"This person looks like a fraud at first glance," the elderly man in the long gown said.
Seeing the expression on Jiang Shan's face, he shook his head and walked outside.
As the two of them stepped out, a delicate flush crept across Jiang Ranran's face.
Although Chu Hao couldn't see it, this meant she was stripping naked right in front of a man. Gritting her teeth, she pulled back the quilt and said, "Niannian, give me a hand!"
Su Nian took a deep breath, looked at Chu Hao, and nodded. "Okay!"
Before long, Jiang Ranran lay there, her face burning red.
Due to her illness, she spent most of her time confined to bed. Her skin was extremely fair, but it carried an unhealthy pallor.
Her figure was somewhat slender, yet curves were present precisely where they should be.
"Please help me place my hand over her heart," Chu Hao said.
Hearing this, Su Nian's expression darkened. "You..."
She glanced at Jiang Ranran. Jiang Ranran's face was flushed as she nodded. "Let him do it!"
Frowning, Su Nian looked at Chu Hao's composed expression. She took Chu Hao's hand and slowly placed it over Jiang Ranran's chest.
As his five fingers brushed against Jiang Ranran's skin, Chu Hao's brows twitched. He could feel that Jiang Ranran's body temperature was indeed lower than that of an ordinary person. He murmured thoughtfully, "Later... it might hurt a bit. You'll have to bear with it."
"Mmm!" Jiang Ranran replied with shy consent.
Beside them, Su Nian frowned deeply. She watched as Chu Hao's fingers slowly lifted, holding a steady posture.
"Mm!"
Su Nian let out a soft moan. Whether it was her imagination or not, she felt a trace of warmth emanate from the spot where Chu Hao was touching her. That sensation vanished almost instantly, replaced by an incomparably freezing coldness that surged from deep within her body, rapidly spreading to her limbs and bones.
A piercing chill struck her, causing her whole body to begin trembling uncontrollably.
"Sister Ranran!" Su Nian's expression shifted slightly.
Chu Hao maintained his posture. After a long while, he parted his lips, and a breath of frigid air slowly exhaled from his mouth.
Having finished all this, he let out a long breath and announced, "Done."
"That's it?" Su Nian frowned.
"Cold!"
"Cold!"
On the bed, Jiang Ranran's lips began to turn cyan, and her entire body shook violently.
Su Nian hurriedly covered her with the quilt, then glared at Chu Hao with a dark expression, demanding, "What is going on here?!"
"Ah—"
Just as Chu Hao was about to explain, Jiang Ranran let out a cry of pain.
"Bang!"
Suddenly, Jiang Shan violently pushed open the door and rushed into the room. Seeing Jiang Ranran on the bed with cyan lips and shivering from the cold, he grabbed Chu Hao by the collar and roared, "What did you do?!"
"Hmph, what else could have happened?" the elderly man in the long gown sneered from outside. "During an attack of Miss Jiang's ALS, she cannot be exposed to even the slightest bit of cold. This kid must have wanted to take advantage of her. Miss Jiang took off her clothes, caught a chill, and now her condition is completely out of control."
"You motherfucker!" Rage flashed across Jiang Shan's face.
"Cold!"
"Cold!"
Just as Jiang Shan prepared to beat Chu Hao savagely, Jiang Ranran's trembling voice sounded from the bed once more.
"Someone come here!" Jiang Shan shouted in a panicked roar.
Two bodyguards rushed in promptly. "Mr. Jiang!"
"Take this kid down to the basement and lock him up! I'll deal with him properly later. If anything happens to Ranran, I'll have his life!" Jiang Shan's expression turned grim.
Beside them, Su Nian looked at Chu Hao, disappointment flashing in her eyes.
From her perspective, the old man in the long gown was right: Chu Hao... hadn't done a thing except grope Jiang Ranran.
The two bodyguards roughly dragged Chu Hao away, hauling him down to the villa's basement and shoving him hard onto the floor.
A wave of pain shot through his back—evidently, the wound from where Zuo Cheng had shoved him earlier had torn open again.
The people upstairs hadn't given him the slightest chance to explain.
He shook his head, unconcerned, and calmly pulled himself up into a sitting position.
"Keep watch on this kid. I suspect his blindness is just an act," one bodyguard said with a dark tone. "I'm going back up to check on Ranran."
Once that man left, the remaining bodyguard saw that Chu Hao was actually sitting cross-legged as if nothing had happened, and rage flared within him.
