Returning Spring Hall Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic, second floor.
Inside an elegant, ancient, and simple consultation room, a faint, soothing fragrance of medicinal herbs permeated the air.
Luo Qingyan wore a moon-white cheongsam, unreservedly outlining her full curves.
Her dark hair was tied up with a simple jade hairpin, giving her an ethereal aura, like a fairy who didn't partake in worldly affairs.
Her exquisitely picturesque profile was slightly taut at the moment.
Three slender fingers rested on the pulse pillow, diagnosing the "patient" in front of her.
This "patient" was Lu Cheng.
He had specially changed into a more dignified and refined traditional Chinese outfit, as if he had stepped out of an ancient painting, a handsome and elegant young master of a chaotic world.
His wrist rested casually on the pulse pillow, but his gaze, filled with undisguised admiration, fell upon Luo Qingyan's unblemished, breathtakingly beautiful face.
"Qingyan, your medical skills are truly superb, living up to your reputation."
Lu Cheng's voice was gentle and mellow, with just the right amount of praise.
"Every time you take my pulse, I feel my restless mind calm down considerably."
He had come to Returning Spring Hall many times before, under the pretext of regulating his body.
Each time, he behaved politely, spoke knowledgeably about traditional Chinese medicine culture, and even discussed ancient Chinese medical texts with Luo Qingyan.
But after so many visits, who wouldn't know his little intentions? Who needs daily regulation?
Luo Qingyan slowly withdrew her hand and raised her cool eyes.
Her voice was like jade beads falling onto a plate, clear, ethereal, and professionally polite.
"Mr. Lu, you're too kind."
"Your pulse is calm; you just feel a little mentally fatigued."
"As long as you pay more attention to rest, there's no need to worry excessively."
She was well aware of Lu Cheng's situation.
With her medical skills, she could naturally tell that Lu Cheng was healthy, with abundant qi and blood, and nothing at all wrong with him.
The Young Master Lu's repeated visits, his intentions were self-evident.
Luo Qingyan was intelligent, and though she was somewhat naive about worldly affairs, she wasn't entirely ignorant of human nature.
However... her heart held only the obsession to revitalize traditional Chinese medicine and make the clinic flourish.
Furthermore, Lu Cheng had indeed anonymously donated a batch of urgently needed precious medicinal herbs to the clinic before, and had subtly helped the clinic resolve some troubles... This favor, coupled with his distinguished status and his consistently appropriate politeness, made it difficult for her to directly turn him away.
The consultation ended.
Lu Cheng stood up and casually asked, as if making small talk:
"By the way, Qingyan, I heard... Returning Spring Hall seems to have encountered some trouble recently?"
"If there's anything I can help with, just say the word."
Hearing about the clinic's troubles, a hint of worry and dejection flashed in Luo Qingyan's cool, clear eyes.
Recently, the traditional Chinese medicine clinic had many patients or their families causing trouble, with all sorts of strange reasons, like the medicine being too bitter or the Tui Na massage being too painful.
It was clear someone was orchestrating it behind the scenes, and the clinic was losing many patients, which gave her a headache.
But she quickly composed herself, gently shook her head, and her tone remained distant.
"Thank you for your concern, Mr. Lu."
"The clinic can still manage."
"My ancestor taught that a physician's duty is to heal the sick, save lives, and bring relief to the world. They should not get too involved in worldly disputes."
She nodded slightly, expressing both refusal and gratitude.
Deep down, however, a thought couldn't help but flicker:
If... Returning Spring Hall truly couldn't hold on... then... perhaps... it would be time to live for herself, just once?
Lu Cheng... he was indeed very good to her...
Lu Cheng saw that she didn't want to talk much and didn't press the issue.
Pushing too hard would easily backfire.
Boiling a frog in warm water, slowly.
He smiled gently, full of grace.
"In that case, I won't disturb you, Qingyan."
"I'll come back for a follow-up visit another day."
He nodded slightly and turned to leave.
Luo Qingyan stood up to see him off.
The two walked out of the consultation room side by side, slowly descending the antique wooden staircase from the second floor.
Lu Cheng maintained a distance from Luo Qingyan that was neither overly intimate nor too distant.
To outsiders, the sight of them walking side by side, the man handsome and refined, the woman cool and ethereal, was like a pair of perfect lovers stepping out of a painting, a pleasant sight to behold.
Just as this beautiful scene of a perfect couple unfolded,
A discordant figure abruptly intruded into their line of sight.
In the corner of the main hall, a man wearing a faded coarse cloth jacket, holding a broken broom and clumsily sweeping the floor, suddenly looked up!
One of his legs was still not quite right; he walked with a slight limp.
It was Lin Fan, who, after persistent begging, had been temporarily taken in to do odd jobs!
The moment Lin Fan looked up, the first person he saw was Luo Qingyan, like a fairy descended from heaven, untouched by the mundane world!
That peerless beauty! That ethereal and transcendent aura!
Even though his heart was dark at the moment, he couldn't help but be stunned by her breathtaking radiance and ethereal presence!
So beautiful!
Was this the divine physician Luo Qingyan of the reclusive Luo family?
Could there truly be such a fairy-like person in this world? If only he could...
But the next second!
His thoughts hadn't even had time to fully form...
His gaze fixed intently on the man beside Luo Qingyan!
Lu Cheng!!
He would recognize that face even if it turned to ashes!
Why was he here?
Seeing them talking so happily and walking side by side... could it be... could even this divine physician, who seemed untouched by worldly affairs, also be involved with that scoundrel...?
An indescribable surge of anger, jealousy, and panic, even more violent than when he saw Gu Qingcheng and Lu Cheng together before, instantly swept through his mind.
The broom in his hand fell to the ground with a "clatter"!
Lu Cheng had naturally noticed the figure in the corner, like a rat in a gutter, staring intently at him.
His gaze lightly swept over Lin Fan's face, twisted with excitement and anger, and his bloodshot, venomous eyes.
Then, a faint curve, full of disdain and mockery, appeared at the corner of his mouth, a curve that only Lin Fan could understand.
Although he didn't speak, Lin Fan clearly felt his provocation.
Immediately, Lu Cheng casually shifted his gaze, as if he had only seen an annoying speck of dust, as if nothing had happened.
Luo Qingyan also heard the commotion and saw Lin Fan's disheveled state, as well as the broom that had fallen to the ground.
She then noticed the angry change in Lin Fan's eyes when he looked at Lu Cheng.
Intelligent as she was, she vaguely sensed that there seemed to be... some unknown grudge between these two?
But she didn't ask further; she merely frowned slightly at Lin Fan's inappropriate behavior.
Why was this new handyman so ill-mannered?
Feeling Luo Qingyan's gaze, filled with displeasure and scrutiny!
Lin Fan trembled even more with rage! His blood surged!
His fists clenched tightly, his fingernails digging deep into his palms, almost drawing blood.
He forcibly suppressed the mad impulse to rush forward and fight Lu Cheng to the death.
No!
Not yet!
His injuries were not yet healed! His strength was insufficient!
Rushing forward would only bring humiliation!
At least, under his observation, Luo Qingyan had not yet shown the same charm in her brows as Gu Qingcheng.
That proved that she was still pure and untainted.
So, as long as he found an opportunity, with his medical skills, plus the previous evidence,
He believed he could expose Lu Cheng's true colors.
Gaining the good impression and trust of this divine physician fairy would also not be a problem.
He took a deep breath, forced himself to lower his head, bent down, and picked up the broom that had fallen to the ground.
But the venom and killing intent accumulated in his downcast eyes were more intense than ever before!
He had to endure!
He had already paid the price for acting impulsively.