The driver came over, took the phone from Chen Shiwei's hand, and handed it to Lin Yao. "Brother, it's good that you're alright. Let's go."
Lin Yao stood up, preparing to leave the ward with the driver, but was respectfully stopped by Zhang Keqiang. "Mr. Gu, what do you think should be done?"
"Let Chen Shiwei and his wife lose their jobs. It's a disgrace that such people have infiltrated the civil service." Lin Yao's voice was calm, as if he were talking about something that had nothing to do with him. "Besides, I guess such people usually have a history of dishonesty. Let them be poor, preferably so poor that they can't even afford to eat. You can add the rest yourself. I don't want to see these people again."
As soon as Lin Yao finished speaking, Chen Shiwei collapsed to the ground, her face deathly pale. The arrogant woman rushed over, wailing and grabbing Lin Yao's hand, "Please, have mercy on us! We were wrong, please forgive us!" She then tried to kneel down.
Lin Yao disgustedly shook off the woman's hand, nodded slightly to Zhang Keqiang, and called to the driver, "Let's go."
"You can't leave! How am I supposed to live if you leave!" The old woman who had been pretending to be dead on the hospital bed sat up, pulled the IV needle off the back of her hand, and tried to get out of bed to beg for mercy.
Lin Yao glanced coldly at the old man, feeling an indescribable disgust. This kind of person only cared about the life and death of his own family, and even went against his conscience to frame a kind person. What did it have to do with him whether he lived or died?
He quickly left the room, and a group of taxi drivers gathered around him as they walked out of the hospital.
"Brother, do you know Chen Keqiang?" The driver stared at Lin Yao's face with a look of fear, his voice trembling slightly.
"Brother, I don't know Chen Keqiang. A friend contacted me. I only heard his name today. I've never even met him before." Lin Yao smiled and quickly reassured the kind driver. He didn't want to scare him. "By the way, who is Chen Keqiang? It's like you all know him."
"Oh, I don't know him." The driver lowered his voice, as if he had breathed a sigh of relief, but he ignored the tone of Lin Yao and Chen Keqiang's conversation. "Chen Keqiang is the Yi family's representative in Yanji. He is nominally the chairman of a large company. He has connections in both the legal and illegal worlds. He is probably the most powerful person in Yanji, at least to the common people."
"Chen Keqiang is from the Underworld?" Lin Yao asked, somewhat puzzled. Logically, Yi Yang shouldn't have entrusted his affairs to someone from the Underworld. "How do you know him?"
“No, he’s not from Wudao, but everyone in Wudao is afraid to mess with him and has to watch their step.” The driver’s words made Lin Yao’s expression improve a bit. “He often appears on TV and does good deeds. Everyone in Yanji knows him.”
"Oh, I see." Lin Yao understood Chen Keqiang's identity. He thought to himself, why would the Yi family choose a Wu Daoren as their representative in their main base? They must have power. As for Wu Daoren's fear of him, it's easy to understand by looking at the Yi family's level of martial arts. It seems that the Wu Daoren in Yanji are not rampant. The Yi family will keep them under control to a very low level, so as not to let their main base be tarnished.
The taxi drivers were all very enthusiastic people. Lin Yao liked the straightforwardness and generosity of the Northeasterners. He decided to treat these kind-hearted people to lunch, which caused a cheer. The taxi drivers didn't care about losing income by eating. Everyone participated, giving Lin Yao a lot of face.
The restaurant was chosen to be the Hongxin Hotel, owned by the Yi family, which is the most upscale restaurant in Yanji City. As soon as they entered, Lin Yao took out the gold card given to him by Yi Yang and instructed the waiter to serve everyone a pack of Zhonghua cigarettes, as a way of making up for the business they had missed by helping out.
Northeasterners aren't pretentious; they're even more straightforward with easygoing people. They readily accepted Lin Yao's cigarette, and a dozen or so people gathered around him, getting all warm and fussy. Someone even suggested they skip the afternoon shift and call their replacement to come pick up the car, because they wanted to drink at lunchtime. This suggestion was met with agreement from everyone, and suddenly everyone wanted to drink.
In the most upscale hotel, instead of ordering the most expensive liquor, everyone chose the 52-degree Niulanshan Erguotou Classic Series, packaged in a yellow porcelain bottle. The hotel price was only 498 yuan, while it retails for around 200 yuan outside. Northeasterners have a special fondness for Erguotou, so Lin Yao followed suit and tasted this most famous fine wine.
