Chapter 114: Equivalent Exchange

The little girl lying on the princess bed looked no different from the photo; her eyes were still rimmed with dark circles, her face sunken, yet it was clear she was very beautiful.

She gazed at Xie Qingtang with a curious look, then softly asked, "Mother Yang, who is this pretty lady?"

“Miss, this is Doctor Xie; she’s here to see you about your illness,” Mother Yang said immediately, stepping to the bedside with a warm smile directed at the little girl.

As soon as the words fell, the girl's expression changed instantly. What had been curiosity mixed with calm shifted to a somber, cold demeanor as she turned her head away indifferently.

It was hard to imagine such a cold gaze on the face of a girl only seven or eight years old. Then she said, “I don’t need anyone to treat me. Mother Yang, please ask her to leave.”

Xie Qingtang was surprised by the sudden change; the girl seemed strongly resistant to the idea of treatment.

“Miss, don’t be stubborn. Treatment will do you good. Once you’re well, you can run and play like other children. Don’t you want to go outside and play like them?” Mother Yang’s words were gentle, meant to comfort and persuade.

But her words seemed to have no effect. The girl kept her head turned, her lashes trembling slightly as she hid deep sadness and disappointment in her eyes, murmuring, “Mother Yang, you say that every time, but I know what kind of illness I have. It’s impossible to cure. I’ll be a ‘medicine pot’ my whole life.”

It turned out that each time a doctor came to see her, the girl was full of hope, thinking this new doctor might cure her. Yet every time, she was disappointed.

The more her hopes were dashed, the less she trusted anyone. Xie Qingtang stepped forward, a faint smile touching her lips as she said, “Little one, I can’t guarantee a complete cure, but I can certainly help you run and play like a normal child.”

At these words, the girl’s body trembled slightly. She turned toward Xie Qingtang in disbelief and asked, “You really can make me like a normal person?”

“As long as you take good care of your body and undergo acupuncture treatment, within two years, I can make sure you’re just like the other children,” Xie Qingtang said confidently. Before coming here, she had studied the girl’s illness in medical texts and found that her condition was better than expected.

It was likely that the girl had been well cared for since birth, receiving the best medical treatment, so her body had gradually improved. This ensured her bodily functions were in very good condition, providing a solid foundation for Xie Qingtang’s treatment.

But in the next moment, the girl, who had just been full of joy, withdrew her happiness and warned cautiously, “Many doctors have told me the same, but after some treatment, they always trick me with sweet words. I won’t believe anyone anymore.”

“I won’t lie to you. If you don’t trust me, we can pinky swear,” Xie Qingtang said, approaching the bed and extending her pinky to the girl.

After a moment of hesitation, the girl stretched out her finger, hooked it with Xie Qingtang’s, wiggled it, and said, “Are you really telling the truth? You must not lie to me.”

“Of course. We’ve pinky swore; it won’t change for a hundred years,” Xie Qingtang nodded, putting the girl at ease before smoothly taking her pulse for diagnosis.

Meanwhile, in the living room, the atmosphere between Gu Xiujin and Dong Weiyi was far from peaceful. Their gazes clashed subtly.

“I suppose the reason Mr. Gu came to see me today has a great deal to do with Miss Xie,” Dong Weiyi said while having servants bring two cups of coffee. He sipped and spoke to Gu Xiujin.

Gu Xiujin nodded directly without denying it and said bluntly, “I know your agreement with the Xie family. Don’t set your sights on Xie Qingtang. Consider this a warning from me.”

“Oh? On what grounds does Mr. Gu warn me? As far as I know, Miss Xie isn’t your girlfriend nor your wife,” Dong Weiyi narrowed his eyes slightly, exuding the charm of a mature man but with an undeniable oppressive presence.

Gu Xiujin sat coldly, his gaze icy. “Because Xie Qingtang is my fiancée. We were betrothed in childhood under the auspices of my grandfather and her grandfather. If you lay a hand on her, I won’t let you off.”

Dong Weiyi’s face showed a flicker of surprise, quickly vanishing into a smile. “I see. But Miss Xie is from the Xie family, and Shao Siming is her father. My agreement with the Xie family is an equal exchange. My relationship with Miss Xie is arranged by our parents; yours is a childhood engagement. So both of us have our reasons to get close to her.”

“So, in my view, Mr. Gu, you have no right to tell me to stay away from Miss Xie, nor any obligation to make decisions on her behalf. After all, it seems to me the choice of whom she wants to be with belongs to Miss Xie herself.”

At these words, Gu Xiujin’s face turned dark as iron. The tension between the two men filled the living room, and even the air seemed laced with an unmistakable scent of gunpowder.

Upstairs, Xie Qingtang was unaware of the confrontation downstairs. After taking the girl’s pulse, she confirmed her physical condition was much better than anticipated.

She then wrote a prescription and said to Mother Yang, “Prepare the medicine according to this prescription. Have her take it continuously for a month. After that, we’ll add acupuncture treatment, and her health will recover.”