Xiao Chen arrived at the hospital and found Li Mu and Li Hanhou in the VIP ward.
"Brother Chen, why are you here?" Li Hanhou beamed when he saw him. "I just finished breakfast—if I'd known you were coming, I would've saved some for you."
Xiao Chen chuckled helplessly. Foodies always think only about eating.
"You child… Hurry and let Ah Chen sit," Mother Li scolded lightly.
She lay on the bed looking much healthier than she had in recent days. Her once pale complexion had regained its color.
"Auntie, how are you feeling today?" Xiao Chen asked as he sat beside her.
"Much better. I feel myself getting stronger every day… much lighter too."
Mother Li looked at Xiao Chen with gratitude. Without this young man, she would still be suffering, and might've slipped away in her sleep one day.
"That's great. Let me check your pulse again."
"Alright."
She extended her thin arm. Xiao Chen placed his fingers on her wrist, closed his eyes, and carefully examined her pulse.
Beside him, Li Hanhou rubbed his big hands nervously, even though he knew his mother was improving. To a dutiful son, a mother's health is everything.
Mother Li noticed his tension and smiled reassuringly.
Just then, the ward door opened. Yao Qihuang and Li Sheng entered, the latter carrying an insulated lunch container.
Yao Qihuang had arranged for Mother Li's meals to come from Yaoshanfang, though normally his staff handled the delivery. When he saw Xiao Chen checking the pulse, his eyes lit up—after several days, he finally caught sight of this young genius again.
Mother Li nodded at him, but he waved lightly, signaling her not to speak, and took a seat.
A few minutes later, Xiao Chen opened his eyes and greeted him with a smile. "Yao Lao, you're here."
"No time for small talk—how is her condition?" Yao Qihuang asked impatiently.
"Better than expected. She should be able to leave the hospital in a week," Xiao Chen replied.
"Let me check," Yao Qihuang said, taking Mother Li's wrist.
As he read her pulse, his expression kept shifting. Aside from lingering weakness, it was practically normal. If he hadn't seen her with his own eyes a few days earlier—frail and near death—he wouldn't believe it. Her pulse didn't even resemble that of late-stage lung cancer.
"In my lifetime, I've seen many miracles… but this one is truly the most astonishing," Yao Qihuang breathed.
Xiao Chen only smiled, though inwardly he thought that if he'd tried to leave earlier, the old man would've chased him down.
As expected, Yao Qihuang immediately pulled him into a long conversation—covering everything from ancient to modern medicine, Chinese and Western. They talked endlessly about anything even remotely related to medicine.
Li Sheng stayed for a short while before leaving, reminding Xiao Chen again that if he ever wanted to join the hospital, they would give him the highest treatment possible. Xiao Chen gave a wry smile; Yao Qihuang even rolled his eyes—if Xiao Chen wanted, any hospital in the country would fight to make him president.
All morning, Yao Qihuang kept saying that "talking with you is better than reading medical texts for ten years," and Xiao Chen also learned much from the old master's rich experience.
When it was time for him to leave, Yao Qihuang grabbed Xiao Chen's hand. "Do you have time tonight? I'm returning to Beijing tomorrow…"
Xiao Chen considered it and nodded. "Alright, Yao Lao. Just tell me when and where."
"Good! Very good!" the old doctor said, delighted.
After they set the time and place, he left.
Back in the ward, Xiao Chen picked up a black plastic bag and called Li Hanhou outside.
"What is it, Brother Chen?"
"Here," Xiao Chen said, tossing him the bag.
"What's this? Snacks?" Hanhou asked hopefully.
"Open it."
He opened it and found a stack of cash. "Brother Chen, what is this for?"
"It's for you."
"For me?"
"Yeah. I made some money last night. Took forty out—twenty for you, twenty for Nail. He said he deserved more so he took thirty, then said he'd give you ten of his."
Li Hanhou hesitated. "I don't want it…"
"Take it. Your mother will be discharged next week. You don't even have a place to live in Longhai—you'll need to rent a house. Living here is expensive. How will you manage without money?"
Hearing this, Li Hanhou felt ashamed. Only after coming to Longhai did he understand what his mother always said—'a dime can humble a hero.'
"When you rent a place, make sure it's quiet—good for your mother to recover… Actually, never mind, I'll help you find one," Xiao Chen said. A newcomer like Hanhou wouldn't know where to start.
"Thank you, Brother Chen."
"We're brothers—don't thank me. Anyway, I've got things to do. I'll leave first."
"I'll walk you out."
A few minutes later, Xiao Chen drove off. Li Hanhou stared at the black bag, troubled. He had no idea how to explain the money to his mother.
He knew what happened last night might not be entirely legal. His mother always forbade him from doing anything unlawful, so he didn't know how to face her.
After hesitating, he decided to tell the truth.
"You're back alone? Ah Chen left?" Mother Li asked when he returned.
"Yeah," he said quietly.
Her gaze fell on the black bag. "What's that?"
"Money."
"Money?"
"Brother Chen gave it to me."
He poured the stacks onto the bed. Mother Li wasn't shocked, only puzzled. "Why did he give you so much?"
"Because…" Hanhou lowered his head, unsure how to explain.
"What did you do last night?"
"What?"
"You changed clothes when you came back, but you still smelled of blood… Tell me honestly."
Hanhou then recounted everything. Mother Li fell silent.
"Mom, don't be angry. Those people were bad guys—gangsters. I didn't bully innocent people."
She watched her son and sighed. Perhaps this was fate.
"Mom, I was wrong…" Hanhou dropped to his knees.
"Get up," she said softly. Some destinies can't be avoided, no matter how you try.
"Mom… you're not angry?"
"No. Get up."
He stood.
"What do you think of Ah Chen?" she asked.
"Brother Chen is a good man. He's sincere, and he saved your life!"
"And if he hadn't saved me? Would he still be worth following?"
Hanhou thought seriously, then nodded. "Yes."
"Then follow your heart," she said with a smile. "You're right—he's a good man."
Hanhou grinned in relief.
"Put the money away and deposit it in the bank," she added.
"Okay."
As he packed up, Mother Li watched him fondly, hoping her decision was the right one.
…
Xiao Chen returned to the company. After checking that everything was fine, he went back to his office—not to play games, nor to visit Qin Lan, but to ask Ding Li to bring him a new notebook. He spent the whole afternoon writing.
Each time Ding Li peeked in, Xiao Chen was still writing, and he couldn't help admiring him—Brother Chen could command both pen and sword.
By the time work ended, Xiao Chen stretched and tossed his pen aside.
"Damn, I'm exhausted… Only got half done, but it's enough."
He checked the notebook, then left.
After dropping Su Qing at her villa, he drove to meet Yao Qihuang.
"Haha! You're here!" the old doctor greeted excitedly.
"Hehe, Yao Lao, I'm not late, am I?"
"No, no. I came early because I couldn't wait to talk with you!" Yao Qihuang grabbed his hand. "You must drink with me tonight!"
"No problem!"
It was just the two of them—no Li Sheng this time. The dishes were simple home-style food—six plates—and a bottle of Moutai.
"Xiao Xiaoyou, I always thought Chinese medicine was declining… that young people weren't willing to put in the effort to learn it. But after meeting you, I realized my worries were unnecessary."
"Yao Lao, with a master like you, Chinese medicine could never fade," Xiao Chen said, pulling
out the notebook he wrote earlier and handing it over.
"What is this?" Yao Qihuang opened it—and nearly jumped up. "The Yin-Yang Medical Code?!"
"Mm."
"You…?"
"It's for you."