Chapter 99 – Having a Taste of Your Own Medicine (请君入瓮)
After Qiao Hongye found out where Jing Yunzhao was living, she had no reason to stay and rushed back to the hotel to see Cao Xing sleeping soundly on the bed. Qiao Hongye felt uneasy but shared her finding with Cao Xing.
What Qiao Hongye didn’t realise was Jing Yunzhao had seen her enter the room.
“Hua Zei, Qiao Hongye is staying in Room 301. I hope your men will do it efficiently.” Jing Yunzhao called Hua Zei immediately after leaving the hotel. The rest of the work to be done was no longer in her hands.
Although Qiao Hongye may have been good at scheming, Jing Yunzhao was not bad at them either. She just didn’t bother with them.For Qiao Hongye to put in so much effort wandering around in this small neighbourhood, the reasons were apparent. She could make a guess at what Qiao Weimin’s intentions were. Know thy enemy, is to know thyself, and to not counter it would simply put Qiao Hongye’s efforts to waste.
After making the call, Jing Yunzhao returned to her usual routine and paid a visit to Old Man Xu.
This elderly man’s temper was eccentric as usual. However towards her, it could be counted as cordial, at least it got a lot better after receiving the ginseng.
Jing Yunzhao’s present mind could remember all that passes her eyes. She could memorise, word for word accurately, even after just reading things just a few times; hence the books given by the Old Man didn’t pose any difficulty.
However, stepping through the door today, things were slightly different.
The hotel owner Li Shaoyun was also present, and he exclaimed, “Elder Xu, the girl you were talking about is her?”
“Indeed.” Elder Xu nodded, with appreciation in his eyes as he looked at Jing Yunzhao, waving for her to join them. “This is the grandson of an old friend, if you need anything, ask him for help.”Li Shaoyun could not understand the situation. Elder Xu’s personality had always been strict and curt, and never liked getting involved in others’ business. He was only interested in medicinal herbs, and neither favoured nor owed favours to those who were not related to him.
Yet, he was now praising Jing Yunzhao’s character and intelligence, a genius, and had taken the initiative to introduce her.
“Elder Xu, this sure is a coincidence. I know her.” Li Shaoyun said with his twinkling pretty eyes (“peach-blossoms-shaped” eyes), lips half curled into a smile, speaking in a carefree unrestrained manner with a free-spirited voice that draws one in.
“Oh?” Elder Xu turned his head with surprise and curiosity. Li Shaoyun continued explaining, “She saved a life in my hotel.”
“You even know the medical arts?” Elder Xu wrinkled his eyebrows.
Jing Yunzhao nodded, “Just a little.”
Elder Xu tried to reply but no words came out. When he first knew this little girl, she had a mysterious air, showing up with a lot of medicinal herbs. It was hard to believe that she wasn’t backed by someone formidable.
“For Elder Xu to look upon highly, Student Jing must indeed have skills that surpass others. When I invited her for a meal before, she rejected my offer, and how it hurt my heart!” said Li Shaoyun jokingly.
Elder Xu gave a rare smile, “Young people (Yunzhao) don’t know how to accommodate. Shaoyun, don’t mind her, let me make it up to you with these two bottles of medicinal wine.”
Li Shaoyun narrowed his eyes, hearing the protectiveness in the elder man’s voice. He smiled and replied, “Then I must thank Elder Xu. My grandfather thinks about the wine all day.”
Jing Yunzhao was puzzled at this pair of old and the young’s interactions, but she wasn’t interested in Li Shaoyun so she didn’t feel like speculating further.
Jing Yunzhao continued studying the medicinal herbs preparations till the evening before leaving. When she left, she didn’t return home but called Su Chu and Gan Jinchen out instead.
