Although Song Xiangyu couldn't quite believe that Chen Xiao had defeated Ye Family's Leng Shan, Ya Ye, and even the more formidable Ye Tie Zhu, she still felt that Chen Xiao might not be a match for her brother.
But that wasn't the main point. The crucial issue was that she didn't want Chen Xiao to have any conflict with her brother. If that happened, based on her understanding of Chen Xiao, asking him for breast augmentation would be harder than climbing to heaven.
Even more importantly, she felt she had already missed an opportunity to win over Chen Xiao before Song Yan and Song Nuan due to her initial prejudice. Now that her relationship with Chen Xiao had slightly improved, she absolutely refused to create any more trouble.
Unfortunately, just then, Chen Xiao suddenly received a text message from Jun Dao:
"Dr. Chen, are you available? It's like this, I have a comrade codenamed 'Dragon Tooth' who wishes to seek your medical treatment. His condition is even more complex than mine. A few years ago, during a secret mission, he was unfortunately shot. The bullet casing, which modern medicine cannot remove, remains lodged in his head, causing him excruciating headaches every few days, making him wish for death."
Without a second thought, Chen Xiao shook off Song Xiangyu's hand and typed a reply with a hint of confusion:
"Don't you have the Sumeru Mustard Seed Paste? Even if your comrade's wound has fully healed, a simple incision should allow for the bullet casing to be removed without issue."
Jun Dao replied, explaining:
"While that may be true, higher authorities unexpectedly assigned him to a secret infiltration mission in Ju Xian City yesterday, to covertly ensure your personal safety. He hasn't had the opportunity to use the Sumeru Mustard Seed Paste. Furthermore, I just spoke with him on the phone; he's currently on secret duty in the hospital's waiting hall. Ironically, his headache has just flared up."
"Ah? This... Brother Jun Dao, could you please call him and ask him to come to Examination Room 8 immediately? I'll be there in a flash!"
Chen Xiao was flattered and, after a quick reply to Jun Dao, he brushed past Song Xiangyu and rushed into the elevator ahead, calling back without looking:
"Flat-chested Auntie, if you want to get a prescription and pick up medicine, please register. Bye!"
"Hey! Dr. Chen! Wait for me!"
Song Xiangyu cried out in alarm, hastily stepping into the elevator. She pulled out a message from Song Wan Liang and showed it to Chen Xiao, saying nervously:
"Dr. Chen, my brother is waiting for you at the hospital right now. Listen to me, you should hide!"
Chen Xiao, without even glancing at the phone Song Xiangyu was holding out, interrupted her with a frown:
"Why shouldn't my brother hide? Besides, I have an emergency. Even if the King of Heaven himself showed up, he'd have to wait!"
"But..."
Song Xiangyu was on the verge of tears, but she knew crying wouldn't help. After a moment's thought, she hardened her resolve. Sticking close to Chen Xiao's heels, she frantically sent a barrage of messages to Song Wan Liang:
"Brother, I'm coming clean! It's not Yan Yan or Nuan Nuan who likes Dr. Chen, it's me!"
"Love is sacred! It is free! It transcends age and family background!"
"If you still consider me your sister, get out of Central Hospital immediately, or don't blame me for disregarding our sibling bond!"
"If you dare to harm Dr. Chen in the slightest, I'll die for you..."
She clung to Chen Xiao like a piece of sticky candy, her mind solely focused on bombarding Song Wan Liang with messages. Before she could even finish her fourth message, she followed Chen Xiao into Examination Room 8, only to see Song Wan Liang sitting at the examination desk. Her eyes widened in shock, and her phone clattered to the floor:
"Brother..."
Song Wan Liang was currently glaring at the series of outrageous messages Song Xiangyu had sent him. He was caught completely off guard by Song Xiangyu's sudden appearance and was equally stunned.
However, what shocked him even more than seeing Song Xiangyu was encountering Chen Xiao in a white coat. This was because... because Chen Xiao was the very important person the higher authorities had instructed him to protect covertly. They had sent him Chen Xiao's photograph beforehand for "familiarization."
He never would have dreamed that the important person he was supposed to protect was the same "Dr. Chen" that Song Xiangyu, Song Yan, and even Song Kai Chao spoke of. After all, Chen was a very common surname. Even after narrowing down his search to Central Hospital, he hadn't considered the possibility that they were the same person.
At the moment of their encounter, the siblings, Song Wan Liang and Song Xiangyu, froze simultaneously.
"Hmm?"
Hearing Song Xiangyu address Song Wan Liang, Chen Xiao instinctively frowned slightly.
But then, using the mysterious and profound 'Wordless Golden Formula' in his mind, he diagnosed Song Wan Liang as suffering from a severe headache. He was momentarily taken aback and said with a wry smile:
"Dragon... Tooth?"
Upon hearing Chen Xiao utter his codename, Song Wan Liang's suspicion vanished. He immediately stood at attention, as if reporting for duty, and replied:
"Here!"
Having confirmed that Chen Xiao was the important individual he was sworn to protect, he no longer cared about the negative comments Song Kai Chao and Song Xiangyu had made about Chen Xiao. Furthermore, Song Yan had personally clarified the misunderstandings to him.
Trusting Song Yan and the higher authorities implicitly, he quickly stood up and said to Song Xiangyu:
"Xiangyu, you go outside. Dr. Chen and I need to speak privately."
