Watching Li Yuxiu's silent gaze, Wan Yunting stood up and chuckled, "Apologies, Doctor Li. I didn't mean anything by what I said, just chatting. Please rest for a while and resume work at half-past two. You can set your own rest times."
With that, Wan Yunting went downstairs to head home. Li Yuxiu watched his retreating figure with intelligent, discerning eyes. The reason she hadn't responded to Wan Yunting was her unfamiliarity with him.
A few days passed in the blink of an eye. Li Yuxiu, true to her word, arrived at Xiu Yuantang punctually every day to see patients. She worked without complaint, treating Xiu Yuantang as she had Guisheng Tang, diligently attending to those seeking medical help.
Many of Guisheng Tang's regular clients, upon hearing that Li Yuxiu was practicing at Xiu Yuantang, flocked to the new clinic.
As Wan Yunting's medical skills gained recognition, ordinary citizens also made special trips to seek his treatment. With Xiu Yuantang's business growing day by day, Liu Yuan of Liu Ping Tang across the street, Zhang Shunchang of Shun Tang, and Tian Xiangrong of Yu Sheng Tang were filled with envy.
They had initially intended to use Li Yuxiu to defeat Wan Yunting, forcing his clinic to close by the end of the month.
But now, not only was Wan Yunting's medical skill acknowledged, but Li Yuxiu herself was also practicing there, bringing in a significant patient flow. Consequently, the business of clinics like Liu Ping Tang and Chun Ren Tang began to decline, much to the chagrin of Xue Tonghua and Tian Xiangrong.
"Uncle Wu, why isn't he here?"
They were gathered again in the tea room on the second floor of Liu Ping Tang. Liu He had also arrived today. Seeing Wu Shengbai absent, Zhang Shunchang said with a light smile, "Ever since Li Yuxiu lost to Wan Yunting last time, Old Wu has been lying low. He claims he's busy at the hospital, and his daughter, Suxin, is now seeing patients."
Xue Tonghua sneered, "To put it plainly, Wu Shengbai doesn't want to play with us!"
This remark raised Liu He's eyebrows. Although the Wu family of Tongrentang had many business interests tied to their own families, the Wu family did not rely entirely on them.
After all, Tongrentang was renowned in Beijing and throughout China's traditional Chinese medicine circles. The Tongrentang Pharmaceutical Group was a leading enterprise in the pharmaceutical field, truly independent of the Liu and Xue families.
"Let's not talk about him."
Liu Yuan waved his hand. While Wu Shengbai occasionally joined them for gatherings, they all understood his character. Tongrentang had its own principles; they thrived without relying on the channels of the Chinese Medicine Association.
"What's most important now is how to make Wan Yunting's Xiu Yuantang go bankrupt and close its doors!" Zhang Shunchang declared resolutely, fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan.
However, Tian Xiangrong shook his head. "Everyone, I don't want to be a spoil-sport, but with Xiu Yuantang's current trajectory, it's very difficult for us to bring down Wan Yunting!"
"Indeed."
Xue Tonghua nodded in agreement, lamenting, "With Wan Yunting alone, our medical skills can't compare. Now, with the addition of Li Yuxiu to his clinic, how can we compete?"
Tian Xiangrong nodded. "Openly we cannot win, and covertly it is even more difficult."
Zhang Shunchang raised his eyebrows and looked at them. "Are we just going to give up?"
Liu Yuan said, "Sister Yuxiu isn't going to practice at Xiu Yuantang forever. She'll leave after a month."
Liu Yuan sighed. "We need to prepare for a protracted battle!"
Tian Xiangrong, Zhang Shunchang, and Xue Tonghua nodded. "It seems that's the only way."
"By the way, Xiao He, when is Kong Jingguo stepping down?" Tian Xiangrong's small eyes gleamed with interest as he asked.
Liu He chuckled, "Next month, perhaps. The Health Commission hasn't released any official news yet."
Zhang Shunchang smiled, "Once Kong Jingguo leaves the Health Commission, Wan Yunting will lose a significant backing!"
