Chapter 16: Dig Out Your Chip

Gu Li’s eyes darkened as he studied the paper in his hand. His grip tightened, the tension in his knuckles betraying his effort to suppress the storm brewing inside him. “Does this have anything to do with my sister?” he asked, his voice low and controlled.

“As you know,” Yue Xiaoqing began cautiously, “my uncle is the president of the Medical University. He told me that while there’s nothing inherently wrong with the ingredients in this medicine, it hasn’t been approved for public circulation. Without proper authorization, it can’t legally be distributed.” 

She paused, watching Gu Li’s reaction before continuing. “This batch of drugs was recently approved in Country M. Did you get it from a biological laboratory? Maybe your sister knows something about it.”

Gu Li nodded faintly, filing the information away. He was familiar with Yue Xiaoqing’s uncle. Despite being from Haicheng, her connections had brought her to the capital to study in high school, and she’d eventually earned her place at the prestigious Medical University. Only the brightest minds were admitted there, and she had been a top science student nationwide.

“Thank you,” Gu Li said, her tone measured, though her mind churned with questions. Why had her brother been investigating this particular medicine?

Interrupting her thoughts, Yue Xiaoqing stood abruptly. “I should go. If I don’t leave now, Zhang Jingsi will cause more trouble.”

Gu Li rose to her feet as well but took two deliberate steps closer to her, closing the distance between them. Startled, Yue Xiaoqing sank back onto the sofa. “What leverage does she have on you?” Gu Li asked, her voice sharp.

Although the Zhang family wielded significant influence, Yue Xiaoqing wasn’t entirely defenseless. With her uncle’s backing, she should have been able to resist Zhang Jingsi’s manipulations. There had to be something deeper tying her hands.

Yue Xiaoqing hesitated, her hands twisting in her lap. The weight of Gu Li’s piercing gaze pinned her in place, but she stayed silent, visibly struggling with the decision to speak.

Gu Li didn’t rush her. She simply raised an eyebrow, waiting patiently.

Finally, Yue Xiaoqing drew a shaky breath, raised her arms, and rolled up her sleeves. In the stifling summer heat, she’d been wearing long sleeves—a choice that now made sense.

As the fabric slipped back, it revealed a thick, jagged scar running along her forearm. The stitches had long since been removed, but the mark was still angry and raw, a glaring reminder of what had been done to her.

“She implanted a tracking chip in my arm,” Yue Xiaoqing said, her voice trembling. “She tricked my parents into coming to the capital under the guise of providing them with better healthcare. Once they arrived, she locked them up in a secret location. On the surface, it seemed like she was helping them recover, but...” Her voice cracked slightly. “She did this to them too.”

Gu Li’s expression darkened further, the temperature in the room seeming to plummet. “That idiot Zhang Jingsi,” she muttered under her breath. “She’s crossed every line.”

Unable to contain her growing fury, Gu Li kicked a nearby chair, sending it crashing to the floor. The sound made Yue Xiaoqing flinch, her wide eyes fixed on Gu Li in disbelief. 

The Gu Li standing before her now bore little resemblance to the person she had once known. Her once gentle demeanor had been replaced by something sharp, dangerous, and unyielding. Her intense gaze reminded her of a predator poised to strike.

“Brother Zheng?” she whispered hesitantly.

Gu Li turned her head, meeting her gaze. “Are you afraid of pain?” she asked, her voice cold yet oddly reassuring.

Startled by the unexpected question, Yue Xiaoqing hesitated before shaking her head. “No, I’m not afraid... Brother Zheng, what are you going to do?”

Gu Li didn’t answer. Instead, she turned on her heel and disappeared into the bedroom. When she returned, she carried a small medicine box. 

“Brother Zheng?” Yue Xiaoqing called out nervously. Her apprehension only grew as Gu Li set the box down and opened it, revealing an array of surgical tools. Despite being a first-year medical student, she recognized the gleaming scalpel instantly.

“Don’t worry about the pain,” Gu Li said calmly, picking up the scalpel. “I’ll remove the chip. Alright?”

Her tone was so casual it sounded almost like a suggestion. Yet the scalpel was already poised in her hand, the blade gleaming menacingly under the light.

Yue Xiaoqing swallowed hard, her heart pounding in her chest. She opened her mouth to protest, but the words refused to come out.

Gu Li’s sharp, unyielding gaze left no room for argument.

(End of Chapter 16)

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