The scene before him, so full of allure, completely stunned Lin Xiao Tian.
Although he had seen Guo Lin Qing's body several times before, it was always in the context of saving her.
In those moments, Lin Xiao Tian's mind was solely focused on saving her, devoid of any extraneous emotions.
But now, it was different.
Watching Guo Lin Qing shed her clothes before him, Lin Xiao Tian couldn't help but swallow.
He recalled what Zhang Bi Chi had said, that Cao Yun Tian had taken Guo Lin Qing as a substitute for Qin Yu Xiang.
Indeed, in terms of appearance and figure, she was not inferior to Qin Yu Xiang in the slightest.
Soon, Guo Lin Qing was completely unclothed.
What to do now?
He couldn't possibly tell her to put her clothes back on, could he?
After much thought, Lin Xiao Tian decided to let it be.
He carefully covered Guo Lin Qing with the quilt, then administered a few acupuncture needles to ensure she could rest peacefully. Following that, Lin Xiao Tian tidied up the room.
Having finished these tasks, Lin Xiao Tian prepared to open the door and leave.
Just as he reached for the door, there was a sudden disturbance outside.
The next moment, the door swung open on its own.
*Click.*
Their eyes met.
"Who the hell are you?"
The person who opened the door grumbled.
Lin Xiao Tian immediately recognized him as the man who had been arguing at Guo Lin Qing's place earlier that day.
The man was named Guo Xu, Guo Lin Qing's paternal half-brother. Despite being siblings, the gap between them was nothing short of immense.
Setting aside their appearances, in terms of personal development, Guo Lin Qing had excelled academically since childhood, going on to pursue postgraduate studies after graduation and subsequently securing a position at the National Medical Hall.
In contrast, Guo Xu had been idle since youth. Disliking school, he dropped out of junior high and started associating with unsavory elements. After a few fruitless years, he decided to venture into business.
However, he was not cut out for it. He lost money in several businesses, and ultimately, his family had to foot the bill. Their father had run a small eatery, and their family was once quite well-off. But due to Guo Xu's profligacy, they were now drowning in debt.
Not only did Guo Xu show no remorse, but he also developed a gambling addiction. When his family ran out of money, he would demand it from Guo Lin Qing. If she refused, he would pressure her along with their parents.
Guo Lin Qing, with her gentle disposition, couldn't bear the constant nagging of her family and eventually relented.
She had hoped that Guo Xu would at least restrain himself a little, but who could have imagined that this would only inflate his arrogance? Sometimes, when Guo Lin Qing refused to lend him money, Guo Xu would even go to her workplace to demand it.
Earlier that day, Guo Xu had even hired a locksmith to open Guo Lin Qing's rented apartment, planning to wait for her to return, solely with the intention of borrowing money.
"It's late, do you need something?" Lin Xiao Tian narrowed his eyes.
"That's what I should be asking you. Why are you here?" Guo Xu's tone was hostile, but quickly, he seemed to recall, "I remember, you were the one at my sister's door earlier today."
"Move aside, I need to talk to my sister about something."
After saying this, Guo Xu attempted to bypass Lin Xiao Tian.
But Lin Xiao Tian stood directly in his path, blocking him from entering.
"What are you doing?"
Guo Xu immediately became enraged.
The next moment, he actually started pushing Lin Xiao Tian.
But to no one's surprise, Lin Xiao Tian didn't even budge. Instead, Guo Xu himself stumbled back several steps.
"Damn it, are you looking for trouble?"
Guo Xu, unaccustomed to such indignity, lunged forward to attack Lin Xiao Tian.
But as he raised his fist, he saw the indifferent expression on Lin Xiao Tian's face and forcefully retracted it.
Having spent many years on the streets, Guo Xu considered himself to have encountered many tough individuals, but he had never met anyone like Lin Xiao Tian.
Some people prove their ferocity through their actions, while others only need a glance.
Clearly, the man before him was enough to intimidate anyone with just a look.
"You… what are you doing? I need to talk to my sister. Tell her to come out."
One moment Guo Xu was acting all blustery, and the next, he had become as meek as a dog.
"She's asleep. Next time. Anything you need, you can tell me," Lin Xiao Tian said in a calm tone.
"Who are you? Why should I tell you?"
"I… I am her friend."
"Friend? Boyfriend?"
Lin Xiao Tian thought for a moment and decided it was best to feign being her boyfriend, otherwise, Guo Xu might continue to pester her for who knows how long. He nodded.
"Is there something you need?"
"I need to borrow some money from my sister…"
"She's not available today," Lin Xiao Tian replied.
Lin Xiao Tian had initially intended to refuse on Guo Lin Qing's behalf, but since he couldn't resolve family disputes, and this was Guo Lin Qing's private matter, he didn't want to interfere too much. Thus, he used this excuse.
Facing Lin Xiao Tian's assertive stance, Guo Xu retreated step by step. He actually wanted to end this conversation long ago. If he weren't desperate for money, he wouldn't have lingered for so long.
But now that Lin Xiao Tian was so firm, he dared not say anything more.
"Oh, okay… Alright, I'll come back next time."
After saying that, Guo Xu took several steps back, preparing to leave.
"Stop," Lin Xiao Tian called out to him.
Guo Xu flinched, his heart suddenly pounding.
"What… what is it?"
"Did you hire a locksmith to duplicate a key?"
"Yes…"
Lin Xiao Tian directly extended his hand to him.
Guo Xu immediately understood and quickly handed over the key.
"Remember, you are not allowed to enter this place without permission from now on," Lin Xiao Tian said flatly.
But these words, to Guo Xu, sounded filled with threat.
"Okay, okay…" Guo Xu gave a dry laugh and left without looking back.
Watching Guo Xu walk away, Lin Xiao Tian couldn't help but sigh.
Was this person truly Guo Lin Qing's relative?
He was a stranger now!
A stranger appearing in his own sister's apartment and even taking her key, yet Guo Xu showed no concern for his sister's safety and simply ran off?
This made Lin Xiao Tian pity Guo Lin Qing.
Lin Xiao Tian thought for a moment and decided to stay overnight. If Guo Xu were to return and bother Guo Lin Qing, it would be too dangerous.
The next morning.
Lin Xiao Tian made breakfast for Guo Lin Qing and tidied up the house. Estimating that Guo Lin Qing would be waking up soon, he left a note and departed.
He had intended to return to Jinsha Village today, but construction had already begun on the roads there, making travel inconvenient. Moreover, there was nothing pressing with Qin Yu Xiang, and his own house was still under construction. With nothing else to do, Lin Xiao Tian decided to make up for the shifts he owed the National Medical Hall.
Around seven in the morning, Lin Xiao Tian arrived at the clinic early.
As a notable figure in the medical hall, Lin Xiao Tian's appearance immediately drew countless gazes.
Meanwhile, Guo Lin Qing woke up not long after Lin Xiao Tian left.
Upon finding herself naked in bed, Guo Lin Qing was instantly bewildered.
She had been with Lin Xiao Tian last night, could he have done something to her?
With this thought, Guo Lin Qing quickly checked herself.
"Phew… thankfully, I'm okay," Guo Lin Qing breathed a sigh of relief.
But then, she became somewhat annoyed.
"Are you an idiot?"
"Or am I too ugly?"
With this thought, Guo Lin Qing walked over to the mirror.
"I'm not ugly, am I?"
Looking at her own proud curves, Guo Lin Qing couldn't help but doubt herself.