After seeing Mei Xiawen off, Gu Nianzhi realized that her face was numb from all the smiling. She used her hand to rub her cheeks and rolled her eyes at Chen Lie. “Brother Chen, that was unkind.”
Chen Lie brought out his equipment and pulled her over for an examination. He smiled as he said, “How was I unkind? A gentleman desiring a fair lady, that’s very normal. Our Nianzhi is so pretty, smart and capable. It would be strange if no one was pursuing you.”
“I’m not as wonderful as Brother Chen claims.” Gu Nianzhi sat before Chen Lie, watching him attach various apparati to her skull, chest, and arms. He was just short of giving her a full body CT.
Chen Lie stared at the data being displayed on the equipment and asked her, “Where do you feel unwell? Are you dizzy? Have weak knees? Blurry vision?”
Gu Nianzhi shook her head. “I don’t feel unwell. No dizziness, no weak knees, and my vision is normal.”
Chen Lie nodded, one hand rubbing his chin and he pondered the situation.
According to the data he had researched, anyone who had been afflicted with H3aB7 said it was like peeling off a layer of skin. It basically made a person use their entire being to have sex. Their bodies would be weak for a long while afterwards. But, Gu Nianzhi’s various vitals indicated that she was very healthy and had no issues at all.
Chen Lie had the data from Gu Nianzhi’s annual body checks, starting from six years ago, once a year. Everything was normal. Gu Nianzhi’s body index was the same as last year as well…no, Chen Lie corrected himself, it was maybe actually a bit healthier than last year. She had grown 10 centimeters and her weight had increased accordingly. Her body fat level was slightly high, but she was certainly not fat seeing as her bone structure was small. Although she was not 18 yet, her figure was voluptuous. She was curvy where she should be, and also delicate and thin where she should be. She was an absolute beauty.
Comparing such healthy vital statistics to the previous data he found on H3aB7 almost made him think that he had erred somewhere. Gu Nianzhi almost seemed too healthy. Even if she had not been afflicted with H3aB7, to be able to jump around after waking from a seven day coma was amazing.
Chen Lie’s gaze moved to Gu Nianzhi’s arm. His fingers involuntarily twitched with the urge to take another blood sample. But, thinking of how much blood he had already taken the past week, he knew that withdrawing anymore was going to make Gu Nianzhi pass out. He was scared to take anymore. Furthermore, if Huo Shaoheng found out, he probably would make his life miserable. Chen Lie absolutely did not want Huo Shaoheng to hold a grudge against him. He was a boss who was vicious to the point of being diabolical.
Gu Nianzhi looked at Chen Lie several times and saw he was staring at the equipment in silence. She had no choice but to ask with reluctance, “Brother Chen, what happened to me…after?”
“After what?” Chen Lie was focused on preparing the equipment and monitoring Gu Nianzhi’s blood pressure and heart rate at the same time. Like a lie detector, he could tell if she was speaking the truth.
“After I passed out that day?” Gu Nianzhi blushed and couldn’t help covering her face.
It was too humiliating. She remembered having called Chen Lie to tell him she that was unwell and had felt turned on… no, unbearably aroused.
Chen Lie eyed Gu Nianzhi, his voice softening. “Nianzhi, do you remember what happened before you passed out?”
He had to figure out how much she remembered.
Gu Nianzhi opened a crack in the fingers covering her face and peered at Chen Lie through them. Her voice was very quiet. “I went to Feng Yixi’s birthday party, right? Brother Chen even helped me select the evening gown I wore.”
“Mhmm, and then?”
“And then? Didn’t I tell you? And then I went there and Feng Yixi stabbed me on the shoulder with something, I… I… felt strange all over. I rushed to Huo Shao’s villa and called Brother Chen for help.” Only by saying it all in one breath did Gu Nianzhi feel less embarrassed.
She lowered her hands from her face. Her cheeks, pink and full, were like tender flower buds, and her eyes shimmered like water.
Chen Lie nodded, his voice growing even more gentle, like the devious wolf coaxing Red Riding Hood. He lowered his voice and asked, “And then?”
“And then I don’t remember…” Gu Nianzhi, paused, and then finally asked the question that was stirring such unease in her heart. “Brother Chen, was I afflicted by an aphrodisiac? Afterward… how did I get better afterward?”
She was afraid to raise her head and look into Chen Lie’s eyes. Her head was bowed deeply and her fingers dug into the embroidered flowers on the seat cushion of the love seat sofa.
Chen Lie walked over and removed her hands from the cushion. He patted her head and laughed. “Of course, Brother Chen was awesome, and cured you! That aphrodisiac was nothing. With Brother Chen helping you, it was a piece of cake! Its ok, it’s ok, aren’t you fine now?”
“Oh?” Gu Nianzhi raised her head in surprise. “Really? Brother Chen cured me? You… You… You didn’t have me do that… with a guy? A lot of the novels I read say to do it like that”
“Of course not.” Chen Lie quickly shook his head and rebuked her sternly. “You are still young, Nianzhi. Don’t read those messed up novels. Needing a man to remedy an aphrodisiac is something only an ignorant fool would say. Your Brother Chen is from a high class of physicians in the military. Of course I have a cure the aphrodisiac!”
It was true that Chen Lie had a corresponding antidote to all the aphrodisiacs in the world, with the exception of H3aB7. There was the exception of H3aB7, however.
Chen Lie gritted his teeth mentally, vowing to find the antidote to this aphrodisiac. He refused to believe that Oda Masao, that pervert, could really create such a potent substance. Why doesn’t he go to h*ll?! Chen Lie thought agitatedly.
With Chen Lie’s reassurance that the aphrodisiac had been cured with an antidote, Gu Nianzhi was overjoyed. Her lips curved into a smile and her huge eyes were like two crescent moons.
“Brother Chen, I have something to ask of you.”
“What else? Tell me.”
“The whole thing of me getting afflicted by an aphrodisiac, can you not tell Huo Shao?” Gu Nianzhi knew Chen Lie had been entrusted by Huo Shaoheng to take care of her while he was away from C City. She had also completely forgotten that Chen Lie had called Huo Shaoheng.
Chen Lie was mentally elated and thought this is too easy. He couldn’t believe how thorough the effects of the aphrodisiac were, and how they granted him such the advantage of such simple secrecy.
“I won’t tell him, I certainly will not tell him! It’s not as though I’m bored enough to go and get into trouble with him, am I?” Chen Lie smiled and bantered, extending his palm. “We will swear on it. Give me five!”
Gu Nianzhi happily high fived him three times and crossed one worry off her mind.
After taking care of that concern, she felt her stomach grumbling. She was starving and clutched her stomach as she made her way to lay on the couch. She said to Chen Lie breathlessly, “Brother Chen, I’m hungry. Do you have any food?’
“Of course. Wait here and I’ll order delivery.” Chen Lie smiled as he took out his phone to order food. After she ate, she felt sleepy and napped the whole afternoon.
…
Gu Nianzhi woke on Sunday. It marked the second day since Huo Shaoheng had brought Yin Shixiong and Zhao Liangze with him to Japan. Sunday evening, the three of them had finished scouting locations and returned to their room in the Chiba Hotel to summarize their findings from the day. After the briefing, they started talking about all sorts of things.
Zhao Liangze and Yin Shixioing exchanged a look and crept conspiratorially to Huo Shao Heng. “Sir, we’ve endured the sexual temptation resistance training for so long. Should we check the results today?”