84: Helping my grandfather

Those teasing words were like a light feather landing in the stagnant air.

Lin Chao's expression became unnatural for a moment.

He coughed lightly, avoiding Shen Zhixia's smiling eyes.

"Cough."

"It's getting late."

He stood up abruptly, his movements even carrying a hint of urgency: "I have to go back. You should get some rest."

As he spoke, as if to prove he was really leaving, he pulled up the down duvet that was covering the lower half of Shen Zhixia's body.

The soft edge of the quilt covered her all the way to her chin, completely concealing the alluring scene.

Seeing that he was really about to turn and leave, Shen Zhixia grew anxious and ignored her embarrassment.

"Wait!"

She blurted out.

"You said before... about being able to treat my illness..."

Lin Chao's footsteps stopped.

He didn't turn around, only facing her with his back, his voice returning to its previous calm and professional tone.

"From now on, I'll come over once every three days to give you acupuncture."

"Depending on the situation, I might also prescribe some herbal decoctions for you."

"When the time comes, I'll prepare the medicine for you at the pharmacy. Just bring it back and brew it yourself in a clay pot."

He seemed to remember something and added uneasily, "Remember, you must buy a clay pot specifically for brewing Chinese medicine. Don't use a metal pot."

Shen Zhixia took his words to heart, remembering every single one.

"Then... how should I pay the consultation fee?" she asked cautiously.

Lin Chao's answer was crisp and straightforward: "Just pay me for the medicine according to the prescription when the time comes."

After saying that, he didn't stay for another moment.

He almost stumbled over his own feet as he walked quickly to the door, pulled it open, and walked out without looking back.

No matter how one looked at it, his retreating figure seemed a bit flustered, as if he were fleeing in defeat.

"Thud."

The door was gently closed.

Only Shen Zhixia was left in the room.

She stared at the closed door, stunned for a full half-minute.

Then, she let out a "pfft" and started laughing.

That laughter was like melting spring water, carrying a hint of the sweetness of having survived a disaster and a girlish playfulness that even she hadn't noticed.

This man... seems really interesting... Meanwhile...

Lin Chao almost jogged all the way back to his home downstairs.

Closing the door, he leaned against it and let out a long breath of turbid air.

His mind, however, felt like a movie theater, uncontrollably replaying that extremely erotic scene from just now.

"Damn it!"

Lin Chao cursed under his breath and raised his hand to rub his burning face.

He was truly a bit embarrassed to face Shen Zhixia again now.

After all, when he carried her out of the bathroom just now, she wasn't wearing anything!

But thinking of Shen Zhixia's illness... He paced back and forth in the living room, scratched his hair irritably, and finally took out his phone.

He hesitated for a moment, scrolled to a number he hadn't dialed in a long while, and called it.

The phone rang for a long time before it was picked up.

An old and steady voice came from the receiver.

"Hello?"

"Grandfather," Lin Chao's voice unconsciously took on a hint of respect, "it's me."

There was a moment of silence on the other end: "It's so late, is something wrong?"

"Um..." Lin Chao organized his words, not daring to say he had just finished giving someone acupuncture, but instead choosing a more subtle approach.

"I just wanted to ask you something."

"I have a boss, a woman, with a very serious heart condition."

"It's the kind you mentioned, congenital and very tricky."

As he spoke, he recalled Shen Zhixia's description, embellishing it slightly.

"I heard her family took her to see famous doctors all over the world, and they all said it's incurable, predicting she wouldn't live past twenty."

"Now she's struggled along, barely staying alive with money, managing to reach almost thirty."

"But she's at her limit now; she could die at any moment."

"It's just... quite pitiful."

Having finished, he gripped his phone nervously, waiting for his Grandfather's reply.

There was a long silence on the other end.

Just as Lin Chao thought the signal had cut out, his Grandfather's slightly hoarse voice slowly came through the receiver.

"Mm."

"This illness is indeed tricky."

Lin Chao: "???"

That's it?

Finished?

Lin Chao held the hot phone, his mouth twitching uncontrollably.

His Grandfather's habit of being sparing with words hadn't changed in decades.

He took a deep breath, still unwilling to give up, and pressed further: "Then... that Needle Array passed down in our family... can it cure it?"

This was his true purpose for making this call tonight.

He was testing.

Testing his Grandfather's attitude.

As long as his Grandfather relented even slightly and said the word "can," he would dare to go all out and treat her boldly!

There was another dead silence on the other end.

Just as Lin Chao thought his Grandfather was going to hang up again, that old voice drifted over eerily.

"You brat..."

"You haven't already started, have you?"

Lin Chao's heart skipped a beat.

The older the ginger, the spicier it is.

He gave a few awkward dry laughs, his tone softening instantly.

"Wasn't it... an emergency!"

"The person was lying on the bathroom floor, looking like they were about to stop breathing. What else could I do?"

He began to make excuses for himself, his voice even carrying a hint of grievance.

"Besides, since I was a child, haven't you and Grandpa taught me that a doctor must have a benevolent heart?"

"I couldn't just... watch someone die in front of me, could I?"

On the other end, his Grandfather let out a long sigh.

That sigh contained three parts helplessness and seven parts disappointment.

"You brat don't even have a medical license!"

"Do you know that this is called illegal medical practice? Do you have any idea what the consequences would be if something really went wrong?"

Lin Chao stiffened his neck and argued in a low voice: "She... she won't tell anyone."

A disdainful snort came from the receiver.

"Heh, she won't tell?"

"Once you've cured her, will her family not ask?"

"Would a family that can keep her alive with money until now be an ordinary one?"

"When they investigate, you'll be waiting to rot in prison!"

His Grandfather's tone suddenly became impatient: "Enough, enough! Stop talking nonsense with me!"

"Send me your current address."

Lin Chao's eyes lit up instantly.

The apprehension and unease in his heart were instantly replaced by immense joy.

"Grandfather, you're coming over?" His voice was filled with uncontrollable excitement. "You're going to take action yourself?"

A powerful roar came from the other end.

"Like hell I am!"

"My hands are shaking like this; how can I still use needles?"

"Get lost!"

"Beep—beep—beep—"

The call was hung up mercilessly.