Genius Doctor: Black Belly Miss Volume 8

by North Night (夜北)

  The set off time had suddenly been brought forward and many of the Zephyr Academy’s disciples started complaining in hushed tones. In the face of Ning Rui’s current authoritarian ways, not a single one among them dared to voice out their displeasure. In about four hours’ time, all the disciples of the Zephyr Academy were all packed and gathered in the square before the Zephyr Academy’s gates. As they stared at the row upon row of horse carriages, the youths saw that their journey towards a grueling training expedition was about to begin.

  Ning Rui had already arranged his men to wait by the main gates, and they were just waiting for the teachers from the respective faculties to complete their roll call and they would move out immediately after that.

  However, just as the teachers were reporting their numbers to Ning Rui, the sound of clattering hooves could be heard, reaching everyone’s ears sounding from a distance away.

  It was already dusk and the disciples shielded their eyes as they looked into the glare, the warm orange rosy glow spilling over the land. A lone horse carriage clattered in approach under the pink dusk sky, and under everyone’s watchful eyes, it rolled to a stop right before the Zephyr Academy’s majestic gates.

  The horse carriage was a very common type, and the tall built driver was unfamiliar to all of them. The disciples gathered before the Zephyr Academy’s gates could not help themselves but stretch their necks out to peer and peek, deeply curious why a horse carriage would suddenly appear at their gates at a time like this.

  The horse carriage did not look like it belonged to the Zephyr Academy. Its bulky carriage was one size bigger than those from the Zephyr Academy, and it did not carry their academy’s emblem upon its doors.

  Ning Rui turned his head to look. They were just about to move out for the Heaven’s End Cliff and he did not want any other unexpected incidents to crop up.

  With all eyes upon that one single carriage, a tall and graceful figure swept out slowly, stepping out from the carriage. When that figure’s face was seen by all the people present there, the entire student body of the Zephyr Academy all suddenly gasped in shock at the same time!

  Stepping off from the horse carriage, wasn’t anyone else but the one who had gone missing for a period, Fan Zhuo! ! !

  Volume 8

  Chapter 723: “Eighth Slap (4)”

  The sudden appearance of Fan Zhuo caused a furore to spread through the crowd!

  Everyone’s eyes turned wide as they stared, mouths all agape at the elegance of Fan Zhuo, as he arrived stepping forth from within the setting sun.

  A crack appeared on the mask that was Ning Rui’s face. He had sent a large number of people to seek out Fan Zhuo for a long time but it was to no avail, and the last thing he would have expected was for Fan Zhuo to suddenly appear at this most critical moment!

  If he had only shown up just a few moments later, the disciples of the Zephyr Academy would have all gotten into the carriages and left the academy altogether!

  With Fan Zhuo standing right before the eyes of the disciples of the Zephyr Academy now, many voices among the crowd suddenly broke into debate and dissent. Everyone knew that the rules in the Zephyr Academy stated that if the Headmaster dies, the position of the academy’s highest authority would be succeeded by his children. Fan Jin as just an adopted child and by his crime of being the “murderer” who killed Fan Qi, would naturally no longer be eligible. And at that very same time, Fan Qi’s biological son Fan Zhuo had also coincidentally gone missing and could not be located which allowed Ning Rui to snatch up the position as the acting Headmaster of the Zephyr Academy, taking charge and gaining control over all affairs, big and small, in the Zephyr Academy.

  But now….. Fan Zhuo had returned…..

  Countless pairs of eyes turned and they all looked in askance at Ning Rui, before swinging back to Fan Zhuo, their gazes switching between the two people before them!

  Ning Rui’s expression had turned dark. If only he had managed to locate Fan Zhuo before this, he would have sent assassins to get rid of him before anything like this could happen. And if he had returned at any other time, he would still have had time to discreetly get rid of him through other undetectable means. But Fan Zhuo had chosen this very moment to make such a blatant show of his return right before all the disciples making it impossible for him to kill him there and then!

  “Little Zhuo? You finally came back! When I didn’t see you for such a long period, I began to get very anxious.” Realising that he would not be able to make any moves against Fan Zhuo at that moment, Ning Rui immediately put on an expression of deep concern and tried to portray himself as a worried elder as he spoke to Fan Zhuo.

