

    Ma Yao red fiercely; the words felt like a p on her face.

    "Who¡¯s scared? Who¡¯s scared!"

    Ma Yao was just that kind of person, never one to admit defeat.

    Meng Han mocked the four people in front of her with a derisive look.

    "Good, as long as you¡¯re not scared. I just fear thatter, some people won¡¯t be able to take out the money, and that would be truly embarrassing. After all, if you can¡¯t afford it, why not just apologize now and take the skirt off? It¡¯s not like the skirt is made of gold."

    "Enough with the nonsense."

    Bai Xiao led He Juan, Lin Xiang, and Ma Yao to a counter on the side to pick out what she wanted.

    Meng Han followed closely behind them, afraid that they might try to run away.

    The onlookers gradually dispersed; nobody had the patience to stand around for someone else¡¯s drama. Moreover, it was clear at a nce these were students from the nearby Medical University with their own petty quarrels¡ªnot the sort to pull hair and grab cors like fishwives.

    Looking at the items Bai Xiao had picked out, Meng Hanughed so hard her belly hurt.

    Put on a show, go ahead.

    Bai Xiao actually liked quite a few items, eying several styles of underwear. After all, they didn¡¯t have these back home, where most were the kind of sports vest type, and now seeing this style and quality, Bai Xiao decided to buy.

    Ma Yao and the others were also tempted upon seeing this and gradually forgot about the earlier dispute over the skirt, but when they asked about the price, wow, one such piece was thirty yuan.

    So expensive!

    The three of them felt the pinch; they needed to save money for more study materials and books, as studying at Medical University was indeed the most expensive field.

    They simply couldn¡¯t afford it.

 Chapter 728: Huge Expenditure of Three Thousand Five

    <h4>Chapter 728: Chapter 728: Huge Expenditure of Three Thousand Five</h4><h4></h4>

    Five minutester, Qiang Xinran came back.

    Thwack!

    A bundle of cash mmed onto the counter; the sales clerk knew this was it.

    This girl was out to make those four maids suffer; just now, she had sneakily wanted He Juan to take off the dress and call it quits after leaving.

    After all, there weren¡¯t so many onlookers anymore.

    Unfortunately, Meng Han was fanning the mes on the side, with such unpleasant words that made it impossible for the four of them to leave.

    Now, looking at this woman, it was clear she really had money.

    "What¡¯s your name again? Weren¡¯t you here to buy something? Missy, right here I have three thousand yuan; if you can, go ahead and buy."

    A smug expression.

    Bai Xiao nodded, nced at the cash¡ªindeed a substantial amount, with thirty bills of one hundred yuan each, shiny and tempting.

    "Alright, then it¡¯s settled."

    "Now it¡¯s your turn; you wanted to buy something, so hurry up and buy it. I really want to see how you¡¯ll take the money out to buy."

    Qiang Xinran waited to see the joke unfold.

    "We¡¯ll take one of these dresses, yes, and also all those other items I looked at just now, everything should be wrapped up, plus this one."

    Bai Xiao spoke slowly and methodically with the sales clerk.

    The sales clerk, looking at the items in hand, was a little surprised, "Miss, do you want all these wrapped up?"

    It wasn¡¯t a matter of doubting Bai Xiao¡¯s purchasing power; there simply was no need for doubt.

    The items were not a few: five sets of underwear, a dress, a retractable tape recorder, aplete set of acupuncture cupping tools, a pair of leather shoes, two pairs of pants, four shirts, a crew neck sweater, two sets of sportswear, two sets of pajamas rarely bought by anyone, and an assortment of snacks. Totaled up by the sales clerk¡ª

    My goodness, it came to three thousand five hundred.

    The clerk nced at Bai Xiao, wondering what this girl was up to.

    Qiang Xinran was grinning with bad intentions.

    "Oh, you¡¯re really having them wrapped up, huh? Wait until they unpack everything; the clerks won¡¯t be happy then. Three thousand five hundred? Meng Han, give five hundred here; we¡¯re not short on cash," she said.

    Meng Han indeed pulled out five hundred yuan and handed it to Qiang Xinran.

    The two of them were really a pair of blockheads.

    He Juan, Lin Xiang, and Ma Yao felt embarrassed and out of ce.

    They had never expected Bai Xiao to actually buy so much.

    It was just about one five-hundred yuan dress earlier, and now it escted to three thousand five hundred. If they couldn¡¯t produce the moneyter, even the sales clerk might re at them angrily. Initially, the clerk might have sympathized with them, but now seeing them would probably only cause annoyance.

    "My name is Bai Xiao. If you couldn¡¯t remember before, that¡¯s fine, but I believe you¡¯ll definitely remember it from today onward."

    "Auntie, these two said they would buy whatever I bought just now. Please pack another set of everything I have here for them. Don¡¯t worry, look..." Bai Xiao took out three thousand five hundred yuan from her backpack.

    It was impossible to pull out such an exact amount. She counted the stack once and then again to make exactly three thousand five hundred, with some money left over that she stuffed back into her backpack and zipped it up.

    Now, the sales clerk was overjoyed.

    Wow, they had encountered a real big spender.

    This youngdy wasn¡¯t showing off, but what treasures did she have in that backpack?

    The clerk greeted her enthusiastically, "All right, don¡¯t worry, youngdy, I guarantee to pack both sets neatly for you. With so much stuff, I¡¯ll report to the managerster and get you two bags. That way, you can carry everything together and ensure it¡¯s not troublesome to take home."

    The clerk happily set about packing the items.

 Chapter 729: Riding a Tiger, Hard to Dismount

    <h4>Chapter 729: Chapter 729: Riding a Tiger, Hard to Dismount</h4><h4></h4>

    Qiang Xinran looked at the 3,500 yuan Bai Xiao had handed out, a bit stunned; something was off here.

    This is... this is...

    Ma Yao was amused.

    She ran up behind Bai Xiao, hugging his shoulders, "Damn, Bai Xiao, we really didn¡¯t see iting, our dorm actually has a big shot living in it. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll carry this stuff for youter, I¡¯m strong."

    Turning her head, she grinned at Qiang Xinran and Meng Han, "Qiang Xinran, Meng Han, bet you didn¡¯t expect this, huh? Shocked now, aren¡¯t you? 3,500¡ªjust thinking about it makes me want tough. Truly wealthy and imposing. I enjoyed watching you two show off, and now you¡¯ve been struck by lightning, haven¡¯t you?"

    Qiang Xinran snorted coldly, "Humph, just 3,500, what¡¯s so impressive about that? This is just a drop in the bucket to Miss here."

    Meng Han looked ufortable; she had only 1,000 yuan in her bankbook, plus the 500 in her pocket¡ªthat was all the living expenses she had. Her parents weren¡¯t going to give her any more money for the next six months.

    If she spent it all today, how was she supposed to survive the rest of the days? She tugged on Qiang Xinran¡¯s arm and whispered, "Maybe we shouldn¡¯t buy it after all."

    Qiang Xinran red, "Do you realize what you¡¯re saying? Do you want those four losers over there tough at us?"

    She had always been the pride of her department! Beautiful and from a well-off family, at Medical University, she was a top-notch figure. Plus, with the family wealth, many people courted her, and they had a lot of hangers-on enjoying theirpany¡ªjust to freeload off of them. If the word got out that they couldn¡¯t afford this,

    What would those people think of them?

    Qiang Xinran couldn¡¯t afford to lose face; even if it meant swallowing her pride, she couldn¡¯t let others see her as aughingstock.

    Meng Hanined with injustice, "So much money, there goes all of my living expenses. My parents said they wouldn¡¯t give me any more for the next half-year." Unlike Qiang Xinran, though she also splurged, her parents didn¡¯t have the means to let her easily spend a few thousand yuan.

    Qiang Xinran, annoyed at herck ofpetitiveness, said, "Fine, out of the 3,500, I¡¯ll pay 2,500. You pay the rest."

    Meng Han had no choice but to nod her head in reluctant agreement.

    The sales clerk had already packed everything up. Several clerks from the nearby counters came over to help¡ªafter all, a transaction thisrge meant a lot of items sold.

    They probably hadn¡¯t made this much in sales for the whole day.

    That was a whopping 7,000 yuan all at once.

    The manager was probablyughing secretly by now.

    The sales at their ce includedmissions, and that kind-hearted sales clerk auntie still hadn¡¯t realized how she had suddenly sold 7,000 yuan worth of goods. Themission wasn¡¯t much, only two percent,

    But that¡¯s still 7,000, whiches out to a nice 140 yuan.

    Her monthly sry was only a little over a hundred yuan.

    She had sold as much in one day as she made in a month.

    Her face was already blooming with a smile, like a sunflower chasing the sun.

    "Everything is packed for you, let¡¯s go to the checkout."

    Only after payment can you truly be the boss.

    Bai Xiao nced at Qiang Xinran; this was the girl¡¯s chance to back down. They could leave these things and not pay. But if she insisted on being stubborn and went through with the payment, then she had no one to me but herself.

    That nce was mistaken by Qiang Xinran as disdain for her.

    Fuming, she picked up the money on the counter and strode to the cashier to make the payment.

    Bai Xiao smiled wryly, such a young girl indeed.

    And so quick to anger.

    They also made their payment.

    True to her word, Ma Yao carried tworge bags of items, especially with her being tall and strong, following them from behind, she looked just like a female bodyguard.

    The four of them walked out of the department store¡¯s main entranceughing and talking.

 Chapter 730: The Goddessâ€™s Status is Nullified

    <h4>Chapter 730: Chapter 730: The Goddess¡¯s Status is Nullified</h4><h4></h4>

    Meng Han watched as Bai Xiao and the others left without noticing if they had paid.

    In a hurry, she pulled Qiang Xinran aside and said, "They have all gone, nobody¡¯s watching. Let¡¯s just return all these things."

    Spending 1000 yuan on a pile of stuff that was useless to them, that would be insane.

    The salesclerk nearby heard this and immediately began to eye them suspiciously.

    Qiang Xinran, embarrassed, snapped back, "Return what? We¡¯ve already bought them. There¡¯s no point in returning them. Pick up the stuff, and let¡¯s head back."

    The salesclerk immediately felt relieved. As long as they weren¡¯t returning anything, it was fine.

    With a smile, the clerk saw the two out the door.

    Qiang Xinran and Meng Han stood at the entrance of the department store, each holding a big bag, feeling both angry and resentful.

    The two usually had a slew of followers; they were not used to doing such physicalbor themselves.

    But now, today, they hadn¡¯t nned on following anyone else while shopping.

    This was a disaster.

    Qiang Xinran suddenly spotted a group of male students from the Medical College, including two of her suitors, and her eyes lit up.

    Finally, salvation! Otherwise, the two of them carrying these items back would be exhausting.

    Zhang Jie nudged Meng Zhi, "Isn¡¯t that your goddess? Looks like she could use some help. Why don¡¯t you go over and show some courtesy?"

    Meng Zhi looked up and indeed saw his dream girl, Qiang Xinran, who could definitely pass as the beauty queen of Medical University. His eyes immediately sparkled; he nced suspiciously at Zhang Jie, "Why are you being so kind today, reminding me about this? Usually, you¡¯repeting fiercely with me. Seems she¡¯s your goddess too."

    Zhang Jie¡¯s lips curved in a smirk that Meng Zhi couldn¡¯t quite read, "What goddess? I¡¯m over goddesses. I like ordinary people now." His eyes scanned the crowd until he spotted Ma Yao¡¯s figure, and his gaze brightened instantly.

    Especially seeing Ma Yao and Bai Xiao each carrying a bag, and Lin Xiang and He Juan also each had one. Indeed, a single bag was too hefty; no sooner had they exited than they had split it between two.

    Without further ado, he blurted out, "I¡¯m off to see my goddess, fend for yourself!" and hurried after Ma Yao and her group.

    Meng Zhi was indignant and wanted to see who this goddess was.

    He chased after Zhang Jie, "I want to see your goddess too."

    The remaining boys, puzzled, naturally followed their lead, and just like that, a swarm of them vanished without a trace.

    Qiang Xinran and Meng Han were dumbfounded.

    What was going on?

    Usually, these guys swarmed around them like flies to meat, never wanting to leave their side. Now, upon seeing them, they actually turned and ran, treating them like the gue.

    Qiang Xinran and Meng Han were absolutely fuming.

    With such heavy items in hand and watching Zhang Jie and others heading towards where Bai Xiao and the four had gone, Qiang Xinran and Meng Han felt a pain in their chests.

    Fortunately, some ssmates who lived in the dorm next to theirs happened to be passing by. They often snacked on Qiang Xinran and Meng Han¡¯s treats, so it was only natural they felt embarrassed not to offer their help now.

    With their assistance, they finally managed to help Qiang Xinran and Meng Han back to their dormitory.

    Qiang Xinran felt as if her liver were about to burst from the anger.

    Meng Han harbored a belly full ofints, ming Qiang Xinran for insisting on keeping up appearances.

    What¡¯s the value of face anyway?

    Now they had bought a pile of unnecessary items, and she was left with only 300 yuan, her living expenses for six months.

    The next six months were going to be tough.

 Chapter 731: Offering Kindness When There is Nothing to Ask

    <h4>Chapter 731: Chapter 731: Offering Kindness When There is Nothing to Ask</h4><h4></h4> Bai Xiao and her friends were walking back when suddenly a few boys approached from behind.

    "Ma Yao, what are you guys up to?"

    Zhang Jie walked up to Ma Yao and naturally reached out to take the bag from her hands.

    Ma Yao swiftly dodged, her movements seemingly practiced thousands of times.

    "What are you doing?"

    Bai Xiao almost stumbled, but a boy next to her quickly steadied her.

    "Thank you!"

    Bai Xiao politely expressed her gratitude; it was only right and proper to thank him.

    Meng Zhi smiled as he gazed at the shallow dimple at the corner of Bai Xiao¡¯s mouth, unable to shift his gaze away.

    "Don¡¯t mention it, carrying something so heavy should be a boy¡¯s job, how could we let you girls carry it, that would be a mortal sin." The boy unceremoniously took the bag from Bai Xiao¡¯s hands¡ªmore urately, he snatched it.

    This time, even Ma Yao had no escape.

    "Meng Zhi, Zhang Jie, aren¡¯t you two always trailing behind Qiang Xinran and Meng Han? Why are you trying to curry favor with us now? Offering help when none is needed can only mean bad intentions."

    Zhang Jie became embarrassed. Meng Zhi realized this was not good; it was his first time meeting the new beautiful ssmate, and he couldn¡¯t afford to leave such a stain in her mind. Although he liked Xinran, it was just a liking.

    Tall, fairdy is a gentleman¡¯s ideal, could there still be a problem with that?

    Xinran wouldn¡¯t even spare him a nce, as if her eyes were on top of her head, no way she would notice these boys.

    "Not at all! Ma Yao, you can¡¯t nder good people. That was purely a tonic friendship among ssmates. Besides, didn¡¯t you see? I ignored Xinran just now and came straight over to help you, doesn¡¯t that prove our ssmate friendship is as solid as gold?"

    Ma Yao almost vomited.

    Too shameless.

    She had seen people with thick faces, but never to the extent of Meng Zhi.

    But having freebor and not using it would be insanity.

    "Enough of your nonsense; you¡¯re probably harboring improper thoughts towards our new ssmate, aren¡¯t you? Let me tell you, Bai Xiao is the flower of our dorm, and you won¡¯t get past me to get to her." She wrapped her arm around Bai Xiao¡¯s shoulder and pulled her close, inserting herself between Meng Zhi and Bai Xiao.

    Zhang Jie was surprised; when did another Bai Xiao appear?

    This new student really came out of nowhere; he couldn¡¯t remember Ma Yao having a good friend named Bai Xiao.

    "Bai Xiao, your name is Bai Xiao, right? Don¡¯t listen to Ma Yao. She can¡¯t say anything nice! Hey, don¡¯t kick up your feet, Ma Yao, do you even want to act like ady? Look at you, always ready to kick and punch. What man would dare to like you? They¡¯d be scared away sooner orter!"

    Zhang Jie pped Meng Zhi aside and said with a cating smile, "Ma Yao, don¡¯t listen to his nonsense. There are plenty of people who like you ¡ª he¡¯s the one who can¡¯t say anything nice."

    Lin Xiang and He Juan, gasping for breath, carrying bags, finally understood the importance of looks.

    Seeing how they werepletely ignored, it was utterly unbearable.

    Lin Xiang stamped her foot, "Zhang Jie, aren¡¯t you ashamed watching us girls carrying stuff while you¡¯re empty-handed? Hurry up, take these."

    Without fighting for rights, no one would be interested in her figure. The question was whether Zhang Jie was out of his mind to actually be interested in a tomboy like Ma Yao.

    This world is too fantasy-like.

    Zhang Jie heard her and was about to retort when he saw Ma Yao¡¯s cold nce. He immediately turned a full 180 degrees, smiling and taking the bags from Lin Xiang and He Juan¡¯s hands.

    "I¡¯ll do it, I¡¯ll do it. Heavy lifting? Of course, we men should handle it."

    This was Ma Yao¡¯s dorm after all.

    He understood the saying: the nearest pavilion to the water enjoys moonlight first.

 Chapter 732: Humiliation

    <h4>Chapter 732: Chapter 732: Humiliation</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao and her friends were effectively escorted back to their dormitory! Unfortunately, Zhang Jie and Meng Zhi were taken down by the dormitory supervisor auntie, who refused to let them go upstairs, dead or alive.

    They had no choice but to give the stuff to Ma Yao and the others.

    They watched helplessly as Ma Yao and her group disappeared down the corridor.

    Meng Zhi nudged Zhang Jie, his expression lewd and mischievous, "Man, I never noticed your unique taste. I really had it wrong, always thought you and I liked the same type of girl. I even got into petty disputes with you over it before, but I see now that it was my mistake. Don¡¯t worry, from now on, to help you conquer Ma Yao, that thorny queen flower, I will bend over backwards and spare no effort, even to the point of exhaustion. I¡¯ll go through fire and water for you."

    "Get lost, you clearly have your eyes on the new girl, Bai Xiao, yet you im to beying down your life for me. You¡¯ve got some nerve to say that," Zhang Jie could see right through Meng Zhi¡¯s cunning intentions.

    That Bai Xiao was right up Meng Zhi¡¯s alley in every way, and now Meng Zhi hadpletely transferred his affections from Qiang Xinran to her. It seemed Meng Zhi was rather lucky.

    Otherwise, if he really ended up with Qiang Xinran, he¡¯d just be a tool at someone else¡¯s disposal, and a green, green tool at that.

    Zhang Jie didn¡¯t understand how this Bai Xiao had suddenly appeared; she seemed gentle and didn¡¯t talk much, but her gaze was sharp enough to signal she wasn¡¯t easy to deal with.

    The problem was, he really didn¡¯t remember Ma Yao having such a person around her.

    It seems the butterfly effect of some events is quite substantial.

    Looking back wistfully at the window of Ma Yao¡¯s dormitory, Meng Zhi saw it open and heard the sound of girls¡¯ughter. He envied them, "That Bai Xiao looks really pretty, and she¡¯s so easy to talk to, polite enough to make me feel a bit embarrassed. Most importantly, her eyes are so gentle, as if a single nce could melt you into water."

    "Meng Zhi, I really don¡¯t get it, how can your heart change so quickly? Just yesterday, it was all about Qiang Xinran, as if you were chanting the name of your darling even in your dreams, and now in the blink of an eye, you¡¯ve switched targets. You¡¯re really leaving me speechless; that¡¯s what you call a fickle heart. I feel sad for Qiang Xinran," Zhang Jie teased Meng Zhi.

    The two of them were really close friends, together from elementary school through college.

    No need for any secrets between them.

    Meng Zhi smiled, "Call me a scumbag if you will, but I really admired Qiang Xinran before. s, the Prince of Xiang dreams, but the goddesscks affection. Did you not see the look of disdain Qiang Xinran has for me, as if she¡¯s looking at trash, only smiling when she needs my help?

    Does she ever show me a good face otherwise? I¡¯m a man, after all!

    If my self-esteem is suppressed like this for too long, I¡¯ll end up with depression. For the sake of my life, I¡¯ve decided to shift my focus. Bai Xiao is the one for me, my true love!"

    With a turn of the head, he saw the livid face of Qiang Xinran and Meng Han right behind him, and hisplexion darkened! So Zhang Jie had been stabbing him in the back again.

    This bastard, always getting caught off guard.

    With an awkward smile, "Qiang Xinran, you just got back, huh! We¡¯re heading off, heading off now!" He dragged Zhang Jie away like scalded dogs, as if their lives depended on it.

    Zhang Jieughed triumphantly, "Sorry about that, Qiang Xinran! Meng Zhi didn¡¯t mean it, really."

    Qiang Xinran felt like strangling the pair of them.

    To be discussed like this right in front of the girls¡¯ dormitory! Wasn¡¯t this just asking her to lose all face?

 Chapter 733: Mistake

    <h4>Chapter 733: Chapter 733: Mistake</h4><h4></h4>

    Meng Han watched the two leave, dumbfounded. "Xinran, what¡¯s gotten into Zhang Jie and Meng Zhi? They¡¯ve been devotedly chasing you for a long time; have they lost their minds?" The incredulity made her view of life terrifying.

    Just yesterday, they were crying and yelling as they offered roses, almost kneeling before Qiang Xinran to receive the queen¡¯s favor.

    Yet today, their attitudes havepletely changed. What in the world is going on?

    Qiang Xinran¡¯s face was livid with humiliation. It was embarrassing enough already, and Meng Han had to speak it out loud, losing all her face in one day.

    It was all because of Bai Xiao.

    Good, she remembered.

    She would not consider herself a person until she had stepped on Bai Xiao.

    Was he just a small-town doctor, thinking just bying here for advanced studies he could get his diploma?

    He must be thinking of using this opportunity to strike gold and leap over the dragon gate.

    She wanted to see if her uncle, the Director of Educational Affairs at the Medical University, couldn¡¯t handle a foreign studenting for advanced studies.

    Let¡¯s wait and see.

    Of course, Bai Xiao didn¡¯t know; he was going downstairs to find the Director to register, not knowing what his subject category was.

    Having never attended school, he knew nothing. He was just a ring novice.

    When he arrived at the Office of Political Education and Counseling, the middle-aged woman, Teacher Li, was not there; instead, there was another teacher, this time a male teacher wearing ck-rimmed sses, who looked somewhat schrly.

    Knowing Bai Xiao¡¯s purpose, he picked up the phone to call Teacher Li.

    "Teacher Li, there¡¯s a student called Bai Xiao who came to register today, saying he hasn¡¯t chosen his subjects yet... What... In your desk drawer, there¡¯s paperwork for him, already processed. Alright, alright, I¡¯ll give it to him, okay, okay."

    The teacher hung up the phone and searched through Teacher Li¡¯s desk, indeed finding a form.

    "Ah! Isn¡¯t this already filled out? Look, it says Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic, wait, this is your admission notice, but why has your category been filled in as Surgery Clinic? What are we going to do?"

    The teacher was genuinely anxious; after all, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Surgery werepletely unrted; how could such a mix-up happen?

    Bai Xiao looked at it! It was indeed true.

    It seemed that this Teacher Li was too busy chatting on the phone today, showing an utterly irresponsible work attitude.

    He was just unlucky.

    How was he going to attend sses tomorrow?

    "Teacher, can¡¯t we just change it now?"

    "You don¡¯t understand! You are here for further education, and once this form is filled, it has to be submitted. The version Teacher Li has doesn¡¯t show any backing copy, meaning it¡¯s already been registered and submitted;ter on, they won¡¯t care what¡¯s on the application form but only this form. Now we¡¯re in trouble."

    It seemed a severe mistake had been made.

    Bai Xiao shook his head, knowing that that woman was displeased with him, but there was no need to sabotage him like this; this could ruin a person¡¯s future.

    "What usually happens in these cases?"

    He refused to believe there was no way to correct it.

    "There are only two options: you either take sses and do your internship and research in Surgery, or you have to go back to your original position! Wait for the next opportunity for advanced studies."

    The teacher felt embarrassed even saying it.

    Their mistake forcing this young girl to bear it alone.

    But that was the school¡¯s old rule; it wasn¡¯t him making it difficult for the youngdy.

    He didn¡¯t want this either.

    Bai Xiao nearly spit blood.

    Go back and wait a year?

    This wasn¡¯t some international joke; he had worked hard to secure this opportunity for advanced studies and was being sent back just when he had arrived.

    Was this Teacher Li ying games?

 Chapter 734: Second Uncle

    <h4>Chapter 734: Chapter 734: Second Uncle</h4><h4></h4>

    "Teacher, this mistake isn¡¯t mine. Why should I bear the consequences? Isn¡¯t there anyone whoins or seeks ountability?" She couldn¡¯t believe that everyone would just endure in silence.

    If someone powerful is involved, could people like Teacher Li still roam freely?

    She didn¡¯t believe it¡ªdid everyone obediently get rejected and change their major?

    It¡¯s truly shitty rules.

    "Student, I know this is unreasonable, but since the founding of the university, we have rarely encountered such an issue. Your case is special, and without the president personally issuing a directive, we have no authority to make changes. Even Teacher Li couldn¡¯t do it on his own.

    Unless the president signs off."

    Bai Xiao understood now.

    She turned around and left.

    The teacher, saddened, chased after her, "Student, student, this was a mistake by our office staff, but I assure you, it was a mistake by Teacher Li¡ªnot intentional! Could you just..."

    "Just because it was unintentional, I should pay for her mistake? Because of her mistake, I should either return to my original unit or switch to a major that has absolutely nothing to do with my field?

    Why should I?

    When someone makes a mistake, they should pay the price, and I¡¯m not going to pay for someone else¡¯s mistake."

    Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t going to endure it any longer; this was utterly nonsensical.

    She couldn¡¯t believe there was nowhere to plead her case.

    She went straight to the president¡¯s office.

    Just ask around! She found it.

    Upon reaching the office, Bai Xiao calmed herself down.

    Whoever loses their cool first makes the first mistake.

    She came to make her case, not to argue.

    She hoped there wouldn¡¯t be any collusion.

    After all, this was a scandal at the Medical University.

    She knocked on the door.

    No one was there.

    Really?

    No one!

    Bai Xiao was truly furious now.

    If she didn¡¯t resolve this today, tomorrow she would either not attend sses or be stuck in Surgery training.

    A Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncturist training in Surgery... how ironic.

    What to do now?

    Seek Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s help?

    A call from the Jiang Family could definitely solve the problem, buttely, Jiang Shaoqing seemed to be rather off-putting and critical when looking at her, speaking in a veiled hostile manner. Approaching him now would be inviting trouble on herself.

    She had already presented Jiang Shaoqing with a big favor. That day, Jiang Shaoqing was extremely pleased; now, there was no need to bother him.

    Who else could she turn to?

    She walked down the stairs toward the dormitory.

    Approaching the dorm, she saw a ck sedan parked at the entrance.

    Bai Xiao took a nce, surprised.

    Aren¡¯t cars not allowed on campus?

    Some seem to have special treatment.

    Well, that makes sense; the restrictions are for the general public and some have privileges.

    The passing students and teachers also nced over, sizing up the car, probably guessing what was happening. Many nced at the license te and sensed it was no ordinary vehicle.

    Befiore she could take a closer look, someone got out of the car and stopped her.

    Bai Xiao was startled!

    A refined-looking man smiled at her, "Bai Xiao!"

    Bai Xiao looked around, confirming it was her he addressed.

    No one else responded to the name.

    He indeed knew her.

    But she didn¡¯t know him!

    What a misunderstanding.

    "You are..."

    "I¡¯m your uncle, Yu Shaoyan, the second son of the Yu Family!"

    Bai Xiao suddenly understood.

    "So, what is this about?"

    Calling him "uncle" felt strange¡ªeven Yu Shaohua hadn¡¯t had this treatment.

    "I¡¯m here to take you home."

 Chapter 735: The Driver!

    <h4>Chapter 735: Chapter 735: The Driver!</h4><h4></h4>

    Teacher Li was heading to the office, and while it wasn¡¯t yet time to leave work, she had hoped to sneak out a bit early.

    Little did she know that Wang Changshi would call her back with a phone call, telling her there had been a mix-up.

    She thought it over and couldn¡¯t figure out what she could have done wrong.

    She had only dealt with one thing today, that new visiting student.

    Could it be rted to that?

    Back in the office, as expected, she finally found out what went wrong, she had filled in the student¡¯s department incorrectly.

    But she breathed a sigh of relief.

    That Bai Xiao was just a country bumpkin from Yun Province, and he didn¡¯t seem to have any notable connections; if he had, someone would surely have tipped her off in advance, and he wouldn¡¯t have had to haul his luggage to report by himself.

    This was a conclusion she had drawn from her years of working experience¡ªlooking down on people as if she had ¡¯dog eyes¡¯ was something she had discerned herself.

    Inside, she felt exceedingly confident.

    These kinds of issues, when dealing with powerlessmon folk, were always handled routinely, right?

    Was it really worth summoning her back so urgently?

    "Old Wang, you¡¯re not being fair. Was this matter really worth mying all this way?"

    She was indignant, as she was in the middle of grocery shopping.

    Her whole family was waiting for her to cook dinner at home; one doesn¡¯t realize how expensive household provisions are until they¡¯re the one managing finances.

    She could tell that Wang Changshi was one of those who were waited on hand and foot, oblivious to how things are different for women and men.

    "Now you think you¡¯re in the right? Bai Xiao went to see the principal."

    Of course, Wang Changshi knew which direction Bai Xiao had gone.

    "Let her look. Am I afraid of her?"

    The principal was Teacher Li¡¯s senior by schooling and she still had some clout with him.

    So long as she didn¡¯t make any major blunders, the principal wouldn¡¯te down on her too harshly.

    "You¡¯re causing a child to miss out on a great future," Wang Changshi said with deep concern and frustration.

    Teacher Li mmed the door, "A busybody meddling in affairs that do not concern him."

    And she left.

    Wang Changshi was left speechless by the retort! This matter wasn¡¯t within his remit, and there was nothing he could do about it.

    Thinking of the student he had just seen, he sighed in pity.

    But he was just a minor office teacher; it wasn¡¯t his ce to get involved in such matters.

    Apart from sighing, there was nothing else he could do.

    Director Liu Hongmin was on his way to his office, thinking about how to arrange the next day¡¯s hospital internship for the students, as the tree-lined campus paths were dotted with groups of students. This batch of students was due for their practicum, and many people with connections were waiting for him back at the office.

    Being a leader was not asfortable as it seemed.

    Then, all of a sudden, he was startled by the loud st of a car horn, which caught him off guard and irritated him greatly; he thought, this is a campus, who allowed you to drive like this?

    He looked up, displeased, prepared to scold the driver when his eyes caught sight of the license te on the car: Magic A10000!

    A chill immediately rose from the base of Liu Hongmin¡¯s spine.

    My goodness! Wasn¡¯t that the Health Bureau¡¯s official car? Which leader hade to the school, and he had just blocked their way?

    At almost the same moment, Liu Hongmin deftly leaped aside, holding his breath and watching the direction of the car, trying to see who the driver and the passenger were!

    Yu Shaoyan hadn¡¯t noticed this detail at all, feeling delighted that his father had asked him to pick up Bai Xiao to bring her home for a visit. He had prepared himself for all kinds of rejection, but to his surprise, she agreed right away.

    Suddenly, he felt his older brother had been exaggerating.

    This girl was actually very considerate.

    Driving off, leaving a cloud of dust behind, Liu Hongmin caught a glimpse of the driver¡ªit was none other than the Director Yu of the Health Bureau, and it nearly made him fall over.

    The Director of the Health Bureau driving personally, and the female student in the back looked unfamiliar; could she be a rtive of the Yu Family?

    But that wasn¡¯t right.

    He hadn¡¯t received any reports about a new student with connections arriving.

 Chapter 736 Alliance

    <h4>Chapter 736: Chapter 736 Alliance</h4><h4></h4>

    Liu Hongmin came out behind him, Wang Changshi. He was just about to finish work for the day and happened to witness the whole scene! His heart was also shocked.

    This Bai Xiao...

    No matter what the rtionship between the Yu Family and Bai Xiao was, the fact that Director Yu personally came to pick him up indicated an extraordinary rtionship.

    It was not something they could gauge.

    They were all familiar with Director Yu; after all, their subordinate hospital was under the jurisdiction of the Health Department. They had annual meetings, and from time to time, they had to inspect and host senior leaders, especially their immediate superiors. That was what they were supposed to do. If they couldn¡¯t remember every leader¡¯s name, face, and previous positions, could they even be considered a subsidiary unit?

    "Director Liu, that was Director Yu¡¯s car just now!"

    Liu Hongmin looked at Wang Changshi with frustration. This Old Wang had been sitting on the cold bench for so many years, and it was precisely because he was too rigid.

    "Yes, I just don¡¯t know which department that student in the back seat is from. Who is it?" Liu Hongmin felt a bit regretful.

    No matter who it was, he had to go back and check thoroughly. Since this student was able to sit in Director Yu¡¯s car, there must be some kind of rtionship with the Yu Family. No matter what it was, he should manage this rtionship well.

    The president was getting old, and he was a contender for this round of the presidency position.

    But the president¡¯s favored prot¨¦g¨¦, Vice Chancellor Zhao Weiming, was much more backed than he was; the president had supported him from the start.

    He was stuck in a dilemma, looking totch onto a "golden thigh" for support but unable to find the right connection.

    Wasn¡¯t this Heaven sending him one?

    "That¡¯s the new advanced student, Bai Xiao!" Wang Changshi said with a bitter taste in his mouth, but he felt a secret thrill in his heart.

    Why?

    That Mr. Li, the Director of the Office of Political Education and Counseling, was about to reach his end, messing up the major of someone connected to the Yu Family ¡ª heh, an inner satisfaction crept into his heart.

    He was an honest man and couldn¡¯t take pleasure in others¡¯ misfortune.

    For so many years, pressing down on him, acting high and mighty, wasn¡¯t it because of his connections with the president? Now let¡¯s see how you wrap this up.

    Liu Hongmin suddenly raised his head to take in Wang Changshi. This Old Wang was notoriously rigid and dogmatic, so how could he be so knowledgeable about a new student?

    Could it be that someone had given him a heads-up in advance?

    "Old Wang, that¡¯s not right. If there¡¯s any news, we¡¯re supposed to breathe the word to each other. Otherwise, it¡¯s easy to get flustered," he said, with an implied rebuke in his tone.

    How could Wang Changshi not understand? Having been suppressed, he knew exactly what the top brass meant with just a word.

    "Director Liu, what do you mean I¡¯m not breathing the word? This matter is probably going to blow up. This Bai Xiao..." Bara recounted the whole incident as he had observed, watching beads of sweat form on Liu Hongmin¡¯s forehead. Wang Changshi finally felt the satisfaction of venting out today¡¯s frustration.

    It was only then that Liu Hongmin came back to his senses, his heart thumping wildly. He truly hadn¡¯t expected this!

    However, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. With the big mistake Mr. Li had made, it would be as difficult as ascending to the heavens to turn it around.

    If he stood up for Bai Xiao now based on reason, it was highly likely he could connect with Director Yu of the Yu Family.

    He must promptly handle this matter tomorrow, of course, with the right maniptions. He could take the opportunity to put pressure on the vice chancellor and carve out a chance to stand out, leaving asting impression on Director Yu.

    Just thinking about it got him excited for quite a while.

    This kind of opportunity was like a pie falling from the sky.

    ncing sideways at Wang Changshi, he hadn¡¯t expected the honest and down-to-earth Wang Changshi to have such sensitivity.

    "Old Wang, I have to say, it¡¯s time for you to wake up. Otherwise, you¡¯ll spend your entire life just warming your seat in the office, reading newspapers and sipping tea. Are you content with that life?"

    The helpless expression on Wang Changshi¡¯s face said it all.

    "But no matter, from now on let¡¯s lend each other a helping hand, making progress together. There¡¯s still plenty of room for that." Liu Hongmin reassured, patting Wang Changshi. The two men saw the significance of an alliance in each other¡¯s eyes ¡ª after all, they had both been suppressed for too long.

 Chapter 737 Complaining

    <h4>Chapter 737: Chapter 737 Comining</h4><h4></h4>

    "Oh, what department did you enroll in?" Yu Shaoyan asked his niece with great enthusiasm. Now that she was in his territory, it only made sense to look after her a bit. It¡¯s not like they were taking some special backdoor, just giving a heads-up, if anything, it¡¯s only appropriate.

    They definitely weren¡¯t using back channels.

    Bai Xiao sighed.

    A deep, long breath.

    It made Yu Shaoyan realize that his niece might be facing some difficulties. He instinctively said, "Bai Xiao, what¡¯s wrong? Could it be that you¡¯ve encountered some trouble? Just speak up, this Medical University is affiliated with our hospital, under your uncle¡¯s jurisdiction. If there¡¯s a problem, we¡¯ll solve it. You have nothing to worry about."

    It was only her first day of reporting. Could she have already encountered trouble?

    That shouldn¡¯t be the case.

    Principal Zhang, that old codger, is about to retire. He really shouldn¡¯t be causing a mess at this final juncture.

    "I originally signed up for Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, but now I¡¯ve been told I¡¯ve been ced in Clinical Surgery. The teacher who weed me said there was a mistake."

    Bai Xiao had toin, she too was filled with frustration.

    The reason she was so polite to her second uncle was that in her previous life, Yu Shaoyan had been a passing acquaintance, a friend.

    When she wanted to escape from Shang Kaiwen¡¯s clutches and fled alone, pursued by Shang Kaijie and his men, it was Yu Shaoyan who happened to drive by and gave her a lift. Although it wasn¡¯t much, and she was eventually caught and brought back, the conversation they shared warmed the dark periods of herter life. This kindly man, who was like a family elder, turned out to be her own second uncle. In her past life, she had not known his name was Yu Shaoyan, and though they¡¯d shared so many heart-to-heart talks, they hadn¡¯t known each other¡¯s names.

    But it turned out he was her second uncle.

    Life had once brought them so close, linking these rtives together, yet sadly she hadn¡¯t known. This time, she finally understood why the Yu Family appeared, acknowledging her.

    Because fate wanted her to change everything, not just herself, but also the lives of the rtives around her from her past.

    Upon hearing this, Yu Shaoyan became furious, "What the hell is Principal Zhang doing? How can such an error happen? Have they corrected it?"

    This kind of basic mistake, if made by a school, can only show that the entire institution is bureaucratic and they protect each other.

    "I asked, and they said if this sort of mistake happens in the school¡¯s history, either you return to your original unit and wait for next year¡¯s opportunity, or you just carry on with the error and study the subject assigned. Anyway, once the information is reported to the education bureau above, it can¡¯t be changed," Bai Xiao said to Yu Shaoyan, seemingly opening up, with a hint of girlish pouting.

    Yu Shaoyan¡¯s nose almost went crooked with anger.

    What the hell kind of bullshit is that!

    And such a statement exists? This is leading students astray.

    He wanted to see how these people dealt with such situations.

    "Don¡¯t worry about it, tomorrow I¡¯ll see how they exin themselves to me, making someone from Traditional Chinese Medicine study Surgery, they really have the nerve," Yu Shaoyan cursed.

    Bai Xiao smiled wryly.

    "Uncle... you shouldn¡¯t swear, it got me so riled up. Rest assured! I¡¯ll take care of this matter for you. I might not have much else, but at least I¡¯m their direct supervisor, and surely I can correct this injustice," he said.

    At this moment, Yu Shaoyan was more than ready to look out for his niece! She was so dear to him, unlike the cold and distant character his older brother had described.

    It¡¯s all nonsense.

    Our sweet and well-behaved little darling, how could she be so stubborn?

    It must have been a mistake by the older brother.

 Chapter 738: Arriving Home

    <h4>Chapter 738: Chapter 738: Arriving Home</h4><h4></h4>

    They arrived at the Yu Family residence.

    Bai Xiao noticed it was a few old-style buildings.

    There was a particr heaviness characteristic of Modu¡¯sneway houses, with their deep historical roots.

    Yu Shaoyan opened the car door; before Bai Xiao could step out, a young girl bounced out from behind them.

    "Dad, is this my new little sister?"

    Staring with big eyes and fluttering dense eyshes, she curiously sized up Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t help but sigh, every member of the Yu Family had good looks.

    Their attractiveness was beyond question, all with arched eyebrows andrge eyes, but most importantly, each possessed an innate presence.

    "Hello, I¡¯m Bai Xiao, twenty years old this year."

    The girl immediately took a liking to Bai Xiao and enthusiastically pulled her along, "I¡¯m Yu Feixue, twenty-one years old. I attend Jiaotong University. I¡¯m older than you, so you can call me sister! I¡¯m so happy; I finally get to be someone¡¯s older sister. You have no idea, in the Yu Family I¡¯m the youngest, always bullied by them. Now atst I can be the boss, and it¡¯s a different feeling.

    Don¡¯t worry, in Modu I¡¯ve got your back. Being your sister isn¡¯t just for show. Anything fun to eat, drink, or y with, as long as you name it, I can get my hands on it."

    Yu Shaoyan looked helplessly at his younger daughter, this child.

    "Don¡¯t lead Bai Xiao astray, otherwise, I will have to have words with you," said Yu Shaoyan, though he felt a bit powerless regarding the child.

    Holding onto Bai Xiao¡¯s hand firmly, Yu Feixue continued, "Come on, let¡¯s go upstairs. Grandpa and Grandma have been up since early this morning, practically looking out the window for you. You don¡¯t know how many times they¡¯ve cleaned the house and bought so many delicious things they wouldn¡¯t even let me eat. Talk about unreasonable!" Chattering away, she pulled Bai Xiao up the stairs.

    They bumped into an olddying downstairs, "Yu Family¡¯s big girl, who is this?"

    Seeing how affectionate Yu Feixue was, the neighbors couldn¡¯t help but inquire.

    "Auntie Shao, this is my younger sister Bai Xiao, my aunt¡¯s child. Please remember her face, otherwise you might mistake her for a thief and drag her to the police station again," joked Yu Feixue.

    Auntie Shao couldn¡¯t stop smiling, "Oh my, she¡¯s a real looker. This girl resembles you guys quite a bit, no way I could mix that up. Do you think your auntie has blurry old eyes?"

    As they chatted, they reached the third floor. The red wooden front door was already wide open. As the sounds of their approach drew near, the Yu grandparents became anxiously expectant, peering out. Upon seeing Bai Xiao, Grandma Yu¡¯s eyes instantly reddened.

    As if she was watching her daughter walk step by step into the family home.

    They hadn¡¯t expected Bai Xiao would truly agree to visit. They could only hope their younger son would be able to entice her, but who knew that Yu Shaoyan would indeed manage to smoothly bring his granddaughter home.

    As soon as Yu Feixue saw the two elders, she began to tease, "Grandpa, Grandma, at your age, you¡¯re still crying? We are reunited now. We should be happy,ughing out loud; otherwise, how could we do right by my second aunt?"

    Grandma Yu grabbed Bai Xiao¡¯s hand. "You child, I had arranged for your second uncle to pick you up from the train station. Who knew you would leave by yourself and had us worrying ourselves to death."

    Feeling the warmth from Grandma Yu, Bai Xiao felt somewhat guilty for being so pragmatic.

    After her rebirth, she had spent too much time focusing on her interests, perhaps neglecting many emotional matters.

    Indeed, she was heartless towards the Yu Family; wasn¡¯t it just the fear of trouble?

    "Grandma, Grandpa, I¡¯m back!"

 Chapter 739: Favoritism

    <h4>Chapter 739: Chapter 739: Favoritism</h4><h4></h4>

    "Child, you... what did you say?"

    The olddy was almost scared silly.

    The old man¡¯s tears of joy could hardly fall.

    "Olddy, this child called us grandma and grandpa"

    He was so happy he could barely speak in full sentences.

    "I heard it, I heard it! I thought there was something wrong with my ears! Xiao, my granddaughter!" She held Bai Xiao on the verge of bursting into tears.

    Yu Feixue stopped her immediately, "Grandma, really, it¡¯s Bai Xiao¡¯s first visit to our house! Shouldn¡¯t you wee her warmly instead of bursting into tears? If your heart condition res up again, we might have to send you to the hospital. You don¡¯t want to make Bai Xiao feel guilty."

    This one, clearly the little tyrant of the house on normal days, immediately made the olddy stop crying. She wiped away her tears and pulled Bai Xiao inside.

    As Yu Shaoyan entered, he saw the olddy and old man each with a girl by their side,ughing while looking at a photo album. The four of them looked so joyously lively that it made him envious; his parents hadn¡¯tughed so heartily in a long time.

    Indeed, joy reinvigorates the spirit.

    The dinner was vorful since, out of concern that Bai Xiao might not be ustomed to Modu¡¯s vors, they specially asked the maid to cook Northern cuisine, which was very rich.

    The olddy clung to Bai Xiao, not letting go of her hand even at the dinner table. She wanted Bai Xiao to sit beside her, and she was truly happy from the bottom of her heart watching her granddaughter.

    She frequently added more dishes to Bai Xiao¡¯s bowl, which was nearly overflowing.

    Bai Xiao dug in earnestly.

    Good heavens!

    This meal could nearly burst someone.

    "Stay here tonight; grandma has prepared a room for you. Come and see," the olddy said, not about to let Bai Xiao return to school.

    Bai Xiao wanted to refuse, but she didn¡¯t make her words heard! The olddy and old man were sincerely kind to her.

    The room was elegant, with arge balcony adorned with various green nts and fresh flowers. The faint fragrance filled the room. A double bed, a sturdy wardrobe, pink floral bedsheets, and matching quilts and pillows. Even the sleepwear on the bed was handmade in the same pattern.

    Yu Feixue flopped onto her bed all at once, grumbling, "Grandma! You really are too biased, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯m your direct granddaughter, yet each time I visit, you make me sleep in that little room with poor lighting. And the bedding is all dull gray covers, nothing like this princess-like treatment. Grandma, I¡¯m not convinced; you¡¯re being unfair, showing favoritism!"

    Rolling around on the bed,

    The olddyughed, "Well, yes, I am biased, so what? Bai Xiao hasn¡¯t spent a minute in this home over the years! I am biased towards her because she has suffered during those years. While you were at home cuddling with grandma and grandpa, asking for candy, and being carried on grandpa¡¯s shoulders like riding a horse, Bai Xiao was in that remote vige chopping wood and carrying water, neither well-fed nor well-dressed. While you were warm at home eating white rice and braised pork, she was in a small hut by the pigsty, shivering with cold and gnawing on cornbread..."

    "Stop, stop granny, don¡¯t say anymore, I was wrong; I really didn¡¯t know how blessed I was. Xiaobai, you really are a ¡¯little cabbage!¡¯ No wonder grandma favors you, I ept this favoritism. How could a family treat someone that way?" Yu Feixue said indignantly.

    She had a very poor impression of the Bai family.

    Bai Xiao hurriedly exined, "Feixue sister, it¡¯s not like that. My elder brother and elder sisters were very good to me. It was just out of necessity to support me. They were not around me, some married off, some working. They had already severed ties with that family by the time they found out."

    "That¡¯s more like it!"

 Chapter 740 Sunflower

    <h4>Chapter 740: Chapter 740 Sunflower</h4><h4></h4>

    Yu Feixue stubbornly refused to leave and ended up sleeping with Bai Xiao for the night; this guy inexplicably felt incredibly close to Bai Xiao.

    Early the next morning, Bai Xiao got up early; no matter what, she had to go to school.

    She wanted to see how the school would handle the matter.

    After all, her second uncle wouldn¡¯t let her suffer. If the others wanted to smooth things over, they¡¯d have to see if Bai Xiao would agree.

    If her second uncle couldn¡¯t handle it, she would have to ask Jiang Shaoqing to step in.

    She didn¡¯t want to bully anyone with her power, but she wouldn¡¯t allow herself to be bullied either.

    Yu Shaoyan didn¡¯t stay at the Yu family homest night. Knowing her granddaughter had to go to school, the elderlydy had prepared breakfast in advance.

    And she had the family driver take her to school¡ªthat was a must.

    Although Old Master Yu had retired, he still retained his drivers; after all, he was a professor from that era.

    Even though he took the literary path, his rank had reached the highest level long ago, making him an important leader.

    In this day and age, he was still a prominent figure, and many people had to give him face.

    After all, the students under Old Master Yu had be significant figures themselves; if he called, many would answer, and that was still within his power.

    This time it seemed like a blending of public and private use, the old man had gone to exercise, and Bai Xiao really didn¡¯t understand. The elderlydy simply doted on her granddaughter, and all things considered, Bai Xiao found herself taking her grandpa¡¯s car to school.

    At the school gate, Bai Xiao asked the driver to stop. The driver was an absolute eye-catcher, a young man. Even though he was not as good as her own An Zhiyuan, he was also a handsome guy.

    She had called An Zhiyuanst night to let him know she was safe. Hearing she was staying at the Yu family¡¯s ce, An Zhiyuan was surprised but didn¡¯t ask further; it seemed that An Zhiyuan¡¯s tolerance for Doctor Bai was too great.

    He just kept telling her to eat on time, rest well, bnce work and rest, and not to ruin her health over studies. Knowing Bai Xiao¡¯s unspoken secret ensured her safety, but he couldn¡¯t just let her do whatever she wanted.

    What a fussbudget.

    After the sweet nagging, An Zhiyuan said one thing.

    "Doctor Bai, I miss you!"

    Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes turned red.

    Ah, women.

    Sweet nothings may only take a single line.

    The security guard at the school gate didn¡¯t pay much attention when he saw a car pull up; after all, there were many students being dropped off here, as many locals and people from Modu were well-off.

    However, when he saw the license te and the driver who got out to open the door, it suddenly dawned on him something was different.

    This license te was rarely seen and different.

    And just one nce at the driver, with his impable outfit, could tell he was from a different ss; many female students passing by were covertly checking out this attractive driver.

    What can you do when someone is just that handsome?

    The guard immediately spected that this must be the child of some big leader. Watching Bai Xiao get out of the car, the guard made a mental note. Guards like him were just living a life of idleness, and it was unlikely for them to achieve anything grand.

    But if they happened to curry favor with the right backer, maybe that could bring an opportunity for a meteoric rise.

    Standing at the entrance, the menacing expression he wore just a moment ago instantly turned into a sunflower-like smile, beaming brightly.

    Bai Xiao, clueless, wondered why the guard was grinning like an idiot at her.

    But since he was smiling at her, she didn¡¯t have the nerve to walk in with a cold face.

    Isn¡¯t there a saying, ¡¯Don¡¯t p a smiling face¡¯?

    Returning a faint smile, Bai Xiao hurriedly fled.

    It was too scary.

 Chapter 741 Liu Hongminâ€™s Overture

    <h4>Chapter 741: Chapter 741 Liu Hongmin¡¯s Overture</h4><h4></h4>

    Just now, quite a few students had witnessed the scene of Bai Xiao getting out of the car, and then saw the incredibly handsome young guy driving away, dashing off into the distance.

    Someone with sharp eyes spotted the Red g sedan driving away in the distance and shouted, "Look, whose high-ranking official¡¯s daughter ising to study at our school?" Indeed, in this era, only those government officials have the privilege to ride in a Red g.

    Someone nced at the license te and exined with insider knowledge, "That¡¯s not a government license te, that¡¯s a high-level special license te! But with such a low number, oh my God, it must belong to someone of at least a national professor level or higher, maybe even a big shot."

    "That¡¯s the Yu Family patriarch¡¯s license te, get it?" someone boasted proudly, their knowledge and vision cultivated by their family! It was not something ordinary students couldpare with.

    "What is that car doing at our school? I don¡¯t recognize the girl who got out either!" The students whispered among themselves, their eyes filled with eagerness.

    After all, being ssmates with such a person, if one could establish a good rtionship, maybe it would only take a word to stay in Modu or perhaps get assigned to Capital City.

    Surrounding people had already begun asking around to see who the new students were.

    Bai Xiao directly headed to the principal¡¯s office, this time she wanted to see if the principal could possibly still not be at work.

    With nowhere else to go for ss, who else to turn to if not the principal.

    Walking in the office corridor, she ran into Liu Hongmin head-on, who had arrived early in the morning, one couldn¡¯t miss such important matters.

    "Student, who are you looking for?"

    Liu Hongmin asked, pretending to be kind.

    "I¡¯m looking for the principal!"

    "The principal is not in right now, he went to a meeting at the education bureau this morning, if you have an urgent matter, you should go to the vice principal!" Liu Hongmin¡¯s smile looked like that of a smiling tiger, to the girl who might be his way out of trouble, she was his bread and butter.

    "Can the vice principal make decisions?" Bai Xiao didn¡¯t know the rtionships between the positions, but she needed to solve a problem now.

    "Yes, if the principal isn¡¯t here, the vice principal is the highest authority! By the way, student, what do you need the principal for?"

    "My department registration is incorrect, I need the principal¡¯s personal signature to correct it."

    Bai Xiao casually revealed her problem.

    For some reason, she always felt that this teacher might have an ulterior motive.

    "Oh, there¡¯s such a matter, then it should be corrected immediately, otherwise it might hinder your future, let¡¯s do this, I¡¯ll show you the way, the vice principal¡¯s office is right here, a department error could affect your whole life, we can¡¯t be negligent," Liu Hongmin righteously reprimanded his colleagues¡¯ oversight.

    Bai Xiao smiled faintly, said nothing, and moved forward.

    No matter what this teacher intended to do, since he hadn¡¯t harmed her, this kind of overture, yes, she could see it was an overture.

    Could it be that her uncle had already made a call?

    That was really fast.

    But it didn¡¯t feel quite right, regardless, the priority now was to resolve this matter.

    They arrived at the vice principal¡¯s office and knocked on the door.

    Someone inside called them in.

    Pushing open the door, Liu Hongmin actually stepped aside to let Bai Xiao enter first.

    "Yo, Director Liu, you don¡¯t visit the Three Treasures Hall for nothing, and you¡¯ve brought a student along, what is it? A rtive of yours?" Vice Principal Zhao joked unabashedly, not considering himself an outsider at all, already adapting to the aura of being a superior.

    Liu Hongminughed, "Vice Principal Zhao, don¡¯t misunderstand, this is a new advanced study student, there was a little mistake during registration at the Office of Political Education and Counseling, specifically came to you for correction, you know the principal is not in, your signature is necessary."

    He was pushing the responsibility onto Vice Principal Zhao.

    And he was waiting to see his embarrassment.

 Chapter 742 Concealment

    <h4>Chapter 742: Chapter 742 Concealment</h4><h4></h4>

    Zhao Jinlong felt displeased upon hearing this. Did he really need to deal with such trivial matters himself?

    It seemed Liu Hongmin simply couldn¡¯t stand to see him pleased; he was deliberately making things difficult for him.

    Just waiting to see him make a fool of himself.

    "You, what¡¯s your name? What¡¯s going on?"

    However, in front of the student, he couldn¡¯t show a displeased face; he still had to maintain the image of a vice-principal.

    Bai Xiao recounted the event once over, crystal clear and in full detail, then waited silently for Vice-Principal Zhao¡¯s next words.

    Vice-Principal Zhao wanted to curse someone out.

    What on earth was this Teacher Li paid for?

    Such an incident should never have urred at Medical University. If this matter were to be singled out, how many people wouldugh at them? Confusing the departments of their own students, wouldn¡¯t they be mocked for mismanagement of personnel? If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she was a student of his own teacher, such a person should be sent straight to the porter¡¯s lodge.

    He was even afraid she wasn¡¯t qualified enough to guard the door.

    But what could be done now?

    After all, they were technically his junior and senior colleagues; he hadn¡¯t even taken his position when he had already dealt with his teacher¡¯s direct disciple, which certainly wouldn¡¯t please his teacher.

    At this critical moment, so many eyes were on him.

    Of course, he couldn¡¯t mess up just because of a student.

    "Where are you from? Who brought you to the school?"

    Of course, it was better to inquire about the background first¡ªthat was also being well-prepared.

    Liu Hongmin¡¯s heart tightened. This old bastard better not have noticed something different about this girl.

    "I¡¯m from Yun Province. After getting off the train, I asked for directions and took the bus to the school by myself."

    Bai Xiao was truly stating the facts.

    Liu Hongmin was taken aback. Had he been wrong?

    Upon first hearing it, probably no one would guess she had any powerful backing.

    But if his eyes hadn¡¯t failed him yesterday, and it wasn¡¯t just him who saw clear as day.

    There was also Wang Changshi.

    This girl had clearly left in Director Yu¡¯s car.

    Immediately he understood the fun; who was Director Yu? He surely told this kid to keep a low profile.

    The higher the position of a person, the higher the demands they have on their rtives, friends, and children. Keeping a low profile like this minimizes the chances of making mistakes.

    Vice-Principal Zhao finally felt relieved.

    "In your case, our school has had precedents. After all, you are here for further studies, and it won¡¯t matter if you start your studies a yearter. I can have the Director of Education write a note to your Dean exining the situation. Next year, you can also use your research qualifications to report to the school.

    Your situation has already been reported to the Education Bureau, and it¡¯s basically impossible to make changes now, unless you switch to clinical surgery."

    After saying this, his own face turned red with embarrassment.

    What kind of solution was this?

    Encouraging a student to change her specialization.

    Bai Xiao looked at Vice-Principal Zhao with a smirk that wasn¡¯t quite a smile, truly doubting that changing her department at the Education Bureau could be so difficult. It was only because she was a powerless and insignificant student that they refused to admit their school¡¯s mistake, instead wanting her to take the me for them.

    "Vice-Principal Zhao, since this mistake was made by the school, shouldn¡¯t the school issue a certificate and apply to the Education Bureau to change my department for me?"

    Vice-Principal Zhao got angry when he heard this.

    He had just kindly offered her a solution to the problem. Otherwise, how could he allow a student toe into the vice-principal¡¯s office and make such bold statements?

    "Bai Xiao, you should have a sense of the bigger picture. Since we¡¯ve already said that the Education Bureau can¡¯t make changes, you should follow the solution we¡¯ve given you. I¡¯ve already done my best to address the issue, and it¡¯s only a matter of dying your studies by one year; it¡¯s not the end of the world. You better go back and prepare your luggage to return home."

    With that, he clearly had no intention of continuing the discussion.

 Chapter 743 Strange

    <h4>Chapter 743: Chapter 743 Strange</h4><h4></h4>

    "Vice Principal Zhao, is there really no way to change this decision? I¡¯vee all the way from Yun Province, and to return like this¡ªdo you think it¡¯s fair to treat a doctor from a hospital this way?"

    Bai Xiao truly didn¡¯t want to cause trouble and hoped Vice Principal Zhao would change his mind deliberately. After all, dering oneself a doctor should make it clear that this was not only about the school but also involved other institutions.

    She also hoped Vice Principal Zhao would pull back from the brink.

    It was understandable for their school to cover up their mistake, as this is amon human reaction.

    After all, the better the school, the more it wanted to maintain a spotless reputation. Such a basic error getting out would indeed not look good for the school¡¯s reputation.

    However, as long as they were low-key about it, the education bureau and the school were part of the same system. With the hierarchical rtionship in ce, a simple intervention from the principal or vice principal would suffice, without causing any loss of face.

    Their reluctance to resolve her issue, instead attempting to suppress it, suggested that there were factors involved that she was unaware of.

    But whatever the underlying reasons, there should be no justification for expecting a student who had traveled so far to enroll to wait until next year¡ªsuch an absurdity.

    Though she was a further education student, the disparity in treatment surely couldn¡¯t be this significant!

    This was outright bullying.

    The problem was that no one else had made a mistake, but when it came to her, the error was egregious. It was maddening.

    She had made amitment in front of the Capital City Chief, so why should she waste a year? So much could be learned in that time.

    Vice Principal Zhao was just about to scold Bai Xiao when he heard Liu Hongmin join in.

    "Indeed, Vice Principal! This situation is not the student¡¯s fault, and both morally and logically, our school should have the courage to take responsibility for our own mistakes. How can we make a student take the me? Even if it¡¯s a further education student, as long as they¡¯ve registered at our school, they are the future pirs of our nation. How can we afford to disregard that? Besides, the loss caused by a year¡¯s dy is no small matter."

    Vice Principal Zhao was surprised. Why would the old fox Liu Hongmin plead for this student? Was there something unknown to him?

    Bai Xiao was also astonished. Director Liu had been on her side all along, and now, his words clearly favored her. Regardless of the reason, since he was being friendly, there was no reason for her to reject his help.

    "Old Liu, what you¡¯re saying..."

    "Vice Principal, we mustn¡¯t dishearten a student."

    His meaning was profound; it was just a matter of whether Vice Principal Zhao would gracefully back down.

    She hadn¡¯t cornered himpletely, giving him an opportunity.

    Too kind!

    Liu Hongmin was moved by his own actions.

    In reality, he knew full well the principle of leaving room for maneuver on such a high seat.

    Vice Principal Zhao picked up the phone and called the Office of Political Education and Counseling, asking Teacher Li toe over immediately.

    He didn¡¯t want to leave any opening for me, so he intended to ascertain exactly what was going on.

    Liu Hongmin gave him an uneasy feeling.

    His instincts told him that this old fellow didn¡¯t stir without reason; he wouldn¡¯t have taken action so rashly.

    There must be a reason behind his move.

    Teacher Li, full of excitement, entered the office, thinking Vice Principal Zhao was summoning her for some good news.

    Vice Principal Zhao was about to take the stage, and any observant person knew what to do.

    She needed to ingratiate herself with this senior colleague, and considering the respect for her mentor, he wouldn¡¯ty a hand on her.

    So, she had to cling firmly to Vice Principal Zhao¡¯s coattails.

 Chapter 744: Phone Call

    <h4>Chapter 744: Chapter 744: Phone Call</h4><h4></h4>

    As soon as he entered the main gate, he saw Bai Xiao.

    Teacher Li immediately understood that this student had actually reported his wrongdoing.

    With a scornful snort and a smile stered across his face, he handed over the tea he was holding.

    "Senior Brother, this is the newly arrived pre-rain Longjing tea. My man brought it back from a business trip! Try it, and if you like it, I¡¯ll have him bring you more next time. Who are we if not for each other?" he said, his tail almost wagging to the sky.

    It was a tant boast, letting Bai Xiao see for himself how strong his rtionship with the vice principal was.

    "Let¡¯s not talk about that now, put it aside. What¡¯s this about the student?"

    Vice Principal Zhao wanted to get angry but couldn¡¯t, and had to hold back his frustration as he spoke.

    Teacher Li looked at Bai Xiao, "Oh! Right, this student, she came for further studies. I was so busy that day, and she arrivedte, in a rush, I identally entered the wrong thing, which I really shouldn¡¯t have. I sincerely apologize to the vice principal, but since it¡¯s already like this, we can only ask this student to go back and wait a year. I¡¯m sorry, student." He said lightly, implying that it wouldn¡¯t be changed.

    Liu Hongmin stared at Bai Xiao, seeing the coldness in her eyes, waiting for her to explode.

    The telephone rang suddenly.

    Vice Principal Zhao picked up the phone while saying to Bai Xiao, "You should go back, student. This is how it will be handled."

    This was set in stone.

    Bai Xiao nced at Teacher Li¡¯s arrogant demeanor, then got up and left.

    Well then, she would wait for them toe and ask for her.

    Some people just prefer to face penalties rather than epting the toast offered.

    Vice Principal Zhao answered the phone, "Hello, ah... Director Yu! Yes, this is Zhao Weiming. Yes... Bai Xiao? There¡¯s such a matter? We will definitely handle it seriously. Okay, rest assured, rest assured."

    After hanging up, Vice Principal Zhao broke into a cold sweat.

    Looking at Bai Xiao¡¯s slowly disappearing figure, and then at Liu Hongmin¡¯s mocking smile, he finally understood what this crafty old man was up to.

    "Director Liu, that was really not honorable of you!" Frantically, he rushed after Bai Xiao, his movements nearly qualifying him as an Olympic sprinter.

    Liu Hongmin leisurely strolled with his hands behind his back, not hurrying, observing the corridor outside the window.

    Hehe, it looks like Director Yu has stepped in!

    After bullying people, no matter what Bai Xiao¡¯s rtionship with Director Yu was, even if it was unmentionable, they couldn¡¯t possibly send her back.

    This incident must have been noted by Director Yu against Vice Principal Zhao. Let¡¯s see what he can put up against me next time.

    Teacher Li stood dumbfounded and asked Liu Hongmin.

    "Director Liu, is this... is this..."

    "You¡¯ve caused a big disaster. That Bai Xiao is rted to Director Yu."

    Liu Hongmin happily watched as Teacher Li was put in his ce, which would save him lots of trouble in the future.

    Teacher Li¡¯s face turned pale as if he had seen a ghost, looking at Liu Hongmin he asked, "What... what Director Yu? Which Director Yu?"

    She still couldn¡¯t believe it.

    "Which other Director Yu? Who else but our Director Yu."

    It was as if a thunderbolt struck Teacher Li, and he copsed to the ground.

    What¡¯s this Bai Xiao up to?

    Obviously rted to Director Yu, why cause chaos here?

    Oh my ancestor.

    You¡¯re after my life.

    This might well cost me my job now.

    Vice Principal Zhao had already caught up with Bai Xiao.

    With a ttering smile, he said, "Bai Xiao student, let¡¯s go back to the office and talk this over properly. I will handle this matter seriously."

 Chapter 745: Please Go Back

    <h4>Chapter 745: Chapter 745: Please Go Back</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao said with a smile, "Vice Principal Zhao, didn¡¯t you tell me to pack my bags and leave? Here I am, ready to go. I can¡¯t disrupt the overall situation of the school, nor can I affect your enjoyment of the pre-rain Longjing tea!" With that, she strode away.

    It wasn¡¯t that she was being unreasonably persistent upon seizing the right; she was simply irritated by the officials¡¯ mutual protection.

    And she wasn¡¯t even an official.

    Since it was so, she couldn¡¯t me herself for being persistent when she had the right on her side.

    Vice Principal Zhao felt a slight disappointment in his heart, but he maintained an indulgent smile on his face. He really had misjudged the situation this time.

    "Bai Xiao, look, isn¡¯t this all a misunderstanding? Come on, let¡¯s go to the office and talk it over. You should also try the pre-rain Longjing tea. I had to take a call earlier and wanted you to wait for the news with me, but I may have spoken too casually, leading to this misunderstanding. Come on, as the Vice Principal, how could I stand by and watch our student be dyed like this? Academics are most important, academics are most important."

    The cunning and crafty Vice Principal Zhao had quickly thought of an excuse, creating a way out for himself.

    Bai Xiao also realized that if she continued to hold her ground at this point, it would be too much. After all, these matters were not within her purview as a student, and she was only involved because of her uncle¡¯s influence. Moreover, she still had a long time to study at the school. If things got ugly from the start, causing a rift with the Vice Principal, even if he were to be dismissed, what benefit would it serve her?

    "Alright, Vice Principal, I believe the school leaders will give me a fair exnation."

    "Of course, certainly."

    Vice Principal Zhao finally managed to persuade her toe back. He was worried that some people would not give face, making things difficult to handle. If someone insisted on escting the issue, the oue would likely be unptable for him.

    Director Yu was their immediate superior, holding sway over the funding approval and construction project approvals for the entire school, including the affiliated hospital. If he offended the director, especially with the impending shortfall for the construction funds for two dormitory buildings in their college, things could get tight with just a single tightening of the purse strings.

    The entire college staff would probably curse him to no end.

    Now, the priority was to ensure this little ancestor felt thoroughly satisfied and appeased. As long as Bai Xiao maintained her connections for at least two more years of advanced studies, or even after that, if they decided to give her two more years to consider staying on with the university, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem.

    This little ancestor represented a significant opportunity for them. Even Director Yu, who might not take into ount the monk¡¯s face but rather the Buddha¡¯s, would likely be more lenient with them.

    If the old Principal found out that he had let slip such an opportunity and offended her, he¡¯d be kicking himself.

    Upon entering the office, they found Teacher Li copsed on the ground, with Liu Hongmin by his side trying to persuade him, "Teacher Li, please get up. What¡¯s the meaning of sitting on the floor like this?"

    When Liu Hongmin caught sight of Bai Xiao following Vice Principal Zhao back, he immediately left Teacher Li and greeted them cheerfully.

    "Student, don¡¯t be upset, don¡¯t be upset. Let¡¯s talk things over nicely; our Vice Principal will surely stand by your side. We can discuss this calmly. Come, both of you take a seat first, and I¡¯ll pour you some tea." At this moment, Liu Hongmin knew his status couldn¡¯t match the Vice Principal¡¯s, but that didn¡¯t stop him from trying to curry favor delicately.

    Vice Principal Zhao casually instructed, "Lao Liu, quickly brew that pre-rain Longjing tea and let Bai Xiao try it. Let¡¯s see if it tastes good." He smiled warmly, as soothing as a spring breeze, and gestured for Bai Xiao to sit down on the sofa.

    "Don¡¯t be shy; think of our school as your home. I really enjoy interacting with students and hearing what¡¯s on your minds."

    These words almost made Liu Hongminugh out loud; old Zhao sure knew how to sweet-talk.

 Chapter 746: Losing Face

    <h4>Chapter 746: Chapter 746: Losing Face</h4><h4></h4>

    "Yes, our Vice Principal Zhao is so approachable, always keen to understand the actual living conditions of the students. If you have any difficulties, seeking Vice Principal Zhao¡¯s help can¡¯t be wrong." Liu Hongmin served tea to Bai Xiao and Vice Principal Zhao.

    Bai Xiao leaned back onto the sofa, smiling faintly without a word, waiting to see how Vice Principal Zhao would handle the matter.

    Vice Principal Zhao also understood that he was being waited on for his stance.

    "Director Li, do you realize how grave a mistake you¡¯vemitted? As a director of the Office of Political Education and Counseling, you should hold yourself to an even stricter standard. How much harm can even a small mistake cause to a student? For such an outstanding student as Bai Xiao, if she were dyed in her learning progress due to your oversight, could you be responsible for the consequences?

    You are being derelict in your duty to our education department. Having made a mistake, you must correct it. Starting now, go immediately to the education bureau and rectify Bai Xiao¡¯s record.

    Also, you are to return here, suspend your duties, and undergo investigation. Seriously reflect on your mistakes, until you recognize what you¡¯ve done wrong."

    This was a severe punishment; Director Li had essentially been sidelined.

    What was nicely termed a suspension pending investigation could lead to an indefinite absence from work.

    As long as Bai Xiao remained at the school, Vice Principal Zhao would never allow Director Li toe near her again to find trouble. Bai Xiao was now the one he desperately needed to curry favor with, his very own Goddess of Wealth.

    It was just Director Li, after all, merely a student of his own teacher.

    By then, Vice Principal Zhao had already decided that he couldn¡¯t let Director Li interfere with his own ascension.

    And it was quite obvious, from the attitude Liu Hongmin disyed just now, always considering Bai Xiao¡¯s interests, that he was already drawing closer to Bai Xiao. This young man also intended to use this incident to push him down.

    If Bai Xiao sided with Liu Hong, his dream of bing principal might be shattered.

    After all, a single word from Director Yu could change the upper echelon¡¯s decision regarding his appointment.

    Director Li waspletely dumbfounded. If she had been clinging to a sliver of hope that Vice Principal Zhao might give her an out for the sake of the old principal, there might have been a chance for redemption.

    But now, his words had made it crystal clear that she was stripped of her position as academic director¡ªan oue too terrible to bear.

    Director Li¡¯s face had changed, and she fell to her knees before Vice Principal Zhao, a move nobody had expected.

    "Brother, you can¡¯t do this to me! Please, give me a chance to redeem myself. If I really undergo a suspension for investigation, my life is over. You know I¡¯m already forty-eight, about to retire. With this suspension, I¡¯ll go from being an official to an ordinary person immediately.

    How am I supposed to live after that?"

    No one had anticipated that Director Li would resort to making such a scene, thrashing about like a shrew.

    After all, they were all supposed to be role models for their students and had their dignity to maintain. Who would have thought that Director Li would act like those shrews in the streets, throwing tantrums in such a way?

    Vice Principal Zhao¡¯s face had turned dark. If Bai Xiao were to spread this to the director, the school¡¯s reputation would bepletely ruined. All of them, principal and vice principal alike, would likely be too ashamed to show their faces.

    "Liu, hurry up and call someone to take Director Li out. Look at the state she¡¯s in, such a disgrace to the teachers of Medical University."

    At that moment, Vice Principal Zhao wished no one knew that he and Director Li were fellow disciples.

 Chapter 747: Low Profile

    <h4>Chapter 747: Chapter 747: Low Profile</h4><h4></h4>

    Liu Hongmin was also terribly embarrassed. Combined, they were over 100 years old and here they were, letting a 20-year-old girl witness their spectacle.

    Although he wanted to suppress Vice Chancellor Zhao, that didn¡¯t mean he wanted to disgrace the Medical College.

    This was embarrassingly disgraceful.

    He hurriedly called the security guards in.

    Upon seeing this, Teacher Li clung to Vice Chancellor Zhao¡¯s legs and wouldn¡¯t let go, crying and throwing a tantrum¡ªshe pulled out all the stops, almost tearing Vice Chancellor Zhao¡¯s clothes.

    When the security personnel arrived, they too were shocked. My gosh, what on earth was Director Li up to?

    They didn¡¯t know what the leaders were fussing about, but naturally, they obeyed whoever held a higher office.

    Since it was Vice Chancellor Zhao¡¯s order, they of course listened to the Vice Chancellor and carried Teacher Li out.

    Vice Chancellor Zhao was also embarrassed.

    Being seen by a student, all these school leaders looked improper, and he felt as if his face was stinging from the ps.

    "I¡¯m so sorry, Bai Xiao, I¡¯ll have... Director Liu handle this now. Who else could take up this responsibility?" Vice Chancellor Zhao couldn¡¯t remember if there was anyone else at the Office of Political Education and Counseling.

    He really had no particr impression of anyone.

    Teacher Li was always running to his and the Chancellor¡¯s offices, that was memorable; others he barely noticed, recognizable on sight, but when put on the spot, he couldn¡¯t remember any.

    Liu Hongmin immediately mentioned a name, "Wang Changshi! Teacher Wang handles office matters and originally worked in division ofbor with Teacher Li, he probably knows best about how to handle these things now!" Offering a favor.

    Vice Chancellor Zhao knew that Liu Hongmin was likely currying favor, but now that the arrow was on the bow, he had to shoot.

    Bai Xiao was still waiting here.

    He chuckled, "Then great! Notify Teacher Wang to immediately handle Bai Xiao¡¯s transfer back to the... which department?" Vice Chancellor Zhao asked Liu Hongmin.

    -"Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncture!"

    Liu Hongmin had prepared wellst night. He knew Vice Chancellor Zhao might seem authoritative now, but after this episode, he probably wouldn¡¯t be able tough as much.

    "Right! Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncture. Bai Xiao, you can go to the Traditional Chinese Medicine department to register with peace of mind. I¡¯ll have Director Liu rify everything. You should go to your sses. We don¡¯t want you missing them," Vice Chancellor Zhao wasn¡¯t just being generous; he ensured that Liu Hongmin took responsibility for everything, not allowing him to take any credit effortlessly.

    "Thanks in advance, Vice Chancellor Zhao!" Bai Xiao said graciously, "If there¡¯s nothing else, then I¡¯ll be heading back now."

    "Good, good, make sure you prepare well! If you face any difficultiester, you cane to me anytime," Vice Chancellor Zhao stood up and said to Bai Xiao. If it weren¡¯t because she was a girl, which made it inappropriate to hold her hand, he would have held it to show closeness.

    She hadn¡¯t thought of this unexpected benefit of having a Vice Chancellor at the Medical University shielding her; at least she wouldn¡¯t have to worry about failing any courses. She yfully said, "I¡¯m just afraid that I¡¯ll be bothering you during your busy schedules!"

    Liu Hongmin took the opportunity first, "What bother? The school is just like a student¡¯s parental home, here to solve difficulties for students!" Liu Hongmin gestured grandly, "Don¡¯t worry, if there¡¯s anything, juste to me, the Dean of Academic Affairs!"

    A joke! There was no way he¡¯d let Vice Chancellor Zhao steal his thunder.

    Vice Chancellor Zhao showed no particr reaction. Smiling, he escorted Bai Xiao to the door and casually asked as she was leaving, "I wonder, what is your rtionship with Director Yu?"

    He couldn¡¯t help asking the question aloud, and Liu Hongmin also perked up his ears to listen.

    This was something everyone wanted to know.

    "Oh, he¡¯s my uncle! Vice Chancellor, please don¡¯t tell anyone! My uncle is very strict with me, asked me to keep a low profile, if he found out..."

    Vice Chancellor Zhao and Liu Hongmin, having only heard this, nodded understandingly. He gently patted Lin Baixiao¡¯s shoulder and assured, "It¡¯s good to be strict, really good. Don¡¯t worry, we will definitely keep it a secret."

    Bai Xiao finally went downstairs smiling.

    She could finally start studying properly.

    .

 Chapter 748: Self-reliance

    <h4>Chapter 748: Chapter 748: Self-reliance</h4><h4></h4>

    Back at the dorm, Ma Yao and the others had already gone to ss.

    She was somewhat of a lone ranger.

    However, Liu Hongmin quickly brought her the student ID needed for sses in person. The process this time was exceptionally swift and efficient. He even hinted to Bai Xiao that he could arrange a single dorm room for her, a privilege typically reserved for doctoral students.

    Bai Xiao still declined these kind gestures.

    Yet, she was very grateful for Liu Hongmin¡¯s overtures and was exceedingly polite in her response.

    "Bai Xiao, since you don¡¯t want any special treatment, I won¡¯t insist. But if you ever need anything, juste to me directly, and I¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s taken care of."

    Liu Hongmin was genuinely eager to establish a good rtionship. Not just him, even Vice-Chancellor Zhao was probably sharpening his wits to curry favor with this youngdy.

    "Director Liu, don¡¯t think I¡¯m a bother; I will definitelye to you if there¡¯s anything," Bai Xiao joked with a smile.

    "What Director Liu? That¡¯s too distant. You¡¯re about the same age as my niece. Just call me Uncle Liu. It¡¯s friendlier. Think of me as one of your elders ande to me with any problems!" Liu Hongmin seized the opportunity to foster closeness.

    "Alright, then. If you insist, Uncle Liu it is. I¡¯ll be counting on your support in the future," Bai Xiao said, adapting to local customs. After all, having a strong backer was essential.

    After all, Yu Shaoyan was a distant solution to an immediate need.

    Liu Hongmin was so delighted his grin nearly reached his ears; he left only after expressing a heap of concerns.

    Bai Xiao finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    Looking at the timetable, she had a Traditional Chinese Medicine ss the next day. She had also opted for Surgery and Obstetrics and Gynecology. Since she wanted to pursue a pathbining Eastern and Western medicine, she needed to understand these subjects. ncing at the timetable, it looked like she was going to be busy from now on.

    When Ma Yao and the others returned at noon and saw Bai Xiao, they all showed concern. They all knew Bai Xiao was from out of town and found it odd that she hadn¡¯te back the previous night.

    "Bai Xiao, where did you gost night? We were all worried about you," Ma Yao and Lin Xiang asked directly without much guile, which almost caused He Juan to choke. What a way to ask.

    Bai Xiao could see that Ma Yao was a straightforward and candid person, certainly not the scheming type.

    "I went to my rtive¡¯s house. My rtive came to pick me up, and it would¡¯ve been rude not to go, so I didn¡¯te back. Oh and aboutst night, I was supposed to treat you all to dinner, but it got dyed. Let¡¯s do it tonight as nned; it¡¯ll be a gathering for our dorm."

    Feeling embarrassed, He Juan said, "It¡¯s nothing, really. It was all because of me yesterday; you ended up spending a lot of money. I¡¯ll pay you back for the dress. Here¡¯s a hundred yuan, and I¡¯ll pay back the rest gradually," her face betrayed her embarrassment from the trouble she had caused.

    Bai Xiao took the ten ten-yuan bills He Juan handed her, counted out five and pocketed them, then handed the remaining five back to He Juan, who didn¡¯t understand what Bai Xiao was implying.

    "Even when economizing, you can¡¯t neglect yourself. You need to keep some money for emergencies, especially since your field of study requires you to buy a lot of textbooks. Keep these for now; you can pay me back the rest when you can."

    Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t going to act the grand phnthropist by declining the repayment, but she wouldn¡¯t drive someone into a corner either.

    He Juan was deeply touched. Her family wasn¡¯t well-off, and if she had given all her money to Bai Xiao, she would¡¯ve been scraping the barrel and was absolutely too embarrassed to ask her family for more money.

    "Bai Xiao! Don¡¯t worry! In a few days, I¡¯ll find a tutoring job to earn some extra cash, and I¡¯ll be able to pay you back soon," she pledged.

    "No rush! No rush!" Bai Xiao reassured her.

    She also had a fondness for those who strived for self-reliance.

 Chapter 749: Hosting a Banquet

    <h4>Chapter 749: Chapter 749: Hosting a Banquet</h4><h4></h4>

    "We can¡¯t let you pay for the meal, you¡¯re a freshman, it¡¯s supposed to be us giving you a wee dinner. Tonight, I¡¯ll treat," Ma Yao insisted, being the straightforward and generous type.

    Bai Xiao smiled without saying anything, while Lin Xiang quickly covered Ma Yao¡¯s mouth, "Just forget about it, with Bai Xiao we can get in on something good! If we follow you, we¡¯ll end up eating steamed buns and duck blood soup on the street. Please, spare us."

    This foodie had been looking forward to Bai Xiao¡¯s banquet for a long time and was not about to let Ma Yao ruin it.

    Ma Yao, annoyed, clenched her fist and reached out to scratch Lin Xiang, "You should go on a diet, I¡¯m warning you, you need to control your mouth!"

    "Diet! Of course, I¡¯ll diet, but only after I¡¯ve had this meal from Bai Xiao," Lin Xiang said with a mischievous smile, dodging and hiding behind Bai Xiao, using her as a shield.

    Ma Yao tried scratching a few times but missed, and grumbled with itching teeth, "What do you mean my steamed buns and duck blood soup aren¡¯t good? The ce by the door tastes really authentic; the entire campus says their food is delicious."

    Her standards for food were really low. However, when it came to Sanda equipment, that was Ma Yao¡¯s passion¡ªshe was willing to spend whatever it took.

    Even if she was hungry, she would try to buy them. This woman had a special love for Sanda; it was a mystery why she didn¡¯t pursue it but chose to study medicine instead¡ªit didn¡¯t make sense.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes crinkled with amusement. One of the biggest advantages of student life is gaining a group of sisters and close friends. The rtionships are different and purerpared to everyday friends and colleagues¡ªmore genuine.

    Perhaps that¡¯s the charm of student life.

    In the afternoon, everyone went to their respective sses. Bai Xiao spent her afternoon in the library, earnestly borrowing a big volume of Shennong¡¯s Materia Medica. It¡¯s not that shecked a foundation; in her previous life, she had dabbled in it to some extent for the sake of keeping up appearances, sadly learning it halfheartedly.

    But her foundation was definitely solid; after all, in her previous life, Shang Kaiwen was afraid she¡¯d draw too much attention and be the target of powerful people who she would struggle against. To protect against this, she had even arranged for several esteemed Traditional Chinese Medicine Masters to tutor her for a while, so her basics were more than passable.

    Bai Xiao was more eager to learn real Acupuncture, prescriptions, and pulse diagnosis. If she could master these andbine them with her ¡¯special ability¡¯, she could be an infallible Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor and reach the pinnacle of her life in no time.

    After reading for an entire afternoon, she realized her shorings¡ªwhat it meant to be superficial. The charm of Traditional Chinese Medicine started with practice, with the initial understanding of the mysteries and applications of ssic prescriptions.

    It seemed she had much to learn.

    ncing at her watch and seeing it was six o¡¯clock, she hurried to find Ma Yao and the others; she couldn¡¯t go back on her word. Besides, havinge to Modu, if she hadn¡¯t properly tasted the local cuisine, it would have been a wasted trip.

    After dinner, she¡¯d still have time to give Ah Er Ge a call. They had agreed to speak daily on the phone. Writing letters wasn¡¯t impossible, just too slow. Bai Xiao had considered buying a cell phone but couldn¡¯t get past the idea of looking like a nouveau riche. She decided to wait.

    In a few years, pagers would be better.

    For now, she had to make do with the telephone.

    Upon returning to the dormitory, she found Ma Yao and the others already there. Seeing Bai Xiao, Lin Xiang beamed with joy¡ªas far as a food lover was concerned, no news was good news.

    The four of them left the dormitory, and Bai Xiao had specifically inquired about a nearby famous local restaurant¡ªapparently, it was a luxury hotel.

    But for one meal, she wasn¡¯t going to worry about money.

 Chapter 750 Too Expensive

    <h4>Chapter 750: Chapter 750 Too Expensive</h4><h4></h4>

    The Xingde Restaurant was not exactly close to their university; it was too far to walk.

    They hailed a taxi, and the four of them headed straight to Xingde Restaurant.

    It was said to be a century-old establishment, supposedly serving Haipai cuisine since the Qing Dynasty.

    Upon arrival at Xingde Restaurant, they were greeted not by older aunts, but by slender hostesses in cheongsam, which was a delightful surprise.

    This was quite a departure for Bai Xiao, as many restaurants of that era, particrly state-owned ones, had an air of self-satisfaction and an incredibly arrogant attitude that was quite off-putting.

    It was almost a ¡¯take it or leave it¡¯ grandpa-kind of attitude.

    Seeing the level of service at a ce like Xingde Restaurant was surprising to Bai Xiao. From the department store the previous day to the hotel today, she realized that Modu¡¯s development was truly at the forefront of the era and trends in China, even in terms of service.

    Truly deserving of its reputation.

    The fact that the greeters did not look down on them because of their attire was another pleasant surprise.

    "Party of four?"

    Bai Xiao nodded, and upon seeing the spacious lobby and the stylish d¨¦cor, Ma Yao and her friends became like quails hiding behind Bai Xiao. No wonder, they were just ordinary students, how could they not feel intimidated?

    "Do you have a private room? We would like a quiet ce to talk," Bai Xiao requested with ease.

    The request seemed to impress the waiter, thinking that this must be the one footing the bill.

    Sharp-eyed people, indeed.

    "We just happen to have a room avable, perfect for four. Please, follow me."

    Once they reached a private room on the second floor, Bai Xiao had already noticed that theirs was probably the mostmon. The other rooms appeared much more luxurious, even having different names with an air of elegance.

    Their room was named Peony Pavilion.

    The four of them were seated.

    The menu was brought over, and a server poured tea for everyone.

    Bai Xiao nced over the menu while Ma Yao, Lin Xiang, and He Juan were taken aback by the prices listed on it.

    The three exchanged looks before unanimously suggesting to Bai Xiao, "Maybe we should forget about this ce? We don¡¯t really want to eat such dishes. It might be better to find somewhere else."

    A casual look at the menu confirmed dishes like jumbo shrimp and sea cucumber, drunken chicken, and stewed fish ¨C all traditional specialties with distinctive vors and equally distinctive prices.

    "What¡¯s the matter? The dishes look good, and this is all authentic local cuisine! We should try it, since we¡¯re already here, let¡¯s not move elsewhere. This is the ce!" Bai Xiao could see through her friends¡¯ concerns; they were probably trying to save her money.

    "Look, Bai Xiao, this meal could cost several hundred bucks. Why bother?"

    Even as Lin Xiang eyed the menu with desire, the sight of the prices quickly extinguished the me of her appetite.

    They were not shameless swindlers looking to take advantage; epting a meal was already a bit embarrassing. How would they face each other after such an extravagant meal?

    Bai Xiao waved her hand dismissively, "We came out to dine, and we¡¯re not always this extravagant. We¡¯re ssmates, after all, and I came to Modu for the first time looking to experience the charm of local dishes. Let¡¯s not hold back today. In the future, once you all be doctors, I¡¯ll definitely make each of you treat me in return, and who knows, I might get to taste foods from all over China."

    Ma Yao bit her lip, "Alright! With those words, Bai Xiao, you¡¯ll have everything covered by me whenever you visit our area¡ªlodging and dining, no worries."

    He Juan nodded too, "Count me in. I won¡¯t forget this kindness in my lifetime."

    Lin Xiang smiled, "Well, if I end up in some remote corner, you can¡¯t me me for treating you to a meal of wild greens and rice, right?"

    The four burst intoughter.

 Chapter 751: Drink a Toast or Be Forced to Drink as a Penalty

    <h4>Chapter 751: Chapter 751: Drink a Toast or Be Forced to Drink as a Penalty</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao and her friends hadn¡¯t yet ordered when they heard a rush of footsteps outside; the restaurant floor manager came in: "Ladies, I¡¯m truly sorry. Could you move to the lobby on the first floor? Today, the private rooms are under pressure, and the waiter, unfamiliar with the operations, didn¡¯t realize this room was already booked. Now the guests have arrived, and a conflict has arisen. Of course, aspensation, everything you consume today will be charged at a 20% discount. I hope you can understand."

    This really upset not just Bai Xiao, but Ma Yao and the others too¡ªit was clear as day! Saying the staff were unfamiliar with operations was just an excuse, probably because some regrs or people with some status showed up, so they decided to bump them to the lobby.

    This really wasn¡¯t the right way to handle things.

    "Is this how you treat your guests? What kind of way is this to do business? Wee here to spend money and this is how you treat us? Get your manager here."

    Ma Yao couldn¡¯t take it anymore; Bai Xiao had saved face by inviting them to eat in such an expensive ce, only to face such difficulty from the restaurant. It truly was intolerable.

    Moreover, Ma Yao¡¯s sense of justice immediately propelled her to speak up first.

    Even Lin Xiang and He Juan, who were usually easy to talk to, had stern faces now.

    Although it was Bai Xiao hosting today, such a farce would shame everyone involved in the end.

    The issue was that if they were forcibly moved from the private room to the lobby, especially as girls, how could they maintain their dignity?

    They might as well not eat at all.

    Bai Xiao hadn¡¯t expected such a situation, and for the first time seriously considered whether Modu¡¯s feng shui was against her, encountering oddities everywhere! It was really bizarre.

    One couldn¡¯t even enjoy a meal in peace; it seemed the society had truly evolved into one where you are judged by your status. The manager hade over precisely because he saw they were students, powerless and insignificant, hence his disregard. In other words, theirck of influence meant they were easy to push around. Now, all they could do was to see how things would unfold.

    "I am the floor manager, the general manager doesn¡¯t have time to meet with you." The manager¡¯s demeanor was cold and unsympathetic.

    This was because he harbored an unspeakable disdain for them in his heart; after all, they were just four poor students. Thepensation he was offering was already very generous, and yet they were still so ungrateful. A 20% discount could save them tens of dors.

    That could be at least a month¡¯s worth of living expenses.

    And yet they were still not satisfied.

    Bai Xiao looked at the floor manager, "Since your manager isn¡¯t avable, we¡¯re not avable either. Don¡¯t disturb us while we¡¯re eating. We¡¯re dining here today!" She didn¡¯t mind schooling them on the principle of firste, first served.

    She didn¡¯t really believe that the manager would resort to violence.

    But of course, she was quite mistaken¡ªindeed, they were contemting it.

    The floor manager, probably used to dealing with customers like them, might think of them as those who refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit.

    Has there ever been a good oue for those who caused trouble here?

    The second floor manager burst out furiously, "I advise you to go downstairs! Otherwise, in the end..."

    "Otherwise what?"

    Ma Yao¡¯s fiery temper was already unbearable, and she grabbed the manager by the cor, "Are you thinking of getting physical?"

    Bai Xiao was speechless. Wasn¡¯t this giving them a reason to get physical?

    It seemed today wouldn¡¯t end amicably.

 Chapter 752: Start Fighting

    <h4>Chapter 752: Chapter 752: Start Fighting</h4><h4></h4>

    As expected, the floor manager struggled in vain against Ma Yao¡¯s grip, breathing rapidly, and realizing she was at a disadvantage, urgently shouted to the waitstaff, "Are you all dead? Hurry up and call someone. Call security!"

    The waitstaff scattered like birds and beasts, a few rushing forward trying to pry Ma Yao¡¯s wrist off, while someone else ran to summon the security guards.

    He Juan and Lin Xiang were already shaking with fear. This was just a meal, and they had never expected it to escte into a fight.

    Confronted by the arrival of several menacing security guards, the two were terrified.

    Naturally, being young girls, they were already faint of heart upon seeing this scene.

    Bai Xiao stood up and walked over to Ma Yao.

    It was impossible to let Ma Yao face this alone; the other side had strength in numbers.

    "Let go of our manager, or you¡¯ll regret it," the lead security guard warned with a stern tone, donning a gray wide-brimmed hat, ready to swoop in like an eagle upon its prey.

    Four or five security guards also closed in.

    "Have you lost your minds? Daring to cause trouble in our Xingde Restaurant, it looks like you don¡¯t want to get off easy. So young, and yet girls, learning to hit people. Release our manager, or don¡¯t me us for being rough."

    "Just tender-skinned and soft-fleshed. If you get hurt, it¡¯s not our fault," they added with malice.

    The security guards eyed the four girls with nefarious intent.

    "What do you think you¡¯re doing? Attacking customers in broad daylight? I think you want to be on the front page of the newspaper, letting the whole of China know there¡¯s a Xingde Restaurant in Modu, to reveal how the Xingde Restaurant owner bullies others with his power, to show that you actually y the thug, right?" Bai Xiao¡¯s words made the head security guard hesitate. Although unsure of Bai Xiao¡¯s identity, the mere confidence in her speech suggested she had influential backing. They were also aware that if they indeed struck the girls, they wouldn¡¯t have a leg to stand on.

    But the floor manager, unable to move due to Ma Yao¡¯s constraint, was already infuriated beyond measure and was not in a mindset to consider the consequences of hermands.

    She yelled, "Throw them out! I¡¯ll take responsibility for any trouble."

    The head security guard, upon hearing this, immediately perked up like he had been injected with adrenaline. Having someone to take responsibility was all he needed.

    He pounced ferociously at themand.

    With a single push and a parry, Ma Yao sent the floor manager screaming onto a chair. In a swift motion, she positioned herself protectively in front of Bai Xiao. With hands split, she caught a security guard¡¯s wrist, pushed forward, reversed her grip, and with a twist followed by a kick to the back of the man¡¯s knee, the security guard captain¡¯s leg buckled.

    He was now being pinned down by Ma Yao, arm twisted and pressed against the floor.

    As the security guards lunged at Bai Xiao, she sidestepped slightly and grabbed the oing wrist. With a fluid movement, the burly body of the guard toppled onto the floor. She followed with a reverse hold, twisting the guard¡¯s arm behind his back.

    The remaining security guards didn¡¯t dare advance, as the captain emitted screams akin to a pig being ughtered.

    "What are you doing?" a stern voice demanded.

    Everyone looked toward the private room¡¯s entrance.

    The impably dressed Hotel Manager stood at the doorway, nked by several individuals who were distinctly different in appearance.

    "What is this madness?" he asked, visibly frustrated with his subordinates.

    Faced with this situation, the Hotel Manager was livid at the ineptitude of his staff. He was escorting important guests into the private room, only for them to witness the staff squabbling and fighting with clients.

    And to make matters worse, a few young girls were pinning his grown men to the floor.

    Such an embarrassment was a significant loss of face.

 Chapter 753: Someoneâ€™s Coming

    <h4>Chapter 753: Chapter 753: Someone¡¯s Coming</h4><h4></h4>

    "What¡¯s all this? Hurry and call the police."

    The general manager had to salvage the hotel¡¯s reputation, especially since the people around him, having witnessed such a farce, would hesitate to dine here.

    "Hold on!"

    Someone next to him spoke up.

    The general manager involuntarily took a sharp breath, for among today¡¯s leaders, this one had the most clout.

    Hence, such an incident would undoubtedly be seen as disgraceful.

    A fight at the dining venue would drastically lower its ss.

    And yet these big shots would still be willing to eat here after witnessing such a scene?

    "Xiaoxiao, why are you here?"

    The person who spoke was Yu Shaoyan. Today, several deans from Modu Hospital were holding a meeting in their hall; after it ended, he joined them for a meal as the managing leader when cordially invited.

    As soon as Manager Zhang heard that these top leaders had arrived, he naturally came to greet them personally. The best top-tier private rooms were always reserved for such sudden dignitary visits.

    Before even reaching the private room, he heard chaos. From the direction of the door, he immediately saw his niece pinning down a security guard, which stunned him.

    Anger gradually rose within him.

    "Um... Uncle, what are you doing here?"

    This call of "Uncle," made all the security guards flop down to the ground. They had been just watching the floor manager crying out in pain¡ªnow, they couldn¡¯t even attend to their own pain.

    Upon hearing this, Manager Zhang felt a cold chill from the outside in.

    The girl right before him was Director Yu¡¯s niece?

    "Oh my, it¡¯s like a flood has hit the Dragon King¡¯s Temple, one¡¯s own people don¡¯t recognize their own. You¡¯re Mr. Yu¡¯s niece, look at the mess you¡¯ve caused! You fools, how could you just attack a guest like that? Don¡¯t you know the rules?" Manager Zhang was practically yelling now.

    Having Director Yu see his own niece being hit by his security team¡ªit was like offending the boss of the bureau. Could their restaurant even stay open after this?

    All it would take is for them toe in every now and then to inspect, and they would find faults even if you were just cleaning.

    Wouldn¡¯t this just be waiting to shut down?

    Seeing the situation, the head of security and several guards realized this youngdy had powerful connections. If they didn¡¯t smooth things over today, they might all lose their jobs.

    The head of security immediately knelt before Bai Xiao, pping his own face with his fan-sized hand, "I was wrong, young master, it was my failure to recognize your importance. Please forgive me."

    Bai Xiao remained indifferent; she disdained to bother with such people. After all, they had undervalued her first. Moreover, today she was lucky to have some self-defense skills with Ma Yao; otherwise, it could have gone much worse.

    Ma Yao released the guard she held, while Lin Xiang and He Juan quickly stood behind Bai Xiao.

    The situation was clearly in their favor now.

    Seeing Bai Xiao¡¯s demeanor, the general manager understood that she was very dissatisfied.

    Yu Shaoyan already spoke up, "Nonsense, Bai Xiao,e here, let me see if you are hurt."

    One would have thought the boss would y peacemaker, but his words clearly showed he was protecting his own.

    If this revered figure had even a scratch on her today, the issue might not end well.

 Chapter 754: Uncle

    <h4>Chapter 754: Chapter 754: Uncle</h4><h4></h4>

    "Uncle, I¡¯m fine, my ssmate protected me, thanks to her high martial arts skills," Bai Xiao introduced Ma Yao.

    Ma Yao¡¯s face turned red; for a girl to be introduced as highly skilled in martial arts was not necessarily apliment.

    Yu Shaoyan looked at Ma Yao and immediately became kindly and benevolent, "You are a good kid, what¡¯s your name?"

    "Ma Yao!"

    "With such good skills, why did you choose to attend Medical University?"

    Yu Shaoyan didn¡¯t understand.

    Ma Yao smiled and said, "My father has been bedridden for many years, so I wanted to study medicine to contribute to patients like my dad in the future."

    "Very good, having aspirations and goals, you are a promising youngster."

    Yu Shaoyan praised Ma Yao, causing her face to blush even more.

    Upon hearing this, several Deans of the hospital still didn¡¯t understand; these girls were probably students from the Medical College, and this one named Bai Xiao must be Yu Shaoyan¡¯s niece, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t speak like this. Those who were quick-witted immediately came up to greet her.

    "Director Yu, this isn¡¯t right, you have such a beautiful and talented niece who got into Medical College and you didn¡¯t introduce her to us. Are you nning to favor some Dean of the hospital with your connections?"

    Yu Shaoyanughed and said, "Not at all! This child is from Yun Province Hospital. She¡¯s here for further training, and we can¡¯t let her be arrogant."

    Several Deans smiled warmly at Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao greeted the Deans with ease.

    "Hello to all the Deans!"

    The General Manager, seeing that they really weren¡¯t paying any attention to him, knew this wasn¡¯t going to be easy.

    He red fiercely at the Chief of Security and Floor Manager. These two were the troublemakers; why couldn¡¯t they have been more observant and avoid causing such a huge problem?

    "Alright, Manager Zhang, you really need to improve the quality of your security guards. If they all go around manhandling guests whoe to dine, I reckon your Xingde Restaurant might have to shut down," Yu Shaoyan was not going topletely annihte a security guard, being at his status, handling a security guard and a manager was like crushing an ant.

    Yet, the higher one¡¯s position, the less likely they were to act this way.

    The General Manager quickly apologized with a smile, "Yes, yes, Mr. Yu, we will definitely fire such people and enhance our staff quality. Please give us a chance to apologize. Come,e, please head to the private room. I will offer you each three toasts personally as an apology."

    This was indeed a time to disy the General Manager¡¯s interpersonal skills.

    Yu Shaoyan nodded, "Why did youe here to eat?"

    Bai Xiao smiled bitterly, "I was initially here to dine with ssmates. I heard this ce has the most famous local cuisine, and it¡¯s close to our school, so we wanted to try it."

    Had she known that she would encounter herself facing such situations here, she would have definitely note. She would rather eat xiaolongbao and duck blood soup by the roadside.

    At least it would be safe.

    Several Deans spoke, "Then let¡¯s dine together. The local cuisine here is indeed quite famous."

    This was Yu¡¯s niece, and they were eager to connect with her.

    Yu Shaoyanughed and declined, "No, no, such young kids should eat with their own peers. They¡¯d feel restricted with us around."

    Bai Xiao also smiled and nodded, "Uncle knows us best. You guys go on ahead; we¡¯ll just eat over here."

    Dean Wang who was treating everyone immediately told Manager Zhang,

    "Put their meal on our tab today. Enjoy your meal, niece, and don¡¯t save money on behalf of your uncle. Consider this meal our wee gift."

    The General Managerughed and said, "How can we let you pay? A meal should be on us for free, considering it aspensation for our earlier fault."

    Bai Xiao did not refuse.

    Yu Shaoyan and his party were then led by Manager Zhang to the private room.

 Chapter 755: Begging for Mercy

    <h4>Chapter 755: Chapter 755: Begging for Mercy</h4><h4></h4>

    The four of them returned to the private room, which had be very messy due to the fight just now.

    The floor manager¡¯s arm, which Ma Yao had just put back into ce, was a small punishment for her earlier actions.

    Now, the manager was hustling with the waitstaff to clean up the room, wishing she could wag her tail and circle around the four like a fawning dog.

    She clearly understood the meaning behind the general manager¡¯s words just now; both she and the security were definitely going to be fired. The bell ringer needs to untie the bell.

    If she wanted to continue to survive here, she feared that she would have to make the VIP in front of her speak on her behalf.

    A word from this person outweighed a thousand of hers.

    Maybe the general manager would make an exception and keep her.

    The sry and benefits at Xingde Restaurant were top-notch in the industry. If she left this ce, where else could she find such a high-paying job?

    So, even if it meant her face would crack from over-smiling, she had to serve this VIP well.

    Ma Yao pped Bai Xiao on the shoulder, almost knocking her over.

    "Bai Xiao, you really are too frail. From now on, get up early every morning and run five kilometers. I guarantee that in a month your body will be strong enough to knock down two security guards," Ma Yao justified her own p.

    Bai Xiao curled her lip, "Give me a break, you¡¯re already a Mu Guiying, and now you want to drag me into being a Hua Mn? Just let me get my beauty sleep in the morning."

    Absolute resistance against this type of oppressive violence.

    "Was that your uncle just now? What does he do?" He Juan and Lin Xiang couldn¡¯t help their curiosity. Those people had to be important, otherwise, just by looking at Manager Zhang¡¯s face, you could tell he was obsequious, wishing he could act like a fawning dog.

    "Actually, I don¡¯t even know what my uncle does."

    Not to mention, Bai Xiao really didn¡¯t know what her second uncle did for a living. She¡¯d heard others refer to some bureau... but she truly had no clue what kind of leader he was at any bureau.

    Listening to her uncle introduce those deans just now gave her some idea.

    They must be from the department that oversees hospitals, the higher authority of hospitals.

    "Stop messing around. You don¡¯t know what your own uncle does?" He Juan was embarrassed by the lie Bai Xiao told. Couldn¡¯t you at least be a little more professional when lying?

    Bai Xiao was really caught in the crossfire without reason.

    "I really don¡¯t know."

    "Fine, whether you really don¡¯t know or pretend you don¡¯t know, anyway, today we basked in your uncle¡¯s glory. Otherwise, we might have been shipped off to the police station by now," said Lin Xiang, not bothering with the menu as she eagerly decided what to eat. She remembered very clearly that Manager Zhang had said they would take care of the bill for their restaurant; this was a chance to eat expensive dishes free of charge, and she wouldn¡¯t dare toe here again and pay for them herself.

    The floor manager invited the four to sit down and served them top-grade Longjing tea.

    This was a treatment reserved only for the most VIP private rooms.

    "Miss Bai Xiao, please take a look and see what you would like to eat. I¡¯m truly sorry about earlier. I¡¯m a person with poor vision. Please be generous and forgive me this once. It¡¯s not easy working here. If you don¡¯t forgive me, I¡¯ll instantly be out in the cold, with the elderly and children to support at home. Without this job, I really couldn¡¯t survive. I¡¯m begging you."

    The floor manager came over, ying up the sob story.

    Bai Xiao actually had no intention of making things difficult for them; they were all just little people trying to get by. What was the point of arguing with such people?

    Throwing her weight around with these individuals wouldn¡¯t prove how prestigious she was.

    "Fine, I hope it doesn¡¯t happen again."

    Upon hearing there was a chance, the floor manager immediately perked up with energy, "You can count on me, I won¡¯t ever be so superficial again."

 Chapter 756: Enemies on a Narrow Road

    <h4>Chapter 756: Chapter 756: Enemies on a Narrow Road</h4><h4></h4>

    "In that case, your status is sufficient to get a VIP card from our establishment. I¡¯ll go and apply for it with our manager Zhang in a moment. When youe next time, just show the VIP card. No reservation needed," the floor manager now desperately wished to please and sycophantly curry favor with thedy before him.

    Bai Xiao nced at the three people in front of her. "Just one card?"

    The eyes of the three lit up with stars, aware that the Xingde Restaurant¡¯s VIP card carried significant weight.

    Even though they couldn¡¯t afford to dine there themselves, if someone in their circle of ssmates wanted to host a meal, whipping out a VIP card of such caliber would surely earn them some extra respect.

    Who could deny the thrill of vanity, after all?

    Upon hearing this, the floor manager immediately understood.

    "Yes, yes! One card per person for all four of you."

    "Not only does this VIP card let you dine without a reservation, but you can also enjoy a 40% discount on all dishes. It¡¯s truly a great value." If he could just serve this ¡¯ancestor¡¯ well, surely manager Zhang wouldn¡¯t mind him making such a generous promise, especially as it seemed manager Zhang was quite attentive to the gentleman they were currently serving, who apparently was this youngdy¡¯s own uncle.

    Manager Zhang was already fawning over that customer, so why shouldn¡¯t he? If he managed to build a good rapport with this girl, perhaps in the future, manager Zhang would regard him differently.

    Just as Bai Xiao was about to order, she suddenly heard footsteps outside the private room and a voice shouting, "Waiter, waiter, what¡¯s the meaning of this? I just asked you to clear a private room for me, so why is it taking so long? I must see for myself what demanding customers are causing such trouble, or do I need to get my brother to call personally?"

    Bai Xiao sighed in distress and put down the menu.

    Her luck today was not on her side; twice she had tried to order, and twice she had been interrupted.

    Could someone not enjoy a meal in peace?

    They say good thingse to those who wait, but one actually has to be able to eat the food first.

    A group of people barged in, led by a girl with an unmistakably mboyant demeanor.

    Bai Xiao chuckled.

    Ma Yao, He Juan, and Lin Xiang also chuckled.

    What a coincidence, an old acquaintance.

    Qiang Xinran and Meng Han came in with four or five schoolmates, all exuding an air of arrogance.

    The people who wanted to kick them out and take over the private room turned out to be their old rivals.

    Bai Xiaoughed.

    Indeed, adversaries often cross paths.

    As soon as Qiang Xinranid eyes on Bai Xiao and the other three, her heart also chuckled. How could they run into these four everywhere, even just for a meal? Weren¡¯t they just adding to her own vexation?

    After spending so much yesterday, today was her birthday, and she had already arranged to celebrate it here with her ssmates.

    The dining venue had been settled upon a month ago.

    At that time, Qiang Xinran had plenty of money and didn¡¯t care about the expense of the ce.

    Who knew that Bai Xiao would trick her out of three thousand five hundred yesterday, and that this morning, she had to shamelessly pester and harangue her brother on the phone until he finally gave her five hundred yuan. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to show her face today.

    Her brother is the director of their district.

    So, when she came to the Xingde Restaurant, how could the manager not recognize her?

    Which is why the scene just now had unfolded.

    Now, seeing that it was Bai Xiao and her group upying the private room, Qiang Xinran was seething with rage.

    She wished she could immediately grab Bai Xiao and her group by the scruff of their necks and throw them out.

 Chapter 757 No Respect for Face

    <h4>Chapter 757: Chapter 757 No Respect for Face</h4><h4></h4>

    "Oh, it¡¯s you guys? You actually have the leisure toe here for a meal. However, this isn¡¯t a ce just anyone can afford, and even if you can afford it, having money doesn¡¯t mean you get to sit in this private room." Qiang Xinran, relying on her brother¡¯s influence, was used to throwing her weight around outside.

    After all, not only was her brother capable, but her uncle and father were also influential figures. As such, being their spoiled daughter, she was naturally used to bossing people around.

    In her eyes, Bai Xiao was nothing but a nouveau riche from the countryside.

    She guessed that Bai Xiao might have some money, but the private rooms in this ce weren¡¯t simply about whether you had the cash.

    Whenpared to her brother¡¯s face, that was worth a lot more than money.

    She didn¡¯t believe that the manager here would dare not to give her face.

    Pointing at the restaurant manager, she said, "What kind of service is this? Get these paupers out of here quickly, do you not want us to have a good meal?"

    Her attitude was always so arrogant when she came here, and the minor managers were also ustomed to being ordered around by her.

    Which one of them wasn¡¯t smiling and obliging?

    At a nce, the restaurant manager understood there was a feud between these two groups.

    This was a rare opportunity for him, having just offended this "ancestor." Now was definitely a chance to show his worth. If he did well, this "ancestor" might say a few kind words on his behalf to her uncle, and he might find himself rocketing up the ranks before Manager Zhang at home.

    At this moment, there was no need to weigh the pros and cons: one was a high-ranking official, and the other was just a minor chief. Was there even a need to consider the benefits?

    Probably only a fool wouldn¡¯t make the choice.

    The restaurant manager immediately stepped forward, elegantly positioning himself in front of Qiang Xinran.

    "Miss Qiang, this private room is already reserved. There¡¯s an order to things; since you¡¯ve arrivedte, please dine in the main hall," he said.

    This statement made it impossible for Qiang Xinran to save face.

    Angered, her eyes seemed like they were about to pop out.

    Pointing at the nose of the restaurant manager, she said, "You... what are you saying? Do you dare speak to me like this? Aren¡¯t you afraid your manager will fire you?"

    "Why wouldn¡¯t I dare to speak to you like this? You¡¯re a customer; Miss Bai Xiao is also a customer. She was here first. What gives you the right to make her give up her ce for you? I think there should be some sense of fairness in business. Although your family has connections, you don¡¯t have the right to drive out customers who are already dining. This is a fine hotel, not some roadside stall where you can just chase people off as you please.

    You better leave quickly, or don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t give you face."

    These words set Qiang Xinranpletely aze.

    "Good, good, a minor restaurant manager dares to talk to me like this. Where is Manager Zhang? Where is Manager Zhang? Let hime out. I want to see how he exins this to me. A mere manager dares to shit on my head.

    If I don¡¯t teach you a lesson today, then I am no Qiang."

    "Suit yourself, Manager Zhang is currently entertaining important and valuable guests. You don¡¯t even consider your own status and dare to be so presumptuous in front of Miss Bai Xiao. It¡¯s like a pig pretending to be an elephant by sticking a leek in its nostril." The restaurant manager used the same tactic on Qiang Xinran that he had just used on Bai Xiao and her group.

    The few ssmates behind Qiang Xinran looked at each other, not understanding what was going on.

    Qiang Xinran assured them that she definitely had face here. Was this really the face she was talking about?

    None of them knew what was going on.

 Chapter 758: Canâ€™t Help It

    <h4>Chapter 758: Chapter 758: Can¡¯t Help It</h4><h4></h4>

    Xinran couldn¡¯t hold back anymore; she pushed the floor manager away and ran outside.

    "Manager Zhang, Manager Zhang,e out here!"

    She wouldn¡¯t be able to face herself if she didn¡¯t deal with this floor manager today.

    The floor manager thought, how could this guy be so clueless?

    He immediately called the security captain, who had previously been moping around, "Are you dead? Hurry up and get rid of her. Do you want to be med if Bai Xiao and the others can¡¯t enjoy their meal?"

    The security captain was peeking from outside all along.

    He regretted deeply why he had taken real action. Even considering the four girls present, it wasn¡¯t his ce to get physically involved.

    He was just eager to show off in front of Xinran and ended up hitting a snag.

    He kept thinking about how he could beg for mercy.

    At that moment, enlightened by the floor manager¡¯s words, he realized this was his chance to perform.

    Look how smart the floor manager was, standing out with a few words had earned her quite the credit.

    Feeling inspired, he signaled to the other security guards behind him.

    "What are you looking at? Get those disorderly customers out of here. Don¡¯t they realize this isn¡¯t the ce for them to mess around?"

    Quicker than it sounds, several security guards went up, carried Xinran downstairs, and dumped her into a chair.

    The security captain approached with a smile, "Miss Jiang, just have your meal downstairs, isn¡¯t it all the same where you eat? It¡¯s just a meal after all."

    He walked away with his head held high, patrolling them.

    Xinran was gasping heavily, furious, puffing like a bellows.

    They really dared to?

    Had these people lost their minds? Did they not fear her brother could wreak havoc on their hotel?

    Seeing the situation worsen, Meng Han immediately patted Xinran on the back, persuading her, "Let it go. We can celebrate the birthday anywhere, the downstairs hall is nice too, spacious. It¡¯s not worth arguing with those people."

    The main reason was she felt that encountering Bai Xiao seemed disadvantageous.

    She had already lost 1000 yuan yesterday.

    Today, she didn¡¯t want to lose anything more because of this.

    Her intuition told her that Bai Xiao was probably not as simple and ordinary as she appeared.

    Xinran clenched her teeth and said, "I just don¡¯t believe it."

    She rushed to the bar, picked up the phone, and called her older brother, Qiang Xinjie.

    Five minutester.

    Bai Xiao and her friends had finally ordered their food.

    Lin Xiang, taking the lead in ordering, chose all the major dishes.

    These were also the signature dishes of the restaurant.

    They were expensive, but well-known far and wide. Many people came to the restaurant specifically for these dishes, which were said to be unique in taste and crafted with exquisite skill, having been served for over 100 years.

    The floor manager took the menu with a smile and left.

    Bai Xiao and her friendsughed, experiencing such a tumultuous meal was unexpected.

    "Next time, let¡¯s just go have street food, like steamed buns and duck blood soup," suggested Ma Yao.

    Exceptionally, the other two readily agreed.

    The four of themughed heartily.

    Soon, the dishes were served. You could imagine, the floor manager, wanting to redeem himself, had almost urged the kitchen to prepare their dishes first. While others received their dishes in sequence, theirs were all served almost simultaneously.

    Bai Xiao was much happier now; despite theplicated process of ordering, the speed of service certainly deserved praise.

 Chapter 759 Qiang Xinjie

    <h4>Chapter 759: Chapter 759 Qiang Xinjie</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao looked at the Wu Zi sea cucumber before her, a delicacy offered at the Xingde Restaurant, which boasted a history of 138 years and the craftsmanship passed down through five generations of masters and apprentices. Just by ncing at the color and luster of the dish, one could tell that it was of the finest quality.

    "Come on, everyone, dig in," Bai Xiao said.

    The four of them reached for the dish with their chopsticks. Ma Yao stuffed her mouth full in one go, and her eyes widened instantly as the food touched her pte.

    "My goodness, no wonder the dishes here are so expensive, the taste is really good."

    The group was extremely pleased, and it was not a wasted effort to dine here despite the twists and turns they had experienced.

    Indeed, the century-old establishment had a remarkable difference.

    As Bai Xiao and herpanions were thoroughly enjoying their meal, unbeknownst to them, on the first floor of the lobby, Qiang Xinjie had already arrived at the Xingde Restaurant with several health inspectors, spurred by Qiang Xinran¡¯sints. Qiang Xinjie was furious. Those who had snubbed Xinran had disrespected him as well.

    After all, Xinran¡¯s bluffing and swagger depended entirely on borrowing his name.

    He never expected that on his own turf, there would be a day when he¡¯d encounter defiance.

    "Call Manager Zhang out. We¡¯re here for a routine health inspection," Qiang Xinjie said.

    Qiang Xinjie¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t loud, and his demeanor was seemingly calm.

    However, there was a sinister undertone in his calmness that the restaurant manager was all too aware of. Haven¡¯t you heard? The dogs that bite don¡¯t bark.

    Qiang Xinjie was ustomed to throwing his weight around at their establishment. Having offended his sister that day, the manager could guess with his rear end what this visit was about¡ªit was clearly a vendetta.

    And they had arrived swiftly at that.

    The manager had worried that if Qiang Xinjie arrivedte and missed Mr. Yu and his party, they might end up on the losing side.

    But he really didn¡¯t overestimate what he knew about Xinran. ustomed to arrogance, she was suddenly shown disregard by others today.

    She wanted immediate real-world retribution.

    That was more like it. Wasn¡¯t this exactly ording to her tempo?

    She wanted to show Mr. Yu, and this was the perfect opportunity.

    "Director Qiang, our guests are currently dining. Could you perhaps wait until after the meal hour? We could do the inspection during our break. We are running a business after all, and an inspection now would mean halting the kitchen¡ªour guests won¡¯t be able to receive their dishes," the restaurant manager asserted, making these excuses for the first time with such righteous indignation.

    Under normal circumstances, they would never dare to be so brazen.

    It was Qiang Xinjie who used to dictate everything.

    Qiang Xinjie sensed something abnormal.

    On any other day, these people behaved like grandsons in front of him.

    Today, however, their attitude took a 180-degree turn.

    Unfortunately for him, before he could ponder any further, Xinran had already taken her ce beside her brother, full of arrogance.

    "Why waste words? Does the health department need to pick a time that suits you for an inspection? Stop all the kitchen operations right now; we are here to conduct a health inspection. Someone reported that your kitchen is filthy and disorganized and that you have used some non-regtory materials. Your vegetables and meats are not fresh. We are going to check immediately, so step aside," she said.

    She was already ustomed to throwing her weight around under someone else¡¯s name.

    Qiang Xinjie sighed, looking at his sister and feeling a headacheing on. With such an unreasonable sister, he was at a loss.

    He was the head of the health department, but what did that have to do with Xinran? If her words went unheard, it would be one thing, but if the wrong people overheard them, they could possibly sue him for condoning a family member to misuse the name of the health department staff and nder others recklessly.

    Luckily, there were no outsiders around.

    Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be able to keep his official hat on his head.

 Chapter 760: Reversal

    <h4>Chapter 760: Chapter 760: Reversal</h4> "Oh, who do we have here acting all high and mighty? Which department¡¯s staff member are you?"

    A teasing voice came from above, looking down from the second-floor staircase, Yu Shaoyan was watching Qiang Xinran with a smile.

    After all, it was this girl who had just arrogantly demanded that the kitchen stop for their inspection.

    Qiang Xinran nced at Yu Shaoyan, not recognizing him!

    Qiang Xinjie took a look, and was terrified.

    This... this is...

    Although he was just a minor department head, and attending meetings at the bureau or the ministry had nothing to do with him, thest time Mr. Yu hade down to inspect the local sanitation work, the district and bureau leaders were there hosting him, and he happened to be there delivering a report and caught a glimpse of him.

    Damn it.

    Fate really had no eyes, actually letting him bump into Mr. Yu himself.

    "She... is not!"

    "Who are you? Since when is it your turn toe out and act smart? What does who I am have anything to do with you? Hurry up, we definitely can¡¯t eat here now, everyone get going." Qiang Xinran didn¡¯t care at all.

    As long as her brother was there backing her up, she truly wasn¡¯t afraid.

    Bluffing behind someone else¡¯s power was indeed very skillfully executed.

    Yu Shaoyanughed, "I¡¯m really quite impressed with your courage, little girl. There aren¡¯t too many people who dare to point at my nose and scold me like this, or talk to me in this manner."

    Manager Zhang stood beside Yu Shaoyan. Earlier, when the floor manager downstairs encountered Qiang Xinjie and his crew demanding a health inspection with a fierce aura, of course, the staff went up to inform him right away.

    That¡¯s why he took the chance to invite Mr. Yu out.

    With this big banner on his side, he was really not afraid of Qiang Xinjie.

    Moreover, his sister was just asking for trouble.

    Pretending to be a health department staff member could lead to serious trouble if reported. If awsuit followed, Qiang Xinjie would not be able to escape responsibility, and the little girl would probably be off to the police station to sober up.

    Even if Qiang Xinran¡¯s mind wasn¡¯t working properly right now, she also felt that something was amiss.

    She sheepishly stopped talking and hid behind Qiang Xinjie.

    But Qiang Xinjie was the first to react. He knew that time was running out, and if he didn¡¯t manage this mess quickly, the oue would be dire once the higher-ups dealt with it. Not only would he himself not end up well, but his sister¡¯s fate wouldn¡¯t be any better.

    Just the crime of impersonating a civil servant was enough to cause Qiang Xinran a lot of trouble.

    Having realized this, Qiang Xinjie gritted his teeth, steeled his heart, and raised his hand to viciously p Qiang Xinran¡¯s face.

    This p was not just for show; to be convincing, Qiang Xinjie had put all his strength into it, a genuine, no-kidding p.

    Qiang Xinran was totally unprepared.

    After the p, not only did her nose bleed, but her cheek also bore the imprint of five fingers.

    One side of her face quickly swelled up.

    The sight was quite pitiful.

    "Who told you to spout nonsense? This is an official matter of the health department, what does it have to do with amoner like you? Even if you¡¯re my sister, you have no right to impersonate me in executing official duties. Now go home and reflect on your behavior. Until you have reflected properly, don¡¯te out and embarrass yourself."

    You have to admit that Qiang Xinjie was cunning; with this move, he immediately made the situation seem justified, so that no one could find fault with it.

    Qiang Xinran waspletely stunned by her brother¡¯s p.

    Clutching her face, tears filled her eyes not just with shock, but also with disbelief that her adoring big brother would hit her, and in front of her ssmates, no less.

    This was a total loss of face for her.

    Qiang Xinran, holding her face, ran out in a frantic sprint.

 Chapter 761 Seeking Justice

    <h4>Chapter 761: Chapter 761 Seeking Justice</h4><h4></h4>

    Yu Shaoyan had not expected Qiang Xinjie to handle the situation so deftly, swiftly turning the tables around.

    If they imed to be conducting a legitimate health inspection, even as a superior leader, he could not pick any fault with it.

    "Director Qiang, it seems you¡¯ve reallye at an inconvenient time. I¡¯ve just had one dish served, and it looks like the rest will have to wait untilter."

    Qiang Xinjie was sweating bullets, not daring to act recklessly anymore.

    He immediately bowed respectfully to Yu Shaoyan and said, "How could that be? We had actually already conducted the inspection just now. We didn¡¯t expect those reports to be false usations. The Xingde Restaurant¡¯s kitchen is extremely clean, not only meeting but far exceeding our expectations. Furthermore, the ingredients are all very fresh. Nowadays, some people engage in malicious businesspetition. When their food isn¡¯t as good, they resort to making recklessints.

    We no longer need to inspect."

    At this point, he didn¡¯t dare mention anything about further inspection.

    Yu Shaoyan nced at Qiang Xinjie, "Well, since Director Qiang has said there¡¯s no issue, we can all eat with peace of mind. Let¡¯s go back to our meal. Director Qiang, you should focus on your work, we wouldn¡¯t want to dy the director¡¯s important duties."

    It was only after Yu Shaoyan left that Qiang Xinjie wiped the cold sweat from his brow.

    This sister, why couldn¡¯t she see that she picked the worst possible ce to cause trouble?

    He himself didn¡¯t easilye here to cause trouble, knowing the hotel owner must have some background and means to open such a ce so casually.

    Now, he had gone and gotten himself in trouble with his own boss.

    If Yu Shaoyan were to speak out of turn to his district chief, what good coulde of it for him? Definitely, he¡¯d be demoted to being a sanitation worker in some local branch.

    It really seemed like fate was against him.

    Wasn¡¯t this just bad luck hurrying along?

    Qiang Xinjie signaled for everyone to leave. The clueless staff didn¡¯t understand why the director was acting this way, questioning why they had to leave when things were going well, even after he had hit his own sister.

    They also indiscreetly went up to Qiang Xinjie to brownnose, unaware that Qiang Xinjie treasured that sister like a jewel, and the whole family viewed Xinran as a precious gem.

    "Director, why fear these people? I might as well lead the team and shut them down; we are in the right, whether or not they have vited any regtions. We¡¯ll definitely seek justice for your sister."

    Qiang Xinjie pped him across the face.

    "Seek justice? Seeking fart justice, do you know who that person above is? You shout about seeking justice; do you want to get me killed sooner?"

    Not only did he p him, but he also kicked him fiercely a couple of times out of frustration.

    The man clumsily fell to the ground.

    Covering his face and chest, he couldn¡¯t make sense of what was happening today.

    Everyone was trembling with fear.

    The director¡¯s temper was off today; usually gentle and polite with them, today he exploded like a wild beast breaking out of a cage.

    Qiang Xinjie finally realized he had lost hisposure.

    Even though he was the director, he needed to maintain good rtions with his subordinates, or else they too could turn on him.

    He said with a wry smile, "Do you guys even know who that person was just now? That was Mr. Yu from the Modu Bureau. Even though everyone calls him Mr. Yu, in fact, his position has long been equivalent to that of a bureau chief. Aren¡¯t we just asking for trouble by confronting him? Talking about seeking justice, is it for us to pursue?"

    With those words, everyone calmed down.

    No wonder the director had pped his sister without hesitation. That p was well-timed; anyter, and they might all have been fired or investigated.

    Many were secretly breaking out in cold sweat.

    The director¡¯s start had not been sessful, and it was unclear what repercussions it might have for him in the future.

 Chapter 762: Connections

    <h4>Chapter 762: Chapter 762: Connections</h4><h4></h4>

    Qiang Xinjie muttered about bad luck as everyone got into the car and headed back to the health center.

    Qiang Xinran had already run back to school crying, closely followed by Meng Han and a few others.

    Those who didn¡¯t know any better saw Qiang Xinran crying as she ran back to her dormitory.

    Nobody knew what was wrong with her.

    Meanwhile, Bai Xiao and her friends were having a grand time.

    Oops, my mistake, they weren¡¯t actually drinking.

    Course after course was served, and everyone ate until their bellies were round.

    Even He Juan, who kept shouting about being on a diet, ended up stuffing herself.

    As for Lin Xiang, it goes without saying.

    She practically devoured everything in sight.

    No one could stop her from advancing on her path to bing a foodie.

    Bai Xiao and her friends finished their meal.

    Bai Xiao was ready to head back to school, but she definitely had to greet her uncle first; otherwise, it would be too rude.

    After all, the help from this makeshift uncle today had saved them from potentially squatting in a police station for obstructing public duties.

    Yu Shaoyan asked if she had got her course schedule and everything else sorted out?

    He nodded only after knowing it was resolved.

    "Go back and study hard. Don¡¯t hesitate to ask professors where you don¡¯t understand. I¡¯ll try to find you a ce for internship. After all, those of youing from Yun Province for further studies need to gain experience from practice. You really should make good rtions with these few deans; just any hospital they are associated with is highly prestigious," Yu Shaoyan gave Bai Xiao some implied advice.

    It was just a matter of saying it.

    Indeed, the deans immediately showed enthusiasm upon hearing Yu Shaoyan, warmly telling Bai Xiao, "Niece, don¡¯t worry, when your internshipes, we deans will take care of you ¨C one hospital for a month will be enough for your internship."

    Of course, that was just a courtesy.

    Bai Xiao thanked them with a smile and said goodbye before leaving with her ssmates.

    The day had passed.

    As they left, Yu Shaoyan watched Bai Xiao¡¯s departing figure and sighed.

    This child was used to being independent, not realizing she had been bullied to such an extent and never thought about seeking support from her family.

    Those deans are such perceptive people

    They immediately noticed how well Mr. Yu treated his niece.

    "Mr. Yu, I remember you have a niece, but she doesn¡¯t seem to have the surname Bai, right? Don¡¯t tell me I remembered wrong? I thought her surname was Yan?" This was Yu Shaoyan¡¯s old ssmate, and also a family acquaintance who was quite familiar with their family matters.

    This time, Yu Shaoyan introduced with a smile, "This Bai Xiao is my older sister Yu Shaoya¡¯s daughter, who grew up with her adoptive parents. We never knew this until recently when we discovered that this child looked too much like my sister. Eventually, an investigation revealed she is indeed my sister¡¯s biological daughter.

    We just recognized her not long ago. These years, this child has suffered a lot."

    "Oh my, there was such a story! We all knew your sister went to the countryside back then, andter her beauty led to a tragic fate, perishing in the countryside. But we had no idea she left such a smart child behind.

    This child is clearly bright and driven; she¡¯ll definitely be talented in the future."

    "That¡¯s right, I¡¯ve noticed too; this girl is capable. Plus, having you as an uncle to protect her, her future is boundless."

    "Oh, don¡¯t praise the child too much, you all. She learned a family tradition of acupuncture at her adoptive parents¡¯, that very famous acupuncture technique that substitutes for anesthetics, that¡¯s her.

    We¡¯re thinking of having her focus on learning the craft to better contribute to the country. When the timees and shees asking for your help, you all better not turn her away."

    The deans assured her they would definitely help.

    And thisid a goodwork for Bai Xiao.

 Chapter 763: Picking a Fight

    <h4>Chapter 763: Chapter 763: Picking a Fight</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao returned to school, and the next day she had a Traditional Chinese Medicine ss.

    It was said that this ss was about Acupuncture, and she arrivedte, well after the school year had already started, missing quite a bit.

    Fortunately, in the first ss, there was a familiar process.

    Upon arriving in the ssroom, she saw all unfamiliar faces, as the Medical University had many visiting schrs, and nobody paid attention to Bai Xiao. She found a seat in the back row and sat down.

    The professor who taught the ss was an old pedant whose lectures were hollow and dull, basically no different from what Bai Xiao had initially studied.

    Acupuncture was different from other subjects, mere lecturing could not do it justice; it involved real skill with Acupuncture points, and a mistake could truly cause harm to someone.

    The miraculous Traditional Chinese Medicine masters in those TV dramas did exist as remarkable people in folk tales, making Acupuncture a magical discipline.

    Moreover, to this day, many foreigners are fascinated by it, yet they fail to grasp its essence.

    As a discipline, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture did not have many followers. The Medical College mainly focused on Western medicine. They offered this course to meet the demands of the era, after all, they had many visiting schrs, and diversity was deemed necessary.

    However, there weren¡¯t many students in the ssroom, and by the middle of the lecture, several students had intermittently sneaked out when the teacher wasn¡¯t looking.

    Bai Xiao, looking at the sparse attendance, felt anxious for the professor up front.

    No wonder, the professor was really delivering a dry and unimaginative lecture, which made it difficult to maintain focus. Even she began to doze off, let alone others.

    It truly wasn¡¯t other people¡¯s fault.

    Bai Xiao felt that this teaching method really needed to be improved. Otherwise, studying Traditional Chinese Medicine, already niche, would fail to attract young people who preferred promising disciplines. Without an engaging teaching method, all students might well just go back to sleep.

    Just as she was struggling with her drooping eyelids, a thunderous voice boomed.

    "You, yes, you, the female student dozing off there! If you want to sleep, go back and sleep. If you cannot respect your own teacher as a student, then it truly speaks to the moral decay and decline of our times."

    Bai Xiao was jolted awake by the voice, looked around, and saw the old professor pointing furiously in her direction while all her ssmates stared at her strangely.

    Atst, she btedly realized she was "you"!

    "What? You¡¯re not convinced, you think the teacher is not interesting, then youe here and lecture. You students of this generation gain a little knowledge and be overly ambitious, with such an attitude how can you study properly?" The professor was vehemently criticizing Bai Xiao as a typical example.

    Bai Xiao was truly troubled.

    She hadn¡¯t done anything, not even truly fallen asleep; she simply could not understand.

    "Teacher, I mean no disrespect, but your lecture is just too dull. I want to listen attentively, but it¡¯s more tedious than ancient scriptures. If you change the method, maybe I wouldn¡¯t be dozing off," Bai Xiao stood up and exined innocently.

    It¡¯s fine to exin, but her words were infuriating.

    All students empathized deeply, almost on the verge of apuding, but her words had infuriated the professor so much his beard almost stood on end.

    "Unable to assess your own level yet criticizing the teaching method, you¡¯re truly a hopeless case! Youin about my lectures being dull, then please,e here and give us a lecture that isn¡¯t dull."

    Today, the old professor was really up against Bai Xiao.

 Chapter 764 Forced onto Liangshan

    <h4>Chapter 764: Chapter 764 Forced onto Liangshan</h4><h4></h4>

    "Professor! I didn¡¯t mean it that way, I was just giving you some advice. The nation always stresses the importance of keeping up with the times, not just in policies and people¡¯s lives, but also in your teaching methods. Only by doing so can we attract more students to love Traditional Chinese Medicine," Bai Xiao exined herself. She didn¡¯t mean to be confrontational with the teacher; she was just telling the truth.

    In her past life, she had seen many masters of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Many of them had humorous and interesting teaching methods that could make the knowledge stick unforgettable. After one ss, students could remember every point and would never forget them for the rest of their lives.

    Although her own studies were only half-baked, her wide-ranging exposure was unmatched.

    The professor, upon seeing Bai Xiao not apologizing and instead standing her ground, muttered to himself, now truly enraged.

    With a m on the desk.

    "Youe up and teach then. If you can¡¯t convince me today, from now on you don¡¯t need to attend my sses. If your teaching method can make these students like it, I¡¯ll take you as my teacher without another word."

    The old professor was definitely impulsive.

    Bai Xiao thought to herself, impulsiveness is a demon.

    Professor, are you sure you want to do this?

    "Are youing up or not? If not, get out now. I don¡¯t want to see a student so disrespectful and disobedient," he said.

    The old professor was furious.

    All the students looked at Bai Xiao with sympathy. How did this new girl manage to provoke the Bull Demon King?

    The professor¡¯s surname was Niu, and he was the only professor for the Acupuncture and Massage ss. True to his name, his temper was quite stubborn.

    Hence, all the students nicknamed him "Bull Demon King."

    "But you were the one who asked me toe."

    Of course, Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t just leave. What the professor meant was that she was no longer wee in his ss¡ªwithout it, she would fail the course. There was no other way. Even for her own diploma, she couldn¡¯t let the professor kick her out.

    She stood up and confidently strode to the podium, standing beside Professor Niu.

    Upon seeing this, Professor Niu was astonished. Not only did this student not apologize, but now she was actuallying up to teach. Very well, then!

    He stepped down from the podium, crossed his arms, and stood watching Bai Xiao.

    He wanted to see what sort of trick this student could pull.

    Not giving her a zero would be inconsistent with his reputation as a professor.

    Being upstaged by a student, he felt, for the first time in his teaching career, that he had encountered such a disrespectful and ungrateful student.

    He was resolute in his decision to punish her.

    Bai Xiao stood on the podium, and the room fell silent.

    All eyes were on her.

    Bai Xiao cleared her throat.

    "I¡¯m sorry for being here today; it¡¯s honestly a pure ident. My name is Bai Xiao, and it¡¯s my first day in this ss. I¡¯m actually an in-house doctor specializing in Acupuncture, here for further study.

    Of course, like everyone here, I¡¯m just an ordinary student. I admit I dozed off while sitting in my seat.

    But I don¡¯t feel ashamed. I think a teacher should feel ashamed if they cannot engage students with their teaching methods. Of course, this isn¡¯t a personal attack.

    Since we are all here to learn about Acupuncture, I will share some of my basic understanding of it. Acupuncture is like dating. When you¡¯re unfamiliar, it¡¯s mysterious, shrouded in secrecy, difficult to uncover its secrets¡ªcoveted yet elusive. But once you lift the veil, it¡¯s like a married couple, naturally progressing to a satisfying state. However, the deeper you go, the more it feels like a fortress of mutual harm, where a return to initial passion bes increasingly difficult."

    Everyoneughed; the analogy was indeed vivid.

 Chapter 765: Rabbit

    <h4>Chapter 765: Chapter 765: Rabbit</h4><h4></h4>

    "Don¡¯t just talk the talk, Acupuncture isn¡¯t something that can be clearly exined just by moving your lips. Let¡¯s get to the point," Professor Bull undermined.

    Bai Xiao smiled, "Indeed, Professor Bull has touched upon the real skill. I believe demonstrating once is better than talking about it a thousand times. Today, let us all witness the magical charm of Acupuncture.

    Our country¡¯s Acupuncture is profound and has a long history. So, let me demonstrate a little acupuncture game for everyone. However, I need a prop, this prop! I probably need a student to go to ourboratory and borrow a rabbit, as Acupuncture highly values empirical study and speaking with facts."

    Everyone looked at each other, but who would dare do it in front of the Bull Demon King?

    Isn¡¯t that just asking for trouble?

    All eyes fell on the Bull Demon King.

    "You go, you get it for her, and say I need it for a live experiment ss."

    Professor Bull didn¡¯t believe that Bai Xiao, so young, could have already mastered the technique of Acupuncture, considering the girl looked barely twenty years old. It¡¯s easy to learn Acupuncture! But it¡¯s difficult to master every nuance of it.

    Otherwise, everyone would have be an Acupuncture doctor.

    The subtlety lies in the fact that a little too much or too little can lead to unwanted effects or even other problems.

    This girl, even if shees from a family with a background in Acupuncture, definitelycks practical experience, unless her family runs a clinic or a hospital. Otherwise, it¡¯s impossible to be wless.

    Just showing off superficial knowledge before an expert is like humiliating oneself, and he wanted to see her do just that.

    The rabbit arrived quickly.

    The tall male student shyly handed the rabbit to Bai Xiao.

    "Thank you, ssmate. Now everyone can see this is a lively rabbit. To prevent it from running about, would one of you like to assist me?"

    Immediately, everyone eagerly raised their hands, eager to be a part of such an interesting activity.

    Now everyone¡¯s spirits were high.

    Bai Xiao picked the tall male student, the same one who had helped borrow the rabbit.

    "Great! The rabbit is now in your care."

    Bai Xiao took out her silver needles.

    "Everyone is probably familiar with what I¡¯m holding. You¡¯ve never eaten pork, but you¡¯ve seen pigs run, haven¡¯t you? Right, these are the silver needles used for Acupuncture. Although they are called ¡¯silver¡¯ needles, I believe they are certainly not made of silver. Otherwise, something like this that costs five for five yuan wouldn¡¯t bemonly avable, or else everyone would go crazy given the high price of silver these days."

    The audience burst intoughter.

    "Get to the point, what are you going to do to the rabbit?"

    "Right, the little rabbit is so cute, you better not kill it."

    "Exactly! We are here to see Acupuncture treatment, not Acupuncture ughter."

    The ssroom had turned into a marketce.

    Curious students from outside in the hallway peeked in, "ssmate, what are you doing?"

    "We¡¯re about to perform Acupuncture on a live rabbit,e and see, it¡¯s a rare sight! The Bull Demon King has lost his temper, it¡¯s the battle of the century."

    "Really, someone dares to confront the Bull Demon King? That takes guts!"

    Some people sneaked in quietly and sat at the back to enjoy the show, ready to leave if things went wrong.

    The Bull Demon King¡¯s face was ashen.

    "Cut the nonsense, we want to see real Acupuncture, not just random poking."

 Chapter 766: Blindfolded Acupuncture

    <h4>Chapter 766: Chapter 766: Blindfolded Acupuncture</h4><h4></h4>

    "Great! Now everybody has seen this lively and adorable rabbit! I couldn¡¯t be so cruel as to harm it deliberately. Let¡¯s do a simple acupuncture demonstration. If done correctly, it can treat diseases, but if not, it could harm a person. Let¡¯s see what harm looks like first!"

    Bai Xiao held the silver needle for demonstration. She was confident about this since her academic expertise was quite solid. She had learned it in her past life and had revised it quite a lot in this life. How could she possibly make a mistake?

    She could even locate the acupuncture points with her eyes closed.

    "Who has a scarf I could borrow?"

    Someone immediately offered one.

    Bai Xiao handed it to the student who brought it over, "Help me tie this over my eyes so I can¡¯t see anything at all."

    Everyone was in an uproar.

    To perform acupuncture blindfolded¡ª

    That must be a joke!

    How could someone even do that?

    That¡¯s too...

    Bai Xiao was already blindfolded, silver needle in hand, her face breaking into a smile.

    "Fellow students, today I originally wanted to demonstrate the dangers of improper acupuncture. However, I¡¯ve changed my mind because when I touched the little rabbit earlier, I discovered it had just undergone surgery, no more than three days ago, and the wound hasn¡¯t fully healed yet. How could we inflict further pain on it at this time?

    And most importantly, its hind leg was permanently paralyzed due to the surgery. If you don¡¯t believe me, take a look for yourselves."

    Bai Xiao knew after sensing around that this rabbit was a defective product from aboratory.

    The boy ced the rabbit on the table, and indeed, as it started to hop, one of its hind legs was clearly dragging limply on the ground; there were distinct sutures on its abdomen from the surgery.

    "Damn, Bai Xiao is amazing, it¡¯s as if she can see even with her eyes covered. Can Traditional Chinese Medicine pulse diagnosis really achieve this?"

    "Not necessarily. Maybe she had already seen it before and now she¡¯s just putting on a show under the guise of mystique."

    "Enough talking, let¡¯s see what she¡¯s going to do!"

    "This rabbit is so pitiful!"

    "Can we focus on what¡¯s important here, please?"

    "I¡¯ve seen acupuncture before, but it was always for things like backaches and leg pains. I¡¯ve seen cupping, acupuncture, moxibustion, but I honestly don¡¯t know how effective acupuncture really is."

    "You don¡¯t know anything. My mom said that in the past, skilled practitioners of Chinese medicine could ¡¯use one needle to travel the world¡¯, curing all sorts of diseases."

    "Keep dreaming. If that were true, then what¡¯s the point of all the Western medical equipment? What use are X-ray machines and ultrasounds? Western medicine is different from Chinese medicine."

    "Look, Bai Xiao is about to do the acupuncture."

    This statement sessfully silenced everyone.

    Bai Xiao felt around for Xiaobai the rabbit and had a boy secure it, "ssmates, acupuncture indeed can treat a wide range of diseases. In history, acupuncture had its moments of glory. It dealt with everything from colds and fevers to e, from serious paralysis and strokes to even internal organ issues. It could enhance immunity and restore cirction. Since you don¡¯t often see this, let¡¯s have Xiaobai start its recovery today."

    As the needle went in, Xiaobai shivered.

    "When ites to the posture of holding the needle during acupuncture, it is like holding a writing brush. Depending on how many fingers are used, it ismonly divided into the Two-finger Needle Technique, Three-finger Needle Technique, Four-finger Needle Technique, and Five-finger Needle Technique. And as for me, I use the Two-finger Needle Technique: it involves using the pads of the right thumb and index finger to grip the handle of the needle, so that the needle forms a 90-degree angle with the thumb."

 Chapter 767: The Tool for Chasing Girls

    <h4>Chapter 767: Chapter 767: The Tool for Chasing Girls</h4><h4></h4>

    Although Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes were closed, his many years of practice with the silver needle had given him a masterful control over locating acupoints and adjusting the depth of needle insertion.

    Professor Niu watched Bai Xiao administer the needles and couldn¡¯t help but revise his opinion.

    This girl was really doing it beautifully.

    Even if it was just for show, it was a show with experience.

    So far, no one could find a single fault.

    "Rabbit acupoints are different from human points, but some are very simr, such as the rabbit¡¯s lumbar and sacral areas, and the limbs; they share fascinating simrities with humans. Right now, these points are simr to the human Shenshu, Weizhong, and Yaoyang Pass. During acupuncture, use the reducing method, okay, these are the three needles, gently twist them, make sure the needle insertion maintains the right degree of heat, varying the intensity, so as not to injure the patient¡¯s internal organs, and especially avoiding the nervous system. We need to learn some basics, just like Western medicine, to ensure we do not harm the patient," Bai Xiao exined little by little the essentials of acupuncture.

    "My goodness, that rabbit..."

    "Its hind leg just moved!"

    "Impossible, how can it be so quick?"

    "It¡¯s true, just look for yourself."

    "You make acupuncture sound too miraculous, how can a limp be cured with just one needle?"

    "But look for yourself!"

    Bai Xiao removed the needle and took off the scarf covering her eyes.

    "ssmate, ce it on the podium, and let¡¯s see what kind of miraculous effect it has."

    The boy hesitantly released the rabbit. Watching all this, he had been too nervous, especially worried about Professor Niu¡¯s thunderous anger if things went wrong, as he looked at the pretty girl standing before him.

    The little rabbity motionless on the table! It was probably because the boy had been holding it too tightly, and it was a bit scared; indeed, one could say the rabbit was quite furious, thinking these humans were too mean, not only stitching and cutting on its body but also causing it to limp, and now sticking needles in it; humans were really too cruel.

    It looked around and saw that no one was holding it anymore.

    So, the excited little rabbit finally started hopping forward.

    One hop, another hop.

    All eyes were focused on the rabbit¡¯s hind legs.

    There was a stir of awe.

    "My god, are my eyes deceiving me?"

    "You¡¯re not blind! It¡¯s the rabbit¡¯s legs that dazzled you!"

    "Damn, isn¡¯t this too exaggerated?"

    "Did you do something to the rabbit¡¯s leg just now?"

    "I really never thought Traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncture could be so awesome."

    "No wonder my mom asked me to study Traditional Chinese Medicine, it¡¯s truly impressive!"

    Unable to contain his curiosity, Professor Niu ran up to the podium to closely observe the rabbit.

    Bai Xiao smiled and said to everyone, "ssmates, Traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncture is not just a profound course; it also has many benefits! For instance, it¡¯s perfect for showing off and acting cool, definitely a weapon for wooing girlfriends. Just think, if a girl has e, just two needles will make it disappear, plus you get to be close to the girl you like, isn¡¯t that special?

    Also, when a girl has her period every month! A lot of people suffer terribly from menstrual cramps, if you learn this, it¡¯s a secret recipe for self-care. Out there, if you encounter someone trying to rob or assault you, a silver needle in hand to misalign his mouth, paralyze his limbs, can any other doctor do that?"

    Both boys and girls were amazed; it could be used in those ways too.

    Suddenly, their view of Traditional Chinese Medicine elevated to something high and mighty.

    Many people started apuding.

 Chapter 768 Provocation

    <h4>Chapter 768: Chapter 768 Provocation</h4><h4></h4>

    "What¡¯s this girl¡¯s name?"

    Many people were inquiring, hardly anyone remembered Bai Xiao¡¯s self-introduction just now.

    "Bai Xiao, a new advanced student."

    "So amazing!"

    "Yes! Yes, she¡¯s incredible."

    "A doctor like Bai is really too cool!"

    "What¡¯s her background?"

    "Heard she¡¯s already a resident doctor at their hospital."

    "That¡¯s so awesome! No wonder her acupuncture flows like water, and she made a rabbit move freely with just three needles."

    "And she¡¯s so beautiful, the goddess of my dreams."

    "Get lost! All you saw was her beauty!"

    "A gracefuldy makes a fine match for a gentleman, what¡¯s wrong with that?"

    From then on, many people had aplete change of heart regarding the course of Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncture; many had decided they would take such a course seriously in the future.

    What they learned was a self-defense weapon that could cure all kinds of diseases.

    Could there be any more cool ability than that?

    "Bai Xiao, I have a cold today, my nose is plugged, and I¡¯m sneezing and have a runny nose. Didn¡¯t you say you can cure all diseases? So, can you cure me?"

    A student from the back row stood up.

    Bai Xiao was startled.

    What was this about?

    "Get lost, Zhang Zhaoyuan, you¡¯re a Western Medicine Pharmacist, what mess are you trying to create in our Traditional Chinese Medicine ss?"

    "Exactly, stop causing trouble."

    Zhang Zhaoyuan pushed his sses up on the bridge of his nose, revealing a sharp glint that was clearly one of disagreement and challenge.

    He stood up and walked down the stairs step by step,ing to the front of the lecture podium.

    "Bai Xiao, you¡¯ve greatly exaggerated the efficacy of Traditional Chinese Medicine. You should know thatpared to Western Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine still has undeniable weaknesses and disadvantages, such as slow effects and an inability to achieve immediate results for many patients. You say that Traditional Chinese Medicine can cure hundreds of diseases¡ªdon¡¯t you blush when you say that?

    Appendicitis, hepatitis, pneumonia, heart transnts¡ªaren¡¯t these all carried out by Western Medicine, not to mention the cesarean sections which girls like you wouldn¡¯t be able to manage without Western Medicine, and yet you brazenly im that your acupuncture can cure all diseases.

    So, as a student of Western Medicine at the Medical College, I¡¯m here to challenge you. A cold is simple, right? It doesn¡¯t require surgery, no machines are needed. Aren¡¯t you the one with an acupuncture kit that cures all diseases? Let¡¯s give it a try then! Even a minor ailment like a cold can¡¯t be said to be cured right away after taking medicine, so how do you manage to cure all diseases with your treatments?"

    There he stood in the audience, his momentum mighty, and Bai Xiao realized this time that he came to ruin the ss.

    There was a chorus of cursing in the Traditional Chinese Medicine ssroom.

    "That Zhang Zhaoyuan is such a bastard, if acupuncture could cure a cold in an instant, who would still buy cold medicine?"

    "He really came to seriously challenge us!"

    "Right, I¡¯ve heard of taking medicines for a cold, never of acupuncture for it, that¡¯s just nonsense."

    "Kick him out, he¡¯s just here to crash our Traditional Chinese Medicine ss."

    "That¡¯s too much!"

    Zhang Zhaoyuan stood unmoving, just standing there beneath the podium, indifferent to all the scolding, his gaze fixedly on Bai Xiao, forcing her to admit that acupuncture couldn¡¯t cure a cold.

    Professor Niu had already examined the little rabbit, whose leg indeed had healed. Professor Niu was simply very shocked.

    It¡¯s not that he, a professor teaching acupuncture and massage, didn¡¯t believe in it¡ªquite the opposite, he believed it more than anyone else.

    Yet, that acupuncture could heal a rabbit¡¯sme leg with just three needles was something unbelievable to him.

    He had been immersed in the field of acupuncture for many years; only his teacher, the grandmaster of traditional martial arts, could have achieved that. To this day, he had never met anyone else with this ability.

    He couldn¡¯t either.

 Chapter 769: Communication

    <h4>Chapter 769: Chapter 769: Communication</h4><h4></h4>

    Seeing such a student with such a profound foundation in acupuncture, Professor Bull¡¯s eyes lit up.

    "This student, aren¡¯t you causing trouble? You¡¯re not a student in our Traditional Chinese Medicine ss, please leave quickly and stop making unreasonable disturbances here." When he doesn¡¯t show his power, is the nickname Bull Demon King just for fun?

    At that moment, the Bull Demon King immediately transformed into a hero protecting his students.

    Don¡¯t think that Professor Bull doesn¡¯t know the nickname the students have given him.

    Zhang Zhaoyuan spoke deliberately without moving, "Professor Bull, although I am not a student of the Traditional Chinese Medicine ss, isn¡¯t it said that medicine needs to be exchanged to make room for progress? My intention here is to sincerely ask Bai Xiao for advice. You shouldn¡¯t hoard your knowledge, as this would not benefit the proliferation and glory of Traditional Chinese Medicine."

    The students in the back rows immediately began pping loudly.

    "Exactly, we from the surgery clinic also support Zhang Zhaoyuan. This is called exchange; isn¡¯t it said that among any three, there might be something for me to learn? We are here to learn, to proliferate and glorify our China¡¯s cultural essence."

    At this time, everyone realized that there were many students from the surgery clinic at the back. They had just passed by the Traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncture ss and heard the contentious discussion inside, listened for a bit, and couldn¡¯t contain their curiosity, so they quietly slipped in.

    This led to Zhang Zhaoyuan making his statement.

    The Bull Demon King was rendered speechless by the rebuttal¡ªhow could he say students shouldn¡¯t learn?

    A teacher could never say such a thing.

    "Bai Xiao, what do you think?"

    Bai Xiao smiled faintly, "Well then, if this student has already said so much, I ought to respectfullyply. Pleasee up here, and would someone kindly bring a chair. Also, this little rabbit should be returned to theb!"

    It¡¯s just a cold, after all.

    If she were timid, she wouldn¡¯t be doing justice to her powerful special ability. When she had treated the little rabbit earlier, she had discovered a new direction for her special ability. She applied her special ability to acupuncture rather than internal cirction, finding that it greatly enhanced the effects of acupuncture, though the acupoints still needed to be precisely located. However, the technique and force used in the acupuncture, including the effects, had changed.

    This time, the use of her special ability had practically zero energy consumption, and she understood that her special ability could be applied to instruments, enhancing their strength and effectiveness, thereby achieving very specific therapeutic effects.

    In the future, could she also enhance a surgical knife with her special ability, to double the effectiveness of the surgeries? She wondered if it would work.

    This time, since Zhang Zhaoyuan requested to be a live experimental subject, she didn¡¯t mind at all.

    The chair was quickly brought over.

    Bai Xiao made a weing gesture.

    Zhang Zhaoyuan sat in the chair and elegantly blew his nose with a tissue, his heavy nasal voice revealing that he indeed had a severe cold.

    The surgery clinic students had already moved to the front row, cheering for Zhang Zhaoyuan.

    It appeared that Zhang Zhaoyuan was quite popr in the surgery field, as Bai Xiao noticed that the students cheering him on were mostly girls, and he was even an idol on campus.

    "It seems the cold is indeed severe. This procedure might hurt a bit as acupuncture involves pain. I¡¯ll need alcohol to disinfect, which reminds everyone here¡ªwhile acupuncture can heal, improper disinfection and not using a new needle for each person can potentially spread diseases, such as the well-known AIDS and other blood-borne diseases. For the safety of everyone, please cherish your life and take the acupuncture needles seriously."

    The students belowughed softly.

 Chapter 770: Shut Up

    <h4>Chapter 770: Chapter 770: Shut Up</h4><h4></h4>

    "This student, less nonsense! Start already!" Zhang Zhaoyuan coldly interrupted Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao nodded, "Alright, after disinfecting with alcohol, a needle pierced into the acupoint!" While talking to the students, she said, "Since it¡¯s a cold, I¡¯m using Dazhui, Hegu, and Fengchi points, employing both reinforcing and reducing acupuncture techniques, which are specifically aimed at colds."

    Actually, acupuncture can really cure many diseases, and Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t bluffing¡ªin the history of Traditional Chinese Medicine, there indeed have been many experiences wherebining acupuncture and herbal remedies doubled the treatment effectiveness.

    Many legacies of Traditional Chinese Medicine were lost in this way.

    It¡¯s not that acupuncture can¡¯t cure a cold, but instant results from acupuncture are indeedcking some elements; however, with the addition of a special ability, it bes different.

    People came to cause a scene, and she couldn¡¯t disgrace Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture.

    Just by looking at Zhang Zhaoyuan¡¯s expression, one could tell that he was definitely devoted to Western medicine, not just indifferent to Traditional Chinese Medicine but probably scorned it a lot.

    Discrimination is uneptable.

    The needling was swift.

    Bai Xiao wrapped her special ability around the silver needle and gently turned it. Indeed, after the acupuncture, she could see that Zhang Zhaoyuan¡¯s initially uneven breathing had suddenly calmed down. Nasal congestion, one of the most ufortable symptoms of a cold, causes difficulty in breathing and only worsens the expression of difort, amon misery of cold sufferers.

    In just a moment, it was apparent that Zhang Zhaoyuan¡¯s red nose was gone and his breathing became smooth, and Bai Xiao smiled.

    Competing with me, are you seeking thrills or setbacks?

    Zhang Zhaoyuan¡¯s eyes started to look strange, just as he was about to turn his head, Bai Xiao pressed her hand against him.

    "Fellow student! Don¡¯t move about, it could cause a problem if not careful, you look so imposing, if I caused your face to be crooked, then wouldn¡¯t I be devoured by all these juniors and sisters below?"

    This was certainly not an exaggeration.

    Zhang Zhaoyuan dared not move.

    The clinical surgery female students below grew restless.

    "Hurry up and pull it out! Would you be able to afford it if this needle really made my senior brother¡¯s face crooked?"

    "Zhang Zhaoyuan should not have been allowed to perform it, who knows what a botch job he might end up doing!"

    "Exactly! If he really caused some issue, wouldn¡¯t that ruin my senior brother?"

    "Hurry up and pull it out!"

    "Yes, hurry up and pull it out!"

    The scene turned chaotic.

    Bai Xiao checked the time, almost ten minutes had passed, and she removed the needle.

    Zhang Zhaoyuan remained motionless on the chair for a long while.

    The girls below became anxious.

    "Zhang Zhaoyuan, what¡¯s wrong with you?"

    Professor Niu was also puzzled; could it be that the treatment actually made things worse?

    Impossible.

    He watched the entire needling process and saw no mistake in location or depth¡ªeven if not well done, it shouldn¡¯t have caused harm.

    "Student! Student!"

    Professor Niu seriously wondered if this was an attempt at extortion.

    "What kind of rubbish acupuncture is this? It¡¯s harming people! Go report this immediately."

    "Right! This is murder!"

    "I¡¯ll go file a report, you guys quickly call the emergency number 120, get him to the hospital first. If we¡¯rete, we¡¯ll regret it."

    "Alright! Let¡¯s split up and act."

    "We can¡¯t let this murderous woman off, she holds a grudge against our senior brother and seized the opportunity to hurt our senior brother..."

    "You all shut up! Nothing of the sort, I¡¯m perfectly fine, couldn¡¯t be better!" Zhang Zhaoyuan finally spoke, his words finally silencing the crowd below.

    Everyone was stunned.

    The students in the Traditional Chinese Medicine ss immediately erupted into cheers; they had been extremely worried, afraid that Bai Xiao might have actually caused a condition with her treatment.

    It seems they were wrong to worry.

 Chapter 771: Cured

    <h4>Chapter 771: Chapter 771: Cured</h4><h4></h4>

    "Zhang Zhaoyuan, you... you¡¯re alright!"

    The Surgery clinical students said sheepishly.

    They hadn¡¯t expected such a big misunderstanding.

    The Traditional Chinese Medicine ss students were smug, thinking that even if their medicine couldn¡¯t cure people, it certainly didn¡¯t kill them.

    "A bunch of ignorant people who know nothing, yet they create such a fuss here."

    "Exactly, they know nothing and just spout nonsense. Their hair is long but their knowledge is short."

    "Do you even understand what national essence is, what real acupuncture is? If you don¡¯t, stop ranting here and go back to your Surgery clinicals."

    "Right! It¡¯s simply bullying!"

    This time, the students of the Traditional Chinese Medicine ss finally had an advantage. In the past, they had often been despised and scorned by these people. Now, it was their turn to strut proudly; this feeling was exhrating.

    It was as refreshing as a serf turning over to sing.

    "What¡¯s so impressive? It¡¯s just that you didn¡¯t worsen the patient¡¯s condition, but that doesn¡¯t mean you cured them. Besides, not harming the patient is nothing to boast about. The purpose and spirit of being a doctor are to treat and save lives. Did you cure anyone?"

    The Surgery clinical students couldn¡¯t help but retaliate.

    Over the years, Medical University had always been dominated by Western Medicine. Initially, there wasn¡¯t even a course for Traditional Chinese Medicine. It was onlyter, as more students came for further studies and exchanges, some of whom were inclined towards niche fields, that they had no choice but to introduce a course in Traditional Chinese Medicine and invite some professors and veteran experts to teach. However,pared to Western Medicine, whether in terms of resources or the degree of talent focus, it was simply iparable.

    This was something the Surgery clinical students took pride in; they were the focus of the Medical College¡¯s investments, and they would be the elite in major hospitals, aimed not only at treating and saving lives but also at gaining fame and fortune.

    Zhang Zhaoyuan nced at Bai Xiao, stood up, and said, "Everyone, please quiet down."

    The bickering finally paused.

    Everyone looked at Zhang Zhaoyuan.

    "Everyone, I initially had prejudices against Traditional Chinese Medicine. In my view, it was slow, and its efficacy wasn¡¯t significant! In many cases of acute and severe illnesses, Traditional Chinese Medicine simply couldn¡¯t provide timely rescue and treatment, which led me to mistakenly believe that it was just a showpiece. But now, through this personal experience,

    I have finally realized the charm of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is indeed a part of our country¡¯s long history and culture. No wonder ancient times had Divine Doctors like Bian Que. I was too frivolous."

    Who couldn¡¯t understand what he meant by that?

    It meant that Bai Xiao had really cured his cold.

    With this thought, someone immediately detected the hint, "It¡¯s true, Zhang Zhaoyuan doesn¡¯t sound nasal at all now. Just now, it sounded like he was talking with a blower, but now, listen to how much clearer his voice is."

    "Yes! Yes! It really is."

    "He¡¯s not sniffling anymore either."

    "Yes, it¡¯s truly gone."

    "My goodness, I really didn¡¯t know acupuncture was this effective."

    The crowd became noisy.

    Zhang Zhaoyuan sincerely said to Bai Xiao, "I¡¯m really sorry about earlier! I was too arrogant, no wonder they say learning is endless! I was too frivolous."

    He was captivated by the acupuncture.

    Bai Xiao smiled nonchntly, "It¡¯s okay. Western Medicine has its strengths, like many trauma cases need Western surgical treatment. Traditional Chinese Medicine can do it too, but it¡¯s certainly not as exquisite as Western Medicine; however, Traditional Chinese Medicine also has its advantages. Indeed,bining the strengths of both isn¡¯t a bad path for our country."

    She wanted to vigorously develop thebined treatment of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine.

    This time, Zhang Zhaoyuan was truly impressed. She was so young yet neither arrogant nor servile¡ªhow could anyone not admire and like such a person?

 Chapter 772: Becoming a Disciple

    <h4>Chapter 772: Chapter 772: Bing a Disciple</h4><h4></h4>

    The students in the Surgery clinic fell silent. Zhang Zhaoyuan himself had admitted it, what more could they say?

    Zhang Zhaoyuan stepped down to interact with the students.

    Everyone felt that it indeed was better.

    All symptoms of the cold had disappeared.

    Professor Niu looked at Bai Xiao with eyes sparkling with excitement, eagerly stepping closer to Bai Xiao, "Student Bai..."

    Before he could continue, the students below started discussing, "Professor Niu, you can¡¯t go back on your word! You said if you lost, you would be a disciple, right?"

    "Yes, Bai Xiao¡¯s way of teaching, embedding education in fun, and integrating theory with practice, is vivid and interesting. We all like it! Compared to your dry theoretical knowledge, I prefer this teaching method even more. There¡¯s a clear validation here¡ªjust look at how many students are in the ssroom now."

    "Professor Niu! Be a disciple!"

    "Be a disciple! Be a disciple!"

    "Be a disciple, be a disciple, be a disciple!"

    Good lord, the ssroom was filled with unified voices calling for discipleship.

    This was everyone finally letting off some steam.

    Even the Bull Demon King had his downfall, rare sight for good drama, everyone got excited.

    The noise was almost about to pierce through the roof of the ssroom.

    "What are you doing?"

    A loud shout silenced everyone.

    Because this person was their vice principal.

    Good lord, certainly, they were too caught up in the moment, forgetting that this was still a ssroom.

    Now, they had really stirred up trouble.

    Everyone silently quieted down, the previous loud calls were now met with equal silence.

    "Professor Niu, what is going on here?"

    Vice Principal Zhao caught sight of the Bull Demon King and then naturally noticed Bai Xiao.

    His heart sank.

    Could it be that this youngdy was being troubled by Professor Niu.

    They all knew of Professor Niu¡¯s reputation as the Bull Demon King¡ªthe whole school knew he was conservative and stubborn, an anomaly who would not budge. If he set his sights on you, you really wouldn¡¯t graduate.

    She must not have drawn Professor Niu¡¯s attention.

    This ssroom discipline was too poor.

    Under everyone¡¯s gaze, the usually stern Vice Principal Zhao showed Bai Xiao a gentle smile that made one question their existence.

    Was that Vice Principal Zhao¡¯s smile?

    Could it be their eyes were deceiving them?

    Vice Principal Zhao could smile?

    Heaven, bring a thunderstorm.

    Let us see if we are all experiencing such a terrifying dream.

    Professor Niuughed, "Vice Principal Zhao, it¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. The kids want me to keep my promise. Student Bai Xiao, I, Niu Xiangdong, take you as my master." He bowed deeply to Bai Xiao, his waist nearly touching the ground.

    His sincerity was profound.

    Bai Xiao was startled.

    She was not worthy of this! She wasn¡¯t even sure of herself! If it weren¡¯t for the special ability by fluke, she was nothing, even a second-rate doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine was better than her.

    Let alone a professor of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

    They are the ones who truly deserve respect.

    She hurriedly bowed back and helped Professor Niu up.

    "Professor Niu, I really cannot ept this! It was just a joke, how can it be taken seriously! You are a highly esteemed teacher of ours, and I still have much to learn from you."

    This was definitely not modesty.

    Professor Niu shook his head, such a humble student.

    "No, I am a man of my word. Today, in front of everyone, I admit my thinking was outdated and unambitious. The essence of national studies should be disyed in a different way to reveal its charm. This time, I sincerely take you as my master, so don¡¯t be modest."

    Everyone was speechless.

    The Bull Demon King had gone mad today.

 Chapter 773: Run Away

    <h4>Chapter 773: Chapter 773: Run Away</h4><h4></h4>

    "Professor Niu! I really can¡¯t be a teacher."

    Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t just being modest! If she became a teacher, she feared she might only end up leading students astray.

    "No, as a person in this world, I must live up to my own conscience and integrity. I lost, and I am wholeheartedly convinced that you are my teacher."

    Professor Niu actually thought Bai Xiao looked down on him.

    Bai Xiao was so helpless, "Professor Niu! I really can¡¯t be your teacher."

    This time, the misunderstanding grew evenrger.

    By now, a student had already reported the whole story to Vice Principal Zhao, who alsoughed. He hadn¡¯t expected that a rtive of Director Yu would be so skilled, and thought it only natural for him to do something about it.

    "Since Bai Xiao¡¯s acupuncture skills are so profound, I propose that Bai Xiao bes the ss president of our Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncture ss. Does anyone object?"

    Everyone apuded. Who else could surpass Bai Xiao¡¯s skills?

    Being ss president was a title well deserved; after all, the role of a college ss president isn¡¯t as significant as in middle or high school. It¡¯s mainly about organizing the students¡¯ regr activities, and most of the student interactions don¡¯t involve real authority. However, the honor of being ss president could help one be familiar with various professors, which could make a real difference during internships.

    Vice Principal Zhao, seeing that everything was settled and having given Bai Xiao a favor, left cheerily.

    As soon as ss ended, Bai Xiao hurriedly ran away, not only because a bunch of students surrounded her asking for acupuncture tips for e treatment and beauty care, but also because Professor Niu was eagerly chasing her calling out "Teacher," wanting to learn the effective acupuncture technique for treating the rabbit¡¯s limp.

    It would be strange if Bai Xiao didn¡¯t run.

    Out of breath, she returned to her dormitory, where He Juan and Lin Xiang looked at her curiously. They had finished their sses early and had just gotten back themselves.

    "Who were you running from so desperately? Weren¡¯t you just going to ss?"

    He Juan and Lin Xiang were unaware of Bai Xiao¡¯s shining moment in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncture ss today. It was odd to see Bai Xiao looking as if she had been chased by a ghost.

    "It¡¯s nothing! It¡¯s nothing!" Bai Xiao gulped down a big ss of water and finally felt less exaggerated.

    She just had a knack for getting into trouble.

    She suddenly thought that living an easy life at the hospital, where no one chased after her for research and everyone was so considerate and her colleagues were kind, was truly blissful. Why on earth did she even decide to attend university?

    That was the easiest way to blow her cover.

    Especially since that old professor looked at her as if she were some rare treasure, almost as if he wanted to dissect her for study.

    Be a disciple?

    What a load of nonsense.

    How could she possibly teach her special ability to someone else?

    Was she supposed to tell her disciples that their first lesson would be to die once, and if they managed to survive by a hair¡¯s breadth, only then would it be consideredplete?

    The problem was, even if they survived such an ordeal, there was no guarantee they would gain a special ability.

    Kaiwen had often eyed her greedily in her previous life. How could Kaiwen not want to gain that power for herself?

    Jumping off buildings, into rivers, off cliffs¡ªevery time it was a severe injury, and every time it was Bai Xiao who saved her.

    But the special ability? Never seen.

    That¡¯s why Kaiwen would often grind her teeth in frustration, convinced that Bai Xiao was just incredibly lucky.

    Yes, her dumb luck was not something just anyone could have.

    So now that she had disciples, what could she possibly teach them?

    With a bang, Ma Yao burst in like a cannonball.

    "Did you guys hear? Bai Xiao... you¡¯re here? That¡¯s perfect! I¡¯m asking you, the whole school is buzzing about it. A female student from the Traditional Chinese Medicine department named Bai Xiao, with her divine acupuncture skills, made Professor Niu willingly be her disciple and impressed a bunch of Surgery interns. Is it true?"

    Bai Xiao was speechless. Gossip sure traveled fast.

 Chapter 774: Mission

    <h4>Chapter 774: Chapter 774: Mission</h4><h4></h4>

    "That... that..."

    Bai Xiao backed away.

    Ma Yao grabbed her in one swoop, plonked her on the bed, and the three of them circled around her with a predatory gaze.

    This spelled out a severe punishmenting her way.

    "Where do you think you¡¯re hiding?"

    Ma Yao¡¯s grip was so strong, it was as if she was handling a small pet, Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t help but mock herself helplessly.

    "I..."

    "What about you? Fess up, or you¡¯ll face the big punishment!"

    Ma Yao suppressed her with force, while Lin Xiang and He Juan revealed their ferocious, sinister ws.

    Bai Xiao obediently recounted what had happened! Even though she wasn¡¯t eloquent, she tried her best to avoid exaggeration, but s, she couldn¡¯t stand against the trio¡¯s rich imagination. They embellished the story in their minds with all the scenes.

    So the three of them buzzed around her, like they had spotted delicious beef jerky, drooling over it, sending chills down her spine.

    "What do you guys want to do?"

    "We just want to take a good look at what the Medical College¡¯s star of tomorrow looks like?"

    "How about you give me an autograph? Who knows, it might be a boasting asset for me in the future."

    "A group photo is better, that¡¯s where the real value is! In the future, I¡¯ll brag that I graduated from the same Medical College as the famous Traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncture specialist Bai Xiao. We lived in the same dormitory and even ate from the same pot."

    Before the three could pounce on her, Bai Xiao timely retreated to the doorway.

    "I¡¯m going to eat now, bye..."

    She quickly slipped away.

    It would have been bad news if they had surrounded her.

    In the following days, Bai Xiao became the new newsmaker of the Medical College. Who else could leave the Bull Demon King speechless, eagerly crying and begging to be taken on as a disciple? She couldn¡¯t be just anybody, could she?

    Bai Xiao¡¯s desire to stay low-key was thoroughly dashed.

    After finishing today¡¯s sses, Bai Xiao hadn¡¯t even left the ssroom when her teacher, Director Jia from the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine¡ªa sixty-year-olddy who had actually retired, but was re-employed by the university for research purposes, serving as a visiting professor in name¡ªstill did the work of a real professor.

    Of course, Director Jia was a very conscientious teacher. These past few days, under Director Jia¡¯s rmendation, Bai Xiao truly started to systematically learn the basics of Traditional Chinese Medicine. After a deep conversation with Director Jia, the director also came to feel great pity for this student.

    She had skill! She really did. On her first try at pulse diagnosis, her technique wasn¡¯t precise, she was all over the ce, and she couldn¡¯t even clearly describe the various pulse conditions, yet she unhesitatingly identified the director¡¯s high blood pressure, diabetes, and migraine issues¡ªexactly matching her actual conditions.

    However, her foundation was too weak. Apart from her unrivaled talent in acupuncture, she was frankly useless in all other aspects.

    "Xiaobai, tomorrow the college needs to pull together a team to wee the visiting foreign Head of State. Our department has selected you, Wu Sanduo, and Xun Mo¡ªthree people in total. Other departments will probably send around twenty people altogether. You guys need to be at the guidance office entrance at eight o¡¯clock tomorrow morning, ready to go," Director Jia instructed her, trusting Bai Xiao with the task. She believed this child was dependable.

    Bai Xiao nodded, not expecting the Medical College to have this kind of foreign affairs reception duty. It was just holding a big banner, clutching flowers, and putting on an idiotic weing smile, not unlike babysitting.

    But it was a task from the leaders! There was no way they could skip it.

    Bai Xiao hurried off, not wanting to spend any more time in the ssroom! The next ss was the Bull Demon King¡¯s, and nowadays, whenever he saw her, he would call her "teacher, teacher" non-stop. It had almost be a scenery of the college.

 Chapter 775 Give Up Your Seat

    <h4>Chapter 775: Chapter 775 Give Up Your Seat</h4><h4></h4>

    The next morning, Bai Xiao, Wu Sanduo, and Xun Mo arrived outside the guidance office to report.

    It was only upon their arrival that they realized staff had been drawn from every department, and indeed, there were more than twenty people, among whom some were not familiar faces.

    Ma Yao and He Juan were actually there, evidently because the teachers, who valued attractiveness, hadn¡¯t managed to include Lin Xiang, fearing she would lower the attractiveness quota of the Medical College.

    The problem was they also saw other familiar faces.

    For instance, there were the archenemies Qiang Xinran and Meng Han, and Zhang Zhaoyuan, who would always greet Bai Xiao with a smile on his face. The world really was small, and their Medical College was even smaller.

    Once everyone had gathered, the Director of Guidance, Liu Hongmin, was the lead teacher for this trip. After a lengthy tirade of official jargon, they set off.

    The school had a dedicated minibus, the type that seats twenty, parked in front of the teaching building.

    Everyone lined up and boarded the bus in an orderly fashion. Bai Xiao and her friends were thest to board, finding only seats at the back. Ma Yao and He Juan sat closer to the front, and Qiang Xinran had chosen not to sit with Meng Han but instead beside Zhang Zhaoyuan.

    It seemed Qiang Xinran was quite interested in Zhang Zhaoyuan, Bai Xiao thought to herself.

    As soon as Liu Hongmin saw Bai Xiao, he smiled, thinking about how great this opportunity was to make contact. He had alreadyid the groundwork with her, and now all that was left was to let things take their course.

    The problem was the seats were too far back. How could he show his care for Bai Xiao? Besides, with her seat at the back, it wasn¡¯t convenient for him, the Director of Guidance, tomunicate with the students.

    He frowned. Why were there only a few seats left at the back?

    "Qiang Xinran, move to the back. Bai Xiao gets carsick, and it¡¯s not convenient for her to sit at the back," Liu Hongmin said as soon as he spotted Qiang Xinran.

    Being his niece, he could be direct with her; there was no need for exnations.

    Qiang Xinran angrily opened her mouth to protest, "I get carsick too!" But she swallowed the words ¡¯uncle¡¯; he didn¡¯t like to be called that in public.

    "What carsickness? Hurry up and move! Students should help and be kind to each other, move it now!" he said, not mincing his words. His niece was just an excuse, after all.

    To avoid suspicions of favoritism over seating arrangements, Qiang Xinran, his niece, was obviously the best choice. It wouldn¡¯t damage his reputation and it would give him a chance to curry favor with Bai Xiao.

    Qiang Xinran nearly choked with indignation.

    Is this really my uncle?

    There was no logic whatsoever in giving up her seat for her archenemy. It was outright bullying.

    Meng Han was surprised. Liu Hongmin was Qiang Xinran¡¯s uncle, a fact well known to her, and he had always doted on Qiang Xinran. Being the only girl in the family, she was the precious child of two households.

    Scarce goods are precious.

    Following the p from her brotherst time, this was another blow for Qiang Xinran.

    Could it be that Qiang Xinran was no longer the darling of her family?

    This was all too contrary to the script.

    Or could it just be that every time, Bai Xiao was involved? Could Bai Xiao be Qiang Xinran¡¯s nemesis?

    Really fucking supernatural.

    The Director of Guidance Liu Hongmin was someone who wouldn¡¯t lift a finger unless there was something in it for him, a very pragmatic person. Without a benefit, why would he betray his own niece for someone named Bai Xiao? Who exactly was standing behind Bai Xiao?

    That could make even the Director of Guidance Liu Hongmin bow and scrape?

    Who had ever seen Liu Hongmin act like that before?

    Even Qiang Xinran herself hadn¡¯t been treated like that.

    Meng Han looked at Bai Xiao more intensely.

    She didn¡¯t see anything out of the ordinary!

    However, she knew Qiang Xinran had reluctantly moved to the back, and Meng Han, for the sake of friendship, followed pretentiously. She still hoped to rely on Qiang Xinran¡¯s family to secure a good hospital for her during their internship. Her own family had some money, but their connections weren¡¯t as robust.

    Nowhere near as powerful as Qiang Xinran¡¯s family.

 Chapter 776 Thank You

    <h4>Chapter 776: Chapter 776 Thank You</h4><h4></h4>

    "Bai Xiao, please take a seat!"

    Liu Hongmin felt he was being so amiable that it was almost out of character for him, so he immediately restrained his smile a bit; he couldn¡¯t let the students think he was sucking up to them.

    After all, he was the Director of Academic Affairs and needed to maintain some dignity.

    "Thank you, Director Liu!"

    Bai Xiao sat next to Zhang Zhaoyuan. If someone was willing to do that, she didn¡¯t feel ashamed. Ma Yao, who sat in front of her, turned around and covertly gave her a thumbs-up.

    This guy, looking to get me into trouble!

    "Hello, let¡¯s formally introduce ourselves. Zhang Zhaoyuan, I was really rudest time. Also, I haven¡¯t thanked you for curing my cold, thank you!" Zhang Zhaoyuan extended his hand, his demeanor humble, like a refined gentleman.

    Grasping his well-defined hand, even the warmth of his palm was asforting as the moist warmth of spring, "Bai Xiao, that¡¯s too kind of you. Let¡¯s exchange ideas and learn from each other."

    Zhang Zhaoyuan gave her a good impression; he was a special boy, at least very magnanimous.

    She couldn¡¯t stand those who, unable to seed themselves, couldn¡¯t bear to see others excel, consumed by petty jealousy.

    Zhang Zhaoyuan was very positive, probably why all the female students at Medical College liked him.

    "The idea you proposed about integrating Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western medicine is really sensible. If you have time, we could discuss it together. I¡¯m quite interested in this, especially in the area of potions. Combining both Eastern and Western approaches seems more meaningful.

    Traditional Chinese Medicine may work slowly, but the toxic side effects are minimal. Compared with Western medicine¡¯s side effects, there is a lot of room for exploration."

    "Integration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western medicine? Is this something Bai Xiao proposed?" Liu Hongmin wouldn¡¯t miss this opportunity and butted in. He had created this chance, and it was certainly not for Zhang Zhaoyuan¡¯s benefit.

    This guy had stolen his thunder.

    "It was indeed proposed by Bai Xiao. After we returned to our department, we did some research and found that it¡¯s quite feasible."

    "That¡¯s excellent. Bai Xiao is a very talented person, and her ideas are bold. We can convene a meeting to discuss this topic in the future and focus on it as a research subject. Bai Xiao, you should write up a feasibility report and submit it to us. Our school leaders will look it over. We shouldn¡¯t let a good idea go to waste." Liu Hongmin instinctively wondered if this was Yu Shaoyan¡¯s intention.

    After all, a research project is not just a simple proposition but requires financial support, coordination from various personnel. Bai Xiao had only been at the school for a month and had the courage to make such bold suggestions, which was the best proof that Yu Shaoyan must be supporting her from behind. How else would she dare to speak out?

    With such confidence, it seemed that this was Yu Shaoyan¡¯s idea. Although he, as the Director of Academic Affairs, wasn¡¯t in charge of funding, expressing support in such matters carried weight with the principal, and the project should easily get approved.

    "Okay, Director, we will work out a n after we return. Thank you for your support of our research."

    This project was not only a path that promised great development in the future but was also the only thing Bai Xiao hoped could help the field of Traditional Chinese Medicine to advance further. She only wished that her small contribution, like that of a butterfly pping its wings, might bring about substantial progress in the development of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

    "Why the formality? Since I¡¯m a teacher and students have research directions, we should offer even more support. The country needs more people like you who have ideas, talent, and the courage to act. I will definitely support you."

    Liu Hongmin himself almost started to believe his own rhetoric as exceedingly noble and just.

 Chapter 777 Unexpected

    <h4>Chapter 777: Chapter 777 Unexpected</h4><h4></h4>

    The car arrived quickly, and there were many institutions there to participate in the wee party, not just their Medical College. On the tarmac, this area had already been specifically put under martialw, and every student and teacher entering was subject to strict inspection! They weren¡¯t even allowed to bring in any items on their person.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s acupuncture kit was confiscated, as the security regtions required, and Bai Xiao knew there was no alternative. When it involved the Head of State, especially at such receptions for dignitaries, even the slightest potential harm had to be nipped in the bud.

    Students from various colleges gathered together, and Director Liu carried a bouquet of flowers, though it wasn¡¯t yet apparent that a student representative was needed to present the flowers to the Head of State.

    This task would surely bring someone into the limelight, possibly leaving an impression in the eyes of the national leaders¡ªan opportunity that onlyes once in a lifetime.

    Furthermore, with every major television station¡¯s cameras present, the whole nation would be able to see it.

    One after another, the students were visibly excited, casting eager nces at Director Liu, wondering who would be lucky enough to receive this honor.

    Qiang Xinran already wore a smile of joy on her face.

    Her pride was barely concealed, for who else would her uncle give the bouquet to?

    Especially since he was walking towards her with that kindly smile, it must surely be her.

    As Liu Hongmin approached her, she reached out to take the flowers.

    "Thank you for your trust, leader."

    How like her uncle, always preferring to be low-key, forcing her to speak so formally in return.

    How marvelous it would have been to say, "Thank you, Uncle!" and shock everyone at that moment.

    But it didn¡¯t matter, after all, he was her uncle.

    "Bai Xiao, this is for you. Later, you and Zhang Zhaoyuan will go together to present flowers to our Head of State and the foreign leaders. Don¡¯t be nervous. Be courteous, neither servile nor overbearing. The teachers are entrusting you two with an important task." This time, the flower presentation required a male and female pair.

    Thisbination made sense.

    Liu Hongmin did intend to give the flowers to Qiang Xinran.

    Who wouldn¡¯t wish for their niece to stand out?

    But if he gave the flowers to Qiang Xinran this time, all the previous efforts would have been in vain.

    Weighing the pros and cons, Liu Hongmin made an unexpected move.

    Qiang Xinran watched as her outstretched arm came up empty, not just empty.

    It hung awkwardly in mid-air, and already some nearby couldn¡¯t suppress snickers at the sight.

    Qiang Xinran¡¯s face flushed red, then white, then green, then purple.

    As Bai Xiao gracefully epted the flowers, her delicate beauty even further enhanced by the bright bouquet.

    Byparison, she wanted to crawl into a hole from shame.

    It was so damn embarrassing.

    Qiang Xinran had never been so humiliated in her entire life.

    Staring at her empty hands, Qiang Xinran¡¯s gaze was murderous. If she could, she would have yed Bai Xiao a thousand times over and still find it insufficient.

    Meng Han stuffed a corner of the banner bearing the wee message into Qiang Xinran¡¯s hands, providing her some relief, but deep down she fully realized that Bai Xiao was truly in a different league.

    Liu Hongmin, regardless of his status, had been making this kind of move over and over again!

    Apart from ingratiating himself, what else could it be?

    It seemed she should try to mend her rtionship with Bai Xiao. The reason Director Liu was behaving this way couldn¡¯t be for an insignificant, small-time character.

    Butting heads had no advantages; she wasn¡¯t Qiang Xinran, without the political backing to protect her. The path she needed to follow couldn¡¯t deviate.

 Chapter 778 Accident

    <h4>Chapter 778: Chapter 778 ident</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao and Zhang Zhaoyuan held flowers, watching the foreign Head of State¡¯s special ne slowly descend.

    At this time, the Armed Police Officers had already imposed martialw. Along the roadsides, apart from the areas allowed for them to hold up banners, there were rows of guards and bodyguards standing with upright postures, all well-trained and responsible for the protection of the leaders.

    If there were any dangers, they would be the first to throw themselves into harm¡¯s way, even capable of taking a bullet for others.

    Everyone was vigntly observing their surroundings.

    Bai Xiao and Zhang Zhaoyuan were also arranged in prominent positions, and the flowers in their hands had been carefully inspected to ensure not a single mistake could be made.

    The leaders who hade to wee the guests were already standing at one end of the red carpet, apanied by the bodyguards, and everyone watched with bated breath.

    The special nended.

    Under the shine of the sun, the white fusge of the ne emitted a dazzling light.

    The cabin door opened, and the first to emerge were the suit-d bodyguards, who conducted a brief security sweep to form a safe passage. It was then that the elegantly bearded Head of State appeared with his spouse.

    He was a handsome man in his early fifties, with the standard look of his countrymen: shiny ck hair, soft ck eyes, and a sensuous mouth; he took care in maintaining his physique, and his hair had not yet turned grey.

    Dressed in attire that represented their country¡¯s character, the hair of both shone under the sunlight as they descended the stairs.

    Slowly walking on the red carpet towards China¡¯s state leader, the military band had already started to y the national anthems of the two countries. The leaders of the two nations met.

    A cordial handshake, hugs exchanged to signify friendship.

    The trantors continued to work tirelessly, and now it was Bai Xiao and Zhang Zhaoyuan¡¯s turn to step forward.

    The two of them stepped up, handing over the fresh flowers to the other party. With just a handshake, this event woulde to a perfect close, and they could go home.

    However, everything happened too fast, catching everyone off guard.

    Bai Xiao had just sped hands with the Head of State¡¯s wife when he saw the woman, who had just seemed as elegant as a noblewoman, suddenly squeeze his wrist tightly. The force was so strong that one might suspect an intent to kill. Bai Xiao already felt a sharp pain, and a ck and blue bruise from her fingernails was forming on his skin.

    Then, she began to vomit uncontrobly, clutching his hand and paying no heed to her image.

    At this moment, Bai Xiao could only support her with one hand on her back and the other propping her up by her elbow.

    The bodyguards by her side had already charged up.

    The Head of State¡¯s wife was alternately attacked by waves of cold and heat. The sharp pain pierced her stomach, and she could only curl up like a baby, choking in agony.

    The situation waspletely out of control; not only the Head of State¡¯s wife but also the Head of State himself was now in a state of unconsciousness! Severe vomiting apanied by deep fainting. The scene terrified everyone.

    China¡¯s leaders had been well-protected by their bodyguards, surrounded in a circle; they watched their surroundings with caution, fingers resting on their waists, ready to draw their guns at any moment.

    Foreign bodyguards were checking on their Head of State.

    Bai Xiao had no way to leave; she was caught in the middle! The Head of State¡¯s wife was still holding her hand tightly, not letting go, while Bai Xiao¡¯s "special ability" had already scanned the area.

    Looking somewhat pale, the Head of State¡¯s wife had been poisoned.

    Clearly, this was a trap.

    If a foreign Head of State and his wife were to die suddenly on the soil of China, it would lead to mutual suspicion between the two nations, even the possibility of armed conflict.

 Chapter 779: Poisoned

    <h4>Chapter 779: Chapter 779: Poisoned</h4><h4></h4>

    "What¡¯s going on?"

    The national leader asked the doctor who hade to check again. The apanying foreign Head of State naturally brought their doctor, as a precaution. However, no one had expected that a need would arise.

    The doctor frowned. "I¡¯m not clear about the cause yet! But it appears to be poisoning!"

    The trantor had already ryed this information to the national leader synchronously.

    Poisoning?

    Who was still unclear about it?

    It was a trap, a conspiracy against both countries. At all costs, they could not let the foreign Head of State and their spouse die on their territory, as exnations would be unnecessary¡ªthe infuriated foreign public and those unaware of the truth could easily be incited to an agitated state.

    Then, with some people¡¯s schemes, a great war would be imminent.

    "Take them to the hospital for full life-saving measures."

    With the orders given, vehicles which had been arranged previously, meant to transport guests to the state guest house hotel, now unexpectedly took on the role of ambnces.

    "We cannot move them now!"

    A voice halted everyone¡¯s actions.

    The national leader saw a gaunt girl speaking, her voice cold as she spoke. They shouldn¡¯t move? She knew they shouldn¡¯t be moved.

    What did that imply?

    Was this girl the one who had poisoned them?

    She was the closest to the foreign Head of State and his spouse and was one of their own. Were they trying to pin this on them?

    "This toxin is a type of mushroom poisoning, which generally takes about six hours to take effect. Once it does, the death is swift. Although there¡¯s no worry of airborne transmission, any movement can elerate the toxin¡¯s path toward the heart. Perhaps they might not even make it to the hospital." Bai Xiao was holding the hand of the Head of State¡¯s spouse, it was her holding her hand now¡ªher medical skills might be limited, but her special ability could tell her everything.

    "Don¡¯t spout nonsense or try to scare us! Who is she? Take her for questioning and investigation," the national leader ordered, trying to prevent the situation from worsening.

    However, the foreign Head of State¡¯s bodyguard interjected, "You cannot take her away because if she can state this, she might very well be an aplice of the poisoner." But they also dared not move the foreign Head of State and his spouse, fearing it might indeed be true¡ªby doing so, they would be sending them directly to their deaths.

    It was a responsibility no one could bear.

    "Don¡¯t doubt me; I am an intern doctor from the Medical College, and a Traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncture specialist at a hospital in Yun Province. I hold a professional title and have participated in frontline higndbat, so please do not question my intentions. Please return my confiscated acupuncture kit to me, and provide alcohol for disinfection. Be quick¡ªthe toxin progresses rapidly, and at any moment, it could im lives."

    Bai Xiao was checking the pulses of the Head of State¡¯s spouse, listening to her heartbeat, estimating the rapid progression rate of the toxin. If nothing unexpected happened, without any movement, in a maximum of one hour, both individuals could face the same fate.

    Everyone stood in shock, wondering what to do.

    The national leader nced at a nearby bodyguard, and immediately, five minutester, a detailed investigative report was submitted. It seemed Bai Xiao was right¡ªher identity was beyond doubt, which meant she was not someone sent to disrupt from within.

    "Can you save them?"

    At this moment, intervening with their own medical personnel would have consequences indistinguishable from poisoning, as various conspiracy theories would emerge if the life was lost.

    Utmost caution was essential.

 Chapter 780 Resistance

    <h4>Chapter 780: Chapter 780 Resistance</h4><h4></h4>

    "I can treat him, but I can¡¯t guaranteeplete recovery! But at the very least I can eliminate some of the poison, so the person can hold on until we reach the hospital for emergency care. There¡¯s a fifty percent chance!"

    She didn¡¯t make big ims because she wouldn¡¯t put herself in danger.

    The bodyguard of the Head of State, upon hearing the trantor¡¯s words, was already panicking. The person¡¯splexion had turned a sallow, pale yellow, their eyes sunken, an odd smell clinging to them; both individuals were unconscious, their faces deathly still.

    Wasn¡¯t this girl saying she could save them?

    What are we waiting for!

    A rapid session of words spilled out, and the country¡¯s officials didn¡¯t need a trantor to understand that the other party was urging them to hurry up and save lives. Their brows furrowed deeply, "Doctor Bai Xiao, we hope you can seed."

    If they didn¡¯t act, public opinion wouldn¡¯t spare them. To act was to be caught in a whirlpool.

    They had no choice but to pin all their hopes on this girl, especially when the other doctors had yet to make any sense of the situation. She had already spoken so clearly and explicitly that her credibility had risen significantly.

    Was there any other solution now?

    The foreign Head of State¡¯s bodyguards were on edge. Their responsibility was even greater as all the apanying officials were present, but they couldn¡¯t make decisions since some had fallen ill as well.

    In any case, it was chaos.

    "Everyone, don¡¯t panic. The doctors are on their way, the medical equipment and doctors are all rushing here. Now, let¡¯s give some space and allow Doctor Bai to do some basic treatment. Security officer, give her the acupuncture kit!"

    At this point, it was a case of trying anything in the face of death.

    The bottom line was that no one could die and the nation¡¯s dignity had to be preserved.

    The bodyguards were in a tricky position; they had just confiscated some items and sent them outside for processing, fearing any potential hidden dangers.

    They whispered into the ear of the Head of State whose face then changed color.

    Was it reallying down to war?

    This couldn¡¯t be heaven wanting to destroy me.

    "I have a set of silver needles for acupuncture in my backpack, but it¡¯s in our school¡¯s car," Zhang Zhaoyuan spoke up.

    "Then go get it quickly, hurry, drive him there. Don¡¯t waste a single minute," the leadermanded, needing to make the impossible possible.

    Five minutester, Zhang Zhaoyuan almost copsed and vomited by the roadside as soon as he got off the car. The bodyguard had really treated this as a matter of life and death, driving recklessly as though his life didn¡¯t matter. Being just an ordinary student, he suffered from nothing but motion sickness.

    The acupuncture kit, after thorough inspection, was delivered to Bai Xiao¡¯s hands.

    There was also disinfectant and cotton balls.

    Bai Xiao began her work calmly, using an alcohol-soaked cotton ball to sterilize the skin of the Head of State¡¯s wife. She didn¡¯t start with disinfecting the foreign Head of State because, in a situation as critical as this, women, being the more vulnerable, should receive assistance first. This wasn¡¯t about the rule of internationalw.

    The silver needle went in.

    Bai Xiao focused and began using her special ability.

    This time, she felt something different! This wasn¡¯t a disease; it was a toxin, something distinct from an illness. Somehow, this toxin made her feel different; her ability could only contain it, not expel it. There even seemed to be a slight resistance as if her special ability couldn¡¯tpletely annihte it.

    Bai Xiao had never encountered such a situation before! Even in her previous life, she hadn¡¯t, and her ability was healing, yet there was a time when it met its match.

    It seemed viruses had evolved so rapidly that even her special ability was straining.

    Adding a third needle, Bai Xiao finally broke through the toxin¡¯s defenses. With one breach came the second, then the third...

    Atst, Bai Xiao¡¯s special ability began topress the circle of containment, and all the toxins started retreating, gradually vanishing.

    Sweat had formed on Bai Xiao¡¯s forehead, and a chill she hadn¡¯t felt in a long time began to rise quietly within her.

    Bai Xiao gave a bitter smile. Just the first person was already such a challenge; if there were more toe, it seemed she might repeat a past failure.

 Chapter 781 Dr. Xue

    <h4>Chapter 781: Chapter 781 Dr. Xue</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao finally removed the needles; most of the toxins were cleared, but there was still a little residue left. However, it was no longer a serious concern, and theplexion of the foreign Head of State¡¯s wife had improved dramatically.

    At this time, the team of experts had arrived, with all the top neuro-surgery experts from Modu present. The team was impressivelyrge.

    They saw a young girl removing silver needles, clearly having justpleted an acupuncture session.

    The experts weren¡¯t concerned with the Head of State¡¯s wife at the moment; the Head of State was the priority.

    Several people flipped up eyelids and quickly organized the information in their minds.

    They also took blood samples forb tests, bringing machines for experimentation so as to resolve the situation as quickly as possible, given the international dispute at hand.

    "It¡¯s not some kind of alkaloid poisoning; the symptoms are entirely different. Cyanide should be fatal within minutes and would cause convulsions, but none of them have exhibited convulsions. Arsenic poisoning also has some simrities, but there are some differences that cannot be dismissed."

    Experts had already begun to offer analysis, and they were professionals.

    "That girl earlier mentioned it was some kind of mushroom poisoning."

    Someone provided a direction.

    "It does look simr! But there is a difference in the onset time; how could there be a type of mushroom poisoning that takes several hours to act and then bes so acute so quickly? We cannot dismiss this possibility, nor can we confirm it; further viral analysis with instruments is still needed," the expert added cautiously. They weren¡¯t naive beginners like Bai Xiao who are fearless in the face of danger.

    The breathing of the foreign Head of State had be even fainter, obviously not waiting for them to resolve their differences.

    Bai Xiao took out the silver needle, knowing that her own situation was also not good! But she couldn¡¯t let this person die on their soil; she had to do this, to prevent her country from falling into crisis! Here were her family, her loved ones; she couldn¡¯t let them be dragged into such a catastrophe, not to mention the many innocent people. She couldn¡¯t let her mothend be caught in a crisis.

    "What is she doing? Acupuncture is of no use for detoxification! What a joke! This is an insult to our intelligence. All poisoning should be treated with gastricvage and corresponding detoxifying agents; such acupuncture would only increase the patient¡¯s pain and weakness, and is utterly futile," the experts protested. They were all old men in their fifties or sixties, how could they not believe in the quick and efficient Western medicine.

    "Dr. Xue,e take a look!"

    The doctor who was examining the Head of State¡¯s wife suddenly called out.

    Dr. Xue pointed at Bai Xiao, saying indifferently, "Youngdy, why don¡¯t you step aside for now, and I¡¯ll deal with it when I get back," before leading his team to see the Head of State¡¯s wife.

    The armed police soldier immediately stopped Bai Xiao, after all, this was a matter of great significance, not just an individual¡¯s interest, but the safety of the entire nation.

    Bai Xiao, however, didn¡¯t care. Even if she wanted to make a point it wasn¡¯t the right time; what was the use of showing off strength among one¡¯s own people? She could win over anyone, but the guns should be united against the external threat, and the current expert team wasn¡¯t disrespecting her at all.

    It was exactly their cautious nature that made her feel it was unnecessary; she understood them even more.

    "How could this be?" Dr. Xue was an expert in viral toxicity, even the sole academic representative of neurotoxicity domestically, and his theories were the most advanced internationally as well.

    "Yes, the Head of State¡¯s wife has stabilized now. I¡¯ve just checked her, her pulse and heartbeat have calmed down, the blood sample results are not out yet, but I can tell, the patient has improved a lot and is out of danger for now," reported the examining doctor.

 Chapter 782 Incredibly Magical

    <h4>Chapter 782: Chapter 782 Incredibly Magical</h4><h4></h4>

    "How could this be?"

    Dr. Xue swiftly examined and reached the same conclusion as the examining doctor.

    At this moment, the examination reports were prepared, two freshly printed reports were handed over to Dr. Xue.

    "Doctor, look! These are the medical reports of the Head of State and his wife. It¡¯s strange. The Head of State¡¯s body indeed contains a high concentration of fungal toxins, and he really can¡¯t be moved! Moving him would result in the toxins attacking his heart, causing immediate death. However, it¡¯s strange with his wife; although she is also suffering from fungal poisoning, the level of toxins has stabilized and falls within a manageable range. She can be taken to a hospital now."

    Dr. Xue was also puzzled.

    How could two people have different reactions since, ording to the onsite staff¡¯s descriptions, both of them started showing symptoms almost simultaneously, and it¡¯s reasonable to deduce that the same amount of toxins caused the outbreak; other people¡¯s reports said the same.

    Yet, the symptoms of the Head of State¡¯s wife were so mild that almost just follow-up pathological treatment would be enough for her to recover without much effort.

    "Is there anything special about these two? After they showed symptoms, did they do anything different?"

    The most likely thing that could change everything is what they are eagerly trying to find out now, as saving lives is as urgent as putting out a fire.

    "Nothing different, the only difference is that the youngdy performed acupuncture on the Head of State¡¯s wife, and it seemed that herplexion improved a lot afterward. Other than that, there was no difference," admitted the site worker candidly.

    At this moment, everyone knew that every minute was precious.

    "Acupuncture?"

    Dr. Xue¡¯s eyes brightened. Could it really be what this youngdy did?

    He quickly walked up to Bai Xiao, pushing aside the armed police soldier blocking her, "Youngdy, what did you do?"

    Bai Xiao finally felt relieved that there were results. She was worried whether the Head of State could survive.

    "My acupuncture can¡¯tpletely remove the toxins, but solving a part of it is doable. Now we¡¯re racing against time. This toxin has a short effective period, and I¡¯m worried the Head of State might not hold on. Can I perform acupuncture first? We can talk about other thingster."

    At this time, there was no room for other unnecessary matters.

    Dr. Xue nodded, "Okay! Go ahead! Everyone make way, prepare for pharmacological emergency treatment. This youngdy will perform detoxifying acupuncture; let¡¯sbine Eastern and Western medicine for the treatment."

    Everyone cleared a path, and the bodyguards maintained order on both sides.

    Bai Xiao confidently walked up to the foreign Head of State, knelt down, and began to sterilize the area for acupuncture.

    Everything was so calm, as if she wasn¡¯t doing something crucial.

    Several experts soon gathered around.

    They also wanted to see the miraculous effects of this detoxifying acupuncture and what exactly was so miraculous about it.

    Bai Xiao looked back, "Pass me a coat, and does anyone have chocte, beef jerky or something like that? Give me some, and a hot cocoa drink, make it as hot as possible. Thank you!"

    Everyone was baffled.

    All these...?

    But no one asked any further questions, and someone was already quickly preparing them, just to see that under the silver needles, the foreign Head of State¡¯splexion indeed began to slowly improve, at least not looking like a corpse as before.

    A drip was set up beside him, with doctors continuously checking the Head of State¡¯s pulse and heartbeat.

    "It¡¯s working now, the pulse has gradually stabilized, and the heartbeat has calmed down. Also, you can see his eyeballs slightly moving, indicating signs of waking up."

    It was truly miraculous.

 Chapter 783: Condescend

    <h4>Chapter 783: Chapter 783: Condescend</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao pulled out the silver needle! Her hands were shaking so much that she could not hold the needles steady, and they fell onto the body of the foreign Head of State. It was Dr. Xue who quickly picked up the needles, disinfected them, and put them back in the acupuncture kit.

    Only then did everyone realize the young girl¡¯s face was as pale as iron, as if she had juste out of a refrigerator. Her eyebrows and nose were covered with ayer of white frost, and she waspletely unwell.

    "Quick, a stretcher, a stretcher!"

    Dr. Xue really didn¡¯t know what was going on.

    "No... need... coat, and... other... those... people waiting... won¡¯t make it to the... hospital, they will... die, I... will try my... best to hold on, if... possible get me some... warming items, and... food that increases... heat, I... need... energy."

    Bai Xiao put on the coat! There was no need for her to say it! Even a fool knew what the coat she just asked for was for.

    Dr. Xue personally helped Bai Xiao into her coat, and then a few experts, upon hearing this, began to get busy. At this time, indeed, every minute meant a life. If the young girl copsed! None of the remaining officials might make it to the hospital.

    It wasn¡¯t that theyckedpassion! It was that at this time, the death of any foreign official would be detrimental to their country.

    Arrangements were already being made in an orderly manner.

    Heaters were only avable to the highest officials at the nearby airport because Modu¡¯s winters are indeed very cold. These heaters were kept in a storeroom! Now, in the month of June, they were brought out again, surrounding Bai Xiao in a tight circle.

    After Bai Xiao drank a cup of hot cocoa, her hands and feet were still shaking, but they had eased somewhat. She took a deep breath; this was no time for affectation.

    Picking up the silver needle, one expert voluntarily took over the task of sterilization. As the needle went in and out, Bai Xiao felt her body shaking even more violently.

    About four elderly female experts seemed to have agreed upon a n, and seeing Bai Xiao¡¯s increased trembling, they stepped forward. Each held a hot towel, while an armed police soldier brought over a continuous supply of hot water. After soaking the towels in the water!

    The fourpletely disregarded the scalding temperature, hopping around as they wrung out the towels, then carefully wrapped Bai Xiao¡¯s arms and legs. Four people, four positions, they covered her while vigorously massaging her muscles to improve her blood cirction and increase her warmth.

    One expert brought over a cheese cake that had juste out of the airport restaurant¡¯s oven, which had an increased amount of cheese and was mixed with more high-quality cheese, making it first-rate in terms of calories.

    It was carefully brought to Bai Xiao¡¯s lips.

    They let her eat it without distracting her focus.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes grew warm.

    How could she not feel touched by this gesture reminiscent of ancient servitudes? She never expected these experts to humble themselves just to serve her, an unknown girl. Not one of them had any selfish motives; their only belief was for the sake of the nation.

    It wasn¡¯t because Bai Xiao was incredibly amazing, even though her technical skills were indeed exquisite! But these schrs, these experts, none lower in status than the other, no need to curry favor with a person, it was not to tter her.

    It was to unite in helping her resolve the nation¡¯s crisis, for the sake of a peaceful and beautiful life.

 Chapter 784: Achievement

    <h4>Chapter 784: Chapter 784: Achievement</h4><h4></h4>

    All the officials were finally rescued! Though it was only a brief hour, the scene here could be described as bustling with activity.

    No one noticed that the TV station cameraman who was originally there to film the wee of foreign guests had captured the entire process. This touching scene, where everyone united with determination to save the Head of State and the delegation, was recorded.

    Bai Xiao pulled out thest silver needle, the official had already been carried away on a stretcher by nurses and doctors. Essentially, after she treated a person and connected them to an IV drip, they would be immediately transported to an ambnce and sent to the hospital. It was now almost like an assembly line.

    With crisp efficiency, all the poisoned foreign prime ministers and delegation officials had been taken to the VIP ward. Modu¡¯s First Hospital was already under martialw, the floor housing the delegation members was tightly guarded by all the bodyguards, including those from the foreign delegates.

    Even the nurses and doctors had to go through strict checks, and all drugs and injections had to be meticulously tested.

    No mistakes were allowed.

    Everyone was out of danger. If there were any issues at the hospital now, in dealing with anything, they would feel that they had let down the experts who had worked so hard on the scene.

    Bai Xiao took a deep breath in relief.

    Then, shepletely fainted.

    Someone had already caught Bai Xiao before she hit the ground. Zhang Zhaoyuan had been keeping close watch over Bai Xiao and was by her side in an instant.

    All the professors and experts were utterly terrified.

    "Send her to the emergency room immediately."

    Dr. Xue was already panic-stricken, now using the word "resuscitate."

    Zhang Zhaoyuan and the experts nearby gave Bai Xiao a quick check of her vital signs. In truth, she had just passed out due to extreme fatigue and severe depletion of energy; there wasn¡¯t actually anything wrong with her.

    But even so, she was continuously infused with nutritional solutions.

    She was taken to the hospital.

    The intense drama at the airport hade to an end.

    Liu Hongmin wiped off a cold sweat.

    He felt even wiser for his foresight. Bai Xiao was truly no ordinary person.

    In such a major crisis, she used Acupuncture to detoxify.

    In the moment, even if the other experts had stepped in, they probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to handle the poisoning quickly. But she had managed to stabilize the vital signs of all affected with just three silver needles in about ten minutes, ensuring they were out of life-threatening danger.

    The significance of this was that she had made a great contribution to the country.

    The national leaders had all seen it with their own eyes. From now on, Bai Xiao¡¯s name would likely be widely known. And it was not just her name; Bai Xiao not only represented herself but also the hospital and school behind her.

    Their Medical University would probably rise along with this tide of fame.

    This sort of reputation was hard toe by for schools; it was rare for a student to be able to turn the tide with just a few silver needles. Although their Medical College was ranked fairly high in Modu, to truly stand out and be the preeminent medical institution, theycked the necessary data and experience.

    But now.

    From today onwards, their Medical College will lead the trend in medicine, and no one would dare underestimate them.

    With just Bai Xiao as their glittering golden signboard, they could expect many colorful phoenixes toe flocking.

    Students and schrs, including experts attracted by her name, would swarm in droves.

    Their Medical University would henceforth be renowned.

    All thanks to bringing Bai Xiao along with today¡¯s team, and what was more important was his own ability to recognize talent, allowing Bai Xiao to go forward with the flowers.

    A series of coincidences came together.

    And that¡¯s how their Medical College was made.

 Chapter 785: The Birth of Bo Le

    <h4>Chapter 785: Chapter 785: The Birth of Bo Le</h4><h4></h4>

    He also knew he had achieved it.

    Look at the reporters gathered around him now.

    All these cameras and interview microphones were indeed directed at him.

    But if it were not because he was the teacher leading Bai Xiao¡¯s team, there would hardly be such an honor.

    So, facing the cameras and microphones,

    Liu Hongmin earnestly praised his student Bai Xiao to the skies.

    After he had returned, he had already revisited all of Bai Xiao¡¯s files, which had long shown that she possessed magical inherited medical skills unlike any other.

    Now these files provided him with ssic material.

    Add to that his eloquence as the Director of Education.

    Those legendary experiences, narrated by him, had the interviewers and cameramen rapt with attention.

    Two silver needles allowed a patient, who had been paralyzed for many years, to stand up and walk again; a patient, whom the doctors had dered ready for palliation, surprisingly woke up again; and a patient, diagnosed as a vegetable by all doctors, where Western medicine struggled to maintain vital signs, spoke after receiving two needles.

    At the front line, performing cesarean sections with anesthesia by acupuncture for the convenience of pregnant women alongside obstetricians and gynecologists; amidst flying bullets, he coordinated with surgeons to suture wounds under acupuncture anesthesia; and also at the front line, fearlessly facing death with her fianc¨¦, sharing life and death, they held a pre-battle wedding ceremony.

    By the time he spoke of this, many were shedding tears.

    Who could have imagined that Doctor Bai possessed such legendary stories?

    Who could have thought she was but a 21-year-old young woman?

    Without any superior academic qualifications, she had faced hardships, yet today, she blossomed brilliantly.

    Especially before further studies.

    Performing appendicitis surgeries with acupuncture anesthesia as directed by the Director of Traditional Chinese Medicine, to today, when Bai Xiao courageously proposed a topicbining both traditional Chinese and Western medicine.

    In Liu Hongmin¡¯s mouth, it subtly revealed from the side that he was an insightful talent spotter.

    Bai Xiao, like a thoroughbred horse, had been entrusted with a heavy responsibility and today, holding flowers, he had noticed something off about the prime minister¡¯s wife.

    It was a long sequence of stories.

    The listeners were captivated, and all reporters and presenters knew that this was a very substantial story.

    Liu Hongmin got into the car with his student.

    It was then that he finally copsed into his seat, gulping down the water he had set aside in his cup.

    Damn satisfying.

    He had never expected to experience such a day.

    The fame he achieved today,pared to Vice Principal Zhao, had already rued enough capital for his rise.

    Indeed, "The gods ce great people in this world, must first put their spirits through adversity."

    It seemed his judgment was good and his luck, quite favorable.

    Bai Xiao was truly a blessing for him.

    Just by Bai Xiao joining their school, he had weed great opportunities.

    After today, in front of national audiences on every TV station, who would not know him, the Director of Medical University?

    This would elevate his reputation to a new level.

    And after this, who would care about what Vice Principal Zhao was.

    Probably everyone mentioning Medical University would remember Bai Xiao, the legendary woman doctor effective with every needle, who courageously turned the tide, saving the foreign prime minister from dire straits, and helping their country secure a victory from afar.

    Of course, they would incidentally recall all the experiences and stories of Bai Xiao he had recounted in front of the cameras, and of course, incidentally remember him, Liu Hongmin, the Director of Education at Jiaotong University.

    This glory,

    would absolutely y a decisive role at the critical moment when he was next in line for the position of principal.

 Chapter 786: Spread Out

    <h4>Chapter 786: Chapter 786: Spread Out</h4><h4></h4>

    The vehicle now had two fewer people.

    Bai Xiao and Zhang Zhaoyuan were both absent. After Bai Xiao fainted, Zhang Zhaoyuan carried her, so he followed the ambnce to the hospital.

    Meanwhile, Qiang Xinran moved to sit next to Liu Hongmin.

    "Uncle, is that Bai Xiao really that impressive?"

    To this moment, Qiang Xinran still hadn¡¯t grasped exactly what had happened. It all felt like a dream.

    How had such a dreadful poisoning incident urred?

    They were no longer children, and kids of their age do have a certain directness regarding international incidents.

    Who wasn¡¯t aware that, had death resulted from the recent incident, no matter who died¡ªeven if it were a minor official traveling with the group¡ªas long as a life was lost on your soil, it would likely cause an uproar, and there would be many who might seek to exploit the situation, whether it was a frame-up or a setup.

    On this matter, everyone was unanimous, no matter how much they schemed behind each other¡¯s backs. But when faced with such an incident, it absolutely would draw attention.

    "Yes, you need to be wiser in the future, especially with Bai Xiao. You should strive to have a good rtionship with her in school. Given her current status, if nothing unusual happens, she is likely to have hospital internships in just two or three months, and by then she will be advancing in the hospital rather than in school.

    With this incident as well, her future prospects are boundless. You should befriend such a person."

    This time, Liu Hongmin was truly speaking earnestly. His niece, being the only daughter between two families, had been coddled to the point of absurdity¡ªeveryone held her so gently for fear of bruising her, and cherished her so dearly for fear of losing her, raising her in a way that she could hardly understand the real world.

    That Bai Xiao and his niece were at most only a few months apart in age, but look at that girl.

    Steady and skilled, she faced justice and advanced with courage.

    Such a person, by just her ability to handle the crisis today and theposure she disyed, had left a profound impression on everyone present.

    Today¡¯s event, attended not only by domestic and international leaders but also by the top professors and doctoral experts of Modu, solidified this moment in these top minds as the finest qualities and noble morals of this young woman.

    Just by this, he believed that soon countless professors and experts would extend their offers to Bai Xiao.

    Even without leveraging the reputation of her Uncle Director Yu, she alone could carve a brilliant path for herself.

    This girl, despite her young age, was set for a future beyond measure.

    Qiang Xinran sighed with regret, "Uncle, I¡¯ve already offended her terribly. How can I face her and get along?"

    She wasn¡¯t truly foolish. Although she had a significant temper, she hade to realize, whether in terms of political sensitivity or timing material situations, that Bai Xiao was entirely different from the country bumpkin she had initially perceived.

    "Haven¡¯t you heard that its easier to resolve than to hold a grudge, and you don¡¯t have any deep-seated hatred, just some minor girl skirmishes. Besides, if I am not mistaken, this girl has a generous heart, and she won¡¯t dwell on such a trivial matter.

    If you apologize sincerely and strive to get along well with her from now on, I believe that even if you can¡¯t be the best of friends, this incident definitely won¡¯t be a barrier in your future path.

    This girl isn¡¯t one to harbor petty grievances."

 Chapter 787 Mixed Feelings

    <h4>Chapter 787: Chapter 787 Mixed Feelings</h4><h4></h4>

    "Uncle, why do you hold her in such high regard?"

    Xinran felt indignant inside. She considered herself toe from a distinguished family and believed she was far superior to Bai Xiao in terms of both education and insight.

    Yet it seemed her uncle¡¯s estimation of her was dismally low.

    "Uncle won¡¯t be able to protect you for much longer. Think about it, at most you will spend five years in college, and by the final year, you¡¯ll head straight to the hospital to intern. The things I can do for you, the amount of time I can shield you from the storm, isn¡¯t much. You are still young. When you enter society, when you need to get along with others, work with them, and handle affairs, it will be up to you to do it all.

    Hiding behind others¡¯ coattails will at beste across as borrowed authority. Your uncle, your brother, plus your uncles and your father, they can¡¯t reach everywhere they desire either.

    You must seriously recognize who you are, just like Bai Xiao, who has true capabilities. No matter where she is, she can stand her ground."

    This was the gravest piece of advice Liu Hongmin could offer his niece.

    Xinran suddenly felt the weight of his words.

    When she thought back to the p her brother had given her, although heter consoled her saying he had been too harsh that day,

    he also spoke after the fact.

    Had he not pped her that day, just the charge of impersonating a state official¡ªaw enforcement officer at that¡ªwould have been enough tond both her and her brother in serious trouble.

    The crime was a serious one; if pursued, since she was impersonating someone else, it could indeed lead to jail time.

    And her brother might be facing suspension and investigation at the least, or very possibly jail time at worst.

    If both of them ended up behind bars because of this incident, she guessed she would regret it to death afterward.

    "I didn¡¯t realize Bai Xiao was so impressive. Uncle, I understand what you mean by staying low-key now. Bai Xiao has mastered it perfectly. I know how to act from now on." This time, she had truly grown up.

    The fights and conflicts among little girls, even the scheming and rivalry at school, are essentially driven by vanity.

    None of these amount to hatred.

    But when facing society in the future, perhaps an inappropriate word or action could bring disaster upon oneself.

    And could bring endless cmity to one¡¯s family.

