Chapter 39: Dai Jin and Yuanbao Are Beaten

For a moment, Ling Tian couldn’t quite make sense of it all. Instinctively, he felt that both of these people might have ulterior motives. Never mind, he thought, first things first—let’s save Lin Youya’s grandfather. That way, whatever conspiracy anyone might be plotting would be thwarted before it could take root.

“No! What if Ling Tian is deliberately trying to harm Father? After all, if Father dies, the shares go directly to Youya. I learned last night that Father had already drawn up his will and had it notarized,” the eldest uncle objected, revealing something none of the others knew.

Everyone was stunned. Grandfather had only ever mentioned transferring the shares to Lin Youya, but no one knew he’d already made a will.

While everyone was still reeling, a faint sigh came from the sickbed. Lin Youya’s grandfather had awakened—perhaps he’d been conscious for a while and only just opened his eyes.

“Grandfather, how are you feeling?” Lin Youya rushed to the bedside, her heart aching as she grasped his hand.

“Youya, I’m all right, don’t worry. I heard everything you all just said. Let this Ling Tian treat me—none of the other doctors have been able to help, and an old man’s life like mine is already borrowed time. Why not put my trust in Ling Tian, just this once?” Grandfather finished speaking and regarded Ling Tian with a gentle, benevolent look.

Truth be told, the old man wasn’t entirely convinced of Ling Tian’s medical skills, but he recognized his granddaughter’s filial devotion. He knew Lin Youya would never wish him harm. Years of life had made him shrewd, and he had a clear measure of the character and abilities of each of his descendants. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have left all his shares to Lin Youya.

“Father, you can’t let just anyone treat you!” Lin Youya’s uncle protested anxiously.

“That’s right, Father—this Ling Tian is a complete stranger. How can we trust him?” her other uncle echoed, equally upset.

“My life is my own to decide—you have no right to meddle. How long have I been in this hospital with no improvement? In fact, my condition has only worsened. Sometimes I wonder if you even want me to recover,” the old man retorted angrily.

He knew his sons had their own feelings about the will. But if he were to do as they wished and divide the shares equally, the business would fall to ruin. Only by entrusting everything to Lin Youya, who had the greatest talent for management, could he protect and even grow the legacy he had built with such effort.

“Father!” the eldest uncle exclaimed, infuriated, and stormed out of the room, his brother following close behind. Now, only Lin Youya and her immediate family remained, along with Ling Tian, her aunt, and Grandfather on the sickbed.

Grandfather let out a long sigh. He made no move to stop them, nor did he ask anyone to call them back.

It’s said that children are debts from a past life, and every child is different in loyalty and virtue. It’s impossible to satisfy everyone equally. Even imperial households in ancient times were rife with fratricidal strife. In a prominent family like this, things weren’t so cruel, but to expect universal satisfaction was a fantasy—sometimes one had to choose the lesser of two evils.

“Grandfather, don’t worry. I can cure your illness,” Ling Tian said, moved by the sight of the old man before him. The elderly could be so stubborn; even at the end of life, they clung to attachments. Giving all the shares to Lin Youya was bound to cause resentment. Wouldn’t it be simpler to let the law dictate succession? Still, Grandfather’s love for Lin Youya was deep, and perhaps he had his own reasons.

“Thank you, Ling Tian!” Grandfather said with a kindly smile.

“Grandfather, just call me Ling Tian. I’ll begin the treatment now,” he replied, glancing at the others before politely suggesting, “Uncle, Aunt, Auntie, Youya, please step outside for a bit. You can come back in when I’m finished.”

“Very well,” Ling Tian’s father said, leading everyone out. If you choose to trust a person, you must trust them fully. Ling Tian had risked his life to save Youya—that alone made him worthy of trust.

Before leaving, Lin Youya looked back at Ling Tian, her eyes full of hope and belief. He flashed her a reassuring smile—her grandfather was his own, and he would give his all.

For ordinary treatment, Ling Tian wouldn’t have minded the family being present, but this time he needed to use the Yin-Yang Method, so caution was best.

Now only Ling Tian and the old man remained. Ling Tian smiled and said, “Grandfather, thank you for your trust. I’ll begin the treatment now.”

“Ling Tian, you’re a hard man to read, but I trust Youya, so I’ll trust you. At least, I know you won’t harm me on purpose. If you can really cure me, what reward do you want?” Grandfather asked. He knew there was no such thing as a free lunch—this young man wouldn’t treat him for nothing, and it was best to clarify the price lest it be something he couldn’t afford.

