As Su Cheng stepped out the door, he almost collided head-on with Cornelia. Since he had been looking down at the expiration date on the milk, the two nearly bumped into each other. He quickly shielded the eggs and milk in his hands and, upon looking up and recognizing Cornelia, he showed a surprised expression before apologizing with a smile: "What a coincidence."
Cornelia first gave him a look that said, 'Why weren't you watching where you were going?', and then began to scold him with a displeased expression: "Can't you stop being so hasty and jumpy, like a monkey!"
After all, Su Cheng had ignored her just now, and this was a rare opportunity to lecture him that she couldn't miss.
Having said that, she noticed the milk and eggs in Su Cheng's hands and, recalling the promotional sign at the supermarket entrance, the clever Cornelia immediately understood.
It seemed that Su Cheng had been in such a hurry just now because he was trying to grab the discounted eggs and milk.
Su Cheng didn't pay much attention to Cornelia's words. After all, if he were a monkey, then Cornelia would definitely be a single-celled paramecium.
Then, he began to tease her: "I didn't expect you to come to a fresh produce supermarket."
Cornelia usually ordered takeout, and there was also a chef at home, so there was no reason for her to come to a crowded supermarket like this.
"What's wrong with me coming to a fresh produce supermarket? Am I not allowed to come here?!"
At these words, Cornelia immediately became unhappy, her cheeks puffed up in anger.
This sentence sounded like it was mocking her.
"What are you buying? Do you need any help?"
Su Cheng asked.
Hearing this, Cornelia's face turned red, and in a hurry, she pointed to the supermarket promotional sign next to her: "I'm buying this!"
Then, she pointed to the crowd queuing up: "Look, those people in line are also buying eggs and milk. Just queue up, that's all."
"Oh, you've grown up?"
Su Cheng's face showed a fatherly, gratified smile. He hadn't expected Cornelia to come to a fresh produce supermarket to buy groceries by herself.
And she even knew how to save money by buying promotional items.
"Please don't show me such a disgusting smile!"
Cornelia was in a fit of anger.
This guy was always so old-fashioned, acting like an elder, and looking at her with such a smile was really annoying!
"Go ahead and queue up. I'll wait for you outside."
Su Cheng waved his hand and started walking outside.
"Annoying."
Cornelia watched as Su Cheng sat on the stone bench outside. Although she complained, she still went to queue up to buy things.
Because Su Cheng was outside, if she didn't buy anything, her lie would be exposed.
But she still felt a bit uneasy. It was her first time buying things at such a supermarket and having to queue up. She felt a bit awkward.
So she stretched her neck to observe how others paid and collected their items.
However, to her surprise, the old grandfather at the counter had been replaced by a middle-aged uncle.
Then the old grandfather walked over to the side and started talking with a female salesclerk who had a cold, icy demeanor.
As the queue got shorter and she got closer, she could clearly see the two talking.
The old grandfather, despite looking to be in his sixties, spoke in a very extraordinary manner.
And the female salesclerk's aura was also very strange, even familiar. Just a glance from her made Cornelia feel as if she was being thoroughly seen through.
Moreover, this salesclerk was very beautiful, with a standard poker face that made her feel somewhat familiar.
As someone who often accompanied her parents to various banquets, she had naturally seen people with such demeanor. However, such individuals were invariably the elite attendants following the sons and daughters of major conglomerates.
Her father had told her that these attendants, trained since childhood, were extraordinary. Not only did they possess formidable combat abilities but they also knew how to read people's minds. They could ensure their master's safety and peace in critical moments, maintaining composure and making calm judgments in any situation.
These were the most loyal servants of the major conglomerates.
Cornelia showed a puzzled expression, wondering why such a person would come to a fresh produce supermarket to be a salesclerk.
So her mind plunged into deep thought, and then a gleam of light flashed in her eyes.
"Could it be…"
She murmured, her eyes lighting up: "I think I've found the answer."
The sudden promotion, the sudden shift change.
Then the secret conversation.
All of this was very unusual.
The attendant of a conglomerate, the elderly grandfather.
If you put everything together, it wasn't hard to deduce.
So the truth was that the extraordinary-looking old grandfather before her was a high-ranking member of a conglomerate experiencing life and doing charity work, while the attendant was secretly protecting him.
"In the face of my unparalleled intelligence, all disguises will crumble!"
Through her meticulous reasoning, she quickly arrived at this conclusion.
She couldn't help but feel a little proud, and soon it was her turn. She showed her two cute canine teeth and said to the cashier: "Hello, I want eggs and milk."
"I'm very sorry, but today's one hundred sets have already been sold out. If you want, please come back next time."
