Chapter 54: I Am Here to Propose Marriage

Inside the villa's spacious hall, the entire Lin family crowded around to compare Xiao Nan's medical prescription with the ingredients of the Li family's "Qi-Gathering Beauty-Nourishing Pill" to see if they matched.

Meanwhile, Xiao Nan sat unhurriedly off to the side, wearing a detached expression as if none of this concerned him.

From his perspective, this was a settled matter with zero suspense, making any further viewing completely unnecessary.

However.

"I knew Xiao Nan was just talking nonsense."

"Just a quick glance shows that two of the herbs here are completely different from his."

Lin Ziqing's voice rang out promptly.

She cast a look of utter disdain toward Xiao Nan and demanded, "Why are you sitting so far away? Too scared to look? Come over here and see for yourself—their product is completely different from yours."

"What do you have to say for yourself now?"

"How could they possibly be different?"

Sensing that this young miss was simply looking for trouble yet again, Xiao Nan had no choice but to walk over and take a look.

After casting a glance at the list, he was momentarily stunned.

The ingredients of the Li family's "Qi-Gathering Beauty-Nourishing Pill" truly did differ from his prescription.

Yet, the look of astonishment in his eyes vanished in a split second.

After carefully examining the two herbs that differed from his original formula, understanding dawned upon him almost immediately.

This divine doctor Pan actually had some genuine skills.

It was true that the man had stumbled upon his prescription, but because two of the ingredients in his formula were exceptionally costly, the other party had substituted them with cheaper alternatives.

After a brief moment of reflection, Xiao Nan quickly reached a conclusion.

To think that this divine doctor Pan, after replacing two precious medicinal herbs with cheap substitutes, could still manage to preserve the vast majority of his prescription's efficacy.

It showed that this fellow was indeed no ordinary quack.

The Lin family, however, remained completely oblivious to these nuances.

By this point, they had all jumped to the conclusion that the Li family's "Qi-Gathering Beauty-Nourishing Pill" was entirely their own creation, bearing no relation whatsoever to Xiao Nan.

"Regardless of that, the majority of Xiao Nan's prescription ingredients match those of the 'Qi-Gathering Beauty-Nourishing Pill,' with only two herbs being different."

"Therefore, Xiao Nan saying that the Li family picked up his lost prescription cannot be entirely dismissed as random nonsense."

Seeing that the comparison results were out and his wife and daughter were once again ready to open fire on Xiao Nan, Lin Guodong hurriedly stepped in to smooth things over.

Ailing Li, however, let out a cold snort. "Old Lin, are you still speaking up for him even now?"

"In my opinion, he didn't write this prescription himself at all."

"The 'Qi-Gathering Beauty-Nourishing Pill' has been on the market for over a month now. Chances are he secretly bought a pill and tried to reverse-engineer its components."

"And even after breaking down someone else's product, he couldn't even get it right—he still messed up two of the ingredients."

"With that kind of incompetence, he still has the nerve to claim the Li family stole his prescription."

"Right, that must be exactly what happened." Before Ailing Li pointed it out, Lin Ziqing hadn't considered this possibility, but hearing her mother put it this way, she immediately found the theory entirely plausible.

She puckered her lips at Xiao Nan and scoffed, "He can't even successfully break down a formula's ingredients, yet he always acts like his medical skills are so profound."

"Mom, Ziqing, even if the Li family's prescription didn't come from Xiao Nan, you shouldn't talk to him like that!"

Hearing both her mother and sister relentlessly attack Xiao Nan, Lin Shuyun could no longer sit quietly and listen.

She simply refused to believe Xiao Nan would ever do such a thing.

Xiao Nan let out a soft sigh and chose not to offer any further explanation.

Judging by the logic of Lin Ziqing and her mother, let alone having two herbs that failed to match, even if every single ingredient lined up perfectly, they would still accuse him of secretly buying the Li family's medicine and reverse-engineering it.

