Chapter 27: The Ghost Doctor Zhen Shuai

As for Lu Yuxiu, he somehow conjured up a person—a man who appeared refined and courteous. Lin Xi still vividly remembered their first meeting. That day, after finishing her scenes, she was preparing to return to the hotel in the van. Yet the moment she got in, she saw a baby-faced boy sitting comfortably in her seat, sipping her red wine, seemingly oblivious to her presence.

Lin Xi managed to remain composed and walked over. To her surprise, he was engrossed in a romance novel, its title something like "Nine Babies in One Birth, Woman Where Are You Running." Lin Xi was speechless.

“Um… Excuse me…” Was she supposed to address him as a boy or a gentleman? Lin Xi hesitated.

The man slowly looked up, revealing a fair, scholarly face with the air of a student, gazing at Lin Xi with a hint of confusion. Lin Xi almost felt at a loss—why did she feel like she was the one disturbing him?

“Excuse me, but why are you in my car? Did you get in the wrong one?” Lin Xi asked.

He tilted his head innocently. “Isn’t this the boss’s car?” He pointed to a bag of White Rabbit candies on the table.

Lin Xi’s eyes flickered. Only she and Lu Yuxiu in the crew liked those candies, so… was this Lu Yuxiu’s friend? Or maybe his younger brother?

“Oh! I know you! You must be Lin Xi, right?” The man suddenly leapt up, excitement shining in his eyes.

Without giving her a chance to react, he quickly introduced himself. “I’m Zhen Shuai, a friend of the boss. It’s an honor to meet you.” With that, he reached for Lin Xi’s hand, as if to bestow a gentlemanly kiss.

Zhen Shuai? Lin Xi was even more bewildered.

“Zhen Number Eight.” A commanding voice sounded. Lin Xi saw him immediately withdraw his hand and stand upright, like a well-behaved student facing a stern principal.

Lin Xi turned to see Lu Yuxiu.

“Boss, I didn’t do anything!” Zhen Shuai waved his hands in panic, unnerved by Lu Yuxiu’s indifferent gaze, trying to swear his innocence.

Lu Yuxiu ignored him, gently took Lin Xi’s hand, and guided her to a seat.

He finally explained, “This is a friend of mine, a highly skilled doctor. I’ve asked him to take over Wen Jin’s grandmother’s case; there shouldn’t be any issues.”

Lin Xi studied Zhen Shuai up and down. He looked barely out of high school—was he really up to the task?

Zhen Shuai’s eyes sparkled at the boss’s praise, and a fighting spirit surged within him. Noticing Lin Xi’s skeptical gaze, he patted his chest, “Sister Xi, don’t worry. There’s no patient I can’t save!”

…Was this man always this forward?

“Number Eight, you still haven’t fixed that narcissism of yours?” teased Zhou Jun as he walked in.

Zhen Shuai bounced up again, and Lin Xi finally understood the term “two-faced”—his personality was nothing like his appearance.

“Jun-Jun!” Zhen Shuai threw himself at Zhou Jun in a bear hug. “I missed you so much!”

Zhou Jun deftly dodged him, while Lu Yuxiu looked on, clearly used to such antics.

“Miss Xi, don’t worry. This guy is famous as the 'Ghost Doctor.' You just need to reassure Miss Wen Jin—tell her she has nothing to worry about!” Zhou Jun explained when he saw Lin Xi’s curiosity.

At this, Lin Xi was startled. The 'Ghost Doctor'? The legendary healer whose reputation spanned both the underworld and the upper world? It was said he’d been residing in Country Y, his whereabouts a mystery, his demeanor low-key and enigmatic. Who would have thought he’d be a delicate, scholarly young man?

But how did Lu Yuxiu know him? And their relationship seemed rather close.

Lin Xi kept her doubts to herself, her expression unchanged.

