"I began to suspect, but I never found any evidence!"
"Not only that, but misfortune followed me everywhere!"
"Anyone who was good to me would inexplicably meet with a sudden disaster. Sometimes I would be hit by a flowerpot falling from the sky, and sometimes I would be knocked down by a speeding car!"
"Everyone thought I was a jinx and didn't dare to approach me!"
Hearing this, Jiang Dongchen finally realized how much Li Ruolin had been through, and could not help grabbing her hand: "I'm sorry!"
Li Ruolin instinctively pulled her hand back: "Don't be so good to me!"
*Anyone who is good to me inexplicably meets with a sudden disaster!*
*Everyone thinks I'm a jinx!*
With Li Ruolin's words echoing in his ears, Jiang Dongchen felt as if his heart were being pierced by needles.
Looking at her with deep earnestness, Jiang Dongchen gripped her hand and said, "All those disasters are in the past!"
"There will be no more sudden calamities from the heavens!"
Feeling the strength in Jiang Dongchen's large hand, Li Ruolin found a measure of calm in her heart.
Jiang Dongchen asked another question: "Do you know who sent the two people who tried to harm you?"
Li Ruolin's gaze flickered: "It must be the Matriarch!"
A sharp gleam flashed in Jiang Dongchen's eyes: "Are you sure?"
Li Ruolin nodded: "Though I haven't been able to find any concrete evidence!"
"All the clues point directly to the Matriarch as the prime suspect!"
"A few days ago, she hypocritically introduced me to Wu Chengshan!"
"Knowing that she wanted to harm me, I naturally kept my distance from Wu Chengshan!"
"The day before yesterday, Wu Chengshan came to my house to run amok after drinking, and said that if I didn't marry him, he would ruin my face!"
"And today, I was inexplicably kidnapped!"
Jiang Dongchen's eyes turned bloodred, and he bit out each word: "The Matriarch!"
Li Ruolin let out a desolate sigh: "Being disfigured might not even be a bad thing—it would save me a lot of trouble!"
Hearing Li Ruolin's self-abandonment, Jiang Dongchen felt a chill in his heart: "Ruolin, you are not going to be disfigured!"
"And I promise you, your wonderful life has already begun!"
"I will be with you!"
"You... will be with me?" Li Ruolin looked at Jiang Dongchen uncertainly.
Jiang Dongchen nodded with a firm expression.
A flash of mockery crossed Li Ruolin's eyes: "You're just pitying me!"
Jiang Dongchen froze. Not knowing how to answer her, he fell silent.
Li Ruolin closed her eyes.
Having been through so much, she was utterly exhausted in both body and mind, and drifted off to sleep.
Seeing that even in her sleep Li Ruolin was still frowning, Jiang Dongchen's eyes hardened with determination: "Believe me, your wonderful life has already begun!"
Zhan Feng walked into the room carrying a bag of daily necessities.
Seeing the anger on Zhan Feng's face, Jiang Dongchen frowned: "What's wrong?"
Zhan Feng uttered every word through gritted teeth: "I've found out everything. The one who tried to harm Li Ruolin is none other than the Matriarch!"
"To avenge the death of Li Ruolin's mother, she has resorted to every conceivable underhanded trick in secret!"
"Her goal is to torture Li Ruolin until life is worse than death!"
Chapter 11
Only then did Jiang Dongchen realize that the Matriarch was a person who held grudges and sought revenge for the slightest offense.
Back then, Li Tianming had insisted on falling in love with Li Ruolin's mother despite her vehement opposition, sending the Matriarch into a rage!
The Matriarch had shifted all the blame onto Li Ruolin's mother.
After using a vicious plot to kill Li Ruolin's mother, the Matriarch still felt unsatisfied!
She had deliberately spared Li Ruolin's life precisely so she could torture her!
All of Li Ruolin's tribulations were the Matriarch's doing.
It was just that this time, the two thugs had been too ruthless and had almost taken Li Ruolin's life!
Understanding the whole story, Jiang Dongchen radiated a violent, oppressive aura!
