Siheyuan: I just came across and wanted to chase me away

Chapter 975 Going to the Small Clinic

Gu Nan wanted to talk more about work, but when he turned to meet Ran Qiuye's earnest eyes, which were full of worry and insistence, he swallowed back the words he was about to say. He nodded and softened his tone: "Okay, I'll listen to you today and take a day off."

He sat down by the bed, his gaze falling on the child's peaceful sleeping face. The little one's brows were slightly furrowed, as if having a sweet dream, and her little mouth would occasionally smack. Gu Nan's fingers gently stroked the child's soft hair, a comforting peace filling his heart—with her here, with the child here, even if there were any storms outside, it seemed they could weather them all.

Ran Qiuye, wearing an apron, entered the kitchen and soon brought out several dishes: a plate of stir-fried spinach, a bowl of tomato and egg, and a small dish of pickled radish, which Gu Nan loved. The aroma of the food filled the air, breaking the silence in the house.

Gu Nan looked at the sleeping child, his gaze gradually darkening. As long as that scourge Xiao Bao remained, they would never have peace. Not only Xiao Bao, but also those lurking in the shadows behind him—they had to be dragged out one by one and eliminated before Qiu Ye and the child could truly live a peaceful life.

"Dinner's ready," Ran Qiuye called softly.

Gu Nan snapped out of his reverie and sat down at the table. Ran Qiuye served him a bowl of rice and, seeing his thoughtful expression, couldn't help but ask, "Gu Nan, are you hiding something from me? You've been so absent-minded since earlier."

Gu Nan picked up a piece of spinach with his chopsticks, smiled, and said, "It's nothing, I was just thinking about some small things at the factory. Eat up, the food's getting cold."

Seeing that he was unwilling to talk more, Ran Qiuye didn't press him further, but silently added food to his bowl. She knew Gu Nan's personality; if he didn't want to talk about something, there was no point in asking. It was better to wait until he figured it out himself.

After finishing his meal, Gu Nan leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh: "Qiu Ye, I am indeed a little tired. I'm going to take a nap."

"Okay, go ahead. I'll rest for a bit after I'm done tidying up." Ran Qiuye nodded and watched him go into the bedroom.

Gu Nan lay on the bed, but didn't fall asleep immediately. He closed his eyes, his mind filled with the image of Xiao Bao—that guy had quite a few thugs under his command, and a direct confrontation might be risky; he needed to come up with a foolproof plan.

He called out in his mind, "Gu Bei, you've worked hard today. You'll have to stay outside a little longer."

Gu Bei's voice rang in his mind, carrying a hint of certainty: "Don't worry, I'm here. If Xiao Bao dares to show his face at this time, I guarantee he won't leave alive."

Gu Nan finally felt relieved, adjusted his breathing, and gradually drifted off to sleep. He needed to be well-rested, as he still had a tough battle to fight that night—he had to find Xiao Bao's hiding place.

As night deepened, moonlight streamed into the room through the window. Gu Nan quietly got up, glanced at the sleeping Ran Qiuye and the child, tucked the blankets in, and then silently left the room.

Outside the courtyard gate, Gu Bei was leaning against the wall, resting with his eyes closed. Hei Zi was squatting at his feet, listening alertly to the sounds around him.

"Gu Bei," Gu Nan said in a low voice, "you wait here, I'll go see where Xiao Bao is."

Gu Bei opened his eyes and frowned: "Gu Nan, how about I take Hei Zi with me? There might be an ambush in that guy's lair."

Gu Nan shook his head: "No, there are some things I want to ask Xiao Bao personally." He looked at Hei Zi at his feet, "Hei Zi, let's go."

Hei Zi jumped to its feet, its tail lightly brushing against Gu Nan's trouser leg, and let out a soft "woof," as if to say, "Don't worry." It twitched its nose and tilted its head in a certain direction: "I remember that smell; it went east."

Gu Bei didn't insist any further, but simply told him, "Be careful, and call me anytime if anything happens."

Gu Nan nodded and followed Hei Zi into the deep night. He wanted to see where Xiao Bao was hiding and what kind of ability he had to dare to provoke him time and time again.

Blackie wagged its tail and led the way, its four paws lightly stepping across the cobblestone path. Every now and then, it would glance back at Gu Nan, as if to make sure he was keeping up. Gu Nan obediently followed behind, but the more they walked, the more uneasy he felt—the road was leading him towards the outskirts of the city, becoming increasingly remote. The houses around him gradually thinned out, replaced by waist-high weeds and abandoned brick walls.

"So far," Gu Nan muttered to himself, quickening his pace to catch up with Hei Zi. It wasn't until they passed through a small grove of trees that a solitary little house came into view, with a peeling wooden sign hanging above the door, the words "Wang's Clinic" faintly visible.

Gu Nan stopped and looked around the small clinic. The walls were mottled, and the glass in the window was cracked, looking like it hadn't been maintained for a long time. He squatted down and patted Hei Zi's head: "Hei Zi, you wait outside. If any strangers come, just call out, and I'll come out when I hear you."

Blackie barked, as if in agreement. It burrowed into the nearby woodpile, its glossy black fur blending into the shadows, revealing only a pair of wary eyes—this little guy was extremely well hidden; without careful observation, no one would notice that there was a dog hiding behind the woodpile.

Gu Nan watched as Hei Zi hid himself before using the base of the wall as cover to quietly circle around to the back of the clinic. It was quiet all around, except for the rustling of leaves in the wind. He peeked at the front door; it was bolted from the inside, clearly indicating that he couldn't enter through the front.

After looking around, he noticed a small window in the back wall. A thin layer of dust had accumulated on the windowsill, and the window was ajar, leaving a crack. Gu Nan held his breath, gently pushed open the window, and jumped in, landing with extremely light footsteps, almost without making a sound.

The room was indeed a small clinic. Shelves against the wall were piled with various medicine bottles and ointments, most of the labels faded and illegible, some boxes yellowed. A stethoscope and blood pressure monitor sat on a table in the corner, covered in a thin layer of dust, suggesting it hadn't been operating for a while. Gu Nan didn't touch the medicine—regardless of what kind of person Wang Ran was, these medicines could save lives; there was no need to waste them.

He quietly searched the room. Xiao Bao didn't have many strongholds, and Wang Ran was his confidant, so there was probably something fishy going on here. He opened drawers, rummaged through cabinets, and even checked under the bed, but he couldn't find a single suspicious trace, let alone any sign of Xiao Bao.

"Did I come to the wrong place?" Gu Nan frowned, feeling a little anxious. He checked the room again carefully, not even missing the mouse holes in the corner, but apart from the smell of medicine and dust, there was no other smell in the room.

It seemed Xiao Bao wasn't here after all. Gu Nan sighed and prepared to leave—he couldn't linger here; if Wang Ran returned, it would only alert him. He walked to the back window, ready to climb out as he had come, when he suddenly heard very light footsteps outside, as if someone was walking this way.