"Are you out of your mind?"
"Song Keke?" Xue Er paused, then slapped his forehead.
"Right, her grandfather is the martial arts association president with massive connections."
Shen Yue said speechlessly, "You're overthinking it. Song Keke's grandfather stated publicly that he wouldn't meddle in business affairs. If he did, the Song family would have opened commercial companies long ago instead of just holding onto a few martial arts dojos."
"Besides, given Rou Rou's relationship with Song Keke, if Keke were going to help, she would have done it long ago. She wouldn't have waited until Rou Rou was suppressed to this extent."
"Then who mediated?" Xue Er wondered.
"You really have a pig's brain. Besides Song Keke, who has been by Rou Rou's side these past few days?"
Xue Er was greatly surprised: "You mean Su Hao? No way! He just came down from the mountain; how could he have such great capability?"
"True talent often hides behind a modest face. Perhaps his master's connections played a role."
Shen Yue didn't know the exact details, but she knew for sure that Su Hao was behind this.
"That's true. Even though Su Hao's master is gone, his influence is still there."
Xue Er nodded slightly, entirely satisfied with this son-in-law.
His daughter had accomplished quite a few things in her life, and choosing Su Hao was the most successful among them.
As the saying goes, like father, like daughter. When Xue Rou reported the good news to Su Hao, just like Xue Er, she attributed all the credit to her mother and older brother.
Hearing Xue Rou say this, Su Hao didn't feel disheartened at all; instead, he chimed in, "Yeah, Uncle is truly capable of pulling off such a massive deal. He's amazing!"
He didn't want to expose his true strength just yet, so he deliberately kept the truth from Xue Rou.
After ending the call with Xue Rou, Su Hao received another call from Feng Zhongyi.
You take people's money, you help them avert disaster.
Regarding Zhao Chenggong's matter, Feng Zhongyi didn't dare to slack off.
He lacked the guts to hide from Su Hao the fact that he had accepted money, so he explained that Zhao Chenggong had given him a hundred million in commission and wanted to come over to apologize in person.
After hearing this, Su Hao found it somewhat amusing: "You certainly know how to make money. You took his money, felt guilty about it, and now you're coming to beg me?"
"Master Uncle, don't blame me for being greedy for money; a hundred million can really help a lot of people," Feng Zhongyi said awkwardly.
"You have no idea. At our charity foundation, there are countless elderly people in rural areas waiting for surgeries. We can't do anything without money."
"Zhao Chenggong gave me a hundred million in commission and even promised to double your consultation fee. I know you're not someone greedy for money, but this is enough to show his sincerity."
"Master Uncle, I'm begging you, just meet with him."
After all, Su Hao wasn't a cold-hearted person. Moreover, Feng Zhongyi was using the money to help impoverished and solitary elderly people, which completely aligned with the sect's rules and didn't shame Senior Brother Baili.
Under these circumstances, if he refused this grand gesture of goodwill just because of minor past grievances with Zhao Tai and Xue Aohan, it would genuinely be a bit childish and immature.
"You pick the place, and I'll be there on time."
Feng Zhongyi suggested, "Then let's go to Aishang Restaurant. I know the owner, and the home-style dishes he makes are exceptional."
Su Hao didn't refuse. He took a shower at home and went to the appointment on time.
Meanwhile, Zhao Chenggong was also heading to Aishang Restaurant with his granddaughter, Zhao Linger.
The moment they stepped inside, Zhao Linger covered her nose and complained.
"Grandpa, is our family going bankrupt or something? How can we come to a sleazy place like this to eat pig slop?"
Passersby froze upon hearing this.
They were all here to eat, wasn't Zhao Linger practically calling them pigs?
However, when they turned around and saw the person standing next to Zhao Linger, they lowered their heads in silence, not daring to utter a single complaint.
That was Zhao Chenggong!
The head of the Zhao family!
In Jinling, who dared to provoke the Zhao family without having some serious backing?
You'd have to have a death wish!
"Linger, don't harbor prejudices. This dinner is extremely important—it concerns your grandmother's life," Zhao Chenggong warned sternly.
"But... it's not like Jinling lacks more luxurious restaurants. If you're treating someone to dinner, you could easily arrange it in one of those places. Why bother coming here?" Zhao Linger grievance-laden voice rang out.
"I refuse to stay in the same space as these low-class people. It smells awful, I'm about to choke!"
Seeing the customers' expressions turning increasingly ugly, with several of them even clenching their fists on the verge of erupting, Zhao Chenggong quickly signaled the bodyguards behind him to use money to smooth things over.
Money makes the ghost push the mill. Tempted by free meals and extra compensation, many customers chose to leave early, and soon a large, fairly quiet area was cleared out.
"That's more like it."
Zhao Linger felt slightly satisfied, stretched her long legs, and walked inside.
