Zhong Feng did not drive Hu Lei to the hospital. While there was probably no immediate danger, it was clear that the mercenaries were becoming bolder. If he took her to the hospital, she would be exposed and vulnerable, even with guards in place.

It was better to take precautions than regret later. Already, Zhong Feng had formed a plan for ensuring Hu Lei's safety and wellbeing. He drove fast but steadily until he reached the street in which there was the Apothecary which she often visited.

Though it was deep in the night, the lights in the small shop were on.

Zhong Feng parked the vehicle and carefully carried out the still unconscious Hu Lei. He handled her like she was the most precious treasure in the world. When he reached the door, he called out softly to Elder Huo.

The door was opened immediately by a worried grandpa.

"How is she? What happened to her?" He asked in an urgent voice.

"Can we come in?" Zhong Feng asked flatly.

The old man realised that he was standing in the doorway. He stepped aside quickly, allowing Zhong Feng to walk in. He closed the door and followed them in, indicating for Zhong Feng to place her on the examination table he had taken out of his storage in the back of the shop.

In the past, he had done some consultations in the Apothecary for his close friends. However, he had long moved on from that part of his life. Now, he was glad that he had not completely trashed his medical equipment. Otherwise, his granddaughter would be uncomfortable.

"You said that Hu Lei had been shot? What exactly happened?" He asked while putting on latex gloves.

Zhong Feng helped remove the black jacket that Hu Lei was wearing, exposing the t-shirt underneath which had a patch of dried blood. As he looked at the elder check her abdomen, he felt a paper rustle in the jacket. He looked into the pocket and took it out. It seemed that it was the document which Lu Liang had signed.

He transferred it to his coat pocket.

"Who treated her?" The old man looked up from the wound.

"She did it herself." Zhong Feng responded, his hands clutching into fists as he looked at the roughly stitched area.

"She is indeed a child of our Huo family. Though the repair work is shoddy, she managed to stop the bleeding and remove the bullet cleanly. And she did this without any medical equipment. She could make an excellent doctor." There were sadness and longing in his voice.

Zhong Feng did not comment, but he knew that Hu Lei would never choose the medical field. The old man busied himself in cleaning the wound and repairing the ugly stitching. Luckily, it was not necessary to do everything from scratch.

"What happened?" Elder Huo faced Zhong Feng with sharp eyes as soon as he was satisfied with the state of the injury.

Zhong Feng's eyes lingered on Hu Lei, wondering how much he should say. He did not have the right to share her secrets, especially with the estranged Huo family. Everything he knew about Hu Lei's experience was evidence of the trust that he had received from her. Sharing the details would be a betrayal.

Moreover, he did not want the Huo family to make assumptions about her based on the tough experiences that she had gone through. After all, from what he had learned, the Huo family and Hu Ming had not separated on peaceful terms. If they measured his daughter with the same mind, she would lose out.

If they rejected her, she might not receive the care he hoped that she would receive.

Before he could answer, there was a soft knock on the door. The old man looked at Zhong Feng in a threatening manner before walking to check the door. He was surprised to see his daughter standing there, waiting for him.

"Why are you here at this hour of the night?" He asked.

"Zhong Feng called me. Hu Lei is my patient." She smiled before entering the shop, passing her incredulous father.

Actually, Dr Huo had not been aware of her relationship with Hu Lei before the phone call from Zhong Feng earlier in the night. He had always felt like she looked a little familiar, and she felt close to her, but it had never occurred to her that they could be related.

With that phone call, she was more determined than ever to help Hu Lei, no matter what it took.

Elder Huo looked at her walking in, but he could say nothing. He had never been able to handle his daughter. Usually, she was a strict woman but inwardly warm person, but towards him, she behaved like he was an unfamiliar acquaintance. He knew that she blamed him for what happened to her brother, Ming.

Even though she understood his actions, she could never truly forgive him. It was the reason she had refused to be involved with any hospital or medical organisation linked to her family. Instead, she had her small private practice.

The two of them walked toward Zhong Feng and found him brushing Hu Lei's hair gently with his fingers. It was obvious how much his heart ached. Dr Huo's heart softened at the sight. Hu Lei never delved deep into her past or life with her, but she was not hesitant when talking about her husband.

Her eyes would sparkle brightly in a lively manner whenever she mentioned Ah-Feng which made her seem like a teenager.

Unfortunately, the old man was not as familiar with the couple. He could not bear to see his lovely granddaughter being taken advantage of while lying unconscious.

"Young man, you have still not explained what happened to my granddaughter. Do not think you are going to get away with anything. If I do not receive a satisfactory explanation, you will never see her again." He threatened.

Zhong Feng looked at the man, his eyes cold and piercing. He could withstand anything, but the threat of never seeing his Hu Lei was unacceptable, even from the man who was her grandfather.

"How exactly do you plan to keep her from me?" His voice seemed to contained ice arrows.

The old man felt a little shiver from the young man. It was obvious that he could not be trifled with. But he was still the elder. He was not willing to be frightened by the young fox. He was ready to fight back when he was interrupted.

"Father, Zhong Feng is Hu Lei's husband. He is the only one with the rights to make decisions for her if she cannot do so herself." Dr Huo spoke in her usual simple way.

The opposition from his daughter made the old man even angrier. He was the elder, but he still had to accommodate his daughter and his granddaughter's husband. How could he stand to be kept down and have no authority over his own family?

When he was ready to blow up, there was another knock on the door.