"This is what I heard from her mouth!" Liao Wenbo had finally rushed back to China, only to be deceived right after getting off the plane. So much time had been wasted, and he still hadn't seen the Hundred Day Pill.
His temper wasn't the best to begin with, and now it completely erupted.
Ke Lin broke out in a sweat, "Our President Shen was just relaying what others said. If you're angry, you shouldn't be angry with President Shen!"
"I think this girl is birds of a feather with her teacher!" Liao Wenbo was relentless.
"President Shen..." Ke Lin looked at Shen Qingqing, wondering if he should say a few soothing words.
After all, they were in a stalemate, and they needed Professor Liao to give them a push.
Shen Qingqing's face was calm and collected, "Professor Liao, do you still want the Hundred Day Pill?"
Liao Wenbo's gaze deepened, "Are you threatening me?"
"No, you've misunderstood." Shen Qingqing felt it was necessary to clarify, "I have no disrespect towards you, and we have no grievances. I invited you here purely for your medical skills, and I've given you a satisfactory price. How can that be considered a threat?"
Liao Wenbo's face was gloomy.
Shen Qingqing placed one hand behind her back and said slowly, "The Hundred Day Pill is ready. If you think this transaction can proceed, then please rest well. Tomorrow morning, you will perform the surgery for Dr. Gao. If the surgery is successful, the Hundred Day Pill will be yours."
Seeing her speak unhurriedly and deliberately, yet having everything arranged, Liao Wenbo felt a surge of anger but couldn't find any words to refute.
It was like hitting cotton with all your might; that feeling of powerlessness was truly frustrating.
"Professor Liao, have you considered it?" Shen Qingqing very considerately gave him three minutes to think, and when the three minutes were up, she asked leisurely.
What else could Liao Wenbo say? He had put aside his medical symposium and so many patients to come to China, all for this Hundred Day Pill!
If everything were to fall apart now, he wouldn't be able to rest in peace even in death.
"I agree."
The old man gritted his teeth, clearly quite annoyed. Shen Qingqing unhurriedly said, "Ke Lin, arrange a hotel for Professor Liao. The security system must be the best."
Ke Lin knew that President Shen was worried about Professor Liao being taken away again. He quickly responded, "Don't worry, this time I guarantee no one will be able to approach Professor Liao again."
Liao Wenbo felt dissatisfied again, "Don't treat me like a prisoner!"
"We are concerned about your safety and worried that what happened before will happen again. Your time is precious, and you wouldn't want any more accidents to delay things, would you?"
Shen Qingqing spoke softly, but every word hit the old man where it hurt.
He indeed wanted to complete the surgery as quickly as possible, get what he wanted, and return to his country immediately.
All his work was abroad. Every day he spent here meant one more day of accumulated work back home. The thought of facing a mountain of work upon his return gave him a headache.
"Hurry up and arrange it. I'm tired after being tossed around all night."
Ke Lin went to make arrangements, deciding to personally escort the old man to the hotel closest to the hospital. Whether the hotel's security system was good or not, he didn't know, and it didn't matter.
When it came to security, he only trusted his own people.
Never mind how Professor Liao felt seeing a group of fierce-looking bodyguards in black standing by his hotel room door, at least his mood wasn't good right now.
In this confrontation with Shen Qingqing, he hadn't gained any advantage.
As he was leaving, he turned back with a dark expression, "As expected of that old guy's student, just like him, sharp-tongued."
He was clearly asking for a favor, yet she had turned it into a cooperative transaction, not giving him an ounce of leverage.
Shen Qingqing smiled slightly, radiant as a flower, "Thank you for the compliment, Professor."
Was that a compliment?!
Liao Wenbo took a deep breath, pointed at her in the air, and laughed in anger, "Good, no wonder the old guy always spoke of you with such pride."
It must have been difficult to have raised such a shameless disciple!
He huffed and left.
Fu Jingshu looked at Shen Qingqing, "You spoke to him like that, aren't you afraid he'll go back on his word?"
"What's there to be afraid of? Since he's here, he must get the Hundred Day Pill."
Shen Qingqing raised an eyebrow, a sly smile in her eyes.
This old man had always been strict about time. He was already annoyed at being deceived this time. If the surgery wasn't completed and he couldn't get the Hundred Day Pill...
His trip would have been a complete waste.
Fu Jingshu pinched her nose, "You."
The old man's face had turned green with anger just now.
Shen Qingqing smiled charmingly, "I'm just giving him a taste of his own medicine. Who told this old man to speak so impolitely right from the start?"
If she were truly asking for a favor, she would have tolerated it. But this old man had made demands, so it was an equal transaction.
Who was more noble than whom?
She wasn't going to indulge him when he started with sarcasm and mockery.
Fu Jingshu shook his head with doting eyes.
...
With Professor Liao's arrival, Shen Qingqing's stalled plans could finally proceed. First was to have Professor Liao perform the surgery on Dr. Gao.
Although the old man's temper wasn't the best, his medical skills were beyond doubt. Less than five hours after the surgery, Dr. Gao woke up.
Liao Wenbo was still quite displeased about it, "If the surgery hadn't been delayed a bit and done a few days earlier, I would have had him wake up sooner, within two hours!"
Ke Lin was genuinely impressed by the old man, "Professor Liao truly lives up to his reputation as a renowned professor in the medical field. Your medical skills are truly breathtaking."
Liao Wenbo snorted.
Shen Qingqing was also very grateful to the old man, "Thank you very much, Professor Liao, this time."
Liao Wenbo wasn't buying it, "Don't try to sweet-talk me with empty compliments. If you really want to thank me, then hurry up and give me what I want."
Shen Qingqing chuckled and took out a small white porcelain bottle from her pocket.
Liao Wenbo poured a pill from the small porcelain bottle, sniffed it, and his eyes lit up with immense surprise, "It's this! It's the Hundred Day Pill!"
Shen Qingqing raised an eyebrow, "Are you very familiar with the formula for this pill?"
"I'm not familiar with it. How could that臭老头 (stinky old man) give me his precious formula? It's just that I smelled the scent of this pill when I was with him once." And that old man had even boasted about it to him at the time.
Liao Wenbo had been coveting this pill ever since.
"The surgery is done, the transaction is complete." He didn't want to linger there for another minute once he got his precious pill. He left in a hurry after speaking.
Shen Qingqing went to see Dr. Gao. Dr. Gao's complexion was pale, but his eyes were bright, and though his voice was weak, it was clear enough, "Director Liu has a ledger with me, which I kept at home."
"What does this ledger record?" Shen Qingqing asked.
"The ledger states that he took money from many people, with the dates and amounts recorded, but why did he say the money wasn't written on it..."
Seeing his voice weaken as he spoke, Shen Qingqing said, "Don't say any more, rest first. I'll take care of the rest."