    "It¡¯s good that you understand this principle. It¡¯s time for you to grow up," Liu Hongmin hoped earnestly that his niece would truly learn from Bai Xiao.

    Any family would consider Bai Xiao a talent.

    If Director Yu had a niece like her, it¡¯s likely he would have further opportunities for advancement.

    The effect of today¡¯s advertisement has been sufficientlyrge.

    Beneficiaries are likely not limited to him alone.

    The car started moving, filled with people deep in thought.

    Everyone had arrived on the same vehicle, full of ambition and the best from their respective departments.

    Each person believed they could outperform many others.

    But today¡¯s events made them realize the great disparity between themselves and others.

    Who could say they would dare to roll up their sleeves and step up when faced with such danger?

    The mood of everyone was aplex mix of emotions.

    At the same age, some were even older than others.

    Suddenly, there was a feeling of why nurture ¡¯Yu¡¯ if ¡¯Liang¡¯ will also exist (envying another¡¯s superior qualities).

    This strong contrast had ignited a desire in everyone¡¯s heart, yearning to be talents of use.

    Who would have thought that today¡¯s incident would spark a movement of diligence and aspiration within the Medical College?

    Indeed, the achievements of the medical graduates of that year would be far higher than any other year.

 Chapter 788: Nihility

    <h4>Chapter 788: Chapter 788: Nihility</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao opened her eyes, having just slept¡ªor more urately, fainted.

    It was as if she had wandered around in a void.

    Everything around her was shrouded in dense fog, obscuring paths and scenery alike.

    Alien and icy, dead and oppressive, it was suffocating.

    It was in such an environment that she sought a way out.

    The lonely and indifferent surroundings felt distinctly hostile as her consciousness flickered in and out.

    It was as if it wasn¡¯t her own, like a wisp of a ghost wandering in an empty world; this sensation reminded her of the feeling she had at the time of her death in her previous life. She hovered mid-air, watching Jiang Shaoqing and others handle her corpse, even dressing her up. Watching one¡¯s own funeral must be a peculiar experience.

    Now, the feeling from that time seemed to be returning. Could she be dead, again?

    Her body was void of any sensation, cold, heat, or pain. Of course, feelings of solitude and loneliness were purely internal, unrted to her physical form.

    Everything seemed distant and surreal. She knew she had to try and leave; there was an urgent reason forcing her to return, but she couldn¡¯t move at all, as if her feet were weighted down with lead, making every step arduous.

    She was certain she couldn¡¯t move.

    Of course, she hoped she would be able to get up soon.

    No, no, she couldn¡¯t lie to herself, not even now.

    Especially now. She seemed to know she was close to death.

    She was well aware, but it didn¡¯t matter. If there had been another choice, she wouldn¡¯t have given up easily, but all options had vanished, and letting go felt so light.

    She truly wished to stay here forever, where each step was like moving a mountain.

    This would scare An Zhiyuan, her Colonel An. If he knew she was dead, what would his expression be?

    The very thought suddenly made her feet feel less heavy.

    She pushed herself to remember all the unfulfilled wishes she still had: she hadn¡¯t spent a lifetime growing old with Colonel An, hadn¡¯t had a child of her own to watch grow up, hadn¡¯t seen her older brother settle down, hadn¡¯t witnessed her sisters grow old as she had, and most importantly, her enemy had yet to receive their retribution.

    No, heaven wouldn¡¯t punish Shang Kaiwen; that person¡¯s reckoning could onlye from her.

    How could the Lord call her back without her debts of gratitude repaid or her vengeance fulfilled?

    This was utterly uneptable.

    Filled with indignation, she told herself no, absolutely not.

    The view before her eyes was strange, blurry and shadowy, but suddenly, a face appeared in front of her. She recognized that person.

    Her Colonel An.

    She saw those ck, obsidian-like eyes, eyes that brought dreams to life and also housed nightmares, that resolute profile, and she knew how soft and tender those lips were.

    In that moment she wanted to touch his chin, to feel his prickly stubble and the cool skin covering his fiery muscles, but her hands wouldn¡¯t move.

    Her whole body was immobilized.

    Then she saw herself enveloped in a transparent cloud of dense fog.

    After a forceful squeeze, she saw a droplet of water emerge and slowly fall onto her heart.

    Yes!

    She saw her own heart.

    A bright and clear light sparked within her heart, growing brighter and warmer, and she began to feel serene,fortable, and secure.

 Chapter 789: Ordering Dishes

    <h4>Chapter 789: Chapter 789: Ordering Dishes</h4><h4></h4>

    She suddenly opened her eyes as if breathing deeply, and then awkwardly met the gaze of over a dozen pairs of eyes surrounding her. Frightened, she shrank back, tightly using the nket on her as a barrier to protect herself.

    "What are you doing?"

    Anyone who opened their eyes to such a focused array of stares, almost like spotlights, could hardly remain calm.

    Mainly because it was too scary.

    "Bai Xiao, you¡¯re awake?"

    The first to speak was actually Zhang Zhaoyuan, who had been in charge of bringing Bai Xiao here, and he had not yet left. All the people from the school had left, and they had no choice but to do so. The students and teachers were quickly ordered by the armed police soldiers to leave and were sternly advised to keep their mouths shut about these significant events; otherwise, that would be considered spreading rumors.

    This was also a vition of thews and regtions.

    If he left, there would be no one else here to take care of her behind his back.

    It¡¯s not that without him, no one would take care of her; in fact, these people were now treating Bai Xiao as precious as the apple of their eye.

    But waking up to open your eyes to find not a single familiar face around¡ª that really was heartbreaking.

    So Zhang Zhaoyuan had continued his vigil until now.

    Seeing a familiar face, although perhaps not very familiar, but more so than others¡ªit was still recognition, and besides, they had spoken a lot, fought a battle together, a friendship formed in adversity.

    "Zhang Zhaoyuan, where is this?"

    Having someone familiar around at least calmed her down a bit.

    "This is a hospital, how are you feeling! If there¡¯s anything ufortable about your body, you must speak up!"

    The person who answered was Dr. Xue.

    This prestigious Dr. Xue, a leading figure in the medical field, now unexpectedly in front of her sickbed.

    "I¡¯m not feeling ufortable, everything feels very good."

    Bai Xiao had, in fact, already circted her special ability throughout her body, and it really had recovered very well, even better than before. It seemed like that bundle of special ability was more submissive than before¡ªa foreign feeling.

    Submissive?

    Yes!

    That was exactly what she felt¡ªa submissive sensation.

    It was like that gathered bundle of white enigma, acting like a pet cat, obediently squinting at her, waiting for its master¡¯s call.

    Her body not only had no issues¡ªit felt stronger than ever. She could sense an inexhaustible energy all over her.

    Alright!

    She admitted that her special ability seemed to have changed, but unfortunately, she hadn¡¯t figured out yet exactly how it had changed.

    "Really? No difort? Like dizziness, or nausea, or any sort of panic?" the surrounding experts asked eagerly.

    They certainly did not want such a prospect to be ruined.

    Because saving members of a foreign delegation with acupuncture, exhausting all her strength and then falling ill, could signal a premature demise.

    Bai Xiao nodded very seriously.

    Was she really ill, and was there a need for her to lie?

    "I really do feel very good now, aside from feeling hungry, there are no other issues."

    Finally, everyone felt relieved.

    "That¡¯s great, that¡¯s great! You¡¯re hungry, aren¡¯t you? Where is the head nurse, head nurse?"

    Dr. Xue¡¯s outburst of sound immediately caused the head nurse to rush in, thinking there had been some emergency, only to see Bai Xiao sitting up on her bed, perfectly fine. Not having time to think much, as long as Dr. Xue spoke, it was their privilege.

    "Dr. Xue, what can I do for you?"

    "Is the cafeteria still open? Never mind, the meals there are not tasty. Let¡¯s do this, go to Qinya Bistro outside, their meals are light yet nutritious. Tell them I rmended it. Seafood porridge, their top-notch steak, signature peppered beef fillet with Italian pasta, grilled eel, ssic sushi, and also sd, and more..."

    "Dr. Xue, that¡¯s enough, thank you!"

    Bai Xiao quickly spoke up, lest Dr. Xue was treating her like she was fattening a pig.

    That was a bit too much; had something happened while she was asleep?

    Of course, she didn¡¯t know that while she was sleeping, Dr. Xue and his team had done a lot of work.

    Not only had the members of the delegation been pulled out of danger, but they were also gradually recovering. Each one was already requesting food¡ªan absolute miracle.

    The speed of recovery could be considered epic.

 Chapter 790: Snatching People

    <h4>Chapter 790: Chapter 790: Snatching People</h4><h4></h4>

    "Alright, that¡¯s all, hurry up ande back soon." Doctor Xue somehow found Bai Xiao very pleasing to the eye.

    The Head Nurse, holding a pen, felt extremely awkward; she hadn¡¯t remembered, and had been preparing to arrange the work, when unexpectedly, Doctor Xue threw a curveball and ordered food.

    She wanted to cry.

    She was the Head Nurse, not a waitress in a restaurant.

    So, caught off guard, she ended up remembering nothing, her mind aplete mess.

    "Doctor Xue! I¡¯m sorry, let me get a piece of paper and a pen, could you please repeat that?"

    This was a tricky situation.

    Zhang Zhaoyuan next to her had already spoken up, "I¡¯ll go, Doctor Xue, I have remembered it."

    Doctor Xue immediately patted Zhang Zhaoyuan on the shoulder, "Good, nice memory, it¡¯s important for young people to have a good memory. You go directly and charge it to my ount, just report my name, that will be fine!"

    Zhang Zhaoyuan nodded, grabbed his coat, and headed out.

    Doctor Xue looked at Bai Xiao with a smile, and Bai Xiao suddenly felt like a chicken being targeted by a weasel.

    The experts also wore a benevolent expression.

    "Student Bai Xiao, I heard that you are a visiting schr from the Medical College. As you know, being a visiting schr is all about learning, and you are a doctor by training. Attending further studies at the Medical College might be a bit below your capacities. How about this,e to our Modu Ruiyin Hospital for further studies? We can offer you a spot and would absolutely provide you with the best resources."

    No sooner had Doctor Xue spoken than one of the female doctors who had just been massaging Bai Xiao¡¯s arm couldn¡¯t stay silent.

    "Old Xue, that¡¯s really low of you! By saying this, aren¡¯t you bullying people? Our Zhongnan Mountain Hospital is no worse than yours in terms of technical standards andpetitive advantage. Student Bai Xiao, think it over carefully, don¡¯t be swayed by Old Xue¡¯s sweet talk.

    He can be quite maniptive, luring you in with big promises, and before you know it, you might end up being worked to the bone."

    This was sabotage.

    "Our Zhongnan Mountain Hospital is different. We share resources with several major international hospitals, giving you broader opportunities for advanced training!"

    Doctor Xue¡¯s whiskers curled up, his eyes bulging like an inted frog, "Old Pan, that¡¯s not right. There¡¯s an order to these things. I¡¯ve had my eye on this child for a while; you can¡¯t just swoop in and poach people like that!"

    "Old Xue, you really are being underhanded. Our Huanan Mountain Hospital is also nationally ranked and no less excellent than Ruiyin or Zhongnan Mountain Hospitals. Besides, our department of Traditional Chinese Medicine has more appeal than yours¡ªyou don¡¯t really emphasize that area, but we do.

    Youngdy, if youe to our hospital, that¡¯s precisely where your specialty lies; you¡¯ll be able to maximize your strengths and learn the most outstanding expertise and knowledge."

    Doctor Xue and the female doctor red at each other angrily¡ªthis was an open and brazen attempt at poaching.

    The three old experts, who together added up to a few hundred years, red fiercely, as if they were just short of rolling up their sleeves anding to blows.

    Bai Xiao quickly raised her hand, "Sorry, sorry, I n to go to Changhe Hospital, which is affiliated with our university. I am a soldier and should undertake further studies at the Military District Hospital! Besides, I have only been attending sses for a month; it¡¯s not yet time for this conversation."

    She hadn¡¯t spoken up till now, and these three were ready to fight.

    Unfortunately, as soon as she did speak, the three of them red at her with fury.

    "What? Changhe Hospital? You... you! How should I even begin to criticize you? You arepletely clueless."

    All three had their guns trained on her now.

    Bai Xiao shrank back¡ªwas this a collective onught?

    "I choose Changhe Hospital!"

    Consequently, the three experts were almost spitting blood in frustration.

 Chapter 791: Discharged from the Hospital

    <h4>Chapter 791: Chapter 791: Discharged from the Hospital</h4><h4></h4>

    When Zhang Zhaoyuan came back, he saw Bai Xiao¡¯s hospital room was empty.

    Nurses asionally passed by Bai Xiao¡¯s ward, casting sympathetic nces at her.

    Zhang Zhaoyuan didn¡¯t understand the meaning behind those looks.

    Sympathy? Pity, with a mix of anger?

    What had Bai Xiao done?

    Carrying a bunch of boxes in his hands, Bai Xiao suddenly smelled the aroma and immediately got up.

    "You finally came back. If you hadn¡¯te sooner I would have starved to death, bing history¡¯s first patient to die of hunger."

    Bai Xiao scrambled up.

    Zhang Zhaoyuan opened the lunchbox, set up the table for her, and handed her the chopsticks. The steak had been carefully sliced by the chef, and all the other items didn¡¯t need any special utensils¡ªa minor detail that Zhang Zhaoyuan had taken note of so that someone could make adjustments in advance.

    "Then eat up fast!"

    He shoved the chopsticks into her hands.

    "What did you do to rile up those nurses? The looks they¡¯ve been giving you seem off to me."

    As Bai Xiao wolfed down her food with big bites, Zhang Zhaoyuan was astounded. This Bai Xiao was really udylike¡ªnot in the way that made one ufortable to watch, like smacking lips while eating, talking with a mouth full of food, or having sauce smeared all over the face, which could be sickening.

    It was the kind of devouring storm speed; yes, she ate very fast yet gracefully. She didn¡¯t appear sloppy at all, but the food was disappearing at an invisible rate.

    "Slow down, be careful not to choke," he warned.

    Bai Xiao swallowed thest bite of her steak¡ªa super-sized portion that seemed to upy only a tiny corner of her stomach.

    The taste was just too good!

    It looked like Dr. Xue really was a gourmet, having a clear understanding of vors. At that moment, she felt a bit regretful. Had she refused too quickly? After all, Dr. Xue¡¯s Ruiyin Hospital was ranked first in Modu. Was she being a bit ungrateful?

    But selling herself for food? That wasn¡¯t Bai Xiao¡¯s style; she was no foodie like Lin Xiang.

    "Well! I managed to drive away three specialists, and after indiscriminatelyshing out at the others, they all left one after another."

    A moment of glory!

    Zhang Zhaoyuan looked at her like she was a monster.

    These were nearly the top tutors, getting any of them as one¡¯s supervisor could be life-changing; countless top hospitals wouldpete for her, with all sorts of resources readily avable to these professors¡¯ students¡ªa dream for all Medical College students.

    And yet, Bai Xiao had rejected them!

    He raised a finger.

    "You¡¯re awesome!"

    What kind of oddball was this?

    Bai Xiao saw Zhang Zhaoyuan¡¯s gesture, then bowed her head and continued to eat heartily. Had she missed a fortune?

    After the meal, Zhang Zhaoyuan cleaned up the lunch boxes, only to see Bai Xiao had gotten down from the bed and was packing her things.

    It wasn¡¯t much, just a backpack.

    "What are you doing?" he inquired.

    "I want to be discharged. There¡¯s nothing wrong with me; I just fainted for a moment, which was due to overexertion and nothing else. Look how strong and hearty I am," she said.

    Zhang Zhaoyuan disagreed, "Discharge isn¡¯t up to you. If the doctor doesn¡¯t agree, you can¡¯t leave."

    When Bai Xiao was admitted, she looked as though she was on death¡¯s door, a sight that pained anyone watching. Although she was now bouncing around lively, that didn¡¯t rule out potential lingering aftereffects.

    "Then I¡¯ll go find a doctor."

    Bai Xiao went to the doctor¡¯s office, where the staff had already finished their shifts, leaving only the resident doctors.

 Chapter 792: Senior Officialsâ€™ Ward

    <h4>Chapter 792: Chapter 792: Senior Officials¡¯ Ward</h4><h4></h4>

    "Doctor, I need to be discharged,"

    Bai Xiao made a stern request.

    She was a perfectly healthy person now, why did she need to stay in the hospital?

    Besides, the smell of the disinfectant in the hospital wasn¡¯t at allfortable.

    She missed her An Erge, and wanted to go back and call him.

    The doctor looked at her, smiled, and said, "Bai Xiao, you really can¡¯t be discharged. The Dean has already instructed that you have been moved to the VIP ward. A nurse will be handling your transfer soon, and you¡¯ll have to stay in the hospital for at least another week. Don¡¯t worry, the VIP ward is veryfortable. There¡¯s a TV, it won¡¯t be boring, and you can shower. It has a private bathroom, which is very convenient."

    Bai Xiao was puzzled. She wasn¡¯t ill, so why did she have to be hospitalized?

    But without the doctor¡¯s discharge order, she really couldn¡¯t leave.

    "Doctor! Why is this happening?"

    "I really am all better!"

    "Doctor, I..."

    The doctor was really worn out by this young girl.

    He really couldn¡¯t afford to offend anyone.

    After all, this was a special instruction from the Dean.

    He had to take good care of her.

    "Bai Xiao, representatives of foreign Heads of State will being to visit you soon, and the national leaders also mentioned they will visit you the day after tomorrow! So you see, you really can¡¯t leave now. Just rx as if you¡¯re resting, eat and drink whatever you need to, just say the word! All expenses will be covered by our hospital."

    That was the reality of the situation.

    Bai Xiao then realized that she had no chance of leaving.

    From a purely medical standpoint, Bai Xiao was absolutely fine, but this was the highest directive; national leaders wereing. Not only was the Dean involved, but by tomorrow, heads of the entire health system were arriving. How could he, a mere doctor, dare to let her go?

    He gave a signal to the two nurses.

    The only regret was that Bai Xiao¡¯s fainting spell was just a simple faint, and she was in too good physical condition, showing hardly any signs of weakness, giving them no real medical issue to treat. They had to make do with other arrangements.

    The so-called VIP ward was actually a senior official¡¯s ward.

    Although she was in excellent health, the nurses still supported her, one on each side, back to her ward.

    Okay then, Bai Xiao suddenly felt like she might actually be broken.

    The senior official¡¯s ward was indeed high-ss; no wonder it was synonymous with VIP ward. The ce really was deluxe, not to mention the wooden floors! It also had wooden wainscoting, a separate bathroom, and an extra living room for guests, making this suite probably the highest standard in their hospital.

    After all, ording to what was understood, these next few days were not really for treatment but for the leaders to visit her, the meritorious official.

    She didn¡¯t actually want to make a show of it; she had intended to sneak away. Obviously, the nurses¡¯ station had received instructions, and they guarded her strictly. Even if she just peaked out, a nurse would immediatelye over to check on her; even for eating or fetching water, she didn¡¯t need to lift a finger.

    Someone else was in charge; there was no way she could step out of the ward.

    Bai Xiao pulled her head back from the door.

    She sighed.

    Zhang Zhaoyuan sat immobile on a chair, peeling an apple.

    "Don¡¯t think about it too much. Even if you did leave, going back to school with great fanfare would probably make you even more ufortable. Just stay put!"

    Bai Xiao returned to her hospital bed, having to lie here even though she wasn¡¯t ill, perhaps a kind of rite of passage for a youngdy.

    She looked at the telephone.

    Well, she could make a call, right?

    They had agreed to call every three days and write a letter once a week, and today was supposed to be her day to call.

    Otherwise, An Erge would start to worry.

 Chapter 793: Family Arrives

    <h4>Chapter 793: Chapter 793: Family Arrives</h4><h4></h4>

    However, Zhang Zhaoyuan being here was really inconvenient.

    But they meant well, and this time it was his ssmate who had brought him to the hospital. Out of both emotion and reason, he should be filled with gratitude and couldn¡¯t just send the person away.

    Bai Xiao looked at his phone, inconvenient or not, he had to make the call.

    He sat down at the desk.

    Picking up the phone, he dialed a long-distance call. The hospital had internal lines, and connecting to the outside required an operator, but the treatment at the senior cadres¡¯ ward was different, the operators connected him immediately.

    The phone rang a few times before someone answered.

    "Second brother!"

    "Second brother? And second sister-inw too! Comrade! Who are you looking for?"

    Clearly, the person on the other end was not An Zhiyuan.

    Bai Xiao nced at the wall clock.

    It was already eight o¡¯clock.

    That was the time they had agreed upon.

    An Zhiyuan was a very punctual person.

    "I¡¯m looking for Chief An!"

    "Who are you? You are Doctor Bai, aren¡¯t you?" The man on the other end obviously had realized by now.

    "Chief An isn¡¯t here, he went on a business trip yesterday, and it has been almost two days since he left. I¡¯ll notify him the moment he returns," said the man on the other end.

    Of course, the person on the other end knew who Doctor Bai was. Chief An¡¯s dearly beloved wife.

    Who didn¡¯t know about Chief An¡¯s unshakable eight o¡¯clock phone calls?

    The hospital administration really was something. The couple had just gotten married, and they had separated them. That was just cruel, separating a couple like that, putting them in a difficult position.

    "Thank you, when will he be back?" Bai Xiao knew not to ask about An Zhiyuan¡¯s assignments, as that was the rule. Their assignments were confidential work, not even family members should inquire about it.

    "I really don¡¯t know."

    Alright! That kind of answer actually meant he didn¡¯t know.

    Chief An¡¯s rank didn¡¯t require him to report to others all the time.

    He hung up the phone.

    He felt a bit disappointed, his dear second brother An was on a business trip.

    Ah, the imagined warmth could not be realized.

    "Who is Chief An?"

    Zhang Zhaoyuan asked, puzzled.

    "He is my..."

    "Bai Xiao!"

    "Uncle! How did you get here? And grandma, grandpa, Flying Snow, why are you all here?"

    Bai Xiao looked up and saw a whole family surge into the ward, and he was startled, especially when the olddy saw him and rushed over! The tears that streamed down her face were a far cry from the ferocity she used to feign injuries for scams.

    "Grandma, don¡¯t be like this, I¡¯m fine, really, if you don¡¯t believe me, I¡¯ll call the doctor in a moment to ask."

    "Don¡¯t patronize me, thinking I don¡¯t know. You were on TV, it was so dangerous, your whole appearance had changed, even your lips were purple. So many people were attending to you, do you think your grandma is blind?" The olddy, holding Bai Xiao¡¯s hand, looked him over. He seemed no different, but she was still worried.

    Bai Xiao led his grandmother to the sofa, while Zhang Zhaoyuan stood up¡ªfaced with so many of Bai Xiao¡¯s rtives, he was quite at a loss.

    Yu Shaoyan nced at Zhang Zhaoyuan and nodded, "You must be the student who brought Bai Xiao to the hospital, right? Thank you, on behalf of Bai Xiao¡¯s grandparents, for your kind help. This child always pushes himself too hard." Thinking about the documentary that aired on TV, Yu Shaoyan¡¯s heart was heavy.

    It was extremely dangerous at the time.

    No one else knew, but how could he not know? In front of the nation, Bai Xiao truly had been risking his life.

    "No need to thank me, I just did what I had to do. Bai Xiao is a fine person," said Zhang Zhaoyuan sincerely.

    Back then, Bai Xiao had genuinely earned his deep respect. That figure of him, even now, would asionally spring to mind¡ªhis fearless courage was truly beautiful.

 Chapter 794: Change of Personnel

    <h4>Chapter 794: Chapter 794: Change of Personnel</h4><h4></h4>

    "I¡¯m really all better!"

    Bai Xiao had exined countless times, but the olddy simply wouldn¡¯t believe her and insisted on keeping Bai Xiao in bed.

    In the end, she could only recline against the bedhead, otherwise, the olddy was going to lose her temper with her.

    The old man, however, still held himself together! But the concern hidden in his eyes was unmistakable.

    "You, child, have lived in a harsh environment before; your constitution is still somewhat weak. Look at the television; people are dying. It scared your grandmother and me. From now on, you muste to live at our house; we must properly nourish your body. You are in poor health, getting sick and passing out easily at such a young age; it¡¯s far too frightening," the old man issued an ultimatum.

    Yu Shaoyan nced at his own father, his love deep, his expectations profound.

    "Bai Xiao, you did very well today. Your uncle should praise you. I honestly didn¡¯t know your acupuncture skills were so amazing. I heard it¡¯s a family tradition from your adoptive parents. I didn¡¯t expect that. Your adoptive parents are truly magnanimous, willing to pass on such skills to you. It¡¯s just they passed away too soon; otherwise, we really should thank them properly.

    They raised you into such an outstanding talent; we truly feel ashamed."

    He hadn¡¯t expected Bai Xiao¡¯s acupuncture treatment to be so extraordinary. He had certainly heard some stories about Bai Xiao, but had thought them somewhat exaggerated since conditions on the frontline are grueling, and treatments to save lives can indeed seem dramatic.

    That¡¯s understandable given the limited resources.

    But now, having seen it with his own eyes! He realized that Bai Xiao truly had genuine knowledge and skills. No wonder his older brother had sent Bai Xiao here for further training. Initially, he thought it was his brother making up for shorings toward Bai Xiao, since the child hadn¡¯t even attended college, which for a family like theirs, was certainly regrettable.

    But now, it was clear that his brother had recognized Bai Xiao¡¯s abilities, and the further training was well-deserved.

    Indeed, such talent would likely be sought after by many hospitals, even without his brother¡¯s intervention.

    "Uncle, my adoptive parents were very good to me, and my brothers and sisters too. They truly cared for me, not as an outsider, but as their own child, and after my adoptive parents passed away, my siblings didn¡¯t neglect me just because I wasn¡¯t their biological sister. To help me get an education, they made many sacrifices, and I am very grateful to them."

    She silently asked for the elder Bai doctors¡¯ forgiveness, as she felt like she had let them take the me all the way home.

    "They are all good people; when there¡¯s a chance, let them visit our home. We should entertain them properly."

    The olddy said, filled with gratitude for that family.

    It¡¯s evident that the granddaughter holds deep affection for that family.

    She is someone who remembers kindness and repays it. This child has not been raised wrong.

    Yu Feixue put a bunch of nutritional supplements for Bai Xiao neatly into the cupboard, "You don¡¯t know how scared you made grandpa and grandma. If it weren¡¯t for my dad holding them back, they would havee at noon. In the future, my mom and I wille and take care of you so you won¡¯t have to trouble your ssmates."

    She nced at Zhang Zhaoyuan, thinking it strange for a boy to be taking care of a girl like this.

    It seemed like Zhang Zhaoyuan might have feelings for his ¡¯sister.¡¯

    But she remembered Bai Xiao was already married, even if she hadn¡¯t seen that An Zhiyuan. After all, the legendary story of Doctor Bai and An Zhiyuan had circted for a long time, portraying them as the power couple in everyone¡¯s eyes.

 Chapter 795: Warmth

    <h4>Chapter 795: Chapter 795: Warmth</h4><h4></h4>

    If Zhang Zhaoyuan didn¡¯t know any better at this time, he¡¯d be foolish.

    Now that her family had arrived, he should gracefully take his leave.

    "Then I¡¯ll head back to school first; I hope Bai Xiao recovers and gets discharged from the hospital soon."

    Yu Shaoyan personally escorted Zhang Zhaoyuan out of the ward.

    From behind, Bai Xiao called out, "Thank you, ssmate! Once I¡¯m back at school, I¡¯ll treat you to a meal!"

    This favor was indeed significant.

    Yu Feixue sat beside her, "Why treat him to a meal? Didn¡¯t you notice that he¡¯s got a thing for you? You¡¯re already married, so be mindful of your influence. Starting today, keep your distance."

    She turned the water in the cup into warm water and handed it to her.

    Bai Xiao took a sip, "Don¡¯t talk nonsense; it¡¯s impossible. I¡¯m not familiar with him!"

    The elderlydy looked at her granddaughter with scrutiny. The child¡¯s face was full of integrity, not the type to be fickle, "You should still maintain a distance, for the good of both yourself and others." She had seen that grandson-inw, who was quite an outstanding man ¨C responsible and importantly, his eyes were only for Bai Xiao.

    It was clear to see the two children were deeply in love.

    Bai Xiao nodded her head, "Okay, if that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll be careful. I want to be discharged, but the hospital won¡¯t allow it. It¡¯s so stuffy in here."

    She cuddled up to the olddy¡¯s arm, acting coquettishly.

    For the first time, she found that ever since she really reconnected with her mother¡¯s family, she seemed to be more and more childlike, capable of throwing tantrums and acting spoiled without any shame.

    "You should give up on wanting to be discharged. I just spoke with the Dean. National leaders wille to visit you, along with a delegation from a foreign prime minister. Better to stay put and use this time to quietly read and study, isn¡¯t that nice?" Yu Shaoyan walked in.

    As an adult, how could he not have greeted the Dean and others?

    Of course, no one was more aware of the situation than he was.

    Bai Xiao sighed.

    "Uncle, I get it. You always take others¡¯ side. You¡¯re such a disappointment to me."

    Yu Feixue snapped her fingers against Bai Xiao¡¯s forehead, "How dare you speak such insolence! Fear my ¡¯Five-Finger Kung Fu.¡¯

    Bai Xiao clutched her forehead and wailed exaggeratedly, the pitch of her voice raised by an octave, "Ouch! That hurts so much, how can you be so heavy-handed!"

    Immediately, the olddy felt sorry for her and scolded Yu Feixue, "She¡¯s your sister, how can you be so rough?"

    Embracing Bai Xiao, "There! I¡¯ll rub it for you."

    Bai Xiaoy in the olddy¡¯s arms, closing her eyes and lifting her small face, basking in the warmfort of her family¡¯s embrace. In front of Bai Yue, Bai Song, and Bai Ju, she always positioned herself as their protector, looking after them from a God¡¯s-eye view, doing what¡¯s best for them.

    In her mind, she was more like a family elder rather than a younger sister.

    But now, under the olddy¡¯s care, she couldn¡¯t help but cave in; this must be the warmth of family love.

    Her foster parents had once coddled her this way too, but that was seven or eight years ago, in a past life. It seemed as if she had rediscovered this illusion of longing for affection, maybe the Yu Family wasn¡¯t as worthless as she had imagined.

    Her uncle had once shown her the greatest amount of goodwill; the Yu Family had given her a home with all their might.

    Allowing her to feel the warmth of a home.

    Then, she was conquered by an intensely itchy tickle, "That¡¯s it, Bai Xiao, my tap barely had the strength of a tickling, and now you¡¯ve learned to tattle. Let me see how I¡¯ll deal with you."

    Yu Feixue pounced on her, and the two of them rolled into a tangled heap.

    The four adultsughed heartily.

    A fine spectacle indeed.

 Chapter 796: He Weng Appears

    <h4>Chapter 796: Chapter 796: He Weng Appears</h4><h4></h4>

    "Is this Bai Xiao¡¯s hospital room?"

    Bai Xiao and Yu Feixue immediately halted, both stood up and straightened their appearances.

    Yu Shaoyan nodded to indicate, "Yes, you are..."

    Bai Xiao looked up and saw Ma Yao, He Juan, and Lin Xiang.

    These three were peering into the hospital room while holding fruit, Bai Xiao quickly waved them in.

    "Ma Yao, He Juan! Lin Xiang,e in quick, uncle, grandma, these are my ssmates! We share a dorm."

    The trio seemed a bit awkward upon seeing the family.

    "Bai Xiao!"

    One person had already squeezed through the three and rushed in,ing to the front of Bai Xiao¡¯s bed.

    Bai Xiao was surprised this time.

    It was He Weng!

    Who could tell her, how had He Weng appeared?

    Ma Yao hurriedly exined, they also weren¡¯t clear who this He Weng was.

    "He said his name is He Weng, he was asking around Medical University for your name, we asked, he said he was your rtive, so we told him you were hospitalized. He didn¡¯t even let us speak, just dragged us here. He is your family, right?"

    Bai Xiao smiled, asking this now, wasn¡¯t it a bitte?

    If you truly didn¡¯t know the person, you had already brought them here.

    "How are you? Why can¡¯t you take care of yourself? How long have you been in Modu to end up hospitalized? Anyway, I¡¯ve already called your eldest sister and everyone at home, eldest sister said that as soon as I see you, I have to call her. You think about how you¡¯re going to exin this to her." He Weng looked at Bai Xiao, then nced around the hospital room.

    He was certainly sure this was real hospitalization.

    Bai Xiao was dumbfounded.

    "Why did you tell my eldest sister?"

    Having told the eldest sister, Bai Xiao held her forehead. Given Bai Yue¡¯s temperament, she could guarantee the eldest sister had already bought train tickets, was at the train station, and perhaps by tomorrow when she opened her eyes, the eldest sister would appear in her hospital room.

    Right! She could assure that the eldest sister might not even buy a train ticket.

    Her eldest sister now had enough money to buy a ne ticket and could directly rush over.

    "He Weng, I¡¯m really fine."

    He Weng looked around the room full of people, still unclear on who exactly they were, but still honestly told her, "I called from school, eldest sister said she¡¯s booking a flight ticket, if there¡¯s no ident, you exin it to her tonight."

    "You... He Weng..."

    Yu Feixue looked at He Weng and asked with a smile, "Who are you, exactly? What rtion are you to our Bai Xiao?"

    She had heard He Weng speak with familiarity, and this attitude also seemed like family, but this person¡¯s surname was He?

    "Who are you?"

    He Weng was very cautious, this girl in front of him seemed like a local from Modu.

    Yu Feixue felt frustrated, it seemed like he was guarding against a thief.

    "She is my second aunt¡¯s child, I am her second uncle¡¯s child, who do you say I am?"

    The humorous string of words sounded like a tongue-twister.

    He Weng was full of disbelief.

    "Don¡¯t joke around, Bai Xiao has no uncles. Other than a younger uncle, she doesn¡¯t have any other rtives."

    He Weng wasn¡¯t aware that Bai Xiao had found her mother¡¯s family.

    Yu Feixue almost spat out blood.

    "Bai Xiao, you exin yourself who exactly am I?"

    Bai Xiao quickly introduced the two.

    "This is He Weng, my sister¡¯s brother-inw¡¯s brother, and this is my sister Yu Feixue, my uncle¡¯s daughter. These are my uncle and aunt, and these are my grandmother and grandfather, they are from my birth mother¡¯s family."

 Chapter 797: Put Yourself in Someone Elseâ€™s Shoes

    <h4>Chapter 797: Chapter 797: Put Yourself in Someone Else¡¯s Shoes</h4><h4></h4>

    He Weng had never expected that this whole crowd was actually Bai Xiao¡¯s rtives.

    He hurriedly shook hands with several people.

    "Hello! Hello."

    Yu Shaoyan looked at He Weng with a worried expression for Bai Xiao and felt grateful. After all, anyone genuinely concerned about his niece was a friend and rtive to them.

    "You have family around to take care of you, so how did you still end up in the hospital? I came to your school because I had promised your eldest sister to check on you properly and even brought our family¡¯s specialties. Your sister said that Modu is in the south, and she was worried you wouldn¡¯t adapt to the local food. Little did I know when I asked around at school, I found out you were actually in the hospital.

    You can¡¯t neglect your body even if you are here to study at university. Getting yourself hospitalized can really worry the family. You don¡¯t know how the eldest sister started crying when she heard you were hospitalized. She kept instructing me to take care of you in the hospital from now on and immediately bought a ticket to rush over." He Weng was genuinely scolding Bai Xiao. Although Bai Xiao¡¯s medical skills were incredible, he also understood one thing: physicians do not heal themselves.

    Even if Bai Xiao were brilliant, he probably couldn¡¯t treat his own illness.

    Otherwise, Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t have ended up in the hospital.

    "Wait, how did you end uping to Modu?"

    Bai Xiao was puzzled; he had thought that the news of his hospitalization would blow over,pletely unnoticed by his family.

    But now, He Weng had unexpectedly shown up in Modu.

    Isn¡¯t Guangcheng supposed to be the main base?

    "I came to Modu to explore new markets since the economic development here is leading in the nation. I wanted to look around and learn some advanced experiences. So, I ended up here." What He Weng didn¡¯t mention was that he was preparing tounch his own private custom service.

    Having grown his business significantly and knowing more people now, his connections had also broadened.

    He knew that, with economic development, ordinary people¡¯s pursuit of clothing had changed.

    Unlike before, when most people would buy fabric and make their clothes at home or even if they didn¡¯t know how to sew, they would take it to a tailor.

    Now, more people are buying ready-made garments.

    The styles are attractive, and the fabrics are no less than what one might choose themself.

    But he wanted to take a high-end route; many upper-ss people, including some celebrities, had much higher demands for their clothing than ordinary people. Those roadside stall goods were definitely not on their list.

    Moreover, there¡¯s a need for asion-specific outfits and functionality. He had looked at the market in Guangcheng and found that from Harbor City, there were many new technologies and they already had custom-made services.

    He now wanted to break into the market and introduce a high-end custom service.

    He had already mastered the general market development and now aimed to mature his own brand.

    So, he needed to research the market.

    Bai Xiao sighed. It really seemed like man¡¯s nning was no match for heaven¡¯s.

    "I¡¯m really fine; I just overexerted myself while doing acupuncture, and that¡¯s why I fainted! Actually, I just need to rest a bit and once I¡¯ve eaten well, I¡¯ll be fine. Now look, your one phone call and my big sister are about to fly here. I bet she is nning to make sure I rest for ten days to half a month, with five rounds of soup a day. You didn¡¯te here on a business trip just to see me, did you?

    I feel like you are just my big sister¡¯s advance team, specially tasked with keeping an eye on me."

    He Wengughed, "You are still so childish. Your big sister does all this because she cares about you, fussing over you like a mother. I¡¯d actually like to have a big sister like that too."

    "Pfft! Isn¡¯t my second sister your big sister? She fusses over you just like a mother hen with her chicks. If you don¡¯t believe me, try lying in the hospital, and I¡¯ll give my second sister a call. I guarantee that the treatment will absolutely make you envious. Put yourself in my shoes; aren¡¯t you messing things up for me now?" Bai Xiao was well aware of Bai Ju¡¯s affection for her younger brother-inw.

    The moment He Weng heard this, his face changed instantly, "Don¡¯t, if my sister-inwes over, what good days would I have left? She won¡¯t let me smoke or drink, more strict than my own mom."

    Yu Shaoyan justughed.

 Chapter 798 Recognized

    <h4>Chapter 798: Chapter 798 Recognized</h4><h4></h4>

    Ma Yao and the other two simply couldn¡¯t get a word in, as the entire hospital room was filled with Bai Xiao¡¯s own family.

    The three were very aware of the situation and, after leaving the gifts and exchanging a few words with Bai Xiao, took their leave to head back.

    On the way back, He Juan asked Ma Yao, as among the few of them, Ma Yao and Bai Xiao seemed to be the closest.

    It was probably because Ma Yao was so carefree, with an air of nonchnce about her.

    Because she wasn¡¯t scheming, Bai Xiao actually preferred someone as straightforward and frank as her.

    "Bai Xiao¡¯s family seemed very lively, especially her uncle. I feel like I¡¯ve seen him somewhere before. Could it be that we¡¯ve seen him at our school?"

    Ma Yao shook her head, but halfway through, she suddenly came to a halt.

    Turning around abruptly, she stared at He Juan and Lin Xiang, "I think I know who Bai Xiao¡¯s uncle is."

    She looked as if she had seen a ghost.

    He Juan and Lin Xiang, their gossiping hearts immediately stirred, grabbed Ma Yao from either side.

    "Quickly tell us, who exactly is her uncle?"

    "Do you remember when we were at the Xingde Restaurant, and the general manager kept calling her uncle the bureau chief? At that time, I didn¡¯t think her uncle was any important figure, just some official or other. But just now, when you asked, it suddenly hit me,st year when the health bureau held a meeting at our school, I was in charge of serving tea to the municipal leaders.

    It seems like her uncle was the one in the middle, the one who stood up to speak...!"

    With Ma Yao¡¯s revtion, the three were stunned.

    Goodness, who would have thought that Bai Xiao, living in their dormitory, actually had such a powerful background?

    That was incredibly low-key.

    In their usual interactions with Bai Xiao, they had never noticed anything different about her, she was modest and polite, cautious and courteous, and took her studies very seriously, working hard. Aside from the fact that she was indeed wealthy, from no angle could they tell that Bai Xiao came from a family of officials.

    She did not have the arrogance or sense of superiority that characterized some officials¡¯ children; she treated everyone with amiability and approachability.

    "It¡¯s this person who actually kept such a tight lip, not leaking a single hint,"ined He Juan about Bai Xiao. "No wonder I felt her uncle looked familiar, from thest meeting. The two of us were in charge of serving the tea, and my memory is just too poor."

    Lin Xiang, delighted, "Now that Bai Xiao¡¯s uncle is such a high-ranking official, could I ask Bai Xiao for help when I¡¯m looking for a hospital internship after graduation? I really don¡¯t want to be assigned to those small hospitals. I¡¯ve heard that not only are small hospitals remote, but the patient quality is poor, and aside from treating minor illnesses like colds and fevers, hardly anyone goes to a small hospital for serious conditions.

    Interning there, you basically only get to practice things like injections and infusions more proficiently, and all the interns whoe back from there don¡¯t feel like they learned anything else."

    This wasn¡¯t just her own sentiment; all of them, facing internship time, had to consider how to find a way.

    A good internship hospital could provide them with an internship certificate in the future, which was a testimony for their future employers when choosing their units.

    It¡¯s not to say that through the back door, after interning in a good hospital, everyone could look forward to a better future.

    All of these people were studying medicine; they were definitely going out to be doctors.

    If they ended up in a small hospital, their lifetime of experience and research could only stay at a certain level.

    People aspire to move up, and water flows down, who doesn¡¯t hope for a good future for themselves?

    The three exchanged nces.

    But none of them were sure, as they had only been ssmates with Bai Xiao for just over a month, whether they had the type of rtionship that could lead Bai Xiao to help them.

 Chapter 799: Modu Branch Shop

    <h4>Chapter 799: Chapter 799: Modu Branch Shop</h4><h4></h4>

    In the hospital room, seeing that Bai Xiao was all right, Yu Shaoyan¡¯s parents and the elder Bai Family members left. Before they went, Yu Shaoyan warmly invited He Wei to stay at their ce, suggesting there¡¯s no need for him to keep staying in a hostel given his close rtionship with Bai Xiao.

    It made no sense to let this young man stay in a hostel.

    However, He Wei still declined with a smile. Bai Xiao suddenly had a bunch of rtives, but He Wei wasn¡¯t used to it, and wasn¡¯t familiar with them. Being around strangers doesn¡¯t necessarily mean that one can easily blend in just because of abel or a rtionship.

    Bai Xiao also told his uncle not to worry. He Wei, being an adult and a businessman used to traveling around, could definitely look after himself without causing concern.

    Only then did Yu Shaoyan leave.

    Yu Feixue stayed behind to keep Bai Xiaopany, not wanting her to be alone and bored.

    Yu Feixue looked at Bai Xiao, "Seeing you bouncing around, you seem fine. So let¡¯s change clothes and go out for hotpot; I¡¯m treating. You have no idea, there¡¯s this new Bai Family Spicy Hotpot that¡¯s recently opened in Modu, and it¡¯s incredibly busy.

    Normally Modu residents aren¡¯t too fond of spicy vors, but this ce is truly addictive once you try it," she said.

    This was her friendly gift, a private treasure. Her own restaurant had been open for half a year, and it was said to be so crowded that a second branch was about to open.

    If they weren¡¯t good friends, she wouldn¡¯t be spending a lot to invite someone out for hotpot.

    When Bai Xiao and He Wei heard this, both of them burst intoughter, exchanging nces.

    "What are you twoughing at? What does this mean? I am genuinely treating you, and youugh at me! If you don¡¯t give me a reason today, I won¡¯t let you off," Yu Feixue said, feeling downcast, her invitation was sincere and this was no street stall.

    The average cost per person at this hotpot restaurant was eighty yuan.

    She, like Bai Xiao, was still a student, and between her monthly allowance and living expenses, if she didn¡¯t budget properly, eating hotpot twice would make her broke for the rest of the month.

    He Wei asked with a smile, "How do you not see any connection with the name of this hotpot restaurant?"

    His gaze teasingly shifted to Bai Xiao.

    Yu Feixue was puzzled, these two were really speaking in riddles.

    "What connection can there be?" she asked.

    "What¡¯s the name of this hotpot restaurant?" He continued to prompt.

    She replied irritably, "Bai Family... oh, Bai Xiao also has the surname Bai, could it be...?"

    Yu Feixue widened her eyes in surprise.

    Bai Xiao nodded and said with a smile, "This is my sister¡¯s restaurant."

    "Great, Bai Xiao, you¡¯ve kept this a very good secret. But hold on, I remember your grandparents saying that your siblings were just ordinary farmers¡ªno, I mean they worked thend, right? How did they end up in the city running a hotpot restaurant and even managed to expand to Modu?" Yu Feixue waspletely confused now.

    "His siblings did indeede from a rural background, butter his brother joined the military, and his sister and brother-inw moved to the city with her to support their kids. This Bai Family Spicy Hotpot was actually Bai Xiao¡¯s idea.

    The business was so good back home it made people envious. His sister and brother-inw are now opening chain stores nationwide, and I bet Bai Xiao doesn¡¯t even know about the Modu branch yet," He Wei exined.

    "You¡¯re right, I really didn¡¯t know," Bai Xiao realized, surprised at his sister and brother-inw¡¯s potential for growth.

    They had managed to grow Bai Family Spicy Hotpot so significantly.

    The fact that they could expand from a distant northern city to Modu demonstrated that they must have established a chain throughout the region.

    This allowed them to keep the base ingredients consistent, maintain the same taste, the same service, the same pursuit of quality.

    This, of course, was beyond her wildest dreams.

 Chapter 800 Everyoneâ€™s Past

    <h4>Chapter 800: Chapter 800 Everyone¡¯s Past</h4><h4></h4>

    "What are we waiting for? Let¡¯s go, with you, the little boss here, at least I can have a chance not to queue up. You don¡¯t know how I have to wait for a whole hour every time I line up." Yu Feixue shamelessly pestered Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao took out the VIP card from her wallet and handed it to Yu Feixue, "Here you go, this is a personal treasure my sister gave me and I¡¯m giving it to you too, so from now on you can enjoy the privilege of not having to queue up."

    This Yu Feixue really had a close rtionship with her, this girl always had a kind of magic that could quickly bring her closer to you.

    Even if you were still strangers to each other.

    She did like her second uncle¡¯s daughter quite a bit.

    Loving the house and its crow, I suppose!

    Yu Feixue immediately threw herself at Bai Xiao enthusiastically, hugging her and fiercely kissing her cheek.

    "Oh my God, Bai Xiao, you are the best, you¡¯re such a good little sister. The next time I go with my ssmates, I¡¯ll be able to show off and see how I don¡¯t have to queue up," she said as she looked over the VIP card, flipping it back and forth.

    He Weng honestly took his hand out of his pocket.

    He had a VIP card for Bai Family¡¯s hot pot restaurant in his wallet too, and with his rtionship with the Bai Family, that VIP card was virtually for free.

    He really didn¡¯t expect Bai Xiao¡¯s family to be so adorable.

    "Alright, stop showing off. Aren¡¯t we going out to eat? I¡¯ll change my clothes and then we can head out quickly."

    Bai Xiao took her clothes and went to the bathroom, as it wasn¡¯t convenient for He Weng to be here.

    Yu Feixue nodded, "Wait a minute, didn¡¯t I just hear that you had just finished eating? I remember Zhang Zhaoyuan mentioning you just had steak, loads of stuff."

    She suggested Bai Xiao should just eat some fruit to digest everything instead of eating any more.

    Bai Xiao patted her stomach forcefully.

    "Didn¡¯t I expend so much energy today? Shouldn¡¯t I make up for it with something delicious now? You wouldn¡¯t be trying to get out of treating me, would you?"

    Yu Feixue¡¯s eyes widened; she already had big eyes with double eyelids, and when she red, they seemed even rounder, entuating her beauty in an almost breathtaking way.

    "Don¡¯t you nder me. I¡¯ve got my wallet here, isn¡¯t it because I¡¯m worried about your stomach that I hesitate? No good deed goes unpunished."

    Bai Xiao chuckled and went to change her clothes.

    He Weng felt a bit envious of the way Yu Feixue and Bai Xiao interacted.

    "You and Bai Xiao get along well."

    Yu Feixue smiled, "As well as we get along, I haven¡¯t known her as long as you have. You¡¯ve known her for several years now, haven¡¯t you?"

    He Weng, who looked quite good, was so nice to Bai Xiao; she wondered if that Colonel Zhang had ever felt concerned.

    "A few years now, we first met the year she graduated from high school. It was after that meeting that her acupuncture helped heal the leg that had been paralyzed for many years. I suppose I will never forget the day I met her; it¡¯s vivid in my memory, as if it just happened yesterday," He Weng said with some emotion when he mentioned this incident.

    If only he had met Bai Xiang earlier, perhaps he could have been walking much sooner.

    So many things in life reallye down to serendipity.

    Yu Feixue suddenly realized this young man also had a story, seemingpletely harmless on the surface, while hiding a past that nobody else could see, making Bai Xiao and her friends appear different from one another.

    "Let¡¯s reintroduce ourselves, my name is Yu Feixue, and I¡¯m happy to meet you."

    He Weng smiled; this girl really was...interesting.

    "Happy to meet you too; my name is He Weng!"

    One ck, one white, two hands shook.

 Chapter 801: Heartbreaking Matter

    <h4>Chapter 801: Chapter 801: Heartbreaking Matter</h4><h4></h4>

    Three people set off.

    Of course, it was after Yu Feixue pleaded almost on her knees to the doctors and nurses. Bai Xiao also exined repeatedly that they were just going to have a meal, and promised that after the meal, they would honestly return to the hospital ward and not cause any more trouble.

    The doctors and nurses had no choice. Frankly speaking, she really wasn¡¯t that ill. When she was admitted to the hospital, she had been thoroughly examined. The girl was just a bit malnourished; that was all.

    In all honesty, if anyone knew that Bai Xiao¡¯s malnutrition was due to the excessive use of her special ability, probably no one would stop her from eating.

    Yu Feixue called a taxi.

    She wanted to sit in the front seat! He Weng snatched the opportunity and gentlemanly opened the car doors for the twodies, letting them get in the car before closing the doors and getting in himself.

    Over the years, it seems He Weng hasn¡¯t been wasting time.

    The whole process was smooth and efficient.

    He really seemed like an old hand at this.

    "He Weng, do you have a girlfriend?"

    This topic came up when Bai Xiao didn¡¯t want the atmosphere in the car to be dull during a boring moment, casually bringing up the question.

    He Weng¡¯s expression darkened.

    "Not yet!"

    "You¡¯re five years older than me, right?"

    Bai Xiao knew Bai Ju¡¯s sorrow. His youngest uncle was Bai Ju¡¯s eldest son, so he had probably caused her a lot of worries.

    She herself was twenty-one, so He Weng should be twenty-six. In this era, a twenty-six-year-old man who hadn¡¯t married yet was somewhat unusual.

    Of course, that¡¯s how others saw it.

    "I know what you¡¯re going to say! Please don¡¯t! My sister-inw is almost eating me alive. Every time we meet, she nearly drags me to go matchmaking, as if she wants to bring back all the pretty girls from ten miles around. Now whenever I hear my sister-inw¡¯s voice, I go out of my way to avoid her, I¡¯ve developed a Pavlovian response," He Weng said with a bitter smile, aware of his brother and sister-inw¡¯s good intentions.

    But he just hadn¡¯t gotten over that barrier in his heart.

    Liu Hong was essentially his first love, but unfortunately, ever since Liu Hong rejected himst time! It seemed she really wanted to keep a distance from him, delegating work-rted matters to managers below her, and she began dodging him subtly.

    Moreover, Liu Hong got engaged, very quickly to a boy from the vige. It was said to be a man from the neighboring vige, without parents, just him living with his two younger brothers and sisters, a very capable and simple and honest man. Liu Hong specifically invited him to their engagement.

    Having been in business for so long, he¡¯s no longer the naive person easily tricked by others like he used to be; he clearly understood that Liu Hong was trying to make him give up hope.

    The red envelope was very thick.

    Seeing that honest and straightforward man, afraid to smear Liu Hong¡¯s lipstick while feeding her water, and the care and affection in his eyes, he knew Liu Hong had found her happiness. It wasn¡¯t just to reject him; what Liu Hong wanted was different from what he could offer.

    This custom order was because he wanted topletely let go of Liu Hong, to let go of this rtionship; otherwise, he couldn¡¯t move on. He needed to find more things to do, more important things, so he wouldn¡¯t think about it.

    "At your age, you should at least get a girlfriend! You can¡¯t keep running around all your life without settling down."

    He Weng sighed, "Even I wouldn¡¯t want a girl who, like me, is always running around. Besides, I¡¯m not ready yet, I¡¯ll wait a bit longer. Who knows, maybe one day I¡¯ll see a girl walking down the street, and she will be the Snow White of my dreams. Then I¡¯ll be willing to get married."

    Yu Feixue red at He Weng, "You¡¯re a grown man and you still believe in love at first sight? Naive!"

    He Weng smiled warmly, "I choose to believe."

    Bai Xiao looked at the two of them, then turned her head to look out the window, I miss Colonel An.

 Chapter 802: Dreamland

    <h4>Chapter 802: Chapter 802: Dreand</h4><h4></h4>

    Shang Kaiwen jolted awake from her bed, sitting up with her hands tightly clutching the pajamas over her chest, the suffocation from just moments ago still left her feeling breathless.

    The small nightlight on the bedside table quietly emitted a soft glow, and she slowly leaned against the headboard.

    After drinking a ss of water.

    Thinking back to that dream, her heart was still fluttering.

    Everything in the dream seemed like reality, so real that it was hard for her to doubt: the sense of superiority as she looked down upon everyone, how all the wealthy and powerful people bowed and scraped to her, all the prosperous connections opening their doors for her, as if everything was within easy reach.

    She was that supreme ruler, the illustrious creator of the Shang Family, even omnipotent. That bizarre dream still made her heart race.

    The dream was the world she wanted.

    Could it really be that ¡¯what one thinks during the day, one dreams of at night¡¯?

    She desired it all too much, that even her dreams wouldn¡¯t let her be.

    But why was Bai Xiao with her in the dream?

    That was what puzzled her, she couldn¡¯t remember why Bai Xiao was with her, only knowing that he looked at her with adoring eyes, and she also saw Shang Kaijie, yes, her brother.

    Shang Kaijie was already dead, that was a fact, she had seen his cold body in the hospital.

    She had apanied her father there.

    Shang Kaijie had died a shameful death that made everyone in the family unable to feel fond of him.

    All the family¡¯s hopes had once rested on him.

    Everything she had done was in the hope of supporting her brother.

    Even with Shang Kaijie¡¯s death, she didn¡¯t feel much sadness.

    It¡¯s been two years already.

    Yet tonight, she dreamt of her brother.

    Shang Kaijie was looking at Bai Xiao with an evil gaze, that look she was familiar with because Shang Kaijie had once looked at her the same way, it¡¯s just a pity that he once tried to barge into her room! After she nearly pierced his throat with a dagger, forcefully defending herself.

    Every time Shang Kaijie saw his sister, it was as if he saw the grim reaper.

    Perhaps it was because the brother realized he could never take advantage of his sister.

    Since then, he kept a low profile, no matter how outrageous he was outside, he was well-behaved at home.

    Because from that fierce look in his sister¡¯s eyes and the sharp edge of the dagger that night, he had no doubts, Shang Kaiwen truly wanted his life.

    So, no matter what Shang Kaiwen said or did to him, he always maintained the utmostpromise.

    This is probably what they call ¡¯a bully is always a coward at heart¡¯.

    This dream was too strange.

    Because many scenes were choppy and intermittent.

    Shang Kaiwen was like a bystander, unable to hear the sounds in the scenes or understand what these images signified.

    Yet she was still captivated by the image of herself having everything, the momentum of looking down on the world; she could be that powerful.

    Turning on the light, she sat in front of theputer.

    Lately, everything has been going wrong, so wrong that she felt like vomiting blood.

    The trip to Myanmar cost her a Liu Chuanfeng and a lucrative gemstone trade route.

    Liu Chuanfeng has kept his promise, vanishing without a trace.

    And her recent endeavors haven¡¯t been going smoothly.

    When ites down to it.

    Jiang Shaoqing was cornering her on all sides, of course, that¡¯s what she thought.

    Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s abilities in business were hard for many to match, coupled with the Jiang Family¡¯s background; the Jiang Family was indeed very lucky, many of her business moves failed in front of them.

    Looking at Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s youthful and handsome face on theputer screen, and that indifferent smile towards the camera, she couldn¡¯t help but have her heart flutter involuntarily.

    Maybe she still needed to find a way to take a different path.

 Chapter 803 Luck

    <h4>Chapter 803: Chapter 803 Luck</h4><h4></h4>

    Jiang Shaoqing watched the footage on the news. Bai Xiao was surrounded by people, draped in a coat, with four professors personally massaging her to warm her up. She was energetically administering acupuncture to officials of the foreign delegation. The footage was cut off after she fainted, as a boy picked her up and carried her onto the ambnce.

    He pressed the rewind button once more, and the scene paused on Bai Xiao giving the acupuncture.

    The determination in her brows, the sparkle in her eyes, the smile on her lips - she was as radiant as the dazzling sun.

    So beautiful it was startling and soul-stirring.

    Jiang Shaoqing cursed himself silently, ¡¯Beast!¡¯

    Bai Xiao, Doctor Bai, is An Zhiyuan¡¯s wife.

    Don¡¯t you understand the principle that one should not covet a friend¡¯s wife?

    As a well-educated young elite, how could he not understand this principle?

    He and An Zhiyuan had been close since childhood. Although to outsiders their rtionship might not seem as clean as imagined, in actuality, friendships don¡¯t necessarily need to involve arm-in-arm camaraderie. The tacit understanding where a single look was all it took tomunicate was something unique to them.

    An Zhiyuan is a proud man.

    Yet this proud brother shows nothing but gentle affection for this woman.

    He could tell.

    An Zhiyuan loved this woman more than he could ever express.

    Doctor Bai seemed to possess a unique charm that allowed those around her to slowly sumb to her influence, gradually and subtly being drawn to her.

    When did it start? To know that at the beginning, he had not seen Doctor Bai in a favorable light at all.

    In his eyes, Doctor Bai was nothing but a petty and scheming individual.

    A woman capable of such ruthless measures to exact revenge on someone.

    This alone was sufficient to show she was not a good person.

    But when did it start that his gaze seemed unable to leave this face?

    Especially after several in-depth conversations, Bai Xiao, who didn¡¯t even attend college, a girl whose whole world had been limited to her patients, spoke eloquently about domestic situations, economic trends, and broad policy directions.

    She could even enlighten him on every point, all so fittingly. Although Doctor Bai¡¯s purpose in everything she did was to target Shang Kaiwen of the Shang Family, it was undeniable that he had indeed reaped significant benefits from it.

    The report Bai Xiao prepared for him had every route clearly outlined, pinpointing the shortcuts Shang Kaiwen wanted to take.

    It also showed the ways he could block her. Now, Jiang Shaoqing, having conducted business up to this point, was actually making much more profit than before by just cutting in, outmaneuvering her moves.

    The business of the Shang Family was obviously shrinking a lot, and no matter what grand moves Shang Kaiwen had up her sleeve, it seemed Doctor Bai had the foresight to know them in advance.

    Always setting up an obstacle on her path forward.

    And Jiang Shaoqing was the executor of that obstacle.

    Outsiders say he is extremely capable, with a unique vision, but who would know that just by opening up the n book in his safe,

    Probably anyone could be unique.

    Doctor Bai, what kind of person are you?

    Jiang Shaoqing stared at the cold profile on the screen, his heart surging with emotion.

    An Zhiyuan is indeed fortunate to have met Doctor Bai.

    Sometimes Jiang Shaoqing evenined about why it was sote when he met Bai Xiao.

    The legendary story of Doctor Bai and An Zhiyuan¡¯s courtship is enough to make many men envious.

    To have a wife like Doctor Bai is enough for a lifetime.

 Chapter 804: Blind Date

    <h4>Chapter 804: Chapter 804: Blind Date</h4><h4></h4>

    Jiang Shaoqing was called back home the next day by the highest authority in the family with a single phone call.

    In the Jiang Family, the old man was the supreme retired emperor.

    Only after arriving did he notice a dazzling imported car parked in the courtyard.

    A guest?

    It seemed the old man didn¡¯t summon him back just to renew their grandfather-grandson bond without good reason.

    Jiang Shaoqing prepared to turn around and leave.

    He had seen this kind of drama being yed out far too often over the past half-year.

    His father, mother, and the old man wereing up with all sorts of schemes to set him up on blind dates.

    Their home had nearly be a beauty pageant.

    This time his intuition told him that he definitely couldn¡¯t escape this topic; it was better to leave sooner rather thanter.

    Unfortunately, his escape wasn¡¯t quick enough, because his mother Shen Ye saw her son first. "Shaoqing, you¡¯re back. What are you doing standing there? Why don¡¯t youe in?"

    Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s steps halted, he turned around, with a smile stered across his face and went up to hug his mother by the shoulders, "Mom, don¡¯t you have to go to work? Howe you have time to be at home today?"

    Caught in the act, darn it.

    There was no escape.

    "If I weren¡¯t at home, how could I catch you? You¡¯re as slippery as an eel. To even catch a glimpse of you is harder than meeting a state leader. If I didn¡¯t block you, would you honestlye back to see me?" Shen Ye gave her son a punch, though it carried barely any force.

    She just couldn¡¯t bear to be too hard on her own son.

    "Mom, how is that possible? With just one phone call from you, I would definitely report here. After all, you are my dear mother, the person who treats me the best in this world, the one closest to me."

    Shen Ye pinched Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s nose hard, "Just keep sweet-talking. If you could use this same charm on the girls outside, I bet you would have already brought a wife home by now, and your dad and grandad wouldn¡¯t be panic-stricken at home."

    This son made her very proud, and he was very filial to his parents as well.

    Being born into a family of officials, it was predestined that he would bear a lot of responsibility. This child has been a source offort since he was little.

    Whether in his studies, his work, his conduct, or his dealings with others.

    He always was the exemry child in other parents¡¯ eyes.

    Being so exemry that it even troubled his parents, having a child that needed no worrying over was also somewhat frustrating.

    However, the kid was getting close to thirty years old now.

    Atst, something that troubled and worried them hade up in his life.

    The kid didn¡¯t think highly of any girl.

    Other people¡¯s children were already in elementary school, but in their family, Jiang Shaoqing didn¡¯t even have a girlfriend.

    His grandson, his daughter-inw, oh!

    Jiang Shaoqing rubbed his own nose, "Mom, that¡¯s not fair. My nose is nice and tall, if you damage it, how will your son go out and charm youngdies!"

    "Don¡¯t you talk nonsense. We have a girl visiting our home today, do you understand what I¡¯m saying? Treat her well, you hear me? Don¡¯t just walk away every time you see a matching."

    Shen Ye was terribly worried.

    "Mom," Jiang Shaoqingined helplessly, "you know how much I detest these matchmaking sessions, yet you insist on bringing home daughters of yourrades, your friends, dad¡¯s colleagues. I¡¯ve told you, if I decide to marry, it¡¯ll happen naturally when I find the right one. If I don¡¯t like someone, I absolutely won¡¯t settle."

    Shen Ye red up, "You won¡¯t settle, huh? At the rate you¡¯re being picky, you¡¯ll end up never getting a wife for the rest of your life."

    "If I can¡¯t find one, then so be it. Our Jiang family has arge enterprise, plus I have many brothers and their kids can carry on the lineage. Even if I don¡¯t get married, it won¡¯t hinder the development of our Jiang family. That¡¯s enough."

    Jiang Shaoqing didn¡¯t want to continue this topic. It was a dangerous subject.

 Chapter 805 One Dragon, Two Phoenixes

    <h4>Chapter 805: Chapter 805 One Dragon, Two Phoenixes</h4><h4></h4>

    "Brother Jiang!"

    "Auntie!"

    There was a noise at the gate; someone was calling out to both of them from behind.

    Shen Ye and Jiang Shaoqing turned around. Jiang Shaoqing looked at his own mother with a questioning gaze, as the person set up for the matchmaking arrived eventer than he did.

    Shen Ye was also surprised. Zhuo Lin was just sitting in the living room at home, keeping the old manpany by ying chess. Why would there be youngdiesing to visit?

    As soon as Jiang Shaoqing saw who it was, his heart sank.

    Shang Kaiwen!

    This woman really doesn¡¯t know when to give up.

    "Brother Jiang, I didn¡¯t expect you to be home. Ourpany has recently imported a batch of fine wine from France. The texture and taste are exceptionally pure red wines. I specifically brought some for Auntie to try. I didn¡¯t expect you to be back as well," said Shang Kaiwen, who had long nned to start with Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s parents. She didn¡¯t believe that saying wasn¡¯t true, the one about persistence wearing down the hardest stone.

    Dripping water wears the stone, she didn¡¯t believe she couldn¡¯t move Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s heart.

    Shen Ye also recognized Shang Kaiwen. Although their families did not interact much, she had seen this girl several times. In public, whenever she saw him, she was always polite, evening over to say hello. She had not expected that this girl woulde to her door today.

    "Kaiwen, you¡¯re such a silly girl, it¡¯s just a bottle of wine. Why go through the trouble of delivering it yourself?"

    Shen Ye was no fool. It¡¯s probable that the girl¡¯s fondness wasn¡¯t for the wine itself; surely she wasn¡¯t smitten with an olddy like her. No doubt, it was her dashing son she had her eyes on.

    Shang Kaiwen smiled, holding the wine box in her hands, affectionately looping her arm through Shen Ye¡¯s, "Auntie, every time I see you, you remind me of my own mother. You¡¯re so kind-hearted, and you maintain yourself so well, you look like my older sister. This red wine is excellent for women; drinking it regrly is rejuvenating and it¡¯s very beneficial for the heart and blood lipids levels."

    Her ttery really came in waves.

    Shen Yeughed, "You sweet-talker, I have seen your mother and she is truly youthful. How could Ipare to her? Look at these crow¡¯s feet on my face." Being fawned over so enthusiastically by a young girl truly gave her afortable feeling.

    Jiang Shaoqing whipped out a cigarette, lighting it in a carefree manner, "I¡¯m going to step outside for a smoke. You two go on in first."

    Shang Kaiwen nced at Jiang Shaoqing, "Brother Jiang, smoking too much is bad for your health. You really should cut back."

    Her attitude was gentle, indeed showing deep affection.

    Shen Ye almost burst intoughter; this girl was so forward, she must be quite interested in her son.

    Today, abruptly, there were two candidates for matchmaking in the house. It didn¡¯t matter much to her to have one more, but she felt somewhat sorry for Zhuo Lin in the house, who had no idea she was here for matchmaking. Shen Ye really liked her gentle and kind nature.

    But it was she, the dishonest auntie, who had lured the girl here under false pretenses.

    Now, she inadvertently created a situation with one dragon and two phoenixes.

    It¡¯s fortunate the girl didn¡¯t know what she was reallying to their house for. Shen Ye¡¯s father was a renowned calligraphy master, and the young girl was utterly obsessed with calligraphy, volunteering to leap into this pit, crying and pleading to meet the old master.

    Luckily, nothing was made clear.

    Regardless, as a mother, Shen Ye naturally hoped that her son would prefer one of them today.

    Jiang Shaoqing watched as Shang Kaiwen walked in with his mother, exhaled a ring of smoke, and thought to himself that Shang Kaiwen just couldn¡¯t let go of her attachment to him.

    Being too handsome was also problematic.

    If Bai Xiao were standing opposite him, she would probably scoff and toss an unimpressedment at him, "Comrade, have some shame, won¡¯t you?"

    He couldn¡¯t help but curl the corners of his mouth up into a smile.

 Chapter 806: A True Gentleman Watches Chess without Commenting.

    <h4>Chapter 806: Chapter 806: A True Gentleman Watches Chess without Commenting.</h4><h4></h4>

    Zhuo Lin was ying chess with the old gentleman. "Old gentleman, you lost!"

    She ruthlessly killed off the old gentleman¡¯s big dragon.

    The old gentleman¡¯s beard bristled with anger as he swept the chess pieces away forcefully, his demeanor akin to a child who didn¡¯t get any candy.

    "You girl, have you never heard of respecting your elders?"

    This was the first time he had ever met a girl who was utterly dismissive of him as the Chief, not trying to ingratiate or act sweetly towards him, which was quite sad.

    Zhuo Lin couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    She picked up the chess pieces one by one from the board and separated them into ck and white to put back in their respective boxes.

    The old gentleman quickly held her back.

    "What are you doing?"

    Zhuo Lin said yfully, "Didn¡¯t you just ask me to respect my elders? If we don¡¯t y chess, then I won¡¯t win and that would be respecting my elders, right?" As she spoke, her hands didn¡¯t stop swiftly packing the pieces into the box.

    The old gentleman got anxious, "No way, you little wretch. Think you can just win and run? It¡¯s not that easy! Keep ying."

    He started picking up his white pieces and putting them back in his box.

    His stance indicated that he wouldn¡¯t give up easily.

    Zhuo Lin smiled slyly like a little fox, as the old gentleman hurriedly set the chessboard back up, "Hurry up and y, hurry up."

    The house was too quiet, usually, it¡¯s just him and the housemaid.

    Sometimes oldrades-in-arms would visit, but there were hardly any who knew how to y Go. Besides being able to paint and write in his study, and being sentimental, his passion for chess had long since been ground to nothing.

    Mainly because he really couldn¡¯t catch anyone to y with him.

    Now that he had found this youngdy who knew how to y chess, how could he possibly let her go?

    Zhuo Lin continued her triumphant conquest across the board with a smile, the old gentleman was actually just like her own grandfather - essentially a lonely and cold old man.

    He was treating her like an able-bodied worker.

    She looked up and saw Shen Ye and Shang Kaiwen walking in hand in hand.

    "Auntie!"

    Zhuo Lin said with a smile, ncing at Shang Kaiwen and sensing the unfriendly look in the girl¡¯s eyes, like that of a tiger guarding its food.

    Weird!

    Guarding what food?

    "Wow, impressive. The grandfather is still ying chess. Come here, let me introduce you to a friend. This is Shang Kaiwen, this is Zhuo Lin, the daughter of my oldrade-in-arms. You youngsters must have a lot to talk about."

    Shen Ye was indeed well-intentioned; after all, it wouldn¡¯t be good to let two young people feel awkward and not talk upon meeting.

    "Hello!"

    Shang Kaiwen forced a smile, "Hello. Grandfather Jiang, I¡¯vee to see you!"

    Unexpectedly, there was another variable here.

    The old gentleman nced at Shang Kaiwen and nodded, "You sit first, I need to y chess."

    Zhuo Lin followed up on the old gentleman¡¯s move with her own.

    The old gentleman red, realizing this girl wouldn¡¯t give him an inch ofnd without a fight.

    Indeed, she had quite a narrow-minded streak.

    Angrily, he yed a piece.

    Zhuo Lin firmly continued with another move.

    The old gentleman paused.

    He was stumped.

    Shang Kaiwen smiled and stood next to the old gentleman, looking at the chessboard, "Grandfather, here..." she pointed near where the old gentleman¡¯s hand was.

    The old gentleman¡¯s face turned stoic, "An observer of chess should not voice his thoughts."

    Shang Kaiwen¡¯s face turned red at once; the old man truly was stubborn, obviously, she was trying to help him, yet he was being contrary.

    Seeing this, Shen Ye thought, well, that put an end to any potential conversation.

    "Come here, Kaiwen, tell the auntie where this wine is from?"

    He cleverly defused Shang Kaiwen¡¯s embarrassment.

 Chapter 807: Accident

    <h4>Chapter 807: Chapter 807: ident</h4><h4></h4>

    Jiang Shaoqing finally walked in, and Shang Kaiwen immediately flew over to him like a joyful little bird.

    "Big Brother Jiang, I was just about to wash some fruits. What would you like to eat?"

    Admiring Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s handsome features, Shang Kaiwen couldn¡¯t suppress the love in her heart. Longing like that of a young girl, she had cherished feelings for Jiang Shaoqing for many years, but unfortunately, he did not show much friendliness towards her.

    "I don¡¯t like to eat fruit," Jiang Shaoqing frowned.

    Effortlessly, he increased the distance between himself and Shang Kaiwen.

    Are you kidding me? You¡¯re the doctor¡¯s enemy. My goal is to help the doctor take you down; we¡¯re hardly familiar.

    Shang Kaiwen felt somewhat disappointed, but for her, Jiang Shaoqing treated every woman the same way, so it didn¡¯t matter to her.

    This man just likes his own cool and aloof nature, doesn¡¯t he?

    "Alright then, I¡¯ll make you a cup of tea."

    There wasn¡¯t the slightest trace of embarrassment from being rejected.

    Jiang Shaoqing cast a nce at Zhuo Lin, whose yful smile at the corner of her mouth was so evident when their eyes met, that she quickly pretended to look away.

    Wow, there¡¯s another spectator here.

    There aren¡¯t many women who would remain detached and watch the excitement of my situation.

    It seems she¡¯s the official match my mom set up for me.

    Don¡¯t you have any awareness of being a prospective match?

    I am Jiang Shaoqing, after all. Even if you don¡¯t know me, just by looking at my face, my attractiveness should be off the charts!

    And yet this little girl seems to be enjoying the show from the side.

    Jiang Shaoqing leisurely strolled over to the chessboard where the old master and Zhuo Lin were.

    His tall figure was quite imposing.

    "Shaoqing, this is Zhuo Lin, the daughter of a good friend of mine. She¡¯s a teacher at the First Elementary School. Zhuo Lin, you seem to be about five years younger than our Shaoqing, right?" Shen Ye did not forget to fulfill his task at this time.

    Zhuo Linughed, "I¡¯m twenty-three. Big Brother Jiang is twenty-eight? That¡¯s a bit old!"

    Shen Ye nearly spit out his drink all at once.

    Jiang Shaoqing felt a tingle in his mr.

    "Zhuo Lin, that¡¯s a nice name. Let¡¯s have dinner together then. I happen to know a restaurant. Let¡¯s go!"

    Jiang Shaoqing dangerously leaned his body towards Zhuo Lin¡¯s direction, his mom¡¯s favorite pastime being ying matchmaker, so he might as well indulge her this once.

    Shen Ye was thrilled, looking up without any hesitation, "Dad!"

    The old master suddenly realized, my goodness, his grandson was actually taking the initiative to invite a girl to dinner.

    Looks like there¡¯s hope.

    ncing at the chessboard, it¡¯s a pity about my game.

    With a wave of his hand, "Go ahead, girl, eat whatever you want and don¡¯t let him save money. Come back and y chess with me next time!"

    He earnestly urged.

    Shen Ye got up with Zhuo Lin and pushed the two towards the door, "Go on, hurry up. Shaoqing, you mustn¡¯t bully Zhuo Lin!"

    And just like that, he pushed them out the front door.

    Zhuo Lin looked at the coat in her hands, then at the fallen leaves scattered outside the door, realizing she¡¯d just been packed off and thrown out by Auntie Shen.

    If she wasn¡¯t sure what Auntie Shen was up to before, she definitely understood now.

    This Jiang Shaoqing was the biggest reason Auntie Shen had lured her here.

    An arrogant man like him taking an interest in a matchmaking prospect? Doubtful. And where did Auntie Shen get the idea that she and this Jiang Shaoqing were fated to be together?

    Just because of what her son said?

    "No need for dinner, you go ahead with your business. I¡¯m heading home."

    Today happens to be Sunday; it¡¯s the perfect day for shopping.

    Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s gaze carried a hint of understanding, "What, afraid I can¡¯t afford to treat you? Or do you have other matchmaking dates lined up, and you¡¯re in a rush?"

 Chapter 808 Mixed Noodles

    <h4>Chapter 808: Chapter 808 Mixed Noodles</h4><h4></h4>

    Zhuo Lin red, this guy has such a venomous mouth.

    Is this how he always treats his blind dates?

    Such a person doesn¡¯t look like someone who would marry from a blind date, yet he stilles out to create trouble. People like him mainly have too high standards and are full of themselves, not so friendly towards others.

    "Master Jiang, don¡¯t take out your temper on me. I¡¯m not one of those calcting women fawning over you. At least be polite to people, it¡¯s the foundation of earning respect, and what does it matter to you if I¡¯m in a rush?" Zhuo Lin put on her coat neatly, ready to leave.

    But she was grabbed from behind by the arm and pulled towards the parking lot.

    "What are you doing?"

    "Going to eat! You didn¡¯t object when my mom was here, you should show me some respect too, get in the car!"

    He opened the car door with an attitude that signaled he would wait her out until she got in.

    Zhuo Lin obediently got into the car. She had no say in the face of authority.

    Jiang Shaoqing drove, turned the steering wheel slightly, and the car veered onto the main road leading home.

    The scenery around them began to change.

    "What do you want to eat?"

    She almost scoffed at the rare request for her opinion.

    Is this supposed to be democratic?

    Rolling her eyes, she pointed at a small shop by the roadside which prominently disyed ¡¯Mixed Noodles¡¯.

    This was a shop specializing in Mixed Noodles and hot and sour noodle soup. It was so popr that there was a long queue, and the ce was small and seemed disorganized and unhygienic due to the crowd.

    She didn¡¯t believe Jiang Shaoqing could stomach such a ce. How could such a pampered young master ever dine in such a down-to-earth shop?

    Imagining that scene, Zhuo Lin couldn¡¯t help but want to snicker unkindly.

    Aunt Shen, it¡¯s not that I want to bully your son, but where there is oppression, there will be resistance.

    True enough, Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s brows furrowed as if in a knot, a sight Zhuo Lin found quite delightful. Yes!

    That¡¯s right, Master Jiang!

    The car stopped with a screech not far from the shop, slowly backing up, attracting many curious nces.

    Someone actually drove to eat Mixed Noodles and hot and sour noodle soup?

    Which rich young master is trying to experience life?

    Zhuo Lin was startled, he really came.

    "Get out, didn¡¯t you want to eat?"

    Jiang Shaoqing opened the car door, looking unconcerned with the numerous stares, exuding a strong presence that soon turned some of those stares into admiration and amazement.

    Zhuo Lin found herself in a difficult position, slowly opening the door, not even waiting for her to get out before being pulled out by the cor.

    "Are you a snail? So slow, you¡¯re about to set a Guinness World Record."

    Pulling her arm, they walked inside.

    In an instant, Zhuo Lin felt countless knives slicing through her.

    Damn, was this to get her public hate?

    Let¡¯s eat then, who¡¯s afraid!

    Straightening her back and raising her head, Zhuo Lin strutted away from Jiang Shaoqing and boldly walked in.

    Luckily there were not many people in line today, and it was soon their turn.

    "Boss, two bowls of Mixed Noodles, two bowls of hot and sour noodle soup, and make them extra spicy!"

    Actually, the shop really had good vors, and she woulde especially to eat here when she had time because it tasted indeed delicious.

    Since we¡¯re here, let¡¯s settle and enjoy.

    With food in hand, of course, you have to enjoy.

    Clutching the ticket, Zhuo Lin pointed at the counter, "Come and help me get it. I don¡¯t have four hands!"

    The two each carried two bowls, with chopsticks ced on the rims, and found a small table for four next to a couple, obviously in love.

    There were no other seats avable.

 Chapter 809: Major Compensation

    <h4>Chapter 809: Chapter 809: Major Compensation</h4><h4></h4>

    Watching Jiang Shaoqing fidgeting due to his long arms and legs at a cramped table, Zhuo Lin couldn¡¯t help feeling smug. Serves you right for being so arrogant earlier! Are you humbled now?

    She breaks apart a pair of disposable chopsticks and takes a bite of the Mixed Noodles. Oh my, delicious!

    The noodles here are served in hot soup, not cold like other types, and even with the lingering heat ofte summer, the scalding, spicy taste as the noodles hit your mouth is simply delightful, making your whole mouth dance along with the hot rhythm.

    Slurp and suck, the sounds made Jiang Shaoqing frown.

    This girl doesn¡¯t care about her image at all.

    She is a girl!?

    To eat like this, it¡¯s unparalleled.

    Why on earth did his own mom introduce such a peculiar character to him?

    The main thing is, facing a noise-maker every day at mealtime is enough to make him dread the thought.

    His family has good manners, emphasizing dining without making any uncivilized noises; if his grandfather were here, he¡¯d probably be beaten.

    But watching her enjoy her food does spark his appetite.

    He looked disdainfully at the noodles. They seem ordinary; how could they taste good?

    He hesitantly rolls up a strand of noodles and puts it in his mouth.

    Ready to spit it out if it doesn¡¯t taste right, it¡¯s Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s first time eating at such a roadside stall.

    As he tastes it, a burst of sour, spicy, and numbing vors hit him, along with a savory taste. It¡¯s really delicious.

    He usually likes spicy food, and this vor is quite authentic. Of course, he¡¯s never had real Mixed Noodles before, but for someone who likes spice, this is truly impressive.

    Awesome!

    He starts eating with big bites.

    Compared to her, however, his eating style appears too genteel.

    The guy sitting next to them couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit resentful, the contrast was too stark.

    It¡¯s too much to bear.

    But he wasn¡¯t slow, devouring the food like a cyclone, and then started on a bowl of hot and sour noodle soup.

    Zhuo Lin chuckled.

    This kid must have never eaten this before.

    She quietly lowers her head and focuses on her own meal.

    By the time she looked up again, she realized there were three empty bowls in front of her.

    Jiang Shaoqing was elegantly using a napkin he found from somewhere to wipe his mouth, showing no signs of having just hogged the food.

    "Jiang, my brother, that was a bit... too much!"

    Zhuo Lin puffed up in anger. That was her bowl of hot and sour noodle soup too; she doesn¡¯t get to eat here often as she¡¯s usually very busy.

    Jiang Shaoqing nces at the three bowls in front of him.

    "Girls are supposed to be on a diet, right? I¡¯m helping you, no need to thank me!"

    Diet my foot.

    Zhuo Lin nearly cussed out loud.

    Who said anything about dieting? I don¡¯t need to diet in this lifetime.

    She stood up and silently went to the queue.

    There wasn¡¯t much in one bowl anyway; she couldn¡¯t let this shameless person ruin her happy life, she had to get her hot and sour noodle soup. Yes, and another bowl of Mixed Noodles. At this rate, she could eat four bowls in one sitting.

    "Give me another two bowls of Mixed Noodles and two bowls of hot and sour noodle soup, I¡¯m not full!" As soon as he saw her queuing, he unapologetically barked the order.

    Zhuo Lin really wanted to punch this jerk. Who was treating whom here?

    It¡¯s alling out of her purse.

    She¡¯s really lost out today.

    After both of them had their fill, eight empty bowls sat in front of them, making them look like heroes of Liangshan who hade down from the mountains.

 Chapter 810: Already Said

    <h4>Chapter 810: Chapter 810: Already Said</h4><h4></h4>

    Jiang Shaoqing looked at Zhuo Lin sitting opposite him, and suddenly this girl didn¡¯t seem as loathsome as before.

    "Feeling stuffed, aren¡¯t you? Serves you right. Can¡¯t a girl behave a bit more like a girl?"

    Jiang Shaoqing was puzzled; it seemed like Zhuo Lin had no intention of making a good impression in front of him at all.

    What on earth was this woman thinking?

    "You look like you¡¯re not stuffed? Big bro, don¡¯t even start on second bro ¨C you¡¯re pretty much the same." Zhuo Lin cursed herself silently for fooling around with her own stomach just to make Jiang Shaoqing dismiss her.

    This really was terribly embarrassing.

    "Alright, since that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s have a talk!"

    While eating Mixed Noodles just now, Jiang Shaoqing had already thought about what he was going to do.

    It seemed apparent that Ms. Zhuo didn¡¯t have a good impression of him, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have sabotaged herself to such an extent.

    "Talk about what?"

    Zhuo Lin became alert. As a teacher, she certainly had her guards up.

    The man opposite didn¡¯t look like the kind who was easy to talk to! Such a person wouldn¡¯t just avoid harming you; if you weren¡¯t careful, you might well fall into a huge pit waiting for you.

    "You see, my mom is particrly pushing me to go on blind dates and settle down, but my career is more important to me, and I¡¯m not really into that. The problem is that my mom won¡¯t give up..."

    "Hold it right there. Don¡¯t tell me you want me to y along and deceive your mom! My mom can¡¯t wait to marry me off immediately. If she hears I¡¯ve got a boyfriend, she¡¯d start preparing the wedding at your ce right away. Your mom and my mom are best friends. Together, they¡¯d probably have you and me married off tomorrow if you dared to announce our rtionship today. If you¡¯re not nning to actually get married, better drop the idea now. That¡¯s not ducking disaster; it¡¯s courting doom."

    Zhuo Lin didn¡¯t want to be dragged into this mess. She was na?ve to get duped by Aunt Shen, but she couldn¡¯t continue to be fooled.

    If she got any deeper, she¡¯d never be able to climb out.

    To spend her life with Jiang Shaoqing, Zhuo Lin would rather stay unmarried. With that arrogant male chauvinistic attitude, what woman could stand him?

    She wasn¡¯t looking for punishment.

    Her other half, her happiness, would definitely not be someone like Jiang Shaoqing. In her mind, her lover should be gentle, considerate, and a warm-hearted romantic. Jiang Shaoqing was purely a cold and tough macho man. For her future happiness, she had no interest in Jiang Shaoqing whatsoever.

    "So what should we do? When you were lining up just now, I¡¯ve already told my mom we¡¯ve started dating officially, and that I was treating you to a meal." Jiang Shaoqing spread his hands innocently. Could he tell her that it was all deliberate?

    If Zhuo Lin knew, she¡¯d probably jump up and punch him twice.

    She was certainly the type who could really go through with it.

    Upon hearing this, Zhuo Lin actually jumped up, "You... Jiang Shaoqing, what gives you the right to say that? That¡¯s bullying, you¡¯re an absolute jerk, through and through."

    Everyone in the small eatery turned their heads to look at them.

    "I¡¯m telling you! If you don¡¯t go to exin things to my mom, I¡¯ll really marry you, and then you can just wait for..."

    The thought of her own mom¡¯s relentless marriage pressure made Zhuo Lin want to murder Jiang Shaoqing on the spot.

    Jiang Shaoqing wrapped his arm around her shoulder and exined to everyone with a smile, "I¡¯m sorry, my girlfriend is angry. I need to go and coax her."

    While embracing her, he walked out.

    Everyone understood ¡ª sometimes, women can just be so unreasonable.

    All men get it.

    Zhuo Lin was now stuffed into the car, and the two of them faced off in a tense stand-off.

 Chapter 811: Just Kidding

    <h4>Chapter 811: Chapter 811: Just Kidding</h4><h4></h4>

    "Jiang Shaoqing, what do we do now?"

    Zhuo Lin believed the gritted determination in her voice was enough to make it clear she was not joking. She dared not jest about such matters. Her mom and Aunt Shen were legendary besties. If they got wind of this news, she was convinced that right at this moment, her mom was already rushing towards the Jiang Family. If they dyed any longer, she reckoned wedding invitations would have been readied. By then, her only option might be to go on them.

    Why was she so unlucky?

    Bumping into Jiang Shaoqing right after leaving the house.

    Just having a meal of Mixed Noodles with him spawned such a huge debacle.

    Jiang Shaoqing was nothing short of a cmity.

    Jiang Shaoqing started the car, "What are you doing? If you don¡¯t spell out a n, how am I supposed to go home?"

    Zhuo Lin was so close to grabbing the steering wheel, had she not known the risk! Her life was still at the mercy of this car after all.

    She couldn¡¯t possibly die alongside him, could she? That¡¯d be an exnation hard to articteter on.

    "Taking you home! To be truthful, I was just messing with you just now!" Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s expression was quite indifferent.

    Upon hearing this, Zhuo Lin instantly clutched Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s arm, "Really?" Her voice dropped by eight degrees, immediately as gentle and kind as a cat whose fur had been smoothed down.

    Jiang Shaoqing gestured with his chin at Zhuo Lin¡¯s hand, "Get your ws off me, don¡¯t try to cozy up to me."

    His tone was one of disdain and irritation.

    Zhuo Lin immediately withdrew her hand. So what if she pulled back? Like she was eager for his touch or something.

    If she hadn¡¯t gotten carried away in her momentary glee, who would willinglyy their paws on him?

    This man had a weird character. Who was it that wasughing and grinning with her during the meal?

    His face-changing act was too swift.

    You, sir, seem to have forgotten that the very meal we just had was on my dime.

    Isn¡¯t there a saying that the benefactor¡¯s mouth is short? This fellow¡¯s bite got worse after partaking.

    Probably every persuasionnguage has failed on him.

    "Well then, thank you for that..."

    After speaking, even Zhuo Lin herself found itughable. What was there to thank him for, his great generosity, his mercy on not ying her? Especially when the two of them had absolutely nothing to do with each other.

    Thank for what?

    "Zhuo Lin, do you seem to dislike me that much?" Jiang Shaoqing was perplexed. Whenever girls saw him, they flocked to him like cats drawn to fish. Yet, the limited experiences he had of being ignored came precisely from this woman.

    No, there was also one doctor. Doctor Bai also didn¡¯t pay him much heed, besides Doctor Bai, it was this woman.

    "Not at all! Ha-ha, you¡¯re the epitome of grace and elegance, beloved by all, a delight in the eyes of those who see you. How could I possibly dislike you? You¡¯ve misunderstood. I just think it¡¯s best not to breed misunderstandings. If my mom catches wind of it, it¡¯ll be blown way out of proportion.

    I¡¯m doing this for your sake too, otherwise it won¡¯t just be your mother hounding you to get married! It¡¯ll be my mother catching the wedding fever as well. Let¡¯s not create such an adversarial rtionship between us, right?"

    At this moment, trying to maintain a smile with utmost care, thinking to herself, whom have I offended?

    "You still haven¡¯t told me where your home is?" Jiang Shaoqing asked helplessly. This girl obviously said one thing and meant another.

    "No need for that, I¡¯m heading back to the dorm today, right by the First Elementary School. Just let me out at this intersection," Zhuo Lin was already nning her quick getaway.

    Jiang Shaoqing drove directly into the alleyway, and Zhuo Lin had to give directions, turning here and there until she was finally dropped off right beneath her building.

    Zhuo Lin¡¯s speed exiting the car was undoubtedly swift.

    "Thank you for the ride home! Goodbye." In her heart, she thought, ¡¯and never to meet again.¡¯

    Waving her hand and showing a sweet smile, she watched Jiang Shaoqing depart.

 Chapter 812: Neglected

    <h4>Chapter 812: Chapter 812: Neglected</h4><h4></h4>

    Shang Kaiwen came out of the kitchen with a te of fruit, deliberately showcasing her capability to grace the parlor and enter the kitchen, revealing her domestic virtues. It was also to win Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s favor.

    She even specially arranged a fruit tter, all to make a good impression.

    Today, she didn¡¯t expect to encounter Jiang Shaoqing since even if she visited thepany herself, there was no guarantee of meeting him.

    It was all to please Shen Ye.

    She hadn¡¯t anticipated the surprise awaiting her.

    Of course, she had also noticed that the Zhuo Lin who was just in the living room was probably the blind date arranged by Shen Ye for Jiang Shaoqing today. This girl was obviously no match for her! in-looking and not exceptionally stunning, her only features were her fair skin and long hair reaching her waist, which gave her a soft appearance. However, her style was worlds apart from Kaiwen¡¯s.

    The dating escapades of Jiang Shaoqing were well known around thepound; many people gossiped that the Jiang Family elders were anxious and wanted this scion to get married and have children as soon as possible.

    Unfortunately, Jiang Shaoqing didn¡¯t y along with the matchmaking; from the start till now, every blind date had ended with his indifference, and often, this big shot would leave the girls hanging and simply walk away.

    So, it was easy to imagine what kind of storm this Miss Zhuo was likely about to face.

    Hmph!

    Thinking that winning over old master Jiang¡¯s favor was enough to marry Jiang Shaoqing, she was really mistaken.

    Old master Jiang had always adopted aissez-faire approach towards Jiang Shaoqing. Whatever his grandson wanted to do, to this date, the old master had never forced his hand.

    Shang Kaiwen¡¯s thorough investigations had revealed that Jiang Shaoqing currently didn¡¯t have an intimate girlfriend, and this cleanliness of his made her admire him even more.

    Such a man was simply the most perfect husband in the eyes of a woman.

    Wealthy, handsome, faithful, and not a yboy.

    If such a man wasn¡¯t a good husband, then she, Shang Kaiwen, might as well not bother getting married.

    Coming out, she ced the te of fruit on the coffee table in the living room, only to notice two people were missing - Jiang Shaoqing and Zhuo Lin?

    "Auntie, where are Big Brother Jiang and Miss Zhuo? I¡¯ll go call them over for fruit."

    Absolute tenderness and propriety.

    Shen Ye was on the phone, engaged in a long chat with Zhuo Lin¡¯s mother.

    The two of them were in the middle of an animated conversation.

    Hearing Shang Kaiwen¡¯s words, he finally realized he had an additional guest at home.

    Rushing, he covered the phone with one hand and said to Shang Kaiwen, "Kaiwen, don¡¯t busy yourself, sit down and eat some fruit. That scoundrel took Zhuo Lin out for dinner. I¡¯ve got a call here. I won¡¯t be able to entertain you, so make yourself at home, alright?"

    Turning back to the phone, he hurriedly said, "I just checked the time, they¡¯ve been out for three hours. Have you called her dormitory? Has she not returned yet? She¡¯s not back yet? That¡¯s excellent. I always said your family¡¯s Zhuo Lin is so pretty and particrly likable with that soft, gentle voice. If I were a man, I would be enchanted just from hearing it.

    I think this time, there might really be a chance."

    "Oh, let¡¯s pretend we don¡¯t know then. Otherwise, that little scoundrel is too proud and will end up being passive if we step in. Let¡¯s quietly observe and get ready on our end. One day we¡¯ll catch them in the act, and the wedding will be just a matter of course."

    "Alright, you handle that end, and I¡¯ll handle this. I want to bring a daughter-inw into the house soon, too."

    Shang Kaiwen¡¯s awkward departure failed to draw Shen Ye¡¯s attention.

    Sitting in her car, she fiercely mmed her fist down on the steering wheel.

    This Zhuo Lin, she really underestimated her!

 Chapter 813: Thereâ€™s a Problem with the Soup

    <h4>Chapter 813: Chapter 813: There¡¯s a Problem with the Soup</h4><h4></h4>

    Doctor Bai and Yu Feixue, along with He Weng, sat in a private room on the second floor, while Yu Feixue browsed through the menu.

    "Doctor Bai, give me some suggestions. What¡¯s the best dish here? Hurry and order it for me."

    Browsing through the menu, Bai Xiao realized that, after not visiting for a year or two, the Bai Family¡¯s spicy hotpot had changed into individual pots for each person, and the vors of the broth had be varied. She had only mentioned it casually to Li Haiping before, but this guy really had infinite potential.

    The new vors that have developed are indeed different.

    "Do you like it spicy or not spicy?"

    It was He Weng¡¯s responsibility to take care of thedies.

    "Of course, spicy. Isn¡¯t it supposed to be a spicy hotpot? I came here for the spicy experience," Yu Feixue said as she eyed the pot¡¯s image on the menu, involuntarily swallowing her saliva as she looked at the fiery red oil in the picture.

    "Then this Bai Family¡¯s signature broth will do. And their fatty beef, their specially marinated beef are must-orders. Of course, these beef balls are hand-made, also the shrimp paste, fish balls, oh, and this abalone is very fresh, and the duck intestines, tripe, and beef tripe are all pretty good," Haiping listed them as if counting treasures.

    "You seem to know a lot? Are you always hanging out at Doctor Bai¡¯s ce for meals?" Yu Feixue asked curiously.

    "Not really, but I frequently entertain clients, and many of them like Bai Family spicy hotpot. I can¡¯t help but join them, and they think it¡¯s not avable in our area and introduce it to me as a local specialty! So, I ended up knowing quite a bit after eating there so often," He Weng exined, somewhat exasperated.

    Who could me him? Bai Family¡¯s spicy hotpot is everywhere.

    Bai Yue and her husband Wang Yan are truly decisive.

    By now, this chain must have spread throughout the country.

    "Alright! I¡¯ll try them all."

    When the broth was served, Bai Xiao frowned.

    She chose a spicy broth but also ordered a tomato pot to try Li Haiping¡¯s specialties, which itself is simple but the broth has to be delicious to bring out the value of its simplicity.

    However, this tomato pot in front of her looked correct in color, with thinly sliced tomatoes floating in the white broth. If everything goes well, the soup should turn pale red soon, but why does the broth have a fishy smell?

    She stirred it with chopsticks.

    The broth looked clear and nothing seemed abnormal. She scooped a little soup into her mouth with a soup spoon.

    She frowned for real this time.

    The broth had a strong fishy taste, which not even the tomatoes could mask.

    "Please call your manager over."

    Bai Xiao then checked the spicy broth, which probably masked any fishy smell with its beef fat and various spices.

    But He Weng¡¯s was a mushroom broth, and she tasted it as well.

    This clear broth indeed had a strong fishy smell; these broths should be made from bone and chicken soup, which should be well-managed. Still, the vor of the broth was indeed not praiseworthy.

    The waiter looked at Bai Xiao, puzzled and unsure why this guest suddenly wanted to see the manager.

    "Hello, ma¡¯am, is there a problem?"

    Bai Xiao pointed to the tomato and mushroom pots, "There¡¯s something wrong with these two broths."

    The waiter came over, smelled it, and exined with a smile, "Ma¡¯am, there¡¯s nothing wrong with the broth. All our soup bases and ingredients are uniformly packaged and shipped from the head office, and the broth is freshly made. There shouldn¡¯t be any problems."

 Chapter 814: Do Not Recognize

    <h4>Chapter 814: Chapter 814: Do Not Recognize</h4><h4></h4>

    "Call your manager over!"

    It seemed the server had no idea what the problem was.

    Seeing Bai Xiao¡¯s insistence, the server reluctantly went out to call the manager.

    Their soup base always tasted like this, he delivered it every day and never noticed anything different. Sometimes customers just like to make a fuss, causing trouble and then demanding discounts from the manager.

    He had seen many such customers.

    He had no choice but to report to the manager.

    Wang Sanxi was signing off on some orders. Trained personally by his elder brother, he had long developed the ability to handle things independently.

    In Modu, having him and his wife hold down the fort was his brother¡¯s way of not trusting outsiders, because the Modu market was indeed very important.

    That¡¯s why he was specifically sent here to manage.

    Actually, the Bai Family¡¯s spicy hotpot operation was running very smoothly. As long as there were no errors in the whole process, there were usually no major issues.

    Wang Sanxi was earnest and honest in his work, adhering to his brother¡¯s consistent principles.

    Everything was going smoothly.

    The server suddenly came to him, puzzled, saying that there was an issue with their soup base.

    It was a bit strange, as there were several other tables of customers who had mentioned that the soup base tasted a bit off recently.

    But he had tried it himself and it seemed fine.

    He thought it was just customers being troublesome on purpose, trying to make things difficult for them.

    Why is there another one today?

    "Did you exin to the customer?"

    Since he was the only manager in the restaurant, and the floor manager was busy on other floors, it was up to him to step in as no other staff had the time. They obviously wouldn¡¯t deliberately ignore a customer, adhering to their service philosophy.

    The server replied, feeling aggrieved, "I exined to the customer, but she still insists on calling for the manager. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s with people today, looking so young and still trying to pull something. Theye here to eat, so they obviously have money. Just to save a little bit, they don¡¯t even care about losing face."

    Wang Sanxi¡¯s face darkened, "Is that how you talk about customers? What if other customers hear that we at the Bai Family Hotpot talk about customers like this? Do you not want to work here anymore?"

    The server stuck out his tongue and obediently followed Manager Wang to the private room.

    Entering the room, Wang Sanxi immediately spotted Bai Xiao. It¡¯d be strange if he didn¡¯t recognize him, while others here might not.

    After all, Bai Xiao was famously the only college student from their vige back then.

    And all the incidents involving the Bai family had made the name Bai Xiao well-known to everyone.

    Besides, after growing up in the same vige for so many years, how could they not recognize each other?

    "Bai Xiao! It¡¯s you? I thought some customer was giving us trouble!"

    Wang Sanxi immediately felt relieved.

    The server realized! It was a customer known to the manager.

    Bai Xiao nced at Wang Sanxi, embarrassed that she only felt he looked familiar, yet couldn¡¯t remember who he was.

    To be frank, all her memories were based on her past life.

    So she really didn¡¯t recognize him.

    He Weng saw through Bai Xiao¡¯s embarrassment at a nce and stood up, "Wang Sanxi, what brought you to the Modu store? Your elder brother Wang Yan trusts you to handle things here alone?"

    Seeing him, Wang Sanxi was overjoyed. Holding He Weng¡¯s hand, he said happily, "I didn¡¯t expect you to be here too. Since you and Bai Xiao are here to dine, why didn¡¯t you let me know? I came here after the New Year, the ce needed supervision because my brother and sister-inw trust me."

    Finally, Bai Xiao understood! This was her brother-inw Wang Yan¡¯s brother.

 Chapter 815: Big Trouble

    <h4>Chapter 815: Chapter 815: Big Trouble</h4><h4></h4>

    "San Ge, what a coincidence that we¡¯ve run into a problem ¨C there¡¯s something wrong with this soup base!" Bai Xiao pointed to the bottom of the pot.

    Wang Sanxi understood at once; anyone might being to pick a fight, but Bai Xiao definitely wouldn¡¯t be.

    He was well aware that when the eldest brother talked about Bai Family¡¯s spicy hotpot, half of it was Bai Xiao¡¯s own establishment.

    It would be absolutely impossible for someone to deliberately create trouble for themselves.

    He picked up a spoon and tasted some of the broth from the pot.

    A look of embarrassment crossed his face ¨C today¡¯s broth seemed to have an unusually rank and gamey taste. If not pointed out, it might have beenpletely overlooked, but the moment one tasted it, the vor was unmistakable. Once it hit the pte, it gave one the urge to gag and vomit.

    "This... this..."

    Even he could tell something was off, let alone other customers.

    "This soup base was freshly made today; our soup bases are prepared fresh daily, every morning we get fresh chicken and bones delivered, so this problem should not have urred," exined Wang Sanxi, unable to figure it out himself.

    Bai Xiao shook his head.

    "I¡¯ve just seen that the first floor isn¡¯t full yet, only some customers in private rooms on the second and third floors have been served the base. We need to find an excuse to withdraw it, and for those who haven¡¯t been served yet, ask them to wait a bit. Take me to the kitchen now."

    We must clear up the matter; if the broth has had this taste since day one, then Wang Sanxi is to me. But it¡¯s clear that Wang Sanxi waspletely unaware, and if such a situation urred asionally, then it must be the kitchen¡¯s broth master at fault.

    So, it was imperative to resolve this. If customers continued to consume this vor, many clientele would likely not return.

    Such a taste could no longer be called delicious, but rather nauseating.

    Wang Sanxi hurriedly led Bai Xiao, He Weng, and Xiaohe straight to the kitchen.

    Before even reaching the kitchen, they were already approached by a waiter.

    And his floor manager too.

    "Manager Wang, there¡¯s a problem. Many customers today areining that our clear soup base tastes very fishy. Quite a few of them have asked for refunds. I told them we would remake it, but they no longer want to eat it," said the waiter.

    "Manager Wang, I¡¯ve also encountered the same issue with my customers. One tasted a bite and immediately spit it out. They say our food is unclean and are demanding refunds," said the floor manager.

    Indeed, there was already a lot of noise andmotion among the customers in the private rooms on the second and third floors. Refunding money is not the issue, but if the reputation was tarnished, Bai Family¡¯s spicy hotpot might have to shut down.

    Bai Xiao made a snap decision and told Wang Sanxi, "Have all the waiters and managers personally exin to the customers that today¡¯s soup ingredients were fresh, but the chef responsible for making the soup base is a neer and may have made some mistakes in the preparation. As a result, the product doesn¡¯t meet everyone¡¯s taste.

    Now, change out the soup base for everyone immediately, guaranteeing that this time there won¡¯t be any issues with it. Moreover, clearly exin to the customers that from now on, all orders up to today will be on the house. We sincerely hope for everyone¡¯s fair judgment on the soup base they have tasted."

    We absolutely cannot let these people leave after causing a scene, as the bad influence it might leave could not be rectified by any amount of money.

    The waiters and the floor manager looked at each other, puzzled over who this girl was.

    Wang Sanxi red at them, "Hurry up, this is our Boss Bai."

    All the waiters quickly returned to their respective rooms, painstakingly exining to the customers; this exnation seemed to be barely eptable, and many patrons calmed down.

    All the waiters sprang into action, beginning to withdraw the soup bases from the tables.

 Chapter 816: Three Hundred Pieces of Silver Not Buried Here

    <h4>Chapter 816: Chapter 816: Three Hundred Pieces of Silver Not Buried Here</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao and his team walked into the kitchen, which was filled with steam.

    About a dozen people in white chef uniforms were bustling around.

    The division ofbor in the kitchen was very clear, which was quite satisfying.

    Bai Xiao stretched out his hand and took a rag, wiping down the stove and every cab item as he walked, closely inspecting the rag in the process.

    He nodded in approval, very satisfied; it seemed the hygiene was still very good.

    With Wang Sanxi, the general manager apanying, the kitchen staff paid no attention to them, probably mistaking them for some health and epidemic prevention inspectors.

    They had seen this situation many times and were no longer surprised by it.

    Their hygiene standards were well sorted; everyone was responsible for their own area, leaving virtually no dead corners. If the standards were not met, deductions from wages and bonuses would apply.

    Nobody here would fight against their own bonuses.

    Bai Xiao walked over to tworge pots used for preparing soup bases.

    These could hardly be called pots; they were more like barrels, made of stainless steel. Underneath, a small fire was slowly simmering, and you could see pig and chicken bones churning in the rolling white thick soup, while arge exhaust fan above buzzed loudly, expelling all the steam from the kitchen.

    It didn¡¯t smell until you got close; the soup emitted a strong fishy odor as you approached the pots.

    A chubby chef was squatting in the corner smoking. He suddenly looked up, startled by Wang Sanxi and several others standing in front of him. He quickly threw his cigarette on the floor, stomped it out, and stood up to awkwardly greet them.

    Bai Xiao was unimpressed; this was not a good attitude for work.

    The problem seemed very likely rted to these two pots.

    "Turn off the fire now. Get me arge strainer." Bai Xiao asked a nearby chef for a white coat and put it on.

    The chubby chef looked at Wang Sanxi, confused about what was going on.

    "Just turn off the fire when you¡¯re told to."

    Wang Sanxi was also furious, feeling he had finally made some achievements and could stand on his own in front of his elder brother. He hadn¡¯t expected today might wreck the reputation of Bai Family¡¯s spicy hot pot, making him almost want to strangle the chef.

    Bai Xiao climbed onto the stove; the container for cooking the soup was tall andrge, much taller than the stove.

    Taking the strainer, he began to gently stir the contents of the soup pot.

    "Manager Wang, what¡¯s going on?" The chef had now realized something must be wrong.

    A sense of dread hit him.

    Had his actions been discovered?

    It shouldn¡¯t be possible to find out.

    The chicken had been boiled in the pot until the meat was tender and the bones soft; it would be odd if anything could still be detected. Even Sun Wukong with his fiery gaze probably couldn¡¯t tell what was boiled in the pot now?

    Bai Xiao got down and asked, "Where are the chicken, duck, and pork bones delivered this morning?"

    This was too much for the chef to keep calm.

    "The chicken and pork bones delivered this morning have already been cooked in the pot."

    Bai Xiao turned to look at Wang Sanxi, who was also clueless; how would he know these matters when he isn¡¯t managing the kitchen daily?

    A dishwasher, looking about eighteen or neen, quietly pointed to the freezer near Bai Xiao¡¯s feet.

    The chubby chef panicked and kicked over, "You gue carrier, what business is this of yours, get out of here!"

    "Manager Wang, this kid is just a temporary dishwasher, he doesn¡¯t know anything. The chicken and pork bones delivered this morning have already been cleaned and used for the soup."

    The robust chef pushed his hefty body forward, positioning himself in front of Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao chuckled; the hidden message here was too in to ignore.

 Chapter 817: Iâ€™ll Believe You If You Drink

    <h4>Chapter 817: Chapter 817: I¡¯ll Believe You If You Drink</h4><h4></h4>

    "Move aside!"

    Bai Xiao said coldly.

    The head chef was not afraid of Bai Xiao. "Comrade, you see how dirty and messy the kitchen is, getting your hands dirty here wouldn¡¯t be good."

    He just wouldn¡¯t move.

    Wang Sanxi lost his temper, went up and kicked the head chef out of the way.

    He was born a farmer and didn¡¯t have the temperament to speak nicely; whoever didn¡¯t listen got handled directly by force.

    This was also the family rule passed down by his elder brother Wang Yan: fight until they submit.

    The head chef probably never expected that this usually quiet and mild-mannered general manager would actually start a fight.

    He was hurled aside in an instant.

    Bai Xiao opened the freezer, and inside were neatly stacked fresh chicken and pork bones, with packaging that clearly indicated today¡¯s date.

    "Now exin to me how is it possible that the chicken and pork bones you said went into the pot appeared here in the freezer? Could it be they have mastered the art of cloning?" He threw a pack of pork bones harshly in front of the head chef.

    The head chef fell to the ground, forgot to even try to get up, stammering, unable to speak.

    Wang Sanxi could understand now: the morning¡¯s delivered chicken and pork bones were still here, so what exactly was put into the pot?

    Anyone with a brain would take one guess and know there¡¯s definitely been a bait-and-switch.

    Their own chicken and pork bones were purchased, the freshest and best on the market, handpicked for their quality standards.

    No wonder today¡¯s soup had such a fishy smell; who knows what this chef used as a substitute.

    "I, I didn¡¯t do anything. I just put less when making the soup; these are what¡¯s left over."

    The head chef made excuses.

    He knew he had to deny everything to the death, admitting nothing.

    This was an outright denial.

    "I saw it, he took some chicken and pork bones out of the bag he brought this morning. Today¡¯s soup was made with his own stuff, and then he secretly takes these fresh chicken and pork bones away. This isn¡¯t the first time; he¡¯s done it five times this month.

    After I saw it, he even hit me and threatened me to keep quiet, or else he would kick me out, not even letting me wash dishes as a temp worker anymore." The dishwasher was clearly waiting for this day of retribution.

    He didn¡¯t cover for him one bit, spilling everything without reserve.

    Wang Sanxi was so angry that his nose was crooked. Their family¡¯s ingredients were indeed of high quality; he didn¡¯t expect someone to have such crooked thoughts.

    "General manager! Don¡¯t listen to this kid¡¯s nonsense, I didn¡¯t do anything."

    Bai Xiao nced at him, "Since you say you didn¡¯t do anything, let someone serve you ten bowls of soup. If you can drink all ten bowls today, then I¡¯ll believe you didn¡¯t do anything."

    Kidding, even if they used slightly worse substitutes for the bait-and-switch, the soup made from fresh chicken and pork bones shouldn¡¯t have tasted this fishy.

    Bai Xiao was absolutely confident that these chicken and pork bones were probably spoiled.

    In this case, the chef¡¯s conscience must have been eaten by a dog.

    Hearing this, the dishwasher immediately took bowls and wobbled to serve ten bowls of soup, lined up neatly in front of the head chef.

    The head chef shakily picked up a bowl of soup, pinched his nose, and tried to gulp it down.

    But the thought of the ingredients he brought made him ultimately throw it all up with a retch.

    What else was there for Wang Sanxi not to understand now?

 Chapter 818: A Meal as a Reward

    <h4>Chapter 818: Chapter 818: A Meal as a Reward</h4><h4></h4>

    "Manager Wang, Manager Wang, I was just momentarily blinded by greed. I¡¯ve got elderly parents and young children at home; I¡¯m really short on money. So I thought of selling these fresh chickens and pork bones to make some money for my family. Please have mercy on me, Manager Wang." The fat man finally realized that this time he waspletely finished.

    He sobbed miserably as he clung desperately to Wang Sanxi¡¯s legs.

    "You guyse over and help dump out all the broth from these two buckets, clean them thoroughly, and hurry up. And everyone, be careful not to scald yourselves."

    Bai Xiao gave orders while rolling up his sleeves.

    Wang Sanxi brutally kicked away the fat man who was hugging his legs.

    "Bai Xiao, what do we do now?"

    At this moment, he might as well have been a mere figurehead as a general manager.

    "Call the police. This kind of person has definitely done this more than once. Moreover, we¡¯re operating a food business. If we let this slide today, tomorrow the entire kitchen staff might start getting ideas. Today it¡¯s chicken, tomorrow it¡¯s beef ormb, the day after it¡¯s switching sesame paste. Once food poisoning happens, our Bai Family¡¯s hotpot restaurant could forget about staying in this business for good." Bai Xiao was well aware of the seriousness of the issue; had he discovered the theft anyter, who knows what might have happened.

    The countless pairs of ears standing in the kitchen all trembled; they hadn¡¯t seen this side of Manager Bai before, and this first direct encounter was decidedly unfriendly.

    His approach was ruthless, showing absolutely no mercy.

    The head chef was already petrified upon hearing these words, not understanding how this escted to involving the police.

    At most, what he did was a minor theft, so why should he be hauled off to the police station?

    The kitchen staff hurried even more, wishing they could have wheels of wind and fire under their feet, fearing even the slightest mistake in front of this boss, which could be seized upon as leverage against them.

    As the saying goes, a kitchen without theft does not prosper.

    Ever since they saw the head chef brazenly swap the chicken and pork bones to sell to other restaurants, his wallet got significantly fatter.

    Who wouldn¡¯t be envious of such easy extra money?

    The two men who cut the fat beef, marinated the beef, and sliced themb each day had already been tempted. Seeing that the head chef got away with it, they were just about to make their move.

    Then there were those who washed and cut the vegetables; there are standards for the vegetables in their restaurant.

    Even slightly yellowed leaves couldn¡¯t be served to customers.

    Now the staff¡¯s minds were all unsettled.

    However, before they could make their move, the head chef was already caught.

    In fact, Bai Xiao didn¡¯t want to take things to the extreme. After all, even if the chef did rece items, he surely wouldn¡¯t dare to do it every single day; it would be just once every few days.

    But if she didn¡¯t handle this incident in a way that others could see, the upper management would never tolerate such minor thefts. It wouldn¡¯t serve as a warning to others and deter the surrounding staff.

    The head chef down in the kitchen red fiercely at Bai Xiao. Normally, she didn¡¯t cause any trouble, and Manager Wang, although he inspected the kitchen daily for cleanliness, had never paid attention to his stocks of ingredients. Yet, as soon as Manager Bai showed up, he was immediately brought to this plight.

    Even though the head chef should have been reflecting on his wrongdoing, he bore a grudge against Bai Xiao in his heart.

    "Manager Bai, I¡¯m willing topensate for all the losses in the kitchen. Just please don¡¯t call the police. If you do, that will cut off my future. Please just let me have a way to make a living," the head chef pleaded bitterly in his heart, knowing full well that he had to lower his head at this moment.

 Chapter 819: Threat

    <h4>Chapter 819: Chapter 819: Threat</h4><h4></h4>

    "Call the police!"

    Bai Xiao¡¯s decision was crisp and decisive.

    The head chef was escorted out by the security guards; his belongings in the locker had been cleared out and he was thrown into the cleaning storeroom, with two guards watching over him as they waited for the police to arrive and deal with the situation.

    The people in the kitchen quickly dumped all the broth from the pots, reced it with fresh water, and added the cleaned chicken and pork bones to the soup, but usually, it was the head chef¡¯s job to do this, and no one knew how the broth should be cooked or what ingredients were needed to create that delicious taste.

    Everyone in the kitchen looked at each other in bewilderment.

    "Actually, making broth is quite simple; this easy task, if done with care and attention, can be done well. Have none of you ever paid attention to how this broth is made?" Bai Xiao felt a sudden burst of frustration, realizing the strict division ofbor.

    Each person only cared about their own work, without a thought for what others were doing.

    The others lowered their heads, indeed only focused on their own tasks, and once done, they could rest or y.

    Who would bother to mind others¡¯ business?

    The dishwashing boy timidly raised his hand.

    "I know how to make the broth."

    His words hit the room like a stone dropped into a pot.

    All eyes were on him, as if they were ready to devour him.

    "Do you all have a problem with that?"

    Bai Xiao was puzzled. It was one thing not knowing how to do it themselves, but why were they looking at someone who could with such hostility? What was going on? It wasn¡¯t as if the kitchen was their private property and it was a heinous crime for someone else to be capable.

    The second chef, who was in charge of cutting meat, stepped forward, "Ms. Bai, we can¡¯t argue with what you¡¯ve done today. Skimming from the restaurant to line one¡¯s own pockets is wrong¡ªno boss would tolerate that kind of person. But this kid, he was the one who reported the chef, and now he¡¯s stepping forward saying he can make the broth. Don¡¯t you think there¡¯s a problem here? He has ulterior motives; if he saw the chef doing that, why didn¡¯t he report it to the manager earlier?

    If this had been dealt with sooner and the manager had warned the head chef, maybe he would have corrected his ways, and today¡¯s events wouldn¡¯t have happened.

    Now, all the customers outside are waiting for the broth. Without three to five hours, it can¡¯t be properly simmered, yet he stands up iming he can make the broth. What¡¯s his agenda? I believe both Manager Wang and you, Ms. Bai, can see it¡¯s clearly an attempt to push the head chef out and take over his position.

    Of course, the sry of a head chef and a dishwasher are not the same, nor is the work. If he¡¯s going to make the broth, we won¡¯t ept it."

    The others also stood up; at this moment, they realized that if the dishwasher could rece the head chef today, then perhaps the next dishwasher could rece any one of them. They now understood that the work they did wasn¡¯t considered skilledbor; there was no technical content, and with practice, anyone could do it well.

    The kitchen had likely never been so united before. The one concept in their minds was that if they let this happen today, there would be no good days ahead for them.

    They united strictly to threaten, and to be honest, the two managers of the restaurant only understood management in theory. If faced with an actual kitchen strike, they would probably be panicked inside.

    Potentially, the kitchen might not be able to turn out a single dish today.

    Bai Family¡¯s Hot and Spicy Hotpot Restaurant might have to close for the day.

 Chapter 820: The Staircase

    <h4>Chapter 820: Chapter 820: The Staircase</h4><h4></h4>

    "You mean he can make broth, but I can¡¯t use him because the kitchen staff disagree?"

    For the first time, Bai Xiao encountered the notion of being bullied, trulyprehending it today.

    The sous chef looked at the people standing behind him, gritted his teeth, and bolstered his courage, "Yes, today all of us, the entire kitchen staff, disagree with using him." They had reached a point of no return in this matter; there was no turning back now.

    They could only hope that their numbers would be intimidating enough to scare off Manager Bai, who after all, seemed to be just a girl in her early twenties. Inparison to these seasoned veterans of the kitchen, in terms of experience or know-how, she was clearlycking.

    He Weng scoffed coldly and pped his hands with a p, p.

    Everyone looked at him.

    "You¡¯ve really opened my eyes. I¡¯ve never seen workers so brazenly justified in my life. You¡¯re truly pioneering, rallying together to threaten your boss like this. Do you really think that the Bai Family¡¯s spicy hot pot can¡¯t go on without you?

    "Do you believe that if I were to drive to thebor market now and offer one yuan an hour, countless people would break their necks for this job?"

    He Weng, having conducted business for so long, seemed even more like a boss than Bai Xiao.

    The words left the sous chef feeling so nauseated it was unbearable. He wasn¡¯t wrong; if someone really shouted out an offer of one yuan an hour, working for ten hours a day that¡¯s ten yuan, 300 yuan a month¡ªan astronomical sry here in Modu. Who wouldn¡¯t want that job?

    However, they had spoken so definitively, and now that things had gone this far, they couldn¡¯t just back down.

    If they did, it would mean their effort was in vain, and who¡¯s to say the boss wouldn¡¯t start recing them one by one tomorrow?

    If the kitchen staff didn¡¯t stick together now, it looked like they would all eventually be reced.

    Given the circumstances, the only option was to take a gamble.

    "No matter how many people you hire, they can¡¯t possibly work as smoothly as we do now. Can you guarantee they¡¯ll slice the meat as thinly and evenly as I do? Those temp workers are sloppy; they might not even wash the vegetables clean of bugs. How could they be as trustworthy as us?"

    "What if I insist on having him make the broth today?"

    Bai Xiao asked the question.

    With gritted teeth, the sous chef said, "If you insist, then we have no choice but to quit now. Hasn¡¯t the manager already said it? A trip to thebor market in his car and there will be plenty of people for the job. We have principles that we adhere to."

    Wang Sanxi became anxious; if the kitchen were to go on strike now and they tried to bring in temp workers, it would be impossible to rece them within ten minutes.

    By then, they might not even be able to serve any dishes.

    "Manager Bai! Let¡¯s just drop it, shall we? It¡¯s just a dishwasher, after all. Why should we make things so tense over a temp worker? We have all been working here for a long time, and we are trustworthy. Why not just let it go and let everyone get back to work quickly? What do you say?" This was an attempt to provide Bai Xiao with a way to back down gracefully.

    The sous chef felt slightly relieved; Manager Wang is a decent man, and from their time together these days, they could see that he was not the kind of person who was hard-hearted.

    Now, everyone¡¯s hopes rested on Manager Bai.

    It remained to be seen what kind of decision Manager Bai would make.

 Chapter 821: Itâ€™s Too Late to Back Down

    <h4>Chapter 821: Chapter 821: It¡¯s Too Late to Back Down</h4><h4></h4>

    "Alright, Bai Xiao, ten minutes, right? I¡¯ll get this done for you! Guaranteed to pull together a group of capable temporary workers within ten minutes. Just you wait!" Yu Feixue whipped out herrge brick-like phone.

    Bai Xiao, in disbelief, watched her big sister, wondering what she was up to.

    It¡¯s not like we¡¯re going to have a gang fight, what can these people she pulls in even do?

    But obviously, Yu Feixue didn¡¯t wait for her to intervene! The call was already made.

    "Old Wang, over at Halord Road, the Bai Family Spicy Hot Pot needs some temporary workers, one yuan per hour, just dishwashing and chopping vegetables and meat in the kitchen! Isn¡¯t that what your folks excel at? Are youing or should I find someone else?

    Is the boss good? The boss is my little sister... my own little sister! Screw off, your mom just had another one! She¡¯s my second aunt¡¯s daughter, practically like a real sister to me! Don¡¯t worry, if he doesn¡¯t pay you, I will, okay? Alright then, don¡¯t bete, I¡¯ve bragged about it, if you don¡¯t show up within ten minutes, I¡¯ll lose face! After this, you¡¯re no longer my sister!"

    After a rapid fire conversation, Yu Feixue excitedly told Bai Xiao, "Don¡¯t worry! It¡¯s all set. They¡¯ll definitely be here in ten minutes. They¡¯re students from the nearby Science and Technology University, from poor families, all earning a bit of living expenses on their own, and most importantly, each one of them is smart and capable."

    Now wasn¡¯t the time to refuse Yu Feixue, although she had other solutions, it seemed they were no longer needed.

    But the soup base still had to be taken care of.

    Can¡¯t have the customers waiting outside.

    All the sous-chefs were dumbfounded. Do they really not need them?

    Well, they were just talking¡ªa casualint, not that they genuinely didn¡¯t want to work.

    The wages here were over two hundred yuan a month.

    Plus, with the end of the month bonus for full attendance, it¡¯s over three hundred.

    In this area, even in the entirebor market of Modu, they were among the highest paying jobs.

    Now they¡¯re just gone?

    Now they were all panicking.

    Someone pulled on the sous-chef from behind, "What do we do now?"

    How could they not panic? Everyone has a family to feed, awaiting their next meal.

    "Boss Bai, you see, we don¡¯t need temporary workers, do we? We... we didn¡¯t say we wouldn¡¯t work!"

    The sous-chef had already given in, not expecting that an outsider girl like Boss Bai could have such influence, capable of recing people just like that.

    This wasn¡¯t threatening her; it was putting themselves in a no-win situation.

    Bai Xiao rolled up her sleeves and said to a temp worker, "You said you could handle making soup, do it. I¡¯ll create an emergency soup base now. Manager Wang, please have these people leave the kitchen, we don¡¯t want unnecessary people lingering around, who¡¯ll take responsibility if our secrets are leaked?"

    How ridiculous, did the sous-chefs really think they could do whatever they wanted!

    No way!

    Without the diamond, don¡¯t take on porcin work.

    Threatening the boss? Bai Xiao probably didn¡¯t want such employees anymore anyway. The Bai Family Spicy Hot Pot seems to be infested with termites, and it really needs a thorough cleanup, bringing in fresh blood.

    Otherwise, even if it wasn¡¯t caught today, such situations would ur again in the future.

    Luckily, she was here today. If it were only Wang Sanxi dealing with this issue, he would probably have had topromise. Given Wang Sanxi¡¯s nature, he wouldn¡¯t be able to handle tough situations and would be led around by the nose by the entire kitchen staff.

    Wang Sanxi summoned security and waitstaff, and immediately had everyone chased out.

 Chapter 822: Special Ability Can Also Be Used This Way

    <h4>Chapter 822: Chapter 822: Special Ability Can Also Be Used This Way</h4><h4></h4>

    Movements were swift.

    Within ten minutes, Yu Feixue¡¯s team really arrived, a group of youngsters in their twenties, both male and female, all looking as sharp and capable as Yu Feixue described! Most importantly! They got to work very quickly.

    They clearly divided the work: some washed vegetables, some chopped vegetables, some sliced meat, almost without any needless chatter, just one briefing on the procedure and everyone automatically assumed their roles without any hesitation.

    The kitchen turned into an assembly line, bustling into motion, and the waitstaff also started scurrying around.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s pot of broth had already been made.

    Pots of tomato broth, mushroom broth, and clear broth flowed out like water.

    How was this broth made?

    Bai Xiao used some small tricks from her past life, temporary recements, but it¡¯s just temporary; this couldn¡¯tst forever.

    Mozzare cheese is avable in supermarkets, and it¡¯s not expensive since there¡¯s a foreign-owned supermarket nearby! Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to find cheese in this era. The broth made this way tastes just as good as one made with real chicken and pork bones.

    The top of the broth turned milky white, and it tasted delicious, especially when Bai Xiao was making the broth and used her special ability to stir it, she wanted to see what other uses her special ability had, whether on weapons, gemstones, or other inanimate objects, all had achieved the best results.

    So she wanted to see what the broth would turn out like.

    Bai Xiao really did take a sip.

    And almost swallowed her tongue.

    The vor was way too delicious.

    Wouldn¡¯t she end up putting the Bai Family¡¯s spicy hot pot at the forefront of controversy?

    Too bad no one had time to ask for her opinion, the customers outside were nearly rioting, waiting at their tables for food, and now the food wasn¡¯t served yet, they were bound to get angry.

    The waitstaff were about to get smacked.

    One by one, they came to the kitchen with long faces, seeking help.

    What else could Bai Xiao do, but serve the dishes.

    Yu Feixue was starving; she was unlucky,ing from a meal to help in the kitchen, now finally got a break, her stomach was growling with hunger.

    She sauntered over to Bai Xiao, "Doctor Bai! You can¡¯t just let the mules work without feed! That will lead to someone¡¯s death."

    Bai Xiao pointed to a pot of spicy broth, "Serve it yourself, all the dishes in our private room are ready, take care of yourself, no one will wait on you now!"

    No way, she was too busy to look after one of her own.

    Yu Feixue looked at the pot, this was not an easy task, her delicate skin was mainly afraid of the scalding hot broth, if it identally spilled on her, Yu Feixue shuddered, then slipped over to He Weng, "He Weng, there¡¯s nothing for you here, let¡¯s go, help me carry the broth, let¡¯s go fill our stomachs first."

    He Weng felt troubled, Bai Xiao hadn¡¯t had time to eat yet.

    This wasn¡¯t right.

    "How about I carry it over for you, and you eat yourself, I still want to stay busy a bit longer."

    But this was Bai Xiao¡¯s sister, He Weng couldn¡¯t refuse.

    "He Weng! Go eat, it¡¯s mostly done anyhow, I should rest too, I¡¯ll join in a bit, carry my broth over too," Bai Xiao had heard from the side.

    He Weng agreed and went to carry the broth.

    Bai Xiao looked at the temporary worker¡¯s broth, truly the color was pure, the vor was striking! Although it couldn¡¯tpare to the delicious vor of her own broth, the taste was absolutely authentic old broth.

    "What¡¯s your name?"

    "I¡¯m called ck Big Head, they all call me Heizi." A bit embarrassed, his name isn¡¯t something to show off.

    "Pfft, what did you say?"

    Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t hold back; this name was a famous God of Cookery in her past life.

    Could it be that her luck was so against the odds, that just any temporary worker was a formidable character?

 Chapter 823 God of Cookery

    <h4>Chapter 823: Chapter 823 God of Cookery</h4><h4></h4>

    "Heizi, ck Big Head!" Heizi felt disheartened; being ridiculed for his name was not a first, yet it was the name his parents had given him, so what could he do?

    "This name is good, really good, believe me, with this name you¡¯re bound to make something of yourself in the future."

    Bai Xiao patted Heizi¡¯s shoulder, the God of Cookery was about to be born in their Bai Family¡¯s spicy hotpot kitchen, just thinking about it was exciting.

    "Really?" Heizi¡¯s eyes lit up. With limited education, having not even finished elementary school, and enduring ridicule after entering the workforce, for the first time someone encouraged him with such kindness. Mr. Bai was truly a good person; he did not treat him with discriminatory eyes, which made Heizi incredibly grateful.

    This job was indeed the one he had long coveted and wanted to do, as both his parents were ill, and his father was bedridden due to a work-rted injury, relying on his ie to support the family. He just didn¡¯t know if Mr. Bai would keep him on long-term, or if this was just a temporary fix.

    To say he didn¡¯t covet this position would be a lie; his bold and righteous actions today were because he wanted to turn his life around. With no skills and no education, even the skill of boiling soup was something he learned by helping the main chef intermittently during his free time from washing dishes.

    He needed a stable job! But because one of his hands was disabled, making his work clumsy, nobody wanted to hire him.

    Who would want to hire a disabled person?

    Finding this dishwashing job was already a stroke of luck.

    And he was very thankful to Manager Wang for hiring him back then.

    No matter what personal desires and utilitarian motives he had privately, at the end of the day, he was just a person trying to survive.

    Bai Xiao stirred the soup pot, the steam wafting upnguidly.

    For the first time, she realized she had really wasted her previous life.

    The capabilities of her special ability were too powerful.

    Yet she had limited her special ability to healing, yes, because she did not understand what else it could do. Once its healing ability was discovered, she continued focusing solely on healing. But in reality, all the newly discovered functions told her that maybe using her special ability to its full extent was the true path.

    In her past life, bing a good cook was actually a good strategy, to start a restaurant that amazed and pleased everyone, perhaps there was no need to hide her special ability.

    Ah, what a miscalction.

    A mistake on her part.

    Wang Sanxi came running delightedly, reporting thetest customer feedback. Not just him, two floor managers also came, the smiles on their faces already said it all.

    "Bai Xiao, the customers said that this time¡¯s soup base was truly delicious, fresh, sweet, and aromatic. After dipping the ingredients into the pot, the vors were unbelievable. Just now, many customers apologized, feeling that they had been too irritable initially. They found the Bai Family spicy hotpot¡¯s soup base really exquisite, and they almost missed out on such deliciousness."

    The two floor managers also chimed in repeatedly, "Yes, yes! Mr. Bai, the customers praised this time¡¯s soup base highly, especially when they learned our boss personally cooked it, they praised our determination to correct mistakes, no wonder the Bai Family spicy hotpot is doing so well, the boss really has a knack."

    "Exactly, my guests also said, just for how genuine our ce is, they will be regrs at Bai Family spicy hotpot from now on."

    Bai Xiao nodded, as long as it tastes good, her special ability was not wasted.

 Chapter 824 Various Ulterior Motives

    <h4>Chapter 824: Chapter 824 Various Ulterior Motives</h4><h4></h4>

    "Boss Bai, the police station staff have arrived. I¡¯ve already stepped in and had the head chef taken away ¨C the evidence is right in front of us! With so many of us as witnesses, the public security has already stated that this matter is of a vile nature and will be dealt with seriously. After all, something that enters the mouth can kill a lot of people if it¡¯s not good," Wang Sanxi had just stepped in to receive them.

    He had already understood why Bai Xiao did this. Making an example out of someone was necessary, but at the same time, he felt extremely guilty; he was the general manager here yet had managed this ce into a mess, getting paid as a general manager yet not getting things done ¨C he truly shamed his elder brother.

    Bai Xiao nodded. This was exactly what she had instructed Wang Sanxi to do. She wasn¡¯t nning to show her face, after all, she was a military person, and it would not be good to get involved in this matter, as it could easily be a reason for others to criticize her.

    "That¡¯s good. Such a person deserves to be taught a lesson, or else they would dare to do it again next time, with too small of a cost! Not enough to deter others."

    After washing her hands, Bai Xiao said, "Alright, now everything is back to running smoothly. The rest is up to you. You handle the rest! Fill up the kitchen staff as soon as possible. Also, I see that Heizi works hard and takes his job seriously, so let¡¯s keep him in charge of the soup stocks! Everyone should have a chance, whether they create it themselves or it¡¯s given by fate. I want to let them know that anyone can change their own destiny."

    Heizi, who had been standing by, perked up his ears and upon hearing this, he felt as if Boss Bai truly understood him. Right, he didn¡¯t believe in fate. He couldn¡¯t believe that after all the suffering he¡¯d endured, fate wouldn¡¯t offer him a way out.

    This was indeed a way out.

    Such a boss was truly a grace of a Serendipitous encounter.

    "Boss! Rest assured! I will definitely do a good job, and I absolutely will not let down your trust," he eximed.

    Right now, he would be willing to go through fire and water for her.

    Bai Xiao patted his shoulder, "Alright, get back to work!"

    She stood up and left, and the temporary workers¡¯ heads had been paying attention. The owner of this kitchen turned out to be this person, rolling up her sleeves and working hard. With such wages and such a work environment where even the boss doesn¡¯t deduct pay, many of them were tempted.

    "Boss Bai, Boss Bai!"

    Xiaozhang, who represented their team and was the leader, knew they all came from the countryside with poor family conditions. When working odd jobs outside, they were often cheated or bullied, either not getting paid or getting too little, and the work was very tiring. A job like at the Bai Family¡¯s, if possible to work long-term, could solve the big issue of their living expenses.

    All of them were outstanding students, with little money in their pockets; they couldn¡¯t even afford professional textbooks. It was all because they had no money.

    And many of them were going hungry.

    After all, meal tickets were fixed, but many of them hadrge appetites, especially in their growing years, and a daily allowance of six liang of meal tickets was certainly not enough.

    She had heard of Bai Xiao¡¯s intentions; their kitchen was short-handed and looking for people for long-term work! It was an opportunity for them.

    "What¡¯s the matter?"

    You see, you need people, and we need to earn living expenses. We just happen to represent both supply and demand of the market. You¡¯ve seen our ability to work; why not have us take on the job?" Xiaozhang requested.

    But the floor manager, who had been on the job for many years, strongly disapproved.

    "I¡¯m afraid that wouldn¡¯t be appropriate. You are all university students; once you graduate and go on internships, it¡¯s often not possible to continue working here. We need stable employees, and such a high turnover rate would be too much for us."

    These were precisely the type of people restaurants were least willing to employ.

 Chapter 825: The Plan Document

    <h4>Chapter 825: Chapter 825: The n Document</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao pondered; at that time, the slogan of "Work-study" did not yet exist. Many students, especially those from impoverished areas, really had to split every penny in two to spend, possibly earned through the blood and sweat of their familiesboring under the scorching sun.

    Under circumstances where one has the ability, one should indeed do something. It¡¯s not about showing off one¡¯s existence but for those students who could change their destinies, that they don¡¯t suffer so harshly just to survive.

    The billions that one has could just sit there, or one could start operating a project or venture that brings blessings to others.

    Xiaozhang of course knew that a restaurant wouldn¡¯t employ students like them who could graduate and leave at any time.

    Isn¡¯t the difficulty of finding a job because of this? Once people hear they are university students, it¡¯s like abel of transience is stuck on them and no one likes employing them.

    They could handle odd jobs, but any formal organization was simply not keen on them.

    This taste of rejection was not new to them; amidst the heartache was helplessness, but they neverined. The reasons of others were valid; they couldn¡¯t demand others to take such risks with open arms.

    "Wait a moment. I have an idea, you can also consider it."

    Bai Xiao knew how desperately hard the bad days were to endure, and how despairing the cold winters could be. Perhaps a bit of warmth could help these people go further.

    Xiaozhang turned around.

    "Boss Bai, they can¡¯t possibly work in our kind of restaurant once they graduate. By then, we would need to hire a lot of people, it¡¯s more economical for us to recruit directly," the floor manager fretted that his boss might make a problematic decision in a moment of soft-heartedness.

    "Don¡¯t worry, I have thought about this. Even if this batch graduates needing work-study, don¡¯t we have new students every year? There will always be fresh blood, and there will always be people who need such jobs! We might as well create a dedicated work-study program, recruit students who want work-study, and as the old students graduate, new ones can rece them, an endless supply. It solves both ourbor issues and the students¡¯ problems, a win-win situation!"

    Bai Xiao knew how difficult it was for these students.

    Upon hearing this, Xiaozhang nearly jumped up with excitement, and the other students couldn¡¯t help but spring up too. Yes, each year the school has many new students, and many of them need work-study¡ªit¡¯s a continuous force indeed.

    The term "work-study" was well-used.

    Wang Sanxi also agreed,ing from a rural background he understood the hardships of these rural students.

    "Boss Bai, you really are amazing, on behalf of the thousands and thousands of impoverished students, I thank you."

    Xiaozhang was so moved he was nearly in tears, while the others deeply bowed to Bai Xiao, who wouldn¡¯t yearn for a stable ie.

    "Don¡¯t get too excited yet. If we are going to do this, we must have aplete system in ce, we need to perfect the rules and regtions, for instance, if someone needs to take leave, they would need to find someone else to cover their shift, we can¡¯t allow business at the restaurant to be affected. When you have sses, we can¡¯t just leave the ce unstaffed. A lot of things require meticulous consideration; Manager Wang, you and the floor manager can discuss this with Xiaozhang and others after work. Come up with a proposal."

    Wang Sanxi scratched his head, "Bai Xiao, I can¡¯t read a single character!"

    Everyoneughed.

    Xiaozhang volunteered boldly, "I will write it, and provide you with a detailed proposal." If we university students can¡¯t manage that, we might as well not study at all.

 Chapter 826: Big Sister Arrives

    <h4>Chapter 826: Chapter 826: Big Sister Arrives</h4><h4></h4>

    The grand curtain fell, Bai Xiao and Yu Feixue! He Weng left.

    Under the night sky, full after eating and drinking, the three of them leisurely strolled back.

    Bai Xiao was worried about He Weng¡¯s amodation issue, but He Weng reassured her that there was no need to worry, as he had already booked a room at the hotel next to the hospital when he arrived. It was close and convenient, and the transportation in Modu was much betterpared to other ces.

    At the hospital entrance, Bai Xiao did not let He Weng continue to escort her any further, saying she wasn¡¯t really sick, "You go back and rest. Feixue and I will go in, I¡¯m fine. Starting tomorrow, you don¡¯t need toe over, focus on your own things! Don¡¯t let me hold you back."

    The changes in He Weng took Bai Xiao by surprise.

    He Weng had gained theposure of a mature man, the shrewdness of a businessman, and the decisive ruthlessness of a boss! These traits had stripped the boyishness off him, making him steady and impressive.

    He Weng didn¡¯t say much and really left.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s capabilities were not unknown to him. This secret he would keep sealed forever, as his only way to repay her, and also his way to protect Bai Xiao.

    Yu Feixue watched He Weng leave, linking arms with Bai Xiao as they walked up to the hospital ward, "I really didn¡¯t expect such a drama today. Life is exciting with you." This girl was still immersed in today¡¯s kitchen cleanup! Especially when those people were scared stiff in just ten minutes, it really made her feel thrilled.

    "You, howe you never shy away from stirring up troubles?" Bai Xiao had truly noticed Yu Feixue¡¯s passionate love for gossip.

    Yu Feixue tightened her grip around her neck, "How can you question my loving heart for you? You really disappoint me, Bai Xiao, we are legitimate sisters." That mncholic look in her eyes was aiming to poke Bai Xiao¡¯s sympathy.

    "Hold it, we are not biological sisters, not from the same mother nor the same father, don¡¯t stretch the rtionship." Bai Xiao tried to break free from Yu Feixue¡¯s grip.

    They were almost at the ward! The nurses saw the two of them and smiled, their task was finallyplete; the VIP ward¡¯s upants had finally returned.

    The on-duty doctor was almost dying of anxiety.

    If he loses people, he wouldn¡¯t be able to escape responsibility.

    "Let go... are you trying to strangle me... big sister!"

    "Now you¡¯re calling me big sister? Toote, big sister is not happy, and this is serious." Yu Feixue was still quite proud, being called big sister by Bai Xiao was an honor.

    Only to see Bai Xiao stood there, frozen.

    "Let¡¯s go, why are you standing there?"

    Looking up, she saw a big sister standing opposite, staring at the two of them with anger, she quickly lowered her arms, straightened her stance, and quietly asked Bai Xiao, "Who is that?"

    It looked like a fierce situation, and they were definitely the target.

    Yu Feixue could be timorous at times, though it was rare.

    This girl was pretty unruly.

    "My big sister!"

    "Really your big sister? I thought you were calling me! You got my hopes up and then disappointed me, that¡¯s really unfair!" Yu Feixue was about toin, just then Bai Yue, looking imposing, dashed towards them.

    Hurriedly, she sidestepped.

    Things looked bad.

    Bai Xiao closed her eyes, it¡¯s the same pain whether you brace yourself or not.

    Bring it on!

    Bai Yue sized up Bai Xiao from top to bottom, Bai Xiao seeing the tears in her big sister¡¯s eyes, quickly pulled Bai Yue into the room, awkwardly saying to the nurses, "It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay, my big sister is just a bit emotional."

 Chapter 827: Complicated Feelings

    <h4>Chapter 827: Chapter 827: Complicated Feelings</h4><h4></h4> Yu Feixue closed the door slowly and obediently took a seat on the side. Now was not her turn to speak.

    Bai Yue carefully checked on Bai Xiao and finally put her mind at ease. "You scared me to death, why didn¡¯t you tell the family about such a big issue? Do you know how grateful we are that He Weng came? Otherwise, you¡¯d be here all alone; how could we be at ease?

    And what about Colonel An? Where is he? You¡¯re sick, and he¡¯s not even by your side; isn¡¯t that too much! Who has been taking care of you all this time?" A series of questions, each adding insult to injury.

    Bai Xiao rubbed her temples. When her older sister got anxious, she didn¡¯t ask for any details; in her world, her little sister was always right.

    Colonel An is the one carrying the me.

    How unfair.

    "Big sister! Don¡¯t rush, let¡¯s talk slowly. You¡¯ve juste from the airport to the hospital; did you eat? Definitely not. Humans are like iron, food is like steel, skipping even one meal will make you starve. Xiaoxue, please help me buy a meal for my sister! Something simple that fills up the stomach is fine, preferably with some soup, I¡¯m sure she¡¯s feeling heated up; include some vegetables and fruits too!"

    Yu Feixue red, how is this simple?

    Damn, I really owed you in my past life.

    Resigned, she picked up her purse and went out.

    Bai Yue quickly stopped Yu Feixue, "No need, no need. The hospital nurse got me a meal earlier, I¡¯m very full. Thank you, youngdy, your name is Xiaoxue, right? It¡¯s a lovely name. Are you Bai Xiao¡¯s ssmate? I¡¯m her older sister. It¡¯s really all thanks to you taking care of her. Now that I¡¯m here, you can go back and rest well. Once she recovers, I¡¯ll personallye and thank you."

    She mistook Yu Feixue as Bai Xiao¡¯s ssmate.

    Both of themughed a little.

    Yu Feixue felt that Bai Xiao¡¯s sister was truly a good person, considerate and attentive, and so warmly caring for her sister. Her own sisters were never like this; each of them was busy with their own studies, either going abroad or aiming for a higher level at work. The familial warmth in their family wasn¡¯t as rich as Bai Yue¡¯s.

    This is what a big sister is like!

    Bai Yue saw the twoughing, "What are you giggling at, you little rascal? Did your sister make a fool of herself again?"

    "Big sister! Let me formally introduce her. This is Yu Feixue; she¡¯s from my uncle¡¯s family and is older than me, so I should call her sister." She hadn¡¯t had the chance to discuss Yu Family¡¯s affairs with Bai Yue yet, only Bai Song knew about it. Her older brother wasn¡¯t one to gossip, so naturally her big sister wouldn¡¯t know about Yu Family¡¯s issues.

    In the past, everyone knew about the Shang Family¡¯s issues, but nobody knew about Yu Family¡¯s issues.

    Bai Yue was slightly embarrassed, extending her hand then realizing it wasn¡¯t right, "You are Bai Xiao¡¯s rtive! I really made a blunder." She felt mixed emotions inside.

    It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want her sister to find her rtives, but it was the thought that their protectively kept sister was suddenly not only theirs - aplex feeling. They were both sisters and almost like elders to Bai Xiao; they took care of her, and watched her grow up; Bai Xiao was like their child.

    This feeling was veryplex! Only those involved could understand.

    "Big sister! Hello, Bai Xiao always talks about how she has two wonderful sisters and a wonderful brother whom I never had the chance to meet. Now that I¡¯ve finally met you, hello big sister! Thank you for taking care of Bai Xiao all these years, you are her sister! And that makes you my sister too, big sister!"

    These words suddenly made Bai Yue feel like she was being too sentimental - this was Bai Xiao¡¯s rtive after all.

    It¡¯s all for her good, isn¡¯t having more people caring for her better?

 Chapter 828 Greetings

    <h4>Chapter 828: Chapter 828 Greetings</h4><h4></h4>

    "You are too polite. You are all Bai Xiao¡¯s family, which is wonderful. Bai Xiao has finallye to know her own origins, and I am so happy for her. Especially with you all here, she is not alone in a foreign ce. Otherwise, I would have been worried to death." Bai Yue immediately became happy.

    Yu Family is in Modu, which means Bai Xiao has people to take care of her, and she is truly relieved about that.

    Bai Xiao rolled her eyes and pulled Bai Yue to sit on the sofa, "Big sister, you can¡¯t imagine what it¡¯s like. How could you rush over here so urgently, leaving your brother-inw and Tangyuan alone? You must really be able to let them go."

    "I rushed over exactly because I knew, you could faint, that could be so dangerous, how could I not worry? Your brother-inw heard and immediately booked the tickets. Tangyuan is being looked after by her grandparents. Right now, that little one ispletelywless like the Demon Lord of Mayhem, with her grandparents backing her, she¡¯s practically ready to rip off roofs.

    Every time I try to discipline her, her grandfather protects her, and every time it ends up making me frantic. She doesn¡¯t even know how good her life is now," Bai Yue spoke of her daughter with a sense of helplessness.

    Old habits die hard, now you can¡¯t even talk him into walking away, he can¡¯t leave Tangyuan alone even for a moment, he hangs around her all day, it¡¯s as if having a granddaughter is all he needs.

    Now he never brings up wanting a grandson, as soon as he opens his mouth, it¡¯s all about how great their Tangyuan is, one granddaughter worth several grandsons.

    "That¡¯s great, are the three kids doing well?" Bai Xiao hasn¡¯t seen Li Haiping and his family for some time now.

    "They are all doing well, Haiping is now the technical director of the Bai Family¡¯s spicy hotpot base and also the head chef, Hai¡¯an is currently in charge of procurement, and Haishun is in his senior year of high school now, he¡¯s a bright student, skipped two grades. His teacher said he is a seed for studying, I never expected our Haishun to be this incredible. He has college entrance exams next year, I hope he can get into a good university like you did. That would really set my mind at ease," said Bai Yue proudly when she mentioned the children.

    Who could have thought in just a few years, life could be so different!

    It¡¯s really unimaginable, if I hadn¡¯t divorced from the Li Family back then, I wouldn¡¯t even know where I¡¯d be suffering now.

    Maybe I would have died young too.

    "This guy is this awesome?" Bai Xiao hadn¡¯t expected her nephew to be so impressive, people and events from the past life have changed, and the three children are now on different paths.

    Especially Li Haishun, who might go to college, that would mean big sister has a sessor, and I would have done right by her. All my thoughts and efforts haven¡¯t been in vain, the Lord still looks after the good people.

    "Exactly, he even said he wants to be a doctor, just like his little auntie," said Bai Yue.

    "Ambitious! Tell him I am waiting for his good news!"

    Bai Xiao was overjoyed, their entire family had finally changed.

    Yu Feixue was extremely envious, looking at this family, you can tell they have a special bond.

    "You still haven¡¯t told me what happened this time? As soon as He Weng called, my heart almost leaped out of my chest, your second sister didn¡¯t know, if she did, she would have run here even faster than me." Bai Yue gently brushed Bai Xiao¡¯s hair back behind her ear, her sister seemed to have lost weight.

    Bai Xiao vividly recounted the incident, she couldn¡¯t fully describe the dangers involved, but it still left Bai Yue and Yu Feixue absolutely terrified.

    This was like a firsthand live broadcast.

 Chapter 829 Details

    <h4>Chapter 829: Chapter 829 Details</h4><h4></h4>

    "Look at you trying to act tough, do you not care about your life at all?" Bai Yue could tell from the little movement in Bai Xiao¡¯s head that Bai Xiao had been withholding a lot of truth.

    The ability of Bai Xiao, to even faint, you can imagine that at that time, it must have not been as light-hearted as her sister described.

    This child probably didn¡¯t tell the truth for fear of worrying her.

    "Big sister, I was wrong!"

    Bai Xiao of course knew that admitting fault is always right, no matter when.

    Bai Yue nced at her, "Where is An Zhiyuan?"

    This time when An Zhiyuan was mentioned, there was a visible change in emotion, but it wasn¡¯t as intense.

    "Big Sister, An Zhiyuan is still in Yun Province, please don¡¯t say why he isn¡¯t by my side taking care of me, he has work and I also have work, we must obey the leadership above. It¡¯s not possible that just because I am his wife and I need toe here to study that he should follow me too, people wouldugh at that," Bai Xiao hurriedly made excuses for An Zhiyuan.

    "Then does he even know about your situation? I guess you might be hiding it from him too?" Bai Yue knew her sister well; she always reported good news but not bad news.

    "No way! This time really wasn¡¯t my fault, I called him immediately, but he was out on a mission and couldn¡¯t be contacted, so this is definitely not my fault." Bai Xiao said proudly.

    Even if An Zhiyuan knew, what could he do?

    He couldn¡¯t just fly over in the middle of the night.

    They have their rules and discipline, romantic feelings can only be reserved for at home, most of the time they are ruthless, being ruthless to their families is considered being loyal to the country.

    "Congratte yourself! Where did you guys go eat?" Bai Yue had been waiting here for quite a while, hearing from the nurses that the three of them went out to eat.

    "Guess where we went?"

    Yu Feixue joined the conversation!

    Bai Yue was startled, "How would I guess where you guys in Modu would eat, especially nearby? I¡¯m an outsider;ing to this hospital I took a taxi and the driver took so many turns, I almost got dizzy."

    "Wait, it wasn¡¯t our family hotpot restaurant, was it?"

    Bai Yue¡¯s mind still reacted quickly.

    Yu Feixue¡¯s lips drooped, "Big sister, can¡¯t you let me have some sense of achievement?"

    Bai Yueughed, "Okay, okay, I can¡¯t guess it, let¡¯s do it again!" She was very amodating to the girl in front of her, considering she was her sister¡¯s rtive.

    Loving the house and its crow, she also had a special fondness for the girl in front of her.

    "Big sister, please don¡¯t start again, you¡¯ve already struck me enough. But, you definitely can¡¯t imagine what happened when we went out to eat today?" This was what Yu Feixue really wanted to say.

    "There shouldn¡¯t have been any issues, the business at our hotpot restaurant has always been quite stable. Now the person in charge here in Modu is Sanxi, and he¡¯s an honest and stable person, and doesn¡¯t do anything too outrageous."

    Yu Feixue immediately perked up, she had been waiting for just this response.

    "Big sister! You have no idea ........"

    h h h h, Bai Yue was shocked and broke out in a cold sweat.

    Both her and her husband always strictly monitored the food materials and all other ingredients because they were afraid of something happening due to something they ate, they would feel sorry not just for themselves but for others as well.

    Who knew that something so deceptive and concealed would happen here.

    It was lucky that Bai Xiao was here today to uncover the incident and handled it so well, otherwise the restaurant here in Modu might have had to close.

    By then, it might affect the entire national chain of Bai Family¡¯s old

 Chapter 830 Visit

    <h4>Chapter 830: Chapter 830 Visit</h4><h4></h4>

    Yu Feixue was sent back home by Bai Xiao, and Bai Yue refused to go to the hotel. Instead, it would be better to let Bai Yue stay with her in the ward. After all, there is an extra bed for attendants in the ward. Seriously speaking, it wouldn¡¯t be tiring for them to just sleep here.

    As soon as Yu Feixue left, Bai Yue began to scold Bai Xiao, "Next time, you must not disregard your health, you are joking with your life. Even if you don¡¯t say it, I can guess the situation must have been extremely critical, and you still forced yourself this time. Luckily you just fainted, but what if you had really been injured? What then?

    How would you face our parents then?"

    Bai Yue was angry because Bai Xiao did not take good care of her health.

    Bai Xiao, cuddling Bai Yue, acted coquettishly, "Big sister, I really didn¡¯t think about it at that time. I thought at most it would be tiring, never expected the situation to blow up so big. And big sister, I have already be a doctor. Facing such a situation, if not me then who? Could it really be eptable to let this incident sour the rtions between two countries?

    If so, I would indeed be a criminal. Even if our parents were there, they would probably agree with what I did. The countryes before the family. Since I have chosen this path, I must take responsibility, even if the cost is high."

    Bai Yue sighed, yes, his sister is now not only his sister but also a doctor.

    Defending the country and contributing to the nation is not only necessary but also the right thing to do.

    If sheined about this, it would indeed be unfair to Bai Xiao.

    "But you should still take it easy in the future. This time it was just fainting, but I¡¯m worried about other health issues next time. After all, this is an unexpected gift from heaven, whether it is a blessing or a curse, no one knows; I just hope you can live a safe and peaceful life."

    Bai Xiaoforted her, "Okay big sister, I understand; I will definitely be more careful in the future."

    The two sisters chattered away the half of the night before they finally fell asleep.

    The next morning.

    Yu Feixue came early in the morning to bring them breakfast.

    And indeed, the elders had entrusted her to make sure Bai Yue came back to their home for a meal today.

    This is Bai Xiao¡¯s sister, and all of Bai Xiao¡¯s ordeals in that home are already known to them. Who would know what state Bai Xiao would be in now without the help of these two sisters and one brother?

    In their eyes, these three people are benefactors to their family.

    However, it clearly wasn¡¯t her ce to take Bai Yue back, as the hospital administration had already sent someone to inform them that the secretary of a national leader would personally visit Bai Xiao today.

    Although it was not the leader themselves, having their personal secretarye over is already a great honor.

    After all, it wouldn¡¯t be proper for a high-ranking leader to personally visit a junior doctor, but sending their personal secretary both represents them andplements both sides.

    It cannot be said who is right or wrong; this is simply the way things had to be done.

    Thus, the hospital was a flurry of activity that day.

    The secretary of the leader, who was very affable, inquired about his recovery and conveyed the leader¡¯s wishes for his visit, further praising her brave contribution to the nation that day.

    After various pleasantries, the secretary then withdrew.

    Bai Xiao still couldn¡¯t be discharged! Because the delegation hadn¡¯t visited yet, as a doctor who exerted much effort, she ought to show the price she paid for this incident.

 Chapter 831 Consideration

    <h4>Chapter 831: Chapter 831 Consideration</h4><h4></h4>

    Finally sent everyone away.

    Bai Yue stuck out her tongue; even she, an ordinary citizen, saw such a person for the first time today¡ªthose who only appear on TV. Though it was just a secretary, one should know that the secretaries by the sides of these big shots are indeed more prestigious and powerful than the local leaders.

    In a way, she had also met a big leader.

    They were so friendly and even shook hands with the sister of Doctor Bai, so approachable, and someone even took a photo of them.

    Bai Yue had decided, once she got home, she would have the photo erged and hung on the wall of their Bai Family¡¯s spicy hotpot restaurant.

    It would be a living advertisement, a golden signboard for their Bai Family¡¯s spicy hotpot restaurant.

    Being received by such an important figure was indeed, a pinnacle of life.

    Yu Feixue brought food to Bai Xiao and then took Bai Yue away.

    She hade with a mission; how could she notplete it?

    Bai Xiao did not refuse; after all, the two families were bound to meet and eventually be one family.

    Regardless, these were the most important rtives by his side.

    What would happen to the Yu Family in the future was indeed rted to the hospital. The fuse was lit by a major medical ident that urred in one of Yu Shaohua¡¯s hospitals, leading to the exposure of several responsible parties, including his uncle, who was the most ountable among them all.

    He was thoroughly investigated.

    As a result, Yu Shaohua ended his life in depression.

    The Yu Family also suffered the consequences, affecting his second uncle; by the time she met him, he was no longer a bureau chief but merely the head of a health clinic. After all, such influences can be very significant.

    Even though modern society no longer practices guilt by association, a leader¡¯s impression of the incident can have a profound impact, ensuring that no one would trust you with important positions anymore.

    Fearing responsibility, at least the misjudgment in discerning people can ruin one¡¯s future.

    One can imagine how difficult the uncle¡¯s survival environment became under subsequent suppression.

    Even so, it did not make the second uncle waver; a person¡¯s noble quality stems from a kind heart, not changing one¡¯s mind due to the environment.

    That is the most beautiful quality.

    She hopes that this time, she can change everything.

    Of course, she couldn¡¯t tell Yu Shaohua about this. How could she tell her uncle that she knew what would happen to him in the future?

    However, the incident was still several years away.

    There are only two ways to change this situation.

    One, within these years, is to transfer from his current hospital, but of course, that requires the right timing.

    Secondly, as long as she returns to continue her studies and works in the hospital, she could always spot and fill in any gaps.

    With her healing special ability, as long as the person isn¡¯t dead, she can bring them back to life.

    But she always has to protect them herself; the issue isn¡¯tpletely resolved.

    Ultimately, it¡¯s necessary for both uncles to be able to climb even higher.

    By that time, their own status and reputation would be their best means of protection.

    Timing is still needed.

    And, how is Jiang Shaoqing doing?

    She had given Jiang Shaoqing a detailed n. If Jiang Shaoqing still can¡¯t crush Shang Kaiwen in the cradle, then Jiang Shaoqing is just too weak.

    It seems like this guy hasn¡¯t contacted her in a long time.

 Chapter 832: Night Run

    <h4>Chapter 832: Chapter 832: Night Run</h4><h4></h4>

    Jiang Shaoqing was reluctantly listening to his mom nagging, "Mom, I hardly evere back home, can you give my ears a break? I¡¯m already pestered by everyone at thepany, which is enough of a headache. Coming home to this doesn¡¯t help. If it¡¯s going to be like this, next time I might note home."

    Shen Ye was so frustrated.

    "Look at you, can¡¯t I, your mother, even speak to you? You re up the moment I say something."

    If her son doesn¡¯t get married, she can¡¯t have a moment of peace.

    Jiang Shaoqing was furious, "Mom, I¡¯m genuinely dealing with some troublesome issues at thepany, can you let it go, please?" He frowned and rubbed his eyes; his mother was really driving him to death.

    Such pressure to get married is unmatched.

    "Shaoqing! What happened at thepany recently?"

    Shen Ye wasn¡¯t unreasonable; when her son really faced issues, she felt uneasy too.

    "It¡¯s not exactly bad news, just that someone is trying to mess up our bid by throwing in obstacles. Of course, it¡¯s also my fault for underestimating them." Jiang Shaoqing purposely made his mom feel guilty so she wouldn¡¯t trouble him.

    Just as expected, Shen Ye backed down! Compared to her son¡¯s career issues, getting a daughter-inw seemed to take a backseat.

    "Then you should rest well!" Shen Ye had no choice, she couldn¡¯t make it hard for her son.

    Jiang Shaoqing flopped onto the bed in response.

    It was hard to get any sleep; hispany had been in turmoil over some leaked low bid prices the week before, and he hadn¡¯t slept for days. He finally got a chance to sleep now.

    As soon as he closed his eyes, he began snoring. Shen Ye heard it from outside the door and felt a pang of heartache.

    Jiang Shaoqing didn¡¯t wake up until nighttime, freshly awake with barely an appetite. Mainly worried about his mom¡¯s concern, he grabbed a jacket and went outside for a walk, guessing a round might spark his appetite.

    Under the dim street lights, Jiang Shaoqing, dressed in sportswear and sneakers, passed through the tree-lined path.

    Ahead in the corner, two young guys with curly hair, dressed in floral shirts and bell-bottom pants, were menacingly advancing towards a girl in front of them.

    The girl backed away step by step, "What are you doing? Don¡¯te any closer, or I¡¯ll call for help."

    "What a joke, this ce is so secluded, even if you scream your lungs out, I doubt anyone would care to intervene."

    The young guys scoffed arrogantly, rolling up their sleeves, leering at the girl¡¯s chest and backside with lustful eyes, clearly indicating their intentions.

    "Exactly, we two brothers are not scared of your threats. Just look around, there¡¯s not even a soul in sight. Even if you scream, would it bring anyone? You better justply with us, it will be easier on you."

    One of them actually seemed to be trying to persuade the girl kindly.

    "Little brother, why bother talking to her? Let¡¯s just get onto it."

    The two guys rubbed their hands together and moved closer to the girl.

    The girl backed up closer to where Jiang Shaoqing was.

    "Help! Catch the perverts!"

    Upon her loud scream, one of the young guys nced at Jiang Shaoqing suddenly appearing, and threatened, "What the hell are you looking at, scram! What business do you have here? We are just in love. Get it? We are just having an argument."

    Jiang Shaoqing took a look, nodded, "Understood, you guys can continue arguing." Then he turned and continued to run.

 Chapter 833 Acting

    <h4>Chapter 833: Chapter 833 Acting</h4><h4></h4>

    "Brother Jiang, save me!"

    The girl clearly wasn¡¯t prepared to let Jiang Shaoqing get away, as she lunged at him with that shout.

    Jiang Shaoqing dodged, and Shang Kaiwen nearly fell, only the fact that she wasn¡¯t wearing heels today to make her acting convincing prevented her from totally losing bnce and falling t on her face.

    She was inwardlyining, wondering why the anticipated hero saving the damsel in distress didn¡¯t happen.

    Isn¡¯t Jiang Shaoqing supposed to be the embodiment of justice, a man with a heroic aura?

    Seeing a weak woman like her being bullied, shouldn¡¯t he have stepped forward and forcefully stood up for justice?

    Then she could repay him for saving her life.

    Isn¡¯t this how it always goes in TV dramas?

    But Jiang Shaoqing isn¡¯t following the script!

    "Don¡¯t mess around, Brother Jiang, save me! I don¡¯t know these people at all. I was just about to go and visit your mother when I ran into these two. They started saying indecent things as soon as they saw me and followed me. You have to save me, Brother Jiang." Since Jiang Shaoqing doesn¡¯t like being proactive, she would involve him in this incident whether he liked it or not.

    Shang Kaiwen clung tightly to Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s arm from behind, pressing her soft body close to his, breathing against his chest. Any man would probably feel his blood boil and roll up his sleeves to protect a beauty!

    Jiang Shaoqing peeled Shang Kaiwen off of himself; if he didn¡¯t, this woman might have knocked him down.

    "Oh, another busybody shows up. Let her go quickly, or you¡¯ll regret it," they taunted.

    "Exactly, two against one, you should see if you¡¯re even qualified. If you don¡¯t want us to beat you to a pulp, you¡¯d better get the hell out of here now," the two thugs¡¯ eyes brightened¡ªit was finally time for the hero to show up; they had prepared well for this scene.

    Just waiting for this kid to make a move.

    "Brother Jiang, please save me!" Although Shang Kaiwen was pulled away, she still desperately clung to Jiang Shaoqing.

    Her big eyes brimming with tears, looking so pitiful like a pear blossom bathed in rain, a sight that would soften and stir any man¡¯s heart.

    "Wait a minute, have you had enough of acting? It¡¯s the middle of the night; you aren¡¯t tired, but others are. If you haven¡¯t finished, go on, I need to get home for dinner." Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s words stunned the three of them there.

    "What... what do you mean?" Shang Kaiwen asked incredulously as the scene felt so real, she couldn¡¯t see any w.

    "No particr meaning. To think you¡¯d go to such lengths to approach me, Shang Kaiwen, let me tell you in earnest, even if I end up not marrying anyone in my life, I will never be interested in you. There will be no interaction between us, I really am not interested in you, so stoping to my house and pretending to perform in front of others. You might not be tired, but I feel tired for my mother and my grandfather.

    I have been quite decisive even in business, can¡¯t you see there is absolutely no possibility between us!"

    Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s directness stunned Shang Kaiwen, unsure of what Jiang Shaoqing meant.

    Was he exposing her?

    The two thugs looked at each other, wondering if they should still continue the act.

    They had taken the money, it wouldn¡¯t be right not to carry on.

    They gritted their teeth.

    The two men rolled up their sleeves, "Kid, stop yapping about what to act or not, I¡¯m not clear on that, all I know is if you don¡¯t leave, intending to spoil our good deed, we¡¯ll beat you till your face is unrecognizable."

    The two had already decided to see the act through till the end.

 Chapter 834: Sold Out and Counting the Money for the Seller.

    <h4>Chapter 834: Chapter 834: Sold Out and Counting the Money for the Seller.</h4><h4></h4>

    Shang Kaiwen was just about to stop it; things had escted to this point, and to continue the act would be shameless.

    She had indeed anticipated the sess of her scheme, but never the embarrassment of being exposed like this.

    Shang Kaiwen, a woman who cared deeply about face, couldn¡¯t allow her dignity to suffer such an insult.

    She was about to tell both of them to stop!

    Suddenly, someone dashed out from an angle, and with a few punches and kicks, the two hooligans were sent flying.

    They had their faces smeared with color, both holding their chests, thinking: are humans not humans? It¡¯s just for ten thousand yuan, are they trying to take lives here?

    However, they could not afford to ruin the act now, otherwise their boss would chop them up when they got back.

    They could only stand up, clutching their chests, and throw out a harsh threat, "You just wait, you brat, wait and see, a gentleman¡¯s revenge is not toote even after ten years, just you wait."

    The two men ran off with their tails between their legs.

    Jiang Shaoqing couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    And there, out of nowhere, a hero arrives to save the day, just like Cheng Yaojin.

    One look! And he recognized him!

    This was none other than Wang Ruo¡¯an.

    They all grew up in the samepound; their parents were acquaintances.

    But he, along with An Zhiyuan and Wang Han, was not in the same camp as Wang Ruo¡¯an¡ªthey couldn¡¯t mix into the same crowd, even if they were all children from thergepound. They each had their own cliques.

    Wang Ruo¡¯an, of course, had his own group of people.

    Who were essentially in opposition to theirs.

    But this kid had been chasing after Shang Kaiwen since childhood, he was what they called a hopeless romantic.

    For Shang Kaiwen, he was willing to walk through fire and water; he would not refuse any hardship.

    Now, here he was, ying the dashing hero.

    Nothing to do with him then, time to go.

    Just as Jiang Shaoqing was about to leave, he was stopped by Wang Ruo¡¯an.

    "What are you doing?"

    He originally didn¡¯t have anything to do with this situation.

    Wang Ruo¡¯an¡¯s eyes were aze, and the way he clenched his fists, it seemed he was itching to punch Jiang Shaoqing.

    "What do you think I should be doing? A girl encounters hooligans, and instead of helping, you¡¯re here talking about acting? Is Shang Kaiwen that kind of person? I always thought you were a decent, righteous guy, but I didn¡¯t expect you to be such a despicable and petty person," Wang Ruo¡¯an instinctivelybeled Jiang Shaoqing based on the scene he had just witnessed of Jiang Shaoqing pulling away from Shang Kaiwen.

    Jiang Shaoqing pushed Wang Ruo¡¯an away with one hand, "What do you think you are? If you¡¯re eager to please and be attentive, that¡¯s your business, but why lump me with that? Facing small-time hooligans? Don¡¯t you see what kind of people those two were? With the intense crackdown on crime, any street thug that¡¯s caught could face the death penalty. Even if it¡¯s not capital punishment, life imprisonment is probably enough, right?

    I don¡¯t believe that people would dare tomit crimes in the face of strict enforcement, and look at this road, this neighborhood is nothing butpounds and high-endmunities, filled with officials and leaders. Do you think those punks have nothing better to do than seek thrills here?

    Buddy, be smart, or you¡¯ll get yed and even thank them for it." Jiang Shaoqing pushed him away and strode off.

    Wang Ruo¡¯an was slightly hesitant; he wasn¡¯t brainless, it was just that anything rted to Shang Kaiwen made him lose his cool easily.

    And once he lost his cool, he¡¯d recklessly ignore everything else.

    Shang Kaiwen grabbed Wang Ruo¡¯an, "Big Brother Wang, stop caring about me. Big Brother Jiang has misunderstood me. I really didn¡¯t expect Big Brother Jiang to think of me like that; I¡¯ve failed as a person. I¡¯m going home."

    Wang Ruo¡¯an¡¯s heart softened! Seeing Shang Kaiwen with tears in her eyes, the woman he always wanted to protect, it was unbearable to see her suffer.

    "Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you home!"

 Chapter 835: Canâ€™t Ask for More

    <h4>Chapter 835: Chapter 835: Can¡¯t Ask for More</h4><h4></h4>

    "Brother Wang, you really are a good person." Shang Kaiwen looked pitiful, with a touch of fragile tenderness and charm.

    Wang Ruo¡¯an felt a pang in his heart. He was not ignorant of what kind of woman Shang Kaiwen was, but he just couldn¡¯t bring himself to be harsh with her.

    Isn¡¯t there a saying that a hero can¡¯t ovee the charms of a beautiful woman?

    Moreover, what others think of Shang Kaiwen doesn¡¯t matter to him. He likes Shang Kaiwen as a person. He knows Shang Kaiwen is ambitious, but he likes that she can do anything for her ambitions without caring.

    "Kaiwen, let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you home."

    Shang Kaiwen is smart, she clearly knows her minor tricks can¡¯t escape Wang Ruo¡¯an¡¯s eyes, but she also knows that Wang Ruo¡¯an, who has loved her for twenty years, won¡¯t mind because of true feelings.

    "Okay! Brother An, won¡¯t you look down on me?"

    Her fragile facade faded, and she could finally reveal her true self.

    Because the person in front of her is Wang Ruo¡¯an.

    Wang Ruo¡¯an took off his jacket and gently draped it over her shoulders.

    "Kaiwen, in my eyes, you are always the girl who used to run after me, calling me ¡¯brother¡¯. No matter what you do or have done, it doesn¡¯t matter. You have never hurt me. Justice and morality are not that important in my heart; nothing is more important than you."

    Holding her shoulders, they were close, but not as lovers, because Shang Kaiwen doesn¡¯t want to be his woman.

    He has always known that.

    The man in Shang Kaiwen¡¯s eyes is Jiang Shaoqing. If it weren¡¯t for her interest in Jiang Shaoqing, Shang Kaiwen wouldn¡¯t have done such a foolish thing that anyone can see through.

    It¡¯s just like his own infatuation with her.

    "Brother An, am I trapping myself? Today, this version of me is really terrifying andughable. I find it absurd myself, like a farce that has ended, and I am the ugliest clown. Everyone sees through my tricks, yet I foolishly keep up appearances. In fact, I know Jiang Shaoqing doesn¡¯t like me, but I¡¯m just used to thinking he¡¯s the man for me all these years.

    But I didn¡¯t realize that in his eyes, I¡¯m just a clown. My shameless and undignified actions resulted in him leaving without a backward nce, not even sparing augh for me." Shang Kaiwen¡¯s heart ached, but she knew that she wouldn¡¯t feel pain from then on.

    Since Jiang Shaoqing doesn¡¯t want to build a magnificent career with her, she won¡¯t be med for ruthlessly destroying Jiang Shaoqing, who she can¡¯t have! Opposing her means she won¡¯t let others have him either!

    "No, whatever you want to do, I can help you. Don¡¯t be disappointed or disheartened in yourself. You are the proud queen! You are the princess in my eyes. Jiang Shaoqing isn¡¯t worthy of your affection. He is a manpletely oblivious to charm. What kind of woman can move him in this lifetime?"

    Seeing the loss in Shang Kaiwen¡¯s eyes, he couldn¡¯t help butfort her.

    In this lifetime, he has fallen into Shang Kaiwen¡¯s hands.

    "Brother An, well, you are the only one who doesn¡¯t despise me. I understand your heart, but forgive me, maybe I will gradually change in the future! But for now, I¡¯m not able to." For the first time, Shang Kaiwen sincerely spoke her mind without any pretense.

    She wants to be herself.

    Wang Ruo¡¯an nodded, "I won¡¯t force you! I never will, I¡¯ll wait for you, forever if I must."

    The shadows under the streetlights stretched long.

    "Brother An, I want you to help me deal with Jiang Shaoqing, would you?"

    "Pleasure doing business!"

    Wang Ruo¡¯an couldn¡¯t be more willing.

 Chapter 836: Fury

    <h4>Chapter 836: Chapter 836: Fury</h4><h4></h4> Due to his work, An Zhiyuan had gone missing many times before.

    Whenever no one had any clue about his whereabouts, Bai Xiao would find it impossible to sleep.

    She was not familiar with their system; she was not yet with him when he worked there and didn¡¯t pay attention to such details.

    But she had once observed their training.

    Though it was nothing more than a fleeting nce, she had already realized that both their endurance and their team¡¯s coordination had been rigorously tested, leaving only the very best.

    An Zhiyuan, in particr, loved his job, but, after all, these people were only human.

    They too could be killed, and the nature of their work meant they were always taking risks.

    Their training entuated a major part of An Zhiyuan¡¯s nature; he was honed into the likeness of a perfect fighting machine, at the peak of his capabilities, favoring intellect over brute force.

    He had now be more lethal, learning to mask his dangerousness with a calm and collected demeanor, putting people off their guard.

    This way, most people would never realize that they were facing a dangerous individual capable of killing them in a hundred different ways with his bare hands.

    With such knowledge and skills, An Zhiyuan¡¯s self-control was almost unfazed.

    It led Bai Xiao to believe that An Zhiyuan could take good care of himself, but she was equally convinced that he was in the most perilous situation.

    The question was, where the hell is he right now?!

    Every time she heard about a mission, Bai Xiao would get nervous.

    No call from An Zhiyuan until now tonight means that An Zhiyuan has yet toplete the mission.

    Bai Xiao closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep, trying not to imagine these things, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep when dawn broke.

    She told herself that if something was wrong with him, she would feel it.

    She believed in some kind of connection between them, an intangible link that would inform her of everything about An Zhiyuan before anyone else.

    ......

    ...

    An Zhiyuan was not happy.

    He was emanating an aura of fury, unable to contain his anger as he watched his teammates wounded; from a team of ten, two came back injured.

    Severe gunshot wounds.

    Now no one could muster a smile.

    It seemed Sang Ji had yed them.

    What awaited them at the destination was fully armed resistance fighters, the most advanced weaponry, waiting just for them, these desperate ouws prepared to pay any cost for revenge.

    The civilian staff in front of him maintained a dutifully serious expression, but it was miserably gloomy under An Zhiyuan¡¯s chilling stare.

    Such frosty teammates always made everyone tense.

    There was no way tomunicate or their unpredictable way of operating.

    This superior, An Zhiyuan, made him especially ufortable.

    The man¡¯s deep voice and the joyless darkness in his eyes had not a single cheerful element.

    They were now shing with rage, like a de under moonlight casting a faint cold gleam.

    The civilian staff member could almost smell the aggressive danger surrounding him; his first impression of An Zhiyuan was outrageously wrong, this man was definitely not one to be trifled with.

    Ever since An Zhiyuan had learned what had happened and entered his jurisdiction, the civilian staff had never felt death so close at hand; his icy stare seemed intent on ying him alive.

 Chapter 837 Exchange

    <h4>Chapter 837: Chapter 837 Exchange</h4><h4></h4>

    "Director Chen, I think you owe me an exnation as to why our movements were so thoroughly leaked. There were almost dozens of people waiting for us, fully armed with sophisticated weaponry, and now two of my people¡¯s lives hang in the bnce," An Zhiyuan could not contain his anger.

    His suggestions were ignored, leading to the most severe consequences, not to mention the potential intelligence leak! How could anyone remain calm in the face of that?

    The instructor felt the cor tighten under An Zhiyuan¡¯s piercing gaze and subconsciously reached up to loosen it, thinking to himself, God, An Zhiyuan¡¯s look is even more intimidating than that of his superiors, it¡¯s downright suffocating.

    "There¡¯s nothing much to say! It was our decision-making error, we have already started to vet all thebatants fromst night, anyone could have leaked the information. We also didn¡¯t want this to happen, but who could have predicted it? Your teammates are also ourrades, what¡¯s done is done, we should be thinking about how to make amends, after all, the information provided by Sang Ji was not false," Director Chen said, breaking out in a cold sweat.

    Getting the words out under An Zhiyuan¡¯s stern gaze was a blessing from heaven.

    He understood that getting in An Zhiyuan¡¯s way was perilously risky.

    Though An Zhiyuan was decisively resolute, he would not act rashly and harm others, his actions were also thoroughly calcted, and it was because of his informants that they were able to get swift, good-quality information on the case.

    But now, they had messed it up.

    "We don¡¯t need exnations. This time we will act alone, keep your people away from us. If we discover anyone tracking us, we will view it as a risk of intelligence betrayal and will respond with exceptional measures. Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you," An Zhiyuan decided it was no longer necessary to be polite, it seems fists were more convenient.

    A single concession and courtesy had already cost two of his people, who had families of their own.

    Even if their lives weren¡¯t in danger, he was still seething with anger.

    "But..."

    Director Chen struggled to assert their rights, they were supposed to be in the leading position, why should they be led by the nose by An Zhiyuan?

    But he dared not say so.

    "I hope you don¡¯t exhaust our patience, we can¡¯t afford any more casualties, if you disagree, then we¡¯ll pull out of the fight. My people won¡¯t be puppets, sacrificed asb rats for someone else¡¯s experiments," An Zhiyuan said mercilessly.

    His sess in this field now seemed to be an obstacle to his continued hands-on participation, any higher-level operations meant less realbat experience.

    He brought his people here to coordinate with localw enforcement, to gain more practical experience, not to learn from a deadly kind of experience.

    That¡¯s a huge difference.

    "Alright then, Captain An, we cannot shirk responsibility for thest operation¡¯s failure. Therefore, we agree to let you operate on your own this time. However, if this mission is unsessful again, we still demand to take back control," Director Chen of course understood.

    "With a few men short, can your teamplete the task?" Director Chen couldn¡¯t help worrying about the reduced numbers.

    "If I didn¡¯t think our people were capable, I would never let my subordinates risk it. They are human beings, each one a living life," Zhiyuan said firmly.

    Director Chen quickly weighed all the factors.

    Although their team was down by two members, the leadermanding them was An Zhiyuan, which was more than enough to make up for the shortfall.

    Considering all the factors, Director Chen could not think of a better candidate for the job than An Zhiyuan, whose reputation was a golden ticket.

 Chapter 838 Action

    <h4>Chapter 838: Chapter 838 Action</h4><h4></h4>

    An Zhiyuan left the meeting room, his mind and body already gearing up for the uing task; he could even feel adrenaline pouring into his muscles.

    Eight hourster, at night.

    Five ck figures were quietly traversing through the damp and lush jungles of Myanmar,municating with each other through hand signals or whispering into the earpieces hidden under their dark caps.

    An Zhiyuan,pletelyposed, in full battle readiness, led the team towards another four-story building deep in the jungle.

    If their intelligence was correct, if what Sang Ji said was even fifty percent credible, then the evidence Sang Ji talked about would be in the safe on the top floor.

    These notebooks recording their transaction history were the ultimate evidence they needed to control other drug traffickers; naturally, they also involved certain shadowy figures operating behind the scenes. Their job was to secure it and bring those people to justice.

    Every operation always made him feel like every cell in his body was bing aware of its purpose.

    His entire being seemed toe alive! Blood surged with high-speed factors, keeping them at their peak every moment.

    He was all too familiar with this state; during missions, his senses would be sharper, and a sense of calm would radiate from the depths of his heart.

    The more critical the mission, the calmer he became, as if time started to slow down into a series of repeated slow motions.

    At such times, he could see and hear every detail, analyze and anticipate the oues, make decisions and act ordingly.

    Everything was done in a split second, yet felt like an eternity.

    Adrenaline surged in each of their bodies, and he could feel the blood coursing through his veins, yet his mind remained cool and detached.

    Someone once told him that at these moments his face was frighteningly impassive,pletely devoid of expression.

    The whole team advanced in meticulously coordinated silence.

    They didn¡¯t need to speak; they all knew what to do, how the others would act.

    The purpose of the hellish training at Hunter Training Camp was to deeply nt the concepts of trust and teamwork in their minds.

    Thebined strength of their unity far surpassed that of individual efforts.

    Teamwork was not just a slogan for these operatives but their central discipline, an irond discipline.

    Ghost Shadow was on advance reconnaissance.

    An Zhiyuan assigned this task to the thin but tough southerner because of his calmness, which remained unshaken, allowing him to move about like a mountain cat.

    The endlessly energetic Wild Wolf brought up the rear; nobody could tail Wild Wolf without being noticed¡ªexcept for Ghost Shadow.

    An Zhiyuan closely followed behind Ghost Shadow, with other team members between him and Wild Wolf.

    Each of them was quiet and steady, utterly reliable.

    Clutching his rifle, An Zhiyuan knew they were outstanding special forces members, each possessed with the alertness to fill any gaps at any time, in short, there was no better team than theirs.

    He nced at the dimly visible building in the distance, where the asional flickering lights made it clear that it was their destination.

    The chirping insects in the jungle felt oppressive.

    Their movements wouldn¡¯t disturb a single bird; that was their mission.

    Finally, they approached the front.

    They could hear the sounds of the guards walking back and forth, the clicking of cigarette lighters, and the unzipping of pants along with the sounds of relieving themselves.

 Chapter 839: Nightmare

    <h4>Chapter 839: Chapter 839: Nightmare</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao woke up from a dream.

    She recalled, rmed, that a man with a mask appeared in her dream.

    He was no animal, nor an illusion, but a man of flesh and blood.

    She could see the faint glimmer in his eyes, recognize the shape of his head and his rtively pale face. Although he was arge figure, his movements were unexpectedly silent and graceful, seemingly unaffected.

    But in the next scene, that man was tied to a gallows with his mask being ripped off by Bai Mei, whoughed sinisterly.

    It was An Zhiyuan!

    Bai Mei, An Zhiyuan?

    Could it be that An Zhiyuan¡¯s mission this time was rted to Bai Mei?

    In her restless mind, she told herself it was just a dream.

    It certainly couldn¡¯t be real.

    But since she fell asleepst night, during those long and terrifying hours, she had been unable to sleep soundly because of the dream.

    No, the feeling it gave was definitely real.

    Bai Xiao jumped out of bed and picked up the phone. Was it appropriate to call An Zhiyuan at six in the morning?

    She hesitated!

    It was uncertain if An Zhiyuan had returned, and even if he had, calling at six in the morning seemed improper.

    Calling An Zhiyuan because of a dream would likely lead to him being ridiculed by his team for the entire day.

    But if she didn¡¯t call, she couldn¡¯t settle her mind.

    To call or not to call, she decided to wait a bit longer!

    That day, Bai Xiao simply had no time to make a phone call.

    The foreign delegation members had already recovered, thanks to the timely rescue. Aside from the Head of State¡¯s wife experiencing some asthma attacks, the others were able to walk on the ground, albeit still weak, as recovery takes time after being poisoned.

    They couldn¡¯t possibly jump around lively at once.

    However, the Prime Minister insisted that if they were able to get out of bed, he wanted to visit the brave girl who saved them.

    As a result, the entire high-ranking ward on the third floor was sealed off today.

    The Prime Minister, along with his trantor, affectionately met Bai Xiao, the female hero.

    Not only did they meet, but the two of them also had a cordial conversation.

    Learning that the girl who treated them had fallen into aa due to severe exhaustion and was now hospitalized, the Prime Minister expressed his concern to Bai Xiao.

    After a series of borate greetings, the Prime Minister warmly invited Bai Xiao to their country for an academic exchange.

    He also expressed his admiration for the miraculous Acupuncture of China. Although he didn¡¯t understand Acupuncture, he knew that the magic of those few needles inserted into their bodies had alleviated their symptoms of poisoning; otherwise, they all might have been dead by now.

    Finally, they sent the delegation on their way.

    Yu Feixue, Bai Yue, Bai Xiao, and He Weng, the group of four, hurriedly packed up and left the hospital.

    Truthfully, there wasn¡¯t much in the hospital that belonged to her.

    Apart from the endless supplies of nourishment and fruits sent by visitors, there were too many gifts to take with them.

    Bai Xiao gave those fruits to the nurses at the nurse station, as well as to some elderly and child patients.

    For a moment, the hospital bustled with activity.

    This time, the hospital staff didn¡¯t make it difficult for her. With a stroke of the pen, they finally gave them discharge clearance.

    Moreover, all their hospital expenses were waived.

    It wasn¡¯t that Bai Xiao wanted to take advantage of this generosity, but the Dean was insistent.

    They were just short of being sent home by an ambnce.

    Even if the hospital dared to send them, Bai Xiao and the others wouldn¡¯t dare to ept that offer.

    Yu Feixue had already said that the Yu Family elders insisted she stays at their home.

    If they were sent home by an ambnce, it would scare the old man and the olddy into sickness.

    Politely refusing the Dean¡¯s kindness, they hailed a taxi and headed to the Yu Family home.

 Chapter 840: Desolate

    <h4>Chapter 840: Chapter 840: Deste</h4><h4></h4>

    Yu Family.

    Yu Shaoyan and his spouse went to work.

    Only the elderly couple and the aunt were at home.

    When Bai Xiao and the others arrived, the elderly couple were overjoyed.

    Finally, their granddaughter was back.

    The grandma kept fussing about, wishing she could clean the upstairs room all over again.

    She beckoned Bai Xiao to sit beside them, happily looking left and right,

    Yu Feixue burst outughing.

    "You silly girl, what are youughing at?" The grandma nced at Yu Feixue, her granddaughter always up to something, the one with endless tricks.

    She was the joy of their family.

    Yu Feixue leaned next to grandma, "What do you think I¡¯mughing at?"

    Her demeanor waspletely non-serious.

    The grandma couldn¡¯t help being annoyed, "I¡¯m not a worm in your stomach, how would I know what you¡¯reughing at?"

    "I¡¯mughing at you, about to pop your eyeballs out staring at your granddaughter, ignoring the two guests sitting here, making it awkward for everyone." Yu Feixue didn¡¯t mince words, bluntly hitting where it hurts.

    The grandma nced at Bai Yue and He Weng, realizing she shouldn¡¯t neglect the guests.

    These were important people in Bai Xiao¡¯s mind.

    Bai Yue and He Weng said smilingly, "Grandma, don¡¯t listen to Xiaoxue¡¯s nonsense."

    "Bai Xiao just got back, let her go upstairs to rest. Olddy, look at the time, we should hurry and have the aunt prepare dinner, eat well tonight. Can hospital food be tasty? Although Xiaoxue asionally brings food, it¡¯s not enough."

    The grandpa chimed in, then went to the balcony to water his flowers.

    The grandma nodded, "Okay, you take your sister and He Weng upstairs. They are all staying here, I had the aunt clean the rooms. We have plenty of rooms, why spend money on a hotel?"

    He Weng was startled, suddenly, why was he involved?

    "Grandma, I don¡¯t need to stay, I¡¯ve already booked a hotel and it¡¯s inconvenient here for business meetings and seeing clients." How could living here be considered an option?

    The grandma red, "If you are Bai Xiao¡¯s rtive, you are our family¡¯s rtive, we can¡¯t have family staying in a hotel. If outsiders knew, they¡¯d think we can¡¯t even afford a spare room." She was insisting on making him stay.

    He Weng felt awkward, this wasn¡¯t the same thing at all.

    Staying here under the watchful eyes of the elderly couple was not convenient at all.

    Bai Xiao realized, He Weng came here for business, he surely had hismitments.

    And drinking socially would certainly be inconvenient.

    "Grandma, don¡¯t make it difficult for him. He¡¯s here for business, with social drinks involved, whether to get him drunk or not, right? It¡¯s okay, we¡¯re all family here, no need for formalities.

    Besides, I¡¯m only staying for one day, I must hurry back to school tomorrow. My older sister also has lots of business to take care of, you can¡¯t keep us all here, can you?" Bai Xiao helped everyone to sidestep the issue.

    The grandma sighed.

    "It¡¯s rare to have so many people around, and yet you all are busy. You don¡¯t understand, our home is quiet, usually just your grandpa and I, your second uncle, aunt, and that little miscreant are busy, sometimes we don¡¯t see anyone for weeks."

    Bai Xiao hugged her grandma¡¯s arm, "Don¡¯t worry, when New Yeares around, let grandpa call the big uncle and aunt toe back with their kids for the holidays, we¡¯ll have a lively family reunion."

    The grandma thought about it and also smiled.

    Yes, the children are busy with their careers, at this time, they as elderly shouldn¡¯t hold them back.

 Chapter 841: As You Command, My Lady Sister

    <h4>Chapter 841: Chapter 841: As You Command, My Lady Sister</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Yue alsoforted the olddy, "Grandma, it¡¯s okay, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future. Look, Bai Xiao is here now, she will be around for at least two or three years. Whenever there¡¯s time, you can see her, which is much better than not being able to see her even during the holidays."

    The olddy nodded, Bai Yue really looked like an elder sister, like one who takes charge. This girl must have also suffered a lot. It¡¯s said that in the past, to earn tuition for Bai Xiao, she went to work in a stone quarry, doing work not meant for women, what a strong granddaughter she has.

    It¡¯s notmon for someone to make such sacrifices for a girl with no blood rtion.

    Let alone that she¡¯s an elder sister, not even adoptive parents.

    "You¡¯re a good kid. From now on, treat our home as your maternal home. Your parents are no longer with us, and the Yu Family is your parental home now. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll have your back, and we won¡¯t let anyone bully you," the olddy wanted to repay Mr. and Mrs. Bai for their kindness.

    Such good people, those two.

    Bai Yue nodded, "Grandma, understood! From now on, you¡¯re my dear granny!" How could she not understand the olddy¡¯s intentions, one good turn deserves another.

    Yu Feixue watched as the grandma went on and on talking with Bai Yue and nudged Bai Xiao, "See that? You¡¯re about to fall out of favor instantly."

    Bai Xiao smiled, looking at her elder sister and the olddy. The elder sister always had a quality that made her easily approachable, unrted to education or cultivation, just a kind of warmth that made you can¡¯t help but draw near to her.

    Hearing this, Bai Yueughed and said, "You little rascal, too bad, daring to sow discord between us sisters! Bai Xiao, get her for me."

    The olddy alsoughed.

    pping her hands in delight.

    "Right! Give that girl a good lesson, otherwise she¡¯ll think she can do anything she wants in our house."

    Bai Xiao pinned down Yu Feixue, stretching out five fingers.

    Yu Feixue begged for mercy, "Bai Xiao, we arepatriots, you¡¯re bending your elbow outwards, ouch, ha ha... ha ha... spare me... Bai Xiao, grandma... bullying people... ha ha... hee hee..."

    Everyone was in stitches.

    The old master stuck his head in from the balcony, seeing his granddaughter and adopted granddaughterughing their heads off, along with everyone in the room, he too was all smiles.

    This is what home feels like.

    Finally letting Yu Feixue go, Bai Xiao leaning on Bai Yue, said to the olddy, "Bai Xiao, you must be filial to grandma, in ce of your mom. You ought to know that the greatest distance in the world is that between life and death. Your mom is no longer here, but I think if she was alive, she would certainly wish to enjoy the happiness of a family under her. Grandma and grandpa have suffered enough in their lives, it¡¯s time for them to enjoy familial joys, and you have a responsibility too."

    She was worried that Bai Xiao might not be willing; no matter how mild-tempered this younger sister seemed, her real temperament was very cool, something she clearly understood.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s character was one to return favors and avenge grievances. No one could clearly articte historical issues, but now that Bai Xiao had recognized them, she hoped Bai Xiao would have a ce to rely on in the future.

    They couldn¡¯t offer Bai Xiao much, just a bit of money, but Bai Xiao¡¯s path differed from theirs. If she had the support of a powerful family behind her, the girl would face much less trouble in the future.

    Bai Yue could of course see the grandeur of the Yu Family and the demeanor of Old Master Yu and the olddy, which all suggested a different ss of origin, so she hoped Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t get irritated.

    Bai Xiao nodded, one arm wrapped around her sister and the other around grandma, "Yes, my dear elder sister, at yourmand."

    All burst intoughter.

 Chapter 842: A Complete Overhaul

    <h4>Chapter 842: Chapter 842: A Complete Overhaul</h4><h4></h4>

    An Zhiyuan led his team to sneak into the small building, which waspletely different from the small building they had encountered two days ago. Perhaps because of theirst failed attempt, it had bolstered the enemy¡¯s arrogance, resulting in fewer patrolling armed personnel.

    But it was not difficult to perceive that the defense was still very stringent.

    The lights were on in the top floor of the four-story building.

    Normally, the fourth floor was Sang Ji¡¯s original office and residence. With Sang Ji captured, this ce should have been unupied.

    But now.

    The lights indicated that someone was there at this moment.

    An Zhiyuan made a gesture, and the other team members immediately understood the implication.

    ......

    Bai Mei and Xiaodao were sitting in Sang Ji¡¯s office, drinking and listening to the lively dance music from the phonograph.

    Both were somewhat tipsy.

    Bai Mei leaned against Xiaodao. Since they left the auction, they have been hiding in the deep mountains and forests. Bai Mei was always vignt, and she noticed that Bai Xiao had formed a connection with a tycoon in Myanmar, and there, they had taken down Sang Ji.

    If Bai Xiao really wanted to cause trouble for her, she could be done for at any moment.

    Therefore, she persuaded Xiaodao to join her in hiding with others in the deep mountains and forests.

    Indeed, it had proven necessary; initially, they had detected that someone was tailing them.

    However, after dealing with their pursuers a few times, and constantly changing their tracks to avoid taking usual routes and covering their tracks,

    The effect was evident.

    The news they received now was that Sang Ji had been taken back to China; it was sure to be the end for him, and aeback would be utterly impossible.

    The two had long coveted Sang Ji¡¯s territory. Who among those involved in the lower echelons of society, dealing in petty theft, did not dream of soaring high?

    Even in the mud, there is still a hierarchy.

    The business they were in, dealing with women, could never be as lucrative as Sang Ji¡¯s operations.

    Truth be told, if the police caught them for what they were doing, it was all the same¡ªa game.

    The risks were more or less the same, but the profits were worlds apart.

    Hence, Bai Mei, ever so resourceful, promptly whispered sweet nothings into Xiaodao¡¯s ear. After long conspiring, they finally led their people to take over Sang Ji¡¯sir.

    Forcefully, they subjugated Sang Ji¡¯s men under theirmand.

    Reorganizing the power was crucial, and they had chosen an excellent moment to do so. Sang Ji¡¯s men were like headless dragons, and seizing the opportunity, they made a strong offensive move and caught them off guard. Moreover, after killing a few disobedient leaders, the rest of the petty henchmen who were fearful of death, immediately surrendered.

    Anyway, for them, working for someone, as long as there was money involved, it didn¡¯t matter who they served.

    Thus, they secured Sang Ji¡¯s position for themselves.

    The two had not even had the chance to start cleaning up the passageways yet.

    There were already clientsing to them to procure goods.

    But the specifics of how to manage operations still needed to be carefully deliberated by the two of them.

    Especially concerning those clients.

    A few of the big bosses who came for the merchandise were biding their time, likely wanting to see what kind of situation they could create.

    The onesing to them for negotiations were all involved in minor affairs.

    To put it inly, it was just a test.

    Everyone was silently observing, wanting to see if they could indeed take over Sang Ji¡¯s territory and secure a foothold.

    That would determine if they would have any business in the future.

    The two had already turned Sang Ji¡¯s old nest upside down.

    Here they were, sitting in Sang Ji¡¯s office.

    The safe in front of them had been pried open.

    Gold and foreign currencies were piled up on a table.

    Two ck leather notebooks were tossed aside.

    Bai Mei and Xiaodao were in the midst of their revelry.

 Chapter 843 Ambition

    <h4>Chapter 843: Chapter 843 Ambition</h4><h4></h4>

    "Brother Dao, I didn¡¯t expect Sang Ji to leave us so much stuff. With this money, we can do much more, and the weapons and ammunition we seized yesterday were very sufficient. Congrattions Brother Dao, you¡¯re going to take Sang Ji¡¯s ce now." Bai Mei was originally just an ordinary farm wife.

    Now she¡¯s shockingly ambitious and has be the big sister boss.

    It must be said that her experiences over these years have changed her.

    Fang Xiaoshan¡¯s tyranny opened a door for her, and for the first time Bai Mei understood that the one with the bigger fist gets to be in charge.

    Moreover, after she had dealt with Fang Xiaoshan, she suddenly realized that all her past forbearance and the belief in just getting through the days was bullshit.

    When she beat Fang Xiaoshan and robbed him bloody, leaving with his money, she felt an immense satisfaction inside.

    That feeling of controlling life and death suddenly made her understand what kind of life she wanted.

    Especially after meeting Xiaodao, she gradually understood that women are vulnerable, but they can also be very powerful.

    Just like now, she has taken this position, Sister Mei!

    Such a mighty name.

    Back in the days, countless women would tremble at the sound of her name.

    When she used a whip to discipline those disobedient women who wanted to escape, the sense of superiority looking down on everyone made her not want to turn back.

    Compared to her days in that small mountain vige, those days weren¡¯t fit for humans.

    If you want to live a good life, you must be the strongest person.

    And from now on, Bai Mei is going to be different.

    Once they rece Sang Ji, it¡¯s fair to say that they¡¯ll have money and people, strong and powerful.

    They no longer need to fear Bai Xiao.

    Bai Mei even imagines that one day, she will need to have someone take care of Bai Xiao.

    "Dear, all of this is thanks to your advice. I¡¯ve realized that although you are a woman, your mind and vision are quite broad. Sometimes your ambition is even greater than mine, and I sometimes wonder if one day you might kick me out and take over as the boss yourself."

    These words are dangerous.

    Bai Mei isn¡¯t stupid. Xiaodao, having been in the underworld for so many years, is testing her and also wanting to see if she will be loyal to him.

    Hugging Xiaodao¡¯s neck, Bai Mei smiled.

    She poked Xiaodao¡¯s chest with her finger.

    "Darling, even if I have ambition! I¡¯m still your woman, and I can¡¯t escape your palm. We share wealth and misfortune together; only if we are united can we handle all this well. Don¡¯t worry, what kind of ambition can a woman like me have? The most is just hoping you¡¯d help me take my revenge.

    To enjoy fine dining and wear luxurious clothes, look at which woman doesn¡¯t like brand-name bags, doesn¡¯t like wearing gold and jewelry. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re now rich but reluctant to spend on your woman?"

    Intentionally portraying herself as a vain woman while saying these things, she genuinely liked it.

    Xiaodao picked up a diamond ne from the table. The pendant was a blue diamond shining transparently under light, and they of course knew the price of diamonds; this ne was valuable, which affirmed its worth being stored in Sang Ji¡¯s safe.

    He hung it around Bai Mei¡¯s neck.

    Bai Mei gently touched the diamond ne with her finger, evaluating herself in the mirror.

    In this moment, she really looked resplendently graceful.

    This is the life she wanted to live.

    "Dear, everything I have will be yours. Marry me!" Xiaodao said with a smile. He hadn¡¯t considered marrying Bai Mei before because Bai Mei didn¡¯t have that value, but now things were different; they had to be one in order to work together as one against the world.

 Chapter 844: Infernal Affairs

    <h4>Chapter 844: Chapter 844: Infernal Affairs</h4><h4></h4>

    "What are you so anxious about? Now is not the time for us to get married." Bai Mei nced at Xiaodao and saw his face turn ugly in an instant; this man¡¯s suspicions were exceptionally severe.

    If she didn¡¯t appease Xiaodao properly, she might not survive the night.

    "You don¡¯t want to marry me?"

    Although Xiaodao liked Bai Mei and appreciated her intelligence even more, if this woman couldn¡¯t be of use to him, then he would heartlessly get rid of her.

    He wouldn¡¯t allow a woman with great ambition, ready to rece him at any moment, to stay by his side.

    With a charmingugh, she said, "You¡¯re just too impatient. Listen to me, look at our current situation, internal and external troubles. Although we have taken over Sang Ji¡¯sir, the route Sang Ji had is impossible to get started with. Right now, everyone is watching me, eager to see how we¡¯ll manage to do business well.

    Moreover, you should know how riddled with holes Sang Ji¡¯s operation is. Not to mention that people from the underworld are keeping an eye on it, even the police are probably watching this line. What we need to do now is to sort out this tangled mess.

    Firstly, we¡¯ve just brought our people together, and we need to conduct a major purge, putting our people in critical positions and clearing out all spies, whether sent by others or undercover agents from the police, to avoid trouble for us in the future.

    What remains is for us to make a big deal.

    To show all those who are watching that we have the goods, we can deliver. Only then can we establish our authority," Bai Mei eloquently expressed.

    Xiaodao¡¯s heart softened immediately, caressing Bai Mei¡¯s waist and abdomen, his fingers lingering, "You always think things through so thoroughly. Alright, when we have sorted all this out, then we can get married." He swept Bai Mei up and carried her toward the bedroom inside.

    This Sang Ji really knew how to enjoy life.

    The decoration here was incredibly luxurious; it was said to be one of Sang Ji¡¯s manyirs.

    This boss apparently operated on the principle of a crafty rabbit having three burrows; it made one wonder how many secrets and how much wealth Sang Ji had hidden in other ces.

    The two of them were getting ready to have a big celebration.

    Someone knocked on the door.

    Bai Mei and herpany didn¡¯t notice the heavy curtains stir.

    That huge and silent shadow deftly crossed the window, blending in perfectly with the curtains.

    People usually make some noise when they move.

    Of course, now the whole room was so quiet, if Bai Mei and Xiaodao listened carefully, they would definitely be able to hear the sound of the curtains rubbing as they moved, or the faint, rhythmic breathing, the scraping sound of shoes against the floor, the rustling of clothes ¨C any kind of sound¡ªthat is if they paid attention.

    s, their attention was drawn to the door.

    Xiaodao asked displeasedly, "What¡¯s the matter?" Those who dared to knock on the door at this time were definitely his trusted subordinates.

    He was still wary of Sang Ji¡¯s men.

    "Boss, what should we do with the undercover agent? It¡¯s been a whole day and night."

    The deep voice finally reminded Bai Mei and Xiaodao that they had an undercover agent in their hands.

    This man turned out to be Sang Ji¡¯s most trusted bodyguard; nobody had ever suspected that he would be an undercover agent.

    If not for an incident where they took this man, named Wu Gang, on the busy streets of Myanmar and encountered a woman and a little girl ¨C the little girl sweetly calling him daddy ¨C that made Bai Mei and the others vignt, capturing the woman and the child, as Wu Gang tried to rescue them at midnight.

    Only then was the mystery fully unveiled.

 Chapter 845: Complete the Mission

    <h4>Chapter 845: Chapter 845: Complete the Mission</h4><h4></h4>

    "You guys need to give him a harsh beating, have everyone take part, no one is allowed to stand by." Bai Mei came up with a vicious n, as if it were a pledge of loyalty.

    She wanted to bind everyone together.

    This Wu Gang, whether from Myanmar¡¯s or China¡¯s underworld, serves as the best proof.

    To kill such people meant that no one could cleanse themselves.

    Wu Gang was very tough, remaining silent even as he watched his wife and child die in front of him.

    "You must harbor great hatred towards these people, right? You should know clearly what to do." Xiaodao understood the deep animosity these drug traffickers bore against their victims, knowing that being caught trafficking drugs meant execution, they were like cats and mice to each other.

    The cruelty and malevolence of these people are beyond what normal people can imagine.

    Even she was shocked when she opened the weapons cache of Sang Ji, if it hadn¡¯t been someone who betrayed him to the top leaders of Myanmar, such expensive imported weaponry and ck market ammunition could equip a group¡¯s firepower, all representing huge amounts of money.

    Xiaodao obviously knew that once these people were exposed, they faced not only the vengeance of drug traffickers but also of drug users, moneyunderers, and others, the entire industrial chain¡¯s hatred. Cutting off their financial path means they will fight you desperately.

    Thus, their methods towards the exposed undercover agents and police were unimaginably brutal.

    "Okay, I¡¯ll inform them."

    The dark curtains remained silent and still.

    Xiaodao sneered as he carried Bai Mei into the house and closed the bedroom door.

    The dark shadow masked his expression, An Zhiyuan coldly watched the closed door, and for a moment he wanted to kill Bai Mei right away.

    But his strongposure and rationale told him that hisrades were here; their task was not about acting bravely just for the moment and putting everyone in jeopardy.

    Especially since he had just understood that one of their own was in the hands of the enemy.

    Regardless of which side this person was from, they had the responsibility and obligation to rescue him.

    They had seen much blood and brutality; every policeman deserved respect, especially those in drug enforcement, reportedly almost every day, an officer fell at his post.

    Their viciousness is hard to imagine.

    This is not a war, but in terms of cruelty, it¡¯s even harsher than war.

    After observing for half a minute, An Zhiyuan quietly and quickly slid from behind the curtains and approached the table.

    He concentrated on staying quiet, carefully listening to the surrounding noises to avoid being discovered by intruders; asionally, there were noises outside, probably those going to the prison where the undercover agent was held, coupled withughter.

    This ce was filled with Bai Mei and Xiaodao¡¯s trophies.

    The wide-open and damaged safe door showed emptiness inside, so what they were looking for must be on this table.

    An Zhiyuan nced past the gold, silver, jewels, and banknotes, quickly searching the table.

    Finally, his gazended on two ck leather notebooks, which he grabbed and stuffed into his backpack, ncing at the door emitting ambiguous sounds.

    Now they must figure out how to rescue the undercover agent. If they didn¡¯t know about this, they could pretend ignorance, but now that they knew someone was being tortured here, they couldn¡¯t ignore it. The mission wasplete, and what followed was their cleanup operation; these scumbags didn¡¯t deserve their mercy.

 Chapter 846 Ambush

    <h4>Chapter 846: Chapter 846 Ambush</h4><h4></h4>

    An Zhiyuan, clutching his pistol, silently made his way past piles of trash and gravel, through the dpidated building.

    They were on the top floor; thus, apart from the roof, his only way out was down.

    He knew where the exit was but was still unsure of the viins¡¯ whereabouts.

    Where was the undercover agent being held in this building? He had no idea. He could only take the risk to try to contact his teammates, hoping to get him out. In one more hour, it would be dawn. He had to get his team to a safe location before daylight.

    The evacuation vehicle would be waiting for them there.

    He paused at the corner of the hallway, pressed his body against the wall, and peeked out to survey the situation.

    An ominous figure appeared at the entrance of a room in the distance¡ªa guard on duty.

    Watching the cell with a sinister smile, agonized moans emanated from within, along with the incessant sound of whipping, apanied by loud, unintelligible yelling and cursing.

    An Zhiyuan whispered into hismunicator, "Number One haspleted the mission. There is one undercover agent. Our mission is to rescue him and evacuate quickly. Let¡¯s begin to clean up this trash!"

    "Number One, roger that!"

    His subordinate responded.

    Then, all that could be heard was a faint rustling and gurgling sound as the guard copsed softly; An Zhiyuan quietly dragged the guard inside, then stepped over the body on the ground and shut the door firmly.

    He moved silently down the hallway, cautiously inspecting the few rooms with open doors.

    No risks could be left for him and hisrades.

    His weapon, now fitted with a silencer, could take care of enemies without a sound, avoiding detection by these people.

    The stairwell was like a monstrous mouth gaping open in hungry anticipation.

    Darkness, on the contrary, brought relief. It not only indicated the absence of guards but also concealed others.

    People still retain their primordial cave-dwelling instincts; they need thefort of light when awake, so they can see their enemies approach. Darkness is a tool for interrogators to break their prisoners, intensifying the feeling of helplessness and shattering their nerves.

    But he is a special operative; darkness is merely an environment he could utilize.

    It¡¯s his preferred protection.

    Light was beginning to emerge above; he realized he was nearing the bottom of the staircase. He stopped in the shadows where he could protect himself, listening for any slight sound.

    His teammates were surely moving in the dark as well.

    No need to see; that intuition was always urate.

    He skirted the gravel, backing against the wall, and cautiously entered the stairway. Although reasonably sure of the staircase¡¯s safety, since the kidnappers hadn¡¯t used it yet, he couldn¡¯t take chances. Those fools had cluttered the stairs with objects, blocking their own escape path.

    From a distance, their cursing and exnatory chatter could be heard, but it was too far to discern clearly. It didn¡¯t matter; he already knew their location, and now he had them.

    That Wu Gang was certainly in this room.

    Based on all his experience, there were many missions that could be perfectly executed; he could count all the ones that went ording to n on one hand.

    But he had no way to prepare for mechanical failures, idents, natural conditions, and the unpredictability of human factors, just like Wu Gang¡¯s situation now. They wouldn¡¯t stand by and do nothing regardless.

    That was not what he should do, and this man was very likely one of his teammates, so giving up was even less of an option.

    He noticed a ghostly figure emerging at the other end of the corridor¡ªthe reinforcements had arrived.

 Chapter 847 Sacrifice

    <h4>Chapter 847: Chapter 847 Sacrifice</h4><h4></h4>

    The gate didn¡¯t need to be rammed open; he and his team members were ambushed on either side of the wall just outside the gate.

    The gate swung wide.

    Light flickered with the movement of people inside, sometimes bright, sometimes dim.

    An Zhiyuan gestured; he heard through his earpiece that everyone was in position.

    In just a few minutes, there were no more standing figures in the prison cell.

    The stench of blood permeating the air was nausea-inducing, but they were used to it ¨C the five men in the room hated the torturers so much that they wished they could kill these beasts all over again as they looked at the man "Wu Gang," who was hanging on the stakes.

    An Zhiyuan waved his hand; they couldn¡¯t linger any longer. Their mission was to leave safely, toplete their own task. He handed his backpack to the adjacent Ghost Shadow, "Clean up the scene; we¡¯re leaving."

    For more than forty-five hours ¨C his 5 ribs had been crushed by a blunt instrument, the skin and flesh below both knees had been yed, his nose cut off by a de, both his eyeballs had been smashed, his jaw shattered by a blunt object, and eight fingers chopped off.

    The most brutal part was that through the entire torture, because the drug traffickers had injected him with heavy doses of stimnts, he couldn¡¯t even pass out from the pain. (This is taken from Baidu; please forgive the brutality, but it is a fact, unknown would not be subjected to censorship.)

    Now, Wu Gang, who barely had a breath left in him, looked helplessly at them; he couldn¡¯t hold on any longer, yet these people wouldn¡¯t let him die.

    Death had be a luxury.

    They all remembered a saying: the reason you can¡¯t see the darkness is that countless brave souls have blocked it out where you can¡¯t see.

    This sentence encapsted the helplessness and destion of these narcotics officers.

    An Zhiyuan took the man down from the pir; yes, the word was "took down!"

    For the man was impaled by iron nails through his palms and limbs. Whether this breath couldst until the return was uncertain, but An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t stop yearning for Bai Xiao.

    If Bai Xiao were by his side, perhaps there might have been hope for Wu Gang.

    To at least let him live on.

    "Wu Gang, we are a special team from China, I am the captain. We¡¯re going to get you out of here. We¡¯re going home!"

    Looking at such teammates, there were tears in everyone¡¯s eyes. Who says men don¡¯t shed tears lightly, just that it hasn¡¯t reached their hearts yet.

    This was thement written in their blood and lives.

    Wu Gang shook his head; he could no longer see hisrades, a painful sob followed, "Give... me... a... quick..."

    All shed tears, An Zhiyuan shook his head, "Hang in there, we¡¯ll take you back soon, everyone listen up, level this ce, leave no one alive!" With tears, An Zhiyuan hoisted Wu Gang upon his back, ready to leave.

    The fiery rage for revenge was burning in their hearts; these people deserved to die.

    The bullets were chambered, the furious mes of anger ready to crush all dust into nothingness.

    An Zhiyuan sensed Wu Gang slump on his back; Ghost Shadow felt for a pulse, then shook his head.

    The atmosphere became oppressively heavy.

    An Zhiyuan lifted the man with force, "Comrade, we¡¯re going home, we don¡¯t know your name, but you will return to your country." The five men held their firearms, their lush ck hair matted from sweat, faces painted with intecing ck and green camo. Their green T-shirts were filthy from mud and sweat, but their presence was immense.

    He coolly considered whether to order a return to the ce of torture, to kill all the bastards still there, even if only a handful; it was not enough to quell their anger, it was what they deserved.

    But his mission was to retrieve the item they wanted; it was not yetplete. They had to leave, for if they lost their calm, they too might be killed, endangering his team. Long ago, he learned to separate emotion from impulse, which kept him clear-headed and did not hinder his execution of the current mission, but... damn it! He truly wanted to ughter those bastards.

    The deaths of these men here were not enough.

    They no longer deserved to be called human.

    "Retreat!"

    He ordered softly.

    All eyes dimmed; they held no objection, but they knew it was amand.

 Chapter 848: Captured

    <h4>Chapter 848: Chapter 848: Captured</h4> His equipment and weapons were alienating, almost indifferent and restrained, reverting to how he was before he arrived today, maintaining sharp vignce, fully concentrating on handling any unforeseen events.

    Just ahead was their vehicle; once on board, a mere six hours would see them back to their territory, where they could finally be safe.

    Everyone maintained the same pace, no one making a sound, as if they were born to be silent and stealthy.

    Suddenly, an explosion erupted behind them, sending sparks flying in all directions.

    The shrill rat-tat-tat of automatic gunfire rang out as An Zhiyuan, carrying the heavy Wu Gang, took cover under the chassis of the vehicle, before turning and firing his automatic rifle. Ghost Shadow took the driver¡¯s seat, flooring the gas pedal and sending the car speeding away.

    The team members returned fire, the shes of gunfire sprinkling the air as spent cartridges exploded in all directions, hitting the ground and ricocheting off.

    The bomb detonated in the night, bursting with mes that shot up like fireworks. An Zhiyuan was struck down by a falling tree, struggling to free himself from the body that pinned him as his team members got in the car.

    In the midst of mes, Wu Gang¡¯s body was riddled with bullet holes.

    An Zhiyuany half on his side under the weight of the tree, hands pressing on his abdomen and writhing back and forth, trying to free his legs from the tree. The tree was huge; his leg ached, and if he wasn¡¯t mistaken, his leg was broken.

    Hisplexion was pale, his eyes tightly shut, his jaws clenched in pain, with fresh blood soaking through the side of his green shirt, and even more blood gushing from under him.

    His teammates were about to jump from the car; they couldn¡¯t leave him behind.

    An Zhiyuan looked back at the approaching sound of machine guns, shook his head, and shouted, "Go! Leave me!"

    Catching a glimpse in the corner of his eye of the enemy setting up a rocketuncher, he ordered through the mic.

    "I order you to retreat, now."

    Ghost Shadow nced back at the rocketuncher; they had their duties, the mission wasn¡¯tpleted, and even if it meant sacrificing themselves here, it would be meaningless.

    A silent nce at An Zhiyuan! He stepped on the gas, and the vehicle shot out.

    As the car departed! A rocket exploded in the area they¡¯d just left.

    The shockwave raised engulfed the area in a rolling inferno.

    An Zhiyuan was flipped over by the st,pletely losing consciousness.

    ...

    Not knowing how much time had passed, An Zhiyuan was awakened by a ssh of cold water.

    Opening his eyes, he saw the ring lights, and his body ached as if it wasn¡¯t his.

    Finally, he saw clearly that he was firmly tied to a chair, the bindings so professional that not even he could free himself quickly.

    "Stop looking, An Zhiyuan, you can¡¯t undo them. I know your skills, so I specifically instructed my men to take good care of you, lest you escape," a familiar voice rang in An Zhiyuan¡¯s ear.

