Su Xiaofei gave her husband an inquisitive look, but judging by the way Lu Qingfeng's brows furrowed, she knew right then that he had the same thought. Since the Shi family had been in the traditional apothecary for ages, would it be possible that Shi Mingli or other members of her family were aware of the nature of the cold poison?
"I'm sure he will be fine." She commented, her lips unconsciously curling up as Lu Junjie drooled on her husband's black jacket.
Lu Qingfeng didn't seem to mind the mess his nephew left on his clothes, but he passed the young child to his mother, barely aware that Shi Mingli was feeling a bit embarrassed in front of him. It was only when she apologized that he realized what happened.
"It's nothing to worry about." He told Shi Mingli nonchalantly. "I have a spare one I can change into."
"Does this mean that you are also a practitioner?" Su Xiaofei asked Shi Mingli, wanting to know if they could get a lead from her.
"I-I used to, before meeting my husband and having our son, but I decided to retire."
"That's surprising to hear." She commented. "I thought that the Han family was the only one who had stuck to practicing traditional medicine these days."
"You know the Han family?" Shi Mingli asked in surprise.
"Well, A-Feng and I are acquainted with Han Zijun." Su Xiaofei replied.
Despite how popular medical technology and western medicine was these days, the Han family was still the most prominent traditional practitioners in the country. Although there were others who practiced the same profession, Han Zijun and his family remained one of the best over the past century, even known celebrities and politicians would try to curry their favor whenever possible.
"I see." The older woman nodded in understanding. "I have heard about him, but unfortunately our Shi family's business isn't as flourishing as it used to be."
"How so? Does it need some funding to keep it going?" It was Lu Qingfeng who asked Shi Mingli this time, subtly probing into the situation of her family business.
"It's just that no one in the family is willing to practice it anymore." Shi Mingli looked nervous.
"Did something happen?" Lu Qingfeng continued to ask her, while Lu Junjie was trying hard to get Lu Qingfeng's attention back at him.
His cousin's wife hesitated and bit her lower lip.
"My grandfather encountered a mishap that took his life. Dad did the same, so no one tried to follow in their footsteps anymore." She admitted quietly before glancing helplessly at her husband.
"A-Feng, could we talk somewhere else privately?" Lu Mingzhe said. "Actually, we came here to ask you a favor. It's really important for us."
His wife nodded in agreement, which was enough to warn Lu Qingfeng and Su Xiaofei of the severity of the death flag that awaited Lu Junjie's parents.
It didn't take too long for them all to move to a private room. Zhang Ling and Zhang Lan stood outside the door, making sure no one would try to eavesdrop or disturb them.
"Brother Mingzhe, what's going on?" Lu Qingfeng joined them, as soon as he changed into a fresh suit. He took a seat next to Su Xiaofei and took her hand in his.
Lu Junjie had finally tired himself out and dozed off in his mother's arms, who was now seated across from them. He was oblivious to the distress his parents were facing at that moment.
"Actually, A-Feng, we were hoping if you'll allow me to work for you and stay in one of the Lu family's estates for the meantime. It is just…" He hesitated for a moment, as if he was trying to find the right words to convince the younger man to agree to his request.
"Brother Mingzhe, you have to tell me what's going on. Feifei and I wouldn't be able to help you if you are hiding important details from us." Lu Qingfeng didn't beat around the bush and forced his cousin to admit their problem.
"Let me." Shi Mingli told her husband. "It's my family's problem that dragged you into this anyway."
"How could you say that?" Lu Mingzhe frowned. "You are my wife. Do you think I will allow anyone to threaten you? I might not have the power to get rid of them, but I won't stand still and do nothing!"
"Someone's threatening Big Sister?" Su Xiaofei rose a slender brow, feigning surprise by the sudden outburst of the couple in front of them.
Shi Mingli nodded, her eyes then lowered to her son.
"Just as I said earlier, my grandfather, as well as my father, stumbled into a mishap. The Shi family has been running the apothecary for decades. We were once considered people with God's hands because we were able to treat severe illnesses that normal doctors couldn't cure. It wasn't until my grandfather used his ability and created something that was against the values of our Shi family did things start to spiral out of control. He procured a dangerous poison."
"The cold poison." Lu Qingfeng suddenly said, catching Shi Mingli off guard.
"You've heard about it?" She gasped, but then recovered when she remembered what kind of person Lu Qingfeng was. "Of course, you do. There are rumors that it has already affected a few people."
"Not just heard. Actually, we are looking for someone who can make the antidote. Someone poisoned my wife with it and Han Zijun is trying his best to cure her while keeping her pregnancy."
"What?! How is this possible? There's only one person I know that has the cold poison in his possession and that's the person who's hunting me down." Shi Mingli glanced at Su Xiaofei and wondered how the young woman got poisoned. She didn't think there was any connection between that man and Lu Qingfeng's wife.
"Does your grandfather know about this?" Lu Mingzhe asked him.
Lu Qingfeng shook his head.
"No. We would have allowed Han Zijun to properly treat Feifei if she wasn't pregnant. Han Zijun told us that the treatments would be dangerous for the fetuses."
"I see. So we are both in a conundrum then."
"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry." Shi Mingli couldn't keep her tears at bay and cried once she realized that her grandfather's creation had harmed yet another person.
"So you are running away from someone." Lu Qingfeng's steady tone brought her back to the issue. "But why are you being hunted down when you've long retired from being a practitioner?"
"Yes." Shi Mingli nodded. "Mingzhe and I have relocated a few times already to avoid being caught. But now that we have Jun, we both agreed to seek the protection of the Lu family in order to avoid them. They are trying to force me to make them more of the poison or hand them the formula, but I wouldn't."
"Do you know how to make the antidote for it? I'll make a deal with you right here, right now, if you can make it."
Lu Qingfeng knew that he was being selfish for forcing Shi Mingli to help them. As part of the Lu family, he obviously needed to look after them without a question, but he doubted that this couple would accept his help and would think of it as a charity they didn't deserve.
Shi Mingli's lips quivered as she knew that Lu Qingfeng was also in a desperate situation to treat his wife.
"I know, but it's harder to create than the poison itself. The raw materials alone aren't easy to find these days."
"Don't worry about it. I will assign someone to collect them. As long as you can make the antidote for Feifei, I'm willing to give you the protection you and your family need. However, I will also need you to work alongside Han Zijun. Han Zijun wasn't able to get rid of the poison from Feifei's body in fear that it might retaliate and affect our children instead. Money is not an issue as long as you can provide the result I needed."
Su Xiaofei opened her mouth to say something, but found herself rendered speechless. It seemed like her husband wasn't taking any chances and was willing to find all possible ways to treat her and save not only her life, but also their twins. She tried not to be emotional by it and shut her eyes to stop her tears from falling.
Shi Mingli paused and looked helplessly at Lu Qingfeng.
"Please allow us to stay with you. If I must, I will help you procure the antidote to save Xiaofei. I'm willing to do anything as long as my son would be spared from bearing the consequences of my family's sin."
Lu Qingfeng didn't give her an immedicate answer as he pondered their choices. Even if Shi Mingli was able to make the same cold poison, it was useless for Lu Qingfeng because the one he was after was the antidote for it.
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