He had never seen anyone so reckless, and he quickly backed away.
Seeing this, a few of his underlings hurried over to surround them.
Yet Chen Wanli acted like a madman, wielding the broken half of a wine bottle, stabbing wildly left and right.
In the blink of an eye, seven or eight men were sprawled all over the floor, each with a bloody hole in his body.
Everyone gasped in shock.
Chen Wanli did not stop for even a second. With a stride, he closed in on He Laosan, grabbed him by the collar with a backhand grip, and jabbed the bloody half-bottle straight toward his face.
"Go on, say what you just said to me again!"
Seeing the ferocity on Chen Wanli's face, panic gripped He Laosan's heart. He felt that this reckless lunatic before him would actually dare to stab him to death!
"Kid, Fifth Master Huang..." He Laosan tried to issue a threat, but felt the jagged glass pierce his skin, bringing a burning, fiery pain to his face.
"I know Fifth Master Huang might be a big shot, but so what? Even if he were standing right here today, he would still have to apologize to my father-in-law and my wife! Let alone you, a mere thug!"
Chen Wanli radiated a murderous aura.
Unexplained panic seized He Laosan. He was reminded of those ruthless characters who had actually killed people!
He was terrified!
"I apologize, I apologize! Old master, spare me! My mouth just runs foul! Just treat me like a fart and let me go!"
Tang Dapeng and Zhang Yuehong exchanged glances, neither of them expecting Chen Wanli to be so fiercely courageous after recovering from his illness!
To be able to protect them like this—it would be a lie to say they weren't moved!
You had to remember that just a moment ago, when his aunt had been beaten up, her own son-in-law hadn't dared to let out so much as a peep!
Tang Dapeng hurried forward to pull Chen Wanli back. "Wanli, forget it, forget it. Don't lower yourself to their level!"
As soon as Chen Wanli loosened his grip, He Laosan scrambled to his feet and bolted toward the door.
"Take this pack of dogs with you!" Chen Wanli barked angrily.
The remaining lackeys all propped each other up, scrambled to their feet, and fled.
In an instant, only family and friends were left in the private dining room.
Everyone stared at Chen Wanli in astonishment, and for a long while, no one dared to speak.
....
....
....
Chapter 8: The Influence of the Richest Man
"We won't be able to finish this meal today. Everyone, head back!" Tang Dapeng said in a deep voice, looking at the chaotic mess all over the room.
With that, he pulled Chen Wanli, his wife, and his daughter toward the door.
The others hurriedly said their goodbyes and rushed off.
Leaving behind a scene of utter chaos and the tearful family of the aunt!
……
On the way home.
Zhang Yuehong glared at Chen Wanli. "Did you even know who those people were just now? How could you just lash out and beat people like that?"
"Wanli did it to protect me!" Tang Dapeng coughed dryly to smooth things over.
"Han Feihu was so scared he nearly pissed his pants, yet he had to jump out and show off! Tang Yanran works at the hospital—offending scumbags like that makes her an easy target!"
The more she talked, the angrier Zhang Yuehong became. Having strutted her stuff, fear had now gripped her heart, and she blamed it all on Chen Wanli's impulsiveness.
Chen Wanli remained completely calm. "They won't dare do anything. Tang Yanran is my wife, and I will protect her!"
Furious, Zhang Yuehong slapped the back of her seat. "Your illness is cured, but you've learned nothing else except how to talk big!"
"Alright, alright, say less! Let's have your cousin, the police precinct director, step in and help mediate with Fifth Master Huang!" Tang Dapeng chimed in to smooth things over.
Zhang Yuehong's face turned green with rage. "Easier said than done! That man never lets a feather pass without plucking it—asking him to mediate will cost a fortune, goodness knows how much.
It's all your fault! Tang Yanran is so capable, any man would have been a good match, yet you insisted on marrying her off to him.
Now that his illness is finally cured, instead of learning anything useful, he's the first to start trouble and talk big!"
"Today's events can't entirely be blamed on him!" Tang Yanran suddenly spoke up.
Hearing her daughter speak up for Chen Wanli, the couple was stunned.