To treat Li Ruolin with such malice and cruelty was intolerable to both heaven and earth!
*Men act, and heaven watches!*
*Matriarch, tomorrow at your birthday banquet, I will send you a grand gift!*
*I will make you regret everything you've done to Li Ruolin!*
Having made up his mind, Jiang Dongchen said resolutely: "I have some business to attend to."
"Keep watch over Ruolin!"
"Remember, the needles on her body must not be removed before twelve hours have passed!"
Knowing what Jiang Dongchen was about to do, Zhan Feng's eyes flashed sharply: "Is there anything you need me to do?"
Jiang Dongchen let out a long breath: "I can handle it."
With that, Jiang Dongchen turned to give Li Ruolin one last look.
Li Ruolin had indeed been rescued.
Yet, due to years of lingering fear followed by this latest ordeal, her bodily functions had deteriorated to an unimaginable degree.
This treatment alone could not completely cure her!
He would deal with the Matriarch first and make her pay what she owed Li Ruolin!
Then he would find a way to heal Li Ruolin completely!
Watching Jiang Dongchen leave, Zhan Feng walked over to the bed. Looking at Li Ruolin in her sleep, she let out a soft sigh: "I really envy you."
With a self-deprecating smile, Zhan Feng took out her phone and made a call: "Secretary Li, I have an announcement to make!"
"Tell everyone in the Provincial Capital connected to our Tianfeng Group to come to Tianhai!"
"As long as they can help me accomplish one task, Tianfeng Group will reward them handsomely!"
Meanwhile, in the executive meeting room of the First People's Hospital in Tianhai.
A beaming Lin Shenghao shook hands with Hua Tianfeng: "Divine Doctor Hua, welcome to our ranks!"
"I believe that with you holding down the fort here, our hospital will undoubtedly become the top medical institution in the entire province, if not the whole country!"
Hua Tianfeng's face was plastered with arrogance.
Yet he still offered a token handshake.
After all, Lin Shenghao had offered him a sky-high annual salary of ten million, and all he had to do was hold consultations at the First People's Hospital in Tianhai for half a day every month!
Warm applause erupted in the meeting room.
The middle and senior management of the hospital looked at Hua Tianfeng with fanatical devotion!
The undisputed number one figure in the provincial traditional Chinese medicine community!
Some of his disciples had already made a name for themselves in Longdu, becoming honored guests in the households of the powerful and elite!
With this grandmaster among them, the First People's Hospital in Tianhai was destined to become an awe-inspiring presence!
Lin Shenghao gestured gracefully to the side: "Divine Doctor Hua, the hospital has prepared a dinner. We hope you will grace us with your presence!"
Hua Tianfeng shook his head: "No need!"
Just as Lin Shenghao was about to press the invitation, a doctor rushed into the meeting room with an excited look on his face: "A miracle!"
"Director, a miracle has happened!"
"Li Ruolin has actually woken up!"
Although forced by Zhan Feng's pressure to let Li Ruolin stay at the hospital, Lin Shenghao had been terrified that she would jeopardize their cooperation with Hua Tianfeng. He had kept people watching her and ordered them to report the moment anything unusual happened!
When the watcher discovered that Li Ruolin had actually regained consciousness, he immediately realized this was the opportunity of a lifetime!
A person who was supposed to be dead had been brought back to life by the First People's Hospital...
Think of the massive sensation this would cause!
Even though Divine Doctor Hua was a legendary physician, hearing about this would surely make him look at the First People's Hospital in a whole new light!
A dark shadow flashed across Lin Shenghao's face: "What kind of nonsense are you talking about!"
"If dead people can come back to life, the sun might as well rise from the west!"
The other doctors began to murmur among themselves: "Little Li has always been level-headed; why is he acting so reckless today?"
"Could it be that Little Li is hallucinating from working consecutive overtime shifts?"
"Little Li, look at where you are! How dare you spout such nonsense!"
Curiosity flickered in Hua Tianfeng's eyes: "What is going on here?"
