"Qin Ya and her son were there," Wang Qiya stepped forward and explained. "A truck hit them head-on. By the time her son was pulled from the car, he had already stopped breathing."

"Stopped breathing?" Wong Qifu's expression changed abruptly. If someone had died, the matter would become much more complicated.

"But he lived," Wang Qiya added.

"He lived?" Wong Qifu frowned. "Didn't you say he had stopped breathing?"

"Yes, but Xu Ke saved him," Wang Qiya said.

"What?" Wong Qifu's previously unchanging expression completely altered. She turned to look at Xu Ke. "You know medicine?" How had she never heard of this?

"I do," Xu Ke nodded. Looking at Wong Qifu's expression, he suddenly felt an inexplicable pang of guilt.

"And he's exceptionally skilled at it," Wang Qiya chimed in excitedly. "Sister, you should have seen it! A doctor showed up and was looking down on Xu Ke, he even pushed him aside... but when he saw Xu Ke use his skills to miraculously save Qin Ya's son, the doctor immediately dropped to his knees and begged to become his disciple! He even said Xu Ke's skills were that of a 'Sage Healer'."

Wang Wu, Lin Qinghua, and Wong Qifu all stared at Wang Qiya, who hadn't even realized how animated she'd become.

After she finished speaking, Xu Ke awkwardly rubbed his nose. The way Wang Qiya was lavishing praise on him made him feel a bit embarrassed.

Seeing this, Wong Qifu looked at Wang Qiya with an amused smile. "Why are you more excited than Xu Ke? I thought you disliked him."

"Ah?" Caught in her excitement, Wang Qiya suddenly froze. When she realized everyone in the room was staring at her, she blushed. "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing," Wong Qifu smiled, then turned back to Xu Ke. "When did you learn medicine?"

Xu Ke replied, "Uh, it's a long story. I'll tell you about it later."

"Alright." Wong Qifu nodded, then glanced at Wang Qiya. "You weren't scared, were you?"

"No." Wang Qiya hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. Although she had been terrified when she saw the truck coming right at them, the events that followed had distracted her.

"Good. In that case, get ready to go back to school," Wong Qifu instructed.

Wang Qiya was speechless. "Sister, I'm about to graduate! You don't have to be in such a rush," she pleaded with a look of utter despair.

But Wong Qifu was no longer paying her any attention. She looked at Wang Wu. "Uncle Wu, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Miss," Wang Wu replied with a slight smile. "It was thanks to Mister Xu's timely warning that I realized the truck had lost control."

In fact, Wang Wu was still quite astonished. His hearing, despite his level of cultivation, was actually inferior to Xu Ke's... After a moment of thought, he guessed it must be one of Xu Ke's natural talents.

"Good." Wong Qifu nodded, her gaze finally landing on Xu Ke. "And you?"

"Of course I'm okay," Xu Ke smiled, though his face was still a bit pale.

"Come with me for a moment," Wong Qifu said abruptly.

"What?" Xu Ke was taken aback.

But Wong Qifu had already turned and headed upstairs.

Seeing this, Xu Ke's expression shifted, and a surge of warmth rushed through him. Where is she taking me?

At that moment, the expressions on Wang Wu's and Lin Qinghua's faces became complicated.

Wang Qiya, however, said, "Well? Aren't you going to follow her?"

Having narrowly escaped death, Wang Qiya no longer viewed Xu Ke with such hostility. Besides, she had long ago accepted a simple fact: she couldn't change Wong Qifu's mind about anything. So, she simply stopped trying to interfere.

"Right." Snapping out of his daze, Xu Ke hurried after her.

「...」

Wong Qifu's apartment was a triplex occupying the top floors of a high-end residential building in Tianhai. Xu Ke followed her up to the second level, which was very quiet, with only the two of them there. Watching the back of Wong Qifu in her black dress, a thousand thoughts churned in Xu Ke's mind. Is she really taking me to her bedroom? What does it look like inside?

Once they had walked far enough that those downstairs couldn't overhear, Wong Qifu finally spoke. "Do you know why I called you up here?"

"Huh? To go to your bedroom?" Caught off guard, Xu Ke blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

As the words left his mouth, Wong Qifu stopped, turned, and stared at him with a teasing half-smile. "So, you're that eager to see your big sister's bedroom?"

"No, no!" Xu Ke denied hastily, feeling guilty.

"Then we won't go," Wong Qifu teased.

Xu Ke was speechless. Were we going to the bedroom? Did she just change her mind because of what I said? He wanted to slap himself.

"Actually, let's still go," he added quickly.

At that, Wong Qifu's tone turned cold. "Go to what bedroom? I told you before that once you recovered, I would settle the score with you."

Xu Ke sucked in a sharp breath. The car accident had muddled his thoughts, and he had completely forgotten. He swallowed hard. "Is that really necessary?"

"It's not your decision. Follow me." Wong Qifu had no intention of arguing and walked straight toward the second-floor balcony.

Seeing this, Xu Ke followed, his heart pounding with apprehension. He also felt a strange sense of disappointment... So we really aren't going to the bedroom.

「...」

The second-floor balcony was huge, at least sixty or seventy square meters. Xu Ke couldn't help but gape. Although he knew that none of the six great families were financially weak, figures like a billion or ten billion on paper didn't have the same impact as tangible assets. From the previous villa to this apartment in the heart of the city, every aspect screamed one word: luxury.

The balcony floor was covered in smooth pebbles. Sunlight sprinkled onto the nearby flowers and plants, filtering through the leaves to cast mottled, dancing shadows. In this light, Wong Qifu's profile seemed impossibly fair and delicate.

Stunningly beautiful, he thought. But his admiration was cut short.

Wong Qifu turned to face him. "Alright, have a look around and pick a suitable spot for you to kneel." She pointed at the pebbles on the floor.

Xu Ke gasped. "I just recovered! There's no need for this, right?!"

"Aren't you able to move around freely now?" Wong Qifu stared at him, her expression blank.

Xu Ke was speechless.

"I'll let you off for today," she said, her tone softening slightly. "But if you ever agree to one of these life-or-death duels again without being absolutely sure of the outcome, I will show you exactly why they call me the Wang Family Empress."

Wong Qifu hadn't actually intended to make him kneel; the threat was merely to scare him before she delivered her stern warning.

Xu Ke gave a wry smile. "I was sure."

"Was your idea of 'sure' getting beaten into a bloody pulp and spending two days in the hospital?" Wong Qifu retorted coldly. "Grandpa Chen already told me everything. He said your Iron Body Training is among the best of your generation, yet Ouyang Shuang still beat you into such a state. If she had struck a different spot, or if she'd been just a little more rational, wouldn't you be dead already?"

At her words, Xu Ke touched his nose and said nothing.

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