Chapter 117: Seeking Medicine

As they entered the room, they were instantly stunned into silence.

Shen Baoqiu hurriedly approached his father and whispered, "Dad, stop shouting nonsense."

But his outburst had already drawn a wave of hostile glares, particularly from Zuo Hongshan. Jiang Kun’s hand had already curled into a claw, and he stepped forward, ready to seize Shen Nande by the throat.

"Stand down, Jiang Kun!" Zuo Hongshan had no desire to cause a scene in front of the old matriarch of the Shen family. Jiang Kun obeyed, retracting his stance and stepping aside.

Shen Nande was terrified. The bald man’s aggressive arrival had suddenly reminded him of a legendary figure in Jiangcheng, and he realized the man behind that subordinate must be the infamous Boss Shan. Although he hadn't been back in Jiangcheng long, the name Zuo Hongshan was deafeningly famous; he just never imagined he would run into him at the Shen residence.

He scanned the rest of the people seated in the room. While he didn't recognize everyone, many were figures he had unsuccessfully tried to solicit meetings with in the past. Why were all the dignitaries of Jiangcheng gathered at the Shen family home? Beyond the initial fright from Jiang Kun, he was completely bewildered. His companions were equally dumbfounded.

Several elders of the Shen clan braved the atmosphere to ask, "Old Matriarch, what is happening here?"

Shen Youlin jumped forward. "They are all here to pay their respects to my grandmother and to meet my brother-in-law!" She then glared at Shen Nande, her tone devoid of any courtesy. "Who were you calling a 'nobody son-in-law' just now?"

Shen Baoqiu quickly interjected, "My father has had too much to drink—he’s just babbling nonsense!"

Even a fool could see the situation now. The children of the men who had arrived with Shen Nande were already rushing over to whisper frantically to their parents. Shen Baoqiu lowered his voice to Shen Nande, "Go and apologize to the son-in-law right now. The man sitting next to the old matriarch is him."

Shen Nande looked over. A young man sat there, his expression indifferent. While he appeared unremarkable at first glance, he possessed an invisible aura that was entirely different from the image of the "cheap son-in-law" he had imagined.

By now, all the men who had arrived with him had abandoned him to head toward Chen Yuyi. He loathed them in that moment. Back at the hotel, they had all ridiculed the Shen family’s son-in-law, calling him uncultured and a disgrace to the family. They had toasted him repeatedly, and he had drunk too much, intending to teach this "nobody" a lesson. Yet, seeing him surrounded by such reverence, he realized this was no ordinary man.

He realized his earlier comments had likely invited disaster. Having spent time in the underworld, he knew that the bald man had nearly killed him—and that man was a trusted lieutenant of Boss Shan. If they hadn't stopped him, he might have been dead; now, he feared the consequences that might follow.

Overcome with dread, he rushed over to Chen Yuyi and dropped to his knees.

Shen Chengde was startled. "Brother, what are you doing?"

Shen Nande ignored him, slapping his own face. "Nephew-in-law, I am a fool. I spoke out of turn. You are the honorable son-in-law of our Shen family; please do not hold a grudge against this wayward uncle." He emphasized his status, hoping that by claiming ties to the Shen family, Chen Yuyi would show mercy.

Seeing this, the younger members of the Shen family realized that this was a man they could not afford to offend, regardless of family ties. They immediately knelt before Chen Yuyi as well, filled with anxiety over their previous mockery.

Shen Zhujun watched this scene, looking at Chen Yuyi in confusion. He hadn't said a word, yet these people were acting this way.

"Today is Grandmother’s birthday. If you want to kowtow, you should do it to her," Chen Yuyi said with a faint smile. He thought to himself that these people were truly strange; he hadn't done anything to them, so why were they so terrified?

Shen Nande immediately began kowtowing to the old matriarch. "Old Matriarch, I am an unfilial nephew for not coming to pay my respects sooner. Please forgive me!"

Soon, nearly all the Shen relatives were kowtowing to the old matriarch, making it look like a traditional birthday ritual. The old matriarch was at a loss for words and merely sighed. "You may all rise."

The group stood up as if granted a pardon, then stood off to the side, not even daring to sit. Chen Yuyi, feeling helpless, finally spoke, "Since the kowtowing is done, find seats and sit down."

They scrambled to find places. After this birthday banquet, they all knew that the Shen family would henceforth be much more formidable than it had ever been before. The banquet lasted until nightfall. If Chen Yuyi hadn't noticed the old matriarch’s fatigue and gently remarked, "Grandmother is a bit tired," it likely would have lasted until dawn.

Once the guests had departed and the servants were cleaning up, they returned to their room. Shen Zhujun finally couldn't help but ask, "Can you tell me how much you’ve been hiding from me?"

Chen Yuyi smiled faintly. "There’s nothing really. I’ve just met a few more people lately, and for some reason, they enjoy making a fuss over nothing. I can’t help it."

Shen Zhujun’s mouth twitched. Though she didn't know all of them, she recognized the wealthy elites of Jiangcheng—people countless others dreamed of befriending. To hear him call their efforts "making a fuss over nothing" almost made her want to spit blood.

"Anyway, let’s leave it at that. I might be leaving Jiangcheng for a few days soon. Will you miss me while I’m gone?" Chen Yuyi teased.

Shen Zhujun’s expression froze for a moment. "Where are you going?"

"I have some business to attend to. Regardless, take good care of yourself while I’m away. Try to delegate your work; don't wear yourself out," Chen Yuyi said softly. Sharing a room with his "fake" wife, whether it was real or not, he felt a few words of concern were necessary.

Shen Zhujun was unusually quiet. She didn't ask further questions and went to bed, her heart in turmoil. She didn't know why, but the thought of him leaving for a while brought an unexpected sense of loss.

The next day, Zhao Lan, having returned to Shangdu, arrived at the Shen residence once more, accompanied by the elder known as Master He. This time, she brought a wealth of precious gifts, including the famous painting that had been taken away previously—though compared to the rest of the offerings, that painting was now the least valuable.

"Young Master Shen, I have offended you greatly in the past. I beg for your forgiveness!" Zhao Lan didn't even sit, bowing her head respectfully before Chen Yuyi like a student facing a teacher. "Also, please forgive my rudeness for missing the old matriarch’s birthday. These are but small tokens of my apology—a gesture from our Zhao family..."

"Enough. Tell me, what is it you really want?" Chen Yuyi cut her off. She had been eyeing the Shen family’s jade platter before; she certainly wasn't here out of pure kindness.

Zhao Lan bit her lip and knelt before him. "Young Master, I was unaware of your identity before. I beg you to grant me a Hundred-Turn Pill. My grandfather is in critical condition; if his meridian issues are not resolved, he will not survive much longer."

"What does that have to do with me?" Chen Yuyi sneered.

Master He also knelt. "We heard that at the Jinxiu Manor in Jiangcheng, you cured a young girl of her innate blocked meridians with a single pill. The news has spread across Jiangcheng and even reached us in Shangdu. Our master suffers from the same condition. My mistress tried to borrow the jade platter to alleviate his suffering, but she was desperate and acted rashly. Please, show mercy! We know you possess the miracle medicine to heal the meridians—we beg you to show compassion!"

"Young Master, if you grant me the pill, I will agree to any condition you set!" Zhao Lan looked up, her eyes filled with desperate sincerity.

Just then, Shen Zhujun came downstairs and stopped in her tracks, stunned by the sight. Seeing her, Zhao Lan actually crawled toward her on her knees.