  Fan Zhuo’s face was one of gentleness and smiles, just like the look of obedience and respect he had always shown to Ning Rui all this time.

  “Uncle Ning, we haven’t met for quite a time, I trust that you are fine?”

  Ning Rui saw that Fan Zhuo’s smiling face was still just like before and he had just addressed him as “Uncle Ning” just as cordially. That made him assume that Fan Zhuo did not know the real truth behind Fan Qi’s death and his heart was secretly relieved.

  Fan Zhuo was unlike Fan Jin, being softer and weaker in character. Having stayed in isolation within the tiny bamboo grove, he was perceived that he would surely be more naive than Fan Jin was. Ning Rui had been able to even manipulate Fan Jin and looking at Fan Zhuo, he was feeling completely confident.

  “Good, good. Everything’s fine. Only that your father and elder brother…..” Ning Rui said hesitatingly to Fan Zhuo, his face greatly aggrieved.

  Fan Zhuo looked to be taken aback, his face creased up in worry.

  “What happened to my father and brother?”

  Ning Rui laughed inwardly but outwardly he did not display any change in emotion as he said: “Sigh, your father was killed about half a month ago and the person who killed your father is your brother! Who would have thought!? I’ve watched Fan Jin grow up from when he was just a little boy and I would never have thought that he would grow to be so ambitious. He saw that your health was gradually improving and was afraid that the position of Headmaster would be denied him, so he devised a scheme while you were not here to force your father to pass the position of Headmaster to him! But your father refused to submit himself to such devilry! Nobody had thought that Fan Jin’s humiliation would turn into rage and he had had the audacity to actually kill your father!”

  Ning Rui narrated it all with a tearful voice to Fan Zhuo, his face filled with sadness. But hidden deep within his eyes, was a vicious glint of mockery and ridicule.

  [With Fan Zhuo’s weak health and frail constitution, upon hearing such mortifying news, the shock would surely deal him a devastating blow, or at least cause him to fall unconscious!]

  [And once Fan Zhuo succumbed, he would then be able send him away for “treatment” and cook up a most convenient excuse that Fan Zhuo had suffered from a relapse of his condition and send him on his way to reunite with Fan Qi!]

  Volume 8

  Chapter 724: “Eighth Slap (5)”

  Ning Rui was secretly elated. Fan Zhuo had sent himself in for slaughter and you can’t blame him for taking up the offer!

  After hearing Ning Rui words, Fan Zhuo’s body swayed in his spot.

  Ning Rui was waiting gleefully for his body to collapse from the utter shock when Fan Zhuo suddenly steadied himself and the same respectful smile appeared once more on his face.

  “What is Uncle Ning saying? How is it possible that my brother will kill my father?”

  Ning Rui frowned slightly as he looked at Fan Zhuo curiously, not expecting him to be able to remain standing. “Little Zhuo, I know that you have always been close to your brother, but you can never be certain how a man’s heart can change anytime. You are afterall not real brothers tied by blood and Fan Jin is not your father’s biological son. You have been bedridden for so many years which made Fan Jin assume that you did not have long to live, and the position of Headmaster wi
ll eventually be his. But unexpectedly, your ill health took a turn for the better and that had made him show his true malicious nature.”

  Ning Rui even sigh sadly as he continued to say: “Sigh, a pity that your father doted on him so much and even treated him like he would his own son, not knowing that he was keeping a viper so close to his side.”

  Ning Rui portrayed his image as a amiable uncle very well and to those that didn’t know the truth, they would immediately be taken in by him.

  The smile on Fan Zhuo’s face gradually faded and his attractive brow creased up slightly. “Uncle Ning is right about one thing. Fan Jin and me are not real biological brothers related by blood.”

  Ning Rui’s heart fluttered with delight. But what Fan Zhuo said next struck him like a massive lightning bolt!

  “But Uncle Ning got the other parts wrong though. The one who is not my father’s biological son isn’t my elder brother, but me. I am the adopted son that my father picked up, and my elder brother is my father’s biological and legitimate son.” Fan Zhuo said it with a face filled with confusion, his clear eyes looking earnestly at Ning Rui.