    "Bai Mei, knowing who I am, you should understand the stakes. Not releasing me, you should know what will happen to you. My teammates won¡¯t just leave me behind," An Zhiyuan¡¯s head was splitting in pain. He was painfully aware that he was now in Bai Mei¡¯s hands.

    "An Zhiyuan! Stop bluffing, I¡¯m not afraid. We¡¯ve long left that ce. In these deep mountains and dense forests, even if your brothers wanted to search, they wouldn¡¯t find us without a guide in ten days or half a month; so you might as well save your breath. Increase the drug dosage for Mr. An, to prevent him from troubling us when he wakes up," Bai Mei ordered.

    A needle pierced An Zhiyuan¡¯s carotid artery, and darkness consumed his vision.

 Chapter 849 Conspiracy

    <h4>Chapter 849: Chapter 849 Conspiracy</h4><h4></h4>

    "Sister Mei! What do we do now?"

    "Don¡¯t panic, I have a n!" Bai Mei patted An Zhiyuan¡¯s cheek and turned to walk outside! This ce was one of their former secret hideouts, generally unknown to outsiders.

    It was also their deliberately kept contingency! They had not expected that it woulde to use.

    How unlucky, Bai Mei thought! Encounters with Bai Xiao never ended well! Encounters with An Zhiyuan neither.

    That day, she and Xiaodao were enjoying their victorious spoils in the house, adding a romantic celebration, deeply immersed in loving affection, when someone noticed something was off¡ªthere were no signs of people on the second floor, none who entered the prison hade out.

    In the surveince, they discovered outsiders had broken in, and it was five people; Xiaodao and Bai Mei immediately organized an armed team and started sniping, not allowing anyone toe and go freely, which would be uneptable for maintaining their operations.

    However, they hadn¡¯t anticipated that these people were even more ruthless. Before leaving, they even threw several bombs in, forcing Bai Mei and Xiaodao to lead a ragged pursuit. Relying on their numerical advantage and superior weaponry, they finally managed to injure one.

    The rest still escaped.

    But Sang Ji¡¯s old hideout couldn¡¯t be considered safe anymore, it waspletely destroyed.

    As per Xiaodao¡¯s suggestion, it would be to viciously ughter the man who ruined everything for them and then flee far away; after all, as long as they hid, they really couldn¡¯t be found.

    It¡¯s not easy to find them.

    But Bai Mei stopped them.

    It wasn¡¯t that Bai Mei had a kind heart or a shred ofpassion.

    Bai Mei has a major use for An Zhiyuan.

    So that¡¯s why they retreated here.

    Xiaodao was drinking sulkily; just the day before yesterday, they were enjoying almost heavenly pleasures, but now everything was gone.

    The few bombs destroyed all their hopes, and they didn¡¯t even have time to take their gold, silver, and jewels before everything blew up.

    Now they were stuck in this awkward corner, drinking bad quality whisky, Xiaodao felt ufortable and his difort made him want to cause trouble.

    Violently smashing the ss in his hand on the ground, "Damn it, if I don¡¯t kill these people, I am not Xiaodao." He stood up but was blocked by Bai Mei¡¯s arrival.

    "Brother Dao, sit down, don¡¯t be like this, listen to me for a moment, and if you still want to kill him afterward, I won¡¯t oppose it."

    Xiaodao, still furious, sat down, picked up the bottle of liquor from the table, tilted his head back and gulped arge mouthful, wiping his mouth, "You better have a good reason, or else I¡¯ll suspect you¡¯re in cahoots with that guy."

    Bai Mei rolled her eyes, "How could you suspect me? We are in this together; if you are in trouble, can I run away? Fool! I¡¯m stopping you from killing this man now because he¡¯s important. He destroyed everything we had, so let his wife pay us back. Once we get the money, whatever you want to do afterward, who could stop you?"

    "Exin clearly, I still don¡¯t understand."

    When money was mentioned, Xiaodao calmed down a bit¡ªmoney was of utmost importance in their eyes, more so than even their own parents.

    Bai Mei leaned close to Xiaodao and poured him another drink.

    "This man, An Zhiyuan, is a military officer from China; he has a formidable wife, remember thest auction? That raw stone that fetched a sky-high price was cut by his wife. Tell me, isn¡¯t he worth a lot?"

    All they had now was a portion of weapons, and they have people to sustain: eating, drinking¡ªdoesn¡¯t every bit of it require money?

    An Zhiyuan and his group destroyed everything they had, so let Bai Xiao return it!

    Bai Mei was already brewing a major move; if she couldn¡¯t exact revenge on Bai Xiao this time, it would be a disservice to herself.

 Chapter 850: Requesting to Battle

    <h4>Chapter 850: Chapter 850: Requesting to Battle</h4><h4></h4>

    Yun Province special office.

    "What happened?" The topmander mmed the table, his most prized subordinate hadn¡¯t returned from a trivial mission, and they had lost three men. Once An Zhiyuan falls into their hands, one can imagine how dreadful his fate will be. Those desperados take pleasure in dealing with people like them, cruel and merciless, capable of any atrocity.

    "Leader, we are sorry!" Ghost Shadow and the others lowered their heads in silence. Their captain had fallen into their clutches, Wu Gang being the prime example.

    It¡¯s unthinkable to imagine the tortures An Zhiyuan would endure, being ground to dust. They shouldn¡¯t have left their captain, but everyone knew, if they had stayed, none would have returned. Under rocket fire, regardless of skill, they are still flesh, not indestructible as iron.

    Having no indestructible bodies, facing heavy weaponry, they would also die without a grave. Death isn¡¯t scary, but they have responsibilities, and the mission¡¯s importance outweighs everything else, which they understand.

    "This isn¡¯t your fault, you¡¯vepleted the mission well, there is no doubt about that. The information you brought back is critical, and this time our will catch those big fish, none will escape.

    Go and rest now, leave the rest to us."

    Ghost Shadow hesitated, "Leader, what about Captain An?"

    "We will organize a task force to try and rescue him, but because he¡¯s currently in Myanmar, the conditions are not favorable for us, especially since this time, our mission bypassed the Myanmar government without notice, secretly infiltrating. If mentioned, we are illegally entering.

    So, this rescue can¡¯t be conspicuous, and those people are very familiar with Myanmar¡¯s terrain year-round. If they really hide in some remote corner, it¡¯s indeed hard for us to find. This rescue operation will be very difficult." What themander didn¡¯t mention was not only the difficulty of the rescue but also whether An Zhiyuan can survive until they get there was a question.

    Thesewless people are ruthless.

    They damaged their financial paths, and one can fear these people could ruthlessly pulverize him, time is also pressing.

    Ghost Shadow saluted, "Leader, we request to join the advance team, we are quite familiar with the local terrain, plus this mission is deeply rted to us, five went, only four returned. If you don¡¯t let us go, we can¡¯t get over this hurdle in our hearts.

    The captain covered for us, otherwise. Even though he was injured, he wouldn¡¯t be unable to move. He was worried the rocket would hit us and used himself as bait."

    Ghost Shadow saw the bomb An Zhiyuan threw, by that time he had already freed himself from under the tree, even if he moved to the nearby jungle, he had a chance to escape. But he explicitly picked up the weapon to confront the enemy, clearly indicating there was still a living person here.

    Otherwise, their vehicle could have escaped so smoothly.

    Leaving their teammate behind was the most difficult and helpless choice for them.

    They must go back to rescue the captain.

    Otherwise, it will be a lifelong shadow in their hearts.

    Not one of them is the kind of person who could abandon their teammate at such a moment.

    For them, this is a disgrace.

    "You go back and rest first, I have received your request. We need to organize personnel for reconnaissance first, those people definitely changed location after your attack. Myanmar¡¯s terrain isplex, even if you have been there before, it¡¯s still like searching for a needle in the ocean.

    We want to rescue, but the premise is not to sacrifice others to save one person." Themander certainly knows their feelings, each team member watching their teammate fall into enemy hands to cover for them.

    Unless one¡¯s heart is made of iron, no one can remain indifferent.

    But they also know that this mission is very difficult.

    Just having passion and brotherhood is not enough.

 Chapter 851 Extortion

    <h4>Chapter 851: Chapter 851 Extortion</h4><h4></h4>

    "Bai Xiao, phone call!"

    The dorm supervisor auntie is yelling from downstairs.

    Bai Xiao sticks her head out the window, "I¡¯ll be right down! Thank you!"

    She knows for sure it must be her Second Brother An calling.

    They have both been back at school for two days now.

    Calling An Zhiyuan¡¯s office, there¡¯s never been an answer.

    It¡¯s gotten her somewhat worried.

    Now, hearing there¡¯s a call for her, she immediately brightens up; it looks like An Zhiyuan finally came back from his task.

    "Whose call is it? Look at you, all lovesick. Could it be your boyfriend?" Ma Yao and the others can tell; Bai Xiao¡¯s little expressions haven¡¯t improved since returning to the dorm, always looking a bit downhearted, but now upon hearing about the call, she can¡¯t hide her excitement at all.

    Bai Xiao pockets some cash and slips on her sneakers, dashing downstairs.

    "Not a boyfriend! It¡¯s my beloved!"

    Bai Xiao had already run downstairs.

    "You all... If you¡¯re a top student, say top student, and if he¡¯s a boyfriend, say boyfriend. Why do you have to use the term ¡¯beloved¡¯? If he¡¯s that, then of course, he¡¯s your beloved, but if it was your lover, it might sound somewhat sleazy. What am I to say about you, Bai Xiao?" Ma Yao and the others haven¡¯t grasped the true meaning of the word ¡¯beloved¡¯.

    In this era, many people refer to their husbands and wives simply as ¡¯my beloved¡¯ when making introductions.

    But in the already reform and opening-up Modu,

    The term ¡¯beloved¡¯ is also considered a trendy word, used to describe one¡¯s loved one.

    So, it¡¯s no wonder Ma Yao and the others didn¡¯t really understand.

    Bai Xiao descends the stairs! She runs into Zhang Zhaoyuan, who is holding a Traditional Chinese Medicine book, "The Yellow Emperor¡¯s ssic of Internal Medicine." Seeing Bai Xiao, he smiles warmly, feeling a sudden warmth in his heart. He didn¡¯t expect Bai Xiao to have a telepathic understanding, knowing he wasing to look for her and waiting for him downstairs.

    Holding up the book, "This book should be helpful for your studies. I found it specially in a bookstore outside, take it with you!" He stuffs it into Bai Xiao¡¯s hands.

    Bai Xiao looks at Zhang Zhaoyuan; thed gives her the book and then swiftly turns and leaves, offering no chance for refusal.

    Holding the book in her hand.

    She needs "The Yellow Emperor¡¯s ssic of Internal Medicine," except she has already bought it, and it¡¯s resting on the head of her bed in the dorm.

    But he walks away so quickly, not even giving her a chance to exin.

    It seems that she¡¯ll have to go to their ssroom to return the book to him tomorrow.

    With the book in hand, Bai Xiao approaches the phone booth. During daytime, the phone is ced outside in the phone box, and the small wooden door is left open, making it convenient for students to take calls.

    Come evening, the dorm supervisor auntie locks the little door.

    Bai Xiao picks up the handset, "Second Brother An, you still remember to call, huh? It¡¯s been days without contact, you had me worried to death." Even though she speaks in a tone ofint, her voice is quite gentle.

    "Bai Xiao, your Second Brother An is in our hands now." A woman¡¯s voicees through the handset, coldly conveying their malice.

    Bai Xiao feels a chill in her heart.

    "Who are you?"

    Her mind is in total chaos. Wasn¡¯t An Zhiyuan out on a task? How did he end up in someone else¡¯s hands?

    If he really fell into someone else¡¯s hands, how would that person know about her rtionship with An Zhiyuan, including finding the phone number here?

    All this,ing through the handset, seems intricately confusing.

    "Dear Doctor Bai, it¡¯s none of your business who we are. However, we want you to bring five hundred million to redeem your Second Brother An. Surely, as a couple united in heart, you wouldn¡¯t refuse to save your man over such a trifling amount of money," the other party doesn¡¯t give her any chance to speak.

 Chapter 852: Looking Forward to the Meeting

    <h4>Chapter 852: Chapter 852: Looking Forward to the Meeting</h4><h4></h4>

    "If you want 5 billion, that¡¯s fine, but I have to confirm whether An Zhiyuan is actually in your hands. It¡¯s impossible for you to just call and expect me to give you the money saying he¡¯s with you." She wasn¡¯t panicked. Unable to confirm An Zhiyuan¡¯s whereabouts, she wouldn¡¯t let herself be flustered first.

    "Alright, you want to hear An Zhiyuan¡¯s voice? Then listen!"

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s voice came from the receiver, "Bai Xiao, don¡¯t agree to any of their demands. It¡¯s Bai Mei trying to lure you over, don¡¯t mind me... um... ah..."

    A muffled grunt, Bai Xiao knew something was wrong, An Zhiyuan must be hurt.

    The receiver was back in Bai Mei¡¯s hands, "Haha, didn¡¯t expect your An brother to be so deeply caring and righteous, preferring to get hurt rather than let you take a risk! Tsk tsk, it¡¯s so touching. Oh, and to give you a live update, that sound just now was my man stabbing him twice.

    Don¡¯t worry, it wasn¡¯t anything vital, just two stabs in the leg, and after all, that leg is already broken." The other sideughed arrogantly.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s heart was torn.

    "What do you want?"

    Since she already knew it was Bai Mei, it goes without saying that Bai Mei¡¯s ultimate goal was to kill her. This time, with An Zhiyuan falling into her hands, she obviously wanted both the man and the money.

    "What do I want? Don¡¯t you already know? You have two choices: bring the 5 billion to ransom your man, or you can choose not toe. But if you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll be very angry, and when I¡¯m angry, the consequences are going to be severe. If you don¡¯te, I¡¯ll let my minions take good care of your An Zhiyuan every day. We can do it slowly, no rush.

    Today we¡¯ll just break his leg, tomorrow we¡¯ll start slowly breaking all his limbs. Of course,ter, whether his eyes, mouth, or face remain intact, will be up to you, Doctor Bai." Bai Mei watched with glee as An Zhiyuan was being brutally beaten by several people.

    "Fine, you name the ce, I¡¯ll go to ransom him."

    Knowing full well it was a trap, she knew she had to jump in.

    If she went, An Zhiyuan would still have a chance to live, but if she didn¡¯t, he would surely die.

    "Good, indeed, my good sister still cares about loyalty. Then settle down at Shuiwang Hotel on the border of Yun Province. We will call you when the timees. Time is tight, oh, I hope you can make it by 5 pm tomorrow. And of course, that 5 billion in cash, all must be in cash, packed in bags.

    Oh my, when you think about it, that¡¯s a lot of money, too much for you, a girl, to carry. You better get some transport, who knows, we might just have you scrambling up and down the mountains.

    By the way, don¡¯t even think about calling the cops. To be honest with you, calling the cops is useless. If we find that some of those people or someone else is involved, you should understand how much I hate you, and maybe then, I won¡¯t want the money, just to see you in pain instead. In these wild mountains, it¡¯s easy to kill someone and find a spot to bury them, and you may never find An Zhiyuan in this lifetime.

    Take your time to prepare, my sister. I look forward to our meeting."

    "Bai Mei, I too am very much looking forward to our meeting." Bai Xiao hung up the phone, hearing clearly the sounds of An Zhiyuan being punched and kicked, mixed with many words she didn¡¯t understand. It must be from Myanmar. Bai Mei dared to be so brazen because the environment and personnel there are veryplex, probably knowing she couldn¡¯t do anything about herself.

 Chapter 853 Arrangements

    <h4>Chapter 853: Chapter 853 Arrangements</h4> "Jiang Shaoqing, I need money. I am returning to Yun Province tomorrow, and I hope you can prepare 500 million in cash for me and also arrange an off-road vehicle! Plus, I want to get in touch with Shao Ming, I need some people to help me." At this time, Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t beat around the bush, and it¡¯s certain she wouldn¡¯t involve the police.

    The police¡¯s involvement couldn¡¯t help to handle cross-border cases anyway, as it¡¯s too difficult.

    Instead of wasting time like that, she decided to figure it out herself.

    "Okay, what time do you need it tomorrow? I will have Shao Ming look for you." Jiang Shaoqing sensitively knew something was up! But since Bai Xiao didn¡¯t talk about it, he wouldn¡¯t ask either; this woman never needed him to do anything.

    "I will call you when I arrive. Please prepare everything for me in advance, thank you." Bai Xiao estimated the time! It¡¯s morning now, she will book her flight, and even the earliest she could get there would be evening; Shao Ming could help prepare some groundwork.

    "Okay! See you tomorrow!" Jiang Shaoqing hung up the phone.

    Bai Xiao turned around to leave! She was stopped by the dormitory supervisor, "Hey, you haven¡¯t paid yet."

    She took out a ten yuan note and threw it on the supervisor¡¯s desk, "No need for change!"

    She was racing against the clock, every minute was crucial.

    Back at the dorm, Bai Xiao changed her clothes; she wanted to buy her ne ticket as soon as possible.

    In this era, there was neither inte nor telephone booking; if you didn¡¯t go to the ce yourself to buy tickets, there were no tickets avable.

    Ma Yao saw Bai Xiao dressing and asked curiously, "Bai Xiao, where are you going? You received a call; are you going on a date or something?"

    "I¡¯m going to buy a ne ticket; I need to handle some matters back in Yun Province. Can you guys ask for leave from our supervisor?"

    As Bai Xiao packed her things, she instructed them that she wouldn¡¯t be able to return to campus for several days at least.

    "You¡¯re going to buy a ne ticket? Then I¡¯ll go with you." He Juan immediately jumped off the bed, quickly changed into her clothes and put on her shoes.

    "My aunt¡¯s ssmate works at a ticket office in Modu, when I first came here my mom gave me their address and phone number, telling me to reach out if I needed any help. I¡¯lle with you, and maybe we can get the tickets faster."

    Bai Xiao immediately nodded; having connections made things easier in this era.

    Ma Yao also got out of bed, "Then I¡¯ll go to the department to ask the Director to authorize your leave, how many days should I ask for?"

    "Ask for a week. If I haven¡¯t returned after a week, then please ask for another week¡¯s leave until I get back." Bai Xiao herself didn¡¯t know how long it might take, so she could only arrange it like this.

    "Bai Xiao, what exactly happened? If there¡¯s something we can help with, just tell us. We¡¯re ssmates and will definitely help as much as we can, don¡¯t bear it alone," Lin Xiang was somewhat anxious, feeling helpless that others could assist while she couldn¡¯t.

    It felt very powerless.

    Bai Xiao was grateful for her ssmates¡¯ concern, "Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s nothing serious, just some family issues. I must rush back."

    She was most relieved that Bai Yue had already left.

    If her older sister had heard this news, she would probably insist on going to Yun Province with her.

    She and He Juan immediately headed out.

    Buying ne tickets wasn¡¯t that easy either; once they got to He Juan¡¯s aunt, they checked the flights and there was one direct flight to Yun Province at six in the evening. Fortunately, they managed to get tickets, so Bai Xiao quickly packed some toiletries and went to the airport to wait.

 Chapter 854 Redemption

    <h4>Chapter 854: Chapter 854 Redemption</h4><h4></h4>

    At ten o¡¯clock in the evening, Bai Xiao left Yun Province Airport.

    As soon as she came out of the airport exit, she saw a sign with her name on it.

    A familiar face!

    Shao Ming!

    Shao Ming also saw Bai Xiao and excitedly waved at her.

    Bai Xiao sighed, Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s work efficiency was very high.

    She could not have been so thoughtful and meticulous on her own.

    Shao Ming took over her luggage, which was just a small backpack, without any unnecessary items.

    Did this girl juste back from Modu?

    She really doesn¡¯t treat herself like a woman at all!

    "Doctor Bai, we meet again! I¡¯m really happy!" Shao Ming said these words with genuine sincerity. What he didn¡¯t say out loud was, Doctor Bai, you are my financial goddess¡ªever since working with Bai Xiao, with a few billion RMB made, Shao Ming hade to regard Doctor Bai as his lifelong idol in making money.

    He kept thinking about how to get involved with Doctor Bai again, and unexpectedly the opportunity presented itself.

    When Jiang Shaoqing called him, Shao Ming was sleeping, but as soon as he heard the three words ¡¯Doctor Bai¡¯, he was instantly wide awake and moved incredibly swiftly, even surprising himself with how motivated he became with just the mention of Doctor Bai.

    It¡¯s miraculous.

    Maybe if he ever runs out of gas while driving, just shouting ¡¯Doctor Bai¡¯ would instantly let him push the car for hundreds of kilometers.

    "Shao Ming, I¡¯m d to see you." Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t feel happy. If possible, she wouldn¡¯t want to see Shao Ming either. This meeting was apanied by a different kind of tension. Her ownbat abilities were not enough; she really needed the help of people like Shao Ming. She suddenly felt that Jiang Shaoqing had made a very correct move on her behalf.

    Life is like a game of chess indeed.

    She finally understood what the so-called karma means¡ªif she hadn¡¯t intended to repay Jiang Shaoqing for collecting her body, perhaps there wouldn¡¯t beter connections, and without such cooperation, she would bepletely in the dark now when she needed help.

    The so-called strength represents thework of people you have behind you.

    Having money doesn¡¯t mean you can do whatever you want.

    "Doctor Bai, get in the car! What are you going to do this time?" Shao Ming could already see the road ahead paved with glittering RMB.

    As long as he is with Doctor Bai, it must be a rolling in money situation.

    Bai Xiao got into the car, "Is the money ready?"

    Shao Ming pointed to the back of the trunk, "Doctor Bai, rest assured when I handle tasks. All the money is in the trunk, and I have prepared an extra two billion. Are you going to public auctions for raw stones, or what? Just tell me what you need, and I will ensure that everything is taken care of, without any omission."

    As soon as he finished speaking, he remembered that time when he boasted that he would catch Bai Mei and bring her back.

    But in the end, he let her slip away.

    His face turned slightly red as if he was pping his own face.

    "This time I¡¯m going to redeem someone, the money you prepared is not needed."

    If Bai Xiao were not in such a bad mood, she might haveughed out loud. Shao Ming, this treasure of a person, probably thinks that besides money, there is only money in his eyes. Does he really think she is preparing to make a big y in Myanmar?

    Shao Ming hit the brakes hard.

    "Redeem someone? This five hundred million is ransom?"

    "Yes!"

    Shao Ming cursed spontaneously, "Damn it."

    Who has been kidnapped to warrant a value of 500 million?

    Even if made of gold, one wouldn¡¯t be worth five hundred million, right?

    "Doctor Bai, who has been kidnapped? This ransom of 500 million is too outrageous, isn¡¯t it?"

    In this lifetime, he really broadened his horizons with Doctor Bai.

    Talking about moneyes in minutes, tens of billions cane in, but the speed of bad money is also fast¡ªa person worth 500 million.

    ording to this, what kind of work is he actually doing? It¡¯s not as quick as kidnapping.

    If he kidnapped a few dozen people, he would have more than enough to live on for his lifetime.

 Chapter 855 Bai Meiâ€™s Goal

    <h4>Chapter 855: Chapter 855 Bai Mei¡¯s Goal</h4><h4></h4>

    "Thest time, Bai Mei kidnapped my husband." Bai Xiao didn¡¯t hide the fact, she and Shao Ming were partners, and partners abhor obscurity.

    Otherwise, it¡¯s easy for Shao Ming, who doesn¡¯t know the truth, to have opposing opinions from her.

    Shao Ming now understood why the doctor was willing to pay 5 billion.

    The doctor and An Zhiyuan had a life-and-deathmitted wedding on the battlefield, which was almost a celebrated story throughout the region.

    The affection of this couple is surely stronger than gold.

    So, capturing An Zhiyuan and asking the doctor for 5 billion wasn¡¯t really a problem.

    The main issue was that the name Bai Mei made him feel very anxious.

    The only failure in his life was because of this woman.

    This Sister Mei is quite cunning; she¡¯s no ordinary person. A woman who can rise to such a level among a bunch of thugs, and is the doctor¡¯s sister, whether cousins or whatever, she¡¯s a rtive of the doctor nheless.

    The doctor, this family indeed is full of talented people.

    "What are you nning to do now? Pay the ransom? I¡¯ve encountered a lot of these situations, and even after paying the ransom, many are betrayed, especially with such arge sum of money." Shao Ming was realistic and provided professional advice.

    "I understand that even if I pay the ransom, Bai Mei will probably still make our lives a living hell." Bai Xiao was well aware, no need for further discussion.

    Bai Mei harbored deep hatred for her, even going so far as to kidnap and disgrace her in the past.

    Let alone now.

    The hatred between the two was now as deep as the sea.

    This time, it was definitely a matter of life and death.

    "Then you¡¯re still going? Going there is akin to seeking death." Shao Ming couldn¡¯t understand, knowing that there was darkness ahead, yet still running into the trap.

    To think that the doctor, being a smart person, would foolishly jump into traps.

    It seems women easily be confused when faced with love.

    "If I don¡¯t go, An Zhiyuan will die at Bai Mei¡¯s hands, if I go, perhaps Bai Mei will die at my hands." Bai Xiao had thought a lot along the way.

    This matter, no matter what, had to be resolved.

    Bai Mei had indulged herself, thinking it was merely giving a taste of her own past sufferings to Bai Mei.

    She didn¡¯t expect that Bai Mei¡¯s potential was much higher than her own in the past; not only has she grown stronger through setbacks, but she has also managed to turn the situation around because of this.

    She truly saw Bai Mei in a new light.

    Inparison, she was foolish in her past life; that Bai Mei got the upper hand and managed to escape unscathed, carving out a different path for herself.

    It really is maddening topare oneself with others.

    "Doctor, although I can apany you, and my men are definitely elite, you must consider that these people are desperadoes, and once we enter Myanmar, we are far less familiar with the terrain than them. There¡¯s a high chance you might encounter danger, and you know, one can never be too careful against thieves, with Bai Mei targeting you, you¡¯re in the greatest dangerpared to anyone else."

    Shao Ming certainly knew; his boss, Jiang Shaoqing, had instructed him to ensure Bai Xiao¡¯s safety at all costs.

    But given the current situation.

    This task is definitely, of the highest difficulty level.

    "Don¡¯t say anymore, even if it means death, I must see An Zhiyuan."

    Bai Xiao would not im she couldn¡¯t die, but this was definitely not the time to retreat.

 Chapter 856: See Through

    <h4>Chapter 856: Chapter 856: See Through</h4><h4></h4>

    "Bai Mei gave me a deadline of before 5 p.m. tomorrow, at Shuiwang Hotel. Before then, we have a lot of work to do, and I hope you can fully cooperate and gather as many people as possible to get this done." Bai Xiao of course knew this, and was not worried about Shao Ming¡¯s capabilities. If Jiang Shaoqing dared to trust her with something, it meant he waspletely confident.

    That something was certainly trustworthy.

    Shao Ming sighed, "Alright, since you want to test me, I will follow through to the end. As long as you exin everything, I can arrange for various personnel to handle all the tasks."

    Bai Xiao thought for a moment, "Alright, I trust your abilities. Help me find people first."

    The two of them certainly weren¡¯t going to Shuiwang Hotel right now.

    Even if one thought with their butt, they could tell that Shuiwang Hotel must have Bai Mei¡¯s spies by now. The moment they arrived there, likely every move they made would be monitored by others.

    Shao Ming took Bai Xiao directly to their temporary lodging.

    They have several of these safe houses here.

    Here, they would change locations at any time.

    Of course, more because they needed to ensure their own safety.

    ...

    An Zhiyuan woke up, and this time he woke up quickly, probably because his captors didn¡¯t intend for him to sleep for long when they injected him with the tranquilizer just now.

    "Has Instructor An awakened?"

    Following a voice, a brightmp shone directly on his face, so ring that he couldn¡¯t open his eyes at all.

    An Zhiyuan forcefully turned his head aside; this kind of interrogation-like harsh lighting prevented him from seeing who was on the other side, but he knew who it was.

    "Bai Mei, I didn¡¯t expect you to be so ruthless. The vige girl who used to act like a little girl throwing a tantrum, has now be the notorious Sister Mei. You truly make me see you in a new light."

    Themp was removed, and Bai Mei was dressed in a cheongsam, a wine-red cheongsam that entuated her curvaceous figure, matching high heels, and flesh-colored stockings, looking indeed like a beauty.

    Bai Mei had a good figure, well-developed from a young age, and even more so now, with her bust prominently disyed, a size that would make most women feel inferior.

    "Where from? Instructor An, the person you see today as Sister Mei wouldn¡¯t be here if not for your wife, Bai Xiao. In terms of ruthlessness, of course, I¡¯m notparable to Bai Xiao, but don¡¯t worry, she will soon be back to reunite with you. Look, we are all old acquaintances, and I¡¯m very happy to see my sister-inw this time," Bai Mei said, watching An Zhiyuan¡¯s miserable state, feeling vindicated in her heart.

    Bai Xiao led her to marry Fang Xiaoshan. If it weren¡¯t for Bai Xiao, how could she have ended up like this today; if not for Bai Xiao, maybe she would have married a honest man and lived a good life.

    Although her life now seems morous, she clearly understands that she won¡¯t be able to live like this for long; Xiaodao is currently very obedient to her, but eventually, she will age and be less attractive, and once he gets tired of her,

    her end will be very bleak.

    So the more she thinks about the future, the more afraid she gets inside, which makes her want Bai Xiao dead even more.

    She¡¯s not having a good time! Bai Xiao also can¡¯t think about just living her own life peacefully.

    That¡¯s just a dream.

    "Bai Mei, why bother? You¡¯re also an ordinary person who grew up in a normal family. Being so ruthless to others, can you really live a good life? Even if you force Bai Xiao to bring the money, you don¡¯t n on letting either of us go." An Zhiyuan had already seen through all of this.

 Chapter 857: Destroying the Will

    <h4>Chapter 857: Chapter 857: Destroying the Will</h4><h4></h4>

    "You¡¯re right, this time I¡¯m nning on doubling my gains ¨C both money and a man. But that was your wife¡¯s own choice. I didn¡¯t force her; she could¡¯ve easily chosen not toe to abandon you. Who told you two to have such a great rtionship? Instructor An, you should thank me, really. If it weren¡¯t for this situation I¡¯ve created, how would you know how important you are to your wife? How would you know that she loves you so much, she¡¯s willing to risk her own life for you?"

    Tsk tsk, I really do admire Bai Xiao for that.

    If it were me having to cough up 500 million just for a man, I definitely wouldn¡¯t be willing.

    Brothers, with these 500 million, we can live the good life, who needs men when we¡¯ve got money?

    "You say this man has had his legs broken by us, and if nothing unexpected happens, by tomorrow, this time, you should have your arms and legs broken as well."

    If I am a bit more ruthless, I could gouge out your eyeballs, cut off your tongue.

    Tsk tsk, Instructor An, you say you¡¯re all broken and useless, yet my sister is willing to spend 500 million to ransom you, you¡¯re really too lucky."

    Bai Mei has gone mad.

    Indeed, right now in her heart, she wants to make Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan¡¯s lives worse than death.

    "Bai Mei, you¡¯re too malicious, if you dare, just kill me. You think I¡¯ll be scared by this?"

    An Zhiyuan gasps for breath, as a thug next to him punches him hard, causing him to turn his head and spit out a mouthful of blood.

    "Of course I know our brave Instructor An wouldn¡¯t be scared, right? Take good care of Instructor An, remember, he¡¯s a special talent. If we don¡¯t disable him and he manages to get away, it¡¯ll be your lives on the line," Bai Mei said with a smile as she walked away.

    Who understands the details of An Zhiyuan¡¯s background better than she?

    Back then, in the vige, everyone said that Instructor An was the king around their parts.

    If the position of Instructor An hade so easily, he must be truly skilled, recognized for his valor, which is how he could have been promoted so quickly.

    The several thugs below, holding clubs, grinned viciously as they turned to An Zhiyuan.

    Even if you were a deity, you couldn¡¯t escape from here.

    Bai Mei looked at the scars on An Zhiyuan¡¯s face, caused by a dagger despite being bloodied and ferocious, Bai Mei felt inwardly satisfied. Her fingers traced An Zhiyuan¡¯s cheek, "Tsk tsk, look at you, Instructor An, such a shame about this face of yours ¨C actually quite handsome. You know, I used to quite fancy you. If it weren¡¯t for Bai Xiao cutting in, maybe I would have wanted us to be family."

    "Who would¡¯ve thought things can turn around like this? Fortunes ebb and flow, who does the vast sky spare? Look at you, back then siding with Bai Xiao and bullying me! Now aren¡¯t you in my hands? I don¡¯t really want to kill you; if you beg me for mercy, maybe I¡¯ll let you go. After all, men as handsome as you are quite rare, right? What do you say, Instructor An?"

    She just wanted to destroy An Zhiyuan¡¯s will, to make Bai Xiao see An Zhiyuan groveling at her feet like a dog,pletely humiliated by her. Of course, if An Zhiyuan was willing to have a fling with her, she would be overjoyed to let Bai Xiao see just how low her man could sink.

    "Pah, stay away from me, you disgust me, you¡¯re not even worthy of licking Bai Xiao¡¯s toes," An Zhiyuan spits at Bai Mei, almost spitting blood on her face.

    Bai Mei sneers, "Well then, since you don¡¯t want to drink a toast, you¡¯ll have to drink a forfeit. Brothers, don¡¯t hold back, take good care of Instructor An. You want to y star-crossed lovers, I¡¯ll indulge you."

    So ungrateful!

 Chapter 858 Shuiwang Hotel

    <h4>Chapter 858: Chapter 858 Shuiwang Hotel</h4><h4></h4>

    Shuiwang Hotel.

    Just by the name, one can tell that it¡¯s an insignificant little motel. The owner is a sleazy middle-aged man. Upon seeing the clean and pretty Bai Xiao check in, he smiles lecherously, "Little girl, are you here for business?"

    His words were anything but well-intentioned.

    Shao Ming stepped forward to stand in front of Bai Xiao, "Boss, we¡¯d like a room!"

    The owner¡¯s yellow teeth were instantly bared, damn it, he thought she was a single youngdy, but it turns out she wasn¡¯t alone.

    These motel owners harbored no good intentions towards single women who were alone.

    Especially since this ce is close to the border, all manner ofwless people could show up. The fate of a beautiful young girl could well be imagined, as those with experience and a sense of security wouldn¡¯t venture into this den of chaos.

    It¡¯s just that a decent girl wouldn¡¯te to such a ce.

    That would be asking for trouble.

    "A single room is ten yuan a day, a double room is fifteen yuan a day. Bring introduction letter and ID," the owner said grudgingly.

    Those who stay at a motel, especially a small one like this, are usually not upstanding folk.

    Shao Ming handed over fifteen yuan, "Just for one day!"

    "Introduction letter and your ID!" In fact, their enforcement standards could be strict orx.

    It all depended on how they sized up the customer.

    The owner tapped the countertop in front of him! He was extremely annoyed, so he deliberately made things difficult.

    Shao Ming pped the money on the ss countertop, casually lifting his shirt with one hand, tucking it in at the waist, his expression stern.

    The owner caught sight of something bulky at the waist, shut his mouth obediently, and handed over the key.

    "Sir, your room is at the very end of the second floor. It¡¯s the best condition we have here," he said with a ttering smile. This is a street on the border; just across the street corner is Myanmar. In this ce, even if someonemits murder, as long as they cross that corner, the police have to stop, or else it bes a serious diplomatic issue.

    Everyone here understands this.

    In this area, those with power make the rules. When starting trouble, you¡¯d better have your eyes wide open and not mess with the wrong people, or else you won¡¯t even know how you died.

    Shao Ming escorted Bai Xiao back to the room. His people were stationed in various outer areas, ensuring they wouldn¡¯t be attacked. His primary responsibility was close-range protection of Bai Xiao! Of course, his assistant would arrive soon, a female assistant.

    Shao Ming, responsible for protecting Bai Xiao, recognized there were areas he might not be able to cover, which is why he brought a female bodyguard, a special arrangement made for Bai Xiao this time. If Jiang Shaoqing hadn¡¯t reminded him, it wouldn¡¯t have crossed his mind.

    Bai Xiao sat in her chair, never moving from her spot. She was waiting, fraught with anxiety that wouldn¡¯t make things any better; she could only sit quietly and wait.

    A strong premonition told her that An Zhiyuan was probably in bad shape; knowing Bai Mei as she did, her sister¡¯s determination for vengeance was no less than hers. Hating him to the bone, it would be strange if she didn¡¯t want to humiliate An Zhiyuan upon seeing him.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s character is not one topromise easily, so pushing too far might cause problems.

    She could only hope that it would all be over soon.

    Ding-a-ling!

    The phone rang downstairs.

    Bai Xiao nced at her wristwatch; it was exactly five o¡¯clock, not a minute more, not a second less.

    She didn¡¯t even need to guess that the owner was about to call out to them.

    "Bai Xiao, Doctor Bai, who is Doctor Bai, you have a phone call!"

    Sure enough, the owner¡¯s voice rang out.

 Chapter 859: Old Lair

    <h4>Chapter 859: Chapter 859: Old Lair</h4><h4></h4>

    "Drive to Mujie on the Myanmar border, I trust you¡¯ve already handled the passport procedures. Forty kilometers inside Myanmar, there¡¯s Xiushui Bridge, and just beyond that is Xiushui Town, followed by the Primeval Forest. Between two mountains, there¡¯s a pagoda. Wait for my message there. Of course, my people won¡¯t be too keen to show up if they see some able folks around, so don¡¯t me me if I¡¯m not too polite to Colonel An!" Bai Mei hung up the phone.

    She looked towards the entrance of Shuiwang Hotel from the ss window of a coffee shop at the street corner.

    Sipping her coffee slowly, she had already arrived here at noon, just to see if Bai Xiao would go to any lengths for An Zhiyuan.

    "Sister Mei, they n to leave via the back door, one car, three people, two women and one man. The man and one of the women seem skilled and both are armed. Judging by the car tire tracks, I suspect the money is in the car, stored in the trunk." A man in a floral shirt came up to report; they had a bunch of people following along.

    Brother Xiaodao had already found a spot, they had a hideout here too, though seldom used. This time it came in handy, and they even found some old acquaintances who are now gathering with Brother Xiaodao.

    They would never be like those fools in movies and TV, running around the world randomly. In Sister Mei¡¯s words, true concealment is hiding in in sight.

    The most dangerous ce is often the safest.

    "Great! Let¡¯s head back! The show is about to start, and I hope we get the money soon." What Bai Mei didn¡¯t say was that she had already nned this as her opportunity to turn her life around.

    Xiaodao, after all, being part Myanmar, doesn¡¯t imbue a trust that couldst till the end. Bai Mei wants to manage her own faction and start a new life! Of course, money is critical.

    Without money, nothing can be done.

    "Alright, Sister Mei."

    Bai Mei led her people straight out the door.

    She nced at a shop next door.

    "Go buy some ready-made meals and fine liquor; if we get the money tonight, we need to celebrate properly. Don¡¯t skimp on buying good stuff back. Will we stillck money after tonight?" Bai Mei instructed her subordinates.

    The underlings started chuckling with a strangeughter immediately.

    Everyone understood tonight would be a night of revelry.

    Sister Mei said, that woman won¡¯t escape either, as she would be a reward for them.

    Plus this big sum of money.

    Everyone would get a portion of it.

    This was an exhrating thought.

    Money and women both avable.

    This was the epitome of living recklessly.

    She sent two people out specifically to buy food and drinks.

    Bai Mei and her crew waited in the car; soon, her subordinates returned with a load of beer and various types of ready-made food.

    Roast chicken, roast goose, zed pork, cured meat, along with many different kinds of edible items that couldn¡¯t be named.

    Of course, there were also various side dishes to apany the drinks.

    Their car raced towards the hideout.

    Fifteen minutester, the car stopped outside a secluded house with big yards in front and back, a two-story building. People inside had already seen them approaching from a distance. The ck iron gate opened to wee them in.

    Bai Mei got out of the car, watching as her people carried in the supplies, and said with a smile, "Let me see if the stuff you bought is to my liking. If you didn¡¯t get what Sister Mei likes to eat, none of you will have anything to eatter."

    The underlingsughed, "Sister Mei, take a look, is this enough? What do you like? We¡¯ll go buy it specifically for you."

    Bai Mei sifted through some of the opened bags and wax paper packages, pinched a piece of zed beef, and popped it into her mouth, "This will do."

    The underlings immediately rejoiced. Sister Mei was not only beautiful but also very amicable, truly endearing.

    Too bad she¡¯s reserved for the big boss.

 Chapter 860: The Little Monk

    <h4>Chapter 860: Chapter 860: The Little Monk</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao stood in front of the pagoda-shaped golden stupa, pressing her hands together in earnest prayer.

    Shao Ming leaned against the car outside, sulking and smoking, while Zhuo Ma knelt beside Bai Xiao in front of the Buddha statue.

    These women must have issues in their heads.

    Praying to Buddha at a time like this?

    If the Buddha could bless An Zhiyuan to escape danger, then what would they need them for?

    Besides, if the Buddha granted every request, this world would probably have a lot fewer hospitals, police, and various other professions.

    No wonder they say "long hair, short wit," and get all flustered when a big event hits.

    He vigntly surveyed his surroundings. By this time, night had fallen, and in the dimly lit dusk, the temple was nearly deserted, especially as this was a temple in the mountains. By now, even the monks had gone to eat and rest.

    The three of them stood out conspicuously here.

    Shao Ming eyed a public telephone not far away; if he wasn¡¯t mistaken, the line of that phone had been out of service for a while.

    This meant that the kidnappers¡¯ intended destination was definitely not here.

    Otherwise, they would either take action right here, or they were simply fooling around with them for a bit.

    His men could only follow from a distance on the road, as getting too close would easily give them away.

    Bai Xiao seemed quite carefree in contrast.

    All of a sudden, a little bald Monk giggled as he ran over, stopping in front of Bai Xiao.

    He pressed his palms together in greeting.

    He spouted a long string of Burmese which Bai Xiao did not understand, but Zhuo Ma beside her did.

    Zhuo Ma gave the little Monk ten bucks, who immediately pulled out a note from his pocket and handed it to Bai Xiao.

    Then he turned and ran back to the dining hall, still giggling, for his meal.

    "This little Monk said someone gave him a note to hand to thest female devotee toe pray here. Seeing both of us, he wasn¡¯t sure who to give it to," Zhuo Ma tranted carefully.

    Bai Xiao unfolded the note.

    A smile twitched at her lips; Bai Mei seemed to have gotten smarter now.

    "Doctor Bai, what does the note say?"

    As her bodyguard, he needed to know the situation right away.

    "Let¡¯s go. They¡¯re just ying with us, telling us to head back to Mu Jie now, to a restaurant called ¡¯Old Dark Meat¡¯ on the outskirts for dinner, and wait for their next instruction," Bai Xiao passed the note to Zhuo Ma; there was nothing to hide.

    inly put, they were just circling around to see if anyone was tracking them and how many were lurking in the shadows.

    This was reconnaissance of the enemy.

    Quite adept at counter-surveince.

    It looks like Bai Mei learned a lot in the past two years; even things that she had not grasped before.

    Suddenly, Bai Xiao realized she had been somewhatcent; Bai Mei was still too formidable, growing too fast. Given time, Bai Mei might be her strongest opponent, no less formidable than Shang Kaiwen - after all, Shang Kaiwen has her concerns, while Bai Mei has none whatsoever.

    The trio got into the car, and Shao Ming spat disdainfully.

    "I really didn¡¯t expect your family to produce such a capable person," Shao Ming said as he drove down the mountain path on their return trip.

    Since it was all mountain roads, they had to be cautious. If there was a trap set up along the way, it could very well be life-threatening for them.

    Of course, unless they didn¡¯t care about the money.

    If it were just for revenge, disposing of them in this ce would be all too easy.

    Just a rockslide or even throwing a bomb could do it, with such a narrow road and cliffs on one side, making escape extremely difficult.

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t care, for Bai Mei would definitely want the money.

    Unless she was confident she could not only hurt them but also get the money, otherwise Bai Mei wouldn¡¯t be that foolish.

 Chapter 861: The Arrogant Ransom Deliverer.

    <h4>Chapter 861: Chapter 861: The Arrogant Ransom Deliverer.</h4><h4></h4>

    In Heizi¡¯s meat shop.

    Bai Xiao watched as the door was closed, then a group of fully armed men burst in, countless gun barrels aimed at Shao Ming, Zhuo Ma, and Bai Xiao. Shao Ming and Zhuo Ma also drew their guns, but they were clearly at a disadvantage.

    This is what you call overwhelming with numbers.

    "Take me to see your Sister Mei, the money she wants is in the car."

    Bai Xiao took out a remote control, her finger on the button.

    "What is this?"

    The one leading them turned out to be Curly, who had had dealings with Bai Xiao before and still vividly remembered thest lesson.

    He instinctively increased the distance between himself and Bai Xiao.

    "Don¡¯t get excited. With so much money, of course I have to worry about it being stolen. Inside each bag of money, I¡¯ve ced a remote-controlled bomb. Just one press of this button, and these bombs will explode immediately, turning the money to shreds."

    How could Bai Xiaoe unprepared?

    Curly wiped the sweat from his forehead, knowing this ancestor was always trouble.

    Sister Mei and Brother Xiaodao thought it would be easy.

    Why would someone just surrender without a fight?

    "You... what do you want to do?"

    Curly again found himself stuttering embarrassingly.

    Ah, faced with such a Bai Xiao, he couldn¡¯t help but stutter.

    "Take me to see your Sister Mei and put down the guns; holding guns won¡¯t solve the problem now. In case someone¡¯s hand shakes and the gun fires by ident. You know, I am also a timid person, maybe my hand will shake too, and then, you probably can¡¯t afford the consequences." Bai Xiao coldly pushed aside the guns pointed at herself.

    These people looked at each other, at a loss for what to do.

    They had seen plenty of kidnappings, but they had never seen a ransom deliverer more arrogant than the kidnappers.

    This woman truly doesn¡¯t know the meaning of death.

    "Come on, follow me!" Curly nced at everyone, what are you doing still holding guns?

    This is embarrassing enough.

    Several men lowered their guns indeed, after all, they wanted the person and they wanted the money. Besides, the order Sister Mei gave was to capture Bai Xiao and bring her to her, so there really wasn¡¯t any conflict.

    But being threatened by the ransom deliverer made them feel like they were losing face.

    They¡¯d never seen kidnappers more pathetic than themselves.

    Curly led Bai Xiao and the others straight, driving to their hideout.

    They dared to set an ambush here because this was already the farthest ce in the suburbs, with surrounding roads still under construction, full of rocky pits and bumps. This broken ce, ordinary people really wouldn¡¯t live here; beyond was a vast mountain range, where they could immediately flee into the forest should anything happen.

    Over the mountain behind, lies the border with Myanmar.

    Truly a perfect ce to advance or retreat and defend.

    Bai Xiao and the others drove straight in, the ck iron gate was like a monster with its mouth wide open, slowly closing its jaws.

    Bai Xiao nced at Shao Ming, who nodded in understanding, of course.

    Last night, Bai Xiao and the others prepared for both possibilities.

    The three got out of the car, Shao Ming carrying a bag in one hand from the trunk.

    Damn, the money is really heavy.

    Zhuo Ma also carried a bag of money in one hand.

    They threw all the bags of money into the courtyard; five hundred million in notes piled up quite like a small mountain.

    The surrounding countless eyes were fixated on those bags, Adam¡¯s apples bobbed, unable to help swallowing saliva.

    In the face of the temptation of money, everyone couldn¡¯t restrain their greedy gazes.

 Chapter 862: Cash on Delivery

    <h4>Chapter 862: Chapter 862: Cash on Delivery</h4><h4></h4>

    "Bai Mei, Mei, stop hiding ande out quickly. When old acquaintances meet, how can we not see each other?"

    Bai Xiao casually stood in front of a pile of money, with Shao Ming and Zhuo Ma behind him.

    People with guns pointed at them surrounded them in a circle.

    Bai Mei and Xiaodao walked out from inside the house and stood on the steps, feeling a sense of superiority from their elevated position.

    "Doctor Bai, you finally came. You have no idea how long I¡¯ve been looking forward to this day of meeting you," Bai Mei said with a tremblingugh.

    Xiaodao¡¯s eyes greedily fixed on the bags of money in front of him.

    "Good! Good! Unexpectedly, Doctor Bai truly has deep affection and loyalty."

    This remark wasn¡¯t said blushing, Xiaodao fancied himself highly cultured and thought his words carried a refined meaning.

    "Not at all, since I brought the money, shouldn¡¯t I get to see the person?" Bai Xiao said with a light smile, his gaze chilling.

    Bai Mei, admiringly, walked around Bai Xiao, clicking her tongue in approval.

    "Look, look, this is my sister Bai Xiao, the famous Doctor Bai. Beautiful, isn¡¯t she? Just a few months apart and my sister has be even more charming. Xiaodao, what do you think?" Bai Mei extended a hand to lift Bai Xiao¡¯s hair, but Shao Ming immediately pped it away.

    "Oh, there¡¯s an extra flower protector now? Haven¡¯t seen you for a few months, sis, and you¡¯ve managed to cuckold An Zhiyuan behind his back. I really didn¡¯t see thating."

    "Stop talking nonsense." Although Shao Ming wouldn¡¯t mind the misunderstanding, he didn¡¯t dare offend his boss. If his boss knew he was abusing his power for personal gains during work, how could he continue in his position?

    This woman was trying to ruin his livelihood.

    "Bai Mei, cut the crap! Where¡¯s An Zhiyuan? Money in one hand, goods in the other, otherwise, I can let you experience what it¡¯s like to be annihted," Bai Xiao jiggled the remote control in her hand. She hadn¡¯t learned much in her past life, but she had watched plenty of TV dramas and movies, which taught her this.

    Curly Hair immediately ran to Xiaodao to whisper for a moment.

    Xiaodao¡¯s eyes carried a faint wariness. This woman was not simple either.

    "Go bring Instructor An here," Xiaodao ordered.

    Curly Hair immediately took people with him.

    An Zhiyuan was detained in another ce, not here.

    Bai Mei nced at Bai Xiao, "Xiaodao, why be afraid of her bluff? I don¡¯t believe she would really dare to blow up all this money!" It¡¯s hard to find someone in this world who could truly disregard money.

    This is five hundred million, not just one or two dors, destroying such a huge sum would be heart-wrenching.

    She certainly wouldn¡¯t do it herself.

    She didn¡¯t believe Bai Xiao was a mere mortal.

    Xiaodao waved his hand, whether it was An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t matter to him. If he could really exchange him for five hundred million, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate, though he would prefer to have both money and favor. Unfortunately, the Doctor Bai in front of him seemed to be a tough nut to crack.

    Biting into it might choke him; a small life was worth more than that.

    He was desperately scraping together money to livefortably, not topete with others.

    "Why bother! Let¡¯s make money in peace. Come, sit down, don¡¯t be angry," Xiaodao helped Bai Mei to sit down.

    Just a waste, protecting his own life tighter than anything. It seemed it was time to move to the next step.

    Xiaodao waited, Bai Xiao could easily run away.

    "Bring the food and drinks. Xiaodao, I had them buy some food and whisky, your favorite, to let the brothers celebrate," Bai Mei called out to her subordinates, and several of them eagerly brought them over.

 Chapter 863 Horrifying to Behold

    <h4>Chapter 863: Chapter 863 Horrifying to Behold</h4><h4></h4>

    The dishes were quickly served.

    Brother Xiaodao did not behave frivolously. He poured a ss of whiskey but did not drink it, instead scrutinizing Bai Xiao carefully.

    This woman,pared to Bai Mei, was more alluring to him. Not to mention her beauty, her skill in appraising raw jade alone was unparalleled¡ªa legend during that public auction.

    If he had this woman by his side, why would he risk being shot to engage in drug trafficking?

    Livingfortably, who wouldn¡¯t want that?

    Unfortunately.

    This woman would definitely not work for him.

    What a pity.

    Bai Mei, with a jealous nce at Bai Xiao, knew that whenever Bai Xiao was present, she always attracted the attention of other men. It was the same back in the vige! And it¡¯s still the same now; these men are simply unreliable.

    Yes!

    She had relied on others all her life, only to end up in such a plight. Who else could she rely on now?

    "Brother Dao, my sister is pretty, isn¡¯t she?"

    Xiaodao, with a meaningful nce at Bai Mei, chuckled and pinched her, "Dear, are you jealous?"

    "Who¡¯s jealous?" Bai Mei knew Xiaodao fell for this act, feigning tender pique, a charm Xiaodao always found irresistible.

    "Brother Dao, we¡¯ve brought the person!" Curly pointed outside, panting, followed by four or five people dragging someone in.

    An Zhiyuan was thrown in front of Bai Xiao.

    Shao Ming and Zhuo Ma were shocked, thinking of these desperados; still, the cruelty of their methods was beyond imagination.

    An Zhiyuan had all his limbs broken, twisted at bizarre angles, his face covered in bloodstains¡ªthose were from knife cuts repeatedly shing his flesh, with countless wounds all over his body. If he weren¡¯t still opening his eyes, one might suspect he was no longer breathing.

    Bai Xiao rushed over.

    "Bai Xiao, look carefully, what¡¯s on him."

    Bai Mei sneered, also raising a remote control in her hand.

    "It¡¯s not just you who can use this move. We can too! Choose for yourself, either surrender peacefully or watch your loved one die a gruesome death?"

    The moment Bai Mei had seen that remote control on Bai Xiao, she thought of a countermeasure. It¡¯s just a bomb; everyone has them, who would fancy it?

    Bai Xiao caressed An Zhiyuan¡¯s wounds, seeing the bones inside his ribcage through the wounds, and the white bones of his legs visible through the flesh. Each of her touches made An Zhiyuan¡¯s body involuntarily shiver, the bones already grotesquely deformed. Such injuries, for a normal person, would have meant the end.

    An Zhiyuan was still very alert, the moment he saw Bai Xiao! Although he couldn¡¯t speak,cking the strength to do so, the joy in that moment was real as their gazes intertwined.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s fingers touched the bombs on his chest, a row of securely bound bombs, fixed with steel wires, not intended to be easily undone by Bai Xiao.

    Shao Ming and Zhuo Ma guarded Bai Xiao closely.

    It was now clear that a major confrontation was about to erupt.

    What they worried about was, Bai Xiao, in a fit of anger, might just start fighting directly.

    Shao Ming made an unclear gesture outside, signaling his men had likely surrounded the area.

    "Big brother, let¡¯s go home!"

    Bai Xiao¡¯s fingers gently sped An Zhiyuan¡¯s, giving him strength.

    Suddenly turning her head, her gaze was like glinting knives, staring straight at Bai Mei and Xiaodao.

    This pair of eyes indeed startled Xiaodao, making him stumble backward. What kind of gaze was that.

 Chapter 864: Usurpation

    <h4>Chapter 864: Chapter 864: Usurpation</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao pointed to the money bag there, "Shao Ming, open it!"

    Shao Mini unzipped it, revealing stacks and stacks of bright blue hundred-yuan bills, neatly arranged and sparking envy in everyone¡¯s eyes.

    "Doctor Bai! It seems you are very trustworthy. Give me the remote control with ease, and we can consider it a trade, how about that?" Xiaodao suddenly wanted to make peace, sensing danger in this moment.

    It was an animalistic instinct, a sense of a looming catastrophic danger.

    He was in it for the money, not for his life.

    At this moment, Brother Xiaodao abandoned his principles and chose to back down.

    "How is that possible? Bai Xiao, stop dreaming. You won¡¯t be walking out of here today. If you don¡¯t believe me, just try. I also want you to experience the feeling of being trampled by thousands, to never stand high again, to feel what it¡¯s like to be beaten several times a day. Bai Xiao, I want you to wish you were dead, to watch An Zhiyuan die miserably right before your eyes, how about being buried alive?"

    "I¡¯ve heard of a method of live burial where you dig a hole and bury people up to their chest. It¡¯s said that the pressure makes it easy to suffocate, gasping for air until they die an agonizing and painful death.

    What do you think?"

    Bai Mei was unrestrained; she wanted to infuriate Bai Xiao, wanted him dead.

    Bai Xiaoughed, a wild, crazedugh, so loud it stunned everyone.

    This woman must be mad.

    Driven mad by fear.

    "Bai Xiao! Bai Xiao!"

    Shao Ming tried calling Bai Xiao, primarily because his eyes were bloodshot, as if he could devour someone.

    Fearing that Bai Xiao truly lost his reason.

    "All of you are here for the money, your big brother, Mei Jie, even if she gets such a sum, the share you¡¯ll get is pitifully little. There is five hundred million here, a whole five hundred million. I¡¯m telling you now, you don¡¯t need to kidnap, don¡¯t need to risk getting caught; just kill these two people right now, and this money is my bounty for you."

    Bai Xiao coldly entered hell mode.

    Everyone was stunned, Xiaodao¡¯s gaze narrowed.

    A murderous aura filled the room; he had not wanted to kill Bai Xiao just because that might lead to a cascade of retaliations. But now, things were different. This woman was actually deluded enough to try to divide their team.

    And evidently, some of his subordinates were tempted.

    After all, it was five hundred million.

    Wealth touches people¡¯s hearts.

    Xiaodao¡¯s killing intent arose.

    "Ridiculous, do you know that each of them has An Zhiyuan¡¯s blood on their hands? If you kill us, would you spare these executioners? Think for yourselves, can you trust what this woman says! The money is right here in front of us! Just kill this woman, and everything is ours. I, Xiaodao, make a promise today, taking this..."

    "Bang..."

    Xiaodao watched as his chest burst open like a snowke, a bloody hole emanating blood.

    He looked in disbelief at the silencer-fitted handgun in Bai Mei¡¯s hand.

    It was the very gun he had given Bai Mei for self-defense, never imagining he would die by his woman¡¯s hand.

    "Everyone, stay calm, your Brother Xiaodao was too indecisive! Do you think you could kill us? This is Yun Province, where just one gunshot would bring people here in less than three minutes, do you want to die together? Now, we need a stable person with strong confidence to lead us on a new path. I believe I can do that. I won¡¯t take a penny of the five hundred million; dividing it equally among you will be the first thing I do for you all."

    Bai Mei was not afraid of these men, capable of killing someone in the blink of an eye while still managing to be calm andposed.

 Chapter 865: Poisoning

    <h4>Chapter 865: Chapter 865: Poisoning</h4><h4></h4>

    These people were already a ragtag bunch. Hearing these words, they truly becamepletely panicked, seemingly finding everyone¡¯s speech believable.

    They would look at Bai Xiao for a while, then at Bai Mei.

    What to do?

    "Sister, I want your Instructor An to die right before your eyes. I really want to see if your heart is as tough as it seems!" Bai Mei raised the remote control in her hand.

    The sense of superiority in her gaze, she was waiting for Bai Xiao to kneel and beg for mercy. The most Bai Xiao could do was to blow up that money, but what Bai Mei was threatening could take lives.

    Today, she was determined to take Xiaodao¡¯s ce, to change the regime and usher in the new era of Sister Mei, Bai Mei.

    But Bai Xiao didn¡¯t even blink an eye.

    "Go ahead, press it. If I even blink, I¡¯m not a Bai."

    Shao Ming watched, terrified.

    "Don¡¯t! Don¡¯t press it, let¡¯s all talk nicely. Why must ite to life and death? It¡¯s just about the money. Take it and leave, we¡¯ll take our people and go. Why can¡¯t we part on good terms?"

    An Zhiyuan could recognize the device on him; once it exploded, it would be immensely powerful, and at least for those close by, not a single person would end up intact; surviving with just a missing arm or leg would be considered lucky.

    This was no child¡¯s y.

    His men could take her out with a single shot, but one misstep and she could still press the button in that situation. He wouldn¡¯t gamble with his life.

    "Bai Xiao! Beg me!"

    Bai Mei wanted to see Bai Xiao submit.

    She would never be satisfied until she saw Bai Xiao crushed under her feet.

    "Bai Mei, don¡¯t waste your energy. I won¡¯t beg you. Press it if you¡¯re going to; if not, then get lost and stop blocking my way."

    Bai Xiao wanted a quick resolution.

    An Zhiyuan had already recovered quite a bit; her special ability had healed many of his internal injuries. External injuries couldn¡¯t be treated safely for the time being, and in front of everyone, she couldn¡¯t let people gaze at An Zhiyuan as if he were some kind of monster.

    But this part had been enough to restore Zhiyuan¡¯s vitality.

    "You think she wants to be your boss? Wake up! Your Sister Mei wants to swallow all the money for herself. If you don¡¯t believe me, go and see if there are poisons in those dishes! After you fight for her life and death! With just one victory drink, no one will notice as you all drop dead, and then Sister Mei can take all that money and fly far away, living a happy and carefree life. How nice."

    Upon hearing this, Bai Mei¡¯s face changed drastically, her gun now pointing at Bai Xiao.

    "Don¡¯t listen to her nonsense! Kill her now."

    Yet no one acted, all staring at the dishes on the table. Curly hair rushed forward with great strides, flipping the table over, and the dishes crashed to the floor, spilling everywhere. Someone from outside brought in a dog, and upon seeing the feast on the floor, the big wolf dog devoured it voraciously.

    Bai Mei, at that moment, wanted the dog dead, but how could she dare? Killing the dog now would be a tant admission of her guilt.

    She was sweating coldly, unable to think of a way out.

    As the saying goes, desperation breeds audacity, but no matter what, Bai Xiao must die today.

    Must die.

    Her handgun aimed at Bai Xiao, she pulled the trigger.

    "Pfft..." A sound, and the handgun in Bai Mei¡¯s hand was knocked away, her fingers broken, blood gushing out.

    She clutched the remote control in her other hand, herst resort.

    The wolf dog continued to eat joyfully, then everyone saw it whimper a few times, foam at the mouth, and roll over with its eyes turned white.

    A chill went down their spines.

    All eyes unweingly turned towards Bai Mei.

 Chapter 866: The Tide Has Turned

    <h4>Chapter 866: Chapter 866: The Tide Has Turned</h4><h4></h4>

    "Bai Mei, such a vicious heart, do you want us all dead so you don¡¯t have to share the money with anyone!" Curly shouted angrily.

    "There¡¯s truth to the saying, ¡¯the most venomous heart belongs to a woman¡¯."

    "After we deal with this venomous woman, she wants us dead, and damn it, we want her dead too."

    "Doctor Bai! We ept your terms. We¡¯ll kill her and take the money."

    Some were already looking for a way out, since Xiaodao was already dead, and if Bai Mei got killed by them and they could take the money and start anew, who wouldn¡¯t want that?

    With the money, change your identity, and in a ce where nobody knows you, who wouldn¡¯t be happy?

    "Don¡¯t you dare think about it. If I¡¯m going to die, I want you all dead as well. If I press this button, An Zhiyuan won¡¯t survive, and neither will any of you. See that explosive? Nobody here thinks about leaving intact and whole; even in death, I won¡¯t let you go, Bai Xiao."

    Bai Mei had already decided on a break, now that everything had been exposed by Bai Xiao, she knew she couldn¡¯t possibly live to walk out of here anyway.

    Might as well not let anyone live.

    Curly and the others were desperate, they didn¡¯t want to die, and frantically ran towards the door.

    After all, selling their lives for money, who would willingly y with their lives along with Bai Xiao for no reason?

    All of sudden, the courtyard was emptied out.

    Bai Xiao, An Zhiyuan, Shao Ming, Zhuo Ma, and Bai Mei confronted each other.

    Bai Mei sneered, "Bai Xiao, this time you¡¯ve ruined my big ns, it¡¯s really unfair of the heavens, having given birth to you, Bai Xiao, why bring you into our family? No wonder grandma said you are a jinx, indeed you are, your life so hard, you¡¯ve killed your birth mother, and your adoptive parents, now you¡¯re even killing your man. I really want to see if you can live alone and feel happy."

    Drill Instructor An, don¡¯t me me, me yourself, for marrying such a fierce wife!"

    Bai Mei pressed the button.

    This time, Shao Ming and Zhuo Ma had no choice but to dive to the side, they didn¡¯t have the skills to defuse a bomb, trying their best to minimize the damage.

    Bai Xiao clung desperately to An Zhiyuan, at that moment, it was impossible to save Bai Xiao.

    Damn it, their mission, probably never had been more dangerous than this one.

    With the charge dead, their mission was a total failure.

    Damn it, that sure set a record.

    After a long moment!

    There was silence!

    Bai Mei¡¯s eyes turned red with disbelief as she watched Bai Xiao¡¯s mocking gaze, frantically pressing the button, murmuring, "Impossible, impossible, how can they not die? Impossible, this explosive was supposed to be very powerful."

    But no matter how many times she pressed it, the result was the same, Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan were unscathed.

    Shao Ming and Zhuo Ma got up, faces full of shame.

    To serve as someone¡¯s bodyguards and to end up like this, quite meaningful.

    Shao Ming signaled and a bunch of people rushed inside, Curly and their crew had already been captured and brought back, no one had escaped, Shao Ming¡¯s men had set a trap outside, breaking each of their legs.

    They didn¡¯t use guns, as private ownership of firearms isn¡¯t permitted by thews of China, but Shao Ming¡¯s men were skilled.

    So breaking legs was considered the lightest punishment.

    One by one, theyy scattered all over the courtyard.

    Seeing that the situation was lost, Bai Mei fell to the ground, "Bai Xiao, you¡¯re really lucky, even in such a situation you managed to escape unharmed, it¡¯s so unfair of the heavens! Unfortunately, no matter how capable you are, you can¡¯t restore An Zhiyuan to his former condition, he will be paralyzed in bed for life. Bai Xiao, I¡¯ll wear a smile as I watch you

 Chapter 867 Invisible

    <h4>Chapter 867: Chapter 867 Invisible</h4><h4></h4>

    Shao Ming had already led his men to remove all the items on An Zhiyuan.

    Looking at the item he had taken off, Shao Ming held it in his hand, his smile so wide he couldn¡¯t close his mouth, "Son of a bitch, these assholes actually use such shoddy goods, this damn quality is just scrap metal, and they still use it to threaten people. They¡¯re really blind bastards¡ªtoo broke to cause real trouble. What a waste of money."

    He tossed it aside onto the ground.

    The curly-haired guys couldn¡¯t help begging, "We haven¡¯t done anything bad, it was all Sister Mei¡¯s orders, and Brother Dao¡¯s too, we were forced, Doctor Bai, please spare us!"

    "What should we do with these people?" Shao Ming looked at Bai Xiao.

    Seeing An Zhiyuan¡¯s pitiful state, Shao Ming also felt furious, these people are really no good.

    There¡¯s nothing they wouldn¡¯t do.

    They don¡¯t regard others as human beings.

    "How about we send them to the police station? Each of these guys definitely has a criminal record, let the police deal with them."

    The curly-haired guys sighed in relief.

    Many of them had only been involved in brawls and fights. Nobody knew about the real drug trafficking or arson and murder. If they ended up in the hands of the police, at most they¡¯d be detained for a few months, and upon release, it would still be a wide-open world.

    Bai Mei also sighed in relief.

    She hadn¡¯t done any substantial wrongdoings; it was all Brother Dao¡¯s orders, nothing to do with her.

    Bai Xiao nced at the crowd in the yard. An Zhiyuan gripped her hand, trying to stand, but Bai Xiao hadn¡¯t healed his fractures yet.

    "I¡¯ll offer a hundred thousand per person to make their injuries exactly like Instructor An¡¯s, not a single detail less or I won¡¯t pay. After it¡¯s done, just dump them at the police station¡¯s doorstep," Bai Xiao said, looking at An Zhiyuan¡¯s twisted arms and legs, thinking that those who bullied her would get off easily¡ªnot a chance.

    "You can¡¯t do this, it¡¯s depraved murder, we¡¯ll sue you!" At this point, everyone started to remember the importance of thew.

    Shao Ming shook his head, "No need for the money, today we¡¯re doing a good deed without leaving our names, let¡¯s be Lei Feng for once. Guys, get moving, and make sure they¡¯re exactly like Instructor An, not the slightest error, got it?"

    Would he take Bai Xiao¡¯s money?

    His men began to act!

    A yard full of wailing.

    The ghostly cries and howls perplexed the policemen hiding in the dark.

    "Captain, shall we go out there?"

    They had been tracking a suspect and discovered suspicious persons entering here; they arrived just in time to see this scene, from beginning to end, without revealing themselves! The reason was that there were only four policemen versus dozens of heavily armed thugs. The police couldn¡¯t very well fight a losing battle.

    While watching, they sent for reinforcements, which had yet to arrive.

    "Go out for what?"

    The team captain, watching the bastards in the yard, felt quite satisfied.

    "That... watching them... like that... it¡¯s abuse of vignte punishment..."

    "Bullshit! Did I see anything? Did any of you?"

    The captain gave the others a sidelong nce.

    The other two policemenughed.

    "It¡¯s too dark, we didn¡¯t see anything!"

    The talker mped his mouth shut, smacking himself on the forehead hard.

    "Look at my pig brain, I¡¯m near-sighted, I can¡¯t see clearly at all."

    The four policemen shared a knowingugh.

    Arge force of personnel arrived, having heard that there were thugs with heavy weapons here, they dispatched the highest level of defense personnel.

    The area was surrounded, and the captain led his men to meet the troops.

    They charged into the yard.

 Chapter 868 Nothing

    <h4>Chapter 868: Chapter 868 Nothing</h4>

    "Hands up, hands up!"

    Arge number of officers surrounded the yard.

    Shao Ming dropped the stick in his hand, just as thest person had finished.

    Bai Mei was also taken care of by Zhuo Ma.

    People in the yard were lying on the ground, crying for their parents and wailing for help.

    The sight was so dreadful that it was unbearable to witness.

    The people still standing all raised their hands.

    Shao Ming didn¡¯t care; they had already taken all the weapons away. At worst, it would be causing injury, not murder. They might just need topensate for medical expenses. Those people had priors, it went without saying, the oue would definitely be in their favor in the end.

    The team leader whispered to themanding officer.

    Thatmanding officer suddenly noticed An Zhiyuan in Bai Xiao¡¯s arms.

    He hurried over.

    "Are you Chief An?"

    Their orders had been to spare no effort in searching for the missing Chief An. They did not expect to find An Zhiyuan here, let alone in such a state.

    An Zhiyuan was already able to speak. After narrating the events from start to finish, themanding officer wished he could kill this group of people on the spot.

    Bai Mei grabbed onto arade, "Comrade, you must do us justice. We are just ordinary citizens. They attacked us with weapons. With daylight above us and under these heavens, is there now left? Their danger to society is immense. You must arrest all of them, especially Bai Xiao, the ringleader. We all heard just now, it was her who ordered these people to attack us."

    With a blind eye and broken limbs, she managed to grab hold of someone, indeed with great difficulty, but they were police, she could see and hear, even if death were imminent, she was determined to drag Bai Xiao down with her.

    Bai Xiao was so ruthless, seeking such extreme revenge on An Zhiyuan; this woman was truly cruel.

    "Who are you?"

    Themanding officer was genuinely surprised to see a woman among these people.

    Especially after An Zhiyuan identified her as the leader, that changed everything.

    "I am Bai Mei. I was coerced by Xiaodao. If I didn¡¯t follow him, he would kill me. I had no choice as a weak woman. What could I do? But I¡¯ve never done anything bad, there¡¯s not a single trace of blood on my hands."

    Themanding officerughed. My goodness.

    She was really good at whitewashing herself.

    "Whether you were coerced or not, with so many witnesses, we will find out the truth. We will not let a single criminal off, nor will we wrongly use an innocent person. Take them all away."

    "What about them?"

    Bai Mei wasn¡¯t foolish; these people didn¡¯t seem like they intended to bring the culprits to justice. She couldn¡¯t let it end like this for nothing.

    "Them? What have they done? They are exemry citizens who have shown civic courage and cooperated with the police. This time, they¡¯ve helped us crack down on a major criminal gang. They are respectable citizens; we willmend them for their actions," said the SWAT team leader, watching Shao Ming¡¯s subordinates who were cooperating with the SWAT officers to carry these people out.

    "Comrade, how can you do this? You¡¯ve clearly seen them put us in this state. They were about to kill us, yet you¡¯re covering for them, you are..." Bai Mei was hysterical.

    "Comrade, if you feel wronged, feel free toin to my superiors once you¡¯re back. We¡¯ve only acted in strict ordance with thew and regtions, without any abuse of power or nepotism. The ims you¡¯ve made will be thoroughly investigated once we return. When we arrived here, we did not see any of themmitting acts of violence. Comrades, has anyone witnessed anything?" themanding officer asked all the personnel.

    "No, it was like this when we arrived at the scene. We didn¡¯t see any weapons, nor did we witness anyonemitting a violent act."

    All personnel answered loudly.

    Bai Mei passed out.

 Chapter 869: Rescue

    <h4>Chapter 869: Chapter 869: Rescue</h4>

    The ambnce had already taken An Zhiyuan to the nearest affiliated hospital. As a team captain, Bai Xiao had been by his side all along. An Zhiyuan shook his head gently at her in the ambnce, his gaze fixed on Bai Xiao, conveying a message that only she could understand.

    "Chief An, your injuries are too severe! We¡¯ll be at the hospital soon. We¡¯ve already made contact, and all the experts are there; they will conduct a thorough consultation for you."

    The doctors and nurses couldn¡¯t bear to see such injuries; they were unprecedented and unheard-of.

    These people were hardly human.

    An Zhiyuan closed his eyes; he was too tired.

    The highestmand in Yun Province had already arrived at the hospital as soon as they received the news.

    Upon receiving the notification that An Zhiyuan had been sessfully rescued and was now undergoing emergency treatment, he couldn¡¯t contain his excitement and instructed the driver to rush over.

    But clearly, someone had received the news even faster.

    Ghost Shadow and the others were already waiting here; the light outside the operating room was still on; the surgery had not yet ended.

    When the Chief arrived, everyone immediately stood up.

    Bai Xiao quietly sat in the corner, her spine erect, her eyes intently focused on her hands resting on herp; in her world, there was no one else.

    She had fulfilled An Zhiyuan¡¯s request.

    But who could know how much she wished she could have ensured his safety immediately, so he wouldn¡¯t have to endure such pain.

    "How is An Zhiyuan now?" the Chief asked.

    Ghost Shadow shook their head, everyone looked dejected; they were toote when they arrived.

    An Zhiyuan had already been taken into the operating room; all the experts were there, no one could answer their questions.

    They also wanted to know how An Zhiyuan was doing.

    "Who is the family member of the patient?" the light in the operating room finally turned off.

    The doctor came out, visibly exhausted.

    "I am his wife!" Bai Xiao stood up and walked over to the doctor. There was no need for doubt; except for not healing all of An Zhiyuan¡¯s wounds, her special ability had only saved his life, without performing any unnecessary treatments.

    It was because heroes should not be denied their due honor, and viins should not escape their deserved punishment. From today onwards, let the doctors and nurses¡¯ testimonies be the irrefutable evidence, as An Zhiyuan had requested, and it was also her own selfishness.

    Even the person she loved most she could exploit, Bai Xiao felt contempt for herself.

    "The patient is out of critical danger, but his injuries are very severe¡ªmultiple fractures in his hands and legs, all beingminuted. Even if he recovers, he will not be the same as before. One of his eyes has suffered severe damage; even if it recovers, his vision will be significantly impaired. We¡¯ve done our best with the scars on his face, but considering the depth of the scars, they will definitely leave marks. His internal organs were damaged in several ces, but all have been stitched up. However, it will probably take him at least one to two years to recover. This requires cooperation from you, the family members, and to give the patient confidence and support."

    The doctor had never seen such severe injuries in his life, inflicted only by a beastly act, especially since the patient had also been injected with potions that kept him painfully awake, which was infuriating.

    Bai Xiao nodded! Even without any sadness in her eyes.

    Everyone, including the Chief, instinctively thought Bai Xiao was overwhelmed with grief, that at such a time, a person probably couldn¡¯t shed a single tear, nor could they be shocked.

    "I understand, I will take good care of him and ensure his recovery!"

    Bai Xiao wanted to visit An Zhiyuan.

    The doctor shook his head, "He is about to be moved to the intensive care unit, please wait a moment!"

    Seeing such a strong family member, probably even the doctors felt heartache.

 Chapter 870: Retribution

    <h4>Chapter 870: Chapter 870: Retribution</h4>

    The Chief then held a detailed conversation with the doctor. Everyone present who heard the news was heartbroken, as if their hearts were being ripped apart. They had all seen that scene before, witnessing Wu Gang with their own eyes that day.

    The treatment Wu Gang received, their captain had suffered through once. How could such a brutal person still be alive?

    Ghost Shadow clenched his fists and rushed out, "Quick, stop him!"

    The Chief sensed trouble.

    Ghost Shadow was being too impulsive, which could spoil everything.

    Rabbit immediately hugged Ghost Shadow, "Ghost Shadow, don¡¯t be reckless. The captain hasn¡¯t recovered yet. Shouldn¡¯t you be by his side?"

    Every single one of them wanted to kill that group of people.

    "Don¡¯t stop me. These people don¡¯t deserve to be called human. They are beasts, worse than beasts. If I don¡¯t kill them, how can I face my fallenrades, the people they harmed, and our captain?" Ghost Shadow roared.

    The Chief shouted, "Even if you kill them and sacrifice yourself, does that prove your capacity or make you impressive? Who are you? Defending your home and country is your duty. You don¡¯t only represent yourself; you represent the honor of your country and all its people behind you."

    "Chief, which one of theserades isn¡¯t a loyal team member who has faced life and death? They have families, rtives, and friends too. Seeing them in that state, is that the act of humans? If you won¡¯t let me take revenge, then you should give them the same treatment as the captain¡ªexact same treatment¡ªand then I will forgive them! Can they handle that? Would they be willing?" Ghost Shadow didn¡¯t care for hierarchical rtionships at that moment, not even the Chief¡¯s rank could make him hold his tongue.

    His unreserved thoughts were truly about seeking revenge.

    The Chiefughed heartily, pointing at Bai Xiao, "Yes, you want retribution, and the wife of Captain An has already done it. None of those people got away; they all received the same treatment as your Captain An. The emergency room over there is now overflowing with people; go and see for yourself."

    The Chief had already received the report! For such a major incident, how could there not be a briefing.

    Dozens of people had been collectively subjected to "brutal abuse/torture," which was a significant event.

    It sent shockwaves through the locality.

    What was even more shocking was that these people were the fugitive evil forces they had been pursuing, and eliminating them had relieved the local area of a major hidden danger, much to everyone¡¯s great satisfaction.

    "What?"

    Not just Ghost Shadow and his group were startled by the news; who would believe it?

    "If you can¡¯t hear it, forget it. The emergency room is over there; go look for yourself."

    Ghost Shadow and a few others ran out like the wind.

    Damn, heaven is finally opening its eyes!

    Watching them leave, the Chief approached Bai Xiao, his face filled with kindness, "Dr. Bai, rest assured, we¡¯ve instructed the hospital to spare no effort and at any cost to save Captain An¡¯s life, to ensure he recovers well. You can be assured that the country and the people will not forget theserades who have risked their lives for the welfare of the nation. Captain An has suffered, but we will not let those viins off. They will be dealt with ording to thew, seriously and without leniency."

    Bai Xiao nodded.

    "Chief, thank you. On behalf of An Zhiyuan, I thank our senior leaders for their concern. He will definitely be able to return to his post and recover soon. I believe he can be as he was before."

    It wasn¡¯t a falsefort; it was a promise, a promise that no one else understood.

    "He definitely can!" The Chief sighed. How could he not? Over the years, not manyrades who were injured could recover even half of what they were before, let alone with such severe injuries.

 Chapter 871: Wails in the Emergency Room

    <h4>Chapter 871: Chapter 871: Wails in the Emergency Room</h4> "Can you keep your voice down? How can we stitch up your wound and reset your bones if you keep yelling like this? Do you still want to be treated or not?" The doctor impatiently performed limb reconnection on the person beneath his hands, scolding loudly.

    In their eyes, indeed, patients were not treated differently, but the truth is this group of people are good for nothing, known well for their notorious deeds within the hospital, especially the dreadful condition of An Zhiyuan, which had be well-known throughout the hospital, with everyone aware of the incident.

    The doctors in their hospital are alsorades; at this moment, the fact that they are sincerely treating illnesses is already a disy of highly noble professional ethics, not causing any foul y resulting in death should be greatly appreciated.

    "Doctor, it hurts to death, can you give some anesthesia?"

    "Doctor! Doctor, it¡¯s killing me."

    "Doctor, save me, be gentle, be gentle."

    The entire emergency room was filled with wails.

    "What anesthesia can you have for a fracture? How would you know if the bones have been properly set if you¡¯re under anesthesia?"

    "How can bones be set gently? Tolerate the pain a bit; you are all grown-ups. There are rules for anesthesia; it¡¯s not something that you can just demand on a whim."

    Bai Mei had already fainted from pain several times, the police and special police were nearly two guards per hospital bed. Though these men had all their limbs broken and couldn¡¯t cause major trouble currently, precautions were necessary. Many in their group were desperate criminals, appearing very pitiable now, but who knows if they might think of escaping once they recover a bit.

    Then taking a doctor or nurse hostage would be troublesome, none of these people wish to die.

    The deeds they have done, any of them would be enough for a shot several times over.

    Ghost Shadow and his team were stopped by the special police outside the door; although they were also in uniform, they had to undergo a verification process, as the ce was under martialw now.

    "Who are you guys?"

    "We are from the same system. What happened to these people inside?"

    Ghost Shadow couldn¡¯t enter, but it didn¡¯t hinder them from discerning from a distance that each person¡¯s injuries were severe.

    "These people, someone broke their limbs, blinded an eye, their faces covered with knife wounds, ribs broken, internal organs damaged, they are undergoing emergency treatment." Saying this, the speaker couldn¡¯t help feeling somewhat gleeful.

    "Don¡¯t know who did it?" Ghost Shadow smirked, his mood suddenly like drought meeting sweet rain.

    "No idea!" The team members saw their ted expressions and instantly understood it must be Chief An¡¯s soldiers, in this event, An Zhiyuan suffered the most; reportedly, he was tortured almost to death.

    They all knew what they were involved in, theirrades harbored revenge that could not go unavenged.

    Moreover, none of these people were good, seeing them punished was almost universally satisfying.

    The response carried a distinct implication.

    "Truly satisfying, brother, watch them closely, don¡¯t let them escape." Ghost Shadow and his men nodded solemnly.

    Those responsible for this deed are truly good people, it was unexpected to find such individuals.

    "Don¡¯t worry, brother, they won¡¯t escape. These are extremely wicked people, each with blood on their hands, we can¡¯t let them go unpunished. By the way, your doctor Bai is amazing!" Arade gave a thumbs up.

    Ghost Shadow was puzzled.

    What has this got to do with the boss¡¯s wife?

    "How is doctor Bai amazing?"

    A few people couldn¡¯t figure it out.

    "Go back and ask your Doctor Bai!" He suddenly realized, these people still didn¡¯t know.

    "Brother, don¡¯t just stay quiet, this..."

    A few grown men were unable to grasp the situation.

    "Just go back, go back! Don¡¯t hinder our work."

    They are public servants of the people; it¡¯s not responsible to just specte.

 Chapter 872: Ask Someone

    <h4>Chapter 872: Chapter 872: Ask Someone</h4>

    "What did he mean by what he said just now?"

    It¡¯s not just Ghost Shadow who¡¯s confused! They all are.

    Could this matter be rted to the doctor?

    The group exchanged nces.

    "Not sure? If I understand it correctly, it seems like you¡¯re suggesting that the doctor might have done this?"

    "Exactly! ording to their logic, the doctor took revenge for Captain An. Otherwise, how could everyone¡¯s injuries be exactly like Captain An¡¯s? How could such a coincidence happen in the world?"

    "Impossible!" Rabbit¡¯s response was one of disbelief.

    "How is it impossible?"

    "Are you guys dumb? The doctor ispletely harmless. Does he look like someone who can fight? I could knock the doctor down with just a flick of my finger, how could it be possible?" Rabbit answered seriously.

    The group fell silent.

    They had all seen the doctor before, and he definitelycked anybat skills.

    "Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you guys to find some answers!" Ghost Shadow saw the figure of the team leader, who was an old friend of his, Xing Jun.

    He would still give him this bit of face.

    "Xing Jun!"

    The team leader turned around and saw his old friend, immediately smiling.

    "What are you doing in the hospital? I heard you were transferred to that other squadron? Are you not feeling well?" The two had been friends for many years, having even been punished together, sharing aradeship of revolutionary friendship.

    "I was transferred, but today I¡¯m here to visit a patient!" Ghost Shadow put his arm around Xing Jun¡¯s shoulder, that intimacy making Xing Jun feel like someone was plotting against him.

    "Then you go visit your patient, why are you hooking arms and rubbing shoulders with me? What are you up to? Don¡¯t pull any tricks on me!" Xing Jun gave a precautionary warning, knowing well that when they were together in the past, he often ended up taking the me for this guy¡¯s antics, and he seemed still to be a tricky one.

    "Xing Jun, what are you saying! Am I that kind of person? We¡¯ve been brothers for so many years, you¡¯re being too heartless," Ghost Shadow melodramatically criticized Xing Jun¡¯s actions.

    "Alright, alright, brother, cut the act, just speak up if you have something to say, just fart it out if you have to, I know you well enough. When you¡¯re about to fart, I already know what shit you¡¯re about to drop, speak now or I¡¯m leaving!" He knew this rascal too well, certainly not up to any good.

    "Don¡¯t go! Don¡¯t go! I really have something, but it¡¯s definitely not those bad things you¡¯re thinking of, I just want to inquire about something." Ghost Shadow quickly stopped him, as if Xing Jun left, whom else could he ask?

    It¡¯s certainly not wise to just go asking the doctor.

    "I¡¯ll tell you this much, you should know that when it involves work confidentiality, we all have non-disclosure agreements, nobody should cross this line, I can¡¯t keep covering you." Xing Junid it out bluntly.

    "It¡¯s not confidential, not confidential, am I that kind of person?" Ghost Shadow grinned sheepishly.

    Xing Jun thought to himself, you actually are.

    Big brother has been your scapegoat for so many years, how could I not understand that when it concerns you, no good news spreads beyond the gate, but bad news travels a thousand miles.

    "What is it?"

    "Xing Jun, we¡¯ve been friends for so many years, I definitely wouldn¡¯t harm you, it¡¯s not confidential, I just wanted to ask what¡¯s the deal with that group of people in the emergency room and the doctor? The doctor is our boss¡¯s wife, and our boss is currently lying in the ICU right now, just out of danger, we are worried!" Ghost Shadow didn¡¯t even know how to put it, how to ask.

    Because he didn¡¯t know anything.

 Chapter 873: Behind the Scenes

    <h4>Chapter 873: Chapter 873: Behind the Scenes</h4>

    "Hmph, I always knew you were up to no good. But I can only tell you, and you gotta let this go in one ear and out the other. If word gets out, I¡¯ll never admit I said anything! Even if it¡¯s found out, I won¡¯t acknowledge it," Xing Jun warned in advance.

    "Alright, alright, enough with the tugging and twisting. Spit it out, man¡ªyou know I¡¯m impatient! You¡¯re making me so anxious I could develop health issues."

    Ghost Shadow had long been restless, this kid really knew how to pique his curiosity.

    "Let me tell you! That Doctor Bai of yours is freaking incredible. She came all alone with a gang to rescue her man, despite facing a ransom of five hundred million. Not only did she save him, but when An Zhiyuan was found in that sorry state, it turned out that all those injured guys were the handiwork of your Doctor Bai. And her crew, I have no idea where she found them, but they were real skilled. The only demand was to inflict wounds identical to Captain An¡¯s, and they didn¡¯t miss a single detail. But still, they¡¯re no match for your Captain An. The emergency room is full of the wonderful work done by your Doctor Bai.

    But I gotta say, I¡¯m genuinely impressed. Over the years, us guys have had our fair share of losses to those drug traffickers. Our own brothers have gone through hell and back. This time it was done beautifully. A wife like Doctor Bai is what I want too¡ªso damn imposing!" As Xing Jun talked about it, he couldn¡¯t stop his unceasing admiration.

    It¡¯s not just him. Ask any team member who was on that mission, and you¡¯ll find not a single one who doesn¡¯t respect Doctor Bai down to the ground. A woman like her, not only capable but also vengeful, was just to everyone¡¯s liking.

    Ghost Shadow¡¯s eyes twinkled with questions, "Really? Our Captain An¡¯s wife, Doctor Bai, is that formidable? It just can¡¯t be. She looks so gentle and polite, never would have guessed she could be so fierce?" It wasn¡¯t just him; at first, Xing Jun didn¡¯t believe it either.

    He wasn¡¯t present for the whole thing, but there were four other witnesses. Even the local police chief wasn¡¯t cking off; he recounted everything from start to finish. His final statement was that if there could be many wives like that, they would all want one.

    It was so satisfying, dealing with those bastards just like that.

    An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

    "You don¡¯t know shit. You call this fierce? This is a heroine among women. Marrying a woman like that, An Zhiyuan¡¯s ancestors must be puffing green smoke in their graves! That¡¯s some crazy good fortune. Hey, does Doctor Bai have any sisters or whatnot? If she does, before even saying ¡¯wife¡¯, I¡¯d go marry one for myself," Xing Jun elbowed Ghost Shadow.

    "No, no, Doctor Bai is an only child; no sisters," Ghost Shadow¡¯s eyes darted around. Even if he did know, he wouldn¡¯t tell Xing Jun.

    All of them were still bachelors. Under such an influence and upbringing, who wouldn¡¯t want to marry a wife like Doctor Bai? Mighty and imposing, that¡¯s what we all like.

    "You¡¯re eyeing up the angle, huh? Hmph, you guys are damn lucky, I¡¯ll tell you! But between you and me, we haven¡¯t seen anything, we don¡¯t know a thing. Those people of Doctor Bai? After the investigation, they were all found to bew-abiding good citizens and have been released. Don¡¯t cause them any trouble," Xing Jun spoke earnestly. That¡¯s all they could really do since they truly hadn¡¯t seen anything.

    You can¡¯t go wrongfully using good people, after all.

 Chapter 874: Fierce Sister-in-law

    <h4>Chapter 874: Chapter 874: Fierce Sister-inw</h4>

    Ghost Shadow strode towards An Zhiyuan¡¯s Intensive Care Unit withrge steps.

    Head held high, chest out; his presence was as fierce as a rainbow.

    The doctor named Bai was actually this kind of Bai doctor ¨C they had never imagined it.

    They never realized that their own daughter-inw could be different, that she could protect them.

    Upon entering the ward, Bai Xiao was seen preparing a basin of warm water, gently cleaning off the dried blood from An Zhiyuan¡¯s body. His limbs, face, the bloodstains being removed bit by bit ¨C it was tough work for Bai Xiao as An Zhiyuan remained unconscious, still not awakened from the anesthesia. The gaze of Dr. Bai upon An Zhiyuan was interpreted by Ghost Shadow and his group as a deration of deep affection.

    "Sister-inw, why are you doing this work? Let us do it, let us ¨C just sit down and rest a while," they insisted.

    Several burly men scrambled to help, pushing Dr. Bai aside. Hot water and fruit were ced before him, "Dr. Bai, you eat. Just stay by Captain An¡¯s side, that¡¯s enough. Whatever needs doing, just tell us. What are we here for? Specifically to take care of our captain."

    This made Bai Xiaough and cry at the same time. What was all this about?

    "Actually, there¡¯s no need to be so polite. I can manage on my own. You all have work to do, so get to it. I¡¯ll handle these things, and besides, An Zhiyuan is my husband ¨C taking care of him is my duty." Bai Xiao felt pain for An Zhiyuan.

    Who could have imagined Bai Mei would do such a thing, it was utterly insane.

    She didn¡¯t treat people like people. That¡¯s why Bai Xiao truly wanted toy hands on her.

    Of course, she wouldn¡¯t kill Bai Mei, but Bai Mei had better be prepared to spend her life in prison from now on.

    She was ready to visit Bai Mei when she had the time, to let Bai Mei¡¯s injuries worsen further, to wait for what life would bring her.

    Dragging a frail and sickly body, she didn¡¯t believe Bai Mei could have afortable life in prison.

    If it was a cycle of vengeance without end, then let it remain unbroken.

    She did not believe in these karmic ties. Having seen through them in her previous life, if there truly was karma, Bai Mei and her ilk had already sown the seeds in their previous life ¨C and she was here to reap the fruit.

    "Sister-inw, we don¡¯t have any missions today, no training either. Let us do the heavy work, you just sit down!" Each of them was quick and efficient, smiling at Bai Xiao, their smiles as bright as the sun and as soft as a spring breeze.

    "What on earth are you trying to do? Really, there¡¯s no need for such politeness," Bai Xiao was still confused.

    "Dr. Bai, those people are yours, right? You¡¯re really something!"

    Ghost Shadow couldn¡¯t help himself; it was the first time he had encountered such a tough woman. In his eyes, who was Dr. Bai?

    She was his boss¡¯s wife, and in his mind, he believed he had met a true heroine among women.

    It was then Bai Xiao realized: these guys probably saw her as a hero of Liangshan who stood up for the oppressed.

    "I really don¡¯t know those people! It was just a chance encounter ¨C they stepped in to help. If it weren¡¯t for them, Captain An and I might both be dead now." Bai Xiao lied through her teeth.

    How could she not feel awkward, when theserades were indeed surrounding her with adoration? Try it for yourself, see if you can remainposed.

    Ghost Shadow had more to say; he was eager to express his admiration for her, which flowed like the vast Yangtze River.

    An Zhiyuan conveniently woke up, cooperating with his wife¡¯s narrative.

    He groaned softly.

    Bai Xiao was at An Zhiyuan¡¯s side in a sh, holding his hand.

    "Big brother! Are you awake?"

    Ghost Shadow and the others swarmed to the bedside.

    "Captain, you¡¯re awake!"

 Chapter 875: The Machine Broke Down

    <h4>Chapter 875: Chapter 875: The Machine Broke Down</h4>

    The hospital room had already quieted down. The nurse, considerate, ushered people out because visiting hours were over. Moreover, An Zhiyuan¡¯s condition did not allow so many people around him; he was still notpletely out of danger. After all, the doctor had said recovery takes time, and leaving the ICU depended on his physical condition.

    Bai Xiao could finally quietly stay by An Zhiyuan¡¯s side; he was still unable to eat anything.

    A tube was inserted in An Zhiyuan¡¯s throat because his jaw needed repair after those bastards had shattered it.

    Bai Xiao gripped his wrist tightly; now that they were not disturbed, she could finally treat him thoroughly.

    The special ability was quickly transferred out.

    Beep beep beep.

    ncing sideways, Bai Xiao saw unfamiliar faces on the monitor above, An Zhiyuan¡¯s heart rate was speeding up, including blood pressure and other vitals, and the footsteps of nurses and doctors were already heard hurried in the corridor.

    Hurriedly withdrawing her hand.

    The input of the special ability was cut off.

    The doctor and nurses had already burst through the door.

    Well, that door was merely symbolic anyway.

    "What¡¯s going on?"

    The doctor and nurses surrounded An Zhiyuan, began detailed examinations, checking his pulse, blood pressure, and after everyone busied themselves for a while, they sighed relief.

    The patient was all normal.

    The nurse and doctor were embarrassed.

    Exining to Bai Xiao, "That, perhaps the machine is a bit sensitive; a slight change in the patient¡¯s condition seemed amplified." The exnation sounded too insecure.

    Is it appropriate to exin this to a family member of a patient in the ICU?

    Would it not lead to future medical disputes?

    But what can be done since the words were already said.

    Bai Xiao smiled and sent them away, "Perhaps."

    This gentle attitude almost made the nurse and doctor want to cry.

    This understanding, and nonining family member of the patient, send us a dozen of them.

    Dr. Bai is also a doctor, probably can understand their hardships, so he said nothing, really a good person.

    This is what true understanding triumphs.

    This is a living example.

    Watching the somewhat reddened eyes of the doctors and nurses, Bai Xiao didn¡¯t know what she had done wrong.

    After sending everyone away, Bai Xiao sat next to An Zhiyuan.

    An Zhiyuan was actually already conscious, but due to the tubing, he couldn¡¯t speak; their eyes met, both unsure of what had happened.

    His wife¡¯s ability was not unknown to them.

    After the anesthesia wore off, An Zhiyuan realized that facing the brutality of enemies he could clench his teeth and not utter a noise, but facing his loved ones, even this kind of post-surgery pain became unbearable, a pain that slowly tortured his will like a rising tide.

    Bai Xiao clenched his hand; the tip of her fingers transferred her special ability once again, their contact did not hinder the performance of her ability, when the two were together, the ability seemed to even sense An Zhiyuan¡¯s presence, the joyous rhythmpelling An Zhiyuan to surge forward, just like the affection of a family reunion.

    Resistance seemed impossible, but this time it still urred.

    Bai Xiao stared dumbfounded as the machine beeped again.

    Alright, there was an rm here, firmly stopping their treatment.

    She helplessly withdrew her hand.

    The doctors and nurses swarmed in again.

    After various checks, this time even the doctors and nurses started doubting their machines.

    The patient had no issues! Heartbeat normal, blood pressure normal, everything normal.

    Their machine was malfunctioning.

    So after the third rm, the doctors and nurses decisively changed the machine, not wanting the patient to witness their embarrassment.

    This time Bai Xiao was also relieved.

    With a device able to detect her special ability, continuing like this was impossible; they could only wait for An Zhiyuan to return to a regr hospital room and remove this machine before acting.

 Chapter 876: Discharged from the Hospital

    <h4>Chapter 876: Chapter 876: Discharged from the Hospital</h4>

    Three days after An Zhiyuan woke up, he was finally transferred to the general ward. Though it was a general ward, given his rank, he of course had ess to the cadre ward. The Chief personally visited him for the second time, instructed him to recover well, and told Bai Xiao to take good care of An Zhiyuan.

    This time, Bai Xiao could finally treat An Zhiyuan with peace of mind and boldness.

    After a night of treatment, An Zhiyuan was already able to talk.

    His jaw was much better; although it still looked frightening on the outside, the internal injuries had long healed.

    As all the doctors said, An Zhiyuan was like a deity, with such powerful self-healing abilities, they had never seen a patient recover at such a breakneck pace before.

    Almost changing day by day.

    This was even with An Zhiyuan suppressing Bai Xiao from doing as she pleased, otherwise, this woman could make him lively enough to hop out of bed in just one day.

    That would have been too shocking.

    He wasn¡¯t worried about being studied and investigated himself, but he would nip in the bud any possibility that might expose Bai Xiao¡ªhis wife. Although he loved her, there wasn¡¯t much he could do for her, as this wife was too capable.

    She could obtain whatever she wanted by herself.

    Many times, as her husband, he felt quite helpless, but ensuring her safety was the one thing he could do for her.

    He would rather suffer the pain for a few more days than let Bai Xiao be discovered because of him.

    Perhaps both were considering each other¡¯s well-being, and that was indeed what truly loving and mutual care in a rtionship looked like.

    Yet still, it became a beautiful tale shared among the hospital¡¯s doctors and nurses.

    No wonder Captain An was worthy of the title of the king¡ªsuch body conditions and qualities, it would be a waste not to pursue this line of work.

    Half a monthter, An Zhiyuan was discharged from the hospital! Because of the fractures, he still needed to recuperate, but he no longer needed to stay in the hospital; that part of the treatment was over. Both doctors and nurses saw off Colonel An with warm farewells.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s quick discharge was also a testament to their medical skills and treatment level.

    Ghost Shadow¡¯s team members specially drove to pick up An Zhiyuan for the discharge, carrying their own team leader up the stairs. Although An Zhiyuan no longer needed medication, fractures weren¡¯t something that could heal instantly¡ªit required gradual care, let alone his eyes and ribs.

    No one knew that An Zhiyuan¡¯s eyes had already recovered, not even the doctors, because An Zhiyuan feared it would be too astonishing and hence concealed the fact that his vision had returned. He knew that by doing this, he might have to leave his career, but whenparing it to his wife¡¯s safety, he was willing to pay the price.

    Without Bai Xiao, he would have been fortunate to be anything but crippled; maybe he would have been finished long ago.

    Returning to the home they had left for several months, Bai Xiao felt a mix of emotions, and so did An Zhiyuan, as if the couple was experiencing the illusion of a world apart.

    It was indeed like a reunion after a brush with death.

    An Zhiyuan was settled on the bedroom bed, with a wheelchair next to it for his convenience. However, given his limbs were all in casts right now, it was probably more for Bai Xiao¡¯s convenience in caring for him.

    After making sure An Zhiyuan was settled, hisrades did not dare to trouble Bai Xiao anymore! They even cleaned the house for her and bought groceries, filling the entire fridge with meat, vegetables, and eggs.

    The group of people quietly left without saying goodbye to Bai Xiao because they were worried she might insist on hosting a meal for them. Now that Captain An was in that condition and needed care, how could they let her get tired?

 Chapter 877: Healing

    <h4>Chapter 877: Chapter 877: Healing</h4>

    This time, it was truly just their home for the two of them.

    Bai Xiao did not hide her feelings this time, walked straight to An Zhiyuan, took his hand tightly, and smiled, "You¡¯re always afraid of this and that, now that we¡¯re discharged from the hospital, we surely don¡¯t need to be scared anymore, right?"

    She wanted to see him unharmed, not in pain and unable to sleep at night. During those days, to avoid making it too obvious, An Zhiyuan endured the pain by gritting his teeth.

    Bai Xiao refrained from offering too much help, fearing that the hospital would find out her involvement in his recovery. She preferred to suffer in silence.

    She had felt heartbroken for many days.

    An Zhiyuan could not use much strength, as the fracture in his limbs might lead to possible seque. He felt useless now, and these days, it seemed that his wife had to take care of him all the time.

    With a bitter smile, he said, "You! Be a bit more cautious. If someone discovers the malfunction and makes it a joke, and they really take you for research, how can I save you? With my current state, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t protect you." This little girl does not yet know all the hardships he¡¯s been through for her.

    Bai Xiao pouted, kissed An Zhiyuan¡¯s forehead, and put her hands on his shoulders, "I know, you are doing all this for me! But no one can discover it now, so Captain An, you should start moving your limbs."

    The strength in her hands suddenly burst forth, directly invading An Zhiyuan¡¯s body, flowing through him.

    An Zhiyuan suddenly realized that life might not just be about this lifetime; there could be much more.

    People often say death is a "transition," and it¡¯s truly fitting because the soul transitions to another level of existence. Knowing thisforted him immensely.

    His Bai Xiao was no ordinary person; his duty was to protect her well.

    His Angel possessed incredible powers that nobody could imagine. Right now, he could see the broken bones in his body reassembling, the broken parts being reced and fused by an extended substance, every defect in his body healing one by one. Although all doctors believed there was no chance for his recovery, it only took half an hour.

    He could clearly understand! He was different now.

    During these days, Bai Xiao¡¯s demeanor was always gentle and mild, and her care was clearly felt in her actions.

    She knew the risks she would face, yet she still held nothing back from him. This was a secret between the two of them.

    A secret for a lifetime.

    He had already regained a strong intuition about reality, and he did not want to lose this connection with Bai Xiao.

    It was great to return to their real home, to see the days and nights shift, to have undisturbed privacy, and they could do anything together without fear of being discovered.

    Like now, he was able to stand up with Bai Xiao¡¯s support, his body slightly trembling not because he hadn¡¯t recovered, but because he hadn¡¯t stood for three months, and his leg muscles had atrophied¡ªalthough Bai Xiao massaged him daily.

    Especially seeing the radiant joy in her smile brightening her face, An Zhiyuan hugged his wife.

    He took a few deep breaths, shaking off the unsettling emotions.

    He was a person who only believed in facts, harsh realities, and literal truths.

    All his training taught him was that reality is the most reliable.

    He could trust reality, certain of its ruthless nature.

    He didn¡¯t find anything wrong with that, because he was also a ruthless person.

    But now, everything is different with her

 Chapter 878: Rehabilitation

    <h4>Chapter 878: Chapter 878: Rehabilitation</h4>

    Bai Xiao, who rarelyughed, actually felt likeughing out loud.

    An Zhiyuan had finally fully recovered, and although it took a long time, the effect was still quite good.

    It didn¡¯t cost her a bit of energy, just like An Zhiyuan¡¯s special ability, healing his body effortlessly.

    Looking at the healed man, embracing herself, his sturdy arms felt as familiar as the safe harbor she had rested in so many times.

    The feeling of finally being able to breathe a sigh of relief was like champagne bubbling in the bloodstream, making one slightly dizzy with delight.

    Her jubnt heart pounded against her chest, her ribs felt too tight, as if they were strangling her heart and lungs, almost suffocating her.

    Holding An Zhiyuan tightly.

    "You scared me to death!"

    Her voice finally choked up, Bai Xiao¡¯s strength over these many days finally crumbled; she couldn¡¯t even dare to imagine, what if she hadn¡¯t arrived in time, what if An Zhiyuan hadn¡¯t waited for her arrival, what if she didn¡¯t have a special ability! Then now, she would truly be a widow.

    What would wee her would be a coffin draped with the national g.

    God knows the immense fear a woman feels knowing her husband has been kidnapped; her not crying doesn¡¯t represent her strength, but rather that there was no time to cry, no time for tears.

    On a rainy October night, the drizzling rain fell, the wind and rain swayed outside, but it still remained warm like spring inside.

    "I¡¯m sorry," he said softly, "I couldn¡¯t refuse such a duty, I¡¯m sorry!" Other than sorry, he couldn¡¯t say anything else, could he say that because of Bai Xiao he wouldn¡¯t go on the mission?

    That would be a lie, he is a military person, obeys orders, followsmands, his all is not his own, the mission above everything.

    Even if given another chance, he would still ept the mission; he is definitely not a man who ces his lover above everything, he loves her.

    As long as it¡¯s within his power, he can give everything for her, even his own life, but still, he can¡¯t say that for Bai Xiao, he would give up his duty, such is the life of a military man.

    "What¡¯s the use of sorry!" she murmured, "If something had happened to you, I would be the only one suffering alone."

    Her saying this, knowing already what kind of person An Zhiyuan is, she definitely cannot change his mind, nor can she change it.

    Who made her choose such a man.

    "Xiaoxiao, it won¡¯t happen anymore, you see now, with my condition I can only ck off in the training squad, no one would believe someone with severe injuries could recover perfectly." He mocked himself, indeed the Chief had really talked to him, after his recovery, they nned to transfer him to a clerical position and he would leave the system - this was the arrangement of the superiors and a responsible action for him.

    Even though he had already recoveredpletely, he would never say it, this was his protection and responsibility towards Bai Xiao.

    She hugged him tightly, quickly clenched her fists, trying to feign an unmoved tone.

    "So, can I go out now and set off fireworks to celebrate!"

    He looked at her, his eyes twinkling with amusement, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, this appearance of his was simply bewitching.

    He rarely let his guard down, put away his usually expressionless coldness, his strong charm made her tremble uncontrobly.

    "Do you want me to find some for you? It seems we have some at home, but are you really sure you want to push your wheelchair-bound husband to set off fireworks, aren¡¯t you afraid people will think you are crazy?" he smiled as he looked at her, his hand gently touching her hair.

    Bai Xiaoughed heartily, copsing into his arms.

 Chapter 879: Visiting

    <h4>Chapter 879: Chapter 879: Visiting</h4>

    Bai Mei lies on the hospital bed, weak and listless, with one wrist shackled to the bed rail, restricting her movements. As the main culprit, she is under close surveince, and she has already overheard the doctors¡¯ conversations.

    Permanent disability of the limbs. Even if she recovers, at most, she will be able to walk, but her appearance will bepromised. With a limp and deformed arms, the damn doctor even had the audacity to tell her she was lucky.

    Does being immobile mean it¡¯s for the best?

    Everyone here hates her to the bone. She suspects that these doctors haven¡¯t treated her wholeheartedly. Don¡¯t think she doesn¡¯t know this is the Military District Hospital, and because of An Zhiyuan, someone may want her dead at any time.

    So she¡¯s extremely cautious, and dares not to eat just anything, fearing that even a food poisoning could take her life.

    At this moment, she feels thankful for the police.

    They would not dare to dispose of her so easily.

    But the doctor said that she will only have one eye left, and the shattered jaw will render her unable to speak again. The scars on her face will turn into a nightmare forevermore.

    She is even afraid to look in the mirror.

    She has seen what An Zhiyuan looks like, that Bai Xiao let those people torture her, showing absolutely no mercy.

    Bai Xiao!

    All because of Bai Xiao!

    She ended up like this, and yet Bai Xiao is living well.

    How utterly unfair the heavens are.

    She¡¯s tried to take Bai Xiao¡¯s life time and again, yet Bai Xiao has managed to escape every time.

    Why does she have such good fortune?

    Bai Mei doesn¡¯t understand why she seems to alwayse up short when facing Bai Xiao.

    Footsteps approach, but Bai Mei doesn¡¯t open her eyes. These past few days, whether the doctors or the nurses who took care of her, treated her the same way ¨C with contempt in their eyes, rough in their actions, their attitudes as if they were looking at an animal.

    So she doesn¡¯t want to see these people either.

    "Comrade, I would like to talk to her alone, I am a doctor at the hospital, this is my work ID, and I am also the wife of the victim, An Zhiyuan."

    Bai Mei¡¯s eyes fly open, her breathing bes rapid, heart racing. She wants to ask, what is that woman Bai Xiao doing here?

    Is she here to mock her?

    Laughable, thinking she can defeat her like this?

    In her dreams!

    Regrettably, only whimpers can be heard from her throat; she can¡¯t make a sound, her tongue and vocal cords have been damaged due to her jaw injury.

    The person already knew Dr. Bai, looked at Bai Xiao¡¯s ID, nodded amiably, "I¡¯ll be right outside the door, call me if you need anything. This woman has a violent tendency, and even though she is seriously injured now, you never know if she might desperately try a murder-suicide." They¡¯ve seen too many of these kinds of drug traffickers.

    Many of them, knowing they can¡¯t escape death, wish to drag everyone down with them.

    Sentiments against society and humanity run high.

    Bai Xiao thanks the person.

    The consideraterade closes the door gently.

    They understand that An Zhiyuan was tortured to such a state, Dr. Bai must havee to confront the main perpetrator and vent her dissatisfaction and anger. They would turn a blind eye to such matters as long as they don¡¯t cross the line, and they all support Dr. Bai and An Zhiyuan internally.

    If a family memberes to vent their anger on such a malicious woman, it¡¯s only natural. As long as there¡¯s no death, it¡¯s a minor matter.

    The gaze moves to the corridor above, watching the bustling crowd with rapt attention.

    He is considered a good person.

 Chapter 880: Coming to See You

    <h4>Chapter 880: Chapter 880: Coming to See You</h4>

    "Bai Mei, I¡¯m here to see you!"

    Bai Xiao stood towering over Bai Mei, whoy on the sickbed, pale yet ring with ferocious, man-eating eyes.

    Even now, Bai Mei showed no trace of guilt or regret, her spirit unfalteringly strong.

    She was indeed beyond redemption.

    Bai Mei tried to say something with a chuckle, but failed to speak. Her hand, like a chicken¡¯s w, frantically tried to grasp Bai Xiao. One hand was firmly shackled to the head of the bed, while the other couldn¡¯t reach Bai Xiao at all¡ªit was too far away. She wanted to pinch Bai Xiao with her fingers, even without her old strength, even if just with her fingernails, she wanted to take a chunk out of Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao bent down and firmly grasped Bai Mei¡¯s wrist.

    Bai Mei had be dreadfully thin.

    Such suffering from illness would break even a good person.

    An Zhiyuan, though physically robust, had lost a whole 40 kilograms due to his recent illness.

    This was only mitigated by his wife who asionally secretly supplied him with healing from her special ability. Otherwise, he would have lost even more weight.

    Bai Mei now looked like a mere skeleton, her cheekbones sharply prominent, as if she was a ghastly spirit crawling out from hell.

    The body that was once full had now withered away to nothing but a skeleton draped in a shirt.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s strength was too much; Bai Mei felt it was painful.

    She needed to struggle.

    But she could not overpower Bai Xiao¡¯s strength.

    "Do you think it¡¯s over? I tell you it¡¯s not over yet. What you owe me and what you owe Colonel An, I will collect bit by bit. Look at that expression in your eyes, like you want to devour me. You must be wondering, what do you owe me?

    Let me tell you, so you know clearly what you owe.

    In ourst life, you and your dear sister-inw Wu Xiaoyue conspired for a dowry of 200 yuan to trick me into marrying Fang Xiaoshan. You know better than I do what kind of life I had with Xiaoshan.

    Indeed, like you, Xiaoshan eventually wanted to sell me to settle his debts, so I ran away. Clearly, I am not as capable as you.

    Because of this, my brother died, and my two sisters also died. Just because of your greedy selfishness, 200 yuan could end a person¡¯s life.

    Don¡¯t look at me with those eyes as if seeing a ghost; yes, I said that was in a past life. My previous life was so miserable, and now I havee back for revenge.

    I initially only wanted to fight fire with fire.

    Let you taste the sins youmitted against me in our past life, but obviously, you¡¯re unwilling to settle your debts this way.

    You are more formidable than I imagined.

    You even want to seek revenge against me.

    Since that¡¯s the case, our vengeance isn¡¯t just a matter of mutual retaliation anymore. You seek revenge on me, and I seek revenge on you¡ªit¡¯s no longer possible.

    So, I will take my revenge once and for all.

    Look, the doctor said your limbs could eventually heal, albeit you¡¯d walkmely and move clumsily, but you would still be able to move freely. Speaking is out of the question, and you¡¯ve lost an eye, but primarily, these scars on your face, tsk tsk, though you weren¡¯t necessarily beautiful before, now probably everyone who sees you would shun you.

    Don¡¯t be so fierce; even if you scream your lungs out, no one can understand you now."

 Chapter 881 Scared to Death

    <h4>Chapter 881: Chapter 881 Scared to Death</h4>

    Bai Mei was terrified, curled up into a ball. The quilt covering her acted like a barrier, as if it could protect her from Bai Xiao¡¯s harm.

    She wasn¡¯t deaf.

    She could hear everything Bai Xiao said very clearly, her mind was not muddled, and she understood the meaning of those words.

    It was precisely because she understood that she was even more afraid.

    If you knew that the person opposite was like a demon, she was reborn.

    No wonder she always lost to Bai Xiao.

    Because this woman already knew what would happen, she even knew what Bai Mei was going to do or think.

    How could Bai mei not be afraid?

    Her throat made a whimpering sound in desperation, trying to catch the attention of someone outside.

    But her cries only brought a casual nce from a police officer outside.

    Seeing that the doctor wasn¡¯t doing anything to her, just grasping her wrist.

    The officers shifted their gaze back outside.

    The door was tightly shut; all sounds and conversations inside couldn¡¯t be heard by anyone.

    She wanted to tell everyone

    Bai Xiao was a monster; she should be captured, burned, killed, or studied, not allowed to roam freely outside.

    Unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t speak, she couldn¡¯t say it. At this moment, she regretted putting herself in this position, if she could speak, she wouldn¡¯t be so passive.

    Bai Xiao smiled, but her eyes did not reflect any warmth.

    "I understand you want to tell everyone that I¡¯m a demon, you wish to have me captured. Unfortunately, what a pity, you no longer have the chance, you can no longer speak. Oh, that¡¯s right, I know your hands are disabled, but you can still write."

    Bai Xiao held up Bai Mei¡¯s wrist. Bai Mei struggled forcefully, even ignoring the excruciating pain from her fractured wound, desiring to wrench her wrist free.

    "I think your disability needs to be more severe. How severe, you might ask?"

    Bai Xiao pondered, "Certainly unable to write. Otherwise, if I tell you such a great secret, and you tell others, how disadvantageous it would be for me."

    Bai Mei felt a cold energy flowing through her body, terrifying her so much that she couldn¡¯t move at all, her entire body stiffened.

    Then, she felt like her limbs no longer belonged to her.

    The wounds on her arms and legs hurt even more, as if someone was horrifically tearing her bones apart.

    Bai Mei screamed, but her voice wasn¡¯t as loud as she expected, not catching anyone¡¯s attention, except for Bai Xiao in front of her.

    "Don¡¯t worry! I won¡¯t kill you, you will live well, to atone for the sins against those you have harmed. Your second half of your life will be spent in prison. Oh, I have good news for you, I¡¯ve cured the wounds on your face, ensuring no scars will be left. I am this kind to you of course because a beautiful woman like you, once in prison, will probably be coveted by many.

    Women¡¯s repressed desires can also drive them crazy; a weakling like you, should receive some protection! Otherwise, how will you survive?" Bai Xiao then released her wrist.

    Bai Mei, like a fish out of water,y gasping for breath on the hospital bed.

    Bai Xiao left with a smile.

    Therades at the door greeted her and entered the ward, seeing Bai Mei in such a state, utterly unharmed, but acting as if frightened out of her wits, frantically beating the headboard of the bed.

    Pretending!

    Many people resort to this tactic to avoid investigation, pretending to be insane or stupid.

    They have seen it plenty.

    They silently went outside to stand guard.

 Chapter 882: Discussing

    <h4>Chapter 882: Chapter 882: Discussing</h4>

    Yu Shaohua had already received the news, such a big case involved a doctor from their hospital! It was even his own niece; how could he possibly not know about it.

    He didn¡¯t expect Bai Xiao to encounter such an incident.

    He also didn¡¯t expect An Zhiyuan to be so severely injured.

    The hospital¡¯s doctors had alreadymunicated with Yu Shaohua, and An Zhiyuan¡¯s condition wasid out on the table right away.

    Even if An Zhiyuan¡¯s condition recovers ideally, it will require a very long period of convalescence. Without one or two years of long-term recuperation, it is simply not possible to recover fully, ording to all the doctors.

    Yu Shaohua, of course, knew that this meant a significant change in the nature of An Zhiyuan¡¯s work, especially since An Zhiyuan now needed someone to care for him.

    Bai Xiao still needs to go to school, and there are not many opportunities left for her to pursue further studies. Bai Xiao is getting older day by day; continuing like this is definitely not a solution.

    Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan were also discussing what to do.

    An Zhiyuan still had his cast on, and even though he had already healed, he could not just pretend as if nothing happened. If he went out and said that An Zhiyuan was lively and bouncing around, he would probably be captured for research.

    The couple hadn¡¯t yet agreed on a solution when An Cheng already called.

    An Zhiyuan had such a big ident, and as a chief, An Cheng couldn¡¯t possibly be unaware. Although mentally prepared, as such crises are most likely to be encountered, it still pained his heart.

    That¡¯s his own son, after all.

    An Cheng was already prepared to transfer An Zhiyuan to the Capital City, so that he would be closer to home and could be taken care of nearby. They also knew about Bai Xiao¡¯s further studies in Modu; they couldn¡¯t possibly let their daughter-inw carry such a heavy burden alone! Nor could they hinder Bai Xiao¡¯s progress.

    His idea was to have the couple both move back to the Capital City and work at the hospital there. Since An Zhiyuan¡¯s current condition made it impossible for him to continue working on the front line, it would be better to return to his parents¡¯ side if he was to change his profession.

    An Zhiyuan disagreed. The Capital City was his father¡¯s stronghold, and returning would truly mean just idling away his time. Even the training programs he was good at would not be implemented there; it would be better for him to develop elsewhere. He knew he had lost the chance to return to the battlefield, but he also did not want to end up in a clerical role like his forebears, spending his entire life in the rear.

    He still wanted to exert his influence and shine; he was confident that he could train many more bodyguards like himself.

    "Dad, I disagree with going back," he said.

    An Cheng was left speechless with frustration, his son had always been somewhat disobedient.

    "If you don¡¯te back, what about Bai Xiao? She still has her studies, and this will dy her. Are you nning to follow her to Modu? You¡¯re not young anymore, think for yourself. Who am I doing this for? It¡¯s for both of you. If youe back, your aunt can also take care of you, and your wife can work with peace of mind. What is there for you to disagree with?"

    "Dad, I want to take Ayuan to Modu; he needs recuperation, and I can take care of him if we¡¯re close by. Besides, his superior has also discussed this with him. If we¡¯re to transfer jobs, we can go to Modu where a securitypany is about to be set up. It¡¯s a good developmental opportunity for An Zhiyuan and suits his skills. Plus, I can also look after him." The two of them had discussed it, and neither was prepared to go to the Capital City.

    Going back there would involve too much; there would undoubtedly be a lot of issues, particrly with Wei Shufen, that troublesome stepmother.

    Moreover, returning there would leave An Zhiyuan with no scope to disy his abilities, just doing ideological work forrades and writing reports all day, something that An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t want to do.

    Bai Xiao also hoped that An Zhiyuan could start a different kind of life.

 Chapter 883: Wei Shufenâ€™s Worries

    <h4>Chapter 883: Chapter 883: Wei Shufen¡¯s Worries</h4>

    "Have you both considered this thoroughly? Transferring jobs could greatly affect your future prospects. I, as a father, am retiring soon, and if I want to pull strings for my son in the future, I¡¯m afraid my intentions won¡¯t match my capabilities. It may not be so easy for you to return to Capital City in your lifetime." An Cheng is retiring next year, and although his benefits will remain the same, being retired is a whole different matter from being in office.

    Since my daughter-inw insists on taking care of our son herself, what else can I, as an old grandpa, say?

    It¡¯s not like I can separate a young couple.

    An Zhiyuan replied with a smile, "Dad, we are confident we can do even better on our own, so don¡¯t worry about it. Modu is also a city where modern development is rapid. Bai Xiao and I are confident that we can excel in our work there."

    An Cheng felt defeated.

    After hanging up the phone, Wei Shufen noticed An Cheng¡¯s grim expression and pressed him, "How did it go? Did Ayuan give you an answer?"

    She doesn¡¯t want An Zhiyuan toe back because ever since the copse of the Ding Family, andbined with her poor health and theplications arising from an infected wound, Ding Min¡¯s uterus had been removed. Not only has her temperament turned gloomy now, but her constitution is also weak, she frequently falls ill and can¡¯t go out to work.

    The main reason is that Ding Min was expelled from the arts troupe. The destruction of the Ding Family was the catalyst; with both parents in prison, she became the most pitiable among their group. It was only during her visit to see her parents that she learned it was a masked person who had broken into their house and tied up her parents, causing such a disaster.

    She hated that masked person to death.

    Of course, she hated Bai Xiao even more. If Bai Xiao hadn¡¯t stolen her man, would she be in such a miserable situation now?

    Especially knowing that she will never be able to have children, Ding Min¡¯s temperament has be so quirky that she is displeased with everyone; it¡¯s as if Wei Shufen owes her something. Not only does Wei Shufen have to subsidize Ding Min¡¯s living expenses every month, but she also has to arrange for someone to take care of Ding Min.

    In any case, life is difficult.

    Wei Shufen was afraid when she heard that An Cheng nned to transfer An Zhiyuan and his wife back; if An Zhiyuan returned, who knows what madness Ding Min would unleash.

    She was indeed frightened by this niece.

    Now Ding Min has be like an unbearable burden; whether Wei Shufen interferes or not, Ding Min treats her almost like an enemy.

    The underlying implication of her words is that it¡¯s Wei Shufen¡¯s fault for not caring about the life and death of her own parents. But how could she interfere? When the Ding Family¡¯s scandal broke out, it was such big news that the media were all over it, the evidence was ringly presented in the photos, and everyone up and down knew about it.

    She didn¡¯t dare to show her face; doing so would mean indicating to others that she had issues as well.

    At that time, Wei Shufen was too busy saving her own skin to meddle in such affairs.

    Even now, they still can¡¯t figure out who was behind the incident; who could have been so utterly ruthless?

    So, from the bottom of her heart, she really didn¡¯t dare to hope for An Zhiyuan¡¯s return.

    If Ding Min goes crazy, Wei Shufen is the one who ends up dealing with the mess.

    "The kids have already discussed it and are nning to transfer their jobs to Modu. Sigh! They still have a grudge against us! " An Cheng grumbled inside.

    If his son didn¡¯t feel the warmth in his own home, why wouldn¡¯t he want to bring his wife back with him?

    Casting a nce at Wei Shufen, but who could he me when he chose this wife himself?

    There is no need to talk about the good or the bad anymore; so many years have passed.

    It¡¯s not like they can just get a divorce now because of this, right?

    An Cheng rubbed his forehead.

    Every family has its troubles.

 Chapter 884: The Plan

    <h4>Chapter 884: Chapter 884: The n</h4>

    An Zhixiang and Ding Min left the cinema.

    He knew that Ding Min had been in a bad moodtely; how could he be unaware of the incident at the Ding Family? So, he did his best to apany Ding Min more, trying to cheer her up.

    Unfortunately, no matter what he did, her attitude towards him seemed always so indifferent.

    How helpless he felt.

    Sometimes, An Zhixiang also thought of himself as good-for-nothing, seemingly powerless when facing the person he liked.

    "Xiaomin, I have something to tell you."

    This was something he had resolved to do; in this family, he was inferior to his brothers in every aspect. He too hoped to achieve something like a man and be recognized by his father and family.

    Right now, to put it bluntly, his job was just to bum around in the military.

    He also wished to experience the trials of battle like a man and grow into a true soldier.

    Ding Min didn¡¯t really care about An Zhixiang; she wasn¡¯t a fool¡ªshe could see the affection he had for her.

    But ever since she was young, her heart was upied by An Zhiyuan alone, and this had be an obsession. Even though he was now married, Ding Min still couldn¡¯t let go.

    "I¡¯m going to be stationed at the border. The application I submitted three months ago has been approved. Unless something unexpected happens, we¡¯ll leave within a week."

    Ding Min was taken aback.

    What?

    An Zhixiang was leaving too.

    She couldn¡¯t help but grip An Zhixiang¡¯s arm tightly; although she didn¡¯t love him, An Zhixiang was currently the only man who could provide her with security.

    Compared to her aunt, An Zhixiang thought of her much more and morepletely.

    Thefortable and privileged life she was living right now, wasn¡¯t it all because, besides Aunt Wei Shufen, it was An Zhixiang who had been taking care of her, responding to her every request and withdrawal?

    To put it bluntly, without An Zhixiang, who else would treat her so well?

    "Why do you want to go there? You work with a pen, what use will you be on the front lines? Are you tired of me too, wanting to leave me, to get away from me? Even if that¡¯s the case, you don¡¯t have to joke about your own life. I¡¯ve heard them say that although the friction has essentially ceased, there are still asional sniper shots.

    If something happens to you, how can you answer to my aunt, to your father?"

    Ding Min spoke with righteous indignation.

    An Zhixiangughed and patted Ding Min, "Are you a bit reluctant to part with me, worried about my safety?" Suddenly feeling pleased within, being worried about by someone is a form of happiness.

    Ding Min sneered, "Why would I worry about your safety? Who are you to me, we are just friends."

    An Zhixiang felt dejected; although he was ustomed to Ding Min¡¯s cold and harsh words, his heart still ached each time.

    "Since we¡¯re just friends, then you needn¡¯t worry about me. My life is my own business. Of course, I will take it into consideration. I¡¯m not joking with my life; I am going to do what a man ought to do." An Zhixiang had long decided; only through hardships could he grow, and even progress from his current position. He was a man, and he longed for sess.

    Ding Min¡¯s eyes widened; An Zhixiang had never treated her this way before, always subservient towards her¡ªthis was the first time he was so cold, could it be that An Zhixiang also disdained her? She suddenly became utterly panicked.

    She didn¡¯t like An Zhixiang, but without him, she would lose her source of a stable life, and she couldn¡¯t bear that thought.

 Chapter 885: Gone Mad

    <h4>Chapter 885: Chapter 885: Gone Mad</h4>

    "Axiang, don¡¯t go. If it¡¯s because you¡¯re upset with me, is it worth it? I know what you¡¯re thinking, but you also understand my current situation. I don¡¯t love you, I never have. And I can¡¯t have children anymore, whoever I marry, I¡¯d just be dragging them down." Ding Min made herself out to be very noble, as though she was so understanding.

    An Zhixiang felt a chill in his heart.

    Yes, he couldn¡¯t warm this heart.

    Even though he had spent all the money his mother left him on Ding Min, Ding Min was still so arrogant towards him, not giving him even a shred of pretense or hope as if she was sure he couldn¡¯t leave her.

    He was just a ridiculous clown.

    "I know, so you live a good life from now on. I must do what I should do, and I can¡¯t always enjoy this kind offortable life in the rear. I have to go and do what a real man should do." This time, An Zhixiang was more determined than ever; he couldn¡¯t just continue to achieve nothing.

    To give everything for one woman, this was too far from the self he envisioned.

    Ding Min gave him no hope, so he must do what he should do, search for new hope. A person shouldn¡¯t only find importance in romantic feelings; a career can also be a pursuit for a man¡¯s lifetime.

    "Axiang, why must you be so stubborn? You are really not cut out for the battlefield. You belong in an office, writing press releases, doingyout work. That¡¯s what you should be doing. You¡¯re not robust enough; what use would you be on the battlefield? Why insist on showing temporary courage?" Ding Min offered not a trace offort or encouragement to An Zhixiang, just relentless criticism.

    After all, An Zhixiang couldn¡¯t leave her; she had always known that, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t keep sticking around her even though she couldn¡¯t have children.

    An Zhixiang fed her vanity as a woman, satisfying the inted ego she currently needed. Having someone who never leaves her side, she could proudly boast about it to others.

    Now she couldn¡¯t let An Zhixiang walk away.

    Otherwise, what would she have left?

    An Zhixiang chuckled, "I know, I¡¯ve always known. In everyone¡¯s eyes, I¡¯m just a useless person. But from today onwards, this useless person will do what he should do. Even if he¡¯s useless, he needs to prove his worth. You live well from now on. If you¡¯re not sick of me, I won¡¯t bother you like a fly around you ever again.

    My mother will definitely take good care of you. I hope you can find the man you want to marry soon. But I am telling you responsibly, you can forget about my brother; he and my sister-inw are living happily. Maybe I didn¡¯t understand and always targeted my sister-inw, butter I realized the way my brother looks at her, it¡¯s the look of a man who deeply loves his woman.

    So giving up earlier is a relief for yourself."

    He had done everything he could, he had given all his care to this woman.

    Now he wanted to do what he wanted to do.

    Ding Min was probably stirred up by hisst remarks.

    Hysterically, she shoved An Zhixiang, "An Zhixiang, you¡¯re just a useless person, what do you know about how a man loves a woman? I tell you, Bai Xiao stole my man, and she will never be happy in this life. One day, I will take back everything that belongs to me.

    I¡¯m telling you, An Zhiyuan is mine, and he will definitely be my man."

    Laughing loudly, she left.

    An Zhixiang was speechless.

    Ding Min had gone mad.

 Chapter 886 Change

    <h4>Chapter 886: Chapter 886 Change</h4>

    An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao returned to Modu.

    The relocation procedures went quickly, and An Zhiyuan¡¯s were issued first. The Chief understood their needs: after all, with Doctor Bai not in Yun Province, An Zhiyuan required someone to take care of him, and Doctor Bai¡¯s career development should not be dyed. Hence, An Zhiyuan had to make amodations for Bai Xiao.

    Moreover, going to Modu, An Zhiyuan¡¯s opportunities for growth were still tremendous. A securitypany was being established there, and with his rich experience and ability in training, he was considered the best candidate. Such a development meant that An Zhiyuan wouldn¡¯t have to leave the career he loved.

    Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan arrived in Modu by ne.

    This time, because they had to move again, Bai Xiao found it amusing; it seemed like they never had a stable home. No sooner had they settled down in Yun Province than they had to move immediately to Modu.

    The house in Yun Province was a provisioned unit apartment, which they could only vacate, and many household appliances and items had to be given away.

    Wei Jianling kepting over with Huzi, clearly eyeing those possessions, but it wasn¡¯t practical to take everything with them.

    However, Bai Xiao gave arge part to Director Zhang¡¯s family. After all, Director Zhang had worked diligently for years and, due to his wife¡¯s medical treatments, his home was practically empty. Bai Xiao felt that those in need should be the ones helped by these items.

    Wei Jianling also walked away with a television set, after all, Hu Biao was still there.

    It turned out to be a win-win for everyone.

    Yu Shaohua was reluctant to let go of his niece who was working well under his supervision, and now suddenly, he had no authority over her.

    Bai Xiao and Yu Shaohua had a thorough talk.

    The crisis facing Yu Shaohua was still present, and Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t stay here to wait for it to happen. However, that medical incident indeed involved many human factors, and to eliminate these, Dean Yu Shaohua needed to take charge and revamp the hospital¡¯s systems. Additionally, it was crucial to rapidly establish some research topics, as solving these would be key.

    The most important and initial change was to avert crises from happening in the first ce, and of course, to eliminate medical errors at their source.

    After their conversation, no one knew exactly what Bai Xiao said or how he managed to persuade Yu Shaohua, but ever since Bai Xiao and others left,

    Yu Shaohua held a full hospital staff meeting.

    Besides vigorously promoting the integration of traditional Chinese and Western medicine, he made significant adjustments to various departments in the hospital.

    The standards for every doctor¡¯s professional requirements were raised.

    That meant sitting back and reaping the rewards without effort was no longer possible.

    Each person was required to produce a certain number of papers every year and submit new research topics.

    The hospital would review the significance of each person¡¯s research topic and apply for funding ¨C the hospital pledged strong support in this regard.

    It was as if a drop of water had fallen into a hot pan.

    Sttering oil, scorchingly hot.

    Poured over all the doctors and directors, it was akin to an agonizing, searing pain in their hearts.

    Everyone was no longer able to rely on their old methods, using only their existing knowledge to support their work.

    From today onward, that waspletely over.

    Furthermore, all professional titles now requiredpetitive job cement.

    No matter how high your title was, everyone had equal resources andpetitive ability in this three-year rotational position. As long as one¡¯s professional capability was outstanding, it had nothing to do with seniority.

    Even if you were a freshly graduated medical student, as long as you were diligent and strived for excellence in your field, the director¡¯s position could potentially be yours.

 Chapter 887: Dog Abuse

    <h4>Chapter 887: Chapter 887: Dog Abuse</h4>

    Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan arrived in Modu, and it was Yu Feixue, that darn girl, who came to pick them up, saying that she specifically wanted to check out her future brother-inw.

    Upon meeting An Zhiyuan, she was so astonished she considered him a catch and directly said that An Zhiyuan, this good cabbage, had been hogged by a pig, totally wasting such a treasure.

    This really got Bai Xiao¡¯s goat.

    Her own rtive was obviously here to steal her thunder.

    Besides, isn¡¯t she as pretty as a flower, so how could she not be worthy of An Zhiyuan?

    "Brother-inw, since you¡¯ve arrived, you definitely don¡¯t have a ce to stay. Come stay at Grandma and Grandpa¡¯s house. I guarantee they¡¯ll take such good care of you, you¡¯ll get plump and fair. Look, Bai Xiao usually has sses at school, and especiallyter on, she¡¯ll have to go to the hospital for advanced practice. I¡¯m afraid even if she has the will, she won¡¯t have the strength to take care of you. Grandma and Grandpa, on the other hand, are free and can take care of you more than enough."

    This was Grandma¡¯s assigned mission, to definitely get An Zhiyuan to stay at their house. This way, Bai Xiao naturally wouldn¡¯t feel good about not visiting home often. This was Grandma¡¯s clever n.

    An Zhiyuan felt embarrassed; this sister, who clearly wasn¡¯t older than him, was up to no good. Her tone sounded like the Big Bad Wolf trying to trick Little Red Riding Hood.

    He could say that his IQ was passable, although definitely not the 180-genius type, but at least he wasn¡¯t easily fooled.

    Can we not do these childish tricks?

    Bai Xiao was amused, looping her arm through An Zhiyuan¡¯s and leaning on his shoulder, "Get out of here. I¡¯ll take care of my own man. Go wipe off that drool on your face!" She was teasing, just messing around, of course she wouldn¡¯t let An Zhiyuan suffer at Grandma and Grandpa¡¯s.

    How could An Zhiyuan pretend to be disabled in front of Grandma and Grandpa Pizi, right?

    That would be so awkward.

    Besides, it was hard enough for her and An Zhiyuan to be reunited as husband and wife. Wasn¡¯t it difficult enough for them?

    The crises they faced were always life and death. Shouldn¡¯t the two of them get to enjoy their time together? The alone time they had was like stolen bliss. Big Sister Yu, you¡¯d better go back where you came from.

    Yu Feixue was sulking, "Who¡¯s drooling? Brother-inw An, let me tell you! I see it clearly now, my sister is definitely not dutiful. At home, it must be you doing the chores, right? She bullies you like this, you should stand up and ¡¯sings the song of revolt.¡¯ When you¡¯re at Grandma¡¯s house, then you¡¯ll be the one in charge. Think about it, wouldn¡¯t that feel like an aplishment?" This was pure deception.

    An Zhiyuanughed, "Sister Yu, we want to enjoy our couple¡¯s world. Besides, as a girl that married me, Xiaoxiao naturally should be taken care of by me more. She¡¯s a girl; she should be the one being pampered. Those men who watch their wives busy around after getting off work, while they kick back with their legs up on the couch and read the newspaper, I look down on them. I can¡¯t let my wife suffer like that either."

    Bai Xiao smiled radiantly, draping a hand on his sturdy shoulder, their closeness almost intimate. With just a small move closer, she could give him a kiss.

    Yu Feixue spat in disgust.

    "You two, cut it out. I¡¯m still here, aren¡¯t I? With those smoldering eyes, how could a single person like me live with this? Are you teasing me just because I don¡¯t have a boyfriend?" Bombarded by their disy of affection, she felt cold inside and out.

    This feeling of being outdone by others, doubting your life, really doesn¡¯t feel good.

    Yu Feixue even started to consider whether she should find a suitor, start a romance, and have an affair full of poetic charm.

    Otherwise, this sister and brother-inw were simply leaving no room for others.

 Chapter 888 Relatives

    <h4>Chapter 888: Chapter 888 Rtives</h4>

    "Who said you¡¯re out of options? Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know about the sea of pursuers you¡¯ve got, with the flowers piling up every week at your dormitory door. How many queues have there been?" Bai Xiao said with a smug look, practically admitting it was just to rub it in for a healthier glow.

    Yu Feixue¡¯s face turned red.

    "Those are pursuers, and I haven¡¯t agreed to any. I¡¯m a person of principles, not someone who falls head over heels at first sight, and I definitely won¡¯t settle. Oh, if only I had met my brother-inw sooner. Otherwise, what business would you, Doctor Bai, have here?"

    An Zhiyuan was being teased.

    Is that so?

    His own auntie-inw is quite formidable now.

    "Enough about that, I know for sure it¡¯s a task given by grandma and grandpa. Just simmer down, I¡¯ll talk to them myself." Bai Xiao had already nned it out; considering the real estate in Modu will boom in the future, buying a couple of properties here would be a shrewd investment for a small wealthydy like her, as they could serve as funds even if she relocates for work in the future.

    "So you must stay over tonight, right? You can¡¯t just return to your dorm now and leave An Zhiyuan in the hotel." In fact, Yu Feixue had already figured it out - Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan couldn¡¯t possibly escape their clutches.

    "Even if I wanted to leave today, could I? I¡¯m sure not only grandma and grandpa but also your parents and various rtives and friends are waiting for us at home, right?" Bai Xiao was very aware that Yu family¡¯s old master could hardly wait to announce a grand reunion and broadcast the return of their granddaughter on television.

    The sentiment is understandable, but if things continue without intervention, the consequences would be dire.

    An Zhiyuan finally held his wife¡¯s hand contentedly; he wanted to spend time alone with her, and this vacation was the perfect opportunity. Even when he goes back to work, he needs to take a break of at least half a year; otherwise, who would believe he recovered so quickly?

    "That¡¯s because you don¡¯t want An Zhiyuan¡¯s first visit to our house to go by without meeting and getting to know the rtives and friends. To tell you the truth, this time the old master¡¯s elder brother¡¯s family has alsoe, and this great-uncle is tough to talk to; he¡¯s the type who creates trouble out of nothing, and his whole family is difficult to deal with, old-fashioned and critical, especially his grandsons and granddaughters who think too highly of themselves. I really detest them," Yu Feixue was in effect giving them a heads-up.

    Bai Xiao immediately understood - today was really a gathering of rtives.

    At such family gatherings, there were bound to be both good and bad elements. She had firsthand knowledge of this.

    Why didn¡¯t she choose her ce of advanced study more carefully? It was a trap set by her eldest uncle.

    "Got it. I¡¯ll say it upfront - I¡¯m not one to take things lying down. If someone expects me not to fight back when hit or argue back when scolded, that¡¯s not going to happen. I reciprocate kindness, and if someone offends me, I pay it back tenfold. If a meal turns into amotion, let¡¯s hope it doesn¡¯t anger the old master."

    Yu Feixue chuckled.

    "Go on, give them a piece of your mind; no one will stop you. The old master and olddy have long wanted to do the same. That family appears sanctimonious, but what they do is despicable. When our great-grandfather passed away, we were left with nothing because of political reasons.

    Later, when the policy changed, and his grandfather was vindicated, with back pay andpensation for some family belongings, they swarmed like flies smelling blood. That nearly led to a fight between the two families.

    Grandpa and grandma, who usually don¡¯t hold grudges, were so pressed they almost got physical. Though we still interact over the years, grandpa has always looked down on their descendants, running around with their noses in the air. They don¡¯t have much to show for it, but their stubborn tempers are something else."

    Yu Feixue was essentially fanning the mes and stirring the pot.

 Chapter 889: Speaking Out Boldly

    <h4>Chapter 889: Chapter 889: Speaking Out Boldly</h4>

    "How do I hear it like you¡¯re urging me to charge into battle?" Bai Xiao is not a fool, her sister here is inciting her to be the vanguard.

    Yu Feixue smiled and said, "That¡¯s exactly what I mean. We have all grown up together in this family. We can¡¯t avoid each other even if we want to. That great-uncle¡¯s wife is quite a character, every word cuts like a knife, and she wouldn¡¯t hesitate to bring up all the family education issues of our grandmother to criticize.

    But you are different. You grew up outside, you can confront everyone boldly, defending our grandparents¡¯ honor."

    "An Zhiyuan! See, the fox¡¯s tail is showing now."

    Yu Feixue¡¯s car stopped, she pulled out the key, opened the car door, and turned her head to smile at her.

    "Anyway, you are my brother-inw, we would have no interaction in this lifetime, maintaining such a good image in front of you, what¡¯s the use?"

    "You really do it well,pletely disregarding your own personal image." Bai Xiao got out of the car, handed a pair of crutches to An Zhiyuan, who took it with practiced ease.

    The two yed their parts well, having always kept up with their training at home, fearing any slip-up.

    Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan entered the front door.

    Indeed, the interior of the house was quite majestic, the marble floor was shiny and reflective, the decorations were rustic and elegantly refined, all furniture were made of redwood, disying a typical Chinese style. There was also a red carpet in the living room, soft and bouncy when stepped on.

    A bunch of people in the living room were chatting andughing, but clearly, it was not Yu Shaoyan and his grandparents who were enthusiastic in conversation. Yu Shaoyan and his wife were also silently putting on a smiling face, thecent voices came from a tall but white-haired old man, speaking eloquently, as if he couldn¡¯t show his true status without discussing high matters.

    Because of their entrance! This clearly interrupted that segment of conversation, the old man looked somewhat displeased at Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan.

    Seeing this, Yu Feixue quickly mustered her courage and went forward, "Great uncle-grandfather, great uncle-grandmother, good day." She felt worried at the sight of these two, showing obvious respect and restraint.

    The old man smiled faintly, looking at Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan in front of him with a scrutinizing and measuring expression.

    The attitude was unspeakably distant and aloof.

    Old Master Yu quickly stood up to greet them, "Xiaoxiao, you are back,e quick, this is your great uncle-grandfather and great uncle-grandmother, your grandfather¡¯s own elder brother, elder brother, elder sister-inw, this is Shao Ya¡¯s daughter Bai Xiao and her husband An Zhiyuan."

    Bai Xiao steadied herself, not daring to dy, hastened to respectfully call out "Great uncle-grandfather, great uncle-grandmother.", and An Zhiyuan also respectfully greeted them.

    The great uncle-grandfather looked at them, nodded his head, "Then sit! Your mother certainly shamed our family back then. If she was still here, I would have had a good talk with her. A person disowning their own parents is nothing short of unfilial and heinous, deserving of divine punishment, just as I said! Such peoplee to no good end..."

    Bai Xiao originally wanted to just endure and let it pass, after all, he is an elder in the family. As long as they don¡¯t provoke them, she wouldn¡¯t deliberately cause trouble.

    But it seems that some really do abuse their elder status.

    "Great uncle-grandfather, what you said is not right. Didn¡¯t the ancients say that when people die, it¡¯s likemps going out, all is settled? At your age, still speaking ill of the deceased, don¡¯t you know the principle that harsh words hurt more than the biting cold in June? Can speaking ill of a deceased give you a sense of aplishment?"

    No matter what Yu Shaoya has done, for her daughter Yu Shaoya, there¡¯s only love, no harm!

    As a child, one must defend their honor. Listening to the old man¡¯s vociferous speech, if she didn¡¯t defend her mother¡¯s dignity, she wouldn¡¯t be worthy of being a daughter.

 Chapter 890: Lesson

    <h4>Chapter 890: Chapter 890: Lesson</h4>

    "What are you saying?" Uncle Yu obviously didn¡¯t expect to be lectured by a junior today, his face stern. He¡¯d never been questioned by a young person in his life, truly a novel experience.

    "Great Uncle, what do I mean? How can you not understand at your age? What I mean is, please do not insult my mother. She has passed away, any faults she had died with her. Surely you don¡¯t intend to quibble with a deceased person over their rights and wrongs!"

    ying dumb to get through this won¡¯t work. Since Bai Xiao has taken up the gauntlet, she certainly won¡¯t let others use their momentum to press her down.

    "You... younger brother, this is your fine granddaughter, just as ill-bred as her mother. Disrespectful, speaking to me in such a way, no more than a rough and impolite country bumpkin. You must teach her well in the future, otherwise, she will bring shame to our Yu Family! We Yu Family are a lineage of schrs, we can¡¯t be spoiled by a single rat dropping in our rice pot!" Old Master¡¯s manner was rather like making an unreasonable fuss without reason.

    A rich-looking olddy with a mean face next to him stared sharply at Bai Xiao; the smile on her lips was halfway there, the very picture of a false smile.

    It really was rather unsettling.

    "Second brother, your granddaughter really doesn¡¯t know the rules! Who gave her the right to talk to us like this? Could it be something you taught her? This is too much! We are an intellectual family, each one from a schrly lineage, not to mention all have their own achievements and are elites of status. To be bullied by a mere Medical University trainee, that truly broadens one¡¯s horizons."

    This great uncle was pressuring the grandparents to deal with Bai Xiao in person and apologize to them. Both were the types to never let go when they were in the right.

    Bai Xiao curled the corners of her mouth slightly, frowned, and looked at her maternal grandfather, Old Master Yu, to see how he would react.

    Despite having numerous grievances and questions in her heart, and wanting to directly retort, in front of Old Master Yu, she had to hold back any expression until she could rify his stance.

    Fire rose in the heart of Old Master Yu. He didn¡¯t mind his elder brother¡¯s usual arrogance towards them too much. After all, they were family, and he knew that was just how his brother was. However, insulting his daughter and reprimanding his granddaughter in front of him was intolerable.

    "Big brother, sister-inw, today¡¯s aim was to let everyone meet Bai Xiao and her husband, An Zhiyuan. These two will be working in Modu from now on, so we hope everyone can get to know them! After all, we are all rtives. Bai Xiao, An brother-inw,e, greet Great Uncle and Great Aunt. The two of them are highly respected and always like to make decisions for others, but they are not your mother¡¯s biological parents. Their opinions are those of outsiders and do not represent those of your grandparents, so don¡¯t take them to heart. In our eyes, your mother was a good daughter!

    There were historical reasons for the issues back then. You may not know that the son of your Great Uncle also severed ties with them. Now, big brother, let¡¯s not highlight each other¡¯s ws. We¡¯re all one family, why dwell on such things? Isn¡¯t that right, big brother and sister-inw?"

    With these words, Old Master Yu really got under the skin of Uncle Yu and his wife, making it difficult for them to step down when it was turned back onto themselves.

    "Younger brother! What do you mean by that? Are you implying I¡¯m wrong?"

    Stubbornly unyielding.

 Chapter 891 Provocation

    <h4>Chapter 891: Chapter 891 Provocation</h4>

    "Big Brother! Sister-inw, did you drive Xiaohui and the others out? My daughter¡¯s mistakes are for me, her father, to discipline. Just like your Xiaohui¡ªI have never overstepped my bounds and interfered with Big Brother¡¯s authority to reprimand them." Grandpa Yu was visibly upset. That¡¯s his big brother, but he couldn¡¯t stand his granddaughter being bullied.

    Bai Xiao already didn¡¯t have that strong a sense of belonging with them. If Big Brother kept causing amotion like that, wouldn¡¯t they assume she felt the same way? Wasn¡¯t the little bit of foundation that had just been built now entirely ruined?

    Uncle Yu¡¯s eyes were wide with rage. "Second Brother! You¡¯re really something! I¡¯m standing up for you, yet you help her speak? Your family sticks together, huh? So it¡¯s just my wife and I meddling in someone else¡¯s business now, isn¡¯t it?"

    Grandpa Yu didn¡¯t respond, but his attitude very much suggested agreement.

    Yu Shaoyan quickly stepped in to smooth things over.

    "Uncle, Dad, you¡¯re both brothers! Why are we, as one family, being so meticulous with our words? Uncle! We¡¯re all family; one pen can¡¯t write two Yu characters. Why let this cause tension? Let¡¯s not fight¡ªwe¡¯re all family. Come on, since Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan are here, let¡¯s start eating, start eating. Let¡¯s all gather together warmly and give the newlyweds a proper wee."

    Uncle Yu¡¯s wife tugged on his arm, leaving him no choice but to suppress his anger, give a cold snort, and turn his head away so as not to look at Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan.

    Finally, the family sat at the table.

    But this meal was far from enjoyable. Grandpa Yu and Grandma Yu deeply regretted it. If they had known earlier, they wouldn¡¯t have invited Big Brother and his wife¡¯s family over. Instead of a joyful reunion, they¡¯d ended up upsetting Bai Xiao.

    Yu Shaoyan and his wife worked hard to enliven the atmosphere, and although it remained awkward and strained, most people¡¯s attitudes had softened. Uncle Yu didn¡¯t make things difficult for Bai Xiao anymore, but he still didn¡¯t look at her with much kindness.

    However, Uncle Yu¡¯s grandson Yu Feimeng and granddaughter Yu Feiyuan remained indifferent toward Bai Xiao, their attitude unchanged.

    Bai Xiao, however, couldn¡¯t care less. She hade to Modu for her studies, not to bond with rtives. Grandpa Yu and Grandma Yu treated her exceptionally well, almost as if they were willing to offer their hearts on a tter for her. As for everyone else? It didn¡¯t matter. She had no need to cater to their moods.

    If anything made her unhappy, she could simply choose not to interact with them.

    An Zhiyuan gripped Bai Xiao¡¯s hand tightly, giving her his support. This strengthened their resolve to live outside the family home. They were willing to spend money just to reduce the chances of running into them in the future.

    Some feelings of regret simmered in An Zhiyuan¡¯s heart. Where was the honor he had promised Bai Xiao? What happened to the idea that a wife¡¯s status is bolstered by her husband¡¯s sess?

    Suddenly, An Zhiyuan felt disappointed in himself.

    A man should protect his wife, but in every instance, it seemed like Bai Xiao was the one protecting him. Without Bai Xiao, wouldn¡¯t he already be crushed to dust?

    At that moment, Yu Feimeng nced at An Zhiyuan, his expression openly provocative.

    "An Zhiyuan, what rank are you even at? Judging by the looks of it, your injuries aren¡¯t minor. Why did youe to Modu for treatment? Need me to help you connect with a well-known hospital?" He clearly couldn¡¯t stomach Bai Xiao¡¯s earlier defiance toward his grandfather¡ªthis was his attempt to regain face by targeting An Zhiyuan.

    Having noticed An Zhiyuan¡¯s injuries, he seized the opportunity for this conversation. His intentions toward An Zhiyuan were definitively hostile.

    He wanted Bai Xiao to beg him.

    After all, he was a surgeon at Changhe Hospital¡ªa job many envied. He was confident Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan must have already heard of him.

 Chapter 892: No Need

    <h4>Chapter 892: Chapter 892: No Need</h4>

    "My injury is almost healed, all that¡¯s left is rest and rehabilitation, so you don¡¯t need to worry," An Zhiyuan replied ndly. He wouldn¡¯t act so bothered if it weren¡¯t for Bai Xiao.

    Yu Feiyuanughed mockingly, "Bai Xiao, aren¡¯t you studying at the Medical University? My elder brother is the Head of Surgery at Changhe Hospital, the youngest Head of Surgery. If you get along with my brother, he might help you apply for an internship opportunity at Changhe Hospital! You should know that Changhe Hospital is ranked third in Modu, be it faculty resources or the quality of the doctors, it¡¯s top-notch, not just any Tom, Dick, or Harry can qualify."

    Bai Xiao sighed; this is not letting her enjoy a good meal.

    Where there¡¯s family, there¡¯s a battlefield.

    "Really no need! Thanks!"

    She had tried her best. If the other party keeps pushing, it¡¯s not her problem anymore.

    Yu Feixue was discontent; her fighting spirit was equally fierce.

    The troublemaking fighting spirit was equally fierce.

    "Yuanyuan, you¡¯ve underestimated Bai Xiao. Does she still need our elder brother¡¯s help? You don¡¯t know that even national leaders sent a secretary to meet andfort her recently, telling her to speak up if she encounters any difficulties. I think if Bai Xiao wants to go to the top-ranked hospital in Modu, it wouldn¡¯t be any problem, right, Bai Xiao?"

    Who doesn¡¯t know how to unt themselves?

    Yu Feiyuan didn¡¯t believe it, "Impossible? Just because she¡¯s a student who recently advanced at the Medical College, how could national leaders send someone to meet and console her? You better prepare your lies well, otherwise, they might unravel." She and Yu Feixue never got along, wasn¡¯t it just because Yu Feixue¡¯s father is Yu Shaoyan, and the family conditions made her always realize there was a huge gap between her and Yu Feixue from the start.

    Her own dad was also somewhat of an official, but there are still differences among officials, Yu Feixue went to a better university than her, even the friends she yed with were different, all because Yu Shaoyan was Yu Feixue¡¯s real dad.

    She desperately wanted to catch Yu Feixue at fault.

    Uncle Yu seemed to have finally found a target to attack; this national leadership topic was too fitting to educate people.

    He immediately coughed and said seriously, "Old Second, this time it¡¯s not that Big Brother doesn¡¯t want to help you, but look at the little one¡¯s loose words, carelessly spouting nonsense? Look at yourself, just relying on her father being Yu Shaoyan and speaking without considering the situation! Thankfully this is at home, with no outsiders! We won¡¯t go out bragging.

    Otherwise, if such words spread, how would others view Yu Shaoyan¡¯s family? They might think someone from the Yu family is arrogant to this degree, daring to associate anything with themselves.

    Such words could bring disaster upon us."

    This wasn¡¯t just a chance to lecture, but a dissatisfaction with Yu Feixue raising Bai Xiao so high. This time, Old Second should have no reason to defend her anymore!

    Yu Feixue burst outughing, Yu Shaoyan also had a face full of smiles, Uncle Yu was even more dissatisfied.

    "Shao Yan, what do you mean by this? I¡¯m at least your elder uncle, treating your uncle this way surely damages your authority as a director, doesn¡¯t it?" He knew he couldn¡¯t offend Yu Shaoyan Bai, the future of his several grandchildren still depended on Yu Shaoyan, but he just couldn¡¯t swallow this anger.

    This time even Old Master Yuughed.

    "Big brother, let me speak, so you don¡¯t feel like the younger generation is bullying you."

 Chapter 893 Decline

    <h4>Chapter 893: Chapter 893 Decline</h4>

    "Exin yourself clearly!" Yu Da Bo demanded forcefully, feeling that if he didn¡¯t assert himself now, he would lose all respect and authority in front of his younger brother.

    Old Master Yu poured a cup of wine for his elder brother.

    "Big Brother, Bai Xiao really was received by the secretary of a national leader this time. Here¡¯s how it happened..." He animatedly recounted the remarkable story. After all, how could he not go into detail about such a glorious Chapter in the history of his granddaughter¡¯s achievements?

    Everyone fell silent. Yu Feiyuan and Yu Feimeng looked at Bai Xiao, their faces flushed red.

    What does it mean to be presumptuous?

    This was truly a silent p in the face.

    Thinking of how self-important they had been! Meanwhile, Bai Xiao¡¯s starting point was on an entirely different level.

    If their information was correct, Bai Xiao¡¯s aplishments had even been brought up by their dean during a major meeting at the hospital. The dean had publicly praised her, stating that such a doctor was exemry for everyone. Not only did she dare to tackle problems head-on, but she also had the skill to back it up, which was far more important.

    A Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor had managed to outperform her Western medicine counterparts, snatching people back from the brink of life and death, rescuing national and ethnic honor, and resolving an international crisis. Someone like her did not merely possess outstanding medical ethics¡ªwhen confronting danger, many would have hesitated.

    Because anyone would worry that one misstep could provoke a national dispute. Even with the slightest hope of sess, who would dare take the risk? Who wouldn¡¯t fear causing a national crisis with their actions? And that is exactly what makes Bai Xiao¡¯s virtues so admirable.

    And yet, he had thought she was a nobody who turned out to be the renowned Doctor Bai.

    Yu Feimeng was practically dying of shame, wishing he could crawl into a hole in the ground.

    "Ah... I never expected... never expected this! Second Brother, you¡¯ve truly raised an exceptional daughter!" It was an emotional deration, yet tinged with helplessness. This granddaughter of his younger brother was practically the epitome of excellence in the eyes of all the elders.

    But s, she wasn¡¯t his family¡¯s child.

    How wonderful it would be if she were part of their family¡ªthen their generation too could bask in glory. He couldn¡¯t evenpare himself to Second Brother, nor could his son measure up to Second Brother¡¯s two sons. And now, even tallying up his grandchildren couldn¡¯t match Second Brother¡¯s one granddaughter.

    Truly, it felt like fate mocking him.

    Could it be that this generation was destined for decline, starting with him?

    Old Master Yu¡¯s face glowed with pride. "Big Brother, indeed! Because I raised such a good daughter, I now have such an exceptional granddaughter." Never in his life had he felt this radiant! It was a different kind of fulfillment¡ªgreater even than his own achievements and glory for the family name.

    The room fell intoplete silence.

    Yu Da Bo drank two cups of wine in frustration, unable to enjoy his meal. This wasn¡¯t just infuriating¡ªit was humiliating.

    He had thought that his grandson bing the youngest Head of Surgery was an unparalleled joy, something no one couldpete with.

    But it turned out his grandson wasn¡¯t even qualified to be a supporting role.

    Comparison breeds resentment.

    "Congrattions, congrattions!"

    Yu Da Bo¡¯s wife noticed how dejected her husband was, realizing this situation would make addressing the matter challenging.

    The old man cared far too much about his pride. With the other family¡¯s descendants being so outstanding, there was no way he¡¯d lower himself to ask for help. And yet, Yu Feimeng¡¯s future progress would still have to rely on Yu Shaoyan.

    The olddy coughed softly.

    Yu Da Bo red.

    It felt as though everyone was pressuring him.

 Chapter 894 Seeking Help

    <h4>Chapter 894: Chapter 894 Seeking Help</h4><h4></h4>

    "Second uncle, we¡¯ve had enough to eat. If there¡¯s nothing else, we¡¯ll head back now." Yu Dabo decided not to speak, absolutely refusing to ask for help from Yu Shaoyan and his family.

    The olddy was having none of it.

    Aftering all this way with such effort, and given that the two families weren¡¯t that close, missing this chance might mean there wouldn¡¯t be another opportunity anytime soon.

    "Shao Yan, I have something I¡¯d like to discuss with you."

    The old man didn¡¯t speak, but the olddy couldn¡¯t afford to waste time for Yu Feimeng and the younger generation. Let the next generation live less pitifully than they had.

    "You..." Yu Dabo¡¯s expression turned ugly. The olddy was causing a scene now,pletely disregarding his opinion.

    His dignity¡ªwas he supposed to just cast it aside?

    Yu Shaoyan kept his tone pleasant, "Alright, Auntie, please go ahead."

    Bai Xiao ate in silence, finally allowing herself to eat without interruptions. A meal fraught with emotional heaviness.

    "Shao Yan, you know Feiyuan is about to graduate from Medical College. This year, she¡¯s going to start her internship. Internship cement is very important! It determines which hospital she might end up at in the future! You¡¯re someone in this system and responsible for liaising with various hospitals. Could you see if you can help Feiyuan secure a cement at Ruiyin Hospital? Zhongnan Mountain would also be good. After all, we¡¯re one family¡ª¡¯Yu¡¯ as a family name binds us together."

    The olddy couldn¡¯t care less about the old man¡¯s dignity today. Was dignity more important than practical substance?

    Yu Feixue¡¯s lips curled into a smirk as she cast a sidelong nce at Yu Feiyuan. Yu Feiyuan¡¯s face flushed slightly, but at this moment, she couldn¡¯t afford to worry about saving face. Their purpose foring was clear: it was rted to her future. Yu Feiyuan couldn¡¯t let Yu Feixue¡¯s mocking attitude bother her.

    "Auntie, this isn¡¯t entirely within my control. Internship arrangements are subject, first, to the hospitals¡¯ own quotas. Second, internship cements are also based on individual academic performance. These things are determined ording to Modu¡¯s industry-wide student performance rankings. As long as Yuanyuan¡¯s grades are good, there shouldn¡¯t be a problem," Yu Shaoyan¡¯s words carried some awkwardness. After all, even his own daughter hadn¡¯t required him to give her any special treatment back in the day.

    Yu Dabo suddenly understood¡ªhis son felt put in a difficult spot.

    He immediately intervened, "Sister-inw, don¡¯t make things hard for Shaoyan. Let him check the records and gradester. For someone to hold the position he does today, you know he¡¯s worked his way forward step by step. He¡¯s not someone who bends the rules easily."

    Though his tone was soft, his intention was clear: he hoped his sister-inw would realize the difficulty and stop pushing.

    Unfortunately, some people just didn¡¯t get it. Pointing at Bai Xiao, she erupted in anger.

    "Second uncle, I don¡¯t like this kind of talk! Such lofty reasoning¡ªwhat you¡¯re really saying is that we didn¡¯t offer you any benefits, right? Fine, just say it! Greasing the wheels requires money after all, doesn¡¯t it? Tell me¡ªhow much do you need? You think we don¡¯t know? Your niece-inw was transferred from Yun Province¡¯s remote location to Modu, and got into the Second Medical College¡ªall thanks to your efforts. Who wouldn¡¯t believe that? All you care about is the money! An entire family of rtives so obsessed with squeezing for profit¡ªis that how you treat your family ties?"

    Bai Xiao nced up at her, incredulous. How was she involved now? Pointing at herself, she asked, "Are you talking about me?"

    Yu Dabo¡¯s wife¡¯s face turned hostile, "Of course I¡¯m talking about you! Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know. Yu Shaohua works at Yun Province Hospital, doesn¡¯t she? It¡¯s pretty obvious that the little girl came from Shaohua¡¯s hospital. What went on behind the scenes should be clear to all of you. You go to great lengths to help your granddaughter, but refuse to lift a finger for a rtive¡¯s family! The way your household handles things¡ªit¡¯s just too much!

    After all, Yuanyuan¡¯s academic performance is excellent! If she gets eliminated just because her connections can¡¯tpare to others, aren¡¯t you ashamed? You¡¯re making yourselves look bad inside and out."

 Chapter 895 Ruiyin

    <h4>Chapter 895: Chapter 895 Ruiyin</h4><h4></h4>

    "Auntie, excuse me for interrupting, but could I say a few words?" Bai Xiao smiled gently, looking calm. It seemed that even her second uncle had been misunderstood by the olddy.

    They came today! Probably because they¡¯d heard about her situation and instinctively assumed everything she had now was due to the Yu Family. They hadn¡¯t even considered her personal efforts. Honestly, with a resume like hers, anyone would doubt it, wouldn¡¯t they?

    "What are you saying? Are you just trying to argue? Don¡¯t take us all for fools. You didn¡¯t even go to college, yet you¡¯re already a resident doctor, and now you¡¯re studying in Modu. You tell me, which one of these achievements didn¡¯t you gain through connections in our Yu Family?" Auntie clearly held a strong dislike for Bai Xiao, thinking she had wasted the Yu Family¡¯s resources.

    For people like Yu Shaoyan, such excellent resources were obviously meant to benefit future descendants, not be wasted on an outsider. They didn¡¯t see Bai Xiao as part of the family. First, Bai Xiao had grown up outside and had no emotional ties to them. And second, Bai Xiao carried the surname Bai. After all, a daughter¡¯s child wasn¡¯t considered as valuable as the sons¡¯ children in the family. She wasn¡¯t really "one of their own."

    "Auntie, please don¡¯t get worked up. Being right doesn¡¯t depend on who shouts the loudest. My current position as a resident doctor at Yun Province Hospital was an official order¡ªit¡¯s a role I earned with my own abilities. The First-ss Merit Medal that brought me honor? I earned that by risking my life amid gunfire. This truly has nothing to do with Uncle or the rest of the Yu Family.

    As for college, I was originally admitted to Aviation University. However, due to certain twists and turns, I ended up in Modu. That too was a direct order from the Chief, giving me a five-year mission toplete. So, Auntie, please stop making things hard on my uncle. Even in the future, when I have internships toplete, I won¡¯t rely on my uncle. I¡¯ll figure it all out on my own.

    If I¡¯m confident in my knowledge and abilities, why should I rely on connections? Why not fight for it myself?"

    Her uncle was more wronged than Dou E!

    Yu Feiyuan¡¯s face turned bright red. Being called out as ipetent by a country bumpkin was utterly humiliating.

    "Bai Xiao, don¡¯t go too far. You make it sound so easy. Do you even know howpetitive Ruiyin Hospital¡¯s slots are each year? People would break their heads just to get in. Do you know how many hope for Ruiyin¡¯s recognition? You talk a big game, but that¡¯s only because you can¡¯t get into Ruiyin. If you actually had the chance, can you honestly say you wouldn¡¯t ask your uncle for help? Elevating yourself by stepping on others doesn¡¯t make you righteous."

    "Is Ruiyin really that hard to get into?" Bai Xiao asked curiously. It didn¡¯t seem that way, did it? Dr. Xue had mentioned before that Ruiyin had its doors wide open for her.

    Get in just like that?

    She didn¡¯t even want to go in.

    In fact, Dr. Xue still asionally called Bai Xiao to discuss some issues about integrating traditional Chinese and Western medicine. The two of them now seemed like close friends, despite the age gap.

    "Of course! Do you think you can just walk into any hospital?" Yu Feiyuan was stifled with frustration. If Ruiyin weren¡¯t sopetitive, if it weren¡¯t about more than just meeting qualifications, would she have had to lower herself like this to pull strings and look for backdoors?

    Yu Feixue chuckled, "Bai Xiao! Hasn¡¯t Dr. Xue invited you to Ruiyin multiple times? I don¡¯t think I¡¯m mistaken, am I? Back at the hospital, didn¡¯t Dr. Xue practically live in your ward? He stopped just short of dragging you into Ruiyin himself!"

    Yu Feiyuan felt like she¡¯d just been stabbed in the heart.

    Was there any need to knock her down like this?

    She had just said how hard it was to get into Ruiyin, only to be smacked on the head with thatment. This whole family seemed to enjoy bullying her.

 Chapter 896: Moving Out

    <h4>Chapter 896: Chapter 896: Moving Out</h4><h4></h4>

    "Really, Dr. Xue invited you to Ruiyin?" Yu Feiyuan was skeptical, but when she thought about it, if Bai Xiao really had a stroke of luck, managed to save the representative of the delegation, and truly earned recognition, it might actually be possible. Isn¡¯t it often said that opportunity is key?

    Receiving recognition from Dr. Xue is more significant than any kind of backdoor connection.

    If she could study under Dr. Xue, she¡¯d definitely be a lead surgeon at Ruiyin.

    Yu Feiyuan widened her eyes, now looking at Bai Xiao with a glimmer of hope. "Bai Xiao, we¡¯re family. Help me out! From now on, I¡¯ll treat you like a real sister."

    Bai Xiao nearly spit out her food.

    What kind of karma had she umted to deserve this?

    She only stepped in to help her uncle but ended up fooling herself.

    And anyway, what made this woman think she cared so much about their fragile so-called sisterly bond?

    Yu Feixue was the first to burst intoughter.

    "Unbelievable. Yu Feiyuan, who do you think you are? You say a few words about treating someone as a sister, and Bai Xiao is supposed to drop everything to help you? Are you out of your mind? You¡¯ve really overestimated your importance. You think everyone should revolve around you, don¡¯t you? Acting like some Modu socialite, looking down on others, yet still wanting their help ¡ª aren¡¯t you being a bit hypocritical? Bai Xiao, don¡¯t bother with her. I¡¯ll take you and Brother-in-Law An to check out the room. Brother-in-Law An must be tired from the journey. You two should rest well. There¡¯s no need to waste time on people who are so shameless."

    Yu Feiyuan¡¯s true intentions wereid bare, leaving her face stinging from embarrassment.

    Where did Yu Feixue¡¯s loyalties lie? They shared the samest name¡ªthey were the real family here. Bai Xiao was nothing more than an outsider. Why would Yu Feixue side with Bai Xiao to bully her?

    "Xiaoxue, don¡¯t overstep. I¡¯m your elder sister!"

    The elder aunt spoke up angrily as well. "Xiaoxue, don¡¯t turn your back on your family. You and Yuanyuan share the same blood! How could you possibly side with an outsider to bully Yuanyuan? If Yuanyuan is doing well, won¡¯t you all benefit in the future? When something goes wrong, isn¡¯t it better to have someone in the hospital? Do you think big hospitals are easy to get ess to? Everything that girl says ¡ª why do you believe it? Can you really trust her? Someone as important as Dr. Xue inviting her? I think Xiaoxue just said that on purpose because you didn¡¯t want Bai Xiao to lose face."

    Bai Xiao set down her chopsticks. "Grandma, Grandpa, Zhiyuan and I will stay at a hotel instead. We don¡¯t want to interrupt your meal. Zhiyuan has had a long journey and needs to rest." Regardless of how absurdly this peculiar elder aunt acted or spoke, Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t intending to escte things ¡ª her grandparents were still here, after all.

    She couldn¡¯t let her own difort be the reason to make a scene and demand everyone focus on her as if she had her own ¡¯main character syndrome.¡¯

    But they could certainly leave, no question about that.

    This family¡ªso full of disdain for others yet expecting favors¡ªreally made her wonder where their confidence came from.

    Grandma grew anxious. "Xiao, aren¡¯t you and Little An staying here? I¡¯ve already tidied up a room for you! Staying out would be so inconvenient. Just ignore whatever others say ¡ª we, your grandparents and uncle, are your true family." Her underlying message: pay no attention to what Yu Da Bo and the others were saying.

    Bai Xiao smiled. "Grandma, it¡¯s easier for us to stay elsewhere. To be honest, we didn¡¯t want to trouble you in the first ce. With your age, taking care of us would only be a burden for you, and I can¡¯t reconcile with that." Neither she nor Zhiyuan had any desire to live in the elderly grandparents¡¯ home ¡ª moving in was easy, but moving out? Now that¡¯d be a challenge.

    And yet, the elder aunt still had the audacity to chime in, picking apart her reasoning.

    "Hmph, if it weren¡¯t for us being here, I bet you would¡¯ve pushed your way in already. Now you¡¯re bringing your husband to move in? Xiaoxue, you are just hopelessly na?ve. If they move in and butter up your grandma, just watch¡ªby then, the house will surely belong to them. You really do have the nerve to overlook such things."

 Chapter 897: Order to Expel Guests

    <h4>Chapter 897: Chapter 897: Order to Expel Guests</h4><h4></h4>

    "Sister-inw, enough is enough. We, the old couple, have been tolerating because we are family and rtives. But the way you speak is way too much. No matter what Bai Xiao¡¯s surname is, she is Shao Ya¡¯s daughter, our granddaughter. If you can¡¯t stand Bai Xiao so much, then go back to your home. Our granddaughter doesn¡¯t need to be liked by others.

    And Bai Xiao, if you don¡¯t leave, your grandmother willy it out today. After we, the old couple, pass away, this house will be yours. Xiaoxue, don¡¯t be greedy, you¡¯ve already gotten more than enough. Bai Xiao has never been by our side, these are what she deserves."

    Uncle Yu widened his eyes, pointing at the olddy and asked Old Master Yu, "Are you really going to do this? Have you forgotten what Shao Ya did back then? Ah!" He also had a son who severed ties with the family, and although they reconciledter, contact over the years has been rare, almost nonexistent.

    His heart isn¡¯t as big as Old Master Yu¡¯s; he can¡¯t let go of grudges.

    "Sister-inw, what you said is too much. We are doing this for your own good. Who knows, now some peopleing from the countryside might be eyeing that little family property of yours. Shao Ya, living in such a rural ce, couldn¡¯t possibly have raised a good child. Don¡¯t be fooled by some sweet talk and forget everything."

    No matter howposed Bai Xiao is, such venomous words were unbearable. Never in this life had he imagined someone would insult him so viciously in front of him.

    Her face flushed red, but then gradually turned pale, and then everything returned to calm.

    An Zhiyuan, leaning on a cane, supported his wife, "Let¡¯s go, we¡¯re leaving!"

    Those people were Bai Xiao¡¯s elders; he couldn¡¯t do anything to them, but he also wouldn¡¯t let Bai Xiao stand there being bullied by them.

    Although he was angry, his emotions were not out of control.

    Facing these people from the Yu Family, no matter what, they shouldn¡¯t have a conflict here. After all, the olddy and the old man were the big brother and sister-inw of the old couple from the Yu Family. Confronting them head-on, just for the sake of temporary satisfaction, would not benefit Bai Xiao or this family¡¯s rtionship at all.

    They could choose not to interact anymore in the future, but there¡¯s no need to act out here, making others even more skeptical of theirck of upbringing and skill.

    Bam!

    Old Master Yu mmed the table, "Sister-inw, when I call you sister-inw, I hope you know your identity. What can be said and what can¡¯t, you are not young anymore. Talking about a child¡¯s background like this, is this your so-called upbringing? No matter what, she is my daughter¡¯s daughter, and more so a granddaughter of the Yu Family. Today, I see your visit is not to have a good meal and reunite but to tear our family apart."

    "You, second brother, how could you say such a thing? Have you forgotten how ruthless Xiaoya was back then? If it weren¡¯t for Xiaoya, how could you have been sent to the countryside so quickly? You may have forgotten, but we haven¡¯t. Now her daughter is already this grown,ing back on her own ord, how shameless must she be." Uncle Yu¡¯s old wife thought she was helping, not realizing whether help was needed or not.

    "Sister-inw, you have no right or qualification to insult anyone. Bai Xiao, just like you, is a member of the Yu Family. There is no issue of high or low status. If you don¡¯t adjust your mindset and always think you¡¯re superior, brother, sister-inw, then don¡¯te anymore. Our family can¡¯t withstand you stirring things up, the more you meddle, the messier our family gets." Old Master Yu¡¯s face instantly darkened.

    This was an eviction order.

 Chapter 898: Anger

    <h4>Chapter 898: Chapter 898: Anger</h4><h4></h4>

    Yu Feiyuan smiled bitterly to herself; this time, the old man Yu was truly enraged.

    She had never seen her grandfather lose his temper like this before.

    It seemed that Bai Xiao held an important position in the old man¡¯s heart.

    Yu Dabo was left with no room for argument by his younger brother¡¯s words. "Fine, Second Brother, since you won¡¯t listen to us, we¡¯ll leave. From now on, we absolutely won¡¯t step through your door. Your family¡¯s threshold is too high for us to reach! All of you, listen carefully¡ªrely on yourselves in the future. Stop thinking you can depend on others. Isn¡¯t there an old saying? ¡¯Lean on a mountain, and it will crumble; lean on a river, and it will run dry.¡¯ Now, get out of here!" He stood up to leave.

    The entire family of Yu Dabo left.

    The old man Yu sank heavily into his chair.

    "What a bunch of hypocritical, pretentious, and stubborn Yu family members. Xiao,e here and sit by your grandfather. You¡¯ve been wronged today."

    Bai Xiao let go of An Zhiyuan and walked over to the old man. She crouched by his side and held his hand.

    "Grandpa, honestly, this doesn¡¯t matter to me at all. If we¡¯re being serious, they and I aren¡¯t even family in any meaningful sense. As long as I¡¯m good to Grandma and Grandpa, that¡¯s enough. What do the others have to do with me? Whatever they say, I won¡¯t care. If I really cared about what others said, then I wouldn¡¯t have been able to survive back in Liupan Vige.

    I¡¯ve known for a long time that living is about staying true to yourself, living with a clear conscience. As long as I remain at peace in my heart, I can withstand any storm, no matter where it blows." Bai Xiao genuinely didn¡¯t care. If she did, how could she have lived to this point?

    As for Yu Dabo¡¯s thoughts¡ªwasn¡¯t it all just because he felt she had taken advantage, getting so furious he was beside himself? That¡¯s just punishing yourself for someone else¡¯s mistakes.

    She would never do something like that.

    "Then why don¡¯t you live at home?" The old man¡¯s voice was filled with sadness, feeling as though he had pushed this child out the door himself.

    Bai Xiao gripped the old man¡¯s hand more tightly. His palm was rough and weathered like dry bark, and this frailty at his age filled her with sorrow.

    "Grandpa, An Zhiyuan and I are nning to buy a ce of our own. We want to settle down here, especially since both of us will be working and studying here in the future. Besides, living together under one roof would inevitably lead to disagreements. And honestly, don¡¯t you think we need some time as a couple? I want to have a baby, too." Bai Xiao¡¯s radiant, gentle smile warmed the old man¡¯s heart. This child really resembled Shao Ya.

    Even her expressions and gestures seemed to carry a thread of that simr temperament. If only Xiaoya were here, gathering the whole family together¡ªwhat a wonderful scene that would be.

    "Alright, Grandpa understands. Young people have their own lives and their own world. We just wanted to keep you close to experience some family happiness, but we didn¡¯t really consider your perspective. Since you n to buy a house and settle down here, that¡¯s the right thing to do. Just make sure to visit us often. We¡¯re all in the same city now, so whether we live together or not, it doesn¡¯t really matter anymore."

    The old man had thought it through.

    Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan left, with Yu Feixue taking them to a hotel near Bai Xiao¡¯s school.

    Watching Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan¡¯s departing figures, the old man sighed. "Those two kids are steady and capable¡ªbound to achieve great things in the future. Second Son, you should look out for them more. I¡¯ve noticed that Xiaoxue and Bai Xiao have grown quite close, so let the sisters get along well. Who knows? Maybe in the future, the most outstanding ones of our next generation will be these few kids.

    We¡¯re getting old. All we can hope for is that their bonds deepen, so they¡¯ll support each other in the years toe."

    "Dad, don¡¯t fret over this too much. Bai Xiao and the others naturally have their own paths to take. It¡¯s better for us to let things follow their course." Yu Shaoyan had great confidence in his niece.

 Chapter 899 House

    <h4>Chapter 899: Chapter 899 House</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan settled in.

    The hotel wasn¡¯t a long-term solution.

    The next day, Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan went out together. After all, no one here could tell that he was recovering from injuries. As long as they didn¡¯t run into the old man and his group, the two of them could do whatever they wanted without any issues.

    It took them two days to finally find a suitable house.

    The house was near Bai Xiao¡¯s Medical University, just one bus stop away, located within a courtyard.

    The owner of the house was previously a professor at the Medical University but was now being transferred to another province. Since the house was privately owned, they nned to sell it and use the money to buy a new property at their new location.

    The courtyard was vibrant with blooming flowers in the two flower beds, and at the center stood a flourishing, ancient Guihua tree. On both sides, lush grape trellises encircled the area.

    Tranquil yet filled with rustic charm, it was hard to imagine such a courtyard existing in the heart of a bustling city, like a hidden paradise.

    Both of them instantly loved it. The privacy was excellent, and there was no hassle of going up and down floors. Most importantly, theyout of the house was impressive. There were five rooms in total, as well as a spacious living room. The living room wall featured full-length ss windows, allowing sunlight to flood the entire house on bright days.

    Upon entering, the expansive living room greeted them. The room was carpeted in red, with a circle of sofas arranged against the walls. To the left of the living room was the original owner¡¯s study, while the right side was the dining area.

    How to renovate it in the future would be entirely up to them.

    It didn¡¯t take long for them to finalize the purchase. Because of their unique circumstances, the paperwork was processed even faster.

    Even quicker than them was Jiang Shaoqing, who had already caught wind of their relocation. His team arrived on-site immediately.

    Once again, Jiang¡¯s assistant, Xiaozhang, made an appearance. Upon seeing Bai Xiao, their old acquaintance, Xiaozhang greeted them briefly before instructing the workers to measure and survey the premises, leaving Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan utterly bewildered.

    "Xiaozhang, how did you know we were here?"

    As Xiaozhang directed the staff, he replied, "Dr. Bai! Our CEO Jiang specifically ordered this. He said that since you¡¯re moving into a new home, it wouldn¡¯t be right not to mark the asion. CEO Jiang mentioned that he didn¡¯t get to send you a wedding giftst time! This time, he¡¯s determined to make sure both Dr. Bai and Colonel An are thoroughly satisfied. We¡¯ll present several design proposals and guarantee the renovations will bepleted in at most half a month. CEO Jiang even instructed all local construction teams to prioritize only this project for you. If we can¡¯t deliver a perfect result for Dr. Bai, we might as well shut downpletely."

    Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan realized they couldn¡¯t refuse Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s kind gesture.

    True to his reputation, Jiang Shaoqing acted swiftly and decisively.

    Since Jiang had long-standing ties with the constructionpany, everyone involved poured their utmost effort into the project, going above and beyond. Bai Xiao found the proposed designs thoroughly satisfactory.

    While they temporarily stayed at the hotel, renovationsmenced on the house.

    Sure enough, within ten days¡ªnot one day more¡ªthere was a dramatic transformation of their little courtyard. The arrangement of the trees and gardens remained unchanged, but a rxation area had been added beneath the grape trellises, as well as a chess table and tea set beneath the Guihua tree. During summer evenings, this spot would undoubtedly be the most picturesque view.

    Inside, the house showcased modern European-inspired designs¡ªsimple, elegant, and bright.

    After touring their renovated home, Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan were genuinely satisfied.

    Finally, they could move in. After so many years of living in hotels, An Zhiyuan was on the verge of losing patience.

    The hotel life was far too inconvenientundry couldn¡¯t be done properly, and meals had to be eaten outside in the cafeteria. Bai Xiao spent her days attending sses and her nights in the dormitory, leaving An Zhiyuan alone to bear the brunt of the difort.

 Chapter 900: Moving to a New Home

    <h4>Chapter 900: Chapter 900: Moving to a New Home</h4>

    Because of the move to a new home.

    Yu Feixue, Yu Shaoyan, their spouses, and Elder Yu and Grandma Yu all came over.

    How could they note to see what their granddaughter had been working so hard on?

    When the whole family took a look at the house, they all eximed that it was amazing¡ªbetter even than their own houses.

    The small yard, aside from being tranquil, was also very cozy and elegant.

    Yu Feixue caught sight of the luxurious kitchen appliances, the double-door refrigerator, and nearly had her eyes fall out. "Bai Xiao, where did you get these? Refrigerators like this aren¡¯t even sold domestically right now, and look at this oven, these cabs! Oh my goodness, this whole set must be worth a fortune, and everything is imported!"

    She was an expert¡ªher field of study was design, and she certainly had insight into this.

    Bai Xiao smiled gently. "A friend insisted on gifting it to us. All the furniture and appliances here were part of the full-service package from them."

    Jiang Shaoqing had truly put thought into this. The gift he gave them was, indeed, a source of great satisfaction; the service was impable.

    "That friend is impressive. Regr folks couldn¡¯t pull this off. The domestic market right now has design and construction costs that are exorbitant; ordinary families simply couldn¡¯t ept it¡ªeven if they wanted to pay, they couldn¡¯t get something like this!" Yu Feixue grew increasingly confused as to what sort of person her younger sister really was.

    How could she know so many people and have so many people wanting to befriend her?

    She wanted that, too.

    Why not have that friend be generous and send us ten or even eight of these?

    Elder Yu and Grandma Yu were finally at ease.

    After seeing such living conditions, they were relieved that the two kids wouldn¡¯t be at a disadvantage. Livingfortably put their hearts at peace.

    Especially after taking in the surrounding area, Elder Yu and Grandma Yu were even more reassured! After all, this was university housing, and the environment was simpler. It was perfect for the two kids¡ªone needed quiet to recover, the other needed tranquility to study.

    The meal ended with everyone happy.

    It was then that Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan began a simpler life in Modu.

    Because of An Zhiyuan¡¯s work situation, Bai Xiao apanied him in handling it. The transfer orders had already arrived, and his leadership understood his circumstances, so An Zhiyuan was still in the midst of his recovery phase. His boss also encouraged him to focus on recuperating and asked him to prepare a n for the uingpany setup.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s qualifications had already reached the regional level, and his experience was enough to take on the role of general manager. Although the credit for his recent aplishments hadn¡¯t been finalized yet, An Zhiyuan would find it rtively easy if he wanted to advance further.

    His work had already begun, and so did his days of being picked up and dropped off while walking with a cane.

    Bai Xiao, on the other hand, settled back into her school life. Aside from her daily studies, she started staying at home on Fridays. Both of them were busy, but Fridays and Saturdays became their precious time to rest and spend together¡ªthe two of them cherished these rare moments to reunite.

    Meanwhile, the mysterious Doctor Bai resumed her on-campus life.

    Around Doctor Bai, someone fervently pursuing her had appeared.

    Zhang Zhaoyuan!

    Perhaps it was a case of "fighting before befriending," but after their previous encounter, Zhang Zhaoyuan began passionately chasing Bai Xiao. Who knows how many love letters he¡¯d already written¡ªhe sent flowers with such frequency that his hands were practically tired. Nearly everyone knew Zhang Zhaoyuan was actively courting Doctor Bai.

    Ma Yao stormed in with a bouquet of flowers in her arms, her face dark as a storm cloud.

    She shoved the bouquet into Bai Xiao¡¯s arms angrily. "Can you please have a word with your Zhang Zhaoyuan? This is just bullying people now. Every time he sends flowers, they end up in my hands. Look at me¡ªI don¡¯t even have anyone chasing after me. My heart is a shattered pile of broken ss! How am I supposed to live like this?"

    Bai Xiao¡¯s heart felt like a shattered pile of broken ss, too.

 Chapter 901: Letâ€™s Talk

    <h4>Chapter 901: Chapter 901: Let¡¯s Talk</h4>

    "Where¡¯s Zhang Zhaoyuan?"

    Bai Xiao was already feeling overwhelmed. She had only gone back home briefly, but upon her return, everything had turned into a surreal mess.

    Zhang Zhaoyuan had begun an aggressive pursuit, but the problem was¡ªshe was in a military marriage, and this kind of behavior couldnd him in legal trouble.

    Meanwhile, an unknown number of boys were secretly tucking love letters into Bai Xiao¡¯s books. Suddenly, it seemed as though Bai Xiao¡¯s streak of good luck in love had arrived.

    She was bing immensely popr.

    "He¡¯s downstairs!"

    Ma Yao wasn¡¯t jealous, not really. But seeing as she was tall and sturdy, even Lin Xiang had admirers chasing after her, while Ma Yao remainedpletely alone.

    It was hard not to feel a little envious, jealous, or resentful about it.

    Bai Xiao picked up the flowers and headed downstairs.

    Ma Yao¡¯s curiosity was piqued.

    "Where are you going?"

    Carrying flowers to meet Zhang Zhaoyuan¡ªwas this the start of a passionate romance?

    Once downstairs, Bai Xiao immediately spotted Zhang Zhaoyuan. He was wearing a white shirt under a wool coat, ck trousers, and sses with gold-rimmed frames, standing studiously under a sycamore tree outside the dormitory building. It was December, the weather was freezing, and Modu¡¯s Wendu district had officially entered winter.

    When Zhang Zhaoyuan saw Bai Xiao approaching, his face brightened instantly.

    He had done all this¡ªyet Bai Xiao had remained silent, leaving his heart conflicted and restless. He couldn¡¯t tell whether she¡¯d ept his affection or reject it.

    Truthfully, it wasn¡¯t that Bai Xiao was refusing to give him a clear response; she¡¯d simply been far too busytely. Her family situation was aplete mess. Nearly every day after school, she would rush off without dy, leaving all the gifts and letters piled on her bed by Ma Yao and the others¡ªthings she hadn¡¯t even had time to reject.

    "Bai Xiao!" Zhang Zhaoyuan stepped forward.

    Seeing the girl¡¯s smooth ck hair cascading down, her rosy lips, dazzling white teeth, and skin soft as a flower¡ªfresh, vivid, like a newly blossomed bloom¡ªhis heart swelled with heat.

    He couldn¡¯t suppress the joy bubbling inside.

    "Zhang Zhaoyuan, I was just looking for you! We need to talk!" Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t avoid it anymore. If things continued like this, she¡¯d really risk being used of ying with the emotions of others. This misunderstanding had to stop.

    "Perfect! I was hoping to talk to you too. Let¡¯s go to thekeside¡ªit¡¯s quiet there, good for a conversation." There was a hint of nervousness in Zhang Zhaoyuan¡¯s voice. Bai Xiao was different from other girls; he knew that. He was also aware that the flowers and love letters hadn¡¯t been personally epted by her. Bai Xiao had been so busy she was hardly ever seen. No one really knew what she was dealing with, and this uncertainty made him nervous.

    Perhaps today would be the moment he¡¯d finally get an answer.

    They walked along thekeside, passing couples here and there. Only then did Bai Xiao realize¡ªthekeside was a popr spot among couples at their Medical University, known as a rendezvous hub for lovers.

    In the distance, near theke¡¯s edge, a row of benches came into view. Bai Xiao pointed toward them. "Let¡¯s sit there for a while."

    She couldn¡¯t let things keep spiraling out of control. Hurting someone wasn¡¯t her intention, but if this dragged on, someone would undoubtedly end up hurt.

    Zhang Zhaoyuan nodded, "Alright. I¡¯ll follow your lead."

    Bai Xiao nearly choked. No¡ªplease don¡¯t use such a tender tone with her. If Colonel An heard this, he¡¯d instantly use her of infidelity.

    After all, she stood firmly on the side of propriety.

    That kind of usation¡ªshe couldn¡¯t bear it.

    Seeing Bai Xiao remain silent, Zhang Zhaoyuan assumed she was shy. His heart stirred with anticipation. Perhaps, after today, he could dere that he officially had a girlfriend. Everyone knew in the dormitory that his pursuit target was Bai¡ªthe renowned medical intern, "Doctor Bai."

    What had captivated him so deeply wasn¡¯t just Bai Xiao¡¯s graceful eloquence during ss, or her sharp, piercing insights, but also her courage in the face of pressure¡ªand the delicate vulnerability she embodied when she faltered in herposure. It had stirred within him an urge to protect her.

 Chapter 902: I Got Married

    <h4>Chapter 902: Chapter 902: I Got Married</h4><h4></h4>

    "Zhang Zhaoyuan, these flowers are beautiful."

    The two of them sat on the bench, and Bai Xiao deliberately kept some distance.

    Zhang Zhaoyuan smiled sweetly, "As long as you like them, that¡¯s all that matters. I can send you roses every day." Given his family¡¯s resources, he could easily say such things¡ªand no girl had ever been able to resist this kind of floral offensive.

    As long as the person he liked was happy, he¡¯d do anything, even go through fire and water.

    But flowers had nothing to do with that!

    Bai Xiao hesitated for a moment¡ªthis wasn¡¯t what she meant.

    "Zhang Zhaoyuan, what I mean is, these flowers are beautiful, but they¡¯re not right for me. So please don¡¯t send me flowers anymore." Direct and unapologetic, she had to make sure Zhang Zhaoyuan saw the reality, even if it hurt.

    For a long moment, Zhang Zhaoyuan didn¡¯t react. After a heavy silence, he finally spoke, "You mean you don¡¯t like roses? Okay, then what do you like? Lilies, carnations, tulips, or..."

    "It¡¯s not about the flowers. It¡¯s that I will never like you. So don¡¯t waste your feelings on me." Bai Xiao quickly rified, leaving no room for doubt¡ªno misunderstandings allowed. Dragging this out would only lead to trouble.

    Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t the type to y games or lead anyone on.

    "Why? Bai Xiao? I know you don¡¯t have a boyfriend¡ªeveryone in the academy knows you¡¯re single. I¡¯m not that bad, you know. My looks are just passable, sure, but my personality is good. And okay, yes, I wasn¡¯t friendly the first time we met, but normally, I¡¯m quite alright. I can even cook! I know you¡¯re shy, but I¡¯m not in a hurry. We can take things slow. Aren¡¯t we friends now? I can wait... I can wait until you¡¯re ready to ept me." Zhang Zhaoyuan couldn¡¯t figure out why Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t ept him.

    In his panic, he beganing up with all sorts of excuses and reasons for himself.

    "Zhang Zhaoyuan, I¡¯m already married. I have a husband, so there¡¯s no chance for us¡ªever." Bai Xiao didn¡¯t want to crush the spirit of this young guy¡ªa fresh-faced, bright-eyed youth. But s, she already had An Zhiyuan. Honestly, she felt no dissatisfaction with her second-inmand soldier, Zhiyuan.

    This time, Zhang Zhaoyuan felt as though he¡¯d been struck by lightning.

    He stammered, "W-What? You... you¡¯re married? That¡¯s impossible! How old are you? How can that be?" He thought Bai Xiao was inventing an excuse to reject him... lying to get rid of him.

    Bai Xiao sighed, "It¡¯s true. I¡¯m married¡ªhave been for nearly a year now. If you don¡¯t believe me, check the newspapers. There should be an article¡ªa feature on a battlefield wedding, a wedding atop andmine. That was mine, and An Zhiyuan is my husband. So I can¡¯t take your flowers. Please don¡¯t send them again. From now on, we can only be ssmates¡ªfriends. Nothing beyond that." She shoved the bouquet back into Zhang Zhaoyuan¡¯s arms. This time, the reality of it hit harder.

    As Bai Xiao walked away, her graceful silhouette disappeared into the deepening night. Zhang Zhaoyuan remained seated on the bench, motionless.

    Couples passing by him stole nces at the boy sitting all alone, clutching a bouquet of flowers. Some looked at him with sympathy¡ªthere was no need for words to know he¡¯d just been rejected by the girl he loved.

    Otherwise, why would anyone sit alone with a bouquet, watching the sky turn to darkness?

    One by one, they moved on.

    An hourter, Zhang Zhaoyuan finally stood up and left. He returned to his dormitory. Walking into the room, he realized he was thest one back in their eight-person dorm. Ignoring everyone, he copsed onto his bed without saying a word. His dorm mates all exchanged puzzled looks¡ªthey¡¯d watched Zhang Zhaoyuan leave earlier full of excitement with the bouquet in hand. Now, looking at his expression, it was clear things hadn¡¯t gone well.

    On the chair sat the lonely, vivid bouquet of roses.

 Chapter 903 Encounter

    <h4>Chapter 903: Chapter 903 Encounter</h4><h4></h4>

    "Hey, Zhang Zhaoyuan, we¡¯re going to grab some wonton soup. Want us to bring you back a portion?" The boys in the dorm always looked out for their little bro! Zhang Zhaoyuan had good rapport with everyone in the dorm¡ªfriendly and easygoing.

    Coming from a well-off local family, Zhang Zhaoyuan often went home on weekends. He¡¯d bring back homemade dishes prepared by his mom, as well as various marinated snacks to share, which showed his generosity and consideration. He got along with everyone, earned their affection, and was practically the dorm¡¯s golden boy.

    It wasn¡¯t just the girls who admired him¡ªthe guys liked him too.

    "Alright, let¡¯s go grab dinner. Tonight, it¡¯s on me! Nobody goes home sober!" Zhang Zhaoyuan jumped up off the bed, throwing his arm around the dorm¡¯s gossip king.

    The other seven guys stared at each other, dumbfounded.

    Uh-oh. Heartbreak alert!

    Minutes ago, they¡¯d been teasing him about having a crush on the legendary Bai Xiao¡ªyes, Bai Xiao, the one doctors and students alike fantasized about. She wasn¡¯t just beautiful; her professional skills were nothing short of awe-inspiring.

    The Medical College had no shortage of stunning girls, but it was rare to find one who truly had outstanding abilities.

    After all, this was a demanding field where most students had to start from scratch, clueless and overwhelmed.

    Only during the final year, when internships at hospitals began, did people really showcase what they had learned.

    But Bai Xiao was different. Right from the start, she amazed everyone with her exceptional acupuncture technique.

    No one dared question her skills. On that day, before an incredulous audience, she cured Zhang Zhaoyuan¡¯s cold. This proud young man¡ªusually so full of himself¡ªhad to bow in admiration. Wasn¡¯t that enough proof?

    Not to mention the sheer number of people who witnessed Xiaobai¡¯s miraculous transformation¡ªfrom limping topletely healthy. Just from that alone, everyone knew Bai Xiao had boundless potential ahead.

    The perfect wife candidate.

    It seemed Zhang Zhaoyuan, in his pursuit of Bai Xiao, had suffered a crushing defeat.

    Well, whatever!

    Drinking will fix it. Once he¡¯s drunk and lets it all out, the gloom will pass. This heartbreak? It¡¯ll be nothing but yesterday¡¯s news.

    "Come on¡ªdrink ¡¯til we drop!"

    The eight guys marched out in a merry crowd to the row of food stalls outside the university town, which were famously known as the street food haven.

    They headed specifically for one stall, rumored to have the best grilledmb skewers in town.

    The ce was buzzing with activity and packed with diners.

    Every evening when darkness fell, this area was almost always fully upied.

    As soon as they entered the shop, someone nudged Zhang Zhaoyuan. "Zhang Zhaoyuan, why don¡¯t we try another ce? That Sichuan restaurant down the street is supposed to be really good. And I heard there¡¯s a grilled fish spot ahead¡ªwe could check that out too."

    He tugged on Zhang Zhaoyuan¡¯s arm, trying to lead him away.

    But Zhang Zhaoyuan brushed him off, eyes zeroing in on the spot the guy had deliberately blocked from view.

    There sat Bai Xiao, smiling radiantly while dining with a man. The man wasn¡¯t a student¡ªhe looked young but carried a sleek brick-like mobile phone on the table beside him. He also had a ck briefcase. His outfit screamed "businessman"¡ªbutton-up shirt, tie, ck dress pants, polished leather shoes¡ªa well-groomed appearance paired with an air of maturity.

    Suddenly, a pang of betrayal washed over Zhang Zhaoyuan, piercing him deeply. Bai Xiao...?

    The Bai Xiao he revered like an angel¡ªwas she really just another woman willing to sell herself for money?

    If Bai Xiao tried to tell him this man was her husband, he would refuse to believe it.

    Moments ago, she¡¯d confided in him that her husband was a military officer.

    But everything about this man¡ªhis attire, his demeanor¡ªclearly marked him as a businessman, not someone from the armed forces.

    His devotion, hisughable infatuation¡ªperhaps to her, it had been nothing but foolishness.

 Chapter 904 Casual Chat

    <h4>Chapter 904: Chapter 904 Casual Chat</h4><h4></h4>

    "If you¡¯re not leaving, then eat here!" Zhang Zhaoyuan plopped down on a chair, his cold gaze fixed on Bai Xiao¡¯s table.

    Why should he leave? He hadn¡¯t done anything wrong. The one in the wrong was right in front of him¡ªthis woman.

    The seven guys exchanged awkward nces.

    They had been hoping to avoid a confrontation, but fate seemed to think otherwise.

    The table lit up withughter as tes of grilledmb skewers and sses of baijiu arrived. The boys made an effort to lighten the mood.

    It seemed the atmosphere had significantly improved. Zhang Zhaoyuan no longer stared at Bai Xiao.

    He Weng nced at the group of guys. It was obvious that they were from the former Medical College, and it was equally clear they knew Bai Xiao. One particr guy¡¯s gaze exuded outright hostility.

    Hostility?

    "Bai Xiao, did you get yourself into some kind of trouble at school, attracting unwanted admirers?"

    It looked like someone had decided he was Bai Xiao¡¯s rival in love.

    On this end, he had already connected with several highly skilled craftsmen. The most noteworthy part was that he¡¯d found a few like-minded designers at the design institute¡ªyoung students who held limitless optimism for the future.

    Combined with the seasoned expertise and meticulous craftsmanship of the older artisans, this group would form the frontline of bespoke, customized services.

    He nned to conclude this trip and head to Guangcheng next, followed by Harbor City¡ªboth hotspots for customization and cutting-edge development in this niche industry.

    These cities, after all, were at the forefront of trends and style.

    And so his visit to Bai Xiao was a farewell of sorts.

    Bai Xiao turned around just as she realized Zhang Zhaoyuan was also dining here.

    She shook her head with a weary smile. "I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but several guys at school keep sending me love letters and flowers. You¡¯ve already noticed one among that group¡ªI just rejected him earlier today."

    She didn¡¯t think Zhang Zhaoyuan was the type to turn to hate because of unrequited love. She could see through his character, so she wasn¡¯t worried.

    He Weng chuckled, "That guy was ring at me like he wanted to eat me alive. He clearly thinks I¡¯m someone significant to you. An Zhiyuan better watch out."

    "It¡¯s not a big deal; we¡¯re all just ssmates. Besides, I¡¯ve never promised anything to him. Don¡¯t forget, An Zhiyuan and I are married. It¡¯s not like you can say our rtionship is anything but solid, can you?" Bai Xiao frowned slightly, displeased by He Weng¡¯s teasing, as though it implied she¡¯d done something wrong.

    "Of course it¡¯s clear that you and An Zhiyuan share a great rtionship. But it¡¯s inevitable you¡¯ll run into situations like this while studying here. I mean, just look at you¡ªwho could guess you¡¯re a married woman? It¡¯s no wonder those guys are eager to chase you. After all, ¡¯Fair maiden, gentlemen will pursue.¡¯

    Bai Xiaoughed softly, but when she turned, her eyes locked with Zhang Zhaoyuan¡¯s cold, piercing gaze.

    She froze for a moment. Could it really be that he resented her?

    But she quickly shook her head again, picking up her drink and taking a sip. Barbecue was something that had just started gaining popritymb skewers were the standout trend, particrly in schools where they sold exceptionally well.

    "By the way, how¡¯s your older brother¡¯s food factory doing these days? Last time I called my sister, she mentioned they had already started construction and purchased thetest instant noodle production line. I wonder how well their sales are going now."

    He Weng burst intoughter. "How could it not be going well with the ideas you gave them? Their instant noodle orders are already booked through next year! It¡¯spletely overwhelming. My brother and sister-inw¡¯s food factory has be the model enterprise in the town. Not only did it solve employment for all the workers, butpared to the old days, the factory now is practically thriving like never before."

    "My brother and sister-inw even said you¡¯re full of brilliant ideas and quick thinking. Apparently, they¡¯ve even given you the nickname ¡¯The Alchemist.¡¯ They¡¯re just one step away from building a shrine to worship you!"

 Chapter 905: Instant Noodle Factory

    <h4>Chapter 905: Chapter 905: Instant Noodle Factory</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao truly didn¡¯t know that Bai Ju and her group had introduced their province¡¯s very first instant noodle production line.

    This production line was actually facilitated by He Weng, who helped bridge connections to bring it in from Harbor City.

    Testing this production line alone took nearly a month, and it came at a considerable cost.

    However, the economic benefits it brought were truly remarkable.

    Their instant noodle brand was named "Old Bai Family Instant Noodles," and theyunched several vors, including braised beef, spicy beef, pickled vegetable, and seafood vors. Thanks to their diverse taste options, as soon as the products hit the market, consumer demand surged to the point of being overwhelming.

    The instant noodle market in their province was rtively simple and untapped.

    After all, at the time, minced meat instant noodles were just starting to gain traction and hadn¡¯t yet expanded across the national market.

    The emergence of Old Bai Family Instant Noodles quickly dominated the entire market in their province. Furthermore, thanks to the broader vor varietypared to minced meat instant noodles, distributors from other provinces swiftly began reaching out.

    He Wang and Bai Ju transitioned from sleepless nights worrying at the beginning toter worrying about apletely different issue: their production line wasn¡¯t sufficient.

    Because they didn¡¯t dare to expand too aggressively at first, they had only introduced one production line, which led to highly limited production capacity. As a result, even with the machine running three shifts nonstop, the products made still weren¡¯t enough to meet market demand.

    Orders were backlogged all the way until next year.

    The couple had already started seriously considering introducing two additional instant noodle production lines.

    Moreover, they listened to Bai Xiao¡¯s advice from earlier and specifically established a research and development (R&D) department¡ªnot just to develop new instant noodle vors but also to innovate other types of convenient foods.

    After all, Bai Xiao¡¯s proposal had not only covered instant noodles but also included a range of frozen foods and semi-processed foods.

    Although the shape and taste of those foods they currently produced weren¡¯t quite as good as fresh ones, their sess with instant noodles alone made it obvious that there was tremendous potential.

    The couple had gone from their early days of anxiety to now being filled with confidence.

    Not only had they recouped their initial investment within half a year, but their factory had also be a renowned enterprise within the county and even the province.

    The provincial government specifically issued a policy document granting their factory favorable conditions and encouraging them to hire moreid-off workers to help ease the social burden.

    Especially this time, as they prepared to expand with two additional production lines, they were receiving strong financial support in the form of low-interest loans from the banks.

    The industry andmerce, as well as public health departments, fully expedited the approval processes.

    Leaders from the county, city, and province frequently came to visit the factory, hoping to learn from their sess and replicate the methods to revive moreid-off factories.

    Of course, the couple truly deserved the recognition as exemry entrepreneurs; they had already decided that the workforce for their two new production lines and the expanded second and third workshops would be made up entirely ofid-off workers.

    Additionally, they hadpletely transformed the oldmunal-style operation of the factory.

    Now, performance-based pay was in ce, and anyone trying to ck off or cut corners didn¡¯t worry them at all¡ªeveryone was signed as contract workers.

    If someone wasn¡¯t suitable, they could immediately be reced.

    The couple had long been ready to go all out, and for management, they brought on the husband-and-wife pair who had previously managed Factory Manager Wei¡¯s affairs.

    This pair had once yed a crucial role in recognizing their potential.

    Furthermore, they truly excelled in management, handling both the tough and conciliatory roles with skill.

    The couple¡¯s instant noodle factory had now be a shining example of a supportive enterprise in the region.

 Chapter 906 Outburst

    <h4>Chapter 906: Chapter 906 Outburst</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao and He Weng were discussing enthusiastically. Bai Xiao not only provided many constructive suggestions for He Weng¡¯s private customization business but also proposed ideas for Bai Ju and He Wang¡¯s instant noodle factory, suggesting that future products like sausage, marinated eggs, and various prepared foods could form an integrated ready-to-eat product line.

    Not to mention frozen food.

    Bai Xiao simply shared many insights she had about the future. Whatever the approach, even if she¡¯d never actually experienced it firsthand, she¡¯d seen plenty to understand it. As long as theymitted themselves to action, they could hire technical experts right now to engage in product development.

    They could simultaneously develop new products while using their current production line for profitability.

    Everyone knows instant noodles will remain popr for many years.

    He Weng greatly admired Bai Xiao¡¯s insight and ideas. While it seemed like she didn¡¯t possess much more knowledge than him, somehow the concepts in her mind were always different.

    It felt as if her words had the power to awaken a dreamer from their slumber.

    Bang!

    Bai Xiao and He Weng turned around. A bottle of liquor smashed to pieces near them, with shards of ss nearly injuring someone.

    He Weng frowned and shielded Bai Xiao, moving them to another spot.

    It seemed the young man from earlier had gotten drunk.

    "Why don¡¯t we go somewhere else? It¡¯s too noisy here!" He Weng prepared to settle the bill. He would be leaving tomorrow, and if he didn¡¯t have a good, heart-to-heart talk with Bai Xiao tonight, he¡¯d regret it.

    Bai Xiao nodded. "How about I take you to my ce? Major An should be at home. You and An Zhiyuan haven¡¯t seen each other in ages; the three of us could have a proper get-together. He¡¯s been saying he wants to see you." An Zhiyuan had a very consistent schedule these days, returning home every evening by his driver.

    These days, since Bai Xiao was often at school, An Zhiyuan lived alone, with nopany.

    He Weng nodded. "Waiter, check please!"

    Just as they had finished settling the bill and stood up to leave, someone stopped them.

    "Don¡¯t leave! What, are you guilty of something?"

    A strong stench of alcohol hit them, making Bai Xiao frown.

    Zhang Zhaoyuan was undeniably drunk.

    His face was flushed, veins bulging on his neck, and his bloodshot eyes darted erratically. If not for someone supporting him, he would¡¯ve copsed. He jabbed a finger rudely at Bai Xiao¡¯s nose, his posture aggressive and disrespectful.

    He Weng reached out and brushed the man¡¯s hand aside.

    "ssmate, you¡¯re drunk. Please step aside."

    No need to waste time arguing with a young drunk.

    The male student supporting Zhang Zhaoyuan quickly apologized profusely. They hadn¡¯t expected that Zhang Zhaoyuan, drunk, would reallye and make trouble for Bai Xiao.

    Others might not know, but these students did: Zhang Zhaoyuan had absolutely nothing going on with Bai Xiao. Bai Xiao had clearly refused to associate with him romantically, so there was no basis for ming her.

    What, they wondered, gave him the right to im that her rejection was somehow wrong?

    Certainly not. That reasoning would never hold. So, they continued apologizing earnestly.

    "Sorry! Sorry! My friend is in a bad mood and drank too much tonight. If he offended you, please forgive him. We¡¯ll move out of the way."

    Zhang Zhaoyuan leaned against his ssmate, yet persisted stubbornly. "Why... should you... apologize to her? Bai Xiao? Who would have thought... the beautiful and pristine Bai Xiao is actually a vain... woman. What¡¯s your rtionship... with him? Didn¡¯t you say... you¡¯re married to a soldier? So don¡¯t... tell me that soldier is An Zhiyuan. An Zhiyuan... with his big mobile phone, An Zhiyuan... dressed in a suit and tie?"

    "You¡¯re nothing but a full-blown liar. Isn¡¯t that what¡¯s called ying both sides? On one hand, you¡¯re the mistress... of a wealthy man, and on the other, you¡¯re still iming to be a soldier¡¯s wife. I¡¯ll report you!"

 Chapter 907: Rumors Are More Fierce Than Tigers

    <h4>Chapter 907: Chapter 907: Rumors Are More Fierce Than Tigers</h4>

    "Hold your ssmate steady." Bai Xiao didn¡¯t even nce at Zhang Zhaoyuan as she spoke to He Weng, "Let¡¯s go, don¡¯t waste time here."

    She walked outpletely ignoring the strange looks from the boys.

    He Weng was a little uneasy, "I think the ssmate just now might have misunderstood. If you don¡¯t exin, it might affect your reputation."

    Bai Xiaoughed, "Why should I exin to him? Who is he to me?"

    He Weng chuckled.

    Bai Xiao really had a hint of pride sometimes. For people she didn¡¯t care about, they probably couldn¡¯t affect her emotions at all.

    The next day, when Bai Xiao returned to school, she noticed the strange looks from Ma Yao and the others.

    "Bai Xiao, you¡¯re married?"

    Lin Xiang asked hesitantly.

    None of them had expected Bai Xiao to be married.

    Weren¡¯t they all supposed to be around the same age? Bai Xiao was even the youngest among them.

    "The news spreads fast; yes, I am married."

    "We heard your husband is a drill instructor?"

    Ma Yao, who admired tough, masculine men, seemed particrly impressed. In her mind, not joining the military herself felt like a great regret.

    "Yes, he¡¯s a drill instructor, and we¡¯re of the same rank. My family is absolutely a military household through and through." Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    It truly was as irond as it could get.

    He Juan pretended not to care and said, "Someone saw youst night with a businessman. They¡¯re saying you¡¯vetched onto a rich man!"

    They were the girls Bai Xiao spent the most time with. They didn¡¯t believe the rumors, but the Medical University was already buzzing with gossip. Countless people were eagerly discussing it, and they¡¯d been defending Bai Xiao, but none of them were her. Their words didn¡¯t carry much weight.

    Bai Xiao burst outughing, "Oh, I¡¯m going to die ofughter! There is indeed a rich man, and you all know him!"

    Ma Yao immediately perked up. They knew him?

    The three of them wracked their brains. Who could it be?

    Suddenly, they froze.

    The only person they all knew who had close ties with Bai Xiao seemed to be...

    "Oh, the one who visited you¡ªHe Weng?"

    He Juan, being the quickest thinker, reacted immediately.

    Lin Xiang nodded, "That¡¯s right, the only rich man we know and you know is him. Oh my, isn¡¯t he your brother-inw¡¯s younger brother? How could people twist things like this?" They were aware of Bai Xiao¡¯s connection to He Weng since they were involved.

    As He Weng had exined, Bai Xiao was the one who had saved him with her acupuncture skills, allowing him to walk again.

    That was a life-saving favor.

    "Who¡¯s the shameless person who spread such nonsense, making it sound like you¡¯vetched onto a rich man and are two-timing?" Ma Yao fumed.

    "You don¡¯t know how nasty the rumors circting in the Medical College are today. They¡¯re saying the new visiting Bai doctor is clean and beautiful, but not only does sheck self-respect¡ªshe¡¯s already married to a military man¡ªand that she¡¯s vain,tching onto a rich man to be his mistress. Just listen to how excited people get talking about it.

    It¡¯s like they¡¯ve seen it with their own eyes."

    "It¡¯s probably becausest night, I was at the school gate eatingmb skewers with He Weng, and we ran into some students from our school who misunderstood. Don¡¯t pay attention to them. These kinds of rumors will fade after a while. The more you try to exin, the more they believe there¡¯s something fishy." Bai Xiao dismissed it casually.

    If something like this could break her, then she wouldn¡¯t be Bai Xiao.

    "But if they keep talking like this, it¡¯s bad for your reputation. Pretty soon, the school will start assigning internship cements. I¡¯m afraid someone might use this as an excuse to trip you up." He Juan understood how destructive rumors could be.

    Bai Xiao shook her head,pletely unconcerned.

 Chapter 908 Pursuit

    <h4>Chapter 908: Chapter 908 Pursuit</h4>

    At this moment, in the vice principal¡¯s office, eight male students were standing in front of the desk.

    Zhang Zhaoyuan was one of them.

    After getting drunkst night, he sobered up today and finally realized the foolish things he had done. Not only had he caused a ruckus at the BBQ stall, but he also said those things. Moreover, there were more than just their two tables of ssmates eating there. As those words spread, it quickly turned into campus-wide gossip.

    Now, the rumors had already twisted into something much worse: ims that Dr. Bai was toying with students¡¯ feelings, that the already-married Dr. Bai was promiscuous, became the mistress of some wealthy man or tycoon, and was even engaging in scandalous rtionships within the school.

    And so, the eight of them were brought to the vice principal¡¯s office.

    Vice Principal Zhao had just arrived at school this morning and heard about these rumors. The moment he took a sip of tea, he spat it all over the desk.

    "Which son of a b*itch spread this nonsense?"

    "Bai Xiao has been personally watched over by Director Yu! She¡¯s Director Yu¡¯s niece! Does she even need to cling to some tycoon?"

    "This isn¡¯t just some international joke!"

    "Exin exactly what happened."

    This matter could not be allowed to slide, and the rumors had to be quashed as soon as possible.

    If Director Yu started investigating, how would they even answer for this?

    And let¡¯s not forget, Bai Xiao¡¯s husband is a military officer. It¡¯s right there in their records. If they pursued ountability, these boys wouldn¡¯t be let off easily either. Besides, Bai Xiao herself was a part of the system. Nobody could imagine which idiot had caused so much trouble this time.

    The vice principal had already looked into it thoroughly! Supposedly, it was these few boys who had spread the rumors.

    The eight of them stared at each other, exchanging nervous nces.

    Seven pairs of eyes settled on Zhang Zhaoyuan.

    Betraying one of their own? They couldn¡¯t stoop that low.

    "Speak up, are you still trying to hide this? Let me make it clear: the nature of this incident is extremely serious. Bai Xiao¡¯s reputation has suffered tremendous damage. Since we¡¯re in my office, if any of you honestly confess now, we can handle this internally. But let me tell you, Bai Xiao and her husband are both in the military. If this matter esctes and gets traced back, the person responsible for starting this rumor will absolutely have to bear the consequences.

    This is not a scare tactic. Your parents send you to university with great effort and sacrifice. If you end up being expelled or dismissed, how many years of their hopes and dreams¡ªand your hard work¡ªwill just go down the drain? Is it worth it?" Vice Principal Zhao wasn¡¯t bluffing; if the matter spiraled out of control, the consequences would indeed be that serious.

