Lin Yu gently washed the wild ginseng in clean water, removing the dirt from its surface, then smiled and said, "Old sir, please take another look."

  The elderly physician carefully took the ginseng, his eyes suddenly widening in astonishment. "It really is wild ginseng! This is incredible!"

  "Master, that can't be, right?" The shop assistant's expression instantly changed as well.

  "Old sir, are you sure you're not mistaken?"

  "Yeah, nowadays, there are plenty of fakes with glued-on roots that look real."

  The crowd, envious, couldn't help but voice their skepticism.

  "With my years of experience, I can say with certainty—this is genuine. This wild ginseng has tightly clustered bud scars, jujube pit-like rhizomes, no sap leakage, and a well-proportioned body. The skin is firm, fine, and glossy. The root branches naturally, with fine, deep wrinkles. The fibrous roots are long, flexible, and not brittle. Plus, its size is exceptionally large—this is truly a top-tier specimen, possibly between several hundred to a thousand years old."

  The old physician spoke with authority, his voice trembling slightly. Such a premium ginseng was something many herbalists might never encounter in their lifetime.

  "Old sir, your knowledge is truly profound," Lin Yu said with a smile. The physician's analysis was spot-on.

  The crowd erupted in murmurs of amazement. "With ginseng this good, how much would it be worth?"

  "I wouldn't sell it for any amount—I'd eat it myself. Who knows, maybe it could grant immortality!"

  "I remember a three-hundred-year-old ginseng selling for over ten million a few years ago!"

  "What luck! They've struck gold. This wild ginseng could easily fetch over a hundred million!"

  The onlookers were green with envy, regretting not having bought it themselves earlier.

  "Young man, congratulations. If you're willing, you could sell it to our pharmacy..."

  Before the old physician could finish, Lin Yu waved his hand and declined with a smile. "I'm sorry, old sir, but I plan to use this ginseng myself."

  With that, he took the ginseng back from the physician and quickly disappeared into the crowd.

  Back at the hotel, Lin Yu carefully stored the wild ginseng in his suitcase. With its exceptional medicinal value and the spiritual energy within him, this ginseng might truly have the power to bring the dead back to life. This trip to Ling'an had been more than worth it.

  Deep down, Lin Yu harbored a fantasy—a hope that one day, he could restore his own fleshly body. But alas, reviving the dead and regenerating flesh remained nothing more than a legend.

  Even in the memories of his ancestor, the sage, knowledge about such things was scarce.

  Two days passed in the blink of an eye. On the evening of the third day, Lin Yu made a point to visit Jiang Yan's room, returning her bank card and explaining that he had bought some local specialties, spending a bit of money.

  "How much did you spend?" Jiang Yan took the card, massaging her sore shoulders as she asked.

  For years, she had been the one managing the household finances, so she needed to keep track.

  "Two hundred and eighty thousand," Lin Yu answered honestly.

  "Two hundred and eighty thousand?! Are the local specialties made of gold here?"

  Jiang Yan glared at him angrily. This spendthrift had blown through so much money in just two days.

  If Lin Yu hadn't started earning money now, she would have kicked him twice by now.

  "Ah, money is just a worldly possession. The most important thing in life is happiness," Lin Yu said, walking behind her and beginning to massage her shoulders.

  "What are you doing?!"

  Jiang Yan frowned at first, but then she felt a warm, soothing sensation spread through her neck and shoulders, instantly relieving her fatigue.

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  Lin Yu gently kneaded her shoulders, his emerald-green spiritual energy seeping into her body through his fingertips, washing away her exhaustion.

  "I'm sorry for making you shoulder the burden of our family alone all these years," Lin Yu said softly. "Now that I can earn money, don't push yourself so hard anymore. Do whatever makes you happy."

  "Easier said than done. Don’t think those jewelry companies hiring you as a consultant won’t see through you eventually. Once they realize you can’t actually make them money, they’ll kick you to the curb," Jiang Yan snorted, feeling Lin Yu was being shortsighted.

  "Don’t worry, I have my own plans."

  Lin Yu had already made up his mind. Since no job suited him, he might as well start his own business—at least that would provide security for his family and give him something to do.

  Seeing how late it was, Lin Yu bid Jiang Yan goodnight and returned to his room.

  After seeing him out, Jiang Yan closed the door and locked it, only to find the deadbolt was broken. She considered calling the front desk to fix it, but since they were leaving tomorrow, she decided to let it slide.

  Besides, Lin Yu was right next door, which gave her a strong sense of security.

  She fastened the security chain and went to take a shower.

  **Knock, knock, knock…**

  Lin Yu had just returned to his room when there was a knock at the door. He hurried to answer it.

  A hotel attendant entered, carrying a tray of desserts and juice. "Mr. He, please enjoy."

