Volume 1, Chapter 22: The First Attempt

"Sister Min, you're here. Did you find out what the problem is?"

Guo Dong set down the medicinal bucket, poured the remaining drops of water into a bowl, and downed it in one gulp. He had been doing this for the past three days. It was called resourcefulness! He naturally cherished anything that couldn't be bought with money, though his actions appeared quite eccentric to the two women. Even if it wasn't pesticide, drinking water that hadn't been boiled was risky.

Xie Minmin quickly regained her composure and replied with a smile, "The old master said it wasn't a skin condition. We were looking in the wrong direction when we went to the hospital."

Guo Dong smiled without responding. To say the least, his grandfather’s medical skills were no joke. If he couldn't even diagnose this, his years of study would have been in vain.

"Then you should just go to the respiratory department at the hospital, get a CT scan, and check it out. It’s nothing serious," Guo Dong said, quite familiar with hospital procedures.

He thought he was just making a casual comment, but the girl accompanying Xie Minmin looked slightly surprised. Her large eyes locked onto him as if trying to see right through him. "How did you know it was the respiratory department?"

Guo Dong had only just arrived; could he have known her condition with just one glance? Or perhaps...

"Oh, I heard it outside just now!" He lied without hesitation, though one had to choose their audience carefully.

"You were standing outside the door for an hour?" the girl asked, giving him a strange look.

Xie Minmin burst into laughter. The atmosphere turned awkward. The old master had diagnosed the cause an hour ago, so Guo Dong's lie was easily exposed.

The girl suddenly laughed and turned to Guo An. "Grandpa An, if you can treat it, could you just do it now? That would save me another trip to the hospital. You have no idea how annoying it is to make appointments, register, and wait in line."

Guo An smiled. He reached for a cigarette but stopped when he saw the two girls. "It's not that I don't want to treat it, but this requires Chinese herbal medicine. It’s very bitter; I’m afraid you won't be used to it."

Upon hearing this, the girl made a pained expression. She dreaded taking medicine. If she could be put on an IV drip for a few days, she would choose that over drinking bitter herbs.

"If Guo Dong's maternal grandfather were here, you wouldn't even need medicine; a few acupuncture needles would do the trick. But that old fellow retired years ago, and it’s useless to look for him now."

Guo An's words gave the girl hope. She quickly asked, "What about you? You're a traditional Chinese medicine doctor too; don't you know acupuncture?"

"I..." Guo An shook his head. "I'm good with herbs and stones, but acupuncture is a different story."

The girl looked disappointed, and Xie Minmin tried to persuade her to be content with just knowing the cause. Just then, Guo Dong spoke up: "I know a little bit. How about I give it a try?"

It was a sudden whim. He had spent the whole night reading about the "Thirteen Ghost Needles," but did he really have the technique?

Grandfather Guo An quickly stopped him. "You brat, don't mess around! Acupuncture isn't like farming; you can't just 'give it a try'!"

Guo Dong spread his hands. "Fine, whatever. I’m not entirely sure anyway."

He truly wasn't sure, but a voice in his head told him that if he just acted, a single needle would cure the ailment. He had spoken out of urgency. Unexpectedly, the girl was actually interested. "Will there be any problems?"

Guo Dong shook his head. "Not really, just..." He glanced at his grandfather.

"As long as there are no side effects, let's try it. If it doesn't work, I'll go to the hospital!" Without waiting for the old man to react, she pushed Guo Dong toward the main room.

The girl had a bold, carefree personality, and she was more open-minded than anyone. If the patient wasn't afraid, what did Guo Dong have to worry about?

He reached into his clothes and pulled out the case containing the silver needles. As the needles touched his hands, he seemed to transform. At that moment, he was like a different person. He didn't even hesitate to find the acupuncture points; he simply drove the needle into the girl’s head.

He pierced it straight in by half an inch, an inch above her hairline. The strike was fast, accurate, and ruthless, leaving Guo An stunned. By the time he wanted to intervene, it was already too late.

As the needle went in, Guo An’s eyes widened in disbelief. Although he didn't practice acupuncture, he was a veteran TCM doctor. He could tell that Guo Dong’s technique and accuracy were no less than that of the old master from the East Village. If he didn't know his grandson so well, he would never have believed this was his first time.

"How does it feel?"

"A little itchy!" The girl was filled with curiosity with the needle in her head. "Wait, it actually feels quite comfortable, not painful at all!"

The long needle, stuck in her head, initially caused a slight sensation, but it soon turned into a tingling itch. It was a strange, indescribable feeling.

Guo Dong held the needle and began to rotate it. As his movements grew faster, the girl’s face began to flush with color.

Then... *Whoosh!*

As Guo Dong suddenly withdrew the needle, the girl let out a long breath, feeling an indescribable sense of relief. "That’s amazing! I feel so clear-headed and refreshed. It’s like magic!"

Guo Dong wiped the needle and carefully put it away. "Do you still feel itchy?"

Reminded, the girl immediately checked herself and stood up. "No... it's gone!"

Xie Minmin was also curious. When they arrived, her friend had been scratching constantly—not just her body, but her arms as well, until her skin was almost raw. Now, the itching had vanished!

For a moment, all three of them, including Xie Minmin, stared at Guo Dong until he turned bright red. He then said sheepishly, "Um, I learned this from my maternal grandfather. He’s much better than I am. He’s studied acupuncture for decades; I’ve only learned the basics."

Humble and shy—that was the impression Guo Dong left on the girl. Smiling, she reached out her hand. "Let's introduce ourselves properly. My surname is Liu, and my name is Liu Lan. You can call me Lanlan. By the way, my family runs a hotel. Next time you're in the county town, I'll treat you to a meal!"

"A hotel?" Guo Dong looked up at the pretty, carefree girl.

"That's right! It’s quite well-known. Whenever you go out, give me a call, and I'll cover all your meals."

Guo Dong laughed and shook her hand. "Is your hotel big? Do you happen to need any vegetables?"