It was simply not worth the effort to explain.

"Chairman."

At that moment, Zhao Gang, Lin Guodong's assistant and bodyguard, walked inside and reported respectfully, "We have visitors outside."

"Oh? Who is it?" Lin Guodong asked.

"People from the Li family. The one leading them is Li Yadong," Zhao Gang replied, having crossed paths with Li Yadong once before.

Recently, Li Yadong had practically become a celebrity in Lucheng.

His face constantly appeared across major media outlets.

It would have been difficult for anyone not to recognize him.

"Li Yadong?"

"What is he doing here?"

Lin Guodong muttered under his breath, a sudden sense of foreboding gripping his heart.

Lin Ziqing and Lin Shuyun exchanged glances, both seeing the unease reflected in each other's eyes.

At the present moment, the Li family's power and influence were at their zenith.

It seemed only a matter of time before they surpassed the Lin family to become the new wealthiest family in Lucheng.

Furthermore, they were sparing no effort to relentlessly suppress Lin's Pharmaceuticals, aiming to completely crush the entire Lin Group's stock value.

Coming to the Lin family estate at a time like this—one didn't need to guess to know they came with malicious intent.

"Eldest Miss Lin! Second Miss Lin! Are you home?"

Li Yadong's voice echoed loudly from the front gates of the villa.

Knowing full well that the visitor harbored ill intentions, Lin Guodong had no inclination to invite him inside for tea.

He immediately stood up and walked toward the entrance, while Ailing Li, Lin Shuyun, and Lin Ziqing hastily followed behind.

"Well, well, well."

Before Lin Guodong could demand the purpose of his visit, Xiao Nan called out from a distance, casting a mocking and bantering gaze toward Li Yadong. "At the engagement banquet earlier, Li Yunbao and the others must have pulled their punches since they didn't break your legs. How do you even have the nerve to show up here?"

Li Yadong had been leisurely admiring the two stunning beauties of the Lin family with a calm expression.

Upon hearing this deeply irritating voice, his face instantly darkened.

The thought that this bastard Xiao Nan got to live under the same roof and spend every single day surrounded by the Lin family's two peerless beauties filled him with burning jealousy.

He was well aware that Xiao Nan could fight, and seeing him stroll out so casually caused a brief flutter of nervousness in his chest.

However, glancing back at the dozen bodyguards trailing behind him instantly restored his confidence.

The financial strength of the Li family was no longer what it used to be.

As the young master of the Li family, no matter where he went now, the quantity and quality of his bodyguards far surpassed anything from his past.

Among his dozen or so bodyguards were two ranked martial arts masters.

If Xiao Nan dared to throw punches at him today the way he did before, he swore he would beat the living daylights out of him.

Right now, he didn't even hold the Lin family in high regard, let alone some nobody named Xiao Nan.

"I'll settle accounts with you later. Piss off, I'm not in the mood for a verbal sparring match with you right now."

Casting a look of utter contempt at Xiao Nan, Li Yadong shifted his gaze directly onto Lin Guodong. "I am here today to discuss business with President Lin of the Lin Group."

"With your qualifications, you're not even worthy of talking to President Lin..."

Xiao Nan truly could not stomach the fellow's arrogant demeanor and opened his mouth to retort with a sharp sarcasm.

Before he could finish, Lin Ziqing reached out, grabbed his arm, and hissed in a low voice, "Shut your stinking mouth. The Li family today is not what they used to be; stop stirring up trouble for the Lin family."

Left with no choice, Xiao Nan clamped his mouth shut, though he remained thoroughly curious as to what this bastard was actually here to do today.

"I wonder what President Li wishes to discuss with me today?" Lin Guodong asked in a deep, solemn voice.

"Hahaha..."

Li Yadong burst into loud laughter before fixing his gaze on Lin Guodong and saying, "Uncle Lin, why call me President Li? Just call me Yadong. Actually, I am here today to propose marriage to the eldest Miss Lin."