Chapter 71: Food Poisoning

I hurriedly asked, "What's the plan?"

Li Ming said, "Simple, food poisoning. If you get poisoned from eating green beans, you'll have to stay in the hospital for a few days, right? Kong Shi said the investigation targeting Zhu Sheng is also about to finish."

You just need to stay a few more days,

that way you can stall it."

Hearing Li Ming say that,

I also laughed,

"Yeah, why didn't I think of that? I'll eat right away, get nicely poisoned."

He Qing, standing nearby, said, "What are you two talking about? I told you, green beans are fine; you can eat them boldly without getting poisoned."

Li Ming gestured with his eyes, signaling He Qing to leave the restaurant.

Then he closed the door,

"Brother, this thing still needs Dean Yang's cooperation to work; otherwise the act will flop. I'll go talk to Dean Yang. You still need to act."

I said, "Am I supposed to pretend to be poisoned?"

Li Ming said, "If it's too fake, it won't be good."

I understood,

I told Li Ming, "Have your younger sibling bring some half‑cooked green beans. I'll eat a bit more; I'm sure it'll cause vomiting and diarrhea."

Li Ming said, "Brother, there's no other way; this is all we can do."

He stepped out after speaking.

After a while, a plate of green plum beans was brought in from outside,

【9】 Li Ming said, "I only blanched this plate in hot water, brother, eat it; if it doesn't work, there are two more plates over there."

Li Ming said: "I only rinsed this plate with hot water, brother, eat up; if it doesn't work, there are still two plates over there."

Li Ming pointed toward the kitchen.

Damn, how many plum beans did Li Ming's family actually buy for me to eat?

I started eating.

I ate without hesitation,

The freshly blanched plum beans had a raw, astringent taste, very unappetizing, and my body reacted as I swallowed.

I forced myself to swallow.

I finished the whole plate of beans,

while Li Ming silently watched beside me,

After finishing,

my stomach began to react,

a feeling of wanting to vomit.

Then my head felt hazy,

my two hands gripping the wheelchair's handles,

I feared the dose wasn't enough, so I wanted Li Ming to bring another plate over.

I just opened my mouth to say something,

With a sudden "Waa" sound, I vomited from my stomach.

Then cold sweat broke out on my forehead,

my body began to shiver,

"Li Ming, I…"

I fainted.

At that moment, Li Ming hurriedly shouted, "He Qing, call 120 quickly, my brother got poisoned by plum beans!"

More than ten minutes later, the 120 ambulance arrived, and Li and the doctor lifted me onto the emergency stretcher.

Following the ambulance, Dean Yang also came along.

Li Ming quietly said two words to Dean Yang,

Dean Yang understood immediately,

and had someone quickly lift me onto the ambulance,

Li Ming also got on the vehicle.

Qian Niang, Ru Meng, and Xiao Long came down from the second floor.

watching me being taken away by the ambulance.

My mind was dizzy, and my whole body felt powerless,

The doctor began examining me in the ambulance, then immediately attached an IV drip.

At the hospital, Dean Yang had someone rinse my stomach.

They tossed me around, bringing me back from the brink of death.

I lay on the bed like a dead dog.

Not to mention going to the Provincial Capital; I couldn't even speak. Li Ming stayed with me the whole time.

Under Dean Yang's care,

I kept lying down; I don't know how long I lay there.

I heard someone speaking,

my eyes barely able to open a sliver,

I saw, by the faint light, that it was Kong Shi, who was chatting with Li Ming and Dean Yang.

From his expression, one could tell he was very displeased.

He could arrive at the hospital the moment he learned, not only out of concern for me but also to see the real me.

I also couldn't speak,

my body had no strength at all,

I was just lying there.

Dean Yang examined my leg injury again and applied a medicinal ointment.

The pain in my leg eased considerably.

About three days passed,

my mind was no longer hazy.

I felt much better, yet this sense of well‑being scared me,

I feared that if I truly recovered and Kong Shi came to visit again, it would be troublesome.

I could only keep pretending to sleep.

At night,

Li Ming came in and quietly closed the ward door.

He walked to my side,

leaned over my ear,

and said, "Brother, stop pretending to sleep. I have good news for you."

I opened my eyes as soon as I heard that,

and whispered, "Bro, what's the good news."

Li Ming said, "I just got inside information: Zhu Sheng's Investigation Team has been withdrawn. No one will be sent to the Provincial Capital anymore."

Hearing that, I hurriedly replied, "Really, bro."

Li Ming said, "It's true; the news came from the province, so it should be accurate."

"Then what will Zhu Sheng's outcome be?" I asked.

"What outcome? I don't know yet; we have to wait for the Investigation Team's findings. For now, this matter can be put to rest," Li Ming said.

I let out a long sigh, clenched my teeth, and rolled over in bed,

and said to Li Ming, "Bro, I'm hungry."

Li Ming laughed, "I knew you were hungry. Mom's millet porridge, made especially to replenish the body."

After speaking, Li Ming lifted a bowl of porridge from the thermos,

I took the porridge,

"Did you tell mother? Don't let her worry about me."

Li Ming said, "I told her; she still wants to come to the hospital to see you, but I didn't agree."

I drank the porridge in big gulps.

Dean Yang said, "Your stomach is empty; for now you can only have liquid food and not too much."

I nodded,

then whispered, "Has Kong Shi arrived?"

Li Ming laughed, "You haven't been poisoned long, and Kong Shi already came to see you.

He didn't believe you were truly poisoned; he even had other doctors examine you,

Fortunately you really ate the plum beans,

and you ate so many of them.

Kong Shi had no recourse and left, very angry.

Dean Yang really helped us a lot here; originally after your stomach was cleansed you could have awakened and recovered, but he added a bit of anesthetic to the drip,

so it made you drowsy and sleep a few extra days.

Brother, it's really not easy.

When Li Ming finished speaking, tears actually fell.

Seeing Li Ming cry,

I, however, laughed,

"Bro, don't cry, I've dodged another disaster. This way, when I see Kong Shi it'll be easy to explain, and he won't find any reason to trouble me," I said, then drank the porridge in big gulps.

Li Ming said, "It's hard to say, but Kong Shi is extremely angry. You should know that your poisoning case turned out so suspicious.

It makes people very doubtful.

Do you know, Niu Ju went to my house; he specifically asked about He Qing's plum beans."

"Niu Ju went to your house?" I asked in surprise.

Li Ming nodded,

"You didn't expect that, right? Fortunately, I prepared a response in advance. I had He Qing take all the blame, saying her cooking was poor and she didn't cook the beans properly, which caused the incident."

Hearing Li Ming say that, I felt much better inside.

I hadn't thought that, for this matter, Niu Ju would even go to Li Ming's house to investigate.

They have completely stopped believing us.

I suddenly felt a worry arise,

"Bro, are they suspecting that we colluded? If this continues, it won't be good for you."

Li Ming spread his hand and said,

"I, Li Ming, act righteously and walk straight; I'm not afraid of them. They are only suspecting now, with no evidence."

"Brother, you don't need to worry about anything. I will always stand behind you, supporting you."

After hearing Li Ming's words, I was deeply moved.

I really want to have a good cry, thanking the heavens for letting me meet a good brother.

A good brother for a lifetime.

But I can't cry.

Crying now would be useless; it won't solve any problem.

I've slept three extra days, and the company doesn't know what chaos it will become.