Su Nanzhi’s brows furrowed slightly.
“That’s enough,” she said.
‘She, too, thought Yang Yi was just jealous of Hong Juntao.
Why else would he say something like that?’
Even if Hong Juntao wasn’t perfect, he was a top student who had studied overseas and had powerful connections.
No matter how one looked at it, Yang Yi wasn’t qualified to compare himself to him.
But this behavior—badmouthing someone behind their back—left her disappointed in Yang Yi.
“Everything I’m saying is true.
I know Shen Wanqian…”
Su Changli laughed in exasperation.
“Are you ever going to quit?
Huh?”
“You say you know Shen Wanqian, right?
Since you know him, you must have his personal number, right?”
“If you can produce it, I, Su Changli, will apologize to you right here and now!
And from then on, you, Yang Yi, will be the one who calls the shots in this family!”
Yang Yi was helpless.
‘I was in such a hurry to get back and check on the decoction, why would I have thought to ask Shen Wanqian for his number?’
The disappointment in Su Nanzhi’s eyes deepened.
“Alright, Yang Yi,” she said.
“Just eat your dinner.”
Lin Gengfang wore a troubled expression, unsure of what to do.
After dinner, Su Changli had Su Nanzhi call Hong Juntao.
“Brother Hong, have you eaten?”
“Nanzhi!
Yes, I just finished.
Is anything wrong?
How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine, I feel great.”
“That’s good.
If anything changes, remember to go to the hospital immediately.
You have to trust science; Chinese medicine isn’t very reliable, after all…”
Su Nanzhi said, “I will, I will…
Um, Brother Hong, can I ask you for a favor?”
Hong Juntao agreed instantly.
“Of course!
Just tell me!
I’ll help with anything!”
“I feel so guilty for not being able to cure you.
This gives me a chance to make it up to you!”
Su Nanzhi said, “My father would like to meet with Chairman Shen of the Wanqian Group.
Is that possible?”
Hong Juntao laughed.
“Is that all?
That’s a piece of cake!”
“Grandpa Xu is very close with Shen Fushou.
I’ll just ask him to put in a word.
Not a problem!”
Su Nanzhi breathed a sigh of relief, overjoyed.
“Thank you, Brother Hong!
I’ll have to treat you and Divine Doctor Xu to a meal another time!”
Hong Juntao chuckled, then paused before adding, “Of course, that’s no problem.
Just don’t bring any eyesores along.”
Su Nanzhi knew he meant Yang Yi.
She hesitated slightly, then answered, “I definitely won’t.”
After hanging up, Su Nanzhi smiled at her father.
“He agreed.”
Su Changli was ecstatic.
“I told you Juntao could handle it!” he praised.
“Now we just have to wait for news!”
With that, he shot a glance toward Yang Yi and added pointedly, “Jealousy only makes an ugly person uglier!”
Utterly frustrated, Yang Yi went upstairs, feeling annoyed.
「Meanwhile.」
The moment Hong Juntao hung up, he immediately called Xu Renfeng.
He explained that Su Changli wanted to meet Shen Wanqian and was just about to ask for his help when Xu Renfeng suddenly flew into a rage.
“Hong Juntao, you little punk!
Did you call just to piss me off?!”
“I’m already overwhelmed here, and you call to mock me?”
“I’m on the verge of being blacklisted by Shen Wanqian, and you’re asking me to go find him?”
CLICK.
Xu Renfeng hung up.
The expression on Hong Juntao’s face froze, and he shot to his feet.
‘Grandpa Xu had a falling out with Shen Wanqian?’
His complexion became incredibly ugly.
‘Doesn’t this mean I can’t get it done for Su Nanzhi?’
‘How humiliating would it be to fail at such a small task in front of her!’
‘How could Grandpa Xu be so muddled?
How could he have a falling out with Shen Wanqian, the richest man in the entire province…’
‘Should I call Su Nanzhi now and tell her I can’t do it?
That would be too humiliating, too fast…’
Hong Juntao frowned, pondering for a moment.