Once the two of them were seated, Zhao Chenggong instructed once more, "Linger, the guest we're hosting today is extraordinary. Not only do I need a favor from him, but I also have to apologize to him first."
"Don't be like your good-for-nothing brother who ruins more than he accomplishes and messes things up, you hear me?"
Given Zhao Linger's temperament, Zhao Chenggong shouldn't have brought her along.
However, Zhao Linger wasn't young anymore, and he had always been thinking about finding a good match for her. If Su Hao took a liking to her, it would make for a wonderful marriage.
"Oh..." Zhao Linger had never seen her grandfather look so solemn, and she realized this matter was out of the ordinary.
Most importantly, she had always looked down on her cousin Zhao Tai, so she naturally refused to lose to him.
"If you get the chance, chat more with Old Feng's master uncle. It would be best if you add each other on WeChat and become friends," Zhao Chenggong reminded her.
"Are you joking?"
Zhao Linger's eyelid twitched, finding it somewhat laughable: "Old Feng's master uncle must be a hundred years old. What is there for me to talk about with a fossil like that?"
"You're wrong. Old Feng's master uncle is only in his early twenties."
"What?!"
Hearing Zhao Chenggong's words, Zhao Linger wore a look of utter astonishment.
"Grandpa, are you sure you're not talking nonsense?"
"In traditional Chinese medicine, priority is given to the elderly, but seniority is determined by generation, so that's not strange."
Zhao Chenggong chuckled instead of getting angry, and added, "Old Feng's master uncle is extremely skilled and quite handsome to boot. You should seize this opportunity."
Zhao Linger was stunned, the look in her eyes as she stared at Zhao Chenggong filled with sudden realization.
"Grandpa, you didn't bring me here just to have me seduce the guy, did you?"
"Hahaha, you're smart." Zhao Chenggong gave her a thumbs-up.
"Well, feeling confident?"
Zhao Linger said proudly, "In Jinling, there isn't a man I can't capture. But I don't want to fall in love right now, so you can save your breath."
"If you successfully win him over, your allowance doubles."
Zhao Linger pouted, "This isn't about money."
"Your allowance increases tenfold!"
"Deal!"
***
Chapter Thirty-Two: The Distinguished Young Lady
While the grandfather and granddaughter were talking, Feng Zhongyi arrived.
He was someone who didn't sweat the small stuff. He simply thought the dishes here were good and would suit Su Hao's palate, so he booked the place—never expecting Zhao Linger to look down on it in every possible way.
Seeing Feng Zhongyi, Zhao Chenggong immediately urged Zhao Linger to greet him.
Zhao Linger behaved quite politely, obediently calling out "Grandpa Feng."
"Children grow up so fast. The last time I saw you, you were just a little girl, and now you're a graceful young lady."
Feng Zhongyi smiled amiably and called the owner over to take the order.
The owner had initially been extremely unhappy with this table, but since the other party paid generously, he had to serve them with the utmost care.
Never did he imagine that this difficult-to-please table of guests actually knew Feng Zhongyi.
"Old Feng, you should have told me earlier they were your friends. I wouldn't have charged you."
The owner was very enthusiastic, grabbing a bottle of juice and handing it to Zhao Linger.
"Young lady, have some juice!"
Zhao Linger didn't take it, frowning instead. "Please, this thing is full of additives. Is this even meant for human consumption?"
As soon as these words left her mouth, the atmosphere instantly became intensely awkward.
Zhao Chenggong's face couldn't hold up either; he took the juice from the owner's hand and glared fiercely at Zhao Linger.
"Stop spouting nonsense here."
Feng Zhongyi was quite displeased with this spoiled miss's behavior, but out of respect for Zhao Chenggong, he suppressed his temper and said, "This is the head of the Zhao family, and the one beside him is his granddaughter."
Upon hearing the other's identity, the owner immediately understood.
Had it not been for Feng Zhongyi, a run-down little shop like his would never have hosted such guests in a lifetime.
The other party was a heavyweight power broker from a wealthy Jinling family; what did it matter if they complained about a couple of things?
Under financial pressure, the previously irritated owner quickly changed his expression, serving one portion of each dish Feng Zhongyi usually ordered along with some fine wine.
Throughout the process, Zhao Linger covered her nose with a tissue, endlessly complaining in her heart.
She had already made her "disgust" glaringly obvious, so why did Feng Zhongyi still insist on eating here?
Did this guy have a masochistic streak?
Just as Zhao Linger was feeling thoroughly aggrieved, Su Hao walked over from across the street.
Feng Zhongyi spotted him through the window at a glance and hurried to the entrance to welcome him.
Zhao Chenggong quickly followed suit, terrified of showing any discourtesy.
Zhao Linger sat straight in her seat, showing no intention of standing up.
