A hundred flavors of life

Chapter 1462 Gu Xiaojiao: It would be so much better if you were a rich person! (Please subscribe!)
Xiaoya's face turned deathly pale instantly, and her body swayed almost imperceptibly.

But she quickly forced herself to calm down, her face displaying a complex expression of shock, grievance, and anger, her voice slightly shrill with emotion:
"What nonsense are you spouting! You're making false accusations! Sicheng, don't listen to his lies! I'm perfectly healthy. We have annual checkups, and the doctors have never said there's a problem! He... he must have conspired with Gu Xiaojiao to deliberately slander me and ruin our relationship!"

As she spoke, she gripped Lin Sicheng's arm tightly, her nails almost digging into his suit fabric. Her eyes were filled with urgency and pleading, but when she turned to Gu Xiaojiao, they held a clear hatred in them.
"Gu Xiaojiao, I know you've always been jealous of me, just because your ex-boyfriend dumped you to pursue me, right? But you don't need to find someone to fabricate such a vicious lie, do you? What exactly are you two trying to do?"

She took a breath, as if she had been terribly wronged, and her eyes instantly welled up with tears; her acting skills were on full display.

"Yes, I admit I had relationships when I was younger, but who doesn't have a past?"

"Those were all normal interactions, and the breakup was amicable."

"What abortion, five times? How dare you throw such mud at me? Sicheng, you have to believe me, since I've been with you, you're the only one in my heart and mind! What he's saying is all baseless slander! We can sue him!"

Gu Xiaojiao was still resentful because Xiaoya had stolen her boyfriend years ago. Now, hearing the other party turn the tables on her, she was furious. Just as she was about to retort, Hua Shier gently raised her hand to stop her.

Lin Sicheng's expression changed repeatedly under his wife's fierce defense and Hua Shier's calm gaze.

He instinctively wanted to believe his wife, after all, she was his bedmate, but Hua Shier's status as an "old neighbor" and the wealth he displayed made him feel that the other party did not seem to be someone who spoke carelessly.

This contradiction made him extremely uncomfortable, and in the end, the desire to protect his own and save face prevailed.

His face darkened, and he pulled Xiaoya behind him, looking at Hua Shier with a firm tone but trying to maintain a hint of politeness:
“Mr. Hua, I am very happy to see you, my old neighbor, and I would very much like to become your friend. However, regarding my wife’s private health issues, could you perhaps have misunderstood? Or is there some misunderstanding? Such remarks are extremely damaging to a woman’s reputation!”

"So I hope you can apologize to Xiaoya!"

Hua Shier remained unfazed by the questions, seemingly unsurprised by Lin Sicheng's reaction.

He didn't immediately dwell on Xiaoya's question, but instead turned his gaze back to Lin Sicheng himself, and said in a calm tone:

"Brother Lin, have you recently been experiencing frequent lower back and knee pain, frequent dreams at night, and a dry mouth upon waking? It's probably around this area on your left side."

He gestured vaguely, "There's an occasional dull, throbbing pain, right?"

Lin Sicheng's displeasure froze instantly, turning into surprise. The first two were common sub-health conditions, but the dull pain under his left rib was something he had only occasionally felt in recent months and had never mentioned to anyone in detail. Even Xiaoya didn't know the exact location, yet the other party could pinpoint it accurately.
"How did you know?" His tone softened involuntarily.

"Brother Lin, you must have heard of the 'observation, auscultation, inquiry, and palpation' techniques in traditional Chinese medicine. 'Observation' refers to examining complexion and appearance. Brother Lin, your complexion is pale and lacks luster, and your eyes have dark circles, indicating a slight deficiency of Yin and blood in the liver and kidneys, and a slight stagnation of Qi. Combined with the lines between your eyebrows, it indicates excessive thinking. Since the liver meridian runs along both sides of the ribs, you are experiencing discomfort."

"I imagine there must be some business matters causing you trouble, Brother Lin!"

"However, these are minor issues; just rest and recuperate."

