he noticed the ropes binding her.It must be said that the black-clad person's knot-tying skills were impressive; a single rope had bound her like an Egyptian mummy, lying stiffly on the ground.The sha...Chapter 246: Ready to Begin

It turned out that what she had in mind was for Xiao Hongyang to come here and help for a year, after which he would return to the capital city. However, just now, Xiao Yu's intention seemed to be for Xiao Hongyang to stay here for life, making her feel compelled to speak up.

Although Xiao Yu’s clinic was not small, in Bai Jing's eyes, it was extremely tiny. Such a small clinic—if Xiao Hongyang were to stay here for just one year, he could endure and it wouldn't matter if he didn’t earn money during that time.

But to have Xiao Hongyang stay here for life made her unhappy. Considering how much Xiao Hongyang would be able to earn by the time he was old, now making him bind himself here for life seemed unfair.

"Shut up, Uncle Teacher, no need to discuss it, I’ve decided to stay!"

When Bai Jing interrupted his words, Xiao Hongyang immediately turned around and shouted at her. After saying that, he addressed Xiao Yu who was sitting there.

"Very well, since your mind is set, then kneel down."

Hearing Xiao Hongyang's firm response, Xiao Yu nodded his head and told the man in front of him.

Upon hearing Xiao Yu’s words, Xiao Hongyang paused for a moment before kneeling in front of Xiao Yu.

The moment he heard Xiao Yu speak, Xiao Hongyang felt some reluctance, but seeing his father sitting beside them without any intention to stop it, he knew there must be a reason behind it. Thus, after a brief hesitation, he knelt down.

Bai Jing was immediately silenced when she got shouted at by Xiao Hongyang and then remembered the rules of the Ye family—women cannot speak up when male members are making decisions.

Some people might say this rule is outdated, especially in modern society. However, the Ye family kept it intact and would always mention it to women before they married into the family.

Bai Jing saw Xiao Yu, a young man, asking Xiao Hongyang to kneel down and wanted to speak up again but was stopped by an intense gaze from Old Master Ye.

Just now, Bai Jing’s interruption already displeased Old Master Ye. He valued these rules greatly; hence he would usually turn a blind eye if something like this happened at home. But for Bai Jing to say it in front of Xiao Yu and others made him look extremely embarrassed.

"Xiao Hongyang, are you willing to enter my family and serve under the Xiao lineage’s medical practices, benefiting thousands of lives"

Xiao Yu looked at the kneeling Xiao Hongyang and said solemnly.

Now, Xiao Yu's expression was serious and solemn. The Xiao family had a significant difference from other traditional Chinese medicine families; they rarely took in people outside their lineage. Back then, apart from some apprentices, only Old Master Ye’s father was an outsider, but he changed his surname to Xiao.

This is also why, after the Xiao family was exterminated, their lineage came to an end; fortunately, due to Old Yue's father, a branch of the family was preserved.

In those war-torn times, how many families of traditional Chinese medicine were massacred. But after liberation, these families and lineages re-emerged like bamboo shoots after rain, except for the Xao family that almost faced total annihilation.

Now in this generation with Xiao Yu, Xiao Hongyang is considered the first person outside the Xiao family whom Xiao Yu has taken in. However, due to Old Yue's father, he also counts as a member of the Xiao family.

Moreover, both Old Yue and his father intended for Xiao Hongyang to carry on the Xiao family lineage, so Xiao Hongyang is not considered an outsider; hence there's no need for a clan hall ceremony, it only requires the head of the household's consent.

If the Xiao family didn’t have Xiao Yu, that would be fine. But since the Xiao family now has Xiao Yu, if Xiao Hongyang wants to inherit the Xiao family medical techniques, he must obtain Xiao Yu’s agreement first.

"I’m willing!" Xiao Hongyang said resolutely.

"Good, good, get up then!" Xiao Yu repeatedly affirmed and asked Xiao Hongyang who was kneeling on the ground to stand up.

Hearing Xiao Yu's words, Xiao Hongyang stood up. He felt somewhat excited as he recalled what his father had told him: that Xiao Yu had completed the inheritance of the Xiao family medical techniques and even mastered the secret needle technique for prolonging life; now, being part of the Xiao family, he would eventually learn all these things.

As for dedicating himself to the Xiao family for a lifetime, he never harbored any other thoughts since his birth when he changed his surname to Xao. He was destined to inherit the Xiao family medical techniques from that moment on; thus, this point had no binding effect on him.

"Good, good, my father's wish is finally fulfilled!"

Upon seeing this scene, Old Yue also said with excitement.

In those days, due to circumstances, Old Yue’s father had to revert back to his original surname. This made him feel guilty towards the Xiao family all along. That was why he let his son take on the surname Xao. However, as a single offspring of the Yue family, he could only wait until after his second son's birth before reverting back to his original surname and changing Yue Hongyang’s name to Xiao Hongyang to ease some of his guilt, at least ensuring that the Xiao lineage hadn't been broken.

Now with Xiao Yu in the Xiao family, and Xiao Hongyang being included within it as well, Old Yue felt much less guilty towards the Xiao family.

"Hongyang, come on, I'll take you to your residence. Let's put down your luggage first!"

Xiao Yu stood up and said to Xiao Hongyang.