Zhou Jun and Zhen Shuai slung their arms around each other’s shoulders, chatting aimlessly as they walked out. Zhen Shuai’s complaining voice floated back, “Jun-Jun, listen, the novel I’m following updates at a snail’s pace! It’s driving me crazy. You should just hack the author’s computer…”

The two soon disappeared from view.

Lu Yuxiu rose and pulled Lin Xi to her feet. “Come, let’s go find Wen Jin.”

Lin Xi nodded.

The two headed to Wen Jin’s dressing room, where Gu Yao was also present. He had previously asked his elder brother to help locate the elusive 'Ghost Doctor,' but hadn’t yet received any news. Now, faced with Wen Jin, he found himself at a loss—a feeling he’d never experienced before a woman.

“Fourth Brother, don’t worry. We’ve found the 'Ghost Doctor'!” Lin Xi tugged at Gu Yao’s sleeve, whispering the reassurance.

Gu Yao’s eyes lit up in surprise.

This small gesture irked Lu Yuxiu, though he showed nothing, merely shifting his body slightly to stand between the two.

Just then, Wen Jin’s door opened. She glanced at everyone, but when her eyes met Gu Yao’s, she quickly lowered her head.

“Xiao Jin, don’t be sad. We’ve found the best doctor for your grandmother. She’ll be fine!” Lin Xi went over and took Wen Jin’s hand.

For the first time, Wen Jin’s expression shifted from sorrow to disbelief. “R-really?”

“Zhen Number Eight,” Lu Yuxiu called calmly.

“Boss!” Zhen Shuai appeared before everyone in the blink of an eye, ready and waiting.

Lin Xi narrowed her eyes. The Ghost Doctor was so obedient to Brother Yuxiu… Their relationship was clearly more complicated than it seemed.

Lu Yuxiu made no effort to hide anything from Lin Xi—his clever little girl could certainly see through things, but he didn’t mind her knowing his secrets.

As Zhen Shuai appeared, all eyes turned to him.

Gu Yao looked him up and down with open disdain. Was this the so-called infallible 'Ghost Doctor'? No way! He looked like a clueless boy. Shouldn’t the Ghost Doctor be a venerable elder?

Gu Yao could hardly be blamed—Wen Jin, too, was skeptical. The boy looked like a student, youthful and full of scholarly air.

Lin Xi could tell neither of them trusted Zhen Shuai, so she brought Wen Jin over. “This is Wen Jin. It’s her grandmother—she has a heart condition. Please help her.”

Upon seeing Wen Jin—so small, so fragile, her face etched with worry—Zhen Shuai felt a surge of protectiveness. His usual flippancy vanished as he solemnly promised, “Miss Wen Jin, don’t worry. Leave it to me—I’ll make sure your grandmother regains her health!”

Zhou Jun, listening from the side, couldn’t help but twitch an eyebrow. This guy…

Gu Yao clenched his fists at the address. “Miss?” Was this guy looking for trouble?

Wen Jin stared at Zhen Shuai in a daze. Lin Xi squeezed her hand, as if to reassure her.

To Gu Yao, it looked as if Wen Jin was bewitched by this pretty boy.

Wen Jin thought it over. Lin Xi would never lie to her—if she trusted Zhen Shuai, then so would she.

“Alright! Thank you, Dr. Zhen!” Wen Jin replied earnestly.

“I object!” Gu Yao’s voice thundered, reverberating in everyone’s chest. “This guy is clearly up to no good!”

“You!” Zhen Shuai instantly bristled, indignant at the unprovoked insult.

Just as the two were about to come to blows, Lu Yuxiu frowned, calling out Zhen Shuai’s name with a warning. Lin Xi quickly stepped in to stop Gu Yao. “Fourth Brother! Don’t you trust me or Brother Yuxiu?”

Gu Yao was left speechless, his fists falling to his sides in frustration.

Wen Jin hesitated, then walked slowly to Gu Yao’s side. He froze—Xiao Jin was finally willing to speak to him!

But her next words nearly made him explode.

She leaned in softly and whispered, “Yao-ge, I believe him.”