    As a school leader, his duty was to nip such vtile situations in the bud immediately.

    Zhang Zhaoyuan and the others clearly hadn¡¯t anticipated how big this situation could be. The pressure started breaking the resolve of the other seven boys.

    Sure, brotherhood was important, but when it came to their futures, no one wanted to be expelled or dismissed from school.

    Getting into university wasn¡¯t easy, and gaining admission into the Medical University was even harder.

    Each of them was the pride and hope of their families. To lose their future prospects over something like this? They¡¯d have no face to return home to their parents.

    Zhang Zhaoyuan finally stepped forward. "Vice Principal Zhao, this was my fault. I was drunk at the time. I may have said things I didn¡¯t even realize or remember, and after throwing a drunken fit, I forgot everything. But there were so many ssmates present at the time, which led to these rumors spreading. I¡¯m willing to issue a public apology."

    No matter the reason, Zhang Zhaoyuan never intended to hurt Bai Xiao.

    In fact, as he sobered up today, he began to reflect and realized that the Bai Xiao he knew could never be that kind of person.

    Even though they hadn¡¯t interacted deeply, he still remembered that day when Bai Xiao, disregarding her own safety, stepped forward to confront a crisis.

    How could someone with such character be the type of person whose integrity should be questioned? How could there possibly be any issues with her conduct?

    To insult someone recklessly without knowing the truth of the situation was incredibly inappropriate.

 Chapter 909: Exposing the Truth

    <h4>Chapter 909: Chapter 909: Exposing the Truth</h4>

    "So, you¡¯re the one who said it?" Deputy Principal Zhao finally calmed his anger.

    He knew Zhang Zhaoyuan! Zhang was one of the top students at their Medical University, and someone with great potential to be a future leader in the university. Naturally, Deputy Principal Zhao remembered such a student.

    Zhang Zhaoyuan nodded. A mistake was a mistake.

    The boy standing nearby noticed the principal¡¯s unfavorable expression and quickly exined.

    "Deputy Principal Zhao! This time, it was really a misunderstanding. Zhang Zhaoyuan confronted Dr. Bai, Dr. Bai rejected him, and we happened to apany him to eat afterwards. Who knew we¡¯d run into Dr. Bai dining with other people? Zhang had been drinking and, in his drunken state, might have said some inappropriate things. But there truly was no malice."

    "Exactly! Principal, if you really look into it, even Dr. Bai bears some responsibility. When Zhang Zhaoyuan said those things, Dr. Bai didn¡¯t rify anything at all. That¡¯s why everyone there misunderstood and thought Dr. Bai was unable to refute usations about some scandal."

    "Bai Xiao is something else. Although she¡¯s a trainee, we all know her family¡¯s situation¡ªshees from the countryside¡ªbut she was seen with a man carrying a cell phone. It¡¯s inevitable people would get the wrong idea. Besides, many people in the school have noticed that Dr. Bai often leaves the campus on Friday afternoons and doesn¡¯t stay overnight."

    "She¡¯s a student from out of town who doesn¡¯t live on campus. Isn¡¯t this an obvious problem?"

    "We also hope the school will thoroughly investigate this matter. Who knows, maybe Dr. Bai really has some moral issues."

    "Nonsense! What are you babbling about? How could Dr. Bai possibly have moral issues?" Deputy Principal Zhao roared. These people were utterly reckless.

    Did they think Bai Xiao was just an ordinary Yun Province student?

    Did they think Bai Xiao was easy to bully?

    The boy was stunned into silence by Deputy Principal Zhao¡¯s response.

    But he still muttered quietly.

    "What¡¯s the big deal about Dr. Bai? She needs money too. Deputy Principal Zhao, haven¡¯t you noticed? Dr. Bai wears high-end clothes, and I¡¯ve seen her picked up several times by a private car. This doesn¡¯t seem like typical student behavior at all."

    "You idiots! Dr. Bai¡¯s family is actually from Modu, and they¡¯re from a cadre background. Dr. Bai is a sried doctor, and her husband is the Chief¡¯s son, a squad leader himself! Would someone like Dr. Bai becking money? Are you guys out of your minds?" Deputy Principal Zhao was practically fuming with rage.

    Zhang Zhaoyuan and the others were dumbfounded. "Impossible, right?"

    Dr. Bai has such a background?

    No one could tell.

    Bai Xiao has always been so friendly and approachable, without any arrogance or unting, keeping such a low profile that she seemed no different from a regr student.

    "You¡¯re all grown men, yet you can¡¯t evenpare to one woman. Let me tell you, Dr. Bai isn¡¯t the kind of person you¡¯re imagining. Do you know that Dr. Bai came from the frontline? Do you know that Dr. Bai and her husband held their wedding on the minefield at the front? At the time, Squad Leader An had andmine under his foot, and he could have sacrificed his life at any moment. Even so, Dr. Bai bravely stepped forward to join him in clearingndmines together. A couple like that¡ªdo you think Dr. Bai cares about vanity or materialism?" Deputy Principal Zhao was furious beyond belief.

    Once he found out Bai Xiao was the niece of Director Yu, how could he not investigate further? And after digging into her background, even he was filled with admiration.

    A girl like this, with such an exceptional family, has an immensely promising future ahead of her.

 Chapter 910: Picking Someone Up

    <h4>Chapter 910: Chapter 910: Picking Someone Up</h4><h4></h4>

    On the third day, the university swiftly and unexpectedly posted Zhang Zhaoyuan¡¯s public apology letter, formally exining that due to his impulsiveness and misunderstanding of Bai Xiao, he not only caused severe damage to Bai Xiao¡¯s reputation but also inflicted significant psychological harm on her.

    The most solemn apology in the history of the Medical University concluded amidst the storm.

    Originally, those who didn¡¯t know Bai Xiao now found that there wasn¡¯t a single person in the whole Medical University who hadn¡¯t heard of her.

    This woman, pursued by the campus heartthrob Zhang Zhaoyuan, and then retaliated against out of love-turned-hate, turned out to already be married. Her wedding held at the battlefield front almost became a legendary story within the Medical University.

    Moved by such emotions, the percentage of Medical University students applying to work in remote and challenging areas increased significantly this year. This even earned high praise from provincial and municipal leaders for the university¡¯s outstanding ideological work, with the university president receiving directmendation.

    Bai Xiao had no idea that she had now be somewhat of a sensation at the Medical University.

    Previously unknown, her story was now circting everywhere, capturing the interest of all.

    Bai Xiao was now ustomed to being greeted on the street by strangers who knew her name.

    Today was Friday, and with no sses in the afternoon, Bai Xiao packed her things, ready to go home.

    The dormitory auntie downstairs called out her name, telling her to answer the phone.

    Bai Xiao ran downstairs, only to find it was An Zhiyuan on the other end.

    "Second Brother? I¡¯m going home tonight anyway¡ªwhy did you call?"

    She chuckled to herself. It had been over half a year since An Zhiyuan was able to ditch his crutches and walk freely on his own. Following the doctor¡¯s rmendations, even his quick recovery had been noted with concern, fearing he might have adopted overly intense methods of training, potentially leaving behind hidden risks.

    But after follow-up exams, even the doctors at Modu Hospital had to admit that An Zhiyuan¡¯s body was fine. The final conclusion was that his exceptional physical condition and rapid recovery were due to his well-established fitness habits.

    An Zhiyuan had already be a role model, admired by many people.

    "Xiaoxiao, I¡¯m at the campus gate to pick you up and take you home. Come out!" That simple sentence sent a ripple of emotion through Bai Xiao¡¯s heart. What was he doing here?

    Both she and An Zhiyuan were inherently low-profile individuals unustomed to ostentation.

    And yet, he had shown up at the campus gate¡ªespecially at this time, with so many studentsing and going, so many eyes watching.

    After hanging up the phone, Bai Xiao went back to her dorm to freshen up, brushing her teeth and washing her face. She changed into a wool sweater, paired it with a pastel-blue woolen coat, a scarf of the same color, ck trousers, leather shoes, and grabbed her handbag.

    Ma Yao and the others noticed and asked, "Why are you leaving so early today?"

    "My husband¡¯s here to pick me up, so I thought I¡¯d leave a bit early." Bai Xiao was about to head out but was stopped.

    "Wait a second¡ªCaptain An is here to pick you up? We¡¯ve never seen him in person! We¡¯ve only heard all those stories about the young and famous captain. Let us have a look! If not, don¡¯t leave¡ªstay for dinner tonight instead." Ma Yao had long been intrigued by the famous An Zhiyuan. Now that he was here in person, there was no way they¡¯d let him slip away.

    Bai Xiao was surrounded and had little choice but to agree. When it came to sheer strength, she was no match for Ma Yao.

    "Fine, fine. I¡¯ll go out and let you meet Captain An. Is that good enough?"

    If she didn¡¯t give in, these people would surely hold her hostage and eventually drag An Zhiyuan into the dorm themselves. Might as well go out directly and avoid the hassle.

    The three of them cheered and immediately began dolling up.

    "He¡¯s my husband¡ªwhat are you doing?" Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    "That¡¯s different! He¡¯s a hero, a bomb-disposal captain, and the husband of our dear friend. Of course, we need to leave a good impression. We can¡¯t let your man think we¡¯re just a bunch of sloppy nobodies, right? Isn¡¯t that right,dies?" Ma Yao was already hyped up.

    He Juan and Lin Xiang chimed in boisterously as they busily touched up their brows and applied makeup before the mirror, "Of course! We¡¯re doing this for you, Bai Xiao. Can¡¯t let Dr. Bai lose face, right?"

 Chapter 911: Forsaking Friends for Beauty

    <h4>Chapter 911: Chapter 911: Forsaking Friends for Beauty</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao and the three others came downstairs. Since they were all dressed up beautifully, the four of them instantly turned into a sight to behold, attracting plenty of nces and head-turns.

    This time, themotion was a bit much.

    Just as they stepped out of the main entrance, they saw An Zhiyuan standing there in a green suit, wearing a hat. His tall and upright figure resembled a por tree as he looked in their direction. His sharp gaze immediately locked onto Bai Xiao, and a faint smile spilled out from his piercing eyes. His serious expression seemed to crack in an instant.

    Seeing the three girls beside Bai Xiao, he teased her with a nce¡ªthese must be the three roommates and friends Bai Xiao often mentioned.

    It looked like today he had turned into a panda in the zoo, surrounded and admired by onlookers.

    His dark eyes fixed on her, carrying a hint of a smile, "Xiaoxiao!"

    The four walked up to him, and Bai Xiao stood by An Zhiyuan¡¯s side, just in time to meet the gaze of two girls walking past. Their faces flushed red and they immediately steered off the path.

    "An Zhiyuan, my beloved¡ªthese are Ma Yao, He Juan, and Lin Xiang, my roommates and close friends," Bai Xiao introduced cheerfully.

    "Captain An, hello, hello! Your name is famous far and wide," Ma Yao said enthusiastically, shaking An Zhiyuan¡¯srge hand. This sister, who usually imed not to judge by appearances, had her face flushed all the way to her ears.

    "Hello!"

    "Ma Yao, enough already! It¡¯s our turn to shake hands with Brother An now. Move aside!" Lin Xiang couldn¡¯t bear to watch any longer. Did she have no self-respect? Sure, Captain An was indeed handsome, but you couldn¡¯t just lose your mind over it.

    The short and plump Lin Xiang pushed Ma Yao aside and squeezed in. "I¡¯m Lin Xiang, Bai Xiao¡¯s good friend. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you! Could you sign your name for me?" She grinned brightly, holding a pen in one hand and gesturing toward the back of her white coat.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s mouth twitched.

    "I¡¯ll sign itter and give it to Bai Xiao to pass on to you. No need to waste a perfectly good coat."

    What kind of move was this?!

    He Juan quietly stepped up to greet him, acting the most normal out of everyone.

    Bai Xiao waved her hand, "You¡¯ve seen him now, time to head back. We¡¯re leaving. Bye-bye." She opened the car door and got in.

    The three girls red at Bai Xiao in unison. Truly abandoning friends for romance!

    "Bai Xiao, weren¡¯t you supposed to treat us to a meal? No time like the present¡ªwhy not do it today?" Ma Yao gritted her teeth and spat out the words.

    Lin Xiang and He Juan nodded firmly, exuding confidence. "Exactly! Exactly! We haven¡¯t eaten yet. Let¡¯s all have a meal together."

    Bai Xiao coldly shut the car door. "Brother An, start the car."

    An Zhiyuan got in, started the vehicle, and Bai Xiao mouthed silently: Not a chance!

    These three were up to no good.

    As the car drove onto the main road, An Zhiyuan finally chuckled. "Your friends are quite entertaining."

    Who would¡¯ve expected all this? Asking for an autograph?

    Do they think I¡¯m a celebrity or something!

    "Brother An, just remember: You¡¯ve said you¡¯re married! Married! Don¡¯t me me for not reminding you." Bai Xiao turned her head, staring at the man beside her with an increasingly usatory gaze.

    It¡¯s not always a blessing for a man to look this good. Her close friends had already neglected their loyalty for his charm¡ªwho knew how many admirers Brother An had outside! This thought brought her back to He Meina, that woman who had once caused quite a stir.

    It was like a yfulint mixed with a hint of coquettishness:

    He took her hand, holding it firmly, his eyes capturing her slightly pouting expression. "I remember. I belong to someone already."

    "When did you buy this outfit? I haven¡¯t seen you wear it before..." His voice was low, the proximity between them deliberate, carrying an undertone of subtle intimacy.

    Hearing him say that, her face showed no sign, but inside, she felt a little delighted. Women dress up for those who appreciate them. Pretending to be indifferent, she replied, "I bought it a long time ago. You just never noticed."

 Chapter 912: Letâ€™s Have a Child

    <h4>Chapter 912: Chapter 912: Let¡¯s Have a Child</h4><h4></h4>

    Here is the English trantion:

    "Why did you suddenly decide to pick me up today?" Bai Xiao hadn¡¯t forgotten An Zhiyuan¡¯s unusual behavior.

    She could smell the faint, fresh trace of tobo on him¡ªit seemed he had just smoked.

    "Today I received notice from the higher-ups. Starting today, I am officially transferred out. From now on, I¡¯m a free man," his voice was deep and raspy, yet the news was shocking.

    Bai Xiao grabbed his arm and excitedly asked him, "Really? From now on, you¡¯re Manager An? That¡¯s wonderful! I¡¯m so happy for you¡ªcongrattions! You deserve this; it¡¯s well-earned!" No one knew better than her that this promotion came at the cost of An Zhiyuan risking his life¡ªit truly was earned through sheer determination.

    "This honor also belongs to you. Had it not been for you, I might only have received this title posthumously¡ªwhat meaning would it even have then?" He tightened his grip on his wife¡¯s hand, the burning warmth making Bai Xiao¡¯s cheeks flush.

    She yfully grumbled at him, "We¡¯re husband and wife. Do we really need to say these polite things? I don¡¯t care about titles or honors¡ªI just want you safe and by my side, so we can grow old together. What I don¡¯t want is for you to leave me alone in this world, An Zhiyuan. You must remember, your life doesn¡¯t belong solely to you¡ªit belongs to both of us. I just want you to cherish yourself."

    At the thought of possibly losing An Zhiyuan, Bai Xiao still felt a lingering unease.

    An Zhiyuan gripped her hand tighter, the strength of his hold conveying his own pain.

    The car returned home. Today, An Zhiyuan had driven himself¡ªhis assistant had note along.

    Once they arrived home, it seemed perfectly natural; the two of them, just like a pair of lovers caught in the throes of passion, kissed fervently as soon as they stepped inside.

    He cradled the back of her head and kissed her directly, without a hint of hesitation. This was his wife, his woman.

    Closing her eyes, her entire body was enveloped and pressed tightly beneath him. Her chest felt a mix of aching and itching sensations¡ªintense, almost torturous. Her heart raced uncontrobly, her body warm.

    Her rationality was fully overtaken, easily shattered.

    Her hands had nowhere to go, tentatively reaching for his chest. Under her palms, the firmness of his muscles made her utterly intoxicated.

    Eyes closed, she tilted her head slightly upward, submissively and obediently responding to his kiss. His arms tightly enclosed her within his embrace.

    An Zhiyuan kissed Bai Xiao in a way that was bothforting and domineering. The gentleness gave way to fiery passion, their reason exploding into fragments too broken to recover.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s body instantly grew weak, as if her bones had been pulled out.

    The two fell onto the nearby sofa, hands roaming, and began stripping each other¡¯s clothing, as if they could only find satisfaction by touching one another like countless lovers in their fervent heat.

    The clothes were scattered messily across the floor.

    He gazed at her breathless, bashful appearance and couldn¡¯t resist lowering his head, brushing her flushed cheeks lightly. "Xiaoxiao, let¡¯s have a child. I know you adore children¡ªI do too. Now, my work isn¡¯t like before. I have the time to take care of you and the child, okay?"

    His suppressed emotion, charged with intense masculinity, fell upon her forehead.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s body was naturally sensitive; he had long known that even the lightest touch of his fingertips could send her into uncontroble trembles. She would sometimes hold back her voice, but the way she furrowed her brow and bit her lips undeniably fueled a man¡¯s desire to conquer.

    But Bai Xiao was suddenly startled; her eyes widened as rity struck.

    What had An Zhiyuan just said?

    A child?

    They had finally arrived at this subject.

 Chapter 913 Whatâ€™s wrong?

    <h4>Chapter 913: Chapter 913 What¡¯s wrong?</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao grabbed his wrist sharply.

    He was puzzled by her sudden action, "What¡¯s wrong?"

    She continued to hold onto his wrist without letting go, staring at him silently.

    An Zhiyuan still hadn¡¯t realized something was amiss, "What¡¯s wrong?"

    The only sensitive topic earlier was the child.

    Could it be that Bai Xiao doesn¡¯t like children?

    But Bai Xiao likes Little Tangyuan so much. He clearly remembers how Bai Xiao looked at Little Tangyuan, how she teased him¡ªall of it, the loving expression on her face. If someone like Bai Xiao didn¡¯t like children, he would truly start doubting his judgment.

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t say a word. She just pushed his chest gently but firmly, turned away, and picked up the clothes scattered on the floor as she walked toward the bedroom.

    "What¡¯s for dinner tonight?"

    The tone was calm but left him speechless.

    An Zhiyuan nced down at himself, then turned to look at her retreating back,pletely clueless about what was going on. A faint sense of disinterest suddenly crept up.

    Bai Xiao not losing her temper was even more frustrating; whenever something upset her, she¡¯d hide it deep inside, leaving him to guess.

    Walking straight into the bedroom, Bai Xiao was already getting dressed, just about to pull on a shirt. However, the moment her hand touched her clothes, she was suddenly knocked down. The shirt she had just draped over her body had disappeared, torn off by arge hand that flung it into the corner. A firm grip encircled her waist as if intent on bending her body; his other hand secured her tightly, pinning her heavily to the bed.

    Bai Xiao was startled by his abrupt and reckless actions. The back of her head bumped against the man behind her as he scooped her up, pressing her entire body against his.

    Bai Xiao could hear her own increasinglybored breathing as her fingers wed at the bedsheets beneath her. In the next instant, her body was forcefully pinned against the bed.

    The soft yet springy mattress trembled under the impact.

    "Will you talk or not? What¡¯s wrong with you?" The wicked tone in his voice made her heart skip a beat as he flipped her over, forcing her to lie face-up on the bed.

    Her hands pressed against his chest, breathing unevenly: "How am I supposed to talk like this?"

    He left her no room to breathe, siege tactics in full force.

    "Then we¡¯ll take our time. I have all the patience in the world." His hands rested on either side of her, his knees pressing against her legs to prevent resistance. His rough, unsteady voice brushed against her ear: "I like it when you don¡¯t talk."

    Bai Xiao felt aggrieved and heartbroken. She knew she had upset him, but the words wouldn¡¯te out. Her shoulders trembled lightly from suppressed sobs.

    "No crying!" His domineering tone rang out, but the strength in his grip softened noticeably.

    "You¡¯re being unreasonable!" Bai Xiao tried to push him away.

    In terms of physical strength, they weren¡¯t in the same league.

    If An Zhiyuan really wanted to push back, she¡¯d have no way to resist.

    Yet inside, all she felt was grievance.

    And despair.

    No woman¡¯s despair could quite match hers.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s muffled sobbing left An Zhiyuan fumbling in panic.

    "Don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t cry. If you don¡¯t want to talk, I won¡¯t ask anymore, alright?" He held her close, wiping her tears away, only to find that the more he wiped, the more tears streamed down.

    A stab of pain shot through his chest.

    What had he done?

    Maybe his wife had things she didn¡¯t want to say, and he had pushed her this far.

    "I won¡¯t ask anymore. I¡¯ll never ask. Is that okay?"

    An Zhiyuan understood clearly now that he was bound to this woman for life.

    To love someone is perhaps to ept everything about her¡ªher little temper, her secrets.

    There will always be mysteries between them; that was inevitable.

 Chapter 914: Speak Out

    <h4>Chapter 914: Chapter 914: Speak Out</h4><h4></h4>

    "I might not be able to have children. I might never be able to have children in this lifetime!" Bai Xiao cried, shouting hoarsely into his ear, her sobs uncontroble.

    No moment had ever caused her more pain than this one. She knew¡ªshe knew she could never have a child.

    In her past life, Shang Kaiwen had tried so many times but could never give her a descendant. He wanted her genes, yet waspletely powerless.

    Taking ovtion-stimting injections and undergoing egg retrieval were such torturous processes. She could bear countless pains, but fate had bestowed upon her a special ability while taking away her right to be a mother.

    Opening her eyes, she saw his restrained yet handsome face, his cheeks taut from the clenching of his jaw, a trace of frustration and helplessness flickering in his eyes.

    He finally understood why Bai Xiao was so angry, what that faint unease lingering between them truly was.

    An Zhiyuan quietly gazed back at her, raising his hand to caress her evasive eyes, unsure if he believed her words or was contemting their truth.

    After Bai Xiao spoke, her face flushed red, her eyes moist. She looked at him, but anxiety churned within her. She knew that no man would willingly ept a lifetime without his own child. She understood this was the fuse to the bomb, yet leaving it unspoken forever would weigh on her with guilt for the rest of her life.

    The bedroom was so quiet that the sound of their breaths was clearly audible.

    She was like a prisoner awaiting judgment.

    The torment in her heart¡ªnobody could understand.

    He gradually leaned away, and she felt the distance growing between them. A wave ofplexity surged in her heart. To say she wasn¡¯t disappointed would be a lie. She thought An Zhiyuan was different, yet the issue of children still stood between them. Her heart ached, but she didn¡¯t do anything to stop him.

    Yes.

    They couldn¡¯t escape this curse.

    Bai Xiao closed her eyes, trying to suppress her disappointment and stop herself from crying. The experiences of her past life had already hardened her against further heartbreak.

    Suddenly, she felt the warmth of two people tightly embracing.

    "Ah..." Bai Xiao gasped, startled, letting out a shrill cry. She opened her eyes, shock clouding her gaze as she looked at the man clinging to her.

    He...

    An Zhiyuan was looking down at her, his strong arms making her feel the force and depth of his resolve.

    He held this expression for a few seconds before leaning in to kiss her cheek.

    Bai Xiao looped her arms around his neck, her breath soft and warm, brushing against his ear. Her bright, ck-and-white eyes glimmered like stars.

    "Xiaoxiao, it doesn¡¯t matter if we don¡¯t have children. We can live our lives as just the two of us. If you like kids, we can adopt one. What was that look you just gave me, as if you were so disappointed in me! Hmm..."

    She melted onto him like spring water, clinging tightly to his neck, responding to his kiss.

    "You... really don¡¯t... mind... hmm..."

    The man above her stubbornly held her close¡ªone hand firmly cupping her face, his lips iming hers in an intense, twisting motion; the other hand roamed along the curves of her body, his dry, warm palm trailing behind like a me igniting across her chest.

    "The only thing I care about is you, Xiaoxiao."

    "... Zhiyuan..." Her voice was tender and seductive, a faint note of coyness and allure stirring him, sending a shiver down his spine. Their eyes locked.

 Chapter 915: The Fate of Bai Mei

    <h4>Chapter 915: Chapter 915: The Fate of Bai Mei</h4><h4></h4>

    The two of them maintained their original posture, entwined together, his kissesnding on her shoulder. Bai Xiao¡¯s body trembled lightly, the climax still lingering, as his deep, maic voice murmured in her ear, "You are what truly matters..."

    She leaned against his embrace, peace settling in this moment, and time stood still in quiet harmony.

    She hadn¡¯t expected this man would make such a choice for her. After all, she knew how much An Zhiyuan adored children¡ªbut the problems they faced weren¡¯t typical ones.

    "Your... Your ability also can¡¯t help you..." An Zhiyuan struggled for words, unable to find the right term for Bai Xiao¡¯s special ability, his speech jumping abruptly in fragments.

    She chuckled softly and rested against his chest, her finger yfully tracing circles on his firm chest muscles, prompting his body to stiffen.

    Grabbing her hand, An Zhiyuan helplessly stopped her. Otherwise, he would lose control at any moment. Against Bai Xiao, his willpower and self-restraint seemed far less reliable.

    "It¡¯s because of this," she said, "you should already know¡ªthe aftereffects of my treatments. A woman¡¯s body turning excessively cold results in infertility."

    Honestly, it was tragic. She could cure life-threatening crises for others but couldn¡¯t heal her own cold womb and infertility.

    He held her tightly, "It doesn¡¯t matter. You are the child of this family. Spoiling you alone is enough for me!" He brushed her delicate neck before nting a kiss.

    His gaze was profound, deep, and his eyes carried a subtle ripple of emotion.

    Her heart was filled with sunshine.

    This man was someone worth entrusting her life to.

    ......

    The next day was Saturday. Bai Xiao didn¡¯t want toze in bed, but unfortunately, Brother An seemed audacious enough to do just that. Early in the morning, he dragged her into an exhausting tug-of-war.

    In this battle of physical endurance, she never stood a chance. Left utterly defeated, she surrendered, letting Brother An do as he pleased. The insatiable man ignored all her pleas and cries, only releasing her after having his fill, leaving the bed with a look ofplete satisfaction.

    Poor Bai Xiao, fragile and easy to knock over, was finally spared. Hugging the nket, she drifted off into a deep, restorative sleep.

    An Zhiyuan went out to buy groceries. The house had been empty for so long that, aside from weekends, they usually ate at the cafeteria. The fridge was barren, so empty it was heartbreaking.

    When Bai Xiao woke up, the house was already vacant.

    She tied up her hair and gave the house a quick cleaning. By then, Brother An had returned, carrying a pile ofrge and small bags, cing them on the table by the door.

    "Why are you up? You could¡¯ve slept a bit longer!"

    Gone was the fierce, domineering energy he had exerted on her earlier¡ªnow, he was so gentle it made her wonder if Brother An was suffering from split personality disorder.

    "If I slept any longer, we wouldn¡¯t get to eat until dinner. I¡¯m starving!"

    Bai Xiao unpacked the bags and organized the items, then headed to the kitchen to start cooking. An Zhiyuan helped her out, washing and cleaning up, organizing the vegetables and fruits before putting them neatly into the fridge.

    "Yesterday, I got a call from Yun Province. Bai Mei has been sentenced to life with reprieve. I heard that during her incarceration, she was assaulted¡ªstabbed and beaten until she went insane. Now she¡¯s locked up in a psychiatric hospital,pletely isted. She likely won¡¯t ever have a chance to get out in this lifetime. As for her subordinates, they¡¯ve received sentences ranging from fifteen years to life imprisonment. This time, Sang Ji¡¯s operation haspletely unraveled!"

    Bai Mei had gone mad?

    Bai Xiao turned around, her gaze locking onto An Zhiyuan¡¯s. "Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve already arranged for someone at the psychiatric hospital to monitor her 24/7. She won¡¯t escape, and even if she¡¯s pretending, she¡¯ll live out the rest of her days there and die in the hospital. Besides, her limbs are severely deformed now; she can barely even walk steadily."

    His sentiments mirrored Bai Xiao¡¯s. This time, they wouldn¡¯t let Bai Mei rise up and threaten their happiness again.

 Chapter 916: Intentions

    <h4>Chapter 916: Chapter 916: Intentions</h4><h4></h4>

    On Monday, Bai Xiao returned to the dormitory. Today was a big day¡ªthere was a public lecture, and Dr. Xue hade to the Medical College as a guest lecturer. The ssroom was packed almost to capacity. Thankfully, Ma Yao and her group had reserved seats ahead of time. Bai Xiao walked in, and Ma Yao immediately waved her over. Bai Xiao apologized to people along the way and finally squeezed through to join them.

    Sitting down, she took a deep breath. Dr. Xue¡¯s lectures were something that students from countless academies would fight tooth and nail to attend.

    Who would have guessed that Bai Xiao was here only because she had no choice? Dr. Xue had explicitly requested her presence; otherwise, she¡¯d face serious consequences.

    Dr. Xue was deemed the top axeman in Surgery¡ªpractically a legend in Modu as the "First de." And it wasn¡¯t just Modu! In the field of cardiovascr medicine, there was virtually no one in China who could surpass him. Of course, Dr. Xue¡¯s students weren¡¯t too shabby either¡ªthey were all renowned "axemen" in their own right.

    Who wouldn¡¯t want to get on Dr. Xue¡¯s good side? It was practically a guaranteed bright future.

    If the people in this room knew that Dr. Xue had begged and pleaded to no avail¡ªand that Bai Xiao unwaveringly rejected his invitation¡ªthey¡¯d probably drown her in a flood of angry spit.

    "Dr. Xue is here!"

    "Dr. Xue is here!"

    Someone suddenly shouted, and the ssroom fell into absolute silence.

    You could hear a pin drop.

    Bai Xiao held her breath and stared at the doorway. Sure enough, Dr. Xue¡¯smanding figure appeared within everyone¡¯s view.

    Their breathing collectively grew rapid. Bai Xiao nced at Ma Yao and her friends sitting beside her¡ªthey were all brimming with wide-eyed admiration, their expressions glowing.

    Apanying Dr. Xue were Vice Principal Zhao and Director Liu Hongmin from the Academic Affairs Office. Behind Dr. Xue were two foreigners with blond hair and striking blue eyes.

    Of course, the two foreigners looked remarkably appealing. Their dark brown hair verged on jet ck, and their strong jaws, alongside the sharp facial contours, had deep grooves around their mouths. Their tall stature, always envied by locals, wasn¡¯t just noticeable¡ªit was impressive. Though their age easily qualified them for the "uncle"bel, they still had an undeniable air of charm that made them pleasing to the eye.

    The foreigners hadn¡¯t dressed formally for the asion¡ªinstead, they wore simple white shirts with rolled-up sleeves, old jeans, and sneakers. Oddly enough, in this setting, their attire offered a strange harmony.

    Bai Xiao drew a sharp breath.

    Well, the shock of seeing familiar faces.

    She actually knew these two people.

    The real puzzle was why they were here.

    "Hello students. Good day, everyone. Today, Dr. Xue and the two foreign guests are with us to deliver some exciting news. Now, let¡¯s invite Dr. Xue to the stage to exin the purpose of today¡¯s visit," Vice Principal Zhao said, pping as he weed Dr. Xue to speak.

    "Hello students. Good day, everyone. I¡¯m Dr. Xue. By now, everyone probably refers to me simply as Dr. Xue, and many of you might not even recall my full name anymore. My purpose for being here today isn¡¯t to give a lecture. Frankly, as an old man standing here and lecturing, I imagine most of you would find it boring and insufferable," Dr. Xue said jokingly, immediately earning an outburst ofughter from the students.

    "No way! Dr. Xue seems incredibly humorous," one bold student spoke up in response.

    "Alright, I won¡¯t waste everyone¡¯s time. The reason I¡¯m here today is to share something important with all of you. These two foreign guests beside me are members of the International Medical Exchange Promotion Association. Now, many of you might not be familiar with this organization. But let me tell you, this Association is akin to the Olympics. Whenever it¡¯s held, the event sends significant ripples through the medicalmunity¡ªeach urrence is highly prestigious.

    The International Medical Exchange Promotion Association holds its conference every three years. The hosting nation is decided by a rotating vote among member countries. This year, China has entered the bid as a candidate to host. These two guests are here to conduct an evaluation.

    They¡¯ve specifically chosen our school as the assessment site, using this small microcosm to reflect the overall medical capabilities of our nation. So there¡¯s no need to feel intimidated¡ªthey¡¯vee with goodwill. All we need to do is demonstrate the professional skills we possess," Dr. Xue¡¯s words were like a stone cast into water, stirring countless ripples of excitement.

    The students instantly started to panic.

    After all, they were just students¡ªnot doctors, not even interns.

    Most of them had little to no practical knowledge.

    The idea of participating in such a high-stakes evaluation suddenly became deeply terrifying.

 Chapter 917: Promotion Association

    <h4>Chapter 917: Chapter 917: Promotion Association</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao certainly knew that the two people in front of her, Smith and Mike, were the star figures of the International Exchange Promotion Association.

    In her previous life, these two had also extended an invitation to her, asking her to go to America for academic exchange specifically on the techniques of Traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncture.

    Comparatively, Shang Kaiwen also didn¡¯t want others to covet her; the halo imprinted on her was still that of a Traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncture master.

    Thus, she had naturally be an invaluable treasure, making it almost impossible to allow her to have close connections with the International Exchange Promotion Association.

    That¡¯s why every time she had contact with the people from the association, someone was always watching her. Coupled with her poornguage skills, she could barely manage to say a single word without a trantor.

    Although these two had made strong efforts to invite her to visit various ces around the world, she had never been able to make the trip.

    Still, it hadn¡¯t stopped her from understanding their personalities.

    Smith and Mike were meticulous and strict in character, demanding perfection in everything they did. Their level of thoroughness was almost nitpicking. She hadn¡¯t expected that in this lifetime, she would actually get a chance to meet these two again.

    As for whether China had sessfully applied to host the International Exchange Promotion Association, she truly didn¡¯t know. These details didn¡¯t exist in her memory at all.

    Perhaps it was because she had never cared about or paid attention to this matter¡ªor it could very well be that the country hadn¡¯t seeded in hosting.

    All the students were giving a warm round of apuse to wee the two international guests in front of them.

    "So, today I¡¯ll be conducting a small presentation for everyone. This time, Mr. Smith and Mr. Mike, the two evaluators, will host a unique evaluationpetition.

    Thepetition will consist of two parts: one based on individual abilities and one on team abilities.

    For the individualpetition, ten Medical Universities will draw lots to select random students to participate. Of course, students may also sign up voluntarily. Meanwhile, teampetitions will be based on schools forming groups topete. The topics and projects for thepetition will be decided by the two evaluators, and the content for each event will be announced half an hour beforehand. So I hope everyone enthusiastically signs up to participate and brings glory to our country."

    The crowd immediately burst into uproar.

    There was no need for Dr. Xue to keep talking; Vice Principal Zhao and the Director of Education had already left with the three people.

    The students below were buzzing like dumplings boiling in a pot.

    Ma Yao nudged Bai Xiao, "I didn¡¯t quite catch how this suddenly turned into apetition?"

    He Juan and Lin Xiang were equally puzzled.

    Bai Xiao shook her head, "I didn¡¯t understand either. But I believe all your uing courses will revolve around this. The teachers will organize an efficient sign-up process. Since we¡¯re aiming to sessfully apply to host, then we¡¯ll definitely want to seed in thispetition, which requires selecting elite talents. The four of us aren¡¯t top students in these areas, so let¡¯s save our energy. This matter probably has nothing to do with us."

    Bai Xiao spoke in a dismissive tone, stemming from her deep familiarity with the two evaluators. Smith and Mike specialized in various surgical procedures in Internal Medicine and Surgery.

    One was especially a top-tier expert in cardiovascr and cerebrovascr fields.

    The other was a world-ss master in Internal Medicine.

    Their examination topics and subjects would undoubtedly revolve around these two domains.

    As for the four of them.

    Ha, how very unfortunate¡ªthey didn¡¯t have a single person specializing in Internal Medicine or Surgery.

    So, whether or not they were considered talented, thispetition had nothing to do with them.

 Chapter 918: You Are Invited

    <h4>Chapter 918: Chapter 918: You Are Invited</h4><h4></h4>

    "Bai Xiao,e to the principal¡¯s office!"

    Liu Hongmin¡¯s sudden appearance made every student shut their mouths.

    After those words were dropped, all eyes immediately focused on Bai Xiao.

    Over there, Dr. Xue hadn¡¯t even left the school yet, and here Bai Xiao was already being summoned to the office.

    Countless imaginations started running wild in the minds of everyone present.

    Everyone had been saying Bai Xiao had powerful connections backing her. It used to just be spection, but now, this tant statement from the Director made it crystal clear to everyone¡ªthis Dr. Bai was absolutely someone you shouldn¡¯t mess with.

    Who was Zhang Zhaoyuan?

    Zhang Zhaoyuan was considered one of the star figures at the Medical College. Not only were his academic results and technical expertise solid, but he also came from an elite family, and on top of that, looked rather attractive. Rumor had it his grandfather was a Dean at some hospital, still receiving government benefits despite not having retired yet.

    And someone like him had to publicly apologize to Bai Xiao.

    It was clear this was a one-sided crush-down in a contest of backstage connections.

    Bai Xiao followed Liu Hongmin as they walked out.

    Earning the spotlight of everyone¡¯s gaze.

    She couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit helpless¡ªdid Liu Hongmin have to make things so tant and stir up all these sidements?

    Any hopes she had of keeping a low profile were now shattered.

    She could forget staying low-key now.

    "Director Liu, why are you calling me to the office?"

    This internationalpetition is obviously about Internal Medicine and Surgery, featuring only the top talents in the field. What does it have to do with her, someone specializing in Traditional Chinese Medicine?

    She genuinely believed she didn¡¯t stand a chance ofpeting.

    Even though privately, her special ability could probably cover both Internal and External Medicine.

    On paper, however, her official ssification was Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture.

    No way could she go out there iming she¡¯d been self-studying Internal and External Medicine for years and had be self-taught.

    Saying something like that would surely get her smacked to death.

    Those Surgery students at the Medical College¡ªas far as just practicing suturing techniques alone¡ªhad burned through who-knows-how-many bananas and pig trotters every month just for practice.

    If she were handed a needle and thread, chances were she¡¯d be trembling from head to toe.

    Much less when it came to distinguishing anatomical part names and blood vessels¡ªshe and all that technical stuff could barely recognize one another.

    The silver needle techniques, pulse-taking, and acupuncture point mastery of Traditional Chinese Medicine¡ªthose were things she¡¯d barely trained topetency in her previous life. Even in this lifetime, despite attending the Medical College, she¡¯d worked hard and studied seriously.

    But honestly speaking, she was still just a half-baked novice.

    "I don¡¯t know either; Dr. Xue specifically asked you to be called in. If he¡¯s asking for you, then he must think you have some advantage in this area that could help with our application," Liu Hongmin replied with a smile. This particr kid really was surprising¡ªit looked like she hadn¡¯t even thought about getting involved.

    This is a matter of making a mark for the nation.

    If this evaluationpetition managed to win glory for the country, boosting the score and maybe even directly securing the opportunity for them to host the event.

    Now that would make someone famous¡ªfamous nationwide.

    At that point, every major hospital would be fighting tooth and nail to recruit people.

    Knowing this, students from both Surgery and Internal Medicine would likely be moring to break their way into thepetition. They could practically imagine howpetitive the spots would be.

    After all, it wasn¡¯t as if just anyone could apply and get epted. There would have to be an elimination round beforehand, some restrictions imposed by the school, and ultimately, the finalpetition list would pretty much be predetermined.

    And yet, this little ancestor here wasn¡¯t even considering the possibility.

    She was really acting like an emperor who¡¯s calm while the eunuchs were the ones panicking.

 Chapter 919: Questioning

    <h4>Chapter 919: Chapter 919: Questioning</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao knocked on the door.

    "Come in!"

    Vice Principal Zhao opened the door from inside and immediately greeted Bai Xiao with a big smile, "Come,e. Bai, hurry in. Professor Xue is looking for you."

    Liu Hongmin and Vice Principal Zhao locked eyes, and sparks flew.

    Their rivalry had reached a fever pitch.

    Dr. Xue immediately stood up enthusiastically as soon as he saw Bai Xiao, "Come,e, Doctor Bai, quicklye in. Mr. Smith and Doctor Mike are very interested in understanding the poisoning incident from that day. They find the wonders of acupuncture deeply mysterious and want you to help rify their doubts."

    He pulled Bai Xiao straight toward Mr. Smith and Doctor Mike.

    Standing near them was a trantor who spoke Chinese, a refined-looking man wearing sses, studying the young woman in front of him through his transparent lenses.

    "Mr. Smith, the leading surgeon in America, specializes in brain surgery and suturing techniques. He is unquestionably a top-tier talent, with very few people capable of surpassing him in this field nowadays."

    Bai Xiao shook hands with him. Mr. Smith was a fifty-year-old man, certainly a dashing gentleman of his age.

    "This is Mike, an expert in cardiology. The two of them together are virtually unrivaled in the field of heart surgery. They¡¯ve sessfully coborated on numerous asions, the most notable being simultaneous surgeries for dual heart transnts¡ªa groundbreaking achievement. And here¡¯s the Doctor Bai you were eager to meet."

    Mr. Smith was undoubtedly an arrogant old man. As soon as the handshake with Bai Xiao was over, he began questioning her without any reservations.

    "Doctor Bai, I¡¯ve heard your acupuncture techniques are quite renowned. However, as far as I know, Traditional Chinese Medicine¡¯s acupuncture and Western surgery arepletely iparable. We surgeons specialize in solving challenging cases, and acupuncture cannot possibly cure a case of heart disease. This isn¡¯t just my personal opinion but a factual statement¡ªthere is no record in medical history of Traditional Chinese Medicine using acupuncture to treat external injuries.

    Therefore, I consider the detoxification you performed on the delegation member that day to be nothing more than sheer luck. Of course, this isn¡¯t meant as an insult to you personally; I only believe that the toxin in question wasn¡¯t potent enough to be fatal, which left you an opening to intervene. If it had been a poison like potassium cyanide, even Western medicine might struggle to save the patient.

    We are disappointed by China¡¯s casual use of Traditional Chinese Medicine and theck of ountability in Western medicine practices. If you don¡¯t have a convincing argument for us, there¡¯s no need topete at all, as China¡¯s blending of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western medicine is regrettable."

    He also strongly disapproved of rash interventions for patients, especially from someone working across disciplines.

    Bai Xiao, whether in terms of age or experience, was utterly unconvincing.

    In the eyes of Smith and Mike, if Bai Xiao were a white-haired elder, they might at least believe in years of umted experience and consider that Traditional Chinese Medicine might have some secret techniques that could temporarily address these problems.

    But the young woman before them seemed to be just over twenty years old.

    Even in their Western medical field, someone of her age could hardly be more than an apprentice¡ªlikely a novice still undergoing internship training. How could they entrust a surgical case to someone like this?

    They had already formed a misunderstanding about the Doctor Bai they were meeting today.

    To them, it felt like China was ying games.

    Bai Xiao smiled.

    The arrogance of these two was certainly out of the ordinary, stemming from their sense of honor in their own domain, which led them to look down on everyone else.

    But these two had their virtues as well.

    They were the kind of people who genuinely respected those with real ability.

    If you could prove your expertise and impress them, they would sincerely admire you.

 Chapter 920: Handshake Pulse Diagnosis

    <h4>Chapter 920: Chapter 920: Handshake Pulse Diagnosis</h4><h4></h4>

    The trantor beside her fluently conveyed these words.

    What should this Bai Xiao, standing in front of them, do?

    A normal young woman faced with such humiliation would probably already be blushing and on the verge of tears.

    Yet the woman in front of them seemedpletely indifferent to this kind ofnguage.

    "Mr. Smith has high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and suffers from intermittent heart failure. The medications and surgeries of Western medicine appear powerless against these conditions. Surgery can¡¯t treat high blood pressure, high blood sugar, or heart failure, and all your medications cause significant damage to the liver and kidneys. But with acupuncture, I can address these issues."

    "Mr. Mike, although our handshakested only briefly, I suspect there¡¯s a tumor growing inside your cranium. It¡¯s notrge yet¡ªprobably no bigger than a soybean¡ªbut I regret to inform you that the tumor is malignant. When you return, it¡¯s best that you undergo a biopsy as soon as possible and begin treatment."

    "Of course, if you¡¯re willing to trust our Traditional Chinese Medicine, we also offer conservative treatments that can help. I won¡¯t im a hundred percent cure rate, but our country¡¯s integrated approach to Western and Traditional Chinese Medicine in clinical practice may offer you certain insights."

    The trantor tranted these words while genuinely viewing it all with newfound respect.

    This young girl managed to discern so many health problems from simply shaking hands with two individuals. She already knew the answers.

    And the incredulous expressions of Mr. Smith and Mike gave the answer as well.

    Evidently, she was correct.

    "How did you know?"

    Smith and Mike could hardly believe that someone, just from a handshake, could understand their health conditions so thoroughly. It wasmon knowledge in the industry that Smith suffered from high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and heart failure. That information might be obtainable from personal investigation reports, so it wasn¡¯t surprising.

    However, Mike¡¯s cranial tumor was only confirmed this morning from the results of a physical report¡ªa fluke discovery they hadn¡¯t been expecting. Before embarking on this trip, they had conducted the biopsy and received the results within an hour of departure. Even Smith himself had just learned of it, which exined his highly exaggerated reaction.

    "Mike, can this be true?"

    Smith didn¡¯t want to believe it. He preferred to think the young woman had made a wild guess.

    Mike lowered his head, "The report arrived this morning. My student sent it to me immediately. I hadn¡¯t expected this oue." In life, nobody wishes to face mortality.

    At this moment, even the doctor was powerless. When confronted with death, no one is granted special privileges¡ªeveryone is equal.

    Vice Principal Zhao and the others were utterly dumbfounded.

    What did this all mean?

    These two foreign experts turned out to be practically walking patients!

    And they still looked down on China¡¯s Traditional Chinese Medicine. Now they¡¯d been utterly humiliated!

    The same Traditional Chinese Medicine they mocked had reached such a skillful and profound level through techniques like observation, inquiry, and pulse diagnosis. Chinese medicine is phenomenal.

    Who now dares to say Traditional Chinese Medicine is inferior to Western medicine?

    Smith grabbed his old friend¡¯s arm, visibly emotional.

    Dr. Xue was simrly stunned because he witnessed Bai Xiao use nothing more than a handshake to perform pulse diagnosis¡ªa feat qualifying her as a master of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

    Such a National Medical Sage was beyond anything he¡¯d ever encountered.

    But judging by the scene, Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t exaggerating, because both foreigners were on the verge of breaking down and crying.

    Could there still be any doubt?

 Chapter 921: Contempt

    <h4>Chapter 921: Chapter 921: Contempt</h4><h4></h4>

    "It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s just the size of a soybean. With surgery and chemotherapy, there should be a great hope of cure. You have to believe in this. We are doctors ourselves, we must believe in science!" Smith screamed hysterically. Their words were meant tofort themselves, but even though the tumor was only the size of a soybean, if it was malignant, it would be much more serious.

    Moreover, the process of chemotherapy is not something that ordinary people can endure. Many people cannot persist through it.

    In fact, many people don¡¯t die from cancer, but from theck of determination to keep going because it¡¯s too painful.

    Mike patted his old friend, who was also arade in arms, on the shoulder, "It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m prepared!"

    "Dr. Bai, I didn¡¯t expect you to be able to tell. Did you really do it through your Traditional Chinese Medicine pulse diagnosis? Without even using any machine equipment, can it be as precise as a biopsy?" Mike still couldn¡¯t believe it.

    He was there just moments ago. Those few seconds of handshake were too brief. He had actually seen pulse diagnosis before. An old TCM doctor with grey hair ced three fingers of one hand on a patient¡¯s wrist, while the other hand stroked his own grey beard. He squinted, looking profoundly mysterious, and said many vague things. In their eyes, this was fraud.

    In America, TCM is equated to fraud.

    Only those Chinese would go see such doctors. Americans would never believe in such nonsense.

    "Mr. Mike, Traditional Chinese Medicine is a unique culture of China. It is not just what you see on the surface. It¡¯s broad and profound with many legends that have been longsting, even now. TCM can actually do more and better. You shouldn¡¯t reject it just because of your shallow ignorance. Like Western Medicine, TCM is also dedicated to treating and saving people, and our TCM is gentler. Our schools have already begun integrating Traditional and Western Medicine, opening up a new avenue of life for the masses.

    Reducing pain and benefiting humanity."

    This statement was made with a guilty conscience.

    Bai Xiao herself felt guilty. She wasn¡¯t that great.

    It is a massive human endeavor. Even if she wanted to do it, it¡¯s not necessarily achievable.

    Smith suddenly remembered something, and the sadness on his face was reced by excitement, "Mike, let¡¯s return home now and conduct a prompt check. I want to operate on you personally. I believe you will be fine."

    "Don¡¯t be like that. We are here to work. Let¡¯s finish the tasks at hand first, then I can peacefully receive treatment."

    Mike and Smith had a deep rtionship. They have been partners for many years, not biological brothers, but closer than brothers.

    Smith looked at the people in front of him, feeling somewhat annoyed. The medical standards of these people were vastly different from those of their country. The evaluation they were here to conduct, simply put, was to establish a tform for medical skill exchange! To allow a broad range of doctors to share their opinions and insights, also to improve medical skills and raise the overall professional standards of the doctor profession.

    But China clearly did not meet their expectations from the start. Their nitpicking was also due to certain selfish motives regarding the election results.

    "Dr. Xue, although we have epted your application, you actually do not qualify at the moment. Do you still want to continue thepetition?" He felt it was aplete waste of time.

    A waste of his friend¡¯s life.

    Dr. Xue was somewhat angry. Were these words not meant to belittle them?

    American doctors are people, doctors from other countries are people, yet Chinese doctors are not?

 Chapter 922: Arbitrary Decision

    <h4>Chapter 922: Chapter 922: Arbitrary Decision</h4><h4></h4>

    "Mr. Smith, aren¡¯t you being too arbitrary? The association demands fairness and impartiality, which are essential for unstoppable progress in medical development. Your attitude right now makes me seriously question the fairness of the association." Dr. Xue was not someone to be trifled with; after all, she represented the top professors in China and was a world-ss talent with significant influence on an international scale.

    Mike hurriedly waved his hand, "Dr. Xue! I apologize, my friend was overly concerned about my condition, leading to this misunderstanding. Thepetition will proceed as scheduled, and we will perform the most impartial evaluations." He was a serious man, one who would never act with a hint of bias.

    Bai Xiao nodded, full of admiration. This was the Mike she knew, this was the principle by which Doctor Mike conducted himself.

    Smith didn¡¯t have any private motives; Smith was just inherently biased against China. It¡¯s like racial discrimination¡ªsomething ingrained deeply in one¡¯s mindset¡ªand changing such perspectives is not something that can be achieved overnight.

    She held no personal prejudice against Smith and Mike, but whether she liked them or not was beside the point. From her own stance, safeguarding her country¡¯s honor was absolutely justified.

    "Mr. Mike, if my diagnosis is not mistaken, although your tumor is notrge in size, it has already startedpressing the blood vessels and nerves. If my judgment is correct, it could easily lead to paralysis, mobility disorders, hallucinations, blindness, or self-muttering symptoms. I have no additional suggestions but, indeed, you must take good care of yourself and seek prompt treatment. This tumor is a growing type, meaning its growth rate is very rapid. I hope you take this seriously."

    This was well-intentioned and also a testament to her confidence in her own medical skills. In this world, there wasn¡¯t a disease that her special ability couldn¡¯t detect.

    The toxins from that day were perhaps the hardest type of condition to predict¡ªit wasn¡¯t an illness! It was poison!

    She could forgive herself for having exhausted her special ability.

    Mike chuckled, "Dr. Bai, relying solely on pulse diagnosis, you¡¯re able to make such definitive ims. So, do you have a treatment n?" This was purely a joke. Tumors, especially malignant tumors, remain an unresolved challenge in the medical field. Neither Traditional Chinese Medicine nor Western Medicine has reliable methods, and approaches generally focus on surgerybined with conservative treatments.

    "Doctor Mike, if you¡¯re willing to trust, the medical college¡¯s research on integrating Chinese and Western medicine has promising prospects. You could give our treatment n a try. Of course, the initial treatment involves surgical removal, paired with our subsequent acupuncture therapy and Chinese medicinal forms. It should be a rtively effective treatment approach." She would never make absolute guarantees about a cure.

    She could cure it, but she didn¡¯t want a flood of cancer patients rushing in just because they believed. She knew clearly that their sess relied on her special ability.

    If it really came down to it, significant achievements in Traditional Chinese Medicine require years of research before results are visible.

    She wouldn¡¯t mislead others or push Traditional Chinese Medicine into the limelight recklessly.

    Otherwise, instead of revitalizing Traditional Chinese Medicine, it would likely lead to ruin.

    Smith sneered coldly, "Flowery words and eloquence. Up until now, your Traditional Chinese Medicine hasn¡¯t even developed a single verified treatment theory, and yet you boast shamelessly that your conservative treatment methods are safer and more practical. You even im that your Traditional Chinese Medicine can rece chemotherapy. This is probably the most absurd joke I¡¯ve ever heard."

    No matter what, Smith was absolutely unwilling to believe in that so-called Traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncture¡ªeven under the direst circumstances, he would never believe it.

 Chapter 923 The Right to Vote

    <h4>Chapter 923: Chapter 923 The Right to Vote</h4>

    "Mr. Smith, do you understand Traditional Chinese Medicine? Do you know anything about it? To reject and dismiss something you don¡¯t understand is not the proper attitude towards medicine. Take your diabetes, for example. I can responsibly tell you that my acupuncture can show immediate results with just one session, and with three courses of treatment, your condition will never rpse. Can you Western doctors achieve that?" Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t reacting to provocation but simply refusing to let Smith leave unconvinced. Smith was nothing more than a stubborn mule.

    It¡¯s really possible they might end up with an unfavorable assessment.

    To counter their underestimation of Traditional Chinese Medicine, she could only use the simplest method. Diabetes was no problem; treating a minor illness was still a piece of cake¡ªor rather, an instant cure with acupuncture.

    "Haha, Dr. Bai, I see you¡¯re young, but your words are truly bold. You young people in China seem to have no notable abilities other than exceptional skills in verbal battles and boasting. I truly admire that, really admire it." Smith nearly choked with rage.

    This young woman was truly shameless.

    Diabetes appears to be a chronic illness! But aside from medication and dietary control, there really is no cure.

    "Alright then, if your acupuncture can¡¯t treat it, then there¡¯s no need for yourpetition to proceed. The first event in thispetition will be your acupuncture treatment for diabetes. Do you think this idea works?" Smith was seizing the opportunity to make things difficult.

    Dr. Xue hesitated! While he very much wanted to see if Bai Xiao¡¯s acupuncture was truly so miraculous, they couldn¡¯t gamble the nation¡¯s honor. That wasn¡¯t a risk they were empowered to take.

    "Mr. Smith, saying such a thing shows extreme irresponsibility towards your work. Is hosting the promotion group¡¯s application process such a trivial matter? Or are you iming to represent all members of the promotion group and make decisions on their behalf? Be advised, you may ask me to wager on this, but I could equally demand that if I sessfully cure your diabetes, you support our qualification through the evaluation process.

    Do you think this would not insult the other applicant nations?"

    Bai Xiao knew that using this as a wager was impossible. Neither Smith nor Mike had the authority.

    They were only entitled to conduct evaluations, not to decide the oue. The decision would be based on the evaluation results, followed by a member conference and a vote.

    Smith fell silent,pletely speechless after being challenged.

    Mike watched Bai Xiao with great interest. "Dr. Bai, I didn¡¯t expect you to be such a sharp and intelligent person. Since you can prove that Traditional Chinese Medicine has such distinct effects, I am within my rights to give you a chance to earn extra points. The two of us each have additional voting rights, meaning together we hold a total of four votes. These four votes are critical enough to warrant witnessing your acupuncture skills."

    "Agreed!"

    This was the kind of wager Bai Xiao liked. Now, this was a real challenge.

    "I once saw an elderly gentleman from China use acupuncture to make a paralyzed patient stand up instantly. It was then that I realized there are countless unexined medical techniques in this world. There is always someone better out there. I hope you won¡¯t let us down." Mike was a man known for incorporating the strengths of many, though, unfortunately, he was still an outsider.

    "Mike, I don¡¯t believe in any of that. Let me see her acupuncture treatment for diabetes. If it fails, Dr. Bai, I guarantee we won¡¯t give you a single vote. This is the wager!" Smith had already decided how he would exact revenge.

 Chapter 924: Steps

    <h4>Chapter 924: Chapter 924: Steps</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao nodded. Everyone was satisfied with the stakes.

    Dr. Xue seized the moment when Smith was using his glucose meter to test his blood sugar and walked up to Bai Xiao to ask, "Dr. Bai, are you confident?" Since this was about two votes, they had to take it seriously.

    Bai Xiao grinned mischievously and said, "Dr. Xue! If I¡¯m not confident about curing it, I¡¯m definitely not worried about failing to cure it either!"

    "You! Stop messing around. This is such a serious matter, and you still have the nerve to joke about it." Dr. Xue felt both love and exasperation for Bai Xiao.

    The more he looked at this girl, the more he liked her. How great it would be if she could be hisst disciple.

    She was such a promising talent.

    But unfortunately, she just happened to bepletely uninterested in surgery. Threats and temptations wouldn¡¯t work on her at all.

    How could he have not encountered someone like this earlier?

    Why did she go and study Traditional Chinese Medicine instead?

    What a waste, what a waste!

    Whenever Dr. Xue saw Bai Xiao, his heart ached beyond measure.

    In his mind, there were still many significant differences between Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western medicine. The scope of Traditional Chinese Medicine was limited, and the topic of integrating Chinese and Western medicine had yet to find a clear path forward. Everyone was still exploring. Perhaps he should focus on persuading Bai Xiao to study Western medicine. Isn¡¯t integration between Chinese and Western medicine the ultimate goal?

    "Dr. Xue, everything is ready now!" Liu Hongmin and Vice Principal Zhao looked slightly worried.

    Though Liu Hongmin had witnessed Bai Xiao doing acupuncture detoxification firsthand, diabetes and toxins were not the same thing. Other than Metformin and insulin, Western medicine had yet to find truly effective treatments for diabetes, which couldn¡¯t be treated with surgery.

    Liu Hongmin¡¯s original intention was to have Bai Xiao apologize and smooth things over. After all, angering the evaluationmittee wouldn¡¯t bode well for their future applications.

    If themittee gave them trouble down the road, the consequences would be serious.

    Even if they didn¡¯t, if this application failed, it could give ammunition to those with ulterior motives to target their school. That kind of burden was something they definitely couldn¡¯t bear.

    But with Dr. Xue here, any such suggestion couldn¡¯t be openly voiced. Dr. Xue¡¯s personality was incredibly tough. If he heard that kind of talk, the academy would likely never be able to invite him to lecture again. They were caught in a tough spot.

    Vice Principal Zhao also felt a headacheing on. For the first time, he and Liu Hongmin were united in their stance, but neither dared to act rashly.

    Regardless of the current blood sugar reading, Smith would still test it.

    Noparison, no pain.

    Mike personally stepped forward to test the blood sugar level. "Currently, the blood sugar level is 11.5. Smith ate breakfast on the ne this morning. Based on the timing, it¡¯s been about two hours. We don¡¯t need precision here; let¡¯s use this as the baseline. Dr. Bai, how many acupuncture sessions do you think it¡¯ll take to see results?" Mike was a kind person and wouldn¡¯t corner otherspletely.

    He was giving Bai Xiao some leeway. Ten sessions or eight sessions¡ªby the time this evaluation process ended, they wouldn¡¯t need to treat the issue too seriously. He still wasn¡¯t very confident in acupuncture.

    Liu Hongmin immediately smiled and chimed in, "Dr. Bai, acupuncture works slowly¡ªit¡¯ll probably take ten sessions or eight, right?" If someone offers you a way out, you¡¯d be foolish not to take it.

    Vice Principal Zhao, sensing the subtext, quickly added, "Traditional Chinese Medicine works gradually and requires more time. It should take a while."

    Smithughed unrestrainedly. "Haha, you guys are really funny. Didn¡¯t Dr. Bai just now say otherwise? Didn¡¯t she im it¡¯d work immediately with one needle? Now you¡¯re backtracking¡ªdoesn¡¯t that seem a bit despicable?"

    "I guarantee results with one needle!" Bai Xiao coolly replied. If she couldn¡¯t treat Smith¡¯s diabetes, she¡¯d consider her life utterly wasted.

 Chapter 925: Showing Results

    <h4>Chapter 925: Chapter 925: Showing Results</h4><h4></h4>

    "Did you hear that? You all are less honest than a little girl here. Regardless of her medical skills, I admire her courage and guts. However, Dr. Bai, a doctor¡¯s professional expertise isn¡¯t supported by bravery and responsibility alone. Knowledge without technical depth is equivalent to having no knowledge at all." He was somewhat stubborn, but not unreasonable, aware that today¡¯s wager was indeed a bit excessive.

    He was being a bit of a bully.

    Bai Xiao took out her acupuncture kit, with disinfecting tools and solutions already prepared nearby.

    "Mr. Smith, please sit down, stretch out your arm, roll up your sleeve. I¡¯ll begin now."

    Smith sat down. This young girl won¡¯t back down, huh.

    Mike watched Bai Xiao busy at work, full of interest.

    Her speed was quick. Disinfecting wasn¡¯t a particrlyplicated task, but the moment the gleaming silver needle pierced the skin, it feltpletely different.

    Smith winced. At his age, he¡¯d grown less sensitive to pain, but Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t stand his overbearing attitude and intentionally made him suffer a bit.

    She removed the needle after ten minutes.

    Smith looked at the two small puncture marks on his arm and winced in pain even after they were disinfected.

    "When can we test the blood sugar?"

    A bit frustrated, he was convinced this girl was torturing him.

    "Right now!"

    Bai Xiao disinfected her silver needles and packed them away.

    Mike tested Smith¡¯s blood sugar.

    "Oh my god, hahaha, this is truly amazing. Mr. Smith, your current blood sugar level is six point nine. The drop in value is simply astonishing."

    Smith was skeptical. "Impossible. Just two needles could achieve this effect? I don¡¯t believe it. I¡¯ll test it myself." He grabbed the glucose pen and started testing on his own.

    A momentter, the result appeared¡ªsix point nine.

    He checked it repeatedly, almost unable to believe his eyes.

    Liu Hongmin and Vice Principal Zhao were alreadyughing.

    For now, whether the effectsts doesn¡¯t matter; the fact that it worked immediately is good enough. Heaven above, this is truly a moment of triumph after all this waiting.

    Their old hearts couldn¡¯t take much more excitement.

    "Dr. Bai is indeed impressive. Acupuncture treatment really does work."

    Of course, their own people deserved extra praise.

    Dr. Xue, who had been observing from the side, was filled with regret upon witnessing the genuine results. Bai Xiao¡¯s hands were simply masterful, perfectly suited for surgery. It was as if she was born to excel in this field.

    This won¡¯t do. He had to bring Bai Xiao into surgery. If not, he would pass away filled with regret, unable to find someone to inherit his life¡¯s expertise!

    Dr. Xue¡¯s many apprentices, upon hearing this deration, probably would cough up a liter of blood. They¡¯d beenpletely sidelined by their own mentor.

    It was practically an expulsion from the fold.

    Smith and Mike were puzzled. "Dr. Bai, how long does this blood sugar-lowering effectst?" It had indeed worked, but their excitement naturally led to concerns about the duration.

    Bai Xiao smiled and replied, "You¡¯ll need at least three acupuncture treatments to achieve full control. This session¡¯s effects should stabilize for about a month."

    Acupuncture does have therapeutic effects on diabetes, she exined. In her previous life, when she learned Traditional Chinese Medicine from a master, she¡¯d been taught that treating diabetes was a slow process. This time, she¡¯d merely added some of her special ability on top of the foundation, resulting in such dramatic and immediate effects.

    "Really? Just three sessions for full control? No need for dietary restrictions?" Smith was stunned. To him, strict dietary control for his diabetes had been torturous, and if it could truly be fully controlled, it would be phenomenal news.

    "No need for dietary restrictions," Bai Xiao said with a smile.

 Chapter 926: Assistant

    <h4>Chapter 926: Chapter 926: Assistant</h4><h4></h4>

    Smith walked up to Bai Xiao and bowed deeply, "Dr. Bai, I sincerely apologize for my rudeness and disrespect just now. My understanding of China¡¯s Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture was far too shallow and arrogant. Here, I offer my solemn apology and hope you won¡¯t mind my earlier offense. You¡¯ve won our four votes in the ballot."

    A true defeat, with no bitterness. It took just ten minutes to shatter your arrogance.

    Mike also approached Bai Xiao, "Dr. Bai! I really didn¡¯t expect the charm of China¡¯s Traditional Chinese Medicine to be so captivating. My eyes have truly been opened. Since that elder gentlemanst time, I never thought that China would have so many talented practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine. I¡¯ve suddenly grown curious about your integrative approach to treating cancer. Can you exin in detail how it works?"

    Everyone has a survival instinct; no one likes to face death.

    If you can live, you won¡¯t want to die.

    Bai Xiao nced at Dr. Xue, "Mr. Mike, regarding this theory, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll need to discuss it with Dr. Xue. After all, I can¡¯t provide assistance on Western surgery aspects. I specialize in Traditional Chinese Medicine. However, I can offer a treatment n toplement your existing approach, but you must understand that these treatments are highly personalized. Effectiveness is just as variable. No medical practice can guarantee to cure all illnesses, but I believe that conservative treatments in Traditional Chinese Medicine can reduce patients¡¯ painpared to chemotherapy. However, the oues might not reach perfection either¡ªevery medical breakthrough requires validation."

    Dr. Xue nodded, "That¡¯s certainly true. However, Dr. Bai is a brilliant doctor." The unreserved praise won admiration from both Smith and Mike. Foreigners don¡¯t care for that whole humility routine.

    The subsequent discussions had nothing to do with Bai Xiao. Watching Dr. Xue, Smith, and Mike engrossed in their conversation, Bai Xiao quietly bid farewell to Liu Hongmin. She had no role to y here; her work was done. As long as she had won over Smith and Mike¡¯s approval this time, the uingpetition would naturally fall into ce.

    Good luck, ssmates.

    Liu Hongmin covered for her, allowing her to slip away undetected.

    "Dr. Bai, don¡¯t leave. I still have something to discuss with you." Dr. Xue, of course, wouldn¡¯t let Bai Xiao go so easily. How could he let go of a capable hand he had just managed to wrangle?

    Bai Xiao froze.

    There¡¯s still something for her?

    She¡¯d already done her good deed by winning over Smith and Mike. Four votes in the ballot¡ªwhat more could they want?

    But what could she do?

    Resist?

    Don¡¯t be ridiculous! This wasn¡¯t a war, nor was she standing up against oppressive forces. Everyone in this roombined could count as her teachers. Did she want to fail? Did she want to graduate or not?

    For the sake of her diploma, she couldn¡¯t afford to argue!

    "Dr. Xue, is there something else? Are you dealing with arthritis or a herniated disc? I guarantee two needles will sort you out perfectly." ttery always works, right?

    Anything to get out of this.

    Dr. Xueughed.

    "Dr. Bai, I must say, even though I didn¡¯t mention it, you guessed correctly! I do indeed suffer from arthritis and a herniated disc. One day, you really must treat me with two needles¡ªI¡¯ll be waiting for that! But today, that¡¯s not the issue." Dr. Xue couldn¡¯t care less about Smith and Mike, the honored guests; he was just afraid Bai Xiao would escape.

    This girl was as slippery as an eel. Once she got away, catching her again would be much harder.

    She probably had a thousand excuses lined up to dodge him.

    "I happen to have a suturing practice ss, and I¡¯m short one assistant. Come help me out. Oh, look at the time¡ªit¡¯s ss time already. Let¡¯s go, my assistant!" Dr. Xue had made up his mind to cultivate in Bai Xiao a passion for surgery, starting from the very basics.

 Chapter 927: Assistant

    <h4>Chapter 927: Chapter 927: Assistant</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao stared nkly at Dr. Xue, feeling as though thunder had struck her from a clear sky. It was aplete shock!

    She, a Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor, was actually being assigned as an assistant to a master surgeon. Can you be any less reliable?

    This wasn¡¯t just tough¡ªit was absurd for a rookie like her!

    Sure, she had seen sutures performed countless times. But on a battlefield, would you still need a master surgeon for suturing?

    Even a junior nurse could do it. She had personally done it a few times herself, gritting her teeth and stitching multiple wounds¡ªbetter than just watching patients scream in agony.

    But this situation was different now.

    Dr. Xue, are you sure this is "teaching and nurturing students?" Isn¡¯t this just setting them up for failure?

    "Dr. Xue, I¡¯m a Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor..."

    "It¡¯s you. I¡¯ve set my sights on you. Let¡¯s go! Dr. Bai, surely you don¡¯t think I¡¯m unworthy of having someone as talented as you as my assistant, do you?" Dr. Xue¡¯s old face crinkled into a smile reminiscent of a chrysanthemum.

    Bai Xiao furrowed her brows. Could she say it? Could she dare?

    "Of course not. I¡¯m honored to be your assistant!"

    She was suppressed by absolute authority,pletely subdued.

    "Dr. Bai, don¡¯t frown. Didn¡¯t you say that integrating Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine is the path forward? You, more than anyone, should lead by example. As a TCM doctor, you¡¯ll only know how to achieve the perfect integration if you learn Western medicine too! This is a rare opportunity. Don¡¯t tell me that you¡¯re all talk but don¡¯t truly believe in it deep down?"

    Dr. Xue wanted nothing less than her total surrender¡ªheart and soul.

    Bai Xiao forced a sweet smile out of resignation. "Of course! I should lead by example!" Oh god, those were words she had hoped others would act upon¡ªnot herself.

    Did she really need to integrate Chinese and Western medicine?

    She could supposedly cure all diseases already!

    "Alright then, let¡¯s go!"

    He took the lead and walked out.

    Bai Xiao threw an awkward nce at Smith and Mike. "I¡¯m going!"

    The two of them made no effort to hide their "this is going to be entertaining" expressions.

    Sure enough, as soon as Bai Xiao left, Smith and Mike began whispering to each other. Their trantor spoke up, "Excuse me, Vice Principal Zhao, Smith and Mr. Mike would like to observe Dr. Xue¡¯s suturing ss. Would that be alright? This is also part of the evaluation criteria and counts toward the scoring standard."

    Vice Principal Zhao immediately nodded enthusiastically. "Of course, they¡¯re very wee."

    How could they not wee them?

    It was just a practical suturing ss, not any kind of ssified information.

    Liu Hongmin had already opened the door. "This way, everyone. I¡¯ll lead you there." Her demeanor waspletely natural, without a trace of uneasiness, appearing calm and cordial.

    The group promptly proceeded to the suturing ssroom.

    When Dr. Xue and Bai Xiao arrived at the ssroom, everyone inside was left dumbfoundedpletely stunned by Bai Xiao¡¯s presence.

    What was a Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor doing in a Western medicine suturing clinic?

    Visiting?

    Even Qiang Xinran and Meng Han looked at Bai Xiao in utter disbelief.

    Could Bai Xiao actually be proficient in both Chinese and Western medicine?

    "Hello everyone, today¡¯s ss is on suturing techniques. I¡¯m rarely here, but since I¡¯m here today, I want to give everyone a hands-on learning opportunity. Many of you probably think that you¡¯ll never need this skill in your entire career. Some think that if they just work as a doctor in a small clinic, all they¡¯ll ever need to do is administer injections and IV drips¡ªif they evere across an appendectomy, they¡¯d consider themselves lucky. Some of you might think, ¡¯I¡¯m studying pharmacy or nursing, this has nothing to do with suturing.¡¯

    You¡¯re not wrong! Most of you might indeed go through life muddling along and merely making a living. But there are those among you who will encounter countless opportunities. Many major hospitals are in desperate need of surgeons specialized in suturing. In ces like ours, what are such skilled doctors considered?

    They¡¯re national treasures! If you have exceptional suturing skills, I can say with absolute confidence: our Ruiyin hospital will take as many as we can get! Upon graduation, you won¡¯t even have to worry about job assignments. We are eager for talent like you.

    Now, some might argue: skilles with practice, doesn¡¯t it? I¡¯ll lock myself in this training room starting today and just practice non-stop! I refuse to believe I can¡¯t master it! Yes, that attitude is exactly right! What hospitals like ours need most is this kind of diligence. But talent is also crucial; hard work without aptitude means that even if youplete a million sutures, you might only be an ordinary doctor. You simply won¡¯t be able to step onto the higher-level operating tables. Why?

    Because talent matters. Equally important are the professional ethics of a doctor. Your attitude determines your achievements."

    The room erupted in apuse.

    Dr. Xue had delivered an inspiring speech right off the bat.

    Many students were acutely aware that after five years of studies, they would face job cements. The difference in job assignments would be massive¡ªdeciding whether you would end up administering shots and IVs, or holding a scalpel in an operating room. A renowned doctor would earn universal respect, while a small-town physician might only warrant a passing nce.

    Even at school reunions, such distinctions could determine whether you could hold your head high or not.

    But now they understood that as long as they practiced, there was still hope.

    The room, once brimming with discouragement, suddenly turned vibrant with determination. After all, who in their youth doesn¡¯t hope to have a bright future? Especially young people¡ªthey all want to walk down a path paved with promise.

    "Alright, enough talking. Seeing is believing. Many of our surgical interns spent nearly all their campus time in this training room. The hours they dedicated here wouldter turn into the hope for their patients¡¯ recovery.

    The most basic suturing techniques are just the beginning. To truly graduate and qualify, the final test will always be conducted on ourb mice.

    However, today, I¡¯m not looking to see if you can suture blood vessels perfectly. My first focus is to show you something. You can see my assistant here is Dr. Bai. I call her ¡¯Doctor¡¯ because she already holds a physician¡¯s license.

    Dr. Bai is a Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor who has essentially zero surgical background.

    What I¡¯ll demonstrate today is how a zero-experience doctor, under my guidance, canplete a surgical suture. I hope everyone observes carefully, as such opportunities to learn in person are rare. I encourage all of you to study diligently and relentlessly.

    Today¡¯s session will serve as a demonstration."

    Dr. Xue¡¯s approachable demeanor immediately energized the students.

    For them, Dr. Xue was a godlike figure, seemingly unreachable. To have him personally give them a demonstration was beyond their wildest dreams.

    "Alright. Bring in ourb mice. Here, I want every student to recognize the sacrifices of these animals for medical experiments. Without their contributions, how could we bring so many patients back to health? How could we achieve so many sessful surgeries?"

    The ss erupted into enthusiastic apuse.

    Bai Xiao pped along.

    Dr. Xue, you can fool these students all you want, but why drag me into this? As your assistant, what do you expect me to do?

    If you want me to stitch a banana or a grapefruit, I might manage. But now you¡¯re asking me to suture a live mouse.

    Dr. Xue, why don¡¯t you just bring in a living human and have me perform surgery on them directly?

 Chapter 928 Unity of Man and Needle

    <h4>Chapter 928: Chapter 928 Unity of Man and Needle</h4><h4></h4>

    Dr. Xue was already standing at one end of the table, while Bai Xiao stood at the other.

    Having already changed into surgical scrubs, Bai Xiao stared at the white mouse under the microscope. This was really pushing a doctor to the brink of insanity.

    Poor little mouse, if you meet your tragic end under my knife today, you can only me that white-bearded old man across from me for setting you up.

    Bai Xiao silently deflected responsibility onto the white mouse in her heart.

    "Since Dr. Bai is starting from zero, I won¡¯t require her to achieve the usual precision of cutting into 60 to 80 portions. I only ask her to cut it into two pieces," Dr. Xue said¡ªhe had never been so lenient with a student in his entire life.

    Bai Xiao swiftly brought the knife down, and in an instant, the mouse¡¯s tail was severed into two segments before everyone¡¯s eyes.

    A girl couldn¡¯t help but exim in dismay.

    The main reason was Bai Xiao¡¯s clean, decisive action, which left people questioning if she had once been an executioner.

    "Dr. Bai Xiao, for reconnecting severed tails, we use microsurgical instruments. They¡¯re small and delicate because the sutures we use are extremely thin. Dr. Bai, the first step..."

    None of the eyes in the room were on Dr. Xue. When they turned to Bai Xiao, audible gasps filled the air.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s actions with the needle and thread clearly showed her inexperience¡ªnot only were her movements clumsy, but she almost picked up the needle and thread the wrong way at first.

    Someone couldn¡¯t hold back and spoke up.

    "Dr. Xue, I think it¡¯d be best not to put Dr. Bai through this. Even if she manages toplete the suturing today, the mouse¡¯s tail is probably doomed not to reconnect. Why not let a more experienced student take over, so we don¡¯t waste this opportunity?"

    Meng Han stood up and voiced her opinion, unable to keep watching. It wasn¡¯t just her; most of the surgical students were clearly struggling to endure the sight.

    Dr. Xue chuckled. "Dr. Bai Xiao... Hmm!"

    Just then, Dr. Xue¡¯s gaze froze mid-sentence.

    Initially, he hadn¡¯t expected Bai Xiao to manage vascr anastomosis; he merely wanted her to attempt suturing, to reconnect the tail, regardless of the oue.

    To put it simply, his goal was to let her experience the feel and process of suturing.

    Suturing well was hard, but simply stitching was rtively easy.

    After all, any surgical doctor needs at least two to three years of training to avoid shaky hands. Bai Xiao, as someone entirely clueless, hadn¡¯t inspired much hope in Dr. Xue. He simply hoped to spark her interest in surgery with this task.

    But during that conversation...

    Bai Xiao grasped the needle holder. To be honest, she found the tool awkward to use, facing such a situation for the first time. But she wasn¡¯t someone who would yield. If nothing else, she certainly knew how to cheat.

    She had used her special ability countless times¡ªon bullets,ndmines, raw stones¡ªand discovered it could be applied in various ways as long as utilized wisely.

    For instance, at this moment, she merely injected her special ability into the needle holder, rather than into the mouse, to see what changes might ur in the connection between her and the tool as a result.

    Even as an amateur, Bai Xiao was keenly aware that steady hands were essential when holding the needle holder. Earlier, her hands had trembled so badly that even she was feeling dizzy.

    Under such circumstances, forget suturing¡ªthe tail couldn¡¯t even be pierced correctly.

    This was precisely why Meng Han had stepped forward to object. Every student present was a novice within the field of surgery, yet clearlypetentpared to Bai Xiao, who didn¡¯t even have fundamental knowledge.

    But once Bai Xiao infused her special ability, the connection between her hand and the needle holder transformed. They seemed to merge as one. Her hands stopped trembling, bing steady as a rock.

    Dr. Xue had noticed this very moment and let out a surprised gasp, raising his brows involuntarily.

    Turning shaky hands into steady ones within minutes¡ªhe had never seen anything like it. After all, achieving such steadiness usually requires several years of practice, often leaving many doctors with swollen hands from their relentless training.

    Dr. Xue gave a subtle nod of approval; his intuition hadn¡¯t been wrong.

    Bai Xiao was gifted¡ªa prodigious talent in surgery!

    Bai Xiao focused intently on the blood vessels under the microscope. She had assisted doctors on numerous surgical cases on the battlefield before. Most of the time, her involvement was limited to providing temporary acupuncture-based anesthesia. But in terms of practical experience, she was more seasoned than most, having observed many procedures firsthand.

    If she hadn¡¯t tasted pork, she¡¯d certainly seen pigs run.

    She didn¡¯t even need to think twice: merely suturing the outeryer of the tail wouldn¡¯t suffice to ensure reconnection. Just like in cases of organ damage, sessful suturing often requires not only repairing skin and flesh but also reconnecting nerves and blood vessels.

    Thus, she instinctively began using the needle holder to make anastomosis points on the blood vessels under the microscope. Dr. Xue naturally noticed this. While highly technical terms like "anastomosis points" meant little to Bai Xiao, she understood the actions intuitively.

    The needle holder infused with her special ability seemed to possess its own consciousness. She inherently grasped where to insert the first stitch, where to ce the second. Every motion, every cement of the needle flowed seamlessly, almost as if she was born to know how to proceed.

    There was no need for further exnation.

    All eyes were fixed on Dr. Xue, who stared wide-eyed at the microscope.

    His expression bordered on shock.

    Under the microscope, the stitched blood vessels showed perfectly aligned anastomosis points, with exceptionally neat knots that were a delight to behold.

    From suturing to knot-tying, every step adhered to an impably consistent standard.

    Was this... a novice?

    Was this someone with zero foundation?

    Dr. Xue raised his head and nced at Bai Xiao. This young woman hadn¡¯t been entirely truthful.

    She couldn¡¯t possibly have been practicing Traditional Chinese Medicine on the battlefield.

    All he knew was that she had been on the front lines and witnessed bloodshed, but he had no idea what kind of brutal battlefield could train a Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor to achieve elite-level surgical suturing skills.

    As a master-level surgeon, he could discern no falsity or deception in her technique.

    To him, this wasn¡¯t even a real surgery¡ªit was a simple task.

    Yet she, a Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor, had aplished it with near perfection, particrly in her vascr anastomosis. Without any preliminary exnation or instruction from him, she hadpleted the task immactely.

    Her performance left Dr. Xue increasingly impressed.

    To train suturing skills to this degree¡ªit was no wonder the Military District Hospital had sent her to their Medical University for training.

    This was a true talent.

    Dr. Xue alone understood just how challenging such expertise really was.

    Watching Bai Xiao, he grew even more resolute in his determination not to abandon his efforts to persuade her. Such a promising individual, already possessing such high-level skills, must not be allowed to waste her potential. Letting hernguish here would be nothing short of a crime against talent.

 Chapter 929: Which Hospital?

    <h4>Chapter 929: Chapter 929: Which Hospital?</h4><h4></h4>

    "Dr. Xue, it¡¯s done!" Bai Xiao looked up.

    She put down the needle holder in her hand, seemingly a bit reluctant.

    It felt like, after infusing her special ability into the needle holder, the holder became an extension of her hand, not just a mere instrument. That sensation¡ªworking with such fluid efficiency¡ªwas oddly thrilling.

    Dr. Xue immediately snapped to attention.

    He stepped swiftly to Bai Xiao¡¯s side, startling her. Dr. Xue really was as vigorous as ever.

    "Dr. Bai, hang on a moment."

    Without further ado, he picked up a scalpel.

    And without saying anything, he evenly sliced the newly sutured tail into forty segments.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s jaw dropped.

    Dr. Xue, isn¡¯t this a bit excessive?

    How long can a mouse tail possibly be?

    And you¡¯ve divided it into forty portions. Even an idiot could tell you¡¯re obviously making her re-stitch them.

    She said nothing further¡ªtalking too much would just bring pain.

    Fine, if stitching¡¯s what you want, stitching¡¯s what I¡¯ll do.

    After finishing the cuts, Dr. Xue automatically stepped to the side, this time standing directly next to her.

    Bai Xiao picked up the needle holder, held her breath, and focused sharply. Her special ability activated, coursing between her and the tool.

    She genuinely wanted to see the limits of what her ability could achieve. This time, instead of letting it simply spin through the needle holder and stop, she maintained the connection throughout.

    What Dr. Xue saw next was nothing short of incredible.

    Sitting straight-backed, Bai Xiao worked meticulously under the microscope¡ªclean, precise, astonishingly fast. Every stitch, every contact point, every seam was wless in execution. Not only were her movements perfect, but her speed was stunningly quick.

    None of them noticed that five more people had quietly appeared beside her. Smith and Mike had brought along a trantor, and there were also Vice Principal Zhao and Liu Hongmin. The five of them were now wide-eyed, standing next to Dr. Xue,pletely captivated by Bai Xiao¡¯s hands.

    Were those even hands anymore?

    It was practically a blur¡ªthe movements of her needle-holder-wielding hands were elegant and seamless, flowing as if instinctive. Almost in one breath, she managed to reconnect all forty breakpoints.

    Bai Xiao took a deep breath. "Dr. Xue, it¡¯s done!"

    Inwardly, she thought: Dr. Xue, please don¡¯t push me any further. If you do, don¡¯t me me for throwing in the towel right here in front of everyone.

    Dr. Xue calmly gazed at the mouse under the microscope and smiled, "Dr. Bai, how long were you stationed at the field hospital?" This wasn¡¯t exactly a secret.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s resume had it all.

    Everyone gasped audibly.

    Field hospital?

    Did he mean that field hospital?

    In recent years, everyone knew full well about the conflicts surrounding that ce. It could only be referring to the frontline territory, where countless brave soldiers and young patriots shed blood and sacrificed everything to defend their country, aplish great feats, and make history.

    Yet stories of sess were rare¡ªmost who went ended up buried there.

    Even more returned missing limbs or crippled.

    Everyone knew that the war zone hospital represented the brutal and perilous existence of front-line doctors, who, just like soldiers, constantly risked their lives even without fighting.

    Bai Xiao had actually returned from there.

    "Less than a year!"

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t see this as something worth boasting about. If it hadn¡¯t been for Wei Shufen, she probably never would¡¯ve ended up in the war zone. The near-death experiences she¡¯d endured there felt more like being caught in a sinister plot that hadn¡¯t seeded, rather than a source of pride.

    Her time there had been about survival¡ªit wasn¡¯t anything extraordinary.

 Chapter 930 Expelling Someone

    <h4>Chapter 930: Chapter 930 Expelling Someone</h4>

    "You shouldn¡¯t just be a Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor over there; you¡¯re also doing the work of a surgeon." Dr. Xue sensed something extraordinary¡ªthe talent was truly admirable.

    Bai Xiao shook her head, "The work of a surgeon I do is mostly just dressing wounds; I rarely need to suture them. The thing I do most often is just acupuncture anesthesia."

    Dr. Xue still held her in high regard. Such doctors deserve admiration: even on the battlefield, they don¡¯t forget to solidify their professional knowledge. This must be the source of Bai Xiao¡¯s concept of integrating Chinese and Western medicine.

    He couldn¡¯t help but imagine a vivid scene: Bai Xiao using acupuncture for anesthesia while intensely studying surgical techniques. This kind of practical experience definitely isn¡¯t as casual as she makes it sound¡ªthe brutality of the battlefield cannot be described in mere words.

    This kid is truly amazing.

    Dr. Xue suddenly had a wild idea: perhaps he should throw all his disciples from the hospital onto the frontlines to sharpen their skills. Maybe they¡¯d return as top-tier talents.

    If Dr. Xue¡¯s disciples found out that it was all because of Bai Xiao, leading to their collective upheaval, they might cry themselves to death.

    Bai Xiao had no idea about Dr. Xue¡¯s intentions; otherwise, she¡¯d surely try to stop him. She¡¯s not the same as those people.

    Heading to the frontlines doesn¡¯t necessarily make one an elite; it might result in dying as an elite.

    "Alright, Bai Xiao, your integration of Chinese and Western medicine has great potential!" Dr. Xue was already grinning from ear to ear.

    In his heart, he¡¯d already decided Bai Xiao would be hisst disciple¡ªwhether she agreed or not.

    Bai Xiao felt relieved at this point. It seemed her special ability hadn¡¯t gone too far.

    That¡¯s good. She didn¡¯t expect this to make her possibly qualified with some simple skills as a surgeon.

    Bai Xiao secretly chuckled to herself.

    If she¡¯d known her special ability could be used this way, she would¡¯ve be a surgeon in this lifetime. At least then, she¡¯d be able to treat everything. Acupuncture had limited her to many fields¡ªwhat a miscalction.

    It was because she¡¯dcked ambition in her previous life, just muddling along, living as if she had no will to live, so she¡¯d never cared about her special ability¡ªnot even bothering to research it. Others studied her, but she¡¯d never thought to study herself.

    That¡¯s why she spent that life in a haze.

    Otherwise, things should¡¯ve been different long ago¡ªshe wouldn¡¯t have ended up so passive this time around.

    What a stroke of luck. Should she be thanking Wei Shufen at least once?

    If not for that person¡¯s schemes, she wouldn¡¯t have stumbled into unlocking her special ability through bullets.

    Nor would there have been a battlefield wedding. It seems this lifetime is entirely different from thest.

    She didn¡¯t just gain a natural firece to heal her residual symptoms anytime but also opened up new directions for her special ability.

    Oh, right.

    It seems that recently, the residual symptoms of her special ability have almost disappeared. Except for that one time during detoxification, when the massive expenditure caused coldness and fainting, she hasn¡¯t experienced issues with residual symptoms at all.

    "Dr. Bai, Dr. Bai, would you consider going to our Medical University in America for further training? We have advanced equipment and surgeons ranked among the world¡¯s top ten. If you¡¯re willing, I can be your mentor. Tuition and living expenses are no issue¡ªI can help you apply for schrships and grants," Mike said, filled with joy at discovering talent.

    Dr. Xue¡¯s intentions were obvious to him, but he couldn¡¯t help trying to poach talent anyway.

    Talented individuals are rare treasures.

    Dr. Xue wasn¡¯t having it.

    "Mr. Mike, Mr. Smith, don¡¯t leave the guest hanging¡ªit¡¯s rude. Vice Principal Zhao, please show the guests to the meeting room; we¡¯re in the middle of a lesson here." He bluntly ushered them out.

    What a joke¡ªtrying to steal his talent? Dream on.

    The old man had finally spotted a promising seedling; there¡¯s no way he¡¯d let them waltz in and take her away.

 Chapter 931 Rumors

    <h4>Chapter 931: Chapter 931 Rumors</h4>

    When Assistant Principal Zhao saw this, Dr. Xue was actingpletely out of character, clearly losing his cool. He immediately shot a look at Liu Hongmin, and the two of them, one on the left and the other on the right, half-pushed, half-carried Smith and Mike out of the ssroom door. The trantor had no choice but to follow them.

    Before leaving, they gave Bai Xiao a couple of meaningful nces.

    The remaining time essentially became Dr. Xue¡¯s stage for his lecture, delivered with intense emotion and eloquent skill. Drawing from the strengths of others whilepensating for his own weaknesses, he shared one captivating story after another. Finally, the school bell signaling the end of ss rang.

    Bai Xiao bolted out of the ssroom the moment the bell sounded, as if she were being chased by a ghost.

    Dr. Xue¡¯s gaze had been fixed on her the whole time; if she didn¡¯t flee, she¡¯d be out of her mind.

    This old doctor had a truly peculiar expression.

    The next day, the school¡¯s bulletin board posted the list of candidates for the uingpetition.

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t bother joining the crowd; instead, she snuck off to the practice room.

    She had secretly applied for ess through Liu Hongmin because, as a non-surgical clinical student, she technically didn¡¯t have the right to use the practice room.

    Upon hearing her request, Liu Hongmin immediately gave his approval without hesitation.

    He directly assigned her a private practice room¡ªa privilege usually reserved only for top-tier surgical students, recognized as elite talents. He even handed her the key with a friendly smile, encouraging her to use it freely and informing her to let him know if she needed anything so he could restock it instantly.

    Additionally, he carried over a stack of videotapes from his own office¡ªcurrently the only avable visual resources. These tapes covered various aspects of surgical techniques as well as scientific research from their affiliated hospital over the years, featuring ssic examples of educational material.

    Bai Xiao was overwhelmed by Liu Hongmin¡¯s enthusiasm. All she wanted was to test how far her special ability could work in surgery; she hadn¡¯t anticipated such cooperation from Director Liu Hongmin.

    After expressing her gratitude, Bai Xiao began her practice sessions in the room.

    What she didn¡¯t realize was that Liu Hongmin¡¯s actions were, of course, under Dr. Xue¡¯s orders.

    Dr. Xue felt a thrill, akin to finally having a fish take the bait. A promising talent like her, once captivated by the field, was undoubtedly destined to be a rising star in surgical excellence.

    In his mind, he could already envision her as his dazzling sessor, stepping onto the global stage of medical achievements, reshaping the history of medicine, and perhaps even bing the most outstanding surgeon he had ever trained.

    Bai Xiao knew none of this.

    All she did was immerse herself in practice.

    After spending an entire day watching videotapes, Bai Xiao finally stumbled out of the practice room, her head spinning, and returned to her dormitory. Ma Yao, He Juan, and Lin Xiang greeted her with mischievous expressions.

    "Cut the nonsense! Spill it if you¡¯ve got something to say!"

    Bai Xiao immediately sensed something was off. She hadn¡¯t done anything outrageous recently, so there shouldn¡¯t be any rumors going around.

    "Oh, really? You didn¡¯t even check thatpetition list? Your name, Bai Xiao¡ªDoctor Bai¡ªis right there, listed as the prestigious Traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncture master, now representing the surgical clinical team. Your big name is on the roster! The whole school is buzzing. Everyone¡¯s saying you¡¯re Dr. Xue¡¯s treasured prot¨¦g¨¦, his secret student. You¡¯ve been hiding this from us? That really takes nerve, girl!" Ma Yao eximed in frustration. The three of them had been nothing but loyal friends to Bai Xiao, yet she had withheld such a massive piece of news from them.

    This felt like betrayal.

    "Who said that? That¡¯s aplete fabrication. How could I possibly be Dr. Xue¡¯s secret student? I only got to know him during the delegation¡¯s antidote demonstration. If I were his prot¨¦g¨¦, would I even be studying Traditional Chinese Medicine?" Bai Xiao could easily deduce this was Dr. Xue¡¯s handiwork.

    He was trying to turn this into a fait apli.

 Chapter 932: Encounter

    <h4>Chapter 932: Chapter 932: Encounter</h4><h4></h4>

    "Really not?" Ma Yao didn¡¯t believe it.

    It¡¯s already hard to tell what¡¯s true and what¡¯s fake.

    "Really not!" Bai Xiao said with grief and indignation. Such a respected old professor actually did something like this¡ªit was just utterly shameless.

    He Juan and Lin Xiang were also confused.

    "Even if it¡¯s not true, the name on the school¡¯spetition list can¡¯t be fake, right? Think about it yourself. I guess the Surgery clinical team must have exploded by now. There were already very few spots avable, and now you¡¯ve taken someone else¡¯s chance¡ªimagine how many jealous stares you¡¯ve attracted! Better be careful!"

    Throughout the entire college, only fifty students could register to participate in the first preliminary round of thepetition, and you were directly given a spot in the second round. Wouldn¡¯t that make others jealous?

    Only now did Bai Xiao realize she had be the target of public criticism.

    "I¡¯m going to find Vice Principal Zhao. This matter needs to respect my personal wishes! I had no idea this was happening!" She felt aggrieved¡ªbeing forced into situations every single time.

    Ma Yao sneered, "Don¡¯t act like you¡¯re taking the high road after getting the benefits. Go out and shout about how you¡¯re ¡¯disrespected¡¯¡ªsee if anyone wouldn¡¯t want this kind of ¡¯disrespect.¡¯ If they don¡¯t punch you to a pulp, I¡¯ll take your surname. This girl truly makes people envy her to the point of speechlessness."

    Bai Xiao felt depressed. Oh, heavens.

    She was more wronged than Dou E¡ªit really had nothing to do with her.

    No matter what, she buried herself in the library. There was too much she needed to cram.

    There wasn¡¯t enough time. After discovering another way to unleash her special ability, Bai Xiao began to put immense effort into her studies.

    Hugging her books as she headed to the main gates, she remembered she had agreed to meet An Zhiyuan today to go home. Every Friday afternoon, An Zhiyuan woulde to pick her up. Now, their married life was truly harmonious. Perhaps it was because being in Modu gave An Zhiyuan more free time than when he was in Yun Province. His administrative work hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. meant fewer separations for the couple, and now the one waiting at home had be An Zhiyuan.

    Being alone in an empty house made An Zhiyuan finally understand Bai Xiao¡¯s feelings. Being a soldier¡¯s wife meant enduring loneliness¡ªit wasn¡¯t just talk after all.

    Facing an entirely empty room alone brought a suffocating sense of loneliness, as if the silence became unbearable.

    Only then did he understand the hardship of military spouses. The most terrifying part was seeing othersugh and enjoy happiness together, while you could only look at your own solitude.

    Bai Xiao turned out of the gates and bumped into Zhang Zhaoyuan.

    Since the drunken incidentst time, they hadn¡¯t crossed paths.

    Upon meeting again, Zhang Zhaoyuan looked much thinner. He paused when he saw Bai Xiao.

    "Bai Xiao!"

    Stopping with her books in hand, Bai Xiao¡ªas much as anything¡ªtrusted her own judgment. Zhang Zhaoyuan had dared to post a public apology to clear rumors for her, proving he wasn¡¯t vile to the point of no return.

    "Bai Xiao, I¡¯m sorry for what happenedst time. I was drunk and caused you trouble. Truly, I¡¯m sorry."

    Zhang Zhaoyuan was genuinely apologetic. Bai Xiao¡¯s position and status couldn¡¯t sway his feelings; he had sincerely admired Bai Xiao from the beginning.

    But it was clear Bai Xiao really had no interest in him.

    He owed her this face-to-face apology.

    "Zhang Zhaoyuan, I can¡¯t say I¡¯ll forgive you, because you indeed caused trouble for me. But everything will pass¡ªI believe you¡¯ll meet the girl who¡¯s truly right for you." Bai Xiao smiled lightly, her pale blue coat making her look like a picturesque scene.

    "Bai Xiao, have you really gotten married?"

    Zhang Zhaoyuan still felt unwilling to ept it. It was hard for him to believe that someone like Bai Xiao was married. At her age, she ought to be enjoying the carefree days of youth, not tied to the image of a married woman. He preferred to think Bai Xiao was using marriage as an excuse to reject him rather than believing she had truly married.

    And she had even married a bodyguard¡ªit was difficult for him to picture the rugged man and Bai Xiao together.

    Zhang Zhaoyuan¡¯s impression of a bodyguard¡¯s life was rather shallow,rgely shaped by his grandfather¡ªa man who barely recognized a word of written characters, was always loud and unreasonable, and spent his life doing nothing but fighting wars. If foot-picking could count as a hobby, that might¡¯ve been his only one.

    Bai Xiao¡ªthe Bai Xiao he knew¡ªpairing with that kind of bodyguard was truly an unimaginable scene.

    "My husband is here to pick me up!"

    Bai Xiao pointed at An Zhiyuan, who was standing by the car at a distance. Seeing her chatting with a ssmate, An Zhiyuan hadn¡¯t approached to interrupt, though he felt a little ufortable. As a man, he could clearly tell this young fellow¡¯s gaze was full of admiration for his wife¡ªand not just him. Bai Xiao probably had plenty of admirers here.

    Suddenly, An Zhiyuan realized how wise his decisive choice to marry Bai Xiao had been. Bai Xiao was his wife.

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t notice anything else but did spot An Zhiyuan watching them with a nk expression.

    When Zhang Zhaoyuan heard this, he couldn¡¯t help but look up.

    At first nce, he saw the tall and handsome man, his eyes bright like stars and his sharp, chiseled features devoid of any expression. However, his gaze passed over Zhang Zhaoyuan and fell on Bai Xiao¡¯s face, where it softened into a gentle smile.

    Bai Xiao lifted the corners of her mouth and waved, then turned to bid farewell to him.

    "Goodbye! I have to go now."

    "Goodbye!"

    Zhang Zhaoyuan felt his heart shatter into countless pieces.

    Perhaps before, he still clung to a glimmer of hope¡ªmaybe if Bai Xiao¡¯s rugged partner proved unworthy of her, then he¡¯d still have a chance. After all, graduates from the Medical College were doctors¡ªnoble professionals and elite talents. He considered himself not bad-looking, and in every aspect, excellent.

    Maybe one day Bai Xiao would see his merits; withoutparison, there wouldn¡¯t be disappointment.

    But this one nce shattered his illusionspletely.

    Where was the rugged man?

    This was clearly an extraordinary man. Everything¡ªfrom his appearance to the way his eyes softened at Bai Xiao¡ªradiated the kind of deep affection men reserve for their beloved. It was like an endless spring breeze melting away coldness.

    From the beginning, Zhang Zhaoyuan had lost.

    He almost fled the scene, devastated.

    What did he have to offerpared to that? This time, he lostpletely.

    Bai Xiao ran up to An Zhiyuan, who steadied her soft, slightly breathless figure in hisrge hands. Seeing the smile on her face, heined, "Why did you run so fast? It¡¯s not like I would vanish!" He wiped her sweat and seemed very pleased at her throwing herself into his arms.

    "Second Brother An, you promised to take me to a movie!" It wasn¡¯t often An Zhiyuan got romantic¡ªthis time, Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t about to let it slide.

    No diversion of topics allowed.

    An Zhiyuan stuffed her into the car. "At your service, madam¡ªtickets have already been bought. By the way, who was that guy back there?" He asked, seemingly casually.

    Bai Xiao pointed at Zhang Zhaoyuan¡¯s fading back. "My ssmate."

    Could she say he was a ssmate who had pursued her?

    "Dr. Bai, you¡¯re being quite dishonest!"

    An Zhiyuan closed the car door, his expression sour.

    Bai Xiao murmured under her breath¡ªthis was the first time she had seen An Zhiyuan throw a tantrum.

 Chapter 933: Distrust

    <h4>Chapter 933: Chapter 933: Distrust</h4><h4></h4>

    "Second Brother, you¡¯re doing this on purpose!"

    It was clear that An Zhiyuan was taking the opportunity to act out.

    Bai Xiao ignored him.

    An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t say a word either. The less he exined, the more it proved there was something wrong. An Zhiyuan truly didn¡¯t know about thatmotion at the academy; He Weng absolutely wouldn¡¯t have told him.

    "Oh, so now you¡¯re in the right? I can see that boy treats you differently, yet you refuse to exin. Isn¡¯t this deliberately making me ufortable? Bai Xiao, I know from the very beginning, it was me who took the initiative with this marriage, and you were always reluctant. Butter, you said it yourself¡ªyou willingly chose to marry me.

    I thought we didn¡¯t need words, that our hearts were aligned. But now I see, maybe you weren¡¯t thinking the same way."

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s usual care and tenderness toward Bai Xiao had always been apparent, even now, when confronting her after witnessing that scene, his tone remained calm.

    But at this moment, his demeanor carried an aggressive force, which left Bai Xiao struggling to cope. Such a strong attitude inevitably made her feel both embarrassed and wronged.

    "I didn¡¯t..."

    She was simply afraid he¡¯d misunderstand. Though An Zhiyuan rarely spoke much with her, the gravity of his words often revealed themselves.

    For instance, this topic, touching upon his bottom line, terrified her. She was sincerely afraid of An Zhiyuan misunderstanding back then; now, the misunderstanding had only worsened.

    "Didn¡¯t what? Didn¡¯t think to tell me, while my rival showed up at the door?"

    His voice wasn¡¯t loud, but his tone was far from friendly.

    "Second Brother, I¡¯m not the kind of person you suspect; I¡¯m your wife. You still don¡¯t trust me?" Bai Xiao was both anxious and angry.

    There really was no way to exin it clearly.

    "It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust you; it¡¯s about that boy. You tell me¡ªwhat¡¯s your rtionship with him? I¡¯m not stupid, and that whole ¡¯just ssmates¡¯ talk isn¡¯t going to fool me!"

    By the time they reached the house, An Zhiyuan got out of the car with his face taut. Anyone who saw him would instinctively steer clear¡ªhis expression was unmistakably one of "keep away."

    Bai Xiao stepped out of the car, pouting. Fine. For the sake of a furious Major An who hadn¡¯t abandoned her and had even opened the door for her like a gentleman, she scampered after him, poking his arm yfully.

    "There¡¯s really nothing going on! He just tried to pursue me, but I swear, I refused cleanly and decisively without a shred of hesitation. I told him I¡¯m married, and I have a bodyguard for a husband!" She hugged An Zhiyuan¡¯s arm, like a ko, only to be dragged into the yard by him.

    "Really now? Because I heard there was even talk about some ¡¯gold digger¡¯ scandal. You hooked a rich guy and didn¡¯t bother telling me?"

    It dawned on Bai Xiao¡ªso the interrogation was justified. An Zhiyuan must¡¯ve learned about the gossip today. Clinging to his arm, she began her yful banter. "Hubby, I can¡¯t walk anymore. My feet hurt¡ªwearing new high heels today, the back of my heels must be all blistered."

    An Zhiyuan, initially inclined to ignore her, stopped in his tracks, staring at her strained smile until he suddenly picked her up in one swift motion. Bai Xiao hooked her arms around his neck, giggling. "Second Brother An! I knew you were the best!"

    "Save it!" An Zhiyuan carried her inside, setting her down by the entrance near the shoe cab, before changing his shoes and walking away.

    Bai Xiao watched his retreating figure and stuck out her tongue.

    She had hoped this matter would quietly resolve itself, but she hadn¡¯t expected An Zhiyuan to catch on. Yet she couldn¡¯t me herself¡ªit wasn¡¯t her fault that other people were persistently drawn to her. She was loyal!

    Once inside the bedroom, Bai Xiao noticed the man lying on the bed. He hadn¡¯t even taken off his shoes. He looked weary, like someone tormented by anger and frustration.

    She walked over to his side and nudged him with her leg. "Are you okay? Seriously mad?"

    An Zhiyuan couldn¡¯t really be serious, could he?

    Her steely and dependable An Zhiyuan, whose heart was big enough to epass a space shuttle, was truly upset over such a small matter?

    It wasn¡¯t in An Zhiyuan¡¯s nature, but she could tell he was genuinely displeased.

    Still lying there, An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t move.

    "I really am angry!"

    Beneath this mild-mannered and pampering exteriory a heart filled with unease. That insecurity likely stemmed from her previousck of trust. Their beginnings had been all about acting a part, and perhaps that yed into An Zhiyuan¡¯s sense of inadequacy.

    "Honey, is it really my fault if someone pursues me?" She truly didn¡¯t understand why An Zhiyuan was angry.

    This time, his irritation felt strangely unreasonable.

    He grasped her hand suddenly, pulling her beneath him entirely. Their gazes met, and she smiled endearingly.

    She swallowed hard, her slender hand resting against his chest. She could feel the beat of his heart beneath her palm.

    "Xiaoxiao, do you know why I¡¯m angry?"

    The look in his eyes wasn¡¯t exactly innocent.

    "I just want to figure this out. You¡¯re not the type to get jealous over trivial things. I thought I was the only one capable of irrational tantrums. Do you know how furious I was about that He Meina? Your level-headedness, calmness, and generosity¡ªwhere are they now?"

    She nted a soft kiss on the corner of his lips, melting away the chill there.

    "Xiaoxiao, we¡¯ve been through so much. How could I not trust you? How could I possiblyck confidence in myself? I¡¯m just so upset realizing how these rumors are hurting you, and you didn¡¯t even say a word to me. It leaves me disappointed. I want to protect you¡ªto be the one who faces any challenge head-on for you, defends you against anything. But right now, when you deal with everything by yourself and keep me out, it makes me feel like an utterly useless man who can¡¯t do anything for you!"

    He shut his eyes and fell to one side of the bed.

    Bai Xiao turned herself over and sprawled on his chest.

    Body pressed close, she exhaled warm breaths near his ear. "You¡¯re still fussing? Your heart is only this big?"

    He scooped her into his arms, his voice deepening as her softness filled the space beside him. "Seems like I¡¯ve spoiled you too muchtely, and now you¡¯re getting out of control."

    "Yes, I¡¯m out of control... Your hand¡ªwhere are you putting it now..." she grumbled, gripping the wandering hand sneaking under her shirt hard.

    "Can¡¯t I touch my own wife?"

    "You¡¯re not mad anymore?" she asked, her cheeks flushing, heartbeat racing as she gazed at him and blinked slowly, a shy smile tugging at her lips.

    His eyes narrowed as he smirked. "If you want me to forgive you, take off your pants. I promise I won¡¯t be mad anymore."

    "You scoundrel!"

    Bai Xiao tried to squirm away.

    But how could she escape his arms? The man pressed her firmly beneath him, lowered his head, and kissed the butterfly bones of her shoulders, his fingers trailing along the curves under her arms, making her shiver. His voice dropped, soft yet arresting.

    "Don¡¯t elders always say¡ªarguments by the headboard, reconciliation by the footboard."

    He sat upright on the bed, pulling off his shirt and unbuttoning it, now removing itpletely, his gaze locked onto hers without a blink.

    His chest was evenly toned, especially his waistline¡ªit was stunning. As his fingers unbuckled his belt, revealing the alluringly seductive area underneath, Bai Xiao turned her head to one side, trying to suppress the heat rising to her cheeks.

    He was teasing her.

    His gaze was primal, fierce, and dazzling.

    She let out a soft moan, reaching out for him.

 Chapter 934 Watching a Movie

    <h4>Chapter 934: Chapter 934 Watching a Movie</h4><h4></h4>

    In the quiet of dawn,

    she suddenly realized intimacy has many facets. It¡¯s not just about physical rtionships but also includes leisurelypanionship and sharing everyday routines.

    They were the closest of lovers and friends. Though it was just the two of them, simply looking at him made her happy.

    While he was getting dressed, he noticed her brisklybing her hair a few times, and it instantly returned to its neat and orderly state.

    Sleek, smooth, and perfectly in ce.

    It seemed almost magical.

    Even such a small, subtle motion could make him feel warmth and intimacy.

    As if all this was the thread that connected them.

    Her slender figure moved and bent gracefully, responding with her motions,pletely capturing his gaze.

    Good heavens, she was truly beautiful.

    Bai Xiao kept herself busy all morning. The kitchen hadn¡¯t been tidied up for a while, so she cleaned the stove, washed the refrigerator, scrubbed offyers of grime from the countertops, and organized the vegetables and fruits that An Zhiyuan had bought from the market. Clearly, she no longer had the time to do these things herself.

    An Zhiyuan watched her busy figure, d in an apron and bustling about everywhere, his heart filled with happiness.

    He stood at the kitchen door, looking at the woman inside, and for some reason, he felt like crying.

    Turns out he truly loved her to pieces; otherwise, why would his heart ache this much?

    Bai Xiao made poached sliced beef in chili sauce, because both of them loved spicy food.

    There was also a chilled shredded chicken sd and stir-fried eggs with tomatoes.

    Watching An Zhiyuan finish tworge bowls of rice and all the dishes, she couldn¡¯t help but marvel at how much of a big eater her man was.

    Later, he took her out to see a movie.

    It was a promise he hadn¡¯t fulfilled yesterday.

    A lot of couples and children came to watch the movie, and the theater was almost packed. Bai Xiao nced at the movie¡¯s title and finally understood why.

    It was the ssic, "Mama, Love Me One More Time," a film that had taken the era by storm, shedding countless tears and earning widespread acim. No wonder there were so many people.

    The line for tickets was practically a sea of people.

    Back in the 1980s, movie theaters were popr entertainment venues. People with limited leisure options had a special fondness for films.

    Of course, televisions had already entered households! But not every family could afford one at the time, and movie tickets were still affordable. For ordinaryboring-ss families earning tens, or even a hundred yuan a month, a 20-cent movie ticket was a cheap indulgence.

    Whether it was dating or family recreation, these were expenses most could afford. What¡¯s more, there were countless discounts avable then¡ªkids often got free admission, which meant families with three or four children could enjoy a movie with one ticket. It was vastly different from how theaters operate now.

    Swept along by the crowd, the two squeezed into the theater. An Zhiyuan shielded Bai Xiao by wrapping his arm around her to protect her from the throng, and they finally found their seats after much shuffling. The seats were good, right in the middle. However, next to them sat a couple with three kids. One was being held, another was seated, and the third was upying one of their shared seats.

    An Zhiyuan checked their ticket numbers and politely said to the couple, "Comrade, these seats belong to us."

    Back then, seating was strictly assigned, or else standing was the only option.

    The wife nced at An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao, especially at An Zhiyuan¡¯s clothes, and grumbled discontentedly as she lifted the child off the seat, muttering under her breath, "Don¡¯t know about learning from Lei Feng¡¯s example, really, don¡¯t know how to serve the people! We are the people, after all."

    Her husband pulled her aside, moved the older child from his arms to the ground, took the child from his wife¡¯s embrace, and grumbled awkwardly, "You¡¯re the one who insisted oning to the movie. Look how crowded it is! Isn¡¯t this suffering for no reason?"

    An Zhiyuan sat down next to the wife, leaving the other seat for Bai Xiao. Clearly, this upset the wife further.

    She had initially hoped Bai Xiao would sit on her side, so that if her kids started crying, she could sweet-talk her into letting the child share a seat. Sitting between two women would be easier to manage.

    Unexpectedly, this Brother Solider decided to sit there instead. What was he doing here, ruining her ns?

    But she couldn¡¯t say anything.

    Agitated, she snapped at her husband, "As if I¡¯m the only one who wanted toe! It¡¯s these three little troublemakers throwing a fit about it! You think you can bring three of them by yourself to see a movie? I¡¯m busy all day long, and it¡¯s only during the break that I managed to drag you along. Otherwise, the three of them would have driven me up the wall."

    Bai Xiao sat down and turned her face sideways to look at An Zhiyuan on his seat. The already narrow chairs appeared even more cramped, especially because of his tall,nky frame. His long legs seemed awkwardly squashed in the narrow aisle, particrly with the wife deliberately squeezing her child toward his seat. An Zhiyuan tried to edge his body away, but it was clearly a struggle. Sensing her gaze, he softly tugged at the corner of his mouth in reassurance.

    She stood up, "Let¡¯s switch seats. I¡¯ll sit over there instead!"

    Seeing him ufortable made her heart ache. An Zhiyuan had purposely sat there just to shield her.

    The wife¡¯s expression noticeably shifted upon hearing this.

    An Zhiyuan firmly grabbed her arm and pressed her back into the seat.

    "No need! Sit tight and enjoy the movie; it¡¯s already started."

    Sure enough, the theater lights dimmed, and the sounds of the crowd gradually quieted in the darkness, except for the asional cry from a child.

    The movie viewing experience was far fromfortable. The wife next to him, whether intentionally or not, allowed her children to repeatedly lean against An Zhiyuan throughout the film. It seemed she had no intention of moving them away. An Zhiyuan watched the entire movie with his body tilted awkwardly.

    Being so close to him, Bai Xiao could smell the faint mix of tobo, soap, and his masculine scent. It made her face flush uncontrobly. Her attention seemed to drift away from the film, her gaze settling on An Zhiyuan the entire time, while he was wholly engrossed in watching the movie.

    The movie finally ended.

    As they followed the crowd out, due to the tight passageway at the exit, Bai Xiao almost stumbled. She instinctively reached out to steady herself on a chair.

    Unfortunately, there was a step in front, and someone behind bumped into her heavily. Her foot slipped, but just in time, a pair of hands steadied her waist. By the time Bai Xiao regained her bnce and came to her senses, she realized she was entirely enveloped in An Zhiyuan¡¯s embrace. His right hand naturally supported her waist.

    His arm acted like a shield, deflecting the oing crowd for her. Finally, the two managed to exit the theater.

    Breathing fresh air, they exchanged smiles.

    Turns out watching a movie wasn¡¯t as romantic as they had imagined.

    The quiet stroll as they slowly walked home felt much more peaceful and romantic.

    Just keep walking like this, slowly staying by your side as we grow old together.

    Follow current novels on freewe(b)novel.c(o)m

 Chapter 935: Walls Have Eyes

    <h4>Chapter 935: Chapter 935: Walls Have Eyes</h4><h4></h4>

    It was nearly nine o¡¯clock when the movie ended, and as they walked on the beautiful streets of Modu under the night sky, Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    Their pace wasn¡¯t fast, and from the moment they left the cinema, her fingers were gently held in his palm. Bai Xiao slightly lowered her head, watching the road as they walked, feeling the warmth in his hand, with an unstoppable smile on her lips.

    Thinking about the image of An Zhiyuan being squeezed to the side, her heart felt warm.

    "It¡¯s so nice to have someone care and protect you!"

    Gripping her fingers tightly, he spoke in a low voice, "I am your man, and I will take care of you for a lifetime."

    Girls passing by on the street couldn¡¯t help but nce at An Zhiyuan; being handsome was equally attractive to women.

    Bai Xiao knew she shouldn¡¯t be childish, but she still took the initiative to hold his arm, nestling close to him.

    Sure enough, a few girls avoided them.

    "Did you see who¡¯s being ostentatious?"

    Bai Xiao teased him.

    This time, let¡¯s see how he gets angry.

    His arm wrapped around her waist, exerting a little force, and she was pressed against him. "Haven¡¯t you already dered sovereignty! I¡¯m already taken, my wife, we¡¯re married, who dares to mess around!" Liking Bai Xiao¡¯s jealous and charming appearance, although knowing she was just joking, there was also a kind of joy of being valued.

    The crowd gradually dispersed, and the streets began to grow quiet as night fell.

    Suddenly, she spotted a few roses reaching out over a low wall from the yard of a house at the corner, the bright red and white intertwined, making them alluring.

    "Want some?"

    An Zhiyuan looked at her sparkling eyes, brimming with brilliance and that little look of yearning, feeling an uncontroble desire to fulfill her wish.

    This was his woman.

    Bai Xiao was taken aback when he pulled her to the outside of the yard, looked around cautiously like he was scouting, then unexpectedly, An Zhiyuan quickly reached over and picked two flowers. Bai Xiao excitedly pointed to the highest one, about to bloom, breathtakingly beautiful.

    "That one!"

    Suddenly, a burst of barking erupted, a big dog jumped up, poking its fluffy head out, barking wildly at the two of them.

    Bai Xiao was startled, pulled by An Zhiyuan, and they ran, hearing an old man¡¯s voice behind them, "Which rascal dares to steal this old man¡¯s flowers! Wu-yi, get them!"

    Immediately, the barking became deafening.

    The two of them bolted away quickly.

    Hands held tightly together, they ran back to their yard, locking the gate, finally catching their breath.

    Bai Xiaoughed until she was gasping for air, hands on her knees, and her stomach hurt fromughing.

    "You... An Ge... you really... yed the flower thief once!"

    The two roses in her hand weren¡¯t packaged, not trimmed, perfectly whole with green leaves still attached, and tiny, glistening droplets hanging on the red and white petals, wless and so beautiful she could no longerugh.

    "They are too beautiful! Honey, love you to death." With a loud kiss, Bai Xiao hugged the flowers and went inside to find a vase to keep them.

    An Zhiyuan followed her in, grinning like a fool.

    ......

    Bai Xiao was in the practice room, once again picking up the needle holder, looking at the little rabbit in front of her, silently praying, little rabbit, little rabbit, I promise to return you a healthy body, this is just a temporary loan.

    If the drugged little rabbit in front could answer, it would have responded long ago by running away lively, who would want to lend its own body, not a fool.

    But now, it waspletely powerless! It could only allow the woman in front to do as she pleased.

    This time, she wanted to try tendon suturing.

    ording to regr surgical procedures, many arepleted step by step at teaching hospitals, basic suturing in surgery, reaching a certain level of proficiency to assist in surgery, and after many times as an assistant, possibly starting to assist the main surgeon step by step, who knows how long before reaching the step of tendon suturing.

    Of course, those who can reach this step are real experts in clinical surgery.

    No patient wants to be someone else¡¯s guinea pig, and she had no qualification to be a surgical assistant doctor, so she could only find a sense of presence on the little rabbit.

    At least she wouldn¡¯t kill anyone (the rabbit).

    She had no teaching doctor to guide her, really just wanted to see how far her special ability could go.

    She hadn¡¯t noticed at all, the wall of her practice room facing the surgery table, behind the mirror wall, Dr. Xue, Vice Principal Zhao, Liu Hongmin, and a few of her disciples were watching.

    Indeed, when Bai Xiao first came in and saw this mirror, she wondered whether it might be like an interrogation room in American movies, with countless eyes watching her every move behind it.

    But she still thought it was impossible.

    This was the Medical University, not a spy base, and she had temporarily requested Liu Hongmin to arrange the practice room for her, Liu Hongmin didn¡¯t even know she would make such a request, he immediately handed her the key.

    Not likely that they had premeditated.

    Predicting she woulde and need a practice room, setting up a trap waiting for her.

    Besides, she hadn¡¯t done anything shocking, each operation, she was careful and cautious, after all, with years of experience in dealing with opponents, using her special ability discreetly was a piece of cake.

    So, she really didn¡¯t know she had been watched many times, at first it was only Dr. Xue watching, then as her surgery difficulty increased, Dr. Xue couldn¡¯t contain his excitement at all, he directly brought his students.

    Let them see what a genius was.

    He was extremely grateful for the reckless decision he made at the time, now it had brought a miracle.

    That Traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncture master had transformed from aplete novice in surgery into a surgical doctor who exuded a master¡¯s aura the moment she picked up the needle holder.

    Look, who among you has such skills?

    Self-taught genius.

    Watching this girl sit in front of the VCR day and night, studying and learning, her understanding ability surpassed that of ten surgical doctorsbined.

    What¡¯s this called?

    Genius!

    Some people just have this innate talent, master skills without a mentor! And can achieve unity of man and knife.

    Today, once Dr. Xue received the notification that Bai Xiao returned to school and went to the practice room, he quickly brought his apprentices, he had already foreseen that Bai Xiao was nning a big move, otherwise the day watching the recording would have been in vain.

    This girl wasn¡¯t someone who would stop after just looking.

    Look at the poor little rabbit, Dr. Xue trembled with excitement.

    This child wasn¡¯t his apprentice! If she were his disciple! With just a few senior brothers and sisters guiding her, she wouldn¡¯t need to be here interacting with rabbits.

 Chapter 936: Accident

    <h4>Chapter 936: Chapter 936: ident</h4><h4></h4>

    How could Bai Xiao know the extent of Dr. Xue¡¯s excitement?

    Behind the mirror, Dr. Xue¡¯s senior apprentices were watching the scene with amusement. They had never seen Bai Xiao perform surgery, but judging by the present situation, the young girl was about to attempt something bold. Rabbits and humans are not the same, but as long as the experiment seeds once, it would add valuable experience.

    Still, it¡¯s just a rabbit.

    The tendon suturing this girl intended to perform was no joke. Among them, even those capable of being lead surgeons could only master this technique to its highest level in very few cases. At most, there were only two people who could achieve perfection, while the others could merely observe and learn.

    To execute it manually? Simply impossible.

    Without years of hands-on practice, how could anyone im to be a suturing expert? Theory is built upon practice, especially for surgeons. Without the painstaking umtion of repetitive tasks and the tempering gained through countless emergencies, who can truly be a surgeon?

    The mour of being a surgeon is visible to all, but few understand how arduous the journey of growth is for a surgeon.

    What¡¯s more, anyone could see that the girl standing before them was clearly a novice.

    She was still contemting the sequence of actions¡ªher apparent thought process would amuse many. They couldn¡¯t understand why their teacher had specifically summoned them. Was it just to watch this girl embarrass herself?

    Recently, their teacher had imed to have discovered a once-in-a-century genius, someone unparalleled. Despite their teacher¡¯s praise, the apprentices remained unimpressed.

    ording to the teacher, this genius was still a student at the Medical University. Even as a prodigy, it would take at least ten years before they could truly shine.

    Bai Xiao racked her brain. Her special ability was one thing, but at the very least, she needed to ensure her sequence was not wrong.

    This was no operating room, and there was no lead surgeon¡ªshe was the sole lead surgeon here.

    Unity of Man and Knife.

    No, unity of ability and knife.

    As expected, the instant Bai Xiao¡¯s special ability merged with the needle holder, her entire aura transformed.

    A sudden surge of energy startled everyone behind the mirror.

    It seemed as if the person before them was a battle-hardened veteran surgeon.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s focus was entirely on the little rabbit.

    Those behind the mirror witnessed a jaw-dropping scene¡ªshe wielded her knife with such ease, like a heroic champion facing an overwhelming army withposure and confidence. Finally, they saw Bai Xiao conclude the procedure.

    Dr. Xue mmed his hand on the table in exhration.

    "Excellent, oh my!"

    The crowd was shocked.

    Dr. Xue¡¯s hand hadnded on the spiked edge of a pen holder, instantly resulting in a gush of blood, nearly slicing off half of his palm. A craft knife lurking ominously inside the pen holder hadn¡¯t been retracted¡ªit stood upright and caused this disaster. Dr. Xue was in serious trouble now.

    "Quick, call for emergency assistance!"

    Several students surrounded him, performing some basic first aid. Upon inspection, all of them inhaled sharply.

    The severity of the injury was staggering.

    "Teacher, surgery is necessary!" Zhang Huan, Dr. Xue¡¯s senior disciple and currently the highest-ranking apprentice among them, serving as the Head of Surgery at Ruiyin Hospital, was firm. Besides Dr. Xue himself, there was likely no one else in the hospital capable of rivaling Zhang Huan¡¯s expertise.

    Zhang Huan had ascended to the pinnacle of surgical practice, a distinguished achievement at the prime age of forty.

    Dr. Xue nodded, ncing at those performing basic first aid, then at his injured hand, and finally at the other side of the mirror. Bai Xiao, satisfied with her work, was gently nudging the little rabbit, coaxing it to wake up.

    Little did they know that Bai Xiao had employed her special ability¡ªnot only had the operation been sessful, but the rabbit¡¯s other internal injuries were recovering at an elerated rate. Bai Xiao was doing this to test the limits of her unity of man and knife.

    The surgery she had justpleted showcased the seamless integration of her special ability with the surgical tools. Such experiments on animals were rare, yet the results seemed highly promising. Compared to using her ability for rapid healing in humans, the effect here wasparable, yielding near-perfect surgical oues.

    "Bring her along. I want her to suture my hand!"

    Dr. Xue pointed at Bai Xiao, his palm throbbing with pain, yet he was unwilling to let go of this rare talent.

    Zhang Huan was infuriated.

    "Teacher, how could you be so irresponsible with yourself? That girl might have sessfully performed the operation, but she is clearly a novice, still in the exploratory and learning phase. If you let her operate on you, the risks are enormous! Your hands are the most valuable pair to countless people. If something goes wrong and they don¡¯t recover properly, the loss would be catastrophic."

    He was angry at Dr. Xue¡¯sck of care for himself¡ªDr. Xue was renowned as the best surgeon.

    Those hands were worth a fortune.

    Entrusting them to an amateur was akin to setting his own troubles in motion.

    Even the most promising talent couldn¡¯t justify such recklessness.

    Dr. Xue smiled. "You¡¯ve misunderstood. She will assist you as the third assistant. For her, the opportunity to witness and work on an actual human surgery is far better than fumbling around with a rabbit. She is young, but you¡¯ve seen it yourself¡ªhow quickly she has grown from a novice to someone aplished. If I told you she has been practicing surgery for only a month, would you still view her with such skepticism?"

    He knew his apprentice meant well but couldn¡¯t let this opportunity slip away.

    Zhang Huan was taken aback. "One month? Impossible! Teacher, you can¡¯t favor talent to the point of exaggeration. Her techniques are still raw, but her suturing skills seem consistent, though not done under a microscope, they appear reasonably decent. She must have at least six months of experience¡ªthat¡¯s assuming she¡¯s only practiced on animals and has never sutured a human."

    Zhang Huan genuinely believed his teacher was just shielding Bai Xiao.

    Dr. Xueughed, "If you don¡¯t believe me, ask Vice Principal Zhao and Director Liu¡ªthey know their people better than anyone."

    He knew his apprentice wouldn¡¯t believe him outright. For that matter, even he still found it hard to believe.

    Vice Principal Zhao hurried to exin, "Director Zhang, Dr. Bai was originally from the Traditional Chinese Medicine department, specializing in acupuncture. Her most distinguished achievement was recing anesthesia with acupuncture. Transitioning to surgery was something Dr. Xue personally guided her through. It¡¯s true that Bai Xiao joined our surgical training room only a month ago, and Director Liu oversaw this process. Previously, she was always working in the Traditional Chinese Medicine department. So what Dr. Xue said is correct¡ªDr. Bai has indeed only learned suturing for a month."

    Zhang Huan moved his lips, dumbfounded.

    A month?

    The others exchanged nces, their eyes filled with questions. One month?

    How could that be?

    Yet, judging by the expressions of Dr. Xue, Vice Principal Zhao, and Director Liu, none of them were likely lying.

    It seemed to be true.

    Zhang Huan nodded.

    "Then bring her along!" He acted decisively.

 Chapter 937: Saving Lives

    <h4>Chapter 937: Chapter 937: Saving Lives</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao waspletely bewildered when Director Liu knocked on her door, pulled her directly onto the ambnce, and left her looking at Dr. Xue¡¯s injured hand and the unfamiliar faces in the ambnce,pletely unclear about the situation.

    "Dr. Xue, what¡¯s going on?"

    "Dr. Bai! It¡¯s nothing, just a little ident¡ªgot myself slightly injured. Since I¡¯m heading in for surgery anyway, I thought, Dr. Bai, your fame for using acupuncture as an alternative to anesthesia might be worth letting us all witness." Dr. Xue had alreadye up with an excuse, fearing Bai Xiao might try to avoid the situation.

    There was no running away from it.

    Zhang Huan nced at his teacher; now this was genuine admiration for Bai Xiao.

    He couldn¡¯t help but feel like he¡¯d been handed a "younger sibling rival" role.

    Back in the day, even when he was taking the world by storm with his talents, he never saw his teacher show this kind of preferential care. Not even opening the back door like this for him.

    Feeling rather bitter, he pondered how when it was his turn, his teacher hadn¡¯t gone to such effort to recruit him.

    At that time, he was the one proactively approaching¡ªttering and hanging around his teacher incessantly¡ªjust trying to get some recognition. And now, look at this young woman: it¡¯s his teacher doing all the work, while she doesn¡¯t even seem interested. This world truly is unfair.

    "Dr. Xue, anesthesia has its benefits. There¡¯s really no need for all this trouble. You¡¯ll only end up suffering more!" Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t bear the thought.

    Dr. Xue was not young anymore, yet he opted for this "painful demonstration," which Bai Xiao felt was a bit excessive.

    She genuinely believed Dr. Xue was doing this deliberately, and she didn¡¯t think it was worth it at all.

    She was valuable, sure, but considering Dr. Xue knew nothing about her special ability, it didn¡¯t seem logical for him to go to such lengths.

    "I¡¯m allergic to anesthetics!" Dr. Xue replied with a cheerful grin.

    The people in the ambnce fell into a stunned silence.

    Zhang Huan wanted to say, "Teacher, could you at least have some shame?"

    Wasn¡¯t it supposed to be about leading by example? Now this teacher was teaching them how to lie instead?

    And lying with such righteous conviction¡ªhow would he teach students with integrity down the road after this?

    Bai Xiao was confused. First, Director Jin imed to have anesthesia allergies, which was already rare enough. Now here was Dr. Xue also allergic? It didn¡¯t seem usible.

    Could it be that anesthesia allergies were asmon as cabbages, something you could randomly encounter on the street?

    She stopped talking.

    What was there to even say?

    The ambnce quickly arrived at the hospital. Since notice had been given in advance, several experts were already waiting by the entrance.

    This was Bai Xiao¡¯s first visit to Ruiyin Hospital.

    The difference was apparent the moment she entered¡ªa stark contrast to the small-town hospitals she was ustomed to. Her first impression was sheer luxury: the grandeur of this five-story building was unmatched, boasting marble everywhere¡ªit resembled a five-star hotel.

    As soon as Zhang Huan entered the lobby, his demeanor transformed.

    "Prepare for surgery! Dr. Xue¡¯s arm requires hand sutures. Clear a spot for the third assistant and get everything ready!"

    Speaking in rapid-fire speed, the staff nearby¡ªdoctors and nurses alike¡ªimmediately began executing his orders.

    They hadn¡¯t even made it to the changing rooms when a loud wailing suddenly blocked their path.

    "Dr. Bai, sister-inw! Sister-inw, save me!"

    Bai Xiao was startled¡ªsomeone here knew her?

    Then she saw a man in an utterly horrific condition: the muscle on his arm was torn wide open, the wound running all the way from his upper arm to his hand. If it weren¡¯t for one hand holding it in ce, his palm might very well have fallen off already. His trembling appearance made everyone¡¯s hearts leap with anxiety.

    It was Wang Han.

    Wang Han had just been brought down from the stretcher, ready to be sent into the emergency room, but the moment he saw Bai Xiao stepping out from the other side, he scrambled off the stretcher, practically crawling to intercept her.

    "Wang Han? What are you doing here?"

    Wang Han and Bai Xiao did indeed seem to share a fateful connection; she had be his lucky charm in this lifetime.

    Wang Han wanted to grab hold of Bai Xiao but didn¡¯t dare let go of his hand. If he released it, his palm might actually fall off, and that would be disastrous.

    "Sister-inw, save me! Save me! I¡¯m going to lose this arm if you don¡¯t help me. The others¡ªI just don¡¯t trust them, only you! Sister-inw, please don¡¯t leave me to die! I¡¯m Big Brother An¡¯s childhood friend; you can¡¯t just ignore me!"

    To Wang Han, seeing Bai Xiao was like seeing his savior.

    In his life, there was no one he trusted more than Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao had once saved him miraculously¡ªhis faith in her was absolute. Nobody else gave him the same assurance.

    By now, a sizable crowd had gathered in the lobby, all captivated by themotion. Zhang Huan took note of the situation and frowned.

    The emergency room doctors were getting anxious.

    One of them came forward attempting to drag Wang Han away. "Stop messing around and get into the ER immediately! She has nothing to do with this¡ªshe isn¡¯t even qualified to treat you! The ones who can save you are real doctors, not some random person off the street. If you don¡¯t want your hand anymore, keep stalling!" They were visibly irritated, as Wang Han¡¯s antics were wasting critical time.

    But Wang Han shook off the doctor¡¯s hand with a strong shove. "Back off! Today, I¡¯ll only let my sister-inw treat me. I don¡¯t trust anyone else."

    Bai Xiao chuckled bitterly, "Wang Han! Stop messing around. Just let the team take you to surgery. I¡¯ve barely trained in surgical suturing¡ªit¡¯s not something I can handle! Besides, we¡¯re in Ruiyin¡¯s territory right now. If I start meddling in their work, that¡¯s basically asking for trouble."

    On top of that, Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t even qualified as a surgical doctor or an intern. Officially speaking, she was just a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner.

    For a TCM doctor to attemptplex procedures involving scalpels and sutures¡ªthat would be outrageous.

    Wang Han stubbornly shook his head. His grandfather had always emphasized not ignoring valuable advice. Bai Xiao¡¯s skills were indisputable, and as long as she was involved, his arm could surely be saved.

    "No way! Today, except for you, nobody else is touching this surgery!"

    Seeing the deadlock growing, Zhang Huan realized they couldn¡¯t keep causing a scene here¡ªthey had to act.

    "Let¡¯s head into the ER first. Everything else can be discussed afterward!"

    He leaned closer to Bai Xiao and whispered, as he had noticed: If Bai Xiao didn¡¯t move, Wang Han wouldn¡¯t budge either.

    Bai Xiao agreed, supporting Wang Han as they walked toward the emergency room. "Alright, let¡¯s go inside and talk things over."

    Her heart raced as she nced at his arm.

    Would he still have it by the end?

    "Alright, as long as you¡¯re with me, I¡¯ll go!" Wang Han finally rxed, finding his anchor amidst the chaos. When the ident happened, he had really thought this was the end for him.

    Who could predict a freak advertising billboard woulde crashing down, aiming at him directly? Luckily, his quick reflexes saved his life. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t just be his arm¡ªit would have been his entire body ttened, his head irreparable even by surgery.

    Upon spotting Bai Xiao, a surge of hope had overtaken him. He reminisced about the miraculous moment when he, hovering between life and death, was saved by her.

    At this moment, he had superstitiously convinced himself: Bai Xiao¡¯s presence here was no coincidence. Heaven itself had sent her to rescue him again¡ªthere was no other exnation for such perfect timing.

    For him, this was a lifeline he couldn¡¯t and wouldn¡¯t let go¡ªnot even in death.

 Chapter 938: Crying and begging to be someone elseâ€™s guinea pig.

    <h4>Chapter 938: Chapter 938: Crying and begging to be someone else¡¯s guinea pig.</h4><h4></h4>

    The lobby was almost empty.

    Many people were whispering to each other.

    "What was that Dr. Bai doing just now? Is she a new doctor at Ruiyin?"

    "No idea, couldn¡¯t figure it out!"

    "But didn¡¯t that doctor mention she isn¡¯t qualified to perform surgeries?"

    "Why should we care about that? It¡¯s not like we¡¯re in surgery anyway!"

    "Still, that guy¡¯s hand looked really gruesome¡ªcould it end up crippled?"

    "It¡¯s hard to say, isn¡¯t it?"

    Inside the emergency room, Dr. Xue didn¡¯t bother returning to his own operating theater. His injuries were far less severepared to that of the patient in front of him. As a specialist at Ruiyin, he naturally needed to prioritize resolving this issue. Also, he couldn¡¯t let Bai Xiao slip away now.

    This was a piece of prime meat he¡¯d worked hard to secure.

    Wang Han entered the emergency room. Several surgeons immediately got to work examining him¡ªgiven the severity of the injury, they had to quicklye up with a n.

    The results of the examination were dire.

    The tendons in his palm were almostpletely severed, with only a thin strand still intact. Surgery had to be performed as soon as possible. Even if the procedure were sessful, whether his hand could recover to its original condition afterward remained uncertain.

    Upon hearing that surgery was necessary, Wang Han immediately pointed at Bai Xiao: "If she performs the surgery, I¡¯ll do it. Otherwise, no one else is allowed to touch my hand."

    Everyone in the emergency room, whether nurses or doctors, turned to look at Bai Xiao. They had been curious about her earlier¡ªwhere on earth had this mysterious figuree from?

    Since when did patients start picking and choosing their surgeons?

    "Mr. Wang, your condition is very critical right now. If surgery isn¡¯t performed immediately, the future recovery of your hand might be extremely difficult. Moreover, our surgical department here at Ruiyin Hospital is the most renowned in all of Modu. If we¡¯re saying this case is challenging, no one else could pull off such a procedure. The sooner treatment begins, the better your chances for recovery," one of the doctors said, unable to hold back.

    Ruiyin¡¯s reputation was illustrious¡ªmany people couldn¡¯t even get on the waiting list. Now, a patient was insisting that some random passerby perform his surgery. Was this a global joke?

    If a hospital could just grab anyone and have them perform surgery, wouldn¡¯t hospitals cease to exist?

    At that point, doctors might even find themselves out of jobs.

    Wang Han sneered: "If it¡¯s not Dr. Bai, no one else is getting anywhere near me."

    This guy was downright stubborn.

    Dr. Xue stepped forward and approached Wang Han, smiling: "Mr. Wang, I¡¯m curious as to why you insist on having Dr. Bai perform the surgery. You do know that Dr. Bai is a doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine and not a surgeon. Furthermore, she doesn¡¯t hold qualifications as a surgeon. Asking her to operate on you carries a great deal of risk. Aren¡¯t you worried about potential long-term issues with your hand?"

    He was genuinely perplexed¡ªsomeone was not only acquainted with Bai Xiao but also stubbornly insisting on her.

    Wang Han nced defiantly at the surgeons in the emergency room: "I know Dr. Bai¡¯s medical skills very well. If even she can¡¯t do this, I wouldn¡¯t have any hope for anyone else either." Naturally, he wouldn¡¯t tell anyone that Bai Xiao could bring people back from the brink of death, let alone manage something as straightforward as stitching up a hand.

    This was a massive secret in his family.

    He wouldn¡¯t go spilling it to outsiders.

    "Dr. Bai, what do we do now?" Dr. Xue asked knowingly. Bai Xiao didn¡¯t have surgical qualifications¡ªor rather, she did have a practicing license, just not as a surgeon.

    She was still a TCM resident doctor, after all.

    Bai Xiao smiled faintly¡ªwhat could she do?

    She wasn¡¯t a surgeon, and if she dared step onto the operating table and recklessly perform the surgery, Ruiyin Hospital would bury her inwsuits.

    She wasn¡¯t about to hand such incriminating material to others on a silver tter.

    "Dr. Xue, this isn¡¯t a good idea. I¡¯m just a doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and besides, you know I don¡¯t have surgical qualifications. It wouldn¡¯t be proper for me to get involved in this," she replied with strategic deflection, throwing the problem back to him.

    Sly little fox!

    Dr. Xue chuckled inwardly¡ªdealing with Bai Xiao really was more of a headache than he anticipated.

    "Dr. Bai, my sister-inw, I¡¯m your brother¡ªare you really going to leave me hanging?" Wang Han couldn¡¯t believe Bai Xiao would abandon him!

    Bai Xiao rolled her eyes¡ªthis guy was like a useless teammate in a game.

    Dr. Xue smirked and said, "Dr. Bai! Let¡¯s step aside for a quick word."

    The two moved to a corner.

    "Dr. Bai, as you can see, the patient is being very stubborn. If we dy too long, even the best surgical technique wouldn¡¯t prevent long-termplications. Isn¡¯t there an old saying that saving a life surpasses building a seven-story pagoda? While that¡¯s Buddhist philosophy, as doctors, saving lives is innate to our duties¡ªour professional ethics.

    Here¡¯s what I propose: My apprentice will act as the lead surgeon¡ªat least nominally. You, on the other hand, can sign on as an assistant while taking charge of suturing the patient. If anything goes wrong, we¡¯ll all be there to guide you. I¡¯d personally serve as your supervising doctor. What do you think?" Dr. Xue seemed confident Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t reject the offer.

    This was such a rare opportunity. Normally, they wouldn¡¯t use patients for experimentation even if they had the inclination. The risk would be far too great¡ªwho could bear that kind of responsibility if something went wrong?

    No patient would willingly turn themselves into a guinea pig for someone else to practice on.

    But right now, there was just such a person before them: a man who,e hell or high water, insisted on having Dr. Bai perform his surgery. Even though Bai Xiao had exined she was a TCM doctor, he remained resolute. Such a willing test subject¡ªhow could they possibly turn down the opportunity?

    Perfect candidate!

    Dr. Xue had already made up his mind¡ªthis was the perfect chance to make Bai Xiao acknowledge him as her mentor.

    A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity like this couldn¡¯t be let go.

    Bai Xiao thought about it. If she could suture Wang Han¡¯s hand under the guise of being an assistant, it might indeed be a worthwhile chance.

    After all, surgical errors weren¡¯t a concept in her world.

    She nodded.

    Dr. Xue¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement.

    "Zhang Huan, prep the operating room and have the patient transferred there now," Dr. Xue ordered.

    Wang Han remained suspicious: "You¡¯re not fooling me, are you?"

    Bai Xiao rolled her eyes again¡ªhow paranoid could one person be?

    "No one¡¯s fooling you. Just head to the operating room and wait. We¡¯ll be there shortly," she reassured him.

    Her words finally put Wang Han at ease. Only now did he truly feel the searing pain in his hand.

    He started yelping and groaning in pain.

    Bai Xiao could only shake her head with exasperation.

    Zhang Huan arranged staff and led the group to Operating Room No. 1.

    "Boss, are we really letting this Dr. Bai perform the surgery? If anyone uses this as grounds to report us, things could get bad. Dr. Bai doesn¡¯t hold surgical qualifications, and this could severely impact our hospital¡¯s reputation," Zhang Huan reminded, thinking of his bid for the Dean position. He couldn¡¯t afford reckless decision-making.

    Dr. Xue chuckled: "Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯re still the lead surgeon, and I¡¯m the supervising doctor. Dr. Bai is merely acting as a third assistant. Besides, aren¡¯t you curious to see what level of skill Dr. Bai truly possesses? A patient is voluntarily throwing himself at us to be experimented on¡ªhow rare is that?"

    Zhang Huan kept quiet.

    Indeed!

    This was the first time they¡¯d encountered someone actively begging to y guinea pig.

 Chapter 939: Treatment of a Genius

    <h4>Chapter 939: Chapter 939: Treatment of a Genius</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao entered the changing room, changed her clothes, and disinfected herself before stepping into the operating room.

    It was her first time in such a state-of-the-art operating room, and her heart was still slightly tense.

    Wang Han, as the injury was on his arm, didn¡¯t require general anesthesia.

    The anesthesiologist had already administered local anesthesia.

    Zhang Huan and Dr. Xue were already in position nearby, while the nursing assistants stood on the sidelines waiting.

    They all wanted to see just how skilled this doctor Bai really was.

    Bai Xiao stood in front of the operating table.

    Wang Han saw Bai Xiao, fully masked and geared, and finally feltpletely at ease.

    "Now we¡¯ll proceed with tendon and vascr anastomosis in the hand. I¡¯m starting the procedure," Bai Xiao said, lowering her head and picking up the needle holder.

    Under the microscope, Wang Han¡¯s wound looked like a massive chasm, with the blood vessels inside clearly visible. The ruptured edges were starkly apparent, especially the torn gaps in the arm tendons, which were vividly clear.

    The assistants and nurses beside her watched Bai Xiao clumsily working and felt like coughing up blood internally!

    This was the so-called formidable Doctor Bai?

    She didn¡¯t seem any better than an intern.

    Her technique was so amateurish; wasn¡¯t she afraid of messing things up?

    The operating table is the main surgeon¡¯s domain, yet the one in charge now seemed far from reliable.

    Bai Xiao was performing debridement and suturing.

    Even though everything felt awkward and unfamiliar, once her special ability merged with the equipment in her hands, everything changed.

    It was as if this surgery was something she had done a thousand times before, her expertise so fluent that she instinctively knew each sessive step without having to think. Her hands seemed to move with their own consciousness, and even her brain was operating under some kind of autonomousmand.

    Bai Xiao, who had never practiced surgical operations, suddenly found herself executing each action effortlessly.

    Every movement of her hands felt so smooth, so natural.

    She didn¡¯t even notice her first assistant, who seemed to ce every instrument she needed in her hand as soon as she thought of it.

    If she had spared some attention to her assistant, she might have realized it was Dr. Xue himself serving as her first assistant.

    The entire operating room was already stunned into silence by this scene.

    Dr. Xue personally assisting as the first assistant.

    How many prayers had this Doctor Bai offered to reach this point?

    But Bai Xiao didn¡¯t notice any of this; her entire focus was now fully on Wang Han¡¯s arm.

    Aside from the tendons in the hand, theceration in the arm, though terrifying in appearance, posed no significant challenge once sutured.

    Thanks to Dr. Xue¡¯s coboration, Bai Xiao gained the opportunity for this solo operation, and her movements showed no deviation under the scrutiny of the crowd.

    Even Zhang Huan, who had always been dismissive, now watched Bai Xiao¡¯s every movement with rapt attention.

    He had merely thought of Bai Xiao as someone with talent.

    Butcking clinical experience, all talent would amount to nothing.

    Most interns dream of getting a chance to perform clinical procedures, yet Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t even an intern¡ªnot just inexperienced, butpletely uninitiated.

    Now she had entered an incredibly subtle state, with her mental focus, attention, and special ability all converged entirely on the task at hand.

    Some things don¡¯t require a thesis, don¡¯t need clinical practice, don¡¯t depend on abundant experience¡ªright now, she was achieving things so smoothly it seemed as natural as cooking a dish. Her special ability dominated all of it.

    Dr. Xue kept his eyes fixed on Bai Xiao¡¯s movements. The arm wound¡¯s suture wasn¡¯t as critical, but for the tendons in the hand, precision was paramount.

    If the suturing wasn¡¯t adequately handled, losing functional capabilities in the hand would be inevitable.

    For the patient¡¯s sake, Dr. Xue wasn¡¯t just idly observing¡ªhe was ready to intervene if needed.

    "You¡¯ll need the skin retractor for this," Dr. Xue reminded, handing over the instrument while still providing exnations.

    Everyone¡¯s jaws nearly dropped.

    Was this the infamously strict and harsh Dr. Xue?

    He seemed way too amodating!

    "The technique you¡¯re using for suturing¡ªwe¡¯ve never seen this method before. Who taught you?" Dr. Xue asked curiously, watching Bai Xiao¡¯s suturing technique, which seemed entirely self-invented.

    The tendon sutures aligned wlessly, were incredibly secure, and caused minimal damage to the surrounding tissue¡ªthis was evident to anyone watching.

    Although her method didn¡¯t correspond with any suturing techniques traditionally taught, the oue was exemry in every respect.

    There was simply nothing to criticize.

    "I created it myself!"

    Could Bai Xiao reveal that her special ability was at y?

    Her gaze remained fixed on the final stretch of Wang Han¡¯s hand sutures. Her movements were clean and swift, nearly as rapid as lightning.

    It felt as though this procedure was something she had performed thousands of times before, and she handled it with absoluteposure.

    Deeply conflicted, Zhang Huan couldn¡¯t help but shake his head inwardly.

    The vascr anastomosis waspleted effortlessly.

    Not a single nerve or vessel had been grazed.

    The sutured sites were handled impably.

    This level of precision was something only a seasoned surgeon could achieve.

    Even he, as the Head of Surgery, might not always reach such a high standard.

    "Bai Xiao, today I acted as your assisting doctor. From now on, I will always be your assisting doctor. The saying ¡¯One day as a teacher, a lifetime as a parent¡¯ applies here. Although you¡¯re not even in your internship yet, this case is exceptionally unique. The mistake wasn¡¯t just yours¡ªit was onemitted under my indulgence.

    Because of that, I bear significant responsibility for today¡¯s event. I¡¯ve risked my reputation here, and if it¡¯s discovered that you don¡¯t even have the qualifications of a surgeon yet we allowed you to perform the surgery, all the doctors and nurses involved will face the consequences."

    Bai Xiao nearly choked.

    Before the surgery began, that wasn¡¯t the agreement; now that she was tying off the final knot, Dr. Xue suddenly shifted gears. Wasn¡¯t this inly forcing her hand?

    The entire operating room¡¯s team could be implicated because of her.

    She felt the weight of immense guilt.

    "Dr. Xue, I¡¯d like to follow you and learn clinical knowledge in surgery."

    Bai Xiao decided to yield.

    After all, she truly was a novice in surgical clinics. Even though she relied on her special ability, having an excellent mentor guiding her through the field was crucial.

    This way, she could stand taller and see further.

    Her achievements would naturally begin at a higher starting point.

    Dr. Xue immediatelyughed, "Everyone, hear this¡ªDr. Bai is myst disciple and has been studying surgical clinical skills under me for quite some time. She just never had the opportunity to practice hands-on. Starting today, I¡¯ll be submitting an application for her to intern at Ruiyin."

    Zhang Huan watched Bai Xiao ce down the surgical instruments. After such intensive work, this outsider managed to execute everything with such precision and grace. For the first time, Zhang Huan felt a pang of shame.

    This neer was his junior apprentice.

    She truly was a genius.

 Chapter 940: Consultation

    <h4>Chapter 940: Chapter 940: Consultation</h4><h4></h4>

    Wang Han has been sent to the reserved emergency room, given his special condition, Zhang Huan is required to monitor him 24 hours a day! Report the patient¡¯s condition at any time.

    Everyone wants to know the recovery status in theter stages.

    No matter how well the surgery is done, the recovery of the patient¡¯s hand is more important.

    Even if the surgery is crooked, as long as the hand recovers with agility, who dares to say anything?

    Now Bai Xiao is bearing the aura of Dr. Xue¡¯s close disciple and the junior sister of Director Zhang, and it was Bai Xiao who personally handled the hand suturing for Dr. Xue this time.

    Doing two suturing surgeries in one day is still quite exhausting for her.

    However, because of the previous experience with Wang Han, this time Dr. Xue¡¯s case was just an appetizer, not even half as strenuous as Wang Han¡¯s.

    Dr. Xue looked extremely satisfied at this.

    After finishing the surgery, Bai Xiao wiped her sweat, "Teacher, I¡¯m heading back now."

    She felt a bit ashamed; she had a special ability, so she was confident, but she didn¡¯t know where Dr. Xue¡¯s confidence in her came from, daring to let her do the surgery with a group of assistants. Wasn¡¯t he afraid of jeopardizing lives?

    Dr. Xue shook his head, "Don¡¯t go back. I¡¯ve already decided, I¡¯ll call Vice President Zhao for you. Starting tomorrow, you¡¯ll intern in Ruiyin Hospital¡¯s Surgery Department. Why go back and forth, such a hassle! Zhang Huan, as the senior brother, make sure to look after your junior sister. Arrange for her to intern with Director Feng in Surgery; although Feng Yidao isn¡¯t as good as you, he excels in handlingrge volumes of work and has far more practical experience than you."

    This cannot let someone leave.

    Bai Xiao frowned.

    Teacher, are you sure this is how you teach students?

    She nced at Zhang Huan, the senior brother; was he also taught by the teacher in this way?

    How many people lost their lives here?

    "Teacher, it¡¯s not yet internship time at our school. I still probably have about half a year before I can start my internship."

    This is about keeping people.

    Teacher, teacher, can you please not use this tight surveince tactic?

    Aren¡¯t you afraid of scaring people away?

    Dr. Xue suddenly remembered he can¡¯t just dictate everything.

    "Haha, I forgot. Let¡¯s do this: in two months, the internship allocation will start. Until then, on days you don¡¯t have sses,e to your senior brother here and treat it as visiting to learn from experience." He really did forget.

    Bai Xiao finally took her leave.

    Zhang Huan personally saw her out and arranged for a car to take Bai Xiao back to school.

    Having witnessed Bai Xiao¡¯s medical skills, he couldn¡¯t help but feel admiration for her. This young girl is just starting out and who knows how talented she will be in the future.

    This industry has no end to learning, and they are both rivals and coborative partners. From now on, their fellowship might be advantageous for Bai Xiao to secure a position in Ruiyin. Such talent, not just Dr. Xue, even the Dean of Ruiyin wouldn¡¯t let go of it.

    They will be colleagues and strong support for each other.

    After all, there is no conflict between Bai Xiao and him now. With age and experience at y, it¡¯s impossible for Bai Xiao to achieve sudden fame even if she wanted to.

    There is no conflict of interest with Zhang Huan himself, and him taking the position of Dean this year is a certainty. Even if Bai Xiao joins Ruiyin this year, she¡¯s just an intern, and a genius isn¡¯t formed overnight.

    If during his tenure, Bai Xiao could be cultivated under his guidance, it would only be beneficial for him, with no downside at all, so why not give some care and support?

    The most valuable asset in the hospital is the doctors, especially those who might rise suddenly to great heights.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s value depends on that patient¡¯s recovery status. If she passes this hurdle, her internship status, and even her future standing in surgery, would be founded on a solid base.

    Adding to that, the reputation of having Dr. Xue as her teacher.

    Even though Bai Xiao is also an intern doctor, her starting point might be different from others once she steps into the door.

    The hospital is also a circle, and it¡¯s not easy to mix within it. Interns with low starting points, resident doctors without achievements, might find it difficult to make a name for themselves here. Staying at Ruiyin requires background, personal qualifications, andcking any of these means you probably won¡¯t achieve much in this circle. The entry barrier can already stop you.

    Meanwhile, after Bai Xiao left, Dr. Xue hardly rested, too exhrated to contain his excitement, proving him right for once, a real talent.

    Dr. Xue couldn¡¯t yet believe that this girl had such arge room for improvement; it¡¯s incredible.

    There are geniuses in this world, but Dr. Xue had never seen one like her. Among his disciples, there are some with rare qualities and a few with extraordinary talent, like Zhang Huan, who was born for the task, made for this career.

    But Bai Xiao is different; she¡¯s so young and originally studied Traditional Chinese Medicine, with its family heritage, without systematic education. Given this, even learning some Traditional Chinese Medicine would take effort, let alone such a substantial shift to learning surgery, which requires more than just bravery.

    Moreover, she self-studied sessfully.

    Such a student is rare. Dr. Xue was utterly enchanted by it himself.

    As soon as Zhang Huan returned, he went to the teacher¡¯s office. Although Dr. Xue is not at the rank of Dean or Vice Dean, there probably aren¡¯t many national-level surgeons either.

    Inparison, even the Dean must show deference when meeting Dr. Xue.

    This is power.

    "Zhang Huan, immediately organize a consultation with several chief surgeons to see the results," Dr. Xue couldn¡¯t wait. The surgery seems sessful; the moment of validation is most important. He didn¡¯t let Bai Xiao present because he worried the fluctuating results might affect her emotional state.

    Dr. Xue truly cares for his apprentice.

    Zhang Huan grabbed the phone and called several chief surgeons.

    Supporting Dr. Xue, the two headed straight to the ward.

    Outside the ward, they encountered several chief surgeons hurrying over, and they hastily greeted Dr. Xue, "Dr. Xue, you¡¯re here!"

    "Come,e, you¡¯re just in time, let¡¯s go in and take a look," Dr. Xue wasted no time and went straight to the point.

    This was a gathering of their hospital¡¯s top surgeons.

    In the emergency room ward, originally Wang Han should have been transferred to another department for treatment. Wang Han wasn¡¯t the type of patient the departments wanted to avoid like those with chronic elderly diseases or terminal cancer. The issue was that this time, the emergency department dyed the transfer on purpose, all because Dr. Xue and Zhang Huan had given a strict order here.

    They arrived at Wang Han¡¯s bedside.

    He had already taken a nap. Whether the surgery was sessful or not was not a question for Wang Han; nobody doubts Bai Xiao¡¯s skills except the beneficiary himself knows best.

    So, at ease in body and mind, he opened his eyes after a nap.

 Chapter 941: Expert Consultation

    <h4>Chapter 941: Chapter 941: Expert Consultation</h4><h4></h4>

    Upon opening his eyes, he was startled to find himself surrounded by a group of doctors in white coats.

    "What are you all trying to do?"

    Judging by their aggressive demeanor, Bai Xiao must have made no mistake. What could these people possibly want?

    Wang Han¡¯s hospital bed waspletely encircled.

    Present were Dr. Xue, Zhang Huan, and several top Directors specializing in Surgery. Nearly all the big names were here, with the ER nurses and doctors standing aside, awaiting an opportunity to lend a hand or show their faces¡ªwho knows, opportunities mighte forthter.

    At the very least, it was a chance to be familiar faces.

    Of course, the doctors who hade out of the operating room were still present. They understood Dr. Xue¡¯s intention: to validate whether the surgery Bai Xiao conducted earlier had been sessful.

    All eyes were wide open. These were Dr. Xue¡¯s talented disciples.

    Before leaving, Dr. Xue had personally warned them sternly: anyone who made baselessments was going to face the consequences of criticizing his prized pupil, Bai Xiao.

    Zhang Huan gave a detailed exnation of the case and concluded with a simple summary: the procedure involved a tendon repair of the right hand. For seasoned practitioners at this hospital, such a repair was trivial, barely qualifying as surgery. Everyone assumed Zhang Huan had performed it.

    After all, Zhang Huan was the one presenting the case. With such high-tier resources for a lowplexity surgery, no one dared question the hospital¡¯s prime choice of surgeon¡ªcould there even be doubts over such a procedure?

    The Directors understood clearly: they were invited here to evaluate the suturing.

    The Directors began performing hand function assessments and tests. Since the patient had just undergone surgery, the movements were expected to remain minimal.

    One Director gently manipted Wang Han¡¯s fingers, performing simple passive movements. Several nodded repeatedly¡ªthe patient was achieving decent results.

    Dr. Xue stared intently as the Directors instructed Wang Han to actively move his fingers, demonstrating each finger¡¯s motion one by one. Despite being groggy, Wang Han tried his utmost to cooperate.

    Each faint movement was in ordance with their directions, though his fingers were swollen to resemble loaves of bread.

    Bai Xiao had only used a fraction of his special ability, avoiding aplete recovery¡ªfor if that happened, it would outright defy natural limits. But even now, it was enough to astonish people.

    "His fingers can actually form a fist! Although the motion is faint, it¡¯s likely the best result achievable post-tendon repair. Sir, for the next couple of days, refrain from performing this action too frequently; tendon recovery requires caution and patience," the Directors advised with cheerful smiles. Zhang Huan¡¯s handiwork on such a minor procedure was deemed an understatement of his skills.

    No one found anything to criticize.

    When testing the precision of finger pinching,teral pinching, and a few other movements, the results grew increasingly surprising.

    Everyone understood the typicalplications and residual effects associated with tendon suturing. "Dr. Xue, Director Zhang, this was an excellent surgery! Though the hand hasn¡¯t fully recovered yet, the immediate post-op results already show promise. The patient performed the movements without strain, demonstrating outstanding early phase activity¡ªfar surpassing average results and showing vibrant voluntary capability.

    This validates the remarkable sess of this operation. Final recovery will depend on how rehabilitation progresses, but based on current observation, recovery of 80%-90% hand function is highly probable," stated the Directors.

    The surrounding doctors and nurses became momentarily speechless.

    What were they hoping for? To hear this operation had ws,cked perfection, or even might have failed?

    They knew wanting that critique was akin to pping the hospital¡¯s reputation in the face.

    But this oue felt even worse¡ªa mere entry-level surgical practitioner had outperformed the hospital¡¯s seasoned doctors, rendering the years of their careership seemingly futile.

    These Directors and specialists were advanced in age, elite heads of their respective departments. After all, great doctors emerge through years of meticulous cultivation; brilliance isn¡¯t achieved overnight.

    Thus, these experts were all over fifty, their seniority lending assurance to patients not only in skill but also in credibility.

    "Dr. Xue, Director Zhang truly lives up to being your senior-most disciple. Zhang has always been known as this hospital¡¯s ¡¯Golden Scalpel.¡¯ And yet, you¡¯ve made use here to evaluate his surgery¡ªisn¡¯t that undermining Director Zhang¡¯s prestige?" said the experts, clearly seniors to Zhang Huan and contemporaries of Dr. Xue, speaking with familial warmth. Among them were several national award recipients with honorary benefits.

    Though their positions didn¡¯t surpass Zhang Huan¡¯s, their experience and privileges certainly matched his.

    Dr. Xue couldn¡¯t hide his smug grin. "I know exactly who Zhang Huan is. But to be clear, this surgery wasn¡¯t performed by him. Don¡¯t shower him in undue praise, because even at his best efforts, this is as good as it gets."

    The Directors paused in surprise. Someone had already pieced it together: given Dr. Xue¡¯s penchant for protecting his disciples, bringing them here was partly for validation and partly for boasting. Surely, this surgery had been conducted by another one of Dr. Xue¡¯s prot¨¦g¨¦s.

    If their guesses were correct, it must be a neer¡ªsomeone recently entering the field. If it were an elder disciple, they¡¯d likely already know the name and reputation; there¡¯d be no need for evaluation.

    "Dr. Xue, is this one of your newly recruited disciples? You old fox keep quietly hoarding talented individuals under your wing, depleting our ranks while we struggle to find sessors. You¡¯ve gotten used to hogging promising students, leaving us empty-handed!" Expert Alpha chided.

    "Expecting him to care about us is wishful thinking. This sly devil¡ªyou see the caliber of students under his guidance? Practically the cream of the crop from every Medical College. Meanwhile, the scraps left behind for us couldn¡¯t even boost our reputations. Why isn¡¯t our prestige as high as his? Well, it¡¯s obvious¡ªit¡¯s because his disciples are leagues ahead of ours," Expert Betained, revealing their umted grievances against Dr. Xue.

    "Out with it already. Stop keeping us in suspense¡ªwho¡¯ve you snatched up from Medical College this time? Looks like they¡¯re truly exceptional. The suturing method doesn¡¯t align with conventional techniques, but the oues clearly surpass typical surgical results.

    Based on the patient¡¯s current progress, full hand function recovery isn¡¯t out of the question. However, I¡¯ve reviewed thetest batch of Med School students and didn¡¯t find any astounding prodigies," Expert Gamma mused.

    Dr. Xue chuckled with satisfaction; refusing to downy his achievements was simply in his nature.

    He had lived a lifetime of unting excellence, reveling in being at the pinnacle of attention.

    And at his age, it was unlikely he¡¯d change. Besides, why would a medical authority at his level need to?

    "I recently took in a final disciple¡ªa Medical University postgraduate trainee named Bai Xiao. Today¡¯s surgery was performed by Bai Xiao," Dr. Xue announced, proud to spotlight his pupil¡¯s aplishments.

    Everyone was taken aback.

    A Medical University trainee¡ªthis was entirely unexpected.

 Chapter 942: Outright Showing Off

    <h4>Chapter 942: Chapter 942: Outright Showing Off</h4><h4></h4>

    "Since she¡¯s your master¡¯sst disciple, shouldn¡¯t she be invited out to meet us uncles and elders? She must be interning at Ruiyin now, right? It¡¯s quite disrespectful to us elders not to even say hello!" Several experts weren¡¯t targeting Bai Xiao; they were just voicing their displeasure because they felt Dr. Xue had snagged another genius student.

    "It¡¯s not that she doesn¡¯t want to see you all. She isn¡¯t interning at Ruiyin yet and won¡¯t start for another two months. If she meets you now, she might get scared. Rest assured, when she starts her internship at Ruiyin, I¡¯ll have her properly pay her respects to all you uncles and elders," Dr. Xue personally defended his disciple.

    The experts¡¯ expressions changed.

    Even though Dr. Xue protected his students, he had never been so protective, not even of someone as talented as Zhang Huan. It wasn¡¯t so much about shielding his disciple as it was about fearing that these old folks might lure the student away.

    They realized they were the ones being guarded against.

    "That¡¯s odd. I haven¡¯t heard of any particrly outstanding talent among the Medical College interns this year. I¡¯ve been around various Medical Colleges, and while there are some promising ones in surgical clinics, very few can independently perform tendon suturing without having started their internships."

    Expert B sensed something was amiss.

    "Dr. Xue,e clean. What¡¯s really going on here? I feel like you¡¯re hiding something," he said.

    "There¡¯s nothing to hide. I just wanted you to assess this surgery because Bai Xiao is young andcks practical experience. It¡¯s her first tendon suturing operation, so of course I want the best experts in this professional field to evaluate it," Dr. Xue replied.

    Young and inexperienced.

    Zhang Huan felt like crying.

    Teacher, must you hit us so hard?

    He felt like he¡¯d wasted his forty-plus years of life.

    "Stop hiding it ande clean already. At your age, acting like you¡¯re hiding treasure. Besides, with your reputation, who would look past you? Everyone¡¯s crying and moring to be your student, Dr. Xue," the experts were frustrated with Dr. Xue¡¯s half-hearted revtions.

    "The student is already yours, so just spill it," one urged.

    "There¡¯s no hiding. You don¡¯t know how much effort it took to get Bai Xiao to ept me as her mentor. Do you think any student would willingly be my disciple? I actually encountered someone who didn¡¯t want me as a mentor.

    Bai Xiao studies Traditional Chinese Medicine and is quite proficient in acupuncture. If I haven¡¯t misjudged, her expertise in acupuncture might have already reached the level of a national master, though in surgery she¡¯s still quite new. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll improve over time," Dr. Xue exined.

    "What? Dr. Xue, you¡¯re joking. You¡¯re a surgery professor and you¡¯re mentoring a Traditional Chinese Medicine student? Such nonsense! You can¡¯t possibly mean that just by inserting a few acupuncture needles, a Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor can perform surgery, right?" Professor C was rmed. They had never heard of top surgical expert Dr. Xue taking on a Traditional Chinese Medicine student.

    "Let Dr. Xue exin slowly, what¡¯s the hurry? Isn¡¯t a Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor still a doctor? If they caught Dr. Xue¡¯s attention, it proves the kid¡¯s really amazing," another expert said.

    "Dr. Xue, hurry up and exin what¡¯s happening here. Why keep us in suspense?"

    Dr. Xue calmly recounted his various encounters with Bai Xiao to them.

    When he finished, there was a deathly silence in the office.

    The experts had only one thought.

    Dr. Xue is a beast.

    To be able to spot such talent.

    Discovering a surgical expert among Traditional Chinese Medicine interns, the most astonishing part was realizing that someone trained in Traditional Chinese Medicine with just a month of study could perform tendon suturing surgery. They, having spent years in surgery, felt utterly embarrassed.

    Dr. Xue¡¯s discovery was like a p to the face for all the surgical doctors.

    Damn, where did this prodigye from?

    To be able to perform tendon suturing with zero surgical experience in a little over a month.

    Realizing this, they felt their own students might as well give up.

    Compared to this student¡¯s skills, their students seemed insignificant.

    How are we supposed topete?

    Dr. Xue, even among old-school surgeons, was already far ahead. Although they had hoped the students might surpass the master, they realized this life had held value, the apprentice surpassing the master was no disgrace.

    At least they could train their own excellent students, as the chiefs¡¯ students were all outstanding in their own right.

    Even if not in Ruiyin, they were top-notch surgeons in major hospitals.

    Even Zhang Huan thought his students were a match.

    There was stillpetitive spirit.

    But now, a prodigious teacher had produced a monstrous student.

    A student who could perform tendon suturing so sessfully within a month. Even for them, after so many years of surgery, they couldn¡¯t guarantee a better oue.

    Though tendon suturing in surgery might not seem significantpared to cardiovascr or brain surgery, simple enough for any surgeon to perform.

    But who would dare say they could match this level after just a month¡¯s surgical study?

    Not even Dr. Xue himself could match that feat.

    What a prodigy!

    Dr. Xue¡¯s face blossomed with a smile, causing the surrounding experts to want to punch him.

    Not unting? What is this then?

    Clearly making people envious to the core.

    All the senior experts thought that they should make more visits to the Medical University.

    Who knows, they might find such a student for themselves.

    Like kids, the several chiefs promptly left Dr. Xue behind.

    They understood now, this wasn¡¯t a consultation.

    This was showing off and intimidating them.

    Dr. Xue was delighted and content.

    He felt so refreshed.

    Even the wound on his hand didn¡¯t seem to hurt much.

    Life was beautiful, having such a student made all his years worthwhile.

    "Zhang Huan, make sure you take special care of Bai Xiao. She has great potential and might develop across a broad range of fields. There¡¯s truly a chance she could realize the integration of Chinese and Western medicine. Don¡¯t worry, she won¡¯t overshadow you; rather, she might be your strongest asset," Dr. Xue advised.

    He feared his students might not understand; envy and intrigue could lead to the downfall of a genius.

    He absolutely didn¡¯t want maliciouspetition among his students.

    "Teacher, rest assured, I will take good care of my junior sister, Bai Xiao," Zhang Huan had realized this long before Dr. Xue did.

 Chapter 943: The Correct Way to Cheat

    <h4>Chapter 943: Chapter 943: The Correct Way to Cheat</h4><h4></h4>

    Yu Shaoyan had just returned to his office after a meeting. Work had been particrly busytely because preparations for the application to host the International Medical Exchange Support Association were underway. For their country, this was a crucial opportunity to establish significant influence abroad¡ªand this time, sess was imperative.

    So, the arrival of these two evaluation experts had be the current top priority.

    Especially since Modu was ying a critical role in the application assessment process, impressing the experts sufficiently to pass was vital.

    Rumor had it that thepetition was already being prepared.

    Smith and Mike were busy crafting the test questions.

    No one would know what curveballs these foreign experts might throw until thepetition began.

    Over the years, test questions from previous applying countries had already been prepared by the colleges. This time, they were just waiting for the initial tests to end so they could show them to the students, borrowing insights from other nations.

    The preliminary roundsted one day, eliminating eight hundred candidates outright. Only two hundred made it to the second round, where they would face another assessment before advancing to the final stage.

    Bai Xiao stared nkly at the prospect of the second round¡ªshe knew there was no chance she¡¯d make it through.

    The first segment was a written test.

    Whether for Internal Medicine, Surgery, or Traditional Chinese Medicine, there was a single exam paper.

    Bai Xiao could read the questions perfectly well, but she didn¡¯t recognize any of them.

    She had essentially coasted into Medical College; while she could barely manage questions on Traditional Chinese Medicine, thanks to spending the better part of the past year immersed in library studies and TCM texts, she had a foundation at least. Coupled with the knowledge she¡¯d umted in her previous life, she scraped by.

    However,pared to actual TCM students, she was trying to learn in one year what others mastered in four or five years. Even her former status as a star student meant nothing; in terms of Surgery, it was as though she were fumbling in the dark. Despite watching countless practice videos, her theoretical understanding was nonexistent.

    Even ast-minute cram session wouldn¡¯t do her any favors.

    Sitting in the ssroom, Bai Xiao noted that the proctors were anything but lenient. This wasn¡¯t a matter of petty personal interests¡ªit was a matter of national prestige. Who would joke around when their country¡¯s reputation was at stake? The proctors were Medical University¡¯s strictest and most old-fashioned teachers, leaving no room for shortcuts, cheating, or connections.

    Looking at the exam paper before her, Bai Xiao found herself at a loss. Having signed up for the Traditional Chinese Medicine department, the paper naturally focused on all the foundational knowledge of TCM.

    But staring at the near-empty exam paper in front of her, Bai Xiao knew¡ªeven the passing proctor nced down and sighed in disappointment.

    Others were writing furiously, while Bai Xiao simply sat there, lost and bewildered.

    It was obvious that she was going to hand in a nk sheet.

    A headache began to throb in Bai Xiao¡¯s head.

    In her previous life, she had been a good student¡ªa top performer, despite not attending university, due to her diligence and hard work.

    Now, even she couldn¡¯t help feeling ashamed and humiliated.

    She stared at the paper, fretting.

    What could she do?

    While she hadn¡¯t nned on making it to the finals, she didn¡¯t want to embarrass herself either.

    As a doctor at the Medical University, Bai Xiao was at least somewhat respected. She couldn¡¯t just disgrace herself here. Her colleague He Juan was also taking this exam; He Juan might not necessarily surpass Bai Xiao in medical skills, but He Juan had studied diligently for four years. A poor score would feel like a p to Bai Xiao¡¯s name.

    Gazing at the paper in a daze, Bai Xiao suddenly had a whimsical thought¡ªif only the exam paper were a patient. She could use her special ability to sweep across it and have all the answers pop up instantly. Wouldn¡¯t that be amazing?

    Wait!

    Bai Xiao remembered the shooting range incident.

    If her ability could alter the trajectory of bullets, what about the exam paper?

    Feeling like a criminal, she nced around nervously, locking eyes with the proctor¡¯s razor-sharp gaze. She obediently lowered her head, pretending to focus on the exam paper.

    No need to overthink¡ªit was clear the teacher suspected she was the most likely to cheat today.

    Also, seriously? She was surrounded by Internal Medicine and Surgery students. Even if she wanted to cheat, would she copy off them? That would just make her aughingstock!

    Clutching the exam paper in one hand and a pen in the other, Bai Xiao subtly activated her special ability.

    Soon, Bai Xiao noticed that her pen took on an almost sentient quality.

    The nk spaces on the exam paper seemed to glow faintly with the answers, guiding her every stroke as if inspired.

    Half an hourter, Bai Xiao stretched and stood up.

    "What are you doing? Sit down!"

    The proctor erupted, having been watching her closely for some time.

    Trying to cheat? Dream on!

    Bai Xiao froze in embarrassment as heads turned toward her¡ªmany recognized her.

    "Teacher! I¡¯m submitting my paper!"

    The proctor scoffed coldly.

    After struggling to answer even a few questions, she decided to hand in the paper? Might as well admit she was here just to nap.

    "Submit your paper and leave the exam room immediately. Don¡¯t speak to anyone else!" The proctor sighed helplessly¡ªa beautiful young woman with no real skill¡ªhow disappointing society had be.

    Bai Xiao handed the paper to the proctor and slunk out under the gaze of the entire ssroom.

    The answers weren¡¯t hers¡ªthey were the product of high-level cheating, pure and simple.

    Bai Xiao felt no sense of pride. Under normal circumstances, she would have never resorted to such measures. Who would have guessed her special ability could function as such an effective cheating tool?

    Clearly, she needed to put in serious effort moving forward. Cheating with supernatural powers would never truly be an aplishment.

    But as she thought about her ability, Bai Xiao realized just how incredible it was.

    Her previous self had utterly squandered this gift.

    Her failures were simplymentable.

    She never imagined that her ability could be used like this¡ªthis method of application was honestly astonishing.

    It seemed she still had much to learn. Perhaps her ability could transform in countless ways¡ªshe now wondered if she should explore unconventional ways of using it to maximize its potential.

    Bai Xiao returned home, deep in thought.

    Watching the visibly disheartened Bai Xiao leave, the proctor¡¯s gaze was tinged with contempt. A cker daring to look for loopholes¡ªwho didn¡¯t know that participating in thispetition meant securing glory for the country? Thepetitors would inevitably reap huge benefits¡ªwhether in internships, graduate studies, or faculty positions, their paths would open wide.

    But to think anyone could take advantage without effort¡ªwhat a joke.

    Picking up Bai Xiao¡¯s paper, expecting nk spaces, the proctor found every section filled out.

    The proctor, who held a graduate degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine from an esteemed lineage, began inspecting the answers, which ranged from dismissive to increasingly intrigued¡ªuntil, finally, his expression turned jubnt.

    mming the desk in excitement, he shouted, "Excellent!"

    The entire ssroom jumped in rm.

    What had gotten into the proctor?

    Had he lost his mind?

    Noting the students¡¯ stares, the proctor apologized, saying, "Forgive me, students. I was overwhelmed by the brilliance of a particr exam paper and lost myposure. My apologies."

    Curiosity ran high among the students¡ªwhat had Bai Xiao done to leave the proctor so visibly impressed?

 Chapter 944: A Lion?

    <h4>Chapter 944: Chapter 944: A Lion?</h4><h4></h4>

    The list of finalists was posted the next day. Bai Xiao looked at her name and spected what Smith and Mike might be plotting.

    Both were specialists in Surgery and Internal Medicine, with no connection to Traditional Chinese Medicine. Her participation in thepetition probably just made up the numbers.

    However, because of her special ability, she had recently developed a strong interest in Surgery. She genuinely wanted to explore this field, and participating in thepetition was a way to gain insight. Bai Xiao was preparing for thepetition earnestly and decided to treat herself to a hearty meal, nourishing herself and waiting for the final on the third day.

    Their school was thepetition venue, and students from the four Medical Universities in Modu had all arrived. On the day of thepetition, the area outside the Medical University gate was a bustling scene.

    Minivans transported the participants one after another. Along the campus¡¯s tree-lined avenue, several vehicles from external colleges lined up in single file.

    Each team had five participants, adding five from the Medical University, making twenty finalists. Until now, no one knew what today¡¯spetition theme would be.

    Traditionally, Smith and Mike had distinct preferences.

    One was a surgical suturing contest¡ªsuturing small animals or pig trotters to demonstrate technique and timing. It seemed simple, but the real challenge was in the precision and speed. Smith excelled in these types ofpetitions, showcasing the country¡¯s medical talent and techniques.

    The other was diagnostic reasoning¡ªwhere a pre-scheduled patient with a rare orplex condition would be presented. A full-range examination followed by a treatment n was required. This was Mike¡¯s specialty, emphasizing a student¡¯sprehensive ability, coboration, andmunication skills. It¡¯s crucial to remember no one could determine the patient¡¯s disorder beforehand; cooperation among the medical team was paramount.

    And then there were the endless variations of written tests, depending entirely on Smith and Mike¡¯s moods.

    Anxiety filled the air.

    Bai Xiao was calmly eating breakfast in the cafeteria. Steamed buns, soy milk, and a tea egg.

    He Juan and Lin Xiang sat across from her, both donning identical expressions. They had seenid-back people, but never anyone asposed as her.

    Ma Yao was busy helping wee the external college students.

    With only half an hour until thepetition started, Bai Xiao was still managing to eat.

    Since entering the finals, He Juan had been anxious to the point of sleeplessness. Bai Xiao, by contrast, seemed to relish every bite.

    "Bai-doctor! You¡¯re so nonchnt about this!"

    Lin Xiang looked at this shameless foodie in disbelief¡ªwith nerves so frayed her appetite was gone¡ªwhile Bai Xiao ate cheerily. It was undeniable; Bai Xiao deserved the title of her "Bai-doctor." Lin Xiang had been in awe ever since learning that Bai Xiao, in addition to studying Traditional Chinese Medicine, was now diving into Clinical Surgery. She couldn¡¯t help but admire her wholeheartedly.

    The Medical College wasn¡¯t a ce where graduation came easy. Mastering even one discipline was an insurmountable challenge. Pursuing interdisciplinary studies? A feat that could turn one person into two. The respect was inevitable.

    Bai Xiao, as a postgraduate, had less timepared to them. Exams didn¡¯t spare her either, with no leniency in scoring. Bai Xiao had to pass every subject¡¯s exams with qualifying marks before embarking on her internship. There was no room forxity.

    This wasn¡¯t child¡¯s y¡ªwithout solid knowledge and preparation, achieving those results was utterly impossible. Not even deceit or trickery could help one cross the line.

    Here, even if you bribed professors or sweet-talked your mentors tirelessly, a one-mark deficit was a deficit¡ªyou wouldn¡¯t graduate. The number of students retaking courses was substantial.

    The standard was to begin internships after four years, which was typical. Others might require five years before qualifying for internships, reflecting lower aptitude orziness, and at worst, any student left stagnating for six years would be expelled.

    No school was going to let someone study forever within its walls.

    Bai Xiao, byparison, wasn¡¯t just normal¡ªshe was a prodigy.

    In merely two months, internship assignments would be made. These two months were dense with exams. For most students, it meantpleting one subject after another before each exam. Bai Xiao¡¯ste entrance, unfortunately, didn¡¯t allow for such pacing. In these two months, she would need to sit for dozens of exams. Just imagining it made Lin Xiang and the others worried for her.

    "It¡¯ll be over soon. Besides, skipping breakfast isn¡¯t good for your health. What if I get low blood sugar during thepetition and lose focus?" Bai Xiao said casually.

    Suddenly, chaos erupted outside the cafeteria.

    "Something¡¯s wrong! Something¡¯s wrong! The zoo lions have escaped! They¡¯re already on campus!" A student rushed in, sweating heavily, fear all over his face.

    He hade to the cafeteria seeking refuge.

    "Impossible! How can you say something like that? Lions are locked up in cages, watched by handlers. How could they escape?" The cafeteria students were skeptical.

    It was unheard of for the zoo tomit such a blunder. These were lions¡ªferocious beasts. The zoo¡¯s security was critical; releasing predators like these would threaten not only this school but the surrounding schools and neighborhoods.

    Two adult lions loose? Against weaponless humans? It would be a one-sided massacre.

    "It¡¯s true! The lions have already entered through the South Gate. A security guard at the office has been bitten!"

    Suddenly, more students flooded the cafeteria.

    Retreating to the dormitories was risky; the path passed near the South Gate, an open area with clear visibility. Anyone caught would either be dead or gravely injured.

    The South Cafeteria, on the contrary, became a temporary sanctuary.

    Bai Xiao froze in shock.

    Lions?

    "What¡¯s happening outside now?"

    "The lions were supposedly gifted to us by a foreign country. The situation is out of control. The police have been notified, but they haven¡¯t arrived yet. As I came, I heard they¡¯ve already injured more than a dozen people. Worse still, they¡¯re heading toward where thepetition participants are. That¡¯s where students from all four Medical Universities are gathered."

    "What do we do now? If this continues, the casualties will be devastating."

    "What can we do? We¡¯re students¡ªall unarmed. Facing lions head-on would only result in injuries and death. Saving others? That¡¯s impossible."

    "But we can¡¯t just let people die out there. Those are lives at stake!"

    "If you want to save them, go outside yourself! We¡¯re no match for lions."

    Bai Xiao frowned. Lions?

    The situation outside was dire. For the lions, it wasn¡¯t merely about hunting food anymore¡ªit had turned into a killing spree.

    Once students at thepetition site were attacked, that location was only a few steps away from the cafeteria. Their next target would undoubtedly be the cafeteria.

    Don¡¯t be fooled by the cafeteria¡¯srge doors and high walls.

    Those doors were ss.

    Two fully grown lions could break in easily.

    Instead of waiting here to die, it would be better to think of a way to capture the lions.

    Especially after hearing that more than a dozen were already injured. Ma Yao was stationed there to greet the external college students. Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t sit still; she suddenly stood up.

 Chapter 945: Confrontation

    <h4>Chapter 945: Chapter 945: Confrontation</h4><h4></h4>

    "Bai Xiao, where are you going?"

    He Juan and Lin Xiang had no idea why Bai Xiao suddenly picked up her lunchbox, rinsed it under the water pipe, and then walked out the door with it.

    "I¡¯m going to save someone. Ma Yao is still over there receiving students from other colleges." As she spoke, she really did run out the door.

    The students watched Bai Xiao dash out, and the sound of murmured discussions rose.

    "Is she crazy? There are lions outside, and she¡¯s running out to save someone."

    "Is she saving people, or feeding herself to the lions?"

    "Come on, this is Bai Xiao, the famous doctor of our school. I really want to see how Dr. Bai ns to save everyone."

    "You want to watch? She¡¯s just a girl, and she¡¯s running out there. Look at you, a big, burly guy hiding in the cafeteria and spectating."

    "So what if I¡¯m big and burly? Even a man going out can¡¯t take on a lion. If you¡¯re not scared, as a man, why don¡¯t you follow Dr. Bai out there?"

    "Fine, I¡¯ll go out. What¡¯s the big deal? Dr. Bai, a girl, can do it. I believe strengthes in numbers¡ªif we can¡¯t kill the lions, at least we can scare them off together."

    As he spoke, a boy picked up his lunchbox and followed Lin Xiang and He Juan out.

    His two close male friends had no choice but to grab their own lunchboxes and follow behind as well.

    Everyone¡¯s mind had the same thought: aren¡¯t they just the perfect troublemaker pals?

    The burly guy who had been talking earlier blushed immediately.

    He hadn¡¯t meant any harm, he was just caught up in the conversation, but he hadn¡¯t expected others to actually follow through, and now he felt ufortable.

    After all, he was just as much a man.

    In this moment alone, he felt he¡¯d lost face.

    Under the scrutinizing gazes of those around him, he gritted his teeth, picked up a wooden bench from the floor, shoved the door open, and ran out.

    Better to fight than be looked down on like this.

    Another few male students joined in sporadically.

    As Bai Xiao ran out, she saw students screaming as they fled past her. She didn¡¯t need to ask to know what terrifying scene was unfolding.

    Ma Yao was holding a broom, standing bravely while confronting two lions. Behind her, a dozen students were huddling nervously, trembling as they supported a pregnant woman. The pregnant woman was clearly a teacher from their school; her face was pale, and her forehead was slick with sweat as she leaned against the students.

    The situation was extremely dire.

    The two lions seemed to have devised a strategy, slowly moving toward Ma Yao from two directions. Despite her strength, Ma Yao didn¡¯t stand a chance against an attack from both sides¡ªshe had no escape.

    At this moment, Ma Yao¡¯s forehead was also dripping with sweat. She waved the broom tirelessly, knowing that if she were to fall, the students and teacher behind her would be left utterly at the mercy of the lions.

    But fighting two lions alone was beyond her. She could barely handle one, let alone two.

    This time, it seemed her life really was about to end.

    Still, Ma Yao couldn¡¯t afford to retreat¡ªnot even a single step. Retreating would mean exposing everyone behind her to danger.

    Every life mattered.

    In her urgent panic, she couldn¡¯te up with a good solution, except to keep swinging the broom in every direction, hoping to scare the lions away.

    She failed to realize that her sweeping motions looked like a provocation to the lions.

    Especially since the broom¡¯s shape resembled a male lion.

    There were two lions here¡ªa male and a female.

    This pair was roaring furiously at Ma Yao now, their low, threatening growls rumbling through the ground¡ªit was the lions issuing a clear warning.

    They were about to attack.

    Bai Xiao, Lin Xiang, and He Juan were positioned behind the lions now. He Juan and Lin Xiang had long since been paralyzed by fear. Earlier, they¡¯d felt a surge of adrenaline when they saw Bai Xiao running out to rescue Ma Yao¡ªthey were all roommates, and their bond was especially close. Of course, they had to go out together. But now, faced with the actual lions, their legs were trembling uncontrobly.

    At this point, they already regretted their decision.

    But even if they regretted it, who would dare turn around and run now?

    They were scared the lions might target them instead.

    Suddenly, the pregnant teacher leaning against the students let out a groan. Blood began to pool faintly on the ground, and the scent of blood in the air only heightened the lions¡¯ aggression. Their gazes grew increasingly murderous, their bodies lowered into positions ready for a predatory pounce.

    Bai Xiao immediately sensed something was wrong.

    She raised her lunchbox and began striking it forcefully.

    The lunchbox was made of aluminum, with both the lid and bottom crafted from aluminum. The noise it produced was piercingly loud.

    The sound immediately attracted the lions¡¯ attention.

    However, this distraction was only temporary. Compared to the allure of blood, this noise was little more than a minor provocation.

    Bai Xiao nced at the four cars behind her, annoyed. Were the people in those cars stupid? Could none of them open a single car door?

    Just as she was about to curse them, she noticed one car¡¯s driver seat wasn¡¯t empty¡ªsomeone was trembling there.

    But the car doors remained firmly shut.

    What an idiot. If he would just open the door and let the students inside, they could at least momentarily escape the danger.

    Yet at this critical moment, he had failed to open the door, leaving the students outside and scrambling in panic, not even realizing there was a driver inside.

    He Juan and Lin Xiang were frozen with fear, watching as the male lion growled and prowled closer, its imposing figure exuding dominance as it took deliberate steps toward them.

    Ma Yao spotted Bai Xiao and almost burst into tears. That damn girl¡ªwhat was she doinging into this mess? With her small frame, how could she possibly handle a lion?

    However, deep down, Ma Yao was moved, knowing full well Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t have thrown herself into this danger if it weren¡¯t for her.

    "Ma Yao, just holding the broom won¡¯t work. Get the people behind you to quickly take out lighters and set the broom on fire. Animals are all afraid of fire. Use a torch to keep the lions at bay and get everyone onto the third car behind us¡ªthe one with the driver inside. Have the driver open the doors and let everyone in. They¡¯re all Medical College students; if they can calm down, they can tend to the injured pregnant woman. You can¡¯t abandon saving the patient just because you¡¯re afraid. This is the moment for all of you to step up and use your skills."

    "We¡¯ll stay here and distract the lions while you quickly carry the pregnant woman to the car. We¡¯ll try to buy time for you," Bai Xiaomanded decisively.

    There was no need for further exnation; she could already tell that the pregnant woman was about to give birth. Despite her fright and the fall she¡¯d suffered, they were fortunate to be from the Medical College¡ªwith so many obstetricians among them, surely they could handle this situation.

    As long as there wasn¡¯t severe hemorrhaging.

    There was time to act.

    The group of students quickly snapped out of their panic, turning their attention to the third car, where they indeed saw someone sitting in the driver¡¯s seat.

    Seeing Bai Xiao and another girl bravely shielding them from the lions¡¯ attack, a surge of courage warmed their hearts. Were they really inferior to these two girls?

    Those two were willing to use their frail bodies to protect them, so surely now was the time for them to do their duty.

    Besides, this wasn¡¯t just about the pregnant woman¡ªtwo or three others who had been bitten were lying nearby, not far from the cars, writhing in pain.

    Their cries of agony echoed around them.

 Chapter 946 Attack

    <h4>Chapter 946: Chapter 946 Attack</h4><h4></h4>

    A student immediately fumbled around on their body and pulled out a lighter. Crouching, they dashed over to Ma Yao and, shivering, finally managed to ignite the broom with the lighter.

    The lioness opposite clearly was very curious, not knowing what the people across were trying to do, tilting her head and watching intently.

    Unexpectedly, the person in front of her, who was trembling and seemed not threatening at all, managed to ignite a bunch of fire in just a couple of tries.

    This scared the lioness.

    Ma Yao clutched the torch in her hand and shouted desperately.

    "Strength in numbers, two people go get the driver to open the door, and the rest quickly get the injured and the pregnant women onto the bus." There was no other way now, the torch in her hand was at least a deterrent, what use was Bai Xiao just holding that lunchbox?

    Bai Xiao had no other options either; earlier in the cafeteria, there were no other tools she could use.

    Even if she held the lunchbox, it was relying on her special ability that she was undaunted, otherwise, how dare shee like this?

    "Bai Xiao, now that I have a torch, you quickly retreat with Lin Xiang and them, no, there¡¯s no time to retreat, find a way toe behind me." Ma Yao immediately thought that if they retreated, the lion would surely pursue the prey, so it was better toe behind her, at least it could temporarily scare the lion.

    For they were like sisters, now it was good, all four of them from the dormitory were here.

    Truly all gathered together.

    True, damn it, live and die together.

    Ma Yao wanted to cry, seeing He Juan and Lin Xiang shaking as if they were about to shiver to death, these two have always been timid, isn¡¯t this time risking their lives for her, good sisters!

    But the lion looking at the four of them should find them quite tasty.

    Watching the menacing lion, Bai Xiaomanded the two behind her, "Stop trembling, quickly move towards Ma Yao, if you don¡¯t want to die, get moving." Bai Xiao stared intently at the lion in front of her.

    Lion, oh Lion, why must youe here to stir things up?

    He Juan and Lin Xiang were jolted awake by Bai Xiao¡¯s scolding.

    Yes, Ma Yao¡¯s side had fire and a bus, at least getting on the bus should keep their lives safe.

    Trembling as they were, they still shuffled with small steps towards Ma Yao, managing to take quite a few steps.

    The male lion was not having it, they still wanted to run.

    A lion¡¯s roar echoed.

    With a thud, He Juan¡¯s legs went weak, and she fell directly to the ground.

    Lin Xiang wanted to help her up but her legs were also weak.

    The male lion was pleased, that¡¯s more like it, this was the attitude prey should have.

    Bai Xiao banged her lunchbox desperately, thinking, I¡¯m risking my life to save people here.

    At this time, a group of male students had appeared, and also holding lunchboxes, yelling, charged in front of Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao was exasperated, couldn¡¯t they slow down, they were noting to die.

    "You guys quickly help the girls on the ground towards the vehicle."

    Could she say they were not here to mess things up?

    The one carrying a bench stood beside Bai Xiao, "Doctor Bai, they retreat over there, you and I will deal with the lion together," he said, brandishing the bench powerfully.

    The other male students quickly picked up the two girls on the ground and dragged them to Ma Yao¡¯s side.

    The bus door had already been opened, and quite a few students had boarded.

    The driver wanted to close the door but was stopped by the students, anxiously scratching his head.

    He didn¡¯t want to die, when a lion rushes and bites, who can bear it?

    Soon, He Juan and Lin Xiang got on the bus.

    The pregnant woman was already groaning in pain non-stop.

    Once on the bus, He Juan noticed the woman was about to give birth; she was from the obstetrics department and rolled up her sleeves, rushing forward.

    Bai Xiao and Ma Yao were holding off the lion below; she couldn¡¯t do such riskybat work, so could she not even help deliver a baby safely from the rear?

    If she couldn¡¯t do that, she would truly be ashamed of all the years of knowledge she acquired.

    "Quickly find a nket or clothes toy on the ground, let the woman lie down. Men to the front, women stay to help." At this time, He Juan had already demonstrated the excellent qualities of an obstetrician.

    Among these students who came for thepetition, there were really no other obstetricians, they came for the match, which naturally targeted the evaluation of two mentors¡¯ hobbies.

    Most students were either from Internal Medicine or Surgery; He Juan was truly, a savior dropped from the sky, just moments ago each one was helpless facing the pregnant woman.

    Now there was finally someone to take charge.

    The pregnant woman was in excruciating pain.

    "Don¡¯t be nervous, breathe slowly, one inhale, one exhale, let me see how your child is doing?" He Juanforted the woman while checking.

    The cervix was dted nine centimeters, but not fully open.

    Currently, there were no conditions or equipment for administering any oxytocin or induction needles, etc.

    Besidesforting the pregnant woman to wait for the full dtion, they really had no better way.

    The male students had consciously stood at the front blocking the entrance, everyone¡¯s thought was that at worst, they could at least block the lion.

    Because of the threat of the bench, it was apparent it enraged the lion.

    The lion leapt up, its movements swift like a flying wind!

    That lion partly pinned the male student to the ground, suddenly opening its wide mouth, exposing sharp fangs, but at that moment, the bench evidently served its purpose, firmly blocking in front of the lion, its furry big head couldn¡¯t bite the male student, the lion wed across the student¡¯s neck, bright red blood dripped on the ground.

    Bai Xiao was anxious too, what could be done now, besides going herself, was there any other choice?

    As long as she didn¡¯t die, she could survive, but others didn¡¯t have the same ability.

    Bai Xiao gritted her teeth and mmed into the lion, the lion sensing threat swiped with its ws, Bai Xiao didn¡¯t care about her own pain! Firmly hugging the lion, her special ability activated.

    The lion opened its wide mouth, sharp fangs crowded together, the stench making anyone who smelled it want to vomit, nearing Bai Xiao¡¯s neck, which was firmly blocked by her.

    Ma Yao wanted to rush over, but the lioness joined the battle, perhaps seeing the male lion pounce on Bai Xiao, one prey down, they would join the hunt.

    The lioness pounced on Bai Xiao, biting her leg.

    Ma Yao and the male student dashed over, the police and zoo keepers had also arrived, the tranquilizer dart was fired, and the two lions copsed on the ground.

    Bai Xiao slumped on the ground! With two lions pressing on her, it was hard to breathe, the two lions together weighing several hundred kilograms.

    Her first thought was that if she wasn¡¯t bitten to death, she might be crushed to death.

    Move, at this moment she really couldn¡¯t move, she could only circte her special ability around herself, first healing the leg wound, she couldn¡¯tter exin if her skin wascerated, waiting for the lions to be removed by the zoo staff.

    Ma Yao immediately lifted her up from the ground.

    "Bai Xiao, Bai Xiao, Doctor Bai, please don¡¯t die, you did it all for me, I¡¯m wrong, I¡¯ve always caused trouble, and this time I¡¯ve killed you." Ma Yao was about to cry anxiously, she never expected her good friend might die here because of her.

    Bai Xiao smiled, raising her hand to pat Ma Yao, "Why cry? It¡¯s not your fault. We are doctors; whether it¡¯s treating patients or acting bravely, it¡¯s what we should do. As a person, we should at least have a conscience and a baseline. See, I¡¯m not dead, I¡¯m fine. Ma Yao, you¡¯re great! Do you know how many people you saved today?"

 Chapter 947: Through the Evaluation

    <h4>Chapter 947: Chapter 947: Through the Evaluation</h4><h4></h4>

    The school leadership had already started organizing the students to provide immediate aid to the injured, treat their injuries, and administer emergency care. The doctor from the school clinic had arrived at the scene with a medical kit.

    The police and the zoo staff were recording statements.

    Everyone began methodically treating the injured and assessing their injuries, while waiting for ambnces to arrive to transport all the wounded to the hospital.

    Fortunately, although these two lions attacked several people, they had just been fed in the zoo prior to escaping.

    There were injuries, but no deaths.

    Upon hearing this news, everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief.

    It¡¯s well known that the zoo feeds their predators every three to five days, following the feeding patterns observed in animals in the wild.

    These two lions had been well-fed. Had they escaped while hungry, it¡¯s hard to say how many lives would have been lost today.

    At that moment, a loud cry of a newborn pierced the air.

    All eyes turned toward the car.

    A tall young man emerged from the vehicle, swaddling a newborn in his clothes.

    "The baby is born¡ªit¡¯s a boy! Very healthy."

    Cheers erupted from the crowd.

    As ambnces arrived, the injured were continuously loaded up and transported to the hospital.

    Bai Xiao and Ma Yao breathed a sigh of relief; their bodies and faces were stained with blood.

    Yet, as they looked at each other, their faces radiated joyful smiles.

    They had seeded.

    Not only had they confronted danger head-on, but every one of them put in effort to help others, doing whatever they could within their abilities.

    Smith and Mike arrived on the scene.

    Vice Principal Zhao hurriedly went to greet them.

    "Mr. Smith, Mr. Mike, I sincerely apologize for today¡¯s incident. Because of what happened, I¡¯m afraid thispetition cannot proceed. I¡¯m sorry you made this trip for nothing."

    Smith and Mike solemnly bowed to all the students.

    Everyone was stunned.

    What was going on?

    Vice Principal Zhao quickly tried to help them up.

    "Vice Principal Zhao, students¡ªtoday, you have demonstrated the essence of a healer¡¯spassion. Faced with danger, not only did you think about saving others, but you remained calm, handling the situation with everyone doing their utmost to contribute whatever they could.

    Although you weren¡¯t performing sutures or carrying out grand, life-saving surgeries, your noble medical ethics are even more admirable than your medical skills. Thispetition won¡¯t be necessary anymore; you¡¯ve already demonstrated perfection in handling this incident.

    Moreover, none of you are doctors. Yet, in the face of such peril, you made urate judgments, assisted in delivering the baby, provided aid to the injured, and fended off the dangerous lions. These actions embody the highest qualities of a medical professional.

    Therefore, our evaluation of you isplete. We will submit this evaluation report to those above us and hereby express our deepest respect for all of you."

    The crowd cheered as Ma Yao hugged Bai Xiao tightly and spun her around.

    Several male students joined in by banging on their lunch boxes, making a celebratory racket.

    There was no need to wait for the evaluators¡¯ conclusion; if their performance hadn¡¯t already passed the evaluation in Smith and Mike¡¯s eyes, the crowd would have been shocked.

    Everyone immediately understood¡ªthey had sessfully cleared the evaluation.

    Even though the evaluation process was nerve-racking, incidents like lions escaping from a zoo probably happen once in a century. Yet, by some twist of fate, they experienced it¡ªand their notably exceptional performance became their evaluation score.

    Though there were areas for improvement, their overall conduct in treating the injured, helping the pregnant woman, and preventing further lion attacks had disyed immense courage and a selfless spirit of saving lives, winning over the two evaluators entirely.

    Smith and Mike walked up to Bai Xiao, bowing deeply. "Dr. Bai, you are an exceptionally qualified doctor¡ªnot only in treating illnesses and saving lives but also in your bravery and selflessness. You embody the brightest qualities of both a soldier and a doctor. We extend our utmost respect to you."

    When the two arrived earlier, they had witnessed Bai Xiao charging fearlessly at a lion, rolling on the ground with it.

    A seemingly fragile young woman had revealed within her a tremendous force, facing danger with such courage and fearlessness.

    Even the two of them admitted that, if they had been present, they might not have had the courage to confront such beasts.

    Bai Xiao quickly replied, "This was all something we ought to do. Whether it¡¯s as a doctor or as a person who strives for integrity, these were simply actions that were necessary."

    After some polite exchanges, Bai Xiao underwent a check-up by emergency personnel, much to everyone¡¯s relief. Apart from some minor external injuries, she had no significant harm.

    No one knew how she managed to fight the lion. Even the w marks left on her body were shallow¡ªfar from deep wounds¡ªwhich felt almost miraculous.

    The medical staff simply applied gauze to bandage her wounds; she didn¡¯t even need to visit the hospital.

    Smith approached Bai Xiao again. "Dr. Bai, could I have a word with you?"

    The nurse who had been treating Bai Xiao finished her work and left, smiling.

    Looking at Smith, Bai Xiao waited for the trantor to speak.

    "Mr. Smith, please feel free to say whatever is on your mind. If you¡¯re inviting me to visit your country for academic research or exchange, I¡¯ll have to decline. My studies here leave me little time to go away," Bai Xiao said confidently, having already prepared her excuse. Besides, she had secrets that couldn¡¯t be exposed easily. Leaving her home turf could risk revealing them¡ªand she might then vanish from this world forever.

    This was no small matter.

    Smith sighed. "Dr. Bai, that¡¯s not what I wanted to discuss. Mike has a tumor that has been growing rapidly. We examined it with imaging yesterday¡ªit was originally the size of a soybean, but now it has grown to the size of a walnut. This situation is very troubling.

    I recall you mentioning before that your treatments in Traditional Chinese Medicine, including acupuncture, offer some therapeutic approaches. Surgery is not an option right now, but I¡¯ve witnessed your acupuncture skills and realized my views were too limited. This world holds countless miraculous methods that defy my understanding.

    I owe you an apology for my previous narrow-mindedness, and I hope you won¡¯t mind helping Mike with his condition. He is my best friend, and I truly don¡¯t want to lose him. Even if we could only temporarily alleviate or inhibit the growth of the tumor, it would buy us precious time.

    You can see for yourself¡ªmy old friend works like he¡¯s possessed. I had hoped he¡¯d start hospital treatment immediately, but he refuses." Smith sounded utterly helpless. Mike¡¯s tumor was growing so fast that he worried if they waited until Mike returned to his own country, the growth would be the size of a bowl.

    After all, the tumor was located in his brain. By the time it had grown to the size of a walnut, it was alreadypressing surrounding nerves and blood vessels. It was frightening to imagine what might happen as it grewrger.

    Mike was already suffering from intense headaches, and his vision had begun to blur.

    If this continues, the consequences would be hard to imagine.

 Chapter 948: The Illness

    <h4>Chapter 948: Chapter 948: The Illness</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao nodded in agreement. When it came to saving lives, there were no borders.

    "Alright, I can give it a try."

    Smith and Mike were both good people, not to mention they held two crucial votes in their hands.

    Bai Xiao was willing to do whatever she could.

    Smith excitedly gripped Bai Xiao¡¯s hand, shaking it vigorously while expressing his repeated thanks.

    "Don¡¯t thank me yet. I haven¡¯t even done anything. What if my acupuncture doesn¡¯t work?" Bai Xiaoughed, teasing Smith.

    She wasn¡¯t the least bit intimidated by the renowned international Dr. Smith.

    Smith chuckled too. None of the individuals they had evaluated so far dared act so casual in front of them. Everyone was overly cautious, afraid that even the tiniest mistake would displease them. But this Chinese student was truly something different¡ªbold and poised. She also allowed them to witness the spirit and demeanor of a nation.

    With nationals like her, how could a country not grow strong?

    How could they not be worthy of admiration?

    Upon hearing that Professor Mike was to receive acupuncture treatment, Vice Principal Zhao and Director Liu immediately cleared their office. They knew very well how critical the evaluation professors were to their nation. The impressions these individuals formed of doctors in China¡ªwhether favorable or unfavorable¡ªwould directly impact the final evaluation scores.

    Even when the final evaluation report was submitted, it would be these two who penned the key sections.

    The impression a person makes, whether favorable or not, depended on the angle from which the report was written.

    At this moment, of course, they would offer their full support.

    Besides, Bai Xiao¡¯s acupuncture skills had long been validated by many people.

    And they knew better than most¡ªBai Xiao was now Professor Xue¡¯s prizedst disciple. She wasn¡¯t just representing the honor of their institute, but also that of Modu and China as a whole.

    After all, even if acupuncture couldn¡¯t cure the illness, it certainly wouldn¡¯t cause harm.

    In the office, Mikey on the sickbed while Smith, Vice Principal Zhao, and Director Liu stood nearby. They were not only witnesses but also observers.

    The two silver needles in Bai Xiao¡¯s hands were already inserted into Mike¡¯s head.

    The faint trembling of the needles made the onlookers highly anxious.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s special abilitypleted a circuit through Mike¡¯s body.

    What Smith had said was indeed correct; the tumor in Mike¡¯s brain had grownrger.

    Her special ability revealed that this was a growth-type tumor.

    Such tumors, even after surgery, were prone to further growth.

    Moreover, the current location of the tumor not onlypressed the optic nerve but also pressed against several major arteries around the brain¡¯s blood vessels. Mike was experiencing blurred vision, headaches, and possibly, as it progressed, severe impacts on his sleep and memory. Even if surgery were performed to remove the tumor, the risk of significant aftereffects was high because the nerves and blood vessels beingpressed were major ones.

    Even for a highly skilled surgeon,

    the final result might not be ideal.

    As she performed acupuncture, she conversed with Mike.

    Her special ability was as precise as a CT machine, giving her a crystal-clear picture of the situation in his brain.

    Mike, having seen his own CT scans, was taken aback by Bai Xiao¡¯s ability to diagnose the condition of his brain tumor simply through pulse readings and acupuncture. He had never imagined that Traditional Chinese Medicine could achieve this level of expertise.

    Over the past month, they had not only been organizingpetition-rted projects but also spent much time studying Chinese medicine.

    They had visited several well-known veteran practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the area.

    Indeed, they had encountered a number of doctors capable of detecting abnormalities in his brain simply by taking his pulse. Although each doctor proposed a different treatment method, all adhered to conservative approaches: medication and acupuncture.

    While they hadn¡¯t adopted these treatments themselves, their appreciation for Chinese medicine had grown to a certain extent.

    Hearing Bai Xiao¡¯s exnation now, this no longer seemed like a mystery. It was simply that their medical and treatment approaches were inherently different.

    "So, do you have any good treatment ns?"

    Mike inquired. Despite being a renowned doctor himself, he too longed to live. Who didn¡¯t want to survive?

    "Dr. Mike, if you¡¯re asking me this question, my answer remains the same as before: abination of Chinese and Western medicine. This tumor of yours must be surgically removed. However, even the most top-tier specialists cannot guarantee that your brain won¡¯t sustain damage during the operation, let alone ount for unexpected situations.

    Also, since this is a growth-type tumor, even if it¡¯s removed this time, there¡¯s no guarantee it won¡¯t recur. Western medicine often requires chemotherapy after surgery, but I strongly rmend recing post-operative chemotherapy with Traditional Chinese Medicine. Whether through herbal medicine or acupuncture, there are methods in Chinese medicine that can inhibit tumor growth to a certain extent.

    Of course, I can¡¯t guarantee that it¡¯ll absolutely prevent recurrence. After all, in Chinese medicine, the oue varies with each practitioner¡¯s understanding. As the saying goes in our country: ¡¯The master leads you to the door; cultivation depends on the individual.¡¯ The final achievementes down to one¡¯s own efforts and progression.

    My acupuncture skills are a family inheritance¡ªunique and unparalleled. If you truly trust me, you should start preparing for surgery now. Whether it¡¯s our Chinese specialists or your dear friend, Mr. Smith, who¡¯s a well-known neurosurgeon, surgerybined with my acupuncture treatment will surely yield answers soon." Bai Xiao would never lie to a patient, and Mike¡¯s character made him worthy of her help.

    While it was uncertain whether tumors in others would recur, in her hands the tumor certainly wouldn¡¯t return.

    Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t deserve her title as the "special ability expert."

    After all, she was the renowned Dr. Bai.

    Smith was anxious too. Even though their evaluation could technically be concluded today, the journey back home alone would take at least two to three days. Upon returning, the report would first need to be prepared and submitted¡ªit would take them several days of sleepless effort toplete a reliable report.

    Their evaluation couldn¡¯t rely solely on personal impressions; they needed topile all their experiences in China into trustworthy materials.

    By the time all of that was done, ten or more days would have passed.

    Moreover, given that Mike¡¯s tumor was a growth-type tumor, who knew how much it would grow in ten-odd days?

    During this time, the tumor could press on his optic nerve, leading to blindness, or exert pressure on surrounding brain blood vessels, causing a rupture. In other words, his life could be at risk at any moment.

    Smith was confident in his ability to perform the surgery for his friend.

    If they could conduct the surgery here andbine it with Bai Xiao¡¯s Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment, perhaps Mike¡¯s illness could be brought under control.

 Chapter 949: Matters of Great Importance

    <h4>Chapter 949: Chapter 949: Matters of Great Importance</h4><h4></h4>

    "Mike, since that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s go to the hospital. I¡¯ll contact Dr. Xue and arrange for you to undergo this brain tumor surgery at Ruiyin Hospital. Don¡¯t worry, as your friend, I will take this operation very seriously and make sure it¡¯s a sess."

    "With the assistance of Dr. Bai, I¡¯m confident that your condition can be controlled," Smith said anxiously.

    Mike smiled and replied, "You¡¯re too anxious."

    "How could I not be anxious? You heard it yourself¡ªthis is a growth-type tumor. And if we want to proceed with Traditional Chinese Medicine treatmentster, such as acupuncture and herbal medicine, we¡¯ll have to stay in China for treatment. If that¡¯s the case, why not perform the surgery now? I¡¯ll handle the Western medical aspects of the surgery, and Dr. Bai can manage the TCM treatments afterward. Besides, a detailed follow-up report will ensure I can handle the rest on my own.

    Your tumor can¡¯t afford any dys."

    Smith ignored Mike and directed the trantor to contact Dr. Xue.

    Mike was helpless. He knew that this tumor had already made his good friend extremely anxious and emotionally distressed.

    Surgery? Well then, surgery it is. After all, he had already wrapped up his work for the time being.

    If needed, Smith could finalize the remaining assessment report entirely on his own.

    Bai Xiao removed the needles, and Mike sat up in bed.

    He rubbed his head andughed, "Dr. Bai, although I¡¯m not well-versed in acupuncture, after the treatment, my vision has be noticeably clearer, and my headache has significantly eased. It¡¯s truly miraculous."

    Bai Xiao smiled lightly; this was no big deal.

    An even bigger miracle awaits.

    When Dr. Xue learned that Smith intended to perform a brain tumor surgery at their hospital, she weed it wholeheartedly. Smith¡¯s surgical skills were world-renowned, and he was considered a top-tier talent in the field.

    Such a rare case of brain tumor surgery was an extraordinary learning opportunity for the doctors at Ruiyin Hospital.

    For Ruiyin, this effectively became an unexpected golden chance for professional development¡ªa stroke of good fortune they were eager to embrace.

    Thus, Mike was admitted to the neurosurgery ward at Ruiyin Hospital. After consultations involving Smith and the neurosurgery team, they finalized the surgical n for the next day.

    Because Smith was the lead surgeon, all the supporting doctors were elite members of Ruiyin¡¯s medical team. Even his first assistant, Zhang Huan, was a rising talent. Though highly skilled in surgery, Zhang Huan still had a significant gap to bridgepared to foreign experts. For him, this was the ultimate learning opportunity.

    Bai Xiao was listed as the backup anesthesiologist among the surgical team members.

    This news instantly put Ruiyin in the spotlight, making headlines across major newspapers. In such significant matters, media outlets worked with extraordinary speed, quickly thrusting Ruiyin Hospital into the public eye.

    Despite Smith being the lead surgeon, there was no shortage of spectators.

    Everyone wanted to witness just how exceptional this brain tumor surgery would be.

    Ruiyin was under immense pressure.

    Dr. Xue, of course, was fully involved in overseeing the consultations. After all, although Smith would be performing the surgery, the rest of the team came from Ruiyin Hospital. Any oversight in even the smallest detail would ce a huge burden of responsibility on their hospital.

    Especially Bai Xiao¡¯s post-operative TCM acupuncture treatments, proposed as an alternative to chemotherapy, which had be a topic of heated discussion among doctors.

    Opinions were divided.

    After all, Traditional Chinese Medicine had yet to produce any visible breakthroughs in tumor treatment. And now, suddenly attempting tobine Western medicine with Chinese medicine¡ªfor a foreign patient, no less¡ªwas a risky proposition.

    It must be understood that any unproven treatment remains spective and experimental. Who could guarantee that acupuncture could rece radiation and chemotherapy in halting and curing tumor growth?

    Many expressed doubts and concerns. Even though the foreign expert insisted on this approach, any misstep could lead to consequences where not even radiation or chemotherapy might mitigate the oue.

    Let alone the "unreliable" TCM acupuncture treatments.

    If it failed, the fallout could escte into serious international issues. And given the sensitive timing¡ªChina was currently bidding to host the International Medical Exchange and Foreign Aid Conference¡ªfailure could jeopardize their hopes entirely.

    Few people stood idly by with a "watch and ridicule" attitude.

    At this moment, there¡¯s simply no room for mockery. The stakes are clear: collective sess or collective failure.

    Dr. Xue weed her third wave of visitors attempting to dissuade her from proceeding.

    These included the deans of major hospitals and various high-ranking officials, all eager for rification, as the gravity of this matter was unmistakable.

    Even the experts¡ªDr. Xue included¡ªfelt a sense of unease.

    She believed Bai Xiao was a genius, equally skilled in both Chinese and Western medicine. If anyone could trulybine the two approaches, it would be him, and the potential rewards were immense.

    But the path of medicine wasn¡¯t one where talent alone could guarantee swift breakthroughs. It required experience, practice, and time.

    No one knew the exact extent of Bai Xiao¡¯s expertise in Chinese medicine. While acupuncture as a substitute for traditional anesthesia might not raise eyebrows, proposing it as an alternative to radiation and chemotherapy certainly stepped into uncharted academic territory.

    It carried historic implications.

    Dr. Xue called Bai Xiao into her office.

    After an exchange, Bai Xiao understood her concernspletely.

    Combining Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western medicine to treat tumors was undoubtedly one of the significant challenges to be tackled in future medical advancements. Tumors, even in his original era, remained a frontier no medical field had sessfully ovee.

    How much tougher, then, in this era?

    Tumors had be one of the most formidable diseases of modern times.

    If not for his special ability, who would dare attempt this endeavor?

    "Dr. Xue, my acupuncture techniques are inherited. Although they date back many generations, their efficacy remains robust. True, they haven¡¯t been specifically validated for treating tumors, but I am confident in their effectiveness. Moreover, with Mr. Mike¡¯s active coboration, I believe this is a prime opportunity to showcase our TCM culture and acupuncture practice to the world."

    Bai Xiao was untroubled, as his confidence rested on solid ground. He was equally sure that Smith and Mike wouldn¡¯t have agreed to proceed so recklessly. The hospital data should already demonstrate a historic reduction in the tumor¡¯s size after Bai Xiao¡¯s initial acupuncture treatment¡ªthis had solidified Smith and Mike¡¯s confidence in proceeding.

    Were these two the type to casually agree to an uncertain procedure?

    Absolutely not.

