Chapter 285: You Are Sick!
"Enough!" Mayor Tang shouted. "Young Friend Zhao is my benefactor. If you dare to act so presumptuously again, I will disown you!"
"Father!" Tang Xue whimpered. Seeing her father's furious expression, however, she could only stomp her foot petulantly and fall silent.
Tang Yuntian thought the matter was settled, but Zhao Dong's next words shattered the silence once more.
"Miss Tang, you are ill."
Tang Xue, who had just calmed down, was stunned. Zhao Dong called me a little brat, and I was already planning to ignore him, but now he has the nerve to say I'm sick? Does he really think I'm that easy to bully?
Tang Yuntian was also taken aback, frowning as he asked, "Zhao Dong, are you saying my daughter, Tang Xue, is ill? Are you serious?"
Zhao Dong nodded, then looked at Tang Xue again. "Miss Tang, I'm not insulting you. There is a poison in your body."
"Poison!?" Tang Yuntian froze, halfway out of his seat.
Tang Xue raged, "You! Do you think just because you fooled my father, you can fool me too? I'm as sharp as they come! How could a good-for-nothing like you possibly trick me? Poison? You might as well just say I won't live past today!"
Zhao Dong shrugged nonchalantly. "You're not wrong. You won't live past today. In fact, given the rate the poison is spreading through your body, I'm afraid it will erupt fully in just half an hour."
Tang Xue scoffed. "Oh, really? Do you have any idea what happens to people who spout nonsense to me?"
"Believe it or not, that's your choice. I've said my piece. The rest is your problem." Zhao Dong waved his hand dismissively, then stood and bowed to Tang Yuntian. "Mayor Tang, since Miss Tang clearly doesn't welcome me, I'll take my leave."
"No, no, no, Young Friend, don't be in such a rush to leave." Tang Yuntian quickly stood up to stop Zhao Dong. "This girl, Tang Xue, has been spoiled rotten by me. She's terribly impolite. I apologize on her behalf for her transgressions."
"Father! What are you doing?"
"Silence!" Tang Yuntian glared at Tang Xue. "You have no say in this matter!"
Tang Yuntian gritted his teeth in frustration. Honestly, he was also doubtful of Zhao Dong's claim. But Zhao Dong had saved his life, and when it came to medical skills, the mayor trusted him. If Zhao Dong had fabricated the story about the poison just to spite Tang Xue, Tang Yuntian would naturally look down on him and have no further dealings with him.
But what if... what if Zhao Dong was telling the truth? If the poison really took hold in half an hour and Zhao Dong had already left, would he have to just stand by and watch his daughter die?
That was why Mayor Tang had scrambled to his feet to stop Zhao Dong.
Zhao Dong could easily see what the mayor was thinking. But with Tang Yuntian humbling himself to this degree, how could he still insist on leaving? So, Zhao Dong sat back down.
He chatted with Mayor Tang for another half an hour, all under Tang Xue's murderous glare.
「Half an hour later.」
Tang Xue glanced at her wristwatch and sneered, "Well, Mr. Zhao, it's been half an hour. How is it that I'm still alive?"
Her words had barely left her lips.
SPURT!
A mouthful of fresh blood sprayed from her mouth. Tang Xue clutched her chest and crumpled to the floor.
"Ah... it hurts... it hurts..."
Excruciating pain ripped through her chest, and a cold sweat instantly drenched her back. The scene left Tang Yuntian utterly dumbfounded. What Zhao Dong said... it was actually true!
He scrambled to his feet, pleading anxiously, "Young Friend Zhao, Tang Xue was arrogant and rude. She was in the wrong, but she's still my daughter! Please, I'm begging you, you have to save her!"
"It's not that I'm unwilling to help, Mayor Tang," Zhao Dong said, slowly shaking his head. "But treatment requires the patient's consent. You are willing, but is Miss Tang?"
"I... I'm willing... I'm willing..." Tang Xue gasped. How could she dare refuse now? The agonizing pain in her chest left her breathless. She desperately reached for Zhao Dong, all traces of her previous arrogance gone.
Seeing this, Zhao Dong shook his head helplessly. "If you had only believed me sooner, you wouldn't have to be suffering like this."
He had seen the problem and could have treated it easily beforehand, but Tang Xue's disbelief had led to this painful eruption of the poison. Tang Xue's heart filled with regret, but the pain was too intense for her to utter another word.
Zhao Dong turned to Tang Yuntian. "Mayor Tang, Miss Tang's poison is somewhat tricky. I'll need a quiet environment to treat her. If you could..."
"Of course... I'll leave right away. My daughter's life is in your hands, Young Friend Zhao. You must save her..." Tears welled in Tang Yuntian's reddened eyes as he hurriedly exited the room.
After Tang Yuntian left, Zhao Dong went to Tang Xue's side, lifted her onto the nearby sofa, and channeled Spiritual Energy into her body. He quickly pinpointed the location of the poison.
"It's just as I thought," Zhao Dong murmured, his brow furrowing. This is a bit problematic. "Ah, well. Saving a life is a greater deed than building a seven-story pagoda."
Zhao Dong looked at Tang Xue and said, "Miss Tang, this poison isn't hard to deal with. However, just as I feared, its location is on your chest. The treatment may seem inappropriate."
"Save... me..." Tang Xue was nearly delirious with pain; what choice did she have? She managed to squeeze the two words through her clenched teeth, giving her consent.
Hearing this, Zhao Dong said no more. He gently propped Tang Xue up and unzipped her dress from the back.
"Pardon the intrusion." After taking a deep breath, he pulled the fabric open.
Instantly, a swath of snowy white flesh was revealed before his eyes. Zhao Dong was stunned. He'd assumed she was wearing something underneath, but she only had on the dress? Then again, considering how incredibly buxom she is, finding the right undergarments must be difficult.
Saving a life is like fighting a fire.
Zhao Dong gathered Spiritual Energy in his palms and pressed them directly against her skin. The plan was simply to press down, but because she was so incredibly well-endowed, one of his hands wasn't enough to cover the necessary area. Left with no choice, Zhao Dong began to move his hands, kneading firmly to ensure the Spiritual Energy could better penetrate to the source of the poison.
The sensitive sensation, combined with the comforting rush of Spiritual Energy entering her body, instantly sent waves of tingling numbness through Tang Xue. A series of soft moans escaped her lips. Her fair, pretty face flushed crimson, making her look exceptionally alluring.
Five minutes later, the excruciating pain finally dissipated. As her consciousness fully returned, she shyly tried to push Zhao Dong away.
Zhao Dong ordered sharply, "Don't move! There's still a trace of poison left. If you don't want it to flare up again, you'll lie still!"