That was Dong Qingqing's hand, sitting to his left.
Dong Qingqing was quite happy, and having been flattered and plied with several drinks by the heavy-drinking officials, she was now a little dizzy. For some reason, she placed one hand on Lu Chen's thigh.
Lu Chen affectionately squeezed Dong Qingqing's delicate hand a few times, immediately feeling much more comfortable.
Guo Xifeng leaned over, toasting Lu Chen and Dong Qingqing, saying, "Ah Chen, Qingqing, from now on we're in the same trench. For the future of the nation's flowers, come, cheers! Let's work hard from now on!"
Dong Qingqing smiled and raised her glass, and Lu Chen quickly followed suit. The three of them drank it all in one gulp.
The surrounding crowd applauded: "Great! Principal Guo and Director Dong are both formidable drinkers!"
Guo Xifeng put down her cup, smiled slightly, and glanced down, her gaze intentionally or unintentionally landing on Lu Chen's thigh.
Dong Qingqing's hand was still there.
A hint of ambiguity flashed in Guo Xifeng's eyes. What kind of sister would place her hand on her brother's leg like that?
Unless they were lovers!
Lu Chen felt a little embarrassed, but he steeled himself. What's wrong with that? They weren't breaking the law; it was just a matter of love between a man and a woman.
Guo Xifeng spoke again, her voice slightly slurred with drunkenness: "Achen, I want to ask you something." Her face was quite close, her fragrant breath escaping from her red lips and brushing against Lu Chen's face.
The feeling was somewhat provocative.
Lu Chen straightened up: "Director Guo, please speak."
Guo Xifeng waved her hand: "Don't call me Director Guo anymore. Your sister and I are already like sisters. Just call me Sister Feng!"
Lu Chen smiled slightly and nodded.
Guo Xifeng continued, "Chen, you're the research director of Flying Eagle Biotechnology. I know Flying Eagle Biotechnology specializes in drug research, and they have many doctors there who are even more skilled than those in big hospitals! Do they have any experts in treating autism?"
"Autism?" Lu Chen paused, feeling a sense of familiarity, and then immediately thought of Lingling.
Lingling had autism, specifically amblyotic autism, and a very severe one at that.
However, Flying Eagle Biotechnology didn't actually have any doctors specializing in treating autism. Lu Chen shook his head: "Because we don't have any projects developing specific medications for autism, we don't have any experts in this field. We have some knowledge, but we're not experts."
Guo Xifeng's face showed disappointment, and she nodded: "If they're not experts, they probably can't cure it. I've already consulted several experts, but unfortunately...sigh!"
As she spoke, a look of helplessness and dejection appeared on her face.
Lu Chen said: "We have developed a traditional Chinese medicine that can relax the mind, with very few side effects. If your loved one needs it, you can try it."
He could tell that Guo Xifeng had a close relative or friend with autism; otherwise, she wouldn't be so concerned.
Guo Xifeng gave a wry smile and nodded, saying,
"It's that Kuan Shen An oral liquid, right? It's all thanks to it; otherwise, my daughter's condition would be even worse. She used to scream inexplicably in the middle of the night. After taking Kuan Shen An, she's at least a little better."
Lu Chen was surprised: "So it's your daughter!"
It seems another teenage girl has fallen victim to autism.
A thought crossed his mind. He had originally wanted to mention that he had also cured a girl with autism.
However, he thought better of it. He didn't even know how he had cured her. According to the medical genius's theories, care? warmth? He decided against it, lest he get entangled with another girl who wasn't even an adult yet.
So, he didn't say anything.
Hearing Lu Chen's words, Guo Xifeng gave a strained smile: "It's my daughter, I feel so sorry for her. Sigh! I don't know who can cure her. I don't know if that person can cure her..."
A glimmer of light returned to her eyes.
"Which person?" Lu Chen asked curiously.
Guo Xifeng's eyes dimmed again, and she said softly:
"My daughter went to an art class that supposedly helps alleviate autism, but the effect wasn't very significant. However, a couple of days ago, her teacher told me about another girl, whose symptoms were even more severe than my daughter's, who could only attend once every ten days or so. I heard someone cured her autism, but unfortunately, the teacher didn't know the specifics, only that the girl's name was... what was it again?"
"Du Haoling?" Lu Chen blurted out.
Suddenly, Guo Xifeng's eyes lit up: "You know her? Ah Chen, you know her? Then do you know who cured her?"
Lu Chen scratched his head, giving a wry smile: "Uh, it was me. But it was quite lucky; I don't know how I cured her. And… the method was rather strange, probably not suitable for your daughter, so I didn't say."
"What method? Tell me!" Guo Xifeng was anxious: "Any method doesn't matter, as long as it can cure my daughter."
Looking around, everyone had noticed them. Revealing the treatment method in public was indeed difficult, not so easy. He said in a low voice, "It might be a little inconvenient here."
