Chapter 557 - Chapter 557: Chapter 557: Grey Spine Inflammation (1/2)

Chapter 557: Chapter 557: Grey Spine Inflammation

“Boss Li! You’re too anxious,” said Chen Yu gently tapped on the scroll. The pine wood scroll, which was of poor quality, instantly cracked.

He then slowly tore it open from the seam, and before long, one painting became two.

On the surface, it indeed was a Han Dynasty banquet scene, a replica from the Republican era, but the one beneath it was the genuine “Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix,” evident from the seal at the corner, likely hand-drawn by Emperor Huizong, Zhao Ji.

“My heavens, isn’t that the lost painting?” someone exclaimed.

“They said it was destroyed during the Jingkang Incident. I never thought I’d see it in my lifetime,” another voice joined in.

“The craftsmanship is exquisite, truly Emperor Huizong’s own hand. Such a priceless treasure would start at at least a hundred million at an outside auction,” commented another.

“Looks like Boss Li has lost the bet!” yet another concluded.

…

The scene boiled over with excitement, and all eyes were on Boss Li.

With a box made of Dragon Xiang wood and a painting by Emperor Huizong himself, these two items could fetch at least half a billion if put up for sale.

Chen Yu stuffed the items into Boss Li’s hands, then proceeded to shove the prepared banknotes and gold drafts into his bag.

“Boss Li, our business is settled. Until next time!” Chen Yu said before Boss Li could react.

Without waiting for a response, Chen Yu took the young man back to the garage, started the car, and drove to the outskirts of the city’s south side.

Though Sky Sand City stood affluent at the heart of the desert, there were clear social divisions. The truly rich were the high and mighty administrators, while most ordinary citizens struggled for basic sustenance.

The young man’s home was located in a slum, where not even parking space was available; Chen Yu found an empty spot near a garbage dump to park the car.

As he followed the young man into the slum, a mix of strange smells hit him so strongly that even he almost vomited.

After winding through countless turns, they finally arrived at a dilapidated little house.

The place lacked doors and windows and was breezy all around.

In the desert, where the weather is unpredictable—scorching by day and freezing at night—survival in such a ramshackle dwelling was fortunate.

In a makeshift bed made of bricks and planks lay a girl with a slightly hunched figure.

Severe kyphosis had already twisted her body, and her complexion was extremely pale.

When Chen Yu saw the girl, his brows furrowed in concern. Not only did she suffer from kyphosis, but she was also afflicted with at least thirty complications.

If these complications erupted at the same time, the girl wouldn’t survive a day.

Chen Yu surveyed the surroundings and looked at the girl lying in the bed, exhaling deeply.

“Isn’t there a hospital in such a big city?” he asked.

The young man didn’t know how to respond.

All the medical facilities in the city were essentially for the wealthy. For slum dwellers like them, even setting foot inside was out of the question. For mundane illnesses, they had to rely on local quacks.

Chen Yu immediately caught the thoughts in the young man’s head. Without saying another word, he patted the young man’s shoulder, then pulled over a stool and sat down by the bed.

Ankylosing spondylitis was indeed a formidable disease for modern medicine; once contracted, it caused irreversible damage to the body.

It could only be managed with a special medication administered through a monthly injection.

That might be feasible for wealthy families, but how could an ordinary family like the one before him afford seven hundred thousand a month?

However, for Chen Yu, this disease was actually not too much trouble, as he had cured similar cases before.