After Being Blackened All Over the Internet, I Ruled the Military Variety
Chapter 703 - 693 Xu Maochun Calls

Chapter 703: Chapter 693 Xu Maochun Calls

The person who interrupted Jiang Lingxi’s silent gratitude in her heart was an account that had almost gathered dust in her friend list.

[Xixi jie, do you have time now? Grandpa wants to say a few words to you.]

Jiang Lingxi stared at the profile picture for several seconds before typing a reply: [I have time.]

The next second, a video call request came through.

Jiang Lingxi quickly sat up straight from the recliner and hastily checked her attire before accepting the call.

An aged face immediately appeared on the screen.

"Mr. Xu."

"Miss Jiang, long time no see."

"Indeed, since the last time I consulted you for a prescription to regulate my health, it’s been about eight months."

"Have you been taking the medicine seriously?"

Jiang Lingxi nodded earnestly, "Yes. Are you, requesting a follow-up consultation?"

Even as she posed the question, she didn’t quite believe it herself.

After all, it had been over six months, and a follow-up wouldn’t be this delayed.

But to say there was another reason, she genuinely couldn’t think of one.

"Then I’ll be direct, I want to see your hands, specifically the backs of your hands."

Jiang Lingxi paused with the phone in her hand before raising the one adorned with Buddha Beads to the front, "What do you mean by this..."

"I just glanced at Xingyuan’s phone and saw the car advertisement you shot. This old man here suspects, the markings on your hand, they’re not some kind of tattoo, right? And these Buddha Beads, they’re not just for decoration, are they?"

The two of them gazed quietly at each other through the screen for a few seconds before Jiang Lingxi smiled and spoke up, "What have you noticed, sir?"

"To not hide anything from Miss Jiang," Xu Maochun sighed, his face showing more bitterness, "this time I reached out to Miss Jiang is indeed out of personal interest."

"Xingyuan’s father was also an excellent doctor back then, and I intended to pass on my knowledge to him. But eight years ago, he had an accident. When the police found him, the skin exposed on him had the same markings as on Miss Jiang’s hand—no, the color was even darker. But until the case was closed, they couldn’t figure out how the markings appeared. I always felt these markings might be the key. All these years, apart from healing and saving lives, I’ve been secretly conducting research in the family lab. Until," he paused to clear his somewhat choked throat, "until I saw your hand. It looks too similar, I just couldn’t hold back."

"And Xingyuan’s father?"

"After that accident, he was gone. Xingyuan has never seen his father."

"Let’s arrange a time to talk in person, Mr. Xu."

Although suspecting this might be another misdeed from Wu Hua during her lifetime, her intuition told her such things shouldn’t be discussed over the internet.

"Alright, Miss Jiang, you’re in the Imperial City now, aren’t you? I’m also in the Imperial City, I’m available at any time. Whether you come to find me, or I go to find you, I’m fine with both."

Jiang Lingxi could understand the old man’s eagerness.

The child he had high hopes for died in an accident, and as a doctor, he couldn’t even determine his son’s cause of death. For eight years, he had silently explored without giving up until now, finally seeing a hint of a possible clue.

"I’ll come to see you, let me have your address. I’m free in the afternoon."

"Okay, okay, when we hang up the video, I’ll have Xingyuan send you the location. Or should I send a driver to pick you up?"

"No need for that trouble, I’ll drive over."

"Then I’ll be expecting Miss Jiang."

Just before heading to the Xu family, another person joined the car last minute.

Jiang Lingxi glanced at Shen Yunqing, who had comfortably taken the front passenger seat, "Mr. Xu won’t have a problem, I bumped into him by chance while recording a program shortly after I arrived and he prescribed me medicine to regulate my health."

Shen Yunqing nodded, "Mm. But the old man, having not given up investigating his son’s ’accidental’ death for eight years, has a very deep attachment. He might be very emotional when he sees you."

Especially with Your Majesty sporting those markings on your hands, yet living well.

While the other man, Mr. Xu’s son, was already dead.

Thinking so, as a relative, deep down there might be some feelings of unwillingness.

Ultimately, Jiang Lingxi brought Shen Yunqing along with her.

Half an hour later, she parked the car in front of the gate of the Xu family courtyard.

Turning her head, she saw the grandfather and grandson already waiting at the gate, seemingly waiting for some time.

She pushed the car door open and got out, "Mr. Xu."

"Miss Jiang is here." Xu Maochun pulled his grandson and walked up, and upon seeing Shen Yunqing getting out from the front passenger seat, "Mr. Shen?"

Shen Yunqing: "Doctor Xu."

Jiang Lingxi stood in the middle, glancing at the two, "You know each other? Wait, I remember He Zhu mentioned during one of my inquiries that you consulted a Doctor Xu for your health. Could it be this man, Mr. Xu?"

Shen Yunqing: "..."

He nodded silently.

"It seems we have quite the tacit compatibility, seeking out Mr. Xu for health adjustments."

Even if Xu Maochun wasn’t aware of the relationship between Jiang Lingxi and Shen Yunqing earlier, the conversation between the two now made it apparent.

"You two..."

Jiang Lingxi held Shen Yunqing’s hand, smiling and nodding to the elderly gentleman.

It’s indeed the relationship you’re guessing.

"Come on in!"

Xu Maochun was accepting—after all, standing together, anyone would think they matched very well, and neither would overshadow the other.

Yet Xu Xingyuan couldn’t help but lift his head to look at Shen Yunqing a few more times, finally having to admit silently, this person indeed looked better than Wei Ke.

Seeing Xixi jie actively holding this Mr. Shen’s hand, it was clear she liked him a lot. It seemed like Wei Ke no longer had a chance.

The Xu family courtyard is a three-entry courtyard.

The first entry is for receiving guests and visiting patients.

Upon entering, one is greeted with a distinct herbal medicine scent.

The second entry is for residence, and the third entry is the storage room.

However, this time Xu Maochun first sent his grandson to the study curtain and then directly took Jiang Lingxi and Shen Yunqing to the third entry.

"No one is allowed to come here without my permission, everyone in the family knows this rule. Miss Jiang couldn’t explain in the video before, so please, enlighten this old man."

Jiang Lingxi held the Buddha Beads from her wrist in her hand, "Given Mr. Xu could tell the Beads aren’t mere decorations, you must have had some progress in researching these things."

Xu Maochun nodded, handing over a notebook with worn edges, "It’s my research notes. I’ve always wanted to understand what causes these markings to appear on people, so... I conducted some experiments."

Jiang Lingxi opened the notebook, looked through a few pages, then lifted her gaze towards the already gray-haired old gentleman, "Pardon me for asking, Xingyuan’s father’s body..."

"I’ve secretly preserved it. Although resting in peace is ideal, he died without clarity, so how can putting him to rest bring peace? Later, when the research hit a wall, I even tried what was once considered vague metaphysics, surprisingly finding some things quite effective, such as the Peach Wood Sword representing righteousness, and items like these Buddha Beads that have been blessed by monks that Miss Jiang owns."

Jiang Lingxi closed the notebook, glanced sideways to exchange a look with Shen Yunqing.

Indeed, availing herself of the opportunity, she found Mr. Xu’s obsession ran incredibly deep.

For someone to secretly keep his son’s body for eight years, not everyone could do that.

"May I ask another bold question, how have you preserved it?"

"Freezing. Before freezing, I drew some of his blood, which is what I later used for experiments. Rest assured, Miss Jiang, not a single drop of that blood was leaked—I understand the gravity of this issue."