Chapter 27: The Provocative Fox

“Go to his house and apologize to that brat?” Jiang Tao’s voice was so cold and venomous it seemed to scrape out from the very bones of his throat, each word forced through gritted teeth. His face was dark and twisted; if given the choice between death and apologizing, he’d pick the former without hesitation. For someone as vain and arrogant as him, to apologize to the bastard who had stolen his fiancée was nothing short of a death sentence.

“Are you a fool? Do you think everyone else is as stupid as you? After all the trouble you caused, do you really think they’d just sit around waiting for you to take another shot at them?” Jiang Yue could hardly fathom what her brother had between his ears—perhaps just a muddled mess. In her heart, she’d long since written him off as hopeless.

Suppressing her irritation, she spoke in a low, even tone, “We’re going to Yinchuan, to the Lin family. This is not a trivial matter. If we don’t show genuine sincerity, the old man of the Lin family won’t let this go easily. With their current power, if the Jiang family starts a fight, we’ll get nothing but trouble. The only ones who’ll profit are those other families waiting to swoop in and take advantage while we tear each other apart. Grandfather’s orders are for me to bring you to the Lin house personally, to apologize with the utmost humility.”

The Jiang family of Jiangning and the Lin family of Yinchuan had been rivals in the shadows for decades, always careful not to cross the line into open conflict because of the intricate ties binding them. But now, because of Jiang Tao—the spark that could ignite the powder keg—this balance might finally shatter after all these years.

The car sped toward Yinchuan. Throughout the journey, Jiang Tao sat in sullen silence in the back seat, his courage utterly spent after a string of curses. Soon, exhaustion claimed him and he drifted off to sleep. After all, it was past three in the morning, and he’d spent hours carousing with women; it would have been strange if he weren’t tired.

After leaving Lin Cheng’s study that night, Uncle Li arranged three teams: one to wipe out the Tiger Shark Gang in Jiangning, one to orchestrate a tragic “accident” for Luo Hongyi—the president of the Jinhai Medical Association and deputy director of the Jinhai Health Bureau—and a third to head straight for Jiang Tao at the Royal Bar.

Everything went smoothly at first. News soon arrived that the Tiger Shark Gang had been eliminated. As expected, Luo Hongyi, drunk and on his way home, died in a car accident. But the third team was intercepted. The Jiang family’s hidden forces in Jinhai had been forewarned and were ready, so there were no easy gains to be had. After all, Yinchuan was the Lin family’s stronghold.

Jiang Yue, ever the genius of the Jiang family, was the first to contact the Lin family. After some negotiation, they reached an agreement: at nine o’clock the next morning, they would visit in person to apologize and beg forgiveness—thus sparing the wretched Jiang Tao from further harm.

Uncle Li’s original plan had been to teach Jiang Tao a harsh lesson, not to kill him but certainly to leave him with a broken arm or leg. However, after Jiang Yue called and pleaded personally, it was no longer appropriate to escalate matters. Since the other side proposed a formal apology, he could hardly object. He reported to Lin Cheng, got his approval, and settled the matter.

...

Lin Yang didn’t know when he’d fallen asleep. When the morning sun pierced his eyelids and woke him, he glanced at the clock—already past eight. Before he could rise, hurried footsteps echoed in the hallway.

“Brother Yang, you’re awake? Good news, great news!” came Tiger’s excited voice, accompanied by a rapid knocking at the door.

Lin Yang, surprised to see Tiger so early, wrapped himself in his robe, slipped on his slippers, and opened the door to let him in. As Tiger chattered on about one good thing after another, Lin Yang’s face remained remarkably calm—almost sleepy—showing none of the delight one might expect. Thanks to Tang Yixue’s earlier warning and his father’s thunderous intervention, he was already prepared for today’s dramatic events.

Tiger sat on the sofa, barely able to contain his joy, handing Lin Yang several newspapers before launching into another round of chatter.

Looking over the papers, Lin Yang felt both curious and puzzled. After a quick glance, he couldn’t help but shake his head. In these times, nothing spread faster than gossip—there was no denying the media’s power.

His victory in the competition had catapulted the Thirteen Blades Cosmetic Surgery Hospital, once an obscure clinic, into the spotlight. Even the Jinhai First People’s Hospital, which hosted the triennial event, was overshadowed. And now, the news that Thirteen Blades had been vandalized for no apparent reason was splashed across the headlines, followed by a sensational accident that made the hospital—and Lin Yang—household names.