The cashier responded politely.
Cornelia immediately felt a bit disappointed: "Oh."
It was such bad luck that by the time it was her turn, there were none left. She felt a bit frustrated and embarrassed.
But thinking that Su Cheng was still waiting outside, if she went out empty-handed, she might be ridiculed, so she decided to buy eggs and milk at the original price.
And she even planned to buy two sets, so she could turn the tables and mock Su Cheng!
Cornelia thought triumphantly in her heart.
So she directly walked towards the fridge, planning to buy two one-liter cartons of milk first. Just as she was about to, she happened to pass by where the old grandfather and the attendant were talking.
She didn't think much of it and went straight over. As she opened the fridge door, their conversation reached her ears.
"From the perspective of physiognomy, the heart corresponds to fire. From the moment he entered the supermarket, his exaggerated behavior and frivolous actions indicate an excess of spirit. Although his complexion seems to be fading, it lacks luster. The hairline on his forehead is black, extending down to the bridge of his nose about two fists wide, which is a sign of heart disease."
The old grandfather slowly said this, causing the female attendant to nod slightly, then ask: "What about the pulse diagnosis?"
"From the pulse, this child's heart disease is quite complex, belonging to congenital chest tightness and heart pain.
The old grandfather said this, and he frowned: "Even if left untreated, as long as he avoids haste and restlessness, he can still live up to forty-five years. But this child is so young. The pulse is such that the front part of the guan pulse is much smaller than the guan pulse itself, even three or four times smaller, which is an internal blockage pulse. It signifies that yin and yang are about to separate, unable to reach the essence of heaven and earth, and he is in constant danger of life-threatening situations."
"What's the cause?"
The female attendant continued to ask.
The old grandfather stroked his beard and pondered: "Without any accidents, he must have recently had intense physical activity, or excessive fatigue, or extreme emotional excitement, or cold air entering his body, or staying up late, etc., which triggered a heavy load on his heart."
Hearing this, the female attendant nodded slightly and took out a notebook to record.
After finishing, she looked up: "Can it be cured?"
The old grandfather remained silent for a moment, then shook his head, saying: "The heart is dead. The illness has reached a critical stage, and I am powerless to save him. Let this child prepare for his funeral."
After saying this, he looked at the female attendant and continued: "However, with careful daily care and Huanglian Xiexin Tang (a traditional Chinese medicine formula) and Houpu (a type of traditional Chinese medicine) used aggressively, he can live for another month. A heart bypass surgery from Western medicine can also temporarily alleviate the situation. Otherwise, he will surely die in eight days at the time of wei."
At this point, the old grandfather's eyes suddenly became somewhat subtle, and then he slowly said: "However, judging from this child's behavior, even if he knows about his illness, he probably won't go to the hospital for treatment. So this is fate."
After saying this, he sighed and shook his head, no longer speaking.
The female attendant nodded and began to record in her notebook: 15th, 13:00-14:59.
"I couldn't understand a single word."
Cornelia only felt a bit dizzy, picked up two bottles of milk, and placed them on the counter before heading to the egg section.
Soon, she carried the eggs and milk to Su Cheng's side, dropped the items, and was so tired that she gasped for breath. She plopped down on the chair next to Su Cheng, her white silk feet dangling in the air, before she proudly said: "Look, I have two sets!"
Su Cheng heard her words and looked up at her. Seeing her cheeks slightly flushed, he couldn't help but smile.
"What are you laughing at?"
Cornelia asked indignantly.
Su Cheng didn't answer immediately but looked at her with a gaze full of scrutiny and curiosity.
Cornelia felt uncomfortable under his gaze and couldn't help but ask, "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Nothing," Su Cheng said with a smile, then pointed to the refrigerator. "Just now, when you took the milk from the freezer, did you hear the conversation between the old man and the young female cashier?"
Su Cheng had become increasingly puzzled. After all, the pulse-taking had happened right on his hand. There was no one in front of him or behind him in line, yet it had happened to him alone.
Moreover, one of the cashiers had a demeanor very similar to the woman who had protected him on the weekend.
This made him feel that it was someone sent by Ji Qingyi to check on his health.
However, upon hearing this, Cornelia's face turned red, as her little scheme had been completely seen through by Su Cheng. She stammered for a while before finally huffing, "I didn't hear anything!"
"Here, take this."
Su Cheng didn't pursue the matter further but instead handed her a can of 'Eight Nuclear Bombs.'
Cornelia was momentarily stunned, then her eyes lit up. But just as she reached out halfway, she stopped.
"I told you, I don't like drinking this kind of drink!"
Cornelia said, putting on a stern face.
