Ye Qiu glanced at the Audi’s license plate and hurriedly stepped forward to open the car door.
Qian Shanxue was surprised. “Sister Lin, what’s he…”
“Let’s go greet them too.” Lin Jingzhi took Qian Shanxue’s arm, quickly following behind Ye Qiu.
Soon, a middle-aged man in a suit stepped out of the Audi.
Deputy Mayor Huang!
“Xiao Ye, I came uninvited. You don’t mind, do you?” Deputy Mayor Huang said jokingly.
“You’re giving me too much credit by coming. I’m thrilled, how could I mind?” Ye Qiu replied.
“Hahaha, I heard you welcomed a daughter and are holding her full moon celebration here. I came to have a drink,” Deputy Mayor Huang said, pulling a jewellery box from his pocket and handing it to Ye Qiu. “This is for the child.”
Ye Qiu said, “I’m already grateful you came. You didn’t need to bring a gift.”
Deputy Mayor Huang replied, “Xiao Ye, no need for formalities between us. Take it!”
“Thank you.” Ye Qiu accepted the jewellery box and said to Deputy Mayor Huang, “Let me show you inside.”
“No need. I know you’ll have many guests today. You focus on greeting them, I’ll go in myself.” Deputy Mayor Huang smiled, nodded slightly to Lin Jingzhi and Qian Shanxue as a greeting, then strode into the hotel.
Ye Qiu opened the box, revealing a pair of gold bangles for a child, worth a few thousand yuan.
Ye Qiu explained to Qian Shanxue, “When I hadn’t yet made a name for myself, Deputy Mayor Huang was kind to me.”
“I respect him not just for that, but because he’s a good official.”
“An official who serves and benefits the people.”
“Over the years, he’s done many good, practical things in Jiangzhou, remaining honest and upright, earning the love of the people.”
“I genuinely respect such a person.”
Lin Jingzhi said, “Deputy Mayor Huang is indeed admirable. If the world had more officials like him, the people’s lives would surely be happier. Ye Qiu, you know so many influential people, help him out if you get the chance.”
“I understand.” Ye Qiu handed the jewellery box to Qian Shanxue.
At that moment, a taxi pulled up at the hotel entrance.
Colleagues from the Chinese Medicine Department arrived.
Old Xiang, Fu Yanjie, Sun Shengshou…
A group of five or six.
They congratulated Ye Qiu, each presenting gifts.
“Xiaopang, where are Xiao Xiao and Luoying?” Ye Qiu asked.
“They said they went back to get something and will be here soon,” Fu Yanjie replied.
“Got it, you all go inside first,” Ye Qiu said.
Shortly after the Chinese Medicine colleagues entered, Su Xiao Xiao and Su Luoying arrived, a bit late.
“Sister Lin, we’re not late, are we?” Su Luoying asked.
“No, the banquet starts tonight,”Lin Jingzhi said with a smile.
Su Xiao Xiao handed Qian Shanxue an envelope, saying, “Sister Xue, this is my gift for Ruyi. Open it and see.”
Qian Shanxue opened the envelope, finding a shopping card inside.
“What’s this?” Qian Shanxue asked, puzzled.
Su Xiao Xiao said, “It’s a membership card for a snack shop. I put all my money in it. It should be enough for Ruyi to eat snacks until she’s ten.”
Qian Shanxue: “?”
Ye Qiu: “?”
“Xiao Xiao, how much did you put in?” Lin Jingzhi asked.
“Not much, three hundred thousand,” Su Xiao Xiao replied.
Lin Jingzhi: “???”
Everyone was speechless, unsure whether to call Su Xiao Xiao naive or foolish.
Putting so much money into a shopping card, weren’t they afraid the shop would disappear?
“Xiao Xiao, thank you,” Qian Shanxue said happily.
“No need to thank me. When Ruyi grows up, I’ll put another three hundred thousand in. I’ll cover all her snacks until she’s an adult,” Su Xiao Xiao said.
Everyone burst into laughter.
“Sister Xue, this is my gift for Ruyi.”
Su Luoying handed Qian Shanxue a notebook, saying, “These are my insights from years of practicing medicine and saving lives. It’s not worth much, but if Ruyi takes an interest in medicine someday, it might help her.”
Ye Qiu said, “Luoying, Ruyi’s too young to use this now. You should keep the notebook.”
“It’s not much use to me. Let Ruyi have it,” Su Luoying insisted.
Ye Qiu thought for a moment and said, “Then I’ll thank you on Ruyi’s behalf.”
Though the notebook only contained Su Luoying’s medical insights, her skills were just a step below Ye Qiu’s. Without exaggeration, she could be called the second-best divine doctor in the world.
Her insights were priceless, a treasure money couldn’t buy.
If this notebook got out, even the top medical masters would go crazy for it.
“Luoying, Xiao Xiao, our Chinese Medicine colleagues are here. Go inside and help me look after them,” Ye Qiu said.
The two women nodded and entered the hotel.
A while later.
Director Li, who oversees Jiangzhou’s healthcare, arrived, along with Old Master Wang and his grandson, Wang Xuan.
“Xiao Ye, you’re not being fair. Such a big event, and you didn’t invite me? Don’t you consider me a friend?” Director Li said, half-accusingly, upon seeing Ye Qiu.
Old Master Wang added, “Xiao Ye, this old man came to have a drink. You won’t chase me away, will you?”
Ye Qiu smiled. “Director Li, Old Wang, don’t say that.”
“I didn’t invite you because I was worried you were too busy with work. It would be my fault if I disrupted your work for a child’s full moon celebration.”
“Director Li, Old Wang, please don’t take offence.”
Director Li laughed. “I’m just teasing, don’t mind me. I heard you were holding a full moon celebration here, so I came. I ran into Old Wang on the way.”
Old Master Wang handed Ye Qiu a large envelope, saying, “This is a small token from me.”
Ye Qiu opened it to find a property deed for a two-thousand-square-metre villa.
“For the little one, don’t think it’s too small,” Old Master Wang said.
“Old Wang, thank you,” Ye Qiu said politely.
Then, Director Li handed Ye Qiu a red envelope, saying, “I’m not as wealthy as Old Wang. This is just eighteen hundred yuan, Xiao Ye, don’t think it’s too little.”
Ye Qiu quickly said, “You coming is more than enough…”
Just then.
A black Lincoln limousine pulled up to the hotel entrance.
“Xiao Ye, you take care of your guests. Old Wang and I will go inside,” Director Li said, leading Old Wang and Wang Xuan into the hotel.
Ye Qiu’s gaze fell on the Lincoln.
When the car stopped, the driver got out and said, “Mr. Ye, a distinguished guest sent a gift for your daughter.”
“Who sent it?” Ye Qiu asked.
“The gift is in the car. You’ll know when you see it,” the driver replied.
Curious, Ye Qiu walked over and opened the car door, seeing a large object tightly wrapped in red cloth.
He pulled off the cloth, and the next moment, a pitch-black coffin appeared before him.
