“You...”
“Old He, then let’s go.” Shi Wan’s face was expressionless. “One reminder — if you can’t find a way to save him, he won’t live three days.”
“You brat, what nonsense are you spouting? Get out of here!” The man’s voice snapped. If not for Old He being present, he would have lunged already. Now she had the gall to curse his father’s life away.
“Xia Wan, is it true?” Old He asked.
Shi Wan nodded.
Old He fumbled for words. “Well… maybe you—”
The man cut him off with a hard edge. “Old He, don’t say another word. Even if it costs me my life today, I won’t let that girl near my father.”
“Let’s go.”
“Oh— it’s you, miss.” Director Yu’s face lightened when he saw her. “You remember the old man you treated the other day? He was well enough to go home after you worked on him, but then he suddenly took a turn for the worse. Do you have a moment? Could you take another look?”
Even young, she had shown a skill beyond most of them.
Shi Wan smiled faintly. “No, I’m busy.”
She wasn’t about to crawl on her hands and knees to treat someone and take their scorn for it.
“Was she the one who treated my father?” The man stared as if refusing to accept it. “Director Yu, are you sure you’re not mistaken? She’s just a kid!”
Director Yu frowned. “I may be old, but not blind.”
“Did we offend him?” The man pieced together the earlier scene and Shi Wan’s coldness.
Hearing that, he stood there dumbfounded.
“But how could a little girl possibly save my father? She even cursed him — said he wouldn’t live three days.” He scoffed.
“Your father’s condition is exactly like that. He doesn’t even need the ICU,” Director Yu said, glancing toward Shi Wan. “Miss, did you examine him up close?”
“No.”
Director Yu was taken aback. “…You didn’t? Then how would you know his state?”
“She just glanced from a distance. She didn’t examine him up close.” Old He scratched his nose, uncomfortable, and explained.
A beat of silence. Then Shi Wan folded her arms. “I can save him.”
Director Yu blinked. “You can?”
She frowned. “Yes. But I don’t want to.”
They all stared. Her refusal made sense — the family plainly didn’t trust her, and any obligation to save him would drag future troubles onto her. Shi Wan hated trouble above most things.
The director understood. “As a physician, I can only do what I can to try to save him.”
“No!” the man pleaded. “You must save my father, Director Yu. We haven’t even repaid our filial duties yet.”
Shi Wan cast a cold glance at him and turned away.
“Wait!” He blocked her. Shame broke into his voice. “I’m sorry, miss. If you can help, I’ll do whatever you ask. Anything.”
“Move aside.”
“Miss, you’re a doctor — you can’t stand by and let someone die. That goes against the medical oath, doesn’t it?”
Shi Wan smiled — a small, dangerous thing. “I don’t let rules like that bind me.”
“You—” The man was frantic, eyes darting to Old He. “Old He, tell her! If she wants anything, we’ll give it to her. Just save my father!”
Old He’s eyes softened, but there was nothing he could do.
“Please,” the man begged. He sank to his knees before her. Shi Wan didn’t even glance down; she stepped around him and left.
…
Back at the Shen household, as expected, Shen Jiao was waiting at the door. The pretty face twisted into scorn when she saw Shi Wan return.
“Oh, the university student’s back.” She crossed her arms and clicked her tongue. “Weren’t you supposed to be at Beinan University? Looks to me like you were just messing around.”
“Beinan University?” Shi Wan was done entertaining the lie; she let it slide and walked in.
“Shi Wan, are you deaf?!” Shen Jiao called.
Shi Wan paused. “Not deaf. Just don’t want to talk to you.”
Shen Jiao was momentarily speechless.
“Still pretending? I’m going to expose you in front of everyone. The Shen family doesn’t want liars living under this roof.” She snorted and moved to jostle past Shi Wan. Her hand lunged, but the person beside her flinched — and someone’s foot came up without ceremony, striking her in the behind.
“Shi Wan!” Shen Jiao flared.
“Bad memory?” Shi Wan grabbed her chin, eyes cold as ice. “I’m someone who acts rather than talks. Don’t provoke me.”
Shen Jiao’s face went beet-red. As the Shen family’s little princess, no one had ever dared treat her that way. Shi Wan was the first to do it — and the last, she vowed inwardly.
At the dinner table, Shen Jiao ran to the second madam. “Mom, Shi Wan hit me today! She lied about going to school and who knows where she actually was. Don’t let the Shen family’s reputation be ruined.”
Every eye at the table turned to Shi Wan, who was quietly eating.
“Shi Wan, is this true?” the second madam feigned concern, but she was clearly pleased inside. This made the household’s dynamics even easier to control: two useless people together would never make trouble.
Shi Wan finished the final mouthful before answering lazily. “If anyone’s embarrassing the Shen family, it’s you. I’m not interested.”
“Shi Wan!” someone objected.
“Save it until after dinner,” the patriarch barked. “No talking while eating or at bedtime.”
Shen Jiao huffed and fell silent.
Shen Siyuan shot her a glance, then calmly passed a dish to Shi Wan. “Eat some more.”
Shi Wan looked at him in surprise, but she ate quietly. Better to eat well before any fight.
Sure enough, as soon as the table was cleared, the second madam held Shi Wan back.
“Siyuan, your health isn’t good. You go upstairs first.”
Seeing Shen Siyuan hold back, the second madam seized the chance. “Let her explain why she lied to us.”
“Wanwan is my wife. If there’s an issue, tell me.” He stood his ground.
A shadow crossed the second madam’s face. “Fine. Then make her explain why she lied.”
“She said she went to Beinan University. But my friend didn’t see her there.”
“Do you have any proof?” Shen Siyuan said coldly. “If you don’t, that’s slander.”
“Shen Siyuan!” Shen Jiao snapped. “Don’t think your grandfather’s protection lets you insult me. So what if I didn’t get into Beinan? It’s still better than having you for a wife! Even private schools wouldn’t want her!”