Chapter 141: Sharp and Capable

Shao Siming and his men were thrown out of Cunshan Hall, beaten until their faces were black and blue. A crowd of passersby, seeing this spectacle, immediately gathered around.

Shao Siming, having long been accustomed to being held in high esteem, felt his face darken the moment he realized he was being gawked at like a monkey. He left in a hurry, dragging his subordinates away in disgrace.

Xie Qingtang had braced herself for a difficult confrontation, but Gu Xiujin had resolved it with such ease that she let out a slow sigh of relief. However, when she looked at Gu Xiujin sitting in his wheelchair, her brows furrowed tightly once more.

"Didn't I tell you that you must soak in the medicinal barrel for a full hour? If you come out halfway, all previous efforts are wasted." With the trouble resolved, she began to fret over the precious medicinal ingredients.

Gu Xiujin glanced at her indifferently and said nonchalantly, "I was merely worried that something might happen to the doctor treating me; don't read too much into it. Besides, I saved your life just now, so that should offset the cost of the herbs in the barrel."

Hearing this, the corners of Xie Qingtang's mouth twitched. She had not expected that instead of worrying about the failure of his treatment or the pain he had endured, Gu Xiujin would be thinking about the cost of the medicine.

"Gu Xiujin, you are quite the calculator. However, since the previous batch of medicine is now wasted, you will need to undergo another medicinal bath and another round of acupuncture. You will have to pay for the second attempt. The first one might be balanced out by you saving me, but the second one certainly won't be," she said, pouting.

Seeing the crowd still lingering outside the entrance, Zhou Jinfan wisely shut the door again. Gu Xiujin looked at Xie Qingtang with a calm expression and said, "I did help you, after all. Surely I deserve some preferential treatment?"

"But I didn't ask for your help. Had you not stepped out of the bath, there would have been no need for a second payment. Furthermore, you were the one who suggested using the cost of the first bath to offset the favor. We are now square, and any future treatments will naturally be charged at the market rate," Xie Qingtang replied shrewdly.

Watching this calculating young woman, whose eyes seemed to sparkle with the thought of money, Gu Xiujin could not help but chuckle. He nodded and said, "As the proprietor of Cunshan Hall, you are truly sharp and capable."

"That goes without saying; after all, I built this entire establishment on my own. However, you cannot undergo another medicinal bath tonight, or your body won't be able to handle it. Rest for three days before coming back for the next one," she said, hands behind her back, her expression stern.

Gu Xiujin nodded, offering no further resistance, and left Cunshan Hall with Li Zhao and the others.

The once-noisy hall fell silent. Xie Qingtang sat in the consultation room, her brow slightly furrowed as she recalled the ugly expression on Shao Siming's face, a cold sneer appearing on her lips.

"Boss, perhaps we should hire a bodyguard or two for the hall. If something like this happens again, at least we'll have someone to help. We can't always rely on Mr. Gu being here," Zhou Jinfan suggested, approaching her.

After a moment of thought, Xie Qingtang shook her head. "I have my own plans for that. Don't worry. Clean up the back courtyard and get some rest early."

With that, she retreated to her room in the back. As Zhou Jinfan walked to the back courtyard and saw the large wooden tub sitting on the stove, his mouth twitched.

After extinguishing the fire in the stove, he prepared to pour out the medicinal water, but to his surprise, he found Xiao Yu soaking in the liquid, looking perfectly content.

Seeing a bird enjoy a medicinal bath would startle anyone, let alone Zhou Jinfan. He scooped the bird up in surprise and said, "You really are a strange creature. Other birds eat grains, but you refuse them, preferring to snack on dried medicinal herbs. Now you aren't even afraid of water and soak in the medicinal bath? What kind of bird are you, really?"

As he was examining the bird, Xie Qingtang stepped out of her room and asked casually, "Have you seen Xiao Yu? I haven't seen it since earlier."

"Oh, Boss, here it is. I found it soaking in the bath," Zhou Jinfan said, handing over the bird, which was slightly dazed by the medicinal fumes.

Xie Qingtang was surprised to learn where Xiao Yu had been found, but upon reflection, she accepted it as natural—after all, how many birds in this world eat Chinese medicine?

"Husband, how did you end up like this?" Inside the Xie family mansion, Xiao Rou covered her mouth in shock as she looked at Shao Siming’s bruised and swollen face. She rushed over to help him to the sofa.

The hatred in Shao Siming’s heart churned like a violent tide, distorting his features. He clenched his fists and hissed, "That little wretch, Xie Qingtang—I don't know when she got involved with Gu Xiujin."

"Dad, what are you talking about? How could Xie Qingtang possibly be involved with Gu Xiujin? I've never heard of such a thing," Shao Bin said, his face full of disbelief. In his mind, Xie Qingtang was just a country doctor from the mountains, while Gu Xiujin was a titan capable of shaking the entire business world. They were worlds apart.

Shao Siming gave his son a cold look and said, "I underestimated her. She used her medical skills to get close to him. I intended to drag her back to the Xie family today to be used as a marriage tool for Dong Weiyi, but I never expected Gu Xiujin to be there."

Hearing this, Shao Bin’s heart sank. He asked nervously, "Dad, does that mean Gu Xiujin is backing her? Will he come after us?"

At these words, Shao Siming finally realized the gravity of the situation. Like his son, a sense of deep unease began to stir within him. If Xie Qingtang truly had the backing of someone like Gu Xiujin, wouldn't dealing with them be as easy as turning over a hand?

A long-buried memory surfaced in his mind. His eyes flickered with agitation, and he remained silent for a long time, until Shao Bin asked, "Dad, what’s wrong? What are you thinking about?"