Su Rong nodded and sat down at the piano used for the professor's lectures. She opened the music book and selected "Autumn Leaves."
Having not touched a piano in three years, the moment her fingers grazed the keys, images of being beaten in prison and having her clothes pressed with a hot electric iron flooded her mind.
She fought to calm herself, testing a few notes in the mid-range to find her rhythm before beginning to play.
Just as she found her flow, she realized her left hand was unresponsive. A sharp, rhythmic stabbing pain surged through her wrist, throwing her hands out of sync and causing the melody to descend into chaos.
Below the stage, a dozen cold faces stared back, waiting to see her make a fool of herself. Only Liu Xu felt nervous for her, whispering, "Su Rong, hang in there!"
Someone let out a sneer. "And she calls that piano playing? She’d be better off picking cotton."
A smile curled at the corners of Su Xuer’s lips. Seeing Su Rong’s trembling left hand, she felt a sense of relief.
Su Rong’s forehead beaded with sweat from the pain. Ever since she entered prison, Zhu Hui, a fellow inmate, had teamed up with two other prisoners to constantly harass her, frequently hurling insults and beating her.
Two years ago, while they were working in the laundry room, Zhu Hui had those two inmates pin her down, grabbed her left hand, and slammed an electric iron onto it.
Su Rong had nearly fainted from the agony, but Zhu Hui hadn't stopped there; she had grabbed her right hand as well. It was only because a newly arrived inmate named Li Nan had intervened that she was saved.
She had been sent to the infirmary, but her left hand was severely injured, the nerves and tendons damaged. Without proper treatment, it had become a chronic issue that flared up with sharp pains, and it had chosen this exact moment to strike again.
"Are you all right?" Professor Zhang asked softly.
Su Rong raised her left hand, unable to muster any strength in it, and said apologetically, "I’m sorry, Professor Zhang, my left hand was injured previously..."
Professor Zhang understood. "Go down and rest for now. Get a proper checkup at the hospital when you have time."
Su Rong returned to her seat.
Liu Xu looked worried. "What happened?"
"I'm fine now," Su Rong said with a wry smile. Strangely, the pain had vanished, as if it had only appeared to humiliate her.
"Sister, are you okay? What’s wrong with your hand?" Su Xuer asked with a look of concern, though she knew perfectly well what had happened to Su Rong’s hand.
Ever since she had overheard the conversation between Bai Fei and Su Xuer outside her bedroom door, Su Rong had suspected that the beatings she endured in prison for three years were linked to Su Xuer, though she still lacked proof.
She ignored Su Xuer’s hypocritical display.
Su Xuer lowered her head, appearing slightly embarrassed, as if she had been deeply wronged.
Someone nearby muttered, "What an arrogant fake heiress. The real daughter doesn't even hold a grudge and cares so much about her, yet she doesn't even acknowledge it. How rude!"
Qin Yu chimed in with a sarcastic tone, "Xuer has always cared about her. You can't blame her, really—being the Su family’s eldest daughter for nineteen years, only to have the real daughter return. How could she possibly accept that?"
"Shameless!"
Professor Zhang cleared his throat, signaling for everyone to be quiet so the lecture could begin.
Liu Xu held her tongue until class ended before exploding. "Those people are truly hateful! What do they know? They’re just barking like dogs. Rongrong, don't pay them any mind."
Su Rong smiled. She had survived three years of hell; what else could she not endure? "I should admire your courage. Everyone else avoids me like the plague, yet you remain by my side."
"We’re best friends, aren't we? Back when I was being bullied, you were the one who protected me at all costs," Liu Xu said, her face full of righteousness. "Rongrong, don't worry. Even if the whole world turns against you, I’ll always stand on your side."
"By the way, let’s skip the afternoon cooking class. I’ll go with you to the hospital for a checkup. Your health is what matters most."
Su Rong nodded, and after lunch, Liu Xu accompanied her to the hospital.
...
Leng Xiao brewed a cup of coffee for Sheng Qiye. "I just saw the old man. He’s beaming, in excellent spirits, and even greeted me."
Sheng Qiye took a sip of the coffee. "How could he not be happy? He managed to snag such a large ruby; he’s been keeping it like a treasure."
Leng Xiao laughed. "I really didn't expect Su Rong to have that kind of talent."
At the mention of her name, Sheng Qiye asked casually, "How was her first day at Yugong?"
Leng Xiao called Professor Zhang’s phone. Upon hearing that Su Rong had gone to the hospital for an exam, he specifically called the hospital to inquire.
"There’s a problem with her left hand—likely from the beatings she took in prison. The tendons were damaged, and because it wasn't treated properly at the time, it’s become a chronic ailment. The hospital just took some X-rays and prescribed some medication. Old injuries like this require long-term treatment; they aren't easy to cure. Young Master, you seem quite concerned about her."
Sheng Qiye leaned back in his chair with a languid air. "I’m just curious to see if the former top talent of the Imperial Capital can make a comeback after living through three years of hell."
Leng Xiao shared the same curiosity. "Too bad her debut was a failure today. She couldn't use her skills to slap the faces of those who mocked her."
"There’s plenty of time; what’s the rush?" Sheng Qiye spun a fountain pen in his hand, his expression inscrutable. "This is getting interesting."
Su Rong looked at her medical report. It was as she had expected; the doctor had only prescribed some medicine. Her condition required slow, careful recovery, and full healing would be difficult.
These medications were not as effective as the two bottles Sheng Qiye had given her.
Liu Xu was still fuming. "Who injured your hand like this? I won't let them get away with it!"
Zhu Hui had been released a month earlier than her, but Su Rong didn't know where she had gone. Of course, she didn't intend to let her go, but there was one more thing she needed to clear up: whether Zhu Hui had been acting under someone else's orders.
"The most important thing right now is to heal my hand. Everything else can wait."
Liu Xu said, "The doctor said it's hard to heal. Unless there’s another way."
"There is one person I could try." When she was in prison, Li Nan had told her about someone who might be able to heal her hand. His name was Hua Tuo, a man from Nanjiang known as the "Ghost-Hand Divine Physician."
However, he was a man of eccentric temperament who did not easily see people. Furthermore, he was elusive, rarely staying in one place for long, making him very difficult to find.
Liu Xu’s eyes lit up. "Who is it? Let's go find him. I don't care how much it costs; money is no object."
Su Rong gave a bitter smile. "It's not a question of money. It’s a question of whether we can find him and whether he’d be willing to treat me."
Liu Xu was full of confidence. "As long as this person exists, we can definitely find him, right? We’ll figure out the rest once we find him. How about I get someone to look into it?"
Su Rong replied, "He might be in the Imperial Capital recently. Tomorrow, you and I are going to a place. I don't know if he’ll be there, but we can try our luck."
Before she was released from prison, Li Nan had mentioned Hua Tuo to her again, telling her to find him and pass on a message. Perhaps that would make him willing to see her.
Li Nan’s background was very mysterious. She had helped her multiple times in prison and had even taught her a few lessons on how to survive.