    "But! You must understand that, even if you believe your skills are a century-old family legacy, one mistake..." Dr. Xue didn¡¯t want this incident to tarnish Bai Xiao¡¯s promising future bybeling him with disgrace. Such an undermining incident could hinder his development significantly.

    The greatest fear for doctors, after all, is that a single medical ident could irreparably ruin their careers.

    Bai Xiao was still so young. How could Dr. Xue bear seeing his journey cut short before it truly began?

    "Professor, I assume you haven¡¯t reviewed Mike¡¯s most recent MRI data yet? Compare it with his MRI scans from two days ago, and you might feel less concerned. After all, just yesterday, I performed the first acupuncture session for Mr. Mike. The results should be observable."

    Let the facts speak for themselves.

    Dr. Xue immediately retrieved Mike¡¯s MRI data. Afterparing the two sets of scans, she fell silent.

 Chapter 950: Ruptured Blood Vessel

    <h4>Chapter 950: Chapter 950: Ruptured Blood Vessel</h4><h4></h4>

    On the day of the surgery, the operating room was the best one Ruiyin had, and all the doctors were in ce.

    Mike was wheeled into the operating room.

    Smith had already changed into surgical scrubs, and everyone was on high alert.

    Bai Xiao had also changed into surgical scrubs, but she was only there to observe.

    However, Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t the only observer today; she was allowed to watch inside the operating room, and the camera for recording the surgery had long since been turned on.

    In the conference room outside, the deans and heads of surgery from various hospitals were all watching the footage.

    This was an opportunity rarely seen.

    Inside the operating room, Mike was already under anesthesia.

    The type of anesthesia used was not general anesthesia, as per Smith¡¯s request. Throughout the surgery, Smith would continuously speak and interact with Mike to determine whether any sensitive regions¡ªsuch as thenguage center or the optic nerve¡ªwere being disturbed. This approach was also very beneficial for the patient¡¯s post-surgical recovery. Of course, such techniques had not yet been adopted by domestic hospitals.

    "The patient¡¯s heart rate and blood pressure are normal; the surgery can begin."

    Smith¡¯s trantor stood by, ready to trante at any moment. The trantor was pale and nauseated, struggling to focus on Smith¡¯s face to avoid fainting from the gruesome scene.

    Mike, who now had a shaved head,y there with his head fixed to supports by bolts to prevent movement. The anesthetic was administered through the bolts but did not enter the brain itself, as the braincks pain receptors.

    From start to finish, the patient wouldn¡¯t feel their head being poked or prodded.

    But the patient was conscious and could remember many parts of the surgery afterward.

    Smith marked the incision lines on Mike¡¯s scalp, and thus the surgery officiallymenced.

    The scalp was gently cut open to expose the skull beneath. Holes were drilled at predetermined locations, and the skull was removed to reveal the dura mater. Once the dura mater was opened, the true intracranial view came into sight.

    It sounded simple, but for the people watching, it was still extremely gory.

    At least the trantor couldn¡¯t handle it and ran to the side to vomit.

    Fortunately, the doctors¡¯ English was decent, andmunication about the instruments posed no problems. Zhang Huan focused intently on Smith¡¯s every move, seizing the rare opportunity for learning¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t miss it.

    The tumor was now exposed, clearly visible in its location¡ªa tumor two-thirds the size of a walnut red menacingly under the light.

    Smith carefully separated the surrounding tissues, taking maximum care not to damage nearby blood vessels and areas. With brain surgery, any degree of harm could leavesting seque for the patient.

    As the tumor removal progressed to the halfway point, beads of sweat poured down Smith¡¯s forehead as if it were about to rain. A nurse beside him nervously wiped away the sweat.

    Bai Xiao observed the surgical process intently, and with the aid of her special ability, everything seemed magnified as if viewed through a microscope. Each of Smith¡¯s techniques and movements, including his precise methods for locating blood vessels, were imprinted in Bai Xiao¡¯s mind like recordings from a camera. Naturally, she could foresee the next steps with startling rity.

    With her special ability, she could present an exact image in her mind, ensuring that every step was precise to the tiniest detail.

    If she wanted, she could also perform the procedure¡ªand even better.

    Bai Xiao frowned.

    Smith had made a mistake in this step! He overlooked the alignment of the adjacent nerve and blood vessel, and the bleeding spot could lead toplicationster on. If the patient hemorrhages post-surgery, it could result in troublesome seque.

    Something wasn¡¯t right¡ªSmith¡¯s hemostatic forceps had touched the central nerve. Due to the tumor blocking the view, visibility wasn¡¯t particrly clear, but if he continued at this angle, Mike might face a risk of paralysis.

    "Dr. Smith, directly below the hemostatic forceps is Dr. Mike¡¯s central nerve. If you advance the forceps deeper than 0.001 millimeters, the patient may very likely face paralysis." Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t remain silent.

    They were doctors and would not abandon the patient for the sake of someone¡¯s rank or authority.

    Smith paused his hand, took an auxiliary instrument, and gently pushed away the surrounding tumor tissue. Finally, he saw the fine nerve structures beneath and was startled. His calctions had indeed been off; if he had proceeded with that forceps, Mike would most likely be paralyzed.

    This time, his forehead was covered in cold sweat.

    He shot a deep, probing nce at Bai Xiao. Wasn¡¯t Bai Xiao a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine?

    How was a Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor more capable than a Western doctor?

    Bai Xiao remained silent.

    Zhang Huan shot Bai Xiao a look of approval. Had Bai Xiao not spoken up, none of them would have noticed the potential risk just now.

    As a surgeon, he knew full well that the precision required in this area was incredibly challenging¡ªone mistake could be fatal for the patient.

    Smith carefully extracted the tumor with forceps, while Zhang Huan worked on suturing the bleeding spots.

    "Dr. Smith, it¡¯s bad¡ªthe patient¡¯s artery has ruptured, and there¡¯s massive bleeding!"

    At a speed visible to the naked eye, blood rapidly pooled. Zhang Huan persisted in swiftly clearing the blood away, yet it was quickly reced by fresh blood, blocking his view entirely! Without a clear sightline to locate the bleeding spot, stopping the hemorrhage was impossible.

    Smith spun around urgently, but the blood he had just cleared was again submerged by fresh waves of bleeding! The bleeding point appeared as fleeting as a mirage, making it nearly impossible to pinpoint.

    "The patient¡¯s blood pressure is plummeting quickly, and heart rate is elerating. Extremely dangerous conditions."

    At this moment, everyone seemed at a loss¡ªif the hemorrhage point couldn¡¯t be controlled, this surgery would be an unprecedented failure.

    After the tumor was excised, no one had anticipated that a tiny hidden aneurysm would rupture and cause such severe consequences.

    "Dr. Smith! What should we do now?"

    Zhang Huan was growing frantic.

    Many pairs of eyes were now fixed on Smith, but even he was at his wit¡¯s end. The choices were bleak¡ªeither take a reckless gamble and attempt to locate the hemorrhage point amidst the blood, an endeavor with almost zero uracy¡ªor watch helplessly as the surgery failed.

    The brain wasn¡¯t like the abdominal cavity, where space allowed for maneuvering. One misstep here could lead to new injuries that weren¡¯t intended.

    Smith¡¯s eyes reddened.

    His fingers trembled, hisposure and reasoning vanished, and the pressure of decision-making threatened to break him.

    "I¡¯ll take over!"

    Bai Xiao walked directly to Smith¡¯s side! She calmly took the hemostatic forceps from his hand. Herposed and unflinching demeanor left Smith without even the thought of hesitation¡ªafter all, it was Bai Xiao who had just prevented a major incident moments ago.

    Now, he had no reason to refuse her.

    Zhang Huan, however, did not agree. The situation was already critical, and initially, the responsibility fell on Dr. Smith. If Bai Xiao took over now, the burden of responsibility would shift.

    And if the surgery failed, it would no longer be clear whose fault it was.

    They shouldn¡¯t be taking such a risk at this moment.

    "Dr. Bai, you and I both know we can¡¯t urately locate the bleeding point. Don¡¯t act recklessly!"

    Follow current novels on freewe(b)novel.c(o)m

 Chapter 951: Silent but When It Acts, It Amazes Everyone

    <h4>Chapter 951: Chapter 951: Silent but When It Acts, It Amazes Everyone</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao shook her head. "Don¡¯t worry! I can find it!"

    As she spoke, her hands moved without pause. In the instant she took over, the hemostatic forceps precisely located the bleeding point in the murky pool of blood, as if guided by a microscope-level uracy. Zhang Huan no longer bothered to dissuade her! At this point, Bai Xiao was already in control, and all they could do was cooperate.

    After suctioning away the excess blood, everyone¡¯s eyes focused intently. The bleeding point had been controlled, and no more blood was flowing out.

    Smith quickly took over and efficiently carried out the procedure. Soon, Mike¡¯s blood pressure and heart rate returned to normal levels.

    In the conference room outside, everyone held their breath,pletely absorbed.

    Moments ago, the scene had already sparked murmurs and debates. Most of the chatter was about how an obscure young doctor dared to gesture and give instructions during a surgery led by the world-renowned Smith, an expert in neurological and cardiac surgery. It was deeply unsettling for many.

    A substantial number of people felt it was preposterous that Ruiyin Hospital would allow such an unprofessional doctor to remain in the operating room. Everyone could clearly see that this doctor was merely an observer, not even ranked as a fourth assistant. How could someone like that have the audacity tomand Smith?

    It was beyondughable.

    Some of the older Heads of Surgery were already mocking Dr. Xue and the Dean of Ruiyin Hospital. After all, Ruiyin¡¯s top brass was present to oversee such a significant event.

    "Dr. Xue, how could someone like that be ced in such a critical role? Isn¡¯t this a clear indication that our professional standards as doctors arecking?"

    "This is embarrassing!"

    "It¡¯s just youth and inexperience! They don¡¯t understand the weight of their actions!"

    "Dr. Xue, your hospital isn¡¯t valuing this procedure seriously enough. If something like this happened at Zhongnan Mountain Hospital, it would never be allowed!"

    Dr. Xue smiled and said, "This is my final and most prized disciple. Say what you want, but she is exceptionally talented in surgery. Watch her, and then form your opinions!"

    He didn¡¯t believe Bai Xiao would act recklessly. Although her actions could indeed be perceived as overstepping boundaries, Dr. Xue trusted Bai Xiao¡¯s sense of propriety.

    She wouldn¡¯t make a mess of things.

    She wasn¡¯t the kind of person who behaved thoughtlessly for attention. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have avoided all the traps he had deliberately set for her.

    With just one word from Dr. Xue, Bai Xiao would¡¯ve been begging to be his student.

    But Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t that kind of person.

    "My God! She was off by just a mere fraction of a millimeter¡ªany closer and it would¡¯ve damaged the central nervous system!"

    "Unbelievable!"

    "I bet Smith must have been sweating bullets. This is no joke."

    "Dr. Xue, I never heard you took a final disciple. Where on earth did you find such a hidden gem?"

    The Heads of Surgery finally began to understand. This young woman truly had remarkable skills.

    To achieve such profound expertise in surgery at such a young age¡ªhow enviable!

    "It¡¯s nothing. This student of mine is only here for advanced training. Originally, she excelled in Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture. You might have heard about the recent newspaper buzz on the expert who used acupuncture to rece anesthetics¡ªthat was her, Bai Xiao." Dr. Xue watched Smith¡¯s actions closely and finally felt reassured.

    As expected, Bai Xiao hadn¡¯t let anyone down! This kid was as steady as theye.

    She wasn¡¯t someone who made empty ims.

    The other Heads of Surgery and professors immediately began envying Dr. Xue. Who wouldn¡¯t want a student like this? They all thought to themselves, "If only I had one!"

    But what happened next made everyone¡¯s hearts clench.

    This surgery truly was full of twists and turns.

    Although this moment wasn¡¯t as nail-biting as the earlier ones, the tension was suffocating nheless.

    In the end, a single oversight¡ªseemingly trivial¡ªcould prove fatal.

    It wasn¡¯t just Smith; everyone understood how hard this decision was to make.

    Sighs echoed throughout the room.

    Mike was a renowned Internal Medicine doctor! An outstanding figure like him possibly dying on the operating table was an immense tragedy.

    It was deeplymentable.

    Even Dr. Xue hadn¡¯t anticipated such an oue.

    They had envisioned Mike¡¯s surgery as andmark achievement for Ruiyin Hospital. Craniotomy was not an area where Ruiyin excelled, and the level of difficulty it posed was astronomical. Even the smallest negligence could be fatal.

    This operation, however, seemed poised to tarnish Ruiyin¡¯s reputation.

    Who could¡¯ve imagined that even Smith would face a scenario akin to an ant challenging an elephant?

    "Look! Dr. Xue¡¯s student is stepping up!"

    "What¡¯s going on?"

    "This kid is being ridiculously reckless. If anything goes wrong, Ruiyin Hospital will be held ountable."

    "This..."

    This time, even Dr. Xue shot up from his chair in shock.

    How could Bai Xiao step in at such a critical moment?

    Yes, she was skilled! But that didn¡¯t guarantee sess in this situation! If she failed, Ruiyin Hospital would shoulder all the consequences.

    This time, it was no trivial matter.

    Even Dr. Xue was ready to lose his temper.

    "Wait, wait! It looks like the bleeding has stopped!"

    Dr. Xue abruptly raised his head. He and the Dean both stared at the monitor intently.

    On the screen, everyone in the operating room had managed to stop the bleeding. Smith once again picked up the needle holder and began stitching up the bleeding point and performing reconnections. There was still a lot of work ahead.

    Nheless, Dr. Xue and the others finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    Several of the Heads of Surgery couldn¡¯t help but pat Dr. Xue on the back with admiration.

    "Dr. Xue, incredible! Even your final disciple is so brilliant. To achieve such skill and judgment at this age¡ªshe has a bright future ahead. Dr. Xue, you¡¯ve truly found a diamond in the rough."

    "Exactly, Dr. Xue. I would love to have a student like this. Is this really the same Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor you mentioned? Come on, you¡¯ve got to be kidding! Without years of practice, how could she possibly have such a keen eye and precise technique?"

    "Be honest, Dr. Xue. This student must¡¯ve studied closely with you for quite some time. Don¡¯t think you can hide it from us! You¡¯ve kept this gem under wraps for long enough. Well yed."

    Dr. Xue¡¯s face was already glowing with pride.

    His student had done him proud.

    The honor she had brought him was unparalleled.

    It was the icing on the cake, absolutely perfect.

    "Oh, it¡¯s nothing. Bai Xiao is still young. She shouldn¡¯t get too much credit yet¡ªthere¡¯s still so much for her to learn. Don¡¯t go inting her ego," Dr. Xue said humbly, though his tone was filled with unmistakable pride.

    Despite his modesty, it was clear he was showing off.

    This student of his was destined for greatness. Bai Xiao had only studied with Dr. Xue for a week, focusing on the basics. Even Dr. Xue himself wasn¡¯t sure how Bai Xiao was capable of such feats during real surgeries.

    But he believed there were people who were simply born with such instincts. Many renowned doctors had an inexplicable intuition for surgeries right from the very start. This gave them an unparalleled sense of direction when formting surgical strategies.

    This allowed them to excel immensely and produce extraordinary results.

    "Stop pretending, Dr. Xue! You¡¯re not fooling anyone. Bring your student over so we uncles and older brothers can meet her!"

    With such exceptional talent, they all believed Bai Xiao was destined to be a top-tier surgeon in the future.

    Her rise was nothing short of meteoric.

 Chapter 952: Duplicate

    <h4>Chapter 952: Chapter 952: Duplicate</h4><h4></h4>

    Dr. Xue shook his head, "I¡¯m afraid she won¡¯t be able to sit down and meet with you elders. The follow-up treatment for this case is rted to her! Dr. Smith Mike chose not to use post-operative chemotherapy and radiation therapy, but instead opted for conservative treatment specializing in Traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncture. She is the doctor responsible for this area.

    Her work has just begun! It¡¯s better that we don¡¯t disturb her thoughts and let her focus on her work."

    This was clearly bragging about his own student.

    The few elderly men were speechless.

    "Smith, Mike is truly bold."

    The directors sighed.

    To dare to try this.

    Doesn¡¯t he fear for his own life?

    What people didn¡¯t know was that Smith and Mike had discussed this several times before arriving at their final decision. After all, those two MRI reports wereid out inly on Smith¡¯s desk.

    The data before and after acupuncture varied significantly. These data clearly demonstrated that acupuncture has a certain efficacy in tumor treatment.

    The side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy are ringly significant.

    They are doctors, and they speak based on the data.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s theories! They¡¯re not something one can just mention casually and expect others to believe. Everything is grounded in data and results.

    One session of acupuncture could already show effects. Mike was essentially using his own life as an experiment.

    The main point is that the effects are visible to the naked eye.

    When Smith, Bai Xiao, and Zhang Huan walked out of the operating room, at the moment they removed their masks, Smith tightly gripped Bai Xiao¡¯s hand, "Dr. Bai, truly I¡¯ve been shortsighted. Only now do I realize there are always better people out there and realms beyond what we see. It¡¯s my narrow-mindedness¡ªmedical knowledge has no end. Dr. Bai, being proficient in both Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine, you are truly a role model for us. I must thank you¡ªif not for you today, Mike, my dear brother, might have perished at my own hands.

    If that had happened, I would not have been at peace for the rest of my life. I am truly, truly grateful."

    He was almost ready to bow to Bai Xiao, although kneeling would be out of the question. Foreigners do have the concept of kneeling in certain circumstances though.

    Zhang Huan was watching Bai Xiao, and Bai Xiao was looking at Zhang Huan. Smith could hardly believe it.

    For a world-ss surgeon to openly admit his mistake¡ªit¡¯s not something the average person can do. Any master surgeon usually prides themselves and wouldn¡¯t reveal even a minor w.

    Yet Smith actually did.

    "Dr. Smith, through mutual exchanges, we can both explore and learn more in medicine. Every field requires continuous research and improvement." Bai Xiao also greatly admired Smith. Whether it was due to urgency or other reasons, the courage to admit a mistake deserves to be respected¡ªit sets an example for others.

    "Dr. Bai, I truly hope you cane to America for academic exchanges. Many advanced technologies require coborative exchanges to open new frontiers in medicine. Your medical expertise and age corrte well, and I deeply admire your skills, to the extent that it¡¯s beyond words. Talents like you, especially geniuses, deserve better resources. We can provide you with an environment conducive to research and academic development, giving you the space to fully utilize your capabilities."

    Smith was absolutely sincere¡ªwhat country wouldn¡¯t desire such talents?

    Especially given Bai Xiao¡¯s background, which they were well aware of! During their first meeting, Bai Xiao was still a surgical novice, yet she disyed astonishing talent, transitioning from a beginner to proficient in surgery in less than three months.

    This kind of talent trulymands respect.

    Unperturbed, Zhang Huan stepped in to separate Smith, "Dr. Smith, my junior is very tired, and you also need to rest. It¡¯s better for everyone to take a coffee break."

    What a joke¡ªthis is his mentor¡¯s most prized disciple. Thinking of poaching her? He clearly doesn¡¯t know who he¡¯s up against!

    Bai Xiao smiled, "Dr. Smith, I¡¯m very satisfied with my current learning environment and have no ns for exchanges at the moment. Perhaps in the future! Academic exchanges will certainly happen, but maybe the next one will be on our Chinese soil. You coulde to us and exchange ideas, where we can speak freely. Medicine has no limits." She had no intention of going, nor would she consider it.

    However, the day her country¡¯s medical field bes strong enough for others to learn from on her homnd¡ªthat will be the direction of her country¡¯s medical development.

    Bai Xiao had also discovered the path for her special ability. The areas where her ability could be applied were far broader than she had ever imagined. Previously, her vision had been too narrow.

    This time, she found her direction.

    Bai Xiao returned to Dr. Xue¡¯s office. All she could think about was recreating in her mind the surgical process from earlier.

    Every aspect, every detail could serve as a model for future practitioners as a form of experience.

    Everything in her mind might even benefit others.

    Bai Xiao bent over her desk, pen and paper in hand, and began crafting a richly detailed surgical report.

    An hourter, when Dr. Xue and Zhang Huan came looking for Bai Xiao, they saw her deeply engrossed in work.

    Dr. Xue and Zhang Huan flipped through the report Bai Xiao had written¡ªshocked beyond belief. The level of detail rivaled the mostprehensive video recordings; every procedure unfolded before them as if in real-time, even down to pinpoint precision in finer data units. Every problem encountered during surgery had been meticulously listed.

    Especially the diagrams, which were so precise and thorough it was astonishing.

    Dr. Xue¡¯s face flushed with excitement. Tugging on Zhang Huan, they stood behind Bai Xiao and carefully observed her work, knowing this represented hope for the future of medicine.

    The two silently departed, unwilling to disturb Bai Xiao, who remained so engrossed she didn¡¯t even notice their presence.

    Once outside, tears streamed down Dr. Xue¡¯s face, leaving Zhang Huan entirely at a loss.

    "Professor! Professor! Please don¡¯t do this!"

    Doctors and nurses passing by were startled.

    Dr. Xue was crying?

    People gave him a wide berth.

    Not many could make Dr. Xue, the "big demon king," cry¡ªZhang Huan was impressive!

    Many silently gave Zhang Huan a mental thumbs-up.

    "Zhang Huan! You don¡¯t understand how thrilled I am. Discovering a once-in-a-millennium talent like her is so incredibly important! You must understand, our medical level is always constrained within certain limits and unable to break through! It¡¯s not just our technology that trails behind¡ªbut also our talent.

    If we had more talents like Bai Xiao, imagine how our medical standards could advance, how we could stand tall within the global medicalmunity. Zhang Huan, you must spare no effort in nurturing your junior. A talent like her must never be wasted. My greatest wish in this lifetime is to see our medical field grow stronger."

    Of course, Zhang Huan understood his mentor¡¯s intentions. Compared to other countries, they were stillgging in many ways. But with talents and financial support, they could nurture top-level experts as well. Especially someone like Bai Xiao¡ªso dedicated to learning with an extraordinary ability to retain and recall information. Doctors like her are true gems!

 Chapter 953: Drunk

    <h4>Chapter 953: Chapter 953: Drunk</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao finished copying the report! It was already dark outside.

    Only now did she feel like she was starving.

    She checked the time. Well, it had been nine hours since she came out of the operating room. She had been too focused on her task.

    She just wanted to see what kind of effects the special ability would produce.

    Staring at the thick pile of reports, Bai Xiao felt very satisfied.

    Time to eat.

    Taking off her white coat, Bai Xiao changed her clothes and prepared to head home.

    Her shoulders and neck were sore. She had huddled over her work for too long, unable to stop herself once engrossed, and now the aftereffects were showing. If she went home in this state and An Zhiyuan found out, Dr. Bai might be subjected to "military discipline."

    As soon as she stepped out, she saw Zhang Huan standing by the wall outside the door.

    She was startled.

    "Senior Brother, what are you doing here?"

    Silently, she wondered¡ªhad Zhang Huan been waiting outside for her the whole time?

    That must have been exhausting.

    It wasn¡¯t like she had just spent a minute or two inside.

    The question was, why didn¡¯t Zhang Huane in to find her if he had something urgent?

    "It¡¯s already dark. Come on, let¡¯s go eat. The cafeteria has already prepared your meal. But you¡¯ve been so quiet this whole time that I didn¡¯t dare disturb you. You must be both tired and hungry. You didn¡¯t rest at all after you came out of the OR. This won¡¯t do. You have to take care of yourself and eat properly in the future."

    He was absolutely putting on a "big brother" act. This time, Zhang Huan truly treated Bai Xiao like his own little sister. No, even closer than his biological sister. Someone as talented as her¡ªnaturally, the teacher was beyond fond of her, and even Zhang Huan, her senior, couldn¡¯t help but admire her.

    "Senior Brother, that¡¯s not necessary! Look, it¡¯s already dark. I should hurry home; my husband is probably worried sick by now."

    Ruiyin was quite far from their home. A round trip by car would take an hour. If Bai Xiao dyed any longer, she wouldn¡¯t get home until midnight.

    She cursed herself for forgetting that today was Friday. Yesterday, she told An Zhiyuan not to pick her up because she wanted to visit Ruiyin to learn from others¡¯ surgical experience. She didn¡¯t know when she¡¯d finish, so she nned to head straight home afterward.

    Looking at the time, An Zhiyuan must already be anxious.

    "Hehe, your husband¡¯s name is An Zhiyuan, right?"

    Zhang Huan asked unhurriedly.

    Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t surprised. Her husband was almost as famous as she was. If either of them ever wanted to have an affair, they¡¯d be the subject of constant scrutiny. Too many pairs of eyes were watching them.

    "Yes! I should¡¯ve gone home today. He¡¯s probably frantic by now."

    "Let¡¯s go. Your An Zhiyuan is currently having a drink with the teacher while waiting for you." Zhang Huan took Bai Xiao by the arm and led her along.

    Of course, it was by her arm, over the sleeve of her clothes.

    Otherwise, if anyone saw, they might think Director Zhang Huan had picked up a new girlfriend.

    Bai Xiao might be famous at Ruiyin now, but not everyone recognized her face.

    It would be an easy misunderstanding.

    As Bai Xiao walked, she wondered. Could her second brother havee to Ruiyin?

    No, that didn¡¯t make sense. An Zhiyuan had no connections to Ruiyin.

    Their special forces unit wouldn¡¯t have any official business with Ruiyin either.

    "Stop guessing. Your An Zhiyuan came to pick you up. He went around the whole hospital asking after Dr. Bai Xiao. We all got wind of it early on. Not wanting to disturb you, Dr. Xue decided to meet your husband. The two got along immediately and had a great time chatting. Now they¡¯re sitting in the cafeteria, drinking and waiting for you. You have to know¡ªour teacher hasn¡¯t touched alcohol in years! But today he was so happy that he had a few drinks."

    Bai Xiao finally understood.

    The Ruiyin cafeteria was nothing like argemunal mess hall. It had private dining options. Therge cafeteria was next door, but this area operated more like a proper restaurant, serving everything from stir-fried dishes to noodles and dumplings. Pretty much anything you wanted was avable, and the food tasted great too.

    Whether it was for patients¡¯ families or hungry doctors and nurses, as long as they had money, this ce could meet their needs.

    When Bai Xiao walked in, sure enough, An Zhiyuan and Dr. Xue were sitting together, sipping drinks apanied by peanuts and a couple of side dishes. When they saw her, their eyes lit up.

    Dr. Xue¡¯s face was flushed, and his gaze was dazed. His body was swaying. He lookedpletely tipsy.

    Seeing Bai Xiao, he waved, "Bai Xiao,e here, quick...e... Take a look... Who¡¯s this? An... Zhiyuan! Right, you know... him. I already... told him... If he... dares to treat... you badly, I¡¯ll... go to his house... and beat him to a pulp, leave him... toothless, make sure his... parents don¡¯t even... recognize him!"

    His tongue was all tied up.

    Bai Xiao chuckled and helped Dr. Xue to sit up properly. "Teacher, you¡¯ve had too much to drink!"

    She scolded An Zhiyuan, "Couldn¡¯t you tell that Dr. Xue can¡¯t hold his liquor? You¡¯vepletely gotten him drunk."

    After all, he was her teacher.

    Dr. Xue grabbed Bai Xiao¡¯s hand and ced it firmly into An Zhiyuan¡¯s palm. Hisrge hand patted theirs together and, speaking earnestly, said, "I... I¡¯m not drunk! I... I¡¯m not drunk! Bai Xiao, I¡¯m telling... you, don¡¯t be... afraid. I... your teacher... I¡¯ll always... back you up. If anyone... bullies you, I¡¯ll... stand up for you. You¡¯re a... genius, a once-in-a...-millennium talent. Your... achievements will... surpass mine. Having... a student like you... is the greatest... joy of my life! I... I feel... it¡¯s all been... worth it!"

    Zhang Huan could tell that their teacher was truly out of it.

    He gestured to the kitchen to bring out the food while supporting the now nearly unconscious Dr. Xue on his shoulder. Apologetically, he said, "Sorry about this. The teacher has a low alcohol tolerance. Let me take him back to rest first. You two enjoy your meal. I¡¯ll leave you to it. Eat well and get some rest. You¡¯ll need it for tomorrow morning at the hospital."

    Dr. Xue, leaning heavily on his shoulder, waved his arms wildly, hitting Zhang Huan¡¯s chest with loud thuds.

    "I¡¯m not... drunk! I know... who you are. You¡¯re Zhang... Huan. You¡¯re my... student. I¡¯m not... drunk! I can... still drink."

    "Senior Brother, you¡¯d better hurry and get the teacher back to rest. We¡¯ll manage here, don¡¯t worry about us. Off you go!" Bai Xiao quickly spoke up, recognizing just how drunk Dr. Xue actually was.

    Zhang Huan finally managed to half-drag, half-carry the swaying Dr. Xue out.

    Bai Xiao let out a sigh of relief and sat down. The chef had already brought out two hot dishes, arge bowl of rice, and a pot of soup. There was red-braised pork, lion¡¯s head meatballs, and the small dishes already in front of An Zhiyuan. It was quite the feast.

    An Zhiyuan scooped some rice aside for her¡ªhe knew his wife¡¯s appetite all too well.

    "Eat up. You don¡¯t take care of yourself at all. You¡¯ve gone the entire day without food." Then he picked out the fatty meat from the red-braised pork, leaving only the lean for her and cing it atop the rice.

    Red-braised pork is, of course, best with a bnce of fat and lean! But his stubborn woman refused to touch even a bite of fatty meat. Every time they ate meat, he would be the one to eat the fat and leave the lean for Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao ate ravenously.

    She was starving.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s heart ached as he watched her.

    This woman really didn¡¯t know how to take care of herself.

 Chapter 954: Worry

    <h4>Chapter 954: Chapter 954: Worry</h4><h4></h4>

    "Slower, slower, be careful not to choke. Here, take a sip of soup!" An Zhiyuan looked at his wife with heartache as she wolfed down her food like she hadn¡¯t eaten for days.

    Feeding Bai Xiao a spoonful of seaweed egg drop soup, Bai Xiao finally patted her chest and breathed out a sigh of relief.

    She grinned sheepishly, "I was hungry!"

    An Zhiyuan poked her forehead, "You never listen, do you? You don¡¯t take care of your body. What if you end up with gastritis from starving yourself?"

    He added more dishes for her, splitting the braised lion¡¯s head meatball in half with chopsticks before cing it in her bowl, along with other side dishes.

    Bai Xiao took a bite of the meatball, "Mmm, mmm! Delicious! It¡¯s really good!"

    "Of course it tastes good¡ªyou¡¯re starving! You haven¡¯t eaten all day, and don¡¯t you worry about what might happen if you keep this up? Let me warn you: if this continues, I¡¯ll consider transferring you back to the hospital to save myself the trouble. You¡¯re so focused on studying here that it might be a health issue." An Zhiyuan spoke with slight dissatisfaction, feeling his wife was pushing herself too hard.

    At his core, he was a traditional man. He hoped to shoulder most of the responsibilities and wanted his wife to enjoy the shelter and care he provided. But Bai Xiao worked harder than anyone, more relentless than even most men.

    Bai Xiao protested, "Second Brother An, you¡¯re being unreasonable! It¡¯s just asional¡ªI bet you¡¯ve skipped meals because of training, haven¡¯t you? Humph! I haven¡¯t held that against you, but now you have the nerve to apply double standards!"

    Her tone betrayed a hint of guilt; in truth, cases of skipped meals during training were rare for people like An Zhiyuan. Their biological clock was precise, and even if their instructors skipped meals, it wouldn¡¯t mean the team members were also forced to. Compared to her, An Zhiyuan¡¯s life was much more orderly.

    An Zhiyuan almost burst outughing in exasperation.

    "Looks like someone needs disciplining! You¡¯re quite bold now, aren¡¯t you? I haven¡¯t even asked you yet¡ªhowe I heard you¡¯ve be a surgeon? Why didn¡¯t you share this good news with me earlier? Yesterday, you even lied to me, saying you were just here for observation and learning. I knew something was fishy¡ªRuiyin Hospital doesn¡¯t even have a Traditional Chinese Medicine department. Learning here? Turns out you¡¯ve moved on to bigger things, Doctor Bai!"

    Bai Xiao silently continued eating, her gaze dropping to the bowl.

    "Why aren¡¯t you saying anything now? A moment ago, you were arguing confidently, weren¡¯t you? Didn¡¯t you just say I had double standards? Why is it that now you, as the ¡¯citizen,¡¯ aren¡¯t fighting for your rights or even ¡¯starting a fire¡¯?" An Zhiyuan suppressed his annoyance, though he felt a pang in his chest.

    Bai Xiao set down her bowl, saying, "I¡¯m full!"

    It was true; she had eaten arge bowl of food.

    Starving, she¡¯d eaten too quickly, and now her stomach actually felt a faint difort.

    Herplexion paled slightly.

    Seeing this, An Zhiyuan bent over to pick up her backpack, still holding her arm as he pulled her along toward the door.

    Bai Xiao stumbled as he dragged her, "You¡¯re walking too fast! I can¡¯t keep up!" she protested pitifully.

    An Zhiyuan nced at Bai Xiao sideways, his expression not looking great. One hand rested lightly on her abdomen as he massaged it gently. He let out a sigh.

    His pace slowed¡ªit seemed this girl could be quite a handful.

    Reaching the car, An Zhiyuan opened the door and scooped her up, cing her directly into the car seat. Her backpack was stuffed into herp. Sigh¡ªhe was clearly angry.

    Bai Xiao understood the source of his frustration.

    She started stammering an apology.

    "I know you¡¯re upset, but can you please listen to me? This situation isn¡¯t as... as... dangerous as you think!" She struggled to find the right words to exin, reflecting their innermost thoughts.

    "We¡¯ll talk about this once we¡¯re home. For now, I think you need rest." An Zhiyuan looked at her tired face. This woman was wearing herself out, and Bai Xiao would likely only grasp part of his feelings. She had no idea how deeply he treasured her, much more than she could imagine.

    The car drove through the bustling night streets, his mind wandering with countless thoughts that refused to disperse.

    Bai Xiao was still like a child¡ªpassionate, kind, fearless yetposed. Her rational side could make her seem like a woman molded by heaven as the most perfect creation. But moments like now, when faced with emotions, Bai Xiao seemed as pure and innocent as a child. She might sense his affection but didn¡¯t understand its depth.

    He would rather take the pain himself than let her be the one hurt.

    Countless nights, he held the sleeping Bai Xiao, gazing at her serene and innocent sleeping face, feeling infinitely grateful that fate had brought her to him. If on a certain day he hadn¡¯t led the team to train, or if on another day someone else had been the first to dive into the water instead of him, perhaps they would have missed each other entirely.

    The mere thought of Bai Xiao smiling this way, leaning happily in another man¡¯s embrace, coquettishly making demands and enjoying intimate moments, filled him with both rage and profound gratitude toward the mercy of fate.

    If they hadn¡¯t crossed paths, Bai Xiao might still be studying at Aviation University¡ªa ce where female pilots were as rare as diamonds. Sending Bai Xiao there would¡¯ve been akin to throwing a piece of meat into a den of wolves. How could there still be a chance for him?

    Perhaps everything was destiny¡¯s arrangement, bringing him and Bai Xiao through all of this to arrive at this moment together.

    He didn¡¯t want anything to happen to Bai Xiao.

    The secrets Bai Xiao carried within her¡ªhe was the only one who truly knew them. Even one of those secrets being exposed could spell disaster for his wife.

    The things she carried would ignite the curiosity of countless scientists, doctors, and researchers, all eager to unravel them.

    He couldn¡¯t let Bai Xiao take this lightly.

    Leaning against the car window, Bai Xiao gradually closed her eyes and drifted to sleep.

    This day marked a new beginning for her.

    She was exhausted.

    An Zhiyuan noticed Bai Xiao had fallen asleep. He sighed, stopped the car, and retrieved his coat from the back seat, gently cing it over her. Bai Xiao didn¡¯t wake, only burrowing deeper into the coat, mumbling a sleepy sigh, and continuing to slumber without a worry in the world.

    His striking profile was hidden under the pale light, its details indistinct.

    The car was parked along the path. At this hour, the surroundings were deserted. Their neighborhood was remote, and with thete timing, all that could be seen was the faint leakage of light from a few distant courtyards, enveloping the ce in an eerie quiet.

    Watching Bai Xiao sleep so deeply and thoroughly, An Zhiyuan¡¯s gaze drifted out the car window, observing the street and its scattered reflections. They hopped and flickered faintly in his eyes, resembling someone¡¯s tender affection.

    Getting out of the car while carrying Bai Xiao, he headed home.

    This was their home¡ªhis and Bai Xiao¡¯s.

    Bai Xiao opened her eyes briefly, realizing she was in An Zhiyuan¡¯s arms, her head resting against his chest. Trusting him fully, she closed her eyes again and went right back to sleep.

    He had no choice but to fumble in his pocket for the keys. Heaven knows how challenging it was to fish out keys with someone cradled in his arms.

    All without disturbing the deeply asleep woman.

    He carried her to the bed, removed her shoes, jacket, and pants. She was utterly oblivious, sleeping so soundly that she didn¡¯t stir even as he adjusted her. He decided their discussions could wait for another day.

 Chapter 955: Finally Laying the Cards on the Table

    <h4>Chapter 955: Chapter 955: Finally Laying the Cards on the Table</h4><h4></h4>

    When Bai Xiao woke up, An Zhiyuan was leaning against her shoulder, his gentle breaths brushing against her skin. It tickled, warm with his unique temperature. His body temperature was always much higher than hers, like a furnace¡ªa difference, perhaps, between men and women.

    Isn¡¯t this the so-called masculine energy?

    She secretly took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and pressed her lips together, her heartbeat and skin¡¯s warmth shifting with the rhythm of his breathing.

    Suppressing a smile, she thought to herself that she¡¯d seemingly evaded scrutinyst night.

    Yet the puzzling part was, in her experience, An Zhiyuan was never one to linger in bed. His biological clock was practically more urate than an rm. But today, why was he still here?

    Gently pulling aside the quilt, she slid closer, her face pressing against his chest. His body really was so wonderfullyfortable.

    Then she heard a soft chuckle from above her head.

    She didn¡¯t even look up to tell that this man had probably been awake for a while, pretending to sleep.

    "Is it fun? What¡¯s the point of pretending to sleep?"

    Bai Xiao poked his firm chest muscle and interrogated him, finding his behavior annoyingly deserving of a lesson.

    Unable to restrain herself, she lifted her head, only to see him staring at her with an indelibly intense gaze.

    "Did you sleep well? If you¡¯ve rested, we should do some exercise¡ªit¡¯s good for improving marital intimacy."

    Thefort of being close to each other on therge bed was too delightful to end, making neither of them want to break from this beautiful moment.

    The irresistible entanglement between them led to both giving their all until nearly exhausted.

    .........

    As the morning sun rose, casting rays of light across the sky, Bai Xiao stepped out of the house. The moment she walked out, her eyes took in the stunning expanse of sky. Surrounded by vibrant colors, she felt enveloped in an intense brilliance.

    They hadn¡¯t overslept at all because they had woken up too early.

    Bai Xiao had gone to bed unusually earlyst night.

    The serene tranquility of the morning calmed her. Setting aside her ns to freshen up and tidy the house, she quietly strode towards the grass in the yard, her senses absorbing the vivid splendor of a new day.

    The long grass nketing the ground was tinged with spring, while the morning dew gleamed like diamonds atop the des.

    All around were clusters of flowers¡ªlush blue, pink, and purple blooms interspersed with vibrant yellow blossoms. The deep red clover flowers swayed in the breeze, enticing diligent bees to harvest nectar.

    These were the fruits of the pair¡¯sborious efforts. Everything now had taken shape.

    Not even the cold could stop these flowers from flourishing.

    She wandered leisurely among the array of blossoms, the dew dampening the hem of her dress. She barely noticed that her skirt below the knees had gotten wet¡ªor if she had, she wouldn¡¯t have minded.

    Such exquisite scenery deserved appreciation; chores would always be there, but this morning¡¯s sunrise wouldn¡¯te again.

    Above her, the sky gradually transitioned from a translucent pink to a milky white, finally radiating into a golden orb¡ªthe sun fully risen, illuminating the grassy expanse.

    Sparrows chirped and perched on the yard¡¯s wall, their tiny heads tilting while their beady ck eyes studied Bai Xiao.

    An Zhiyuan stood at the doorway, leaning diagonally against the frame. A peculiar light flickered in his eyes, his facial muscles rigid.

    He stood motionless, his tall and robust figure rooted in ce, his gaze unwaveringly fixed on her.

    She, surrounded by the flowers beside thewn, turned towards him, her face glowing like the radiant morning sun.

    He had never seen her like this before, all her defenses shed¡ªjust a joyous woman illuminated by dawn¡¯s embrace.

    Her blissful expression suddenly made him feel that the days Bai Xiao had urged him to nt these flowers were unquestionably worth it.

    As the sun rose higher, Bai Xiao finally returned inside the house. During this rare vacation, they nned to tidy up the home. Her role as a wife, oftencking in domestic effort, called for her to attend to housework this time.

    Yet she was surprised to find that An Zhiyuan had already emerged from the kitchen carrying breakfast. The bedsheets and duvet covers had already been reced and tossed into the washing machine, and the entire house was spotless.

    "Come eat. What are you standing around for?"

    He called out to her.

    Bai Xiao froze in ce! She was being far too casual¡ªshe shouldn¡¯t treat An Zhiyuan this way.

    "You fell asleepst night, but we haven¡¯t finished our conversation. What do you want to do? I thought we had agreed to protect the secret between you and me¡ªthat¡¯s what we need to do. Now you¡¯ve chosen to go into surgery. Are you aware of the consequences that might arise? You should know better."

    Mealtime wasn¡¯t meant for talking, but if he didn¡¯t voice his concerns now, Bai Xiao mighte up with some other capriceter¡ªagainst which he had virtually no defenses, always surrendering quickly. So it was better to talk now.

    "It¡¯s different now. I guarantee that no one will discover this. I¡¯ve already found a way to use new techniques¡ªon mechanical tools, even on every item I want to transform. Remember thendmines and the jade from Myanmar? That was because I altered their intrinsic properties. Now it seems I can manipte even more and apply it in new areas, achieving diverse oues.

    When performing surgical procedures, I don¡¯t use it directly on patients but on the surgical instruments instead. The results appear the same but function differently. Everyone only sees the quality of my surgeries.

    I want to be a doctor who heals and saves lives¡ªI want to help more people. In the past, I was afraid because I couldn¡¯t control it well enough. But now, I can integrate it fully into myself and do what I¡¯m capable of. I want to uphold the spirit of benevolence in medicine.

    Zhiyuan, I¡¯m truly different now! No one will find out¡ªI promise. That¡¯s also why I¡¯ve chosen surgery now, as it allows me to ess more patients. I can¡¯t expect those with hand ailments toe to the Traditional Chinese Medicine department¡ªthat would be far too shocking."

    After hearing her impassioned words, Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes sparkled brightly. And what could An Zhiyuan say?

    He hadn¡¯t expected that things could be changed like this. If it truly was as she imed, then perhaps it was the best transformation.

    Bai Xiao was a doctor. If she could transition to a more suitable role without exposing her secret while still saving lives, then why shouldn¡¯t she pursue it?

    "I only hope you¡¯ll prioritize yourself more whenever you act. I¡¯m very selfish¡ªselfish enough to wish for us to be together for a lifetime."

    The words left unsaid by An Zhiyuan were: if there truly came a day when Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t control the situation anymore, he would go against the entire world for her.

 Chapter 956: No Place to Find Despite Exhaustive Search

    <h4>Chapter 956: Chapter 956: No ce to Find Despite Exhaustive Search</h4><h4></h4>

    He Wei handed Yu Feixue a bottle of water. The two of them stood on the streets of Harbor City, wiping their sweat. For someone like him, a native Northerner, the temperature and climate here were truly a challenge. This suffocating heat felt like being a steamed bun inside a steamer.

    He had agreed to bring Yu Feixue to Harbor City entirely because he had been persuaded by this girl.

    Don¡¯t underestimate Yu Feixue¡¯s young age. This girl was impressively knowledgeable, probably due to her different upbringing. After all, children from high-ranking official families¡ªlet alone those who were Bai Xiao¡¯s siblings¡ªtend to stand out.

    What made him ufortable, though, was that Yu Feixue insisted he call her "sister."

    Sister Yu?

    What a joke. Sure, she was older than Bai Xiao, but only by a year. He was several years older than Bai Xiao!

    The problem was, he generally avoided embarrassing others and rarely argued stubbornly with people. Fine, "Sister Yu" it is.

    He had definitely been tricked by Yu Feixue.

    His private custom business was running on track, but he wasn¡¯t satisfied with the pattern maker.

    Design must stand out¡ªthe designer and pattern maker were one and the same¡ªbut if the design concept couldn¡¯t meet the client¡¯s requirements, how could this be called custom tailoring?

    Yu Feixue insisted her ssmate, a designer studying right here in Harbor City, could help. Though the ssmate hadn¡¯t graduated yet, they were already somewhat famous in the design circle.

    Of course, He Wei was convinced and the two of them came to Harbor City together, solely to find this designer.

    But upon arriving, they learned the designer had already left school.

    The reasons for leaving were shrouded in mystery. No one spoke directly about it, but regardless, the person couldn¡¯t be found.

    No one knew where they had gone.

    And that¡¯s why the two were now sweating on the street.

    "Let¡¯s go back to the hotel," He Wei tugged at Yu Feixue. Things had turned out this way; at most, it was just a wasted trip.

    "He Wei, I¡¯m truly sorry. I didn¡¯t expect things to turn out this way. Zhuo Lin really is a talented designer. In his first year at school, he won an award. I still remember back then, the professors said someone like him would undoubtedly have a bright future ahead."

    Yu Feixue was visibly frustrated, having dragged someone all this way only to end up running in vain.

    He Wei was different from other people; he was an important friend of Bai Xiao.

    In her heart, she felt deeply guilty.

    He Wei, of course, could tell the girl was feeling remorseful.

    "Let¡¯s go. Just treat this as a trip. Even if we couldn¡¯t find the person, we should still wander around. It¡¯s a little too hot now¡ªlet¡¯s rest at the hotel first. We can go out after the sun sets and explore the city. When traveling, you always need to bring gifts back for the family.

    Don¡¯t you women love shopping?"

    The two of them turned back toward the hotel.

    He Wei, now doing well financially, naturally wouldn¡¯t skimp on amodations during trips. Not only because he didn¡¯t want to shortchange himself, but also because many people looked down on others. To make business dealings easier and appear more convincing, he chose a five-star hotel for their stay.

    The amenities and service were exceptional.

    Just as they walked up to the hotel lobby entrance, they saw a bellhop in a burgundy uniform push someone out.

    "I¡¯ve already told you; Mr. Zhuo is very busy. Not everyone can see him just like that. You need an appointment, and without one, it¡¯s impossible for you to meet him. You keeping here every few days¡ªwe really don¡¯t want to treat you like this, but why persist?"

    "Impossible! Mr. Zhuo promised to meet me. He¡¯s my uncle. He agreed to see me!"

    The person staggered backward, nearly bumping into Yu Feixue and He Wei behind them. He Wei quickly pulled Yu Feixue behind him to protect her.

    "Be careful, sir!"

    "Sorry!" The individual offered a perfunctory apology, eyes lowered, and prepared to leave.

    "Zhuo Lin!"

    Yu Feixue pushed past He Wei, stepping forward.

    He Wei was speechless.

    Could this be what people mean by "no effort is needed, the answer drops right in yourp"?

    The person¡¯s clothes looked like wilted dried mustard greens: wrinkled badly, not to mention the smell¡ªonce close, it hit like a wave. It was clear they hadn¡¯t bathed in days. Their hair was disheveled, their beard scraggly, and their overall unkempt appearance was enough to make He Wei instinctively furrow his brow.

    This was the "genius designer" Yu Feixue had spoken about?

    Could it be that geniuses lived like this?

    No baths, no change of clothes, no shaving, no tidying up¡ªit was quite the sight.

    The man finally froze in ce and lifted his head.

    Yu Feixue grabbed him by the arm. "Zhuo Lin, is it really you? Wow, talk about a coincidence! We went to your school today, but couldn¡¯t find you. And now, out of sheer luck, we¡¯ve run into you back at the hotel." Her voice carried a hint of excitement¡ªat least she wasn¡¯ting across as boastful in front of He Wei.

    Zhuo Lin looked visibly embarrassed.

    Being seen like this by an old ssmate was utterly humiliating.

    "Let¡¯s go up to a room to talk," He Wei suggested, not wanting to converse right at the entrance.

    Zhuo Lin nced at the hotel entrance and shook his head. "Forget it. They won¡¯t let me inside. Let¡¯s discuss things another day." The ce felt unattainable to him.

    He Wei looked at the bellhop, who was standing inside the ss door, ring at Zhuo Lin with evident disdain, as if guarding against his return.

    "Come on, I don¡¯t believe they¡¯d dare kick a guest out like this!"

    His statement wasn¡¯t actually to defend Zhuo Lin.

    This was their first meeting, and Zhuo Lin hadn¡¯t made a great impression.

    He was motivated more by annoyance at the bellhop¡¯s prejudiced attitude¡ªHe Wei himself had risen from humble beginnings and had experienced simr disdain, making him particrly resentful toward such snobby characters.

    As the saying goes, "The wheel of fortune turns; thirty years east of the river, thirty years west. Don¡¯t underestimate the less fortunate youth."

    For all anyone knew, Zhuo Lin might be a prominent figure someday. Yet, here and now, seeing him treated so poorly, He Wei feltpelled to intervene as Yu Feixue¡¯s friend.

    Yu Feixue grabbed Zhuo Lin. "Let¡¯s go. He¡¯s my friend, and we came all this way for you. We¡¯re staying here. Come on¡ªlet¡¯s see who dares to stop you." Her innate sense of justice red up. Had she lived in ancient times, she might have been a vignte heroine.

    Born in this era, her natural chivalry seemed wasted.

    He Wei reached the hotel entrance, and the bellhop promptly opened the door. This gentleman had checked in yesterday, staying in an ocean-view room costing a hundred Dao Coins per night, with generous tips to match. He was undoubtedly one of their distinguished guests, greeted with a fawning smile.

    "Wee back, sir!"

    He Wei ignored him and walked straight inside.

    Yu Feixue and Zhuo Lin followed after.

    The bellhop abruptly stopped Zhuo Lin.

    "Mr. Zhuo, please don¡¯t make things difficult for us. We¡¯re just employees earning a wage¡ªit¡¯s not easy for us. Why trouble the likes of us small people?" His tone was exceptionally abrasive, and his attitude overbearing.

    Zhuo Lin¡¯s face turned crimson, as if ready to explode.

    The shame was palpable.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 957: Check-in

    <h4>Chapter 957: Chapter 957: Check-in</h4><h4></h4>

    "I¡¯m not going in!" Zhuo Lin said, overwhelmed with shame.

    He tried to turn around and leave, but Yu Feixue grabbed him firmly.

    "What¡¯s this? Is this how your hotel treats its guests? Call your manager out¡ªI¡¯d like to ask, what kind of policy allows a doorman to block guests from entering? Who gave you this authority!" Yu Feixue was fearless and defiant.

    The doorman, startled by Yu Feixue¡¯s assertiveness, quickly realized who she was¡ªhe had seen her with the gentleman earlier. But the issue wasn¡¯t about stopping her at all.

    He hurriedly exined, "Miss, please don¡¯t misunderstand. I wasn¡¯t stopping you from entering; I was stopping this individual. He isn¡¯t a guest of our hotel¡ªout of concern for the safety andfort of other guests, we cannot let him in."

    Only heaven knows how he could dare stop a guest from entering!

    Did he not want to keep his job?!

    "Oh, well let me tell you something: he *is* a guest! We¡¯re here to help him check in. What now? Are you saying he still can¡¯t enter?"

    He Weng, who had turned around by then, raised a card in his hand.

    It was the hotel¡¯s VIP card.

    He Weng had been in business for years and frequently traveled to Harbor City. Because of this, he had also picked up a bit of the localnguage, so having their VIP card wasn¡¯t surprising at all.

    The doorman began to feel conflicted.

    He had been instructed by the top-floor guest to keep Zhuo Lin out. However, Zhuo Lin was now evidently a guest too¡ªhe no longer had the authority to block his entry.

    Even if the manager came over, they wouldn¡¯t back him up. It wasn¡¯t as though the hotel was run by Mr. Zhuo! Their actual employer wasn¡¯t the type to look down on people based on their status.

    The doorman knew that if he didn¡¯t handle this carefully, losing his job was inevitable.

    He promptly forced a friendly smile. "Of course, that¡¯s absolutely fine! Mr. He, we always wee our guests. How could we ever refuse anyone entry? This was just a misunderstanding. Mr. Zhuo mentioned wanting to meet someone, and for our guests¡¯ safety, we naturally couldn¡¯t just let anyone in casually. Again, this was all just a misunderstanding." His profession practically demanded the art of smiling politely and saying whatever was necessary to appease; this was his job.

    "Mr. Zhuo, pleasee in."

    Internally, the doorman was cursing the situation. The top-floor Mr. Zhuo had explicitly requested him to keep someone out, even giving him a generous tip to ensure it. But now it appeared impossible to follow through with that n.

    Fuming, Zhuo Lin felt deeply frustrated. Every time he came here, the doormen and security staff kept him outside.

    At the core of it, wasn¡¯t it just because he had no money? If he had money and could afford to stay here, he could meet whomever he wanted.

    No one would care to interfere.

    Yu Feixue shot a disdainful nce at the doorman and strode inside with Zhuo Lin, her head held high.

    He Weng handled Zhuo Lin¡¯s check-in process.

    To him, it was akin to doing a good deed.

    The three of them headed upstairs.

    The elevator attendant sneaked a nce at Zhuo Lin from the corner of his eye.

    No alternatives¡ªwhile the other two looked decently dressed, Zhuo Lin resembled a vagrant off the streets.

    But professional ethics didn¡¯t allow them to make guests feel ufortable.

    So the attendant could only take discreet nces, either with his peripheral vision or using the reflective elevator panels.

    Truth be told, Zhuo Lin had indeed spent recent days living like a homeless person.

    Not only had he been expelled from school, he couldn¡¯t afford rent on his apartment, and thendlord had kicked him out. With no money for a hotel, he had no ce to stay.

    The nature of his expulsion had been deeply disgraceful, leaving him too ashamed to turn to close friends for help.

    Fortunately, the weather hadn¡¯t turned cold yet.

    He had been resting on park benches, or asionally on benches under nearby bridges.

    These past few days, he¡¯d been living worse off than most vagrants.

    Inside the room, He Weng nced at Zhuo Lin¡¯s clothes, which were clearly unsuitable.

    He pulled out a T-shirt and a pair of loose shorts from his luggage to give Zhuo Lin¡ªat minimum, it was better than letting him continue wearing his current outfit that reeked like rancid vegetables.

    "Take a shower first, clean yourself up. Then we¡¯ll go have lunch, and we can talk during the meal."

    At this point, He Weng no longer harbored any expectations.

    Zhuo Lin looked far too disheveled¡ªexpecting him to be a design prodigy seemed absurd.

    The mental blow was as harsh as a killing strike.

    The three of them went to dine in the hotel¡¯s top-floor revolving restaurant.

    Notably, the venue offered a panoramic view of Harbor City.

    Zhuo Lin ate ravenously, while He Weng calmly sliced his steak. At least now Zhuo Lin appeared somewhat like a normal person¡ªalthough his borrowed clothes looked oversized on his thin frame, resembling a child in oversized garments. Zhuo Lin was incredibly slim, almost reed-like.

    Watching Zhuo Lin, Yu Feixue felt heartache. Once, Zhuo Lin had been the prince of her dreams; it was hard to reconcile that someone so talented and promising could fall to such a sorrowful state.

    "Take it slow. If you¡¯re still hungry, we can order more."

    Zhuo Lin swallowed a mouthful of food, his face rife with embarrassment.

    He hadn¡¯t eaten properly for nearly a week. Without money, how could one buy food?

    Out of sheer desperation, he had been visiting supermarkets to eat free samples. But these weren¡¯t enough to satisfy hunger, and while the staff initially greeted him warmly, after seeing hime repeatedly, their attitude started to sour.

    Being someone with a strong sense of pride, he began avoiding ces where he was treated coldly, opting only for areas where staff didn¡¯t re at him.

    One could only imagine how starving he must¡¯ve been by then.

    "I¡¯m sorry¡ªI lost myposure," Zhuo Lin admitted, realizing how inappropriate his behavior seemed.

    "Feixue, why did youe looking for me? Aren¡¯t you in Modu? How did you end up here in Harbor City?" Thankfully, he still had some rity left.

    Yu Feixue stole a nce at He Weng.

    "This is He Weng, a good friend of mine and also a rtive of my younger sister. We came here specifically to find you. He Weng runs a private custom design business and is searching for an ideal designer. I rmended you, which is why he wanted to discuss possibilities with you."

    Only now did Zhuo Lin realize why they hade. He lowered his head and quietly finished the food on his te.

    After wiping his mouth clean with a napkin, as though he had made up his mind, he raised his head to face He Weng and Yu Feixue.

    "I sincerely apologize for letting you see me in such a state. To be honest, you¡¯ve made a wasted trip. I¡¯m no longer a design student at any university. Justst month, I was expelled¡ªthat offense was supposedly for giarizing someone else¡¯s design. I apologize for making you travel all this way."

    His indifferent tone conveyed both resignation and buried anger.

    Yu Feixue was stunned.

    She had considered the possibility of Zhuo Lin being expelled but never imagined it would be due to giarism.

 Chapter 958 Collision

    <h4>Chapter 958: Chapter 958 Collision</h4><h4></h4>

    "Impossible! Zhuo Lin, do you think I don¡¯t know what kind of person you are? You¡¯re someone who is passionate about design¡ªyou would never do something like that. That¡¯s the very thing you¡¯ve always despised the most." Yu Feixue couldn¡¯t believe it.

    Zhuo Lin smiled bitterly and pushed his te to the side.

    "I never expected that the person who understands me the most in this world is you. I¡¯ve always just thought of you as one of my juniors. Life truly has a sense of irony."

    He Weng took a sip of red wine. The food here was truly delicious, and this bottle of wine¡ªit was the kind his friend had rmendedst time, ridiculously expensive, but worth a try.

    "Since Feixue believes you¡¯re not that kind of person, then I trust her judgment. If you¡¯re in some kind of trouble, we can figure out a way to help you together."

    He never judged people by their appearances.

    Since Yu Feixue trusted this Zhuo Lin so much, he ought to adopt a more approachable attitude as well.

    Zhuo Lin was incredulous. He never thought a stranger would extend this kind of help to him.

    "Zhuo Lin, what are you doing here? What¡¯s going on with this hotel? Do they let just anyone walk in nowadays?"

    An irritating voice rang out before the person even appeared.

    Zhuo Lin shot up out of his seat.

    "Uncle, I didn¡¯t expect us to run into each other."

    The anger and resentment in his voice were palpable.

    He Weng and Yu Feixue turned their heads and saw four impably dressed middle-aged men standing behind them. The one leading the group wore sses and was a portly man, staring at them with visible disdain.

    That gaze was anything but friendly.

    "Zhuo Lin, don¡¯t address me like that. I don¡¯t have a nephew like you. You should know how much hope your grandfather ced in you. Your father left home all those years ago, causing a huge loss for the family. Your grandfather didn¡¯t even hold it against you two¡ªhe brought you and your mother back into the house.

    He hoped you¡¯d have the decency to live up to expectations and inherit the family business. What kind ofpany do we run? You¡¯re not unaware of it. We¡¯re an investment firm; what we need are talents skilled in finance. But you deliberately ran off to study fashion design, infuriating your mother and forcing your grandfather to kick you out.

    And now that you¡¯ve been expelled from school, you¡¯reing to me for what exactly?

    Let me tell you¡ªyour grandfather has already made it clear. You are no longer part of the Zhuo Family. Whatever your fate may be, rich or poor, it has nothing to do with us. Even if you ascend to riches someday, we won¡¯t envy you. So why keep chasing after us, running to me now? What is it you want?"

    The man next to him chuckled. "Ohe on, Zhuo Tang, isn¡¯t it obvious? Just look at him¡ªa picture of destitution. Surely he¡¯s hoping you, as his uncle, will lend him a hand. After all, he¡¯s still your nephew, right? Toss him some pocket money. Isn¡¯t it true that spending some money can often avoid trouble? Every family has at least a couple of broke rtives, don¡¯t they?"

    Far from calming things down, this was pure provocation.

    Zhuo Lin¡¯s face contorted with rage.

    Zhuo Tang smirked and said, "You¡¯re right; as his uncle, I¡¯ve been a bit too heartless. Even though your grandfather kicked you out of the family, we do still share some blood ties. Seeing you in such a miserable state, if I don¡¯t reach out to help, it would truly be unforgivable.

    After all, your father and I are brothers."

    "Since that¡¯s the case, alright then¡ªtake this money."

    He pulled out his wallet, took out a wad of cash, and tossed it in Zhuo Lin¡¯s face.

    The disdain in his gesture was undeniable¡ªlike tossing a bone to a stray dog on the street.

    The scattered banknotes fluttered around Zhuo Lin like flower petals in the wind,nding all over the floor.

    "Well, nephew, since your uncle gave you money, hurry up and pick it up," sneered the man from earlier, his malicious gaze clearly reveling in the mockery.

    This was deliberate, tant humiliation.

    Zhuo Lin was breathing heavily.

    Coming here had been a mistake¡ªeverything about it was wrong.

    "What, you think this money is beneath you? You should know it¡¯s enough to cover your living expenses for a few months. Young people shouldn¡¯t forget their ce."

    Zhuo Tang was smug. He looked down on his nephew, especially for trying to fight him for the family inheritance. This was the oue¡ªthis was his downfall.

    Wealth isn¡¯t something everyone can enjoy.

    "Four grown men, supposedly elders, bullying a young person¡ªhow utterly disgraceful. Nowadays, it seems money only makes people more vile. Lucky for me, they¡¯re not my rtives; otherwise, I¡¯d give them a p across the face and teach them what it means to act like proper elders," He Weng said as he pulled Zhuo Lin back and made him sit down.

    "Eat your meal. People like that are just beasts barking in your ear. It¡¯s not worth lowering ourselves to their level."

    He Weng resumed drinking his wine.

    A warmth flooded Zhuo Lin¡¯s heart. Ever since he arrived on Hong Kong Ind with his mother, he had endured continuous ostracism from his rtives¡ªthe so-called brothers and uncles treated him like an outsider. All they ever did was ridicule,ugh at his expense, and treat him and his mother as freeloaders. Their scorn was relentless, both overt and implied, treating him with disdain and his mother like a servant.

    For his mother, life in the old mansion had been unbearable. She was constantly bossed around, looked down upon, and ignored. Zhuo Lin had hoped that after securing a sessful career through hard work, he could graduate, find employment, and take his mother far away from the Zhuo Family. But everything unraveled¡ªhe got expelled, and his mother passed away suddenly due to anger and despair.

    His mother had still been young, and all of this¡ªthe torment, the suffering¡ªwas unbearable.

    Zhuo Lin med himself and deemed his predicament a result of his own failures.

    But despite his struggles, he knew the truth deep down. His designs had always been saved in hisputer, and he vividly recalled the day when his cousin hade into his room, iming hisputer was broken and borrowing Zhuo Lin¡¯s to draw something. Back then, he hadn¡¯t thought much of it.

    But when he looked back, it was too coincidental¡ªsomething didn¡¯t add up. He couldn¡¯t dismiss the thought that there was deliberate sabotage involved.

    His grandfather flew into a rage and threw him out of the family. His mother died of a cerebral hemorrhage. Everything¡ªthe events, the timing¡ªit all seemed too convenient.

    He couldn¡¯t shake the suspicion that his smug uncle standing before him wasn¡¯t innocent in all of this.

    His rtives wanted nothing more than to ruin him. Yet here were Yu Feixue and He Weng, people who had just met him, standing up for him, protecting him. This unexpected kindness filled Zhuo Lin¡¯s heart, like holding a warm bun in the dead of winter¡ªit was impossiblyforting.

    "Who are you to speak up? Haha, young people these days really flock together. Birds of a feather, aren¡¯t they? Even someone like Zhuo Lin, a piece of trash, has people willing to defend him. I can¡¯t imagine what he offers you.

    I¡¯m telling you now, young man¡ªZhuo Lin is no longer part of the Zhuo Family. He¡¯s been disowned by the old master. If you think you can cozy up to him for some sort of advantage, let me forewarn you¡ªyou¡¯re making a foolish bet. He, Zhuo Lin, has nothing to offer, not a cent to his name. He¡¯s t broke! You¡¯d still want to be his friend?

    Zhuo Lin, by the way, this meal isn¡¯t cheap. I¡¯m not trying to be cruel, but you should pick up the money on the floor¡ªit¡¯s probably enough to cover the bill. Young people shouldn¡¯t be so prideful. Your friends might not know you¡¯re penniless, and pretending to have resources you don¡¯t will only make things worse." Zhuo Tang didn¡¯t hold back, driving Zhuo Lin further into the dirt.

 Chapter 959: Pushing Things Too Far

    <h4>Chapter 959: Chapter 959: Pushing Things Too Far</h4><h4></h4>

    "Uncle, you¡¯re going too far!" Zhuo Lin, humiliated in public, couldn¡¯t hold back his anger. Though he was down and out, he nevercked dignity.

    "Zhuo Lin, I don¡¯t understand what you mean. How did I bully you? If I *were* bullying you, it would be like this¡ªManager, get your manager over here!" Zhuo Tang was determined to teach Zhuo Lin a lesson. He wouldn¡¯t be content until he crushed himpletely.

    The nearby acquaintances, evidently siding with Zhuo Tang, immediately shot malicious nces at Zhuo Lin.

    "Nephew, if you don¡¯t leave now, it might be toote to leave!"

    He Weng chuckled, "Excuse me, but why should we leave? We¡¯re eating here properly and legitimately. Why should we leave? Who dares to chase us away? I refuse to believe that spending money should lead to this kind of trouble!" He spent much of his life bedridden and had never seen such bullying before. Right now, he truly couldn¡¯t believe he couldn¡¯t eat a meal in peace.

    This world is bing surreal.

    One by one, everyone seems to be turning into monsters.

    Does having money make people so superior?

    He¡¯s wealthy too, but he never acts this arrogant.

    Someone whispered to He Weng that his wealth wasn¡¯t substantial enough.

    The people before him were the real moneyed elite.

    Zhuo Tangughed heartily and patted He Weng¡¯s shoulder cordially. "Young man, you truly earn my admiration! Isn¡¯t there a saying that money makes the world go round? This meal isn¡¯t something you can eat just because you want to. Let me teach you the meaning of arrogance! And also show my dear nephew the true definition of bullying."

    The manager greeted Zhuo Tang deferentially. As someone who had permanently reserved their top-floor presidential suite, Zhuo Tang was undoubtedly considered a VIP.

    The eldest son of the Zhuo Family, the current head of the household¡ªwasn¡¯t the future of the Zhuo Corporation entirely in this man¡¯s hands?

    "Mr. Zhuo, what can I do for you? If there¡¯s anything unsatisfactory, we¡¯re happy to improve upon it."

    Zhuo Tang¡¯s family ranked among the top thirty wealthy households on Hong Kong Ind. Such assets were akin to worth; business people naturally wouldn¡¯t offend moneyed individuals.

    Groveling was no issue¡ªin the end, they were just employees; they wouldn¡¯t dare provoke these wealthy patrons.

    "Here¡¯s the thing¡ªI¡¯d like to book the entire restaurant for a meal with some friends. What¡¯s the price?"

    At these words, the manager¡¯s face turned pale. Book the whole restaurant? This was a five-star hotel.

    An afternoon¡¯s revenue for the entire restaurant was likely over several hundred thousand.

    And this man wanted to book it entirely!

    Looking around the restaurant, there were currently only three tables upied.

    He hesitated before saying, "Mr. Zhuo, there are guests dining here already. We¡¯re in the business of serving customers; chasing people out is against the rules. How about I offer you a private dining room instead, ensuring absolute tranquility? And we¡¯ll give you a fifty percent discount on today¡¯s meal¡ªhow does that sound?"

    Deep down, he cursed under his breath, knowing full well what was going on.

    Zhuo Lin was sitting upright before them. These power struggles within wealthy families were a mess tooplex to untangle.

    But the manager knew¡ªZhuo Tang was here to deal with Zhuo Lin.

    He didn¡¯t want to offend either party. Zhuo Lin didn¡¯t have a strong backing anymore. He was just the discarded son of the Zhuo Family, someone sshed across gossip magazines¡ªa parentless orphan without the means to stage aeback.

    This kind of family business that made people green with envy¡ªwho knew how many skeletons were hiding in the closet?

    He wouldn¡¯t meddle in affairs like this.

    Theirpany had strict rules: anyone daring to act hically would never find work in the industry again.

    So he wasn¡¯t about to give in, yet he was already being incredibly amodating to Zhuo Tang.

    Zhuo Tang¡¯s face darkened in displeasure.

    The head of the Zhuo Family being treated with such disregard? With three friends at his side¡ªincluding his good-for-nothing nephew¡ªthis was humiliating.

    He frowned deeply.

    "Name your price; I¡¯m willing to negotiate! Check with the guests¡ªtell them I¡¯llpensate them double their meal costs if they can give us some leeway!"

    This was a challenge.

    He was determined to prove that money could indeed solve anything.

    Watching Zhuo Tang¡¯s insufferable posturing, He Weng sneered inwardly.

    All of this just to target them? Zhuo Lin wasn¡¯t even an actual threat¡ªit wasn¡¯t worth the trouble. Yet Zhuo Tang insisted; his petty nature was ringly obvious.

    The manager nodded at this suggestion. "Let me give it a try!"

    This was his cue to act tactfully.

    If someone had money burning a hole in their pocket, surely there¡¯d be others happy to take advantage.

    The manager negotiated with the other two tables, and sure enough, the diners easily agreed to leave after receiving double their bill.

    Who wouldn¡¯t want to benefit when someone foolishly throws money around?

    Besides, some guests had nearly finished eating anyway.

    Leaving with a full belly and extra money¡ªthey smiled knowingly at Zhuo Tang, beaming as they walked out.

    Zhuo Tang turned his gaze to He Weng¡¯s table.

    It might¡¯ve started as a way of targeting Zhuo Lin, but now it was also about He Weng. Zhuo Tang couldn¡¯t stand hisposed demeanor, as though he were so righteous and honorable. He was desperate to reveal He Weng¡¯s "true" face¡ªjust to toy with people¡¯s pride.

    Seeing He Weng bowing to money¡¯s power, lowering himself¡ªthat would be the true satisfaction Zhuo Tang sought.

    In his eyes, any problem solvable with money wasn¡¯t really a problem.

    Zhuo Tang was likely mentally twisted.

    The manager nced at Zhuo Lin, then approached He Weng. This was tact, carefully avoiding unnecessary humiliation while sidestepping conflict altogether.

    From the bottom of his heart, He Weng couldn¡¯t help butmend the manager. Skilled in diplomacy, shrewd yet pragmatic, maintaining open paths for future dealings¡ªthis man was indeed a talent.

    So adept at adapting to circumstances.

    "Sir, Mr. Zhuo graciously wishes topensate you double your meal cost. Might I ask your party to move to another table and give these gentlemen the space they desire? We sincerely apologize for today¡¯s inconvenience. How about this¡ªwe invite the three of you to visit the snack-street on the ninth floor, and all expenses will be on us. It¡¯s our way of making amends.

    We all need to make room for one another when we¡¯re out and about; showing consideration for others is showing consideration for ourselves."

    The manager¡¯s tone was impable, devoid of any condescension.

    Zhuo Lin seethed with rage. Being pushed around like this¡ªit was self-inflicted misfortune.

    If he hadn¡¯t stubbornly resisted earlier, he might¡¯ve spared his friends this humiliation.

    Yu Feixue nced at He Weng, and as their eyes met, there seemed to be an unspoken understanding between them.

    Yu Feixue mmed the table dramatically.

    "What kind of nonsense is this? Is this the service standard of your five-star hotel? I¡¯m filing aint! I refuse to believe throwing money around is the solution! If you¡¯re not afraid, I¡¯ll make some calls right now. My friends work at television stations, newspapers, and government offices. You might be able to bribe Hong Kong Ind media, but can you also bribe the maind¡¯s coverage?"

    With her defiant stance, she was undeniably intimidating.

    Zhuo Tang¡¯s eyes darkened.

    So there was *this* card in y.

    "Xiaoxue, don¡¯t get upset. Manager, this incident is still negotiable. My friend¡¯s frustration is simply due to ack of respect. Ultimately, we¡¯re all here to host Miss Yu for this meal¡ªit¡¯s regrettable to run into such trouble. As long as we can satisfy Miss Yu, the two of us have no objections!"

    He Weng was quick-witted; Yu Feixue ying the strong hand was clearly the ideal strategy.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 960: Mars Collides with Earth

    <h4>Chapter 960: Chapter 960: Mars Collides with Earth</h4><h4></h4>

    "And what do you mean by that?"

    The manager immediately sensed an opportunity.

    This one seemed reasonable enough to negotiate with.

    As long as there¡¯s room to discuss, the problem can be solved.

    Zhuo Tang sneered. He¡¯s a businessman! Did they seriously think he couldn¡¯t see through this little game?

    It¡¯s nothing more than an attempt at an on-the-spot price hike.

    Money? That, he had no shortage of.

    He didn¡¯t believe for a second that throwing enough cash at the problem wouldn¡¯t get them to back down.

    "He Weng, we¡¯re not going anywhere. We¡¯re eating right here!" Yu Feixue dered, filled with fury.

    Zhuo Tangughed so hard the corners of his mouth turned crooked.

    The other three burst intoughter as well.

    This kind of petty trick? Someone as shrewd as Zhuo Tang and his group could see through it instantly.

    "How about this, Miss Yu? I¡¯ll pay you five times your dining bill. What do you think?" Zhuo Tang didn¡¯t believe a sum of money like that couldn¡¯t crush the people in front of him.

    "You think I¡¯ve never seen money before?"

    Yu Feixue was enraged. With a p, she pulled out a ck card.

    "Open your damn eyes and take a good look! What kind of card is this?"

    Zhuo Tang was taken aback.

    That kind of ck card¡ªhe was quite familiar with it.

    He himself had one under his name.

    A diamond ck card!

    Only those with a worth of over a billion could qualify for one, because this card had no limit.

    Obtaining one required stringent conditions. While her card was slightly different from his, the banks all had an unspoken understanding: ck diamond cards were not handed out casually.

    Zhuo Tang was briefly stunned.

    He looked up, this time carefully scrutinizing Yu Feixue¡ªa new face.

    He was certain she wasn¡¯t part of the Hong Kong Ind circle. Judging by her standard Mandarin, Zhuo Tang suddenly came to a realization.

    Hadn¡¯t Zhuo Lin alsoe from the maind before?

    This must be one of Zhuo Lin¡¯s friends.

    "Miss Yu, my apologies¡ªit seems I may have offended you. But ten times the dining bill isn¡¯t a small amount, right?"

    Zhuo Tang wasn¡¯t oblivious to reality.

    It¡¯s just that he didn¡¯t consider Yu Feixue worth taking seriously. After all, Hong Kong Ind hadn¡¯t yet returned to the maind, and was still not under maind authority. Moreover, even among maind tycoons, there were disparities in their levels of wealth.

    The difference in "weight" was huge.

    They didn¡¯t care about mainders at all.

    In fact, this made them all the more arrogant.

    He Weng smiled, "Mr. Zhuo, it seems that you¡¯re determined to make us vacate our table?"

    He ced one hand on Yu Feixue to steady her.

    His smile remained pleasant, but his gaze was razor-sharp.

    Zhuo Tang pulled a chair over and sat down.

    "It looks like you¡¯ve already figured it out, sir. Yes, I absolutely have that in mind. Let¡¯s cut straight to the chase¡ªif ten times isn¡¯t enough for Miss Yu, and she feels it¡¯s beneath her dignity, how about a hundred times? I can keep increasing it. I wonder what amount Miss Yu would find appropriate?"

    This was pure humiliation.

    "Mr. Zhuo, even if you offer a thousand times, we still won¡¯t leave. We¡¯ve decided to dine right here. The view is especially lovely¡ªperfect for us! Besides, Mr. Zhuo, aren¡¯t you worried this dining fee might cause you severe losses?" He Weng responded leisurely, unhurriedly.

    Yu Feixue pinched He Weng¡¯s palm with her fingers.

    He Weng returned her a warm gaze.

    Inside, Yu Feixue was cursing up a storm.

    That bastard! Throwing a woman into the line of fire¡ªdoes he even count as a man?

    But what could be done? They were all on the same boat.

    He Weng was doing this for Zhuo Lin, her friend. On what grounds could she back down?

    She mmed her hand on the table.

    "That¡¯s right¡ªeven ten thousand times, we¡¯re not leaving!"

    Zhuo Lin¡¯s eyes filled with tears. What a friend! Truly his best friend in the world.

    No one had ever stood up for him like this in his life.

    A fiery, reckless loyalty surged within him, willing to sacrifice everything for a soulmate.

    Zhuo Tang shook his head. "Young people, don¡¯t be so impulsive. Ten thousand times? I really can afford that. It¡¯s just a few million¡ªquantities like that are mere pocket change to me. If you don¡¯t ept it, you¡¯ll be the only ones losing out here. Think carefully¡ªthis is a once-in-a-lifetime offer. Youths, weigh your options clearly!"

    Of course, he was doing this on purpose. If these people already dered they wouldn¡¯t leave for even ten thousand times, he had no issue continuing to p them down. After all, he knew they wouldn¡¯t actually agree.

    He loved this type of fool.

    The brash, impulsive kind.

    They were his favorite ythings.

    "Mr. Zhuo, are you really prepared to offer a ten-thousand-timespensation for our dining bill? That honestly doesn¡¯t seem like a very wise financial move. A rich man like you would truly be showing off extravagance if you spent so much on a single meal. Oh my, it¡¯s really quite humbling," He Weng said, maintaining hisposed tone.

    One of Zhuo Tang¡¯s friends chimed in with augh, "Young man, do you know who Mr. Zhuo is? He¡¯s a renowned businessman from Hong Kong Ind. His family is worth billions. This kind of money is nothing to him. Even a hundred-thousand-times payout would just be a game to him. Be wise and take what you can get."

    They had also discerned by now that these three were the kind who were poor but full of pride.

    "He Weng, I can¡¯t stand people like this who throw money around like they own the world. Mr. Zhuo thinks he can do whatever he wants just because he¡¯s rich. Well, you know what? We love that! Go ahead, Mr. Zhuo¡ªwrite your check!" Yu Feixue strode up to Zhuo Tang, a bright smile on her face as she extended her delicate hand.

    The restaurant fell silent.

    He Weng watched Zhuo Tang¡¯s dumbfounded expression and chuckled. "Mr. Zhuo, didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d offer ten-thousand-timespensation? We¡¯d never dare reject your generous offer. We ept. We¡¯ll take the money and vacate the table. What¡¯s the matter? Mr. Zhuo, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re joking and can¡¯t actually pay?"

    Zhuo Tang¡¯s face stiffened. With so many eyes on him¡ªbe it his friends or the restaurant staff¡ªthere were far too many mouths to gossip. Too many witnesses.

    There was no way he could lose face here today.

    He reached into his pocket and pulled out his checkbook.

    "Wait, Mr. Zhuo, shouldn¡¯t you check with the manager first about how much our dining bill is?" He Weng¡¯s smile was calm and imprable. His gaze made it impossible for anyone to hide.

    This was someone who could devour you whole, bones and all.

    Zhuo Tang forced out a grin, though it was stiff and awkward. A ten-thousand-times payout wasn¡¯t something he couldn¡¯t afford.

    It was just that the young people he thought would have too much pride to ept the money had surprisingly reversed their stance in an instant.

    A single meal might actually end up costing him tens of millions¡ªthis was now a certainty.

    Meals here cost several thousand per head¡ªthat much was obvious. That¡¯s why he had made his offer with such confidence. And while using money to p people down was undeniably satisfying...

    ...throwing away that much money certainly didn¡¯t sit well.

    Not only was it unsatisfying¡ªit was infuriating

    and suffocating.

    "Manager, how much is their dining bill? Rest assured, I won¡¯t short you a penny. Our Zhuo Family is one of the most esteemed families on Hong Kong Ind. Thest thing weck is money." He wanted to see whether these people had the guts to rack up an actual fortune in expenses.

    The manager approached hesitantly with the bill, wiping sweat from his brow.

    Good heavens, these youngsters were really stirring up trouble.

    This...

    "Manager, how much is it?"

    Zhuo Tang remained dismissive. A few million was no big deal; his family¡¯s reputation was worth far more than that.

    Even if it hurt, he¡¯d still pay to save face.

    Not to mention, Zhuo Tang had plenty of ways to w it backter.

    "Mr. Zhuo, their table¡¯s total is... ten thousand!"

    BOOM!

    The news exploded in everyone¡¯s minds.

    Ten thousand?

    Ten thousand times ten thousand?

    Good heavens!

    No wonder these people were so fearless.

    Zhuo Tang¡¯s head spun with a thunderous roar.

    He almost fell off his chair.

    "What? How much?"

    This couldn¡¯t be real!

    "Mr. He¡¯s party drank a bottle of Kangdi¡ªit wasn¡¯t even a particrly old vintage, but the price alone was already eighty thousand. The other meal expenses add up to that amount." The manager hadn¡¯t expected Mr. He to have ordered such avish bottle. A single meal, drinking an eighty-thousand-dor Kangdi, was enough to prove they were wealthy themselves.

    This was truly a collision of cosmic proportions.

 Chapter 961: Riding the Tiger, Hard to Dismount

    <h4>Chapter 961: Chapter 961: Riding the Tiger, Hard to Dismount</h4><h4></h4>

    This really is the case of ying with eagles all your life, only to have your eyes pecked blind by one in the end.

    Zhuo Tang is truly stuck between a rock and a hard ce now.

    Millions are just y money for him. While it¡¯s wasteful, it¡¯s not a big deal.

    But now it¡¯s ten billion!

    This is fatal.

    He doesn¡¯t have what it takes to shell out ten billion just for one meal.

    Even if he were eating gold, there¡¯s no way it¡¯d cost that much.

    If the old man found out that Zhuo Tang dared to do something like this, he wouldn¡¯t be able to call himself his father if he didn¡¯t kick him out of the house.

    The problem is, even if he refuses to pay and decides to act shamelessly, He Weng and the others can¡¯t do anything to him. But the bigger issue is that this matter has already be a joke.

    Who knows what news will hit the papers tomorrow.

    Sky-high dining bill¡ªsome squanderer spends ten billion on one meal and is made into aughingstock.

    He¡¯ll be infamous, no doubt about it.

    The Zhuo Family will also gain infamy, and he¡¯ll still end up ruined.

    He Weng remained silent, taking a sip from his wine ss.

    "Zhuo Lin, drink up. Let Mr. Zhuo think this through carefully! After all, ten billion is no small amount¡ªwe have all the time to wait."

    Yu Feixue sat down beside He Weng, genuinely amused this time.

    A moment ago, she wasn¡¯t happy about this red wine¡ªshe found it nd despite the fancy ambiance. Yu Feixue preferred the straightforward kick of baijiu.

    To her, red wine seemed like something for sissies.

    But now, she was rather fond of this wine.

    Just because it yed a significant role today, Yu Feixue told herself that from now on, thisdy had decided to switchpletely to red wine.

    A sip went down her throat, smooth and invigorating.

    Satisfying!

    So this wine could have this kind of effect, huh?

    Zhuo Lin raised his ss, feeling at peace for the first time as he drank.

    All the frustration and humiliation faded to nothing.

    Just moments ago, when Yu Feixue agreed to take the money and leave, he felt a sense of loss, realizing that even his friends could be bought by money.

    It was a frustration he had no way to vent, a knot in his heart. He even felt like the world waspletely ruled by money¡ªthat money was the ultimate power.

    At that moment, he resolved to change his perception, to chase after wealth with no holds barred, and to be a rich man by any means.

    One day, he too would use money to crush others¡ªcrush those bastards ruthlessly.

    But with just one sentence, the situation took a sudden turn. Watching Zhuo Tang¡¯s darkened face brought him a rush of satisfaction greater than having money in hand.

    Glorious!

    This ss of wine deserved to be drained dry.

    Just for the fact that it had metaphorically pped Zhuo Tang¡¯s face today, it was worth celebrating to the point of drunkenness.

    "Mr. He, cheers!"

    He Weng winked at Zhuo Lin.

    The crisp clink of sses was truly stirring.

    "Cheers!"

    Yu Feixue joined in, clinking her ss.

    "Cheers!"

    Over here, they drank with ir, full of high spirits.

    Over there, Zhuo Tang sat glumly opposite his three useless friends.

    Today was unequivocally a day of shame¡ªit was impossible to hide it. No matter what, there was no point trying to cover it up anymore.

    "Old Zhuo! What now?"

    "Are you actually going to fork over ten billion?"

    "Don¡¯t be ridiculous¡ªpulling off a scam like this without any resources? These three little punks are on another level."

    "Should I find someone to bump them off for you?"

    "Get lost! Don¡¯te up with half-baked ideas. So many people already know about this, and who knows how many more will know tomorrow? If anything happens to them today, do you believe the cops won¡¯t show up at your door tomorrow? Clear-headed folks aren¡¯t blind; it¡¯s obvious it¡¯d be a cover-up murder attempt!"

    Zhuo Tang¡¯s anger was mounting.

    What kind of lousy ideas were these?

    Murder and cover-up?

    Yes, he had the ability to pull it off, but only a fool would do so right now.

    He couldn¡¯t get past this situation immediately.

    Looking at the three across from himughing and joking, their smiles blooming like spring flowers, drinking with gusto.

    Zhuo Tang felt hatred rising in him.

    That Miss Yu and Mr. He weren¡¯t good people.

    Anyone who dared to act this way clearly didn¡¯t fear his retaliation.

    But the problem now was how to get past this ten billion hurdle.

    Money¡ªhe absolutely wouldn¡¯t give it.

    Unless he¡¯d lost his mind or gone dumb, there was no way he¡¯d fork over ten billion for nothing.

    Still, not paying required him to have a solid justification.

    Even if he wanted to slip away quietly¡ªcould he manage it?

    With so many eyes on him, Zhuo Tang simply couldn¡¯t bring himself to stoop to such an embarrassing level.

    Embarrassment was a minor issue; if the old man found out, he¡¯d be in deep trouble.

    This time he¡¯d utterly lost both dignity and fortune.

    He truly regretted his loose tongue, insisting on butting heads with these young punks. And the result? Not only didn¡¯t he manage to bite off a chunk of them, but he ended up with a chipped tooth himself.

    Seeing Zhuo Lin¡¯s smug expression, Zhuo Tang¡¯s eyes darted. The only solution now was Zhuo Lin. As long as he was willing to step in, those two friends of his probably wouldn¡¯t refuse to make concessions.

    When it came down to it, weren¡¯t those two just standing up for Zhuo Lin?

    Swallowing his pride was difficult.

    He nced at Old He beside him.

    "Old He, looks like it¡¯s up to you to step in and mediate!"

    This was his closest confidant¡ªpolite and well-mannered on the surface, seemingly cultured, but full of deviousness inside. A true wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing.

    But Old He had a silver tongue.

    He Da caught Zhuo Tang¡¯s meaning instantly; his gaze flicked to Zhuo Lin, the intention crystal clear.

    His tradingpany depended on the Zhuo Family for profit, so naturally, he couldn¡¯t refuse Zhuo Tang¡¯s request.

    "Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯ll handle this!"

    Adjusting his cor, he quickly walked over to Zhuo Lin¡¯s side. "Nephew, can I have a word with you?"

    Zhuo Lin nonchntly put down his ss. "Say what you need right here. Besides, I¡¯m not your nephew¡ªI don¡¯t deserve that title. Just call me Mr. Zhuo, alright?" That "nephew" title had annoyed him for far too long.

    He Da hadn¡¯t expected to hit such a hard wall.

    Then again, he had anticipated something like this. His pride was hardly worth anything at this point.

    Smiling, he said, "Mr. Zhuo, you and Mr. Zhuo Tang are uncle and nephew. No matter what, Mr. Zhuo Tang is your elder. You are family. Your uncle losing face doesn¡¯t do you any good either. They say you grow close after fighting¡ªyour uncle wasn¡¯t trying to bully you; he just wanted to toughen you up, for your own sake. Things have turned out like this now, but it¡¯s not beneficial for you either.

    Letting outsiders profit while your own family loses face¡ªit won¡¯t look good for you either.

    Here¡¯s what I think: ten billion is too outrageous. How about one million¡ªlet¡¯s chalk it up to your uncle treating you, his nephew, to a meal. It¡¯s not a big deal, and everyone saves face. And this matter is put to rest. What do you say?"

    "Mr. He, your surname may be He, just like mine, but I could neverpare to you¡ªyou¡¯re practically gifted with a glib tongue, bringing the dead back to life with your words! Too bad you didn¡¯t get the situation straight: this meal was my treat to Zhuo Lin and Miss Yu. The money is mine, and I¡¯m the one with the final say.

    One million in exchange for ten billion¡ªMr. He, you undoubtedly y a shrewd hand.

    If all business were done the He way, wealth would flow endlessly.

    However, Mr. He, you seem to have forgotten that Zhuo Lin has already been kicked out of the Zhuo Family. He has no ties to the Zhuo Family anymore. Whether the Zhuo Family thrives or crumbles, it¡¯s none of his concern. So, Zhuo Lin, do you think there¡¯s any need to reconcile?"

    He Weng looked at Zhuo Lin. There was no way Zhuo Tang was going to cough up the ten billion¡ªthe resolution would depend on Zhuo Lin himself.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 962: Tricks

    <h4>Chapter 962: Chapter 962: Tricks</h4><h4></h4>

    He Da¡¯s face was grim. This He Weng seemed impossible to sway, judging by his attitude today, it was clear they were going to bleed heavily.

    "Zhuo Lin, what do you want? I can ry your demands. After all, it¡¯s better to resolve animosity than to deepen it. You and Zhuo Tang are uncle and nephew, that¡¯s something that¡¯ll never change in a lifetime. Why bring yourself unhappiness?"

    Zhuo Lin shouted angrily, "Zhuo Tang is my uncle? I don¡¯t have an uncle like him. You want reconciliation? Fine! I can ask my friends to drop the matter, but I demand Zhuo Tang give me an exnation. Who stole the files from theputer in my room? If he doesn¡¯t clear my name, I would rather die thanpromise. Also, my mother¡¯s ashes must be ced in the Zhuo Family¡¯s ancestral tomb; she must be buried alongside my father.

    This is her right. I don¡¯t need the inheritance! But my parents¡¯ belongings must be returned to me."

    These were the things he had been pleading with Zhuo Tang about for so long now, things Zhuo Tang had continually refused.

    He only wanted an exnation, a reasonable justification.

    He Da¡¯s expression softened. This seemed easy to resolve.

    Compared with ten billion, these grudges within wealthy families weren¡¯t significant.

    When He Da discussed this with Zhuo Tang, Zhuo Tang flew into a rage.

    "That bastard! His education was funded by us, everything he ate and drank came from us, and now he dares use the family? His mother not being allowed into the ancestral tomb wasn¡¯t my decision, it was the old man¡¯s. What does this have to do with me? That bastard, son of a bitch, doesn¡¯t even consider that without the Zhuo Family, he would¡¯ve starved to death long ago. Ungrateful dog, just like his mother, that cheap wench. Tell him¡ªthere¡¯s no chance!"

    He Da frowned. Zhuo Tang¡¯s arrogance was backed by his family background and wealth, but truth be told, Zhuo Tang¡¯s character wasn¡¯tmendable. Zhuo Tang¡¯s son hadn¡¯t done anything particrly suspect either¡ªhe was as conniving as his father. Such disgraceful deeds were entirely within their capability.

    He Da sneered coldly to himself. Acting all high and mighty at this time, putting on airs in front of everyone¡ªdoes he even know who he truly is? Everyone knows each other¡¯s dirtyundry.

    But when you live on someone else¡¯s terms, you naturally have to pretend ignorance.

    "Old Zhuo, you can argue with anyone, but don¡¯t argue with money. These three demands seem doable to me. Agree to them, and this matter will be settled. The kid¡¯s just holding on to a grudge. Why keep quibbling with him?"

    He Da had alreadyid out thedder¡ªit was up to Zhuo Tang whether he wanted to climb down.

    Zhuo Tang said nothing.

    The bitterness in his heart was something no one could understand.

    If the matter were that simple, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to agree.

    But of the three demands, aside from the first one, which he could force his son to admit, the other two were entirely beyond his control.

    His role in this whole affair had been thoroughly dishonorable.

    In the old man¡¯s safe stilly a falsified paternity test and intimate photos of Zhuo Lin¡¯s mother with another man.

    It was precisely these items that convinced the old man that Zhuo Lin¡¯s mother had cheated on his son.

    This was what prompted the old man to decisively expel Zhuo Lin from the family and strip him of his inheritance rights.

    Now, if Zhuo Lin¡¯s mother were to be buried in the ancestral tomb alongside Zhuo Lin¡¯s father, how could he concoct a new excuse to persuade the old man?

    The difficulty of that would be akin to fighting a war.

    And it would require overturning everything he had imed before.

    Everything he had painstakingly engineered was to monopolize the family fortune¡ªreally, if he¡¯d only known this wasing, he never would¡¯ve started this in the first ce.

    If he¡¯d known he¡¯d run into Zhuo Lin at the restaurant today and that his rash moment would lead to such big trouble, he wouldn¡¯t havee here under any circumstances.

    It was truly goddamned bad luck.

    He might as well just tantly refuse to acknowledge this matter.

    Without anything in writing, who could do anything to him? At worst, he¡¯d just endure some gossip behind his back.

    The worst punishment would be a scolding from the old man.

    But now, with the old man only having him as a son, what could he really do? Surely not expel him from the family too?

    He absolutely didn¡¯t believe that.

    "Old He, go tell that little bastard that I¡¯ll make his brother apologize to him, help clear his name from the cheating scandal at school, and even give him some money so he can settle down and livefortably. But as for the other demands¡ªhe shouldn¡¯t even think about them."

    This was his final gamble.

    If Zhuo Lin didn¡¯t agree, Zhuo Tang was already prepared to sacrifice his reputation entirely.

    To t-out deny everything.

    He Da hadn¡¯t even taken two steps forward.

    Suddenly, arge group of people stormed into the restaurant.

    Without a word, everyone was surrounded.

    Blinding shes from cameras filled the room, continuously firing from every direction. Reporters wielding microphones, cameras, and video equipment closed in on them.

    "Mr. Zhuo! Is it true that you spent ten billion to make someone leave? Is this urate?"

    "Mr. Zhuo, given this, can we anticipate that Zhuo Corporation¡¯s performance this year will exceed ten billion in profits? Should we predict an increase in Zhuo Corporation¡¯s stock prices this year?"

    "Mr. Zhuo, does your father know about what you¡¯ve done? Has he been informed?"

    "Mr. Zhuo, will your father cut ties with you over this matter?"

    Zhuo Tang¡¯s face was ashen. These reporters were relentless. His hope of keeping this incident under wraps was now impossible.

    "Mr. Zhuo, your nephew ims you spent ten billion to make him leave the restaurant. Does this implypensation for the earlier loss of his inheritance rights?"

    "Mr. Zhuo, seeing your uncle spend ten billion on having a meal here, how does that make you feel?"

    "We¡¯ve heard you were expelled from school for cheating¡ªis there any truth to this, or is there more to the story?"

    "It¡¯s also said your mother passed away because of this¡ªis that true?"

    Zhuo Lin found himself cornered by the barrage of questions, his face alternating between pale and flushed.

    None of these questions had answers he could provide¡ªnot if he wanted to clear his name.

    He Weng and Yu Feixue had never anticipated the arrival of reporters.

    Of course, they couldn¡¯t have known that one of the tables that had left earlier was filled with entertainment journalists who wouldn¡¯t miss the chance to notify the industry of such explosive news.

    "Sir and Madam, are you two friends of Mr. Zhuo? If you are, how do you perceive the matter of spending ten billion on a single meal?"

    He Weng and Yu Feixue smirked faintly.

    Could they admit that they had schemed this together to trap him?

    Ridiculous!

    Since the other side had refused reconciliation earlier, then ten billion it was!

    Although He Weng believed animosity should be resolved rather than deepened, the other side clearly didn¡¯t appreciate the sentiment.

    "This matter..."

    "This matter is a misunderstanding. Zhuo Lin is my nephew; we were just joking around. Isn¡¯t that right, Zhuo Lin?"

    Zhuo Tang couldn¡¯t let the media stir up trouble any further¡ªif tomorrow his ten-billion-dor meal caused the stock price to plummet, his shares would be stripped away immediately.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 963: Sharing the Burden

    <h4>Chapter 963: Chapter 963: Sharing the Burden</h4><h4></h4>

    All the media reporters looked at Zhuo Lin, this was truly a moment in the spotlight.

    Zhuo Lin was a little bit nervous, it was his first time facing so many people, and they were reporters at that. He wasn¡¯t someone who enjoyed attracting attention, and he was very unustomed to it.

    But if he didn¡¯t exin himself now, that old fox Zhuo Tang would muddle through.

    "Mr. Zhuo, I think we haven¡¯t yet..."

    "Zhuo Lin, all the reporters are here today. I need to formally apologize to you on behalf of your brother. It was his carelessness that led to your design blueprint being leaked! We didn¡¯t have time to clear your name, and you were expelled from school, which is indeed our fault. You are an excellent designer, and your talent should not be buried." Zhuo Tang waspelled to agree.

    Not agreeing was a dead end.

    "My mom..."

    "Zhuo Lin, your grandfather kicked you all out because he had his reasons. As your uncle, I can¡¯t override your grandfather¡¯s decision. Even if you force me to my breaking point, I can¡¯t agree. If you keep pushing for that ten billion, I won¡¯t have a word to say, who let me fall into your trap. Nephew, the younger generation is indeed formidable!"

    All the reporters said nothing! They quietly watched the two of them, these words were loaded.

    The reporters understood, it turned out that young Mr. Zhuo had set this trap.

    Secrets revealed.

    This stirred up their hearts.

    Zhuo Lin was left in an awkward position by just one sentence from Zhuo Tang, proving that an old ginger is indeed spicier.

    What a brilliant tactic.

    He Weng pushed aside Zhuo Lin to face Zhuo Tang, maintaining an unmoved expression. The old fox looked down on He Weng, not taking him seriously at all, treating him like a small fry.

    In his heart, he believed all of this was orchestrated by his clever nephew, Zhuo Lin.

    When people encounter disgraceful situations, especially involving ten billion, they easily get impulsive, and by being impulsive, they lose their rationality, and losing rationality leads to dead ends.

    Not thinking things through, even if it was a setup, could it have been orchestrated so perfectly?

    In fact, He Weng and the others really didn¡¯t n this. Who could have known they¡¯d run into Zhuo Tang?

    Such coincidences ur by chance.

    He Weng¡¯s courageous act wasrgely spurred by Zhuo Tang¡¯s arrogant attitude, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t have been prompted into such chivalrous behavior.

    That bottle of wine?

    He Weng also smiled bitterly, it really wasn¡¯t intentional. It was because Bai Xiao mentionedst time how good this wine tasted, urging him to try it if there was a chance. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have drunk such expensive wine even at gunpoint.

    He knows his money is hard earned; He Weng isn¡¯t the type to squander it and never loses sight of himself.

    It was all fate.

    "Mr. Zhuo, your words are incorrect! You hold a significant position and are a renowned tycoon on Hong Kong Ind, while we are all nobodies, especially your nephew whose reputation is about to fall into the gutter due to you. A light word from you, a jest, an ident, an apology, and you think that can clear his name?

    The damages, the irreparable harm to his reputation, to you Mr. Zhuo, are mere light words. Joking? Then what do we need the police for? Kill someone and just visit to apologize, say it was an ident, sorry.

    Then everyone can get away with it, the dead will be in vain, and the living continue to enjoy life! Wouldn¡¯t that throw our society into chaos!

    It is necessary to hold a press conference, to rify this matter, letting everyone know, to clear Zhuo Lin of this unjust usation.

    Moreover, regarding your usation of us setting a trap, I really cannot agree with you.

    A trap?

    Haha, who are these few here? Reporter friends, who are these people here?"

    He Weng pointed at the four with Zhuo Tang.

    A reporter answered for him.

    "They are the CEO of Zhuo Group, the owner of He Family Company, the general manager of Fan Enterprises, and the executive director of Dowlin Technology. All four are famous business tycoons."

    Zhuo Tang felt even more embarrassed, usually, he¡¯d enjoy such attention but today, this was not spotlight glory, this was a face p.

    The old patriarch would certainly find out, whether he leans his head forward or back, trouble is there.

    "Mr. Zhuo, look, everyone here knows you as the famous head of Zhuo Group. How old are you? How old is Zhuo Lin? A setup? Don¡¯t make meugh out loud as a junior, do we have the capability to know you would be dining here today at noon? Or have the foresight to predict you would reserve the ce for a meal?

    Can we force you to say out loud about a hundred billion timespensation for the meal? Your wordse from your mouth; can we force you to say those things?

    As soon as the bill was presented, all sorts of excuses and shirks appeared. Actually, there¡¯s no need, ten billion is just a drop in the ocean for you and Zhuo Group, just a meal matter.

    If you feel distressed and unwilling, Zhuo Lin is your nephew. Even if you refuse to let his parents be buried together, even if you are unwilling to return their belongings, much less let your own son apologize for framing Zhuo Lin, that¡¯s alright.

    You don¡¯t give it, we can¡¯t just forcibly take it. At worst, Zhuo Lin, think of it as your nephew¡¯s filial respect money to his uncle. The reputation of Zhuo Group needs you to uphold it.

    Even after the Zhuo family kicked you out, you¡¯re no longer one of them, but you can¡¯t watch your uncle¡¯s credit being damaged.

    Even if you have no money, spending ten billion to buy a good credit for Mr. Zhuo, buy a stable Zhuo Group stock price, buy your own conscience, worthy of your father¡¯s family, not a bad deal. The ten billion spent is worthwhile!"

    These words were recorded by the reporters.

    Zhuo Tang¡¯s face turned ashen, seething so much that his lips turned pale. If these words make headlines, Zhuo Group¡¯s stock would plunge by tomorrow.

    Damn stable Zhuo Group stock, damn good credit?

    Isn¡¯t this sarcasm?

    This was essentially telling everyone that Zhuo Group doesn¡¯t honor its promises, and there are issues with Zhuo Group¡¯s shareholders.

    How ruthless.

    Reporters got excited; this was great material.

    A topic to be continually discussed.

    "Mr. Zhuo, is what this gentleman said true?"

    "Mr. Zhuo, can Zhuo Group really note up with ten billion? Is it financial strain, or ack of funds?"

    "Mr. Zhuo, is this gentleman speaking the truth?"

    "Did your son really frame Mr. Zhuo? Was the giarism incident deliberate? Why do such a thing?"

    "Is it because you¡¯re unwilling to ept Mr. Zhuo¡¯s inheritance rights?"

    Zhuo Tang was infuriated.

    At this moment, one of his words could be crucial, very deadly.

    He Da and the other three were already preparing to sneak away quietly; at this moment, anything they said would be wrong. In a bad turn of events, theirpany could be implicated, and no one would gamble theirpany here.

    Zhuo Tang gnashed his teeth.

    "The ten billion was agreed upon by me and my three friends together. Since we¡¯ve said it, we naturally can make it happen. Chairman He, Mr. Fan, and Mr. Li will issue cash checks to Zhuo Lin. The money, we can provide, and the other affairs concerning Zhuo Lin have nothing to do with us."

    It¡¯s just money?

    I¡¯ll crush you with it!

 Chapter 964: To Give

    <h4>Chapter 964: Chapter 964: To Give</h4><h4></h4>

    He Da and the other two froze.

    Reporters swarmed over¡ªit was breaking news.

    "Mr. He, ording to Mr. Zhuo¡¯s statement, the three of you spent ten billion on a meal together, meaning you alone covered 2.5 billion. Mr. He, you truly arevishly wealthy."

    "Mr. Fan, with such grand gestures, does this mean you¡¯re teaming up with the Zhuo Corporation¡ªor perhaps looking to be swallowed up by them?"

    "Hold on, Mr. Zhuo must be mistaken. The three of us were merely here to discuss business with Mr. Zhuo. We never said anything like that. If you don¡¯t believe us, you can summon the restaurant manager to confront us.

    All those remarks were made by Mr. Zhuo himself and have nothing to do with us. We¡¯re simply discussing business with Mr. Zhuo¡ªthere¡¯s no obligation or responsibility for us to bear this expense."

    He Da was incredibly displeased.

    Why should he suddenly shoulder 2.5 billion for no reason?

    Even if he partnered with the Zhuo Corporation in a business venture, the benefits he¡¯d reap wouldn¡¯t evene close to 2.5 billion. And now with just a few careless words, the three of them were dragged into the mess.

    7.5 billion!

    Good grief, what a lofty imagination!

    I spit in disgust!

    They weren¡¯t pushovers either.

    Fan and Li quickly chimed in, stating this had nothing to do with them.

    The reporters, as excited as flies circling blood, were ecstatic¡ªthis was explosive content.

    The scene descended into chaos right there.

    Such hot news, such riveting intrigue¡ªit overwhelmed the senses.

    The excitement left the reporters red-nosed.

    Fan and Li nodded enthusiastically¡ªof course, they certainly weren¡¯t fools.

    Whatever grudges Zhuo Tang had with others had nothing to do with them!

    Zhuo Tang¡¯s nose was about to twist from anger¡ªthese ungrateful traitors!

    Who was it mere moments ago stoking the mes? If it weren¡¯t for these fools egging him on, would he have lost his temper like this?

    "Mr. Zhuo, Mr. Fan and Mr. Li im this expense has nothing to do with them. Would you care to borate? Or are you saying Zhuo Corporation will single-handedly cover the ten billion?"

    The reporters weren¡¯t about to miss Zhuo Tang¡¯s increasingly colorful facial expressions.

    Camera shes fired constantly.

    "Noment. Thank you all¡ªlet¡¯s resolve this matter quietly, shall we?" Zhuo Tang gestured, forcing the hotel manager to lead his staff in holding the reporters back at the door. The heavy doors mmed shut, bringing a temporary silence to the restaurant, even if a throng of reporters clustered behind the ss doors, snapping away incessantly.

    At least they couldn¡¯t disrupt the people inside anymore.

    Zhuo Tang, relieved they left, plopped onto the chair across from Zhuo Lin.

    "Zhuo Lin, you¡¯re impressive¡ªyour friends are impressive too. Young people¡ªfearless like calves who haven¡¯t met a tiger yet. But don¡¯t forget¡ªyou bear the Zhuo surname. Zhuo Corporation is in shambles because of your antics. Do you truly feel no guilt? This is your father¡¯s legacy¡ªdoes it make you proud to watch everything fall apart?" Zhuo Tang pontificated grandly,ying down moral titudes.

    Ten billion wasn¡¯t easy to scrape together.

    "Uncle, please stop joking. I was already kicked out of the Zhuo Family. What does the family¡¯s honor or disgrace have to do with me?"

    Zhuo Lin caught He Weng¡¯s encouraging gaze. Those two men had stirred up Hong Kong Ind¡¯s media circus for him. This time, he¡¯d made headlines. If he kept cowering and hiding in the shadows, even he wouldn¡¯t respect himself.

    That wasn¡¯t something a real man would do.

    Zhuo Tang sneered, "Zhuo Lin, what exactly do you want? Speak up. As long as it isn¡¯t outrageous, I¡¯ll grant it¡ªbut forget about your parents¡¯ burial or their belongings. That¡¯s out of the question¡ªtheir items are with your grandfather, not me."

    Clinging stubbornly to arrogance even in denial.

    "Fine, then fork over ten billion! Mr. Zhuo wouldn¡¯t go back on his word, would he?"

    He Weng replied leisurely.

    If Zhuo Tang wanted to negotiate, he should at least bring something of value to the table.

    "Young man, this matter has nothing to do with you¡ªkeep out of it."

    Zhuo Tang had disliked He Weng for ages.

    Someday, he¡¯d deal with these troublemakers. He wasn¡¯t in a rush¡ªmoney could bend destiny. With enough of it, he could easily squash a few youngsters.

    "Oh, is that so? Good! Zhuo Lin, go ahead¡ªyou call the shots here."

    Being looked down on? That was nothing.

    He Weng had endured decades of disdain¡ªfor someone of his background, being dismissed as low-ss was par for the course.

    "I¡¯ve made my terms clear. If Uncle can¡¯t meet them, then bring out ten billion!" Zhuo Lin decisively dered.

    There would be nopromise on this. Now that things had blown up, he¡¯d sever ties entirely with the Zhuo Family¡ªwhy feign devotion as a filial son?

    Zhuo Tang¡¯s face darkened with fury. Hard as he tried, his words fell on deaf ears¡ªthis was obstinacy to the extreme.

    "Zhuo Lin! Are you determined to ruin uspletely?"

    Zhuo Lin sneered, "Uncle, I¡¯m simply taking what rightfully belongs to me. How is that destruction?"

    "Damn you, Zhuo Lin! Just wait¡ªI¡¯ll settle this with you someday!" Zhuo Tang threatened venomously.

    "Give it to him!"

    An aged voice pierced the room.

    Zhuo Tang jumped in surprise.

    Turning around, he saw the ss doors pushed open. Zhuo Elder strode in with bodyguards by his side, his hair streaked with white yet his gaze razor-sharp. Hismanding presence radiated an air of dignity befitting a patriarch.

    Zhuo Tang leapt to his feet.

    "Dad, why are you here?" He rushed over to support the old man¡¯s seat.

    Zhuo Elder swatted Zhuo Tang¡¯s hand aside, seating himself formally across from Zhuo Lin.

    Zhuo Lin sprang upright, fumbling awkwardly. While he harbored little affection for this grandfather, it was still histe father¡¯s flesh-and-blood parent¡ªhe couldn¡¯t treat him as he treated just anyone else.

    Deep down, he still considered himself a Zhuo Family member.

    "Why am I here? To see what other foolishness you idiots are capable ofmitting!"

    Zhuo Elder had been dining next door with an old friend when pesky reporters swarmed in, their questions focused entirely on Zhuo Tang¡¯s "ten billion for a single meal" absurdity.

    The old man shooed the reporters away and immediately began investigating, discovering the ridiculous mess his son had created.

    Ten billion for one meal!

    His urge to swat Zhuo Tang within an inch of his life was overwhelming. Could anyone possibly be this idiotic? Apparently, yes.

    The media already had the story. Tomorrow¡¯s headlines would be aze with Zhuo Corporation¡¯s "ten billion extravagance."

    The old man urgently sought to mitigate damages. Before the news hit, they needed to prepare¡ªat all costs, Zhuo Corporation¡¯s stock couldn¡¯t wobble.

    Otherwise, the fallout from a single scandal could cascade into disaster. The Zhuo Corporation could copse entirely.

    Thus, this moment unfolded.

    "Really give it?"

    Zhuo Tang couldn¡¯t take it.

    Like money falling from the sky¡ªwho else but Zhuo Lin could pull this off?

    "Give it! As the Zhuo Corporation, our word isw. Call a press conference¡ªright now. Ten billion, not a penny short, will be handed over!"

    The old man¡¯s swift decisiveness earned He Weng and the others¡¯ admiration¡ªsuch resolve was nomon trait.

 Chapter 965 Recovery

    <h4>Chapter 965: Chapter 965 Recovery</h4><h4></h4>

    In the room, He Weng, Yu Feixue, and Zhuo Lin were staring at the check in front of them¡ªone billion!

    He Weng handed the check to Zhuo Lin.

    Zhuo Lin dumbly looked up at He Weng and pushed the check back.

    "This is your money!"

    He wasn¡¯t someone who was obsessed with wealth. To Zhuo Lin, a gentleman seeks wealth through rightful means. He would never take something that didn¡¯t belong to him, not even at the cost of starving to death.

    At his core, Zhuo Lin was a good person¡ªa just, old-school good person.

    He Weng felt a headacheing on.

    Now that the money was genuinely in their hands, it had be a hot potato instead.

    He definitely hadn¡¯t schemed to extort anyone.

    He only wanted to help Zhuo Lin vent his frustrations and clear his name in the process.

    Now, look at what happened.

    One billion.

    This had officially made them enemies with the Zhuo Family.

    And serious enemies, at that.

    How could one billion not burn in their hands?

    When he had spoken to Bai Xiao earlier, he hadn¡¯t dared to mention what they¡¯d done. If Bai Xiao found out that he had acted so recklessly, it¡¯d be a miracle if he didn¡¯t get chewed outpletely.

    Taking someone else¡¯s sister out only to stir up trouble¡ªwas this something He Weng would ever do?

    Even he couldn¡¯t believe it.

    Had his usual calm and rationality gone to the dogs?

    "This money belongs to the Zhuo Family. Take it. Consider itpensation for your losses. Anyway, you currently have no way to prove you were framed. You¡¯ll need to survive in the future, and this will help you start something of your own!" He Weng said, refusing to take it either.

    Damn, this money really did burn.

    Zhuo Lin smiled and said, "No way! This money has nothing to do with me. If it weren¡¯t for the two of you, how could this money havee about?

    I may be poor, but I still have my pride. And besides, Brother He, I already heard from Yu Feixue that you need a designer.

    It just so happens I¡¯m studying in that field. Why don¡¯t you tell me what kind of design concept you need, and I can draft up some blueprints for you? If you find them satisfactory, I¡¯ll work with you."

    After everything that had happened, Zhuo Lin was filled with profound gratitude toward He Weng! He harbored a pure heart eager to repay this benefactor.

    In Zhuo Lin¡¯s eyes, He Weng was now his savior.

    But He Weng couldn¡¯t even muster a smile.

    One billion was still unresolved.

    But for now, he decided to set it aside.

    When the timees, there will always be a way forward. After all, they hadn¡¯t scammed or stolen the money.

    It was money the Zhuo Family had willingly handed over.

    Three dayster, Zhuo Lin, He Weng, and Yu Feixue returned to Modu.

    Zhuo Lin¡¯s talent truly left He Weng impressed. Who would have thought this young man could so easily trante ideas into blueprints, bringing visions vividly to life? Seeing results that satisfied him, He Weng couldn¡¯t help but develop an appreciation for such talent.

    This was exactly the kind of person he¡¯d been looking for.

    What was he waiting for?

    And so, the three of them returned to the maind.

    The one billion was deposited by He Weng into a Hong Kong Ind foreign bank, ensuring both safety and minimal risk.

    But this money was not something easily retained. If taken, it would eventually need to be returned.

    The Zhuo Family had lost one billion without so much as a protest. How could they maintain face in Hong Kong Ind¡¯s business circles in the future?

    Anyone with half a brain could tell; what awaited them would be a raging storm.

    The Zhuo Family wasn¡¯t faring much better. Zhuo Tang was standing before the Zhuo Family patriarch, being scolded furiously.

    Never in his life had Zhuo Tang experienced such a humiliating reprimand. The old man¡¯s scolding had even reached new heights, with an unparalleled level of precision and ferocity.

    Zhuo Tang felt incredibly wronged!

    He was nearing fifty and still being scolded like a dog by his own father, right in front of his sons and grandsons. The sheer humiliation was unbearable.

    When the patriarch¡¯s fury finally subsided a little, Zhuo Tang cautiously spoke up.

    "Dad, are we really going to let that one billion just disappear? Should I find a way to get some people to recover it?" He was livid.

    One billion!

    His heart ached as if it were bleeding.

    The patriarch¡¯s cane came crashing down on Zhuo Tang. "How dare you even speak? Have you not been paying attention to recent events? And now you want to stir up more trouble? Let me tell you, this matter is closed for now. As long as the green hills remain, there¡¯s no fear of running out of firewood. This isn¡¯t the right time to seek revenge. The Sun Country is facing an economic downturn, and our investments there have taken a heavy blow. If we don¡¯t focus on stabilizing our foundation, Zhuo Corporation could copse at any moment.

    Don¡¯t cause any trouble for me now! Just do your job properly, or I¡¯ll break your legs. Zhuo Corporation¡¯s stock price must not drop, nor must we incite panic. After the press conference, we at least need to project a positive image to the public. Zhuo Corporation must appear stable and wless; this will reassure the market instead of causing turbulence.

    If we hadn¡¯t paid the money today, our losses wouldn¡¯t just amount to one billion¡ªthey¡¯d be even greater."

    The patriarch was a shrewd tactician.

    No one else could see the crisis Zhuo Corporation faced, not even Zhuo Tang fully understood. But the patriarch, having personally built Zhuo Corporation from the ground up, knew exactly what was at stake.

    Besides, though the one billion represented a significant blow to Zhuo Corporation, it was worth it.

    He had purchased Zhuo Corporation¡¯s peace.

    Sure enough, the next day Zhuo Corporation¡¯s stock price soared.

    For an entire week, Zhuo Corporation¡¯s shares consistently ranked among the top performers in the market.

    Market perception was clear: Zhuo Corporation was financially robust. Apany that could casually give away one billion surely had no financial problems.

    Zhuo Corporation began actively expanding investments on multiple fronts.

    Unexpectedly, the fallout from this incident brought unexpected benefits, ushering in a period of vibrant growth for Zhuo Corporation.

    However, Zhuo Tang never abandoned his desire for revenge. Many yearster, he finally found an opportunity during a financial crisis,unching a targeted assault on He Weng¡¯spany. That incident nearly resulted in He Weng¡¯spany going under.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for Bai Xiao and Jiang Shaoqing stepping in to counterattack Zhuo Corporation, allowing He Weng to make a stunningeback, He Weng might have disappeared from the business world forever.

    That one billion, in the course of that battle, sessfully attracted hundreds of billions in funding. It turned into the critical asset Bai Xiao used to deliver a decisive blow at the crucial moment.

    No one could have predicted how perilous it all would be.

    But that¡¯s a story for another time.

    At the moment, Bai Xiao was performing acupuncture on Mike.

    After each session, Mike could clearly feel significant improvement.

    The postoperativeplications had caused numbness in his limbs, leaving Mike initially in despair.

    For a doctor, limb numbness meant he could no longer perform surgeries and, by extension, would have to bid farewell to his career.

    Although Bai Xiao reassured him it could be cured, Mike had moments where he seriously considered ending his own life.

    But after just three acupuncture sessions, Mike found it unbelievable¡ªhis hands and feet had almost fully recovered, with barely any difference from before.

    If anything had changed, it was that his fingers had be even more agile.

    Smith conducted a thorough examination on him.

    Not only were theplicationspletely resolved,

    Bai Xiao¡¯s acupuncture had delivered astonishing results. The tumor showed no signs of recurrence, and Mike was as healthy as any normal person.

    The two were profoundly grateful as they left China,

    and their evaluation report described China¡¯s integration of traditional Chinese medicine and Western practices with striking uracy.

    As a result, China¡¯s application for international recognition was sessful.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 966 Announcement

    <h4>Chapter 966: Chapter 966 Announcement</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao took off her surgical cap, truly exhausted.

    Her special ability allowed her to perform with an almost unparalleled focus, earning her unanimous praise from the surgeons.

    Anyone who has ever watched Dr. Bai¡¯s surgeries would feel the same: when Dr. Bai is operating, she¡¯s simply not the same Dr. Bai.

    The level of focus and pursuit of perfection! No one couldpete with it. So far, no one hase across a doctor like Dr. Bai.

    The moment she picks up the scalpel, it¡¯s as if she bes the entire world.

    What surprised both Dr. Xue and Zhang Huan was that, with all the interns they had trained in surgery, Bai Xiao¡¯s growth was simply astonishing.

    Their task was to lead these interns, to help them be more experienced and capable of working independently.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s speed of improvement was incredible.

    It was as if there was nothing she couldn¡¯t learn. She absorbed knowledge like a sponge and could master it perfectly after only one attempt.

    This kind of growth in Bai Xiao felt almost too rapid.

    It was truly hard not to like her.

    Bai Xiao walked out of the operating room.

    Zhang Huan apanied a provincial surgical expert as they exited a nearby conference room.

    Because of Bai Xiao¡¯s exceptional surgical skills, they had specifically imported advanced foreign video technology and arranged for a specialized operating room to facilitate observation and learning for other doctors.

    The experts were escorted away by designated doctors, and Zhang Huan came to find Bai Xiao.

    "Junior, how¡¯s it going? The internship cements should start by now, right?"

    He was eager to recruit Bai Xiao under his wing.

    A doctor like thises around once in a millennium.

    If she wasn¡¯t working under him, something surely would go wrong.

    Bai Xiao still had another year of internship left.

    Zhang Huan intended to pull some strings to transfer Bai Xiao directly to Ruiyin. A talent like this could not be missed.

    However, Dr. Xue didn¡¯t agree.

    Bai Xiao was a soldier, and they all understood that.

    Compared to Ruiyin Hospital, Bai Xiao was different; her priorities in life were different too.

    Dr. Xue was a good mentor, never forcing anyone to do what they didn¡¯t want to do.

    The only time he bent this rule was to insist on Bai Xiao acting as an assistant, trying to spark her passion for medicine.

    That could probably count as Dr. Xue¡¯s first and only time breaking precedent.

    Bai Xiao smiled faintly, "Senior, I think the list is going to be announced today. I¡¯ll go take a lookter. Anyway, it¡¯s the professors who handle internship distribution, and I haven¡¯t had any chance to intervene at all." She wasn¡¯t worried about her cement.

    Dr. Xue was practically itching to bring Bai Xiao over to Ruiyin now.

    Ever since Mike¡¯s surgery, Ruiyin had gained a new de in the field of neurosurgery and oncology.

    The number of patients requesting craniotomies there had increased significantly.

    Thanks to Bai Xiao¡¯s report, many doctors were now sharing it with each other, and almost everyone had a copy of Dr. Bai¡¯s neurosurgery report.

    It had essentially be a textbook example for Ruiyin Hospital.

    The main reason? It was so detailed.

    Many people admired Dr. Bai greatly.

    The way she could replicate a surgical process in fine detail, like a frame-by-frame movie in a theater¡ªwho wouldn¡¯t be convinced?

    "Alright then, get over here as soon as you can. I¡¯ve already prepared a dorm room for you. The conditions are excellent, and there are several uing craniotomy surgeries that need your participation. Opportunities like these are rare. You know, even though Ruiyin is a first-ss hospital, neurosurgery is still one of our weaker specialties. With your involvement, more surgeons can join and learn advanced techniques. That makes me really happy."

    Zhang Huan wasn¡¯t trying to tter Bai Xiao; this was genuine confidence. Just the fact that Bai Xiao could point out issues and correct ws for Smith was proof enough! Who else at Ruiyin couldpare to her?

    Even he stepped aside for her.

    "Senior, I¡¯ll go take care of the paperwork and get there as soon as possible." Bai Xiao also wanted the internship.

    Her skills needed further improvement. She hoped that, by the time she returned to the Military District Hospital, she would be a fully qualified doctor proficient in both Chinese and Western medicine.

    After changing out of her clothes, Bai Xiao returned to the university.

    Sure enough, the announcement of internship cements was up, and a crowd had gathered below to check which hospital they were assigned to.

    This was a big deal.

    Bai Xiao looked at the crowd, decided not to squeeze through, and opted to return to the dormitory first, nning to checkter when it was less crowded.

    In any case, she was confident that she¡¯d be ced at Ruiyin. Even if she wanted to choose a different hospital, Dr. Xue wouldn¡¯t allow it.

    With Dr. Xue¡¯s authority at the Medical University, even Vice Principal Zhao wouldn¡¯t dare make a controversial decision.

    It was practically guaranteed.

    Back in the dormitory, she saw Ma Yao curled up under a nket, her head buried beneath, while He Juan and Lin Xiang were trying tofort her.

    "What¡¯s going on?"

    Bai Xiao was puzzled.

    Ma Yao was always bold and outspoken. It was out of character for her to sulk like this; she was the type to unleash her anger directly, no questions asked.

    "What else could it be? It¡¯s about the internship cements. Ma Yao got assigned to Songshi Hospital in the suburbs. It¡¯s so remote that it takes three bus transfers to get there. Not to mention the harsh conditions. There¡¯s only one doctor there, and the hospital is basically a clinic. It¡¯s so understaffed and under-equipped that going there is practically the same as not having an internship," He Juan exined with a sigh.

    Students like them, without any connections, faced a steep uphill battle during internships.

    If you seeded, you could soar to great heights. If you failed, it was like a dragon trapped in the shallows, never to rise again.

    She and Lin Xiang weren¡¯t much better off either. The hospitals they were assigned to were so far away, it was as if they¡¯d been banished to the borders.

    It wasn¡¯t justining¡ªthey knew deep down that going to those hospitals meant a lifetime as a small-time doctor, with little hope of achieving anything substantial.

    It was tough.

    "What about you two?"

    Bai Xiao hadn¡¯t imagined this issue; she thought everyone would be assigned to different hospitals but wouldn¡¯t end up in such dire straits.

    She still didn¡¯t fully grasp the intricacies of interpersonal connections. Bai Xiao was straightforward in her thinking, and if it weren¡¯t for Dr. Xue and her uncle shielding her, she probably wouldn¡¯t have secured a good cement this time either.

    In fact, the internship list had been finalized two months ago, with the university holding two special meetings to discuss and n the allocations.

    The assignment of each student to their respective units had already been predetermined.

    To minimize student unrest and chaos, the university leadership decided to prioritize cements for outstanding students. For those with average qualifications¡ªespecially thosecking connections¡ªmost of them ended up being lumped together into one category. Naturally, when it came to execution, rtionships still yed a significant role.

    Only then did Bai Xiao understand.

    "Bai Xiao, you don¡¯t know. The hospital Ma Yao got assigned to is practically a thousand miles away. After this internship, she¡¯ll have no choice but to leave Modu. Leaving Modu means going back to her hometown. You know her family¡¯s situation. Her parents have high hopes for her. They¡¯re counting on her to make something of herself to support her younger siblings. Now, it¡¯s all turned into a pipe dream."

    Both He Juan and Lin Xiang sighed.

    What could they do? They had no connections.

    Even students less qualified than them were ced in good hospitals, but they weren¡¯t so lucky.

 Chapter 967: Demand an Explanation

    <h4>Chapter 967: Chapter 967: Demand an Exnation</h4><h4></h4>

    "Have you reported this to the school leadership?" Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t believe the school leadership didn¡¯t know about Ma Yao¡¯s family situation. Ma Yao was a designated impoverished student in their department and needed school subsidies.

    "She did. As soon as Ma Yao saw the list, she went to find the Director of Education, shamelessly trying to switch to another hospital. After all, many hospitals still had slots avable, although they required special amodations. But Liu Director pushed her out decisively, stating his firm attitude. He also emphasized that Ma Yao, as someone receiving special subsidies for being impoverished, should set an example for others and willingly go to the difficult cements."

    The usual nonsense about prioritizing the greater good and having a sense of responsibility¡ªit was a long-winded speech by Liu Director.

    Ma Yao saw that the matter was irrecoverable. While disappointed, she gritted her teeth and endured it. What else could she do?

    She was a woman of great dignity and self-respect, with an innate sense of pride. Once she decided to go, she would never drag things out, letting others look down on her.

    On her way back, she ran into Meng Han, her nemesis.

    How did they be nemeses? It was all because that jerk had been chasing after Ma Yao incessantly, leading to rumors from Meng Han¡¯s crew that Ma Yao was willing to sell herself for money.

    Ma Yao taught her a good lesson for that.

    Now, enemies meeting face-to-face only stoked the fires of hatred.

    Meng Han was full of mockery, insinuating that Ma Yao might look pretty but was ultimately useless, destined to rot away in the countryside for the rest of her life, never achieving anything significant.

    She even arrogantly revealed her own assigned hospital, which sent Ma Yao into a spiral. Meng Han¡¯s academic performance was nowhere near Ma Yao¡¯s! Yet Meng Han was assigned to the school¡¯s affiliated top hospital. How could this happen unless she pulled some strings? If cements were truly based on academic scores, there was no way Meng Han would end up there.

    This unquestionably proved Meng Han had connections and used them to her advantage.

    Upon returning, Ma Yao stormed into the office to demand an exnation.

    Liu Hongmin wasughing and chatting on a phone call with someone unknown. Judging by his expression and demeanor, it was likely a call from someone higher up advocating on behalf of a particr student.

    At this stage, interns who couldn¡¯t rely on their own strengths had no option but to y their cards¡ªeach showcasing their own methods, like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea.

    Those with connections naturally seek them out, while those without are left to resign themselves to fate.

    Starting yesterday morning, Liu Hongmin¡¯s office phone hadn¡¯t stopped ringing. He postponed some calls, brushed off others, but ultimately, there were those connections so strong even he couldn¡¯t ignore them.

    Fortunately, he kept a reserve quota avable just for handling these "rtionship beneficiaries." It was their unspoken rule, precisely to deal with these situations.

    It¡¯s easy to imagine Ma Yao¡¯s fiery temper. When Liu Hongmin saw her, his face immediately darkened.

    With some impatience, he dismissed her with a single line: "Follow the school¡¯s arrangements. If you haveints, go to the Dean. I¡¯m just the Director of Education; I don¡¯t handle these matters."

    Bai Xiao abruptly yanked off Ma Yao¡¯s nket. "Get up! Don¡¯t you feel ashamed? You were humiliated in their office, and now youe back to the dorm to throw a tantrum? Let¡¯s go¡ªI¡¯ll help you settle this. I won¡¯t believe connections are all that matter. Don¡¯t we have our own? If others can go around the rules, then we¡¯ll y the rtionship card too." She reached out and pulled Ma Yao up.

    Ma Yao appeared despondent. "Bai Xiao! Stop fooling around. I know what your family connections are! But knowing them doesn¡¯t help us. Liu Director already said¡ªeven if Bai Xiao herself shows up, it won¡¯t matter. You can enjoy the perks of connections, but it doesn¡¯t mean everyone can."

    She had considered using Bai Xiao¡¯s name as leverage, borrowing power to intimidate.

    But it didn¡¯t work¡ªLiu Hongmin wasn¡¯t buying it.

    It wasn¡¯t that he ignored Bai Xiao¡¯s influence; he knew all too well. Bai Xiao was already personally requested by Dr. Xue, one of the most influential figures.

    Someone like Bai Xiao mixing with the likes of Ma Yao and other nobodies? At most, it was just a dorm-room favor¡ªit wouldn¡¯t lead her to actually challenge him over this situation.

    Besides, even if Yu Daren himself intervened, they wouldn¡¯t bend to amodate so many people.

    There were limits to "rtionship beneficiaries." Taking the whole lot was simply unheard of.

    Knowing this, Liu Hongmin wasn¡¯t concerned in the least.

    Bai Xiao grinned, "Fine! I¡¯ll find you a way. Since internships are so crucial, I, Bai Xiao, will learn how to pull strings for once."

    Instantly, Ma Yao jumped out of bed. Who wouldn¡¯t want good results in the end?

    He Juan and Lin Xiang hesitated, unsure of what to do. They wanted to speak but felt too embarrassed to say anything. If it were just Ma Yao, that might be one thing¡ªbut with all three of them, it felt like overkill. How would they manage three cements?

    At the door, Bai Xiao noticed their hesitation and waved, "Hurry up! Why are you standing there like statues?"

    He Juan and Lin Xiang¡¯s faces lit up with smiles; of course, they didn¡¯t want their futures ruined.

    He Juan, despite her excellent academic performance, hadn¡¯tnded a good internship cement either.

    Connections were everything.

    The four of them arrived at Liu Hongmin¡¯s office.

    Unfortunately, Liu Hongmin was currently entertaining guests.

    Bai Xiao knocked on the door.

    Liu Hongmin opened it and immediately saw several people sitting on the sofa inside, evidently discussing matters with the leadership.

    When Liu Hongmin saw Bai Xiao, followed by Ma Yao, He Juan, and Lin Xiang, he already guessed what was going on.

    With a smile, he said, "Bai Xiao, take your ssmates back for now. Once we finish here, I¡¯ll talk to you."

    It wasn¡¯t the right time to stir up trouble.

    Of course, Bai Xiao understood! Causing a scene now wouldn¡¯t help Ma Yao and the others.

    "Alright! Liu Director, we¡¯ll wait outside while you finish your work."

    "Old Liu! Isn¡¯t that Dr. Bai? Let her in¡ªwe¡¯re all familiar here, and Dr. Bai is one of us. No point in waiting outside," one of the bigshots inside chimed in.

    Liu Hongmin had no choice but to invite Bai Xiao in with a smile. Who could deny favors for Yu Daren¡¯s niece?

    He had momentarily forgotten that Bai Xiao¡¯s uncle was practically a major figure among this group.

    "Come in,e in! Since Dean Feng has spoken, Dr. Bai, please step inside and tell us what¡¯s going on. Wouldn¡¯t want Dean Feng using me of mistreating you."

    Following their lead, Liu Hongmin greeted Bai Xiao warmly¡ªit was a clear attempt at ingratiation.

    Ma Yao and the others hesitated. With so many people here, would they dare speak?

    Bai Xiao pulled all three of them in decisively.

    "Dean Feng! My apologies, my ssmates and I have an issue regarding internship assignments that we wanted to discuss with the Director."

    Dean Feng had given her the opening, so there was no way she wouldn¡¯t respond with polite gratitude.

    Dean Feng and several hospital deans burst intoughter. They were here today precisely for internship cements! Each year after the arrangements were finalized, they would meet with school leaders to touch base¡ªit was their established tradition.

    Unexpectedly, they encountered Bai Xiao, Yu Daren¡¯s niece.

    Naturally, they wouldn¡¯t stand idly by.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 968: Resolution

    <h4>Chapter 968: Chapter 968: Resolution</h4><h4></h4>

    "Come on, Bai Xiao! Since we¡¯re here, why don¡¯t you tell us if you¡¯re facing any difficulties? As the dean of the hospital where your internship is taking ce, I might be able to help you solve them." Dean Feng spoke up, and everyone else nodded in agreement.

    When the niece of a bigwig has a problem, how could they not jump in to help?

    Besides, they had been racking their brains for a way to curry favor with said bigwig, and here came a perfect opportunity.

    Normally, these deans put on airs when meeting others. Even Liu Hongmin was nothing in their eyes¡ªat best, they would maintain a distant aloofness. To see themugh and joke? That was a rare sight indeed.

    But now, seeing the deans smiling at Bai Xiao, their faces bloomed like chrysanthemums¡ªit was enough to make Liu Hongmin gag.

    When it came to brown-nosing, he realized he still had some catching up to do.

    "Dean Feng, I just came to discuss with Director Liu about the internship cements for my three friends. I feel that for students like them, their assigned hospitals are a poor match for their academic performance. I wanted to ask if it¡¯s possible to switch to another unit. If not, that¡¯s fine too¡ªI can ask my mentorter. Ruiyin might be able to free up a couple of spots."

    The implication was clear: if Director Liu couldn¡¯t help, she would find a way herself.

    Director Liu really felt like calling her "little ancestor."

    Was she deliberately picking today to embarrass him?

    Liu Hongmin hurried to interject. He hadn¡¯t expected Bai Xiao to step up for three unrted students from out of town. After all, these students had no connections or resources; they came from ordinary families and were worlds apart from Bai Xiao.

    Isn¡¯t there a saying, "Birds of a feather flock together"? How did Bai Xiao end up mixing with this group?

    But truly¡ªBai Xiao was no ordinary person.

    She always walked the unconventional path.

    Ancestor, I¡¯ll take care of it for you, okay? Just don¡¯t humiliate me in public like this.

    But before he could speak up¡ª

    The deans chimed in first.

    "Old Liu, this is on you. Outstanding students should be given opportunities. Young people need chances so they can contribute to society and achieve academic sess. We understand your school might have limited slots¡ªwith so many students, it¡¯s impossible to cater to everyone.

    "How about this: our hospital will make an exception and create a slot for one of those three as a favor to Bai Xiao. How does that sound?" Dean Feng was the first to take the lead.

    The other deans, who were a second too slow, felt quite annoyed. That old fox always managed to jump in first. How could they possibly pass up the chance to curry favor with Bai Xiao?

    "Our hospital will take one as well."

    "And our hospital will take one too."

    Two other deans smiled warmly as they imed the remaining spots.

    Thest two deans were left sitting there awkwardly, with nothing to do but watch.

    "Bai Xiao! Do you have any other friends who need internship slots? We¡¯d be happy to help. We can definitely create extra spots if needed," they said, putting on a polite front even though they¡¯d missed out on the opportunity.

    Bai Xiao smiled faintly. "Thank you so much, deans. Come, Ma Yao, He Juan, Lin Xiang¡ªintroduce yourselves to these deans. They¡¯re all talent-spotters who cherish young potential. You¡¯re lucky to intern at their hospitals. In the future, you¡¯ll surely make significant contributions to society and the medical field and achieve great sess."

    Ma Yao, He Juan, and Lin Xiang were bbergasted.

    Was that it? Problem solved just like that?

    This felt... absurdly easy.

    This was their internship we were talking about.

    And what¡¯s more, they hadn¡¯t even asked which hospitals these were. Wasn¡¯t this recklessly hasty? Were there not any issues?

    But somewhere in their hearts, a voice reassured them: If it¡¯s Bai Xiao, how could there be any problems?

    After all, Bai Xiao had a ridiculously influential uncle.

    "Hello, Dean!"

    "Hello, Dean!"

    "Hello, Dean!"

    Dean Feng and the others looked at the three interns with a kindly expression. To be frank, they had no reason to remember them¡ªand they didn¡¯t need to.

    If not for Bai Xiao, they wouldn¡¯t have even known who these three students were.

    Liu Hongmin chuckled and said, "This has really turned into quite theedy. I must¡¯ve made a fool of myself today in front of the deans. I had been nning to assign them to nearby hospitals for their internships, but as it turned out, the teacher who prepared the list made an error, mixed up the assignments, and created all this confusion. There¡¯s really no need to trouble the deans with this."

    Dean Feng, however, was quick to safeguard the favor he¡¯d just earned.

    "Director Liu, let¡¯s not bother with that. Someone my age opening their mouth and failing to get something done for this young woman¡ªit would make me seem unreliable, like my words didn¡¯t mean anything. I¡¯d lose all face."

    "Exactly. Since we¡¯ve already given our word to Bai Xiao, how could we not follow through?"

    "Director Liu, don¡¯t be modest now. Do you really think the hospitals you would assign them to canpare to ours? Let¡¯s not dy the bright futures of these young talents."

    The three deans weren¡¯t about to let their prize slip through their fingers.

    Bai Xiao, of course, understood this game well.

    "Thank you so much, deans. You truly embody the spirit of mentorship. I¡¯ll be sure to sing your praises to my uncle. If only there were more leaders like you who cared passionately about nurturing the next generation, our medical field would undoubtedly thrive."

    After all, kind words don¡¯t cost a thing.

    The deans stroked their chins in amusement. "You little fox, your tongue is sharp as ever¡ªyou¡¯ve managed to confuse even this old man. Alright, run along now. We have matters to discuss. Your issue is resolved, so you can go without worry."

    Bai Xiao immediately gave a deep bow to express her gratitude.

    The three trailing behind her scrambled to bow along as well.

    As Bai Xiao ushered them out, the three were still dazed as they descended the stairs.

    "Bai Xiao! Pinch me. Am I dreaming?" Ma Yao stared nkly at Bai Xiao, feeling like she was floating in a surreal dream.

    "Ow! That hurts!"

    Lin Xiang had mercilessly pinched He Juan instead.

    He Juan winced in pain and protested, "Why¡¯d you pinch me instead of Ma Yao?"

    Rubbing her arm, He Juan felt an oddbination of pain and joy.

    "I just wanted to figure out if this was your dream or mine. This is just so... so..."

    Lin Xiang struggled to find the right word.

    "It¡¯s not a dream! The pain is killing me. Could you have been gentler? Here, let me show you whether it¡¯s a dream or not!" He Juan, gritting her teeth, reached out to grab Lin Xiang in revenge.

    Lin Xiang darted away faster than a rabbit.

    "I get it! It¡¯s not a dream! No need to check! Ipletely believe it¡¯s not a dream. He Juan, spare me, okay?" Lin Xiang was determined not to get caught.

    The two scurried around Bai Xiao in a chase.

    Bai Xiao pulled them aside and said, "Alright, alright. Calm down. Don¡¯t embarrass yourselves. People might think you¡¯ve gone mad."

    The other students nearby looked at them as if they were watching a spectacle.

    He Juan and Lin Xiang immediatelyposed themselves, pretending to be serious, though they couldn¡¯t suppress the smiles creeping onto their faces.

    They felt like they were on cloud nine.

    The weather today was just perfect!

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 969: Fever

    <h4>Chapter 969: Chapter 969: Fever</h4><h4></h4>

    After finishing dinner with a few business owners, Jiang Shaoqing decided to cancel the subsequent entertainment ns due to feeling unwell over the past two days.

    He didn¡¯t go home; his headache was particrly severe today.

    It seemed like a cold.

    And he¡¯d just had a few too many drinks.

    His entire body felt dizzy and ufortable. His driver, supporting him, frowned when he saw the boss¡¯s condition.

    "Mr. Jiang, how about I take you to the hospital?"

    Jiang Shaoqing rubbed his temples, the pain unbearable.

    "No! Just take me to the apartment and buy me some cold medicine. I¡¯m not going back to the office today." Jiang Shaoqing got into the car, leaned back against the seat, and closed his eyes.

    The driver started driving and dropped Jiang Shaoqing off at his apartment. Lately, Jiang Shaoqing rarely went back to the Jiang Family; he had been so busy that he didn¡¯t have time to deal with his mother pursuing him.

    The Shang Family had been unusually quiet recently, calm to the point of feeling strange. Jiang Shaoqing didn¡¯t understand why Bai Xiao, Bai the doctor, was so wary of the Shang Family. Yet, he continued his policy of keeping eyes on the Shang Family. If anything happened, he would be the first to know.

    He had benefited greatly from this situation¡ªat the very least, Bai Xiao¡¯s ns had clear direction.

    They had proven extremely advantageous for him.

    The old man often told him during conversations that he still needed more training. Compared to him, Bai the doctor had sharper insights and was more attuned to policy directions, with a business acumen exceeding his own.

    The old man had always held Bai Xiao in high regard.

    Back at the apartment building, the driver went to buy medicine while Jiang Shaoqing made his way upstairs. Returning to his room, Jiang Shaoqing felt himself beginning to falter¡ªthis cold was hitting hard.

    The driver arrived with the cold medicine and was heading upstairs. Just then, he ran into Shen Ye, followed closely by Zhuo Lin.

    "Xiao Ye, what are you doing here sote?"

    Shen Ye had called the office earlier today and heard that his son was sick. Although he often feigned indifference, this news left him unsettled. This rascal was notoriously elusive once he left the house¡ªtracking him down was no easy task. Learning that Jiang Shaoqing hadn¡¯t left on a business trip, Shen Ye decided to seize the opportunity. Hoping to facilitate something between Zhuo Lin and his son, he brought her along.

    This was an ambush.

    The driver immediately recognized Shen Ye¡¯s intentions upon seeing her and promptly handed over the medicine and keys.

    "Madam, Mr. Jiang has a pretty bad cold and needs someone to take care of him. Here¡¯s the cold medicine and the keys."

    Shen Ye grew even more anxious upon hearing this.

    Her son, who had always been resilient since childhood, rarely took medicine or got injections for minor illnesses, preferring to tough it out. For him to have a driver buy medicine this time, it must be serious. How could Shen Ye not worry?

    "Alright, you can head back. We¡¯ll go upstairs and check on him. Zhuo Lin, you know how stubborn that child is. Who knows how sick he really is? If it weren¡¯t for his prideful, tough attitude, there¡¯s no way he¡¯d take medicine."

    In her heart, Shen Ye greatly admired Zhuo Lin. After all, she was her chosen candidate for a daughter-inw. But the rtionship between the two had always been lukewarm.

    Whenever Shen Ye arranged for them to meet, they politely exchanged a few words before parting ways¡ªleaving two frantic mothers in despair.

    This time, Shen Ye personally brought Zhuo Lin along to observe what was going on between the two. She had to see for herself what antics they might be up to.

    Unbeknownst to Shen Ye, Zhuo Lin secretly rolled her eyes. Despite appreciating Shen Ye¡¯s intentions, Zhuo Lin couldn¡¯t help but think: Madam Shen, I¡¯m not trying to thwart your ns, but your son¡¯s personality isn¡¯t everyone¡¯s cup of tea. Even if he¡¯s outwardly charming, he wouldn¡¯t be able to pass her standards. His temper is insufferable, a domineering man with no clue on how to care for a woman. Arrogant to the point of irritation, just seeing him makes her want to punch him twice.

    Meanwhile, in the bedroom, Jiang Shaoqing had already fallen into a feverish, half-conscious slumber.

    Shen Ye looked at her exhausted, feverish son with tears in her eyes. Zhuo Lin, noticing things were getting worse, sprang into action.

    A fever this high was dangerous. Zhuo Lin quickly poured warm water, urging Shen Ye to feed Jiang Shaoqing the medicine immediately. Fortunately, the driver had purchased cold medicine along with fever reducers and anti-inmmatory drugs¡ªotherwise, they would¡¯ve needed to make another run.

    Finally, Shen Ye managed to administer the medicine, watching her son drift back into a hazy sleep. The effort triggered Shen Ye¡¯s high blood pressure.

    Left with few options, Zhuo Lin helped Shen Ye into the adjacent room to rest. High blood pressure was no joke, so she insisted Shen Ye remain quiet and assured her that she would personally take care of Jiang Shaoqing. Shen Ye could rest easy.

    After taking medication, Shen Ye soon fell asleep as well.

    Zhuo Lin was at a loss.

    What kind of predicament was this?

    Quietly closing the door, Zhuo Lin turned her attention to Jiang Shaoqing, who was mumbling fever-induced gibberish. Checking his temperature with the thermometer, she gasped: 39.5 degrees Celsius.

    Not good!

    The fever reducer didn¡¯t seem to be working.

    She smacked herself lightly on the forehead, realizing that medicine would take time to take effect.

    Grabbing a basin of warm water, she soaked a towel and began wiping down the sweat on his forehead and body. It was truly an arduous task.

    Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s tall and muscr build meant Zhuo Lin had to exert considerable effort to get things done.

    Unbuttoning his shirt, which was already crumpled like dried mustard greens, she couldn¡¯t help but admire his solid physique when his toned muscles were revealed.

    So pleasing to the eyes.

    If Jiang Shaoqing was good for anything, it had to be his well-maintained physique.

    But now, with his face flushed from the fever, her fingers identally brushed against his skin while wiping him down. The zing heat radiating from his body snapped Zhuo Lin out of her momentary trance. This was a patient¡ªhad she lost her senses?

    She was practically taking advantage of an unconscious man.

    Was she losing her mind?

    She tried pulling her hand back, but suddenly, arge, warm hand grabbed her wrist and ced it firmly against his chest. Zhuo Lin froze in shock.

    She immediately looked up. Was Jiang Shaoqing awake?

    If so, this was bad¡ªhow on earth would she exin herself? She¡¯d been caught red-handed, taking liberties while he was feverish and out of it.

    Utter humiliation.

    Then, she saw Jiang Shaoqing still had his eyes closed. With a sudden turn, he flipped her over, pulling her whole arm and pressing her against the mattress and bedding. Zhuo Lin¡¯s chilliness must have been soothing to Jiang Shaoqing, for he nuzzled her, burying his face in her hair and resting against her cheek before drifting back to sleep.

    Zhuo Lin panicked.

    What was the meaning of this?

    Jiang Shaoqing was clearly taking advantage of the situation!

    She tried pushing him away with all her strength.

    But to her dismay, she found that she was no match for Jiang Shaoqing. Her slender arms were incapable of breaking free from his grip, much less contending with his strong physique, which continued to radiate feverish heat against her.

    This was a disaster.

    Unable to push him away, what options did she have?

    She cautiously checked his forehead again. Thankfully, his temperature seemed to be dropping. The fever reducer was finally working.

    She felt a bit more relieved.

    She pulled the nket up to cover Jiang Shaoqing, but inadvertently ended up under the same nket herself.

    Jiang Shaoqing murmured contentedly, clutching her tightly, startling her once again.

    What was this scoundrel trying to do?

    She had merely touched him; how could he reciprocate¡ªnot to mention in such a dramatic way?

    The sheer absurdity left her on the verge of tears.

    She waspletely defenseless.

 Chapter 970: Misunderstanding

    <h4>Chapter 970: Chapter 970: Misunderstanding</h4><h4></h4>

    "You scoundrel..."

    Zhuo Lin¡¯s words of reprimand froze in her throat, her mind exploding with a roar.

    "Let go!" she hissed sharply.

    If Aunt Shen Ye were to witness this scene, even jumping into the Yellow River wouldn¡¯t wash her clean.

    She couldn¡¯t possibly say that a feverish patient had taken liberties with her!

    But the truth was, all she did was fail to resist stroking his hand, and now she ended up being pawed all over¡ªthe loss was immense.

    Jiang Shaoqing, however, held her tightly. His slightly dazed expression was evident, eyes still closed. Hearing her voice, he murmured softly like a kitten, stopping her wild struggle. His wandering hand was firmly pinned down by Zhuo Lin.

    Zhuo Lin jolted upright and mustered all her strength to squeeze Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s hand, which was groping at her recklessly. "Are you crazy?!"

    She worked hard to push back his arm, which had pinned her down, and nced at him. The sight froze her in ce!

    The handsome, chiseled features looked as though sculpted by an artist. Whether it was the arch of his brows, the bridge of his nose, or the tightly set curve of his lips, paired with the deep-set eye sockets¡ªif his eyes opened, they¡¯d surely disy the depth and sharpness she¡¯d seen before. Right now, his slightly damp ck hair framed his slender and lean figure. His shirt was disheveled¡ªthanks to her hands¡ªand now, he was pressed firmly on top of her.

    What a mess she¡¯d made for herself.

    All because she had a single moment of kindness, she ended up with this disastrous oue.

    She could do nothing but grip his hand tightly, stopping him from making any further moves.

    Jiang Shaoqing, seeminglyfortable, held her close and fell into a deep, heavy sleep. asionally, faint sighs escaped his lips.

    Her struggle had exhausted her, and her heart told her to let herself rest just a little.

    Just a little while.

    Incredibly, they fell asleep.

    Zhuo Lin felt utterly drained, unable to resist the tide of sleep rolling over her.

    And his heavy bodyy covering her, already fully submerged in dreams.

    She reached out a hand to touch his cheek gently, brushing aside a few strands of ck hair that had strayed onto his forehead, before sumbing to a heavy slumber as well.

    .........

    Shen Ye opened her eyes. A good night¡¯s rest had finally done wonders for her body. She felt much better now, all thanks to Zhuo Lining alongst night¡ªwithout her, who knew what the consequences could have been?

    Thinking about her feverish son brought a pang of worry to her heart.

    She tried sitting up; overall, her condition seemed decent. She thought of how Zhuo Lin had spent all night tirelessly attending to her, and guilt crept in.

    She had dragged the poor girl into this mess, not only making her care for her son but also herself.

    What a disgrace.

    Feeling her way out the door, Shen Ye noticed that it was still dark outside, prompting a sigh.

    Ever since she¡¯d gotten older, good sleep had be elusive¡ªa far cry from thezy mornings of her youth.

    The house was silent.

    Shen Ye looked around.

    The living room was empty, and the nearby guest room was vacant too. The neatly arranged bedding and the tidy sheets indicated no one had spent the night there.

    Shen Ye furrowed her brows in confusion.

    Where had the girl gone?

    Had she left?

    Immediately, Shen Ye shook her head¡ªimpossible!

    She understood Zhuo Lin well enough. Though outwardly gentle and fragile, the girl had a kind and warm heart.

    She definitely wouldn¡¯t abandon the two sick people and leave.

    The only room left was Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s.

    She figured Zhuo Lin must have stayed up all night taking care of him and had likely copsed exhausted by the bedside.

    This thought deepened her guilt.

    Quietly, she pushed the door open.

    Shen Ye was utterly dumbstruck by the scene before her.

    Strewn on the floor were Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s shirt, pants, belt, and other items. His bare arm was wrapped around a petite figure, with shiny ck hair framing the small face beneath¡ªa face that unmistakably belonged to Zhuo Lin!

    The two were sleeping entwined, Zhuo Lin nestled tightly against Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s chest, her head resting directly on his bare torso. His arm embraced her securely, deeply asleep. If she wasn¡¯t mistaken, Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s hand rested within Zhuo Lin¡¯s clothes.

    The sight involuntarily made Shen Ye burst into a chuckle.

    Their secrecy was truly remarkable.

    Just look at this! If she hadn¡¯t seen it with her own eyes, how could she ever have believed the two had been secretly involved all along?

    Herughter jolted them awake.

    Both Zhuo Lin and Jiang Shaoqing opened their eyes.

    Zhuo Lin¡¯s gazended on the bare chest before her, then locked eyes with Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s. Their eyes met, deep and ck, instantly sending a shock through her heart.

    His gaze revealed both sharp intelligence and confusion over the situation at hand.

    Then she faced Shen Ye¡¯s expression of gleeful surprise and excitement.

    Instinctively, she pushed Jiang Shaoqing with all her might, practically rolling and crawling off the bed in disarray.

    Her flustered movementspletely overturned the nket, earning a look of displeasure from Jiang Shaoqing, whoserge hand immediately grabbed the nket and pulled it back.

    As a result, Zhuo Lin found herself pressed against him again.

    Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s dark eyes locked onto his mother.

    "Mom, why are you here?"

    Though he couldn¡¯t understand the situation, what he distinctly remembered was the feeling of satisfaction and thrill from the prior night¡ªas though, even in his dreams, he¡¯d received the gift he wanted most.

    "You had a fever. If Zhuo Lin and I hadn¡¯te, who knows how badly you¡¯d have burned up! Thank goodness for Zhuo Lin¡ªif she hadn¡¯t taken care of both you and mest night, I might¡¯ve met my end by now." She spoke with a pleased smile, ncing at the pair¡¯s intimate position.

    "You two, honestly. Dating is dating; I¡¯m not an old-fashioned person. Times have changed! It¡¯spletely normal for young people to be together now.

    But Shaoqing, you can¡¯t keep ying dumb like this. Even if Zhuo Lin doesn¡¯t demand it¡ªand I know her character well enough, she never wants to trouble anyone¡ªshe¡¯s still a young woman. If, heaven forbid, she ends up pregnant, wouldn¡¯t that embarrass her?

    Look, son. I get it; young people have their own ideas. But you need to hurry up and get married. I don¡¯t want to keep worrying about you two. I¡¯ll notify Zhuo Lin¡¯s mother¡ªthis kind of thing should naturally be initiated by the man¡¯s side, so Zhuo Lin doesn¡¯t lose face.

    Zhuo Lin, you shouldn¡¯t always let this rascal off the hook. You need to take responsibility for yourself. Don¡¯t worry, Auntie is here to handle things for you. You two should get married soon."

    Shen Ye had already made up her mind and dered it.

    She turned to leave the room.

    Walking away, she thought about notifying Zhuo Lin¡¯s mother, her best friend. It wouldn¡¯t be long before their families were joined as one.

    This was exactly what the two mothers had long hoped for.

    If they could wee a grandchild next year, it would be perfect.

 Chapter 971 The More the Explanation, the More Confusing It Gets

    <h4>Chapter 971: Chapter 971 The More the Exnation, the More Confusing It Gets</h4><h4></h4>

    Zhuo Lin was furious and pushed Jiang Shaoqing away.

    "Jiang Shaoqing, why are you holding onto me? What are we going to do now? Your mom misunderstood, you need to go and exin!"

    She was aggressively trying to pull Jiang Shaoqing up.

    Jiang Shaoqing rubbed his forehead, "My head hurts, stop making a fuss. There¡¯s no misunderstanding, I didn¡¯t make you climb into my bed."

    His head felt like it was going to explode, so hey back down obediently.

    Zhuo Lin was furious.

    "Jiang Shaoqing, what are you talking about? Who climbed into your bed? I was just being nice yesterday, helping you cool down, and it was you who pulled me up and held on tight, wouldn¡¯t let go. Now you¡¯re ming me, I¡¯m telling you, go exin to your mom, or else tomorrow you have to marry me!" This wasn¡¯t a threat.

    Zhuo Lin was quite sure this was something her own mom could pull off.

    Jiang Shaoqing closed his eyes, "I want some water!"

    Zhuo Lin was exasperated, wanting to drink water at a time like this?

    Things were already urgent.

    But seeing Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s chapped lips, she couldn¡¯t resist herpassion, poured him a cup of warm water, helped him sit up, and he drank it all at once.

    "More!"

    Zhuo Lin widened her eyes, trying to be more fierce.

    But unfortunately, she was still spineless and poured Jiang Shaoqing another ss, seeing him drink less hurriedly this time, she tried to persuade him earnestly.

    "Jiang Shaoqing, let me help you out to exin, or else it will really be a big deal. Don¡¯t you believe me, for your own good, you should help me rify. Or do you really fancy me and want to take this opportunity to leech onto me?"

    The second half of that sentence was definitely a provoking tactic.

    She and Jiang Shaoqing didn¡¯t have any kind of love at first sight thing.

    The first time they met, Jiang Shaoqing was freeloading on her food, ate several bowls of mixed noodles and hot and sour noodle soup.

    Who falls in love at first sight like that?

    Besides, she didn¡¯t think Jiang Shaoqing was her Prince Charming, just thought he was an arrogant type she felt like punching.

    "Leech onto you? What a joke, if we go out and about, who do you think would believe that I¡¯m leeching onto you? They¡¯d probably think you¡¯re trying to climb up to me, right? Zhuo Lin, I¡¯m curious, am I that unimpressive to you? Which woman doesn¡¯t cry and shout to marry me? If I say I¡¯ll marry someone, they¡¯d probably set off firecrackers in celebration! And here you are, acting like it¡¯s the end of the world."

    Jiang Shaoqing couldn¡¯t stand how Zhuo Lin seemed so dismissive of him. Who wasfortably snoring in his arms just moments ago?

    No wonder he kept dreaming of thunder and lightningst night, turned out there was a thunderstorm generator right beside him.

    Zhuo Lin stomped her foot, decided not to babble nonsense with Jiang Shaoqing anymore! She couldn¡¯t get him to understand, now she¡¯ll try to convince Shen Ye instead.

    Even though thinking about it, she knows how difficult it is, but it¡¯s still better than letting her own mom find out.

    She gave Jiang Shaoqing a fierce look before turning to leave.

    The ghostly voice trailed after her, "I¡¯m hungry, want some porridge!"

    Zhuo Lin turned back, absolutely denying her defeat, "Want porridge, go ask your mom!"

    She opened the door, headed to the living room, and heard Shen Ye¡¯s voice.

    "Don¡¯t worry, the two slept together, how can I ignore it? Rest assured, your daughter will be my daughter too, I guarantee she won¡¯t be taken advantage of, if that brat dares not take responsibility, I¡¯ll break his legs.

    Alright, then we¡¯re setting the date, day after tomorrow is a Sunday, you and Old Zhuoe by, it¡¯s perfect since his dad and I will be here! We¡¯ll have a meal together and settle things, I think the marriage should be quick, young people together, it¡¯s easy for sparks to fly, in case there¡¯s any ident, it won¡¯t be good for Zhuo Lin either.

    Okay, so it¡¯s settled. Great, see youter."

    "Aunt Shen, don¡¯t hang up yet, Jiang Shaoqing and I aren¡¯t what you think, really, there¡¯s nothing between us, really no rtionship at all!" Zhuo Lin panicked, afraid that if she didn¡¯t speak up, they might even set the wedding date.

    Shen Ye put down the phone, Zhuo Lin thought, it¡¯s over.

    This was a major announcement.

    Thinking about what her own mom would do, Zhuo Lin started to get a headache, her brain throbbed.

    This time it¡¯s really over.

    All because of that jerk Jiang Shaoqing, he couldn¡¯t just rest well, had to hold on to her, and now they have nothing,pletely innocent, but have no words to exin.

    Shen Ye stood up, holding Zhuo Lin, looking her over with nothing but approval, after all, she¡¯s the chosen daughter-inw in her eyes.

    "What¡¯s wrong? Zhuo Lin, did something upset you? You must tell Auntie, it¡¯s a good thing I hung up, otherwise your mom might have thought that even before marrying into our family, Shaoqing was bullying you.

    Are you saying that brat doesn¡¯t want to get married and is forcing you to plead with me? Don¡¯t worry, Auntie understands, you¡¯re a good girl, Shaoqing is confused. Wait, I¡¯m going to give him a piece of my mind, doesn¡¯t he believe in evil, this little bastard trying to anger us.

    Rest assured, put your heart at ease, prepare to get married, Auntie won¡¯t let you suffer!"

    Patting Zhuo Lin¡¯s hand, offering a clear sense of reassurance.

    "Auntie, it¡¯s really not about Jiang Shaoqing, there really was nothing between us, I was just tiredst night and fell asleep, somehow ended up next to Jiang Shaoqing, really, there was nothing." Zhuo Lin felt her exnation sounded so weak.

    Shen Ye frowned, "Poor thing, you¡¯ve suffered! Wait, Auntie will take care of it!"

    She pushed past Zhuo Lin, striding towards Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s bedroom.

    Jiang Shaoqing was lying there, contemting taking a shower, not sure how much he sweatst night, a shower would refresh him.

    Hadn¡¯t gotten up yet.

    Then his mom stormed in like a furious deity.

    Stood at his bedside, pointing at his nose and started scolding.

    "You brat, do you think we¡¯re all dead? And you force Zhuo Lin to babble nonsense, just to protect you. This kid keeps saying there¡¯s nothing between you two, nothing? Nothing and yet you slept together? I never expected you¡¯d turn irresponsible, starting something with a girl and not finishing it. I¡¯m telling you, as long as I¡¯m here, you can forget about running away, the wedding date will be set soon, and you¡¯ll marry properly! If you dare bully Zhuo Lin, I¡¯m telling you, I have plenty of ways to deal with you."

    Jiang Shaoqing was dumbfounded as he watched his mom¡¯s finger almost poke his forehead, then nced at Zhuo Lin on the side, who looked like she was about to cry, and suddenly burst intoughter,ughing so hard he rolled on the bed hugging the nket.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 972: Agreement

    <h4>Chapter 972: Chapter 972: Agreement</h4><h4></h4>

    Shen Ye and Zhuo Lin watched Jiang Shaoqingughing uncontrobly, but neither of them could figure out what was wrong with him.

    Shen Ye¡¯s thought was: "I¡¯ve exposed my son¡¯s schemes¡ªhe¡¯s probably trying to smooth things over now."

    At least this darn boy knows he¡¯s in the wrong.

    Zhuo Lin¡¯s thought was: "Could Jiang Shaoqing beughing so hard because he¡¯s infuriated by my stupidity?"

    Exactly! Who behaves like her¡ªtalking for so long only to make the misunderstanding even worse?

    "Why are you stillughing?"

    Shen Ye was furious.

    Enough is enough.

    Jiang Shaoqing finally stopped smiling. "Mom, you¡¯ve misunderstood me!"

    This statement finally caused Zhuo Lin¡¯s eyes to sh with realization. Good grief.

    Jiang Shaoqing is a good man; she¡¯s been misunderstanding him all along.

    If only he would exin himself, Shen Ye should surely believe him.

    This way, she no longer has to worry about digging herself deeper into the hole.

    Because of Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s great kindness today, she had already decided to treat him to ten bowls of Mixed Noodles aspensation in the future.

    "What have I misunderstood? Exin yourself!"

    When Shen Ye heard this, she became even angrier. Her darn son wouldn¡¯t be so shameless as to say something irresponsible in front of the girl, would he?

    If he hurt Zhuo Lin¡¯s feelings and the girl got so upset that she decided not to marry, Shen Ye wouldn¡¯t forgive Jiang Shaoqing.

    "Mom, don¡¯t stand so tall¡ªI have to look up at you, and it¡¯s making my head hurt. Sit down, and I¡¯ll tell you properly!"

    Jiang Shaoqing was truly feeling a headache.

    Zhuo Lin immediately moved quickly and supported Shen Ye to sit beside Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s bed.

    Eager to please Jiang Shaoqing, Zhuo Lin asked, "Do you want some water? I¡¯ll get it for you! Auntie, listen to Jiang Shaoqing, let him talk slowly, don¡¯t get angry."

    Jiang Shaoqing gave Zhuo Lin a cold nce.

    Zhuo Lin hurried off to pour water.

    At this moment, she had a favor to ask. No matter how she looked at Jiang Shaoqing, he seemed pleasing to the eye.

    As long as Jiang Shaoqing could get her out of this predicament, she¡¯d treat him like a lord¡ªserving him wouldn¡¯t be an issue. Pouring water? Who hadn¡¯t poured water before?

    Shen Ye watched Zhuo Linughingly cater to her son, bowing and scraping, and felt even more sympathetic. Her son truly didn¡¯t know how to care for girls¡ªif he angered his future wife and she ran off, what would they do?

    This kid still hasn¡¯t figured things out.

    What should she do?

    It seemed she¡¯d have to dote on her daughter-inw more in the future¡ªotherwise, this silly boy would definitely scare her away.

    Truly heartbreaking.

    Zhuo Lin brought over the ss of water, but Jiang Shaoqing half-sat up without reaching to take it.

    Seriously!

    Fine! You¡¯re the lord, I¡¯ll tolerate it.

    Jiang Shaoqing drank the entire ss in one gulp, leaning against her hand, then gave Zhuo Lin a sideways nce. "I¡¯m hungry¡ªI want porridge!"

    Zhuo Lin clenched her fists.

    She cursed Jiang Shaoqing thoroughly in her heart. He really was putting on the airs of a lord.

    Damn it.

    Endure!

    "Alright! I¡¯ll go make porridge for you. But aren¡¯t you supposed to speak with Auntie? Hurry up and say what you need to¡ªI¡¯ll go cook once you¡¯re done!"

    Shen Ye red. Her son was being downright unreasonable, and she, as his mother, couldn¡¯t stand it.

    "I¡¯ll make you porridge. Zhuo Lin looked after you all night¡ªshe should rest. You really don¡¯t know how to care for women at all."

    Zhuo Lin raised her chin.

    See that? Even your mom agrees¡ªyou really don¡¯t know how to care for women.

    "What¡¯s she tired from? Last night she slept like a dead pig. The one who couldn¡¯t sleep because of her obnoxious snoring was me, wasn¡¯t it?"

    Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s words ckened Zhuo Lin¡¯s face.

    Who snored? Who snored?

    That damn Jiang Shaoqing¡ªdoesn¡¯t he know snoring is something girls refuse to admit to?

    When Shen Ye heard this, sheughed so hard her face lit up.

    The young couple admitted to sleeping together, huh?

    "Snoring isn¡¯t a big deal. Your dad¡¯s been snoring for years¡ªI didn¡¯t get used to it at first and always wanted to kick him awake in the middle of the night. But after all these years, whenever he¡¯s on a business trip and I don¡¯t hear his snoring, I can¡¯t fall asleep without it. Eventually, you get used to it."

    "Auntie, the two of us..." Zhuo Lin wanted to exin.

    Shen Yeughed, saying, "I understand¡ªI know my son! He¡¯s like a bandit, with a temper that could scare anyone to death. You¡¯ve suffered being with him. Let me tell you, you can¡¯t indulge him¡ªif you do, he¡¯ll get worse.

    From now on, if he throws unreasonable tantrums, just ignore him and let him reflect on himself."

    Jiang Shaoqing snorted coldly. "Mom, you¡¯re still my mother, right? Have you already forgotten your son because you have a daughter-inw now?"

    Zhuo Lin was thunderstruck.

    "What does ¡¯forgotten your son because you have a daughter-inw¡¯ mean?"

    "Who¡¯s your daughter-inw anyway?"

    "Haha, yes, I¡¯ve forgotten my son because I now have a daughter-inw. So what? I¡¯ll make porridge for you. Stop putting on a show¡ªthe wedding is all arranged. You two just wait to be the bride and groom."

    Shen Ye got up and headed to the kitchen to make porridge.

    Zhuo Lin red daggers at Jiang Shaoqing.

    Her gaze looked as if she wanted to devour him whole.

    Jiang Shaoqing smiled awkwardly.

    "Jiang Shaoqing, you¡¯re doing this on purpose, aren¡¯t you?"

    "I *am* doing it on purpose. Would marrying me be so bad for you?" Jiang Shaoqing closed his eyes.

    If he didn¡¯t, the expression on this woman¡¯s face would remind him of the way the alpha wolves in the northern Hinggan Range looked.

    "Jiang Shaoqing, you know perfectly well what¡¯s going on between us. Who wants to marry you? Let me tell you¡ªif you don¡¯t make things clear, don¡¯t me me for blowing things up at the wedding. If there¡¯s embarrassment, it won¡¯t be on me¡ªI¡¯m not afraid of being embarrassed." Zhuo Lin threatened in a low voice.

    "Zhuo Lin, why resist so much? Look at yourself¡ªyou¡¯re 24, and I¡¯m already 30. Both our parents are pressuring us to marry. If we don¡¯t settle down soon, they won¡¯t give us any peace. I don¡¯t look too bad, do I? I think I look pretty good. Why don¡¯t we just live together?

    Of course, I¡¯ll absolutely respect your personal privacy and all your decisions¡ªyou¡¯ll be free to do whatever you want. Everything you couldn¡¯t do before marriage, you can do now.

    Being married is actually quite convenient¡ªyou should be happy! I¡¯m offering you this freedom.

    And who knows, if you find me appealing, we might be able to make it work. Our parents¡¯ generation managed it, didn¡¯t they? Arranged marriages¡ªthey still lived happy lives. If you¡¯re dissatisfied with me, and you find someone better, I promise to let you leave and give you freedom. Isn¡¯t that worth considering?"

    Jiang Shaoqing understood very clearly what both he and Zhuo Lin needed.

    His feelings for Bai Xiao would never amount to anything in this lifetime. Since he hadn¡¯t found the one he truly desired, Zhuo Lin was perhaps the mostfortable option¡ªsomeone who didn¡¯t make him feel uneasy and with whom he felt at ease. If Zhuo Lin and he could coexist peacefully, why not get married?

    Zhuo Lin gradually calmed down.

    Jiang Shaoqing wasn¡¯t wrong.

    Her parents were already forcing her to marry. If Jiang Shaoqing could truly offer her freedom, it wouldn¡¯t be a bad solution.

    "Jiang Shaoqing, are you serious? You won¡¯t go back on your word, right?"

    Jiang Shaoqing snorted disapprovingly.

    "Look at yourself¡ªdo you think I¡¯d bother?"

    Zhuo Lin was exasperated. With Jiang Shaoqing acting like this, it really didn¡¯t seem like he had any ulterior motives toward her.

    "Fine, I agree. But you also have to agree that this marriage is purely superficial. You can¡¯t ask me to fulfill any wifely duties. You absolutely can¡¯t force me into anything. And if I decide to leave, you have to agree without hesitation. I also want a signed divorce agreement in advance."

    Jiang Shaoqing rolled his eyes. This so-called wife¡ªhow scared was she that he mighttch onto her?

    "Alright, I¡¯ll give it all to you. Satisfied now?"

    Zhuo Lin finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    "Alright then! Go exin to Auntie."

 Chapter 973 Backdoor

    <h4>Chapter 973: Chapter 973 Backdoor</h4><h4></h4>

    An Zhiyuan dropped Bai Xiao off at Ruiyin and stared at the grand, imposing entrance of Ruiyin Hospital. He instructed Bai Xiao, "Don¡¯t overwork yourself. Make sure to rest. I¡¯ll pick you up on Friday." Watching his wife leave for a week left him feeling uneasy.

    However, Bai Xiao was already in her internship phase and had to work like the other intern doctors¡ªnot just during the day but also night shifts, and even taking on responsibilities for hospitalized patients. Meeting every day was almost impossible for them now.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s bodyguard training had also picked up pace, as he was the coach for this year¡¯s Hunter Training Camp.

    Time didn¡¯t allow them much space for romance and tenderness.

    Sometimes, An Zhiyuan understood how fortunate he was to be with Bai Xiao. If it were any other woman, how could she possibly tolerate her man being away from home for years?

    No wonder many said it was tough being married to someone like them.

    "Don¡¯t just talk about me. I don¡¯t even need to mention how reckless you are when ites to working. Take care of yourself! Don¡¯t make me worry. Also, cut back on smoking¡ªit¡¯s bad for your lungs. Oh, by the way, have you heard anything from my brother? Why haven¡¯t we gotten any updates recently? It¡¯s making me worried."

    Bai Xiao was worried about Bai Song. Judging by the timeline, Bai Song should already be nearing the final stages of the mission at the front. It was almost the ¡¯90s now, and tensions had mostly eased, with only sporadic gunfire. But her brother¡¯sck of updates for several months had been troubling.

    And since he was in Yun Province, far out of their reach, Bai Xiao could only hope An Zhiyuan might be able to gather some news about her brother.

    "Got it. Your brother¡¯s fine. As soon as I¡¯m back, I¡¯ll call Yun Province to ask about the situation. Don¡¯t stress over it¡ªoff you go!" he said, trying tofort her as he saw the worried look in his wife¡¯s eyes.

    Bai Xiao entered the hospital and headed to the personnel office. As an intern, there were plenty of procedures toplete. She certainly couldn¡¯t use any backdoor methods to expedite things¡ªafter all, that would embarrass Dr. Xue.

    The personnel office became incredibly warm and weing the moment they saw Bai Xiao¡¯s referral letter and credentials.

    "So, you must be Dr. Bai! We¡¯ve heard so much about you. Never thought we¡¯d finally meet you today!"

    The room full of interns all turned to look at Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t the only one reporting in. The interns weren¡¯t all from her Medical University, either. Combining several universities, the internships slots were limited. Bai Xiao¡¯s Medical University had sent only her to Ruiyin, which highlighted just howpetitive the internship cements at Ruiyin Hospital truly were.

    "I¡¯m just here to file my internship paperwork. Could you tell me what I need to do?" Bai Xiao was drenched in cold sweat.

    The personnel office staff, who had just been icy and procedural moments earlier, now disyed a 180-degree shift in attitude. Everyone else felt as though they¡¯d been treated like stepchildren.

    "Dr. Bai! Don¡¯t worry¡ªwe¡¯ll handle your paperwork as a special case. Dr. Xue even personally came to check on this. Just wait a moment and fill out these two forms. Sign here. That¡¯s it. Xiaowang, take Dr. Bai to Surgery; Director Zhang is waiting! Dr. Bai, follow Xiaowang¡ªhe¡¯ll guide you!" The staff processed things with remarkable efficiency.

    Bai Xiao thanked them repeatedly and followed Xiaowang, a man in his forties, straight to the Surgery department.

    The interns in the room exchanged nces. This level of favoritism was borderline absurd¡ªso tant that all the eyes watching didn¡¯t seem to matter. What kind of connections did she have?

    Some of them found this downright infuriating.

    One of them also had strong backing. She was the niece of He Changzhu, the deputy dean, and quite privileged herself. Seeing such tant preferential treatment left her feeling particrly upset.

    "Director, shouldn¡¯t there be an order of arrival? Isn¡¯t this Dr. Bai cutting in line?" He Xin said, clearly displeased. Her uncle had repeatedly warned her not to stir up trouble, emphasizing that the current batch of interns at Ruiyin Hospital wasn¡¯t ordinary and that fostering goodwill with them would be beneficial for staying at Ruiyinter on.

    Still, watching someone else tantly circumvent the usual processes was too much for her. She hadn¡¯t even pulled strings herself. Why should anyone else?

    The personnel director naturally knew who He Xin was and understood her background. Would he dare offend anyone in this batch without first investigating their connections?

    "Dr. He, this Dr. Bai is no ordinary person. Ask your uncle when you¡¯re back, and you¡¯ll understand. Here¡ªyour paperwork is done too. Next!"

    He Xin was fuming. Dr. Bai had someone guiding her directly to the department, but here they just ignored everyone else. What kind of treatment was this?

    This wasn¡¯t just favoritism¡ªit was extreme disparity!

    "What the hell is this?"

    Storming out, she overheard two interns gossiping quietly nearby.

    "You don¡¯t know, do you? That Dr. Bai is none other than the famous Bai Xiao!"

    "Which Bai Xiao?"

    "Who else? The Bai Xiao who saved the Foreign Head of State delegation! Of course she¡¯d intern at Ruiyin. I heard from an insider that Bai Xiao is Dr. Xue¡¯s prized disciple. She¡¯s also Dean Yu¡¯s niece and, get this¡ªshe married into power, her husband¡¯s a Chief! Talk about a true winner in life!"

    "Seriously? That¡¯s hard to believe. Even with connections, could she really be Dr. Xue¡¯sst disciple? Everyone knows Dr. Xue¡¯s stubbornness¡ªhe doesn¡¯t care about anyone¡¯s influence. Getting support from him is nearly impossible. Could Dr. Xue really..." Dr. Xue was regarded as a symbol of fairness and justice by their Medical College students.

    If Dr. Xue had fallen into the realm of favoritism, the pedestal he stood on in everyone¡¯s hearts might just crumble.

    "What nonsense are you spewing? Dr. Xue isn¡¯t like that. He would never give special treatment due to personal ties! Without genuine ability, even if someone made it to Dr. Xue, they¡¯d be dismissed. You don¡¯t know about his third disciple, do you? That person was caught engaging in lucrative deals rted to Surgery and was directly disowned by Dr. Xue¡ªhe doesn¡¯t acknowledge that student." He Xin snapped.

    In her mind, Dr. Xue was her prospective mentor, the "fighter jet" of Surgery, and absolutely incorruptible. This kind of spection was beyond uneptable.

    She immediately jumped into the conversation to defend him.

    The two male students blushed awkwardly. Frankly, the situation sounded like hearsay¡ªwho knew what was true or false?

    To have a female colleague call them out, they now worried they¡¯d be seen as gossipmongers.

    "We know Dr. Xue isn¡¯t like that. It must be a rumor. But seeing Dr. Bai¡¯s position just now didn¡¯t look fake," one of them muttered before leaving.

    He Xin erupted, "I said Dr. Xue isn¡¯t that type of person! If you keep spreading nonsense, I¡¯ll charge you with defamation! I¡¯m warning you: Ruiyin Hospital doesn¡¯t tolerate this behavior. Watch out if I catch you again¡ªI¡¯ll deal with you myself."

    Furious, she stormed off to find her uncle.

    The two male students exchanged nces. "What bad luck¡ªto end up encountering that lunatic. What does this have to do with her?"

    Grumbling, they returned to the queue.

 Chapter 974 Allocation

    <h4>Chapter 974: Chapter 974 Allocation</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xin stormed into the Vice Dean¡¯s office, puffed up with anger, and knocked on the door.

    "Come in!"

    Vice Dean He Changzhu was handling several cases at his desk, difficult ones, some of which were challenging to manage.

    He looked up and saw his niece¡¯s face stretched unnaturally long, storming inside, then flopping unceremoniously onto the sofa like a victim of bullying.

    Surprised, he put down his pen and adjusted his sses on the bridge of his nose. "Oh? Who¡¯s been bothering our little Xin?"

    Today was He Xin¡¯s first day reporting for her internship! It shouldn¡¯t be likely someone would deliberately make things difficult for her. After all, many of the doctors at the hospital knew He Xin, and considering she was his niece, it seemed improbable anyone would give her a hard time.

    He Xin gulped down arge cup of room-temperature water before finally recounting what had happened.

    Upon hearing this, He Changzhu couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    He got up and sat on the sofa opposite He Xin.

    "You might not believe it, but Bai Xiao is truly exceptional. She¡¯s not someone who relies on connections for preferential treatment. She¡¯s a bona fide Bai Doctor. Haven¡¯t you heard about that famous neurosurgery at Ruiyin Hospital a while ago? It was an internationally renowned procedure performed by Dr. Smith himself, with Bai Xiao attending as a fourth assistant. But the result?

    The critical error during that surgery was noticed and corrected by Bai Xiao. Just think about what that means. And after the operation, she reportedly reproduced the entire surgical procedure in meticulous detail! So thorough it¡¯s considered beyond textbook-level precision, even surpassing it.

    Dr. Xue himself admitted that even he might not outperform Dr. Smith, and yet, Bai Xiao managed to be even more precise under such circumstances. What does that signify? The upper echelons of Ruiyin Hospital had already convened a meeting on this matter.

    Bai Xiao is someone Ruiyin has decided to groom as a talent. Whether she stays at Ruiyin in the future remains unknown since she¡¯s a doctor at the Military District Hospital. Despite that, Ruiyin is willing to invest heavily in her development. Do you think it¡¯s just about Bai Xiao as a person?

    Hertent potential is overwhelming. Imagine if future surgeries could match or even surpass the precision of recorded videos¡ªhow many surgeons could benefit from that!"

    He Xin was bbergasted. Listening up to this point, how could she not understand? In Dr. Xue¡¯s eyes, Bai Xiao could truly be his ultimate disciple.

    "But didn¡¯t I hear she specializes in Traditional Chinese Medicine? How did she end up in surgery?"

    This wasmon knowledge. That one poisoning incident had made her famous far and wide.

    In everyone¡¯s minds, Bai Doctor was unparalleled in acupuncture,parable to a martial art master. But what did she have to do with a Western surgical scalpel?

    It was clear now that Bai Xiao was fullymitted to surgery. Moreover, Dr. Xue was a renowned professor of surgery. It was inconceivable for him to be teaching acupuncture as an inter-field crossover!

    "That¡¯s why Bai Xiao is incredible. She¡¯s a genius. After learning surgery from Dr. Xue for just a few months, she already wields a scalpel more skillfully than the most seasoned surgeons. She¡¯s truly at the pinnacle of learning. Dr. Xue said this is the epitome of integrating Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine." He Changzhu, not someone swayed by personal rtionships, spoke based strictly on factual evidence.

    He Xin¡¯s jaw dropped in disbelief.

    Surgery, in just a few months, and she¡¯s that good?

    How was it possible?

    She herself had struggled immensely to pass her exams based merely on theoretical training, not to mention the endless hours spent training in the simtionb.

    Could her four years of hard work still notpare to Bai Xiao¡¯s less-than-a-year effort?

    Is this the fundamental divide between geniuses and ordinary people?

    It was crushing.

    "I don¡¯t believe it; I¡¯ll find out for myself. After all, time will tell. I¡¯ll closely observe this Bai Xiao and see for myself what kind of person she really is." He Xin wasn¡¯t one to ept defeat. Young people, especially He Xin, never thought they were inferior to others.

    He Changzhu watched his niece storm out. The earlier trace ofints seemed like a light drizzle, already dissipated.

    This kid was also in surgery, and havinge across a formidable rival like Bai Xiao could only serve as a form of training for her.

    Hopefully, she¡¯de to understand that there¡¯s always someone better out there.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s arrival in surgery was likeing back home; the surgeons and nurses were all incredibly familiar with her.

    Bai Xiao was frequently seen in their department, and she was now a regr visitor in the operating room. Even if she couldn¡¯t yet serve as the first assistant, her presence in the operating room was indispensable.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s reports had be treasured secrets at Ruiyin Hospital. Each report she wrote captured even the finest of details, vividly recreating the scenes of surgery as ifing to life.

    The internal newspaper at Ruiyin Hospital had begun serializing Bai Xiao¡¯s reports.

    Before Bai Xiao, the internal newspaper was merely an ornament, a perfunctory promotional material. Many viewed it as glorified scrap paper.

    But now, it was all the rage¡ªpractically impossible to obtain.

    Each new issue was sold out almost instantly.

    The newspaper hadn¡¯t even made it to the various departments before it was snatched away.

    Ruiyin Hospital had ignited a newspaper fever.

    Whether arriving for work or leaving, during any breaks, every doctor had a copy in hand, intensely focused. Even veteran doctors marveled at the fervor, remarking that with such enthusiasm, Ruiyin would inevitably produce several exceptional physicians.

    This time, there were five interns in surgery, and Bai Xiao was one of them. Shortly after Bai Xiao arrived, the other four followed.

    The Head of Surgery, Zhang Huan, also a Vice Dean, naturally had Bai Xiao learning under him. She was his junior colleague and a key focus of cultivation. The other four interns were allocated to different attending surgeons, though learning often involved all five being together. No mentor could solely train one student.

    However, the benefit of being assigned to a specific tutor was the chance to observe surgeries performed by them¡ªa privilege reserved exclusively for mentor-student pairs.

    When He Xin learned she¡¯d been assigned to another doctor, she was genuinely dissatisfied. "Director Zhang, I want to learn from you!"

    Unprecedented.

    She had the audacity to request her mentor.

    Both Zhang Huan and the other directorsughed.

    "Your name is He Xin, correct? Why are you dissatisfied with your teacher?"

    He Xin hesitated, trying not to offend anyone. Though impetuous, she wasn¡¯t foolish. Her remark just now could easily insult the director assigned to her. She wasn¡¯t afraid of retaliation, but there was no need to create unnecessary trouble.

    "Director Zhang, I just feel that since Bai Doctor is learning under you, I should be able to as well. Competition fosters motivation; otherwise, wouldn¡¯t Bai Doctor feel lonely?"

    Everyone burst intoughter.

    Zhang Huan waved his hand. "I have a strict rule of teaching only one student at a time; every surgeon here knows that. It¡¯s widely understood at Ruiyin. I¡¯m afraid..."

    Bai Xiao stepped forward. "Director Zhang, I can switch with He Xin. I¡¯m willing to learn from Dr. Xu."

    Her choice was deliberate; Dr. Xu specialized in emergency surgical operations, distinct from traditional surgery.

    This was a field she wanted to explore to encounter more diverse cases.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 975 Emergency

    <h4>Chapter 975: Chapter 975 Emergency</h4><h4></h4>

    Zhang Huan froze for a moment. His junior sister always had some ideas up her sleeve; who knows what she was nning now.

    "Director Xu works in Emergency Surgery. As his student, you¡¯ll need to intern in the emergency department, which has no connection with our operating room. You might not get to touch a surgical scalpel for the whole year. Are you willing to spend an entire year in the emergency department?"

    He couldn¡¯t bear to let Bai Xiao¡¯s talents go to waste.

    Bai Xiao shook her head. "Director Zhang, it¡¯s precisely because it¡¯s the emergency department that I want to go. My surgical techniques stillck in many areas. I don¡¯t want to be a surgeon who only knows how to hold a scalpel but is clueless about everything else. What I want out of this year¡¯s internship is to rotate through all the departments in Ruiyin, and I hope to achieve that."

    As soon as she spoke, Zhang Huan and all the doctors burst intoughter.

    Even He Xin chuckled.

    Such bragging!

    It didn¡¯t even ur to her that learning across all departments wasn¡¯t practical. She was a surgeon, and when she rotated to Internal Medicine, her starting point would be different from the interns there. Even with a year, she couldn¡¯t possibly cover all departments.

    "Bai Xiao, your idea is admirable, but a year simply isn¡¯t enough for you to learn across all departments. Doctors need to specialize rather than spread themselves thin. To master a single field to its fullest is already considered remarkable. Human energy is finite, and no one can truly excel in every medical discipline."

    Bai Xiao, I¡¯m not trying to discourage you; I¡¯m just offering you realistic advice."

    This junior sister was still too young.

    "That¡¯s precisely why, Director Zhang, I want to go to the emergency department. There, it¡¯s possible to work across disciplines. Whether it¡¯s consulting with doctors from other specialties, I can gain rich experience. Please forgive my ignorance and grant me this opportunity." Of course, Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t truly ignorant. It was because she understood this fact that she insisted on going to the emergency department.

    The scope for advancement in Surgery lies mostly in refining surgical techniques.

    But the dreams others yearn for are mere conveniences for her.

    The issue was she was no longer satisfied with excelling solely in surgical operations. In the field of Surgery, as long as her special ability came into y, anyplex procedure ceased to hold any mystery for her.

    With her special ability, every surgical scalpel seemed to carry extraordinary capabilities. Whatever microscopes or the naked eye could discern was trivial in her presence. Under her special ability, any minor detail would unfold before her like a vivid, detailed blueprint.

    Now, she wanted to touch upon more areas, to use her special ability in practical applications and explore new possibilities.

    If she wanted to be a doctor, to heal and save lives, to embody the benevolence of a healer¡ª

    She aimed to use her limited time to aplish what others could not. That was her true self.

    Zhang Huan was stunned. He hadn¡¯t expected his junior sister¡¯s perspective to be utterly different from his own.

    The Bai Xiao standing before him was nothing like him.

    Once, he too had been full of passion, dreaming of bing a renowned doctor. But after stepping into Surgery and delving deeply into operations, his horizon and aspirations narrowed to a single field. To excel, one had to aim for the pinnacle in that discipline, and reaching the top demanded relentless focus and effort.

    But Bai Xiao was entirely different. Her talent was such that she could master aplex specialty within a year, perhaps even half a year.

    If Bai Xiao truly possessed such remarkable talents, restricting her to Surgery would indeed be a waste.

    Perhaps Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t like the rest of them. Perhaps a truly versatile doctor could emerge after all.

    In that case, why not give Bai Xiao a chance?

    "Alright, I approve of Dr. Bai¡¯s internship under Director Xu in the emergency department. However, Bai Xiao, Surgery is still your home base. Don¡¯t forget about the surgical department. I hope that whenever you have the time, you¡¯ll continue to assist with patients and operations here in Surgery."

    He resolved to make things as convenient as possible for his junior sister.

    "Understood. Thank you, Director Zhang!"

    Director Xu was thrilled. He¡¯d heard plenty about Bai Xiao, a reputed genius. Yet here she was, willing to take on emergency work¡ªa duty few were eager for.

    It was exhausting, and hardly a ce to gain deep expertise. Sure, there were plenty of opportunities for suturing and wound dressing, but that was about it.

    "Alright, Dr. Bai. I think highly of you. As your mentor, I¡¯ll make sure to teach you properly. But to be honest, with Dr. Xue as your tutor, where does that leave me as a teacher?"

    "Director Xu, don¡¯t be so modest. I¡¯ve heard you¡¯re an expert in emergency surgery, unmatched in skill and authority to this day. Your expertise in emergency procedures and critical care makes you a unique figure in the emergency department. Learning under you will greatly elerate my progress. You more than deserve the title of ¡¯Teacher Xu.¡¯"

    Everyone chuckled.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s humility instantly bridged the gap between her and the interns. Previously, many had assumed she relied on connections to secure her position. Now it was clear she¡¯d voluntarily chosen this path, even relinquishing the coveted spot in Surgery under Zhang Yidao¡¯s mentorship. What kind of move was this?

    A supposed "connection" who disyed no arrogance over it, contrasting sharply with He Xin¡¯s audacious demeanor.

    It felt like He Xin couldn¡¯t hold a candle to Bai Xiao.

    Even He Xin¡¯s face grew flushed with embarrassment.

    She had always regarded Bai Xiao as her rival. Her snarkyments were meant to undermine Bai Xiao, even if she couldn¡¯t earn Zhang Huan¡¯s mentorship herself. At least she could throw Bai Xiao off bnce, making things ufortable for her.

    After all, she wouldn¡¯t lose anything. Surely Bai Xiao hadnded a spot under Zhang Huan through connections; otherwise, how could she outrank He Xin in the rotation?

    She didn¡¯t think it was bullying.

    The result was far beyond her expectations. Bai Xiao showed no arrogance whatsoever, and her motives were entirely different.

    She simply wanted to learn more medical skills.

    Faced with this, shame overcame He Xin.

    "Director Zhang, I also wish to train under Director Xu. I want to, like Bai Xiao, be apetent and versatile doctor."

    This time, her words were sincere, without any trace of spite.

    If others could achieve it, what reason did she have not to? They were all interns. Why should sheg behind?

    Zhang Huanughed, "Well! I didn¡¯t expect this year¡¯s interns to have such ambition. Good, I hope all of you stick to your goals. The emergency department is unlike any other¡ªit¡¯s gruelling, heavy on workload, and requires rapid responses, not to mention its distinct emergency protocols. The intensity ofbor is brutal. I hope none of you end up crying and demanding to leave the emergency department one day."

    He truly hoped the interns wouldn¡¯t mistake their expectations for reality, as the reality was far less morous.

    "Understood! We¡¯re ready," He Xin and Bai Xiao responded in unison.

 Chapter 976 Cerebral Hemorrhage

    <h4>Chapter 976: Chapter 976 Cerebral Hemorrhage</h4><h4></h4>

    Director Xu returned to the emergency room with two interns, smiling. The atmosphere here waspletely different from elsewhere.

    The mood shifted immediately, bringing a sense of urgency. Even though the nurses and doctors didn¡¯t seem intimidating as they walked, their speed was deceptively fast, unassuming yet efficient.

    The fluid, seamless pace was astonishing! What was even more surprising was that as soon as they entered the emergency room, Director Xu was fully immersed in his work, too busy to take care of the two interns.

    "Director Xu, there was a severe ident at the fireworks factory. The critically injured will arrive in ten minutes. But the current patientes from a workce ident at a machinery factory. A worker had his hand crushed by a machine, his right arm severed on the spot. Only four fingers were recovered, while the thumb¡¯s whereabouts are still unknown. Surgery is being arranged quickly with consultation from surgical experts." The attending doctor on duty in the ER reported to Director Xu, going through their standard procedure.

    Director Xu was the guiding force of operations here.

    "Take me to see him," he said.

    Director Xu could already imagine how serious the injuries of this patient must be.

    Suddenly, he remembered¡ªthere were still two interns standing there.

    "What are you two standing around for? Join the rescue operation! Didn¡¯t you hear? Ten minutes left¡ªget prepared now!"

    Bai Xiao and He Xin were jolted back to reality.

    Hearing about the new interns, a nearby nurse immediately smiled and greeted them, "Dr. Bai, Dr. He, let¡¯s head to the entrance to receive the ambnce."

    Interns were a rare sight in the emergency room. Most were assigned to other departments.

    Only those with no connections and little favor would end up here. Judging by appearances, these two didn¡¯t have particrly ster grades.

    She cast a sympathetic nce at the two.

    Bai Xiao and He Xin quickly followed her.

    At the entrance, the wailing siren of the ambnce confirmed the seriousness of the situation.

    Ambnces arrived one after another, unloading patients whose bodies were mutted with bloodied wounds. Without a word, the two interns threw themselves into the rescue work.

    "Chest cavity explosion, arterial rupture! Uncontroble bleeding, pancreas rupture¡ªrequires surgery immediately! Take him to the operating room."

    He Xin called out the diagnosis. Usually, they practiced on cases discussed in lectures or shown in video recordings, but now these were living, breathing patients.

    With flesh, blood, and agony¡ªtheir cries were so piercing and heart-wrenching.

    The constant groans and moans were unrelenting.

    For the first time, He Xin truly understood what death was.

    Compared to the bunnies andb rats from Medical College, these were real, vivid lives at stake.

    Stubborn textbook knowledge was of no use here¡ªthis was a life-or-death battlefield.

    Though she didn¡¯t faint at the sight of blood, as some interns might, she still found herself chilled by the grotesque wounds she saw.

    Meanwhile, Bai Xiao had already stabilized the patient. With two fingers gripping the patient¡¯s thoracic artery, the geyser-like spray of blood abruptly stopped.

    She walked quickly alongside the moving stretcher, noting the patient¡¯s lips turning cyanotic¡ªa clear sign of massive blood loss.

    He Xin fell silent. Even though she knew all the professional jargon, her first act as a doctor had barely scratched the surface.

    In this emergency department, even the nurses were seasoned veterans, able to assess situations with a quick nce. Byparison, her skills seemed insignificant.

    Bai Xiao felt the patient¡¯s pulse. Her bleeding control was impable¡ªdone purely with her hands. In this mess of slick, blood-smeared tissue, gripping and pinching the artery required immense precision and skill.

    A small slip from most doctors would mean the blood artery slipping again, leading to secondary bleeding.

    Seeing this, Director Xu immediately took charge, asking, "How much longer can you hold on, Dr. Bai?"

    In surgeries like this, stopping blood flow was never the first step¡ªwounds needed to be sutured and coagnts administered before bleeding could truly be controlled. Even then, coagnts would take minutes to work. Time was everything. If Bai Xiao let go prematurely, the patient would go into shock instantly.

    This kind of intervention was extraordinarily difficult.

    "Director Xu, however long you need, I¡¯ll hold on!"

    Bai Xiao¡¯s special ability had already begun diffusing through the blood, enveloping the artery. She could stop the bleeding at any moment, but unless the surgery concluded, her temporary fix wouldn¡¯t matter.

    The patient¡¯s most critical injury was pancreas rupture. It had to be sutured before coagnts could be injected, or else recovery would be severely hindered¡ªestimated to take at least thirty minutes of surgical time.

    Time was in short supply.

    Without hesitation, Director Xu organized the surgery. "He Xin, take the second assistant¡¯s spot. Bai Xiao, you¡¯re the first assistant now."

    The patient was wheeled into the operating room.

    Director Xu opened the abdominal cavity, navigating the bloody mess to locate the pancreas and initiated suturing. Bai Xiao¡¯s fingers held steady over the artery¡ªstill mping it securely. As she focused on the surgical procedure, her special ability allowed her to observe as if performing a 4D ultrasound scan.

    She could see everything with crystal rity¡ªevery detail magnified to perfection.

    Director Xu¡¯s scalpel moved with precision, excising the damaged portion. Blood vessels in the affected area were carefully isted, the damaged sections meticulously peeled apart, and finally sutured closed.

    "Dr. He, handle the suturing¡ªsteady, precise, swift. Dr. Bai is still holding on, so free her up as quickly as you can," said Director Xu, giving He Xin the opportunity to step in.

    Were it not for Bai Xiao being upied with the blood vessel, Director Xu might have had Bai Xiao handle the sutures instead.

    The more technical excision had beenpleted, leaving this as a test of basic surgical skills¡ªsomething interns were capable of managing.

    Consent wasn¡¯t needed for such handovers.

    He Xin picked up the needle holder, taking a deep breath to steady herself. With focused attention, she guided the holder steadily towards the wound.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s calm voice came from beside her, "There¡¯s a bleeding point one millimeter below your needle holder. Yes, right there."

    Watching He Xin align the needle holder and suture the wound, Bai Xiao finally released her bloodied fingers, stiff and numb. She stretched them momentarily before stepping aside.

    "Director Xu, the patient¡¯s internal bleeding is under control, but they need to be transferred to Neurosurgery. There¡¯s a ruptured aneurysm in their brain, putting pressure on the nerves¡ªa high risk of hemorrhagic stroke," Bai Xiao stated with urgency.

    Her revtion wasn¡¯t a joke¡ªher special ability had just performed something akin to a full-body MRI, yielding precise insights.

    Director Xu, initially satisfied with He Xin¡¯s methodical work, was ted at the prospect of such capable interns joining his emergency team. But before his satisfaction could settle, Bai Xiao¡¯s remarkpletely shattered hisposure.

    "What?"

    "The patient has a ruptured brain aneurysm with minor bleeding already present. While the bleeding area isn¡¯trge yet, there¡¯s a severe risk of stroke. Neurosurgery must be consulted immediately."

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 977: Making a Choice

    <h4>Chapter 977: Chapter 977: Making a Choice</h4><h4></h4>

    "Dr. Bai! You can¡¯t be serious, right? The patient doesn¡¯t show any symptoms."

    Director Xu didn¡¯t distrust Bai Xiao; however, he trusted the machines more.

    "Director Xu, Ie from a Traditional Chinese Medicine background. During the process of pulse diagnosis, I determined the issue. I¡¯m not joking¡ªperforming the surgery one minute earlier reduces the danger by one minute. If we wait until after the surgery and the patientpses into aa, things will be far worse." This is noughing matter.

    Bai Xiao was extremely serious and responsible.

    Her special ability never lied.

    Besides, even if she wanted to lie, she wouldn¡¯t use this to fabricate a lie.

    The operating room fell silent.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s reputation in Surgery had been heard of! Though most people didn¡¯t associate this "Dr. Bai" with that "Dr. Bai."

    Many nurses and doctors were stealthily observing Director Xu.

    Few dared to challenge his authority.

    Especially an intern.

    An intern doesn¡¯t even count as a proper doctor, particrly not on their first day in the ER.

    Boldness like this was rare among young trainees.

    "Call Neurosurgery immediately. Have them send doctors down for consultation¡ªit¡¯s urgent. Given the patient¡¯s current conditions, performing a brain CT is impossible. What should we do now?"

    Unexpectedly, Director Xu didn¡¯t raise any doubts.

    His decision surprised everyone.

    "Hurry and make the call! During the surgery earlier, I noticed the patient¡¯sa appeared unusual. Heart rate and blood pressure seemed fine, just slightly on the lower side. I assumed it was caused by excessive blood loss and the patient¡¯s eye redness, but now Dr. Bai might really be right."

    Every minute was a race against death.

    Ten minutester, He Xin was still suturing while Zhang Huan arrived with others. Their surgical scrubs were already changed. Consulting in the operating room wasn¡¯t unheard of, but it was definitely unusual.

    "What¡¯s going on?"

    Zhang Huan was the Head of Neurosurgery. Generally, a consultation wouldn¡¯t require someone of his rank! But coincidentally, Zhang Huan had just handed Bai Xiao and He Xin over to Director Xu, only to be summoned back for a consultation in the ER moments afterward.

    Especially mid-operation¡ªthis situation was indeed peculiar. Upon asking, Zhang Huan naturally worried that his junior disciple might¡¯ve caused trouble.

    Afraid that Bai Xiao, with her impulsiveness, had challenged ER norms or acted recklessly, it was easy for things to spiral into chaos.

    He regretted somewhat allowing himself to be persuaded by her earlier.

    "The patient may be at risk of cerebral hemorrhage. The surgery is ongoing, and it¡¯s impossible to conduct a brain CT. You¡¯re here to consult and examine," answered Director Xu.

    Such scenarios weren¡¯tmon.

    Immediately, Zhang Huan started working with another neurosurgeon to perform the examination.

    Without machine-assisted diagnostics, relying entirely on human judgement, they could still achieve roughly 90% uracy.

    "What¡¯s the result?" Director Xu and the rest had transitioned from primary surgeons to secondary assistants.

    "It¡¯s not optimistic. Right now, it indeed appears to be a ruptured cerebral aneurysm. This is confirmed, but without scan imaging, pinpointing the aneurysm¡¯s exact location isn¡¯t possible. Performing craniotomy bes significantly moreplex."

    Even Zhang Huan¡¯s expression turned grim; such cases weren¡¯t straightforward.

    Neurosurgery isn¡¯t something to be trifled with.

    Without knowing the exact position, the risk of performing a craniotomy esctes exponentially.

    Everyone fell into silence.

    "The patient¡¯s condition is extremely dangerous. Every minute we dy increases the risk of death significantly."

    Zhang Huan couldn¡¯te up with a better solution.

    No human could surpass the uracy of machines.

    "We shouldmunicate with the patient¡¯s family. We may very likely need to issue a critical condition notice."

    It seemed unavoidable.

    Bai Xiao stepped forward and drew an outline within someone else¡¯s conceptual range.

    "I can guarantee that the ruptured cerebral aneurysm falls within this area."

    She couldn¡¯t stand by watching the patient die¡ªthis was a human life at stake.

    Zhang Huan remained silent.

    It wasn¡¯t a matter of believing or doubting Bai Xiao; if she were wrong, even by the slightest margin, the patient¡¯s death wouldn¡¯t be the only cost¡ªBai Xiao¡¯s career would be over.

    And his own.

    The renowned Head of Neurosurgery might simrly fall from grace and be relegated to obscurity.

    This could jeopardize his entire career.

    "If this surgery must proceed, let me take the lead. I will bear full responsibility."

    Bai Xiao looked at the patient¡¯s severe retinal hemorrhaging and knew that dying further meant the patient¡ªcranial surgery or not¡ªmight not survive.

    It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to save him, but such lifesaving efforts required methods far beyond the ordinary. She fully understood that her abilities now didn¡¯t trail behind those of her past; modern medical techniques provided a way, but why risk exposing her unique skill?

    Now, she was a doctor!

    A top-tier doctor.

    Zhang Huan paused. Was this about who would perform the surgery?

    "Dr. Bai, that¡¯s not the problem!"

    "If the problem isn¡¯t with the surgery, then proceed with preparations!" Bai Xiao calmly nced at the patient¡¯s heart rate and blood pressure, both of which were continuing to drop. That was dangerous.

    "Let me do it!"

    If there were risks, a senior authoritative doctor should bear them¡ªnot to shirk responsibility.

    Zhang Huan was a principled, upright doctor. As Professor Xue¡¯s first disciple, he embodied the ideal surgeon. Of course, his trust wasn¡¯t blind; it was rooted in numerous craniotomy coborations with Bai Xiao. Every time they nned a surgery, Bai Xiao demonstrated meticulous foresight.

    Granted, those cases were supported by machine data and imaging! But even in surgery, Bai Xiao had an uncanny ability to perceive differences down to the smallest margins.

    This earned her Zhang Huan¡¯s trust.

    Trust arising from unmatched skill.

    "Director Zhang!"

    The doctors apanying him grew anxious.

    As the deputy dean, Zhang Huan¡¯s current position allowed no room for error. He was just one step away from bing Dean.

    At such critical junctures, taking on this surgery represented enormous risks!

    "Sir, you can¡¯t proceed. You¡¯ve already performed one surgery today. Physically, you don¡¯t have the stamina toplete this operation¡ªit¡¯s not one or two hours of work; you simply can¡¯t do it!"

    The doctor was part of Zhang Huan¡¯s inner circle. His rise meant career advancements for them as well, but failure for Zhang Huan would spell collective misfortune for his loyalists, likely shelving them permanently.

    No one wanted to see such a disaster.

    Though Director Xu dealt with Surgery, his experience in Neurosurgery was hardly sufficient to contribute effectively.

    "Let me do it! Director Zhang, trust me¡ªI¡¯ll lead the operation!"

    There wasn¡¯t room for excessive debate at this point.

    Bai Xiao turned to the nurses and instructed, "Take Director Zhang out of the room. Director Xu, I¡¯ll need you to assist me¡ªyou¡¯re the best candidate for this situation."

    She needed someone experienced enough to handle sudden challenges, and no one there surpassed Director Xu in expertise.

    Director Xu nodded firmly. "Understood, I¡¯ll assist you."

    The operating room sprang into action. Craniotomies were entirely different from internal suturing.

    The entire team was scrambling.

    Zhang Huan had already been escorted out, watching from the adjacent observation room equipped with recording equipment to monitor the operation.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 978 Sudden Incident

    <h4>Chapter 978: Chapter 978 Sudden Incident</h4><h4></h4>

    The patient¡¯s family had no idea what was happening; they were simply notified about the need for a craniotomy. Upon hearing the risks of a brain hemorrhage, they immediately agreed to sign the consent form.

    Bai Xiao stood at the operating table, dressed in surgical scrubs.

    The nurse had already shaved the area on the patient¡¯s head where the surgery was to be performed. Bai Xiao held a pen and steadily marked the incision line.

    This was the first time she would perform the surgery herself.

    The feeling was entirely different from being an assistant to someone else.

    When her special ability activated, a three-dimensional image suddenly appeared clearly in front of her.

    This had never happened before. In the past, when she used her special ability, it only applied to specific objects in her hands, like a scalpel or a silver needle. Now, her ability seemed to extend from her entire being, enveloping the patient lying on the operating table.

    This was not healing¡ªit was more like a detailed maic resonance imaging breakdown.

    Every corner of the patient¡¯s brain was presented in different dimensions before her eyes. Even the tiniest capiry was disyed with rity. The ruptured cerebral aneurysm was leaking blood. Although the rupture was small, she could see the blood elerating inside. If it broke through the final barrier of the aneurysm, massive bleeding would ur. Their task now was to repair the bleeding point before that happened.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s steady hands didn¡¯t tremble for a moment as she began her operation.

    Zhang Huan didn¡¯t dare even breathe loudly.

    Someone pushed the door open and came in, standing behind him and watching the screen. Zhang Huan didn¡¯t even notice.

    "The skull has been opened, the periosteum as well. I didn¡¯t expect the aneurysm to be located here."

    Zhang Huan was startled by the familiar voice and turned around to see his mentor, Dr. Xue.

    "Professor!"

    The word "Professor" carried deep shame. Zhang Huan knew what his presence here represented, and Dr. Xue surely understood as well.

    There was no escaping responsibility.

    "Let¡¯s not talk about it. This isn¡¯t your fault. You have your responsibilities and obligations. Everyone¡¯s path is different. I said long ago that your academic achievements might not reach the peak, precisely because your focus on personal gain could affect them. But this isn¡¯t something inherently wrong with you. Even I can¡¯t bepletely indifferent toward fame and fortune in this position, let alone you. So, you¡¯re not in the wrong."

    Dr. Xue patted Zhang Huan on the shoulder. He understood his student well¡ªnot a man of narrow-minded ambition, but someone who grappled with the conflict between personal gain and pure academic pursuit.

    "Sit down. The Dean and the Directors of Surgery are here. How could we not have been notified about something this significant? Let¡¯s quietly observe Bai Xiao¡¯s surgery now!"

    Dr. Xue had never felt such danger as in this moment.

    The Dean of Ruiyin Hospital had just returned from a business trip out of town and was already in the conference room.

    Bai Xiao had absolutely no prior experience in independently performing a craniotomy. Theory was one thing, but practical operations were entirely different. Her first surgery as the lead surgeon was such a major neurosurgical procedure¡ªsess or failure hinged entirely on this moment.

    The assembled leadership sat on the couches, surrounding the screen, their eyes glued to the live footage of the operation.

    Zhang Huan stood behind Dr. Xue, feeling utterly unworthy of being present.

    No matter the circumstances, no matter who understood the situation¡ª

    Ultimately, in everyone¡¯s eyes, he was the one who shirked responsibility, leaving an intern to bear the brunt.

    He felt embarrassed even admitting it to himself.

    The surgery was already at the stage of separating the aneurysm, a critical moment.

    Any mistake here¡ªhowever minor¡ªwould require rapid cauterization of the wounds using the electronic knife. The timing of these two tasks had to be perfectly synchronized.

    If the cauterization was premature, the aneurysm wouldn¡¯t be fully removed and would leave hidden risks.

    If it happened toote, with the aneurysm fully removed, the blocked blood vessel would experience a rapid increase in blood pressure and intracranial pressure, leading to massive bleeding and putting the subsequent repair work at enormous risk.

    Typically, this stage required seamless cooperation between the lead surgeon and the first assistant.

    Only a perfectly coordinated team could achieve wless results.

    At that critical moment, Director Xu¡¯s hand suddenly trembled.

    Bai Xiao raised her head to nce at Director Xu, whoseplexion had suddenly turned pale. Beads of sweat were streaming down his forehead, soaking his mask in an instant.

    Even so, his hands didn¡¯t stop moving, and her focused gaze remained on the aneurysm separation. There could be absolutely no mistakes now, or the surrounding nerves could be inadvertently damaged, resulting in immeasurable harm to the patient.

    "Director Xu, are you alright?"

    Bai Xiao could tell that Director Xu wasn¡¯t in good shape.

    Director Xu¡¯s trembling became even more pronounced.

    He Xin quickly reached out to steady Director Xu and took the electronic knife from his hand.

    "Director Xu!"

    In the observation room, everyone¡¯s hearts were in their throats.

    "Director Xu has a heart condition. His heart must be under extreme stress right now¡ªit¡¯s likely an acute episode."

    Dr. Xue¡¯s exnation heightened the tension among the Directors. If Director Xu had an incident, there wouldn¡¯t be a single experienced doctor left in the operating room. The surgery was at a critical juncture¡ªany mistake made now could jeopardize the final oue.

    So far, there hadn¡¯t been any errors, making it the best possible scenario.

    But if things went wrong at this stage, the entire operation would be rendered futile.

    Zhang Huan turned and started walking out.

    "I¡¯m going to the operating room!"

    Dr. Xue shook his head. "There¡¯s no need to go."

    "Professor, I have to go! Bai Xiao absolutely can¡¯t finish this on her own. If she doesn¡¯t get support, this surgery will fail."

    Zhang Huan was filled with regret for not staying to support Bai Xiao earlier, even if he wasn¡¯t the lead surgeon. He should have remained as the first assistant.

    If he had been the assistant, Director Xu wouldn¡¯t be in such a dire situation now.

    And today¡¯s surgery wouldn¡¯t have turned into a race against time and death.

    "Bai Xiao already finished it!"

    Zhang Huan looked up at the screen in shock.

    On the screen, Bai Xiao had already switched to the electronic knife, sealing the rupture at the spot where the aneurysm had been removed. The incision was perfectly cauterized¡ªthere wasn¡¯t even a trace of blood leaking out.

    A nurse was wiping the sweat off Bai Xiao¡¯s forehead, while He Xin took over to finish the final sutures and clean out any residual blood inside. Soon, the periosteum could be closed and the skull repositioned.

    Everything was proceeding orderly and smoothly. Director Xu had been helped to a corner of the room.

    Bai Xiao kept an eye on He Xin¡¯s sutures while murmuring something. The footage showed the video but captured no audio.

    Soon, the surgery waspleted.

    Dr. Xue and the hospital leaders all breathed a sigh of relief.

    The patient hadn¡¯t died on the operating table, and the surgery was performed beautifully.

    Now, all they could do was wait for the patient to wake up and see what aftereffects might ur.

    This was Bai Xiao¡¯s first craniotomy as the lead surgeon.

 Chapter 979: Deep Love, Stern Responsibility

    <h4>Chapter 979: Chapter 979: Deep Love, Stern Responsibility</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao wiped the sweat off her brow and walked out of the operating room with everyone else. A nurse had already helped her remove the surgical gown¡ªthey needed to shower and change their clothes before leaving.

    The patient had been transferred to the intensive care unit.

    The head nurse, who had served as the operating room nurse this time, helped Bai Xiao byying out disposable items while saying, "Dr. Bai, you¡¯re amazing! Was that your first surgery? You didn¡¯t seem like a rookie at all; honestly, you looked more like one of those seasoned masters in brain surgery."

    The critical surgery justpleted, under the lead of this intern doctor, had sessfully turned a dangerous situation into a safe oue, and the hearts of everyone present seemed to grow closer in that instant.

    The sense of estrangement often felt by new interns trying to integrate also vanished immediately. Unconsciously, everyone began to regard Bai Xiao as one of their own.

    "You¡¯re exaggerating! It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve observed many neurosurgical craniotomy procedures during my internship in surgery. Over time, I¡¯ve gained some experience, which allowed me to take a risky chance this time. Honestly, I was lucky¡ªalthough this was my first time, the operation ended without major incident.

    Of course, it¡¯s thanks to everyone¡¯s coboration. If I had relied solely on myself, I¡¯d be exhausted to death, and the surgery still wouldn¡¯t have been possible!"

    Bai Xiao stood under the showerhead, letting the water wash over her. She closed her eyes, and the vivid details of the surgery seemed to rey in her mind.

    The surgical knife grazing the blood vessel wall in a near-miss¡ªno one else would ever understand that thrill.

    This time, she hadn¡¯t even relied on casting her special ability to treat the patient; instead, she had relied solely on her medical prowess.

    The sess or failure would truly depend on the patient¡¯s recovery progress after the operation.

    Still, she felt a rush of excitement¡ªher special ability had reached a level where she could handle matters independently, and the day she fully embraced her role as a doctor seemed closer than ever.

    Perhaps the arrival of a doctor whose name would go down in history wasn¡¯t far off.

    For the first time, she felt confident.

    Her special ability, suddenly unveiling its potential to develop further, gave her fresh hope. The Bai Xiao of her previous life had, unfortunately, charged ahead recklessly at first, been deceivedter, and ultimately fallen under Shang Kaiwen¡¯s control. Later, her special ability became nothing more than a luxury for survival, safeguarded by people in power.

    This time, however, she had unlocked her ability¡¯s proper path. Thanks to relentless improvement, her powers were beginning to flourish in the most rightful direction, radiating a unique light.

    "Hmph!"

    Hearing a cold snort to her side, Bai Xiao opened her eyes.

    It was He Xin.

    The girl had disliked Bai Xiao from the start. Although He Xin hadn¡¯t shown any odd or extreme behaviors, her attitude toward Bai Xiao had remained distinctly unfriendly.

    Yet Bai Xiao brushed it aside because, earlier, He Xin had genuinely assisted her in seamlesslypleting thetter stages of the surgery. When faced with patients, He Xin did not let personal feelings influence her professionalism and always prioritized patients¡¯ lives. On that note, Bai Xiao found everything else insignificant.

    She wasn¡¯t divine; it wasn¡¯t realistic for her to expect universal adoration.

    As she walked out of the operating room, she was met with a knock on the forehead from Dr. Xue.

    Bai Xiao winced from the sudden pain, instinctively stepping backward.

    "Teacher, teacher, go easy on me! If I end up brain-dead, how will you exin to people that I was your student? It wouldn¡¯t be a good look for you, teacher!"

    She darted and weaved with agility, evading Dr. Xue¡¯s relentless attacks like the infamous "Nine Yin White Bone ws."

