After finishing their meal, Long Xiao and the other three began to prepare to leave, chatting with Che Chunrong. As they reached the doorway, a petite girl, carrying a large cello case, pushed the door open and entered.
"Boss, a bowl of plain noodles, please."
The girl's voice was clear and crisp, her appearance handsome, though her complexion was somewhat pale.
Hearing her voice and seeing her pallor, Long Xiao could tell she had internal injuries, and severe ones at that.
He found it strange that such a girl would have internal injuries, so he looked at her a few more times.
The girl also sensed Long Xiao looking at her and turned to meet his gaze. She took off her cello case and found a seat.
Seeing the cello case, Long Xiao was reminded of the assassins from Hanshan Temple. He wondered if this girl was also an assassin from Hanshan Temple.
Luo Tianshui also recalled the assassins from Hanshan Temple upon seeing the girl and became somewhat nervous.
Che Chunrong was momentarily stunned upon seeing the girl. He immediately stood up and stepped forward, asking, "Do you want chili with your noodles?"
Hearing Che Chunrong's question, the girl's hand involuntarily moved towards her cello case, then stopped, and slowly fell to her side.
Long Xiao observed her movement and suspected that the cello case contained a weapon.
If she was an assassin from Hanshan Temple, then who was this small restaurant owner, Che Chunrong? And why did she suddenly become so tense when he asked about chili?
After finishing their meal, Long Xiao didn't return to Xinglin Caotang, nor did he have Luo Tianshui drive him. He took a taxi straight home.
As soon as he entered his home, Long Xiao saw Lin Xuan sitting in the living room with a worried expression, as if she had encountered some difficult matter.
"Wife, what's wrong? Did something happen?" Long Xiao asked.
Seeing Long Xiao return, Lin Xuan stood up and said, "You're back! I've been so worried. Lin Family Pharmaceuticals is in trouble again."
Lin Xuan was a strong woman and rarely spoke of her troubles. Each time she faced difficulty, it was Long Xiao who had to ask before she would tell him.
The incident involved an old medicine from Lin's Pharmaceuticals. This afternoon, officials from the health bureau suddenly stormed into Lin's Pharmaceuticals, sealed all offices, and confiscated a batch of relevant documents.
The staff present at the time informed Lin Xuan that a medicine produced by Lin's Pharmaceutical Factory for five years had a problem. Over a dozen people who took it fell unconscious and were all sent to Fifth Hospital.
Lin's Pharmaceutical Factory was forced to cease production, and several pharmacies were closed. All Lin's Pharmaceutical Factory products currently on sale were temporarily removed.
Lin Xuan, accompanied by her secretary, went to the hospital to offer condolences to the patients' families, assuring them that the matter would be thoroughly investigated and a reasonable explanation would be provided.
The patients' families were very agitated. Fearing trouble, Lin Xuan only stayed at the hospital for a short period before leaving.
After listening to Lin Xuan's explanation, Long Xiao found it strange. A medicine that had been produced without issues for five years suddenly having problems?
There were two possibilities: either there was a problem in the manufacturing process, or someone had set them up.
Long Xiao and Lin Xuan waited until very late for Lin Shijie to return home.
Seeing Lin Shijie enter, Lin Xuan eagerly asked, "Dad, are those patients alright?"
Lin Shijie nodded and said, "Currently, their lives are not in danger, but despite all our efforts, we haven't been able to wake them up."
"Were they poisoned, or did they have an allergic reaction?" Long Xiao asked.
"The blood test results indicate poisoning," Lin Shijie said, sitting down on the sofa. "We've used every detoxification method we could, and a lot of the toxins have been expelled, but we can't eliminate the residual effects on the patients."
"Dad, will these patients be in any danger?" Lin Xuan asked, concerned.
Lin Shijie shook his head. "There's no immediate danger, but I worry that these people might become vegetative, or suffer irreversible brain damage upon waking and become incapacitated."
Lin Xuan knew that either outcome would be unbearable for Lin's Pharmaceuticals.
"It seems we can only leave it to fate," Lin Xuan said with a look of melancholy.
"Dad, why don't I find a doctor for you tomorrow to examine the poisoned people?"
"You find a doctor? What good doctor would you know?" Lin Shijie said dismissively, looking at Long Xiao.
Lin Xuan suddenly remembered that Long Xiao knew Li Yizhen and said, "Long Xiao, why don't you call Divine Doctor Li and ask him to see these poisoned people?"
"No need, I know a divine doctor. Although he's not very famous, his medical skills are top-notch."
"Besides Li Yizhen, Sun Sizu, and Hua Xianfeng, there isn't a fourth divine doctor in Donghai. Perhaps the person you know isn't a divine doctor, but a charlatan," Lin Shijie said with a smile.
Mi Tianfu had indeed been a charlatan in the past, practicing fortune-telling, analyzing birth charts, and geomancy. He took on any job that earned money. Now, Mi Tianfu had given up that profession and was using his limited medical skills to treat patients alongside Mingyue.
"He was a charlatan for a few days in the past, but now he's a divine doctor."
Long Xiao's words became increasingly outrageous, and Lin Xuan began to doubt him again.
Seeing Long Xiao's disbelief, he said, "Wife, when have I ever lied to you?"
Lin Xuan thought for a moment and couldn't recall a time Long Xiao had lied to her. She shook her head and replied, "No."
"Then it's settled. I didn't lie to you then, and I wouldn't lie to you now."
Lin Xuan nodded. "I believe you. Bring that divine doctor to the hospital tomorrow. If he can save those poisoned people, and Lin's Group compensates each of them, perhaps this matter can be contained."
Lin Shijie, tired from a day's work, didn't say more even though he didn't believe Long Xiao knew any divine doctors. He went to his room to rest.
After finishing his morning exercises, Long Xiao called Mi Tianfu, asking him to meet him at Fifth Hospital.
After breakfast, Long Xiao took a taxi to Fifth Hospital and saw Mi Tianfu waiting for him from a distance.
Upon meeting Mi Tianfu, Long Xiao said, "First, give each of them one Detoxification Pill and see if they wake up. If not, I'll use acupuncture for detoxification."
The two hurried into Fifth Hospital without contacting the administration. They found out the location of the ward and went directly in.
The ward was quiet. As Long Xiao and Mi Tianfu pushed the door open, the people keeping vigil by the patients' beds all looked at them.
"Hello, I am Mi Tianfu from Xinglin Caotang, entrusted to see these patients."
The attendants had all heard of the renowned Divine Doctor Mi Tianfu. Knowing that Divine Doctor Mi had arrived, they all happily stood up to welcome him.
Mi Tianfu took out the Detoxification Pills Long Xiao had just given him. He gave one to an attendant and said, "I have a miraculous detoxification medicine here, the 'Detoxification Pill'. One for each person, and they will wake up shortly."
The attendants took the medicine to feed the patients. Just then, a nurse walked in.
"What are you feeding the patients?" the nurse asked urgently, seeing the attendants holding black objects and about to feed them to the patients.
"This is our newly refined 'Detoxification Pill'," Mi Tianfu explained.
Upon hearing that it wasn't a hospital medicine, the nurse immediately stopped the attendants from administering the pills and called to inform the on-duty Deputy Director of Internal Medicine.