Chapter 235 234: Medical Miracle

"I know. Those quacks never would have been able to save me without you!"

Mu Lin gently placed a hand on Lao Xiang's shoulder. "Don't talk. Just get some rest."

Lao Xiang nodded silently. Mu Lin sat down in a nearby chair, his expression tranquil.

He took out the Immortal Intoxicating Powder, which was wrapped in kraft paper, his gaze turning grave.

'For a forbidden substance like this to end up in Su Longfei's hands… what does that imply?'

Mu Lin zoned out for a moment, pondering the question for a long time without reaching any conclusion.

'Either way, I'll hold onto it for now. It's a nasty little trick to have up my sleeve. As for who to use it on… who knows.'

The next day, Lao Xiang had almost completely recovered. When the nurse making her rounds came to see him, she found him sitting up in bed watching TV.

No one had any idea who'd gotten him the remote.

When the doctors heard, they all crowded around him, staring as if he were some kind of medical miracle.

Lao Xiang was scared out of his wits, thinking something else was wrong with him.

It wasn't until the surgeon from the previous night came over, performed a quick examination, and announced that Lao Xiang's condition had improved dramatically that Lao Xiang could finally relax.

Lao Xiang was relieved, but the doctors were uneasy.

They had spent several hours trying to save Lao Xiang yesterday, but every doctor involved in the procedure knew the truth: they hadn't saved him. Mu Lin had.

It was a huge blow to their professional pride.

Mu Lin returned carrying a bag of apples. Seeing the crowd of doctors around the bed, he asked, "What's going on, everyone?"

The doctors shook their heads in a panic and quickly scattered.

They certainly didn't want to get in trouble with their superiors over this.

The surgeon who had operated on Lao Xiang looked at Mu Lin, his expression a mixture of complex emotions. He finally let out a sigh and walked away.

Mu Lin just smiled, saying nothing.

"Lao Xiang, your injuries aren't serious anymore, but you're not fully healed. You should rest here for a few more days."

Lao Xiang scratched his head. "I can't. I've got a pile of things to take care of at home. How could I possibly…"

Mu Lin said, "You have a point… In that case, get your things together. We'll leave."

'That's the problem with getting older,' Mu Lin thought. 'You get tied down by mundane affairs, with no freedom to speak of.'

Mu Lin sighed to himself.

He called Hong Rui, who came right away.

Despite having gotten the compensation money, Hong Rui hadn't changed one bit. She was still as simple and unadorned as ever, like a narcissus blooming by a mountain stream—pure and clear.

Hong Rui arrived in a three-wheeled cargo tricycle.

Mu Lin sensed a strange presence and turned to see a middle-aged man hurrying over, leading Young Master Zhong.

Young Master Zhong looked utterly dejected. Mu Lin guessed the middle-aged man had to be his father. 'Why else would he be acting so obedient?'

'Then again, being *too* obedient is a bad sign. It'd be more believable if he still had some of his temper.'

The middle-aged man ran to the hospital entrance and shouted inside:

"Mr. Mu! Mr. Xiang! Could you please come out? Zhong Wentao has brought his son to apologize!"

His voice was so loud it drew a crowd of onlookers.

Mu Lin glanced over and realized they were just shouting blindly toward the entrance. They probably didn't even know what he looked like.

They were just trying to make a scene to draw him out.

Mu Lin walked over. "This is a hospital. Do you think it's appropriate to be shouting like that?"

Zhong Wentao shot Mu Lin a sidelong glance and said contemptuously, "What's it to you? I'll shout if I want to! There aren't many people in all of Songyang who'd dare stop me!"

Mu Lin pursed his lips. "Right, you'll shout if you want to. You're not wrong about that. But what do you want with me?"

Zhong Wentao thought Mu Lin was being a busybody. 'When did I say I was looking for *him*?'

"Was I looking for you? Why are you sticking your nose where it doesn't belong?"

Mu Lin chuckled. "Isn't it obvious? I'm Mu Lin. I'm guessing you're looking for me?"

As soon as Zhong Wentao heard this, his knees started to buckle. He couldn't believe he had just run his mouth off to the very person he was looking for.

"M-Mr. Mu! I was blind and failed to recognize your greatness! My apologies, my apologies! Please, be magnanimous!" Zhong Wentao immediately changed his tune, bowing repeatedly to Mu Lin.

Mu Lin's face was stern. "What exactly are you talking about? And what's the meaning of all this shouting outside the hospital so early in the morning?"

Zhong Wentao bowed hastily and replied, "Ah, allow me to explain. I am Zhong Wentao, Zhong Haoyu's father! My son has been completely out of line. I've been far too lenient with him. I brought him here today to apologize to you. I swear I will discipline him properly from now on and never allow him to cause trouble again!"

