The crisis averted, it was time for an accounting.
Cao Jian's eyes blazed as he sternly rebuked Gou Xingzhi.
"Gou Xingzhi! Don't you think you should pay a price for your actions?"
Gou Xingzhi's legs went weak with fear.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Cao! Seeing that the elder is safe and sound, please let me off the hook!"
"Slap!"
A loud slap landed on Gou Xingzhi's face.
"You should be apologizing not to me, but to this young friend. Hurry up and apologize!"
Gou Xingzhi looked at Han Lang in disbelief, but he dared not offend Cao Jian's authority. He could only brace himself and say in a low voice to Han Lang.
"I'm sorry!"
"Huh? What did you say? I can't hear you!"
Han Lang seized the opportunity to humiliate the Gou family and would not let it pass, especially after Gou Xingzhi had kicked him while he was down.
"I'm sorry!"
Gou Xingzhi raised his voice, which finally made Han Lang nod in satisfaction.
"Forget it. I, this Heavenly Physician, don't hold grudges against petty people. Let's let it go this time!"
It wasn't that Han Lang was easygoing, but he knew that while the Cao family's strength could easily deal with a mere Gou Xingzhi, or even the Gou family behind him, they might not necessarily be willing to do so.
As the saying goes, killing one thousand enemies costs eight hundred of your own.
Moreover, he didn't want to use others to settle his grievances with the Gou family, so he didn't make things difficult for them at this moment.
"Thank you!"
Gou Xingzhi said "thank you" verbally, but his eyes were filled with a hatred that seemed ready to spill blood. After forcing himself to say goodbye to everyone, he left dejectedly.
Watching Gou Xingzhi leave, Cao Jian's stern expression softened, and he smiled at Han Lang.
"I never expected a young man like you to possess such medical skills. Truly, heroes emerge from youth. Mr. Cao thanks you. May I ask when my father will wake up?"
"You are too kind, Mr. Cao. With my current abilities, I can only stabilize the elder's condition. As for whether he will wake up, it depends on his fate."
"Please, young sir, think of a way!"
Cao Jian's eyes were earnest, and like Sun Liansheng, he had changed his address to Han Lang. As he spoke, he also winked at Cao Xuerong. Cao Xuerong, with a helpless expression, followed suit and said sheepishly.
"Please... help... think of a way!"
Han Lang had no resistance to this "Peach Miss." His mind went blank, and without considering the consequences, he readily agreed.
"Don't worry! Peach Miss, leave it to me!"
Hearing Han Lang's promise, Cao Jian breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly took out a check for two million from his pocket and handed it to Han Lang.
"We are greatly indebted to you, young sir. Please accept this as your consultation fee."
Although Han Lang was not short of money, he saw no reason to refuse if it was offered. He accepted it without hesitation.
"Alright, this matter is settled. I must return to research how to wake up Old Master Cao. I bid you farewell!"
Before leaving, he did not forget to turn back and say to Cao Xuerong.
"Peach Miss, don't forget our agreement!"
This caused the icy beauty Cao Xuerong's pretty face to blush.
On the way home, Han Lang, having come to his senses, regretted his rash promise to Cao Xuerong to wake up Old Master Cao.
If he could complete body tempering and reach the third level of Qi Refining, it would be fine. But if he couldn't, and failed to wake up Old Master Cao, how could he withstand the Cao family's wrath?
"Alas, it's truly lust clouding my judgment, causing great harm! I must change this habit!"
Han Lang grumbled to himself as he stepped into his home.
Immediately, a refreshing medicinal aroma assailed his senses, stunning Han Lang.
"This is..."
"The scent of Wen Xu Cao?"
Han Lang was overjoyed.
It was truly a case of what you need appearing just when you need it!
Wen Xu Cao was a low-grade spiritual herb from the Lichuan Continent and one of the raw materials for Body Tempering Pills.
Although he didn't know why this spiritual herb's scent was present in his home, its existence meant there was hope for refining Body Tempering Pills.
Thus, he quickly followed the scent to its source and finally found Su Su busy in the kitchen.
Han Lang hurried over.
"Mom, what are you doing?"
Su Su saw Han Lang and replied while continuing her work.
"Oh! I got some high-quality ginseng and am making chicken soup to nourish your father!"
"Ginseng?"
Han Lang was a little puzzled. Could the scent of Wen Xu Cao he smelled be the scent of ginseng?
To verify his guess, he eagerly continued to ask.
"Is there more ginseng, Mom?"
"Yes! It's on the table over there. You can get it if you want!"
Before she finished speaking, Han Lang dashed out, grabbed the remaining half of the ginseng on the table, and sniffed it desperately like a starving dog.
"That's right! It's this scent!"
The problem that had been troubling him for so long suddenly became clear the moment he smelled this scent.
Although the scent of ginseng was slightly different from that of Wen Xu Cao, it would be perfectly fine to replace Wen Xu Cao with it.
Thinking of this, Han Lang, as if he had discovered a new continent, couldn't help but shout excitedly.
"Great! I can cultivate immortality!"
Su Su in the kitchen was startled by his sudden shout and poked her head out, roaring.
"You brat! What are you shouting about? Your father is still resting!"
Hearing this, Han Lang quickly covered his mouth.
"Sorry, I got too excited. Mom, I need to go out!"
