Volume 1, Chapter 9: Who Told You to Take It All Off?

"Take off your clothes. My needles are a bit thick, so you will have to bear with it."

"Huh?"

Shen Man, daughter of a global trade tycoon, was usually composed and well-traveled. Yet, upon hearing Yan Fengjia so calmly ask her to undress in front of him, her face flushed red.

"Do I really have to take them off?"

"You were born with a hereditary, latent condition. I must use silver needles to excise the source of the illness. Hurry up."

Yan Fengjia began to undress as well, rolling up his sleeves. He unpacked the meteorite-iron silver needles left to him by his Sixth Master and selected the thickest one.

"Are you done yet? If you are, I’ll..."

Yan Fengjia turned around, but he froze when he saw Shen Man already completely naked on the bed, her face burning red as she covered herself.

"Mr. Yan, I... I’m ready. Please, don’t tell anyone about today. I will cooperate with you obediently."

Yan Fengjia raised an eyebrow. It had to be said that Shen Man’s figure was the definition of the golden ratio. A devilish physique, an exquisite face, and especially that flawless, translucent skin—her snow-white abdomen, marked by toned abs, rose and fell with her nervous breathing. Her long, slender legs were curled together, trembling slightly as her chronic cold-aggression symptoms flared up.

"I told you to take off your clothes, not to strip naked. What are you doing?"

"Huh?" Through her slender, delicate fingers, her eyes were filled with shame and indignation. "Then... you should have said so earlier! I’ll put them back on right now."

"Forget it. Treating the illness comes first; don't waste time. Your cold-aggression has already seeped into your bone marrow. If you delay any longer, I guarantee you won't live for more than three months."

Hearing this, Shen Man dared not disobey and complied obediently. She suddenly felt a large, scalding hand press against her abdomen, followed by a sharp, piercing pain.

"Does it hurt?" Yan Fengjia asked as he placed the needle, glancing at the trembling Shen Man.

Shen Man bit her red lips hard, tears streaming down her face. "It doesn't hurt. As long as this strange disease can be cured, I can endure any pain."

In her family, Shen Man had connections and capability. But simply because she was a woman and suffered from this mysterious illness that would eventually kill her, her father favored his illegitimate son over her. As her condition worsened, the Fourth Master of the Shen family began to strip her of her control over the family business. She was not willing to accept that. That was why, no matter how much it hurt, she would endure it.

The lighting was dim, and the acupuncture session lasted for a full hour. Drenched in cold sweat, Shen Man’s lips were pale, and her body felt weak and sore. As she gradually recovered from the excruciating pain, she realized the procedure was over.

"Mr. Yan, is it done?" Shen Man asked weakly.

"I have purged the cold-aggression from your body. Now, let’s discuss my conditions."

Hearing this, Shen Man was incredibly excited. She no longer felt the cold; in fact, a warm current was flowing through her lower abdomen. "Mr. Yan... I can be yours, but right now I must go and reclaim what belongs to me. I will keep my word, just give me some time."

"You’re overthinking it. I have no interest in you," Yan Fengjia said, lighting a cigarette and appreciating the sight of her snow-white, proud, devilish physique with a detached gaze.

Shen Man was mortified—she had made a fool of herself again. "Then what do you want?"

Yan Fengjia frowned and pondered for a long time. "Does your Shen family have significant power in Qinghai City?"

"It’s decent."

"Help me investigate who is behind my father’s poisoning, and which enemies are currently coveting my family."

"Fine, I will handle this as soon as possible."

"Not as soon as possible, I want it done immediately," Yan Fengjia said, leaving no room for argument. "I’ll give you three days. If you do it well, I will reward you handsomely."

Hearing this from Yan Fengjia, Shen Man felt something was off. You might be a skilled doctor, but surely the Shen family is the real powerhouse here?

"Fine," Shen Man nodded, not taking his request to heart.

"All right, get dressed and leave. I don't want my family to be disturbed."

Shen Man dressed and wrote out a check. "Mr. Yan, this is a check for fifty million. Even if you don't want my help, I still want to show my appreciation. If you need it, I can pay off the rest of the debt for the Yan family without charge once I secure my position as chairwoman."

Having recovered from her illness, Shen Man regained her sense of superiority. She pushed the check forward with an appreciative look in her eyes.

Yan Fengjia smiled. "I don't care for this petty cash of yours. Keep it for yourself."

Shen Man was taken aback. *How arrogant. Even if you are a skilled doctor, with the billions the Yan family owes, do you really think you can pay it off in a short time?*

*You will eventually beg for my help. Such a talent must be under my control. If I let the Gu family have him, then in the future...*

Shen Man calculated her own schemes as she descended the stairs. Watching her walk away, Yan Fengjia extinguished his cigarette on the second-floor balcony and pulled out his phone to make a call.

"Notify the Junlin Group. Find a reason to cooperate with my Yan family. I need two billion in cash—have them gather it as soon as possible."

"Understood, Master," Yan Qiluo replied crisply on the other end.

Hanging up, Yan Fengjia let out a long breath, his fists tightening involuntarily. His three older brothers were legendary war gods of China; it was impossible for them to have all died in the line of duty at the same time. This could only mean there was a secret he didn't know about. And his father—he had to find out who had poisoned him.

Yan Fengjia flicked the cigarette butt from his fingers with a sudden, sharp motion. *Whoosh!* The cigarette butt pierced through a large tree in the courtyard like a bullet.

...

"A bunch of useless trash! I ordered you to find the killer, and it’s been nearly three days! Why haven't you found anything yet!"

At the Li residence, a weather-beaten middle-aged man with eyes like a hawk emanated a chilling aura. Several subordinates knelt on the ground, trembling.

One of them looked up, pale. "Mr. Li, Young Master Li Ao died in the Phoenix Women’s Prison, but that is not a place we can investigate at will."

"However, when Young Master Li brought Qin Wanqiu to the prison, he was killed for no reason. Qin Wanqiu must know something."

"She’s still alive?" Li Tianchen stood up abruptly.

"She is alive, and I’ve heard she returned with the adopted son of the Yan family. I suspect it might have been him, but I lacked evidence, so I didn't dare report it to you, Mr. Li."

"I do recall that name," Li Tianchen said, rising and staring at his son’s ice coffin, his eyes bloodshot. "My son, if you must blame someone, blame me for spoiling you until you were lawless. You caused trouble, and I always cleaned up your messes; otherwise, this wouldn't have happened."

"But rest assured, watch closely as I avenge you. No matter who it is, whoever killed my son will pay with blood—even if it means their family is destroyed."

With those words, Li Tianchen strode out of the funeral hall with a fierce, imposing air. "Bring the men. We’re going to the Yan residence."