Mu Lin glanced over at Zhong Haoyu. Zhong Wentao immediately kicked his son. "Get on your knees!"

Zhong Haoyu immediately dropped to his knees. "Mr. Mu, I was wrong! I was wrong!"

Mu Lin remained impassive, paying no mind to Zhong Haoyu's apology. 'He's not repenting because he truly feels sorry,' he thought. 'He's just afraid of my fists. That's the reality of it.'

Mu Lin didn't say a word.

Seeing that Mu Lin had no intention of forgiving them, Zhong Wentao panicked and shouted, "I only ask for your forgiveness and Mr. Xiang's! I seek nothing else!"

"I will not shield my son from the consequences of his crimes! Whether you want to kill him or just punish him, I'll leave it entirely up to you!"

Zhong Haoyu was so terrified he nearly pissed himself. "Dad! Dad, you can't do this to me! I'm your son!"

Mu Lin ignored Zhong Haoyu's pathetic display and said slowly,

"Zhong Haoyu is a degenerate who has preyed on many young women. I assume you're aware of this?"

Zhong Haoyu hastily interjected, "They were all my romantic partners! How can you say I preyed on them?"

Mu Lin shot him an icy glare. Zhong Haoyu flinched and quickly changed his story.

"I paid them!"

Mu Lin's tone grew even colder. "That's right, you paid them. And what does that prove? It was just hush money. They stay silent not because they've forgiven you, but because they're afraid of the Zhong Family's power."

A sudden chill went down Zhong Haoyu's spine. He stared at Mu Lin in shock. "You... H-how do you know that?"

Mu Lin had only been guessing, but he hadn't expected to hit a nerve so quickly.

He said no more, turning to Lao Xiang. "Uncle Xiang, look at how badly they beat you. What kind of compensation do you want?"

Lao Xiang quickly shook his head. "Things are fine as they are! I don't want anything more!"

Mu Lin said, "Uncle Xiang, let me remind you: if I hadn't intervened, you probably would have died last night. So asking for compensation is more than necessary."

Lao Xiang still looked troubled. "Mu Lin, I know you have good intentions, but we're just common folk. We can't afford to provoke powerful people like them."

He didn't finish his sentence, but Mu Lin already understood what he meant.

Lao Xiang was afraid the Zhong father and son were just putting on an act and would retaliate the moment Mu Lin left.

"Zhong Wentao, can you guarantee you won't retaliate?"

Zhong Wentao replied in quick succession, "Of course! Of course, I guarantee it! I absolutely will not retaliate!"

"Furthermore, I'll have my son kowtow to Mr. Xiang three times and pay an additional fifty million in compensation! I wonder… will that be enough to earn Mr. Xiang's forgiveness?"

Heaven only knew how terrified Zhong Wentao was.

The man standing before him, Mu Lin, was a ruthless figure capable of killing Su Longfei.

Su Longfei had just died, and even though the staff at the Celestial Phoenix Hotel were under a strict gag order, news of his death had already spread within a very exclusive circle.

And Heaven knew how terrified those wealthy few were when they heard the news.

What's more, a few resourceful individuals had tracked the movement of Su Longfei's assets and discovered that every last one had been transferred to Mu Lin.

The uncommon surname made it highly unlikely to be a coincidence, all but confirming that the beneficiary was the very same Mu Lin standing before him.

While others were still speculating about who this Mu Lin could be, Zhong Wentao had already figured it out.

His son had just been complaining to him about being bullied by a man named Mu Lin. He'd even asked for some muscle to go teach Mu Lin a lesson.

So, at the crack of dawn, he had dragged his son to the hospital to find Mu Lin.

The truth was no longer important. Survival was all that mattered.

All he wanted now was to get on Mu Lin's good side. Nothing else was even a consideration.

Lao Xiang still looked completely bewildered. Mu Lin sighed. "Uncle Xiang, I'm the one who saved your life. So I'll be the one to make the call here."

Lao Xiang nodded numbly. "Alright! I'll listen to you!"

Mu Lin turned to Zhong Wentao, waiting to see what other compensation he would offer.

Stung by that piercing gaze, Zhong Wentao scrambled to add:

"I would like to give Miss Hong Rui one hundred million, plus a villa. I believe that will ensure she can live a comfortable life from now on."

"Mr. Mu, do you think that would be acceptable?"

Mu Lin chuckled. "If you think it's acceptable, then it is."

This noncommittal response left Zhong Wentao completely helpless. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he forced himself to agree.

'If Mr. Mu gets angry again later,' he thought, 'I'll just have to sweeten the deal.'