Chapter Thirty-Two: A Heart of Cruelty

With Wang Miao’er no longer referring patients, although the Benevolence Hall was left without any visitors, fortunately, there was still income from the online shop. As night fell, Xie Qingtang was in the kitchen preparing medicinal cuisine for her grandfather.

Zhao Xianglan hurried in, her voice urgent: “Miss, something’s not quite right with the old gentleman. You should take a look.”

“Not quite right?” Xie Qingtang immediately set down her spoon and rushed to her grandfather’s room. She found him pale-faced, eyes tightly shut, trembling as he lay on the bed.

Zhao Xianglan stood nearby and explained, “I turned away to pour him some water, and when I looked back, he was like this.”

Without saying more, Xie Qingtang strode to her grandfather’s side and took his pulse, her brow furrowing. It was the residual poison from the drugs Shao Siming had fed him all these years—now surfacing.

The toxins still lingering in her grandfather’s body could only be slowly expelled, for his advanced age had left his metabolism weak. Purging these remnants was a difficult task, which explained why the doctors at Gu’s Hospital had all declared themselves powerless.

As a practitioner of traditional medicine, Xie Qingtang could gradually eliminate the poison, but it would take a long time. During that time, her grandfather would be tormented by the toxins left within him.

Thinking that it was all due to Shao Siming that her grandfather had come to this state, Xie Qingtang clenched her silver teeth and swiftly inserted a silver needle into the Hegu point on his hand, as well as the Shenting and Fengchi points, to alleviate his pain.

After finishing the acupuncture, her grandfather finally quieted, though his eyes remained shut and his expression grim.

“How is the old gentleman?” Zhao Xianglan asked anxiously, seeing Xie Qingtang rise with a solemn face and silently head for the door.

Xie Qingtang’s fists were tightly clenched as she replied, “There are residual toxins in his body. Unless they’re completely expelled, he’ll be tormented every so often. Ten years of captivity and drugging—Shao Siming, what a vicious heart.”

At her words, Zhao Xianglan gasped, covering her mouth and stepping back, her body trembling, eyes red with anger and grief. “Heavens, I always suspected the medicine he gave the old gentleman wasn’t ordinary, but I never imagined it was poison. The old gentleman has truly suffered.”

“Aunt Lan, I have you to thank for this. If you hadn’t occasionally switched his medicine for vitamins at the care home, his body would have been poisoned even more deeply,” Xie Qingtang said, steadying her emotions and turning toward Zhao Xianglan.

Zhao Xianglan waved her hand in dismissal. “Miss, don’t say that. The Xie family has been so good to me. I was just an ordinary housekeeper, but your family gave me the chance to learn advanced nursing, to have a place and a skill. I’m grateful for all of it.”

There are still those in this world who remember kindness. Years ago, Grandfather Xie was a famous philanthropist in the community, supporting many impoverished students and rural aid efforts.

Yet Xie Qingtang hadn’t expected that her grandfather’s good deeds would not bring him blessings, but instead allow someone as ruthless as Shao Siming into their home.

Her thoughts drifted, but she knew it was useless to dwell now. The damage was done. All she could do was focus on clearing the toxins from her grandfather’s body, to ease his suffering.

Withdrawing the silver needles, Xie Qingtang instructed Zhao Xianglan to make sure her grandfather drank plenty of water once he awoke, to help flush out the toxins. Then she went to the front hall and turned to her medical books, searching for a gentler yet effective ancient prescription to cleanse her grandfather’s body.

Elsewhere, Wang Miao’er and Gu Xiucheng arrived at a five-star restaurant. Though she disliked the man before her, she had to admit his excellence.

“I hear Uncle Wang has been developing a new medicine, with remarkable effects for cardiovascular disease,” Gu Xiucheng said with a smile.

Wang Miao’er paused, knife and fork in hand, glanced up at him and smiled, nodding. “I’m not very familiar with family matters—perhaps you know more than I do.”

“Oh? In any case, you’re the princess of Wang Pharmaceuticals. Surely Uncle Wang wouldn’t keep secrets from you?” Gu Xiucheng asked, feigning casualness.

Though impulsive at times, Wang Miao’er had grown up in elite circles and was no fool. She set down her knife and fork and said, “I have no interest in the family business. I only want to be a competent doctor. If you wish to cooperate, talk to my father, not me.”

“Miao’er, you’re quite perceptive. I was only making conversation—and you know, I like you,” Gu Xiucheng replied coolly, unaffected by her sharp tone.

Looking at his unchanged expression, Wang Miao’er felt a chill rise in her heart. She lowered her head and ate in silence. For reasons she could neither explain nor understand, she felt an instinctive aversion to Gu Xiucheng.

After dinner, Gu Xiucheng sat in his car when his phone rang—it was his father, Gu Xiujin’s second uncle.

“How did your talk with Wang Miao’er of Wang Pharmaceuticals go?” came the stern voice.

“She knows nothing,” Gu Xiucheng replied calmly.

“Hmph, impossible. She’s the eldest daughter of Wang Pharmaceuticals, our hospital’s largest supplier. I like her very much—you two should spend more time together.”

After his uncle finished speaking, Gu Xiucheng did not object, merely nodded in assent. But once he hung up, he gazed into the deep night outside, a profound weariness in his eyes.

“Spend more time together—they want me to marry Wang Miao’er. That woman… not bad,” Gu Xiucheng murmured, a cold smile curling at his lips.