’Unbelievable...’
Li Xu’s fingers unconsciously rubbed his wine glass. He didn’t respond.
He never imagined soone would try to sche for his authorship on the paper.
He was just one of the authors for the improved version of the Clearing Qi and Stabilizing Blood Formula.
Compared to Professor Wang Tao’s team, his contribution was minor.
’And soone was still after *this*?’
But then he thought about it.
Dragon Country Virology was a top-tier journal in the field of virology.
Publishing a paper in it...
Even as a co-author, it was enough for a doctor from a third-tier city hospital to get a promotion.
"Of course, I won’t ask you to help for free." Xue Shuheng stared at Li Xu and stated his terms. "Two million. All you have to do is release a statent saying the paper was completed with inspiration from my friend’s daughter. Or, if you’d rather, just keep your mouth shut about the whole thing."
The private room fell terrifyingly silent.
Two million?
Li Xu laughed.
’Is two million a lot?’
’For an ordinary person, yes.’
’But for , it was nothing.’
’The eight-hundred-year-old rosewood heartwood sculpture in my clinic was worth over a hundred million.’
’Do I look like I need your two million?’
’Not to ntion, I have my Daily Intel. If I wanted money, I could make a fortune in less than a month.’
"Teacher Xue, the paper has already been published. Can the authors even be changed?"
Li Xu didn’t understand.
Xue Shuheng smiled. "There’s nothing in this world that can’t be changed."
Li Xu fell silent. It seed the other party had powerful connections.
Xue Shuheng continued to persuade him. "With your na on it, the national reward you’d receive is only a few hundred thousand at most. It’s better to just take the two million."
Seeing Li Xu remain silent, Xue Shuheng raised the offer. "Five million! And I can guarantee that your future in the dical system will be smooth sailing!"
It was frad as a guarantee, but it was also a threat.
But Li Xu wasn’t the least bit afraid.
’I have the system on my side.’
’Why would I be afraid of you?’
Li Xu set down his wine glass and smiled. "Teacher Xue, I’m about done eating. Thank you for the al. I’ll treat you next ti."
With that, he turned and left without a second glance.
Leaving behind Xue Shuheng with a dark expression.
RING RING~
His phone rang. The caller was Dong Yingying.
"Professor Xue, how did it go? Did he agree?"
"No. The young man doesn’t know how to appreciate an opportunity. But don’t you worry. Even without the boost from being an author on a Dragon Country Virology paper, you’ll definitely be promoted to chief physician. It’ll just take an extra year or two at most."
"Thank you, Professor Xue."
"We’re practically family. No need to be so formal."
...
The sumr night breeze carried a stifling heat. Li Xu stood by the road waiting for a car, the alcohol going to his head and making him feel tipsy.
He wasn’t in a hurry to get back.
So, instead of hailing a cab, he strolled leisurely back along the street.
By the ti he got back to the clinic, the effects of the alcohol had mostly worn off.
He took a shower, washing away the sll of alcohol.
He then read his dical books for another hour.
Before he knew it, it was 11 p.m.
"Ti to rest."
He had just lain down on his bed.
When his phone rang again.
It was Song Sisi.
He answered with a smile. "Calling this late, is it because..."
He was about to make a little joke.
But a stifled sob ca from the other end of the line.
Hm?
Li Xu sat up and imdiately asked, "What’s wrong? What happened?"
’Did she run into a thief?’
The crying on the phone grew louder.
"Sisi, what happened? Are you in danger?"
"SOB SOB SOB... Boss, my... my grandma’s dying..."
"..."
Li Xu couldn’t quite identify his emotions at that mont.
He was both relieved and sad.
He was relieved that Song Sisi wasn’t in any danger.
But sad that her family mber was passing away.
Over the past few weeks, Song Sisi had talked about her family.
Her hotown was in the countryside.
She had two uncles, an aunt, and a grandmother.
Her grandmother was eighty-seven years old.
She was relatively healthy.
She could move around, walk, and usually cooked for herself.
He hadn’t expected it to be so sudden.
Then again, eighty-seven was a long life.
Li Xu listened quietly.
Song Sisi cried for a while before her emotions gradually stabilized.
