The room fell silent.
Huo Xingzhou placed the thermos on the side and opened the lid.
A rich fragrance wafted out, and he spoke, "This is the pork rib porridge Aunt Qian prepared for you." He scooped a small bowl and walked over to sit in front of Qiao Xi.
"Would you like to have some?"
Qiao Xi shook her head.
"Qiao Xi, please do this for me," Huo Xingzhou said, his tone calm but patient.
"Mr. Huo."
As soon as she spoke, her throat ached. After a long period of silence, her voice sounded hoarse.
"Am I really that bad? Why would even my biological mother side with outsiders?" She hated Zhao Yuzhen, but she couldn't deny that deep down, she longed for a mother's love.
She was just a girl who lacked affection, forced to be strong by her environment.
"You're very good; it's them who are foolish," Huo Xingzhou said softly.
He placed the bowl aside and gently embraced her.
The warmth of his body made Qiao Xi's tears flow uncontrollably. She clutched his clothes tightly, sobbing in distress.
"Qiao Xi, you will be fine."
Huo Xingzhou already had a perfect plan, though he couldn't share it with her just yet.
She looked up at him with her clear, dark eyes, asking, "Will it really be okay?"
Even the doctors had said it was impossible.
They said unless they found Cheng Han, she would have no hope. But who knew where Cheng Han was? Even if they found him, there was no guarantee he'd agree to treat her.
"Of course it will," Huo Xingzhou reassured her.
He scooped a spoonful of pork rib porridge and brought it to her lips. She instinctively licked it, and the rich, savory flavor filled her mouth.
Huo Xingzhou saw she was willing to eat and relaxed a little.
"Qiao Xi, when I was a vegetable with paralyzed legs, I was just like you. The doctors said unless there was a miracle, I would live like that for the rest of my life. But then you appeared..."
She was that miracle.
"Mr. Huo, I can save you, but I can't save myself."
Her mind buzzed, as if something important had been forgotten. She seemed to have overlooked a crucial point.
"This time, it's my turn to help you," Huo Xingzhou said seriously, looking at her. "Give me some time, and I will bring Cheng Han to you."
"That's impossible!" She didn't hesitate to reject it.
So many people had been looking for Cheng Han, and no one had found him.
How could he possibly bring Cheng Han to her?
"Qiao Xi, do you trust me?" The man's gaze was like a deep pool reflecting moonlight, full of warmth.
Qiao Xi stared at him, stunned.
"I do, but..."
"Then that's enough. Eat well, sleep well, and follow the doctor's orders. You need to be a good patient," he said, feeding her another spoonful of porridge.
Qiao Xi lowered her head and took a sip, her eyes damp with emotion.
She trusted Mr. Huo, but she didn't believe she was that lucky person.
She silently finished the entire bowl of porridge. After hesitating for a moment, she said, "Mr. Huo, I won't be able to do acupuncture for you anymore. You should follow the rehabilitation plan, and you will slowly recover without any aftereffects."
Even at this time, she was still thinking of him.
"Alright," Huo Xingzhou responded softly.
After Qiao Xi finished the porridge, she leaned back and fell asleep.
Huo Xingzhou sat for a while, then his phone vibrated. He briefly froze, then walked out of the room to answer.
Sun Weimeng's loud voice came over the phone.
"Huo Er! I heard from Aunt Qian that Qiao Xi is in the hospital. What happened?" Sun Weimeng asked anxiously.
Huo Xingzhou replied indifferently, "Nothing."
"Don't lie to me, this looks like a big deal," Sun Weimeng said with some suspicion. "Last night, Huo Beiting was arrested by the anti-vice squad. Su Weiwei fought with the mistress, and the child was lost. Now, Qiao Xi's in the hospital too. You think I'm an idiot?"
There had to be a connection.
Did Huo Beiting hurt Qiao Xi?
"Sun Weimeng, do you want to prove how powerful you are?" Huo Xingzhou asked.
"How?" Sun Weimeng asked eagerly. Could he go out and find some girls now?
"I'll give you a chance to use 'Taitale,'" Huo Xingzhou said with a cold, grim expression, his eyes flashing with an icy chill. "Go to the club tonight."
"Ah?" Sun Weimeng was stunned. Happiness had come too suddenly.
It seemed the Sun family wasn't going to be wiped out after all.
"Do you want it?" Huo Xingzhou asked again.
He turned his head and glanced at the figure slowly walking down the corridor. A flash of coldness crossed his eyes.
"Yes! Yes! I... can I find a few model girls?" Sun Weimeng asked shyly. "Am I allowed to use a few Taitale tonight?"
"The more, the better."
As long as they don't die from it, use them to the extreme.
"Huo Xingzhou, you can count on me. I'll make sure everyone sees Young Master Sun's achievements!"
"Hmm."
Huo Xingzhou hung up the phone and looked at the person approaching.
Xu Xiuyuan sized him up from top to bottom, his gaze eventually landing on his legs. "You've recovered? Was it all an act before?"
Rather than him recovering, others might believe he had been faking it all along.
Huo Xingzhou sneered. "You think my acting is that good? Whether I'm faking it or not, your Xu family knows best."
Xu Xiuyuan realized his slip of the tongue.
He had been the first to rush to the accident scene, and the bloodstains on the ground had been horrifying.
"Huo Xingzhou, have you found Cheng Han?" Xu Xiuyuan guessed, realizing that was the only possibility.
His legs had been something no one else could treat.
Huo Xingzhou looked at him mockingly and said, "You came here to talk about these useless things?"
Xu Xiuyuan's face darkened. He had come to see Qiao Xi.
For some reason, he couldn't stop thinking about her. He had also heard about what happened last night. He hadn't expected that Wanrentang was reported by her, which had led to Zhuo Feng's retaliation.
"You have time to tour the ward, but you might as well go back and investigate the truth. Otherwise, every time an intern doctor steps out of line, they'll be all over social media, accused of practicing without a license, and even suspended by the hospital," Huo Xingzhou mocked.
"I suspended her to suppress the public opinion and protect..."
"Xu Xiuyuan, she's the sacrificial lamb for your hospital's reputation, but she is my wife, Huo Xingzhou's wife," Huo Xingzhou coldly interrupted. "You want to stay out of this, but I will handle it."
Xu Xiuyuan took a deep breath and suppressed his anger. "If you need help, just say it."
He felt guilty toward Qiao Xi.
Huo Xingzhou wasn't polite and immediately said, "Hold a press conference on behalf of Haicheng City Hospital."
"What are you planning to do?" Xu Xiuyuan asked, furrowing his brow.
"Clarify the rumors and restore Qiao Xi's reputation," Huo Xingzhou said coldly.
Xu Xiuyuan immediately replied, "Impossible. Even if you get Wang Dafu to confess to faking illness, it won't help. The bottom line is Qiao Xi was practicing without a license, and she was caught on camera!"
Unless Qiao Xi had a medical license, there was no way out.
"Is this how you're going to help?" Huo Xingzhou said disdainfully. "If you don't want to help, just say it. I'm not forcing you."
Xu Xiuyuan was furious but had to maintain his outward composure.
"Fine, I'll help you."
Once the words were out, they couldn't be taken back.
Fighting with Huo Xingzhou was like battling with a rogue; it always ended in frustration.