As men, Lin Yu was well aware of the little schemes brewing in Yu Shixin's mind.

  If they wanted to drink, he’d gladly drink them under the table!

  He just hadn’t expected them to be so weak—they collapsed after just a few rounds.

  Lin Yu walked over to Sun Feng, grabbed his hair with his left hand to lift his head, and pressed hard on the Lianquan acupoint above his Adam’s apple with his right.

  "Bleh—!"

  Sun Feng immediately vomited, spewing a mix of stomach acid and alcohol, filling the air with a foul stench.

  After emptying his stomach, Sun Feng sobered up slightly. Lin Yu pulled up a chair beside him, took a toothpick, and pricked the Guanchong acupoint on Sun Feng’s ring finger. A wisp of emerald-green spiritual energy seeped into Sun Feng’s body through the toothpick.

  Sun Feng instantly became fully alert. When he saw Lin Yu, he froze, then turned to see Yu Shixin and his subordinates all passed out drunk. Stunned, he stammered, "Jiarong, you really can hold your liquor—"

  Before he could finish, his words turned into a scream as Lin Yu abruptly twisted his wrist 180 degrees.

  "Director Sun, Jiang Yan is your subordinate. Don’t you think this is a bit underhanded?" Lin Yu’s voice was icy.

  "Ah—ow! Jiarong, ease up! I don’t know what you’re talking about!" Sun Feng was already drenched in cold sweat from the pain.

  Lin Yu kicked the chair out from under him. Sun Feng landed hard on the floor with another yelp, his arm still wrenched in Lin Yu’s grip, the excruciating pull making him feel like his limb was about to snap.

  "Do you understand now? If not, I can jog your memory further." Lin Yu’s tone was soft but razor-sharp.

  "I understand! I understand!"

  Gritting his teeth against the pain, Sun Feng realized Lin Yu had already figured everything out. There was no point hiding it anymore. "Can you let me up first?" he pleaded in a low voice.

  He was both shocked and terrified. When had He Jiarong become so formidable? His once-timid demeanor was completely gone—now, his words and expression carried an oppressive force that made Sun Feng shudder.

  For a moment, he even wondered if the man before him was still He Jiarong or someone else entirely.

  After Lin Yu released his hand, Sun Feng clutched his wrist and stood up, complaining, "Jiarong, I didn’t want to do this! All these years, haven’t I treated Jiang Yan well? When have I ever shortchanged her? But that damn fatso forced me into it! What could I do? You know my clinic relies on him for all our meds!"

  "So you sold out your own employee for profit?" Lin Yu raised an eyebrow.

  "Ugh, do you think I wanted to? Even if you hadn’t shown up tonight, I was about to text you." Sun Feng sighed and pulled out his phone, handing it to Lin Yu. "Look, I already drafted the message."

  Lin Yu took the phone and saw that Sun Feng had indeed prepared a text, even setting it to send automatically later.

  Realizing he’d misjudged the man, Lin Yu apologized sheepishly, "Sorry, Director Sun. I was too rough earlier."

  Sun Feng waved it off, insisting it was nothing.

  "Since you weren’t involved, I guarantee this won’t touch you. But Yu Shixin won’t get off so easy. You’ve dealt with him long enough—you must know some of his dirty secrets. I’d appreciate it if you shared them."

  Though phrased as a request, Lin Yu’s tone brooked no refusal.

  Sun Feng hesitated, then sighed. "Actually, his misdeeds are easy to uncover—sleeping with female interns, taking bribes, falsifying accounts. He’s done it hundreds of times. But he’s the deputy director, powerful and well-connected. Even if one or two people report him, it won’t topple him."

  "Any evidence?"

  "Evidence..." Sun Feng frowned, then suddenly remembered. "Right! He always carries a backup phone. Most of his shady deals go through it. That’s the most damning proof."

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

  Lin Yu immediately searched Yu Shixin and found two phones on him. He took both.

  "Director Sun, I’ll leave them to you." Patting Sun Feng’s shoulder, Lin Yu strode out.

  Only then did Sun Feng exhale deeply, slumping into a chair. His back was soaked with sweat.

  ---

  Downstairs, Lin Yu made three calls.

  The first was to Li Haoming—as a hospital insider, he was best positioned to gather evidence of Yu Shixin’s corruption.

  The second was to Deng Jianbin, head of the supervisory body over Qinghai City People’s Hospital, who could launch a direct investigation.

  The third was to Wei Gongxun, in charge of law enforcement, tasked with arresting Yu Shixin and pressing charges.

  All three men admired Lin Yu and, hearing the gravity of the matter, solemnly agreed to help.

  ---

  "How did you drink so much tonight?" Jiang Yan asked as she drove them home, unable to contain her curiosity.

  Lin Yu, habitually gazing out the window, replied, "I took some sobering medicine before coming, just in case."

  "Oh... Thank you for tonight." Jiang Yan couldn’t help but express her gratitude. Thinking back to Lin Yu at the dinner table, she’d felt an inexplicable sense of security. Without him, she might not have gotten away tonight.

  "What’s there to thank? I’m your husband." Lin Yu turned to her with a grin.

