Chapter 19

Chapter 19

On the evening of the 14th, Xie Yunshen and Yi Wuyi found an empty house in a rundown old neighborhood in the city.

They covered all four walls with black windproof cloth.

They planned to kidnap Yang Zhongxu and bring him here on the 17th, making him personally confess to his crimes.

The tools and vehicle were ready. They just had to wait for Yang Zhongxu to show up at the hospital to snatch him.

"I bet he'd never guess in his wildest dreams that someone would dare kidnap him in front of all those viewers during a live stream."

Yi Wuyi said, "If what you're saying is true, and Yang Zhongxu is a secret elder of the Top Star Gate, there will definitely be people protecting him."

Xie Yunshen rubbed his chin. "As long as that guy in the hoodie doesn't show up, it should work."

"But that man named Lin Jin—can he just stand by and watch you take away his patient?"

Xie Yunshen had thought about this too.

If the protagonist tried to stop them, it would be troublesome. Once a fight broke out, it would waste time. They might be caught before even leaving the hospital.

Xie Yunshen said, "I'll think of something."

After all, the protagonist still didn't know Yang Zhongxu's true identity.

That show-off, though his actions could be harsh, still knew right from wrong, didn't he?

When Xie Yunshen returned to the Yan family, he saw Third Uncle's family sitting in the living room of the main building.

Grandfather Xie sat opposite them, beaming with a smile brighter than a sunflower.

As soon as he entered, the lively living room immediately fell silent, and everyone looked at him.

"What's all the commotion so late?" Xie Yunshen was a bit startled by the scene.

You see, although he received care from many in the Yan family, he didn't carry much weight. People usually didn't pay him this much attention.

And besides, wasn't Third Uncle supposed to be abroad right now?

"Yunshen is back."

Look, even his grandfather was acting so kind it was unsettling.

This was even more off.

"Brat, what are you standing there for? Third Master and Third Madam are waiting for you." The old man's kindness didn't last three seconds.

"Just call me Third Uncle, like you did when you were little. It sounds more natural to me," Third Uncle said.

Seeing Xie Yunshen standing there, Third Uncle simply stood up and walked toward him.

As he walked, his left leg had a pronounced limp, worse than the last time they met.

Third Madam stood up to support him.

Xie Yunshen quickly walked over. "Third Uncle, please stay seated."

"Xiao Xie, how did you know about that gardener you mentioned to me last time?"

Xie Yunshen's intuition told him it was about that. He carefully replied, "It was... just a dream I had one night..."

Third Uncle was taken aback, then chuckled. "A dream?"

"It... couldn't have actually come true, could it?" Xie Yunshen had to say this. From the looks of it, Third Uncle must have dodged the gardener's scheme because of the warning.

Third Uncle was a perceptive man. Seeing that Xie Yunshen obviously had something he was holding back, he smiled.

"Yes. If it weren't for your reminder, I wouldn't be sitting here today."

Third Madam remarked emotionally, "I knew this child had Xie Ming's grit. Xie Ming would be so proud in the afterlife to have such a smart child... No wonder Shiqi praised you..."

Xie Yunshen's ears perked up at the last sentence, and he immediately became spirited.

However, Third Madam stopped short there.

Third Uncle's face suddenly turned pale, and cold sweat dripped down.

It seemed the old injury in his leg was acting up.

"You should go rest," Xie Yunshen said.

Third Uncle waved his hand. "It's nothing... just an old combat wound."

Third Madam looked down. "Maybe I should go invite Mr. Lin again."

Third Uncle said bitterly, "Forget it. He may not be able to fix this old problem of mine."

As Third Uncle spoke, he tried to stand up again but suddenly fell back onto the sofa.

Grandfather Xie was also startled. "What's wrong?"

Third Uncle's leg trembled uncontrollably. He looked almost embarrassed as he forced a smile. "It's nothing... This leg is sometimes good, sometimes bad. I'm used to it."

A servant opened a wheelchair and helped Third Uncle slowly sit in it.

Xie Yunshen felt a mix of emotions. Someone who could walk just minutes ago now had to rely on a wheelchair.