Realizing he could no longer keep it under wraps, Lin Shenghao quickly explained the whole story.
Finally, Lin Shenghao offered a reassurance: "Divine Doctor Hua, don't worry, I guarantee that nothing like this will ever happen again!"
Hua Tianfeng glared sternly at Little Li: "Young man, why so rash?"
"You hear wind and believe it's rain!"
Little Li protested indignantly: "Li Ruolin really has come back to life, and her vital signs have returned to normal!"
"If you don't believe me, I'll take you to see for yourself!"
Lin Shenghao wished he could strangle Little Li right then and there.
Hua Tianfeng was half-skeptical: "Then let's go take a look!"
As Little Li led Hua Tianfeng toward the ward, Lin Shenghao lagged behind by two steps and whispered instructions to his secretary: "The moment Divine Doctor Hua leaves, fire Little Li immediately!"
He had thought Little Li was shrewd, which was why he had entrusted him with the task.
Never had he imagined that Little Li would expose the very thing he had been trying to cover up!
Inner fury raged within Lin Shenghao, but he could not vent it in front of Hua Tianfeng!
Arriving at the intensive care unit and seeing that all the readings on the electrocardiogram monitor were completely normal, the doctors of the First People's Hospital stood frozen in shock!
How could someone who was clearly dead possibly revive?
Did they enter the wrong room?
Hua Tianfeng looked at Li Ruolin on the hospital bed, especially noticing the silver needles on her body, and a burning fervor flickered deep within his eyes: "This... this... this..."
"This is..."
"Heaven has mercy!"
"My daughter's illness can finally be cured!"
In the ward, Zhan Feng frowned at the sudden influx of doctors.
Before she could say anything, Lin Shenghao rushed into the room: "President Zhan, what an incredible display of wealth! You actually invited a specialist all the way from Longdu!"
It was naturally impossible for Jiang Dongchen to have saved Li Ruolin.
The only explanation was that Zhan Feng had used her immense financial resources and connections to save Li Ruolin's life!
Zhan Feng's gaze turned icy: "Mr. Jiang is the one who saved Li Ruolin!"
Lin Shenghao reacted as if he had just heard the funniest joke in the world: "Jiang Dongchen saved her?"
"Are you kidding me?"
Without waiting for Zhan Feng to respond, Lin Shenghao dragged Hua Tianfeng to the bedside and pointed at the gold needles on Li Ruolin: "Divine Doctor Hua, look..."
"Can someone who doesn't even know the correct acupuncture points possibly possess miraculous medical skills?"
A peculiar look crossed Hua Tianfeng's eyes: "You're saying Jiang Dongchen doesn't even know his acupuncture points?"
Lin Shenghao said smugly: "Look, the gold needle at the temple is off by three inches!"
"The one at the Shanzhong point is off by a full fen!"
"The one at the mastoid is slightly better, but still off by half a centimeter!"
"Isn't that a complete failure to locate the points properly?"
Looking at Lin Shenghao showing off, Hua Tianfeng could not help letting out a roar of fury: "As one of Tianhai's top experts in traditional Chinese medicine, do you seriously not know about hidden acupuncture points?!"
*Hidden points?*
*What on earth are hidden points?!*
*Wait!*
*My master seemed to have mentioned hidden points once!*
As the memory of hidden points finally resurfaced in his mind, Lin Shenghao felt the world spin around him, and he collapsed to the floor with a thud!
Hidden points had always existed, but while their locations varied from person to person, their functions were far more powerful than those of normal acupuncture points!
Anyone capable of finding hidden points and treating patients through them was at the absolute pinnacle of Daxia's traditional Chinese medicine community!
How blind could he possibly have been to mistake a true deity for a fraud, and make such a complete fool of himself right in front of Hua Tianfeng!
Chapter 12
Hua Tianfeng let out a long sigh: "I thought the First People's Hospital in Tianhai actually had some talent, but it turns out they're just a pack of pigs!"
