Chapter 6

"Come on, Meijuan, why are you saying these things? If we don't have children, then we don't. We can adopt one," Zhang Haitian comforted his wife.

"Can't have children?" Lin Fan looked at the middle-aged couple across from him, feeling a desire to help them. Not for any other reason, but because Zhang Haitian had given Qiqi a small gift, a tiny doll that made Qiqi happy, and Lin Fan appreciated that.

"Can I take a look?" Lin Fan asked softly.

"Whoosh!"

Upon hearing Lin Fan's words, Zhang Haitian and Gu Meijuan instantly looked up at him, their eyes filled with hope, but that hope quickly faded.

Since their marriage, they had consulted countless people, both in China and abroad—traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, Western doctors, specialists, barefoot doctors, and even shamans from ethnic minorities. Despite all their efforts, they had never resolved their infertility issue. Lin Fan was just a young man in his twenties; how much could he really do?

It wasn't that they didn't trust him; they had simply experienced too many disappointments and couldn't bear to hope again. The greater the hope, the greater the disappointment, and they couldn't endure that kind of blow anymore.

"Sir, thank you for your kindness, but my wife and I have been seeking medical help for over a decade. We no longer have any hope. Adopting a child is also a good option," Zhang Haitian said with a forced smile.

"Perhaps I can help you," Lin Fan suggested again.

"No need to trouble yourself. Don't give us false hope; we really can't bear another disappointment..." Zhang Haitian still shook his head in refusal, but his wife suddenly became emotional, her eyes filled with longing as she looked at Lin Fan and said, "No, sir, please take a look. I want a child, I want a baby of my own!"

"Meijuan, you..." Zhang Haitian looked at his wife, at a loss for words. Not having a child was their greatest regret, and the problem lay with Gu Meijuan, which had made her life in the Zhang family very difficult.

"Haitian, I must give you a baby," Gu Meijuan turned to Zhang Haitian, her jaw set with determination. Then she turned to Lin Fan and pleaded, "Sir, please take a look. I really want a baby. If you can cure me, I am willing to pay any price!"

"Let's not rush. When we get down, we'll find a place, and I'll take your pulse," Lin Fan said with a smile.

"Then... I'll trouble you, sir."

For some reason, the young man's smile gave Zhang Haitian a glimmer of hope, though it was small, he instinctively trusted this young man.

A few minutes later, the four of them got off the Ferris wheel. Zhang Haitian invited Lin Fan to a nearby Starbucks, ordered a few drinks, and they sat down by the window.

"Qiqi, why don't you play for a bit? I'll help Auntie, okay?" Lin Fan placed Qiqi in a chair, gently pinched her little nose, and said.

"Is Auntie sick? Is it serious?" Qiqi asked immediately, her innocent heart hoping that Auntie would be okay.

"Auntie just wants a cute baby like Qiqi. Can Dad help her?" Lin Fan asked softly.

"Go, Dad! You're the best!" Qiqi raised her little fist and cheered for her father in a sweet voice.

"Ha ha..." Lin Fan patted Qiqi's head and looked at the couple sitting across from him.

"Mr. Lin, thank you for your trouble," Zhang Haitian said, gesturing for Lin Fan to proceed.

They had already introduced themselves on the Ferris wheel.

"Alright, please extend your right hand, Mrs. Zhang," Lin Fan nodded and said.

The couple exchanged a glance. Zhang Haitian took out a handkerchief, folded it twice, and placed it on the table. Gu Meijuan extended her right hand and placed it on the handkerchief.

Lin Fan extended his right hand, gently placing four fingers on Gu Meijuan's wrist, and closed his eyes, feeling the pulse.

The Starbucks was quiet, with only a few people whispering. Zhang Haitian and Gu Meijuan could even hear their own heartbeats. The mix of hope and fear of another disappointment made them both extremely anxious.

"Hmm?"

Lin Fan slowly opened his eyes, letting out a slight murmur of confusion, which made the couple across from him tense up.

"Mr. Lin, how is it?" Zhang Haitian asked urgently, while Gu Meijuan, though silent, looked at Lin Fan with eager eyes.

Under their gaze, Lin Fan asked softly,

"Mrs. Zhang, do you feel a dull pain in your lower abdomen during the full moon, and does the pain worsen during rainy weather?"

Upon hearing Lin Fan's words, Zhang Haitian turned to look at his wife, who was initially stunned, then her eyes widened in surprise and joy. She grabbed Lin Fan's arm, almost incoherent with excitement, and said, "Yes... Mr. Lin... what you said is true... for many years, around the 15th of each month, I have had abdominal pain."

"Meijuan, why didn't you tell me?" Zhang Haitian asked, frowning, but his wife had no time to answer. Lin Fan had accurately described her symptoms just by taking her pulse. Did this mean that Lin Fan had found the root of the problem? Could he cure her infertility?

At this thought, a glimmer of wild joy appeared in Gu Meijuan's eyes.

"It seems I was right. Mrs. Zhang's infertility is not due to a physical issue, but rather," Lin Fan's voice suddenly became colder, and he looked at the couple, continuing, "someone has poisoned her."

"Poisoned!"

Upon hearing Lin Fan's explanation, Zhang Haitian exclaimed in shock. His demeanor changed, and he exuded a threatening aura, his eyes filled with anger. He gritted his teeth and asked, "Mr. Lin, what kind of poison did Meijuan take?"

Lin Fan looked at Zhang Haitian with surprise. From their previous conversation, he had sensed that the couple was not ordinary, but now he realized he had underestimated their status.

"Mrs. Zhang was poisoned by the pollen of a flower called Ice Moon Violet," Lin Fan said calmly, looking at the couple. "The pollen of the Ice Moon Violet is harmless to men and even has a mild aphrodisiac effect. However, if absorbed by a woman, it can cause infertility and abdominal pain during the full moon, which worsens during rainy weather."

"Ice Moon Violet... Ice Moon Violet..." Zhang Haitian muttered the unfamiliar term, his eyes suddenly sharpening. He clenched his hand, crumpling the cup of milk tea, and his eyelids twitched, clearly thinking of something.

"Mr. Lin, since you recognize this poison, you must have a way to cure it, right?" Gu Meijuan looked at Lin Fan with the hope of a drowning person clutching at a straw.

Lin Fan smiled slightly and softly said two words:

"Of course."