Chapter 18: Miss Gu Gets Jealous

Hearing Lin Le’s promise, Gu Huaishan was overjoyed.

“Mr. Lin, may I ask what method you intend to use for Elder Gu?” After what had just happened, Guo Zhao already regarded Lin Le with newfound respect, now addressing him as “Mister.”

“In fact, Elder Gu’s problem doesn’t lie in his body, but in his meridians. Because he was too reckless in his martial arts practice in his youth, his meridians suffered, and without timely recuperation, they have now deteriorated to the point where even a slight use of inner energy causes them to fall into disorder, risking inner deviation. What I am going to do is to reconnect and restore the flow of Elder Gu’s meridians.”

“Reconnect the meridians? Isn’t that akin to washing the marrow and changing the tendons?” Guo Zhao exclaimed in shock.

“Exactly. That’s why it requires one to endure a level of pain unimaginable to most people.”

“No problem, Lin Le. Just do as you need. I can handle it!” Gu Huaishan replied with certainty.

Lin Le nodded. “Since Elder Gu is willing to bear it, I can help you. However, today won’t do. Before I reconnect the meridians, we must first ensure your meridians are strong enough. If not, forcibly re-opening them could cause irreparable damage, even severing the meridians completely.”

“That serious?” Gu Ya gasped.

“Then, young Lin, do you have a solution?” Elder Gu asked.

Lin Le thought for a moment and said, “I’ll write you a prescription now. Prepare a decoction according to the exact herbs and quantities I specify—no deviations whatsoever. Starting tonight until the morning after tomorrow, you must soak in this medicinal bath for more than twenty-four hours to strengthen your meridians. On the morning of the day after tomorrow, I’ll come back to help you reconnect them.”

He then dictated a prescription—over eighty kinds of herbs, many of them rare and precious. The cost of just this prescription would run into hundreds of thousands, but for the Gu family, this was negligible.

What truly amazed Gu Huaishan and Guo Zhao was Lin Le’s ability. To accurately recall such a complex prescription, with every herb in different quantities, was far beyond the capacity of ordinary people.

With this, the three of them looked at Lin Le with even greater admiration.

After making these arrangements, Lin Le’s phone suddenly rang. It was Ji Xiaorui.

“Hello, Master, I’ve arrived at Dragonhead Mountain. When will you be done?” Ji Xiaorui said breezily.

Before coming here, Lin Le had already messaged her to come by a little later. Apparently, she had timed it perfectly, just as Lin Le finished his business.

“Come over now. I’m done here at the villa on the summit.”

After hanging up, Lin Le prepared to take his leave of Gu Huaishan.

“Do you have urgent business, young Lin? I’ve already had food and wine prepared. We still need to thank you properly today!” Gu Huaishan tried to persuade him to stay.

“Perhaps next time. I really do have something to attend to today,” Lin Le replied.

“Is it a friend? Why not invite them over to join us for a meal before you go?” Gu Huaishan was nothing if not hospitable.

“Well… I’d better not.” Lin Le could hardly imagine what it would be like for someone like Ji Xiaorui to sit at the same table as Gu Huaishan.

“You’re being evasive. Could it be she’s your girlfriend?” There was a clear note of jealousy in Gu Ya’s voice.

“Well, that’s—”

Before Lin Le could reply, his phone rang again. Ji Xiaorui was already at the door.

As Gu Ya accompanied Lin Le out, she saw Ji Xiaorui’s Maserati parked at the entrance.

“Honey!” Without preamble, Ji Xiaorui rushed up and flung her arms around Lin Le’s neck.

“Didn’t we agree you’d call me Master from now on?” Lin Le said, embarrassed.

Gu Ya, standing to the side, frowned deeply at the scene.

“Oh, Lin Le, no wonder you said she’s not your girlfriend—she’s calling you husband already…” Gu Ya’s tone was laced with sarcasm.

“No, you’ve misunderstood, she—”

“There’s nothing to misunderstand. The mountain road is slippery—drive carefully. Don’t go getting caught in a landslide or tsunami, or whatever. Goodbye. I won’t see you out!” Without waiting for Lin Le to explain, Gu Ya turned on her heel and strode back into the courtyard, face dark with anger.

That scoundrel Lin Le, how dare he lie to me! Gu Ya fumed inwardly.

Watching Gu Ya’s retreating figure, Lin Le shook his head in resignation.

