This Doctor Is Too Wealthy

But Du Heng didn’t speak; he didn’t make a sound. They stared at each other for a minute before four iron riders arrived with a roar. It only took a moment for them to control the situation. After understanding the cause of the incident, they saluted Wu Shengnan and let her go.

The incident concluded, and Du Heng and Wei Kaida also said their goodbyes. He then walked with Wu Shengnan to the parking lot. During this entire process, Du Heng didn’t say a single word to her. Wu Shengnan had noticed Du Heng’s unusual behavior earlier and now, like a guilt-ridden young wife, followed closely behind him.

Once they were in the car, seeing Du Heng still silent, she feigned distress and asked, ”Honey, what’s wrong?”

Finally, Du Heng couldn’t hold back any longer and turned to look at Wu Shengnan. All the worry and anxiety that had accumulated in his heart erupted in a roar of anger.

”Wu Shengnan, don’t you have a brain? There were five or six burly men fighting! Any one of them could have taken on two of you! What were you thinking, rushing in like that? And you even dared to try and block that iron skewer! Where did you get that kind of courage, that kind of gall?”

Wu Shengnan mumbled quietly, ”But I subdued that guy, didn’t I?”

Du Heng’s anger flared even hotter, his voice rising. ”Subdued him? That was one of those guys on the periphery who didn’t even want to fight! The man with the iron skewer was pulled back by his companion! Do you really think that was your doing? Don’t you realize that if his accomplice hadn’t pulled him back, you wouldn’t have been able to dodge? You wouldn’t have had any chance to subdue that man! Those iron skewers would have been stuck in your face by now!”

Du Heng stared intently at Wu Shengnan, paused for a moment, then continued, ”Wu Shengnan, this is the second time you’ve been so impulsive in front of me, the second time you’ve risked your life. First, it was the knife; this time, the iron skewer. Have you ever stopped to think what would have happened if those things had actually hit you? What you would look like? And have you ever thought about what I would do if I saw you get hurt? Would I fight those people to the death? What would become of me?”

Hearing Du Heng’s furious outburst, Wu Shengnan was momentarily speechless. After a long pause, she finally managed to say, ”But I’m a police officer, and I was wearing my uniform. When I see something like that happening, can I just stand by and do nothing? I can’t disgrace the police force.”

”Yes, you’re a police officer, and that’s your duty,” Du Heng said, his voice tinged with weariness. He was genuinely terrified by what had just happened. ”But next time, can you please not be so impulsive? Can you not just stick your neck out and rush in? Use your brain! Shout a warning, call for backup—there are many other ways.”

Wu Shengnan pouted and admitted her mistake. ”I won’t do it again.”

Du Heng took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. ”Do you know,” he said, ”my heart is still pounding, and I can’t get the image of those iron skewers right in front of your face out of my mind. I’m truly terrified. I’m scared that one day, I’ll suddenly be known as the relative of a martyr. It’s a glorious title, I know, but I really, really don’t want it. Promise me, there won’t be a next time, okay?”

Wu Shengnan leaned over and hugged Du Heng tightly. ”I love you, Honey.”

Feeling her soft, warm body against his, Du Heng sighed helplessly. He gently patted her back. ”Alright, let’s go home now.”

”Mm, whatever you say.” Wu Shengnan happily released her hold and settled back into the passenger seat.

Du Heng started the car. Just as they were about to set off, he suddenly added, ”One more thing. From now on, don’t wear your police uniform after work.”

”Alright, I’ll remember that,” Wu Shengnan replied, her voice deliberately sweet.

Hearing her coquettish tone, Du Heng shook his head in helpless resignation. He’d definitely learned his lesson this time. He resolved never to bring Wu Shengnan to a roadside stall again; trouble seemed to follow every visit.

On the way back, Wu Shengnan chattered endlessly, constantly trying to charm him and telling jokes to lighten his mood and soothe his temper. Gradually, amidst her sweet talk, Du Heng’s anger subsided.

By the time they arrived home, it was almost eleven o’clock. After Du Heng parked the car, he glanced towards his big brother’s courtyard. Seeing the lights were off, he decided not to disturb him and went straight back to his own courtyard with Wu Shengnan.