"You pervert!" he gritted his teeth. "I watched Ranran grow up! How dare you trigger her attack and make her suffer like this? If I don't make you taste some hardship today, I'll write my name backward!"
With that, he walked over to the corner of the basement and picked up a baseball bat.
...
Up in Jiang Ranran's bedroom, a few minutes after the chilling sensation passed, Jiang Ranran felt the intense cold inside her body receding at a terrifying speed.
The sharp pain was also gradually fading away.
The color slowly returned to her lips.
Since it was summer, her room had no air conditioning running, making it rather stuffy.
"How are you feeling?" Seeing Jiang Ranran slowly calm down, Jiang Shan asked anxiously, "Ranran, are you alright now?"
The elderly man in the long gown sighed heavily. "She's recovering now. After all, once covered with the quilt, her body is starting to warm up. But..."
At that moment, Jiang Ranran spoke up. "Dad... I feel... so hot!"
Jiang Ranran's words left the three people in the room completely dumbfounded.
Hot!
The room was indeed very hot. It was mid-summer, the air conditioning was off, and all the windows and doors were tightly shut. The place was practically a steamer!
A fine layer of sweat had even broken out across Su Nian's pretty face.
Yet hearing these words come out of Jiang Ranran's mouth felt truly bizarre.
"You..." Jiang Shan's heart gave a violent thump.
"Dad, I'm too hot. Can you... please go outside? I want to... I want to get dressed." A trace of delicate flush appeared on Jiang Ranran's pale face.
Jiang Shan still found it hard to believe. "You really... you actually feel hot?"
"Mmm!" Jiang Ranran said hastily. "That person just now really was a miraculous physician. It just took a little time. I really do feel quite hot right now."
"Mr. Jiang!" At that moment, the security guard who had dragged Chu Hao down rushed upstairs and reported, "I've already thrown that kid in the basement. Old Liu will take good care of him."
Cursing, he added, "Quacks like that are a genuine scourge. Say the word, and I'll make sure he doesn't see tomorrow's sun."
Then he asked, "How is Ranran doing?"
Hearing this, Jiang Shan's expression changed, and he barked urgently, "Hurry, go invite the divine doctor back up this instant!"
"Huh?" The entering bodyguard was momentarily stunned. "What divine doctor?"
A cold glint appeared in Jiang Shan's eyes. "Did you not understand what I said? I told you to invite that miraculous physician back! If any of you dare to lay a hand on him, don't bother coming back to work!"
"Right away!" Although the bodyguard had no idea what was going on, he dared not defy Jiang Shan's command and bolted down the stairs at once.
...
Downstairs, Old Liu held a baseball bat in his right hand, repeatedly slapping it against his palm. A cold, wicked smile hung in his eyes.
"Playing the miraculous doctor just to take advantage of Miss Jiang? Do you have any idea that our Mr. Jiang is the richest man in all of Jiangcheng? Is Miss Jiang someone you can afford to take liberties with?" Old Liu taunted, tapping the baseball bat lightly against Chu Hao's right arm. "Just now... this is the exact arm you used to grope her, isn't it?"
Chu Hao remained seated, his expression appearing completely calm, ignoring the man entirely.
A ferocious look surged across Old Liu's face. He raised the baseball bat high and roared, "I'll cripple this arm of yours first!"
The baseball bat swung down, cutting through the air with a whistling sound.
Just then, the bodyguard who had gone upstairs reached the basement. His expression shifted, but it was already too late to shout a warning.
Gritting his teeth, he surged forward in a swift stride, leapt into the air, and delivered a flying kick straight into Old Liu's waist.
Old Liu, in the middle of swinging the bat at Chu Hao, took the full force of the kick to his side. He flew sideways, crashing straight into a pile of miscellaneous goods.
"Bang!"
The bodyguard who threw the kick also landed heavily on the floor.
"Who's there?!" Old Liu roared in fury. Clutching his waist, he stumbled to his feet. Seeing the person sprawled on the ground, he froze for a second before cursing wildly, "Luo Sheng, are you out of your fucking mind? Why'd you kick me?!"
Luo Sheng had taken a hard fall. Catching his breath, he climbed up and said, "Mr. Jiang... Mr. Jiang wants us to bring him upstairs. Ranran's... condition might be improving!"
"Really?" Old Liu's expression instantly lit up with joy.
Luo Sheng quickly got to his feet. Glancing at the utterly composed Chu Hao, he paid no mind to whether Chu Hao could see him and offered a deferential cupped-fist salute. "We were rash just now. Mr. Jiang requests your presence!"