  A great shock tore into Ning Rui’s heart, as he stared in flabbergasted disbelief at Fan Zhuo, unable to accept what he was hearing from Fan Zhuo’s mouth!

  Fan Zhuo’s words made even all the disciples and teachers of the Zephyr Academy widen their eyes in astonishment!

  [What is going on here?]

  [Did Fan Zhuo just say he isn’t Fan Qi’s biological son? And Fan Jin is in actual fact the real deal?]

  Fan Zhuo’s words dropped like a bombshell and exploded among everyone present. The somber and quiet scene before the gates of the academy’s gates broke out into another wave of heated debate.

  “What is happening here right now? How did Fan Jin turn out to be the biological son of the Headmaster! ?”

  “That isn’t true, I have always been told Fan Zhuo was the Headmaster’s biological son! Why is he saying such things now?”

  In a moment, everyone had jumped onto Fan Zhuo’s shocking revelation and fiery debates quickly ensued.

  Fan Zhuo listened to the clamour around him as he looked at the hypocritical pity that had congealed on Ning Rui’s face, and a tinge of satisfaction flashed across Fan Zhuo’s eyes.

  “Little Zhuo….. Wh….. What are you saying? How could you not be your father’s biological son? I can still remember it very clearly when your father brought both of you back here. He had distinctly said you are his biological son and Fan Jin was a child he picked up along the way.” A visible twitch was tugging at the corner of Ning Rui’s mouth as he fought to retain his composure.

  If what Fan Zhuo was saying was really the truth, then the reason he had claimed that made Fan Jin murder Fan Qi would turn out to be one big joke!

  As that would mean that Fan Jin would irrefutably be next in line to succeed the position of the Zephyr Academy’s Headmaster and even if Fan Zhuo was in the pink of health, the succession of the Headmaster’s position would not be linked to Fan Zhuo at all.

  And Fan Jin would have absolutely no reason to kill Fan Qi at all!

  A feeling of dread grew in Ning Rui’s heart. He did not want to believe Fan Zhuo’s words, but he did not dare doubt them even more.

  If he believed them to be true, then the reason he had claimed that had made Fan Jin kill Fan Qi would not stand!

  Fan Qi’s death would suddenly be cast in a suspicious light!

  Fan Zhuo sighed lightly and looked at Ning Rui and said: “Uncle Ning, didn’t you notice that there are no common traits between my father and me? Whereas for my brother, no matter whether in terms of looks or temperament, they are almost exactly alike?”

  Volume 8

  Chapter 725: “Eighth Slap (6)”

  What Fan Zhuo said made Ning Rui gasp loudly!

  It was true. The Fan father and son had looks that were considered attractive, but though Fan Qi’s and Fan Zhuo’s looks leaned towards being handsome, Fan Zhuo was nevertheless noticeably one notch higher above them but his features differed from them. It was Fan Jin who looked very much like Fan Qi when he was younger.

  In regards to that, although Ning Rui had once been curious about it, Fan Qi had just made a joke about it and brushed it off carelessly.

  Ning Rui understood Fan Qi very well and knew that he was not a man prone to lying. Added to the fact was that he believed no one would be so ridiculously stupid as to take someone else’s son to call his own while declaring his own biological son to be adopted instead.

  Ning Rui had felt that no sane person would do something like that and hence, he had never once doubted Fan Qi’s words.

  But he had forgotten one thing. His senior, in a certain sense of the word, was someone who could be overly righteous. In certain exceptional circumstances, he might not be incapable of something so extreme.

  Fan Zhuo’s reminder, had enlightened all the people of the Zephyr Academy. They had suddenly realised the Fan Jin did actually closely resemble Fan Qi, while Fan Zhuo did not share any similarities in their features with Fan Qi.

