Chapter 623 - 626: Great Reputation
Chapter 623: Chapter 626: Great Reputation
As time passed in the hallway outside the special care ward, the nurses and doctors had already left, leaving only Tang Zhechen and his companions, Tang Xin and Tang Tang, while Tian Long and Ye Zi stood silently at the door.
Seeing that there had been no movement inside for a while, Tang Xin couldn't help but ask, "Grandpa, can Mr. Yang really cure Big Sister? The poison she's suffering from is even more potent than the one you had before. Wouldn't it be better to ask Miss Jian for help?"
Tang Zhechen closed his eyes, seemingly praying silently, and said in a deep voice, "This time, although Miss Jian is very skilled, she is in the UK. The poison in your sister is so perplexing and acute that if we delay, it will be too late. Besides, Miss Jian uses scientific methods that require a lot of time to collect materials and conduct research. It's not something that can be done quickly. So, asking Miss Jian is a last resort."
"But can Mr. Yang really do it?" Tang Xin asked, her eyes flickering as she bit her lip.
Tang Tang interjected, "Uncle Yang can definitely do it! I know he is very powerful!"
Tang Zhechen turned around, looking at his excited great-granddaughter with a loving smile, "Tang Tang, tell your great-grandfather the truth, are you angry with him?"
Tang Tang was stunned and shook her head, "Why would you say that, great-grandfather?"
Tang Zhechen affectionately took one of Tang Tang's hands and said, "You grew up with your mother in the south and rarely came home. I never took care of you. Now that your mother brought you back to Yandu, you encountered such a situation. It's my fault for not taking care of you two."
Tang Tang lowered her head silently, "I know you had no choice, great-grandfather. My mother often tells me that if it weren't for you, we wouldn't have survived until now. So, I'm very happy that you recognize me."
Tang Zhechen laughed heartily, "Why wouldn't I recognize you? You are Wan'er's daughter, my great-granddaughter. How could I not recognize you?"
"But... but I'm just a..." Tang Tang bit her lip, unable to finish her sentence.
"So what if you are a test-tube baby? In foreign countries, there are plenty of test-tube babies. Your great-grandfather is not that old-fashioned," Tang Zhechen patted Tang Tang's hand and said, "Tang Tang, rest assured, your mother will get better. I still need to hand over the Tang family to her, and she will pass it on to you. No one can stop that."
Hearing these heartfelt words, not only Tang Tang but even Tang Xin, who was standing behind the wheelchair, was taken aback.
The Tang family had been chaotic because Tang Zhechen had never expressed who would be his successor. Now, in this situation, Tang Zhechen's words to Tang Tang seemed too serious to be mere comfort.
Tang Xin's expression fluctuated, her head lowered, but her gums were tightly clenched.
"Great-grandfather, I'm just a troublemaker and don't know how to do business," Tang Tang said, shaking her head in fear, although she knew how fierce the internal family struggles were.
"Don't worry, great-grandfather is still here. Your mother will teach you in the future. Trust my judgment; our Tang Tang will be the ideal successor," Tang Zhechen said, smiling as if he had already seen the future.
Tian Long and Ye Zi stood not far away, hearing the conversation between the Tang family's three generations. However, as outsiders, the Yanhuang Iron Brigade would not participate in any family disputes, so they treated it as nothing.
After comforting Tang Tang, Tang Zhechen turned to Tang Xin and said, "Xin'er, you've been working hard these days. You took care of me when I was sick, and now you're looking after your poisoned sister. Among all my descendants, you are the most filial."
Tang Xin quickly smiled modestly and shook her head, "Grandpa, these are things I should do. I'm not as smart as Big Sister, so I can only do these small tasks."
"Everyone has their strengths. If I asked your sister to take care of me, she wouldn't be able to do it," Tang Zhechen said with a smile. "You're not young anymore. I promise to find you a suitable and satisfactory marriage soon. You can't just spend all these years looking after this old man."
"Grandpa, I'm willing to serve you," Tang Xin said earnestly.
"I know you are kind and filial, but seeing you like this and comparing you to the other ungrateful ones in the family makes this old man feel cold-hearted," Tang Zhechen sighed.