One explosive headline after another, coupled with the tragic death of Luo Hongyi—director of the First People’s Hospital, head of the Medical Association, and deputy director of the Health Bureau—gave free rein to the imaginations of the gossipy public, who couldn’t help but connect the two incidents.

Lin Yang shook his head in resignation, sighing to himself that it would be hard not to become famous now. With the hospital closed for repairs, he had no need to rush and decided instead to make himself a pot of tea.

Just as he placed the teapot on the table, Ni Ni, in her cartoon pajamas and a pair of deadly Winnie the Pooh slippers, shuffled sleepily down the stairs, her long black hair tumbling loosely over her shoulders. Even with her eyes half-closed, Lin Yang worried she might tumble down.

“Ni Ni, if you’re still sleepy, go back to bed,” he called, infusing the words with a touch of inner strength to ensure she heard him.

“Hmph, how is anyone supposed to sleep with all your noise?” she pouted, shooting Lin Yang a disgruntled look. Still, his words seemed to clear away some of her drowsiness, and she continued down the stairs without mishap.

Noticing her attire, Lin Yang relaxed. Maybe it was the cooler weather, but today she wore something less revealing, and, hearing there were guests, had even remembered to put on underwear. Otherwise, with Ni Ni’s penchant for mischief, there was no telling what she might have inadvertently “revealed.”

“What’s all this excitement about?” Ni Ni asked, perching gracefully on the sofa. She poured herself a cup of tea, completely oblivious to the conventions of ladylike behavior, and drained it in one gulp. Only then did she notice the stack of newspapers on the table. She picked them up, and after a moment’s perusal, her face lit up with joy. “Brother Lin, you’re famous now! The headlines are either about your Thirteen Blades Hospital or your heroics saving lives yesterday.”

“Look at this one—‘A Blade in Hand, Miraculous Skills Revive the Dying; Defying the Experts of Jinhai’s First People’s Hospital, Clinching the Crown with Unmatched Skill!’ And here, a side note: ‘So impressive it drove Director Luo to gnash his teeth in envy!’” Ni Ni giggled, clearly delighted with the coverage.

“Ni Ni,” Lin Yang interrupted, his tone firm as he shot her a warning glance, signaling her to keep quiet.

He didn’t mind if the press made him famous—in fact, as a doctor, free publicity was no bad thing. But with fame came rumors.

Ni Ni, however, was both pleased and troubled by what she read. She was glad to be labeled Lin Yang’s rumored girlfriend—even if only in gossip—but was less than thrilled to see Guo Xiaoxiao, the deputy mayor’s daughter, painted as an even closer companion. Jealousy flared; after all, Guo Xiaoxiao’s looks were said to rival her own.

“Hmph, vixen,” Ni Ni muttered, unable to contain her annoyance. The others, deep in conversation, were momentarily puzzled by her outburst.

“Ni Ni, who are you calling a vixen?” Lin Yang frowned, puzzled.

Tiger, too, turned to look at her, eager to hear her answer.

Caught off guard, Ni Ni—usually so brash—blushed, her face turning rosy as she stammered, “No one, I was just talking to myself. Go on, ignore me.” She quickly hid behind the newspaper, but couldn’t help muttering under her breath, “Hmph, you’re the vixen, aren’t you? What are you looking at?” Her eyes were fixed on the photo of Guo Xiaoxiao standing beside Lin Yang.

The two men shook their heads, choosing not to pursue the matter, and returned to their discussion.

“So, Brother Yang, what do you plan to do about the hospital?” Tiger asked, knowing Lin Yang was unconcerned about the newspaper reports.

“Renovate it and reopen as usual,” Lin Yang replied casually, showing no sign of the previous day’s violence.

Since his father had intervened, Lin Yang was confident things wouldn’t escalate further. There was no need to relocate—he was used to that environment, and besides, moving would only disrupt his routine. Last night’s insomnia was proof enough; it always took time to adjust to unfamiliar surroundings.

He had no intention of moving out of the villa, either. The quiet, elegant setting suited him perfectly, and the hospital was less than an hour’s drive away.

With Lin Yang set on renovating, Tiger wisely gave the order for his men to speed up the repairs.

...

After a long and weary journey, Jiang Yue and Jiang Tao finally arrived in Yinchuan, at the Dream Rendezvous.