And how could it be that three strong, able-bodied men had been taken down by two women who, in theory, were completely defenseless?
“Could it be some special method? For example, a rare drug, or perhaps hypnosis...” Bai Ruochu asked tentatively, her gaze fixed intently on the doctor.
The doctor shook his head hesitantly. “We’ve conducted the most comprehensive toxicology screening possible, including several unconventional tests. So far, there are no positive findings.”
“As for other means...” He paused, clearly having his own suspicions, but out of professional caution, he did not speak them plainly.
“With our current medical diagnostic tools, we cannot find a clear organic cause for the time being. All I can say is that the situation is very unusual. We need to continue observation, and we need time.”
We need time.
Bai Ruochu caught that key phrase. The doctor’s subtext was that this coma might be temporary; after a certain amount of time, the patients might wake up on their own.
“Roughly when will they wake up?” she pressed.
“That... is impossible to predict accurately,” the doctor said with a bitter smile.
“Given their current stable dormant state, if external intervention remains ineffective, we may have to rely on their own nervous systems to slowly reset themselves.”
“It could be as short as a day or two, or as long as... it’s hard to say.”
A day or two? Or longer?
A deeper cloud of suspicion settled over Bai Ruochu’s heart.
Su Wan...
She had known Su Wan for years. She understood her all too well!
Su Wan had been pampered by her family since childhood, never having faced a single storm. She was brainless, lacked any scheme, and possessed a delicate, weak constitution. Her entire world revolved around nothing but Gu Huaiyu!
Having fallen to this point, Su Wan should have been ground into the dirt by her long ago, or even been reduced to begging for mercy at the feet of a low-life scumbag like Li Bao!
But things hadn't gone as she expected.
How exactly did this Su Wan—who should have been wallowing in the mire, ready to be molded by anyone—manage to make Li Bao and his men end up in the hospital in such a bizarre fashion!
“At all costs, use the best medicine and the best equipment. I want them to wake up as soon as possible!” Bai Ruochu commanded the doctor.
The middle-aged doctor left in fear and trepidation, but Bai Ruochu remained uneasy, her thoughts a tangled mess.
Just then, her phone rang.
The news delivered by this call was like a bucket of cold water poured over her head, adding several degrees of irritation to her already gloomy mood.
Liu Xin had returned to the Liu family’s ancestral home!
Furthermore, Su Wan had personally delivered her there, and the Liu family had actually accepted her back!
“Liu Zonghan, that wily old fox who won’t cast his net until he sees the fish!” Bai Ruochu stood in the hospital corridor, her knuckles turning white from clenching her phone.
Back when the Gu and Bai families had joined forces to pressure the remnants of the Su family and those associated with them, the Liu family had distanced themselves faster than anyone. She remembered all too clearly their faces when they ignored their own granddaughter Liu Xin’s pleas for help and kept their doors barred.
How long had it been since then?
How could they have changed their tune so quickly?
She knew Liu Xin’s personality. If she truly had a way to make the Liu family take her back, she wouldn't have lived in a filthy place like Xingfuli Lane for so long!
It had to be Su Wan!
What kind of method did she use to convince Liu Zonghan?
With Liu Xin back in the Liu family and under their protection, it would be impossible to use the same tactics of manipulating a lonely mother and child to force Su Wan’s hand. This was equivalent to losing a very useful card in her hand.
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. Bai Ruochu took out her phone, found Liu Chengye’s number, and dialed.
The phone rang a few times before it was picked up, and Liu Chengye’s smooth voice came through.
“Miss Bai? To what do I owe the pleasure of your call?” Liu Chengye’s tone didn't sound particularly unusual, as if he were simply receiving a greeting from a regular business partner.
Bai Ruochu was in no mood to beat around the bush and went straight to the point, her voice carrying a hint of coldness: “President Liu, I heard your niece, Liu Xin, has returned to the Liu family? Congratulations on the family reunion.”
On the other end of the line, Liu Chengye was silent for a moment before chuckling. “Hehe, yes. That child, Xin'er, has endured a lot of hardship outside. After all, she is of Liu family blood. It’s not right for her to be wandering out there forever.”
“The Old Master is getting on in years and has become sentimental. He figured it’s just a matter of two more mouths to feed at the table, so he let her bring the child back.”
“Oh? Just sentimentality and blood ties?” Bai Ruochu said sarcastically.
“President Liu, I remember the Liu family’s attitude before was not like this.”
“When the Su family fell, didn't Old Master Liu explicitly say that the Liu family has no daughters who marry out only to become a burden to their maiden home? This change of heart is quite sudden.”
Liu Chengye’s smile seemed to fade slightly, though his tone remained steady. “Miss Bai must be joking. Times have changed.”
“The situation back then was special, and the Liu family had its own difficulties. Now that the storm has somewhat settled, it’s only natural to take back our own child.”
“While our Liu family may not be as powerful as the Bai family, we still have the ability and responsibility to protect one of our own daughters and a grandson.”
This last sentence seemed ordinary, but it made Bai Ruochu’s pupils contract slightly.
Liu Chengye was subtly declaring the Liu family’s stance on protecting Liu Xin, a position much firmer than before.
“President Liu is right. Of course, one must cherish one’s own family.” Bai Ruochu followed his lead but then pivoted sharply.
“It’s just that Liu Xin is, after all, very close to Su Wan. The inexplicable troubles surrounding Su Wan haven't been resolved yet. Is the Liu family not afraid of getting caught up in unnecessary complications by taking her back now?”
“After all, with some people and some matters, it’s safer to keep one’s distance.”
She was probing, but also applying pressure, reminding the Liu family that the Su family’s business was far from over.
Liu Chengye’s voice sounded even more composed, even carrying a professional smile. “Thank you for the reminder, Miss Bai.”
“However, Xin'er has only come back to stay home and look after her child quietly. She is a weak, gentle girl and couldn't possibly do anything else. The Liu family has always acted with discretion; we know what should be done and what shouldn't.”
“As for the winds and rains outside, as long as they don’t blow into the Liu family courtyard, we naturally won't concern ourselves with them, right?”
His response was like an iron fist in a velvet glove.
He neither denied the potential trouble Su Wan might bring nor failed to emphasize Liu Xin’s compliance and the Liu family’s discretion. His last sentence was an even clearer hint: the Liu family wouldn't actively meddle in Su Wan’s affairs, but they wouldn't allow outsiders to reach into their own home either.
Bai Ruochu understood this needle-hidden-in-silk response perfectly.
The Liu family was determined to protect Liu Xin, and their stance was resolute. At least on the surface, they were unwilling to change their minds or give any promises just because of a few words from her.
She was furious, but she also knew that she alone could hardly make the Liu family change their minds.
Though the Liu family wasn't as great as the Bai family, they weren't small fries that could be easily bullied. To have the Bai family pressure the Liu family over a worthless person like Liu Xin?
The Bai family wouldn't agree, and they lacked a justifiable cause.
Rate on N.U.
