A fifty-million treatment fee

Tang Yongjin lay in the hospital room on an IV drip.

Several renowned doctors were consulting in the room. Wu Sihan felt a flicker of surprise when he saw who was inside.

The man lying in the hospital bed was the real estate tycoon Tang Yongjin. He was planning a major development in Cang City, and several of the city's leading families were looking for opportunities to work with him.

Wu Sihan had never expected to encounter him here. The recent marriage alliance between the Ye Family and the Liao Family had left the Wu Family isolated, and their business had run into some trouble as well. If he could establish a connection with Tang Yongjin, nothing could be better.

"Have you gentlemen reached a conclusion?" Zhou Jinzhi asked the doctors.

"Not yet. We need to see the test results," the lead doctor said.

Zhou Jinzhi smiled. "Then why don't you gentlemen step outside and hold a meeting to discuss a treatment plan?"

Knowing that Ye Fan's methods were rather unusual, Zhou Jinzhi did not want too many people watching.

"All right." The doctors exchanged glances and left.

"Did you bring any Illness-Expelling Talismans?" Zhou Jinzhi turned to Ye Fan and asked solemnly.

"How do you know about the Illness-Expelling Talismans?" Ye Fan asked.

"Xiao Chi told me." After the incident at the ancient tomb, Xiao Chi had grilled him about everything concerning Ye Fan, including the Illness-Expelling Talismans. But even if Xiao Chi had not brought up Ye Fan's talismans, Zhou Jinzhi had already known about them.

Wu Sihan frowned, feeling unsettled. When Ye Fan had set up his stall, Wu Sihan had thought he was merely scamming people. He had never expected even Elder Zhou to take an interest in Ye Fan's talismans.

After returning from his kidnapping, Wu Haoqiang had said that nothing would have happened to him if Wu Sihan had not thrown his Peace Talisman in the trash. At the time, Wu Sihan had thought his son was far too taken in, though a trace of doubt had crept in. Now, he felt a pang of regret.

Ye Fan shook his head. "None left. I sold them all to some charlatan for two hundred thousand each!"

Zhou Jinzhi was speechless. Realman Zhang of Dragon Tiger Mountain was certainly no charlatan. "How could you sell them so cheaply?"

"What else could I do? Not many people know their worth. Nobody wanted to buy them." Ye Fan sounded deeply troubled.

Wu Sihan was speechless. Was I one of those people who didn't know their worth?

"How are you going to treat him without an Illness-Expelling Talisman?" Zhou Jinzhi asked anxiously.

Ye Fan lifted Tang Yongjin's eyelid and examined him. "This guy's been poisoned. An Illness-Expelling Talisman wouldn't help anyway."

"Poisoned? How could he have been poisoned?" Zhou Jinzhi's face grew grave.

Ye Fan smiled. "How would I know? I'm not the one who poisoned him. It's chronic poisoning, so it must have been going on for a while. Unfortunately, it's flared up now."

"Can he be saved?" Zhou Jinzhi asked.

Instead of answering directly, Ye Fan asked, "As long as I wake him up, you'll give me ten million?"

Zhou Jinzhi nodded. "Yes."

"Then that's easy." Ye Fan made a cut on Tang Yongjin's finger, helped him sit up, and pressed several acupuncture points.

Ye Fan's true qi circulated through Tang Yongjin's body. Black blood flowed from the cut on his finger, giving off a foul stench.

Watching the tainted blood flow from Tang Yongjin's fingertip, Zhou Jinzhi's mind churned.

"He'll wake up soon," Ye Fan said.

Zhou Jinzhi looked at Ye Fan. "That's all it takes?"

"I've drawn out some of the poison, so he should regain consciousness. But he's been poisoned for a long time. Even if he avoids the source of the poison after waking up, he'll probably only have two or three years left," Ye Fan said.

Zhou Jinzhi's expression darkened. "Then what should we do?"

"Get him out of here, quick! You can't let anything happen to him at your place," Ye Fan said.

Zhou Jinzhi was speechless.

"Then how much would it cost to cure him completely? Name your price!" Zhou Jinzhi said.

"Fifty million!" Ye Fan said.

Zhou Jinzhi looked at him helplessly. "You certainly know how to take advantage of someone in a crisis!"

Ye Fan smiled calmly. "Old Man Zhou, you know I'm trying to woo my future husband. He likes rich men, too. How am I supposed to win him over if I don't work hard to make money? If you hadn't helped arrange an opportunity for me before, I'd be asking you for a hundred million!"

"You..." Zhou Jinzhi sputtered.

"Fifty million. I'll pay." The old man on the hospital bed suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze razor-sharp.

Ye Fan turned toward him with a brilliant smile. "Old man, you really know how things work! Much better than this crooked jade dealer."

Wu Sihan was speechless.

Tang Yongjin managed a faint smile. "Is that so?"

Ye Fan nodded eagerly. "Yes! Absolutely!"

"May I ask what poison I've been exposed to?" Tang Yongjin asked.

Ye Fan thought for a moment. "It seems to be Purple Seep. Antiques excavated from tombs often carry this toxin. It can spread through skin contact, so if you enjoy handling antiques, it's easy to get poisoned."

Tang Yongjin smiled. "I see. Sorry for the trouble, young friend, but I'll have to ask you to prepare a Detoxification Pill for me."

"Well... do you think you could pay a deposit first? That way, I can buy the medicinal ingredients!" Ye Fan said with a bashful smile.

"Of course. Give me your bank account number, young friend."

Ye Fan frowned and turned to Wu Sihan. "Cousin, I didn't bring a bank card. Lend me one, will you?"

Wu Sihan said irritably, "Mr. Tang is a man of great standing. Do you really think he'd stiff you out of a few tens of millions?"

Ye Fan protested, "Cousin, just lend me a card..."

Tang Yongjin smiled at Wu Sihan. "You're a young man from the Wu Family, aren't you? Your cousin wants to borrow your card, so let him."

Wu Sihan smiled awkwardly. "All right."

Tang Yongjin promptly transferred fifty million into Wu Sihan's account. Ye Fan said excitedly, "Sir, you know how things work much better than this crook! Don't worry. I'll do my best."

Tang Yongjin glanced at Zhou Jinzhi beside him and smiled good-naturedly. "Is that so? Apparently, I know how things work much better than my old friend Zhou."