Chapter 15 The Setup

“Mr. Yelton, what a delight to meet you,” Colin said, his face beaming with flattery as he bent slightly at the waist. Yet, Torin had no interest in such people. He said, “Mr. Lindgren works in construction, I hope you won't trouble him in the future.” Colin hurriedly assured, “Not at all, not at all. For any of Mr. Lindgren's future projects, I'll ensure everything goes smoothly.” After showering a series of compliments, Colin finally took his leave. The whole family was taken aback. How did Torin possess such influence that even Colin was wary of him, going as far as personally visiting to make amends? The incident where Wallace's impersonation was exposed left him feeling hot and embarrassed, even though he had a thick skin. He didn't dare to look at Jeremiah. Jeremiah shot him a glare, then turned to Torin and asked, “Torin, do you know Daniel?” He was acutely aware of Daniel's stature, the third most powerful figure in the state, with a deeply influential background. “Yes, I know him. I once treated his illness while we were in prison.” Tiffany exclaimed in surprise. “Torin, you have medical skills?” Zinnia laughed, saying, “Mom, Torin's medical skills are quite impressive.” “Really? Torin, are you a doctor?” “I suppose so.” Jeremiah furrowed his brow. “What do you mean by 'suppose so'?” “I haven't received my medical license yet, so I'm not technically a doctor at the moment.” Wallace had just made a fool of himself and was feeling rather disgruntled. Unable to hold back, he interjected, “So you're just a quack then.” Jeremiah asked, “Torin, you've just been released from prison. Have you given any thought to what you want to do in the future?” Torin had a plan in mind already and promptly responded, “Practicing medicine, my medical skills are quite decent.” Jeremiah hummed in agreement. “Being a doctor is a good choice. I have contacts at Hofcaster Hospital. If you're interested, you could work there.” Without delay, Zinnia responded, “Sure.” In truth, Torin had no desire to work in such a small hospital. However, since Zinnia had agreed, he chose not to voice his objections, merely replying with a nonchalant, “All right.” Suddenly, Jeremiah stood up and said, “Torin, come with me.” Silently, Torin rose and followed Jeremiah to his study. Behind closed doors, Jeremiah's expression suddenly turned serious. He said, “Torin, be honest with me. How did you manage to cure Daniel's illness?” He had lived most of his life, accumulating a wealth of societal experience. From Torin's fragmented words, he uncovered something that profoundly astonished him. Therefore, he was determined to get to the bottom of it. Torin said, “Last year, right after Daniel was promoted to deputy chief, he was diagnosed with liver disease. His liver had started to show signs of cancer cells, threatening not only his career but also his life. I prescribed him several rounds of medication and administered a few injections, and he recovered from his illness.” Immediately, Jeremiah was skeptical. “You can cure cancer?” It was important to note that at that time, human medicine had not yet conquered cancer. So, naturally, he didn't believe Torin's words. Torin replied, “Cancer is not incurable. As long as we activate the body's immune system, we can—” Jeremiah waved his hand dismissively, his eyes filled with impatience. He said coldly, “Enough, no need to say more. With this kind of thing, you can only say you've been lucky.” Torin knew that no matter how much he tried to explain, Jeremiah would never believe him, so he decided not to say anything more. Jeremiah remarked, “Tomorrow is my mother's birthday banquet, and Julian from the Mercer family will be there as well. He intends to propose formally to Zinnia.” Torin had known about this matter for quite some time, but hearing Jeremiah bring it up again still left him with a hint of discomfort in his heart. Jeremiah then turned to Torin and said, “As for Zinnia's marriage, I, as her father, have no control over it. The decision lies with the matriarch of the family. Here's what we'll do, you'll accompany me to the birthday banquet tomorrow. Make sure to put on a good show, who knows, you might be able to sway Donna's decision.” Although he said such things, deep down he didn't think highly of Torin. After all, compared to the heir of the Mercer family, Torin had no advantages to speak of. He allowed Torin to go, more so to make him give up. Torin said, “I'll give it my all.” Jeremiah smirked mockingly and said, “Fine, let's have dinner.” They returned to the living room, where Torin noticed the jadeite bracelet he had gifted casually placed on the table, as if it were considered counterfeit. Without argument, he quietly took a seat next to Zinnia. Tiffany chuckled. “A friend of mine has opened a restaurant around here. I've heard the food is quite good. Shall we go there for lunch?” Jeremiah casually said, “Sure.” Tiffany asked Torin, “Torin, are you... going too?” Zinnia felt a pang of discomfort in her heart. Even if Torin was a stranger visiting, it was only polite to invite him to stay for a meal. How could her mother say such a thing? Suddenly, she grabbed Torin's hand and said coldly, “Mom, we're not eating anymore.” After saying this, she attempted to leave, pulling Torin along with her. Tiffany quickly interjected, “All right, alright, let's go together. We've already reserved a table, one more won't make a difference.” Jeremiah didn't object. Torin had influential connections which were beneficial to his business. So, he promptly suggested, “Come on, Torin. Let's go.” Before leaving, Jeremiah took with him two bottles of wine gifted by Wallace. The whole family then headed to the nearby hotel. When Wallace saw that Jeremiah had ultimately taken the wine he had bought, he felt triumphant. No matter how good the whiskey Torin had given, if the Lindgren family didn't accept him, even if he was a treasure, it would be worthless.” After leaving the residential area, it only took a few minutes to reach the hotel that Tiffany had mentioned. At the entrance of the hotel, flower baskets were set up, accompanied by a hanging banner. The welcoming hostess warmly ushered the group into the hotel. Upon entering the hotel, the lavish interior design was immediately apparent. On either side, there were towering vases over two meters tall, which were incredibly beautiful. As she passed by a vase, Tiffany couldn't help but reach out and touch it, laughing as she said, “It's so beautiful.” Before she could finish speaking, the vase started to tilt. Tiffany rushed to steady it, but its size made it too unwieldy. Ironically, her attempt to save it only hastened its fall. Crash! With a crash, the massive vase shattered into pieces. Tiffany was dumbfounded. She turned to look at Jeremiah, her face creased in distress. “I just touched it, how did it break?” Jeremiah shot his wife a stern look, blaming her for her carelessness. Vases like these in hotels were specially crafted, and they didn't come cheap. Quickly, the lobby manager strode over, impeccably dressed in a suit with neatly combed hair. His eyes flickered sharply as he glanced at the shattered vase on the floor. “I'm sorry for the disturbance,” he said. Jeremiah, who had some money, responded calmly, “No worries. How much for the vase? We'll pay for it.” The manager chuckled. “This vase is custom-made, a collaborative masterpiece by a master craftsman and a master painter, costing eight point eight million. Oh, that was the price three years ago. Now, it could be even more expensive.” “What? Eight million?” Tiffany reacted as if someone had stepped on her tail, almost leaping up in surprise. The manager chuckled. “It's eight million eight hundred and eighty thousand.” “Y-You're trying to swindle me!” Tiffany grew frantic as she spoke without thinking. The manager's expression darkened instantly. “Ma'am, please watch your words, or don't blame me for being impolite!”