Chapter 165: Moving Toward the Truth
February 13, Thursday.
Early in the morning, Wan Yue drove alone to the Shengci Hospital to attend a secret meeting.
In the special ward on the top floor, Lao Jin’s office was used as a temporary meeting room, occupied by several unfamiliar men and women in white coats.
As Wan Yue pushed the door open, everyone in the office turned to look at her.
She scanned the room and her gaze landed on a somewhat familiar middle-aged man in a white coat, who also returned her with a friendly smile.
She remembered that this person had been the village man guiding Jiang Yan to meet the old ancestor of the Wang family, and he looked to be at least a viscount level; now, dressed in a neat white coat, he exuded an academic aura.
“Xiao Yue, let me introduce you. This is the head of the Wang Family Medical Research Center, Old Ninth Uncle, who was my doctoral mentor when I was studying medicine.”
“This is my aunt, an expert in medical testing and pathology at the Wang Family Medical Research Center. She also taught at a medical university for some time.”
“This one is…”
Lao Jin hurriedly stood up, inviting Wan Yue to take a seat while introducing the prominent figures from the Wang Family Medical Research Center present.
As a senior baron, a regional official, and a professional, Lao Jin’s strength and credentials were not lacking, but in terms of true standing within the Wang family, he was clearly a small fry among the attendees.
With every introduction of someone, even if their level was lower than his, Lao Jin wore a humble expression.
Wan Yue politely nodded to Old Ninth Uncle and sat conveniently next to Lao Jin. As for what Lao Jin had introduced, she only gave a polite nod and did not pay further attention.
“Now that everyone is here, let’s get started. Today, we will summarize and analyze the physical examination data from the first phase.”
Old Ninth Uncle nodded politely to Wan Yue and then turned to Lao Jin with a serious expression: “Xiao Jin, prepare the meeting minutes.”
The lights dimmed, and the large screen on the wall began to show a series of medical images, all seemingly related to Jiang Yan and Jiang Yao.
A middle-aged female doctor, reported to be Lao Jin’s aunt, stood up and pointed at the screen, captivating everyone’s attention.
“In the past ten days, to understand the secrets of Jiang Yan and Jiang Yao, we conducted a large amount of data comparison. The sample data for comparison included forty-eight people, ranging from blood servants to barons, covering various lineages, even including the Black Blood clan!”
“The sampled tissue samples for testing encompassed various organ tissues, bones, hair, bodily fluids…”
Listening to the presentation, Wan Yue’s expression grew increasingly serious and by the end of the summary, she couldn’t help but stand up.
Meanwhile, Lao Jin appeared dazed throughout, clearly taken aback by the meticulous work of Old Ninth Uncle and the others.
“Next, the various departments of our medical research center will conduct targeted studies to find weapons and implantation methods that can disrupt the physiological functions of the Empress or grandmother, achieving the ultimate goal of counterattacking the ancestor.”
Although the middle-aged female doctor was only a lower baron, her position in the Wang Family Medical Research Center was evidently not low, demonstrating that she was a typical top-tier academic talent; she could swiftly answer almost any questions posed.
Well, the testing center has done a commendable job during this intense period! The workload for the second phase is still substantial, and we need to allocate tasks to each person to continue pushing forward.
Old Ninth Uncle smiled and nodded frequently, clearly satisfied with his family’s professional performances.
“Aunt, I want to ask… Are we going to use them as weapons? Who among them is the real Empress? This hasn’t been stated.”
After nearly two hours of being a silent observer, Lao Jin finally couldn’t help but raise his hand from the corner.
“Hmph, you aren’t qualified to know that. Just focus on your own responsibilities.”
Old Ninth Uncle shot a fierce glare at Lao Jin, scaring him into shutting his mouth.
“Interesting… The Wang family is indeed formidable.”
Suddenly, Wan Yue, who had been seated beside Lao Jin, stood up with a mysterious smile and scanned the group of Wang family members. After a few seconds, her expression turned icy: “Did you come here today to inform me of a vague result, or are you here to solicit my opinion?”
