"Mr. Qian, it's time to make your decision," Lin Chen said calmly, his tone as steady as a still lake.
"You should be grateful—you have a good granddaughter."
Those words made Qian Dafeng even more certain—this Divine Doctor Lin had taken a liking to his granddaughter.
He glanced at Qian Hao, then at Qian Siyao.If possible… perhaps handing the Qian family to Siyao wasn't a bad idea. As long as any future child bore the Qian surname, the bloodline would continue.
"I hereby announce," Qian Dafeng declared, his voice carrying the weight of final authority, "Qian Siyao will be the next heir of the Qian family, and the person in charge of Qian Corporation's affairs in Yancheng!"
The room erupted instantly.
"No way!" Qian Hao was the first to leap up, his voice sharp with disbelief."Grandfather! I'm the one to carry the Qian bloodline! You can't hand the family over to an outsider—especially my sister, who'll marry out!"
Qian Dafeng's face darkened. Siyao was the eldest branch's only child—and to him, the eldest branch was the true bloodline of the Qian family. The only pity was the lack of a male heir.
He had always nurtured Siyao, but the rest of the family saw her as a "loss-making investment." Most supported Qian Hao instead. While Qian Dafeng lived, no one dared to openly challenge his will. But once he died… Siyao's position would be perilous.
To protect her, he had no choice but to also cultivate Qian Hao—feeding the younger man's belief that he was the rightful heir.
Now that Qian Dafeng was suddenly naming Siyao as his successor, Qian Hao's fury was inevitable.
The other old foxes stayed silent, watching for Qian Dafeng's move. In this family, his word was law.
"Mr. Wu, take him away! Lock him in a room—without my permission, he's not to step out!"
"Yes, sir."
Without hesitation, Wu Chenglong grabbed Qian Hao like a child and dragged him toward the door.
"Grandfather! You can't do this! Have you lost your mind?!" Qian Hao thrashed, but it was useless—he was hauled away like a sack of grain.
"Since you've agreed," Lin Chen said, stepping forward, "send someone to prepare these ingredients immediately. Then we can start treatment."
He wrote down a list. The herbs were expensive, but nothing the Qian family couldn't acquire.
"As for your condition," Lin Chen continued, "I need to speak to your granddaughter alone. No interruptions."
Qian Dafeng nodded."Siyao, take Divine Doctor Lin to my study. It's the safest place in the house. No one will dare approach without my orders."
He waved everyone out.
"Wait—Divine Doctor Lin, I have a question." Hua Ning's brows knitted. "How exactly did you wake Mr. Qian?"
"Doctor Hua, please step outside first," Qian Dafeng said with a faint smile.
Hua Ning glanced between the two men, sighed, and nodded."Alright. I'll wait outside. But I will ask you for guidance later."
Once she was gone, Qian Dafeng added to Siyao, "There's a small chamber behind the study, with a clean bed. No one dares go near it."
Before Lin Chen could respond, Siyao took his hand and led him away.
…
In the study, Lin Chen walked toward the window, while Siyao quietly closed the door.
He drew the curtains shut.
Siyao's heartbeat quickened. She already had a guess—and now she was certain.So… this is what he wants. Well, he did save Grandfather's life… This will be my repayment.
Her cheeks warmed.He's handsome, skilled… If he wishes it, I don't mind.
While her thoughts ran wild, Lin Chen turned back toward her."Why's your face so red?"
He touched her forehead with the back of his hand."Fever?"
Her blush deepened, but she didn't pull away."N-no."
Taking a breath, she unfastened the top buttons of her blouse. A slight roll of her shoulders, and the garment slid to her waist."Since you saved my grandfather… I'll keep my word. Please… be gentle."
She wished she could sink through the floor.
Lin Chen froze.Up close, the so-called delicate beauty had a figure that could topple kingdoms—every curve perfectly balanced.
He was a man, after all. And she was playing with fire.
Taking a deep breath, he forced down the heat rising in his chest."Siyao… I think you've misunderstood something."
Her eyes widened."Eh?"
"I called you here to talk about your grandfather's illness. Why are you undressing?"
The realization hit her like lightning."A-ah!"
She snatched up her clothes, relief and… a hint of disappointment mixing in her heart."I thought you meant…"
Lin Chen rubbed his forehead and sighed."Do I really look like that kind of pervert to you?"
With a flick, he tapped her forehead."Ah!" She covered the spot, staring at him in confusion.
"Alright, let's get to the point," he said seriously."When I first saw Mr. Qian yesterday, I noticed something wrong with his old injuries. Today's examination confirmed it—your grandfather has been poisoned."
Her eyes widened in shock.
"This isn't a sudden case—it's from someone administering small doses over a long period. For some reason, the culprit got impatient and suddenly increased the dosage.
"The herbs he took suppressed the poison… until the thousand-year wild ginseng's potent energy triggered a full outbreak.
"If we don't remove the poison first, there's no way to completely heal him."