Around midnight, Hou Bing parted ways with Wan Yunting, citing the need to work the next day.
"I'm heading back then. Keep in touch," Wan Yunting said with a smile as he waved goodbye to Hou Bing after hailing a designated driver.
"Sure, if you want to drink, just find me. I'm always ready!" Hou Bing replied with a nod and a smile.
"Alright, I'm off."
Wan Yunting got into the car and told the driver to go. Hou Bing waved, watching the car disappear from sight. He then hailed a taxi and went straight to Wan Manyu's house.
However, he got off the taxi not far from the villa complex. Hou Bing looked around, circled the streets outside the villa complex a few times, and confirmed he wasn't being followed. He then climbed over the outer wall of the villa at a blind spot.
In the shadows of a crossroad opposite, a figure appeared. It was Wan Yunting, who had witnessed Hou Bing climbing the wall. His brows furrowed, but he didn't follow him further.
He knew that Hou Bing's late-night visit here was likely to see his eldest sister, Wan Manyu.
At that moment, many thoughts flashed through Wan Yunting's mind, causing his brows to knit together tightly.
After all, Hou Bing's clandestine method of meeting his eldest sister suggested there was an unspoken issue between them!
Recalling their conversation about Cheng Kai while drinking earlier, even though Hou Bing had acted naturally and revealed no flaws, his micro-expressions had not escaped Wan Yunting's sharp and attentive gaze.
After all, Hou Bing was a former soldier with strong counter-surveillance skills. But precisely because of this, they might become complacent and reveal subtle loopholes. That's why Wan Yunting had chosen to follow him!
To his surprise, he witnessed this scene, which made Wan Yunting speculate, even chillingly.
If his eldest sister truly had a problem with Hou Bing, then many unknown things would have happened.
For example, Cheng Kai's mysterious disappearance!
Meanwhile, at the small back gate of the villa, Wan Manyu, dressed in a nightgown, waited anxiously. She dared not text Hou Bing to hurry her, but the thought of her third brother meeting another man made her extremely uneasy and nervous.
Finally, a soft sound came from the small gate. Wan Manyu flinched and immediately went to look through the gap. Seeing it was a man, she opened the door. Hou Bing immediately slipped inside and closed the door. Wan Manyu then hugged him tightly, "I was so scared..."
"It's alright..."
Feeling the woman's trembling body in his arms, Hou Bing gently patted Wan Manyu's back to comfort her. Once her emotions stabilized, they went inside the villa together. "Is Wan'er asleep?"
"Yes, she's asleep."
"I'll go up and see her."
Saying that, Hou Bing went upstairs to Wan'er's room. He quietly pushed open the door and entered. Looking at Wan'er sleeping on the bed, Hou Bing's gaze instantly softened. He cautiously went over and squatted by the bed, reaching out to gently touch Wan'er's head. He watched her quietly for a while. Wan Manyu, leaning against the doorway, watched this scene between Hou Bing and her daughter, her eyes filled with a complex emotion...
After leaving Wan'er's room and going downstairs to another room, Wan Manyu immediately asked, "What did Yunting say to you?"
Hou Bing pulled her to the bed, hugged her, and leaned against the headboard, saying comfortingly, "He didn't say much. We hadn't seen each other for a long time, so we went for a drink. When he mentioned you, he asked if we were in contact."
"Yes, what did you say?"
Wan Manyu looked up at the man's determined face, feeling uneasy.
Hou Bing nodded and said, "I admitted that I'm keeping in touch with you. After all, he wouldn't have been able to hide it from him anyway."
"Mm, my third brother is very smart. Especially after he got out of prison, he seemed like a different person. He's been very close to the police and has been looking for Cheng, Cheng Kai. So I'm worried he and the police are investigating..."
Wan Manyu's face showed a hint of worry. She was truly afraid that her third brother would uncover the truth...
"Don't worry, I've handled it. So they won't suspect us."
Hou Bing knew she was worried. Wan Manyu nodded and hugged the man tightly, perhaps finding solace only in this embrace.
The next morning, Wan Yunting woke up on time for his run. He brought breakfast back for Niu Qiuling at half-past seven, took a shower, changed his clothes, and then headed out.
He first went to the Traditional Chinese Medicine department and had breakfast with Su Ke'er. Jiang Yichun then came to find him, and the two of them drove directly to the Huadu Traditional Chinese Medicine Association.
The office building of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Association was on Liberation Road. At the entrance of the association's building, a crowd had already gathered. Most of them were members of the Huadu Traditional Chinese Medicine Association, but there were many young men and women. They were all between twenty and thirty years old, the young TCM teachers hired from all over the country by Gu Yuanbai.
As the Vice President of the association, Weng Dehai, along with his disciple Dong Yuanlang, was greeting these young TCM teachers. He also saw Xu Yuanhang, who had previously sliced the white peony, and several other university TCM professors.
Then, a car slowly approached. It was Gu Yuanbai, dressed in a white Tang suit, alighting with Gu Luotang, dressed in ancient-style Hanfu, and Qi Miaomiao. Instantly, the eyes of all the young people present focused on the grandfather and granddaughter.
"Wow, is that Principal Gu..."
"Oh my gosh, could the person beside Principal Gu be the wondrous woman of our TCM world, Gu Luotang? Meeting her in person truly lives up to her reputation. She looks like a celestial being descended to earth..."
"Yes, yes, she's so beautiful..."
As the young TCM teachers saw Gu Luotang's elegant and serene demeanor, like a fairy untouched by worldly affairs, coupled with her ancient-style long dress in emerald green embroidered with delicate lotus patterns, she walked with light steps, as beautiful and moving as a lotus emerging from mud unstained.
"President Gu, you've arrived."
Weng Dehai, Dong Yuanlang, and other association members stepped forward. Xu Yuanhang and the others also called out, "Principal Gu," and politely smiled at Gu Luotang, "Teacher Luotang is here too."
"Yes, Teacher Xu, Teacher Zhang, hello..."
Gu Luotang also politely bowed slightly to Xu Yuanhang and the others, greeting them like a distinguished lady from an ancient family, maintaining traditional etiquette.
"Has everyone arrived?"
Gu Yuanbai looked at the young teachers present. Weng Dehai checked and said, "I just took a headcount, and it seems most have arrived."
"We're still missing Wan Yunting!" Dong Yuanlang added.
Weng Dehai immediately became displeased. "This Old Jiang, his people are always late for meetings. It's obvious he doesn't take this meeting seriously."
Gu Yuanbai glanced at his watch and ignored Weng Dehai's complaint. Others around them began to inquire about who Wan Yunting was...
After all, most of these young TCM teachers were from other cities in Lingnan Province, so it was normal that they didn't know Wan Yunting.
However, soon a silver sedan slowly arrived, carrying the late Wan Yunting and Jiang Yichun.
"Sister, quickly look, Doctor Wan is here..."
Seeing Wan Yunting and Jiang Yichun getting out of the car, Qi Miaomiao grabbed Gu Luotang's arm and exclaimed happily. This made her pretty face flush, and she playfully glared at her junior sister, telling her not to be so boisterous.
But Xu Yuanhang and Dong Yuanlang, standing nearby, could not fail to notice Gu Luotang's gaze fixed on Wan Yunting, who was walking towards them.
This made Xu Yuanhang and the others very displeased. After all, they had joined this educational reform plan because they had learned that Wan Yunting was likely to participate, and since Gu Luotang had already registered, Xu Yuanhang and the others had also signed up.