As soon as those words fell, aside from Lao Jin, who seemed a bit dazed, the others, including Old Ninth Uncle, changed their expressions drastically.
“An excellent academic seminar… However, whether this game should be played and how it should be played seems to be a matter for the Hyacinth.”
“Thank you, Old Ninth Uncle and everyone, for your hard work. Please send me all the data; I will discuss it with the old gentleman of the Wang family.”
After Wan Yue finished speaking, she left the meeting venue.
“So arrogant, daring to speak to us like that! Old Ninth Uncle, I think…”
The middle-aged female doctor trembled with anger and raised her hand towards the door, seemingly wanting to summon the Hyacinth leader back.
“Alright, meeting dismissed, everyone go back to your work. Xiao Jin, communicate well with Miss Wan. What she just said was simply a misunderstanding in expression; we researchers tend to be rather straightforward.”
Old Ninth Uncle appeared calm instead, helplessly smiling as he closed the folder in front of him, “Everyone became too invested and forgot the most critical question: whether we can continue with this matter depends on the old ancestor’s instructions.”
A moment of silence fell over the room, as if everyone’s emotions had been affected. However, Lao Jin, recovering from his daze, unexpectedly showed a smug smile at the corner of his mouth.
……
On the rooftop of Shengci Hospital, the wind was strong.
“Did your Old Ninth Uncle not notice that we swapped the names on the data and test samples?”
Leaning against the rooftop railing, Wan Yue still wore a cold smile: “I hope you can get the final test results. In their eyes, I am still an outsider that doesn’t matter.”
“Yeah, I’ve only been limited to analyzing some data and tests, the leftover scraps.”
Lao Jin took off his glasses to wipe them carefully, his bitter smile lingering: “Well, Xiao Yue… It seems like I’m impressive in C City, but in the Wang family, I’m just a small fry. I know the main family has been in conflict with those from Europe and America for nearly two hundred years, and there are many secrets I cannot touch.”
“But I’m a bit curious, why doesn’t the ancestor directly protect or hide those two girls to avoid any risks?”
Lao Jin’s voice was somewhat hoarse, his mood seemingly worsening: “The family’s Old Seventh Uncle, along with the elite disciples of the Wang family, has fallen into a deep trap in the South, and the losses were greater than expected. Including the two RMCE samples you provided last time, many are life-saving.”
Anyone with eyes could see that it was a setup by the Engel family and the James family against the Wang family, which forced them to take action. In recent months, the Wang family’s overseas business layout has also been targeted, especially in North America and Europe, where many supplies are running low.
If everything is as I suspect, then the majority of legitimate families in Europe and America are colluding together, and no matter how profound the Wang family’s background is, they cannot afford to consume it. Moreover, after the bloody battle with the Japanese, the Wang family had already suffered severe losses. The savings built over more than a hundred years have gone entirely out without a single return…
In face of Lao Jin’s various sighs, Wan Yue remained silent, quietly smoking.
She couldn’t judge how deep the Wang family’s resources were, but she firmly believed that the ancestor of the Wang family, a person who had experienced countless dangers, had a much deeper understanding of the “big picture” than she did, and the fallback plan left behind was certainly more abundant.
Otherwise, during the more perilous late 19th century, when all blood clans were gearing up to make a rush at China, the Wang family would have collapsed long ago.
“Lao Jin, your old gentleman revealed three key pieces of information to me last time: Firstly, for the ancestor plan of the Engel family to smoothly execute, the Empress must return… This is their objective, which I had already guessed.”
“Thirdly, grandmother is a product of the ancestor and has entered more than once over the past two hundred years. So can it be understood that, if we cannot eliminate the ancestor, even if we bury both young girls alive, there may come a day when a new grandmother will enter again?”
“Thirdly, for the past two hundred years, the Wang family has been obstructing the movement of the grandmother and the Empress, but the result is a deadlock. As long as there are internal moles in China, this kind of demon will reappear. Enemies can fail a hundred times, but the Wang family cannot fail even once…”
Wan Yue stepped away from the railing and paced back and forth on the rooftop, seemingly contemplating the true thoughts of the Wang family’s ancestor.
