Chapter 19: Watching Another’s Funeral Without Mindfulness of Its Grandeur

After hearing Shen Linglong speak, Ye Chen almost believed it himself. The circumstances earlier were indeed as she described. Chu Fei hadn’t done anything—he merely placed his hand on Cheng Wen’s head without administering any treatment. In contrast, Ye Chen had performed the Divine Fire Spirit Needle before everyone’s eyes. The assembled specialists had never witnessed Chu Fei’s method, and it was only natural they harbored doubts.

Yet Cheng Wen insisted, “I trust Xiao Chu. He must have saved me!” Master Cheng had always doted on Shen Miaoyu and naturally spoke in favor of Chu Fei.

“Master, you were unconscious just now; how could you know what happened?” Shen Qiushan interjected, “Why not ask the experts present if anyone has seen such a method of treatment?”

“Don’t let yourself be deceived by this brat. He’s a nobody with an unknown background. How could his medical skills surpass Doctor Ye’s?” Shen Qiushan had always favored Shen Linglong. Coupled with Shen Miaoyu’s recent defiance, challenging his authority as head of the family, he naturally sided with his youngest daughter. And truthfully, he didn’t believe Chu Fei possessed such abilities.

“What Mr. Shen says makes a certain sense,” one specialist remarked. “We’ve never seen such a treatment before,” echoed others. The experts, once again, ceased speaking reasonably.

Faced with their skepticism, Chu Fei couldn’t be bothered to respond. Talking to fools was exhausting; he preferred the cold shoulder. Shen Linglong seized this and said, “Grandpa Cheng, you see, he won’t even speak. Isn’t that guilt?”

“Shen Linglong, stop twisting the truth!” Shen Miaoyu retorted unhappily, “Everyone saw Ye Chen’s performance just now. He was helpless when faced with Grandpa’s condition. It was Chu Fei who saved him at the crucial moment!”

Shen Linglong gave a mocking laugh, “So you say, but is there any evidence he saved Grandpa Cheng?”

The man had been revived; what proof could there be now? Shen Linglong was adept at exploiting loopholes. Shen Miaoyu was momentarily at a loss for words and looked to Chu Fei.

Chu Fei replied carelessly, “You want evidence? I’ll give you some.” With that, he pointed at Shen Qiushan, and a surge of spiritual energy instantly entered Shen Qiushan’s mind.

Shen Linglong, not understanding, was about to continue slandering Chu Fei, eager to snatch the credit, when she saw Shen Qiushan suddenly collapse, convulsing violently.

“Qiushan, what’s happened to you?” Jiang Hong was the first to react, rushing to support him. Shen Qiushan couldn’t speak, convulsed for a while, and then fell unconscious.

Shen Miaoyu, alarmed, tried to approach her father, but Chu Fei caught her hand. “I’m here—what’s the fuss?” he shot her a glance.

Shen Miaoyu frowned, “Was this your doing?”

“Yes. Didn’t they want proof?” Chu Fei’s tone was flippant. “Now this old man’s in the same state as the previous one. Isn’t he the miracle doctor? Isn’t he supposed to cure? Let him try, then.”

Shen Miaoyu protested angrily, “He’s my father!”

“Why are you shouting so loudly?”

Chu Fei dug at his ear and bluntly asked, “Has he ever treated you as his daughter?”

Shen Miaoyu was stunned. This man—could it be that pearls dropped from a dog’s mouth?

Chu Fei released her hand and turned to Ye Chen, whose expression had changed drastically. “You have five minutes left. Come on, useless thing.”

Shen Linglong still believed she was right. She hurriedly called out, “Brother Chen, hurry and save my father, prove your medical skill to everyone!”

Ye Chen fumbled with his needles, but nothing worked.

“Even given the chance, you’re useless,” Chu Fei said, arms crossed, looking as if he delighted in the chaos.

Ye Chen glared at Chu Fei but had no retort.

“Brother Chen, why have you stopped?” Shen Linglong asked.

Ye Chen replied helplessly, “I can’t save uncle. This situation is too bizarre!”

“What did you say?” Cheng Kai stepped forward and kicked Ye Chen in the back of the head, furious. “You claimed you could cure my father—why can’t you cure the same illness now? Are you trying to harm my loved ones?”

