Chapter 190 - 190 189 Appreciation

Words : 1861 Updated : Sep 21st, 2025

190: Chapter 189: Appreciation 190: Chapter 189: Appreciation Cai Yilan offered a slight smile and said in a measured tone, “Vice President Xu, I am someone who never remembers those who harm me, but I will definitely remember those who have saved me.” Hearing this, Xu Dingquan felt an exhilarating chill; he could already envision Liu Hun kneeling before him begging for mercy while he was surrounded by a plethora of officials attended by money and beautiful women. “Before I passed out, I heard a voice telling me, ‘I can save you! Trust me!’ That voice gave me hope, and it did not betray my expectations. It saved me, and I will remember this voice and the face that was determined to make me believe and gave me great hope for the rest of my life,” recounted Cai Yilan with a voice weathered by decades of bureaucratic ups and downs and a deep sense of gratitude, moving everyone present. These words intensified the disappointment of those who felt letdown and the smugness of the prideful. “So, please do not slander or insult my lifesaver—Liu Hun! Mr. Guan, thank you! It was you who pulled me back from the brink of death in the last moment of my life, allowing me to stand here and feel the warmth of my family.” Cai Yilan said to Liu Hun with a profoundly sincere smile, his tone brimming with heartfelt gratitude. When Cai Yilan finished speaking, many people actually reached out to check their ears—tinnitus? Hallucination? Or were they bewitched? The person Cai Yilan thanked was not Xu Dingquan, but Liu Hun! “Old Cai, you... what did you say? Was it Guan... Liu Hun who saved you, not President Xu?” Mu Zhuangqing asked Cai Yilan in astonishment, feeling somewhat embarrassed about his previous misjudgment towards Liu Hun. Cai Yilan patted his daughter-in-law’s hand and said, “I am ill, but I am not confused or seeing things. It was this young man, brave and influential, who grasped my hand at that moment, allowing me to feel his strength. What an extraordinary young man! As for...” Cai Yilan spoke, then turned and his tone changed as he addressed Xu Dingquan beside him, “Vice President Xu, I find your behavior disgraceful! I hope in front of all these people you can apologize to the honest and brave Liu Hun, whom you have insulted!” “Hmm...” As soon as Cai Yilan finished speaking, Xiao Yanzi chuckled heartily, causing Xiao Yanzhu, who was beside her, to feel quite embarrassed. Sensing something strange about the tone, she quickly tugged at her sister and whispered, “Sis, what’s up?” Xiao Yanzi, unlike her shy sister, was radiant like the rising sun, her long eyebrows defiantly raised as she said to her sister, “Nothing! I’m thrilled!” Truly... Speechless! Xiao Yanzhu couldn’t help but roll her eyes and almost passed out. She hadn’t expected her sister to actually say that. Such a reversal! Too intense! The Director hastily popped two Heart-saving Pills; he simply couldn’t bear it and had never imagined that Xu Dingquan, whom he had always regarded as skilled and ethical, would turn out to be such a disgraceful person! Just a moment ago, indulging in fantasies of heaps of money and throngs of women as a supposed life-saving hero, Xu Dingquan’s face was now shattered by Cai Yilan. He knew what awaited him was not a directorship but a continual demotion or even an investigation by the disciplinary commission! “Xu Dingquan! As a director, you have not only failed to hold yourself to stringent standards, but you’ve shamelessly schemed for personal gain! How can you justify the organization’s nurturing of you, or Mr. Cai’s guidance? And now you still show no remorse! Apologize sincerely, from the bottom of your heart!” Huang Shun, the Chief of Police, was the first to leap forward, berating Xu Dingquan. He couldn’t lose this opportunity; if he blew it this time, he’d probably meet a fate similar to Xu Dingquan’s. Huang Shun truly was a master at seizing opportunities, grabbing the upper hand at just the right moment as Mu Zhuangqing said nothing and Cai Yilan kept silent. Xu Dingquan’s heart was filled with despair and resentment, unable to accept that he, a distinguished vice president, now had to bow and apologize to a rural commoner! Although completely reluctant, confronted by the provincial committee senior’s reproach, he had no choice but to humbly walk up to Liu Hun and say, “I’m sorry! I was wrong!” “Liu Hun, oh Liu Hun, you finally look like a human being now. As a colleague and competitor of Vice President Xiao for so many years, didn’t you know that what you said about their father could hurt them so badly? Even animals don’t talk like you! Come here and apologize again!” Liu Hun said, twisting Xu Dingquan’s ear like handling a stubborn donkey, pulling him in front of the Xiao sisters. “Vice President Xiao, County Chief Xiao, I’m sorry... I was wrong! I deserve to die!” Xu Dingquan apologized, bowing his head like a crestfallen dog. Xiao Yanzhu finally heaved a long sigh of relief, feeling settled at last, while the assertive Xiao Yanzi chuckled coldly, shaking her head, the thrill inside nearly bursting out. Who would have thought? Who could have imagined that Xu Dingquan, just a moment ago the provincial committee senior’s life-saving