Murong Wan's trap
Murong Wan nodded.
"Yes, this project has a very high rate of return."
She paused.
"If Mr. Li is interested, I can have my husband talk to you in detail."
Li Wei took a sip of wine.
"Let's talk about it later."
Murong Wan smiled.
"Alright then, I'll have my husband contact you later."
At this moment, a waiter knocked on the door.
"Mrs. Murong, may we serve the dishes?"
Murong Wan nodded.
"Go ahead."
The waiter turned and left.
A few minutes later, the dishes began to be served.
French foie gras, steak, lobster, caviar.
Plate after plate was set down, filling the table.
Murong Wan raised her glass.
"Come, let's toast to our cooperation."
Li Wei and Yang Yun also raised their glasses.
"Cheers."
The three of them clinked glasses, took a sip, and began to eat.
The atmosphere was very harmonious.
Murong Wan kept chatting with Yang Yun about the necklace.
Occasionally, she would also ask Li Wei a few questions.
Li Wei mostly listened, responding only occasionally.
The lunch lasted until two in the afternoon.
Murong Wan paid the bill, and the three of them walked out of the restaurant.
Murong Wan looked at Li Wei.
"Mr. Li, my husband will contact you later; I hope we have the chance to cooperate."
Li Wei nodded.
"Okay."
Murong Wan turned to Yang Yun.
"Xiao Yang, I'll leave the matter of the necklace to you."
Yang Yun smiled.
"Don't worry, Sister Murong."
Murong Wan waved her hand.
"I'll be going now."
She turned and got into a white Bentley.
The car drove out of the parking lot.
Yang Yun checked the time and turned to Li Wei.
"Let's go to the hospital."
Li Wei nodded.
The two got into the car, started the engine, and drove toward Shen City People's Hospital.
The car drove out of Rose Manor.
Yang Yun leaned against the passenger seat and turned her head to look at Li Wei.
"What do you think about the Myanmar mine project that Mrs. Murong mentioned?"
Li Wei gripped the steering wheel, his eyes fixed on the road ahead.
"Not much."
Yang Yun raised an eyebrow.
"Why? Her husband is a real estate tycoon; he must have some market foresight, right? Is it really that unworthy of your attention?"
Li Wei smiled.
"It's precisely because he's a real estate tycoon that one must be careful."
He paused.
"The real estate market hasn't been doing well these past two years, and many developers are looking for new investment channels."
Yang Yun looked thoughtful.
"Are you saying they want to pivot?"
Li Wei nodded.
"Myanmar jade mines sound wonderful, but the waters are too deep."
He held up a finger.
"First, the political situation in Myanmar is unstable with warlords carving up territories. You might get the mining rights today, but tomorrow they could be snatched away by another warlord."
"Second, jade mining is too much of a gamble. You might end up digging up nothing but waste and lose everything."
"Third, even if you do dig up good material, every step—smuggling, transportation, customs—requires payoffs. The costs are terrifyingly high."
Yang Yun listened intently.
"Then why does Mrs. Murong's husband still want to invest?"
Li Wei turned his head.
"Because he's desperate."
He paused.
"Money is hard to make in real estate now. He can't sell the projects on hand, his capital chain is tight, so he has no choice but to bet on a high-risk, high-return project."
Yang Yun was silent for a few seconds.
"So we won't participate?"
Li Wei smiled.
"He's just trying to drag me into the water to spread the risk. I'm not stupid; why would I participate?"
He paused.
"Besides, out of ten such projects, nine are traps, and the last one is an even deeper pit."
Yang Yun breathed a sigh of relief.
"That's good. I finally understand why Sister Murong called you first. It seems modifying the jewelry design was just a pretext; dragging you into the partnership was her main goal, right?"
Li Wei turned his head back and smiled.
"My woman is just smart."
Yang Yun gave him a playful, reproachful glare.
The car continued to drive forward.
Yang Yun looked out the window, her expression sobering.
"By the way, I'm still a bit worried about Qin Xue's mother's condition."
Li Wei thought for a moment.