  This was part of the hotel’s complimentary service, something they had delivered for the past three days. Lin Yu particularly liked their juice, and since he was thirsty, he took a few big gulps.

  "Oh, by the way, you don’t need to go to my wife’s room. She said she doesn’t want anything," Lin Yu instructed.

  "Understood, Mr. He," the attendant replied with a smile.

  "How do you make this juice? It’s so good. Mind sharing the secret?" Lin Yu asked between sips.

  "Our fruits are all imported, carefully selected—that’s why the juice tastes so good," the attendant explained politely.

  "Ah, no wonder—"

  Lin Yu nodded, but before he could finish, the room suddenly spun around him. With a **thud**, he collapsed to the floor, the juice spilling everywhere.

  The attendant’s expression changed instantly. He rushed over, crouching beside Lin Yu and patting his chest urgently. "Sir! Sir! What’s wrong?"

  When Lin Yu showed no response, the attendant pressed a hand to his face a few times. Still nothing.

  Only then did the attendant relax, letting out a long exhale before speaking into his walkie-talkie: **"Done!"**

  In less than ten minutes, four burly men burst into the room. Their movements and bearing made it clear they were ex-military professionals.

  Efficiently, they bound Lin Yu tightly with rope.

  "No need for all that. The drug will keep him out for three or four hours," the attendant said.

  "Better safe than sorry," one of the men replied coldly. His military training had ingrained caution into him—even when dealing with an ordinary person like Lin Yu, he took no chances.

  "Are the cameras off?" another asked.

  "Already handled," the attendant confirmed.

  The four men then carried Lin Yu out, glancing left and right to ensure no one was watching, before swiftly heading down the stairwell.

  ---

  **"Got it."**

  In an office building, a man in a black jacket hung up his phone and turned to Li Junyi respectfully. "Boss Li, everything’s set. That little woman is already a cooked duck—no way she’s flying off now."

  "What about that He Jiarong?" Li Junyi asked, popping a blue pill into his mouth and washing it down with water.

  For a night as important as this, he needed to be in peak condition.

  "Tied up. Those mercenaries are taking him to the abandoned factory district now. They’ll ‘prep’ him first. After you’ve had your fun with the woman, you can go play with him properly," the man in the black jacket said with a smirk, utterly confident.

  "Are you sure?"

  Li Junyi still seemed uneasy.

  "Positive. Here’s the photo the mercenaries sent."

  The man pulled out his phone and showed Li Junyi the picture.

  In it, Lin Yu was bound hand and foot, his mouth covered, eyes closed in unconsciousness.

  "Good. These guys work fast. Give each of them an extra 200,000 when this is over," Li Junyi said, delighted.

  After changing into fresh clothes and dabbing on some cologne, he set out.

  Half an hour later, Li Junyi arrived at Jiang Yan’s hotel. It was already past midnight.

  **"Boss Li, you’re here. Everything’s ready for you."**

  The hotel manager hurried over, pulling a key card from his pocket and handing it to Li Junyi obsequiously. **"Room 1801. The deadbolt’s broken, and she didn’t report it. As for the security chain—we’ve already tampered with it. One good yank, and it’ll come right off."**

  "Excellent work. Don’t worry, you’ll be rewarded when this is done," Li Junyi said, pleased, as he took the key card and headed for the elevator.

  His heart pounded with excitement. Just the thought of Jiang Yan’s flawless, pale ankles and toes sent shivers through him.

  As a self-proclaimed foot connoisseur, he had always paid special attention to women’s feet. But after years of encountering countless beauties and models, none could compare to Jiang Yan’s.

  Tonight, his dream would finally come true. And it wasn’t just her feet—her entire body would be his!

  He had even brought a high-definition digital camera to record everything—partly as a keepsake, but mostly to show Lin Yu later and rub salt in the wound.

  Standing outside Room 1801, Li Junyi’s heart raced. Slowly, he swiped the key card, then gently turned the handle, easing the door open.

  When pulling the security chain, he used controlled force to avoid making noise and waking Jiang Yan.

  He hadn’t drugged her tonight because he didn’t need to. With his skills, even three Jiang Yans wouldn’t stand a chance.

  Besides, the more helpless she was, the more it would satisfy him.

  This was her punishment for dumping him all those years ago!

  Once inside, he carefully closed the door behind him and crept toward the bedroom. He didn’t turn on the lights. Instead, he raised his digital camera, activating its built-in LED light to start recording.

  But as he reached the bed, the camera’s screen suddenly showed a man’s smiling face.

  **"AHH!"**

  He screamed, falling onto his backside in shock.

  At the same moment, the bedroom lights flicked on.

  There, sitting cross-legged on the bed, was Lin Yu—grinning at him.

  **"Boss Li, long time no see."**