Don’t Rush, Let’s Take It Slow

Qiao Xi was dragged into the abandoned construction shed by two men, her exposed skin scraped and torn by the rough gravel road beneath her.

She was thrown violently to the ground, stirring up a thick cloud of dust. Weakly, she opened her eyes, gazing at the two men in front of her.

Zhuo Feng and Wang Dafu.

"Brother Feng, this little lady's pretty clever. She filmed my video, trying to clear her name." Wang Dafu held her phone in his hand, and in front of Qiao Xi, he slammed it onto the ground with force.

With a vicious sneer, he said, "Dare to film me? Let's see if you can hold on to any evidence now!"

The phone shattered into pieces.

The evidence that she and Shu Xue had filmed was destroyed as well.

However, the two men seemed to think this was only her phone and forgot to search her. The phone that was smashed was Shu Xue's, while hers was hidden in an inner pocket.

She had built up a resistance to anesthesia due to long-term exposure to medication, though her strength hadn't fully recovered yet.

She had regained consciousness during the journey, forcing herself to press the power button and dial the emergency contact, though she didn't know if it had gone through.

Wang Dafu grinned and looked at Zhuo Feng, saying, "Brother Feng, I've done my part. Can I leave now?"

"Go ahead."

"Alright."

Wang Dafu ran off quickly.

He had to hurry and collect his payment from Miss Su before leaving Haicheng.

Once Wang Dafu was gone, the massive shed was left with only Zhuo Feng and Qiao Xi.

Zhuo Feng kicked the limp Qiao Xi on the ground with his foot.

"You little country girl, aren't you good at talking? Why aren't you saying anything now?" he sneered. "You ruined my Wanrentang and pushed me to this point. Even if I die, I'll drag you down with me."

Qiao Xi winced in pain and glared at him. "Your Wanrentang sold fake medicine, you're a menace to society."

Deservedly so.

"You think Wanrentang is just mine?" Zhuo Feng bent down, grabbing her chin forcefully. "I have the vice president of the Chinese Medicine Association backing me. You've cut off his income; you'll never be able to survive in the medical field again."

Qiao Xi was forced to look up at him. "Are you going to kill me?"

"Let's see if you're lucky enough to survive," he sneered.

Zhuo Feng's expression grew increasingly manic. His clothes were stained, making him look like a madman.

He picked up a discarded stainless-steel pipe, looking at Qiao Xi with malice. "I heard you're quite talented, possibly even a disciple of Cheng Han. Is that true?"

Qiao Xi felt the absurdity of the situation.

"Where did you hear such rumors?"

What did she have to do with Cheng Han?

Her hands searched her sleeves, but the needles were all gone—Zhuo Feng had taken them away to prevent her from fighting back.

"Still being stubborn, huh? If you confess, I'll make it easier for you," he taunted.

"I don't know Cheng Han!"

"Then you're useless to me. Anyway, you're practicing medicine without a license, so you can't work in this field anymore. What are those hands even good for?"

Zhuo Feng raised the stainless-steel pipe and brought it down harshly.

Qiao Xi's delicate fingers were shattered with the blow. She let out a heart-wrenching scream.

"Ah!"

Her right hand trembled, turning black and purple with swelling, blood spilling out. A sharp, biting pain made her almost lose consciousness.

What "unlicensed medical practice"!

She had been framed!

But there was nothing she could do to explain.

Anyone can be smeared with accusations—just one short video, and they can label her as practicing without a license, a murderer!

As if the more they slandered her, the cleaner they would feel.

The ones who smeared her got away unscathed.

The hospital had suspended her, and she had to endure endless insults.

Qiao Xi's voice trembled, her eyes bloodshot as she said, "Zhuo Feng, your end won't be any better than mine."

"Don't rush, we'll take it slow," Zhuo Feng said softly, his voice cold and cruel. "I won't show any mercy to your ten fingers."

After all, he had ruined his life too; he had nothing left to lose.

Bang!

He swung the stainless-steel pipe down at her hands.

Qiao Xi dodged, but he punched and kicked her in frustration, taking out all his anger. She curled up, her clothes covered in dust and blood. Tears trickled from the corner of her eyes as her unwillingness and rage forced her to grit her teeth.