Hua Shier's explanation was understated, yet it stirred up a storm in Lin Sicheng's heart.

He was indeed feeling frustrated recently because of a business deal. The other party's accurate judgment could not be explained by 'deception' and was enough to prove that the other party was a person with real skills in medicine.

Hua Shier looked at Xiaoya, whose face was beginning to turn pale, his gaze calm yet seemingly able to pierce through people's hearts:
“Mrs. Lin, you accuse me of slander. Let’s settle this with a medical examination. Your complexion is pale and dull, with excessive redness on your cheeks, which indicates yin deficiency and excessive internal heat, not a healthy complexion.”

“Dark and messy lines under the eyes, and a flat and dull philtrum, are related to the uterus in face reading.”

"In the theory of Chinese medicine, this phenomenon often indicates premature decline of kidney qi and severe depletion of essence and blood. This level of depletion is usually not caused by a minor illness or accident, but rather by repeated damage to the foundation."

“I am not making accusations, but merely stating the signs I ‘observed.’ Whether they are true or not, modern medicine can easily verify them.”

"Given your current condition, if you don't take good care of yourself, you may face difficulties in continuing your life, and your health will also be a concern."

These words, filled with technical jargon and frank consequences, were like a cold scalpel, peeling away layer by layer the pretense Xiaoya was putting on.

She wasn't unaware of what 'yin deficiency,' 'kidney qi,' and 'depletion of essence and blood' meant, but the words 'difficulty in continuing the lineage' struck her deepest fears and secrets.

Xiaoya's body trembled slightly, her eyes glazed over, and her previous fierce and argumentative demeanor vanished. She blurted out instinctively:
"No, no. The doctor said I can still have children."

Under the dual pressure of her husband's increasingly somber gaze and Hua Shier's all-knowing eyes, Xiaoya's psychological defenses finally crumbled. She shrieked as if grasping at a straw, her words uttered without thinking:

"Only three times! Sicheng, believe me, only three times! All in the past...it was because I was immature back then."

"Oh?"

Hua Shier raised an eyebrow slightly, his tone flat and even, yet more cutting than any sarcasm:
"It seems my skills are lacking and my estimation was wrong. It was three times, not five!"

He paused, looked at Lin Sicheng, whose face was ashen and body stiff, and delivered the final blow:
"However, Brother Lin, the number of times is no longer the key issue. The key issue is that your wife's health has been damaged, and it is still unknown whether it can be restored. It is the right thing to do to have a comprehensive examination at an authoritative hospital as soon as possible."

"Three times. Heh, three times."

Lin Sicheng murmured repeatedly, wanting to ask his wife what about that red mark on their first night?

Looking at his wife's appearance, what else was there to ask? It only proved his own foolishness and that he had been deceived.
Suddenly, he felt utterly absurd and exhausted. He forcefully shook off Xiaoya's hand, which was trying to grab him, without even looking at her despairing face. He turned to Hua Shier, took a deep breath, and forced out the words through gritted teeth:

"Brother Hua, you flatter me. Thank you for your frankness. If it weren't for you, I don't know how long I would have been deceived!"

He quickly handed over his business card, his voice hoarse: "I'll take my leave now. I'll host a banquet to thank Brother Hua another time, and we'll keep in touch again."

After saying that, he could no longer bear the atmosphere and Gu Xiaojiao's gaze, and turned away in a disheveled manner.

"Sicheng! Sicheng, let me explain!" Xiaoya cried and chased after him, the sound of her high heels clattering in disarray.

The mansion fell silent instantly.

Gu Xiaojiao stared in disbelief at the scene. After a long while, she suddenly turned to Hua Shier, her eyes wide with surprise:

"You...you really could tell all that just now? Even several times?"

Hua Shier's inscrutable expression suddenly relaxed. He shrugged, walked over to pour himself a glass of water, and said in a relaxed tone:
"How could I be so amazing? I just heard you say that she even went after her best friend's boyfriend, so I guessed she was probably not someone to be trifled with and had a similar experience before. So I used a bit of psychology and some persuasive techniques to trick her. I didn't expect that she had something to hide and was fooled by me!"

