After Old Xu opened his eyes, he sat up abruptly, coughing violently.
“Cough, cough…”
It was as if a fishbone was stuck in his throat.
“He’s awake, he’s awake!” Xu Zhiming exclaimed.
Ye Qiu quickly placed his right hand on Old Xu’s back, channeling a strand of innate true qi into him. Soon, Old Xu’s coughing subsided.
Then, Old Xu turned to Ye Qiu and said in Korean, “Wari wari…”
Ye Qiu was bewildered.
What does that mean?
Xu Zhiming introduced, “Dad, this is Ye Qiu, China’s medical sage, Changjin’s friend.”
Old Xu suddenly understood and said in Chinese, “Mr. Ye, hello.”
Ye Qiu smiled, “No need to be formal, Old Xu. Just call me by my name.”
Xu Zhiming added, “Dad, you were in a coma, and Ye Qiu cured you.”
“Thank you,” Old Xu said, expressing his gratitude to Ye Qiu again.
“A small effort, not worth mentioning,” Ye Qiu said with a slight smile, standing up and saying to Xu Zhiming, “Uncle Xu, I’ll step out for some fresh air.”
Old Xu had just woken up, and his family surely had much to discuss.
Xu Zhiming saw through Ye Qiu’s intentions and said, “Little Ye, no need to step away, we’re all family here.”
Old Xu asked, “Ye Qiu, may I ask what illness I had?”
“Old Xu, you weren’t ill,” Ye Qiu said.
Old Xu was stunned, “Not ill? Then why was I in a coma?”
“Old Xu, it’s better if Uncle Xu explains this to you.”
Xu Zhiming then briefly recounted how Li Zhengxi had plotted against Old Xu.
After hearing this, Old Xu’s face turned ashen with anger. He roared, “That scoundrel Li Zhengxi used such a vicious scheme to harm me. What an ungrateful wretch.”
“And to think he demanded ten billion dollars—what audacity.”
“Zhiming, go bring Li Zhengxi to me. I want to ask him where his conscience went!”
Xu Zhiming pointed to the floor, saying, “Dad, Li Zhengxi is right here.”
Old Xu leaned forward and saw Li Zhengxi unconscious on the ground. He asked, “What happened to him?”
“He’s in a coma.”
“Wake him up.”
“Yes!”
Xu Zhiming kicked Li Zhengxi twice, shouting, “Get up now!”
However, Li Zhengxi remained motionless, like a corpse.
“Bang!”
Xu Zhiming kicked him again, but Li Zhengxi still showed no reaction.
“I don’t believe I can’t wake you,” Xu Zhiming said, continuing to kick Li Zhengxi.
Li Zhengxi remained still.
Ye Qiu noticed Li Zhengxi’s eyelids flicker open briefly before closing again.
Is this guy pretending to be dead?
Ye Qiu sneered inwardly. At this point, does pretending to be dead help?
Xu Zhiming said helplessly, “Dad, Li Zhengxi probably won’t wake up for now…”
“Let me handle it!”
Before Xu Zhiming could finish, Ye Qiu grabbed a cup of hot water from the nearby dispenser and splashed it on Li Zhengxi’s face.
“Ah… it hurts, it hurts…”
Li Zhengxi screamed in pain, leaping up from the floor like a cat with its tail stepped on, clutching his face and spinning around the room in agony.
Old Xu glanced at Ye Qiu, a hint of surprise in his eyes, clearly not expecting Ye Qiu’s methods to be so decisive.
“Why pretend to be dead? You brought this on yourself,” Ye Qiu said with a laugh.
“What, he was pretending to be dead?” Xu Zhiming said, shocked.
“Yes, he woke up a while ago and has been faking it,” Ye Qiu said.
“Damn it, you dared to deceive me? I’ll kill you!” Xu Zhiming, furious, rushed forward, kicked Li Zhengxi to the ground, and straddled him, raining punches down like a storm.
Li Zhengxi held his head with both hands, pleading, “Mr. Xu, have mercy, have mercy…”
After a while.
Xu Zhiming, exhausted, stopped and grabbed Li Zhengxi by the collar, dragging him before Old Xu.
“Kneel!”
Thud.
Li Zhengxi knelt before Old Xu, sobbing, “Old Xu, I’m sorry, it’s all my fault…”
“Li Zhengxi, come here,” Old Xu said.
Li Zhengxi looked up at Old Xu, puzzled, unsure of his intentions.
“Are you deaf? My father told you to come closer,” Xu Zhiming shouted.
Li Zhengxi quickly stood, cautiously asking, “Old Xu, you…”
“Why are you standing so far away? I’m not going to eat you. Come closer,” Old Xu said with a smile.
Seeing Old Xu seemingly without malice, Li Zhengxi leaned forward and asked, “Old Xu, what are your orders?”
“Closer.”
Li Zhengxi stretched his neck, bringing his face close to Old Xu’s. At that moment, Old Xu suddenly slapped him across the face.
Slap!
The crisp sound of the slap echoed through the room.
The blow left Li Zhengxi’s mouth bleeding. He knelt in fear, saying, “Old Xu, I’m sorry. I was blinded by greed to do such a thing to you. Please spare me.”
“If you spare me, I’ll serve you like a slave in the future.”
“Mr. Xu, I beg you.”
Li Zhengxi kept kowtowing, his head hitting the floor with loud thuds, soon breaking the skin on his forehead, blood trickling down.
Xu Zhiming said, “Father, don’t let him off. Send him to prison and let him rot there.”
Li Zhengxi pleaded again, “Old Xu, for the sake of my past treatment of you, please give me a chance to live.”
“I swear I’ll never do this again.”
“I beg you.”
Li Zhengxi continued kowtowing.
He knew his life was entirely in Old Xu’s hands, and he had to beg for forgiveness no matter what.
Three minutes passed.
Old Xu finally spoke, “Li Zhengxi, I don’t want to see you in Korea ever again.”
Li Zhengxi looked up in disbelief at Old Xu.
Just letting me go like that?
Xu Zhiming hurriedly said, “Father, you can’t be soft-hearted. This guy went too far. He must pay a price.”
Seeing Li Zhengxi still on the ground, Old Xu shouted, “Get out!”
“Thank you, Old Xu, thank you!” Li Zhengxi kowtowed a few more times, then fled the bedroom as if his life depended on it.
“Father, why did you let him go?” Xu Zhiming complained.
“I’m old, my heart’s not as ruthless as it used to be,” Old Xu said to Ye Qiu, “I must have made a fool of myself.”
Ye Qiu replied, “Old Xu, you’re too kind. Your magnanimity is truly admirable. I’m a bit tired, so I’ll step out to rest for a bit.”
“Changjin, go with Ye Qiu and show him around,” Xu Zhiming said.
Xu Changjin nodded and accompanied Ye Qiu out of Old Xu’s bedroom.
As Ye Qiu left, a flash of killing intent appeared in his eyes. Though Old Xu had spared Li Zhengxi, Ye Qiu had no intention of letting him off.
Some people in this world don’t deserve to live!
