5 – Heaven arranged for Tangtang to come to his side.
Hearing Tangtang’s firm resolve to save him, Ji Hanyuan couldn’t help but curl his lips into a smile, his heart feeling as sweet as if it were filled with sugar.
How fortunate he was to have saved her when she fell into the water.
At the same time, she had lost her memory, giving him the chance to get close to her… even to… possess her.
She was the bright moon in the sky he had coveted for so long, yet even a lingering glance felt like a desecration.
In the past, he could only gaze at the distant moon from the depths of his lonely abyss.
But now, he was fortunate enough to hold that moon in his arms.
Even if he were to die at this very moment, he would close his eyes with contentment.
Yet… he was also too greedy.
He hadn’t held her enough, hadn’t kissed her… hadn’t completely… possessed her.
Moreover, if he were gone, would Tangtang cry as pitifully as she was now?
It made him feel as though his heart were breaking.
When she shed tears, he felt an urge to kill.
The treasure he held in his hands should be carefree and happy.
So, he couldn’t die just yet!
Tangtang was his sole, unwavering reason to live!
Ji Hanyuan immediately pulled her into his arms, soothing her gently, “Tangtang, I’m really fine. Lin Qingmian was just exaggerating to scare you.”
Lin Qingmian was about to explain that he hadn’t exaggerated, but a cold glare from Ji Hanyuan silenced him instantly.
Fine, fine. The old man, experiencing his first love, had turned into a lovesick fool. He could only play along to comfort the damsel in distress.
After all, an old man couldn’t admit to being weak!
What if the damsel in distress looked down on him for being frail?!
“By the way,” Lin Qingmian changed the subject, “Does your damsel in distress have any health issues? Why did you call for a female doctor earlier?”
She was no longer just the girl who fell into the water—she was now the damsel in distress.
But he, a renowned doctor, was right here. Couldn’t he examine the damsel in distress himself?
Ji Hanyuan shot Lin Qingmian another displeased glance and said coldly, “There’s a lump on her head. It might be related to her memory loss.”
Hearing this, Zhao Gang, who had been frozen in shock, suddenly snapped back to reality and couldn’t help but gasp.
Lin Qingmian immediately turned around, grinning mischievously at Zhao Gang.
He guessed what Zhao Gang was thinking and quickly pulled him aside for a whispered conversation.
“Now you understand why your Fourth Master managed to bring the damsel in distress home, right? It’s because she lost her memory!”
Zhao Gang: “?”
So the romantic tale Lin Qingmian had spun earlier—about the damsel in distress being alone and helpless, and the cold-hearted tycoon falling in love at first sight—was now turning into a drama of a scheming old man taking advantage of the damsel’s memory loss to bring her home and force her into marriage?
Lin Qingmian curled his lips into a wicked smile. “Gangzi, what do you think would happen if I quickly restored the damsel’s memory? Would this sweet, love-at-first-sight romance instantly turn into the year’s biggest forced marriage drama—she runs, he chases, and she has nowhere to hide?”
The more Lin Qingmian thought about it, the more excited he became. He eagerly returned to Ji Hanyuan’s side and said, “Then I should examine the damsel in distress right away.”
However, as Lin Qingmian reached out to check the lump on Tangtang’s head, Ji Hanyuan slapped his hand away with a sharp “smack.”
Lin Qingmian clutched his throbbing hand, staring at Ji Hanyuan in disbelief. “What are you doing?!”
Was this old man really planning to keep the damsel in distress hidden away without letting her regain her memory?
Ji Hanyuan had no idea that Lin Qingmian’s mind had already conjured up so much drama. He merely frowned in displeasure, declaring his possessiveness with an overbearing tone, “I want a female doctor to examine her. Are you always this unclear about your own gender?!”
Lin Qingmian: “…”
Well! Possessiveness to this extent truly could only belong to Ji Hanyuan.
“Fine, fine, fine. I won’t touch your precious little darling, then.” Lin Qingmian rolled his eyes in exasperation, crossed his arms, and steeled himself—he was done with this.
Zhao Gang immediately explained, “Fourth Master Ji, Dr. Lin’s cousin, Dr. Lin Jiaran, is already on her way. She should be arriving any minute now.”
Suddenly, Lin Qingmian instinctively glanced toward the door and broke into a smile. “Speak of the devil.”
Lin Jiaran strode in, dressed in a crisp white shirt and black trousers, looking sharp and efficient, as if she walked with purpose.
She smiled teasingly. “No wonder I kept sneezing the whole way here. So it was my dear cousin talking about me.”
“Hahaha.” Lin Qingmian seized the opportunity. “It wasn’t me talking about you—it was Fourth Master Ji!”
Lin Jiaran froze for a moment, instinctively looking toward Ji Hanyuan.
But Ji Hanyuan wasn’t looking at her. He was wiping away the tears of the girl in his arms.
The way he looked at the girl in his embrace was so gentle, it was as if he were a completely different person—a side of Ji Hanyuan Lin Jiaran had never seen before.