The seated Chu Hao let the corner of his mouth curl into a smile, then used his hands to push himself up from the ground.
Luo Sheng hurried over, politely helping Chu Hao to his feet. Barely two or three minutes had passed, yet his attitude toward Chu Hao had undergone a complete hundred-and-eighty-degree shift!
Before long, Chu Hao was supported back to the entrance of Jiang Ranran's bedroom.
Inside the room, the voice of the elderly man in the long gown rang out: "Her pulse is steady, and her body temperature has returned to normal. How on earth did he pull this off?"
Beside Jiang Ranran, Su Nian made no effort to hide her joy!
First, due to the change in Jiang Ranran's condition; second... because she knew she had truly found the right person.
Her grandfather hadn't lied to her. Although Chu Hao looked disheveled, he genuinely possessed real talent and learning.
Perhaps her own troubles could really be resolved with Chu Hao's help.
At this moment, Jiang Shan spotted Chu Hao appearing at the doorway. He hurried over to welcome him. "Divine doctor, I truly apologize for earlier. It was only because I saw such a drastic change in my daughter that I reacted that way. I hope you'll be the bigger man and not hold it against me."
"I wanted to explain, but you didn't give me the chance," Chu Hao said.
"It's all my fault!" Jiang Shan said hastily. "Name whatever the divine doctor needs. You saved my daughter, and my word is absolute. I will grant any request you make—even if you want all my properties."
Beside them, Su Nian was slightly startled. She hadn't expected Jiang Shan to be willing to go to such lengths for Jiang Ranran.
Thinking of her own plight, a wave of bittersweet emotion washed over her.
At that moment, the elderly man in the long gown released Su Nian's wrist and stepped forward to confront Chu Hao. Drawing a deep breath, he asked, "May I ask whose school of medicine young friend belongs to, and just how you managed to actually cure ALS? If you are willing to impart this to me—"
"I'm just a quack," Chu Hao replied with a calm smile. "This was a transaction between Miss Su and me. I treat people, and she gives me a ride back. Miss Su, I have now fulfilled my promise. Send me back, and we'll be even."
His words completely froze the elderly man in his tracks.
The old man had spent the entire time calling Chu Hao a fraud and a quack, and now Chu Hao's words were a direct slap in the face.
A dark, gloomy look flashed across the old man's eyes as he stared at Chu Hao.
"How can we do that?" Jiang Shan chimed in hurriedly. "I was rude to the divine doctor just now, so I must make proper amends."
Ignoring him, Chu Hao turned and asked once more, "Miss Su, are you still here?"
"I'm here!" Su Nian answered promptly.
"Please send me back." Chu Hao's tone remained calm.
Su Nian nodded. "Okay!"
With that, she hurried over to Chu Hao's side, supported his arm, and said, "Please, come with me."
Jiang Shan and Jiang Ranran wanted to say more, but Su Nian shook her head at them. Seeing her expression, the two paused and said nothing further.
Before long, the Maybach drove away from the villa.
Inside the car, Su Nian kept glancing sideways at Chu Hao. Finally, she said apologetically, "Mr. Chu, I'm sorry for doubting you earlier. And for letting you get hurt!"
Hearing Su Nian's words, Chu Hao's face showed very little emotional fluctuation. He shook his head and said, "Given Jiang Ranran's condition, her father's reaction was normal. You don't have anything to apologize for. Like I said before: I help you save someone, you drive me back, and we owe each other nothing."
Su Nian studied Chu Hao. Deep in her heart, she had practically concluded that Chu Hao was a true master.
Jiang Shan had even offered to hand over all his assets, yet Chu Hao had turned him down.
That was an immense fortune. Could an ordinary person who turns down such wealth—insisting it was merely a fair transaction—truly be ordinary? The answer was obviously no.
Yet she couldn't fathom why someone as formidable as Chu Hao had managed to put himself in such a wretched state. Looking at the injuries on Chu Hao's body, a trace of perplexity appeared on her pretty face. "Mr. Chu, are you sure you don't need to go to the hospital for a bandage? You have quite a few wounds on you."
"No need," Chu Hao said.
Su Nian was stunned. As a member of the Su family, though young, she had seen plenty of the world. She realized that from the moment she met Chu Hao, she had been entirely unable to read what was going on behind his expression!
In order to find Chu Hao according to her grandfather's instructions, she had gathered every piece of data on Chu Hao since birth, believing she understood him fairly well.
However, upon actually meeting him, she discovered that her understanding was merely skin-deep.
