Chapter Fifty-Two: A Cup of Tea, Dispelling a Siege

Those thugs clearly didn’t take us seriously. To them, a handsome young man accompanied by a girl who looked barely fourteen or fifteen was nothing short of a joke.

“Where did this pretty boy come from, trying to play the hero? Get lost, or I’ll deal with you too!” the leader snarled viciously.

I ignored him, instead turning to Lin Qinghan, who was still shaken, and smiled gently, “Miss Lin, it’s been a long time.”

Lin Qinghan was stunned. She stared at me, then glanced at Yi Yi beside me, her eyes filled with confusion and shock. These two people… so familiar, familiar as faded photographs hidden deep in her memory. But how could it be? Their appearance…

“Who… are you?” Her voice trembled.

“An old acquaintance,” I replied softly, then turned back to the thugs. “Your boss is ‘Wang Hai,’ isn’t he? The one in real estate.”

The leader’s expression changed. “How… how do you know?”

“Go back and tell him,” I said calmly, “that Mr. Jiang invites him for tea. He’ll know what to do. Now, you may leave.”

My tone was tranquil, yet carried an undeniable authority. The men exchanged uneasy glances. From my gaze, they sensed something that chilled them to the core. It wasn’t ferocity, but a cold, detached indifference—like overlooking all living things from above.

The leader hesitated for a few seconds, then gritted his teeth and waved his hand. “Let’s go!”

Thus, the crisis melted away silently.

Not until they’d disappeared did Lin Qinghan regain her composure. She looked at us, her shock reaching its peak. “Are you really… Dr. Jiang? And Yi Yi?”

She could hardly believe her eyes. Twenty-seven years had passed; she had grown from a girl with pigtails into a capable lawyer, yet the two before her were exactly as she remembered—unchanged, not a wrinkle added.

“It’s me.” Yi Yi smiled and nodded, her smile softening the surreal impact of the scene.

“What… what is going on?” Lin Qinghan’s entire worldview was shaken.

“This isn’t the place to talk.” I gestured to a nearby teahouse still lit. “Let’s find somewhere quiet and talk. And, perhaps, help you resolve that ‘trouble’ completely.”

Lin Qinghan’s mind was in turmoil, yet she instinctively followed us into the teahouse, steeped in classical charm.

Inside, the music of the guqin flowed sweetly and sandalwood incense curled through the air.

Lin Qinghan sat across from us, cradling a warm teacup, though her fingertips remained cold. Her mind raced, struggling to comprehend everything before her.

“Dr. Jiang, Yi Yi… why haven’t you changed at all?” she finally asked the question at the heart of her confusion.

I refilled her cup, the clear tea reflecting her perplexed face.

“Qinghan, I have devoted my life to medicine, seeking harmony with nature, and mastering the fundamentals of balancing the body’s energies. Yi Yi and I have lived in seclusion in the mountains for many years, our diet and habits unlike ordinary people.” I offered a carefully prepared, reasonable explanation. “Thus, the marks of time appear far more slowly upon us. It’s not some immortal magic—just a choice of lifestyle.”

This answer, half true and half false, was enough to soothe the worldview of a modern mind. Lin Qinghan was half-convinced. Compared to the absurdity of ‘eternal youth,’ a highly skilled ‘master of health’ was much easier to accept.

She nodded, accepting it for the moment. Then she looked at me, gratitude and worry in her eyes. “Uncle Jiang, thank you for tonight. But Wang Hai is a famed real estate tycoon in Hai City, ruthless in his methods—you…”

“If I dared to invite him for tea, I have my reasons.” I cut her off, calmly asking, “You refused to withdraw the lawsuit because his project would force the demolition of the last old street in Hai City, preserving its memories. Is that right?”

Lin Qinghan looked up in surprise. “How did you know?”

“Your grandfather, Lin Zhenan, valued roots and loyalty above all. If he were alive, he’d never allow such a thing. You’ve inherited his spirit—a fine thing.” I praised her.

Then I shifted the topic. “Wang Hai, I’ve heard a bit about him. He himself is not to be feared, but behind him stands his aged father, Mr. Wang. The old man has suffered from chronic illness, his heart ailment worsening in recent years. He’s sought famous doctors in vain, relying only on expensive medicines to barely manage. Am I correct?”

Lin Qinghan was utterly dumbfounded. These were secrets even she, his opponent, hadn’t fully uncovered.

“How… how did you…”

“I told you, I am a doctor.” I raised my cup, gently blowing on the steam. “Now, call Wang Hai. Tell him you’ve thought it through and want to talk. The place—here. Alone.”

Though full of doubts, Lin Qinghan, trusting me and helpless in her predicament, dialed his number.

Half an hour later, a slightly overweight, arrogant-looking middle-aged man pushed open the teahouse door. It was Wang Hai.

He saw me, a flash of caution in his eyes, but strode to the table, his smile forced. “So you’re the one who wants to invite me for tea?”

I ignored his attitude, merely extending two fingers and gently placing them on his wrist. Wang Hai instinctively tried to pull away, but my fingers were like steel pincers—immovable.

After just three breaths, I released him.

“Lately, you’ve often felt palpitations and cold sweats between three and five in the afternoon, with a prickling numbness on the inner side of your left arm, haven’t you?”

The arrogance on Wang Hai’s face froze instantly, replaced by terror. He had never mentioned these symptoms to anyone; even his private doctor dismissed them as mere fatigue.

I continued unhurriedly, “These are early signs of heart disease—a legacy from your father. His illness, I can cure. Yours, I can cure as well. I wish for the old man to enjoy his twilight years, and for you to live longer too.”

I paused, watching his face pale as I delivered the final blow. “That old street is Hai City’s ‘Xun’ sector, a nexus of feng shui. If you destroy it, you sever the city’s cultural lifeblood—and the Wang family’s fortune. When that happens, even I won’t be able to help you. Weigh your options carefully.”

Cold sweat trickled down Wang Hai’s brow.

He wasn’t a fool. He knew that this strangely youthful man before him possessed a power he couldn’t comprehend, yet had to respect.

“I… I understand.” His voice was dry. “Lawyer Lin, tomorrow—no, this morning at nine, my team will bring a revised plan to your firm. We guarantee to preserve the entire old street.”

With that, he bowed deeply to me, then hurried out.

The teahouse was quiet once more.

Lin Qinghan looked at me, her gaze complicated beyond words. She finally understood that Dr. Jiang’s way of resolving problems was never by force or law, but by insight into cause and effect, striking at the very root with wisdom.