"Worrying is useless. We have to go see her; only then will we know the situation."
Yang Yun turned her head.
"So it's true that you can help?"
Li Wei smiled, knowing she was referring to his medical skills.
"It's alright."
Yang Yun pursed her lips.
"You refuse to tell the truth again."
Li Wei didn't respond.
Forty minutes later, the car stopped in the parking lot of Shen City People's Hospital.
Li Wei turned off the engine and got out of the car.
Yang Yun also got out, and the two hurried toward the inpatient department.
The elevator went up to the 12th floor. The corridor was very quiet, and the air was filled with the smell of disinfectant.
Li Wei found the room number: 1208.
He pushed the door open. There were a few people standing in the room.
Qin Xue was sitting beside the hospital bed, her eyes red and swollen.
Qin Bing was standing by the window, with her back to the door.
There was also a doctor in a white coat, looking at the medical records.
On the bed lay a woman in her fifties, her complexion sallow, lips purple, breathing weak, with an oxygen tube inserted.
Hearing the door open, Qin Xue looked up. Seeing Li Wei and Yang Yun, she stood up.
"Mr. Li, Yang Yun, you're finally here."
Her voice was hoarse.
Li Wei walked over.
"How is the situation?"
Qin Xue bit her lip.
"The doctor said... said that Mom might never wake up again."
As she spoke, tears fell down again.
Yang Yun walked over and hugged her.
"Don't cry, it will be alright."
Qin Xue leaned on Yang Yun's shoulder and cried even harder.
Li Wei turned to the doctor.
"What is her current condition?"
The doctor looked up; he was in his forties and wore glasses.
"Are you a family member?"
Li Wei shook his head.
"A friend."
The doctor hesitated for a moment.
"The patient has been paralyzed for several years since the car accident, and her cerebellum and motor nerve centers have been atrophying year by year."
He paused.
"But this morning, the patient's condition worsened, accompanied by respiratory failure, and her heartbeat is also very weak."
Li Wei frowned.
"Is there really no other way?"
The doctor shook his head.
"We have already tried everything we could."
He paused.
"Now, we can only rely on the ventilator to sustain her. Whether she can wake up depends on the family's companionship and the patient's own willpower. Of course, you can choose to transfer her, but given the patient's current condition, we do not recommend it."
Li Wei looked at the woman on the hospital bed, and the content of the Nine Revolutions Profound Origin Needle Technique surfaced in his mind.
The seventh form, Life-Snatching Needle.
It was specifically designed for such critical conditions.
But the risk was very high.
If the needle application failed, it could accelerate death.
Li Wei turned to Qin Xue.
"Qin Xue, can I try?"
Qin Xue was stunned for a moment.
"What?"
Li Wei walked to the side of the hospital bed.
"Didn't I tell you I know a bit of medicine? I plan to use acupuncture; perhaps it can help."
Qin Xue's eyes lit up.
"Really?"
Li Wei nodded.
"But I must state first that the risk is very high."
He paused.
"If it fails, it might accelerate your mother's death."
Qin Xue bit her lip.
"Then... then what is the probability of success?"
Li Wei thought for a moment.
"About fifty percent."
He didn't dare to say too high because it was his first time using it, and he wasn't sure.
Qin Xue's eyes brightened; fifty percent was already not low.
"Mr. Li, then let's try."
She turned to the doctor.
"Doctor, can you let him try?"
The doctor frowned.
"Acupuncture?"
He paused.
"In this situation, acupuncture is completely useless."
Li Wei didn't speak.
Qin Xue pleaded.
"Doctor, I beg you, let him try."
The doctor sighed.
"Alright, there's no other way anyway; we might as well try anything at this point."
He paused.
"But our hospital will not be responsible if something goes wrong."
Qin Xue nodded.
"I know, I can sign."
The doctor took out a document, and Qin Xue signed it.
The doctor left a box of silver needles and turned to leave.
Li Wei walked to the bedside, lifted the blanket, and prepared to apply the needles.
Just then, a cold voice came from behind him.
"Stop."