Leonard Hughes was aghast at Ling Tian's astonishing healing methods. Seeing his father's head enveloped in flames, he feared Ling Tian intended to kill him.
Just then, Leonard heard his father's voice.
Ling Tian stood up, walked to the wall, turned on the room light, and said, "Mr. Leonard, I imagine you have many things you wish to say to your father. I will retire for the night, and you two can chat at your leisure."
With that, Ling Tian pushed the door open and left the room, leaving only Leonard Hughes and old Hughes inside.
"Father, how do you feel now?"
"Uh, I feel..."
Old Hughes fell silent. It was clear that after being ill for so long, his mind was not yet clear upon waking. This was perfectly normal; anyone woken abruptly from a deep slumber would have a brain in a semi-dormant state, leading to confusion.
After a while, old Hughes finally regained full consciousness. His previously clouded eyes became clear and bright.
"Leonard, I slept for a very, very long time. I don't even know how long.
Then, I felt myself wake up, but everything around me was dark. I wanted to move, but my body wouldn't obey. I couldn't even cry out.
The darkness and silence around me were utterly terrifying. I would have preferred to die immediately..."
Old Hughes described the mental world of an Alzheimer's patient to his son. Leonard felt as if he were experiencing it himself and believed he would go mad in such a situation.
Old Hughes continued his narrative.
"I felt fear, anxiety, fatigue, frustration... in short, all negative emotions assailed me. At that moment, I even wished I could die immediately! But I couldn't even do that.
Then, I saw a light, or rather, a fireball flying towards me. It hit my face, and I was so startled that I woke up instantly, as if from a nightmare. After that, I heard your ghostly wailing..."
Hearing his father say this, Leonard suddenly remembered that his father had seemed to be attacked by a fireball earlier!
He quickly looked at his father's head and discovered that not a single white hair was missing, nor were there any signs of burns!
"Heavens, that Chinese man is truly incredible..." Leonard Hughes couldn't help but exclaim.
"What Chinese man? What happened?" Old Hughes asked, full of suspicion. Leonard then recounted the entire story of Ling Tian seeking help and incidentally treating old Hughes.
He spoke in great detail, painting a vivid picture of every nuance. He even clearly described the assassination attempt on Ling Tian and Aurora. This was a professional habit of lawyers; their pursuit of detail could border on obsession.
After all, in court, overlooking a single detail could become a weakness exploited by the opposition. Many stalled cases often found their breakthrough in a minute detail within the evidence.
Old Hughes listened and fell into deep thought. After a long pause, he finally spoke.
"The Ice Heaven Pharmaceuticals case, what's your take? How do you plan to handle it?"
Hearing his father's question, Leonard immediately tensed up.
Leonard knew his father, old Hughes, too well. Every time his father asked a question like this, it was a test for him.
"Father, this case is extremely thorny. What Boris Gustav did is essentially what many others are doing. It's almost an unwritten rule.
If I take on this case, I'll actually be challenging this unwritten rule, and our family will offend many, many people.
Similarly, by taking this case, our family's conflict with Gustav will be brought into the open. This conflict will escalate, potentially turning into a power struggle between two political factions, with an unpredictable outcome..."
Old Hughes listened to his son's explanation and nodded with great satisfaction. At least his son had inherited his vision and approach to matters.
"So, what is your opinion? Should we help that Chinese man?"
"I have decided to help him with this lawsuit!"
"On what grounds?" old Hughes pressed.
"I cannot fathom this Chinese man named Ling Tian! Although he came with Aurora Kuite, I can see that Ling Tian is the one in charge between the two of them.
Aurora Kuite is no ordinary woman. A man who can make her so obedient cannot be insignificant.
Furthermore, he emerged unscathed from such an assassination attempt, even managing to kill so many people. I believe it's best not to make an enemy of such a dangerous individual!"
"Very good, Leonard. Your approach is absolutely correct. I've told you more than once, if your opponent is too powerful, find a way to befriend them, rather than making them your adversary!
Of course, I hope you will look further ahead. We should not only cooperate with this Chinese man but also engage in deeper cooperation!
Even if he decides to oppose the entire United States, we must stand firmly by his side!"
"Father, why is that?" Leonard Hughes's eyes widened. He couldn't understand why his father would say such a thing. Had Ling Tian brainwashed him during the treatment?
"Your great-grandfather, your grandfather, and your two uncles all contracted Alzheimer's disease in their sixties and seventies and then passed away!
I believe you are well aware that our family has a history of this illness. My recent episode was not unexpected. What's more troublesome is that in another ten or twenty years, you too will likely face this ordeal!"
Leonard nodded slowly, acknowledging the truth. This had indeed become a nightmare for the family's development. After all, sixty or seventy years old was the prime of a politician's life, a time when they possessed ample experience and extensive connections, and their health was still relatively good, making it the perfect time to make significant contributions.
However, members of the Hughes family would fall ill and pass away soon after reaching this age, creating a considerable bottleneck in their family's progress.
"Leonard, I can feel it now. My illness is completely cured. I haven't felt this healthy and my thoughts this clear in years!
This Ling Tian, he is the key to breaking this cycle for our family!
As long as we maintain a good relationship with him, this curse will no longer plague us, and the Hughes family will truly soar!"