She hadn't had it for several days. The reason she had been bumping into Su Cheng every day was to get her hands on 'Eight Walnuts,' not because she wanted to see him.
"Just take it," Su Cheng said, placing it in Cornelia's hand. Then he picked up Cornelia's large shopping bag and said, "I'll help you carry it home. Let's go."
After saying that, he walked toward the villa district, leaving only a back view for Cornelia.
Cornelia bit her lip, holding the 'Eight Nuclear Bombs' in both hands, looking a bit ridiculous. Then she happily followed Su Cheng and said beside him, "The old man said a bunch of things I couldn't understand, like 'you will surely die in eight days,' it was like fortune-telling!"
Su Cheng suddenly stopped in his tracks upon hearing this. He paused, turned to look at Cornelia, and asked in a trembling voice, "Anything else?"
"Hmm..."
Cornelia thought for a while, then said, "Anyway, it seems like someone has some heart disease and is about to die?"
Su Cheng didn't ask further but fell silent, nodding faintly before continuing to carry the large shopping bag and walking forward.
"But the demeanor of those two didn't seem like ordinary people," Cornelia muttered behind him.
Su Cheng couldn't help but pause. He looked at Cornelia in surprise, his face full of disbelief, and asked, "How did you figure that out?"
Cornelia raised her proud little head triumphantly and said, "Of course, it's because of my experience and wisdom!"
"No wonder you're a rich girl, truly impressive!"
Su Cheng complimented her, then continued walking.
Cornelia pouted unhappily, then quickened her pace to catch up with Su Cheng and said, "Based on my analysis, the old man is probably a high-level executive of some financial group, and the woman is likely a bodyguard."
"Isn't he a traditional Chinese doctor?"
Su Cheng retorted.
"You're so stupid. He was clearly trying to confuse us. Obviously, he noticed that I noticed his unusualness. So when I approached, he said some nonsense to cover up his real identity!"
The clever Cornelia saw through the old man's tricks and continued, "Think about it, what kind of doctor travels with a bodyguard?"
It made perfect sense, truly admirable.
Su Cheng fell silent for a while before saying, "Thanks to you, otherwise, I would have been kept in the dark forever."
"Consider it repayment for you helping me carry things today," Cornelia said, suddenly assuming an air of superiority. "If you ever have any problems you can't figure out, you can come to me for advice."
"Alright, go on in," Su Cheng said, reaching the entrance of the villa district and handing the shopping bag to Cornelia.
Cornelia looked at the shopping bag with a puzzled expression, then raised her little head in confusion and asked, "What's this?"
"These are the eggs and milk you just bought!"
Su Cheng explained with a black line on his forehead.
Cornelia reacted, her face turning red, and she muttered, "What I meant was, you can have this as a thank you for helping me carry things."
"..."
Su Cheng rolled his eyes in exasperation, then sighed and said, "How about this? I'll use the eggs and milk to make a cake, and the rest will be my payment, how's that?"
"Really?"
Cornelia's eyes lit up, then she looked at Su Cheng.
"I'm going home now," Su Cheng nodded directly, then turned around and left with the items.
Cornelia watched Su Cheng's back, then looked at the 'Eight Nuclear Bombs' in her hand and muttered to herself, "I'll have this with the cake."
"Oh no," Cornelia suddenly thought of something and hurriedly searched around the villa district entrance, but after a long time, she couldn't find her takeout.
"It's gone again," Cornelia stamped her foot in annoyance.
Earlier, she had ordered takeout and, while waiting, had nothing to do, so she went to Su Cheng's apartment to stroll around.
By the time she returned, the takeout was gone.
Just as she was about to order another takeout, her peripheral vision caught a big yellow dog carrying a takeout.
This made her instantly happy, and she immediately rushed over, as her intuition told her that the dog would go to Su Cheng's house.
This way, she could visit him openly for a meal.
However, as she continued to follow, she found that the direction the big yellow dog was heading was not Su Cheng's apartment but became increasingly remote. Just as she was about to give up in disappointment, the dog suddenly stopped, placed the takeout on the ground, and then rolled over, exposing its belly as if greeting someone.
This scene made Cornelia, who was secretly observing, feel a bit scared, because there was no one around the dog!
Suddenly—
"Click~"
A car door opened beside her.
Cornelia was startled and instinctively looked over, only to see the female cashier from earlier talking on the phone with someone. She couldn't help but feel relieved.
As long as there were people around.
However, the next second, the cashier's words made Cornelia's expression instantly freeze, and even the 'Eight Nuclear Bombs' in her hand fell to the ground without her noticing.
"Master Ji, Su Cheng has congenital coronary heart disease."