  Fan Zhuo continued to say: “At that time, my family was mired in trouble where they were killed and I was extremely fortunate to have met my adoptive father who picked me up and raised me. I was frail and always in ill health. Father had pitied me for I was younger and very weak. If I was to be branded to be an adopted child on top of that, Father feared that I would be bullied. Father then compromised his own biological son and declared Fan Jin to be the adopted one, while the boy who shared no blood ties whatsoever with him was the dove in the magpie’s nest and I became his biological son. All these years, Father really treated me like his own, and my elder brother knew all this time that I had taken his rightful position. But he did not utter a single word of complaint and even looked out for me at every turn. So, that is why I really cannot understand why Big Brother would want to kill my father for a position that belonged to him in the first place. Uncle Ning, can you tell me the reason?”

  Fan Zhuo’s explanation caused Ning Rui to be completely stumped for words. Ning Rui wanted so much to rebut, to reaffirm everyone of his words.

  But when Fan Zhuo revealed his and Fan Jin’s identity right before everyone here, Ning Rui found that the crime he had forcibly pinned on Fan Jin’s head suddenly became one big joke!

  If Fan Jin knew that he was Fan Qi’s biological son, then Fan Zhuo’s health no matter ill and sickly or fit as a fiddle would have no absolutely effect on whether he would be able to take up the reins as the Headmaster of the Zephyr Academy! That would also mean Fan Jin had no reason to take such a big risk to kill Fan Qi!

  Ning Rui stood frozen in his spot. All the disciples and teachers started gathering together to whisper in groups. Their hushed whispers were accompanied by questioning eyes all gazing upon Ning Rui.

  It was the first time that NIng Rui was feeling so uncomfortable to be watched by so many pairs of eyes with their piercing gazes. It felt as if those gazes were boring burning fiery holes into his body, bringing him agonising pain!

  “Do you need a reason to kill? Even for a pair of father and son, a single angry word, in a moment’s rage, killing someone unintentionally would not be something totally impossible, or would it?” Gu Ying who had remained at the side in silence suddenly spoke. His arms were crossed upon his chest as he slightly lifted up his chin, seemingly completely unruffled as he looked at Fan Zhuo, not affected in the least by Fan Zhuo’s words.

  Fan Zhuo turned to look calmly at Gu Ying. Under the calm and unperturbed expression on his face, a torrential murderous wave of rage lay hidden.

  This was the man, who killed his father!

  “Whether it was unintentional or whether he was framed, I do not think you are in a position to decide or are you?” Fan Zhuo countered derisively.

  “We do have a witness here who saw with his own eyes, your brother still holding the murder weapon that killed your father. There were only your brother and Fan Qi in the offic
e at that time. If it is not him, who else could it be?” Gu Ying replied smilingly.

  Ning Rui suddenly snapped back to his senses and immediately pulled Gongcheng Lei who had been standing at the side, to come right before Fan Zhuo.

  “And all of that was witnessed by your own Uncle Gongcheng!”

  Volume 8

  Chapter 726: Eighth Slap (7)

  Fan Zhuo looked calmly at Gongcheng Lei. When Jun Wu Xie had initially discovered that someone was slipping medicine into his food, his brother and him had both felt that there was something strange going on, but no one had ever suspected Gongcheng Lei. Gongcheng Lei was indebted to Fan Qi for having saved his life. From a young age, Gongcheng Lei had followed by his father’s side and for many years, he had been always loyal. As nimble minded as Fan Zhuo was, he had never once suspected Gongcheng Lei as the culprit.

  If they had not met Ah Jing once again, if Ah Jing had not seen Gongcheng Lei’s expression then, Fan Zhuo would have continued to look upon him as a respected and loving uncle.

  But now…..

  Fan Zhuo’s lips curled up into a smile. That gentle smile was soft as the moonlight, one that made people unable to develop a dislike for.

  “So, what did Uncle Gongcheng see?”

  Gongcheng Lei’s body was completely tensed up as he looked at Fan Zhuo. He had thought that the matter was over and he would have nothing more to do with it. He had not expected that Ning Rui would push him to the forefront and put him into such a tight spot. He had no choice but to force himself to repeat his story: “That day, I was standing guard outside the door when I heard the Headmaster and the Elder Young Master quarrelling. I had initially just thought that they had some differences to sort out and did not pay much attention to it. It was not until I detected a scent of blood that I realised something was amiss. By the time I rushed into the office, the Headmaster had already stopped breathing and I saw the Elder Young Master still holding the blood smeared sword standing in the office…..”