After parking the car, Leo followed Renee into the villa.
The villa’s foyer was adorned with an ancient charm, filled with calligraphy, paintings, porcelain, and jade ornaments. It was clear that the villa’s owner was a collector of antiques.
“Arlene, the doctor is here!” Renee called upstairs.
In response, a young woman’s figure appeared on the staircase leading to the second floor.
Leo looked up and, upon seeing the girl’s long ponytail, couldn’t help but marvel at how small the world was.
As the girl descended, her pretty eyes widened upon recognizing Leo. “It’s you, the big liar!”
Curious, Renee looked between Arlene Dan and Leo. “Do you two know each other?”
“Renee, this guy messed around with Grandpa’s disease with his needles. He nearly killed him,” Arlene said, her anger evident. “You liar, how dare you come here to deceive me? If it weren’t for the fact that I didn’t call the cops on you!”
Renee hurriedly intervened, “Arlene, Leo isn’t a fraud. Is there some misunderstanding between you two?”
“Renee sis, don’t let him fool you. He’s a swindler without a medical license. He posed as a doctor and as a man, he was a freeloader that married into a wealthy family.”
Arlene went on, listing what happened that night, including the derogatory comments Leo’s relatives had made about him.
“Renee, that’s the story. This liar, after hearing I offered a ten million bid, pretended to use silver needles to treat Grandpa. If I hadn’t stopped him, who knows what could’ve happened.”
Looking at Renee, Leo’s expression was one of helplessness. This girl sure had a sharp tongue.
Having learned the context, Renee smiled wryly. “Arlene, you shouldn’t have stopped Leo from administering the treatment. Otherwise, your grandpa would probably be fine now.”
“Renee, you must never believe a word he says. Someone who doesn’t even have a medical license, how could they possibly possess any medical skill? If frauds like him could actually practice medicine, then I guess every doctor at Langstel Hospital would be out of a job,” Arlene stated with absolute skepticism.
“Arlene, even if you don’t believe Leo, you don’t trust me either? Let me put it this way: my daughter Anna and my father’s chronic issues were both resolved by Leo.”
“Really?” With such a strong testimonial, Arlene’s doubts were slightly diminished.
Renee smiled, “Is Dr. Lee around?”
“He’s in Grandpa’s bedroom upstairs,” Arlene replied.
“Let’s go up. Once you meet Dr. Lee, you’ll trust Leo’s skills.”
The trio ascended the stairs and entered Arlene’s grandfather, Godfery Dan’s, bedroom.
Godfery lay in the bed, and Dr. Lee was sitting by his side, examining him.
Upon Leo’s arrival, Dr. Lee stood up and grinned at Leo, “Leo, you’ve finally come.”
Leo knew Renee had called him at Dr. Lee’s suggestion.
Dr. Lee chuckled, “Arlene, this is Leo, the little divine healer I mentioned earlier. In terms of Chinese medicine, he’s above me.”
“What?” Arlene was taken aback.
She could accept that Leo deceived Renee, but to think he’d also fool the most famous Dr. Lee was virtually impossible.
Being affirmed by Dr. Lee was a tremendous honor for anyone in the field of Chinese medicine.
Now Dr. Lee was saying that Leo’s skills surpassed his own!?
“Dr. Lee, you’re exaggerating,” Leo glanced at the elderly man in the bed and inquired, “Is the situation complicated?”
Dr. Lee nodded, “After I administered the needle and gave Mr. Dan some medicine, he fell asleep. His condition is quite fragile. When he wakes up, he’ll likely vomit.”
No wonder there was a foul odor in the room.
Leo approached the bedside and looked at Godfery’s face.
The once pale face was now spotted with black patches, his life force diminishing. If not treated soon, he might not survive for more than three days.
“Leo, Mr. Dan’s illness is peculiar. His internal organs are showing signs of failure, yet we can’t find the root cause. The most evident symptom is frequent vomiting. Arlene mentioned he began vomiting a year ago, and it’s become more frequent recently.” Dr. Lee explained.
Leo nodded slightly, pondered for a moment, and then looked at Arlene. “Does your grandpa overeat uncontrollably after each bout of vomiting? Does he prefer cold, oily, and greasy foods?”
“How did you know?” Arlene questioned, shocked by Leo’s accuracy.
Dr. Lee’s eyes lit up, “Can you treat it?”
“If I’m not mistaken, Mr. Dan isn’t suffering from a severe illness.”
“Nonsense. Grandpa is in this state, and you say he’s not ill? Renee, Grandpa Lee, look at this con artist’s true colors finally showing.”
Arlene’s animosity towards Leo hadn’t completely disappeared despite Renee and Dr. Lee’s testimonies.
“Miss Dan, I haven’t finished speaking yet.” Leo sighed, finding Arlene’s impatient nature amusing. “Your grandpa is likely under a curse.”
A curse?
Dr. Lee and the others were taken aback.
“A curse? What’s that?” Arlene looked utterly baffled.
However, Dr. Lee seemed to understand and his expression turned to realization. “Ah, I see. No wonder my treatments had no effect.”
“Grandpa Lee, what’s a curse?” Arlene asked curiously.
Dr. Lee explained, “A curse is a mystic object that’s artificially created, meticulously nurtured over a long period. It can be large or small, and is typically an animal. Some wicked individuals implant these cultivated creatures into others to torment them.”
“The method of crafting curses is malevolent and terrifying. It’s said to involve capturing rats, butterflies, lizards, scorpions, centipedes, venomous bees, hornets, blue snakes, white snakes, green snakes, wind snakes, and many other poisonous creatures on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. These animals are placed inside a pottery jar to fight and devour each other until only one survives.”
“The survivor is suffocated and dried, mixed with poisonous bacteria, mandrake flowers, and other plants, along with the creator’s own hair, all ground into a powder to make the curse medicine. This powder is stored in a large bowl, usually placed beneath the keeper’s bed. On the ninth day of each lunar month, after midnight when the house is quiet, the keeper lights incense and kneels in front of the bowl, reciting incantations.”