"Huangfu Youcheng, is he the current patriarch of the Huangfu family?" Chen Fan asked again.
"Yes," Xu Mao nodded.
"But I heard before that the second young lady was recuperating at the Long family's place. Why was she arranged to stay at the Huangfu family's residence?" Chen Fan was a little confused.
"She was indeed at the Long family before, but after all, the Huangfu and Long families are in-laws, and the second young lady is also Huangfu Qinyuan's wife, so it's naturally inappropriate for her to stay at the Long family's anymore."
Then, Xu Mao seemed to remember something and said again, "Doctor Chen, there's one thing I must remind you."
"Once you get there, focus on treating the illness and don't ask about anything else, especially regarding the second young lady and the son-in-law. Otherwise, you'll be kicked out."
"Why?" Chen Fan retorted.
Xu Mao smiled faintly, "Doctor Chen, those are the second young lady's private matters after all. It's better for you not to know some things."
Chen Fan knew he had said the wrong thing again and nodded apologetically, "I understand, thank you, Mr. Xu."
Xu Mao said no more, but looked ahead.
Chen Fan also saw that ahead was a scenic area outside the Fourth Ring Road of the capital, and on one side of the scenic area, there was a courtyard with green bricks and black tiles. This courtyard was their destination.
After getting out of the car, Chen Fan observed that two men in suits were standing outside the courtyard gate, clearly bodyguards. Monitoring equipment was also installed around the perimeter wall.
Seeing them get out of the car, two men stepped forward and blocked Xu Mao and Chen Fan.
"I am Xu Mao, a servant of the Long family. This is Chen Fan, a selected neurosurgeon, who has come specifically to treat the second young lady," Xu Mao stated the purpose of their trip.
The two men, holding their earpieces, reported the situation outside the gate.
Soon, the two men moved aside, allowing them to enter the courtyard.
Xu Mao nodded politely to the two bodyguards and then led Chen Fan into the courtyard.
The courtyard was very elegant, with four large courtyards. Especially with its proximity to the scenic area, the air was fresh, and the hustle and bustle of the city was absent, making it very suitable for patient recovery.
Led by a servant, Chen Fan and Xu Mao walked towards the main house of the courtyard.
However, as the two arrived at the entrance of the main house, the previously closed door was opened, and a handsome middle-aged man walked out of the room.
"Son-in-law!" Upon seeing this person, Xu Mao quickly bowed.
Hearing this title, Chen Fan frowned and looked at the middle-aged man in front of him with surprise. This was Huangfu Qinyuan, the very culprit who had caused his mother's current condition.
"The selection results are out?" Huangfu Qinyuan asked, without looking at them.
"They are out. This is Chen Fan, the neurosurgeon selected this time," Xu Mao quickly explained.
"Surname Chen?" Huangfu Qinyuan glanced at Chen Fan upon hearing the name.
Xu Mao dared not speak.
"Hmph, it seems your second young lady's illness is hopeless. The doctors found this year are not as good as before," Huangfu Qinyuan sneered and stopped looking at Chen Fan.
However, as he was about to leave, he suddenly stopped, "By the way, from now on, when looking for doctors, exclude anyone surnamed Chen."
"Yes! I will report this matter to the master when I return," Xu Mao dared not delay.
Only then did Huangfu Qinyuan stride away.
Chen Fan didn't notice that his fingernails had dug deep into his flesh. However, he was self-aware and knew that if he acted now, he might not be able to treat his mother. He could only endure.
"Doctor Chen, don't mind him. The son-in-law has some past grievances with people surnamed Chen," Xu Mao explained to Chen Fan after Huangfu Qinyuan had left.
"Does he come here often?" Chen Fan asked, controlling his emotions.
"Not very often. The master has a lot of business and is usually very busy," the servant who led them to the main house replied.
"You go in. Outsiders are not allowed in this room. I'll wait for you outside," Xu Mao pointed to the door of the main house.
Chen Fan took a deep breath and slowly walked towards the door.
He pushed it open slowly.
A strong medicinal scent wafted towards him. The room was dim, and apart from the beeping of the instruments, no other sound could be heard.
Chen Fan closed the door and found his hands trembling slightly.
Controlling his emotions with great effort, Chen Fan walked towards the inner room of the main house.
In the room, there was a bed, several instruments, and two live-in nurses.
Chen Fan's gaze did not fall on anything else but on the woman on the bed, whose hair was disheveled, and who was emaciated and bony, with tubes inserted into her.
This scene had a profound impact on Chen Fan. He had never expected that the beautiful woman in the photos had been reduced to such a state.
In an instant, Chen Fan's mind went blank, his eyes welled up with tears, and his body trembled slightly.
If he hadn't been trying so hard to control himself, he would have rushed to his mother's bedside by now.
For so many years, for so many days and nights, he had blamed this woman before him.
He blamed her for not fulfilling her maternal duties, for not taking care of him, but he never knew what his mother had actually gone through.
"Are you the new doctor?" The silence in the room was finally broken by a voice.
The sudden sound pulled Chen Fan's thoughts back. He had almost lost control of his emotions.
"Yes," Chen Fan nodded at the two female nurses in the room.
"So young?"
"It seems the Long family has also given up on this once glamorous second young lady, finding such a young doctor."
The two female nurses' expressions were somewhat mocking.
Chen Fan ignored them and slowly walked to the bedside, looking at his mother, who had become skeletal from long-term malnutrition.
However, Chen Fan's eyes were filled with tenderness, without any hint of disgust. He even reached out to tidy up some of his mother's messy hair.
"What are you doing?! Maintain your distance!" The two female nurses scolded.
But at this moment, Chen Fan suddenly noticed that under his mother's messy hair, there were several bruised marks of being pinched on her neck.
And there were also several slap marks on her pale face.
Chen Fan froze, his eyes filled with rage.
Finally, he couldn't hold back.
"What happened to the injuries on her?" Chen Fan's voice was extremely cold, completely ignoring the words of the two female nurses.
"Is it any of your business? Let me tell you, stay away from Madam. Treating her illness doesn't require you to touch her. If you don't take your hand away, believe it or not, I'll have the bodyguards throw you out right now." The two female nurses clearly didn't take Chen Fan seriously.
Chen Fan withdrew his hand and looked at the two female nurses with icy eyes.
His cold gaze made the two female nurses instinctively take two steps back, and they looked at Chen Fan nervously and asked, "You, what do you want to do?"