Chapter 35: The Zhao Family Pays a Visit, Grandson of an Old Friend

On the following day, Peaceful Harmony Hall opened as usual.

I remained the same Dr. Jiang, treating patients and performing acupuncture, while Yi Yi stayed in the backyard, keeping company with Ling Qingzhu, the “beautiful sister.”

Qin Muyao arrived early, clearly troubled and remorseful after hearing of last night’s events.

“Dr. Jiang, I’m so sorry…about Zhao Wei…”

“It’s fine. The matter is settled,” I interrupted her, handing her a cup of freshly brewed tea. “Calm your mind.”

Seeing my tranquil demeanor, her worries gradually eased. She knew that Zhao Wei must have encountered a force far beyond his imagination.

By afternoon, the sunlight was gentle.

A black Rolls-Royce, surrounded by several accompanying vehicles, stopped at the clinic’s entrance. The door opened, and an elder with white hair but a spirited presence stepped out, supported by Zhao Wei’s father, the high-ranking official Zhao Xingbang.

Zhao Wei followed at the rear, his face pale and drawn, eyes filled with terror—gone was the arrogance of yesterday.

“The son of Lin Zhennan from Haishi, Lin Weiguo, and his granddaughter Lin Qinghan, have come to pay respects to Dr. Jiang!”

A robust voice called out from beside another vehicle. Looking up, I saw a tall, resolute middle-aged man leading a young girl briskly toward me.

I was somewhat surprised; I hadn’t expected the Lin family to arrive together with the Zhao family.

Zhao Xingbang helped the elder—Zhao Shigong, the patriarch of the Zhao family—forward to stand before me.

“Dr. Jiang, I am Zhao Shigong. I have come to apologize for my unworthy grandson!” Though aged, Zhao Shigong’s presence was formidable. He bowed deeply before me.

Behind him, Zhao Xingbang and Zhao Wei followed suit, especially Zhao Wei, whose trembling nearly made him collapse.

After the scar-faced men recounted their uncanny ordeal last night, Zhao Wei initially dismissed it as mere trickery. Yet that night, he was plagued by a nightmare—falling into endless hell, suffering unbearable torment. The terror rooted deep in his soul shattered him completely.

Upon learning this, Zhao Xingbang was alarmed and immediately reported to his family elder. Zhao Shigong, seasoned by countless storms, instantly recognized that his grandson had provoked a figure of extraordinary power. He dared not delay, swiftly seeking to uncover my background.

As fate would have it, he was an old acquaintance of Lin Zhennan. One call, and after hearing the situation, Lin Zhennan uttered only one sentence: “Brother Zhao, you’ve offended Dr. Jiang, who once saved my life—a man of unfathomable mystery, closely connected to Xiao Jingtian and Qin Zhenbang! If you don’t want the Zhao family to be ruined, take your grandson immediately, and offer a sincere apology!”

Thus unfolded the scene before me.

Lin Weiguo stepped forward respectfully. “Dr. Jiang, my grandfather is aware of the Zhao family’s predicament. He is unable to come in person, so he sent me and Qinghan—first, to witness the Zhao family’s apology, and second…to extend his regards to you.”

Lin Qinghan shyly echoed, “Hello, Dr. Jiang.”

I regarded the two groups before me, understanding their intentions.

“You’ve already heard my words,” I said, pointing to the empty space before the clinic, my tone calm.

Zhao Wei shuddered, his complexion drained of color.

Zhao Shigong sighed and barked at his grandson, “You wretch! Go now! If Dr. Jiang allows you to kneel, it’s your chance to survive!”

Zhao Wei dared not hesitate. Under the complex gazes of the crowd, he walked to the clinic entrance, his knees buckling as he knelt.

He remained motionless.

Passersby watched with curiosity and whispered among themselves, wondering what offense this young man with a luxury car could have committed to warrant such a punishment at this humble clinic.

Zhao Shigong and Zhao Xingbang stood to the side, ashamed and silent. They knew this was the best possible outcome. Dr. Jiang had spared Zhao Wei’s life, had not crippled him—only required him to kneel for an hour. This was immense mercy.

I turned away from them, instead focusing on Lin Qinghan.

“How is your grandfather’s health?” I asked.

Lin Qinghan quickly replied, “Thank you for your concern, Dr. Jiang. Since your last treatment, my grandfather has been nurturing his health daily, feeling much improved. He often says you are the Lin family’s savior.”

I nodded, letting my gaze linger on her.

“You seem to have something weighing on your mind?”

Lin Qinghan trembled, surprised. She lowered her head and whispered, “Nothing escapes you, Dr. Jiang. I…Recently, work at the group has been stressful, and I haven’t been sleeping well.”

Indeed, this was one concern, but deeper still were the family’s upheavals and an uncertain future—burdens heavy for a girl her age.

I smiled, retrieved a delicate sachet from the medicine cabinet, and handed it to her.

“This contains herbs to calm the mind. Carry it with you, and you’ll find peace and restful sleep.”

The herbs in the sachet had been infused with spiritual energy by me—their effect far exceeded ordinary remedies.

“Oh…thank you, Dr. Jiang!” Lin Qinghan accepted the sachet with both hands, delighting in its gentle fragrance that instantly soothed her restless heart. She cherished it like a treasure, carefully tucking it away, her eyes filled with gratitude and admiration.

Lin Weiguo, witnessing this, was deeply moved.

He glanced at the kneeling Zhao Wei and the anxious Zhao family, understanding profoundly what it meant to be “one thought to paradise, one thought to hell.”

This Dr. Jiang, so skilled in martial arts and medicine, possessed a compassion that looked down upon all beings.

An hour soon passed.

When the sunlight slanted westward, Zhao Wei’s punishment was finally over. As he was helped up, his legs were numb, barely able to stand, but his eyes had changed.

Gone was the venom, gone the arrogance—only emptiness and reverence remained after his brush with calamity.

In that hour, he reflected deeply. His decades of smooth-sailing life, in the face of Dr. Jiang, felt fragile, almost laughable.

Zhao Shigong led his family to bow deeply before me once more.

“Thank you, Dr. Jiang, for your mercy. The Zhao family will strictly discipline its descendants. Should you ever require our service, we shall obey without hesitation!”

I waved them away, indicating they could leave.

The Zhao family departed as if liberated.

Lin Weiguo and Lin Qinghan also took their leave. Before leaving, Lin Qinghan turned back, offering me a sweet smile and a wave.

Peace returned to the clinic.

In the backyard, Ling Qingzhu slowly finished her practice. Opening her eyes, she watched everything unfold in the front hall, her gaze complex.

She murmured, “Conquering others without battle, condemning hearts without killing…Is this his ‘Way’? Using the mundane world as his field of cultivation—what kind of heart is he forging?”

And I, simply poured Yi Yi a cup of warm water, smiling as she played with Qin Muyao.

The ebb and flow of tides follows its own order.