Chen Wanli said nothing. Possessing the Immortal Medical Heavenly Classic, whether it was money, power, or status in the future, none of it would pose any difficulty for him.
Let alone a thug boss who ran an earth-moving business; he simply wouldn't take such a person seriously.
It was just that these things could not be spoken aloud.
For a moment, a strange and awkward atmosphere filled the car.
No one spoke again, and the car sped all the way toward the Tang Family residence.
The Tang Family lived in a mid-to-high-end residential area in the south of Nanbin City. While not a luxury mansion, the four-bedroom, two-living-room apartment was more than spacious enough.
As soon as they got home, Zhang Yuehong and Tang Yanran each retreated to their respective bedrooms.
Only Chen Wanli and Tang Dapeng were left in the living room.
Tang Dapeng took Chen Wanli by the hand. "Now that your illness is cured, I've finally fulfilled my duty to your mother."
With a look of shame, he continued, "When your parents passed away so suddenly, I only thought of bringing you over, especially since I was an outsider at the time.
So the house and the company's aftermath left by your parents were entirely taken over by your second uncle!"
Chen Wanli nodded. "Dad, I understand! There wasn't much family property anyway. At most, some mementos hold sentimental value, and I'll just go find my second uncle and get them back when the time comes!"
Tang Dapeng hesitated, wanting to say more. Walking into a tiger's den—how could there be any hope of getting things back? But Chen Wanli's illness had just healed, and he didn't want to say too much.
"Mhm, it's good that you can let it go. In the future, live a good life with Tang Yanran. She has a cold temperament, so be more accommodating to her, and give me a grandson sooner!"
"..." Chen Wanli's old face flushed red, and a wave of warmth washed over him.
Zhang Yuehong's attitude toward him wasn't great, but this father-in-law genuinely cared for him.
"Alright, alright, it's getting late, go get some rest!" With that, Tang Dapeng pushed Chen Wanli toward Tang Yanran's bedroom.
"Ah, this..." Chen Wanli remembered that he and Tang Yanran slept in separate rooms. What did his father-in-law mean by this?
"What 'this' is this? Your illness is cured, why aren't you hurrying up to make a grandson for me to hold?" Tang Dapeng said as he shoved Chen Wanli right into the bedroom.
"..."
Tang Yanran was just about to change her clothes and take a shower. Hearing the commotion at the door, before she even had time to put her clothes back on, Chen Wanli was pushed inside.
What came into view was a vast expanse of the woman's bare, snow-white skin.
Clad in little more than bikini-like underwear, her alluring figure was on full display.
"Turn around!" Tang Yanran flushed with embarrassment, her pretty face blushing bright red.
"Oh!" Chen Wanli turned around. Listening to the rustling sound of clothing being put on behind him, his throat inexplicably went dry.
Tang Yanran finished dressing, her pretty face still flushed with annoyed embarrassment.
Without a word, she walked straight into the bathroom to take a shower.
This bedroom had an en-suite bathroom. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Chen Wanli listened to the splashing sound of water from the shower, which stirred endless imagination.
Tang Yanran had exquisite features and a top-tier figure!
Chen Wanli figured that any man in this situation would find it impossible not to have his heart racing.
Yet if they were to share a bed tonight, would it be moving too fast?
Until Tang Yanran emerged from the bathroom, took a quilt from the wardrobe, and placed it directly on the floor.
Chen Wanli's stray thoughts vanished.
Laying out the bedding on the floor, turning off the lights—all done in one smooth motion.
Neither of them spoke another word.
Chen Wanli knew that whether it was him or Tang Yanran, neither seemed to have truly accepted the other just yet.
Chen Wanli didn't deny that he had a favorable impression of Tang Yanran; over the past three years, he had felt her care for him.
Precisely because of this, he didn't want to force anything.
Where this fate would lead, he wanted to let nature take its course!
The night was quiet, and the sounds of the two of them tossing and turning were magnified infinitely.
"Tomorrow I'll drive you to the hospital, and then take the car to get repaired!"
"Okay!"
With a single sentence, everything sank back into the silence of the night.
