Volume One, Chapter 32: Just Try Moving!

The blond, blue-eyed man wore a white coat, yet his appearance was less that of a doctor and more that of a wealthy young gentleman.

Su Chenghu bent at the waist, guiding him along with an expression of utmost respect.

Su Yike hurried over. “Second Uncle, who is this?”

The moment Su Chenghu realized it was his niece, the amiable warmth on his face vanished, replaced by displeasure. Still, they were family; no matter how he and his elder brother Su Chenglong clashed, he could not make their rift too obvious.

“This is Dr. Eric, Europa’s foremost nephrologist for uremia. The number of diabetic patients he has cured is more than can be counted on both hands,” Su Chenghu declared with confidence.

Su Yike was perplexed. She only knew that uremia was considered incurable, and she had never heard of such cases abroad, so she was immediately suspicious.

Without thinking too deeply, she blurted out, “Second Uncle, why have I never heard Dr. Eric’s name in any international reports?”

Su Chenghu had little patience to argue; he squeezed past her brusquely.

“Young people know nothing. Go back to work—your father and I will handle family matters. You need not worry yourself.” He snapped, startling Su Yike, who lost her footing and nearly fell.

Thankfully, Jiang Chen was behind her and caught her just in time as Su Chenghu led Eric away.

Su Yike was left bewildered—not that she doubted her uncle, but things needed an explanation. To simply brush her off without a word—what was that supposed to mean?

She was never one to swallow her grievances. Without a second thought, she pulled Jiang Chen into the courtyard.

From the moment they arrived, Jiang Chen could tell that Su Yike’s family was far from ordinary. On the surface, they looked no different from any other family—their clothes were plain, even modest—but what ordinary household possessed a Su-style courtyard nearly the size of a soccer field?

As soon as he entered, Jiang Chen guessed that the Su family might be distantly related to the great Song dynasty poet, perhaps an offshoot branch.

They hurried through the courtyard to the house where her grandfather lived.

Before they entered, the sharp, grating sound of an argument reached their ears.

“Big Brother, why are you still like this? The old man is already in this state—what harm is there in trying? Right now, only Dr. Eric can cure uremia!” Su Chenghu’s voice was much louder than the other’s. No surprise—one of the two arguing inside was Su Yike’s father.

Rushing into the room, Su Yike saw her grandfather, Su Zhan, lying with his eyes closed, his condition clearly dire, his breathing growing weaker.

“Second Uncle, this is Grandfather’s room. Why can’t you discuss this outside?” Su Yike said coldly, stepping between her father and grandfather.

Su Chenghu had already been holding back; now he didn’t bother to restrain himself. “The old man’s illness must be treated! Or do you all want to watch him die?”

Su Chenglong, the elder brother, held authority in the family, but when it came to his younger brother, he was helpless.

“Xiaohu, Father has already said he wants to go with dignity. Do you want him to die with regrets?” Su Chenglong pleaded, his voice filled with pain.

Su Chenghu’s expression did not change, but inwardly he was agitated. “If the old man dies now, I’ll split the inheritance fifty-fifty with Su Chenglong. But if he wakes up and changes his will, there’s no guarantee I’ll get anything. So today, the old man must die...”

“Eric, treat him. I’d like to see who dares stop me!” Su Chenghu barked.

Everyone in the room, except for Jiang Chen, was frozen in place.

Jiang Chen kept his distance; this was a family matter, and as Su Yike’s friend, he had neither the right nor the reason to intervene.

Su Chenglong shook his head helplessly. “Xiaohu, Father always favored you. Now he only wants to leave with dignity. Why do you insist on this?”

Su Chenghu only smiled faintly. “You’re right, big brother. But I can’t rest easy letting the old man go like this.”

Seeing his opportunity, Su Chenghu motioned for Eric to begin.

“No! Absolutely not,” Su Yike protested. “Grandfather said he doesn’t want to suffer any longer. Years of illness have tormented him enough. Now that he’s finally able to rest, what are you doing?”

Su Chenghu sneered inwardly. “Niece, even if my brother agrees, you have no right to stop me. What can you do if I go ahead?”

Su Yike, a police officer, had been sent abroad to study since childhood and returned to pass the civil service exam. From the day she became a police officer, her grandfather, Su Zhan, told her that men and women are no different—all serve their country, only with different duties.

As a retired soldier, Su Zhan had raised her with military discipline, making her far stronger than most girls. In the face of danger, she always remembered: a woman can be as brave as any man.

That was why she now stood bravely in front of her grandfather’s bed, blocking the blond foreigner’s approach.

“Sorry, Second Uncle. I cannot allow you to operate on Grandfather without his consent. If you want to treat him, you’ll have to wait until he regains consciousness.” Her words were measured and firm.

Jiang Chen couldn’t help but give her a mental thumbs-up.

He could tell from Su Yike’s actions that her father, Su Chenglong, must be gentle and mild, unlike the domineering heads of many families. As a result, Su Yike had been forced to strengthen herself to stand up to her overbearing uncle.

A girl who could stand up and oppose her elders’ wrongful decisions—such courage was truly captivating.

But Su Chenghu saw things differently. In this house, whether the old man was awake or unconscious, no one could stop him—not even his elder brother.

“Get out of the way, or don’t blame me for using force!”

“Try it, if you dare!”

“Eric, throw her out!”

The moment he received the order, Su Yike felt a gust of wind as Eric lunged at her.

Eric’s face twisted with malice. He had been hiding his true nature all along. Hired to eliminate the old man in the bed, he wouldn’t have wasted time here if not for Su Chenghu’s request for a charade. Now, at last, he could finish the job—yet this girl dared to get in his way. Fury surged, and he put all his strength into his attack.

He was confident that with one blow, this girl would spend the rest of her life bedridden—just like her grandfather.

“Hold on, pal, you don’t seem like a real doctor.”