Chapter 218 Severed a Hand

It was an hour after the family doctor arrived, as the Imperial Dragon Villa was quite secluded. The doctor, surnamed Xu, was a gentle and elegant man nearing forty, seemingly on very good terms with Tan Zheng. When he arrived, Song Ni was sitting on Tan Zheng's lap, being fed fruit by him while watching a movie directed by Director Jiang. "Is this your sister-in-law?" The simple, understated question easily piqued Song Ni's curiosity. In all her time with Tan Zheng, everyone he knew, except for that Li Qiao, called her "sister-in-law." Dr. Xu, with a voice as gentle as his appearance, exuded a presence like a spring breeze, dispelling unease and impatience, calming the heart. Song Ni couldn't immediately discern his age, but the feeling he emanated was one of seasoned wisdom, a tranquility only elders possessed. Tan Zheng, however, curved his lips into a helpless smile. "Uncle Xu." Song Ni: ??? How could this doctor call her "sister-in-law" while Tan Zheng called him "uncle"? Wasn't the hierarchy all mixed up? Hearing Tan Zheng's address and seeing the confusion on Song Ni's face, Dr. Xu shot Tan Zheng a glare. "Can't I pretend to be young?" Tan Zheng's eyes flickered. "Forty is indeed young." However, given the seniority, Tan Zheng really should call him Uncle Xu. Song Ni's gaze flickered between the two men, a hint of curiosity in her eyes. It was the first time she had seen Tan Zheng so relaxed in the company of others. It was different from the ease he shared with his brothers like Lu Fang and Lu Hao Ting. How to describe it? It was like a fish in water, a freedom and relaxation that comes from returning to the most familiar environment. Song Ni blinked and tilted her head towards the elegant man. "Then should I call you Big Brother Xu or Uncle Xu?" This question successfully amused both men. Dr. Xu stepped forward. "Call me Dr. Xu for now. Are you feeling unwell?" Song Ni obediently called him Dr. Xu and then extended her hand. Dr. Xu looked at Song Ni's three fingers, which had subsided in swelling, leaving only bruised patches, and then looked at Tan Zheng, raising an eyebrow. "Is this why you asked me to rush over?" Tan Zheng, holding Song Ni's fingers, said earnestly to Dr. Xu, "Perhaps there's a bone injury." Dr. Xu's lips twitched slightly. "If a bone were injured, it would be excruciatingly painful." As he spoke, Dr. Xu opened his medical kit and asked Song Ni, "Does it hurt?" Song Ni shook her head, placing her other hand by her mouth as a shield, and whispered, "It actually stopped hurting last night." Hearing this, Dr. Xu was even more surprised. Given the tone of Tan Zheng's phone call and his concern for Song Ni, how could she have been injured last night and only called him this morning? "Why didn't you have me come over last night?" Dr. Xu asked, putting on gloves and beginning to examine Song Ni. Last night... Heh heh. Song Ni glanced at Tan Zheng. Last night, this man had been clinging to her like a madman. They had only been apart for a month, yet he acted as if he hadn't been intimate in half a year. Tan Zheng's expression remained unchanged as he received Song Ni's gaze and calmly stated, "We had something going on last night." Just as Dr. Xu was about to ask what, he happened to glance at Song Ni's arm from her oversized sleeve and saw bite marks. He also noticed faint traces peeking out from beneath her collarbone, and he immediately understood. He let out a low chuckle, then released Song Ni's hand and took out an ointment from his medical kit. "There's no bone injury. Apply this ointment three times a day, and it will heal in a couple of days." Tan Zheng immediately added, "Get two more, she tends to bump into things." Dr. Xu pushed up his glasses. "You can pick them up at my clinic later; the box is out of stock." After speaking, Dr. Xu removed his gloves, tidied up the kit, and then observed Song Ni seriously. Seeing that she could still sit in Tan Zheng's embrace without any awkwardness or discomfort in the presence of an outsider, he suddenly understood why Tan Zheng had fallen for his arranged wife. Such a personality was indeed what Tan Zheng would admire. "Sister-in-law, do you know what Tan Zheng was like before? He wouldn't go to the hospital even if his arm was broken." And now, such a fuss over a small injury of Song Ni's. Hearing this, Song Ni turned to look at Tan Zheng, then back at Dr. Xu. "Uncle Xu, please tell me properly." Dr. Xu, finally seeming to have found Tan Zheng's weakness, began recounting past events as soon as Song Ni spoke. It turned out that Dr. Xu was a distant cousin of Tan Zheng's mother and had come to Xingcheng to study from a young age, growing up at the Tan family's residence. He was ten years older than Tan Zheng and had a relationship more like brothers with him. It was Dr. Xu who took Tan Zheng to watch a race abroad, when Tan Zheng was only fourteen. Tan Zheng's exceptional talent in racing emerged at an international club, and Dr. Xu then found friends and a coach to train him. Dr. Xu initially thought Tan Zheng's interest was fleeting, but he never expected Tan Zheng to become so passionate about racing. By sixteen, Tan Zheng was racing with abandon. However, his family disapproved, and Tan Zheng began living at Dr. Xu's home. At that time, Tan Zheng's allowance was cut off, and he had no extra money. Racing was an expensive hobby, and Tan Zheng nearly emptied Dr. Xu's savings. "You have no idea, I didn't dare to date back then because of this kid." Because he had no money. The younger Tan Zheng was even more arrogant and reckless. Once, he flipped his car during a race, completely destroying it. Fortunately, Tan Zheng was incredibly lucky and escaped serious injury. "He just broke an arm. This kid is so resilient; with no money in his pocket, he gritted his teeth and refused to go to the hospital, afraid I'd find out and tell his parents, and he wouldn't come to me either." Later, a friend informed Dr. Xu, and such a significant event couldn't be kept secret. Dr. Xu was angry at the time and refused to give Tan Zheng more money for racing. Who knew Tan Zheng would do something that seemed so absurd to him at the time, but the effect was unexpectedly good. "This kid came home directly with his arm in a cast, and stated righteously that without money for car equipment, he couldn't be expected to perform well, and his life could have been at stake. My sister was terrified." "My brother-in-law also has a fiery temper. Tan Zheng had broken his arm, and he directly grabbed a stick and beat him again. But this kid endured it without a sound." "Perhaps it was that stubbornness in him. My brother-in-law was also a spirited man, so he threw a card at him." "He told him that if he didn't achieve results, he wouldn't be a Tan family member, and he also said they should prepare for a second child." Of course, Tan Zheng's parents ultimately did not have another son or daughter, and Tan Zheng did indeed achieve results. As he spoke, Dr. Xu's eyes were filled with pride. "If he hadn't suddenly retired five years ago, he would be the most famous racing driver in the world by now."