Guo Xifeng nodded, then said to everyone, "Distinguished leaders, Mr. Lu might have some solutions for my daughter's autism. Please excuse us for a moment to discuss it. Please leave this place with Director Dong and the other directors."
The leaders all expressed their understanding.
Lu Chen gave Dong Qingqing a helpless look.
The two went outside, but once outside, Guo Xifeng seemed to lose her balance, staggering slightly. To make matters worse, she was wearing high heels, making it even more dangerous.
Suddenly, she swayed to the side, and Lu Chen quickly steadied her. One hand accidentally brushed against her firm, high breasts. Instantly, Guo Xifeng trembled, her face turning even redder.
Lu Chen could only support her, pretending nothing was wrong, and said, "Let's go sit over there and talk."
"Okay." Guo Xifeng leaned uncomfortably against Lu Chen's strong arm. She suddenly felt weak all over, uneasy, and had a strange, unsettling feeling.
Lu Chen, meanwhile, was also wondering. He was a seasoned womanizer; he could easily sense that Guo Xifeng was so sensitive, so hot, and so tense, as if she hadn't been with a man in a long time.
Could she… also be a divorced woman?
The two sat awkwardly on the sofa in the hotel lobby, slightly apart. Soon, Guo Xifeng excitedly grabbed Lu Chen's hand again: "Chen, tell me, what exactly was the method?"
Lu Chen sighed: "I'll tell you how I cured Lingling!"
So, he recounted everything, from Lingling seeking help, to him helping her punish the bad guys, thus building a high level of trust between them; to Lingling liking to snuggle in his arms, gradually emerging from her gloomy world.
Of course, Lu Chen didn't mention the effect of his healing ability to shrink leftovers.
After finishing, he solemnly said, "I think it really was a lucky coincidence. Lingling developed autism because she was bullied, so I helped her fight the bad guys, which triggered her excitement. Then, she felt safe with me, allowing me to enter her heart and unlock its locks."
Guo Xifeng nodded slightly, a look of disappointment on her face. Lu Chen scratched his head and said, "I think the most important thing is to address the root cause. Look at Lingling, she was cured by my treatment by accident, right? How did your daughter's autism develop?"
Guo Xifeng bit her lower lip, her face showing a near-crying expression, and uttered two words with difficulty: "Domestic violence."
"Domestic violence?" Lu Chen was stunned. It sounded quite serious. But surely it wasn't Guo Xifeng who liked to beat her daughter, that she would beat her like this?
Guo Xifeng was about to speak when suddenly, she choked up, covered her face with her hands, and tears welled up from between her fingers. A suppressed sob came from within her hands.
Lu Chen was stunned. In his mind, Guo Xifeng was a very strong woman. How could she cry so easily now? Soon, he understood.
A man doesn't easily shed tears, only when deeply hurt!
For women, the same sentiment applies; a daughter is a mother's heartache!
Besides, she had drunk quite a bit, making her vulnerable.
Lu Chen sighed again, grabbed a tissue from the coffee table, and handed it to Guo Xifeng, saying softly, "Sister Feng, don't cry! This is the main hall, with people coming and going. Please control yourself, okay?"
Guo Xifeng nodded repeatedly, trying to suppress her sobs, but tears still streamed down her face. She released her hands, and Lu Chen, seeing her mottled face, quickly wiped away her tears.
Just then, a sarcastic voice came from not far away: "Oh, isn't this my ex-wife? What's wrong? Still crying at your age? You didn't even cry when we divorced! Were you bullied by this kid?"
Lu Chen turned his head and saw several men walking unsteadily from the nearby corridor. They were arm in arm, their faces flushed, necks thick, and reeking of alcohol.
The one speaking was the balding man at the head of the group, a middle-aged man of about forty-four or forty-five, with eyes like a hanged ghost and a slightly crooked nose. He had a rather arrogant expression, looking at Guo Xifeng with a mocking expression.
Sure enough, Sister Feng was divorced.
However, Lu Chen, after examining his conscience, thought to himself: This man really isn't good enough for her!
Guo Xifeng looked up and her face instantly turned icy: "Liu Jiangbo, I have nothing to do with you, get out!"
"Oh! Get out? I'm still your husband, even if I'm your ex-husband, I still have the right to care about you, right? Even a night of marriage has its own kindness, Guo Xifeng, don't you have any sentimentality?"
Liu Jiangbo, staggering over, reached out to touch Guo Xifeng's face:
"Tsk tsk, you're dressed quite nicely today, forty or so, but you look like a thirty-year-old woman, making my heart itch, haha! How about it? Guo Xifeng, tonight your ex-husband will give you a good time, I guarantee you'll feel good! Wine is best when aged, and people are best when they're old! Tonight I'll offer you all my strength for free!"
He glanced disdainfully at Lu Chen: "What use is this greenhorn? He doesn't understand romance at all. Besides, does he understand your sensitive spots as well as I do? Haha!"
Guo Xifeng, her face flushed with embarrassment, abruptly pushed the man's hand away and stood up: "Liu Jiangbo, show me some respect!"