Chapter 84: Simply Unbelievable

At this moment, after the young woman spoke with the village chief, Zhou Chao, he chose to return to his own courtyard, while the girl dragged a suitcase and made her way alone toward the west side of the village. It appeared she was heading to her own lodgings.

Just then, Lu Hao happened to be walking behind her, his eyes falling upon her shapely, full hips. Even if he tried to avert his gaze, it was difficult not to notice her remarkable figure; her curves were far more striking than those of most women, her hips taut and her proportions almost exaggerated. Her long, slender legs looked impossibly straight and flawless from behind—without a single imperfection in sight. Even just her silhouette would be enough to captivate most men at a glance.

"Do not look upon what is improper," Lu Hao muttered to himself, forcing his gaze away.

He quickened his pace, catching up to walk beside her. "Hello, miss. I’m a doctor at the Azure Dragon Clinic. I heard from my colleagues that you were asking about some credentials earlier. Was that you?"

Hearing this, the beautiful girl suddenly removed her earbuds and turned to look at him. "Oh, it’s you, Dr. Lu. I know who you are." She turned her face toward him—a youthful, luminous face, delicate and radiant with the fullness of youth. Her large, dark eyes made her skin look even fairer and softer, as though untouched by the sun. If one were to rate women’s beauty, hers would easily score above eight out of ten; among ten thousand, few could rival her looks.

"I’m a new intern sent to the village as part of the local cadre training program. My name is Yun Xiaoyan. Nice to meet you." She smiled openly, her eyes curving like crescent moons, her red lips soft and beautiful. The phrase 'a beauty by the waterside, a city-toppling grace' was hardly an exaggeration here. Even Lu Hao, who considered himself impervious to feminine charms, was momentarily taken aback.

"Hello, I’m Lu Hao. A pleasure," he replied with a smile. "By the way, why did you need to see my credentials?" he asked.

Yun Xiaoyan blinked and answered, "Oh, it’s just that the village chief said your clinic might have some issues and needed to be checked."

"So he asked me to look into it."

"Issues?" Lu Hao’s eyes narrowed slightly.

So Zhou Chao was up to his usual tricks, always looking for trouble. The Zhou family were like flies—always looking for a crack to slip into.

"As for credentials, everything should be in order. As for the chief’s words, let me give you a piece of advice: don’t believe everything he says, but don’t disbelieve it all, either," Lu Hao said calmly. There was no need to mention his own conflicts with Zhou Chao and his son.

"As for you, Miss Yun, whenever you need to check my documents, you’re welcome to visit the Azure Dragon Clinic during working hours."

"Alright," Yun Xiaoyan replied with a sunny smile, looking every bit the warm, easygoing girl she seemed.

"Well, I’ll be off then," Lu Hao said, waving as he prepared to leave.

Just then, Yun Xiaoyan reached out to block his way. "Um, Dr. Lu, I’ve been a bit under the weather lately. Would you mind coming to my place to take a look? Maybe prescribe something? I can pay you for the consultation."

"When the medicine is ready, I’ll pick it up at your clinic." As she spoke, she sniffled a little, looking adorably silly, almost like a younger sister.

Lu Hao thought for a moment and agreed. "Alright." At the very least, he could get a sense of her living situation and perhaps establish a rapport. If she ever needed help—especially if Zhou Chao and his cronies tried to harass her—she would know to come to him. He couldn’t just stand by and watch a college student from the big city get bullied by thugs like Zhou Chao.

He walked alongside her. "Um, Dr. Lu, as a doctor, you should really pay more attention to your image," Yun Xiaoyan suddenly said.

Lu Hao was puzzled. "What do you mean? What about my image?"

"Well, I heard you shouldn’t get into fights with the villagers or bully them. That’s not good," Yun Xiaoyan replied earnestly.

"Me, bullying them? Who told you that?" Lu Hao laughed.

"The village chief did. He said you’re a bad person and told me to stay away from you. But I think it’s best to hear both sides before making any judgments," Yun Xiaoyan replied, her tone serious. "I’m new here, so I hope you’ll look after me."

Lu Hao couldn’t help but laugh. The nerve of Zhou Chao, playing the victim and painting him as the villain.

If he was the bad guy, then the Zhou family, who had been terrorizing the village for years, were guilty of far worse.

"Yun Xiaoyan, there are some things I can’t speak of right now. Let’s just wait and see how things play out," Lu Hao said quietly. "Just remember, no matter how bad you think I am, you and I won’t cross paths much. But the village chief and his family are the ones you’ll deal with every day. Keep your guard up."

Yun Xiaoyan nodded, not quite fully understanding but taking his words to heart. She was a recent graduate, guileless and sincere. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have come straight to Lu Hao to ask him not to bully people—a request no seasoned official would ever make.

Soon, the two arrived at her accommodations. To Lu Hao’s surprise, Yun Xiaoyan’s lodgings turned out to be a dilapidated old house on the far west edge of the village. The place had long been abandoned—it was where Zhou Chao had lived as a young man, his "old family home." But no one had lived there for nearly a decade, and the structure was nothing more than aging stone and wood. There were no neighbors nearby; in fact, it was so remote that if anything happened, no one in the village would hear a cry for help. The only person nearby was an old man whose coffin was already set in his house, waiting for the end. Beyond that, there wasn’t another soul within five hundred meters.

Inside, the furnishings were clean, clearly tidied up and refurbished by hand. The benches and tables had been replaced, obviously arranged by Zhou Chao himself.

"It’s a bit shabby, but it’s only temporary. When the term ends, I’ll be heading back to school to submit my report," she said with a laugh, setting down her suitcase. "I’m a sociology major—you’re a doctor, you must understand how it is."

Lu Hao nodded, then walked over to the door and examined the simple wooden latch—it would be easy for anyone to open. He immediately realized Zhou Chao had no good intentions.