Then she heard Lin Qingmian add, “See, Jiaran? This lovely Miss Tangtang is Ji Hanyuan’s beloved treasure, the apple of his eye! Even if I’m a doctor, I’m not allowed to touch her!”
“That’s why I called you here—to examine his precious treasure.”
Lin Jiaran’s hands, hanging by her sides, twisted slightly. A flicker of something obscure passed through her eyes but vanished in an instant, replaced by a bright smile.
“I’ve never seen Fourth Master Ji with a woman before. Rumors say he’s naturally detached from love and emotions. Who would’ve thought…” She deliberately glanced teasingly at Ji Hanyuan and Tangtang, joking, “Fourth Master Ji just has high standards—if he likes someone, it has to be the most beautiful girl.”
“Exactly.” Lin Qingmian nodded in full agreement, unconsciously running a hand through his green hair. “This Ji Hanyuan really has an eye for beauty!”
If he could stumble upon such an impossibly beautiful girl who only had eyes for him, he’d also want to lock her away and claim her for himself!
“Well then, I can’t wait to examine Miss Tangtang.”
Lin Jiaran laughed heartily and turned to Ji Hanyuan.
“Fourth Master Ji, would it be possible for you to lend Tangtang to me for a few minutes? I’d like to take her to a room for the examination.”
“Why go to a room?” Ji Hanyuan frowned deeply, shooting Lin Jiaran a cold, indifferent glance. His icy gaze was the same as when he looked at anyone other than Tangtang—chillingly intense.
He asserted firmly, “Examine her right here!”
He wouldn’t allow anyone he hadn’t deemed trustworthy to take his Tangtang away, to let her leave his sight.
His Tangtang could only be by his side—not a single step away!
Lin Jiaran smiled helplessly, but fortunately, Ji Hanyuan had placed Tangtang on the sofa, making it easier for her to examine the injury.
“Miss Tangtang’s occipital region did suffer a severe impact. Whether there’s a blood clot pressing on nerves causing amnesia will require a hospital scan to confirm.”
“This is so simple, no need for scans!” Lin Qingmian curled his lips, proudly lifting his chin slightly. “This must be where Western medicine falls short compared to our traditional Chinese medicine, right? Come, I can tell just by taking Tangtang’s pulse.”
Lin Qingmian had just reached out when, remembering the humiliation and sharp pain from having his hand slapped away by Ji Hanyuan earlier, he shuddered and withdrew his hand, then grabbed a tissue.
He waved the tissue in his hand, looking at Ji Hanyuan, and said, “I’ll take her pulse through the tissue, is that acceptable?”
Ji Hanyuan didn’t speak, which was taken as silent consent.
Lin Qingmian snorted coldly, thinking to himself how difficult it was to be a doctor these days.
But to help the drowning beauty regain her memory quickly and set the stage for her escape from Ji Hanyuan, he had to seize this opportunity to treat her!
He could endure a little humiliation!
However, the longer he took Tangtang’s pulse, the tighter Lin Qingmian’s frown became.
After a full five or six minutes, switching hands three times, he still hadn’t said a word.
Ji Hanyuan had already lost patience. Frowning coldly, he asked, “Lin Qingmian, are you actually capable or not?”
Only then did Lin Qingmian turn to look at him, saying quietly, “One piece of good news, one piece of bad news. Which do you want to hear first?”
Ji Hanyuan’s face darkened instantly, and Lin Qingmian immediately surrendered. “Alright, alright, I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you straight.”
“The bad news is, your little Tangtang, just like you, has been poisoned, and also just like you, the toxin has spread throughout her body…”
Instantly, Ji Hanyuan’s entire body tensed up, his clenched fists showing bulging veins as he stared fixedly at Lin Qingmian, waiting for his next words.
“The good news is, your little Tangtang’s poison is very similar to yours. Perhaps… our medicine could also suppress it…”
With a “bang,” the cup in front of Ji Hanyuan shattered under his grip. The temperature around him plummeted, as if a nerve had been struck, his entire presence terrifying and formidable.
He glared at Lin Qingmian, his voice like ice blades, “This is what you call good news?!”
That medicine couldn’t cure it at all!
Which meant the poison in his Tangtang’s body, like his own, had spread throughout and was incurable!
Which meant his Tangtang would suffer the same horrific torment and pain as he did!
He could endure the pain himself.
But he couldn’t bear for his Tangtang to suffer!
Even if it meant doubling his own agony, he wouldn’t allow his Tangtang to be harmed in the slightest!
Lin Qingmian glanced at Ji Hanyuan, somewhat helpless.
“You weren’t this anxious when you couldn’t cure yourself, but now that you know Tangtang is poisoned too, you finally start to worry?”
This lovesick old man was truly something else.
Back when he was writhing in pain himself, he endured it stoically.
Now that he’s worried about Tangtang, he finally thinks about finding a cure?
Suddenly, a strange thought dawned on Lin Qingmian.
Could it be that Tangtang was sent by fate to Ji Hanyuan’s side to save him?