The ambulance still came and took Duan Yukai away.
Although the lead doctor clearly thought everyone was messing with him, they all insisted in unison, so he had no choice but to load Duan Yukai in.
After all, Duan Yukai really had suffered a sudden cerebral haemorrhage. It was safer to go to the hospital for a CT scan and a thorough check.
Before leaving, however, Duan Yukai cautiously asked for Lu Zheng’s contact details. This humble posture made President Wang, who also obtained the number, feel deeply honoured. Xie Feng and Liu Zhenming, who had long possessed it, felt proud and even a little smug.
After Duan Yukai was taken away, President Wang shamelessly stayed behind. He also called over the two beautiful secretaries he had brought to accompany Duan Yukai and liven up the drinking atmosphere.
Surrounded by chattering, coquettish women, Lu Zheng turned a high-end private lunch into something that felt suspiciously like a KTV private room.
…
Meanwhile, the ambulance took Duan Yukai straight to an upscale private hospital, where he received the fastest possible brain scan.
“Mr Duan, there is nothing wrong with your brain. There are no signs of cerebral haemorrhage at all. We suspect you only experienced temporary dizziness caused by a sudden spike in blood pressure,” the doctor said, holding the results.
Duan Yukai took a deep breath, did not argue, simply thanked the doctor, confirmed he was fine, and left the hospital alone.
Once outside, he first rang Deng Paopao.
“President Duan?”
“Deng my friend, I want to ask you something.”
“Go ahead.”
“Have you seen Zhao Xiaodao recently?”
“No, the last time was in Haicheng, when…”
When Deng Paopao trailed off, Duan Yukai finished for him. “The time I was there too, right?”
“Yes, exactly.”
Deng Paopao was quite respectful toward Duan Yukai, partly because of his status, partly because his father, a top Chinese-medicine master, had once treated Deng Paopao’s mother, so the two families had always been on good terms.
“So… do you know how Zhao Xiaodao has been lately?” Duan Yukai asked hesitantly.
Deng Paopao’s heart skipped a beat. “By ‘how she has been,’ you mean…”
“Like her spirit, complexion, skin condition, that sort of thing? Does she look as if she’s been treated by a Chinese-medicine expert?” Duan Yukai asked.
“Hiss…”
Deng Paopao sucked in a breath.
“Brother Deng, have you noticed something?” Duan Yukai caught it instantly.
“Well… may I ask why President Duan is asking?” Deng Paopao said.
Back then, when they met, Zhao Xiaodao had been mysteriously tight-lipped. Recently all sorts of rumours had been flying around Beidu, and she clearly had not told the truth. So although Deng Paopao had suspicions, he dared not speak carelessly.
“I met that Mr Lu from that day again today,” Duan Yukai said.
“Oh?” A glint flashed in Deng Paopao’s eyes.
“He is a divine physician!” Duan Yukai declared firmly. “He just saved my life.”
“Hiss…”
Deng Paopao sucked in another shocked breath, then told him about his own meeting with Zhao Xiaodao and his guesses.
Duan Yukai nodded and also shared the fact that Lu Zheng supplied Huairen Hall with top-grade wild herbs.
“I’ve heard about that too,” Deng Paopao said at once. “The Immortal Yuan-Replenishing Decoction. Even I felt nervous just looking at the price.”
“That’s because you’re not old enough yet,” Duan Yukai said.
“Hehe!” Deng Paopao could only scratch his head and laugh. Last year he had actually tried to buy a few doses of the decoction for the elders in his family, but he could not even get a reservation. Can you believe it?
“So…”
“The changes in Zhao Xiaodao must be thanks to Mr Lu. But since the person involved hasn’t said anything, it means Mr Lu doesn’t want it known. I think we should both keep it to ourselves,” Duan Yukai said.
He now addressed Lu Zheng with great respect.
Deng Paopao nodded repeatedly. He himself still wanted a favour from Lu Zheng, how would he dare go against the man’s wishes?
Still…
You, the guy who offended him, already got added as a friend, so when do I get mine?
But Deng Paopao did not dare rush things. Zhao Xiaodao was still playing hard to get, and Duan Yukai had probably only just turned from enemy to friend. How could he possibly introduce him right away?
“Fine, fine. At least I now know who the real person is. That’s already a big step ahead of everyone else. I’ll take it slowly.”
Deng Paopao sighed, then hurried off to the yoga studio to report everything to his wife.
…
On the other side, Duan Yukai drove home and went straight to his father’s study.
Duan Chengru was writing calligraphy. Seeing his son burst in frantically, he frowned. “Great matters require calm. What kind of behaviour is this panic?”
Duan Yukai nodded repeatedly, then told his father everything.
“That’s impossible!?”
Duan Chengru knocked over his brush holder with one sweep. Brushes scattered across the floor.
Duan Yukai, “…”
…
As for Lu Zheng, after enjoying a lunch surrounded by beautiful women, he turned down the secretaries’ offers to drive him home. Instead, under everyone’s stunned gazes, he unlocked a shared bicycle and pedalled away leisurely until he vanished from sight.
“A true master!” President Wang could not help giving a thumbs-up. “A real master!”
“Absolutely, absolutely!” Xie Feng nodded vigorously.
Liu Zhenming watched Lu Zheng’s retreating back, thought about how he had come to know him, and felt incredibly lucky to have met such a divine person early.
…
That night, at dinner.
Lin Wan slurped her zhajiang noodles, eyes wide. “No way, you actually angered him into a cerebral haemorrhage? Just how infuriating was your expression?”
Lu Zheng rolled his eyes. “Nonsense. I was perfectly polite the whole time, smiling sweetly. He did all the overthinking himself. Classic persecution complex. He assumed the worst about me and Xie Feng.”
“Well, he and Xie Feng were talking past each other the whole time. No wonder he got angry. Still…”
Lin Wan laughed. “In the end he figured it out, and actually ended up knowing more than Xie Feng.”
Lu Zheng shrugged. “So what?”
Lin Wan grinned. “His dad is a grandmaster of Chinese medicine. With skills like yours, they might invite you to work at a hospital.”
“Doctors work too hard. Good doctors risk their lives, bad ones risk prison. Why would I put myself through that?”
Lin Wan nearly choked. “Don’t be so extreme. Doctors still have high social status.”
Lu Zheng shrugged again. “If we had a kid, would you want him to study medicine?”
“No way!” Lin Wan laughed awkwardly. “Anyway, let’s talk about our holiday plans instead.”