”What time did you two get back last night?” Du Ping asked the next morning, his voice full of complaint when he saw his younger brother. ”We waited for you until ten-thirty, but we couldn’t stay up any longer, so we went to bed.”

Du Heng chuckled. ”We probably got back right after you went to sleep.”

After some small talk, they finally got down to business. However, this matter wasn’t for Du Heng; the two brothers had already discussed everything they needed to over the phone. The person they needed to talk to today was actually Wu Shengnan.

”Xiao Nan,” Du Ping began, ”your father didn’t mention anything, and this silly boy Xiao Heng here didn’t ask either. So, we don’t know what your family’s customs are for engagements. Could you tell us now so we can make preparations?”

Wu Shengnan, sitting beside Du Heng, looked a little embarrassed by Du Ping’s question. ”Brother,” she said, ”my family doesn’t have any particular customs. We were just thinking that since My Dad has some time around June 1st, you could have a meal with my grandfather and him to set a date. That would be fine.”

Du Ping shook his head. ”Your father not mentioning it shows his magnanimity, but if we don’t prepare, then we’d be the ones appearing ignorant.”

Beside him, Du Heng glanced at his big brother in surprise. He hadn’t expected his brother, who only finished middle school, to use a phrase like ’magnanimity.’

Du Ping didn’t look at his younger brother but continued speaking to Wu Shengnan. ”Let me put it this way: what was the procedure when your brother got engaged? We’ll follow that, so you won’t feel slighted in any way.”

Wu Shengnan smiled brightly, her arm tightening around Du Heng’s. ”To be honest, I really don’t know. I wasn’t paying attention. All I remember from that time was focusing on the food at the banquet!”

Her words made everyone in the family laugh.

But after the laughter subsided, Du Ping returned to the question that worried him most. ”Xiao Nan, you must know how much in betrothal gifts your brother gave, right? Or what about your friends and relatives? How much is typical for their betrothal gifts?”

Perhaps fearing Wu Shengnan might misunderstand, he quickly added, ”Now, don’t deliberately quote a low amount or say none at all. The family has some money, and Xiao Heng is earning well now. We might not be able to manage millions, but we can definitely scrape together hundreds of thousands.”

Hearing the term ’betrothal gifts,’ Wu Shengnan quickly waved her hands. ”Brother, My Dad said he doesn’t want any betrothal gifts. Besides, his job is sensitive; he can’t accept them.”

At this, Du Ping’s expression immediately stiffened. His deep-seated traditional views surfaced, or perhaps it was a matter of pride, as he insisted stubbornly, ”Who ever heard of marrying a wife without giving betrothal gifts? Besides, Xiao Heng mentioned you have your own apartment, which will be your home together. That’s practically your dowry already! If things are like this and our family, the Du Family, doesn’t even offer betrothal gifts, how could we show our faces? No, the amount can be more or less, but we absolutely must give something. We can’t be seen as completely stingy!”

Wu Shengnan paused, slightly taken aback. ”Brother, Du Heng also bought a house a few days ago. He said it’s for us, our new home. I’ve nearly finished decorating it. So, it’s not as if Du Heng hasn’t contributed anything.”

But Du Ping shook his head again. ”It’s expected that he buy a house. If you two didn’t have a place in the city, when it’s time for picking up the bride, we couldn’t very well bring you up to the mountain, could we? So, that’s entirely separate from the betrothal gifts. Just tell us, among your relatives and friends, what’s the usual amount for betrothal gifts? We just need a reference point. At the very least, we can’t let you lose face over this.”

Seeing Du Ping’s stubborn insistence, Wu Shengnan felt helpless and looked pleadingly at Du Heng for help.

However, Du Heng wouldn’t intervene in this matter. This was a display of his big brother’s authority as the head of the family, and he couldn’t undermine that position or his brother’s dignity.

Seeing that Wu Shengnan genuinely wasn’t going to say, Du Ping knew he couldn’t force her. He softened his tone and said, ”Alright then, how about this: we’ll handle the arrangements for the betrothal gifts, the four-color gift, and finding a matchmaker ourselves. You two just concentrate on your work.”

Wu Shengnan was stunned. She had assumed it would just be a meal to set a date. She hadn’t expected to discuss betrothal gifts, and now there was talk of a four-color gift and even a matchmaker!

But she and Du Heng had fallen in love on their own; there was no matchmaker involved!