Tian Xiangrong shook his head. "Even if that happens, can we really bring down Wan Yunting without Kong Jingguo?"
Liu He smiled. "With Tan Jianlin taking over the Health Commission, Wan Yunting won't be able to cause much trouble. Once Gu Yuanbai is removed, and I take over the Chinese Medicine Association, I'll have a hundred ways to deal with Wan Yunting!"
Zhang Shunchang's eyes lit up, and he said with a wicked grin, "Actually, if we just cut off Wan Yunting's medicine supply, that alone would be enough to force his clinic to close."
Tian Xiangrong, Xue Tonghua, and the others nodded with smiles. "Let's just endure for now and let Wan Yunting have his moment this month..."
Today, Xiu Yuantang continued to welcome many people who came for various reasons to see Wan Yunting and Li Yuxiu. Chen Lin and Huang Pengyi on the first floor, along with Sun Xue and Zeng Xiaomeng, were all busy.
Mo Yaolin and Huang Fuxiang, managing the medicine cabinets, were also busy dispensing herbs to patients. Du Hua, overseeing the entire clinic, coordinated the replenishment of medicinal supplies by phone, also working tirelessly.
The second floor housed the consultation rooms. Since Li Yuxiu had replaced Gu Luotang, she had been relatively free these past few days, spending time at the Ouyang residence with Fang Yanxi, learning about pregnancy.
Therefore, Wang Zhuyu assisted Li Yuxiu, while Qi Miaomiao assisted Wan Yunting.
At this moment, a taxi pulled up to the clinic's entrance. The door opened, and out stepped a woman in a short dress, carrying a simple bag. She had short, ear-length hair, a round, rosy face, and a pair of bright, lively "Kazingard" eyes. Su Ke'er first surveyed Xiu Yuantang before paying the driver with her phone and then excitedly entered the clinic.
"Hello, are you here to see a doctor or buy medicine?" Chen Lin greeted the pretty and cute Su Ke'er.
"I'm not here to see a doctor, nor to buy medicine. I'm here to find your boss, Wan Yunting," Su Ke'er said with a charming smile.
Chen Lin's expression faltered, unsure of her relationship with Doctor Wan. He pointed to the second floor and said, "Doctor Wan is in his consultation room on the second floor."
"Okay, thank you," Su Ke'er chirped happily, thanking him before heading upstairs with a spring in her step.
"Who is it?"
Sun Xue, who wasn't as busy, came over and asked, watching Su Ke'er ascend.
Chen Lin shook his head. "I don't know. She said she was looking for Doctor Wan."
"She looks a bit familiar. I feel like I've seen her somewhere!" Zeng Xiaomeng, who was helping at the medicine cabinet, remarked.
"Oh?"
Sun Xue and Chen Lin exchanged glances, still unable to recall.
Meanwhile, in the consultation room on the second floor, Wan Yunting was diligently examining a patient, with Qi Miaomiao assisting by writing prescriptions and the like. Suddenly, Su Ke'er burst in cheerfully, calling out, "Yunting Ge, I'm here!"
Qi Miaomiao looked up at Su Ke'er and immediately recognized her. She raised an eyebrow and asked coldly, "What are you doing here?"
"Who are you?"
Su Ke'er, noticing Qi Miaomiao's unfriendly gaze, asked.
"It's none of your business who I am! I'm asking why you're here?" Qi Miaomiao retorted aggressively.
She knew that the Su Ke'er before her was another woman of the man!
"What I'm here for is none of your business!" Su Ke'er retorted without politeness.
"This is my territory, so of course, I have to manage things," Qi Miaomiao said, her almond eyes wide with anger.
"What 'your territory'?"
Before Wan Yunting could react, Su Ke'er went forward, put her arm around his neck affectionately, and cast a sideways glance at Qi Miaomiao with her "Kazingard" eyes, provocatively asking, "This is Yunting Ge's clinic. Since when did it become yours?"
"I..."
"Stop!"
Wan Yunting, finally reacting, raised his hands in a gesture to halt. He stood up, glared at Su Ke'er and Qi Miaomiao on either side, then turned to Li Yuxiu, who was sitting nearby with a blank expression. Wan Yunting gave an awkward smile. "Doctor Li, please excuse me. You continue your work; I have something to attend to upstairs..."