Gu Xiaojiao froze for two seconds, then burst out laughing, the laughter growing louder and louder until she finally clutched her stomach.

"Hahaha, Hua Twelve, you're such a wicked person! Haha. But well done! That was so satisfying!"

In high spirits, Gu Xiaojiao wandered around the old house, looking it over from top to bottom, even the attic, clicking her tongue in admiration. Then she asked Hua Twelve:
What's going on with this house?

Hua Shier chuckled and said, "It's rented. I didn't expect you to brag so much, what if someone wanted to see the house? See, it came in handy now."

Gu Xiaojiao picked up the house photo: "Then where is this property certificate?"

Hua Twelve had already prepared his explanation:

"I got a fake certificate made online for 200 yuan. Look at the craftsmanship! It's so realistic, even the seal looks real!"

Gu Xiaojiao nodded:
"You college students back then really know better than me. If I had followed my plan, I would have been embarrassed today. By the way, you must have paid a high price for this place. How much do you owe me?" Hua Shier quickly waved his hand: "It's just a little money, no need to reimburse me. No need, we're roommates after all!"

Gu Xiaojiao blushed, then said seriously:
"Do you think I want to be your roommate? Let's keep things separate. How much is it? Just tell me already, stop beating around the bush like a woman!"

Hua Shier held up three fingers: "House and car included, rent is 30,000 a day!"

Gu Xiaojiao, who was about to transfer money using her phone, was struck dumb:

How much did you say?

“Thirty thousand? They charge twenty thousand a day to rent that car, and the house is theirs too, so it's even more expensive to rent. I had to beg them until they finally agreed to give me a 50% discount on both the RV and the house. Otherwise, go out and ask around, can you rent this car and this house for thirty thousand?”

Hua Shier spoke with absolute certainty.

Gu Xiaojiao immediately felt guilty: "Twelve, how about we talk? I don't have the money on hand right now. How about I pay you back after I've saved up a few months' salary?"

Hua Twelve waved his hand and said:

“I already told you you don’t need to pay me back. I used your ID card that you keep at home to apply for online loans for you. But they still charge handling fees and stuff. I scraped together 30,000 yuan from seven or eight platforms. You can save up to pay them back!”

Gu Xiaojiao almost vomited blood and screamed:

"Online loans? Hua Shier, are you trying to get yourself killed? Why did you use my ID to apply for an online loan?"

Hua Shier said matter-of-factly:

"If I'm doing something for you, whose ID should I use to apply for an online loan without your ID? Mine? I don't have an ID card either!"

Gu Xiaojiao threw herself onto the living room sofa, covered her face with her hands, and made whimpering noises.

Hua Shier smiled and said, "This is what I should do. Why are you so moved that you're crying?"

"Moved my ass!"

Gu Xiaojiao wanted to say that those platforms had exorbitant interest rates, like they were eating people alive, and how could she possibly pay them back? But after thinking about it, she gave up, feeling that Hua Shier was ultimately acting out of kindness.

"Fine, I'll just lend it to you!"

Gu Xiaojiao's mindset changed quickly. She glanced at the house and said, "You mean you're renting this house for one day?"

“Yes, until tomorrow night!” Hua Shier nodded.

Gu Xiaojiao gritted her teeth: "Since I've already spent the money, I'll stay here tonight. I can't let it go to waste; I have to enjoy myself!"

She ran over and opened the refrigerator, which was full of delicious food. Excitedly, she turned to look at Hua Shier:
"We paid for this, so is the food here all-you-can-eat?"

Hua Shier smiled and nodded: "Eat whatever you like!"

Gu Xiaojiao cheered, found a bunch of delicious food, put it on the coffee table, then went to the wine cabinet, took out two bottles of red wine, and asked:

Is this wine drinkable?

Hua Shier's eye twitched: "Drink as much as you want!" He felt that Gu Xiaojiao was getting a good deal, since he had bought two bottles of Bordeaux wine!