When she saw her grandfather and Feng Zhongyi enthusiastically welcoming Su Hao into the restaurant, deep disappointment washed over her.
She had expected a handsome hunk, but after all that fuss, it turned out to be a plain-looking bumpkin.
"Forget it, the deal with Grandpa is canceled!"
Zhao Linger decisively went back on her word, refusing to have anything to do with Su Hao even if it killed her.
Walking all the way here, Su Hao was extremely thirsty. The moment he saw the bottle of juice on the table, he picked it up and drank it straight down.
Seeing Su Hao behave so impolitely without even asking others first, Zhao Linger's impression of him plummeted even further.
"What's wrong with you? My grandfather went out of his way to welcome you, and all you did was grunt? Do you really think you're some kind of big shot?"
"And another thing, this juice isn't meant for people to drink at all—it's packed with artificial coloring. Aren't you afraid your intestines are going to rot after drinking it?"
Zhao Chenggong's expression shifted drastically, and he barked, "Linger, didn't I already tell you? Mr. Su is an esteemed guest, why are you being so impolite? Have you forgotten our agreement just now?"
"Sorry, Grandpa, I've unilaterally broken the agreement."
Zhao Linger let out a cold snort. Her disdain and resentment toward Su Hao didn't decrease; instead, they grew even stronger than before.
"You..."
Zhao Chenggong's face turned green.
Suppressing his anger, he turned to Su Hao and said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Su. I haven't disciplined my granddaughter properly, causing you trouble."
Although Su Hao didn't understand why Zhao Chenggong had brought a spoiled young lady over to put on airs, the man showed sufficient sincerity, so he couldn't be bothered to fuss over it.
"I'm not that petty. Even though your grandson Zhao Tai is a piece of trash, human lives are at stake, and my junior martial brother begged me repeatedly. It's impossible for me to stand by and watch someone die."
Hearing this, joy lit up Zhao Chenggong's face, and he almost burst into tears of gratitude on the spot.
He stood up, cupped his fists, and thanked Su Hao gratefully: "Mr. Su's noble character and benevolent medical heart are truly breathtaking!"
"I've spoiled that grandson of mine beyond belief, and this is entirely my fault. Today, I apologize to you on his behalf first, and another day I will definitely make that brat kneel and confess his sins!"
Watching Zhao Chenggong bow and scrape so formally to Su Hao, the restaurant owner—who was bringing over the dishes—stood frozen in shock.
Such a scene was something he could never have imagined.
"Just discipline him better next time." Su Hao grunted.
Glancing at his casual demeanor, Zhao Linger couldn't stand it any longer and stood up.
"Hey, don't you think you're pushing it a bit?"
"My grandfather is getting up there in age and holds an eminent status. Lowering his stance to apologize to you is already generous enough."
"Not only do you fail to acknowledge the courtesy, but you act all high and mighty sitting there like some boss. You're going too far!"
Zhao Chenggong grabbed Zhao Linger by the arm, glaring at her with a fierce look: "Linger, shut your mouth right now!"
He had brought Zhao Linger along to build a good relationship with Su Hao and see if they could take things a step further.
Yet this silly girl's brain was so thick, constantly causing trouble for him—she was truly a pig teammate.
Scolded so harshly, Zhao Linger pouted aggrievedly: "Grandpa, I'm sticking up for you, why are you snapping at me?!"
She didn't feel like she had done anything wrong.
After all, her grandfather was the head of the Zhao family, someone looked up to by thousands wherever he went. Since when had he ever been treated with such disrespect?
"I don't need you to stick up for me! You're completely making things worse!"
After scolding Zhao Linger, Zhao Chenggong pulled out a bank card he had prepared in advance and placed it in front of Su Hao.
"Mr. Su, this is the four hundred million I promised earlier. It's all deposited on this card, please accept it with my compliments!"
Most people who ate at this restaurant couldn't even pull out forty thousand yuan, yet Zhao Chenggong casually threw out a full four hundred million. It genuinely shocked everyone present.
"What on earth is the background of this young man that he can bring Zhao Chenggong to heel like this?"
"With a deal this massive, why would they come to talk about it here?"
"Exactly! And the young guy's clothes and style are utterly ordinary; he doesn't look like someone capable of much at all!"
...
People chattered back and forth, losing all appetite for their food.
Zhao Linger was equally dumbfounded.
She never imagined that Su Hao's consultation fee would be so astronomically expensive!
Even veteran renowned doctors like Feng Zhongyi charged at most a few million for a house call.
A four hundred million consultation fee? Feng Zhongyi would probably have to run his legs off for that!
Why did Su Hao, at such a young age, earn this much in a single go? What right did he have?
"I've seen your sincerity. We can go check the patient after dinner."
Su Hao tucked away the bank card and nodded slightly.
