Curing Joshua's condition wasn't difficult for John. In fact, strictly speaking, it wasn't a disease at all. What Joshua had been suffering from was the result of his acupoint being sealed by John himself. Every time his blood circulated and concentrated around that point, he experienced excruciating pain.
That was why no matter how many renowned physicians Joshua visited, none could pinpoint the root cause of his affliction.
Once again, John used his needles to stimulate and reopen the blocked acupoint. The pain vanished almost instantly.
Joshua left filled with gratitude.
Monica, on the other hand, was too embarrassed to linger after that and quickly followed him out.
Not long after their departure, Queenie returned. She bent down gracefully to remove her heels, placed them neatly on the shoe rack by the entrance, and slipped into a pair of soft pink house slippers.
Without attempting to hide anything, John immediately shared the update about Joshua's visit and recovery.
There was no surprise on Queenie's face. Instead, her expression turned bitter as she sighed, "Recently, all sorts of skincare brands have flooded the New York market. We can't even hold onto our original market share, let alone think about expanding to somewhere like Rochester."
She was clearly feeling the pressure.
After a moment of contemplation, John suddenly posed a question. "Queenie, why are we always the ones chasing distribution channels? Why not make them come to us?"
"It's not that simple," Queenie replied with a faint shake of her head. "There are already so many skincare brands out there. If our products aren't clearly superior, no distributor will bother seeking us out. They have too many options."
In the early days, Queenie Group was just a small-time operation in New York. Their products were ordinary—nothing extraordinary. It wasn't until massive orders came from the likes of the Duke of Southern River and others that their brand began gaining traction.
Still, when compared to top-tier competitors in the skincare industry, Queenie Group's offerings weren't particularly outstanding.
"So that's the real issue…" John muttered, slapping his forehead lightly. "I've been so foolish. I have countless formulas in my mind, yet I never thought to share them with you."
To him, skincare formulations were just another category of herbal recipes—an area in which he had an almost inexhaustible supply of knowledge.
As his eyes drifted to Queenie's elegant, slender neck, John gently moved behind her and began to massage her shoulders. "Trust me, Queenie," he whispered with a smile. "I'll give you a massive surprise."
Queenie didn't respond at first. She simply closed her eyes and quietly enjoyed his skilled massage.
There was no pain in her shoulders or neck, but his touch brought her an overwhelming sense of comfort. A warm stream of energy seemed to ripple outward from where his hands touched her, spreading through her body like a wave of bliss.
Her cheeks flushed red, and she found herself silently hoping the massage would last longer.
After a moment, she said softly, "John… come with me tomorrow. Let's have dinner with my parents."
The word parents came out awkwardly. It was still a foreign term to her—something she wasn't quite used to.
Over the past few days, Queenie had begun maintaining contact with Nick and his wife. After all, they were her biological parents. As long as they didn't try to control her life or tear her away from her current world, she was open to building a relationship.
John blinked. "That sounds like something they would ask for."
"It's not. It's my idea," Queenie clarified.
Nick and Marcia had originally intended for Queenie to visit them alone, but she had insisted that John come along. She wanted to send a clear message:
I accept you as my parents—but I won't abandon the life I've chosen.
The next day.
At a high-end restaurant in Rochester, Nick and Marcia were already seated in a private dining room.
They weren't alone. Sitting beside them was a young man who radiated polished charm.
His name was Justin Bush, recently returned from studying in Australia. The Bush Family had long been close friends with the Yeats Family, which naturally led Nick and Marcia to take a liking to the young man.
Today, they planned to introduce him to Queenie.
"Justin, be on your best behavior when Queenie arrives," Marcia said with a smile.
Justin nodded politely. Given how attractive Nick and Marcia were themselves, he had no doubt that their daughter—who had been missing for twenty-five years—would be just as stunning.
Moments later, the waiter led Queenie into the room.
Justin's eyes lit up the moment he saw her.
During his time in Australia, he had met plenty of beautiful and obedient women. But none of them stirred his soul like this. Queenie's proud, cool demeanor and breathtaking beauty hit him like a gust of spring wind, making his heart skip a beat.
Nick and Marcia noticed his reaction and were delighted. Just as they had hoped.
Marcia immediately rose from her seat and approached Queenie with a bright smile. "Queenie, you're finally here…"
But before she could say anything else, her smile faltered and froze.
She had just spotted the figure trailing behind Queenie—John.
Marcia's expression darkened. "What are you doing here?"
Before John could respond, Queenie spoke up, her voice calm but firm. "I invited him."
"Queenie…" Marcia's tone turned hesitant. "I'm not sure this is appropriate. Today's dinner was supposed to be… a family gathering. He's just an outsider."
She said family with unmistakable implication—clearly seeing Justin as someone who should be part of it.
Queenie glanced at Justin the moment she stepped in and instantly understood what this was all about. The sudden appearance of another man—combined with Marcia's clear hostility toward John—only reinforced her decision.
She turned toward the door.
"Queenie, please—don't be upset. It's my fault," Marcia rushed to stop her, grabbing her arm with urgency. "Let him stay. I'm okay with it, alright?"
But it was the word mom that struck a nerve in Queenie's heart. Her body tensed slightly.
After a few seconds of hesitation, she nodded faintly. "Fine. We'll stay and have dinner. But I don't want any more of that nonsense."
"Of course not," Marcia quickly agreed, though her eyes lingered on John with thinly veiled discontent.