Even Wei Xingzhou couldn't help but feel a bit awkward. How could the young miss from Master Two's household still pull such pranks?
Ji Chuxing, however, acted as if she hadn't heard anything. She walked over and grabbed the elderly practitioner's hand just as he was about to insert a needle. "This isn't a stroke—it's only symptomatic. You can't treat it this way!"
"How is it not a stroke? Sudden fainting, slurred speech… Who's the doctor here—you or me?" The old man fumed, his beard quivering with indignation.
"This is Dr. Shen! The most skilled physician at our Xihua Hall. Don't interfere!" A pharmacy assistant immediately stepped forward to stop Ji Chuxing, visibly irritated.
Ji Chuxing gave them a cool glance. She said nothing, yet somehow her presence alone made the nurse hesitate to touch her.
Ignoring her, the old practitioner resumed his work. In the blink of an eye, the silver needle in his hand vanished.
Before anyone realized what happened, Ji Chuxing snatched the needle away and swiftly inserted it into several key acupoints on the elderly woman's body, moving so fast that only a blur remained.
"You!" The old man stared, wide-eyed and furious. "What are you doing? You—"
Before he could finish, Ji Chuxing had already accurately inserted nine needles into precise acupoints on the elderly woman's body.
The old practitioner froze.
At sixty-seven years old, with over four decades of medical experience, this was the first time he'd seen such an extraordinary technique.
He gazed at Ji Chuxing thoughtfully, while the pharmacy nurse looked terrified. "What are you doing? Messing around like this could kill someone, Dr. Shen!"
The old practitioner raised a hand to silence the nurse.
Wei Xingzhou himself was stunned, let alone everyone else present.
Before anyone could react, the elderly woman's fingers twitched, and she slowly regained consciousness.
Ji Chuxing stood up and reminded them, "Give her the medicine."
Only then did the old practitioner snap out of his daze and hurriedly administer two pills from the medication she had been holding earlier.
Gradually, color returned to the elderly woman's pale face, and her breathing steadied.
In the blink of an eye, Ji Chuxing had removed all the needles.
The elderly woman looked around, first at the old practitioner, then at Ji Chuxing. Seeing the ethereal figure before her, her eyes lit up. "Was it you who saved me?"
As she spoke, she reached out and grasped Ji Chuxing's small hand. Her wrinkled yet warm grip held tight, but Ji Chuxing didn't pull away.
The old practitioner started to nod but quickly corrected himself. "Ah no, it was this young lady who saved you. It was her acupuncture that brought you back so quickly."
Once the elderly woman regained full awareness, the pharmacy staff quickly dispersed the crowd. The old practitioner and a nurse helped her sit down in a chair.
Ji Chuxing remained calm and composed.
The elderly woman studied Ji Chuxing carefully, her eyes brimming with affection. "Truly, the younger generation surpasses the old. Our country is blessed with talent. Young lady, how can I thank you for saving me? Is there anything you desire?"
Her demeanor screamed wealth, and Ji Chuxing didn't mince words. "Consultation fee."
The elderly woman blinked in surprise but wasted no时间 pulling out a checkbook and handing Ji Chuxing a check.
Ji Chuxing inwardly cheered and accepted it without hesitation.
Practicing medicine sure pays well!
The elderly woman seemed charmed by Ji Chuxing's straightforwardness and insisted on giving her a small box from her pocket. "Young lady, I live in the Pine Forest Villa on Zijing Mountain. If you ever need anything, feel free to visit. Oh, and you're welcome to come play mahjong too. Do you know how?"
Ji Chuxing nodded. "I'll drop by when I have time. Make sure to rest properly and take your medicine on schedule. Also, the previous prescription was incorrect—it wasn't a stroke."
Casually picking up pen and paper, she scribbled out a new prescription. "Take this for three courses."
"Alright, remember to come back for a follow-up," the elderly woman agreed happily. What a kind and clever girl! If only her granddaughter were still alive—she'd surely be just like this!