Early the next morning, Chen Wanli took Tang Yanran to work as promised.
Watching the two of them leave together, Tang Dapeng was so happy he looked fit to burst.
Standing nearby, Zhang Yuehong poured cold water on his joy. "Stop daydreaming! Didn't you say you were going to ask my cousin to help smooth things over? Go buy groceries! And you'd better mentally prepare yourself—that fellow is a total skinflint!"
"There's no help for it. I asked around, and that Fifth Master Huang is notorious for holding grudges. We can't just wait for him to retaliate against Wanli!" Tang Dapeng said with a frown.
"Hh, anyone who knows would say he's our live-in son-in-law; anyone who doesn't would think he was your illegitimate son!"
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
"..."
As soon as Tang Yanran arrived at the hospital and stepped into her department, Huang Min, a head nurse she got along well with, pulled her into a corner and whispered:
"You know our hospital director, Zhang Debiao, is under investigation, right?"
"Mhm!" Tang Yanran was also slightly surprised.
Although Zhang Debiao wasn't entirely clean, Song Siming had stated yesterday that he would make a real-name report, and today he was already being investigated.
Was this the influence of the richest man?
Thinking of Chen Wanli's previous bold boast that he would cure Song Jiaojiao's depression, a wave of inexplicable worry washed over her.
"I heard your husband's illness is cured?" Huang Min asked again.
"Mhm!" Tang Yanran was already used to the hospital gossip. Checking the time, she headed straight for the consultation room.
She was on outpatient duty today. After seeing a few patients,
a punky young man with dyed blonde hair walked in, wearing a tank top covered in tattoos.
Tang Yanran asked routinely, "Where are you feeling uncomfortable?"
"My lower parts are itching, take a look for yourself!" the blonde youth said with an evil grin, standing up to take off his pants.
"Don't move! For this kind of condition, go straight to the dermatology and venereology department!" Tang Yanran snapped, stopping him.
The blonde youth unhappily sniffed, the flesh on his face twitching. "Are you refusing to treat me? Believe it or not, I'll file a complaint against you!"
"You have the right to complain about me!" Tang Yanran said as she stood up and pulled open the door of the consultation room.
"This is the emergency department; we only handle critical patients."
"Your condition is not life-threatening, nor is it an emergency. You can go directly to the dermatology department!"
"Today I specifically want you to examine me. Try saying you won't see me again!" The blonde youth threw a massive fit, kicking the stool flying!
Having done that, the blonde youth put on the face of a victim, standing at the door and howling: "Goddamn doctor refuses to treat patients, what a black-hearted doctor! Is no one going to do anything about this?!"
After he shouted a few times, seven or eight punk youths cut from the same cloth swarmed in.
Terrified, Tang Yanran turned pale and instinctively grabbed her phone, wanting to call Chen Wanli.
The moment she dialed the number, her movements paused. In a moment of crisis, the person she thought of was actually Chen Wanli! Had this man unconsciously given her a sense of security?
....
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Chapter 9: Delivering Yourself to Death?
Seeing Tang Yanran about to make a call, the blonde youth slapped the phone right out of her hand, then viciously shoved her to the floor.
"Bro, what's going on? Which doctor is so utterly devoid of conscience? Let us brothers teach him how to behave!"
At the blonde youth's call, the group of rebellious youths joined in chanting slogans about heartless doctors and cursing those who refused treatment to die a horrible death.
In an instant, the entire emergency corridor was thrown into chaos.
Hearing the commotion, the doctor from the next consultation room came out, intending to ask what was going on, only to be shoved back inside by a pair of blonde youths.
"Stop meddling in other people's business! Some people are asking for a beating—don't go looking to get hit!"
Tang Yanran hadn't fallen hard. Climbing back to her feet, she shook with anger, not even noticing that the phone knocked away into the corner had already dialed Chen Wanli's number.
Fortunately, there were security guards right at the entrance of the emergency department, and they arrived quickly.
Department head Meng Xianyan also hurried over upon hearing the news.
Though surrounded by security guards, the group of blonde youths showed no fear at all, loudly clamoring to file complaints.
