Chapter 234: Trembling with Fear
Gu Jiaojiao finished administering acupuncture with silver needles to three generations of the Han family, then went to treat another group of severely wounded soldiers.
As she performed surgery, she held nothing back, teaching the field medics. Everyone deeply respected Gu Jiaojiao.
Xia Qiuming and his students were swamped with work all day, but being young university students, they were full of drive.
Especially since they were following the young and handsome Master Xia, they were already buzzing with an almost manic energy.
Then, they met the even younger Divine Doctor Su Gu. Their grandmaster’s skills were simply incredible.
This trip to the front lines was incredibly rewarding. They gained so much practical experience that it would be enough to last them a lifetime.
After each surgery, they would all flock to Gu Jiaojiao, pestering her with questions, and she was always willing to teach them.
The students who were able to intern on the battlefield were either from wealthy and influential families or were top students of outstanding character. All of them had bright futures ahead.
Unlike Gu Jiaojiao, who could call home every day, these students were not allowed to make personal calls.
If their families needed to reach them for an emergency, the call had to go through several layers of clearance.
Consequently, their families rarely called, but they did send them care packages with tasty food every so often.
At this point, they still didn’t realize just how incredible their grandmaster, Divine Doctor Su Gu, truly was.
But that didn’t stop them from idolizing her. Whenever they received good food, they would instinctively offer it to Gu Jiaojiao.
To be honest, Gu Jiaojiao was hardly lacking for food. Her personal dimension held delicacies from the future, not to mention the delicious meals Su’s mother had packed for her before she left.
Gu Jiaojiao’s life on the battlefield was fulfilling, but also grueling. She never got back to sleep until very late each night.
The battle was not only fierce, but it also raged day and night. Even as a visiting doctor, she was exhausted, collapsing into bed and falling asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.
One could only imagine how much harder it was for the permanent field doctors.
「Qingcheng Mansion」
The Song Family was welcoming a new bride, the Sheng Family was marrying off their daughter, and all the influential figures in Qing City attended to show their respect.
Mr. Sheng had originally assumed that marrying off his daughter in such a rush would be a quiet affair, much like when his adopted daughter, Jiaojiao, got married. That was only his assumption.
When Gu Jiaojiao married Su Shuochi, it had been a simple ceremony because he was on his own, without the backing of a powerful family.
But Song Zijin was different. The Song Family managed all of Qing City’s department stores, state-run restaurants, and guest houses.
Leaving aside the fact that the Song Family was a century-old dynasty in Qing City, even in the present day, the daily lives of Qingcheng people—their food, clothing, and lodging—depended on staying in the Song Family’s good graces.
So, how could anyone miss the wedding of a Song family heir? On such an important occasion, every major family brought along their most outstanding children.
As a result, the wedding was filled with handsome men and beautiful women. Divine Doctor Jiang, for one, brought his only granddaughter, Jiang Ruyan, to the grand event.
Jiang Ruyan was not only beautiful, but she had also grown up in the Imperial City, so her attire was naturally far more fashionable than that of the high-society ladies of Qing City.
In an instant, Jiang Ruyan became the center of attention. As for the groom, Song Zijin, he was already blessed with exceptionally good looks.
After being meticulously dressed for the occasion, he was dazzling enough to blind the other young ladies.
Jiang Ruyan glided delicately to the groom’s side and stood next to Song Zijin.
Song Zijin was dressed in a white shirt and black trousers, while Jiang Ruyan wore an elegant white dress.
They looked quite the pair, a sight that stirred pangs of jealousy in the hearts of all the young masters and ladies of Qing City.
"Who is that woman? She’s gorgeous! Why is she standing next to the groom?"
"She’s probably one of the groom’s relatives. The bride isn’t here yet, after all. Honestly, she and the groom look so good together!"
"Could she be one of the Song family’s daughters?"
"Why do you ask?"
"If they weren’t relatives, they’d be the perfect couple. The Sheng family’s young lady wouldn’t even stand a chance!"
"It’s true... The more you look at them, the better they match. A picture-perfect couple."
Hearing the crowd’s "hushed" whispers, Jiang Ruyan’s smile widened. She didn’t feel the slightest bit of guilt for usurping the bride’s position.
As for Song Zijin, he was still annoyed that Sheng Yueyue had failed to invite the Gu Family the day before, so he didn’t mind Jiang Ruyan standing beside him.
Besides, having such a stunning beauty by his side greatly satisfied his vanity. Hearing the crowd’s comments, his own smile grew even more brilliant.
It was as if he were marrying Jiang Ruyan. Nevertheless, he still had to go and receive the bride, Sheng Yueyue.
So, he shamelessly asked, "Miss Jiang, I’m about to go and fetch the bride. Would you honor me by coming along?"
"Of course," Jiang Ruyan replied, even more shameless than he. "I want to be the first to see the beautiful bride, too."
Although she looked down on Song Zijin, he was the most handsome man here today, and standing next to him brought her a great deal of prestige.
Another reason was that she had received a huge shock the day before. As soon as she and her grandfather arrived at Qingcheng Mansion, they had sought out Su Shuochi.
She had gone to see him with a fluttering heart, but upon seeing the man in the wheelchair, her feelings became a tangled mess.
She quietly asked her grandfather, "Grandpa, didn’t I hear his legs were healed?"
"No! Who told you that? The Divine Doctor only restored his... masculine vigor."
Divine Doctor Jiang was being truthful. Su Shuochi’s legs could be healed, but the treatment hadn’t even begun yet!
But what Jiang Ruyan heard was that Su Shuochi would never be able to walk again.
’Even if he can’t walk,’ she thought, ’I can’t deny how handsome he is. Just being able to look at him every day would be wonderful.’
So she approached with a beaming smile and said, "Su Shuochi, it’s been a long time. Did you miss me?"
"Who are you? I’m married. Stay away from me." The man’s indifferent words struck her mind like an axe.
Jiang Ruyan’s face went pale, as if she’d been betrayed. She clutched her chest, her heart aching.
"You... you... how can you be like this? My uncle said you were eager to marry me!"
"Me, eager to marry you? Perhaps I wasn’t clear enough with your uncle in the past, which led to your delusion. But let me be perfectly clear now: I am married. Stay away from me."
"And what if I insist on marrying you?" Jiang Ruyan challenged haughtily. "You know my uncle holds a high position. If you offend him, you’ll find it impossible to get by."
Su Shuochi had no idea whose family this madwoman belonged to, but he knew there were powerful figures that neither he nor Jiaojiao could afford to offend.
So he warned in a cold voice, "You want to marry me that badly? So badly you’d use your family to pressure me."
"Fine. I hate being forced into things more than anything. Tell me, if you were to suddenly have a broken leg, or if I were to... blow your head off, would you still be worthy of marrying me?"
A vicious glint flashed in the man’s eyes. His dark gaze locked onto Jiang Ruyan, fierce as a wolf lurking in the night.
Brimming with lethal danger, he pulled out a realistic-looking toy gun that he’d found in Gu Jiaojiao’s personal dimension and aimed it at her.
Jiang Ruyan’s face went white with fear. She never would have imagined that Su Shuochi was this insane!
He seemed like such a distinguished, normal man, but he was actually a lunatic. "Su Shuochi, don’t scare me..."
"I’m not trying to scare you," Su Shuochi said as he put the toy gun away. "Do you understand me now?"
But the look in his eyes—as if he were staring at a corpse—sent a chill of terror straight through Jiang Ruyan’s heart.