"Ah..."
When Shen Youling received the call from home, her stunning cheeks turned as pale as paper. She was filled with regret and disappointment.
"Youling, what are you spacing out for?"
Just as she was about to burst into tears, Lin Tang cocked his head and leaned in close.
He figured that as a husband, it wouldn't hurt to be a little more accommodating. She had likely calmed down and was just waiting for a way out.
"Hey, why do you look so pale? Don't worry, I was just about to brew a tonic. I'll give you a bowl later," he added with concern.
Shen Youling looked at him in a daze, her heart tangled with complex emotions.
By all rights, the disaster was his doing. As long as they handed him over, the Shen Family should be safe. But ultimately, the root of it all was her... If they really handed him over, he'd be doomed, wouldn't he? Could she just stand by and watch him die? How could she choose? It was such a difficult decision!
Shen Youling closed her eyes tightly as tears fell silently. "Just go. The farther, the better. And never come back..."
She had made her decision: to return and face everything alone. Whether they chose to kill or torture her, she was at their mercy. Besides, she had a terminal illness and didn't have long to live anyway.
Listening to her hoarse voice, the smile on Lin Tang's face slowly faded. He looked at her deeply and reached out to wipe away her tears.
"Shen Youling, you really are a fool!"
From her sorrowful yet resolute expression, he guessed that her family was in trouble. Honestly. They were already husband and wife, so why act like strangers? Whatever it was, they should face it together.
However, when Lin Tang learned the specifics, he was stunned as well.
"Did that breakthrough make Old Wei an idiot..." he muttered.
He told Shen Youling not to panic and recounted how he came to know Wei Shanhe.
"What? You're Chairman Wei's lifesaver? Don't you even practice your lies beforehand? Are you taking me for an idiot?" Shen Youling was completely exasperated.
He'd been full of holes from the start, clearly knowing nothing about medicine. Besides, if he had really saved Wei Shanhe's life, why would the man be coming to settle accounts?
"It's true. If you don't believe me, we can go and say hello to him right now. I guarantee he'll stop targeting your family," Lin Tang stated firmly.
He'd forgotten to ask Wei Shanhe for his number. Otherwise, a simple phone call would have solved everything.
"I can't be bothered to argue with you. Come on, I'm getting you out of the city." Shen Youling had completely lost her patience.
"I won't leave," Lin Tang shook his head.
He had just achieved a breakthrough and needed precious tonics—the more, the better. He couldn't find things like that in the remote mountains where he'd been living. Only a big city like Jiangbei was suitable for gathering them. Besides, he couldn't just abandon his wife's family.
"Why do you have to be so stubborn?" Shen Youling was infuriated.
The two stared at each other, neither backing down.
Suddenly, Shen Youling's head swam, and the room began to spin.
"Youling, what's wrong?" Lin Tang caught her, his brow furrowed in concern. After taking her pulse…
She's definitely not sick. So why did she faint?
He decided to scoop her up and rushed into a nearby hotel. The staff gave him a suspicious look as he brought an unconscious beauty in to check into a room, their expressions turning even more peculiar as they watched him search the woman's body for money to pay the fee.
Just as a staff member was about to call the police discreetly, Lin Tang impatiently slapped their marriage certificate onto the counter. The employee quickly apologized and checked them in.
In the room, Lin Tang gently laid Shen Youling on the bed and immediately began a careful examination.
He was certain! She wasn't sick! So, she's just like me, with a special cultivation physique! I'm of the extreme yang element and she's extreme yin. Yin and yang attract each other... no wonder I ended up doing what I did with her last night! To permanently solve her fainting spells, she would need a Cultivation Method that suited her physique. But such a Cultivation Technique was rare and could only be found through serendipity. He'd just have to keep an eye out for one for her.
Since he had nothing better to do, Lin Tang requested a clay pot. After skillfully preparing the Heavenly Mountain Snow Lotus and the Great Return Herb, he began to stew them. He then split the concoction into two bowls and drank one himself.
BURP.
So potent!