Ji Chuxing nodded.
In the end, she left cheerfully, clutching a check worth five hundred thousand yuan.
The old practitioner chased after her. "Young lady, wait! Wait!"
Ji Chuxing frowned. "What is it?"
Does he want to steal my money or split it? I'll punch him if he tries!
The old practitioner couldn't bear to look at her clutching the check protectively. His excitement was palpable. "What kind of acupuncture technique did you use just now?"
Though he had practiced medicine for decades, many ancient techniques had been lost to time. Watching Ji Chuxing wield nine needles, he had a bold—and almost impossible—suspicion, but he dared not dwell on it.
Ji Chuxing didn't respond, but since he wasn't here to split the money, she relaxed slightly.
Knowing she might not want to share, the old practitioner politely asked, "In all my years, I've never seen such a rapid and mysterious technique. How did you determine that the patient wasn't having a stroke?"
Ji Chuxing simply replied, "Experience."
The old practitioner: "…."
This girl is impossible to talk to!
How old are you to claim such experience?
Grumbling under his breath, the old man muttered, "Fine, if you don't want to say, then don't."
Ji Chuxing turned to leave, but the old practitioner's eyes widened, and he quickly stopped her again, treating her with utmost respect—as though she were royalty. "Young lady, would you consider practicing at Xihua Hall?"
Ji Chuxing paused. "Will I get paid?"
A closer look revealed a gleam in her eyes, as if she'd spotted a treasure trove.
The old practitioner was momentarily stunned but quickly nodded. "Yes, yes—the consultation fees are yours, though the pharmacy keeps the profits from medicine sales."
"Hmm…" Ji Chuxing blinked. "I'll think about it."
The old practitioner was so thrilled he nearly jumped for joy. "Wonderful! Take your time to decide. You're always welcome at Xihua Hall. By the way, my name is Shen Daozhang. Here's my card."
Ji Chuxing glanced at the simple yet dignified name on the card—Shen Daozhang—and stuffed it into her bag. She waved dismissively. "I'm leaving now."
The old practitioner watched her go, his hopeful expression crumbling. He sighed, feeling a pang of disappointment.
Clearly, the young girl had no idea what the name Shen Daozhang meant.
Wei Xingzhou was still reeling from the shock of Ji Chuxing's medical skills when the mention of Shen Daozhang hit him like another blow.
This was Xihua Hall—the best traditional Chinese medicine clinic in the southern city—and they wanted her to practice there?
That was Shen Daozhang, wasn't it?!
Was he hallucinating?
The legendary Shen Daozhang of Xihua Hall wanted to invite the young miss from Master Two's household to practice?
His worldview shattered into pieces!
Meanwhile, as the old practitioner chased after Ji Chuxing, Wen Lian rushed into the pharmacy.
Seeing the elderly woman sitting safely in the chair, he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Grandma, why did you go out alone?"
The elderly woman huffed in displeasure. "What choice did I have? None of you ever come home. If I want to go out, I have to beg you to return!"
Wen Lian paused. "That's my fault."
The elderly woman's eyes lit up as she remembered something. "I met an interesting young girl today—like a fairy."
Wen Lian frowned, about to protest, but the elderly woman cut him off. "Don't even think about it. You're not worthy, so don't get any ideas."
Wen Lian: "…."
He was used to his grandmother's matchmaking attempts, but this time, her standards seemed impossibly high. Who on earth had she met?
But the elderly woman didn't elaborate. Clutching the prescription Ji Chuxing had given her, she looked at her outstanding grandson with newfound disdain for the first time.
By the time Ji Chuxing returned to the car, ten minutes had passed.
Bo Yanchen glanced at the bag of medicinal herbs in the backseat, unsurprised. "What took so long?"
He handed her a cup of milk tea he'd asked Fang He to buy, straw already inserted.
