Shen Bing sighed and said, "They are indeed extorting us, but I have no other choice. My brother's illness is extremely peculiar, and no renowned doctors have been able to cure him. Only the technology in Baiying Country can give him a glimmer of hope. For his sake, I can only compromise."
As she spoke, her eyes became sadder, and the worries between her eyebrows deepened.
As the president of the Shen family, she held great power and received countless dividends every year. However, most of the money was extorted by that hospital. Once she was ousted from her position as president, she would undoubtedly have very little money left. By then, her brother's treatment would likely be gone.
Wang Chao furrowed his brows slightly and said, "Have you ever considered that sometimes it might be better to let go if living becomes so difficult and painful? Perhaps your brother doesn't want to live in such suffering."
"You're wrong, he wants to live!" Shen Bing shook her head, her gaze firm.
"How do you know he wants to live?" Wang Chao was taken aback.
Shen Bing's expression turned serious as she said, "Do you remember when I went abroad for business negotiations?"
Wang Chao nodded.
Shen Bing continued, "Actually, that trip was just a cover. The main reason I went abroad was to find a treasure that could awaken my brother: the Phantom Dark Flower. A wandering monk once told me that such a flower could cure my brother's illness."
"However, there is no such flower in Dragom Kingdom, so I had to search for it overseas. Before I set off, I specifically flew to Baiying Country and saw my brother to ask for his opinion."
"He couldn't hear me, but I could feel that he was listening."
"I told him that if he wanted to live, he should blink his eyes three times."
"And he really blinked his eyes three times."
"Since then, I understood that although he has been enduring pain, he has always wanted to live."
"Therefore, no matter what happens, I cannot give up on him because he is my only blood relative in this world."
As she spoke, her gaze became even more resolute than before.
Wang Chao grasped the key point and asked, "You mentioned the Phantom Dark Flower just now. What is it?"
"I don't know either. It was mentioned by that wandering monk. Oh, by the way, I have a picture of it."
"Furthermore, based on the master's hand-drawn picture and descriptions of the flower's color, stem, and texture, I had an artist redraw it."
Shen Bing took out her phone, opened the photo, and handed it to Wang Chao, her eyes filled with anticipation. She said, "You are knowledgeable and well-traveled. Take a look and see if you recognize this type of flower."
Wang Chao glanced at the picture.
There were two images on the phone, with the hand-drawn one on the left looking rougher compared to the meticulously painted and colored one on the right. It depicted a flower with nine petals and two stems, in a dark blue color with spiral-like patterns. It emitted a faint glow, resembling a ghost in the dark, quite peculiar.
Wang Chao shook his head and said, "I don't recognize it."
Upon hearing this, Shen Bing's eyes filled with disappointment, and her worries deepened.
She put away her phone and took another sip of cola.
However, no matter how sweet the cola was, it couldn't nourish her heart.
Over the years, she had been searching for ways to save her brother, even establishing a research and development department specifically to develop new medications in the hope of finding a cure.
She had been consumed by the desire to save her brother.
Even with all the wealth and luxury, with assets in the billions or trillions, she could never truly be happy, burdened by melancholy.
Now, hearing that Wang Chao didn't recognize the Phantom Dark Flower either, she felt even more disappointed.
As Wang Chao observed Shen Bing's state, he suddenly understood Zhang Long's good intentions.
Shen Bing had endured too much, and he couldn't give her hope only to disappoint her. Otherwise, she would not be able to bear such pain.
"Don't worry, everything will be alright," Wang Chao said.
"Yes, everything will be alright."
Shen Bing nodded, repeating Wang Chao's words, seemingly comforting herself and boosting her morale.
At that moment, the waiter at Meizhou Restaurant brought over the sizzling iron plate beef, followed by other dishes.
The waiter asked Wang Chao and Shen Bing to move a bit away from the table before uncovering the lid of the iron plate beef.
Instantly, a fragrant aroma wafted in the air, enticing their senses.
On the iron plate, the beef, green peppers, and slices of ginger were still sizzling, exceptionally fresh.
"This is the aroma, so enticing~~~" Wang Chao took a deep breath, his appetite aroused, and his eyes gleaming.
The taste of this beef, it's exactly the same as eight years ago, not a bit of change.
Hmm, or perhaps it has even gotten better than eight years ago!
Shen Bing looked at the sliced beef, smelled the aroma, and felt her appetite increasing. Her feelings of frustration and worry seemed to alleviate a bit.
Soon, the waiter brought the other dishes to the table.
The dishes were simple yet delicious, with vibrant colors and enticing aromas.
Wang Chao ordered two bowls of rice, one for himself and one for Shen Bing, and said, "President Shen, don't think too much. There's always a way out of difficulties. Let's eat first."
He then picked a few pieces of beef and put them in Shen Bing's bowl, saying, "Give it a try, this beef is really delicious."
Shen Bing took a bite, her eyes brightened, and she praised, "Indeed, it's delicious, very good."
She had always dined at high-end restaurants or had meals prepared by personal chefs, mostly consisting of steaks or pre-seasoned cuts of beef.
Now, tasting the iron plate beef from a roadside stall, she found the flavor quite enjoyable and her appetite opened up.
"Eat up, have some more. We'll have dessert later," Wang Chao smiled.
As they ate and chatted, they grew closer.
After finishing their meal, Shen Bing exclaimed, "I never expected that such an ordinary little shop could make such delicious food, even better than what Michelin three-star chefs can cook."
"Michelin restaurants are just for wealthy people to show off. They're fancy and have good flavors, but they're not suitable for ordinary folks."
Wang Chao smiled and said, "On the contrary, places like these roadside stalls are where you can truly experience the vibrant atmosphere of everyday life. They are affordable and delicious, perfect for hardworking people like us."
"So, you should savor the lively ambiance here."
Bang!
Just as he spoke, a loud noise erupted in the restaurant. A college student was violently beaten and thrown through a glass window, landing on the street, blood pouring from their mouth and nose, in a particularly tragic state.
Several menacing thugs walked out of the restaurant, cursing angrily, "Damn it! You do not have money to repay, so why the hell did you borrow from an online lender?"
"If you do not repay the money and still dare to eat in a restaurant, you are seeking death!"
"Let me tell you, if you do not repay today, I'll kill you!"
Foll𝑜w current novℯls on fre𝒆web(n)ovel.co(m)