    Dr. Xue was fuming. "You dare avoid me? Stand still! You¡¯re really bold now, huh? Taking matters into your own hands as you please! A mere intern performing craniotomy surgery solo¡ªyou didn¡¯t stop to think about what would happen ifplications arose and there wasn¡¯t anyone capable of helping you resolve them? Making decisions on your own and even chasing your senior brother out¡ªhave you truly gotten braver?"

    The Dean hurriedly stepped in to stop Dr. Xue from escting his disciplining,ughing as he said, "Old Xue, calm down. Bai Xiao, as talented as she is, needs to take her first independent steps into the surgical arena someday. You can¡¯t keep her under your wing forever. This was an excellent opportunity. Look at what she aplished¡ªa wlessly executed surgery without even the tiniest error. What more could you want?

    You should be secretly delighted to have such a student, not acting all stern and grumpy in front of me. Your students are all remarkable¡ªyou¡¯re making the rest of us feel small!" joked Dean Jin Xuemin.

    Hisment resonated with many people. For years, so many Head of Surgery doctors had been mentees of Dr. Xue.

    The most famous among them was Zhang Huan, now at the top of his field, impossible to surpass.

    Zhang Huan was already dazzlingly aplished, and now, even at an advanced age, Dr. Xue had taken on someone even more exceptional.

    Twenty-three years old!

    Good heavens.

    A twenty-three-year-old surgeon independently performing craniotomy surgery¡ªperfectly, without a single w.

    What more could anyone ask for?

    With students like these, Dr. Xue¡¯s pupils left everyone else far behind.

    It was utterly despairing for others.

    The Dean also aspired to groom his own students to seed him, but realistically, they were no match. Aspiring to be Dean wasn¡¯t just a matter of talk¡ªit demanded substantial credentials.

    Without solid skills and the unanimous support of others, in the hospital world, no one would take you seriously, and you¡¯d be reced in an instant.

    Dr. Xue raised a fist toward Bai Xiao in a clearly threatening gesture.

    Grinning apologetically, Bai Xiao said, "Teacher, your love is so deep that even your criticism stings like a whip!"

    "Teacher, I was wrong. I promise I¡¯ll behave in the future¡ªI¡¯ll be as docile as a littlemb, wouldn¡¯t that work?"

    Dr. Xue¡¯s scolding tap was intended more as a show than anything else. Of course, Bai Xiao knew that her teacher was looking out for her. If Dr. Xue hadn¡¯t stepped in to reprimand her, the leadership figures like the Dean might have intervened in a far harsher manner than just a yful knock.

    A teacher is like a parent¡ªa fierce guardian.

    Everyone chuckled lightly.

    A tense incident that had weighed on many minds seemed to have drawn to a close.

    Dean Jin Xuemin returned to the office with his mentee, Vice Dean Hou Baopu.

    "Teacher, what do we do now?"

    The abruptness of Hou Baopu¡¯s question gave it a jarring edge.

    But only the two of them understood the meaning behind it.

    Jin Xuemin was Hou Baopu¡¯s mentor. Anyone who was able to assume the position of hospital Dean had to be extraordinary. Now, as 1991 rolled in, the speed of societal development was elerating. Hospitals were facing significant challenges during this critical phase of government reform.

    The institution was transitioning into an economic model: partially supported by government subsidies, butrgely requiring independent revenue generation.

    And Jin Xuemin was nearing retirement¡ªan awkward and uncertain juncture.

    No one knew how anxious Jin Xuemin truly was inside.

    In the early days of reform, he had implemented bold changes to shape Ruiyin Hospital into Modu¡¯s premier medical center. But now, as he approached the end of his tenure, others were eyeing the fruits of hisbor.

    While his mentee Hou Baopu might hold the position of Vice Dean, hecked the necessary tenacity¡ªstagnating as nothing more than Head of Surgery.

    How unlike Zhang Huan, who had ascended to the role of Head of Cardiothoracic and Neurological Surgery, a specialty synonymous with prestige.

    Inparison, surgery was merely "ordinary," while cardiothoracic and neurological surgery exuded sophistication.

    Jin Xuemin couldn¡¯t hand his legacy over to Zhang Huan.

    If he did, secrets and unfinished issues might quicklye to light.

 Chapter 980: Devilish Idea

    <h4>Chapter 980: Chapter 980: Devilish Idea</h4><h4></h4>

    "This Bai Xiao cannot stay here!"

    Jin Xuemin said resolutely.

    Hou Baopu froze; he had thought the teacher was nning to deal with Zhang Huan¡ªZhang Huan was his real threat.

    He wanted to take over the teacher¡¯s position, and Zhang Huan was his strongestpetitor.

    Bai Xiao, even if she was exceptionally talented, posed no real threat to him, as she couldn¡¯tpare to his qualifications.

    Once he became dean, interns like her could be dismissed back to wherever they came from, and nobody could say anything.

    Why would his teacher need to step in?

    Was this not using a sledgehammer to crack a nut?

    "Teacher, isn¡¯t this unnecessary?"

    "What do you know? Think about it¡ªZhang Huan is already flourishing in Cardio and Neuro Surgery. He¡¯s one of the strongest contenders to be the next dean. Compared to him, you stillg far behind. You should recognize this by now.

    It¡¯s one thing to ept this gap, but we can create even more distance. For instance, you have advantages in personnel management, introducing advanced equipment to the hospital¡ªthese are your aplishments.

    They¡¯re also your edge."

    Hou Baopu indeed excelled in this area, particrly in attracting investments. After the hospital began operating independently, equipment and pharmaceuticals had also be expenses borne by the hospital itself.

    Hiswork of rtionships was his distinct advantage, one that Zhang Huan couldn¡¯t match¡ªthis was undeniable.

    Pleased by the teacher¡¯s praise, Hou Baopu felt gratified, but as an adult, he didn¡¯t wear his emotions openly.

    "Teacher, you tter me. Honestly, I¡¯ve only reached where I am today thanks to your guidance. These connections I¡¯ve built are essentially pathways you paved for me. Without your help, how could I have gotten this far?"

    "Enough with the ttery! Do you even realize the gravity of the situation? I¡¯m about to retire and at most, I can hang on for another two years. You¡¯re smart, but it¡¯s all petty shrewdness, and it¡¯s limiting your vision. Youck broader perspective.

    Look, if Bai Xiao stays, Zhang Huan will undoubtedly secure the dean¡¯s position¡ªand then you¡¯re finished," Jin Xuemin said with clear insight.

    "Teacher, how could that happen? Does Bai Xiao have some kind of background?"

    Hou Baopu was anxious¡ªhow could he not be? If he became dean, all the benefits were clear to him, including substantialmissions from the pharmaceutical suppliers under his management.

    If he lost the dean¡¯s position, who would even care about him?

    A new dean taking office would likely usher in sweeping reforms.

    The equipment and pharmaceutical industries would undoubtedly be a key focus, with loyal subordinates at the forefront¡ªwhere would that leave him?

    This was precisely why Hou Baopu was determined to fight for the position.

    "Background is not the problem. The issue is that with Bai Xiao as his ¡¯de,¡¯ Zhang Huan gains confidence and support. Think about it¡ªZhang Huan is already quite formidable. If Bai Xiao bes a de polished under Zhang Huan¡¯s guidance, with two outstanding talents in Surgery, how many supporters would this win him?

    At that point, their sheer strength would crush youpletely. Where would your so-called advantage be? So, think carefully¡ªshould we let Bai Xiao stay or not?"

    Jin Xuemin¡¯s analysis was razor-sharp.

    "But! She¡¯s just an intern¡ªhow do we force her to leave? Right now, she¡¯s entered Ruiyin, and both Dr. Xue and Zhang Huan are watching over her closely. Haven¡¯t you noticed how they¡¯ve been taking meticulous care of her? If anything happens, Dr. Xue, with his seniority, might step in with some excuse!" Hou Baopu wasn¡¯t foolish; he could see how Dr. Xue and Zhang Huan were protecting Bai Xiao.

    Truth be told, someone as talented as Bai Xiao was someone he¡¯d also want to recruit.

    If not for theck of opportunity¡ªgiven that Bai Xiao was Dr. Xue¡¯s student and naturally his adversary¡ªhe¡¯d have tried every means to bring such talent under his wing.

    Who wouldn¡¯t want sharp and capable subordinates? Being a dean without reliable staff was a recipe for failure.

    "It¡¯s certainly not easy to handle now¡ªshe¡¯s already entered Ruiyin, and forcing her out won¡¯t be straightforward. But difficult or not, we must act. There are always ways. Don¡¯t forget the hospital has joint support projects with hospitals in impoverished mountainous areas. Every year, doctors are sent as part of this initiative, and each termsts one year. Importantly, this is for the nation¡¯s well-being and for patients in dire need¡ªthe folks in underprivileged areas get sick too." Jin Xuemin had already devised the solution.

    Upon hearing this, Hou Baopu burst intoughter, "Teacher, you truly have a way! This idea is brilliant¡ªnobody can fault us for it. A year in those remote backwaters? Even a prodigy like her will be a washed-up failure. Teacher, you¡¯re truly incredible."

    The two menughed heartily.

    The idea wasn¡¯t an original one from Jin Xuemin¡ªthis method had been used before. This time, circumstances made it the ideal move, perfectly aligning with their support partnership with hospitals in Gui Province¡¯s impoverished regions. Otherwise, dealing with Bai Xiao would indeed have been much harder.

    "You know what to do, right? This matter still requires approval via a general meeting. Zhang Huan surely won¡¯t agree, so ensure the other members are on your side. In the end, it wille down to a vote. We need to make sure Zhang Huan and Dr. Xue have no grounds for objection."

    Hou Baopu nodded, "Rest assured! If I can¡¯t handle this, I¡¯m unworthy of being your student! Teacher, I¡¯ll take care of this, and thetest by tomorrow the list will be finalized. This time, Zhang Huan and Dr. Xue won¡¯t be able to do a thing."

    The twoughed again.

    The next day, sure enough, Zhang Huan saw the list of staff assigned to rural poverty-alleviation assignments¡ªand Bai Xiao was conspicuously listed at the very top.

    Rage washed over Zhang Huan, his face darkening.

    This was obviously a move intended to sabotage Bai Xiao.

    Sending an intern to a remote, impoverished area for a year was nothing short of squandering talent. Once the year was over, her internship would beplete¡ªwho would even remember Bai Xiao by then?

    Enraged, he stormed off to find Dr. Xue to discuss the matter.

    Dr. Xue, upon seeing the list, merely smiled.

    "Why are you so upset?"

    Zhang Huan slumped into a chair, "Teacher! How can I not be? Bai Xiao is such a talent¡ªif we kept her here at Ruiyin, I¡¯m certain that after a year of training, she¡¯d shine brilliantly, bing a doctor capable of taking on significant responsibilities. She might even be aprehensive general practitioner proficient in all areas. How crucial would that be? And now you¡¯re sending her to that ce¡ªwhat can she possibly gain there? What could she learn?"

    "You... That argument won¡¯t hold up with Dean Jin. He has a hundred respectable and legitimate reasons ready to counter you."

    "Still, we can¡¯t just ignore Bai Xiao¡¯s fate, can we?"

    Zhang Huan couldn¡¯tprehend how Dr. Xue remained so calm.

    "Let it go. I, on the contrary, think this could be a valuable opportunity for Bai Xiao. Think about it¡ªrural hospitals with inadequate equipment and harsh conditions. That¡¯s where a doctor¡¯s true capabilities are tested, and it¡¯s where resilience is forged. I believe it¡¯s a good thing. Bai Xiao¡¯s early fame worries me; this could help her grow through setbacks¡ªit¡¯s not a bad thing." Dr. Xue¡¯s reasoning left Zhang Huan silent.

    Could he really argue against his teacher¡¯s rationale?

    But his teacher¡¯s logic was sound.

    Wasn¡¯t there a saying that to entrust someone with great responsibility, they must first endure trials, hardship, and struggle?

    Bai Xiao, indeed, had earned her fame at a young age.

 Chapter 981: No Resistance

    <h4>Chapter 981: Chapter 981: No Resistance</h4><h4></h4>

    The meeting began.

    Many resolutions in the hospital are decided through voting at the meeting to reflect socialist democracy.

    Jin Xuemin proposed the project list for poverty alleviation assistance during the meeting. He was ready for a tough battle over the names on the list, and once the news was announced, everyone subtly looked at Zhang Huan.

    Although Dr. Xue was a professor, he is now retired and serves only as a consultant to the hospital, so naturally, he doesn¡¯t need to be involved in administrative matters like this.

    Therefore, it naturally fell to Zhang Huan.

    Why were they looking at him?

    There¡¯s no need to say more; the first name on the list was none other than Zhang Huan¡¯s junior apprentice and Dr. Xue¡¯s final disciple. How could they not understand the maniption involved?

    Besides, arge part of them were just watching the show, having already received a nod from Hou Baoyu. Selling a favor to Hou Baoyu, even in minor issues like this regarding personnel retention, was a no-brainer since it wasn¡¯t a matter of promotion or a pay raise.

    Even if Bai Xiao doesn¡¯t leave now, he is not part of the Military District Hospital and will ultimately have to leave; it¡¯s not worth offending Hou Baoyu, this unyielding character, over Bai Xiao.

    After all, the position of Dean is still unclear. There¡¯s no reason to risk too much at this time.

    If Hou Baoyu wanted to cause trouble, like reducing the import drugs for your department and forcing you to use domestic drugs, how would they generate revenue? The end-of-month bonuses would also suffer.

    Therefore, at this meeting, everyone¡¯s eyes focused on Zhang Huan when Jin Xuemin proposed this n, as their personal interests were at stake. They were curious to see how Zhang Huan would confront Jin Xuemin.

    They were all onlookers unafraid of escting matters.

    After all, it didn¡¯t matter who they worked under; no one wouldpletely dismiss them.

    As Directors, the various rtionships and connections behind them made them fearless of such matters.

    Everyone¡¯s eyes were fixed on Zhang Huan¡¯s face.

    Peculiarly, Zhang Huan remained expressionless, his eyes calm, as if the name announced earlier had nothing to do with him.

    Jin Xuemin smiled; he had waited long enough.

    Many arguments were held inside him, waiting for Zhang Huan to speak.

    The issue was that this person stubbornly refused to speak.

    It was too strange.

    Zhang Huan wasn¡¯t someone who tolerated silently like a turtle; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be called Zhang Yidao.

    The one who gave him this nickname not only admired the sharpness of his scalpel but also found his reckless character and fiery temper akin to a knife.

    "Director Zhang, do you have any opinions on this list?"

    This was undoubtedly aiming for Zhang Huan to retort.

    "No opinions. Since it¡¯s all for the poverty alleviation project, anyone from our hospital, even myself, should go. It¡¯s our unshirkable duty. Why would I have any opinions? I¡¯m all hands in favor; what do you all say?" Zhang Huan spread his hands, disying a rxed attitude without any intent to oppose.

    Jin Xuemin was astonished, as if the sun was rising from the west.

    What kind of conspiracy does Zhang Huan have privately? Yesterday, the list had been spread intentionally to provoke Zhang Huan, to let him get angry and upset.

    Today¡¯s attitude was way off from expectations.

    "Of course, we have no opinions either. Like Director Zhang, we are also raising both hands in support."

    "It¡¯s all for contributing to the country and for our medical career. Were it not for the responsibilities we each shoulder, keeping us at our posts, I would also be willing to go to impoverished areas to help doctors there improve their capabilities, more eager to help the people with medical needs."

    "Yes, yes, it¡¯s such a good deed benefiting the nation and the people."

    "We all raise our hands in support."

    Arge group of people, seeing Zhang Huan¡¯s unresponsive attitude, raised their hands to indicate their stance.

    Jin Xuemin couldn¡¯t believe his eyes and ears.

    Was it approved this easily? With so many prepared arguments, not a single one was uttered.

    It felt like punching into cotton, leaving a frustrating feeling inside.

    "Alright, since everyone unanimously agrees on the list, we will publicly announce it today. Arrangements for distributing equipment and medications apanying them will begin in the next couple of days since medications and equipment are urgently needed for poverty alleviation."

    Jin Xuemin could only conclude the meeting hastily and proceed with arrangements.

    After the meeting adjourned, everyone dispersed.

    Hou Baoyu stayed behind, scratching his head, as puzzled as ever.

    "Teacher, what is Director Zhang ying at this time? Could he be nning some behind-the-scenes maneuvers?"

    "I¡¯m not afraid if he does make moves; it¡¯s more concerning if he doesn¡¯t. That¡¯s what makes it peculiar."

    "No matter what he does, as long as he agrees to this list, Bai Xiao will be effectively cast out. With a key figure removed from his side, what¡¯s next?"

    Jin Xuemin pondered, "Think of a way to spread word of Director Zhang¡¯s attitude at the meeting today."

    Hou Baoyu paused, "Teacher, what¡¯s the use of spreading this?"

    Jin Xuemin shook his head, finding his student hopelessly dull.

    "In this way, when Bai Xiao learns of Zhang Huan¡¯s attitude today, think about it. Even if Bai Xiao achieves anything in the future, would he still coborate with Zhang Huan?"

    Hou Baoyu pped, immensely impressed.

    "Teacher, you¡¯re brilliant. This situation is a win-win. I truly admire you."

    "Enough with your sweet talk. Ensure that the necessary equipment and medications for this poverty alleviation are properly arranged. Don¡¯t let others seize upon this matter to grab leverage. If you mess up here, forget sending Bai Xiao away; your own position might not be secure."

    Jin Xuemin, of course, knew that Hou Baoyu tended to be short-sighted and might meddle with the equipment and medications.

    He naturally had to caution this fellow.

    Hou Baoyu¡¯s current attitude was indeed pretty unpleasant.

    "This is indeed an opportunity, teacher."

    Sure enough, Hou Baoyu was very reluctant.

    For him, the equipment and medications are destined for a poverty-stricken area; sending slightly inferior second-hand goods would be considered generous.

    If he couldn¡¯t seize this opportunity to make some money, he would be doing a disservice to himself.

    "Director Zhang is waiting to seize upon your mistakes; are you handing over your weakness willingly?"

    Jin Xuemin was angry at his inaction.

    Hou Baoyu was sheepish.

    He no longer took Zhang Huan seriously.

 Chapter 982: Courting Death

    <h4>Chapter 982: Chapter 982: Courting Death</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao looked at the list of the poverty alleviation rural medical support team, with her own name surprisingly ranked first.

    Suddenly, she had an illusion that since she was reborn in this lifetime, she had been running everywhere.

    From north to south.

    It seemed that since her rebirth, she hadn¡¯t stopped.

    She struggled to settle down somewhere, wanting to live a peaceful life, work quietly, but it always ends up not going as nned.

    Although the poverty alleviation work was only for a year, she was clearly just an intern doctor.

    No matter how it is rotated, it shouldn¡¯t have been her turn.

    But her name was right there, at the most conspicuous position.

    If she didn¡¯t feel wrong, she must have offended someone; otherwise, why send her to the rural medical team for no reason?

    Where there¡¯s people, there¡¯s conflict. Someone is displeased with her.

    The rural medical team.

    It¡¯s not that she can¡¯t go; she just feels unwilling if someone is trying to kick her out like this.

    Bai Xiao has never been someone who bullies others, she likes to use reason in everything she does.

    Where reasoning isn¡¯t needed, the oue is, of course, a method Bai Xiao is not happy with.

    She can go to the rural medical team, but not under these circumstances.

    If someone wants to mess with her, she¡¯ll make them regret it.

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t go to find the Dean of Ruiyin Hospital.

    The list was already posted; even if she went to find him, what good would it do?

    She decided to wait and see what they really wanted.

    He Xin stood in the dean¡¯s office.

    "You want to join the rural medical team?"

    Jin Xuemin felt that this girl in front of him didn¡¯t look like a fool.

    He Changzhu was always clever and his niece was also well-known in the hospital, pretty and with a sweet mouth. For her, Ruiyin Hospital was like home.

    He and He Changzhu had no conflicting interests.

    He Changzhu should retire in a few years.

    This time there¡¯s no candidate for the dean¡¯s session, which meant his position was no longer crucial. Jin Xuemin had no reason to tackle a battle buddy who wasn¡¯t even close to him.

    They had no interest rtions at all.

    So Jin Xuemin was really willing to help He Xin.

    "Indeed, Dean, I request to join the rural medical team, go to remote and impoverished areas to help the people there, doing what a healthcare worker should do. Ah?" He Xin spoke so grandly that it almost amused Jin Xuemin.

    "Little girl, you¡¯re not being honest. You¡¯re telling such ostensible reasons to me, the Dean; isn¡¯t it inappropriate? I and your uncle are old coworkers, oldrades. Just for his sake, I can¡¯t let you go."

    He Xin was anxious, "Dean Jin, I truly think so. I want to go to the frontlines to train myself. If Bai Xiao can join the rural medical team, why can¡¯t I? Am I any worse than her?"

    Jin Xuemin finally understood! This girl still thought this was a good thing?

    Laughing heartily.

    "What are youparing yourself to Bai Xiao for? You two are not the same kind of people. Bai Xiao is from the Military District Hospital, and serving the people in the front lines is a soldier¡¯s duty. Bai Xiao has more experience; Bai Xiao has been on battlefields, have you?

    We medical workers are indeed simr, but our key battleground is the hospital. So honestly, you ought to focus on doing your current work well; this is where you should learn."

    He Xin was unsatisfied, "Dean, if you say that, I¡¯m not convinced. Bai Xiao, even if she is a soldier, nobody is born ready to go into battle. If you don¡¯t give me such opportunities, I will never have frontline experience and ability. As an intern, I think I should go where needed. Besides, in the impoverished rural areas, maybe they offer more space for me."

    Jin Xuemin was amused.

    "You can go, but you have to discuss it with your own uncle. As long as he agrees, I¡¯ll add your name immediately."

    Never seen someone so eager to find trouble.

    He Xin was overjoyed, "Dean, you must keep your word."

    "I keep my word. Would it be necessary for me to fail to keep a promise to a young girl like you?"

    He Xin immediately picked up the phone on the table and dialed her uncle He Changzhu¡¯s office number, "Uncle, it¡¯s me, He Xin. Can youe to the Dean¡¯s office? I have something to talk to you about."

    Jin Xuemin shook his head speechless; this girl was just too hasty. The rural medical team wasn¡¯t a desirable ce worth such effort.

    "Really, why do you have topete with Bai Xiao?"

    He couldn¡¯t understand what these young people wanted nowadays.

    "Dean, I¡¯m notpeting with Bai Xiao; I just think that as an intern, if she can go to harsh ces, why can¡¯t I? If she can go as an intern to such tough ces, work on the frontlines, serve others, and gain more learning experience.

    If no other interns go, people outside will say Ruiyin Hospital is bullying someone, picking on one intern. If someone like me, a family member of Rui hospital, also goes to the countryside, it can silence the public gossip.

    Dean Uncle, I¡¯m actually considering this for you, sacrificing my own career to do such things. In my view, serving the people is serving no matter where!"

    He Xin wouldn¡¯t admit she¡¯s reallypeting with Bai Xiao.

    Whatever Bai Xiao can do, she can do too.

    Whatever hardship Bai Xiao can endure, she can too.

    He Changzhu came to the Dean¡¯s office and saw his niece, feeling helpless and frustrated.

    This girl didn¡¯t discuss with him first but directly rushed into the Dean¡¯s office. In such a case, the two didn¡¯t even share a word; he knew this girl would cause trouble.

    "Dean, I didn¡¯t expect this girl toe to you to act crazy."

    Jin Xueminughed, "Come here, Lao He, have a seat. Your niece demands me to include her in the rural medical team list. I¡¯ve argued endlessly with her; she¡¯s waiting here with a myriad of reasons.

    I promised her that if you agree, I¡¯ll put her name on the list."

    He Changzhu almost got angry at hearing this.

    The so-called rural medical team is known to everyone, what would you learn there that¡¯s worth anything?

    Isn¡¯t she living toofortably and seeking trouble herself?

    "He Xin, what nonsense are you doing? Is that a ce you should be going to? You should quickly focus on your internship work. Master your skills properly; I¡¯m telling you I disagree."

 Chapter 983 Hard Efforts

    <h4>Chapter 983: Chapter 983 Hard Efforts</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xin¡¯s face turned dark, "Uncle, I know you¡¯re doing what¡¯s best for me. After all, Ruiyin Hospital is one of the top hospitals in Modu, and even ranks in the top ten nationwide. My internship here can allow me to learn and experience a lot. But as a family member of Ruiyin Hospital, it¡¯s very likely that I¡¯ll end up staying at our hospital once the internship is over.

    Joining the rural medical team is just a short year. Having been born into a family of officials like ours, I¡¯ve never really experienced hard times or seen what life is like for the poor.

    It¡¯s just the right opportunity for me to go out and train, and to witness different parts of the world.

    I believe that as a good doctor, I shouldn¡¯t worry about the environment I¡¯m in, but should focus on my duty and responsibility to heal and save people. Uncle, please give me this opportunity."

    He Changzhu was fuming; when this child argues logically, he really feels at a disadvantage.

    Can you say that this kind of recalling hardships while enjoying sweetness is wrong?

    There¡¯s a Dean sitting here too, can these words be said carelessly?

    "He Xin! You are still young, you don¡¯t understand. There will be many opportunities to join rural medical teams in the future, why now? You are in the internship phase and should focus all your essential attention on learning and practice, without letting other things disrupt your order.

    Moreover, the rural medical teams go to poor mountain areas. You¡¯ve never been to those ces since childhood, and you don¡¯t understand what impoverished mountainous areas truly mean. The medical conditions and equipment there are unimaginable, and even daily life, food, and other aspects will present unimaginable difficulties.

    You can¡¯t just rely on a simple child¡¯s enthusiasm thinking that you can aplish the tasks."

    He Changzhu really tried hard to persuade, of course not wanting his niece to go to such a ce with the rural medical team.

    "Uncle, precisely because I¡¯ve never experienced it myself, I want to go more. I want to know how others live outside my world, and I want to use my ability, my knowledge, my hands, my medical skills to help others.

    Uncle, it¡¯s only a year, even if it¡¯s tough, can I not endure hardship for a year? Please give me this one chance, let me see and experience. I promise you that after this, I will do all you require me to do." He Xin¡¯s offer this time will definitely move her uncle.

    At home, she is very opinionated, and neither her parents nor elders can decide for her.

    Originally, she didn¡¯t want toe to Ruiyin for the internship.

    In her mind, she didn¡¯t want to take advantage of nepotism and connections¡ªshe wants to obtain everything she wants, including honor and achievement, through her own merits.

    This time she was forced by her uncle.

    Even though she says she ns to work at Ruiyin in the future, she¡¯s actually already decided that she might look for another hospital by then¡ªshe doesn¡¯t want to be under uncle¡¯s protection. That¡¯s her n to be a doctor for this lifetime.

    He Changzhu was amazed; he didn¡¯t expect his niece to offer such a big request just for a spot on the rural medical team.

    It¡¯s really difficult to refuse such a request.

    This girl has always not followed family arrangements, includinging to work at Ruiyin this time. How could they not know what¡¯s on the little girl¡¯s mind?

    It¡¯s just about proving she¡¯s different, that she¡¯s speaking with the strength of her skills.

    If she¡¯s allowed to join this rural medical team, it might as well be an opportunity for her to really see how people who may never have a chance to leave the mountains live.

    Isn¡¯t it often said "endure the greatest hardship to be a superior person?"

    Looks like the girl is determined this time, truly should let her go.

    She mighte back afterwards and cherish the life she has now.

    "Alright, since you say so, we¡¯ll make a deal. I agree for you to join the rural medical team, but you must also promise me that after your year of internship is over, you will respect my and your parents¡¯ opinions in your work arrangements."

    He Xin agreed emphatically.

    "I promise you."

    Jin Xuemin was taken aback.

    He Changzhu was so yful, did he really agree like this?

    Goodness!

    "Dean, since the child wants to train herself, please give her this opportunity and add her to the rural medical team list."

    He Changzhu spoke in resignation.

    Jin Xueminughed coyly.

    "Old He, you really aren¡¯t afraid you¡¯re harming your niece."

    "Dean, she¡¯s young and impulsive. I think it¡¯s not bad to let her see for herself; maybe she¡¯ll understand how precious everything she has today is."

    Jin Xuemin shook his head, "Alright, since Old He thinks so, I will add your niece¡¯s name. But don¡¯t regret it, this rural medical team¡¯s list has only five people. Once her name is added, someone will be bumped off the list, and whoever is bumped off will not want to go back in.

    Once I put her name in, it¡¯s set in stone."

    This isn¡¯t child¡¯s y, names added cannot be easily removed.

    Being a Dean, putting one name in is easy, exchanging someone else in is not easy.

    Don¡¯t know how much bacsh there could be by then.

    He Xin raised her hand in assurance.

    "Dean Uncle, don¡¯t worry. Once you add my name, I will definitely not regret."

    Jin Xuemin nodded helplessly.

    "Alright then, I will inform that your name will be added today, go prepare your luggage and get ready for departure."

    He Xin left excitedly.

    He Changzhu felt resigned.

    "Dean, she¡¯s just a child, don¡¯t take her too seriously."

    "Old He, I think you¡¯re doting a bit too much. Your family¡¯s Changming, you¡¯re not this indulgent with him. This niece is simply different, you grant her whatever¡ªyou¡¯re not worried about your older brother and sister-inw flipping out on you?"

    After all, how would Modu parents allow their child to go to a rural ce?

    He Changzhu smiled wryly, "How could I not worry? I¡¯m already prepared for my brother and sister-inw to scold me tonight. But what can I do, you also see what strong temperament the child has. If you don¡¯t let her go, she might not even properlyplete her internship.

    This evening, of course, I¡¯ll go to apologize carrying a branch as a sign of repentance."

    Jin Xuemin shook his head, "You¡¯re a good uncle, just hope your niece understands your good intentions."

    The twoughed heartily.

 Chapter 984 A Doctorâ€™s Responsibility

    <h4>Chapter 984: Chapter 984 A Doctor¡¯s Responsibility</h4><h4></h4>

    "Bai Xiao, this time you¡¯ve made it onto the list for the rural medical team. I allowed your senior brother not to protest. If I really wanted to keep you, your teacher, I could have begged on my old face to keep you here.

    But I feel this is an opportunity for you to grow. After thousands of hardships, you¡¯ll remain strong, no matter which way the wind blows. You came from the grassroots, so you understand that the practical abilities you¡¯ll gain, and the patients you¡¯ll encounter at Ruiyin Hospital are vastly different from those in the countryside hospitals.

    There may not necessarily be many critically ill patients or those needing brain or heart surgery, but there will certainly be a wide variety of patients needing care. Although they are ordinary, they are patients just the same.

    I hope you understand, as a doctor, a benevolent heart is essential. To be an excellent doctor, you must have the spirit of self-sacrifice and always keep patients in your heart and be dedicated to their optimal recovery.

    If professional ethics are the standards for being human, then strong skills and abundant clinical experience are the essentials a doctor must have!

    An excellent doctor must have a high level of expertise. Otherwise, everything else is just empty talk.

    So I hope you understand that to be an excellent doctor, you need the spirit of self-sacrifice, strong professional skills, goodmunication skills, and the courage to face difficulties. Moreover, you must havepassion for patients and treat medicine as a lifelong career, not merely as a profession.

    This is why I want you to join the rural medical team." Dr. Xue¡¯s words left Bai Xiao in silence.

    She had always imed that healing and saving lives were her duties, yet she still felt a sense of superiority from within. Her special ability was unrivaled, and she didn¡¯t treat human life as a serious matter.

    She was too arrogant.

    Now she is a doctor, and doctors have a responsibility. It¡¯s not about looking down on others and treating everyone as insignificant.

    Ever since her rebirth, she had indeed been too confident.

    She hadn¡¯t truly shaken off the sense of superiority as a reborn person.

    She didn¡¯t value life that much, nor did she hold reverence for life in her heart.

    Her shoulders slumped.

    "Teacher, I was wrong, I understand now. I will willingly join the rural medical team and do what a doctor should do, working without emotional interference!" Bai Xiao was convinced and admired Dr. Xue. This old professor deserves respect. Dr. Xue had never been selfish, always putting education first, contrasting sharply with the current pretentious trends.

    He is a true teacher.

    Dr. Xue finally put away his serious expression and smiled.

    Really, Bai Xiao thought quietly, when Dr. Xue looked serious, he was indeed quite imposing, very much like an old schr with great bearing.

    It wasn¡¯t just her; he could easily intimidate any student.

    "Bai Xiao, I know that someone has been sabotaging things this time. I didn¡¯t stop it because I felt it was an opportunity for you. You¡¯re smart, talented, but you still need honing and challenge. Actually, this time is a great opportunity, the patients at Ruiyin Hospital and those truly in need in remote areas arepletely different.

    The healthcare conditions there are poor, equipment iscking. You need to rely on your skills as a doctor rather than machines, tests, and medications to treat patients. That¡¯s truly what it means to heal and save lives."

    "Teacher, please don¡¯t talk about junior sister anymore. I think she understands well, but are we going to let Dean Jin get away with everything and have his way?" Zhang Huan was still somewhat upset. This list for the rural medical team should have been his responsibility, but the dean made the list unterally, going against hospital procedures.

    "You, you need to calm down your temper. Why do you think the dean and his gang are doing this now? They¡¯re hoping you¡¯ll make a mess of things, so they can pin it on you, saying you¡¯re obstructing national construction and support for impoverished areas. You¡¯re a party member, a national cadre, and a doctor. Think about it, aren¡¯t you supporting the policies? Encouraging others to support construction, yet you¡¯re causing trouble underneath.

    Where¡¯s your awareness?" Dr. Xue¡¯s words also left Zhang Huan speechless.

    If they really pped such a bigbel on him, he couldn¡¯t possibly defend himself.

    Dr. Xue shook his head. Zhang Huan wasn¡¯t a bad person, but his rashness when doing things was where he falters.

    "Senior Brother, you don¡¯t need to intervene this time. This is my battle now. How can those who humiliated me be easily let off? Anyway, we¡¯re leaving tomorrow, so just wait and see the show." Bai Xiao knew that Zhang Huan had genuinely cared for her as soon as he acknowledged her as his junior sister.

    She wasn¡¯t ungrateful and knew that this senior brother, whether he argued for her today or not, was truly on her side inside.

    Zhang Huan smiled bitterly, "In that regard, don¡¯t say any more. I have to consider my own position. Everyone has selfish desires."

    "Senior Brother, everyone has selfishness, I have it too. This time in the countryside is also a chance for me to hone my medical skills. In Ruiyin Hospital, how many patients are there for me to practice on? People probably trust more in you authoritative doctors and might be unwilling to let an intern like me get involved.

    Going to the countryside actually has its benefits, as many patients there are less picky and trust doctors more easily. This will actually help me learn medical skills and gain practical experience. So don¡¯t worry, when I say I¡¯ll handle them tomorrow, I really will." Bai Xiao had already made ns. Tomorrow, the hospital will hold a farewell meeting to send them off, with all equipment and medicines to depart together.

    She intended for Dean Jin to have his face pped in front of everyone.

    Dr. Xue looked at Bai Xiao. This girl might hold grudges, but she truly is a good seedling.

    "Bai Xiao, let it go this time. Dean Jin won¡¯t let you catch him out. At this juncture, he¡¯s focusing on sending you off, so how could he leave any evidence for you to hold against him?"

    "Teacher, Senior Brother, just wait and see. When I say tomorrow, it means tomorrow. Let¡¯s just wait and watch the show." Bai Xiao spoke with great confidence.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 985 The Self-Destructive Vice Deanä¾¯

    <h4>Chapter 985: Chapter 985 The Self-Destructive Vice Deanºî</h4><h4></h4>

    An Zhiyuan heard that Bai Xiao was going to join the rural medical team.

    He was a bit upset inside.

    Every time they settled in a ce, just as their days started to be stable, something woulde up.

    Always separating the couple, sending them miles apart.

    Who knows what God is thinking.

    But just like how he was once a military person, obeying orders was his duty, as is Bai Xiao¡¯s duty as an intern doctor to obey her superior¡¯s orders.

    What also upset An Zhiyuan was that the ce for the rural trip was truly remote.

    This Gui Province is indeed a distant area.

    As one of the famously impoverished regions in Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan, many areas there struggle to even fill their stomachs, let alone seek medical help.

    An Zhiyuan was worried that Bai Xiao would suffer, knowing that the conditions there are quite poor, with scarce food and drink.

    If she faced any limatization problems, although Bai Xiao herself was quite capable, the conditions there are indeed harsh.

    Bai Xiao felt like her ears were about to grow calluses from An Zhiyuan¡¯s nagging.

    She hugged An Zhiyuan coquettishly, "An Second Brother, stop nagging. This kind of nagging is something we women should be doing, how can it be your turn?"

    An Zhiyuan was exasperated, now he¡¯s being med.

    "Okay, I won¡¯t nag, but you must bring everything: chocte, coffee, brown sugar, I¡¯ve sorted out these cured meats and dried meats for you, regarding clothes, I think you can¡¯t bring many pieces. Even if it¡¯s cold there, you probably won¡¯t need military overcoats, but you should still at least take one."

    "Alright, alright, An Second Brother, you¡¯re bringing so many things, people might think I¡¯m moving house. I¡¯ll take chocte, coffee, and brown sugar, but leave the cured meats for now. When you have time off, you cane visit me and bring them along. Just think about it, we still have to bring equipment and medicines, along with these luggage. There are enough bags for us to handle, and if we can¡¯t find a vehicle and the mountain roads are tough, I can already imagine the difficulties."

    Bai Xiao truly thought it through.

    An Zhiyuan fell silent, his wife really had a point. Although she wasn¡¯t deeply familiar with the ce, he had learned many things, such as the terrain of that area which they had explored.

    Indeed, the mountain roads might be a challenge.

    He thought about it and prepared a luggage bag for her instead of a box.

    He simply tidied up the clothes and things.

    The next day, An Zhiyuan took his wife to the hospital, feeling reluctant this time.

    This time is a year, leaving only him alone at home, thinking about the emptiness at home, suddenly he felt sad.

    Bai Xiao had already noticed An Zhiyuan¡¯s difort, holding his hand all the way, as the couple once again said goodbye.

    Watching Bai Xiao enter the hospital, An Zhiyuan waited for her figure to disappear before driving away.

    The five of them wore big red flowers on their chests as a send-off.

    The hospital had a special car to take them to the station.

    Not only did they need transportation, but also the equipment and medicines donated by the hospital had to be loaded onto the vehicle.

    They had already notified the station of their arrangements.

    The shipment of equipment and medicines would surely go smoothly, after all, it was for supporting remote impoverished areas.

    All the hospital leaders, including Dean Jin, were bidding farewell to the five of them one by one, shaking hands enthusiastically, offering countless reminders and exhortations.

    Bai Xiao was surprised to see that the list had been changed, and He Xin had been added.

    This situation was quite interesting, two interns going rural together.

    Wasn¡¯t He Xin supposed to be the niece of Vice Dean He Changzhu?

    Even she could go to the countryside?

    No one knew how the vice group leader had offended Dean Jin.

    "Doctor Bai, Doctor He, you are all exemry representatives of our hospital, going to the countryside to support the construction of our remote hospitals. We hope you can embody the spirit of enduring hardship and fatigue, helping the doctors and patients there spread the spirit of our Ruiyin Hospital.

    Let our spirit as doctors be disseminated; you are the first spark from our hospital, starting from this year. Every year we will have rural medical teams beginpiling. We will ensure this ze continues.

    Migration of our spirit will also be enduring."

    Dean Jin naturally said these grand official speeches on such asions.

    Bai Xiao smiled and shook hands, "Dean, we will surely do that, don¡¯t worry. Let¡¯s hand over the list of medical equipment and medicines to us, otherwise, boarding the trainter will make handovers difficult."

    Since it¡¯s a poverty alleviation project, things have to be done clearly, that¡¯s the rule.

    Hou Baopu, looking impatient, handed a list to Doctor Zhang from the rural medical team. This Dr. Zhang was just one of those without background or backing, also not quite skilled in medicine, otherwise how could he have a ce in the rural medical aid team?

    However, people have their own strengths, at least he is a seasoned doctor at Ruiyin Hospital, having worked there for over ten years.

    Basically honest and straightforward, without any specialties.

    Dr. Zhang took the list, and the five began checking the equipment and medicines on the car ording to the list.

    Bai Xiao, looking at several pieces of equipment, almost burst outughing.

    She originally nned to tamper with the machines, finding malfunctions wasn¡¯t difficult at all.

    Let Dean Jin and the others lose face.

    If outdated equipment was sent to the poverty alleviation hospital, people would surelyugh.

    But when she really looked at the devices and medicines, it seemed she wasn¡¯t the only one amused, the other four also found itughable.

    They really were going to provide aid! Just look at these devices and medicines.

    Even if using second-hand equipment, our equipment should at least be usable.

    Bai Xiao looked at the oddly-shaped devices, thinking if they survived a bumpy ride to the hospital, she¡¯d change her surname.

    As for the medicines, the packaging indeed looked good, but upon closer inspection, all were expired products.

    Dean Jin really wasn¡¯t afraid of poisoning anyone.

    "Leaders, you¡¯re sure these devices and medicines are for us to take for rural poverty alleviation?"

    Outside the hospital were reporters.

    For such an asion supporting national development, giving the hospital a good name, they would surely contact the media for publicity.

    Dean Jin¡¯s heart skipped a beat.

    He shot a re at Hou Baopu.

    The meaning was clear, asking if he had done something.

    Hou Baopu¡¯s neck shrank, his short and fat round figure resembling a Maitreya Buddha, albeitcking thepassionate heart.

    He forced himself to nod his head.

    How could he admit he had acted on his own again?

    Dean Jin was reassured, "Of course, this batch of equipment and medicines were specially arranged by our hospital¡¯s Dean Hou. They¡¯re all cutting-edge equipment and medicines designed to address old equipment and shortages problems in rural hospitals."

 Chapter 986: Exposing

    <h4>Chapter 986: Chapter 986: Exposing</h4><h4></h4>

    "Dean Jin, are you sure?"

    This time it wasn¡¯t just Bai Xiao asking, but also four others.

    The five of them felt like burdens being cast out by the hospital. They were determined to leave, being ostracized like this, and even if they returned in a year, they couldn¡¯t be sure what positions would be avable, or what personnel changes might ur.

    These people were ready to burn their bridges; they had no powerful backers, they had nothing.

    At this point, there was no use pretending to tter the dean.

    ttery wouldn¡¯t work either; it was impossible to keep these people.

    So don¡¯t expect this group of five to cover for anyone.

    "Yes, it¡¯s being personally overseen by Deputy Dean Hou. Why, is there a problem?"

    Dean Jin hoped nothing would go wrong this time.

    This time, Bai Xiaoughed heartily, along with the other four.

    "Dean Jin, you¡¯d better let Deputy Dean Hou confirm. We can¡¯t just casually take over this batch of equipment and medication. If something goes wrong and causes deaths, who would be to me?" Bai Xiao pointed at the stuff in the car.

    Dean Jin¡¯s heart sank, and he turned back to re at Deputy Dean Hou.

    Hou Baopu shuddered at the sight.

    His mentor looked like he was about to explode.

    He hurried forward, "Alright, Doctor Bai, there¡¯s nothing wrong with this batch of equipment and medicine. Just get on the bus quickly. I¡¯ll have someone take you to the train station, missing the train wouldn¡¯t be good."

    Trying to y dumb and muddle through the situation.

    His resentment towards Bai Xiao grew even more.

    He hadn¡¯t handed the list to Bai Xiao earlier, precisely to avoid giving her reason to make trouble.

    Unexpectedly, the woman really came to make trouble.

    "Yes, yes, hurry and get on the bus. We¡¯ll take you to the train station. Safe travels and may you return triumphant."

    Dean Jin had no choice but to y dumb as well. He knew his student well after all these years; just from his words, he could tell there was definitely something wrong with this batch of equipment and drugs. With eyes watching from everywhere, and journalists outside, the matter couldn¡¯t be blown up. If it did, it would be beyond his ability to manage.

    Unfortunately, Bai Xiao was there to make trouble, and there was no way she¡¯d let Dean Jin and Deputy Dean Hou off that easily, it would be an injustice to herself.

    If Dean Jin had decided to bully these five, then Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t be to me for retaliating.

    "Dean Jin, Deputy Dean Hou. If this is the equipment and medication, we can¡¯t take them. We¡¯re going to support doctors and patients in impoverished rural areas, not to create difficulties for them. This equipment is almost unusable. Even in our hospital, it¡¯s discarded. It¡¯s impossible to use. If I¡¯m not mistaken, this electrocardiograph machine doesn¡¯t work at all. You¡¯re wee to plug it in and try.

    And these drugs, they¡¯ve been expired for three years. If something happens after giving them to patients, can I stand by my medical ethics? Can I fulfill my duty as a doctor?"

    Bai Xiao unceremoniously dumped items from the car, scattering them all over, especially those few machines. They looked simple, but anyone could tell from their appearance that this equipment could not possibly be used.

    Deputy Dean Hou¡¯s face turned ck instantly.

    Originally, he thought this little girl just had some backing and was being arrogant with Dr. Xue and Director Zhang. But putting her in the rural medical team should have been a major blow, a time when she would lie low and not bother with these things.

    Who would have expected her to be full of energy, clearly intent on making trouble.

    It¡¯s sheer arrogance; did she think exposing this in front of everyone would change anything? After all, he¡¯s the deputy dean, with longstanding connections and rtionships in the hospital. Who would dare to offend him to his face?

    Let¡¯s not mention that Dean Jin was still his mentor.

    Who¡¯s going to protect someone like Bai Xiao over his own student?

    "Deputy Dean Hou, what¡¯s going on?" Dean Jin wasn¡¯t stupid; he¡¯d already sensed that something was very wrong today.

    Even if he had to put on a show, as the dean, he couldn¡¯t y favorites.

    Hou Baopu exined with a smile, "Dean, the hospital¡¯s budget is tight this year. Even though these are discarded, these second-hand equipment are still usable, especially for rural hospitals with poor conditions. These are still important for them.

    Although these drugs have been expired for three years, they¡¯re actually still usable. Moreover, these aren¡¯t antibiotic drugs, as we¡¯re going to remote areas where the people mainly suffer from minor ailments and chronic diseases.

    So this time we¡¯re bringing mostly medicines formon illnesses like colds and fevers. These drugs won¡¯t kill anyone."

    "Deputy Dean Hou, what are you saying? If these drugs won¡¯t kill anyone, then go ahead and take them in front of me. After all, they aren¡¯t antibiotics, just ordinary cold and fever medicines; eating them won¡¯t harm your body."

    Zhang Huan was furious; he specifically came to watch this drama at his junior sister¡¯s invitation, only to find the spectacle nauseating.

    If he¡¯d initially suspected his junior sister was causing trouble, these words lightly uttered by Deputy Dean Hou suggested that he didn¡¯t care at all about patients, not treating them as human beings.

    Is this even a doctor?

    Deputy Dean Hou panicked, "Director Zhang, you can¡¯t say that. Our hospital has many staff and equipment, consuming a lot financially each year. It¡¯s impossible to meet all needs, not to mention that we have to participate in rural poverty alleviation projects. This is the only solution I could think of.

    Otherwise, how would we squeeze out the funds? It¡¯s easy for you to talk, but just one CT machine in your surgery department costs millions every year, and the cost of recing equipment parts adds up. The state only allocates a part of this money, the rest the hospital has to bear on its own.

    I¡¯m just left without options."

    Bai Xiao sneered, "Deputy Dean Hou, with such an attitude, why don¡¯t we just skip rural poverty alleviation altogether? Regardless of where the patient is from, even if they¡¯re from a remote rural ce, they are still a person, and we can¡¯t just experiment on them. If expired drugs are safe, then why bother with expiry dates? I truly question how you, as a doctor, maintain your medical ethics and skills to hold the position of deputy dean.

    Being indifferent to patients¡¯ lives and deaths, yet still a deputy dean at my esteemed Ruiyin Hospital, I suddenly feel ashamed."

    Not hitting Hou Baopu would be a disservice to herself after the slight sabotage she did with the machines and medicines.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 987: Making a Fool of Oneself

    <h4>Chapter 987: Chapter 987: Making a Fool of Oneself</h4><h4></h4>

    "Doctor Bai, please remember that you are an intern doctor, it¡¯s not your ce to say this. Furthermore, there is indeed no problem with these medications. Although they are expired, many remote hospitals still use expired drugs; that¡¯s a fact. Even if you visit those rural hospitals, you¡¯ll realize expired drugs are everywhere there.

    If you don¡¯t believe me, I¡¯ll take the medication right now to show you." Hou Baopu was certainly willing to take these medications from the ground. Arge portion of them were just ordinary cold pills, and even if expired, taking one or two wouldn¡¯t be fatal.

    Why is he so confident? Of course, as a doctor, he knows simple truths; these drugs have expired and lost their efficacy.

    The worst that could happen is a little stomach difort.

    Besides, even if he took the pill, he would only take one, hardly enough to be fatal.

    He can¡¯t believe that by risking himself, using this as a counter to these people, there¡¯s anything they could do about it.

    As he spoke, he really picked up a bottle of cold medicine from the ground.

    Inside were small white pills.

    They were even smaller than a green bean.

    Indeed, such medication is expired, but taking it wouldn¡¯t kill you.

    People around advised, saying that although expired drugs might not necessarily kill you, overall, taking them isn¡¯t beneficial for your body.

    Deputy Dean Hou raised the bottle, "You all saw it, right? This drug, although expired, anyone familiar with the situation in hospitals in poverty-stricken mountainous areas should know expired drugs there are still considered medicine. Given the shortage of doctors and medicine there, having expired drugs is already considered fortunate; many people fall ill and simply have no medicine."

    Since Doctor Bai is questioning the quality of our drugs, as the responsible person overseeing this matter, I naturally should act as an example and show everyone that taking these drugs indeed won¡¯t cause problems. Otherwise, everyone might doubt where my medical ethics and conscience as a doctor have gone?"

    Saying this, he was about to unscrew the cap.

    Bai Xiao proactively took it, opened the cap, and handed it to Deputy Dean Hou, "Deputy Dean Hou, these drugs are expired. If something happens after taking them, it won¡¯t be good for your body. I advise caution."

    It¡¯s really not like Bai Xiao wants to make trouble, but Deputy Dean Hou himself jumped out and insisted on taking the medicine.

    If she doesn¡¯t handle Deputy Dean Hou a bit here, it would feel unjust to herself.

    Of course, as long as Deputy Dean Hou doesn¡¯t take the medicine, there would be no problem.

    Hou Baopu nced at Bai Xiao the little girl. Thinking she had caught his weak spot, she probably doesn¡¯t know that much of the medicine and equipment sent by other hospitals on rural missions are also expired.

    Of course, some conscientious hospitals send good medications, but that involves quite significant expenses for the hospital.

    For hospitals like theirs, which are self-financed, it¡¯s not aboutcking conscience, having any medicine to use is already good enough. Being too picky about expiration would be excessive.

    He poured out a single white pill from the bottle and ced it in his mouth.

    He swallowed it mixed with saliva.

    A bit bitter.

    "Everyone, see, I have taken this medicine now, and there¡¯s no problem. Some expired medications are only a few months past their date, and their efficacy remains intact. Even for drugs expired for several years, it¡¯s only their efficacy that decreases, but is still harmless to the body. I very responsibly say... say... oh..." Deputy Dean Hou suddenly clutched his stomach, unable to stand firmly.

    This shocked everyone around.

    Deputy Dean Hou tried to tough it out, clutching his stomach, perspiring cold sweat and told everyone, "Don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t worry, I just ate something bad this morning, this has nothing to do with the medicine."

    Suddenly there¡¯s the sound of a rumble.

    An unpleasant odor spreads around.

    Deputy Dean Hou¡¯s face turned unsightly, his crotch was already wet.

    The people standing behind him could already see the stain on his rear was darkening, and something damp was sliding down along his pant leg.

    Dripping onto the floor.

    Many people quickly covered their noses and fled in different directions.

    Deputy Dean Hou had soiled himself in his pants.

    This was a huge embarrassment for Hou Baopu.

    Even his somewhat plump face showed panic.

    Who would¡¯ve thought he¡¯d lose face this big in front of everyone?

    He could only clutch his crotch and hurry back to the office to change clothes.

    But inside his trousers, it was sticky and nasty with every step left a smear on his thighs.

    Truly disgusting and ufortable.

    Naturally, he couldn¡¯t make big strides.

    The problem was, right at this moment, it wasn¡¯t finished yet; reporters who had been waiting outside the door suddenly noted the crowd here, and their professional intuition made them aware that something must be happening. Several reporters had already burst through the door and rushed inside.

    Once inside, they saw the scattered medications on the floor, and Deputy Dean Hou clutching his crotch, not to mention the unbearable stench in the air.

    sh, click, the cameras were clicking.

    Deputy Dean Hou¡¯s disgrace was entirely captured by the reporters¡¯ cameras.

    Deputy Dean Hou quickly covered his face and twisted around to run.

    Taken by surprise, he tripped and fell on the ground, limbs spread out, supplemented by the filth on his pants, the reporters definitely got enough shots.

    The renowned Deputy Dean of Ruiyin Hospital had made such a big blunder.

    Zhang Huan promptly stepped in to intercept the reporters.

    "Reporter friends, please, do not disturb our farewell party."

    The reporters¡¯ eyes were all focused on Deputy Dean Hou behind him.

    "Director Zhang, Deputy Dean Hou, what¡¯s going on?"

    Isn¡¯t this just a rhetorical question? The photos had been taken, and everyone could see clearly.

    "Reporter friends, our hospital¡¯s rural medical team is preparing for departure, but our equipment and medication are not fully prepared. Dean, can you arrange for someone to quickly prepare everything; otherwise, the train will be missed shortly."

    This is an internal matter of Ruiyin Hospital; even if there is anything, it can¡¯t be exhibited before the reporters; otherwise, it would damage the hospital¡¯s interests.

    Dean Jin¡¯s mind worked rapidly; Hou Baopu is unusable now, even if this incident wasn¡¯t leaked by the reporters, such an embarrassment before the entire hospital management, even if he stays in a leadership position, who would respect him?

    Indeed, ns can¡¯t keep up with changes.

    The road was paved nicely for him, yet this scoundrel chose self-destruction for a bit of benefit.

    He quickly smiled at Zhang Huan.

    "Director Zhang, would you mind taking charge of this matter? Ensure we prepare the best medications and equipment; we are doing rural aid and should treat our aid targets as if they are family."

    Zhang Huan nodded, "With Dean¡¯s words, we¡¯ll certainly prepare everything. Everyone, lend a hand; pack what needs packing, carry what needs to be carried."

    Quickly exchanging nces with a few nearby directors, they hustled and coaxed the reporters out the door.

    This matter was finally smoothed over.

 Chapter 988 Complete Failure

    <h4>Chapter 988: Chapter 988 Complete Failure</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao pursed her lips and smiled. She really hadn¡¯t done anything excessive. At most, she just cycled through the medication a few times and didn¡¯t let Hou Baopu eat it on the spot and get sick. She considered that quite polite already.

    With this, Vice Dean Hou can forget about bing the dean in this lifetime.

    This kind of scandal, I guess, can¡¯t be covered up no matter what.

    It¡¯s not that she deliberately made a big deal out of it; Vice Dean Hou was the one who insisted that taking these medications was not an issue.

    Not treating others with sincerity, iming to be aiding the poor, yet giving expired medications and broken-down machines while still managing to sound righteous, disregarding human lives; well, let him taste what it¡¯s like to eat expired drugs.

    Let¡¯s see how Hou Baopu will continue to undermine senior brother.

    Don¡¯t think she couldn¡¯t see it. The reason Dr. Xue hasn¡¯t spoken up is exactly because these people are against her, simply because they don¡¯t want another nationally renowned, technically skilled doctor by senior brother¡¯s side.

    These people are willing to resort to maniption in personnel affairs for their own benefit, sacrificing a talent to fulfill their selfish desires.

    So she will make sure Hou Baopupletely loses the ability topete with senior brother.

    All the equipment and drugs were loaded onto the vehicle, and Zhang Huan personally took them to the station.

    Of course, originally this task was supposed to be done by Vice Dean Hou.

    Unfortunately, Vice Dean Hou is now hiding in his office, refusing toe out.

    The hospital¡¯s cleaner and sanitation workers are holding back their disgust while cleaning up the trail left by Vice Dean Hou as he walked.

    Otherwise, the entire hospital would probably be shrouded in a foul odor.

    Hou Baopu is now almost in tears.

    Even though he has already showered, he still feels there seems to be a lingering odor on his body.

    He now hides in his office like a panic-stricken mouse, not daring to go out.

    One can imagine the looks from all the doctors and nurses in the hospital. He resents Bai Xiao for meddling.

    If only they hadn¡¯t insisted on seizing this opportunity with the equipment and medicines, he wouldn¡¯t have foolishly done such a stupid thing.

    But what he regrets more is why he had to take that pill.

    For whatever reason, ever since he took that pill, he ended up in this shameful scandal.

    A dignified vice dean, yet ended up defecating in his pants in public.

    And it¡¯s such a disgraceful image for everyone to see, he regrets it.

    If he¡¯d known better, why did he need to be so greedy for a bit of money?

    For such a small amount of money, he ruined his own future.

    There¡¯s no need to seek out the dean ¡ª he understands in his heart that he¡¯s likely done for.

    He really can¡¯t face staying at Ruiyin any longer; this time he singlehandedly ruined himself.

    If he had known this would happen, he would rather die than let such a thing ur today.

    Not only is Hou Baopu involved in this, but he himself ispletely finished.

    Dean Jin was fuming in the office, nearly smashing all the cups.

    This Hou Baopu is downright useless and only causes trouble.

    I clearly told him not to tamper with the rural medical team this time.

    Anyone with half a brain knows that they have already achieved a stage victory, and not a single mistake can be made before it¡¯s fully acknowledged.

    Now, even though they¡¯ve sent Director Zhang¡¯s junior sister off, Hou Baopu is also considered over.

    She exchanged a pawn for your grand general.

    And what gives him a headache is that Hou Baopu can no longer stay at Ruiyin.

    In this circumstance, even if he wanted to, he couldn¡¯t possibly ce Hou in a significant position again; otherwise, everyone would know this dean hires based on nepotism.

    Looks like he¡¯ll have to find a way to transfer Hou Baopu to another hospital.

    Dean Jin, thinking of the mess left in Baopu¡¯s hands, worries if a clever and capable person takes over, many things might be uncovered.

    But if he doesn¡¯t transfer Baopu, he won¡¯t be able to continue in his role either.

    Looks like he¡¯ll have to find a way to promote someone from under Baopu to step up.

    Dean Jin squeezed his forehead and temples fiercely.

    Throughout his life, he experienced countless battles to reach the position of dean at Modu¡¯s top hospital.

    He¡¯s never been this exhausted and headachy before.

    He¡¯s truly tired.

    This battle, they lostpletely.

    Baopu¡¯s downfall means Zhang Huan¡¯s strongpetitor has disappeared.

    Even if he wants to support a student of his, it¡¯s practically impossible in just a few months to elevate someone¡¯s authority and prestige to the highest level. This is a hospital, not a casual government institution.

    Without solid professional skills, you can¡¯t just elevate an ordinary doctor to a vice dean position and expect eptance.

    If he treads recklessly, forget Zhang Huan; even the department directors could effectively "consume" him.

    Thus, Zhang Huan bing his sessor is already a strong trend.

    Now it seems he should focus on cleaning up the mess quickly.

    He cannot afford to lose his reputation at the brink of retirement.

    It seems this time he truly has to exit the stage.

    The next day, Hou Baopu called in sick and never returned to the hospital.

    He was in the news everywhere; reports covered the Vice Dean¡¯s disgraceful incident at Ruiyin Hospital¡¯s farewell event.

    Hou Baopu has be a scapegoat, everyone turning against him.

    Even his son and daughter can¡¯t leave home due to his scandal.

    Mainly because whenever they step out, people point and whisper behind their backs.

    "That¡¯s the guy who crapped his pants in public, right?"

    "Isn¡¯t he the famed vice dean of our hospital?"

    "Looks decent enough, how could he do such a thing in public?"

    "Yes, it¡¯s utterly shameful."

    "That must be Baopu¡¯s son. I think their family might have a gut issue; who knows, maybe next it¡¯ll be his son and daughter messing their pants."

    "Don¡¯t say that. It¡¯s embarrassing enough for a boy, but if a girl does it, how can she face anyer? Who would dare marry her?"

    "This time, their whole family is utterly disgraced."

    They are so ostracized that Hou Baopu¡¯s family dare not leave home.

    His wife nearly strangled him in fury.

    She mocked, calling him "Baopu" ¡ª "Baopu" like a stinking pile of dog crap.

    Meanwhile, Zhang Huan had sessfully sent Bai Xiao and the others to the station, and all the equipment and medicines were smoothly loaded onto the train.

    Quietly, Zhang Huan asked Bai Xiao, now standing by the carriage after everyone else had boarded to organize things.

    "Was this the big drama you were talking about?"

    Bai Xiao shook her head, "This time it truly wasn¡¯t my fault; I didn¡¯t do anything sneaky. Even if I had wanted to, think about it. The expired medication was selected by Vice Dean Hou himself, and he randomly chose a bottle. How could I have known he¡¯d pick that one?" She lookedpletely innocent.

    "Alright, no matter what, even if it was a series of coincidences, make sure to work diligently in the other hospital and take care of yourself. I¡¯ll be waiting for your triumphant return. I believe no ce can confine your talents," Zhang Huan expressed his confidence in Bai Xiao.

    She nodded, feeling lucky in this life to have met many mentors and many people willing to care for her for no reason.

    The two parted ways, bidding farewell.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 989: Car?

    <h4>Chapter 989: Chapter 989: Car?</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao got on the train; there were five of them in onepartment. Since two of them were girls, Dr. Zhang made special arrangements for them to take the lower berths, while he and the two other men mbered onto the upper ones.

    A whole day passed without much being said.

    After over ten hours on the train, they finally arrived at the Gui Province station.

    It was alreadyte when they arrived. Upon exiting the station, they surprisingly saw the dean of the township hospital, personally leading staff, holding a hand-painted sign in the dark station parking lot that read ¡¯Ruiyin Hospital Staff.¡¯

    These hospital staff, with their dark skin and lean figures, enthusiastically helped take all the equipment and medications from their hands, not letting them carry any baggage. Each of the staff had their arms and shouldersden with items.

    This left them feeling rather embarrassed.

    "Hello, I¡¯m the dean of the Wuzi Township Hospital, my name is Lun Jianguo. Wee, wee to our ce."

    "It must have been a tiring journey for you all."

    Dean Lun was visibly a simple man, his hands and feet unsure where to ce themselves with excitement upon seeing the five of them, repeatedly rubbing hisrge hands on his jacket.

    Dr. Zhang represented the group to shake hands with Lun Jianguo. Being the eldest, as the big brother, it was unanimously agreed upon that he should take the lead in exchanging pleasantries.

    "Dean Lun, we really didn¡¯t expect you toe sote to pick us up. It¡¯s too kind of you and has interrupted your rest."

    He truly meant it, feeling grateful because it was pitch dark outside the station, and streetlights were scarce.

    If it weren¡¯t for Lun Jianguo and his team¡¯s arrival, carrying all these machines and medications in such darkness would have left them at a loss.

    There were no shuttles or transport services here. If you arrived at the station in the middle of the night, you¡¯d be left with no choice but to camp out here.

    To then try finding solutions once day breaks.

    From the look of it, the people idly wandering around the station appeared ragged, with apathetic, cold, and even greedy expressions. With theirrge bags, they seemed like ripe targets.

    Spending a night there, who knew what they might encounter!

    Isn¡¯t there a saying that remote impoverished regions breed unsavory characters? It¡¯s not that they¡¯re disparaging anyone, but poverty pushes people to desperation.

    None of the five of them could handle violence with violence.

    Lun Jianguoughed.

    "We got the notice, so we made preparations in advance; we arrived here yesterday specifically to wait for you. If not, you would have nowhere to go arriving thiste at night; this station area isn¡¯t safe. With all the equipment and medications you¡¯re carrying, if something were to happen, we¡¯d be at a loss."

    "Come on, let¡¯s go. You must be tired from the journey. Let¡¯s get on the night carriage, and we¡¯ll arrive tomorrow. Once at the hospital, you can rest properly."

    Dean Lun Jianguo, with his straightforward nature, led them onward without dy.

    The five followed behind the staff, each with hands and shoulders free due to not being allowed to help with the carrying.

    The five of them unexpectedly felt light and rxed.

    They didn¡¯t expect a rural hospital to actually provide transportation, and all five of them were surprised.

    Standing in front of the vehicle mentioned by Lun Jianguo left them ck-jawed. They knew conditions here were poor, but the sight of the ¡¯vehicle¡¯ before them was beyond expectations.

    No! To be precise, it was indeed a vehicle, albeit not the kind of car they envisioned.

    This was no ordinary vehicle at all.

    It was a donkey cart.

    Two donkey carts.

    The ck donkeys barely stood as tall as a person and didn¡¯t appear sturdy, restlessly pawing at the ground in ce, harnessed to carts without any covers.

    One of the carts already had beddingid out, with thick straw under the nkets, a testament to the effort put into preparation.

    "Sorry about this; it¡¯s all we have here. Please get in, make yourselvesfortable, whether sitting or lying down. We still have to travel through the night," Lun Jianguo said, seeing their expressions, knowing city folks like them probably found this umon and perhaps distasteful.

    Blushing faintly.

    Bai Xiao instantly noticed the embarrassment on Lun Jianguo¡¯s and the other staff¡¯s faces.

    Feeling guilty about their modest conditions as they weed these distinguished city doctors.

    Bai Xiao took the initiative to walk over, climbed into the cart, and patted the mattress beside the cart¡¯s railing, "Come on up, this cart is actually quitefortable. My family used to live in a rural area, and we were too poor to even own a donkey cart. Our vige had to use ox carts to get to the market or catch a bus to town. Those ox carts were definitely slower than donkey carts! For me, this is a real upgrade."

    He Xin immediately climbed up, followed by Dr. Zhang, and the other men didn¡¯t hesitate either. They all hopped on.

    "Dean, this cart is reallyfortable. After spending a whole day on hard benches, this feels soft and nice. I wouldn¡¯t mind lying down for a nap," Dr. Zhang said with a smile, genuinely lying down.

    Their actions and words instantly alleviated the embarrassment felt by Lun Jianguo and the others. Seeing they weren¡¯t pretending, they finally felt relieved. They had done their best to make conditions as favorable as possible, worried the city doctors might actually be offended by such rustic settings and leave in a huff.

    How could they face the vigers, who were quietly hopeful?

    Upon learning the city doctors wereing, they went to great lengths to show sincerity, hoping to keep them, unlike thest time when doctors had turned back due to the poor conditions without even reaching the hospital.

    That time could be med on him, unclear of mind, thinking city people were just like them. But with hindsight, how could they expect others to share their lifestyle?

    This time, he made improvements, at least securing donkey carts borrowed from the viges. Normally, they would walk back, but if the five had to walk with them, they wouldn¡¯tst an hour before turning back.

    Thankfully, they got the donkey carts.

    Lun Jianguo wiped the sweat off his forehead, praying for clear skies and no rain, relying on heaven for good fortune tonight.

    The rest of the staff loaded the equipment and medications onto the other donkey cart, securely covering them with a stic tarp tied with rope. After much diligence, the two donkey carts finally set off, ttering unsteadily into the night.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 990: Bloodshed

    <h4>Chapter 990: Chapter 990: Bloodshed</h4><h4></h4>

    The cart began to sway and move forward, the donkey seemed unable to bear their weight, plodding ahead with its head down, not very fast.

    But He Xin and the others felt ufortable.

    Sitting on such a cart is actually ufortable! Although there was straw and cushions on the cart floor, a person had to hold onto the sides with one hand, or even both hands, exerting all their strength to prevent their body from swaying with the cart as it bumped along, otherwise they would bump into others.

    Sitting on such a cart was indescribably ufortable! But looking at these people, including Lun Jianguo, silently walking alongside their cart and the other one, with their heads down, quietly moving forward.

    Could they still be picky?

    Dare they be picky?

    He Xin was sitting next to Bai Xiao, the two female colleagues at this point had to put aside any opinions they might have, and support each other. Seeing Bai Xiao sitting as steady as a rock, He Xin quietly asked Bai Xiao.

    "Why is Dean Lun not sitting in the cart?"

    Their cart and the other one could still fit these people if they squeezed in.

    They didn¡¯t understand why these people wouldn¡¯t sit in the carts and were too embarrassed to ask, fearing it might be a local custom or something that would make them feel awkward.

    Bai Xiao nced at Lun Jianguo, who was sweating heavily as he walked.

    "They are reluctant to sit!"

    These reasons are only known to someone like her, who had suffered in the countryside, while those who are used to living in big cities can¡¯t understand that a rural person might consider livestock more important than humans.

    It¡¯s an iprehensible kind of stubbornness.

    "Reluctant? Why? Sitting in the cart is better than walking!"

    Bai Xiao nced at He Xin, this girl actually had a good heart, but her words reminded Bai Xiao of the famous ancient story, the one about fine porridge, indeed.

    Ignorant of the sufferings of the world.

    "Because a donkey in the countryside is not just livestock, it¡¯s also a vige¡¯s greatest treasure! Sometimes these beasts are more precious than humans, many farming tasks need these animals to aplish, so many rural people would rather endure hardship themselves than risk damaging their only expensive property.

    You can see clearly, Dean Lun and the others are from the hospital, of course, they wouldn¡¯t have a donkey, these must be borrowed from vigers. Sometimes this donkey cart might be the only property a vige has, so Dean Lun and the others surely wouldn¡¯t want to tire out the donkey." Seeing the fifty-year-old dean wiping sweat, with a brisk stride, it was clear he was ustomed to hardbor.

    Compared to the well-dressed, corpulent deans and deputy deans at their hospital, the difference was as stark as night and day.

    He Xin was speechless.

    She was filled with profound emotion, though she didn¡¯t fully understand what kind of value was in it.

    This kind of value she didn¡¯t have a concept for at all.

    But as long as one has a conscience, one can naturally understand that what people are offering is their entire fortune to create the best environment for you.

    This isn¡¯t on the same level as a millionaire giving a beggar a hundred yuan.

    Although the donkey cart wasn¡¯t moving fast, after two hours it had already passed the county, the surrounding roads became increasingly dark, relying only on the few of them walking, using shlights to guide the way.

    In the surrounding dark night, the trees seemed stealthy.

    The road became rugged and difficult to traverse.

    The speed quickly decreased.

    The wheels on the rugged mountain path bumped even more violently.

    Dean Lun probably also noticed the silence among the five people and tried to liven the atmosphere by chatting intermittently with Doctor Zhang.

    "We¡¯re truly moved that you coulde! You know, Ruiyin is the number one hospital in Modu! Willing to pair up with our small hospital for assistance, we are sincerely grateful."

    This couldn¡¯t be more true.

    Doctor Zhang¡¯s face couldn¡¯t be seen clearly in the dark, but he knew it was burning.

    None of them could honestly say they willingly joined the rural medical team.

    If they had a choice, they might rather be chased by ghosts thane to this backwater.

    Yet perhaps because of such sincerity, they felt ashamed inside.

    "Dean Lun, please don¡¯t say that, no matter which hospital wee from, we¡¯re here to cure and save people, to mutually learn and exchange experiences. In terms of medical skills and facing patients, there¡¯s no hierarchy, as long as we can heal and save, even a barefoot doctormands our respect."

    This was probably the first time Doctor Zhang firmly expressed himself, a doctor¡¯s stance, with professional pride welling up from within.

    The approach of muddling along at Ruiyin Hospital was suddenly jolted by the dean¡¯s words, stirring his inner passion.

    They were all doctors, after all.

    At one time, they were also full of fervor, hoping to achieve something in medicine.

    When did they start turning their days into ones of muddling through, making do, no longer reading professional books, no longer considering how to improve themselves?

    "Doctor Zhang, you¡¯re too modest, your big hospital is different from ours in the countryside, where you encounter advanced medicine and equipment, including various advanced technologies that are better than what we have here. Many of our patients are eagerly awaiting your arrival, perhaps they could be saved when youe." Dean Lun felt even more thankful that the visiting doctors from the renowned hospital had no airs at all.

    To meet such individuals with noble medical ethics allowed them to finally set aside all their worries along the way.

    These are true doctors.

    Doctor Zhang awkwardly.

    "Come now, you don¡¯t have to say that, our visit is not just about learning from each other and progressing, but bringing more healing to the folks here, doing all we can to help more patients get treated. So please stop talking about big hospitals, no big hospitals, wherever wee from, we genuinely want to treat the patients here."

    For the first time saying this, he spoke with nothing but genuine intent from his heart.

    Dean Lun¡¯s honest face was filled with smiles, "That¡¯s great, that¡¯s great, just that the conditions here are tough, making you suffer."

    "We¡¯re here to heal and save people, not to enjoy. If we were really here for enjoyment, we could stay in the city. Dean Li, if you keep saying that we might get upset." Bai Xiao said this.

    Dean Lun smiled warmly, realizing that these city folks weren¡¯t as difficult to deal with as he imagined. The impression left by thest group of city doctors seemed too deep, creating such misconceptions.

    These people are really good people.

 Chapter 991: The Arrival of Rain

    <h4>Chapter 991: Chapter 991: The Arrival of Rain</h4><h4></h4>

    The atmosphere gradually became lively.

    The sense of alienation and unfamiliarity from earlier seemed to slowly dissipate with these few words, breaking the coldness between them. Even though Dean Lu spoke with a heavy ent, blended with local dialect, which often made his words hard to understand, they still gestured tomunicate with each other.

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    In the darkness of the night, on the rugged road, the warmth here seemed to gradually drive away the surrounding darkness.

    Suddenly, they heard a low rumbling sound, followed by a gust of cool wind.

    Dean Lu looked up, his expression froze.

    He sniffed the air, catching the unmistakable scent of rain.

    Inside, he had a thousand curses ready.

    All his prayers were in vain as the rain indeed came.

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    The hope and excitement that had just ignited in his heart faced fear and unease in the face of the impending storm.

    Suddenly, thunder roared, and the earth was shaken.

    Dean Lu immediately pulled out arge tarp from their bag and handed it to Bai Xiao and the others.

    "It¡¯s going to rain. We¡¯ve been waiting for this rain for days in this dry weather. Who would have thought it woulde with you. Umbres won¡¯t do, so cover yourselves with this tarp."

    As he spoke, he and several men nearby carefully covered the five of them with the tarp, shielding both heads and bodies.

    Before they could finish speaking, they watched the rain descend like a gray fog wall sweeping across.

    Within less than a minute, bean-sized raindrops pelted them, falling directly onto the parched ground.

    There wasn¡¯t even a ce for shelter around.

    Bai Xiao watched as the torrential rain poured down. Dean Lu and the others were pushing the donkey cart through the rain, the road bing impassable; the rain had made it muddy.

    "Dean Lu, didn¡¯t you bring a tarp?"

    Watching Dean Lu wipe the rainwater streaming down from his forehead, the five of them felt uneasy.

    "It¡¯s fine. We¡¯re used to the rain here and never use tarps. This tarp was brought specifically for you."

    But only Dean Lu knew that every tarp they had was already covering the machines and medicines; there wasn¡¯t any left to block the rain.

    Though he was a dean, they were so tight on funds here.

    Many patients don¡¯t have money for treatment.

    Most people just take a couple of painkillers home to endure.

    There are also many patients who can¡¯t pay even after receiving treatment.

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    The hospital has been in debt for years and simply can¡¯t afford any funding. Despite being the dean, his family is also very poor.

    Often, to support and help patients, he would spend arge portion of his monthly sry.

    They couldn¡¯t even afford to buy a tarp.

    Following the path, they had turned onto a side road, which was even more difficult to walk on, narrow and muddy.

    The donkey cart simply couldn¡¯t move, the donkey had several times been unable to step forward.

    The wheels were repeatedly stuck in the mud, only by strenuous pushing and pulling did Dean Lu and the others manage to free the cart.

    Bai Xiao directly lifted the tarp and jumped down from the cart.

    Standing just like that in the rain, she startled Dean Lu.

    "Doctor Bai, this won¡¯t do, you¡¯ll get sick being soaked like this, get back up."

    Thankfully, they were wearing long pants, Bai Xiao shook her head in the rain, wiping water from her face, "Dean Lu, no need, I¡¯m not that delicate, I grew up in the vige, who hasn¡¯t been caught in the rain? I¡¯ll walk with you, this way the donkey cart can move faster."

    She was very persistent, Dean Lu had no choice. She was a girl! He couldn¡¯t treat her like Doctor Zhang; strong-arm tactics wouldn¡¯t work, and he couldn¡¯t do it.

    As a result, once Bai Xiao got down, the remaining four on the cart couldn¡¯t sit still.

    How could they just sit?

    The four of them also jumped down, and the five joined beside the cart to move forward. Dean Lu hurriedly grabbed one person after another, but no one was willing to get back on the cart.

    Finally, there was no option left.

    The heavy rain didn¡¯t allow them any courtesy or hesitation, a few people pushed the cart in the rain.

    After only about ten minutes of walking, the cart stalled.

    The wheels once again sank deep into the mud.

    This time the mud pit was deeper.

    Dean Lu and the others exerted a lot of effort but still couldn¡¯t free the wheels, it was practically a feeling of despair.

    Bai Xiao walked over, squatted down to check, the mud pit was too deep.

    The cart was loaded with medical supplies and equipment, these didn¡¯t seem like much but the weight was considerable.

    Relying solely on Dean Lu and the four others was indeed very difficult to free.

    "Doctor Zhang, let¡¯s lend a hand, many hands make light work."

    "Okay! We¡¯ll help out too!"

    Doctor Zhang and He Xin and the other four joined in, Dean Lu hurriedly assisted along with three others pushing from behind, while Doctor Zhang and two male doctors Xiaohuang and Xiaoli helped from the sides.

    Bai Xiao led the donkey to the front, urging it forward, He Xin felt helpless without any task, she joined Doctor Zhang and the others.

    Throughbined efforts, the wheels finally emerged from the pit, everyone¡¯s faces were no longer distinguishable under the mix of mud and rainwater.

    Yet, everyone was smiling.

    Their joy of sess had reced the mud all over.

    After walking for half an hour, the rain finally stopped.

    Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

    Bai Xiao holding the donkey cart only now felt her body chilly, her clothes soaked wet, now bringing a chill.

    Dean Lu pointed forward and shouted, "We¡¯ve arrived, we¡¯re almost at the hospital, let¡¯s move faster. Xiaoliu, you walk fast, go ahead and let the on-duty nurse prepare some ginger tea, so we can warm upter, hurry up!"

    A rugged youngd beside them quickly responded and hurried off.

    Bai Xiao and the others finally felt hope.

    Although it looked close, it was really only Dean Lu and the others with that impression. The distant shimmering lights were much farther than they appeared, as they still walked for another hour to reach.

    Upon reaching the hospital, a young girl dashed out, nimbly guiding them inside.

    "You must be the new doctors,e in quickly! We¡¯ve prepared hot water and ginger tea for you,e wash up," the girl cheerfully hurried Bai Xiao and He Xin, also carrying a hint of bashful shyness.

    Bai Xiao eagerly followed her in, and conveniently retrieved her luggage, finding clothes to change into.

    He Xin followed suit, trailing closely.

    Suddenly arriving in an unfamiliar ce left He Xin somewhat fearful.

    This hospital, though referred to as a rural hospital, overwhelmed them with its simplicity.

    A two-story bamboo building.

    Indeed, a bamboo building.

    The entrance was a bamboo fence. The first floor had severalrge rooms, very open and visible.

    With signs for different clinics hanging ordingly.

    The young girl led them upstairs, where they discovered the second floor of the hospital was their dormitory.

    ording to the girl, it was the best avable.

 Chapter 992: Simple Conditions

    <h4>Chapter 992: Chapter 992: Simple Conditions</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Xiao and He Xin¡¯s room is quite small, containing just two bamboo beds and a table, nothing else. A dim bulb, which might not even be five watts, sways in the night breeze. Once adjusted to the dim light, she notices each side of the small room has a simple wooden window panel that can be pushed out and propped open with a stick.

    She opens the window, and the damp air rushes in. Compared to the previous stifling dark, the room finally feels a bit pleasant.

    But it also appears simpler.

    Aside from a table that is roughly simr to the other items, there¡¯s no furniture in the room. One of the table legs is broken, and it leans awkwardly in the corner.

    The best things inside the room, aside from intact walls, are the two beds.

    Though they creak loudly when you sit on them, at least they don¡¯t have to sleep on the ground.

    The bedding is neatly arranged on the beds.

    It looks wellundered, but the patches on it are quite noticeable.

    The little girl seems a bit embarrassed, bringing over a washbasin and a pale yellow towel.

    "You can wash up. Just give me the clothes you change out of, and I¡¯ll wash them for you."

    There¡¯s a hint of eagerness in her voice.

    Bai Xiao shakes his head, "What¡¯s your name? I¡¯m Bai Xiao, call me Doctor Bai!"

    The girl immediately gets excited; her eyes sparkling and cheeks flushing.

    "I¡¯m Xiaoyu, Lun Xiaoyu, the nurse here¡ªkind of a doctor too. We do a bit of everything here; it¡¯s not really that specific."

    The city doctors are truly beautiful and friendly; they don¡¯t show any disdain and speak so gently to her.

    "Xiaoyu, you and Dean Lun are...?"

    Lun Jianguo, Lun Xiaoyu¡ªit sounds like one family.

    Lun Xiaoyu smiles, revealing a dimple, "Doctor Bai, Lun Jianguo is my father. I¡¯ve always learned medical skills from him. Originally, my father was a barefoot doctor. We live in too remote an area for doctors toe here. All the viges around us are ethnically diverse, and this is one of the poorest regions here. If my father were to leave, the people here would suffer even more.

    Eventually, the government backed the transition from barefoot doctors to official doctor positions. My father became the dean of the only township hospital here. Gradually, we got some doctors, all of whom, like my father, were barefoot doctors from nearby viges. We¡¯re too poor here; no one wants toe. A few years ago, a few city Medical College graduates dide.

    But none of them stayed for long. You are really the only group of genuine hospital doctors toe here. You wouldn¡¯t believe it, Doctor Bai, even before you arrived, my dad was overjoyed. You guys are true doctorspared to us barefoot doctors and are so much more advanced."

    The young girl was so excited that she didn¡¯t quite know what she wanted to express.

    Bai Xiao chuckles, "Xiaoyu, don¡¯t praise us like we¡¯re perfect; we¡¯re just ordinary doctors like your father. We¡¯re not extraordinary. We¡¯ve had professional training in the city, so our studies might be more solid than your father¡¯s, but that doesn¡¯t mean we can surpass him in dealing withplex cases. You must know your father has held on here for so many years, and the patients and cases he¡¯s encountered surpass what we city doctors have seen."

    Xiaoyu is suddenly shy because she never thought her father could be a doctor whopares to these city doctors.

    She always felt he was a stubborn and inflexible person. He¡¯d stubbornly stayed here for so many years, even without any money, even if he had to give all his monthly sry to patients, he stayed.

    She almost thought her father was a fool.

    And a fool who had no idea what he was doing.

    But it¡¯s the first time someone spoke of her father¡¯s greatness in front of her, especially these people who seemedpletely different, like they were from another world. The way these doctors were dressed and looked was entirely different from them.

    Yet this Doctor Bai said that they were just like her father, not much nobler.

    Suddenly, her father¡¯s image in her heart became more heroic.

    She purses her lips and smiles, "Doctor Bai, Doctor He, clean up and change clothes, I¡¯ll prepare some food for you so you can eat and rest, you¡¯ve had a hard journey."

    Then she quickly leaves, closing the door behind for them.

    Bai Xiao and He Xin can finally sit down and rest for a moment.

    But neither rests; they are all covered in mud because the road was all dirt paths, twisted and winding, unsure of how far they walked. Add the post-rain condition; these paths were more pits of mud than roads.

    So, trudging all the way, they look at each other covered in mud like they crawled out of mud piles.

    Theyugh at each other¡¯s appearance.

    <sub>freew\ebno\vel..(c)om</sub>

    Each grabs water to quickly clean themselves and change clothes.

    Xiaoyu thoughtfully leaves two buckets outside the door, filled with hot water. Presumably, she knew they¡¯d need water conveniently.

    Bai Xiao changes into pants and a short-sleeve floral shirt, using her towel to wring her wet hair.

    He Xin struggles for some time without achieving her ideal result.

    There¡¯s no condition for bathing here, and certainly no shower.

    She finally understands why her uncle calls her unaware of how fortunate she is.

    The conditions here are indeed tough.

    Once they¡¯re ready, they leave the room. Xiaoyu is already waiting outside, swiftly taking the basins from their hands, pouring the water into the bucket, then carrying it right away.

    Giving them no chance to be self-reliant.

    Bai Xiao smiles; despite being the dean¡¯s daughter, she seemed diligent and quick with tasks.

    Xiaoyu leads them outside¡ªthey then realize that Doctor Zhang and his team are living next door.

    The two rooms are adjacent, and due to the bamboo structure, which has poor soundproofing, any noise at night might wake the neighbors.

    The three men cleaned up much more efficiently than them.

    Xiaoyu led them to the main hall on the second floor.

    Only then did they realize it was a kitchen.

    However, the kitchen is very basic.

    There¡¯s a charcoal basin on the ground, likely for cooking with it, otherwise, the bamboo building might burn.

    Wood is burning in the charcoal basin, with a rack on top holding a pot.

    A dimrge iron pot.

    Dean Lun is presently scooping food out of the pot.

    A small table made of bamboo is surrounded by a few small stools.

    Arge basin on the table holds an indistinct dish with a few slices of greasy meat.

    Everyone is served a bowl of rice and ced on the table.

    "Come on, you must be hungry, please eat, please eat. We don¡¯t have much here. Just something to fill your stomach before you rest." Dean Lun calls them over.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 993: Hard to Swallow

    <h4>Chapter 993: Chapter 993: Hard to Swallow</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xin and the others sat around the table.

    Looking at Dean Lu¡¯s enthusiastic attitude, they had no choice but to pick up their chopsticks. To be honest, they were really hungry. They had eaten some dry food they brought on the train, but after getting off, all the hustle had left them ravenously hungry.

    Logically, they should be very hungry. Looking at the slightly yellowing white rice in front of them, He Xin forced herself to pick up a piece of some food, the contents of which were unrecognizable, and put it in her bowl.

    A pungent sour smell hit her nose, making her face turn pale instantly.

    What is this smell? It¡¯s like the odor of unwashed socks that haven¡¯t been cleaned for weeks.

    Can this be eaten?

    Doctor Zhang and the others were also hesitant.

    Even the few men among them couldn¡¯t bring themselves to eat when looking at this food.

    It¡¯s so vastly different from what they¡¯re used to at home.

    Dean Lu saw them not moving their chopsticks and thought they were being polite, so he hurriedly said, "Please eat, please eat. This sauerkraut is freshly pickled this year. I specially cut a piece of meat yesterday, don¡¯t be polite, hurry and eat."

    Seeing their forced smiles, he thought they were embarrassed to eat and quickly said, "You eat first, I¡¯ll go out and see if they¡¯ve moved the medicines and equipment into the house for you. Those guys can be very careless if I¡¯m not watching. If they break something, it would be terrible."

    As Dean Lu walked out the door, he just ran into Xiaoyu.

    "Xiaoyu, stay here. In case Dr. Zhang and the others have any requests, you can help them, but don¡¯t go inside to avoid making them ufortable while eating."

    Xiaoyu whispered, "Dad, this is the rice we can only afford during the New Year. If we eat it all now, what are Dr. Bai and Dr. Zhang going to eat tomorrow?"

    The father and daughter deliberately lowered their voices.

    But they spoke habitually loud, thinking they were being quiet, which was still clear as day to Bai Xiao and the others.

    "Don¡¯t worry, today I¡¯ll find a way in the vige to exchange for some more. We can¡¯t let the doctors from the city eat the same things as us, besides they wouldn¡¯t be used to it and might fall ill from the change in environment, which would be the worst-case scenario."

    "But you don¡¯t have any money, even if you go into the vige to exchange, what do we have to trade?"

    Xiaoyu gave her father a look, knowing that most of his sry goes to treating patients, leaving just a little for their daily needs. She¡¯s used to living like this with her father, but when urgency strikes, her family would truly have nothing to spare.

    Dean Lu chuckled.

    "Silly girl, what do you think your father is? I¡¯m a doctor, if I go to the vige and have a word with them, I can still get things on credit. Worst case, I¡¯d just treat them a few more times for free in the future."

    Dean Lu¡¯s words made Bai Xiao and the others lower their heads.

    The food in front of them, which they found hard to swallow, turned out to be something only eaten during the New Year by the dean and Xiaoyu. And for their sake, Dean Lu was going to buy things on credit.

    Bai Xiao picked up a chopstick-full of sauerkraut and ced it on the white rice, eating it quickly.

    The white rice, once chewed, emitted a moldy old rice vor.

    No wonder it was yellowish, the climate here is humid, who knows how long this rice had been stored. It¡¯s gotten damp and a bit moldy.

    Not to mention that strangely vored sauerkraut.

    It really tested their taste buds.

    Seeing Bai Xiao eat earnestly,

    the four others also dug in.

    Yet they mostly avoided the sauerkraut, eating just the in white rice, as the sour vegetable¡¯s taste truly could make one vomit.

    The meal was consumed in silence.

    The five of them realized that this year would undoubtedly be challenging, if they had to eat this kind of food every meal, they might notst long.

    Bai Xiao shook her head, this was just the tip of the iceberg.

    She already saw through the window that the sun had risen outside.

    Soon, when they truly see their surroundings and the people, they¡¯ll really understand where they¡¯vee to.

    This, for her, would also be a challenge, though she had tasted hardship before, she had changed so much since rebirth.

    The hardest time in this life was her days on the front lines, eatingpressed biscuits every day.

    But even that was better than the coarse rice they had now.

    It seemed that this was just the toughest start for them.

    After the meal, Xiaoyu, full of enthusiasm, wanted to serve them a second bowl. Seeing that they hadn¡¯t touched the meat and vegetables in the pot, she was a bit frustrated.

    She thought these doctors were perhaps being polite, intentionally leaving these good things behind.

    They must know that in their home¡¯s conditions, a meal with sauerkraut stew meat was reserved for New Year¡¯s.

    However, these doctors barely ate anything. She wanted to serve them a second bowl, but they steadfastly refused.

    If it were her, she could eat three big bowls on her own.

    These city people ate as little as birds.

    After the meal, Bai Xiao insisted on apanying Xiaoyu to familiarize herself with the environment instead of resting. Though physically exhausted, she didn¡¯t want to disrupt her body clock, wanting to do something during the day and rest well at night. After all, she was still young and wouldn¡¯t lose anything by skipping a night¡¯s sleep.

    He Xin, seeing Bai Xiao not sleeping, felt awkward to sleep herself and insisted on going with Bai Xiao and Xiaoyu to take a look around.

    However, Dr. Zhang couldn¡¯t hold on anymore, his age was a factor, and the journey, plus the exhausting walk up, had left him unable to stay awake.

    They went to the first floor and finally saw clearly.

    The bamboo building they thought was the most luxurious structure here.

    This ce was surrounded by mountains, more like a basin.

    Though called a town, looking at the rundown houses around, they realized that the bamboo building they found simple was actually more like a luxurious hotelpared to the surroundings.

    The pedestrians on the street were truly ragged.

    Even in their ragged clothes, with patches, often showing bare elbows and protruding toes from their shoes, greeting them.

    Perhaps due to years of exposure to wind and rain, hard work, everyone¡¯s skin was dark.

    Like residents returning from Africa.

    Every resident they encountered eyed them with curiosity and envy.

    Every person who saw them couldn¡¯t take their eyes off, making Bai Xiao and He Xin a little embarrassed, feeling like they were on disy like a tiger in a zoo.

    On the road, they met many people, all greeting Xiaoyu, giving a handful of greens, or offering some wild fruits, to be honest, this town was like a single street, taking ten minutes to walk from end to end.

    Even the town government was just a crude shelter with a sign hanging by the door.

    If Bai Xiao didn¡¯t know this was a town with a rural hospital, she might think it was just a vige.

 Chapter 994 The Town

    <h4>Chapter 994: Chapter 994 The Town</h4><h4></h4>

    "Why did I find that all these houses are two-story?"

    Bai Xiao also didn¡¯t understand why, despite not being wealthy, every household here had two-story wooden or bamboo houses.

    Though they were dpidated, they were still two-story.

    Xiaoyuughed, "This is our local tradition, and these houses are called stilt houses.

    Don¡¯t be fooled by the two stories. The first floor is never used for living; it¡¯s for livestock. The second floor is where people live. Because of the damp climate here, these houses are better ventted and get more sunlight. Otherwise, people living here would get moldy."

    Only then did Bai Xiao realize that this unique house structure was due to the geographical and climatic conditions here.

    Upon closer inspection, the lower level consisted mostly of just a few columns, with railings instead of walls. Through the railings, you could see the interior divided into several squarepartments¡ªone for pigs, another for tools and sundries, one for firewood, and one empty one, but outside you could see chickens and ducks foraging, so that must be their coop.

    "But why does the hospital use the first floor for the clinic?"

    As they walked out of the hospital, they saw more clearly this time that the hospital indeed had the clinic on the first floor and living quarters on the second floor.

    "Don¡¯t think it¡¯s odd that the clinic is on the first floor; the hospital has been elevated. There¡¯s actually half a floor left open beneath the clinic for venttion. Since there¡¯s no need to keep livestock, the first floor of the hospital is only for moisture protection, so the hospital appears taller.

    This hospital was built with specially allocated government funds during a poverty alleviation program years ago. It¡¯s the only township hospital around for miles." The pride in the voice was unmistakable.

    Her father spent months lobbying the government poverty alleviation task force in the county to get the funding to build a hospital for the localmunity. But to call it a hospital today, it¡¯s still just a small, shabby shed. Emergency patients can¡¯t even be admitted.

    Let alone talking about the equipment and medications.

    Her father had to plead and beg to get the hospital its only set of ultrasound equipment and to establish their inpatient department.

    Although very few would be hospitalized, as none could afford the hospital fees.

    Yet, this is thergest hospital with the most advanced equipment in the surrounding viges, and it¡¯s her father¡¯s pride.

    Listening to Xiaoyu recount her father¡¯s experiences, Bai Xiao had true admiration for this dean who had stayed rooted in this vige for decades.

    It requires not only medical ethics but also immense perseverance and a love for the localnd.

    Otherwise, survival in this remote area would be impossible.

    Looking at the surrounding mountains, with their lush greens and clear waters, the environment is undeniably beautiful.

    Yet, the poverty of the people here is evident.

    Even though this is a renowned town, it stillcks paved roads, with streets merely covered in greenstone, and over the years, many stones have cracked, leaving the road bumpy and uneven.

    But even for an outsider like Bai Xiao, this road felt luxurious.

    Yes,pared to the muddy path we tookst night, this road is indeed quite extravagant.

    A quickp would take less than half an hour, and you¡¯d reach the end of the street, which also hosted the only local marketce. Farmers came from the viges with baskets on their backs, setting them down to sell their goods by unveiling an oilcloth¡ªmostly just vegetables, eggs, asional wild game from the mountains, or home-raised chickens and ducks. The variety wasn¡¯t rich, and the offerings seemed quite meager.

    Yet, Bai Xiao enthusiastically bought a bunch of bamboo shoots, plus a chicken and some dried mushrooms. These were rare good finds, considering these were the only items Bai Xiao knew among others. She couldn¡¯t even recognize, let alone prepare, the wild vegetables they had.

    Xiaoyu looked at what Bai Xiao had bought, slightly embarrassed because her father had instructed her to host the guests from the big city well, even if they couldn¡¯t offer luxurious food. But Bai Xiao buying a chicken after they just had stir-fried pork with sauerkraut for lunch seemed extravagant.

    Besides, they still hadn¡¯t finished the stir-fried pork with sauerkraut from the morning, and the leftovers could be enough for two more meals.

    Even during festive times, families here rarely ate chicken. Most people raised chickens for either egg production to exchange for essential supplies or to sell them at the end of the year for money rather than for home consumption.

    Probably, only some wealthier viges around here could afford to eat chicken.

    Xiaoyu couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly, thinking perhaps her father was right¡ªthese city folks were really pampered. They were offered the best local dishes, yet they still struggled to adapt.

    But little did Xiaoyu know, Bai Xiao didn¡¯t buy the chicken for their indulgence.

    From yesterday to today, Bai Xiao had understood that despite being called the dean, the hospital wasn¡¯t wealthy, and the reception they received might have been the best avable, likely better than what the dean enjoyed himself.

    Just by looking at the rooms and bedding they were given, one could tell the conditions weren¡¯t great. The hosts had used their best means to wee them, likely stretching their resources to amodate guests.

    Furthermore, Bai Xiao overheard Xiaoyu saying they¡¯ll be collecting rice from the countryside in theing days.

    If the five of them ate rice for every meal, Dean Lu might end up spending a substantial sum.

    The things Bai Xiao bought today were meant to repay Dean Lu¡¯s hospitality and to discuss the situation over this dinner. They came with their own rations, each having not just sries but food stamps as well, so there was no need to burden the hospital¡¯s resources.

    They were here for poverty alleviation, not to make people go bankrupt. They intended to rify the matter over dinner with Dean Lu.

    Xiaoyu indeed misunderstood Bai Xiao.

    Given Bai Xiao¡¯s own experience in rural life, how could she not withstand the hardships? Moreover, if it weren¡¯t for the changes brought about in her own family through her rebirth, her family would likely have had to endure corn mush and sweet potatoes.

    Being able to enjoy rice and white flour in the countryside isn¡¯tmon. Despite nearing the 1990s, rural areas still struggled financially.

    Especially in this rural part of the country.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 995: Fetching Water

    <h4>Chapter 995: Chapter 995: Fetching Water</h4><h4></h4>

    If she remembered correctly, even by the 2010s, many rural areas around here were still within the poverty alleviation scope.

    The ce looks like it has beautiful mountains and clear waters, but many areas have deep valleys and ravines, barrennd, severe water shortage, limited fields, where the main produce is potatoes and corn. The local housing often uses stacked stones, earth bricks for walls, and thatch tiles; the poption isrge.

    Especially in this era.

    The poverty in this ce is not just slight.

    It¡¯s a pity Xiaoyu couldn¡¯t understand Bai Xiao¡¯s thoughts.

    Even He Xin looked at Bai Xiao with disdain, thinking this girl only talks about what happenedst night. Where¡¯s that enthusiasm to jump off the car and help push it?

    Once at someone else¡¯s ce, she starts acting high and mighty, buying a chicken, buying mushrooms, bamboo shoots.

    Why don¡¯t you throw a big feast?

    Almost telling the Dean openly that his meal is not good enough, making future meals live up to this standard.

    She¡¯s simply embarrassing them at Ruiyin; it¡¯s a shame he considered her a rival. This kind of rival is really embarrassing.

    The three returned to the hospital, each with their thoughts.

    In the lobby on the first floor, Dean Lv was consulting patients with another doctor.

    Most of the patients here don¡¯t have money, trading goods from baskets as exchanges.

    Bai Xiao nced at baskets sometimes with just a handful of wild vegetables, a few bamboo shoots, and then looked at the medicine Dean Lv gives away.

    She couldn¡¯t help but shake her head.

    If the hospital operates like this and is responsible for its own profits and losses, with Dean Lv like this, the hospital is bound to fail.

    Dean Lv is a good man, but under the current market economy, operating a hospital like this won¡¯t sustain.

    As a hospital, you need to buy medicines, have various expenses, including machinery, water, electricity, and personnel costs.

    Medicine wholesalers won¡¯t ept a wild vegetable or a few bamboo shoots as payment.

    Continuing like this really has a bleak future.

    Previously you could rely on state subsidies to get by; now, with healthcare reforms inevitable, how will Dean Lv¡¯s hospital survive?

    The purchased items were ced in the kitchen.

    Bai Xiao and He Xin returned to their room.

    Since she bought the chicken and other things, He Xin¡¯s face has been difficult. Last night, she was able to join with a pleasant face and some effort; even her attitude softened.

    But today, obviously, she hasn¡¯t spoken to her at all.

    Both of them were tired andy down to take a nap.

    When Bai Xiao opened her eyes, it was already two in the afternoon, and from here, she could hear the bustling voices in the lobby downstairs. She had a feeling of not knowing where she was.

    It seems to take her back to the feeling in Liupan Vige.

    A quiet and serene mountain vige, with the sound of chickens, barking dogs, insects, and human voices, those iprehensible dialects also seemed to be a kind of friendly native speech.

    This is a life far from the bustling city, simple and pure, letting one¡¯s body and mind quiet down, removing the impetuousness, starting to return to the primitive.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s movements made He Xin open her eyes. Seeing she woke her up, she felt quite sorry; there¡¯s nothing she could do, this bamboo bed makes noise once it moves, like someone singing some emphasized opera.

    "Doctor He, since you¡¯re awake, let¡¯s go find Doctor Zhang and the others, have a small meeting to unify our thoughts."

    He Xin didn¡¯t want to move, thinking of Bai Xiao¡¯s nouveau riche behavior today, still feeling angry in her heart, she turned her head, stubbornly refusing to speak.

    Bai Xiaoughed. Well, quite spirited indeed.

    "Then I¡¯m leaving. At that point, I¡¯ll go with majority rule for voting. Once it¡¯s passed, whatever opinions you have won¡¯t matter!"

    Going to fetch water to wash her face, fetching water here requires going downstairs to the courtyard well. Bai Xiao noticed in the morning that Xiaoyu went there to fetch water.

    She grabbed a bucket and left.

    He Xin was anxious upon seeing this.

    Bai Xiao is sly and extravagant. If she takes advantage of her absence and votes on something she disagreed with, wouldn¡¯t it be harmful to her?

    She jumped up and closely followed Bai Xiao, only realizing she was tricked again when they reached the courtyard well.

    Bai Xiao proves to be cunning indeed.

    Bai Xiao dropped the bucket down the well, swung it forcefully, then raised her arm to haul up a bucket of water, slowly winding the well wheel, lifting the bucket and pouring it into another bucket.

    The water level dropped.

    She got only a bit more than half a bucket.

    Bai Xiao reflected quietly; it seems she¡¯s been living well for too long, getting rusty with these farming tasks.

    He Xin, however, was intrigued, immediately taking over, insisting on fetching a bucket of water.

    Of course, Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t stop her, so she quickly handed the bucket to her.

    Intending to give some hands-on guidance, but He Xin abruptly squeezed her aside with disdain.

    Bai Xiao smiled, noting the childishness. Suddenly she felt like an adult dealing with a child throwing a tantrum.

    He Xin dropped the bucket ssh into the well, upon hearing the sound, Bai Xiao wanted to cover her face.

    Thinking that a bucket must be an expense, doing it this way, I guess the bucket could be scrapped in two days.

    He Xin tried recalling Bai Xiao¡¯s earlier movements, then imitating them determinedly, refusing to believe she couldn¡¯t outperform Bai Xiao.

    With all her might, she swung it once, then huffed and puffed as she rolled the wheel for a long while, feeling somewhat smugly side-ncing at Bai Xiao, thinking it¡¯s not that hard after all.

    Turns out she is quite talented.

    Bai Xiao stood by the bucket with arms crossed, waiting quietly.

    Finally, the bucket came up.

    He Xin confidently lifted it down, intending to pour it into the bucket, then froze.

    Inside the bucket, there was only a shallowyer of water, not even higher than a finger joint, her face blushing.

    This...

    Bai Xiao took the bucket from her hand, poured the small amount of water into the bucket, then handed the bucket back to her.

    This fetching water isn¡¯t much of a technical task; with some practice, anyone can master the skill. She was willing for the fetching.

    Just afraid the youngdy would think she¡¯s showing off, so she passed the bucket to her.

    Unfortunately, despite this, He Xin still cursed Bai Xiao in her heart fiercely.

    This woman did it on purpose to make her look bad, isn¡¯t it intentionally?

    Yet, strong self-esteem absolutely wouldn¡¯t allow her to show weakness in front of Bai Xiao.

    She took the bucket, adopting a different strategy this time, gentler in putting the bucket down, swinging the rope for a while, even testing the rope by lifting it slightly.

    It had quite some weight.

    So she pulled the bucket up with effort.

    This time she clearly improved.

    The bucket came up half-full of water, much more thanst time.

    He Xin snorted coldly.

    "Hmph!"

    Proudly poured the water from the bucket deliberately into Bai Xiao¡¯s bucket, moving slowly many times, just to make Bai Xiao see.

    Bai Xiao nodded in appreciation.

    "Not bad, really not bad. Doctor He is indeed smart, picking it up so quickly."

    Arguing with someone having the intelligence of a child below ten, you¡¯d end up embarrassed yourself.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 996: Discussion

    <h4>Chapter 996: Chapter 996: Discussion</h4><h4></h4>

    After the two of them fetched water and washed their faces, He Xin and Bai Xiao went to knock on the door of the neighboring dormitory where Dr. Zhang and his colleagues were staying.

    The three men were evidently just waking up.

    Dr. Zhang should have woken up early, while the other two were still in a state of drowsiness after crawling out of bed.

    "Dr. Bai! Dr. He, what brings you here?"

    Dr. Zhang was surprised.

    He knew very well that in this team, the two people in front of him had the most prestige and background; one was the niece of the Vice Dean, the other the junior colleague of Director Zhang from surgery, and the closed-door disciple under the mentorship of Dr. Xue.

    They couldn¡¯t afford to offend either of them. When they arrived, the three of them secretly discussed that as long as they followed these two¡¯s lead throughout the year, all decisions would be fine as long as they were agreed upon.

    Following their lead would be the best course of action.

    Now these two hade directly to them.

    Dr. Zhang and his colleagues couldn¡¯t help being astonished.

    "Dr. Zhang, we¡¯vee to hold a small meeting to discuss the issues we need to address ande up with some suggestions!" Bai Xiao said with a smile, sitting on the only chair in the room, which Dean L¨¹ had kindly provided to Dr. Zhang and his team.

    He Xin nced over, thinking Bai Xiao was really sly to even grab the chair.

    Dr. Zhang quickly tidied his bed and invited He Xin to sit down.

    "Sure, we think it¡¯s a good idea to have a meeting to unify our opinions."

    "Here¡¯s the thing, now that we¡¯re here, our work hasn¡¯t begun, but as we all saw today, the conditions at Dean L¨¹¡¯s hospital are like this, and we can¡¯t be picky. Even if we point out issues, it won¡¯t change the current situation.

    However, our arrival obviously added to Dean L¨¹¡¯s burden, and I¡¯m sure you all heard what was said this morning.

    Dean L¨¹ can¡¯t afford to provide food for the five of us. Our food supply has been allocated for the year to be here, and we need to make it clear to Dean L¨¹ that we¡¯ll manage our own food supply, so we don¡¯t add extra burdens to him. After all, feeding five people isn¡¯t a small matter.

    Moreover, I suggest we stop eating white rice from now on; there might not be much rice here, as it¡¯s considered a fine grain. Even if we buy it in the vige, it¡¯s expensive, and flour even more so. The local produce is corn and potatoes, so we need to be mentally prepared. We can¡¯t expect special treatment, as doing so would put Dean L¨¹ in a difficult position, making him feel like he hasn¡¯t taken good care of us.

    We can all see that Dean L¨¹ is someone who would give up everything for his patients. I would be embarrassed to make him go through that for us when we¡¯ve done nothing butin. I¡¯m already ashamed.

    Truth be told, I didn¡¯te here willingly. If it weren¡¯t for unforeseen circumstances, nobody would want toe to this remote area. My words may be harsh, but they are honest.

    When I was about to leave, Dr. Xue, my teacher, talked to me. He told me a doctor¡¯s responsibility is to put the interests of patients first, no matter the circumstances, because that is a doctor¡¯s duty.

    Here, in Dean L¨¹, I¡¯ve seen a true image of a doctor¡ªa healthcare professional worth admiring, someone who has worked tirelessly for decades in this ce and exemplifies high moral and ethical standards.

    I just hope that whether we want to stay or not, we abandon these negative thoughts; if we can¡¯t make contributions, at least don¡¯t create trouble."

    His words made the others feel ashamed.

    They really hadn¡¯t considered this;st night they were full of zeal, but today¡¯s meals had taught them a solid lesson.

    <sub>fre.eweb novel\.c om</sub>

    No one felt the food was a burden; the hospital cafeteria food was much better, and they didn¡¯t have to pay with their wages and food stamps since there were cafeteria subsidies.

    But the reality is that what they have here is the best they can expect, and although the meals aren¡¯t tasty, they are undoubtedly an extra burden for Dean L¨¹.

    Dr. Zhang was the first to express his stance, "I¡¯m the oldest among you, so I should have brought this up. It¡¯s my oversight, and I¡¯m truly sorry for my negligence. What a shame.

    Let¡¯s do this¡ªtonight we¡¯ll let Dean L¨¹ know that we will hand over our monthly food supply to their cafeteria, sparing them the worry, and we¡¯ll eat whatever they eat, firmly refusing special treatment."

    With Dr. Zhang having spoken, Xiaogao and Xiaoli also agreed in quick session. After all, human kindness is genuine, and Dean L¨¹ and his colleagues getting soaked in the rain to protect themst night was truly touching.

    "We also agree, as it should be. We¡¯re here to aid them, not to impoverish them."

    That left He Xin.

    Looking at He Xin, the niece of Vice Dean He, should she disagree, they wouldn¡¯t know how to persuade her.

    The two had been at odds, so it was expected that He Xin might not agree with Bai Xiao¡¯s proposal.

    The three of them were rather uneasy.

    Dr. Zhang, looking at the silent He Xin, tentatively asked, "Dr. He! If you have any opinion, please share it! We can discuss it together. After all, we¡¯ll be working together for a year; if we harbor doubts and mistrust among ourselves, how can we proceed with our work?"

    He Xin stood up.

    Everyone was startled, worried that she might leave abruptly.

    This youngdy was not someone to offend.

    Dr. Zhang certainly hoped they wouldn¡¯t really start fighting.

    Letting outsiders see them making a mockery would be damaging, as they represented Ruiyin Hospital, not only themselves but Ruiyin¡¯s reputation and honor.

    These two were young interns, proud and headstrong, so it was hard to predict their actions.

    He Xin walked briskly up to Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t budge an inch.

    "Dr. He, whatever you have to say, say it clearly!"

    Dr. Zhang was anxious, rubbing his hands, but couldn¡¯t make it too obvious.

    He Xin gave a deep bow, which confused everyone.

    Bai Xiao was taken aback.

    Was she having a mentalpse?

    "Dr. Bai! I misunderstood you; you are a worthy opponent! I truly admire you from the bottom of my heart."

    This time, He Xin was sincerely convinced.

    Bai Xiao hurriedly helped He Xin up, "Dr. He, let¡¯s not say such things; we¡¯re all doctors, interns, and there¡¯s no talk of admiration. We¡¯vee here for amon goal¡ªto improve our medical skills and save lives. I hope we can put aside past grievances and work together to be qualified doctors, deserving of Ruiyin¡¯s name and ourselves."

    Extending her hand, He Xin grabbed it tightly.

    "Alright, we¡¯ll work together to be qualified doctors!"

    "And the three of us, let¡¯s strive together as five to be qualified doctors."

    Dr. Zhang and the others joined in as well.

 Chapter 997: Exposed

    <h4>Chapter 997: Chapter 997: Exposed</h4>

    After saying these words, Bai Xiao prepared to cook dinner; she had some good stuff nned.

    Correct content is on fr.eew eb novel.

    "Who here knows how to kill a chicken? We bought a chicken, let¡¯s make chicken stew with mushrooms tonight."

    This statement truly stumped the three grown men.

    They looked at each other.

    He Xin and Bai Xiaoughed mischievously.

    "You can handle a scalpel, but you¡¯re afraid to kill a chicken!"

    Doctor Zhang smiled wryly, "Doctor Bai! Killing a chicken and performing surgery are not the same, don¡¯t mock us. We can operate on rabbits and guinea pigs without blinking, but killing a chicken takes a bit of courage." Killing and killing are indeed different.

    They are surgeons, not executioners; there¡¯s a big difference.

    Bai Xiao had no choice but to go find Xiaoyu.

    Doctor Zhang and the others didn¡¯t dare kill a chicken! But not wanting to fall behind, they quickly followed her to the canteen.

    The same canteen as this morning¡¯s meal.

    This ce was deeply memorable for everyone; not only were the conditions rudimentary, but that meal was really indescribable.

    Even now, when Doctor Zhang burped, his throat was filled with a moldy smell that wouldn¡¯t go away.

    Everyone felt indigestion.

    Upon entering, before they could speak, they noticed Dean Lu and Xiaoyu, along with a few guys they sawst night, holding bowls and eating around a cast iron pot.

    Everyone was eagerly holding their bowls.

    Bai Xiao immediately saw it was cornmeal with potatoes; there was some sauerkraut in the pot, but not a hint of oil, and they were about to dig in.

    fr\eewebno vel .c(o)m

    Even these simple dishes made their eyes light up, which suggested that other days they probably weren¡¯t even sure if their meals could fill their stomachs.

    Upon seeing them enter, Dean Lu¡¯s face slightly changed, hurriedly hiding the food behind him, and the others with Xiaoyu scrambled to hide.

    They covered the potatoes and cornmeal on the table with a pot lid.

    The anxious appearance was heart-wrenching.

    "Dean Lu, you¡¯re not being fair here, eating something good and deliberately not letting us see?"

    Doctor Zhang asked knowingly, seeing what they were eating, and thinking of the hardships they faced this morning, it suddenly soured his heart, feeling unworthy of their hospitality.

    At this moment, the moldy taste in his mouth also became eptable.

    Compared to these potatoes and cornmeal, their moldy rice was already premium stuff.

    Dean Lu¡¯s honest face was embarrassed, "Doctor Zhang, how could it be? It¡¯s just simple food, it¡¯s our custom here, you¡¯re new, afraid you wouldn¡¯t be used to it."

    Dean Lu didn¡¯t mention he was more afraid that they would all run away after eating the simple food; it was hard enough bringing people here, and if they couldn¡¯t stay even for two days and got scared away, he¡¯d feel guilty.

    Bai Xiao swiftly uncovered the pot lid, and the contents underneath were brazenly revealed in broad daylight, while Dean Lu secretlymented they¡¯d started eating ahead to avoid the awkwardness of dining with Doctor Zhang and the others, but they just happened toe now.

    This isn¡¯t... Ah!

    "Xiaoyu, can you kill a chicken? I bought one today, see if anyone can prepare it, we¡¯ll eat together tonight, don¡¯t eat now, hurry!" Bai Xiao nudged Xiaoyu, the young girl seemingly around twenty was scared witless.

    "Oh, I¡¯ll kill, I¡¯ll kill!"

    She muttered, suddenly realizing.

    This is to kill a chicken.

    How can you kill a chicken?

    There was still leftover sauerkraut and meat from this morning in the pot.

    This would be too wasteful and extravagant.

    She nced at Dean Lu.

    Sure enough, Dean Lu disagreed.

    He urgently stopped them.

    "Doctor Bai, Doctor Bai, let¡¯s not kill today, we don¡¯t have a fridge here; if we kill the chicken and don¡¯t eat it today, it¡¯ll spoil. We can¡¯t eat with you, it¡¯s not appropriate, there¡¯s no reason for you to be spending your money. This won¡¯t do, this won¡¯t do."

    Dean Lu was already anxious after hearing this.

    "Dean Lu, we definitely have to kill the chicken today, it¡¯s our first day here, and this meal is the first we¡¯ll have together with your hospital colleagues. We¡¯ll be working together for a year.

    This is a special opportunity for us to foster rtionships with everyone; you don¡¯t want to iste us from everyone, right?"

    Dean Lu hurriedly shook his head; he wished for these doctors to mingle with theirs, to make connections as it could provide these doctors a chance to learn.

    "How could I! How could I! But it¡¯s too extravagant, too extravagant!"

    They couldn¡¯t even eat a chicken during festivals.

    "That¡¯s good; Xiaoyu, hurry and kill the chicken! I¡¯ll cook when you return, we¡¯ll eat a bitter. Dean Lu, since everyone is here, let¡¯s have a meeting, get to know each other, and clear up misunderstandings."

    Bai Xiao pushed Xiaoyu out.

    Soon, Bai Xiao was already stewing the chicken and mushrooms in the big pot.

    The fragrance filled the air.

    Xiaoyu and the few guys couldn¡¯t help but swallow, helplessly, as it had been too long since they smelled something with oil.

    Dean Lu watched their pathetic disy, feeling quite upset inside.

    Didn¡¯t they know what backbone was?

    He had been telling them that poverty wouldn¡¯t dull their spirit, and yet... his own saliva was stirred into a roar by the rich aroma of chicken soup from the pot.

    His face flushed.

    Truly embarrassed!

    Doctor Zhang still took the lead; his age and being a male doctor winning Dean Lu¡¯s favor.

    "Old Lu, let¡¯s not talk idle words; since we¡¯re here, we¡¯re not staying just a day or two. You can¡¯t treat us with rice every day. Let us be aware of what¡¯s there, we¡¯ve learned about your situation, it¡¯s really tough for you.

    In this way, we all have our rations, and each month we¡¯re allocated standard grains. From now on, we¡¯ll be responsible for our own meals; you don¡¯t need to make it difficult for yourself. When the food arrives, everyone can eat together; don¡¯t separate into two groups like some underground organization. We can bear hardships like you can; we came to heal and save people, not to enjoy. If we were here for leisure, we¡¯d stay in the city and note."

    Dean Lu was so moved by these words his eyes reddened; these people were truly kind.

    Yet he hesitated, "Doctor Zhang, you should still eat your own food; it¡¯s bad to mix ours. Here, we have coarse grains, and yours are fine grains. Mixing them would be taking advantage of you; besides, we have big eaters here. If we eat openly, everyone would be hungry."

    He firmly refused.

    They didn¡¯t provide Doctor Zhang with a superior treatment, let alone could they take advantage.

    Never had the vigers had such a notion.

    Zhang Yishan chuckled, "Stop saying that; if you continue, you¡¯re not treating us as your own. Potatoes and corn are abundant here; even if we have fine grains, there¡¯s no ce to take them. Besides, if fine grains are exchanged for coarse grains, they can yield quite a bit more, which is more economical."

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 998: Eating a Free Meal

    <h4>Chapter 998: Chapter 998: Eating a Free Meal</h4><h4></h4>

    The hospital here closes early because there aren¡¯t that many patients. Frankly, most cases are just minor ailments like headaches and fevers; a few pills solve the problem easily. Many vigers, if seriously ill, don¡¯te to the hospital, as the elderly believe in the superstition that once they enter a hospital, they won¡¯t return home, and the young know their families can¡¯t afford it.

    Honestly, there are very few people who can afford proper medical treatment.

    Chicken stewed with mushrooms is ready.

    The dinner was too restrained for Dean Lu and her group.

    Under the oppressive watch of Dean Lu, Xiaoyu and the others dared not reach for food recklessly, staring at the corn grains in their bowls, asionally picking up some pickled vegetables, eating with difficulty mainly because Dean Lu feared they¡¯d really embarrass themselves.

    She was keeping a strict watch.

    Bai Xiao thought, this Dean Lu is quite charming.

    Without a word, Bai Xiao picked up adle and served arge spoonful of chicken stewed with mushrooms into each person¡¯s bowl, along with slices of pickled meat, indisputable. Even Dean Lu¡¯s bowl was filled with chicken stewed with mushrooms, prompting Dean Lu to almost jump up in panic as she watched nearly all of the chicken stew was spooned into their bowls¡ªimagine that.

    The guests hadn¡¯t even had any yet, but it was all given to them, even the morning¡¯s dish of fried pickled meat went into their bowls¡ªhow could this be?

    Just when they were about to decline, Bai Xiao already took adle, serving herself, He Xin, and Dr. Zhang a spoonful of the leftover chicken stew with little meat. Despite everyone¡¯s aversion to pickles, Bai Xiao didn¡¯t mind and could tolerate the taste; for others, eating pickled fried meat seemed like torture, but habits have to change gradually.

    "Eat quickly, eat quickly!"

    Bai Xiao embraced her bowl and ate scrumptiously.

    The cooking skills hadn¡¯t declined.

    But the corn rice left a lingering taste, okay for a meal or two, but eating it every day tests their spoiled stomachs.

    Some of He Xin¡¯s group started eating quickly; the chicken stew was undoubtedly tastier than the morning¡¯s pickled fried meat, even the corn grains in the bowl seemed less unptable.

    Unexpectedly, this meal tasted much sweeter than the morning¡¯s.

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    Originally, Dean Lu wanted to pick out the chicken pieces from her bowl, but Dr. Zhang stopped her; besides, it was already in her bowl¡ªhow would she add it back for the guests?

    The chicken in their bowls tasted really good.

    It¡¯s been so long since they ate something this delicious.

    Dean Lu watched Xiaoyu and the other doctors gobble their food down, almost swallowing the chicken bones¡ªthey chewed them until they couldn¡¯t swallow and reluctantly spat them out, which were promptly cleaned up by Da Huang, leisurely at their feet.

    Da Huang is their dog, a local dog! It might not look pretty, but it¡¯s very friendly.

    Just as friendly as Dean Lu and her group.

    It had been lingering nearby since it smelled the food aroma, but Da Huang is well-mannered and doesn¡¯t dare act up until the owner speaks.

    But now it couldn¡¯t resist cleaning up the chicken bones and scraps on the ground, eating until its belly was round, lyingzily on the ground.

    Showing satisfaction from a full meal.

    This meal brought everyone much closer, allowing them to joke with each other; among them, besides Dean Lu and Xiaoyu who spoke ented Mandarin, the other doctors spoke in dialects, each differing, iprehensible to Bai Xiao¡¯s group.

    It was like a heavenly script.

    Xiaoyu had to trante it all.

    This also helped them realize a potential problem in future work:nguage is a hard barrier to ovee.

    A night passed without words.

    Next morning, everyone woke up early.

    After theughable incident of He Xin fetching water yesterday, Dr. Zhang volunteered to try fetching water himself, even though Xiaoyu and the other doctors were ordered by Dean Lu to take care of the chores. Still, they¡¯d be living here for a year; they couldn¡¯t always rely on others, or they¡¯d be useless.

    Besides, they didn¡¯t have the face for that.

    They had hands and legs, yet needing others to serve them? Tell it anywhere, and they¡¯d lose face.

    So early in the morning, Dr. Zhang took two young colleagues to fetch water, and after several tries, they finally understood that fetching water is no simple task.

    But their water tanks were now full.

    No breakfast served; they realized that yesterday was special treatment, knowing they came from a long train journey, unfed and unrefreshed, so just a gesture of special care. In fact, the locals here only eat two meals a day.

    A meal at ten in the morning, another at three in the afternoon¡ªevery household is the same.

    Finally, Bai Xiao and the team started their medical work.

    He Xin and Bai Xiao had Xiaoyu by their side.

    This was arranged by Dean Lu, mainly to prevent misunderstanding patients, should they fail toprehend the dialects.

    Unfortunately, there were many visitors in the morning, but they came just to watch.

    Many were locals who heard of city doctorsing, feeling insufficient seeing from outside, and rushing in for a closer look at the city folk.

    Instead of treating cases, they became watched animals in a zoo.

    Days like this were only just beginning.

    A few days passed, and they realized there was hardly any use for them, as all cases were minor issues like headaches and fevers, casually handled by Dean Lu¡¯s group.

    Rarely were they needed.

    Surgery?

    Not necessary.

    Internal Medicine?

    No need either.

    Cold medicines need Internal Medicine doctors?

    Thus, the five of them became almost ornamental.

    Embarrassed, they were idle all day.

    Waking at dawn and resting by dusk, life there was ridiculously rxing.

    Not a hint showed their medical qualifications.

    It seemed like they were just idling away.

    Days went by, and the five became dispirited.

    Even Bai Xiao began to doubt: Did Dr. Xue not know there were hardly any patients here¡ªhow to practice medicine then?

    And practice!

    It was just wasting time without gaining practical experience; naturally, there were grievances building inside.

    Better to return to the Military District Hospital for internship; this wouldn¡¯t be the treatment they¡¯d receive.

    But regretting wouldn¡¯t help; since they were here, running away wasn¡¯t an option.

    After a week passed, Dean Lu spoke to them, saying they routinely visit viges each month. Many patients are in remote areas, too difficult to travel out for treatment, so they¡¯ve established monthly visits to viges, offering care.

    This is known as traveling medicine.

    A unique feature in their region.

    This month, with help arrived, Dean Lu nned to split into two groups: Xiaoyu leading two doctors to one direction, while Dean Lu took two colleagues to another.

    Others stayed at the hospital to work, ensuring no disruption and saving time.

    Finally, Bai Xiao¡¯s group was happy.

    They finally had work to do.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 999: Mothers Not Allowed to Undergo Cesarean Section

    <h4>Chapter 999: Chapter 999: Mothers Not Allowed to Undergo Cesarean Section</h4><h4></h4>

    There was no need to say anything; they started packing their backpacks! They were going to multiple viges, so besides simple checkup instruments, they also needed medicine and various treatment tools. They even had to bring their own dry rations, as Dean Lu was not one to take advantage.

    They split into two groups.

    Due to weight considerations, they paired a man and a woman: Bai Xiao and Doctor Zhang followed Xiaoyu, while He Xin and Xiaohuang followed Dean Lu.

    Xiaoli stayed behind to guard the hospital, leaving most of the main team absent.

    Bai Xiao, with her backpack on, and Doctor Zhang followed Xiaoyu, dressed in sportswear. Bai Xiao was concerned about convenience, so she wore sports clothes and shoes, which were suitable for climbing and walking.

    They set off before five in the morning, while it was still barely light, and the group split up.

    Bai Xiao and Doctor Zhang closely followed Xiaoyu out of the town.

    They realized Xiaoyu led them onto a small path outside the town, rather than the main road.

    Calling it a path was generous; this sheep¡¯s intestine trail was usually untouched.

    Over time, wild grass would overgrow the path, and snakes would hide within.

    Xiaoyu specifically gave each of them a sturdy branch as a walking stick, useful for climbing and scaring snakes away.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s ears picked up every sound around her undistracted by her visual sight.

    She noticed the chirping of insects rising and spotted a few frogs¡ªnocturnal creatures engaged in their activities.

    As the sun gradually rose, her eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness.

    She could easily discern the outlines of big trees and shrubs.

    Following Xiaoyu¡¯s footsteps.

    Walking on the mountain path revealed its difficulty.

    The terrain was so rugged, with steep mountain slopes everywhere, that even jogging was impossible. Despite their caution, they stumbled along.

    Three hourster, their backs ached and their legs throbbed with pain, utterly exhausted.

    Xiaoyu pointed to a hollow area, indicating it was their first vige.

    Because the remaining path was downhill, it saved them considerable effort; at least Bai Xiao felt her aching legs almost automatically moved forward down the slope.

    Soon they arrived in the vige.

    The vigers were evidently prepared for their arrival; someone immediately greeted Xiaoyu, speaking a dialect Bai Xiao and the others couldn¡¯t understand.

    Xiaoyu¡¯s face went pale.

    "Doctor Bai, there¡¯s a woman inbor experiencing difficulties, it¡¯s been two days and nights. Her mother wants us to take a look."

    Xiaoyu had no experience in midwifery.

    Bai Xiao nced at Doctor Zhang.

    Doctor Zhang looked baffled; he was a surgeon, not an obstetrician, and had no experience in delivering babies.

    "Doctor Bai, this one¡¯s on you, I¡¯m no good!"

    Bai Xiao exhaled.

    "Let¡¯s go! We need to take a look! We can¡¯t just stand by, a woman experiencingbor for two days and nights can easily lose the strength to give birth, ending up with two deaths."

    Since they were here, there was no reason to ignore it.

    Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t allow herself to stay uninvolved.

    The scene inside the small house was shockingly pitiful.

    The pregnant woman¡¯s husband, Weng Jiefang, was a humble and foolish man, over forty, shabby and unpleasant-looking, dark-skinned. When he came near, Bai Xiao could instantly smell an unpleasant odor¡ªthat of body odor¡ªso strong that Bai Xiao could barely tolerate it, forcing her to pull her mask up.

    Otherwise, she doubted she could continue enduring it.

    Doctor Zhang seemed to think the same, distancing himself from the man.

    Bai Xiao seriously suspected this seventeen-year-old girl before her was not the man¡¯s true wife, but merely sold to him by another family to relieve their own burdens, serving as a mere childbearing tool.

    She attentively examined her patient.

    Bai Na was a tall and sturdy country girl, but now she faced unexpected troubles, and was already starting to panic.

    Bai Xiao tried her best tofort her, asking Xiaoyu to interpret her words, to have a calming effect, so she and the child would feel morefortable.

    NovelFire

    However, the contractions persisted incessantly.

    Bai Na¡¯s cheeks were pale, her eyes sunken.

    Clearly tormented and barely alive.

    Bai Na¡¯s husband, Weng Jiefang, continued recounting how Bai Na¡¯s mother sought their help in this one-room shabby hut, revealing Bai Na had been in pain for two days.

    He mumbledints about being unable to sleep, while Bai Xiao stifled the strong urge to p him.

    "This might help with the pain." Bai Xiao spoke calmly, rying her message through Xiaoyu.

    Bai Na was only seventeen, and this was her first birth.

    They didn¡¯t havebor-inducing injections, so Bai Xiao used two silver needles on her arms, already helping suppress pain and calm her down, assisting Bai Xiao to deliver the baby.

    Doctor Zhang wanted toe in and help, but Weng Jiefang blocked him at the door.

    Ramblingly telling Xiaoyu that he couldn¡¯t allow this man to see his wife¡¯s body.

    Hastily making Bai Xiao genuinely want to kick this man out.

    Leaving just the three of them in the room.

    She checked and found the fetus was breech¡ªthis delivery would be extremely challenging.

    In a hospital, this situation would require a cesarean section, but after negotiating with Xiaoyu and that man, Weng Jiefang adamantly refused surgery, opting to lose the child rather than permit an incision on his wife¡¯s abdomen.

    Even Bai Na pleaded with Xiaoyu, wanting to save her child and hoping they would help her.

    Bai Xiao could only silently rely on her special ability to ensure the child¡¯s safety, as in breech deliveries, the umbilical cord could sometimes wrap around the fetus, causing the baby to perish in the birth canal.

    Moreover, the woman had been in agony for so long.

    She also doubted if the baby, even if fine now, could survive past infancy in such conditions.

    As Bai Na¡¯s abdomen tightened again, she groaned in pain.

    "Push harder." Bai Xiao softly instructed; she could see a smooth lump¡ªthat was the child¡¯s buttocks. "Push harder!"

    Her special ability couldn¡¯t rece maternal birth canal force.

    It could merely ease the mother¡¯s pain, and also assist in rxing the canal.

    Bai Na exerted all her strength to push downward, lifting her shoulders off the bed, a piercing scream emerging from deep within her throat.

    Bai Xiao ced her hands on her high, swollen abdomen, firmly helping her push downward.

 Chapter 1000 Childbirth

    <h4>Chapter 1000: Chapter 1000 Childbirth</h4><h4></h4>

    This is the decisive moment.

    If Bai Na still cannot deliver the baby, both mother and child will die.

    Labor pains will continue, but Bai Na will grow increasingly weaker.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s special ability has alreadye into y, and she has now learned to control it. She cannot rely entirely on her ability every time, so she¡¯s holding back a part of it.

    The baby¡¯s small bottom finally emerges from Bai Na¡¯s body, and Bai Xiao quickly reaches out to grab it, but the baby, covered in mucus, is too slippery.

    She reaches her hand into the opening and grabs the baby¡¯s leg. "Push again! He¡¯s about toe out," she shouts to Bai Na.

    Xiaoyu hurriedly wipes Bai Na¡¯s sweat and conveys Bai Xiao¡¯s meaning to her.

    But Bai Na is evidently exhausted and hasin back down, the pain nearly incapacitating her.

    Bai Xiao can only wait for her next contraction.

    Special abilities are for moments of crisis, not for mere hope.

    A few secondster, the contractions begin again.

    Bai Xiao uses the natural power of Bai Na¡¯s internal muscles and quickly pulls the baby¡¯s lower body out of the mother, revealing it¡¯s a boy.

    She desperately uses her ability in her hands and inserts a finger to prevent Bai Na¡¯s muscles from contracting and trapping the baby¡¯s head, causing harm. Under the influence of her ability, she seems to know what to do, and with her other hand, she steadily pulls the entire baby out.

    It only takes an instant.

    The little thing lies softly beneath Bai Na.

    The baby and Bai Na both lie quietly,pletely still.

    Xiaoyu is already dumbfounded.

    Though it¡¯s her first delivery, and she didn¡¯t participate, she watched the entire process of the baby¡¯s arrival.

    What a miraculous event.

    Bai Xiao picks up the little mass, so soft it¡¯s almost unbelievable, and fears she might break his neck. She lets him lie on her arm and firmly pats his back.

    His tiny chest starts to rise and fall, and as air enters his lungs for the first time, the baby lets out a faint cry.

    Bai Xiao finally smiles.

    If he cries, it¡¯s all good.

    "Alright, alright, this is good!" Bai Xiao says softly with excitement, turning the baby over to check if anything is blocking his throat or mouth.

    NovelFire

    Her ability guides her as if she knows every step.

    In such a situation, she must perform this step first, but this time, getting the child to breathe seems more important.

    The little guy cries and vigorously waves his limbs.

    As if telling everyone his grievances and dissatisfaction.

    Because he¡¯s been inside his mother¡¯s belly for too long.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s face shows a weary smile.

    His cries grow stronger with each utterance.

    By now, the umbilical cord is no longer useful. She ties it close to his small belly, swiftly cuts it using scissors that Xiaoyu had sterilized, and wraps him in a garment Bai Na handed over to keep him warm.

    After cing him beside Bai Na, she turns her attention back to the girl.

    Bai Na is actually in a semi-conscious state.

    "Your son is here, Bai Na," Bai Xiao has Xiaoyu tell her. "He¡¯s a boy and looks healthy. Listen to his cries! So strong, he¡¯ll grow into a handsome young man. Both of you are fine. Soon the afterbirth wille out. I¡¯ll clean you up, and you¡¯ll feelfortable, then you can rest."

    Xiaoyu doesn¡¯t know how she can say suchforting words, almost looking at Bai Xiao in admiration.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s pale lips tremble silently; she has no strength to hold her child.

    Under Bai Xiao¡¯s special ability, Bai Na¡¯s body is barely stable, with no major bleeding or otherplications. Without the ability, the woman might not have made it.

    Bai Xiao takes a slight breath.

    The centa soon descends.

    After handling the non-abnormal heavy bleeding, Bai Xiao can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

    Fortunately, it was her. If it were someone else, they probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to do anything; given the earlier situation, Bai Na would certainly have hemorrhaged, endangering the young mother¡¯s life, as she had exhausted all her strength.

    She cleans Bai Na¡¯s body, tidies the meager bedding, covers Bai Na with a nket, and picks up the crying little baby.

    His mother is too weak to care for him.

    She holds him gently in her arms, softly rocking him, and sure enough, he quiets down, his furry little head tilting towards her.

    She hands the child over to Weng Jiefang waiting outside, who nces at the child with disdain and then asks Xiaoyu what this is.

    Xiaoyu angrily points at him, yelling.

    Only then does Bai Xiao realize that Weng Jiefang actually sees the child as a jinx, thinking that taking two days to be born is an ominous sign in their vige.

    Eventually, the vige elders arrived, calming Xiaoyu and the others¡¯ anger, and Weng Jiefang promised to take good care of the mother and son, bringing the baby inside to ce him beside Bai Na. Despite being exhausted, the young mother still looked at her child with delight.

    NovelFire

    Bai Na raised her head, her pale and thin face illuminated by a brilliant smile.

    These words wereter told to Bai Xiao by Xiaoyu; Bai Na indeed said these words to Bai Xiao then.

    "Thank you, doctor. I¡¯m so grateful you were here."

    Bai Xiao grinned wryly, knowing only she understood Bai Na hovered between life and death. Without Bai Xiao¡¯s ability, Bai Na would have likely died from hemorrhage during difficultbor.

    The vige people spoke to them, Xiaoyu shaking her head repeatedly.

    Only then did Bai Xiao realize the vigers were grateful for saving the mother and wanted them to stay for a meal.

    Bai Xiao and her team politely declined, as they had other patients to see.

    Though, ording to tradition, they would stay the night to attend to other patients if needed.

    They stayed in a vacant hut used by Dean Lu and his team whenever they visited, so they settled there.

    It¡¯s merely a thatched hut, swaying in the wind and rain, quite rundown. However, the other houses here aren¡¯t much better, all drafty and leaky.

    Lucky it didn¡¯t rain today; otherwise, who knows how they would manage lodging inside.

    All afternoon, vigers came continually, probably due to Bai Xiao saving Bai Na. They revered them almost as divine.

    After all, around here, girls like Bai Na, if the midwife deresbor difficult, rarely survive. Bai Xiao managed to save a mother and child previously deemed unsavable, making her a Divine Doctor in their eyes.

    Of course, they have no idea how rare Divine Doctors like Bai Xiao truly are.

    Bai Xiao worked a whole day, and only after night fell did she find peace, starting to write her day¡¯s delivery experiences into a report.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1001: Even a tiger will not eat its cubs.

    <h4>Chapter 1001: Chapter 1001: Even a tiger will not eat its cubs.</h4><h4></h4>

    Xiaoyu and the doctor picked up firewood and cooked, basically just boiling some water in a pot to make corn porridge to go with the dry food they brought.

    Suddenly, they heard someone in the vige cursing loudly.

    The sound was loud, in the quiet darkness of the mountain vige, it seemed like a thunderbolt alerting everyone.

    Bai Xiao and the doctor came out to see what was happening.

    In this pitch-ck night, something that brought everyone out was indeed a big event.

    Someone was holding a torch, things like shlights are luxuries that ordinary families don¡¯t have. Although electricity has been connected here, every household saves money by relying on the light from burning firewood inside the house at night. People tidy up after dinner and go to bed, with basically no entertainment activities, because entertainment would cost money.

    The people here won¡¯t spend money if they can avoid it, simply because they don¡¯t have money to spend.

    Xiaoyu seemed like a professional interpreter, watching themotion while tranting in Bai Xiao¡¯s ear.

    "Weng Jiefang, you can¡¯t do this, Bai Na just gave birth to a child, and you want to throw the child away. That¡¯s your own son, how can you be so cruel? If Bai Na finds out, aren¡¯t you risking her life?" A scrawny, wrinkled olddy desperately hugged Weng Jiefang¡¯s arm, protecting the swaddled child in Weng Jiefang¡¯s arms.

    That child was already wrapped up tightly, and the sound of a child¡¯s sobbing, like a kitten, made Bai Xiao¡¯s heart sink.

    This child doesn¡¯t seem well!

    "Let go of me, this child is as weak as a chick, can¡¯t even cry, clearly not in good condition. Instead of burdening the family, it¡¯s better to leave him on the mountain, isn¡¯t that what people in our vige do? Bai Na can still have children after recovering." Weng Jiefang was clearly indifferent, numb, and cold-blooded.

    Many people, seeing themotion and hearing the child wasn¡¯t well, also nodded in agreement. This is their tradition here. If a child is born weak and sick, they leave it to fate. If ced on the mountain for a night without incident, then it¡¯s heaven¡¯s will for him to survive.

    Otherwise, it¡¯s just bad luck, a bad fate.

    Of course, over the years, not many have survived.

    This just proves thew of natural selection, survival of the fittest.

    "No, no! If you don¡¯t want him, then give him to me, we¡¯ll raise him, this is a life!"

    Bai Na¡¯s mother said this, clearly making many people¡¯s faces unpleasant.

    Especially a white-haired elder smoking a pipe, who tapped the pipe harshly on a stone two times.

    "The child¡¯s mother, don¡¯t talk nonsense, this child has Weng¡¯s surname! Not our Bai¡¯s. It¡¯s unreasonable to let us raise him. That¡¯s another mouth to feed, how will you support that? We can barely support ourselves, and there are also the second and third sons who haven¡¯t married yet, you¡¯ll make them bachelors."

    It seems this is Bai Na¡¯s father.

    Two fifteen or sixteen-year-old boys stepped forward, their faces darkened by the sun with bright eyes, extending their hands, "Dad, we¡¯ll raise him, this is sister¡¯s flesh and blood. If Weng doesn¡¯t raise him, we¡¯ll eat less so he can have a share. No one will starve. We can¡¯t leave sister¡¯s child to heaven."

    Bai Xiao chuckled softly, it seems these two brothers are good people, at least brave enough for their sister¡¯s nephew.

    Compared to Weng Jiefang, they¡¯re much better off. It¡¯s puzzling how Bai Na¡¯s parents married her to such a jerk like Weng Jiefang.

    It seems Bai Na¡¯s parents are not bad, marrying a seventeen-year-old daughter to a forty-year-old man, one wonders why, maybe there are hidden reasons.

    Regardless of hidden reasons, Weng Jiefang seems like a not only jerk but a triple-tiered scumbag.

    Upon hearing this, Weng Jiefang suddenly felt relieved, "It¡¯s the two brothers-inw who said it, if they agree, take the child away."

    If there¡¯s even a bit of choice, he surely doesn¡¯t want to throw his son on the mountain, where there are many beasts like tigers and wolves, leaving such a small baby on the mountain would surely feed those wild animals.

    But thinking about his own family...

    Just that bit of food in the field doesn¡¯t even fill the couple, let alone such a little one.

    Another child in the family means another mouth to feed.

    Besides, if there¡¯s another mouth, his wife needs to eat better, otherwise, where¡¯s the milk to feed this child?

    No kidding, men should eat better in this household.

    He never nned to have children, if it wasn¡¯t for marrying a wife by ident, he probably couldn¡¯t marry in his life.

    Now there¡¯s a wife to serve, who can indulge him at night.

    Originally, he did the farm work alone, exhausted to death. Now with a wife, all the work could be handed over to her.

    How easy his life is now.

    "Weng Jiefang, what do you want to do?"

    A weak voice came, everyone looked, Bai Na was feebly leaning against the door frame.

    Her gaze was cold, her face pale like a ghost.

    Xiaoyu got anxious. They had saved Bai Na from the brink of death, and in less than half a day she¡¯s up, risking her life?

    Rushing over in two or three steps, Xiaoyu helped Bai Na, "What are you doing? This is dangerous."

    Bai Na was unmoved, staring steadily at Weng Jiefang, "What did you say you want to do to my son?"

    Only when hearts are cold do words like these emerge.

    Weng Jiefang looked at Bai Na indifferently, saying nonchntly, "You see for yourself, the child is sicker than a cat, can¡¯t even nurse properly. Sooner orter, he¡¯ll die, better let heaven take him."

    Bai Na trembled with anger.

    "Weng Jiefang, how can you be worse than animals? They say even tigers don¡¯t eat their cubs, yet you don¡¯t want your own son. Are you even human?"

    "Yes! I¡¯m worse than an animal. But what can I do? This child is yours to keep at all costs. Born, what will he eat, drink, how will you feed him? This family is so poor, if you have the ability, you raise him yourself. I can¡¯t even care for myself, how could I care for him?"

    His words made many people widen their eyes.

    No one in the vige has been so indifferent to their offspring, and many pointed their fingers at him.

    "Weng Jiefang, how can you be like this? This child is your flesh and blood."

    "If you don¡¯t raise him, who will? Who do you expect to raise him?"

    "You¡¯re a grown man now. You used to be reckless, but we let it slide. Now that you have a wife and child, how can you continue with such actions?"

    "You all save it, I can¡¯t raise him, just can¡¯t. If she has the ability, she can return with the child to her mother¡¯s house."

    Weng Jiefang wasn¡¯t afraid at all, knowing vigers bulldoze the weak and fear the strong. For a vagabond like him, they can only talk behind his back, what else can they do?

 Chapter 1002: Difficult Situation

    <h4>Chapter 1002: Chapter 1002: Difficult Situation</h4><h4></h4>

    "Weng Jiefang, I¡¯m telling you. If you don¡¯t support this child today, I¡¯ll really take the child and go back to my family." Bai Na coldly dropped a sentence.

    It was a statement that stirred up a thousand waves.

    In their vige, it¡¯s not unusual for women to take their children and return to their parents, living on their own because the marriage age in their vige is generally young and doesn¡¯tply with current marriagew policies, so most don¡¯t register. After all, divorce doesn¡¯t exist here.

    Every household¡¯s daughters and sons-inw are like this, carrying on for the sake of the children. Bai Na is the same; she¡¯s only seventeen and can¡¯t legally marry.

    Technically, what they have can only be considered cohabitation without legal marriage.

    But no woman in the vige had done such a thing.

    "Bai Na, you can¡¯t act on impulse. How can a woman live without a man?"

    "No matter what, he¡¯s still your man. What you said is too much."

    "If people in the vige all acted like you, how could life go on?"

    The whole vige is still entrenched in feudal thinking, with men as the authority.

    A woman should listen to her man; otherwise, in their eyes, it¡¯s a grave sin.

    Of course, what Bai Na said today made many people ufortable.

    She was openly challenging their feudal authority.

    Weng Jiefangughed. How could he not know what the men in the vige thought?

    Here, men are like the sky; what they say goes.

    "Alright, you¡¯ve got guts now. If you want to leave, then go. You think I can¡¯t live without you?"

    Arrogant, as he knew well, even his father-inw wouldn¡¯t allow his daughter to just return home with a child, adding two extra mouths to feed. How would they get by then?

    Bai Na¡¯s mother was dumbfounded.

    How could her good daughter just return home?

    The problem is that once theye home, it really adds two extra mouths to feed, and the harvest from the fields barely fills their bellies.

    If there are two more mouths to feed, how are they supposed to survive?

    This isn¡¯t something that can be solved with a flick of the tongue.

    In a mountainous vige like theirs, the harvest is poor, and with no other skills, they don¡¯t even have money throughout the year. If they can fill their bellies, they¡¯re already lucky.

    With reluctance, she said, "Daughter, it¡¯s not necessary to go this far. Even if the son-inw isn¡¯t reliable, how can married couples live without friction? We¡¯ve decided to take the child back to raise at our ce. Your two brothers said as long as they have food, so will this child.

    We certainly won¡¯t let the child suffer. You just focus on living your life well."

    It¡¯s not that they don¡¯t want to support their daughter, but once she returns home, it would be hard for her to remarry.

    Bai Na¡¯s father knocked his pipe against his mouthpiece. In one breath, he had already knocked his pipe several times.

    Even Bai Xiao suspected that his pipe couldn¡¯t be damaged.

    "Think it through for yourself."

    This sentence was unexpected for Bai Xiao.

    He didn¡¯t expect Bai Na¡¯s father to be protective of his daughter, implying that her return home wasn¡¯t impossible.

    Weng Jiefang finally became nervous.

    He was just saying it to make his wife submit. He knew his actions were inhumane, but if she really went back home.

    He would lose out greatly.

    Not only would he lose his son, but also his wife. In the future, who would do the work and serve him?

    "Father-inw, think about it. If it¡¯s known within the ten-mile radius that Bai Na returned home, she won¡¯t be able to get married again. Your family will be raising two extra mouths for no reason. At that time, people¡¯s spittle alone could drown you out."

    Now, he is hoping his father-inw will make the decision.

    The old father-inw is only about ten years older than him, so they couldn¡¯t have been family under normal circumstances, but it was fate.

    Bai Ying cares a lot about face.

    If a daughter returns home, especially with a tag-along child, it¡¯s unlikely he would agree.

    As long as Bai Ying doesn¡¯t agree, Bai Na has no ce to go.

    A woman with an infant, trying to live on her own, isn¡¯t easy. Land here isn¡¯t just given out. Women¡¯snd is tied to their fathers or husbands. Without the name on the household register, women can¡¯t getnd.

    Nond means no food, no grain.

    He scoffed, not believing Bai Na wouldn¡¯t give in.

    Bai Ying looked at Weng Jiefang¡¯s despicable, smug expression and remembered the grievance when his daughter married a year ago to Weng Jiefang, indeed.

    If it weren¡¯t for Weng Jiefang, taking advantage of Bai Na falling off the mountain, saving Bai Na and letting the whole vige see it, and then boldly asking Bai Ying for her hand in marriage, in their vige, saving a life is a huge favor.

    If their family didn¡¯t agree, it would be ungrateful.

    How could a fine daughter like a blooming flower be married off to a fool like Weng Jiefang?

    Among so many young men in the vige, which one wasn¡¯t better than Weng Jiefang?

    How could they let this scoundrel marry their daughter?

    What¡¯s the saying about a flower in a pile of cow dung?

    Their family¡¯s Bai Na is the embodiment of it.

    Seeing his daughter endure hardship and fatigue at the Weng Family wasn¡¯t enough; this bastard wasn¡¯t even willing to work in the fields, lounging around the vige all day. But what can they do, women here don¡¯t return to their parents.

    For hundreds of years, it wasn¡¯t unheard of.

    But women who returned had no good oues.

    "Dad, just let your daughter make her own decision for once. Whether it¡¯s life or death, I will live with my child, definitely not burdening the family. Just pretend you never had a daughter like me. Give your grandson and daughter a way out too.

    Weng Jiefang has always been a good-for-nothing, and I endured it. But a man who doesn¡¯t want his own flesh and blood isn¡¯t a human. How can I live with such a beast again?

    I will raise my child on my own, even if it means starving; I won¡¯t beg for your help."

    This was Bai Na¡¯s only request, knowing that without such words, her father wouldn¡¯t agree to her leaving.

    Bai Na¡¯s mom panicked, "How can you say such things, daughter? How can you live with such a small child? If you went alone into the mountains, wouldn¡¯t you feed the wolves? No matter how bad he is, he¡¯s still your man."

    Despite her mother¡¯s earlier defense of her grandson and daughter, upon hearing her daughter wanted to bring her grandson home, of course, she was unwilling.

    It¡¯s not about being scolded behind their backs; the problem is how to support two people!

    Tears streamed down Bai Na¡¯s face.

    "Mom, Dad, if you don¡¯t agree today, I¡¯ll die with this child, saving him from a heartless father and a mother who can¡¯t protect him. At least he wouldn¡¯t havee to my womb in vain."

 Chapter 1003 Beaten

    <h4>Chapter 1003: Chapter 1003 Beaten</h4>

    Weng Jiefang¡¯s face couldn¡¯t save face, being cursed as a beast repeatedly, he wasn¡¯t shameless.

    A p swung forth.

    "You damned woman, who are you calling a beast? I¡¯ll beat you to death today, see who dares to intervene when I¡¯m hitting my own wife?"

    A p indeednded on Bai Na¡¯s face.

    Astonishingly, no one around intervened or tried to stop him.

    Bai Xiao was truly puzzled; she didn¡¯t know that here, men beating women was the norm, and none of the men questioned it.

    In many surrounding viges, in impoverished ces, men could hit or curse women as they pleased.

    Moreover, in many ces, the n Leader could exercise private punishment, disregarding human life.

    In their ce, their n regtions and customs held much more sway than outsidews.

    In their minds,ws were for civilized people; they were uneducated, couldn¡¯t recognize a word, those things had nothing to do with them.

    Besides, police couldn¡¯t reach their remote area; seeing a policeman might be a rare event that happens once every few years.

    Here, even visits and investigations by the local police station were incredibly difficult; high mountains and long rivers made it impossible for them toe repeatedly.

    This was the reason these people were emboldened and fearless.

    They respected their vige rules and customs more.

    Bai Xiao clutched Weng Jiefang¡¯s wrist and he had never thought someone would stop him.

    In this area, a man hitting his own wife, who could interfere? It was a household matter.

    Besides, what man doesn¡¯t hit his own wife?

    Turning around, he saw it was the doctor who helped his wife give birth today, this doctor was truly pretty, different from the local women who worked in the fields daily under the sun, their skin dark and coarse, looking like chunks of coal.

    But this doctor had fair and delicate skin; her cheeks seemed so tender as if water could be squeezed out, white and tender made people restless.

    "Doctor Bai, although you¡¯ve saved my wife, this is our family matter and not for you to intervene."

    Because he was facing a pretty woman, he spoke a bit more courteously, but still wouldn¡¯t yield his rights.

    "This is not your family matter."

    Xiaoyu helped Bai Xiao trante her words.

    Everyone here was stunned, how could this not be their family matter?

    Facing the unfriendly gazes of everyone, Xiaoyu was a bit uneasy, involuntarily tugging Bai Xiao¡¯s sleeve, "Doctor Bai, we can¡¯t intervene in this matter; indeed, it¡¯s their family matter. In our ce, once a woman marries a man, no matter if she¡¯s beaten, cursed, alive or dead, it¡¯s not for the woman¡¯s family to interfere."

    Xiaoyu was also a traditional woman from Gui Province, educated and influenced by such values since childhood.

    No one truly felt that anything was wrong.

    Bai Xiao smiled and said, "Tell them that Bai Na and this man haven¡¯t obtained a marriage certificate; although everyone in your vige thinks they are husband and wife, legally they are not. Since they aren¡¯t, this Weng Jiefang can¡¯t just beat Bai Na casually.

    Bai Na is free; no one can force her to do something she doesn¡¯t want to do. If you don¡¯t believe it, we can call the police station officers now and see if the police will intervene in such matters.

    Of course, such matters aremon in your vige, and typically aren¡¯t reported to the authorities, but if someone files aint now, the police will certainly intervene; randomly assaulting others and endangering a child¡¯s life is considered a murder attempt, if not punished by serving thirty to fifty years in prison.

    I wouldn¡¯t deserve to be called Doctor Bai."

    She couldn¡¯t stand men hitting women.

    Bai Na seemed like another version of herself.

    But Bai Na was still young with a chance to change everything; if she didn¡¯t want change, Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t interfere on behalf of others. Now, since she had expressed this willingness, Bai Xiao hoped this girl could have a new life.

    No one should live without dignity or the ability to protect their offspring; no one can take away a mother¡¯s desire to protect her child.

    Moreover, this child was delivered by Bai Xiao.

    Bai Na¡¯s two younger brothers stepped forward, "Mom and Dad, let sistere home if she wants to; we two will work hard and can support sister and nephew."

    These words made Bai Xiao look at them differently. Under such upbringing, two men could emerge without the traditional male dominant attitude, wanting to protect their sister; these two boys were indeed taking the first step away from feudal thinking.

    Weng Jiefang became furious, pointing at Bai Xiao¡¯s nose and yelled, "So you¡¯re a city doctor? Even if you are, you can¡¯t casually meddle in our business. Do you believe I¡¯ll knock your teeth out today and show you the difference between men and women?

    When men speak, there¡¯s no ce for women¡¯s words. Such recklessness, daring to meddle in our family matters.

    Today I¡¯ll let you see the true definition of being a man and teach you city women what to be aware of."

    While speaking, he rolled up his sleeves and charged at Bai Xiao, aiming blows at her.

    While Xiaoyu was tranting, she sensed something was wrong butcked time to intervene; however, Doctor Zhang wasn¡¯t the same.

    Earlier he was vaguely alert and also mentally med Bai Xiao¡¯s trouble-making ability.

    This was remote mountains, different from urban educated people;cking the quality and conditions.

    Haven¡¯t heard of treacherous folks from remote areas?

    Moreover, these brutes often resorted to hands; if beaten, they¡¯d endure it unjustly.

    Anyway, knowing the potential for a beating, he couldn¡¯t let Bai Xiao, a girl, suffer.

    Doctor Zhang darted out in a sh.

    Though Doctor Zhang was older, through years of health care and exercise he stayed fit.

    Despite Weng Jiefang¡¯s bluster, he was essentially azy man not doing work, looking imposing but without real strength.

    Thus Doctor Zhang managed to take down Weng Jiefang in a single move.

    Weng Jiefang got punched in the face, fell onto the ground t on his back.

    The punchnded squarely on the nose, immediately causing blood to flow, sttering blood all over his face.

    Weng Jiefang started wailing loudly.

    "City folks have killed someone, city folks are bullying us country people!"

    Doctor Zhang awkwardly nced at his own hand.

    He hadn¡¯t exerted much force; despite his frail nature, he managed to hit someone here.

    Approaching earlier was nerve-racking; he thought he¡¯d take a beating himself.

    What kind of mess was this?

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1004: Heart Attack

    <h4>Chapter 1004: Chapter 1004: Heart Attack</h4>

    "Why do these city folks have to meddle in our vige¡¯s affairs?"

    The men in the crowd were disgruntled. To them, these people were outsiders. Even though they respected doctors, involving themselves in vige matters felt like an infringement on their territory and authority.

    The men immediately started moring.

    "Even though they¡¯re doctors, they can¡¯t just interfere with our business."

    "If things go on like this, everyone will goad our wives to go against us. How are we supposed to live then?"

    This was what these men truly thought.

    In the vige, men were like heaven, men were like gods. In the household, men ate the best. All the chores were done by women. Besides farm work, women also had to take care of the housework and bring up the children.

    If today turned into such amotion, what if their women saw that Bai Na could do it, why couldn¡¯t they?

    By then, chaos would ensue; this was about safeguarding the men¡¯s rights.

    Even the old n Leader jumped in, stamping his cane forcefully on the ground.

    "Doctor Bai, Doctor Zhang, and Doctor L¨¹, there¡¯s no need for you to handle this matter today. It¡¯s better you go back and rest."

    This was an expulsion.

    Xiaoyu tugged at Bai Xiao, knowing that Doctor Zhang couldn¡¯t control Doctor Bai.

    If Doctor Bai didn¡¯t leave, there could be big trouble in the vige today. If they angered the masses and were detained or beaten, no one would protect them.

    Going against an entire vige wouldn¡¯t end well.

    Bai Na gratefully said to Bai Xiao, "Doctor Bai, thank you not only for saving the lives of me and my child but also for standing up, showing me there are still clear-minded people in this world. There are still people who sympathize with me, and I¡¯m not unreasonable. That¡¯s enough. This is my own matter. Please don¡¯t get involved any further; it will only bring trouble and danger to you."

    Weng Jiefang immediately became arrogant, tightly gripping Bai Na¡¯s wrist, "Youzy woman, go, hurry home with me. Don¡¯t think these city people backing you mean anything, let me tell you they¡¯ll leave eventually, and see how I¡¯ll deal with you after they¡¯re gone."

    Bai Na¡¯s face changed from the pain.

    Weng Jiefang did it on purpose; her arm was almost being twisted off by him.

    Bai Xiao kicked Weng Jiefang. It was so sudden that Weng Jiefang, unprepared, was sent flying by her kick.

    The men in the vige wouldn¡¯t stand for it.

    A woman actually attacked a man.

    Isn¡¯t this chaos?

    Immediately, they picked up sticks and hoes, surrounding Xiaoyu, Bai Xiao, and the other two.

    "Get out, get out of our vige!"

    "A woman should be at home having children and caring for her husband, what¡¯s she doing here?"

    "Daring to hit a man, it¡¯swlessness."

    "Chase them out of our vige."

    The crowd was in an uproar, almost ready to actually drive them out.

    Xiaoyu and Doctor Zhang were really frightened; if these people lost control and started beating them, there¡¯d be no recourse even if they were beaten to death.

    After all, this wasn¡¯t the first brawl here that ended unresolved.

    After all, thew doesn¡¯t punish everyone.

    Suddenly, the old n Leader swayed, clutching his chest, and copsed to the ground.

    His body convulsed, eyes rolling back.

    Everyone was frightened.

    The n Leader¡¯s son panicked, squatting down to help his father breathe.

    But clearly, his efforts were futile; the old n Leader¡¯s condition wasn¡¯t improving, only worsening.

    Now, the vigers looked at Doctor Zhang, Bai Xiao, and Xiaoyu.

    Yet, they couldn¡¯t utter a word, putting down the sticks and hoes they held.

    Just moments ago, they were calling for the doctors¡¯ heads, and now they had to turn and ask for help? How could they say that?

    In an instant, everyone¡¯s faces felt hot, stung as if just pped.

    Indeed, how could they forget these were doctors?

    If they had an illness or incident here, wasn¡¯t it the doctors who treated them?

    Without Dean L¨¹ asionally providing some medicines, even with diseases, they could only endure at home.

    Many people had died from minor illnesses.

    Now, they were bullying the doctors, shouting to attack, almost killing them.

    How could they ask now?

    While they hesitated, Bai Xiao and Doctor Zhang had already pushed past those standing by, and along with Xiaoyu, approached the old n Leader.

    Bai Xiao gently pushed aside the n Leader¡¯s son, "Get out of the way, let me see what¡¯s wrong with your father."

    Though the n Leader¡¯s son didn¡¯t fully understand, he knew from their gestures that the doctors were examining his father.

    He hastily moved aside.

    Bai Xiao and Doctor Zhang quickly took out their stethoscopes.

    Bai Xiao checked the pulse; Doctor Zhang carried out other examinations.

    The old n Leader suffered a sudden cardiac arrest. Doctor Zhang quickly cleared the old n Leader¡¯s airway of possible blockages, had himid on a hard surface, head to the side, and unbuttoned his shirt, starting chestpressions for heart resuscitation.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s examination found such a condition required surgery. Even if he recovered now, it was merely a temporary fix, always at risk of life-threatening danger.

    Finally, the old n Leader let out a long breath and opened his eyes.

    The n Leader¡¯s son, somewhat agitated, tried to lift the old n Leader but was stopped by Doctor Zhang.

    Xiaoyu hurriedly tranted.

    "Brother Ma Jie, the old man has a heart problem and can¡¯t be moved now. After examining him, Doctor Zhang and Doctor Bai found it¡¯s a heart issue; he must be taken to the hospital for surgery. Otherwise, even if he wakes up today, he might fall unconscious again anytime. If other symptoms appear, it might be toote to get him to a hospital since it¡¯s at least over three hours by mountain road to the hospital.

    Doctor Zhang and Doctor Bai hope you¡¯ll send the old man to the hospital as soon as possible."

    Hearing this, the n Leader¡¯s son grew anxious, never realizing his father¡¯s condition was so severe.

    His father¡¯s health had been asionally bad with fainting spells, but he hadn¡¯t anticipated such grave consequences.

    "I won¡¯t have surgery, that opening the chest and belly just to die at the hospital, I won¡¯t go¡ªI¡¯d rather die at home," the old n Leader weakly told his son.

    The n Leader¡¯s son was torn. In their vige, those with severe illnesses sent to the hospital never returned.

    In their belief, going to the hospital had no good end; it was a dead end.

 Chapter 1005: I Will Die with Him

    <h4>Chapter 1005: Chapter 1005: I Will Die with Him</h4>

    "Old man, the problem you have now isn¡¯t a major disease. You just need to go to the hospital for a simple heart surgery to solve it. If you keep dragging it out, it will only get worse. To put it bluntly, this illness can be small or big, but if untreated, it could be life-threatening.

    If you go to the hospital, there¡¯s still hope."

    Dr. Zhang couldn¡¯t bear to see a life simply give up on itself when, clearly, this surgery isn¡¯t difficult. For surgeons like them, such a simple heart surgery is not a big deal. Even if there areplications, with careful post-operative care, the probability is very low.

    It¡¯s simply unbelievable to give up one¡¯s life due to ignorance.

    "Stop talking, I won¡¯t go. What good cane from being cut open? If heaven wants me dead, I won¡¯t escape it anyway, so I¡¯ll ept my fate."

    Since the patient stubbornly chose this, no one could change his mind.

    Dr. Zhang could only sigh helplessly.

    Suddenly, Bai Na¡¯s mother eximed.

    "Child! Doctor,e quickly, the child suddenly stopped breathing."

    Bai Xiao rushed over, having just heard the child¡¯s very weak breaths.

    She was already prepared to check the child, but unexpected interruptions dyed the process.

    If this child faced danger because of her neglect, she¡¯d never forgive herself. This is a life!

    Her very own hands had delivered this child.

    She hastily took the child in her arms. The child¡¯s eyelids twitched, his malnourished face showing tiny, suckling-like muscle movements; his face was purplish and breathing had stopped, yet parts of his body were twitching, indicating signs of life.

    Dr. Zhang put aside persuading the old man for heart surgery and swiftly joined Dr. Bai.

    For a surgeon like him, these pediatric issues are indeed challenging. Even though he learned about them during school, in surgery, he mostly dealt with heart, cardio-cerebrovascr, and other patients, rarely touching newborns with such diseases.

    Even now, after examination, he couldn¡¯t pin down the cause of the child¡¯s condition.

    After checking with her special ability, Bai Xiao said solemnly, "The child has purulent meningitis. Intracranial fluid umtion isrge and has caused elevated intracranial pressure; we need to perform a subdural puncture to release the fluid."

    The child¡¯s stability was manageable as long as there was no misdiagnosis; rescuing the child shouldn¡¯t be an issue.

    Bai Na, supported by Xiaoyu, rushed over. This poor girl had held the child only once since birth. Upon seeing him again, his father wanted to abandon him, and now the child had a severe illness.

    Bai Na nearly fainted.

    Her trembling hands reached to hold the child, but she feared pulling him from Bai Xiao¡¯s arms would bring fatal consequences.

    Weng Jiefang, already behind her, leaned in for a nce at the child, his expression cold, with a hint of schadenfreude, as if this ailing child wasn¡¯t his own.

    "See, didn¡¯t I say the child wouldn¡¯t make it? You stubbornly fought me, without considering such a child; if you try to raise him, how long could he survive? He might not evenst a while, yet you argue with me. Utterly foolish."

    These words were colder than cold, showing absolutely zero familial affection to the child in Bai Xiao¡¯s arms.

    Bai Na abruptly stood up, turned, and pped Weng Jiefang. Perhaps she used all her strength, for after the p, she nearly copsed.

    Bai Na¡¯s mother rushed in to hold her tightly.

    Weng Jiefang was knocked to the ground by the p.

    Every man in the vige watched Bai Na in disbelief; there were women of strong character in the vige, but none would hit their man publicly like this. With one p, Weng Jiefang lost all his reputation.

    They all awaited his response.

    Sure enough, Weng Jiefang picked himself up intending to hit Bai Na, but upon seeing the Bai brothers standing firmly beside her, looking fierce, he shrank back. He knew he was no match for them and could only angrily point at Bai Na.

    "How dare you hit me? Is the sky falling now? Ask around the vige, what woman dares strike her man? Damn it, I don¡¯t want a wife like you, with just a pretty face, who birthed a sickly child, yet now even dares hit her own husband.

    Weren¡¯t you going to take the child and leave? Go now, and from today on, you¡¯re forbidden from entering our household. I don¡¯t believe it; the child is going to die soon, you have the nerve to keep him, follow him to death."

    The words were venomous, no other words are needed.

    Clenching her teeth, Bai Na nced back at the twitching child in Bai Xiao¡¯s arms.

    Tears flowed freely down her cheeks as she turned away.

    Her eyes full of rage before were now filled with despair.

    "Fine, from this moment on, I have nothing to do with you, Weng Jiefang, and this child also has nothing to do with you. From now on, our lives are our own and none of your concern.

    You all heard it, right? Please bear witness; I, Bai Na, swear to the heavens today, this child will bear my surname, Bai. I gave birth to him, but he has never known a day¡¯s care from his father. Never enjoyed a day of happiness."

    If the child goes today, I¡¯ll go with him, to save him from walking alone on the road to the afterlife. Mother never properly cared for you. This time, I will stay with you to the end."

    The despair in her words rendered everyone in the vige speechless.

    Those trying to smooth things over fell silent.

    It wasn¡¯t their own flesh, so they couldn¡¯t feel the hurt. No one could dissuade a mother ready to die with her child.

    Many women began quietly wiping their tears.

    This predicament, who hasn¡¯t encountered simr?

    The age-old vige tradition, favoring sons over daughters, with scantnd, meager crops, and families often unable to feast enough.

    Many families had left children on the mountain, and Bai Na¡¯s wouldn¡¯t be the first, nor thest.

    Yet none had Bai Na¡¯s courage to carry her child to death.

    It didn¡¯t stop them from feeling the scene or pitying themselves; Bai Na¡¯s plight mirrored everyone¡¯s struggles.

    Several women started sobbing softly.

 Chapter 1006: Saving Lives

    <h4>Chapter 1006: Chapter 1006: Saving Lives</h4>

    Weng Jiefang angrily said, "Fine, since you¡¯ve severed all ties with me, get out of our house now."

    He turned around with his hands behind his back and went back into his own house, mming the door shut and bolting it from the inside.

    He actually left the mother and child in the courtyard.

    Many people sighed quietly, knowing there truly was no way out now.

    Bai Ying nced at the child and quietly asked Bai Xiao, "Doctor, is there really no way to save this child?"

    He voiced what everyone was feeling.

    Bai Na turned around and hugged the child tightly, pressing her forehead gently against the child¡¯s little face. She could hear the faint breathing of the child and feel the slight twitching in her arms, each twitch stabbing at her heart.

    "It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay, my child, mom is here with you. If you really leave, at least you won¡¯t have to suffer in this world. When you leave, mom will definitely go with you. I won¡¯t let you walk this path alone, my good child, you must be brave. Mom will never leave you again."

    Bai Xiao nced at Bai Na, moved by this woman¡¯s maternal glow.

    She could no longer be a mother, but she could feel the happiness and fulfillment of motherhood.

    She could also feel Bai Na¡¯s sadness and despair.

    Doctor Zhang sighed, "It¡¯s not that the child can¡¯t be saved, but the process of saving him is quiteplicated. We don¡¯t have the tools here; the child is suffering from hydrocephalus and needs a drainage surgery."

    Many newborns have died fromplications due to suppurative meningitis in the end.

    The items they took with them could not possibly include surgical tools, just some simple emergency treatment equipment, including suturing tools and medications.

    To save this child, we must return to the hospital in their town for surgery; many children suffer consequences due to dys.

    "The child can be saved now, but he needs to be sent to the hospital in town." Bai Xiao immediately decided, not that she couldn¡¯t save him, just not in the usual way.

    Hope immediately sparked in Bai Na¡¯s eyes. She grasped Bai Xiao¡¯s wrist tightly.

    "Doctor, we shall go to the town¡¯s hospital, let¡¯s go now."

    To save the child, Bai Na would spare no effort.

    Bai Ying red, incredulous. People in their vige, no matter how urgent the ailment, never go to the hospital, why?

    Simply because they¡¯re poor.

    Each household¡¯s annual ie hardly reaches fifty yuan, not to mention the hospital expenses exceeding that amount.

    Now, what money would they use to treat the child in a hospital?

    They weren¡¯t heartless; everyone in the vige waspelled to be hard-hearted by poverty,cking money leaves no room for conscience.

    Life and death are one¡¯s own fate.

    "Bai Na, stop being reckless, sending him to the town¡¯s hospital! Where¡¯s the money?"

    These words were spoken weakly.

    Bai Na¡¯s mother also lowered her head! They were helpless.

    Bai Na suddenly realized, yes! Money!

    Where would she get the money? She herself had not a penny to her name. She was quite aware of her family¡¯s situation since her father fell severely illst year, his health drastically declining, leaving the family¡¯snd to her two younger brothers and mother to cultivate.

    They relied on herbs gathered from the mountain for sustenance.

    The family lived in poverty, where would the moneye from for treatment?

    She suddenly knelt down with the child in her arms.

    "My child, my poor child, it¡¯s not that mom doesn¡¯t want to save you, it¡¯s that mom can¡¯t save you."

    Everyone understood that Bai Na had already made a decision regarding the child¡¯s survival.

    Bai Xiao was exasperated.

    "If you want to save your child, thene on, hold onto your child and follow me. We¡¯re not familiar with the mountain paths, and venturing out at night surely poses many dangers. But as long as we reach the hospital tonight, we can save this child, save this child. I¡¯ll cover the costs for you, did you hear that? If you want to save your child, summon the strength now."

    This was all Bai Xiao could do for her; she couldn¡¯t and wouldn¡¯t let a mother extinguish her child¡¯s hope like this.

    No one can imagine this helplessness and despair. And now it wasn¡¯t just one life, but two.

    If the child really left, Bai Na would likely follow him.

    Bai Xiao knew her actions were a temporary fix and not a cure, but at this moment, she couldn¡¯t allow herself to stand by.

    Bai Na suddenlyprehended what Bai Xiao said, as Xiaoyu tranted it clearly for her.

    Bai Na¡¯s two brothers immediately helped their sister up from the ground, afraid that sitting there would harm her body since she had just given birth.

    "We¡¯ll go! We¡¯ll go, I¡¯ll lead the way, I¡¯ll lead the way."

    Bai Na scrambled to hold the child, looking at Bai Xiao as her only hope.

    This doctor seemed like a fairy sent from heaven; not only did she save Bai Na from the brink of death duringbor, but now she was willing to pay to save her child.

    Bai Xiao nced at Bai Na¡¯splexion; this woman had just gone through childbirth and now was to walk the mountain path for three or four hours, which might leave her with ailments for life, considering her young age of only seventeen, regardless of marriage, the postpartum risk would affect her future greatly.

    "Thank you, doctor, thank you, doctor. As long as you save my sister¡¯s child, we¡¯ll repay you by being your servants for life; our Bai Family always keeps their word. You¡¯ll forever be our Bai Family¡¯s benefactor." The two young men knelt straight before Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao sighed, "Stop dilly-dallying here. If you really want to save your sister¡¯s child, you two should light torches and lead us out of the mountains. Let your sister rest at home; if she walks such a long mountain path with us today, her health will suffer endlessly."

    Bai Na shook her head, "No! Doctor, I can go, it¡¯s okay. Even if it¡¯s three hours, or even three days, I can make it."

    Bai Na¡¯s mother pulled her, "Child, you must consider your own body. If you fall sick too and they have to treat you in the hospital, how can these doctors rescue both you and the child?"

    Bai Ying promptly instructed the two sons.

    "You two hurry and make some torches. Whatever happens, ensure the doctor reaches the hospital safely. Your mother and I will take care of your sister at home; your sister¡¯s child depends on you now. Protect the doctor and take the Firewood Knife."

    The mountain paths were challenging enough, let alone at night, when the wild animals in the forest began their hunt.

    It¡¯s possible they might encounter some beasts at this hour.

    In the vige, no one ventures out of the mountains at night unless absolutely necessary.

    Because it was too dangerous.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1007: Escort

    <h4>Chapter 1007: Chapter 1007: Escort</h4>

    The two boys might not be able to protect the three doctors.

    But at this time, the Bai Family had already sent out their strongest workforce.

    "Let¡¯s also make torches; we¡¯ll escort you out of the mountains. When more people work together, there¡¯s more power. Just the two of you can¡¯t protect the doctors."

    A girl who usually got along very well with Bai Na stepped forward.

    She was already married and had two children.

    But seeing Bai Na, who could be so resolute for her own child.

    For the first time, a sense of rebellion against all this sprouted in her heart.

    To put it bluntly, it was a thought of wanting to destroy everything regardless of the consequences.

    Sure enough, the men looked at her like they had seen a monster emerging from the forest.

    But as this girl stood out, more and more women stepped forward too, including their children who weren¡¯t yet adults or were adults. In their minds, this was a rescue, saving this poor child was akin to saving their brothers, sisters, and mothers.

    If all of this could be achieved, there would be fewer children abandoned in the mountains in the future.

    The men silently closed their mouths.

    All the men in the vige spontaneously went to make torches.

    A sudden fear gripped their hearts, fearing that if they didn¡¯t do something today, their women and children might leave for good.

    The age-old notions of hierarchy were suddenly overturned.

    In the pitch-ck night, a winding trail of torch lights lit up the rugged mountain path, illuminating the people ahead, stretching for miles like a spectacr dragon.

    Among the crowd were men, women, and children, even though the mountain path was difficult, even dangerous.

    Yet each person was filled with emotion and a longing for the continuation of life.

    It seemed as though they were not saving someone else¡¯s child, but their own children.

    Even the wild beasts in the forest were struck by this powerful force, quietly tucking their tails and retreating, not daring to cause any trouble.

    The difficulty of this night journey.

    What would normally be a three-hour journey took five hours due to a drenching rain, causing Bai Xiao to move forward with difficulty, using an oilcloth to cover her head while holding the child. Fortunately, she had already used her special ability to treat the child.

    Clearly, she couldpletely cure the child with her special ability, but Bai Xiao was no longer the person she used to be. Now she preferred to use her special ability as a method, instead of directly on the person, to ensure the results of her treatment and to be proficient and truly master all healing methods.

    Of course, most importantly, doing it this way wouldn¡¯t provoke envy of her abilities.

    In the dead of night, they returned to the hospital.

    Xiaoli, who stayed behind, was terrified, not expecting such arge group to arrive at the hospital in the middle of the night.

    But when he heard about a newborn with suppurative meningitis needing puncture and drainage, he immediately began prepping the equipment without a word.

    The puncture and drainage were performed by Zhang, the doctor.

    For them, as surgery doctors, it was a very minor procedure, but even such treatment is rarely done in the countryside.

    The child¡¯splexion finally improved.

    Xiaoyu held the infusion needle, looking at the child¡¯s tiny hand, finding it really difficult to proceed. The child, being premature, was very small, making it hard to find veins in the hand. Once found, the tiny hands and feet kept iling around, causing Xiaoyu¡¯s heart to beat wildly, making it impossible to get the needle in.

    Finally, Bai Xiao suggested finding a vein on the child¡¯s head and seeded in inserting the needle.

    As the medication from the bottle gradually flowed into the child¡¯s body, the child slowly calmed down, closed his eyes, and started sleeping.

    Everyone outside who saw the child stabilize felt relieved. In their minds, many were unwilling toe to the hospital.

    They were ethnic minorities, and they had their own gods they worshipped.

    Birth, old age, sickness, and death, to them, were a natural course.

    The hospital, in their minds, was akin to monsters and demons.

    Mostly because many of those sent to hospitals were gravely ill, coupled with the longck of understanding of disease treatment, those sent to hospitals were often at death¡¯s door, and the rural hospital¡¯s equipment and conditions were so poor that it naturally gave the impression that many ended up dying when sent there.

    The hospital seemed to them not like a ce that healed and saved lives, but more like a hell where lives are harvested.

    But today, for the first time, they witnessed this little baby being rescued by doctors here.

    Seeing the child¡¯s gradually rosy cheeks, each anxious heart was put at ease.

    Even though they didn¡¯t understand anything, they could see if a person¡¯s condition was good or bad.

    The child obviously had gotten much better.

    Bai Xiao even managed to buy a bottle from the only store in town. She had two bags of form in her backpack, which Major An insisted on packing for her, fearing she might not eat or drink well there, at least having a supplement.

    Now those supplies finally came in handy.

    The little one, filled and content, fell into a deep sleep.

    Even in his dreams, he smacked his little lips contentedly.

    Bai Na¡¯s two brothers, Bai Jian and Bai She, seeing their little niece was indeed safe and sound, were so excited they almost knelt down again in gratitude.

    These two boys were much more simple and kind-hearted than anyone else in the vige.

    The next day, the child waspletely healed.

    Normally, this type of fluid drainage would never seed on the first attempt; it usually requires repeated attempts to fully drain all the fluid.

    But Bai Xiao, wanting the little one to suffer less, used her special ability to enhance his body.

    Thus, until the next day when Dr. Zhang repeatedly checked, the child had no further fluid umtion issues, which finally set their minds at ease.

    This child could finally be considered truly out of danger.

    By the fifth day, the child was ready to be discharged.

    However, being premature, he was indeed skinny and small; a foot was no bigger than a man¡¯s thumb joint. Seeing the child¡¯s frail appearance, Bai Xiao wrapped up the bottle and form, handing it over to Bai Na¡¯s two brothers.

    "The child has now recovered fully, and you can take him home. Take this bottle and form back. Try to feed your sister¡¯s breast milk as much as possible; it greatly aids the child¡¯s future immunity and resistance. I know life at home may be tough, but you must find a way to nourish your sister¡¯s body; she was severely weakened after giving birth yesterday.

    If you don¡¯t provide her with some supplements, she might not produce milk.

    If the child doesn¡¯t get enough to eat, supplement with form, so he can have a better life."

    Bai Xiao earnestly instructed these two uncles.

    The two people were extremely grateful to Bai Xiao.

    By noon, the group finally took the child back to the vige.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1008 River

    <h4>Chapter 1008: Chapter 1008 River</h4>

    Watching Bai Jian and Bai She carrying the little child back, they finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    Xiaoyu looked at Bai Xiao with eyes full of admiration.

    "Doctor Bai, you¡¯re amazing."

    Bai Xiao nced sideways, this girl!

    "Pack your things, we still need to go to the next vige."

    They pushed on along the road today and might reach the next vige by nightfall.

    Zhang the doctor also packed with a smile, because of the baby incident, they gained experience this time and specially prepared more things, even surgical knives.

    Complex andrge surgeries are impossible, but if any simple surgical injuries require cutting treatment, they have to be done.

    They couldn¡¯t rush patients to the hospital in the middle of the night like yesterday.

    Once being inexperienced was one thing, but if such a situation happened again, they couldn¡¯t just spend all their time rushing along the road.

    Once everything was packed, the three of them continued their journey.

    Originally, there were two teams, one heading east and the other west.

    Each direction covered more than a dozen viges.

    The three of them were heading west and had only reached the first vige before returning to the hospital.

    The vige they were going to this time was much fartherpared to Xin Vige they visited earlier. Traveling from Xin Vige onward, they still had to cross a mountain and a river to reach the next vige, and here, there were no roads¡ªonly mountain paths.

    These so-called mountain paths are actually trails formed by people walking them for a long time and are not genuinely developed roads.

    The concept of building roads to bring wealth is unrealistic here, as the locals simply don¡¯t have the ability to build roads.

    The three of them, carrying heavy luggage, embarked on a new journey.

    This time, as they reached the road junction outside Xin Vige, they merely nced at the vige with smoke spiraling from chimneys, and the three continued on.

    Though the mountain paths were rough, having trudged back and forth several times, they were gradually getting used to walking them.

    Though Bai Xiao was now too tired to speak or think, she hadn¡¯t walked such paths for a long time, butpared to the border mountain roads with sniper fire and sudden explosions, this was like paradise.

    Seeing Zhang the doctor exhausted and panting, she and Xiaoyu almost pushed him forward.

    Otherwise, this old man might really just sit down.

    It was indeed difficult for him at his age to walk such mountain paths while carrying such heavy loads.

    But there was no choice; if they didn¡¯t reach the vige before nightfall, they might face troubles far more serious than this.

    With only the currentbat capability of the three of them, encountering wild animals would be akin to offering themselves as food.

    Finally, as dusk descended, they arrived at the riverside.

    ording to Xiaoyu, once they crossed the river, the vige would be on the other side¡ªso they would soon reach the vige and find a safe haven.

    But seeing the river, Bai Xiao felt a surge of despair.

    She initially thought it would be a small river, but now saw a swift and turbulent stream.

    Suddenly, deep down inside, she truly admired Dean Li and the doctors he led, along with his daughter, for persevering under such difficult conditions.

    They were here asionally, while Dean Lu undertook such long treks almost annually withoutint.

    This was the most admirable thing.

    This path led by Bai Xiao and Zhang the doctor was hard to distinguish with the naked eye, directing them straight to the water¡¯s edge.

    The water cut through to create a narrow gorge, with the river barely twenty meters wide, yet the banks were high, making the river tumultuous.

    Rapid waters surged over rocks at the riverbed, sshing white foam and sending white flowers of water bloom, asionally flicking sparkling diamond-like droplets.

    Unfortunately, now was not the time to appreciate the scenery.

    Xiaoyu led them along the riverbank for a short distance; the hurried sound of flowing water seemed to grow louder, as the width of the river narrowed until it was no more than about ten meters wide.

    She stopped, raised her voice, "We cross here."

    Bai Xiao looked at the empty river surface, perhaps once there had been a bridge, but now all that was visible were remnants that might have been bridge pirs.

    And Xiaoyu was talking about crossing the river?

    How would they cross the river?

    Xiaoyu cupped her hands and shouted in anguage they didn¡¯t understand toward the opposite bank.

    She then noticed a small wooden house on the other side of the river.

    Heh, to call it a "wooden house" was ttering.

    It was a simple dwelling made from roughposite board covered in ck tar paper.

    Clearly, nature was trying hard to reim its own territory, as moss had grown wild around the house and vine hung from the roof.

    The ck tar paper blended well with the nts, revealing the wooden house¡¯s location almost exclusively through a small window and a coarsely built stone chimney.

    Otherwise, Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t have noticed it earlier.

    After a minute, the rough door finally opened, and a gray-haired head popped out.

    The person scrutinized them suspiciously for a while, finally fixing his gaze on Xiaoyu.

    Her presence seemed to reassure him, he let go of the door, stepped out¡ªa man in his sixties.

    "Xiaoyu, here again for medical consultation? This time I don¡¯t recognize these two people?"

    Exchanging greetings with Xiaoyu, then he pulled a lever, and next to the two towering trees in front of the wooden house suddenly a fifteen-meter-long log fell from above. It was an unadorned log, even with the bark.

    "These are new city doctors; we¡¯re heading to the vige to see if anyone needs treatment."

    The log must be heavy, but the old man manipted the rope handle with ease to tten it.

    He aligned one end of the log into a groove dug on the riverbank, kneeling down to incline and secure the other end to the opposite bank.

    "It¡¯s ready," he said. "You can cross now!"

    "Xiaoyu, why do you do this; isn¡¯t the log meant for people crossing between banks?" Bai Xiao was puzzled.

    Xiaoyuughed, "This river hasn¡¯t reached the true rainy season yet, otherwise when it rains, the river swells, and any bridge would be washed away. To ensure people¡¯s convenience, the viges discussed it and decided on this bridge.

    We put it down when needed and take it up when not, preventing it from being destroyed¡ªthey can¡¯t afford to build another bridge here."

    She nimbly hopped onto the log and walked briskly forward.

    "Don¡¯t worry, if you fall, I¡¯ll dive in after you."

    Xiaoyu teased Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao looked at the log, thinking¡ªthough it was wide enough for two people to stand¡ªits round shape challenged anyone walking on it. Seeing the bubbling water below, she found it hard to breathe, inhaled deeply, "I¡¯m ready. Hopefully, I won¡¯t need you to jump in after me."

 Chapter 1009: Rise and Fall

    <h4>Chapter 1009: Chapter 1009: Rise and Fall</h4>

    The doctor carried a lot of essential equipment on his back, and at this moment, Bai Xiao decided to be thest to cross, watching Xiaoyu already standing easily on solid ground, waving at them.

    The doctor swallowed hard, gritted his teeth, and moved forward.

    At his age, undertaking such a difficult task was not easy, and maintaining bnce seemed a challenge, especially with all the equipment and medicines on his back, making him suddenly feel dizzy.

    Only then did Bai Xiao understand why Xiaoyu had insisted on wrapping all the equipment and medicines in rain tarps before they set off.

    It turns out that her rich experience had long prepared her for what they might encounter.

    "Doctor, move forward; I¡¯ll be right behind you. I¡¯ll do my best to help if necessary."

    Bai Xiao could onlyfort the doctor this way, helpless as even she didn¡¯t have full confidence facing such a bridge.

    A vige is not the same as another vige. Liupan Vige¡¯s only water source is that reservoir; even if there is a river, there¡¯s a stone bridge to cross. Though the bluestone bridge is worn, at least it¡¯s stable to walk on.

    Now she was deeply anxious inside.

    Praying fervently that nothing unexpected would happen.

    The doctor wobbled onto the bridge, with Bai Xiao closely following him, as both of them carried these burdens.

    Bai Xiao held tightly onto the doctor¡¯s backpack, trying not to look down at the dizzying water flow, thinking it should be fine.

    When they were nearly halfway across, Xiaoyu suddenly shouted a warning from the riverbank.

    "Watch out! Doctor, under your feet!"

    Then Bai Xiao noticed the wooden pir beneath them suddenly moving violently, and she let go of the doctor, waving her arms in the air trying to maintain her bnce.

    Everything happened too fast, and before she could scream, the two of them plunged into the rushing, icy river.

    The water was much colder than she had imagined and deeper than she had initially thought.

    The current pressed her down forcefully, dragging her downstream, like a carelessly dropped rag doll tumbling in the water.

    Instinctively, she began kicking, trying to go with the flow rather than against it, and as if being rewarded, the current abruptly pushed her to the surface.

    She wasn¡¯t worried about being pushed downstream, as it was only about ten meters wide, and it might be even narrower downstream; she was more worried about the doctor.

    The equipment on the doctor¡¯s back was too heavy, and she feared he couldn¡¯t stay afloat.

    She surfaced and took a deep breath of air.

    Her hair draped over her face, blocking her view.

    Yet, she strained to look around, as she knew how to swim and wasn¡¯t afraid of drowning. But the doctor might not be so fortunate.

    She seemed to hear shouting from afar, then the torrents submerged her again.

    Without seeing clearly, she was once more tumbling, feebly paddling toward the distance, yet to no avail, struggling to emerge once again. This time, she rolled over, following the current, doing her utmost to paddle in the water, trying to float like a duck.

    Turning her head, she saw the doctor behind her to the right, struggling to break through the surface, but therge backpack was making it difficult for him, causing him to flounder, restrained by water.

    Bai Xiao kicked harder, struggling to keep her head above water.

    She wanted to get closer to the doctor, but her backpack wasn¡¯t light either.

    She felt the water pulling her beneath.

    Clearly, the doctor wasn¡¯t ustomed to the rapids here. Maybe he couldn¡¯t swim at all, being almost dragged along by the water.

    Xiaoyu had already jumped into the river, desperately swimming toward them.

    The old man grabbed a gong and started banging on it vigorously.

    The piercing sound of the gong quickly attracted a crowd.

    Young people arrived and quickly undressed, jumping into the water to save them.

    Unfortunately, the doctor and Bai Xiao in the water were unable to help themselves, their giant backpacks bing unbearably heavy, fiercely dragging them deeper into the water.

    The riverbanks were steep and high, and with the rapid current, even if they reached the shore, climbing up was impossible.

    Bai Xiao had a death grip on the doctor¡¯s backpack.

    Yet, in the water, they kept bobbing, unable to find a chance tond.

    Xiaoyu swam beside them, but alone, she couldn¡¯t save both of them at once.

    Rather, theirbined weight was pulling Xiaoyu down with them, dragging all three downstream.

    The river bent ahead, with a fallen tree on the riverbank, its branches almost dipping into the water.

    The three of them saw it as their savior.

    "The tree!" she heard Xiaoyu shouting behind her, then she understood.

    This was their chance; she frantically swam toward the tree, striving to grasp one of the branches.

    Just as she caught a breath, her head slipped under, choking her with a mouthful of water.

    Struggling to surface again, her strength was almost depleted by the icy water. Her limbs felt weighted down like they were shackled with sandbags; each movement seemed to pull along hundreds of pounds, her lungs feeling like they might burst into mes.

    If they could catch onto one branch, they might rest for a minute; perhaps they could climb out from there.

    Not only was she exhausted with the idea of survival, but without Xiaoyu and Bai Xiao¡¯s help, the doctor would have sunk by now; his backpack couldn¡¯t be removed in this situation, constantly wondering if he would be buried with it in the river.

    Finally, through her unwavering effort, the water current mercifully pushed Bai Xiao toward the tree, where the bank had been hollowed out by the rapids.

    This was the best opportunity; Bai stretched out her hand desperately to grab a branch. But then, a sudden surge snapped the dry twig from her grasp, submerging her once again.

    The river carried them unexpectedly far, with no concept of the distance they had drifted, but the current was so fierce they kept moving farther away from the small wooden house earlier.

    Suddenly, the river widened, and the current softened.

    The flow was still swift, swift enough that she couldn¡¯t fight it effectively, but at least it had calmed down and stopped beating against them, forcing them onward.

    The banks were no longer so steep but were covered with massive round stones.

    She could more effortlessly float on the surface, allowing her sore muscles a brief respite, but a sudden wave pressed them back under, their limbs too stiff for swimming long ago.

    Her strength rapidly waned, her kicking legs weakening, and her arm strokes turned from smooth to jerky.

    After possibly being dragged under for thest time, a strong arm helped lift her backpack, and freed from its weight, she immediately floated to the surface.

 Chapter 1010: Saved

    <h4>Chapter 1010: Chapter 1010: Saved</h4>

    Someone grabbed her arm from behind, pulling her up and dragging her to a rock above, away from the river.

    Bai Xiaoy face down on the spot where she was just rescued, exhausted to the point she couldn¡¯t move a muscle.

    She felt as though her body was as heavy as a thousand pounds, requiring great effort even to move her little finger.

    Yet she still lifted her head, looking to both sides, and finally saw the rescued doctor Zhang and Xiaoyu.

    Doctor Zhang seemed to have exhausted hisst bit of strength, his arms hung limp as he knelt on the riverbank, gasping and groaning softly.

    At this point, he had already removed the backpack from his back and needed a good breath of air.

    He copsed dejectedly onto the ground, closed his eyes, and told himself that he was proud; he managed to keep the equipment and medicines intact. Even in his youth, he had not experienced such thrills¡ªwho would have thought that even in old age, he would feel this passionate again.

    The water flowed down from their clothes and hair.

    Bai Xiao closed her eyes, listening to the sound of each other¡¯s heavy breathing, listening to the sound of blood pulsing through their vessels.

    Fortunately, they were still alive.

    At this moment, the night wind blew, finally making them feel a chill all over.

    There were countless voices speaking around her, but she couldn¡¯t understand what they were saying.

    She knew she had fainted, albeit briefly.

    Soon she was gasping for air, her body suddenly rxing which made her feel dizzy and nauseous.

    It was really dangerous.

    She still couldn¡¯t quite believe they managed to reach the shore, thanks to so many unfamiliar faces around her¡ªdark but simple.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s chest heaved with her forceful breathing; she turned to look at Xiaoyu, who wore a slight smile on the beautiful line of her lips. Xiaoyuughed out loud.

    The joy of surviving made them all appreciate the value of life.

    As the remnants of the cold wave surged through them, they suddenly shivered violently.

    Someone draped clothes over them, several people supported each one of them, and even helped them to the vige.

    After changing into dry clothes and sitting in front of the fire, the three looked at each other in their bedraggled states and thenughed.

    The clothes didn¡¯t fit; though wearing them made them look mismatched.

    But with the warm fire and the indescribable taste of ginger tea they drank, the three finally stopped trembling.

    She finally had the chance to clearly see that they were in the main hall of a house. In front of them, a fire was lit on a stove-like structure made with three stones. Bai Xiao deliberately turned over some firewood and saw a few t bluestone bs at the bottom, which exined why the bamboo house didn¡¯t catch fire.

    Laughing, Xiaoyu introduced, "This is the vige chief¡¯s home; you¡¯re so lucky. I¡¯ve never been here before, and this time I¡¯ve followed you for a great bargain. The ginger tea just given to us was brought by the n Leader¡¯s wife; here, she¡¯s called Granny."

    The vige chief is the n Leader¡¯s son. If it weren¡¯t for Uncle Wa Ji banging the gong hard and drawing the vigers to help, our three lives would have been lost in the river," Xiaoyu grinned.

    "You kid, you¡¯re still smiling! Although I¡¯m from the south, my mediocre swimming skills would¡¯ve only led to drowning in your river. Plus, with that backpack, I really thought I was done for¡ªsitting here feels like I¡¯ve been reborn," Doctor Zhang sighed. Going to the countryside, he initially thought it was just a way to pass time; who would have known that it could cost him his life?

    If he had known earlier, he would have requested a benefit even if it meant confronting his superiors face to face. Otherwise, close to retirement, he would end up risking his life.

    If the rural medical team were always in such danger, who would willinglye down?

    Let those deans try it themselves.

    To see just how risky the rural medical team is.

    Xiaoyu smiled, "Doctor Zhang, I really thank you all."

    She stood up, suddenly serious, and deeply bowed to Bai Xiao and Doctor Zhang.

    It confused both Doctor Zhang and Bai Xiao. The child had juste out of the water with them; had water really gotten into her brain?

    Why was she thanking them? Xiaoyu was the one who saved them.

    Otherwise, those two would have only waited to die.

    "Xiaoyu, what are you doing? We should be thanking you. Why would you thank us? It was you who saved us, along with so many vigers," Doctor Zhang puzzled.

    Xiaoyu bowed three times deeply.

    "Doctor Bai, Doctor Zhang, I used to think you city doctors couldn¡¯t endure hardship, always moring to return after a few days. In my mind, you were all people who could only enjoy life and couldn¡¯t handle even a little hardship. When you first arrived, I indeed looked down on you.

    But after the recent events, I finally understand that you are true doctors.

    You are doctors worthy of my respect, and I thank you on behalf of all the vigers you are going to visit."

    This left Bai Xiaopletely puzzled.

    She pulled Xiaoyu to sit by the fire.

    Even though the current temperature wasn¡¯t low, the nighttime temperature was generally cooler than daytime, and having suffered in the water earlier, they felt chilled to the bone.

    Bai Xiao worried more that if they caught a cold and developed a fever, it would be troublesome.

    "Xiaoyu, whatever you have to say, sit and speak by the fire. Why get up and talk so formally? Besides, what you said ispletely unclear to us. If I were to say, a doctor¡¯s moral integrity¡ªyour father is the one most worthy of respect.

    We just happened to encounter such a thrilling incident only on this rare visit; your father experiences it yearly, monthly, and has walked these years; I¡¯m afraid he¡¯s faced falling into the river more than once.

    So, seriously, it¡¯s your father who deserves our admiration as a doctor."

    After this incident, both Bai Xiao and Doctor Zhang were genuinely impressed by Dean L¨¹.

    "There¡¯s no way you don¡¯t understand. Doctor Zhang and Doctor Bai risked their lives by not abandoning the backpacks they carried; in your minds, these medicines and equipment are of utmost importance, even more than your lives.

    Just for this, I genuinely respect you," Xiaoyu said earnestly.

    Doctor Zhang and Bai Xiao exchanged a nce, inwardly knowing why they hadn¡¯t abandoned the backpacks¡ªthey were tightly strapped with knots around their chests, making it impossible to discard them. From their hearts, they felt ashamed.

    Because they actually had nned to throw them away, but failed.

    Yet this was something neither of them spoke of or would speak of.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1011 Three Eggs

    <h4>Chapter 1011: Chapter 1011 Three Eggs</h4>

    While they were talking, the aunt who had just brought them ginger soup had already brought the food.

    In the basin were cooked sweet potatoes, and in a bowl was sauerkraut, but this sauerkraut had been stir-fried with chili peppers, still steaming with the fragrance of chilies wafting through the air, evidently prepared especially to entertain them.

    In another bowl were three boiled eggs.

    This was probably the best thing they had to offer guests.

    As soon as Xiaoyu saw the eggs, she panicked.

    Talking non-stop, she argued back and forth with the olddy.

    Considering the bowl, Bai Xiao still went ahead and took it.

    "What¡¯s up with Xiaoyu?"

    The olddy saw Bai Xiao take the bowl and immediately nodded satisfactorily, pointed at the items, and said a few words to her.

    "We can¡¯t ept these eggs from the olddy. You don¡¯t know, the olddy has three sons and two daughters, but the youngest son had polio since childhood, the second son is mentally disabled, and the family relies entirely on the vige chief. He has to support his parents, take care of two brothers, and even though the two sisters are married off, they are unable to help their home family effectively.

    The family¡¯s two chickens produce these eggs which they sell to earn a little money to buy necessities like firewood, rice, oil, and salt. They usually wouldn¡¯t eat them themselves, so for them to bring out three eggs at once is worth the money to buy a pound of salt."

    Only then did they understand that the hosts were truly offering their utmost sincerity to entertain them.

    Even though it¡¯s just three eggs, these three eggs are more precious here than three chickens.

    It¡¯s equivalent to a beggar offering all their possessions to entertain guests.

    The olddy already walked out quickly, clearly unwilling to let Xiaoyu continue arguing with her, and her simple heart was touching.

    Xiaoyu wanted to chase after her but was stopped by Bai Xiao.

    "Xiaoyu! Don¡¯t go."

    Xiaoyu was somewhat upset and said, "Doctor Bai! You don¡¯t understand, maybe city folks don¡¯t value an egg, it seems trivial, but here it is already a significant amount of money, every family relies on such things to make ends meet, and now we¡¯ve added to the olddy¡¯s burden.

    I can¡¯t eat it."

    This girl is straightforward, truly a good girl.

    Bai Xiao held her, preventing her from getting up.

    He deliberately picked up an egg, cracked it on the ground¡¯s stone, peeled it, and handed it to Xiaoyu.

    Xiaoyu turned her face away in anger.

    She had just exined to Doctor Bai how important the egg was, yet Doctor Bai went and peeled it.

    She really was quite angry.

    Bai Xiao smiled, "Dr. Zhang, let¡¯s eat the eggs, one for each."

    Dr. Zhang also felt uneasy; given the egg¡¯s importance to this family, them eating the eggs really seemed quite inappropriate.

    He held the egg but couldn¡¯t crack it.

    "You two are both being thoughtless.

    Now that the eggs are boiled, even if you return them, do you think they can still be exchanged for money? Besides, it¡¯s the olddy¡¯s goodwill towards us, seeing that we are city doctors whoe to treat illnesses and have suffered at the vige entrance, it¡¯s a form offort. If we don¡¯t ept this gesture, how do you think they¡¯ll feel?

    They¡¯ll believe city people disdain rural folks for not being able to offer good things."

    Hearing this, Xiaoyu and Dr. Zhang both lowered their heads.

    Xiaoyu was thinking hard earlier, but indeed she hadn¡¯t thought through it thoroughly, it¡¯s clear even now that the eggs are already boiled, it¡¯s impossible to change them back into money.

    "Then what should we do? Doctor Bai, now that the eggs have been boiled, eating them really makes us feel guilty. You don¡¯t know how hard life is for the vige chief¡¯s family, this vigepared to the one before is even tougher.

    At least the previous vige could terrace fields and nt crops, but here? The stones are more abundant, and they can scarcely grow enough grain to eat each year, relying entirely on nature for food. Whether they eat well or poorly is determined by the weather.

    Especially the vige chief¡¯s family, having children with such conditions, and many children in this vige are simr, they say it¡¯s due to the vige¡¯s bad feng shui or heaven¡¯s disfavor, so these families are punished with children who are born with defects.

    I also can¡¯t figure out why such problems are most prevalent in their vige."

    Dr. Zhang smiled wryly, "I can exin this situation; if my guess is correct, there¡¯s a high rate of intermarriage among close rtives in this vige. For instance, cousins marry cousins, first cousins marry second cousins."

    Xiaoyu quickly nodded, her eyes filled with admiration as she looked at Zhang Yisheng, "Dr. Zhang, you¡¯re amazing, how did you know? Not just this vige, a few surrounding viges are the same, because here it has been passed down like this for generations. Could this really be the reason?"

    "The country had long issued explicit regtions prohibiting marriages between close rtives; such marriages have many drawbacks for generations. For instance, children with cerebral palsy, polio, gic conditions, the proportion of such diseases is indeedrge, due to close rtive marriages.

    And more advanced cities and towns don¡¯t have this situation because they strictly enforce regtions; the state policy is there for a reason. Close rtive marriage does lead to various gic diseases, so it¡¯s not the vige¡¯s bad feng shui, simply don¡¯t marry close rtives in the future, and these problems will probably disappear."

    Bai Xiao nodded as well, "Dr. Zhang is right. This vige¡¯s situation is extremely severe; I think the poption here is likely small, and as you described, they¡¯re so impoverished, it¡¯s not easy to find spouses from outside or marry off their daughters.

    Thus, more often it¡¯s close marriages, which is why there are so many diseases among the children.

    Since we¡¯re here, we should promote the drawbacks of close rtive marriages to prevent children from being born with such conditions."

    Bai Xiao was also filled withment, there¡¯s no choice, the more remote and poor the ce, the more likely such issues arise.

    This is rted to people not being educated, and to superstitions.

    It¡¯s truly saddening.

    "So what do we do now? Are we really going to eat these eggs?"

    Xiaoyu was still thinking about eating the eggs.

    "Eat them, let¡¯s eat the eggs. Later, let¡¯s find a way to check up on the vige chief¡¯s two brothers, whether needles or medicines are needed, we won¡¯t charge them, consider that aspensation for the eggs.

    That¡¯s better than forcibly returning the eggs."

    Upon hearing Bai Xiao¡¯s idea, Xiaoyu immediately brightened up and darted over.

    "Doctor Bai, how are you so clever! How did your brain develop this way? If I had your intelligence, maybe my father wouldn¡¯t be so worried."

    "You, you¡¯re notcking intelligence, you¡¯re just too reckless, rushing into things. People tend to make mistakes when they¡¯re in a hurry. When something happens, try to calm down first, think about the best approach before acting."

    Xiaoyu nodded in strong agreement.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1012: Poverty in the Village

    <h4>Chapter 1012: Chapter 1012: Poverty in the Vige</h4>

    The egg went down.

    Xiaoyu patted her stomach contentedly; she didn¡¯t often get the chance to eat eggs.

    Most of her father¡¯s and her own sry went to help his patients.

    So their family wasn¡¯t much better off than the vige chief¡¯s.

    It had been a long time since shest ate an egg.

    Thest time she ate an egg seemed to be on her birthday.

    Her biological mother passed away early, leaving her and her father to rely on each other. Every year on her birthday, her father would cook her an egg, which was a treatment she only received on her birthday. Year after year, it had always been like this, so the taste of the egg was indescribably delicious.

    Xiaoyu was still smacking her lips.

    Suddenly, her wide-open mouth was stuffed with another egg, she almost choked.

    Then Bai Xiao seriously said, "I¡¯m allergic to eggs, you eat it for me, otherwise it will go to waste! If Auntie sees it, she¡¯ll think I¡¯m being picky."

    Xiaoyu was so anxious that she wanted to spit it out. How had the egg ended up in her mouth?

    Allergic to eggs?

    That¡¯s a lie!

    She¡¯s not a three-year-old child, who would believe that?

    Bai Xiao said with extreme disdain, "Don¡¯t spit it out, if you spit it out, it would be so disgustinging out of your mouth."

    Xiaoyu paused!

    Spitting it out wasn¡¯t an option, but not spitting it out wasn¡¯t an option either.

    This really made her choke.

    Bai Xiao quickly handed her some water, asking her to take a few sips and pat her back.

    Finally, Xiaoyu swallowed.

    She choked and rolled her eyes.

    "You... Bai Doctor, you are really something! Allergic to eggs? I¡¯m allergic to sweet potatoes then!"

    Xiaoyu jumped in anger, her father had repeatedly emphasized to take good care of Bai Doctor and Zhang Doctor. She had taken care of them so well they almost ended up in the river, and now she had entrusted the egg into her own stomach. How would she exin this to her father?

    The young girl was extremely anxious.

    "Stop jumping about, the egg is already down; you can¡¯t spit it out even if you wanted to. Quick, eat your meal, eat your meal, after eating we need to hurry and see if we can attend to some patients."

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t mind and continued eating her sweet potato. If you eat too much of this, it might cause stomach acid, and she didn¡¯t know why in this vige they were still stuck in the initial stage of household contract responsibility system; people¡¯s living standards were really not better than their original Liupan Vige before the system.

    These harsh conditions of mountains and rivers were one aspect, but there must be some natural advantages to utilize.

    The vige chief entered only after they had almost finished eating, a man in his forties, who personally said they all carried the surname Ji, the vige chief was called Ji Xiang, and if he hadn¡¯t told them, Bai Xiao and the others could never have guessed he was only a little over forty.

    Because Ji Xiang looked hunched over, with white hair, deeply grooved face, and a darkplexion that did not resemble what a man in the prime of life should look like.

    They understood the burden of the vige and family had prematurely aged this man.

    Out of respect for them, Mayor Ji Xiang chatted with them for a long time.

    It was at this moment Bai Xiao realized the vige was poor partly due to barrennd and too many people. Before family nning came into effect, every household had many children despite not having enough food. Why have so many children then?

    Because each family had disabled children, and in hopes that one day someone would take care of them, they had more, hoping to give birth to a child with a sound body and a sharp mind to care for these ill brothers and sisters. Otherwise, when the parents passed, there was no one else but death for those children.

    So, the more they gave birth, the poorer they became.

    Moreover, the mountainous area was treacherous with no road. Even if someone had the idea of breeding or nting, they didn¡¯t have the technique, and it couldn¡¯t be sold.

    With mountains high over rivers, the journey was far¡ªwhere would they sell?

    Traders outside were not willing to make the effort toe to the mountains¡ªit was cumbersome and not profitable.

    So the vige was destitute and impoverished.

    Every family was so poor they probably shared pants.

    In many homes, several people shared one pair of pants, wearing them when going out.

    If a guest came to the house, it was awkward; everyone would hide under the quilt.

    The problem was not everyone had a quilt.

    They didn¡¯t grow cotton there, and cotton was costly both in money and ration stamps, which they couldn¡¯t afford.

    In many homes, the quilts were filled with reeds and straw; it was just too poor.

    Bai Xiao was left speechless too; she had thought her hometown was impoverished too, considering geographical reasons, their vige was not a wealthy one either, butpared to here, it was simply heaven.

    Bai Xiao asked the vige chief, "Why don¡¯t you lead the vigers off the mountain, it would at least offer a way of survival?"

    She didn¡¯t understand why these vigers clung to the mountain?

    Mayor Ji Xiang shook his head, "You don¡¯t understand, it¡¯s been handed down from generation to generation. It can¡¯t be lost on our watch! Even if they moved down, where would they go? How would they survive? The viges at the bottom of the mountain have long been upied, and theirnd cannot be taken to cultivate. Not farming? Old and young here have no skills, the vige chief has the highest education, graduating from fourth grade, many others don¡¯t know how to read a single word.

    Moving down the mountain, they would starve to death! So an unsatisfying life is better than death; at least up here we can scrape by without starving."

    What the vige chief didn¡¯t say was that only in recent years had people stopped dying of starvation; in the past, people died every year. For them, being able to eat was a good thing¡ªthey really hadn¡¯t pursued much else.

    Move down the mountain?

    The vige had many suffering from intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, and polio. How could these people live if they went down?

    Thinking of this, the man in his forties truly shed tears.

    He was the vige chief yet helpless in the plight of the vigers.

    Bai Xiao and Doctor Zhang were speechless too.

    This was once themon issue of all rural areas¡ªthe poorer they were, the more they gave birth, the more they gave birth, the poorer they became.

    Additionally, with inconvenient transportation, even if people here wanted to be wealthy, it would be extremely difficult.

    After speaking at length, Mayor Ji Xiang seemed more at ease; the simple man seemed somewhat embarrassed, as if by telling strangers all the troubles and worries of the vige, he was seeking help.

    "Doctor Zhang, Doctor Bai, I just beg you to look at the vigers¡¯ ailments. In recent days, whether due to the water and soil, many people have fallen ill in every household. If you hadn¡¯te, we would have had to invite Dean Lu from the town.

    Arge number of people in the vige has fallen ill."

    Upon hearing this, Bai Xiao and Doctor Zhang were shocked.

    Earlier, sittingfortably eating and drinking, they thought the vige might only have minor ailments, unlikely to have so many sick people, but now hearing Mayor Ji Xiang, it seemed there were indeed not few patients who had fallen ill.

 Chapter 1013 Infection

    <h4>Chapter 1013: Chapter 1013 Infection</h4>

    "What¡¯s going on with Mayor Ji Xiang?"

    The three doctors were naturally anxious when they heard that many people in the vige were sick.

    Mayor Ji Xiang sighed.

    "Just three days ago, for some unknown reason, a disease suddenly spread through the vige. It started with vomiting and diarrhea, andter progressed to high fevers andas. At first, it was only one household experiencing these symptoms, and we thought it was just food-rted.

    In our vige, with vomiting and diarrhea, families usually just endure it at home, rest for a couple of days, and recover.

    But by yesterday, suddenly, many households in the vige started having these symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea, and high fevers. The father from that initial household was the first to fall ill, and now he¡¯s already gone."

    Mayor Ji Xiang¡¯s words immediately put Bai Xiao and the others on alert.

    The symptoms didn¡¯t sound very serious, but the more they listened, the more it seemed like an epidemic.

    If this disease really spreads, it would be very troublesome.

    "Mayor, we need to do two things right now. First, take us to see the patients, including the one who first died since he hasn¡¯t been buried yet ording to what you said. Second, immediately lock down the entire vige so no one can leave or enter. Make sure to inspect each household to see who has fallen ill. Everyone affected must be reported."

    Bai Xiao and Dr. Zhang instinctively realized something was quite wrong.

    Mayor Ji Xiang was startled.

    "What¡¯s going on? Dr. Bai, Dr. Zhang, is it possible this is some serious illness?"

    Bai Xiao and Dr. Zhang exchanged a nce, seeing in each other¡¯s eyes that before anything was confirmed, they must calm themunity. If it indeed turned out to be an epidemic, the vigers might try to flee to rtives or friends outside, leading to more deaths.

    Both of them shook their heads firmly.

    Even though they felt guilty, they knew this matter could be very serious.

    "What kind of illness? We have to see the patients to know, but to be safe, we must take precautionary measures. If this disease is contagious, it could spread to other viges."

    Mayor Ji Xiang nodded.

    "Alright, I¡¯ll immediately gather the vige officials, who are all party members, to take quick action. Let¡¯s go; I¡¯ll first take you to see the patients."

    Bai Xiao and the others grabbed their medical kits, with Bai Xiao repeatedly reminding Xiaoyu and Dr. Zhang to wear masks.

    No one knew whether it was contagious or how it transmitted, but just to be safe, the doctors had to ensure protection against airborne transmission.

    With their medical kits, they followed the vige chief, treading through uneven paths, to the household where the disease first appeared.

    Because it was dark and they were unfamiliar with the path, it wasn¡¯t until they arrived outside the house that they heard sounds of low sobbing inside.

    "Mom, mom, what¡¯s wrong? Dad is gone, if you fall too, our family is finished. How am I supposed to take care of little brother and sister alone?"

    Mayor Ji Xiang, upon hearing this, quickly pushed open the door.

    Calling it a door was a stretch; the wooden board was already letting wind pass through, with a hole in one ce.

    Bai Xiao, Dr. Zhang, and Xiaoyu stepped into the yard.

    Another stilted house.

    In the faint light inside the house, there were low cries of children.

    "Dogwa, what¡¯s wrong with your mom?"

    They followed Mayor Ji Xiang inside.

    The house wasn¡¯t spacious.

    In the room they entered, three children were holding each other, crying bitterly. On a bamboo bed in front of themy a woman burning with fever, her face flushed, lying motionless with her eyes closed.

    Dr. Zhang hurried over to examine her.

    Forty-one degrees?

    A fever of such intensity was something they hadn¡¯t even imagined.

    Bai Xiao had already checked her over.

    If her special ability couldn¡¯t detect anything, then no one else would be able to.

    Sure enough, she discovered a virus in the woman¡¯s body.

    When her special ability encountered this virus, it encountered resistance, simr to the toxic encounter with the foreign Head of State¡¯s delegation before. Although her special ability could usually resolve ailments easily, it could only surround this resistant virus without being able to eliminate it immediately.

    Now wasn¡¯t the time for her to act.

    Dr. Zhang swiftly used a swab to scrape some saliva from the woman¡¯s tongue and drew blood with a syringe for testing.

    They were secretly grateful they had brought some equipment and instruments, or they would have beenpletely blind to what was going on.

    "Uncle Vige Chief, please save my mom. She suddenly copsed just like dad, with vomiting and diarrhea, and now she¡¯s in a fevereda. Is she going to go like dad?" The oldest boy looked only about thirteen or fourteen years old.

    His eyes were swollen from crying, and the two children in his arms¡ªone boy clearly showing signs of developmental dy, biting his finger and staring nkly at his mother on the sickbed without crying orughing.

    The other, a younger girl, was huddled in her brother¡¯s arms, sobbing uncontrobly.

    Mayor Ji Xiang looked at Dr. Zhang and Dr. Bai, "Dr. Zhang, Dr. Bai, what¡¯s really going on?"

    Dr. Zhang remained silent; based on the symptoms, it appeared to be merelymon vomiting, diarrhea, and high fever. These symptoms were not unlike those of dysentery and simr diseases.¡¯

    Being a doctor, without concrete data, he couldn¡¯t determine what was going on.

    Bai Xiao, however, had a grave expression, suspecting that even if Dr. Zhang ran tests, the result might be the same as hers.

    "Mayor, regardless, the current situation can¡¯t allow the kids and their mother to stay together. If this disease is contagious, the children could be at serious risk."

    Just as she finished speaking, the little girl who had been weeping suddenly shut her eyes and copsed to the ground.

    The brother hurriedly picked up his sister, but Bai Xiao took the little girl from him.

    Without needing to say much; with a simple pulse check, she knew the virus in the little girl and the mother was the same.

    "Another one passed out?"

    Mayor Ji Xiang was genuinely worried now.

    "Vige Chief, the situation is really urgent. Think about if there¡¯s a ce in the vige specifically for isting these patients. This disease is infectious; whether it¡¯s through the air or other means hasn¡¯t been validated, but it truly is contagious.

    To protect the other vigers, all these individuals must now be isted."

    Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t keep this hidden; since Mayor Ji Xiang was a party member, he should understand the gravity of this situation.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1014: Emergency Meeting Convened

    <h4>Chapter 1014: Chapter 1014: Emergency Meeting Convened</h4>

    Mayor Ji Xiang thought for a moment, "There is a cave in the mountain behind our vige, a huge Karst Cave. The terrain there is broad. If there were ever a flood,ndslide, or any cmity, the entire vige would hide there." It suddenly dawned on him that it was truly an isted ce.

    At this time, how could Mayor Ji Xiang not understand? This is a serious matter, and the illness is contagious. Just look at the mask Xiaoyu forcibly put on him before he entered.

    Heavens, their skies are about to fall here.

    A few children were already at a loss for what to do.

    In an instant! The room was in chaos.

    Bai Xiao and Doctor Zhang couldn¡¯t just sit by, even Bai Xiao¡¯s special ability could only contain it, notpletely eradicate it, probably because it was too contagious.

    It¡¯s an unknown virus, and having one more person here means one more risk of infection. As doctors, they have to lead by example.

    "Vige chief, from now on, the entire vige must go into lockdown. We will start transferring the patients to the cave. Please convene an emergency meeting of the Party organization members, organize and mobilize the members at this time to take up the task of patrolling and securing the lockdown. Send someone to report the situation to the higher-ups. Meanwhile, everyone in the vige should stay in their homes, and I, Doctor Zhang, and Xiaoyu will help disinfect the area, keeping it as controlled as possible.

    Mayor Ji Xiang, no one can leave the vige, or they will bring disaster to others."

    Doctor Zhang and Bai Xiao had already agreed on this; they hadn¡¯t done tests yet but realized the situation was very dangerous.

    Mayor Ji Xiang was already in a mess, nodding his head.

    As a vige chief, he knew very well how many people would die if there was an outbreak. Over a hundred years ago, there was a gue here, reportedly killing hundreds of people, and some viges werepletely wiped out. The stories from his father and grandfather about that time were summed up in one word: tragic.

    Mayor Ji Xiang immediately returned home. The vigemittee, to be honest, had a loudspeaker, left from thest poverty alleviation effort. They didn¡¯t typically use it because they didn¡¯t even have electricity here, so what use was a loudspeaker?

    But this loudspeaker was battery-powered, could be held in hand, and Ji Xiang, unable to worry about saving money, immediately shouted through it.

    "Vige Party members,e to the vigemittee for a meeting. Vige Party members,e to the vigemittee for a meeting."

    Ten minutester, ten people gathered at the vigemittee.

    The vigemittee was actually the hall in Mayor Ji Xiang¡¯s house. In fact, there was no formal vigemittee. The entire vige, numbering less than a hundred people, was poor and small, so naturally, the conditions werecking.

    But those ten were all Party members in the vige. Five were veterans from the anti-Japanese war era, and the others were the vige¡¯s ountant, family nning director, security director, and the old vige chief from those days, making it exactly ten people with Mayor Ji Xiang.

    "Mayor Ji Xiang, what¡¯s going on?"

    The old vige chief, although retired, had served for many years and knew Ji Xiang well enough to understand that if it weren¡¯t something major, Ji Xiang wouldn¡¯t use the loudspeaker.

    This thing was the vige¡¯s most expensive asset, and unless it was absolutely necessary, the vige chief wouldn¡¯t dare to use it.

    "Old vige chief, fellow Party members, I called you here today because something has happened in the vige, and we need to work together. Three days ago, people in the vige started falling sick with vomiting, diarrhea, and high fever, and Ji Lao Si has already died. More and more people in the vige are getting sick." Ji Xiang was heavy-hearted. Such a thing had happened in their vige, and he wondered how many people would survive after this disaster.

    "Ji Xiang! Isn¡¯t today like any other day when Doctor Xiaoyu from town brought city doctors over? Taking some medicine would solve it. It¡¯s not a big deal; everyone has stomach issues and fevers now and then." Everyone thought Ji Xiang was making a fuss over nothing.

    Ji Xiang shook his head, "It¡¯s not like that. Doctors from the city have already examined the patients, and the result is that it¡¯s a contagious disease. That¡¯s why I¡¯m calling this Party meeting instead of a vigemittee meeting, because it¡¯s a serious matter.

    First, patients must be isted. I spoke with Doctors Bai from the city and Doctor Zhang. The Karst Cave in the mountain will be requisitioned as a temporary quarantine space. Patients from each household must be sent there to eat, drink, and relieve themselves, with designated personnel responsible for supervising them.

    Second, Security Director Ji Tiande, you need to go to the town government immediately to report that this illness is contagious and see how the government will handle it. Also, everyone must keep calm; no one can speak of this, and ensure no vigers leave to harm other viges, or we¡¯ll be cursed for generations."

    This statement stunned everyone. They realized things might be urgent, but never imagined it would be this severe.

    "Vige chief, this can¡¯t be! Just vomiting and fever, how could it be something so dangerous?" Security Director Ji Tiande couldn¡¯t believe it himself. His youngest son had been vomiting and had diarrhea for two days.

    Adults in the household didn¡¯t think much of it.

    How could it be life-threatening?

    Mayor Ji Xiang harshly shouted, "Don¡¯t think this is a joke! The doctors have already examined them, and both agreed that this illness is contagious. If you don¡¯t want your family to die, help move people to the cave immediately.

    Do what you need to do and don¡¯t leak a word. Do you hear me?

    We don¡¯t understand, but the doctors do."

    At this time, Doctor Bai and Doctor Zhang, who were sitting in the corner, finally stood up.

    They had already found all the masks in the medical kit.

    And ced them on the table.

    "Dear vigers, this illness is indeed contagious. These masks are for those helping to carry patients to the cave and the families of those who are sick. They muste here for blood tests to prevent any further infection. We¡¯ve brought testing equipment, not expecting it to be used for such a purpose.

    Please cooperate with us, and we will work with you to disinfect each household quickly. Please take this matter seriously. This virus is highly contagious. For the sake of your loved ones, everyone must do their part, notify the government, and send a medical team here. With just the three of us, it¡¯s impossible to handle everything."

    Their masks were more persuasive than their words.

    In their eyes, the mask worn by the doctor was a sacred symbol. For the doctor to hand them these masks showed just how serious the illness was.

 Chapter 1015: Special Ability Failure

    <h4>Chapter 1015: Chapter 1015: Special Ability Failure</h4>

    "Alright, everyone, stop talking nonsense. Follow my instructions from earlier and start taking action now. We need to move all the sick vigers who are already showing symptoms into the cave overnight. Think of ways to clean up the cave a bit. The women¡¯s director should also register the household situation of all sick families so we can disinfect house by house.

    Let¡¯s all get moving now. Director of Public Safety, you need to set off right away, immediately."

    Mayor Ji Xiang looked at Ji Tiande, entrusting the entire vige¡¯s hope into the hands of this Public Safety Director. Only when he goes to seek help from the government, and they send someone down, will they stand a chance of being saved. Otherwise, how could just three doctors possibly treat so many people? Right?

    Ji Tiande understood immediately.

    "Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll set off with a shlight overnight, Vige Chief."

    Everyone started to take action.

    "What¡¯s going on? My husband is still so sick, why are you taking him out?"

    "Why take them to that cave? The wind leaks in there, and what if there are snakes, insects, or rodents at night? Wouldn¡¯t that be even more troublesome?"

    "Cuilu¡¯s child is still so young, why are they sending them to the cave too?"

    "What¡¯s really happening here?"

    "The Vige Chief has already instructed to move all the sick people to the cave. There will be specialized doctors there to take care of and treat them. If you don¡¯t take your family to the cave, then they won¡¯t be cared for." The old soldier knew that these vige women would hold on to these small matters and insist on getting to the bottom of things. If he revealed the real news, the whole vige might go into an uproar.

    Chances are, families would take off with their loved ones overnight.

    To maintain calm, he had toe up with the best excuse. After all, in this area, not every household can afford a doctor.

    Sure enough, as soon as she heard there would be doctors treating them, the woman immediately slowed down.

    "Uncle Ji Hong, is it true that there¡¯s no charge for medicine when the doctors treat them in the cave?"

    Of course, the most important thing to them is whether the medicine costs money.

    "Doctors will conduct unified treatment and examination in the cave. Of course, the cost is covered by the hospital. Isn¡¯t that better than lying at home and dealing with it by yourself?" The old soldier had already started lifting people onto the stretcher.

    The woman immediately stoppedining.

    Smiling, she said, "If that¡¯s the case, then we should indeed go to the cave. Although the living conditions are worse and lessfortable than home, there are medicines there. Medicines will speed up recovery. Honey, you should go; you¡¯ll even get more medication there. It¡¯s free!"

    The man lying on the stretcher, already feverish and dazed, didn¡¯t know what his woman had said at all.

    Just like that, when every household heard that patients would receive free medicine and treatment in the cave, nearly everyone cooperated and sent their sick family members over. Some people who weren¡¯t even sick wanted to go, thinking it wouldn¡¯t hurt to take the free medicine, and maybe they wouldn¡¯t get sick in the future.

    Mayor Ji Xiang was enraged, but he couldn¡¯t scold anyone, so he had to exin that the doctors from the city would draw blood samples for every household the next day.

    To conduct a simple medical check-up.

    In the name of urban doctors offering aid in the countryside, they received this special treatment.

    For a moment, every household was actually happy.

    In their minds, when don¡¯t you need money to see a doctor?

    Now that the city doctors were willing to treat them for free, it was a huge blessing!

    That night, the vige was abuzz, but it was a joyful kind of buzz.

    Who could have known that Mayor Ji Xiang didn¡¯t sleep a wink that night?

    Before dawn, Mayor Ji Xiang was already at the vige entrance, watching the path outside while every household was still sleeping, only apanied by the sporadic barking of dogs. Mayor Ji Xiang crouched on arge rock at the vige entrance.

    And that night, Bai Xiao and the others were also busy.

    Dr. Zhang conducted blood tests overnight. Under the microscope, the virus was indeed exposed; it looked tiny and had no ability to engulf, but it had strong resistance to antivirals. Whenever it encountered antibiotics, the virus would assimte and merge, astonishingly able to integrate with antibiotics.

    Bai Xiao and the other two took turns examining patients, getting only three hours of sleep between them that night.

    The young girl from the first victim¡¯s family was unstable that night. Perhaps because she was too young, at just two years old, she had no resistance at all.

    She cried all night, vomiting severely and was already feverish and confused.

    Bai Xiao wanted to use her special ability to heal the young girl¡¯s illness, but this time, it didn¡¯t work.

    It was the first time Bai Xiao had encountered such a challenge.

    Her special ability wasn¡¯t working.

    Bai Xiao was worried, spending the entire night by the girl¡¯s side, experimenting several times until finally realizing that her special ability could only encase the virus, preventing further deterioration, but curing it was out of reach.

    Her special ability couldn¡¯t eliminate the virus.

    This was probably the first significant challenge Bai Xiao had faced since her reincarnation.

    Even her special ability couldn¡¯t solve the problem.

    Through repeated experiments that night, her special ability could act like an imprable wall, encapsting the viruses, temporarily isting them from the patient and alleviating symptoms, but curing them was impossible without eliminating the virus.

    This virus waspletely different from the toxins Bai Xiao had previously encountered from the foreign Head of State¡¯s delegation. Although those toxins were exhausting to deal with, her special ability eventually eliminated them, albeit slowly and with significant energy consumption.

    However, these viruses werepletely different. She could only use her ability to enclose them temporarily, and once her ability¡¯s energy was depleted, the viruses would break through again. It was the first time her healing ability met its match.

    Bai Xiao furrowed her brow. This morning, she had checked on the little girl Yaya. She appeared to be sleeping soundly, and her fever had subsided significantly, but she hadn¡¯t truly improved.

    Now, she could only hope that the township government would send a medical team promptly because arge team of medical personnel was needed to decipher this virus¡¯s code and develop a vine to potentially stop it.

    It was daylight.

    In the Karst Cave, the patients continued to moan from high fevers, and some were vomiting. Although they had disinfected the area, the smell was still intense.

    Even with masks on and filtration, they still felt it was hard to breathe here.

    Bai Xiao, Dr. Zhang, and Xiaoyu all looked towards the road outside the Karst Cave.

    The three shared amon goal: the hope that the medical team would arrive soon.

 Chapter 1016: Duty Leader

    <h4>Chapter 1016: Chapter 1016: Duty Leader</h4>

    Ji Tiande stumbled his way to the town government, arriving at two in the morning.

    Anxiously, he knocked on the door of the government guard office.

    The staff on duty, looking displeased, opened the window of the duty room to ask him.

    "You¡¯re here to get things done, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯ll have to wait until daylight to take care of business. There¡¯s no one in the office building right now. You might as well find a ce to stay overnight. Come back when it¡¯s daylight." He yawned and was ready to close the window.

    Ji Tiande got anxious, blocking the window with his hand.

    The guard, seeing his action, instantly took a cautious step back and picked up a stick from beside the table.

    "What are you trying to do? I¡¯m telling you, this is a state government facility. If you¡¯re thinking of robbery or anything, you¡¯d better leave early. Otherwise, I¡¯ll immediately turn you over to the police station."

    It¡¯s no wonder the guard was suspicious of Ji Tiande¡¯s actions; after traveling all night, Ji Tiande¡¯s face mixed with sweat and dust formed ravines on his face, his hair soaked into strands by sweat. Anyone who saw him would think a beggar had rushed over from somewhere.

    Ji Tiande realized his appearance caused rm, hurriedly withdrew his hand and bowed to the guard inside.

    "Comrade,rade, I am Ji Tiande, the security director from Ji Vige. I¡¯m here to report an urgent situation. It¡¯s truly very urgent."

    The earnest attitude and anxious gaze made the guard gradually ease up.

    "How urgent can it be? Is there a fight in your vige or has someone died? Even if there¡¯s a fight and death, such matters are for the police station. What use is it to seek the town government? Besides, look at the time, it¡¯s two or three in the morning, where do you expect me to find someone for you."

    Ji Tiande got even more anxious, "Comrade, really, this is critical. There has been a severe infectious disease outbreak in our vige, many have fallen ill, and some have died. The town¡¯s doctor has already arrived in our vige, and it was the doctor who insisted we report this saying the situation is extremely urgent. If we don¡¯t report it, there will be catastrophic consequences no one can bear."

    Upon hearing about the infectious disease, the guard instinctively covered his mouth and nose, took two steps back.

    "You step back, you step back first. I¡¯ll call the on-dutyrades first. Yes! Move outside the gate, don¡¯t stay so close."

    Ji Tiande knew he was being avoided.

    Who wouldn¡¯t be scared upon hearing about an infectious disease? Once infected, Ji Tiande didn¡¯t know what might happen. People have already died in the vige; where there¡¯s a first, there¡¯ll be a second.

    Though before he left, two doctors examined him, confirmed he didn¡¯t carry any contagious virus before leaving the vige.

    Yet he understood, in outsiders¡¯ eyes, who knows if he was infected; fear and worry are to be expected.

    Silently retreating over ten steps, all the way outside the gate.

    The guard hurriedly dialed the director on duty.

    The on-duty person tonight was the town mayor, Wu Zhi. Generally, it¡¯s unlikely for the mayor to be on duty. Tomorrow he¡¯s participating in a county-hosted party member study session, so he stayed in the office tonight.

    This participation marks his only opportunity to study at the party school during his tenure. After this enhancement, further possibilities arise.

    Hence, Wu Zhi himself was slightly excited and found it hard to sleep.

    Among the ten or so viges under his jurisdiction, to be frank, they are mostly poor viges. Each year, the state allocates funds for poverty alleviation, yet these funds are merely a drop in the bucket; the poverty issues here cannot be addressed simply bypensating with some grain and money.

    To fundamentally resolve the poverty issues of these viges, the first crucial point is addressingnd issues, while the second is unquestionably road construction.

    Hasn¡¯t state policy stated it? To create wealth, build roads.

    Yet road construction here was almost impossibly challenging.

    Relying on provincial and city financial allocations was absolutely unrealistic; they¡¯re at the bottom of the priority list.

    Peripheral provincial areas are first in development, and the annual allocations alone are insufficient, much less providing these poor rural areas with funds for road-building.

    The province and city had issued documents hoping they could self-solve part of it, be self-sufficient, andplete the road construction.

    But how easy is self-sufficiency? Without money, there¡¯s simply no way to be self-sufficient, farmers literally have no money, bellies barely filled, asking them to contribute for road construction is practically futile.

    He had proposed ns before, hoping the government would allocate some funds, then mobilize vigers within the vige to ount for road construction costs based onbor, thus constructing a road to ensure these viges connect with the outside world so that crops grown, including chickens and pigs could help prosper.

    Witnessing advanced experiences from other rural areas, thriving in farming, thriving in cultivation, even engaging in business, contracting teams to work in cities, and transport teams. Women could even make clothes and shoes; each vige boasted its innovative experience to prosper; they relied on these for poverty alleviation.

    But the premise was that roads were already built.

    The proposal was instantly denied because government funding wasn¡¯t realistic; the annual poverty alleviation funds already consumed part of the tax revenue. Further road funding would incur high costs, road projects across extensive mountainous connections for multiple viges, solely constructing these winding mountain roads wasn¡¯t a mere exertion.

    With simr funds, other ces might build four or five roads, yet allocated here could hardlyplete one road, possibly unfinished.

    Upper-level leadership must also reasonable use of these funds.

    He gazed at his aspirations, with these viges¡¯ folks suffering, yet no solution in sight.

    As a parent official, he deeply felt saddened by his impotence.

    Who wouldn¡¯t want to aplish something, make achievements, but endeavors requirepetency; this town governmentbeled "government," in truth annual funding is extremely tight, he too finds it hard to create something from nothing.

    Wu Zhi smoked two cigarettes, struggling to rid his mind of chaotic thoughts,id on the single bed, about to rest until it¡¯s time for departure.

    Closing his eyes, sleeping now into a mere over an hour.

    The internal phone on the duty room¡¯s desk suddenly rang.

    Jolting Wu Zhi awake.

    Raising his wrist, it showed two thirty.

    Wu Zhi furrowed his brows, who would call at this time?

 Chapter 1017 Measures

    <h4>Chapter 1017: Chapter 1017 Measures</h4>

    Wu Zhi picked up the phone.

    "Who is it?"

    His tone was, of course, unfriendly. Anyone woken up in the middle of the night would be in a bad mood.

    The guard on duty immediately recognized the voice as possibly belonging to Mayor Wu and was startled, as he hadn¡¯t expected Mayor Wu to be on duty today.

    "Mayor Wu, a security director from Ji Vige just arrived here saying there¡¯s been an outbreak of an infectious disease in their vige. It¡¯s very serious, and someone has died."

    If he hadn¡¯t heard the words "infectious disease," he probably wouldn¡¯t have dared to call the duty office so casually.

    Even as a guard, he understood that an infectious disease is vastly different from other issues.

    Wu Zhi was shocked, and instantly became fully awake.

    "Where is the person? Quickly bring them up here, I¡¯m in the duty office."

    As the mayor, he naturally knew that an infectious disease was not like other matters.

    The duty guard hesitated, "Mayor Wu, this security director ising from an area with the infectious disease."

    The implication was clear; the guard feared the person might be carrying the disease.

    Ji Tiande, upon seeing the guard making a call, also feared not being seen due to concerns of contagion. He hurriedly shouted from outside the gate, "The doctor checked me, and I have no illness, so they allowed me toe find the town leaders."

    Wu Zhi replied sternly, "Stop the nonsense, bring him up quickly."

    It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t fear death, but hearing the mention of a doctor implied they had medical assistance in the vige.

    But Wu Zhi was still puzzled; why would there be a doctor in the vige at this hour?

    Suddenly, he thought of Old Lu, who visited viges every month to treat and check on the vigers. Perhaps Old Lu coincidentally arrived during such an incident.

    He sighed, uncertain about what the situation was like now.

    Ji Tiande was brought to the duty office by the guard. He sat somewhat uneasily on a chair in front of the desk, recognizing the person before him as Mayor Wu.

    They had met when funds and grain for poverty alleviation were distributed.

    "Mayor Wu, I¡¯m Ji Tiande from Ji Vige. We¡¯ve met before."

    Seeing a higher-up, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    As he rxed, a wave of exhaustion and dizziness almost caused him to fall off the chair.

    Wu Zhi saw him swaying and quickly steadied him, "Comrade Ji Tiande, are you alright?"

    How could he be alright?

    Wu Zhi quickly called for help. With the mayor on duty, there must be others nearby. Hearing the mayor¡¯s call, his secretary promptly appeared. Having heard the phone in the duty office earlier, but unaware of the situation, Li Xiang had been waiting, already dressed, sitting on a chair.

    Upon hearing the mayor¡¯s call, he wasn¡¯t caught off guard.

    "Quickly, get a ss of water."

    Seeing Mayor Wu holding the disheveled viger, Secretary Li Xiang hurried to fetch a warm ss of water.

    Ji Tiande gulped it down in one go, finally feeling revived.

    He tightly grabbed the mayor¡¯s hand.

    "Mayor Wu, you must save our vige people quickly!"

    Wu Zhi was relieved. It seemed the man was fine, likely exhausted and thirsty from the hurried journey, which exined his condition.

    "Comrade Ji Tiande, exin the situation clearly. Only then can we figure out a solution."

    An infectious disease hadn¡¯t urred in their area for decades. Mayor Wu feared misinformation. After all, rumors were more terrifying than tigers.

    Ji Tiande exined the vige¡¯s situation in detail. He mentioned that doctors from the city, equipped with medical gear, came to the vige. During the examination, they discovered the disease was infectious and detailed the measures taken in the vige.

    Mayor Wu arranged for his secretary to let Ji Tiande rest.

    Since city doctors with equipment confirmed it, it probably wasn¡¯t a rumor.

    He checked the time; it was only 5 a.m.

    Wu Zhi, like an ant on a hot pan, paced around the office. If it really was an infectious disease, it had to be reported to the county and city leaders. The resources of their town¡¯s hospital were utterly insufficient. Even though doctors from the city were there, it was only two people.

    Caring for many patients required more than one or two people.

    Thankfully, Ji Vige¡¯s vige chief and director were so clear-minded, isting patients and locking down the vige even before the town or county made a decision.

    But he also heard Ji Tiande say that to prevent a panic, the vige hadn¡¯t told outsiders it was an infectious disease.

    People are unaware and clueless; the situation can¡¯t be dyed. A minute¡¯s dy could mean vigers leaving.

    If an infected viger came into contact with outsiders, it wouldn¡¯t be just one vige¡¯s problem. It might affect several viges.

    He picked up the phone and immediately dialed the county mayor¡¯s home number.

    Mayor Zhang had not yet woken up, so it was his wife who answered. A call at this hour was usually extremely urgent.

    Mayor Zhang¡¯s wife wasted no time and immediately woke him up.

    Hearing the news, Mayor Zhang promptly instructed Mayor Wu to contact guards from the town immediately. If such a situation urred, the vige had to be locked down.

    Since it was confirmed as an infectious disease, the source had to be eliminated within the vige to prevent further spread.

    As he instructed Mayor Wu, he immediately had his driver mobilize for an emergency meeting.

    He organized a medical team from the county and staff from the epidemic prevention station, who set off toward the vige with the infectious disease, carrying equipment.

    The meeting concluded in almost twenty minutes.

    All attendees were stunned, as it was the first time anyone had heard news like this. Such infectious disease or epidemic situations hadn¡¯t urred in their area for years.

    Whether it was an infectious disease or an epidemic was unclear, but everyone knew that if the situation severely erupted, dozens, even hundreds of surrounding viges could face a dire situation overnight.

    The county hospital had organized and deployed its capable doctors, nurses, and epidemic prevention staff, forming a 20-person team tobat and prevent the disease, immediately driving towards Ji Vige.

    However, by the time they arrived, it was already evening. Not only did they have to stop when they reached the big river, but it also took time for all the equipment and personnel to cross.

    Fortunately, the armed police officers who arrived earlier modified the original wooden bridge; otherwise, crossing it might not have been possible before dark.

    When they reached the vige, the perimeter was already secured with masked armed police officers setting up checkpoints, strictly forbidding entry or exit.

 Chapter 1018: Dead Person

    <h4>Chapter 1018: Chapter 1018: Dead Person</h4>

    On the morning when the armed police officers arrived at the vige, Mayor Ji Xiang finally breathed a huge sigh of relief.

    It would have been difficult to find a reason to keep an entire vige from leaving with just a few people.

    But as soon as the officers arrived, with weapons and a human wall in ce, the vigers, simple and honest as they were, even if someone had doubts or ulterior motives, wouldn¡¯t dare to break the rules easily.

    This straightforward vige chief never thought of letting his family lead people out.

    Once the matter of the blockade was handed over to the armed police officers, Mayor Ji Xiang hurried to the Karst Cave.

    As the night had passed, he didn¡¯t know what the situation was now.

    When he arrived at the Karst Cave, he saw Bai Xiao and Xiaoyu holding disinfectant spray, diffusing it throughout the cave. The strong smell of disinfectant had already spread everywhere.

    The male and female wards had been separated by a curtain.

    Now, twenty people were lying in the Karst Cave.

    The vige numbered only around eighty to ny people, so on average, almost every household had one person affected.

    Bai Xiao saw Mayor Ji Xiang, waved at him, signaling him not toe in and to wait outside the cave entrance.

    "Do you have any business, Mayor Ji Xiang?"

    Xiaoyu came out; she was the only one here who understood the Tuzumonnguage.

    Mayor Ji Xiang looked at the vigers lying on grass mats, groaning in pain, and his heart ached.

    "How are things now?"

    "Please don¡¯t say anymore, these patients are in serious condition. Dr. Bai and Dr. Zhang have tried some antibiotics, but they don¡¯t seem effective. Except for Yaya, whose condition has stabilized a bit and whose fever has slightly decreased, everyone else is in poor shape.

    Also, today we will go door to door to collect blood samples for testing in each household, and we¡¯ll need vigers to assist with this. Please make arrangements, and we¡¯re also running out of masks. At this rate, serious problems will arise."

    "Oh my, someone,e quickly!"

    Before Xiaoyu could finish speaking, a cry of rm echoed from within the cave.

    Xiaoyu rushed into the cave, and Mayor Ji Xiang, caring little for danger, followed behind her.

    He saw Dr. Zhang and Dr. Bai resuscitating a middle-aged woman.

    Dr. Bai was vigorously performing CPR on her chest, sweat beading on Bai Xiao¡¯s forehead because her special ability wasn¡¯t working. Even acupuncture was useless, and the woman couldn¡¯t be revived.

    With so many people here, if Bai Xiao¡¯s ability was effective, over the past two days at least, people should have been getting better gradually fromst night. But ording to her experiments sincest night, Yaya was the clearest example.

    This virus simply couldn¡¯t be cured.

    By this morning, Yaya¡¯s fever had spiked again.

    Bai Xiao could only continue using her special ability to encase the virus, but she sensed that sincest night, the virus had started to exhibit resistance against her ability. The power to encase the virus wasn¡¯t as tight as before. Last night, her special ability could contain the virus for up to eight hours or more.

    But this morning she found that after using her special ability to encase the virus, it seemed to start breaching her ability¡¯s defenses within four to five hours.

    Under these circumstances, it wouldn¡¯t be long before her special ability waspletely useless.

    Dr. Zhang shook his head, pulling Bai Xiao away despite her continued efforts, "The heart haspletely stopped beating beyond the time limit; it¡¯s hopeless."

    Bai Xiao stared nkly at her hands, faced with this situation for the first time, suddenly feeling helpless. Her special ability made her feel like she was the most powerful being in the world, yet for the first time she watched someone die in front of her, and was powerless.

    "Xiaoyu,e help. This patient must be carried out."

    Bai Xiao shoved Dr. Zhang aside almost hysterically, continuing chestpressions on the woman, then took out silver needles from acupuncture to pierce the woman, activating her special ability. But her ability entered the woman¡¯s body, wandered for a bit, then quietly retreated.

    The person indeed couldn¡¯t be saved anymore.

    The dead were truly dead.

    Xiaoyu held Bai Xiao tightly, while Dr. Zhang and Mayor Ji Xiang carried the woman¡¯s corpse out, cing it on the hillside opposite.

    Under the microscope, he had discovered that the virus began weakening significantly at temperatures over 100¡ã, and at 200¡ã, all viruses were incinerated to ashes.

    Clearing the virus in this manner was clearly an effective method.

    However, this discovery could only help people with everyday home disinfection and protection, whereas for those already ill, a 200¡ã temperature¡ªif applied to live people¡ªwould already reduce them to ashes.

    And such a high temperature would need to be maintained for over ten minutes to eliminate these viruses.

    These findings barely even qualified as fighting poison with poison.

    Xiaoyu held Bai Xiao tightly, Bai Xiao¡¯s strength utterly sapped and in despair, acknowledging for the first time that her special ability suddenly felt useless.

    No matter how much medical knowledge she had learned, her surgery, her Traditional Chinese Medicine were all ineffective now.

    The virus they faced seemed to render everything useless.

    She too began to feel helpless.

    Why was this happening?

    No such thing had happened in her previous life, where her special ability worked perfectly fine, yet now something unexpected urred.

    Her special ability seemed to be regressing.

    What was more troubling was the realization that if she now became infected with the virus, her fate might be no different from these people¡¯s.

    If her special ability couldn¡¯t heal others, it certainly couldn¡¯t heal herself, unless her ability was exceptionally favorable towards her.

    Everyone awake within the Karst Cave had already fallenpletely silent.

    The continuous moaning from earlier had now vanished altogether.

    The sudden advent of death made everyone realize sharply that was the first death; no, to be precise, it was the second.

    Since there was a first, there could surely be a second.

    They abruptly realized.

    The situation was not as simple as they thought; they were here to seek treatment.

    They had received injections, taken medicine. Every person was currently hooked up to an IV drip.

    But the vomiting persisted, the diarrhea continued, and not a single person¡¯s condition had improved.

    In this moment, fear descended upon everyone¡¯s hearts.

    "Doctor, doctor, are we all going to die? Aren¡¯t you doctors? Aren¡¯t you supposed to save people? Quickly give us injections and medicine, whatever needs to be done. I don¡¯t want to die. Doctor, I still don¡¯t want to die; I have three children at home, an old mother and father. If I die, how can my wife manage the family alone?"

    "Doctor, I don¡¯t want to die either. I have a five-month-old child at home. If I weren¡¯t sick, he probably wouldn¡¯t have been weaned yet."

    Bai Xiao suddenly looked up.

    This child was also an infected one.

 Chapter 1019 Helpless

    <h4>Chapter 1019: Chapter 1019 Helpless</h4>

    Bai Xiao and Xiaoyu rushed out, the child is also infected, the child feeds on the mother¡¯s milk, especially when their breathing is almost face-to-face, the chance of infection is more serious than that of adults.

    The contagion is so strong.

    Once this child is passed around by his father¡¯s brothers and sisters, even elders, hugged and kissed.

    This kind of affection will infect the entire family.

    Now more than 20 people in the vige have already fallen, they don¡¯t know what kind of infections will happen in those people¡¯s homes, they are already trying their best to screen.

    But there are only three of them, Xiaoyu is still learning.

    Under such circumstances, many tasks cannot be done properly.

    If one is careless, the whole vige might get infected.

    Mayor Ji Xiang stayed to help Doctor Zhang maintain order.

    The entire Karst Cave has already started to panic because one person has died, many people are asking Ji Xiang to let them go home, they must go back home even if they die, they want to die in their homes, not here.

    Some of the stronger young adults even want to push away Mayor Ji Xiang and Doctor Zhang to rush out.

    There has already been physical contact between the two sides, starting to push and shove.

    Doctor Zhang¡¯s strength is not enough to stop these people.

    Ji Xiang shouted loudly, this shout,bined with him being the vige chief, indeed scared these people.

    "Look at yourselves, what are you like? You are afraid of death, who isn¡¯t afraid of death? Do you think I want you to die in this cave?"

    "Then, vige chief, let us go back. Even if we die, we want to die in our homes, not in this miserable cave!" Someone bravely spoke up to rebut.

    Others immediately chimed in.

    "Yes, yes, vige chief, since it¡¯s like this, let us go back."

    Mayor Ji Xiang jumped onto the biggest stone in the Karst Cave.

    Looking at the vigers below who still want to struggle.

    "Listen to what I have to say, if after hearing my words you still decide to go back, I will definitely not stop you."

    "Please speak, vige chief, you have always considered the whole vige, never selfish or greedy. We trust you."

    Mayor Ji Xiang¡¯s prestige in the vige is still much loved by the vigers.

    "You have already seen someone has died, I will not hide it from you, the disease everyone is suffering from now is a very serious infectious disease, doctors are trying their best to treat it, but there¡¯s really no remedy avable, I¡¯ve already sent the Director to notify the town mayor to send people urgently, to bring doctors to help us, to help everyone.

    But have you considered the consequences after you return home? Who doesn¡¯t have parents or children, a wife, or spouse at home? You can go back andfortably die in your own bed, but have you considered if you return and infect them, then everyone in the family might end up dead.

    Have you considered if you really want your wives and children, parents to die with you."

    If you really want them to be buried with you, then leave now, walk out of this Karst Cave now."

    Mayor Ji Xiang pointed at the cave¡¯s exit, shouting these words loudly.

    Those who were indignant just now, wanting to rush out, suddenly became speechless.

    Yes, there is still the whole family at home.

    Do they really want them to die together?

    The ones shouting the most just now were a few young adults, who really thought it was just vomiting, diarrhea, fever, endure it and it would pass, besides they just took medicine, received an IV, but now if it¡¯s an infectious disease.

    Think about the elderly and children at home.

    Do they want them to die together?

    Thud thud, a few people sat down on the ground.

    Low sobs started from the first person, then gathered into wailing cries.

    The whole Karst Cave is filled with cries.

    Doctor Zhang spoke loudly, "Everyone don¡¯t lose heart, we must stay strong, medical teams will soon be sent by the higher-ups, problems we can¡¯t solve will be solved by experts nationwide, surely it can be solved, maybe in two or three days they will research a vine, maybe everyone will be saved.

    Please return to your ces, rest well, eat well, maintain physical strength to fight the virus.

    We will definitely defeat this virus."

    At this time, these words are unable to uplift spirits, just now everyone clearly saw someone die, who knows who will be the next to die?

    Who knows if they can wait for the day doctors have researched a vine?

    A few young men silently returned to their beds.

    Many peopley down quietly, what else can they do, what is possible?

    Except waiting to die here.

    Mayor Ji Xiang and Doctor Zhang wiped off cold sweat, if these people really went out, the vige would bepletely finished.

    The two can only hope the medical team dispatched by higher leadership arrives quickly.

    The People¡¯s Liberation Army outside has already surrounded the vige, if this disease wants to spread, it¡¯s certainly not easy, what¡¯s left now is to calm these patients and thoroughly investigate everyone¡¯s situation in the vige.

    But with just the three doctors, they can¡¯t do all this.

    Footsteps sounded, Bai Xiao and Xiaoyu returned with the child.

    There¡¯s no need for blood tests, Bai Xiao¡¯s special ability made a round inside, already knows the child¡¯s body indeed has the virus.

    Even though the reason isn¡¯t clear, the virus inside the child isn¡¯t as much as his mother¡¯s, but there is indeed a virus in the body.

    That¡¯s why such a small child could only be brought back.

    Bai Xiao has already checked the other members of that family, fortunately, none of them were infected.

    The child¡¯s mother saw the child and urgently rushed over.

    Bai Xiao forcefully separated her from the child.

    Xiaoyu quickly said, "Sister Ji Tian, I understand you¡¯re worried about the child, but now the child¡¯s condition is much lighter than yours, if you approach him, it¡¯s not love, it will harm him."

    Sister Ji Tian immediately stopped and took a few steps back.

    Seeing the child recognize her the moment he saw her, wailing loudly, her heart felt as if it was being cut.

    Obviously, the child has recognized his mother, desperately waving his little hands, crying, wanting his mother to hug and kiss him.

    Bai Xiao and Xiaoyu are also helpless, the situation is already bad enough. Among the patients here, some are seriously ill, some less so, and some just started showing symptoms.

    Normally, all these people should be isted separately.

    Then treat them ording to each person¡¯s condition and see what the results would be.

    But now there¡¯s no manpower to do it.

    Suddenly outside came the sound of a loudspeaker.

    "Mayor Ji Xiang, Mayor Ji Xiang, the medical team and epidemic prevention station personnel have entered the vige, pleasee quickly, pleasee quickly."

    Ji Tiande¡¯s voice in the loudspeaker sounds like a heavenly melody.

 Chapter 1020 Unexpected

    <h4>Chapter 1020: Chapter 1020 Unexpected</h4>

    The medical team of 20 people and epidemic prevention specialists, plus five authoritative experts in infectious diseases, made this team quite formidable.

    After Mayor Ji Xiang introduced the situation, the lockdown personnel had already entered the vige. They set up 20 tents on the t ground where vigers thresh their crops and established a cordon around the tents, guarded by armed personnel in protective clothing.

    The conditions of the Karst Cave are too poor.

    Not at all suitable for patients to recuperate there.

    The intervention of the medical team finally opened up a new quarantine area.

    It was divided into severe illness area, mild illness area, and initial symptoms area.

    Patients were all carried into the quarantine zone by doctors and nurses wearing protective clothing.

    Bai Xiao, Dr. Zhang, and Xiaoyu met these experts for the first time.

    Soon, the first-hand researched data they hadpiled was handed over to these experts. The experts were very affirming of their timely work, which officially marked the takeover.

    After undergoing thorough disinfection and blood extraction, it was confirmed that Bai Xiao, Dr. Zhang, and Xiaoyu were not infected, and then they were sent to the tent to rest.

    To be honest, none of them had a chance to catch their breath from yesterday to today.

    The professionals had taken over.

    Bai Xiao, Xiaoyu, and Dr. Zhang slept for five hours straight, but were awakened by a burst of crying.

    The first reaction was that someone must have died again.

    Bai Xiao got up, unable to change clothes as the spare clothes were back at the hospital in town. These clothes hadn¡¯t been washed in two days; luckily, they fell into the river yesterday and were dried by the fire. Who would have thought that was the only chance to wash clothes?

    Currently, the food and water supply in the vige are provided by the county rescue team, and individuals are not allowed to fetch water from the river. Even if they wanted to go, there was nowhere to go; everywhere was filled with soldiers in protective clothing and gas masks. There was a meeting held this morning.

    Everyone in the vige is strictly ordered to follow instructions. Anyone who does notply or acts without permission, if anything goes wrong, has already received orders from armed police soldiers. Anyone who disobeys and steps out of the vige will be shot on sight.

    Now is absolutely no time for jokes.

    Families are required to stay in their homes and avoid leaving, and are forbidden to gather and discuss.

    In any case, each family is required to stay at home, and food and water will be distributed to everyone.

    Not running around is the right thing to do.

    The problem is this crying sound, the crying is heart-wrenching.

    As soon as Bai Xiao walked out of the tent, he saw people around the entrance of the initial symptoms area pointing and talking.

    "How pitiful, this child is only a few months old."

    "I saw the doctors trying to save him, but I estimate he won¡¯t make it."

    "Ah, getting this disease is the end."

    "This morning, even the olddy died quickly, let alone such a small child who can¡¯t withstand it."

    "Early death, early reincarnation, otherwise staying here is also suffering."

    Bai Xiao pushed through the crowd and went inside.

    Two experts were intubating the infant that Bai Xiao brought in earlier this morning.

    "What happened to the child?"

    "The child suddenly stopped breathing, and due to the child¡¯s young age, we couldn¡¯t enable him to expel oral obstructions himself, so we¡¯re intubating."

    Director Xu is the team leader of this epidemic prevention station brought along.

    The handover was done by them this morning.

    At this moment, two doctors were carefully manually intubating, while other nurses and doctors had begun to conduct a full body examination on the child.

    Bai Xiao stood by one side; unless absolutely necessary, performing intubation was notmon practice.

    This small child was still showing mild symptoms when Bai Xiao carried him in the morning; how did things suddenly be so severe at this time?

    The child¡¯s inability to clear oral obstructions himself indicated he¡¯s been vomiting excessively.

    Suddenly, the child started to vomit violently, Director Xu hurriedly retracted the intubation tube, letting the child expel everything from his mouth. Unfortunately, the vomit had already choked the child, causing it to spray out from the mouth and nose.

    Director Xu¡¯s face and body were covered with vomit; the sour and rotten smell made everyone cover their noses.

    Director Xu¡¯s expression finally changed.

    Because this bacteria spreads through the air, including saliva, oral obstructions are all transmission routes.

    Although the doctors had protective suits on.

    However, due to the urgency of the child¡¯s critical condition, Director Xu only managed to put on his protective suit and mask, but not his gas mask yet, and some of the vomit had already sshed on his face.

    This was also why surrounding doctors and nurses¡¯ expressions changed drastically.

    Everyone¡¯s eyes were fixed on Director Xu, but no one noticed the child, who had been vomiting earlier, began to convulse violently, as if having a seizure.

    Bai Xiao dashed forward, swiftly putting on a pair of gloves, picked up a piece of gauze with one hand, while the other hand pinched the child¡¯s chin, trying to ce the gauze in the child¡¯s mouth.

    The child was already ten months old, with a total of four teeth.

    The child¡¯s current convulsive state made him prone to biting his tongue.

    The child¡¯s gripping bite was very tight.

    Bai Xiao exerted immense effort and, with the help of a nurse nearby, finally managed to open the child¡¯s mouth.

    Her fingers squeezed the gauze into ce just in time, and the child¡¯s teeth quickly bit into her fingers.

    There wasn¡¯t enough time to withdraw ¨C a sharp pain hit as the child¡¯s teeth pierced her finger.

    The surrounding doctors and nurses then suddenly reacted, and together they finally freed Bai Xiao¡¯s hand.

    Bai Xiao nced at her glove, which already had four broken holes from the child¡¯s teeth marks.

    Faint red blood oozed out.

    She smiled bitterly.

    Her special ability naturally can¡¯t fight the virus! Now it¡¯s as if she handed herself over to the virus.

    Director Xu and Bai Xiao were both sent to the istion room, which was dedicated to examining patients for possible infection.

    Director Xu nced at the young girl, indeed a bit helpless and wryly surprised at the unexpected development.

    "Young girl, what¡¯s your name? I heard you¡¯re from Modu. Which hospital?"

    In the rush just now, Director Xu hadn¡¯t even remembered what this young girl¡¯s name or surname was.

    Now, they no longer needed to hurry.

    "Hello Director Xu, my name is Bai Xiao, I¡¯m an intern from Modu Ruiyin Hospital. Dr. Zhang and I have been here only for the third day."

    As soon as she said this, Director Xu found it amusing despite himself.

    Well, the youngss is grumbling.

    It truly is unfortunate;ing to this remote vige on the third day, she hadn¡¯t had time to demonstrate her capabilities as a doctor and already encountered such an unlucky situation, being bitten on the finger by a patient with an infectious disease.

    Bloodborne transmission is potentially more severe than airborne transmission.

    Looking at the vomit on his own clothes.

    Okay, it¡¯s not just the young girl who is facing bad luck; my situation isn¡¯t any better.

 Chapter 1021: Unlucky Chain

    <h4>Chapter 1021: Chapter 1021: Unlucky Chain</h4>

    "Dr. Bai, you look so young. If you¡¯re an intern, then that makes sense. Ruiyin Hospital is a big hospital, but which discipline did you study since you¡¯re so young?" Director Xu extended his arm for the nurse beside him to draw blood.

    Bai Xiao was holding a cotton swab on the wound where the blood had been drawn.

    "I studied the integration of Eastern and Western medicine."

    She sat down on the bed next to him.

    The istion room had a row of four single beds.

    It can be called an istion room now, but in a few days, when there are more patients, istion will have to bebined with the severe case or mild case zones.

    "Integration of Eastern and Western medicine? Modu¡¯s Medical College actually has such a department now?"

    Director Xu was from Internal Medicine.

    This was the first time he¡¯d heard of the theory of integrating Eastern and Western medicine.

    "I¡¯m skilled in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, in addition to Surgery. Ruiyin Hospital, including the Medical University I¡¯m from, is now focused on developing an integrated medical approach. I¡¯m considered an experimental innovation."

    Bai Xiao removed the cotton ball, seeing that the bleeding had finally stopped.

    She silently circted her special ability throughout her body.

    Her face finally changed color.

    Indeed, truth can be stranger than fiction, as her body now contained the virus.

    Although the quantity was less than when she had checked herself this morning, it showed that she was already infected.

    Without an antibody, her special ability couldn¡¯t function; it seemed like a major issue would arise, and she was going to dedicate herself to the cause of medicine.

    Sure enough, ten minutester, the remaining members of the expert team, with heavy expressions, informed the two of them that they had all been isted.

    Bai Xiao was ced in the tent for mildly infected patients.

    Director Xu was isted on the male patients¡¯ side.

    When Bai Xiao entered the tent, there were no actual mildly infected patients but two.

    During the examination this morning, there were twelve severely ill patients and only eight mild ones, but by evening, only four mild patients were left; the remaining four had been transferred to the critical zone for severe patients.

    Bai Xiao felt a heavy weight in her heart, proving that the infection rate of the virus was elerating.

    The women from four viges had long been terrified, seeing the doctor who treated them this morning suddenly infected.

    That kind of emotion was indescribably heavy.

    Even the doctors with protective measures and numerous medical interventions couldn¡¯t save themselves.

    As for these ordinary people who understood nothing, it was even more hopeless.

    No one spoke to Bai Xiao.

    Except for the faint sound of asional weeping, the tent was silent.

    Bai Xiaoy on the bed near the entrance, right next to the tent, with a window that allowed a view outside.

    The night sky was really beautiful.

    The air quality in this mountainous area was exceptional, free of the smog worries of future cities.

    Especially as this vige was on a hillside, this vantage point of the starry sky, dotted with stars and the brilliant night sky, unexpectedly brightened her mood.

    Shey there, closing her eyes, and slowly began to use her special ability, wandering through her body.

    Round and round.

    Her special ability wrapped tightly around the viruses.

    They repelled yet attracted each other, as her special ability, like a curious child, wanted to expel the mischievous virus yet paradoxically wanted to y with it.

    Beads of sweat appeared on Bai Xiao¡¯s forehead, and her face began to pale, her body trembling.

    She was very aware that this was the manifestation of her special ability reaching its limit.

    There was still no way to deal with these viruses.

    She covered herself with the thin nket from head to toe, quietly lying there to rest.

    Since she was powerless, she couldn¡¯t let her body be pushed to its limit every time; otherwise, she might not even have the strength to resist the virus.

    She could feel that her special ability wasn¡¯t idle but seemed to continuouslybat something, as if some force was causing her special ability and the virus to gradually assimte.

    Now, whether it was good or bad was unknown, and she could only hope for tomorrow, but she must rest well and regain her strength now.

    No one knew what would happen the next day after nightfall.

    Bai Xiao slept soundly, so deep that she didn¡¯t realize, in her dreams, she was muttering softly to herself.

    "Humanity will neverprehend true power!"

    "The Guardian will uphold justice on behalf of the heavens!"

    In her dream, she once again sank into the depths of water, the water covering her head, with white foam indicating she had sunk below the surface.

    Gradually she became despairing, her vision blurred, unable to see a glimmer of light or hope through the deepke water, her lungs painfully gasping for air.

    She knew inhaling would mean death, but still fought the urge¡ªshe had to fight.

    The lethal water poured into her mouth, through her nostrils, rushing into her throat, scorching her throat.

    The darkness spread, obscuring her vision, and she knew she was losing. Her final thought in life was an innately desperate but faint cry: "Why?"

    Given rebirth, why should she die like this again.

    In such a critical moment, why was her special ability reimed, what was the meaning of this?

    Mocking a pitiful person, letting her experience the shift from joy to sorrow?

    Suddenly, the water seemed like it was boiling, the whole surface roiling, tossing her with the waves, as the massive force struck her ribs, making it difficult to breathe. Finally, a powerful desire to survive made her see the light of dawn, and she reached out to grasp it.

    Then she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her toe, and someone was eximing loudly.

    In her shock, a colleague rushed in, with arge gloved hand yanking a snake off her leg.

    The vicious triangr head revealed cold sharp teeth, still stained with blood.

    Bai Xiao sat up and saw the four fang marks on her calf, the punctures already darkening.

    Everything went ck as she fell off the bed and copsed to the ground.

    She heard a cacophony of sounds, as if many people were revolving around her.

    In her blurred vision, there were twinkling stars.

    She finally lost consciousness, fallingpletely into darkness.

    All the members of the expert team were administering emergency snake venom serum to her; everyone felt pity for this girl who came to the countryside to provide medical aid. It was unfortunate enough to encounter a highly contagious epidemic in just three days, and be bitten by a ten-month-old child infected with the virus.

    Being isted, she still encountered a viper wandering at night and got bitten.

    Now it was poison added to poison; it was uncertain if poison could counter poison.

    All they could do now was do their best and leave the rest to fate.

    This was the first time they had encountered such a situation, hoping she could make it through!

 Chapter 1022 Critical Condition

    <h4>Chapter 1022: Chapter 1022 Critical Condition</h4>

    An Zhiyuan had a restless night, apanied by an empty pillow beside him illuminated by the bright moonlight.

    He woke up from a dream filled with physical pain and found it hard to fall back asleep for several hours. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Bai Xiao¡¯s dark eyes staring at him! Could he see Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes talking to him?

    This only added to his frustration. In the end, he simply got out of bed and walked to the window, the wooden floor chilling his feet, but he didn¡¯t care, as the coolness helped calm his agitated mind.

    The dream was really unsettling.

    He was urgently concerned that something might have happened to Bai Xiao.

    He still remembered the time Bai Xiao saved him during a trip to Yun Province when Bai Xiao had a nightmare rted to him.

    This time it seemed to be his turn.

    But he damn well didn¡¯t like this premonition at all.

    There was some inexplicable and mysterious connection between them, known only to them, that tightly bound the two of them together.

    He didn¡¯t want anything to happen to his wife.

    The night cooled as heavy clouds moved slowly.

    He watched them gradually obscure the moonlight, knowing this meant rain wasing, and he didn¡¯t want to return to the cold and empty bed.

    An Zhiyuan was not someone of weak will; he refused to be depressed every time he thought of that horrible dream.

    He had to do something.

    However, whatever he wanted to do, he had to wait until he got to his office.

    When An Zhiyuan arrived at his office, there was a lot to handle today. Although he had already retired from the front lines to his current position, being a securitypany manager was no easy task.

    If you lead a group of restless guys eager to knock you down and teach you a lesson, you¡¯ll find your days are far too exciting.

    Every day yed out like a drama of robbers encountering soldiers; he was that difficult-to-like person.

    His rough subordinates wouldn¡¯t care who he was.

    No matter the rank on his shoulders or his previous achievements, they just wanted a high-challenge conquer.

    Pinning down and overwhelming their leader is the real thrill.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s reputation as a king was always a target for these neers to surpass. Indeed, a few promising seeds were among these neers now. An Zhiyuan checked the time; there were no calls from Bai Xiao. She had been gone for five days and hadn¡¯t called once.

    He understood, of course, having teammates over there too. The conditions were extremely harsh. Forget about phone calls; many viges didn¡¯t even use electric lights sparingly nowadays. Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t the type to shirk responsibilities either. Whatever she set out to do, she would do the best.

    Thinking of this, he prepared to call his teammate in Gui Province.

    Asking someone to spare time to check on someone was doable, along with bringing some things for Bai Xiao, who had left with only the essentials. An Zhiyuan wasn¡¯t worried about Bai Xiao enduring hardships but was concerned she might not adapt to the environment there.

    Of course, Bai Xiao¡¯s skills would prevent her from suffering, but it was still unsettling.

    He hadn¡¯t slept since that dreamst night.

    His fingers barely touched the phone before it rang deafeningly.

    He picked up the phone, "Chief?"

    "An Zhiyuan, the news I¡¯m about to give you, you need to be able to handle it and don¡¯t lose yourposure."

    The Chief¡¯s words intensified his ominous premonition.

    "Chief, what happened? Please, just tell me directly."

    "Your wife, Dr. Bai, got infected with the pandemic in Gui Province and has been bitten by a highly venomous snake, now fallen into aa. The organization has asked me to inform you to pack your things and head over there now." This kind of news would be bad for anyone.

    Knowing his subordinate had to bear such an emotional impact, the Chief was somewhat helpless.

    "Yes, Chief, I¡¯ll leave immediately."

    An Zhiyuan had already stood up, ready to hang up the phone.

    "Don¡¯t rush. I¡¯ve already had someone book you a ne ticket, which is on the way to your office. You should get it in a few minutes. Don¡¯t bother taking anything." The Chief left unspoken that the critical condition notice had already been issued there.

    Otherwise, how could it have rmed his highest superior?

    After all, Bai Xiao was not only a doctor but also a unique talent.

    The incident took everyone by surprise.

    An Zhiyuan felt a sinking feeling in his heart.

    Though the words were implicit, he still understood their meaning.

    Bai Xiao was in no good condition, probably very bad.

    Initially, he wasn¡¯t as tense as one might have imagined because hearing about the pandemic and the snake, he didn¡¯t think it was such a big deal.

    He knew Bai Xiao¡¯s abilities.

    Toxic substances in the foreign delegation were neutralized by Bai Xiao.

    If it wasn¡¯t for actual physical injury, he wouldn¡¯t have been too worried, but listening to the Chief¡¯s words, suddenly he wasn¡¯t so confident anymore.

    If Bai Xiao¡¯s situation wasn¡¯t extremely critical, why would there be an order from the top specifically directing him to Gui Province?

    Combined with all these suspicions, the only truth he dreaded to know was clear: something had happened to Bai Xiao.

    And it must be extremely critical.

    As her husband, he had no option.

    He sat on the chair lost in thought.

    The ashtray in front of him gradually filled with cigarette butts.

    Finally, in his extreme anxiety, the ne ticket arrived.

    Holding the ne ticket, An Zhiyuan was driven straight to the airport by his driver.

    When he anxiously arrived in Gui Province, he realized it would still take over ten hours by car from the airport to the small town in the county where Bai Xiao and her team were located, all the more fortunate that the Chief had already arranged for local personnel to dispatch a car for him.

    This was quite understandable.

    The journey was bumpy, and the road conditions worsened.

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s heart grew heavier; the roads clearly indicated it was a very remote ce.

    As a doctor, he couldn¡¯t demand the best conditions for his wife.

    But the situation here was far beyond his expectations.

    When he reached the county, as soon as the local government heard he was Dr. Bai¡¯s rtive, they immediately arranged for him to go directly to Ji Vige.

    After several hours of walking, he finally saw Ji Vige.

    A small vige already quarantined by fully-armored Armed Police Officers.

    Just from seeing those fully armored protective suits, one could tell the pandemic here was very severe.

    After making contact with the Armed Police Officers stationed there, they already knew he was Dr. Bai¡¯s husband.

    They quickly handed him protective gear to put on.

    Someone led him into the vige.

    In the quarantine zone, he finally saw Bai Xiao.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1023 Meeting

    <h4>Chapter 1023: Chapter 1023 Meeting</h4>

    When An Zhiyuan saw Bai Xiao lying pale on the bed, it was a separate tent because she was critically ill; under these circumstances, other patients were unwilling to stay with Bai Xiao.

    For a moment, it seemed as if his heart stopped beating.

    Then he painfully took a deep breath, making his heart beat again. He looked at the person on the white bed sheets, a sharp pain and sourness welled up in his eyes, he silently called her name with trembling hands. This...this cannot be his Bai Xiao.

    The person on the bed remained motionless, her face pale with a tinge of blue, but from her weak breathing, it could be sensed she was still alive.

    Entirely different from the Bai Xiao who always had a smile on her lips and a radiant face.

    An Zhiyuan wanted to remove his gloves; the heavy gloves made it impossible to touch Bai Xiao.

    The doctor stopped him, it was Doctor Zhang who brought An Zhiyuan here.

    "An Zhiyuan, you can¡¯t take off your gloves, this virus is extremely contagious. We¡¯ve discovered that it can spread not only through the air but also through blood and even touch. Doctor Bai is already in this state, you cannot fall because of this."

    Seeing such a young couple facing the separation of life and death, Doctor Zhang felt very sad in his heart. He of course knew Bai Xiao was a good doctor, even though she has only been here for three days, but in those three days Bai Xiao had aplished more than most doctors could.

    Her benevolent heart as a healer, her kindness, her efforts, the new life she personally delivered, she worked hard for the people here, and now she has to sacrifice her own life for them.

    "Doctor Zhang, what¡¯s Bai Xiao¡¯s condition now?"

    An Zhiyuan did not act impulsively.

    Doctor Zhang looked at Bai Xiao in aa, shook his head, "Very bad, because for saving a child, her fingers were bitten, got infected with the epidemic here, and unfortunately during the night rest she encountered the famous Bothrops here, the venom of this snake is very strong. Although she has been injected with Snake Venom Serum, she is still in aa until now.

    Moreover, all her physiological functions are declining, we monitor Doctor Bai every day; the only fortunate thing seems to be because of the snake venom, Doctor Bai didn¡¯t experience the basic symptoms of the epidemic like fever or vomiting.

    But all the instruments show her body functions are persistently weak, and the condition maintaining body functions is bing weaker and weaker, other than she remaining unconscious, we have no effective medication, all treatments are useless to her.

    And this morning¡¯s check already found her heartbeat slowing down more and more, if this continues, very likely..."

    To avoid distressing Doctor Bai¡¯s family, Doctor Zhang held back his words.

    An Zhiyuan immediately ripped off the gas mask from his head.

    Doctor Zhang got anxious, "What are you doing? Comrade An, this is the epidemic area, you can¡¯t give up yourself because Doctor Bai is like this." Forcefully holding down An Zhiyuan¡¯s gas mask.

    An Zhiyuan smiled and shook his head, "Doctor Zhang, you don¡¯t understand, Bai Xiao is my wife, she once apanied me facing life and death in front ofndmines. In facing death, she never abandoned me. At this time, I will definitely not abandon her either. I will face this virus together with her. Whether live or die, I will go through it with her. If we have to die, I will go with her."

    At this moment, his gaze towards Bai Xiao was so affectionate.

    You once apanied me through life and death, I will never leave you.

    If this epidemic is destined to end Bai Xiao¡¯s life here, he is willing to leave together with her.

    Hearing these words, tears streamed down Doctor Zhang¡¯s face behind his gas mask.

    For someone of his age, how could he not understand, many say couples are like birds in the forest, each will fly away when disaster strikes.

    At their age, rather than believe in so-called love, it¡¯s more believable to say trust in realistic reality.

    In that so-called movement, how many couples flew separately from then on?

    Not reporting you and not stepping on you is already considered benevolence.

    Don¡¯t speak of couples; even parents and children face such issues.

    Society now is developing much better than before, material satisfaction is making people start to expand.

    Many treat emotional matters as interest exchanges.

    But right now, seeing this couple in front of him made him truly believe there is love in this world.

    This is true mutual reliance in life and death.

    He released his hand.

    He had no right to stop this couple from staying together.

    An Zhiyuan took off all his protective clothing, he didn¡¯t want this protective suit to block contact between him and Bai Xiao.

    Starting at this moment, he prepared to take good care of Bai Xiao.

    Just like when he was in the hospital bed, Bai Xiao stayed beside him unfalteringly.

    Sitting beside Bai Xiao, gently holding her hand.

    The feeling was so cold.

    The chill made him shiver.

    This inevitably reminded him of Bai Xiao¡¯s post-hypothermia from treating others.

    Her current temperature was exceedingly low.

    Could it be thisa is her body¡¯s substance helping her fight the virus?

    Thinking of this, An Zhiyuan hurriedly said, "Doctor Zhang, I have a request."

    Doctor Zhang had already packed his protective gear, intending to take it back for disinfection.

    "Go ahead, if there¡¯s anything we can do to help, we¡¯ll do our best to assist."

    "Bai Xiao¡¯s luggage should still be in the hospital. Bring her things from the town hospital, there are items she needs inside. Also, give me a quilt, this ce needs a lot of hot water. If possible, find me a stove, her body temperature is too low."

    Doctor Zhangughed bitterly, "Other things might be okay, but this stove, it seems unlikely. This ce has no coal, so there¡¯s no issue of having a stove, most people build a brazier or a bonfire on the ground.

    This ce doesn¡¯tck wood, but other conditions really don¡¯t allow."

    They also realized Bai Xiao¡¯s body temperature was astonishingly low, but other than covering her with another quilt, there¡¯s no other way.

    Conditions here are just like that, they can¡¯t make excessive demands for a single patient.

    An Zhiyuan thought for a bit, "Since that¡¯s the case, then help me find two braziers, I¡¯ll burn wood here, at least it won¡¯t let her be this cold."

    Doctor Zhang nodded, this request wasn¡¯t excessive, so he went out to handle these matters.

    After over an hour, Bai Xiao¡¯s luggage including what An Zhiyuan had sent her were brought over, along with a nket from the county hospital and two braziers for burning wood.

    Thoserades enforcing the blockade surely knew who An Zhiyuan was, knowing he needed braziers specially went up the mountain to chop plenty of firewood for him.

    This was the only thing they could do for this man after learning An Zhiyuan took off his protective clothing.

 Chapter 1024: Take Care

    <h4>Chapter 1024: Chapter 1024: Take Care</h4>

    An Zhiyuan began sorting Bai Xiao¡¯s luggage, taking out chocte powder, chocte, candies, and some other high-calorie items.

    Bai Xiao is currently in aa, so having her eat something seems impossible.

    He nned to try mixing some chocte powder and feeding it to her spoonful by spoonful.

    The aftereffect of Bai Xiao¡¯s special ability is hypothermia. In such cases, she needs arge amount of calories.

    He hoped that this time it was also triggered by such a situation.

    Earlier, An Zhiyuan held Bai Xiao¡¯s fingers and feltpletely different from the usual attraction between their bodies when she would heal him.

    This signal seemed to have disappeared.

    Honestly, An Zhiyuan was very anxious inside.

    The disappearance of this signal¡ªis it an indication that the special ability within Bai Xiao is gone?

    If she doesn¡¯t have her special ability now, how will she save herself?

    He had just spoken with the head of the expert group here, and the staff here have been researching day and night, but expecting to solve the virus problem in just a few days is very unrealistic.

    Moreover, he had asked Doctor Zhang, as he had to.

    Asking others wouldn¡¯t get him the real details.

    Only Doctor Zhang and that Xiaoyu, since he is Bai Xiao¡¯s husband, informed him that Bai Xiao has been in aa for a full two days and nights.

    During this period, the virus had already undergone a seismic transformation.

    Originally, only 20 people in the vige had copsed, but now among the remaining seventy or eighty people, four or five others have shown simr symptoms.

    And two among the critically ill have died.

    If one says there¡¯s panic, it truly is so now.

    The doctor has thought of various treatments, but none have worked.

    Even antibiotics are ineffective here, and they¡¯re still trying other drugs, which might work briefly, but soon the virus builds its immunity.

    This virus seems to be constantly evolving, changing over time.

    Nearly all doctors are at their wits¡¯ end, studying under microscopes day and night, only for a new method to be quickly broken down by the virus.

    They truly don¡¯t know what to do now.

    The higher authorities have notified the provincial and city leaders because the epidemic has taken on a new dimension.

    While investigating the vige¡¯s situation, there were two people who had just returned from working outside, but back then these two were not sick, and no one paid attention to it.

    But just yesterday, both fell ill simultaneously.

    Moreover, a disease outbreak urred in another vige 20 miles away.

    That vige is not as severe as Ji Vige, but three people have already copsed.

    They have discovered that the incubation period of the disease is three to seven days.

    If the virus doesn¡¯t erupt within these days, it proves that it¡¯s truly not there.

    That vige has now been sealed off too.

    Even with this lockdown, it¡¯s to no avail.

    Because the two people sick in Ji Vige not only went to that vige but also attended a market gathering.

    This vastly broadened the scope.

    Now it¡¯s beyond what these few experts can handle.

    They must request national assistance.

    An Zhiyuan felt a sinking feeling in his heart.

    He never expected this epidemic to be so serious.

    At this rate, Bai Xiao¡¯s situation¡ªif Bai Xiao herself cannot cure it¡ªwe have no idea when experts might develop a vine.

    If the virus truly continues changing in countless ways, it¡¯s doubtful whether Bai Xiao can hold on until that dayes.

    He¡¯s not an expert nor a medical scientist¡ªresearching technical aspects isn¡¯t his forte.

    If Bai Xiao were just an ordinary patient, then like everyone else, he would only be able to stay by her side and care for her without any other means.

    But Bai Xiao is different¡ªshe can heal herself.

    An Zhiyuan understood that Bai Xiao nowcks energy, like a battery devoid of power.

    He must replenish her energy, to give her the strength to fight the viruses.

    Just like he¡¯s often done before.

    This is the only way he knows to help Bai Xiao solve these issues.

    He fed her warm chocte spoonful by spoonful, with a towel under Bai Xiao¡¯s neck, An Zhiyuan talked to her somewhat ramblingly, "Xiaoxiao, I¡¯m right here, by your side. I know you can hear me.

    If you can hear, you must get better soon. Remember our vow, through thick and thin, never apart. This time, it¡¯s your turn and I to face it together. I believe you can get through this.

    We have decades ahead to spend together. Whatever youck, tell me, and I will do it for you. Let¡¯s fight this virus together; nothing is insurmountable. You once helped me fightndmines¡ªI nearly died.

    What is this illness now? It¡¯s nothing for you, right? You¡¯re my wife, and I know my wife is the most capable."

    While wiping off the brown stains by Bai Xiao¡¯s mouth, watching Bai Xiao¡¯s unresponsive, pale face, he turned his head, as if fearing that Bai Xiao would see his sadness.

    Turning back, he was all smiles, "Xiaoxiao, wake up, I¡¯m right here, not going anywhere, not leaving your side. If you don¡¯t want toe back, then I will stay with you, not going anywhere, for as long as you want to sleep."

    His Xiaoxiao was tired. All along, his Xiaoxiao was like a busy little bee. Though she can¡¯t save the world, she¡¯s no superhero, yet everyone around her benefited because of her. From the moment he met her, she strove for everyone around her.

    Including him, her husband.

    He considered himself quite the man, always wanting to protect his wife, but each time there was a life and death situation, it was this woman who, without regard for anything, came to save him.

    He felt ashamed.

    This time it was his turn to guard her.

    After giving her a cup of chocte, An Zhiyuan set two charcoal braziers burning in the room. Although the temperature here isn¡¯t low, as it¡¯s autumn, only at night does it get two degrees cooler. During the day, short sleeves are still necessary.

    Yet An Zhiyuan still lit the braziers.

    He fetched hot water, wrung a towel to make a warmpress, and gently wiped her skin, constantly massaging her muscles with his sturdy hands to speed her blood flow.

    After over an hour of effort, An Zhiyuan finally noticed that Bai Xiao¡¯s face seemed to gain a slight flush.

    At least it wasn¡¯t as ghostly pale as before.

    He covered her with two quilts.

    An Zhiyuan sat by her side, holding her fingers.

    His Xiaoxiao, wake up.

    He¡¯d trade thirty years of his life for her smile.

    If he had known that Bai Xiao¡¯s departure would be a farewell of life and death, he wouldn¡¯t have let her go.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1025: Spread

    <h4>Chapter 1025: Chapter 1025: Spread</h4>

    "Director Xu, the situation with the virus is bing more unstable. Our medications are no longer effective, and it¡¯s even difficult to achieve basic suppression. Another patient has sumbed!" After Director Xu fell ill, the five-member expert team is now led by Acting Leader Director Wang.

    The problem is that it¡¯s no longer just one person¡¯s issue.

    "Has it been reported to the province yet?" Director Xu struggled to attend the meeting with everyone. Both he and Doctor Bai were infected, currently showing clear symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea. ording to their observations, vomiting and diarrhea are merely the onset.

    Once the high fever starts, if it doesn¡¯t subside, it will lead to death within three days.

    This is the pattern they¡¯ve recently identified for this virus.

    The incubation period is three to seven days, with vomiting and diarrhea urring after illness onset,sting no more than three days, coupled with three days of high fever, meaning a person could be gone in half a month.

    This speed is beyond what doctors can control.

    "It¡¯s already been reported, not just to the province; experts from the Capital City and Modu have been dispatched and are on their way here, while the province has sentrge numbers of troops. Over a dozen viges in this area are to be sealed off. The situation is already very serious.

    Surrounding viges are already starting to have isted cases, which could easily lead to arge-scale epidemic if this continues."

    This is what everyone is currently worried about.

    The transmission power of this virus is too strong. So far, air and blood transmission have been identified as two very evident routes, but it hasn¡¯t been determined if there are other routes beyond these two.

    The only constion is that all staff on the expert team wearing protective suits, except Director Xu and Doctor Bai who were identally infected, have not had any additional infections to date.

    This is already a fortunate turn.

    "The bodies need to be handled quickly and all burned. The temperatures are very high during the day, which could easily cause the bodies to dpose. Ifplications arise, it could lead to other outbreaks on top of the current epidemic." Director Xu is fulfilling his final duties; at this moment, he is not just a patient but a patient burdened with responsibility.

    "Director Xu, please rest assured and take care of yourself. Don¡¯t worry about this; we have already started handling it. The bodies have been incinerated. Although the vigers have some feelings, they are rtively stable since everyone¡¯s focus is on the epidemic." Even Director Wang and his team feel helpless.

    It¡¯s not that they aren¡¯t trying hard, but dealing with a virus is not a matter of effort equaling results.

    The most crucial point is that they still have not found the source of the outbreak.

    Without finding the source, it¡¯s impossible to stop the epidemic from spreading, let alone find an effective solution.

    At the moment, the situation is bing more severe.

    That afternoon, a 15-person epidemic prevention team appointed by the province, along with ten individuals each dispatched from the Capital City and Modu, arrived here.

    This ce is now teeming with medical personnel.

    Advanced research equipment is being shipped here continuously.

    The aim is to conduct effective vine development and antiviral treatments.

    The medical teams from various viges have all set up.

    All the surrounding viges experiencing outbreaks report their situation daily.

    The most severe epidemic center is still Ji Vige, which seems to be the epicenter, spreading outward from here.

    In other words, this is the source of the outbreak.

    The expert team has specifically organized personnel to start inspections, checking all possible sources of the outbreak within the vige.

    Leading the Modu antiviral expert team is Dr. Xue. Although Dr. Xue is a renowned surgeon, he is also an epidemic prevention expert with years of experience and excellent academic abilities.

    An Zhiyuan again fed Bai Xiao chocte, but seemingly like yesterday, there seemed to be no change. Bai Xiao did not swallow on her own and waspletely reliant on forced feeding.

    She remained unconscious.

    An Zhiyuan noticed that Bai Xiao¡¯s body was alternating between hot and cold. Yesterday when he was here, Bai Xiao¡¯s body was cold as ice.

    But after drinking the chocte water...

    In the two hours that followed, the body seemed much warmer.

    But soon after, two hourster, the body was again as cold as ice.

    An Zhiyuan could only specte based on his own thoughts that Bai Xiao was out of energy, and once she had energy, her body showed some resistance.

    He was experimenting today; if the chocte had the same fluctuating effect as yesterday, it would confirm that the current energy wasn¡¯t enough for Bai Xiao to utilize.

    However, there aren¡¯t many ways to obtain energy from food. Now all high-protein, high-energy food is inside their tent.

    He seems to have no way of changing this situation.

    Upon arrival, Dr. Xue immediately came to see Bai Xiao.

    Seeing Bai Xiao in a vegetative state, only breathing with no sign of consciousness, Dr. Xue truly regretted it.

    If only time could go back, to when the Dean proposed the list, even if he had to risk his reputation, he would stop Bai Xiao froming here.

    He thought this was a training opportunity.

    Instead, he didn¡¯t expect to deliver his student right into Lord Yama¡¯s hands.

    Seeing Bai Xiao like this, Dr. Xue¡¯s eyes reddened with emotion. If such a genius fell here, he would feel an unbearable guilt for the rest of his life.

    An Zhiyuan did notfort Dr. Xue; facing such situations, he couldn¡¯t even console himself, let alone someone else.

    Dr. Xue sat by Bai Xiao, murmuring for a long time before turning to leave.

    This ce is not just about Bai Xiao. There are so many patients here. ording to the current reports, the number of patients across various viges has already exceeded 40.

    Additionally, new patients are emerging every day.

    The death rate also continues to rise.

    Initially, two people died every three days; now, it has be one person dying every day.

    The situation is increasingly severe.

    Dr. Xue and his team must quickly identify the pathogen and find a way to counteract it.

    This is not a moment to mourn the loss of a genius student. Only by quickly developing a vine against the virus and treatment methods can he save his student.

    The entire workgroup is now busy with intense activity.

    The three working groups have been divided.

    The county workgroup and expert team have decided to lead the entry into other viges.

    Both the Capital City and Modu expert teams will operate separately, aiming to investigate the pathogen here. Meanwhile, they must find ways tobat the virus.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1026: The Source of the Disease

    <h4>Chapter 1026: Chapter 1026: The Source of the Disease</h4>

    Dr. Xue is leading a team conducting door-to-door investigations throughout the vige, even though this investigation has been done several times.

    But they still hope to find any overlooked areas.

    The entire vige has been thoroughly searched by them, with no apparent suspicions. All the sick vigers show nomon factors; there seems to be no shared exposure or consumption of anything, yet they somehow fell ill.

    Dr. Xue is so worried his hair has almost turned white.

    Under the microscope, viruses and bacteria are rapidly developing, almost forming a new generation of antibodies, seemingly having a stronger destructive power on the human body.

    The next day, Dr. Xue and his team looked at the report. The number of infected people today had reached forty-five on the table, more than double the initial number, with the highest infection rate in Ji Vige at twenty-eight, and four deaths.

    "Dr. Xue! Bad news, six new infection cases have just appeared!"

    This time, Dr. Xue felt entirely overwhelmed.

    A few people in protective clothing hurried to the quarantine area. The six people came from two families, both consisting of three members each.

    Four adults and two children, with one of the adults already having a high fever.

    "What¡¯s going on?"

    "The new cases were just discovered. The children had been ill for some time, but the adults kept it secret and only reported it today when they couldn¡¯t hide it anymore. Upon investigation, we found that both families were infected. This is the most severe case of six people from two families being infected." The staff were also frustrated; they were checking every day, and any abnormalities were dealt with immediately.

    Unexpectedly, the adults were afraid the children would be quarantined and they wouldn¡¯t see them, so they hid it and didn¡¯t report, resulting in both adults and children getting infected now.

    A man and a woman from the vige suddenly kneeled in front of Dr. Xue.

    "Doctor, please, save my son! Our family lineage only has this one son. If something happens to him, we couldn¡¯t face our deceased parents, doctor! Please save him; he¡¯s only nine years old, if something were to happen... how could we go on living!"

    Dr. Xue did not have a pleasant expression, thinking, "Do you really think you could go on living now?"

    "Stand up and speak, stand up and speak."

    They were helped up by others.

    The couple looked at their feverish child muttering deliriously and knew they had made a mistake, wishing they could just die out of regret.

    Dr. Xue sighed, thinking that ming the child¡¯s parents was meaningless at this point.

    They were just ordinary people with selfish motives for their child, without considering the bigger picture. Who could me them for that?

    Dr. Xue hurriedly examined the child, who was already having a high fever approaching 40¡ã. The child was in a foggy state due to the fever.

    If the fever continues, there¡¯s a fear that it might cause brain damage.

    "Doctor, Doctor. How is the child? Can he be saved?"

    Ji Ping was so anxious that he wished he could take the child¡¯s ce. The vige was full of rumors that once a person with this sickness starts vomiting and diarrhea, it¡¯s manageable, but once the feversts three days, they would be gone.

    Initially, they held onto some hope, but the child started vomiting and diarrhea, and after a few days, he really began to have a fever.

    On the first day of the fever, they couldn¡¯t bear it and immediately sought the doctors, fearing that if the fever persisted for three days, the child would be gone.

    Dr. Xue instructed medical personnel to quickly start administering medicine to the child and then began questioning them.

    "Ji Ping, how did your two families get infected these past few days? Did youe into contact with any infected patients, eat anything, or touch anything? Think carefully about what the six of you might have interacted with?" Dr. Xue had to ask.

    It wasn¡¯t typical for six people from two families to be infected simultaneously like this.

    Ji Ping and his wife pondered deeply, suddenly raised their heads, "Doctor, the vige is on lockdown. We can¡¯t go to the mountains or anywhere. The two families are neighbors with just a low wall between us. One day, I found a snake in the bamboo building, killed it, made snake soup, and passed a bowl over the wall. The rest we ate ourselves."

    "A snake? What kind of snake?"

    "Just amon belly snake around here. I thought it was non-venomous, and since we¡¯re poor and rarely see meat in a year, when this kid wanted to eat something meaty, he had to rely on us hunting some wild game in the mountains. The chickens and ducks at home are meant to bring ie to the family, too valuable to kill." Ji Ping, being simple and honest, wondered if there was an issue with the snake?

    "You need to carefully recall everything your two families have done, even if it¡¯s just touching something, you must describe it clearly. We need to know how you got infected." Dr. Xu suddenly had a notion in his mind, knowing that in these rural mountain climes, vigers would often hunt wild game or collect honey.

    Ji Ping reflected deeply, "Nothing else really, we just had that one snake meal between two families."

    Dr. Xue advised them to rest and focus on recovering. He immediately led a team to the homes of the two families. Although the snake was skinned and eaten¡ªthus, all evidence potentially destroyed¡ªthere must be pieces of skin that weren¡¯t consumed. If they could find the snake skin and test it, they might determine if it¡¯s rted to the outbreak.

    Dr. Xue, with the staff, searched through the families¡¯ houses and finally found snake skin on the beams.

    Theb analysis indeed found viral residues on the snake skin.

    Dr. Xue perked up suddenly, flipping through the records of all the patients, including the first one to fall ill.

    All descriptions noted that this first patient had been bitten by a snake while in the mountains.

    Subsequent patients either had snake meat or contact with those infected, resulting in secondary infection.

    The onlymon thread among everyone was snakes.

    Dr. Xue immediately requested that the Armed Police Officers capture a few snakes from the mountains.

    If the snakes are the source of the infection.

    Then living snakes should possess antibodies.

    Of course, this was just a hypothesis.

    The actual circumstances would be clear only after capturing snakes and conducting research.

    Thus, the Armed Police Officers returned with about a dozen snakes from the surrounding mountains.

    The ss incubator now housed new upants.

    After testing, each snake indeed carried the virus.

    However, intriguingly, none of the snakes showed any symptoms.

    It seemed as though the viruses hadn¡¯t undergone qualitative changes within them.

    They then conducted experiments with snakes and other small animals.

    After a snake bite, all the animals began to show symptoms, simr to humans with vomiting and diarrhea.

    Although it remained unclear why snakes have this immunity, it was certain that they were the source of the viral outbreak.

 Chapter 1027: Death

    <h4>Chapter 1027: Chapter 1027: Death</h4>

    The researchers achieved promising results and began focusing on the snakes.

    Since snakes can infect all patients, but they themselves possess immunity, they need to find out where exactly this immunity lies on the snakes.

    Of course, it would be even better if a vine could be extracted from the snakes.

    If there was a vine, everyone would be saved.

    Under the microscope, the carefulparison revealed something strange; the cells of these dozen snakes were vigorous, with no signs of illness.

    However, as soon as these cellsbined with human or other animal cells, they rapidly began devouring, their power and speed resembling finding food, quickly undergoing fission and changes.

    After a day and night of research, Dr. Xue removed his sses and rubbed his eyes.

    Although it seems like they found the source of the virus, they still didn¡¯t understand why these snakes became infected, nor do these infected snakes show any symptoms, rather other animals swiftly spread the infection once infected by them.

    Moreover, it bes uncontroble.

    So far, they haven¡¯t sessfully extracted a vine from the snakes.

    Snakes indeed possess immunity.

    But when this immunity was transferred to other animals or humans, it transformed into a destructive force.

    Another night came, heavy rain outside was pouring.

    In Bai Xiao¡¯s tent, the doctor was currently resuscitating.

    An Zhiyuan stood silently before Bai Xiao¡¯s bed, gripping her hand tightly and not letting go.

    By evening, Bai Xiao suddenly had respiratory failure.

    Her entire being seemed about to vanish.

    Her face grew pallor, her body temperature colder; no matter how hard he tried to feed her, she couldn¡¯t swallow anything now.

    The doctors and nurses arrived.

    All emergency measures were ineffective on her now.

    "Comrade An, say a few words to her."

    The doctor silently and the nurses removed all the surrounding apparatus.

    Her pulse was almost too weak to continue beating, even cardiac stimnt injections were futile, all machines showed she was at the end of her strength.

    This almost announced giving up treatment.

    An Zhiyuan held Bai Xiao tightly in his arms.

    "Xiaoxiao, you said you wanted to travel the world, you said you wanted to be the best doctor, able to heal people. Would you leave so willingly?" An Zhiyuan kissed Bai Xiao¡¯s forehead and cheeks, the temperature there almost chilled him.

    What he was holding was like ice.

    An Zhiyuan mmed his fist on the bedside table, his fist was covered in bruises.

    "You said we would be together, forever together. I won¡¯t let you leave like this, if you must go, don¡¯t go alone, I¡¯ll go with you." Fingers stained with blood gently caressed her cheeks, her lips, her forehead, as if marking symbols on her with his blood.

    He did not notice that the blood gradually prated her skin, holding Bai Xiao tightly, sobbing over her.

    Daylight broke.

    After a night of heavy rain, the mountains and forests turned a lush green, as if wearing new clothes, the jungle was filled with insect and bird calls.

    Dr. Xue entered the tent with his team.

    In An Zhiyuan¡¯s arms, Bai Xiao was held all night, the two faces pressed close together.

    Dr. Xue¡¯s heart ached.

    This was his student, a brilliant student, who fell here. He came today specifically to bid farewell to Bai Xiao.

    Everyone knew Little General An had gone mad, he wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to take Bai Xiao¡¯s body away.

    Holding Bai Xiao¡¯s body, he had stayed like this one night.

    But the body needed to be destroyed, all corpses were sources of infection.

    So, Dr. Xue hade.

    An Zhiyuan opened his eyes, immediately seeing Bai Xiao before him.

    With gentle eyes, "Xiaoxiao, it¡¯s morning, you should wake up."

    Dr. Xue couldn¡¯t bear it anymore.

    "An Zhiyuan, what are you doing? Bai Xiao is gone, as a man you should understand, Bai Xiao¡¯s body must be handled, otherwise the threat is too great. Now follow the doctor for a check-up. We will properly send off Doctor Bai."

    An Zhiyuan raised his head fiercely, his gaze like a beast, the sharpness of bloodlust as if faced with enemies.

    "Who said Bai Xiao died? Bai Xiao isn¡¯t dead, she¡¯s just asleep. Get out of here!"

    He held Bai Xiao tightly, like a mother beast protecting her child.

    Dr. Xue sighed, gesturing to the armed policerades behind him, no choice, during special times special measures must be used.

    Five armed policerades rushed forward.

    An Zhiyuan was forcibly separated from Bai Xiao.

    "Let me go, Bai Xiao isn¡¯t dead, let go of me!"

    He struggled violently, throwing a punch at the armed police holding him.

    Because of his overpowering strength, the five armed police couldn¡¯t hold him down, the remaining armed police outside stormed in.

    Even though their hearts hurt, they knew this was what they had to do.

    Ten of them pinned down An Zhiyuan, pulling his fingers apart.

    "You bastards, how could you? Bai Xiao isn¡¯t dead, she can¡¯t die, don¡¯t separate us, if you burn her, burn me too. In death we¡¯ll be together."

    "You arerades. You all have wives, mothers, families. Do you know this Doctor Bai, faced fearless with me againstndmines, she stood bravely at my side, willing to live and die together. Do you think separating us is the right thing to do?"

    "I¡¯m not asking you not to burn her. I¡¯m only asking for you to wait, just give me one more day. She¡¯s not dead, she¡¯s not dead."

    An Zhiyuan shouted wildly.

    The armed police simply couldn¡¯t do it.

    Ten of them released him simultaneously.

    An Zhiyuan fell before Bai Xiao, gripping her hand tightly with affection.

    Dr. Xue sighed, "Let¡¯s leave, give him one more day."

    Two people who loved each other were separated by life and death; moreover their request wasn¡¯t much, just to stay one day with his wife.

    What Bai Xiao had done in facing life and death together made it hard for everyone to watch such separation between the two.

    Since An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao had already been together for three days, based on past experiences, this virus¡¯s infection had spread.

    Saying more now made no sense.

    Might as well leave this ce to them.

    Everyone exited the tent with red eyes.

    No other separation by life and death moved them more than this moment; Doctor Bai and An Zhiyuan¡¯s love will remain eternal.

    Together in life and death.

    For how many people is this achievable?

 Chapter 1028 Wake Up

    <h4>Chapter 1028: Chapter 1028 Wake Up</h4>

    An Zhiyuan gently wiped all the stains and blood off Bai Xiao¡¯s face with a towel.

    He knew Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t wake up.

    It wasn¡¯t a loss of sanity or a mental breakdown, nor was it madness caused by excessive shock. He was very clear-headed.

    Clear enough to understand that he was merely deceiving himself.

    Never had he felt so calm as he did now, looking tenderly at his wife. This was his wife, his spouse, the most important person in his life.

    Bai Xiao no longer had even her final breath.

    Yet herplexion seemed to gradually be rosy, perhaps an illusion from looking at her for too long, as if she were still alive.

    If he hadn¡¯t repeatedly checked her pulse, he wouldn¡¯t believe she was truly gone.

    So silently, without a word to him, she quietly left. Without even a nce at him, it seemed their jestful parting from Modu became theirst farewell, eternal separation.

    He gently and quietly cleaned off the stains left by himself on her body and face, as if afraid of causing Bai Xiao pain.

    He would send her off, walk with her on the journey.

    "Xiaoxiao, don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ll apany you. Wait for me; within two days, I¡¯ll be with you. When we were alive, we didn¡¯t have time to stay together, always interrupted by various things. Now in death, we can finally have time together. I¡¯ll stay by your side, whether in heaven or hell, we must be together. Life and death together, never parting."

    "Life and death... together, never... parting."

    An Zhiyuan held her fingers close to his face, then gently wiped each of her fingers with the towel, still so fair and slender, still so beautiful, choking up as he answered, "Yes, life and death together, never parting."

    His heart ached fiercely, yet no tears came to his eyes. He wouldn¡¯t cry, and Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t want to see him cry.

    Why did their fate end like this, "Bai Xiao! You are such a good person, why does heaven treat you this way? You saved so many people, thoserades on the battlefield, those strangers. You devoted yourself to being a doctor, being a good doctor, but heaven is unfair.

    It envies us, envies our happiness, envies you, admires you, Xiaoxiao, I never told you, I love you, I really love you. I didn¡¯t know what love was, but now I understand, it¡¯s wanting to die when I saw you struggle between life and death, wanting to take all your pain upon myself, face death for you. Without you!

    My heart feels like it¡¯s missing a huge piece, so painful, tearing, even more painful than a bullet wound in my chest, Bai Xiao, you¡¯re in my heart! Now you¡¯re gone, my heart feels excavated, doesn¡¯t it hurt?"

    "Does it really... hurt?"

    "Yes, it hurts! It really hurts, I think that¡¯s what love is!"

    Putting the towel in the basin, wringing it slower and slower, until the towel sank into the water, floating like a fish happily swimming.

    "I... love... you!"

    An Zhiyuan raised his head with these words, his gaze fixed on the person before him, seeing the reflection in her bright eyes, their sights entwined.

    "Xiao... xiao..."

    The name was called hesitantly, his heart pounding violently as if wanting to break free from his chest.

    He didn¡¯t dare to blink, fearing it was his own illusion, that once he blinked, it would all be gone, and the person before him would vanish. He stubbornly stared at Bai Xiao.

    "Xiaoxiao, were you reluctant to leave me?" he asked foolishly, a thought crossed his mind, was Bai Xiao here to take him?

    She knew he wouldn¡¯t let her leave alone.

    Bai Xiao wanted tough at his foolishness, but it hurt so much, even a slight movement of her lips felt like being cut by a knife.

    Unable tough.

    She tried to activate her special ability, feeling like her whole body was shattered then reassembled.

    Finally, a warm flow surged from her heart.

    An Zhiyuan saw Bai Xiao close her eyes, motionless again.

    Gently touched Bai Xiao¡¯s cheek, it was cold, still cold, indeed he was just hallucinating.

    He lowered his head, rested on her chest, finally couldn¡¯t hold back his tears and let them fall.

    Tears aren¡¯t shed easily by men, just not until the heart is broken.

    Tears soaked the clothes, he heard the chaotic thumping of a heartbeat, was it his own heartbeat?

    If this is an illusion, he would rather never wake up.

    "Big brother, I¡¯m thirsty, and hungry!"

    An Zhiyuan lifted his head again, he heard this very clearly.

    It was Bai Xiao¡¯s voice, it couldn¡¯t be wrong.

    Seeing Bai Xiao¡¯s garnished gaze, finally An Zhiyuan tightly held her hand, "Xiaoxiao, Xiaoxiao, you... you..."

    "Thirsty, hungry?"

    "If you¡¯re thirsty and hungry it proves you¡¯re truly alive, doesn¡¯t it? Xiaoxiao, you¡¯re alive, right?"

    An Zhiyuan was already incoherent.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s teasing gaze filled An Zhiyuan¡¯s heart with joy, that gaze made him too happy.

    "Dr. Xue, someonee! Someonee!"

    He couldn¡¯t resist shouting.

    He needed others to help confirm he wasn¡¯t dreaming.

    The armed police outside rushed in, wide-eyed, staring at the person who was just dered deceased, now blinking at him.

    With his mouth wide open, he rushed out like the wind.

    "Dr. Xue, Dr. Xue, Dr. Xue!"

    The sound echoed throughout the quarantine area.

    Finally, after a cycle of Bai Xiao¡¯s special ability, she oddly discovered that something seemed wrong, the virus inside her body seemed to mutate first, those viruses she couldn¡¯t mistake, before her special ability encountered them, they would surround and reach a deadlock.

    But this time met with surrounding, then her special ability and the virus surprisingly had a grand festivity, neither integrated nor resisted to eliminate each other, just embraced like family, peaceful and harmonious.

    This was too strange.

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t know what was happening, anyway, the virus wasn¡¯t eradicated! But it was a peaceful kinship.

    Before she could understand the situation, An Zhiyuan had carefully picked her up, then closed his eyes determinedly.

    Bai Xiao was held in his arms, before she could ask what was happening to her man?

    An Zhiyuan opened his eyes, carefully scanned her face.

    Then kissed her hard on the cheek, with a face full of saliva, Bai Xiao wanted to raise her hand to wipe it, but was already held tightly by An Zhiyuan.

    So tight, so strong it hurt her, but the strong thumping of his heart happily dered his joy.

 Chapter 1029: Cooking Porridge

    <h4>Chapter 1029: Chapter 1029: Cooking Porridge</h4>

    "Xiaoxiao!"

    "Hmm!"

    "Xiaoxiao, Xiaoxiao!"

    "Hmm, hmm!"

    "Bai Xiao!"

    "Hmm!"

    "Doctor Bai!"

    "......"

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t want to pay attention to An Zhiyuan anymore. This conversation had repeated countless times already.

    It seemed like An Zhiyuan¡¯s intelligence had devolved into a child¡¯s game of question and answer.

    Yet he found joy in it.

    It was simply insulting to her intelligence.

    "I¡¯m thirsty!"

    "Thirsty, wait, right, you¡¯re also hungry! I¡¯ll give you some water first, then get you something to eat." An Zhiyuan frantically rushed to the table, poured her a ss of warm water, and eagerly held it to her lips.

    He meant to feed her.

    Bai Xiao reached out, took it, but An Zhiyuan stubbornly refused to let go, "I¡¯ll feed you!"

    She relented.

    An Zhiyuan treated her like the apple of his eye, afraid she¡¯d fall if held in his palm, melt if ced in his mouth.

    One breath, and she coughed loudly, directly choking Bai Xiao.

    "Bai Xiao, Bai Xiao!"

    An Zhiyuan hurriedly patted her back.

    Dr. Xue almost stumbled as he rushed in with a dozen doctors and nurses, tripping over the cab at the door, nearly falling to the ground.

    A few doctors and nurses were startled, but quickly and skillfully caught and supported him.

    Everyone looked at the smiling and coughing Bai Xiao, marveling at the miracle of creation.

    This was a living example.

    They had just checked; she had no breath, and now, she was lively again.

    It was truly unbelievable.

    From the day before yesterday until today, she had been dered dead for more than a day, yet she lived again.

    This was truly a miracle.

    "Teacher, why are you here?"

    She had been in aa for a few days and had no idea what had happened since she lost consciousness.

    She had just woken up to find An Zhiyuan by her side, crying with joy, at that moment unable to care about anyone else.

    It took Bai Xiao a while to realize she had just died, and she had been dead for a day.

    Moreover, that death was in the literal sense as she understood it.

    No breathing, no heartbeat.

    Even now, Bai Xiao didn¡¯t understand what had happened to her.

    But now, she hade back to life.

    "Bai Xiao, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re alive, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re back. I truly regret letting youe here in the first ce. I¡¯ve never been so regretful in my life, it¡¯s all my fault," Dr. Xue said, tears streaming down his face.

    Bai Xiao was speechless too.

    She just saw her man crying, and now Dr. Xue was crying.

    She only took a big sleep, yet it made so many people cry.

    It was impossible not to feel moved.

    An Zhiyuan was different; they had a deep emotional bond, but the teacher-student rtionship between Dr. Xue and Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t that deep yet.

    After just a few months, a deep feeling isn¡¯t possible.

    But for her teacher to be this happy over her revival, it was enough to show Dr. Xue¡¯s genuine affection for her.

    "Teacher, please don¡¯t say that."

    Dr. Xue suddenly remembered, how could they dy?

    "Quick, quickly give her a full body check-up."

    Dr. Xue was particrly afraid it was her final spark of energy.

    In Dr. Xue¡¯s anxiety, all the doctors and nurses started aprehensive examination.

    After a series of checks, blood was drawn.

    Bai Xiao was a bit weak; although she had special abilities, she was quite drained after waking up and being immediately tended to.

    The main issue was that she hadn¡¯t eaten or drunk for days, her body was deprived of nutrients, and her stomach was growling with hunger.

    An Zhiyuan had already noticed his wife¡¯s hunger, left for a while, and took advantage of the many people currently caring for Bai Xiao to handle some matters.

    He stepped out of the tent, wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes with his hand.

    He called over the armed police on guard at the entrance.

    "Hello,rade!"

    A standard military salute.

    "Alright, I know this is a restricted area, and we shouldn¡¯t walk around freely. Comrade, could you please go to the cafeteria and ask them to make a pot of porridge? It should be soft and easily digestible; Doctor Bai just woke up and hasn¡¯t eaten in days, she needs something to eat. I really appreciate it." An Zhiyuan took money out of his pocket.

    The armed police smiled and returned the money to him.

    "Chief, Doctor Bai is a doctor here and has special privileges. Meals are free. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll notify them now to hurry and make some for her. Please have Doctor Bai wait just a little longer."

    Saluting once more, the armed police quickly ran to the cafeteria.

    Entering the cafeteria, panting, the head cook who was also in the military¡¯s cooking squad, was busy stir-frying and couldn¡¯t even take off his gas mask to wipe his sweat, due to the intense heat of cooking added to the thick protective gear.

    The dining hall was bustling, and yet someone had leisure time toe in.

    He said unfriendly, "It¡¯s not meal time yet, we have no food."

    Xiaohuangughed, "Chef Liu, could you please make a pot of white porridge, well-cooked and soft, Chief An is waiting for it!"

    He understood Chef Liu¡¯s feelings, cooking in such heat while wearing thick protective gear was tough, it must feel as if they¡¯re sweating buckets.

    Chef Liu rolled his eyes, "I don¡¯t care whether it¡¯s Chief An or not, can¡¯t you see we¡¯re busy cooking? Where¡¯s the time?" He was most annoyed by those in authority ordering subordinates around.

    They never considered if others were in deep water already.

    Once inside, no rank mattered, everyone was the same; facing the virus, no one was exempt.

    If it weren¡¯t for the protective gear, regardless of rank, everyone would sumb equally.

    Xiaohuang smilingly said, "Chef Liu, please don¡¯t say that. Chief An¡¯s wife finally woke up after being in aa for so long, surely starving. Please help out, pitch in, and start another stove to cook a pot of porridge."

    Chef Liu paused, then suddenly widened his eyes and asked Xiaohuang.

    "Isn¡¯t Chief An¡¯s wife the one dered dead yesterday, Doctor Bai? Or am I mistaken?"

    "No mistake, no mistake, it¡¯s that Doctor Bai."

    "Then why do you need porridge? Wasn¡¯t she dered dead yesterday? I heard she had been dead for over a day already. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard of feeding porridge to the dead." Chef Liu was a bit unfriendly.

    Xiaohuangughed, "Chef Liu, your news is outdated. Latest update, Doctor Bai has woken up, not just awake, she¡¯s almost as good as new, calling out she¡¯s thirsty and hungry. So I rushed over for patient food."

    Chef Liu was shocked, "Is that possible? Wow, that¡¯s impressive. Alright, don¡¯t worry. Just for oveing such a grave challenge and miraculouslying back to life, I¡¯ll make sure to cook this porridge right.

    I heard she didn¡¯t eat or drink in days, just for that,e back in an hour for the porridge!"

    Xiaohuang readily agreed and left.

    Chef Liu mumbled to himself, "Everyone has it tough. A doctor who got infected trying to save patients just short of dying, for this doctor¡¯s spirit alone, I¡¯ll make sure to cook a good pot of porridge. Not because of Major General An¡¯s rank."

    The other two cooks working with himughed.

    The three of them cooked while gossiping.

 Chapter 1030 Normal White Blood Cell

    <h4>Chapter 1030: Chapter 1030 Normal White Blood Cell</h4>

    "Dr. Xue, we¡¯ve already checked, and Dr. Bai¡¯s physiological functions are recovering well. It¡¯s surprising that after just a nap, her physical condition has improved so much. We¡¯ll have blood test results in about five minutes. ording to our current examinations, apart from slight physical weakness, there doesn¡¯t seem to be anything seriously wrong." The doctor reporting to Dr. Xue was also amazed, not expecting someone they had pronounced dead to recover so well upon waking.

    If it were typical recovery over ten days to half a month, no one would be surprised at such physical condition. After all, she was dered dead yesterday, and this morning she still showed no signs of breathing. Perhaps there was some breath, but it was too faint for our instruments to detect.

    But now, only a few hours have passed, and for someone to wake up and recover so well is considered a miracle in medical history.

    Of course, such cases are not unheard of.

    Throughout history, there have been many instances where people appeared dead for a day or two, yet revived with normal breathing and full functionality.

    Medically speaking, this is called suspended animation.

    However, it¡¯s rare for someone to recover with such excellent physiological function from a state of suspended animation.

    Dr. Xue nodded, "This shows how young Bai is. Young people recover well, indicating that even during hera, although her overall functions seemed to decline, they remained fairly stable.

    As long as there¡¯s no real physical issue, that¡¯s good."

    Dr. Xue instructed An Zhiyuan to take good care of Bai Xiao. With the vine yet to be developed, their mission remains challenging. Despite the urgency that brought him to see Bai Xiao, he needs to return to hisb for experiments as long as she¡¯s alright.

    Today is worse, with cases in nearby viges rising to 100, and a mortality rate now up to two people per day.

    They¡¯ve identified the virus source and informed the viges that snakes are the carriers.

    However, besides snakes, human-to-human transmission through the air makes infected patients with a slight incubation period easily capable of spreading it unknowingly.

    With such a high mortality rate and strong transmission capability.

    The outbreak has already been reported to the National Epidemic Prevention Bureau.

    The animal-based transmission is highly concealed.

    You know the local snakes could move to other areas anytime, sparking a nationwide or even global pandemic, which would be a disaster.

    The very day they reported it, suspected cases have already mildly appeared across the country.

    The most troubling part now is, despite determining the pathogen, they can¡¯t develop a vine.

    They¡¯ve sought help from other countries, as no nation can avoid arge-scale outbreak.

    Dr. Xue, working under the microscope, is troubled as another virus experiment failed. The virus split and mutated after medication was introduced.

    The virus mockingly smiled at him under the microscope.

    Dr. Xue wearily set aside his tools.

    In just a few days, Dr. Xue¡¯s hair turned from graying to entirely silver, not a single ck hair left.

    It¡¯s not just Dr. Xue; every doctor and nurse here aged significantly during this period.

    The mental and physical toll they¡¯ve paid surpasses any job. Facing life-threatening conditions, yet still unreciprocated, the outbreak grows direr daily.

    Theboratory door burst open, banging against the wall, and Dr. Xue impatiently set down the sample slices.

    "Who is it? So recklessly!"

    Turning around, he saw Dr. Zhang running in breathlessly, holding a data sheet, shoving it into his hand.

    "Dr. Xue... Xue... Bai... Bai..."

    Dr. Xue unfolded the crumpled report in his hand, which turned out to be ab test.

    "Catch your breath first before speaking. Otherwise, it¡¯s hard for me toprehend."

    "Dr. Xue... Dr. Bai¡¯s... white blood cells are abnormal!"

    Finally managing to say what he wanted, Dr. Zhang nearly fainted from exhaustion.

    Dr. Xue¡¯s eyes quickly scanned the report.

    Stunned, he studied the report incredulously.

    "Come on, grab the blood sampling equipment, let¡¯s find Bai Xiao."

    Bai Xiao is a virus carrier, which is why she was quarantined. Now, however, her white blood cells differ significantly from other patients, who show a marked decrease after falling ill, whereas Bai Xiao¡¯s levels normalized.

    This is incredibly surprising.

    Bai Xiao was sipping porridge, relieved the bustling doctors and nurses finally left, letting her enjoy a peaceful meal after long hunger.

    "Second Brother! This porridge is so delicious, absolutely delicious, fragrant and sticky, and this pickled bamboo shoots, sour and spicy, perfectly matches the in porridge." Bai Xiao ate happily; her stomach had been protesting for days without food.

    Now, warm porridge and side dishesforted their protest.

    An Zhiyuan casually took her bowl, "One bowl is enough, save the rest for tonight! Or else your stomach won¡¯t handle it."

    Bai Xiao watched in dismay as her bowl disappeared, along with the porridge and side dishes.

    But she was still hungry.

    Looking at An Zhiyuan pitiably, "An Zhiyuan, I¡¯m still hungry. Can I have another small bowl? Just one spoon? Half a spoon!"

    An Zhiyuan remained unmoved, determined not to let Bai Xiao overexert herself after the fright she gave him, fearing another heart-stopping near-death experience.

    Health is wealth; Bai Xiao is his wife. To avoid future loneliness or desperate measures, he must care for his wife¡¯s health.

    This is An Second Brother¡¯s newest directive.

    "Rest well, you just woke up, don¡¯t mess around. In the afternoon, you may have an apple and a cup of milk, a special treat."

    Facing his wife¡¯s yful antics, he remained unmoved.

    Bai Xiao sighed.

    Fine, if An Zhiyuan is truly heartless, there¡¯s nothing she could do.

    Covering her stomach, growling with hunger, shey on the bed, unable to sleep from hunger.

    Tossing and turning.

    Turning again.

    Arge hand stretched out to her, offering a piece of chocte.

    Bai Xiao beamed, "I knew you wouldn¡¯t let me starve! You¡¯re so good, Second Brother An, the best man in the world!"

    An Zhiyuan blushed.

    "Don¡¯t talk nonsense, aren¡¯t you embarrassed?"

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1031 Antibody

    <h4>Chapter 1031: Chapter 1031 Antibody</h4>

    Bai Xiao yfully leaned towards An Zhiyuan, "Are you shy? Who was it that told me ¡¯I love you¡¯? Or did I hear wrong?"

    An Zhiyuan¡¯s face grew even more flushed. He could express his love deeply to Bai Xiao! It¡¯s because he thought he had lost his wife, and at that time, emotions were turbulent; facing the loss of a person, who cares about being reserved?

    But now, facing a living person, he didn¡¯t have that courage.

    An Zhiyuan is just not the romantic type. No matter how good he is to his woman in his heart, he shows it through actions. To have him sweet-talk Bai Xiao until she is giddy, he really isn¡¯t that kind of person.

    "You heard wrong!"

    With a stiff expression and a firm reply, he was so angry it made one¡¯s belly ache. Ah, dear brother An.

    Bai Xiao leaned over and gave him a peck.

    In moments of life and death, she truly regretted not treating dear brother An better; it seems they have spent more time apart than together.

    She wants to tell him the feeling of loving someone.

    "Did I really hear wrong?"

    "Doctor Bai!"

    Dr. Xue and Dr. Zhang already rushed in, followed by the head nurse at the back door.

    They immediately surrounded Bai Xiao.

    Wherever Bai Xiao is, happiness follows.

    Happiness is just so simple; a kiss can make him feel the beauty of a clear sky.

    "Teacher! What¡¯s wrong?"

    Bai Xiao was startled too.

    What could cause her teacher¡¯s eyes to redden, looking at her as if seeing a priceless antique?

    "To draw your blood!"

    Dr. Xue personally took the action, rolling up his sleeves and picking up the needle.

    "Teacher, why do you still need to draw blood? Are there issues with me?"

    The special ability couldn¡¯t cure the virus, but it shouldn¡¯t cause her immediate death. Knowing she didn¡¯t die yesterday means she won¡¯t die.

    Whatever the reason, Bai Xiao has an intuition that she won¡¯t die.

    The special ability at home can¡¯t cure it, but at least it can save a life.

    She still hasn¡¯t figured out the condition of her special ability within her body.

    Anyway, the virus and special ability coexist.

    She¡¯s puzzled too.

    "Oh! Teacher..."

    Bai Xiao felt wronged. Dr. Xue¡¯s needle caused blood to spurt but didn¡¯t hit the vein, and the force was too much, causing Bai Xiao to shiver in pain. Was the teacher here to draw blood or take her life?

    "Dr. Xue, how long has it been since youst handled a needle?"

    After Bai Xiao was pricked three times without hitting a vein, An Zhiyuan couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and intervened.

    Looking at his wife¡¯s arm where the bruises gathered, An Zhiyuan felt heartache! Bai Xiao originally had fair skin, so any bump or bruise showed distinctly.

    These three needle marks gathered like a sore sight.

    Dr. Xue sheepishly retreated, feeling a bit embarrassed, even though he was the best in surgery.

    Besides being the time-honored scalpel in surgery.

    But handling a needle was something he hadn¡¯t done in decades.

    To be urate, differing duties had already determined that his current needlework was worse than a rookie¡¯s.

    Seeing An Zhiyuan¡¯s sour expression, Dr. Xue had to step back.

    The head nurse beside directly took over.

    That¡¯s indeed her forte, handling needles every day, sure enough, she swiftly drew blood with one attempt.

    Now that¡¯s a real one-shot deal.

    "Teacher, what exactly happened?"

    Of course, Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t afraid of her special ability being tested extensively in her previous life; it¡¯s impossible for any instrument or blood data to detect it.

    Being studied like a science oddity for a long time, she at least knows it well and feels confident.

    "Your white blood cell count is actually normal."

    This matter can¡¯t be withheld from Bai Xiao; she¡¯s a doctor herself, making her more epting of this.

    "What do you mean?"

    Bai Xiao still didn¡¯t quite understand; on the third day she arrived, she was bedridden.

    All those data and subsequent work she knew nothing about.

    Only then did Dr. Xue suddenly remember that his student had basically been unconscious for days.

    "For all patients infected with this virus, their white blood cell counts have decreased, and the rate of decrease elerates inter stages. Based on the timeline of your illness, the virus in your body is at the outbreak stage, and we also found this virus in your blood. But curiously, the data from your blood drawn this morning shows your white blood cells are identical to those of an average person,pletely normal and stable."

    "So, what do you mean?"

    An Zhiyuan took the cotton swab from Bai Xiao¡¯s hand, pressed it for a while, the needle puncture already healed.

    "I suddenly have a feeling that your body might have developed antibodies. Of course, this is just my guess; we need data to speak for it. Although during thest examination, there was indeed a virus in your body, ording to the virus¡¯s incubation and outbreak stages, you¡¯re now at theter end of the outbreak, theoretically should be having a fever.

    But you¡¯ve been in aa during this period; we haven¡¯t monitored any data on your body¡¯s condition.

    Now that you¡¯ve woken up, your physical condition has indeed recovered quite well, with no signs of vomiting or fever. Isn¡¯t that strange to you?"

    Dr. Xue¡¯s words made Bai Xiao suddenly realize, indeed, after waking up, she only felt thirsty and hungry.

    She clearly understands this syndrome¡¯s status; they were the ones who discovered the patients.

    It starts with vomiting and diarrhea, then high fever anda. After a few days of fever anda, death urs.

    "Teacher, do you mean..."

    "We suspect your body has developed antibodies. Among all the patients we monitor, in the vige where the outbreak started with the first 20 patients, 10 have died, strictly adhering to, three days of vomiting and diarrhea, three days of high fevers anda, then the onset of organ failure, leading to death.

    So far, the only person with a somewhat simr situation to you is a little girl.

    This two-year-old child is one of the earliest patients, but she¡¯s had a high fever for so long.

    Although the fever hasn¡¯t subsided, she hasn¡¯t fallen into aa, nor has her body organs failed.

    Her physical examination data shows that although her white blood cells have decreased simrly to others, the decrease isn¡¯t as significant, and once decreased to a certain extent, it didn¡¯t reduce further.

    We suspect it contains antibodies, but examining her blood until now hasn¡¯t shown an obvious ability to eliminate the virus, except her white blood cells have istion and defense capabilities."

    Dr. Xue and all the doctors are straining every nerve for this virus.

    They won¡¯t miss any possibility.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1032 Doctor Bai

    <h4>Chapter 1032: Chapter 1032 Doctor Bai</h4>

    Ten minutester, Dr. Xue received thetest test data.

    He observed under the microscope that after a new virus was injected into Bai Xiao¡¯s blood, the white blood cells in her blood quickly assimted with the new blood. Her white blood cells did not destroy the other, but seemed to rapidly assimte them into a part of her own blood.

    Dr. Xue mmed the table hard.

    This is a spontaneously formed resistance mechanism of the immune system, even assimtion is the best form of defense.

    "Good, good, let Bai Xiaoe over."

    Dr. Xue was excited.

    This afternoon¡¯s epidemic report showed that outbreaks of this epidemic had already urred in various ces across the country.

    Moreover, simr cases were found in different regions of a few foreign countries.

    Every country was rushing to develop vines, and if they could develop a vine first, it would be as if they were saving the entire world.

    Bai Xiao finally understood.

    Thest time she acquired her special ability, she had to be in a life-or-death situation.

    This time, her ability met its match, and very coincidentally, under the situation of fighting poison with poison, she truly fell into a life-threatening state.

    Isn¡¯t this the damn life-or-death situation?

    So now her special ability had already solved the biggest problem.

    No wonder when she used her ability to check her body, all the conditions recovered without issue, except when encountering the virus, it did not eliminate the virus.

    The sense of family harmony she felt within her body was because they had already be one.

    With Bai Xiao joining the experiment.

    Three dayster, their first batch of vine was produced.

    Due to the urgency of the situation.

    The first batch of vine testers were all the patients in Ji Vige, and with all the patients¡¯ consent, all the patients were willing to give it a try.

    After all, they had seen so many people die, and injecting this vine into their body, if they died, it would be the same oue as the disease, but if there was a glimmer of hope that it could cure them, then at least they could still be alive.

    All the rtives of the ten alreadyatose patients in Ji Vige signed a document.

    Ten vines were injected into their bodies.

    The day after the vine injection.

    All the fevers in the patients who had high temperatures generally stayed between 40¡ã and 41¡ã.

    However, on this day, all the patients¡¯ temperatures had dropped to 38¡ã.

    And there were no adverse reactions.

    On the third day after the vine injection,

    The temperature finally dropped to 37¡ã.

    White blood cell levels in atose patients had recovered to 70% of normal.

    And they began to gradually wake up.

    A week after the vine injection,

    All ten patients had woken up, their temperatures returned to normal, and they could start eating.

    All the antibiotic medications began to take effect, and the ten patients began to recover.

    On the tenth day after the vine injection,

    They could already get out of bed and move around.

    And each person¡¯s white blood cell count had returned to normal.

    Twelve dayster, they were all discharged from the hospital.

    The vine exhibited extraordinary effects.

    And within these twelve days, the outbreak of this pandemic was out of control worldwide.

    Governments around the world were fully focused on researching vines and treatments, yet they still could note up with an effective and feasible treatment method.

    However, their results, when the vine took effect on the third day, had already started mass production of the vine.

    Using the antibodies in Bai Xiao¡¯s body, they began mass cultivation and production. Though the scale was rtively limited, the vines produced thus far were enough to help people in the affected regions and those already infected.

    Thetest vine not only prevents infectious diseases but also greatly helps infected patients recover their white blood cells, remodeling their immune systems to resist the virus.

    Most importantly, after this vine is injected, it does not eliminate the virus but assimtes it into a type of antibody within the body.

    In other words, with each patient cured, a natural antibody is generated within their body.

    Ten dayster, the country began the mass production of the vine.

    They held a press conference to announce to the world that China was the first to produce the vine.

    Other countries began requesting to purchase the vine.

    After experiments showed that the vine worked the same on their poptions,

    they began purchasing the vine inrge batches.

    Bai Xiao and the others returned to the town hospital.

    The epidemic in the surrounding dozen viges and across the nation had ended.

    The country had begun nationwide vine distribution.

    Bing one of the mandatory vinations.

    The epidemic urred quickly but was also eliminated rapidly.

    Within just a month, the entire epidemic was eradicated locally.

    The team of medical experts from China was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine globally.

    This award was probably the only one won by the Chinese in Nobel history.

    This vine became one of the vines administered worldwide.

    All members of the expert team were awarded the First-ss Medal by the nation.

    Bai Xiao was also given special recognition because, as one of the first to discover the outbreak, knowing the infectious potential of the virus, she still took the lead on the front lines, was unfortunately infected, and developed antibodies, contributing greatly to the medical field.

    The hospital and the state jointly decided to award Bai Xiao special merit. She was now a Chief Physician, enjoying all associated privileges.

    Dr. Xue and his team were sent back where they came from, thanks to Bai Xiao¡¯s exceptional contributions.

    The five of them were called back by the hospital.

    New poverty alleviation personnel had already been assigned.

    Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan boarded the train home together.

    It seemed that this past month had been like a dream.

    An Zhiyuan sat with her in the train car, and every time he saw her, he couldn¡¯t help but sit beside her, as if without looking at her, something felt empty inside?

    Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    "An Erge, don¡¯t be like this with so many people watching you, what does it look like?"

    An Zhiyuan replied defiantly, "You¡¯re my wife, can¡¯t I look at you?"

    Bai Xiao smiled, "Look! Look as much as you want, it won¡¯t drop a piece of meat from me, look all you want."

    This experience left both of them feeling a sense of post-crisis survival.

    "Xiaoxiao, after we go back, during the break, let¡¯s go see the sisters. I guess even if you don¡¯t go to see them, they have received the news and will rush to Modu to see us." This time, An Zhiyuan had a long vacation, much more than the time he was sick. No, because he had entered the infection zone, they specially gave him a three-month vacation.

    Here, they had only stayed for two months.

    Bai Xiao even more so.

    Dr. Xue said this time that after returning, she should have a good rest on vacation.

    After all, health is the foundation of revolution. Although she herself had recovered, if she didn¡¯t rest, who knew what other problems might arise.

 Chapter 1033: Family Love

    <h4>Chapter 1033: Chapter 1033: Family Love</h4>

    Returning to Modu, Bai Xiao saw her grandparents and uncle, and the old couple hugged her and cried bitterly.

    The whole family was waiting eagerly outside the train station, looking forward to it, and Bai Xiao saw them as soon as she came out.

    Seeing her grandparents with even more wrinkles, she knew that news of her critical illness worried them to no end; who knows how many tears the olddy shed at night.

    She always seemed carefree except for her brother and sister, but now she felt the worry a mother has for her child traveling afar; perhaps only family can be like this.

    Just imagine, once the news reached here...

    They heard their granddaughter was in the infectious disease ward and had fallen gravely ill, almost died.

    They heard she had stopped breathing for a day and a night, yet she suddenly came back to life.

    The olddy, who didn¡¯t believe in gods or Buddha, even wanted to be ayperson, saying she would eat vegetarian and chant prayers to bless their Bai Xiao with a long life.

    The old couple was just short of burning incense and bowing to the heavens.

    How could they not worry about such a good child, and if she had really been lost there...

    The old couple felt very sorry for their daughter and granddaughter.

    If they met their daughter in the afterlife, how would they face her?

    When the child was suffering, they weren¡¯t there to help, and when life had barely improved for her with a promising future, she suffered such a major setback¡ªjust thinking about the dire situation at the time is daunting.

    "Xiao,e home and see how much you¡¯ve lost weight, your little face is so pointy¡ªhow can this do? Come back home, let Grandma make soup for you to replenish your health. This bodycking nutrients is not okay. You¡¯re still young and might not feel it, but as you get older you¡¯ll understand that many ailments are caused by neglect when you¡¯re young. You must take this seriously." Grandma said while inspecting her granddaughter¡¯s hand closely.

    Her heart was full of worry.

    Grandpa vigorously nodded beside her.

    "Listen to your grandma ande home to stay. Us old folks have nothing to do and are focused on nourishing your health. Knowing you wereing back, your grandma nearly scoured the market these past few days and asked old ssmates and warrades to bring back many good things for you.

    Rest assured, within a month, we¡¯ll have you well nourished and strong.

    We¡¯ll make sure you never suffer any illness again."

    Bai Xiao chuckled, "Grandma, Grandpa, don¡¯t make such a fuss over nothing. Facing such an illness, we had to step up since we were there. As doctors, facing such dangers is our duty.

    Besides, didn¡¯t I benefit from the misfortune and gain a great achievement? Your granddaughter is now a major¡ªone might be promoted as fast as a rocket, but not as quickly as I was. Haven¡¯t they said, the greater the risk, the greater the reward?"

    Yet before she finished speaking, she received a sharp flick on the forehead from her uncle, Yu Shaoyan.

    "What nonsense are you spouting about the greater the risk, the greater the reward? Your grandparents and we never expected you to bring glory to the family name. Just honestly do your work. Do you know your grandparents have hardly slept these past days?

    The old couple clutched your mother¡¯s photo, almost ming themselves to death.

    They med themselves for not taking better care of you, even though you were right by their side, letting you face such danger. They med themselves and constantly gave me the cold shoulder. Just ask Xiaoxue.

    Your grandparents almost chased me out of the house, said I disregarded family ties, and let my niece face such danger even after they paved the way for you to such a remote ce.

    Just short of using your mother¡¯s photo to hit me."

    Yu Shaoyan was quite frustrated.

    Bai Xiao initially wanted to pretend toment to gain sympathy, but hearing that, sheughed.

    She clung to her uncle¡¯s arm coquettishly.

    "Second Uncle, you are my real uncle, how could I not understand you? You¡¯ve always had my best interest at heart, besides. Do you think your niece needs to go through back channels? Those are wide open to me already.

    Grandma, Grandpa, you¡¯ve wronged my uncle. This time it was really a series of idental coincidences.

    Let¡¯s hurry home; I miss the food at home. You wouldn¡¯t know how remote that ce was¡ªit really was remote¡ªdeste and backward, no doubt. I don¡¯t mind, but I just couldn¡¯t get used to the food.

    Every meal was cornmeal with sweet potatoes and potatoes. My stomach turned sour eating it.

    I really miss the homemade Zha Jiang Mian!"

    Talking about food, Bai Xiao truly drooled.

    In this more than a month, it wasn¡¯t the hardship alone, but the food really had too great a regional difference. She, a native northerner, wasn¡¯t used to not having rice every meal, just cornmeal, and sweet potatoes, especially that sauerkraut.

    It really turned her stomach sour.

    Even back when she suffered in Liupan Vige, at least then it was corn gruel, though the ck bread was not easy to digest, very hard and unappetizing, but she was used to noodles as a northerner. When arriving in the south, consuming sweet potatoes, cornmeal, and sauerkraut was quite challenging.

    It¡¯s not about enduring hardship; it¡¯s about not being ustomed to the local diet.

    Grandma immediately got anxious, pulling Bai Xiao to leave, but still did not forget to call her granddaughter-inw An Zhiyuan, "Xiao An,e on, follow us. You two suffered there, quicklye home. Grandma will make you something delicious.

    If you want Zha Jiang Mian, fine! I¡¯ll make you the authentic Capital City Zha Jiang Mian, one taste and you¡¯ll want a second."

    Grandma and Grandpa were originally from the north, born and raised in Capital City.

    Authentic Zha Jiang Mian, of course, is their specialty.

    As soon as they heard their granddaughter wanted it, they instantly brightened up.

    Yu Shaoyan shook his head speechlessly.

    Seeing this, he felt like he wasn¡¯t a member of the family. Perhaps he was picked up from some rubbish heap.

    Yu Feixue was even more frustrated; from the moment she met Bai Xiao till now, all she managed was a greeting,pletely monopolized by their grandparents.

    No room even to squeeze in, the two old adults on either side.

    Not leaving any space for her.

    A minivan took them back home.

    Grandma got off directly at the vegetable market, while home was prepared with soup and other things, but there was no preparation for Zha Jiang Mian.

    But since her granddaughter asked for it, they had to get it done even if it wasn¡¯t prepared.

    Grandma set out to buy groceries.

    Bai Xiao repeatedly said they could just eat whatever was at home, but Grandma wouldn¡¯t have it and chased them away. Grandma and Grandpa headed directly for the vegetable market.

    Bai Xiao felt warmth in her heart, as if she was finally experiencing familial love.

    Someone will take your request as their first priority, cherishing and loving you.

    Only those with blood ties will do such things for you.

    She never experienced parental love. Her foster parents passed when she was fourteen; her brother and sister couldn¡¯t provide care for her. She was used to not receiving any affection, but now she realized this is what love is like.

 Chapter 1034: The Past Lover Who Is Not Favored

    <h4>Chapter 1034: Chapter 1034: The Past Lover Who Is Not Favored</h4>

    Yu Feixue finally had the chance to plop down next to Bai Xiao.

    "Oh my, there¡¯s finally a spot free. Little sis, you¡¯re the favorite now, huh? Just look, Grandpa and Grandma have eyes only for you, and we¡¯re just extras."

    The tone was slightly sour, a bit jealous.

    Bai Xiaoughed.

    "Oh stop it. When I¡¯m not around, don¡¯t they treat you like a precious gem? Now you know what jealousy feels like; think about the other brothers and sisters. They probably envy you the same way."

    The two sisters exchanged gleefulughter.

    Yu Shaoyan watched his daughter and Bai Xiao getting along so well, feeling warmth in his heart¡ªthis is what a close-knit family is like.

    Yu Feixue leaned to Bai Xiao¡¯s ear and the two whispered.

    Mainly about the mischief she had gotten into, of course, she couldn¡¯t let her dad know.

    When she recounted what she and He Weng had been up to in Harbor City.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes widened.

    This one was even more of a ma for trouble than her.

    She already had a knack for attracting drama, and her sister was exactly the same, causing trouble everywhere¡ªto not do so would almost seem unfair to the ce.

    Who would¡¯ve thought that someone as honest and straightforward as He Weng could tag along with her sister in such antics.

    They swindled a whole ten billion.

    Really impressive skills.

    "Doesn¡¯t it burn your hands to hold onto that money? I¡¯m warning you, be careful yourself. Zhuo Family ranks among the top 30 richest in Harbor City; you¡¯ve made their wealth shrink so much, and no one¡¯s money falls into yourp like that, they won¡¯t be happy about it.

    Sure, current policies don¡¯t allow for much now, but when the Harbor City returns and businesses transform, aren¡¯t you worried they¡¯lle after you then?"

    Yu Feixue rolled her eyes, "I¡¯m not scared; if anyone should be scared, it¡¯s He Weng. I don¡¯t do business, he does. When he encounters them in the market, it¡¯ll be the brave winning the showdown. But I¡¯ve found his heart is quite dark, with quite the tactics to pull one over.

    And about your other friend¡ªcalling him straightforward is a misjudgment, wasn¡¯t it? Him straight? A big man who lets a woman like me y the bad cop while he ys the good cop, and without even batting an eyelid he sends me out there.

    Good thing your sister is smart as a whip, crafting a whole scenario on the fly from the situation, unafraid of being exposed."

    Recalling the scene, the excitement and thrill were palpable! That battle was wlessly executed.

    Never in her life has she ever turned 100,000 into a ten billion business.

    Someday, when she¡¯s old, she¡¯ll share the glorious achievements of her past with her descendants, frightening a crowd.

    Who could turn 100,000 into ten billion?

    That¡¯s real skill!

    Thinking about this, a look of smug satisfaction spread on Yu Feixue¡¯s face.

    Yu Shaoyan was driving; today he chose to drive himself, with all family members on board, preferred not to use a driver, so he specially got a van. An Zhiyuan sat in the front seat with him, casually chatting, suddenly overhearing his daughter mumbling eleven, eleven.

    "What are you nning for the eleventh? Don¡¯t encourage your sister to run wild with you; you¡¯re already graduated and assigned unit, not settling down to work doesn¡¯t do justice to yourself. Look at Bai Xiao, barely a year younger than you, see where she¡¯s at.

    Now look at yourself, aren¡¯t you ashamed as the older sister?"

    Yu Shaoyan was quite upset, though his daughter wasn¡¯t bad, next to his niece there was quite a disparity.

    Other families¡¯ daughters always seem particrly great.

    Yu Feixue chuckled.

    Her dad mistook ten billion for eleven, which was quite the talent.

    But, thinking it over, it¡¯s not really her father¡¯s fault.

    Who, hearing a word or two, would imagine she was talking about ten billion, that was virtually unimaginable.

    "Dad, besides knocking me down a peg, do you knock down anyone else? I know Bai Xiao is now your golden girl, might as well have her be your daughter. I¡¯d happily enjoy freedom, no one nagging day in and day out.

    Plus, dad, my job is one Inded on my own, don¡¯t dismiss it. Your daughter has done quite well already."

    "I say one word, you have ten ready for when I finish. Isn¡¯t it said daughters are their parents¡¯ little coat, yet you don¡¯t seem to be that coat, you¡¯re constantly pouring cold water on me." Yu Shaoyan looked at his daughter, helpless, realizing this generation gap truly existed.

    Yu Feixue wouldn¡¯t stand for it.

    "You say I¡¯m not your little coat, and they say daughters are a father¡¯s sweetheart from a past life. Is this how you treat your past-life sweetheart? Then I¡¯m quite aggrieved." Yu Feixue protested unwillingly.

    Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan were amused by the father-daughter pair.

    The atmosphere in the van instantly became incredibly harmonious.

    Yu Shaoyan and Yu Feixueughed as well.

    "Uncle! Auntie?"

    This wife of her second uncle, she only met twice before, but they didn¡¯t interact much, still felt it polite to ask.

    Yu Shaoyan sighed, "Your aunt has returned to her parents¡¯ house again. Always belittling me and our daughter, so the two of us ran back to your granddad to scrounge meals." Although it sounded likeining, it was evident uncle cared deeply for aunt.

    It felt sweet and tender.

    Of course, she was aware in previous lives Yu Shaoyan and his spouse were affectionate, definitely witnessed.

    Whenever she saw them together, the couple was always cooperative, their nces and demeanor suggesting that¡¯s how it was at home too.

    "You should be content, Dad, from early childhood till now, how often did you two deal with me? When I was little, I was handed off to Grandma and Grandpa, then when I grew up, you let me be independent, are there parents as carefree as you?" Yu Feixue couldn¡¯t stand her dad¡¯s fake facade.

    "What¡¯s called carefree parents, haven¡¯t you heard that when kids grow up, parents should let them be self-reliant for their own good? Look how great you are now, doing everything on your own, cooking andundry, taking care of yourself, without early practice, you wouldn¡¯t be who you are now." Yu Shaoyan was very righteous.

    "Xiaoxiao, please look at my dad¡¯s face, clearly wanting a two-person world with my mom, they let me be independent early, and just to spare his wife any concerns, absolutely no pity for me, the sweetheart in a past life. Poor me, the little cabbage, washing clothes for myself and them too since childhood.

    Tell me if there are parents like this?"

    Bai Xiao poked Xiaoxue on the forehead vigorously.

    "Be grateful, at least you¡¯ve had two parents watching over you; I haven¡¯t had a dad, or mom."

    The van suddenly fell silent.

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 Chapter 1035: Investigation

    <h4>Chapter 1035: Chapter 1035: Investigation</h4>

    Upon hearing these words, Yu Shaoyan felt a pang in his heart. His sister had passed away early, and his niece had been raised by adoptive parents. But before she could grow up, they too were gone.

    This child has faced almost nothing but misfortune.

    No wonder her tone carried such helplessness and mncholy.

    "Xiaoxiao, don¡¯t say that. Even though you¡¯ve lost your mom, you still have your grandparents and uncle. We are all your family members. Remember, you¡¯re not alone in this world. You have family, and your brother and sister treat you very well.

    They practically treasure you like a precious gem.

    Now you also have us."

    Yu Feixue, worried that her previous words might have hurt Bai Xiao, hugged her shoulders and said, "Sister, rest assured, from now on you¡¯ll have your elder sister watching over you. We are all your family."

    Bai Xiao smiled, "Don¡¯t think too much of it, I was just speaking casually. If you¡¯re always so rmed and make a fuss, we won¡¯t be able to have a conversation, let alone joke around in the future."

    She really wasn¡¯t wallowing in self-pity.

    In this life, she already had more than enough. Compared to her past life, she is now so happy that no words can describe it.

    The refusal to settle in this life has made her what she is.

    And she has gained more family and friends than in her previous life.

    The girl who was once lonely and imprisoned like a captive now possesses all the happiness in the world.

    Returning to her grandmother¡¯s home, a meal of fried sauce noodles made herpletely satisfied.

    She simply couldn¡¯t help it; it was too delicious.

    The sauce was oily and fragrant, the noodles were hand-rolled by her grandmother and cooked perfectly. Topped with tender green cucumber shreds, bright red carrot shreds, yellow soybean sprouts, soybeans, and then the fried sauce ced right in the center of the freshly cooked hand-rolled noodles. Mixing it well and slurping a big mouthful, the taste was simply divine.

    Bai Xiao ate two bowls in one go.

    The main reason was that it was too delicious.

    Not to mention the authentic taste, most importantly, Bai Xiao hadn¡¯t had such a delicious fried sauce noodle in a long time, it was truly an irresistible temptation.

    Her grandparents watched her eat so heartily, both of them smiling so brightly that their faces seemed to blossom, the wrinkles on their faces even smoothed out.

    With eyes full of kindness.

    The family gathered around the table, eating and chatting about everyday matters.

    They were eating amidst the lively atmosphere, the atmosphere harmonious.

    Someone knocked on the door.

    Auntie went to open the door.

    The old couple rarely got so happy, and the auntie was also happy.

    "Granny, Grandpa, it¡¯s police officers, they said they¡¯re looking for Mr. Yu."

    Behind the auntie were two police officers in uniform.

    The dining table fell silent at once.

    Yu Shaoyan stood up and greeted them with a smile, "Hello, I am Yu Shaoyan. Are you looking for me?"

    Thinking it was something rted to work.

    The two police officers nced at Yu Shaoyan, "Comrade Yu Shaoyan, we are from the academy. Pleasee with us."

    The academy?

    At this moment, Yu Shaoyan realized something was wrong. The academy was only for investigating illegal and disciplinary acts by officials, so finding him couldn¡¯t be a good thing.

    "Could you two please show your credentials?"

    Bai Xiao¡¯s first reaction was that there was a problem.

    Yu Shaoyan was not a person who engaged in corruption and bribery; in her past life, she knew him as someone who was honest and dedicated.

    Moreover, when she got to know Yu Shaoyan, there was no such thing on record.

    The uncle she knows in this life is also not that kind of person.

    So how could this kind of situation arise?

    The two officers from the academy were taken aback by Bai Xiao, surprised that a young girl had such a sense of vignce.

    They immediately took out their work credentials and showed them to Yu Shaoyan.

    These credentials were certainly not fake.

    As a public official, he was of course aware of their internal measures regarding credential protection.

    "Comrade Yu Shaoyan, please cooperate with us in the investigation ande with us."

    No matter the reason! They were here to execute official duties today.

    Yu Shaoyan realized something had happened, but still picked up his coat and put it on, fastening the button on his Chinese tunic cor.

    "Xiaoxue, tell your mom I won¡¯t being home in the next few days. You need to take good care of mom."

    Not wanting to worry his parents here, "Mom and Dad, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be back soon."

    He had a clear conscience, and wasn¡¯t afraid of the investigation.

    Yu Feixue wouldn¡¯t stand for it, "Ifrades from the academy are taking someone away, at least let us know what¡¯s going on. Even if it is to cooperate with an investigation, you should exin what kind of matter we are to cooperate with, you can¡¯t just take someone without any reason."

    Her nature was to get to the bottom of things.

    She couldn¡¯t just let her father go with these academy officers in the dark, knowing nothing.

    "Youngdy, this matter is not something you can know! This is an internal investigation. Mr. Yu should understand that we are acting on duty and is requested to cooperate with us." Their attitude solemn, neither servile nor overbearing, indicating they were not prepared to say more, nor were they allowed to.

    Yu Shaoyan smiled, "Alright, Xiaoxue, don¡¯t worry. If a man stands upright, there is no fear of crooked shadows."

    And he went away with the two academy officers.

    The old folks hadn¡¯tprehended what just happened, and the person was taken away.

    Bai Xiao instinctively felt something was off; this incident was too strange.

    The academy investigating Mr. Yu, a top candidate for the next appointment, could only be due to someone reporting him, or implication by others.

    "Xiaoxiao, what should we do? What should we do?"

    Yu Feixue had never encountered such a situation and was a bit flustered.

    Bai Xiaoforted her by holding her shoulders, "It¡¯s okay. The academy just needs to clear things up and will release uncle. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll look into it, and An Big Brother, see what you can do."

    The old couple was calm; they had seen many great storms and waves, this was nothing.

    Compared to the house raids and being sent down, this was nothing.

    They had faith in their son¡¯s character and conduct; as long as he hadn¡¯t done anything hical, there was no fear of investigation. Besides, they had some connections, and finding out what was going on shouldn¡¯t be a problem.

    "Little An, Xiaoxiao, don¡¯t worry. Little An is from the military, not part of the academy¡¯s system. Don¡¯t trouble him. We will naturally find out about it. After all, these old bones still have some connections, rest assured."

    The grandmother¡¯sposure quickly calmed Yu Feixue down! Indeed, they still had grandparents on their side.

    The most formidable ones in this house were the grandparents.

    "I¡¯ll make some calls, you all go upstairs and rest, don¡¯t make a fuss, it¡¯ll be fine." The grandfather urged them away.

    There was no need for the juniors to be on edge and since Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan had only just returned today, encountering such a matter made the grandfather somewhat helpless.

    Bai Xiao shook her head! Insisting, "Grandfather, we are a family. We have the right to know if there is anything that requires help, we too will be relentless. Instead of having us specte in the room, it would be better if we are here and involved."

    The kids had grown up.

 Chapter 1036: Implication

    <h4>Chapter 1036: Chapter 1036: Implication</h4>

    The old man made a few phone calls and quickly understood the situation.

    This time, Yu Shaoyan was investigated because someone reported his former superior Mu Hua by name, making Yu Shaoyan the primary target.

    Mu Hua was involved in bribery and misconduct, and the whistleblower was even Mu Hua¡¯s mistress¡ªevidence was irrefutable.

    Mu Hua had already been isted for investigation.

    Yu Shaoyan was just caught in the middle.

    But the most troublesome is that someone had also reported Yu Shaoyan by name, and it was a hospital dean¡ªthis could be problematic.

    It truly is, as they say, cooperating with the investigation.

    As long as Yu Shaoyan himself has no issues, this cooperation won¡¯t affect him much.

    The old man felt somewhat reassured.

    He had confidence in what kind of person his own son Yu Shaoyan was.

    Not the type who pretends on the surface while secretly doing something else.

    The old man jokingly said that this time is a wake-up call for Yu Shaoyan, reminding him not to make mistakes, to work diligently as long as he is in this position, and not to think he can do anything just because he has a high position.

    The olddy also felt reassured seeing the old man say so.

    Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t think so.

    The prosecutor¡¯s office doesn¡¯t casually invite people.

    Inviting someone inside is never simple, regardless of whether there are issues.

    Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan returned to their own home in the evening; now that they had a home, staying at Grandma and Grandpa¡¯s was no longer appropriate; besides, no ce is as good as home.

    After a hot shower, the nearby bathhouse was still open, and Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t resist; during these days with the rural medical team, there was barely any opportunity to wash, only to wipe with water, rushing back on the train.

    Thinking about it, it was surprising to go months without a proper bath.

    Bai Xiao felt embarrassed himself.

    Luckily, An Zhiyuan wasn¡¯t deterred and could still kiss her from time to time.

    Therge public bathhouse was crowded; there was no other choice. Nowadays, the worker bathhouses are all like this. If you want a private one? Unless you go to those so-called avant-garde sauna bath cities, Bai Xiao was somewhat repelled by them mentally! Who knows what kind of messy people might be washing there?

    The public worker bathhouse was cleaner byparison.

    After a good hour-long wash, oning out, Bai Xiao felt a lot lighter.

    With damp hair half-dried with a towel, she returned, thinking she must buy a hairdryer because keeping her hair wet could easily lead to headaches and arthritis in the future.

    Returning home, An Zhiyuan had long since finished his bath. A man like him was quick; besides, An Zhiyuan was used to takingbat showers, not wasting time in such activities; the home had been empty for over a month and needed tidying up.

    Before Bai Xiao got back, he had cleaned, changed the bed sheets, and covers. Given his wife¡¯s love for cleanliness, had he not been concerned about her exhaustion from the long journey, he probably would¡¯ve pushed her to clean! Thankfully, she started with the shower instead.

    The house was clean, with fresh flowers adding a touch of elegant warmth.

    "An Zhiyuan, you¡¯ll spoil me. What will I do if you go on a business trip?" Bai Xiao joked, hugging An Zhiyuan¡¯s firm waist from behind, pressing her face against his broad back, inhaling his tobo and soap scent.

    Beside An Zhiyuan, she always felt cared for like a child, right from the moment they met! It seemed as if An Zhiyuan was the man the heavens sent to take care of her.

    An Zhiyuan turned, his strong arms encircling her waist. This woman had lost weight over time; her naturally slender waist seemed even more delicate.

    Seeing the tenderness in An Zhiyuan¡¯s eyes, she leaned forward, showing an angelic smile.

    An Zhiyuan inhaled sharply; when his wife showed such an angelic smile, it¡¯s either she was furious, or plotting something quietly, and often he realized it toote.

    "Xiaoxiao, I like pampering you. I¡¯m your man; if I don¡¯t pamper you, who will?" He couldn¡¯t resist tenderly ruffling her still-wet hair.

    He fetched a towel, sat her on the sofa, and stood behind her, gently drying her hair.

    Bai Xiao let out afortable sigh, warming his heart. Her slightly hoarse voice stirred him deeply.

    The sensation under his fingers began to change.

    His fingers gradually moved lower; it had been long since they were intimate.

    After all, given their initial separation and theter frightening moments, neither focused on other matters.

    Back then, An Zhiyuan¡¯s only hope was probably for her well-being.

    He pinched her waist. "Let¡¯s rest!" His voice sounded muffled.

    She hadn¡¯t blushed for a long time, but suddenly her cheeks felt hot; he hadn¡¯t done anything, yet she felt as if shecked clothing.

    Bai Xiao buried her flushed face into his chest; his unsaid meaning was clear even to a fool.

    And she wanted him.

    His throat constricted, watching her smile weingly, her lip curve inviting touch¡ªmaybe with his lips?

    Heat exploded within him, spreading throughout his body.

    Next moment, his hands responded, grasping her waist and lifting her to his level; she gasped,nding in his embrace.

    His throat was dry, sweat beads on his forehead.

    "If I keep holding back, I¡¯m not a man."

    Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t speak at all.

    Intense, obvious emotions burned in his half-closed eyes, and she couldn¡¯t turn away, enveloped by the pressing atmosphere.

    Her hands kept clutching his arm, feeling his warmth; his steely muscles swelled under her fingers.

    His whole body was tightly tensed.

    Her heart stumbled, suddenly realizing the emotional upheaval they both felt.

    They were so in sync.

    His gaze brushed over her neck and shoulder.

    She was nearly trembling.

    Her body felt unexpected warmth and heaviness.

    Arms wrapped around his neck.

    He carried her straight to the bedroom as if sensing her tremble, gently guiding her to rx, though her breathing became increasingly erratic.

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 Chapter 1037 You Are the Calamity

    <h4>Chapter 1037: Chapter 1037 You Are the Cmity</h4>

    "Second brother, I have a bad feeling about my uncle¡¯s situation!" Bai Xiao eximed, her intuition kicking in today. It couldn¡¯t just be a coincidence that the investigation involved Yu Shaoyan.

    This was too strange.

    He opened his eyes, lifted his head, and gazed at her.

    "Why do you think that?"

    "I don¡¯t know! It just feels off, my intuition is usually sharp. Someone¡¯s up to mischief, targeting my uncle."

    She wasn¡¯t going to mention that in her past life, Yu Shaoyan hadn¡¯t encountered such things.

    "Alright, tomorrow morning I¡¯ll call my teammates. No matter how confidential some matters are, someone will definitely know what¡¯s going on. If necessary, I will help your uncle." He knew Bai Xiao was tough on the outside but actually had a soft heart. When people treated her well, she¡¯d return the favor generously.

    "Thank you!" Bai Xiao mumbled, as drowsiness started to seep into her consciousness.

    Despite many unresolved matters, she was very happy.

    "Go to sleep, I¡¯ve got it all covered," he said gently.

    God knows why that reassurance made her feel so at peace, she fell asleep like a child.

    The next day, as expected, she got upte, but she was the only one who did.

    For An Zhiyuan, his internal clock was always punctual. He would get up early to run five kilometers, sometimes ten, rain or shine, and only after being drenched in sweat, did his day begin.

    But for the two of them, this was just the start of their vacation.

    While An Zhiyuan was away, Bai Xiao made a call to Jiang Shaoqing.

    This was a time when external help was needed, and Jiang Shaoqing shouldn¡¯t act as an outsider. After all, he benefited from her perks; not facing any repercussions wouldn¡¯t align with their benefit-driven rtionship premise.

    She believed Jiang Shaoqing was probably waiting for this day as well.

    "Jiang Shaoqing, it¡¯s Bai Xiao!"

    Jiang Shaoqing picked up the phone and instantly recognized the number¡ªit was Bai Xiao¡¯s home number. His heart clenched; it had been a long time since Bai Xiao contacted him. Ever since she went to Modu for college, their contact had be increasingly sparse.

    He was intentionally maintaining distance, not wanting to get entangled, while Bai Xiao apparently never considered him important.

    "What¡¯s up?"

    Every time this woman called, it meant trouble.

    Past instances confirmed this many times.

    "Something happened to my uncle Yu Shaoyan, and I want to know the whole story and the current situation," Bai Xiaoid it all out. She might have needed to use a more indirect approach with others, but with Jiang Shaoqing, there was no need.

    Given their cooperative rtionship, what she provided Jiang Shaoqing was far more than what she wanted in return. Besides, something that might be challenging for others wouldn¡¯t be for him.

    Their family patriarch and her big uncle were at the top of the food chain. They usually dealt with others; few could give them trouble.

    "Your uncle? Alright, I¡¯ll call you tonight," Jiang Shaoqing calcted. Trouble at this juncture felt like a setup.

    "Okay, I¡¯ll wait for your update!"

    Bai Xiao exhaled; Jiang Shaoqing was a generous person, not even asking for the reasons. This was why she liked cooperating with him, no unnecessary chatter, straight to the point.

    "Are you... alright?"

    Hearing Bai Xiao about to hang up, Jiang Shaoqing still asked.

    He had already heard about Bai Xiao going to a pandemic hot zone. Even if he wanted to go, he couldn¡¯t have; the area had long been locked down, no entrance, no exit. Later, he heard the lockdown was lifted, and he did feel concerned for Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan, particrly since many died in that pandemic.

    Everyone knew why An Zhiyuan went there. If Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t in danger, it wouldn¡¯t have been permissible for An Zhiyuan to casually cross regions, but he had already changed careers.

    Bai Xiao, that sly fox of a woman, die?

    He had worried before, telling himself countless times internally that it couldn¡¯t happen. Sure, anyone could die, but not Bai Xiao. This woman always had a sharp instinct about things; how could she possibly put herself in harm¡¯s way?

    But what if?

    Now hearing this call, he could finally rx.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s voice was as crisp and cool as ever, with not a hint of dialect¡ªher Mandarin was as standard as a broadcaster¡¯s. He really wondered what kind of environment nurtured such a fragile-looking woman.

    No investigation report ever indicated how Bai Xiao was schooled to be this way. Even her ssmates spoke in heavy local dialects, and her teachers growing up, all local, not one spoke standard Mandarin. Yet, they managed to nurture a student who spoke it so well.

    Simply a miracle.

    "I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m really good! Are you concerned about me?" Bai Xiao was surprised. Jiang Shaoqing had always been aloof, maintaining a safe distance, not too close, not too far.

    Today, Jiang Shaoqing seemed unusual, with a hint of tension and concern in his tone.

    "Of course, I know. Didn¡¯t they say disastersst forever?" he murmured on the phone. Bai Xiao pulled the receiver away a bit, ring angrily as if staring directly at Jiang Shaoqing.

    "Alright, I¡¯m hanging up!"

    Bai Xiao said through gritted teeth.

    He dared to badmouth her.

    And so tantly in front of her, did he think she had no temper?

    What kind of person was this? Where did the gentle and considerate Jiang Shaoqing from her past life go?

    Did the absence of his past wife¡¯s influence leave all his good temper untriggered?

    "Hanging up!"

    Jiang Shaoqing held the receiver, hearing a voice angrily dering, "What kind of person are you? You¡¯re the disaster; your whole family is! Hmph!"

    He could even picture Bai Xiao on the other end, snarling and gritting her teeth.

    Chuckling, he hung up the phone.

    This woman was indeed very interesting.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1038: Ironclad Case

    <h4>Chapter 1038: Chapter 1038: Irond Case</h4>

    Not long after dinner, An Zhiyuan went out, saying he was going to find arade.

    Although An Zhiyuan didn¡¯t say anything, Bai Xiao could still guess that he was definitely going out to inquire about Yu Shaoyan and make connections.

    A phone call certainly couldn¡¯t solve such a problem, and it would be inappropriate for An Zhiyuan not to visit personally.

    She, on the other hand, was patiently waiting for a call from Jiang Shaoqing, having been too angry earlier to ask the most important question¡ªhow is that troublemaker Shang Kaiwen now?

    If Shang Kaiwen isn¡¯t dealt with, she always feels an inexplicable sense of crisis.

    The grudges from the previous life; in this life, leaving Shang Kaiwen a chance to get her killed didn¡¯t seem right.

    But she didn¡¯t want to get her hands dirty, so it seemed she needed help from Jiang Shaoqing.

    The phone rang.

    Bai Xiao picked it up almost immediately. It wasn¡¯t surprising she was so nervous¡ªher connection with Yu Shaoyan in her past life and their close blood ties in this life¡ªif she weren¡¯t nervous, that would be strange.

    "Bai Xiao, did your uncle offend someone?"

    Unexpectedly, Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s first words were that.

    That statement instantly sank Bai Xiao¡¯s heart.

    Jiang Shaoqing certainly wouldn¡¯t speak without cause.

    "What do you mean?"

    "This time, someone has reported Yu Shaoyan for epting bribes and sent evidence along with theint letter. This matter has already rmed the higher-ups because the evidence, investigated thoroughly, is conclusive. It¡¯s fair to say your uncle¡¯s case is as solid as iron." Jiang Shaoqing hadn¡¯t expected his inquiry to uncover such a significant issue.

    The second son of the Yu Family is the specific case the higher-ups have emphasized must be dealt with strictly¡ªnot merely enforced strictly because the evidence this time is very conclusive.

    "Jiang Shaoqing, what bribe did my uncle receive?"

    On this point, she firmly believed her uncle wasn¡¯t that kind of person, of course based on her past life¡¯s uncle, a person with such integrity and righteousness. How could he have changed before meeting her in this life? Even with the butterfly effect, it shouldn¡¯t be so exaggerated.

    Destinies from the past life have indeed changed significantly in this life.

    Yet bad people remain bad, and good people remain good.

    This nature has not changed so far.

    It¡¯s just that in the past life, good people didn¡¯t have good oues; in this life, because of her presence, good people have received their due endings.

    And bad people have received punishment.

    So, no matter what, she wouldn¡¯t believe her uncle was someone who epted bribes.

    "This concerns funds for the construction of a hospital staff dormitory. There is a report saying your uncle was given fifty thousand in bribe money, and indeed, this amount appeared in a bank card signed by your uncle, while the project that was allocated should have built only two dormitory buildings, yet your uncle allocated funds to build five staff dormitory buildings.

    Furthermore, the signing of this project was indeed personally signed by your uncle.

    This incident practically seals your uncle¡¯s guilt; even attempting to overturn the case, it might not be possible to provide any substantial evidence."

    "Why do you think my uncle fell into someone else¡¯s trap?" Bai Xiao keenly sensed that Jiang Shaoqing wouldn¡¯t casually say such things.

    Jiang Shaoqing really wanted to p himself; he hadn¡¯t been cautious speaking to Bai Xiao.

    "Because after I heard about this, I made a simple inquiry; your uncle¡¯s bank ount money was transferred through apany named Maoming Trading, because of therge amount, throughpany transfer, and as far as I know, thispany is a shellpany.

    How could a hospital transfer bribe money to your uncle through a shellpany?

    And leave indelible evidence via bank transfer. I think even if your uncle were to ept bribes, he wouldn¡¯t be so foolish as to leave leverage in someone else¡¯s hands; wouldn¡¯t giving cash be more convenient than a bank transfer? More discreet?"

    Bai Xiao smirked lightly, yes, such an obvious loophole, how could the investigators not see it? They still detained her uncle, it¡¯s because someone above spoke up.

    "Can you investigate who owns this shellpany for me? I believe since it can be pushed out as a scapegoat, of course, thispany should be handled very cleanly, but as long as it¡¯s something done by people, there will be traces left. With your ability to investigate these things, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem.

    Of course, I hope you can help me." Bai Xiao knew clearly that since this matter happened, she and An Zhiyuan are soldiers, interfering in this matter isn¡¯t appropriate.

    Military and government are separated, with no oveps or entanglements, this is the country¡¯s policy and direction.

    Even if An Zhiyuan can speak up, doesn¡¯t he need to provide solid evidence?

    Even to overturn the case, evidence is needed.

    "How can I help you? Investigating this part, of course, I can help you, but if you expect me to exert pressure from above, that probably won¡¯t work, because this time, the Wang Family is involved, and this is the famously incorruptible prosecutor.

    The procuratorate exercises prosecutorial power independently, ording to thew, without interference from any executive organ, social group, or individual. And for any citizen, thew is applied equally.

    Attempting to take shortcuts here is absolutely not possible.

    Wang Ruo¡¯an¡¯s father can sit in this position today partly because this person is indeed upright, none of the cases he handled were wrong, suspicious, or unjust; he¡¯s a very righteous old man.

    And I advise you not just us appearing to say something, including from your side not casually finding someone to speak up, this old man doesn¡¯t respond to soft or hard, once you speak up, his handling of this matter might determine the case¡¯s direction.

    This is my heartfelt warning from a friend."

    Jiang Shaoqing hadn¡¯t considered helping Bai Xiao by calling in favors, but when he heard the supervisor in charge was Wang Ruo¡¯an¡¯s father, he actually breathed a sigh of relief, though this old man was unyielding, he was also a person who handled matters pragmatically.

    Bai Xiao thought deeply, so it¡¯s Wang Ruo¡¯an¡¯s father.

    The Wang Family?

    Wasn¡¯t he a staunch admirer of Shang Kaiwen?

    Could there be traces of Shang Kaiwen in this matter?

    "What¡¯s Shang Kaiwen busy withtely?"

    This questionpletely baffled Jiang Shaoqing.

    Just a second ago, they were discussing Bai Xiao¡¯s uncle, and now suddenly switched to another person¡¯s matter.

    "Shang Kaiwen has recently been getting close to a returned overseas Chinese. It¡¯s said the person wants to invest domestically, and she¡¯s been very close, helping the person find connections. It¡¯s heard that the person, during the past movements, lost their entire family forcing them ultimately to follow rtives to Nanyang, unexpectedly made a name there, and now returns seeking a woman, who reportedly helped him in the past."

 Chapter 1039: You Are Also My Friend

    <h4>Chapter 1039: Chapter 1039: You Are Also My Friend</h4>

    "Shang Kaiwen is so eager to secure this man¡¯s investment; this overseas Chinese must be very wealthy!" Bai Xiao knew all too well the opportunistic nature of Shang Kaiwen. With her personality, this was indeed an urgent moment. Bai Xiao had tripped her up so many times in this life, making her journey anything but smooth, likely requiring arge sum of money.

    Jiang Shaoqing hadn¡¯t been idle either. He had virtually forced the Shang Family into a corner, with many of their investments encountering problems, suffering repeated defeats.

    In recent years, the Shang Family had significantly declined, with their business territory shrinking outside the Capital City circle.

    If Shang Kaiwen wasn¡¯t anxious to rise again, Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t believe it.

    "Who is this person?"

    It¡¯s possible she might actually find someone foolish with too much money to invest.

    "I¡¯ve investigated this person. Bai Jingshan, currently fifty years old, was originally a native of the Capital City, the only son of the elderly Bai Wanyu. Over twenty years ago, when his parents werebeled as capitalists, he was sent down for reeducation with them.

    His parents suffered various criticisms in the reform farm; after his father Bai Wanyu sumbed to illness, his mothermitted suicide, leaving him alone at the farm. Just before being rehabilitated to return to the city, likely overwhelmed by the blows, he disheartenedly left with the uncle who came to find him for Nanyang, and he¡¯s been gone all these years, founding the Bai Group.

    ording to the information I have, Bai Jingshan is now the president of the Bai Group, personally owning 56% of the shares, with the group¡¯s total assets reaching 8 billion U.S. dors.

    Moreover, it¡¯s increasing conservatively by 1 billion annually, and Bai Jingshan, reportedly highly educated and intelligent, is considered a terrifying person. Calm, wise, and ruthless, he¡¯s been virtually invincible in the business world all these years.

    Oddly, he has no weaknesses. The uncle who took him out passed away years ago, and though he once had an ex-wife, they are divorced. His daughter lives with the ex-wife.

    The rtionship isn¡¯t particrly close; reportedly, his ex-wife and daughter took a substantial amount in alimony and child support. His daughter relies on his education fund for living expenses, but he never meets her demands.

    He¡¯s said to have many confidantes, but none he particrly cares for, never maintaining a long-term rtionship, always keeping it nonmittal.

    This time, Shang Kaiwen is trying hard to secure investment from Bai Group¡¯s Asia division, putting in considerable effort."

    Jiang Shaoqing, of course, conducted thorough investigations; knowing oneself and the enemy ensures victory in every battle.

    Moreover, Shang Kaiwen is evidently Bai Xiao¡¯s enemy.

    "What¡¯s Bai Jingshan back for this time?" Anything Shang Kaiwen wanted to achieve, Bai Xiao would spare no effort to sabotage. Since Bai Jingshan was the coveted prize in this woman¡¯s eyes, she naturally couldn¡¯t let her seed.

    "Shang Kaiwen has already hired three private detectives, while Bai Jingshan has also hired one, reportedly looking for a woman whose name and appearance are unknown, with only a Jade Pendant belonging to her. Finding a living person based on just that is like searching for a needle in a haystack.

    But I think Bai Jingshan might interest you too, as the woman he¡¯s looking for happens to be near your hometown." Jiang Shaoqing sometimes finds many things in this world mysterious; such extraordinary coincidences are hard to believe.

    "Liupan Vige?"

    Does Bai Jingshan have any connection to the Bai Family?

    Impossible, Bai Xiao shook her head; she had never heard of Bai Jingshan in this life or the past, indicating no intersection with him in her past life, so he hasn¡¯t appeared in her vision, which means no information on him exists.

    However, perhaps something rted did ur, just unnoticed by her. Since her siblings were gone in a past life, she never returned to Liupan Vige afterward, as it became a ce of heartache. How could she possibly go there to reopen her wounds?

    If there¡¯s a connection to the Bai Family, she might be able to take the person from Shang Kaiwen¡¯s hands, not needing investment but still able to trip her up.

    "Yes, reportedly his reeducationbor site was in Liupan Vige, and the woman he¡¯s seeking was supposedly a young intellectual from the area. Those people have long scattered all over, so finding this person surely requires considerable effort."

    "Did he say why he wants to find this woman?"

    "Reportedly, she¡¯s a benefactor of his."

    Who knows Liupan Vige¡¯s matters better than her?

    "Thank you for my uncle¡¯s affairs. I want you to help my uncle investigate this tradingpany, including its background. I think my uncle signed the documents, which is fine, and can be obtained through normal procedures.

    But the strange part is that they managed to transfer half a million into my uncle¡¯s ount, which wouldn¡¯t just casually appear there. There must be something more to it. I¡¯ll try to find a way to meet my uncle and ask him specifically about the situation, and I ask you to investigate and gather rted evidence."

    She initially cooperated with Jiang Shaoqing precisely for the resources he held.

    This is the moment to utilize it.

    "Understood, I will help you thoroughly investigate here. I just remind you, you¡¯re a soldier, don¡¯t take unnecessary risks. Consider An Zhiyuan, as his wife, if something happens to you, with An Zhiyuan¡¯s temperament, he might do something even more dangerous. As your friend, I advise you sincerely," Jiang Shaoqing said, choosing his words carefully, hoping Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t act rashly! This woman¡¯s destructive power wasn¡¯t unknown to him! She appeared gentle but hadn¡¯t been inactive over the years.

    But one must know, if this woman wanted, she could quietly eliminate you at any moment! He had witnessed such skills! The affair with Shang Kaijie back then remained fresh in his memory.

    Of course, he was on Bai Xiao¡¯s side! But he didn¡¯t wish for Bai Xiao to act unscrupulously.

    Crossing one¡¯s own bottom line! One easily ends up enamored with settling scores through violence.

    He didn¡¯t wish for this girl to be a murderous demon.

    Bai Xiaoughed softly, "What are you afraid of? I¡¯m not a mad killer; I have my limits too! As long as it doesn¡¯t touch my bottom line, within my capacity, I won¡¯t indiscriminately harm the innocent. Major An is quite safe, thank you as a friend for considering him.

    Poor thing, poor thing."

    "Poor for what?"

    Jiang Shaoqing couldn¡¯t stand her feigning innocence, mocking him.

    "Poor for always treating you as a friend, poor for having wasted my thoughts."

    "I... I also consider you as my friend. Anyway, you and An Zhiyuan should behave well." Jiang Shaoqing, pushed by Bai Xiao, revealed his innermost thoughts, feeling a bit embarrassed, cloaking his concern with a harsh tone.

    He angrily ended the call.

    At the moment he put down the receiver, he could still hear Bai Xiao¡¯s melodiousughter lingering, echoing for days on end.

    This woman was his nemesis.

    Yet, the raised corners of his mouth couldn¡¯t hide the admiration welling up within.

    This woman was simply too aggressive, effortlessly prating one¡¯s defenses and touching one¡¯s heart.

 Chapter 1040 Guarantee

    <h4>Chapter 1040: Chapter 1040 Guarantee</h4>

    Bai Xiao set down the phone, giggling endlessly; Jiang Shaoqing is quite interesting.

    In her previous life, she didn¡¯t realize this man was such a proud one.

    In this life, she¡¯s seeing a different side of Jiang Shaoqing.

    The door sounded, and she stood up; An Zhiyuan had alreadye in, surprised to see her awake, with a bit of rebuke.

    "Why are you still not sleeping? I told you I mighte back veryte, and asked you not to wait, but you didn¡¯t listen! Just look at your dark circles; they¡¯re almost as bad as a panda."

    "Zhiyuan, I really couldn¡¯t sleep without you here. I had to wait for you toe back. Besides, I just got a call from Jiang Shaoqing with some progress."

    Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t let Jiang Shaoqing be a barrier between them.

    An Zhiyuan paused, casting a chilly nce at Bai Xiao. Is this woman trying to anger him?

    This is intentional, absolutely intentional!

    "What did Jiang Shaoqing say?"

    He struggled to keep his tone from sounding too stiff, but failed, exposing his inner turmoil.

    Bai Xiao, grinning, leaned close, "Take a guess?"

    "You¡¯re doing this on purpose, aren¡¯t you?" He pinched Bai Xiao¡¯s cheek, which was smooth and tender, feeling quite pleasant to the touch.

    Bai Xiao rubbed her cheek in discontent, "That hurts! Be gentler, or you¡¯ll leave a bruise. How will you exin it when Grandma sees?" Her skin was so delicate that even slight pressure left marks.

    Last time, Grandma noticed the bruise on her arm and almost chased An Zhiyuan out, thinking he had hit her.

    Only after extensive exnations did she let An Zhiyuan off.

    An Zhiyuan might be the boss among his soldiers, with everyone obeying him, but in front of Grandma, he turned into an obedient soldier.

    There¡¯s always someone who can tame you.

    An Zhiyuan nced at her face, indeed there was a trace of a red mark; he¡¯d gotten carried away.

    The consequences could be severe.

    "Tell me, what did Jiang Shaoqing say?"

    "He told me not to bring you any harm, to always think of you, and not to burden you. You have a good friend."

    Bai Xiao leaned against An Zhiyuan¡¯s shoulder, squeezed together on the sofa, as An Zhiyuan took off his hat and ran a hand through his short hair.

    "He really knows you well!"

    He nced slyly at Bai Xiao, who pouted in anger at his words, chuckling. To be able to make his wife pout, he really had a knack for it.

    The little expression really made one¡¯s heart itch.

    "You don¡¯t know me?"

    Bai Xiao was unconvinced; this guy was asking on purpose.

    "You! Aren¡¯t you going to ask me what I found out today?" An Zhiyuan pulled her tight against his chest, letting her sit on hisp. Since she got better, An Zhiyuan truly wanted to show his love through actions, never again suppressing any of his overflowing affection.

    If he didn¡¯t express it now, what if one day he left first and she didn¡¯t know his feelings? What would happen then?

    Love should be expressed bravely, leaving no regrets.

    Bai Xiao immediately wrapped her arms around his neck, leaned against his shoulder, spoke softly while asking cutely, "Zhiyuan, hurry up and tell me, or I might resort to torture." Her fingers moved to his armpit but were suddenly held tight by him to stop her mischief. This little girl had learned to tickle; after all, An Zhiyuan feared nothing except tickling.

    "This time, it¡¯s quite serious. An anonymous letter reported Yu Shaoyan and even provided evidence. There are indeed fifty thousand on Uncle¡¯s ount, which may be the main evidence. My oldrade helped me inquire. As it¡¯s within the procuratorate, they said the higher-ups are taking this incident very seriously, involving many people, requiring thorough investigation.

    Now, the only thing we can do involves the two leads; the legal representative of thepany that transferred the funds is a local nickname Knife-man Jian Nan. He has some people under him, although not involved in fraud or scams, he¡¯s not a good guy either.

    Thispany is a shellpany, and most importantly, it was registered only half a year ago. This timeline of setting up apany implies significant problems.

    Moreover, the Dean of a hospital is also a key witness since the bribery benefited their hospital. However, the Dean strangely insists that Yu Shaoyan asked him for a service fee! Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t approve the dormitory building funds. He had no choice but to borrow fifty thousand from Jian Nan¡¯spany to pay Uncle, or else, where would the hospital staff find amodation?

    He even exined the time and ce clearly; this time and ce match what your uncle said, making it difficult to argue against."

    An Zhiyuan hadn¡¯t expected it to be so tricky, not knowing who the opposing party was, setting a trap intricately.

    It looks like it was designed especially to deal with Yu Shaoyan.

    Bai Xiao pondered for a moment, "Zhiyuan, you said thispany is local to Modu; can we go meet this Jian Nan? I want to see how this person got involved without reason, seemingly targeting my uncle."

    Yu Shaoyan¡¯s in the eye of the storm, and who knows how many people wish for his misfortune, making the next Dean uncertain, just this bit alone is enough to tempt people.

    "I warn you; it¡¯s no wonder Jiang Shaoqing warned you not to act rashly. We don¡¯t know who¡¯s behind Jian Nan. Don¡¯t put yourself in danger; I¡¯ll find him myself. Without me with you, don¡¯t act alone, understand?"

    It was clear the girl intended to act rashly again.

    She relied on her skills, this woman was truly worrying.

    Bai Xiao wanted to argue, wanted to say she certainly had no problem, wanted to say she now had the ability to protect herself. We are on China¡¯snd, where it¡¯s not permitted to casually wave an AK-47 around. Even encountering a madman with a gun, if it¡¯s not a headshot, her survival probability is almost one hundred percent.

    An Zhiyuan saw through Bai Xiao¡¯s thoughts instantly.

    He pulled her tightly into him, their eyes locked, Bai Xiao was startled.

    Yesterday, it all started with eye contact, leading to an unstoppable cascade.

    Two people passionate as kindling encountering fire, burning through the night; she still had sore waist and back.

    It¡¯s not going to happen again, is it?

    She covered his eyes, her voice softened in a request for mercy, "I promise not to court death, without you by my side, I¡¯ll do nothing, isn¡¯t that okay?"

    Only able to surrender, An Zhiyuan now had residual effects from her scare; even a bit of movement could put An Zhiyuan on edge.

    She was An Zhiyuan¡¯s weakness.

    Feeling moved, a man could share life and death with you, willing to apany you regardless, that sensation might only be found in novel plots, yet she encountered it; how lucky.

    Perhaps reincarnation gave her a chance to understand life anew.

    All the beautiful things surged in as expected.

    An Zhiyuan kissed the palm of her hand, hot and fiery, his eyes full of love.

    "Such a good girl!"

    It earned Bai Xiao a roll of the eyes.

    Ignoring Bai Xiao¡¯s protest, he carried her into the bedroom, leading to another grueling battle of endurance.

    Bai Xiao suffered "heavy casualties," retreating at every step.

    An Zhiyuan advanced triumphantly, satisfied.

 Chapter 1041 That Night

    <h4>Chapter 1041: Chapter 1041 That Night</h4>

    An Zhiyuan went out early in the morning to find someone for her, but didn¡¯t tell her how he was so sure he could find someone for her today. However, An Zhiyuan rarely speaks nonsense; he wouldn¡¯t say something he couldn¡¯t achieve.

    She waited at home for An Zhiyuan¡¯s news.

    However, Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t idle. Jiang Shaoqing, as per her request, sent over Bai Jingshan¡¯s information and investigated Jian Nan¡¯s background, noticing that Jian Nan¡¯s source of funds was quite unclear, which puzzled Bai Xiao! Such a petty thug suddenly had apany overnight, specifically to go after her uncle. This big trap was clearly set up long in advance.

    But who wanted to put Yu Shaoyan to death?

    Someone paid Jian Nan to do this! Even took the me, and along with the Dean¡¯s investigation report, the Dean¡¯s youngest daughter had always loved shopping, a vain girl who loved dressing up! Yet she hadn¡¯t been seen for months.

    This strange situation led Bai Xiao to a certain association.

    It seems she can confirm her suspicion soon.

    She told An Zhiyuan that this time the matter was unusual.

    He made calls, consulted acquaintances, and even contacted some of his father¡¯s old connections. After all, his father¡¯s peers are now in very high positions, and their information is often more urate.

    Only then did they discover some powerful figures lurking behind this incident. It didn¡¯t seem like a simple bribery case.

    Although Prosecutor Wang is impartial and selfless! We don¡¯t know if all his staff are wless.

    After all, those seeking loopholes always target such people.

    It¡¯s hard to guarantee there won¡¯t be any loopholes at all.

    If there is a loophole, who knows what might happen to Yu Shaoyan.

    Yu Shaoyan had not returned home, and no one knew his current situation, especially Yu Feixue and her aunt, both were in a state of panic. They had never encountered such a situation with Yu Shaoyan. The mother and daughter were understandably anxious, without even the chance to ask anyone.

    They couldn¡¯t find anyone or get any news; the mother and daughter were like ants on a hot pan, with the aunt already falling ill.

    Bai Xiao figured out a lead, that the fifty thousand was key.

    Even if you told them the money was transferred incorrectly, there still needs to be a reason!

    No one sends money to someone else¡¯s ount without reason.

    Especially not such arge amount.

    It doesn¡¯t make sense, nor is it eptable.

    There needs to be a convincing reason.

    So, the fifty thousand is the real key.

    In Bai Jingshan¡¯s office, the newly renovated office was exactly in the same style as his one in Nanyang, a style consistent for over a decade. Bai Jingshan didn¡¯t have many big requirements for these things, but his subordinates knew the boss disliked changes.

    To be urate, it was probably an obsession, as Bai Jingshan liked everything around him to be in familiar ces, and any slight change could trigger his wrath.

    "Boss, these are reports from private detectives. As per your instructions, we¡¯ve visited all the viges around Liupan Vige, but all you gave us was that jade pendant. Such a secretive item is unlikely to be known to anyone except those involved.

    No one in the local vige knows about this. Those educated youths sent to the countryside have long since returned, now scattered across the country, and the scope is indeed quiterge."

    His secretary, Ma Ming, had been with him for decades, since the foundation-building of the Bai Group. Until now, he was considered a veteran of the Bai Group, knowing Bai Jingshan very well and being the best friend and assistant to Bai Jingshan, who had be more and more reliant on him over the years. This was because they had undergone simr experiences, as Ma Ming was one of those sent down forbor reform with Bai Jingshan back in the day, where they almost couldn¡¯t survive.

    Those who haven¡¯t tasted such despair wouldn¡¯t understand how it can kill a person, and it was only their strength that kept them alive, which doesn¡¯t mean everything was over.

    The passing of loved ones, the bleakness of the future, and even surviving became a luxury.

    Take it slow.

    Bai Jingshan was right; none would be let go.

    To repay favors and to exact revenge when required.

    "No worries, now that we¡¯re back, we have plenty of time." Bai Jingshan held the jade pendant in his hand, recalling that night, that chaotic yet hopeful night.

    He hadn¡¯t eaten anything for three days, had nothing to eat, and no one cared about his life or death. The world was so cold, watching as if waiting for him to die, and he was really ready to go.

    But it was his decision to end it, not to be tortured to death by others.

    The man took a liking to him, causing Bai Jingshan to have a moment of utmost hatred for his face, more beautiful than a woman¡¯s. Why should a man look this pretty?

    No wonder he drew covetous looks from certain individuals.

    He wouldn¡¯t give these bastards a chance! But he was imprisoned, and the Director wanted to force him, using some strange liquid, supposedly a relic from the Qing Dynasty, things only used by officialdom and nobility for amusements.

    Now it seemed to be useful again.

    But the Director could never have predicted that his wife woulde looking for him at that time.

    Taking advantage of this opportunity, Bai Jingshan fled.

    Regardless of what the drug was, no matter its effects, he was woozy, burning inside, feeling like something inside was desperate to erupt, suffocating his chest and making his eyes blood-red.

    Yet he knew going out like this would certainly harm someone.

    Then, he indeed thought about dying, ending it once and for all, since his parents were already waiting on the other side.

    He went to the reservoir, knowing there was one here, which imed several lives every year.

    That was his chosen burial ce.

    But before he could go to die, someone had already jumped into the reservoir.

    Seeing a woman jumping right before him, Bai Jingshan didn¡¯t know where he found the courage to jump in after her when he nned to die, yet ended up saving her.

    Neither was in a good state, both dripping wet on the bank, and if someone caught them, a man and a woman in such a situation wouldn¡¯t be easy to exin.

    She realized it too and took him up the mountain where there was a cave, surprisingly neat and organized, indicating frequent activity.

    Though it was dark and they couldn¡¯t light a fire, they shivered.

    Bai Jingshan still had an unspent burning desire, though it seemed calmed somewhat by the cold water, now it began ring again after reaching the shore.

    The woman and he each picked a corner far apart; in such weather, staying there meant freezing to death.

 Chapter 1042: Ups and Downs

    <h4>Chapter 1042: Chapter 1042: Ups and Downs</h4>

    That night, that one night.

    He started losing control, all his desires concentrated on the woman beside him.

    But he knew he wasn¡¯t a bastard, and he wasn¡¯t a beast either.

    Roaring for the woman to leave, his eyes, full of desire, struggled to stay clear. He was a person, he absolutely could not harm others.

    The woman seemed to notice something was wrong with him, looking at him sympathetically, those eyes shining in the darkness, what kind of eyes were those!

    Filled with hope, filled with strength, filled withpassion. The hand the woman reached out with, and her low murmurpletely shattered his willpower.

    He still remembers those words.

    "Perhaps this is fate, you saved me, I¡¯ll save you once too."

    Yes, that woman saved him.

    He reached out and tightly embraced his fevered body.

    This night was probably one he could never forget in his lifetime.

    That night, his life was saved by a woman. After a night of tenderness, he passed out due to the drug¡¯s effects, and when he woke up,

    there was no one else in the cave except him. If it weren¡¯t for the jade pendant that fell beside him, letting him know that everythingst night wasn¡¯t a dream, he would have thought he had a spring dream.

    There was also a cold steamed bun.

    The only regret was that he didn¡¯t see the woman¡¯s appearance, only those eyes and the jade pendant.

    The next day, the Director started finding all sorts of ways to make him submit, even making him afraid to eat.

    Who knew what might be in the next dose of the drug?

    Later, it was thanks to half a piece of ck bread secretly left for him by Ma Ming, and her steamed bun, which kept him going, without starving to death. He finally decided to escape, Ma Ming escaped with him. They forged a rmendation letter, climbed onto a train to Capital City and rode without tickets, found his father¡¯s old colleague, who bought them boat tickets, and they went to Nanyang to find their uncle.

    And then everything that happenedter.

    No matter how sessful he becameter on, he would never forget those eyes! The gentleness and warmth in those eyes, that night always lingered in his memory.

    A woman warmed him with her body, he didn¡¯t know what happened to herter, but he knew she was also a woman with a story.

    The meaning in those eyes was something he couldn¡¯t understand, but for a woman to be willing to save him in that way, it moved him for a lifetime.

    He had to find her, at least to see if she was still alive, if she was doing well?

    Otherwise, it would be hard for him to be at peace in this lifetime.

    If she had a happy family, a man to take care of her, he would offer his blessings.

    But if she was not doing well because of him, in that era, a woman having such a night with him, what kind of result could there be, he could hardly imagine.

    So he had the duty, the responsibility to take care of this woman.

    Sometimes he couldn¡¯t figure out what he truly felt inside. If it was love, it seemed somewhat ridiculous. Using this word on two strangers who hadn¡¯t even seen each other¡¯s appearances was an insult to the word.

    But if there was no love, all these years, when dreaming in the middle of the night, he always clearly remembered those eyes, eyes filled with so much content, speaking eyes.

    He owed this woman too much.

    Everything he owed to others in this life, he had already repaid.

    When he was once so poor he couldn¡¯t afford food, others gave him a bowl of rice, which he repaid with vis, mansions, and afortable life, he always remembered to repay great kindness with an overwhelming return.

    Yet he still hadn¡¯t found this benefactor.

    Now that the country¡¯s policies had rxed, he could finally return here.

    So he really wanted to do something, to find this one woman whom he owed in this lifetime.

    "We¡¯ll take our time searching, there¡¯s no rush. I¡¯m nning to set up a branch here, the Asian headquarters can be set up in Modu. With such favorable policy directions, I have no reason not to return and do business in my own country." Bai Jingshan put the jade pendant into his chest. He had always kept it close to him, even when he was at his lowest, without money to buy food, he never sold it.

    Ma Ming nodded, "Boss, don¡¯t worry. The branch is already in operation, and some of our staff have already arrived in advance. This floor has beenpletely renovated. The building you wanted, there¡¯s and biddinging up soon."

    Both of them left from here, so of course they had an unspeakable love for their homnd.

    The phone rang.

    Bai Jingshan picked up the phone, "Who? Shang Kaiwen? Let here up."

    Ma Ming nced at Bai Jingshan. Though Bai Jingshan was in his fifties, he still looked good for his age, well-maintained all these years with a steady temperament thates from weathering storms, the timeless charm of a mature man, and solid worth attracted innumerable women.

    If it weren¡¯t for Mina always meddling in Bai Jingshan¡¯s love life through her daughter Bai Wei, who knows how many women would try to get close to Bai Jingshan.

    This Shang Kaiwen was very beautiful, smart, and knew how to use her advantages.

    But this woman¡¯s ambitions were not small either.

    "Jingshan, you have to be careful with Shang Kaiwen, I think this woman has big ns."

    After all, Bai Jingshan¡¯s wealth was enough to tempt anyone.

    Bai Jingshan smiled, "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m well past the age of being swayed by women. Love, to me, seems like a luxury now. Maybe this life is just destined to be a lone ranger. You can see from my wife and daughter, if I want to marry a woman, they¡¯d probably be the most upset.

    Moreover, Shang Kaiwen is very skilled, but still just a young girl. Even if she has ambitions to devour my Bai Group, she needs to see if she has the means. I¡¯m afraid she might bite off more than she can chew, and end up bursting her own stomach."

    He had seen plenty of women. Shang Kaiwen was one of those who were ambitious, without hiding her intentions, yet disguised very well.

    If he were ten years younger, he might have entertained the idea of ying along with her.

    But Bai Jingshan no longer had that kind of impulse and passion.

    "Mina went too far, how did she raise Bai Wei like that!" Ma Ming felt ufortable as soon as he mentioned Bai Jingshan¡¯s ex-wife.

    That woman could be said to be ambitious, but Bai Jingshan was young and impetuous back then, otherwise, how could Mina have married Bai Jingshan.

    It¡¯s a pity she didn¡¯t appreciate it. Just because of Bai Jingshan¡¯s one setback, she divorced him, short-sightedly!

    Who would have imagined that Mina would regret it now?

    Bai Jingshan¡¯s ability to bounce back to this stage wasrgely thanks to Mina¡¯s betrayal back then, otherwise how could he have made aeback?

 Chapter 1043 Fate

    <h4>Chapter 1043: Chapter 1043 Fate</h4>

    Shang Kaiwen nervously pushed open the door to Bai Jingshan¡¯s office. She hade more than once, and each time she did, her emotions were stirred.

    The vast empire of Bai Jingshan would stir feelings of greed in her heart.

    Although this man was old enough to be her father! Yet he was single, and a bachelor of such stature was like a diamond bachelor. If she became Bai Jingshan¡¯s wife, wouldn¡¯t the Bai Group be at her fingertips?

    Would the Shang Family still need to struggle so hard?

    Day by day, she found herself sinking into this fantasy, wanting to capture this man¡¯s heart.

    How could Wang Ruo¡¯an possiblypare to Bai Jingshan? They were people of two different weights. Although Jiang Shaoqing was the love of her life, he was just a pitfall. No matter how infatuated she was with him, this man¡¯s heart was like stone.

    After he treated her so mercilessly, all her infatuation had turned into hatred.

    The kind of hatred that, even if she couldn¡¯t have him, she wanted to destroy him.

    In her life, there were very few people she hated, the first being Bai Xiao, the second being Jiang Shaoqing. Bai Xiao was soon to perish, but dealing with Jiang Shaoqing required power, and now Bai Jingshan was that power, the power that could make her overlook the world.

    "Mr. Bai, I¡¯ve found some clues recently and brought them for you to see."

    This was her only excuse and reason to get close to Bai Jingshan.

    Bai Jingshan gestured calmly, his attitude gentle. This man was a broad-minded man, and of course, he exhibited even more gentlemanly mannerisms with women. "Miss Shang,e, have a seat. Get Miss Shang a cup of coffee."

    Bai Jingshan stood up and apanied Shang Kaiwen to the sofa, but he sat alone on one side, leaving Shang Kaiwen on the other side, which left Shang Kaiwen feeling a bit disappointed inside.

    The man¡¯s actions already indicated that he had no interest in her.

    "Mr. Bai, you¡¯re too polite. Here are some materials, take a look." She took out the materials from her delicate handbag, stood up, and ced them in front of Bai Jingshan, taking the opportunity to sit beside him.

    Bai Jingshan¡¯s eyes flickered.

    The smile on his lips didn¡¯t change.

    He picked up the stack of documents.

    "Here is the list of all the sent-down educated youth near the vige back then. Regardless of whether they were sent-down youths or others sent down, apart from the fifteen who have passed away, the addresses of all the rest after returning to the city are here. If I remember correctly, about 60 people returned to Modu alone.

    Among these people, after excluding the males, there were approximately 45 female educated youths, and currently, there are roughly ten returned educated youths in Modu. The remaining ones are spread in different ces. The next task is to go to each doorstep and have them identify this Jade Pendant. You should quickly find the person you¡¯re looking for."

    Bai Jingshan was taken aback. He had sent people to do a lot of this work, but they couldn¡¯t do it in such detail. Yet, he didn¡¯t expect the girl in front of him, to cater to his preferences, found rtionships to achieve this.

    Their difficulty was due to theck of data, plus everything back then was through correspondence. After returning to the city, it was challenging to trace many people¡¯s orders locally.

    Not to mention that after many people returned to the city, everyone¡¯s circumstances would be elusive.

    The obstacles his investigators encountered were due to the fact that many people wouldn¡¯t disclose their whereabouts.

    It seemed that this girl had used some methods.

    The Shang Family wasn¡¯t as impoverished as rumored.

    "If it¡¯s convenient for you, could I take a photo of this Jade Pendant? I¡¯ll send someone with the photo to make inquiries, and it should lead to a swift conclusion. Of course, if you agree." Shang Kaiwen couldn¡¯t help but lean in, opening the documents in her hand and pointing, her soft body slightly leaning into Bai Jingshan¡¯s arm, her chest within his line of sight.

    Bai Jingshan nodded, "Miss Shang, thank you for these materials. I¡¯ll have my people take care of the rest. I understand the favor you¡¯ve done me. Once I find the person, Miss Shang, if you encounter any difficulties, you cane to me. I can help you once."

    Shang Kaiwen¡¯s heart skipped a beat.

    She wasn¡¯t looking for a favor.

    "Mr. Bai, what are these words you¡¯re saying? I¡¯m helping you purely out of admiration for your character. My father also had an experience of being sent down, and many people got separated during that era. I have a sister who now harbors deep hatred against our family because, during that time, due to historical reasons, my father left her and her mother there.

    So I understand the determination and sentiment you have in seeking out people from that era to make amends for regrets."

    Shang Kaiwen started the conversation, not because she sought a favor from Bai Jingshan.

    A favor, once repaid, ceases to be a connection.

    "Oh, I didn¡¯t expect your father to be a sent-down youth back then?"

    This piece of information aroused some shared feelings in Bai Jingshan, as too many simr cases urred in that era.

    "Yes, Mr. Bai, it¡¯s quite the coincidence. The Liupan Vige where the person you¡¯re looking for is also where my father was assigned. My half-sister grew up there."

    This managed to pique Bai Jingshan¡¯s interest, which was a good way to open a conversation.

    "That¡¯s really fate; I never expected that your father served in Liupan Vige too. I wasn¡¯t in Liupan Vige myself, but I wasn¡¯t far from there. Has your half-sister been brought back now?" Bai Jingshan couldn¡¯t help but lower his guard.

    Bringing up past events often elicited a sense of empathy.

    Shang Kaiwen sighed, her face full of entanglement, "Mr. Bai, it really is a coincidence. My sister is also named Bai, but she hates our family deeply, refusing to acknowledge she is a child of the Shang Family. My father even fell seriously ill because of this, as over the years, he harbored guilt towards her.

    However, my sister became a doctor and doesn¡¯t acknowledge us at all."

    Speaking of Bai Xiao, Shang Kaiwen recalled her own dreams.

    She didn¡¯t know when it started, but she constantly dreamed about Bai Xiao, dreams where Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t as cold as she seemed in reality. In those dreams, Bai Xiao depended on her, almost meeting every request. Although always fragmented and often unclear, she just knew Bai Xiao and she shouldn¡¯t be like this.

    There was even a time when she saw Bai Xiao treating someone with a silver needle, but for some reason, the silver needle seemed fake. Instinctively, she just knew Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t using a silver needle, but what Bai Xiao was using, she didn¡¯t know.

    The dream didn¡¯t provide her with an answer.

    Sometimes she wondered if it was just a case of daydreaming, dreaming at night, that she so desperately wanted Bai Xiao under her control.

    Now, with Bai Xiao being at odds with her, she couldn¡¯t be med for intentionally discrediting her.

    If she wouldn¡¯t contribute to the Shang Family, she might as well die.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1044: Itâ€™s Not

    <h4>Chapter 1044: Chapter 1044: It¡¯s Not</h4>

    "It¡¯s human nature; your sister probably suffered back then, so it¡¯s inevitable she¡¯d feel some resentment. Moreover, if I¡¯m not mistaken, your father must have abandoned your sister¡¯s mother. We can¡¯t say whether your father was right or wrong in this matter, and as an outsider, I have no right to judge.

    This is one of the consequences left over from that era, and many people made such choices, understandably so.

    But for those mothers and children who were abandoned and left in rural areas back then, they weren¡¯t at fault. So be kinder to your sister, slowly, over time, true feelings will show, and you can warm her heart, letting her feel your familial bonds." Bai Jingshan, while talking about this, thought of many of his fellow educated youth from back then.

    Such things happened not just a few times; even many educated youth who returned to the city couldn¡¯t stay together. It was because of the changes of the times, everything had changed.

    At that time, people probably needed to alleviate their own predicaments quickly.

    Completely abandoning their moral bottom line and conscience.

    "True, my sister did manage to turn her life around. Father helped her transfer to Modu for work, and even aided her in getting advanced studies at the Medical College. Although she doesn¡¯t acknowledge us, our intention to help her has never wavered. After all, we are family, bound by blood ties.

    She¡¯s living well now, and that brings usfort too."

    Bai Jingshan was quite surprised, not expecting Shang Kaiwen¡¯s father to go to such lengths for his daughter. He thought about how if he had such a daughter, lost and growing up in an unknown ce, he would also cherish her like a treasure.

    But how could he possibly have one?

    But back then, could that woman have been pregnant?

    Even if she was pregnant, the child probably couldn¡¯t have been kept.

    He was really worrying unnecessarily, just because of someone else¡¯s matter, he thought of his own situation.

    "Your father is a good father. You should be filial to him."

    Shang Kaiwen smiled, "Mr. Bai, of course, my father is the best father in the world. I also hope that one day I can persuade my sister to have a change of heart, so she could join me in pleasing our father, and by then our family could be happily together."

    It seemed that her approach had indeed moved Bai Jingshan.

    Bai Xiao seemed to be a very good topic.

    Bai Jingshan didn¡¯t seem as distant and unapproachable as before.

    "I heard my sister is interning at Modu Hospital. I n to visit her today, and coincidentally, one of the educated youth back then works as a nurse at the Ruiyin Hospital where she¡¯s interning. I can help you ask around if you¡¯d like." Of course, Shang Kaiwen knew who Bai Jingshan was; it wasn¡¯t that simple to move him with just anything.

    "Is that so? It¡¯s quite a coincidence to have a nurse who was also educated youth. Well, since this is my matter, it¡¯s not reasonable to make you run around. How about this! I happen to be free, let¡¯s go to Ruiyin Hospital together." Bai Jingshan gave Shang Kaiwen this opportunity.

    It¡¯s understandable for a young girl to have some thoughts. He viewed her as a junior and wouldn¡¯t fuss over it.

    As long as it didn¡¯t involve significant interests, Bai Jingshan was also willing to tolerate some little actions taken in his name; after all, he did the same things when he was young, trying to climb up, so he didn¡¯t look down on Shang Kaiwen.

    Only ambitious people have a future.

    Shang Kaiwen immediately burst into happiness, "Mr. Bai, really, then I¡¯ll apany you."

    Pretending to be overwhelmed with joy, she grabbed Bai Jingshan¡¯s arm.

    Bai Jingshan smiled, gently patted Shang Kaiwen¡¯s hand, and withdrew his arm. He walked to the desk, pressed the phone button, and notified the secretary to arrange a car to go to Ruiyin Hospital.

    Downstairs.

    The driver had already opened the car door for Bai Jingshan. He got in, and just as Shang Kaiwen was about to join him in the back seat, Ma Ming squeezed in ahead of her, "Miss Shang, I have some matters to discuss with President Bai, please sit in the front."

    The reason was absolutely sufficient.

    Shang Kaiwen gritted her teeth in hatred. This Ma Ming had always seemed disapproving of her, always opposing her; it was unbearable. However, she still pretended to smile gracefully to save face, "Okay, no problem."

    She sat in the front reluctantly.

    Such a good opportunity, wrecked by that bastard Ma Ming.

    The car drove all the way to Ruiyin. Throughout the journey, Ma Ming really talked with Bai Jingshan about some overseas investments. Shang Kaiwen wanted to listen in, but Ma Ming was clearly guarded against her, speaking in a low voice, most of the time pointing at documents.

    Shang Kaiwen really couldn¡¯t grasp what the two of them were discussing, only knowing it was about the investmentpany.

    The only thing she understood was that Bai Jingshan also invested in venture capitalpanies.

    The entrance to Ruiyin Hospital indeed looked grand. Shang Kaiwen and Bai Jingshan entered Ruiyin Hospital together. Of course, she would apany Bai Jingshan to find the educated youth first.

    However, Bai Jingshan immediately dismissed the idea after seeing the short, stout head nurse, Xia Miao, in person¡ªit wasn¡¯t the person he was looking for! Those goldfish-like eyes were telling enough! Not the right person, but Xia Miao, knowing they were looking for educated youth from back then, provided them with many clues.

    This made Bai Jingshan quite grateful.

    Then they remembered about looking for Bai Xiao, Bai Jingshan suggested that Shang Kaiwen quickly go find Bai Xiao.

    When Xia Miao heard they were looking for Bai Xiao, she told them that Bai Xiao had been part of a countryside medical team, caught an epidemic, almost died, and now had returned to Modu! However, the hospital had temporarily given her leave.

    Resting at home.

    She spoke of Bai Xiao as if there was no one like her in the heavens or on the earth.

    Bai Jingshan began to get curious about this young girl.

    It sounded like Bai Xiao indeed had some skills, and it was a pity she had misunderstandings with her father despite being so aplished.

    Shang Kaiwen had actually known already; how could she not know Bai Xiao¡¯s situation, knowing that Bai Xiao had once again made a significant aplishment and even advanced to the rank of major. Shang Kaiwen felt bitter inside.

    The higher Bai Xiao climbed, the more resentment it stirred in her.

    This was Shang Family¡¯s resource.

    If Bai Xiao were willing to return to the Shang Family, think of how many resources could be utilized now, An Zhiyuan, Jiang Shaoqing, plus the Yu Family; if all this were to help the Shang Family, for the Shang Family to return to prosperity, to dominate, to flourish, it would be easy.

    But Bai Xiao just wouldn¡¯t ept this. She wanted to see how Bai Xiao would get through this hurdle this time.

    Without Yu Shaoyan¡¯s care, Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t live as freely as she did at Ruiyin.

    She wanted to put Bai Xiao under her, she couldn¡¯t believe she wouldn¡¯t make Bai Xiao bow in this lifetime.

    Shang Kaiwen immediately showed her concern and wanted to visit Bai Xiao. It was inconvenient for Bai Jingshan to join her, so he had his driver take Shang Kaiwen to Bai Xiao¡¯s home, and they drove back themselves.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1045 The Car Broke Down

    <h4>Chapter 1045: Chapter 1045 The Car Broke Down</h4>

    The driver dropped Shang Kaiwen off at the gate of Bai Xiao¡¯s small courtyard. As Shang Kaiwen got out of the car, she immediately noticed Bai Xiao, who was just about to leave.

    Yu Feixue called; her mother had a heart attack and was taken to the hospital. Bai Xiao was just about to rush over.

    As soon as she stepped out, she saw Shang Kaiwen.

    What¡¯s this woman doing here?

    Seeing Bai Xiao, who seemed to be living so well, Shang Kaiwen was baffled. How could Bai Xiao always appear so cool andposed, as if nothing could affect her?

    She couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of hatred.

    Why does Bai Xiao get whatever she wants? She¡¯s also a child of the Shang Family, yet she gets to live so freely. Why?

    "Bai Xiao, I came to see you. I heard you caught the epidemic there; you need to take care of yourself. Dad is very worried." Shang Kaiwen didn¡¯t forget to put on a show since Bai Jingshan¡¯s driver was watching.

    Bai Xiao frowned, is there really a need to act like this? Who¡¯s she pretending for?

    She noticed the car behind Shang Kaiwen.

    Who¡¯s in the car?

    "Shang Kaiwen, is it necessary to be so fake? You seem to always forget that I have nothing to do with you. My grandmother said it herself¡ªI have no connection with the Shang Family. So stop pretending to be so pitiful, and don¡¯te acting with me. You should know, there¡¯s nothing good thates from provoking me." Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t be bothered to deal with Shang Kaiwen.

    The two were mortal enemies. ying nice and pretending there was peace between them¡ªthat was just too fake. Although Shang Kaiwen wasn¡¯t her foe for life yet, it didn¡¯t stop her from wanting to finish her off.

    "Sister, are you still mad at me and Dad? We genuinely care about you."

    "Get lost!"

    Bai Xiao locked the door and roughly pushed Shang Kaiwen away. If she didn¡¯t want to cause trouble, she would¡¯ve done something to Shang Kaiwen already. Who knows, maybe with her special ability, Shang Kaiwen could end up with leukemia or something and get a taste of facing death and waiting for it.

    But she held back, given the peopleing and going around here.

    Especially considering who might be in that car behind! She wouldn¡¯t leave evidence for others.

    At least, she wouldn¡¯t openly set her up.

    Such underhanded tactics, of course, should be done discreetly.

    "Bai Xiao! Whether you admit it or not, you¡¯re part of the Shang Family. That¡¯s an unchangeable fact. I¡¯m your sister, you¡¯re my sister."

    "Shang Kaiwen, where do you get the confidence and courage to tell me these things? I¡¯m not part of the Shang Family¡ªnever was. It¡¯s impossible for me to have the blood of that beast in me. So save it. Even if you talk until you¡¯re blue in the face, I¡¯ll still say the same thing: I have nothing to do with you. Don¡¯te around me for no reason. Otherwise, don¡¯t me me for being rude. I¡¯m the type to act on my words, and if you want to lose face, you can try it and see if I¡¯m bold enough to make you more embarrassed in front of everyone."

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t want to utter a single unnecessary word.

    Where does Shang Kaiwen get the confidence that she wouldn¡¯t dare hit her?

    She can¡¯t finish her off¡ªthat¡¯s the issue¡ªbut she¡¯s sure she can manage a beating.

    Shang Kaiwen took several steps back.

    The driver couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. He got out to protect Shang Kaiwen, seeing this frail girl being bullied by a woman. Especially since she was with Mr. Bai, even for the sake of the boss¡¯s honor, he couldn¡¯t let the boss¡¯s guest be bullied.

    If Bai Jingshan let Shang Kaiwen ride in this car, it proved the boss valued this girl.

    The driver naturally had to protect Shang Kaiwen.

    "What¡¯s wrong with you, young woman? Speaking so harshly despite your youth, clearly a family of flesh and blood yet..."

    Bai Xiao pushed the driver aside, "Who are you? What right do you have to meddle? Do you know anything about us? Is this a ce for you to speak?" She took a step forward with her words, forcing the driver to retreat step by step until he leaned against his car door.

    Bai Xiao braced one hand on the car door, "If you¡¯re unclear about the situation, don¡¯t intervene randomly. We have no blood ties. Why must she cling to me as her sister? Because there¡¯s something she wants from me. So watch the drama! Don¡¯t make rash judgments. Besides, before my mom died, she said I¡¯m not part of the Shang Family. So don¡¯t overestimate your affection." These words were meant for Shang Kaiwen to hear.

    She withdrew and left.

    Shang Kaiwen was infuriated, wishing she could kill Bai Xiao. How could this woman be so arrogant, just because she relied on An Zhiyuan and Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s influence?

    Don¡¯t worry!

    Take it slow, bit by bit! Surely, she can¡¯t handle Bai Xiao.

    Someday she¡¯ll have Bai Xiao begging her to acknowledge her.

    Bai Xiao, just you wait!

    One day it¡¯ll happen.

    When you plead with me! I still won¡¯t agree, then it won¡¯t be you not recognizing the Shang Family, it¡¯ll be the Shang Family not recognizing you.

    Shang Kaiwen retracted her malicious smile. When she turned, the driver saw a tear-stained, pitiful and touching look on her face, which made him despise Bai Xiao even more. A woman so arrogant in not recognizing her family¡ªis she even human?

    He consoled Shang Kaiwen, "Miss Shang, please get in the car. I¡¯ll take you back. If such a person doesn¡¯t recognize you, so be it. No need to get upset over someone so ignorant. Get in the car, get in the car, I¡¯ll take you back."

    Shang Kaiwen sighed helplessly, "After all, she¡¯s my sister. My father didn¡¯t care for her growing up, now we just want to make up for it. But she hates us, and I don¡¯t me her."

    What an understanding girl.

    The driver started the car.

    No response.

    He tried again.

    Still no response.

    Cold sweat dripped down the driver¡¯s face, "It was just fine earlier, strange." He got out to open the hood, checked it over, and scratched his head. The car engine and battery were all fine, strange.

    He could only awkwardly knock on the window, "Miss Shang, sorry, the car won¡¯t start. Shall I call a cab for you? I need to wait for the tow truck."

    Shang Kaiwen had no choice but to get out, "No need. I¡¯ll walk myself."

    Don¡¯t underestimate a driver! This person is with Bai Jingshan every day and in one word can change Bai Jingshan¡¯s impression of her.

    Strutting in her high heels, Shang Kaiwen gged down a cab.

    Unfortunately, this wasn¡¯t a busy area. Bai Xiao chose this ce specifically for peace and quiet, though being near a school, it¡¯s not exactly remote. But their residential zone wasn¡¯t bustling, quite far from any university.

    Hence, Shang Kaiwen had to walk a full two kilometers before she caught a cab, returning to the hotel with her heels rubbed raw.

    She pounded the bed in pain.

    All Bai Xiao¡¯s fault.

    This woman is a scourge.

    Each time she meets Bai Xiao, things never end well.

    But soon, let¡¯s see how long Bai Xiao can remain arrogant.

    Yu Shaoyan fell, next in line are Jiang Shaoqing and An Zhiyuan. Without these people, who else could Bai Xiao rely on?

    Those two sisters, one brother?

    Then I¡¯ll deal with all of them, and see if Bai Xiao can still stand tall and proud.

    Bai Xiao, we¡¯ll see.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1046: The Warmth and Coldness of Human Relationships

    <h4>Chapter 1046: Chapter 1046: The Warmth and Coldness of Human Rtionships</h4>

    Bai Xiao came to the hospital, inquired about the location of the cardiology ward, and as soon as she reached the floor, she heard Yu Feixue¡¯s voice.

    It seemed like she was arguing with someone.

    "What¡¯s wrong with you? Every time my motheres, she stays in the high-staff ward, and this time you¡¯re arranging for her to be in this noisy eight-person room? How can she rest like this? She has heart disease, not a cold or fever; this setup is detrimental to the patient¡¯s rest."

    Due to anxiety, Yu Feixue¡¯s voice was hoarse; this girl must have been going through a tough time these past few days.

    Yu Shaoyan had been isted for investigation for a few days, and their family had been turned upside down.

    The head nurse said helplessly, "Miss Yu, it¡¯s not that we don¡¯t want to arrange it, it¡¯s because it doesn¡¯t meet the regtions! Previously, your mother stayed in Director Yu¡¯s high-staff ward, but now the higher-ups require strictpliance with procedures, and we have no choice. If we¡¯re found out, we¡¯d be punished.

    This isn¡¯t something we¡¯re doing on purpose. If you really find it inappropriate, spend some money on a private room. Although it¡¯s a bit more expensive, it¡¯s quiet,fortable, and the conditions are better."

    It was clear the head nurse wasn¡¯t intentionally causing trouble, but Bai Xiao understood very well¡ªYu Shaoyan was in trouble, and others might not know! These hospital deans certainly understood very well that when an orderes from above, those below have toply.

    This is the warmth and coldness of human rtionships, the fickleness of the world.

    Yu Feixue¡¯s stable life of decades was finally defeated by reality.

    "You... you..." Yu Feixue was so angry she couldn¡¯t speak.

    What could she say now? That others were doing wrong, or that they weren¡¯t following the rules and procedures?

    Mother also had a job, but she definitely didn¡¯t enjoy the benefits father did. Every time mother could enjoy cadre treatment here, it was because her father was Yu Shaoyan. Now, as soon as father had issues, all of mother¡¯s privileges were immediately dropped to the bottom; it truly shows the warmth and coldness of human rtionships.

    But who could be med for this?

    With a bitter smile, could they afford the VIP room?

    The family conditions were good, but they weren¡¯t rich.

    Her father¡¯s position was high, but he was a clean and honest person.

    He never did anything to use his position for private gain, of course, asionally doing some minor favors is quite normal. But to say he took bribes or helped others break the rules...

    As his daughter, she absolutely didn¡¯t believe it.

    If father really took bribes, then why when mother is hospitalized, would they say to stay in the VIP room, yet they would find it difficult?

    The VIP room costs a thousand a day, and that¡¯s not including all the medication and treatment fees.

    She¡¯s already checked the savings ount, and it only has tens of thousands; if they spend all this money...

    What would happen if something else happens at home?

    Moreover, mother has heart disease; just earlier the doctor also talked to her about it, saying the disease needs heart bypass surgery.

    Otherwise, it¡¯s only treating the symptoms, not the root cause.

    At mother¡¯s age, if the surgery is done, the recovery for future health would be quick.

    But if they dy a few more years, not mentioning spending money, people will suffer anyway, and the final solution is still this surgery.

    So it¡¯s just a matter of when this money is spent.

    But a penny can knock down a hero; can the current situation allow her to spend moneyvishly?

    It¡¯s truly a maddening fact.

    "Let¡¯s not do it." She said this bitterly, finally realizing that without father¡¯s protection, she was tasting the fluctuations of humanpassion for the first time.

    Turning around to return to the ward, the head nurse shook her head with pity; Lord Yu was a good person, and his family wasn¡¯t the type to look down on others. Many times, they were willing to take care of cadre families like this, unlike many others who treated nurses with disdain,manding them around; Yu Feixue was actually quite good.

    But what use is her pity?

    She was just a head nurse; in this hospital, her words wouldn¡¯t make a ssh. Each sweeps their own doorstep; don¡¯t worry about the frost on others¡¯ tiles.

    The young nurse beside looked at Yu Feixue¡¯s drooping shoulders as she returned to the ward and began whispering.

    "Is Lord Yu really falling? Is he going down?"

    They were all half-informed, none knew the specifics.

    "Who knows? But it doesn¡¯t look good; didn¡¯t you see they¡¯re not even allowing her to stay in the high-staff ward? I heard it¡¯s an order from above. Of course, we do what the higher-ups say. It looks like it¡¯ll be tough."

    "Sigh, this is really something; never thought someone like Lord Yu could be a corrupt official."

    "What can you think? We¡¯re just little nurses; such matters are not for us to judge. Even if we don¡¯t know what Lord Yu has done, no wind without waves."

    "Ah! Apparently, it¡¯s better to be ordinary citizens, less trouble."

    "Forget it, who doesn¡¯t wish for a father who is an official? If I had a father like that, would I still be here working as a nurse, always being looked down upon?"

    "But if it¡¯s like Yu Feixue, maybe having a father who is a worker isn¡¯t so bad."

    Bai Xiao turned and went downstairs, to the bank outside the hospital, and took out fifty thousand yuan. She heard from Yu Feixue about the aunt¡¯s condition needing surgery, and it¡¯s been postponed. Now the situation is getting worse. The surgery must be done, and it cannot be that the uncle bears unjust grievances, and even the family suffers as well.

    She couldn¡¯t watch as these people bullies her aunt without helping.

    It seemed that many people had already gotten news about Yu Shaoyan¡¯s situation; this was probably considered as kicking someone when they¡¯re down.

    She handed the payment slip to the head nurse, who was taken aback upon seeing the VIP room payment slip, looking at the young girl in front of her, so young and unseen, not knowing her background.

    "Please help arrange it; we¡¯ll immediately move to the VIP room."

    The VIP room certainly can enjoy such treatment.

    The head nurse immediately nodded, calling over two young nurses, "Xiaoli, Xiaowang,e! Help me move bed number eight to the VIP room."

    The two young nurses exchanged looks.

    But they moved quickly.

    The VIP room was not something just anyone could afford; the daily costs could make anyone dumbfounded. Their monthly sry couldn¡¯t cover even half a day¡¯s stay.

    Bai Xiao apanied the head nurse and others to the ward, and as she entered, she saw the patients in several beds all making noise; after all, eight people plus apanying family members made it noisier than a market.

    Yu Feixue was feeding aunt water; her mother had suffered a serious heart attack this time and was bedridden.

    Seeing the haggard Yu Feixue, Bai Xiao walked over.

    "Xiaoxue! Aunt."

    She set the nutritional products she was carrying aside; upon seeing Bai Xiao, tears welled up in Yu Feixue¡¯s eyes; at this time, she needed family support so much, her mother sick, and she didn¡¯t dare tell grandparents, afraid the elderly couple would worry too, and they weren¡¯t in good health either.

    If the elderly couple copsed too, the family would be finished.

    "Xiaoxiao. You¡¯vee."

 Chapter 1047 VIP Room

    <h4>Chapter 1047: Chapter 1047 VIP Room</h4>

    "Let¡¯s go, pack up and move the ward! Head nurse, I¡¯ll leave it to you, thank you!" Bai Xiao¡¯s polite attitude made the head nurse and her team feel quitefortable. After all, they were often overlooked by those important figures.

    Now someone was treating them well! They too showed genuine sincerity and enthusiasm.

    A few people immediately helped to pack up the things.

    Yu Feixue urgently asked, "Where are we moving to?"

    She had just asked about the high-level ward earlier. It was absolutely impossible with her father¡¯s current situation; they could no longer enjoy such privileges.

    "Come on, stop talking and help push Auntie over with the nurse. Let¡¯s go!"

    Bai Xiao seemed more like the elder sister.

    "Let¡¯s go, Miss Yu. Who is this person to you?" No wonder the head nurse was curious; not many people could afford this kind of expense.

    Yu Feixue proudly put her arm around Bai Xiao¡¯s shoulder, "This is my sister, Bai Xiao! She¡¯s also a doctor and the first person to develop antibodies during this pandemic. She¡¯s one of the key contributors to this vine."

    The head nurse had certainly heard of Bai Xiao, who was famous.

    Is there anyone in their hospital who hadn¡¯t heard of Bai Xiao?

    In astonishment, she said, "Dr. Bai, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. I didn¡¯t expect you to be so young. We thought you should be at least twenty-seven or eight. We never imagined you look as young as a little girl."

    Bai Xiao knew she had a small face to her advantage; many thought she was a middle school student.

    "How could Dr. Bai be Miss Yu¡¯s sister?"

    This question couldn¡¯t help but stir gossip; everyone was listening with pricked ears.

    "That¡¯s my aunt¡¯s daughter; she¡¯s my sister by blood."

    Everyone suddenly understood; they¡¯re family.

    They¡¯re real kin.

    A cousin sister from the aunt¡¯s side is indeed family too.

    At this moment, Bai Xiao still spending her own money on Yu Feixue really shows closer than blood ties.

    Auntie looked at Bai Xiao. Since Bai Xiao returned to this household, they hadn¡¯t interacted much. Mainly because Auntie was often unwell, frequently staying at her parents¡¯ ce, she wasn¡¯t too close to Yu Shaoyan¡¯s family. Now that she¡¯s ill, her family back home had grown used to it! This time Yu Shaoyan had an ident, and none of her family even came by.

    This left her with a cold heart.

    She never expected the one to step up now would be this girl she hadn¡¯t even looked at properly.

    Gratitude grew in her heart, like a gift of coal in the snow.

    "Thank you, Bai Xiao! Really, Auntie doesn¡¯t know what to say. We shouldn¡¯t be spending your money this time; it¡¯s too much to ask. Xiaoxue, you should give the money to Bai Xiao, we can¡¯t let her spend so much." This was what Yu Shaoyan always demanded, never spending others¡¯ money lightly, it¡¯s a matter of principle.

    Bai Xiaofortingly patted Auntie¡¯s hand, using the chance to apply her special ability.

    It really was heart disease, and quite serious.

    But bypass surgery could solve the big problem; if she treated it further, there shouldn¡¯t be major issues.

    "Auntie, what are you saying? I¡¯m not an outsider anyway, even if Uncle were here, wouldn¡¯t it still be spending money? Since Uncle¡¯s not here, we should be looking after you, Xiaoxue¡¯s already had a hard enough time. Grandpa and Grandma also hope you can live a bit morefortably, they specially asked me to bring this money, so just focus on getting well. Don¡¯t make Uncle worry. He¡¯ll be back in a few days."

    Thinking it was grandpa¡¯s and grandma¡¯s money, Auntie truly felt guilty, having never fulfilled the duty of a daughter-inw to serve her inws, but instead making the two elders worry about them. Now, with them being so old, they even had to give them money.

    "Ah!"

    Heaving a long sigh, "Who knows how your Uncle is doing? I¡¯m just worried he¡¯s not eating well; his stomach is weak, cold and hard foods will cause stomach problems." This showed they had a good rtionship.

    They soon arrived at the VIP room.

    It truly was a VIP room.

    An inner and outer suite, the inside was a patient room with a bed, bright windows, good air quality, plenty of sunlight, with apanying chairs and afortable sofa.

    Outside was a resting area for caretakers, with its own bathroom and a simple ce to prepare food, where nothing too fancy could be cooked, but boiling water or making a boiled egg was possible.

    This was considered the best amodation they had here;pared to outside, there was even a television and a phone,parable to hotel standards, especially since there was air conditioning.

    The view was nice, air was good, and most importantly it was very quiet, truly much better than the previous room.

    With a private bathroom, there was no need forte-night trips to public restrooms, making this a world of difference.

    ording to Bai Xiao¡¯s standards, if there was a microwave, fridge, and water dispenser, it would truly be a VIP experience, but at the current time, this was already VIP treatment.

    Yu Feixue was startled at sight.

    This... must be very expensive, right?

    She touched the savings book in her pocket.

    Unsure whether it was enough for her mother to stay until after surgery.

    Her own mother would believe Bai Xiao¡¯s lies; Bai Xiao and she had conspired not to tell her grandparents about her mother¡¯s hospitalization, reflecting that it couldn¡¯t possibly be true that her grandparents gave money without knowing.

    The money must have been advanced by Bai Xiao, and she didn¡¯t have the face to spend Bai Xiao¡¯s money.

    Bai Xiao, after all, was already married, and Bai Xiao¡¯s money surely included An Zhiyuan¡¯s; ultimately, wouldn¡¯t that make the An Family see them as a joke?

    Spending money from a married niece was indeed shameless.

    Auntie also felt uneasy.

    Even the usual high-level wards weren¡¯t this nice, this seemed a bit too luxurious, implying high cost.

    How could they afford to stay here?

    They knew their own situation, not to mention Yu Shaoyan¡¯s unclear circumstance, who knew whether they would need some connections?

    Even if they had to rely on someone to help, a meal had to be provided even without gifting, let¡¯s not even mention wine and cigarettes.

    She had to leave some money for her husband to use.

    It seemed she¡¯d have to be discharged tomorrow, musing drowsily, then drifting off to sleep; her body was indeed giving way.

    Bai Xiao watched Auntie fall asleep, and the two quietly shut the door and stepped into the outer room; this inner and outer suite really had its conveniences.

    If there was a whisper, it could avoid the patient¡¯s hearing, and it was very quiet.

    The head nurse had already left with her team; people paying for VIP rooms didn¡¯t raise eyebrows, much less could they chase them off if management came.

    However, they were filled with curiosity about this Dr. Bai.

    Previously, Dr. Bai hadn¡¯t appeared.

    This Dr. Bai was indeed a legend.

    First was the foreign Head of State delegation¡¯s poisoning incident, followed by the first antibody case of the vine, all were pivotal moments turned by her.

    Such a person now appeared in Madam Yu¡¯s ward, and additionally had spent arge sum of money.

    The payment slip showed a total of fifty thousand yuan.

    This was a massive amount for their current economy.

    It seemed Bai Xiao was quite close to Lady Yu¡¯s daughter.

    This was true kinship.

    But this emerging niece was astonishingly remarkable, and who knew if Lord Yu could turn things around too, letting those snobby Deans suffer some quiet embarrassment?

 Chapter 1048 The Visitor

    <h4>Chapter 1048: Chapter 1048 The Visitor</h4>

    "Bai Xiao, what¡¯s going on? Where did you get so much money? I¡¯ll withdraw it for youter." Yu Feixue pulled Bai Xiao onto the sofa to talk. The two sisters hadn¡¯t seen each other for a few days! Since their father was taken away, they had only talked on the phone and didn¡¯t have time to meet.

    She thought Bai Xiao would be like the others and turn a blind eye, but Bai Xiao showed up at this moment.

    Bai Xiao tapped her forehead, "What are you talking about? We¡¯re sisters. Whether by blood or not, we have the same blood running through our veins. We¡¯re family, so don¡¯t talk like strangers. If you give me money, you¡¯re not treating me as your sister. Don¡¯t me me for being rude if you do that."

    Yu Feixue¡¯s eyes turned red. These days, many people treated her like a gue, even her maternal family avoided her both openly and discreetly. Their words implied she should sort things out quickly and sever ties with Yu Shaoyan to avoid bringing trouble to the family. Those words were infuriatingly hurtful.

    She never expected her usually kind rtives to be like this. Even when her mother was seriously ill, her uncle simply told her to handle it themselves and that he was too busy.

    Suddenly, people¡¯s hearts became deceitful, filled with malice.

    Theughter and warmth of the past turned into illusions.

    It seemed like a dream.

    "Xiaoxiao, I can¡¯t spend your money. You¡¯re married. It would be troublesome if An Zhiyuan found out. Emergency help is different from long-term support. Our family¡¯s situation now is like a bottomless pit. It¡¯s better if you don¡¯t get involved." Yu Feixue knew the gravity of the situation and didn¡¯t want to drag others down with her.

    Bai Xiaoughed, "You¡¯re overthinking it. An Zhiyuan isn¡¯t like that. Besides, this money isn¡¯t given to you; it¡¯s lent to you. You have plenty of time to earn and pay it backter! I just checked your aunt¡¯s condition; she needs surgery and can¡¯t dy anymore. There¡¯s no need for formalities. Now¡¯s not the time to be polite. Get your aunt¡¯s illness treated first, so your uncle won¡¯t worry so much.

    As for your uncle¡¯s situation, I¡¯ve looked into it. We¡¯ll figure it out. Don¡¯t worry. The situation has already happened, so we just confront the difficulties head-on. We can¡¯t lose ourposure over a minor issue. You have to believe your uncle isn¡¯t like that. The truth will eventuallye out."

    Bai Xiaoforted Yu Feixue.

    Yu Feixue hugged Bai Xiao, crying uncontrobly.

    With her father gone and her mother ill, Yu Feixue felt for the first time that she must take on all the responsibilities as an adult. She realized no one could shield her from life¡¯s storms, for the first time understanding the ups and downs of life.

    Her previous life seemed so blissful, not because it was naturally like that, but because someone had sheltered her from the storms! Her father¡¯s strong figure provided her a warm and stable life.

    The world was so vast! And so arduous, so cold and indifferent. Walking alone was so difficult and lonely.

    "Bai Xiao! Dad wille back, right? Dad is innocent, right? My dad is a good man, I know it. He couldn¡¯t have embezzled. Our family¡¯s ounts and house are already frozen, and the deposit book I have is only essible because it bears my grandmother¡¯s name. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be usable."

    Bai Xiao patted her, "Your uncle is innocent. Rest assured, with me here, I won¡¯t let your uncle be wronged. You must take good care of your aunt! I¡¯ll figure out your uncle¡¯s matter! We¡¯ll divide the work and get things done. Your primary responsibility now is to take care of your mom, get the surgery done, and nurse her back to health. You don¡¯t need to worry about anything else, got it." At this time, Yu Feixue had no reason to be weak.

    She couldn¡¯t afford to.

    Because she was the daughter of Yu Shaoyan! Her fate was to go through this, as it was her responsibility and duty.

    "I understand, Xiaoxiao, I understand! As the elder sister, I should take care of these things, yet I still need your help. I know we¡¯re family, I understand. Bai Xiao, thank you, thank you." Yu Feixue said thank you twice in session.

    To her, this thank you was deeply heartfelt.

    The two sisters exchanged smiles, a true bond between them.

    Bai Xiao went to the market outside and bought some eggs, vegetables, and fruits, and a pot for them. At least they could cook simple noodles or soup. Since they had the means, why not make meals a bit morefortable?