Ye Chen was about to retaliate when Chu Fei intervened, “Little Cheng, don’t be like this...!”

“Damn it! Are you all trained to take sides?” Ye Chen was livid. “You keep trampling my face—do you really think this miracle doctor is easy to bully?”

Bang!

Chu Fei kicked Ye Chen, “If you’re missing a mother, go find one—don’t shout here.” The blow sent Ye Chen straight out of the ward.

Shen Linglong rushed forward, “You’ve harmed my father, and now you dare hit people. You’re truly lawless!”

Smack!

“I was so busy slapping him, I forgot you—thanks for the reminder!” Chu Fei backhanded her, sending Shen Linglong tumbling beside Ye Chen.

Trash should stay together.

Once the interfering flies were dealt with, Chu Fei surveyed the experts. “Anyone else want to twist the truth? Come, step forward—I promise not to kill you!”

“...I believe it must have been Mr. Chu who cured Master Cheng!”

“...Indeed, we misunderstood Mr. Chu!”

“...Mr. Chu, please be magnanimous; don’t hold it against us!”

In these times, “expert” had become a term of abuse. With such opportunistic dogs around, could the word retain its dignity?

Jiang Hong turned to Chu Fei, “You’ve proved you saved Cheng Wen. Hurry up and save my husband—he’s about to die from your handiwork!”

“If he dies, he dies. The important thing is everyone’s happy.” Chu Fei was utterly indifferent; he truly didn’t care about the Shen family’s fate.

He had already shown them mercy. He hadn’t killed Shen Linglong in front of Shen Miaoyu—what more did they want from him?

Jiang Hong appealed to Shen Miaoyu.

Shen Miaoyu could only say, “Chu Fei, I...”

“All right, shut up. I know what you’re going to say even if you don’t open your mouth.” Chu Fei waved his hand, removed the clotted blood in Shen Qiushan’s brain, and then turned to leave.

Seeing Chu Fei about to depart, the Cheng father and son thanked him solemnly once more. Shen Miaoyu also took her leave and followed Chu Fei.

When the two reached the corridor outside, Ye Chen was standing there, bewildered. He fancied himself capable, but before Chu Fei he was utterly powerless.

Seeing Chu Fei glance at him, Ye Chen, afraid of another beating, quickly lowered his head and admitted defeat, “Sorry, sorry, I shouldn’t have shown off in front of you. I’m just useless...”

“I won’t allow you to say that about yourself,” Chu Fei comforted him, patting his shoulder.

Ye Chen looked up, incredulous, “Tha—”

“You’re not completely useless. At least you can serve as a negative example.”

Hearing Chu Fei’s sincere tone, Ye Chen had just begun to say, “Tha—” ...your mother.

“By the way, make sure he fulfills the bet,” Chu Fei called back to Cheng Wen, “That table—yes, the marble one—have him eat it. I’ll be checking the video for verification!”

Ye Chen: “...”

That was why Chu Fei hadn’t kicked Ye Chen to death. Killing someone wasn’t nearly as satisfying as breaking their spirit. He had no other virtues, but he held grudges and enjoyed cruelty.

“...”

After leaving the hospital, Shen Miaoyu drove. As she steered, she watched Chu Fei with curiosity.

Chu Fei, uncomfortable under her gaze, said, “Stop looking at me like that—it gives me the creeps.”

Shen Miaoyu blinked her beautiful eyes, “How am I looking at you?”

Chu Fei: “Seductively.”

Shen Miaoyu was amused by his teasing. “I’m just curious—why is your medical skill so advanced?”

“Medical skill isn’t worth a damn. I can’t even heal myself.”

Shen Miaoyu asked, “What do you mean? Are you ill?”

“It’s not illness—it’s fate.” Chu Fei looked out the window, his tone neither sorrowful nor joyful. “When I was young, my beautiful master told me I wouldn’t live past twenty-five.”

“From the moment I was born, the countdown to death had begun, and I know better than anyone how much time remains...”

To die cleanly is far less soul-destroying than living in constant fear and anxiety. When existence becomes a mental burden, that is the most tormenting and terrifying.

Shen Miaoyu felt a pang in her heart. “What keeps you going? Waking up every day facing death—how do you live without breaking down?”

Chu Fei: “By going insane.”

Shen Miaoyu: “...Ah?”