Hearing this, both Tang Xin and Tang Tang remained silent. After Tang Wan was poisoned, the Tang family members only visited once initially and then never showed any concern. They were all thinking about how to align themselves and divide Fenglin Group if Tang Wan couldn't be saved.
These matters were something Tang Zhechen could guess even while in the hospital. Instead, it was his students and some friends from other families who timely came to visit, which made him sigh with emotion.
Just then, a few footsteps echoed from the hallway outside. The steps were steady and powerful, exuding an extraordinary aura even before the people appeared.
As they approached, it became clear that a tall and well-built young man, accompanied by two strong men in camouflage uniforms, was walking toward them.
The young man had tanned skin and an ordinary face with some unkempt stubble. He wore a short-sleeved blue shirt, but what made him stand out was the black eyepatch over one eye, giving him a pirate-like appearance. Combined with his inherent strong presence, the whole person exuded an air of menace.
This unique aura made him, despite his average stature, not be overshadowed even when standing in front of the two strong men.
Seeing this unfamiliar young man, a hint of confusion flashed in Tang Zhechen's eyes. His students were all middle-aged or older, and naturally, none were this young.
Tang Xin and Tang Tang also looked at the man curiously, having never seen him before.
On the contrary, Tian Long and Ye Zi exchanged looks of surprise, clearly recognizing the young man.
The young man approached Old Tang and revealed a hearty smile. His voice, robust and somewhat reminiscent of a person from the grasslands, was loud and clear as he said, "You must be the Tang family's patriarch, Mr. Tang. I am Li Dun. I just returned to Yandu and heard that Tang Wan is seriously ill. My grandfather and father couldn't come in time, so I came to visit on their behalf."
Li Dun?!
Upon hearing the name, Tang Zhechen immediately understood. He knew this young man, one of the "Two Kings of Yandu" alongside Yan Bugang of the Yan family. Unlike Yan Bugang, Li Dun's excellence lay in his extraordinary abilities and his remarkable achievements on the battlefield.
Due to his long years spent on missions at the borders and abroad, Li Dun, despite his illustrious reputation in Yandu, was not widely known. Even Yan Bugang, a scientific genius who rarely appeared in public, was more recognizable than Li Dun.
Tang Zhechen, being experienced and shrewd, quickly sensed the extraordinary nature of Li Dun. Meanwhile, Tang Tang, having heard of Li Dun's reputation, had stars in her eyes. Tang Xin, however, showed a hint of disdain.
But it was this moment of disdain that caught Li Dun's attention.
"Miss, have I offended you in any way?" Li Dun asked Tang Xin with a grin.
Tang Xin, not expecting Li Dun to notice, felt a bit embarrassed but suppressed her annoyance and forced a smile, "Mr. Li, you're joking. We've just met, and I'm just a simple woman. How could you offend me?"
Li Dun immediately replied, "But why do you still show disdain and anger towards me?"
Tang Xin was shocked. How could Li Dun even notice her anger?
Tang Zhechen squinted his eyes and said, "I've heard from Li Moshen that his precious grandson can detect even the slightest emotional changes in others, with unparalleled insight. It seems it wasn't just boasting."
"You flatter me, Mr. Tang. I'm just a bit sensitive and habitually try to understand the people in front of me before making a move. It's a professional hazard," Li Dun explained, seemingly relieved.
This also helped Tang Xin out of her awkward situation. She clutched her chest and lowered her head, avoiding eye contact with Li Dun.
However, Li Dun glanced at Tang Xin a few more times, seemingly still pondering why a woman he had never met would show such dissatisfaction with him.
Tang Zhechen showed a somewhat playful smile, "As far as I know, you're not one for formalities. You didn't come here just to visit my sick granddaughter, did you?"
Li Dun didn't hide it and laughed heartily, "Since you put it that way, I won't beat around the bush. I've been on a mission in Vietnam for the past six months and just returned to Yandu. Today, I received news that an opponent I've been interested in has come to Yandu from Zhonghai. I've wanted to challenge him for the past two years. Now that he's here, I won't miss the chance."
"Of course, it's about Yang Chen," Tang Zhechen said, shaking his head with a smile.
Tang Xin and Tang Tang looked puzzled. Was Yang Chen really that famous?