"I'm not just talking nonsense. Your illness is extremely dangerous, and with the current level of medical technology, it's likely incurable. You're lucky to have met me—I can save you."Wang Xu spoke seriously.
His mentor, Master Zhao Tian, often told him: a true doctor must never lose compassion.And seeing such a pure and beautiful girl afflicted with a terminal illness—what a pity!Since he had crossed paths with her, he was determined to save her.
While in prison, Wang Xu had inherited the true teachings of the expert doctor Zhao Tian.He had mastered not only traditional medicine, like the "Five-Character Secret Technique" and treatments for internal blockages, but also developed the ability to sense and read the flow of energy (qi) in a person's body to diagnose illnesses—with complete accuracy.
A moment ago, he had been briefly stunned by Liu Li's beauty, but more than that, he had been drawn in by the strong, disease-laden energy hovering over her head.
He had also observed that the girl's eyes were slightly bulging, the whites bloodshot, her temples throbbing abnormally, and her carotid artery pulsing too rapidly.These were all typical signs of increased intracranial pressure—symptoms of a serious brain condition.
Considering her young age, irregular breathing, weak voice, and unsteady posture, plus the sickly aura over her head, Wang Xu had already concluded that she was suffering from a severe brain tumor.
"Tsk tsk, what do you think you are, Hua Tuo? You can see people's illnesses with your naked eyes?"Liu Li was clearly shocked, but how could she believe him?
A doctor like that in the real world? That was like talking nonsense in broad daylight!
"Okay, I'm not Hua Tuo. But I can see what others can't." Wang Xu smiled. "Pretty girl, I'm not trying to scare you, but if this illness isn't treated soon, you might not even make it to this year's Spring Festival."
Seeing the doubt in her eyes, Wang Xu began to worry for her.
What he didn't know was—Liu Li already knew she had a terminal illness.
Thump, thump—
As they were speaking, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed into the cave.They turned to see a middle-aged farmer in his forties emerging from the other side of the mountain trail, carrying an old man on his back.
"Ah! Damn this weather—getting caught in the storm like this could be fatal!"The farmer looked anxious. He rushed into the cave, not even noticing that it was already occupied.
Now with four people squeezed into the narrow cave, Wang Xu and Liu Li were nearly pressed against each other.Being this close to a "hooligan" made Liu Li both angry and embarrassed. She inwardly cursed her rotten luck and wished she could vanish into a crack in the rock.
"Uncle Wang! Where are you taking Grandpa Wang Shan?"Wang Xu recognized the farmer. It was Wang Wei, a barefoot doctor from Lihua Village.Though he dabbled in medicine, his main job was farming.
He also recognized the old man on Wang Wei's back—it was Wang Wei's father, named Wang Shan.
"Huh? Wang Xu? You just got out of prison? Teacher Liu's here too!"Wang Wei looked up in surprise.
When he mentioned that Wang Xu had just been released from prison, Liu Li's pupils contracted slightly. Her alertness toward Wang Xu instantly doubled.She edged even further into the cave wall, convinced that this bald-headed thug was trying to harass her.
"Ah! Uncle Wang—Grandpa Wang Shan is having a heart attack!"Wang Xu had taken a good look at the unconscious old man and suddenly exclaimed.
"Exactly! It's the white-cat wind! Nothing we can do. I called for an ambulance to take him to the county hospital, but in this weather... the ambulance is stuck at the mountain pass. I'm worried sick! Wait—how'd you know what it is?"As a barefoot doctor, Wang Wei knew exactly what his father's condition was.In the local dialect, villagers referred to acute heart attacks as "white-cat wind."
But Wang Xu had only taken one look and diagnosed it correctly.Wang Wei was shocked—after all, Wang Xu had been arrested before he even graduated from university. How could he know anything about medicine?
"No—it's too late! Uncle Wang, do you have silver needles in your medical kit?"Wang Xu checked the old man's pulse and urgently asked.
"What? You want to use acupuncture? Don't mess around and make it worse—I'm already panicking here!" Wang Wei shouted.
"Uncle Wang, there's no time to argue! Grandpa Wang Shan is in critical condition. He needs emergency treatment, or he won't survive!"Without waiting for permission, Wang Xu rummaged through Wang Wei's medicine box.
"These won't help... I need to get the silver needles under the cotton gauze!"Wang Wei, faced with his father's worsening condition, no longer cared about doubting Wang Xu.He didn't stop him.
Besides, Wang Xu looked serious and composed—not like someone talking nonsense.And even if the acupuncture didn't help, it probably wouldn't do much harm.With the rain and wind cutting off access to the outside, all they could do was try anything—better to treat a dead horse as a live one than do nothing.
Behind Wang Xu, Liu Li was wide-eyed with surprise.Could this thug actually know medicine?
She stared at Wang Xu with her deep blue eyes as he prepared the needles.
Wang Xu had Wang Wei expose the elder's left arm completely. He warmed a silver needle in his palm, then began inserting it into major points along the Heart Meridian of Shaoyin.
First, he selected the "Jiquan" point in the armpit to open the meridians and regulate blood flow.His movements were accurate, decisive, and expertly coordinated—his fingers, wrist, and technique flowing as one.His insertion, rotation, lifting, and pressing were all steady and refined, leaving the seasoned barefoot doctor Wang Wei completely dumbfounded.
Even Liu Li, who knew nothing about acupuncture, could tell:Wang Xu was really a doctor!
And now that she looked more carefully, this bald guy… was actually kind of handsome?
Her impression of him as a hooligan softened, and admiration began to show in her eyes.
For the second needle, Wang Xu selected the "Shaohai" point at the elbow—fueling the energy and forcing it through the central passage.
The third needle went into the "Shenmen" point at the wrist—breaking through the final barrier in the heart meridian.
With the last needle, Wang Xu struck the point with his pinky knuckle, sending energy surging through the meridian.The heart pathway was fully cleared; blood and qi flowed smoothly.The previously blocked aorta opened up, and the old man's face quickly changed from purple to red. His breathing deepened, became steady and even.
Wang Xu's acupuncture technique was one of Master Zhao Tian's unique styles—the Five Element Needle Method.This particular four-needle heart attack treatment was called "Heart Exchange", specially designed to combat various heart conditions.
"Ah! He's waking up! It worked! Damn kid, you really pulled it off!"Wang Wei was ecstatic to see his father's condition visibly improving.
Liu Li also smiled in relief. Her gaze toward Wang Xu softened even more.
"Uncle Wang, the four-needle technique I used just now only temporarily unblocked his heart vessels. You still need to take Grandpa Wang Shan to the hospital for further examination and treatment."Wang Xu returned the silver needles to the medicine box as he spoke.
"That's right, of course. It all looks simple on the surface, but it's really not! Ha! What you see is just the tip of the iceberg, isn't it?"