She couldn't die. She had to wait for the chance when he let his guard down.

Time seemed to slow down, each second stretching out unbearably.

The pain overwhelmed the numbness in her body.

Qiao Xi slowly stretched out her aching left hand, and with a faint grasp, she seized a rusty steel bar, its sharp tip gleaming. Taking advantage of Zhuo Feng's brief moment of exhaustion, she suddenly surged up and struck him with all her remaining strength.

The steel bar pierced Zhuo Feng's shoulder, creating a hole, and blood poured out. He released the stainless-steel pipe in shock.

"Bitch!"

He quickly reacted, grabbing Qiao Xi by the hair and slapping her across the face.

"On the verge of death, you dare fight back!"

She retaliated fiercely, "I dare!"

Even a cornered rabbit will bite to survive, and she was ready to fight back with all she had.

Smack!

"Say it again!" Another slap landed, as if he wanted to break her pride.

"I'll say it a thousand times, it's the same! As long as I'm alive, I'll dare!" She was like a wild grass thriving in the wilderness, refusing to yield. Her eyes, filled with clarity, shone with a piercing light.

"I'll make you say it!"

Zhuo Feng went wild, beating her mercilessly, as if seeing his filthy soul reflected in her eyes, and his contempt.

At that moment, the broken door of the shed was kicked open.

The dim light of the setting sun bathed the ground in a golden hue, casting a warm yellow filter over the scene. The light crept into the old shed.

A tall man in a suit, holding a brand new baseball bat, walked in from the backlight, and with wild force, struck Zhuo Feng with it.

Zhuo Feng fell to the ground.

He stared wide-eyed at the man in front of him. "Huo... Huo Xingzhou, your legs..."

That bitch had tricked him! She was involved with Cheng Han!

Huo Xingzhou threw his phone in front of Zhuo Feng. The call screen was visible.

His eyes were icy, his voice calm yet full of malice. "29 minutes and 32 seconds."

He picked up the baseball bat again, each strike landing heavily on Zhuo Feng.

"Is this how you beat her?"

In those 29 minutes and 32 seconds, he could hear every blow, every cry of pain, every breath she took.

He couldn't stop thinking about the torture she had endured.

"Stop, stop!" Zhuo Feng cradled his head, feeling the threat of death closing in.

Huo Xingzhou had lost his mind.

"Master, if you keep hitting him, he'll die," Old Chen quickly intervened, seeing that Zhuo Feng was on the verge of losing consciousness.

Huo Xingzhou dropped the bat and took off his suit jacket, wrapping it around Qiao Xi's fragile body. He gently lifted her up.

"Huo... Mr. Huo..."

Qiao Xi leaned into his arms, her breath ragged, her chest rising and falling weakly.

A small smile tugged at her lips, but tears flowed uncontrollably from her eyes. Her breathing was shallow, and all the suffering she had endured spilled out.

The man's eyes were tinged with red, his malice still lingering deep within.

"Old Chen, keep an eye on him."

"Yes, Master."

Huo Xingzhou carried Qiao Xi out of the shed, and the technician in the car, seeing him approach, immediately stepped aside to make room.

Qiao Xi was laid down gently in the soft backseat of the car, slipping into unconsciousness.

Huo Xingzhou sat at the wheel, his mind haunted by the memories of that fatal car accident. His heartbeat skipped as he gripped the steering wheel tighter.

He pressed the gas pedal, racing toward Haicheng Hospital.

Nightfall.

The familiar Rolls-Royce stopped at the entrance of Haicheng Hospital. The reporters who had been lurking, waiting for a scoop on Qiao Xi's unlicensed medical practice, immediately snapped to attention.

Before they could react, a row of bodyguards blocked their view and confiscated their cameras.

If any of them dared to peek, the muscular bodyguards raised their hands, ready to deliver a punch.

In the darkness, they saw nothing.

The car door opened, and a tall, cold-faced man stepped out.

His presence was imposing, as if to say: "No one is allowed near."

Holding the woman in his arms, he strode into the hospital.