"That was really satisfying today. That guy named Chen something-or-other, he was so arrogant before, but as soon as Brother Gu's men came, he immediately wilted. Look at him now, he's not even as good as us after losing his job, haha." A young man who drank alcohol like water spoke with a thick lisp, clinking his small glass with the middle-aged woman next to him, his face flushed with pride.
"Brother, I've also delayed your business today. I didn't expect to be bitten by a dog for doing a good deed. I toast you." Lin Yao picked up his wine glass, his eyes a little dazed. When drinking with Northeasterners, no matter how much they treat you well, you'll most likely want to crawl under the table.
The driver slapped Lin Yao on the shoulder with great force, causing Lin Yao to fall onto the table. He quickly adjusted himself to avoid kissing the dishes on the table. "Brother, it's nothing. We all encounter this kind of thing all the time. There are more than a dozen people at this table, and none of them have not been extorted."
“But we can’t let being scammed stop us from helping people in need in the future.” The driver shook his head, his face beaming like a Buddha. “There are still more people with a conscience in this world. Everyone needs a helping hand sometimes. As long as we do our best to act with a clear conscience, we can just laugh it off when we encounter such scum.”
Lin Yao felt a chill run down his spine, and his drunkenness quickly subsided. The driver's words jolted him awake. Seeing the man waving his thick arm, his spirited demeanor was quite touching. Life was so beautiful, and happiness was so simple. Helping others was also a kind of happiness.
As long as one acts with a clear conscience, that's enough. Minor setbacks and blows should not be used as an excuse for darkness and depravity.
Thinking of this, Lin Yao felt a sense of clarity dawning before him, and his original convictions were reaffirmed. Yes, he would learn from the driver and live a happy life, doing what he wanted to do, seeking only to have a clear conscience and be a simple and joyful person.
At this moment, Lin Yao had an unprecedentedly clear understanding of his future. What did it matter if he acted recklessly? As long as he was of good character, this attitude towards life would lead to a better life. Some of his previous concerns and worries about his reputation vanished with the driver's hearty laughter, leaving no trace.
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Chapter 135 A Blessed Land of Spiritual Energy
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Having recovered his composure, Lin Yao was living a fulfilling life and was no longer so anxious or worried about Minhong Pharmaceutical, which was thousands of miles away.
Minhong Pharmaceutical's disaster relief work is proceeding in an orderly manner, and the treatment of poisoned patients is also going smoothly. Lin Hongmei, the mother, counts money until her hands cramp every day. Although she doesn't actually handle the money and only sees numbers displayed on a computer, that's exactly what she said to Lin Yao over the phone. She even felt a little reluctant to accept the money, which made Lin Yao laugh at her, comparing her to some real estate developer in the south who pretentiously said that the profits in real estate were so high that they themselves were embarrassed.
Under Shen Ruohua's leadership, the security team carried out its work smoothly. In addition to routine security work, they collected and organized inside information on all domestic and foreign pharmaceutical industry peers, and even some domestic conglomerates. These potential or future competitors and companies and organizations eyeing Minhong Pharmaceutical were added to the security team's key monitoring list.
It turns out that the security team is not only responsible for security. Judging from their appearance, they are practically an intelligence agency. Their business intelligence capabilities are impressive. They are truly professionals among professionals. This made Lin Yao even more curious about the unit where Ge Yong used to serve. What kind of unit could cultivate such well-rounded and professional talents?
The security guards who were sent to the Yi family for "training" in rotation also gained a lot. Yi Yang also relaxed the standards for these veterans and gathered some teenagers to be their sparring partners. Fortunately, the veterans had good mental qualities. Otherwise, they would have been embarrassed to be trained by a group of young guys who could be their nephews and nieces.
The entire town of Yijia was filled with a spirit of high morale, except for Fan Shao of the Fan family.
All the elders of the Yi family, except for Yi Fei who was sent to Zhongnanhai as a bodyguard, have advanced one level. Those who were at the early stage of Earth Rank have become those at the middle stage of Earth Rank. Yi Dao, the only one at the middle stage of Earth Rank and Yi Yang's second uncle, has also advanced to the peak stage of Earth Rank. Judging from his momentum, it won't be long before he reaches the peak of Earth Rank.
