Chapter 40: A Touch of Skill

“Is he also one of the doctors you hired?” Chen Guang looked toward Jiang Hao and asked.

Old Lady Zhao answered immediately, “This is Mr. Jiang Hao, the doctor my son Yun invited.”

“So that’s how it is.” Chen Guang nodded, then after a brief moment of thought, spoke politely, “Since Young Master Zhao already invited a doctor who even arrived before me, let him treat the family head. After all, when it comes to treating illness, there should be an order, shouldn’t there?”

Hearing this, Liu Hong could not accept it. She approached Chen Guang, lowered her voice, and said, “Professor Chen, didn’t we already agree yesterday? How can you back out now? If you do this, won’t all the time I spent talking with you be wasted?”

“But Young Master Zhao has indeed already invited a doctor. If I treat the family head before him, wouldn’t that be disrespecting Young Master Zhao?” Chen Guang replied with a bitter smile.

Liu Hong insisted, “Ziyun isn’t here right now. What are you afraid of? Besides, look at Jiang Hao—does he look like a doctor? He looks more like a charlatan! How could I possibly trust him to treat Uncle Zhao? What if something happens to Uncle Zhao in his hands? What would we do then?”

After speaking with Chen Guang, Liu Hong quickly moved in front of Old Lady Zhao.

“Aunt, in my opinion, it’s better to let Professor Chen treat Uncle. Professor Chen is a renowned medical expert, famous both at home and abroad. He’s even served the Pan family before, which proves his medical skills are exceptional. As for Jiang Hao, have you ever heard of his reputation? I certainly haven’t. Would you really be at ease letting someone like that treat Uncle?”

Liu Hong’s words clearly shook Old Lady Zhao’s resolve. She looked troubled and said, “But Hong’er, Mr. Jiang was invited by Ziyun. If we do this, won’t we be slighting him?”

“So what if we slight him? Uncle’s life is what matters most!” Liu Hong spoke earnestly, wearing an expression that showed she was thinking of the Zhao family’s best interests.

Old Lady Zhao looked at Chen Guang, then at Jiang Hao, who sat unmoving in his chair, and finally nodded, agreeing to Liu Hong’s proposal.

Seeing Old Lady Zhao agree, Liu Hong was overjoyed. She turned triumphantly toward Jiang Hao and said disdainfully, “Mr. Jiang, since the doctor I invited has arrived, let him treat my uncle. As for you… you can just watch from the side. If you don’t mind, you might even assist Professor Chen.”

Hearing this, Chen Guang’s expression changed dramatically.

Liu Hong, that woman, actually wanted Jiang Hao to assist him? Was this a joke? Jiang Hao’s medical skill surpassed his by far!

Chen Guang was about to speak, but Jiang Hao stood up first and said, “Miss Liu, aren’t you going against Young Master Zhao’s wishes? Have you consulted him about this?”

Liu Hong waved her hand dismissively, “I am Ziyun’s fiancée, I can make decisions on his behalf. It’s settled. Mr. Jiang, if you’re unwilling, please leave.”

She finished, looking at Jiang Hao with pride and arrogance in her eyes.

Jiang Hao wasn’t angry; instead, he smiled and said, “In that case, I’ll just observe. But let me make one thing clear—I originally had no intention of charging for treating your family head today. Yet now, after being repeatedly insulted, if Professor Chen fails to cure him and you still ask for my help, I will certainly not be lenient with the Zhao family.”

“We’ll talk about that later. Maybe we won’t need you at all!” Liu Hong replied coldly, with a snort.

Old Lady Zhao watched as Liu Hong and Jiang Hao confronted each other, feeling helpless. She could easily see that Liu Hong was acting out of personal resentment. Just outside the Su family’s gate, Jiang Hao had embarrassed Liu Hong, so now, given the chance, she wanted to regain her pride.

But Old Lady Zhao couldn’t overturn Liu Hong’s arrangements on the spot; otherwise outsiders would think the Zhao family was divided, damaging their reputation. Besides, she felt there was some reason in Liu Hong’s decision.

After a moment’s thought, Old Lady Zhao stood up and said, “If that’s the case, please follow me. Let’s go treat my husband now.”

They left the living room and entered the depths of the Zhao family mansion. In a spacious room, decorated in a classical and elegant style, a man in his fifties lay quietly on the bed.

His breathing was weak, and there was a trace of pain on his face. It was clear that even in unconsciousness, he was suffering.

This man was Zhao Shibo, head of the Zhao family, father of Zhao Ziyun, and husband to Old Lady Zhao.

“Professor Chen, please proceed.” Liu Hong stood beside Old Lady Zhao and spoke to Chen Guang.

Chen Guang nodded, walked to the bedside, and opened his exquisite medical kit.

He took out a black device, switched it on, and began checking Zhao Shibo’s condition. After a while, Chen Guang’s expression changed slightly; he took out a needle, pricked Zhao Shibo’s finger, squeezed out a drop of dark red blood, and transferred it onto several test strips for analysis.

Watching Chen Guang’s complex procedures, Liu Hong’s confidence in him grew even stronger.

In her view, anyone who could serve as the Pan family’s private physician and was a renowned medical professor at home and abroad must be able to cure Zhao Shibo’s illness. If he couldn’t, then no doctor could. That was why she was so assertive toward Jiang Hao.

Now, Chen Guang’s orderly examination only cemented her belief.

“Professor Chen, my husband’s illness…” Old Lady Zhao asked anxiously, but seemed worried about interrupting Chen Guang’s examination, so she stopped midway.

Chen Guang turned to her and said, “Madam, the family head is not ill—he’s been poisoned.”

“Poisoned?” Old Lady Zhao and Liu Hong were both stunned, their faces turning pale.

Jiang Hao, however, was not surprised at all.

Zhao Shibo had indeed been poisoned, by the flower toxin of the Corpse Fragrant Blood Lotus. Because of this, he was paralyzed and unconscious.

Chen Guang had managed to diagnose poisoning rather than ordinary illness so quickly, using a small device and a few test strips. This proved he was indeed skilled, and no wonder his reputation was so great.

“Professor Chen, what kind of poison is my husband suffering from?” Old Lady Zhao asked with deep concern.