Chapter Eighteen: Send Him to the Police Station!

Upon hearing this, Xu Wei was utterly shocked.

"Why are you still standing there? Hurry and save President Lan!"

Though she had always looked down on Ye Wushang, she couldn't deny that everything he said was turning out to be true—whether by luck or genuine skill, she had no choice but to let him try.

But Sun Chuanzi only snorted in contempt, curling his lip. "He's just a useless loser. What can he do? You expect him to save anyone..."

"If I can't, can you?" With no silver needles on hand, Ye Wushang grabbed a box of toothpicks, swiftly approaching.

He instructed Xu Wei to lay Lan Ruoxue flat, preventing the blood from flowing back and trapping the poison at the acupoints. Through acupuncture, he would block the points, draw out the toxins, and then expel them.

Sun Chuanzi was left speechless, and when he saw Ye Wushang about to perform acupuncture on Lan Ruoxue, he mocked, "Useless fool, don’t say I didn’t warn you."

"I've been pursuing Ruoxue for a while now and am about to succeed—she’s basically my fiancée. If anything happens to her, I won’t let you off. And for hitting my brother? We’ll settle all scores soon enough..."

"Shut up!" Ye Wushang's eyes flashed coldly, glaring at him. "You should worry about yourself first."

"You ordered the food and drinks. Now that everyone's ill, when people start pointing fingers, I’d like to see how you explain yourself!"

Then he dumped out all the toothpicks, took two at a time, and began his treatment.

Sun Chuanzi’s pupils contracted at his words, doubt flickering in his mind.

Indeed—what was going on? He had personally selected the chef and wine supplier, both old friends. There was no reason they would deliberately set him up. But if this so-called loser was right and the food was poisoned, wouldn’t all suspicion fall on him?

A wave of dread washed over Sun Chuanzi. He instinctively called over a waiter and asked, "Where are Old Feng from Drunken Fragrance Pavilion and Old Xu from Xu’s Wine Shop? Get them here now! I want to know what’s going on with this food and drink!"

The waiter shook his head miserably. "The food and wine didn’t come from them. Although you placed the order, someone later came by, doubled the price, and outsourced everything. We don’t even know which vendor it was..."

"What?!" Sun Chuanzi was stunned.

It was switched? Watching the guests vomiting and writhing in pain, panic overtook him.

Could there really be poison in the food?

Meanwhile, Ye Wushang’s hands moved in a blur, toothpicks flashing as he pierced acupoints with breathtaking speed and precision. It was less a medical procedure than an artful performance—graceful, captivating, stirring the heart.

"This loser actually has some skill—where did he learn that?" Sun Chuanzi frowned.

Xu Wei was even more bewildered. She knew every detail of Ye Wushang’s three-year marriage to Lan Ruoxue and had never heard of him possessing such techniques. That woman earlier had claimed he was a master of both medicine and martial arts. She’d thought the woman was spouting nonsense, but seeing this, could it be true?

Time slipped by. In just a few minutes, Ye Wushang finished inserting the toothpicks. He twisted the ends, channeling energy into each point, letting it permeate the meridians and neutralize the toxins. Then he pulled each one out.

"Mmm..." As the last toothpick was removed, Lan Ruoxue’s pale face gradually regained its color. With a muffled groan, she suddenly regained consciousness.

"President Lan!" Xu Wei cried out, instinctively rushing over and embracing her. "Are you all right? How do you feel?"

"I—I’m fine." Lan Ruoxue exhaled deeply, confusion clouding her face. "What happened to me?"

"You just fainted. You really scared me—thank goodness for..." Xu Wei trailed off.

It was clear now—this so-called loser truly had medical skill. But she was unwilling to admit it, still telling herself it was luck that Lan Ruoxue had recovered.

"Mr. Ye, the medicine is ready," the bald man announced, approaching with a bowl of antidote Ye Wushang had ordered earlier.

Ye Wushang personally brought the bowl to Lan Ruoxue. "Lan Ruoxue, there’s still poison in your body. Drink this—you need to purge it out."

"Wushang..." Lan Ruoxue was stunned. She hadn’t expected him to be the one to save her.

The memory of her agony was still vivid; she’d been certain she was dying, yet not only was she alive, he was offering her medicine by his own hand. A pang of guilt pricked her heart.

She drank it down in one go.

Suddenly, she vomited it up. Xu Wei was about to scold her when she noticed the black, viscous liquid—darker than ink—that Lan Ruoxue had expelled onto the floor, corroding a wide patch. It was clearly a sign of severe poisoning!

"It really was poison..." Xu Wei’s eyes widened in shock.

Sun Chuanzi’s breathing grew shallow.

"I feel so much better..." Lan Ruoxue sighed with relief, her previously tense expression softening.

Coughs, retching, and groans echoed around the room. Other guests, after being induced to vomit and drinking the antidote, expelled varying amounts of poison. Like Lan Ruoxue, they improved rapidly and, after a moment, turned to Ye Wushang, filled with gratitude and admiration.

"Young man, thank you," one said.

"If not for you, we’d all be dead today."

"You’re our savior. We owe you our lives."

The guests bowed deeply, overwhelmed with thankfulness.

Lan Ruoxue was overwhelmed by conflicting emotions, repeatedly wanting to speak but swallowing her words each time. She had misjudged him; he hadn't been causing trouble but was concerned for everyone’s safety. And far from being useless, he had saved so many lives with his medical skill. Remembering how worried he’d been for her, the hurt, disappointment, and resentment she’d felt vanished, replaced by an emotion too complex to name.

"Xu Wei, take care of President Lan," Ye Wushang said, entrusting Lan Ruoxue to her.

He stood up, looking coldly at the dumbfounded Sun Chuanzi. "Well, Sun Chuanlong, have you figured things out? You ordered the food, and now it’s poisoned. Everyone who ate or drank has been affected—why are you unharmed?"

He had no objection to Sun Chuanzi pursuing Lan Ruoxue, but this matter had to be investigated thoroughly. If the truth wasn’t uncovered, the culprit would remain at large.

At his words, Sun Chuanzi trembled, nearly losing his balance. "I—I don’t know anything! What does this have to do with me?"

"You ordered the food—how is it not your business?" someone shouted. "You bastard, did you poison us? Whatever grudge you have, you’d better explain today or you won’t get away with it!"

The other guests, furious, cursed and even tried to lay hands on him.

"Baldy, take him to the constables. Let them investigate," Ye Wushang ordered.

The constables had the means—whether surveillance or background checks—it was better than letting Sun Chuanlong handle it himself.

Baldy, who had been skeptical of Ye Wushang, now admired him greatly for identifying and resolving the crisis so decisively. At once, he signaled two men to seize Sun Chuanzi.

"Let me go!" Sun Chuanzi shouted. "I didn’t do it—someone’s framing me! Ye Wushang, you useless wretch, it’s you! You’re out to get me, aren’t you?"

Ye Wushang’s face remained impassive. "Heaven sees all—whether you’re guilty or not, the constables will judge."

"Let him go!" Lan Ruoxue suddenly intervened, her tone serious.

"Chuanzi was here to help me today. I don’t believe he had anything to do with the poison. Wushang, make them release him!"

Although she was grateful to Ye Wushang for saving her, she found the situation suspicious and trusted Sun Chuanzi’s character. Besides, she still needed his help with the An family agency issue, and the Lan Group’s business depended on him. She couldn’t let him be taken away just like that.

...