“Grandfather, you’re overthinking it. I don’t want any reward. I do this because I like Youya, and I want her to be happy,” Ling Tian responded as he inserted a silver needle into the old man’s arm.

The old man nodded, saying no more. Ling Tian’s reasoning was enough to convince him.

A short while later, Ling Tian withdrew the needle, which now glimmered with a faint gray sheen. His eyes narrowed—there was definitely something wrong. He lifted the needle to his nose and inhaled—his expression grew even more grave.

It was a mixture of toxins: initially a slow-acting poison, later combined with more acute, violent ones. Several poisons had been mixed together so cleverly that even medical instruments might not detect them; the silver needle only turned a pale gray, not the obvious dark color that usually signaled poison. Without careful observation, it would pass unnoticed.

The culprit was truly malicious.

Yet, among the toxins, there were also medicines to slow their effects—likely administered yesterday, intended to temporarily prolong the old man’s life.

Ling Tian deduced that, since the attempt to kidnap Lin Youya the previous day had failed and the will had come to light, the poisoner had decided to keep Grandfather alive a little longer. Clearly, Lin Youya’s predicament was tied to the family’s internal struggles.

Fortunately, such poisons were no match for Ling Tian. He had the old man sit up, took out more silver needles, and began his work. For over ten minutes, the needles danced between his fingers. Sweat beaded Ling Tian’s forehead as, finally, the old man gave a retching cry and spat out a mass of black liquid, an acrid stench filling the air.

“What… what is this?” Grandfather stared in confusion at the foul stuff he’d expelled. He felt much lighter now—apart from some weakness, there was nothing else wrong.

“Grandfather, someone has been poisoning you. About half a year ago, you were given slow-acting poison. In the last ten days, acute toxins were added. Last night, someone used a mitigating drug. The only one capable of all this must be someone close to you—I won’t say more. Please, be vigilant from now on. The toxins are cleared. Rest for two days and you’ll make a full recovery,” Ling Tian explained, wiping his brow. The toxins had been complex, and he was exhausted—but at least Grandfather was saved.

“Poisoned?” Grandfather’s face, already pale, grew even whiter. Whoever used slow-acting poison must have been close to him. He resolved to get to the bottom of it—never had he imagined someone would go to such lengths to harm him. The revelation shook him to his core.

“Yes, Grandfather, you’ll need to thoroughly investigate those around you. The poison was administered through your food. I noticed your symptoms long ago but kept quiet until now so as not to alert the culprit. Please be careful,” Ling Tian urged, fearing for the old man’s safety.

“Young man, you are indeed remarkable. Not only is your medical skill outstanding, but you are also prudent and thoughtful. If Youya chooses you, I’ll be at ease. I’ll take care of myself—and you must take good care of Youya. If someone dared to harm me, I fear they might try the same with her,” Grandfather said, grasping Ling Tian’s hand earnestly. In this moment, he had clearly accepted Ling Tian as his granddaughter’s future husband, and the more he saw of him, the more satisfied he became.

“Don’t worry, Grandfather. I’ll protect Youya.” Ling Tian did not mention the attempted kidnapping, not wanting the old man to worry. As long as he was around, Youya would be safe. And even if he wasn’t, Shi Xiaocai would be there—Ling Tian could tell that one was anything but ordinary, perhaps even his equal.

…

When news spread that Ling Tian had cured the old man, Lin Youya, her parents, and aunt hurried into the room, bringing doctors and nurses to check on him. All his vital signs had returned to normal; he was merely a bit weak and would recover fully in two days’ rest.

Everyone was amazed by Ling Tian’s medical prowess. He didn’t explain further, only advised Grandfather to rest well. At this point, Ling Tian’s status within the Lin family had risen yet again. Lin Youya’s mother, in particular, now regarded him with the fond and approving eyes of a mother-in-law evaluating a prospective son-in-law.

When Grandfather was discharged from the hospital, Ling Tian and Lin Youya returned to school. But as soon as they entered their dormitory, they sensed something was wrong—Dai Jin and Yuan Bao had been beaten.

Dai Jin had a bandage around his head, Yuan Bao’s arm was wrapped, and both were limping. Their assailants had clearly been ruthless—though not enough to send them to the hospital, it would be at least ten days before they recovered.