For certain reasons, his enlistment in the Northern Border Army in recent years was highly classified, and his current mission to protect Chen Xiao was even more so. Even Song Xiangyu, his own sister, had to be excluded.
"Dragon Tooth? Deaf and mute? What are you two talking about?"
Song Xiangyu's mind was a complete mess, utterly bewildered. She stood there blankly, her expression filled with confusion and unease.
"Get out!"
Seeing that Song Xiangyu had no intention of leaving, Song Wan Liang's tone became stern.
"I..."
Song Xiangyu almost fainted from Song Wan Liang's loud voice and instinctively took a few steps back.
However, determined to seize the opportunity to win over Chen Xiao, she suppressed her natural timidity towards Song Wan Liang and, gritting her teeth, said:
"I... I won't! Brother, Dr. Chen is the man I've pledged myself to! He's your future brother-in-law! If you dare to harm him, don't blame me for disowning you..."
"Huh?"
Chen Xiao was completely unprepared. His eyes nearly popped out. Before Song Xiangyu could finish speaking, he couldn't help but shake his head repeatedly and say:
"Flat-chested Auntie, what nonsense are you talking about? When did we ever have that kind of relationship? Please leave now. Your brother and I really need to talk."
Fearing Song Xiangyu wouldn't listen, Chen Xiao added with a dark expression as soon as he finished speaking:
"Actually... actually, your brother and I are good brothers."
Although Song Wan Liang was unaware of Song Xiangyu's physiological fear of men, he knew she generally disliked men and didn't believe her outlandish claim. He therefore went along with Chen Xiao's statement and nodded:
"Yes! Dr. Chen and I are good... good brothers."
As soon as he finished speaking, he felt an increasingly unbearable wave of headache wash over him. His face, which should have been bronzed, turned pale, and his robust body slumped back onto the stool with a thud.
"Good... good brothers?"
Song Xiangyu's jaw dropped. She couldn't fathom how Song Wan Liang, who was always elusive and often disappeared for half a year, could be good brothers with Chen Xiao. She completely failed to notice Song Wan Liang's unhealthy appearance and pain.
However, amidst her shock, she suddenly felt immensely invigorated. After all, there was no sign of hostility between Song Wan Liang and Chen Xiao. If Song Wan Liang and Chen Xiao were good brothers, wouldn't it be easier than ever for her to win Chen Xiao over?
With this thought, she hesitated no longer and turned to leave with a cheerful stride. Before closing the door, she poked her head back in and said playfully:
"Brother, Dr. Chen, you two good brothers have a good chat and catch up. With me guarding the door, not even a fly will get in."
Chen Xiao had already noticed Song Wan Liang enduring the pain. As soon as Song Xiangyu left, he quickly helped Song Wan Liang to the temporary bed behind the curtain. Then, he rummaged through his supplies, finding surgical knives, forceps, sterile gauze, medical cotton swabs, alcohol, and other items for treating external injuries. He began preparing, explaining with a wry smile:
"Brother Dragon Tooth, please don't take your sister's words to heart. I suspect she said that because she was worried you might harm me. It's because... I'm currently treating her flat chest, and she certainly doesn't want you to clash with me."
"My sister has a flat chest?"
Although Song Wan Liang was Song Xiangyu's brother, he was clearly unaware of her condition of arrested breast development causing a flat chest. He was somewhat taken aback, but he unhesitatingly chose to believe Chen Xiao. After a brief pause, he said without hesitation:
"Dr. Chen, there's no need to explain. I absolutely trust Yan Yan and the higher authorities. I will find an opportunity to clarify my grandfather's misunderstandings and prejudices towards you."
More concerned about Song Wan Liang's health than clearing Song Kai Chao's misconceptions, Chen Xiao said without hesitation:
"Brother Dragon Tooth, are you mentally prepared? I'm about to use a scalpel to cut open the area where you were shot in the head and remove the bullet casing lodged in your brain."
Song Wan Liang looked at the sterilized, sharp scalpel in Chen Xiao's hand and almost lost his nerve:
"Uh, this? Don't... don't we need an operating room or an anesthesiologist? And the skull is so hard, can a scalpel alone... can it perform a craniotomy? Moreover... moreover, shouldn't we take an X-ray or something before operating? Otherwise, how will you know the exact location of the bullet casing in my head?"
As he spoke, he involuntarily scrambled off the temporary bed and stared at Chen Xiao warily.
Chen Xiao was quite speechless. After a moment's thought, he decided to call Jun Dao directly:
"Brother Jun Dao, although I'd love to help your comrade, he doesn't seem to have much faith in my medical skills! What? Let him talk on the phone? Sure!"
As he spoke, Chen Xiao handed the phone to Song Wan Liang, who was still trembling.
"I..."
Song Wan Liang was on the verge of tears. Trembling, he explained to Jun Dao on the other end of the line:
"Bro... Brother Jun Dao, it's... it's not that I don't want to believe Dr. Chen, it's just... it's that he's going to perform a craniotomy on me with just a scalpel, without even taking an X-ray, or arranging for an operating room and an anesthesiologist. This... this isn't trying to kill me, is it..."
However, before Song Wan Liang could finish speaking, Jun Dao's voice came back, cold and stern:
"Who is the doctor here, you or Dr. Chen? If you want to get rid of your headaches completely, just entrust your life to him. I'll take responsibility if anything goes wrong!"