The files she collected felt more like the persona Chu Hao wanted the world to see, while Chu Hao himself remained shrouded in mystery, as unfathomable as an enigma.
Seeing that Chu Hao had no desire to chat further, she guessed he might still harbor some resentment. Being a smart woman, she didn't rush to bring up the favor she needed him to fulfill.
The car drove on all the way. Soon, it came to a halt in front of a rather dilapidated hostel.
In this day and age, hostels were rare and stood as the cheapest lodging available for travelers.
"You're staying in this kind of hostel?" Su Nian asked, her brow furrowing slightly as she looked at the worn-out plaque.
Chu Hao nodded. "Mmm. Please help me out of the car, Miss Su."
Su Nian nodded.
She assisted Chu Hao out of the vehicle and handed him his white cane.
"Thank you," Chu Hao said.
"Mr. Chu!" Su Nian called out just then. "Do you have a way to contact you? I might need to find you again later."
"I... don't have a phone," Chu Hao replied, shaking his head. "If you need to find me, just come to this hostel."
Su Nian thought for a moment. "Wait a moment."
With that, she returned to the car, opened her handbag, and took out an iPhone 13. Handing it to Chu Hao, she said, "This is my phone. I'll be in touch!"
Then she pulled out a credit card. "Uncle Jiang wanted you to have this card. You saved Sister Ranran and refused to take anything, which made him feel bad. This card has no spending limit, and you can use it anywhere in the country."
Su Nian tucked the phone and the card into Chu Hao's pocket. Chu Hao accepted them candidly without refusal.
After all, he still had plenty of matters to handle in Jiangcheng; sooner or later, he would need money and a phone.
"I'll be heading up then!" Chu Hao said.
His white cane tapped rhythmically against the ground as he leisurely made his way toward the hostel.
Su Nian and the driver stood watching until Chu Hao disappeared inside. Only then did the bodyguard take a deep breath and say, "Miss, this fellow actually seems to have some genuine skills!"
"My grandfather naturally wouldn't lie to me," Su Nian replied, taking a breath.
"Then why didn't you bring up your request just now?" the bodyguard asked.
"We share no blood ties, and we even had a conflict earlier during Sister Ranran's treatment. Don't let his expressionless face fool you," Su Nian said, a knowing look crossing her pretty face. "Deep down, he definitely has some grievances. If I brought it up now, the odds are high he'd refuse."
"Then..." the bodyguard frowned. "What do you plan to..."
"I plan to..." Su Nian smiled slightly, "...go straight and get our marriage certificate registered with him!"
The bodyguard was stunned. "That... that doesn't seem wise. Getting a marriage certificate straight away..."
"How I handle things doesn't seem to require your instructions," Su Nian retorted, opening the car door and getting inside. "Let's go. Time to meet those wealthy merchants in Jiangcheng. On the surface, we're still here to invest in development projects."
...
Stepping into the hostel, Chu Hao had barely crossed the threshold when an exclamation rang out: "What happened to you? Why are you covered in injuries?!"
Chu Hao turned toward the voice and smiled faintly. "I just took a tumble."
Immediately after, quick footsteps echoed, and a youthful, pretty girl grabbed his arm. "I told you to let me go with you wherever you were going, but you wouldn't listen."
The girl looked to be around seventeen or eighteen, her hair tied in a ponytail. Her skin was exceptionally fair, and her features were strikingly clear and lovely.
She was the hostel owner's daughter, Mu Qingqing.
The hostel owners seemed to have other daytime jobs, so Mu Qingqing usually helped look after the place during the day.
Hostels were largely phased out by modern society, leaving very few customers. Chu Hao had stayed here for a few days, and seeing that he was blind, the kind-hearted Mu Qingqing had taken good care of him. Through daily interactions, they had grown quite familiar with each other.
Mu Qingqing helped Chu Hao to his room. Once he sat down on the chair, she said, "I'll go find some medicine for you! You have so many wounds on you!"
"It's nothing!" Chu Hao smiled. "I just need to rest a bit."
"Really?" Mu Qingqing asked, half-doubtful.
Chu Hao nodded. "Mmm, don't worry! I want to sleep for a little while."
Only then did Mu Qingqing nod. "Alright then. I'll stay down here and do my homework. Just call me if you need anything."
"Okay," Chu Hao agreed.
Once Mu Qingqing left, Chu Hao murmured softly, "Such a kind girl deserves a good end. It's a pity that in this world, villains always manage to seize the majority of resources and wealth."