Lin Xiao was still sitting cross-legged in the middle of his bamboo bed, chin resting on his fist, when divine inspiration struck him like a lightning bolt from the heavens.
His eyes lit up—no, gleamed—with a strange brilliance.
"That's it!" he exclaimed, nearly jumping up. "A doctor! I'll become a doctor!"
He began pacing back and forth, hands clasped behind his back like some ancient sage.
"Think about it… With my talent, I can see everything going on inside a person's body. If their liver is weak, I'll know. If their Qi is blocked, I'll know. And if their… ahem… female-specific meridians are disturbed…"
His mouth curled into a shameless grin.
"Beauties from the village will have to come to me for checkups. Touchy-touchy here, feel-feel there… Ahhh, this is the perfect profession! A noble calling… with endless benefits!"
He struck a heroic pose in front of his cracked mirror, lifting a bamboo chopstick like a needle.
"Doctor Lin Xiao, at your service!"
Without wasting another moment, he threw on his cleanest (least dirty) robe and sprinted toward the biggest house in the village—the residence of the mighty Village Chief Hu.
"Old Hu might be stubborn," Lin Xiao muttered as he ran, "but once he sees the wisdom in my plan, I'll be a licensed village physician by sunset!"
---
The village square was buzzing with evening activity, but Lin Xiao ignored all the curious glances and judgmental stares as he rushed straight to the chief's front door.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
"Village Chief! I have a proposal that will change the fate of this village!"
A moment later, the door creaked open, revealing a large, bearded man with bushy eyebrows and a perpetually unimpressed face. Village Chief Hu stared at him like he'd just stepped in horse dung.
"…What is it this time, Lin Xiao? I already heard about you selling wind to that blacksmith's daughter."
Lin Xiao straightened his back. "This is different, Chief. I have decided… to become a doctor!"
The village chief's face twisted, not in awe or amazement, but in confusion, and then open disdain.
"…You? A doctor? Boy, you barely understand your left from your right. Go home and wash your feet."
"No, no!" Lin Xiao insisted, puffing out his chest. "I have a unique talent. I can see the internal state of the body. I can identify illnesses, find the right herbs, and even prescribe medicine. With a bit of support, I could open the first medical clinic in the village!"
Chief Hu stared blankly at him.
Then he snorted. "The day you become a doctor is the day the heavens fall."
He was about to slam the door shut when—
"Aaahhh! It hurts!"
A girl's voice rang out from inside the house.
Lin Xiao's ears perked up.
"Ohhh nooo… It's happening again!" the chief's wife wailed from within.
Chief Hu's face instantly changed as he rushed back inside. "Xiaoyu! What's wrong?!"
Lin Xiao followed right behind without permission—he never needed it anyway.
Inside, the village chief's daughter, Hu Xiaoyu, was curled up on a bamboo bed, her face pale and twisted in pain. Her hands clutched her stomach, and her eyes shimmered with tears.
"Her monthly cramps again," said the chief's wife with a sigh. "They've been bothering her since she turned sixteen. Nothing helps."
Lin Xiao cleared his throat and stepped forward, brushing imaginary dust off his robe.
"Ahem… Village Chief, perhaps this is fate. Allow me to take a look. I'm confident I can help."
Chief Hu glared. "Go away, Lin Xiao. This isn't the time for your nonsense."
"But it's not nonsense!" Lin Xiao insisted, walking to the side of the bed.
"Look. Just give me a moment. I won't touch anything—just observe."
The chief looked torn. His daughter was clearly suffering, and though he trusted Lin Xiao as much as he trusted a raccoon in a food stall… he was desperate.
"…Fine. One look. But if you say anything perverted, I'll break your legs."
Lin Xiao placed his hand behind his back solemnly and activated his talent. His vision shifted slightly—he could sense the subtle disruptions in the girl's body: the imbalance of Yin energy, the blocked Qi in the lower meridians, the inflamed spiritual node near the womb.
He frowned seriously for the first time all day.
"She has a severe Yin-Qi imbalance, most likely due to a congenital weakness. Regular medicines won't help. But if we warm the lower meridians and guide the Qi back into flow using a soothing herb-based tonic and acupressure, she should feel relief immediately. Long-term, she'll need herbal support every cycle."
The chief and his wife stared at him like he'd grown a second head.
"…You actually sound like you know what you're talking about," the chief muttered.
"I do," Lin Xiao said smugly.
"Wait here," he added. "I'll bring the herbs and prepare the medicine myself. Just trust me this once."
With that, he turned and marched out of the house with confidence in his stride.
As soon as he stepped outside, he smirked to himself.
Doctor Lin has arrived.
Lin Xiao made his way into the forest near the village, a simple basket slung over his back and a confident spring in his step.
"Time to show them that I'm not just good at kissing beauties and making fans," he muttered, scanning the underbrush. "I can heal too. I'm a triple threat."
He activated his talent. Instantly, the world changed. Faint glowing outlines shimmered over various herbs, and detailed information appeared in his mind as naturally as breathing.
"Hmm… Clearleaf Herb: promotes Qi circulation."
"Sunroot: warms Yin pathways…"
"Aha! Ice Vine… not this one. Cools the body too much. I want warmth."
He moved like a man possessed, plucking the right herbs with precise care and muttering under his breath like a chef crafting his masterpiece.
Within half an hour, his basket was full of vibrant ingredients.
Back home, he cleaned a small cauldron in the backyard, filled it with water, and lit a small fire underneath.
He began adding herbs in a specific order, following what he instinctively understood through his talent. As the concoction began to simmer, the air filled with a calming aroma—sweet and slightly spicy, like warm ginger tea in winter.
Lin Xiao dipped a finger and tasted it.
"Not bad. A little bitter, but healing medicine isn't supposed to taste like fruit wine."
He poured the warm, slightly steaming tonic into a clay bowl and carried it carefully to the village chief's house.
---
Chief Hu opened the door with folded arms and a skeptical expression. "Back already?"
"I don't mess around when it comes to saving maidens in distress," Lin Xiao said smugly. "This should relieve her pain for now. It's not a permanent fix, but she'll feel better within minutes."
He entered and handed the bowl to Xiaoyu himself. Her face was still pale, her forehead damp with sweat, but she looked up at him weakly and took the medicine.
One sip. Two.
She winced at the taste—but moments later, her expression relaxed. The tight grip on her belly loosened, and her breathing evened out.
"It's… warm," she murmured. "The pain's… less now…"
The chief and his wife exchanged shocked glances.
"She's never calmed down this fast before…"
Lin Xiao didn't even bother hiding his smirk. He folded his arms and leaned against the wall like a proud master.
"Told you. I'm a man of many talents."
Chief Hu was still too stunned to yell at him.
As Lin Xiao turned to leave, Xiaoyu's soft voice called out behind him.
"…Thank you."
He paused.
Then without turning around, he waved lazily.
"Rest well, Lady Xiaoyu. If the pain returns—Doctor Lin's clinic is always open."