Volume 1, Chapter 154: The Passing of Yang Hui

Zhang Shaodan picked up Chi Xingwan and drove to the hospital. "Old Cao is being discharged today. The Yulong team is a bit worried, so they wanted you to take a look."

Old Cao was the manager of the Yulong e-sports team. He had been hospitalized after taking a knife for Ghost. Chi Xingwan had given him a medicinal pill, and after taking it, he had recovered remarkably well.

However, given that he was no longer young and had lost quite a bit of blood, after much deliberation, they still felt it would be safer to have Chi Xingwan examine him.

Chi Xingwan had been a bit more idle lately, and feeling some sympathy for Ghost, she agreed without a second thought.

After parking the car, Chi Xingwan and Zhang Shaodan were waiting for the elevator when Chi Xingwan caught sight of Chi Qianyu and Chi Yueyao walking toward them out of the corner of her eye.

The two of them also noticed Chi Xingwan. Chi Qianyu's eyes lit up, and she ran over. "Chi Xingwan, you're just in time. My uncle is sick. Hurry and contact the Xiao family to bring over the doctor who treated Xiao Yue back then."

Zhang Shaodan looked at Chi Qianyu with dissatisfaction. "Is that the attitude you have when asking someone for a favor?"

Although Chi Qianyu had seen Zhang Shaodan before, she didn't remember her and simply assumed she was one of Chi Xingwan's classmates, so her attitude remained less than pleasant. "I'm talking to her. Why are you cutting in?"

Chi Yueyao, however, recognized Zhang Shaodan. Knowing that Zhang Shaodan came from a prominent background and was not someone to be trifled with, she hurriedly apologized for Chi Qianyu. "Vice President Zhang, I'm terribly sorry. The family has been going through some things lately, and Qianyu is feeling a bit emotional. I apologize on her behalf. Please be magnanimous and don't hold it against her."

Zhang Shaodan let out a cold snort and ignored the two of them. She shifted her position, stepping forward to shield Chi Xingwan from their view.

The numbers on the elevator indicator ticked downward. At that moment, Chi Zhenghua's voice came from behind. "Yueyao, Qianyu, you're here at this hour too."

After walking closer, he finally noticed Chi Xingwan and said with a stiff expression, "Xingwan, why did you come to the hospital too?"

"Picking up a friend who's being discharged," Chi Xingwan replied perfunctorily, raising her eyes to glance at Chi Zhenghua.

She raised an eyebrow, recalling the handbag she had previously seen in Chi Yueyao's room—the one that had once been used to hold a love Gu worm.

Could that love Gu have been used on Chi Zhenghua?

The elevator arrived, and the group stepped inside, each pressing their respective floor buttons. Chi Xingwan's gaze lingered casually on Chi Zhenghua and Chi Yueyao.

From the very first moment they met, Chi Xingwan had sensed a blood connection between Chi Zhenghua and Chi Yueyao, yet Yang Jing appeared completely oblivious to it.

If Yang Jing had shown her even a sliver of kindness back then, she would have dropped a hint to keep her from being trampled on by a cheating husband and an illegitimate daughter. Unfortunately, Yang Jing's actions made her feel it simply wasn't worth the trouble.

Now it seemed Chi Yueyao was no longer content with just being an adopted daughter.

It looked like another major drama was about to unfold in the Chi family, and Chi Xingwan actually found herself somewhat looking forward to it.

When they reached their floor, Chi Xingwan and Zhang Shaodan stepped out of the elevator. The remaining three stayed inside, and Chi Qianyu remarked, "Dad, Sister Yueyao, why do I feel like Chi Xingwan kept staring at you two?"

With guilty consciences, the two of them were startled at the same time. Chi Yueyao said, "Really? Why didn't I notice?"

"I didn't feel that way either," Chi Zhenghua chimed in. "Qianyu, did you still not get enough rest last night? You're becoming a bit paranoid."

Uncertain now, Chi Qianyu muttered, "Maybe I was just seeing things."

Chi Xingwan had already arrived at the Yulong manager's ward. Having taken the medicinal pill, he had recovered so well that there was no trace of his previous injuries left on him.

