A flicker of disgust passed over Luo Jialin's face, especially when Lin Muyao cast him a sultry glance.
The impulse had long faded, and now that his physical desires had been temporarily sated, he didn't even want to spare her another look.
No—this woman wasn't the pure and innocent junior sister he had once idealized. Her behavior was no different from the courtesans peddling themselves in front of brothels—cheap and entirely lacking in class!
Unbidden, the image of Dong Anlan flashed through his mind. Unlike Shu Lanzhou, who had grown up as an orphan, the Dong family, though uninvolved in the medical industry, held an equally prestigious status.
In Shen City, the Dong family's social standing rivaled that of the Lin family. Dong Anlan herself was also a high-born lady, no less noble than Lin Muyao.
Thinking back on the times he had encountered Dong Anlan, her demeanor had always been poised and graceful. Even her smile had been fresh and clean, without the slightest trace of flirtation or seduction…
Suddenly, Luo Jialin deeply regretted ever touching Lin Muyao. She was a small-minded woman, utterly unworthy of him.
With a scowl, he shot her a glare. "I'll leave first. You wait a while before you go—don't let anyone see us together."
"What do you mean by that, Luo Jialin?" Lin Muyao, who had been about to lean toward him again, froze in place. Her eyes widened in disbelief.
Wasn't Luo Jialin supposed to be the conservative type? Hadn't he implied that if he ever touched her, he would take full responsibility? What was this now?
Luo Jialin no longer looked at her. "This is still the research institute. Our project has just started, and we need to be mindful of appearances. Whatever's between us can wait until the research ends."
"Heh…" Lin Muyao laughed bitterly, stifled by rage. "So, what you're saying is—you don't want to take responsibility?"
A flicker of guilt crossed Luo Jialin's face.
"That's not what I meant. You're my girlfriend—there's no denying that. But from now on, please refrain from doing anything inappropriate in public."
"You—" Lin Muyao wanted to argue, but the moment her eyes met his cold, emotionless gaze, she felt a wave of futility.
He was at the height of youthful vigor—just a bit of teasing from her and he had lost control, passion ignited like dry tinder. And now, he had the nerve to blame everything on her?
If he had any self-control, he shouldn't have touched her in the first place!
This hypocrite of a man wasn't worth a shred of her affection!
Clenching her fists, Lin Muyao forced herself to swallow the hatred bubbling inside. "Got it. I'll be more careful next time. You go ahead."
If not for the Luo family's esteemed position in the medical world, she would never have degraded herself like this. All she wanted was the title of Mrs. Luo.
Once she had everything she desired, Luo Jialin would be nothing more than a stepping stone!
So, she had to endure!
Luo Jialin, seeing her compliance, felt his anger ease. If she always behaved this obediently, he wouldn't be opposed to marrying her. "Alright, be careful."
After he left, Lin Muyao dabbed at the corners of her eyes and stood up.
As she exited the research building, she didn't notice the figure silently closing in behind her. By the time she realized it, someone had already clamped a hand over her mouth and dragged her into a nearby alley.
Panic surged through her—her legs gave out, and no sound came from her throat.
"You filthy slut!" Guo Jialiang growled, wrapping his arms around her from behind and biting down on her ear.
Lin Muyao burst into tears. "Guo Jialiang! Where have you been? I… I was taken by Luo Jialin… sob sob…"
That night, Lin Muyao went back with Guo Jialiang to his apartment. She didn't return to the Lin household until nearly dawn.
…
Shu Lanzhou yawned as she climbed out of the car, eyes still hazy with sleep.
"Big brother , you can head back. I'll go in on my own."
"You sure you can walk straight?" Mu Side watched her swaying like she might collapse at any moment and chuckled helplessly. He stepped forward to take her hand and walked her to the dorm building of the traditional medicine hospital.
"It's late—don't stay up writing your thesis again. Get some rest. Sis and I will be focusing our energy elsewhere, so we'll be counting on you to hold the fort here with the research."
"You need to stay sharp, give the lab your all, and don't give the professor any reason to scold you. Understand?"
Shu Lanzhou nodded fervently like a pecking chick. "Got it! I promise I'll put all my energy into the research—no way I'll let the professor find fault!"
"Good." Mu Side reached out and gave her a gentle rub on the head.
"You're still young. Don't be in such a rush. Since you've chosen this path, then make something of yourself. Don't get distracted by other nonsense."
Shu Lanzhou jolted, her drowsiness instantly dispelled. "Big brother , are you worried I got upset over Luo Jialin and Lin Muyao and might go looking for romance? Relax! That's definitely not happening!"
"Forget their little office affair—it's not even remotely appealing. And romance? That's not even on my radar. I'm completely focused on research right now—nothing can steal my attention!"
She gave his arm a reassuring pat. "Don't worry. Until I fulfill the promise I made to the professor, I won't think about anything else. Absolutely not. I swear!"
Meeting her serious, earnest gaze, Mu Side felt both comforted and… a little crushed. Like he'd hoisted a rock only to drop it squarely on his own foot.
The girl was getting more dazzling by the day, and there were already a few people circling like vultures. Since he couldn't stay by her side all the time, he had just wanted to probe her feelings…
But her response had been so sincere, it caught him completely off guard.
"Silly girl." He sighed, rubbing her cheek affectionately. "Go on, get upstairs. Goodnight."
Fully awake now thanks to his face-mussing, Shu Lanzhou tilted her head up with a bright smile. "Goodnight, Big brother !"
Too sweet—it was killing him.
Mu Side almost clutched his chest, but managed to hold it together. Not until her figure vanished from view did he finally press a hand to his chest and rush back to the car as if fleeing.
Unlike him, Shu Lanzhou wasn't thinking about anything else at all.
She assumed Mu Side's concern was about the legacy of the Mu family's acupuncture techniques. After all, though three people had learned the method, she was the only one truly putting it into practice.
He Sixin was preparing for doctoral exams and planning to change fields. Mu Side, as the family heir, would never become a practicing doctor—he wouldn't even see patients.
Right now, she was the only one who could truly carry on the legacy of the Mu family technique!
It was natural for Mu Side to worry about her losing focus or giving up midway.
But she would never quit! She'd made a promise—and she would see it through!
After a good night's sleep, the next morning Shu Lanzhou had just gotten up when she received a call from Mu Yanning.
She quickly got ready and met up with Mu Yanning outside the hospital.
"Old Mr. Long has been discharged. I'm taking you to the Long residence to get familiar with the place. Get in," Mu Yanning said, lowering the car window and motioning for Shu Lanzhou to hop in.
After more than two months of acupuncture therapy, Mr. Long's thrombosis had stabilized and his health was improving steadily. He had now returned home.
However, the acupuncture treatment wasn't over yet—more visits to the Long residence would be necessary.
Upon arriving, Shu Lanzhou had just stepped out of the car when two other people emerged from a nearby vehicle—Elder Xiang and his assistant, Xiao Anning.
Clearly, they had also spotted Mu Yanning and Shu Lanzhou.
Xiang Hua raised a hand in greeting. "Professor Mu, making an early house call for the old master?"
"The treatment isn't over yet," Mu Yanning replied coolly.
Xiang Hua didn't mind and gestured for them to go in together.
"I heard from Xingyue about your treatment process—I'm quite impressed. They say the Mu family's acupuncture is mysterious and profound, able to save people at death's door."
"I'm planning to set up a dedicated acupuncture clinic at the National Hospital. Would you be interested in seeing patients there, Professor Mu?"