Xu Guangyao followed close behind, intending to discuss with Su Yan how they should explain the delay to Old Madam Jiang.
Instead, he witnessed a sight that made his jaw hit the floor.
The head of the Jiang family, one of the Four Great Families of Yunhai, was kneeling before Su Yan in such submissive obedience?
He rubbed his eyes hard and even slapped his own right cheek.
It stung!
It was real!
It was actually, damn it, real!
Looking further ahead, he heard Jiang Yunhe explaining respectfully:
"My wife vomited blood again just now; her life hangs in the balance. I was delayed for a moment, and I ask the Young Master to forgive me!"
"Get up," Su Yan said in a gentle tone. Jiang Yunhe was worried about his wife, and there was no reason to blame a man of such loyalty and devotion.
"Yes! Thank you, Young Master!" Jiang Yunhe stood up, keeping his head bowed in a show of utmost respect.
"Take me to see her condition," Su Yan said with a smile.
"Young Master, please, this way!" Jiang Yunhe’s face beamed. Being able to host the Young Master was his supreme honor.
"Just call me by my name when we’re outside," Su Yan reminded him.
"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare," Jiang Yunhe replied, trembling.
"I don't want too many people to know my identity." He had important matters to attend to in Yunhai, and keeping a low profile would make his investigation much easier.
Seeing how serious he was, Jiang Yunhe did not dare to insist. After a moment of hesitation, he said, "Then, how about I address you as Mr. Su?"
"That will do," Su Yan nodded with a smile.
Jiang Yunhe raised his hand in a welcoming gesture: "Mr. Su, please, this way."
Su Yan nodded and walked into the Jiang family villa alongside Jiang Yunhe.
Xu Guangyao’s heart was taut with tension. He had previously felt that his father had been overhyping Su Yan, but now he realized how shortsighted he had been.
If even Jiang Yunhe was kneeling humbly before him, this Su Yan was truly unfathomable.
He hurriedly followed them into the villa.
Su Yan admired the scenery inside; it was designed in a classic garden style with pavilions, towers, bridges, and flowing water. Combined with the fragrance of the flowers in the courtyard, it was refreshing to the soul.
They arrived at Old Madam Jiang’s room. A noblewoman in her sixties lay in bed, her expression haggard and her skin pale.
A faint, metallic scent of blood hung in the room—likely from when she had vomited earlier.
Two men and one woman, all around twenty-four or twenty-five years old, stood by the bedside.
Seeing Jiang Yunhe enter with Su Yan, they frowned deeply.
Jiang Huili folded her arms and said with dissatisfaction, "Grandfather, is this the doctor you found?"
"That's right," Jiang Yunhe replied. "With Mr. Su here, your grandmother will be fine."
Jiang Huili looked Su Yan up and down, then said dismissively, "Grandfather, you must have been scammed by him! He’s so young, how could he possibly know medicine? How could he possibly cure Grandmother?"
"Shut up!" Jiang Yunhe’s expression changed drastically as he angrily retorted, "Is that any way to speak to the Young… to Mr. Su? Apologize to him at once!"
"I’m just speaking the truth!" Jiang Huili scoffed. "He’s about the same age as us, and I’ve never heard of him. Where could he have even learned medicine?"
"You… you…" Jiang Yunhe was so incensed by his granddaughter’s words he was at a loss for how to explain Su Yan’s identity.
He looked at Su Yan apologetically and spoke cautiously: "Mr. Su, this granddaughter of mine has been spoiled rotten and doesn't know better. I ask that you please do not hold it against her."
Su Yan smiled faintly. "I never concern myself with the opinions of the ignorant."
"What did you say?" Jiang Huili was furious upon hearing this. "You’re calling me ignorant?"
"Aren't you?" Su Yan arched an eyebrow.
As a granddaughter of the Jiang family, who didn't treat her with respect when she went out? How dare Su Yan look down on her?
"Fine, fine, fine! If you can cure my grandmother, I’ll… I’ll do a handstand while washing my hair!" Jiang Huili raged.
"You said it yourself," Su Yan wouldn't indulge her. If she dared to speak to him like that, it only proved Jiang Yunhe hadn't raised her well.
Jiang Huili folded her arms triumphantly. "Fine! But if you can't cure my grandmother, you’re crawling out of our Jiang family estate."
Su Yan shrugged, turned his head toward Jiang Yunhe, and instructed: "Move the old madam to the garden adjoining the Shen family."
"Why?" Jiang Yunhe asked, puzzled.
Xu Guangyao stepped forward to help explain, but Su Yan raised a hand to stop him.
"What? Do I need to explain my actions to you?" Su Yan asked.
"No, no." Jiang Yunhe realized he had asked a question he shouldn't have and hurriedly replied, "I will make the arrangements immediately!"
"Grandfather!" Jiang Huili stomped her foot in anger. "Why do you trust him so much? Grandmother’s condition is already critical. Moving her to the Lake Garden to sit in the wind—isn't that just killing her?"
"Who is the head of this household, you or me?" Jiang Yunhe asked in a deep voice.
"I…" Jiang Huili was left speechless.
Jiang Yunhe said with dissatisfaction, "If you don't want to lose face, go apologize to Mr. Su right now. Otherwise, even I can't protect you!"
Only now did he realize his granddaughter had become too lawless, daring to argue with the Young Master. It would be good for her to suffer a setback so she would realize there were people in this world who were far beyond their reach!
"Someone!" Jiang Yunhe immediately called for men to carry the old madam to the Lake Garden.
To block the wind, he ordered the servants to bring a mosquito net to enclose and protect her.
Inside the Shen family’s room.
Chen Jinglun was examining Old Madam Shen.
After finishing a series of tests, he walked over to the Shen family members, finally fixing his gaze on Yao Lingxuan.
"I have examined Old Madam Shen. It is not a particularly serious issue, and I can treat it!"
Upon hearing this, Yao Lingxuan looked delighted. "With those words from you, I can finally rest easy."
This way, she could build a connection with the Shen family and even become Old Madam Shen’s god-granddaughter. With the Shen family as her backing, her status in Yunhai would be rock-solid!
Chen Jinglun looked outside. "So much time has passed and there’s been no movement from the Jiang family. Su Yan must have left, right?"
Yao Lingxuan felt nauseous just hearing Su Yan’s name. "The priority is curing Old Madam Shen; don't worry about that loser!"
"True enough." Chen Jinglun smiled, thinking he had been overthinking things.
A loser like Su Yan—how could he possibly have medical skills comparable to his own?
Shen Jianian felt a bit of self-mockery for having considered him so much earlier. It seemed he had been overthinking it. If Su Yan truly had that much talent, how could the Shen family not know about it?
Just then, a bodyguard rushed into the room from outside.
"The Jiang family has already moved Old Madam Jiang to the Lake Garden. They’re asking when we’ll be bringing our Old Madam over?"
"What?!"
Everyone present widened their eyes in shock!
Su Yan had actually managed to persuade the head of the Jiang family?