Chapter 123: Chapter 121: The Boss Has Seen Too Many Scammers

"Zhang the Scholar, can you put in a good word for me?"

Zhang Wenliang stood up. "I’m suddenly craving lemonade. Sister Wen Ying, you probably want some too, right? I’ll go buy it."

Watching Zhang Wenliang leave without a backward glance, Gao Qiuyu felt a pang of sadness. ’What is the world coming to?’ He had no idea why he’d had a brain fart and said all those thoughtless things.

But the words were already out, and Gao Qiuyu could only accept reality.

With Zhang Wenliang gone, only he and Doctor Wen remained.

The owner was in the back, cooking.

They were the only two in the restaurant.

Gao Qiuyu stood there, stewing for a moment before clenching his jaw. "How about this—why don’t you treat me? I think I have a serious psychological problem! Why else would I say such nonsense without thinking!"

Wen Ying took out her phone, pulled up a QR code for payment, and said expressionlessly, "Transfer the money."

Gao Qiuyu immediately transferred the money.

After one thousand yuan arrived in her account, a smile returned to Wen Ying’s face. "You’re my patient now. Everything you said can be classified as a symptom of your condition. As your doctor, I naturally won’t take offense. Speaking out of turn is only a problem for me under one circumstance."

"What circumstance?" Gao Qiuyu blurted out.

"When it’s illegal."

"I didn’t do anything illegal," Gao Qiuyu immediately argued. He was, at most, a budding reporter trying to make some money. That was a far cry from breaking the law!

’Please don’t turn me in.’

"Relax, fellow patient! You’re my patient. Am I going to hold a grudge against my own patient?" Wen Ying reached out to pat Gao Qiuyu’s shoulder reassuringly.

But before her hand could even reach his shoulder, Gao Qiuyu flinched and trembled in fear.

"Am I... that terrifying?" Wen Ying asked with a frown.

’Has my intimidation factor reached a level where I can make children cry at night without even touching them?’

"No, no, no... It’s my problem." Gao Qiuyu wanted to cry. He really, really wanted to cry.

’Why is it that in front of Doctor Wen, I feel like a chick facing a hawk?’

"Do you think Zhang the Scholar might buy the wrong kind of lemonade? I should go find him and help him pay." Gao Qiuyu stood up, ready to flee, but his escape was not meant to be.

"Come back!"

Gao Qiuyu immediately turned, sat back down, and became the picture of obedience.

Just as the owner came out with a dish, he happened to witness this very scene. A man, a few years older than Wen Ying, was sitting across from her, looking impossibly well-behaved—like a student being lectured by the dean of discipline.

The owner glanced at Wen Ying in surprise. He knew her—she was Grandma Wen’s granddaughter.

She always greeted everyone with a gentle smile. A good girl.

’Could such a good girl really make someone that scared?’

’This guy couldn’t be a scammer, could he?’

"This minced pork with glass noodles is delicious. You’re not from around here, are you? You should try more of our local specialties."

Gao Qiuyu nodded. "Okay."

"How do you know Little Ying?"

Gao Qiuyu nodded, then shook his head. "We... just met, I guess."

’I knew it. A strange man trying to hit on Little Ying. She’s a pretty girl, but I can’t just stand by and watch Grandma Wen’s only granddaughter get scammed.’

"You just met and you’re already treating Little Ying to a meal?"

"Yes." Gao Qiuyu nodded, completely unaware that he had already been branded a scammer in the owner’s mind.

’The kind that specifically targets young women.’

"What do you do for a living?"

"Me? I’m a reporter."

"Got a press pass?"

Gao Qiuyu: "...No."

’Why is everyone in this town so creepy?’

’Is it because of Doctor Wen?’

"No press pass? What kind of reporter are you? A fake one, I bet."

"Boss, we still have three more dishes coming," Gao Qiuyu reminded him, forcing a smile.

"Dishes? What dishes! You want to scam Little Ying? In your dreams! And you still expect me to serve you?"

The owner didn’t hold back, cursing him out directly.

Wen Ying was speechless. She never knew she was so popular on Wenxiang Street.

Gao Qiuyu was also speechless. He never knew he was a scammer bold enough to con Doctor Wen...

"Boss, I’m not a scammer." Gao Qiuyu was on the verge of tears.

"Tell me, does a scammer ever admit he’s a scammer?"

"No. But I’m really not a scammer!"

"Little Ying is so pretty, the line of young men who like her could stretch all the way to France! You’d better drop these dangerous ideas of yours right now. At my age, I’ve seen far too many scammers!"

’So you think I’m just like them?’

Of course, Gao Qiuyu didn’t dare say that out loud. It wasn’t the owner he was afraid of—it was Doctor Wen.

"Uncle Zhong, he’s my patient," Wen Ying finally spoke up.

Hearing Doctor Wen’s words, Gao Qiuyu was already weeping with relief inside!

The owner froze, embarrassed. ’A patient?’

’Little Ying did inherit her grandmother’s clinic. I can’t believe he’s actually a patient.’

An apologetic smile spread across his face. "Oh, so you came to see Little Ying for a consultation. I’m so sorry. I thought you were a scammer with ulterior motives toward her. I’ll give you a thirty percent discount on today’s meal. My apologies to the patient."

’A thirty percent discount?’

Gao Qiuyu’s spirits lifted, but hearing the owner call him a "patient" felt strangely odd.

’When did I become a patient?’

’Ah, forget it. On Doctor Wen’s turf, I’d better just grin and bear it. I’ll be a good... no, a proper patient of Doctor Wen’s.’

"Thank you, Boss." The smile on Gao Qiuyu’s face was a bit stiff.

"Looks like I’m back just in time." Zhang Wenliang walked in with a smile, carrying three cups of lemonade.

"Xiaoliang, sit down, quick! I’ll go stir-fry the other dishes right away! Since you’re all here today, I’ll throw in an extra dish on the house!"

The three of them sipped their lemonade through straws, the scene momentarily looking exceptionally harmonious.

Gao Qiuyu felt a wave of emotion for some reason. "I never thought I’d be able to sit with Doctor Wen—"

He was only halfway through his sentence when he saw Wen Ying and Zhang Wenliang each take a huge scoop with their chopsticks. In an instant, half of the minced pork with glass noodles was gone.

"What were you saying? Go on," Zhang Wenliang said without looking up from the noodles.

"I said I’m hungry too." Gao Qiuyu picked up his chopsticks and dug in without hesitation. The second dish hadn’t even arrived, and the first one was already gone.

"This minced pork with glass noodles is the best dish I’ve ever had!" Gao Qiuyu exclaimed.

"If you like it so much, you can come back more often. Besides, Sister Wen Ying is here, so she can give you a few more consultations," Zhang Wenliang said with a smile, sipping his lemonade.

Gao Qiuyu’s expression instantly froze. ’A consultation is fine once, but any more than that would be too expensive for me.’

’This money is so damn hard to earn!’ 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

’I have to be more frugal!’

The remaining three dishes arrived quickly, with the owner’s complimentary dish coming a little later.

But the three of them ate until they were stuffed.

After Gao Qiuyu paid the bill, the two men followed Wen Ying to her clinic.

"You need a consultation too?" Wen Ying asked, looking at Zhang Wenliang.

"I’m here to keep him company during his consultation." Zhang Wenliang glanced at Gao Qiuyu and answered calmly.

Gao Qiuyu quickly spoke up. "It’s fine with me. Whatever you two decide."

"Do you know what your condition is?"