After inquiring about the sequence of events, Meng Xianyan lowered his voice and asked Tang Yanran, "Did you offend someone recently?"
Tang Yanran immediately thought of Li Tianyang, then flashed on He Laosan, and finally pressed her lips together without a word.
"Call the police! This definitely calls for the police!" Head nurse Huang Min walked in, took one look, and was badly startled.
Meng Xianyan frowned, looked at the blonde youth and his cronies, and said, "Little brothers, the hospital has its rules. If you keep making a scene, I'm going to have to call the police!"
The blonde youth split his mouth in a wide grin. "Heh heh, we brothers aren't afraid of that! Go ahead and call them if you want—at worst, we get three days in detention. Once we're out, I'll still come back for a checkup!"
"My nether regions are uncomfortable, and I insist on having Dr. Tang examine me!"
Hearing these shameless words, everyone present felt the urge to go up and slap them across the face a few times.
The medical staff on site grew even more furious, casting unanimous glances at Meng Xianyan to signal that he must call the police to punish them severely without leniency.
Meng Xianyan hesitated. Director Zhang Debiao had just been arrested; it was a sensitive period, and doctor-patient conflicts were the most sensitive of all. The best approach was to turn big matters into small ones, and small matters into nothing.
Just then, a man's voice came from outside the crowd:
"No need to call the police! And nobody is hurt, so let's just leave it at that!"
Tang Yanran looked up to see Chen Wanli walking over. He had originally planned to leave after dropping Tang Yanran off at the hospital entrance, but he had received a call from Song Siming.
Song Siming had invited Chen Wanli to check on Song Jiaojiao's condition. Little did he know that before he even reached the ward, Chen Wanli received Tang Yanran's call—though no one spoke on the line, he could hear the noisy abuse of the blonde youth and his gang, prompting him to rush right over.
The doctors and nurses present all recognized Chen Wanli, and for a moment they looked at Tang Yanran with a mixture of astonishment and sympathy.
What kind of man was he? Truly spineless! Letting his wife get bullied like this without stepping up?
Tang Yanran felt deeply disappointed as well. Previously, when Li Tianyang and He Laosan were beaten up and things blown out of proportion, it was Chen Wanli who caused a scene.
Now that retaliation had come, the one shrinking back into his shell was also Chen Wanli.
"Call the police or not? If not, I'm leaving! Hahaha!" The blonde youth laughed wildly.
"Go on, go on!" The security guards knew when to back down, offering a way out, and the blonde youth and his gang swaggered away with roaring laughter, shouting threats about coming back tomorrow.
Huang Min glanced sideways at Chen Wanli, using veiled language to hit out at Meng Xianyan. "Old Meng, with you being this cowardly, can we really count on you to protect us?"
Meng Xianyan spoke with implied meaning, "These people clearly came to stir up trouble on purpose. Why would they deliberately come to make a scene? You all need to keep that in mind! Don't bring trouble into the hospital!"
With that, he directed the security guards to disperse the onlookers and flicked his sleeve as he walked away.
A wave of grievance washed over Tang Yanran. When she looked up, Chen Wanli had vanished as well, leaving her heart a tangled mess of mixed emotions.
……
In the hospital's underground parking garage, the blonde youth and his gang were brimming with triumph.
"That surnamed Tang bitch is gorgeous—I almost actually wanted to drop my pants!"
"Hahaha, then come back tomorrow! Let the little lady see what you're working with!"
Just as they were talking, they saw the man who had spoken up earlier to stop the police from being called walking straight toward them.
In his eyes lurked a biting chill, as if he meant to kill in the next second...
Chen Wanli half-squinted his eyes, his anger flaring.
Meeting Chen Wanli's gaze, the blonde youth and his gang froze for a moment, feeling an inexplicable flutter of panic.
Then, remembering that there were seven of them, how could they possibly be afraid of just one guy? They regained their confidence, exchanged glances, and burst into laughter.
"What's up, little punk? Got something to say?" The blonde youth curled his mouth in a disdainful smile. With so many onlookers earlier, this jerk had been too cowardly to call the police—let alone now that it was just him alone!