    When she returned to the ward with bags in hand, there were people talking inside.

    Bai Xiao pushed the door open.

    She saw two middle-aged men and an elderlydy sitting on the sofa, talking with Yu Feixue.

    "Xiaoxue."

    Yu Feixue quickly came over to help Bai Xiao bring the things into the kitchen cupboard.

    "Why did you buy so much stuff? You already brought so many nutritional products today, and now more groceries. Isn¡¯t this money? My mom and I can just make do at the hospital. Is it worth spending this money?" Yu Feixue had quickly gone from spendingvishly to being frugal, realizing the importance of money for the first time.

    "I didn¡¯t buy anything expensive, just eggs, noodles, vegetables, and fruits. This way, your aunt can eat whatever she wants. You can cook something here; there¡¯s a stove. It¡¯s better than the hospital cafeteria food, and you can make whatever you like. You might not be able to cook a big meal, but you can at least have some noodle soup, right?"

    Bai Xiao thoughtfully considered them, remembering her own hospital stay and knowing how hospital meals never tasted as good as imagined. Eating them daily could be very unappetizing.

    Yu Feixue pulled Bai Xiao in front of the three people.

    "Grandma, Uncle. This is Bai Xiao, my sister. She¡¯s the child of my second aunt."

    Bai Xiao met Yu Feixue¡¯s maternal family for the first time. Although she¡¯d been in Modu for almost a year and a half, she hadn¡¯t actually met Yu Feixue¡¯s maternal family.

    "Hello. I am Bai Xiao."

    Out of politeness, she greeted them, knowing from her uncle that her aunt¡¯s family took good care of her aunt, who often visited. This family seemed to have a good rtionship with Yu Feixue.

    "So you¡¯re Bai Xiao, how nice, you¡¯re really beautiful. I¡¯m sorry to trouble you. Xiaoxue, look, grandma was too rushed whening and forgot to buy something for your mom. I¡¯ll have your uncle go buy itter. Think about what I said carefully! After all, you and your mom still have to live! You don¡¯t yet know your mom¡¯s condition, surgery costs money. Grandma is thinking about you both. With your dad in this predicament, I¡¯m afraid you can¡¯t count on him anymore; you must carefully n your future."

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1049: Get Lost

    <h4>Chapter 1049: Chapter 1049: Get Lost</h4>

    "Grandma, Uncle, stop talking. My dad didn¡¯t do what you¡¯re using him of. I won¡¯t go out spreading lies to frame him. He would never do such things. I only tolerate this because you¡¯re my grandma and uncle! I¡¯ll assume you¡¯re saying this for the sake of my mom and me, but I don¡¯t want to hear it again. Otherwise, don¡¯t me me for being rude; even though you¡¯re my elders, I won¡¯t show any respect." Yu Feixue¡¯s firm words made the three people sitting on the sofa change their expressions.

    Li Guihua, Yu Feixue¡¯s grandma, had her face sink, and both uncles also looked displeased.

    They didn¡¯t expect this little girl to be so stubborn.

    They had agreed with others that as long as Yu Feixue cooperated, their jobs wouldn¡¯t be affected due to Yu Shaoyan.

    They had no choice, with such a big family to support, what would they do if they lost their jobs?

    They knew how hard it was to reach their current positions. One was a factory director, and the other a newspaper director. Because of Yu Shaoyan, their superiors already had a talk with them.

    Their positions, frankly speaking, had Yu Shaoyan¡¯s influence. They begged him insistently through his wife for job help, and he, unable to refuse his wife¡¯s family¡¯s wishes, agreed. It wasn¡¯t a big deal, just a phone call, and if they seeded, it seemed natural.

    If not, they couldn¡¯t me him. It preserved his wife¡¯s dignity.

    Unexpectedly, both of them rose to their current positions smoothly.

    Back then, when everything was going well, they felt Yu Shaoyan was greatly helpful, always wanting to appear grateful to their sister, and extremely fawning upon their brother-inw. But now, they felt associated with bad luck, wanting to immediately distance themselves, urging Yu Feixue and her mother to betray him.

    They thought they could gain the most benefits by reporting the crime and iming the house as theirs, having nothing to do with Yu Shaoyan, thus clearing any rtion and pleasing everyone.

    But who knew this niece wouldn¡¯t budge.

    "Xiaoxue, you better think it through. I¡¯ve inquired about your dad¡¯s situation. The evidence is conclusive; there¡¯s no chance to overturn it. When your dad goes to jail, the house and properties will be confiscated. Your mom¡¯s health is failing, and with no money, how will you both survive?

    Don¡¯t me your uncle for being harsh. You¡¯re still studying; although you have a job assignment, with your current situation, you might not even keep your job. Your mom¡¯s already on sick leave at home; how will you two manage?"

    Yan Shikuan knew his words were heartless, but someone advised him to incite his sister to divorce Yu Shaoyan, proving they were uninvolved. Especially by revealing the crime, they¡¯d be heroes, hence being considered unaware of the situation.

    Of course, this way, they wouldn¡¯t be implicated.

    Despite the inner conflict, both Yan Shikuan and Yan Shihe felt self-preservation was crucial. They couldn¡¯t let their whole family suffer.

    Yu Feixue, in a rage, was heartbroken. Her uncles acted like outsiders, hitting someone when they¡¯re down. Truly shameless.

    "Get out! Even if my mom and I starve, it¡¯s none of your business. We¡¯ll never look to you for help. Leave now! I don¡¯t want my mom seeing you, or it¡¯ll trigger her heart condition."

    Realizing the talks had failed, Yan Shikuan and Yan Shihe stopped pretending.

    "Xiaoxue, ignoring elders¡¯ advice just invites trouble. We¡¯re doing this for your sake. Discuss it with your mom. We wouldn¡¯t harm you."

    Grandma also earnestly persuaded Xiaoxue. To her, her son was more important; even if her daughter was dear, it was because of her son-inw. Now that he was in trouble, she couldn¡¯t rely on her daughter. She had to protect her sons. She couldn¡¯t let them suffer with her son-inw.

    "Xiaoxue, Grandma only wants the best for you. You and your mom are in this situation yet living in such an expensive ward. It¡¯s all money every day! How long can your moneyst? A day, a week, or a month?

    Now¡¯s not the time to act proud! Keep some money for yourselves. Grandma and Grandpa have only a small pension and can¡¯t support you. Disobey now, and you¡¯ll sufferter."

    This was a threat, assuming Yu Feixue had to rely on them.

    Bai Xiao was both furious and amused.

    What kind of operation is this?

    Treating her, a Yu family rtive, like she¡¯s already dead.

    "Olddy, everyone, we, the Yu family, don¡¯t need you to worry. Since Aunt married Uncle, isn¡¯t there a saying that married daughters are like spilled water, irrevocable? Don¡¯t fret about us; we can handle our own affairs.

    If we ever need money, we won¡¯te begging at your doorstep. So, take your leave and don¡¯t disturb a sick person. If you really upset Aunt until something happens, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll bear the reputation of driving your daughter to her death."

    Bai Xiao was already kicking them out.

    She¡¯d never seen such shameless individuals.

    How had Uncle put up with them all these years?

    They were all ingrates. When Uncle prospered, they reaped the benefits, and now, with nothing settled yet, they began to trample their own family members mercilessly. What kind of people were they?

    Yan Shikuan gave Bai Xiao a cold nce, aware of the new-found granddaughter of the Yu family, yet knowing Yu Shaoyan¡¯s case was sealed; no one could save him. If they could, they would try.

    Bai Xiao was just putting on a brave act.

    Youthful ignorance.

    She didn¡¯t understand the concept of abandonment after the tree¡¯s fallen.

    Yu Shaoyan was beyond saving.

    "Niece! I understand you¡¯re angry. This little girl, despite your famous medical skills, when ites to politics, you don¡¯t understand, and you shouldn¡¯t interfere recklessly. They, mother and daughter, are the ones directly involved; my sister¡¯s well-being matters to me. It¡¯s out of concern that I say this.

    Xiaoxue, call Uncle once you¡¯ve decided. Uncle believes you¡¯re wise and discerning. It¡¯s often said that preserving oneself is crucial. This isn¡¯t about defaming your dad; it¡¯s about ensuring your and your mom¡¯s survival."

    "All of you, get out!"

    Suddenly, the hospital room door swung open, and Aunt, leaning heavily against the door frame, her face ashen, pointed at her mother and two brothers, shouting breathlessly.

    She had woken up hearing her mother and brothers, assuming they came to visit her, only to overhear such words.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1050: Falling Ill

    <h4>Chapter 1050: Chapter 1050: Falling Ill</h4>

    Seeing that his sister had heard, Yan Shikuan and Yan Shihe both looked embarrassed but then decided to just go for it!

    The purpose of telling Yu Feixue first was merely to hope that Yu Feixue could persuade her sister to take on this job, and now that the sister already knew, there was no need to hide it.

    "Sister, what are you doing? We are doing this for your own good!"

    Yu Feixue rushed over to support her shaky mother. Her mother had always been gentle-natured! She was not one to lose her temper, and from the time she was sensible until now, Yu Feixue had never seen her mother so fiercely angry.

    Truly worried about her mother¡¯s health, as a heart patient can¡¯t withstand any shock.

    Bai Xiao also rushed forward in a sh, reaching out to support his aunt!

    "Big brother! Second brother, do you feel no shame saying this? You begged me back then to help you. What kind of person is Shao Yan? Don¡¯t you know? He only made calls for your sake, he never did anything disgraceful in his life. He helped in any way that a family member could. Man proposes, God disposes, but he¡¯s clear of conscience towards you, yet he hasn¡¯t even done anything, and you¡¯re already demanding his death. Are you still human?" Aunt Yan Shizhen trembled with anger, feeling like her heart was about to jump out.

    She could never have imagined her own family would do such a thing.

    Never in a thousand calctions did she foresee her own family hitting someone when they¡¯re down.

    "I¡¯ll tell you, you are no longer my brothers. I don¡¯t have brothers who are so eager for quick sess and want my husband dead. You just can¡¯t wait for my husband to be killed. We won¡¯t have any further contact in future, whether I¡¯m good or bad, I don¡¯t need you to take care of me. Even if I die, I won¡¯t ask you for help."

    The mother of Yan leaped up first, "What are you saying, child! Your big and second brother are doing it for your good? You really take their kindness as donkey¡¯s liver and lungs. They¡¯re not harming you. You see, don¡¯t you need money for your illness? If the family is seized, what are you going to use for treatment? It¡¯s all for you two, mother and daughter!"

    Yan Shizhen closed her eyes in anger and spat out a phrase, "This is the first time I¡¯ve heard that harming my husband is for my own good. I¡¯d rather die than need this kind of goodness from you. Xiaoxue, tell them to get out; they¡¯re no longer allowed in. I don¡¯t have such a mother and brothers." Then she copsed.

    Yu Feixue was terrified and quickly held her mother! Thankfully, she was standing beside her all along, otherwise, Yan Shizhen would have copsed on the ground.

    Bai Xiao was a step toote, but he grabbed Yan Shizhen¡¯s wrist. After circting his special ability, he looked grave. A heart patient can¡¯t be stimted, and originally Yan Shizhen¡¯s condition had already deteriorated significantly, now it¡¯s almost adding insult to injury, clearly a myocardial infarction.

    Yan Shikuan and Yan Shihe were also terrified. This was their own dear sister. They had their own selfish motives, but they didn¡¯t want to drive their sister to death.

    The olddy was also worried. Though she spoke harshly, inherently, they were still her children, how could she not be concerned? Previously, she valued her sons¡¯ future as more important, but now her daughter¡¯s life was equally important.

    You can¡¯t just stand by and watch your daughter lose her life.

    "What are you two still standing there for? Quickly call the doctor, your sister is already like this, save her!"

    The olddy was panicked and flushed.

    Yan Shikuan and Yan Shihe finally reacted and hurriedly rushed out to call the doctor on duty outside.

    Doctors and nurses came in immediately.

    Soon Yan Shizhen was wheeled into the emergency room.

    Yu Feixue leaned on Bai Xiao, unable to even shed a tear. What use was crying now? She knew that crying wouldn¡¯t solve anything at this moment.

    Bai Xiao patted her, "Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s okay, I just checked the pulse."

    In fact, she had already circted her special ability through her aunt¡¯s body. This would relieve her myocardial infarction significantly. This time it circted quickly, taking only a few dozen seconds, but she also noticed something unusual; her special ability seemed to have changed.

    In the past, when her special ability entered the body, the healing was quick enough to dispel the illnesses in the body.

    Now, when the ability entered the body, it felt like it vanished into thin air, but she could feel the special ability causing changes within the body, transformations that were visible to the naked eye, yet these changes were different from before, urring seemingly only within the cells.

    It seemed that unlike the previous method of cutting through all diseases at once, it has now turned into a secretive direction.

    She could clearly see that inside the myocardial infarction, based on the narrowing of the coronary atherosclerosis, certain triggers caused the rupture of the ques. Blood telets gathered at the surface of the ruptured ques, forming clots (thrombus) that suddenly blocked the coronary artery, leading to myocardial ischemia and necrosis. Her special ability now wasn¡¯t removing these, but instead surrounding the clots and thrombus, changing their internal structure.

    At least she could see the clots and thrombus slowly dissolving, forming new pathways, including the areas in the heart that needed bypassing, and the surrounding blood vessel walls were gradually repairing.

    However, only she could see it, no one else could, not even the most advanced MRI could do it.

    Additionally, she found that now the healing speed had also changed. Previously, it seemed after expending all energy, the condition wouldpletely improve, now it appeared the condition hadn¡¯t dramatically changed, but actually, the healing started as an internal restoration process.

    In the past, it should be said it was an aggressive expansion, now it¡¯s be a gentle approach, assimting all causative factors and allowing the internal cells to begin the repair process.

    Could this be the change in her special ability after surviving a life-and-death situation?

    It seemed to be much weaker than before; in a simr situation before, a few jabs would suffice to repair it.

    Direct healing wouldn¡¯t be an issue, but now the healing ability was urring at the cellr level.

    This cannot be seen with the naked eye, and it¡¯s only her benefit. Somehow it felt like the pace might slow down a lot.

    Although this made her healing ability appear more concealed, it¡¯s unclear whether its efficacy will catch up with the previous one.

    Bai Xiao thought helplessly, could it be that this time due to the gue, even her special ability has been restrained by it?

    But it shouldn¡¯t be.

    Yu Feixue nkly nced at her uncle and grandmother, "You all should leave. I think even if my mom wakes up, she wouldn¡¯t want to see you."

    She had seen the highest level of adding insult to injury.

    Her grandmother and uncle felt embarrassed, "Child, Xiaoxue, we really didn¡¯t mean to provoke your mom. We just felt that living with your father, there are always some things that can be reported. Once you present these evidences, it will count as merits despite the charges."

    "Get out. You want to put my dad in jail and solidify his charges, and now you want to drive my mom to death?"

    Yu Feixue had no intention of seeing these shameless acts disguised as so-called love.

    For the rest of her life, she wasn¡¯t nning on associating with these people again.

    Her grandmother and uncle had no choice but to leave in embarrassment.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1051 Found

    <h4>Chapter 1051: Chapter 1051 Found</h4>

    The doctor came out.

    Yu Feixue hurried forward, "Doctor, how is my mother¡¯s condition right now?"

    The doctor took off his mask, "Your mother has acute myocardial infarction. Fortunately, this happened in the hospital, and her symptoms aren¡¯t the most severe. But her condition can¡¯t be dyed any longer. You need to find a way to perform surgery as soon as possible. As her family, you need to think it through quickly; dying further won¡¯t do any good for the patient¡¯s health."

    Yu Feixue nodded, "Doctor, considering my mother¡¯s current condition, how long can it be dyed if she doesn¡¯t undergo surgery?"

    It¡¯s not that as a daughter she doesn¡¯t want her mother to have surgery. The situation at home is so serious; if surgery is done now, she won¡¯t have the time or energy to deal with her father¡¯s situation.

    Even though Bai Xiao said so earlier, he¡¯s ultimately not her father.

    Regardless of being a child of the family, one should be concerned.

    If she were topletely ignore it, she probably wouldn¡¯t be at ease either.

    This is heart surgery, not just any casual surgery. If something were to happen, should her father not be able to see his wife onest time?

    Such responsibility, she as a daughter can¡¯t bear it.

    "Your mother¡¯s current condition. Her heart load is too severe and could rpse at any time. For her personally, we rmend immediate surgery. Given her current state, at most three months. If you don¡¯t proceed with surgery soon, it really could endanger her life." The doctor was genuinely giving a conscientious suggestion; if they don¡¯t perform the surgery soon, it would be against their medical ethics.

    Watching someone who could recover simply by having the surgery, really, getting dragged due to other reasons, and eventually dying from onset.

    They can¡¯t just stand by idly.

    No matter the patient¡¯s family background or what special significance they have, it doesn¡¯t concern them as doctors.

    Even if faced with a vicious murderer, the doctor believes they have the right to life.

    Yu Feixue was conflicted; her mother¡¯s condition isn¡¯t sustainable for long! Anytime there is a risk to life.

    "My suggestion remains to perform the surgery promptly, as it¡¯s a disease that can¡¯t always be dyed. For your aunt, it¡¯s not a solution either. You need to think carefully, your uncle¡¯s situation is with me, I¡¯ve already found people to help, have inquired about your uncle¡¯s situation, and am trying to investigate. But you really need to consider this."

    Bai Xiao can heal the aunt, but definitely wouldn¡¯t suggest forgoing the surgery, because she is no longer the Bai Xiao who just awoke without any awareness. Now she has her family, she has her husband, An Zhiyuan almost risked his life for her, she can¡¯t casually betray these.

    The aunt can be cured with surgery! It¡¯s not an instantly life-threatening illness; she doesn¡¯t need to interfere excessively.

    Furthermore, she¡¯s already used her special ability for treatment, the aftermath is yet to be observed.

    There are many important matters now, Bai Xiao can¡¯t continue wasting time on acute illnesses that the hospital can handle! Moreover, she has already done some treatment, her special ability should have a better effect than surgery, at least providing a safeguard for the surgery.

    Yu Feixue nodded; she is the only adult in the family right now.

    She is the support.

    Bai Xiao stayed with her for a while then left; she had already arranged a meeting with An Zhiyuan to find someone today.

    An Zhiyuan had already found Jian Nan.

    He set out in the morning just to find Jian Nan¡¯s whereabouts.

    Returned home without even taking off his clothes, hearing the phone ringing loudly, hurriedly picked it up.

    "Xiaoxiao, where did you go? I¡¯ve called three times." An Zhiyuan was a bit anxious, mainly worried about Bai Xiao.

    This girl likes acting on her own.

    The issue is she relies on her own strength without considering the consequences.

    "I went to see my aunt and Xiaoxue, my aunt was hospitalized. I paid their hospital bills and came back. How about it, did you find the person?" That¡¯s what Bai Xiao cared about.

    "Found,e to the address at somewhere, I¡¯ll wait for you here." An Zhiyuan gave a kick to the man struggling hard, hanging up the phone.

    Jian Nan was tied up tightly, almost indistinguishable from the chair.

    He dared not shout.

    Although his two subordinates were outside, but after all that wailing and yelling earlier, they didn¡¯te in, the oue is obvious.

    "Buddy! Buddy, let¡¯s talk this over, I really don¡¯t know you, we had no grievances in the past, no enmity recently. If you need anything, just say it, whether you want money, people, or need me to do something for you, I will cooperate fully. I¡¯ll cooperate fully."

    Today, he went to the house of the singing woman he had newly hooked up with. After much effort, he finally got his hands on her, at the peak of the moment, the woman let out a scream.

    He thought the woman couldn¡¯t bear his prowess, proudly boasting his dominance.

    But the woman was scared to the core, pointing behind him, which is when he realized there was someone behind him, puffing on a cigarette, looking at him with disdain.

    He instantly went limp.

    Who could stand firm against a sneaky stranger!

    Jian Nan was someone who¡¯d seen big things, naturally not afraid, his skills were ace among hooligans, proficient in fighting, learned plenty of dirty tricks, not fazed by the person in front of him. But when he went forward, he got his arm dislocated, thrown down, nearly had his ribs broken.

    Now tied up like a dumpling, he obviously knew the person was aiming for him, could only beg for mercy.

    "I don¡¯t want money, nor things, just want to ask you some questions. But let¡¯s wait, someone wille to ask youter, just answer truthfully, and that¡¯s it. If you¡¯re not honest, I¡¯ve got plenty of ways to make youply." An Zhiyuan sat on a chair opposite Jian Nan, ncing askance at Jian Nan.

    Jian Nan was sweating profusely, wondering what was going to happen today.

    Everything had the feel of a big showdown.

    He hasn¡¯t offended anyone these past few days, right?

    The woman on the bed was scared, trembling under the covers, not daring to move, unaware of what these people intended.

    Her fear was being killed to silence her, worried about seeing something she shouldn¡¯t have, terrified, desperately muffling herself with the covers, pleading quietly.

    "I saw nothing! Sir! I saw nothing! I barely know this person; please let me go, I promise not to say anything. I¡¯m just a small fry; not worth dirtying your hands. I truly know nothing."

    Feeling wronged in her heart! She was terribly unlucky, just hooked a Sugar Daddy, hoping clouds would part to reveal the moon, now headed straight for disaster.

    "Shut up!"

    The woman trembled and silenced herself.

 Chapter 1052: Admitting Mistakes

    <h4>Chapter 1052: Chapter 1052: Admitting Mistakes</h4>

    Bai Xiao took a ride to an old building, deep in an alley, which was indeed hard to find.

    After several intersections, she finally got directions, took several turns, walked in. The stairways of the building were all broken, the hallway was cluttered with all sorts of things, leaving barely enough space for one person to pass. Clothes and sheets were hanging everywhere, waving like the gs of dozens of countries.

    Really left one speechless.

    Upon reaching the third floor, she saw a man in a jacket outside the door. No need for confirmation, Bai Xiao could guess this man belonged to An Zhiyuan. His upright stance screamed military background, though Bai Xiao wondered if An Zhiyuan had broken any rules.

    Seeing her sneakily peeking inside, the man sternly said, "Get lost if you have nothing to do here."

    Bai Xiao was speechless. Did she look sneaky?

    This ice-cold face really resembled An Zhiyuan¡¯s.

    As the leader, so are the followers.

    "I¡¯m looking for An Zhiyuan, I¡¯m Bai Xiao."

    Introducing herself should be enough, right?

    The man flushed red, embarrassed.

    This girl in front of him was clearly just a youngdy, looking like merely a high school student, yet she turned out to be his boss¡¯s wife.

    Oh dear, the boss is really robbing the cradle!

    You can¡¯t me him forcking judgment.

    "Sorry, the captain is inside, I¡¯ll take you in."

    He wished he could p himself for being harsh to the youngdy earlier for no reason.

    The captain did instruct that his wife would being.

    Oh captain, you¡¯re making trouble for me.

    You didn¡¯t even rify how your wife looked.

    She¡¯s so young.

    Saying she¡¯s a high schooler was already generous.

    Whether she graduated from middle school is another question.

    Look at that fair and tender face, those dark glowing eyes, and the ponytail, though her height is decent at 1.65 meters.

    From every angle, top to bottom, left to right, she looks like she¡¯s not even 20.

    This is really misleading.

    "Sister-inw, I didn¡¯t see clearly earlier."

    Bai Xiao chuckled.

    Seeing a big man blush and awkwardly wanting to apologize to her was quite amusing.

    "It¡¯s okay, many people think I look young, I don¡¯t look like I¡¯m over 20. Actually, there¡¯s only a few years difference between me and your captain." She could imagine what the subordinates were thinking now.

    Poor An Zhiyuan! It¡¯s not that your wife dislikes you being old.

    Anyway, as long as they meet, everyone thinks An Zhiyuan is definitely robbing the cradle.

    Bai Xiao touched her face with some pride.

    There¡¯s really nothing to do about it, we just look young.

    "Hehe, sister-inw, really, you look so young. If most people saw you, they¡¯d think you were a middle school student. Even if it were someone else, they wouldn¡¯t expect you to be the famed doctor Bai.

    You don¡¯t know how famous you are with us.

    Everyone knows you¡¯re amazing. Daring enough to live and die together with our captain, that makes you our sister-inw."

    This legend has long be a picture in everyone¡¯s mind.

    Many soldiers dream of marrying a wife like doctor Bai. Doctor Bai has be a moonlight in their hearts.

    Bai Xiao blushed, indeed a bit bashful from such praise.

    Can she say she cheated?

    Chuckled awkwardly.

    Following them inside, as soon as they entered, they saw two people tied up tightly on the ground, like two boiled shrimps, curled up with pained expressions, and their mouths stuffed with cloth. Seeing the mane in, fear filled their eyes, and the sobbing sounds they made instantly fell silent.

    They wished this man had never seen them.

    The man sheepishly rubbed his head, using his big strong body to block Bai Xiao¡¯s sight. "Sorry, Doctor Bai, sometimes we need extraordinary means. These two were not listening, so I taught them a lesson. To prevent them from interfering with our work, that¡¯s why..."

    Such a scene would make anyone think they were using some kind of means.

    Ordinary people probably couldn¡¯t ept it, especially since Doctor Bai is a doctor, which implies being meticulous, stern, and conservative.

    Without some exnation, Doctor Bai might not treat them nicely.

    Also feared Doctor Bai misunderstanding the captain.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, as if she didn¡¯t see the two on the ground at all.

    Still smiling brightly.

    "Xiaoxiao, you¡¯re here!"

    An Zhiyuan had already heard the voices outside and opened the door.

    Seeing his wife, he really missed her, didn¡¯t expect there¡¯s a real thing called missing someone like a lifetime in one day.

    The tenderness and affection on his face almost dazzled the man¡¯s eyes.

    Rubbing his eyes in disbelief, is this still the captain of theirs who climbed out of hell?

    Where did their captain¡¯s coldness, arrogance, and ruthlessness go?

    Could their captain be swapped just now?

    This smiling face like a peach blossom in the spring breeze is An Zhiyuan?

    An Zhiyuan nced at his man, feeling quite disdainful. Howe he looked silly today?

    Usually, this guy looked dumb but was cunning inside, and very flexible in doing things, which is why he brought him.

    Didn¡¯t expect him to really turn dumb today. Couldn¡¯t he see he was talking to his wife and didn¡¯t bother to step aside?

    Reallycked insight, seems like his training still had problems.

    His judgment in people also had issues.

    No, wait! When he first saw his wife, he instantly knew she was well-suited for him.

    Howe his judgment got worseter?

    Little did the man know that his captain was contemting how to deal with himter.

    If he knew, he wouldn¡¯t just stand there foolishly.

    That would be asking for trouble.

    An Zhiyuan noticed, this big fool was still staring at his wife in a daze, and became unhappy.

    Coldly hummed.

    This sound was like lightning on a clear day, immediately waking up the man, realizing the captain¡¯s face didn¡¯t look good, which meant a bad temper.

    Bad temper means bad luck.

    No one else here, better not end up on him.

    Instantly got the hint.

    "Captain, I¡¯ll guard outside, make sure no onees in! You and sister-inw get busy, you get busy!" He slipped out quickly.

    An Zhiyuan finally showed a smile, this kid finally understood his intention.

    Bai Xiao almost burst intoughter.

    What does An Zhiyuan want to do!

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1053: Cannot Be Left Unsaid

    <h4>Chapter 1053: Chapter 1053: Cannot Be Left Unsaid</h4>

    Taking a nce at Jian Nan¡¯s greasy body wrapped in nothing but shorts, tied to a chair, then at the suspiciously twitching nket on the bed, it seems An Zhiyuan¡¯s visit was ill-timed.

    An Zhiyuan pulled over a chair for her.

    Jian Nan didn¡¯t expect the person he¡¯d be waiting for to be a woman.

    He couldn¡¯t help but rx a little inside.

    Women are good, women are soft-hearted, easy to talk to, if he says more nice things!

    It shouldn¡¯t be difficult to walk out unharmed.

    "This is Jian Nan!"

    An Zhiyuan btedly realized! Jian Nan was wearing too few clothes, it was inappropriate for his wife to see.

    He grabbed a nket and tossed it over Jian Nan, just enough to cover his lower half, but the woman on the bed let out a muffled whimper, wanting to cry out but choked it back.

    She drew her pale legs back into the nket.

    Just now, An Zhiyuan¡¯s action pulled the nket off her, both nkets had been wrapped together, and pulling one naturally opened the other.

    "You are Jian Nan."

    "Yes, I am!"

    The girl at the moment seemed calm, easy to talk to, at least more so than the fierce man before him.

    "I¡¯ll ask you some questions, the best way is for you to tell me honestly everything, then we won¡¯t need to make any effort. But if you¡¯re unwilling to tell me, if you n to y tricks, I have ways to deal with you! It just means more trouble, and you¡¯ll suffer a bit, which I hope won¡¯t happen. Do you understand what I mean?"

    Bai Xiao really didn¡¯t want to resort to force, though she had witnessed it.

    She¡¯d seen An Zhiyuan being beaten, what was there to fear?

    Jian Nan hurriedly nodded, his attitude was exceedingly cooperative.

    In truth, he felt smug inside; just a little girl, easy to coax.

    "I guarantee cooperation, you speak, whatever I can help with, I¡¯ll do without hesitation."

    Oh, that determination.

    "I just want to know, how could you transfer half a million to Yu Shaoyan¡¯s ount, who instructed you to frame Yu Shaoyan? What method did you use to get the Dean to cooperate with you?"

    Three questions struck Jian Nan like thunder.

    Damn.

    Knew it was no good, didn¡¯t expect it to be about this.

    He counted everything, but didn¡¯t anticipate being kidnapped rted to this.

    Isn¡¯t Yu Shaoyan a righteous man? How could he have someone running errands for him?

    "Well! I didn¡¯t... I didn¡¯t harm him, Yu Shaoyan really did take bribes, I speak the truth! Absolutely, beyond doubt, I swear, if I lie, may I be struck by lightning, hit by a car upon leaving, never die peacefully." Jian Nan made a vicious oath, afraid the little girl wouldn¡¯t believe him.

    Bai Xiaoughed.

    An Zhiyuanughed too.

    "Jian Nan, it seems you won¡¯t cry until you see the coffin. If swearing worked, why would we need police andw? Is determining good from bad just a matter of swearing?" Bai Xiao smiled, pulling out an acupuncture kit from her bag.

    Long time unused.

    Her hands felt unfamiliar.

    She nced at An Zhiyuan, "Brother, help me! I¡¯ve recently learned a new acupuncture treatment, supposedly good for fractures and injuries, even ims to restore broken bones to their original state! Why not give it a try? When breaking the bones, one inch at a time! So I can observe how effective it is? Best to address pain wherever it urs, or else we¡¯d be doing a disservice."

    The gentle, considerate gaze, however, chilled Jian Nan.

    This girl is harsher than the man.

    The man merely delivers a beating, this woman talks about breaking bones.

    Looks like today won¡¯t end well.

    But he was paid to work, no stranger to fear, endured countless injuries, a little pain wouldn¡¯t frighten him.

    Greedy smile, "Really, big brother, miss, I truly didn¡¯t lie, I haven¡¯t done anything bad, I¡¯m just being truthful. Really, don¡¯t wrongly use me." Inside, he gritted his teeth.

    Damn, when I return, I¡¯m definitely asking Wang to increase the pay.

    Really will suffer.

    A piercing scream.

    One after another, startling those passing outside the corridor.

    What happened?

    Jian Nan¡¯s mouth was gagged.

    Screams turned to agonized whimpering.

    Bai Xiao withdrew the silver needles.

    Jian Nan released a stale breath from his throat.

    Neither crying norughing.

    He watched his leg bone being broken, this man was indeed ruthless, really breaking it section by section, the pain pierced his heart.

    But this woman, with two needles, took away the pain, he even began doubting, touching his leg, questioning his life.

    What¡¯s going on?

    The broken leg bone seemed healed.

    This can¡¯t be!

    Jian Nan shook his head, how could it be?

    Even miracle medicines never worked instantly.

    This doesn¡¯t add up.

    Never heard "a hundred days to heal bone and tendon".

    A fractured bone not healed within a hundred days couldn¡¯t recover.

    Jian Nan suspected surely the man used tricks.

    But it truly hurt.

    Bai Xiao this time didn¡¯t conceal her special ability, knowing Jian Nan even if spreading rumors, wouldn¡¯t be believed. Her being a reputable doctor, how could she possibly have such means? Most would only consider Jian Nan crazy.

    With Jian Nan¡¯s background, even the police couldn¡¯t side with him.

    A chop with her hand, Jian Nan felt he¡¯d die here, hearing the distinct snapping of his ribs, he believed his ears weren¡¯t mistaken.

    Followed by heart-rending bone pain.

    This time Bai Xiao didn¡¯t move, ying with the silver needle in hand, the woman on the bed trembled more under the nket, not daring to look, even a fool knew witnessing something forbidden, risking their life, so she covered herself tightly.

    Determined not to peek.

    But hearing that sound, shaking inside, teeth ttering.

    "Mh... mh... mmm..." Jian Nan¡¯s face changed from pain, this time why didn¡¯t the woman treat his injury? Damn hurry up and help.

    An Zhiyuan continued leisurely breaking Jian Nan¡¯s other two arms, two legs.

    Finally realized, these people weren¡¯t joking, truly nning to take his life.

    He didn¡¯t want to die.

    Desperately nodding, signifying he had something to say, something to say.

    Bai Xiao was surprised, expecting more effort, didn¡¯t think he¡¯d speak now.

    An Zhiyuan pulled the tattered cloth from his mouth.

    Jian Nan moaned, but An Zhiyuan¡¯s sharp look locked it in his throat, neither up nor down, feeling difort, pain also forbidden.

    "If you have nothing to say, we¡¯ll continue!"

    This time sure Jian Nan would speak up.

 Chapter 1054: Wang Family

    <h4>Chapter 1054: Chapter 1054: Wang Family</h4>

    "I... I..."

    Jian Nan was racking his brain trying to figure out how to break this trap.

    If he spoke, would the Wang guy spare him?

    If he didn¡¯t, it was a sure death now.

    He didn¡¯t believe this woman could really cure his injuries. His limbs were already broken, and the man¡¯s gaze was inspecting his third leg. It made him shiver. Broken bones could still heal and grow back, but if that thing broke, there¡¯d be no hope for the rest of his life.

    He didn¡¯t have a son yet.

    Involuntarily, he tightened his thighs.

    Unfortunately, this movement tugged at the injury on his leg, causing intense pain.

    He didn¡¯t dare make a sound.

    If he dared to scream, he believed the others would make him unable to scream anymore, it wasn¡¯t like they hadn¡¯t done it before.

    Whether facing it outright or shrinking back, it was all the same de.

    At least he needed to get through this moment; not speaking now was immediate death.

    If not dead, he¡¯d still be a living corpse.

    "I¡¯ll talk... I¡¯ll talk..."

    Bai Xiao slowly put the silver needle back in ce, his expression immediately became serious.

    "I just want to know what the situation really is? Who instructed you to do this task?"

    This was a secret.

    It was also the answer.

    Jian Nan nced at the woman on the bed, there was absolutely no benefit in telling, but he couldn¡¯t leave the risk behind either, he didn¡¯t want others to know it was him who leaked it.

    An Zhiyuan delivered a knife-hand strike, and the trembling quilt became still instantly, one of the woman¡¯s legs stretched out, seeming to have fainted.

    Jian Nan also shivered internally.

    This was a ruthless person.

    "It was Wang Ruo¡¯an who gave me two million, asking me to find a way to put fifty thousand into Yu Shaoyan¡¯s bank ount to frame him for epting bribes, and I am supposed to be the witness, that¡¯s the evidence." Jian Nanughed bitterly. If he had known that the two million would bring such catastrophe, he wouldn¡¯t have cooperated with Wang Ruo¡¯an alive; it wasn¡¯t like he thought he was dying too slowly.

    "Wang Ruo¡¯an? The Wang Family in Capital City?"

    Bai Xiao asked with a smile.

    Jian Nan¡¯s eyes widened! He didn¡¯t expect that with just one sentence the person would know Wang Ruo¡¯an¡¯s background, he was hoping to use Wang Ruo¡¯an¡¯s identity to curry favor and get himself out.

    Now his stomach was filled with rage, Wang Ruo¡¯an, that bastard.

    If he wasn¡¯t trying to curry favor with the Wang Family, one of the four sons of Capital City, when Wang Ruo¡¯an sought him out, he wouldn¡¯t have agreed; he would have been living his good life instead of stepping into this mess.

    This girl was obviously at odds with the Wang Family, were they not, how could she have immediately uncovered Wang Ruo¡¯an¡¯s details?

    This was literally going to get them killed.

    Thinking about it made Jian Nan want to cry without tears.

    "Yes, yes, the Wang Family! The Wang Family from Capital City!"

    Is there any need to continue hiding?

    "Then how did you get Yu Shaoyan¡¯s bank ount information?"

    This was personal privacy; how could it be obtained?

    There were noputer systems then; it wasn¡¯t about casually essing someone¡¯s bank ount number.

    An Zhiyuan kicked Jian Nan¡¯s leg, making him yelp in pain.

    Tears came streaming down.

    Who said men don¡¯t shed tears easily, it¡¯s simply because they haven¡¯t reached the point of pain.

    "I found connections; Yu Shaoyan and the others had their sries paid into their bankbooks. I could still check which bank near them was handling that. Reached out to people, pulled some strings, found familiar faces there, and managed to get Yu Shaoyan¡¯s bank ount.

    But I really couldn¡¯t help it. You should understand, with the Wang Family¡¯s power that strong, he was the only male in the family. Since they sought me out, if I disagreed, my fate was foreseeable.

    Besides, they also gave me money, seeing that money I got greedy.

    But these things have nothing to do with me. I have no enmity or grudge against Yu Shaoyan. I had absolutely no reason to go against him. Besides, think about it, he¡¯s a director at the Ministry of Health, how could someone like me have any enmity with him?" Jian Nan desperately wanted to clear his name.

    The two in front of him were just like messengers dispatched from Lord Yama; saying the wrong thing could cost him his life.

    They dared to make a move here without worrying about him screaming for help.

    Perhaps they really intended to silence him.

    Jian Nan was now practically hating the Wang Family to death.

    If he knew the end result would be like this, he wouldn¡¯t do it even for twenty million.

    No amount of money could save his life.

    "Very well Wang Ruo¡¯an, then what¡¯s with that hospital dean who reported?" Bai Xiao had a clear idea now. Wang Ruo¡¯an had no past grievances or recent grudges with Yu Shaoyan. The two families had virtually no dealings. How could they so easily set up such a scheme to harm her uncle?

    The only thing that made sense was that it involved Shang Kaiwen somehow, that woman, incorrigible as she was, probably because she couldn¡¯t find a way through with her.

    That¡¯s why she wanted to harm all her rtives around her, forcing her to bow down to the Shang Family.

    Or she wanted to force her to be an appendage of the Shang Family, or maybe this time Shang Kaiwen simply wanted to eliminate her outright.

    Though this life and thest werepletely different, Shang Kaiwen wasn¡¯t aware of the value she held, but knowing Shang Kaiwen¡¯s personality, if it couldn¡¯t be used, it had to be destroyed.

    She was still too kind-hearted.

    This time they had secretly and silently set a trap to eliminate her rtives, and next time, perhaps the trap would involve An Zhiyuan by her side, maybe even her uncle, and possibly Jiang Shaoqing as well.

    Wang Ruo¡¯an, Shang Kaiwen, they were the ones who came knocking, so she shouldn¡¯t be med.

    She had never truly acted against Shang Kaiwen because she wanted her to experience her worst fears.

    In Shang Kaiwen¡¯s heart, the most important thing was the Shang Family.

    She thought by using Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s influence to bring the Shang Family down to dust this time; little did she know Shang Kaiwen was still hard-hearted, thinking she could unite with her devout admirer Wang Ruo¡¯an and kill them.

    Looks like it was time for her to take action.

    "I really don¡¯t know about that dean; I¡¯m absolutely telling the truth when I say the dean¡¯s situation wasn¡¯t my doing. In this part, I was only responsible for creating financial evidence against Yu Shaoyan, but I truly don¡¯t know about the other parts." Jian Nan was anxious, seeing An Zhiyuan¡¯s unfriendly expression, that cold hard look was enough to make all his bones ache.

    God knows this time he wasn¡¯t holding anything back.

    Bai Xiaoughed, "Since we¡¯ve gotten to this point, you should understand why we¡¯re here. And we will still need your help with what¡¯s left."

    Cold sweat trickled down Jian Nan¡¯s back, and under An Zhiyuan¡¯s gaze, he quickly nodded.

    "I understand! I understand, as soon as I¡¯m out, I will immediately go to the prosecution and turn myself in. I¡¯m making false usations, it¡¯s nder, I mustn¡¯t falsely use innocent people."

    To save his life now, he would say anything.

    What Jian Nan was thinking was that if he could just get out today, he would immediately grab people and flee.

    He couldn¡¯t afford to offend the Wang Family; the littledy here was also someone he couldn¡¯t provoke.

    The best solution was to hide his identity and disappear.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1055 - 1055 Seven Orifices

    Bai Xiao took out the silver needle, Jian Nan felt a sense of certainty.

    Just now, the pain vanished the moment those two silver needles were inserted.

    It seems the girl in front of him believed what he said.

    The silver needle was applied, this time the bones in his body weren''t painless anymore.

    He found it strange as well. This girl, her medical skills were indeed remarkable. Just a few minutes with the silver needle and it felt as if his bones had healed.

    Bai Xiao flicked the silver needle.

    Instantly, pain surged out from Jian Nan''s bones, an agony that prated skin, flesh, and bone seams.

    He wished he could die from the pain immediately.

    This pain was ten, even a hundred times worse than when his bones were initially broken.

    Of course, he couldn''t see himself. If he could, he''d know that his eyes had bled from the sheer pain.

    Saying it''s bleeding from every orifice wouldn''t be an exaggeration.

    Bai Xiao pulled out the silver needle.

    Jian Nan finally copsed on the ground, the pain gradually subsiding, but the mere thought of it sent shivers down his spine.

    "Jian Nan, if you obediently do what you must, I''ll apply the silver needle again, ensuring that you won''t experience this pain anymore. But if you harbor dishonest thoughts, thinking you can be cunning and run off on your own.

    Then I must frankly tell you, every night at midnight, the pain will return as expected.

    This time it onlysted a few minutes, and you know very well how it feels. But if you don''t turn yourself in truthfully, exin your situation, the pain willst for half an hour at midnight. Once all seven orifices bleed, there''s no saving you.

    If you sacrifice your life for others, I must say, I admire your courage."

    Bai Xiao stored away the silver needle, cing the acupuncture kit back into her backpack.

    This time, she didn''t bother with treating Jian Nan''s injuries; people like him deserved a bit of a lesson.

    Jian Nan, now weak and limp, finally realized that there were such means in the world, rendering one unable to live nor die.

    Even though he truly wanted to die from the pain moments ago, he was too weak to even attempt it.

    Just recalling it now makes his heart ache terribly.

    "I don''t dare, I don''t dare, I will certainly do what needs to be done." Jian Nan wanted to live.

    Even ants cling to life, he wanted to live even more, not wanting to die so horribly.

    His eyes were wet, a swipe of his palm, full of blood, Jian Nan almost fainted.

    Who was this? The little girl didn''t seem fierce at all, nor terrifying.

    Yet now, in his mind, this girl was fiercer than Lord Yama.

    "If you dare, then I don''t care. Life or death is up to you; if you wish to die, no one will stop you." Bai Xiao stood up, Jian Nan had given all he could, there was no need to ask further.

    Jian Nan was just like the many thugs under Wang Ruo''an, hired hands that can be discarded at will.

    But this time, Jian Nan was not garbage! Not a piece of trash, but a knife at their disposal.

    He could be a knife that wounds Wang Ruo''an deeply.

    An Zhiyuan nced at Jian Nan, no need for further threats, he was a soldier! How could he stoop to such coercive measures?

    Protecting Bai Xiao as they went outside, "Big Head, let''s go."

    The man called Big Head was exining to the neighborhooddies, who were bearing red armbands, and hade to check after hearing noises.

    Upon hearing the captain''s words, he breathed a sigh of relief, exining to thesedies was more exhausting than training. He would rather run five kilometers than suffer this ordeal.

    Slick-talking with a bunch of neighborhooddies was sheer agony.

    The neighborhooddies watched the trio leave, seeing the gate seemingly left open.

    The screams from the house earlier were indeed frightening.

    Never underestimate these neighborhooddies! Gossiping instincts are relentless.

    Peering around, they saw a man hobbling out, wearing ck pants but baring a shirtless torso, looking utterly distressed with blood on his face.

    Out of concern, one immediately asked, "What happened to you? Do you need us to call the police on your behalf? Looks like those three people did it, two men and a woman, you were attacked, right?"

    That voice was unforgettable to anyone.

    Jian Nan shivered almost instantly upon hearing these words.

    Want me dead?

    How much do they hate me?

    "None of your damn business!" He mmed the door shut.

    A fewdies narrowly missed getting hit by the door.

    They exchanged helpless looks.

    "Really, people nowadays have issues, we meant well, and it was taken as ill intentions."

    "Exactly! Clearly not a good person, bet they were here for revenge."

    "Such people deserve to be beaten to death, didn''t you see those tattoos, clearly up to no good."

    "Let''s go! Let''s not bother, even if they yell themselves hoarse, we won''t intervene."

    Furious, a few olddies stormed off.

    Jian Nan kicked two of his subordinates twice; the ropes they were bound with had been untied, but they''d been tied for so long they felt numb, rolling on the ground miserably, as if ants were biting them.

    "Get up, still pretending to be dead?"

    Jian Nan sat on a chair, momentarily regaining his leader''s demeanor, quite imposing, only he knew that he was still engulfed in that kind of excruciating pain.

    "Nan ge, I''ll find someone to dig three feet under if necessary to find those people, break their legs, and bring them before you so you can vent your anger." One subordinate ttered, knowing their boss must have suffered, the screams were truly grating.

    Such screams were unbearable.

    They had no choice, unable to block their ears, otherwise they would have shut it out.

    Usually, they only bullied others! They had never seen themselves bullied like this.

    Yet the boss was strong, having been dealt such a blow but now seemed unperturbed despite the blood on his face.

    No wonder he''s their boss, suchposure is rare among people.

    "Get lost, I warn you, this matter never happened, we''ve never seen those three people, nor do we know them, understand?" Want to die?

    You''re bringing trouble to me.

    Dare to deal with them, do you want me dead faster?

    Every midnight at twelve it will ache once, and if bleeding from all seven orifices, you''re doomed.

    Now Jian Nan wants to cozy up to them, couldn''t think of a way to survive.

    Still dare to make a fuss, isn''t this courting death?

    "Ah, brother, this is...?"

    Didn''t quite understand.

    Their brother was someone who never let grievances slide, anyone who crossed Jian Nan would usually meet their end by the next day.

    Yet now brother mentioned nothing of this matter.

    "Whoever mentions this matter again, they''re dead." Jian Nan was furious, kicking his subordinates hard again.

    "Boss! Boss, Nan ge, we were wrong, wrong."

    They begged for mercy, they were in pain too, having been bound and thrown on the ground couldn''t befortable.

    Watching Jian Nan go inside, they sighed in relief, whispering among themselves.

    Surely these people are powerful, judging by Nan ge''s tendency to prey on the weak, it''s clear they''ve encountered tough opposition.

 Chapter 1056: Love and Pampering

    An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao parted ways with Big Head. Big Head still had to return to the team; he was off today and got roped in by his boss.

    An Zhiyuan drove, with Bai Xiao sitting in the passenger seat, looking a bit preupied.

    "What''s wrong? This Jiang Nan has been dealt with; it looks like he''s scared to death, and doesn''t dare to y tricks. I''ll have someone keep an eye on him to ensure he turns himself in. I''m sure he won''t dare disobey you," An Zhiyuan knew full well that once his wife got involved, Jiang Nan was lucky to have any way out.

    He hadn''t forgotten Shang Kaijie from before.

    His wife acted decisively, urately, and ruthlessly!

    Jiang Nan''s surviving was truly a stroke of luck.

    "Jiang Nan isn''t the issue. I''m just ufortable with feeling like I''ve implicated my uncle''s family in this matter. Shang Kaiwen should be targeting me," Bai Xiao was genuinely upset.

    She didn''t want to drag her family into things, yet it seemed recognizing her mother''s rtives brought them no benefit and instead added an enemy.

    "How do you know it was Shang Kaiwen behind this?"

    When An Zhiyuan asked this, Bai Xiao knew she was aware of the rtionship between Wang Ruo''an and Shang Kaiwen, but An Zhiyuan didn''t know.

    "Wang Ruo''an is Shang Kaiwen''s number one pursuer; he''d probablymit murder and arson for her." In a previous life, Wang Ruo''an did exactly that.

    He hired someone to kill Shang Kaiwen''s rival; five family members were ughtered overnight.

    Due to this major case, police at all levels intervened to stabilize social unrest. Wang Ruo''an was caught because of this, yet he never implicated Shang Kaiwen, taking all the me himself and being sentenced to death.

    Wang Ruo''an didn''t stop at just this! He cleared every obstacle for Shang Kaiwen by any means necessary.

    He could conquer gods and y Buddhas.

    There were several vicious incidents that were uncovered where Wang Ruo''an spared no expense for Shang Kaiwen in a previous life.

    It was madness born out of love.

    Unfortunately, in a past life, Shang Kaiwen did not end up marrying Wang Ruo''an, and his obsessive and frenzied actions weren''t his winning card.

    The fall of the Wang Family, the father losing his son, ended up after investigations, showing Wang Ruo''an''s actions were his own doing.

    The father wasn''t aware but still got affected, leading to the Wang Family''s downfall from the political stage, something Shang Kaiwen significantly contributed to.

    This lifetime, it''s still Wang Ruo''an. To him, Shang Kaiwen is so wonderful that he would do anything for her.

    "Wang Ruo''an''s deep affection for Shang Kaiwen makes it unnecessary for him to frame the Yu Family if not for her. There''s no historical enmity between the Wang Family and the Yu Family, so that''s the only reason I can think of," Bai Xiao didn''t mention, of course she knew, but the rebirth was not something to reveal easily, even to someone as important as An Zhiyuan.

    But it still wasn''t enough reason to disclose the rebirth.

    An Zhiyuan pondered; given his upbringing in thepound, he was naturally aware of the Wang Ruo''an and Shang Kaiwen affair, but Bai Xiao broke it down, despite having no connections to that circle in the Capital City, even being aplete outsider.

    Many times, his little wife seemed to possess inexplicable insights.

    He could only rationalize this by thinking Jiang Shaoqing shared such details.

    After all, Jiang Shaoqing was associated with that circle and Bai Xiao''s specific weapon against Shang Kaiwen.

    This weapon was even willing.

    What''s there to say?

    "Now it seems! Shang Kaiwen holdssting resentment towards you; how do you n to counter that?"

    An Zhiyuan wasn''t concerned for Shang Kaiwen.

    To him, Shang Kaiwen, growing up together, was always a gentle, amiable girl, with high regard for others and situations, but after meeting Bai Xiao, everything seemed to change.

    At least In An Zhiyuan''s heart, anyone opposing his wife must be in the wrong, a typical protective attitude.

    But it wasn''t surprising for An Zhiyuan; anyone who had issues with Bai Xiao had themselves to me, as Bai Xiao rarely initiated trouble, simply wanting to quietly fulfill her duties as a good doctor.

    She never actively harmed anyone, and if they suffered, they deserved it.

    If Jiang Shaoqing knew An Zhiyuan thought this way, he''d probably jump up, saying, "Is this how you protect your wife?"

    "That Dean, we should visit, as he''s a key witness. If he doesn''t change his testimony, there''s no way my uncle can clear his name. I believe Jiang Nan will turn himself in tomorrow and afterwards the Dean''s confession would suffice to release my uncle."

    "You''re not worried about Wang Ruo''an''s father?"

    This was unforeseen by An Zhiyuan; they knew each other''s background well, aware Wang Ruo''an avoided his father in his actions. If Wang knew, he would likely enact familial justice.

    Wang, the prosecutor, was ruthlessly impartial.

    Bai Xiao was indeed insightful.

    "As for Wang, I won''t mention anything as you''re aware. If he learns about Wang Ruo''an''s actions, he would be the first to deal with Wang Ruo''an himself. I don''t worry he''d trouble my uncle. But once this matter ends, I intend to start dealing with Shang Kaiwen," Bai Xiao didn''t hide from An Zhiyuan. Not exining to him might lead to confusion and worry.

    Deep inside, Bai Xiao knew An Zhiyuan might have erred for her sake.

    Given it involved personal vengeance, Jiang Nan naturally wouldn''t press charges, but if someone else resisted, An Zhiyuan would be in trouble.

    Legal repercussions could follow.

    For An Zhiyuan, at his current rank, every step forward carried significant weight.

    An Zhiyuan smiled, appreciating her words; Bai Xiao never truly hid anything from him. Many times, Bai Xiao treated him as a confidant in discussions.

    "How do you wish to handle Shang Kaiwen? Jiang Shaoqing might already be taking action. I called him today, and we''ve assessed Shang Kaiwen''s situation. It''s clear she can''t remain, though we shouldn''t resort to murder; there''s no need for bloodshed on our hands. However, bringing down the Shang Family shouldn''t be hard.

    Jiang Shaoqing has already elerated his actions."

    An Zhiyuan wouldn''t let his wife be caught in danger; Shang Kaiwen was indeed a hidden threat.

    Bai Xiao feigned anger, "You''re conspiring with Jiang Shaoqing to bully me, not even informing me about such major things."

    An Zhiyuan held her hand warmly, "You, do I not understand you? Even if I didn''t tell, you would act regardless. I just don''t want this matter to worry you. Sometimes I don''t know what grudge Shang Kaiwen has with you? But whatever you wish to do, I''ll support you."

    Bai Xiao sighed, such a man was a blessing, "Aren''t you scared I might do bad things?"

    Leaning on An Zhiyuan''s shoulder, her dark eyes focused on him, feeling content. This man doted on her tremendously; she didn''t know whether it was good or bad.

    "What bad things could you do? You are genuinely kind-hearted and never attack unless provoked, repaying offenses tenfold. To anyone showing you a shred of kindness, you give back a thousand times, even to unrted strangers, as long as it''s not excessive, you assist.

    You certainly aren''t unreasonable; if you target Shang Kaiwen, then she must be in the wrong. I will forever stand by you, knowing you won''t do extreme things like Shao Ming. But if there''s crossing the line, it''s up to me, your man. Remember, whoever stands beneath the sky will protect you. As long as I''m alive, I''ll guard you each day, as a couple, we''re lifelong family, the most vital people for each other."

 Chapter 1057: Unforeseen Event

    "You''ll spoil me like this. What if one day I be unruly?"

    Bai Xiao said these words, but her heart was blooming with happiness.

    Meeting a man like An Zhiyuan might be her greatest fortune in this lifetime. It could be heaven''s way ofpensating for her past sufferings, giving her the greatest blessing¡ªa man who would die for her, leaving no room to doubt his heart.

    "I like it, I enjoy it. You are my wife. If I don''t spoil you, who will? Don''t worry! Everything about Bai Xiao is taken care of by me." An Zhiyuan tightly gripped Bai Xiao''s hand, cing it over his heart.

    This woman had be an inseparable part of him, apart from his elder brother and father, Bai Xiao was the closest person to him, even more so than his father and brother. He somewhat understood now what they meant by ''forgetting one''s mother after marrying a wife.''

    His own mother was gone. If she were still alive, she''d probably feel quite forlorn.

    This son pampering his wife like this¡ªback in ancient times, he might be considered one of those foolish rulers who''d rage for their concubine''s sake.

    He couldn''t help but smile, the curve of his lips making Bai Xiao feel a little restless.

    An Zhiyuan''s attractiveness was too high.

    To have such a handsome man as her partner was indeed irresistible.

    This rascal, his advances were bing increasingly overbearing, making her blush and her heart race.

    "An Zhiyuan!"

    She yelled in anger.

    Sitting upright in her seat, ignoring him.

    "What are you nning to do about Shang Kaiwen? Why don''t you clue me in and let me mentally prepare?" An Zhiyuan teased her into speaking. His wife was not thick-skinned and couldn''t resist his teasing.

    Bai Xiao was not the type to really get angry with him.

    Sure enough, this topic was hard for Bai Xiao to evade.

    "Shang Kaiwen is in Modu!"

    Her words were shocking.

    An Zhiyuan was surprised, "What''s Shang Kaiwen doing in Modu? Could it be she wants to see the Yu Family fall?" That''s too naive.

    "Of course not! Shang Kaiwen wouldn''t get up early if there wasn''t something in it for her. She''s following a foreign-born Chinese, Bai Jingshan. You''ve probably heard of him, right? One of the top thirty richest people in Asia. Such a worth is enough to make Shang Kaiwen go wild. This time, she''s probably made up her mind, and of course, I''m not going to let her n seed. That would be letting myself down."

    Bai Xiao had thought it through. Whatever Shang Kaiwen wanted, she would make sure Shang Kaiwen''s efforts ended in vain.

    Since Shang Kaiwen valued Bai Jingshan so much, Bai Xiao certainly wouldn''t let her seed.

    "Bai Jingshan? Also with the surname Bai, could he possibly be connected to your family?"

    That was indeed the first thought.

    Bai Xiao shook her head, "I''m not aware of any such rtives in the Bai Family. If there were, wouldn''t the olddy and Bai Jianguo have unted it long ago? It doesn''t seem rted at all to me. Besides, there are so many people with the surname ''Bai''. They can''t all be from one family."

    In her past life, she hadn''t heard of Bai Jingshan, so it''s highly likely he''s not connected to the Bai Family.

    "So what are you nning to do? I can help you." An Zhiyuan was uneasy about letting Bai Xiao face Shang Kaiwen alone. Though Shang Kaiwen didn''t seem harmful, her entourage was bound to clear the path for her, and he couldn''t allow his wife to get hurt.

    "No need for now. Just help me get my uncle out, and that would be a great help. I haven''t figured out the rest yet. Once this matter is over, we can strategize."

    An Zhiyuan was about to head to work, and she didn''t want to dy his duties.

    An Zhiyuan was very busy.

    He couldn''t possibly neglect his work because of her family issues.

    Besides, upon seeing the big picture, she knew An Zhiyuan still utilized some of his resources! Whether it was personal favors or leveraging his superior''s power, once discovered, it would be disadvantageous for An Zhiyuan. She didn''t need An Zhiyuan to get involved in this messy affair.

    There were plenty who could do such things. If she asked, Jiang Shaoqing definitely had the contacts and the funds.

    She didn''t know that An Zhiyuan was doing this precisely because he didn''t want anyone else to interfere.

    "Whatever happens, don''t keep it from me!" An Zhiyuan watched Bai Xiao with unease.

    This girl certainly wasn''t someone without ideas.

    "Got it! An Zhiyuan, you''re too naggy."

    She smiled, teasing An Zhiyuan.

    He gave her a firm tap on the forehead.

    "How dare you dislike your man, you need a good talking-to."

    Bai Xiao mumbled, "Domestic violence, this is outright domestic violence!"

    The remaining matters indeed developed beyond everyone''s expectations.

    The following morning, Jian Nan went to the nearest station to surrender.

    After enduring pain until midnight, Jian Nan knew that he was bleeding from his nose and eyes, as the woman had warned that if one bled from all seven orifices, there was no saving them. He certainly didn''t want to die.

    At this point, Wang Ruo''an''s influence was no longer enough to keep Jian Nan quiet.

    Thus, the Prosecutor''s Office received thetest evidence, and Jian Nan recanted, confessing everything in detail.

    By the third day, even the whistleblowing Dean recanted.

    He imed that his son was kidnapped and that he was coerced into doing something against his conscience under threat. They said if he didn''t follow their orders, his son would die. For his son''s sake, he did what he shouldn''t have.

    On the third morning, his son appeared in front of his house, leaving him a message to report honestly to the police, or else bear the consequences. Upon hearing of Jian Nan''s recantation, the Dean figured that if he didn''te clean, who knew what aftermath there might be.

    The case of Yu Shaoyan at the Prosecutor''s Office took a significant turn.

 Chapter 1058: Visit

    Bai Jingshan took the bus to visit other acquaintances, he had visited nine homes, and only one remained, but he held out little hope.

    Most of these people had never seen the Jade Pendant, had no information, and were not the person he was looking for.

    Perhaps this is indeed the oue.

    Bai Jingshan had been searching for many years! He had be ustomed to such results.

    No, no, still no!

    This is the result of a habit, and he was no longer as disappointed.

    Perhaps from the start, he hadn''t wanted to have any entanglement with that woman, which is why she disappeared without a trace. He thought this was what made her different from other women.

    He simply remembered those eyes, never forgetting them, not possible to forget them in this lifetime.

    Even though he doesn''t know what that woman looks like, he remembers those eyes vividly even now.

    Politely knocked on the door.

    This was an old house in one of Modu''s alleys, where many people crowded into one building, several families shared a floor with a few rooms, everyone''s kitchens were together, and whether water, electricity, or gas, were shared, anything anyone ate was clearly seen.

    There was no privacy, and no secrets.

    Found the house number, the small house in the middle of the second floor.

    Knocked again.

    For a while, there was no sound, Bai Jingshan estimated that no one was home! The report said this female acquaintance had suffered a lingering illness after having a child since returning to the city, and her health had been poor.

    Sick leave at home, seemed to have a rough situation, her husband had divorced her, and she was living here alone with her son.

    He hadn''t made an appointment, and perhaps she wasn''t at home.

    Tested by knocking again.

    If she wasn''t home, he would leave.

    Considered himselfpletely disillusioned with Modu.

    At least these ten people were unlikely.

    "Who?"

    A weak voice surprised Bai Jingshan.

    Someone?

    Just then, a young man rushed upstairs, sweating, carrying a lunch box, it looked like he had hurried back.

    He seemed surprised to see Bai Jingshan.

    "Who are you looking for?"

    Saying this, he took out a key from his pocket, Bai Jingshan immediately realized this was the resident''s home.

    "Xiaohu, someone''s knocking!"

    The voice inside continued, mixed with a few coughs.

    The young man immediately squeezed past Bai Jingshan, opened the door, and rushed inside.

    One hand putting the lunch box on the table, hurriedly ran into a bedroom inside.

    "Mom, why are you out of bed? Didn''t I tell you to rest? Doing this makes people worry."

    Bai Jingshan walked in uninvited, closing the door. The room was very simple, just one sitting room, a small bedroom inside, a double sofa in the living room outside, and against the wall was a folding spring bed, all items were old and worn, it was obvious they had been used for years.

    But it was fairly clean, except there was a strong smell of medicine in the room, a mix of herbal and western medicine, indicating she was indeed quite ill.

    Walking to the bedroom doorway, he saw the young man supporting a woman lying in bed, the woman looked old and weary, easily seventy years old, though he knew the information said Lin Yuan was only forty-eight.

    The illness and life''s pressures had made this woman look much older.

    Besides a double bed, there was arge table full of paper boxes and glue, some finished products and more unfinished ones piled in a corner, a chair ced in front of the table, it was easy to see she had just been working there.

    "How did you get in? Who are you looking for?"

    The young man had just settled his mother, looking up to see the man who was outside their door intruding.

    A bit annoyed.

    "I''m looking for Lin Yuan! May I ask..." Bai Jingshan knew Lin Yuan was probably the most poorly off among the acquaintances he had visited.

    It seemed this son was quite filial.

    "I am Lin Yuan, what do you need me for?"

    Lin Yuan took a breath, finally feeling a bit better! Her son had given her some water to drink, now lying down felt much better, this body was deteriorating day by day.

    Not sure when she could go so as not to burden her son.

    "I''m Bai Jingshan, here to ask some questions, a friend asked me to find a former acquaintance, so I followed the old list to visit you." Bai Jingshan knew upon seeing Lin Yuan that this woman was not the person he was looking for.

    "Xiaohu! Go get Mr. Bai a chair, guests should be treated with courtesy." Xiaohu said nothing, going to get a chair for Bai Jingshan.

    "Please sit, Mr. Bai, I''ll pour you some water."

    Bai Jingshan sat by Lin Yuan''s bed, looking at this struggling woman, feeling quite moved, such situations weren''tmon.

    Lin Yuan was having hard times, putting down the things in his hands, some fruits and nourishing items, he had note empty-handed.

    "Mr. Bai, please tell me what you need, if I can, I will help you. After all, many people got lost in that era, I understand the desire to reunite with family. Cough cough."

    Lin Yuan looked at this well-dressed middle-aged man without a bit of servility, neither with any intent to please or curry favor.

    Could her situation be any worse?

    Xiaohu handed over a cup of water, said to Lin Yuan, "Mom, I''ll heat your meal and then go to work, this afternoon you can''t be like this again, or I''ll return all these paper boxes to Aunt Liu, avoiding tiring you to illness." With clear dissatisfaction.

    Lin Yuan chuckled bitterly, "Understood, mom, I''ll rest well this afternoon, okay?"

    Her son was worried about her.

    This child had suffered much with her.

    "Mr. Bai, please speak with my mother, I''m busy."

    Lin Hu had afternoon work, couldn''t bete, otherwise the month''s full attendance bonus would be lost.

    That bonus was his mother''s medicine money for a week.

    They couldn''t afford it.

    Bai Jingshan nodded with a smile.

    This child was dutiful, clearly concerned about his mother, his reproaches were full of care and worry.

    Watching Xiaohu leave, he took out the Jade Pendant from his pocket, handed it to Lin Yuan.

    "Hello, Ms. Lin! Have you seen this Jade Pendant?"

    Lin Yuan''s heart skipped a beat seeing the Jade Pendant, "Isn''t this... Where did you find this Jade Pendant?"

    Seeing Lin Yuan''s shocked expression, Bai Jingshan''s heart surged with warmth.

    This was the first time anyone had reacted to this Jade Pendant.

    This proved Lin Yuan knew the owner of the Jade Pendant.

 Chapter 1059 - 1059 The Death

    "Do you know the owner of the Jade Pendant? Who is she? Where is she now? What''s her name?" Bai Jingshan''s barrage of questions made Lin Yuan cough even more.

    Bai Jingshan quickly handed a cup of water to Lin Yuan. She took a few sips and finally caught her breath.

    "How did you get this Jade Pendant? If I''m not mistaken, this piece belonged to one of my good friends. But back then she said she lost it identally; how did it end up with you?" Lin Yuan recalled Yu Shaoya''s unnatural expression when she once questioned her about the jade. Although she had given an answer, Lin Yuan didn''t believe that excuse.

    This Jade Pendant was the only memory Yu Shaoya had from her parents. Her parents were sent to work on a farm due to her and could never meet again in their lifetime. So Yu Shaoya treated the Jade Pendant as her lifeline, keeping it with her at all times.

    Even that bastard Shang Feng didn''t get it; yet she told me she identally lost it, which I didn''t believe at the time.

    And now, someone suddenly appears looking for the owner of this Jade Pendant. Isn''t that strange?

    "This Jade Pendant belongs to a friend of mine. The owner of this pendant saved his life years ago. Later, she identally dropped it, and my friend has been looking for her ever since to repay the life-saving debt, but he never found her. Can you tell me where she is now?" Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Bai Jingshan finally saw a glimmer of hope.

    Lin Yuan held the Jade Pendant, tears falling like a stream. "You don''t need to look for her. Her name was Yu Shaoya. Sadly, she has been dead for many years. She died twenty-three years ago. She no longer needs you to repay her debt."

    Her only good friend died so tragically, a woman so desperate to protect her child, sacrificing her life to save that little life.

    The Yu Family should have found that child by now!

    She remembers Yu Shaohua''sst call was about this. They encountered a child who looked exactly like Shao Ya, though she''s not sure how things are now. Unfortunately, her health is poor, so she has no contact with the outside world.

    Moreover, she doesn''t want to bother the Yu Family, hoping they don''t think she''s trying to use past emotions to gain benefits.

    She and Shao Ya were different. Shao Ya saved her own food rations to feed her. The two would steal sweet potatoes at night and roast them on the mountain to fill their stomachs. When they were desperately hungry, they would catch field mice. Two girls should be scared of field mice, but at that time, hunger blinded them.

    All they could think of was eating; without food, they''d starve to death. To them, field mice were just food.

    She recalls Shao Ya roasting field mice, always giving her the meaty parts while she gnawed on the bony bits. Many times, Shao Ya almost fainted in the field because she had given up her rations.

    If it weren''t for Shao Ya, she would have starved to death.

    Her background wasn''t good; she never got her food rations. If it wasn''t for good sister Yu Shaoya, the trees by her grave would have grown thick by now!

    Bai Jingshan was stunned.

    He thought that woman was living a tough and difficult life, but he never considered that she was dead.

    How could that be possible?

    That gentle voice, that zing body in the dark, those eyes bright like stars, how could it be possible?

    "Impossible? How could she be dead? You must be mistaken. This Jade Pendant doesn''t belong to the Yu Shaoya you''re talking about, does it? It must be a mistake." He was at a loss.

    Lin Yuan bitterly smiled and said, "How could I be mistaken! This Jade Pendant was Yu Shaoya''s lifeline, the only thing her parents left her. I wouldn''t and couldn''t get it wrong. In this gap of the Jade Pendant, Yu Shaoya''s name is engraved! Her father used a microscope to engrave it. If you don''t believe me, see for yourself."

    This secret was only known to her because Yu Shaoya told her.

    "How did she die?"

    Suddenly, all hope and fantasy copsed into a bubble.

    A bubble that burst with the slightest poke.

    "She died of excessive bleeding during childbirth. Back then, there were no medical facilities. To save her child, she lost her life!" This wasn''t a secret, anyone with a mind could find out by investigating.

    Besides, this man didn''t seem like a bad person.

    Though her judgment wasn''t the best, this matter wasn''t an important secret. There was no need to deceive.

    This was his way of repaying his sister''s kindness.

    "Childbirth? Yu Shaoya was married?"

    Though he had guessed it! But he never expected Yu Shaoya to truly be someone else''s wife.

    A sense of extreme shame and guilt, and even greater apology toward this woman, because she must have been even more ashamed, having betrayed her husband. What woman could continue living calmly after that?

    "That bastard Shang Feng abandoned Shao Ya, deceived her, and went back to the city to marry someone else, leaving Shao Ya in the countryside. Shao Ya was unmarried with a child. How could she tell anyone? She had to hide it. In the end, when she gave birth, she died of excessive bleeding to save the child. That bastard lived on infort, never remembering the woman who died for him." Lin Yuan was full of anger whenever Shang Feng was mentioned.

    This heartless man even disassociated himself from all the past acquaintances, iming that the child in Yu Shaoya''s belly had nothing to do with him. If it wasn''t his child, why would Shao Ya give birth to it?

    Besides, at that time, apart from Shang Feng, Shao Ya never had any close rtionships with other men, so how could it be someone else''s child?

    It just made one feel that Shao Ya wasn''t worth it.

    "How could that man be such a bastard? How could he treat Shao Ya like that!"

    Bai Jingshan was also furious. After hearing Lin Yuan recount the events, he understood the entanglement between Yu Shaoya and Shang Feng, and realized there were such shameless men in the world.

    "Why not? Shang Feng is now the head of the Shang Family. I''ve heard he''s doing pretty well, running a business, and he''s quite prosperous now. But who would remember the woman who sacrificed everything for him? How could the heavens allow him to rise unchallenged? I really don''t understand. Perhaps there''s no such thing as retribution in this world. It''s something humans invented. Howughable. If it were true, my sister wouldn''t have died such a pointless death."

    Lin Yuan gnashed her teeth in hatred of Shang Feng.

    Thinking of Shang Feng, she thought of Yu Shaoya''s death.

    Bai Jingshan sighed. He thought he could repay a kindness but didn''t know the woman was already gone. His heart was lost, lost in the fact that he was a stepte¡ªnot just one step, butte by twenty-three years.

    "Where is she buried? I want to go see her."

    Though she''s no longer alive, he wanted to see what this woman looked like. He wanted to know what the woman who saved him looked like. This had been a long-standing wish of his and had be a nightmare.

 Chapter 1060: Pay the Fee

    "If you want to visit Shao Ya, you can only contact someone from the Yu Family. Her family has already moved her grave back, but I really don''t know the exact location. Here''s a phone number for you! If you really want to go, contact someone from the Yu Family."

    It was clear that his words deeply moved the man in front of him.

    Lin Yuan wrote down Yu Shaohua''s phone number and gave it to Bai Jingshan.

    Because of her emotional state, Lin Yuan coughed even more severely. Seeing the poverty-stricken state of Lin Yuan''s home, Bai Jingshan realized that she was probably the only friend who still thought about Yu Shaoya after her death. There weren''t many who would remember her so dearly.

    Xiaohu had already run in, and Lin Yuan coughed up a mouthful of blood.

    Bai Jingshan couldn''t stand by any longer, "Quickly take your mother to the hospital! This can''t go on! I''ll drive,e, take my car to the hospital."

    Lin Yuan shook her head, covering her mouth, with blood on the handkerchief in her hand.

    "No need! No need, I''m fine."

    "Mom, is this still fine? Can you listen to me? You must go to the hospital, let''s go now." Xiaohu couldn''t persuade his mother, but now it was a matter of her coughing up blood, which was no joke.

    Picking her up, he carried her directly downstairs, with Bai Jingshan leading the way. They walked out of the alley, where they finally saw his car. The driver was waiting by the car, and when he saw Bai Jingshan bringing people, he hurriedly opened the car door, "Mr. Bai, you''re back!"

    "To the hospital!"

    Bai Jingshan made room for Xiaohu in the back seat. Xiaohu nced at the car; although the limited information from the license te couldn''t tell him what kind of car it was, he could tell it was a luxury car worth a fortune.

    He looked at the bloodstains at the corners of his mother''s mouth; Lin Yuan was still coughing up blood.

    If they got the car dirty, what would they do?

    "Get in the car quickly, what are you waiting for? Life is at stake." Bai Jingshan shouted at him.

    Without another word, Xiaohu carried Lin Yuan into the car, thinking that even if it got dirty, he could alwayse back to wash it for Mr. Bai.

    If all else failed, he would work off the debt for him.

    The driver absolutely kept silent, knowing he had no right toment on Mr. Bai''s affairs without being asked.

    They arrived at the nearest hospital.

    In the emergency room of Ruiyin Hospital, Lin Yuan was being treated.

    Director Xu of the emergency department came out, "Who is the patient''s family?"

    Xiaohu hurried over, "The patient needs to be hospitalized. The tuberculosis is already this severe, howe she''s only being brought in now?" Director Xu looked somewhat reproachfully at the young man in front of him.

    The patient''s condition was very serious; if she hadn''t been brought in promptly, it might have been fatal this time.

    Xiaohu looked embarrassed, his dark face showing his difort.

    Director Xu immediately understood, another instance of someone struggling to afford medical care.

    The expression on the boy''s face said it all.

    "Go pay the hospitalization fee, your mother''s situation requires hospitalization, or there really is a risk to her life." His tone, however, was much gentler.

    Xiaohu took the payment slip and touched the passbook in his pocket; he had brought it with him in hopes that his saved up money would be enough for his mother''s treatment.

    He nced at Bai Jingshan, seeing no other option but to ask for his help.

    "Hello! Mr. Bai, I''m going to fetch the money, could you please look after my mom for a moment? I''ll be back quickly, I won''t dy you." At this moment, he couldn''t find anyone else to help.

    Bai Jingshan looked at Xiaohu and nodded, "Go ahead."

    Xiaohu quickly ran out to the bank next door.

    He withdrew all his savings from the passbook, holding onto three thousand yuan, and rushed to the inpatient department.

    Hoping it would be enough.

    Feeling anxious, the deposit alone was a thousand yuan, not to mention his mother was currently under emergency treatment, and this was Ruiyin Hospital, the top hospital in Modu, which also meant top expenses.

    He hadn''t expected Mr. Bai to take them here; with his mother already in the emergency room, what else could he say?

    Could he me someone else for not finding a smaller hospital?

    That would be biting the hand that feeds you.

    He wasn''t that kind of person, his mother had taught him well.

    With difficulty, he handed the payment slip through the window, the cash register clerk nced at him with a tinge of disdain in their eyes.

    It was subtle! But easy to notice, especially for someone like Xiaohu, who, having lived at the bottom of society for so long, was even more sensitive to this kind of discrimination.

    He wouldn''t mistake it.

    Lowering his eyes, his face began to burn; it started with his cheeks and spread to the back of his ears, even his neck started to feel hot.

    He wasn''t a person without pride, but life had long since worn down his arrogance; the days surviving with his mother had taught him the meaning of being poor with little ambition.

    "The deposit is three thousand for hospitalization, but along with the emergency treatment fees, it''s another two thousand two hundred, totaling five thousand two hundred." The cashier calcted while looking at the slip.

    Lin Hu felt a chill run through his scalp; it was still over.

    Five thousand two hundred!

    He had exactly three thousand, still more than a hundred short.

    Feeling embarrassed, "Are you paying or not? If not, step aside, others are waiting!" Someone behind him shouted with dissatisfaction upon seeing him hesitate.

    Lin Hu looked even more awkward.

    "Doctor, can I pay three thousand now and make up the rest this afternoon?" This wasn''t the time for him to be prideful; he couldn''t dy with his own mother''s life at stake.

    "Then pay the hospitalization deposit first, ande back with the rest of the treatment fees this afternoon." It was the only solution the cashier could offer him.

    Lin Hu gratefully pulled out the money, "Thank you, thank you! I''lle pay this afternoon. Thank you!"

    As the cashier began to process his payment, they paused, looking up at him with confusion, "Hey, rtive of Lin Yuan, someone already paid the hospitalization and treatment fees!"

    They must be kidding.

    Lin Hu shook his head, "That''s impossible; I just returned from the bank, that can''t be!"

    He and his mother were all they had, the rtives on his father''s side were out of the question. His father had a new family and another son, and hadn''t even provided him basic child support; frankly, he hadn''t seen his father in years, and his rtives from that side simply wanted to avoid seeing him to avoid being asked for money.

    Avoiding him was a priority! Contact was out of the question.

    On his mother''s side, the only close rtive, an aunt who had made money through business, looked down on them; she was cold and sarcastic at best and criticized his mother for her poor choice in men. She was a hundred times unfriendly to him. It was only his grandparents who secretly helped them a bit behind his uncle and aunt''s backs, but none of his mother''s side knew about her hospitalization.

    "Paid, I''ve checked, it''s a total of twenty thousand yuan, now move aside, don''t block others from paying." The cashier urged.

    Lin Hu suddenly remembered Mr. Bai.

    He hurriedly ran back to the inpatient department.

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 Chapter 1061: Document

    Panting as he arrived at the emergency room, he learned that Lin Yuan had already been transferred to a ward.

    In a rush to the ward, he saw Lin Yuan receiving an IV drip, asleep.

    Bai Jingshan sat at the side, looking out the window, a bit forlorn.

    "Mr. Bai, you..."

    Bai Jingshan shushed him, raising a finger to stop him from speaking further, picked up his coat, and led him out of the room. "Your mother just fell asleep. The doctor said it''s very dangerous this time. You need to take good care of your mother. I have something to do and need to leave. I''lle to see your mother another day."

    After saying this, he didn''t wait for a response and left with his coat.

    Lin Hu couldn''t just let him leave like that.

    Hurriedly, he grabbed Bai Jingshan''s clothing, "Mr. Bai, did you pay for my mom''s hospital fees?"

    Bai Jingshan looked at Lin Hu, seeing the stubborn yet sincere look on this young man''s face.

    "Call me Uncle Bai. Don''t worry about the hospital fees. Consider it a small gesture from me. The important thing is to get your mom treated well. The doctor said it''s a dangerous illness, so you must work hard."

    Lin Hu bowed deeply to Bai Jingshan. No one had ever helped them like this in his life. Lin Hu was used to relying on himself, used to being alone.

    But now, someone reached out in their time of need, helping them through such a tough time¡ªthis was an enormous favor.

    "Thank you, thank you so much! I will definitely repay you."

    Bai Jingshan smiled, patting the young man''s shoulder, and then turned to leave.

    Lin Hu watched Bai Jingshan''s retreating figure with tears in his eyes.

    Bai Jingshan got back into the car, "Back to thepany!"

    The driver started the car.

    Observing that Bai Jingshan didn''t look well, the driver tentatively suggested, "Mr. Bai, you don''t look so good. Perhaps you should go home and rest!"

    Having been with Bai Jingshan for many years, the driver was an old hand and familiar with Bai Jingshan, otherwise, he wouldn''t have dared to suggest such a thing.

    Bai Jingshan shook his head, "There''s still a lot to do at thepany. I need to go see."

    Back at thepany, Bai Jingshan locked himself in his office, staring at the phone in his hand, torn over whether to make the call. It was a tough decision.

    Still, he felt obliged to offer a stick of incense at Yu Shaoya''s grave.

    Picking up the phone, "Xiao Zhuang, investigate someone for me, Yu Shaoya! Yes, all the information, as fast as possible."

    He finally learned her name was Yu Shaoya.

    Regrettably, she had already passed away twenty-three years ago. Bai Jingshan felt a pang in his heart, remembering the scoundrel Shang Feng who let go of such a wonderful woman¡ªa sin deserving of death.

    Night fell.

    Bai Jingshan had not yet gone home.

    He smoked one cigarette after another, the ashtray on his desk already full of cigarette butts. With no windows open, the office was filled with smoke, though he didn''t notice. But when the secretary opened the door, he almost choked on the smoky air.

    "Mr. Bai, the report you requested."

    "Leave the report and go," Bai Jingshan said, almost impatiently grabbing the file folder.

    The secretary hesitated a moment, since it was well past working hours.

    But because their top boss hadn''t left, the secretary couldn''t go home either.

    The problem was, working overtime was one thing, but their boss hadn''t eaten dinner.

    "Mr. Bai, how about I get you something to eat? I can buy you some supper."

    Bai Jingshan nced at his watch, and it was already half-past ten.

    Apologetically, he said to his secretary, "You may go home. Don''t worry about me. If I want somethingter, I''ll have the driver get it."

    The people around him were all those who had helped build his career from the ground up. Their loyalty andpetence were unquestionable.

    The secretary left for the day.

    The boss was someone who meant what he said. Once told to leave, the secretary simply left, assuming no major tasks were left to handle.

    Nevertheless, he was curious about the file, which he was informed was top-secret when delivered.

    Since their boss hadn''t left the office sinceing back in the afternoon, it was likely he had been waiting for this file the whole time.

    Though thepany had many important projects, it was rare for anything to require their boss to stay up all night.

    It was undoubtedly surprising.

    Bai Jingshan was filled with intense emotion, eager to open the file yet fearful.

    The woman in his mind, like a goddess¡ªwhat was she truly like?

    One might say it''s longing for home, yet as he looked at the file, he found himself afraid to open it.

    Perhaps he feared it would destroy all the beautiful images he harbored in his mind.

    He took in a deep drag of his cigarette, extinguishing the butt in the ashtray.

    Summoning his courage, he opened the file.

    The stack of reports he found inside had a ck-and-white photograph on top.

    The woman in the photo was about seventeen or eighteen, her ck hair braided in twin its. Wearing a snow-white dress, her exquisite, delicate features were makeup-free, yet she exuded a sense ofzy charm with a hint of yfulness.

    Those expressive eyes seemed to look at him quietly through the picture.

    They shone like stars in the sky.

    It was her, it was indeed her.

    Just looking at those eyes, he knew, she was that girl.

    Those were eyes that could speak.

    Although she hadn''t said much to him that night, theplex emotions contained within those eyes made him suddenly understand why, that night, Yu Shaoya chose to stay and save him.

    Even if she hadn''t stayed, he could have taken a few cold showers, or continued soaking in the reservoir. Once the night passed, everything would have been over.

    No matter what medicine it was, it was just a drug¡ªonce its effects dissipated, it might cause some temporary harm, but it wouldn''t really kill someone.

    Yet she chose to stay.

    At the time, he saw that determination in her eyes. Now, knowing her story, he finally understood that perhaps she was using that opportunity to avenge another man, and also to avenge herself.

    Moreover, she resembled the goddess in his imagination so much.

    Everything matched his fantasies.

    But this woman was already gone.

    He opened the file and seriously read all the information inside.

    Tightly grasping the file, Shang Feng!

    That man was still the despicable creature he thought.

    If he ever encountered him, he was determined to destroy him.

    No, he didn''t even need to meet him. Didn''t Lin Yuan mention it?

    The Shang Family was in business, after all, so wouldn''t it be even easier to ruin someone in the business world?

    Shang Feng, the Shang Family!

    And wait, Shang Kaiwen?

    Could it be that Shang Kaiwen was Shang Feng''s daughter!

    If that''s true, then this was getting interesting.

    No wonder they say, like father, like son; a dragon begets a dragon, a phoenix a phoenix, and the offspring of rats dig holes.

    Shang Kaiwen''s ambition seemed to match her father''s. Such a fiercely ambitious person, full of schemes against him, he would need to investigate thoroughly.

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 Chapter 1062 - 1062 Telephone

    Yu Shaohua finished all the cases at hand, thanks to the advice Bai Xiao gave him during a long talk before leaving more than a year ago.

    He epted the suggestions, and aprehensive reform was carried out across the entire hospital.

    Due to these reforms, the efficiency of the hospital, including technological improvements, has seen significant advancements.

    They have also invested in and introduced some advanced equipment.

    Now, their hospital has be the top hospital in Yun Province.

    A few days ago, he attended a meeting in the province, and his old superior hinted to him that he did an impressive job this time, so he has been nominated to go to Capital City as a department head.

    This is practically a triple promotion.

    Mainly because of his noticeable achievements here, seen by the astute,bined with his ample umted experience; the promotion is a natural progression. After this year, he will go to the Capital City to take up his new position.

    This is quite surprising; after all, his family has been away from the circles of the Capital City for many years, and has been so quiet that people there might have forgotten about the Yu Family.

    But now they''re back.

    And they''ve returned to the Capital City in such a manner.

    Yu Shaohua feels quite triumphant, a sense of returning home in glory.

    It seems all the changes began when his niece Bai Xiao was acknowledged, as if the family''s luck has been improving day by day.

    The third brother also narrowly escaped danger this time.

    There was an investigation initiated because of Yu Shaoyan''s issues, and he was also being investigated. However, the questioning hardlysted a day; the attitude of thoseing to question him made a 180-degree turn from harsh scrutiny to gentle leniency.

    Yu Shaohua''s superior called him to find out that the third brother was framed. The informant had already turned themselves in. This matter implicated the Wang Family, with Prosecutor Wang also being transferred due to Wang Ruo''an''s involvement, revealing the entire affair as a massive trap.

    What puzzled everyone was that if Jian Nan and that Dean hadn''te forward to confess, Yu Shaoyan would have had no way to prove his innocence with a hundred exnations.

    The case seemed indisputable, merely awaiting transfer to the court for prosecution.

    Yet, at such a critical juncture, two key witnesses unexpectedly confessed.

    At first, people suspected coercion or threats might have forced these two individuals to change their testimonies.

    However, the confessors not only provided all the evidence, including recordings, phone calls, and photos, they even demonstrated unequivocally, even that pigheaded Jian Nan swore to the heavens he was not under duress.

    The evidence was sufficient to prove Wang Ruo''an''s involvement, although he was not the executor himself. It nheless confirmed his connection.

    Wang Ruo''an has been cooperating with the investigation and entered the police station, not to mention, a deluge of anonymous reports came in regarding his use of violent means to coerce residents off development plots, even leading to deaths.

    There were also usations of forced transactions under the guise of Prosecutor Wang''s name, many Shang Family contracts bore his handiwork.

    This incident practically triggered an uproar.

    The Shang Family became implicated as well.

    Yu Shaohua was also infuriated.

    Shang Feng!

    Humph!

    The Yu Family hadn''t even sought out Shang Feng to settle ounts, and yet now they''re being targeted.

    To say the Shang Family''s actions were unintentional, Yu Shaohua did not believe; how could it not be deliberate? The Yu Family had no dealings with Wang Ruo''an, let alone grudges.

    They had been out of the Capital City circles for so many years, harboring few disputes! The Wang Family had practically no interactions with them, so how could there be enmity?

    Not speaking of these matters didn''t mean Yu Shaohua wasn''t aware.

    This was the Shang Family stirring up trouble.

    He wanted to see what further schemes the Shang Family had, anticipating a big battle upon returning to the Capital City.

    The phone rang.

    "Hello, who is this? This is Yu Shaohua!"

    "Hello, I''m Bai Jingshan, a friend from when Yu Shaoya was a young intellectual in the countryside."

    Bai Jingshan!?

    "Sorry, my sister passed away!"

    It seemed this person hadn''t been in contact with those old acquaintances, or he would have known about Yu Shaoya''s passing.

    "I didn''t make myself clear, I know Yu Shaoya passed away, I''ve been abroad for many years, anding back, I didn''t expect so many changes, I just wanted to pay my respects to Shaoya."

    "I see! Shaoya''s tomb has been relocated to a cemetery in Modu, I can give you the address, although I haven''t heard your name before!" Yu Shaohua was still cautious.

    This Bai Jingshan appearing is very odd.

    Although Shaoya passed away many years ago, Xiaoyuan had mentioned some things about Yu Shaoya, but Bai Jingshan was never mentioned, just popping up out of nowhere.

    "Actually, I owe Shaoya a debt of life-saving kindness, and I came to repay that debt, I didn''t expect to find out Lin Yuan told me Yu Shaoya had passed, so I wanted to pay my respects to show my gratitude."

    "Alright! I''ll give you the address."

    Yu Shaohua believed it, knowing his sister was a kind-hearted woman, and if not for Shang Feng, perhaps none of the subsequent events would have happened, and she might not have died so young.

    Hanging up, Yu Shaohua wondered if he was being too hasty, believing someone just because they said so, but there was no reason not to believe it either.

    The person was already dead.

    Trying to trouble a deceased at this point would undoubtedly be the most fruitless endeavor.

    Yu Shaohua stopped pondering these things; initially, he wanted to rush back to Modu, worried that his parents wouldn''t be able to handle the big matter involving the third brother.

    Comforting over the phone was one thing, but it couldn''tpare to the strongerfort given by being there in person.

    Being the eldest in the family, not often being by his parents'' side made him feel quite unfilial.

    Whenever the elders had any ailments, it was always the third brother who took care of them, and the third brother''s wife was weak and often ill, actually leaving a heavy burden on him.

    Meanwhile, he was enjoying a life of ease away from home.

    But before he could prepare to set off, the third brother''s situation took a turn for the better, something he did not expect.

    Generally, such matters, with conclusive evidence, are difficult to resolve.

    Yet in a matter of just a few days, the issue was settled so cleanly and efficiently.

    Yu Shaohua knew he was not a child; such matters could be substantial or petty, and someone must have acted behind the scenes to have it handled so smoothly.

    He was now waiting for his official orders toe in, so he could take his wife and children to see his parents, and then report to Capital City.

    Taking advantage of the asion as a family reunion.

    Yet up to now, he hadn''t figured out who was behind all this.

    His troublesome sister Yu Shaohan''s family was facing issues again.

    His niece got into trouble for pestering Bai Song, while they had already rotated to the front lines. The past two years have been stable at the border, with not even minor skirmishes.

    Everyone lived in peace.

    However, as Bai Song and his team were retreating, they passed through a very famous minefield.

    Yan Chunlu recklessly ventured into the minefield.

    Bai Song was nearly killed saving her, and although he survived, he was severely injured.

    They had kept this incident from Bai Xiao.

    But it had to be resolved eventually; with his sister''s deranged behavior, she might act unpredictably for the sake of her daughter.

 Chapter 1063 - 1063 Worship

    The Changhai Cemetery in Modu.

    The cemetery''s terrain slopes from north to south, with thergest river in Modu, the Daye River, to the north, a grand and magnificent sight.

    The cemetery''s architecture is ancient and elegant, uniquely different, the environment secluded with flowing streams and bridges crisscrossing, everywhere are lush cypresses and verdant grass, unexpectedly filled with flowers, fragrant in all seasons, truly a blessed ce for resting in peace.

    Bai Jingshan followed the address and arrived at Yu Shaoya''s grave.

    It was evident that the grave was often cleaned, very tidy, with fresh flowers ced in front of the tombstone, and the lingering ashes in the incense burner indicated someone had just been there; Bai Jingshan nced around, only seeing a ck umbre vanish down the path on the other side.

    The silhouette of a graceful girl grew farther away, gradually disappearing from sight.

    The photo on the tombstone was indeed Yu Shaoya.

    Smiling warmly at him.

    He ced the flowers in his hand before the tombstone and personally arranged the fruits he brought.

    "We meet again, I''m truly sorry, after so many years I''ve only now learned your name is Yu Shaoya. I''m Bai Jingshan. Hello, this counts as our official greeting. I''veete. I apologize, I didn''t expect you''d leave so early."

    Gently wiping the tombstone, he sat on the ground in front of it, wanting so much to express his heartfelt thoughts.

    Perhaps the sole attachment in this life is this woman named Yu Shaoya.

    "I''m really sorry for what happened years ago. If I had known your circumstances were so difficult, I would have returned to take you away, to care for you, but what''s done is done! Saying sorry countless times is meaningless, rest assured, my first reason foring here is to see you and also let you see me. We''ve be friends, I''ve lived my life without shame to heaven and earth, but the only person I owe is you.

    You saved me back then, no matter what, deep down, for all those years I''ve regarded you as my woman.

    But now you''re gone.

    I once envisioned the wealth I already possess could provide you with enough happiness. I came this time intending to find you, to give you everything you desired.

    But I didn''t expect fate to y cruel tricks, you passed away so many years ago. I will never be able to repay what I owe you in this lifetime.

    However, I have this stubborn streak; the more impossible a task, the more it bes a burden to me.

    Since I can''t repay you in this life, I will do something else to show my gratitude.

    That Shang Feng is such a worthless being, he harmed you so awfully back then, such a man doesn''t deserve you and isn''t worth your concern. I will deal with him, ensuring he lives a life a thousand times, a hundred times more miserable than yours.

    No matter if you agree or not, this is decided. I will avenge you. If possible, I will help care for your family. Shao Ya, calling you this might be too intimate for you, but I just want to say one thing to you.

    You are the only woman I''ve truly loved in this life, even though we never met, how absurd.

    Not knowing each other''s names, never seeing each other''s features, yet possessing the world''s most intimate bond.

    Next time Ie to pay respects to you, I hope you''ll hear my good news, if Shang Family isn''t ruined, I, Bai Jingshan, will not rest."

    He lit incense and ced it in the burner.

    Bowing quietly to the tombstone, Bai Jingshan then left.

    Behind him, blue smoke wafted before the tombstone.

    In the mist, Yu Shaoya''s expression seemed to be blurred.

    Bai Xiao was handling paperwork at the registration office.

    This used to be a public cemetery, none of the graves were personal, fees were payable to the cemetery, especially thend where Yu Shaoya was buried, quite expensive.

    Fees were paid every year.

    Today was mother''s death anniversary.

    She came not only to pay respects but also to handle the payment.

    As for this mother, Bai Xiao truly didn''t know whether to love or hate, for she gave up everything for a man, truly severed ties with everyone, yet this mother gave up her life for her, this burdensome love is heavy and unbearable.

    "Comrade, right now we''ve reformed the cemetery, now graves can be sold, the one you''re renting annually costs over a hundred bucks, if purchased, no lease fees are necessary, and no need to worry about potential relocation or other issues.

    Moreover, we''re just starting the sales with great discounts, for this grave, it only costs five thousand bucks, afterward no more worrying about fees. Also provides a peaceful haven for the deceased." The staff promoted grave sales to Bai Xiao.

    This was a new project after their reform, also a way of generating ie.

    Bai Xiao realized that at this time graves were still very affordable, waiting ten years might hike the price to tens of thousands each, soon even dying might be unaffordable.

    This issue should be considered, not only does mother need it, her grandparents are old, matters regarding their future afterlife always need nning.

    Looks like after going home, once her uncle''s affairs settle, a family discussion regarding this matter is necessary.

    Death awaits all, but people still pursue beingid to rest in peace.

    Currently, there''s no strict cremation mandate, but by the time of mother''s grave relocation, it was already many years past, the skeleton had decayed, indeed only ashes were within this tombstone.

    "Alright, thank you, I''ll take a leaflet and discuss with my family, then decide." Bai Xiao replied.

    The staff remained courteous, their business wasn''t flourishing, many haven''t spare money to buy a grave.

    Just having someone consider it is a blessing to them.

    Bai Xiaopleted the paperwork, took her bag, and walked out directly.

    The path was downhill, her car was parked at the foot of the hill.

    The uphill path was inessible by car, all visitors could only leave vehicles at the base.

    Walking down the path, she saw another Mercedes parked next to her car, couldn''t help but nce over, suddenly realizing the car looked very familiar.

    Suddenly recalling, isn''t this the car Shang Kaiwen drove that day to cause trouble for her?

    The owner managed to end up here.

    But it was a cemetery, reasonable for others to be here.

    Bai Xiao wasn''t in the mood for curiosity, took the car keys intending to unlock the door. Unexpectedly, the opposite car''s door opened too.

    Unexpectedly, due to both cars'' proximity, the doors collided.

    Bai Xiao''s first thought was, the driver she dealt withst time, maybe now is here for revenge.

    Was he trying to extort money?

    Coincidentally, the driver did have that thought, recognizing the girl as the bold one who verbally dismantled him wordlesslyst time.

    Inparison to his Mercedes, her white Santana was like heaven and earth.

    Missing the chance to deal with this girl would be unfortunate.

    Thus this door incident was indeed nned to extort her.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1064: 1064: Yu Shaoya?

    <strong>Chapter 1064: Chapter 1064: Yu Shaoya?</strong>

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you? Didn¡¯t you see I was opening the car door?¡± The driver quickly got out of the car, and sure enough, several conspicuous scratches appeared on the ck door.

    Bai Xiao nced at the scratches on her car.

    Due to the white color of her car, the scratches were even more apparent.

    Damn it, this isn¡¯t my fault.

    ¡°Why are you asking what¡¯s the matter? Aren¡¯t you the one making false usations first? I clearly opened my car door first. When you see someone opening their car door, you still open yours? Do you have no basicmon sense as a driver?¡± Bai Xiao retorted, thinking anyone can bully others; it¡¯s just a matter of who uses false first.

    ¡°Who saw you open your car door first? It was clearly mine first. Let me tell you, you absolutely have to pay for this. Our car¡¯s paint is imported; otherwise, the color can¡¯t be matched closely. I¡¯m telling you now, if you don¡¯t pay today, I¡¯ll immediately call the police.

    I just don¡¯t believe it: will the police allow you to babble nonsense?¡±

    ¡°Fine, call the police then. Go ahead and call them right away. It saves us from arguing here; we¡¯ll let the police decide who¡¯s right and wrong when they arrive. If the police determine I have to pay you, I¡¯ll pay without a word.

    But if they conclude it¡¯s your fault after investigating, then you¡¯ll be the one paying me.¡±

    Bai Xiao got back into her car seat, closed the door, and waited for the driver to call the police.

    The driver intended to scare Bai Xiao into apologizing, and then it would be over.

    He didn¡¯t expect her to be more headstrong than himself.

    She directly told him to report the incident.

    What kind of situation is this to entail reporting to the police? Mr. Bai would being down soon, and they¡¯d need to return to thepany. Reporting to the police wouldplicate things.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Bai Jingshan had alreadyzily strolled down from the hill, hearing his driver shouting loudly at the person in the car from a few steps away.

    He frowned; this driver had been with him for many years.

    Considered an old-timer, he should understand his temper.

    The driver noticed Bai Jingshan and inwardlymented; he hadn¡¯t expected Mr. Bai toe down so quickly.

    He was having a unlucky day.

    ¡°Mr. Bai, this girl opened her car door and scraped ours. I asked her to pay, and she actually told me to call the police and let them handle it. I¡¯ve never seen someone so unreasonable.¡±

    This was truly making false usations first, ensuring to twist the narrative in his favor.

    Bai Jingshan nced at the girl in the car. Due to the position, he only saw her profile. She looked young, seemingly a spoiled city child, probably poorly educated by her parents, somewhat rude and unreasonable; yet such matters were hardly surprising to him.

    He wouldn¡¯t squabble with a girl over such things.

    ¡°Alright, stop fussing with a girl. We¡¯ll fix the car ourselves when we get back. Let¡¯s go; I have to return to thepany.¡±

    He turned and got into the car, reclining in the backseat to rx.

    The driver spat, arrogantly pointing at Bai Xiao, ¡°Consider yourself lucky today. Mr. Bai isn¡¯t arguing with you; otherwise, we would have made you pay until you were bankrupt.¡±

    Bai Xiao chuckled.

    She rolled down the window, stuck out her middle finger at the already seated driver, and yfully stuck out her tongue.

    The Mercedes started up, and the driver angrilyined, ¡°Mr. Bai, the current youth are truly degenerate. Look, you didn¡¯t argue with her just now, and she went ahead and insulted us.¡±

    Bai Jingshan opened his eyes, ncing at the car passing by, stunned by a face that struck him with thunderous shock.

    A delicate face, refined features, dark shing eyes, especially that mischievous tongue-out look¡ªwasn¡¯t that¡­!

    Yu Shaoya!

    ¡°Stop! Stop immediately!¡± Bai Jingshan shouted.

    The driver was startled and promptly mmed the brakes.

    Bai Xiao¡¯s white Santana brushed past them; Bai Xiao coldly nced at the driver, thinking to herself, don¡¯t let me meet you next time; if I do, this car will be beyond repair.

    ¡°Follow her, follow her.¡±

    Bai Jingshan pointed at the white Santana.

    The driver watched Bai Xiao¡¯s car disappear along the mountain road, anxiously unable to get the car started. Since thest peaceful stall, the car had been consistently faulty. The repair shop couldn¡¯t pinpoint the issue either.

    Now it was stalling again.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Bai Jingshan watched Bai Xiao¡¯s car vanish without a trace, angrily looking at the driver. He rarely lost his temper, but now his driver failed him at a critical moment, lighting a fire in his gut.

    The driver hurriedly exined, knowing Bai Jingshan rarely got so angry.

    This was him losing his temper.

    ¡°Mr. Bai, the car stalled; don¡¯t worry. If you want to hold that girl ountable, I know where she lives! Don¡¯t worry, finding her is easy.¡±

    Bai Jingshan was taken aback, ¡°How do you know where she lives?¡±

    Suspicion shed in his mind, could this girl have intentionally approached his driver?

    ¡°The girl seems to be Miss Shang¡¯s rtive. Last time, per your instructions, I took Miss Shang to find her sister, and it was this girl, whose name appeared to be Bai Xiao, who lived in a small courtyard near Medical University. This girl has a bad attitude, especially cold and indifferent toward her own sister, practically disregarding familial bonds, cold-blooded and heartless.

    You just saw how she shifted the me and was rude¡ªsuch people make asting impression. Last time, she scolded me for meddling, so I remembered her clearly.¡±

    That was definitely worsening things.

    Bai Jingshan pondered, could Shang Kaiwen have sought out her half-sister born during Shang Feng¡¯s countryside days?

    He¡¯d been busytely, unable to investigate Shang Feng¡¯s matters. However, it seemed many words substantiated Shang Kaiwen as Shang Feng¡¯s daughter, then perhaps this Shang Feng was indeed the Shang Feng he¡¯d been searching for. If so, could this girl be Yu Shaoya¡¯s daughter?

    Turning back to the cemetery, this was indeed Yu Shaoya¡¯s resting ce.

    He had seen signs of someone visiting.

    It seemed highly likely this girl was the child of Yu Shaoya and Shang Feng.

    Thus exining why this girl resembled Yu Shaoya.

    ¡°Mr. Bai, I¡¯ll take you to find her, she can¡¯t escape.¡±

    The driver sounded gleefully malicious.

    Bai Jingshan shook his head, ¡°No need to go; I¡¯m tired. Have thepany send a car; let¡¯s go back to thepany.¡±

    If she¡¯s Shang Feng¡¯s daughter, what does that have to do with him? His daughter doesn¡¯t recognize him as her father. This scenario amusingly bringsfort; why should he want to meet Bai Xiao, surname Bai? How coincidental.

    It seems she was likely adopted; otherwise, Yu Shaoya had passed, and there was no indication that the Yu Family had taken in a child.

    The biggest probability is this child was adopted and raised.

    Shang Feng¡¯s child has nothing to do with him; whether to meet or not is irrelevant. Let the father and daughter go at each other, and that would be entertaining enough.

 Chapter 1065: 1065: Bai Na and the Child

    <strong>Chapter 1065: Chapter 1065: Bai Na and the Child</strong>

    Bai Xiao returned to the doorstep! She suddenly realized something! Wait, that driver scratched her car too.

    He tried to scam her, but didn¡¯t seed, yet her car didn¡¯t getpensated. Isn¡¯t she losing out?

    What¡¯s going on here!

    She mmed the steering wheel hard.

    That driver is a jinx, every time she encounters him, it¡¯s always unpleasant.

    Don¡¯t let her run into him again, otherwise she¡¯ll show no mercy.

    She got out of the car, took out her key to unlock the door.

    ¡°Doctor Bai!¡±

    A timid voice made Bai Xiao turn around.

    She saw a girl in ragged clothes holding a tattered bundle in one hand and a child in the other.

    Mother!

    Bai Na!

    Bai Xiao was startled.

    ¡°What¡¯s this¡­?¡±

    Isn¡¯t Bai Na supposed to be in the mountains a thousand miles away?

    How did she get here? Someone, please tell her how Bai Na appeared here.

    Bai Na seemed a bit lost looking at Bai Xiao, nervously twisting the hem of her clothing in her hands as tears welled up, she swayed and seemed on the brink of fainting.

    With a sigh, Bai Xiao quickly supported her, helped her open the gate to her own yard, and helped her inside, allowing her to sit with the child on a chair in the yard.

    ¡°How did you get here?¡±

    So far away, Bai Na doesn¡¯t know a single word, how did she find her?

    It must be a stroke of luck that she managed to ask for directions along the way and didn¡¯t encounter traffickers.

    Looking at Bai Na¡¯s somewhat pale face, Bai Na was already thin and now she was even thinner, her face not even palm-sized. Due to her thinness, her eyes seemed bigger, cheekbones prominently jutting, her features were almost sharp, and the skinny child in her arms seemed smaller than a kitten, shouldn¡¯t it be three months old?

    ¡°Sit down first, I¡¯ll get you something to eat, then we¡¯ll talk!¡±

    It¡¯s obvious Bai Na is hungry.

    In the kitchen, she cooked a pack of instant noodles, poached two eggs, added a handful of greens, and two slices of cooked beef that she braised a couple of days ago, and served them warm in front of Bai Na.

    ¡°Give me the child, hurry up and eat!¡±

    She took the child from Bai Na¡¯s hands, seeing this little one, her heart felt sour; this child was delivered by her, she once saved this child¡¯s life, but it¡¯s already been three months and the child is still so frail.

    Pathetically, the child looked at her with big eyes, probably sensing he was in the arms of a stranger,cking the mother¡¯s presence, pursed his little mouth, he was about to cry.

    Bai Xiao was a bit at a loss.

    In her two lifetimes, she hardly had any experience caring for children.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Bai Na quickly took the child, reached her hand into the swaddling clothes and touched, ¡°It¡¯s okay, he peed, I¡¯ll change his diaper. Doctor Bai! Could you give me some hot water, he¡¯s hungry too.¡±

    Bai Xiao rushed inside to fetch a hot water bottle and came out, ¡°Why are you still using powdered milk? Didn¡¯t I tell you before leaving that the child should be breastfed.¡±

    Bai Na already changed the diaper, took out a dirty bottle covered in grime from her bundle, and prepared to pour hot water into it for form feeding.

    Bai Xiao hurriedly snatched it, washed it thoroughly in the kitchen, and then handed it back, ¡°The child needs to be kept clean, otherwise he¡¯s prone to illness, especially since he¡¯s only three months old and had such a serious illness, neglecting hygiene could easily lead to bacterial infection.¡±

    Bai Na¡¯s face flushed with shame, in the countryside they don¡¯t have such luxuries, she never paid attention to these matters.

    ¡°I¡¯ll feed him, you go and eat.¡±

    Bai Xiao took the child, Bai Na looked so sickly it was unsettling, she was starved to resemble a skeleton.

    If she couldn¡¯t speak or move, anyone looking at her would surely think she was gravely ill.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it, Doctor Bai, this child is hard to feed, always cries and fusses.¡±

    Bai Na felt embarrassed, needing someone else to care for her child, she already came to trouble Doctor Bai, now it seemed even more troublesome.

    Looking at the food, she hesitated to eat.

    Not to mention the meat, in the countryside they can¡¯t afford meat, even eggs are precious like money, eating this bowl of food may cost who knows how much.

    Bai Xiao shook the bottle and mixed the form evenly, tested the temperature on her wrist, then ced it into the child¡¯s mouth, tilting him to allow him tofortably feed.

    The little guy initially pouted unhappily, but soon tasted the milk, then eagerly drank.

    ¡°Eat, the child isn¡¯t fussing.¡±

    The little one contentedly drank the milk, satisfied, closed his eyes, his little mouth constantly sucking.

    Bai Na nced at Doctor Bai, this nce made her feel ashamed,pared to Doctor Bai, she looked like a beggar.

    ¡°Doctor Bai, this is too¡­¡±

    Holding the bowl, Bai Na struggled to eat.

    Bai Xiao noticed her hesitation, ¡°Eat up, we usually eat like this, it¡¯s not specially made for you, eat it with peace of mind.¡±

    Only then did Bai Na start to eat quickly, indeed she was starving, Bai Xiao intentionally used arge porcin bowl,rger than a regr bowl, with enough instant noodles for two servings, yet Bai Na quickly finished it, after eating, you couldn¡¯t even tell she had consumed such arge bowl, her belly showed no sign.

    Bai Na even drank the soup from the porcin bowl clean, not a drop wasted.

    Finished, she touched her belly longingly but said nothing, Bai Xiao read her expression.

    ¡°How did you get here?¡±

    By now, the child had finished his milk, Bai Xiao lifted him onto her shoulder, gently patting his back to burp him to prevent spitting up.

    The child had already fallen asleep contently, he looked very satisfied.

    Bai Na lowered her head, worried her uninvited arrival might be annoying, she was truly uncertain.

    But she was truly out of options.

    ¡°Doctor Bai, I wanted toe to Modu to work, Cuihua from the neighboring vige said she became a nanny in the city, earning up to dozens of yuan a month while being provided with food and lodging, when you left, you gave me your address, told me to find you if I¡¯m in trouble, so I shamelessly came, honestly, at home there was no solution, no way to survive, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t trouble you.

    Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll find work and leave immediately, I won¡¯t cause you trouble, my child and I can sleep in the shed in the yard, we won¡¯t trouble you at all. Doctor Bai, please, give me a ce to stay, I promise I¡¯ll find work within a few days and leave.¡±

    Bai Na knelt down with a thud in front of Bai Xiao, her eyes filled with despair as she looked at Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao felt heavy-hearted, Bai Na was a person of dignity, otherwise she wouldn¡¯t have caused such amotion with Weng Jiefang immediately after childbirth.

    Something must have happened now.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1066: Clean Up

    <h4>Chapter 1066: Chapter 1066: Clean Up</h4>

    "Get up, you can still talk. Whatever you want to do, kneeling can¡¯t solve the problem. Tell me what¡¯s going on. Since you¡¯re here, I¡¯ll definitely help you. I gave you my address back then because I was afraid you wouldn¡¯t have anyone to help you. This child is, after all, the first child I delivered. I hope he can grow up safely. So, what¡¯s happening?"

    Bai Xiao helped her up, cing the child back into her arms. At the very least, she couldn¡¯t kneel while holding the child.

    It was only after Bai Na¡¯s long exnation that Bai Xiao learned that after Bai Na divorced Weng Jiefang, she returned home. However, her house was already destitute, and her two younger brothers went into the mountains to hunt so she could eat better and produce milk for her nephew. As a result, the older brother fell from the mountain and broke his leg. The family was already short on money.

    This incident cost them a lot of money for medical treatment and required him to recuperate at home.

    Moreover, rumors were spreading in the vige that the Bai Family had defied the will of heaven, that the child shouldn¡¯t be alive, and that a woman shouldn¡¯t stand above a man. This was said to be heaven¡¯s punishment for the Bai Family and Bai Na.

    The father of the Bai Family fell ill with anger, and Bai Mother cried every day until her eyes almost went blind.

    Bai Na couldn¡¯t produce milk, and the child survived on two bags of milk powder given by Bai Xiao for two months, but as they were running out of milk powder, it seemed the child wouldn¡¯t make it. Bai Na went to the township¡¯s general store, where a bag of milk powder cost two yuan.

    She had no money.

    Later, Dean Lu couldn¡¯t stand it and had Xiaoyu send her a bag of milk powder, but this wasn¡¯t a long-term solution.

    Once her brother had recovered enough and her father could work, she decided to leave.

    She realized staying at home only brought shame and difficulty to the family, with two more mouths to feed, which wasn¡¯t sustainable. Rather than stay, it was better to venture out. In the neighboring vige, Cuihua, who was her childhood friend, was said to have married a capable man, a traveling salesman who lived well.

    Having seen the world by traveling from vige to vige, it was said that some people went to the city to work and earned money.

    For the sake of this child and her family, she decided to take the risk.

    In the vige, Weng Jiefang constantly harassed her, hoping she would return to him, constantly using sarcasm to pressure her into abandoning the child and returning to him.

    Facing such a man who didn¡¯t cherish his own child, Bai Na wished she could cut Weng Jiefang down with a knife.

    She borrowed travel expenses from Cuihua and left.

    Being cautious, she didn¡¯t travel with the few men from the vige; being a woman with a child, it didn¡¯t feel safe.

    Those people went to the Capital City; the only person she knew there was Bai Xiao, a kind-hearted doctor from the city. Knowing she had Bai Xiao¡¯s address and that he was kind, she was confident enough to seek refuge with him.

    This was a step of great courage for Bai Na.

    On the way, she met kind people; on the train, two good-hearted people saw she was a woman with a child and couldn¡¯t read a word, and knowing she was heading to Modu, they were going there too, took care of her and the child during the journey.

    After getting off the train, some people even took them to the ce, otherwise, relying on Bai Na to ask for directions, who knows when they would have arrived.

    The people left without expecting gratitude.

    Bai Xiao sighed, feeling fortunate they encountered good people.

    Bai Na indeed was lucky; with human trafficking rampant, without those two people, who knows what would have happened to her and the child. Bai Na and the boy she held were prime targets after all.

    "Doctor Bai, I certainly won¡¯t be a burden to you, I..." Bai Na did her best to express her determination, hoping Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t drive her out.

    Really, Doctor Bai didn¡¯t know her well, and if she refused to help, it wouldn¡¯t be wrong.

    Bai Xiao led her inside the house; there was still a spare room, and driving them out now was certainly impossible.

    "You and the child stay here first. Once the child is asleep, wash up and tidy yourself. I¡¯ll find you some of my clothes, change into them, and rest well before discussing looking for a job."

    Bai Na hurriedly stopped Bai Xiao, "No! Doctor Bai! Don¡¯t bother yourself, I don¡¯t need to change clothes. I¡¯ll wash them before bed, and they should be ready by morning. We¡¯ve troubled you enough, this is too much bother."

    Bai Xiao pointed to the kitchen, "You can boil water there. Since you¡¯re here, listen to me. After all, I¡¯m older than you; it¡¯s like I¡¯m your older sister, so follow my arrangements."

    After teaching Bai Na how to use the gas to boil water, Bai Xiao went to find clothes.

    Bai Na started the water, carefully cing the child on the bed. She felt a bit afraid; the sheets were too clean, and the bedding was too soft. She looked at herself and the child;pared to these, they seemed like they were dug out from the dirt.

    Everything in this house was different from their vige. Bai Na thought about Bai Xiao¡¯s kindness towards her and the child, determined to repay Bai Xiao.

    Bai Xiao found a set of clothes she had bought in Yun Province. The clothes were now too small; she was neen then, and now at twenty-three, the clothes naturally wouldn¡¯t fit. The shirts and pants, though worn, were almost as good as new.

    "Bai Na, these clothes are my old ones, don¡¯t disdain them. Change into these, and wash the clothes you¡¯re wearing."

    Bai Na looked at the clothes and nearly jumped up.

    She quickly refused, "Doctor Bai, no, these clothes are too new, it¡¯s too wasteful! Keep them for yourself! A country girl like me can¡¯t wear them. This would ruin them."

    "Wear them since I gave them to you. They are my old clothes, they¡¯re small, but your size should fit. Don¡¯t be timid since you¡¯re here, change and rest with the child. When the child wakes, bathe him too. I don¡¯t have children¡¯s clothes here, so I¡¯ll go buy him some."

    The child was wearing altered clothes from an adult garment, all dirty and worn for many days, without another to change into. Patches covered the clothes, and coarse fabric wasn¡¯tfortable for the child.

    This child is really tough.

    "No need, no need, Doctor Bai. If you have old clothes, I can alter a couple for him, there¡¯s no need to buy any."

    Bai Na almost panicked.

    If hering caused Doctor Bai to spend money, she might as well beg, not wishing to harm anyone.

    Bai Xiao saw that Bai Na was genuinely anxious and didn¡¯t insist. She found two of her own cotton clothes for Bai Na, skilled in needlework, to handle herself.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1067: 1067: Reality

    <strong>Chapter 1067: Chapter 1067: Reality</strong>

    Bai Xiao went out to buy groceries; with two extra people at home, she and An Zhiyuan usually buy food as needed. The market is close by, so it¡¯s not a hassle, and they don¡¯t stock up on food at home.

    An Zhiyuan doesn¡¯te home for lunch since he¡¯s already reported back to the army; he only returns for dinner.

    Bai Xiao came back carrying bags of fruits, vegetables, meat, and eggs. As soon as she entered, Bai Na took the things from her hands, ¡°Doctor Bai! I should have gone with you. I¡¯m strong, let me handle these heavy tasks from now on.¡±

    Seeing how strong Bai Na really was, Bai Xiao took a breath, drank some water, and was surprised.

    How much work had Bai Na done while she was gone?

    The yard was swept clean, even watered; the window ss was wiped until it shone brightly. Even the furniture at home was polished until it sparkled. Who knows how much water Bai Na used.

    The towels on the sofa and the sofa cover were all washed and hung on the clothesline, and the kitchen was spotless. While she was out, Bai Na practically cleaned the whole house.

    Even the flowers and nts in the courtyard were neatly arranged, the weeds removed, watered, and the soil loosened.

    ¡°Bai Na, wasn¡¯t I telling you to rest? I don¡¯t even know what to say to you!¡±

    This made Bai Xiao feel a bit embarrassed.

    She was used to being easygoing, not too particr about the house, preferring her own way. Compared to her past life, she¡¯s much more rxed now, pampered by An Zhiyuan. Honestly, she¡¯s not as diligent as Bai Na, not tidying up every day, just two or three times a week.

    Now, suddenly the house is so clean it¡¯s a bit frightening.

    ¡°What¡¯s the big deal! I can¡¯t just eat and stay for free. Besides, the work in the mountains is way more tiring than this. You¡¯ve got nothing to worry about. Tomorrow I¡¯ll wash and change your bedding. I¡¯ve also found out where thebor market is and how to get there. Captain Wu even told me about it, so I¡¯ll go and have a look. I can¡¯t stay at Dr. Bai¡¯s house too long; it¡¯s just not right.¡±

    Bai Xiao sat Bai Na down, sorting fruits and vegetables while talking to her.

    ¡°Bai Na! Have you thought about it? Finding a job might not be that easy for you!¡± She wasn¡¯t trying to discourage Bai Na, but Bai Na hadn¡¯t considered the fact that no one hires a nanny with a child only a few months old.

    Are you the nanny for them, or are they the nanny for you?

    Bai Na and her child were trying to survive; after all, the child needed milk. Bai Na had no milk left, so she had to switch to form. The baby was too young.

    A normal three-month-old baby could consume 170 to 180 milliliters of milk per feeding, sometimes even more. But this child only drank 120 per feeding, likely because they¡¯ve been rationing on form, stunting the baby¡¯s stomach, making him so skinny.

    At least three packs of form per month, and as the child grows, it bes even harder to take care of him. Even if Bai Na works hard, finding a job isn¡¯t easy.

    Bai Na stopped, ¡°Doctor Bai, I¡¯m not afraid of hardship, I can endure a lot. I don¡¯t eat much either, as long as there¡¯s enough food for the two of us, I don¡¯t need a high sry; I¡¯m willing to take less.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t abandon her child.

    The baby wouldn¡¯t survive without her. Even if her brother was more open-mindedpared to other men, not being a typical chauvinist, their circumstances meant the family could only sink deeper into poverty. Her brother had already gotten into trouble for the sake of her and her child, and if it happened again, Bai Na could only atone for it by death.

    Bai Xiao gave a bitter smile.

    ¡°Bai Na, now that you¡¯re in the city, never mind your Mandarin is poor, even if it was good, you might not even find sess here in Modu, let alone with your ent. I find it hard enough to understand you, let alone others. And to be honest, carrying a child around, nobody wants to deal with that hassle.

    Trying to work as a nanny might not work out.¡±

    This was the truth, and Bai Na couldn¡¯t escape from it. She would understand better once she went to thebor market.

    Bai Na panicked, as her family¡¯s situation couldn¡¯t support her anymore. Her brother might not even be able to get married if she continued to be a burden, and no matter what, she didn¡¯t want to drag her family down. And for the child to survive, he had to eat.

    How could she not worry? She thought she could find work once she got to the city, but Doctor Bai¡¯s words poured cold water over her hopes.

    ¡°Doctor Bai, what should I do? You¡¯re educated and from the city; please give me some advice. I¡¯m not hiding my situation from you because I¡¯m at my wit¡¯s end. I can starve, but what about the baby? I can¡¯t let him go hungry.

    My brother¡¯s already suffered once because of me; if it happens again, we won¡¯t survive in the vige. When the child grows up, he¡¯ll be looked down upon, and I¡¯ll owe him a greater debt.

    I¡¯m not afraid of my own sins, but I¡¯m terrified of the child¡¯s suffering.¡±

    Bai Na had been criticized plenty, and she even started doubting if by going against tradition, she had brought all these disasters upon herself. Maybe she had been wrong for leaving Weng Jiefang or hadn¡¯t fulfilled her role as a woman, leading to today¡¯s consequences.

    Under the long-term influence of feudal, patriarchal ideology, Bai Na always felt she had done something wrong, defying destiny, which brought upon all this.

    Bai Xiao gave her a reassuring look. Bai Na was different from her own sister; her sister had received some education, and no matter how hard life was, the Bai Family made sure their children went to school, even if the sisters hadn¡¯t studied much.

    Being literate with somemon sense, her sister was resourceful and could consider things from the family¡¯s perspective to provide reasonable advice.

    Bai Na was different.

    In truth, they were strangers.

    ¡°Bai Na! Don¡¯t rush; finding a job isn¡¯t something that can be solved immediately. No matter what you want to do, everyone should take some time to think ande up with a solution. Let¡¯s not hurry.¡±

    Bai Na wiped her tears when Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t looking, not wanting to burden Doctor Bai. After all, she owed her nothing.

    Bai Xiao could see it; Bai Na was also strong.

    With such a character, enduring some hardships might allow her to find a foothold in Modu.

    That afternoon, while watching Bai Na alter a couple of clothes for the child from her old garments, Bai Xiao suddenly had an idea.

    If Liu Hong could be a tailor, maybe Bai Na could too.

    Bai Na was even more hardworking than Liu Hong.

    But before she could think more, An Zhiyuan solved the problem when he returned.

    For An Zhiyuan, helping Bai Na find a job wasn¡¯t a big issue.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1068: Hitting a Wall

    <h4>Chapter 1068: Chapter 1068: Hitting a Wall</h4>

    In the evening, Bai Na met An Zhiyuan, who immediately decided to tell Bai Xiao about Bai Na¡¯s situation.

    He resolved the work issue for Bai Na.

    Bai Xiao was surprised that An Zhiyuan would bother with such matters.

    Her second brother liked to meddle in her affairs, but other people¡¯s matters were not something he typically involved himself in.

    "You! I still don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking, but you have ideas, you said letting Bai Na make clothes is not impossible; it¡¯s just you haven¡¯t considered the practical situation. Bai Na¡¯snguage barrier is tricky; both of us struggle to understand her. Those Modu people¡¯s tongues twist in such a way that nobody can understand them. Besides, this is Modu.

    Bai Na is a country girl, inexperienced. Are you sure the clothes she makes can keep up with Modu¡¯s fashion? She is not like Liu Hong, who has some education! She adapts well, and with your family¡¯s help, she epts things quickly too.

    But Bai Na, you¡¯ve seen it yourself, is illiterate, struggles withnguage, and has a child. Don¡¯t unintentionally cause trouble; we also have many jobs for family members back home. Departments like logistics always need people. As long as Bai Na doesn¡¯t nitpick, finding a job for her isn¡¯t a problem."

    An Zhiyuan feared that Bai Xiao might get into trouble because of this. If Bai Na¡¯s business doesn¡¯t go well, it¡¯s not just about losing money; she might face me. People¡¯s hearts are unpredictable, and he feared Bai Xiao could be disappointed in the future.

    He also worried Bai Na might start off too high, and if she encountered setbacks, resentment might easily build. Starting with some setbacks could refine her character in the future.

    "What can be done then?"

    Bai Xiao also felt she was being excessive. Though she knew the future direction of national policy development for decades, she couldn¡¯t possibly train everyone into billionaires.

    That would truly be like a golden touch, turning stone into gold.

    That would be tempting.

    "These days, let Bai Na go and face some setbacks by herself first. Only by experiencing setbacks can she learn to cherish. I¡¯ll go and ask around. After all, she has a child, and it¡¯s not very convenient for work. She needs to find a suitable job."

    An Zhiyuan cuddled his wife to sleep to prevent her from overthinking.

    "I¡¯m going to work tomorrow!"

    Bai Xiao told An Zhiyuan in a murmur, their vacation was finallying to an end.

    Last night, Yu Feixue had already called, saying their aunt¡¯s surgery was very sessful, and both grandparents had gone to the hospital.

    Although Yu Shaoyan hadn¡¯te out yet, Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t worried; it should happen in the next couple of days.

    This time, Yu Feixue had truly grown up, taking good care of her mother and firmly driving away their aunt¡¯s family.

    The main concern was that the two uncles were still persistent, trying to persuade Yu Feixue and the aunt to report Yu Shaoyan.

    Bai Xiao suspected someone was instigating behind the scenes. After all, Yu Shaoyan¡¯s blemishes had been cleared, and both Wang Ruo¡¯an and Shang Kaiwen might be anxious. They thought attacking from within would work. If Yu Shaoyan had any slight issues, who could know better than his own family, especially his wife and daughter?

    Yu Shaoyan probably never guarded against his wife and daughter, which was the best point for attack.

    Unfortunately, they didn¡¯t know how resolute the aunt and Yu Feixue were. Because of this, Bai Xiao felt strongly that the Yu family¡¯s moral character was noble. What kind of parents would raise such children?

    Yu Feixue was cheerful and warm, with a righteous heart, quite resembling her uncle Yu Shaoyan.

    "Be mentally prepared, I¡¯m afraid you might be implicated because of your uncle¡¯s matter. If someone gives you a hard time, just leave. We¡¯re not official employees of Ruiyin Hospital, no need to endure their attitude. Remember you¡¯re the hospital¡¯s chief physician; your position doesn¡¯t allow them to disrespect you. We don¡¯t need to suffer anyone¡¯s anger." An Zhiyuan worried Bai Xiao might be bullied.

    "What are you afraid of? Who dares bully me? Have you forgotten I have mentors and senior brothers? They¡¯re not materialistic people; with their protection, who would dare bully me? But my internship is ending, and I have to return to hospital work. Why do I feel my life is always wandering without a ce to settle? Another new colleague! A new beginning."

    She leaned close to An Zhiyuan¡¯s chin, hugging his neck andining. The weather was too hot; squeezed together, they were ufortable. But An Zhiyuan had already installed air conditioning and fans at home.

    The air conditioning wasn¡¯t for the heat; it was installed because Bai Xiao was always cold.

    However, the elders said summer here is hard to bear.

    As soon as it started now, they were already sweating profusely. Installing air conditioning indeed proved to be a wise decision.

    "Xiaoxiao, since you can¡¯t sleep, let¡¯s do something else."

    "Hmm, second brother... you..."

    The night passed without words.

    In the following days, Bai Xiao took Bai Na to thebor market. Without taking her out, this girl wouldn¡¯t reach thebor market.

    Bai Xiao sent her there and went to work. Fortunately, Bai Na was smart enough to find her way back home.

    However, as expected by An Zhiyuan, Bai Na faced rejection at thebor market for three days without finding work. People heard her speak, saw her with a child, and immediately waved their hands, saying no.

    She even thought of a way, trying to find a job as a mover.

    But as soon as people saw the child in her arms and her skinny figure, they waved their hands and shook their heads continuously.

    After several days of setbacks, Bai Na felt disheartened.

    For days, even eating didn¡¯t taste good.

    Sometimes, she would have just a few bites and stop eating.

    It¡¯s not that the food here wasn¡¯t delicious. At home, she barely had enough to eat, while here, there was fine grain and meat and fish every time. Yet, the more she ate, the harder it was to swallow.

    Staying at Dr. Bai¡¯s ce without paying, and being treated to such good food.

    She thought she would quickly find work, move out, and repay Dr. Bai in time. No one expected Dr. Bai to be right.

    It¡¯s no wonder the vigers didn¡¯t like working in the city, as it barely brought any advantages.

    As soon as she opened her mouth, people were visibly displeased, repeatedly saying things she couldn¡¯t understand.

    The gibberish those people spat out was iprehensible to her.

    The imagined ways to make money simply didn¡¯t work.

    They imagined the city was beautified, thinking money was everywhere, and doing anything would earn it.

    In reality, it¡¯s not even as good as their vige. At least when they nt grain in the vige, they have food, while here, money is needed for everything daily.

    Just watching Dr. Bai go to the market daily to buy groceries, she felt so heartbroken she wished she could keep her mouth shut and never eat again.

    Living at Dr. Bai¡¯s ce, spending her money, Bai Na decided on the fifth day to return.

    She made up her mind not to burden others here anymore.

 Chapter 1069: Work

    <h4>Chapter 1069: Chapter 1069: Work</h4>

    Before she could speak, An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao approached her for a conversation.

    Bai Na was sitting with her child under the grapevine arbor, while Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan sat across from her.

    Seeing Bai the doctor and An, such apatible couple, Bai Na felt a bit ashamed. She had nothing and couldn¡¯t even contribute any effort.

    The city isn¡¯t very kind, and treats those from the countryside unfriendly.

    "Bai Na, your brother-inw has something to say to you."

    Bai Xiao smiled at Bai Na. This girl has been worried these past few days, unable to rx her eyebrows. Watching her unable to eat even daily meals made him ufortable too.

    Only someone with a conscience would feel this way.

    Bai Na quietly called out, brother-inw.

    She was somewhat afraid of facing Second Lieutenant Zhiyuan. An Zhiyuan carried an aura that made people feel small, and facing him made Bai Na feel like a mouse meeting a cat. As long as An Zhiyuan was home, Bai Na wished to hide in the room and nevere out.

    "Bai Na, I know you¡¯ve been looking for a job these past few days, but you haven¡¯t found one, right?"

    Bai Na bit her lip and shook her head, "No!"

    "On the day you arrived, Bai the doctor told me about your situation and your difficulties. We all discussed it; given your current conditions, it¡¯s probably hard to find a job. Your elder sister begged me to think of a solution for you.

    I went back to inquire, and finally got some news today. The job may not be great, quite dirty, hard, and tiring, and it¡¯s temporary work."

    I¡¯m going to say the harsh words upfront.

    Bai Na¡¯s eyes lit up, and she said urgently, "Brother-inw, I¡¯m not afraid of hardship, dirt, or tiredness. As long as I have a job that allows me to have food to eat and earn some milk money for Xiaobao, I can do any work."

    It¡¯s like grasping a lifeline.

    Bai Na didn¡¯t remember how terrifying An Zhiyuan was at this moment. As soon as this conversation began, An Zhiyuan rose tall in Bai Na¡¯s heart, and Bai the doctor was simply a fairy, Guanyin Bodhisattva, basically all the kindest, most powerful deities from heaven to earth.

    Looking at An Zhiyuan¡¯s serious demeanor, Bai Xiao discontentedly nudged him, "Come on, An Brother, our Bai Na is almost burning with anxiety."

    An Zhiyuan nced at Bai Xiao, "It¡¯s at the affiliated farm, there¡¯s a chicken farm. Generally, family members are unwilling to work there because it¡¯s quite remote in the mountainous areas, not in the urban district, and families don¡¯t want to leave home and want to be with their husbands.

    Moreover, the chicken farm requires only two or three people. The workload is heavy and the conditions are quite simple. However, the best advantage is you can move there with your child, there¡¯s a ce to stay and eat, but you¡¯ll have to cook for yourself.

    The other two colleagues at the chicken farm are disabled elders from here. After I mentioned your situation, they thought it would suit you to go there. On one hand, you can live separately with a room, which is convenient for bringing a child. Also, the work conditions allow you to bring a child without issues. Though it¡¯s temporary work, as long as you work for three years and perform outstandingly, you¡¯ll have the opportunity to transition to a regr job.

    As for the sry, temporary workers get only 180 yuan a month, but every month grain is provided for free and the farm has its own plots for you to grow vegetables. In general, food and lodging are free of charge.

    Consider if you want to go or not?"

    There¡¯s no need to consider at all. Bai Na immediately stood up with her child.

    "Brother-inw, I¡¯ll go! Why wouldn¡¯t I go for such a great opportunity falling from the sky? Even if it¡¯s just 180 yuan a month, I¡¯d do it even if it¡¯s only a few dozen yuan. In our vige, it would probably take a whole year to earn 50 yuan, while I¡¯m earning several years¡¯ sry in a month, why wouldn¡¯t I go?" Bai Na was practically tearfully grateful.

    Just like catching a pie falling from the sky, Brother-inw actually says it¡¯s hard, dirty, and tiring. In their vige, men and women work and who doesn¡¯t face hardship, dirt, and tiredness?

    It¡¯s just raising chickens, after all.

    They¡¯ve raised chickens at home before, if this work is called dirty and tiring, and if she still nitpicks, then she¡¯d be unquestionably ungrateful.

    An Zhiyuan watched Bai Na truly happy, almost wanting to jump up three feet high to celebrate.

    "That¡¯s good, if you think it¡¯ll work, then pack your things today. Early tomorrow, I¡¯ll drive you there, and then they¡¯ll have a transport truck going to the chicken farm for feeding deliveries, it¡¯ll take you there and you can see what¡¯s needed and what¡¯s missing. Bai the doctor will prepare everything for you; your elder sister probably can¡¯t bear to see you or the child suffer, she¡¯ll definitely pack a huge bag for you."

    Bai Na shook her head because howe Brother-inw¡¯s words sound so sour?

    She grinned, revealing her only happy smile since reaching here. This smile showed her rxed brows, so bright.

    "Bai the doctor, you don¡¯t need to bring me anything, I have luggage myself, I¡¯ll take the child there just fine."

    She¡¯s already enough trouble for Bai the doctor and An Zhiyuan, if she also takes food and supplies from them, it would be inappropriate, just like those hooligans from her vige, people like that would get their spines snapped by vigers.

    Bai Xiao nudged An Zhiyuan, daring to tease her.

    "I won¡¯t bring much for you, just some form for Xiaobao. I don¡¯t need to worry about what you eat or drink, as there¡¯s food and drink provided there, you won¡¯t starve but this little one surely can¡¯t be taken care of by them. Besides, from the sound of it, it¡¯s a remote ce where form might be hard to find.

    Let¡¯s take advantage of the daylight; we¡¯ll go out and buy form for the baby, then you pack up when we get back."

    Bai Xiao hasn¡¯t nned on buying a lot, adults can adapt but children can¡¯t, especially this child who is barely over three months old.

    These past few days, perhaps because Bai Xiao slowly added form for the baby, over a few days this child seemed like a balloon being inted, gradually growing plump, theplexion bing pale and tender, appearing smarter and more active.

    Perhaps the past months the child had been starving, she herself had no energy.

    So Bai Xiao decided to ensure the child had a proper food supply.

    Tonight she¡¯ll educate Bai Na on supplemental nutrition knowledge for the baby. Though in her previous life she didn¡¯t have a child, it didn¡¯t stop her from liking children.

    At that time, she indeed watched some videos on supplementing nutrition for babies, and in the following decades, children¡¯s lives became increasingly superior.

    The supplemental nutrition for children was varied and meticulous.

 Chapter 1070: 1070: Leaving

    <strong>Chapter 1070: Chapter 1070: Leaving</strong>

    Bai Na didn¡¯t stand on ceremony and used a piece of cloth to wrap the child on her back; this was how they usually carried babies while working.

    In a low voice, she said to Bai Xiao, ¡°Dr. Bai, consider the money for the form as a loan. Please don¡¯t say it¡¯s for the child again. I feel uneasy with you spending money on me and the child.¡±

    Spending more time with Bai Xiao these days, she began to grow bolder, not as cautious as before, and dared to express her thoughts.

    Mainly because Bai Xiao encouraged her, telling her that as long as she conducted herself properly outside, she shouldn¡¯t be afraid to interact with others or express her ideas.

    The more afraid you are, the more likely you are to do something wrong.

    Whether facing problems or conflicts with others, speaking out is always eptable.

    If you don¡¯t understand something, just ask. rify any issues with others to avoid leaving lingering misunderstandings.

    With Bai Xiao¡¯s help, Bai Na was now much improved.

    At least she wasn¡¯t as timid as she was at home initially. She could hardly act naturally, even scanning Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan with the corner of her eyes while eating, afraid that eating too much would upset them. One could imagine how she lived at home and how long this habit had been cultivated.

    ¡°Alright, consider it a loan, okay? Let¡¯s go! Xiaobao, let¡¯s go get you some food.¡± Bai Xiao lightly brushed the little one¡¯s cheek with her fingertip, and the little one giggled.

    The two adultsughed.

    An Zhiyuan grabbed the car keys, ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll drive you.¡±

    Bai Xiao nced at him, ¡°Why are youing along when we girls are going shopping?¡±

    Bai Na felt a bit nervous; An Zhiyuan waspletely different from the men in her vige, and truthfully, she was more afraid than curious about him.

    An Zhiyuan ruffled Bai Xiao¡¯s hair, ¡°You ungrateful girl, I¡¯m just here to serve as yourborer since you¡¯re carrying the baby, and someone as weak as a chicken. And you dare say such things to me.¡±

    He was always so gentle and kind to Bai Xiao, and Bai Na sometimes envied this aspect of Brother An and Dr. Bai.

    She couldn¡¯t quite understand how the dynamics between men and women in the city had changed so dramatically.

    No longer were men the absolute rulers.

    She often saw An Zhiyuan with a look of affection for Dr. Bai. Many times he would help with cooking, serving, and cleaning, and even fetch foot bath water for Dr. Bai¡ªthings unimaginable in their vige.

    Even her father, considered open-minded, would just sit smoking his pipe when at home.

    All household chores were done by the women.

    Even meals were served by her mother, and her father just needed to pick up his chopsticks to eat.

    The best food was always given to the men, and the women mostly drank watery soup.

    Unlike An Zhiyuan, who always piled the best food into Dr. Bai¡¯s bowl as if it couldn¡¯t be filled enough.

    Then Dr. Bai would put the things she didn¡¯t like into An Zhiyuan¡¯s bowl.

    If that happened in their vige, it would probably get you beaten to death.

    Itpletely overturned her concept of men¡¯s and women¡¯s roles.

    ¡°Thank you, Brother An, for being ourborer, but with you as our driver, we save a lot of worries.¡± Bai Xiao said with a yful smile, and An Zhiyuanughed.

    ¡°Stop being cheeky! There are others around.¡±

    Having an outsider at home was indeed inconvenient; otherwise, he might have hugged Bai Xiao for a kiss. Hugging your wife for some affection, how romantic that would be.

    He looked wistfully at Bai Na and the child on her back, sighing!

    He made up his mind to send her away tomorrow.

    Bai Na suddenly felt a chill on her back, did Xiaobao pee herself?

    No, even if he did, it should feel warm, how is it cold?

    The three of them set off, and An Zhiyuan drove them directly to the department store.

    Bai Xiao took Bai Na to the form section.

    After a long while of picking and choosing, she got her two more baby bottles and nipples. Nowadays, ss bottles were frequently sterilized in hot water and easily shattered.

    Better to prepare two more, since they didn¡¯t know when mother and child could return. If purchasing items became inconvenient in that ce, the little one might suffer.

    Then she bought ten packs of form, sufficient for about three months based on the little one¡¯s current consumption.

    Seeing Bai Xiao pulling out arge sum, Bai Na felt a pang of heartache.

    She hadn¡¯t even started earning yet, and now she had spent dozens of yuan in one go.

    However, thinking that she would soon earn wages made her feel excited again.

    With such a considerable sum each month, and since food and lodging were covered, she didn¡¯t have many expenses. Apart from saving some for Xiaobao¡¯s form costs, she nned to send most of it back home.

    Life at home was tough since her family was practically penniless.

    Now that she had a bit of capability, she must send money back, as her two younger brothers were growing up, and their family needed to build a bamboo house and prepare for bringing wives.

    Her father¡¯s illness had dragged on for so many years; he should have a proper hospital visit instead of always relying on mountain herbs.

    Her mother¡¯s clothes had been worn for over ten years; it¡¯s all because of poverty at home.

    If possible, she¡¯d want to change all this.

    With newfound hope, Bai Na suddenly felt the sky was blue, and even the scorching sun and sultry humidity weren¡¯t so unbearable; everything seemed more endearing and warm.

    That evening, Bai Na had packed all her luggage, with everything wrapped up! She came with a small bundle but was leaving with onerge and one small military green duffel bag that An Zhiyuan and Bai Xiao gave her. They had quite a few of these military-green bags, which was better than the cloth-wrapped bundle she had.

    Early the next morning, Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan found out Bai Na had already made breakfast, simple steamed buns, eggs, millet porridge, and pickles, what they¡¯d been eating these past few days, prepared in advance by Bai Na.

    Not only breakfast, but she also cleaned the courtyard, watered the nts, and even washed her bedding, hanging it neatly in the courtyard. Since it was summer, and she had no beddings of her own, she washed the towel nkets she and the child used.

    Bai Na was indeed considerate.

    Bai Xiao watched as An Zhiyuan sent Bai Na off, waving her goodbye; this girl, because of her, was stepping onto a different path in life.

    Truly wishing this girl happiness.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1071: 1071 Arrival

    <strong>Chapter 1071: Chapter 1071 Arrival</strong>

    Bai Na followed An Zhiyuan all the way through the bumpy journey to the ce. An Zhiyuan personally led her to the Transport Team that was delivering feed supplies, exining that Bai Na was a temporary worker at the chicken farm. He asked the transport staff to take care of her on the way since she was a woman with a child, and then left.

    He didn¡¯t have time to oversee these matters all the time.

    Bai Na watched the transport staff load feed, as well as grain and vegetables, onto the truck and wanted to help, but the transport staff stopped her.

    ¡°Sister, don¡¯t lift a hand. We don¡¯t have the tradition of letting women do heavy work. Otherwise, our leader would scold us to death. No man would let a woman do this kind of work.¡± The transport staff was a bit embarrassed to call her Sister.

    The main thing was that Bai Na appeared quite young, not even older than them.

    Once everything was loaded, Bai Na, holding her child, was allowed into the driver¡¯s cab of the truck, which was spacious enough to seat several people.

    The road became increasingly remote, and Bai Na finally saw the chicken farm.

    It was just outside the vige, next to it was another farm. She recognized these ces from what the transport staff said. The two transport staff enthusiastically described the chicken farm¡¯s situation to Bai Na on the way, breaking the slight unease and nervousness she felt.

    Upon arriving at the chicken farm, the transport staff jumped off the truck, and immediately two men came out. One had a limp, and the other was missing an arm. They greeted the transport staff as they saw them.

    ¡°Xiaoliu, Xiaozhang, you¡¯rete today. We¡¯ve been waiting for ages. We should fine you two ¡ª where did you sneak off to?¡±

    The two old men clearly seemed very familiar with the transportrades.

    Xiaoliu jumped off the truck, helping Bai Na down.

    ¡°Hehe, how about that? Surprised you, right? This is your chicken farm¡¯s new temporary worker Bai Na. These two here are your future colleagues. One is called Old Liu, and the other is Erhu. They¡¯re both old-timers settled here to work. Old Liu, quickly take Bai Na in and settle her. We¡¯ll start unloading the goods now.¡±

    Bai Na felt a bit uneasy, holding her child and greeting them, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Bai Na!¡±

    Old Liu and Erhu saw not only a girl but one holding a child, which should mean she¡¯s family. They only knew a temporary worker wasing and didn¡¯t know it was a woman. Both were a bit dumbfounded but quickly recovered.

    Old Liu, who was the one with the limp, took therge and small baggage from Bai Na and led her inside.

    ¡°Come on, Xiaobai, I¡¯ll show you where you¡¯ll be staying. We didn¡¯t know you were a woman, so the living conditions aren¡¯t great. You¡¯ll have to stick it out a bit for now. Once we¡¯re free, we¡¯ll help tidy it up. Honestly, having a girl around, a woman, makes us two old bachelors quite happy.¡±

    However it is, for them it¡¯s considered a blessing.

    Even though she¡¯s not their wife! Isn¡¯t it said that men and women working together isn¡¯t tiring?

    Definitely better than a team of just men.

    Bai Na nodded, being led to the end room on the side. It was actually a wooden house, quite spacious and bright, with two spacious rooms. Inside was a sleeping area with a wooden bed big enough for two people, and tables and chairs. Though rudely crafted, the furniture wasplete.

    The outer room was a main hall. Though it didn¡¯t have a stove, it had tables and chairs. Just from looking at the dishes on the table, you could tell Old Liu and Erhu usually ate here.

    Seeing the unwashed dishes and bowls, he felt a bit embarrassed. Old Liu scratched his head and started cleaning up, ¡°Uh¡­ sorry, we¡¯re used to being messy. I¡¯ll clean it up right away.¡±

    Bai Na shook her head, ¡°No need! I¡¯ll clean up. You go help. Just show me where to fetch water and where to store these things in the kitchen.¡±

    A woman like her can handle this.

    Old Liu hurriedly pointed out the ces one by one, helped Bai Na put down her things, and then went to help Xiaoliu and the others move things.

    ¡°Xiaoliu! Why is it a woman?¡±

    They never expected there to be a womaning. The ce is so dirty and tiresome that even men don¡¯t like to work here, let alone women.

    ¡°She¡¯s actually a rtive of Chief An and supposedly arranged by Chief An¡¯s family. I heard she¡¯s a poor soul from her hometown, trying to earn some milk money for her child, barely making ends meet.¡±

    Xiaoliu had chatted a lot with Bai Na on the way and understood her situation well.

    Xiaozhang winked at the two, ¡°Old Liu, Erhu, you¡¯re lucky to have a woman around. When will it be our turn to have a female colleague? We¡¯ll bleed and sweat withoutints of fatigue or hardship.¡±

    They hadn¡¯t seen a woman for ages, each acting as excited as if injected with adrenaline upon seeing one.

    Old Liu and Erhu red, ¡°What nonsense! Are we like that? Can¡¯t you see she even has a child? That¡¯s a married woman. You want us to make a mistake?¡± Despite not having wives, they knew she¡¯s someone else¡¯s wife.

    Besides, they wouldn¡¯t want to be a burden to anyone. Now they¡¯re absentminded and disabled; marrying someone would only harm her.

    They realized they themselves were destined to be solitary for life.

    ¡°Hey, Old Liu, Brother Erhu, don¡¯t say that! You became like this because you protected our country. You were the pride of our team back then. Anyone who looks down on you, we won¡¯t allow it. You are the real pride of our team.

    Anyway, I asked around. While Bai Na didn¡¯t say much, it seems she doesn¡¯t have a man. I¡¯m not sure about all the details; all I know is she¡¯s had a tough life. Perhaps her husband passed away, otherwise, why would a woman be out here struggling to make a living? It¡¯s definitely tough.¡±

    ¡°Alright, enough chatting! Hurry and unload the goods, load the eggs onto the truck. You missed a round this time, so there are lots of eggs. Be careful not to bump them on the way,¡± Old Liu interrupted. Discussing a woman like gossiping wives isn¡¯t right. If Bai Na happened to hear, it¡¯d be bad if she thought they were shady people.

    They moved quickly, loading all the eggs from the warehouse onto the truck.

    Bai Na even boiled some water for them, leaving a big basin to cool. Just as they finished loading, it was ready, and everyone had a big bowl. Xiaoliu and the other gave Old Liu weird looks, not surprising since having a woman around changed the atmosphere.

    Once the transport truck left.

    Only then did Old Liu and Erhu notice how different things were.

    Bai Na not only cleaned up the kitchen but also washed their bedding, now hanging on the clothesline, and even tidied the front and back of the house spotlessly.

    The two realized for the first time what a difference a woman made.

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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1072 Comfort

    <h4>Chapter 1072: Chapter 1072 Comfort</h4>

    Bai Xiao saw Bai Na off and drove to Ruiyin herself; it was time for work.

    Her internship hadn¡¯t ended yet, due to the pandemic, she still had several months left toplete.

    As soon as she arrived at Ruiyin Hospital, she headed straight to the emergency department, since her leave was over, she had to return to her original department anyway.

    As she entered, Director Xu beamed.

    "Doctor Bai, you are a hero of Ruiyin,e, everyone pause your work, let me introduce our Doctor Bai Xiao, our Ruiyin¡¯s pride, let¡¯s give her a warm wee."

    Everyone apuded.

    However, Bai Xiao could still feel some people¡¯s strange gazes; it seemed her uncle¡¯s matter was still fermenting. No matter what, many people would have opinions, and the internal decision hadn¡¯t even reached Modu yet, but she knew about it in advance! Yet, the people below were still unaware.

    Quite a few people were probably waiting to see the joke.

    "Hello everyone! I am Bai Xiao! I am an intern doctor at Ruiyin, please take care of me in the future."

    Manners were imperative, she was just an intern. Her unit wasn¡¯t Ruiyin, here she¡¯d never be a veteran.

    "Doctor Bai! Wee."

    The first to speak was He Xin, unexpectedly He Xin was still in the emergency department, obviously having returned to work there before her.

    Then others chimed in, whether sincerely or otherwise, everyone expressed their sentiments.

    Director Xu chuckled and said, "Didn¡¯t expect you back in the department so soon. Go greet the Dean, and also your teacher and senior. You need to let the leadership know you¡¯re back."

    Bai Xiao nodded, it seemed there were indeed instructions from above; otherwise, Director Xu wouldn¡¯t look so troubled.

    There was probably some administrative action regarding her.

    Clearly, it¡¯s going to be tough for her at Ruiyin.

    With hands in pockets, she walked out, with He Xin closely following.

    "Don¡¯t take what the Dean says too seriously. You¡¯re an intern, Ruiyin doesn¡¯t have the right to stop your work. You¡¯re an intern doctor, doing your main job well is most important, remember, you¡¯re a doctor."

    He Xin mumbled behind her, surprising Bai Xiao. This He Xin was indeed different, at least after conflicts, she could still say such words, truly remarkable.

    "Thank you! I will. I¡¯ve always remembered I¡¯m a doctor."

    He Xin blushed, angrily ring, "Who wants your thanks, I¡¯m just speaking the truth. Quick, hurry back, we¡¯re waiting for you to work. The emergency department is so hectic, every day feels like a battle; don¡¯t think of cking."

    This girl was still the same! Not good at expressing kindness, typically harsh outside but soft inside.

    Bai Xiao suddenly turned and hugged He Xin tightly, "Okay, I understand you¡¯re concerned about me. Thank you."

    He Xin pushed Bai Xiao away, fiercely rubbing her arms in disdain, "Stay away from me, who¡¯s worried about you? Stop being vain, I just worry there¡¯s no one to work."

    Bai Xiao pointed at her,ughed heartily, and walked away.

    He Xin turned around, her lips curling into a smile, humming a song cheerfully.

    Back in the department, Director Xu teased, "Oh, Doctor He, you¡¯re in a good mood! Even humming a song. What¡¯s the good news? Tell us."

    He Xin proudly said, "Director Xu, bed six¡¯s patient needs a medicine change, I¡¯m still busy."

    She hurriedly slipped away.

    Director Xu shook his head, "That girl, they really have a love-hate rtionship. Clearly concerned for each other, yet putting on airs. It seems this rural trip was fruitful for them both."

    The head nurse immediately turned gossipy, "Director Xu, what do you think the Dean will do about Doctor Bai? It¡¯s almost be a big news in our Ruiyin, everyone¡¯s specting. Director Yu got into such serious trouble, the hospital leadership is aware, even our Dean was taken for questioning.

    Although nobody speaks it aloud, deep down everyone knows, Director Yu is unlikely to escape thew this time. Bai Xiao is Director Yu¡¯s niece, how can the Dean keep her?"

    The hospital has been buzzing with discussions.

    Bai Xiao hasn¡¯te, but almost did! After all, such gossip won¡¯t stay fresh for long.

    But once the person arrives, it immediately triggers everyone¡¯s curiosity, waiting to see what the Dean will do.

    Everyone thinks! Their Dean is pragmatic, he won¡¯t do anything that doesn¡¯t benefit the hospital.

    Bai Xiao is probably doomed.

    Although interns aren¡¯t under their direct management, it¡¯s possible to end her internship early, this isn¡¯t an issue. Any excuse would suffice to justify this.

    Everyone is eagerly watching.

    Bai Xiao headed upstairs towards the Dean¡¯s office.

    This day had toe eventually.

    She ran into Zhang Huan.

    "Senior!"

    Zhang Huan obviously didn¡¯t expect Bai Xiao to return to work at Ruiyin so soon, given Bai Xiao was one of the patients who survived against all odds.

    "Bai Xiao, why are you back at work so soon? Couldn¡¯t you rest more, it really makes me speechless. Anyway, let¡¯s go, follow me to see our teacher; he¡¯s been nagging to visit you at home these past days."

    Bai Xiao smiled, pulling Zhang Huan along, "Senior, Senior, I¡¯m heading to the Dean¡¯s office right now, I¡¯ll visit our teacher after I leave the Dean¡¯s room."

    Putting her neck on the chopping block either way, she wanted to see how Dean Jin intended to deal with her.

    Admittedly, she had some intention to watch the scenario unfold.

    The warmth and coldness of human rtionships, only during such events do they appear so fragile.

    Like He Xin earlier, who would¡¯ve thought this adversarial foe would stand out now tofort her, even though she didn¡¯t need it.

    Zhang Huan frowned, indeed, this matter couldn¡¯t be handled carelessly, she must meet the Dean; however, he was slightly frustrated, wishing Bai Xiao would return a monthter.

    He¡¯s now the Vice Dean, and next month he will take over all the Dean¡¯s responsibilities.

    He will be Ruiyin Hospital¡¯s acting Dean for the next year.

    A yearter, after the Dean retires, he will naturally be the next Dean.

    This was their customary practice here.

    Ever since Bai Xiao and the others left earlier, after Hou Baopu¡¯s disgraceful incident, there¡¯s virtually nopetition within the hospital; moreover, the higher-ups highly recognize his achievements, thus acknowledging his transition n as the next Dean.

    If Bai Xiao returned after he took over the Dean¡¯s duties, with him backing his little junior sister, she wouldn¡¯t suffer any loss. But she came back this month, Dean Jin might deliberately make things difficult for Bai Xiao.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1073 Urology

    <h4>Chapter 1073: Chapter 1073 Urology</h4>

    "You¡¯re going to see the Dean? Perfect, I need to see him too. Let¡¯s go together."

    At this moment, it¡¯s obviously not possible for Bai Xiao to go see the Dean alone. With him, the Vice Dean, present, perhaps Dean Jin might show a little respect.

    Of course, given Dean Jin¡¯s hidden resentment towards him, it might backfire and lead to more severe difficulties for Bai Xiao. However, no matter what, having himself there could give Bai Xiao a chance to speak, and it¡¯s always better to have someone who can help her exin than facing Dean Jin alone.

    "Do you really have business with Dean Jin?"

    Bai Xiao wouldn¡¯t believe it.

    Zhang Huan coughed, "I truly do have business with Dean Jin. Are you thinking, I, an adult, need to apany you to see the Dean? Don¡¯t be overly sentimental."

    Bai Xiao chuckled; she indeed found the right senior brother.

    Protecting his junior sister, that¡¯s truly unique.

    The two arrived at the Dean¡¯s office, and Bai Xiao knocked on the door.

    "Come in!"

    Dean Jin had just put down the phone, full of frustration. Zhang Huan recing him was already a settled matter, no matter how much he rmended his own protege, it was futile ¡ª the higher-ups had already nailed the decision of Zhang Huan.

    It seems he must quickly find ways to wrap up his work within the year; otherwise, the future remains uncertain.

    "Hello, Dean Jin, my health has improved; I¡¯ve returned to start my internship today."

    Bai Xiao entered with Zhang Huan.

    Upon seeing Zhang Huan, Dean Jin¡¯s pupils dted briefly, then returned to normal. It was an expression of anger, masked with effort.

    "Ah, Doctor Bai, you should rest for a while longer. After all, you went through such a major ordeal, and health shoulde first."

    Dean Jin motioned them to the sofa.

    With the warm, kindly expression of a benevolent elder, Bai Xiao unreservedly took a seat when offered.

    "Why are you so free that you came to see me, Vice Dean Zhang? Oh, right, Doctor Bai is your junior sister. Are you afraid I¡¯ll bully her, that you came here specifically to be her bodyguard?" His tone was half-mocking, teasing Zhang Huan, with meanings clear only to the two of them.

    "Not at all, Dean Jin. I¡¯m here to share thetest research report from the hospital with you. I happened to meet Doctor Bai, so we came together. Please don¡¯t misunderstand; although I¡¯m her senior brother, if she does anything wrong, I won¡¯t cover for it.

    You are the Dean, if she makes any mistakes, go ahead and teach her. Young doctors need to be strictly disciplined for their own good."

    Dean Jin smiled, pointing a finger at Zhang Huan, "Oh you, sly old fox."

    Surprisingly, his attitude was very intimate, making the two seem not at all like rivals locked in a life-and-death struggle.

    Bai Xiao really did hold Dean Jin in higher regard; no wonder people said age brings wisdom.

    He was indeed a smiling tiger.

    Dean Jin sat opposite Bai Xiao, "Doctor Bai, you demonstrated great courage during the pandemic, an admirable spirit for a doctor. This is genuinely worth learning for all of us. However, given you¡¯ve been through such a major ordeal, surely your health has suffered significantly. It¡¯s essential to recuperate properly; failing to do so would be a disservice to such a creditable individual, and it mustn¡¯t disappoint Doctor Bai, otherwise, it would be quite disheartening.

    Considering these factors, our hospital¡¯s leadership has unanimously decided that the work at Ruiyin Hospital is too demanding, and the patient load andplexity aren¡¯t conducive to your recovery.

    We n to transfer you to a hospital with a more rxed environment, which will certainly be more beneficial for your recuperation. Returning once you¡¯re fully recovered is never toote."

    He smiled at Bai Xiao; this was a good excuse and a clever solution.

    Zhang Huan snorted, drawing Dean Jin¡¯s attention.

    "What? Vice Dean Zhang isn¡¯t satisfied? Then tell me, what should be done?"

    "How should it be done? Dean Jin, this is the first time I¡¯ve heard of such an absurd idea. An intern being transferred is truly a great joke. It¡¯s notmon even in other hospitals, let alone Ruiyin. It¡¯s just an intern; why the need to transfer them around? Isn¡¯t it unnecessary hassle? Doctor Bai has only been interning for six months; it¡¯s really unnecessary to do so. If we¡¯re worried about Doctor Bai being overworked, she can simply stay out of the emergency department. Not all departments are busy."

    If they want to bully his junior sister, they¡¯d have to see if he¡¯d allow it.

    Dean Jin pped his thigh, "Oh nuh-uh, here I go getting befuddled! I had indeed not thought through this; you¡¯re right, all this transferring around certainly is cumbersome and unsightly. Since Vice Dean Zhang has spoken up, I can¡¯t deny old Zhang some face here. Fine, alright! Doctor Bai won¡¯t be transferred, but emergency probably won¡¯t do; if Doctor Bai gets exhausted, imagine the gossip it could stir.

    How about transferring Doctor Bai to the Urology department; they have fewer patients, and it¡¯s quitefortable. Old Zhang, surely this should satisfy you this time?"

    Zhang Huan¡¯s face went ck¡ªthis was what Dean Jin had been waiting for all along.

    No wonder Dean Jin deliberately mentioned these things in front of him earlier; it was to provoke a rebuttal. Indeed, the Dean hadid a trap for him, allowing Zhang Huan to disagree with Bai Xiao¡¯s transfer. The Dean agreed, gave him face, and now what more could he say?

    His words naturally follow once expressed, but Zhang Huan answering back would be inappropriate¡ªand would appear to be mere squabble with Dean Jin.

    That¡¯s what he was waiting for, it seems.

    Urology department!

    All male patients... letting a young twenty-somethingdy check urology cases is just intended humiliation.

    And for private parts, a female doctor¡ªcould she even see it; such thoughts were too malicious.

    "You, Dean Jin..."

    Dean Jin sneered, his expression darkening, "Is this still not satisfactory? Old Zhang, this is unbing of you. You may be set as the seeding Dean, but I¡¯m still the Dean, right? Once or twice you¡¯ve refuted me; some may know you¡¯re protecting your junior sister, but others might guess you¡¯ve disregarded the experienced Dean even before bing one. Although transferring to another hospital might have been thoughtless of me, within our hospital allocations, your nose is out of shape, eyes not aligned¡ªis there error in my actions?

    If you have opinions, raise them; I¡¯m keen to hear where I erred!"

    "She¡¯s a female doctor; seeing urology cases, how is that possible? Are you expecting those male patients to drop their pants for her to examine?" Zhang Huan bristled.

    "A doctor doesn¡¯t differentiate by gender! That¡¯s an iron rule; in others it¡¯s seen as discipline, but for Doctor Bai is it not? Is it that there are no male doctors in gynecology? Does the operating room separate male and female patients, leaving the female ones for potential death? Such thinking from Old Zhang cannot be condoned."

    Dean Jin had been expecting this; he was fully prepared.

 Chapter 1074: 1074: Begging Me to Go Back

    <strong>Chapter 1074: Chapter 1074: Begging Me to Go Back</strong>

    ¡°How¡­ How can it be the same?¡±

    Dean Jin leisurely took a sip from his tea cup.

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t it the same? Wherever you go, there are patients and doctors. A doctor¡¯s primary job is to treat the patients, ovee all difficulties. Is it possible that the Urology Department doesn¡¯t need doctors? Old Zhang, I understand your feelings, but I don¡¯t agree with your approach.

    We are doctors, we work for the patients regardless of where we are, everything is for the patients. We must discard our nationalities, genders, resentments, and treat each patient fairly. This is the highest state for a doctor, the ideal realm for all doctors.¡±

    Bai Xiao stood up, ¡°Dean Jin, you¡¯ve said a lot. We should see no gender distinction in patients. I¡¯ll report to the Urology Department.¡±

    There¡¯s no need to make things difficult for Zhang Huan, Dean Jin is just seizing the opportunity because he sees his uncle¡¯s downfall, wanting to hit her while she¡¯s down.

    She knew Dean Jin had it out for her, but she didn¡¯t expect such a big shot like him toe up with such a petty trick, really taking some effort.

    Dean Jin immediately smiled, ¡°Doctor Bai, that¡¯s right. I keep saying that there aren¡¯t many young people like Doctor Bai with such high medical ethics. You¡¯re an example for all of us to learn from, you see Old Zhang is still narrow-mindedpared to you.¡± He raised a thumb, with a face full of pride, close to unting his power.

    ¡°Old Zhang, professional doctors like Doctor Bai are hard toe by, make sure to cultivate such talents in the future. No wonder you¡¯re brothers and sisters, Old Zhang, Doctor Bai really has your demeanor from back in the day.¡±

    Dean Jin looked at Zhang Huan, who was furious with a livid face, feeling satisfied in his heart.

    Alright.

    He had long been nning how to deal with Bai Xiao. If it was a monthter, Zhang Huan would hold the power, and he himself would be powerless. But this Bai Xiao came knocking on her own.

    Now, as a dean, he wasn¡¯t being excessive at all, everything was well-founded, who else could say anything?

    Bai Xiao¡¯s uncle, Yu Shaoyan, has already fallen from grace. Among the hospitals of this rank, who isn¡¯t aware? People are just pretending not to know, and no one will speak about it openly.

    Who is going to be the next Health Bureau director is still unknown, but everyone knows that being involved in such a bribery case, if one isn¡¯t finished, one will suffer severely. The evidence is nailed down, unless the informant retracts, there¡¯s no chance of surviving.

    Without Yu Shaoyan, what backing does Bai Xiao have?

    An Zhiyuan?

    He doesn¡¯t have any ties with them. No matter how powerful An Zhiyuan is, what can he do to him?

    Besides, he¡¯ll retire in a year, so what is he afraid of?

    He¡¯s keen on embarrassing Bai Xiao, generally, young female doctors wouldn¡¯t be assigned to this department.

    ¡°Alright then, Dean Jin, I¡¯ll report, you take your time.¡±

    Bai Xiao smiled gently, showing no sign of anger.

    The Urology Department isn¡¯t much different from other departments; it¡¯s just the patients that are different. If it were other female doctors, they¡¯d probably feel ashamed and indignant. Unfortunately, who is she?

    She is Doctor Bai, what¡¯s the big deal?

    ¡°Well Old Jin, I¡¯ll also get busy, we¡¯ll chat another day.¡±

    Zhang Huan followed Bai Xiao out the door.

    ¡°Bai Xiao, how could you agree? He¡¯s doing this on purpose, shameless old man, clearly bullying.¡±

    Zhang Huan was furious, quickly trying toe up with a solution.

    ¡°How about you take a leave now? Take a month off. By the time youe back, I¡¯ll already have taken over the work, then there¡¯ll be no need to go to the Urology Department.¡±

    Bai Xiao shook her head, patted Zhang Huan¡¯s shoulder andforted him, ¡°Senior brother, it¡¯s okay. It¡¯s just the Urology Department. A doctor is a doctor wherever they are. Although Dean Jin wants to make things difficult for me, I will treat it as an opportunity to practice. Moreover, have you forgotten what department I initially studied? The Urology Department is a piece of cake for me, I won¡¯t be troubled.¡±

    Bai Xiao isn¡¯t one to just keep the peace. People like Dean Jin are merely blind to people¡¯s worth, a kind of human trash. If she were to really fight with him, wouldn¡¯t it just end with killing him or making him disabled, paralyzed? What happens when others try to hinder her in the future, does she annihte them all?

    That would make Bai Xiaopletely evil.

    Surely she can¡¯t just disable or kill everyone who has a grudge against her. That would indeed be terrifying.

    She can do it.

    But she shouldn¡¯t do it.

    She¡¯ll encounter these situations wherever she goes, the important thing is how she adapts to them, finds joy in them, and does her own things, rather than wanting to take people¡¯s lives.

    Facing challenges, soldierse to block ideologies, and water covers soil for differences. She¡¯s a doctor, devoted to the career she wants to dedicate to, hence she doesn¡¯t care about these situations.

    People like Dean Jin are just barking for a couple of days. Once her uncle gets out, Dean Jin will probably beg her to go back.

    ¡°You, what can I say! Teacher, why did you take in such a sincere fool.¡±

    Seeing Bai Xiao like this, Zhang Huan was about to go crazy.

    The two went to Doctor Xue¡¯s office one after the other.

    As soon as Doctor Xue saw the two, one with a fierce face, the other smiling, he couldn¡¯t help but be amused.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Bai Xiao, how did you offend your senior brother? It¡¯s your first day at work and you¡¯ve already offended your senior brother; that¡¯s not right.¡±

    He motioned for the two students to have a seat.

    Looking at Bai Xiao, they hadn¡¯t seen each other for a month. She seemed much more spirited than when she was in Gui Province. She was also much healthier, visibly tanner, appeared to be well taken care of.

    Bai Xiao quickly got Zhang Huan to sit down.

    ¡°Teacher! You should advise Brother Zhang. How could he be a director with this temper? You said he has a good temper, but look at me, I still have to coax him.¡±

    Zhang Huan red, Bai Xiao was tattling.

    ¡°Teacher! You know I¡¯ve been exhausting myself for her, thinking of ways for her well-being, and yet, she is like this. Her disposition doesn¡¯t seem like your student at all, your students are tough. Her softness is bound to be bullied to death.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Doctor Xue rarely saw his eldest student so agitated.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know, that old Jin gave me a hard time at thest minute; he deliberately wanted to transfer Bai Xiao to another hospital. I was anxious and kept her here. But he took advantage of the situation to send Bai Xiao to the Urology Department. Look, sending a young girl there, that department is full of men, old Jin did it on purpose to mess with people.¡±

    ¡°Doctor Xue, teacher! I think it¡¯s nothing. Doctors are the same wherever they treat patients. Besides, I won¡¯t suffer losses by going there. I¡¯m from a Traditional Chinese Medicine background, with family-taught skills that won¡¯t let me suffer. Moreover, fewer things are better than more, Dean Jin just wants to step on me while my uncle is in trouble. If we confront, Brother Zhang, how will people view you?

    Not even started, already favoring personal rtions. That reputation isn¡¯t pleasant. I want Dean Jin himself to invite me back. Don¡¯t give others a chance to criticize.¡±

    ¡°Are you confident?¡±

    Looking at Bai Xiao like this, Doctor Xue naturally meant Yu Shaoyan.

    ¡°Of course I am!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good then, Zhang Huan, Bai Xiao is moreposed than you. You¡¯ve lived for so many years, yet still re up so quickly. You should cultivate your temperament.¡±

    Zhang Huan choked.

    The teacher was biased.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1075: Dormancy

    <h4>Chapter 1075: Chapter 1075: Dormancy</h4>

    In no time, the news that Bai Xiao was transferred to the urology department spread throughout Ruiyin Hospital.

    The emergency department was on the verge of exploding.

    He Xin¡¯s face was ashen, not because she was just, or that she spoke up bravely, but transferring an excellent surgeon to the urology department was nothing short of a tant humiliation.

    She went through thick and thin with Bai Xiao and knows what kind of person Bai Xiao is. This Doctor Bai, who once might have seemed like someone who relied on connections to rise in her eyes, had gained He Xin¡¯s respect after seeing the real Bai Xiao.

    A doctor withmendable medical ethics and skills, such talent, a promising talent at that, being sent to the urology department as an intern is a waste, taking her away from the surgery table and specialized knowledge.

    So He Xin erupted again, and upon hearing the news, her first thought was to find the Dean.

    However, evidently, her uncle heard about it instantly too and cornered her in the corridor, bringing her to his office.

    "Xiao Xin, can you just stir up less trouble for me? I¡¯m telling you, this isn¡¯t something you or I can involve ourselves in. You¡¯re just a small-time intern doctor; understand your position." Vice Dean He was helpless, having such a niece had him exasperated.

    Last time, she insisted on joining a rural medical team, and he let her. When she got back, her auntined for a whole month.

    This time, after all the chaos, she not only gained amendation but also managed to return to Ruiyin ahead of schedule! This tenure at Ruiyin was a sure thing, sparing him lots of effort.

    But now, this girl was about to stir up trouble again.

    He Xin was indignant, "Uncle, isn¡¯t this bullying? Dean Jin¡¯s actions, isn¡¯t it too tant? Who¡¯s blind to it? This is clearly making things hard for Doctor Bai under the guise of being good for Bai Xiao. If it were good, why doesn¡¯t he go himself?"

    "Save your energy! What does Bai Xiao have to do with you? Let me be frank with you, Bai Xiao¡¯s uncle has already been isted for investigation by the prosecutor¡¯s office. Dean Jin has his reasons for doing this. Bai Xiao has no one backing her right now, haven¡¯t you seen even Doctor Xue and Deputy Dean Zhang not stepping forward? What good would it do for you to step up? Those teachers and senior peers are all ying it safe, so you should too." Vice Dean He, of course, knew the inside story.

    "Uncle, so you¡¯re saying this is just a silent torment without grounds for appeal? Bai Xiao¡¯s uncle is her uncle, what¡¯s that got to do with her? She hasn¡¯t done anything. This isn¡¯t just adding crimes out of nowhere."

    "Stop being the justice warrior. The world isn¡¯t ck and white as you imagine. There are many things behind Bai Xiao¡¯s situation, and right now, Dean Jin is like a mad dog; biting him back would be in vain. Just take care of yourself."

    He Xin angrily wanted to argue further, but Vice Dean He really stared at her this time, pointing at her nose, "I warn you, if you meddle in this again without reason, I¡¯ll give you a leave to go home. I still have that authority. Understand that the world doesn¡¯t bend to your will just because you want it to. Sometimes it¡¯s this helpless. You¡¯re still young, and there are many opportunities. At times, learning to lie low when facing setbacks isn¡¯t a bad thing."

    "Uncle!" He Xin stamped her feet. This uncle treated her just like his own daughter, and this was the first time he had seriously reprimanded her.

    "Calling me won¡¯t help; just get back to work. Don¡¯t make me truly exercise my authority. I don¡¯t want to, but for your sake, I might have to pull some strings and exercise my power."

    He Xin could only obediently return.

    Frustrated, helpless, and defeated, He Xin suddenly began to question why a proper medical job had to be embroiled in so much scheming and treachery.

    Bai Xiao didn¡¯t take it to heart at all.

    She calmly reported to the urology department.

    The director here, to be precise, was Dean Jin¡¯s student, but also a neglected one; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be relegated to this backwater.

    There really weren¡¯t many people in the urology department.

    Many onlye here when they have no choice; they¡¯re too embarrassed to speak up.

    But there were only a scant few patients at the entrance, all with shifty eyes, looking like they were sneaking around.

    The patients waiting outside were dumbfounded to see a female doctor wandering into the urology department.

    Could there be female doctors in urology?

    Some people blushed, but many others immediately let their imaginations run wild.

    After Bai Xiao checked in, Director Wang didn¡¯t make things difficult; he¡¯d been there for years, and any ambitious spirit had worn away long ago.

    This Doctor Bai is currently a prizing figure at Ruiyin ¨C a student of Doctor Xue¡¯s group, junior to Zhang Huan, and Yu Shaoyan¡¯s niece. With such identities, no one could do anything to her, not to mention her achievements. Just taking risks to avert a global pandemic crisis was enough to earn her respect.

    If anyone is unsatisfied, they could try experiencing a life-or-death situation and see if they can earn a specialmendation.

    So, Bai Xiao was assigned to assist the on-duty doctor. To put it bluntly, interns are there to run errands.

    All the legwork and odd jobs fall to the interns.

    Director Wang gave only simple instructions to the on-duty doctor about Bai Xiao¡¯s internship, advising them to take good care of her.

    The on-duty doctor, Zhao Xiang, saw Bai Xiao and understood instantly. This was Dean Jin making things difficult for her. The hospital had been buzzed about it, and this Bai Doctor, who was like heaven¡¯s chosen, was now sent down to their urology department.

    A female doctor entering the urology department ¨C what could the intention be?

    However, Zhao Xiang wasn¡¯t in a position to speak his mind; he realized the stakes instantly.

    Zhang Huan was about to take office soon. To put it simply, this was merely a brief stay in the urology department; she could be back as a surgeon any day.

    Why would he want to make an enemy for himself?

    He directly told Bai Xiao to just help him write prescriptions; he¡¯d handle the patients.

    This was for Bai Xiao¡¯s good. After the crackdown in recent years, people became more disciplined, but since the opening-up policy, not only did it open the economy but also people¡¯s thoughts and rtionships between men and women. With more interactions, diseases have also increased.

    And some unruly patients might even try to flirt with the female doctor.

    Bai Xiao, of course, understood Zhao Xiang was looking out for her and didn¡¯t contest it. If she truly were to treat patients, there wouldn¡¯t be any issue.

    Calmly, she sat at the desk opposite Zhao Xiang, writing prescriptions for him.

    Every patient that came in gave her a second look.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1076: Cure-All

    <h4>Chapter 1076: Chapter 1076: Cure-All</h4>

    She absolutely hadn¡¯t realized that someone outside had noticed her.

    Truth is often stranger than fiction.

    Who¡¯s out there?!

    It turns out to be Bai Jingshan.

    As soon as those wordse out, you can imagine many people¡¯s minds running wild, immediately picturing a scene where Bai Jingshan, a rich man, messes around with women and ends up contracting an unclean disease.

    But that¡¯s really not the case.

    Bai Jingshan is a disciplined individual. Although he appreciates beauty, he is selective. For him, a woman¡¯s appearance is just a part of it. She must also have a clean background. Socialites adored by everyone don¡¯t interest him.

    This time, Bai Jingshan had been feeling frequent and urgent urination, and other diforts. He¡¯s not someone who¡¯s embarrassed to talk about such issues. With his different education background, he knows that it could very likely be prostatitis, and if untreated, could lead to more problems.

    So Bai Jingshan came to Ruiyin¡¯s urology department today, apanied by his assistant.

    Here, even having money is useless. You must queue and wait for your turn at the hospital.

    Ruiyin¡¯s connections aren¡¯t something this nouveau riche, who recently returned to the country, can obtain instantly.

    So there he was, sitting on one of the chairs outside, waiting.

    And that¡¯s when he saw Bai Xiao.

    This unforgettable face made Bai Jingshan unable to forget it almost instantly.

    No spection needed; Bai Jingshan could tell this must be Yu Shaoya¡¯s daughter.

    The mother and daughter looked identical, as if cast from the same mold.

    Yu Shaoya is more gentle and carries a lot of grace, with an enchanting aura in her gaze. Bai Xiao is different; her demeanor is more spirited and her gaze more resolute¡ªclearly a stubborn person.

    "Number fifteen! Number fifteen!"

    The nurse called out the number.

    Bai Jingshan was number sixteen. The man with the piggish, leering face in front of him stood up and walked into the consultation room.

    "Number sixteen, get ready. Number sixteen is next."

    Bai Jingshan raised his hand to indicate he was number sixteen, and moved toward the consultation room door. His assistant, Xiaofeng, kept close, cherishing the rare opportunity to apany the boss to the doctor. Otherwise, this wouldn¡¯t have been his business at all.

    But Bai Jingshaning to the urology department was enough to spark imaginations. Could it be some affair with a woman causing trouble for the boss?

    No wonder Xiaofeng thought like that; many people nowadays associate the urology department with sexual affairs.

    The piggish-face entered the consulting room, sitting directly on the chair in front of Bai Xiao without even acknowledging Zhao Xiang, as if Zhao Xiang didn¡¯t exist.

    Seeing this, Zhao Xiang frowned.

    He said impatiently, "Number fifteen patient, over here."

    Number fifteen didn¡¯t budge, asking with a smirk, "Isn¡¯t this doctor seeing patients?"

    Bai Xiao looked up, noticing the rogue look on the patient¡¯s face. He was here to take advantage.

    Some people just don¡¯t know their ce and love causing trouble.

    "A doctor is here to see patients! Do you want me to take a look?"

    No wonder Dean Jin came up with this trick. On the first day, encountering such an ill-intentioned patient, using her as a female doctor for kicks, teasing her, treating the hospital like a bar or club.

    Number fifteen nodded, "Since they¡¯re all doctors, what¡¯s the difference in who sees me? Doctor, you just look at me!"

    Bai Xiao looked at number fifteen seriously, "Are you sure?"

    She was giving him a chance; Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t someone who easily dealt with others, but he was in the wrong ce if he wanted to take advantage.

    I¡¯m a good person and want to remain one without hoping to be a bad one.

    "Number fifteen, I¡¯ll take a look,e here," Zhao Xiang could see that the jerk was no good.

    Number fifteen red in disdain without acknowledging Dr. Zhao, and turned to Bai Xiao.

    "Of course I¡¯m sure, look! I just want this doctor to see. I¡¯m not going to anyone else today."

    Number fifteen smiled at Bai Xiao with a sly, shifty look, his grin full of bad intentions.

    Bai Xiao pointed at her wrist, "Stretch out your wrist."

    Number fifteen extended his chubby arm, who knows how he ate to be so fat, with a hand like a pig¡¯s trotter.

    Bai Xiao examined it and ced her fingers on his wrist.

    "Ah, sofortable!"

    Number fifteen exaggerated, his eyes fixed on Bai Xiao¡¯s fair, tender face, gazing at her bright eyes and smiling lips, feeling all fluttery.

    "Doctor, what¡¯s wrong with me?"

    "Comrade, where are you feeling ufortable?"

    Bai Xiao nearly rolled her eyes. If she wasn¡¯t reminding herself she was in a hospital, she might¡¯ve already made sure he¡¯d never stand again.

    "Isn¡¯t it obvious? I¡¯m ufortable down there. My buddy has been ufortable for days, can¡¯t finish urinating, constantly needing to go urgently. Doctor, do you need to take a look? Without seeing it in person, how can you know where the problem is?"

    It was tant harassment.

    Number fifteen was smug. Troubling a pretty female doctor seemed fun to him.

    "Hey, what are you doing? What are you doing?"

    Number fifteen watched Bai Xiao take out the acupuncture kit, calmly pulling out a silver needle, and shouted in shock.

    "What are you doing? Didn¡¯t you want me to look at it in person? I¡¯ve already diagnosed your problem. You¡¯re so cooperative, even pulling your pants down yourself. Don¡¯t worry, one needle, and all problems are cured; you¡¯ll be fine once you get home."

    The cold gleam made number fifteen shudder!

    Where on earth did this doctore from?

    Is this how you¡¯re supposed to treat patients?

    Are you trying to help people, or kill them?

    In an instant, clinging to his pants, he jumped to the side, ring at Bai Xiao with suspicion.

    "You, you... what are you doing? Are you really a doctor? What kind of doctor starts with acupuncture? I think you¡¯re taking lives casually. You¡¯re just a quack, I¡¯m telling you if you dare touch me, I¡¯ll make you regret it. I¡¯ll sue Ruiyin and make it go bankrupt."

    At this point, number fifteen desperately avoided getting close to Bai Xiao.

    "Comrade! It¡¯s your fault now; weren¡¯t you cooperating a moment ago? I hadn¡¯t even said anything about pulling your pants down. Who can force you if you don¡¯t agree? Besides, my acupuncture is a family secret, rest assured! It¡¯s our family legacy, two needles and all your ailments are gone, absolutely no problem." Bai Xiao, holding the silver needle, argued with number fifteen.

    Number fifteen looked at the silver needle, pulled Zhao Xiang in front of him for protection, "I¡¯m telling you, I don¡¯t want to see your secret techniques. I¡¯m telling you nothing in the world will let you touch me, back off and let me through. Now I¡¯m not asking for your treatment, I¡¯m going to ask this doctor to see me. Whoever wants to, let them, but I¡¯m not doing it."

    Holding tight, he pushed Zhao Xiang in front.

    Zhao Xiang nearly burst outughing.

    Serves you right, messing with Dr. Bai, see where you ended up?

    Dr. Bai still has tricks up her sleeve; realizing that¡¯s the way to deal with harassers really feels satisfying.

    Serves you for bullying the young woman.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1077: Another One

    <h4>Chapter 1077: Chapter 1077: Another One</h4>

    "You¡¯re really not going to have a look?"

    Bai Xiao waved his hand, the silver needle in his hand glinting coldly. Patient fifteen flinched back sharply, "I¡¯m not looking. What kind of hospital is this? Bringing in a madman without even checking the illness, just sticking needles. If something happens to me, can you afford topensate?"

    "Comrade, you¡¯re really mistaken. Dr. Bai is a nationally renowned doctor with national certifications. Being able to consult with Dr. Bai, you¡¯re really fortunate! Dr. Bai¡¯s acupuncture is famous and can even substitute anesthetics. This isn¡¯t a trivial matter. Why don¡¯t you give it a try, just a couple of needles?" Zhao Xiang teased him with a grin.

    Patient fifteen gave Bai Xiao a sidelong nce, thinking he was just a doctor in his twenties. How skilled could he really be?

    No matter how renowned, he couldn¡¯t allow acupuncture on his "little brother".

    If it goes wrong, whose fault would it be?

    If it goes wrong, they couldn¡¯t afford topensate.

    "Don¡¯t fool me, I¡¯ll watch you."

    This time, patient fifteen resolutely held onto Dr. Zhao, refusing to let go, thinking this was a joke.

    Bai Xiao turned his head with a bright smile, "Then I suggest you go register again. I¡¯ve examined you, diagnosed you, and treatment is necessary. You¡¯re refusing it, so the appointment fee won¡¯t be refunded. Next!"

    Putting away the silver needle, he really wanted to give this bastard a jab, make him impotent for life.

    Forget it, forget it.

    You¡¯re a doctor, Bai Xiao, you¡¯re a doctor, not a killer.

    Take a step back and the sky opens wide.

    Bai Xiao sat back down calmly, as patient fifteen swore under his breath, "Isn¡¯t this just fraud, registering without curing the disease, making patients re-register, you¡¯re just swindlers."

    Bai Xiao turned his head and said, "We don¡¯tmit fraud. How could we? Please,e over! I¡¯ll treat you."

    Suddenly his eyes turned sharp, and patient fifteen was pricked by that gaze, his back aching.

    "Fine, I¡¯ll re-register. I¡¯ve got money, I can get reimbursed, but I¡¯m not letting you treat me. Trying to cheat me into getting two needles, no way!" Patient fifteen finally went out to re-register.

    Zhao Xiang and Bai Xiao exchanged a smile.

    This guy deserved a lesson.

    Patient fifteen almost bumped into Bai Jingshan who was entering, stumbled, and nearly fell face-first.

    Xiaofeng quickly supported Bai Jingshan, "What are you doing? Watch where you¡¯re going! You can¡¯t afford to break our boss, Bai!"

    He clearly saw the leg his boss retracted, the dignified president of Bai Group was surprisingly so mischievous, really too yful.

    Patient fifteen looked at Bai Jingshan, his attire clearly showed he was untouchable, muttering curses.

    "Damn, what rotten luck today."

    He walked away grumbling.

    Bai Jingshan sat down in front of Bai Xiao.

    Oh,mendable courage.

    After scaring one away, now there¡¯s another one willinglying in.

    Truly fearless because of lust.

    Bai Xiao seriously observed Bai Jingshan, looking prim and proper, was he a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing?

    "Comrade, are you here to see me about a medical issue too?"

    I¡¯ve given you a way out.

    "Yes! I¡¯m here to see you about a medical issue."

    Bai Jingshan looked at Bai Xiao¡¯s cunning eyes, feeling a warmth inside. This girl really gave him a familiar feeling, more livelypared to the elegance in Yu Shaoya¡¯s photos, making people feel a natural warmth, a kind of unspeakable familiarity deep down.

    "Please extend your wrist, what seems to be the problem?"

    Bai Xiao continued with a bright smile, maybe the earlier intimidation didn¡¯t work, this person really wanted to take the risk.

    Smitten by beauty?

    When did I be someone people flock to?

    Bai Jingshan, you¡¯re really in danger.

    Bai Jingshan calmly extended his wrist, "I¡¯ve been experiencing frequent urination, urgency, and iplete urination for about a month. A friend who¡¯s a doctor suggested it might be symptoms of prostatitis and advised me to get checked at the hospital to prevent future diseases."

    Bai Xiao almost smirked.

    The excuses are always the same, why not just say you have erectile dysfunction?

    Fingers touched the pulse, special ability whirling.

    An eye-opener, this person really had the same symptoms he described, not lying, it really was prostatitis.

    His demeanor soft, a man¡¯s gentle gaze at Bai Xiao, speaking clearly about his symptoms, then waiting for Bai Xiao¡¯s response.

    No sneaky actions, not like patient fifteen who was sleazy and looking for trouble, even his pulse under the fingers was stable, hard to believe this person had bad intentions.

    "I¡¯d need to give you two needles, if all goes well, in one course, three sessions, you should fully recover."

    Bai Xiao offered honest advice, nowadays three times really meant three times, her special ability wasn¡¯t cooperating as needed, struggling even if she wanted to instantly cure someone.

    Havinge back from the dead, her special ability changed again, without knowing why, perhaps a side effect of the virus?

    Couldn¡¯t exin nor take any reference, Bai Xiao herself could only y along dumbly.

    Xiaofeng¡¯s eyes widened.

    Still using this trick!

    "Doctor, we are decent folks, just here for medical advice, no funny business. You can¡¯t just use this to brush us off, can you?"

    He certainly couldn¡¯t hold back, havinge with Boss Bai.

    Couldn¡¯t just stay silent.

    Imagining the risk of treating Bai was a heavy responsibility.

    Bai Xiao raised her eyes to Xiaofeng, "Which of your eyes saw me brushing off, I¡¯m a doctor, treating diseases, saving lives, not using acupuncture to harm people just like that. Thest guy misunderstood, I didn¡¯t do anything, I also said.

    If he let me give him needles, I could guarantee recovery in three sessions, he backed off himself, nothing to do with me."

    Pettiness at y.

    Then faced and locked eyes with Bai Jingshan, "Comrade! You¡¯re the patient! You decide whether to be seen or not, if you want me to see, then needles are necessary, if not, go register again, there¡¯s another doctor, don¡¯t waste our time."

    Bai Jingshan looked at the forthright Bai Xiao and smiled gently, "I¡¯ll take the needles!"

    The faint smile, and that elegant demeanor truly made one skeptical.

    "Really?"

    Bai Jingshan¡¯s smile, gentle crow¡¯s feet at the corners, which didn¡¯t age him, but added mature charm, not aloof imperiousness.

    "Really!"

    "Alright then! Follow me to the treatment room."

    A treatment room indeed! Convenient for seeing patients, usually used by Zhao Xiang, now by Bai Xiao.

    Bai Jingshan quietly followed Bai Xiao in, Xiaofeng wanted to say something, but was silenced by Bai Jingshan¡¯s sharp look.

    Seems like Boss Bai had taken a liking to this young doctor.

    Truly willing to die for the cause under the peony.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1078: 1078: Casual

    <strong>Chapter 1078: Chapter 1078: Casual</strong>

    Ten minutester, Bai Jingshan walked out feeling refreshed, with Xiaofeng following behind, a newfound respect in his gaze towards Bai Xiao.

    Earlier, there might have been some disdain, thinking this young doctor was just a pretty face, but now it seemed there was indeed some skill, although it¡¯s uncertain if it would be as effective as she imed.

    ¡°Comrade,e back three dayster next time. You must not bathe on the day of acupuncture, maintain a light diet, and avoid cold and spicy foods. Fish, shrimp, and crabs are off-limits, and it would be best to reduce smoking and drinking. Of course, if you can¡¯t quit, there¡¯s nothing we can do, but cherish your health as your own, especially at your age where money can¡¯t buy health,¡± Bai Xiao advised Bai Jingshan, willing to nag a bit more for someone with the same surname.

    As Bai Jingshan looked at Bai Xiao¡¯s face, he went into a brief daze beforeing back to his senses after a while.

    But he soon recovered his smile and nodded at Bai Xiao, ¡°Dr. Bai! Thank you, I will follow your advice.¡±

    Seeing such a cooperative Bai Jingshan, Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°You really are a good patient. Next!¡±

    As Bai Jingshan and Xiaofeng left Ruiyin Hospital, Xiaofeng asked thoughtfully, ¡°Mr. Bai, should I order a bouquet of flowers to be sent to Dr. Bai?¡±

    Bai Jingshan stopped in his tracks, and Xiaofeng, unprepared, bumped into him, ¡°Ah, Mr. Bai, I wasn¡¯t looking.¡±

    If it were someone else, Xiaofeng would have cursed them for not having eyes.

    Bai Jingshan shot Xiaofeng a cold look, a stark contrast from his earlier gentle demeanor with Bai Xiao, making Xiaofeng feel a chill run down his spine.

    What¡¯s up with this weird weather?

    It¡¯s clearly not cold.

    ¡°You¡¯re looking rather idle, aren¡¯t you? There¡¯s still a vacancy for a project manager in South America, and it seems quite suitable for you.¡±

    Xiaofeng felt as if struck by lightning, oh dear.

    Mr. Bai wants to banish him to that godforsaken ce, it would be a fate worse than death.

    What did he say!

    ¡°Mr. Bai, I didn¡¯t say anything just now, you must have misheard.¡±

    Opening the car door for Bai Jingshan.

    Bai Jingshan got in the car, and Xiaofeng sat in the passenger seat.

    The driver had no idea what had happened.

    In any case, Bai Jingshan looked much better, but his expression seemed displeased.

    Sidelong ncing at Xiaofeng, wondering what on earth Assistant Feng did to offend Mr. Bai.

    ¡°Mr. Bai, I really didn¡¯t mean anything just now, it¡¯s just that Dr. Bai has such superb medical skills, she¡¯s both beautiful and skilled, sending a bouquet would express our gratitude, it was well-intentioned.¡±

    Bravely exining, hoping this reason was strong enough.

    The driver¡¯s sharp ears caught it instantly.

    Bai Xiao?

    Could it be the Bai Xiao he doesn¡¯t get along with!

    ¡°Assistant Feng really has a way with words.¡±

    Bai Jingshan spoke, making Assistant Feng¡¯s heart race.

    ¡°Mr. Bai, it¡¯s not suitable for me to go to South America, I¡¯m allergic to sunlight. Please spare me!¡±

    Who¡¯s to know disaster lies in speech.

    Truly an unforeseen cmity, the boss¡¯s thoughts are hard to guess.

    ¡°Mr. Bai, that Bai Xiao is not a good person, don¡¯t make things difficult for Assistant Feng because of her, I¡¯ve seen that woman, she¡¯s very fierce, very malicious, and very mean, not a good person at all.¡±

    The driver presumptuously spoke in defense of Assistant Feng.

    Assistant Feng almost jumped up hearing this.

    Thinking, damn, what grudge do I have against you, that you¡¯d harm me like this!

    That Dr. Bai is now the apple of Mr. Bai¡¯s eye, and you¡¯re trying to send me to South America never to return in this life!

    ¡°Who says Dr. Bai is bad? Dr. Bai is a good person, warmhearted and kind to people, treating patients like family, and she¡¯s beautiful too. Anyone who dares to say Dr. Bai is bad, I¡¯ll be mad at them.¡± Assistant Feng watched Bai Jingshan¡¯s face soften through the rearview mirror and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    Seems he gambled right.

    ¡°Assistant Feng, you don¡¯t understand that woman, the way she treated Miss Shang that day, I saw it clearly, and that day, right in front of Mr. Bai, she had the gall to extort us, scratching our car and ying rogue, you don¡¯t know how wicked that woman truly is, you¡¯ll be easily deceived just by her looks.¡± The driver spared no effort in denigrating Bai Xiao.

    ¡°Alright, enough, both of you! Let me have some peace and quiet.¡±

    With a shout from Bai Jingshan, the two obediently shut their mouths.

    Arriving at thepany, they spotted Shang Kaiwen waiting in the lobby.

    Wearing a fashionable suit, perfectly tailored to highlight Shang Kaiwen¡¯s good figure, her wavy long hair hung sensually and gracefully over her shoulders, with exquisite makeup and an elegant demeanor, she greeted Bai Jingshan with the most beautiful smile.

    ¡°Mr. Bai, I¡¯ve been waiting for you for a long time, I have news about that Jade Pendant today.¡±

    Raising the folder in her hand.

    Disying a close yet appropriately distanced rtionship with Bai Jingshan.

    Bai Jingshan nced at the folder and shook his head, ¡°Miss Shang, this is no longer necessary, I¡¯ve already found the owner of the Jade Pendant, thank you.¡±

    Not knowing what malicious intentions lie behind this girl¡¯s exquisite makeup.

    She truly is part of the Shang Family.

    ¡°You¡¯ve found them? I really didn¡¯t expect that, Mr. Bai is so decisive, was it in Modu?¡± Shang Kaiwen felt a bit disappointed, had it not been difficult to find a suitable candidate, she would have hoped to fabricate an owner of the Jade Pendant to draw Bai Jingshan into their family¡¯s circle.

    It was such a life-saving grace.

    ¡°Yes, but the person has already passed away. Miss Shang, let¡¯s talk in my office, we¡¯ll discuss it while walking.¡±

    Shang Kaiwen¡¯s spirits lifted instantly, it was the first time Bai Jingshan had actively invited her to his office, in the past she had to put in a lot of effort to find excuses to go there.

    Does this mean there¡¯s room for advancement in their rtionship!

    She couldn¡¯t help but smile meaningfully.

    Bai Jingshan and Shang Kaiwen took the elevator up.

    Assistant Feng, trailing behind like a mute gourd, didn¡¯t utter a word, pretending to be a wooden figure.

    ¡°Miss Shang, I still don¡¯t know your father¡¯s full name?¡±

    Bai Jingshan¡¯s topic circled back to Shang Feng.

    He wanted to confirm once more, to make sure Shang Kaiwen was indeed Shang Feng¡¯s daughter.

    ¡°Mr. Bai, you¡¯re too polite, my father is Shang Feng, the Shang Feng of the Shang Group, you may have heard of his name.¡± Shang Kaiwen naturally hoped to imnt Shang Feng¡¯s name in Bai Jingshan¡¯s mind, paving the way for introducing Shang Feng to Bai Jingshan next time.

    Seems Bai Jingshan is impressed with her.

    ¡°I seem to recall you mentioned once about having a half-sister! What¡¯s that about?¡±

    Asked seemingly unintentionally.

    Shang Kaiwen upon hearing this question, sighed deeply.

    ¡°s, it¡¯s such a family misfortune. My sister, although being a half-sibling, refuses to acknowledge us, even her grandmother speaks nonsense, iming Bai Xiao isn¡¯t my father¡¯s daughter. In her refusal to acknowledge us, she¡¯s gone to the extent of not recognizing her own father, even manipting her grandmother to say such things.

    To speak such untruths, I don¡¯t know why she hates us so much, so much that she refuses to recognize her ancestry.¡±

 Chapter 1079 Guess

    <h4>Chapter 1079: Chapter 1079 Guess</h4>

    "It¡¯s surprising that someone wouldn¡¯t recognize such a father as yours. It really is unexpected; Bai Xiao is indeed something else. I suppose she probably doesn¡¯t recognize her rtives from her mother¡¯s side either?" Bai Jingshan asked, seemingly indifferent, as he considerately opened the office door for Shang Kaiwen.

    Assistant Feng quickly went to pour tea, astutely stepping away. At this moment, Miss Shang and Bai Jingshan were deep in conversation, and he certainly didn¡¯t intend to be a third wheel.

    Shang Kaiwen was nearly overjoyed; Bai Jingshan¡¯s interest in her personal affairs must mean that he¡¯s also genuinely concerned about her as a person.

    Their rtionship was growing closer.

    "Well, that¡¯s not the case. My sister has already recognized the Yu Family, and it¡¯s said they have be quite close. I sincerely feel heartbroken; my father and I have given everything to my sister! But it can¡¯t seem to win even an ounce of my sister¡¯s acknowledgment. It¡¯s just because she feels my father hasn¡¯t helped her career. Yu Family¡¯s two uncles are in the health system and quite powerful, providing significant help to my sister. But family shouldn¡¯t be measured by profit.

    My sister¡¯s internship at Ruiyin Hospital and advanced studies at the Medical College were all assisted by Yu Family¡¯s two uncles, which is why she looks down on me and my father." Shang Kaiwen noticed Bai Jingshan¡¯s displeased expression and was d he was on her side.

    "I didn¡¯t expect your sister to really be a pragmatist, just like us businessmen. But there¡¯s nothing wrong with that."

    Bai Jingshan hadn¡¯t realized there was thisyer ofplexity.

    "Ah! Let¡¯s not talk about my sister. She¡¯s living well now and is unwilling to acknowledge us, having married An Zhiyuan, it¡¯s a leap out of the rural life, and she couldn¡¯t care less for us businessmen." Shang Kaiwen positioned herself and her father at the lowest point, hoping to garner Bai Jingshan¡¯s sympathy.

    "Your sister didn¡¯te from a small vige, how did she end up marrying a Chief?"

    "I heard An saved my sister, and my sister took the opportunity to im her reputation was ruined, acting all dramatic about life and death. In the end, An had no choice but to agree to marry her, and thus the marriage happened. Despite everything, I hope she finds happiness!"

    Bai Jingshan and Shang Kaiwen talked a lot, covering topics rted to Shang Feng and Bai Xiao¡¯s mother. Unfortunately, Shang Kaiwen knew little about Yu Shaoya, as Shang Feng didn¡¯t have the face to discuss his past affairs with his biological daughter.

    However, the hatred towards Bai Xiao and the intention to win favor did reveal quite a bit.

    Bai Xiao was distorted from childhood as someone who threw her weight around in her adoptive parents¡¯ house, enjoying herself by exploiting them, along with various schemes to cling to the powerful, willing to do whatever it took to climb up, acting like a modern version of a scheming woman aiming for promotion.

    Had Bai Jingshan not already investigated Bai Xiao in recent days, he might have been quite disgusted with her, given Shang Kaiwen¡¯s portrayal. Typically, neither men nor women have much fondness for such calcting individuals.

    Unfortunately, the investigation report revealed a girl who fought against immense hardships to thrive. Bearing the Bai family¡¯s uncle and aunt¡¯s abuse, she harbored a determined heart to go out of the mountain vige with her siblings, protecting every rtive who treated her well, step by step relying on her abilities to get to where she is now.

    Yu Family?

    The Yu Family wasn¡¯t even present at that time.

    When she was in the midst of bullets on the front line, the Yu Family didn¡¯t even know Yu Shaoya had a living daughter.

    Those achievements were all earned by herself.

    Even An Chief was someone she stood shoulder to shoulder with, fighting side by side. How could such people be maniptive or scheming?

    After sending Shang Kaiwen off, Bai Jingshan sat in his chair, contemted for a long while.

    His original intention was never to have any connection with Bai Xiao. After all, Bai Xiao still bore Shang Feng¡¯s blood. He wanted to deal with Shang Feng and figured he shouldn¡¯t have any qualms about Bai Xiao, fearing the trouble facing a woman with a face simr to Yu Shaoya would bring, troubling his conscience.

    But the investigation over the past few days uncovered many oddities.

    Bai Xiao seemed to have harbored hostility towards the Shang Family from early on.

    Not only due to Shang Feng¡¯s abandonment of her and her mother, but also the feud between Shang Kaijie and Bai Xiao, leading to Shang Kaijie¡¯s mysterious death, and the subsequent series of misfortunes befalling the Shang Family, which clearly hinted at a hidden hand maneuvering from behind.

    Although his investigation pointed to the Jiang Family causing trouble, almost trying to wipe out the Shang Family; as soon as the Shang Family showed progress in any business, they were immediately suppressed by the Jiang Family.

    Jiang Shaoqing obviously had no deep hatred towards the Shang Family, and the only connection was Jiang Shaoqing¡¯s close bond with Bai Xiao and her husband. How could one say there¡¯s nothing there?

    Bai Xiao was also up against the Shang Family.

    Bai Xiao hated the Shang Family.

    It was a hatred so deep she¡¯d wish for their demise.

    It seemed there were more secrets yet uncovered.

    The most interesting aspect was the assertions from Bai Xiao¡¯s so-called grandmother, iming that Bai Xiao¡¯s mother¡¯s dying words stated Bai Xiao was not Shang Feng¡¯s daughter.

    He couldn¡¯t possibly believe Yu Shaoya was a promiscuous woman. None of the investigation data indicated Yu Shaoya was such a woman, so was it possible Bai Xiao had some connection to him?

    His heart surged with emotions upon this thought.

    Could it be true!

    He shook his head, restraining his excitement; perhaps Yu Shaoya just wanted to revenge Shang Feng¡¯s abandonment back then. After all, the affair between Shang Feng and Yu Shaoya was known by many, and who said Yu Shaoya couldn¡¯t hate due to love.

    Yu Shaoya!

    Ultimately, only you know all these secrets.

    Is Bai Xiao my daughter?

    Bai Jingshan¡¯s eyes showed a momentary distraction.

    Or is my innate affection for her just a sentiment from admiring someone through association?

    Yet Bai Xiao aroused many suspicions, coincidences were too plentiful, she was born in Liupan Vige, she was Yu Shaoya¡¯s daughter,

    And evidently, he needed to seriously inquire about this matter as it concerned him regardless.

    If Bai Xiao wasn¡¯t his child, still it¡¯s enough, just from her intent to destroy the Shang Family, he would support her, for their objective was the same.

    If Bai Xiao was his child, then he must eradicate Shang Feng.

    How could the ones his daughter wished dead live?

    Bai Jingshan dialed out a phone call, his team would execute the tasks he required.

    He started nning other things.

    After today¡¯s acupuncture, he genuinely felt much better, at least so far he hadn¡¯t needed the restroom, which was quite remarkable.

    Normally, he¡¯d have visited the bathroom a few times by now.

    Unexpectedly, Bai Xiao¡¯s medical skills turned out to be impressive, which was utterly surprising.

    It seemed over these years, the child hadn¡¯t been idle; the Bai couple reportedly were barefoot doctors back in the day, looks like this child did learn some real skills from her adoptive parents.

 Chapter 1080: 1080: News

    <strong>Chapter 1080: Chapter 1080: News</strong>

    The Dean Jin has received the news.

    On Bai Xiao¡¯s first day at work, she encountered a patient in the examination room who tried to take advantage of her, but Bai Xiao scared them away with her silver needle. However, this was just the first day.

    Bai Xiao will have a lot to endure in the future.

    Dean Jin smirked. Who¡¯s going to me him for picking on a little girl? Yu Shaoyan fell from power so quickly.

    When the wall falls, everyone pushes, that¡¯s the truth.

    Besides, Bai Xiao is Zhang Huan¡¯s junior ssmate, so it¡¯s not his fault for tripping her up.

    He wanted to see how long Bai Xiao couldst in the Urology Department. Most of the patients there are men, and there won¡¯t be a shortage of men with bad intentions. He hoped Doctor Bai would enjoy her work in the Urology Department.

    Dean Jin smiled smugly.

    There was no sense of achievement in dealing with a little girl; what other ability did he have to deal with others now?

    It was already inevitable that Zhang Huan would soon rece him, and Dean Jin felt deste.

    The sun sets on the western hills.

    Today, he had to attend a meeting at the Health Department, an opportunity as a dean that was bing scarce.

    Dean Jin sat in the car as the driver parked it in front of the Health Department.

    Upon going upstairs, he immediately encountered other deans who came around the same time. This time, almost everyone was present, as many wanted to see the choice the Health Department would make to rece Yu Shaoyan.

    After all, the work Yu Shaoyan left behind could not remain stagnant forever.

    They were also here for face familiarity in front of the new person, as the first impression was paramount.

    Now none of them had received a notice, so they were unclear whether the appointment would be a direct deployment from above or an internal promotion.

    No matter what, it was none of their concern; they were just waiting for the new appointment so they could congratte them.

    Everyone greeted each other knowingly.

    Moreover, this appointment meant the sessor of the next upper-level leader, so who wouldn¡¯te to investigate the situation?

    Several people were already seated in the meeting room, including deans from various hospitals and captains from various subordinate health bureaus of the Health Department.

    This was considered a big meeting within the health system.

    Those familiar were already greeting and chatting with each other.

    Dean Jin and Dean Gao from Xishan Hospital were old ssmates and old acquaintances. Their circumstances were simr; Dean Gao was also facing retirement troubles, hence they were fellow sufferers.

    The two sat together.

    ¡°Old Jin, have you heard? The Dean of Songhe Hospital has been put under dual regtion.¡±

    Dean Jin widened his eyes and shook his head as if he was bbergasted.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard anything! When did it happen? I truly don¡¯t know.¡±

    In his heart, Dean Jin thought, wasn¡¯t the Songhe Hospital¡¯s dean the one who reported Yu Shaoyan by real name?

    This matter was no secret; they had known about it for a long time.

    But they all kept silent.

    ¡°You¡¯re behind on the news. An old friend of mine from the prosecutor¡¯s office said they¡¯ve received reliable news that the Songhe Hospital¡¯s dean surrendered themselves a week ago.¡±

    ¡°A week ago? What was it about?¡±

    ¡°It seems to be about Director Yu¡¯s matter.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t Director Yu¡¯s matter already firmly settled and concluded? How could it be overturned?¡± Dean Jin felt uneasy.

    ¡°Who knows? It¡¯s all internal affairs, but I guess Yu Shaoyan has some backing, for something like this to be overturned. It only shows Yu Shaoyan has strong power. I see this matter might have some inside story; otherwise, why would a perfectly fine Dean of Songhe Hospital go to surrender themselves? You should think about it.¡±

    This made Dean Jin feel even worse.

    He had just finished dealing with someone¡¯s niece, and now if Yu Shaoyan came back intact, it would only bring trouble!

    ¡°Could it be done by someone Yu Shaoyan found?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. All I know is that those who provided evidence and made official reports have surrendered themselves, but the specifics of the surrendering remain unknown. Though, looking at Yu Shaoyan, they seem to have some means. Even while being inside, they managed to make these people surrender; something must be wrong.

    Yu Shaoyan is a person with principles and is not one to follow the rigid, conventional rules. They have reasoned exnations, but more importantly, they care about their political achievements.

    Compared to those who are solely focused on money, they¡¯re truly better off by several degrees. Besides, Yu Shaoyan did aplish many real things while they were in position, something evident to everyone with eyes.

    With these words, Dean Jin also started to rx.

    ¡°Yes, perhaps it¡¯s missed, what a pity.¡±

    Even if Yu Shaoyan returned, cleaning the stain off their reputation from this matter would be hard. That position naturally wouldn¡¯t be theirs anymore, so what does Dean Jin have to fear? After all, he was about to retire, why fear an unknown?

    Thinking of this, Dean Jin naturally felt relieved.

    Dean Gao looked at Dean Jin, who was almost like a guilty thief, and couldn¡¯t help but mock him, ¡°Old Jin, are you not on good terms with Director Yu¡¯s students?¡±

    Dean Jin grinned awkwardly, ¡°How could that be? They¡¯re all superior leaders, how could there be any conflict?¡±

    ¡°Then why do you look relieved? Did you do something to let them down?¡±

    Suspiciously ncing at Dean Jin, Old Jin sometimes had tunnel vision and tended to defend his own.

    ¡°Do I look like that?¡±

    ¡°How don¡¯t you? I¡¯m telling you, although Yu Shaoyan suffered a major setback this time, who knows what the future holds. Leave some margin when dealing with others so as to meet again someday; that¡¯s an old saying. Don¡¯t leave yourself without a retreat, as you might be retiring, but your son and daughter are working within this system. There¡¯s always a time for heads-up, who can know what the future brings!¡±

    He was genuinely looking out for Old Jin, after all, they were ssmates once. Old Jin was sometimes overly clever.

    Afraid he¡¯d try to be too smart.

    ¡°I understand, Old Gao, you still treat me like a child.¡±

    Somewhat impatient with Old Gao¡¯s routine arguments, he had already sent Bai Xiao to the Urology Department, offended as it was done, being unscathed wasn¡¯t possible, especially as Yu Shaoyan couldn¡¯t recover, he was unafraid.

 Chapter 1081: Twists and Turns

    <h4>Chapter 1081: Chapter 1081: Twists and Turns</h4>

    As they were speaking, the meeting room door was pushed open, and the leaders from the Health Department and several other officials walked in. Those with sharp eyes already noticed that among them were two key leaders, and this time, it was really top-level officials. However, many people also sensitively discovered that trailing at the end was indeed Yu Shaoyan.

    There was a buzz of whispers below, but they were quickly drawn to the leaders on the podium, especially since Yu Shaoyan also sat on the podium.

    Having not been seen for many days, there was a touch of hardship on Yu Shaoyan¡¯s face, more so the strands of silvered hair suggested that the recent incident had been a heavy blow to him.

    Dean Jin was surprised to see Yu Shaoyan, though judging by Yu Shaoyan¡¯s appearance, it was clear he had been marginalized.

    Nevertheless, the fact that Yu Shaoyan was fine was shocking.

    "Comrades, the purpose of our meeting today is to confirm this appointment within our Health Department. I am entrusted by the higher authorities, and a document has just been issued, representing the city government that hereby appoints Comrade Yu Shaoyan to this senior health position. Let¡¯s give him a round of apuse. In the future, I hope everyone will cooperate well with Comrade Yu Shaoyan¡¯s various tasks and achieve results.

    Comrade Yu Shaoyan, please say a few words about your appointment."

    The secretary¡¯s attitude was amicable. The city secretary, who had hardly interacted with Yu Shaoyan before, seemed unexpectedly friendly, almost like they were old acquaintances.

    People below were calcting in their minds.

    This is not too strange.

    Yu Shaoyan smiled as he took the microphone, neither humble nor arrogant.

    After this incident, he would be clueless if he didn¡¯t understand the treacheries of officialdom, but he was privately puzzled since he had no previous dealings with the city secretary.

    The enthusiasm seemed excessive.

    "I don¡¯t have much to say; many people here already know me. I believe you¡¯re all familiar with my personality and character, so let¡¯s skip the pleasantries. I, Yu Shaoyan, have just one thing to say: strive to fulfill the great expectations of the Party and government, work hard to benefit all patients and improve the shorings of the healthcare system, and not betray the responsibilities entrusted to us by the Party and people.

    We must be ountable to the organizations and government above, and to themon people below. Please join me in fulfilling these tasks, thank you."

    There was prolonged and enthusiastic apuse.

    At this moment, regardless of what nsy in their hearts, everyone disyed their most fervent side.

    Dean Jin was so shocked that his jaw almost dropped.

    Wasn¡¯t it impossible for Yu Shaoyan?

    Who gave Yu Shaoyan this confidence? Who helped Yu Shaoyane through this incident?

    The power behind this was immense.

    What to do now?

    Dean Jin was like an ant on a hot pan.

    Actually, not only was everyone surprised, Secretary Qi Dacheng was also taken aback. This came too suddenly, and he hadn¡¯t received the slightest hint beforehand.

    This morning, suddenly the organization department¡¯s document came down, then the minister above issued instructions, and it was forwarded to him.

    Not to mention people like Dean Jin, now Dean Jin deeply regretted why he bothered with this move at all.

    In officialdom, there are no eternal enemies and opponents, only eternal interests.

    Once Dean Jin realized that making peace with Yu Shaoyan aligned more with his political interests than being at odds, the change was inevitable.

    Retirement wasn¡¯t a concern for him, but his children still had to continue working in this industry.

    Dean Gao¡¯s hands were about to p red, the twists and turns really left one in a state of unease.

    Many people below were now reflecting on themselves, contemting whether they had done anything inappropriate when Yu Shaoyan was down. Fortunately, most hadn¡¯t stepped on Yu Shaoyan, as there were no direct interests involved, and nobody really had time to trample on others for fun.

    Even more people were mulling over the fact that Yu Shaoyan has once again ascended to a leadership position, and it was an immediate promotion. The amount of information was overwhelming, leaving them somewhat at a loss for words.

    The meeting concluded.

    Yu Shaoyan had nothing more to say; he hadn¡¯t digested it himself.

    Originally, after the prosecution had isted him for investigation, the conclusive evidence in front of him had left him utterly disheartened.

    He knew he was being framed, but he couldn¡¯t produce any evidence. Without evidence, no amount of talking could change things.

    After repeated questioning, Yu Shaoyan grew more silent; he didn¡¯t know how to defend himself.

    Just vaguely saying he hadn¡¯t done it.

    Who would believe that?

    He knew what awaited him.

    Amid all the despair, one day the attitude of therades questioning him made a 180-degree turn; he learned from their words that the Dean of Songhe Hospital and Jian Nan had confessed after turning themselves in, exining everything in detail.

    Not even a single detail was missing.

    Now the issues surrounding him werepletely cleared up, and the leaders not only consoled him but also personally brought him home.

    In the past two days, he had stayed at home and hadn¡¯t gone out.

    Upon returning home, he realized his wife had undergone surgery, and this past month had been like aplete upheaval. His home life had turned upside down, and his wife underwent surgery without him by her side, always cared for by their daughter.

    He needed to spend good quality time with his wife and daughter, and his parents.

    It was Bai Xiao who hadn¡¯t shown up, andter Yu Feixue told him that Bai Xiao said she wanted to clear all these charges against him. Only then did he understand how Jiang Nan changed his statement and how the Dean of Songhe Hospital confessed, realizing the reason behind it.

    In a daze, yesterday his secretary suddenly informed him that he must attend the meeting in the meeting room today. He certainly knew in his heart that this was about the senior health position being finalized, with documents and an appointment lettering down, but under no circumstances could it be him.

    This incident, although it proved to be a frame-up, still had a negative impact on him.

    The position of department head was no longer in reach for him.

    Yet now, there was a dramatic turnaround.

    He didn¡¯t know when he became acquainted with Minister Jiang; did they even know each other?

    No, their family had long been out of the loop in the Capital City.

    The only possibility was Bai Xiao.

    The Jiang Family¡¯s Jiang Shaoqing was very close with Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan.

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