“Why is she angry now…? The temper of a rich young lady really is something else…”

Lin Le then got into Ji Xiaorui’s Maserati, and with a press of the accelerator, the car shot forward.

Over an hour later, Ji Xiaorui drove Lin Le out of the center of Haizhou City, arriving at the outskirts beyond the western ring road.

In Lin Le’s memory, the west side of Haizhou had always been a barren place. Though there had been some improvements over the past three years, the conditions were still poor.

Lin Le was puzzled as to why Ji Xiaorui had brought him to such a remote, desolate spot.

By now, night had fallen.

From a distance, Lin Le could see that what should have been a wasteland was now brilliantly lit, with hundreds of cars parked across the plain—most of them luxury vehicles costing at least half a million, clearly not the sort owned by ordinary folk.

After parking, Ji Xiaorui led Lin Le toward a massive, seemingly dilapidated iron shed at the center.

As they reached the entrance, several burly doormen blocked their way.

“Invitation? No invitation, beat it!” one of the men barked rudely.

“Watch your mouth. He’s with me. Any problem?” Ji Xiaorui was even harder to handle than they were.

“Oh, so he’s with the Princess Consort. Our apologies, please go right in.” The bouncers, clearly wary of Ji Xiaorui, instantly changed their tune.

Lin Le was surprised; for all her innocent, bubbly appearance, the girl commanded genuine respect here.

Before entering, as per the rules, all phones and recording devices had to be surrendered.

The moment Lin Le entered the iron shed, a deafening roar engulfed them.

Inside, thousands had gathered.

At the center stood a ring the size of half a basketball court. Two fighters battled fiercely atop it, faces bloodied, while the crowd below screamed themselves hoarse in a frenzy.

“An underground fighting ring?” Lin Le understood at a glance.

“Master, you catch on quick,” Ji Xiaorui grinned.

Lin Le smiled wryly. He’d thought she was bringing him somewhere exciting, but it was just an underground fight club. In the past three years, he’d seen plenty of such places, mostly abroad or elsewhere—he hadn’t expected to find one here in little Haizhou.

“If you want to place a bet, Master, just go to the tables over there. Or… do you want to step into the ring and show off?” Ji Xiaorui raised an eyebrow teasingly.

“Not interested today—maybe another time,” Lin Le replied, thinking he’d drawn enough attention lately and better lie low for now.

More than fighting, Lin Le was interested in betting. With his insight, picking winners wasn’t difficult.

“Hey, who’s that sitting in the middle up front?” Lin Le pointed to a high platform facing the ring, where several people occupied special seats, clearly figures of importance.

Lin Le indicated a burly, dark-skinned man with piercing eyes.

“He’s called Heishan—Black Mountain. He’s the only ten-time champion here, reportedly brought in by the owner to anchor the venue,” Ji Xiaorui explained.

Lin Le nodded thoughtfully.

“Well, Master, watch for a while—my turn in the ring is coming up,” Ji Xiaorui said.

“You?” Lin Le was surprised. She seemed more fitting as a cheerleader.

Besides, given her wealthy background, why would she need to earn money this way? Was it just for fun?

While Ji Xiaorui left to prepare, Lin Le observed the scene more closely.

This underground ring was much like others he’d seen—betting and fighting, with few rules. Boxing, mixed martial arts, traditional styles, even men and women fought together. As long as you had the skill and the guts, you could step into the ring.

After a few bouts, it was clear the fighters were ruthless. The top ones had powerful backers and dared not lose—failure would mean dire consequences.

“Now, for tonight’s main event! Let’s give the warmest welcome to our most adorable, most violent Princess Consort!”

As the announcer finished, a slender figure leapt into the ring with catlike agility—it was Ji Xiaorui.

She’d changed into a new outfit: a tight black tank top accentuating her full figure, denim shorts revealing long, shapely legs—firm and strong. Her doll-like face, however, seemed at odds with her new role as an underground fighter, giving the sense she’d wandered onto the wrong stage.

“Princess Consort! Princess Consort!” The crowd’s deafening chant showed just how high she ranked in their esteem.

From fragments of conversation, Lin Le learned that Ji Xiaorui had racked up five consecutive wins here—a remarkable feat for a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old girl, earning even his respect.

“And now, the challenger for tonight’s Princess Consort—Panshan Eagle!”

As soon as the words were out, a figure soared up, arms spread wide, vaulting over Ji Xiaorui’s head to land on the ring.