Chapter 20: A Bountiful Harvest

The engagement banquet concluded. Everyone had consumed at least some alcohol. Lin Guodong drove Xiao Nan and the others back in his own Bentley.

"I remember now," Lin Ziqing suddenly remarked. "That 'Brother Leopard' from earlier—he’s the thug who knelt and kowtowed to you that day, isn't he?"

She had been genuinely frightened when that swarm of men in black burst in earlier. Deep down, however, she had been hoping they were there to ruin the event so she wouldn't have to continue with the engagement to Xiao Nan. To her surprise, it turned out they were there to curry favor with him. She couldn't fathom what kind of spell he had cast on them to make them kneel and kowtow at the drop of a hat.

"Li Yunbao is no ordinary thug," Lin Guodong interrupted, looking at Xiao Nan. "Xiao Nan, what exactly is the story between you and him?"

Like everyone else at the banquet, Lin Guodong was completely baffled by Li Yunbao’s subservient attitude toward Xiao Nan.

Xiao Nan shrugged. "Actually, Li Yadong had Li Yunbao try to cause trouble for me once before, and I gave him a beating..." He glanced at Lin Ziqing. "It was the time Ziqing saw that day. The fact that Li Yunbao was so well-behaved today shows he learned his lesson."

Now that they were engaged, it no longer felt appropriate for Xiao Nan to keep calling her "Miss Lin," so he used her given name. Lin Ziqing subconsciously opened her mouth to retort, but after a sneaky glance at her father, she didn't dare.

"You... beat them up?"

"Yes."

Lin Guodong was stunned. He had previously speculated that perhaps Xiao Nan had healed Li Yunbao or one of his relatives, similar to how he cured his own illness. He never imagined that Xiao Nan had simply beaten them into submission. His future son-in-law possessed this skill as well? Not to mention the many men under Li Yunbao, the man himself was no slouch in a fight—that was how he had earned his current position. If Xiao Nan could beat him into such a state of submission that he would kneel on sight, just how powerful was Xiao Nan, and how ruthless were his methods?

"Xiao Nan, you know martial arts?" Lin Shuyun asked from the side.

"Yes," Xiao Nan nodded, adding casually, "I just practiced during my spare time while I was up on the mountain."

Not only was he a skilled doctor, but he was also a martial artist. Lin Shuyun’s eyes filled with a hint of admiration as she looked at him; a man who knew martial arts provided a strong sense of security. At that moment, she felt even more envious of her sister, Ziqing. Xiao Nan was even more exceptional than she had initially imagined. Regrettably, she could only sigh silently to herself; some things were not meant to be gained through envy.

Lin Guodong looked at Xiao Nan with even greater fervor. In his eyes, Xiao Nan was far more than just a martial artist. To be able to bring someone like Li Yunbao to heel proved that his martial arts proficiency was undoubtedly high. Instantly, Lin Guodong became even more convinced that Xiao Nan was the one with the "True Dragon" destiny, as predicted by the fortune-telling old man years ago, who would help the Lin family survive their great tribulation.

"Hmph, a violent thug—nothing to brag about," Lin Ziqing muttered. After hearing Xiao Nan’s explanation, she realized she had misunderstood him that day; he clearly wasn't just some hooligan. But she wasn't about to apologize. Regardless of what he was, she wasn't actually going to marry him.

"Xiao Nan, these are the gifts from the guests at the banquet," Lin Guodong said after they arrived at the villa, gesturing to the trunk filled with items. "See if there’s anything you want to keep. If not, I’ll have them all converted into cash and deposited into your account."

Lin Ziqing pouted. "Dad, the guests came for our sake, and they only brought these gifts because of the Lin family. Why are you giving them to him?"

"Ziqing, that’s enough," Lin Guodong scolded her sternly. "The guests who arrived today did come for the sake of the Lin family, that’s true. But once they realized Xiao Nan was a miracle doctor, no one dared to look down on him. They handed these gifts to him personally."

"That’s right, Ziqing," Lin Shuyun added, pulling her sister aside. "Xiao Nan’s brilliant medical skills are far more valuable than the Lin family’s reputation. If he were willing, even without us, plenty of people would be lining up to give him gifts." She turned to Xiao Nan with a bright smile, "Xiao Nan, don't be modest. These belong to you."

Xiao Nan nodded. "Since you put it that way, Uncle Lin, I won't be polite." He picked out a few items from the gift boxes and said, "I’ll just keep these."

Looking at what Xiao Nan had chosen, Lin Guodong silently praised him, thinking he was truly a doctor at heart. He had chosen only the rare medicinal herbs.

Lin Guodong and the driver didn't stay long before departing.

"Xiao Nan, please remember one thing," Lin Ziqing said, standing tall and looking at him after her father had left. "Although we are engaged, it is only an engagement. As long as we aren't officially married, there is still nothing between us. The three rules I set for you before remain in effect. Bye!"

Without waiting for a reply, she turned and headed upstairs. Lin Shuyun managed a bitter smile; when her sister had a temper, even their father couldn't manage her, let alone her older sister. "Xiao Nan, please don't take Ziqing to heart. Although she can be willful at times, but..."

"Miss Lin," Xiao Nan interrupted with a calm smile, "you don't need to explain. I understand."

"That's good. You must be exhausted today. Get some rest." Lin Shuyun stepped onto the stairs, a wry smile playing on her lips. On the ride back, Xiao Nan had changed his address for Ziqing from "Miss Lin" to her name, yet for her, he still used "Miss Lin."

Xiao Nan didn't head for a shower immediately. Instead, he went into his bedroom and opened one of the gift boxes he had kept. Even through the packaging, he could sense that what was inside was extraordinary.