Gu Yao’s brow twitched fiercely. He closed his eyes but could not refute her.

Although Director Lu was meticulous and demanding about work, he recognized the gravity of Wen Jin’s grandmother’s illness and, in this special case, granted the three of them leave.

——————

The group made their way to Central Hospital.

On the road, Gu Yao received a message from his elder brother: the Ghost Doctor had indeed been spotted in China recently. Now, even if he wanted to doubt, he couldn’t.

At the hospital, Lu Yuxiu used his connections with Starlight to have Zhen Shuai enter the operating room as an international specialist. All they could do now was wait.

“Xiao Jin, don’t worry. He’s very reliable,” Lin Xi said, sitting beside her on the bench, trying to comfort her.

“Xiu, how do you know the Ghost Doctor? He looks like a pretty boy to me!” Gu Yao pulled Lu Yuxiu aside, frustration simmering with nowhere to go.

Lu Yuxiu raised an eyebrow. “Are you worried Wen Jin will be charmed by him?” His words were blunt, but they hit Gu Yao square in the heart.

Gu Yao stared wide-eyed at Lu Yuxiu. Was he that obvious? Then why couldn’t Xiao Jin see it?

Lu Yuxiu chuckled. “Don’t worry—he’s clueless and has no such intentions.”

Gu Yao was still uneasy. “I’m telling you, guys like him are cunning…”

Time ticked by.

Suddenly, the doors to the operating room swung open.

Zhen Shuai strode out with confidence, exuding the aura of a true master, followed by a group of doctors and nurses. The moment they exited, Wen Jin and Lin Xi rushed forward, eager for news, but a doctor beat them to it.

“Sir, you’re incredible! I’ve never seen such precise technique!” The doctor, Wen Lihua’s attending physician, had shed his earlier aloofness and now spoke with excitement.

“Yes, exactly! We’ve never seen such skills—it could be a textbook case!” Young doctors and nurses behind Zhen Shuai gazed at him with starry eyes. The case that had baffled their entire hospital was but a trifle in his hands. Who was this genius?

“May we know your name? Would you be willing to give us a lecture?” a doctor asked.

Zhen Shuai smiled, clearly used to such attention. “My humble name is Zhen Shuai.”

What? The crowd gaped in confusion—was this master really that narcissistic?

Zhen Shuai? Well… he was rather handsome.

Watching all this, Wen Jin knew her grandmother was out of danger. Her legs gave out, and she almost collapsed, but Lin Xi quickly caught her by the waist.

Neither noticed Gu Yao behind them, his arm awkwardly suspended in midair…

Now Wen Jin no longer had to live in fear day after day. After settling her grandmother in, the group rushed back to the set in the afternoon. Zhou Jun, meanwhile, was dragged off by Zhen Shuai to be his tour guide, and the two set off to explore the ancient city together.

That day, the scene being filmed was a horseback riding sequence outdoors. Director Lu had the crew bring each actor a horse to get comfortable with, preparing for shooting.

Lin Xi’s entrance stunned everyone on set.

Clad in bright red, radiant and beguiling, she sat astride a white horse, galloping freely across the grassy field—a dazzling sight that became the highlight of the day.

At that moment, the season’s first snow began to fall, delicate flakes drifting down, catching in her hair and on her sleeves.

Her smile was brilliant, her face strikingly beautiful, the corners of her eyes slightly upturned, giving her an elegant, otherworldly charm—a lightness all her own.

Such a pure and radiant girl was like a tall tree by the roadside, swaying quietly in the wind—beauty that existed in silence and serenity.

“She’s truly the most stunning woman I’ve ever seen in red,” someone in the crew sighed.

Lu Yuxiu watched her from afar, lively and spirited on horseback, radiating vitality. His heart stirred—this was how his girl was meant to be, dazzling and extraordinary, a natural-born beauty.

Yet, in his heart, he felt conflicted—afraid she would go unnoticed, and equally afraid she would be admired by all.