Chapter 22: The Mysterious Healer with Ghostly Hands

"What's the situation?" Fu Hanning placed the trophy carefully back on the sofa, his face remaining unreadable as he posed the question with calm authority.

Li Feng stepped closer, lowering his voice as he shared, "One of our rivals has picked up on your hospital visits over the years. They've strung together enough evidence to imply you've been hiding your olfactory impairment by mimicking the scores of the judges around you."

"Focus. Is it handled?" Fu Hanning's tone was cold, his gaze razor-sharp.

For years, he had taken extreme care to keep this secret. He'd gone through countless measures, crossing every 'T' and dotting every 'I', to ensure no loose ends remained. But it seemed that even the smallest missteps could come back to threaten him, and Gu Yining had recently become one of those potential hazards as well.

"It's under control for the moment, but we can't keep this up indefinitely. If you were able to get treated, this wouldn't be an issue. Should we consider asking your wife to help?"

"She's not capable of that." Fu Hanning's tone was dismissive, almost scornful. "At best, she can provide me with brief moments of reprieve. Her skills are trivial and nowhere near enough to address my condition."

"Then our best hope is the so-called 'Ghostly Hands' healer. We've recently tracked sightings of him in Ling City, and we've started investigating."

"I need a face-to-face with this person, and I need it fast," Fu Hanning murmured, a dark gleam lighting up his eyes.

He had been after this enigmatic doctor for some time. Known only as the 'Ghostly Hands,' this doctor was a legend cloaked in mystery. No one seemed to know his appearance, height, or even gender. He operated under an erratic schedule, appearing only to treat those he deemed worthy of his skills. If a patient didn't meet his mysterious criteria, he'd refuse treatment outright—no bribes, however vast, could sway him. The man was a ghost, unbound by conventional rules.

"Our informants have confirmed that Ghostly Hands has an appointment with a Dr. Xie Suyun at the affiliated hospital today at 5 PM," Li Feng continued.

"Send our people to watch her office. Anyone who enters or leaves at that time—track them. I want their every move accounted for."

"Understood, sir." Li Feng bowed, excusing himself swiftly to execute his orders.

---

At 5 PM, at the affiliated hospital, a young woman in casual clothes—a black T-shirt and jeans—walked into Dr. Xie Suyun's office. She wore a baseball cap low over her eyes and a mask that obscured most of her face. Hidden in the shadows, a dozen pairs of eyes followed her movement, carefully noting every detail.

Outside the hospital, Fu Hanning sat in the back of a sleek black Maybach. He leaned back, stretching his long legs, and held a tablet in his hands. On it, a live feed from the hospital's surveillance cameras played. He watched as the young woman entered Dr. Xie's office and promptly shut the door behind her. She then removed her mask, revealing a delicate, beautiful face.

"Yining, you made it," Dr. Xie greeted, smiling as she rose from her seat to embrace her niece.

Gu Yining rushed toward her aunt, her eyes filled with concern as she took her hands. "Auntie, I noticed people are watching me, so I can't stay long. Is there news about my mother's death?"

Dr. Xie, her mother's younger sister and one of her main physicians, had always felt the weight of guilt over her failure to save her sister, Xie Wanxiang. Out of love and remorse, she had taken Gu Yining under her wing, sharing her knowledge and guidance whenever possible.

Both women had long suspected that the circumstances surrounding Xie Wanxiang's death were not as straightforward as they appeared. For years, they had painstakingly gathered evidence and pursued every lead, determined to uncover the truth.

"Finally, I tracked down the forensic pathologist who was on your mother's case all those years ago. I pressed him, and with enough leverage, he came clean. Your mother's death was no accident. She wasn't taken by a simple lung disease. She had been inhaling a specific blend of essential oils—one laced with carcinogenic compounds. This led to chronic coughing, and her health deteriorated rapidly from there. By the time he conducted the autopsy, her lungs had turned black. The Gu family has worked hard to keep these details hidden for years, but we now have the truth."

A wave of shock washed over Gu Yining. Her hands trembled as she processed her aunt's words, each revelation cutting through her like a knife. She had suspected foul play for years, but hearing this confirmation shattered her.

"You mean… she was poisoned? And the family covered it up?" Gu Yining's voice was barely a whisper, her chest tightening with fury and despair. The ground seemed to shift beneath her feet.

"Yes. And it goes even deeper. We have reason to believe this was orchestrated deliberately, to ensure that she wouldn't pose any further threat. I've been gathering more information, but this is dangerous, Yining. If they suspect we're onto them, they won't hesitate to do the same to you."

Gu Yining's resolve hardened. "Let them try. I'll do whatever it takes to expose the truth, no matter the cost."

The two women shared a moment of determined silence before Gu Yining put her mask back on and slipped out of the office, her mind now set on avenging her mother, even if it meant confronting her own family.