Having found a substitute for a spiritual herb, Han Lang was eager to find all the materials needed for the Body Tempering Pill. Therefore, he had to go to the herbal medicine store himself.
"You're going out again just after coming back? That's perfect, go to Le Lan University and pick up Xiao Ying."
"Xiao Ying? Which Xiao Ying?"
"My best friend, Aunt Fang's daughter. Don't you remember? The one who always used to chase after you when you were little."
"Oh! You mean Luo Jiaying."
When Su Su mentioned it, Han Lang finally recalled the little girl with two pigtails from his childhood.
"But why are you picking her up? Is Aunt Fang coming to our house for dinner?"
Hearing this, Su Su's face suddenly became a little sad.
"Your Uncle Luo and Aunt Fang passed away six months ago. They entrusted Xiao Ying to my care before they died. Since it's summer vacation, I thought I'd have her stay for a while."
"Died? How did they die? How come I never heard about it?"
"I heard they were forced into bankruptcy and committed suicide. I'm not very clear about the specifics. Back then, what else did you care about besides the girls in bars and nightclubs, you brat!"
Hearing this, Han Lang was filled with shame. He had indeed been too indulgent in the past.
"I promise, I won't anymore!"
"Alright, alright, hurry up and go. I'll give you Xiao Ying's phone number and WeChat, you contact her yourself!"
Su Su said as she pushed Han Lang out. Han Lang had no choice but to get into the car and start the engine.
"Remember to bring Xiao Ying home for dinner tonight!"
"Got it!"
Following the address given by Luo Jiaying, Han Lang quickly parked the car at the entrance of the agreed-upon university.
The cool Porsche attracted the attention of students entering and leaving the campus. Some beautiful girls even boldly approached, knocked on Han Lang's car window, and charmingly handed him their contact information, but Han Lang reluctantly discarded them all in the end.
"Alas, what a pity! I just decided to reform, I can't go back on my word!"
As he was sighing, a beauty appeared not far away, leaving Han Lang dumbfounded.
This was a girl who was perfectly suited to Han Lang's aesthetic.
Her black hair cascaded down her shoulders, and her face was beautiful!
Her skin was like congealed fat, and her hands were like soft shoots!
Gentle and pure, obedient and elegant!
Sometimes she would smile faintly, sometimes she would frown, her beauty was incomparable!
"Come, come, come over! This young master will break his vow for you."
He immediately forgot his earlier resolution not to go back on his word!
And the beauty, as expected, slowly approached, and then.
"Knock, knock, knock,"
She knocked on the car window.
With an excited heart and trembling hands.
Han Lang opened the car window. Before the beauty could speak, he stammered and said first.
"Okay, okay, let's cultivate together!"
"Ah?"
The beauty seemed not to have heard Han Lang's words and looked confused.
"Brother Han Lang. What did you just say?"
Brother Han Lang?
Han Lang instantly woke up. Could this girl be...
"Are you Xiao Ying?"
"Yes!"
Before Han Lang could recover, Luo Jiaying had already opened the car door and sat in, saying with a smile.
"It's been over ten years, Brother Han Lang, you don't seem to have changed much. I recognized you at a glance!"
Han Lang was still in a daze, as if dreaming, and replied numbly.
"Ah, really? But you're much prettier than when you were little!"
Girls change as they grow.
But Han Lang could never have imagined that the snotty-nosed girl who used to follow behind him would have grown into such a graceful young lady.
"Really?"
"Mm, really!"
Being praised for her beauty should make any girl's heart bloom with joy.
"Thank you, Brother Han Lang, hehe..."
The shy beauty smiled like a flower, and Han Lang was captivated.
Seeing his slightly tipsy eyes, Luo Jiaying asked eagerly.
"Brother Han Lang, what's wrong? Did you not sleep well yesterday?"
Realizing he had made a fool of himself, Han Lang finally came to his senses.
"No, no. It's still early, why don't we go to the Chinese Herbal Hall first?"
The Chinese Herbal Hall was the most upscale Chinese herbal medicine emporium in Lecheng, boasting the most complete range of herbs and the highest quality.
"Okay! My beauty tea is almost finished, so I can restock."
Having obtained the beauty's consent, Han Lang immediately started the car and headed for the Chinese Herbal Hall.
Upon arriving and parking the car, the two entered the Chinese Herbal Hall.
As soon as he entered, Han Lang was so excited that he almost jumped up.
In the medicinal aroma that assailed him, he had already smelled several familiar scents.
"Boss!"
"Oh, Miss Luo. What wind brings you here? Have you finished your beauty tea and come to restock?"
The two greeted each other naturally, indicating that Luo Jiaying was likely a regular customer.
"Yes, the usual. Thank you, boss!"
The boss replied "It's no trouble" and took Luo Jiaying elsewhere to prepare her medicine.
Han Lang also began to carefully search for the herbs he wanted.
"Dang Gui, Chuan Xiong, Di Huang, Gan Cao..."
With the memory of the Divine Farmer Heavenly Physician as his foundation, even with the mixed scents of various herbs here, he could identify them one by one and know their exact locations.
As he was concentrating on his search, a man of similar age and well-dressed entered from outside. After carefully observing Han Lang, he said sarcastically.
"Oh, isn't this Young Master Han, the great Casanova of Lecheng, whom Brother Gou mentioned?"
"Nice to meet you, nice to meet you. You're out of the hospital so soon?"