Even the Yulong team members joked, "Manager, if you get discharged looking like this, people are going to think the hospital food is amazing. Just look at you, you've even gained weight."

The Yulong manager laughed. "What are you talking about? It's all thanks to Miss Chi's help; otherwise, this old life of mine would probably have been cut in half."

"Just a small effort," Chi Xingwan said calmly.

Because they were in the middle of the season, the team didn't throw a big celebration for the manager's discharge, planning instead to head straight back to the club. They had wanted to invite Chi Xingwan and Zhang Shaodan to dinner at the club, but due to Zhang Shaodan's special status, they worried that accidentally getting photographed might cause unnecessary misunderstandings.

Thus, the invitation had to be temporarily shelved.

After parting ways with Zhang Shaodan, Chi Xingwan asked Xiao Yue about Xiao Duo's recent movements and learned that Xiao Duo had gone abroad again recently.

Hanging up the phone, she had a pretty good idea of where Chi Yueyao's love Gu had come from.

The Huaguo Spiritual Masters Association exercised strict control over Gu poisons. Aside from registered Gu masters, ordinary people—and even spiritual masters—found it extremely difficult to obtain Gu worms within Huaguo.

Therefore, the love Gu on Chi Zhenghua was most likely imported from abroad. Moreover, Chi Yueyao had private dealings with Xiao Duo, and Xiao Duo happened to frequently travel abroad during this exact period.

It was a conclusion that was remarkably easy to deduce.

Chi Xingwan sent a message to Xiao Yue, telling him to be wary not only of Chi Yueyao but also to guard against Xiao Duo.

Yang Hui's condition worsened day by day until finally, over the weekend, he closed his eyes and never opened them again. At this point, it had been less than half a month since his diagnosis, and less than five days since the love Gu had been planted in Chi Zhenghua.

Yang Jing and Chi Qianyu wept bitterly kneeling before his remains, while Chi Bowu squatted silently in a corner, crying tears. When Chi Zhenghua received the news, he was having dinner with Pan Shuyun and Chi Yueyao as a family of three.

"Understood. As soon as my business dinner ends, I will come straight to the hospital," he told Chi Bowu on the phone.

After hanging up, Pan Shuyun asked, "Zhenghua, what happened?"

"Nothing. Yang Jing's younger brother, Yang Hui, has passed away," Chi Zhenghua said in an indifferent tone.

Pan Shuyun and Chi Yueyao exchanged a veiled glance. Chi Yueyao probed cautiously, "Dad, should we go to the hospital now?"

Chi Zhenghua shook his head, a look of impatience crossing his face. "What's the rush? Don't let these trivial matters interrupt our family dinner."

Joy flared in Chi Yueyao's heart. She knew this meant the love Gu was taking effect. Although it hadn't fully materialized yet, it was already beginning to influence Chi Zhenghua's mind.

Had it not been for the love Gu, with Chi Bowu calling in person and Chi Zhenghua still having lingering feelings for Yang Jing, he would have rushed to the hospital immediately.

After dinner, Chi Zhenghua accompanied Pan Shuyun for a stroll in the residential compound before finally taking Chi Yueyao and rushing to the hospital.

Yang Jing had already cried herself into fainting spells several times and was currently receiving an intravenous drip. As soon as Chi Zhenghua walked in, he demanded, "How are arrangements coming along? Have you contacted the funeral home? When is the cremation?"

Yang Jing stared blankly at Chi Zhenghua. "Zhenghua, my younger brother has passed away. Why do you look so indifferent? How can you say such cold words?"

This time, Chi Bowu did not stand by Chi Zhenghua's side either. "Dad, why did you arrive so late? We're all in so much pain—shouldn't you have come back immediately to stay with us?"

Chi Zhenghua said impatiently, "I told you I was at a business dinner. Do you have any idea how important company matters are?"

Chi Bowu stared in shock. It was the first time he had ever experienced such impatience from Chi Zhenghua directed at him. How could this be? Since he was a child, his father had always valued him the most.

Subconsciously, he glanced toward Chi Yueyao.

Chi Yueyao felt a tightening in her chest. Although she wasn't afraid of her secret being exposed right now, being looked at by Chi Bowu like that still made her feel a chill of panic.