hero, now looked like a disgraceful dog hustling around. He tried to reach for the fruit but just lost face instead; such is the fate of wrongdoers. Seeing Xu Dingquan’s apology completed, Cai Yilan spoke up, “Vice President Xu, go back and seriously reflect on your actions and character. The most important thing for a doctor is medical ethics!” Xu Dingquan, with trembling legs, stammered, “Yes... yes...” “You all can disperse now, I’m fine. Just need some rest, and we can talk about work matters when I officially return to the Provincial Committee.” Cai Yilan waved at the group of officials and then said to Liu Hun, “Young man, why don’t you come in and chat with me?” “Sure!” Liu Hun nodded and immediately followed Cai Yilan into the hospital room. As soon as the door of the hospital room closed, the officials at the doorway quickly left, knowing that gaining the favor of a high-ranking official wasn’t easy. But now, they had a new focus—Liu Hun! “Sister, why aren’t you leaving?” Xiao Yanzhu asked with a puzzled face to Xiao Yanzi next to her. Xiao Yanzi pursed her lips and smiled at Xiao Yanzhu, “Silly girl, didn’t you bring Liu Hun here? So, I’ll just take him back!” “Sister... have you finally found a man you admire?” Xiao Yanzhu asked Xiao Yanzi with a playful smile. Xiao Yanzi quickly waved her hand and said, “Stop it! What are you talking about! I’m just... Oh! Your head is only good for studying; you wouldn’t understand even if I explained!” “Sister, Liu Hun is actually not bad. Although I haven’t interacted with him much, but you saw earlier, he’s really quite good. Maybe we could...” Xiao Yanzhu started suggesting, actually considering setting up Xiao Yanzi with Liu Hun. “Don’t be like Mom! It’s as if Liu Hun is the only man you know, constantly nagging about him, or maybe... maybe you should be with Liu Hun! I wouldn’t mind being your aunt! I’m blushing!” Xiao Yanzi spoke and turned the teasing back on her sister Xiao Yanzhu. The two sisters playfully bickered and goofed around, who would have guessed that a deputy director and a county mayor – sister flowers, could also have a mischievous side? Liu Hun was invited into the hospital room by Cai Yilan, and their conversation moved from how to heal to how to farm. Liu Hun never expected Cai Yilan to come from a farming background as well. The more they talked, the more they hit it off, and Liu Hun couldn’t help but share all of his grand ambitions with Cai Yilan. Cai Yilan increasingly felt that Liu Hun was a mine filled with treasures, the deeper he dug, the more surprises he found. Cai Yan initially went to Wanbao Village intending to pick a fight with Liu Hun. After many days, the knot in her heart had now dissolved as Liu Hun and Cai Yilan grew closer, and at the moment of its dissolution, she realized that deep in her heart, she actually harbored—love for Liu Hun! They talked until nightfall, until Mu Zhuangqing and Cai Yan, worried about Cai Yilan’s health, finally managed to convince him to go to sleep. After escorting Liu Hun out of the hospital room, Mu Zhuangqing felt slightly embarrassed and said to Liu Hun, “Young Guan, I really misunderstood you today! I also want to thank you for saving Old Cai. I...” Liu Hun quickly grasped Mu Zhuangqing’s hand and replied, “Aunt, where is this coming from? It was all Xu Dingquan deceiving you.” “Ai! To think a high-ranking deputy director would do such a thing. It clearly wasn’t him who saved the person, yet he had the cheek to claim it was,” Mu Zhuangqing found herself increasingly approving of Liu Hun, the young man. She spoke with him for a while before saying to Cai Yan next to her, “Yan, why don’t you see Young Guan off? I need to go check on your dad!” Cai Yan responded, and once Mu Zhuangqing turned to enter the house, she looked at Liu Hun with a genuinely grateful expression for the first time, without any argument, and said, “Thank you for today. If it weren’t for you, my dad might not have made it.” “It’s nothing! Why didn’t you just tell me when you left?” Liu Hun asked Cai Yan, slightly puzzled. If they hadn’t met here, he would have had no idea when he would see Cai Yan again. Cai Yan smiled and explained the whole reason to Liu Hun, just like Xiao Yanzhu had told him on the road. Cai Yilan was very skeptical of traditional Chinese medicine, and Liu Hun’s approach wasn’t even considered traditional Chinese medicine, which is why Cai Yan hadn’t told Liu Hun. Just as Cai Yan was about to turn and enter the hospital room, Liu Hun suddenly asked, “Will you... come back to Wanbao Village?” With a mischievous smile, Cai Yan responded, “Well, that depends on whether a certain someone still keeps my room available!” After saying that, she left Liu Hun with a smile and entered the hospital room. Sure enough, waiting outside the hospital for Liu Hun was Xiao Yanzi, who grilled him like an interrogator about his every experience inside the hospital room. Ever since Xiao Yanzhu had suggested pairing her up with Liu Hun, it was as if Xiao Yanzi’s heart had planted a seed that would occasionally sprout, and each time it did, she couldn’t help but sneak glances at Liu Hun, finding him more and more appealing.

Chapter 190 - 190 189 Appreciation

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