One by one, the elders of the Yi family advanced in rank, but this caused great suffering for Fan Shao, who accompanied the treatment throughout the process.
Lin Yao used an unreplicable treatment method, which had no possibility of being passed down. He had no choice but to use his ancestral medical qi cultivation technique, acupuncture, and specially prepared ancestral medicine as an excuse to deceive the humble Fan Shao, who was eager to learn. This caused Fan Shao, who had the demeanor of an enlightened immortal, to age rapidly, and the depression and entanglement that were always on her face could fill a dustpan.
“Sir, all the elders except Yi Fei, who is in Zhongnanhai, have advanced.” Yi Yang looked at Lin Yao respectfully. “Yi Fei is not suitable to take leave to come back for treatment right now. The decision of the First Elder and the other elders is to temporarily avoid Yi Fei’s advancement, and to improve the overall strength of the family first, before making a high-profile comeback, so as not to let other families get the information and damage the foundation of the Yi family.”
"You can decide for yourselves. I don't need to know these things." Lin Yao smiled and replied to Yi Yang. The Yi family was clearly trying to win him over. He didn't want to know this kind of confidential information, lest he be tied too tightly. Although he was already tied to the Yi family, it would be better to remain independent on the surface. He still had a lingering resentment about joining a powerful family.
The First Elder, Yi Potian, sat calmly to the side, seemingly blending into his surroundings. Lin Yao couldn't sense his presence without Xiao Cao's help. Fortunately, the connection between Xiao Cao and Lin Yao was growing stronger, and this shared sense of perception had become an integral part of their lives, always intertwined.
"Sir, can we also begin treating disciples below the Elder level?" Yi Potian was very polite to Lin Yao. After a period of adaptation, the realm of a Heaven-level expert had stabilized, and he had developed a corresponding state of mind and demeanor. His polite words at this moment made Lin Yao feel valued and pampered.
"This..." Lin Yao was at a loss, carefully organizing his thoughts, "Elder, to be honest, the price I have to pay to help you is too high. This method cannot be carried out in the long term, nor can it be used on anyone. I am trying to find a solution."
Seeing the disappointment on Yi Potian and Yi Yang's faces, Lin Yao continued, "How about this, you choose the disciples who have reached the peak of the Human level, and I will help them advance according to my own situation. Don't worry, once I find a way, I can help all the Yi family disciples cure their hidden ailments. I will be going to Changbai Mountain tomorrow to search for medicine, so I hope you can make the arrangements."
The disappointment on Yi Potian and Yi Yang's faces vanished instantly, replaced by grateful smiles. They had devoted so much thought and effort to the rise and fall of the Yi family, their entire being involved. At this moment, Lin Yao held an especially important place in their hearts, even more so than themselves.
"I'll accompany you tomorrow, sir. Yang'er, you can arrange for two more elders." Yi Potian made his decision. Lin Yao's safety had risen to the level of the family's safety. He wouldn't feel at ease if he didn't accompany him personally. The only time he went out a few days ago, so many things happened. Yi Potian was determined not to take this matter lightly again.
Lin Yao understood Yi Potian's intentions and felt a pang of guilt, which he quickly dispelled. Although Xiao Cao had enough "food" every day, and theoretically, with sufficient medicinal herbs, he could treat more members of the Yi family each day, Lin Yao dismissed the idea for his own safety.
Previously unaware of the existence of experts at the Heavenly Rank, his current knowledge only intensified his sense of crisis. Xiao Cao had claimed she could instantly kill an expert of Yi Potian's level, but the cost was immense; the medicinal herbs needed for recovery alone were astronomical. Furthermore, he couldn't ascertain whether Xiao Cao's attack on a Heavenly Rank expert would have any lasting effects on her. This made Lin Yao even more cautious.
If faced with two Heavenly-level experts, or one Heavenly-level expert and one Earthly-level expert, it was uncertain whether he could handle the situation. This concern made Lin Yao focused solely on helping Xiaocao grow as quickly as possible and improve her abilities; enhancing his own abilities was the true guarantee. Therefore, the matter of treating the Yi family members and helping them improve their skills could never be undertaken on a large scale.
Even a powerful family like the Yi family, which Lin Yao considers extremely strong, lives in constant fear and is also subject to attacks from other powerful families. The Lin family, or rather the Luo Lin family, which is all alone, can only protect itself by elevating itself to a terrifying level. Only then will it be safe.