Ji Chuxing took a sip, smiling contentedly as her eyes narrowed in delight. She hugged the drink and glanced at Bo Yanchen. "Mm, I saved someone."
Hehe, and made some extra cash too!
Bo Yanchen raised an eyebrow. "Our little star is quite the hero, isn't she?"
Ji Chuxing hummed smugly.
Ji Chuxing: "Well, the little girl sure knows how to flatter herself."
Wei Xingzhou: "...Honestly, I don't even know what to say anymore." (a long sigh escaping his lips)
This duo was truly something else—one unafraid to dish out compliments, the other perfectly content to lap them up.
Upon returning to Bo Yanchen's residence, Ji Chuxing hoisted the medicinal herbs onto her shoulder and marched into the kitchen. The clinking of utensils soon filled the air, accompanied by an overpowering herbal scent.
Wei Xingzhou wrinkled his nose, fighting back nausea.
Bo Yanchen, however, remained unfazed, his expression calm and composed.
By now, he'd already listened intently to Wei Xingzhou recount the events at the pharmacy. With a faint smile tugging at his lips, he remarked: "Ah, our little treasure hunter strikes again."
Wei Xingzhou: "...Are we really focusing on that right now? Your seventeen-year-old has the medical expertise of someone three times her age!"
Bo Yanchen shrugged nonchalantly. "Old Ji was a master of traditional medicine. Is it so surprising that his granddaughter inherited some of his talent? Besides," he added with a teasing glint in his eye, "you seem awfully free these days, Wei."
And truth be told, aside from her less-than-stellar academic performance, there wasn't much to fault in his little girl. She was obedient, sweet, adorable—and skilled enough in medicine to take care of herself and others. What more could he ask for?
Wei Xingzhou couldn't stand hearing the word "free" thrown around so casually anymore. He almost felt like he didn't recognize the phrase "some skill" when Bo Yanchen mentioned it.
As they spoke, Ji Chuxing emerged from the kitchen, holding a glass that looked suspiciously like a drink. She handed it to Bo Yanchen without ceremony. "Here. For you."
Bo Yanchen raised an eyebrow. "For me to drink?"
Ji Chuxing nodded silently.
Without hesitation, Bo Yanchen accepted the beverage. Though he rarely indulged in such sugary concoctions, he couldn't very well refuse something prepared with care by the young girl. Still… the taste was unusual. After draining the glass, he asked curiously, "What exactly is this?"
"Hmm, just something to help strengthen your body," Ji Chuxing replied breezily. (It's meant to heal your legs! she thought to herself.)
Bo Yanchen chuckled softly. "Ah, so my little star made this specially for me?"
Ji Chuxing clarified earnestly, "I whipped it up while sorting through the herbs earlier."
Bo Yanchen smirked. "Oh, so it's a 'by-the-way' special gift for me, huh? My little girl certainly knows how to show affection."
Without another word, Ji Chuxing turned and disappeared back into the kitchen. Bo Yanchen let out a low chuckle.
Wei Xingzhou found Bo Yanchen's antics utterly ridiculous—teasing the poor girl like that. Following Ji Chuxing into the kitchen, he asked curiously, "What happened to the rest of the herbs?"
"Oh, I dumped them," Ji Chuxing said dismissively, waving an empty cup as if it were no big deal before heading back inside.
Wei Xingzhou froze, feeling as though the ground beneath him had just crumbled away. All those herbs he'd painstakingly carried here—gone, just like that. But what could he possibly say? This was Master Bo's precious little princess, after all.
That night, Ji Chuxing behaved impeccably—at least, according to Bo Yanchen's standards. By ten o'clock sharp, the young girl dutifully climbed into bed and drifted off to sleep.
At half past ten, Wei Xingzhou bid farewell to Bo Yanchen and drove straight to an underground casino. As he stepped out of his car, he was greeted with obsequious bows and ushered inside. Unbeknownst to him, a small shadow slipped quietly behind him, blending seamlessly into the darkness.