"Old Lin, text me your address. I'll be right over."
Shen Lang detected the urgency in Lin Danqing's voice and, without further ado, spoke directly.
"Alright, Mr. Shen. Thank you for your trouble."
Lin Danqing, on the other end of the line, was surprised by Shen Lang's prompt agreement. His pale face regained some color as he sent his address to Shen Lang.
However, when Shen Lang saw the address Lin Danqing had sent, he was completely stunned.
It was the address of Wang Yuyan's former villa.
After Wang Yunchuan sold the villa, it was purchased by Ning Hongzhuang, a host at Nanling Financial Television.
The last time Shen Lang visited Wang Yunchuan to demand an explanation, he had a misunderstanding with Ning Hongzhuang over this matter, which they eventually let go, thus forging a connection.
Shen Lang knew Lin Danqing wouldn't send the wrong address, so he had a guess: Lin Danqing's niece was Ning Hongzhuang.
Thinking of Ning Hongzhuang's intelligent and beautiful face, Shen Lang felt a pang of nostalgia for the days when she hosted Nanling Financial Television. The current host, a woman named Zhang Jing, was utterly incompetent. She couldn't even broadcast without a script and her Mandarin was so poor that she misread words and mispronounced sounds.
With Lin Danqing urging him on, and Shen Lang curious if Ning Hongzhuang was indeed Lin Danqing's niece and why she was no longer hosting Nanling Financial Television, he pressed the accelerator to the legal limit and drove towards the Wang family villa.
Half an hour later, Shen Lang pulled up to the entrance of the former Wang family villa, where Lin Danqing was already waiting with anticipation.
"Mr. Shen, I heard from Yu Xiao and the others that you just returned from Shu, so I should have let you rest. But I'm in such a predicament, please bear with me."
Seeing Shen Lang, Lin Danqing's face lit up with hope. He hurried to Shen Lang, speaking anxiously and apologetically.
"Old Lin, don't rush. Let's talk slowly."
Shen Lang smiled at Lin Danqing and said.
"Alright—"
As Shen Lang and Lin Danqing walked into the villa, Lin Danqing explained. Shen Lang's guess was correct: his niece was indeed Ning Hongzhuang.
As for why Ning Hongzhuang had contracted this strange illness, where her skin rotted upon exposure to sunlight, it all started after she attended a work party.
About a week prior, a newcomer named Zhang Jing had joined the television station.
This newcomer, Zhang Jing, had an unusual background, commanding such respect that even the station director was deferential. Consequently, a grand party was held on the newcomer's first night, attended by all the station employees.
Ning Hongzhuang, who generally disliked such gatherings, casually took a dessert and ate it before heading home.
Upon returning home, Ning Hongzhuang felt a bit unwell and slept until the next morning.
However, when Ning Hongzhuang woke up and went out to work the next day, she suddenly realized that the sunlight felt like burning poison on her skin, causing it to rot rapidly.
Ning Hongzhuang believed she had contracted a strange illness and went to Nanling's best dermatology hospital for an examination. The results, however, indicated that everything was normal; her body was fine.
From that day on, Ning Hongzhuang became increasingly fearful of light, and the damage light inflicted on her body grew more severe.
Initially, only sunlight caused her skin to rot, but later, even artificial lights had this terrifying effect. Consequently, Ning Hongzhuang dared not go out and had sealed off all the windows in her room.
"Mr. Shen, you are learned in medicine and have seen much. Have you ever heard of such a strange illness?"
After speaking, Lin Danqing looked at Shen Lang and asked.
"Old Lin, I have perused countless medical texts and learned about all sorts of strange diseases, both ancient and modern, from around the world. But I can assure you with certainty that no such strange illness exists."
Shen Lang's gaze was firm as he spoke to Lin Danqing.
"What?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Danqing's face changed drastically. "Then is there no cure?"
"Not at all. There is a cure."
Shen Lang said to Lin Danqing, "All your niece's symptoms are not due to illness, but rather poisoning by Gu."
"In the Ten Thousand Mountains, there is an ancient tribe skilled in raising Gu. One of their Gu is called the 'Seven-Star Fire Fox.'
"When this Gu enters a person's body, it makes them incredibly weak. Initially, sunlight causes their skin to rot, but that's not the worst part. The true horror is that as time passes, any light will harm the infected person."
"However, that ancient tribe perished more than a decade ago, and the Seven-Star Fire Fox Gu should have died out with them. I never expected that someone in this world would still know how to raise such Gu."
Lin Danqing found Shen Lang's words almost unbelievable, as they far surpassed his own understanding.
Yet, he believed Shen Lang, a trust born from Shen Lang having cured his coronary heart disease on their first meeting.
"Mr. Shen, if you can save my niece's life, I will be eternally grateful."
Lin Danqing looked at Shen Lang, his eyes filled with expectation.
"Rest assured, Old Lin. Since I'm here, I won't stand idly by. Take me to see your niece, will you?"
Shen Lang smiled at Lin Danqing and said.
"Alright—"
Soon, Lin Danqing led Shen Lang to the second floor of the villa and then to Ning Hongzhuang's room.
It was daytime, but Lin Danqing had covered the room with black cloth, so not a sliver of light could penetrate.
"Uncle, why have you brought someone here?"
On the large bed in the room, Ning Hongzhuang, wrapped in a quilt, said to Lin Danqing with a look of fear.
"Hongzhuang, do you remember the divine doctor I told you about?"
Lin Danqing said to the frightened Ning Hongzhuang, "His name is Shen Lang, and I've brought him here. He says he can cure your strange illness."
"Shen Lang?"
Upon hearing Lin Danqing utter the name, Ning Hongzhuang's fear turned to excitement. She looked towards the tall figure in the darkness and said, "Are you really Shen Lang?"
Ning Hongzhuang and Shen Lang had met before, but it was too dark, and she couldn't see his face clearly, hence the question.
"Yes, Miss Ning, I am indeed Shen Lang. We've met before, and I even cured your dog, don't you remember?"
Shen Lang carefully observed Ning Hongzhuang and noticed rotting marks on her forearms and the backs of her hands, clear evidence of initial sun exposure.
"Shen Lang, it's really you! I knew Master Mingyue's words wouldn't be wrong."
Ning Hongzhuang was immensely excited. After uttering this, she suddenly fainted.