Chapter 1667

"Uncle..."

The moment Austin opened his mouth, Dominic handed him the herbal medicine. "Drink it!"

Dominic's tone was brusque, but to Austin, the medicine tasted like the most delicious thing in the world. Without questioning its contents, he drained it in one gulp, barely noticing its heat, and smacked his lips afterward.

"It's so sweet!" Dominic stared at his nephew.

"I doubled the amount of bitter melon! Very sweet? I think you must be suffering from a concussion!"

Despite the scolding, Austin laughed happily. "Thank you for saving me, Uncle Dom."

"I told you I'm not that free, got it? Your father will come to pick you up later. Don't dilly-dally and try to stick around. You're a pain in my neck!" He paused. "Oh, yes, I don't want the bed and blanket anymore since you've used them. Tell your father to buy new ones for me!"

"Sure, I'll buy you the best ones, Uncle Dom!" Austin replied, still laughing.

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his chest, causing him to clutch it and cough.

"What's wrong?" Dominic asked, frowning, though his eyes betrayed his concern despite his dismissive demeanor.

"Nothing. I must have hit my chest. I'll be alright after some rest." Austin coughed heavily, though the pain had already subsided. Although exhausted, he felt considerably better. He paused, then asked, "Uncle Dom, did you check my wrist pulse?"

"Why should I? Are you dying?" Dominic's bluntness was softened by a grudging, "Okay, okay, you won't die."

"Then what kind of virus do I have in my body?" Austin pressed. He was relieved to have Dominic's attention; he had no idea what Rhea had injected him with. Even if Dominic hadn't saved him, he would still have sought his diagnosis.

"Virus?" Dominic furrowed his brow, confused. "What virus? There was none."

"None?" Austin was astonished. Rhea had injected him with a virus and told him so; he'd felt the effects. 'Besides, if she didn't poison me, what about those reactions and the torment I went through every day? I couldn't have imagined them, could I?'

"Are you sure, Uncle Dom?" His suspicion was evident. "Did you fail to detect it? How about..."

He regretted his words the instant they left his lips. 'Did I forget who my granduncle is? He's the foremost expert, the authority, the soul of herbal medicine! Saying he failed to detect the poison is like criticizing his skills and doubting his abilities!' As he anticipated, Dominic's face darkened, and he chuckled coldly.

"Yes, I've failed. How about you do it yourself, since you're a miracle doctor?"

Austin's embarrassment was palpable. "I'm sorry, Uncle Dom."

"There's no need to apologize, since I'm the one who failed you by not detecting the virus. Well, Mr. Miracle Doctor, why don't you check your wrist pulse and enlighten me with your diagnosis?" Dominic's displeasure was clear.

"That's not what I meant, Uncle Dom. They injected the virus into me. It would attack me once daily, making me feel miserable each time. I—I have no idea what kind of virus it is," Austin explained. Dominic's expression grew serious as he took Austin's wrist, then felt his neck. The older man's somber gaze remained on Austin as the young man remained still, allowing his granduncle to examine him freely.