With that, Wan Yunting, without further ado, grabbed Su Ke'er and Qi Miaomiao, one in each arm, and led them away from the consultation room, heading upstairs...
Watching them leave, a hint of disgust flickered in Li Yuxiu's intelligent eyes. She instructed Wang Zhuyu to continue letting the waiting patients in...
The third floor was set up as a ward, for critically ill patients to rest temporarily or for full acupuncture treatments. There were four rooms and a living area. Since there were no patients resting there at the moment, Wan Yunting brought Su Ke'er and Qi Miaomiao upstairs. He said with a helpless expression, "Can you two please stop arguing? Can you at least spare me some dignity in front of others?"
"Hmph."
Qi Miaomiao crossed her arms, turned her head away, and snorted, "Yunting Ge, our clinic isn't short of people. You should let her leave. If Senior Sister sees her, she'll definitely be angry."
"Tch, as if I'm eager to see you,"
Su Ke'er rolled her "Kazingard" eyes dismissively. Then, turning to Qi Miaomiao, she said, "Also, before the clinic even opened, Yunting Ge had already asked me to help out. If I hadn't gone home recently, I would have been here long ago. How could you now be barking and biting at me like a mad dog?"
"You dare call me a mad dog?"
Qi Miaomiao's almond eyes widened, and she turned back to glare furiously at Su Ke'er, screaming, "Yunting Ge, look at her! She's insulting me."
Su Ke'er looked disdainfully, a cold smile on her face. "Whoever is impolite to me, I'll insult them."
"Pah, you're the mad dog..."
Enraged, Qi Miaomiao pointed at Su Ke'er and started yelling back. The two immediately began to curse each other across Wan Yunting, their voices carrying faintly to those downstairs.
Caught between the two women, Wan Yunting's ears were filled with their angry shouts. His expression gradually darkened. He commanded, "Enough! Stop arguing!"
Su Ke'er and Qi Miaomiao's voices abruptly ceased. Seeing Wan Yunting's somber expression, they knew he was angry. They stopped their curses, but their wide, glaring eyes continued to challenge each other, neither willing to lose face.
"Miaomiao, it's true that I asked Ke'er to help out at the clinic."
Wan Yunting turned his head and said to Qi Miaomiao with a very serious tone and expression, "Therefore, I hope you can get along peacefully!"
Qi Miaomiao's pretty face changed slightly. She had never seen Wan Yunting so serious with her before, and she inexplicably felt wronged. Gritting her teeth, she huffed, "I'm going to tell Senior Sister..."
"Tch, as if I'm afraid of you."
Su Ke'er looked disdainfully as Qi Miaomiao stomped away in a huff.
"Miaomiao..."
He called out twice, but Qi Miaomiao had already gone downstairs. Wan Yunting sighed helplessly, then pulled Su Ke'er closer. "Alright, Ke'er, don't be upset. Miaomiao is just like that. Don't take it to heart."
Since the man had said so, Su Ke'er nodded. "Okay, I'll be magnanimous and can't be bothered with her."
Wan Yunting then smiled, cupping Su Ke'er's rosy cheeks. He squeezed her "Kazingard" eyes into crescent moons and pouted her tender cherry lips. He couldn't resist kissing her before asking, "How are things at home?"
"Everything's great!"
Su Ke'er sat directly in Wan Yunting's lap, acting spoiled and giggling. "Anyway, my parents can't control me anymore. They even said you should visit them if you have time."
"Oh? Then I'll have to go have tea with your father-in-law sometime," Wan Yunting teased with a smile.
"Go on with you! What father-in-law? I've already agreed to marry you..."
Su Ke'er's small face blushed as she sat in the man's embrace and initiated a passionate kiss...
"Master..."
Just then, Wang Zhuyu hurried upstairs and happened to witness the scene. Her expression immediately froze, her pretty face flushing instantly. She quickly lowered her head and turned away in a panic. "I'm sorry..."