Supreme Heir Son-in-law

Chapter 885: A Round at the Hospital

Under Xu Ke’s questioning and gaze, the old drunkard greeted the first wave of silence for the day.

"Isn’t it you who’s behind this?" The old drunkard fixed his eyes on Xu Ke and questioned him.

"Your baseless suspicion is called slander, you know?" Xu Ke scoffed and retorted.

"How is it baseless slander? Even if you don’t admit it, I know your hostility towards me is evident. Since you’re hostile to me, it’s only natural you’d target my family." As he said this, the old drunkard’s eyes never left Xu Ke, as if wanting to dissect him thoroughly with his gaze.

Xu Ke didn’t evade his gaze at all. The sparks igniting from their clashing stares in mid-air were almost tangible.

"What are you two doing, having a staring contest? Honey, hurry up and change your clothes, then come and help out," a woman peaked out from the kitchen, looking at the two of them on the sofa with a hint of amusement in her eyes.

In her view, there wasn’t a conflict between the two; on the contrary, she felt their relationship seemed quite decent, seeing it as a form of interaction.

The old drunkard withdrew his gaze first when he saw his wife, agreeing to her request.

For the old drunkard, this meal was tasteless. His mind kept swirling with events; too many things had happened to his wife recently, making it hard for him not to think over them.

While suspecting Xu Ke in his heart, he was also grateful to him. Honestly, without Xu Ke’s involvement, he couldn’t imagine what his wife might face or whether she’d have a mental breakdown. After all, she wasn’t mentally strong and could crumble easily over the smallest things.

Though he didn’t know who was working against him from the shadows, he was determined not to let them go, planning to show the hidden culprit their mistake in angering him.

This time, after the meal, the old drunkard, who was usually at odds with Xu Ke, unexpectedly took the initiative to follow him outside without his wife’s urging, offering to see him off.

Seeing the woman’s approving look, Xu Ke didn’t refuse, giving the man an intrigued glance and agreeing.

Just like last time, as soon as the woman’s figure disappeared, the conversation between the two men resumed.

"Speak up, why are you seeing me off? What’s your objective?" Xu Ke asked, looking into the other’s eyes.

"I want to confirm one last time — are my wife’s recent ordeals truly unrelated to you?" The old drunkard asked earnestly.

"Your question is really boring. Isn’t the answer already in your heart? Does my answer matter? Will you believe me?" Xu Ke snickered, posing a series of questions in return.

"It matters, and I would believe you." The old drunkard responded with extra seriousness.

Seeing the earnestness in the old drunkard’s eyes, Xu Ke’s expression shifted from one of disdain and indifference to one of solemn earnestness.

"I didn’t do it, nor do I know who did. Consider who you might have hindered or offended, leading someone to retaliate against you." Xu Ke offered a hint to the old drunkard.

Hearing this, the old drunkard fell silent, but his furrowed brow indicated he was searching his mind for answers; Xu Ke stood quietly by, not urging him.

Time ticked away, and Xu Ke remained by his side like an invisible man. Eventually, the old drunkard stirred.

"I think I’ve got an answer, but it needs verification." The old drunkard said, though he didn’t avert his gaze from Xu Ke, causing Xu Ke to raise an eyebrow.

"You’ve got your answer, so why are you still staring at me?" Xu Ke queried under the old drunkard’s scrutiny.

"I know you’re good in a fight, so I need your help." The old drunkard said.

"What’s in it for me?" Xu Ke questioned in return.

"I’ll pay you," proposed the old drunkard.

"Do you think I still need money?" Xu Ke countered with a playful question.

Gazing into Xu Ke’s eyes, the old drunkard lowered his eyes and said, "Whatever you want, as long as it’s within my capabilities, I won’t refuse."

Hearing this promise, Xu Ke’s smile grew even brighter. "Great! I love dealing with straightforward people like you. Tell me where to go."

"First, let’s go to the hospital. I need to verify my assumption." The old drunkard said, squinting.

Driving the old drunkard’s car, they quickly reached the town’s hospital. This is where the benefits of a small place shine; in a big city, just running from one hospital to another could waste a lot of time, but here, with only one hospital, the destination was clear.

The old drunkard’s connections were extensive. While still in the car, he made a call, finding out where the three people were hospitalized.

Upon arriving at the hospital, they headed directly to the ward.

It’s worth noting the timing of Xu Ke and the old drunkard’s arrival was remarkably perfect. Just a few seconds before they reached the ward, the three unconscious individuals had just opened their eyes. The effects of the anesthesia still lingered, so they didn’t feel much pain, yet also couldn’t sense their injuries, making them feel incomplete.

The three lay on the hospital beds, staring vacantly at the ceiling. Were it not for the rise and fall of their chests, one might have mistaken them for corpses rather than patients.

"How’s your stay here?"

"Not good at all. I can’t even feel my shoulder anymore." The man on the bed instinctively replied, but upon realizing who was at his bedside — none other than the person who’d hospitalized him, Xu Ke, and the old drunkard — his demeanor shifted.

Feeling stunned, he shut his eyes, awkwardly chuckling, "That anesthetic sure is strong, making me see hallucinations — as if that guy who beat us up and the old drunkard are right by my bedside. Isn’t it hilarious?"

After finishing, his words fell into an unusual silence; no one responded to his query in the room.