The car sped along, scenery blurring past. Suddenly, rain began to fall, shrouding the street in a misty haze.
Liu Ruyan finally collected herself. Glancing outside, she asked, "This road... Brother Xiao, are we returning to the Liu Family Estate?"
Xiao Yunlong chuckled, "Naturally, we're returning to the Liu Family Estate. Where else would we go?"
"But the Cheng family won't let this go. And my second aunt and them... if we go back, aren't we walking right into a trap?" Liu Ruyan said.
"Don't worry, with me here, nothing will happen. Besides, if we don't go back, what about your grandfather?" Xiao Yunlong replied.
Liu Ruyan fell silent. Her grandfather was her weakness, and her second aunt and the others knew this, which was why they could coerce and manipulate her.
After thinking it over, Liu Ruyan said, "How about this, Brother Xiao, after you drop me off at the Liu family, you leave on your own. Your injuries have healed anyway, and the Cheng family is powerful. I don't want to implicate you because of this!"
Suddenly, with a screech, the car stopped by the roadside!
Xiao Yunlong turned to look at her and said, word by word, "You saved my life, and I will back you up. With me here, no one in the entire Suzhou City can touch a single hair on your head!"
"Really?" Liu Ruyan blinked her beautiful long eyelashes.
"Of course. Did you forget what I said at the wedding?" Xiao Yunlong grinned. Before she could respond, he stepped on the accelerator, and the car shot forward.
Liu Ruyan stopped speaking, staring blankly at him. The scene from the wedding flashed through her mind again: this man, with his imposing figure and resolute steps, walking towards her and saying, "I'm not here to reason with you. I'm here to support her!"
"Because she is my woman!"
His voice was powerful and resonant. Unknowingly, Liu Ruyan's eyes began to well up with tears.
Xiao Yunlong glanced at her from the corner of his eye as he drove. The memory of himself, heavily injured and unable to move, surfaced in his mind. It was this girl who had stood before him, shielding him from his second aunt and a group of ruffians, summoning the courage to say with unwavering conviction, "He's not some random man. He's my man, my fiancé!"
Thinking of this, Xiao Yunlong couldn't help but sigh inwardly. She truly was a kind and delicate woman!
By the time they returned to the Liu Family Estate, it was completely dark. The main building, a luxurious and magnificent villa, was brightly lit, appearing quite lively.
The rain intensified. Xiao Yunlong drove the car directly into the main villa's courtyard.
Old Master Liu, Liu Hongguo, had been bedridden since falling ill two months ago and had been recuperating in the main building.
Upon entering the hall, Liu Ruyan realized that several renowned physicians had come to their home. Her second uncle, Liu Jianmin, was conversing with the elderly doctors.
One of the reasons Liu Ruyan had agreed to marry into the Cheng family was that her second uncle had promised to spend a fortune seeking out famous doctors to treat her grandfather. This news had been sent out half a month ago, and it turned out that these physicians were arriving precisely today.
Liu Jianmin hadn't paid much attention at first. However, when he saw that the person arriving was Liu Ruyan, his expression instantly darkened. "Why are you back so suddenly? Weren't you supposed to be at the Cheng family's wedding?"
Faced with her second uncle's questioning, Liu Ruyan felt flustered and unsure how to answer, instinctively gripping Xiao Yunlong's arm.
Just then, Huang Tingting, Liu Guohao, and Liu Feiyan, all three seething with anger, rushed in from outside the courtyard.
"You two dogs and bitches, you actually came home! How dare you return!" Huang Tingting shouted.
"Xiao, you good-for-nothing! I can't believe you dared to cause trouble at the wedding and snatch someone! Do you even know what you've done? It's like lighting a lamp in a latrine... seeking death!"
Young Master Huang, Liu Guohao, raised his chin, believing himself to be cultured and imposing, and sneered.
After understanding the entire situation, Liu Jianmin first shot Xiao Yunlong a cold glare, then turned to Liu Ruyan. "We had an agreement. You agreed to marry into the Cheng family, and I would spend a fortune seeking out divine doctors to treat the Old Master. Now the doctors have arrived, and you're going back on your word!"
"Liu Ruyan, do you think I'm too easy to talk to? Or are you still clinging to your old ways as a young lady of status?"
Xiao Yunlong pulled Liu Ruyan behind him, facing Liu Jianmin directly, and said with a cold laugh, "As a son, you negotiate conditions to treat your own father. Don't you find that laughable? Furthermore, you are only her second uncle, not her father. What right do you have to force and decide her marriage?"
Liu Jianmin's face instantly turned grim. He pointed at Xiao Yunlong and roared, "What are you? Do you have a right to speak here?"
Xiao Yunlong's gaze suddenly sharpened, about to make a move!
A mere wealthy family dared to boss him around, the King of the Northern Territory? This was courting death!
Even if he was a dragon in shallow waters now, fallen on hard times, they were still no match for his provocation!
However, at this moment, an old physician with white hair and beard spoke up, "It's so noisy. We've traveled a long distance. Are we going to treat the illness or not? If not, we'll have to excuse ourselves!"
Seeing this, Liu Ruyan quickly said, "Of course, we will treat. Esteemed physicians, I apologize. Please come upstairs. My grandfather is upstairs."
With that, Liu Ruyan pulled Xiao Yunlong and hurried to escort the physicians upstairs.
Liu Jianmin, however, pointed at their retreating backs and gritted his teeth, "I'm telling you, Liu Ruyan, whether the Old Master is cured or not, you must go to the Cheng family tonight! And you, dog named Xiao, you'd better cripple your own legs and crawl to the Cheng family to apologize, otherwise, I can't guarantee you'll live to see tomorrow's sun!"
With that, Liu Jianmin flicked his hand and strode upstairs, Huang Tingting and the others following closely.
In the large bedroom on the south side of the second floor lay Liu Ruyan's grandfather, Liu Hongguo, in bed. He had been in a coma since falling ill two months ago.
Old Master Liu's illness was very strange. He had been examined at major hospitals before, and many specialists had been consulted, but none could figure out what was wrong.
"Esteemed physicians, I trouble you. If you can cure my grandfather, our Liu family will be eternally grateful!" Liu Ruyan said with utmost sincerity and anticipation, even bowing.
Compared to Liu Ruyan, Liu Jianmin's family appeared much more indifferent and detached. Xiao Yunlong took one look and understood the general situation.
The moment he stepped into the sickroom, Xiao Yunlong immediately detected an unusual fragrance in the air. He frowned instinctively.
"Since we have come, we will naturally do our best!"
The three elderly physicians said calmly, leading several young assistants carrying medicine boxes towards the sickbed.
The Old Master Liu on the bed was emaciated, his eye sockets sunken, and his breathing extremely weak. He appeared to be on his last breath.
The physicians first took his pulse, then examined his mouth, nose, and ears, and finally, they all shook their heads.
"Physician Bai, what do you say? Have you been able to discern anything?" an old man in a grey robe asked.
Physician Bai, the oldest among them with white hair and beard, also sighed, "I am ashamed, but I am not entirely certain. The internal condition of Old Master Liu is very peculiar!"
"Yes, this is the first time we've encountered something like this. He shows no outward symptoms of illness, yet appears to be in a critical state. It's truly baffling!"
"How about this, I will use acupuncture needles on his major acupoints to stimulate his vital energy and potential, and try to wake him up first!"
Physician Bai said, signaling an assistant to bring the medicine box. He then took out a set of silver needles, sterilized them, picked one, and raised his hand, preparing to insert it into Old Master Liu.
Seeing this, Xiao Yunlong suddenly said coldly, "If you don't want him to die immediately, you'd better stop!"