Lao Jin’s pupils constricted, as if he understood something from Wan Yue’s analysis, his face full of shock: “The ancestor really intends to take action against the ancestor!?”
Wan Yue smiled: “Lao Jin, your old gentleman is also a decisive and ruthless woman; she is prepared to counterattack and solve the problem once and for all.”
“Lao Jin, didn’t that aunt of yours mention it? You should know the Trojan horse story: using the Jiang family girls as bait, letting the Wang family serve as bait…”
After saying all of this, Wan Yue closed her mouth, inexplicably feeling a pain inside her.
“Xiao Yue, you shouldn’t be telling me this, even if it’s just your guess, I’m afraid it could turn out to be true… By what you’re saying, the ancestor doesn’t seem to intend to leave trouble for future generations; the Wang family is going all in…”
Lao Jin adjusted his white coat, walking towards the rooftop exit with a forlorn expression.
“Tsk, look at how spoiled you’ve been by this smooth life among the flowers; you really aren’t man enough… Just from my wild guesses, you get scared like this.”
As Lao Jin’s figure disappeared, Wan Yue contemptuously snorted, but a few seconds later, she sighed helplessly.
Just as she pulled out a cigarette to light it, her phone rang, and the caller ID was Zhong Jing.
“After being enchanted by Jiang Qianhua for days, you finally remember to call me…”
The first line upon connecting the call was a lighthearted joke, but after a few seconds, Wan Yue’s brow furrowed tightly.
After smoking several puffs, Wan Yue placed the phone back to her ear, her tone full of helplessness: “Xiao Jing, should I scold you for being bold and reckless or praise you for being assertive in your work?”
“Tonight, bring the recordings from Zhou Ping’s house and meet me at the Golden River Club.”
After hanging up the phone, Wan Yue let out a heavy sigh: “Sigh, time flies; life has become too comfortable to the point of being worrisome… What good is it to tell me these things now?”
……
Zhong Family Villa, Zhong Jing’s luxurious study.
Staring blankly at the disconnected phone, Zhong Jing had been lost in thought, a bitter smile lingering at the corner of his mouth.
“Jing-kun, does Wan Yue not know about the covert investigation on Miss Zhou?” Tsuruhime Seira sat beside Zhong Jing, gently linking her arm with his, looking a bit worried. “Will she feel that you are overstepping her will?”
“You can put it more optimistically; it’s called subjective initiative… Thanks to you, this time I found the person blackmailing Zhou Ping.”
“Su Xiaomeng is still too young; she only found the online gambling den but missed the offline loan shark.”
Zhong Jing threw the phone down, shifting his gaze to the center of the study, where a short, nimble Japanese youth was kneeling silently not far from him and Tsuruhime Seira.
“I’m happy to help Jing-kun! Actually, I also like Hyacinth; everyone is free and unrestrained… Now, I am doing righteous deeds too.”
Zhong Jing smiled, offering no opinion.
Seeing that Zhong Jing didn’t seem to praise him, Tsuruhime Seira nuzzled against Zhong Jing’s shoulder, whispering sweetly: “Jing-kun, you really don’t need to bother Wan Yue. I can have Bai Yu-kun take people to deal with that bloodsucker who threatened and blackmailed Miss Zhou…”
“No, that person has leverage on us, and we don’t know what backup he has.”
Zhong Jing immediately interrupted Tsuruhime Seira, his expression grave: “Such matters are scandals for Hyacinth and should not involve outsiders. We have all been too comfortable these years.”
“And, I have a bad feeling; perhaps we are already late…”
“Jing-kun, you are very much like the elder sages of the Fujiwara family… You can foresee many things ahead.”
Tsuruhime Seira pressed closely against Zhong Jing’s body, feeling sweet satisfaction, just waving her small hand at Bai Yu Qianzhen without looking at him: “Bai Yu-kun, thank you; you can go rest now.”
“Ha Yi!” The short youth bowed deeply, quickly retreating and disappearing from the study’s balcony.