He decided not to say anything to Su Nanzhi for now.
If she called again, he’d just claim he drank too much and forgot.
…
Early the next morning, the doorbell of the Su Family’s villa rang.
Lin Gengfang wondered aloud, “Who could it be so early in the morning?”
She went and opened the door.
A young man, not quite thirty years old, stood outside.
“Hello.
I’m Xiaohan, secretary to Chairman Shen of the Wanqian Group.
May I ask if this is the home of President Su, Su Changli?”
Su Changli and Su Nanzhi shot up and rushed over.
“I’m Su Changli!”
Secretary Xiaohan said respectfully, “Chairman Shen has instructed me to deliver an invitation.
He hopes you will be able to attend the Shen Family’s business gala this evening.”
Su Changli was stunned for a moment, then took the invitation, trembling with excitement.
“I…
Please thank Chairman Shen!
And thank you, Secretary Han!
I will definitely be there!”
Secretary Xiaohan smiled.
“Then I’ll return to report to the Chairman.
Goodbye, President Su.”
After the secretary left, Su Changli simply couldn’t contain his excitement.
“Nanzhi, Juntao is amazing!
We only asked for an opportunity to meet Chairman Shen!”
“But he got us invited directly to the Shen Family’s business gala!
That’s an event only partners of the Wanqian Group can attend!”
Su Nanzhi was also beside herself with joy.
“Dad, we’ll have to thank Brother Hong properly for this later.”
“Of course!
He helped us out in such a big way, after all!”
Yang Yi couldn’t help but interject, “Uncle Su, I think there’s been some kind of misunderstanding…”
The last person Su Changli wanted to hear from was Yang Yi.
As soon as he spoke, Su Changli shot him a cold glare.
“What misunderstanding?
Don’t tell me you’re about to say Chairman Shen sent this invitation because of you, not because of Hong Juntao?”
Yang Yi frowned.
“As a matter of fact, it probably is because of me.”
“Ha!
Ha ha!”
Su Changli turned to an embarrassed Lin Gengfang.
“Honey, is this really your best friend’s son?”
“I think we need to take him to the psychiatric ward for a check-up!
Maybe all those years he spent begging on the streets have made him lose his mind!”
Lin Gengfang felt mortified and awkward.
‘How did Xiaoyi turn out like this?’
‘Is he really not mentally well?’
Su Nanzhi was getting angry, too.
Her opinion of Yang Yi had only just begun to change because he had cured her.
She knew he probably had low self-esteem, so she had been treating him with a great deal of respect.
But his behavior now was an utter disappointment!
‘It’s one thing to have low self-esteem, but does he have to spout nonsense like a madman?’
In that instant, the faint, positive image of him that she had just started to build in her mind completely shattered.
“If you’re not busy, why don’t you go to your room and rest.”
Su Nanzhi’s voice was cold as she spoke to Yang Yi.
Yang Yi felt the distance and indifference in her attitude.
‘It seems there’s no use trying to explain…’
Su Nanzhi stepped aside, took out her phone, and dialed Hong Juntao’s number.
At that very moment, Hong Juntao had just woken up.
Seeing the call from Su Nanzhi, he felt a pang of guilt.
“Nanzhi, morning…”
Su Nanzhi laughed.
“Good morning, Brother Hong!
Thank you so much for your help with Chairman Shen!”
Hong Juntao froze.
‘What’s happening?
Did it work?’
‘Could Grandpa Xu have pulled some strings in secret?
Why else would Su Nanzhi be calling to thank me?’
‘The Su Family doesn’t know anyone else important enough to get an audience with Shen Wanqian!’
‘Could it be…
Shen Wanqian regretted his actions and made up with Grandpa Xu?’
He decided this was the most likely explanation.
‘After all, Grandpa Xu is a legendary Divine Doctor.
There’s nothing to be gained from being on his bad side!’
And so, Hong Juntao chuckled and said, “Don’t be so formal.
It was nothing, really!”