After Third Uncle left, Third Madam stayed behind for a moment and smiled. "Your Third Uncle is just stubborn like that. When people care too much, he feels worse. Xiao Xie, don't take it to heart."

Xie Yunshen nodded, lost in thought.

The next day, Xie Yunshen went to find the protagonist.

According to the novel, after the protagonist saved Old Mrs. Zhu, she gave him a luxury apartment in the Tian Gong Hao Yuan complex, located in the most prime area of City A.

Seeing the gate of Tian Gong Hao Yuan from afar, Xie Yunshen whistled. Typical of a power-fantasy hero.

Going directly would be too conspicuous, so Xie Yunshen waited on the road opposite.

Lin Jin drove out of the gate on his low-key yet flashy motorcycle, his gaze catching a familiar figure by the roadside.

It was that bodyguard from the Yan family who seemed off in every way.

He initially intended to ignore him, but in the rearview mirror, he saw the other person leaning against his compound wall, motionless.

This feeling was like having a tiger lying next to your den. The more he thought about it, the more uneasy and irritated he felt.

Lin Jin executed a screeching drift, pulling up next to Xie Yunshen. He took off his helmet, rested on the handlebars, and motioned for him to spit it out.

"Didn't you feel like you were stumbling these past few days? No hail falling from the sky? No nightmares when you sleep at night?"

Lin Jin was thrown off by his rapid-fire questions. "...What, are you here to talk in riddles?"

"Why did you agree to treat Yang Zhongxu's cancer?"

"He sought me out himself."

"He sought you out, and you treated him. The Yan family's Third Uncle is a veteran with an old war injury in his leg. He sought you out, so why didn't you treat him? Cut the crap—isn't it just that you're impressed by Yang Zhongxu's social standing?"

Who could grasp the satisfaction of unloading everything right to the protagonist's face, especially while watching him look completely speechless? It was simply—so satisfying!

"I don't like anyone from the Yan family."

"Do you know who Yang Zhongxu is?"

"Just say it."

"He's an underworld elder of the Top Star Gate, responsible for black market deals and organ trafficking."

"Why should I believe you? Just because of your empty claims, I should turn away the chance I've got?" Lin Jin frowned.

Xie Yunshen knew he would say that.

"Before your master left the mountain, didn't he tell you that Tianmen medicine has three rules: no treating evildoers, no treating traitors, and no treating the unfilial?"

Lin Jin immediately sat bolt upright, shocked. "Who are you?"

No wonder he was taken aback. His master had given him these instructions, and he had never told anyone about them. Xie Yunshen was a total stranger, no relation at all—how could he know these words?

Xie Yunshen, thanks to his knowledge from the book, knew it all. "I also know that when you were a child, you stole alcohol, and your master hung you over a jar of venomous insects that bit your butt until it was a mess."

The shock in Lin Jin's eyes turned to wariness, piercing and icy, then gradually softened. "What's your relationship with my master?"

Xie Yunshen smiled but said nothing.

In truth, the only useful information he could leverage was this! Anything more would give him away.

Lin Jin weighed it carefully for a moment before finally saying, "I'll notify the hospital to cancel the consultation."

"No need. The consultation can proceed as scheduled. Just make sure that on that day, you play it by ear and don't try to stop me."

Xie Yunshen turned and walked away.

"Wait." Lin Jin called him to a halt.

"Tell Yan Shiqi that I'll treat his Third Uncle. Have the patient come to Central State Hospital to see me next week."

Hooked, exactly as planned.

Barely containing his excitement, Xie Yunshen acknowledged and left.

Lin Jin watched his retreating figure, his expression grave. He thought Xie Yunshen had come to see him today on Yan Shiqi's orders, even amazed at the Yan family's reach.

As for what Xie Yunshen had said about the Top Star Gate, Lin Jin didn't fully believe it. He planned to look into it on his own.

————

As soon as Xie Yunshen returned to the Yan residence, before he could even share the good news with Third Uncle, the butler intercepted him. "Mr. Yan is looking for you."

"Oh, the study?" Xie Yunshen asked, already bounding up the stairs to the second floor.

"Yes..." The butler had just turned around to answer, but Xie Yunshen's figure had already vanished at the top of the stairs.

"The bedroom..."

Author's note:

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