"You've got some nerve!" Zhao Linger's face turned pitch black.
"You took it just like that? Even this young lady has never held such a huge sum of money. What makes you think you're worthy? Aren't you afraid your hands will burn from taking this money?"
"Linger, didn't I tell you to shut your mouth?!"
Zhao Chenggong was driven to the verge of insanity.
He had managed to salvage things with Su Hao with the utmost difficulty. If Su Hao grew angry because of Zhao Linger's provocation and refused to take the money, what would happen to his wife's life?
"Why should I shut up? Am I not speaking the truth?" Zhao Linger said, throwing caution to the wind.
"Grandpa, I think your mind has truly been muddled by grease, otherwise why would you run over to suck up to some low-class bottom-feeder waste."
"Pardon my bluntness, but in my eyes, this guy is just like the braised pig intestines he's eating—I don't even need to spell out what they're used for!"
With that, Zhao Linger dropped a provocative challenge.
"If you've got the guts, let me see with my own eyes that you actually possess peerless medical skills and deserve to be Old Feng's master uncle. Otherwise, not only am I taking back that money, but I'm also going to make sure you rot in prison."
***
Chapter Thirty-Two: Specially Curing Defiance
The scene fell into a dead silence.
As soon as Zhao Linger finished speaking, Zhao Chenggong's face drained of color.
It was over!
This foolish granddaughter really had to press the sore spot!
"Mr. Su, please don't lower yourself to the level of this silly girl. She hasn't taken her medicine today, I..."
"Fine."
Su Hao accepted Zhao Linger's provocation, a faint, ambiguous smile playing on his lips. "If I prove my ability, you eat this entire bowl of pig intestines. How about that?"
"Forget one bowl, I'll eat five!" Zhao Linger scoffed.
"Pfft!"
Before the words had even faded, a silver needle pierced the back of her neck.
The next second, an overwhelming, bizarre itch spread across Zhao Linger's entire body.
She instinctively tried to scratch herself, but the more she scratched, the itchier it became. Her skin gradually turned red, as if blood was about to seep through.
"You... what did you do to me?!"
"Didn't you want me to prove my ability? I'm granting your wish!"
Su Hao's voice remained calm as he said coolly, "Don't worry, you won't die. It'll just feel worse than death."
As he spoke, the intensity of the itch instantly spiked a level.
"Ah! So itchy! Help!"
With eyes splitting with rage, Zhao Linger clawed frantically at her body, her clothes falling into disarray—a sight that forced the owner to retreat three steps back in sheer panic.
"Linger!"
Seeing his granddaughter in such a state, Zhao Chenggong was frantic with worry.
"Old Feng, what is happening here?"
Feng Zhongyi said with a horrified expression, "The Miraculous Gate Needle technique!"
"Needles entering the mystic acupuncture points can make a person laugh endlessly or weep bitterly, amplifying every sensory emotion infinitely."
"Master Uncle has hit her Mystic Itch Point. This point causes the entire body to itch uncontrollably, and the victim cannot stop it themselves."
"It starts with the skin itching, then the flesh, then the bones, and finally the mind."
At this, he said with a trembling voice, "Generally speaking, once the itch reaches the bones, it's beyond what a human can endure. If it reaches the final stage, a person can literally itch to death."
"Old Feng, you... think of something quickly!" Zhao Chenggong's face turned pale, frantic with urgency.
This was his only granddaughter; arrogant and domineering as she was, her crimes didn't warrant death!
Feng Zhongyi sighed, "I'm sorry, I can't do anything. The Miraculous Gate Needle technique is an extremely advanced medical method. I studied under my master for over a decade and only mastered the Mystic Laughter Point; the rest of the mystic points are completely beyond my control or ability to reverse."
"Grandpa, I'm itching to death, save... save me..."
Zhao Linger rolled frantically on the floor. The bizarre itch deep within her bones left her unable to scratch the source, and the sense of despair drove her to the brink of a breakdown.
The owner stepped back another pace, his gaze toward Su Hao filled with absolute dread.
Initially, he had been shocked by Feng Zhongyi's polite reception of Su Hao, assuming Old Feng had lost his mind. Now, seeing Su Hao's devilish methods, he finally understood the cause.
"Mr. Su, please let my granddaughter off. She knows she was wrong." Heartbroken, Zhao Chenggong pleaded with Su Hao.
Su Hao remained unmoved, as if none of this had anything to do with him.
Feng Zhongyi hurriedly urged the owner, "Bring five bowls of pig intestines, quick!"
The owner started, then scrambled into action.
Realizing what was happening belatedly, Zhao Chenggong urged Zhao Linger, "Mr. Su is showing mercy by giving you a way out. As long as you admit defeat and accept the outcome, he'll remove this torturous itch for you."
"I admit defeat! I'll never dare do it again! Sob, sob, sob!"