Lin Tang's face grew rosy as he silently circulated his energy to absorb the medicinal power. His cultivation began to slowly improve.
Time flew by. By evening, Shen Youling was still fast asleep. Lin Tang left a note and then went to Jufu Restaurant for the banquet.
「The Shen Family Residence.」
Wei Shanhe's cold gaze swept across the room. The members of the Shen Family were trembling, not daring to make a sound. Seeing that it was getting late, he ordered some of his men to keep watch and left for Jufu Restaurant with Wei Zichu.
Once they were gone, the Shen Family sagged in collective exhaustion.
"It's been so long. Why hasn't Youling brought back that troublemaker yet?"
"Jiayue, call her again."
"I've called several times, but she's not answering..."
"What?"
"She... she hasn't abandoned us and eloped with that scoundrel, has she?"
"No! Impossible!"
They were thrown into panic once again. Shen Jiayue, out of desperation, dialed another number.
"Hello, Shouzhen? It's Jiayue. Please, for old times' sake... save me!"
Her husband, Lu Zizheng, not only didn't get angry but was filled with hope.
If the Second Young Master of the Wang Family were to step in, that would be wonderful.
However, Wang Shouzhen cursed furiously over the phone, "Shen Jiayue, are you insane? Calling me at a time like this? What if Chairman Wei gets the wrong idea and thinks I'm close to your Shen Family, then takes it out on the Wang Family? I'd kill you myself first!"
"You..." Shen Jiayue's heart went cold. "Shouzhen... you once said I was your favorite of all the women you'd been with. You can't be so heartless!"
"Pah! I was just using you to get close to your sister. You really think you're something special? Don't make me laugh!"
Wang Shouzhen hung up.
Shen Jiayue stared in despair, then broke down in tears. Seeing that all hope was lost, Lu Zizheng finally exploded in anger.
"Look at the mess you've made! Letting men use you for nothing, and you still have the nerve to cry!"
"You're one to talk! You can't do anything either, so you have no right to blame me! I think you're even less capable than that troublemaker my sister found!" Shen Jiayue retorted through her tears.
"How dare you compare me to a country bumpkin?" Lu Zizheng felt utterly humiliated and slapped her across the face.
The two began to scuffle.
***
Wei Shanhe and Wei Zichu arrived at Jufu Restaurant first. They saw Lu Liangfei coming to greet them respectfully.
Wei Shanhe asked, "Liangfei, why are you here instead of recovering in the hospital?"
Lu Liangfei's face was grim. "Chairman, the meridians in my hand were severed. The doctors at the hospital can't fix them."
Wei Shanhe sighed. He knew that if the meridians couldn't be reconnected, this hand would be useless for practicing martial arts. It was essentially crippled.
"I'll get justice for you," he reassured, patting Lu Liangfei's shoulder.
Lu Liangfei winced in pain but didn't dare to move, fawning as he spoke, "I heard you are hosting a banquet for a Divine Doctor. I was wondering if I might trouble him to take a look at my injury..."
"Alright, I'll ask him later," Wei Shanhe nodded.
Overjoyed, Lu Liangfei nodded and bowed, indicating he would wait downstairs to show his sincerity. Wei Shanhe also wanted to personally check the food and drinks to avoid neglecting Lin Tang, so he went upstairs first.
"This must be the place." Lin Tang ambled up to the restaurant and looked up, noting its grand, imposing architecture. Every detail spoke of luxury.
Just as he was about to enter, a guard stopped him with a cocky attitude. "Where did this country bumpkin come from? This isn't a place for you. Get lost!"
Lin Tang was speechless. He had no desire to argue with someone so blatantly judgmental.
He was about to give his name when a voice snarled.
"It's you? It's really you! Well now, you son of a bitch! You shunned the path to heaven and came barging right through the gates of hell! Just wait until Chairman Wei comes down! We'll see how he deals with you then!"
Lu Liangfei rushed over with a face full of resentment, as if he wanted to drink Lin Tang's blood and eat his flesh.