The Yun family of Beicheng is the foremost prominent clan in the northern city, even more influential than the Han family of Nan Cheng. It is said that the Yun family’s members are spread across the military, political, and business sectors. Their status is such that even those prominent families in Di Jing cannot afford to overlook them.
“Dad, are you serious? It’s really someone from the Yun family of Beicheng? Then that bitch Gu Ran has found herself a powerful backer.”
“Hmph, he’s just an outsider grandson. How much importance could the Yun family possibly place on him? If he were truly valued, he wouldn’t have come to Nan Cheng to develop his career. All he has is Huanyu International under his management.”
Hearing this, Gu Yao felt slightly relieved. She didn’t want that country bumpkin to encounter anyone remarkable. She wanted that wretched girl to remain beneath her forever.
“Yao Yao, these next few days will require some effort from you. You should still frequently visit Tan Palace. Whether we can see anyone or not, we need to let them feel our sincerity. Once we get our hands on those thirty percent of shares, however you want to deal with that damned girl, your father won’t interfere.”
Gu Yao was initially somewhat reluctant, but upon hearing this, the corners of her mouth lifted, and a cold glint flashed in her eyes, as if she had already thought of countless ways to torment Gu Ran.
As he spoke, Gu Mingfei gave his wife a meaningful look. Yu Mengjiao took a small bottle of transparent liquid from her bag and handed it to Gu Yao.
“Yao Yao, if you see that wretched girl, find a way to put this medicine in her food.”
Gu Yao took the bottle. This wasn’t her first time doing this, but she had always been curious about what exactly was inside.
“Dad, what does this medicine actually do?”
“It damages the nervous system. With long-term use combined with a skilled hypnotist, it can control the target’s consciousness. I’m just taking precautions. If that damned girl continues to stubbornly hold onto those shares, then don’t blame me for resorting to extreme measures.”
Upon hearing this, Gu Yao immediately understood what was going on and promptly stored the bottle of medicine.
If Gu Ran had heard this conversation, she would have understood why in her previous life she often felt muddle-headed and confused, as if many things were beyond her control.
However, it was believed that before long, she would be able to identify this toxin herself. She just needed to wait until tomorrow when she would meet her second senior brother.
At eight in the morning, Gu Ran had unusually slept soundly. When she woke up, Fu Sijue was no longer by the bedside, but judging by the lingering warmth, she knew the man couldn’t have woken up long ago.
Just as she was thinking this, the bathroom door opened. Fu Sijue emerged with his upper body completely bare, wearing only a towel around his waist. The water droplets on his hair hadn’t been completely dried, trickling down his strands and slowly sliding along his sexy chest muscles down to his waist, finally disappearing into that mysterious area.
The previously sleepy and drowsy Gu Ran instantly became wide awake at the sight of this handsome man fresh from his bath. Without caring about her own appearance, she threw off the covers, scurried to the foot of the bed, and leaped into a flying pounce. Fu Sijue caught her steadily, and Gu Ran hung onto him like a sloth.
“Brother Jue, good morning.”
While greeting him, her small hands wandered quite improperly all over Fu Sijue’s body. If Fu Sijue hadn’t been holding her, she would certainly have fallen.
Fu Sijue hadn’t expected to be greeted by such an enthusiastic Gu Ran right after his bath. It was just that this little girl’s wandering hands were too unrestrained, instantly igniting the desire within him.
“Ranran, stop moving around.”
Fu Sijue had been a vegetarian for over twenty years, and now standing before the woman he loved, he had almost no self-control left.
With the woman being so proactive, he found it impossible to resist temptation.
Gu Ran was wearing Fu Sijue’s loose pajamas, with only a thin layer of fabric separating them. She could clearly feel his increasingly feverish body. A mischievous smile played on her lips as she leaned close to his ear and whispered:
“Brother Jue, what should I do? I want to devour you.”
Hearing these words coming from a girl who had just reached adulthood, Fu Sijue’s body stiffened. He desperately wanted to fulfill her desires immediately, but a sliver of remaining reason reminded him this wasn’t the right place.
“Ranran, you’re seducing me.”
“Mhm, it’s quite obvious, isn’t it? So, Brother Jue, do you want to devour me?”
Though her words were utterly provocative, her face remained completely innocent and harmless.
Any wicked thoughts Fu Sijue might have harbored vanished when he saw Gu Ran’s childlike features and those clear, pure eyes.
Controlling himself, Fu Sijue gently patted her rounded bottom and said dotingly:
“I’ve wanted to devour you for a long time, but this isn’t the right place. Do you want to sleep a bit more?”
Hearing this response, Gu Ran didn’t feel disappointed. Her earlier behavior had been a momentary impulse, and she hadn’t truly intended to take things further with Fu Sijue, especially since this wasn’t their home.
Gu Ran shook her head, then rested it directly on Fu Sijue’s shoulder, saying in a soft, gentle voice:
“Brother Jue, carry me to wash up.””
“Alright, should I help you bathe?”
More flirtatious talk, but Gu Ran wasn’t afraid. She replied:
“Sure, but Brother Jue might end up needing to take a cold shower himself later.”
Fu Sijue thought about it and decided against it. In the middle of winter, even with indoor temperature control, a cold shower would probably be too much to handle.
The two of them dawdled in the room for nearly half an hour before finally emerging.
At the break of dawn, someone from Tan Palace had delivered a change of clothes for Gu Ran.