Every doctor in the room, including Lin Shenghao, buried their heads in shame!
Hua Tianfeng's medical skills were ranked number one in the entire province!
If anyone else had called the doctors of the First People's Hospital pigs, these physicians would have retaliated with fists or at least retorted angrily.
But coming from Hua Tianfeng, not a single person dared to utter a sound!
Hua Tianfeng changed the subject abruptly: "As for becoming your guest specialist, forget it."
"I cannot afford to lose that kind of face!"
Lin Shenghao and the others turned pale as death.
Not only had they failed to secure Hua Tianfeng, but with the scandal of the Li Ruolin incident now exposed, their hospital's reputation would plummet day by day!
*If I had known this would happen, I never would have done it in the first place!*
At this moment, Lin Shenghao and his colleagues were filled with crushing regret!
Without even glancing at them, Hua Tianfeng walked over to Zhan Feng with a flattering smile: "President Zhan, may I ask where the divine doctor is right now?"
His daughter suffered from an incurable disease.
Though he had managed to keep her alive with his superior medical skills, the toll had left him utterly exhausted!
If his daughter was ever to fully recover, the key lay in these hidden points!
By utilizing the potent functions of hidden points, one could stimulate a patient's dormant bodily potential!
Though he knew hidden points existed, his own limitations had prevented him from mastering the technique of using gold needles to cheat death through hidden points.
Now that he had finally crossed paths with someone who could, Hua Tianfeng naturally refused to let the opportunity slip through his fingers!
Although Zhan Feng knew who Hua Tianfeng was, she knew Jiang Dongchen's temperament even better, and her eyes showed hesitation: "This..."
Hua Tianfeng grew anxious: "If President Zhan can tell me, I will reward you handsomely!"
Zhan Feng offered a bitter smile: "I can only convey your request to see him. As for whether he chooses to meet you, that is entirely up to the divine doctor!"
Knowing that capable people often possessed eccentric temperaments, Hua Tianfeng did not press further. Instead, he said solemnly: "Please notify me the moment you have news!"
"Whether it succeeds or not, I owe President Zhan a favor!"
The next day at noon, the Li Family estate was packed to capacity.
Dressed in festive, formal attire, the Matriarch stood at the entrance, her heavily wrinkled face blooming with smiles!
Today was a good day, a truly grand day!
Following the news that Li Ruolin had divorced that good-for-nothing and become engaged to Zhao Ming, eldest young master of the Zhao Family, the Li Family's social standing had skyrocketed.
Those who had previously never given the Li Family a second glance—those who had remained ambiguous because of that useless son-in-law, and those who wanted to curry favor with the Lis—all came flocking in the wind.
No matter who they were, everyone treated her with the utmost deference!
Starting today, the Li Family would step onto a brand new and loftier starting point!
Not only would the Li Group go public, but the Li Family would become one of the premier elite clans in Tianhai!
Making Li Ruolin divorce that good-for-nothing was the single most correct decision she had ever made in her life!
Li Ruoxue followed closely behind Li Ruolin with an excited expression: "Sis, the Li Family hasn't been this lively in ages!"
Li Ruolin rolled her eyes at Li Ruoxue: "It has *never* been this lively!"
Li Ruoxue nodded: "All of this is thanks to Young Master Zhao!"
"You'll have to treat him well from now on!"
Li Ruolin glanced toward Zhao Ming, a flash of amorous longing crossing her eyes!
Not only did Zhao Ming possess extraordinary status, but his prowess in *that* area was also quite exceptional!
Compared to Zhao Ming, that good-for-nothing was simply like heaven and earth!
How could she have been so foolishly merciful as to live with that loser for three years?
Thinking of this, Li Ruolin's gaze fell upon Li Tianming, and her face filled with resentment!
If it weren't for him, how could she have spent three years with that loser?!
Once she became the young mistress of the Zhao Family, she would no longer acknowledge this father!
Zhao Ming and Wu Chengshan were standing together.
Wu Chengshan was the young master of the Wu Family, an existence that stood on equal footing with the Zhao Family in Tianhai.
