Chapter 7: Ancestor
Min Nan also looked doubtful. He had suspected that there was something wrong with Ye Ling's roommate, so he subconsciously thought that their relationship wasn't good.
However, he didn't expect Ye Ling to say that she and Liu Lin didn't have any conflicts. This meant that she lacked motive.
"We will continue investigating, but you must be exhausted today. Would you like to rest for a while?" Min Nan observed Ye Ling's pale complexion and closed his notebook.
Today, Ye Ling went through the experience of being reborn and was almost killed by Wu De and his companions. She was indeed physically and mentally exhausted, so she nodded slightly.
"I will instruct the doctor and nurses to be attentive to your needs and ensure no one disturbs you. You can sleep with peace of mind." Min Nan did not realize that his tone was so gentle that it sounded like he was coaxing her.
Ye Ling lay down. Before she went to sleep, she suddenly thought of something and said to Min Nan, "By the way, officer, after I jumped into the river, someone else jumped in to save me. He brought me to the clinic and covered my medical expenses. Can you help me find that person so I can express my gratitude?"
Upon hearing Ye Ling's words, Min Nan's body tensed for a moment, though his expression remained mostly unchanged. He nodded and replied, "Alright, we will keep an eye out for that person."
Ye Ling finally felt at ease and drifted off to sleep.
As Min Nan gazed at Ye Ling's peaceful sleeping face, his feelings of awkwardness and unease gradually subsided, replaced by a sense of calm. He let out a long sigh of relief.
It was better this way, that she didn't remember what had transpired between them. She wouldn't have to bear any psychological burden.
In this day and age, societal values were still quite traditional. If Ye Ling were to know about their intimate encounter, her feelings of gratitude might transform into anger and embarrassment.
As Min Nan left the ward, a doctor who was conducting rounds in another ward noticed him and hurried over.
When Min Nan and Dai Wei entered the room together, the doctor recognized Min Nan as the man who had brought Ye Ling to the clinic, but he never expected that Min Nan was a police officer.
Due to the unspoken exchange of glances with Min Nan at the time, the doctor refrained from revealing Min Nan's identity to Ye Ling.
The doctor approached Min Nan and smiled. "Didn't she notice?"
Min Nan didn't provide a direct response. He only reminded him, "Please help me keep this matter confidential. Also, keep an eye on her ward and prevent any strangers from entering. I will return later tonight."
"No problem."
After Min Nan left, Ye Ling, who had fallen into a deep sleep, entered a peculiar dream.
She found herself in a space devoid of any material structure. Soon, countless points of light appeared before her, gradually coalescing into a vaguely human figure.
Though the figure was hard to discern, Ye Ling couldn't shake off a strange sense of familiarity. She racked her brain, and suddenly, a flash of insight burst forth, prompting her to exclaim in astonishment, "Ancestor?"
She remembered that the person in front of her was one of the dozen or so ancestors worshiped in the Ye family ancestral hall. He was Ye Xu, the twelfth-generation descendant of the Ye family, who had once been hailed as the "Divine Physician."
Ye Xu was surprised that Ye Ling had recognized him so quickly. A smile appeared on his face, adorned with the creases of age, and he gently stroked the light-formed beard.
In response, Ye Ling immediately knelt and paid her respects. "Ye Ling, daughter of Ye Zhen, the thirty-eighth successor of the Ye family, pays homage to the ancestor."
Ye Zhen was Ye Ling's mother. Due to Ye Zhen's premature demise, Ye Ling had not acquired many of the unique medical skills passed down within the Ye family. Furthermore, since her father had taken possession of the Hundred Herb Hall, the ancestral medical institution of the Ye family, Ye Ling had never entered the Hundred Herb Hall. Consequently, she believed that she couldn't truly be regarded as the thirty-ninth generation successor of the Ye family.
Perhaps the medical lineage that had once enjoyed great splendor was destined to decline in her generation.
Observing the desolate and regretful expression on Ye Ling's face, Ye Xu let out a sigh. "Good child, this is not your fault. Our Ye family has practiced medicine for generations, accumulating merits that have long filled the ledger of good fortune, bestowing blessings and protection upon future generations. Your mother, Ye Zhen, was meant to lead a smooth and long life, reaching the age of one hundred. Moreover, you are born under a fortunate star, possessing the destiny of a koi, and your fortune runs deep..."
The more Ye Xu spoke, the more perplexed Ye Ling became. Was he referring to her?
She was undeniably a completely unlucky soul, as evident from the way Wu De's family had caused her immense suffering in her previous life. The term "good fortune" had no connection to her. Why would the ancestor claim she was a born fortunate star?
Could it be that the ancestor had made a mistake?
Furthermore, her mother, Ye Zhen, had not lived to be a centenarian. Ye Zhen had been plagued by serious illness when Ye Ling was still a child. Ye Ling had witnessed her mother's emaciated body tormented by the disease. It was so unbearable to look at!