“Is that him? The one who rests on my house’s roof? Quite loyal to you…”
Looking in the direction of the study balcony, Zhong Jing stroked his chin, eyebrows slightly furrowed: “You’re still going to find out who the Fujiwara family’s ears are embedded next to you? That’s quite a troublesome matter; if mishandled, it could disturb people’s hearts and harm the innocent…”
Tsuruhime Seira lightly shook her head, a trace of a cruel smile briefly appearing at the corner of her mouth, her tone neither sad nor happy: “From the day Bai Yu-kun became my loyal servant, he and the others will share honors or misfortunes with me.”
“But betraying me is no less grave than betraying the family. As for who my uncle’s ears are, I don’t care at all right now; I just know that there will come a day when I will need that person…”
Gently hugging Zhong Jing’s arm, with eyes slightly closed, she wore an expression of enjoyment.
Zhong Jing turned his head to quietly look at Tsuruhime Seira, and at that moment, he suddenly remembered her true age.
In that brief instant, he seemed to see a female leopard lying in wait beside him, ready to pounce.
In the afternoon, at Golden River Club.
In a staff lounge, Xiao Ai had just finished cleaning up Zhao Peng’s body, when Xiao Dong walked in.
“Tsk tsk, Xiao Ai, you are becoming more and more like a good wife; if Zhao Ge wakes up and knows you can even count how many hairs are on him, wouldn’t he immediately drag you off to wed?”
Xiao Dong routinely checked several medical testing devices, jokingly teasing her.
“Stop talking nonsense… He might hear us!”
Xiao Ai blushed and quickly silenced him with a finger to her lips, swinging back: “I’ve seen Liang Ge’s aura getting stronger these days; he seems close to entering the high-level knight stage. I think he must have some interest in you…”
As she spoke, Xiao Ai turned to glance at the door, a mysterious smile on her face, lowering her voice: “Last time, I saw him secretly give you a vial of secret blood…”
“Shh! Don’t gossip about me!”
Xiao Dong felt her ears heat up, anxious, and reached out to cover Xiao Ai’s mouth: “That was something I borrowed from him; I haven’t accumulated enough time in the lower knight rank, so I was just… just a bit anxious…”
As she spoke, Xiao Dong’s voice gradually became smaller, ultimately awkwardly turning her head away, pretending to measure Zhao Peng’s pulse.
Secret blood is a regulated substance, incomparable with money, clearly indicating that Xiao Dong’s explanation lacked authenticity.
As the perpetual “homebody,” Liang Tai had a somewhat foreign appearance but was recognized for his good character; being willing to share his precious secret blood meant he had special feelings indeed.
With Zhao Peng and Xiao Ai together, and Zheng Shaolin and Xiao Ling breaking through barriers, having another couple forming internally adds to Hyacinth’s good stories.
After a series of trivial gossip exchanges, both girls felt a bit flushed. However, as Xiao Ai’s assistant for managing the lobby on the first floor, Xiao Dong quickly resumed a serious expression.
“Xiao Ai, a few days ago, Xiao Ping has been taking leave, and just now she sought another two days off. With Valentine’s Day approaching, there will be many guests in the store; it seems inappropriate for her to do this.”
Xiao Dong lowered her voice, secretly pointing out the door, her expression troubled: “Xiao Yan and Xiao Yao, along with Xiao Quan, have all gone to the Hyacinth Villa; with so few staff, it’s hard to arrange evening shifts.”
Xiao Ai pondered for a moment before gently shaking her head: “She doesn’t seem to be in any serious emotional state. I heard she wants to move to avoid entanglements with that ex-boyfriend and is looking for new housing; we should be more understanding.”
While they were speaking, the door was pushed open, and Xiao Mei stood at the door with an anxious expression, her voice trembling slightly: “Xiao Ai, Xiao Ping just… just accidentally knocked over the wine shelf, shattering a lot of imported wine, and almost hurt a guest…”
Xiao Dong immediately covered her forehead with her hand, shaking her head repeatedly: “What has gotten into her? She has been absent-minded lately and nearly ruined the piano yesterday!”
“Let’s go take a look.”
Xiao Ai sighed in frustration for a few seconds, then got up and walked outside.