“Yes, Uncle Master!” Xiao Hongyang responded and followed Xiao Yu out of the room.

"Dad, I’ll go prepare a place for Hongyang."

Bai Jing, who was standing beside Old Ye, followed Xiao Hongyang out after he left and told Old Ye before she exited.

Xiao Hongyang and Bai Jing came to the car where Xiao Yong had parked it. From the trunk, they took out two big suitcases. After taking a suitcase from Bai Jing’s hand, Xiao Yong walked towards the back garden of the antique mall.

When Xiao Yong brought Xiao Hongyang and Bai Jing up to the rooftop of the antique mall, both of them were stunned by the luxurious facilities there. They thought that even if he had arranged accommodation for himself in his small clinic, it wouldn't be as good as this place. Xiao Hongyang’s accommodations each time when he was out seeing patients were definitely worse than this.

Bai Jing, who held a deputy section chief position in the Ministry of Health, found that even during her research and inspection trips, the places local departments arranged for them to stay at were not as good as this place.

Xiao Yong left after bringing Xiao Hongyang and Bai Jing to their rooms. Bai Jing wouldn’t be leaving today since she would go back to the capital city together with Old Ye in two days’ time. Old Ye had returned to the capital a few days ago, so he had come specially for this occasion.

In the afternoon, Xiao Yong brought everyone around to find a restaurant nearby. It was a Sichuan hotpot house. Eating hot pot at the beginning of winter felt very comfortable.

After the meal, Wei Jun said his farewells and left. Xiao Yong then escorted everyone back up to the rooftop of the antique mall. Since they had been busy all morning, there was nothing much planned for the afternoon so he told them to go rest after lunch. Old Ye too was arranged to have a nap on the rooftop.

In the afternoon, Xiao Yong stayed in his clinic and checked up on the herbal medicines. He hoped that nothing would happen tomorrow.

"Xiao Yong! Xiao Yong! Come quickly..."

Xiao Yong was checking the medicinal herbs when suddenly he heard Wei Jun shouting from outside. Hadn’t he said he had something to do after lunch Why did he come back

With a puzzled look, Xiao Yong put down what he was holding and went out.

A pick-up truck was parked behind Wei Jun’s car with four or five people standing beside it.

"Brother Jun, what is it"

Xiao Yong looked at the pick-up truck. The truck bed was covered in a tarpaulin so one couldn’t see what was inside. As he slowly walked down the steps to meet Wei Jun, Xiao Yong asked him.

"Hehe, I’ve brought some things over. Otherwise, it wouldn’t feel like an opening ceremony if there’s nothing here," said Wei Jun with a light laugh.

"Alright, thank you so much for your help, Brother Jun!"

Xiao Yong thanked Wei Jun, who had just eaten lunch and left to bring over these things.

"Alright, let's start setting up!" Wei Jun shouted to the people next to the pick-up truck.

"Yes sir, boss!" They responded and started unloading things from the vehicle.

Their actions were quick. In no time, an inflatable circular arch was set up in front of Xiao Yu's clinic. Two large red balloons with vertical banners floated up into the air.

One banner on the two balloons read a congratulatory message for Bo Gu Antiques Shop and another one from Wei Group, which was Wei Jun’s family company.

Xiao Yu stood at his clinic's door watching all this. It finally had a festive opening atmosphere; it seemed Wei Jun thought of everything quite thoroughly.

After Wei Jun finished setting up and left Xiao Yu's clinic, Xiao Yu gave Liu Erxi a few instructions and then drove off to book the restaurant’s meals. Even though he hadn't notified anyone, there was no telling if someone might come, so he went to reserve several banquet tables.

After driving out of his clinic, Xiao Yu saw a few people emerge from an alley near a small street corner, looking at his clinic with malevolent expressions.

"Boss, what should we do"

One person asked the leader.

"Hmph... We'll ignore him today. Tomorrow, he’ll see! I’ll buy tofu to hit myself if Xiao Yu’s clinic can actually open!"

Hearing this, another person sneered and said with a hideous expression while looking at Xiao Yu's clinic, "He thinks he can open up his clinic Well, let him." Then the man turned around and walked into the alley. The other few people exchanged glances, their eyes flashing with malice as they followed suit.

Xiao Yu drove to a four-star hotel near an antiques market and booked a small hall that could accommodate five or six tables. Originally, he had planned for three tables but ended up reserving two extra just in case.

After making the booking at the hotel, Xiao Yu headed back to his villa where construction workers were loading their tools onto vehicles.

A foreman rushed over upon seeing Xiao Yu enter and said, "Boss, we’re done for today. I’ll show you around!" Then he led Xiao Yu on a tour of the villa.

After walking through, Xiao Yu noticed that everything had been installed quite well. The furniture and appliances for the main hall would be delivered two days later, while all items upstairs in the bedrooms were already fully arranged.

Since they first decorated the bedrooms, once it was done, Xiao Yu reclaimed the bedroom keys to have Xiao Jianying and others start setting up there so as not to get overwhelmed with purchases.

After the construction workers left, Xiao Yu toured his villa. Seeing everything in order, he nodded inwardly; all that remained was for him to move in once the villa was fully furnished. He then locked the front door and left. explain it to their families if that happened Some of these people's families spent all their wealth on their education. Even those who had borrowed from every single relative in order to pay for the...