Gu Xiaojiao set up the karaoke machine in the living room, found two microphones, and then started singing karaoke, jumping and banging around. When she got tired, she jumped onto the sofa, poured two glasses of red wine, and said, "Come on, Twelve, cheers!"

Hua Shier had no choice but to drink with her. The two wine glasses clinked together, making a crisp sound, and then Gu Xiaojiao drank them all in one gulp.

Two hours later, the living room was a mess, with two empty wine bottles on the coffee table, and Gu Xiaojiao, flushed and drunk, was lying on the sofa.

Hua Shier shook his head, picked her up, and carried her to the bedroom on the second floor. Of course, he wouldn't do anything to the drunk Gu Xiaojiao; he simply put her on the bed, covered her with a blanket, and then planned to go to another room to rest.

Just then, he heard a drunken muttering behind him: "Twelve, if only you were rich."

The next morning, Gu Xiaojiao found Hua Shier sleeping on the large bed in the attic and asked warily:

"You didn't do anything to me last night, did you?"

Hua Shier rolled her eyes: "Whether you did anything or not, can't you tell yourself? You were so drunk, I was afraid you'd throw up on me!"

Gu Xiaojiao was a little embarrassed, but still snorted: "You're smart to know what's good for you, otherwise I would have thrown up all over you!"

After saying that, she suddenly realized something: "Oh no, I just glanced at it and the first floor is a complete mess. I'm on the early shift today and don't have time to clean it up. What should I do?"

"Don't worry, I've already asked. The landlord will send a cleaning lady to clean up. You should go now; I want to sleep a little longer!"

After he finished speaking, he seemed to remember something and took out his phone: "That car is rented until the evening, so why not use it? I'll call the driver and have him take you to work!"

Gu Xiaojiao was overjoyed: "You're so great, muah!" She blew Hua Twelve a kiss and ran to wash up.

Hua Shi didn't get up until after 10:00 AM. He found a breakfast prepared for him by Gu Xiaojiao using ingredients from the refrigerator on the dining table downstairs, along with a note:
"A kiss, just to thank you, don't misunderstand. I made you breakfast, get up and heat it up in the microwave before you eat!"

Hua Shier glanced at the breakfast, his eye twitching again. He quickly opened the refrigerator and saw that it was confirmed: the top-grade Wagyu beef he wanted to use for steak had been cut in half by Gu Xiaojiao and made into shredded pork with green peppers.

He wanted to eat top-quality salmon sashimi, but Gu Xiaojiao turned it into a culinary disaster: 'salmon stir-fried with chives'.

"That spendthrift woman!" Hua Shier complained, then tentatively took a bite. The taste was surprisingly good, but she still felt it was a waste. Wasn't stir-fried eggs with chives delicious? What a waste!

After dinner, Hua Shier returned to 88 and went to the university to replace his clone for a day. He couldn't just stay away from school all the time.

At lunchtime, while having lunch with Wu Shanshan and Lu Danao, Zhuang Tunan came over with his lunchbox and asked:
"Are you and Shanshan going back to Suzhou for the National Day holiday?"

Hua Shier looked at Wu Shanshan, who said, "Let's go back. I'm a little worried about Xiaojun and Xiaomin at home. It's a good opportunity to go back and check on them!"

Zhuang Tunan nodded and said, "Okay, Dongzhe and Xiaoting will be going too, so I'll book tickets for them all!"

Lu Da Nao sighed, "You guys are so lucky, living so close to Shanghai. It's so hard for me to go home!"

He even started singing as he spoke:
"My home is in Northeast China, on the Songhua River, where soybeans and sorghum grow everywhere."

Hua Shier tapped him: "Stop singing! Other people sing for money, but you sing for your life! Since you can't go home, why don't you come with us to Suzhou for a couple of days? I have a garden in Suzhou, you can see it for yourself!"

"That would be great!" Lu Ming readily agreed.

Thank you to 08a and Little Tiger of the Demon Realm for the donations, and thank you to all the brothers who voted with monthly tickets and recommendation tickets. Thank you so much!