"Shen Lang, it seems only you can melt Gu Qinghan's icy heart."
Seeing the bright smile on Gu Qinghan's face, Song Shadao sighed, "She's been in the Military Guard Department for years, and I've never seen her smile at anyone, including myself as her director. Now, she's beaming at you, someone she's known for a short time. It truly saddens me."
Speaking of this, a playful smile appeared on Song Shadao's face, "One of you is unmarried, and the other is unwed. You'd make a perfect pair."
"Old Song is joking. They can't be together."
Hearing Song Shadao's words, Wang Yuyan felt as if something was about to be snatched away. Before Gu Qinghan or Shen Lang could speak, she quickly interjected, "My Brother Shen not only has a fiancée, but also a girlfriend. Especially my Brother Shen's fiancée, that's Wang Yuyan."
"Is that so?"
Upon hearing Wang Yuyan's words, Song Shadao gave her a meaningful look. Then, pretending ignorance, he chuckled, "If that's the case, then I was presumptuous."
"Old Song, don't speak nonsense in the future."
As Song Shadao finished speaking, the almost imperceptible joy on Gu Qinghan's face vanished. She said.
"Alright, alright, alright. I was wrong. I'll drink this tea as a toast and penalize myself with a cup as an apology."
Song Shadao smiled, then picked up his teacup and drank a cup of hot tea.
In the blink of an eye, an hour was nearing its end.
Seeing that his sister showed no abnormality whatsoever from beginning to end, Zhao Min walked up to Shen Lang, pulled out her phone, and held the countdown timer towards him, mockingly saying, "Shen Lang, the hour is almost up, and my sister is perfectly fine. Aren't you going to admit you're jealous of talent and slandering the 'Living Yama,' Old Qin?"
Shen Lang heard this, casually glanced at the countdown on Zhao Min's phone, then picked up a chestnut cake and put it into his mouth, saying, "There are still thirty seconds. What's the rush?"
"Teacher Zhao, you've repeatedly taunted and slandered me. The friendship we had from our first meeting is gone. Therefore, if your sister has an accident later, don't beg me, because even if you do, I won't help you."
"A mere clown—"
Hearing Shen Lang's words, Zhao Min cursed, "Shen Lang, you're just a jealous clown. I don't believe a word you say."
Zhao Jianguo and his wife, along with Zhao Shihua, also smiled contemptuously.
Zhao Min was right. A clown, Shen Lang was just a clown.
"You..."
Hearing Zhao Min curse Shen Lang, Gu Qinghan's anger flared up, and she was about to slam the table and stand up as before.
However, just as Gu Qinghan was about to get angry, Shen Lang placed his hand on her fair, delicate hand, like a white jade onion, and smiled, "Sister, there's no need to be angry. Soon, their entire family will understand what it means to be slapped in the face."
After saying that, he looked at the countdown on Zhao Min's phone and recited along.
"Ten... Nine... Eight... Seven... Six... Five... Four... Three... Two... One... Time's up."
"Ah—"
The moment Shen Lang's voice fell, Zhao Shihua, who was raising her cup to drink tea, suddenly let out a scream. Her pupils dilated, her face contorted in pain, and the teacup in her hand shattered on the floor. She collapsed onto the tea table, unconscious, her life or death unknown.
"Shihua?"
"Sister—"
Zhao Jianguo and his wife, along with Zhao Min, saw this and their faces turned panicked as they shouted.
The three of them helped Zhao Shihua up but found that she was already weak, with more breaths going in than out.
"What happened?"
Zhao Shihua's sudden scream and collapse immediately caused a commotion. A young girl, about eighteen years old, wearing a red Hanfu and possessing a classical and stunningly beautiful face, walked over and asked.
"Is she the 'red-clothed maiden' you spoke of, the one whose red attire rivals blood and whose music can evoke heavenly sounds?"
The red-clothed maiden had skin like smooth, congealed fat and an aura like an orchid. Her long, black hair cascaded down, and her bright, black eyes were large and round. Two shallow dimples were scattered on either side of her cheeks, making her look incredibly pure and clean, like a celestial maiden from the heavens, completely untouched by worldly dust.
Her face was a perfect golden ratio, neither too much nor too little, exuding an indescribable beauty and a sense of perfect comfort.
"She's even more beautiful than the rumors, but still a bit less than me."
Wang Yuyan was also stunned by the red-clothed maiden's beauty and uttered this.
If anyone else had said this, they would have been considered arrogant and overestimating themselves. But when Wang Yuyan said it, no one objected.
Because, no matter who it was, if they had witnessed Wang Yuyan's beauty, they would surely affirm that there was no one more beautiful than Wang Yuyan in this world.
When Wang Yuyan said someone was a little less beautiful than herself, it wasn't a mockery but the highest form of praise.
Zhao Min also hadn't expected such a beauty to exist in this world and stood there stunned.
But then, Zhao Min turned to the red-clothed maiden and said, "It's my sister. She suddenly had an attack."
"A sudden attack?"
Hearing Zhao Min's words, the red-clothed maiden said with a sweet voice and strode towards Zhao Shihua, placing two slender, jade-like fingers on Zhao Shihua's right wrist.
"She... is dying... You don't need to send her to the hospital. Make funeral arrangements."
Two seconds later, the red-clothed maiden removed her fingers from Zhao Shihua's wrist and looked at Zhao Min's family, saying calmly.
"Girl, what nonsense are you talking? My daughter was fine just now. Who is dying? Don't spout rubbish."
Hearing the red-clothed maiden's words, Zhao Jianguo's face was filled with anger, and he shouted.
"Uncle, I am telling the truth."
The red-clothed maiden looked at Zhao Jianguo, her lips pursed slightly, and said, "Your daughter was poisoned before. It's a peculiar poison unique to Sichuan. I'm not sure of the exact poison yet, but I know that after being afflicted by this poison, she slept for at least three years."
"About three hours ago, she woke up. However, the price of her waking was the depletion of all her life energy."
"Although she appears fine now, her brain and organs have exhausted their energy. Let alone in Nanling, there isn't a single person in the entire world who can save her."
"No, I don't believe it."
Hearing the red-clothed maiden's words, Zhao Jianguo roared, "Brat, you're in cahoots with Shen Lang, spouting nonsense. I don't believe you."
"Presumptuous—"
As Zhao Jianguo's words fell, an elder behind the red-clothed maiden, about seventy years old with a head full of white hair, let out a stern cry. He said, "My young lady started studying medicine with the Medical Immortal Zhang Xuanling at the age of five. For years, she traveled the world with the Medical Immortal Zhang Xuanling, encountering countless illnesses and saving innumerable lives. How dare you question her medical skills?"
"Let me tell you, if she says someone is destined to die, even the Medical Immortal Zhang Xuanling himself would be unable to save them. So, accept reality."
Upon hearing this, the Zhao family's faces instantly turned ashen.