Dressed in a hooded sweatshirt, ripped jeans, and her hair tied in a bun, Gu Ran looked like a fifteen or sixteen-year-old child. Holding hands with Fu Sijue as they went downstairs, they gave off the distinct vibe of a father taking his daughter out.
The first floor was bustling. Compared to last night’s dejected, worried, and fearful expressions, the young men in the living room now wore relaxed and cheerful smiles.
However, the moment they saw Fu Sijue, they all shot to their feet, standing straight as if awaiting inspection by a commanding officer.
“At ease, everyone. This isn’t the base. How’s Xiao Guang doing?”
Fu Sijue looked at Li Junnan. Actually, from everyone’s expressions, he could already guess that Xiao Guang was probably fine, but he still wanted to hear it from Li Junnan.
“He’s awake, no fever, fully conscious, and even clamoring to get out of bed.”
At this point, Li Junnan turned his gaze to Gu Ran, a hint of respect in his eyes.
“Miss Gu, thank you for last night. Also, the prescription you provided was very effective. Cheng Guang’s complexion today is almost no different from usual.”
Only Li Junnan and Lao Jia understood how remarkable that traditional Chinese medicine prescription was. Normally, after such major surgery, patients would need two or three days of rest before regaining any energy.
But Cheng Guang’s condition today—rosy complexion and strong, clear voice—was so good that if they hadn’t performed the surgery themselves last night, they might have suspected he was faking it.
Gu Ran didn’t feign modesty either—she knew perfectly well how potent that herbal concoction was. After all, she had developed it herself. If not for time constraints, she could have refined it into medicinal pills for even better efficacy.
“Continue giving Cheng Guang that herbal medicine, one bowl each morning and evening.”
At this point, Gu Ran glanced at the team members in the living room. Since several of them had sustained varying degrees of injuries yesterday, she added, “These gentlemen can also take that herbal medicine. It strengthens the physique, has mild medicinal properties, and won’t cause any side effects. When I have time to prepare some pills, you can carry them with you during missions. As long as the heart isn’t injured, these pills can sustain your lives.”
Gu Ran spoke casually, but everyone present was stunned.
Wait—what had they just heard? This was modern society, not some fantasy cultivation world. How could a single pill have such miraculous effects?
Gu Ran noticed their skepticism but offered no further explanation. She had absolute confidence in the pills she crafted—only those who had used them would understand.
“Let’s go have breakfast first. You and Jun Nan can discuss things properly later.”
Earlier upstairs, Fu Sijue had mentioned Li Junnan’s interest in collaborating on an antidote, and Gu Ran had agreed. However, the specifics needed to be worked out between them.
But Li Junnan seemed impatient. The moment Gu Ran and Fu Sijue entered the dining room, he approached them.
“Miss Gu, may I ask if you truly only studied traditional medicine for a few years with a village healer?”
Gu Ran nodded, thinking to herself that she had indeed only studied under her master for three years back then.
Later, when her master left the village, he left her over a dozen medical texts. Eventually, he brought her to the valley. By then, her master had little left to teach her, so she immersed herself in the valley’s library, studying various medical texts independently. Gradually, she achieved her current level of expertise.
In subsequent years, she spent time abroad annually, where she encountered Western medicine—and unexpectedly became an expert in that field as well.
Calculating carefully, the only formal training she received was during those initial two or three years. So, her claim wasn’t entirely untrue.
Of course, Li Junnan had no idea about Gu Ran’s inner thoughts—otherwise, he would have questioned his entire existence and been infuriated to death.
Seeing Gu Ran nod, Li Junnan pressed further, “Then, are you confident about developing the antidote?”
“Even if I said yes, you probably wouldn’t believe me. In that case, whether I answer or not makes no difference. It’s better to prove it through action.”
“Miss Gu, could you please take this seriously?”
Li Junnan was irritated by Gu Ran’s casual and nonchalant demeanor. He had thought she had suddenly changed, but it was all an illusion.
Faced with Li Junnan’s reproach, Gu Ran turned to Fu Sijue beside her, blinking her innocent, harmless eyes, and asked, “Brother Jue, am I not being serious?”
Fu Sijue shot a cold glare at Li Junnan before gently pinching Gu Ran’s soft cheeks and saying, “Of course not. Ranran is very serious.”
“See? I might not take everything seriously, but when it comes to you, Brother Jue, Ranran will always give it her all.”
At this, Gu Ran’s expression shifted completely. Gone was the initial innocence—her youthful face now carried an undeniable authority that brooked no argument.
“Brother Jue, if there’s no trust between cooperation partners, it’s better not to cooperate at all, to avoid all sorts of arguments later.”
Fu Sijue looked at Li Junnan, his eyes filled with clear warning and threat.
Li Junnan felt a chill run down his spine. He knew that if he didn’t clarify his stance soon, what awaited him might be thirty sparring partners.
“Miss Gu, what are you talking about? I was just joking. We all saw what you did last night – how could I not trust you?”
Gu Ran snorted inwardly, but still gave Li Junnan face by proactively extending her hand.
“Then let’s cooperate happily.”
Just as Li Junnan was about to shake her hand, he saw Fu Sijue directly take Gu Ran’s hand in his own. Li Junnan gave an embarrassed smile, putting his hand under the table as he said:
“Well, you two enjoy your meal slowly. I’m going to check on Xiao Guang.”
With that, Li Junnan practically fled from the dining room.