However, because the Tianhai branch of the Wu Family was merely a subordinate branch of the Provincial Capital's Wu Family, Wu Chengshan's social status actually surpassed that of Zhao Ming!
At that moment, Zhao Ming was murmuring quietly to Wu Chengshan: "I heard the real Li Ruolin was already rescued by someone?"
Wu Chengshan let out a cold snort: "I didn't expect Zhan Feng to step in, which is how she managed to exploit that loophole."
"However, I've already made arrangements."
"As long as Li Ruolin doesn't fly out of Tianhai, she'll still end up right in the palm of my hand!"
Zhao Ming smiled: "Aren't you afraid of Zhan Feng?"
Wu Chengshan gave a contemptuous laugh: "Zhan Feng's influence is in the Provincial Capital. What is she in Tianhai?"
"If she pisses me off, I'll have her grabbed along with the rest of them and have a taste of her myself!"
A flash of depravity crossed Zhao Ming's eyes: "President Zhan is an absolute stunner!"
"If Brother Wu gets to taste her, that would be a celestial experience!"
Wu Chengshan changed the subject: "Are you really going to marry Li Ruolin?"
Zhao Ming struck an exaggerated pose: "Why wouldn't I marry her?"
"After all, Li Ruolin is a rare beauty!"
"And the Li Family has nearly two billion in assets."
"To capture all of that without a fight—why wouldn't I?"
Wu Chengshan burst into laughter: "Brother Zhao truly lives up to your reputation as the most ruthless man in Tianhai!"
"I humbly bow to your superiority!"
Before Zhao Ming could reply, Wu Chengshan caught sight of Liu Dajiang and hurried over to him: "How did the matter go?"
Liu Dajiang looked around. Finding that no one was paying attention to him and Wu Chengshan, he lowered his voice: "It's all arranged!"
"Before dinner tonight, I will send Li Ruolin to your residence!"
Wu Chengshan nodded: "Tonight, I'll transfer the remaining five million to your account."
At that moment, the announcer's voice rang out, declaring the official start of the birthday banquet!
Over a hundred banquet tables were packed with guests.
Every single one of them was a prominent figure in Tianhai.
Even those of the lowest status possessed a net worth of tens of millions or more!
Though they couldn't summon Tianhai's absolute top-tier magnates, the Matriarch had every reason to believe that with the marriage alliance between the Li and Zhao families, those lofty magnates would one day elevate her to an honored guest as well!
Escorted by the sisters Li Ruolin and Li Ruoxue, the Matriarch walked up beneath the massive red banner bearing the character for "Longevity."
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to my birthday banquet!"
"Please eat, drink, and enjoy yourselves!"
"If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask!"
That was naturally the opening speech.
Next came the presentation of birthday gifts.
The younger generation of the Li Family stepped forward one by one, presenting lavish and expensive gifts.
Seated in her red armchair, the Matriarch nodded repeatedly.
Following the Li family members came the guests.
Knowing that the Li Family was on the verge of soaring to greatness, everyone who came to offer birthday wishes gave generously!
Of course, there were a few who brought no gifts at all—such as Wu Chengshan, Zhao Ming, and Liu Dajiang!
Yet everyone knew that these men possessed statuses far exceeding that of the Li Family; the mere fact that they had attended was already giving the Li Family immense face, so naturally no one raised any objections.
The Matriarch chuckled aloud once more.
Everything was proceeding precisely as she had anticipated.
The only regret was that that little bitch Li Ruolin had been rescued!
And it seemed Zhan Feng herself had intervened!
If she wanted to make Li Ruolin's life a living hell, she would simply have to plan anew!
Just then, a dramatic, singsong voice cut through the air: "Jiang Dongchen presents one funeral wreath!"
Many guests rubbed their ears hard, thinking they had misheard!
Yet when they saw a young man actually carrying a funeral wreath on his shoulder as he strode into the Li Family courtyard, everyone fell instantly silent, as if seized by the throat!