Only then did Li Xu ask, "Do you need to co over?"
"No... I’m already on my way. My grandma called just now..."
"Hold on, your grandma called you? Isn’t she dying?"
"Grandma told she’s in a lot of pain and wants to see ."
Li Xu was a little confused.
Shouldn’t Song Sisi’s parents, uncles, or aunt have been the ones to inform her?
’Why would they make her grandmother do it herself?’
"If you need money or my help with anything, just let know."
"Okay, I will."
Li Xu checked the ti.
11:17 p.m.
There were forty-three minutes until the next intel refresh.
If Song Sisi’s grandmother’s illness was treatable, the intel system should provide a solution.
If it wasn’t, the system probably wouldn’t ntion it.
’I’ll just wait,’ he thought.
Li Xu decided not to sleep.
He turned on the light, took out a dical book, and continued his studies.
...
The taxi sped along the country road, its headlights cutting through the pitch-black night.
In the distance, the locust tree at the village entrance was RUSTLING in the wind, as if whispering secrets.
Her hotown was a small village in a county about thirty kiloters from Feng City, but at this mont, it felt worlds away.
The taxi drove into the village. It was completely silent, save for the occasional bark of a dog.
Most people were already asleep.
"Thank you, driver."
Song Sisi paid, and the taxi driver left.
She hurried toward the alley where her grandmother’s house was.
The alley was still pitch-dark.
Song Sisi sensed sothing was wrong.
Logically, if her grandmother was critically ill, the house should be brightly lit, with her aunt, uncle, and other close relatives gathered there.
But the old house before her was dark. The courtyard gate was ajar, and not a single light was on.
She pushed the gate open, and its old hinges let out a piercing CREAK.
The yard was dotted with newly grown weeds. Through the faint moonlight, she could see a few wild chrysanthemums in full bloom—her grandmother’s favorite flower.
"Dad? Mom?" Song Sisi called out tentatively, her voice echoing in the empty courtyard.
There was no response.
’What’s going on?’
The door to the main house was unlocked. Song Sisi pushed it open.
The sll of old age and decay washed over her from the darkness.
She fumbled for the switch on the wall. A dim, yellow light flickered on, and the sight before her was like a lightning strike—
Her eighty-seven-year-old grandmother was curled up in the corner of the bed, her tiny body wrapped in a yellowed quilt like a withered leaf.
Hearing the noise, the old woman slowly looked up, a glimr of light flashing in her cloudy eyes. "My good granddaughter..."
"Grandma!" Song Sisi rushed to the bedside and saw the old-fashioned cell phone clutched in her grandmother’s hand. The screen still showed the recent call history—only her number was there.
"Where’s Dad? Where are my uncles and aunt?"
Her grandmother shook her head weakly. "Busy... they’re all busy..."
Only then did Song Sisi notice the half-eaten bowl of cold porridge on the nightstand, with a few scattered painkillers beside it.
She touched her grandmother’s forehead. It was frighteningly hot.
"Where does it hurt? When did this start?"
"My whole body hurts... It’s been three days..." Her grandmother’s voice was as thin as a thread. "I thought... it was my ti... but King Yama... he won’t take ..."
The old woman’s hand, like a withered branch, grabbed her granddaughter’s. "Sisi... Grandma wants to live..."
Those words completely broke Song Sisi.
She fumbled for her phone and frantically dialed 120, calling her father at the sa ti.
...
[5 minutes remaining until the next intel refresh]
[4 minutes remaining until the next intel refresh]
...
0:00
Intel refreshed.
[Today’s Intel: Using a variant of foxtail grass as the main ingredient, supplented with Pearl Powder, Shi Jueming, and natural Camphor, an extrely effective eye drop can be created. It can effectively relieve fatigue and provide nourishnt. Detailed formula: 10g of foxtail grass, 5g of Pearl Powder...]
"Huh?"
Li Xu stared at the intel, completely baffled.
’What’s going on?’
’Song Sisi’s grandmother is critically ill, which is sowhat related to .’
’Why is today’s refreshed intel about eye drops?’
’Shouldn’t it be a treatnt plan for Song Sisi’s grandmother?’
’Could it be that Song Sisi’s grandmother is already beyond help?’
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