Chen Wanli said nothing. With a single stride forward, he kicked the blonde youth squarely in the chest, the immense force sending him flying through the air.
He traced a parabola in the air before crashing heavily onto the ground.
The blonde youth spat out a mouthful of blood and slumped over unconscious.
The remaining men had the souls scared right out of them!
To be sure, these guys had been in plenty of fights, but they had rarely ever seen someone sent flying by a single kick.
A group brawl? Fight back?
No, that thought didn't cross their minds at all; their only impulse was to cover their heads and scatter like rats.
Yet Chen Wanli moved like a reaper harvesting lives, pacing effortlessly among them.
The seven or eight "rebellious youths" didn't withstand three of Chen Wanli's punches and kicks before ending up sprawled all over the floor.
Dragging them together like dead dogs, Chen Wanli asked in a cold voice: "Who told you to come?"
"San, Third Brother..."
"Where is he?"
"Huang Manor!"
Only then did they realize that the man in front of them hadn't acted up in the emergency corridor simply because he didn't want to make trouble inside the hospital.
As for calling the police, that had never even crossed his mind.
Just as the blonde youth and his crew had boastfully declared, at worst they would be locked up for three to five days, and once out, they could keep making trouble!
Chen Wanli intended to resolve the problem once and for all.
……
Huang Shuyue had built a five-story western-style villa with front and back gardens in the most expensive downtown district.
A plaque hung on the imposing gates with gilded characters reading: Huang Manor!
Strictly speaking, he was just an upstart who made his fortune in the earth-moving business.
Yet anyone in the know was well aware that out of the five districts in Nanbin City, Fifth Master Huang held hidden shares in the entertainment clubs of two of them.
Among those making a living in the underground underworld of Nanbin City, who dared not address him respectfully as Fifth Master Huang?
Driving the blonde youth's battered van, Chen Wanli parked right at the entrance of Huang Manor. The moment he stepped out,
a few thugs smoking and bragging at the gates immediately swarmed over.
"Isn't this the blonde's van? Who the hell are you?"
Chen Wanli smiled faintly. "My name is Chen Wanli, and I'm here to see the Yellow Weasel!"
"Damn your grandmother, is 'Yellow Weasel' a name you get to use?" a thug rebuked angrily.
The others also rolled up their sleeves and closed in.
Yet the next second, Chen Wanli pulled open the van's side door.
Inside the van, the blonde youth and his gang lay sprawled in a tangled heap, either with broken limbs or spitting blood, groaning in a way that chilled the bone.
The thugs exchanged glances and turned tail, bolting toward the gates of Huang Manor.
Chen Wanli didn't stop them, simply standing at the entrance with a smiling expression.
A moment later, dozens of thugs wielding baseball bats and steel pipes poured out of the gates in a steady stream.
Following them, a bald man leisurely strolled out, turning a string of agarwood prayer beads in his hand.
He looked to be in his forties, with rugged facial features and an aura of fierce hostility in his brows.
It was none other than the notorious Fifth Master Huang of Nanbin City, Huang Shuyue!
The once-arrogant He Laosan was now trailing obediently behind him.
"You're Chen Wanli?" Huang Shuyue sized Chen Wanli up for a moment, then let out a grim laugh.
Chen Wanli sneered, "I didn't expect the illustrious Yellow Weasel to know a nobody like me!"
The nickname "Yellow Weasel" made a fierce light flash in Huang Shuyue's eyes, and his imposing, unprovoked aura caused the air to freeze abruptly.
Everyone present stared at Chen Wanli in astonishment. Delivering oneself to death—they had never seen anyone do it quite like this!
....
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Chapter 10: You Just Got Lucky
"It seems Han Feihu was right—you really are severely ill!"
Huang Shuyue smiled coldly. "Why do you think I sent people to the hospital? I was waiting for you to come to me!"
"He Laosan was collecting a debt on my behalf, and by touching him, you slapped me across the face!"
"I originally planned to send someone to find you directly, but Old San said you had some combat skills. If we ambushed you directly, you might have bolted."