  *Husband?*

  The term felt so foreign.

  Jiang Yan was momentarily dazed. She wondered how long it would take before she could call him that willingly.

  Truthfully, if any other woman had received all Lin Yu had done for her, she’d have been deeply moved.

  But Jiang Yan remained largely unaffected because He Jiarong had spoiled her since childhood—always giving her the best food, the best toys—ingraining in her the belief that whatever he did for her was only natural.

  She knew this mindset was wrong but couldn’t shake it, at least not yet. Perhaps, at its core, it still boiled down to a lack of love.

  ---

  The next morning, Qinghai’s medical community was rocked by its biggest earthquake ever.

  Yu Shixin, deputy director of Qinghai City People’s Hospital, was arrested for severe violations, implicating over a hundred individuals—including experts, department heads, and even presidents of renowned hospitals like Ren’ai and Municipal.

  The entire medical circle was thrown into panic, everyone fearing they might be next.

  Those in the know whispered that Yu Shixin had fallen overnight because he’d crossed a certain young man.

  Most assumed it was some scion of a powerful family. If they’d known it was Lin Yu—a man who relied on his wife for support—they’d have been stunned speechless.

  Lin Yu was satisfied with the outcome. This was his way of repaying He Jiarong.

  The purge also benefited Jiang Yan. With so many positions suddenly vacant, the hospital issued an expanded recruitment notice. She threw herself into preparations, studying diligently every night, barely exchanging a word with Lin Yu.

  What she didn’t realize was that without someone like Yu Shixin blocking her path, passing the exam would be a breeze.

  ---

  That weekend, while helping his mother mix filling for dumplings, Lin Yu received a call from Elder Song.

  "Xiao He, free tonight? There’s an elite social banquet—everyone who’s anyone in Qinghai will be there. You should come." Elder Song’s voice was jovial.

  "Elder Song, I’d better pass. I’m hardly elite material," Lin Yu politely declined.

  "Xiao He, ambition drives a man upward. I insist you come. It might be a turning point for you." Without waiting for a reply, Elder Song added, "It’s settled then. I’ll have Qin’er pick you up."

  The line went dead, leaving Lin Yu shaking his head with a wry smile.

  Soon, a purple Porsche 911 pulled up outside the dumpling shop. Xue Qin stepped out, waving at Lin Yu.

  "Mom, I’m heading out."

  As Lin Yu stood, his mother grabbed his hand, earnest. "Jiarong, Jiang Yan is a good girl. Don’t you dare wrong her."

  Lin Yu nearly choked. Patting her hand, he reassured her, "Mom, what are you thinking? Don’t worry."

  Xue Qin was dressed strikingly tonight—a black strapless dress, elegant and stylish, her diamond necklace dazzling.

  "I didn’t think you’d come tonight. After all, it’s a gathering of Qinghai’s elite," she remarked with a hint of sarcasm, her lingering resentment evident.

  "If you can go, why can’t I?" Lin Yu shot back, needling her. "Or have you forgotten who solved your company’s crisis?"

  "Humph!" Xue Qin slammed the accelerator, the car lurching forward.

  When they arrived at a high-end mall, Lin Yu frowned. "Why are we here?"

  "To buy you clothes. Look at how shabby you’re dressed!" She rolled her eyes.

  Shengtian Elite Mall was Qinghai’s most luxurious shopping destination, where even the smallest accessory cost tens of thousands, and clothing prices were astronomical.

  Naturally, its clientele was exclusively the wealthy elite. Ordinary folks wouldn’t dare step inside.

  Lin Yu was one such ordinary person—this was his first visit. Staring at the price tags, he inwardly gasped. *This is daylight robbery.*

  "Stop gawking. You look like a country bumpkin," Xue Qin chided.

  On the fifth floor, she casually asked a clerk to pick out a suit for Lin Yu. Since he wasn’t her boyfriend, she couldn’t care less about his appearance, leaving it to the staff.

  Within half an hour, Lin Yu stood before her in a sharp suit. Xue Qin glanced up and paused.

  Admittedly, He Jiarong cleaned up well.

  While not as handsome as Lin Yu in his past life, He Jiarong’s features were passable. His fair skin—thanks to a reclusive lifestyle—gave him a refined air.

  "Fine, this’ll do."

  Xue Qin couldn’t be bothered to waste more time. After paying, she prepared to drag He Jiarong to the banquet.

  "Why do I have to dress like this? Ugh."

  Lin Yu sighed as they walked to the parking lot, feeling utterly out of place.

  "Country bumpkin," Xue Qin muttered.

  "Qin’er! Fancy meeting you here!"

  A cheerful male voice rang out. A tall, handsome young man approached, his eyes lighting up at Xue Qin.

  Dressed in luxurious attire, he was clearly from a wealthy family.

  "Oh, just shopping," Xue Qin replied coolly, clearly uninterested.

  "I didn’t know you were back in Qinghai! Now we can meet often," the man said eagerly before noticing Lin Yu. His expression darkened slightly. "And this is...?"

  Xue Qin’s eyes gleamed with mischief. Smiling, she hooked her arm through Lin Yu’s.

  "This is my boyfriend, He Jiarong."